"… Oh no!" I muttered with what was certainly an anxious look on my face as I stared at the utter abomination that was standing a few meters away from me and everyone else. A monster with black skin and a large muscular build, these features made it clear to me that this 'thing' is a Nomu. But unlike several of the other Nomu I've seen this one had in particular has a long neck with several large vertebrae jutting out of it. Meanwhile its face is hidden by a hood of skin. The only part of its face that was visible was its yellow eyes that pierced my very soul.

However, this Nomu was familiar to me. I had personally not fought against it, but the Pro Hero (And father of my friend Todoroki) Endeavor had to fight it along with the Number Two Pro Hero (At the time) Hawks. I witnessed the entire battle on the TV in the UA Dormitory alongside my friends. But what strikes me as very concerning is that Endeavor vanquished the beast! I saw it! Everyone did! There was nothing left of it by the time Endeavor raised his arm into the sky like All Might did several times in the past after defeating a powerful villain.

But now here I am, staring at a monster that eerily resembled the one that the Flame Hero fought against in Kyushu. Not only that but it's capable of speech much like the one that was the reason why I was transported to this world. However, the difference in speech is all too concerning. The one that murdered All Might spoke in a way that resembled the way a robot would speak. But this Nomu speaks in an exact opposite fashion. Its tone of speech (While grating on the ears due to the screechiness of its voice) was very human. And knowing that fact…

… Scared me all the way to the core of my being. But as I realized all of this, the people around me took notice of the monster as well.

"W-What the hell is that?!" Sudo spoke but it wasn't his usual loud of way speaking. In stellar contrast to how he normally talked, his voice was quivering with fear at the abomination in the distance. But he wasn't alone in that sentiment. Suzune and Hirata had similar looks on their faces. But in direct opposition to this was Manabu who had a very serious look on his face. But before I could blink, he-

'WHOOOSH!' Made his way to the creature by propelling himself forward with Permeation until he reached it and-

'BAM!' Tore something out of the Nomu's body. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. I was utterly speechless. Not to mention everyone else. And before anyone could say a word, the monster fell to its knees. And then…

"… It's done." Manabu declared while holding the creature's beating heart that made an audible 'Thump' noise until he crushed it with his bare hands in a single decisive move. My jaw might as well have been on the floor. That's how surprised I was that Manabu had done such a ferocious attack without hesitating even for a moment. But I was not alone in this sentiment. After all, the one who was most surprised by this could be none other than his little sister.

"N-Nii-San… h-how could you?!" Suzune muttered out as she could barely see out of tear-stained eyes (From crying over my identity being revealed from a moment prior) along with the fact that her throat was hurting since she had used its maximum volume to warn me. But even still after everything that happened, she couldn't believe that her brother was capable of something so barbaric. But said brother was unfazed by this.

"It was that monster… or us. Did you honestly think that I was going to sit back and do nothing but watch you get hurt again. Not going to happen. So, if it means staining these hands of mine… then so be it." Manabu replied while staring at his blood-stained hands without a care in the world fully believing that what he did was right and just if it meant ensuring his sister's safety. Though said sister was confused by what her brother meant by 'again?' But before she could decipher the answer to that perplexing question-

'Drip. Drip. Drip.' Blood dripped from Manabu's naked body as it spilled and painted the cement below red. But it was as he said. The battle was over. That's what the person named Manabu Horikita genuinely thought. At least it should have been. However…

… He couldn't be more wrong.

"ThAt…" The High-End Nomu muttered as it stood up while Manabu's eyes shot wide open but before he could say a word or much less do a single thing-

"… WoN't WoRk!" The High-End Nomu finished with a shout as its entire arm shook and twisted in shape until it-

'WHOOOSH!' Shot forward in a flash! But at the same time, I recalled such an attack that the Nomu resembling this one used on Endeavor! And before I knew it-

'BAM!' My body moved on its own as I pushed Manabu out of the way! Manabu was so surprised by this turn of events he didn't activate Permeation which would have allowed him to avoid such an attack! But I figured something like that would happen. After all, none of these people had ever seen such a monstrosity, much less fought against it. That's why-

"Everyone! Get out of here! I will…" I spoke before pausing for a few seconds as I stood in front of Manabu and the others behind him. And then…

"… DEFEAT IT!" I declared with a shout at the top of my lungs as the monster stared at me with its yellow eyes. The High-End Nomu then lifted its hand into the air. But before it could do anything to try to harm another one of the people I care about-

'WHOOOSH!' I shot an air bullet with twenty percent of Obliterator's power by using my Air Force technique. I performed such an action with a reason behind it. Getting up close and personal with that abomination could have disastrous consequences. I saw the entire fight between the Nomu that resembled this one and Endeavor, which is why I know how dangerous it is. That's why I can't pull my punches, but I also have to do this cautiously if I want to survive this fight. And since I saw that fight on TV, I wasn't all too surprised when it regenerated the hole in its hand that was made when I shot the air bullet at him. But then…

"Ah!" My eyes went wide as I noticed it unveiling its hood like skin as I noticed its face. I couldn't help but let out an audible gasp as the horror that was hidden until now. Its face showcased its entirely exposed brain, along with distorted red eyes and a mouth full of long, jagged teeth.

"Holy shit." Hirata muttered under his breath as he too was taken aback by what he along with everyone else was looking at. Even with Overclock he couldn't process what exactly he was looking at. The 'thing' in the distance was so otherworldly that it may have been an alien for all he knew. He had no idea what that monster was. But he did know one thing. That abomination…

… Cannot exist in this world. That was the conclusion he reached by processing things much quicker than anyone else could. But to his and everyone else's utmost surprise-

"YeAh! ThAt'S wHaT i WaNt To HeAr! IzUkU mIdOrIyA!" The High-End Nomu snapped back with a wide grin and a loud ear-piercing voice that did very little to hide its excitement. And before I knew it-

'WHOOOSH!' The High-End Nomu shot forward faster than I could blink due to its shoulder mounted jets! I had narrowly dodged its attack by the skin of my teeth! However, this resulted it in moving forward to find another target! And that would inevitably be one of my-

"I WON'T LET YOU!" I declared with a shout at the top of my lungs before using an air bullet to propel myself forward while clenching my fist! And then…

"SMASH!" I shouted at the top of my lungs once more before landing a blow right onto its hideous face and knocked several of the Nomu's teeth out in the process before it had the chance of hurting a single person I cared about! But this was exactly what I was trying to avoid! Getting close to that monster! And before I knew it, all of its teeth had regenerated in a flash along with the imprint of my fist that was made when I collided it with its face! I noticed this when it looked in my direction while maintaining the wide grin that it had before. But in the brief interval of time, we stared each other down-

'WHAM!' Sudo hardened his fist into steel and landed a blow onto its chest! However, much to his surprise, the Nomu barely reacted to his attack. He then looked his way with a disappointed look on its face before saying-

"WeAk." The High-End Nomu remarked casually while its arm changed shape and moved toward Sudo! But before it could grab him-

'WHOOOSH!' I pushed him out of the way! However, unlike with what happened with Manabu, I wasn't so lucky to avoid its attack! And before I knew it, its giant hand had wrapped around me. I was quite literally in the monster's grasp. And then…

"LeT's Go FoR a RiDe!" The High-End Nomu declared with what was undoubtedly a look of utter glee before it-

'WHOOOSH!' Used it's Shoulder Mounted Jets Quirk to move toward the sky like a rocket! It was just as he said, because as the monster moved way above the buildings around me, I was taken along with him! All the people around me could do was watch this unfold. But one person in particular was dissatisfied by this turn of events and made his discontent crystal clear.

"Why the hell didn't you do anything, Hirata?! With your speed you would have had ample time to save Midoriya! Instead, you just stood there!" Sudo yelled out of anger but also because he felt pathetic over Midoriya being taken hostage. Hirata heard this and took a step forward to confront Sudo.

"Oh yeah?! Like your attack did shit against it! What could I have done!? If I did something I could have died! At least, I noticed the risks before attacking the monster like an idiot!" Hirata snapped back with a tone of voice that did very little to hide his own rage over this turn of events. In response, Sudo took a step forward to meet Hirata as they were standing right in front of each other.

"What the hell did you say to me?!" Sudo snapped back with a voice that was even louder than Hirata's but before the two could engage in fisticuffs, Horikita noticed this and got between them.

"That's enough! Squabbling like this is pointless! We have to do something to save Midoriya!" Suzune yelled out as Sudo looked her way before staring at the ground out of regret. In contrast, Hirata clicked his tongue before averting his eyes from her thinking that what she was proposing was utterly ridiculous and only something a lunatic would consider. But he wasn't alone in this sentiment.

"And what exactly can we do? I crushed the monster's heart with my bare hands. It somehow has the ability to regenerate even from such a grievous wound. Meaning whatever we do against it is utterly useless if we can't destroy it completely in a single attack. None of our powers have the ability to obliterate such an abomination. We would only be getting in Midoriya's way. So, the best course of action, is to make sure that everyone around here is evacuated." Manabu replied as he made a very sound argument. (And also put all of his clothes back on while this was going on)

"And where exactly do we evacuate everyone too? There aren't any boats around and the only people who have cars are the faculty. And even if we used all of their cars, it wouldn't be enough to save everyone. You know that don't you?" Hirata asked with a serious look of his own. Manabu nodded in affirmation.

"Precisely. That's why it's in our best interest to make sure all of the students are all together than apart from each other. The school's auditorium holds enough space for everyone to be in and then some. That way we'll be able to keep track of everyone. And I'm sure that Midoriya is going to do his best to keep the battle away from the school. The plan's foolproof." Manabu replied while he wiped his face that was stained with the monster's blood with a handkerchief before putting his glasses back on.

But even though it was completely logical, it didn't make his sister feel any better in the slightest. Because his plan meant putting everything on Deku's shoulders. She wanted to do something, anything after what he did for her. He saved her. And now that she has a Quirk, the girl named Suzune Horikita wanted nothing more than to return the favor. And Manabu knew this.

"Don't you even think about it, Suzune. Unlike our powers, your Foresight does not give you a boost in strength or speed. Sure, it may give you a tactical advantage. But what good will that do against a monster that can regenerate its wounds instantaneously? Nothing at all. Whether you like it or not, you CANNOT help Izuku Midoriya in this fight. This fight is his and his alone." Manabu declared with a serious tone of voice and a face that matched it. But even if he was right, even still-

"Then I guess we'll have to see." Suzune replied before moving forward but before she could walk even a few steps-

'BAM!' Manabu landed a blow onto his sister, specifically where one of her pressure points was in her neck. Thus, rendering the young girl unconscious. But Sudo witnessed this and gritted his teeth while clenching his fists. Manabu noticed this and said, 'Got a problem with that?' While not even looking at him. This only made Sudo even more angry.

"DAMN RIGHT I DO! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR OWN SISTER!? JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Sudo snapped back with a voice at the top of his lungs as he couldn't stand seeing the girl he had a crush on hurt in any shape or form. But his loud shout made Manabu look his way as the latter maintained his serious look before replying.

"Isn't it obvious? Your question answered itself. I'm her brother. And as her brother I will do anything and everything in my power to protect her. Even if it means she hates me for it in the end." Manabu replied as he carried his sister away from the scene. Hirata followed after, as he zoomed away with a 'WHOOOSH!' In order to follow his leader's plan. This left Sudo who bit his lip in regret to the point that it bled. He had no desire to be hated by the girl he loved. But in stellar contrast to him, her brother didn't seem to give a damn. And that really pissed him off.

'Why?! Why do you hate my brother so much!? You think you know everything about a person due to one interaction with them?! You don't know a damn thing about him! You don't know a damn thing about me or anyone else! So, before you have the audacity to say something as hypocritical as that, try taking the time to actually learn who someone really is damn it!' Especially after recalling what Horikita had told him before. She clearly loved her brother. But it didn't seem like it went both ways. And even if it did, he couldn't stand it. Not one bit.

But there was nothing that the young man named Ken Sudo could do at this point in time. So, he had no choice but to follow behind Manabu as his lip bled onto the concrete below further staining it red. But in the distance, a blue light followed after Izuku Midoriya and the monster. And then…

'WHOOOSH!' The High-End Nomu continued to gain distance away from the scene that was the battlefield from before, as I had no choice but to be taken along for the ride as he said. But in this interval of time since he performed this abrasive maneuver-

'BAM!' I had been charging up an air bullet with over fifty percent of Obliterator's power that destroyed the Nomu's head along with its upper torso! This resulted in the monster letting me go as I shot another air bullet that I had been charging simultaneously with my other hand which made me safely land on a nearby rooftop!

"AUGH!" I let out a groan of agony as in the process of performing these moves my brain felt like it had been hit by a speeding truck going over one hundred miles per hour! It was sufficient to say that the monster landed a blow onto me without even trying to hurt me. All due to my reckless behavior. I knew this. But I didn't care. This was the only way to escape from the Nomu's grasp. In fact, I'm lucky that I wasn't harmed when he took me on that 'joyride' of his for his own entertainment.

'But now what do I do?' I thought internally as I examined all of my potential options. But no matter how many ideas came through my mind they all went back to the ultimate conclusion. That I have no choice but to use one hundred percent of Obliterator's power if I want to finish that thing off. It's not like I want to do that, but I don't really have a choice. This is because in order to 'obliterate' his Quirk, I have to hold onto him for a bare minimum of five seconds.

However, five seconds is too much time when the enemy in front of me can use his 'Transforming Arms' Quirk to either enlarge his rams or shrink them down to a size that would allow him to escape from my grasp. And so far, he hasn't allowed me a chance to get close to him without attacking faster than I could blink. This Nomu is far faster and probably far stronger than the USJ Nomu. But unlike the USJ Nomu, this Nomu has intelligence! He can actively think! And he knows that by targeting the people around me, he can get me to attack him!

Not only that but he knew my ability to 'obliterate' Quirks! This is due to when he grabbed me and sent me into the sky with him, the way he was holding me put my hands onto my lower torso! This made sure that I wouldn't have been able to touch him during that interval of time we were airborne! There's no doubt about it! He knows that I can destroy his Quirks! And that's why he's also maintaining his distance from me! That Nomu can talk and strategize like any normal human can. And that makes him…

… Extremely dangerous! But as soon as I came to that conclusion. The High-End Nomu looked at me while hovering in the sky with his Shoulder Mounted Jets with a horrifying smile on his face. But before I could say a word or do a single thing-

"I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to fight someone strong. It's been… so long… since I've been able to engage in a proper fight with another person. You see, all I want is for you to give me the fight of my life. A fight that will send me into the grave. That's what I want. You and me… fighting to the death. That's why I expect you to use everything you have, if you want to kill me, Izuku Midoriya." The High-End Nomu declared while speaking in a regular tone of voice that was unlike the tone he had used before which was very screeching and unpleasant to listen to.

However, this voice sounded like a human. I already knew that the Nomus used to be human (And that this one was no exception.) But even still, the fact that he sounded like any normal human, scared me as I had no desire to kill another person. Tomura Shigaraki, All For One, I've already taken too many lives. I don't want to have anyone else's blood on my hands. But this Nomu has already made his intentions crystal clear to me. It wants 'me' to kill him. And if I refuse to kill him…

… Then I would be dooming the lives of not just the people I care about but countless other people too. This monster won't listen to reason. It only seeks for battle and death. I can't expect my words to get through to him. Then my only choice is to- But before I could finish that thought as I gritted my teeth out of regret over what I must do-

'FWOOOSH!' My eyes shot wide open as I heard something, no someone traveling toward me and the Nomu! It was then that I noticed a bright blue burning light that I had seen only minutes prior to the encounter with this monster. That's why I knew that it was none other than-

"GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE, FUCKER! IF ANYONE IS GONNA KILL IZUKU MIDORIYA… IT'S GOING TO BE ME!" Ryuuen declared with a shout at the top of his lungs while propelling himself toward not me, but the High-End Nomu! It was then that I recalled that Ryuuen had a perfect vantage point to overlook the fight on the ground from before! (Due to him still being on the rooftop at the time!) He must know full well that this monster is capable of killing me if I don't maintain my distance between him! That's why he is actually-

"DON'T DO IT, RYUUEN!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, but Ryuuen ignored me as not even a second later he made contact with the monster by sending a massive blue fireball his way! The Nomu didn't react in time and was engulfed by the blast of flames! It was then that I recalled that how hot Dabi's flames were, they were even hotter than Endeavor's flames which managed to kill the High-End Nomu from Kyushu! Could this mean… that he actually finished off the Nomu?! But as I thought all of this within my mind, the smoke that was caused by the intense flames, dissipated, revealing that-

"Ow… tHaT… hUrT!" The High-End Nomu replied as he went back to his screeching voice at the drop of a hat as I noticed it's bare flesh and organs that burning to ashes before regenerating completely in an instant! Damn it! It wasn't enough! He might have had access to Dabi's firepower, but it wasn't on the level of heat that the latter could produce! But Ryuuen knew this too as he clicked his tongue with obvious annoyance over his flames not being strong enough to finish off the monster. That's why he-

"Guess I've got no choice but to crank up the heat!" Ryuuen yelled out before unleashing his flames again in a continuous onslaught of flames! His arms might as well have been a flamethrower because they kept producing fire that burnt the monster to a crisp! But in the process-

"Ah!" I gasped as I noticed that Ryuuen's body was also heating up! I then recalled that something similar happened to Dabi! This was the side effect of him having stronger flames than Endeavor and not having the ability to cool his body down like Todoroki! The result being clear as day to both me and Ryuuen!

"AUGH! W-WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO ME?!" Ryuuen shouted at the top of his lungs as he felt his body's skin being burnt. The result was him groaning in utter agony. But in the midst of this, he stopped attacking the monster so that he wouldn't burn himself to death! But even though he wasn't using his Blueflame Quirk in an offensive manner any longer, the fires that were burning his body wouldn't go out! At this rate, he'll die! I can't let that happen! Even though Ryuuen hates my guts, and I don't like him in the slightest, I can't stand to see another person die! Not after what happened to-

'… Evade your eyes for what comes next is not something I would ever want you to see.' I clenched my fists hard as I remembered All Might's parting words, all while charging up an air bullet. In the midst of that-

"WoW yOu'Re StRoNgEr ThAn YoU lOoK!" The High-End Nomu declared with a wicked smile on its face while his arms began transforming once more as it was clear that he was about to attack Ryuuen! But before he could-

'WHOOOSH!' I launched an air bullet with fifty percent of Obliterator's power at the High-End Nomu that destroyed his head and upper torso like from before! But in the process, it released a gust of wind that dispersed Ryuuen's flames! In that moment my eyes went wide when seeing his face that made him remind me of Dabi now in more ways than one. But I didn't waste a single second as I took this opportunity by launching another air bullet (That I was charging along with the one I just used) to send myself into the air and specifically at Ryuuen as I grabbed him!

'There! I got- But just as I thought that everything was going to be okay, I felt my left arm being grabbed by something while I held Ryuuen with my right arm. It was then that I looked behind me as my eyes shot wide open to see-

"WhErE dO yOu ThInK yOu ArE gOiNg?!" The High-End Nomu snapped back at me while gripping my left arm with an enlarged finger. In the midst of this, I attempted to charge another air bullet but in the mist of that my mind felt like it was slammed by a hammer as I couldn't help but break my concentration for a moment. But in that moment-

'SNAP!' The High-End Nomu broke one of the bones in my left arm like a twig as I screamed out in agony! The pain was too much for me to bear as I unintentionally let go of Ryuuen! I noticed this not even a second later, as I charged up an air bullet with over eighty percent of Obliterator's power! And then…

'WHOOOSH!' I sent it straight at The High-End Nomu's body! But the monster didn't even attempt to dodge as he took it head on-

'BAAAAM!' And exploded into several massive chunks! His organs and body parts rained down onto the city below along with his blood! This also included the finger that he had been he broke my arm with! But even though I obliterated his body, he won't be down for long! He can regenerate in an instant! That's why in that instant-

'WHOOOSH!' I propelled myself toward Ryuuen as the latter plummeted to the city below! But before he could make contact with the ground, I grabbed onto his body with my only working arm! And just as were about to become mincemeat, I used another air bullet to send me back into the sky! My left arm might be broken but my fingers still work! And in the process of soaring through the sky with Ryuuen, I made my way back to the ocean that was not far from where my apartment was! And then…

'SPLASH!' I dropped Ryuuen into the water below that would further cool his body more than my air bullets ever could! But I knew full well in his unconscious state (He must have passed out sometime during his fall.) that he would drown if I didn't get back down there and save him! But just as I realized that-

"YoU bAsTaRd!" A screeching voice that was instantly recognizable after all the time I heard it went through my eardrums, as I registered it as the High-End Nomu but before I could do a thing-

'BAAAAAAM!' It grabbed my entire body with its enlarged hand before using its Shoulder Mounted Jets to send both him and me to the ground! In the process, the road was completely wrecked as his body took the brunt of the damage as we collided with the earth!

"AH!" I then gasped for breath the moment he let go of me as I couldn't breathe while his massive hand was wrapped around my mouth. (And the rest of my body.) But while trying to regain air into my lungs-

"FiGhT mE!" The High-End Nomu demanded as his voice was like nails to a chalkboard! Just hearing it made me feel like my ears were bleeding! But I should have known something like this would happen! He isn't going to allow me a moment to rest, much less think about my next course of action! That's why I've got no choice but to-

'Do you wish to obliterate him?' The voice of Jokata asked as my body unleashed green energy around me while the Nomu smiled widely in response. And to answer his question-

"DAMN RIGHT I DO!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I felt one hundred percent of Obliterator's power coursing through my body as I stepped forward while making the ground shake below me with every step I took until I-

"SMASH!" I shouted once more at the top of my lungs before landing my fist right into The High-End Nomu's chest! The result being that its entire body blew up and sprayed its blood onto me staining my green jumpsuit red. But as his body combusted and there wasn't anything left of his limbs, only his organs-

"YeAh! ThAt'S wHaT i'M tAlKiNg AbOuT!" The High-End Nomu snapped back while its entire body regenerated in an instant! It's no use! I didn't obliterate his entire body! There were still his organs! If I want to kill him then I'm going to have to go even further beyond and push past my limits completely and go Plus Ultra- But in the moment, I thought that my body wouldn't move anymore.

'BAM!' I then unceremoniously collapsed to the ground below me. Huh? What is this? Why can't I move? No! Not now! I was so close! Why did this happen when I was so close to defeating him and saving everyone?! I couldn't help but think back to what happened back on the island when I used one hundred percent of Obliterator's power. I thought that my body would be able to take it. But I was wrong. I had gone above and beyond my limits so many times in the span of just over five minutes that this was the natural result of me being so reckless.

'Get up! Get the hell up already you Quirkless loser! You can't quit now! Not when there are lives at stake!' I thought internally as I berated myself for being so pathetic but in the midst of all of this, I was being watched. Not just by the High-End Nomu, but all of my classmates and the rest of the students of AN (With only a few notable exceptions were watching this fight play out in the school auditorium. (They weren't able to see what was going on in the air, due to there being no cameras in the sky.) But now that we were back on the ground, we were being recorded.

"…" The students of AN watched wordlessly as they didn't know how to react at the carnage that had unfolded before their eyes. The young man named Izuku Midoriya had punched the monster into oblivion only for the freak show to come back in a scene straight out of a horror movie. A lot of the guys threw up over seeing such a ghastly display, while the girls were crying their eyes out knowing full well that the hero 'All Might' had been defeated. They were able to see all of this due to the massive theater screen in the auditorium showcasing the footage by several of the security cameras all at once! This was all due to 'his' calculations! The calculations of-

"You see everyone! This is what your so called 'hero' really is! A pathetic weakling who can't do his single job right! If he can't kill monsters that have no right to exist, then he is no hero! Just some faker pretending to be one!" Chairman Ayanokoji declared through the mic on top of the stage while the students looked at him in disbelief. Some of which mumbled 'Guess he's right.' And 'I thought he was stronger if he was able to defeat one of The Seven.' In the midst of that Ayanokoji smiled in satisfaction over proving to these simpletons that he was unquestionably right-

"What do you know?" Someone within the crowd said which caught the Chairman off guard. He tried looking around, but with all of the students cluttered together it wasn't possible for him to see who said that out of short notice. But even still-

"Care to repeat that?" Chairman Ayanokoji asked with a serious look on his face, but it was then that the person became visible from within the massive crowd. A girl with hair that was almost like Arisu Sakayanagi's hair but much longer, so it obvious wasn't her. The Chairman had done his work on trying to memorize the names and faces of each of his students in the advent of what's to come. But even he couldn't recognize this young girl's face. And then…

"I said what do you know?! All Might is out there fighting to save us! You weren't on the cruise so you wouldn't know the type of person he really is! A hero who fights to save people… there's nothing pathetic about that! The only one pathetic is the coward trying to make him look like one!" The girl named Hiyori Shiina snapped back with tear-stained eyes. But even though she had been crying her eyes out over seeing her hero fall in the heat of battle, in spite of that her face was brimming with resolve!

"Why you little!" Chairman Ayanokoji replied while gritting his teeth as he was easily provoked by someone much younger than him. He considered expelling her on the spot, but since he had no idea what her name was that made it difficult for him to do so without finding out her name first. But before he could-

"What the?! Who is that over there?!" Someone yelled out as Chairman Ayanokoji clenched his fist before turning around as his eyes shot wide open. Somehow, against all odds, there was another person over there approaching the two combatants!

'But who!? Just who the hell is that person?!' Chairman Ayanokoji thought internally as once again his eyes met a person which he couldn't remember the name of. This only made him angrier. But in the midst of that-

"Hirata, is everyone accounted for?" Manabu asked with a serious look on his face while Hirata averted his eyes with a regretful look on his face. But this was wasting precious time, so Manabu said, 'Spit it out already.' And then…

"There are two missing people. One is Ryuuen but somehow, he also has powers. A power that allows him to create blue flames. And the other person is…" Hirata replied but he was cut off before he could finish by Sudo.

"W-What the hell is she doing here?!" Sudo yelled out but his shouting voice awakened Suzune, who was resting on a chair in the front of the auditorium. Upon seeing the person that Sudo was referring to on the theater screen her eyes shot wide open as she too couldn't understand why this person was there all of a sudden where the battle between Deku and the monster was taking place. She didn't even have a Quirk! So, why was-

"S-S-Sakura?!" I yelled out upon noticing the girl with long pink hair and glasses that I had become very familiar with over my tenure at AN. She had become one of the very few people who wouldn't mind me calling her a friend. And even now, she's probably the last person that feels that way. That's why along with how she really felt about me, I understood why she was here. But even still I-

"SAKURA! GET OUT OF HERE!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, but Sakura nodded her head side to side to indicate a 'no' as she pressed forward against my wishes. But in the process of doing so, the High-End Nomu was alerted to her presence.

"ArE yOu OnE oF tHe StRoNg?!" The High-End Nomu asked with an excited look on its face while analyzing her with his yellow eyes. But in response, Sakura shook her head in refusal. Before continuing to move forward.

"Of course not. I don't have any strength to fight you with. If I did, I would have used it after everything you did to the person I love. Hahaha… how is it now that I can say how I really feel about you without any problems, Deku?" Sakura replied to the monster before asking me a question with tears in her eyes and a bright smile. Just looking at it made me want to save her. But no matter how much I wanted to move my body, it wouldn't move at all. That's why I had no choice but to-

"Please Sakura… run away. I… I don't want you to get hurt… I can't let that happen. Just let him… kill me. There's still time… to run away." I replied between sobs as I knew full well that I was lying through my teeth. The monster wouldn't allow her to get away unless I put up a fight. But I can't move anymore. Only my mouth is working and even then, every time I use it, it feels like my brain is on fire. It's just like what happened back in the forest with Horikita and Ryuuen. Except this time, I really think I'm going to die. That's why if I can sacrifice myself for her then-

"I refuse. Just like how you don't want to see me get hurt, I don't want to see you in pain either. That's why I've come to tell you something. I wouldn't be able to tell you unless it was in person. So, here goes…" Sakura replied but paused for a few seconds as she took a deep breath knowing full well that what happens next-

"… You can do it, Deku." Sakura finished while showcasing her bright smile to me and closing her eyes as she long accepted her fate while The High-End Nomu towered behind her. It was then that I was reminded of when All Might was murdered before my eyes. Upon remembering that I cursed at myself and told myself to 'Move!' Over and over again to no avail. And then…

"Hey. If I kill her, will her death make you stronger?" The High-End Nomu asked in a very calm and natural way of speaking that he used briefly before. But just hearing it made me want to smash him to pieces for even suggesting something so ridiculous!

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I snapped back but not even a second later, my eyes shot wide open as I saw what happened next. But just before that-

Chairman Ayanokoji alerted the security guards on the second floor of the auditorium to turn off the projector. (Which was how the security camera footage was being displayed on the massive theater screen, just like any regular theater would.) Not even a moment later, the footage that was being shown on the screen was cut off before anyone could see what inevitably happens next. Ayanokoji had an idea of where this was going, and he had no desire to get into a lawsuit over the demise of some kid. Nor did he want to traumatize the 'students' here as their participation in this school is vital to his future plans.

"Do it." At the same time Garaki muttered with a smile as he was viewing the footage in his lair as his smile grew incredibly wicked. And not even a second after that-

'BAM!' Airi Sakura's body was irrevocably broken into two pieces for me alone to see. All her internal organs and blood spilled onto the ground below. As her intestines and specifically her heart was ruthlessly taken out of her body, it burned a horrific image into Midoriya's retinas that he would carry for the rest of my life and would inevitably come to haunt him in his nightmares. And as she fell back onto the earth, memories of Izuku Midoriya's time shared with Sakura went through his mind in several snapshots. But one thing stood out in particular-

'I… um… that's it! I called you Sakura because your hair is pink! Just like the Sakura flower! Forgive me if that's not your name I just couldn't help but be reminded by that beautiful flower! HAHAHAHA!' It was something so goofy and cheesy that Izuku Midoriya found himself saying without really thinking about it. This was because Sakura's name comes from cherry blossoms. Their meaning is rather contradictory as they symbolize both life and death, beauty and violence. But here, all four of those things came to light.

There's a saying that Izuku found himself hearing more than once and so did the people of the world he had found himself in not too long ago. 'As the coming of spring promises new life, so the blooming of cherry blossoms brings a sense of vitality and vibrancy.' But the season they found themselves in was not the beginning of spring, but instead 'fall.' And just like how cherry blossoms eventually fall and wither away due to their short lifespan that is a constant reminder that life is fleeting…

Chapter 33: High-End: Part 2: The Death of Airi Sakura

… So, did the life of Airi Sakura vanish in but the blink of an eye.

To Be Continued…

Next Chapter: High-End: Part 3: Obliterator

Go Beyond!

Plus Ultra!