Over the Top

by papireaz

When I died, I expected a few manga volumes. Maybe to learn what the One Piece is. Instead, I found myself in a world that I recognised, a story I had read and what's worse was that it was a story I had no interest in wanting to involve myself in! Then and again, the offer to become a Hero is far too tempting...

14. Issue 13

I watched in horror as his fist slowly creeped towards Jiro.

I knew, I knew that if it hit her she would die.

Jiro was going to die.

I was friends with her for so long, the girl that had believed in me, and tried her hardest to make me happy would disappear. Her trademark snark, her witty comebacks and her love for music would be gone. Forever. I knew what was at stake, even before the USJ.

But somehow... it didn't feel real.

I mean, why would it?

I was just a kid, both in my previous life and my current life. I never dealt with the consequences of my actions because I was too immature, nah, I was too afraid of them. That's why... That's why even now, I can't believe my eyes.

Even now, a corner of my mind was telling me that this is a practical illusion. I'll just wake up, and Jiro will be waiting at the train station for me. That this was all just a bad dream, that it wasn't happening.

We would discuss our homework, and I would scramble to copy her work in a rush on the train as she berates me for being an idiot and spending all night playing games instead of doing my work. Then we would start arguing over music, as she calls me 'tone deaf', but the smile never leaves, I can see it in her eyes.

She enjoys it.

We are good friends.

And so do I.

She's my best friend.

What was I? An idiot? Well, maybe in her words, but they were jokes. They had no meaning to them, if anything it was more of a nickname - A far cry from the person I used to be in middle school, or perhaps I was an idiot all along.

Forcing myself to be a delinquent.

To see the people of this world as mere characters instead of humans.

That was the first mistake I ever learnt from in this life. And I really was an idiot for not being able to see it earlier, something that was my fault. It came from my inability to look inwards, something I still had troubles with - A flaw of mine that'd probably stay with me till I died one day.

So whenever Jiro would catch me trying to bunk off school, she called me an idiot.

I'd sleep in class and get caught, so she called me an idiot.

We'd argue for hours on end discussing what was the better mochi flavour, strawberry or mango, as she eventually got fed up and called me an idiot as she stormed off. But not before coming back from the nearest shop, holding a bag and inside was a packet of both strawberry and mango mochi as we ate in my room, snickering as we complained about each other's tastes.

Her music clashes with mine.

Her Deftones and My Bloody Valentine contrasted heavily with my Kendrick Lamar and Kanye.

We were polar opposites.

And yet, we both enjoyed it.

Our differences.

Jiro would call my phone after I spent all night playing a new RPG, finally beating the first chapter as she would proclaim that I'm the 'biggest idiot in the world' and demand me to join her at the park as we talked and walked around for hours on end, not really doing anything other than appreciating the others company.

For all intents and purposes, Kyoka Jiro was my best friend.

So why did I feel like an idiot right now?

Why was it, as I tried to claw my way towards her, that I kept on trying to save her? Wasn't I an idiot? Wouldn't she want me to just run away and be safe? Wouldn't my friend want me to be happy, not a mess as I was right now. She was a Hero right, she knew the risks?

But why? Why was it that despite all this, I was trying my hardest to fight! Trying my hardest to get back up, and save her. Why? What was I afraid of? I didn't understand my own emotions; why was it I fought so hard to protect everyone?

Surely Zero must be right. He's strong, strong enough to beat us effortlessly. To beat me.

Over, and over again.

I was outplayed, outdone in every possible way.

Both while his 'Boss' controlled him and when his 'Boss' didn't, I was beaten with ease - And this was coming from two people who refused to acknowledge everyone else as a human, for two very different reasons, and I understood.

I mean how couldn't I? I too felt the same way once, I was a bully. I never realised it, I never focussed on the people I was hurting because I was too wrapped up in my own world… Too wrapped up in what I thought was the truth.

But I learned right? I became better, I became stronger...

So then why was I so weak? Was it because I didn't try?

No. I did try, I tried my hardest even when I thought I would fail.

But I did fail.

Then why was Jiro still alive?

If I had failed, then why was she still alive? Even in the face of death, Jiro still struggled to survive. Even though I had seen it for whatever reason, her body was getting pierced, her chest caved in.

Even though she was mere seconds from dying, why does she still fight? I watched as she continued to try and get out of the villains grip, using all her tools at her disposable as she tried to pierce the villains body with her own Quirk.

Even though my friend is close to dying, why am I continuing to try to save her?

Is there something wrong with me? Why do I continue to fight, continue to struggle... I already died once... Shouldn't I just accept this like I accepted my death all those years back? Just cut my losses and move on.

Isn't that accepting the past?

So why was I unable to move on? Wasn't I being psychotic right now? Trying to save her, seeing her like this getting me in a fit of rage I had never been before. I had asked myself the question before: Could I kill?

And right now, looking at Zero's fist etching closer and closer to Jiro, why did I feel the need to lash out? To completely tear Zero apart limb by limb, to truly become a demon. Was I bad for wishing this? Does this mean that I had grown too attached, that it wasn't healthy for me anymore.

That the best option for me was to let her die, and move on with my life?

But I never did.

Move on that is.

Even in my previous life, I couldn't forget something, I could never move on. I was a stubborn git, truly hard-headed, an idiot who didn't understand what 'no' meant. Or was that me in this life? Whatever, the point was it would toil in my mind in my previous life, constantly, shaping my decisions going forward, and the same thing applies here.

I know I can't give up, I know that I have to save her.

But how?

These... These are my limits?

I'm not a main character, I don't just get power boosts when I'm about to die. Seeing her hurt doesn't fill me with power, it fills me with indescribable rage. But I don't want Jiro to die! Because... because then I'll feel the same way as my family, my friends. I can't even think of how they look anymore, that's how long it's been.

Were they sad?

I'm sure they were.

So is that why I fight to protect? So I won't feel guilty, won't feel the same way they did? While they were mourning for me, I was off having 'fun' in my new life. I didn't even try to go back, didn't even try to think of them. Could I go back? If I could, would I want to go back?

What would there be left for me in my previous life?

I'd be alone, once again.

So do I fight because I don't want to be alone?

Yes.

Even now as I crawl across the floor, I don't want to be alone. Not ever again. But I wasn't truly alone, not with Zero, or whoever their boss really was. But I don't know them, I never knew them. But why was I afraid to be alone? Because I grew up an orphan? Because I died? Because I was a loser?

No, no and no.

What really was it?

What am I forgetting?

Why am I afraid of others dying, but not afraid of myself dying? Right, I remember now. How could I forget?

How could I forget what death means?

…

How could I forget his kind smile, sickly his face may have been, and frail he might have looked - I still aimed to make him proud, my first friend. I must have been four or five at the time, barely having entered primary school as I hung around with an older student. He looked lonely, he was lonely.

How could I forget the look on his face as he watched his classmates win at football as he sat on the sidelines, all alone cheering them on.

How could I forget the times he coughed up blood, those times where he told me he was going to be okay. The same way Jiro smiles, and tells me everything will be okay. The same way she cares for me, even minutes previously as she tried to tell me to not go searching out for everyone else because of my injuries. I was an idiot, I should have flown away right when Zero had been launched at the wall.

I should have grabbed Yaoyorozu and Kaminari and escaped, then we wouldn't be here!

Things wouldn't just be 'okay', they'd be great!

I wouldn't be here!

I wouldn't be forced to remember this, to remember everything I tried to forget! My previous life has no barring over me! My previous life has no barring over me! My previous life has no barring over me! My previous life has no barring over me! My previous life has no barring over me! My previous life has no barring over me! My previous life has no barring over me!

No matter how many times I repeated that same phrase in my head, I never believed it. The same way even now, I refused to believe that Jiro would die. The same way, that as of the current time, Jiro was alive and I was crawling across the floor - blood pouring out of my body at unfathomable amounts as I tried to save her and defeat the villain!

Was the pain I would receive become my sacrifice?

Is that what Aizawa was trying to teach me?

So why...

Why was it that I could see his face?

The face of someone that died in another world.

He was dead! I was DEAD!

My previous life has no barring over me.

…Even if it was a lie, there was no way I'd accept the opposite.

I fought to protect what I had now, not for some odd reason in the past. But why did I want to protect them? I couldn't help but ask myself that same question. They say right before you die your life flashes before your eyes, and yet I was nowhere near death. I had already died before, and my life didn't flash then.

So why now?

Was it because I subconsciously knew that if Jiro died, if anyone I cared about died that I'd lose a part of myself? No, I'd lose all of myself. I wouldn't be the same person, was that why I tried so hard to protect them? So I wouldn't change into something worse than I already am; a monster?!

No. I didn't believe that.

I wasn't afraid of changing, I had already changed myself before.

My previous life has no barring over me.

No matter how many times I repeated it over and over in my mind, I still thought back to my first friend. Back to his kind smile, just like Jiro's. Just like everyone else in this life, smile's of warmth. Smile's that no matter what made my day better. But why did they make my day better? It was just a smile, no? What was I forgetting?

Oh right.

How could I forget the time where he told me "See ya' next time!", yet I never did get to see him again. I didn't realise it then, not truly. I was young, younger than I should have been when I first met death. My friend, sickly he may have been, always grinned and cheered everyone on. Despite the fact I was five years younger than him, he still played with me.

He still chose to listen to me vent about my day, or if someone called me smelly or stupid.

He didn't judge me, or make fun of me like the other kids in my class. He didn't put expectations on me like my family, he just wanted to see me happy. Thinking back, I guess my love for football started right there. I wanted my friend to watch me play, watch me win as he cheered on for me. But then he...

But then I never saw him again.

His classmates were confused, and so was I.

So was that it? I was afraid of losing someone else? All this time, all the pain I've been through to try and protect those I care about is just so I won't mourn them? But that's not true. How could it be?

I was five when my first friend died. I didn't understand it then, nor did I understand as I tried to play football despite having no talent, nor when I died and was reincarnated here. My friend he... he cheered me on, even when no one else would, even when I was a disappointment in the eyes of my family, he never turned his back to me, never bad mouthed me or made me feel unhappy.

He knew he was going to die, and yet he still chose to make the kid five years his junior happy, he still cheered me on. That's right, I just wanted to be cheered on by everyone.

But in my old life... No, they never did. I was a disappointment to them.

I wasn't as smart as my family wanted me to be. Despite spending hours each day revising, people still got better results than me. I played sports, but I was never good enough. It always felt like I was the one cheering myself on, I didn't even have a goal, just did what others wanted me to achieve.

Because I never had a goal of my own.

I just did what others wanted, I tried my best to make everyone else happy because that was what made me happy. I always dreamed about being 'cool', about bunking classes and swearing like a 'badass'. But I never did those things, I always wished that my friends would ask me to hang out with them...

But they never did.

I always wished that my family would just support me, allow me to carve my own path even if I had no clue as to what or where it would lead me. I always thought about others because that was what a 'disappointment' should do, make everything easier for everyone else around them. Make them happy instead of being happy yourself.

That's right!

That's why I became a Hero in the first place, my family here wanted me to be a Hero. But it was different. Compared to my old life, my family didn't just want me to become a Hero, they wanted me to become a Hero because they all really believed in me! Hell, Miwa wanted to become a doctor to treat me because that was how much my sister believed in me, cheered me on, no, she still cheers me on.

Even when I was a bully, she still cheered me on!

And the same with my friends - Sakura and Keiko, Shirou and Saki, Makoto and Sui, my old captain, Renji Denji, and Odd Jobs Dai, my old teachers - And most importantly, her!

Kyoka Jiro!.

She too wanted to be a Hero, so we both cheered each other on. Over and over, we cheered each other on and we both made it into U.A. Then I met Kaminari, Yaoyorozu too. They too believed in me that I could become a hero, and so in turn I believed in them as well. In fact I believe in all of Class A. So I think that's it.

Yeah!

That must be it!

The reason I want to save everyone, protect them, isn't out of misplaced guilt or an effort not to be alone. It's because they accepted me, it's because they believe in me, and cheer me on. Just like my old friend did. This entire time I didn't realise why I was fighting, why I wanted to protect them from death.

From my vision.

I just wanted to, but everything makes sense.

I guess all this time I didn't realise it...

But that's not true. They always accepted me, even when I was at my lowest. Miwa defended me multiple times, it wasn't revolutionary right? Deep down I knew this, but I don't think I understood in this life.

And how could I? I can barely even remember his face, just his smile. The same smile everyone else here has, even if they don't want to show it. No, if I allowed Jiro, If I allowed anyone I cared about to die then who would cheer me on? Who would believe in me?

Who would I cheer on?

Who would I live for?!

Maybe that's why I don't like to reminisce about my old life. I was the 'disappointment', the same way Zero thinks of me as a disappointment. But not to everyone else here, even if I make a mistake I'm still cheered on. Funny that, when did I get so optimistic? I was always the pessimist, never seen without a scowl or a frown.

Yet, ever since coming here, ever since meeting everyone…

I changed.

That's right, even now they all believe in me, even now they are cheering me on. I found what little strength I had in my body as I finally stood up, despite blood pouring out of me and onto the floor, despite the fact that I had lost the fight.

They all still cheered me on, so no.

It doesn't matter what my limits were, if I could or couldn't, that all didn't matter right now.

Everyone believed in me, and I believed in them

After all, if you could think that I, with all my faults, could be a good Hero then you must be right, so I wouldn't let those people down. Never in a million years, those cheers wouldn't die out! I wouldn't allow those smiles that radiated love and hope to die, because then what would I have?

The comforts from memories long forgotten, just a bunch of pictures on my phone.

I wouldn't let them die out.

I couldn't let them die out.

And that was what gave me the power to fully stand up despite the protests from my body, despite the amount of indescribable pain I was in, despite my thoughts being a mess. I wasn't going to lose here, not now nor ever.

I would face myself.

---

Chapter

Thirteen

'I'll face myself, even if it kills me!'

---

"...Hey," I managed to say despite my blood leaking on the floor. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

Zero's diamond fist stopped in mid air as he turned to look at me, he didn't try to hide the surprise on his face. Despite my injuries, my failures, I was still standing, still fighting. Heh, if it didn't hurt so much right now, I bet I looked cool as shit.

"You-, Your-,"

"Yo. Zero, right? Or is that the name of your Boss? I never really got it. Sorry about earlier, I wasn't thinking straight," I waved at him as I summoned my Quirk, making another sword. "I hope you know that you aren't going to kill her. Our fight isn't over."

I then pointed the blade directly at him.

Was I really going to do it?

I mean sure, it sounds cheesy as hell, chances are it might not even work. He was still stronger than me. But I had the power to fight back, so why not? I mean I was Sora Yamazaki, if I was going to live up to those cheers then at least I needed to do it no matter what.

"...How are you still standing?" The villain asked me. "You should be crumpled on the floor."

Hehe.

I laughed maniacally, tapping my temple with my index finger.

"My Quirk - Nimbus - Allows me to mould anything with it. Even my body, forcing it to move like a puppet with strings," I answered with a grin. "It doesn't matter how much it hurts, it doesn't matter anymore! All I know is that I'm standing up to fight you, to beat you. So it doesn't matter if you're made of diamond. You're going to lose."

"And how exactly? You couldn't even scratch me."

I grinned at him.

"That's because I wasn't using everything in my arsenal."

I took a deep breath in, no matter how much it hurt, this would work - I gathered up all the Nimbus I could, even if I couldn't move afterwards, I would do this. It was something I had been trying to practise for a while!

Something that was an extension of what I was already doing!

"Graaaaah," I whispered, building more Nimbus around my body.

…

"What are you doing?" Zero asked amused. "...What's your game plan?"

I took another deep breath, it wasn't ready yet.

Come on, it was now or never!

Build, build!

I'd make another Nimbus appear, even if it physically hurt me.

"Graaaaah," I said once again, slightly louder this time. I could feel it around me, Nimbus, the clouds, I could feel them in the sky up above. I could feel them over the top of my head, smiling down at me. "Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Finally, it worked.

I opened my eyes as I said the one word I had wanted to say, that one burning attack that I tried to achieve even as a baby. Sure it would be different, but it would function similarly. This time I wouldn't just use my Nimbus to coat my body, but the clouds up above no matter how unlikely it sounded.

Right.

I could feel it.

Suddenly, everything started to swirl towards my body, as if I was absorbing everything. It was hurting me, every second I was going to be in this form it would completely destroy me once I left it, there was no guarantee I would be able to move my body to run away. But that was fine, I quite liked those odds.

The pressure around me suddenly switched off as the ground beneath my feet cracked - This was harder than I had thought it would be. But alas, I had control over it. I had to control it, else this final stand would fail.

I had the strength of everyone behind me after all, everyone trying their hardest as they believed everyone would make it out okay. And I'd be a real asshole if I trampled on those hope's and beliefs, if I just allowed Jiro to die now.

That's right, I felt a smirk forming on my face as I rested my katana on my right shoulder. It was done. As the dust cleared, I could see my entire body was coated in not only blue clouds, but white clouds as well.

That was my attack-,

"Bankai."

Another shamelessly copied name; but at this point who gave a shit.

I waved at Zero, who just stared at me dumbfounded. I not only increased the amount of Nimbus I had active, usually I only had one main Nimbus cloud, with this technique I forced myself to use three. I was already feeling the backlash as every muscle in my body screamed for help, even my heart felt like something was grabbing hold of it.

Not only that, but I had tried to summon a piece of clouds from those above me, not even directly linked to Nimbus. I had tried to do it before, but the results weren't anything to brag about - I couldn't accurately control those clouds above me, something I presume has a correlation with Nimbus.

Nimbus must be my 'main' cloud if you will, and any subsequent Nimbus I make afterwards must be a clone of it. Which is why my body hurts like hell, because it wasn't used to having this much Nimbus inside of it.

Nimbus is made from my energy, the more I create the more it drains my energy. Very similar to Yaoyorozu's Quirk, combining that with using a cloud from up above that I had little control over, left me with using three Nimbus shaped clouds coating my body. While I could control a third of the armour efficiently, those other clouds were going to be a pain to control and require even more amounts of energy.

However, with all that said and done, I should have increased not only my power, but my speed.

By at least twenty times, seeing as each Nimbus clone I made was five times bigger than the last. I looked more like a knight, more like Iida's armour then I did a Soul Reaper, but semantics I suppose.

"Bankai? So, what would you call this Bankai?" Zero asked me amused as he walked towards me, leaving Jiro alone as she managed to run away, but not before giving me a worried glance. I'd be fine, everyone would live. "...My Boss told me about the stories of those who had a Bankai. But you don't look anything like those people in that story! Consider me impressed, brat. Once I beat you, I'll be sure to tell my Boss that you at least has some spunk in you."

I smirked at him.

"No need, I'll tell him that myself," I replied as I dashed towards him, I was much faster than before. I could already feel my body protest as I swung at Zero, who despite having his entire body coated in diamond, actually recoiled from the swing. "How's that for a fucking swing?!"

His diamond hardening had cracked under my power, as he looked at me bewildered.

"H-How?"

I didn't reply as I launched a rush of attacks, incorporating kicks into my stream as I flew around him, pummelling him into the ground. I only had at least a minute left in this form. Shit. I screamed as I jumped on him, stepping on his head as he bounced off the ground, and using my katana I tried to cut his diamond body yet again, resulting in another crack to appear.

Time was running short, but I didn't mind.

Enraged, Zero got back up as he started to use more and more Quirks than before, green fire enveloping his fists. Shit, I was down to twenty seconds. I tried to dodge his attacks, but he was doing much more damage to me than I was to him, even with me in my Bankai form.

It was incomplete to say the least, I would have to change it completely before the next time I used it.

It was bulky and inefficient, and provided me with little room to actually move around attacks as his fist hit my stomach, causing me to spit out blood. Damn, damn it! Ten, nine, eight, seven - He was on top of me, throwing a barrage of punches, I couldn't block them in time!- six, five, four, three, two - Was this it? What could I do?- one.

It felt like I was naked as my armour around me disappeared, Zero smirking in response.

"Poor Sora Yamazaki, he couldn't beat anyone even when he wanted to," The villain mocked me with a sadistic grin on his face. "Don't worry, you'll see your 'friends' once I've killed them all. You should have joined me and the Boss, but here we are. Say your goodbyes!"

He readied his punch, coating it with extra green flames. Wait! Those green flames... I don't sense heat from them? That's right, if it was real fire, then the diamond would have already melted! So then what did those flames do?!

…Shit!

I had no armour, what would I do now? Think, think! Wait, that's right! If coating my outside shell didn't work, what if I coated my inside? My Bankai worked by drawing clouds to force me to go faster as I controlled them, but what if I controlled them from within my body? What if I stretched one cloud throughout my body, from each tendon to the next?

If I could speed up the blood around my body, sort of like friction?

Heh, at that point that wasn't a 'Bankai', but Gear Two stolen from One Piece. But I had to try. I only had a few seconds, so I need to focus. I closed my eyes as I tried to feel my entire body, or tried to anyway. I knew my body, and that's... that's it!

Deep breaths…

Expand!

I felt my insides touch something all at once as I felt stronger, faster too! Right, I wouldn't have a weapon this time - Just my fists. A good old fashioned brawl. I opened my eyes as I threw him off me, coughing slightly. It felt like I was suffocating, but I knew I wasn't since I could breath and everything. Anyway, I was learning during a life or death battle.

Oddly enough, it didn't seem to scare me as much as I thought it would.

"SORA! HERE!" I heard Yaoyorozu shout as she threw something in my direction. She looked to be fine, although her head was slightly bleeding and was leaning on Kaminari and Jiro to stand up straight. Zero must have gotten her real good with her cannonball, but it doesn't matter now. I caught what she threw at me by the handle as I smirked. Heh. "USE IT WELL! AND DON'T LOSE!"

Another freakin' katana.

Maybe I should change my Quirk's name to Unlimited Blade Works or something. Zero spat blood out on the floor as his diamond form completely retracted. Now I could focus on just beating the ever loving fuck out of this.

"What's this huh? Bankai two point zero?" Zero asked me. "...You're learning throughout our fight."

"Try Bankai revised breakthrough!" I cockily smiled. "And yeah. I've never been in a fight to the death before, so of course I'm learning. If you aren't too careful, I'll beat you easily - And we wouldn't want that now, would we?!"

I'd defeat him.

Right here and now.

"Can you stop with all these jarring references? You sound like a fake, a knockoff. It's really starting to irritate me," The villain yelled at me as he hardened his fists, coating them once again with these mysterious flames. "The Boss told me that fights aren't supposed to have a lot of talking! This is starting to get really confusing! So I'm going to beat the shit out of you because of it!"

I sighed.

What an idiot.

"Who says a fake can't surpass an original?" I replied, raising the blade towards the level of his head. Unlike my blades made from my Nimbus, this was a real metallic blade. it felt much heavier in my hands, so much so I wondered if I'd be able to wield it correctly. I mean, I could cut myself with it, well actually I already did cut myself with a katana. I held it the wrong way on purpose, like an absolute idiot. "I'm coming for you, villain. You can run, you can hide - But I will beat you."

Time to fight.

I rushed at him, yelling from the top of my lungs as I swung, and swung, and swung!

Slash! Slash! Slash!

I kept on cutting the diamond in front of me as in turn I kept on getting hit from all parts of my body, making my movements slower, sluggish even. My arms felt heavy even just carrying the weapon Yaoyorozu gave me. I still wasn't keeping up, but I knew this. In a battle of pure strength, I would never win! That wasn't what my Quirk was capable of, it just wasn't feasible.

That meant I had to be creative.

I had to lure him out to the centre, near to Aizawa, if I wanted to win, if I wanted to save and protect everyone! Aizawa would cancel out his hardening Quirk as I then would land the final blow! It was a makeshift plan I had just thought of, perhaps I had knocked my head far too much recently, but it could work!

No matter what happened, I had to make it work!

I needed to keep up with his speed, which I had just realised was probably a speed boosting Quirk the entire time. I wasn't going to beat him like this. Hell, even my 'Bankai revised breakthrough' was barely allowing me to dodge his punches. I was breathing heavily as I fell to my knees, his fist lodged itself in my stomach.

At first I panicked, thinking that he had completely gone through me, but I was wrong. Very wrong as he pulled his fist back only to reveal a small coating of Nimbus there, protecting me. As if it was cheering me on.

"Huh... I admit kid, this is quite annoying," The villain spat out. "Why won't you just join me and the Boss? Forget about them all. About love. Come and live a new life, a better life. You will be powerful enough to do whatever you want, to protect whoever you want! You can help us, help the Boss! He knows your pain, He knows it all too well. He too went through exactly the same process you are going through, every step more painful then the last. But, you don't have to do it like he did it, all alone..."

His hand reached out, begging me to grab it.

And then his face shifted once more as a foreign presence took control of his mind.

"...This time, I won't allow another human to go through this process alone. I'll help you, help you remember our past lives! Together we can help each other grow past our previous lives, to become stronger! And then one day, when we find a Quirk that's suitable, we can go back. Go back and change our lives-,"

…

"Is that it?" I sneered. "You're doing all this so you can potentially go back home?"

He blinked owlishly at me.

"What else did you think? Isn't the pain you go through the fact that you can't go back, the pain that you can't live again? I too felt that same pain, and I felt that alone, with no one to help me. But I can promise you, that pain, I can make it go away if you join me and become my friend-,"

I burst out laughing, directly in his face.

"You know, there was a time where I would kill to have some friends. A time where I was alone, and some of it was my fault, some of it wasn't my fault. In both my lives, I've felt that way before. But now..." I told him, pausing to stare at Zero. "I've never turned away a friendship request. I accepted anyone and everyone that came my way, even if they hurt me."

I slapped his hand away from me, ignoring the shocked look he had on his face.

"I don't need, or want to be friends with you."

The villain's face twisted once again, and Zero disappeared.

"...That's ironic. And brat, you think your friends there are worthy of that?" The villain shouted at me, pointing to Jiro being helped up by Yaoyorozu as Kaminari was on the floor, probably knocked out judging from the rubble laying beside his head. "You think that these things are more worthy of your friendship? That disgusts me. Do you think that they could even reciprocate-,"

"You know, Kyoka is really good at music. Much better than I ever could be, in fact I'm actually tone deaf. She always mocks me about it, but every time I hear some music she breaks it down to me, even though she knows I don't care, she still does it anyways. In fact, it's gotten to a point where I actually look forward to hearing her describe to me what the music is trying to say through its beat."

I cut the villain's speech off, slowly standing up.

"Where are you going with this?" He asked me impatiently. "Going to tell me how much they mean to you?"

I smirked.

"Ya' see," I replied, scratching my head. "Kyoka's very passionate about music, something that goes hand in hand with her talent. It honestly reminds me of those old music teachers that drone on and on about what a singular note on a piano signifies or something. That, that's real. No mere 'thing' or 'character' could fake a real love for music; It just isn't possible. You can tell your Boss that."

I raised the metal katana, the light shining off the blade as I raised it, shifting my stance slightly as it crossed my face, making it look like the sword had already cut the villain in my eyes.

"That's what a real human is like. Dreams, hopes, love and passion. They go hand in hand to form what I think is our soul. So no, you and your 'Boss' are wrong. They can reciprocate our feelings, because just like us they are human. And in my eyes, you are trying to kill another human, that's murder. As a Hero, I simply cannot stand by as you try to commit mass murder. And as a friend, I'm pissed off that you're killing my friends."

The villain sighed heavily, shaking his head in disappointment.

"I had hoped things wouldn't have come to this, but I suppose you are too stuck in your own ways! The Boss was right calling you stubborn! If you can't see the truth, then I suppose I shall force your eyes open!" He raised his fists. "Even if it means I'll kill everyone you love to prove to you a point; this isn't real life! Love? Friendship? They're just an illusion, only power truly exists in this world! Don't let this fantasy consume you, these 'people' aren't real!"

I shook my head.

"How long are you going to keep parroting that huh? Real people have hopes and dreams, real people become sad when they can't achieve their goal. That is what it means to be a human, that's what the people here are!"

The villain snorted.

"Oh? And what of an insect? An insect has dreams and hopes too, it doesn't want to get squashed but it still is. Would you call an insect a human?"

"No but-,"

"That's exactly what they are! INSECTS! I'm surrounded by them, hopes and dreams are for spirited fools. That's not what makes a human, wouldn't that be our free will? The fact that you became a Hero, and I-, Boss-, became a villain! Isn't that what makes us human? That we decide our own path? No matter what, Izuku Midoriya will become a Hero! No matter what, Katsuki Bakugo will become a Hero! And you call that human?!"

He paused slightly, tilting his neck in anger.

"How could you call that human? The 'people' here, they don't decide their futures!" He spat out. "They simply just continue down their set path! The same path I-, The Boss-, knows! The same path someone else wrote out in a fucking story! It only requires me-, The Boss-, a real human, to change their fate. Because if it wasn't for him, the League of Villains would have predictably lost today!"

He stared directly at my eyes.

"Just like a story. And that isn't human, that isn't real! Please... I don't want to fight you. Just join me, we could do so much together! Rule the world, get drunk every night, play couch co-op games and complain about shit. Go on walks in a park at four AM in the morning, we can do anything! We can change this story to whatever we want it to be. Isn't that real to you?"

…

"No," Was my response. It wasn't real, it sounded fake. All those things… I could do them with a hell of a lot better people, people that I care for and those who care for me. "Not with you. Or your Boss. So long as your Boss still thinks of the people of this world as fake - So long as you think that love and friends are worthless - I'll never accept that offer. That goes against everything I've learnt up and till now, and I'm no fucking hypocrite!"

"...I see," The villain said, sounding disappointed. "...I can feel the Boss' anguish."

…

What?

Why would his Boss give a shit that I rejected his offer?!

He was a villain.

I was a Hero.

There was no other way it could have gone.

We stared at each other intently for a second, but that singular second seemed like it went on forever. We both studied each other, he no doubt was thinking that I was a 'sell out', that I was in the wrong and whatnot. And yet, in my mind I couldn't bring myself to call myself right. I used to think exactly the same way they did, I too thought of this life, this world as fake.

As not 'human.'

I can't say that they are right, that seems to know about me more than I know about them. They probably had some idea of how we got here if his plan was to find a way back home, yet that didn't faze me at all. Who's to say that they're wrong? Me? I was flawed, just as much as they were.

But...

I had people I wanted to protect. Those smiles and cheers from those I care about, they were more than I had received in my previous life. And so I'd still protect that, even if I was wrong and that they weren't 'people' like him or I. Because ultimately, that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was a villain, trying to cause mayhem and destruction, and I was a hero trying to keep the tranquillity that had surrounded my second life.

That was all there is to it.

And so I'd stop them here, and I'd stop his 'Boss' every time he threatened to disrupt that peace. To cause those smiles I care about to turn into frowns as one by one I don't see them anymore. That was all there is to it.

And with that I dashed towards him, aiming to cut his legs as the katana shattered on impact leaving only a small stump of the blade, however I drew some Nimbus from within me to complete the rest of the sword.

His right fist attempted to pummelled me into the ground as I deftly dodged it, landing on top of it as I aimed the sword at his eyes, who widened as he couldn't completely coat himself in time, causing my blade to completely gouge out his eye.

"ARGH!"

I couldn't stop the next attack as his left arm clipped my shoulder, sending my flying.

A piece of the green flame latched upon me as I felt my entire body unable to move.

It was like I was frozen in time.

That was the ability of the green flames then, slowing down the person who latched themselves upon. Fortunately, I still had my Nimbus inside as I forced my arms and legs to move again, which put a massive strain on my body.

It was like my body was a puppet, only instead of made out of wood I was made out of metal. Which made the strings even heavier to move, or at least that is what it felt like. Simply put; It was pure hell. I had never been in this amount of pain before in my entire life, and yet I still kept on fighting.

Still, my plan still needed to be implemented. As is, we were closer to the mountain zone rather than the centre, which was about two hundred metres away from where we were - I clenched my teeth as I ran to the left, the villain taking the bait as he followed me.

But I knew it wasn't going to be easy, see also on the left were Jiro, Yaoyorozu and Kaminari. Well that only meant one thing, something that I both detested and loved at the same time. I wasn't sure if saying it would suddenly make me lose my 'cool factor', but it seemed appropriate here at least.

I'd surpass my limits, I'd go beyond Plus Ultra!

We danced around for a few seconds, for each punch I'd punish him by trying to slash his limbs, his movements had slowed down since he was missing an eye, blood pouring down his face. However, I wasn't doing too much better, my body was beginning to completely tire out as my grip on the katana was loose, loose enough where I had begun to hold it with both my hands in order to swing it properly.

For each time I thought I had gained the upper hand, a hit to my body would wake me up again from my dream, and vice versa.

We were going toe to toe, and while he was doing more damage than I was, I was adapting even better than he was. I was able to force my body to do flips in the air that while made me want to vomit was effective in not getting hit often.

Eventually he was focused solely on me as we passed Kaminari lying flat on the ground, not even sparing a glance at the unmoving body of my friend. From the corner of my eyes I could see Yaoyorozu staring at me intently, before nodding as she pointed at Aizawa's location.

There was a slight wall in the way. Shit! That was before she decided to create a rocket launcher and completely blast the wall wide open. I wanted to stand there and gape at the girl, I mean she was proper prim and everything.

I didn't even know she knew what a rocket launcher even was, but I suppose you learn something new everyday. Now that the path was cleared for me as I ran as fast as I could to the centre of the USJ, my legs limped as I felt the effects of the green flames finally slip away.

No longer did I feel heavy and slow, but I was returned back to normal.

A punch aimed squarely at my chest sent my flying in the opposite direction however as the villain jumped into the air, intending to stamp me to death. If I hadn't rolled over to the right in time, my head would have been jelly as his left foot was planted directly into the floor, the ground around it completely shattered by the impact.

While his foot was stuck, I took the opportunity to attack as I slashed at his arms, managing to get some clean cut as I dragged my blade all the way from his hand to the top of his shoulder, not before being head butted.

I rolled across the ground as I managed to pick myself up and run again towards Aizawa's location, my head completely spinning as my left eye threatened to shut off completely. I had already broken one-, no, two ribs judging from the sharp pain in my chest.

My right hand was likely fractured as I took some nimbus and wrapped it around it forcibly, making sure the katana wouldn't fall out of my hand.

A loud roar from behind me alerted me that the villain was up and running again, picking up a piece of ground and lobbing it at me. I grinned in response as I readied my hand, choosing to cut the rubbled in half with my sword.

It wasn't a clean cut however as some remaining bits of ground hit my head, which frankly hurt as a sharp pain flooded my system. Note to self; don't get hit by small tiny rocks ever again.

Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed another moment to think as he charged me, equipping a sharp piece of rock as a makeshift knife. He intended to impale me.

How rude.

I forced my body to flip over him as I tried to slash his back to no avail, he had hardened in time causing me to grit my teeth in anger. We were less than one hundred metres away from Aizawa now. I could taste victory as I slipped underneath his legs and cut the rock he was holding, making it not a threat anymore as I ran forwards, hoping to catch. glimpse of my sensei.

However, before I could react, he had grabbed my left leg as he threw me towards the ground.

If it wasn't for my quick thinking of using my katana as an anchor to slow me down, along with transforming my Nimbus into a small trampoline, I would have most likely been crippled from that move. However, the good thing was that we were closer than ever from Aizawa, I could see him fighting Shigaraki now.

Shit! He was already at Shigaraki?!

I had no time!

I had to move now or else I'd lose my chance of victory, no, we would all lose our lives!

However, the villain must have caught on to my pan as he stood directly in-front of me, blocking what should have been a straight path to Aizawa. I cursed myself as I spat blood out on the ground. It was now or never, I had to go beyond Plus Ultra!

"I commend you for being smart, devising a plan like this. What a thrilling fight!" The villain sneered, hardening his entire body into diamond, that same blasted move. "However it was foolish, completely foolish to challenge me. You should have joined the Boss when you had the chance, because now it's too late. I don't like that burning glare in your eyes," He raised his fists once more, coating them in a familiar flame, taunting me to come. "Do you honestly think you could win?"

With a sudden jerk of movement from his left shoulder, a shard of diamond came flying in my direction. I had barely enough time to block the few that came towards my face, however I wasn't able to come out unscathed.

Some shards impaled the rest of my body, however I didn't fall over.

Not yet!

"Still standing?" He spat out. "Still trying to survive? Like an insect? Why won't you just die! You won't be able to reach me like that! You are too injured, too weak, just give up! Join the Boss-, Join me! Join me, Sora Yamazaki!"

Both the villain and his boss were melding into one.

That was the side effect of the 'mind control' Quirk, realistically it felt more like Zero was speaking through the villain who had a mind of his own. Some of the things they were saying crossed over into one, but they were both two separate personalities.

Zero, someone who was more calm and reasonable.

And this bastard who tried to kill Jiro, a motherfucker.

I shook my head as I tried to concentrate on my breathing, using the sword Yaoyorozu gave to me to help lodge the shard out of my legs. It hurt like hell, truly, but I was so close. I could taste it, victory!

With my silence, the villain became even more agitated as he readied himself for another volley of projectiles, this time I was prepared - Using the sword I managed to cut a few as I sprinted towards him!

I still got hit, causing me to trip and fall on one knee, but I quickly regained my footing as I started to run forwards once again! I could cut them! But it still wasn't enough... What to do, what to do?!

I was still at least ten metres away from Zero, even further than that to reach Aizawa. I needed a plan, and quick, but how? I needed to combine my speed and power together, but how?

What should I do?

I couldn't falter, not when I was this close! This was the final push, I had to breakthrough, no matter the cost!

I concentrated on my breathing. I had an idea. Speed was required to beat him, yes, but I also needed power. However I couldn't do that - Not with any of my Bankai, I simply couldn't cut diamonds effectively.

By the time I did, Aizawa would have died. Not to mention I don't think my body could handle it, I'd probably die if I tried it. I coughed out blood, wiping it away from my mouth with my tattered costume.

I'd rotate.

I'd force the remaining Nimbus to wrap around my body and force it to rotate, over and over again, until I managed to beat him. I'd make a series of strikes, rotating my body over and over. Each time I spin, not only would I pick up speed but also power, no matter how many times I would spin, I would ignore the pain and the dizziness!

I'd keep on going through the pain, and only then would I reach Aizawa, and using him I'd finally be able to defeat him!

I readied my blade.

This was it, my final attack!

"Did you think that this was the strongest diamonds I could produce?" The villain asked me, amused. Suddenly, the once blue diamond turned into a deep purple, building on top of each other until I couldn't even make out his eye and mouth. If what he had produced before hardened his body with diamonds, this completely covered it. They looked unbreakable. "Try this one on for size, you stupid brat!"

My arm was shaking.

Could I do this?

No, I had to do this.

A hand.

"Go."

That voice was familiar to me. It sounded kind, like they believed in me, that they knew I could win. I don't know if it was a hallucination from the amount of blood I had lost, if what I heard was real or if I was just imagining things. But it sounded like my first friend, even now I could imagine the smile he had on his face. Kind. It was a kind and understanding smile.

Yet the voice was also unfamiliar. It was feminine sounding, and so was the hand on my shoulder as a matter of fact. The voice seemed familiar, in a way that nearly made me freeze with fear. That voice...

It was my mothers.

No, she wasn't my mother.

I could imagine her blonde-hair, the hatred in her eyes as she pushed me away-,

The same woman that abandoned me in this life.

Her? HER OF ALL PEOPLE?!

I was beyond angry; I was furious!

But I couldn't think of that now..

Inside me.

I felt something rise up inside me as I rushed towards him, yelling as loud as I could, probably destroying my throat in the process as I started to spin! I could see that the villain, Aizawa, was still alive, still fighting!

The villain fired some more projectiles, zipping past me as some clipped my shoulder and legs, but I wasn't focussing on the pain as I battled my way forward, deflecting the remaining projectiles.

I could still cut them!

Inside me.

Something roared from within me, something different. Something completely different from what I felt with my Nimbus, it was entirely foreign. Yet... yet it felt normal, normal as if it had been there the entire time.

Normal as in I was born with it.

Normal as in it was mine.

It was a completely different feeling then what I got when I used Nimbus, and unlike Nimbus it felt like I already knew what to do with it. The villain snarled as he readied himself, pulling his fist back as he cracked the ground beneath us with the amount of force he was using - He was looking to kill me with one blow!

At first I wobbled but I quickly regained my balance as I continued my drive forwards, starting to rotate slightly as I felt lightheaded but I continued to push forwards. Cutting more and more of the projectiles as I saw the look on his face.

One of pure bewilderment.

One of pure fear.

Nothing he was doing was working anymore.

Inside me.

Even now, I wasn't strong enough to cut his entire body. No, projectiles I could manage, they were small and fast. But an entire body? Shit, shit, what do I do now? What if I couldn't cut him? Was I going to fail?

No...

I had come too far to just fail.

No matter how angry I was with the villain, with his boss who called himself Zero who was exactly like me, I was more angry with myself! And I'd be furious if I couldn't achieve what I wanted to do right now! I wanted to cut the bastard down, show him that he isn't as strong as he thought!

Show him that no matter what, I would beat him!

I would be the winner here!

Inside me.

I reached from deep within as my eyes widened at what happened in front of me. My Nimbus, which I was currently using to complete the broken metal katana roared alive. I watched as the familiar blue cloud transformed into something completely different - Long gone was the blue that matched the colour of my hair, the texture of a cloud in the sky that I tended to watch.

…

Instead, that blue turned to red.

Red and orange, swirling around the stump of the sword, roaring loudly. What once was a cloud, was now flames. Flames that I could feel, flames that I could control! Those flames roared at the villain, who looked at them with a fear that I hadn't seen... well ever. Without even thinking, he tried to jump backwards, but he couldn't escape me as I pivoted on the spot, adding another rotation to my swing as I slashed his chest!

"ARGH!"

Two things happened, one it was a clean cut, as in the sword completely cut through his diamond like a hot knife in butter which surprised me. Secondly, the flames from my blade spread out across his body as it melted the remaining diamonds. Unfortunately, they grew back automatically, but it didn't stop me from catching the pure look of terror on the villain's face.

"Wh-, how did you-, No, that can't be?!" He shouted confused. "What's happening?!"

I felt a burning pain soared throughout my body as I almost nearly stopped moving, however I instinctively knew that if I stopped moving it would be the end. I was going to pay for switching my Nimbus for whatever this was, it was something entirely different to Nimbus, in a way that suggested that I had two Quirks.

But that was impossible, I didn't have a dual Quirk.

So then what was this?

If anything, this felt more like my Quirk more than Nimbus ever did.

The flames... if you could even call them that looked more like a dragon, a dragon from a bedtime story, a fairy tale if you will. Something only a kid with a wild imagination could think up, something that wasn't rooted in reality.

I didn't have enough time to pause and think about it however as I pressed my charge, forcing the villain to retread further backwards. Closer to where Aizawa was, closer to where I would win! The look of panic on the villain's face never left as he tried everything in his power to escape my blade, but he couldn't run.

Every time he'd try to turn tail I'd knock him back on course, every time he would try to interrupt my trajectory with rubble, I'd cut that down as well!

What a coward...

Running away with his tail tucked in between his legs, after he tried to kill everyone I cared about, my friends. Jiro. He thought he could just run away and be safe? He thought he could just pretend it didn't happen? Was he that cowardly? Unable to face himself and the mistakes that he made...

Unable to accept defeat...

Unable to accept me!

I would stop every plan of the person he worked under, his boss known as Zero! The other person who reincarnated into this world! Every time the villain would try and increase their sphere of influence I would be there!

I will stop them, every time, but not alone.

Along with Class A, the future generation of Heroes!

We will stop the villains together, we will win!

And that story starts right here!

I rotated and spun even more, building more and more speed as my body increasingly felt like it was on fire from the inside. I wasn't stopping however, I was picking up more speed and power as it felt like the entire world was watching me! Each slash was cutting deeper and deeper, I was able to increase my damage more and more as I eventually saw it.

The opportunity I had been waiting for!

Finally!

The world seemed at a standstill as Aizawa looked our way, his Quirk wasn't active as he looked at me with a confused glare. However, the damage had already been done as his eyes opened to a familiar red, his hair floating as Zero's diamond Quirk completely failed on him, exposing the bare body to the world.

For all intents and purposes, he was naked as his eyes pleaded with me not to do the very thing I wanted to do the most.

Swing.

…But I swung.

A diagonal swing across his chest, from the top to the bottom as I tripped up on the floor, rolling around letting go of the katana I had been holding onto for so long as I tumbled on the floor landing next to Aizawa.

The villain was screaming and writhing around in pain as the flesh on his skin looked like it had been boiling from my flames... or whatever they were. There was no use, I didn't even know what had happened.

However, unlike me, he didn't fall on the floor.

Nor did he react when Aizawa shut off those flames with his Quirk.

He walked towards me, closed eye with blood pouring down his face, and a thin slash on his chest. He struggled to walk to me. He was still scared, in fact I could tell he still wanted to run. The scowl on his face, and his shaky legs - And finally, his face twisted once again as the mind-control Quirk worked, allowing Zero to take full control over the body.

The villain who I was fighting was probably unconscious.

"...So this is it? That's your answer, Sora Yamazaki?"

I tried to nod, but I couldn't even move my head.

"Yeah," I replied. "That's my answer, no matter what I'll stop you and your group of villains. Every time you try to hurt someone I care about, try to do something to put you at an advantage, I'll be there to stop you. We all will, Class A, so don't try to run away now that you have declared war."

"...You beat my subordinate. And look at you, nearly dead. What makes you think you can win against me?" Zero asked me. "I'm not even present in front of you. Just as you make changes, so do I. So what's your plan?"

"Even if I have to kill myself in the process, I'll beat you!" I yelled at him. "I won't lose to someone like you, not now or ever! So you better not try to run, try to hide because you targeted my friends! My family! I swear in my life I'll make sure you see the back of a jail cell one day! So Zero, boss, or whatever you are called don't forget me! ME! SORA YAMAZAKI! Because I'm coming after all with all I've got! So be careful when you go about town - 'Cause if I see you, I will beat you up!"

Zero stared at me intently, a weird look on his face. Pride? Anger? What was that emotion exactly?

"You win... for now," He eventually said, smiling at me. "I guess that's it for this body and villain. You win. Go Shigaraki, now. There isn't a point anymore, we failed." Zero told the other villain whose face was covered by a hand.

"Grr... What am I? Your subordinate?" Shigaraki screamed out in annoyance as he attacked Zero in a fit of rage, completely disintegrating him. "Don't tell me what to do you side-mob! Sensei said we're supposed to be partners! Why aren't you helping me?!"

I watched as Shigaraki yelled at the pile of ashes, furiously kicking them all over the place.

He just-,

How could he just murder someone so easily?!

Like his life didn't even matter?!

"Stupid, stupid, stupid! Your plan was the one that failed!" Shigaraki screamed venomously as he stomped on the pile of ashes. Kurogiri teleported to our location as he viewed me with a curious look. "God fucking damnit!"

I couldn't help but stare in surprise.

What once was a strong opponent, one that I couldn't even beat with the help of my friends, was reduced to a pile of ashes instantaneously. That was power, pure unbridled and uncut power. Tomura Shigaraki, the scariest player on this field. And he turned his gaze upon me. I felt fear, fear for myself.

That villain... he was nothing compared to the pure hatred within Shigaraki.

I could feel his hatred even from a metre away.

"What is this? A cheater in our game?" Shigaraki asked as he titled his head. "Tsk, tsk. Cheaters deserve to be punished, you can't be over levelled or else the game is too easy. That's now how the rules work."

I tried to get up, but my entire body was frozen.

Likely and after effect from those flames or whatever it was, and judging from the burning pains I had from within me, I'd be like this for a long time. But I had to move! If I didn't then he'd kill me!? I panicked as I tried my hardest to stand up and run, but my body would not listen! It was as if I was dead, or rather like my body was asleep.

Tap.

Blocking the clear path Shigaraki had to reach out and kill me was a familiar man, a man I would thank until the end of my days.

Shota Aizawa, Eraserhead, my fucking sensei stood in front of me, gripping his white cloth just like how he normally did, protecting me, his student. I had never felt more thankful to anyone in my entire life at that moment. He was standing tall as he blocked the path from Shigaraki to myself, a hero. Someone that filled me with hope as he fought to save my life.

"I'm afraid you won't touch a single hair on my student's head," Aizawa told Shigaraki, who's face snarled with annoyance. "...Yamazaki, what did I say about sacrifice?"

If I could have shrugged my shoulders, I would have at that point.

"I don't know, sensei, why don't you tell me?" I managed to ask. Answering a question with another question seemed appropriate. "I'm not a very good student. To be honest, I probably wasn't paying attention to your lecture."

Aizawa smirked at that.

"I said, as a Hero you'll be making a lot of sacrifices. Especially to achieve your goals, so tell me, was it worth it? Using that new power of yours, from my eyes it seems like that attack completely wore you out. You won't be able to move for some time, making it hard to evacuate you. So was it worth it? Answer me this right now, and I promise you that we will walk out of here alive."

…

My brows furrowed in deep thought. Of course it was worth it! That villain, he... he nearly killed Jiro! He nearly stopped us from escaping the USJ with our lives, without him everything would have gone smoother! Everything would have been fine! I wouldn't be in my current predicament right now if it wasn't for him!

If it wasn't for his boss, Zero!

"Yes," I said confidently. "It was worth it."

He nodded at me as he turned back to his opponent, readying himself.

"Good. Now that you know what it means to sacrifice yourself, that's one lesson less that I need to teach you. Now watch and learn," And with that he jumped into battle, his Quirk activating as he simply overpowered Shigaraki. "I'll show you what it really means to be a Hero!"

Now Shigaraki wasn't too bad himself, he was fast and looked like he knew some martial arts as he dodged out of the way for a few attacks. However he was simply overwhelmed by Aizawa.

It was no match.

For each strike Shigaraki tried to make, Aizawa had already countered and sent a flurry of his own strikes to compensate. Shigaraki had no hope against Aizawa, especially Aizawa now knew his Quirk was keeping his distance. Shigaraki simply couldn't keep up, he was outmatched and outclassed in every way. Just seeing the way Aizawa-sensei moved, dancing across the battlefield.

It was beautiful.

My eyes couldn't help but to be drawn to the fight in front of me, not that I could look away. But even Kurogiri, the shadowy person, looked at the fight in awe. Watching the one-sided fight that was taking place right before his eyes, he knew that if he tried to move Aizawa would beat him.

I didn't think of Aizawa as strong before, but looking at him now...

He was creative. Creative, flexible, any and all terms that described a strong fighter.

That was who Shota Aizawa was.

"Grr, how annoying!" Shigaraki spat out. "NOMU! Kill him!"

Suddenly, Aizawa doubled over in pain as my eyes widened. Shit, he was going to die?! No! STAND! MOVE! I WAS RIGHT HERE! MOVE BODY! MOVE! In front of Aizawa was the creature known as Nomu, even more freakier up close. It looked like something straight up from a psychological horror movie, it was disgusting to look at.

To think it was biologically engineered.

"What cheater? Don't like the look of it?" Shigaraki asked me, amused. As it was, Nomu was currently on top of Aizawa, pinning him down on the floor as he had his arm locked. Any sudden movements and it would snap right off. "ANSWER NOW!" Shigaraki screamed at me impatiently.

Heh.

So this was how I'd die…

"Fuck off you cunt!" I replied, spitting blood in his direction. "The only cheater here is you. Using this thing against Aizawa-sensei like that, rookie move. It's like modding a game so you can get the best possible equipment at the tutorial, or getting you to max level. Only cunts who are shit at the game use those tools - And you're the biggest cunt of them all, Shigaraki."

I had hoped Shigaraki understood my point. I mean sure, he was a crazed maniac, but he was also a gamer. Ew. 'Gamer'. How much I detested that word, that blasted word.

"But it's my game," Shigaraki protested. "It's my game, so I make the rules!"

"Error. Sorry, the host has migrated servers so now I'm server leader. It's my game, and under my rules you are cheating."

Shigaraki growled as he ran at me, his hand reaching out to disintegrate me.

So, this was how I would die? Again?

Wow.

That was sad.

At least in my previous life I at least had a few girls around my body, this time I'm dying with my teacher, a man-child and a biologically engineered entity. Heh, that seems like a good punchline to a joke.

I felt his hand on my back, all five fingers, yet I didn't disintegrate. That's because Aizawa was staring at Shigaraki, glaring daggers at him with his Quirk turned on.

So.

Cool.

"As I said, you won't touch a single hair on my student," Aizawa simply said. "Two on one? Doable, but don't you dare try and fight my student when you haven't gotten rid of me yet!"

Shigaraki growled as he started to scratch his neck uncontrollably, even drawing blood as he ordered Nomu to break Aizawa's arm. It was a bone sickening crunch as I felt like vomiting. Yet Aizawa didn't cry, he didn't do anything apart from merely grit his teeth as he stared at Shigaraki continuously.

He didn't give up.

This was a real Hero.

One right in front of my eyes, someone who would not back down to evil. But how would we get out of here? There wasn't a way to escape yet? I still could not move, for all intents and purposes this was it. If only...

"Oi, oi, oi. Shitty cloud watcher, what the fuck are you doing on the floor? What are you, dead or something?!" The crazed voice of Katsuki Bakugo was music to my fucking ears, along with the explosions that came along with it. "Need a hand? Of course you do! I'm way fuckin' better than you, so let's save this bastard and our teacher and kill these villains!"

"E-erhm, K-Kacchan, I-I don't t-think it's a g-good idea to shout like that!" Izuku Midoriya said to the furious blonde.

"HUH? Fuck off Deku, that bastard is here fighting the big fish! All without inviting us to help him murder these fuckers', and he's on the ground like a baby! How pathetic!"

Another voice cut in.

"It seems like Yamazaki cannot move. I suggest we try to save him along with Aizawa-sensei," Aw, Shoto Todoroki, you do care about me! That's why you are my favourite character! PLEASE BE MY BEST FRIEND! "I'll freeze the villains, you all make sure you take them away to safety."

"All right! A manly task! Saving someone!" Oh. Kirishima! You're here too!

Haha!

"That's all great and all," I found myself saying. "But I really can't move, crusty lips over there have a dangerous Quirk and this bird thingy is meant to beat All Might. So unless backup isn't here just don't engage-,"

I could hear Bakugo snort behind me.

"Backup? Don't you understand you bastard? We are the backup!"

"...You? God damnit, we are all going to die then. If you are here to save us Kaplosion, just give me my sword and I'll willingly commit seppuku myself."

"Tch, as if you'd commit ritual suicide! You would be too afraid, dumbass."

"Oh and you could? I dare you to commit seppuku when we go back to school!" I yelled at the blonde. "That's better than dying because you thought you could play Hero! Damn it, just when I thought I'd be saved!"

"Sure why not-, Hey you fucktard! You trynna' make me commit suicide? Bastard, just watch when I beat the hell out of you!"

Midoriya cut in with a loud sigh.

"But Kacchan, weren't we supposed to save him? Don't beat him up!"

"Shut up Deku, and don't call me 'Kacchan' again or else I'll kill you!"

Todoroki coolly interrupted the furious blonde, "Please let's talk about this another time, rescuing Yamazaki and Aizawa-sensei is the most important thing here."

"I agree!" Kirishima added. "Come on, let's save them!"

Bakugo growled.

"Yeah you side characters can save them, I'll take on these bastards myself! Show you third-rate paperweights how a real Hero acts!"

"You? A 'real hero'? Please Kaplosion, you can't save one person. Don't embarrass yourself even further," I mocked the blonde who shouted obscenities at me in response. If only I could see his face right about now, that would be the cherry on top of the metaphorical cake. But alas I couldn't move my body at all, must be a sign from a higher being or something.

"I can save a hundred people! You are the one that can't save one person, I'm a better Hero than you!" Bakugo predictably replied.

"Oh really? Then save me and Aizawa then."

"Fine then-, Wait you bastard you thought you could trick me into saving the both of you? How fucking stupid do you think I'am?" The angry 'Pomeranian' shouted at me. "Reverse psychology doesn't work on me, dumbass!"

I sighed, it was looking like I wasn't getting saved any time soon. Not with the angry ball of explosions refusing to save us to instead try and fight the villains in front of me, if only I could get up and smack the idiot in the head.

Actually, he would probably take that as a challenge to fight me.

I'd rather not.

"FEAR NOT," A thunderous voice cut in as I nearly screamed out in surprise. Did he have to be so loud? I didn't need to turn around to see that he had arrived. All Might. "I AM HERE!"

---

Toshinori Yagi POV

Toshinori felt sick.

Well, he had used up to his limit for the day, however that wasn't why he felt ill. It was the current predicament his students were in, the current predicament his colleagues were in. Yamazaki on the floor unable to move, Shota Aizawa - his colleague - pinned down to the ground with a broken arm. And that was just right in front of him.

Behind him, Thirteen was heavily injured, and Jiro was being calmed down by Yaoyorozu and Uraraka. Apparently she would have died if it wasn't for Yamazaki's interference… A day meant for training had turned into a living nightmare for them.

'You kids must have been so scared... all alone like this with villains actively trying to kill you. It makes my blood boil,' He thought to himself as he ripped his tie off, unbuttoning his top button. FEAR NOT," he started. "I AM HERE!"

The relieved look of his most prized pupil made him want to smile, however he couldn't. Not in this situation, not with that villain staring at him with such a burning hate in his eyes.

"I've been waiting, Hero!" The villain with the weird hands on his face spat out angrily. "You almost made me think you weren't going to come and save these kids! Although, I hope we at least killed one of them-,"

Before the villain could even finish, he managed to grab Yamazaki and Aizawa from beneath the villain's clutches, placing them next to his successor. Midoriya looked up to him with a grin, and Toshinori couldn't help but smile - They did good today.

Every single member of Class A.

"No one will die here today, you have my word on that," Toshinori said angrily, all faint traces of a smile long gone from his face. 'Iida's face... he looked so worried. I can't help but imagine what stress he must have been in. The poor boy wasn't even speaking coherently.' He mused to himself as he tightened his fist. "Take everyone to the entrance, backup will be here soon."

His students nodded as Kirishima picked up the unmoving Yamazaki, who's eyes betrayed the fact that he would rather be anywhere than on Kirishima's shoulders. Aizawa stood up shakily, however not only was his arm broken, but his right eye was bleeding profusely.

…He wanted to stay and fight.

"Go, I got this," Toshinori ordered once again as he shifted into a familiar fighting stance. "And there is no way that I'll lose!"

'I have to defeat these two, right here and now!' Toshinori mentally told himself. However he looked at the students behind him, particularly focusing on Sora Yamazaki. The blue haired boy... he had managed to fend off the villains and save a few people according to Iida.

He was also heavily injured and unable to move.

However, he did well today.

They all did well today.

Each and every one of his students were pushing him forward, providing him with the strength to do what needed to be done.

"Nomu," The villain wearing all those hands said. "Kill All Might, won't you?"

And thus, their fight began!

---

I tried my hardest to move, to do anything as Kirishima carried me to the entrance, but nothing was working. The only thing I could do was yell obscenities at Shigaraki as I cursed his entire family.

What a fucking annoying little shit!

Well not little, he was still slightly taller than me, but that's besides the point! What was annoying was that with the position Kirishima had put me in, I couldn't see a singly fucking thing!

Not while he stood there, watching one of the best fights of all time go down while I was swung around his shoulder, unable to see jack shit but only hear the fucking commentary instead! Like I gave a flying fuck about his descriptions and use of simile's!

I had my own fucking eyes I could use!

"Let me see!" I yelled at the red haired boy, who grinned at me sheepishly as he turned me around with an apology. I had thought the fight was incredible in the manga and anime, but this...

In real life, using my own two eyes, it was a spectacle. Two giants duking it out, punches going faster than the speed of... They were going fast! I couldn't even see what was happening as we were blown back from the shockwaves Nomu and All Might were causing.

I glanced over at Midoriya, who had managed to come to the same conclusion I had, or rather the answer I already knew.

Each of All Might's punches were above one hundred percent of One For All, he was going 'Beyond Plus Ultra!' simply put. Even now, it still amazes me. All Might was the strongest Hero sure, but I hadn't realised the pure strength he had, he was unrivalled in power.

And one day, Izuku Midoriya would be wielding that power.

It was a scary thought for sure.

It was pure power, flips and tricks as the two giants collided with each other. What was the saying again? An unstoppable force meets an unmovable object? Well, it didn't really apply here. All Might was slowly but surely gaining the advantage with each punch, every second he felt like he was going even further than his limit.

They say teachers should lead by example, and right now I was pumped myself despite being heavily injured.

Despite having a ton of questions...

Seeing All Might fight for me, fight for us, it put a smile on my face.

"Win," I found myself whispering.

Maybe he heard me, maybe he didn't. But that smile on his face didn't look so forced anymore, no it looked legit. He knew everyone was cheering him on, and so it gave him the power needed to fight back. To surpass even his limits his body had restricted himself, to go even further beyond. All Might embodied the true spirit of U.A.

The true spirit of a Hero.

I watched in fascination as he pulled back his fist, Nomu having bounced off the floor as the Symbol of Peace and Justice said those exact words that caused chills to crawl up my spine all those years back when I first saw it. A random video on YouTube, albeit one similar to the video Izuku Midoriya loved to watch as a child.

In nature at least.

"Now, for a lesson. you may have heard these words before, but I'll teach you what they really mean. GO BEYOND! PLUS...ULTRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" And with that the Nomu, the hulking villain, was launched into the fucking stratosphere, breaking the building, breaking entire clouds.

And right there in the middle stood All Might, his fist raised up in victory.

You know, maybe Hawks might have some competition for being my favourite hero? All Might and Eraserhead. They were pretty fucking rad, especially as my teachers. Kirishima stopped staring at All Might as he ran towards the exit, apologising to me for not getting there more quickly.

I laughed at the red head as I said he didn't need to apologise, and really he didn't need to.

"Oh shit man, you okay?" Kaminari asked me, panicking slightly as he looked at my injuries. "What the hell happened between you and T-, That villain!"

Yeah... I didn't know how to respond to that. My body hurt all over, I'd be surprised if I could even go to sleep tonight. Yaoyorozu came afterwards as she took one look at me and gave a heavy sigh.

"What am I to do with you?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Allow me to skip school more often? If you do that, you will be officially the class president amongst class presidents! The one true leader, the Queen of them!"

Yaoyorozu sniggered at that.

"Make sure to come to school on time or else."

And with that the tall, dark haired beauty known as Momo Yaoyorozu walked off, grabbing Kaminari by the collar. All before a familiar person walked up to me. I found myself smiling at the crying state of Jiro, who was tugging on my arm. I wondered if I should pretend to be dead, but decided not to do so. That would be a little too far for a practical joke.

Instead I just winked at her.

"Yo, you okay?" I asked. "You look like you've gone through the ringer.

"You-, Why are you asking me that?!" Jiro managed to get out in between her sobs. "I... I nearly died. And if it wasn't for you... I thought you died!" She shouted at me, tears streaming down her face. "Do you know how hard it was for me to accept that huh?"

I wanted to shrug my shoulders, but once again I found that I couldn't.

"Jiro...Kyoka, I-, Listen. I'm fine, honestly. Remember what I said? A picnic tomorrow? How does that sound? Invite everyone and anyone you want, I'll pay for the food and stuff. Kay'?"

She rolled her eyes as she wiped the remaining tears away.

"Even in the face of death you still think of things like this? What am I to do with you, Sora? You're impossible!"

"But loveable."

"You should apologise, you know, to everyone! You made everyone worry!"

"Grown men don't apologise," I said in a deep voice. "It cheapens his soul!"

Jiro burst out into giggles as she combed my hair to the side.

"You know, if anything I should be the one thanking you-,"

"Save it," I interrupted her abruptly. "I don't wanna hear it. If ya' really want to apologise, go buy me a game or something. Actually, knowing you, you'll probably do that so no, don't do that. If you really want to apologise, just don't make a big deal about it. That's what best friends do, right?"

She nodded at me.

"Right!"

And with that I was whisked away, entering a shitty ambulance. That was annoying, I wouldn't see the aftermath. But as I lay there on the uncomfortable bed in the back, I couldn't help but form a wide grin on my face.

I did it.

I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks.

I did it.

I saved them all. I was a Hero, no.

More than that, I changed the future.

I won.

---

USJ ARC

END

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(This was updated early because tomorrow is my friends birthday so we are going out to celebrate and shit. So thank him for the early chapter I guess...)

Wow! That was incredibly fun to write!

Of course the USJ arc is slightly different from canon, yet remains entirely the same. And it's for a reason, it's familiar yet unfamiliar. As for the 'flames' he got... well I have to say there is a reasonably plausible explanation. One you will start to hear from next chapter, and Sora will gain more answers in the chapters yet to come.

It's a mystery! So put on your thinking caps and try to solve it! First person to guess correctly will... They will get a random spoiler from Part 1 for this story! Yep! That's how confidant I'am that no one will guess correctly as to why Sora was able to do that!

Now, the next few chapters will be some downtime. It'll be a little bit before we get to the school festival (Wow, I never thought we would make it here, honestly.) Maybe 4 or 5 chapters? Maybe less? It honestly depends. I have a few things I need to set up for the future, which of course will take some time.

Also, a mini training arc of sorts! Yay!

Brocole07: Heh, right in one!

Animeman309: Sort of

Cresenses: Jiro is safe, and so is everyone else... for now

Guest: Maybe there will be more, maybe there won't be more? Who knows how many people have been reincarnated? (Only me, but details schmetails.)

Nirtheworm14: Sort of. You are right. However all I have to say is that while 'Zero' and Sora seem to have similar views, they are completely different. And yes, they are completely different from Sora, they are not the same person. However hopefully this chapter has given a few more details into 'Zero' as a character, and later on once you get the full picture you will understand what I mean. As of now not everything is clear, you have some puzzle pieces but the majority of the puzzle still cannot be put together. And regarding the light heartedness you will get some more of it in the coming chapters, and I'm sorry to hear about my banter not really working for you. I've honestly tried to make my dialogue somewhat enjoyable, so I'll try to improve on it more ,however I can say there will be more interesting character dynamics coming very soon so you might enjoy that. Overall this story is semi-serious, and I'm going to try to keep it that way throughout the story.

Dudethatlikesstoread: Thanks I appreciate it! Hopefully this chapter had better grammar and spelling? I really hope so at least, I have been trying to improve on that with these chapters but it is quite difficult. Might have to purchase a tool or something, depends on how expensive they are.

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ALSO MASSIVE NOTICE! I WILL BE DOING FULL ON EDITS FOR EACH CHAPTERS, NO NEW SCENES WILL BE ADDED SOME WILL JUST BE FLESHED OUT MORE HOWEVER IT WON'T AFFECT ANYTHING, IT WILL JUST BE A FEW EXTRA JOKES ETC ALONG WITH BETTER SPELLING AND GRAMMAR! WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN? AFTER PART 1 IS COMPLETE...

I KNOW I KNOW, I'M JUST BEING LAZY BUT I HONESTLY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GO THROUGH OVER 160 THOUSAND WORDS AS OF NOW. WHEN PART 1 ENDS I HAVE SCHEDULED A FULL ON MONTH BREAK, MAYBE TWO IN ORDER TO WRITE OUT MORE CHAPTERS AND EDIT ALL PAST ONES SO PLEASE DO BARE WITH ME HERE! THANKS ONCE AGAIN!.

Oh and one last thing, the recommended music for this chapter (Or at least the ones I listened to while writing) is a complete mess. At first it was the Main Fairy Tail theme, but the sad version. Then for the fight it switched to just the main Fairy Tail theme. And then with the 'flames', it sort of switched to the Hinokami Kagura theme from Episode 19 of Demon Slayer... which may or may have not been an inspiration for the entire scene.

However have no fear, that scene was actually pllanned out before the first chapter of this story even released. Back in March actually I had an idea for a scene like that. But I digress.

Interesting selection of music I must say.

Oh! I haven't done a 'next time' in a long time! How could I forget?

---

Next time:

"Sora stop singing 'We are the Champions'! You sound like a dying goat, or rather a donkey that's set on fire." - ?