Any music will do :)
"Roaring at the blue sky
I refuse to give up here."
All Might.
There was nothing else I could really say that hadn't already been said about the man. Despite that, the ceremony hall for the man was huge. Bigger than I thought it would actually be. It made sense, after all the man was the most famous hero of all time and dedicated decades of his life to helping clean up the world not just in Japan, but globally.
That was the type of man All Might was.
Seeing so many heroes attend the man's funeral made me gulp in trepidation, after all, I was a lowly detective. Even with my badge that had been pinned to my white overcoat, I still felt like I was a civilian intruding on what was a special occasion. But it wasn't just heroes that were attending All Might's funeral. Foreign dignitaries from across the world, a few politicians and CEO's and more importantly the Japanese Royal Family all sat on their stands high above the rest of the common seating for the event.
The entire building was in central Musutafu and was the size of a football pitch - and I couldn't help but snicker as I imagined a football game being played between Liverpool and Barcelona right in front of All Might's coffin. Perhaps it was 'out of order' but I didn't really care if some people looked at me weirdly.
It's not like I particularly cared for All Might.
Sure, I felt sad about his passing. Mostly because of what it meant for so many people that I cared about at U.A., but other than that I didn't really know All Might outside of the legend that had been built around him. Truth be told, even when he was my teacher, I didn't have many interactions with him. Probably because he thought I was linked to All For One, which admittedly even I didn't know was true at the time, and that spoke greatly about All Might's senses.
To be able to have guessed that took serious skill… or paranoia.
Either way, with each passing hero - Endeavour, Miruko, Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, Hawks, and so many more, I felt more out of my element. Yet the most surprising hero that was invited did a double take when he saw me, which made our reunion even more embarrassing.
Dressed in his fish-like outfit, Manual had a wide grin on his face as he practically ran at me. I hadn't seen him since… Since our camp disaster back in first year. After all, he was the man that took Iida and myself as his understudies.
Right.
He was still under the impression that Aozora had died.
"Yamazaki? Sora Yamazaki?! Is that you?"
"Hehe, hiya!" I waved at Manual, slightly embarrassed as I scratched my cheek at his costume. Was it always that skin-tight? "Been a while, huh? Nearly two years since we last met."
"Haha… I thought you were-,"
"News titles can be misleading," I quickly cut him off. "I'm a detective now. I'm still in U.A., but I'm working on the security details of this event. According to my superiors, I got a good eye for spotting trouble. How's work been treating you? I heard you got bumped up in Hosu and they're building a statue for you. How's that little demon, Hiromi, treating ya? Is she still a menace?""
"You know, same old same old. Hiromi's good, she's going to start middle school soon. And my job gets boring after you save the same cat in a tree for the tenth time, but money is money," Manual replied. "Glad to see you're doing good. Is Iida here too?"
I nodded in response.
"Yeah, although the bastard was lucky to get a front-row seat to the event. Fucking nepotism," I moaned, causing Manual to laugh. "Anyway, you should get going. I could arrest you for loitering. Imagine how funny it would be for your daughter to call you and you're in the middle of a jail cell?"
"That's… not funny at all."
"I disagree, I think it's hilarious. Still, I'll speak to ya later, okay? Maybe one of these days we can grab a drink or something and catch up with Iida too."
Manual grinned at that.
"A drink, ey? I forget you and Iida are nearly eighteen… Man, now I'm starting to feel old."
"You are old. Anyway, I have a job to do. Sorry to cut our meeting short…"
"Alright, I won't keep you waiting."
I waved goodbye to Manual as I whistled innocently, drumming my fingers against the handle of my sword. It was more of a formal thing to be on security, especially since I was a member of the police. Sadly, I wasn't a highly valued member. In the sense that I didn't get a cosy seat inside, hell, I didn't even know if I was even allowed inside.
Not that I wasn't going to try and sneak in.
For now, I was stuck guarding one of the few side entrances… facing the parking lot.
To be honest, if I were a group of villains choosing to crash a funeral, why on Earth would I want to go through the parking lot? That would be the quickest way to a social suicide one could ever do in this society. But guarding this entrance wasn't mine or Nanao's choice, nor was it the vice-commissioner either - It came from the big dog commissioner himself. I hadn't met the man, Munakata Suwabe, but Nanao told me all about him.
The bastard was inside buddying up with the foreign politicians.
Tsk.
Either the man was braindead thinking that this was a 'strategic outpost' which was the furthest entrance away from the main hall, or the man had a serious grudge against the 'youngest detective of the century.' I hate to even think it, but he really needed to hop off my dick because the riding had become non-consensual. Truth be told I had my own suspicions about the commissioner, but they were less 'suspicions' and more that I thought the man was a prick.
Despite that, the event was safe.
Invites were only sent this morning to the attendees, so there was no way that any group of villains could mount an attack. It was just impossible. Every hero, foreign dignitary, domestic politician, other police staff and even the Japanese Royal Family only got their invites sent to them two hours ago. All they were told previously was that the event would be held in the prefecture of Shizuoka.
Only those at U.A. knew of the event prior, and that was because we had spent all of yesterday helping to clean and prepare everything. Something about detention for throwing a party three days prior and getting so shit-faced that no one attended lessons the next day, which was mighty ironic.
It wasn't like I had anything to do with that…
Well-,
"Detective Yamazaki!" A random police officer only a few years older than me called my name. "The perimeter is safe! What are your orders?" It was funny, despite being younger than them, I still held a higher rank.
"Er, good job, Jababaki. Go have a doughnut break or something," I replied with a sigh. "What do you cops eat anyways? Coffee and pastries? Actually, I have a job for you!"
"Y-yes?"
I gave the man a few thousand Yen.
"Go buy everyone on our team some food and snacks. Drinks too. My treat for standing guard over the parking lot of all places," I told him with a wink, causing the other three members of our little crew to decompress immediately. Why were they so tense? They all thanked me profoundly, and I couldn't help but rub the back of my head while flushing red. "Hehe. It's nothing you silly billies, just me being a kind and generous soul. Oh! And while you're at it - cigarettes. For me."
"That's a nasty habit, detective."
I shrugged my shoulders in response.
"Eh, I'll be fine. Probably."
I gave the rest of my crew a small break so that they could eat and drink as I sat at the step of the parking lot area, watching over it like a hawk. OOO! Hawks had a Mercedes Benz S Class. Endeavour rode a fire-red Ferrari which oddly suited the man, but when I saw the next hero roll up in a car I nearly had a heart attack as I felt like my eyes fell from their sockets.
Beep Boop! Boop Beep! Beep! Beep!
Who the hell had their car horn replaced with a chorus of a famous pop song?
It was even more hideous as they were driving a run-down yellow Volkswagen Beetle, one that seriously needed to be put down before it became a hazard. And yet somehow they had managed to coerce another person into riding that abomination of a car. I had half a mind to tell them to park somewhere else because their ugly car was an eyesore when parked next to the high-end sports and supercars on offer.
"Yahallo~" Nejire waved at me wearing her full costume from the driver's seat. Sitting next to her, Tamaki, or Suneater as he was more commonly known as, was also dressed in costume but he at the very least looked to be embarrassed by Nejire and her vehicle. "Hey So-So, can you help me park? I really don't want to damage someone else's car, I think they'll take away my licence if I get into another crash."
"Help you-, why are you parallel parking?! There is an open space in front of you!"
"Haha. Oops."
I nearly had a heart attack when Nejire's Beetle took out a windshield from Endeavour's very expensive Ferrari. There goes my pay for the month. At least when Nejire and Tamaki got out of the vehicle, the nightmare had briefly ended.
"Who the hell let you pass your driving test?!"
"Hehe. I barely passed it," Nejire told me happily. "The luckiest day of my life so far! Oh, and Sora, this is Tamaki! Tamaki, you've already met Sora-,"
"H-Hi. Nice to meet you. Again."
"Yeah, nice seeing you too," I nodded at him before turning back to face Nejire. "So, what can I help you with today? Funeral service or here for a social call? And I have to warn you, if it's for the funeral and not to speak to me, Bakugo's in a prissy mode today. He was forced to comb his hair over because he and Midoriya are set to give a eulogy about All Might. Or is it a speech? I don't know the difference."
"It is a eulogy, yes!"
"Alright. Want me to take you to your seats?"
Nejire nodded as Tamaki shrugged his shoulders.
"Alright, let's wait for my team to come back before I escort you two inside," I said to them as I reached for my last cigarette and lit it up. Tamaki's nose twitched at the smell of it, but Nejire jumped up and down like a puppy. "No. This is my last one-,"
"Please! I won't be caught this time! I bought a vape pen!"
"Why?"
"Because it was watermelon flavoured!" Nejire told me excitedly. "So I can handle the smoke! I can handle all the smoke in the world! Me and you, smoking partners! Doesn't that sound cool, Sora?"
"Yeah, if I were in primary school," I scratched my head in confusion. "So, Tamaki. How ya' been? I got my hands full with this… autistic fuck, so I hope she isn't bringing you any trouble or anything. If so, I got the perfect punishment for her. Just force her to sit down in a chair with no distractions and she'll crumple. Funnily enough, that sounds like hell for me too, haha.""
Tamaki cracked a small smile.
"Ah, she's fine. Especially since we moved in together," Tamaki replied meekly. "But thanks for looking out for her. She always speaks fondly about you."
"I see-, move in togehter?!"
"Yeah! You do know that Tamaki and I are together, right?" Nejire asked me, tilting her head in confusion. "I'm pretty sure I've told you this before. Why are you confused? Did I do something wrong?"
"..."
I stared at the two of them with my jaw completely slacked.
"Nejire… you always slip and fall tits-first into me. While you have a boyfriend," I told her harshly. "You really need to work on your balance. This entire time I thought you were a ditzy single woman in her twenties who couldn't find a man because you were a big airhead."
Surprisingly, it was Tamaki who laughed loudly at that.
"She does give off that vibe, doesn't she? I apologise on her behalf, Sora. You shouldn't have to deal with her…" Tamaki told me with a sigh as Nejire was processing what I had just said. "If it's any consolation, she does that at home too. Especially after a shower."
"Oh no don't get me wrong," I cut him off with a smirk. "I'd love for her tits to smother me some more ya' know? But for real, jokes aside, Nejire you need to stop. Like, go to a ballet class or something."
"I did ballet once!"
"...And?"
"And I was amazing at it," Nejire huffed out, folding her arms in protest. "My balance is amazing, right now you're just waffling! Speaking of waffles, we passed this most amazing waffle place so Sora do you want to come with Tamaki and me after this memorial-,"
"Funeral," I corrected her with a sigh. "Remember, we're at All Might's funeral."
"-And we can eat waffles for lunch! I know the Americans have waffles with fried chicken, but that sounds really weird to me! So I was thinking that the three of us should try it today to make sure that the new monument for All Might-,"
"Funeral," Tamaki corrected with a pat on her back. "We're at his funeral."
"-is honoured properly with the most American food ever! Syrup, waffles and chicken!"
"I'm pretty sure that's a Canadian dish," I told her, nodding at the rest of my team who had finished their small break. "Not that I really care or want to find out. Time and place. Now follow me inside. I shall lead you to your seats which are B-11 and B-12, yes?"
Nejire's eyes widened as she clapped her hands wildly.
"Wow! How'd you know? Did you time travel from the future? Oh, I get it! You used your premonition Quirk-," I quickly covered her mouth as Tamaki smiled apologetically at me. Hopefully, no one overheard Nejire. "Mmh-,!"
"Or, I know the guest list by memory. Now come along."
I led Tamaki and Nejire through a Buddhist prayer room with a statue facing the centre of the room. Unlike every other exit, we had to go through this specific prayer room each time before we entered the main corridor. And then we had to go around the hall to find the right entrance, which all in all took ten minutes even while walking fast. It would have taken longer had Tamaki not dragged Nejire across the floor when she stopped to enter every room she saw.
I was convinced she was acting up to make Tamaki laugh.
Usually, not even she was that stupid or hyperactive.
But with Nejire, I didn't know if she was bluffing or not.
Entering the hall gave a different sort of impression, or perhaps the tension in the air was far heavier as the three of us were practically the ones that had forced a shut door open. I could feel every eye in that hall traverse to where I stood with Nejire and Tamaki, who looked very much like fish out of water.
Why were they looking at me like-,
Oh.
I was still smoking my cigarette.
The fire alarms had been turned off for today due to the huge number of candles and incense places around the area, or this place didn't have any fire alarms. It was supposed to be a holy place after all. And I had gone and smoked a cigarette right through it - Even the priests were giving me a dirty look!
I grumbled in response as I threw my perfectly fine cigarette into the nearest bin and took Nejire and Tamaki to their seats. I was about to say goodbye to them, but then the service began right as they sat down. I sighed in acceptance, there was no way I was going to be able to leave without being seen as rude. And I didn't want my superiors to be onto me for fucking up the first job they had basically given me.
The first official job that the Special Reinforcement Group had gotten.
Technically.
You know, I think the S.R.G. just sounds better.
"Today, we are gathered to remember and reflect on the great life of a hero. A hero we all know, look up to and even fought with - All Might," Nezu's speech began. "All Might was an extraordinary hero. As I'm sure many of you are aware, he died after succumbing to his injuries a fight against a villain known as All For One gave him, but let it be said that All Might fought valiantly with pride in his heart. It brightens my mood to know that I knew a man like him in my lifetime."
Nezu paused as he let his words marinate in the minds of the audience.
I hate to give it to the rat, but he was a captivating speaker.
"I now address those listening to this at home, at work, in the car or while having a shower. All Might's death wasn't a tragedy, he died fighting and believing in an idea called justice. I understand that many of you in recent times have called into question this justice, after all, 'justice' has led to atrocious incidents such as the Shie Hassakai incident in recent memory. But I must also remind you of All Might's failures."
Hm.
"All Might was not a perfect man. I knew that better than most, you see. There were many times All Might failed to save a civilian, times when the villain got away and times when hope wasn't salvageable in that situation, but All Might constantly looked forward to the future," Nezu said confidently. "Call it foolish, but All Might constantly aspired to do better. To save as many people as he could. Saving everyone is impossible, All Might knew that, yet he tried anyway."
A flickering of the next page was a good enough pause for Nezu as he continued with his speech.
"I believe that All Might tried so hard because every night the man memorised each name of a person he had failed. Madness, you might say. But he did it anyway. I would like to believe that the souls of the departed helped to carry All Might in all his earnestness to the top as some form of reward," Nezu told everyone. "But not even I in all my wisdom know what happens to the souls of those who die. And as such, I can only pray that All Might can rest peacefully knowing that his duty to this world has been fulfilled. That this world will continue to be Heroic. Thank you, All Might!"
As Nezu shuffled his feet off stage, the person speaking next threw me even more off guard.
"You may know me as All Might's counterpart, but I'm here to talk about the insurmountable goal that was Toshinori Yagi, or as he was more commonly now known as, All Might," Endeavour's voice boomed through the microphone. "All Might was always one step ahead of me. In saving lives, taking in villains, in simply being better. Yet I chased after him like a mad dog, and along the way, I lost myself. Yet instead of making me feel bitter, instead of making me feel like I shouldn't fight any more, Yagi's death has spurred something within me. Something in my heart has begun to resonate. To be better."
Much like Nezu, Endeavour was a great public speaker.
And I didn't miss the small nod Shoto gave to his father.
"I never understood why Yagi fought. Was it to be number one? To be the strongest? The most popular? I admit, even I have fallen prey to those goals," Endeavour admitted. "Yet I truly understood Yagi the moment he died. A serene death. He had no living family, and as I learned more about Yagi's life, everything became clearer for me. Yagi was a man who fought because he wanted to give this world something. I may have not started fighting for that goal, but somewhere along the way, I too wanted to fight to give something back."
Endeavour's gulp could be heard as he lifted his eyes away from his sheets and stared at everyone.
"I still remember watching the news live. You were glorious fighting All For One, his power far, far beyond mine or anyone else's understanding. It was only you who could have fought him. And I finally was able to see why I was unable to beat you for so long," Endeavour told everyone. "I thought it was because you fought to protect, but I also now fight with the will to protect. Yet it hasn't changed. I still fight to win, to prove my strength. Never you however, you fought for a way to peace. For a better tomorrow."
Endeavour slammed his hand against the wooden box.
"And I-, I-, You refused to do any wrongdoing. And you weren't afraid of calling me out, because I think you knew that deep down I had a soul despite my actions. By all accounts, I should hate you. A Hero who was strong and kind. Good luck, Toshinori Yagi! The true Number One hero! I can never measure up to you or your legacy… And that is why immediately after this event, my agency along with what is left of All Might's agency will merge into one entity and work under the HPSC in order to ensure that All Might's goal is never forgotten. Peace for tomorrow."
The uproar his words caused was planned.
Endeavour paused as small chats erupted amongst the audience, and while many would say he looked nervous, I could see the calm and collected smile he wore. He was in control.
Even I couldn't deny my shock.
The HPSC?!
That was certainly a ballsy move.
Nezu frowned as even he knew that his speech had been outdone, and if I were being honest, it was blown out of the water. I hadn't met with Endeavour in a long time, but I could clearly see that the man had changed - Judging by the smile on Shoto's face, their relationship had changed for the better. I couldn't help but wonder if it was my presence in Shoto's life that helped to spur this initial change or not, but it was clear to see that All Might's disappearance and death left a lasting impact on Endeavour.
His words weren't generic PR speak-,
They came from deep within his heart.
It felt less of a final goodbye to a respected rival; and more like a final sign of respect to a best buddy.
As Endeavour slinked off stage, I couldn't help but wonder who was next in line to do a speech. But even more unlikely than Endeavour to give a heartfelt speech was Hawks of all people. I blinked in surprise as my favourite hero walked on stage looking all cool and shit-,
Wait, it was an eulogy.
"Hi! I'm Hawks, but you all knew that. All Might was a great idol for us all, and I am committed to ensuring that what the man fought for will remain safe! Many of you think that our society should be reformed, but I am here to say that All Might would disagree!" Hawks charismatically yelled into the microphone. "Our current system is flawed, but it allows us to save as many lives as possible! There are problems with it, something All Might himself acknowledged. These problems are what you, the public, are starting to understand and criticise - Perhaps the age of Heroes such as All Might is over, but we can work together to find a new middle ground."
It irked me on a great level.
To see Hawks give a politically charged speech as an eulogy, pushing whatever party politics the HPSC was being bribed the most by was certainly a bold move I didn't expect in a million years. But the general public? Tch, they were none the wiser.
"As Endeavour just announced, and as a member of the HPSC, I can't wait to work together with Endeavour and the All Might agency in their new form in full force to help make sure that our fallen Hero's dreams one day becomes a reality! Peace for all! A slogan that might seem idealistic now, but it will happen one day! On my pride as a Hero, I swear on it! Thank you All Might for helping us guide everyone to a better future!"
I clicked my tongue in annoyance as I surveyed the room.
Hawks' speech garnered the most applause from the politicians. And they were the primary people in the room. There were about four hundred people in the current hall, with around a quarter being heroes and U.A. staff, another quarter being the police and security which I counted under while the remaining half was politicians, the Royal Family and foreign dignitaries.
I didn't miss the sly looks that Hawks sent my way.
One of surprise… but also curiosity.
Tch.
How annoying.
I waited for a few minutes as I checked my phone. Everyone in my team had just messaged me telling me that everything was alright at the side exit, which was good. Despite that, everyone in the hall waited with bated breath for whoever dared to follow the previous three speeches - Each one more illuminating than the other. I suppose it didn't surprise me that Izuku Midoriya stood up confidently with Uraraka patting his shoulder in support.
Whispers filled the hall as Midoriya awkwardly shuffled to the podium and cleared his voice.
"All Might wasn't just my hero. He was my idol. You see, my father left when I was a child, he thought I was born Quirkless so he ran away to never be seen again by my Mother and me," Izuku said. "It's a funny story now, but back then I felt so helpless. I really wanted to be a Hero like All Might. Saving people with a smile on my face. I was obsessed with this one old video of his saving a bunch of people on a failed construction site."
Izuku paused as he tapped his fingers against the podium.
"I don't have a written speech. The reason why I was chosen by Nezu to speak today isn't because I'm Deku, the hero from Class 2A who was taught by All Might. The class that All Might sacrificed his life to save. Nor am I speaking from a fanboy who lost his idol," Izuku explained with a small smile on his face. "I'm here, speaking to you all today as All Might's successor. I'm here today to tell you all that even if All Might is gone, I'm still here."
If Hawks' had a crowd of whispers - Izuku's words blew them out of proportion.
Shouts could be heard in the hall, but I couldn't help but grin at the green-haired boy. You crazy bastard, you actually did it! Long gone was the meek boy who was afraid of his own shadow, the boy who thought he was so weak that he didn't deserve his Quirk.
No.
This wasn't even the same Midoriya who thought he had to endure through everything in order to be a hero, he was completely different. Heh. I couldn't help but shake my head at the sight of him.
"It was before I came to U.A. that I had a chance encounter with All Might. My Quirk had recently woken and I felt happy, but also immense sadness. As I was, I wouldn't have been able to pass the U.A. exams," Izuku told everyone. "Yet I did something brave - It was stupid but brave. As Death Arms who is sitting in the front row might remember, a few years back a sludge villain was defeated by All Might in this city. Not before I rushed in to save a friend in need."
Izuku smiled at the memory.
"That one moment changed the course of my life forever. All Might took me under his wing and helped me train. I had cleaned out Dagobah Beach for an entire year in preparation. But I did so. I didn't just meet All Might's expectations, I succeeded," Izuku proudly told the world. "That's why I cried tears of joy when I passed the test to get into the heroics course with flying colours. I have done it. That little boy's dreams were now a reality, and for once I felt truly happy."
Even then, Midoriya couldn't resist the urge to wipe a single tear from his eyes.
"And going to U.A., I met so many great people. Within my first week, I was attacked by the League of Villains, but All Might came to save us. I was able to participate in my first Sports Festival, and while I didn't get far, I tried my best. And I fought the known terrorist known as Stain later that same week with some of my good friends to this day," Izuku told the world of our exploits, and I couldn't help but smile in nostalgia. "And then a big event happened in August. And event we all know quite well by now, an event that changed all of our lives for better or for worse."
Izuku paused at that, as his eyes darted around the room.
"The League of Villains attacked once again. And this time, they were aiming to kidnap me. A way for All For One to get back at All Might, to take his prized pupil and kill him," Izuku said. "But one man stood in front of that - Not All Might, but a Hero some of you in attendance might recognise as Aozora… Back then, it wouldn't have been a stretch to have called him one of my best friends."
My eyes widened as Izuku said that.
"The same Aozora who is now known as the Blue Devil. The Hero who sacrificed his life to defeat Overhaul a year and a half ago now," Izuku's eyes locked with my own as he continued on with his speech. "When I first came to U.A., I wanted to be exactly like All Might. Almost to a fault, and when I felt weak - I started to doubt myself. But Aozora was there to help me, and he reminded me that I wasn't All Might, so I shouldn't be like All Might. Something All Might later told me I should also do - That is to be myself."
From across the hall, I saw that Tokage nodded at me.
More members from Class A and B were looking at me, oddly enough.
Each of them had different looks on their faces.
But none of them could deny it.
And neither did I.
"All Might never got the chance to see grow into my own, sadly. I wish he did because I certainly know that he would have been proud of me for enduring," Izuku stated. "And I only endured because of Aozora. After the Shie Hassakai raid, a raid where I watched my mentor, senpai and close friend die - I began to think that being a Hero was simply enduring. And for so long, I endured. I would like to apologise to not only the world but All Might and Aozora themselves! I failed to heed your advice once again."
I watched as Izuku bowed.
"Enduring for the sake of enduring is the same as admitting to being a failure of a Hero," Izuku said for the entire world to hear. "If a Hero simply endures, how can they help? All Might helped so many kids like me not because he endured, but because he reached out to help us. Because he wasn't going to endure for the sake of enduring, he wanted change to be enacted! To help build a kinder world. A-and I believe that Aozora also wanted to endure for the sake of his loved ones, so he didn't worry them and so he could build a carefree tomorrow."
Izuku paused as he stood up straight, staring directly at everyone in the hall with a confident look in his eyes. It gave me chills down my spine, my hair stood up on its end as he addressed us.
"All Might and Aozora are the two Heroes I used to look up to the most. But, now I understand. The two of them knew-, No, they believed wholeheartedly that I would surpass them one day," Izuku smiled as he said that. "Two Heroes that sacrificed so much for me. I am Deku! Short for Dekiru, you can do it! I understand that the world is a scary place and that for many, they have lost all their faith in heroes. For the criminals that think they can hurt others and face immunity because of a systematic disadvantage we now face, and to my fellow heroes! I have one simple phrase for you…"
I watched as Izuku pumped his fist in the air.
"I am here!"
…
Clap.
I had a wild grin on my face as I was the first who began to clap, with Tokage and Nejire following suit. Within seconds, the entire hall began clapping for Izuku Midoriya and his speech. Nezu, Endeavour, and even Hawks joined in. The Japanese Royal Family clapped loudly at Izuku, as did all the foreign officials. Most domestic politicians joined in on the clapping too, with some grumbling while they did so.
W-what a crazy bastard.
He actually did it.
I watched as Izuku paid his final respects to All Might, saluting the hero before he jumped off the stage and walked back to his seat. The energy in the hall was bursting after such a speech. And I couldn't blame them, it was a damn good speech. I even began to wolf-whistle loudly, which made Izuku flush red under such attention.
But seriously.
I couldn't think of more of a better man who deserved it.
Someone who was just like me - Someone who could change when change was needed. Izuku didn't drag his feet, he understood that he was wrong after All Might's death and he followed suit.
That's why he was-,
Rumble.
"W-what?!" I gripped onto the handrail for support as the entire building shook. Everyone looked around in confusion, surely we were wrong? But then another rumble led to the front doors being opened and-,
Bang!
I watched in horror as the exit closest to me was gunned down. The police officers that stood at the door stood no chance as they were mowed down by machine gun bullets, holes appearing all over their bodies as they dropped dead on the ground in a pool of their own blood. It was quick and sudden as the other exit of the room was also taken out, with men in suits and guns rushing into the premises.
Yakuza.
It was clear who they were as they ran into the hall with confidence.
My eyes widened with more and more Yakuza entering the sight. How the hell did they know the funeral was taking place here?! I quickly went to check on my phone, but my team was radio silent. Were they alright?!
Damn it-,
Boom.
Another explosion rocked the entire room as chaos erupted.
Chapter
Sixty
'Inevitable Struggle'
I didn't even hesitate to pull out my sword as I ran to the two nearest Yakuza who held machine guns and sliced the guns in half, using the hilt of my sword to knock them out in quick succession.
Boom.
Shit.
What the fuck was happening?!
"Sora!" On my left, I watched as Nejire flew up into the ceiling where more Yakuza were waiting with machine guns, firing from below. My eyes widened as I looked at the centre. It wasn't just the police who had been shot dead. Heroes, politicians, and even some foreign dignitaries had either been shot to death or had parts of their bodies blown off from the explosions.
"Sora!"
Yaoyrozu's voice snapped me out of the trance I was in. She was the member of Class A that was the closest to where I sat, and I saw that she had made a small shield to protect nearby civilians as a Yakuza shot right at her.
"Momo!" I yelled her name, running up behind her and using a nearby chair to leap over her and slice the man who was trying to shoot her across the chest. He'd live, but barely. I watched as the man dropped to the floor, firing some more bullets although they didn't hit anyone as he stared down at his chest, the amount of blood pouring from his wound surprising him. "... Are you alright, Yaoyorozu? How about the civilians you protected, are they alright too?"
"Y-yeah," Yayorozu nodded at me, swallowing her vomit. She looked so green as she stared at the man bleeding out on the floor. "Sora… we need to find everyone else! I-, I-, I lost everyone. I was sitting with Uraraka and Kaminari, but then the explosion separated me from them. Shit!"
Even more Yakuza stormed the hall, this time with gas masks as they threw tear gas into the fray. I clicked my tongue at that, grabbing the civilians that were rolling around on the floor as I directed them to the nearest safe zone.
Ahead of us, I saw Hawks take to the skies as he threw his feathers at any gunman that pointed their weapon at civilians, the feathers piercing their necks, killing them instantly. Even Midoriya, who's speech had just been finished yelled as he charged into battle, kicking a Yakuza halfway across the room in rage.
Yaoyorozu quickly made gas masks for the two of us as the Yakuza with the tear gas turned their attention to us, one of them even holding a katana. I ran up to them and began to slash and stab them with Yaoyorozu using her bo-staff to help back me up. When I ducked and dodged, Yaoyorozu lunged forward to bash them, and while she evaded their attacks I dashed forward and stabbed them.
But even after beating two of them, more kept on coming. It was like there wasn't an end to them! I gritted my teeth, summoning my Nimbus as I temporarily blocked the exit we were standing right in front of.
The gas was starting to get thicker as we could barely see each other despite standing side-by-side. Yet even despite the smoke and gas, Endeavour's flames burned brighter than ever.
I watched in horror as Endeavour's flames launched a man through the ceiling, sunlight entering the room as slowly, the gas started to go upwards. Even then, the sounds of gunfire and muffled screams only increased as my mind went into overdrive.
How can we stop them?
How did they even get in?
It can't have been from the side entrance, there were too many of them. But how did they manage to get through the main entrance?! That had the most security detail of the event, which meant that something must have happened there!
"Momo!" I yelled at her, snapping her attention away from the chaos in front of us. "We need to go to the main lobby. If we can cut them off there, we'll give everyone fighting here enough time to secure the area."
I lowered my wall of Nimbus that blocked off one of the side entrances, but luckily no one seemed to be on the other side. My wall might have warned them off, but I couldn't hold it for long distance ranges, and that meant that we'd be leaving an opening for them-,
I watched as Yayoyorozu stepped forward and created a massive tarp, covering the exit.
"Thanks! Alright, follow me! We can end this now!"
Yaoyorozu shakily nodded her head at me as we ran past the dead bodies of politicians and police officers, gunned down before they even knew what was happening. I growled at the sight of their dead bodies, trampled by the Yakuza that kept on fighting.
Boom.
Another explosion rocked the building as we made it to the main corridor. Taking on a barrage of gunfire, I watched as Death Arms was defending a bunch of innocent civilians who had been caught by the blast. Some had their arms missing while others looked terribly burnt. I didn't waste a single second in joining Death Arms to defend the civilians as I used my Nimbus to create a small shield around us.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang
"Wait until they run out of ammo, then attack!" I yelled at the Hero, who nodded in response. "Hold!"
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
"Hold!"
Each bullet pushed me back a little, but I held my ground.
Silence.
As soon as the firing stopped, I dropped my shield and rushed forward much to the surprise of the Yakuza who couldn't reload their weapons in time as Death Arms punched them through a wall or I slashed their weapons in half and knocked them out. Yaoyorozu tended to the injured as Death Arms and I pushed forward to the main entrance together, fighting side-by-side.
"Nice going, kid!"
"I'm a detective," I shot back, slicing someone's hand cleanly, shrugging my shoulders at the blood. He was aiming a gun at innocents and had stormed a funeral. He should be lucky that he gets to live, unlike Death Arms who was using enough force to kill them. "Hang back, Death Arms! I got the entrance!"
"How?!"
I smirked at the man as I summoned my Nimbus.
Even if I lost the range of my Quirk, my Nimbus had become far more powerful compared to before. It wrapped around me and my sword as I walked forward, ignoring the bullets that were starting to be shot our way, deflecting each bullet with ease as my Nimbus stretched out my blade, making it larger and faster.
"AHHHH!"
I yelled as I dashed forward faster than ever before, knocking over so many Yakuza and their weapons. There were ten of them. I didn't hesitate as I kicked one in the head, using him as a springboard to cut someone across the chest.
"Huh? A kid?!"
"Just kill him already!"
I grinned as they all entered my range.
It was something I'd been working on with Tokage and Vlad King these past few weeks, an attack that would make use of the new limitations on my Nimbus. And as each Yakuza member all came within my radius, I placed my hand on my heart and closed my eyes.
"Inferno."
Suddenly, the Nimbus that coated both me and my sword spread around in all directions, making thin but sturdy spikes as I impaled the remaining eight Yakuza who stared at me in disbelief. They dropped their weapons as they realised that they were quickly losing blood, and while I didn't hit any vital spots, if they tried to fight some more they would die. And they knew that as they quickly accepted their defeat.
It was a move I had been working on recently, luring the enemies into close range for me to incapacitate.
"Nice moves, detective!" Death Arms waved at me.
"Sora! You did it!" Yaoyorozu grinned at me.
"The front entrance is right there," I replied, pointing at the double doors that were just up ahead. "There are rooms to the left and right of here, but they lead to side entrances. I doubt anyone would go there. And if we go back to the main hall, there is another side entrance that goes past a Buddhist prayer room to the car park. I don't know how the Yakuza got here-,"
"Yakuza?"
I nodded at Yaoyrozu's confused look.
Even Death Arms seemed perplexed.
"Yeah. It's the Yakuza. I've dealt with enough of them to know who they are," I answered, kicking one of the goons' guns over to Yaoyorozu. "Guns this high-end are bought on the black market. That or a Yakuza group had it delivered. My guess is that one Yakuza group got pretty ballsy and thought they could pull something this grand off."
"Why?"
"Because Kansai is growing restless," Death Arms answered as he knelt down and studied one of the men on the floor. On the man's arm was a tattoo of an orange dancing wildly. "So I was right. It is Kansai."
Wild… orange…
"The Tachibana Group!" I yelled in understanding. "Tachibana means wild orange. I see, so the most infamous Yakuza group in Kansai came all the way here for what? To disrupt a funeral? Why?"
"How did they even know where we were?"
"Someone must have leaked it prior. Probably some bought politicians," I reasoned. "Either way, that's not important right now. We have to go back and help escort everyone else out of here! Momo! The side entrance to the parking lot, take anyone you can and put them out there! At the very least, they'll be safer there than out here."
"Alright-,"
Boom.
The building shook again as the front doors were slammed open. But instead of more Yakuza coming out to greet us, it was men and women dressed in various different costumes. They looked homemade, and they also wore masks. It was clear to see that they weren't Yakuza as I held bats and a few molotov's, setting fire to the building.
"What the-,"
Death Arms was cut off as more of them ran towards us screaming wildly.
"We are the Cult of Stain and we are here to take as many lives from the fake and corrupt Heroes as possible!" One member yelled out. "Ah, who do we have here? Are you sinners? Or are you the ones we shall be saving from the corrupt Heroes?!"
Before I could open my mouth to respond, I watched in horror as Death Arms snarled, picking up a gun from the floor that the Yakuza had been using, aiming the weapon at the Cult and started to shoot at them.
"Hey, aren't you a Hero? Aren't you Death Arms-,"
Bang.
Blood spurted out of a cultists head as he dropped to the floor with a heavy thud.
I slammed the weapon out of his hands.
"What the fuck are you doing?!"
"I'm getting rid of the criminals," Death Arms replied, pushing me aside. "I'm the protector of this city! Of Musutafu! This was a sworn oath I made after all that Overhaul business. I'm going to make sure that no innocent person dies, even if I have to kill these criminals in cold blood. Now if you want my advice, you pick up a gun and start shooting else get the fuck away from here if you're not prepared to kill. Go make sure the civilians are safe."
Yaoyorozu froze at the sight of Death Arms mowing more and more Cultists down.
I stared at him in shock.
Here he was, holding an illegal gun as he ruthlessly started to shoot down any criminals that so much as took a foot inside the main entrance without any remorse. Anger flooded my system, but I didn't have enough time to argue with the man.
He was wrong.
I was going to prove him wrong.
"Momo… Let's go," I pushed her away from Death Arms and towards the main hall, where everyone else was. "We have other things to worry about. It's not right, but we have more people to save. We have to make sure everyone is alright. So come on, just ignore the bastard for now! He'll get what's due soon-,"
"This is… this is… was the Shie Hassakai raid anything like this?"
I paused at that, gripping the hilt of my sword tightly.
Was it anything like this?
"...That doesn't-,"
"TELL ME SORA!" Yaoyorozu screamed at me in fear, her arms wouldn't stop shaking as we walked past another woman who had her face blown off. "...Was it like this? Was it worse? How… Why? Is this what made you leave U.A.? Is this why you don't want to be a Hero?"
I didn't answer as I pulled her aside to a small room that wasn't damaged at all.
Thankfully no one was in here as I rummaged around, looking for any supplies.
I found some bandages, rolling up my arm as I winced in pain.
Someone with a knife had managed to graze me.
Rolling the bandage around my left arm, Yaoyorozu couldn't help but brush up beside me, taking over as she cleaned the wound with some alcohol, my hisses being the only proof that it hurt.
There was too much adrenaline in my body to slow down for even a second.
"Sora… Was-,"
"Yeah. It was like this. For me though, this is worse," I cut her off, staring down at the ground. "I don't remember much of that day, I blocked it out of my memory. But at the very least I remember going after Overhaul and beating him, there was some good amidst the Hell that we were trapped in that day. Nonetheless, we have more people to save here, and we can't afford any hesitation. Are you injured-,"
"How do you-,"
"Are you injured?"
Yaoyorozu shook her head at that, refusing to meet my eyes.
"...This is what turned you away from us. The burning battlefield. This is what you and Izuku kept secret from us, huh? Death and destruction," Yaoyorozu whispered as she looked like she was about to cry. "How can you just-, Why are you able to keep on standing? To keep on fighting? I just-, He was killing them without even batting an eye. How many top Heroes are doing that? What happened to capturing, not killing? I know this is an important event filled with important people but-, I-,"
…
"I'm able to remain calm and keep on fighting because I know that none of you are weak enough to die here today," I smiled at her. "I have something called faith. I've been proven wrong before, and I'll be proven wrong today too. And every other day I think you're all weak. I trust you all not to die. Now stop dwindling, we have more people to save! I have a plan that I'll need you to relay to everyone else when we get back to the main hall, there is a side exit that goes past a Buddhist prayer room! It even has a statue in there. Past that is the car park, so we'll be good as soon as we get there."
We left the small storage room, making our way to the hall where everyone else was.
"The plan is simple, you try to find everyone and gather as many civilians as you can and take them to safety!" I told her as she nodded at me, trying her hardest to remember everything. "...I'll stay back and try to figure out how to stop all this. And that's non-negotiable. Neither you or anyone else is prepared for this-,"
"How aren't we-,"
"You're shaking, Yaoyorozu. I can't just let you-,"
"I'm fine! Don't push me or anyone else away!"
I sighed at that.
"No, you don't get it! That's how you can die! Don't underestimate-,"
"You're the one underestimating us after you told me you trust us not to die-,"
"Because if you all just focus on saving people you'll live to die another day-,
I was cut off as the door on our left slammed open.
Shit, even more cultists-,
I pushed Yaoyorozu in front of me as the Cultist grinned madly.
"Heroes? Die you corrupt fucks!"
It was funny - I watched as in slow motion his hand went towards his vest I was sure was a bomb. Time seemed to slow down as I reacted before my brain could even comprehend what was happening, Yaoyorozu's eyes widened as I jumped at the Cultist, the two of us tumbling to the ground and summoned my Nimbus, wrapping multiple layers around him. It wouldn't completely suppress the blast, but it'd protect me and-,"
"GO, MOMO-,!"
Boom.
"Ugh…"
I felt a massive headache coming as I tried to reach out and rub my temples, but my right arm was trapped. That was when I woke up fully alert as all I saw was dust and darkness. Argh. Where was I-,
The funeral!
Yakuza had stormed the funeral all guns blazing, then the Cult of Stain showed up and began suicide-bombing. Fuck. While my right arm was trapped, luckily okay, I could feel that my left ankle had at the very least been broken. Even with my healing Quirk, I didn't know if it would be enough. I struggled as much as I could to get loose, but nothing was working.
"Ah, shit," I swore quietly, using my only free arm to try and push the rubble away from me. But it wasn't working. I was pinned down on the floor which was made worse by the shouts I could faintly hear. "Guys! Guys! Hey! Someone help!"
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
The sound of gunshots filled my ears, and I couldn't believe it. Where the hell was everyone else? Jiro? Kaminari? Tokage? Nejire?! Monoma?! Yaoyorozu?! Were they alright? Come on! I tried to stand as much as I could, but the rubble on top of me wouldn't even budge. In fact, it became worse as something sharp slid down a small crack and impaled my back. It made it hard to move as I stared at the cold ground, coughing up more blood.
"Ugh…"
I couldn't-,
I couldn't do anything.
Watching as my blood spilt out of me with each passing second, I felt helpless. What was I supposed to do? I tried to summon my Quirk, but everything had changed around it. To say that I was more used to not using my Quirk wasn't just the truth, it was because I had new rules that I had to follow. The rubble was larger than one metre, the new range for my Quirk which meant that I wouldn't even be able to do anything.
Perhaps, perhaps I should give-,
"ARGH!" I yelled in pain as I tried to stand up once more, ignoring the fact that my once-white overcoat had been stained red with my blood. Give up?! Like hell was I going to do that!
I screamed as loudly as I could, and the rubble shifted slightly.
That was a start.
Groaning, I put the majority of the weight on my shoulders as I used my Nimbus to help lift up that weight. It was so heavy. But I didn't care as I slowly stood up on my knees. That was as far as I could go. I used my remaining free hand to claw at the rubble trapping my other arm, and freeing it as I felt a small grin form on my face.
That was a start.
But another rumble caused the rubble to fall back on top of me in full force.
Without even thinking, I pulled out my sword and used it as a small pillar to keep the rubble from completely crushing me as I tried to twist my body to free my broken ankle. Gah. Compared to being shot or stabbed, this was infinitely worse. What made me even more shittier was the fact that apart from the gunshots and screams outside, I had no idea what was happening.
"...So why don't you just stay here? Where is it nice and safe?" I heard Kurai's cold and cruel voice made me stop what I was doing completely. I felt my world spin as the rubble largely disappeared and I found myself staring at a run-down but familiar house. Rain kept on beating down mercilessly in this place, and in front of me were two shadowy figures.
One looked like an exact clone of me, only with light blue hair and yellow eyes. While my ear piercing was on my right ear, he had his on the left and we both had a similar amount of stubble in addition to the fact that he wore all black.
Kurai.
The other figure looked a lot younger, and he also looked very different from Kurai and me. He had olive skin and curly dark brown hair that reached his nose. He had light blue eyes and wore an oversized white hoodie.
Shiro.
"Sora," Shiro began. "Have you missed the Hell that you ran away from?"
Wha-,
"Don't lie, Sora! You missed it so much!" Kurai screeched. "Death, destruction, chaos, carnage! Don't you love it?! The smell of blood in the air - The feeling of not knowing who's alive and who's dead… Doesn't it make your blood pump faster? Doesn't it soothe the anger that burns within?! Finally, now everyone can comprehend what we went through that day!"
"You are buried under some rubble with no chance of escaping. More and more innocents are getting hurt, your friends are calling for your help, and where are you? Hell. Isn't this why you gave up your powers?" Shiro ignored Kurai as he asked me that. "Don't you feel like you're back fighting against the Shie Hassakai? Helpless and weak. That there is nothing you can do?-,"
"Shut up!" I yelled at them, clenching my fists. "Weak? I've trained since then, and I've grown so much stronger. Not just physically, but mentally too! I've gone through hell and back, so why would I stop here!"
"...You're willingly walking back into that Hell you hated. That place you wished to escape from," Shiro told me. "Before you came back you were living an easy life, free of hurt. A carefree life - A good life. And you're willingly going to walk back into that Hell because you desperately admire heroes. No, you admired everyone else because they were more than you could ever be. What makes you think that you're on their level?! What makes you think that you've changed?!"
…
I walked forward.
"That's hell you are walking into! A hell you're all too familiar with, and there isn't any turning back!" Shiro warned me again. "Is this really what you-,"
"You're wrong," I cut Shiro off. "I admit, I left because I was weak and afraid. I hated that hell more than anything in the world. I admired Class A so much for staying and trying their best to endure, but they were wrong. And so was I. Deep down, there was a reason why I wanted them to be better. A wish. The wish for this Hell to be undone. An unfulfilled wish from a boy who thought he had nothing else to live for other than his own hatred for himself."
"You-,"
I shook my head, silencing Kurai.
"You know, I do want to help people. Not just those that I care about, but everyone. But I tried to hide that for so long thinking I'd be mocked and isolated for it, I grew content with just saving those I care about. I still am," I exhaled loudly. "But I'm not going to sit here and accept this. I already died once, disappointed in life. And then I died once again, as Aozora. It hurt so many people around me, I know that. But I'm not Aozora, and I'm never going to be Aozora."
…
I thought back to Izuku's speech.
"But I am here instead," I recited. "I'm Sora Yamazaki, and that's far more important and better. I have enough strength within me to lift rubble. And I have enough strength within me to stand up and fight for myself, for everyone else, and to make sure that this hell is undone! It's not a wish from a loser, I'm going to make it a reality. Thanks… Shiro. You too, Kurai."
"What are you thanking us for?"
"I still hate your guts and I want to see you suffer!"
I grinned at that.
"You two only care for one person - Me. Even now, you just don't want to see me get hurt. So thanks for trying to look out for me, even when I'm an idiot who never listens," I raised my hand. "But right now I don't care for you two or myself. Right now, I need more power to stand up and fight."
Shiro raised his eyebrows.
"Power? That means you have to-,"
"I'm not sacrificing anything," I shut him up. "I'm taking that power free from any consequences. Goodbye, you two, next time we meet I'll fight you. I'll beat you over and over again. Because I reject you - There's no way in Hell that you're me."
Before Kurai could scream and launch himself at me, with the intent to kill, I blinked as I found myself facing the rubble once again - A surge of strength filling my body. Within seconds, my ankle was healed completely, and I couldn't feel what had impaled me on my back.
That feeling wouldn't last for long, but it was enough burrowed power to get me out of here.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" I yelled loudly, concentrating my Nimbus on one spot. Within seconds, the rubble that had been holding me down had exploded into smaller pieces as I stood up and wiped the blood off my mouth. My sword was broken, but I was fine with that as on my right I held a sword made from my Nimbus, and it looked stronger than ever before.
The strength that had momentarily filled my body dissipated as I felt some pain, but I grinned.
I couldn't control that mode for long - But it was worth it.
Now that was a real Bankai.
"Huh? Where did this Hero appear from?"
I ripped the sleeves off my overcoat, wrapping them around my stomach and leg as I looked at the cultists who surrounded me and grinned at them. They all carried weapons, from bats to pistols. If they wanted a fight…
Then I'd give them a fight!
I wasn't going to lose.
A really fun chapter for me.
Naturally, All Might's funeral was going to be crashed. Not just by ambitious and power-hungry Yakuza, but the Cult of Stain too? I understand that Part 2 has been sort of slow, but also sorta fast-paced. There haven't been many chances for just slice-of-life moments to appear, and that's because they are gone.
This moment is the turning point of Part 2.
The end of reflecting on the past and the start of change, something that's really been hammered home ever since Sora came back to U.A. Yaoyorozu is proof of that, as was Midoriya's speech and I hope you get the sense that everyone in Class A is truly reflecting on the past - None more so than Sora himself.
And at the end of this chapter, all hesitation and doubts are gone.
Instead of asking Kurai and Shiro for the power to fight, he forcefully takes it. Instead of wallowing in self-pity for being weak, he thinks about how strong he's become.
As I said, I really want to show the similarities but ultimately how different Sora has become, and how he still has a lot of growth to get through. But now I hope that you, the reader, can see the man that Sora will ultimately become in the future. But as the chapter name says, it's an inevitable struggle.
Between a person and who they are and who they want to be.
Along with the baggage that comes with that.
Yet, Sora does as he's always done - He fights and he doesn't give up! That's a core part of his character, something that will never 'change' or evolve, because it all stems from a wish a little boy once had.
And… Well, I don't want to drone on about this 'little boy' but by now as the reader you should understand quite well who I'm referring to, a character in the story that is quite important alongside his counterpart. Well, I should refer to them all as one character - Sora.
There are 3 chapters left to this Arc which as you can all guess, take place at All Might's funeral. I do have a lot of fights and important story bits to get to, but at the very least you should know that it's all exciting!
Being able to use every piece on the board at once makes me want to write these chapters faster! Because Part 2 is a lot faster paced than Part 1! The chapters may be shorter, but more things happen in them! So, I hope you'll all stick around for the conclusion of this arc!
See ya' soon!
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