All Might had been having an ominous feeling ever since he fought with these abominations in Jaku City.
Multiple Quirks?
A bogus call that turned out to be more than something it sounded?
It was like history repeating itself for All Might. These were the telltale signs of All For One's hands manipulating everything behind the scenes.
All Might didn't know if he could afford another tragedy like that.
A second coming of All For One, at the height of his full power, would lay devastation.
Not to mention, the time he could maintain the dregs of One For All within him was shortening by weeks. The more he pushed it, like today, the more this time shortened.
As if that wasn't the worst situation, the next owner of the One For All Quirk, young Midoriya, wasn't ready, either.
The day wasn't far when he would need to face All For One again if things kept going like this, All Might knew.
And just as he had taken a breather, realizing he must carry out his teacher duties, All For One's shadow again found its way to his heart, its claws digging dip.
This Villain — with such a bloodthirst, even though he was bleeding all over, was reeking of All For One.
All Might could see his lifelong enemy, far into the distance, mocking him with that hideous smile.
"First," Shigaraki said, barely standing up, "let's get our gate back."
Bakugo had been pinning down Kurogiri, holding the neckband with his palm.
Suddenly, as if time had stagnated, Nomu blinked out of existence. Frame by frame, Bakugo's head shifted to look over his shoulder. However, the Nomu had already surpassed that speed, punching out with its full power.
Booooooom!
"Kachan!" Midoriya screamed over the explosive sound and gusts of wind.
When things settled, though, he found Bakugo sitting next to him on the floor with a stunned look on his face.
"Whoa!" Eijiro, who had arrived with Bakugo from the Ruins Zone, exclaimed. "How did you move so fast?!"
"Shut up!" Bakugo snapped, his face paling. I couldn't even move…
Then, in the distance, they eyed the person who had taken the full brunt of Nomu's attack in place of Bakugo.
All Might had his arms crossed, his right hand near the elbow gaining a blue tinge. "You don't know how to hold back, do you?"
"Yeah?" Shigaraki stepped forward, grinding his teeth. "Why should we, when your student, that plain-looking one, tried to end me? Why? Violence done by Heroes is admirable, but when we do it, it's a crime?
"I am sick of it! Of you, Symbol of Peace! Aren't you the world's greatest Symbol of Violence?!"
All Might took several deep breaths. "Don't give me that crap… You are enjoying this, aren't you?"
The grinding of teeth stopped and the corners of Shigaraki's bleeding mouth arched up.
"You — caught me, Hero…" he licked his lips, smiling ear to ear.
As All Might walked forward, the students readied themselves to support him from the sides. If not the Nomu, they could at least try to keep the rest of the villains away.
Suddenly, both Heroes and Villains' heads snapped up.
From above, Nyx dived and grabbed All Might's bleeding side, making him wince.
"Oi!" Bakugo screamed. "What are you doing, you freaking…"
Todoroki pulled Bakugo back. "Stop!"
Nyx's entire body let out a blue halo.
In the next moment, All Might felt a cold, refreshing feeling, the pain banging in his left side abating by a margin.
Then, Nyx passed out.
Luke came rushing, Sand and Aizawa struggling to stand up behind him.
All Might handed over the bird to the boy. "Excellent work, young Luke," he praised. "Thank you!"
At one glance, Luke could tell that Nyx had barely healed All Might before losing consciousness.
In his mind, this should have never even happened.
There must be something he did that made the things turn out like this — resulting in All Might getting so much injured.
Luke didn't trust All Might.
However, even he knew what would happen if All Might lost this fight.
For now, Luke could freely become a thorn in All For One's sides as there was the Symbol of Peace holding the Villain back.
Before he gained enough strength through potions, he couldn't afford All Might out of the picture, despite his lack of trust in Heroes.
"I will help…" Luke said, Midoriya, Todoroki, Bakugo, and Eijiro agreeing with him.
From the other side, Shigaraki stared hard at Luke and the bird in his arms, remembering to kill this one after dealing with All Might.
"No!" All Might shook his head, taking a deep breath. He walked forward, giving the students a thumbs up. "Let me handle this…"
"Nomu, Kurogiri," Shigaraki said, sensing the bleeding had stopped. "Go, get him. I will deal with the children."
Shigaraki dashed toward the students, the five students readying themselves for a bloody fight.
Kill my students? In front of me? Created to take me on? All Might closed his eyes, taking a stance. I indeed have a few minutes left… But I must do this. Why? Because —
The entire world pressed on the people around All Might, pinning them down.
A chill ran down their spines, their breathing getting stuck in their throats.
It felt like they could lose it any moment — their lives!
Slowly, All Might's eyes opened, burning red and blue.
— Because I am the Symbol of Peace!
In one blink, All Might and Nomu crossed the distance between them, their fists colliding like two enormous hammers striking each other.
There was so much power in those punches that several shockwaves originated, throwing everyone off.
"Shock Absorption…" All Might let out a grunt with a smile. "If you can withstand me at my 100% —"
Hundreds of fists struck hundreds of Nomu's.
Their speed was so fast that it all felt like a blur.
All around, the students and the Villains were pushed back.
Then, taking massive, steps forward, taking punches to his guts, All Might began pushing the Nomu back, all structures getting obliterated in their surroundings.
"— then I just have to defeat you from beyond that, right?" All Might grinned, bleeding.
In the distance, fighting against a literal storm, Luke eyed the fight with awe.
He isn't punching randomly… Luke realized, his thoughts resonating with others. Every punch is above his 100%… Just how can he be this strong, even after passing One For All to Midoriya? I must see… Miss Justice… I must see…
"A Hero—" All Might slammed his fists like hammers on Nomu's head, and then threw it up toward the roof. "— can always break out of a pinch. AHHH!!"
All Might grabbed Nomu midair, and shouting, he threw it down like a missile.
"Oi, Villain…" All Might mumbled, landing next to the Nomu. "Have you ever heard of these words before —"
On the other side, Luke activated Spirit Vision, ignoring Miss Justice's warnings.
The world burned black, blue, red, and yellow in Luke's eyes.
In between the colors, All Might was glowing like the sun, two tiny blue and red-colored black holes spinning around him, feeding on his radiance.
Then the sun let out the strongest burst, blinding all visions.
"GO BEYOND —" All Might screamed, punching the Nomu. "— PLUS ULTRA!"
Boooooooooooooommmmmm!!!
Like a supersonic missile, the Nomu collided with the roof, tore a hole through it, and then kept going far and far, disappearing in the clouds.
With a thud, unseen by all because of the sheer storm and explosive sounds, Luke's mutating body fell, puss-filled, bloody vomit gurgling out of his mouth.
"What…" Luke asked, growling like a beast. "… was that?"
[Sigh! That was the Convergence of Fate…]
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AN: Image of All Might, as seen by Luke using Spirit Vision, is available
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