….
[Kamino Ward | Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture]
….
Two hours later–
By the time Dabi reached Kamino Ward, everything was over.
The streets were cordoned off with police tape and barricades, while smoke still rose from collapsed buildings.
Dabi skidded to a halt, his chest heaving in deep, rhythmic gulps. His vision was swimming in red, but he forced the [Sun Breathing] to stabilize.
He had covered the distance in record time, but the cost was visible: a thin trickle of dark blood leaked from his nose, and the purple scars on his arms were glowing with a faint, angry heat from the friction of his muscles.
Still… he kept his eyes roaming through the crowd–
Looking for a short old man in a yellow cape and white costume.
However, all he could spot were ambulances everywhere, while paramedics rushed between them with gurneys, injured people on beds receiving treatment right there on the street.
The scale of destruction was massive, and one could guess that this hadn't been just a fight, and something close to a natural disaster.
Just as Dabi felt like he was losing it–
There!!!
He spotted a familiar figure carrying another man, someone seriously injured, clutching his stomach, and rushing toward a separate ambulance.
"Hey, old man!" Dabi's voice came out hoarse, nearly lost in the general chaos. "You are alive!"
?!!Gran Torino's head snapped around at the sound, only to see Dabi.
What the hell was the kid doing here? Was clearly written all over his face.
But there was no time to process it.
Gran Torino quickly passed the injured man, his stomach wound looked bad, to a tall person beside him wearing glasses.
Then he launched himself back toward Dabi, using his quirk to clear the barricades and crowd in a single leap.
He landed in front of him, gripping his shoulders. "What are you doing here? Why do you look like you ran all the—"
"Because I did, old man."
And with that, Dabi's legs gave out.
"Sigh." Gran Torino caught him before he hit the ground. "Why is it always like this with you? Passing out on me every time..."
He was already moving again, lifting Dabi over his shoulder and carrying him toward the same ambulance where he had just delivered the other injured person.
The man in glasses, tall, sharp-featured, with an intense stare, looked up as Gran Torino approached. "Who's this?"
"Someone I know." Gran Torino said shortly, laying Dabi on an available gurney. "He needs attention."
The man studied Dabi for a moment, then nodded.
Somehow, through a series of events Dabi would piece together later, he ended up in the same hospital where All Might had been admitted.
….
Dabi regained consciousness within a few hours.
His head pounded.
His lungs, thighs, and calves felt raw.
But he was awake and aware enough to realize where he was: a hospital room.
And voices, low, tense voices coming from nearby. He kept his eyes closed and listened.
"–can't keep doing this, Toshinori. Your body won't take it."
"I know that." the voice was thin, tired. "But what else can I do? People need Symbol of Peace."
"The Symbol of Peace is going to die if you continue. Is that what you want? To abandon everyone who depends on you?"
"Nighteye–"
"No. Listen to me. For once in your stubborn life, listen. I've seen it. My quirk doesn't lie. If you continue Hero work, you'll die..."
A long silence.
"I can't ask you to understand." the thin voice said finally. "But I can't stop either. Not yet, while there's still something I can do."
"Then I can't stay."
"Nighteye–"
"I'm sorry, Toshinori. But I won't watch you kill yourself."
The sound of footsteps going away, and a moment later the door was shut.
Then just silence and the steady beep of monitors.
Dabi opened his eyes slightly, and through the crack he could see the room more clearly now.
It wasn't a private room, there were multiple beds. And in the one across from him was a man who looked like–
All Might.
But not….
Fuck, Dabi closed his eyes again and said…. nothing.
….
A day passed.
Despite the argument, Nighteye came back the next day.
Professional courtesy, or maybe he just couldn't bring himself to completely abandon his former teammate, even if he disagreed with his choices… Before trying one more time.
All Might had been moved to the general ward, and so was Dabi.
Recovery Girl had done her best, and again… there were limits to what her quirk could heal.
The damage All For One had inflicted went deep.
In fact, around All Might's bed, everyone sat in an oppressive silence. Like they were attending a wake for someone who was still alive.
Toya could see it clearly: All Might's power usage problem had already begun.
The man couldn't maintain his muscular form all day anymore. He was stuck like this - thin, weak, human.
How did Toya know all this?
Because his hospital bed was in the same room as All Might's.
Recovery Girl sat in a chair near the window.
Gran Torino leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
Nighteye stood at the foot of All Might's bed, his expression unreadable behind his glasses.
And Dabi was at the far end of the room, pretending to sleep while he listened to everything.
The atmosphere was suffocatingly awkward.
Then the doctors arrived.
But they didn't go to All Might's bed.
They came to Toya's, clipboards in hand, professional expressions firmly in place.
"We need to speak with the patient's guardian." the lead doctor said.
Gran Torino pushed off from the wall and walked over. This clearly surprised everyone in the room except Recovery Girl, who just watched with sad, knowing eyes.
The doctors pulled Gran Torino aside - not far, just enough so Toya couldn't hear but… it seems the rest of the people could.
"We've reviewed the patient's condition." the lead doctor said, his voice carefully neutral. "To be frank, it defies medical explanation that he is conscious. The leukemia in his marrow has reached a terminal saturation. His blood can barely transport oxygen. Combined with the extensive internal thermal necrosis from his previous injuries... his organs are effectively starving."
A pause.
"The physical strain of his recent activity has caused systemic micro-hemorrhaging. His internal organs are failing one by one. It's a cascade." He stopped, choosing his words carefully–
"We recommend end-of-life care…. and be prepared for the inevitable. There is nothing left to repair. His body has simply reached its limit."
The doctors bowed slightly and left, their footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Gran Torino stood there for a moment, then walked back to Toya's bedside.
Dabi had his eyes open now, watching the old man's face.
"Same old story, huh, old man?"
Gran Torino just nodded.
On the other side of the room, All Might, still in his skeletal form, spoke up quietly. "Master Gran Torino... I didn't know he had taken in such a fine young man."
"He just showed up on my doorstep one night." Gran Torino replied quietly. "Been a pain in my neck ever since."
"Is it true?" Nighteye asked, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "What the doctors said?"
Recovery Girl was the one who answered, her voice trembling slightly. "Yes. His marrow is spent. His quirk is a death sentence, and his blood has turned to poison. He has survived this long on pure, stubborn spite."
"He is so young," All Might whispered, his sunken eyes filling with a profound, weary sorrow. "And so full of life. Perhaps it's better not to–"
"He already knows." Recovery Girl cut him off. "He has known about it for a year, that he was counting the days."
Nighteye looked at Dabi, his professional detachedness finally cracking. "What school does he attend?"
"U.A." Recovery Girl replied. "Support course. He wants to become a Hero."
"A hero?" All Might echoed. He looked at Dabi - a boy with mottled, dying skin and blood that was failing him, who had run 90 kilometers just to see if his teacher was okay. "Even with... even knowing the end is right there?"
He trailed off, but the implication hung in the air.
….
.
[To be continued…]
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[Author: Mass Releasing the first 7 chapters!!]