"It seems, with such a threat, it would be best if the two of us joined forces. At least, for the time being anyway. Wouldn't you say so? Hero Killer Stain. If you are ok with killing a god, that is."

A deep, sinister grin curled on the face of the rejuvenated All For One as he gently mocked the man at his side, the once undisputed leader of villainy casually running his fingers through the white shock of hair adorning the top of his unmutilated face, rejoicing in the feeling of power and youthful vigor coursing through his body. It had been too long, much too long, since he had felt such a wondrous feeling, one free of metal contraptions and devices to merely breathe, to survive.

He could truly live again. And all he had to do was topple a mad schoolgirl.

Stain merely remained silent through the villain leaders boasting and jeers, his intense stare locked firmly upon the blonde girl standing across from the trio, her body language tense, but not from the ensuing battle. No, there was a greater war happening within this psychotic child, a mental battle that was tearing her apart at the seams. He was sure whatever side won, the world could only lose, as neither side would bring this so-called god peace.

But he didn't care. A distracted enemy, even one likening themselves as a god as she does, was easy prey. Without proper focus, with your mind split, you are more prone to making mistakes, ones he will be guaranteed to exploit. He was no fool though. He knew what kind of danger he was in by going up against her, the Hero Killer never one to underestimate a younger foe, even with the current rift within her mind.

Even a frenzied beast still could bite your head off.

"Very well. But know this All For One," Stain growled softly in his weathered voice as he pointed his knife toward the towering villain, the silver-haired man not even flinching at the sharpened blade hovering before his face, his confident smile still plastered upon his lips, "once she is dead, your life is next."

Lowering his blade, his threatening words still hanging heavily in the air, All For One could only grin in amusement at the Hero Killers words, his gaze shifting from the crimson garbed man to the solitary girl standing in the middle of the road. He would gladly entertain the man's delusional beliefs, for now, his battle expertise and useful quirk sure to come in handy against such a powerful foe, one he was not going to underestimate. Because only someone seeking to obtain that power for himself would understand just how dangerous it can be in another's hands.

And soon it will be in his.

Without another word and a tenuous alliance at best, the Hero Killer and All For One rushed toward the stationary blonde, prepared to eliminate her from this world and, in All For One's case, to reclaim what once was his. Only All Might remained rooted to the spot, sapphire orbs glowing with warring emotions as he watched his most hated enemy and Stain clash with his former student, Toga standing her ground against such powerful offense.

How could he possibly fight her? She was his student! A contentious and rambunctious one, but still one of his own. It had been his job to guide her, to lead her down the proper road, one of a hero, of righteousness and good. Seeing her now, so full of rage, golden eyes darkened with despair, All Might saw a child in need of saving. From herself and the festering darkness within her heart.

He knew he had to fight, that she had to be stopped, that she was a threat to every living thing in the world, if not the universe. But, could he find the resolve to do what must be done? What if she was too far gone? What if she had strayed too far from the light? What if she couldn't be brought back?

If it came down to it, could he end her life?

Ignorant to the number 1 heroes moral quandary, Stain and All For One were quickly embroiled in a vicious brawl with the godlike schoolgirl, the villains attacking Toga with every intent to kill, the Hero Killer's blades thirsting for her flesh as the Kingpin of the villain world unleashed the entire gamut of his stockpiled quirks. The earth shook as All For One struck the ground at Toga's feet, his augmented strength cracking the asphalt with ease, the blonde schoolgirl expertly stepping between the fissures crawling across the ground as she danced out of the range of Stains deadly swipes.

Unholstering a knife from his hip, the polished blade gleaming dangerously, Stain deftly threw it toward the retreating girl, his aim tried and true as it flew toward Toga's face. Watching the combat knife soar toward her with an impassive stare, her feet remaining rooted to the spot with quiet confidence, Toga's head suddenly split cleanly down the middle the second the blade's razor-sharp tip grazed the skin of her forehead, the knife passing through the newly created gap and landing harmlessly several feet away with a pathetic clang of metal on concrete.

A grunt of surprise and disbelief passed the torn lips of the Hero Killer at the absurd sight before him, the godly blonde's distorted head, resembling a clay figure that was cleaved in twain with a searing hot knife, slowly melded back together with an eerie writhing of her flesh. With her head fully reformed, no trace of any damage to be seen upon her skin, Toga's dismissive stare continued to bore into Stain's eyes, openly mocking his attempt.

Their silent stare down was broken by a deep condescending chuckle from All For One, Toga's golden gaze flickering over to the towering villain, a crimson flash appearing at the white-haired man's fingertips as black and red streaked tendrils shot out toward the stationary schoolgirl, each one aiming for a major artery on her body. As the tendrils flew toward the godly blonde, her body suddenly shimmered before being replaced with Stain, the pair of villain's eyes growing wide at the unexpected change of places, All For One managing to redirect his attack at the last second, simply grazing the Hero Killer, leaving shallow indentations in his skin.

"You two are funny and all," Toga mocked sardonically, the villains quickly shifting around to face the godly blonde, her head tilted to the side as her eyes listlessly gazed upon the pair, "but I don't see what was so scary about you two."

Snorting angrily, the girl's condescending attitude, along with the looming threat she posed to the world, caused the Hero Killer to momentarily lose his cool, Stain procuring two more knives before rushing headlong toward Toga, his crimson eyes darkened with rage. Raising his arm high into the air, the turbulent sky above reflected in colors of red and purple off of his blade, Stain struck at the blonde schoolgirl with unbridled rage and deadly precision, the Hero Killer looking to spill gods blood upon the concrete.

With a casual flick of her wrist, Toga procured a knife of her own from within her sleeve, metal clashing with metal as she expertly blocked Stain's vicious strike, the impact rolling like a shock wave through the Hero Killers arm, causing him to almost lose his grip upon its hilt. Rolling with his downward momentum, Stain slid into a low crouch as he looked to slice at the schoolgirl's heels, Toga simply stepping over his precise knife swings, punctuating his attempts by driving the sole of her foot into his face with a vicious kick.

"This? This is the fabled Hero Killer Stain?" Toga questioned derisively as their blades clashed in a vie for dominance, the godlike schoolgirl overwhelming the crimson-adorned man with incredible speed and skill, punctuating her statement by shattering his knives with a deft and precise strike. "You are pathetic. Just like everyone else!"

Staring at his shattered blades in mute disbelief, Stain felt his stomach drop, a horrible foreboding feeling of vertigo rushing through his body as the earth beneath him disappeared, Toga having conjured up a bottomless pit just below him. A dark, sickness jumped into the Hero Killers' throat as he began falling into the yawning void beneath him, darkness surrounding him as the monstrous blonde watched him fall with an emotionless gaze.

Reacting quickly, the light from above shrinking the further he fell, Stain quickly pulled his last remaining knife from his back and stuck it firmly into the wall, the sound of metal grating against rock ringing loudly in his ears as his descent slowed before coming to an abrupt halt, the sudden jolt causing him to almost lose his grip upon its hilt. Catching his breath, a cold sweat breaking out upon his brow, Stain slowly lowered his gaze, crimson eyes awash with fear as he stared into the endless abyss below him, the light from above unable to pierce its shadowy veil.

It was like staring into the gates of Yomi, the land of the undead.

Staring down into the endless abyss, watching the Hero Killer struggle to keep himself from falling into its yearning darkness, Toga felt no sense of triumph, no sick satisfaction in besting her idol, no feeling of fulfillment. Only emptiness. Cold, putrid emptiness, burrowing itself deeper and deeper into her heart.

Why wasn't it going away? Why was nothing making her happy? Why? Why was HE still in her head?

Grasping the side of her head, her teeth grit firmly as she tried to swallow the rising ire in her throat, her head alight with a growing fire, Toga failed to notice the approaching All For One until he loomed above her, a sinister grin curling on his lips. Sensing his presence, Toga quickly snapped her head upward only to have her vision grow dark as All For One grabbed her face roughly, lifting the tiny girl off of the ground with ease, a victorious sneer crossing his features as he held her aloft.

"Such a wonderful power, wasted on such an emotionally and mentally unstable little girl." All For One chuckled darkly as his large palm engulfed the young girl's head, fingers grasping it tightly as he activated his quirk, a sinister smile curling on his lips as he imagined all he could achieve with such power. "Don't worry. I'll gladly take this burden off your hands."

As the swirling power of his quirk flowed through his veins, his grip upon Toga's face growing tighter with eager anticipation, the kingpin of the villain world's mind was awash with all the possibilities this new power would afford him, All For One letting out a maniacal and boisterous guffaw that echoed ominously through the city. Ruling Japan wouldn't be enough. No, that was thinking too small. This girl and her silly games couldn't understand just what she could have done, what she could have owned.

An entire universe, wrapped neatly around your finger.

With grand machinations dancing in his mind, All For One lost in a rapturous frenzy, the villain leader let out a strangled grunt as his whole body froze, his muscles twitching in a futile attempt to get his body to move. Eyeballs twitching, his face stuck in a fearful grimace, All For One felt his body grow cold as the small girl in his hand began to move.

Phasing through his meaty palm, nerves screaming in agony as his atoms got rearranged by Toga's body passing through him, the godlike girl lazily strolled up to the towering man, her dull stare locked upon his crimson eyes, awash with terror and fear. No matter how much he struggled, the former kingpin desperately trying to activate every single quirk at his disposal, not a single one obeyed his body's command, the towering villain helpless as Toga came to stand before him.

With her golden stare locked upon his, her diminutive form practically loomed above him as her threatening aura swallowed him whole, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes as her hand slowly, agonizingly, reached out toward his face. Like a puppet dancing upon her strings, All For One's body dutifully knelt down to make it easier for the shorter girl to reach his face, the silver-haired villain feeling tears roll down his cheeks as her fingers curled into his hair, strands of silver grasped tightly in her fist.

Looking up at the villain kingpin, taking in his tear-streaked visage, Toga shot him a sinister sneer before pulling roughly and tearing the flesh clean from his head, revealing the old, scar tissue riddled face of All For One. Feeling control return to his body, All For One desperately clawed at the disfigured and scarred flesh, the all-familiar weathering effects of age, and the damage dealt to him by All Might washing over him. It was all gone. His youth, his strength, his second chance at power. It was gone.

"This wonderful power," Toga sneered as she mockingly waved the torn skin of All For One's youthful form in his scarred face, before dropping the fleshy mask on the ground with a wet slap, the godlike girl leaning in to stare maliciously into the empty sockets of his eyes, "is only for me."

Mockingly patting the bald, scarred top of All For One's head, each slap punctuated with a painful hiss from between the villain's teeth, Toga slowly lowered her hand down to the hulking man's chest, fingers twiddling eagerly as they pressed firmly against his body. Like a hot knife cutting through flesh, a soundless scream tearing through the villain kingpin's throat as white-hot pain shot through his body, Toga's hand slowly inserted itself into his chest, All For One writhing in agony as her fingers searched and probed his insides with almost sadistic glee.

Grasping the object she was looking for tightly in her fist, the godlike girl, clearly aware of the horrible pain she was inflicting upon the quirk thief, ripped her arm out with a vicious yank, her blood-covered hand emerging with a glowing ball clasped firmly between her fingers. Holding the strange glowing orb in front of his face, Toga silently watched on as the villain's eyeless sockets grew wide in fear as he felt a piece of himself disappear, a feeling he had only ever inflicted upon others.

"Air Cannon."

Toga whispered softly, the words echoing like gunfire in All For One's ears as he futilely tried to activate said quirk, his body grasping at nothing, just an empty cavity within himself where it once was. She had stolen his quirk. And she was far from done, Toga once again snaking her arm into his chest, pulling and ripping at his insides until she produced another glowing orb, the godlike girl simply dropping it to the floor like a worthless toy.

"Rivet Stab."

"Impact Recoil."

"Spearlike Bones."

On and on Toga went, listing off each and every quirk All For One carried within himself, the pile of stolen abilities growing larger and larger with every invasive intrusion of the villain leader's body by her probing hands, the scarred man growing weaker and weaker with every power lost. He could only breathe out a silent whisper, pleading for this cruel monster to stop, begging for her to leave him one, just one quirk. He needed it. He needed to have power.

The tone in her voice as she stole his quirks spoke of extreme boredom, the godly blonde taking no interest in these trifling things, treating them as less than garbage. Treating what many would consider their most precious possession, an inherent part of you since your childhood, the very foundation upon which modern society was built, as worthless toys.

She simply discarded them, leaving the glowing orbs, shining with the calming warmth of the sun, in a simmering pool of dirt and blood at her feet.

"All of these quirks, one's you cherish above all else," Toga muttered softly, her voice thick with apathy as she placed her foot on top of one of the blood-encrusted orbs, the blonde schoolgirl casually crushing it beneath her sole, the rest of the amassed assortment of stolen quirks fading away in a sparkling shower of light, "are nothing."

Grasping desperately at the last vestiges of light, his body growing numb as his precious quirks faded away, a series of deep, gasping wheeze's rumbled through All For One's chest, the hulking villain crumbling to the ground in a pathetic heap as his body began to deteriorate from the loss of all of his healing powers. With heavy, labored breaths, his once booming voice small and pathetic, All For One pitifully cried out for his younger self, for his lost power, for someone to save him.

"For so long you searched, searched for something to grant you that power you sought over everything else. And in the end, it's all mine, free to do with as I please."

Toga taunted coldly as she placed her foot upon All For One's head, pushing the larger man's scarred face into the dirt, amongst the glowing remnants of his lost quirks.

"I can do anything."

A strange, unfamiliar pressure pressed into Toga's back, distracting the godlike girl as she removed her foot from All For One's head, turning around to stare into the crazed visage of the Hero Killer. Regarding him with a disinterested stare, Toga slowly lowered her golden eyes down to where she felt that odd sensation, her gaze falling on Stain's blade sticking firmly in her back.

"Oh." Toga only managed to let out a small exclamation of surprise before Stain roughly pulled the blade back out, the violent action followed with a small spray of blood from the open wound, a splattering of god's blood falling to the pavement, coating it in a crimson hue.

Grinning victoriously, a well of pride washing over the Hero Killer at successfully proving that even god can bleed, Stain licked off the crimson liquid adorning his blade in a single, deliberate motion, his eyes never once straying from his prey. In mere moments, even this false god will fall to his blade.

A brief, hushed silence seemed to fall over the world as Stain awaited his victory, the slow dripping of blood from Toga's shoulder ticking away the seconds, earth's population watching on with bated breaths. Stain's victorious grin slowly fell into a dismayed and frightened frown, eyes growing wide in disbelief as Toga lightly dabbed at her wound, the godlike girl gently rubbing her bloody fingers together as she inspected them with a critical eye.

His quirk had been rendered completely useless.

Rolling her head lazily over her shoulder, golden eyes sharp and cold, a wicked grin curled on Toga's face as her tongue practically slithered out from between her lips, the godlike girl gleefully licking off the blood from her fingers. The second her tongue touched her blood-soaked fingers, Stain's whole body froze in place, the Hero Killer straining futilely against invisible chains as his own quirk was used against him, the godlike girl merely smiling at him with a sinister grin.

Strolling over to the immobilized Hero Killer, each step sending a feeling of cold dread through Stain's body, Toga came to stand before the man who once was her idol, the one who had set this entire affair in motion. The League of Villains, her ascension to godhood...to Izuku.

Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts, her fanged tooth biting roughly into her lip, Toga lifted her arms dramatically, a multitude of knives, of various shapes and sizes, appearing around her in a floating halo of razor-sharp implements of death. Pointing her finger at the Hero Killer, one of the knives zipping down to hover over her hand, blade pointed ominously toward Stain's frozen body.

"Brachial." Toga proclaimed, the knife shooting toward Stain like a bullet, embedding itself firmly into his upper arm, slicing the major artery cleanly in two. A cry of supreme agony and pain passed Stain's lips as blood began rolling down his arm at an alarming rate, the river of crimson completely coating the knife embedded in him a sickly red.

"Radial." Waving her arms in a wide arc, two more knives flew toward the Hero Killer, slicing his wrists in the blink of an eye, blood spurting out of the wounds with every beat of his heart. Stain could feel his vision grow dark, his body growing cold and weak as more and more blood drained from his body, a puddle of crimson pooling grotesquely at his feet.

"Femoral." Licking the blood off of her knives, the once delectable liquid feeling like dusty ash rolling down her throat, Toga let loose another barrage, the blades digging deep into his thighs, the Hero Killer falling helplessly to his knees, his body unable to bear the brunt of his injuries. Stepping up to the fallen Hero Killer, knives swarming her body like bloodthirsty vultures, Toga regarded her former idol with quiet apathy.

Lifting her finger and placing it against Stain's chest, the blade of her knife lightly ghosting over his skin, Toga deigned to put this shell of a man out of his misery, to rid herself of one more connection to her past. To her failed existence. To her dreams of being part of a world not meant for her.

"Aorta." Before Toga could pierce Stain's heart, to end his life, a pair of large, muscular arms wrapped firmly around her body, pinning her arms to her sides, the last of her knives clattering loudly to the ground as if their strings had been cut. Heaving a heavy sigh, wholly fed up with all of these interruptions, Toga turned her head to glare angrily at the number 1 hero, the so-called Symbol of Peace.

"Young Toga! Stop this!" All Might cried, his loud screaming in her ear making Toga turn her head away with an annoyed grimace, the muscular hero holding her tight as she kicked her legs in irritation. "I know this isn't you! You're hurt! We can help you!"

Annoyed by his words, how painfully close they came to the truth, the godlike girl let her features melt and distort, All Might gasping in surprise as his grip on her body loosened, Toga melding into a slithering, liquid mass, soaking herself into the number 1 hero's pores. Grunting in pain, the feeling of the liquefied Toga passing through his body feeling like thousands of needles piercing his internals, All Might grit his teeth, baring the pain until the blonde schoolgirl removed herself from his back, reforming back to her normal self.

"There is nothing of worth you, of all people, can tell me." The blonde schoolgirl said with a withering glare as All Might whirled around with a spinning back fist, Toga easily dodging his wild swing by shrinking herself down, dancing and phasing through his hands as he tried to grab her diminutive form.

"I don't wish to harm you, Young Toga!" All Might desperately cried as he lunged at the regrown schoolgirl, his body passing through a separate dimension right as he was about to grab her, the Symbol of Peace catching a brief glimpse of its alien landscape before being transported back to his own world in the blink of an eye, Toga standing unharmed behind him.

"Young Toga! You have people that care about you!" Toga's body twitched as All Might continued to try and talk to her, his mannerisms, his actions, his unflinching heroism reminding her too much of Izuku. "Your classmates! Your friends! What of them?! How do you think they are feeling right now?!"

A familiar stab of pain pierced Toga's heart at his words, the smiling faces of her classmates flashing in her head, of a little girl with white hair and red eyes, of laughter and joy. Of a beautiful boy surrounded in shimmering green. Grasping her chest tight, fingers digging tightly into her cream-colored cardigan, Toga released an agonizing cry of pain that shook the earth beneath her feet.

"SHUT UP!" Toga's gasping cry, ripping and tearing through her throat, cracked the earth beneath All Might's feet, the eighth wielder of One For All quickly jumping out of the way, his shadowed, electric blue eyes watching in stunned disbelief as the city was split in half, the two halves of the earth floating away as they drifted in space. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

People could only watch on in mute horror as their planet was cracked into two separate pieces, tsunamis and earthquakes ravaging the earth, their home destroyed by a young girl's anguished cry. All Might was stuck rooted to the spot, electric eyes wide and fearful as he watched the other half of the planet float away, pieces splintering and breaking apart as they drifted further away. Turning his frightened eyes away from the horrible sight, All Might looked at the girl who had caused this, a young, broken child with the power of god at her fingertips.

Was this what would happen? All this. All this destruction. All this fear and terror. Is this what will become of the world if he fails? If he can't stop her, will he lose everything dear to him again? Is it all worth it to try and save her?

Breathing heavily, the violent outburst leaving her emotions feeling raw and strained, Toga watched the last pieces of the fractured half of earth tear itself to pieces in silent contemplation, her lips downturned in a deep frown. Sighing heavily, her entire body feeling worn out and weary, Toga's gaze locked firmly at the ground beneath her feet, concrete cracked and torn, the godlike girl casually waved her hand, the earth and its population returning to normal in the blink of an eye.

"This is nothing." Toga whispered softly as she lifted her head, golden eyes glaring at All Might from behind her hair, dark shadows covering her crazed features. "If you don't try harder, if you fail to stop me, then you leave the world, the entire universe, to my whims and desires."

Briefly surprised by her seemingly benevolent gesture, All Might felt his heart drop into his stomach at his former student's thinly veiled threat, his fingers curling into a determined fist as Toga stood facing him, challenging him to act.

"Will you allow that…All Might?"

Gritting his teeth, his heart sitting heavy in his chest, All Might knew there was nothing more he could do to help her. She was hurt and scared, lashing out at a world that she believed had forsaken her and he was unable to save her. Toga was a young child, alone and in pain, with the power to destroy all of existence in her bid to ease a broken heart.

"I'm sorry, Young Midoriya." All Might sadly sighed before rushing toward his former student, the eighth wielder of One For All letting out a resounding cry as he reared his arm back for United States of Smash, his blue eyes ablaze with determination and great sorrow. "I'm sorry, Young Toga!"

Toga's eyes grew wide at All Might's apologetic cry, her planned counterattack falling away as a familiar flash of green appeared in her mind's eye, a soft gasp passing the blonde god's lips as she silently whispered her beloved's name. Left completely defenseless, All Might struck the smaller girl with the full power of United States of Smash, his fist crashing with immense force into her face, the resulting aftershock of their collision creating an enormous creator and gale force winds that knocked several of the surrounding hero's off their feet.

Breathing heavily, his arm burning from the force of his punch, All Might squinted through the heavy smoke and dust that had been kicked up by his attack, electric blue eyes searching for any sign of his former student. He knew he had to stop her, that this was the only way she afforded him, but he still had an inkling of hope that she could be brought back to her senses, even if only through violence.

A terrified scream of shock and horror sprang up from the assembled group surrounding the battlefield, All Might's mouth falling open as his eyes grew wide in disbelief. Toga, the dust surrounding her small form dissipating, stood completely unharmed in the center of the crater, the only sign his attack had even phased her being one of her buns having come undone. United States of Smash had failed to even leave a scratch or mark upon the godlike schoolgirl.

Pulling his arm back quickly, a small tremble rolling through his body as it fought through the exhaustion of having used so much power at once, All Might's head perked up in surprise as he caught a glimpse of the young blonde's features. He thought she would be angry, if not insulted at his attempt at trying to stop her, the Symbol of Peace thinking for sure she would have avoided his attack using one of her little tricks, like the ones she used while fighting Stain and All For One or while dodging him earlier.

But her expression was completely blank, her features set in a grim frown as she stared at him with sullen eyes from behind a veil of her hair, locks of blonde casting a soft shadow across half of her face. Golden eyes, hurt and pleading, begging for this pain to stop, struck the heart of the blue and red striped hero like a lightning bolt.

"I hate this." A soft, painful whisper passed the godlike girl's lips as she clenched her fists tightly, a look of confusion crossing the number 1 hero's face as Toga's body began to shake with hopeless rage. What…what did she mean?

All Might had no time to contemplate his former student's words, his whole body growing cold as a single pointer finger appeared in his field of vision, Toga glaring up at him as she pressed it gently between his eyebrows. How? He didn't even see her move!

With the softest of touches, Toga gently poked the towering hero's forehead, a muffled cry of pain passing All Might's gritted teeth as he felt his stomach lurch as his body get flung backward at an indescribable speed. Space and time passed before his eyes in an instant, the earth burning up in a fiery ball before regressing to primordial times, all happening in the blink of an eye before All Might landed in the neighboring city with the force of a meteor, digging a several mile long trench in the ground with his body.

Groaning in agony, his back spasming painfully as he slowly propped himself up on his elbows, a gasp of horror passed his lips as he took in the world around him. A desolate wasteland, spanning as far as the eye can see, surrounded him at all sides, ruined buildings and golden idols built in Toga's image dotting the land in a hellish nightmare scape.

Was this…the future?

"Hey," spinning his head around in a panic, All Might's caught a brief glimpse of Toga standing next to his prone form before his vision went dark as the godlike girl grabbed his face in a vice-like grip, the sadistic blonde pushing his head painfully into the unyielding earth beneath him, "do you want to see the world?"

Not waiting for an answer, Toga pressed All Might's head firmly into the ground, the Symbol of Peace desperately clawing at her hands in a futile bid to get her to let go, before dashing off at a blinding speed, dragging the helpless hero along with her as his body uprooted concrete and earth. Nothing could stand in their way as they crashed through buildings, mountains crumbling as Toga simply bulldozed through them, All Might bearing the brunt of the damage, his body getting repeatedly pummeled as they traversed the earth several times over.

Coming to a sudden stop, gasping cries echoing loudly from the assembled crowd, Toga having brought them back to their original time, the godlike girl casually held on to the lumbering hero, his immensely muscled form weighing less than a feather to her. People watched on in horror as their hero lay battered and broken in her grasp, his body wracked with labored breaths as he weakly tried to pry the godlike girl's fingers from his face, Toga staring down at him with a sharp glint in her golden gaze.

"Hmm, you're tougher than you look." Toga muttered, her words tinged with the barest hint of respect as she casually tosses him aside, his body tumbling end over end before landing in a broken heap before the crowd of onlookers, their faces awash with terror and grief at their fallen hero. Even he couldn't save them.

Sweeping her gaze over the torn city, the final battlefield in her true ascension to godhood, regarding the damaged All Might and All For One, the villain struggling vainly for life, Toga felt strangely empty. The road was littered with broken bodies, blood coloring the asphalt a rich crimson, and the populous of the planet had learned just how helpless they were to stop her. They would accept her as their god and there was nothing and no one that could stop it.

But all she could feel was the same festering anger and sorrow burrowing itself into the forefront of her mind, the godlike girl grasping her forehead tightly as she growled in frustration, Toga's eyes growing wide and feral. Gnashing her teeth angrily, Toga roughly pulled on the loose hair covering her face, her sharp golden glare washing over the crowd, the assembled group stepping back in fear as her frenzied stare fell on them.

She couldn't stand this any longer. All this pain and sorrow, this impotent rage without an outlet, just an endless spiral that just kept dragging her further and further down into the pits of despair. Over and over it would play in her mind, the moment her life came crumbling down, all the pain and heartbreak, all the dreams of a lost future, stabbing like vicious hornets in her head. She could feel herself crumble, the pieces of who she was, of the life she had built at UA…with Izuku…draining like sand between her fingers.

So all she had to do was build herself up stronger. Connections were a poison, affection an anchor tied to your ankle, love a noose growing tight around your neck. No one will hold her down anymore, reign in her wild desires, keep her from what she truly was. She was a god. This world was meant for her.

Feeling a new calm wash over her, the stinging in her head fading into a dull throb, Toga felt like she could move forward to where she was meant to be, if even just a little. Taking in a deep breath, the dust and smoke in the air a cleansing palette for her once frazzled thoughts, Toga casually stepped to the side, a bloodied Stain collapsing to the ground where she once stood, knife falling from his weakened grasp.

"Nothing but empty ideals in the end, huh?" Toga muttered with disgust as she casually tied the strands of hair that had fallen loose back into her signature bun, the godlike girl regarding the bloodied villain with thinly veiled contempt. Pulling out her own knife, the one she got during her date with Izuku, Toga briefly considered just ending his life right now, to spare him further humiliation. Just one slice and he would be done.

Grimacing slightly as she rolled the thought over in her head, her heart fighting with her head, Toga caught a glimpse of herself in the polished blade, the look in her eyes making her stomach lurch painfully. Dropping the knife on the ground, fingers feeling cold and lifeless, Toga ran shaky fingers through her loose strands of hair, golden eyes awash with panic as they flittered rapidly to and fro.

She couldn't stand it. That deep yearning look in her eyes. It was sickening. It was repugnant. It made her want to cry in frustration and sorrow. She said she would be stronger! That she would finally move past this and become who she truly meant to be.

But...who was she?

Looking over at the discarded blade, Toga briefly considered picking it up again, remembering how much she cherished it, but, as the memories of her date with Izuku played through her head, the godlike decided it would be best that she leave it be. She needed to rid herself of such things, of painful reminders of him, of who she was.

She had to.

Turning to the prone form of the Hero Killer, blood pouring freely from his open wounds, Toga was prepared to sever another one of her ties to her past self. One more cut to the strings holding her back.

Stepping up to his bloodied and broken body, the barest hints of life visible beneath his tattered clothes, Toga briefly wondered if he ever saw the world he had dreamed of before placing her foot roughly on the back of his head, Stain only able to muster a strained wheeze as the godlike girl rested her weight on him.

"I wanted to be like you once. In a way, you were my idol. You made me believe there was a place for me in this world." Leaning down to stare at his face, Toga ground her heel violently into the back of his head, punctuating her statement with a violent stomp that knocked the Hero Killer out cold. "But false Idols are worth nothing. My world will be much better than anything you could have ever dreamed of."

Leaving the Hero Killer unconscious in the mud, Toga turned her attention to her second victim, the godlike girl strolling up to the writhing heap that was the former villain kingpin, his scarred features twisted into a visage of agony and pain. She had no care for this man, just a shadowy figure in a timeline long lost, but his defeat was a necessary statement. To ascend to the top, you must snuff out both the light and the dark.

"You wanted power over anything else, but in the end," squatting down next to the struggling villain, All For One gasping desperately for air, Toga opened her hands, tiny glittering orbs, containing every quirk in existence, overflowing her hands in a brilliant shower of light, "I have it all."

Holding the glowing orbs close to his face, letting the villain feel its gentle warmth one last time, his hollow eyes regarding them almost reverently, Toga nonchalantly and ruthlessly crushed them within her grasp, denying a man dying of thirst his water. Dusting off her hands, Toga turned her back on the dying man, his hand lifting feebly before he collapsed unconscious into the flickering embers of the crushed quirks.

And then there was only one, Toga coming face to face with the Symbol of Peace as he struggled to get back to his feet, the towering form of Toshinori Yagi hunched over and badly battered, but far from done. Just one. Just one more and she could end this. She just had to erase this last beacon of hope for humanity.

Then she can finally make this world truly her own.

Eyes burning brightly, determination still raging like fire in their electric blue depths, All Might coughed up a disturbing amount of blood, red splattering wetly onto the concrete, before lifting his hands up into a battle stance, prepared to fight her till the very end. Heroic, stupidly heroic, till the very end.

Rushing toward the godlike girl, every step uneven and heavy laden, All Might pulled at every last reserve, prepared to lay everything he had on the line to save the world. Just like Toga had always been told, All Might truly was a real hero. Lifting her hand, Toga prepared to end this whole charade once and for all, to cement her status as this world's ruler, as the unequivocal villain she was always meant to be.

Rearing back, blood pouring from between his lips, body bruised and broken, Toga's sharp glare softened as All Might was replaced with Izuku in her mind's eye, the red and blue replaced with a comforting green, her hand lowering briefly as her mind screamed at her not to hurt him. This brief moment of hesitation was enough for All Might to land another vicious punch upon her face, his large fist smashing with full force into her.

The last of his power spent, All Might felt his strength wane before falling weakly to his knees, his head lifting up to stare into the unharmed features of the godlike blonde. Looking up at his former student, her tiny body barely taller than him as he knelt before, All Might couldn't help but grin. Nothing could harm her. She truly was a god, just as she had proclaimed. He couldn't stop her.

But even so, with his defeat surely at hand, All Might continued to smile. Until the very end, he was going to smile, he was going to continue to give the people of the world hope. He may be beaten, but there was still another, there was one more person who could save the world, save Toga. Lowering his head, All Might chuckled softly to himself, his fists resting heavily in his lap, ones that had been so thoroughly bested by another.

If things had just gone differently, Toga would have made a fine hero.

'Even now, you still won't leave me be, huh, Izuku?' Toga ruminated with a sad smile as she regarded the once pristine Symbol of Hope, once a shining beacon of heroism, now so thoroughly broken and beaten, with something closely resembling pity. No one asked for this, least of all her. She was just looking for a way out from this labyrinth of heartbreak.

Why did she think it would have been so easy? To just forget about her Izu-kun. She loved him after all. Probably still did. So, of course, she couldn't just so easily tear him from her life, the shredded pieces would still remain, left to fester and pustulate. He had left her like this. Left her to rot in this mire of sorrow.

He broke her.

In a flash of anger, grasping the number 1 hero's neck tightly, a sputtering cough passing the hero's lips as Toga effortlessly pulled All Might closer, her golden eyes glaring sharply into his electric blue orbs. This needed to be done. She needed this! She needed to be happy again!

"How do you feel?! How do you feel to have failed so many people." Toga growled lowly, her voice rumbling like a roaring tornado through him as she slowly drained him of One For All, his body regressing back to his emaciated form, "Nana…Gran Torino…Sir Nighteye…all your precious students…this city…the world."

With each name, with each of his failures listed, Toga drew a little more of One For All from him, until only his weakened form remained, Toga punctuating her statement by leaning in close and whispering into his ear.

"Your prized successor."

With all of his power drained, One For All once more extinguished within him, Toga held the weak, defeated All Might up, his ragged, chocked breathes fighting to pass the tight grip her fingers had on his neck. Staring at his emaciated features, sunken eyes clasped tightly shut in pain, Toga considered ending him right there. It would be so easy. He would be the perfect statement, the perfect sacrifice to usher in her new and perfect world.

Or would it be just to hurt him?

Loosening her grip upon his neck, All Might falling roughly to the ground, his billowing suit enveloping his thin body, the blonde man weakly lifted his head, the former hero having been prepared to meet his end. Mouth falling open in mute surprise, All Might's gaze fell upon his former student's hands, ones that had so viciously dispatched everything placed before her with ruthless aggression.

They were trembling.

"You are important to…to someone I once loved." Curling her trembling hands into tight fists, Toga swiftly turned her back on the fallen hero as she roughly wiped her eyes with her sleeve, her voice hitching painfully in her throat as she tried to suppress the rising swell of emotions in her chest. "I'll let you live in this pathetic body of yours. That's punishment enough."

"Young…Midoriya." All Might gasped in surprise as Toga slowly walked away from him, the blonde man desperately trying to get back to his feet, his arm outstretched toward her in a silent plea for her to come back. Midoriya! She was talking about Midoriya! What could possibly have happened between them?

Standing before the assembled crowd, each one regarding her with terror, not a single one willing to try and challenge her, Toga surveyed the terrifying world she had made. Her golden eyes, hollow and lost, surveyed the terrified populace in quiet solitude, aware of just how separated she was from everyone. Atop the world, Toga was truly alone.

"The Symbol of Hope is extinguished!"

Toga's voice echoed across the globe, her voice and visage broadcast to every living soul on the planet, a deep, powerful rumble shaking the city after her declaration of victory. Horrified screams rolled like waves through the city as something enormous burst out from deep underground, causing thousands of buildings to collapse, metal and concrete spewing across the landscape as it rose like a volcano to the heavens above.

A golden statue, created in Toga's image, rose above the skyline like a glittering colossus, the nightmarish sky reflected off of its polished surface in shimmering waves, its size dwarfing any known building in existence.

"Now, all of you, start celebrating your new god!"

A/N: To the victor go the spoils.

The great battle is over and only Toga stands victorious. Toga's internal struggle continues in this chapter as she takes on All Might, All For One, and Stain. All Might gets to show one last time why he is considered the greatest hero as he tries everything to save the world and even Toga herself, even if his efforts were futile in the end.

Next chapter: Izuku faces the consequences of his actions.

So…yeah, I'm not dead. I'm so sorry about the long delay between chapters! The last months have been really rough with some bad things happening in my personal life which absolutely killed any motivation or drive I had to write, even though I really wanted to and was keenly aware of just how long it had been since I updated. Which only made it harder to go back.

I can't promise such a long break won't happen again(even though I hope it doesn't) but I never forget about this story and 100% plan on finishing it no matter what. So, for now, all I can do is give you all my deepest thanks for reading this story and for sticking with me this whole time. I love you all and have a wonderful day!