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...

82. Issue 80

Let it Happen - Tame Impala recorded in Currents (2015)

---

SIDE NOTE! I have read the final MHA chapter and… Well I'd like to thank Horikoshi-sensei! No matter how I feel about the ending (And I do have thoughts) he spent 10 years working on this story!

And suffice to say this fic wouldn't exist without him.

So thank you so much Horikoshi for everything that you've done!

---

"Those barriers ahead of me,

It's hard to look at them, hard to know that I can't get over them,

All I can do is try,

And maybe, it's good enough."

---

'And so, on the morning of May 10th, the tragedy that befell our city has finally come to an end! The twenty assassins were rounded up after trying to murder our new interim-Mayor, Rikiya Yotsubashi! Because of the extreme circumstances, the government has decided to put Rikiya not just as our interim mayor but as the man in charge for at least a year! Public support for Mayor Yotsubashi has never been higher, what do you think about this, Ritsuko?"

"Well, I couldn't be any happier! Mayor Yotsubashi has been forthcoming about what he wants to accomplish with our city! From restructuring the systems that placed himself in power to even promoting young men and women in positions of power! And more importantly that referendum for Musutafu's independence as a city-state! It's clear he wants this city to succeed, and is even taking over the redevelopment plan and its finances to make sure that WE, the people of this city, can see where and what it is being used for!"

"That's right! Each decision Yotsubashi has made within this past day alone might not make up for the neglect and poor decisions that have impacted our lives negatively! Perhaps it may not take back the pain and suffering for some, but this is the right path! A path where our city can become an even better place than before!"

"Mmh… But we also cannot forget the young men and women who allowed this change."

"Oh?"

"Haven't you heard? U.A.'s finest are responsible for the investigation which led to even more of Daguchi's corruption being released. We now know exactly who he hurt, and Mayor Yotsubashi is planning on tackling those issues first - Reimbursing what Daguchi and his company outside of his knowledge did to the homeless of this city! And honestly, that makes me more confident that Yotsubashi is the right man for the job!"

"U.A.'s finest, huh? I thought the age of Heroes was over. With All Might gone, Endeavour working as the head of the HPSC and more and more trials and protests, I thought we would be getting rid of them soon!"

"If there is something you can always count on, it's Heroes rising to save the day! And every one of them showed their tenacity and spirit through this trying time! Even now, in these uncertain times, it's these Heroes that are our last bastion of hope! And Yotsubashi has been singing their praises both on and off social media! Giants such as Deku and Creati, as well as lesser-known heroes such as Lizardy! But of course, we can't forget about the very own Hero this city is starting to become familiar with."

"Oh? Are you talking about him?"

"Yes. While he may not be a traditional Hero, choosing to forgo the mask and name, his actions prove that even someone in a unique position like himself can stand up and make a change. Mayor Yotsubashi has been singing his praises the most - I of course am talking about Detective Sora Yamazaki, a man that can only be described as a determined dragon defending this city thrice now! From single-handedly putting his body on the line to protect citizens during All Might's funeral, to being the contributory factor to stopping a gang war and now solving the case plaguing this city!"

"Right! He sounds formidable. A dragon… The Dragon Detective!"

"Or, Detective Dragon!"

"Let's call him D.D. for short?"

"What a perfect nickname! We here at the Musutafu City radio station have one public announcement we would like to make ourselves. From every staff working here, as well as from our lovely listeners, wherever you are D.D., we would like to thank you for protecting the city that we love!"

"Thank you so much!"

"Now, onto other news-,"

---

Chapter

Eighty

'Get Over The Barrier ~ Silent Devotion'

---

It was a quiet morning when I woke up.

Well, as I looked at my phone, I blinked rapidly to make sure I was seeing the time properly. One PM… ONE PM?! I sighed, rubbing my temples as I opened my blinds to be violently attacked by the light.

Yawn.

I didn't get a wink of sleep last night if it wasn't helping sort out the mess made in City Hall and rescuing victims from the assassin's attempt and murdering everyone, it was filing reports and making sure that the few children in attendance found their parents. Luckily, no one had died during the event, a fact I was quite proud of.

Still, numerous people were injured and still in hospital.

Even as I brushed my teeth, washed my face and had another shower, I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something. Not just a piece from the case, but also from what it was I truly wanted to do. Sure, becoming a light to eventually lead to better systems and society was a 'vague goal', but that wasn't the issue - How would I even go about it?!

Throwing on a pair of trousers, I rummaged through my wardrobe thinking what I could truly wear. The classic white overcoat that I wore with everything was ruined beyond repair, and I wasn't going to get it fixed. Ultimately, my white coat always got stained too much because it was white, and my bank account was starting to feel the effects of constantly getting a new one made for me whenever something big happened.

And something big always happened.

It was an old coat that stuck out to me the most, however. A dark brown aviator jacket with white fur lining, and looked worn. There used to be a sticker on the front of the jacket, but it was removed and the back looked like it was stitched back together after a nasty fight, ones that weren't my fights but also some that were, particularly the long stitch near the right forearm.

I traced my fingers over it.

Oboro Shirakumo's old jacket.

One that Aizawa had passed down to me.

Hm.

Knock.

Knock.

"Yo? Are you there?" I heard Kaminari's voice call out to me. "You missed periods one to four. Are you gonna come to school for five and six? It's just Heroics, and Aizawa's had a cup of coffee so he should be fine-,"

I laughed at that-,

Huh?

I rushed to the door, opening it in confusion.

"Kaminari?! What the fuck?"

Standing in front of me with a lopsided grin in our school uniform, I watched as Kaminari nervously laughed at the pure shock on my face. He, alongside everyone else in my class who wasn't stationed in Musutafu, wasn't supposed to be here - In fact, Aizawa and Kaminari's group were in Okinawa. That was about as far from Musutafu as you could get.

"Hehe, surprise?"

"What… How…?"

"You can thank Nezu. He had private jets for all of us and made us leave at like two or three in the morning to get here on time," Kaminari explained to me. "But since you were sleeping so heavily and had a long night, we didn't want to wake you up. Seems like you're plenty awake now though. You're even half-dressed too."

I numbly nodded at that.

"Yeah. I-, er, I was just putting on my jacket."

"You mean your blazer?"

I scoffed at him.

"I don't like blazers. They're stuffy and make me think that I'm a teacher or something," I replied, grabbing Oboro's old coat as I put it on. "Come on. Let's go to the family mart, I don't have anything in my fridge to eat and I'm hungry."

"...Huh, I didn't know you still had that jacket."

"Did you think I threw it away or something?"

"Well, sorta," Kaminari replied, shrugging his shoulders as I closed my door and walked with him downstairs. "I thought you'd have gotten rid of it. That jacket, that entire night in Hosu, it reaffirmed you being a Hero, right? You being Aozora. Your dream of a carefree tomorrow. Since you practically hate Aozora-,"

"I don't hate Aozora-,"

"Well, you aren't fond of him."

"...It's more complicated than that," I told him honestly. "I felt… angry towards him. Towards myself. Nothing was going my way, and that dream of a carefree tomorrow was one that constantly got me in trouble. I used it as an excuse to do nasty things to people I care about, things I can't take back, not really."

Kaminari nodded at that.

"Mmh. Well, you gave up on that dream anyways, so it doesn't matter now."

"Yeah," I agreed absentmindedly, "True, true. Now Jiro's the one who thinks that sad dream is one she can turn into reality. Same thing with you taking her from me."

I hadn't spoken about it with Kaminari.

About him dating Jiro.

Not that I had any right to date her, not that I had any right to control her, it wasn't about that-, Rather-, Kaminari was my best friend, is still my best friend, and well he started to date my ex-girlfriend pretty much right after I broke up with her.

"...You know, I never really wanted it to happen," Kaminari truthfully told me as we left the empty dorm, taking out a lighter and some cigarettes. Mine were ruined from the night before. I watched as he passed one to me, lighting both of ours up as we chilled near the entrance to the main building. "And I'm not going to say it sorta just happened. At any point, I could have rejected her. Jiro was the one who came onto me first, I didn't go after her."

I laughed at that.

"Bro, I don't care. She's happier with you than she ever was with me."

"...Nah. I don't think that's true," Kaminari replied, shaking his head. "She loved you. From the bottom of her heart, she loved you. If I got injured as badly as you did, I don't think she would have stayed by my bed for the whole day. Let alone a whole month. Even now, she'll only do that for you."

Hm.

"I disagree. She loves you, and you make her happy."

Kaminari laughed at me.

"Dude… I'm not a romantic person. I let Jiro do all that shit, and that's another thing - I call her Jiro, not even by her first name. Only you do that, even now. She may 'love' me, but it's not to the same level as when she loved you," Kaminari replied. "More than that, I don't love her myself. It's fun to have a girlfriend, it's fun to be around her, but I'm not looking for anything serious. She is. Plans for moving in together when we graduate plans to meet each other's families-,"

"Woah, you haven't met her family?"

"She hasn't met mine," Kaminari replied with a grin. "No one has. I'm adopted, after all, not to mention I live in Saitama. Anyways, that's not my home. This place, everyone here, that's my home. And I know that you agree. It's different for people like us, we never really had a home. People to go back to no matter what - Our blood relatives just aren't in our lives."

…

"I have Katsumi," I pointed out. "I have Aizawa, who's my uncle. Hinata and Gekko are my parents. You can talk about blood relatives, but even then I have a sister here with me. A brother I'm looking for. I'm not alone."

Kaminari nodded slowly at that.

"Yeah. Maybe that's the difference between us?"

"What do you mean?"

"...It doesn't matter, come on," I watched as Kaminari put out his cigarette, pushing me inside the building. I followed him as we walked in a comfortable silence towards our oddly quiet homeroom. And when I went inside-, "Happy birthday, Sora."

There were balloons and banners everywhere.

Boom!

Confetti was sprayed all over me.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SORA!"

It wasn't just everyone in Class A, but Tokage and Monoma joined in on it as well. Even Katsumi and Sai were in the corner, speaking to Mina and Todoroki. Oh God, were they telling them embarrassing stories about me-,

"Wait, what? Birthday?!"

I looked at the date on my phone.

Tenth of May.

Huh…

"Did you forget?" Jiro's voice pulled me out of my thoughts as she dragged me inside the classroom, a grin on her lips. "You're eighteen now. Legally an adult here. You're able to buy alcohol, cigarettes and whatever you want. Able to move out, live on your own… Vote! You can now vote! You're now an adult. Old man."

…

"Old man?! Your birthday isn't that far off, you batty old woman-,"

---

I sat down opposite the two of them.

Katsumi and Sai.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" I asked them. We were at my office, one that felt empty considering Nejire was abroad. "This is my office. My building. A place where I work most days, sometimes I'll even take the guest beds and sleep here. Wanna know why?"

"Er… You're saving the city?"

"Close. Because it's my job," I answered. "Because this is what I have to do. Because no one else is going to step up and pursue the truth, so I will. These past two weeks you two actively interfered in an investigation, snuck into an important event and got yourself stuck in so many dangerous situations that I lost track of them all. So what do you have to say for yourselves?"

"I… I wanted to help you," Sai told me. "You're supposed to mentor me, but I want to work with you! You aren't that much older than me, only two years, but still! You've done so much work, and saved so many people's lives! I-, Is it so wrong for me to wish that I could do the same as well?"

…

"No, not really," I honestly replied. "You refused direct orders, however-,"

"If it wasn't for us you wouldn't have been able to solve the case! We helped save your life last night if you remember! I-, Okay, maybe we may have broken some laws, but the end result was positive!" Sai defended himself and Katsumi. "We saved lives at the end of the day! We helped you out! I-, Please, at the very least don't kick us out of U.A.!"

"I don't have the power to do that."

"Then why did you bring us here?" Katsumi asked me, her eyes narrowing. "What purpose was there for bringing the two of us here?"

I sighed, sitting down in my swirly chair.

"...This place is supposed to be a 'team'. A group of people. So far it's just been me and Nejire, and she wasn't here to cover for me. So I realised just how stretched thin I really am. Just how much help I need," I told them. "So, I want the two of you to, uh, work with me? No, work under me. I'm the leader of this place, so, uh, in your spare time, if you can come over here and help out with some investigations, that would be good. Nejire cleared it too, she's in Italy and is excited to work with you guys. Nanao said it should be fine. And Nezu? Well, that rat probably planned for this to happen. So, er, welcome?"

…

"You're… not joking… are you?"

I shook my head at Sai.

"Nah. Welcome aboard-, Ooof!"

Sai reached out to hug me right away.

"Thank you so much! I promise you, I won't let you down!"

"Er… that's… fine…"

"Why?"

Katsumi's question cut through the good mood Sai was exhibiting and made me laugh as I went to open up my window, staring outside at the city of Musutafu. Despite the events that had occurred, the city was slowly starting to heal. The griminess had cleared away, and while the future of this city didn't look so bright as of yet, there was a slight hope that it would get better.

"Why? Because I felt like it."

"Why? You were so dead set on us not helping you? Are we not getting in danger working with you now, isn't that what you wanted to avoid?" Katsumi pressed. "You do know that if we work under you, there's no way that we won't get into trouble? That there isn't any guarantee of you keeping us safe?"

"Uhm... Katsumi, didn't you want this-," Sai was interrupted by a sharp glare. "Okay, shutting up now."

I sighed at that.

"You're going to be in danger either way. Either chasing after me, doing your own things or worse. That's the path you two decided to follow when you joined U.A., whether I want to accept that as the person responsible for you is up to me," I told them. "...I was just angry at the adults previously in charge of me at your age. I did stupid shit too, just like you did. The only difference was that most of the adults didn't do anything about it, and the one that did is the reason why I'm still alive."

Katsumi nodded at that.

"Sure, I could keep you at arm's length and pray that you don't get yourselves in danger. I could ignore you both and let you make the same mistakes I did, or, I could do what that one adult did to me and show you the ropes," I added. "I could do what I wish more adults did to me when I was your age. Trust me and teach me ways in which I can be better. It's not all doom and gloom in this world, believe it or not. Call me an optimist, but I think that there is a bright future for everyone. If we all work together. So I'm betting on that future."

I watched as Katsumi was stunned into silence by my speech.

As for Sai…

"...Sora-sensei, thank you so much!" I watched as the boy formally bowed to me in amusement. "You truly are the greatest teacher I could have ever asked for! The greatest man to have ever been called a detective! One of the greatest Heroes to have ever lived-,"

As Sai's reverence for me grew, I could only laugh as I ruffled his hair.

"Haha… I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

"Regret? Sora-sensei, I will never let you down-,"

"Here," I shoved a pocket full of cash to Sai. "Go buy us some food. KFC or something. When you come back I'll show you around this place, get you settled in and whatnot. Then, er, I guess I'll go back to U.A. with you guys. My treat."

As Sai ran to do the task I had given him diligently, I sighed.

"...He's like a golden retriever, isn't he?"

"Hn."

"Is that Katsumi code for you being his friend?"

"...Hn."

"Aha! Knew it. Somehow, he just endears himself to you? He's also an orphan, you know," I replied sadly. "Someone like you. Like us. Although I guess you have me for family. He has no one. But he still wants to become a Hero, isn't that great? He just wants to do good, that's why I thought he'd be a good fit for this place. Because I also want to do good, even if I find it hard to admit it."

"...And what about me?"

"Well, you're not nearly as hopeful or optimistic as him," I responded, lighting up my cigarette. "Sai and Nejire are going to get on together like two peas in a pod, I know that for a fact. You're more reserved. Quiet. Only ask questions when you're confused, other than that you'll do your job. That's not what a Hero does. That's what a soldier does. Truth is, I'm asking you to work here because I don't think you currently have what it takes to be a Hero. I didn't, and I tried to force those qualities and I failed - Frankly, I'd rather not have you go through what I went through."

"...You don't know what I've been through."

I nodded at her.

"True. But at the very least, looking at the result, I can see someone with a lot of scars. And those scars are still raw and haven't begun to heal yet," I replied. "Sure, you can go and earn new scars, but that doesn't mean you're getting better. It's like a cycle, you know? I want to break that cycle for you before it ever begins. Staying here, working with me, Nejire and Sai, it'll be fun. You'll learn a thing or two about life, and maybe, if you're really interested in it, you can apply for your Pro-Hero licence."

"Nezu-san won't-,"

"I really don't care what Nezu wants," I cut her off. "It's your choice. I'm not going to force you, Katsumi. If you don't want to disrespect Nezu for joining considering whatever he's done for you, fair enough. Truth be told, outside of dealing with a few cases like tracking down Yozora and the Cult of Stain, what the League of Villains are up to, and where my brother is - We don't have a lot of current cases. Ironically, we just solved a case recently. Somewhat."

"...You're talking about the missing ten billion Yen, aren't you?"

I laughed at that, taking a drag from my cigarette.

"Of course, you know about it. Nezu, I presume?"

Katsumi nodded in response.

"Hm. You know, there's still one part of the case that wasn't solved," I told her. "Something that's been bugging me this entire time. I can understand why Sai wanted to solve this case to prove himself to me… I just don't understand why you wanted to get involved. It wasn't out of concern for me, you don't know me. The fact was that you were far more interested in the evidence than anything… Funnily enough, you involved yourself in the case right when Daguchi's phone came into play. It's also funny that Nezu was the one who called the phone, leading me right to it…"

Katsumi stayed quiet at that.

…

Bingo.

"But you know, that's just a funny joke," I added, grinning at her. "...But, if there ever was any correlation between those two things… Hah. It doesn't matter. I want you to join, Katsumi. Because I think you'll like it here. You clearly get along with Sai, with whatever weird friendship you two managed to form. You get along with me. And Nejire worms herself into everyone's heart, it's something about how childlike she is I think. Sort of like a reverse lolicon, but she's an adult woman who thinks she's the heroine of a lolicon shojo manga."

"..."

Katsumi's blank expression was one I had gotten used to these past few weeks.

"Heh. You know, you should smile more."

"Why is that?"

"Don't you know what they might say? Ice Princess Katsumi. You're like a walking fanfiction trope," I teased her. "Any second longer and my heart might turn to ice at how cold you are being. Gonna sprout about the 'grey' side? Got any marriage proposals for me from your friends in Slytherin?"

"...Huh?"

"...Never mind," I replied, sighing loudly. "I want this world to change. To be better. So I have to be that change, I have to spread that hope. That's not going to happen getting angry quickly, that's not going to happen if I spend all my time tracking one case ignoring everything around it. This past week I was shown just exactly how flawed I am, both as a detective and now as a man. There are so many things I can do as a person… Even if my time on this planet is short."

"What do you mean?"

I laughed at that.

No more lies, Sora.

Just let it happen.

Let it go.

"...I'm dying. You just met me, and I'm dying," I bitterly answered. "But that doesn't matter. It feels like a dream, you know? Either way, no matter how much time I have left on this Earth, I'll try my hardest to do what's right. I owe it to myself. Not to be tied down with anger at how unfair this situation is, but to try and make things better for everyone around me."

"...You're… dying…"

I smiled softly at Katsumi, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"Yeah. But, at least I got to meet you before I croak. Hah."

In a moment of genuine surprise, I watched as she plucked the half-smoked cigarette from my hands and threw it out of the window. I mourned the loss of my recently bought cigarette in silence as Katsumi straightened her back out and glared at me.

"If you're dying then you shouldn't be smoking!" Katsumi uncharacteristically yelled at me. I sat on the windowsill in pure shock as Katsumi continued her rant. "Furthermore, don't just sit there with a stupid smile on your face! Don't talk about things you don't even understand when you're only two years older than me! That doesn't mean you are suddenly an adult who knows everything, you're just a scared little kid who's putting on a front!"

…

"I-, I-, Why are you so surprised?!"

At that moment, I couldn't help but laugh so hard tears fell down my face. And Katsumi stood there, fuming at me as she didn't know what I was laughing about exactly. With each passing second, her frown deepened as she glared daggers at me.

"You-, You-, We barely know each other, and you're already acting like this," I told her, grinning at her. "...Even with your exterior, and your scars, it's clear to see that you care about me. Just knowing you for a few weeks and putting my trust in you has changed you already. Even if I don't exactly know the truth about you, at the very least you're starting to open up around me. And that makes me happy. Really happy, Katsumi-chan."

Katsumi growled at that, angrily kicking me out of the window.

"Don't call me that!"

I sighed, summoning my Quirk.

I guess some things will never change.

---

Gathering everyone in Class A together was a chore.

By no means was it an easy task, especially when some of them still actively avoided me. At the very least, asking people like Yaoyorozu and Midoriya to help me out was a godsend in that area - Suddenly people weren't going to patrol as everyone gathered in the living room of our dorm.

And every single one of them looked at me in confusion.

"Why did you bring us here?" Sero asked us. "...Is it about the case-,"

"No, it's not about the case-, Well, it sort of is. It's more difficult to explain, so just shut up and let me talk," I replied, glaring at the class. Thankfully, they all got my message. "I… Okay, let's get things straight. Clear the room and whatnot. I'm angry at you all. Angry at myself. Angry at this world. I have a lot of anger within me, and I've always had it I think. From being rejected as a kid, to never learning from my mistakes. I have poor control over my emotions… A sign of a kid that was never loved unconditionally."

"...Huh?"

"Just listen!" I replied, raising my hands as I sighed loudly. "...A lot of our issues stem from me not being able to express myself properly. From you guys never learning how to understand me better. Faults on both sides. But, to your credit, you have been trying to understand me a lot better recently, and it's only fair that I try to make things easier for you guys, expressing how I feel instead of bottling it up and pretending everything is fine. Because that's what I've been doing for so long and it's not okay."

Jiro was the first to raise her hand and ask a question, despite my instructions.

"Er, are you good?"

"No. I'm not good. To be honest, I'm a mess, I've always been a mess. Someone who can't look inside myself and figure out what problems I do have," I honestly told them all. "...I-, Okay, this is really hard. . Okay, hold on-,"

I tried to gulp down my fear.

But it wasn't working.

No matter what, as I stared at the class of people I cared about, I couldn't find it in me to break the truth to them. But I had to. I would. Because if I didn't, I'd be bottling everything up again. Then that would lead to exactly the same issues as it did in the past, logically I knew this, but my heart simply just wasn't-,

"...Sora… You're trying to tell us a secret, aren't you?" Kaminari asked me. "You're doing a piss poor job at it. But you're trying, aren't you? I can see from that pathetic look of concentration on your face."

I slowly nodded at him.

"Oh! One of your secrets? Why didn't you say so, So-chan!" Mina replied. "Does anyone in our class know this secret you're talking about so they can help you talk about it, or-,"

"No one knows."

"Is there anything we can do to help you become more comfortable?" Yaoyorozu asked. "If you prefer, since I know that you enjoy… females, I wouldn't mind you resting your head on my thighs if it helps calm you down-,"

"YOU WOULD?!" I asked a bit too ecstatically, clearing my throat as I shook my head at her offer. "Er, maybe another time. I don't-, I'm not going to ever take advantage of anyone like that. Ugh-, Why's this so hard? I mean, it's not an easy topic to talk about-,"

Thankfully, it was Jiro who stood up and clapped my shoulders.

"Sora… Slow down. Breathe in, and take it one step at a time," Jiro told me. "If you aren't ready to tell us your secrets, that's fine. We can wait. The fact that you even want to share them with us is a big, big, and I mean it - a big step. Maybe not all of us are comfortable with you yet, but at the very least, you're trying to show everyone how different you are. I respect that. We all do. So. Don't. Rush. It. If you're ready, we will hear you out. If you aren't ready, we're fine with that. Just tell us when you're ready."

…

"She's right," Mineta added as he sat down next to Tsuyu. "You're my friend at the very least. I don't want you to hurt yourself and talk about something you aren't ready to talk about yet if you aren't comfortable talking about it yet. If you don't understand what you want to talk about. The fact that you're trying means more than you can ever know, coming from the guy who kept us in the dark constantly. I'm proud of you, really."

…

"Hell yeah! You rock, dude!" Mina said. "Just take a chill pill and relax, won't you?"

"Please, Sora! For your sake, do not rush yourself for us!" Iida softly chided me. "I wish to hear whatever you want to reveal to us at your own pace when you think it's the right time. It's the very least we can do. And if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, well you have tons of people in this class!"

Even Uraraka joined in.

"Yeah, Yamazaki. By all accounts, don't put yourself in a position where you are hurting yourself for us," She told me, one of the first conversations I had with her in years. "...It'd piss us off even more. And it would hurt a hell of a lot more than you think. I may not be your friend-, but-, You owe it to those you are friends with in this class not to mess up after coming back. Do you think you can talk about this without doing that?"

"...No, probably not," I honestly told them, sighing at myself. "But this isn't any old secret. Truth be told, it shouldn't even be a secret. With how many people do know it, and are helping me with it, it's only fair that I tell you guys too. Because this secret isn't helping me control my emotions at any rate it's made things worse. It's taken the hurt and everything I've gone through and made it a lot worse. If anything, hiding it any longer is just going to make you all hate me. So I apologise in advance."

"Well, explain it slowly," Kaminari replied. "We're all here listening."

I nodded gratefully at him.

"You see, I-, Uhm, before Gekko and Hinata met me, I didn't have a nice life," I told them. "I wasn't loved. That leaves scars. And even when I met Gekko and Hinata, when I met you guys, those scars never faded because I never addressed them. Not really. And I got new scars I refused to look at, so they never healed. All I've ever done is ignore those scars, ignore the hurt and the pain foolishly. It was more painful to ignore them than address them, but I thought I knew better. All they ever did was hurt you guys and hurt myself, over and over again. A few nights ago, during the climax to all this, I realised it."

"Realised what?"

"How wrong I was. I was letting those emotions I kept locked away, refusing to accept slowly take hold of me, emotions like anger," I answered. "I am angry. At you guys, because no matter what some of you will never take me back. It's selfish, I know. It's not my decision if some of you want to forgive me and be friends with me again. But I can't help it. I'm angry at this world, for causing so many issues with the systems in place, the people put in charge of those systems, and even the public. Because no matter what, they can't save themselves."

I paused, taking a deep breath.

"And most of all, I'm angry at myself," I continued. "Because I, despite having everything I ever wanted, lost it all. Because I'm always thinking about the future, I'm always letting the past hurt me in ways I don't know how to explain. I-, You know, there are times when I don't think I'm good enough. No, I feel like that all the time. I thought I could find meaning and acceptance from devoting myself to others, to you guys. And, well, you know how that turned out. Then I thought I could find meaning in being a Hero, in a carefree tomorrow, but that was a hollow dream."

…

"You don't think you're good enough?"

I refused to meet any of their eyes, staring at the carpet in front of me.

"...Yeah. I've never thought I was good enough. Ever. My worth is tied to your guys' perception of me, or that's how it was back then. It's messed up. But, if I didn't do exactly what I should do as a Hero, I was afraid you guys would leave me," I told them. "I still am, to some extent. No, I really am. So I saved you, over and over again. Until there was nothing left within me to use as a shield. Even now, I'm wary about even understanding why I felt that way. Why I still do. Even if I can recognise it in my heart, I can't accept it. Not really. I don't know why. Or maybe I'm too afraid to figure out why? But I will, I'm trying to."

"Accept what?"

I looked up to stare at them all.

Despite it all, this felt like a dream.

One I'd never wake up from.

So I grinned, reaching out for my cigarettes as I lit one up and took a long drag from it. Either I had gotten so used to smoking that I didn't even feel anything when I inhaled the smoke, or perhaps this just wasn't real.

Heh.

"I-, I'm dying," I revealed to them honestly, my cigarette capturing my attention entirely. "My biological mother sabotaged my life from the get go. The truth is my biological mother was forced to have me because she didn't want to experiment on children anymore. Because she wanted to not live in fear of a madman anymore and do what was right. Her original child, my brother, was taken away from her and All For One forced her to have me. So, she sabotaged my life. My body is slowly breaking down. And there isn't a cure as of right now. And it's only getting worse. That's the third, and realistically, the most important reason as to why I came back to U.A. in January."

…

The silence that descended upon the room was intense.

"That's my big secret," I said, coughing loudly as I fell to my knees. This time, blood did come out all over our carpet as I dropped my cigarette, watching as my blood put it out. Even when I tried picking it up, the entire thing was ruined. "...Tsk. Cigarettes aren't cheap, especially since I'm an adult now and have to rely on myself to buy them. Can't just nick a few off Aizawa and call it a day."

"..."

Everyone sat in silence processing what I had just told them.

My lighter trembled as I rolled my finger over it. Tsk, a bust.

I sighed loudly, getting up from the floor to walk to the kitchen. With a new unlit cigarette in my mouth, I leaned over one of the kitchen hobs, gas, and turned it on - The blue flickering flame coming to life as it lit my cigarette alive.

Ah, just the way I like it.

"..."

In a moment of pure bliss, I had forgotten all about Class A. It was funny as my eyes dropped low, and I shrugged my shoulders as I had to snuff the cigarette out. Just a single look at their direction made my guilt come back in full force, andwalking back to the living room where everyone was gathered made me all the more aware of their reactions, shock, anger and sadness.

Even they thought this was a dream.

"Heh. Recovery Girl says I have maybe three years left. A big decrease from the ten she initially said I had," I explained to them with a grin. "Turns out getting in fights and having my healing Quirk work overtime to heal my body from breaking down and the injuries lead to the process of my death increasing by a lot. The more I fight and get injured, the more I might not make it to graduation. Funny, huh? She's basically telling me to get my affairs in order, but I think that we can find a cure. Setsuna too. Well, she's the one actively trying to find a cure for me."

"..."

I rolled my eyes at them.

Their silence was starting to get on my nerves.

"Oh come on. I tell you my big secret, and now you're all as silent as a mouse-,"

I didn't expect to be tackled to the floor.

Not just by Jiro, but by Mineta, Yaoyorozu, Midoriya, and so many more. It was a bit difficult to breathe actually, but their tears didn't do much to stop how shitty I was feeling. We simply sat on the floor for ages as I watched them cry their hearts out, and there was nothing I could say - It's not like there was a cure for me. I knew that when I came back to U.A. How unlikely it was that I was going to live past twenty-five.

"You… you…" Jiro said between sobs. "...You were holding this from us?"

I scoffed at her, wiping her tears away.

"Yeah. Just look at how you're all acting, I'm not dead yet," I reminded them. "I'm still living. And I'm living with a purpose. Not just to fulfil my promises to someone, but because I truly want to live. I really want to change this world for the better. That night, I saw the worst in humanity. The worst of that anger I repressed within myself, and it's my duty as a Hero to make sure that I'll change things around for the better. Together, along with everyone else. And I will find a cure, even if it's unlikely."

"Why tell us now?!" Mina cried out. "Why-, Why didn't you just keep this to yourself?!"

…

"Because I need your help," I answered, my brows furrowing. "...It's hard. To ask for help, I mean. I struggled with it because no one helped me when I was a kid, I was so self-assured in myself that I just did everything. Because I thought if I asked for help, I'd be I've never had to ask for help before. Every time I try to accept help, it ultimately comes down to me thinking I haven't done enough. But really, I can't do anything. And it's not just my goal to help change this world. Overcome the barriers around us and rise up to the challenge, it's something Class A should do, right? A carefree tomorrow. For everyone."

Jiro blinked at me in surprise.

"Your old dream."

I shook my head at her.

"It may be something I talked about a lot, but I never believed in it. I used it to defend myself and my actions, not because I truly wanted it," I replied. "But you guys did. Looking at you all now, I understand why you still want to be Heroes despite everything you've been through. It's because you want to build a carefree tomorrow, that's your dream. I can't believe something like that. I didn't want to, and I still don't. But, I can understand wanting to change things around for the better. Even if everything is dark, I'll be that light. That spark you guys will be able to use to truly change things around for the better."

"Don't use your life like that!" Jiro yelled at me. "Thats-,"

"I'm not using my life like that," I told her. "I'm deciding to live like that. Even if momentarily, I want to help open the path for you guys to change the world. I'm not a Hero, I'm a detective. I don't have fans or a lot of time left, I don't care about climbing the rankings or doing shit for the public. All I can do is solve cases and work with you guys to catch the bad guys. So I'll do that. I'll help as many people as I can. Is that alright?"

"..."

I got up from the floor with a sigh.

"Truth is that I didn't tell you guys sooner, because I don't even know if you guys can handle it. But, even if you can't, I'd rather you guys not ask 'what if I lived' if worse comes to worse," I explained to them. "I used to think it didn't matter if I died. So long as I became a Hero and protected whoever I could, I didn't mind if I died. But then I met you guys. Slowly, I started to become afraid of death. Suddenly, I didn't want to die."

I gulped down my fear, facing them all.

"I'm not going to give up until I keel over and die," I told them. "I don't want your pity or your sympathies. I want you guys to help me. To help me keep on fighting, no matter what. Whether it's this world, or even myself. I don't ever want to be alone again. That fear? It's a familiar ballad of death, one I'll hear over and over again as the days keep on coming - But it's one I want to share with you guys. To keep this dream alive in a sense."

That was truly how I felt.

On the inside.

For so long, I just didn't know how to express it.

"But-, You-,"

I shook my head at them.

"Thanks for your concern. But you know me, there's no way I can just sit back and relax when I know people need me," I said to them. "There's no way I'm going to retire, even if it prolongs my life. That's not who I am. There are still things I need to do. And that'll never change. Because, at the very least, I'd rather die with my head held high grinning like I usually do than die on a bed, regretting everything I was too afraid to do. Like coming back here, like trying to save people again, like making things right with all of you."

The truth was, even when I came back it wasn't enough.

Even having changed the way I did a few months ago, even though I changed considerably ever since I came back to U.A. and went through so many things, ultimately, I still kept some of these secrets.

I was afraid of losing the one thing I held dear.

The one thing everyone here gave me.

Hope.

And so, I quickly turned to my anger that I left unchecked for so long. And I kept on lashing out at people unfairly, just like I did before. But this time, I knew how I felt, I just didn't know how to express it - And that fear took hold of me. Perhaps that was why Kurai is so pissed off at me, that I had the tools to truly let go of my anger, but I never could, I never allowed myself to.

So, even if it's still there.

I can understand it.

This world does make me angry.

I am angry at myself.

And that's okay.

I'll work on it like I always do, and one day, I'll accept it in my heart.

"What about Gekko and Hinata? Miwa?"

Hm.

"What about them?"

"Do they know about this?"

…

"Oh, fuck."

---

Walking into Nezu's office, I watched as the rat looked at me with a grin.

He was pleased.

"Sora! Please, come in," Nezu told me as I sat down opposite him. "What brings you here today?"

"You know, just checking up on everyone these past few days," I replied. "Clearing out the air, mending some broken bonds, and looking toward the future. But, I can safely say that none of those things apply to you."

"Oh?"

"Mmh."

"And why's that, Sora?"

I sighed at that.

"No small talk first?"

"Well, I wasn't aware that you wanted small talk," Nezu told me with a smirk. "Want to discuss the weather? It looks particularly quite sunny, especially in May. Happy belated birthday by the way. Eighteen is a big milestone. Perhaps the only milestone you will ever reach in life."

"Maybe so," I agreed, nodding my head at his words. "But at least I reached it. Better than nothing… You know, of all the people I expected to be involved in the case that wrapped up recently, there was one party that got away with it. One part that sticks out like a sore thumb, a part still unsolved?"

"Oh?"

"You see, no one knows who killed Daguchi," I replied, humming to myself. "The death which set these events in motion. It's funny. You see, Daguchi's phone with all the evidence on it was practically useless in the end - As if it was a little string with cheese on it for a rat to chase after."

Nezu sat in silence opposite me.

And I stared back at him in silence.

Reaching into my pockets, I brought out Daguchi's phone, watching as Nezu's teeth showed from his grin. And with a swift motion, I threw the phone on the table, watching it clatter around.

"...Why did you do that?"

"Because, Nezu, it was you who killed Daguchi," I straight up told him. "You're the one who planted Daguchi's phone. You're the one who knew about this corruption and decided to take out all the players on the board. Daguchi, Detrenat, Suwabe, Natsuki, the HPSC and even me. Am I wrong? I don't think I am, the shoe fits. You're the third party that set this whole thing up. You're the real criminal here."

Nezu sat up in his chair at my words.

"Hm. You aren't wrong, Sora. I am indeed the one responsible for this event."

That was it.

His direct confirmation.

"You-,"

"But, while you may have figured out my involvement… Think for a second, Sora. Go to the authorities, claim what you'll claim, do you think that it was I who sullied my hands with the blood of Daguchi?" Nezu asked me rhetorically. "I didn't need to. After all, I had someone who followed my orders without even batting an eye. Heh. It's funny that I say that. You know who I'm talking about, right? You've known for a while, isn't that why you kept her away? Your precious little sister-,"

I couldn't hold it in as I reached over the desk and grabbed him by the collar.

"What are you going to do, Sora? Kill me? Do it and your sister will be arrested on murder charges, I have it all set out you see," Nezu taunted me. "And Katsumi will accept the consequences. She'll confess, because ultimately, those were her orders. You see, it's quite easy to take abused children from one abusive relationship and put them in another where you take advantage of them so long as you treat them marginally better."

…

"So, what are you going to do? Satisfy that anger inside you and let your sister face punishment, or what?" Nezu asked me. Slowly, I relaxed my grip on his collar as I sat back down in my seat. "Excellent. You see, I'm very pleased with you, Sora. Right now, you are the only one in this city that knows the truth. The third party in this case was me. I, the rat who knew every detail all along."

He wasn't lying.

And that was what was worse.

The fact that I knew this was the truth.

"...Why reveal this to me?"

Nezu hummed at that as he stood up from his desk, leaning toward his window as he stared out at the city of Musutafu. I sat in silence watching as he rested his hand over the city, and in a single moment, covered it entirely.

"Do you know why Heroes fight, Sora? Outside of the laws, outside of the money to be made and the people to be saved?" Nezu asked me. "It's because Heroes are the physical manifestation of people's hope. Wearing silly costumes, beating the villains who represent a threat towards them and protecting society. This world needs Heroes. It needs hope to believe in… People like Daguchi and Suwabe threatened that way of life. Their selfish desires led to them flooding this city with more crime than it could handle, and it led to the Heroes of this city becoming overwhelmed. I don't need to tell you how the citizens of this country are starting to resent Heroes, do I?"

I shook my head at that.

"No. I've seen it first hand."

"You could say then that I was a 'rat' in this situation," Nezu told me. "I played the game perfectly to end up on top. I may be the third party, but by no means am I the Chessmaster. I was also following orders. Yet, my reasons for following orders are much different than the man who gave me those orders. I ordered the death of Daguchi for one simple reason - To ensure the continued existence of Heroes in our current society."

…

"You think the case is over. But it is not, Sora Yamazaki," Nezu continued. "The more time goes on, the more in danger Heroes in this world become. There are forces at play looking for one thing and one thing alone - For Heroes to be outlawed in this country. Perhaps you may call me a fool for working alongside them to ensure this outcome, but my actions have borne fruit in you. The one who will stand up against me, my actions have borne fruit in Class A, each pursuing their type of justice."

"...You're selling out the entire world."

"You're right, I am," Nezu agreed with me, "For should any of you fail in stopping what is coming, I'm afraid there won't be a safe place for Heroes in this country. Maybe even this world. Why do you think the laws preventing Heroes from investigating crimes without the use of Quirks were passed? Why do you think Kansai was so aggressive in its expansion? It may be cartoonish, but within the last few months every major event showcasing that this world needs Heroes has been orchestrated by me."

Tsk.

"These events also show our failures too!" I yelled angrily at him. "The League of Villains killed half of the royal family! Stain and his cult killed multiple Heroes and released public videos of them confessing their crimes! You've also doomed everyone who's a Hero into protecting their self-interests too! Endeavour joined the HPSC, as did Midoriya, this country has never been more fractured and it's because of your game!"

Nezu laughed at that.

"True, true. You're right, but what other role is there for me to play?" Nezu asked me. "This world continues to head down a path that would lead to there being no more Heroes at an age where Villains threaten the fragile peace our society has held onto for so long. Thanks to men like All Might, men became pillars against the crushing weight of evil from those like All For One. But they are dead now. The true evil lies at the heart of society now - And how do we fight against that?"

"Huh?"

"Your actions against Overhaul were the catalyst to what's coming, Sora. A villain destroying half a city, stopped by a Hero who killed himself in the process to do so," Nezu told me. "That's the lie you asked for us to report. You say I sold the world? But right now, the man who sold the world is you, Sora. Your lies are what have led to the public scrutinising and becoming distrustful of Heroes, and most of all led to the current events. Men and women in high positions in this country are beginning to feel like Heroes are the problem, and so they are fighting that issue with everything they have."

…

"So, what will you do now, Sora?"

"...Why did you force me to become a detective?" I asked Nezu. "Answer that for me."

"Because this world still needs Heroes," Nezu answered. "Your influence on your fellow Heroes of tomorrow cannot be understated. As friends, they will follow you to the end of the Earth. What you do with that trust is your decision alone. If Heroes fail to rise to the challenges I have set, then perhaps this world does not deserve Heroes. But if you do fight, and if you do win, then Heroes will continue to exist. Whether you wish to fight what's coming… or accept it and live an easy life. I've set the board up, if you wish to play then you know what to do. So the question now is, will you play?"

A game.

One revolving around the fate of this country.

Whether Heroes will continue to exist, or whether they will be outlawed entirely.

I had to hand it to Nezu, the bastard had become a villain for the sake of allowing us to make our own decisions in steering this country. If anything, Nezu balanced the game entirely making sure that all sides had a fair shot in what was to come.

"I see. So that's your role in all this," I sighed, shaking my head at Nezu. "...You know, things would be a lot easier if you just outright stated that you weren't on anyone's side. That you want to see which side is stronger, the forces of good or evil."

"What can I say? I'm curious as to who'll end up on top."

"Yeah, yeah. That's fine. You already have my answer," I replied, getting up out of the chair. "I'm not going to stop till I crush your plans, whoever you work for, and I'll make sure that hope in this country for things to get better will never die out. As long as I'm here, I refuse to give up. Call it what you want, but if you want me to be a pawn in your game, I won't be that pawn. I'm deciding what I'm doing for myself. Me. Try and catch up if you want, because I'll leave you in the distance either way."

Nezu laughed.

"So that's your answer. You'll fight whatever is coming no matter what?"

"Yep," I nodded at him. "Whether that means fighting you, the HPSC, or even this stupid country. I stake my pride in it as a human. I'll get to the bottom of all this, I'll seize the truth and when I do this case will be over. Screw the missing ten billion, screw you and your benefactor, I'm talking about the biggest case of them all - Who's right and who's wrong. That's my justice, and I'm going to pursue that justice till I die."

My heart was resounding with those words.

For once, we were all unified in saying what we said.

Because there was no way in hell that I could sit back and do nothing!

"...As expected of you, Sora," Nezu replied with a grin. "For the sake of everyone in this country, I hope that you win. You and that optimism of yours. Get over those barriers and see for yourself what awaits on the other side. Don't worry about Katsumi, I destroyed all the evidence tying her to Daguchi's death. I'm cutting ties with her completely. Do whatever you want regarding her, she is your family after all."

I nodded at that as I left his office, grinning.

Yeah.

There was no way I was stopping here!

---

Momo Yaoyorozu POV

Momo sighed to herself.

This was something she had to do, no matter what!

"Er.. Miss Yaoyorozu, are you sure this is a-,"

"This is perfectly fine," Momo interjected, warmly smiling at the assistant. "By all means, you don't need to call up to say to her that I'm coming. It is my family name that's plastered across the side of this building. Thank you for your concern."

"Uhm, of course!"

Momo walked up the stairs to her conference room and took a deep breath. Why was she doing this? She had everything at U.A., friends who adored her, a way to help make the world a better place! But ultimately, this entire time, she never had the strength to face the truth she held onto for so long.

But it was thanks to Sora that she was able to do this.

Seeing her friend smile even in the face of certain death, pushing forward to do something with his life, perhaps it was the wake-up call Momo needed. The future was exactly that, the future. It never arrived if one was always waiting passively for the day they could start to make changes, or if it ever did maybe it would be too late - But if there was one thing Momo had learnt throughout the tumultuous week and investigation she had been apart of, it was that in order for good to happen in this world one couldn't wait.

People like Daguchi and Suwabe used that time to benefit them and their selfish desires.

And all it did was hurt those innocent people around them that they should be protecting.

It was a privilege Momo had, to just sit back and do nothing.

But no more.

Opening the doors to the conference room, Momo gathered up all the courage she could muster as dozens of heads turned to stare at her unexpectedly. One of which was the current CEO of the company, her mother.

Her mother.

It was true that Momo had come to U.A. to become a Hero, to escape from her mother's thumb. But it was also true that all Momo had done was just run away from her responsibility, from how she truly felt on the inside.

"...Momo…" Her mother began. "What brings you here? This is an important meeting between the executives of this company, if you wish to have a private meeting with me please wait-,"

"No, I-, I came here today because of this meeting!" Momo cut her mother off, standing as straight as he could and met all of their eyes. "I-, For too long, this company has been going about things the wrong way! And for too long, I've kept quiet and focused only on my studies and being a Hero, neglecting the power I hold here in this company!"

"...You're only but a seventeen-year-old, surely you overestimate your-,"

"I may be seventeen! In the eyes of many of you, I'm sure I may just be a little girl! But I am a Hero!" Momo interjected loudly, confidence building with every word she spoke. "I've been through far more 'adult' events than you've even realised. Frankly, you overestimate your abilities as an executive. How many have you had to fight terrorists? Protect civilians while trying to stop villains from attacking? How many of you have had to protect your comrades while under attack? The answer is that none of you even have an idea of what that's like."

One executive scoffed at her.

"And you think that being in dangerous situations makes you more of an adult?"

"No," Momo shook her head in response. "It does mean that I understand people far more than you ever do. You people who help run this company are about as far from the customers that buy the products of this company as possible. You don't even know your target audience. Don't think I don't know whose weapons landed in the hands of those who tried to kill Mayor Yotsubashi a week ago. Those were our weapons. Weapons this company produced that ended up in the wrong hands of those willing to commit murder."

"..."

"So, Momo, what is it that you'll do?" Her mother asked her. "Try and oust me from the company? Become the next CEO? To do all that you'll need significant backing and support… Something you don't have. So, why don't we stop with this foolishness and teenage rebellion that you love to act upon and-,"

"...I want in," Momo said confidently. "It doesn't matter what position I hold. In research and development, as an accountant, or even your assistant. I want to work at this company right now."

Her mother's eyes shot up in surprise.

"Why?"

"Because things need to change. I-, I come from a privileged position," Momo told them. "I'm no better than any of you. I don't know how to help those that need help. Simply being a Hero isn't enough. Simply fighting for what's right isn't going to help them, it isn't going to take away their anger and other feelings. The Yaoyorozu Corporation is one of Japan's leading companies internationally, even if I start as a simple clerk it'll help me do the one thing I need to do. Help me along the path I've been walking down ever since I came to U.A."

"And what path is that?"

Momo smiled at her mother.

It was thanks to Sora and his actions that Momo was able to be standing here right now. Both in the past and the present. It was thanks to his influence over her and everyone in Class A, as well as his uncertain future that Momo was able to wise up truly and change - Find it within herself to pursue what she had always liked to hear.

A goal that sounded childish, but one that had far more merit to it than anyone ever could understand.

"A carefree tomorrow."

---

Hanta Sero POV

Hanta Sero laughed as he stood around the corner.

"Free food! Free food!" Hanta yelled loudly, pointing at the sign and table full of cup noodles nearby. Not that it was super healthy to be giving them out for free, but, Hanta didn't really care. "If you're hungry, here's some free food! Come here for some free food! Anyone? Food? For free?"

Bystanders simply passed by without even sparing Hanta a look.

He sighed at that, scratching his head in confusion.

What more did he have to do in order to get people's attention?

"Uhm… Excuse me, but can anyone get free food?"

Hanta looked to his left to see a high-school girl, probably a year or so younger than him shyly standing next to her giggling friends. Hanta allowed himself to grin as he shot her a thumbs-up.

"Yep! It's just cans of food really, but sure!"

"Uhm, can I also ask why you're giving us free food?" The girl asked him. "You must have over one hundred cans on that table. It must have been expensive to buy all this and to give it out for free?"

Hanta laughed at that question.

"Do you not see the costume I'm wearing?" He replied. "I'm a Hero."

"I-, I know. Cellophane. You're like the least popular Class A Hero-,"

Hanta's smile became strained as she said that

"That's why I'm confused as to why you're giving out free food! Especially in a poor area like this! Is this a publicity stunt?" The girl asked him. "Oh! I get it, after the shit that happened between the homeless people and the old mayor, you're trying to sweep what happened under the rug, right? That's really sneaky, Cellophane-,"

"I'm not doing that at all," Hanta interrupted her. "...This is a food bank. For anyone who needs it, whether they suffered under Daguchi or not. Whether you're as poor as dirt… Or as rich as hell. If anyone needs food, I'll be here waiting to give it to them. It doesn't matter about the cost I take personally, so long as I'm helping people. So long as I'm not just standing back and allowing people to be taken advantage of - That's why I'm doing this."

"So it's a pride thing?"

Hanta scoffed at her, passing her two cans of sardines.

"Take it," Hanta told her. "Call it whatever you want. I don't care… Plus, you look like you need to eat some food. Seriously. You shouldn't be so thin, put some meat on your bones."

"Rude."

Hanta watched as the high-school girls walked away from his stand without much fare.

The truth was so much simpler and more complex than anyone else could realise.

It was because-,

"Hey, Sonny. Are you serious about giving those cans to people like me?" Hanta's thoughts were interrupted as an old lady wearing rags came up to him. "...It's mighty kind of you to do so. But, I have to ask, is this coming from a place of pity?"

Hanta shook his head at her.

"Nah. Once upon a time ago, my parents were dirt poor. They aren't now, and it's not like I can relate now either, in a sense I've become a hypocrite of myself," Hanta replied. "I became a rich pillock talking about the past like it meant something. Using my emotions as justification to piss around and not do anything. This isn't much. Just a single paycheck out of the many I wasted on frivolous things."

"Is that so? Why did you change?"

Hanta smiled warmly at the old lady, giving her a bag full of cans.

"There's this… Guy. It's complex what we have. At one point we used to be close friends but he-, The point is that he's dying. Slowly. I don't exactly know how it makes me feel, but-, He's right," Hanta tried to explain to her. "Rather he said something to me that was right. I could continue to be a hypocrite and not achieve anything with my life, not do anything meaningful and continue to be angry at those in charge that piss about as I did - Or I could start to be the change I want the world to reflect."

"He sounds like a wise guy."

Hanta nodded at that.

"...He is. Not that I can tell him that."

"Why not? He's your friend, isn't he?"

"Huh?"

"Sure, he might not be your close friend anymore. Sure he might be dying. But I can see it in your eyes, lad. You're the one following his advice at the end of the day," The old lady pointed out. "Seems to me like you've always been following his advice, and now you are spreading your wings. You call what you and he have 'complex', but to me, it's mighty simple. To him, you have always been and will always be his friend. What you do with that information is something I don't care about. Can I have the food now?"

…

Hanta passed the bag of cans with a sigh.

"Take care."

"You too, sonny."

…

Was he still friends with Sora?

Despite everything that had happened between them, despite the lies and the hurt… It's not like Sero was entirely faultless. He had never relied on Sora, but to say that Hanta at the very least hadn't been dependable enough for Sora to try to reach out was the truth. After all, the two of them were the laziest people in the class - Or they were. Then Sora wisened up and became far more proactive in life.

Probably because he knew that he was dying.

And what has he done ever since going into U.A.?

Barely survives encounters with villains, messes about with his friends and gets drunk most weekends using his monthly wage on the most useless things. It's not that Hanta regretted any of it, but at the same time, he was nearly eighteen.

At the same time, the world around him was in a dire state.

And he was a Hero.

Hanta couldn't afford to continue to do that, not when people like Daguchi and Suwabe were in power across the country. When people continue to suffer. Before Hanta would have buried his head in the sand, after all, he was just a kid.

But that wasn't an excuse for him anymore.

If Sora could do all these things despite his circumstances then-,

Then-,

It would be a shame if Hanta Sero couldn't stand up for once and fight for what he believed in. For a carefree tomorrow. For everyone. And even if that meant those days spent with his friends just pissing about were going to go away, Hanta was okay with that - Because one day they would return.

When all this was over.

When Class A finally saved the world from itself!

---

Suwabe's office was cleared out entirely as I walked in.

"Dad! Why do you still have that photo of us!" I heard Nanao yell angrily as her adoptive father, Naomasa Tsukauchi sat at the desk with a smirk on his face. "I look like a literal pig in this photo! I can't believe you kept it!"

"It's practically the only photo I have of you in high-school. Why would I get rid of it?"

"Urgh," Nanao grumbled childishly, a different side of the woman I was used to seeing. She turned around and waved at me as I stood awkwardly by the door. "Sora! You came! How's the famous D.D. been these past few days?"

"Eh, you know. The same as always. So, I see you've got a new commissioner now," I replied, nodding at Tsukauchi. "Congrats. Think you'll do better than Suwabe? I mean, I don't think it's gonna be that hard just don't be a cunt."

Tsukauchi laughed at that.

"Thanks. Appreciate you coming over too. I'll try my hardest, but with how things are progressing, who even knows if I'll be a commissioner of the police any longer," Tsukauchi replied. "Have you seen Yotsubashi's proposals? If Musutafu becomes a city state he'll plan on reforming the police to a small military force defending our borders and the city itself. He's ambitious and well liked."

I nodded at that.

"Yeah, well, it makes sense. I mean he basically ratted out Daguchi and Suwabe, with evidence too despite probably being in on their plan," I sighed out. "He sacrificed them as pawns, and now he's going to win the election. Have you seen the voting forecasts? Ninety-three per cent want to vote him in, and a further eighty want the city-state idea to happen - At this point it's assured. The 'missing' ten billion Yen and whatever else in that pot is going to be used by Yotsubashi to finish the redevelopment plan and fight for this city's independence from Japan."

"But, why? I mean I understand that this city has been through a lot, but a city-state? Its own independent 'nation'? What does Yotsubashi hope to achieve with this?" Nanao asked. "At the very least, if there was any doubt about the future it's probably set in stone now. No one can tell what's going to happen when that storm hits. I just pray we don't all get swept away by it."

"We won't. After all, we have Detective Sora Yamazaki here, do we not?"

I cringed at that.

"Yeah… Well, I partly came because of that," I told them. "I… This case opened something to me. It made me realise that ultimately, I was wrong. I-, I thought pushing for the truth would be able to help people, get them closure. It made me get closure. But I forgot that the truth hurts, and afterwards you're left raw with scars riddled all over. Sure, Rikiya Yotsubashi got us good, but ultimately this is just the start. The truth of the matter is that I prioritised the truth and hurt a lot of people in the end."

Tsukauchi nodded at that.

"So you think you don't deserve that badge?"

"It's not that. I do deserve the badge, the same way Suwabe deserved it. But that doesn't mean I need it," I told them. "As a detective, these past few months I've been so focused on trying to solve cases both personal and big. I got too caught up in the details. I focused so much on the small investigations that I forgot to look at the bigger picture, and cause' of that I fucked up."

Nanao hummed at that.

"Sora…"

"...Then what is it that you want?" Tsukauchi asked me sternly. "Personally, I disagree with you, Yamazaki. You've been a real hero these past few months. And I understand that the police of this city are under more scrutiny than ever, that we were all working for someone as corrupt as Suwabe, and I understand that you are anxious about the future. So what now? What is it that you want to do?"

I shrugged my shoulders at him, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment.

"I don't know. I just know at the very least that when Nejire comes back from Italy, I don't want to be a part of the 'Special Reinforcement Group.' And I know that she'll agree," I replied honestly. "I want to strike out on my own. Like before, and I don't really know my options. I've struggled with doing what I've wanted to do for a long time, because of so many issues. But I'm finally in a place where I can admit them, despite all the background noise I'm not so angry anymore that I'll shove it all down and ignore it."

"...And what do you want to do, Sora?"

"I just want to help people. Help all of em'," I said truthfully. "I don't want to be a detective so obsessed with the truth that I fuck over everyone in the process, and I don't want to be a Hero so obsessed with protecting those I care about that in the end I neglect myself in the process - I'm neither a detective nor a Hero. I want to find a balance in what I can do, because that's why I came back to U.A. Sure, I wanted to find my brother, patch things up with Class A, find a cure for myself; but it's also because I missed it. I missed helping others."

Like that kid in Hosu I saved from the burning building.

Or the countless other people I helped.

It was what I always wanted to do.

Despite everything I struggled to accept, I knew that for a fact. Because ultimately, all I've ever wanted to be was a real Hero. Before I even came to U.A.-, No, before I was even born in this life, it was a simple dream I had…

I just wanted to help people.

Perhaps it was formed out of an unconventional way that I dealt with the coldness of life, the pressures of being a child that wasn't loved unconditionally - Maybe it borned the twisted wish for me to help those closest to me even to my detriment.

But I recognised that it was wrong.

And so, I could also recognise the pure wish from a boy that just wanted to be accepted.

Thus, I understood why I was angry at the world.

And I hoped to change how I felt.

"Well, that's fair. And honestly, if that's how you feel, I can't say no to that," Tsukauchi told me with a grin. "It'll be sad losing you as a part of our force, Yamazaki. But I'm sure we can work things out. How would you feel about you and your 'team' being hired as consultants for big cases? That way, you get to keep your badge. You did earn it after all. And you can decide to do whatever it is you want to do."

…!

"Yeah, I like that idea, Dad," Nanao added cheerfully. "Heh, it's like you are finding a balance between the person you were, the person you currently are and the person you want to become! I look forward to working with you in the future, Sora. Not as someone above you, but as partners. You deserve it, after all."

Ah.

I smiled softly at her.

"Thanks. Truly."

"Don't thank us, Yamazaki. We should be thanking you for everything you've done and continue to do despite your condition," Tsukauchi replied. "...If All Might were here, I know he'd be immensely proud of your class. I also know that he would have been proud to have taught a student like yourself, no matter how short of a term he did teach you. See, I think that's the difference between you Heroes of today and the Heroes of the past."

"What's that?"

"Heart."

---

The metal barrier had already been lifted as I entered the room.

Sitting opposite the glass window, waiting for me was him. Natsuki. Azrael. The Angel of Death. Whatever name he had decided on naming himself, in a grey jumpsuit waiting for me as I sat down opposite him.

"...I heard you saved the new mayor of this city," Natsuki began. "Along with two hundred odd people. Congratulations are in order, Detective. Or is it Hero? What would you prefer to be called, Sora?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"You do you."

"What brings you here, Detective?" Natsuki asked me. "Are you here to gloat? That my plans failed? Are you here to tell me when my court date is? Here to tell me I lost? What brings you here, Sora?"

"None of those reasons," I replied with a smirk, pulling out a small USB from my pocket. A USB I had stolen from his apartment just before he was caught. "...I haven't looked at this thing, and frankly I don't care to. It details your crimes, does it not? The experimentation, murder and everything. Probably some evidence regarding Daguchi's corruption too, right?"

Natsuki nodded at that.

"That's right. If you submit that piece of evidence, I'm going away for life."

"I see. And do you want to go away for life?"

Natsuki smiled at me.

"I'm what you would call a vigilante. I knew from the moment I decided on this plan, there would be no way I'd ever be redeemed," Natsuki replied sadly. "Still, so long as another child never gets passed over for money, so long as society begins to heal and care for one another, then I'll willingly be a villain. I'll go to prison. In the end, we both won. You saved everyone, and I became the change I wanted to be reflected in the world."

"That's the thing. Neither of us won."

Natsuki blinked at me in confusion.

"What?"

"Life is complex. Filled with people exerting their influence over our systems, just uncovering the corruption in this city and country isn't going to change anything. You know, I respect what you did even if I disagree with your methods," I told Natsuki honestly. "Quite frankly, I don't know what I'd have done if I were in your position. But at the very least, I know what I have to do in my position. Not as a detective, but as someone who understands how you feel."

And in response, I crushed the USB to pieces.

…

I watched as Natsuki's face turned into one of shock as he stood up from his seat, looking at me as if I had grown another head. He then turned to face the camera in the room, only for the blinking red light to have been completely cut off. I smirked at him, taking out a small EMP device that Mei had made for me when I infiltrated the Detrenat offices a week and a half ago.

"Why… Why did you-,"

"Let's have a talk. Me and you. No one is going to overhear, and it'll take a few minutes for the guards to catch on that the cameras in this room are off," I explained to him. "To be honest, you were right about the third party. We were both pawns in someone else's game, just pieces that were moved around without a care for who we truly are as people. And to say it doesn't piss me off is a lie."

"..."

"Frankly, I'm tired of it. Of being used in other people's schemes, and my actions being twisted to fit their goals. It's been happening to me ever since I came into this world - Either All For One wanted to use me as a punishment, Yukari viewed me as a devil, being pushed into being a Hero, Nezu and whatever the hell he wants - And that was just the first decade and a half of my life," I told Natsuki. "I'm not even talking about the HPSC, the government, what U.A. wants from me, what the Police want from me, Gyro, you, Yozora and even Zero. Everyone always wants to use me for something."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"Honestly? Nothing. It just makes me angry," I replied honestly. "And I'm not going to ignore that anger. I don't know if I can accept it, but I can at the very least understand it now. You were manipulated by them. Are you telling me you aren't angry at them?"

Natsuki merely laughed at me.

"Why would I be angry? Even if I'm pinned for every crime that happened these past few weeks, I'm fine with that," Natsuki told me. "I helped get rid of the corruption. That was my goal. And now, the world is healing. People like you will stand up for those kids who can't get operations because of greedy hospitals, people who are homeless due to no fault of their own will get the help they need and so on. I helped to open the eyes of our society, I became justice itself for a brief moment! I don't care if I get executed. I saved more people than I did in my last life by being a villain-,"

"But you didn't."

"Huh?"

"I said, you didn't do that," I repeated. "Corruption is still going to exist. You rooted out those in charge, but corrupt people will always be elected. You've heard who our new mayor is, right? Rikiya Yotsubashi. One of the most corrupt people there are in this world. Leader of the Meta Liberation Army. Ex-CEO of Detrenat, probably the most morally bankrupt company in the world. People who helped to fund Yakuza including the Shie Hassakai, including your experiments."

Natsuki remained quiet at that.

"The fact of the matter is that the third party who orchestrated this? They're still interested in tearing this city and even country down for whatever reason," I said to him. "Still interested in outlawing Heroes. And they're not going to stop until they see it themselves. The downfall of Japan. I'm going to stop them. So will everyone else, but that's not the point. You're not a saviour, Natsuki. You were a vigilante who got played, and now your actions are going to lead to a hell of a lot more corruption and hurt in this country. You didn't stop anything, you made things worse."

"I-, Shut up! You don't know anything-,"

"I know more than you, Natsuki. Azrael. The Angel of Death. Whatever name you prefer, it's just the ramblings of someone who can't control their emotions," I told him. "...You're just an angry soul lashing out at a world you don't even understand. The reason why I broke that USB is because I pity you. This entire time, you put everything you had into trying to do some good only for it to be used as justification for more evil to be spread across this country. And, well, you were going to be tried and likely executed for crimes you didn't even commit."

"...So what?"

"Let go of it," I told him. "Of your anger. Of those inhibitions keeping you away from doing some real good. Truth be told, they don't have a case to try you for. I just destroyed any evidence linking you to the deaths of the Detrenat branch manager and Suwabe. Even the bomb you strapped onto Yukimura's chest. In about a week, you'll be freed from this place. Free to live any life you want. Free to do whatever you want. Free to be whoever you want to be."

"Huh? You'd set me free?"

I shrugged my shoulders at him.

"That's how this system works, you know this. Japanese lawyers don't pursue cases which don't have a nearly guaranteed conviction, so you won't be charged with any crimes," I explained to him. "So if you leave and go back to being a vigilante, go back to plotting more people's deaths, go ahead. I can't stop you, though I'll try to catch you. But all you'll be doing is falling for someone else's game. All you ever be is a pawn, nothing more and nothing less. A sad life for someone as bright as you, right?"

"..."

I leaned back on my chair, smirking at Natsuki.

"Or, you could go down the thorny path."

"...Huh?"

"Give up that anger and mission of yours. You didn't achieve anything. You never will. The same way Aozora never achieved anything, he had potential but he let his anger get the best of him," I replied. "The way you are now, you'll die without ever having achieved anything. And that's throughout two tragic lives. You're a bastard, but you're not a bad person. Just a person who made shitty choices because they couldn't let go of their anger. Yukari saw some good in you. And she saw good in me too. So, even if it's a mistake, I'm willing to try and see the good in you too."

Natsuki's eyes widened at that.

"You-, Haha-, I experimented on children. On Eri. I used so many people, and I forgot how many I've murdered, but are you willing to give me another chance at living my life? Are you stupid?"

I shook my head at him.

"Heh, I never once said anything about letting you live your life. As far as I'm concerned, you'll never be able to live your life freely," I told him. "But, you can use your talents and knowledge for something better. At the very least, I don't think you're wrong for wanting things to change. But you were going about things the wrong way. And some people want and clamour for change, and they'll get that change. So it depends, Natsuki. I'm giving you the chance to do what's right."

"What I am doing is right-,"

"No. You're nothing but a selfish vigilante too afraid to accept that your idea of justice is flawed. You have valued your anger far more than any moral high ground you had, your actions prove that," I pointed out to him. "What's it going to be? When you're released, are you going to go back to how you are? Just keep on killing away to justify that anger of yours? Or are you going to let it go and do the right thing? Help be the change you want to see reflected in the world. That's what you said, right?"

"...That's a simple view of things."

"Is it? I don't think it is, when you said it you seemed confident in your words. People like us tend to get lost in the grey aspects of life because we needlessly confuse ourselves with our motives, sometimes it is as simple as it seems," I told him. "I can be both scared of dying and living. But I can't just sit back and let things be. I know now that there are enemies deep within the government with positions of power trying to make things worse for everyone, and I can't accept that. Things need to change. But not by murder, not by doing things illegally."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not trusting the public," I replied honestly. "Because first and foremost, we're not recipients of those getting hurt. You and I do this for our pride at the end of the day. I solve cases because I want to, and you pretend that you're just to make sure that anger in your heart doesn't fade away. So, let's stop. I'll start to be an actual Hero and help people. And why don't you use that brain of yours and scientific genius to help people, like Yukari wanted you to do. Like you originally wanted to do. To help stamp out the rot in this world. Not through anger and violence, but by letting go of our anger that binds us."

"You make it sound easy."

"It's not easy," I admitted. "But I'm doing it. I want to do it. I don't want to remain angry at this world or myself any longer. Because all I'm doing is making those around me angry, I'm perpetuating a cycle I don't want to be a part of. So, instead, how about I start providing hope to others? Like a real Hero. From a comic book back home."

Natsuki hummed at that.

"Home? You still can't let go of the past, can you?"

…

I shrugged my shoulders at that.

"Maybe that's one of my other flaws. Oh well. That's a problem to be solved another day, I'm just trying to make sure that those emotions we've repressed and used for so long don't destroy us entirely," I replied with a smile. "And it's not like you don't understand, I know you do. We're the same in a sense. It's the curse of being reincarnated, Natsuki - The curse of never maturing. I died when I was seventeen and I was an irrational person when I awoke here, but I slowly learned through my mistakes. Can you do the same?"

I watched as Natsuki stared at his own hands.

"...You're asking me to let go of my anger? My entire life as Natsuki has been spent trying to ignore those emotions from my previous life. Yukari tried to help me, but then I found myself exactly in the same position as I did in my last life - And instead of committing suicide, I committed myself to becoming just in taking out these bastards," Natsuki said to me. "And now you're telling me that I have a chance to let it go? After everything I've done, you're willing to let me go?!"

I sighed at him.

"I'm not trying to convince you to do anything. If you want to go back to being a vigilante, I'll stop you. But that's not the point," I replied. "...Ultimately, your actions caused more harm than good. You've hurt a lot of people in your quest for revenge, and that's all it's ever been. Revenge against your anger. You can justify yourself all you want, but there is a reason why you're sitting in that chair in those clothes, handcuffs preventing you from moving freely to scratch your arse. If you want change, good change, and if you really want a child to never be refused treatment again for bonuses, then you know what to do. Unless that was just an excuse to justify your anger."

"..."

I stood up from my chair as the door behind me opened.

The guards came rushing in with their weapons as they looked at us in confusion. Evidently, they thought that the camera's being off would mean that I was helping Natsuki escape, but that wasn't true.

The only way he could escape from the Hell he had created was through his own will.

I just gave him the rope.

"Sora!" I heard Natsuki yell my name. "...How do I… How can I let my anger go?"

I smirked at him.

"That's for you to decide. It's a thorny path. It requires looking inward, looking at some harsh truths, only you can do it," I told him. "...That pit that you created? That pit of anger? Only you can climb out of it. But I'll be there. So long as you keep reaching for the rope, I'll be there throwing one down every single time. You just don't give up on trying to reach that rope, on trying to climb out of the pit. That's all there is to it."

And for once, Natsuki nodded at me.

His grin matched my own.

"I-, And these people I'll work with… Your friends… What is it that they're working for? 'Change' is a vague word, and you know it," Natsuki said to me. "I-, I-, I want to make sure that whatever it is I'll potentially work for, it won't be something that leads to more pain and misery."

I laughed at him.

"It won't."

"You didn't answer my question."

I reached for my pockets, ignoring the suspicious looks the guards gave me as I lit up my cigarette. I was thankful that Tarturus allowed me to smoke in here, something about there being proper ventilation due to the many smoke Quirks housed by criminals in the prison. I took a long drag from my cigarette, allowing my lungs to be filled before I exhaled loudly.

"It's a simple idea, man. They believe in a carefree tomorrow."

And I watched as Natsuki laughed alongside me.

For some reason, it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

Even when the laughter stopped and the tears and pained cries came out instead, I couldn't help but smile sadly at the guy. He was just like Gyro. Just like me. Someone who had spent their life going after something unattainable, living in a way that ultimately never granted them anything but a guarantee of a lonely and unfulfilling life.

It wasn't my place to forgive Natsuki for his crimes.

Ultimately, I didn't care.

His victims were his problem, they were all dead. And the true tormentors of someone like Eri had already been dealt with years ago now, Natsuki was just as his other name suggested.

Azrael, the Angel of Death.

If he wanted to continue down that path, it was for him to decide.

But if he wanted to change that-,

Well... I'd done my part.

Even as I exited Tarturus, I smiled at the one girl who was waiting outside for me.

"Did you finish your little conjugal?" Tokage teased me with a grin on her face. "I don't see a mess on your face. Unless you finished on the prisoner's face. Kinky. Or perhaps you did anal instead-,"

"Shut up."

"Fine, fine," Tokage rolled her eyes at me as she rested near my motorbike. "...What now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You solved one case. But, there are still people around that want to cause trouble, right?" Tokage reasoned. "You're going to go after them, no matter what. So what direction are we pointing at now? The government? Yotsubashi? Who?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"I… don't know."

"You don't know?! That makes you a piss poor detective."

"Shut up!"

Tokage and I shared a laugh as I mounted my bike, Tokage's arms wrapped around me as I stared at the long road going back to Musutafu. In a sense, it reminded me of my own life. Or lives. Long journeys filled with bumps here and there.

"So… How do you feel?"

"...Well, for starters, I'm trying to let go of all that baggage. That darkness in my heart. It's hard, but, maybe one day I'll be able to do it," I replied. "Either way that's something for me to worry about in the future. Right now, I'm more focused on helping out everyone in Class A. On helping you out. On helping this city. The people in it. I don't want to be angry anymore, and I don't want to inspire anger either."

Tokage smiled at me.

"Right, you want to inspire hope."

"Is there an issue with that?"

Tokage shook her head at me in response.

"No. It suits you. That hopeful look on your face. Far more than any frown or glare you put on," Tokage replied. "And… you'll allow yourself to be helped by others, right? Will you allow me to help you? I noticed that you've been coughing up blood more frequently. That's not a good sign, Sora."

Hm.

I stared up at the clear blue sky and smiled.

"...I made it to eighteen. An age I never thought I'd reach. An age I never reached in my previous life. I've spent more time as Sora than whoever I was in my past life, yet I'm still trying to grow into an adult," I told her honestly. "The best thing I can do is live. Live with determination. Because otherwise, what even is the point of me still being here? It's like a dream I never want to wake up from."

"Sora… life isn't a dream waiting for death."

I shrugged my shoulders at that, starting my motorbike as I drove slowly away from Tartarus.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

At the very least, for the first time in my life, my heart was starting to become clear.

---

Ballad of Death - End.

---

And that's the end of this arc!

A weird one, but another personal step in the journey of Sora Yamazaki! Of course, it doesn't end on an entirely positive note. Sora sometimes does go sideways, and perhaps, not forwards even if it seems like it.

I had a whole section on his growth but I deleted it.

Instead, I want to focus on Horikoshi! On My Hero Aca as a work and what it means to me. I love MHA! Truly! SO FUCKING MUCH! It means a lot to me on a personal level… And I don't love the ending.

The final chapter 430.

Just the final chapter.

I won't spoil why I don't like it for spoilery reasons, but all I'll say on the matter is that it ends on a weak note - Something evident by the fact that the man likely got tired of writing the series. And I don't blame him, I have also begun to get tired of writing Over the Top.

So, will I take a hiatus? I don't know. Expect a chapter 2 weeks from now and if you don't get one, you can come and bother me about it on discord - discord . gg / tKvTKZNAfa

But I can assure you that I won't rush the ending to this story!

I've had the idea of the ending chapter scene-by-scene roughly thought out in my head since the start of this story and my plans haven't deviated from showing that ending no matter what. And I recognise that I'm a FFN writer, I have less pressure to deliver anything with quality, but as a writer novice or not, I care about my own pride more than anything else.

SO once again, thank you Horikoshi!

It was you who got me into literature once more years back once I swore off anime/manga as a medium. It was the feelings that your story gave me that pushed me to this story and writing as a hobby, so I don't mind at all if you stumbled the ending right at the final chapter.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE STRENGTH TO WRITE!

I'll miss MHA from the bottom of my heart.

So I hope you get to rest now!