✅ CHAPTER 9 — "After the Darkness"
Devon's knees hit the floor hard.
His breath came in sharp, uneven gasps. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His vision flickered between light… and violet haze.
The Shadow Jordans faded—peeling into wisps of black smoke before dissolving completely.
The purple glow in his eyes went out.
He was just Devon again.
Just a kid.
A terrified one.
---
✅ ALL MIGHT VS. NOMU
BOOOOOOM!
All Might and the Nomu collided like two storms smashing into each other.
Wind ripped through the arena. Concrete shattered. Steel twisted.
Class 1-A could only watch as the Symbol of Peace battled something built to kill him.
Punch after punch. Shockwave after shockwave.
Devon stared, shaking.
"That thing… I couldn't even stop it."
Midoriya put a hand on his shoulder.
"You did. You stalled it. If you hadn't—Aizawa and I would've—"
He didn't finish.
He didn't have to.
---
✅ AIZAWA WAKES
A weak voice rasped from the ground.
"Jackson…"
Devon turned.
Aizawa—broken, barely conscious—was staring straight at him through bloodied hair.
His voice was quiet. But sharp.
"What. Was. That."
Devon's stomach dropped.
He opened his mouth—
But nothing came out.
Because he didn't know.
Not really.
Not the spirit. Not the danger. Not the rules.
All he knew was the fear.
Aizawa's eyes narrowed.
"Power without control… gets people killed."
Devon flinched.
Midoriya stepped forward.
"But Devon saved—"
Aizawa cut him off.
"I didn't say he was wrong."
A beat.
"I said he isn't ready."
The words stung deeper than any punch.
---
✅ THE END OF THE BATTLE
CRAAAAACK!
Everyone turned just in time to see All Might launch the final blow—
"UNITED… STATES OF… SMASH!!"
The Nomu rocketed upward—through the ceiling—vanishing in a burst of light.
Silence.
Then cheers. Sobbed relief. Cries of disbelief.
All Might stood tall, smiling…
But Devon saw it.
Just for a second.
His form flickered.
Weakness. Fear. Pain.
Devon whispered:
"He's hurt."
But no one else noticed.
Not yet.
---
✅ RETREAT
Shigaraki shrieked with rage.
"THIS WASN'T FAIR! NOMU SHOULD HAVE WON! HEROES ARE CHEATING!"
Kurogiri grabbed him.
"Our time here is over."
Dark mist swallowed them—
And they disappeared.
---
✅ RESCUE & CONSEQUENCES
Pro heroes flooded the USJ.
Ambulances. Security bots. Sirens.
Students were rounded up and checked.
Bakugo was yelling. Todoroki was silent. Mineta was crying into Tsuyu's sleeve.
Devon sat alone on a bench—hands shaking.
He couldn't stop replaying it:
The shadows choking the Nomu. The spirit whispering. That hunger for destruction.
His voice shook:
"That wasn't hero work… that was something else."
A shadow fell over him.
He looked up—
Aizawa.
Bandaged. Bruised. Barely standing.
But awake.
His voice was low.
"We need to talk. Soon."
Devon nodded, throat tight.
"Yes, sir."
Aizawa's eyes softened—just a fraction.
"You showed potential today."
Then hardened.
"But potential isn't enough. If you lose control like that again… someone could die."
And Aizawa walked away.
---
✅ THE SILENCE INSIDE
That night in the dorms was quiet.
No talking. No jokes. No Kaminari being stupid.
Everyone was shaken.
Devon lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
He lifted his watch.
Tapped it.
No glow. No pulse. No response.
The Shadow Jordans—the spirit—was silent.
Completely.
Devon swallowed.
"Hey… are you still there?"
Nothing.
Not even a whisper.
For the first time since he got the shoes…
Devon felt alone.
Really alone.
---
✅ A KNOCK AT THE DOOR
Tap. Tap.
Devon sat up.
"Uh—come in?"
The door slid open—
Standing there was…
All Might.
Not smiling. Not flexing. Not loud.
But tired. Serious. Human.
"Devon Jackson… may we talk?"
Devon's breath caught.
This wasn't a lecture.
This was something bigger.
Something heavier.
Something that would change everything.