Wailings of hemorrhaging material chases her as she runs. In America, where skyscraper structures serve as signals for sound waves to bounce from, that cacophony carries far and wide. It descends from the sky with debris, reminding her of the echo when her former home came crumbling down. Streaks of fire light the streets ablaze when raining down. Others run with her, the pitter patter of people's feet nearly trampling her when she trips.

Eri winces as she clutches the spot of her now scraped knee. Fresh blood oozes from where skin has ripped. The young girl looks up and around her, scanning the passing panicking crowd for a face of familiarity. "Melissa?!", she calls out for the woman that was supposed to share lunch with her. But Melissa likely won't hear her over the scream of steel skyscrapers collapsing.

Other people stumble when the ground quakes; Eri is unable to get back to her feet for that same reason. The asphalt trembles beneath her. Those rumbles rattling her to her core are an increasing reminder of when she left the Yakuza tunnels. She wasn't aware that the surface was just as hectic as below but now she sees what towers over her and the buildings of America.

A small speck clad in blue and white climbs what skyscrapers remain standing. A colossal creature takes swipes at it, destroying the beams that the small being crawls from. Eri is certain that whoever dares clash with the titan must be a hero like the ones who rescued her from the Yakuza, and yet, this feels different from that time. Everybody is fleeing from the battle rather than putting their trust in the hero.

Everyone except… for a green haired man.

"A giant villain…", Eri watches this person push past everybody to get a closer look at what's causing so much destruction. People brush against the fellow's shoulders, decking him roughly, but he only shifts his body for them to pass.

As the guy gets closer to her, the girl's eyes widen with a reflection of recognition in them. The man tugs at the tie roped around his neck until it comes undone before getting at the buttons on his white dress shirt.

While civilians scramble to leave Eri behind, Izuku Midoriya moves in the direction of danger to stand protectively in front of her.

"Y- You're…", Eri's lips quiver as she looks up at Izuku rather than the colossal creature. He glances behind himself to give her an assuring smile. The sun illuminates his head like a halo as she exclaims her guardian angel's identity, "You're Chainsaw Man!"

Izuku grabs at the cord dangling from his now exposed chest. "Come on, Pochita…" His eyes shift from Eri to where his hand closes into a fist over his heart.

With a single finger looped through the small handle of his starter string, he gives it a good tug.

"Let's cut this guy down to size!", Chainsaw Man revs to life.

Chainsaw Man saves the day once again.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

And that concludes the story!

I know it might be somewhat abrupt, and there is considerable potential for more, but this felt like a decent place to end off on. The major threats are all resolved and I don't want to continue for the sake of continuing that things wind up dragging. And, in all honesty, I feel I as an author that I lost a lot of the enthusiasm I had closer to the start of the story that I don't want to wind up writing a ghost of what it once was either.
With this ending, it allows for a full circle 'happy-ish' note homaging both Chainsaw Man & My Hero Academia.

That being said, I want to thank everyone that stuck around to finish the story. I know it's been a journey of ups & downs, some decisions I made being a bit 'controversial', so it means a lot that you kept reading regardless.

And lastly, if you're a reader of my other works and/or are interested in what comes next, I've been planning this entire time on the side one final MHA story that I'll start come 2024. Hope to share that story's journey with some of you as well!