"That concludes this meeting," Tokage said, sitting back down in her chair with a small sigh. "And it may very well be our last. Remember, we are of the last bastions of hero society. It's up to us to bring villains to justice and restore order and peace. Or die trying. Anyone who isn't prepared for that need not come. But for those who do," she swept her gaze across the entire room. "You may not be remembered if we fail, or even if we win. But you would have fought for what is truly good, and that is all a hero needs."

"Get some rest," She advised. "We leave at zero four hundred hours. We've been training for this. It's time to finally give back to All For One what he is owed."

A chorus of cheers echoed around the cafeteria, which Izuku used as cover to silently slip out of his seat and leave unnoticed. However, as he passed through the door leading back out to the hallway, he caught Tokage's eye. She wore a stoic expression, but for a split second that façade crumbled, and all he could see was a girl broken by war as she stared at his retreating form.

"Huh?" Hatsume looked up from where she was welding something together. She lifted her helmet, blinking at Izuku. "What was that?"

"Did you finish whatever you were making me?" He asked again.

"Nope," Hatsume lowered the helmet and went back to welding. "I have some other babies I have to finish before I can get to that. Come by before the troop moves out, I'll have it ready then."

Izuku grimaced. He couldn't wait that long. He turned to leave before spotting something sticking out of a pile of junk. He walked over, picking up his tattered gloves. Beneath them lay his cracked arm bracers, his battered knee armor, and his iron soles. He glanced over at Hatsume, too engrossed in her work to notice him.

He grabbed his things and made for the exit, only to bump into Shinso once he stepped outside. The purple haired insomniac looked at the items under Izuku's arms before opening his mouth to speak. "Mind accompanying me for a bit?"

"Huh?" Izuku was taken aback. He'd been expecting to be reprimanded. To try and be talked out of doing what he was currently planning.

"We need to load up supplies for the trip," Shinso explained. "And some of the buses need some last minute modification, but we kinda need them moved. We could really use your muscles, if you're willing."

"Uh, sure," Izuku nodded. "Just let me, um…" He glanced back down at his luggage. "I need to put these back in the dorms first."

"Okay," Shinso nodded, turning away. "Meet me at UA's main entrance. That's where we're loading everything up."

Izuku watched him go. A part of him was urging him to leave now, to get this mission started, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. With a heavy sigh, he hurried back to the dorms.

"Hold it steady!"

Izuku grunted, sliding his right hand further down the edge of the steel plating to hold it better while Awase began melding it to the side of the bus. Light poured from where his hands made contact with the metal and after a few moments he moved to the other top corner, melding that into place as well.

"Okay, we're good," he told Izuku and he let go and stepped back as Awase jumped down from atop the vehicle. He placed his hands on the bottom corners and melded those to the bus as well.

Izuku looked around UA's courtyard. Several buses and smaller vehicles were being outfitted with additional plating and weapons, all provided by Hatsume, while supplies were being loaded into trunks. First aid, rations, the sort. This was going to be the last battle one way or another, so they needed to be prepared for anything.

"That's the last one," Awase used his bandana to wipe at his forehead. "Thanks for the help."

"It's no problem," Izuku said, feeling fatigued himself. He briefly wondered if this had been Shinso's plan. To make him too tired to leave early. Well, it was working. If he wanted to be in fighting shape, he'd have to get some rest before tonight.

"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday," Awase sat down heavily, leaning against the side of the armored bus. "I wasn't in that great of a mood."

"It's fine," Izuku assured him hurriedly.

The other boy gave him an odd look. "Yeah, you're Izuku all right. Dude was always so forgiving. But I guess that's what made him such a great hero."

Izuku looked away.

"He inspired us to give everything our all," Awase went on, staring at the bandana in his hand. "Even when everything seemed hopeless, he'd tell us that going beyond was a hero's duty. That we could surpass our limits." He gripped his bandana in a fist. "But I guess even he had a limit he couldn't surmount."

"Well," Awase huffed as he stood, tying the bandana back around his forehead. "The fact that we're all still here goes to show he was right."

"Huh?"

Awase grinned. "We're still here because we have yet to reach our limits. And until we do, we have a duty to keep fighting the good fight."

"Yeah…" Izuku watched him begin heading towards the last bus to begin armoring it before shaking his head and following.

Izuku entered the dorms, sweaty and tired. There was no way he was leaving right now. He needed to rest. Sucking down a jelly pouch on his way to his room, he opened his door to find that the room was already occupied.

"Sensei?"

Aizawa looked up from where he sat in Izuku's chair, his gaze having been resting on the bed where Izuku had left his gear. "Hey, problem child." He still wore his hospital gown and he looked beaten. Yet when his gaze hardened, Izuku found himself back outside on his first day at UA, getting ready for the ball throw.

"We need to talk," Aizawa told him.

"You can't stop me from leaving," Izuku told him, cutting to the chase. "This world's Izuku is dead. Now that I'm here, it's up to me to stop All For One. I-I don't know if I'll be enough, but it's better than-!"

"Stop." Aizawa held up a hand. "I hear Miss Tokage gave you an earful, did she not? Well, hopefully I don't just repeat some of the things she said." He folded his hands in his lap. "You've heard everyone speak so highly of our Izuku, am I right? They probably don't realize what sort of effect that's been having on you, so please forgive them."

"It's-"

"Izuku, sit." Aizawa gestured to the bed. "And let me talk."

He obeyed, facing Aizawa as he sat on the edge.

"If you are anything like the Izuku I knew, then you're probably feeling a sense of inadequacy right now," Aizawa continued. "Believe me, he felt the same way every time he was compared to All Might. He never fully believed he could live up to the legacy he left behind. Yet he kept going. Pushing himself further and further in order to be the hero he always aspired to be. And you-" he pointed a finger at Izuku. "Are the same way it seems. You feel inadequate, like you can't live up to what our Izuku left behind. Yet you're going to go face All For One by yourself, a villain who only became more powerful once he stole One For All."

"When we compare you to our Izuku, it's not because we see him as superior to you," Aizawa lowered his hand, his one good eye glistening with emotion. "It's because of how much you remind us of him. You hold the same ideals and the same drive to save everyone you possibly can. You couldn't bring yourself to seriously harm your classmates when they believed you to be an imposter and you risked your life to protect All Might's memorial." Aizawa paused for a moment. "If there's one difference, the only difference I can see, it's that you have gotten to the point where you have begun losing sight of what's been driving you."

Izuku blinked. "W-what do you mean?"

"The battle of Jaku," Aizawa said. "When Shigaraki awakened and everything went to shit. The aftermath was devastating. All For One escaped Tartarus and that pretty much spelled the end for Hero Society then and there. When Izuku awoke, he was ready to leave. To leave and hunt down All For One all by himself, so convinced that it was only he who could put an end to him. That's what you ended up doing from what I hear. But he didn't. Because all the way up until that point, most of his major accomplishments weren't done alone."

Aizawa showed his hand, his index finger rising. "Everyone survived the USJ by working together." A second finger went up. "He won the sports festival because he put to use the various strategies he learned from his classmates. He helped put an end to Stain alongside Todoroki and Iida. Everyone's survival at the training camp was once again thanks to everyone working together. Saving Bakugou from Kamino Ward was a group effort because Izuku knew he couldn't do it by himself."

Aizawa took a moment to breathe. "What I'm trying to get at is that our Izuku understood that there were some things a hero couldn't do alone. That even heroes need help. He had his friends beside him all that time, helping him open up from the meek boy who'd started in my class to the great hero we remember him by. Even then, he was still just a boy, a boy who'd suffered so much, yet kept going no matter how hard things got. And he could only do so because had his friends beside him."

"Izuku, you are not alone in this fight," Aizawa's hand came to rest on his shoulder. "You never have been. Your friends, both in this world and in the other, want to help you. Even Miss Tokage. But you have to be willing to open up to them. Let them help you. Just because you and All For One have a connection doesn't mean it just has to be you two fighting it out."

He patted his shoulder before standing with a painful grunt. "Rest, Izuku. When you wake, you can make your decision then. But please reconsider going at it alone. It won't end well. And I… I don't want to hear the news of your death again."

Izuku stayed sitting there long after he heard the door close.

"I just…" He spoke and suddenly the dam broke. He raised his shaking hands and buried his face in them, sobs wracking his body. "I just don't want anyone else to die."

Izuku didn't know why he had come here. Not really.

Evening had fallen, and while there were those still preparing for tomorrow's battle, many had decided to already turn in. Whether or not they would actually sleep was another question.

Izuku slipped silently inside the gym-turned-hospital, wary of waking any of the patients. There were a few nurses about, but none paid him too much attention. Once he'd washed his hands and donned a face mask, he entered the intensive care unit. All inside were either asleep or comatose. Izuku took a moment to take in everyone's condition again, feeling emotion welling up within. But he soldiered on, moving to the far end where Kacchan lay. He sat on the stool next to the bed, and as if he'd been waiting for him, Kacchan opened his eyes.

"-zuku," he whispered hoarsely.

Izuku choked back a sob. "H-hi, Kacchan. S-sorry about, um, running away earlier…"

Kacchan made a weird sound and it took Izuku a moment to realize he was laughing softly. "It's fine, nerd. I look like shit. Must've scared the hell outta you."

"You did," Izuku replied softly. "Seeing you like this, it's… It's horrible."

Kacchan eyed him before returning his gaze upwards. "I hear the final battle is tomorrow."

Izuku nodded silently.

Kacchan's gaze returned. "You know this isn't your world. You have no responsibility to help us."

"I do," Izuku gripped his pant leg tightly. "Because if I didn't, how could I-"

"Call yourself a hero?" Kacchan finished. "Yeah, that's very you." He was quiet for a moment. Then, "What's your plan?"

"...huh?"

"You're Izuku fuckin' Midoriya," Kacchan laughed softly before grunting in pain. "You always have a plan. Even if that bastard is in a comatose state, you'll need a plan." He side-eyed Izuku. "Don't tell me you were just going to go in without a proper plan?"

"No, I…" Izuku tried to defend himself, but gave up. "Something like that I suppose."

"That's not like you," Kacchan huffed.

"Well, maybe I'm not really like your Izuku!" Izuku whisper-shouted, before his eyes widened. He hadn't meant to say that.

The injured blond studied him. "You aren't."

Izuku's breath hitched.

"You're from another world," Kacchan went on. "Of course you're going to be different. So tell me. Your story. Everything, from the very beginning."

So Izuku told him. He was only somewhat surprised by the honesty he showed when talking. But then again, if anyone would get the unabridged version of events, it would be Kacchan. He was the one who knew him the longest in both worlds. Friend, tormentor, rival, he was there through it all one way or another.

When he'd finished, Kacchan was so silent Izuku was convinced he'd fallen back into a slumber. Finally, he spoke. "So All Might is still alive in your world, huh. I'm glad." He shifted slightly under the sheet. "All you've seen since Jaku is death and destruction. Coming here has only convinced you that you were right, that getting others involved in this fight will only result in more deaths. Am I right?"

"...yes."

"Well you're fucking stupid then," Kacchan huffed, rolling his eyes. "Have you ever thought for one moment that we want to fight?"

"I'm the one-"

"All For One wants, I know," the blond finished. "But just as much as you want to protect the rest of us, we want to protect you even more so." He went on even as Izuku's eyes began to widen. "Your friends, all those you have saved, they all care for you. We see the burden you have to carry and we want to do what we can to lighten the load. What sort of heroes would we be if we wouldn't even help our friend? So whether you like it or not, we will fight. Because we're heroes. But most importantly, we're your friends."

"We were all supposed to fight All For One together, you know," Kacchan said, his voice becoming distant. "That battle two months ago. Everything was set for a final showdown. You had been reluctant to let anyone else join in the battle directly with All For One, but we weren't going to let you go at it alone. Turns out we didn't have a choice." He sounded bitter now. "He turned the tables on us, forced us apart. By the time we were able to regroup some of our forces, you had already engaged that bastard in battle. And you were losing, bit by bit. Then we saw you die and…" He closed his eyes. "I don't remember much after that. I'm told I rushed in to avenge your death, but all I managed to do was get put in this bed."

"That's why it has to just be me," Izuku insisted. "You could have died."

"Idiot," Kacchan reopened his eyes. "If we had been there, we would have stood a better chance of winning. Izuku may have lived. But maybe we still would have lost, but we wouldn't know unless we tried. Once you were killed, most of us ran in blinded by rage. There was no plan in that. It was only thanks to Setsuna we were able to escape with most of our lives." His eyes twinkled. "She has a damn good head for strategy, like you. You're not with her in your world?"

"N-no," Izuku looked away. "I barely even know her."

"Shame," Kacchan shrugged, then grunted in pain from the movement. "My point is, there's more hope in us fighting together than alone. Trust in us, your friends. Trust that we know what we're doing and the risks involved." With a groan of effort, his hand emerged from beneath the sheet, reaching out and grasping Izuku's knee. "I know that I am one of the last people who should be telling you this. I was horrible to you growing up, and thank you for not glossing over that in your story. What I did was unforgivable. But I…" He shook his head. "I cannot apologize to you."

"I want to, I really do…" He coughed painfully. " But I am not your Katsuki. He is the one who has to apologize. He may not deserve it, but at least hear him out. However-" He grit his teeth as he shifted himself into a sitting position. "I will tell you this." His eyes bore into Izuku. "We both aimed to become number one. Only you were able to achieve that. Because you knew. That being number one didn't mean becoming number one by yourself."

Izuku looked away, feeling shame bubbling up inside. He pushed it away as he uttered, "I don't want to lose any of you."

"I know," Kacchan said softly, his hand slipping away from his knee. "But we don't want to lose you either…" His hand flopped down to the side of the bed, his breathing slowing down to a steady rhythm. Izuku watched him sleep for a few minutes before heaving himself up. He'd been so sure of his next course of action. Now… he wasn't.

If there was ever a time to leave, now was it. He had to do it long before the other heroes would if he wanted to avoid them catching up and getting involved in his fight. Yet as he stared at the ruined gloves in his hands, he couldn't bring himself to put them on. The choice had felt so simple before.

Lifting his head, he took another look around the room that wasn't quite his. The things that were familiar to him. The ones that weren't. It felt like this world's Izuku was better than him in every other way. But he knew those feelings were false. Their Izuku had been talked out of making a mistake. He never even gave his friends the chance to do the same for him.

All Might's expression came to him. When he'd begged Izuku to take a break. To rest. And the way Izuku had denied him had broken his heart then, but now it was tearing his very soul asunder. He swallowed thickly, gripping the gloves tightly in his hands. How he wished he'd listened.

"I've just been running away, haven't I?" Izuku whispered. "Thinking I could do this all by myself, sparing the others the pain and grief. But all I've been doing is worrying them."

"Izuku."

Startled, he looked to see Tokage standing in the doorway, dressed in her hero costume. Silently, she came inside, closing the door behind her, and came to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I'm, uh, sorry," she started, hands clasped together as she sat there awkwardly. "For what I said to you. And slapping you. I wasn't… I'm not in a good place. That's no excuse obviously, but…" She took a deep breath. "Look, I get that you're going to fight tomorrow, and I know there's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. I'm afraid of seeing you go into battle again, knowing that you may very well not come out of it and those back in your world will never know what happened to you. So please." Her eyes were begging, tears pricking their corners. "Please let me help you. I can't let you die. Not again."

"Okay."

"I-huh?" Tokage was taken aback, mouth hanging open, and her tears yet to fall.

Izuku let the gloves fall to the ground, his mind made up. He'd looked at his coming here as a stroke of bad luck. But now he could only see it as a blessing. It was painful to see the state this world and everyone was in, but it was a glimpse of what could be if he didn't change the course of events in his world. Not only that, but if he could help save everyone here, then he would do all he could. But not alone. Everything Awase had said, what Aizawa had told him, then Bakugou, and especially Tokage's words, as harsh as they were, all held truth in them. He was a hero with a huge legacy on his back, but it wasn't something he had to carry by himself. Because he knew if someone else had been struggling with something like this, he'd do everything in his power to help them. He'd been hypocritical to try and go at it alone, pushing everyone he has ever cared for away

Never again.

Izuku turned to face Tokage, and to her, his eyes have never shown a brighter green. "Tokage, please aid me in this fight."

Tokage still looked gobsmacked, but she quickly got over it, slapping her face as she quickly stood. "We need a plan. We have some general strategies in place for raiding Tartarus, but our main obstacle will be making our way across the water to the prison without getting attacked. None of our ideas are foolproof and we're going to have a lot of difficulties."

"What we'll need is a distraction," Izuku said, beginning to pace, his brain going into overdrive. "We need to draw their attention away while the rest of the heroes make their way across. But it needs to be something that they'll absolutely believe to be a threat so that they keep all their attention on…" He paused, his thoughts whirling. He had something, he just didn't know how to put it all together yet.

"What is it?" Tokage asked him, knowing that look intimately. Izuku had a plan brewing and it was probably a damn good one.

"Something…" Izuku said vaguely, not entirely sure if this vague concept of an idea in his head was even worth putting together. "Nagant. And Kuroiro."

"Huh?" Tokage raised an eyebrow. "What about them?"

Izuku met her gaze, eyes narrowed. "I need to talk to them."

Izuku hung along the side of a building, Blackwhip anchoring him, as he gazed out over the sea. There, still afloat in the ocean despite the massive debris fields surrounding it, was Tartarus. The only bridge connecting it to the mainland had been reduced to rubble, the dark choppy waters lapping at the shorelines.

Fitting his respirator into place, Izuku raised a repaired and more streamlined support glove towards the sky, shooting a Blackwhip up the side of the building, latching it onto the roof. He propelled himself upwards, his image racing by in the window panes. Black combat boots release pressure as he kicks off the edge of the building, leaping over the entirety of the rooftop. Gran's cape flutters in the wind, secured around the neck of the costume. As he lands on the next building, he begins to build energy in his legs, his signature turquoise lightning flaring up around him. The outlines on his costume and his repaired arm bracers both glowed blue as the lightning settled around him like a storm. He leaped into the sky, activating Float to soar high over the ocean, his dark green costume blending in perfectly with the cloudy night sky as he allowed One For All's power to fade away, the blue light from his costume dimming to nothing.

As he soared, Tartarus fast approaching, he felt the vestiges settle around him. Nana squeezed his shoulder. "We're with you all the way, Izuku."

"Give 'em hell, kid," Daigoro gave him a wide grin and a thumbs up.

Izuku smiled beneath the respirator. He felt lighter than he had in a while, as if the legacy he carried really had been physically lifted and supported by those he knew he could trust. "I know," he said. "And I will." He felt One For All hum just beneath his skin, waiting to be used. He stared down below to where the sight of this world's final battle in this war would be held. "It's time to end this," he whispered. "All For One."