Chapter 15: What Burns Beneath
"Carolina Smash!"
The words thundered through the ruined plaza as All Might dove for the hand-covered man, arm cocked back, power focused into a single, decisive blow. Just enough to take down the villain without killing him.
But the fist never met its target. As a massive shadow moved between them.
All Might's sharp gaze snapped up to the large, mutated figure that had taken the blow head-on. The ground splitting beneath their feet, cracks spidering out in every direction. Yet the monster didn't so much as flinch, while its chest remained unscathed.
Then the creature lunged, its arm hurtling forward like a battering ram towards the hero's side.
But All Might was faster, dodging the fist as wind from the strike toppled broken slabs of displaced concrete and blasted away debris.
The hero was quick to counter, one, two, three crushing blows to its gut. But they might as well have been light taps for all the reaction he got. Even the final blow to its jaw barely caused its head to turn.
But the same couldn't be said for him, as pain exploded through his side before he even registered the swing. Right where his badly healed wound sat.
He coughed, air leaving his lungs. The pain cut deep, white, hot and almost all consuming and for the first time in a very long time his footing faltered.
Shigaraki tilted his head, voice dripping with venom. "You're slowing down. What's wrong? Didn't you promise to smile through everything? Guess that's harder when you're losing, huh?"
All Might's jaw tightened. 'Ignore him. Focus.'
He bit down on his tongue, the energy coursing through his limbs increasing as he pushed dangerously close to his limits. Any more, and he would risk lasting damage. But if things kept going at this rate, he'd have no choice.
He struck again. Fists hammering into the villain's chest, each impact breaking the ground beneath them even more.
Until finally, the villain staggered, but it didn't last. All Might watched, grimly, as its ribs knit themselves back together.
'My moves have no effect…'
He leapt back, distancing himself to catch his breath, "Doesn't matter where I hit you, does it?" he muttered, swallowing the iron taste that just kept building up in his mouth.
From the sidelines, Shiagarki's laughter cut through the haze. "That's because Nomu here has shock absorption, All Might. Meaning the only way you're going to hurt him is if you gouge out his flesh. Of course, I don't think he'll let you. But please, do try!"
All Might forced a grin, though his eyes hardened. "Ha! Thanks for the tip."
In a blur, he moved. Reappearing behind the Nomu as his arms locked around its torso, muscles bulging. And with all the practiced grace of a wrestler bent backwards, flipping the beast with him. Slamming its head towards the ground.
The plaza shook. Dust erupting out in a deafening boom.
Up near the stairs, Midoriya and the other teens froze at the sound. Turning back with worried curiosity.
But when the dust cleared, what they saw made their blood run cold.
For a dark swirling, all too familiar portal had opened. Exactly where the Nomu's head should've hit. While another portal opened beneath the hero's arched back, spewing out the beast's head and arms.
With ease the mutated villain reached up, large hands grabbing hold of the hero's sides. Its grip mercilessly unrelenting.
Blood seeped through All Might's white shirt in an instant.
"You were trying to bury him, weren't you? How cute." Shigaraki sneered, stepping closer, voice laced with mock sympathy. "Your student also tried keeping it in place. But sadly, it worked about as well as it did for you. After all, that Nomu's stronger than you were in your prime."
All Might strained, trapped in the grotesque inversion, his body twisted backwards. As the villain's iron-like grip only continued to tear into his sides.
'Young Fenton… fought this thing?' his mind bit out, tension creasing his face. But he couldn't dwell on that heavy thought for long. His already dire situation only worsening by the second. As the dark smog beneath him began to rise, curling upwards, threatening to envelop him.
He needed to free himself, now. Before it was too late.
But as he went to try and free himself. The temperature plunged, as frost raced across the ground, up the Nomu's leg and encased its arms in a prison of ice. The creature freezing mid-squeeze.
All Might's eyes widened. 'Ice?' he questioned, only two names coming to mind.
'No… it can't be him. Which means—'
He turned his head, eyes following the trail of ice back. And there within a cold, white fog, Todoroki stood, expression cool, eyes locked on the Nomu.
The sight of another one of his students sparked something deep within the hero. Without wasting the sliver of opportunity. He reached down, wrenching the villain's grip out of his own flesh. Just enough to free himself.
All Might landed hard beside the icy teen. One hand pressed to his aching, bloody side. "Young Todoroki, it isn't safe here. Get to the entrance."
Shigaraki tilted his head, cutting off the hero, "What's this? Another kid stepping in to do your job? All Might you really have stooped so low, haven't you?"
As the villain mocked, the dark warp gates swallowed the Nomu whole and freed it, to be once again standing. The ice breaking away with ease.
But before the void of a man, now all together again behind the mutated creature could move again, a loud boom tore through the plaza.
"Got you, you warping bastard!" Bakugo yelled, rocketing forward before slamming into Kurogiri's form. Crackling hands aimed directly for something hidden within the dark smog.
A metal collar.
But the explosive teen wasn't alone. Kirashima, with a body hardened like stone, quickly helped to further pin the villain down.
And for the first time since All Might's arrival, the battlefield finally seemed to tilt in the heroes' favor.
'But how long would that last?' Midoriya wondered, frozen only a few steps up. The weight of both his unconscious classmate and the knowledge that All Might wouldn't be able to hold out much longer anchoring him in place.
Line Break -
"Ahhh, these dudes are terrifying!" Kaminari yelled, barely ducking under a villain's wild swing. His breathing was ragged, eyes darting everywhere. "I swear my whole life keeps flashing before my eyes. I think I even saw the Grim Reaper back there!"
"Could you maybe take it down a few notches and fight!" Jiro snapped, swinging the metal bat Yaoyorozu had made for her.
The three class 1A students had been fighting for what felt like forever. Ever since the black smog had swallowed them, they'd been stranded on a rocky hill swarming with villains.
They were holding out, somehow, but exhaustion was quickly setting in. Every hit, every dodge feeling heavier than the last.
"No, this can't go on," Yaoyorozu said between strikes, using a staff she'd created to block another attack. "At this rate, they'll overpower us. We need to find a way to retreat."
"Alright then, what's your plan?" Kaminari shot back.
"You're the one with the electricity. Just zap them so we can run!" Jiro countered.
"What? Were you not paying attention during combat training? Some partner you are!" he protested, as he ran behind his two armed classmates. "I can cover my body in electricity, but if I let it out, it'll fry everyone, including you two! Unless you're asking for shock therapy!"
"Gosh, you really are a damsel in distress," Jiro jabbed, but before Kaminari could respond, she grabbed his jacket. "New idea, you're my human stun gun!"
"Wait… what!?"
With a shove, she sent him stumbling into a charging villain. Luckily instinct kicked in as lightning erupted from his body, and with how tightly packed the swarm of villains were. The electricity easily traveled from one to another.
In seconds, almost ten of them dropped, smoking and twitching on the ground.
Kaminari blinked, swaying slightly. "Hey… that actually worked," he said, grinning. "But how could you just throw your own classmate at a villain!?"
"We're lucky that worked at all," Yaoyorozu sighed, already preparing another weapon.
"I'm sorry, guess I'll just wait to save us next time," Jiro shot back.
For a moment, it felt like they might have actually turned the tide. Managing to finally make a dent in the forces around, at least until the air behind Kaminari shifted as the boy was grabbed.
A sharp edge pressed against his throat, "Pretty light show you got there," a low voice sneered near his ear. "Let's see how much juice you've got left."
Kaminari froze, his electricity sputtering out as the others spun around, just in time to see the glint of a knife pressed against their captured classmate's throat.
"Kaminari!" Yaoyorozu yelled, already moving.
"Hey, not so fast!" the villain barked. "Any more movement, and your friend gets it. Oh, and don't even think about trying to zap me, kid. Cause let's just say it won't do much good."
As if to demonstrate, along the man's body blue lightning momentarily danced.
"Crap," Jiro hissed, her shoulders tensing. "This guy's got an electric quirk too."
Fear rooted the two in place, their eyes locked on Kaminari, desperately trying to think of a way to save him. But the stalemate left them with little to no option other than complying, as every second stretched too long.
But unknown to any of them, another pair of eyes was now watching from above.
Danny hovered silently, gaze fixed on the chaos below. 'Finally,' he thought, relief flooding him. Only for it to drain away as he took in what was actually happening. Kaminari was being held captive, a knife's edge hovering only a breath away from his throat, while the others were surrounded on all sides.
His fists clenched, but after a second he let out a quiet sigh. "Okay… let's make this quick," he muttered, before quickly flying down to stand behind the now monologuing thug.
"See? That's better. Nice and quiet," the villain rambled, pressing the blade just a bit closer, "You kids really have no idea who you're messing with, do ya? If I wanted to, I could—"
"Could what?"
The man froze, confusion flashing across his face as a cold hand landed on his shoulder. "What the—"
Before he could even turn, his body began to feel… wrong. Tingly. Weightless.
Jiro and Yaoyorozu stared in disbelief as the man's body turned slightly transparent. While Kaminari watched the same thing happen to the knife.
Panic filled the villains eyes. But, just as quickly, he was yanked backwards. The knife somehow safely passing through the teens neck. As the guy was thrown unceremoniously, his butt hitting the rocky ground with a pained grunt.
He blinked up, dazed, to see a white-haired teen, whose fierce gaze he could almost feel burn through him.
"Well?" the boy repeated, one eyebrow raised. "You could what?"
The villain sputtered for a moment before pulling himself together. As he swung out his hand, sparks already moving along his arm. But in an instant, before any electricity could so much as fly, ice shot up from beneath him, encasing the man in an instant.
But the icy show wasn't limited to the single thug. No, every single other villain within the area, who had watched the exchange, reserved the same frosty treatment. Rock solid ice going up to their knees, locking them in place.
Danny couldn't help the small, satisfied smile that tugged at his mouth. Until a familiar voice snapped him out of his own mild amusement.
"Fenton?!"
The halfa turned, meeting Kaminari's wide eyed stare. For a second, all he got was a few blinks before all the tension seemed to drain out of the teens shoulders.
"Holy crap! Am I glad to see you, man." Kaminari pressed a shaky hand to his neck, letting out a breathless laugh. "I really thought I was a goner for a sec."
Danny chuckled softly. "Yeah, glad to see you too, dude."
"Guess that's one way to make an entrance," Jiro muttered, lowering her makeshift bat.
"More like a rescue," Yaoyorozu added, scanning the frozen villains warily. "But we shouldn't stay here. More of them will definitely show up soon."
Danny nodded, his expression sobering. "You're right. You guys have done enough. I'll take you back to the entrance, it's safer there."
Kaminari blinked, surprise flickering again. "Wait, are you planning on carrying us?"
Danny gave him a flat look. "Uh… no."
"Yeah, why would you even think that," Jiro added, with a smirk.
"Hey! You don't have to be so mean about it. Besides, you've seen what he can do! Would it really be that weird if he did carry us?"
Jiro paused, clearly conceding the point, even if she didn't want to admit it.
Danny shook his head at the two of them. Still, he had to admit it would be faster if he could just fly them all. He could possibly use his telekinesis, but it would take more energy than he wanted to spend. Especially when something at the back of his mind told him he would need it. And dropping someone midair? Yeah, that wouldn't exactly help his guilt.
"I think I have something that could work," Yaoyorozu said suddenly.
The other three turned towards her. The halfa's brows raising.
"...But it might take me a second," she added, sounding uncertain.
"Hey, whatever you've got planned is probably better than anything we've got. Or at least better than Kaminari's ideas," Jiro said with a grin.
"Hey!"
"So don't sweat it," she finished, giving a thumbs up.
Yaoyorozu smiled as she gave a curt nod before focusing.
Danny watched, tempted to add something encouraging. But it didn't seem like she needed it. Honestly, he was thankful for that.
Yaoyorozu inhaled deeply, her eyes closing as the telltale glow of her quirk flared. Light spread across her arms and up her back, shining through her costume until the red fabric split open. As smooth sheets of reinforced nylon material burst into creation.
Kaminari blinked. "Wait… are you making that?"
"Just focus on keeping me covered," she managed, voice strained. The glowing material kept pouring out of her. Until rope, thin metal rods, and a small basket, followed.
Jiro's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me. Is that—?"
"A compact hot air balloon," Yaoyorozu said between breaths, sweat collecting on her forehead. "The materials are heat resistant enough to last… but we'll need something to heat it."
She turned to Fenton, eyes silently conveying the request.
Without hesitation, Danny nodded, "Yeah, I've got it."
The halfa walked over, lifting his hand as the ghostly fire burst to life within his palm. The bright green flame lighting the burner with ease. With a fire that the teen could control.
Warm air began to fill the balloon. The fabric trembled as it began to slowly expand, finally taking shape.
Kaminari's jaw dropped. "Okay… that's actually the coolest thing I've ever seen."
"You can geek out later," Jiro said, stepping carefully into the basket. "Right now, we need to move."
Yaoyorozu nodded, following Jiro's lead, with Kaminari close behind as the balloon began to lift off.
Danny hovered beside it, watching it rise higher and higher. He wasn't entirely convinced it was all that safe, but Kaminari was right. It was beyond cool.
"Hey, aren't we a bit of a target in this thing? Also, how do we steer?" Kaminari asked, nervously peering over the edge.
Danny grinned faintly. "Don't worry, I'll keep you guys safe. As for the steering, well…" He placed both hands on the basket and began to push.
And with ease they were off, gliding just high enough to be safe from most attacks but low enough to stay out of sight from the central chaos. Below them the USJ sprawled in fractured landscapes. The air felt heavy, a strange mix of tension and eerie quietness.
"Kinda peaceful from up here," Kaminari muttered, almost to himself.
"Don't jinx it," Jiro warned.
And, of course, that's when Kaminari looked over the edge. "Uh… guys? Is that—?"
Danny followed the boy's gaze down. To where a lone figure stood in a clearing, blond hair sticking out like a sore thumb.
"Wait, is that Aoyama?" Jiro finished, leaning over the side of the basket.
"Looks like it," Danny said. "And with no villains around him."
"Maybe he blasted them all away?" Kaminari offered.
"Or maybe he's just lucky," Yaoyorozu said softly, a tiny note of envy in her voice.
Danny hesitated, taking in the scene below. But he easily shook it off, "Either way, we can't leave him."
The halfa made the flame smaller as he guided the balloon downwards. About halfway down, Aoyama finally looked up. His eyes widened, mouth falling open in a silent gasp.
"Dude, check out our ride! Isn't it sweet?" Kaminari said as they touched down, grinning wide.
Aoyama didn't respond at first, just blinked, his face frozen somewhere between awe and disbelief. But that didn't stop Kaminari.
"Come on, hop in before more of those creeps show up."
Aoyama hesitated for half a heartbeat, then smiled. "But of course," he said, finally stepping forward.
Kaminari squinted. "Dude… did you just, like, walk through the apocalypse and come out photo ready?"
Yaoyorozu hushed him, but the words lingered.
Danny caught a flicker of unease across the boy's face as he helped him aboard. But thought nothing of it. After all, there wasn't time to dwell on such little things.
After that it was back to smooth sailing. Only the rush of wind and the creak of the balloon's frame filled the air. No more villains, no more chaos. Just the steady rhythm of movement, a fragile calm that none of them trusted.
But as the main plaza finally came into view, the silence broke in Danny's chest. A low hum pulsing beneath his ribs. His eyes locking onto the center of the USJ.
Even from this distance, All Might was unmistakable. He could even make out a few of his classmates. But that wasn't what made Danny's core skip. It was what wasn't there.
The other him was gone.
The hum under his skin turned to a buzz, a cold burn, that made his instincts scream.
"Fenton?" Jiro asked, noticing the sudden tension in his shoulders.
He didn't answer. Instead, he leaned forward, pushing the balloon faster, his hands glowing faintly where they touched the frame.
"Danny, what's wrong?" Yaoyorozu pressed, gripping the basket's edge as the wind whipped harder around them.
He didn't respond, he couldn't. His gaze stayed fixed on the distant fight.
Below, the USJ's entrance grew closer. Thirteen, Uraraka, Shoji, and Ashido stood waiting, their attention on the chaos in the middle. But when their faces turned upward, their eyes widened in shock as the balloon descended.
"Is that…?" Thirteen's said, from below.
But Danny didn't hear it. Not over the roar of energy in his ears.
The instant the basket hit the ground, he was ready to move. Because whatever was happening in the central plaza, whatever had taken down his duplicate, whatever All Might and his classmates were facing. It wasn't good.
He had to get there.
But before he could fly off, a hand caught his arm.
Danny whirled around, eyes flashing with startled energy before he caught himself. "Thirteen?"
"Fenton, wait," she said, her tone calm but firm. "You shouldn't just rush in there."
He opened his mouth to argue, to say he needed to. But the words died in his throat when he met the dark visor of the hero's helmet. His own reflection staring back at him.
And in a moment, he knew she was right.
Danny let out an unneeded breath, forcing the energy humming through him to settle. Before giving a short, sharp nod, signaling her to continue.
Without missing a beat, the hero spoke, as if sensing that the teen had steadied himself. "All Might arrived just a little while ago. And you can see things are getting out of control…"
The halfa followed her gaze toward the plaza and he couldn't disagree. The more he looked, the more destruction he saw. From shattered concrete, to the frozen ground, to craters of damage. And the chaos seemed to be only growing.
But he already knew that much. What he needed to know was something else.
"Thirteen," he said, voice low and tight, "what happened to my duplicate?"
The hero studied him for a long moment, then silently began to walk toward the edge of the staircase, before looking down. Danny's brows knit together, but he quickly followed.
And once beside her, his question was answered.
For a second, he didn't even know what he was feeling. It was all too much.
Because down below, only a few steps up. Midoriya stood, arms shaking as he carried what looked like another fallen student.
Then Danny saw the black hair, and the faint glow of burning ectoplasm. His ectoplasm.
His stomach twisted. A chill spread through his chest, colder than the ice he could summon. Seeing his duplicate, himself. So still, so broken… felt wrong in a way that went deeper than pain. Like seeing a piece of himself dying all over again.
He took a step forward, balancing right on the edge. Before another sight froze him in place.
Not far away, Asui and Mineta struggled under Aizawa's weight. The man's scarf hung in tatters, his face bloodied and pale. His body unmoving.
And suddenly, the sickness crawling up his throat from seeing his own self felt so small. So insignificant.
"No…" he whispered, the word almost lost even to himself.
Thirteen said nothing. For a long moment, she simply stood beside him. Even as she began to feel a strange hum, as if the air itself was silently shaking.
But the boy didn't move. His eyes locked on the scene below, expression tight with grief and fury. And in that silence, the hero saw it clearly. The way his hands trembled, just barely. The way his breathing had all but stopped.
Thirteen wanted to say something, to tell him it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't have done more. To remind him he was still just a student. But before she could find the words, he swallowed hard and straightened.
And in an instant, the boy beside her changed.
The tension in his shoulders settled, his breathing returned. The wild, heavy thrum in the air around him stilled into something controlled, something focused. And when he looked back towards the battlefield, his eyes no longer held the uncertainty of a teenager, but the cold resolve of someone who understood exactly what was at stake.
For a heartbeat, Thirteen could almost believe she was standing beside a seasoned pro.
"Alright" the halfa said quietly, steadily. "I know what I have to do."
And this time, she didn't stop him.
Line Break -
Midoriya couldn't help but follow every strike, every shockwave, every movement of his hero. The man who had once seemed untouchable.
As he was once again fighting, the brief lull that had come from his classmates' arrival already long gone. As the Nomu was now trying to get to where Kacchan and Kirashima had the warping villain pinned down.
The man's movements were still fierce, each punch a force of nature. But he could tell they were slower now. As if every swing was taking more from him than he could afford to give. While the blood seeping from his sides, staining his shirt was only getting bigger.
'All Might… at this rate, he's going to wear himself out,' Midoriya thought, dread seeping through his limbs. 'If he keeps going like this, he'll—'
"Midoriya."
The sound of his name made his heart stutter. That voice… it couldn't be.
He turned sharply, nearly losing his balance.
But there, just a few steps up, looking down at him, stood Fenton. Perfectly fine and once again in his white haired form.
'But how?!'
The teen's eyes darted to his shoulder to confirm the weight he still felt. Then back as if trying to see if all of his senses were somehow playing a trick on him. But after a few too many times there was simply no denying it.
'Fenton?.. Bu… But how!?' he stammered, thoughts spewing into words.
The sound drew Asui and Mineta's attention. As both turned until their eyes went wide.
"Wait, what?!" Mineta yelped. "How… how are there two of you?! I thought—"
But the teen didn't answer. His eyes never leaving Midoriya's, calm and steady despite their glow.
"Midoriya," he quietly repeated, "give me… myself."
The boy in question blinked, mind blank. But something in Fenton's tone, steady and firm yet somehow almost sounding like a plea. Made his body move before his brain could fully catch up, as he nodded.
Without hesitation, Fenton stepped down the few remaining stairs. Before reaching out and taking the weight that had been draped over Midoriya, lifting himself effortlessly.
And the sight they, or rather he made was beyond strange.
But that strangeness wasn't limited to them. No. The halfa felt it too. As his arms tightened around his other self. The faint warmth of ectoplasm seeping through his gloves. It felt wrong to feel his own weight like this. To hold himself.
Still, he didn't stall, even if a part of him really wanted to. Instead, he closed his eyes and focused on his energy, his core. Preparing himself.
Then the world held still.
Until a faint light, green and fierce began to leak from his limp self.
Gasps echoed around him. From Midoriya, Asui, Mineta… even from above, the onlookers froze as the glow intensified. It wasn't violent, wasn't explosive, nor nearly as blinding as the teens' transformations. But it flowed, wrapping around the teen.
The fallen form in his arms shimmered, edges blurring, as if it were dissolving into light. And slowly, impossibly, that light began to sink into him.
For a moment, two silhouettes overlapped. Then there was only one.
Danny opened his eyes.
The green glow behind them burning brighter than before. Then, all at once, everything hit him.
The memories. The villains. The fight. The portal. The hand. The pain… so much pain.
His hands flew up to his forehead, eyes squeezing shut. It seemed as if the teen would fall.
Midoriya reached out, stepping forward to catch him. His hands grabbing Fenton's arms.
But the instant he made contact. The teen's eyes snapped open, blazing. As his whole body jerked away, falling back onto the steps behind him.
"Don't touch me!" he shouted, the words sharp, echoing, pleading. And for a split second, they carried something inhuman.
Midoriya pulled his hands back, palms raised in surrender.
No one moved. As they watched the collapsed teen draw in ragged inhales. His chest heaving in short, uneven gasps. Until finally his head lowered, hair falling over glassy eyes.
"Sorry…" The word barely even a whisper, "I don't… I don't…" His voice kept faltering, somehow getting impossible smaller. "...Sorry. Just give me a second… please."
Midoriya almost didn't recognize the boy in front of him. Fenton looked the same, but he suddenly seemed so much smaller. Vulnerable, in a way that felt different from when he'd been passed out and injured.
It was almost hard to believe this was the same person who'd fought those villains like it was nothing, who'd thrown himself into danger without hesitation. Who'd saved him.
"Hey," he finally managed, voice soft and uncertain. "Are you… okay?"
Even before he asked it, he knew how stupid it sounded. But to his disbelief, the teen after a tense moment where Midoriya thought he wouldn't answer pushed himself back up.
And although he didn't make direct eye contact, Midoriya caught a glimpse at how wet they seemed.
Fenton drew in one last, shaky breath before finally speaking, despite how rough he now sounded, "Help Asui and Mineta get Aizawa up the stairs. Thirteen's just above, she can start first aid."
The words came fast, focused. As if nothing had just happened. As if he hadn't just nearly fallen apart.
Midoriya blinked, startled by how quickly he'd shifted gears. "Wait, what about you?"
"I'm going back down there."
"What?!" Mineta squeaked, "All Might's there now! You don't have to—"
Asui's cut through the shorter teens ramble, quiet but firm. "You can barely stand, Fenton," she said, eyes narrowing in that straightforward way of hers. "If you push yourself now, you'll just make things worse."
Danny finally fully lifted his head.
And for a heartbeat, the three of them froze yet again. Because he was smiling. Not a confident grin or a cocky smirk… just a small, weary smile that didn't reach his eyes. Eyes that, Midoriya realized, looked so very tired.
"I know," Danny said softly. "But I'm not letting him fight alone."
The words landed heavier than they should have. But Midoriya felt them, understood them. In a way that cut deep and left him speechless.
Then the white-haired teen blinked, seeming to catch himself. As he rubbed the back of his neck, forcing his crooked grin to grow. "Don't look at me like that. I always get back up. You'll see."
It was meant to sound light. Joking. But the way his voice wavered at the end made Midoriya question just how much worth the teen had for his own survival.
And in the end he didn't answer, not even a nod.
Though maybe that was for the best. After all, Midoriya was in a simpler boat, with what he planned to do.
But by the time he thought of what to say, Fenton was already moving again, lifting off the ground in a slow, steady rise. Until he vanished.
Danny's focus sharpened as he flew closer to the middle. He'd turned himself invisible, both out of habit and necessity. The last thing he needed was to draw more attention before he even figured out his plan of attack.
And though he was technically whole again, it didn't feel like it. If anything, it felt like the opposite. Merging with his duplicate was well taxing, to say the least. But he got what he wanted, information. He now knew what had happened to himself and what he was facing.
And that was what mattered right now.
So all the rest he could easily push to the side. As he watched.
Below, the plaza was a warzone. All Might and the Nomu still locked in brutal combat. With the hero driving forward with one crushing blow after another as he fought to keep the monster at bay and away from Bakugo and Kirishima.
Farther off, Todoroki stood tense, ice beneath his feet and across the fractured ground. He looked like he wanted to move, to jump in and help, but there was simply no room for him in the back and forth.
Then lastly, there was him.
That gray-haired, hand covered villain. Watching the fight with a kind of sick glee. Even with his face mostly hidden, Danny could picture the smile that had to be there.
The halfa's fists clenched at his sides as he stared at the man who had caused Aizawa and his classmates so much pain. Pain he could still feel beneath his freshly patched suit and skin.
'If only I could punch that damn smile right off his… wait…' Without him even realizing it, an actual smirk began to tug at his mouth.
He knew exactly what he was going to do.
Line Break -
"All Might!" Kirishima shouted, as his hardened arms pressed down on the warping villain's collar, trying to keep him pinned.
But the Symbol of Peace barely heard him over the wind roaring past his ears, his focus fixed on dodging the Nomu's relentless assault.
"Young Bakugo, Kirashima!" All Might barked, slamming an uppercut that sent the creature staggering backwards, only for it to lunge forward again, unphased. "You need to go!"
"Hell no!" Bakugo snarled, sparks flashing around his hand, daring the villain to try and move. "Not when we've got this bastard! He's their way out!"
"I said go!" All Might pressed through gritted teeth. Spinning on his heels as a massive fist barely missed his head, 'I can't keep this up and protect you.'
The Nomu's next swing clipped his shoulder, forcing him down to one knee. Every muscle screaming. But still he pushed himself back up, forcing his arms to lift.
He would end this. Limits be damned.
But even if he managed to take this one down, who'd deal with him.
"Look at you…" Shigaraki drawled, "The great All Might, falling apart in front of his students. It's almost poetic, isn't it?"
All Might straightened, jaw clenching. "Poetry's not over yet." Hitting the Nomu with now eighty-five percent of power. The force tore through its flesh exposing its pink muscles but it quickly knit back together.
Shigaraki only laughed, slow and soft like a child savoring every second of what was happening. "No… you're right. It's not."
He tilted his head slightly, red eyes going to the struggling warp gate.
"Now, Kurogiri—" But before he could finish with his command. He was cut off by a shout.
"Tomura Shigaraki, move!"
But not even half a second later a glowing fist collided with the villain's face.
The impact rang out across the plaza. The villain's body whipped back, slamming into the ground. The wrinkled, gray hand that had clung to his face flew loose, before clattering uselessly across the stone.
All Might's eyes widened. Bakugo's explosions stuttered out mid-blast. Kirishima froze, while Todoroki's concentration broke for half a second.
And Shigaraki—
Now laid sprawled across the shattered tiles, mind blank for a moment as he tried to process what had just happened. The left side of his face only just starting to register the throbbing pain.
He reached up and touched his cheek with three fingers, then froze. Realizing what was missing. The gray, wrinkled hand that had always covered him was lying several feet away, broken like dry plaster.
Shigaraki's breaths came sharp and shallow as his vision refocused, the world spinning around him, closing in. As his gaze slowly lifted.
"You…" he hissed, voice scraping low and venomous through his teeth. "How are you back?"
"What? Haven't you ever played a video game before? cause this is round two."
For a second, no one moved. Even the Nomu seemed to pause. Until all hell broke loose.
Kurogiri's mist surged outward. Dark smog spilling from his frame, fighting to push itself up.
"Shitty Hair, hold him!" Bakugo shouted, sparks flaring to life under his palms.
"I'm trying!" the Kirashima grunted, skin rock hard as the warp villain's form twisted beneath him. But it was no use, Kurogiri broke free, as he forced the two off and without hesitation began to collapse in on itself threatening to warp away.
"Damn it!" Bakugo roared, launching a blast at the villain. But the swirling void snapped shut in an instant. Only to reappear elsewhere.
But that wasn't all as another warp gate opened beneath where Shigaraki was still sprawled out. And before the halfa could stop him he sunk into it to be spat out back on his feet in front of the living portal.
"Master," Kurogiri rasped, stabilizing the villain. Who paid him no mind as he quickly grabbed one of the other dried hands stuck to his arm and placed it on his face. Once again concealing his face from the world.
While that was happening the Nomu, changing objectives spun and rocketed straight for the half ghost.
"Fenton!" All Might shouted. Lunging forward, directly into the creature's path. As he grabbed hold of the villain's upper arms. In an attempt to hold it at bay.
But the Nomu lifted its hand and delivered a devastating side chop directly into the hero's side.
All Might coughed up blood as he was sent flying, crashing through the plaza. The sound of the impact echoing as dust and debris exploded outward from where he hit.
"All Might!" Kirishima shouted, but the Nomu was already moving, faster than before.
Danny barely had time to phase as the monster's fist tore through where his ribs were. But the eyewide surprise wore off in an instant as he twisted on his feet, his arm reeling back as he kicked off into the air. As his hand turned tangible just in time to slam into the Nomu's face.
The impact cracked through the air like thunder. The creature's head snapped sideways, farther than it should have. Its neck twisting with a sickening crunch.
Danny exhaled as he watched the creature, ignoring the ache he now felt in his own fist. And for that moment the downed villain was actually still.
Then the Nomu's body jerked violently. Bones and spine resetting with a grotesque pop, its head snapping back into place. Until its pupils constricted, focus purely locking onto him with an eerie stillness.
Danny sagged. "Oh, great," he muttered, "now it's got tunnel vision." He barely had time to say before it lunged again.
In a split second the halfa threw up an ecto-shield. But the Nomu's fist hit it like a freight train, shattering it with ease and going directly into the teen.
He hit the ground hard, rolling on impact before he forced himself out of the crater his body had made, chest heaving. "Okay," he muttered under his breath, "I'm definitely not built for round three."
"FENTON!"
The voice boomed. Causing Danny to look up just in time to see a blur of blue and gold slam into the Nomu's side, knocking it off-balance.
All Might landed, wiping a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth as his eyes were blazed. "You're not alone, young man!" he shouted, grabbing the creature's arm as he turned with it, building momentum before releasing, sending the villain away directly for the fountain.
Danny blinked, then forced himself to smirk. "Guess we really are doing this together then."
"Indeed!" All Might bellowed as the Nomu burst free of the rubble it had landed in, water spurting from the ruined fountain.
But as the Nomu began to leap back, the halfa wasted no time, flying forward. To match the hero's action of pulling back his arm.
And together they hit the beast.
For a moment, they matched pace, hero and halfa moving like a single force, trading strikes in perfect sync.
But even as the Nomu staggered, the two finally winning in a small way. Its skin was still healing. The burns, the bruises, the broken bone, all of it simply reforming.
Danny frowned. "You've gotta be kidding me—"
But somewhere from behind them, Bakugo shouted, "Like hell I'm just gonna stand here!"
Before either could stop him, explosions erupted through the air as Bakugo rocketed forward. "We're ending this now!"
But the explosive teen wasn't alone. As Kirishima hardened his arms, charging alongside him, while Todoroki's ice swept across the ground, freezing over the Nomu's feet as he joined in from the flank.
The battlefield erupted in all senses of the word. Fire, ice, green light, and impacts that shook the air in overlapping bursts of color and sound.
And through it all, Shigaraki laughed from the edge of the plaza, a sort of manic tone lacing his voice. "Look at you all!" he yelled. "Scrambling around like ants… thinking you can't win! But since you're so eager to draw this out let me prove you can't..."
Danny's gaze flicked toward him for only a second. But just long enough for the Nomu to seize the opening.
As a massive hand slammed into his side, throwing him through the air like a ragdoll.
A massive hand slammed into his ribs, sending him flying like a ragdoll. The air rushed past him in a blur before he turned himself intangible. Righting himself in the air, as his gaze snapped back to the Nomu still barreling after him.
He prepared himself to meet it again. Until that damn hand-covered villain's voice rang out once again.
"Nomu kill that one."
Danny looked up, expecting a finger to be aimed at him… but it wasn't.
Shigaraki's crooked hand was pointed elsewhere.
His stomach dropped, "Bakugo."
The blond froze, realization flashing across his face as the Nomu without thought barreled toward him.
The blond froze. Realization flashing across his face, just as the Nomu's hulking frame turned.
"Move!" Danny shouted, already going, green energy burning around his fists. But the creature was too close, too fast.
Bakugo barely had time to brace, jaw clenching.
Across the plaza, All Might turned, "Bakugo!" His voice thundered over the chaos as he too lunged forward, muscles coiling.
But the distance was too much. Even for him, the gap simply too wide and the moment simply too short.
Both the All Might and Danny watched as the creature's arm began to swing. Both knowing they wouldn't reach the boy in time.
The halfa, with his mind going a mile a moment, tried to think of something and despite everything a little voice at the back of his mind whispered, 'What if I make another warp gate.'
But before the Nomu could crash into the teen. Before Danny could try to somehow do the impossible yet again. A strained, desperate voice tore through the air.
"Kacchan!"
A streak of green light slammed into Bakugo, knocking them both aside an instant before the Nomu's fist crushed the ground where he stood. The shockwave rippled outward, shattering stone and swallowing the plaza in silence for half a heartbeat.
The halfa stopped midair, knowing exactly who had shouted. And as the smoke cleared, he was correct.
"Young Midoriya!" All Might's voice strained, finally reaching the crater's edge where two figures lay sprawled among the rubble.
Around the teen green light flickered weakly. While Bakugo seemed caught in a breathless trance, staring at his supposed savior.
Then Midoriya lifted his head, wide, worried eyes locking onto the blond. "Kacchan, are you okay?"
That broke the spell. Bakugo's silence snapping into fury as he shoved the boy away. "What the hell! Get away from me, Deku!"
Midoriya's mouth opened, maybe to explain, maybe to apologize, but the words never came. Because the ground beneath them shuddered.
From the haze, the Nomu's hulking silhouette appeared, stepping forward.
All Might's head whipped towards it, instincts snapping back into place. He went to move.
But before he could, a streak of neon green light slammed into the creature like a comet crashing down.
From the burst emerged Fenton, fist blazing as he fired a blast straight into the Nomu's chest. Burning away its flesh as it staggered back.
But even wounded, the monster's hand shot out, clamping around the teen's ankle and dragging him down with terrifying strength.
The two became locked in a brutal struggle, neither allowing the other to go anywhere.
All Might froze, but from the hero's peripheral he could see both Midoriya's and Bakugo's expressions warp as they too watched the clash, eyes wide. Perhaps realizing what that kind of power meant. Or even, maybe that neither would be able to survive that.
Yet somehow Fenton wasn't slowing.
"All Might!" Danny shouted, raising his arm to the side of his head just in time to block a swing. The Nomu's lower arm trembled against his, both straining under the pressure. "Get them out of here!"
The Symbol of Peace's jaw tightened. He didn't need to be told twice.
Turning sharply, he scooped both teens into his arms ignoring the yelps or outrage and surprise as he launched away, to relative safety.
Only stopping as he reached the far side of the plaza, where Todoroki and Kirishima were regrouped.
"All Might!" Kirishima said, as the hero set the two teens down as gently as he could.
But Todoroki's gaze remained fixated past the Symbol of Peace. "Fenton's still fighting that thing." His tone was even, but his shoulders were tense.
"Yeah," Kirishima breathed, already half-rising. "We gotta go help—"
"Stay put." The words were sharp. All Might didn't raise his voice, but he didn't need to.
As both teens froze.
All Might, still kneeling, turned to Midoriya, his expression darkening as he took in the sight before him. The boy's face was pale, sweat beading across his temple. His right leg was now bare, costume completely torn away. It laid at an unnatural angle, the skin an ugly shade of purple.
"Young Midoriya," All Might said. just loud enough for the boy to hear. Guilt breaking through his composure. "You pushed yourself too far again…"
Midoriya winced, "I… I had to. Kacchan—"
"I know," All Might said, cutting him off softly as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "You acted like a true hero."
In an instant the boy's eyes water instantly.
But to his side Bakugo's jaw clenched. Having heard the hero's final words, he turned his head away, fists trembling against his knees. "Tch! I didn't need saving," he muttered, voice low and uneven.
Kirishima swallowed, eyes darting between the blond and the battlefield beyond. "Man… look at that," he muttered, "That thing's not even slowing down."
"All Might."
The hero looked up, meeting Todoroki's steady gaze.
"That creature, it was made to kill you."
It was hard to read the teens expression, but it was clear what he was getting at. As the hero let out a heavy sigh looking back to the battle, to Fenton taking yet another blow. Before delivering his own with nothing but a small grimace.
"Yes," he said finally. "It was."
Danny's arms burned. In a strange yet all too familiar way. Every movement becoming a test of endurance.
The Nomu swung again, wild and devastating. Danny phased through the first blow, his outline flickering in transparency. But the second hit grazed him hard, he forced himself to stay in place, not allowing himself to go flying. As frost trailed off his fingers.
As the fight wore on it was getting harder for him to distinguish between powers. Everything moving at blazing speeds, that took most of his efforts just to keep up with. All while his energy only continued to dwindle.
He needed a plan. Something, anything.
But before a thought could form. The Nomu's massive hand shot forward, closing around his neck in an instant.
Danny's breath caught, eyes going wide as he lost control of his body. As he was slammed down with a brutal force. The sound of the impact erupting through the plaza, dust and debris bursting upwards.
"Fenton!" All Might yelled.
Next to him, the teens' eyes were locked on the scene. Kirishima looking on in fear. While Midoriya's trembling hand hovered over his ruined leg, desperate and helpless. Bakugo's expression twisted, fury and something else burning behind gritted teeth. Todoroki's fists clenched, his breath uncharacteristically catching.
The hero's legs bent, readying himself to launch forward.
But before he could, a blinding glacier-blue light erupted from where Fenton's hand had clawed around the Nomu's wrist.
Forcing the onlookers to turn away and shut their eyes. The only expedition was All Might who forced his squinted eyes to remain locked on where his student was, even if he couldn't see anything.
But went the light vanished, disappearing almost as quickly as it came.
All Might felt what had happened before he saw it. The air suddenly an icy burning temperature that stung his lungs, frosting his breath.
But the drastic change couldn't fully prepare him for what he actually saw, his eyes widening.
For the Nomu's arm, the one that had been holding the boy down was now covered in massive ice spikes. The creature's entire left side, including half its head, was now completely and utterly engulfed in a jagged formation that climbed high into the air like a miniature iceberg.
For a moment there was nothing but silence. Even from the villain's end, Shigaraki said nothing.
And then, movement.
From the ground, Fenton phased out, his transparency flickering in and out until he stumbled free, collapsing onto his knees a few meters away.
His breath came out in harsh, visible bursts. But he forced himself to stop, pushing up. One unsteady step after another until he got his bearings back. As he turned to the Nomu.
Danny's eyes scaled up his own creation as his hand unconsciously grabbed hold of his costume. Palm placed directly over his core. As he thought back to what just happened.
How on instinct he had ended up releasing as much icy ecto-energy his core and the limited time would allow. A direct blast, something he hadn't done in a very long time. Not since he first discovered the power.
Mainly because of how dangerous the unrestrained energy was. Although, he supposed in this circumstance, it actually worked out. Even if he now felt even more drained.
But it was worth it. The monstrous creature finally seemed stuck, unable to break its side free from the ice made from such concentrated power.
"Finally…" he muttered, voice hoarse.
But yet again, nothing could last forever… not even a few sickening seconds of relief.
Laughter cut through the brief lull. Low at first, then building, sharp and grating as it echoed across the frosty plaza.
Danny's head snapped toward the sound, towards the gray-haired man still standing at the edge of the plaza, his posture loose and unbothered.
"You think you won?" the villain wheezed between fits of laughter. "You actually think you won?!"
Danny didn't like where this was going. Fuzzy mind racing to think of what the man could be planning.
Shigaraki reached up carefully, grabbing the new hand that covered his face, lowering it just enough for his crimson eyes to gleam. "Nomu."
The single visible pupil in the monster's eye twitched in response.
"Rip yourself in half."
Danny's brows furrowed. "Wait—"
The command barely left Shigaraki's mouth before the Nomu moved.
Its free arm plunging deep into its own abdomen, right where flesh met ice. The sound was wet, tearing. The creature pulled, muscles straining against itself as its innards became visible. It pushed, wrenched, tore. Until, with a sickening rip, the Nomu split itself apart.
Danny staggered back, horror flashing in his eyes as half the Nomu fell onto the ground. Already moving, regenerating even as it dragged itself toward him.
Behind All Might the students' reactions mimicked Fenton's.
"Oh my god…" Kirishima's voice broke the silence, barely above a whisper. His hands hovered uselessly in front of him, as if he couldn't decide whether to cover his mouth or his eyes.
Midoriya's face had gone pale. His shaking fingers clutched at the ground beside him, nails digging into the ground. "He… he made it do that,"
Bakugo didn't speak. His eyes were wide, jaw tight, the usual anger on his face replaced by something closer to shock.
Todoroki's brows furrowed, his gaze locked on the regenerating creature. That thug's words echoing in his mind 'a living weapon'.
The only one not shaken was the hero himself. All Might didn't reel back, no. He'd seen plenty of gruesome horrors in the past, too many.
But his eyes weren't on the creature anymore. They were on the villains.
Shigaraki's grin was wide, unrestrained. His fingers twitching from the veil of satisfaction he got from looking at that damn teens expression.
All Might's hand pressed instinctively to his side. He could feel it, every part of his body protesting. His time limit was almost done.
His jaw tightened. He couldn't just stand here and watch. No, he couldn't keep relying on him.
Gaze shifting back to the white-haired teen. Who still stood between the monster and everyone else, including himself.
All Might drew in a breath. "Enough," he murmured, shame twisting in his booming, steady voice.
And before Danny could fully react, a rush of air blasted past him.
In the blink of an eye, the Symbol of Peace collided with the once again whole Nomu, his hand clamping down on the creature's shoulder, the other driving a devastating blow into its chest. "Young Fenton!" A sharp blue eye looked back meeting the teens eyeline, "I'll take it from here."
Each impact sent out a shockwave.
Danny stepped back, squinting through the blasts, brain finally catching up to him. As he took in All Might moving fast, faster than before, his hits like cannon fire, each blow accompanied by a thunderous boom.
Every time the hero took a hit, Danny winced. Knowing first hand that pain. And when the Nomu's fist caught All Might across the ribs, he felt the crack even from here. Another slam into his gut, but the hero barely faltered.
And then one clean hit to the face. All Might's head snapped to the side, blood splattering the frozen ground.
'He's not going to be able to stop it.' The realization was bitter, but deep down he knew he couldn't either, not in the state he was in. There was simply no denying it, even if he wanted to.
"See it yet?"
Danny looked to the side, meeting the villain whose words were purely aimed at him.
"Unless you can figure out how to destroy my little pet faster than it can heal, your precious Symbol of Peace will be nothing more than a bloody sack of flesh, in no time. Just like your other teacher."
The halfa's stomach twisted even more, his defense caught somewhere between his chest and throat.
Afterall, 'How do I take down something that heals as fast as me?'
His gaze flicked from the villain to the warped, misty figure behind him. The dark smog swirling like smoke around his frame.
Danny's mind raced. Flashing from thought to thought, memory to memory. Briefly, painfully recalling how he'd almost been destroyed.
Then his breathing stopped, his eyes widening. As he instinctively moved, reaching across his body, fingers brushing the spot between his shoulder blades.
He knew how to destroy the Nomu.
All Might's focus was absolute now, every movement, every breath sharp. The world had narrowed to the monster in front of him. Each blow, each dodge all that mattered. But over the rush of blood in his own ears he heard Fenton call to him.
"All Might!"
The hero didn't turn, but he caught it instantly. Fenton's voice cutting clean through the chaos.
"When I call your name," Danny shouted, an unusual steadiness, "I need you to get behind it and grab hold of its arms, okay? Keep it in place!"
All Might ducked under a punch that would've crushed his jaw, muscles coiling. His brows lowered in question. 'Grab it?'
But there was something in the boy's tone that stopped him from asking for an explanation. A certainty.
So he nodded once, barely perceptible, but he knew that teen would catch it as he kept fighting.
Danny didn't waste a second on the fact that All Might had so quickly agreed. His eyes going back to Shigaraki, core humming. 'All right,' he thought grimly, 'time to do what I do best, make people angry.'
That… and somehow do that again.
He glanced briefly at his slightly shaking hands, the faintest trace of green lingering between his fingers. He swallowed hard, forcing a cocky grin onto his face as he looked back up
"You know, for someone who won't shut up about power and winning," Danny called out, voice carrying over the relatively short distance, "you sure rely on everyone else to do your dirty work."
Shigaraki's head twitched, lowering between his shoulders.
"Nomu this, Kurogiri that. You've got a whole entourage just to prove you can play villain. Hell, you couldn't even take me down yourself. And it's like you said, right? I'm just a brat."
From the sidelines, Midoriya's jaw dropped. 'Why is he provoking him?!'
But it worked.
Shigaraki froze for a split second and then began to tremble.
"You—" His voice cracked into a snarl. "You dare—?!"
The atmosphere around him dropped with killing intent, "Let's see you survive again!"
He lunged forward, hand outstretched, fingers twitching in anticipation.
Danny didn't move. He stood his ground, smirk sharp and daring, chest squared like a target.
From behind the chaos, Kurogiri's voice rose in alarm. "Tomura, wait—"
But the villain wasn't listening.
Danny's core buzzed. 'Now!'
He drew in a breath, and just as Shigaraki's decaying hand was about to touch his chest, he yelled, "ALL MIGHT!"
In an instant, the hero vanished from his spot, reappearing behind the Nomu in a flash of wind and debris. His arms hooking over the creature's, locking him in place.
At that exact moment, Danny's hands ignited. Green energy flared, wild and bright, as a burning warp tore open in front of him. Shigaraki's hand plunged straight into it, his eyes widening in sudden, shocked horror.
"Wha—?!"
Behind him, Kurogiri reacted too late. His form flickered, trying to intercept, but the rift was already connected.
Another portal burst open in front of the Nomu.
And before anyone could process what was happening, Shigaraki's arm shot out of it. His decaying hand collided with the Nomu's chest.
Shigaraki quickly wrenched his hand back out of the portal, eyes wild as he looked at the teen's face still smiling, even as sweat traced down his temple.
"I think you missed."
The villain's head whipped, looking to the Nomu.
Shigaraki's face fell, "No… no, no, no, no, no…"
All Might released the Nomu, its massive frame falling forward. A low crackling sound coming from it.
Flesh and muscle turned gray, curling and flaking as decay crawled up its body, from its chest. But even as it lay on the ground motionless. Its regeneration fought back, tendons reknitting, flesh reforming only to rot away again. The cycle fed on itself, violent and seemingly endless.
But one thing was clear, it wouldn't be getting up any time soon.
All Might took a step back, his chest rising and falling heavily. Smoke beginning to slowly rise from his body, but suddenly that didn't matter so much as he looked back to Fenton.
'He just used a warp gate… just like—'
Before the thought could finish though the sharp, piercing sound of a whistle cut through the silence.
All Might's head snapped toward the sound just as Danny's and everyone else's did.
From the entrance of the plaza, at the very edge of the staircase. Stood multiple figures, a collection of UA heroes. And right in the center of them, blowing his whistle for all he was worth, was Iida.
The repeated and continuous sound was so utterly Iida that Danny actually let out a weak laugh. Relief spread through his chest as his shoulders sagged, exhaustion taking over.
He took a stumbling step back, body almost giving out under his weight. But the smile on his face was genuine. "Took you long enough," he muttered under his breath, voice barely above a rasp.
But before relief could fully set in, from the corner of his eye the halfa caught dark movement. And sure enough as he looked Kurogiri had warped to be behind the villain.
"Shigaraki Tomura," Kurogiri said, his normally calm tone edged with urgency. "It's time to depart."
Shigaraki didn't move at first. His head still turned, gaze remaining fixed on the still decaying and regenerating form of the Nomu. His breathing shallow and erratic.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
Danny's entire body tensed. "No," he rasped, forcing his legs to move. "You're not going anywhere—"
But before he could even take a second step, the warp gate expanded, swallowing both villains in its swirling mist.
But right as Shigaraki's head was about to disappear within the void, the man lifted it, eyes locking not on All Might, but directly on Danny.
"This isn't over," he hissed, voice low but carrying across the small distance. "I'll be back… and I'll stop at nothing to destroy everything you care about."
The words lingered in the air as the warp closed in an instant. Leaving nothing but silence and the faint rumble of rubble settling in place.
Danny stood frozen, breathing having stopped. His exhausted now at the back of his mind as he thought over the villain's promise.
All Might despite the smoke that rolled off his body in large wisps moved, walking forward, his expression shadowed. Until he was beside the teen.
"Fenton."
The teen turned to him, half-expecting a reprimand, half-expecting something else.
But All Might only looked at him with that unreadable, steady gaze, one that weighed and measured him, yet held a level of understanding he'd never quite seen before.