A/N: Thanks to Zuduke, MIKE202303, Phenomenal Ultra Instinct, ILiekFishes, Gamelover41592, Chocoboblitz, bajy, Ander Arias, Logar3, Ciel Moony, Im The Person, Tomon, jonbomb007, you shall not know my name, and _ for your reviews.

Chapter 26

Katsuki impatiently glanced at his cheap phone, flicking it open to check the time, watching the seconds click by—47…48…49—before closing it with a snapping flip. Only a few minutes left before I do it myself. I wasn't joking when I said I'd do it alone. He turned back to face the Tarravuin Specialty Hospital, wondering who would have the guts to join him. The others had been shocked when he first proposed to go after Deku. It would be risky, daring to go up against the League of Villains without backup from pro heroes. While most had shot down his idea, he had seen a few consider the idea of saving their friend and classmate.

"We are the fuckin' heroes of tomorrow," he had told them. "Why should we sit back and do nothing when we're the ones who let one of our fellows get kidnapped in the first place? I, for one, ain't gonna let them do what they wish to Deku. Who has the damn balls to join me?"

Most of them had toed the line of the law, and honestly he wouldn't blame them. Heroes were supposed to defend it, after all. But what good were laws when they prevented justice?

Maybe this is why vigilantes still appear in this time of pro heroes. He glanced up at the clear night sky. When others can't see justice through, then I'll just take it into my own hands! It might not be what All Might would do, but I will.

"Are we late?" asked a sadly familiar voice. Katsuki turned to face the group of seven that approached him. He was both impressed and annoyed by how many had shown up, but he hadn't made it clear how many he wanted to come along. A group of four or five would've been more preferable, but then eight could move about civilians with a little more immunity. Kirishima led them, sharp teeth beaming and red hair somehow extra spiky. Immediately behind him was his metalhead friend with his white, freakish eyebrows. Next was a group of three: the weird girl with the hair who had given him the tracker, the marshmallow face girl, and—

"FUCK OFF, ICY-HOT!" Katsuki bellowed. "You ain't invited to—"

"I was in the room when you asked for volunteers," Icy-Hot stated, rolling his eyes. "Anyways, Midoriya is my friend too."

"Do you want to protest the rest of us?" asked someone else before he could curse out Icy-Hot for calling Deku his friend (regardless of how true it was). Katsuki turned to face an annoyed, orange-haired girl with her arms crossed. There was another standing beside her who he thought was from his class, but he wasn't exactly sure. He thought there were twenty in their class, but there could also be ten or fifteen. "Or is Todoroki the only one you object to?"

"You're fine," Katsuki said, turning to Kirishima. "Who is she, by the way? She isn't in our class, right?"

"I'm Kendou of Class B," she replied, crossing her arms. "I happen to work with Midoriya when it comes to the Student Council, plus I was on his team for the second stage of the Sports Festival."

Katsuki shrugged. He wasn't certain what this council was, but he doubted it really mattered to him in the first place. "Whatever. What can you do?"

She responded by increasing the size of one of her hands until it was the size of a large road sign and then smacked him right across the face. Katsuki swore under his breath, raising a hand to press against the searing red mark growing on his face. Large-hands shot him a smirk as the hand returned to its regular size.

"Fine, you might be useful," admitted Katsuki, bitterly. He turned to Large-hands' hanger-on, whose eyes were obscured by her bangs. "What about you, Bangs?"

She snorted. "I'm Kinoko Komori. My quirk is Mushroom."

"Sounds tasty," Kirishima remarked, grinning.

"Not like that," Bangs replied. "It's—well, you'll see!" She then grinned mischievously.

"Let's just get moving," Katsuki snarled, turning away. "Don't need anyone knowing we're going after Deku."

"Are you sure about this, Toshinori?" Nedzu asked. "We're risking everything, doing this. It'll be the end of All Might."

Toshinori turned to face his friend. He was already dressed as All Might, expanded into his muscular form. The minutes were already ticking away and they were within the final hour until the beginning of the raid upon what he hoped was the hideout of the League of Villains. He was thankful to Eraserhead working with Yaoyorozu to determine where Midoriya was being held. More so, he hoped this would allow them to finally end the growing threat of this League of Villains. While they hadn't been directly connected to the Hero Killer, Toshinori wouldn't deny he was worried they would take inspiration and use the Hero Killer to draw the disenfranchised and the angry to their banner.

"The risk is necessary," All Might declared. "Otherwise, why fight? Peace requires sacrifice. I have given everything so that people can be safe, so that society can enjoy the peace we have. The next generation must be stronger than mine. They will persevere and continue what we have begun—or else everything will be.

"And Young Midoriya will be the one to lead them. Maybe not tomorrow, but in time he will fill my role as the Symbol of Peace."

Nedzu frowned. "Have you not thought of finding another successor?"

All Might shook his head. "Midoriya must be the one to pass it along to the next vessel. It is no longer in my hands, friend. As long as he lives, hope does too."

"And what if All for One tries to take Midoriya's quirk?" asked Nedzu. "If One for Al—"

"He cannot," All Might said. "I cannot say what goes through that madman's mind, but I do not think he stole Midoriya just to steal his quirk. I fear he has a more horrible future in mind for my young successor."

"To turn him?"

"We would be…lucky if that were it," Toshinori admitted. "There is worse that could happen than Midoriya becoming lost to us forever. Just think of the…abomination I fought when the League first revealed itself."

Nedzu stared at All Might for several long, straining seconds. "That isn't what you fear, my friend. You fear for his soul itself, don't you? Turning a hero wouldn't be hard—we saw that with the Hero Killer. But corrupting one to the point where they lead villains against our heroic society?" He paused to sip a cup of tea Toshinori hadn't noticed. "That could very well be our undoing."

"I won't let it be like that," All Might declared. He wanted to smile, but the corners of his lips turned down as he thought of what could be happening to his protégé. "I will save him, regardless of the price."

"Even your life?"

"I have already given my life to the citizens of the world, so they can have peace, so that heroes can do be what we need. But to die in defense of my ideals?" All Might turned to Nedzu and smiled, glimmering tears caught in the corner of his eyes. "That is a death only the truest heroes can have."

"But can our society handle losing you?" Nedzu asked.

All Might looked away, face grim. "They must. There are heroes who can bear my mantle…though I cannot say for how long."

Katsuki's nose twitched. He glanced left at a small crowd of college students. They looked at him oddly, so he sneered and glowered at them. Their eyes quickly slid away, though he suspected at least one of the idiots looked back at him once past. The small false 'stache on his face was itching something fierce and it took all of his will to not reach up and tear it off.

"We're nearly there," muttered tracker-girl. She had given him her name while scowling, arms crossed, but he hadn't listened. It wasn't as if he needed to remember it right now. Using her real name could give them away, anyways. Their names, for the most part, were familiar to the public. His, Icy-Hot's, Kirishima's, and the big hand girl were likely more than just familiar to most people, as well. They had done…fair in the Sports Festival, though he was still upset over his defeat. Once he got the chance, he'd ruin that brainwashing freak. Even if he had to sow his lips together for the fight, he'd do whatever it took to be victorious. Because that was what had to be done to be the Number One. No matter what sacrifice Katsuki needed to make, he would do so to overcome All Might and be the greatest hero to ever live.

"I hope we aren't making a mistake," muttered the large hand girl. Katsuki glanced at her and she sighed. "Nobody knows we're here, doing this now. I told the others we'd hold off for a day…"

"Almost smart," Katsuki said. "Don't worry so much. I got something prepped in case things go sour. Don't worry too much."

A bit of a fib, but I did talk Icy-Hot into giving me Endeavor's number. Hopefully he'll notice and it won't end up buzzin' in some locker.

"Next right."

Her voice was small and quiet, barely loud enough for him to hear. Either way, Katsuki nodded and as they approached the point, he drifted away from the street and hugged the buildings nearby. He didn't look back at the others, instead leading as if he knew exactly where to go without having to be instructed. Katsuki wasn't just a meathead like he let others think. He knew exactly how to blend into crowds and knew that people would easily overlook anyone who moved with certainty about their destination.

"Mushroom," he lowly snarled as they began around the corner. "Get up here."

"Fine, fine," the girl muttered. It wasn't pure annoyance, but it was clear from her tone that she'd prefer to not be spoken down to as he just did. "Surprised you have need of me, blasty."

Katsuki smirked at the nickname. Other than Deku, nobody bothered trying to give him a nickname like he did to them. It was amusing and almost endearing, though it was a tad annoying the one doing it was some short D-lister from the other class. Hopefully she'd prove to be something other than useless, though her quirk didn't make him feel confident about her use. Mushrooms? Utterly useless as far as he was concerned.

As their group turned the corner, their target came into sight. He went over to a nearby wall and glanced back and forth from the tracker to his surroundings, letting the others come stand around him. After several looks and some mental guesswork, he determined the most likely location was the seedy bar on the second floor of a dark building.

Izuku watched the gathered villains warily, lost in their loud, crisscrossing conversations. So far, he had only been exposed to a couple of them at a time. But now that the entire attack group along with Shigaraki and Kurogiri were gathered together, it was overwhelming. Whenever any of them caught his watchful gaze, they would glare venomously, some of them smirking in turn. Then there was the screen that had displayed All for One during their only meeting. It had been off-putting, unnerving, speaking with the monster responsible for All Might's weakness—and for his strength.

"…cannot be serious?"

That sounded like Spinner, Izuku thought, surprised he had actually picked up on a villain's conversation. They were all talking amongst themselves, loud and jarring with their tones and topics that he had struggled to follow any single conversation alone.

"Shigaraki's being mum about it, but there's others who have an interest in working with us," said another one of the villains. Izuku couldn't tell which one it was, but he was certain that it was another from the attack on the training camp. There'd been five that night—Spinner, Toga, Dabi, one in a tuxedo, and a man with a gas mask. He didn't think any of them had been part of the League's first attack

"Yeah, well—"

"PIZZA DELIVERY!"

The villains all froze, turning to stare at the door. Izuku glanced over as well, feeling a wellspring of hope rise in him. The deliveryman could be his chance at escape, though he would be risking the life of a civilian. It sounded callous, yet any chance of rescue had to be taken.

Right?

Before he could worry further about it, the door imploded upon its hinges and rocketed into the group of villains, scattering them with brutal efficiency. Izuku coughed, turning away as the dust began to clear. When he looked back at the destroyed doorway, he beamed—All Might stood there, a grinning wall of heroic muscle.

"I am here, to rescue young Midoriya!" All Might declared, rising to his full height. One of the villains—Toga, it appeared, charged him with a knife out. He sidestepped her rushing attack and then slapped her aside as if she were a mere gnat. She smashed into the bar, flipping over it towards where Kurogiri had ducked.

"I'm over here," Izuku shouted, firing One for All through his system to break out of his bindings. With the villains so destabilized, it seemed now was the right time to try and escape. It took a few moments, but he was able to snap through them and free himself from the chair he'd been bound to.

One of the villains noticed and lunged at him. Izuku looked up at them, blinking, and flinched back as All Might struck hard against them. He was shocked by how out of his league he suddenly felt, with All Might storming about the bar. Several thick branches forced in the far wall and several pro heroes leaped down to join the Symbol of Peace in pacifying the villains. One of them, someone he barely recognized, stopped by Izuku and helped him move towards the opening.

"Let's get you out of here," she said. There was a brief moment as it appeared they would escape with ease, and then a black and purple smear appeared before them. Izuku had assumed Kurogiri would've been the first villain to be disabled. The ability to transport anything was dangerous. The pro hero froze, seemingly unaware of how to react—and then a large beak and a brainy head emerged from the darkness.

"Noumu!" he shouted, but it was too late for the pro hero. Caught off guard and on the back foot, a massive arm shot out at her. A meaty hand was able to wrap around her head before she could react and crushed her skull. Bloody bits of brain shot out and slapped Izuku across the face, shocking him with the carnage. Never before had a pro hero been so ghastly destroyed by a villain—or so as far as he knew. Many had died in the field, but those had never been as brutally murdered as she was.

Izuku looked around, horrified as several other Noumus emerged, attacking the other heroes and helping the villains pull away from their conflict with All Might. It seemed only he alone, their Symbol of Peace, was able to not only stand against the flooding Noumus—and where did those come from, Izuku wondered—but was able to fight them head to head.

He needed to help. This was all his fault—a pro hero died to save him and he couldn't do anything but stand and stare at the brutal carnage unfolding before him. Yet Izuku felt a tinge of fear, seeing his childhood hero struggle to fight off a number of Noumus, which did their best to swarm him.

Thin strands of dark smoke, black and twirling, came from his limbs. It took Izuku a long, confused moment to realize that it was coming from him. He didn't know what it was—it wasn't something All Might had ever revealed, but then there seemed to be things about One for All that he didn't understand.

There was no time to think and wonder where it came from. Izuku could only act and be a hero—or at least help those who already were heroes.

"This was a terrible idea," muttered one of the extras. Katsuki and the rest of the Deku Rescue Squad, as Kirishima called them, were pinned between a thick wall and a building, listening as the entire area around them transformed into a destruction zone. The sudden appearance of dozens of Noumus had even killed his fiery certainty and they had taken to remaining hidden from the threats around them.

"Wish we knew the pros were moving so quickly," another said. "I woulda stayed behind if I did." Katsuki glanced at them, scowling.

"Shut it. Keep your eyes open for Deku if he appears. The plan's simple: grab him and go. We'll leave the Noumus to the pros."

"You sure?" asked Kirishima. "I would've thought you'd want to—"

"Shut it," Katsuki growled. He couldn't explain to them why Deku was so important—he still vaguely remembered what he'd learned about that quirk. Something about it dealt with moving from one person to another, and if what he knew were right, then it would also grow stronger as it passed from person to person. Or maybe that was him being hopeful Deku could live up to the example of All Might.

What's wrong with me, he wondered, huddled beside a wall, listening to the worsening fight. I'm actually thinking good things about that loser.

A nearby section of the wall exploded into dust and fragmented chips. They all flinched, looking over at whatever or whoever had come through the wall. Black smoke swarmed around whoever was rising to their feet, as if there were a dozen snakes swirling about them. As the dust cleared, Katsuki quickly recognized green hair.

"Midoriya?" whispered Icy Hot, blinking blandly at Deku. Katsuki felt as if his mind had stopped, some mental foot slamming the breaks as he just stared at the strange black smoke rising from Deku. Or as the smoke really appeared as it emerged from his body.

"That doesn't look like his quirk," muttered Mushrooms. Big Hands nodded, frowning at the smoke. The streams narrowed, thinning, and then vanished entirely. Katsuki noticed for the first time just how exhausted Deku appeared. Sweat dripped from his brow and it took all of Deku's power not to collapse as he struggled for air.

"All…Might…" he huffed out. There was a struggle in his voice that reminded Katsuki too much of before Deku got his quirk. "Needs…needs…help." Deku appeared rather faint, even with all of the red splotched across his exhausted body. But even with the strange uncertainty Katsuki was feeling, he approached the opening in the wall and looked out.

The area before them was devastated. Buildings leveled, rubble lying about haphazardly. The bodies of heroes and villains and Noumus alike lied about—whether they were alive or dead, he didn't know. And in the center of the strange arena created by the carnage was All Might and a figure in black with a massive, frightening arm.

All Might felt lost in the battle against the Noumus when they began to back off, focusing on the other heroes. He had lost track of Midoriya and several others, so distracted by the grueling fight he had been forced into. There were blood and bodies scattered across the growing combat zone, but he had no time to pause and check to see if everyone was still alive. This would be a terrible, tragic day for heroes, he knew. And, deep down, All Might feared this would be the final day of his heroic career.

As suddenly as the Noumus had appeared, they vanished. Or at least some did. All Might looked around, seeing the ones defeated remained where they had fallen. Those that had been fighting fiercely against him and the rest of the heroes were gone. He took the moment to rest and pause. His muscles ached, his face was sore, and his knuckles felt as if the skin would flake off at any moment.

Suddenly, he was reminded of what his mentor had told him about One for All. "When you pass it along, Yagi, you'll find that you will grow weaker as the inheritor grows stronger. It's like a flame, slowly dying into an ember. Hold onto it for as long as you can. You'll be such a great hero that when that final ember fades, that will be your finest moment.

"I'd bet on it."

He would follow his mentor's words, the encouragement she had given him. Even if it were for one hour, he would continue to hold on and be All Might. For one more fight, one more chance to save people and be the hero they need. The Symbol of Peace their society looked up to. It was upon him to do his duty, to be what he must, regardless of what may happen to him. He didn't want to die, but he was ready to sacrifice everything he needed for the future to be as bright as his grin.

"So you have come to die," drawled the voice All Might was waiting for. It was one that taunted him, haunted his dreams, and reminded him of what he considered his greatest failure.

He turned, and found All for One standing ten meters away.

It felt as if they were facing each other, just as it was on that grim day years and years ago. Before the failing of his quirk, before Midoriya, before passing One for All along, so that there would still be a beacon of hope and justice for the hero society to look up to. All Might rolled his shoulders, keeping his trademark grin present, even as every muscle and bone and joint groaned and ached.

"I won't be dying today," All Might declared. "However, you will no longer be able to operate freely. I will stop you, and you will never be able to hurt someone else."

"Is that so?" All for One taunted. He raised his hands as if he were holding up the night sky and was tempted to throw down the concerns of the entire world onto All Might. "Do you think you are strong enough to stop me now? You were more powerful the last time we met, All Might, and you were lucky to survive."

"Do not think I am the same youth I was then," All Might stated. "I have grown wise, and I will not be the last to stand against you."

"Ah, yes," All for One drawled. "That. I will deal with you, and then I will destroy your apprentice. I had thought he could forget the childish dream he has, but he was stubborn, and certain of himself." He paused, and All Might suspected if he could see his foe's mouth, he would be smirking. "Perhaps I will leave you alive long enough to see him broken. Maybe you will even be willing to…be merciful."

"You will never touch him again." All Might shifted his shoulders, taking stock of the little time he still had in this form. "Nor will you get away. Not this time."

All for One laughed, a high mocking tone that made All Might clench his fists. The downed heroes and villains around them appeared to be rousing, and as much as he wanted to take in his foe's pawns, he was more concerned with the state of his fellow heroes. He needed to distract All for One long enough for them to escape, but he couldn't allow their fight to turn as dangerous and damaging as their first one before they were safely away.

"Let us see how strong you truly are," All for One declared. His right arm shifted, pulsing, and then suddenly grew into a monstrosity of flesh and matter. It was more drill and rigid pipes than a normal arm, but that was the horror of a quirk like the one his foe possessed. He could steal quirks and keep on stealing quirks, combining them into mixes that would make all but the most stalwart heroes pale and shiver from fright. Even he, the Symbol of Peace, couldn't help the twinge of concern such a dangerous, powerful foe could inspire.

And yet, All Might knew it didn't matter. Here, right now, he had a chance—likely his final one—to stop All for Once, once and for all. And perhaps, with this final victory over the most infamous and mythological villain of the past couple hundred years, he would pave an easier path forward for Midoriya and his friends.

He took in a slow breath, letting it fill his lungs and every ounce of his being. The fading flames of One for All for there, right before him, and suddenly All Might knew his teacher's words would come to pass before the next sunrise. It hurt, knowing he would no longer be the hero he was, but as she had: his last moment as a hero would be his finest.

Muscles tensed, building with power and energy, as All Might prepared to charge his foe. The man would mock a charge like this, but All for One had gone underground for years, in part due to the injuries he suffered during their previous fight. Just as All Might had suffered from that clash, so did the enemy before him. This fight would prove just who had recovered the best from that old clash, and whose protégé would be victorious in the future. Of this, All Might was certain.

And because of that, I cannot fail!

Katsuki watched as overwhelmed medics and healers bustled about. Other than Midoriya, all of the young heroes-in-training had escaped from the devastation with little to no injuries. The pro heroes hadn't been as lucky, but he and his fellows had been quick to aid in evacuating those heroes they could. The sight of All Might bearing down on that insidious figure and the two of them vanishing in a great cloud of dust and smoke was humbling. Just thinking of that scene made his fists clench, though he held back the grimace that wanted to mar his face.

Every time he heard a distant boom, his hands clenched a little harder, his teeth ground a little more, and he felt just a little more worthless. He had barely seen anything of that monster All Might was facing, and he couldn't think of anyone else who could go up against someone like that. And yet, his red eyes glanced to where Midoriya laid, asleep, exhausted, but thankfully alive. Katsuki wasn't certain how he felt about Deku. On one hand, they'd been strange rivals, opposing forces for nearly as long as he could remember. But he was increasingly becoming something of a friend, and he suspected the intended successor for All Might.

"You alright?" asked some faceless nurse. Katsuki glanced at them and nodded. They moved on, though gave him an odd, reflective look. He sighed, grumbling, and rubbed the back of his head. The future didn't have the golden certainty it did when he was a kid, overconfident in himself and his quirk. But, he hoped, things would turn out fine. There were still two and a half years at U.A., and he had a suspicion they would be putting their students through a more difficult course load than in the past.

It would seem, that the same way Deku had gotten a head start on becoming a hero years ago, they would all be receiving their own intensive pushes to become the heroes of the future, the heroes the world needed to stand against a rising tide of villainy.

an end