Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, Iida, and the others who had returned home to Shizuoka City were either watching TV with their families or silently staring at their phones alone.
But what they were seeing was the same. On screen, Tomura Shigaraki was captured from a high angle, forcing the four of them to surround Kyoka.
Seeing this, Midoriya, who was being tightly hugged by his worried, plump mother, instinctively shouted, "Oh no!" He desperately wished he could be there right now.
"Kyoka-chan..." Ashido Mina sat on her pink bed, hugging a matching pink pillow as she watched the scene nervously.
Iida stood beside his parents and sighed in frustration. "Damn it. As the class rep, I can't do anything while my classmate is in danger. I really..."
"Iida, at times like this, you have to trust the Heroes. I believe the professional Heroes on the scene will handle it." His father, now retired, looked at his second son.
Though based on his connections and the information available, he could infer that the Heroes in Kamino were overwhelmed, as a parent, this was the only thing he could say for Iida's sake.
Just then, everyone saw a dazzling golden light descend from the sky on their screens. Then, amid Shigaraki's curse-filled howls, it disappeared into the night.
But everyone watching—not just the teachers and students of U.A. High School, but countless citizens who recognized that handsome face and blond hair—instantly knew it was Kaminari Denki.
That radiant golden light, that cold and striking figure, and that scene of him carrying Kyoka into the sky made girls all over the world scream in excitement.
It felt like something out of an anime, movie, or novel, turning that moment into a global fan frenzy.
Students from Class A, as well as the principal and faculty who had just returned to U.A., all breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's good that Kyoka is safe. That's all that matters!" the Principal said happily, seated in the conference room.
Even though losing another student wouldn't drastically worsen the already dire situation, a successful rescue still counted as a rare positive.
And right now, that was something U.A. High School desperately needed.
"It's definitely a good thing. But Kaminari's actions will draw a lot of attention once the situation calms down," Cementoss said with concern.
"Compared to Kyoka's safety, none of that matters," Aizawa Shouta, Class A's homeroom teacher, replied expressionlessly.
This time, he fully supported Kaminari's decision. In fact, he was deeply thankful to him for saving his student.
At this point, with Kaminari, Kyoka, and Shigaraki having left the area, all the remaining camera coverage focused on All Might's battle.
But not only was the fight between All Might and All For One so fast that cameras could barely keep up, the violent gusts from their clashes and the thick smoke made the footage blurry and difficult to follow.
Still, it was precisely this deadlocked battle that shocked viewers even more.
"This is hell on Earth!"
"In less than thirty minutes, Kamino Plaza and the surrounding areas were half-destroyed!"
"All Might is currently battling the villain believed to be the mastermind!"
As the reporter looked out at the devastation, he shouted into the helicopter's camera in panic, "And the villain... is just one person!"
Yes, that was what no one could believe. How could anyone fight All Might alone?
"Oh my God. He's actually holding his own against the Symbol of Peace… Is this a nightmare?" the reporter muttered. The strong winds at altitude forced him to raise a hand to block his face.
"Hey, All Might looks like he's getting beat up..."
"Seriously. Look at him coughing up so much blood!"
"Judging from all the damage, does this mean I don't have to go to work tomorrow?"
"Isn't that the white-haired guy from the League of Villains? He looks kinda cool."
In parts of Kamino that hadn't been affected yet, people gathered around their screens. Some were worried, some scared, some relieved for the break, and some just casually commented or even laughed.
"Speaking of which, where are the other Pro Heroes?"
"Yeah, why is All Might the only one fighting?"
"I thought Hero numbers had reached saturation? Then why are there more and more villain incidents lately?"
"Still, All Might will find a way in the end. He always does!"
Meanwhile, All Might, the man at the center of this media storm, was on one knee, coughing up bright red blood, clearly in pain.
He could feel the fire within him fading, his strength slipping away. He didn't have much time left.
All Might now had to admit it—All For One had the upper hand.
"To be honest, I'm a bit worried too," All For One said, his expression somewhat strained.
His black helmet had been shattered, revealing his mangled, scarred face. The once pristine black suit was now in tatters.
But compared to All Might, he was still in better shape. He opened his arms with a helpless gesture and sighed.
"Tomura Shigaraki has not only worked tirelessly to erode the public's trust in Heroes, but this time, he struck a critical blow to their reputation in one fell swoop."
"So if possible, I'd rather see him deliver the final strike to you. Let him stand where I once stood, atop the corpse of the Symbol of Peace."
At that moment, with both combatants momentarily still, the aerial camera finally managed to capture a clear image. All For One's words were transmitted to viewers across the nation.
"But All Might, just as you hate me, I hate you just as much."
"You killed everything I built with my own hands, just as I killed your master. So I truly hope you die—ugly and tragic."
As he spoke, the fury in All For One's voice surged. Unable to suppress the killing intent any longer, he began activating multiple Quirks in preparation for his ultimate technique.
"Muscle and bone converted to clockwork, explosive power multiplied by four, arm strength tripled, air propulsion added."
His arms swelled like inflated rubber, bursting through what remained of his upper clothing to reveal terrifying, bioengineered limbs.
Then, he slowly raised his right arm, locking his palm firmly in All Might's direction. He gave a chilling warning.
"I'd suggest you don't dodge this. Because if you do, everything still intact behind you... will be reduced to rubble in an instant."
(To be continued.)