Songs I'd recommend listening to during this chapter:
Everlasting Shine from Black Clover
Death Valley by Fall Out Boy
The Shepherd's Boy from Doctor Who
On the Precipice of Defeat from Bleach
Man of War by Radiohead
Battles by Hudson Taylor
REVIVER by MY FIRST STORY
Hero by Unlimits
Die from RWBY
The Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine
Thank you ALL so much for an amazing first year of Carry On. We'll return to the fic in mid-January.
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
And starward drifts the stricken world,
Lone in unalterable gloom
Dead, with a universe for tomb,
Dark, and to vaster darkness whirled.
The Testimony of the Suns, George Sterling
All for One stood above all, standing atop the tallest of the beasts. Apocalypse- the most dangerous emitter quirk recorded at the time it was around. The Apocalypse quirk allowed for the villain to freely manipulate and shape the landscape to his need, being able to control ever last bit- which way the water flowed, whether or not the ground was solid or liquid, and if life itself could survive for a time being, He controlled and corrupted the land around him- like a God.
All for One had to fight for this quirk- such danger and simplicity had to be his. It took him a while to amass a proper way to beat his opponent, but he triumphed. What happened to the original user? No one is certain. But some say All for One used the power to raze the city the original user was protecting.
All Might had seen this power before- the day his Master died. This was the last thing he saw her go up against, and it haunted him. All for One did not kill her with his own hands, no- he bent the will of the Earth to follow his commands. The screams and the flames still haunted his nightmares.
Why was I born?
What am I supposed to do with my life?
I don't have an answer
I hate not knowing!
All Might blinked. I know those words. Were they from again? He thought. It was a weird thing to recall right now. Especially in the heat of an intense battle. All Might rubbed his head, trying to remember…
Oh, yeah…Anpanman. All Might thought. I used to read those all the time with…mom. God, been a while since I thought about her.
Sachiko Yagi was a single mom, raising her kid in a world too scary to grow up in. But, she still wanted the best for Toshinori. He was alone and quirkless, with not many people in his corner. Not like her parents wanted her after she had a kid while she was underage.
Despite the challenges, Sachiko worked hard to provide for her son. She worked long hours as a nurse, saving every penny she could to give Toshinori a better life. She often sacrificed her own needs to make sure her son had what he needed.
…sacrifice.
All Might was always scared of that word.
To him, sacrifice meant 'giving up your life'. Happened to Sachiko. Literally worked herself to death in his second year of middle school.
…that hurt.
Toshinori struggled to come to terms with the loss of his mother. He felt angry and alone, and couldn't understand why life had to be so unfair. He knew that his mother had sacrificed everything for him. She had worked tirelessly to give him a better life, and he was determined to make her proud.
But life in a world ruled by fear was not 'better'.
Life without a light is…scary.
"This is the way the Hero Society ends. Not with a bang but a whimper." All for One proclaimed, while 'conducting' the ground beneath him to attack the other heroes. "The world has let their powers influence who they are for far too long- I long for the days of liberation and freedom, with a personality not bound by the influence of our superpowers…"
All Might stood back up. All for One noticed. "Coming to face me again, Toshinori? I have some news- Many heroes have faced me. They think they can stare into the face of Death, and make Death blink first. They call themselves brave and invincible."
All for One deployed his sharp rivet tendrils again, and combined them with some sort of Laser Sword quirk.
"They were never those words- liars trying to overhype themselves. I don't worry about dying. Before I was born, I had been dead for billions and billions of years, and it hadn't caused me any trouble at all." All for One proclaimed. "Would the world care if one more light went out in the sky of a million stars?"
All Might's eyes lit up.
Another memory came to mind.
He didn't remember how the conflict started, only the middle and the end. He was 14, just about to start his last year of middle school. He was swinging a pipe at some gang that was harassing him because that's how life was back then. Fending for yourself with what little you had.
And Toshinori didn't have a cool quirk.
He just had himself, and no one else.
No mom. No dad. No siblings, cousins or grandparents.
Just a rusty metal pipe against some guys who looked like they'd eat him for breakfast. Toshinori was not born lucky.
Luck's a fickle thing. The more unlucky you are…the luckier you are to meet the right person at the right time.
While Toshinori didn't remember the entire fight, he remembered her, floating above the cluster of knocked out idiots, looking like the utter definition of...peace.
She turned to look at him, as she rubbed her palms off to clean them. "...was a pipe really gonna lead you to victory?" She asked him. "Really, kid?"
The future pro hero blinked. "T-thank you, Miss-"
"Drop the Miss. Just call me Skyward." She said, drifting to the ground and walking over to examine the kid. No injuries, no wounds, nothing. She gave a sigh of relief.
"Get yourself back home," Skyward said, turning around. "Not safe around here."
Skyward expected that to be the end of their conversation. She had other places to be, and Torino was probably waiting for her.
The kid didn't move. She gave him another look. "Yes?" She asked. She was usually so warm with people, but life as a hero wasn't one of pleasure.
"...teach me." Toshinori said.
"Huh?"
"Teach me," He said, stepping forward, over the knocked out bodies of the others. "I want to be your pupil."
Skyward stared at him. "No." She turned to float off, but the kid followed close behind. Part of her wanted to fly away, but admittedly, a part of her was curious on how serious this kid was.
"Please, let me assist you." Toshinori said, sometime later. He'd been following her for a full 20 minutes, and it was starting to get on her nerves.
"You're quirkless, aren't you?" Skyward said. "I appreciate the tenacity, but I don't have the time to look out for someone powerless."
"Please. I mean it." Toshinori begged.
"Defend a three meter radius with that pipe of yours. Good luck." Skyward said callously.
Toshinori sighed. Fine. Time to bust out the guilting. "I don't have a family."
Skyward paused for a moment. "...neither do I. But I don't have the luxury to join your hero quest." And then she continued on. Maybe she'd ditch in the next minute-
"I can't...accept a world like this. Where those who take from others come out on top. And then, those who've had everything stolen...their grief turns to hatred, in an endless spiraling cycle." Toshinori said.
Skyward stopped in her tracks and turned to face Toshinori. There was a flicker of recognition in her eyes, as though she too had felt the same desperation and frustration.
"I know what you mean," she said, her voice softening slightly. "But this world isn't going to change overnight. Believe me...I tried."
"I know," Toshinori replied. "But...I want to help. Even if it's just a little bit."
"So, what's your solution?" Skyward asked.
"I want to make the world a place where everyone can live with a smile." Toshinori said. "And for that, the world needs a symbol."
Skyward raised an eyebrow. "A symbol of what?"
"Peace." Toshinori's eyes darted to the cityscape- his town had given up on repairs, given the giant spears sticking out of the ground. He took a deep breath. "...the people have been living in fear for a while now. Hearts and minds are clouded in darkness. But...if there was someone out there, who could stand up against the darkness and fight for them, then maybe...just maybe, they could believe in a brighter tomorrow."
Skyward was silent for a moment, considering his words. This kid's idealism was infectious, she had to admit. But...she also knew how harsh reality could be.
"...Being a symbol isn't easy," she said finally. "It's not just about fighting villains and saving people. It's about inspiring hope, and setting an example. Are you prepared for that kind of responsibility?"
Toshinori nodded firmly. "I am. I know it won't be easy, but...I have to try. Otherwise...a quirkless guy like me has no role otherwise."
Skyward stared at him.
"You're an interesting one." She said, with a small laugh. "And I like it. Give me some time to mull it over...okay?"
"I'll wait forever for an answer, if I need to." Toshinori said.
Skyward smiled, feeling a sense of warmth in her chest that she hadn't felt for a long time. There was something special about this boy, something that gave her hope.
"...Well, good thing forever is closer than you think. Meet me here. Tomorrow." Skyward said. "I'll have my decision then."
Toshinori's heart leaped at her words. "Thank you, Skyward. I'll be here. I promise."
"I'm sure you will..." Skyward paused.
"Toshinori."
"...got a hero name in mind yet?"
"...there is one. I'm not really confident on it yet, but...I think it'll really catch on."
"Say it."
"ALL MIGHT!" All for One roared, sending his tendrils towards him. "Have my words finally broken you!?"
All Might side-stepped the laser-enhanced tendrils, letting them stab into the ground.
"Not even close."
With the power of One for All, the Number One pro hero spun on the spot and severed the tendrils. All for One winced slightly as the rivet tendrils were cut, with what remained of them returning to his hand.
Ben was burning and slicing apart the abominations of Apocalypse, but for every four he cut down, they returned three-fold. Ruby was watching his back, working in perfect tandem with him. Whenever Ben was forced to dodge out of the way of an attack, or whenever one got the jump on him, Ruby easily raced in and slashed away at the offender.
She fired off rounds of Dust to freeze, electrocute, bury, and even crush the attacks of the Apocalypse Quirk. Endeavor was incinerating the green tendrils, but some still managed to race through the flames towards the pro. The flaming hero dodged out of the way and destroyed those tendrils with flaming punches. Gran Torino was impossible to hit, bouncing between pieces of rubble as the abominations chased him around. With his mastery of his Quirk, he was able to lure them into traps, working in perfect sync with Edgeshot. The ninja hero used his threads to cut through the tendrils whenever Torino lured them over to him.
"They care, All for One," the Symbol of Peace said, "Look at them. Look at how hard they're fighting. They're not scared of this, they've all faced worse."
"And what about you, All Might? I might not physically have eyes anymore, thanks to you, really, but I saw how you reacted. You froze up. The Symbol of Peace, an inspiration to the world...and you couldn't even take a step forward," the League of Villain's mastermind countered.
"That wasn't fear."
"...what?"
"It wasn't fear. It was shock. And shock is something I can easily overcome," All Might said, balling his fists and getting into a fighting stance. He was ready to jump at the Symbol of Evil and, without a second's hesitation, he did. Dust was kicked up from the force behind the leap, launching right at All for One. Apocalypse tendrils raced towards All Might, white, boney spears emerging from their ends.
All Might was unphased. When the first tendril got in range, the Symbol of Peace punched right through it. As it fell, he jumped atop it and ran its length, dodging other tendrils as they struck and tore through the fallen extension of the power. Another tendril raced at All Might from the front, the end morphing into a gaping maw with the Spearlike Bones as teeth. The maw clamped down on All Might, seemingly devouring him then and there, only for the Symbol of Peace to break free, punching a hole through the back of the maw and continuing on his rush towards All for One.
Ruby watched All Might fight, eyes wide with stunned disbelief. Oh my god- he's angry! All Might may just kill One for All tonight and end the nightmare for good! Ruby clenched her fist. And it's our job to make sure that bastard ends up six feet under.
Ruby spun her scythe, and flew upwards. "BEN!" Ruby yelled, trying to get his attention.
"Yeah?!" Ben answered, dodging another Apocalypse tendril. He stabbed both of his shield-blades into the monstrosity and burned it from the inside out.
"I need a good ol' fashioned Upgrade- overheated, if you would!" Ruby grinned. Ben's eyes lit up, as he morphed into Omni Drive Upgrade.
The armored Upgrade stood in place of his enhanced Swampfire form, two drones hovering at his sides. A smaller tendril tried to race at and impale Ben from the side, but the drones suddenly turned red in color. They locked onto it and fired off a barrage of energy blasts, tearing the mutation apart.
Ben morphed his body into a rocket, and flew towards Ruby. He immediately melded with her power armor, and started to morph it to her liking. Her weapon merged into her suit as well. Her armor started to increase, becoming notably bulkier and more combat oriented. Autonomous Energy Displacer Sentries launched out of her back, along with repulsors and jets and other fun materials on her person.
"And don't forget- I ordered an overheat." Ruby smirked.
"One overheat, coming up!" Ben said. The green circuits that covered the power armor suddenly morphed to look less like proper circuit lines and more like volcanic cracks. The energy seeping out wasn't normal Mechamorph power, but instead green flames. Four thrusters appeared on Ruby's back, each with small tongues of green flame firing off from the opening.
"Ready when you are," Ben assured.
Ruby aimed her thrusters forward, and rushed to help All Might. She held open her hand, and a projection of Crescent Rose appeared by her side. All for One launched some stony projectiles, but Ruby easily sliced them into pieces and continued flying forwards.
Ruby held open her hand and began launching burning projectiles at All for One, searing parts of his body. All for One launched some Zero Cannons at the duo to stop their path, but Ben and Ruby's combined speed was too much to handle.
The attacks did nothing to the duo, letting go through with their original plan. Two more Apocalypse maws raced toward All Might, hoping to tear him to shreds and stop him from reaching All for One. Instead of being punched apart, a single powerful slash decapitated both of the maws from their tendrils.
"Keep going, Toshi!" Ruby called out, "We got you covered!"
"Appreciate it!" All Might saluted, continuing to rush towards All for One. The villain growled and held out his arm in preparation. By now, it was more of an inevitability that All Might would reach him, so he needed to be ready.
"Giga Limbs + Springlike Limbs + Spearlike Bones + Rivets + Multiplier..." All for One listed. Multiple arms emerged from his actual arm, clasping together and merging into a giant fist. Rivet like growths, sharp bone-spikes, and what seemed like pieces of rebar jutted out from the massive fist. It dwarfed his entire body in size.
Ben and Ruby didn't care about the arm because they had already seen much worse tonight. All for One smirked and pointed the fist at his opponents.
"+ Shuttle Punch + Overclock!" All for One called out, and all of a sudden, eight huge fists hit the Earth at once. The fist moved much too fast for the eye to see, and more of the ground was damaged.
All Might was undeterred. He simply leapt over the fist, turning around and rearing his hand back.
"New Hampshire...SMASH!" All Might yelled, before punching the air and launching himself forward. He turned around mid-air, fist reared back and ready to go for another Smash. All for One growled and two more arms appeared from his back.
"+ Air Cannon!" All for One yelled, firing off two bursts of air that propelled him forward. The two nemeses were racing towards each other like speeding bullets, fists reared back and ready to strike. All Might aimed to take down this villain and bring an end to his short-lived return. All for One aimed to destroy All Might here, tonight, for all the world to see. With their Symbol of Peace gone, a new order would rise with him at its head.
People all over the city were glued to their TVs, waiting with dread and hoping that All Might would win. In one hero agency, a girl with blue skin in a suit of armor watched the events live with a butler who had more insect-like qualities. But the person who was most interested in what was going on was a man in a simple white suit and glasses who stood with his hands clasped in front of him.
"All Might..." he said, silently and with a hint of lament.
The students of Class 1-A watched in shock and awe as All Might raced forward to meet this terrible foe head on.
"Woah...this looks bad." Sero said.
"I've never seen All Might so beat up." Tokoyami said, his voice shaking.
"What are the other heroes even doing?! Where's his support!?" Kirishima said.
Izuku was stuck staring in horror, trying not to hold back tears. He's going above and beyond again, just like at the USJ- but this is way past his limit! I don't even know how he's still going after a few minutes WITH All for One!
But their chatter wasn't the only thing being discussed at the moment. All across Japan, dialogue on the fight was being shared.
"They did a number on him..."
"Where is Kamino?"
"Looks like Daddy won't be going into work tomorrow..."
"These villains are getting sloppy."
"That's just how it is sometimes."
"Nah, I feel like heroes are slacking."
"All Might looks worn down."
"My God..."
"My heart is with the heroes..."
"Come on, stand up!"
"Do you pay attention to what the people of the globe are saying, All Might? Are you able to hear the shouts of the people who have placed their hope in you?" All for One asked. "Putting your trust in another person is the surest method to determine whether or not you can rely on them in the future. People from every corner of the globe have believed in you ever since you gave your very first performance. The fact that trust might be misplaced is one of the most challenging aspects of the concept. It's like broken glass. Glue can be used to patch it up, but the fissures will remain just like scars from an injury that never entirely heals."
All for One raised his hand up, preparing one more Air Cannon. "And I will be the one to break their trust." He fired off the Air Cannon for one last boost of speed, roaring as he flew towards All Might.
All Might ignored the Symbol of Evil's words. Trust was a fragile thing, he knew that; faith even more so. But all these people, all those who put their faith in him were not wrong. All Might was not going to lose this fight.
The sudden strike from All for One was quick to send the symbol of peace airborne, wind rushing past him as his body felt weightless once again. It was unlike the usage of Float, it was more like he had just been struck hard enough to nearly be sent careening into a news chopper that had been glancing at the scene down below.
The reporters inside could only look on, camera staring at All Might as blood lightly trickled from his mouth. Most of the people seeing that their symbol was starting to be battered, broken...beaten...
Was All for One about to really do what he had done to Nana those years ago?
His vision was about to black out until...
"Toshinori!"
A sudden swooping blur came in to grab at the battered hero, bringing him back down to safety much faster than the eye could track. But of course, the words he spoke were certainly a lot more down to the wire and right at the heart of the issue.
"You can't let him worm his way into your head! This is just like six years ago!"
Gran Torino and All Might slammed into the Earth. The duo started to breathe heavily, wiping away blood and sweat from their faces.
"Last time he did that, he managed to get away, and opened that hole in your gut. He knows this is your weakness- his stupid, venomous words are to rile you up." Gran Torino advised. "His tactics and quirks he's using are nothing like before! Head on attacks won't cut it, even with your new powerset."
"Right..." All Might wheezed.
"But...That new powerset might also be the best way to get through, you still have that spark in ya so you need to go all in. Take a risky gamble and come out the other side!" Torino proclaimed as he seemed ready to assist in whatever fashion he could.
"We are fortunate to have others here who are willing to lend a hand. Both that Ben boy and his wife appear to be very effective in their fight against the heads of the Apocalypse. So, all your attention should be directed toward the big guy himself."
All Might huffed, as he stood up. All for One smirked, as his springlike limbs coiled up. "Be the flame, not the moth, Toshinori. Join the choir invisible in peace- don't humiliate yourself any further...especially with an audience."
All Might suddenly noticed something in the corner of his eye.
"Help! Please...Someone-!"
The voice of a woman called out as it seemed that All Might was now caught between a rock and a hard place. The gamble that he had would possibly allow for him to destroy All for One, but at the cost of a single life...
"What will you do, Toshinori? Do you want to risk the life of a single person just to hit me?"
All for One recoiled his limb before holding it up and preparing to fire off another Air Cannon, his nonexistent lips coiled into a sinister grin before firing off the shot...
All Might had no choice. All Might reared his fist back, and threw a massive punch at the blast- The two attacks collided, causing a massive mid-air explosion. The heroes were blown back by the air pressure erupting, scattering them across the battlefield. Dust covered the battlefield, blinding everyone.
"I'll take everything you've come to protect."
The dust started to clear.
"First, your image. You've maintained it well despite your wound."
All Might was standing tall, despite his wound.
"Then your pride."
All Might's body had deflated, revealing his true, weak form to the world. The helicopter's cameras had exposed him.
"This is the true All Might! The pathetic man behind the symbol of Peace."
The world seemed to stop at that moment. Citygoers had their eyes stuck watching the big screens, people at home had their eyes on their TVs or phones or computers, and back at the hospital...
Izuku's eyes were wide with horrified shock.
"And then...Your life."
All for One seemed ready to rear back his arm once again, satisfied that the world had now seen the Symbol of Peace for what he truly was.
The world, for that singular moment, seemed to stand still as everyone looked on at All Might...no, Toshinori Yagi, and saw him for the man that he had always been.
The students at UA looked on, some confused, some horrified...but all of them were wondering the same question.
Was this All Might?
"Why's he all skin and bones?" Kirishima asked aloud. "Is this what happens when he uses up all his quirk or something?"
"He looks like a walking skeleton." Tokoyami frowned. "Just what is the power of this villain he's facing?"
"I-I don't know if All Might can really win this now..." Iida muttered.
"N-no." Izuku whispered, eyes wide with horror.
"A-are you seeing this, viewers?" The newscaster's voice asked. "All Might is all shriveled up..."
Please don't broadcast this to the world. Izuku thought. Please don't let the world see this. The smiling symbol of peace can't be seen succumbing to evil-!
All for One let out a soft laugh before starting to walk just a little closer. He knew that Toshinori would not be able to fight back now, the last of that strength had faded and he was sure that he would be able to just annihilate him then and there.
Toshinori just spat at the ground in front of him. "I won't fall...I refuse to. For the sake of everyone here, I will not fall!"
"You should know that standing against me is a fruitless endeavor. But before I take you out, there is one last thing that you should know." All for One said. "The one that you call Tomura Shigaraki, they are someone very close to my heart...and also very close to your late mentors as well, Toshinori."
All Might's vision started to blur as All for One proclaimed that.
"...what?" All Might asked.
"Tomura Shigaraki is Nana Shimura's grandson." All for One grinned.
Those words hit harder than anything that All for One could have thrown at him.
The one that he had fought back then, the young lad who seemed so potent in the usage of his quirk, and the one who led the League of Villains...
All Might felt a yell beginning to bubble up inside of him. He didn't want to give up, but he could feel the vestiges inside of him beginning to fade...the world seemed darker now...he couldn't keep Nana's promise and now her own grandson was turned to...to this...
"Huh, what's the matter, All Might?" The villain mocked, tugging his face to mock Nana's iconic smile. "Where's that winning smile!? A fake smile may fool the crowd but it never eases the pain! Downfall, failure and death cannot be far from any man who lies easily with a smile!"
Ben and Ruby stared in horror, while Endeavor's eyes locked onto Toshinori's body, lost for words.
"W-what?!" Endeavor yelled. "WHAT IS THIS?!"
The physique and strength of the man that Endeavor had been chasing after for years...this was what it properly was?
To the rest of the world, all they could see was the man that they supported and loved, battered and beaten and ready to accept death...
All Might was defeated- finally, the first loss for the Symbol of Peace. His loss is the underworld's gain. The Apocalypse quirk started to spread further, forcing more people to evacuate.
What...have I done?
"Y-you can beat him..."
All Might looked over his shoulder, and saw the woman who was trapped under the rubble.
"Please...All Might..." The woman begged. "SAVE US!"
Toshinori started to look back at the woman before suddenly hearing more and more cries that were coming from seemingly all over the city.
"Come on, you have to get up!"
"You can't give up now!"
"Get up, All Might!"
As All for One continued to listen, more voices began to emerge. He was amazed that people would still look upon a shattered man and regard him as the hero who could try to save them. How could they possibly look at this...weak and formerly quirkless moron and perceive him as their symbol!?
Back at the hospital, everyone was yelling at the screen like the fight was a sports game. "He might look different, but he's still OUR All Might!" Kirishima yelled.
"He always manages to come out on top!" Sero insisted.
"YOU CAN DO IT, ALL MIGHT!" Satou shook the screen.
"D-don't you dare lose!" Ochako yelled, looking back at Izuku. The kid was shaking, trying to keep it together- this was HIS hero, his mentor- if this was his last fight then-
Izuku stood up, tears in his eyes. "YOU CAN WIN, ALL MIGHT!"
And somehow, that reignited One for All inside All Might. A sense of determination, a spark of hope, and an overwhelming desire to protect flooded his being. The weight of his responsibility to be the Symbol of Peace pressed upon him, but in that defining moment, a flame ignited deep within his chest.
A surge of energy surged through his veins, coursing through every fiber of his being as if a radiant fire had been kindled. All Might's eyes widened with newfound strength as the embers of One for All flickered and roared to life within him. It was as if a dormant power had been awakened, its brilliance illuminating the darkest corners of his soul.
The emblazoned fire of One for All intensified, filling his entire body with an immense surge of indomitable power. A translucent aura, crackling with electricity, enveloped him, emanating an unyielding sense of authority. Sweat dripped from his brow, evaporating into steam as his muscles swelled and bulged, fueled by the surging energy within.
All for One just looked at the Symbol of Peace and put up a hand. "No matter how hard you try, it won't matter in the end. You can now join Nana in heaven." As his words echoed, the dust began to swirl and sparks began to arc over All Might's body.
"You forgot one thing, All for One...Heroes never give up! They continue fighting with a smile regardless of all that is thrown against them! HEROES NEVER DIE!"
All for One's sensor quirks suddenly overloaded. Wh-what is this power?! Where did it come from? Don't tell me the weak wills of all the previous users gave him a second wind!
"Young lady…" All Might spoke, as his body continued to spark. "Thank you."
He stood up tall, and his muscular form returned- no, it was being exceeded. All Might looked stronger than ever. "There are plenty of things that heroes need to protect, All for One! That's why…"
All Might opened his eyes- they weren't sullen and black, but white and blue, with his pupils sparking out of control. "I CAN'T LOSE!"
All for One glanced at All Might. He found himself actually starting to get a little bit more surprised at the fact that this weak will had suddenly reignited into a blazing inferno. He could not lose here, he was NOT going to lose here no matter what happened! All for One quickly hopped back before starting to beckon the Apocalypse heads toward himself. "To oblivion, All Might!"
All Might jumped- and in an instant, he'd crossed the Apocalypse, and was in front of All for One's face.
THIS SPEED-! All for One realized, as All Might reared his fist back.
All for One was suddenly blown back, but was able to restabilize himself as he started to raise his arms, the Apocalypse heads starting to let out a loud roar as they charged at All Might. The symbol of evil was going to try and throw everything he could to try and prevent All Might from getting any closer.
Why was he acting so desperate...He couldn't let himself be overwhelmed now-!
Smoke emitted from All Might's body, obscuring the camera's view. Black tendrils shot out of his back at tremendous speeds, and quickly lashed the Apocalypse heads apart. "The sixth and the fifth!" All Might didn't know what these "words" meant at the time, but there was no time to guess.
All for One just looked at All Might with increasing anger, how dare he use their powers, the power that was rightfully meant for him. All Might sped towards All for One again, roaring with passion. His second wind was a gift- and he wasn't going to waste it.
"When you feel like you're at your limit, just remember..."
Remember.
"Remember why you swing those fists."
Why I fight.
"I'm talking about where you started. That's why you need to recall it- in order to push yourself much further past your limit."
All Might had longed to make the world a place where everyone can live with a smile- and for that, the world needed a symbol.
"You're an interesting one..."
All Might clenched his fist.
"And I like it."
Each time he swung his fist, All Might could feel that intense feeling behind it. The feeling that made him that symbol everyone wanted him to be. For their sake, he had to keep moving forward with the same strength he'd always had.
As Endeavor glanced from the sidelines, his flames seemed to almost feel a little more intense as he could see the true strength that had been hidden away from the number one hero. This kind of strength was what he wished to obtain.
All Might...For years, I've been chasing that shadow of yours...and this is what you've been hiding from us?
All Might and All for One exchanged powerful, earth shaking blows- even with impact recoil and shock absorption, All for One was struggling to take the hits without some damage. And even with the overwhelming power of Overclock, Springlike Limbs and Rivetstab, he couldn't keep up with the symbol of Peace's enhanced fists.
He's using the Second and the Third's quirks in tandem! By repeating the same action, he builds up more energy to use for the next hit!
All Might's fist hit All for One in the face in an instant, making a loud noise that reverberated across the battlefield. Shockwaves were sent through the area by the crash, which scattered the debris in all directions. The satisfying feeling of each hit was like letting go of pent-up rage- The hits kept coming at All Might, in a steady stream that almost seemed like therapy.
"A FEW MORE DESPERATE PUNCHES WILL DO NOTHING, ALL MIGHT!" All for One yelled. He was struggling to maintain composure- he was the guy getting punched in the face, after all. He activated a combination of random quirks, each one more destructive than the last. A gust of wind erupted around him, carrying razor-sharp blades of air towards All Might. All Might jumped back, dodging the brief outburst of an attack.
"You're right! If I'm to end this then I need to do it with a single blow!" All Might smirked. His smile was still just as wide as he could feel the flame inside of him burning with such an intense inferno that he knew that it would have to be with this final strike that things would end...
"One hit! Amusing! You think a single blow will be enough to knock me down!? A pathetic display! Your several measly quirks hold no real power compared to my Ultimate Quirk combination..." All for One boasted.
All Might started to laugh. "You can say those words, All for One, but they're nothing that can stop me from putting you down for good! You've heard these words before All for One, I will show you what they REALLY mean!"
All for One's limb started to heavily mutate. "I'd love to see your pathetic 'Plus Ultra' mantra stand up to this power..." All for One laughed. "Springlike Limbs, Kinetic Booster x4, Strength Enhancer x3, Multiplier, Hypertrophy, Rivets, Air Walk, Spearlike Bones, Fire Fusion, Overcock, Giga Limbs, Laser Eyes, Eyes in the Sky, Zero Wind and Air Cannon..."
The arm was large in and bulky, looking heavily mutated. It didn't look human at this point- nor was it alien.
"And Apocalypse."
And that's when the Earth around him started to shift. The dragon heads started to mold themselves into perfect copies of that horrible arm, and they were towering over All Might's body.
"This is it!" Ben yelled, as he and Ruby grabbed some civilians from the rubble. "I think this last attack decides the battle."
"Right now...there's no doubt in my mind that All Might's gonna win this battle…even if it looks impossible!" Ruby muttered.
All Might quickly started to clench his fist tightly, taking a widened stance as he glanced up toward the large limb that AFO was trying to construct. He knew that this strike had to be the very antithesis to what All for One was going for - the yang to his yin and the very thing that will show him, if not the world, that he was the hope of everyone and everything. His eyes continued to burn as his hair even started to glow with an intense yellow aura, red markings starting to crawl across his form as he simply spoke with no words.
All for One simply let out a roar before thrusting his arm forward, the hulking mass of a limb beginning to rapidly charge toward All Might. All Might couldn't afford to mess this up. The world was watching- everyone's resting their hopes on your victory, All Might! WIN!
Trading blows confirmed my suspicions- One for All has been not only fully awakened, but transferred. I am fighting the 'ghost' of a quirk. All for One thought. Somehow, he managed to get his embers to spark again...but how?
And then, for a brief moment, All for One saw them.
All for One saw each of the faces of those that had once inherited the quirk One for All. The faces including that of his own brother, the one that dared to mock him by allowing this peon to face him directly.
It was almost like a light beckoning him to join them and yet he still continued to fight against them. He would not fall to his brother and he certainly would not fall to All Might here and now as the apocalypse-ridden arm started to move closer and closer to the symbol of peace.
All Might felt the power building up inside of him- this wasn't like anything he'd ever felt, even at his prime! Was One for All only giving him a small percentage of its power the whole time?
All this time, I've been holding onto my ember- struggling desperately to keep it going. Shielding it against a blizzard- but...for some reason, it feels like the blizzard has lifted...why?
That blizzard had lifted because they wanted him to be able to throw everything he could at All for One. This power was something that would allow for the balance to be restored - and it would also allow for the villains of this world to truly know that they would soon be next if they tried to pull a stunt like this
With one last push, All Might and All for One's fists collided. All Might was smoking like crazy, providing plenty of cover for his Blackwhips to shoot out and strike at the stone fists surrounding him.
"Petty tricks!? So unlike you!" All for One scoffed, activating his recoil impact quirk. Even if you use the strength enhancing quirks, you WILL get crushed by your own attack! I'm not even going to try!
However, as the impact recoil started to activate, All Might started to adjust his body to a point where the momentum from the impact would allow him to properly move along the edge of the fist. He was going to have to pull in that gamble.
All for One's eyes lit up, ready to fire lasers at All Might. But not even he could guess what was going to happen next.
So many have passed down this power from one and other. In order to serve the greater good and create hope for everyone...
And now it's your turn.
Do your best, Toshinori.
For some reason, that voice in his head didn't feel like a memory.
Toshinori would have clasped at his chest as he heard that voice, harnessing the remnants of the past and bringing it forward to the future. He knew that she had always been watching from the moment that she had passed on.
He was her successor and subsequently, he knew that he had to be there to train his own successor. He would make sure that Izuku Midoriya got the training he deserved, so that the world could look upon a new number one hero and see that the symbol of peace was still alive and well in the hearts of the next generation.
All for One tried to aim the lasers toward All Might, but was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of overwhelming power. Whatever energy All Might was exuding it had only gotten stronger...just what had they done?!
Thank you...Nana Shimura, I won't let you down. For the sake of everything, this will be my final strike. I will make sure of it!
"United...!"
The air seemed to run cold as time itself was starting to slow for All for One, his gaze locked onto the encroaching fist - clad in that same star-like spark...but this time it was as if the very world around it and All Might had shattered as suddenly his maskless face was gripped.
All Might had actively grabbed at All for One and started to run with him, hand gripping him tight on the face as his arm was enveloped by a searing white-hot energy. Leaping into the air with a single bound the two were quickly airborne once more as All Might's eyes trailed with lightning and fire in their wake.
"STATES OF...!"
All for One tried to rip All Might's hand away from his face, using any of his quirks to strike at him but it was as if the very impact they made was melted away or completely nullified! Their speed had increased dramatically as a combination of Float, Black Whip and Fa-Jin had allowed them to nearly reach low atmospheric heights. The Symbol of Peace quickly reared his still good arm back, chucking All for One before charging after him, the two in free fall as All for One tried to rear back his own arm to counter this strike.
"I will not lose here! TO HELL WITH YOU, ALL MIGHT!"
" ! ! ! !"
The sudden crunching sound of fist making contact with skin, muscle and bone could be heard. The very skies around All Might and All for One lighting up as a powerful star-shaped energy exploded out, as if the very visage of a falling star itself was emblazoned across the skies.
Everyone looked up and saw that All for One was shot into the ground so hard and fast that the winds themselves started to spiral and rise around the crater.
The cameras could do nothing but watch...
The people could only stand there and watch...
All Might, on the other hand, could only fall freely as he looked toward the sun. The power was finally starting to fade, and the faces of the remnant gave him one last warm smile. They knew their job was done...
"Thank you, One for All." All Might muttered.
He saw Nana, smiling at him.
"And goodbye..."
Ben and Ruby were the ones to catch All Might before he hit the ground. His eyes were so filled with light and hope…
"Toshi?" Ben asked. "Toshi, come on...stay with me, buddy!"
All Might blinked a few times, as Ben and Ruby landed on the ground. He stared up at the sky for a few moments, before he finally spoke.
"...your daughter." All Might rasped. "What...did you...name her?"
"What?" Ruby asked.
"Sorry, that...question has been on my mind since the bar..." All Might coughed. "What's her name?"
Ben and Ruby shared a look, and a small smile.
"We named her...Senna. It means 'bright', and...she's the light of our world now." Ruby explained, teary eyed. Don't tell me that was all that was on All Might's mind during the entire battle...
All Might chuckled. "What...a good name..." He said, as Ben and Ruby set him down. All Might attempted to get back up, much to their shock.
"Take it easy, Toshi!" Ben insisted. "You just-"
"I know." All Might said, standing proud. All Might raised his fist and assumed his muscular form. "And they need to know...I'm still here!"
"T-the villain is out cold! He won!" The newscaster yelled. "ALL MIGHT WON, AND HE'S STILL STANDING!"
It felt like the world rejoiced when he raised his fist- the cheers of the crowd could be heard all across Japan. No one could sit down after that insane battle- the adrenaline rush was too much.
"He's going to overdo it-!" Edgeshot said, as he watched All Might stand tall.
"Wait...just...let him do it." Gran Torino said, watching the scene. "...he's still on the job."
Seeing this scene reminded him of something from the past.
"You found a successor already?" A younger Gran asked his friend on the rooftop. They always came up to this point in the Yamanashi Prefecture- it had a perfect view. "I hope you chose someone with as much willpower as you, Nana."
Nana laughed- she always loved to laugh. She found it essential for being a hero. Gran Tornino hadn't heard her do that in a while. "Yeah- the kid came up to me a week ago and asked if he could be a hero- without a quirk."
That caught Gran off guard. "He doesn't have one? It seems unwise to give it to someone like that."
"He's an interesting one. A little crazy, but...I heard him out." Nana explained. "He's not got a great homelife, mostly because he lives in a bad part of the city. He says crime's not declining because the people don't have anyone to rely on. So, he wants to be someone everyone can depend on- a pillar to support everyone."
"That's one hell of a promise to keep." Gran Torino chuckled.
"...then am I crazy if I want to see him try?" Nana asked.
Gran Torino paused.
"No. Not for a single moment." Gran said.
Nana smiled. "That's all I needed to hear."
Gran wished she could've been here, to see this. To see the world he'd made possible, all with One for All. His final act...as the Number One hero.
All Might was still conscious for a few more minutes after the fight was over. He stood motionless, in the midst of all the destruction. Heroes and rescue forces were around him, sorting through the rubble and trying to find any civilians.
"The heroes' rescue efforts that began during All Might's battle continues in the aftermath." A newswoman said, clearly hyper from the scene she'd witnessed. "We expect a large number of casualties- in the meantime, the villain behind this catastrophe is...at this very moment-"
The woman looked behind her to see the dazed and confused All for One, being loaded into an Iron Maiden. "Is being loaded into a transport maiden! Somehow, the villain is still alive, but it seems All Might and company are all taking precautions."
All Might could feel Endeavor's stare on his body, looking at him with a mixture of disgust and confusion. All Might stared blankly ahead, not looking at him or anything else.
But, before he blacked out, All Might had one more message to deliver. As the Symbol of Peace.
With all the strength that was left in his right arm, he lifted it up, and pointed to the camera. The news anchor paused, as All Might coughed. What was the Pro Hero's message to the world after this battle?
"Next..." All Might muttered.
"Next...it's your turn."
To a casual listener, that brief message seemed like a warning directed at all the other criminals out there, telling them that the Symbol of Peace hadn't been broken.
"All Might..." Kirishima whimpered, tears streaming down his face. He was so emotionally invested in this battle, and he didn't care about how much of a mess he looked like right now.
"Isn't he just the coolest!?" Mina said, shaking Iida violently.
"Y-yes! Now, please, stop! I feel I may need to go to the hospital again!" Iida yelled.
But for Izuku and Ochako, that message carried a whole different weight.
"It's...it's gone." Izuku muttered softly.
Ochako could only stare at the screen. In the distance of the newscast, she could see Ben and Ruby, helping sort through the wreckage. Ben would occasionally look at the camera, but then look back at the rubble.
Ochako felt like that was meant for her and the class.
Something went wrong during the mission, didn't it? Ochako thought.
As those feelings of unease started to build up, Izuku finally cried. The students around knew he was a fanboy, and thought he was crying because he was especially touched by All Might's words.
No.
Those words meant it was time.
It's time for Izuku to step up and become the next symbol.
All Might's hand went down, and he finally closed his eyes.
"A-A powerful message, from the symbol of peace himself!" The news anchor said. "Despite his true form, I can still feel safe hearing those-"
All Might collapsed on the ground.
And then the footage was cut.
The world was in chaos the next day. Half of Kamino destroyed. The truth about All Might's body had leaked. And...since that broadcast of All Might's last attack, he'd been placed in a medically induced coma after that battle.
Multiple heroes had been injured. While Mt. Lady and Gang Orca had escaped with only a few injuries, the rest were pretty banged up. Best Jeanist had lost a lung- and even though he survived, he'd be out for a long while.
And, concerning Ragdoll...
She'd been 'unable' to use her quirk since her abduction, so she was on an 'indefinite' leave.
A great number of heroes had their lives affected by what was known as the Kamino Nightmare. What did this mean for today's heroes and the future of its society?
Every single person at UA found the hollow win particularly painful. Though the majority were pleased with All Might's victory, the coma was a cause for concern. The normally spirited class had a very…quiet train ride back home the next evening. Ochako couldn't help but notice the stark difference in her classmates. As she glanced around the cabin, the subdued expressions on her friends' faces spoke volumes.
Even though Kirishima was usually the loud and happy one, he sat still and looked out the window. His normally lively mood changed to one of quiet reflection, which made Ochako feel uneasy. She could tell he was having a hard time…maybe because of Bakugou. They hadn't heard anything beyond 'he was safe'...but something rubbed them the wrong way because of that.
Mina and Kaminari, the dynamic duo of laughter and mischief, seemed to have lost their usual spark. Their conversations were muted, and laughter was replaced with awkward silences. Something happened between them. They'd seen something terrible…and that fallout would come soon enough.
But it was Izuku who caught Ochako's attention the most. He stared out of the window, lost in his thoughts, his usual notebook forgotten in his hands. Ochako could almost feel the weight on his shoulders, a burden that seemed to have aged him overnight. She knew what it was.
You're next.
Unable to bear the heavy silence any longer, Ochako scooted closer to Izuku. "Hey, Deku, you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle and filled with concern.
Izuku didn't respond.
"Deku?"
Izuku blinked, before turning to look at Ochako. "Huh?"
Ochako furrowed her brow, her worry deepening as she studied Izuku's distant expression. "Is…everything okay?"
"No." Izuku said truthfully, as the train started to slow. Izuku looked up. "Oh- this is my stop."
Izuku stood up, and made his way to the door. He only waved a small goodbye to Ochako and Iida. Ochako's concern deepened as she watched Izuku exit the train. She exchanged a puzzled glance with Iida, before grabbing her own bag.
"Uraraka?" Iida asked, as she made her way to the door.
"I can XLR8 my way back home." Ochako frowned, as she stepped off the train. "I'll text you when I get back, okay?"
Iida looked like he wanted to object to it, but held his tongue. "...Alright. Travel safely, then."
With that, Ochako hurried off the train, her eyes scanning the platform for any sign of Izuku. She spotted him in the distance, making his way up the stairs. Ochako quickened her pace, catching up to Izuku just as he reached the top of the stairs. "Hey, wait up!" she called, her voice slightly breathless. Izuku turned, surprise flickering in his eyes.
"We need to talk. Successor to successor." Ochako said, flashing the watch.
"...I know." Izuku said. "I knew you'd follow me off the train. I didn't want anyone else overhearing."
Concern deepened in Ochako's eyes, and she nodded solemnly. "Alright, let's find a quiet place to talk."
Izuku looked off into the distance. "I know a good place…"
Ochako followed Izuku as he led the way, weaving through the city until they arrived at a quiet, secluded beach. The sound of waves crashing against the shore created a calming backdrop as they found a spot to sit.
"Why here?" Ochako asked, looking around at the empty stretch of sand.
Izuku sighed, staring out at the horizon. "This place holds a lot of memories for me." Izuku admitted. "This is where I trained for UA, and also where I got One for All."
Ochako blinked. "Really?"
"This place used to be littered with trash." Izuku explained. "After All Might crowned me his successor, he trained me here. My body had to be honed or else my limbs would explode off of me. So, his idea of training had me clean the entire beach up, before I even got the power."
"This place must make you nostalgic, then." Ochako said.
"Yeah…yeah." Izuku said, looking over at Ochako. "...when you got the Omnitrix, how did you feel?"
Ochako paused to think. "It was this whole rush of emotions, honestly. It was this incredible power, but with it came great responsibility. I had to learn how to use it properly, control it, and make the right decisions…judgment is everything with a watch like this." Ochako felt where her new scar was. "One small slip-up, and you realize how fragile everything can be."
Izuku's gaze lingered on Ochako's scar. "It's the same with One for All." Izuku emphasized. "The moment All Might passed it on to me, it wasn't just about power; it was about shouldering the responsibility of being the Symbol of Peace. I thought…I'd have a few more years to understand it, but…"
Izuku went silent. Ochako gave him a moment to collect his thoughts.
"...I just thought I'd have more time," Izuku said, voice breaking. His shoulders trembled as he struggled to contain the overwhelming emotions within him. "He said his power was fading day by day, but I thought I'd have more time to prepare, to become the hero he saw in me-"
The weight of the responsibility, the sudden realization of the imminent future, pressed down on Izuku. He sank onto the sand, his head bowed, and the dam holding back his emotions finally burst.
"I knew it was gonna happen one day! I'd see the end of the age of All Might- why did it have to be now!?" Izuku's voice wavered with a mix of frustration, grief, and a raw, unfiltered anguish. His hands clenched the sand, as if trying to anchor himself.
For a long time, Ochako had thought of Izuku as the class's strong moral center. He was humble and always brave, even though he cried a lot. Those cries were usually tears of joy and relief. No one could fault a boy for having strong emotions. But this cry was different. Seeing him now, weak and stressed, was like seeing the foundations fall apart. The weight of his responsibilities had taken away the cover of unshakable resolve, revealing this scared, stumbling kid who was still figuring out a power versus people like her who had her quirk her entire life…Ochako had never seen Izuku so upset before.
…
She took a deep breath, then gently placed a hand on his shoulder, offering a comforting squeeze. Ochako felt awkward doing so, but it was the best she could think of at the moment. There were no words that could erase the weight on Izuku's shoulders or magically make everything better. Instead, she sat beside him in silence, a silent support that spoke volumes.
She knew that fear.
She knew that risk.
She was terrified, too. More than her looks might suggest. The girl was terrified behind her cheerful exterior. One who was injured three days ago by a member of the League of Villains and whose parents were threatened just a week before. The happy front she put on everyday masked the real anxiety that was there.
Ochako didn't realize when tears had started streaming down her own cheeks.
The two of them didn't know the future- if tomorrow would be the last day of peace, or if this was that day.
But one thing remained certain.
The next few years of their life…would be the most formative and tumultuous in hero society history.