Note: Last Day to avail the 25% Discount through Diwali-Halloween Sale
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As the Villain up in the air punched down a white band of fiery light, time froze for everyone on the roof.
All Might's vision had gone almost black.
The only thing he could see right now was a white dot, enlarging in his mind like a revelation.
He would have even thought of it as a divine light, pulling him up after death… if it wasn't for the searing heat burning his skin.
Things had gone beyond worse, he realized.
There were times one could push himself beyond the realms of perceived limitations, and there were times when the only thing that waited for one beyond those limitations was death… not victory.
All Might's organs on the left side of his waist were already damaged beyond repair.
Because of this injury, he had to choose a successor for One For All so early.
All Might had always known that if he kept using One For All's embers within him after passing the Quirk to young Midoriya, all he would do was to pull his demise forward.
But — that was something the Symbol of Peace must keep doing — no matter what.
As long as breath remained in his body, All Might would never let any injury, no matter how grave, stop him from standing up to people's expectations.
Yet, feeling the burning hole in his stomach, taking his last breaths, All Might couldn't help but get disappointed in himself.
He tried…
He willed…
He cried for it…
Still, the embers didn't listen to him — couldn't listen to him.
The only regrettable thing about all this was that his students were here as well.
No… All Might's jaw hardened, a rare blue glow flashing across his dying eyes. There was nothing that could stop him from saving his students… saving anyone. Because…
… he was a Hero!
…
Midoriya looked up, lying face-first on the metal debris, terror flashing across his eyes.
Was it the heat of the white band of light that he was feeling? Or was it the heat of the useless legs?
Midoriya's legs below the knees had gone black and blue.
His right hand had also gained the same color.
In the last moment, after the Villain had injured All Might, Midoriya had used 100% One For All. Despite that, the Villain had turned out to be the faster one between the two.
Midoriya cursed his body as his lips chafed.
If he were a touch stronger, he could have used One For All again…
Get up, Midoriya! He roared in his mind, trying to lift his body with his left hand. Get up! You can't give up, yet! You…
Midoriya's hand slipped.
The tip of a broken piece of metal jabbed into his left shoulder, blood spurting out from the wound.
Brokenly, Midoriya looked at his shoulder… and laughed.
…
Fire wouldn't work against something like this, Todoroki reasoned, trying to keep cool, ignoring the thumping of his heart.
Ice.
He needed ice.
Planting his right foot, gritting his teeth, Todoroki pushed his Quirk to the limit.
However, the moment the pillar of ice rose a dozen meters up, it melted, before becoming steam.
"Haaaaaaaa!" Todoroki let out a roar, the corners of his eyes splitting apart.
A layer of frost covered his entire body as he spewed out ice after ice, going for the extreme temperature.
Still, one couldn't just surpass the limits when one's Quirk was already broken.
Not everyone could go beyond like All Might — creating Miracles…
Still, Todoroki wanted to try… just once…
…
Uncaring for his arms, Bakugo shot up, using his Quirk.
In the very next moment, he fell as his arms twisted in pain, the explosions becoming sparks.
"WORK!" he roared, slamming his hands on the ground, then on his face, and then on his head. "WORK! DAMMIT!!!"
…
Momo didn't know what to feel or think or hope…
But as she felt herself burning… Luke's face appeared in her mind… smiling at her.
This was absurd, Momo scoffed. She had no interest in boys. She was aiming to become a Pro. Someone on whom people could depend, on whom people could put the burden of hope.
Yet, Momo couldn't help but sense the irony of the turn of events, seeing the white death.
Luke would have laughed, she noticed, the corners of her lips arching up.
Suddenly, a blush resurfaced on her cheeks as Momo realized she was again thinking of him.
Slowly, she let out a sigh. There was nothing she could create to help herself, her friends, All Might… and the hundreds of people within the Tower.
Still, she was thankful that at least Luke would survive. That idiot…
…
Melissa had fallen to her knees, her eyes never leaving the incoming whiteness.
Perhaps, she was the only one here who couldn't even feel the heat.
Through the blinding light, she thought she could see her father… who was about to see her daughter die.
That alone broke her heart, tears strolling down her cheeks, but steaming off before reaching her chin.
"Papa…" Melissa cried. "… It's OK…"
…
Behind Melissa, Toru, Eijiro, Tenya, Kyoka, Uraraka, Kaminari, and Mineta… all struggled with their own bodies, hoping to create a Miracle.
Miracle that, somewhere deep into their hearts, they knew it won't happen anymore.
And just time seemed to melt away as their thoughts… just as All Might stood up like a puppet whose strings were being controlled by fate itself…
Someone appeared right under the white, fiery pillar — dressed in a white coat, his hand raised as if he was trying to hold the entire sky.
"Like I will ever let you burn to death in front of my eyes again…" His words, though a mere mumble, echoed in the burning atmosphere. "I wish I could do this — in that life… You would have loved hearing these words from me…
"… Plus Ultra—"
A black dot left his palm against the blinding whiteness.
And the entire world froze in the next moment, ice covering the entire I-Island.
"— Absolute Zero!"
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AN: Original Image of the aftereffect of Absolute Zero is available
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