"Why did it take this long?" All Might's pinprick blue eyes bored into Aizawa who returned the glare with nonplussed poise.
"The country is overrun with villains." Aizawa pointed out. "It's a miracle we managed to track down where the league of villains are holding Monoma at all."
"Of course." Toshinori allowed, deflating from his buff form. "Yet when Midoriya is threatened you get a strike team in place immediately. I thought you didn't play favourites?"
"That was different." Aizawa's eyes widened slightly at the accusation. "Midoriya managed to give us deep and invaluable intel on the inner workings of the villain Tigershark's group. The league of villains on the other hand… we got lucky."
"Luck." Toshinari swore. "Is that what it's come to? That we Pros have to rely on luck and the input of children."
"Toshinori," Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "When did you become so negative towards the future generation?"
Toshinori did not reply. His gaze drifted outside to the students arriving for class.
"We can not let Midoriya know." Toshinori insisted. "Not under any circumstances. He is… I don't trust him not to act. He is reckless, and he feels the burden of Monoma's disappearance too keenly. He would involve himself."
"I agree." Aizawa said simply, causing Toshinori's eyes to widen with surprise.
"Have I misjudged you, Aizawa?" He wondered allowed. "I would have thought you would want him to be a part of the operation. You included him in the raid on Tigershak's factory, after all. Not only as an informant but as a combattant, and a crucial part of your plans."
"We pros were- we are spread too thin." Aizawa explained. "We can only spare so many pros for cases such as this with the world in its current state. Villains on the loose, chaos in the streets. Midoriya was already involved and it would have been a mistake to not allow him to use his abilities."
"Fine." Toshinori rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I suppose you are already formulating a plan for the raid?"
"We'll meet to plan tonight." Aizawa hesitated. "I need you to speak to Endeavour."
"Me?" Toshinori started. "Why? Didn't you just execute a raid alongside Endeavour?"
"We had a… disagreement on how he dealt with the villain Tigershark." Aizawa revealed unblinkingly.
The silence stretched.
"I trust you won't have the same… reservations," All Might murmured. "If he is there?"
"Well, well, well," Endeavour smirked as All Might entered his office in his shriveled form. "If it isn't the rapidly shrinking Symbol of Peace. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
All Might grit his teeth.
"This is serious, Enji." Toshinori snapped, brokering no room for argument. "We need you to help us execute a raid on the league of villains' hideout. Months ago, a student was abducted by the league of villains, replaced by a doppelganger. We only became aware of this in the last few weeks."
"How could this have happened?" Fire flared as Endeavour's temper rose. "This makes the second occasion that the league of villains just waltzes into UA and does as they please! Is your security that lax?! What if it had been my son, or young Midoriya!"
All Might regarded the other man for a long, sober moment.
"You care about the Midoriya boy, don't you?" He met Endeavour's glare.
"He is my pupil." Endeavour growled. "He has a keen sense of justice and a quirk that matches his heroic spirit. He will make a great hero one day. He will make me proud."
"Which is why I must ask you not to inform him of our plan." All Might insisted grimly.
"What?!" Endeavour's beard flared again.
Toshinori held his hands out placatingly.
"Enji, I need you to trust me on this." He sighed. "I understand the boy has earned your respect, but his quirk… it's too convenient to be a coincidence. Why am I the only one who sees that?"
"Because you are the only one who refuses to give Midoriya a chance to prove you wrong." Endeavour snapped. "In every situation, every challenge set before him, the boy has excelled. You must see that."
"I don't doubt his competence." Toshinori elaborated. "It's his temperament and the origins of his abilities that concern me."
"We'll have to agree to disagree on that case." Endeavour grumbled.
"Promise me you won't inform Midoriya." All Might asked.
"Fine." Endeavour crossed his arms.
"I am afraid I need you to swear it, Enji." All Might insisted.
Endeavour's eyes burned into All Might's.
Then, he smiled.
"Very well." He relented. "I swear not to tell Midoriya."
"They found Monoma?" Izuku felt his body go cold.
"Indeed." Shoto sat on Izuku's bed, while Izuku worked at his desk. "My father had Burnin' reach out to inform me, and asked that I relay the information to you."
"What are we going to do?" Izuku asked. "This is the league of villains. I'm surprised they'll let students participate."
"They aren't letting us participate, Midoriya." Shoto said. "Like you said, we're students. We should let the pros handle this."
"I- Shoto…" Izuku felt his hands tremble. "This is my fault. If Monoma didn't copy Heatblast he wouldn't have been in the hospital. It's my fault the League got to him. I need to help fix this."
"Monoma made that decision himself, Midoriya." Shoto pointed out, keeping his tone even. "The reason I decided to tell you about the planned raid is to put your mind at ease. I don't have any further details. My father, All Might and Aizawa sensei will participate in this operation. We don't need to get involved."
Izuku clenched his fists.
"Midoriya?" Shoto asked again, more gently this time.
"Yeah." Izuku sighed. "I- I guess you're right."
"The pros can handle this." Shoto reiterated. "Let's focus on getting our hero licenses. With the world in the state it's in, it is likely we will be allowed to get provisional licenses more easily, to help aid with the effort to recapture the villains who escaped."
"Yeah. You're right!" Izuku groaned. "You're right, I know that. I just. I want to help."
Shoto almost smiled.
"If you want to make a real difference," Shoto said slyly. "You should offer to help Uraraka study."
"You're making jokes now too?" Izuku deadpanned. "Kendo's been poisoning all of you."
"Almost ready." Izuku frowned in concentration. "I can feel it."
The Omnitrix warbled wetly.
"That is very unsettling." Present Mic went a little green. "I'm gonna barf… Oh yeah…"
"There!" Izuku beamed. "Should I go for an old form or show you some of the new ones?"
"More new forms?" Cementos pondered. "Midoriya, how are we supposed to adequately prepare you for the provisional license exam when we still haven't seen the extent of your abilities?"
"Oh… you'll like this one." Izuku insisted, catching Present Mic's eye with a wicked grin.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Present Mic gulped. "Oh yeah."
Green light exploded from Izuku's arm as he shrunk. His skin became waxy and white, his head widened and his mouth expanded.
"Echo! Echo!?" He chirped, his voice reverberating as he split into two. The clones struck poses in perfect unison. "Well? What. Do. You. Think?"
"I think I'm going to get a headache." Present Mic Whined. "This is getting out of hand, Ishiyama. Now there are two of him!"
"You. Haven't Seen. Anything. Yet!" He backflipped, turning two into four, then four into eight clones.
"Incredible…" Cementos rubbed his chin. "Is there a limit to how many copies you can make?"
"Not. Likely!" The clones all replied in unison, the combined volume of their voices causing the ground to rumble. "But. Eight. Is. Enough. For. Now! I. Don't. Want. To. Break. Anything!"
"Enough for what?" Present Mic murmured suspiciously.
"Copies. Aren't. All. I. Can. Make!" All the pale creatures giggled together. They turned in perfect sync, facing a wall of concrete. They each took a deep breath. "Oh. YEAH!"
The sound amplified and increased in volume until the soundwaves shattered the concrete wall.
Dust drifted down from the ceiling.
Present Mic's jaw was slack.
"Well?" Echo-Echo said in unison. "Pretty. Cool. Right?"
"Hold it!" Snipe insisted. In the background, several students practiced their own ultimate moves under the supervision of the other teachers.
The Omnitrix flashed red, beeping warnings insistently.
"I'm… gonna feel this in the morning…" Four Arms groaned under the strain. He'd been timing out for the last five minutes, but managed to stay transformed, even though the strain had become too much for him to focus on much else. With a final shaky gasp of effort red light flashed and Izuku collapsed, panting heavily.
"Five minutes and thirteen seconds." Snipe noted. "That's a new record."
Izuku was too out of breath to reply, so he just nodded as he heaved for breath, sweating on the floor.
An explosion resounded in the background, followed by the sound of breaking cement and the shouts of upset students.
"Take a break, Midoriya." Snipe insisted. "Get some water. I need to go make sure Bakugou doesn't bring the gym down on top of us."
Izuku gave a shaky thumbs up in response.
"Need some water, hero?" Kendo smiled, leaning over him with a bottle.
Izuku nodded, then sputtered and gasped as Kendo poured water on his face.
She laughed brightly, then handed him the bottle now he was sitting upright.
"Sorry." She giggled. "You can't drink lying down, you know?"
"Plus ultra." Izuku insisted weakly, then downed the bottle. "You taking a break too?"
He noticed dark red bruises from her knuckled all the way up to her elbows.
"Uh… yeah." She said suddenly reserved. "I guess I overdid it a little with- with my quirk."
"You have gotten a lot stronger lately." Izuku pointed out. "You must be really proud."
"More terrified if I'm honest." She said quietly. "It's- it's just a lot of pressure…"
"I understand what you mean." Izuku nodded.
Kendo's eyes went wide.
"It's a tough time to be a hero, even if we're just students for now," Izuku continued. "The world seems overrun with villains. And what the news has been saying, that it seems like there might be someone behind all the escapes, one single boss villain, that's… that's pretty scary stuff."
"E-exactly!" Kendo said quickly. "All those… villains out there."
"Hey are you okay?" Izuku asked, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You've been really pushing yourself lately. Are you sure you're not being too hard on yourself?"
Kendo wouldn't meet his eyes.
"If anything…" She whispered. "I'm not doing enough…"
Before Izuku could prod further, a sound resounded through the gym.
"THAT'S IT FOR TODAY!" Present Mic's voice seared their eardrums. "YOU KIDS ARE TOO MUCH! OH YEAH!"
"What's his problem?" Kendo giggled. "It's only noon. Oh! Was he checking on Bakugou do you think?"
"That would do it." Izuku chuckled, though he kept his eyes on Present Mic as he left the gym. "Although, I will admit… Yamada-sensei has been acting strange. And I haven't seen Aizawa Sensei at all today."
Izuku's eyes widened as Kendo clenched her fists.
"Itsuka?" He asked, seeing a change in her eyes. Does she know something about the raid?
"Oh- sorry." Her face flushed red. "I-I let my mind wander."
They walked through the gym in comfortable, if slightly awkward, silence.
The dorm was almost unrecognisable. The time spent living there, even though the students kept the place meticulously clean, had left imprints of personalities.
Cookware and utensils brought from home, hanging herbs and fresh fruits and vegetables. A comfortable blanket left ready in the lounge.
"Izuku…" Kendo rubbed her neck. "There's something… well.. We need to talk…"
Izuku thought back to the night after the factory raid. The moment they shared on the couch in the dorm. He felt his cheeks redden.
"Yeah?" Izuku stepped towards her. "Is this… about…"
Kendo's face went bright red.
A noise broke the tension. A phone notification.
Kendo's demeanour shifted.
"Sorry it's- it can't wait-" Her voice died as her eyes widened, reading the text.
"Everything okay?" Izuku felt his stomach twist.
"I have to go." She said simply. "I'm sorry, Izuku, I-I have to go."
She turned and left.
"What was that about?" Tokoyami asked.
"GAH!" Izuku started. "I asked you not to do that!"
"Do what?" Shoto feigned innocence.
"GAH!" Izuku spun to face him. "Are you kidding me?! Were you two spying on us?!"
"Spying?" Tokoyami's placed a hand on his chest.
"We would never." Shoto deadpanned, though there was mischief in his eyes.
"So?" Tokoyami prompted, folding his arms. "Are you two finally…"
He let the question hang.
"Finally what?" Izuku crossed his own arms.
"You know." Shoto raised an eyebrow.
"I- I…" Izuku waved his hands. "I actually don't know."
"You need it to be more obvious?" Tokoyami snarked.
"She's my friend." Izuku pointed out. "A really good friend. I don't wanna mess that up just because I-"
His eyes widened.
"There it is." Shoto smiled.
"Now you just need to act on how you feel." Tokoyami said kindly. "Don't wait for Itsuka to always make the first move, Midoriya."
"Listen to the bird, you damn nerd." Bakugou pointed out diplomatically.
"GAH!"
Itsuka Kendo tightened her hands on the material of her skirt.
"That's it?" Her voice was unsteady. "Just like that?"
"I'm sorry, kid." All Might sighed. "It's fading. It's fading too fast… I don't think I've got another week left as the symbol of peace, let alone another year."
"It's- I'm not ready." She closed her eyes. "I can barely control my quirk anymore!"
"You don't need to worry about being the next Symbol of Peace just yet." All Might said kindly. "There are pros who will step up and take my place soon enough. And… well. To be honest I've been pushing it lately. With so many villains out on the streets… it seems I can't catch a break anymore."
"Then why?" Kendo frowned. "Why go out on a raid of all things? Shouldn't the Number One Hero have a public showing before they retire?"
"It's not like that, Young Kendo." He sighed. "Kamino is a big city and the news is always on top of things there. It's very likely there will be witnesses and we might even appear on the news. We decided to have me be a part of the raid, not just for my strength, but also because we will be on Television one way or another. The country needs to see the Symbol of Peace in action in situations like this."
"It feels like the country is falling apart." Kendo clenched her jaw.
"In my experience…" All Might gave a rueful smile. "It feels like that every few years. There's always some disaster, some great villain for the world to face."
Kendo met his eyes, searching.
"Trust me, kid." All Might smiled tightly. "This is nothing new."
Doctor Kyuda Garaki kept his hands together behind his back as he walked between the rows upon rows of green tubes. Each one contained a Noumu. Some contained High End Noumu.
And then there were the New Breed.
He placed a hand against the glass. The Noumu inside shifted, as if it was only partially solid, as if it could reform itself at will. It was liquid, it was solid, it was sleek. He likened the appearance to that alien in the American Film. Elongated black head, barbed tail.
He moved into the back room.
"Good evening, Neito." He smiled as he regarded the boy, hanging from wrists strapped to a vertical operating table. "Are you ready to help me make something beautiful?"
The ceiling exploded.
Doctor Garaki squealed in terror as sharp blue threads pinned him in place.
Best Jeanist descended into the Noumu factory on a spiderweb of denim strands.
"Hello, Doctor." He narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid this is going to reflect badly on your record."
"Don't do anything foolish." Kamui Woods insisted. "It's in your best interest to cooperate."
His lacquered chain prison held the villains in place. There were more villains in the bar than they had expected, yet some key players were nowhere to be seen. The cloner, Twice and unless she was disguised as one of the other low-ranking villains present, the girl, Toga. Muscular, was last seen causing havoc in the countryside.
"YOU CAN'T RUN ANYMORE!" All Might's voice was steel and justice. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, LEAGUE OF VILLAINS? BECAUSE WE ARE HERE!"
Right after the press conference?! Mr Compress tried to feel a way to escape his restraints. It was a ruse the whole time!
"We have you surrounded." Edgeshot slid through the side of the bar's door, unlocking it and revealing the massive police force posted outside. His tone was sharp. "The police, and other powerful heroes like Endeavour are on the scene as well."
"After all I went through in Tartarus," Shigaraki hissed. "The final boss decides to take me on just as I start the next level. How annoying. Kurogiri… they have backup. Show them ours."
Nothing happened.
"What are you waiting for, damnit?!" Shigaraki shouted.
"Tomura Shigaraki…" Kurogiri turned. "I am sorry. The Noumu… They are all gone."
"IT SEEMS YOU STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN, SHIGARAKI!" All Might smiled dangerously. "YOU'RE STILL GREEN! PERHAPS THIS TIME YOU'LL BE SENSIBLE AND STAY IN PRISON!"
"You think it's over?" Shigaraki rasped. "Justice… Peace…"
He spat, struggling against the wooden bonds that held him as he stood.
"You created a garbage society," Rage coloured his voice now. "Lifting up such… ridiculous ideals. That's why I targeted you, All Might. You think this is the end? Then you've lost."
Kurogiri flinched then went limp.
"Kurogiri!?" Magne exclaimed. "Did they kill him?! What just happened?! I Didn't see anything!"
"A nuisance like him is better unconscious." Edgeshot materialised. "So I messed with his insides a bit."
Black slime oozed from the air.
"WHAT?!" All Might rounded on Edgeshot.
"Dammit, Edgeshot. Stop Kurogiri!" Kamui Woods cried out.
"It's not him!" Edgeshot insisted.
One by one, black sludge erupted from the villains. It poured from their mouths and ears and eyes.
They disappeared.
"Where do these things keep coming from?!" Endeavour roared, roasting another three Noumu with a surge of flame.
"Oh no you DON'T!" Tiger slammed his fist into Mustard's head, taking the villain out. "Finally! Ragdoll, how many more?!"
"Too many!" Ragdoll dodged into cover as concrete shattered.
"Death Arms, NOW!" Aizawa shouted.
Muscular felt his strength fail suddenly, eyes widening as his blows against Fat Gum's chest falter.
Death Arms roared, face and body bloodied, his right arm a ruined mess of shattered bone. He slammed his left fist into Muscular's head. Just as Fat Gum did the same.
Muscular was buried in the asphalt, lying knocked out in a crater.
"I'm all out!" Fat Gum gasped.
Death Arms collapsed, clutching his ruined arm.
"This isn't going well!" Tiger growled , leaping over the slashing spears of Moonfish's teeth.
"STAY TOGETHER!" Endeavour melted the metal teeth then spun in the air, knocking Moonfish on his back. "Keep them away from the public! We need to hold them HERE!"
An explosion of sound tore through the chaos.
All for One stood in the decimated remains of his Noumu Factory.
"Ah." Behind his mask, he smiled. "There you are."
The clouds parted as All Might descended from the night sky like a thunderbolt.
The impact from All Might clashing into All For one sent the surrounding villains scattering.
"Have you come to kill me a second time, old friend?" All For one chuckled, easily holding back the weakened All Might. The dust kicked up in a cloud, surrounding them before settling. All for One dusted himself off, regarding All Might's already smoking form. "It took you almost thirty seconds to get here from the bar… You're getting slow."
"BIG WORDS FROM A MAN IN A LIFE SUPPORT MASK!" All Might growled. "THIS TIME… I'LL MAKE SURE YOU STAY DEAD!"
All Might exploded forward, fist cocked. All for One smiled, extended his hand, and detonated a blast of air that sent All Might hurtling through the air.
He crashed through one building after another before finally coming to a stop.
"It will take more than that to kill him…" All for One murmured. "Time to go, Tomura."
He shot the black tendrils of his quirk into Kurogiri's body.
"Careful!" Magne cried out. "The heroes did something to him! Can't you teleport us out instead."
"I'm afraid my warp power doesn't work like that." All for One revealed. He turned to Tomura. "Go now."
"What about you?" Shigaraki pleaded.
In the distance a thunderous crash followed All Might's leap back into action.
The force of their clash sent Tomura reeling.
All for One grunted with effort, then sent All Might flying again. He recovered quickly this time, turning a building into rubble as he turned and used it as a springboard. All for One caught his fists again, though buckled slightly this time.
All for One moved to speak, only to be slammed in the gut with a kick. He bounced off the debris laden dirt before righting himself.
All Might was on him again in an instant, the force of his blows charged with the full power of One for All.
THERE ARE STILL CIVILIANS IN THE VICINITY! All Might thought, relentlessly barraging All for One with blows. I HAVE TO END THIS!
All for One grunted in effort as he weathered the blow. He extended his arm again.
All Might braced himself, but the attack never came.
A blast of wind cannon sent the league's members flying towards Kurogiri's portal.
"Master!" Shigaraki scrambled to his feet, away from the portal. "Your body is still weak! You can't-"
"Leave, Tomura!" All for One insisted. "Go! NOW!"
The other members of the league were already on their feet running for the portal. Another blast of air sent Shigaraki through the portal after them.
"DETROIT SMASH!" All Might's attack was caught by All for One once again.
The villain's arms extended and warped as he absorbed the impact.
"Now then…" He rumbled. "I only wanted to save Tomura… but, as always, you wanted a fight… So… let's fight."
They traded blows again. They were too focussed, too on edge, each too familiar with the other's style. Punches were blocked attacks were dodged.
"I can scarcely believe it." All for Once chuckled. "Even now… in this pathetic state… you're holding back? Don't you see me as a threat anymore, All Might? Or… perhaps you're afraid that doing so would endanger all those people you've sworn to protect?"
"SHUT UP…" All Might grit his teeth. "ALWAYS TOYING WITH PEOPLE, PROBING THEIR WEAKNESSES. YOU STEAL. BREAK THEM. MANIPULATE AND DISCARD THEM. YOU SCOFF AT INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO LIVE THEIR LIVES! I WON'T LET IT CONTINUE!"
The blow landed. The dust settled. From inside his shattered mask, All for One smiled.
"My oh my…" He grinned. "It seems… you've reached your limit."
Steam surged from All Might's body. He panted, eyes widening in disbelief as the villain laughed.
"You know, old friend…" All for One smiled. "Nana Shimura once told me something similar…"
A news helicopter hovered in the distance overhead.
"DON'T." All Might shook. "DON'T YOU SAY HER NAME…"
"A woman with no skill," All for one sighed wistfully. "And such grand ideals. Ideals she could never live up to. She was an embarrassment to her quirk… and she died so… pathetically."
"ENOUGH!" All Might sent another punch rocketing forward with all of his strength.
All for One was faster.
An explosion of power sent All Might flying, blood erupting from his mouth.
He realised too late that he was heading directly for the news helicopter. He barely managed to turn, tearing through the helicopter's tail.
It churned and metal screeched as it began plummeting.
Blood pouring from his face, All Might dug his fingers into the metal and wrenched it open. He plunged inside as the Helicopter spun.
"GET OVER HERE!" He shouted. "QUICKLY!"
He leapt out of the wreckage as it crashed, setting the crew down less gently than he would have liked. He spat blood.
"Go!" His voice wavered. "GO! THIS IS NO- no place for you!"
All Might coughed.
"I find myself… conflicted." All for One hovered in the air. "Destroying hero society… disgracing their Symbol of Peace… this was always the plan. But truly… you look so pathetic right now, I wonder if it would be more effective to just let you live as an example."
All Might ground his teeth together, putting himself between the villain and the news crew.
"I want you to suffer." All for one purred. "Really I do. I want to tear your self image apart and obliterate this pathetic public image you've worked so hard to create… but look at you. I should just put you out of your misery now."
The attack was too fast. Too powerful. Impossible to get himself and the news crew away in time. So All Might stood.
All Might endured.
As the dust settled, Toshinori Yagi trembled. His hero costume hung off his body like oversized rags. His eyes were wide as he spat blood. Black Tendrils penetrated his body in several locations.
All for One lifted him up, pulling him closer.
"Hollow cheeks and sunken eyes…" All for One tutted. "To think that you're their greatest hero. Try not to be too ashamed."
All Might couldn't speak. His vision blurred at the edges… started going black.
"I'm not done with you yet." All for One chuckled. "There's something I want you to know before you die."
All Might took a trembling hand, grasping at the black tendrils that impaled him. His hand slipped.
"My apprentice…" All for One teased. "Tomuta Shigaraki… He is Nana Shimura's Grandson."
All Might dangled limply on his black rivets.
"I found Tomura." All for One smiled. "I groomed him to hate you. I watched as you beat your master's grandson with a smile on your face."
All Might said nothing.
"Where's your smile now, All Might?" All for One pouted. All Might did not react. All for One frowned. "Ah. I see. Unconscious again."
He lowered All Might's body to the ground, then dropped to the ground.
All Might wasn't moving.
"Your Symbol of Peace is broken." All for One turned away from All Might's body, speaking directly to the stunned news crew. "Perhaps… I can exchange him for a new one?"
He laughed maniacally.
All for One smirked, ready to make his next grand announcement. Something was not quite right.
His brow creased above his eyeless face. The news crew… they were gone.
He turned to All might's body. It was also gone.
"What?" He turned, confused. He was broken… dying… there is no way he could have escaped himself, let alone rescue anyone!
Green light flashed and he spun to face it.
There was a boy.
A child.
His messy green air tugged gently in the night breeze.
Izuku Midoriya narrowed his eyes.
"How am I here again?"
Izuku was back in the endless black void. He'd been watching the fight between All Might and that Villain. All Might had been impaled only moments ago.
"Was I wrong about you?" The vestige of Ben Tennyson was more serious than Izuku had ever heard him. His voice was sharp and hard.
"What?" Izuku's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
The image of All Might, suspended on All for One's tendrils materialised from the darkness.
"How can you just sit there and watch this?" Ben snapped.
"What am I supposed to do?!" Izuku shouted. "It's not enough that I have to watch my hero get murdered on live Television, I also have to get guilt tripped while it happens?!"
The silence dragged.
"You're supposed to be a hero." Ben insisted.
"I'm just a kid." Izuku started.
"So was I!" Ben threw his arms out. "I was ten years old when I saved the world. The first time!"
"I'd get arrested!" Izuku pointed out. "I don't have a license!"
"What kind of hero needs a license to do the right thing?!" Ben accused.
"Heroes don't break the law!" Izuku raged.
"Heroes don't just watch people get killed when they can help!" Ben shouted back. "I never did!"
"I'm not you!" Izuku clapped back. "I'm not- I'm not All Might! I'm not!"
"No." Ben agreed. "You're not. You're Izuku Midoriya. You make your own name. Be your own hero!"
"That villain… He took out All Might like he was nothing!" Izuku cried out. "What am I supposed to do against a villain like that, Ben?!"
Ben shook his head, smiling ruefully.
"You tell me." Ben demanded.
"What?" Izuku reeled.
"You watched the fight, right?" Ben asked.
"You know I did." Izuku frowned in confusion.
"So tell me." Ben insisted. "Tell me how you're gonna beat this guy."
Izuku began to reply- to say he couldn't- to say there was no way.
He stopped before he started.
"Fasttrack to get there." Izuku began. "He's more than quick enough… I can get in and get the crew and- and All Might's body out."
A smile slowly grew on Ben's face as he watched Izuku begin to mumble.
"Forceful quirk activation…" Izuku put a finger to his chin. "Air attacks… Force absorption… But he's slow. He eats attacks instead of dodging them…"
"There he is." Ben grinned.
Izuku lifted his head.
Izuku had misjudged Fasttrack. It had taken him less than quarter of the time he estimated it would to reach Kamino, and find the location of the battle.
"With what you're planning you'll only have about two minutes of hero time." Ben's voice echoed in Izuku's head.
"I won't need that long." Izuku narrowed his eyes. "IT'S HERO TIME!"
Izuku didn't activate the watch. He didn't need to.
He was the watch. He was-
"DIAMONDHEAD!" He slammed his fists into the ground. Green crystals erupted.
All for One lifted into the air and sent an explosion of air down. It rebounded off the green crystal, sending shards scattering from the resounding echo.
Diamondhead launched into the air, landing a punch on All for One's face.
Exactly as he predicted, All for One absorbed the blow allowing Diamondhead to encase his arms in crystal. Diamondhead launched himself up, hands out and sent a shower of crystal shards down.
Green light flashed just as the crystal encasing All for One's arms exploded.
All for One Roared in fury and sent ten black tendrils to impale this arrogant child, only for his tendrils to freeze solid as Big Chill flew through his attack intangibly.
Breath as cold as the endless void of space encased All for One, so frigid that it burned, tearing at his skin. All for One created another explosion, breaking the ice covering him just as a fist of pure flame impacted his face. He cried out in pain as the intense heat on his recently frozen skin caused immediate, searing pain.
"DIE YOU BASTARD!" Heatblast roared like a forest fire, sending out a torrential hurricane of flame. It surrounded and enveloped All for One turning his suit into ash before he could erect a force field to protect himself.
All for One sent seeking tendrils outward with Rivet Stab only to find them ricochet off something.
"OMNI-SMASH!" Way Big declared, his gigantic fist shattering All for One's force field, sending the villain to the ground.
Concrete erupted, expanding the crater where they fought threefold from the blow.
All for One bounced, only for another blow to slam him back into the ground, deeper this time.
"ENOUGH!" He bellowed, absorbing the impact, ready to redirect it, only to find the giant vanish.
A small white form fell from the sky, splitting into two. They split again, and again, scattering in different directions.
Eight became sixteen as All for One sent a full attack their way.
Echo-Echo split again just as the attack landed.
They didn't stop.
All for One stood on shaking legs as the creature cloned again and again and again.
He lost count as a sea of white being surrounded him.
"WALL!" They doubled again.
"OF!" They doubled again.
"SOUND!"
All for One threw his head back as he screamed.
The sound waves eviscerated the concrete, turning the cratered area into a cloud of dust. The sound combined and continued and grew, erupting into an endless infinite cacophony of pain.
The horde of clones combined together, flashed green, and Izuku emerged, panting.
All for One lay in the crater, covered in slowly drifting concrete dust.
Blood flowed freely from his ears and nose.
"Did you get that?!" The news caster panted as they ran towards the scene. "That- I recognise that giant form! From the sports festival! Tell me you got that!?"
I should run. Izuku thought.
He only had moments to decide. They crossed the crystal perimeter Diamond head made.
He heard the gasps, the whispers, as they saw the crater, the rubble, the dust.
Green dust made the air sparkle.
Diamondhead's crystals had shattered from Echo-Echo's attack, but they served their purpose, judging by the minimal damage to the surrounding area.
Izuku was just glad he managed to make the protective wall as quickly as he did.
"Hey!" The reporter cried out. "Hey you! Stop! Don't go anywhere!"
He turned, faced the news crew and put on his best smile.
"I'm not going anywhere." He grinned.
AN:
When I started writing And Then There Was Deku, I had just finished watching My Hero Academia Season 3. I heard Season 4 was fire, but I was always a filthy dub watcher so I waited.
I wasn't a manga reader back then.
I remember reading some fanfic or other - I don't even remember what - where Izuku had some kind of quirk that made him super OP. Yet as the story went on, nothing really changed. All the events from canon just happened like they did in canon.
It annoyed me so much that I said: "Fine! I'll do it myself!"
So I did.
And for some reason you all loved it.
And I loved writing it. I really, truly did.
Those first chapters were so easy, so gratifying to write.
I don't remember what changed.
I just remember watching a scene where All Might explained the cup thing.
Whenever someone in reviews for ATTWD asked me just how AU my story was I'd say that 'Everything up to the sludge monster happened like in canon'.
ATTWD was never about a full AU where everything was different, it was always kind of like an exploration of the butterfly effect. Everything Canon was still canon, until.
But suddenly the My Hero Academia anime introduced an aspect to One for All that completely decimated my understanding of the quirk.
Suddenly I couldn't fit my plans into canon anymore, no matter how I tried.
It's not even that I couldn't have changed my plans, I absolutely could have, it was that Ihad taken so much care to seed the future reveals and plan my revelations so far in advance that suddenly a dozen chapters had content that would either have to be removed or completely reworked if I changed plans now.
I told myself, I'll just take a little break… figure this out…
I never did.
I just kept putting it off, released the chapters I wrote already and dipped.
I told myself I'll wait for the ending. I told myself that once the manga was done, I'd get back at it. That I only needed the full story for my story to make sense.
I kept getting notifications. I kept seeing comments about how "That's not how One for All works!" how "You clearly don't know the source material…"
I just kept seeing my story become more and more irrelevant.
And, to be honest, I found myself falling out of love for My Hero. The power scaling got so ridiculous, the injuries characters survived kept getting more unbelievable... it just wasn't the same. I didn't love it the way I used to.
It wasn't supposed to end like this.
My story no longer fits the canon. It's full AU now.
It's kind of like those really old Harry Potter fanfics, back when no-one knew what the horcruxes would be, so the authors made them up, and how they were protected.
It no longer fits.
But I can't ignore it anymore. I have so much fun writing this story!
I love seeing people theorise what happens next, and seeing the excitement people have for new aliens and Izuku getting better with the Omnitrix, speculating about Ben's role in all this!
I want to make it work.
But things have to be different now.
I have just one question for whoever is still reading this…
Do you want to see where the story goes?
—
Review Review
—
The Review Awakens
—
TheRealD3lph0xL0v3r
—
Man, I always love reading your reviews. Your enthusiasm and delight is so refreshing in a world where people are afraid of trying too hard.
Thanks for sticking with me the whole journey, and thank you for everything.
Thanks for the AMAZING support. ;)
—
RANGER1863
—
Well, here it is. Yet another raid chapter. I hope it lives up to the last. :)
—
santiagoabelcampos
—
That's what I've always been about! I never wanted to make just another follow the canon timeline story. I wanted to make something with stakes and threats that feel real…
AND make Izuku super overpowered by the end. x))
I hope Izuku being as powerful as he is getting doesn't ruin that grounded feeling I've taken such care to cultivate. Let me know how I did?
—
JIM D. ZAS
—
There absolutely will be more aliens! As… well… in this chapter even!
I've seen a lot of people say this about Bakugou, but keep in mind 2 of his classmates have already died in this timeline, one of which he considers is his fault personally. If that kind of event doesn't change someone I don't know what would.
I'm glad you like the story. :)
—
Mother of Quirks
—
Yeah even though the Omnitrix (when it works lol) makes its wielder incredibly powerful, I wanted to show that this world does not pull any punches. Given what's happened in the MHA manga, I don't know that my story is that dark anymore in comparison, but I hope it still feels real.
—
Laitou
—
Your reviews mean the world to me. You've been here from the start.
Genuinely, thank you for being my friend.
—
Lord Terronus
—
This was actually my idea from the start!
Quirks in MHA and the alien powers in Ben 10 have a lot of overlap, and that is actually what made me want to do this to a great extent.
That's why Monoma was able to copy Aliens all the way back in… chapter 9? Yeah. It's been a long time coming.
I LOVE writing Paradox. He's so much fun! I definitely leaned into the Doctor Who vibe because- shocker I know- I too am a massive DW fan. xDD
That was very intentional misdirection on my part since Vilgax is called Vilgax the Conqueror in the show and all.
I always wanted an evil version of Ben, so I decided, why not make him my Ultimate Villain? :)
—
Guest (or should I say 'a huge fan'? :P)
—
How does the story read in one go?
Probably a bit late to ask. xD
I always try to take care that the end of one chapter flows into another, so it's very gratifying to hear that it works.
I don't have anything against Ochako, I just wanted to do something different. :)
SUPER happy to hear you liked what I did with Kendo!
—
Pat9921
—
Not abandoned. Not just yet. :)
If anyone still wants to read this, despite it not fitting into canon rules anymore, I'll keep writing it.
—
MBS41
—
She didn't exist when I wrote the story so I hope that answers your question.
DAMN would she have been an excellent candidate though.
—