Here it is, the fiftieth full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released early because of I am still ahead in my drafting of this story. This is the conclusion to the current arc and the second part to the two part chapter I broke up to deal with the two main aspects for the students during the Hideout Raid arc. Anyway, that is all the administrative stuff I have for now and as there are no review questions to answer or guest reviews to respond to I will end this note here. Do keep the reviews coming as I enjoy hearing from y'all. Now, though, it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 50th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.
Disclaimer: I do not own either of these great works of fiction.
Chapter 50: Rescuing Bakugo
All the U.A. students could hear was a slow clap as the villain began to walk forward again. Then he began talking. He was praising Best Jeanist's skills explaining how the blast should have killed all of them, but Jeanist had manipulated everyone's clothing to pull them out of the way in time to save them which was the only shred of good news that they could hear. As mocking as All for One seemed he did at least seem impressed and noted it though it was likely more for the Quirk than anything else.
The kids couldn't move but they heard a pained voice gasp in defiance and making it clear that a hero didn't believe in excuses. That had to be Best Jeanist showing that he still had some fight left in him, but Marinette already knew that it was too late, that the villain who she was sure was All for One based on his statement about taking Ragdoll's Quirk had already beaten the number 4 hero.
That was heard a moment later by another attack followed by, well the students wouldn't be able to describe it but whatever it was it was a grave injury for Best Jeanist at the very least. The attack was followed up by All for One evaluating the hero's Quirk and assessing that the skill Best Jeanist showed was through training and practical application of his Quirk not raw power, so he wasn't going to take it for Shigaraki as it wouldn't work well with his mentality whatever that meant.
All the aspiring heroes heard this and knew what it meant. The villain had just taken out at least 4 pros in seconds, the strongest of them seriously, as if it was nothing. This was a power comparable to All Might's it seemed. They knew that they had to move that they had to leave, that they were no match for this man, but they couldn't, their bodies wouldn't move. All were clutching their chests, shaking from the mere presence of the man in the other side of the ruined wall.
Marinette had thought she'd seen evil, thought she'd experienced it before. She'd faced Hawk Moth personally and while she'd been unable to beat him even with a full team she'd held her own until a new villain emerged using the Peacock Miraculous to aid him.
Even after being blasted into the future, she'd faced evil in Shigaraki and the League of Villains at the USJ but this, this was a level she'd never experienced. This was the truest, evilest, force in the world she could think of, and it terrified and paralyzed her and the others. By just appearing, All for One had taken out three of their classes top fighters with nothing but fear even if he was or was not aware of their presence.
"What the hell." A familiar voice said through a bout of coughing that broke them from their terror and gave their minds something to focus on.
They didn't speak, though the villain was speaking to him, but they knew at once who it was. Bakugo. Somehow, they weren't sure how, he was now here and in front of the villain. That changed everything and the arrival of their classmate drove the fear down as they worried for him and what was about to happen.
A second latter there were several more splashing sounds followed by retching and other sounds of complaint to signal the arrival of a few more people. There had to be a warp Quirk, though not Kurogiri's, being used and judging by the sounds it was the League of Villains as Marinette recognized the voice of Himiko Toga, muffled and tinged with pain likely due to the injures that Marinette had inflected upon her, and that two talking villain along with the rasp that was Shigaraki's voice right at the end.
Almost as soon as they arrived the villain began talking and the kids had to just sit there and listen to him as there was nothing that they could do. He was calm and talking to Shigaraki as if he was his son, using his first name and saying that while he'd failed this time he could start over and keep trying as many times as it took. That was why he'd brough Shigaraki here with his associated, including Bakugo as Shigaraki wanted him as well. It was clear that this guy was Shigaraki's master and mentor, as well as his enabler and creator, and that wasn't good.
The only one of the kids who was starting to overcome it was Izuku and mainly because he knew of All for One, knew that he was a great evil, and because of why he was here. Izuku was here for Kacchan, here to save him because before he couldn't save his friend before. His body couldn't move before, he can't let it seize up now. Being afraid was no excuse right now, he wanted to be a hero, he was going to be a hero. All Might had given him One for All, so he had to do something.
With that Izuku began to think on what to do. They were close, with full cowl he could reach Kacchan in seconds at worst and get away but where would they go with so many villains around? He was frustrated and he needed a plan. The villains weren't aware so they had a moment, he could do it.
Then, just as he began to move, Ida noticed and stepped forward to grab his shirt to silently stop him. Marinette acted as well, her fear was still there but she pushed passed it because they had to get out, they had to survive, and they couldn't fight even if they could as they were clearly out classed. She used the moment to grab Todoroki's shirt to stop him as if it came down to it she was the only one who could match Todoroki's power. Lastly Momo, just as terrified as the rest, grabbed Kirishima's shoulder and arm to stop him too. The boys weren't going to do anything stupid.
They had to think, they had to get the others away and protect them from themselves. There was no way they could get Bakugo without fighting and they wouldn't last in that fight, not even Todoroki and Marinette could hold out forever with these odds and the main guy's power. They needed a plan but not even the most experience amongst them could come up with one because it was a situation Marinette had never faced. This was beyond what Hawk Moth could do, this was the true reality of the society she was now a part of, and it showed her how little her past life could have prepared her for it.
"Ah there you are." The main villain said causing all the students to panic that he meant then, but he didn't as All Might had arrived.
"I'll have you return my student, All for One." All Might roared confirming the man's identity as he and All for One clashed with all their power sending waves of air in every direction.
"Have you come to kill me a second time, All Might?" All for One said.
The students didn't know what that meant, we'll all but Izuku and Marinette didn't, but that didn't matter. All Might was here which meant that things would be good and that other heroes would be coming as well. Things had potentially turned in their favor it seemed.
There was a more pressing matter though, the air created from the crash of mortal enemies was similar to the winds that All Might and Nomu had created when they'd fought at the USJ. Ida fell back to the wall still holding Izuku and getting low, Marinette just shoved Todoroki into it and used her own stature to hold them in place while Momo pulled Kirishima back. They all knew that now they couldn't do a thing with All Might there.
Almost as soon as it began the air stopped and it sounded like the combatants were blasted away from each other. Then All for One began to taunt All Might by noting how it took him 30 seconds to get here from the bar 5 kilometers away, which had to have been where Bakugo had been, so he was definitely getting weaker.
Most didn't know what that meant by Izuku understood given how All Might was only using the dregs of One for All and his fear went up again. That was until All Might retorted about All for One's injuries and that he was wearing a life support system, likely due to their last fight, so it seemed even. Still, they were all amazed that a villain could withstand All Might, that showed just how powerful All for One was.
With that All Might made the usual hero claim of bringing All for One down and locking him up this time before he attacked. What was usually the end though wasn't as they heard a blast of air and then a crashing sound that could only be All Might being thrown back by an attack. This was confirmed when All for One mentioned the Quirks he was using and how they increased his strength and power almost like video game equips though he sounded like he wanted more so that he could get even stronger.
"All Might!" They heard Bakugo yelled.
"Don't worry, it will take more than that to kill him." All for One said in response. "Get off the battlefield Tomura and take that child with you."
There was suddenly a strange sound followed by a stabbing sound as if someone, almost certainly All for One but Toga did like to stab people so it could be her with her good arm, had used a Quirk to stab someone. He confirmed that he was the one doing the stabbing a moment later by ordering Kurogiri to warp them away though why the stabbing was anyone's guess.
For whatever reason it didn't happen, and the students learned that one of the heroes had done something to Kurogiri earlier to render him unconscious, according to one of the villains called Magne by All for One, so why can't All for One get rid of them. All for One said that he couldn't by elaborating on the differences between Kurogiri's warp power and his own which had to be that odd splashing sound the kids heard earlier and how Kurogiri's was the better one for several reasons.
"Forceable Quirk activation." All for One said which must have been why he stabbed Kurogiri though none of them could understand how it worked. "Leave this place."
"What about you master?" Came Shigaraki's raspy voice as they heard All Might return.
"You are not thinking Tomura." All for One said and judging by the sound he was somehow going up into the air likely to intercept All Might. "There remains much room for you to grow."
"Your mine!" All Might roared from the air right as they clashed.
Still the students couldn't do anything as they stayed where they were trying to figure out what to do and now they were running out of time as they heard the compress villain tell Shigaraki that it was time to go so to claim his prize. Course they all knew that Bakugo wouldn't go quietly as he was clearly ready to fight and given the situation this was probably justifiable self-defense should he blast any of them with an explosion.
However, the situation was bleak. All Might and All for One were fighting but with Bakugo there the former couldn't go all out and had to keep an eye on him as well while Bakugo also had to deal with a 6 on 1 fight. It wasn't good and the 6 classmates still hidden couldn't do anything yet because they couldn't engage in combat, that was what they'd made it clear they wouldn't do, and Ida, Momo and Marinette would stop the others if it came to it.
What could they do? They couldn't fight because they were heroes in training. 3 knew that all too well and the others knew that they had to keep their emotions in check and not get involved directly. That meant that All Might and Bakugo were stuck, and they needed a plan to get them without fighting but what?
Izuku above all the others was trying to think of a plan, he had to save Kacchan, he had to do it no matter what. They needed an opening to swoop in and get him so that All Might could use the full extent of his power but how? Then as he thought hard on it and Kacchan let off an explosion that sounded like it was used to dodge not attack and an idea hit Izuku.
"Ida listen." Izuku said looking at his friend who was holding him back and breaking their silence.
"You can't fight, I won't let you." Ida said with determination in his voice. "Dupain-Cheng, can you knock Midoriya and Todoroki out if need be."
"If needed yes." Marinette said repositioning her knee for a quick strike in a place Todoroki wouldn't want to be hit and glaring at him as if daring him to try anything. "And I can do so before the latter freezes or burns me again."
"No, I think that there's another way." Izuku said as the plan came to him with another explosive dodge by Kacchan on the other side of the wall. "A way that won't involve any combat, a way that will let us escape with him. Come on, we can still get Kacchan back."
"Alright, I say we listen." Marinette said showing her trust for Izuku by actually backing off Todoroki which caused Ida and Momo to back off their boys as well. "If anyone can come up a plan to get Bakugo without combat it's Midoriya, he knows him best after all."
"Alright, what's your plan?" Todoroki asked.
"Thing is, it's all going to depend on him and his personality." Izuku explained thinking of Kacchan. "If I did the plan myself I don't think it would work, so Kirishima, you're the key to this being a success."
That surprised Kirishima at least as he hadn't expected that from Midoriya, but Marinette nodded. She could see where Izuku was going and was already thinking about how she could add to it once the final details were aired out as she was sure that the main force wouldn't include her.
"We need details Midoriya." Todoroki said. "Come on, we don't have much time left."
"Right." Izuku said with a nod as the fighting continued to rage next to them with All for One taunting All Might as they fought. "Here's what I'm thinking. Kirishima, Ida and I will be the main ones with Kirishima in the middle while we support him. We'll propel ourselves from that surviving wall opposite us by using a mix of my Quirk and Ida's Recipro and burst through the wall behind us with Kirishima's Hardening. Then, as soon as we are through, Todoroki will make a slab of ice for us as high as he can. The villain's haven't noticed us yet and up until now they've been able to outmaneuver us, but we are now in a position to get the jump on them. We'll cross the battlefield at a height they'd never hope to reach."
"And while the boss villain is holding All Might back, but he seems to care for Shigaraki at least." Marinette said getting it. "So, he too his holding back just like All Might to not hurt him at least though I doubt he cares for the others too much."
"Yes that is how I see it." Izuku said with a nod before looking to Kirishima. "And the last bit is up to you Kirishima because it's no good if I do it. Same with Ida, Todoroki or Yaoyorozu. Dupain-Cheng might be able to manage it, but Kirishima is the best for it, so it has to be him. That's because ever since the start of school you've built a solid relationship with Kacchan as equals. If his friend calls to him, and that is why you are better than Dupain-Cheng, then he'll listen."
"And landing?" Kirishima asked understanding now. "My Hardening will only work for me, and Bakugo can use an explosion but you two are harder especially with Midoriya's injuries, so it isn't a sure thing."
"Leave that to me, that's my role in this." Marinette said and Izuku nodded at that, he was going to ask her to help with that if she could as a singular item to help land was something they could use, but Dupain-Cheng was already getting ready for it as he should have expected from her. "If there's a place for some luck here then that's it so I'll make a Lucky Charm that will allow you to land safely and keep you safe until you are clear of danger."
"Are you out of your mind." Ida asked his eyes wide at the plan.
"Kacchan will have realized the situation that All Might is in with him still there." Izuku said. "He'll be looking for a way out so that All Might can let loose, and we can ensure it."
"I agree." Todoroki said simply.
"Kacchan is staying on the defensive based on the explosions, so we'll have to make our move when he's got some space between himself and the villains." Izuku said. "That will allow him the moment he needs to reach us."
"Ida?" Momo asked worried for this though the fact that Marinette was trusting it did help but all this went through Ida. "Are you in?"
"It is a gamble, but all things considered it's not much risk to us." Ida said holding his chin in thought. "And more importantly it could change the tide of this fight which is what All Might needs. I'm in."
That was just what they needed, and they began to get to work. In short order they got into position with Ida and Izuku on either side of Kirishima and holding him as they positioned themselves against the opposite wall from the alleyway that was somehow still standing and got ready.
Once they were there, Marinette stepped forward and held out her hand and thought about getting an item that would protect them and that ensure all 4 boys landed safely. Then, once they were safely on the ground and out of harm's way it would disappear. There was a flash of pink sparkles in the air above her hand and a large, bulky, circular disk with a button in the center of it and on a thick, sturdy looking, braided cord in a black and silver pattern that matched her current outfit appeared on her hand.
Marinette blinked at it in confusion, it had been a while since she'd gotten an item that she needed to figure out, but that part was second nature to her, so she didn't mind. She looked at it and let her vision grayed to show it and then Kirishima's neck, his right hand and lastly the button. Instantly she knew how it would work and what had to be done with it. It was just like old times.
"Ok here's what you do." Marinette said as she put the strange thing around Kirishima's neck and adjusted it so that the button couldn't be hit accidentally. "Kirishima, once you free from danger and need to land, hit the button with your right hand and the charm will do the rest. It will protect you and not vanish until you are safe. That's the goal of it and it will work until that goal is met."
"Um what does it do?" Kirishima asked.
"I have absolutely no idea." Marinette said with a smile before getting serious. "But I've never, and I mean never, had a Lucky Charm fail to do what I created it to do. Plus, this isn't just some tool I'm making for myself to fight or move faster or something like that, this is something that is the true, full, and proper use of my Quirk. I am not being arrogant or self-centered when I say that Lucky Charm is considered to be one of the most powerful Quirks ever recorded at Francois Dupont High School because it is and says as much on my records there. One of the reasons I was paired with Adrien is because Cataclysm is one of the few Quirks that can counter it. Trust in it and it will do its job."
"Alright can do." Kirishima said as the other two nodded, they knew how strong Lucky Charm could be and they had faith in their classmate's skill to use her Quirk to aid them when needed. "Let's do this."
"Good then we need to get clear." Marinette said grabbing Momo and pulling her to safety as Todoroki went to his own position. "Good luck and bring Bakugo back boys."
Nothing more was needed to be said as the green lightning of Izuku's Quirk's activation crackled to signal the start of the mission. With a glance, he and Ida readied themselves as Kirishima crossed his arms and hardened his whole body, avoiding the button on the charm around his neck. It was time.
With a push and a burst of engine power from Recipro, the trio pushed off and through the wall in front of them. The moment they were all eyes in the battle turned to the surprise arrival right as Todoroki unleashed all his ice power to create a slide at the right angle for them and as high as he could with the rest of Ida's Recipro Burst. The trio tore up it with only one of Ida's and one of Izuku's feet on it before they shot off the end of it and into the sky with such force that the top part broke apart sending blocks of ice crashing to the ground.
Down below everyone just stared but Bakugo knew at once that it was his classmates. The speed had to be Deku and Glasses's doing, with the continuation being the latter, while the ice was Icy-Hot, and the way they appeared was either Deku or more likely Kirishima. That was confirmed as the smoke cleared to show Deku, Glasses, and Kirishima were now high in the air.
"Come on Bakugo." Kirishima roared from above, his left hand out and behind him as he turned to look down at Bakugo.
With a roar Bakugo let off a massive explosion just as Shigaraki was reaching for him and blasted into the sky. He needed another one to close the distance on the trio as he righted himself in the air and grabbing onto Kirishima's hand grinning as he did.
"You idiots." Bakugo yelled at them as they tore away from the battlefield and to safety.
"Bakugo on my mark…"
"Shut up." Bakugo roared knowing what was expected of him, he didn't need Glasses to tell him that.
"Now's not the time to fight." Kirishima said. "We need to get clear so that I can activate this thing but I'm not sure we are there yet."
They were still getting clear when Izuku looked back and saw a strange blue light. Then a moment later the compress villain, Mr. Compress if Izuku recalled, was blasted into the sky likely by the non-mutant Quirk user from the clearing as that was the only one who Izuku could think of having a power to do it as he didn't know that man's Quirk. He also didn't know that Magne was trans and identified as a woman but that wasn't his concern right now.
No, the big issue was that there was a fancily dressed villain flying at them. Bakugo kept a track on him ready to blast the fucker back for what he did to him when suddenly Mt. Lady rose up having not been badly damaged by the attack thanks to Best Jeanist's actions and put her huge, full Quirk activated, body between them so that Mr. Compress slammed full speed into her nose.
"Woah Mt. Lady." Izuku said.
"The rescue comes first." The pro hero said as she fell to the ground, her nose bleeding and passed out as Mr. Compress too crashed to earth.
There was still a threat from the villains though because if they could throw one then they could throw another at them but before they could there was a blur and three of the villains went down as Gran Torino landed next to All Might. He'd come flying in from the other location and finally arrived in time to knock out the remaining villains other than Toga and Shigaraki and aid All Might. The kids were now free, and they knew it.
"Now Kirishima." Izuku said as they were well past where the villains could reach them. "Activate it!"
"Right let's see what this baby can do." Kirishima said as he slammed his right fist into the button on the charm around his neck.
Instantly the charm exploded around them and formed a full, foamy, soft but resistant ball that caught all 4 inside it while showing off more of what Marinette was wearing at the time. Instantly they were all immobilized in its protective, er, foam interior, as they soared through the air in an arc towards the ground.
"Gah what is this?" Bakugo roared trying to blow it away, but his explosions from his free hand were having no effect on it, and he couldn't move. "What the hell? This is that charm thing that Dupain-Cheng can create isn't it?"
"Yeah she made one to ensure that we'd land safely, and it will protect us until we are in the clear." Kirishima said glad that there was at least air to breath around their heads, but he couldn't move anything from the neck down, none of them could and they'd noticed Bakugo's explosions were just being absorbed by it. "But damn this stuff is tough and yet protective. That girl is on a whole level above what I had initially expected seeing as all 4 of us are effectively captured by her. She wasn't wrong, this is one damned powerful Quirk."
"And not to mention versatile given all we've seen from her this year." Ida said recalling the marbles she'd used to beat him and just how much that varied from this thing. "No wonder she's done so well whenever we've had combat training."
"Damn French broad." Bakugo roared as the ball they were in hit the ground and bounced but they could only tell from the change in movement, they couldn't feel it at all. "That's it, the moment we can have sanctioned fights again I'm facing her. She would have been so much better than Icy-Hot in the final."
Izuku didn't say anything though he had to agree with the assessment, Dupain-Cheng was better than he'd already believed she was. He'd completely underestimated her in part because he'd not seen enough to really assess her and because Todoroki was the only one who seemed to be able to keep her in check in the one match were he was able to see her fight long enough for any data. Now though, this thing would make a great capture item and if it could stop Bakugo's explosions then, well, Marinette Dupain-Cheng could very well be the strongest student in their class right now.
All that went through Izuku's head as the ball bounced a few more times before finally coming to a stop on some rubble a good kilometer away from the battle thanks to everything that had been destroyed in the area. They knew it was a stop when they stopped moving though they were all a bit dizzy from it. However, the ball they were in didn't move for a few moments before finally vanishing in a flash of pink causing the four boys to fall onto the ground which meant that they had to be safely clear of danger now.
"We'd better get out of here." Ida said as he helped Izuku up while Kirishima helped Bakugo before he shrugged him off. "And get somewhere public."
"Right." Izuku said and they moved off and headed to towards the undamaged part of the ward glad to have successfully rescued Kacchan and having managed to avoid any damage or the latest shockwave that they didn't even know had occurred thanks to Marinette's Lucky Charm. "I hope the others are safe."
A few minutes earlier
"Alright they're not looking just as planned." Marinette said to the other two. "Let's move and blend into the crowd as soon as we reach it."
"Right." Todoroki said as Momo nodded and the trio moved out.
They hurried back to the main street through Kamino Ward that was far enough away to still be intact and calmly walked in with another group of evacuees who were trying to get to safety. No one was paying them any heed now as they were in the large crowd and the pros for this part of the mission were busy hurrying them away from the carnage behind them. It was as they were moving that they heard the shockwave and felt the after effects of it as a light rumble even this far from the action.
"That didn't sound good." Todoroki said. "And our classmates are still pretty near the action. Are they safe Dupain-Cheng?"
"Perhaps, I don't know what Lucky Charm did for them and I have no way of knowing what is going on without seeing it, that's not how my Quirk works." Marinette said. "But if it was still active when that wave hit it wouldn't have ended. Remember, I did set the goal to end when they were safe and that probably wasn't safe."
"You can do that?" Momo asked amazed, the sheer scope of how Marinette's Quirk worked kept surprising her the more she learned about it.
"I think so, it's the goal that I imagined for it at least." Marinette said with a shrug. "And the item that gets created is something that accomplish that goal so it should have worked."
"Well, I should call just to be sure." Todoroki said as he pulled out his phone and called Midoriya, he picked up on the fourth ring. "Midoriya, are you four safe?"
"Yeah we are outside the station now." Izuku's voice said back over the phone. "We hurried away once Dupain-Cheng's charm ended and got here. What about you?"
"There are pros here coordinating the evacuation, so we've blended into the crowd." Todoroki responded as he, Momo, and Marinette walked through it at a calm pace. "No one saw us leave though so we should be good."
"That's good." Izuku responded.
"Did you avoid that last shockwave?" Todoroki asked.
"Shockwave?" Izuku asked. "We didn't feel anything the moment Kirishima activated Dupain-Cheng's Lucky Charm."
"You didn't?" Todoroki asked as he looked over at the French girl who was chatting with Yaoyorozu as if nothing was going on and they were just some friends who had been on a night out that had gotten ruined by a villain. "What the hell was it when that button got hit?"
"A giant, foam-like, ball." Izuku said though he didn't sound too sure about it. "At least that's what it felt like. Strong enough that we couldn't move except for our heads as we had an air bubble around them and Kacchan's explosions didn't affect it either. We have no idea what it was, and we only knew we were bouncing when it did changed directions. Then it stopped and a few moments later it vanished so we hurried off completely fine and away from danger. That thing effectively captured the 4 of us which means that Dupain-Cheng is even better than I thought, the possibilities of her Quirk a lot greater than I'd initially predicted. Thanks to everyone our rescue totally worked."
"Tell her yourself when we meet up, for now stay safe until this situation ends." Todoroki said hearing Bakugo shouting in the background showing that he was ok before he ended the call and told the girls what had happened.
Marinette was surprised but pleased at what her Quirk did, that was unexpected for sure and true to the old days when she didn't know the full extent of her charm until the plan came together, while Momo just stared at her in shock. There was skill in the hero course and for a while they'd known that Marinette was in the upper echelons of that class in that regard but this, this was something the probably solidified her position at very top. The one odd thing was that she didn't seem to realize that she was actually even better than expected.
Todoroki too noticed this but didn't say anything. For the first time someone had managed to contain Bakugo in their class. He'd lost that Battle Trial to Midoriya but that hadn't been on power but rather his own issues with Midoriya clouding his judgement. True Todoroki had dishonored him in the Sports Festival but even without it he may have struggled. Dupain-Cheng though, she'd managed it and when she realized she'd be an even greater rival than before. Todoroki now realized just how lucky he'd been in their match, and he swore to not let her avenge that loss.
It was as they walked that the footage of the fight began to appear on all the screens, and it became clear that it was all that was being broadcast by one stupidly brave helicopter that was way too close to the action for its own good. Marinette, Todoroki, and Momo, all stopped to watch it with everyone.
It was on the screen there that they, while the rest of the class watched wherever they could and on whatever they had that could play it, as All Might, and One for All battled each other at full power. It was a brutal, shocking, destructive battle that looked bad for all Might as he began to take more wounds and damage. Then it got worse.
All Might lost his muscle form and those not in the know about his injury saw his true emaciated form for the first time to their horror. Fear and shock were setting in as it looked like All Might would be defeated even with other heroes showing up to lend aid and help clear the area. However, he wasn't the Symbol of Peace for nothing.
He sacrificed one of his arms to put all the power into the other to give him the opening he needed for one final, epic, smash. It was all the power he had left and the greatest of all his smashes. The force leveled the area around them and created a full-on tornado in the epicenter that blew the helicopter around though it didn't crash which was a testament to the pilot's skill. Finally, though the dust cleared, and they all gasped at the sight that was broadcast.
In the center of the area, in a crater of his own, was an unconscious, mask less, and defeated One for All. All Might stood before him and slowly raised his left arm above his head with his fist clenched. Then his arm became muscular again and he followed suit as he stood tall and proud on last time with his arm raised despite his serious injuries. All Might had won again and the crowds watching cheered his last great act, his last victory as the number 1 hero and the Symbol of Peace.
Marinette could understand and got in it herself. She'd seen his power at the USJ, his conviction but this battle, against his greatest foe who's evil Marinette had felt first hand and with only the embers of his power as it had been passed on was incredible.
It truly was inspiration and at last Marinette got what All Might was all about, got why he was the Symbol of Peace and what he meant to this nation and to the world as a whole. It motivated her to get better, stronger, and return to what she'd once been for Paris for she saw now what those back then had seen in Ladybug and Cat Noir, she saw the hope for a brighter tomorrow.
In addition, they'd done it. They'd rescued Bakugo and they'd seen All Might win once and for all against One for All. It was time to regroup and go home. With the crowds and the dawn of a new day starting to break on the horizon though they wouldn't find them, so they had to accept that and try to get out of there as soon as possible before regrouping. Then they would take Bakugo to the heroes to let them know that he was clear and so that he could give them a statement, but they needed to get out before anyone noticed, not that plenty already had what with the rescue.
"Now." A horse voice said, and they realized that it was coming from the screens that had the sound on and all 3 aspiring heroes looked up to see that it was All Might speaking from the spot he'd been in since his victory though he was no longer in his muscle form, and he was pointing at the camera that was now near him but not looking at it. "Now it's your turn."
They all looked at it in confusion but knew that it was All Might's last words as an active hero. Most would see it as All Might passing on the torch to all of them to continue his legacy without him, but Marinette knew better, she knew the truth.
Yes, All Might was passing on the torch but to the nation but rather to his chosen successor, to the current holder of One for All, to Izuku Midoriya. He would be the Symbol of Peace in the years to come and Marinette knew that she, Adrien, and all their classmates would be right there with him as a new, uncertain, future dawned on the hero society of Japan.
Well, there it is, the rescue of Bakugo has been done with Marinette playing her part in it and showing just how good she can be, especially when she's not realizing or trying to be, and of course the final battle has been glossed over (no point in writing it all out) so All Might has now retired. We are moving onto a new age with new changes, new challenges, a lot to do going forward but y'all know that and what is to come so stay tuned. Next up though is an old tradition that we haven't seen for over 20 chapters I think but it is time for the next one of it to bridge the gaps between this arc and the next and set up what is to come and given it's length and my draft it should be out tomorrow or the day after for another bonus chapter for y'all. That is all I have for you though, so I'll leave this chapter off here. If you like it or have any questions please let me know in reviews or PMs, I will try to answer them as best I could and post any questions asked between uploads at the start of the next chapter and do follow and favorite this, so you are alerted to future uploads. Do keep the reviews coming as I like hearing from y'all as you enjoy my work, it motivates me to keep producing the best work I can for y'all to enjoy. Until next time.
Stringdog
