The final blow, forged by burning away life itself, unleashed a tremendous shockwave.
The raging impact sent droplets of blood scattering in every direction.
Kirishima eyed the Nomu that had blocked his path and allowed a wry smile to tug at his lips.
"Yeah. I figured as much," he said.
The creature had abandoned All Might and was now using its bulk to shield Shigaraki.
Kirishima dug in his feet and shoved with every ounce of strength he had.
The Nomu could not resist; it crushed Shigaraki beneath it as it rolled backward.
That was the limit.
Coughing up blood, he sank to one knee.
"Move! You're in the way! You damn Deku!"
At that moment, Bakugo came flying in behind Midoriya—who had been sprinting toward Kurogiri to aid All Might.
An explosion erupted from the palm extended beside Midoriya’s head.
Bakugo pinned Kurogiri down, slamming his palm against a nearby steel plate while growling,
"Idiot! I knew it! There are only so many places where that fog can turn into a Warp Gate—so you hid your true form in that mist, didn't you? Huh?"
With a triumphant glint in his eyes, Bakugo shouted,
"If your whole body is nothing but mist, then you wouldn't even consider the risk of a physical attack! Move it! If I sense a suspicious move, I'll blow you to bits!"
After his less-than-heroic threats, he turned to Kirishima and barked,
"What are you just standing around for, tall guy? Get up already! You idiot! Didn't you say you'd keep fighting even if you died?"
Kirishima managed a wry smile as he slowly pushed himself upright.
With his Demon Form completely shut off, his natural skin color returned as he muttered,
"Never thought I'd live to get chewed out by Bakugo..."
Blood still streaked at the corners of his mouth, yet he grinned.
The explosive brat had been right.
He could still breathe. He could still move.
Summoning his fighting spirit, he rose and glared at the Nomu preparing to charge once more.
Even with his battered body, he was determined to land at least one more blow on that mindless beast.
Just as Kirishima steeled himself for the impending clash, Todoroki’s low voice cut through the suddenly hushed battlefield,
"I heard your role was to execute All Might."
Ice spread from Todoroki’s right foot, freezing the Nomu in place.
Taking advantage of the opening created by everyone's efforts, All Might had just slipped out of the Warp Gate and reset his stance.
Standing behind All Might’s massive figure, Todoroki glared at Shigaraki and declared,
"The Symbol of Peace isn’t going to fall at the hands of the likes of you."
"Kacchan! Everyone!"
Midoriya felt a surge of hope as reinforcements arrived.
Though the enemy force remained formidable and the path forward uncertain, being together had sparked a glimmer of possibility.
Across from him, Shigaraki observed the opposing faces and muttered,
"Even though you've been countered and yet you're almost unscathed... these kids today are something else. It's almost embarrassing. The League of Villains..."
It was apparent that, despite falling slightly short against the combined might of the Nomu and All Might, the demon brat had nearly reached their level.
The boy who had triggered a massive explosion,
the boy who had instantly frozen a Nomu,
and even the boy who had wrapped himself in lightning and wielded immense power without hesitation.
Shigaraki quietly concluded that there was nothing more to be gained from this raid.
He ordered the frozen Nomu in a cold tone,
"Nomu, take out that explosive brat. We're retaking the entrance."
At his command, the Nomu forced its frozen body to move.
Even as ice shattered around it, the creature did not falter.
The grotesque sight made Midoriya mutter in disbelief,
"It's still moving even though it's falling apart?"
"Everyone, fall back! What the—Isn't that supposed to be some kind of Shock Absorption Quirk?"
All Might stretched out a hand, shouting for the children to retreat.
Even as he spoke, flesh surged from the broken parts of the Nomu to restore its original form.
Shigaraki responded in a flat tone,
"I never said that was all there was to it. This is super regeneration. The Nomu was modified to withstand even your 100%. It's a high-performance human sandbag."
Faces fell as they watched the creature rapidly regain its shape, and Shigaraki added coolly,
"Now, Nomu—retake the entrance."
Responding to his order, the Nomu charged at Bakugo.
Kirishima, who had moved to intercept, faltered before the lightning-quick onslaught that only someone with blinding reflexes could launch.
The well-timed rhythm of his battle breaths faltered, blood surged into his throat, and his strength began to wane.
'Damn it. Of all times…'
Bakugo, meanwhile, had yet to react.
Witnessing this, Kirishima silently vowed that, if they survived, he would make Bakugo train to dodge or block his Demon Form attacks—but for now, the pressing issue was to halt this assault.
If he failed, Bakugo would be reduced to nothing more than a smear of flesh on the floor of USJ.
Though a complete block was no longer possible, as Kirishima moved to at least deflect some of the blow by battering the Nomu, All Might suddenly surged forward—pushing Bakugo aside and taking up the front line.
There was one more person here who could react to such a sudden attack.
Another colossal shockwave swept through the battlefield.
Midoriya, thrown off balance, scrambled to his feet and peered ahead.
When the dust settled, the Nomu was gripping Kurogiri tightly.
"Kacchan!"
Midoriya shouted in disbelief; then, hearing breaths close by, he turned and spotted Bakugo.
Shocked, he cried out,
"Kacchan?! You dodged it? Amazing!"
"I didn’t—so shut it. Trash," snarled Bakugo.
'I didn’t see a thing…'
Bakugo clenched his teeth in frustration.
He was angry at himself for still being too weak to stand on a battlefield of transcendent power, and yet a fierce jealousy flared as he watched Kirishima fight boldly despite being pushed back.
He forced the boiling emotion down.
The battle was far from over.
He had learned recently—thanks to Deku—that going berserk in the heat of combat never ended well.
"You really never know when to quit," muttered someone.
All Might, having been beaten back and now standing amid shattered walls with arms crossed in defense, remarked.
In response, Shigaraki’s bloodshot eyes glinted, almost as if to say, 'Did he shield the children?'
"I'm doing it to save my comrades. What choice do we have? You saw it just now— that demon brat was swinging with everything he had. Violence exercised for someone else's sake turns into a noble act. Right? Hero?"
He spread his arms wide and spoke in a fevered tone.
Kirishima frowned at the absurdity but slowly steadied himself.
If circumstances had gone smoothly, the original plan would have seen All Might simply blow the Nomu away.
But he refused to let his guard down.
Even as Aizawa suffered serious injuries—though not as dire as before—watching the situation was becoming a risk in itself.
He never knew what might happen next.
Preparing for the worst, he forced a harsh, blood-filled breath into his lungs.
Meanwhile, the agitated rant continued unabated,
"I'm furious, All Might! Furious at this world where the same violence is split between heroes and villains, where right and wrong are dictated by which side you fight for! What kind of Symbol of Peace are you? In the end, you're nothing but an instrument of oppression! Violence only begets more violence! I'll make the world know by killing you!"
Kirishima couldn't help but snort in derision.
He respected those with genuine convictions, but he despised anyone who dressed up their baser impulses as noble ideals.
The mere idea that some brat, desperate to inflict pain for his own gratification, could spout such nonsense was laughable—and All Might seemed to share that sentiment.
"What a mess. The eyes of a fanatic burn quietly—you just want to indulge yourself, don't you? Liar!"
"You caught on fast..."
Observing the subtle curve of his eyes, Todoroki interjected,
"Three to five."
"Bakugo has figured out the mist's weakness!"
Kirishima silently disagreed. As long as that transcendent, asymmetrical force remained on the field, nothing else mattered.
Ultimately, the outcome would be decided by the clash between All Might and the Nomu.
All Might, sharing that conviction, halted the children with a firm command,
"No! Fall back."
"If we hadn't backed you up earlier, you'd be in real danger!"
"That's that. Thank you, Todoroki. But it's fine—watch a pro in his true form!"
Midoriya shouted, worry etched on his face.
"But All Might, you're badly hurt! And time… ah!"
All Might simply gave a thumbs-up without another word.
At that, Shigaraki's eyes burned with lethal intent as he ordered the two beside him,
"Nomu, Kurogiri—take them out. I'll cover the kids."
All Might clenched his fist and puffed out his chest as he thought,
'There isn't even a minute left. My strength is fading faster than I imagined.'
"Now then, let's clear this and get out of here."
With that, Shigaraki charged, and All Might, his eyes glinting with steely resolve, silently reaffirmed his duty.
'I have to do this. Because I am the Symbol of Peace!'
Beneath a shroud of darkness, All Might’s blue eyes burned with a terrifying intensity of will.
Overwhelmed by that aura, Kirishima watched in silent awe at the massive, broad back before him.
'So this is the Symbol of Peace.'
With an explosive surge, All Might kicked off the ground and charged headlong into the Nomu.
Fist met fist, and a shockwave, stronger than any before, rippled outward.
Staggered by the impact, Shigaraki cried out as he was thrown off balance,
"Hey. Shock absorption? You said that yourself just a moment ago!"
"I did!"
All Might replied jovially as he continued his relentless assault.
Punch after punch collided with thunderous force, and the furious shockwaves made everyone stagger.
Midoriya lowered his stance against the onslaught and shouted,
"They're trading blows head-on?!"
Amid the storm of fists, All Might's voice rang out with unwavering determination,
"If your Quirk doesn't grant shock immunity, there's a limit to what you can take!"
Taking hit after hit from the Nomu, All Might pressed forward instead of retreating.
Like a mountain rolling forward, the Nomu began to yield under the relentless onslaught.
"A counter against me? If you can withstand my 100%, I'll crush you from above even harder!"
Shigaraki's eyes widened as Midoriya watched in awe.
Though the rapid exchange of blows made it hard to catch every detail, it was clear—All Might was beginning to overwhelm his foe.
"Even while bleeding… fighting with everything! Every single blow is beyond 100%!"
Eventually, after taking enough punishing blows, the Nomu was blasted backward.
Though its stance faltered under the monstrous force, it charged at All Might once again.
The two titans clashed once more, their battle echoing like thunder over shattered earth.
Even as the hard ground crumbled as if in an earthquake, All Might kicked the behemoth into the air.
"A hero never lets a pinch hold him back!"
Leaping after his foe, he grabbed its arm, spun it around, and slammed it into the ground.
The impact sent the earth convulsing outward in a massive concentric crater.
Landing before the slowly rising Nomu, All Might asked in a voice laden with conviction—the very question every U.A. student knew by heart,
"Villain, do you know these words? And beyond that—Plus! Ultra!"
A voice that seemed to sear itself into every heart exploded with force alongside his punch.
The Nomu finally could not withstand the rising force of All Might’s blow and was sent hurtling skyward.
As Kirishima watched it vanish through the ceiling at a speed too quick for the eye, he exhaled deeply.
He had thought he had closed the gap, but the distance between himself and All Might remained enormous.
Todoroki and Bakugo, their mouths agape in astonishment, muttered,
"This is top…"
"This is the world of pros!"
All Might slowly retracted his fist and, with a hint of reluctant admission, said,
"I really have weakened. In my prime, five blows would’ve been enough. Today, I've thrown over 300."
'And… time's up.'
Feeling the limits of his transformation nearing, All Might took a step toward Shigaraki and declared,
"Now then, Villain. I'm sure both of us want to settle this quickly."
"Cheating bastard… you say you've weakened? That's a lie. You completely overwhelmed me. And you even did that to my Nomu… you cheating bastard!"
Enraged, Shigaraki screamed in a frenzy,
"You weren't weak at all! Did that bastard lie to me?!"
Seeing this, All Might redoubled his efforts,
"What's wrong? Aren't you coming? You were talking about cleaning this up—if you can do it, then do it!"
"Ggh..."
Overpowered by his presence, Shigaraki staggered back while the onlooking children stared in awe.
"Amazing. This isn't our fight," they murmured.
"All Might..."
'No, that's not it!'
Only Midoriya and Kirishima sensed the anomaly.
Without any premonition of the future, Midoriya understood the situation perfectly.
'He's bluffing! Even through the dust, I can see the steam of his transformation escaping!'
Just as Midoriya thought, All Might was desperately forcing himself to appear calm.
Concentrating every fibre of his being to hold back the breaking transformation, he thought,
'I can’t move any further... That Nomu—or whatever it is—was too powerful. One more step and I won’t be able to hold this form. I’ll revert to my true form.'
Desperation laced his bluff as he shouted,
"Well? What’s the matter!"
'Just a little longer—hesitate! If I can buy even a few seconds…'
Scratching furiously at his neck, Shigaraki roared,
"If only I had a Nomu! With that kind of power, I could fight without thinking!"
"Shigaraki Tomura! Calm down, please! Look carefully—the damage on the Nomu is obvious,"
At Kurogiri’s low, even-toned admonishment, Shigaraki finally ceased scratching his throat.
Surveying the battlefield, he continued,
"Besides, it seems the kids are still watching, and we have some backup left. Reinforcements will come in a few minutes—but if you and I coordinate, there's still a chance."
Those words made him slowly lower the hand that had been clutched at his throat as he muttered,
"Right? We have no choice. The final boss is right in front of us."
Bakugo twitched his eyebrows and added, though reluctant to admit it, that this battlefield was not truly his.
"All Might will handle the main culprit somehow. We just need to nab those damn small fry," he declared.
"Midoriya..."
As Todoroki moved, he noticed Midoriya standing rooted to the spot, eyes fixed on All Might.
Midoriya silently gritted his teeth, thinking,
'I'm the only one who understands... Judging by the danger level, it's the mist that's the problem. All Might must have pushed past his limits. If that mist begins to toy with him, then for sure...'
"Above all, he’s the enemy of the Nomu!"
As Midoriya ruminated, Shigaraki and Kurogiri charged toward All Might.
All Might regarded their charge with a calm stance, though in truth he was nearly immobilized.
'Holy shit! Everyone, hurry…'
In that critical moment, Midoriya sprinted toward Kurogiri with everything he had.
Having activated One For All in haste, he felt his knee protest as he thought,
'This isn't good. But if I can target the part of his body he's hiding, I might just blow him away!'
"Get away from All Might!"
Midoriya's charge, propelled by raw determination, did nothing to startle Kurogiri.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from Shigaraki’s dark form and declared,
"There won't be a second chance!"
Just as Midoriya's small head was about to be caught by the grip of death, Kirishima—who had somehow caught up—slammed him to the ground.
At the same moment, the sharp report of a gunshot rang out.
A sense of déjà vu washed over Kirishima as he coughed up blood and chuckled wryly,
"I usually have good luck when I hear gunfire. American spirit, maybe?"
As his eyes, sharpened beyond human limits, caught sight of a bullet embedding itself in Shigaraki's hand,
the fiercely spinning round tore into soft flesh, scattering droplets of blood in its wake—and in that moment, Kirishima grinned.
Victory had arrived on the wings of a copper bullet.
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