"You know, when I called you Problem Child while you were in my class, the least I expected was breaking bones and destroying school property," Mr. Aizawa said with his one-eyed glare. "Never did I expect to find you tip-toeing the line between government-sanctioned heroism and vigilantism!" He hissed.

Deku smirked. "Plus Ultra, right?"

The Erasure Hero sighed.

Once Inko was secured, police and nearby heroes swarmed the neighborhood to arrest the villains. Deku oversaw Mind-Loque being escorted into a Maiden transport cell. The villain glanced at the Symbol of Peace before the door slammed shut. Despite the battle on the street, the nearby buildings had minor structural damage. Cleanup was easier than expected.

All Might and Mr. Aizawa arrived soon after the villains were transported. While the retired pro talked with the police and Inko, Aizawa pulled Deku to the side for a debrief.

"Regardless of what you've unofficially done, we aren't any closer to finding Midoriya. Every minute is crucial," the Erasure Hero said.

Deku nodded and crossed his arms. "The information I got from Ketki is likely old by now. The Chaos King is never where I expected to find him," he said. "Did you check the address I sent you?"

"Miruko did, and she didn't find anything. I have some contacts in the Underground, but we'll keep looking."

Deku sighed and glanced at his mom. "They went after her, Erasure. These villains are two-bit at best, but under the Chaos King... that makes the Discord Organization so dangerous."

Aizawa followed his gaze. "Big-time criminals teaming up can hit the airwaves in minutes. These guys? By the time the public is aware, it's already too late. The shadows are their friends, and underestimation gives them power. The Chaos King doesn't need a massive army of A-Rank villains," Deku stated.

"Making him dangerous in the future, right?" Aizawa guessed.

Deku nodded. "You've taught us many things, sir. War changes everything, whether we want it or not. Once the Front is gone, the collective focus of all heroes should be on the Discorders. If unchecked like in my time, they can be a worse threat to Japan than All for One."

"I want to think you're exaggerating, but the Instant-Nomu situation is still fresh in my mind. Of course, we need more information if we hope to go after them," Aizawa said. "That requires information about our future."

Deku crossed his arms and bowed his head. "I'll think about it." He sighed as his mom was escorted to a police car. "I'm taking her back to U.A. As much as I trust the police to get her there safely, I'd rather be with her on the way."

Aizawa nodded. "Try not to cause any trouble, okay?"

Deku smiled. "No promises." The future Symbol of Peace approached the car as the officer got in. They drove off with All Might behind them in his armored car. Aizawa sighed as he glanced at the bent light pole. How does my future self handle him? He wondered.

When they arrived outside the Heights Alliance building, Uraraka was the first to greet Inko. The Midoriya Matriarch hugged the gravity user tightly with tears running down her face. Behind them, Bakugo and Yaoyorozu stood side-by-side, watching the scene unfold.

The Everything Hero crossed her arms when Deku approached her. "What happened? Uraraka didn't say much after their call."

"Villains happened. The Chaos King targeted her, likely to pressure me to surrender. Those villains were the same ones who kidnapped Izuku," he said.

"So you couldn't find the nerd?" Bakugo asked.

Deku shook his head. "Her safety was more important. Those villains should be jailed by now, and the Chaos King would be a fool to try attacking the school. It's his move, now."

Bakugo's eyebrows twitched. "Eh?! Why the hell are you waiting on him?"

"Wow, you care?" Yaoyorozu muttered.

Bakugo ignored her as he stomped at Deku. "Listen, dammit. Auntie Inko was just attacked, and you think waiting for that bastard to make his next move is a good idea?! What happens if he kills you, HUH?!"

"Then he doesn't get what he's always wanted. He can downplay his obsession as much as he wants, but if he kills my younger self, he loses any chance at getting my Quirk. The man is patient and methodical. He won't make another move until he is certain he can control the board. We're coming up to the endgame now," Deku said.

"Eh?! Is this some kinda game to you?" Bakugo asked.

"It's a game to him, Katsuki. It's an intricate game of chess with his organization and the heroes. We've gained and lost ground for years, and the board is nearly empty. If I make a move that leads to checkmate, then he reigns supreme," Deku said.

Yaoyorozu nodded. "You need a strategy to win. But what can we do?"

"The last of his pawns have been wiped from the board, but he still has some heavy hitters on his side. His Instant-Nomu supply is likely full, thanks to the Villain Factory. That doesn't include the villains he might have on his side. Thankfully, he doesn't have a supply of Q-Series weapons, meaning that stealing Quirks to power up his army is out of the question. The technology to make a suitable prototype hasn't been invented yet, and sacrificing his primary is risky if he wants to reverse-engineer it..."

"There it is, the Midoriya/Deku mumble..." the three young heroes thought.

Inko turned to her future son. "I-Izuku?"

Deku immediately turned toward her and kneeled in front of her. "Yes, mom?"

Inko grabbed his hands. "I don't know how this happened, but I'm thankful you're here. Please, find my boy and bring him home safely," she begged.

Deku nodded, smiling at her. "You can count on me, mom."

Inko smiled. She looked down at his hands and noticed a ring on his left hand. She gasped. "I-Izuku...is that what I think it is?"

Deku chuckled. "It is, and it isn't. I'm engaged, but I still wear what Ocha gave me as a promise to myself," he admitted.

"Oh? And what is that promise?" Inko asked.

Uraraka's ears perked up. The Symbol of Peace blushed. "I promised myself and Ochaco that I would come back to her and finally marry her once the Chaos King is behind bars. I want a chance to live peacefully when this is all over."

Inko's smile grew to an inhuman size. Uraraka, meanwhile, was as red as a ripe tomato. "Now...my younger self needs to be found, and the Chaos King needs to answer for what he's done. We need a lead," Deku mused.

The door to the Heights Alliance burst open with Iida rushing out. He held out a phone. "Deku! There is a call for you. He calls himself 'Player 1'!"

Deku's eyes narrowed. He rushed over and grabbed the phone. The young heroes and Inko were behind him as they entered the building. Deku raised the phone to his ear, only to hear a single command: Put me on speaker.

The Symbol of Peace suppressed a growl as he complied. He set the phone on a table so that everyone could gather around.

There was a laugh. "I must congratulate you on your performance this evening, Izuku Midoriya. You continue to surprise me with your methods to achieve victory," the Chaos King said.

"Where is he?" Deku growled.

"Calm yourself, hero. All I ask is that you listen. You must realize by now that we are nearing the end of our little game."

"It is. We can settle this alone. Release the boy, and you can have my Quirk," Deku said.

The Chaos King laughed. "Enticing, but why wait when I have your younger self here? It'll take a few minutes for me to extract your power. He wouldn't feel a thing, but you would."

If that's the case, why did you take so long for Eri? Deku thought.

"But why take his when mine is complete? Izuku is years away from achieving my power," he said.

Bakugo looked up at him with a confused look on his face. Deku waved it off. "Besides, Izuku hasn't touched your empire; I have. Here is the bane of your existence right here."

The Chaos King paused. "You raise some valid points. The power you used to stop my Instant-Nomu and uproot my associates is far more appealing than what your younger self brings to the table. So...let us settle this once and for all. I have your younger self in captivity at a very special location. You will meet me there, and we will do a swap—your younger self for your Quirk. Young Izuku can fulfill his destiny by destroying All for One without any issue. Of course, it all comes around full circle. In the end, his fate will someday become yours," he said.

The young students gasped. "And the young ones can watch the Symbol of Peace surrender his power for the sake of the future. Save a few more lives, Midoriya."

Inko looked ready to burst into tears. Deku scanned the room and saw the mixed emotions running through Class A. "Very well...where and when?"

"In two hours, hero. To the Port of Tokyo, and bring the young ones." The line went dead immediately afterward.

Deku sighed and approached the staircase. "Hey...hold on a minute!" Kirishima called out.

"What're you doing?" Hagakure asked.

Deku turned to the young heroes. "To get young Izuku back. That bastard will pay for what he's done," he said.

"BUT HE'LL KILL YOU!" The class exclaimed.

Deku clenched his fist. "He won't have the satisfaction of an easy kill. All for One and Shigaraki have tried to put me down, but they failed. The Chaos King is a punk with a shiny gun," he declared. He started to go upstairs.

"B-But..."

"Besides," Deku turned to the class. "Who would I be if I wasn't planning ahead?"

He ascended the stairs. As he did, the class broke into murmur sessions. Of all of them, Yuga Aoyama was the furthest away from Inko and Uraraka. He looked around before checking his support gear.

He quietly sighed in relief. The transceiver built into it was still switched off.

This chapter wasn't supposed to be long because I wanted it to be a bridge between now and the endgame. As for Aoyama, I've neglected to mention much of him throughout the story because I honestly forgot his role in the canon story. I'll get into it more later.

I've been quiet about it, but I've referenced Eri multiple times throughout this story. Just a heads up. What happens soon will not be coming out of nowhere (I hope). Until the next.

-Newage