The door rattled from under the intense knocking. Melissa Shield groggily walked over and looked through the peeping hole. Outside stood a group of four people in dark clothes.

"Who is it?"

"I-island security. We've got a search warrant for illegal materials."

Melissa took a step back. "Could you show it to me?"

She jumped back when something heavy was rammed into the door. Twice the door bent under the force before it fell, and the group rushed into the apartment. None of them had the labels of the local security.

Just as one of them started cuffing Melissa, two of the others was dragged out the door by a grey cloth. The one cuffing Melissa tried drawing a gun, but was stopped by the same grey cloth as a purple haired figure rushed into the appartement and knocked them out.

The last person stood with his gun pointed at the attacker when a crackling voice sounded in the room. "What's the status?"

"We've been atta-" The persons face turned empty, and his body froze.

The attacker's mask retracted as he spoke with a normal voice. "Put down your gun, then cuff your colleagues, then yourself." The frozen person started doing so as the attacker turned towards Melissa. "You're Melissa Shield, right?"

"Yeah, who are you?"

"Discord," Hitoshi said. "Your government found out about your side project. Deku sent us to get you out."

"I need to get my files at the lab then," Melissa said as she rushed out the door. "If the feds get those years of work will be undone."

The two hurried through the dim paths of I-island. "Tsukuyomi should be at your lab now keeping it safe," Hitoshi said as they got close.

"Who's Tsukuyomi?" Melissa asked. Her question was quickly answered when a dark shadow burst out from her lab, holding a person firing their gun wildly. "Oh, that guy."


The cell door closed mechanically behind Deku. In front of him, sitting in a chair far too big, was the frail body of All Might. "I was surprised when I heard that you surrendered yourself," Deku said as he sat down. "I thought that you would flee to the states." He chuckled. "But oh am I glad to have you right where I want."

"How's Uraraka reacting to this?" All Might asked.

"She uhm…" Deku stuttered. "I don't really know. I've been ignoring it until this is over."

"No dreams?"

"Not yet."

All Might pondered for a bit. "Do you truly believe that this vendetta you have against me is worth it? You've already destroyed my reputation at this point. Hardly any one in this country looks at my career fondly these days. What do you really get out of killing me that you don't already have other than a fancy closure? Ochako loves you very much, you're important to her and your children. I really hope that that won't be destroyed by petty vengeance."

"This isn't just vengeance." Deku looked away. "And I can deal with Ochako. She'll get over it."

All Might leaned forwards. "And what if she doesn't? Not to mention your desire to kill Bakugo. There is a limit to every relationship. Can you say for sure that killing him won't reach that limit? And what do you plan to say to Koshiro when he asks why you killed Fumiko's father?" Izuku slowly shook his head looking down. All Might rose up and gently placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Don't give up on a happy life just to fulfil old grudges Midoriya."

Deku's gaze snapped towards All Might as he pushed the old man away. "Who cares about my happy ending?" He was seething. "My life is nothing compared to the good of everyone. Everything I do is done out of necessity."

All Might sighed and sat down. "Do you truly think that right now, killing Bakugo would be for the good of everyone? Someone known by the public mostly as a charitable man fighting for quirkless rights. I can understand the message sent by killing me, but not Bakugo."

"So that is what this is," Deku huffed, "You just want to save Kacchan. To be the hero one last time"

"That's something I hope to achieve yes, but mainly I want to help you avoid making the same mistakes I did." All Might said.

"Your mistakes?" Deku's lips curled into a smile. "The only thing I've done is rectify your mistakes. Everything I've done has because I have learned from your mistakes."

All Might lifted his shirt, exposing the large red and purple scarring along his stomach. "All except for this one." He covered the scar and sighed "I want you to know that my path to being a hero began as a noble one. I wanted to fix the problems I saw back then in society. And when I got the chance from my mentor I took it, thinking I could become a beacon of safety for others. But then I lost her to All for one." All Might's breath was ragged. "She was like a mother to me and seeing him take her away from me filled me with so much anger and hatred. I wanted to kill him, but I didn't have the strength at first. So, I travelled to the states to get experience, and all that time my motivation was the desire to kill one man. The man I had come to see as the source of all the problems I wanted to fix."

"You did a poor job on that front" Deku remarked.

"I know, but that was the only thing on my mind back then. And after some years the opportunity to attack him arose. And I, filled with lust for vengeance, rushed in without a plan. Which of course lead to…" All Might motioned towards his scar. "But the biggest shock was what came over me when his bloodied body laid still at my feet. For so long I had been driven by vengeance, but afterwards I felt so empty. Figuratively and literally." He locked eyes with Izuku. "I know that I should have done so much more for you and everyone else who suffered in the dark. And while I can't give any sufficient excuse, I can give a reason. I had been driven by anger and revenge for years to end the one thing I saw as a threat to everyone. When that drive disappeared into nothing, I lost purpose. I just kept doing what I had done before, because my lust for revenge had made me blind to everything else. I do not want the same thing to happen to you Midoriya."

"We're not the same All Might." Deku stood up. "I might have started out of revenge, but the only thing I care about right now is to end the old rotten system and bring a new age of prosperity. Nothing else matters." He turned around and left the old man alone. Once outside the cell he slid down against the wall and let out a long sigh

"I really don't understand why you want to talk to that fake." The voice of Dabi quickly grabbed Deku's attention. "He'll die tomorrow, why bother?"

"Because he's not a complete idiot. Him surrendering could have been a trap. I just needed to be sure." Deku huffed. "But it seems to just have been a vain attempt at saving Kacchan, nothing important."

Dabi chuckled "You seemed quite upset over nothing then." Deku glared back. "Alright, touchy subject. By the way, your two heroes have returned."

"Great, I'll go there immediately." Deku quickly got, but as he began to move, Dabi blocked the way. "What is it?"

"You just seem awfully trusting of our enemy. Especially considering what happen last time we trusted a hero." A fire lit up in Dabi's hand. "Have you forgotten what you told me once, all heroes are enemies and must be purged. Or have you gained other alligences?"

Deku looked up at Dabi with determined eyes. "Are you questioning my leadership?" A small flicker of lighting flew of Deku.

Dabi grinned. "I just want to be sure that I'm still following the same person I helped on the streets so long ago. And not some softie who just wants to get in bed with some pathet-" Dabi's voice choked as a black tendril whipped around his neck and slammed him into the wall.

"Be very careful with finishing that sentence" Deku said, his voice eerily calm. The black tendril disappeared, and Dabi fell onto the floor. "It might be hard for you to understand Dabi, but people change, even heroes. Like your brother for example. And I too have changed, but I'm not soft. It's more so that the rage of my youth has mellowed." Deku began walking down the hallway. "But I promise you that I will see the revolution to its' end."

When Deku reached the meeting room the two former heroes stood waiting by the entrance. "Discord and Tsukuyomi, good job. You're proving to be reliable agents for the revolution."

"And maybe you can be more lenient towards Hawks" Tsukuyomi remarked.

Deku chuckled. "I told you, that's up to him, but…" He pondered a bit, "…maybe some leniency can be given depending on your future effort. We can discuss it more at a different time. For now, you're both dismissed."

"Sure." Tsukuyomi said as he and discord left.

Deku entered the room and sat down next to Melissa. "Sorry I couldn't get you out myself. The US finding out about project trojan came unexpectedly and I was busy with one of Zankoku's counter offensives."

"It's alright, those two wiped the floor with those agents and Trojan is safe." Melissa sighed. "I'm just afraid of my dad. What if they think he's involved?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. The only thing they know is that you're tied to multiple organizations they consider dangerous to their own security. As far as we know they have no idea of the nature of those connections. And if they arrest your dad a simple lie detecting quirk will discover that he knows nothing." Deku said.

"That's good."

Deku looked towards Melissa's laptop. It showed a long list of names, each with a small description of their role in project trojan. "Speaking of the devil, how's your project going? I see that the list has grown significantly."

"You have no idea. We find more and more people discontented with how the hero system is in the states every day. Especially after the president had to withdraw from here after a few weeks of war and one naval invasion. The involvement of heroes in that invasion didn't sit well with people either."

Deku chuckled. "The elite has themselves to thank for that. I had my doubts when you said you could bring our ideals to the states with politics, but maybe with so much discontent it might have results. Maybe Japan is the only country that needs to shed blood for change, to show the faults of the old ways."

"I hope so too." Melissa said.


Phoenix journal: No. 6

Entry 67:

This pressure I've been feeling for half month now just keeps rising. Maybe it's me just being nervous for what comes after our victory. We've been steamrolling Zankoku's army ever since the US pulled out. Our next battle will be over Kyoto and once that is over Zankoku will be trapped in Tokyo. That dream of a better society I had so long ago might soon become reality. I feel so nervous over it. Will I succeed or just screw up and make a worse society like my opponents have claimed? I really should not doubt myself at this moment and yet I end up doing so.

All Might's words haven't helped much for my psyche either. And I hate to admit it, but he has some points. I don't know what I'm willing to sacrifice for my victory, not anymore. I thought once that nothing would stop me, but the list of people I want to be happy has grown since then. I want Eri to be safe, Koshiro to grow up in a better world and Ochako to be happy. But she had to become friends with Kacchan. And of course he suddenly had to start redeeming himself so many years too late.

Then there is the matter of All Might's upcoming demise. Of all the people at UA at the time, why did he give Ochako one for all. It's such a curse and yet a blessing. I would never have met her if not for All Might. But I also wouldn't have to risk losing her on this final stretch of the journey. I hope she can forgive me for what I have to do tomorrow. And I hope she can do the same when Kacchan's time comes. But I have to be prepared for the worst. If I can't forgive myself, why should I expect her to?


Izuku put down the notebook, his hands trembling. "Why must the end always be the hardest?" He reached out for his phone, his hand lingering for a bit, before he called. "Hey Eri, sorry for calling you late. I just wanted to know if your mom…" Izuku trailed off.

"Is alright?" Eri finished. Izuku could hear a sigh over the phone. "I'm pretty sure she was ready to beat you to a pulp when she found out you captured All Might. Luckily for you Bakugo came and calmed her down."

"That would be a first."

"Apparently, he had spoken with All Might shortly before you captured him. He told her something about All Might wanting this which calmed her down. After that she went to her room and hasn't left since." Eri's voice was tired. "She's eaten the food I've given her, but not much else."

"I see…" Memories of being alone after Inko's death came to Izuku's mind.

"Listen dad I…I don't want you and mom to leave each other. Can you please just-" Eri's voice hitched, Izuku could imagine the tears that began falling.

"Don't worry Eri, me and mom will be fine. We just have to get through this, okay?" Izuku hated the sinking feeling in his chest that came with lying.

"But what about Bakugo? He's her friend and-" another hitch in her voice, "I don't think she will forgive you for killing a friend this time" Eri's sobbing was clear now.

Izuku's mind was blank. He had tried to ignore this topic for the last few months, and now he didn't know what to think or say.

Eri took a deep breath. "He isn't just her friend either. He helped Ochako raise me and Koshiro while you were gone. And Fumiko and Koshiro are so close. Bakugo has taken them on so many trips. There is this forest that we go to often where he…"

As Eri kept talking, Izuku's mind wandered to old memories he hadn't thought about in years. Hazy dreamlike images of the old playground with other kids, walking through the nearby forest and over a small stream. Many were bad memories of bullying, but some were good. Filled with laughter and childlike wonder. And in all of them was Bakugo, confidently leading everyone around him. Had that boy really changed so much, Izuku wondered.

Izuku was pulled out of the reminiscing by Eri's crying on the phone. "I know you don't like him, and that you probably won't ever forgive him. That's fine, you don't have to. But please, for me, mom and Koshiro, let him live. Can you promise that?" Eri said.

"I…" Izuku gritted his teeth. "I can't make promises that I can't keep."

Eri's silence was crushing. "Okay dad" She said and hung up.

Izuku dropped his phone and clenched his fist. "Fuck." He clenched his fist as tears began forming.


Deku felt the light drizzle of rain on his skin as he watched over the large crowd. Despite the cold weather more people showed than any previous hero execution. Currently, most of the crowd looked in awe at the imposing figure of Gothmog standing behind Deku. He pushed away the heavy feeling in his stomach and stepped forwards to the podium.

"My fellow dreamers, today is a day of great importance. For years we have fought and died for our cause. To make a better country for all of us. And as we've shown in battle after battle, our righteous wrath can't be stopped. Not by heroes, not by Zankoku and not by his ally across the ocean. We will continue marching until the bright red flag of our phoenix is flown in every town and city!" Deku paused as the crowd cheered. "And that day will soon come. Not even our most devout critics can doubt our impending victory. Yet the dictator in Tokyo wants more blood. Sacrificing innocents so that he can rule over a sliver of the country. Does he not see that none can overcome our power?" Deku raised his arm towards the flaming giant behind him. Gothmog let out a roar as his flames flared outwards, warming the cold air, and turning the rain around him to steam.

Deku looked down and took a deep breath before continuing. "Unfortunately, Zankoku is simply a symptom of the disease that has plagued our world for a century. We must not forget the true enemy. The hero commission and their deep-rooted institutionalised corruption that allowed for a society that segregated people based on quirks. A bureaucratic oligarchy with the sole purpose of maintaining a false image of the noble hero. Using vast resources to manipulate the public and hiding the dirty underside of heroics. Which is why today, I'm exited to announce the end of heroes in Japan." A hole opened up next to Deku and a pole began rising up. Bound to it was the frail form of All Might.

"I don't think we can ever blame one person for a century of misdeeds," Deku gestured towards All Might. "But none symbolizes that century more than the one they labelled as the symbol of peace, All Might." All Might looked up with sad eyes as several in the crowd called out for his death. "A man who started out as quirkless. Someone who should have know what it was like to be at the bottom of the societal hierarchy. And yet, once he climbed to very top, gaining an unmeasurable sway over the public, the power to actually and truly help everyone. He did nothing. He basked in the spotlight, beat up the televised villains, while never calling out the ones withing the hero commission. Fuck you, got mine, is a good summary of him. But it's the nature of time that the old ways must give in. It's the nature of time that the new age comes in sin. And when the new meets the old it always ends the ancient ways. And as history told the old ways go out in a blaze."

Deku walked over to the old man and leaned in. "I told you that this is how you would die. In front of cheering crowds. Any final words?" He said.

All Might looked at Deku with an undiscernible expression. "I wish I could go back and do things different. But I'm content with this. Because I know deep inside you are a good person. I forgive you," All Might said.

Izuku froze. All Might smiled as he for a moment could see the same insecure face he had seen on that rooftop so long ago. The moment quickly passed as Deku walked away without looking at the old hero or the crowd. He walked back to the podium and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Let this be the end of the age of heroes. And the beginning of the age of the phoenix." Deku said, his voice slightly uneven.

The excitement in the crowd rose as heat and smoke came from the floor beneath All Might. But suddenly the crowd was silenced, and Deku was once again stunned by All Might. In the final moment before the flames rose, instead of the frail true form of All Might, stood the large symbol of peace. He gave a small smile right before he was engulfed by a pillar of fire.

The silence following the flames lasted for a long while, until Deku managed to find some words. "We will not forget our victory today." He then walked away, leaving behind a stunned crowd.

As Deku walked away he was immediately greeted by Dabi. "What the fuck happened there!?" Deku could feel the steam coming from him as raindrops evaporated. "The most important execution so far and you just leave like that? Letting All Might have the final laugh."

"It was just unexpected that…" Deku said, hardly listening to Dabi. "It happened differently than I expected. It will only be seen as a fluke once we win anyway." Deku opened a portal. "If you'll excuse me, I need to think."


At the same time as Deku held his speech, Ochako was alone in her bedroom. Not long ago, this moment had only seen like a far away possibility. Now it was far too real. If Bakugo had not told her why All Might did this, she would have been on her way to stop Deku. Instead, she sat sobbing by her bed, afraid of what would happen if Deku continued.

Suddenly, Ochako felt a cold shiver going up her spine and the world around her shifted into dark fog, like one of her dreams. She quickly stood up and looked around. At first it was empty, then All Might's fiery vestige appeared slowly in front of her. Still maintaining the hero form his real self hadn't used for years. The vestige then began shifting. First a subtle shift the flaming edges, as if a wind was blowing the upwards. It quickly grew more violent, and the flames were blown upwards and away from the vestige, as it slowly shrank. Left behind was no longer the large figure of All Might in his prime, but the thin, emancipated man Ochako knew.

"So this is how Nana felt. It's weird not having a connection to the real me anymore." Toshinori then looked at Ochako and gave a warm smile. "I think owe you an apology for not telling you what I was planning."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ochako's voice was quiet.

"Because I know you. You would never let me do what had to be done. You would rather sacrifice yourself so that I could live just a bit longer." Toshinori chuckled. "You're selfless just like me, just like Midoriya."

"I don't think Izuku would have done all this if he was selfless. He wouldn't want to kill you and Bakugo if he was. He knows what you two means to me." Ochako said.

Toshinori sighed and pulled Ochako into an embrace, smiling as she collapsed into him. "I'm afraid it's the opposite. This vestige of me might not have a good connection with Midoriya's one for all, but the predecessors do. And through them I know many things. He is selfless to a fault, it's just twisted. He sees his revolution as the ultimate way for him to help as many as he can, no matter what it does to him. And through years of built-up anger and need for revenge, he's come to see mine and Bakugo's execution as part of that goal. I really wants to have a happy life with you and your children. He is at conflict with himself. He wants to help as many as he can, and revenge has made killing Bakugo a part of that in his eyes. But he also knows that it hurts you, which again hurts him. I just hope that my final conversation with him left its' mark."

"Did you succeed then?" Ochako said.

"That is left to be seen. But I know that the real me was completely satisfied in his final moments."


Izuku sat on a ridge overlooking a forested valley, in front of him a lake shimmered in the setting sun. His mind was going through the events earlier when he felt someone landing next to him. He looked up and saw Ochako. Her eyes were red and tired as she slumped down next to him.

"I thought you might show up." Izuku sighed. "You can punch me if you want. I deserve it."

Ochako roughly nudged her elbow into Izuku. "For someone who's just achieved one of their life goals you don't seem happy."

"I know. I feel…empty." Izuku chuckled "I guess he was right."

"What will you do next? Kill Bakugo?"

Izuku looked away. "I don't know. And I don't want to promise anythi-" Ochako cut him off.

"I need to know now Izuku. Do you have any idea how I felt when you took Toshinori? I don't want to go through it again, so I want to know. Can you let him live his own life, or will we have to end things between us?" Ochako's voice was uneven, but stern.

Izuku looked back at Ochako, his eyes watery. "I'm sorry, but I'm so unsure now. I feel so empty after killing All Might, and if he was right then killing Kacchan won't be different. And I know how important he has become to you, and Kirishima and his daughter and so on. But I can't just let go of the person I know he was. I still remember all the kicking, punching, burns, explosions and name calling he did. It's not fair that he gets to get away with all. And I know he's different now, same with me, but I… just can't forgive him."

"Okay." Ochako stood up and took a step away.

"However." Ochako stopped. "I love you more than I hate him. I lover Eri more, and I love Koshiro more. I might never let go of my hatred for him, but losing your love is much worse. I won't forgive him. I don't know what to do with him, but if killing him makes me lose you, then I won't do it." Izuku smiled. "I've made so much hatred in this world, maybe I should keep some of the love in it."

Ochako quickly turned around and embraced Izuku. "Thank you," She whispered.


Later during the night in a bunker beneath the streets of Tokyo, Zankoku sat annoyed in a room filled with squabbling generals. He chuckled to himself as they debated how to still win this. Zankoku then slammed his fist into the table, silencing them. "With the strategies you're discussing I'm surprised we've survived this long."

Zankoku stood up and began pacing around the room. A few of the generals gulped. "Of course, I don't blame any of you for our ally's retreat, but still. The incompetence is staggering." He stopped and placed his hands on the shoulder of the unlucky general in front of him. "My dear Asano, your 'defence' of shikoku was just pathetic. I mean, of course Deku would discover your ambush, his movement spent over a decade underground." Zankoku moved on to another general. "And Kawasaki, trusting Hawks? We could have held Osaka for months. But you had to trust a man who had shown sympathies for Deku in the past, and even put him in charge of your northern defence. Fool."

"Then what do you plan Premier Zankoku?" One of the generals said.

"Simple, strike where it hurts."

"We don't have the manpower to-"

"I'm not talking about manpower general" Zankoku said. "You quirked people are all the same, power this, power that. All you see is physical power. That's why Deku is so successful, and why I know how to hurt him. Because when you're quirkless you see that quirks is just a façade of the person underneath. Usually some scumbag in the playground. Same with Deku. Beneath all that power is a very vulnerable person." Zankoku sat back down, his face carried a sinister smile. "He has people he loves. People he would do everything for. Some of whom, we can exploit."


A/N: Hello there. I know, it's been a long time since last time I posted a chapter. Don't know how many will still read this. There's no particular reason other than me just going through months of writer's block. I'm sorry. Hopefully it doesn't come back. Anyways, this chapter turned out to be a lot longer than I imagined. Was originally meant to be a short one about All Might's death, but I kept needing more scenes to properly handle that moment, as well as building up to some refining of the ending which is pretty much set in stone now. Since there are just two or three-ish chapter left now. Hopefully it won't take months for the next chapter. Goodbye.