This chapter contains manga spoilers that have not yet been revealed in the anime. If you're an anime-only, you have been warned.
Chapter 37: The Battle of Kamino Ward
Doko stood up slowly, wiping his face groggily. He did not have the slightest clue where he was or what had happened. There was an awful taste in his mouth, and smoky darkness everywhere…where did the bar go?
"Arrgh…dammit!" Bakugo coughed next to him, getting to his feet and hacking away with his throat. Whatever power had just been used to transport them here was gross, but now…they appeared to be out in the open, somewhere? It was too dark, but Doko could feel a breeze…
"Bakugo, we need to go," he choked out to the blonde boy next to him. "Like, right now…"
Slow clapping from the shadows up ahead, and then…footsteps.
Doko's blood ran cold. In an instant, an aura of absolute evil fell over them. He could feel the horrors of a hundred years' worth of atrocities weigh down on his shoulders, could hear the screams of victims past and victims to come. A dark red wave seemed to fill his eyes, like the blood of the fallen.
He swallowed, watching as the silhouette resolved itself, its feet gliding half a meter over the ground. All For One was tall, with a pristine suit on and a roach-like mask that covered his face. Tubing was attached to it, keeping him alive. What was visible of his skin was gnarled, wrinkly, and scarred.
"Welcome, Bakugo and Katayama."
"You don't look so good, mate," Doko called, his voice trembling.
All For One chuckled. "It's true, making an appearance is quite the risk. But…I'm afraid the heroes left me no choice."
Suddenly, more black goo portals opened up behind them…and the rest of the League appeared. Spinner landed flat on his belly, gagging and sticking his tongue out. Dabi and Kurogiri fell to the ground, unconscious. Magne shivered, making a feminine hiss through her teeth.
"Ewww, what the hell was that?" asked Toga, turning her nose up as she stood.
"That stinks! Smells great!" Twice babbled.
"Master…" Shigaraki droned, kneeling down in front of All For One. "You came…"
Bakugo was looking around wildly, and Doko echoed his movements. They were in the ruins of some great building. In the smoky distance, he could see people unconscious on the ground…or at least, he HOPED they were unconscious. The closest one looked almost like…
"Best Jeanist," Bakugo muttered under his breath, almost gasping.
Doko realized it was true. He saw more grounded silhouettes resolve themselves into Gang Orca, Mount Lady…and Tiger, of the Pussycats. The people on the ground behind them were heroes.
"You have failed again, Tomura," All For One was saying. "But do not fret. Your courage will be much needed in the immediate future. I have brought your associates back with you, as well as these children. You judged them to be important pieces, and so I support it."
Doko's mind was racing. He's the one who brought us here? That goo portal Quirk is one of his? Kurogiri was down, but with All For One around…would he even be able to teleport out? That Quirk could probably just bring him straight back, and then…
AFO landed on the ground lightly, and reached his hand out to the bowing Shigaraki. "Do it over as many times as you need to. That is why I'm here. It's all…for you."
He put his hand on Shigaraki's shoulder, and stood him up. "Well…mostly for you."
"Huh?" Tomura rasped, confused.
The Symbol of Evil turned, and looked directly at Doko.
"It is regretful that Kurogiri was put to sleep, but in any case…Doko Katayama. We have much to discuss."
Doko's heart skipped several beats, and his eyes turned to saucers. He took a shaky step backward. "Wh-what do you want me for? I mean, besides…"
"Wait a second!" Shigaraki protested. "You said you didn't care about who I got…oh. Was this the opportunity you were talking about, Master?"
"Why, yes," All For One purred. "I'm so pleased you figured it out. I was surprised as you when Kurogiri took an interest in the boy, but at the same time…I was not surprised at all. I supposed it was only natural. But like I said before, this granted me a chance to do something important. So I allowed you and Kurogiri to plot and bring the boy to me. This other one…" he nodded at Bakugo. "Is a nice bonus."
"WHAT?!" Bakugo snarled, his palms crackling. He clearly did not like being called a bonus.
Doko did not like where all of this was going. He knew Kurogiri had been after him, but now it sounded like…All For One had been wanting to talk to him, too. And fear was creeping into his heart at the thought.
"Wh-whatever you want…" he sputtered, slowly stepping away from the villains. "I don't care."
"Ah, but you will care," said All For One. "For I have the answers you seek, dear Doko. Don't you want to know why you've been made to suffer under those Quirkless parents for all these years?"
Doko froze on the spot. His entire body shut down. It was like a pure white light had been shot through his brain, and…
He'd never wanted to acknowledge it, and definitely not now. All the doubts came flooding back in at once. Why did he exist? Why had he been gifted with a Quirk in the one place where Quirks were looked down upon? What was the reason for it all? He'd tried to smother those doubts out by going to UA, by putting his inexplicable powers to use, to actually contribute to society, but…
How? How does he know about them? HOW?
There was only one truth. All For One knew…because he'd been somehow involved.
Doko opened his trembling mouth to speak…and Bakugo shouted.
"ASSHOLES!" the blonde boy roared, and slammed his palms into the ground.
A great smoky explosion billowed up, scattering everyone in all directions. Doko watched Shigaraki disappear in front of him, and heard Toga's scream as his feet left the ground, and he went flying away toward the edge of the ruins.
A great gust of wind seemed to come from the opposite end, countering it, and the explosion diverted upward as if blocked by a great invisible wall. All For One remained floating in his spot, his arms braced in front of himself like a cross. Doko landed on the ground hard, tasting blood in his mouth, and quickly scrambled up to his feet, coughing. The fight had begun, far too early for his tastes.
Two more explosions crackled off up ahead as Bakugo bobbed and weaved his way past Shigaraki. He swept up another one at Magne as she reached in for him, and nearly backed into Toga's knife as it sliced through the air with a high whooshing sound.
Doko took off at a run toward the fight, recharging his warp energy as he ran and finally diving into the fray with one great teleport. He punched Spinner in the side of the head and warped sideways to avoid Twice's steel ribbon, nearly tripping over Dabi's body in the process.
Another explosion went off near his ear, and he heard Bakugo swear. Then, red tendrils were suddenly wrapping themselves around him, and he felt himself get yanked forward, toward All For One. Doko tried to activate his Quirk to escape, but it wasn't working. Either the fear, distress, or the Quirk currently restraining him was doing something.
Doko's feet dragged along the ground like he was waterskiing, and suddenly he was pulled up face-to-face with All For One, the red tendrils emerging from the man's fingers and wrapping around him.
Doko stared directly at the dark mask and wrinkled his nose. "You smell awful," he told the man, feeling the rage and frustration of battle wash over him.
All For One sneered. "Bold. Just how I wanted you." He used the tendrils to fling Doko down to the ground, and then sent blue lightning through them. Doko screamed in pain and shock, the Quirk combo causing him to curl up into the fetal position. Just…let me warp. Let me get my strength back, please…I want to…
Why? Why did All For One want him? The only thing he could think of right now was what All Might had implied…that the evil mastermind had seen the Sports Festival, watched him win, and decide that he wanted Doko's Quirk.
"Are you going to take my powers?" Doko spat from the ground, looking back up at the man as he loomed down upon him. Behind them, Bakugo raged in his battle against the League. Need to get him and run. Need to get him and run…
All For One laughed aloud. "HA! No. Your Quirk is yours alone. And do not worry. I did not give it to you as a baby, either. You were born with it, it is natural."
"Then…h-how do you know…ABOUT MY PARENTS!" Doko felt his Quirk return to him as the effect from the tendrils wore off, and he flexed his arms, causing a burst of purple light as he took all the rubble in the vicinity and warped it over All For One's head, raining it down on him to crush him.
AFO raised a hand almost lazily, and burst the rubble into pieces with some kind of telekinesis. Then, with a wave of his other hand, the rubble spun like a tornado, and sharpened, into shards like glass. He snapped his fingers, setting it aflame with some white fire Quirk, and then threw it at Doko, laughing like a maniac all the while.
Doko warped sideways frantically to avoid the onslaught. It impacted the fight behind them like a barrage, sending eruptions of white fire everywhere, and splitting Bakugo from the League. A shard landed on Twice's shoulder, and he shrieked, dancing around to put it out. Bakugo swore again, and launched back into battle.
Doko bobbed and weaved toward All For One in five warps, screaming with rage. He charged his Quirk through his fist again, and sent more rubble flying at him from the side. All For One swept up his left arm, creating an invisible barrier that blocked the debris, and then punched out with his right, spraying water like a firehose, sending Doko flying back from the force of the jet.
Doko warped sideways again, trying to right himself in mid-air, and felt his ankle twist as he skidded against the ground. With a furious yank, he closed his Quirk's power around All For One's mask, and pulled as hard as he could.
A purple glow grew around the man's head, and for a moment, the Symbol of Evil stopped laughing. Gripping his mask to hold it on, he boomed, "Insolent." He snarled, and suddenly split himself into dozens, the clones growing around Doko like a swarm. Doko lowered his arm, confused, and his Quirk died out. The AFO copies surrounded him, and he turned in a circle, unsure which was the real one.
They all spoke with one voice, sending a chattering, horrid feeling through Doko's head.
"I know your parents because I gave you to them. You were switched at the hospital, Doko Katayama. You are adopted."
At that moment, all his clones sent the red tendrils toward Doko in the center, from all of their ten fingers. Thousands of the little tentacles came waving toward him, and wrapped around him, killing his Quirk. Doko's head was spinning, his brain shocked from the utter blow. No, he thought, the only coherent word. No…a purple light began to grow around his body.
"NO!" he shouted, teleporting his voice, and activating Warp Field.
A purple blast blew out through the ruins, scattering the red tendrils, and causing all the AFO clones to dissipate, leaving the real one as he flew back, once again using a gust of wind to right himself in midair, and counter the attack.
The man was laughing again. "Oh, your power is incredible! I'm overjoyed, truly. This is better than I could possibly have hoped for."
"Shut up…" Doko snarled, looking up at the bastard as he stayed floating, just out of reach. "You're lying. I wasn't adopted. Why would they never tell me? They NEVER missed an opportunity to belittle me. You'd think they'd tell me that on day fucking one!"
"Because, dear boy," All For One chuckled, "they never knew. Like I said, you were switched at the hospital with Miss Katayama's true son, a Quirkless boy that I quickly disposed of. Their frustration stems from the fact that they believe you are theirs, and therefore they cannot get rid of you. A sad fact of reality."
"Then…WHERE ARE MY REAL PARENTS, THEN?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THEM?!" Doko warped upward toward him again, trying fruitlessly to yank that stupid mask off, but All For One shot a black beam out of his left hand like a laser, and it went right through Doko's eyes. For a moment, he saw everything in negative space, as if the colors had been reversed, and then he felt a strange burning sensation in the back of his head. He hit the ground, shaking his head as if stunned. Whatever Quirk had just hit him had been incredibly strange.
All For One wouldn't stop laughing, and it was incredibly annoying. I just gotta get that stupid mask off. That's his life support. He'll die without it, I'm sure.
"Your real parents…why, I didn't do anything with them! Don't be so hasty to jump to conclusions, dear boy. Your mother died in childbirth, which I'm sure even you will know not to blame me for. Another one of those sad facts of reality. Since she was going to die anyway, I'm sure you won't blame me for taking her Quirk as she birthed you. Doko, you know as well as I that we can't let good Quirks go to waste. That's why you wanted to become a hero after all, right?"
"You took her Quirk as she died," Doko snarled, getting back to his feet. "For yourself? And how did you get into the hospital anyway, you great big roach?"
"I have my sources. And no, the Quirk was not for me. Your mother's Quirk was Warp Gate, you see. I decided it would be better off…in the hands of someone living. Why should we let good Quirks die off, after all? It would be such a waste."
Doko's eyes flashed toward Kurogiri, unconscious on the ground behind where Bakugo continued to fight the League. Kurogiri…has my mom's Quirk? Does he know?
"You see, Doko, fighting like this with all my Quirks isn't really my style. I came here to help Tomura, it is true, but I would much rather use my powers for good. Like I did with your mother. How can you blame me for any of it? I simply took a Quirk and gave it someone else, so it can continue to be of use to society. That is my power, that is my strength. I can move Quirks around to wherever they are needed, and build the perfect world."
Doko was confused. He didn't know if he wanted to fight anymore, or even if he could. He wanted to hear All For One out. Maybe if I let him talk, he'll get distracted enough to where I can go save Bakugo and warp out of here…
"What…what happened to my father, then?" he spat out, looking back up at the man.
"Your father…is the owner of that Quirk that was just used to bring you here. The teleporting black goo. When he and your mother conceived you, it combined with Warp Gate to give you the powers that you have today."
"But…" Doko's eyes narrowed. "YOU were the one who brought us here! You're the one who has that Quirk!" Wait. NO. Is he saying…
…that HE'S my father?
All For One must have read his mind, because he laughed even harder. "As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not your father, boy. Did you get your hopes up for a moment? Sorry to disappoint. No, I was not the one who used the Quirk that took you all out of that bar, although I did give the order, so I was technically the one to bring you here. A small error in wording. Your father is indeed still in possession of his Quirk. I will even permit you to see him…if you join me."
The ground beneath Doko's feet seemed to lurch. His birth mother was dead, but his dad…his dad worked for All For One? Or…was he being controlled?
"Why in the everloving fuck," Doko breathed, trying to control himself and speak very slowly, "would I ever join you."
"Haven't you been listening, my boy? I, like you, have a vested interest in putting Quirks where they can be best used. In your case, you only have the one, and decided to become a hero with it. Smart. I can't fault you for the decision, despite my distaste of heroes. But I…I have the power to build a great society with my strength, and here I am…still alive. It would be against my ideals if I simply sat in the shadows and did nothing with the gifts that remain within me, and you would agree, wouldn't you?"
"But you already had your chance," Doko snarled. "You ruled Japan for a hundred years, and it SUCKED. That's what all the stories say. If you are able to build a perfect society with your power, then why didn't you do it before? Oh, that's right. BECAUSE YOU'RE A PIECE OF SHIT, AND DON'T CARE ABOUT HELPING ANYONE!"
"You have heard the stories wrong," he replied in smooth stride. "Didn't Denki Kaminari tell you? Yes, it's true, there was much turmoil during my rule. But I was the only one trying to stop it, via Quirk redistribution! I was on my way to fixing society before that great big blonde oaf came along! And do you know what the problem was, Doko? The thing I was on my way to fix?" He leaned forward. "It was the tension between those with Quirks and those without them. You know that tension better than anyone, dear boy. I was on my way to spreading Quirks in such a way that a household like yours would NEVER happen. And yet, because All Might stopped me, it did. And you were forced to suffer abuse at the hands of the powerless. Because, with that smiling fool flying around, with all these heroes on the rooftops, that tension will continue to exist forever, do you understand? But you, you and I…we can stop it together. If you would only join me, boy. No future children will have to go through what you did."
He reached his hand out.
Doko swallowed.
"Ha…one small problem with that, I think. That being…"
He raised his hands, sending purple light through them with pure rage.
"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SENT ME TO THOSE QUIRKLESS PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE! THEY DIDN'T RUIN MY LIFE, YOU DID! DID YOU THINK I WAS GOING TO FORGET THAT, YOU GREAT BIG OLD IDIOT?!"
All For One gasped, faltered…and then something came shooting out of the sky, right for him.
An eruption of wind sent Doko hurtling backward, nearly knocking into Bakugo and the villains like they were bowling pins.
He quickly tried to right himself, briefly putting his weight on his twisted ankle with a twinge of pain, and then made eye contact with Bakugo. All around them, the villains were groggily getting to their feet, and up ahead…
All Might was holding All For One's fists in his own, struggling in mid-air with great gusts of wind.
"I'll have you return my students, All For One," he snarled.
"Have you come to kill me a second time, All Might?" The Symbol of Evil asked gleefully.
The eruption of wind and smoke that came from their struggle of power was so great that all the League, Doko, and Bakugo were blown back again. Doko skidded against the ground for what felt like the tenth time that night, and when the smoke cleared, he saw the two titans standing thirty feet apart, in the middle of a great crater.
Bakugo was coughing next to him. "He held All Might back with his bare hands…"
I need to grab him and get out of here, Doko thought numbly. But all the things that All For One had said were still ringing through his head…and he couldn't move with any sort of purpose…
"I won't make the same mistake I did six years ago," All Might was saying. "I'll take my students back…and I'll throw you in prison for sure! You, and all your League underlings!"
He launched at AFO again, who raised his arm almost lazily. "Oh dear. There is so much to do, isn't there?"
His arm swelled, and a cannon of air erupted out of it, blasting All Might back through several buildings. The crater was widening. Kamino Ward was slowly destroying from the inside out.
"Katayama," Bakugo hissed. "We gotta go, dude…what's the matter?"
Doko couldn't say anything. Everything felt cold. Mom…Dad…
"There is no time," said All For One. "Tomura, take the two children and get out of here. The rest of you will accompany him as well."
"But how will we leave?" Shigaraki asked. "Kurogiri is down…"
AFO sent the red tendrils out of his fingers again, and forced them into Kurogiri's body. "Forcible Quirk Activation!"
Kurogiri's dark warp gate appeared, a single foggy exit from the chaos. The League stared at it dumbly, as if unsure what to do. Bakugo was looking around wildly for an escape of his own. Doko only stood silently.
"But wait," said Tomura. "What about you?"
All Might came roaring out from beyond the buildings, like a great comet hurtling through the air.
All For One lifted off the ground again, preparing to meet him. "Think constantly, Tomura. You have so much room to grow."
Shigaraki's voice sounded emotional. "Master…"
The two titans met in mid-air, causing another blast of power, but the League's focus had turned.
"Shigaraki, let's go while he's holding All Might back!" Compress roared, kneeling down over Dabi and using his Quirk to pick up the fire user. "Grab the kids!"
All eyes turned toward Doko and Bakugo.
"Damn, what a pain," Bakugo sneered, getting into fighting position.
Doko blinked dumbly, trying to shake himself out of his thoughts. Above them, a great one-on-one fight was taking place…All For One was no longer focused on him. He only had eyes for All Might.
That means… we gotta get out now!
But the thought came too late, as Magne came swinging at him, knocking him backwards into Kurogiri's open portal as Bakugo began to fight back. The last thing Doko heard was more swearing and explosions as his classmate snaked his way around the group of villains…
…
Where…where am I?
He was not in a new physical location. It seemed like he was floating through a black void, somewhere far, far away. The sounds of the battle were like a distant echo. What had happened with the portal? Had it failed to work? Where had it taken him?
Doko remembered that this was his mom's Quirk, and a curious quiet overcame him. Because he had now learned that, had the Quirk behaved differently? No, that didn't make any sense.
Besides, it was weird to think about. Kurogiri had his mom's Quirk…she'd died in childbirth. What kind of Quirk had the villain had before that? Had he looked human once?
Suddenly, a silhouette manifested itself in front of Doko. The dark shape resolved, and it was a teenage boy, maybe a bit older than him. The boy had bright blue hair that puffed up like a wavy cloud. He was curled up on the ground of the void, and seemed to be despondent. He wasn't wearing any clothes, but Doko couldn't see any sign of genitalia.
This was a strange place, a strange situation. Doko wondered if he'd be able to talk to the boy. "Hello?" he asked, almost testily.
The boy looked up. There was fear and uncertainty in his eyes, and somehow, despite not knowing him, Doko felt like this was wrong. This was not a boy who normally looked so panicked. He should look easygoing, with a smile and maybe some laughter.
"It's alright," Doko reassured. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"I…" the boy's voice cracked from lack of use. "I…lost my way."
Doko raised an eyebrow. "Well, anyone could get lost in here."
"That's not what I meant," the boy protested. "There's someone else…and I was supposed to fight it, but I didn't. And now everything's gone wrong."
"What's your name?" Doko asked.
The boy seemed to have forgotten. He looked up above himself as if deep in thought. "Shirakumo," he finally said. "Oboro Shirakumo. That's who I was."
"Were you…a student at UA, by chance?" Doko asked him.
Shirakumo nodded. "I had two good friends. Yamada and Aizawa…they must think I'm such an idiot."
Doko's eyes widened. "Aizawa? Aizawa…Shota?"
Shirakumo nodded excitedly. "That's right! Do you know him? Oh…um…" he suddenly turned dour again. "Could you tell him…could you tell him I'm sorry?"
Doko didn't know what else to say, so he only said, "Sure. I can do that. Shirakumo, right?"
"Right."
"Okay. I'll remember." Doko felt sick about all of this for some reason. He didn't quite understand what was happening anymore.
And yet…he felt a sense of duty towards this Shirakumo. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt like they'd met before.
"You've got to get back," said the cloud-haired boy, with maybe the faintest smirk. "They're counting on you, I think."
"Can I? Get back, I mean?"
"Sure. I can't, but you definitely can. You're a strong guy."
"Alright, well…" Doko closed his eyes, willing himself to hear the distant sounds of the battle. That felt like the right thing to do. And as he focused on them, they grew louder…and louder…
…
Izuku watched over the edge of the wall in horror at the scene happening in front of them. Bakugo ducked low under Twice's ribbon, and then used his explosions to flip himself over backward, avoiding Compress's fingers by inches. Katayama had re-emerged from the portal, and was now dodging Spinner and Magne as they tried to grab him. Both looked tired and weak.
Izuku's eyes darted toward the left, where All Might punched All For One back, and then turned toward the other fight. "Bakugo! Katayama! I'm coming now!" he cried…and then red tendrils wrapped around his feet, and tripped him to the ground.
"I don't think so," said All For One, "because I am here."
He dragged All Might back toward him with the tendrils, landing a devastating blow to the hero's chest. Izuku nearly let out a wail, and had to duck back behind the wall again.
"Deku? What are we doing?" Uraraka hissed. He looked out at the six who'd come with him. Besides her, Ashido, Iida, Todoroki, Kirishima, and Sero were all looking to him as well. Panicked, sweaty, frightened. None of them had a clue.
I…I need a plan…Kacchan and Katayama don't have an opening, and All Might can't help them with All For One there…we're the only ones with the power to turn the tide!
"Midoriya, wait!" Iida hissed, grabbing his shirt. "We can't! We have to run!"
"No, there's a way," Izuku said, realizing it himself as he spoke. "A way to get the two of them out…without fighting!"
Todoroki's eyes narrowed. "Let's hear it."
…
As Doko ducked under Toga's knife for the third time, he heard a burst in the wall behind him.
First, Uraraka will make Sero and Kirishima lighter for me and Iida to hold.
Doko turned, surprised. Bakugo did the same. All the villains halted for a moment, looking.
Then, with my power and Iida's Reciproburst, we'll blast toward the wall! Kirishima will use his Hardening to break through!
His eyes widened as he saw familiar hair, familiar faces. A huge slide of ice went up, towering over their heads.
Me and Iida will continue to propel forward, and Todoroki will make an upward path of ice for us to go high over the battle!
Doko watched four of them sliding up the ice, Midoriya's green lightning sparkling out everywhere, blue fire bursting from Iida's legs. Kirishima and Sero dangled below them, being held in their arms.
The villains haven't noticed us yet. At this point, to prevent anyone from cutting us off, Ashido will put up a veil of acid in front of the ice wall.
Doko saw a familiar gooey substance erupt up into a barrier in front of them, nearly hitting Shigaraki and causing him to shrink back. The group of four had just launched off the ice, and now the villains had been cut off from getting to them…by Mina.
Doko's heart soared. Mina. Mina existed. How could he have forgotten? She existed, she was real, she had come to save him.
Katayama can't teleport up to the height we'll be at, which means…Sero, you'll have to shoot your tape down as far as it can go, and meet him in the middle!
Doko watched as two white tendrils came snaking downward from the group of four, and he heard Sero's voice, like music to his ears. "KATAYAMA, COME ON!"
Doko's legs felt like they were on fire, but he used the last of his Quirk's strength, and put everything into his feet. Go up…go UP! MINA IS WAITING FOR ME!
He flashed upward, and grabbed onto the tape with his hand, suddenly being yanked along through the air by his friends.
As for Kacchan…it won't work if I call out to him. Kirishima, you're the one who built up an equal relationship with him from the start of the year…you're a person Kacchan could call a friend, so if you shout to him, then…I'm sure!
Kirishima looked down, and reached his hand out. "BAKUGO!"
The villains converged on the spot where Bakugo was…and the blonde boy blew up both his hands, flying upward and away from them, grabbing Kirishima's hand in midair.
He smiled. "You stupid or something?"
"Bakugo, on my mark, create a blast…" Iida shouted.
"You match MY mark!" Bakugo snapped.
"Don't fight at a time like this!" Kirishima wailed.
Doko screamed as he frantically tried to hold on to Sero's tape as it flapped into the wind. "This…is not…optimal!" he called up to them.
"Just hang on!" Sero called. "We're gonna get away in a sec…"
Down on the ground, tears swam through Mina's eyes as she saw that they had succeeded, that the boys had picked them up and were getting away.
"Quick, while they're distracted," said Todoroki to her and Ochaco. "Let's get out of here."
Mina sniffled. "Right." They ran out of the alley.
"We can't let them get away! Where are the long distance fighters?!" Compress cried.
"Dabi and Kurogiri are both down!" Spinner reminded him.
"You two, get close!" Magne told them.
She used her Quirk, and launched Compress up toward the retreating students. Midoriya turned, panicked at the approaching villain, but then Mount Lady grew out of the debris, Compress knocking right into her nose. "TITAN CLIFF!" she roared, blood spraying as Compress tumbled back toward the ground, blocked.
"Prioritize…the rescue…" she stammered out as she fell. "Go, stupid kids!"
"Let's try again!" said Compress from the ground. "Magn…argh!"
He was suddenly kicked in the face by an arriving Gran Torino, who quickly did the same to Twice, Magne, and Spinner, knocking them all to the ground.
"You're late," said All Might as his mentor landed.
"And you're too fast," Gran Torino complained.
…
Fifteen minutes later.
The six boys had gathered in front of the station, breathless and keeled over. All around them were crowds of evacuated citizens. Beyond this row of streets, they could hear the distant sounds of the battle. Distant sirens. A dark shadow seemed to have fallen over the sky.
Midoriya was on the phone with Todoroki. "Are you guys okay?!"
"Fine. We went out the back way and joined the crowds. They're evacuating us."
"Okay, we're at the station."
Doko had to sit on the ground; his legs were not obeying him. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened…whether it was something All For One had done, or something connected to the weird thing that had happened inside Kurogiri's portal, or just pure exhaustion from his last warp…but his legs were shot, and he doubted he'd be able to even walk for a while, let alone use his Quirk.
Iida took the chance to turn toward him and Bakugo. "Are you two alright?"
"No," Doko squeaked.
"Fine!" Bakugo barked, and he specifically seemed to be aiming it at Kirishima. "You didn't rescue me, okay? I just saw you and thought you'd be a convenient escape route!"
"Whatever you say, man," Kirishima joked, but his smile faded when Sero nudged him in the arm, and pointed at Doko on the ground.
"Hey, Katayama…what's wrong?"
Doko coughed out. "Where's…where's Mina? Where is she? I saw her acid veil."
Sero and Iida exchanged a look. "She and Uraraka are with Todoroki. We got separated; they needed to stay on the ground for the plan to work."
"I want to see her," Doko said. He knew he sounded like a kid, but he couldn't help it. She…and Todoroki, too…were the only ones who knew. Who would understand.
Although, with a glance at Bakugo, he remembered that the blonde boy knew now, too. About his parents. But Bakugo was in no less of a state than himself.
"Well, we have to get moving, then," said Kirishima. "Can you stand?" he offered Doko a hand.
"I…" Doko looked at it. He was not sure.
Helicopters whirred over their heads, heading toward the battle. Midoriya had hung up the phone, and was now staring at the big screen on the side of the building, which other people were now watching, too.
"Hey, guys," said Midoriya, his voice sounding very small. "We made the right decision, didn't we?"
The others followed his gaze. The helicopters had come into view of the battle, and the news feed was now flooding in.
"...Like a scene out of a nightmare! Half of Kamino Ward has been destroyed in an instant! All Might is fighting who we believe to be the ringleader…but it's just one villain! Holding his own against the Symbol of Peace!"
Doko felt very, very sick. He did not want to watch that screen at all.
All around them, whispers were erupting.
"The villains have just been attacking constantly, huh?"
"Where are the rest of the heroes? What are they doing?"
"How could they have allowed all this to happen so fast?"
"But…All Might will take care of it, right? He always does!"
"He looks kinda beat up…"
"Did the rest of the League escape?" Iida asked, scanning the screen. "Yeah, they're all gone…it's just the one left…"
"It's All For One," Doko forced out, leaning on Sero's shoulder. "He's…well…" He exchanged a glance with Bakugo.
Bakugo snarled. "This is bad. They took that foggy bastard's way out and got away."
Midoriya gasped, and then so did the crowd.
They all looked up at the screen at once. Showing in a clear closeup, from the live news feed…was All Might, only he didn't look like All Might at all. His familiar hair tufts had fallen down. His face was narrow and angular, and his eyes sunk back into their sockets. His costume hung on him like an overlarge rag. His arms were spindly and scarred and bloody.
He was thin, scraggly, emaciated. He was…
"His time's run out," Doko heard Midoriya mutter.
"Is this real?" the reporter was stammering. "All Might's been…deflated…"
The crowd erupted into whispers of disbelief. The UA students looked around wildly, unable to do anything…
Of all the reveals of the evening, it was the straw that broke the camel's back for Doko. All Might was losing. His power was drained. This…this was his real form.
Is there anything I can rely on anymore? Anything at all?
"All Might…" Bakugo muttered. "Win…"
The crowd's whispers touched their ears.
"Isn't this bad?"
"All Might…no…"
"But…he's…"
"Even if he looks different, he's still All Might!"
"He's always been able to save us, right?"
"He can't lose!"
"ALL MIGHT, YOU CAN DO IT!"
"WIN!" shouted Midoriya, and goosebumps crawled over Doko's arms.
"WIN!" Bakugo echoed.
"WIN!" shouted Kirishima, and Sero.
"WIN!" Iida cried.
"WIN!" the crowd all chanted together.
Doko took a deep breath. His Quirk was leaving him, curling up in some space deep within him, but he summoned it up to his larynx one last time, remembering Kota.
"WIN!" he roared, warping his voice as far as it could go, hoping beyond hope to reach All Might's ears.
On the screen, the Symbol of Peace perked up. A flash of recognition went across his sunken eyes.
And then…his smile returned.
The camera could not hear what he was saying to All For One, but his arm swelled up again, and the lightning of power coursed through it.
…
It was over.
More helicopters flew overhead as the crowd milled about, chattering excitedly. In the distance, the sun was coming up.
The UA students continued to watch the screen as the report continued.
"More heroes have arrived to continue the rescue operations…"
In the background, Edgeshot, Kamui Woods, Tiger, and others were recovering people from the wreckage of Kamino Ward.
"...but it is expected that there will be a large number of casualties."
Doko was still leaning on Sero. He murmured in his friend's ear, "Can we get out of here soon?"
"In a minute," the tape user responded. Bakugo and Midoriya were still glued to the screen.
"The villain thought to be the ringleader…oh, they're leading him into the Iron Maiden now!"
All For One was escorted into the capturing device, sagged and wrinkly and defeated. Doko wished he could feel some sort of relief at seeing that. But he's alive, still alive. All Might should have finished the job.
The hero in question suddenly lifted up his finger, and pointed it at the camera. The reporter gasped, and stopped talking.
Doko's eyes widened. All Might coughed some blood out onto the ground, and said, "Next…it's your turn."
The crowd erupted into a round of cheering. Midoriya burst into tears.
The first rays of sunlight burst out over the tops of the buildings. The long night was over. Morning had come at last.