Hey guys! I was hoping to have posted this chapter two days ago to make it a special Christmas present for all of you, but unfortunately, I couldn't finish in time. Still, I'd like to give you this late Christmas present regardless, and to wish all the readers out there a Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy this very long and awaited chapter!


The group of U.A. students were walking in silence after the dramatic outburst that had occurred between friends. It was quite odd to imagine that Iida, of all people, would be accompanying them on this mission, and to have Tokoyami join the group at the last minute was another unexpected addition to this night

Tension remained high after the emotional spectacle that had unfolded. Iida decided to try to alleviate this tension, especially considering he'd started most of it.

"Midoriya, I shouldn't have hit you. I apologize. Please forgive me."

"Hey, it's fine. Besides, I've had a punch to the face coming for a while," replied Deku, remembering when he'd unfairly loaded all of his frustrations and insecurities onto Mob at the training camp.

"I have to ask: what's your justification for changing your mind and joining us?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"Let me clarify: I'm coming with you because I DON'T condone your behavior. If I sense that there's even a hint of physical combat, I'll make you retreat immediately. So, in other words, I'm your watchman."

Yaoyorozu understood the class rep's logic. Since she herself was a calm and analytical person, she knew that a mission like this was meant for the pro heroes. She could also see that the idea of conducting a rescue mission without any combat was implausible. The others were too driven by their feelings of frustration and the desire to help their classmate, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was driven by those same emotions. The friendship she'd developed with Shigeo had rooted itself deep in her heart. She could still vividly recall the moment when she left him in the woods to fight those monsters by himself, to bear the burden of responsibility solely on his shoulders. She just couldn't shake herself of these feelings or remove the memory of that moment from her head. It's why she couldn't object to this plan and the reason she walked with just as much fire in her chest as the others.

After a brief walk, the teenagers made it to the train station and boarded the train to Kamino Ward. In the train, Yaoyorozu looked at the receiver to calculate the coordinates of the transmitter while some of her classmates filled their bellies with some late-night food.

"The coordinates indicate Kamino Ward, Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture. Our travel time should be about two hours," she said.

"So did you tell the rest of the class about this? Do they know what we're doing tonight?" asked Deku.

Kirishima nodded. "Yea, and they all tried to talk us out of it. Even Uraraka ganged up on us and tried to get us to change our minds."

Todoroki put down the utensils and decided to clarify a few things. "Just so we're all clear, we're going against everyone's wishes and being completely selfish by doing this. If anybody wants, we can call it off right now."

"Did your powers finally melt your brain, Icy-Hot?" the brash Bakugo responded, "You think we're gonna go back to our homes with our tails between our legs after everything that happened at the camp? We're gonna see this thing through and get the bowl-cut back to U.A. tonight, and there's nothing that's gonna stop us."

"I concur." Tokoyami was of the same mindset, for a second more that Mob had to stay in the heart of the enemy was a second too long. "We shall not stand idly by while Kageyama remains in danger."

Todoroki decided to ask the opinion of perhaps the person closest to Shigeo of everyone here. "And you, Midoriya?"

The young teenager's mind raced with memories of time spent with Shigeo. Going to the mall together, visiting cat cafes, running across the beach while changing the motto for the Body Improvement Club. Ever since Izuku had met the esper, he had always been a constant in his life, a person who fought alongside him through sweat and tears. Someone who accepted Izuku for his flaws and never held a grudge against him even when he completely deserved it. So now it was time for Izuku to return the favor.

"I refuse to turn back." The fires had been lit underneath all of the teenagers, and nothing could snuff out those flames. They were going to see this through and rescue Shigeo, no matter the cost.


The Kageyama Rescue Squad weren't the only ones who were actively planning the rescue of Shigeo. The heroes and the police force had also been working with the utmost speed. The idea of someone as strong as Kageyama being taken by the villains was an action that prompted an uncanny response time. Many of the top heroes had jumped at the chance to help when the police had contacted them for their aid. For them, it was imperative that such a promising and heroic young student would be rescued as soon as possible.

Among the heroes of the rescue operation was none other than All Might himself, as well as his teacher, Gran Torino. In addition, the other top heroes, Endeavor, Edgeshot, Best Jeanist, and Gang Orca were present. Though not as popular or powerful, the pro heroes Mount Lady, Kamui Woods, X-Less, and Tiger had decided to partake in this rescue operation, for many of them knew this was the opportunity to rescue those kidnapped by the League of Villains and capture all of the villains in the process.

The operation was being organized and manned by a number of police officers and members of the Hero Commission as a means of coordinating their attacks and have the highest possibility of success. Currently, there were two groups of heroes assembled as part of the operation, and an open line of communication had been established so that the two groups could discuss their plan of attack. In the separate rooms, there were two small monitors hung on the wall with a security camera positioned beneath them so both groups of heroes could see the others clearly.

As the groups of heroes had been assembled, a few of them took that time to make some commentary. "Usually you're not one to cooperate with other heroes or the police, Endeavor," Best Jeanist said, "I suppose this means that even you see the gravity of a situation like this."

Endeavor remained silent. When he had heard that Kageyama had been kidnapped, it had been quite a shocking revelation. Like the rest of the country, it baffled him that such a powerful student had been taken hostage. But as Best Jeanist had noted, this news had spurred him to take the uncharacteristic act of instantly answering the call from the police to aid in the rescue mission. Kageyama was no mere student of U.A. High: he was a student who had opened Endeavor to the truths he'd been blinded to for so long. He was a person who had begun to serve as an example of how to become a better human being. After all the words of wisdom that the young boy had imparted on the hero, it was Endeavor's responsibility to return the favor.

Among the group of heroes was All Might's friend in the police force, Tsukauchi. "We appreciate all the help from pro heroes assembled today, especially since we can't call in any help from U.A. High at a time like this. It's possible that this incident is the beginning of the end for hero society. We will stop at nothing to resolve this successfully."

"Indeed," Best Jeanist replied, "It would be a disgrace to hero society if we allowed anything to happen to a student like Kageyama. We must hurry."

"My comrade, Ragdoll, was also taken. This is my chance to get her back," Tiger added.

"Thanks to the tracking device placed by one of the students, we believe that there are two separate hideout locations," Tsukauchi said, "We know from our investigations where our kidnap victim is located. We'll send the bulk of our forces there. Retrieving Kageyama is our priority. At the same time, we'll cut off our paths of retreat. We'll arrest them all at once!"

Behind the police officer, the elderly hero spoke with his student. "Toshinori, if they're recruiting old men like me, then-"

"What're you suggesting? You're still Gran Torino!" All Might assured, "And with such staggering stakes at hand, we can be sure he's involved."

"All For One..."

The number one hero internally shuddered at hearing that name. It filled him with shame to know that this ancient evil had survived their encounter and was now threatening the world again. But what worried him even more was what this man planned to do with Shigeo. If this entire kidnapping was his plan, then All For One must've had something sinister in mind. What would happen if Shigeo met face-to-face with him? Would the villain provoke the esper into battle? If such an outcome transpired, what would result?

All Might was aware that Mob already had prior experience battling such a titanic foe. It was during his battle with the boss of the villainous esper organization Claw that Mob had been transported here. If he was forced to do battle against another titanic foe as that, would Mob be capable of emerging victorious? The hero shook his head: he wouldn't let that happen. He was far too young to carry such a large responsibility. As the symbol of peace, it was All Might's job to vanquish the symbol of evil for good this time, and he'd be sure to spare young Kageyama of that burden!


"Shigeo Kageyama! I'm so glad you're here! How about the two of us have a nice, long talk, huh?"

Once Shigeo had passed through the portal, the rest of the villains began to pour into the bar. A few of them stood with their backs leaning against the wall, while others stood in the middle of the room. Kurogiri's body reformed into its humanoid shape and appeared behind the booth, while Toga pushed her body over the booth to put herself on the other side. The esper observed the scenery and all the villains here.

"Hello, Tomura," Mob said in a neutral tone, "Where's All For One? Is he here?"

"Oh?" From the opposite side of the room, the sound system from the monitor came to life, and the esper heard a deep, ominous voice fill the air. "So you know about me, Shigeo Kageyama?"

"All Might already told me all about you," the esper replied. The villains exchanged some momentary looks of shock. The way Mob spoke just now made it seem like Kageyama had a personal connection with All Might. Tomura, however, ignored this and remained focused on why they were all here.

"What is he doing with those cuffs on? Dabi, take them off. We're recruiting him, so we have to treat him as one of us." Having seen his behavior at the warehouse, Dabi saw no problem that would arise from this and took out the key to the handcuffs. As Dabi was beginning to take off the handcuffs, Magne decided to come out with the question that had undoubtedly been at the forefront of the entire Vanguard Action Squad's minds ever since Mob had given himself up.

"Alright Tomura, it's time you give us a straight answer about something: why the hell did you choose Kageyama as the target? What made you think a kid like this would be interested in anything we've got to offer?"

The blue-haired fiend's lips curved into a smirk. "Because, Magne, this kid's one of us. You'll see what I mean in a little bit. Besides, I know he's interested in what we have to say. You really think those cuffs could hold someone as strong as him? I'm positive he could've broken out of those any time he wanted. But he chose not to, because he's a reasonable guy with an open mind. It's why I had a feeling he'd be open to the idea of coming here so we could all have a long conversation. That's alright with you, isn't it, Kageyama?"

As his restraints were removed, the villains could feel a notable tension arise around them. Mob's eyes were aimed at the ground. With his hands now visible, they could see the esper balling his hands into fists. "So this really was all about just talking to me..."

Everyone in the room felt their hairs stand on end when they saw an aura begin to flare around Mob, his hair waving as it did whenever he got serious.

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"I told you at the mall that if you wanted to talk to me, all you had to do was find me and I'd listen. So then why did you attack the camp? You could've just had your warp friend take you to the camp so we could talk alone. Instead, you put my entire class in danger."

The memory of Izuku's arms utterly destroyed flooded back to him, and the aura around him only intensified. The esper looked up, and everyone in the room felt their hearts constrict when they noticed the terrifying glare in his eyes. "One of the villains nearly killed my best friend!"

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The villains were quickly beginning to panic. After he'd behaved so calmly at the warehouse, none of them were expecting him to suddenly lash out. They knew they had to act before he went on the offensive.

"Wait!" Before any of the villains could take more than a step, Tomura stretched out his arms. "None of you lay a finger on him." Though he understood their reaction, considering he too was feeling unnerved by Shigeo's hardened glare, this wasn't the time to pick a fight, not when they'd gotten this far. Tomura could quickly see that Mob understood this just as well as he did.

The aura around the esper quickly faded, and the glare in his eyes softened. Mob took a deep breath: he needed to keep his composure. Making a wrong move here could land him in serious trouble with All For One watching his movements and all the unknown Quirks both he and the rest of the villains here possessed. Besides, picking a fight went against the entire reason he came here in the first place.

"See? Look, he's not going to do anything reckless against us. Like I said, he's a pretty reasonable guy." Tomura took off the hand which was placed over his face, letting Mob get a good look at the villain's red eyes. Unlike the crazed, sadistic gaze he'd shown when they met at the mall, his eyes were calm and collected. He could tell that for Tomura, this meeting was as important to him as it was to Mob.

"I'm sorry if some of my associates went too far at the camp. The league has just started assembling actual members, so it's a bit hard to keep the reins on all of them. I also apologize for not come to you directly, but I just wasn't positive that you'd be willing to come straight into the heart of the League of Villains. That was my mistake. But now that we're here, I think it's time the two of us finish the talk that was interrupted back at the mall."

The other league members gradually relaxed themselves, taking their seats at the bar or placing their backs against the wall yet again. "I know that I've given you some pretty big impressions about myself and the League of Villains with everything we've done so far. I'm sure that in your mind, you think that we're just mindless thugs who're out to cause trouble without any reason. But we're trying to aim for something bigger. Remember what I told you back at the mall, that this society is full of people who believe they live in a utopia where they're convinced nothing bad is ever going to happen. Because they're all obsessed with that ideal of a perfect hero. But what does a hero really mean? Haven't you ever stopped to think about what it is you're trying to do over there at U.A. High?"

Mob took a seat in the chair placed a few feet next to the door, pondering the villain's words. "A lot of my classmates, my teachers like All Might, and everybody else seem to have a pretty clear-cut definition of what it is. But for me, it's something that I've been trying to figure out ever since I enrolled in U.A. High."

"Well, let me help you come up with a definition. A hero's just an empty title, a flashy badge that people like to have flaunted in order to make themselves feel that everything is happy and dandy. Matter of fact, why don't we all do a little sharing? Why doesn't everybody here give their opinion on what a hero means to them and what this garbage society has promoted. That way, Kageyama can get to know us a little better. Who wants to go first?"

Dabi decided to be the first to share his opinion. "Kid, let me save you the suspense: you're wasting your time at U.A. High. You'll only surround yourself with a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites who spend all their time strengthening their Quirks just to hear everybody chant their name in the streets. Take it from me, it'll just lead you straight into a hellhole."

Next was Spinner. "Yes. Stain has begun to open this society's eyes to the hypocrisy of current hero society, and I was just one of many who understood what he meant. This society is full of fakes whose main interests are to gain wealth to live luxurious lives while coasting on the fame their status and their Quirk brings them. It's a society that has no place for someone with the morality and compassion that you possess."

"Yep, he's got the right idea," interjected Twice, "This society's nothing but a den of snakes and liars. Everywhere, people tell you that heroes are gonna lend a helping hand and support you when you're down low, but that's only for the lucky ones who've got the status and connections. For the ones who don't have those connections, they'll just kick you to the curb."

"It's a place where everybody tells you what to do and how to do it, but they never let you be yourself." Following up was Toga to share her viewpoint with the esper. "I couldn't stand it, so it's why I came and joined these guys, and you should do the same!"

"It sure as hell didn't go out of its way to help me change into the person that I wanted," Magne continued, further emphasizing the point that Toga had made, "At least here, I was able to find a place where I belonged and felt free. Who knows, if you try your luck with us, you might find that we're not such bad company."

Shigaraki calmly raised both his hands toward his fellow league members to ease their contributions. "Alright, alright, let him take a minute to process all that before we overload his brain with our opinions." All the villains in the room stared intently at the young teenager, each curious to see how Shigeo was reacting to what he'd just heard. From the look on his face, it seemed as though he was truly digesting all of their separate opinions.

"I won't deny that hero society hasn't been what I pictured it to be. Since I joined U.A., there've been some things I've noticed about the school and about my class. There've been times where my classmates haven't cared at all about helping each other out and only focused their attention on being the best or getting money. That's also true for some of the heroes. When I first met Endeavor, the number 2 hero, he didn't give the impression of an honest or helpful man. He was just determined to get the glory of the number one hero spot, even if it meant pushing away his family. It was terrible to see."

Out of the corner of his eye, Shigeo noticed the manner in which Dabi smirked in satisfaction. "Thank god somebody at U.A High's got enough sense not to be blinded by all the hero bullshit and how top heroes like Endeavor act."

"Still, I don't think it's fair to say that everyone who tries to be a hero for the money is a fraud. One of my classmates told me she became a hero in order to get rich, but she plans to use that money to help her parents with their company so they can have an easier life. What's so wrong about that?"

Some of the villains paused for a moment, but Compress, who hadn't expressed his opinion yet, decided to counter Shigeo's reasoning. "Perhaps there's some truth there, but do you truly believe that every hero whose aim is achieving wealth through their acts does it for the interest of others? Throughout the generations, there have been countless heroes who've used their opulence to establish their authority while leaving the less fortunate with hardly the money to pay for a meal.

The magician decided to continue and ask the esper a few questions of his own. "I must ask, my dear lad, what inspired you to join U.A. High in the first place? Forgive my tactless question, but for someone with your power, you don't appear to carry the same conviction as others your age."

"Well, the truth is, growing up, I never really wanted to be a hero. The reason I joined U.A. High is some people close to me thought it'd be the best place for me to use my powers."

Once again, Shigeo noticed that this elicited a somewhat strong reaction from the pyrokinetic villain. "So then you're just being used by people who want to mold you into the image of the hero they want you to be."

The esper shook his head in disagreement. "No, that's not true."

"Yes, it is." Tomura's eyes became even more focused and considerate, taking in all this new information as further proof of the potential he saw in Shigeo. "Come on, U.A. High's just a place where that school can use your unbelievable Quirk to its fullest potential. People saw that your power could be useful to them, and so they've decided to force you up on a pedestal without ever stopping to think about what you really wanted. And now that you've been taken away, they're trying to save face. Let's take a look."

The villain took a nearby remote to change the HDMI, switching it to a news channel which was streaming a press conference hosted by U.A. High. The room was filled to the brim with journalists and news reporters from several different stations, each of them holding their microphones and their cameras up to the teachers in the front. Each of them was desperate to get the first scoop and see just how U.A. High was handling the kidnapping of such a powerful student and the attack on two classes of burgeoning heroes.

On the podium was Mr. Aizawa, Vlad King, and Principal Nezu were standing, and Mr. Aizawa was the teacher currently addressing the situation to everyone tuned in. "We are here to apologize. A recent incident allowed harm to come to 27 first-year heroes, and we staff were ill-prepared. We take responsibility for any trauma caused by our negligence. It's our duty to both train heroes and protect heroes in training." The three U.A. staff bowed towards the crowd to express the shame they each felt, all-while the cameras rapidly flashed throughout the room.

A reporter in the middle of the crowd decided to speak. "I'll take the first question. Since the beginning of the year, U.A. students have had four encounters with villains. This time, there were students who were gravely injured. How did you explain this to their families, and what are some steps that are being taken to ensure their safety in the future?

"We will increase patrols around the school grounds and review security measures within the school," replied the principal, "The safety of U.A. students is our highest priority, make no mistake about that."

Mob shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It saddened him to see the way the news outlets were attempting to demonize U.A. High, as if they didn't already know how dedicated the school was to keeping the students safe.

Tomura paused the television and smirked with satisfaction. "Look at that: the heroes are suddenly becoming the bad guys. Seems as though they're not handling this situation very well at all. They can speak proudly when the top students are on the podium and bearing the U.A. symbol for all the world to see, but when something unexpected happens and those students aren't there to help keep that image of security, that proud school will crumble and show just how hollow the system they champion really is.

"They're having to stand up there and defend themselves because you attacked the camp," Mob retorted, his voice tranquil yet laced with a hint of ice, "There's only so much that the school can do when they have to deal with so many unexpected incidents at once. Even if I never had the dream of going to U.A. High like some of my other friends, I've still learned a lot while I've been there, and the heroes who teach at the school have helped me whenever I've needed it."

"But were they there for you when you needed it most? You know how empty the promises of hero society and places like U.A. High really are. Let's keep watching, and you'll see what I mean."

In the packed room, another reporter eager to tear down U.A.'s image spoke his mind. "You mentioned of keeping the students safe, Eraserhead. But according to our information, you encouraged them to fight against the villains during the invasion, which only pushed them further into the thralls of danger. What was your reasoning for this?"

"I concluded that since we didn't know the full situation, allowing them to use their Quirks would allow them to avoid the worst possible outcome."

"And what outcome would that be? Do you really believe 26 victims and 1 kidnapped child is a win for U.A. High?"

"I assure you, things could've gone much more poorly. I feared every student would be tortured and killed."

The principal added extra context to the invasion and the casualties. "Most of the victims were knocked unconscious by a poisonous gas, determined to be caused by a villain's Quirk. It was thanks to the quick actions of Itsuka Kendo and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu that injuries were kept to a bare minimum. We're providing mental health counseling to every student, though currently, we don't see any signs of serious psychological trauma."

"And what of the abducted student, Shigeo Kageyama?" Hearing the esper's name caused Mr. Aizawa to tense up.

"He enrolled at your school with unbelievable scores and went on to get second place at the Sports Festival. His performance during that festival showcased the remarkable power and skill he possesses, and he also had a run-in with the notorious Hero Killer not too long ago. It's clear that the boy has unbelievable potential as a hero.

"On the other hand, he carries a very meek and reserved personality for someone with the power he wields. At the start of the U.A. Sports Festival, he could barely finish giving his opening speech without stuttering from nervousness. Then there is his questionable actions during the final match of the Sports Festival. When he fought against Shoto Todoroki, despite having the advantage, he allowed his opponent to blast him out of the ring and then hastily ran out of the stadium. It's perplexing that someone who made it so far would suddenly give up. Perhaps it indicates the boy lacks the will to reach the top that some of his peers may possess, or it may even represent some unaddressed personal issues."

"What's even more concerning is the numerous encounters he's had with villains. As mentioned earlier, he has encountered the Hero Killer: Stain, who's believed to be a member of the League of Villains. Then, he was held hostage by another villain at a mall who's also been said to be connected with the League of Villains. It's quite clear that the league has been interested in Kageyama as a target for quite some time. What if the league has been watching this boy, spying on him and using the attack on the camp as a way to target Kageyama? What if they're taking advantage of his meek nature and his lack of will to bend him how they wish, to steer him down the path of villainy? How can you stand there and tell us he still has a future?"

At Eraserhead's side, Vlad King felt a nervous sweat bead trickle down his face. This reporter knew exactly where to hit them. He could already see the furious features etched into Aizawa's face. This reporter wanted to provoke him so he'd say something damning. Vlad King was desperately hoping that his fellow teacher wouldn't let this man trick him. But what would his response be?

"There's something I believe should be clarified regarding the capture of Kageyama. He wasn't taken against his will. Kageyama CHOSE to give himself up in order to ensure that the villains would stop the attack and so they would release the other students who'd been kidnapped. To willingly surrender yourself to the enemy isn't something that just anyone could do.

"In my opinion, Shigeo Kageyama is one of the strongest people I have ever encountered. And I'm not talking about his Quirk. I'm talking about his character. Though on the surface he may give off the impression of a meek, uninspired student, inside him rests an indomitable spirit dedicated to improving himself. He's had to endure very much while on his journey to U.A. High, and despite the hardships he's faced with the villains he's encountered, he hasn't wavered. I'm not sure what the villains were thinking making him a target or what they believe they can get out of him, but I assure you that no matter what, Kageyama will stand tall and persevere the way he always has."

The esper heard these words of praise coming from his homeroom teacher's mouth. He never knew the depth of admiration that Mr. Aizawa held for him, and it astonished him to know that someone as strict and unrelenting as him could speak so highly of Mob. "Mr. Aizawa..."

Tomura, on the other hand, was thoroughly unimpressed, sneering at the teacher's assurances. "He may talk like he knows you, but there're plenty of things about you and what you've gone through he couldn't begin to understand. Where was a hero to save you when you were at your lowest? You know how hollow their words and ideals are because you've had to experience it, just like the rest of us."

The eyebrows of all the villains in the room perched up in curiosity. "Remember that dark place you lived in. The one where you had to live all alone and never had a single friend to help you out. Every day, you'd try to live your life, only to end up getting used as a punching bag by the people who stood above you and used this rotten system to their advantage. You told me yourself: you desperately hoped that somebody would come to save you. But instead, the only thing you ever got were empty stares from people passing by, cuz to them, it wasn't their problem. Surely a hero or someone else would come along to fix it. But they never did. All that time, you were left alone, with nothing but the rage in your heart to keep you going."

"But you couldn't stand it forever. Eventually, you stopped waiting for the heroes to do their job and you actually did something, just like the rest of us. You let your power explode and killed the bastards who had the nerve to use you however they wanted." The villains all exchanged looks with one another to confirm what they were hearing. But observing the way Mob sat silently in his chair, his eyes incapable of straying off the ground while his fingers were clamped to the seat of the chair, it caused all of their eyes to gape in surprise. All the behavior that Mob was displaying proved that everything Tomura had said thus far was true: he really had suffered the way the rest of them had. He'd actually killed people.

The smile on Tomura's face widened. "You know that pain and hatred hasn't gone away. You can try to hide it, but you can't erase the past. I mean, are you really gonna sit there and tell me your life's been smooth sailing?"

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"I'm not."

"Then how about you stop listening to what everyone at U.A. tells you to do? How about instead of just ignoring everything bottled up inside, you let it out and use it to help us bring down the garbage society that caused you all that pain in the first place? Join the League of Villains, and together we'll avenge your pain and make society open its eyes to everything its been ignoring?"

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The villains in the room stood in silence waiting for the answer. Even All For One, who'd chosen not to participate in the conversation, wanted to hear how this boy would react. But alas, the villains would begin to understand what Eraserhead had been talking about, for when they looked into his eyes, they saw no hesitation as he uttered his response.

"No."

The smile that had been present on Tomura's face for most of the conversation had vanished. It made no sense that the esper would refuse such an offer after everything he'd been though. "What do you mean?"

"Even if I've had to go rough times and lost things I care about, that doesn't mean I'm going to take that anger out on everyone else. I won't use my powers against other people."

"Why not? Why care about the ones who help push a system that caused you all that pain?"

"Because they're people like me, and it's not fair to push my pain onto them just because I suffered."

"So just ignore everything that happened to you back then and let them get away with it?" Tomura retorted.

"No, but I won't spend my time buried in the past. The pain of your past doesn't define who you are now. The person who I was back then is no longer who I am now. Thanks to the people I met who had faith in me and helped me when I needed it, I was able to change. It took some time, but I just had to believe that the help other people gave me had value, and I was able to see how far I'd come from who I was before."

Tomura just couldn't make heads or tails of what the esper was saying. At the same time, all of the villains in the bar were feeling a growing sense of confusion and uncertainty. How could someone who'd been abused and tossed aside like that still speak so justly and defend the system that put them through such pain?

"And you're really gonna defend hero society too, stand here and tell us it's a paradise where everything's perfect?" Tomura continued.

"I won't do that, either. I have problems with hero society just like all of you, and I've seen some of those problems at U.A. High. I don't like the way that people value others based on how powerful Quirks are, and I don't like when I think people listen to me just because of my Quirk. I want others to see that all people matter, even if they don't have Quirks. But I want to do that by changing people, not by killing them. And Stain realized that, too."

Hearing the young teenager mention the Hero Killer instantly caught the attention of Dabi, Spinner, and Toga, the league members most influenced by Stain.

"What are you talking about?" Spinner inquired.

"You all know that I met with Stain in Hosu City. He wanted to tear down hero society because he thought it was full of frauds, just like all of you. But I was lucky enough to make him realize that he didn't have to kill heroes to make a difference in this society. He managed to understand that people could change, and for some reason, he thought I was the one who could change them."

This news was quickly beginning to unrattle whatever composure Dabi and Spinner had managed to retain. The reptilian villain's pupils were beginning to dilate, his hands clamping with sweat while his brain was processing all this. Meanwhile, Dabi's body began to tremble while blue flames began to ignite on his jacket.

"Liar," muttered Dabi, his fierce gaze causing Mob to tense back in fear.

"I'm not lying," Mob replied, "If you want, I can show you the memory myself using my powers."

The pyrokinetic villain was about to retort, but before he or any other villain could get a syllable out, a gray liquid suddenly began spewing from Shigeo's mouth. All the villains present were perplexed with what was happening, and before they knew it, the liquid had begun to envelop Kageyama's entire body. Within seconds, the esper had vanished from the bar thanks to this unknown force.

"Apologies for the abrupt interruption, but I'd rather not have Kageyama fill your minds with any delusions." From the monitor, the villains could hear the deep voice of All For One speaking to him. "Though you have done your best, Tomura, I believe the time has come for me to intervene. I will speak with the dear boy by myself to see whether my method of convincing will be more effective.

"Are you sure, master?"

"Unfortunately, that is the best course for right now. But no matter what, none of you are to interfere or come to my location. It is imperative that I deal with this alone and that you trust my judgement. And remember, none of you must forget why you joined this league and where you started. Kageyama may have said otherwise, but it is that past which is the foundation of who you all are." The monitor screen went to black, leaving the villains to ruminate on what they'd just experienced.

Mob's mind was racing. Without warning, he'd felt some sort of liquid trapped in his throat, and in mere seconds, he'd been transported to a dark, spacious warehouse not too dissimilar from the one he'd stayed at earlier that day. But the air in this warehouse felt... ominous. It was as if there was something lurking in the darkness, waiting to pounce on him.

He looked to the left, and his heart constricted. There were rows and rows of metal containers, each of them filled with water while pipes entered the water. Sticking out of these metal containers, barely a few inches above the water, were exposed brains. He recognized those features: they were the trademark of all the Nomu. So this was where they were being manufactured? Then that could only mean...

The grip on Shigeo's heart tightened when he heard footsteps above him. He gazed up, and sure enough, walking on the metal platform above him was the man behind the League of Villains. After all this time, Shigeo was finally going to face All For One.


In the streets of Kamino Ward, the citizens all stood in the plaza staring up at the jumbo monitor on the building. Like the League of Villains and several other citizens across the world, these people wanted to know how U.A. High was going to respond to the villain attack. Many of them have begun more worried about the status of hero society with how many incidents had occurred this year. But now it had gotten to the point that a hero student had been kidnapped.

The citizens listened as the heroes had given their answers and told the world exactly how they were planning to deal with the student's safety for the future. However, they were decidedly uninspired by the suggestions being made. For them, it was only a matter of time before their negligence would get those kids killed.

Standing in this crowd was a group of young teenagers, each of them wearing flashy clothing with jewelry around their necks and a few pairs of designer glasses over their eyes. Among them, there was a student with a mutant Quirk that gave him the appearance of a white raven, his white avian head contrasting with his dark yet elegant suit. To anyone who looked at these teenagers, they'd be quick to assume these were a group of rich delinquents parading through Kamino Ward and ready to cause trouble. In reality, they were none other than the devoted members of Class 1-A who'd come to rescue their friend. Yaoyorozu had decided it would be best for them to go in disguise, for the League of Villains knew what they looked like and could be attacked at any moment. So after going to a nearby clothing store, they had decided to head out to the building where the transmitter was broadcasting its frequency. But along the way, they'd decided to stay and watch the broadcast.

Standing in the crowd, they could hear the tone of unease and frustration growing around them. It was a sign that the public was turning against hero society, and unless they did something about it, the situation was only going to get worse.

"Come on, we shouldn't stay too long," Tokoyami said, "Let's get moving." The rest of the group nodded in agreement and began to make their way out of the crowd. While they were squirming through the rows of people, their ears picked up on a reporter mentioning Kageyama's name. Unable to resist, they all turned around to see what this reporter meant. They stood in silence while the reporter listed Kageyama's accomplishments, but began to grow agitated when he began referencing the esper's negative qualities.

In the group, Tokoyami and Todoroki clenched their fists in anger when the reporter mentioned his surrender in the Sports Festival. Where did that reporter get the nerve to insinuate that Kageyama was somehow mentally unstable? Like he had any idea what kind of problems Mob had to deal with? For these two, such anger was drawn because they were the only ones who knew the reason Mob had given up.

The rest of the group felt the same growing frustration, listening as this reporter made unjust claims. "What if they're taking advantage of his meek nature and his lack of will to bend him how they wish, to steer him down the path of villainy? How can you stand there and tell us he still has a future?"

A pulse of anger spread through the U.A. students. What kind of question was that? Who would honestly believe that Mob would ever become a villain? A small part of them wanted to see their homeroom teacher lose his cool, mock the reporter for even thinking of that question, for they could see their teacher was just as angry as they were.

"There's something I believe should be clarified regarding the capture of Kageyama. He wasn't taken against his will. Kageyama CHOSE to give himself up in order to ensure that the villains would stop the attack and so they would release the other students who'd been kidnapped. To willingly surrender yourself to the enemy isn't something that just anyone could do.

"In my opinion, Shigeo Kageyama is one of the strongest people I have ever encountered. And I'm not talking about his Quirk. I'm talking about his character. Though on the surface he may give off the impression of a meek, uninspired student, inside him rests an indomitable spirit dedicated to improving himself. He's had to endure very much while on his journey to U.A. High, and despite the hardships he's faced with the villains he's encountered, he hasn't wavered. I'm not sure what the villains were thinking making him a target or what they believe they can get out of him, but I assure you that no matter what, Kageyama will stand tall and persevere the way he always has."

Whatever anger the students felt was immediately replaced by the sense of satisfaction and joy. Sure enough, their teacher understood Kageyama just as well as the rest of his class did. Everyone in the group broke out into a smile, and even Bakugo couldn't help give a small grin of amusement. He'd expect as much from their teacher.

Since they'd heard everything they needed, the group quickly made their way into the alley. Yaoyorozu walked front-and-center, navigating the alleyways based on the directions of the receiver. After a few minutes of walking, the female heroine stopped at a large warehouse.

"Ok, this is the building the tracker is broadcasting from. According to the tracking history, the villain hasn't left this location all day, but that's all we know. One villain is hiding here, but that could be it. It's possible they could have Kageyama somewhere else. We're going into this operation completely blind, so please try to proceed logically."

"I don't like this," the class president said, "None of us are good at sneaking around. We need Hagakure or Jirou here. If I suspect there's even a hint of danger, we're done. I won't hesitate to call the police."

"Come on, stop being such a damn stick-in-the-mud," Bakugo replied, "We've got this. All we need to do is search the building to see if the bowl-cut's there, and if he is, we'll think of a plan. I'm sure I can think of some use for all your Quirks in this plan."

"Brash as ever, I see," Tokoyami replied, "Regardless, we mustn't lost heart. We'll inspect the building and determine the best course of action from there."

"Right," replied Izuku, beaming at his avian friend. "You know, you look pretty cool in white."

"Thank Yaoyorozu for suggesting we use white toner," Todoroki added.

"No wasting idle time chit-chatting when we're so close," Iida replied, "Let's hurry up."

"We'll go around the back. It's the best chance we have to get some solid intel on this place." The students all made their way to a narrow opening near the warehouse, entering the opening one-by-one as they cautiously slid their bodies down to the other side.

"It's so narrow," Yaoyorozu noted, "I might get stuck."

"Just keep moving," Deku replied, "We have to figure out what's happening inside. No one will see us from back here. Wait, there!" Deku noticed an opening a few feet above him.

"We should be able to get a look through that window."

Todoroki noted a problem with this approach. "We'll be blind in the darkness," he said.

"I'll make a night-vision scope," Yaoyorozu replied, but before she could begin the creation process, she was stopped by Kirishima.

"No need. I actually brought one along with me for this. When I thought about what we'd have to do, I figured we might need it."

"In that case, Kirishima will serve as our scout. Back him up, Midoriya." Kirishima and Deku did as Shoto said, and the others helped the two by lifting them up to get a better view.

"Tell us what you see inside, quickly!" Iida said, "And be quiet!"

"Got it." Kirishima turned the night vision goggles on and did a quick scan of the warehouse. "The place is pretty trashed. Doesn't look like-" His words became caught in his throat, and he gasped in terror. Without warning, Kirishima jumped off of Iida's shoulders, compelling Izuku to do the same.

"What happened? Were you spotted? What did you see?" Tokoyami asked, his voice overcome with concern.

"In the back-left, there were rows of Nomu in big tanks," muttered Kirishima, "And a few feet away, I saw Kageyama standing with a man."

"So Kageyama's really here after all, then," Yaoyorozu muttered. This news fueled their inner flames even further, but it made them even more troubled about what their friend's current situation was.

"And what about the man he was with?" Iida questioned, "What did he look like? Did you recognize him from any of the previous encounters with the league?"

"No, he didn't look familiar. He wore a regular business suit, but for some reason, he had this sort of fancy mask on."

The others attempted to figure out who this man could possibly be, for none of them had met a villain matching that description at either the U.S.J. or the camp. While they were pondering, Bakugo looked to see that Izuku's body was lightly trembling. His usually passionate verdant eyes were now dilated, replaced with a burgeoning sense of fear.

"Deku, what is it? Do you know who that guy is?"

Deku couldn't admit to his friends the possibility of who that villain really was. It seemed as though their worst-case scenario was becoming more and more likely. If he was right, then that man was none other than All For One. So he'd decided to bring Shige to his base to personally confront him. That meant Shige's life was in more danger than ever before. They had to get him out of there, now!

"I'm not sure who he might be," Deku replied after regaining his composure, "But it's safe to say that he must be extremely powerful if he thinks he can deal with Shige by himself."

"Then let's hurry and get his ass outta there!" Bakugo replied.

"Wait!" The class rep stretched his arms out, pinning all of his classmates at arms-length to the wall."If that man is as strong as Midoriya claims he is, that only makes it more imperative we think this through! We need a plan of action!"

"I know!" Deku's mind was racing, trying to dispel his fear to focus on a plan which would ensure their success. But what? How could they outmaneuver a villain like All For One? What was that symbol of evil doing with their friend right now?


While the students of Class 1-A had been scurrying through Kamino Ward, the esper was having his first encounter with the Symbol of Evil himself.

Mob remained frozen in place, watching as the ancient evil slowly descended the staircase. His pace was measured and tranquil, as if he were walking down to visit an acquaintance. But underneath this casual stride in his steps, the villain was fuming with frustration. He could not understand how this happened. What power was allowing him to get into the minds of his protege and his accomplices, threatening to unravel the plan he'd been preparing for so many years?

"I have to say, you've become quite the thorn in my side, Kageyama." Hearing this man's voice in-person, Mob could properly note his suave and enticing tone, like a poisoned plant luring bugs with its sweet aroma. At the same time, he detected the faint hint of malice, trying his best to hide whatever building resentment he had towards Mob. "Since Tomura has encountered you, he has become indecisive, hesitant. You shake his resolve and that of all the members of the League with your words, and somehow, you managed to do the same with Stain."

Though All For One had told the league members this was a lie, he knew there was no falsehood in a single word he'd uttered. The entire time Mob had spoke, he'd been using a lie-detecting Quirk to sense whether the child had spoken with any deceit, and never once did he detect any duplicity.

"It is usually a pleasure for me to predict and read the intentions of others based on their actions, and it is something I have done for many years. However, your presence and behavior has acted as a wild card, one which I cannot predict."

"Why did you bring me here," Mob asked.

"I wanted to take you somewhere they cannot listen to your words, to see whether or not I will be more successful in persuading you."

Shigeo remained silent. He knew this was the opportunity that he'd been waiting for since he'd arrived. But he knew that talking to a man like All For One would be much more difficult, since he'd already had prior experience conversing with men like him. Hopefully, he could use that experience and everything he knew about All For One to get through to him and dismantle the League of Villains for good.

"I didn't come to join the League of Villains," he said, "I came because I wanted to talk to you, to try to make you put a stop to all this."

The room remained quiet, moist with apprehension. Shigeo was uncertain on why the villain did not respond, but the room quickly filled with laughter. Deep, mocking laughter.

"Are you toying with me? Do you think I'm like the others, whose wills can be bended from the mere words of a child? I am All For One, the Emperor of Darkness who has ruled in the shadows of this country for more than a century! I had this country in the palm of my hands before you were even born. Do you honestly believe you can convince me to stray from the path I've walked for so many years."

"I do." The esper did not even take a second to give his response. All For One's laughter quickly died down. This wasn't making any sense. This wasn't how things went in the comic books he'd read with his brother. In those comics, Captain Hero never thought to talk with the Demon King: the hero saw the Demon King as an ultimate force of evil which needed to be stopped at all costs. So why was Kageyama talking to him as though this could all be ended with a simple conversation?

"I do not understand you, Kageyama. Even at your age, you already possess physical strength that rivals All Might. Your power is directly fueled by your heart, and that power is extremely versatile. You have been shunned by hero society and have lived as an outcast, negative emotions which serve as tremendous fuel for that power. You have the ability to give that power to others, and I assume you can take energy from others as well. You have all of the potential to stand atop this world as a supreme ruler, yet you shackle your emotions. You stunt your power and do not even think of the potential you carry. If you were to join the league, we could explore the limits of your potential, take your abilities to heights you could've never dreamed."

"Didn't you listen to what I was saying before?" Shigeo replied, "It doesn't matter whether people have Quirks or not. There are so many unique people in this world who can give something besides power."

"How can you stand there and tell me Quirks are irrelevant with everything you have achieved thus far?" the villain questioned, "Was it words that allowed you to reach as far as you did in the Sports Festival? Did you nearly defeat the Nomu at the U.S.J. with a speech? It is clear that All Might has placed you in his good graces and told you much about his past, but was that trust not founded on the strength of your Quirk? Tomura had told me before that you lent All Might your energy to fight the Nomu at the U.S.J. Has he perhaps taken your energy since then?"

Mob hesitated in giving his response, a sign that the villain easily picked up on. "Your silence gives you away! He must be forcing you to give him your energy in order to maintain his strength and extend the amount of time he can remain in peak condition."

"My relationship with All Might isn't based just on my power. Human relationships aren't defined by winners and losers."

"Is that so? You're certain that All Might hasn't been using you as a means to enact his will? You yourself said that becoming a hero was never your life's ambition, that your enrollment in U.A. High was done at the recommendation of the ones closest to you. All Might must have been the one who urged you to waste your potential at his alma mater. He saw that you had the potential to rival him in strength, and knowing that his era is coming to an end, he paved the road for you to walk down. He has been filling your head with ideas of being the next symbol of peace and choosing your path for you instead of allowing you to walk down your own road, so his ideology can stand victorious over this world."

The dark lord chuckled in amusement. "As much as you may try to deny it, All Might is not that different than me. You believe that he was the only one who has suffered and lost what he's held dear? I may have grievously wounded him in our fight six years ago, but what he did to me was far more egregious. The mask that I wear now is a life support system which helps me breath, and it hides the grotesque damage dealt to my cranium. He took everything from me: his fists crushed one after another of my comrades, forcing them into the shadows. The empire that I had created, everything I'd worked for, all the Quirks I'd gained over the years, was taken by him, leaving me at but a fraction of my former glory."

"Wrong. You're saying that All Might took everything from you, but what you had was never really yours to begin with. All the power and Quirks you have, you only got them because you stole them from others."

"And what of All Might? Did he obtain the power to defeat me because he was born with it? The power he wields was never his: it was taken to be used to defeat me."

"It wasn't taken: it was given to him. The seventh user trusted him with the power of One For All." All For One took a mental note of this. This child knew about the name of One For All. The villain assumed that All Might had entrusted him with this knowledge given that Kageyama had been giving the hero energy, but he didn't know for sure. There were still several things he didn't know about the extent of the relationship between this child and All Might, as well as the nature of Kageyama's Quirk. For now, he'd keep any further information about All Might and One For All to himself, to see how much Kageyama really knew and whether he did, in fact, possess One For All.

The psychic teenager continued. "It was trust based on the relationship that was built over years. You've never built that kind of trust with the people whose Quirks you take or give to others. The only thing you've ever really trusted in your life is your Quirk. Your entire life, you've relied on your Quirk to get what you want and just used the power of others instead of working on yourself. Without their Quirks, you don't have anything." The esper couldn't help but heave a quiet sigh. "It always makes me sad when I see this happen: people who become hollow, empty shells, controlled by their power."

All For One was not liking the tone in Kageyama's voice. Was this boy actually... pitying him? No one in his life had ever had the nerve to PITY the symbol of evil, and it was made all-the-more indignant that this pity was coming from someone as powerful as Kageyama.

"Do not talk down to me as if I'm some sort of misbehaving child," he said, his voice icy yet sharp with frustration, "What makes you presume that you know anything about who I am or what I have seen? You believe that I am the only one who takes from others and uses their powers for my own benefits? I have lived since Quirks first manifested in this world. I have watched the march of progress and witnessed the way in which our society has morphed to account for the presence of Quirks.

"When Quirks first arrived, society had erupted into chaos. I witnessed the unruly masses using their new powers to pillage, burn, and wreak havoc to their heart's content. They took what they wished with the power they wielded, acted upon their heart's desires. But then came the era of heroes, where governments all around the world decided to employ Quirk users to maintain order and stifle the freedom of Quirk users. The entire premise for hero society is using the Quirks of others for their own ends. Civilians demand that heroes use their Quirks to maintain their false sense of security, but the moment those heroes do not uphold their part of the deal, they become useless. Why do you think that All Might has never revealed his weakness to the world? Because he knows the moment he does, his image will be shattered and the public will lose their faith in him.

"Heroes and villains are two sides of the same coin. When stripped of all the glamour, the concepts of justice, conscience, and ethics that U.A. High and hero society cling to are mere fabrications that limit one's potential and ambition. One should use their power to their heart's content. That is the beauty of Quirks: dreams that would appear to be limited to the realm of fiction can now become true. For it is not things like justice or ethics that have shaped this world, but power. The reality is that power rules all. I have accepted that reality and used my power to chase my dream, to do what others are too cowardly to attempt. If you accept that reality as well, then I know you can accomplish things you've never thought possible."

"And did your brother think that way, too?" All For One's body froze at the mention of his brother. Mob stared at the ground as he prepared to address what had been gnawing away at him more than anything. "When All Might told me about how One For All was created, I remember feeling a sense of dread. I felt horrified because hearing that story made me realize what I could've become. It's more than just the kind of power we wield: it's because I have a little brother who wasn't born with any power, too."

This revelation was enough to make the symbol of evil ever-so-slightly shirk back in surprise. "For so many years, he had to live with the fear of watching me go out of control. The same way that your little brother had to watch you lose control. He tried to stop you, but he couldn't. And yet you wanted him to stay by your side. Because he was your family, the brother who you laughed and played with growing up. You thought that by giving him power, it'd be enough for him to accept the way you were acting and get him to join your side. But it didn't."

Mob stiffened his stance. "At the end of the day, you thought that power would be enough to win over the person you loved, but it didn't. THAT'S reality. And no matter how much power you get or what kind of Quirks you steal, it'll never change the fact that your brother isn't by your side anymore."

The Symbol of Evil began trembling. Within his heart, there was a burgeoning sense of indignation he'd never felt before. He couldn't understand what was happening. How could a child like this stir up these kind of emotions in his heart? He, the Dark Emperor who stood as the ruler of this nation for decades. A supreme being like him was far above this kind of petty anger, and yet, somehow Kageyama had managed to stir a sense of resentment he could not contain. It was unacceptable...

In the blink of an eye, Shigeo felt All For One's hand grabbing his forehead, containing a grip from which he could not break free.

"I've had enough of you..."

All For One knew this was the opportune moment to act. He had always suspected whether Shigeo Kageyama was the next bearer of One For All, and now was his chance to prove it. After having seen the Sports Festival, he had realized that the other student, Izuku Midoriya, held the same remarkable power that All Might possessed. Not only that, but he had much less control over that power than All Might. From that, he theorized that he could've been the next bearer of One For All, and that the damage his body would take whenever he used his power was due to the fact that he hadn't mastered that power yet.

If that were true, then it would mean that Shigeo Kageyama did not possess One For All, but rather an extremely powerful Quirk which simply granted him power on the level of One For All. Such a Quirk would be an unbelievable asset to have, and now would be the perfect chance to steal it. Not only to have that power for himself, but to also take care of the biggest threat to his plan so far. But...

The seconds passed, and All For One could sense something was amiss. When he had tried to steal One For All from the previous users, he had always felt some sort of tremendous will pushing against his control. And stealing the Quirks from anyone else would take a matter of seconds. However, here, he felt... nothing. There was neither a strong will pushing back or a substance to take.

The villain broke his grip on the esper, staring at his hand in disbelief. "I don't understand. I couldn't take your power. It felt as though there was nothing to steal. That could only mean... your power isn't a Quirk."

To imagine there was a power that existed in this world other than a Quirk was a possibility he never considered. But what infuriated him beyond measure was to know that such an unbelievable power existed that, no matter what he did, he could not steal.

"Then I'll have to go with the alternative..."

All For One raised his hand towards Shigeo. The esper didn't even need to think what that meant and immediately erected a barrier to protect himself from the imminent attack.

87%

Within the blink of an eye, an explosion lit up the entire district. It took several seconds for the dust and debris to settle, allowing the full extent of the villain's attack to be seen. An entire half of the warehouse was nothing but chunks of broken wood and cement on the ground. Though the barrier Mob had created managed to decrease some of the damage from the blast, the psychic looked back and saw at least several rows of buildings were either destroyed or on the verge of collapsing from the weakened structures. He hoped that the blast hadn't killed anyone, though there were some people in the area whom he did not account for...

From the wall of the warehouse nearby, the U.A. students were trying to process what was happening. They had just discovered Kageyama talking with some villain, and they'd already been going over possible plans with one another, when not even a minute after having arrived, a massive explosion rang through the air.

For them, there had been no time to stop him, no time to even react. The explosion had taken place within a fraction of a second, caused by this unknown man. A fear which none of them had never experienced griped their hearts. Their bodies trembled like leaves, and a few could feel tears pooling in their eyes. In that moment, the images of their dead bodies flashed before their eyes, and the grim reaper stood before them. Izuku griped his hand over his racing heart, for it was just as Izuku had feared: this man was none other than the devil himself, All For One.

"Impressive that you withstood the attack," said All For One, "Though it was with but a fraction of my full power, you can see what that fraction is capable of. However, I don't imagine that your friends are nearly as durable."

94%

All the hairs on Shigeo's body prickled up. "My friends? What're you talking about?"

"The ones who're hiding behind that wall over there," he replied, pointing his finger to his left. "Why don't I test that assumption myself?"

Their frantic hearts sank down to the very center of the earth. He knew they were there: their cover had been blown. They were now standing there completely defenseless, at this villain's mercy. They were trying to order their bodies to act, to jump out of the way as soon as possible or create some sort of defense to lessen the blow, but they couldn't. Their bodies wouldn't respond.

The images of their deaths became more vivid in their mind, for they knew those visions were about to become reality in less than a second. This was it. After everything they'd tried to do for Kageyama, after all the challenges they'd endured so far, this was really how their stories ended. Bloodied corpses under the heels of the Symbol of Evil.

They closed their eyes to wait for the deed to be done. They heard the sound of the explosion thunder through the air and waited for them to slip into death. But... it never came. The seconds passed, and they could still hear their heartbeat blasting in their ears. As they opened their eyes, they saw the majority of the building around them had been destroyed, and the wall that they'd been leaning against quickly crumbled away. Behind that wall stood Shigeo, his arms stretched out in front of him. Not wanting to take the risk and knowing it to be very likely they'd come to rescue him, he had instantly flown over to the spot All For One had pointed and shielded it with a barrier with three extra layers of protection. Thankfully, the extra layers had not only protected his friends, but also minimized the damage to the buildings behind him.

All For One clapped his hands in applause at Shigeo's quick thinking. "Very well done, Kageyama. I had anticipated you'd defend them, knowing you wouldn't risk the possibility that I was lying, but you managed to protect them with even greater speed and defense than I'd imagined."

The villain directed his attention toward the rest of the students. "I had detected the presence of all of you ever since you entered the vicinity of the district. Originally, I was going to ignore such insignificant worms, but I decided that letting Kageyama know you were here would make things more fun." All For One scratched his head in a mocking fashion.

"But I have to know: what did you think you could accomplish by coming here? Did you actually believe that any of you could provide support to Kageyama? All of you have seen what he's capable of with his power. There is nothing that any of you could have provided that he could not do by himself. Compared to him, you are just extras. Deep down, I'm sure that all of you had enough sense to know that.

"And yet, you wanted to feel special. You wanted to feel that by coming here, you'd be doing something meaningful. That maybe, on the smallest chance that you could've helped Kageyama escape, you'd actually be doing something useful for a change. That way, you could free yourselves from the guilt of knowing that Kageyama has once again done everything while you sat on the sidelines doing nothing like the extras you are. But why don't you ask him how much your help has done for him? See whether your presence has put him in any better situation, as blood streams down his nose from the strain of maintaining his barriers."

The students looked, and sure enough, they noticed the drops of blood that had been hitting the ground. Their stomachs churned as the weight of All For One's words crushed them. He was right. They had accomplished absolutely nothing coming here except needlessly endangering their lives while forcing Kageyama to clean their mess.

Suddenly, a black portal appeared at the side of All For One, quickly taking a humanoid shape. "Is everything alright?" Kurogiri said, "We felt tremors from the hideout and felt something had occurred, so Tomura told me to go to the warehouse."

"It is fine, Kurogiri," the villain replied, "I've just decided that Kageyama would not be an ideal member for the League of Villains, and eliminating him now was the best option. Return to Tomura and tell him that I apologize for resorting to this, but it is for the good of the league and his ambition. It is necessary that such a powerful foe be eliminated as soon-"

All For One stopped his sentence and looked up into the sky, for his senses had picked up on the arrival of someone he hadn't faced in six years.

"Ah, there you are."

Swooping down from the sky to save the day as always, the Symbol of Peace dove towards his arch-nemesis. The hero slammed both of his fists down, while the villain caught his wrists before his punches could land. Beneath them, the ground fractured as a burst of air pressure was released, sending the nearby students flying back.

"I'll have you return my student, All For One!"

"Have you come to kill me a second time, All Might!"

The dust from the impact soon began to settle, allowing the two foes to see the other. All Might had been with the police force and the rest of the heroes, going over the final details of the plan, when a scout had revealed an explosion had occurred in the area. Immediately knowing something was wrong, the hero did not waste a single second dashing toward the warehouse. He didn't know the details of what had happened or what had transpired, but he knew that whatever had inspired All For One to take action, it must've been drastic.

"Kageyama, where are you?" The hero desperately looked for his student in the dust, and saw him kneeling on the ground. He smiled in relief, but that smile instantly disappeared when he saw seven teenagers on the ground behind him. It did not take him long to figure out who these could be.

"What are you all doing here?!" All Might shouted, "We told you to leave Kageyama's rescue to us!"

"That is what you told them, didn't you?" The villain stood greatly amused at his sworn rival's reaction. "And yet they went against your orders because they thought they knew better. Now they're all in even more danger than before!"

"Not while I'm here! I won't repeat the same mistake I made 6 years ago. I'll make sure you're locked up for the rest of your days along with your despicable League of Villains!" The hero looked over at Shigeo.

"Kageyama! Get yourself and the rest of your classmates out of here now!"

While All Might was telling his students what to do, All For One leaned his head towards Kurogiri. "Prepare a warp gate to somewhere very far from here." The Emperor of Darkness walked toward the Symbol of Peace, and everyone present noticed the villain's entire body began to bulk up. "You might have your work cut out for you."

The two titanic foes clashed, their impact once again creating another burst of air pressure which pushed the students back yet again. The nearby buildings continued to take damage with the repeated air pressure and explosions, creating continuous falling debris all around. During their clash, the teenagers tried to get themselves up. Shigeo first rushed over to Yaoyorozu's side to help her to her feet.

"Are you hurt," he asked, noticing tear marks running down her face. The young girl shook her head, taking the psychic's hand when he reached it out to her.

Mob next went to help Izuku, but the once-determined friend didn't even have the courage to look Mob in the eye after the utter failure of their mission. Now, Mob was going to have to save Izuku AGAIN. The rest of the students helped the others up off of the ground while doing their best to stay on their feet with the constant bursts of air.

"We need to leave immediately!" Iida said with unwavering force and a mixture of anger.

"And what of All Might?" Tokoyami asked.

"All Might can handle the situation," said Iida. He began to motion to the rest of the classmates to leave the vicinity, but as they began moving, they turned back to witness the battle. Though the battle had only just started, it was an intense match fraught with undeniable power. Continuing to exchange blows, their fists clashed, creating a more powerful shockwave which brought the few nearby buildings that had been standing down to the ground, pushing the students back to their feet in the process.

Both fighters were moving at speeds the teenagers could not process, so they could not see that All For One had gained the decisive advantage. Though the battle had just begun, All Might grimaced when he noticed All For One's superior strength. Somehow, he had found a way to strengthen himself and keep his body close to its prime, and after having been weakened from their previous battle, he could just not keep up.

The hero fired a right jab, but the villain dodged it and retaliated with an uppercut, followed by a powerful downward kick which created a small crater in the ground. All For One slammed his foot down on the hero's back, and his students were completely horrified as they heard All Might's groans. All Might attempted to break free, but the muscles in All For One's leg expanded, keeping him pinned to the ground.

"I'd stockpiled a few extra Quirks just in case I had to deal with Kageyama, but it turns out they're working rather well against you." Shigeo tried to use his telekinesis to push All For One away, but the villain was completely unaffected.

"Kurogiri! The portal!" The warp villain did as his master said and opened up a portal. "That portal isn't for me." The Symbol of Peace realized too late what he meant. With his hand, he grabbed the back of All Might's uniform and proceeded to chuck the hero through the portal. And before the hero could even turn around, the villain closed the portal.

94%

"Well done, Kurogiri. That should keep that oaf out of my way for a while."

"What now?" the warp villain asked.

"Given how quickly All Might responded, and the fact that those children figured out where the hideout was, it's safe to assume that the heroes know where our hideouts are. Get Tomura and the rest of the league out of there, just in case. And no matter what, you're not to come back for me. I will handle this on my own. That is an order."

Kurogiri bowed, disappearing into the night. All For One turned back to the students, who were trying to understand the villain's actions.

"You're probably all wondering why I had Kurogiri warp All Might away instead of killing him. It is because of the power of the human heart.

"As much as I would love to put an end to that miserable wretch, I know that ending his life now would trigger an unbelievable maelstorm of pain and fury within Kageyama's heart. And since his power is directly linked to his heart, it would give him a burst in power that even I would not be able to overcome. Besides, I wouldn't want to give him any chance for him to take Kageyama's energy the way he did against the Nomu."

The Symbol of Evil began taking several paces forward, every step serving to increase the already growing fear in the hearts of the students. "Today is not about him. It is about Kageyama. You are the biggest threat to my plans, and I cannot allow you to leave here alive. So what will you do, Kageyama? Do you believe you can best the man whose strength outmatches the Symbol of Peace himself?"

All For One's devious smile formed from behind his mask, his hand once again raising against the terrified students. This was terrific: after having seen the number one hero so easily pinned down and defeated, all of them, even Kageyama, were too taken by fear to defend. Now he'd take his sweet time breaking down Kageyama, the one who'd dared to talk down to the Symbol of Evil, and watch as he drown in despair.

"RUN!" The teenagers were now acting on flight-or-fight impulses. Whereas before, the fear in their hearts had crippled their movement, that fear was now being channeled into the form of mindless running. Like a wild animal who was running from a predator, the seven students who had come to rescue Kageyama could not think of anything to do besides run from this personification of evil. After having been so utterly terrified from the visions of death they'd experienced not a minute before, they simply could not find the courage or the rational mind to think of anything else.

Kageyama, too, was feeling that fear creep up in his heart. It compelled him to run back with the rest of his classmates, to be consumed by that fear and run from this threat as quickly as humanly possible. But as he began to take his first steps of fear, he began to hear words echoing in his mind.

"When every story of a hero is born, almost all of them have the same beginning: the hero's body move before they had a chance to think, acting on instinct to save a life."

97%

The esper stopped in his place. What was he doing? How could he let himself run away like a coward when his friends were in danger? He had to step up. He couldn't let himself be controlled by fear anymore. Since he'd come to this world, he'd heard of the stories of how All Might, his friends had acted against their fear to stand up for what they believed in. It was time that Shigeo did the same. He had to stand up. He had to... FIGHT!

99%

"DETROIT SMASH!"

All For One fired the air cannon at Shigeo, but out of nowhere, his air cannon was completely overpowered by a larger burst of air pressure. The power of that blast sent the villain flying through several buildings and brought forth another wave of air pressure.

From behind the esper, the seven teenagers turned back and noticed their friend standing boldly while the villain had been sent flying. Doing their best to quell their fear, they slowly approached their friend. Something had changed in him. His entire body was surrounded by energy. His hair was waving up in the air, and all of them could feel themselves wrapped by the pressure of his presence.

"Listen, all of you." The esper spoke to his friends while staring in front of him. "Don't listen to what All For One said. I'm happy that you're here. I honestly never thought that I'd ever have friends who'd go far enough to come and rescue me, and for that, I can't thank you enough. But now, I need all of you to stand back and leave this to me. I'm fighting All For One alone."

All of the teenagers gasped. They couldn't have heard him right!

"Kageyama, please! Think about what you're saying!" Kirishima said, "You can't take this guy on alone!"

"Look at what he's capable of!" Yaoyorozu continued, her eyes yet again pooling with tears, "He overpowered All Might by himself! You'll die!"

"No." The esper turned his head to acknowledge his friends. "I'm stronger than you think."

100% Courage

The young girl felt her heart do a flip. Staring into her friends eyes, the once tranquil, expressionless brown eyes had vanished. In their place were two brilliant red rubies which were bearing right into her soul. Besides her, the students were equally baffled.

"Shige, your eyes..." Izuku had once seen the way his friend had changed when overcome with emotion at the U.S.J. He had felt the pressure of his unyielding rage at the sight of his injured teacher, and the burning red eyes of fury in his gaze. But now, his eyes were gleaming not with rage, but with a passion and willpower he had never seen before.

"Besides, how could I run now? Bakugo, when we fought All Might in the Final Exam, did you run away? Did any of you run away when I was kidnapped? If I run now, I'll be giving into my fear..." The esper's fists clenched, and his aura burst to life around him.

"And a hero's job is to act in the face of fear to fight for the people they care about! So that's why I'm going to fight, and I'm going to beat All For One as a hero!"

This was it! Shigeo would not allow himself to give up now! It was time he finish this and finish the fight that All Might couldn't!


My Hero Academia/Mob Psycho 100 Ultra Analysis:

- All For One's extra Quirks:

Muscle Augmentation: A Quirk that allows the user to augment their muscles, giving them greater physical strength

Burst: A Quirk which allows the user to increase their speed using an energy that pushes them forward and increases their momentum

Two extra Strength Enhancer Quirks

So what did you all think? It's a long chapter filled with a lot of dialogue and tons of important moments. But most importantly, it's finally gonna be Mob's time to shine. For everyone out there who's been complaining that Mob has been underpowered or hasn't had enough cool fights, you will finally get to see him in all his glory in the next chapter of 100 Percent Hero!