Toshi laughed as they gave chase. "Step on it David, I've still gotta undo my tie." One too many suits destroyed in flames did a number on their budget.

"One of these days, the campus is going to suspend us for skipping out on so many classes." David, his current best friend and partner in theoretical crime, snickered as he pressed on the gas.

"Be honest, do you even need to go to college with the number of offers you have?" He asked.

"Unlike you, I have a social life that revolves outside of brutally hitting things really hard." They shot back. "Three fires, deploying foam missiles." A true genius in his field, the man truly would go far one of these days.

"Any idea on what's causing them?" Toshi asked. "Three fires every day for three days, that's the pattern of an arsonist."

"Villain with some form of volcano quirk, I've equipped a seismic radar and saw readings of volcanic eruption matching the events. Next one's three blocks down."

"Volcanic eruption? That won't do at all. Dave, you take care of the fires, I'll jump ahead and deal with the source!" He began his leap.

"Toshi, don't you dare go in without a plan of attack!"

"I have a plan, ATTACK!" He laughed heartily as he leapt out of the car.

"It's been eighty years and you don't surf the Internet, how do you know that meme!?"

"What's a meme!?" He questioned as he jumped over a building to get a bird's eye view of everything. "Alright, volcanic villain, volcanic villain, where are you, where are you-"

"Run, run you puny humans, run and flee in terror of the almighty Red Volcano!" A big, shiny and bulky red being shouted as he roared in the air, lava flowing out of the ground right before him. "You cannot escape the very earth beneath you! It shall swallow you whole, and only the strong and mighty will be left on the surface!"

"There we go." He mumbled, jumping at them. "Have no fear, for I am here!" Toshinori exclaimed. "Texas … SMASH!" He threw a mighty punch that shot a mighty wind right into the molten rock below the villain, making it solidify and cool.

"A challenger, one willing to prove his worth through the might of his mettle!" The red man cackled with a savage grin.

"Hardly. Stand down, and you might get out of this with only half the bruises I plan on giving you." He smirked.

"Bruises, ha, none can bruise the metal skin of Red Volcano!"

"I dunno." Spoke a new voice, as they both turned to see a man gently float on down. "I think I could give it a shot." They wore a blue suit with a large cape, larger than even Toshinori's, and a giant S on their chest.

"And who are you, punk!?"

"Name's Superman. Nice to meet you." He chuckled. "Is this a private affair, or can anyone with a cape join the party?"

"Depends. Are you a hero?" Toshi asked.

"I don't know, I'm pretty keen on fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American way as my ma and pa raised me to." The new guy grinned mightily.

"I see…. And your opinion on Apple Pie?"

"No pie like any other."

"… Sir." Toshi patted the man on the back. "I believe this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Hello!" Red Volcano shouted. "Right here, looking for a fight, planning on burning down the city! Did you forget-!?"

Fwosh

Cold air and ice enveloped the villain. "Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a conversation?" Superman chastised.

"Ice breath, nice." Toshi sent a thumbs up. "So, today's your official debut?"

"I wouldn't quite put it like that." Superman shook his head. "I help out whenever I'm needed. If the people recognize my actions, alright, but if they don't, it's fine. As long as I'm doing my part to create a better tomorrow."

"A better tomorrow, isn't that what we all strive for?" Toshi nodded. One could say that was the whole reason why he came to America in the first place. If he was going to save Japan from All For One, he had to do more than just get stronger, he had to learn to inspire hope and peace within the populace. To save the hearts of the people so that they may never get lost within the shadow of villainy ever again. He smiled. "I'll be happy to work with you."

"Glad to hear that. Ran into a not so friendly face in Gotham a while back. He wasn't nearly as chipper as you." Superman chuckled.

CRESSAASSSHH

Red volcano exploded from the ice. "It'll take more than sub zero temperature to stop me, I am nature incarnate! I am unstoppable!"

"And I'm growing weary of your monologuing." Toshi threw back. "After you?"

"Let's try it together, see if a double helping keeps him down." Superman punched his palms together.

"Well said." He grinned. "California …"

"What does the state have to do with-?"

"SMASH!"

J'onn J'onzz lived through hardship … much, much hardship. The destruction of his people … their screams … the fading voice of his wife … the loss of his entire world, reduced to nothing but a lifeless husk….

He tried to move on from it, find comfort in gaining a new home, one teeming with life … one less likely to be invaded … he chose Earth, a planet full of life … life that confused him greatly if he was being honest.

There was much he had to understand. One of which was the humans' need to keep secrets. Martians were a telepathic species, and one did not simply hide anything from anyone. For peace to be maintained, one had to be honest about everything. That was just the simple common sense J'onn lived by.

The second was the violence, but that was somewhat easier to understand. Just as the green Martians were peaceful, the white Martians were violent. It made sense that other species may mix and match those traits … especially given J'onn's brother …

Third … "I assumed this planet wasn't well known." He deadpanned, gazing up at the giant starfish in the sky.

"BEEERRREAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!" The monstrous creature roasted in the sky as its massive, squishy body began descending from the atmosphere.

"As did I, J'onn." Kal-El, or as he had come to be known by the Earth populace, Superman, spoke up as he raised his head to the sky. A curiosity indeed this one was, the last son of the dead planet, Krypton. Of all the chances for the last Martian and last Kryptonian to land on the same planet around the same time was baffling to say the least. J'onn found it easy to find a certain level of kinship with the man, one who, instead of hiding in the shadows as J'onn would've preferred, chose to stand out, tall and proud before the human race… perhaps it was that same boldness that lead J'onn to follow the man into this precarious situation. "I thought things couldn't get stranger than battling Muhammad Ali in a galactic boxing tournament."

"I still say Gotham holds the record for weirdness." Yagi Toshinori, otherwise known as All Might, rolled his arm. J'onn once tried to gaze into the man's mind, and was met with seven other voices. Quite the strange moment to learn about a torch being passed from person to person. "I mean I go there once and suddenly I'm at a tea party with an Alice in Wonderland character."

"That's what happens when you don't listen to me about entering my city." The Batman (who's mind he weirdly couldn't read for some reason) stated bluntly. A mysterious figure who, like J'onn, liked to keep to himself within the shadows.

"It was one chase and-"

"Hey!" Exclaimed Wonder Woman, who's mind was older than even J'onn's, as she drove a sword through one of the starfishes. "You boys wanna keep playing guessing games, or do you want to save the city!?"

"The amazon has a point, we are just kind of standing out, we should do something, I'm going to do something, gotta go smash some Starfish, see ya!" Rapidly spoke the Flash, who's thoughts raced at such a speed he couldn't manage to keep up with, nodded, as he disappeared in a literal flash.

"Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, can either of you get a read on them?" The Batman asked.

"Just because they're a fish doesn't mean I understand them!" Arthur Curry, otherwise known as Aquaman, an atlantean, called out as he used a trident to pierce five of them through the center of their eye. "But I can say they're all working as a hive mind!"

"They call themselves… Starro the Conqueror." J'onn spoke after a minute of trying to read their mind. "They are an old species… very old… they go around the universe, spreading themselves across planets to use up every single resource they have on hand by taking over the populace of each one."

"So there are entire planets of these creatures constantly captivating billions, possibly trillions of people." Superman frowned, firing a laser beam as he blasted through three of them. "Tell me there's a way to stop this."

"Like Aquaman said, it's a hive mind. If the host Starro falls, so will the rest of them."

"In other words, smash the biggest Starro around until they all go limp." All Might grinned as he shot himself up. "Colorado…..SMASSSSSSSSH!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do all Earth heroes yell phrases wildly as they throw out physical blows?"

"No." Batman glared as he sent batarangs into a couple of starfish. "Can anyone find the host?"

"It's just outside the stratosphere." Clark answered, his gaze upward. "It's large enough to be its own building. Spouting out too many starfish to get close. I'll have to fly up there and take it out from the sky."

"We'll help from the ground as much as-" One of the starfishes landed on Toshinori's face, causing them all to tense … before he ripped it off. All Might stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Gaah! It was in my mouth, in my mouth!" All of the flying starfish seemed to pause their descent, aiming their eyes at the man.

"...unaffected….. Unaffected…" They spoke in unison, every single eye glowing red dangerously. "Anomaly…. Anomaly… MUST DESTROY ANOMALY!"

"So many bodies!" All Might screamed as mind controlled victims began leaping onto him.

"Well that will keep them significantly distracted." Batman dryly remarked, having no sign of worry or concern for the man. "Superman, J'onn, you fly up and attack the source, the rest of us will keep the remaining starros occupied."

He nodded, floating upward. "Should we be concerned for your friend?"

"Honestly." Clark looked down. "It's more mental than physical."

"Too many bodies on me, it's that college party all over again!"

"Humans … are a strange race." J'onn noted.

"Yes they are… but they are also a blast at parties." Superman chuckled as they ascended above the clouds.

"You too are strange." He continued. "If it weren't for your extra-normal abilities, one would almost assume you were human as well."

"I was raised by them. They're as much my people as I am theirs." The man smiled fondly. "They can be your people as well, if you let them be."

"If I let them… or if they'll let me..." J'onn muttered as they began approaching.

"They will, I know it." The man smiled so confidently, so reassuringly. "They will have a time and a half, but eventually, your good deeds will be recognized, and they will know that no matter the cost, you are a friend."

"… As are you." He smiled.

"BOW!" The starfish screamed. "BOW TO THE WILL OF STARRO!"

"Sorry, mr. five arms, but if there's one thing Humans have taught me over the years… it's that we don't bow so easily in the face of big bullies like you." And the man with a will made out of Steel flew straight into the horrid eye of the monster, unblinking, and unwilling to back down in the face of incalculable odds.

J'onn may never truly recover from his memories and loss … but that did not mean he couldn't make new ones. On this new planet… with new friends he would follow to the ends of the Earth.

Batman stood atop of the Gotham tower, high above his city, where he carefully observed every miniscule detail that came about. Criminals were a superstitious and cowardly lot, a lot that used the shadows to prey on the defenseless…. So Batman mastered the shadows, and became one with the night….

"So, you do purposely brood in a pose, ha! Barry's going to get a kick out of that one." Of course, as Batman found out over the years, on occasion, justice could be served within the light. What became a one man crusade had become so much more… Batman found himself with allies… with friends…. But that didn't mean they still didn't annoy him. Such was the case of Toshinori Yagi, aka, All Might, a name that Batman would've called ridiculous if he wasn't a rich boy dressed up like a bat.

"Remind me why you came to my city?" He asked with a glare. He preferred to keep the metas out, it caused too many problems with criminals thinking they were free to act up.

"Toxic Chainsaw teamed up with Two Face, remember?" They replied. "And in terms of raw power it was either me or Superman."

"I would've preferred the option that didn't involve the man that screams every attack." He muttered.

"I know people are confused, but calling out your attack is a sign of confidence, it proves to the enemy that the hero is going to land his mark no matter what."

"It also proves you don't actually know the American map as well as you think you do." Batman pointed out. "Why is a japanese man trying to pretend to be american anyways?"

"I like the country. It has nice aesthetics." The muscular man shrugged with a grin. "Japan's much too rigid with its system of heroics. If I can bring some of that old fashioned American style of heroics to Japan, it'll inspire a whole new generation to go Plus Ultra!"

"Yes, because why shouldn't we inspire children to do what we do on a daily basis?" Batman glared.

"… So we're just ignoring the whole Robin situation, are we?"

"Robin is an exception." He countered. "I'm making sure he doesn't go down the dark path I went down."

Toshinori hummed, silently gazing down the streets. "… So, you and Diana have been getting close."

"She's one of the more tolerable members of the league." Batman replied neutrally.

"As you've made abundantly clear." Toshinori rolled his eyes. "You ever think about a time where you don't have to put on the cowl?"

"I take it off-"

"I'm not talking about your day job. I mean where you get to be you. No masks for civilians nor villains."

Batman's frown deepened. "... My civilian life is just a facade…"

Toshinori scoffed. "Oh, I don't buy that load of baloney for a second. If that was truly the case, you wouldn't even bother turning in for the night. You would be Batman 24/7 if you truly wanted to."

"I can't fund crime fighting without an income." He responded. "And what about you, mister 'symbol of peace'? You're hardly the type to criticize dedication to the job when you only own a modest apartment for all the notoriety you've gathered."

"What, you think I'd want the trouble of a famous life?" Toshinori laughed. "Do you know what it's like for 'All Might' to get a cheeseburger? Twenty seven autographs … so much paperwork." He bemoaned.

It was still quiet, either a car was late or Harvey was preparing an ambush … he had time to kill … "I don't suppose you'd mind me asking a question myself."

"Go ahead, I'm an open book." The man grinned.

"What happened on Quinsai Island?"

Crack

The gargoyle Toshinori was holding crumbled to dust. "… What brought this on?"

"Twenty years ago, it was decimated in a nuclear explosion. I investigated once no radiation was reported. The epicenter was five miles from the power plant."

"... Must've been a freak… tornado…"

"Yes, or, it could've been the collective stockpile of power from a singular…dangerous source." Bruce pressed on. "And, within a week afterwards, that's when you, Toshinori Yagi, graduated from UA Academy and made your departure for the United States."

"...Must have been a coincidence…"

"There's never a coincidence." Batman stated, his eye lenses narrowed further. "The most notable death on the island had some level of ties to you and your teacher. Nana Shimura."

He was silent for a long while, as the Japanese man simply stared with an uncharacteristic frown. "… Do you know what a meta ability is?"

"Powers activated from extraneous circumstances or stressful environmental situations within the human body."

"Not the mutation. A meta ability." He said. "To refer to itself. To refer to its own work. To interact with itself." The man looked at Batman. "Apply that logic to quirks."

To interact and refer to itself … a quirk that specifically interacted with other quirks. "Such as Eraserhead's nullification capability."

"Correct … now imagine how many paths that could take you, then stop digging. People have died investigating …" Their fist clenched. "Good people." The man might have had the charisma to rival Superman's, but beneath that smile laid a young man, masking the heartbreak of a family member… lost to senseless violence.

Batman was no fool. He was, admittedly, a naturally distrusting person. He was suspicious of everyone, and that included anyone with abilities far too great for them to handle… it was, ironically enough, Superman that began to dissuade him from such distrust. "Whatever the path you're on, it doesn't need to be alone."

"… Even steel can break when enough force is applied." The man spoke quietly. "Now come on, the car's finally here."

He idly saw Harvey walk out of the car, making his way inside, constantly glancing at the shadows. "Alright, you know the deal. We get the Falcones nice and comfortable, and then you wipe out the competition when they least expect it." The damaged side spoke.

"Course man. I can play the waiting game despite my loud demeanor." The villain chuckled sadistically. "If you have the money, that is."

"Of course, I'm a man of my word." The undamaged side responded with a polite nod….. The side that still gave Bruce hope that his old friend wasn't complete lost to his dark impulses.

Toshinori cackled as he leapt down. "Sorry boys, but that money isn't going to pay for your bail!"

"Oh come the fuck on! Can't I go to ONE city without dealing with you!?" Toxic Chainsaw exclaimed angrily. "At this point I was willing to take Batman!"

"Careful what you wish for." Batman descended into the alleyway, keeping his voice clear, but his body shrouded in the shadows.

"...You had to jinx it, didn't you?" Two Face growled at the meta villain.

"I'm just desperate to fight someone other than Smile McFist!"

"Smile Mcfist was my Father's name! But I'm happy to introduce you to my two brothers right here!" All Might smiled and raised his fists. "Justice, and the little scamp, Righteousness!"

"...That was so corny." Harvey blinked, looking at Batman. "It's not just me, right? Would Superman be that corny?"

"On occasion." He admitted, before kicking the gun out of Two Face's hand and slamming him into a wall. It was hard to drop your guard around a man with two pilots.

Lex Luthor, despite what you all would believe, was a simple man. He got up in the morning, took a shower, ate his breakfast, went to work, and tried to better humanity. Now that part was the complicated section.

For humanity itself was on the verge of … altercation. They were evolving, on the precipice of reaching the next stage. There was no denying that. Lex Luthor, being the humanitarian he was, would normally be delighted by such a prospect. Humanity would get stronger, he would unite them with that strength, and the world would move beyond the need for the likes of Superman to coddle and weaken their resolve. The country of Japan in of itself was beginning to lose its way with the surplus of 'pro heroes', making the headlines.

However… there were … various concerns about WHAT man was evolving into. First of course, was Quirk Doomsday Singularity, the theory that quirks were growing stronger and more complex, to the point they would grow past the body's capabilities to sustain such power. This of course was false in Lex's eyes, as natural birth and genetics would always have a way of creating new life that could sustain itself by enhancing the body, but the theory was still present in the eyes of enough scientific minds it held weight.

Secondly, it was the disappearance of 'normal' people altogether. The population, the 'quirkless' birthrate had all but dwindled to ten percent, and it didn't show signs of stopping. Sure, most quirks were so mundane, they couldn't even be called applicable in any circumstances, but the fact of the matter was that soon, there would be an entire planet where every man, woman, child, and animal would have a mutation or power of some kind. It even subtly began to affect hair color and skin tone, even if they had no effect on the power whatsoever.

Lex himself was quirkless. He wasn't ashamed of it, if anything it taught him a valuable lesson. You aren't born to gain true power … you're born to TAKE true power. He built himself up from the ground up and built most of Metropolis. If you had a house, you thanked Lex Luthor. If you had a job, you thanked Lex Luthor. If you so much as even BREATHED, you thanked Lex Luthor.

All did… all except one man … Superman (who lived in the Arctic but that wasn't the point in the slightest). That man wasn't some human born lucky. He was an alien, an outside force that held so much power he could crush the planet with ease. He was a foreign entity … that the people adored.

Even with as far as man has progressed, they were still sheep. When a false messiah came, the masses feel in line… it was pathetic. No alien had the right to dictate the path of humanity. If Humanity was going to be saved, it would be by human hands!

So Lex was going to help humanity by removing the problem. Of course, as always … it was harder than anticipated. "DIE ALREADY!" He fired five beams of kryptonite into the fallen kryptonian. "How much radiation does it take to kill you!? One rock makes you unconscious, five should be more than enough to end you!"

"My… will… is stronger… than kryptonite will… ever be….." The fool dodge, even when he was sluggish and leaning against the wall.

"Willpower is that Lantern's catchphrase, get something else!" He exclaimed in rage. This was taking longer than expected, and his hired help was only going to keep the other leaguers so busy.

"Oops… I guess… I guess… I should... avoid… getting… sued for…copyright." The man weakly cackled as he fell to the ground. "Just… just tell me Luthor… where did you get the kryptonite from."

He shrugged. A last request was a moment of defeat. "A man sold it to me. They combined multiple matter and energy alteration quirks to create kryptonite out of thin air."

"Good." And just like that….. The man stood up like he wasn't being hurt. "Now I have all I need." Lex blinked in shocked confusion.

"What!?" Luthor shouted, firing kryptonite right into the man's chest… only for it to bounce off. "Impossible! You don't have any lead!"

"No." The Man of Steel grabbed his face … and pulled it off, revealing a black cowl. "I don't."

Luthor gaped. "Batman! But you're-"

SMASSH

And there was Batman … floating in the air, holding one of those creatures he acquired in his hand as if it weighed nothing. "I was kinda worried. I thought Lex knew me well enough to spot the difference."

"All the green light in the air must be affecting his eyesight. I'll be sure to recommend a doctor for your personal cell."

He went to move to his escape pod, only for All Might to stand there. Lex growled. "Great, another oaf-"

"What was his name?" The man asked with sudden intensity. Frowning dangerously.

"I … wha-" Luthor was grabbed by his collar, his eyes now being borne into by dark blue abysses.

"The man who gave you the kryptonite. What was his name?" All Might, a man who Lex initially perceived to be just a pale Superman imitator, growled as the air pressure around the man's body increased tenfold, actually making it hard for Lex to even breathe.

Luthor let out with struggle. "He only went by one name during negotiations, Shigaraki..." The man began squeezing his arm. "But-But-But he was from Japan… everyone around him treated him like he was some kind of boogeyman."

There was a moment of stillness, before Lex was thrown at Superman like he was a baseball. "Take this trash out of my sight, Superman, my hands now need washing."

"All Might, this isn't the time to think irrationally." Batman called to the frowning muscle bound oaf.

"I'm as rational as I've ever been." The man growled. "This wasn't a business transaction, someone wanted Superman dead and let Luthor handle the dirty work…. He wanted a hand in his death just to piss me off."

WHAT!? Lex … a pawn in some game!? The nerve! He would find all he could about the man, find out what he adores, and make him suffer! "Who?" Superman asked pryingly.

"Doesn't matter. I'm going to Japan to investigate, don't follow." The oaf walked off, sprinting into the air with a massive force of wind.

The two idiots looked to each other for a moment, as if they were having a silent conversation. "Gather the founding members at the Watchtower." Superman requested to Batman, who nodded.

"Am I suddenly not part of the conversation anymore?" He asked, indignant.

"Fortunately for you Luthor, yes. I won't have the time to personally see your trial. My friends and I are going on a little trip overseas."

Lex rolled his eyes. "Oh the agony, I won't see your glare when I'm released for public service." Maybe the creation of another orphanage.

All For One laughed as he gazed upon the hero, now filled to the brim with bloody, wonderful holes. "Tell you what, 'All Mighty' hero." He spat sarcastically. "Give me your quirk, and I'll make sure that you don't bleed out all over the ground."

The man grimaced … before spitting on his own boot. "How about you lick it and see if it kicks in?"

"…" AFO slammed the man through another wall as he sighed. He was still stronger than the quirk, Garaki's work on his body and Beelzebub's deals made it so, but it was still so irritating that he had to pull his punches like this. "All of you, all of you, who stole my brother away from me…. You're all the same… you're all so equally stupid!" He punched the so-called 'All Might' across the face. "Then again, what else can be said about the coward who cried and ran away while his master was forced to cover his backside."

"You bastard …" They threw another punch that All For One negated, before slamming them in the air.

"Four hundred and seventeen. And now you run away while your friends are in trouble. Oh such a coward, such a coward indeed." He chuckled. "How about I go over there personally and rip them a new one? Would that make you cry and wail in agony? Are you going to beg me to spare them?"

The hero gnashed his teeth. "I … will never yield …"

"Three hundred and twenty." He groaned as he slammed the oaf into the ground. "Now how many hits does it take to knock an idiot unconscious? I imagine their skull is used to concussions now…" All For One mused. "Did you really think going overseas would've protected you from my reach? Boy, there is nowhere on this planet where my power doesn't expand. This world of quirks, this super human society… this is my world, MY plaything to use at my leisure." He laughed.

"This isn't your world." Oh my … isn't that a surprise. "It's everyone's." Superman and the rest of the team arrived. Time for some fun.

"Welcome, Justice League!" He waved his arms in a faux hug. "I'm so happy you could attend the massacre!"

"Run …" Yagi begged.

"Heroes don't run." Batman growled.

"Five hundred." Finally that one peaked. He smiled. "I'm sorry I'm not more accommodating! I was just so overwhelmed with joy in seeing my old friend All Might that I completely overlooked everyone else! Silly me, I should've sent out gift cards." He clapped his hands. "But don't worry, I'll make sure to decorate the streets with your entrails, no expense spared."

"The only decoration will be your blood smeared across the pavement!" The amazonian woman held out a sword of all things. "You attack one of us, you incur the wrath of us all!"

"Three hundred and seventy six." He noted.

"The hell are you counting?" The Green Lantern asked with a glare, his ring raised at him like it was a gun.

"Ah, a little hobby I picked up." All For One chuckled. "So many heroes try to stop me that I started keeping counts of certain lines. You know, the 'we'll stop you', the 'justice will never die', and my personal highest as nine hundred and eighty, 'please spare my kids'." Ticked the hell out of One For All users too, always made them act like the idiots they were.

"Then I see there's no need for words." Superman called out as his eyes glowed red. "Light him up!"

So the games were on were they! Oh what joy he would have in ripping them up! First, that pesky little speedster trying to clock his jaw. Lean back, freeze him over, then deliver a kick to his ribs. "Speed kills you know." He grinned as the fool slid past him. "I've been conquering this country long before any of you existed as a concept! There is no power or ability you can throw at me that I can't counter! Heck, even the steel bowl Flash tried and failed!" He avoided a green machine gun. "And so did the campy lantern!" He fired forth multiple psychic quirks, causing vivid hallucinations in the man's skull as he flew to deliver slash to their chest.

"Yet you've never dealt with anyone like me before." Superman called out as the man managed to pin him into the ground, slamming him repeatedly over and over and over again. Rather impressive strength.

"I admit, you're an annoying anomaly… you'd almost be a challenge…" He grinned as he activated a radiation inducing quirk to radiate kryptonite energy. "Or you can be a fluke, oh great 'Man of Tomorrow'."

"Gah-!?" He slammed them through a building.

"If I have anything to say about your true worth, it would be that you make people feel oh so safe and secure … that won't do at all." He amplified the gravity around him by twenty to throw off Martian Manhunter's flight path behind him. "How are villains supposed to thrive in such a terrible environment you make?"

"You don't." Wonder Woman charged ahead, swinging her sword as she struck his chest repeatedly. "Great Hera, give me strength!"

"Praying won't save you!" He caught the sword with his bare hands, pressing the woman away.

"But it will stop YOU!" She jumped into the air and kicked him right in the head. Thank devil he kept that rubber neck quirk, or his head would've been sent flying.

"Hehehehe … you think I'm scared!?" He shouted as he smacked her away. "A man weak to a weak rock, a boy able to be frozen over, a silly ring oh so broken by fear, a little green thing set so easily ablaze …" He smirked. "I mean Wonder Woman I get, she has potential …" He turned to the rodent. "And then there's the quirkless … worthless … bat." All For One raised his hand. "All I need is a finger to kill you." One he turned into a rivet as he extended it at mach twenty.

"You could…." The bat simply stayed still… as the rivet went right through him….. And didn't phase him at all. In fact… it phased through him. "You never got a good telepathic quirk, did you?" And the bat shifted… into Manhunter.

"Wait, if you-" He was sprayed with something from behind, before he shot out an elbow that he KNEW cracked some ribs. "Oh my, a fun effort, but worthless. I have plenty of-"

"It's not a poison, or a venom." The Bat groaned from ten feet away. "It's serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid."

"… The fuck does-?" And then the Flash slammed into his neck again.

"It's a natural chemical in the body responsible for relaxing the muscles. You can't tense or stress them." The speedster grinned as he delivered a multitude of punches and kicks. "Course you can still use them one or five at a time, but big scale almighty attacks? Doubtful."

He's getting annoyed now. "I don't… need to move… in order…. To finish you all off!"

"Heh, how many times have we heard that one?" Superman cackled as he flew into his back, cracking his spine… no matter, focusing on healing right there-

"Two hundred and seventy two times." The bat threw those useless disks right into his eyes, no matter, just heal-

BOOOM

Just keep healing, you have several healing quirks you could use, you could-

HACK SLASH HACK SLASH!

A…trident pierced his chest. "Everyone always forgets about the fish man." Fucking Aquaman called out.

All For One gritted his teeth. "Oh that fucking TEARS IT!"

Splat

He bled out all over the ground as he flew up. "The heck was-!?" The stinking fish questioned.

"Bloodlet." The Bat explained. "He expelled the chemicals we added, but severely taxed his healing quirks and stamina."

"Yeah I did!" All For One cackled, feeling pain that these morons dared inflict. "So let me show you what the fantasy of the indomitable human spirit looks like against the reality of the cold indifference of the universe!" He turned on the generator Garaki installed in his stomach for emergencies.

"Power overload. Air Walk. Springlike limbs. Strength enhancer times six. Kinetic booster times four. Motion enhancer times seven. Multiple arms. Flame generator times five. Spear like bones. Muscle mass amplifier. Radiation generation. Flames of Beelzebub. Demonic physical enhancement. Mass triplication." He stacked abilities and magic and power on top of each other. No playing around. They would die. "You should know better than to corner a dangerous animal...that's when they're at their most deadliest!" All For One roared.

"I agree…" The green lantern coughed as he held out his ring. "And lucky for us… you already had one ready for us." Where was he aiming that-?

SMASSSSSSSSSSSH

All Might… being held together by a mech green lantern construct… smack him in the face. "IT ENDS TONIGHT, ALL FOR ONE! FOR THE WORLD, FOR MY MASTER, YOUR REIGN OF EVIL DIES TONIGHT!" He reeled his arm back again. "CAROLINA… SMASSSHHH!" And sent another attack that sent him hurtling across the sky… his bones... Ribs, muscles… unable to heal from taxing them prior. "DAKOTA … SMASH!"

"You… you can't kill me…. I've surpassed death…." He called out, before getting hit in the chest once again.

"TEXAS SMASH!"

So much blood, so much agony. "I … will not-"

"ALABAMA SMASH!"

SMACK

"UNITED STATES OF …" What was he … oh … that's what it was … the last thing All For One ever saw with his own eyes … his own gray matter covering the fist of that wretched man stealing his brother. "SMAAAAASH!"

Clark walked onto the roof, seeing his old friend standing next to the railing, still in a hospital gown. "Donuts?" He offered. "Apple fritters, your favorite."

"...Double glazed?"

"Double glazed.

"… Screw the doctor's warnings, give me one." He handed over the box as Yagi began hitting into one. After taking one out, he began eating the treat, moaning in content. "Man, this hits just like the first time."

Clark grabbed one himself, taking a bite as the two of them gazed at the sunrise. "… You could have told us you know. We could have taken them."

"That's what it always starts with." Toshi noted between bites. "It's finally strong enough, our powers are good enough, we have the technology … for a hundred years, it always ended the same way." He sighed. "...That's what happened to the Justice Society over the past few years… they dedicated themselves to making One For All stronger… and they still ended up dying…When I came to the US all those years ago, I swore I wouldn't put another team in danger again. I wouldn't let All For One hurt any more lives."

"… Gran Torino gave you a beating for that kinda thinking."

"And I did my best to repress the wounds and mental scars..." Toshi snickered before he coughed and clenched his torso. "Ugggh-!"

"Toshi-"

He raised his hand up. "It's fine… it's fine…. That's just what happens when someone loses their stomach…" He sighed weakly. "… I'm sorry."

"I know-"

"Not for not telling you." He shook his head. "We … he may have had the soul of a demon, but he was a human, for as little humanity as he had within him … we broke your and Bruce's code."

Clark sighed. "... What's done is done." He said bluntly. Sure, he could try to wax poetic, or try to comfort the man, but platitudes wouldn't get Toshi anywhere, or make him feel better in the long run. "I can't tell you that there are days where I wish I could do more to stop Luthor… the prospect of killing… it's too easy…. But what matters now is that you pick yourself back up."

"...Does Bruce feel the same way?" Toshi whispered.

"You know he's a softie deep down." Clark commented…then the two of them laughed.

"Hehahaha, yeah, that bit never gets old." Toshi laughed. "Who knows, maybe the day he gets married we'll see a mythical Batman smile."

"Batman, getting married?" Clark snorted. "Are you sure memory loss wasn't part of your symptoms?"

"It could happen. He's on his second kid by this point." All Might chuckled. "When I come back to the U.S., I fully expect there to be one big happy Bat Family."

"Says the only man without love in his life."

"Nothing can tie this hero down." Toshi laughed.

"Not even Maxima?" He smirked.

"You swore to the grave!" They clenched, before spitting out blood.

Clark's eyes widened. "Toshi, hold on, Let's get you back to your room-"

"No… no, just… It's fine, it's fine, that just happens now." He chuckled. "Just something I'm gonna hold in till I return to Japan. The Symbol of Peace can't be talked down now, not in his prime."

Clark blinked, realizing what he was implying. "Toshi, you can't be seriously thinking about continuing hero work…"

"All For One is finally gone… peace can finally return to the world…I want to go on a little longer to see that peace flourish." Toshi grinned, looking tranquil. "I want to see the world I promised my master … where people smile without worry."

"… That sounds like a nice world to see." He admitted. "Still, your injuries…"

"A missing lung and stomach …" The man laughed. "Come now Clark, you know the battle simply doesn't end."

"You do remember what Diana did to Bruce about his sleep schedule, right?"

"I do… and that's half the reason why I think they'll end up together." All Might snorted.

"Funny …" He leaned back. "So … while we're here, wanna tell me what the deal was about that guy and you?"

"… Yeah …" Toshi sighed. "The tale of All For One … and One For All …"

"Like the Three Musketeers." Clark smirked.

"Three muskawho?" Toshi blinked.

"...You're kidding, right?" Clark asked, making a face. "Very popular book from the pre quirk era? Most famous line is "All For One and One For All?"

"...Most of my childhood was spent exercising because I was attempting to be a hero in spite of my quirklessness."

"...You're WHAT now?"

"Okay, from my perspective, it all started when I ate some toenails." Maybe ignorance was bliss.