Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"Let's run...".
 
Yuga Aoyama's eyes opened wide upon recognizing his own voice echoing from the screen. The laser boy was left breathless; he found it inconceivable to learn that he would play such a direct role in the journey of the person who had reached out a hand to him when no one else believed in him after his betrayal. And the most shocking thing of all was realizing that he had spoken those words to him during that final and fateful moment when they had talked.
 
—Let's run...? What the hell is that screen saying? —Felt immediately asked, frowning suspiciously.
 
"They want to kick us out before we've even started... What terrible service". Hawks commented, breaking the tension in the room.
 
—Damn it! Not even a second has passed, the damn screen hasn't even turned on properly yet, and you're already starting with your nonsense —Mirko growled, piercing the winged hero with a fierce glare.
 
"Oh, come on, bunny... Someone has to lift everyone's spirits in this place, right?" Hawks replied, lazily leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. "We're going to be watching a series about the young hero of the era, aren't we? It has to be fun, or at least entertaining. I don't understand why everyone has such long faces, as though they were attending their parents' funeral."
 
—And who told you that everything is going to be fun? —Tivey asked, tilting his head curiously. Although he did not know the man, he had the impression that he resembled Ricardo far more than the cat boy would have liked to admit.
 
"Didn't you hear what the Guardian said? He was clearly implying that Natsuki-san would suffer. I don't know how things are in your world, but here we care about our friends" Otto stated, frowning and speaking in a firmly reproachful tone.
 
Hawks shrugged, dismissing the matter. —Hey, calm down, old man, but come on... Ever since we arrived in this place, Natsuki has been surrounded by beautiful girls. Not to mention that the knight with the stick up his ass said he had been with him during his battles. Sure, he may have gone through serious problems like the ones he experienced in our world, but he won in the end, didn't he? His greatest challenge over there was most likely deciding who he would give his first kiss to. That is, of course, assuming he hasn't already given it away.
 
Amid all the commotion, no one noticed that a certain silver-haired, amethyst-eyed half-elf was blushing furiously all the way to the tips of her ears. Emilia, guided by a pure instinct she could not understand, intertwined her fingers with the limp hand of her sleeping knight. After all, all of this was Subaru's fault for being so forward.
 
—You're taking these hardships far too lightly, my friend. I don't know what your world is like, but ours is not exactly child's play —Ricardo stated in a deep voice. The burly dog man had far too much experience dealing with scum; as the leader of the Iron Fang, he had witnessed the darkest and cruelest side of their reality firsthand.
 
"But we're talking about Natsubro! A guy overflowing with manliness from head to toe!" Kirishima exclaimed, slamming his fists together with overflowing enthusiasm.
 
—Ha! You said it, weird hair. The captain is simply amazing! —Garfiel shouted, displaying his sharp fangs in a wild grin.
 
Upon hearing how deeply this new young man admired his beloved successor, All Might could not stop a warm smile from appearing on his face. «As always, young Subaru... You always find a way to make me feel even prouder of you, son», the former Symbol of Peace thought, feeling a lump form in his throat.
 
—Yes, yes... Let us ignore Barusu's noisy fan club. Because, in my humble and extremely accurate opinion, Barusu deserves nothing less than to be castrated for being an incurable pervert —Ram declared coldly, although she concealed an amused smile.
 
"Huh...? Who is Barusu?" Eri asked, blinking in genuine confusion.
 
The pink-haired maid smiled with obvious pride. —Barusu is Barusu, he cannot be anything other than Barusu.
 
—Huh?
 
"Oh... don't pay attention to Ram, little one. Subaru-sama and she have a somewhat... particular relationship. They are like siblings, and that is the affectionate nickname she uses for him" Frederica replied, leaning toward Eri with a kind, maternal smile.
 
"Ha!" Ram exclaimed, crossing her arms and maintaining her superior smirk. She felt the overwhelming need to humiliate her foolish little brother; if she did not, she risked allowing all the praise to go to his head. And that golden rule applied even when the boy was not present or, as in this case, deeply asleep.
 
—Hmph...! I don't like it —Eri complained, making an adorably indignant pout. Emilia, Rem and Naoko could not stop themselves from laughing softly at the girl's cuteness. For her part, Beatrice puffed out her cheeks, reluctantly accepting that the brat was cute, although, of course, she would never be cuter than Betty.
 
"I remember that the green-haired lady also mentioned that she had been with Natsuki, ribbit". Asui placed one of her fingers against her chin and stared intently at Crusch, waiting for answers from the duchess.
 
"Indeed. I have also personally witnessed Subaru-dono's courage on the battlefield, and I must admit that he left everyone in the army deeply impressed" Crusch replied firmly, with an unmistakable hint of pride in her voice.
 
Class 2-A smiled in unison, overflowing with excitement. They were eager to discover what kind of insane adventures their brave friend had experienced in a fantasy world. And knowing Subaru Natsuki, they all took it for granted that he must have acted in the most heroic manner possible.
 
But Mina could not let a golden opportunity for gossip pass her by. The pink girl looked at Crusch mischievously. —Oh... But you didn't mention anything about the kiss Hawks suggested —a foxlike smile spread across her face—. Could it be that you were the one who received the hero's passionate kiss after winning the battle?
 
Naoko and Eri narrowed their eyes at the same time, staring at the duchess and making her visibly nervous. Several of the girls fixed their eyes intensely upon her, silently demanding answers. Rem was the only one who maintained a calm posture; after all, she had been there, accompanying her hero at all times.
 
"Nya...?! Crusch-sama would never do anything that indecent with Subaru-kyun!" Felix, the healer, shouted, completely outraged and jealous as he pierced the acid heroine with a feline glare.
 
—Yes, Mina. Stop saying foolish things about Deku-kun —Uraraka frowned, gripping the hem of her skirt with a certain degree of discomfort and jealousy.
 
"What?! Hawks already said it. It was only a little joke to lighten the mood in the theater" Mina defended herself, raising her hands with an innocent smile.
 
Crusch coughed into her closed fist, desperately trying to conceal the faint crimson dust coloring her cheeks. The mere suggestion of romance caused the proud Valkyrie terrible embarrassment. —I would like to clarify, that Subaru-dono and I have never shared that kind of intimate closeness. Besides, Rem was the one who remained closest to him throughout the campaign.
 
Now, the weight of every gaze shifted toward the blue-haired maid. Rem blushed furiously as she remembered those moments alone with her hero, and what embarrassed her the most in front of everyone else was that she genuinely could not deny how close they had become.
 
"Perhaps we could leave those trivial matters for later" Anastasia intervened, much to Rem's immense relief. "This gal is also beginning to lose her patience. So I kindly ask everyone to stop saying that my knight has a stick up his ass".
 
At her side, Julius smiled gallantly and proudly at his lady's stoic defense.
 
—They would have to pull it out first before you could speak, merchant  —Priscilla laughed, fanning herself with overwhelming arrogance.
 
"Ha! That was a good one" Kaminari laughed, raising his thumb and giving the voluptuous woman a flirtatious smile.
 
Priscilla noticed the overly familiar gesture from the commoner with the black lightning bolt in his hair and immediately decided that he disgusted her. —And who gave you permission to address a divine being such as myself, repulsive scum?
 
"Hey, hey...! I was supporting you!" Kaminari shouted, springing out of his seat and pointing an accusing finger at the baroness. "Besides, we don't even know each other, so you can't go around calling me repulsive!".
 
—Ha! My divine being does not need to become acquainted with the rabble of your ilk to know precisely what sort of pathetic, groveling creatures you are.
 
"Hey... I understand that Kaminari is always a complete idiot, someone who cannot think coherently most of the time. In fact, I often find myself wondering whether his brain was fried by his own Quirk the moment he was born, but..." Jiro began, intervening with her usual sarcastic tone.
 
—Thanks, Jiro... You don't have to help me if you're going to do it like that... —Kaminari muttered, collapsing back into his seat, utterly defeated. He had expected his classmate's intervention to help him a little, not bury him ten feet underground.
 
"You're welcome, Kaminari, anytime" the rocker girl stated, finishing him off with a mocking smile.
 
Mineta and Sero could not contain themselves and burst into laughter at their friend's complete misfortune. Of course, how could they call themselves his best friends if they did not laugh at him during his worst moments?
 
—Could we please return to the subject of the stick up my knight's ass...? —Anastasia insisted, sighing.
 
"Lady Anastasia, I beg you from the bottom of my heart not to phrase it that way" Julius pleaded. Without question, the Finest of Knights was experiencing the worst day of his life, and that was despite having endured countless cruel jokes from Subaru in the past.
 
"Damn it! Do you seriously intend to keep wasting time discussing nonsense when not even five seconds have passed on the screen?" Endeavor growled, flames flickering across his face from sheer frustration.
 
—I cannot believe that a single word on the screen has made all of you argue like children. This is going to be very, very long... —Kaina released a deeply exhausted sigh, leaning back in her seat—. At this rate, I will feel as though I have spent more time here than I did imprisoned in Tartarus.
 
"Cake?! Mimi wants cake!" the little cat girl jumped up, waving her arms with overflowing excitement.
 
—Huh...? Girl, I didn't say... —Kaina blinked, staring at the exuberant demihuman for a second before giving up heavily—. You know what? I want one too.
 
She hoped that, at the very least, a slice of sweet cake would ease the migraines she would undoubtedly suffer in that theater of torture.
 
"Hey, pretty boy! Why the hell don't you defend yourself? You look like a frightened brat waiting for his mommy to protect him from all the bullies" Mirko questioned Julius, genuinely confused and rather annoyed by the knight's apparent cowardice.
 
Upon hearing the rabbit heroine address him directly, Julius rose to his feet and bowed toward the unknown demihuman with flawless elegance. —The answer is quite simple, miss. I am so accustomed to that specific kind of joke that it has lost any ability to offend me.
 
Reinhard opened his eyes, visibly surprised. He had not expected his impeccable friend to be silently enduring constant insults. —Why did you never tell us that someone was bothering you, Julius? We could have spoken to that person and made them stop immediately.
 
—Reinhard-kyun is absolutely right, nya... —Felix stated, clenching his fists with unwavering confidence and determination—. Just tell me who had the nerve, and Ferris will give them what they deserve and put them in their place.
 
"Subaru..." Julius replied, with astonishing calmness and a resigned smile.
 
As though they had been synchronized, every pair of eyes in the room immediately settled upon the tracksuit-clad young man snoring peacefully in the front row. Neither Emilia's camp nor Anastasia's showed even the slightest hint of surprise upon learning about the chaotic dynamic between the two.
 
—HA, HA, HA...! That brat makes me prouder of him every day! —Mirko shouted, bursting into loud laughter and slapping her knee.
 
"Rumi...! You have no reason to be proud of Subaru's misbehavior!" Naoko scolded her, staring at her with strict severity as she gently pinched her sleeping son's cheeks. Then, she looked at the lilac-haired knight with genuine guilt. “Mr. Julius, I offer you my sincerest apologies on behalf of my son. I know he can sometimes be rather overbearing with his jokes”.
 
Feeling the overwhelming sincerity of his friend's mother, Julius nodded with an extremely kind smile. But just as he was about to respond courteously, a burly man spoke before he could.
 
—You don't have to apologize to him for anything, Mini-Boss's mother. Juli also throws plenty of remarks disguised as jokes at the boy. He is certainly not the defenseless victim in all of this —Ricardo clarified with a broad smile.
 
Julius glared at the mercenary captain. The Finest of Knights did not want to appear like a victim in the slightest, but he certainly did not want his friend's kind mother to learn about his own sharp remarks either.
 
"Oh, really...?". Naoko's gaze darkened and locked directly onto Julius. The Spirit Knight swallowed audibly under the weight of that intense stare; a pair of maternal eyes radiating a primal terror capable of freezing the blood of even the bravest warrior.
 
—Yes, yes... We all already know that stuck-up extra loves it when the Nerd insults him. Can we finally get back to watching whatever the hell the idiot who kidnapped us wants to show us? —Bakugo growled, his hands shoved into his pockets, on the verge of exasperation after hearing so much useless nonsense.
 
"Oh, come on, Bakugo. Don't get jealous now. Deku-kun is your friend too" Uraraka teased lightly. It was a boldness she had acquired thanks to the time she had spent dealing with Subaru's antics at U.A.
 
"What did you say, round face?! Do you have a death wish?!" Katsuki leaped from his seat, small explosions crackling in his palms as he glared at the gravity heroine.
 
—I also think you're jealous, Bakugo —Todoroki commented from his seat, maintaining a stoic and completely expressionless face.
 
"No one invited you to give your opinion, you half-and-half bastard!".
 
—Would the two of you please shut up for once, Bakugo, Todoroki? —Aizawa raised his voice, rubbing the bridge of his nose as a severe migraine began to throb because of his troublesome children—. Are we all in agreement that we should continue watching whatever it is they intend to show us on that screen?
 
The Erasure Hero watched through his tired eye as both familiar faces and strangers slowly nodded their heads. He released a deep sigh that seemed to carry away a portion of his soul.
 
—Good. Let us keep watching. And during whatever free time they give us, you can talk, fight, kill each other or complain as much as you want. Just stay quiet and let me sleep peacefully while you fight.
 
When no further complaints came from the colorful members of the theater, the lights in the auditorium slowly dimmed to begin the show.
 
«Has no one seriously realized that the voice on the screen is mine...?», Aoyama thought, deeply distressed by the complete indifference of his classmates. «Could it perhaps be because I am not using my elegant French accent...?». However, in the midst of his existential crisis, his gaze met that of his U.A. teacher. They both nodded silently, understanding each other, as they shared the burden of having been together during that precise moment.

 
The enormous screen flickered and came to life, focusing the frame on one hand gripping another tightly; both limbs were covered in scars.
 
"We need you, and you need us".
 
The camera  slowly pulled back, widening the image to reveal  Aoyama firmly holding the hand of a completely stunned and worn-out Subaru.

 
Almost everyone's eyes widened like saucers, although the inhabitants of both worlds were in shock for entirely different reasons.
 
—Aoyama...! My God, you're on the screen! —Mina shouted, jumping up in pure excitement and completely ignoring the fact that almost all her classmates were equally paralyzed, their jaws hanging open.
 
"T-that is..." Nejire stammered, bringing both hands to her face, shocked upon realizing what would be shown
 
—Wait a moment, what does all of this mean...? —Felix asked. His voice conveyed astonishment, but also deep concern—. Why does Subaru-kyun look so badly injured, nya?
 
The healer's medical instincts surged to their limit at the sight of the young man in such a deplorable condition. And his alarm only intensified when he noticed that Subaru's friend, the blond boy from the other world, was equally wounded.
 
"Are you going to explain what the hell is happening, or do you expect us to figure it out on our own?" Felt growled, turning toward the heroes from the other world. "Why was Big Brother in such a pitiful state?".
 
The answer took some time to come. All the students and heroes were still processing the impact of witnessing, with such high quality, a fragment of the final and most brutal battle Subaru had fought in their world. Many videos  and security recordings of the war existed, but absolutely none possessed that level of intimacy and rawness.
 
Seeing that no one from his side had emerged from their stupor to provide a coherent answer, Principal Nezu politely cleared his throat.
 
—Oh, I sincerely apologize for our lack of answers, esteemed guests from the other world. I do not know whether Natsuki-kun told you the precise details of how he disappeared from our world, but our surprise stems mainly from the immense impact of reliving that event —the rodent explained in a diplomatic tone.
 
The eyes of the members of Emilia's and Priscilla's camps opened wide as they quickly connected the pieces.
 
—Wait a second... Is that the war Barusu told us about? —Ram asked, losing her usual mask of indifference for an instant.
 
"War?" Crusch repeated, blinking in confusion. Throughout all their conversations, she had never heard Subaru say that he had participated in a large-scale conflict before arriving in Lugunica.
 
—Natsuki didn't tell all of you everything about the war? —Shinso asked, raising an eyebrow and staring at the people who appeared to be closest to the boy.
 
Emilia and the rest of the principal members of her camp nodded, still processing the information. Priscilla and Al, for their part, listened attentively
 
"Subaru told us that, shortly before coming to us, his homeland had been consumed by a terrible war in which he himself was participating" Emilia quickly answered. That revelation struck like a bucket of ice water, leaving the other royal camps in deathly silence.
 
—Good, then it will be somewhat easier to provide context... —Nezu began, intertwining his small paws and maintaining a friendly smile, although his eyes gleamed with seriousness—. A little over a year ago, our homeland was plunged into an unprecedented war against the greatest and most vile villain in our history. The strongest and most dangerous man ever to threaten the peace of the world.
 
«A war... That means Subaru-dono also suffered the immense misfortune of taking part in a massacre at such a young age», the elderly Wilhelm thought. The swordsman turned his gaze toward the sleeping boy, feeling a profound empathy from one warrior to another. Of course, he had been present during Subaru's battle against the Whale, but that could not compare to a war like the one forty years ago.
 
"Shit... that sounds incredibly troublesome" Ricardo remarked, clicking his tongue and grimacing in frustration at the mere thought of having to deal with another war.
 
—And it certainly was... —All Might replied, his voice darkening—. It was a bloody conflict in which countless brave souls unjustly lost their lives. And all that hell was unleashed because of one man.
 
Everyone in the room immediately perceived the unmistakable tone of pure hatred dripping from All Might's words. Aldebaran frowned beneath his helmet, feeling anger beginning to boil within him. If there truly had been a villain capable of wounding the spirit of such an imposing man so deeply, then he must undoubtedly have been one hell of a bastard.
 
—Intereeeeesting... Which means, in summary, that this wonderfuuuuul screen will show us exactly what Subaru-kun did in his homeland long before he came to know us —Roswaal declared, breaking the tension with his usual singsong tone and an enigmatic smile.
 
—Completely ignoring how creepy that weird clown's voice sounds... Did Natsubro seriously tell you absolutely nothing about his involvement in the war? —Sero asked, scratching his head in genuine confusion.
 
Rem gently shook her head, turning to contemplate the peaceful face of the boy resting behind her.
 
"Subaru-kun always spoke to us with immense admiration about how amazing and powerful his friends had been during the war, but he never said anything about the role he himself played" the young oni explained.
 
In the past, Rem had always believed that her beloved had been an incredible figure but, after seeing that he did not possess incredible powers like the others at the mansion, she came to the conclusion that he had surely acted as a brilliant strategist. However, after witnessing his courage against the White Whale, her thoughts changed radically. And now that everyone was claiming that her hero possessed astonishing power, her assumptions and expectations were soaring.
 
—Huh...? Did he seriously only tell you that? —Toru asked, leaning forward in disbelief.
 
"Yes, Subaru showered everyone else with praise whenever he spoke about them, but when we tried to ask him directly about his own involvement, he always changed the subject and assured us that his contribution had been completely insignificant compared to everything all of you accomplished" Emilia answered with complete honesty. The half-elf knew that her knight had a habit of disregarding his own achievements. It was one of the very few things she disliked about him.
 
—That gigantic idiot... —Bakugo growled under his breath, clenching his fists. He knew his childhood friend's foolish and unhealthy tendency to belittle himself all too well. And, judging by the expressions of the other U.A. students, they all shared exactly the same frustration toward Subaru.
 
"That damned stubborn brat..." Endeavor growled, angered by one of his students' complete lack of self-preservation and self-recognition. "If you truly want to see what Natsuki is capable of and the true role he played in that hell, then keep your eyes wide open and watch the screen".
 
Those who still did not know the young man's true capabilities were completely lost. Had the same loud and mischievous boy they knew actually fought in a war in his original world? It was something not even figures as experienced as Reinhard, Wilhelm or Julius had ever suspected.
 
The revelation left Emilia's camp, Priscilla's camp and Al literally on the edges of their seats. At first, none of them would have suspected that someone like Subaru could have played a pivotal role in a large-scale conflict.
 
But now, knowing everything the boy had accomplished in Lugunica while defying every probability stacked against him... None of them were quite so certain of Subaru Natsuki's true limits anymore.

"We are all fighting together". On the screen, Aoyama and Aizawa pushed Subaru from behind, giving him the physical and emotional momentum he needed to keep moving forward.
 
Subaru's eyes grew misty, on the verge of tears. He bit his lower lip hard as a lock of hair fell across his face, casting a shadow over his gaze. Suddenly, sparkling orange electricity began to emanate from his body, crackling with furious intensity.

 
—Is that Subaru-kun's power...? —Rem asked in a whisper, turning toward Emilia.
 
The half-elf nodded, forming a smile overflowing with pride and genuine emotion. Rem shifted her gaze between the Subaru sleeping peacefully in the room and the one on the screen, feeling a warm mixture of amazement and absolute devotion toward her beloved.

 
"¡You can do it...!"
 
"¡You can do it!"
 
"¡You can do it!".
 
Hundreds of voices echoed from the crowd on the screen, citizens watching the broadcast of the battle on a gigantic monitor, far from the epicenter of the chaos.

 
—Were all those people watching the battle through a window just like this one? —Julius asked, unable to look away from the projection. The Spirit Knight had never witnessed a war on such a scale, much less one from another world; he did not want to miss even the smallest detail.
 
"Basically, that was humanity's last line of defense". Mirio replied, having lost his usual radiant smile. "If we heroes lost there, it was very likely that peace would die with us".
 
—Aren't you exaggerating a little? —Tivey asked, tilting his head curiously. The young man held a small notebook in his hands, ready to write down every scrap of knowledge he could extract from that world.
 
All Might leaned forward, his brow deeply furrowed. At last, he would see the true culmination of his successor's battle against his worst enemy.
 
—It is not an exaggeration, young man. If All For One had emerged alive from that battle, it would have been an even greater disaster.
 
And who better than the Symbol of Peace, the hero who had fought against that monster for decades, to answer that question. Giving All For One even the slightest room to maneuver was a death sentence for the entire world.
 
"All For One... I imagine that is the enemy's name, correct?". Anastasia asked, gently stroking her fox scarf with a calculating air. The solemn nods from the guests of the other world gave her the answer.
 
—But, who are they supporting? —Petra asked, squeezing her hands together on her lap, visibly worried about her hero.
 
Nejire smiled, genuinely moved as she remembered the hope everyone had felt upon seeing Subaru rise to his feet once again. She turned toward Petra and gave her an expression of absolute tenderness.
 
"Susu is very important to you, isn't he?". She waited for the girl to nod vigorously before continuing. "Then I recommend that you pay very close attention. You are about to see the greatest hero of all".
 
Those words caused everyone present to look at the sleeping boy and then at the one on the screen with renewed astonishment. Intrigued and expectant, most of them shifted to the edges of their seats.
 

—¡Daddy!
 
"¡Brother Natsuki!".
 
Eri and Kota shouted at the top of their lungs. With thick tears gathering in their eyes, they cried out in unconditional support of their hero.
 
—Deku... —Gran Torino murmured from a hospital room in the projection, looking at his student with evident concern.
 
Around him, a group of people crowded in front of a computer screen, their faces tense with anxiety.
 

Upon seeing Eri supporting the person Nejire had mentioned, everyone understood immediately: the hero carrying the hope of the world was none other than their dear friend.
 
"Who are they?". Otto asked, feeling his heart pounding frantically.
 
—Kota is a boy Deku-kun saved from a terrible enemy —Ochaco replied, her face lighting up with a warm and nostalgic smile—. The man in the hospital is one of Deku-kun's teachers... and he was also one of All Might's teachers.
 
"¡¿What?! Is he your teacher, All Might?". Al asked, completely astonished beneath his iron helmet. He had never imagined having the privilege of meeting the instructor of the Symbol of Peace himself.
 
"That is correct, young man. Gran Torino is one of my dearest and strictest teachers". The blond giant stated with a smile tinged with nostalgia. No one would ever surpass Nana in his heart, but that old man held an irreplaceable place within it.
 
—Young man... no one believes that anymore —Hawks laughed, amused by the attitude of his armored fanboy colleague—. That habit of yours of calling everyone younger than you 'young' is a little silly, All Might.
 
"Leave him alone, Hawks. It is obvious that he is happy that way". Lady Nagant replied, forming a relaxed smile.
 
Priscilla, meanwhile, had been pondering a question ever since the pink-cheeked commoner had begun talking about Subaru. She opened her fan with a sharp snap.
 
—Commoner... Why do you call the commoner Deku? —the proud matriarch asked, pointing the tip of her fan toward Ochaco.
 
"Commoner...?". Ochaco whispered, blinking a couple of times as she processed the strange title she had been given. "Well, Deku is Subaru's hero name. And the truth is that I have always called him that, even before it became his official name". She replied with a smile overflowing with pride, remembering how immensely happy she had been when he explained the reason behind his choice.
 
—Oh... so 'Deku' is Subaru-kun's hero name... it sounds very cute —Rem commented, clasping her hands together joyfully.
 
"Deku...? I imagine it must have some profound meaning to him, correct?". Reinhard asked, visibly confused. With every revelation about his friend's world, the Sword Saint felt his bewilderment growing a little more.
 
—Yes, it does, but I believe that is something you should ask him directly. Or perhaps the screen will show it to us later —Uraraka explained with great kindness.
 
"I am somewhat surprised that no one is questioning the fact that Natsuki-kun is considered a hero in his world". Anastasia pointed out.
 
—After witnessing all the deeds Subaru has carried out in our world, it is not something that seems strange to us, lady Anastasia —Julius replied with his usual courtesy and impeccable posture—. Furthermore, the heroes there appear to be the equivalent of the knights in our world, and he, without any doubt, already is one.
 
"I suppose you have a good point...". Anastasia shrugged, readily accepting her knight's logic.
 
«My knight is simply incredible», Emilia thought, smiling with a mixture of pride and warmth. She had always known that Subaru was someone special, but the magnitude of what she was witnessing surpassed every expectation.
 
—My contractor is the best of all, in fact —the Great Spirit declared, wearing a smile from ear to ear. She could expect nothing less from that foolish and stubborn boy who had rescued her from her confinement in the library, turning her into the happiest spirit in the world.

 
"¡¡¡YOU CAN DO IT!!!".

 
The unified shout seemed to reverberate throughout every corner of the world as he ran directly toward the battle... The catharsis that overwhelmed Subaru's friends and companions upon seeing an entire planet supporting the boy they cared for so deeply was overwhelming.

 
—¡You can do it, Captain!
 
"¡Give him what he deserves, big brother!".
 
—¡You can do it, Daddy!
 
Garfiel, Felt and Eri shouted in unison, completely swept up by the adrenaline and emotion of the scene. Little by little, the rest of the room joined the cheering, including those heroes who had been physically present during that cruel war.

 
"¡¡¡Aoyama!!!". Subaru shouted on the screen when he saw Aoyama, immediately after holding his hand, push him away so that he could take a lethal attack from All For One head-on.
 
"¡Run, Natsuki!". The young Frenchman shouted with a fearless smile, while a bright and unstable light of energy began concentrating in his navel. "¡Run!". He exclaimed, unleashing a gigantic laser explosion that completely destroyed the villain's attack.
 
After confirming that Aoyama had survived the impact, Subaru nodded with unshakable determination and resumed his sprint toward his enemy at full speed.

 
—¡Hey! ¡That explosion was amazing! —Garfiel shouted, baring his fangs in a wild smile that seemed unwilling to leave his face—. How the hell did you do that?
 
"It was thanks to my Quirk, mon ami". Aoyama answered, making his hair shine as he adopted one of his characteristic and extravagant poses.
 
"What is a 'momi'?". Petra asked, tilting her head in complete confusion. Not even in her extensive catalog of "Subaru-isms" had she ever heard such a strange word.
 
—Do not worry about it, little one. He is just another idiot from our world —Mirio laughed, downplaying the matter with his relaxed attitude.
 
"Do you speak other languages?".
 
—Y-yes... there are quite a few... —Tamaki stammered, making a titanic effort to answer the girl. Nejire and Mirio had insisted that he try to become a little more sociable, but maintaining eye contact remained torture for him.
 
—My... that sounds complicated, but fascinating —Frederica commented. The beast maid smiled sweetly, genuinely touched upon seeing the timid boy make such an effort to interact.
 
—Then... those strange abilities you call Quirks are like Divine Protections —Tivey deduced, furrowing his brow thoughtfully.
 
—Are you serious? We still have not explained what Quirks are to you? —Mashirao Ojiro asked, opening his eyes wide in surprise when several guests from the other world shook their heads—. Wow... I thought that subject had already been settled.
 
"Although the Guardian gave us a brief introduction, we still have not managed to understand the basic concept in its entirety. However, we can confirm that something of a similar nature exists in our world". Crusch explained in her usual firm and diplomatic tone. "The Guardian's explanation was also somewhat ambiguous. There were certain words that went beyond our understanding".
 
Upon hearing this, Iida leaped to his feet, adopting a posture as rigid as a board. He adjusted his glasses with one finger and sliced through the air with his arm in an extremely mechanical motion.
 
—¡That is an unforgivable act of negligence on our part! —the hero Ingenium performed a perfect ninety-degree bow—. ¡As the representative of Class 2-A, I offer you my sincerest apologies for our incompetence in failing to explain the fundamental principles of our world!
 
"Hey, calm down, kid". Ricardo replied, feeling an enormous drop of sweat slide down his fur at the student's intensity. "Lady Felt was right. This guy resembles Julius far too much...".
 
Crusch, momentarily thrown off by the class representative's outburst, spoke to him with the greatest possible gentleness. —Do not worry, none of us are blaming you for it. But, if you would be so kind, we would appreciate it if you could explain the subject in greater detail so that we may better understand what we are seeing.
 
Iida immediately straightened himself, ready to launch into a lengthy explanatory speech, but the high-pitched voice of a girl stopped him in his tracks.
 
—I suppose Betty can enlighten you with the wisdom her contractor has entrusted to her, in fact —the girls from both worlds had to make a monumental effort to suppress a squeal of affection upon seeing the proud and puffed-up bearing of the little spirit. Beatrice continued—. Betty's Subaru explained that 'Quirks' are the equivalent of the Divine Protections in our world, in fact. However, in their world, eighty percent of the population possesses a Quirk, unlike our home, where Od Laguna only grants such a blessing to a chosen few.
 
—My, Betty, it seems Subaru kept you very well informed —Naoko nodded, giving the blond girl a warm, maternal smile—. Although I do not fully understand what a Divine Protection is, that is a simple way of explaining it.
 
"Hmph...! I suppose my contractor trusts Betty completely, in fact".
 
—What exactly do you mean by 'contractor'? Did Susu rent you or something like that? —Nejire brought a finger to her lips, genuinely intrigued by the magical terminology.
 
"Nejire... the way you said that sounded very bad for Subaru". Tamaki whispered, shrinking into his seat after misinterpreting his companion's words.
 
—If you will permit me, I believe the wisest course of action would be to continue paying attention to the window. From what has been said, we are about to witness Subaru-dono's journey through our world. Any questions that may arise can be answered when the proper moment arrives —Wilhelm intervened, his voice filled with firmness and profound respect.
 
"I suppose the old man is right". Anastasia nodded, leaning back in her chair. "We now understand the basis of their powers. We can continue watching without being so surprised by every flash".
 
Momo nodded solemnly. —Understood. For our part, any questions regarding our world will also be answered. Even if you wish to know more about the nature of our Quirks, we will explain everything in detail so that you can understand it better during the next break.
 
Everyone nodded, sealing the unspoken agreement that had formed between the two worlds. Curiosity and fascination with discovering new things about fantastical places united the entire room.

 
The window changed perspective, focusing on a white-haired man who covered the lower half of his face with his hands. The figure levitated in the air, supported by a grotesque amalgamation of multiple tentacles created by All For One.
 
"Our attacks are not doing anything to him...". Vlad King commented in a deep voice, glaring at the villain who towered imposingly over them.
 
"Unlike the original All For One, that thing does not fall for my illusions". Camie exclaimed, furrowing her brow in deep frustration.
 

"Is that All For One...?". Reinhard asked, without taking his sharp blue eyes away from the villain.
 
—It appears so... —Julius replied, scrutinizing the screen intensely. Upon seeing the chaos unfolding, the knight could not help remembering how he had fallen behind during the initial battle against the White Whale; witnessing such a critical situation once again awakened a bitter feeling of frustration within him because he could not draw his sword and help.
 
Anastasia furrowed her brow, fitting the pieces together in her mind. —But the girl just said that her illusion does not work on him, even though it worked on that All For One... What does that mean?
 
"Tch... It is because that damned scum cheated". Bakugo growled, fixing the villain on the screen with a gaze filled with pure hatred. "When I finished that bastard off in his original body, he took over the body of his damn student".
 
"¡¿What the hell...?!". Felt shouted, rising from her seat in complete shock. "What do you mean he took over someone else's body?".
 
Upon hearing the mention of possessing bodies, Beatrice immediately turned her head and glared at the eccentric clown in the back row. Roswaal, feeling the hostility directed at him, merely smiled condescendingly at the little spirit, causing Beatrice to furrow her brow even more deeply in disgust.
 
Deep down, the Margrave was profoundly impressed to discover that someone in another universe had also managed to transmigrate his soul into another vessel; a feat that not even his beloved teacher had managed to perfect.
 
However, there was one particular group that experienced a sudden and revolting memory. Within the minds of Julius, Ricardo, Mimi, Tivey, Felix and Wilhelm, the disgusting name of a Sin Archbishop echoed in unison.
 
«Petelgeuse...»
 
—It is a rather long and complicated story... —Nezu began, resuming his explanatory role—. But, to make it easier for you to understand, All For One's original body is already dead; young Bakugo personally took care of that.
 
Every gaze belonging to the guests from Lugunica immediately focused on the ash-blond boy who had previously claimed to have defeated the villain. They looked at him with a mixture of absolute surprise and profound respect for having been capable of eradicating the one who boasted of being the greatest threat in the world.
 
Aldebaran was the one staring at him most intensely. Although his brother from another world had told him privately that All For One was dead, having the person responsible for his downfall directly in front of him left him stunned, filling him with a silent feeling of gratitude.
 
"Well... so at least you do not just bark, idiot". Garfiel commented, using a slightly more respectful tone. Although his pride prevented him from admitting it aloud, knowing that the explosive boy had eliminated the monster who had supposedly caused his captain so much trouble forced him to recognize him as a worthy warrior.
 
—Tch... that shitty victory was not mine alone. All of us busted our backs to finish off that scum —Bakugo replied, crossing his arms and looking away in irritation—. And before I delivered the final blow, All Might was the one who weakened him as much as possible to make it easier.
 
All Might slowly shook his head, although a warm smile of pride appeared on his face as he acknowledged the immense change and maturity achieved by the Bakugo he had known at the beginning of their first school year.
 
—Do not diminish your own merit, young Bakugo. I never could have defeated All For One without all of you. And always remember that you were the one who saved me from dying.
 
Bakugo clicked his tongue, turning his gaze away from his idol. However, after hearing words of such magnitude and approval from the person he admired most, he could not prevent a small and haughty smile from appearing on his lips.
 
"Wait a moment... are you saying that you continued fighting even in that condition?". Otto asked, impressed but visibly concerned by the former blond hero's frail build.
 
—That is correct, young man. I could not afford to leave young Subaru and all my students who were fighting on the front lines by themselves —All Might nodded, his voice filled with heroic determination—. But all of it was possible thanks to the brilliance of my dear niece.
 
Melissa Shield smiled with her cheeks reddened by pride; her eyes became slightly misty upon hearing the praise of her beloved "uncle". Although her lack of a Quirk had taken away her dream of becoming a hero, knowing that her inventions had been crucial in helping All Might and Subaru gave her immeasurable satisfaction. Beside her, Momo wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a comforting embrace.
 
"And how exactly did the young woman help you fight in your condition, All Might-dono?". Crusch inquired with genuine curiosity. Felix, activating his instincts as a healer, narrowed his eyes at the blond man, more than ready to give him a severe scolding for his physical recklessness if the circumstances called for it.
 
—¡Ha! ¡It was simply spectacular! —Mei Hatsume shouted, leaping from her seat with a manic smile and giving All Might no time to answer—. ¡My senpai built a super-awesome baby for him!
 
"A... baby...?". Emilia murmured, turning as red as a tomato. The memories of her conversation with Subaru after their kiss in the Sanctuary regarding the baby she had believed she was carrying returned to deeply embarrass her.
 
"Hatsume, please, do not express it that way!". Melissa replied, agitated and deeply embarrassed by her fellow inventor's peculiar vocabulary. She coughed slightly to recover her professional composure before continuing. "It was a special project that my uncle Might secretly commissioned from me. We developed a combat suit that allowed him to fight All For One in close combat, using the most advanced support technology in the world".
 
—A suit of armor...? Are you referring to something similar to what the knights wear? —Tivey asked, adjusting his monocle with evident intrigue.
 
Meanwhile, Anastasia Hoshin was on the verge of hyperventilating. Hearing about unprecedented inventions and cutting-edge technology capable of restoring power to an injured warrior caused the gears in her merchant's mind to spin at full speed. She was already devising multiple plans to recruit both inventors without provoking an interdimensional war.
 
"I very much doubt that a suit of metal armor would be of any use to the heroic gentleman". Petra remarked, evaluating All Might's skeletal figure with a hint of skepticism.
 
"Oh, it is a very special suit of armor. If you wish, I can show you the blueprints and the prototype when we have a break. I believe I still have the files saved on my phone".
 
—¡¡¡YES!!! —Anastasia shouted, rising abruptly from her seat. Upon becoming aware of her rather undignified impulse, she sat down again, smiling with charming embarrassment—. I mean... we would find your offer to show us the technology you speak of very appealing.
 
Julius suppressed a resigned sigh beside her at his lady's behavior, although he could not deny that her overflowing enthusiasm was endearing.
 
—Now that the matter has been clarified, let us return to the previous subject —Nezu said, drawing the room's attention once again and clapping his little paws together—. To summarize, All For One forced his consciousness into his apprentice, whose name was Shigaraki. Natsuki-kun had been fighting him fiercely all this time, until All For One took complete control of his body.
 
—Indeed, stealing the bodies of one's own disciples or descendants is something only truly pathetic people would do, I suppose —Beatrice declared, crossing her arms without directly addressing anyone.
 
"Fufufufu...! I am veeeeeery much in agreement with you, Beatrice". Roswaal commented without ceasing to smile. Although a faint and painful jolt struck his heart at the absolute rejection of the person he had once considered a sister.
 
"I see... thank you very much for the explanation, mister...". Crusch stopped, hesitating. She did not wish to disrespect the animal wearing formal attire, but she did not know exactly what to call him.
 
Nezu noticed her predicament and quickly responded, but not before letting out a melodious and amused laugh.
 
—My name is Nezu. The same one who might be a bear? A mouse? A dog? ¡Who knows! But my true identity is... being the principal of U.A. Academy.
 
Everyone present stared intently at the little animal for several long seconds. Each and every inhabitant of Lugunica wondered internally how such a cute and tiny creature could be the highest authority of a hero academy.
 
"Thank you, Nezu-san". Crusch said gratefully and with complete elegance, pleased to know his name.
 
—¡Damn it! ¡Shut your mouths and let us watch the damn fight, you pair of idiots! —Mirko roared, fed up with so many interruptions. The rabbit heroine only wanted to lean back and watch her favorite student beat the living daylights out of that scum once again.

 
"Then, clear a path...". Aizawa's firm and authoritative voice echoed through the communicators of every hero on the battlefield. Cementoss and Mawata Fuwa quickly brought a hand to their earpieces so they could hear clearly. "¡¡¡CLEAR A PATH TO SHIGARAKI!!!". Eraserhead shouted desperately, and everyone understood the implicit order perfectly.

 
—Oh... this is my favorite part —Mina squealed, bouncing excitedly. She remembered the villain's fall with astonishing clarity; in fact, she had replayed the poor-quality videos of that moment hundreds of times on her phone.
 
"I see...". Priscilla murmured to herself, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "The plan of these commoners is to clear a path for my jester so that he can be the one to defeat the scum. Interesting". The proud matriarch shifted her gaze between the sleeping boy and the hero on the screen, forming a sharp and intrigued smile. "Let us see whether you are truly worthy of standing at my level, commoner".
 
"It is about to begin...". Naoko whispered, tightly squeezing the hand of her sleeping son. Emilia, Rem and Beatrice heard the woman; all three fixed their eyes on the screen, their hearts constricted with concern for Subaru, yet burning with unshakable anticipation.

"Release all the factors... It is not a simple attack meant to turn myself into a colossal abomination, nor to satisfy a whim". After saying that, the screen showed how the villain's body began to deform grotesquely, just as it had during his fight with Bakugo. "It is so that you understand how I can manipulate my powers to destroy you". In a matter of seconds, flesh and metal seemed to merge until they formed a gigantic cannon of pure light. "¡No matter how many of you there are, you will all die anyway!".

 
—¡What the hell...! —Ricardo exclaimed, his jaw tense and his eyes wide open, sharing the disbelief of the vast majority in the theater—. ¡You had to fight against that shit?!
 
"Bakugo-san. Those memories are from your fight, aren't they?". Otto asked, his voice trembling and cold sweat running down his forehead. Just imagining himself standing before such a monstrosity made him feel as though his legs would give out.
 
Bakugo clicked his tongue and frowned with profound irritation. —That damn idiot thought he would win if he used all his damn Quirks against me.
 
"¿All of his Quirks...? ¿He had more than one?". Reinhard asked, his body tense and his gaze fixed on the screen. It seemed as though the other world insisted on showing him his own nature; in his eyes, that villain was a monster with multiple powers, a twisted reflection of what he thought of himself.
 
—You're right, redhead —Hawks replied, leaning back in his seat with a relaxed attitude that did not reach his eyes—. All For One's Quirk allows him to steal other people's Quirks. In the end... that idiot stole mine too.
 
Tokoyami lowered his gaze, clenching his fists over his knees as he felt guilt gnawing at him once again. All For One had tried to steal his Quirk, but his mentor had sacrificed himself to protect him. Sensing the emotional turmoil of his host, Dark Shadow gently materialized and rested a claw on his shoulder in a gesture of silent comfort.
 
—I'm so sorry —Emilia apologized in a sorrowful voice, briefly looking away from the screen to gaze at the hero. Although she barely knew that man, she felt deep within her heart that everything he had suffered was profoundly unfair.
 
Hawks waved a hand through the air, dismissing it with a lazy smile. —It's not a big deal. In the end, I've already gotten used to walking instead of flying.
 
Both Crusch and Reinhard, thanks to their respective Divine Protections, immediately sensed the bitter lie hidden within the hero's words, but out of solemn respect for his sacrifice, they decided to remain silent.
 
—Old Man Wil... ¿doesn't this battle of Subaru-kyun's remind you of the White Whale, nya?
 
The old swordsman's eyes immediately hardened, a sharp gleam crossing his gaze as he remembered the beast of the mist that had taken his beloved wife from him. However, he quickly dispelled his hostility, forcing himself to remember that the monster had finally been eradicated.
 
"I admit that it bears a certain resemblance. The powers that man displays are terrifying, but I must say that the Whale did not possess enough intelligence to weave plans as elaborate as the ones he demonstrates". Wilhelm admitted, watching the screen with scrutinizing intensity.
 
—¿Are you saying that their situation is much worse than the one we faced, nya? —Felix asked, swallowing hard, extremely intrigued and frightened by the experienced warrior's answer.
 
Wilhelm remained silent for a couple of seconds, weighing his words. —Ranking the brutality of one battle above another would be disrespectful to the brave warriors who lost their lives in both, Felix-dono. But if there is one thing I can say with certainty... —the old man paused, profound respect evident in his voice—. We have witnessed Subaru-dono's strength up close; we know that he possesses a special power, capable of confronting any enemy with dignity and courage. If even with that power he was cornered like this by that villain, I must assume that they witnessed a battle without precedent in the history of their world.
 
Felix swallowed heavily, feeling a knot in his throat. The mere memory of the slaughter against Sloth and the White Whale still gave him nightmares. The thought that those young people had been drawn into an even more desperate war filled the demihuman healer with profound panic.

 
On the screen, the tension erupted. All For One not only fired a devastating beam of light, but also unleashed an overwhelming barrage of direct attacks, all converging with murderous intent toward Subaru.
 

—¡¡¡Subaru!!!/¡¡¡Subaru-kun!!! —Emilia and Rem shouted in unison, moving to the edges of their seats, their hearts pounding wildly with terror. Beatrice clung more tightly to the arm of the sleeping Subaru beside her, trying to calm her own anxiety. Petra did the same, hiding her face in Frederica's apron as she embraced her while trembling.
 
The rest of Lugunica's inhabitants kept their eyes glued to the projection, holding their breath, unable to look away from the abyss of that battle for even a single second.
 
Amid the tension, Toru smiled joyfully as she remembered her crucial intervention in the downfall of the most dangerous villain in the world. The girls from her class around her gave her looks filled with genuine pride, causing the usually invisible young woman to return a radiant smile of gratitude.

 
"¡Hagakure!" Subaru shouted on the screen, his face twisted in shock as he watched his classmate manage to deflect the deadly laser beam with her own body.
 
"¡I'll handle the beams of light... you keep going!". Toru shouted, wearing a wild and determined smile. At that precise moment, as Subaru resumed his charge forward, a colossal metal cannon emerged from one side of the battlefield.
 
"¡Railgun...!". Momo exclaimed after materializing the weapon with her Quirk, watching Subaru run as his astonished gaze shifted between her and the imposing artillery. "¡FIRE!".
 
"¡Yayyyy!". Kaminari shouted, holding the cannon's thick conductive cables with his characteristic goofy smile, releasing absolutely all of his electrical power to grant the machine devastating force.

The young heroes' combined attack cut through the air directly toward All For One. However, the villain stopped it with one hand, without displaying the slightest effort.

 
—M-Miss Hagakure... ¿How powerful are you to be able to stop such an attack? —Tivey asked, his eyes wide behind his monocle and his voice trembling.
 
Everyone in the theater immediately turned to look at the radiant, multicolored-haired girl. Some were shocked; others, completely intrigued. The most affected were the civilians and noncombatants; after witnessing the destructive power of those laser beams, they knew perfectly well that they would not have even the slightest chance of surviving if they were struck by a single one.
 
Even experienced warriors such as Ricardo, Garfiel, Julius, Al and Wilhelm displayed genuine astonishment. Reinhard, for his part, recognized the magnitude of that power; although he himself was stronger thanks to his multiple Divine Protections, the courage she had displayed never ceased to impress him deeply.
 
"W-well... I...".
 
—¡Our girl is amazing! —Mina shouted, jumping out of her seat and waving her arms with overflowing excitement—. ¡Look at how she deflected the beam as if it were nothing...! ¡Toru is the best!
 
"M-Mina... that's enough, it wasn't that impressive". The girl whispered, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. It was already intimidating enough that the Guardian of the room kept her visible at all times —which was why she had preferred to speak very little in order to avoid drawing attention—, and now, with her at the center of everyone's gaze, her nerves threatened to betray her. Despite her outgoing attitude, Toru was quite shy when people could actually see her.
 
—Mina is right, Toru-chan, kero... —Asui stated with her usual calmness and confidence—. You were a great help to Subaru-chan. Not just anyone would have possessed the reflexes or the courage to defend him from such a devastating attack.
 
"Ashido and Asui are absolutely right, Hagakure". Aizawa nodded from the back row, adjusting himself in his seat. The teacher would never allow his students to diminish their own accomplishments, especially not in front of a foreign audience. "You should be proud of your achievements. As Asui said, not just anyone would have leaped in to help Natsuki the way you did".
 
—Hagakure-dono... —the old Wilhelm interjected, drawing the blushing heroine's attention with an exceedingly respectful tone—. You have more than earned every compliment you are receiving. Your actions on that screen demonstrate unbreakable courage and willpower.
 
"¡No... it really wasn't that impressive!". The girl exclaimed, frantically waving her hands in front of her visible face. "My Quirk only allows me to refract the light that passes through my body. Thanks to it, I can become invisible, and that was the only reason I managed to deflect the laser beam, not because of physical strength".
 
—I see... —Crusch murmured, analyzing the tactical nature of her ability and considering it a formidably versatile Quirk for espionage and support—. Even so, if I may say so, regardless of whether your power made it easier to deflect the attack, exceptional courage is required to place oneself in the line of fire for another person. That makes you admirable.
 
"Yes, Toru...". Uraraka nodded, looking at her with a smile filled with sincere affection. "Your actions were amazing. With your help, they managed to defeat All For One, and you also saved Deku-kun. You're an incredible hero".
 
"I...". Toru, seeing how the vast majority of the room —including warriors from another world whom she had never seen before in her life— smiled at her with nothing but respect and kindness, lowered her guard slightly. A shy smile, yet one tinged with profound pride, appeared on her lips. "I think I did well...".
 
—You did wonderfully, Toru-chan. I am completely certain that my son thought the same thing at that moment —Naoko said, offering her one of her warmest, most maternal smiles—. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for protecting my son.
 
"You have nothing to thank me for, Natsuki-san; it was your son who saved all of us from that monster". Hagakure replied, returning the woman's smile. The matriarch nodded gently, gazing with immense affection at Subaru's brave friend.
 
"¡And who the hell brought such a damn huge cannon to a fight?!". Felt suddenly asked, breaking the warm atmosphere with her usual lack of tact.
 
The youngest candidate shifted her gaze between the blond boy with an idiotic expression and the beautiful black-haired girl with a refined bearing. Like many others in the room, Felt felt that she understood less and less about the absurd physical laws of the other world.
 
Momo discreetly cleared her throat. With the impeccable elegance that characterized her, she addressed the little thief turned candidate, using a firm and clear tone of voice so that everyone else could hear her as well.
 
—It was thanks to my Quirk, "Creation". I possess the ability to create any inanimate object from the lipids in my body, as long as I understand its molecular structure perfectly. Thanks to rigorous training and hours of study, I am capable of materializing a heavy artillery weapon from scratch.
 
"J-Julius-kun...". Anastasia called out to her knight, her turquoise eyes shining with greedy intensity as her body trembled with pure commercial ambition. "Please, Julius-kun, ¿tell me whether there is a way to kidnap three girls without causing an interdimensional war or the absolute destruction of both worlds...?".
 
—Yes, of course, Lady Anastasia. If you wish, I can formulate a plan to... wait, ¡What?! —Julius's eyes widened, losing all of his composure as he processed his lady's outrageous declaration. Cold sweat ran down his back as he envisioned an apocalyptic-scale war unleashed solely because of the young woman from Kararagi's insatiable commercial ambition.
 
—¡And thanks to my incredible Quirk, "Electrification"! I can generate and channel electricity at will. I know... ¡I'm amazing! —Kaminari declared, leaping to his feet, displaying a proud smile and placing both hands on his waist in a heroic pose.
 
"Kaminari, I think you forgot to mention that if you exceed your voltage limit, your own brain short-circuits and leaves you completely stupid for quite a while". Todoroki clarified, without a trace of mockery and with the merciless seriousness that always characterized him.
 
—¡¡¡¿Could you shut the hell up for once, Todoroki?!!! —the electric blond shouted, red with embarrassment as almost the entire theater burst into laughter at his expense. Todoroki merely blinked a couple of times, genuinely confused, unable to understand why they were laughing when he had only provided truthful information.
 
Kaminari let out a pitiful sigh; he felt as though the universe were conspiring to ruin his opportunities to impress the beautiful and exotic girls from that new world.
 
—Woooow~... so that young man is capable of controlling the power of lightning at will, how fascinating and overwhelmingly impressive~... —Roswaal's melodious and extravagant words caused a spark of hope to return to Kaminari's chest.
 
"I suppose it is impressive, in fact". Reluctantly, Beatrice crossed her arms, feeling compelled to agree with the magician dressed as a clown. "There are no records in the history of our world of a single individual who has mastered that magical element with his body in such a manner, in fact".
 
—¿That means I'm amazing, right? —Kaminari's smile widened as he imagined that he would be revered as a god of thunder in the fantasy world.
 
"Hey Kaminari, don't even try, you're embarrassing". Shinso cut him off, using his usual tired and bored tone as he rested his face on his hand. "You're not going to impress any of the girls from the other world by acting like that. Look at them... they aren't even paying attention to you".
 
Indeed, when he turned around, Kaminari noticed that all the girls from the other world, after Beatrice's explanation, had returned their full attention to the gigantic screen, monumentally ignoring him. The blond collapsed face-first into his seat, feeling utterly defeated.

 
"You insolent brat...". All For One said, shielding himself behind his barrier as he drastically changed strategies, mutating his arms into a nightmare of sharp whips and deadly spikes that swept across the terrain.
 
"¡Stop hurting them!". Subaru roared, raising his fist, prepared to intercept the barrage of attacks and shatter it with his punch. However, in the blink of an eye, the rest of the students who were still standing leaped in front of him, forming a human barrier to intercept the blows. Sero, Sato, Ojiro, Ibara, Koda, Shishida and Sen Kaibara stood their ground, receiving the brutal impact.
 
"¡You're completely worn out! ¡Save your strength!". Ojiro shouted, blocking a whip strike with his sturdy martial tail.
 
"¡You're the only one among us who can reach him!". Subaru's dark eyes widened in shock as he watched all his classmates sacrifice themselves to open a path for him. "¡We'll defend you!".
 

—But... but all of you will take those blows... —Petra murmured, bringing her small hands to her face, horrified by the level of violence she was witnessing—. You cannot let them hurt you like that.
 
Frederica smiled gently at her, stroking the girl's head, although the demihuman's sharp eyes also betrayed her profound concern. —Don't worry, Petra-chan... they're strong. They'll be all right.
 
"We had to do it...". Sato answered from his seat, maintaining a firm and proud gaze as he remembered the burning pain of that battle. "Natsuki-san could not afford to waste what little strength remained in his body. He was the only person on that battlefield with enough power to finish All For One".
 
—¿So Subaru-kun truly managed to defeat that villain, right? —Rem asked, clutching the fabric of her skirt. The blue-haired oni could barely think clearly as she watched the young man she loved fighting in such critical condition. That degree of sacrifice vividly reminded her of the day in the mabeast forest, the day when she had fallen hopelessly in love with him.
 
But despite the piercing pain of seeing him injured, Rem felt her chest swell with devotion. She knew that Subaru was a hero, her hero, but seeing him fight side by side with warriors from another world and being acknowledged as their greatest hope filled her heart with even deeper love.
 
A smile filled with humble pride appeared on Ojiro's face. —Natsuki has never told you anything about this battle, so I believe the fairest and most exciting thing would be for you to witness the outcome with your own eyes.
 
In the front-row seats, Emilia and Beatrice intertwined their hands with Subaru's, who remained peacefully asleep and oblivious to the commotion. Both of them were sick with worry, but a spark of excitement and profound admiration shone in their pupils as they watched the foolish yet courageous boy they loved act like a true pillar of hope.
 
The entire theater was on the edge of its seat. Even the heroes and students who had survived that hell held their breath. Now everyone would witness Subaru's epic final charge and the imminent fate of their world's Demon King.
 

"¡¡¡Let's go!!!". Both of them shouted, and the screen briefly split to show how that vicious struggle was being televised and watched by millions of spectators sheltered inside bunkers throughout the entire planet.
 
The image returned to the chaos, focusing on Tsuyu using her powerful tongue and Shoji deploying his sturdy tentacle arms, both of them grabbing Subaru around the waist and catapulting him at full speed toward the villain so that he could avoid the sea of spikes covering the ground.
 
The scene changed once again to a civilian bunker packed with terrified people.
 
"¡Mom, that's my big sister! ¡Dad, that's my big sister!". Tsuyu's little sister exclaimed, frantically pointing at the monitor.
 
"¡Tsuyu!". Ganma, the frog heroine's father, shouted with a broken voice. Beru, her mother, was paralyzed with shock, gripping her husband's hand as though her life depended on it.
 
"¡You can do it!". Her younger brother shouted, pressed against the glass.
 
"¡Big sister!". The youngest one shrieked, tears in her eyes.
 

—And to think that all of that was being broadcast live and watched by your entire world... —Otto commented, not daring to look away from the screen as chills ran down his body—. I do not even want to imagine the panic your parents must have felt while watching you in that hell, Miss Tsuyu.
 
"They must have been extremely worried, just like the families of everyone else". Emilia stated, bringing both hands to her chest and empathizing deeply with the pain of those parents who had watched their children walk toward almost certain death.
 
"They were very frightened, kero". Asui confirmed, reliving the moment as she saw her family's exact reactions inside that shelter for the first time. A single, solitary tear managed to escape from her large dark eyes.
 
Uraraka noticed the damp trail and immediately leaned over to embrace her friend tightly. Merely imagining her own parents in front of the television that day, watching her bleed during her battle against Toga, made her feel as though her heart were shattering into a thousand pieces.
 
—Shit... ¿Are all of your fights really this intense and fucked up, my friend? —Ricardo asked, releasing a heavy whistle. His genuine question arose not only from the display of absurd destructive power, but also from the suffocating weight of what losing that battle would mean.
 
Hawks, losing his relaxed facade for a moment, understood the deeper meaning behind the beastman's question perfectly. —As was already mentioned, that was our final line of defense. Natsuki was, literally, the final bullet we had left in the chamber to win that war. If he fell there and All For One survived, the entire world would go straight to hell.
 
"¡Come on, Little Boss, kick that monster's ugly butt!". The little Mimi suddenly shouted, jumping onto the cushion of her seat, throwing punches through the air with her tiny hands and slightly breaking the grim tension in the room.
 
However, several seats away, Reinhard shuddered almost imperceptibly upon hearing the word "Monster". Seeing All For One, a walking calamity who possessed multiple stolen Quirks that defied human logic, felt painfully familiar to him. A monster with multiple inhuman powers, the strongest Sword Saint thought, lowering his gaze toward his own hands as he felt self-loathing burn inside him.
 

The screen once again illuminated the faces of the civilians. This time, the camera inside the bunker briefly focused on a tall young woman who immediately recognized Shoji when she saw him fighting the spikes in the foreground.
 
—Shoji-kun... —the girl whispered, staring at the screen in complete shock as she joined her hands in a silent prayer—. You can do it, Shoji-kun...
 

"¿Did you know her, Shoji?". Koda asked him, visibly surprised; in all their years of friendship, he had never heard him speak about that girl.
 
Shoji nodded, and although his mouth was covered by the mask, his eyes reflected a warm and nostalgic smile. —She is... an old friend from my village.
 

"Our current mobility is not enough to evade so many attacks...". Shoji said on the battlefield, gritting his teeth beneath his mask as he dodged dozens of black blades through pure instinct.
 
"But we can still carry you a little farther". Asui continued, remaining unshaken despite the chaos. At that tense moment, taking advantage of the momentum from their evasive movement, both Shoji and Tsuyu used all the strength in their limbs to launch Subaru forward, catapulting him directly toward the villain's epicenter.
 
"¡¡¡Go!!!". Both mutant heroes shouted in unison, entrusting their hopes to that throw.
 
"¡Shoji-kun! ¡Tsuyu-chan!". Subaru shouted while looking toward his classmates. He landed but had no time to react, as a tentacle attack was heading straight for him.
 

—¡Shit...! If things continue at this pace, sooner or later he will take a blow that knocks him out of the fight... —Al growled, scratching his metal helmet in evident frustration—. That damned piece of scum does not stop attacking for even a single fucking second.
 
"I suppose the others are doing a decent job protecting my contractor, in fact". Beatrice stated, trying to sound arrogant, but her small face turned deathly serious as she analyzed their disadvantage. "But if they continue taking punishment like that, they will not be able to endure much longer, in fact".
 
"¡Ha! My divine self accepts that the commoners are putting on a worthy spectacle". Priscilla declared, elegantly fanning herself as she watched the slaughter with an arrogant yet strangely satisfied smile. "But the spirit is correct, they are only delaying the inevitable. If the commoner does not make a move soon, he will never obtain the opening he needs for the finishing blow".
 
—I believe you are gravely underestimating the young people, miss —Endeavor replied from the other side of the room, his arms crossed and a fiery, severe gaze fixed on the screen—. Although they may appear to be mere children to you, they have lived through hellish experiences that have forged them and made them stronger with every passing day. If they put their minds to it, they can withstand that and far more. You will see it for yourself.
 
The Fire Baroness stopped moving her fan and evaluated the Number One Hero with narrowed eyes. She observed the firm, imposing and utterly confident posture of the enormous man engulfed in flames, a bearing that demanded respect. Curiously, rather than becoming enraged by his response, it caused Priscilla to smile with greater interest before returning her attention to the screen.
 
"Seems like the arrogant bitch is softer today, don't you think, Rein?". Felt asked her knight in a not-at-all-discreet whisper, raising an eyebrow. She felt as though the world were going straight to hell if she was witnessing Priscilla Barielle accept a correction without threatening to decapitate someone.
 
—I would greatly appreciate it if you did not openly insult another royal candidate, Felt-sama —the redhead sighed, causing his lady to roll her eyes at the familiar reprimand—. But I must admit that you are correct. I had never seen Priscilla-sama behave in such a... receptive manner.
 
"We're all screwed if that's the kindest that woman can possibly be". Felt replied with utter disdain, crossing her arms and imagining that, if that was her being understanding, then she must be absolutely unbearable on a bad day.
 
Far from the trivial discussion, the silver-haired girl tightly shut her eyes.
 
—My knight... —Emilia whispered, her heart beating forcefully. Of course, Subaru was deeply asleep beside her, and she was tightly holding his warm hand to anchor herself to reality; but the anguish of seeing her knight so badly injured and on the verge of death on that screen prevented her from finding any comfort—. Please, you can do it...

"With guts!". Kirishima shouted, throwing himself into the attack's path with his body hardened to the maximum to stop the devastating strike heading straight toward Subaru.
 
—¡Eijiro! ¡Mina! —some students shouted, their hearts in their throats as they recognized their former classmates on the screen.
 
Kirishima, Mina, and Fatgum were holding back All for One's enormous and threatening tentacle as best they could. Their feet dragged across the ground, raising thick clouds of dust from the brutal friction.
 
"You can do it!". Kirishima gritted his teeth, enduring the immense pressure of the impact without giving up a single inch.
 
—We can do it! —Mina gave Subaru a smile overflowing with confidence, refusing to show fear despite the danger.
 
Upon seeing his friends' unbreakable determination, Subaru found strength where he had none left. He rose to his feet once again, clenched his fists, and resumed his run, shouting with all his soul: —¡YES!
 

—Shit, that was awesome, redhead —Garfiel declared, slamming his fists together with a savage smile that exposed his fangs—. My amazing self admits that you're strong.
 
"¡Ha! Thanks, brother". Kirishima nodded, giving him a proud smile from his seat. "We couldn't leave Natsubro alone against that monster. It isn't manly to abandon a friend in the middle of a battle".
 
—Great... I like you, weird hair. Unlike the idiot sitting next to you.
 
"I'll kick your ass the moment I get the chance, extra". Bakugo growled, glaring at the half-beast with his intense scarlet eyes. Garfiel held his gaze and answered with a guttural growl that practically said: «Whenever you want, asshole».
 
—Hey, pink girl... —Ram gave her a curious look mixed with a hint of revulsion—. ¿What is that disgusting stuff covering your body?
 
"¡Hey, it isn't disgusting!". Mina protested, puffing out her cheeks in pure indignation. "That's my Quirk, 'Acid'. I can create and manipulate it however I want. On that occasion, I was using it over my skin like armor".
 
—Acid... damn, I don't even want to imagine what it would feel like to have that girl burn you... —Al shuddered beneath his metal helmet at the thought. In the movies from his world, the mafia often tortured people by melting them with acid, and it definitely wasn't a pretty sight.
 
"The variety of abilities in your world is fascinating". Tivey stated, adjusting his monocle as he became increasingly intrigued. "You practically have a power for every imaginable situation...".
 
—Don't think of it as something so great, kid. The abilities you're seeing on the screen belong to professional heroes or aspiring ones. There are plenty of Quirks out there that are completely useless —Hawks replied, resting his face on his hand with a certain disdain.
 
"¡Ha! I once met an idiot whose Quirk was farting gases that smelled like flowers". Mirko laughed loudly, slapping her thigh as she remembered the useless power.
 
—Well... that is surprisingly pathetic —Anastasia commented, fanning herself with a slight grimace of disgust.
 
"Look on the bright side, boss. If the chief had that amazing power, none of us would suffer during long journeys". Mimi replied with a mischievous giggle, pointing at Ricardo.
 
—¡Ha, ha, ha...! ¡I already told you that happened because I ate something that had gone bad! —the large wolfman defended himself, scratching the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.
 
"Or because of what you eat every day, Ricardo". Julius corrected, sighing with a noticeable twitch in his eye at his companions' lack of decorum.
 
Ignoring the amusing but disgusting conversation in the background, Rem kept her hands clasped over her chest, her worried gaze fixed on the screen. —Subaru-kun is pushing himself too hard... He looks exhausted...
 
"Daddy won't give up for anything in the world". Eri intervened, clenching her little fists with absolute certainty. "Daddy is the greatest hero of all. He always wins so he can help everyone else".
 
—Yes... I completely agree with you, little one —Rem nodded. She gave her an incredibly sweet and affectionate smile, although it was tinged with a certain shyness toward her beloved's young adopted daughter—. Subaru-kun never gives up. He's amazing.
 
"See it for yourself, young lady". All Might commented, looking at her with a warm smile overflowing with pride. "The courage, strength, and unbreakable determination of a boy with an enormous heart of gold. He is the greatest hero among all of us".
 
Emilia, Rem, Beatrice, Otto, Garfiel, Felt, and Reinhard heard the Symbol of Peace's words with perfect clarity. They knew Subaru and knew about the miracles he had performed for Lugunica; but seeing him there, carrying the weight of a world filled with beings who possessed superhuman powers upon his shoulders, filled them with immense surprise and pride for the boy who was now resting, peacefully asleep, in the center of the room.

 
"Connect to me, Earphone Jack!". Present Mic ran toward the impact zone, closely followed by Jiro.
 
"¡Yes!". Without hesitating for even a second, Jiro extended the jacks from her earlobes and connected them directly to the directional amplifiers on the vocal hero's gauntlets.
 
"¡It's showtime!". With his full-throated roar, a devastating sound wave tore across the battlefield, colliding brutally with All for One's frontal attack.
 
"¡You can do it, Natsuki!". Jiro shouted with tears of exertion in her eyes, while Present Mic panted as he searched for air. Subaru gritted his teeth, his gaze shone with pure tenacity, and he continued running forward without hesitation.
 

—Let me guess... ¿That man has the ability to launch powerful blasts of air from his mouth? —Otto asked, analyzing the situation and addressing the visitors from the other world.
 
"Close, but no. Mic's Quirk works through sound waves. He can amplify the volume of his voice until it becomes a devastating physical attack". Aizawa explained in his usual monotonous tone for the rest of the cast.
 
—And with the help of my Quirk, that power was multiplied to extreme levels —Jiro continued, wrapping one of her connectors slightly around her finger—. My earlobes are cables that I can plug into walls, floors, or other objects. That allows me to hear vibrations, detect people, or predict movements from long distances.
 
The revelation left many of Lugunica's strategists astonished. For reconnaissance or infiltration missions, it was an invaluable ability. But Jiro had not finished her explanation yet.
 
—Additionally, I can transmit my own heartbeat through the connectors to generate shock waves. In this case, I used it to intensify the frequency of Present Mic's attack and make it much stronger.
 
"¡Damn, girl...! Your power is awesome, and combined with the loud guy's, it's even better". Ricardo stated, wearing his usual enthusiastic smile and baring his teeth.
 
—W-well... thanks, I guess —Jiro answered, looking away shyly and nervously playing with her earphone jacks, as she wasn't accustomed to receiving so many direct compliments.

 
On the screen, a surprise attack descended from above, heading straight toward Subaru. However, it was intercepted head-on by the enormous enlarged fists of an orange-haired girl: Kendo, the president of Class 1-B.
 
Almost immediately, Tetsutetsu, also from Class 1-B, grabbed another of the deadly tentacles with all his strength and, with a shout of pure metallic adrenaline, diverted it away from the honorary green-haired boy's path.
 
Two more tentacles were stuck to the ground, completely useless, trapped by a grotesque number of extremely sticky purple spheres. The shot changed to show Mineta, panting in exhaustion. But he had no time to celebrate his feat; another tentacle grazed him, sending him flying violently through the air.
 
"Mineta-kun...". Subaru murmured in the projection, watching his classmate being hurled away.
 
"¡Go, Natsuki!". Mineta shouted as he rolled painfully through the rubble, without losing the conviction in his voice.
 

—Everything looks terrible... —Julius clenched his fists over his knees, watching as the mass of tentacles cornered the heroes—. There are too many simultaneous attacks. It's obvious that those heroes are no longer in any condition to continue fighting.
 
"¡Ha! It seems that crying dwarf isn't as useless as he looks". Ram commented, slightly surprised by the boy with the spheres' stoic sacrifice.
 
—¡Right?! You think I'm amazing, don't you? —an extremely mischievous and perverted smile quickly appeared on Mineta's face—. You know... if you'd like, later we could...
 
"Die". Ram interrupted him, sharp and cold as a blade of wind. She only needed to see the lecherous expression on the boy's face to instantly deduce his filthy intentions.
 
—Ouch, buddy. Everything epic about you on the screen was destroyed in a single second —Sero mocked, giving Mineta compassionate pats on the back.
 
"¡Why, Sero...?! ¡Why do the pretty and sexy girls always reject me?!". Mineta whined, collapsing comically into his seat while anime-style tears poured from his eyes like waterfalls.
 
—You should be grateful that she only told you that, Mineta-san —Otto replied, remembering the boy's name because Subaru had shouted it on the screen—. Garf has tried to flirt with Ram countless times, and he always ends up receiving a brutal physical and verbal beating.
 
—¡Tch! ¡You shouldn't go around telling strangers those things, Brotto! —Garfiel complained. It wasn't that he disliked the people from the other world; it was simply pure panic at the thought of his embarrassing history of romantic rejection being exposed.
 
"Nee-sama is very kind deep down, Garfiel-kun. I'm certain she hits you with a great deal of affection". Rem added, nodding with innocent firmness.
 
—Yes, well... that affection hurts, Rem... it hurts a lot —Garfiel murmured, rubbing his head as he felt a phantom pain travel through his skull.
 
"¡Ha! You turned out to be a rejected loser of an extra". Bakugo mocked with an arrogant smile. The hostility between the two blondes remained intact, regardless of the subject of conversation.
 
—Don't think so highly of yourself, explosion hair. I'm sure things go much worse for you in love with that shitty attitude of yours —Garfiel growled, baring his fangs and glaring at him.
 
"As if I cared about that stupid love crap". Bakugo crossed his arms, snorting with absolute disdain.
 
—¿Are you sure, Bakubro? ¿Aren't you going to tell them about your flirting with the Shiketsu girl? —Kirishima blurted out with complete innocence.
 
"¡What the hell are you talking about, shitty hair?!". Bakugo exploded, turning toward Kirishima as small explosions crackled threateningly in his palms.
 
—Oh, ¿so you have a girlfriend, Bakugo-san? —Otto asked with a genuinely amused smile. It felt incredibly refreshing to be the one doing the teasing for once instead of being the center of the jokes.
 
—Lucky bastard... —Garfiel whispered, clenching his fists. He felt his pride being shattered into pieces. His new sworn enemy surpassed him in the romantic field; it was an unforgivable offense against his incredible self.
 
Ignoring Bakugo's rage, Kirishima spoke to Otto and Garfiel. "You saw the girl who appeared earlier, the one with the illusions". Both Otto and an irritated Garfiel nodded. "Well, that girl seems to be Bakugo's future wife".
 
—Well, Bakugo-san. That girl seemed very pretty, you have good taste —Otto said sincerely.
 
"Lucky bastard". Garfiel grumbled with his fists clenched and his pride on the floor.
 
"¡What nonsense...! ¡Who the hell told you that lie, Kirishima?!".
 
—I thought you knew... Natsubro was going around telling everyone that the two of you were dating, that was right before you went to your internships with Endeavor —Kirishima replied, shrugging with complete naturalness.
 
"D-Deku...". The armrest of Bakugo's seat creaked ominously as the ash-blond boy fixed a murderous glare on his peacefully sleeping friend. «This was your damn revenge for all the times I teased you about Round Face, Ponytail, and the Alien Antennae... You'll pay for this, damn nerd».
 

"What...? But they already look like corpses... ¿Why don't they simply die?". All for One's deep, cold, and terrifying voice echoed from the speakers. The villain watched intently as the heroes destroyed their own bodies to protect Subaru. "They practically can't even remain standing. But their eyes...".
 
The screen froze for a second, focusing on Jiro and Present Mic's fierce and indomitable gazes, before switching to a badly injured Mineta on the ground, whose eyes still burned with an unbreakable light. "Their gazes...".
 
«¡It was a mistake for such power to fall into the hands of a useless fool!». The broadcast showed a brief and sinister flashback: Subaru lying on the ground, surrounded by a strange and heavy mist, his eyes bulging with despair.
 
"Of course... It's Natsuki".

 
—¿What was that? ¿Why was Subaru trapped in the middle of that strange dark mist? —Emilia asked, bringing her hands to her chest as a sudden and profound concern overtook her.
 
"I don't know... We never saw Deku-kun in a situation like that". Ochaco replied, sharing the same anguish. She instinctively looked toward Nejire and Momo in the hope that one of them knew something, but both slowly shook their heads, equally confused and tense.
 
—It appears to have been an earlier encounter with that All for One —Reinhard, the Sword Saint, deduced without taking his sharp blue eyes away from the screen—. Perhaps it happened during a previous battle that none of us witnessed.
 
"That's impossible". Endeavor declared, crossing his arms with a severe expression. "Deku and All for One never crossed paths before the war. All Might defeated him years ago and also had him imprisoned in Tartarus under maximum security. There was no possible way for them to know each other".
 
—Furthermore, Natsuki-kun would have informed us immediately if he had made any contact with society's number one enemy —Nezu stated, stroking his chin as he failed to fully understand the situation. However, a far-fetched theory was already beginning to take shape within the principal's brilliant mind.
 
At the other end, Naoko felt deeply worried and, at the same time, disappointed in herself. She was seeing that her son had faced that villain before without her, his own mother, knowing absolutely anything about it.
 
—All Might... ¿do you know when this happened? —Naoko asked with a trembling voice, looking at the only man who seemed to have the answers.
 
All Might stared at the screen with extreme intensity. He knew Subaru had never encountered All for One before the great war. He himself had crushed the villain. However, the dark and misty space they had just shown felt disturbingly familiar. Furthermore, he noticed fleeting details: they were not alone. Shigaraki was there, and near Subaru, two people could be distinguished, one of them wearing a distinctive pair of boots... Toshinori's eyes suddenly widened as he understood what was happening to his successor.
 
—The core of One for All... —All Might murmured aloud, causing absolute silence to fall over the heroes and the guests from Lugunica. Everyone turned to look at him, filled with confusion.
 
"One for All... All Might, ¿are you suggesting that...?". Bakugo's eyes widened, all his anger vanishing at the sudden revelation.
 
—That's right, young Bakugo.
 
"Excuse me, All Might". Al spoke, raising his only hand with all the respect a man like him could show his childhood idol. "Our Bro told us that his Quirk was called 'One for All'. But, ¿what does the name of his power have to do with all this business about a core and the mist?".
 
—¿Young Subaru never explained to you where his power truly came from? —Toshinori asked, genuinely surprised. He watched as everyone present, even the people closest to the boy, shook their heads in absolute silence—. It's a very long story that might be better explained in detail at another time. But the most important thing you need to know is that young Subaru... was born without a Quirk.
 
"¿Huh...? You are very mistaken, in fact. My contractor has demonstrated that amazing power dozens of times... the screen is showing him using it as well, I suppose". Beatrice replied, frowning, clearly angered by what she considered a falsehood about her beloved contractor.
 
—That is only a half-truth, young lady. One for All is not an ordinary Quirk. It is a sacred power that has been passed down from generation to generation. Young Iida vaguely mentioned it earlier.
 
"¿An... inherited power?". Crusch whispered, slightly widening her beautiful amber eyes. She had been the one who interrupted when Iida made that comment; now, intrigue and curiosity collided within her strategic mind.
 
Everyone who knew about Subaru's achievements in Lugunica was completely bewildered. Subaru had never mentioned that his absurd strength was a legacy. But the most overwhelmed of them all was Aldebaran. Coming from the same world as Subaru, Al knew that wasn't how Quirk genetics worked, but he decided to swallow and remain silent so he could listen to the hero.
 
—One person cultivates the power, improves it, and then passes it on to a successor. It continues growing, becoming stronger as it is transferred from bearer to bearer —All Might's solemn explanation took the helmeted man by surprise.
 
A power capable of accumulating strength over time and being inherited at will sounded like something from a mythical legend, something far purer than the usurping monstrosity of All For One. However, hundreds of questions assaulted Al's mind. And the most important one was also the one that terrified him the most... ¿Why did All Might know the secrets of that Quirk in such detail?
 
"So, if Subaru-kun decides to pass his power on to the person he considers worthy... ¿will that person be even more powerful than he is now?". Rem brought a hand to her lips, processing the overwhelming nature of her beloved's burden.
 
«¿Does nobody here know that Natsuki no longer possesses One for All? ¿Not even All Might?». Aizawa wondered, hiding his face behind the capture scarves around his neck. «¿Am I the only one who knows that he's only burning through the last embers of a power...?». The underground teacher suspected that a spiritual connection existed between the bearers, since All Might often claimed that he could sense Subaru's interactions with the ghosts of the past.
 
—That is exactly as you have deduced, miss —All Might replied to Rem's perceptive observation—. Young Subaru is the ninth bearer of One for All.
 
Aldebaran swallowed with difficulty. He had to ask. Every piece of the puzzle pointed toward a single answer, and the mere idea made his skin crawl. —All Might... ¿how do you know so much about the lineage of One for All?
 
—I know... because I was the eighth bearer of One for All —All Might confessed without a trace of hesitation, his gaze overflowing with unbreakable pride—. When I witnessed young Subaru's enormous and selfless heroic heart, I immediately knew that there could be no better successor to inherit One for All... and the burden of becoming the Symbol of Peace.
 
Such a confession, charged with overwhelming sincerity and strength, left the entire theater submerged in deathly silence. Even some of the hero students were left breathless, despite already knowing the secret.
 
The guests from Lugunica, who already considered Subaru an exceptional being because of his miracles against the Sin Archbishops and the Great Mabeasts, were stunned. Learning that he carried the legendary power of the greatest hero from another dimension was simply unbelievable. Even more so after learning that this very hero had personally chosen him because he considered Subaru the only one worthy of it.
 
"Shit... as I understand it, you were the strongest being in the entire history of your world, ¿right?". Ricardo asked, his eyes wide and his ears standing upright from the monumental surprise.
 
—Without a doubt. All Might was the undisputed pillar of our society, the most powerful person in our history... until One for All was passed on to Subaru Natsuki —Nezu answered in his usual jovial tone, thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to educate everyone present about the greatness of his student.
 
All Might nodded, his smile widening with genuine paternal pride. —I am completely certain that young Subaru has already surpassed me. His limits are far higher than mine were during my golden age. By its very nature, with every passing generation, One for All evolves and becomes incomparably more powerful.
 
—Damn... now I understand why my incredible self could never beat the captain during training —Garfiel commented, displaying a radiant smile as his eyes shone with pure and genuine youthful admiration—. ¡The captain carries a legendary power! ¡It's fucking amazing!
 
Emilia, Rem, and Beatrice looked at the sleeping boy with an overwhelming mixture of astonishment, reverence, and profound affection. Except for Rem, they had witnessed the destructive magnitude of his power. But understanding that, despite possessing the ability to selfishly do whatever he wanted, he only used that power to save others... was the ultimate confirmation of why they loved that boy with the threatening gaze but fragile heart so devotedly.
 
The rest of the knights and candidates were equally shaken. They remembered their first days in the Royal Capital and his humiliating fight against Julius in the arena. Back then, none of them would have imagined that the boy whose ideals they had dismissed as childish and naive was actually the vessel of the greatest heroic legacy from another dimension. They now knew a hidden side of Subaru Natsuki that left them in complete shock
 
However, there was one person in the room who wore the most dazzling and haughty smile of them all. Priscilla Barielle covered her lips with her extravagant fan, completely satisfied and secretly proud of the boy who had captured her interest from the chaotic beginning of the Royal Selection. Every time she discovered another fragment of his past and witnessed his glorious deeds, it only reaffirmed her belief: the jester was, in fact, worthy of entertaining and accompanying a divine being such as herself.
 
—Subaru's physical strength is impressive, even from my perspective —Reinhard stated. The fact that the Sword Saint, the most powerful being in their world, gave his complete approval and showed such admiration for his friend's power said absolutely everything—. But returning to the main subject... ¿what connection does the origin of One for All have with what we just witnessed on the screen?
 
—That is precisely what I was getting to, young man —Toshinori cleared his throat, noticing how everyone was slowly emerging from their stupor. The former blond hero knew that dropping such a bombshell would unsettle them, but it was necessary to stay on topic—. So that we can continue watching the battle, I will be brief. Young Subaru explained to me that, on occasion, his consciousness is pulled into the core of One for All, a mental plane where he can converse with the previous bearers. I am convinced that it was within that space that he encountered All for One's invading consciousness. That is why nobody in the world could witness that encounter.
 
"¿So you're saying that villain found some way to infiltrate Subaru's dreams?". Emilia asked, delicately frowning as she became deeply thoughtful. She did not fully understand the science behind it, but she quickly associated it with the magical flower meadow to which the Witch of Greed had taken her during the Sanctuary Trials.
 
—I believe we all understand the context a little better now. Thank you very much for the explanation, All Might-san —Momo said gratefully, performing an elegant bow from her seat. Although, deep down, she clenched her fists over her lap; she was still somewhat hurt that Subaru had carried such a secret without relying on them. But she would save that for when the boy woke up. Subaru would definitely have a great deal of explaining to do.
 
"¡Wonderful! Now that our main hero's darkest secrets are coming to light, I suggest we continue watching the battle. I'm certain that the best part is coming now". Hawks exclaimed, completely shattering the tense and reflective atmosphere that had formed in the room.
 
Although many of them were burning to ask hundreds of questions, they decided to accept the hero's advice and turned their attention back toward the enormous screen.
 

[OST - You Say Run]
 
"Of course. Natsuki... Subaru Natsuki". He spoke his name as he understood what was happening while a crack spread across his face.
 
The screen showed Subaru running and dodging every tentacle All for One launched at him.
 
"Natsuki...". Subaru placed one foot upon an air trampoline created by Gentle. "Your weakness...".
 
"You can do it". Gentle stated, looking at the boy who was in shock from receiving his help. The former villain quickly defended himself from an attack beside him.

 
—Everyone is helping Subaru-dono... —Wilhelm murmured. The old Sword Demon looked at those heroes with the deepest respect as they placed their lives in the line of fire without hesitation—. Even while standing on the verge of collapse, with their bodies wounded and exhausted, they continue moving forward to bring this war to an end. They are courageous warriors
 
"It is... admirable". Julius agreed, a faint and melancholic smile crossing his elegant face. "They don't even seem capable of considering the idea of surrendering. It's as though an invisible force compels them to stand again every time they fall".
 
—You said it yourself, my friend —Hanta stated, displaying a tired but genuine smile—. None of us could afford to throw in the towel...
 
"Not while our best man was still standing...". Mashirao nodded with a firmness overflowing with pride for his stoic classmate.
 
Ochaco brought her hands to her chest, smiling with infinite tenderness as her eyes reflected Subaru's figure running forward without looking back. —That is what Deku-kun awakens within us. He inspires us.
 
—He never gives up. No matter how terrible the situation becomes, he always finds a way to keep moving forward —Momo added, crystalline tears gathering in the corners of her eyes while a beautiful and warm smile adorned her lips.
 
—As long as Susu remains standing... —Nejire whispered, closing her large blue eyes and forming a sweet smile as she remembered the boy's warmth—. As long as he continues fighting, all of us will continue as well... Because no matter how terrible the battle becomes, if he remains standing before us... there will always be hope.
 
The entire cast of heroes and students nodded in silence, their smiles radiant and filled with genuine camaraderie. Many of those from Lugunica shared exactly the same feeling, their thoughts carrying them back to the battle against the White Whale, against the Archbishop of Sloth.
 
During those moments of pure despair, Subaru had always been their beacon of light. Even when he was physically the weakest link in their army, he was the one who shouted most loudly that they would achieve victory. It was solely and exclusively because of his unbreakable spirit that none of them allowed their swords to fall.
 
—Subaru / Subaru-kun... —Emilia, Rem, and Beatrice whispered almost in unison. All three had tears clouding their eyes, their hearts tightening beneath a beautiful storm of emotions as they watched the black-haired boy on the screen giving everything he had to save the future of all those people.

 
Subaru rolled across the ground from the momentum, but he rose and continued running without a second thought. Behind him, Death Arms stopped another tentacle with his hands.
 
"¡You can do it!". The retired hero shouted forcefully.
 
"Natsuki, you can do it". Watching the battle from afar through a phone were a bloodied Hawks and Tokoyami, who was being treated by a doctor.
 

—Shit, my friend... you really were fucked up —Ricardo grimaced upon seeing the hero's deplorable condition. He felt a sharp and painful sense of empathy as he remembered the condition he himself had been left in after the White Whale's surprise attack.
 
"Don't worry about it, big guy. They're only a few little scratches...". Hawks replied from his seat, dismissing his injuries completely with a lazy smile and waving his hand through the air.
 
—¡Tch...! You're still a hopeless idiot, birdbrain —Mirko stated, crossing her arms with a frown and impatiently kicking the floor—. Now all of you shut the hell up. I want to see that brat smash that bastard's face in.
 
"Proud of Subaru, huh?". Lady Nagant asked, glancing sideways at her with a genuine and shamelessly mocking smile.
 
—That brat is doing things properly. Without a doubt, I'll give him the beating of his life during our next training session as a reward —the rabbit heroine snorted, attempting to conceal her obvious satisfaction.
 
"What a strange way to confirm how proud you are of your only student, Rumi". Kaina replied, amusing herself at the expense of her savage friend's fragile pride.
 
—At least I'm not on the verge of tears from seeing ‘my hero’ looking so awesome, Kaina... —Rumi retorted, mercilessly pointing toward the sniper's beautiful crystalline eyes.
 
Lady Nagant did not even flinch. Far from being embarrassed about nearly shedding a few tears, her smile became even warmer and more honest. —Subaru is incredible. And yes, I am immensely proud of anything he does.
 
Al, who was observing the interaction, leaned slightly toward Ricardo and released a long, low whistle. —Shit... my Bro really knows how to win the hearts of sexy and dangerous women.
 
"You can say that again, my friend... The moment that boy wakes up, I'm going to ask him for an entire notebook filled with advice". Ricardo laughed, releasing a rough guffaw that echoed throughout the aisle.
 
The two men exchanged knowing smiles of camaraderie before falling silent and fixing their eyes upon the screen once again to continue witnessing the hero's battle.

"That weak strength...". On the screen, Subaru stumbled heavily. For a fraction of a second, All For One believed he would finally fall. "...that All Might did not possess...". Just as the boy was about to collapse, Iida appeared, firmly holding him by the arm to prevent his fall. "...makes everyone else...". Subaru tightened his grip on his friend's hand, drawing strength from where there was none to stand back up and keep moving forward. "...rise again and again". All For One raised his hand, pointing at the black-haired boy with a deep frown.
 
"As long as you don't stop...". The villain murmured, but at that precise instant, his body began bleeding profusely.
 

—Exactly... —Endeavor nodded in the room, his voice resounding firmly and with a proud smile, although said smile looked like a sinister grimace—. Deku isn't merely a hero with great power. He's someone capable of moving the entire world with his determination. His enormous heart drives us to follow in his footsteps and makes us want to help him.
 
"Just as All For One said. It is something not even All Might possessed. That weak strength that makes everyone stand up, inspired by watching how he never gives up". On the screen, Aizawa nodded, displaying an unusual smile of genuine pride.
 
In the theater, everyone watched the projection with profound respect. Some could not contain their tears before the immense emotional weight of the scene. However, there was one man in particular whose chest swelled with paternal pride as he watched the young man he considered a son fulfill his destiny.
 
—Young Subaru has surpassed me by far —Toshinori reaffirmed, allowing tears of pride to stream down his gaunt face—. All Might was the Symbol of Peace, the sole pillar who carried alone the weight of everyone who needed to be saved. But the hero Deku is completely different. Subaru is the union of everyone toward the same objective; he makes all of us become one to save those in need... —Toshinori turned his face to look at Naoko with a sincerely warm smile. The boy's mother returned the gesture, crying with emotion—. That is why young Subaru is our symbol... He is our Symbol of Hope.
 

"Young Subaru...". On the screen, from the top of a distant building, All Might raised his arm toward the sky, remembering the first time he witnessed his successor's unbreakable heroic heart. "Just as you ran to help that day, I also moved. From that moment onward... you have been...".
 

—You really were in bad shape, Mr. All Might —Frederica commented in the room, looking with pity at the injured hero in the projection. Toshinori nodded toward her with a reassuring smile.
 
—All Might... that day... —Ochaco's voice trembled, recognizing the memory playing in the window and imagining that it had been the first time the two of them met.
 
—That is correct, young Uraraka —All Might contemplated one of the most important moments of his life—. That was the day I met young Subaru. From that moment onward, I knew he would become the greatest hero of them all —he stated without hesitation.
 
—Wow, old man. Even though you only appeared for a few seconds, you looked awesome in that muscular form —Felt said, watching the projection with evident excitement.
 
However, no one paid attention to her because of the piercing squeal that came from the last row. To the surprise of several people, it was not a girl, but Aldebaran, who was squealing with excitement upon seeing his favorite hero spring into action, even if only for a second.
 
A vein throbbed with pure irritation on Priscilla's forehead. She had genuinely been enjoying Subaru's sublime display of willpower, but her idiotic jester had to embarrass her with his fanatical nonsense.
 
Aldebaran, feeling his lady's murderous aura piercing the back of his neck, abruptly straightened himself, adopting a rigid and falsely manly posture. He coughed inside his helmet and, purely by instinct, brought his only hand to his mouth.
 
—Well, I found that display of power from All Might rather impressive —he spoke in a fake deep voice.
 
—I think it would be better if we kept watching... —Mirio intervened, addressing everyone in the theater with a nervous smile—. We're about to see Natsuki being amazing... besides, I'm sure that, unless we distract her, that young lady is going to murder that man —he added the last part in a whisper that only Tamaki managed to hear.
 

"You can do it!". In the projection, Melissa shouted while watching him through a monitor in a dark room.
 

In the theater, the real Melissa smiled, allowing tears to blur her eyes. Seeing her dear friend fight with such ferocity once again filled her chest with profound admiration. Beside her, Mei hugged her tightly; it was one of those rare moments when the wild inventor set aside her eccentric energy to show empathy.
 
—You really care about big brother, don't you? —Felt asked without taking her eyes off the images.
 
Melissa, realizing that the question was directed at her, nodded softly. —Subaru is incredible. He didn't just save me; he also helped me overcome my own insecurities and supported me when I needed it most.
 
Reinhard smiled warmly, the image of his friend crossing his mind. —That's Subaru. He's an exceptional friend and an even better person.
 
—Muscles is awesome! —Mei declared in the theater, refusing to let go of the nickname she had given her best "client".
 

"You can do it!". Gandini shouted, watching him surrounded by many more people, while Anna stood beside him with her hands clasped together as though she were praying.
 
"YOU CAN DO IT!". The siblings Mahoro and Katsuma shouted at the top of their lungs toward their screen. The children's faces were soaked with tears.

 
—Those brats... —Bakugo whispered from his seat, forming a subtle but sincere smile upon seeing the children he and Deku had saved on that island.
 

"You can do it, hero". Rody said in the projection, standing behind Roro and Lala while watching everything through a small screen.

 
—Who are all those people? —Anastasia asked aloud, tilting her head as she waited for an answer.
 
—They are people Natsuki has saved throughout his story —Tokoyami answered, his voice filled with seriousness and profound respect—. They are all sending him their support so he can defeat that villain shrouded in such immense darkness.
 
—My, that is truly fascinating —Anastasia whispered, stroking the fur of her fox scarf with an impressed expression. She knew perfectly well that the black-haired boy was someone peculiar, but discovering the magnitude of what he meant to an entire world was something that surpassed all her calculations.

 
"This reminds me of the first day of classes". On the screen, Iida pushed Subaru's back, forcing him to continue moving forward even though his energy threatened to abandon him. "In the end, she was right. She saw much more in you".
 

—Iida... —Uraraka murmured in the room, holding back a sob as the nostalgia of that first encounter struck her with full force.
 
Iida nodded, maintaining a candid smile toward her. —That day, Uraraka-san, you were able to see what almost no one else noticed about Natsuki-san. I am certain he feels profoundly grateful to you.
 
—That's right, girl —Mina agreed, setting aside her usual teasing tone—. You were the first to offer Natsuki your hand when the rest of us still didn't believe in him.
 
—That's why Natsuki-chan loves you so much, kero —Tsuyu added, hugging her friend. She knew Ochaco's feelings perfectly well and wholeheartedly wished to comfort her.
 
—Iida is right, Uraraka —Todoroki supported, forming the faintest of smiles—. Natsuki always mentioned how important you are to him. He always repeated that you had been by his side since the very first day.
 
Momo and Nejire nodded sweetly. Both of them shared the pain and anguish the girl had endured after Subaru's disappearance, an emptiness they had also felt.
 
—Round face... —Bakugo's rough voice drew Uraraka's attention, along with everyone else's—. You're much more important to that damn nerd than you think. Tch... just like those two extras.
 
His classmates exchanged amused glances and smiled at Bakugo's rough manner. They knew those gruff words were the greatest comfort the explosive blond could offer, and it was more than enough. Being called "extras" did not even bother them anymore; it was simply the language of their explosive friend.
 
Ochaco's heart gave a warm jolt upon hearing that from Subaru's childhood friend. Surrendering to her emotions, she leaned over the back of her seat to gently stroke the hair of the boy sleeping peacefully in front of her; the boy she had fallen in love with.
 
—Subaru is an incredible person, isn't he? —Emilia, who had been observing the interaction, spoke in her usual gentle tone. A pure smile adorned her face, although deep within her chest, she felt a strange and inexplicable pang upon witnessing the intimate gesture.
 
Rem found herself in a similar state. The memory of that hill where her hero had laid his soul bare remained vivid in her mind. Upon looking at the brown-haired girl behind her, the blue-haired maid understood almost instantly that Uraraka probably shared that same love.
 
Uraraka nodded toward the half-elf, offering her a smile tinged with melancholy. —Yes... he's the best... —and lowering her voice so that only she herself could hear it, she added—. I missed him so much. —A small sob escaped her lips as her fingers tangled in Subaru's hair.
 

"Uraraka-san, hold on. We'll reach the hospital soon... You can do it!". In the projection, Pixie-Bob held her bloodstained phone in front of a severely injured Uraraka, showing her the broadcast of Subaru running without rest. "Everyone is fighting!".
 
The window made a brief transition, displaying a flashback of the first day at U.A. "Deku sounds like the Japanese expression for 'You can do it'. I really like it as a hero name".
 
Tears slid down the face of the injured Ochaco on the screen. With the last breath of strength she had left, she whispered: "You can do it!".

 
—I see, I suppose my contractor chose his hero name because of the girl's words, in fact —Beatrice commented from her seat, looking up at the young man's mother.
 
Naoko nodded, watching the brown-haired young woman with a smile overflowing with maternal affection. —You are correct, Betty-chan. My little boy adopted the name "Deku" purely because of Ochaco-chan.
 
—Daddy always said she was one of his greatest inspirations —Eri added, snuggling closer against the sleeping hero's chest.
 
Upon hearing Subaru's little adopted daughter and mother, Ochaco's heart trembled, flooded with a comforting warmth.
 
—It is an exceedingly beautiful name —Petra opined with a sweet smile. She had made up her mind; when her hero woke up, she would undoubtedly call him Deku to honor the greatness of his actions.
 
—Hmph! Typical of Barusu. Choosing a hero name based solely on the praise of a naive maiden to satisfy his twisted perverted fetishes —Ram interrupted, cutting through the atmosphere with her sharp tongue.
 
—What the hell does choosing a name have to do with being a pervert, Ram? —Garfiel questioned, frowning for the umpteenth time at the pink-haired girl's conclusions.
 
—We're talking about Barusu, don't look for logical explanations. Ha! —The maid crossed her arms, raising her chin with a triumphant smile. She had satisfactorily fulfilled her daily quota of humiliating her beloved "little brother".
 
Otto let out a long and heavy sigh, looking like the most stressed man in the room. —My apologies, Naoko-san, Uraraka-san. Deep down, Ram cares very deeply for Natsuki-san; this is merely... her peculiar way of showing it.
 
—My... Mon ami, that is certainly a rather eccentric way of caring for someone —Aoyama commented, letting out a nervous and sparkling giggle.
 
—Subaru-kun and Nee-sama are very close —Rem hurried to clarify, defending the relationship between her sister and her hero—. Just as Otto-kun says, Rem is completely certain that this is her way of expressing affection.
 
—Oh, don't worry, Rem, all right? —Naoko smiled at her. The blue-haired maid nodded, mentally chastising herself for failing to properly introduce herself to the mother of her beloved. Naoko continued in her peaceful tone—. I'm happy to know my Subaru is surrounded by friends who care about him. Besides, he has always been accustomed to friendships in which they exchange that kind of harsh teasing. Katsuki has been his friend for as long as they can remember, and they have always played around that way.
 
Bakugo snorted through his nose, looking away without the slightest intention of contradicting his "aunt". Several of his classmates suppressed their laughter as they remembered the unusual way the two rivals used to speak to one another.
 
—Damn it... that loudmouthed maid just ruined an important emotional moment for the girl —Felt growled under her breath, glaring at Ram.
 
—Ram merely described what she saw in Barusu —the aforementioned girl replied without flinching.
 
—Don't worry, I'm really fine —Ochaco intervened, wiping away her tears and giving them an enormous and sincere smile—. I think... I actually needed to hear something like that to calm myself down a little.
 
—Are you sure, Ochaco-chan? —Nejire asked, squeezing her friend's hand with concern.
 
Uraraka nodded firmly. The oppressive darkness she had carried in her chest ever since Subaru's disappearance was gradually fading away.
 
—All right, I suppose we should continue paying attention —Shinso stated, returning his sharp gaze to the screen. In unison, the rest of the theater followed his example.
 

The window changed scenes, displaying the gardens of an imposing white house.
 
"Send every hero to Japan immediately!". Two men were arguing heatedly inside a luxurious office decorated with a large flag of stars and stripes.
 
"But, Mr. President, if All For One were to win..."
 
"I don't care! Send them now!". The suited man interrupted him, raising his voice in desperation.
 

—President...? Is that man their king? —Crusch asked in surprise. She had expected the royalty of that world to wear more noble clothing, but the man projected on the screen did not look like a true king.
 
—King...? —Aizawa blinked a couple of times upon hearing the question, but quickly understood the profound cultural difference—. We don't call him King, nobody does, or at least I don't think they do. For us, the title is President. And to answer your question, he isn't the president of our country, but of another one.
 
—I understand... —Crusch nodded gratefully—. Thank you for answering my question, Aizawa-dono.
 
—And why don't his friends want to go help the Little Boss? —Mimi inquired, genuinely confused—. If more reinforcements arrive, I'm sure they'll kick that bad guy's ass in no time!
 
In his seat, All Might clenched his fists and lowered his gaze, struggling to conceal his feelings. Like most of the professionals, he knew perfectly well the reason behind the president of the United States' refusal. The brutal fall of Star and Stripe had been a devastating blow, not only to her country, but to all the heroes in the world.
 
Naoko, noticing Toshinori's dejected state, covered the man's hand with her own, offering him silent support. The two of them had supported each other through the loss of Subaru, and even though they now had him back before them, that unbreakable bond would not change in the slightest.
 
—Tch... typical. The people who believe themselves superior never lift a finger and always leave the dirty work to those beneath them —Felt growled disdainfully. That politician reminded her far too much of the idiotic Council of Wise Men.
 
—An exceedingly foolish conclusion, although barely more than what could be expected from a sewer rat such as yourself —Priscilla regarded her rival for the throne with palpable irritation.
 
—Are you saying that, as queen, you wouldn't help in a war, you damn bitch?! —Felt exploded.
 
—Oh, come now, Felt. I'm afraid that on this occasion, I am forced to agree with Priscilla —Anastasia intervened, wearing a sweet smile that the more perceptive among them would recognize as purely calculating—. A ruler's primary duty is to protect their kingdom. You cannot dispatch your finest knights and leave your people defenseless for a war that does not concern you.
 
—Tch... you speak far too freely, merchant. As though your words aligned with what my divine self was attempting to say —Priscilla huffed, irritated by the interruption.
 
The candidate from Kararagi blinked in surprise. She had assumed that, out of all of them, Priscilla (and perhaps Crusch) would support that political pragmatism.
 
—Then, Lady Priscilla, might you enlighten us as to what exactly you meant? —she asked curiously.
 
Priscilla waved her fan with a slow and elegant cadence, reclining lazily in her seat. —As though a divine being had any need to provide explanations to a mere merchant. Content yourself with knowing that, had I been there, I would have personally torn the head from that filth.
 
—Even so, Subaru-kun's personality made that person want to help, didn't it? —Rem asked, completely ignoring the candidates' trivial dispute. Her heart was racing with equal parts emotion and admiration.
 
Momo smiled, bringing both hands to her chest as thick tears appeared in her eyes. —How could anyone not want to help him when he tries so hard to save everyone?
 
—I completely agree! The Captain is so awesome that the amazing me would march into war by his side without hesitation! —Garfiel struck his chest with a closed fist, swelling with pride upon seeing that his Captain was exactly the hero he had always believed him to be.
 
—Natsuki-san is such an idiot that, logically, I would have to be there to repair all the damage he causes —Otto joined the conversation, maintaining an immensely warm smile toward his best friend.
 
—Tch... the charming Ram would obviously have to escort Barusu to make certain he doesn't do anything stupid. Although that would be a nearly impossible mission —Ram commented, crossing her arms and closing her eyes in an attempt to suppress the proud smile struggling to emerge.
 
—The kid is simply incredible... —Ricardo laughed. Despite not belonging to his camp, the demi-human joined in the support, remembering Subaru's absolute bravery in the battle against the great calamities.
 
—This old man promised Subaru-dono that he would be his sword whenever he needed it —Wilhelm murmured, nodding slowly with a mixture of pride and respect. The young man had more than earned the loyalty of the Sword Demon.
 
—Ha! My divine self would attend merely so the commoner could entertain me, as he always does —Priscilla declared, majestically fanning herself without bothering to hide her smug smile.
 
—Rem would never leave Subaru-kun alone —the maid declared with iron determination.
 
—He is my knight... —Emilia nodded without hesitating for even a second. A smile of profound and pure affection formed on her face, while her amethyst eyes crystallized with emotional tears—. Whenever he tries his hardest, he makes me want to follow in his footsteps as well.
 
At that moment, the inhabitants of both worlds nodded in unison. The entire room vibrated with an atmosphere of profound respect, loyalty and unconditional love for the boy they admired so deeply. Witnessing this filled Naoko and Toshinori with indescribable pride; not only would his old friends give anything for him, but Subaru had undoubtedly managed to forge friendships just as powerful in the other world. At the end of the day, he was still the very best Subaru Natsuki.
 

"I can hear... all of their voices...". On the screen, the image slowed down. Subaru's running figure became transparent, overlapping with the faces of the people calling his name and supporting him.
 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Todoroki shouted in the projection with all his strength.
 

—I see... so, even from far away, Subaru-kun was able to hear the support of the people, making him stronger... —Roswaal let out a chuckle of complete acceptance—. «That is the blessed weak strength through which you surpassed me, is it not, Subaru? You were so certain of your victory because you knew you were not alone...».
 
—Did he... really hear us? —Toru asked, smiling brightly toward the screen—. He heard us! —she celebrated with overflowing energy.
 
—Did you doubt it for even a second? —Bakugo remarked, displaying a faint but undeniable smile of respect and pride toward his eternal rival—. All of us make Deku stronger, in exactly the same way he makes us stronger.
 
—I find it incredible... More than hearing their voices, Subaru is able to perceive how much everyone trusts him —Reinhard commented, mesmerized by the projection. A gleam of profound reverence adorned his blue eyes—. He is feeling the wishes of all his friends and the people he has to protect. —The immaculate Sword Saint allowed himself to form a genuine smile. «He is a true hero... unlike me», was the bitter thought that crossed his mind.
 
—Never better said, young man... —All Might nodded, tightly but warmly squeezing Naoko's hand—. He was fighting for the lives of every child with dreams, for the young people with futures, for families, for the fallen heroes... That is what drove him to continue moving forward...
 
—Shit... that sounds poetic —Al commented, unable to tear his eyes away from the screen. His brother from another world was impressing him far more than he had expected.
 
The one-armed knight turned his gaze to the side, only to encounter an unreal sight, something he had witnessed very few times throughout his life as his lady's servant. Priscilla was smiling. It was not a proud or satisfied smile; it was an open, sincere, warm smile of pure respect toward her friend from another world.
 
«Damn, Bro... how do you do it?».
 
The theater became engulfed in different but vibrant reactions. The children and Class 2-A shouted at the top of their lungs in support. Meanwhile, the knights and the Pro Heroes found themselves on the edge of their seats. The girls whose hearts belonged to Subaru cried in silence, maintaining enormous smiles adorned with affection and admiration.
 
Beatrice and Eri, for their part, desperately clung tightly to the body of their contractor and father. Not even the Great Spirit was able to contain the thick tears of happiness upon seeing her Subaru become a legendary hero.
 
—Just as my screen counterpart said... just as I told you that day, Natsuki... —Todoroki smiled genuinely as he watched the window display his unconditional support—. You can do it.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Tsukauchi shouted on the screen.
 

—Give him a beating, big brother! —Felt cheered, leaping to her feet, swept up by the electrifying scene of the boy who had saved her in the Loot House.
 
—Finish that idiot, Captain! —Garfiel roared with stars in his eyes. Although he did not know the villain, anyone who was his Captain's enemy was his personal enemy.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". The shirtless young man in the projection shouted; the same one who had given Subaru his clothing as a show of support.
 

Aldebaran abandoned every trace of humor. He gripped the armrest of his seat with such force that the wood creaked. —Finish that damned filth, Subaru! —he shouted furiously, eagerly awaiting the death of that vermin.
 
—Do not disappoint me, Subaru Natsuki... —Priscilla murmured. Living fire burned in her eyes as she watched the screen, completely enthralled by witnessing the commoner's colossal determination once again.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Tiger shouted.

 
—You can do it, Subaru-kyun! —Felix, carried away by the excitement of the battle, raised his fist with a smile and looked at his lady so that she too would support their fellow knight.
 
—I trust blindly that you will prevail, Subaru-dono —Crusch nodded elegantly, wearing a firm and sincere smile of profound admiration.
 
—I trust in the strength of your soul, Subaru-dono —Wilhelm added with complete tranquility, but also overflowing with a warrior's pride.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Endeavor's fanatic shouted from among the crowd.

 
—As a friend and fellow knight, I trust that you can do this, Subaru —Julius nodded, placing one hand over his chest in a gesture of solemn respect.
 
—You had better not disappoint this young lady, Natsuki-kun —Anastasia murmured, stroking the edge of her fox scarf with an expectant smile.

 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Little Kota shouted on the screen, tears falling from his eyes.

 
—COME ON, LITTLE BOSS! —Mimi and Tivey howled in unison, jumping on their seats.
 
—Break his legs, kid! —Ricardo barked, laughing fiercely through his teeth.

 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Even the reporters and doctors in the broadcast shouted in unison.
 

—Fufufufu~... It is amaaaaaazing, Subaru-kun —Roswaal intoned, fixing his disturbing gaze upon the projected feat.
 
—Don't be useless and do it properly, Barusu —Ram demanded, using her usual insults in an attempt to conceal her overflowing pride.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". The veteran Gran Torino roared, expending the little strength he had left in his hospital bed.
 

—You can do it, Natsuki-san! —Otto shouted, joining the frenzy of support for his friend on the screen.
 
—Subaru-sama is the best! —Petra squealed, free of any shyness. The young maid's admiration and absolute adoration for her hero grew stronger with every passing moment.
 
—Subaru-sama will succeed. He is incredible —Frederica seconded proudly. She loved seeing her ward so happy, and she herself shared that immense joy for their companion on the screen.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Eri sobbed and shouted with all her heart, supporting her hero and adoptive father.
 

—YOU CAN DO IT, DADDY! —the real Eri exclaimed, mirroring the cry of her projected counterpart. Beside her, Beatrice watched the girl with an immensely tender smile. As the "daughter" of her contractor, Beatrice had silently promised herself that she would protect that human child in the same way she protected her Subaru.
 
—I suppose my contractor is amazing, in fact —Beatrice nodded, alternating her gaze between the sleeping Subaru and the one on the screen. With every passing moment, she grew more grateful to fate for giving her that fool who made her so happy.

 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!". The praying woman shouted while looking at the computer, with dozens of people around her.
 

—If anyone can do it, it is you, my friend... —Reinhard looked at Subaru with infinite respect, although a bitter feeling of helplessness before the young man's monumental actions beat within him—. «Because you, Subaru... are so much better than I will ever be...».

 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!". The woman who always cleaned All Might's statue shouted.
 

—Subaru-kun, I remember with perfect clarity every word you told me on that hill. I don't understand... Subaru-kun, I don't understand you... —Rem shed tears, but her lips held a dazzling smile overflowing with devoted love—. You said all those cruel things about yourself, but look at you now, Subaru-kun. You are everyone's hero... You are my hero.
 

"YOU CAN DO IT!!". Aizawa exclaimed through the monitors, giving his most troublesome student all of his support and absolute trust.

 
—Subaru, you fool... —Emilia whispered, squeezing her knight's hand, although taking care not to use enough force to wake him—. A good knight should not worry his lady like this, dummy. But... I know that, as always, you can do it, Subaru. Because you always do. —A dazzling smile of unconditional affection blossomed on the half-elf's face as she watched her knight being so amazing with complete pride.
 
In the projection, Subaru struck the pavement with brutal force to propel himself upward in a leap that defied gravity. The window focused the image on Subaru's right arm in the air as his fingers closed to form a colossal fist.

 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!!".
 
The deafening cry of a great chorus of voices resounded in unison. Multiple panels appeared on the main window, each one showing the heroes raising their voices and supporting Subaru with their entire souls.
 
Within those panels, Mirio, Shinso, Hatsume, Hawks and Lady Nagant stood out fiercely.
 

—YOU CAN DO IT!!! —The cast of heroes in the room, moved by perfect synchronization, shouted at the same time as their counterparts on the screen. Witnessing this miraculous battle and its explosive conclusion once again made every single one of them wish they could be there once more to support Subaru with all their hearts.

Subaru pulled his arm back, building momentum, while the characteristic lightning of One For All crackled around him with dazzling intensity.
 
"YOU CAN DO IT!!!".
 
A monumental chorus of voices erupted in unison. The screen split into multiple frames, showing each of his companions offering their unconditional support to the hero of hope. Among them stood out Mina, Toru, Mineta, Aoyama, Tokoyami, Kirishima, Jiro, Tsuyu, Ojiro, Iida, Shoji, Sato, Sero, Kaminari, Todoroki and, lastly, Momo.

 
—YOU CAN DO IT!!! —they shouted again, the vast majority with tears of pure emotion streaming down their cheeks as they witnessed such a wonderful scene. Even the most experienced professional heroes offered their support in solemn silence, maintaining their smiles filled with pride.
 

On the other side of the battlefield, sitting on the ground and leaning heavily against a wall of rubble, a girl with shoulder-length light-blue hair was being treated by the paramedics. Beside her, guarding her, were Mirio and Tamaki.
 
The girl did not take her exhausted eyes off the screen of a phone, where she watched Subaru suspended in the air, preparing his ultimate attack.
 
"You can do it, Susu...". With what little strength remained in her battered body, Nejire spoke from the bottom of her heart. Thick tears fell from her beautiful eyes as she watched the boy she cared for so deeply fighting with every fiber of his being to protect them all.
 

—S-Susu... —the sweet nickname she had given Subaru left the lips of the Nejire inside the theater in a broken voice, while she cried with the same intensity as her counterpart on the screen. Her heart pounded wildly, overwhelmed by emotions so profound that she felt as though it might burst from her chest. She had spent an entire year knowing absolutely nothing about him, and now, having him back and witnessing his final battle made the feelings she already harbored burn even more fiercely.
 
"They were severely injured...". Frederica looked at the two boys sitting beside her with deep sympathy. "It must have been a terrifying situation for all of you...".
 
Mirio looked at the demi-human maid with a kind smile, although it was tinged with undeniable melancholy. —It was the worst battle we have ever faced. Every single one of us gave our last breath of effort to make sure we could see another sunrise.
 
"And after the war ended, did you manage it?", Petra asked, visibly distressed. Although the little maid knew nothing about the atrocities of a large-scale war, the tense memories of when the Witch Cult attempted to massacre her village returned to her mind. Had it not been for Subaru's intervention, the outcome would have been catastrophic.
 
—A... a little... —Tamaki answered with a trembling voice. The boy shrank into his seat, trying to make himself as small and invisible as possible—. But Subaru's sudden disappearance did not exactly help much.
 
"Having your greatest hero disappear does not exactly help prevent new villains from rising up, you know?...". Mirio tried to joke to lighten the mood, but, upon seeing the downcast faces of the maidens of Lugunica, he immediately knew that he had failed.
 
"I'm sorry, sir", Petra said with her gaze lowered. However, the girl knew inside that it was only half an apology. She felt empathy for the loss those boys had suffered, but Petra could not lie: deep within her heart, she was immensely happy that Subaru had arrived in their world.
 
—Don't worry, all right? —Mirio stated, raising a thumb while winking at her to reassure her—. At the end of the day, we were reunited with him, even if he is taking a nap right now. And, from what I can see, he also made some very good friends. Like you, little one.
 
The girl nodded, giving him a genuine smile. The blond young man beside her gave off the same feeling of calmness and pure kindness that characterized Subaru. Although, to Petra —and to everyone in Emilia's camp—, there would never be anyone in any world who could compare to Subaru Natsuki.
 

Finally, the window showed All Might's skeletal arm raised, as though he were trying to touch the very sky with his hands, firmly clenching his fist while his mind imagined Subaru's back, running directly toward the light.
 
"Since that day...". With an enormous and sincere smile, and a gaze overflowing with affection, he declared with unwavering pride. "You became my greatest hero".

 
—Toshinori... that is... —Naoko brought her hands to her mouth, speechless at what she had just heard. She had spent a great deal of time with the former Symbol of Peace, but he had never confessed anything of such magnitude to her.
 
"That is correct, Naoko-san", All Might confirmed, without taking his deep blue gaze off the mother of his successor, while silent tears traveled down his emaciated face. "From the very first moment I met him, young Subaru has been my greatest hero".
 
Naoko let out a choked gasp, a mixture of disbelief and pure maternal joy. Her mind instinctively traveled into the past; to that small child who cried inconsolably in front of the computer, watching the hero he admired so much from behind the screen, dreaming of becoming like him. And now, hearing that the very same pillar of justice idolized her son... brought a warm pang of happiness to her chest.
 
—Damn, brother... you already won at life, my friend —Al looked at the screen with genuine astonishment. Hearing the Symbol of Peace himself declare that his otherworldly brother was his idol was, without a doubt, one of the most shocking things he had ever witnessed.
 
«You did it, idiot...», Katsuki thought, crossing his arms without even bothering to hide the subtle smile of pride appearing on his face. It did not take a genius to know it, but hearing it come directly from All Might's mouth was the ultimate reward for that weak little boy who dreamed of becoming a hero... that annoying childhood friend he had almost lost forever.
 
—You have told him, I assume? —Subaru's contracted Great Spirit asked All Might, staring directly at him.
 
Toshinori sighed wearily, but peacefully, wiping the tears from his face with the back of his hand. —Young Subaru knows perfectly well that I am proud of him, but... to be honest, I never confessed to him that he was my greatest hero.
 
"Then you should, in fact...", Beatrice responded, turning her face to look at her sleeping contractor with infinite tenderness. "Betty's Subaru has spoken about you countless times. He admires you far too much, in fact. Hearing it from the lips of his own hero will undoubtedly make him the happiest human in the world".
 
—Do not worry about that, little one. When he wakes up, everyone here will make sure to tell him how much we missed him and how much he means to us —Toshinori responded with unwavering conviction. Beatrice nodded, smiling with satisfaction and pride in her Subaru.

 
On the screen, a silhouette ran desperately through the crowd of civilians until it stopped directly in front of the monitor inside the shelter bunker. The camera focused on the woman, who was none other than Naoko Natsuki, her eyes flooded with tears.
 
"YOU CAN DO IT... SUBARU!!!". It was a heartrending scream, but one that carried the full weight of a mother's love, support and blind faith in her son.

 
—My baby... —Naoko whispered inside the theater, tightly embracing the arm of the boy sleeping peacefully beside her. Despite the terrible concern that seeing him on a battlefield caused her, the pride she felt for the great man her son had become overshadowed any fear.
 
"Oh...". Emilia could not stop herself from bringing her hands to her chest, letting out a small sob at such an emotional family moment. "He is the best... Subaru really is the best", she murmured with a broken voice, speaking more to herself than to everyone else.
 
—He is... Subaru-kun is the greatest hero of them all... —Rem was in no better condition. Her beautiful blue eyes shed crystalline tears, but every single one of them was born from pure happiness and devotion.
 
"With your own mother shouting her support for you like that... there was no way Natsubro could lose", Kirishima declared, clenching his fists and wiping away the manly tears running down his face.
 
—I... I never thought this moment would be so emotional —Mina sobbed, crying rivers and using a handkerchief. Although she had experienced the war firsthand, seeing it presented this way, with that epic soundtrack in the background and witnessing all the emotional support her friend received, felt like being inside one of those superhero movies she had fantasized about so much as a child.
 
"Watching it on this giant screen is simply amazing...". Jiro stated, rubbing her eyes and trying, without much success, to hide their redness and hold back the tears that threatened to betray her tough-girl persona.
 
—Damn it, Natsuki...! Why do you have to be so awesome?! —Mineta and Kaminari dramatically embraced each other, crying loudly in a comical manner.
 
"Subaru looks like the protagonist of a real fairy tale, don't you think, Yaomomo?". Melissa Shield looked at the class vice president with a dreamy smile. Upon hearing the question, Momo slowly nodded, bringing her hands to her chest, directly over where she could feel her heart beating with unusual force.
 
—Subaru is a fairy-tale hero... —Momo responded without hesitating for even a second. At that moment, seeing Subaru shining on the screen brought back all those beautiful stories of knights and bravery that she loved reading so much in her immense library.
 
"Damn it, Brotto... don't cry... tough men don't cry...".
 
—Garfiel... you are crying too.
 
Otto and Garfiel watched the screen, proving themselves to be terrible liars as they attempted to conceal their sobs. Both shared a gaze overflowing with pride and profound admiration for their beloved captain and sworn brother.
 
"You are truly incredible, Subaru-dono...". Wilhelm expressed, closing his eyes respectfully. "You helped this old man fulfill a vengeance that had consumed his soul for fourteen long years; you defeated the Witch Cult's Sloth... and now, thanks to my closeness to you, I can witness a courage that transcends any person in history. Without a doubt, you have given far too much to this old man".
 
—You know, Naoko-san... watching you run to support him reminded me very much of the first time I saw young Subaru run toward danger to save young Bakugo from that sludge villain —All Might commented, closing his eyes as he nostalgically relived the moment that had changed everything.
 
Naoko gently shook her head, forming a sad smile. —That is not true, Toshinori. Subaru is far better than I could ever be.
 
"Please, do not say that, Naoko-san. It is precisely because of you and your love that Subaru is the great boy we all know. I am completely certain that he thinks exactly the same thing". Momo interrupted with a warm and sincere smile. She simply could not allow Subaru's mother to belittle herself.
 
"Thank you, Momo-chan, but..."
 
—The black-haired girl is correct, in fact. My contractor has always spoken wonders about his mother. He said that, without her, he never would have been able to find true happiness. That everything he has, his strength and everything he has accomplished, is solely and exclusively thanks to his beloved mother —Beatrice declared, raising her chin. The Great Spirit was not going to tolerate the mother of her precious contractor thinking so poorly of herself either. Subaru already had more than enough insecurities.
 
"Beatrice is absolutely right, Naoko-san. Subaru always spoke about you as the brightest and most important person in his life". Emilia intervened, nodding with conviction to reinforce the girl's words.
 
—H-he... did he really say all those things...? —Naoko asked with a broken voice, almost pleading, searching the girls' eyes for confirmation.
 
"He said it whenever he had the opportunity, Naoko-sama". Rem responded with a somewhat timid tone, but adorned with a sweet smile. She, more than anyone, understood the feeling of inferiority, and wanted to remind the mother of her hero of the light she herself radiated.
 
—I... —the mother softly sobbed, took the hand of her sleeping son and brought it to her own cheek, rubbing it against her skin with immense tenderness. With all her soul, she wished to feel the conscious touch of her son, his suffocating embraces, to hear his terrible jokes and his loud laughter. Even if the outside world was in chaos, at least she had him back with her. She looked at the girls around her with infinite gratitude, even those she barely knew—. Thank you. Truly, you have no idea how immensely happy you have just made me.
 
Nejire and Ochaco approached and, with great delicacy, placed their hands on the woman's shoulders in a clear display of unconditional support. Momo, Emilia and Rem smiled with satisfaction upon seeing tranquility returning to Naoko's face, while Beatrice crossed her arms, satisfied that she had defended the honor of the creator of her beloved contractor.
 
"They are young people with enormous and compassionate hearts...". All Might nodded to himself, filled with gratitude. He had been about to intervene when he heard the mother of his successor denying her own worth, but in the end it had not been necessary. The former hero could do nothing more than silently thank them for taking such good care of Naoko's spirit.

 
The window showed Subaru floating majestically in the night sky, with his right fist glowing with an intense and blinding orange light. All For One, seeing the imminent threat, did not hesitate for even a second and launched dozens of dark tentacles directly toward Subaru. However, the hero, in a spectacular demonstration of agility and pure speed, dodged every attack by mere millimeters, jumping from one tentacle to another. His eyes glowed, infused with absolute power and unbreakable determination.
 
Subaru dove downward, destroying every single obstacle the Symbol of Evil placed in his path.
 
—SMAAAAAAAASH! —the young hero roared at the top of his lungs. The screen displayed a close-up of his glowing eyes. His power, the ultimate expression of One For All, now shone in a majestic rainbow of colors, representing the lives, dreams and will of the previous wielders who had given their lives to eradicate that evil.
 
Piercing through All For One's suffocating darkness, a comet of pure light struck the villain's body head-on, courtesy of the young hero.

 
Several deafening cheers erupted throughout the theater seats, both from the side of the Hero world and from Lugunica. Many applauded euphorically at the undeniable demonstration of power and bravery. The children from the camp jumped in their seats, screaming at the top of their lungs, as excited as though they were witnessing the definitive defeat of the Witch of Envy herself.
 
"Did you see that, Brotto?! The captain struck that bastard with all his power, it is fucking awesome!". The young tiger of Lugunica shouted, baring his fangs with a wild smile filled with adrenaline.
 
And, to Otto's terrible misfortune, Garfiel did not restrain his superhuman strength in the slightest, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him from side to side like a rag doll because of his excitement. The poor merchant was so dizzy that he could see five Garfiels spinning in front of him.
 
"You are completely stupid if you think that is all the power that idiot Deku has". Bakugo crossed his arms, wearing his typical arrogant and challenging smile. "Ha! But I suppose I could not expect anything more from a loud, rabid dog like you".
 
—You think I don't know the captain's true strength, you explosive idiot?! —Garfiel roared, releasing Otto and jumping to his feet, baring his teeth. All his euphoria vanished instantly upon hearing the provocation from his sworn enemy—. My amazing self has been training with the captain for an entire year, idiot!
 
"They look like a pair of stray dogs fighting over scraps... what an absolute waste of my valuable time". Priscilla elegantly fanned her face, feigning disinterest in the noisy dispute between beings she considered to be of such low status. In truth, the Baroness of the Sun was already more than satisfied after witnessing the unwavering determination of the boy from another world.
 
"Hey... does this not seem a little ironic to all of you?". Todoroki suddenly asked, wearing his usual serious and expressionless countenance.
 
Every gaze in the theater immediately turned toward the bicolored-haired boy, visibly confused by his strangely out-of-place question. Even Garfiel and Bakugo stopped their shouting contest to glare at him.
 
—What exactly do you mean by that, Todoroki-san? —Iida asked, dramatically adjusting his glasses. As the good class representative he was, he felt responsible for paying attention in case he had missed any crucial detail or information on the screen.
 
"Did something bad happen to Deku-kun?". Ochaco asked, feeling concern settle into her chest once again. Everything seemed to be going in his favor on the screen, and inside the theater the only real problem was Bakugo and the tiger boy shouting at each other as they had been doing ever since they arrived in that strange place.
 
Todoroki gently shook his head. —Nothing bad happened to Natsuki. It is just that I found it rather ironic... and a little funny...
 
—Brother, if you say something is funny with that stone face, then allow me to disagree with you already —Al commented, letting out a dry laugh upon seeing Todoroki's stoic expression.
 
"Can you stop acting mysterious for a second, Todoroki? Everyone here wants to know what the hell you are talking about". Mineta looked at the boy with profound annoyance. It was not enough that he always stole the attention of all the girls by being handsome, but now he was also acting enigmatic to attract even more attention.
 
"It is just that, listening to him...". Todoroki said, pointing directly at Garfiel. "I find it funny that he has so much praise for Subaru, admires him with such devotion and shouts to the heavens about how amazing he is... while having the same voice as Bakugo".
 
The entire theater fell into absolute silence for one long second, during which the only sound that could be heard was Subaru's soft breathing as he slept. The faction of the Dragon Kingdom blinked, completely confused. What was so funny or ironic about that? Of course, it was a curious fact that both aggressive boys shared an almost identical tone of voice, but they did not understand what the people from the other world were getting at.
 
The exact opposite happened in the Hero section. Although the adult professional heroes, who were familiar with the complicated friendship dynamic between Deku and Dynamight, limited themselves to letting out small, concealed laughs, the reaction of the young members of Class 2-A, the inventors and the Big Three was explosive.
 
Kaminari's body began to tremble violently as his face twisted into hilarious expressions, trying to hold back his laughter, something at which he failed miserably in less than three seconds.
 
—PUFFFFF.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!
 
"He is completely right...!". Mina managed to articulate between loud bursts of laughter. "It is super strange to hear, but at the same time it is fucking hilarious...". The pink-skinned girl clutched her stomach tightly, feeling as though she could not breathe from laughing so hard.
 
—It is as though Bakugo's heart is finally saying out loud everything his stupid pride prevents him from admitting... —Jiro did not waste the golden opportunity to puncture the already fragile ego of her explosive classmate.
 
Bakugo remained in deathly silence, listening as nearly his entire class openly mocked him. Little by little, his body began trembling with pure rage. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked dangerously, leaving everyone uncertain whether it was his Quirk activating from the stress or his own bones about to break. Katsuki's face transformed into a grotesque mask of murderous fury, and an enormous vein throbbed on his forehead, threatening to burst at any second. He was practically foaming at the mouth and blowing literal smoke from his nose.
 
Garfiel was not having a good time either. Although he did not completely understand the context of the joke, his sharp instincts screamed at him that, in one way or another, they were making fun of him again and, to make matters worse, they were once again comparing him to that explosive blond. Just thinking about it made his animal instincts demand that he leap forward and tear everyone's heads off with his teeth.
 
—I don't understand... why is it so funny? —Petra asked, blinking several times as she watched everyone writhe with laughter. Even Mimi was laughing loudly, although it was obvious that the cat girl did not have the slightest idea what was funny; she had simply been infected by the atmosphere.
 
Uraraka wiped away a tear that had appeared at the corner of her large brown eyes. This time it was not caused by tension or sadness, but by pure amusement. She forced herself to calm her breathing so that she could answer the confused girl.
 
"Oh, you see. Deku-kun and Bakugo have a relationship as friends... that is somewhat peculiar and intense...".
 
—To explain it more simply: Bakugo deeply respects, cares for and admires Natsuki, but he will never admit it out loud for as long as he lives, not even if his own life depended on it —Shinso answered, direct and completely unfiltered. The hero-course student smiled smugly as he watched Bakugo's face acquire a scarlet-red tone of pure fury with each comment.
 
Emilia brought a finger to her soft lips, tilting her head to one side in deep concentration. A few seconds later, a smile of absolute satisfaction illuminated her face, as though she had just unraveled one of the greatest secrets of the universe.
 
—Oh, I understand now. Bakugo-san is a tsundere...
 
Another massive wave of laughter echoed throughout the theater, but on this occasion the members of Emilia's camp and Al also joined in, since they were quite familiar with that term thanks to Subaru.
 
That single word was the final straw, causing Bakugo's patience to explode completely. —What the hell are you saying, stupid Alvina?!!!
 
"Hey... I am not stupid, and my name is not Alvina. I am Emilia". The silver-haired half-elf crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks in an extremely indignant pout.
 
—Shut your damn mouth if you don't want me to...!
 
"Katsuki...".
 
The ash-blond boy snapped his mouth shut upon hearing his name. The voice had sounded sweet and calm, but it lacked even the slightest trace of warmth. He slowly turned his neck, the gears of his body creaking as though he were a rusted robot, until he encountered the gaze of his childhood friend's mother.
 
If All Might's typical smile conveyed a comforting "Everything will be all right", the smile Naoko Natsuki was giving him at that moment promised, without a doubt, that nothing was going to be all right. Bakugo swallowed with noticeable difficulty under that piercing maternal gaze, one that foretold pain, endless lectures and, if he were a child... severe punishments involving two entire weeks without being allowed to watch videos of his beloved All Might.
 
Katsuki dropped into his seat like dead weight, without Naoko needing to add a single syllable. But, even subdued, that did not stop him from clicking his tongue and glaring at the others with profound irritation. —Damn extras... one day I will kill all of you...
 
—Great...! Now that you have stopped shouting at and bothering each other like kindergarten children, how about we continue watching the screen before I decide to beat all of you senseless for delaying us, idiots?
 
Mirko crossed her arms impatiently. Although deep down she had enjoyed watching the explosive brat being humiliated, her professional side longed to continue watching the kinds of extreme situations her one and only problematic student had gotten himself into in that other world. They had not even gotten past the introduction of the conflict, and that was beginning to irritate the rabbit heroine.
 
"But the captain already defeated the bad guy! Are we going to see how he arrived in our world now?". Mimi asked, bouncing in her seat with great excitement. She still vividly remembered how imposing the "Little Boss" had looked during the bloody hunt for the White Whale and the battle against the Archbishop of Sloth. The little demi-human eagerly wanted to see him in action again.
 
—Do not be so certain of that, girl... —Endeavor said, crossing his arms with a deeply furrowed brow—. That faceless bastard is not someone who can be exterminated so easily.
 
—Are you implying that monster is still not dead after that blow? —Anastasia asked, opening her eyes wide in disbelief. The choreography and power of the impact on the screen had been epic enough to declare the great climax of the battle. It looked like the perfect conclusion taken directly from one of those famous fantasy tales that circulated throughout Lugunica.
 
"See it for yourself, miss...". Aizawa declared in a monotonous voice. The relaxed and entertaining atmosphere evaporated in a second, becoming dense and tense once again.
 
The vast majority of those present from Lugunica believed that the climax of the war had concluded and that they would soon see the stories of the madness Subaru had caused upon arriving in their world. But, judging by the heroes' tone, it seemed that the nightmare was far from over.
 

«How did I not realize...?», All For One's thoughts could be heard. The window focused on the villain again, whose deformed face showed clear shock. Subaru had managed to break through his defenses despite the absurd number of deformities and barriers he had created to stop him. The fist glowing with the colors of a rainbow struck his chest brutally. «How did I ever come to believe the Super Regeneration Quirk could function in this badly deteriorated body...?».

 
"So, the transfer process they were talking about was not entirely functional...". Tivey murmured, scratching his chin as he analyzed the information.
 
—I do not believe that individual's body itself is the problem, or, rather, not entirely —Julius argued, narrowing his eyes analytically—. Perhaps the mental takeover of that body worked correctly, but he himself just confessed it: the body of that Shigaraki was already severely weakened.
 
"I suppose that damage was caused by the battle Barusu previously fought against him, am I correct?". Ram directed her sharp gaze toward the members of the other world, seeking confirmation.
 
—You have a very keen eye, miss... —Mirio answered, growing serious as he remembered the horrors from the beginning of the conflict—. When the main battle erupted, I was present and, believe me, it was a display of power unlike anything ever seen in the history of our world.
 
"What exactly do you mean by that, Mirio?". Nejire asked, tilting her head with genuine uncertainty. She had been incapacitated by Shigaraki before Subaru burst onto the scene, and her blond friend had never given her many details about what had happened during her absence.
 
—It was a collision of power that was simply monstrous. It was almost like witnessing two All Mights in their prime fighting each other to the death, without holding back even a fraction of their strength.
 
"Mirio is right". Melissa stated, nodding solemnly. "The footage of the fight that was broadcast online showed a scale of destruction that defied logic. I had never even seen Uncle Might forced to fight at that level".
 
—It is not as though there had ever been some stupid villain capable of matching his level... —Al muttered under his breath. Yes, he was fully aware that All For One was a monster taken straight out of nightmares, but Aldebaran wanted to cling to the idea that his hero would not have suffered such severe damage if not for some dirty trick or fatal oversight.
 
Mirio shook his head, maintaining a tense smile. —Although you are right about that, you should know that, long before it sw broadcast online, Subaru and Shigaraki had already been fighting for a while. The shock waves from their attacks were on such an absurd scale that Subaru's blows took several seconds to be heard...
 
—Which means he surpassed the sound barrier... —Principal Nezu reaffirmed, bringing his paws together, utterly fascinated.
 
"Who is this Sound person and how fast can he run?". Mimi suddenly asked, her ears raised with enthusiasm, but with an innocence that contrasted brutally with the seriousness of the conversation.
 
Anastasia and Tivey struck their foreheads in unison, exasperated by Mimi's remarks, while the tension in the theater broke slightly because of the cat girl's innocent question. Despite the comic relief, many remained open-mouthed as they processed the new and terrifying information regarding Subaru's true capabilities; even his own hero companions were astonished.
 
"That is truly incredible...". Julius murmured, feeling a slight chill. He had witnessed glimpses of the dark-haired boy's potential in the past, but he never imagined that he concealed such fascinating power.
 
"My friend... do you not feel a little uneasy after hearing about the Little Boss's true power? You know... remembering what happened in the capital, during the Royal Selection ceremony...". Ricardo whispered to Julius, leaning toward him.
 
—That entire misunderstanding between Subaru and me was resolved a long time ago. Or, at least, that is what I want to believe. Besides, a year ago we already witnessed his incredible power; I do not understand why you are asking me this now.
 
"Oh, well, I have been thinking about it ever since we saw him in action, I simply forgot to ask you earlier, haha!". The imposing wolfman scratched the back of his neck with a nervous laugh. However, his jovial expression disappeared in an instant, adopting an extremely serious posture. "But speaking very seriously... Juli, at some point this screen will show the events of that day. And his mother is present here... along with the little girl who claims to be his daughter...".
 
—Where are you going with this, Ricardo? —the self-proclaimed Knight of Knights asked, maintaining a stoic and impassive expression, although his knuckles turned slightly pale. He understood perfectly well where the captain of the Iron Fang was going, but he needed to hear it so he could prepare himself.
 
"The insolent brat who humiliated himself to defend the honor of a half-elf. A talentless idiot who believed himself superior to the knights with his stupid and fanciful ideals, and... the pathetic weakling who received a one-sided beating from the finest of the knights...". Ricardo listed, in a grim tone, some of the contemptuous insults that, even after Subaru's great accomplishments, continued circulating like poison among Lugunica's knightly elite.
 
—Ricardo...
 
"The only thing I want to warn you about, Julius, as your friend. Is that you must be prepared for the consequences if that screen decides to show that moment...". Ricardo interrupted, stripped of his usual boastful smile and habitual jokes. His gaze was that of a warrior warning of an imminent ambush.
 
"Do not worry...". Julius responded, without hesitating for even a second and with his head held high. "If that were to happen in front of all of them, I am certain that I will accept the consequences as I should. But I deeply appreciate your concern, Ricardo".
 
The Finest of the Knights was mentally prepared to face the judgment of those present. Because Julius knew that the story was not as the rumors claimed. That day, in that duel inside the coliseum, there had been a winner, and that winner, most certainly, had not been Julius Juukulius.

«It’s his fault... no», the villain thought, looking at Subaru’s stoic face before lowering his gaze, desperately searching for an excuse. «They all set a trap for me...».

 
—How pathetic. He refuses to accept that the commoner won and is now looking for excuses so he won’t feel miserable —Priscilla declared, staring at the screen with profound disgust toward the defeated figure.
 
"I agree, my lady... he is miserable scum", Toshinori growled with deep indignation. If anyone in the room was capable of filling the Symbol of Peace with such palpable rage, that someone had to be All for One.
 

«On their own, their powers are useless, they pose no threat... but, by combining their Quirks to attack me, they somehow managed to overwhelm me, clouding my senses without me realizing it...».

 
"That is exactly what my contractor always says, I suppose", Beatrice stated with a proud smile, raising her chin slightly. "It does not matter how powerful you are; if all the weaklings unite for a single cause, they will win, in fact".
 
—The weak force capable of defeating the strongest —Otto nodded, smiling as he remembered the harsh events of the Sanctuary. He looked at the margrave with a grin stretching from ear to ear—. Do you not find it incredible, Roswaal-sama?
 
—Fufufufu~... I find it wonderful, Otto-kun. And sooooo much more coming from our dear Subaru-kun...
 
"My... anyone would think you have a personal problem with the margrave, Otto-kun", Anastasia commented, observing her fellow merchant with a kind gaze, although her sharp intuition had caught something of great interest.
 
"Do not worry, Anastasia-sama. Our useless minister of internal affairs only wants to earn Roswaal-sama’s favor after he burned down his mansion...", Ram interjected coldly, attempting to keep the camp’s hatred toward her master from coming to light, without missing the opportunity to destroy the merchant’s reputation.
 
"¡¡¡I DID NOT BURN IT DOWN, RAM!!!".
 
—Otto-san... did you really burn down Margrave Roswaal’s mansion? —Crusch asked, genuinely surprised. She had heard that a massive mabeast attack had destroyed part of the mansion, not that it had been deliberately set on fire.
 
"Ohhhh, Otto-kyun. Crusch-sama just confirmed your lie. What do you have to say in your defense, nya?", Felix mocked, taking advantage of the perfect opportunity to laugh a little at someone else’s misfortune.
 
—Sir, playing with fire is very bad. Daddy and Grandma Naoko have told me that many times —Eri stated, looking at the merchant with profound disapproval. Her innocent words made Otto feel as though an icy stake had pierced through his heart.
 
"How strange... I heard that some mabeasts had caused great damage to the Roswaal mansion, I did not know it had been burned down", Reinhard commented, tilting his head in genuine confusion.
 
—Oh, allow me to explain, Reinhard-sama. This fool could not think of anything better than burning down the mansion to scare away the mabeasts. And as for why nothing was said... the merchant begged on his knees for us to give a different version of events, or his miserable life would become even worse than it already was —Ram replied, crossing her arms, immensely satisfied with her venom.
 
—That never happened! —a desperate Otto shouted, clutching his head. His entire reputation was being trampled without mercy, and even worse, in front of the royal candidates, the Sword Saint and people from another world.
 
"Come on, Brotto, you have nothing to be ashamed of. There were only a few tears and a little bit of snot...".
 
—Not you too, Garf... —Otto felt as though the entire universe had only one purpose in life: to humiliate him without mercy. But his hopes returned when he heard a gentle voice; someone he knew would never fail him.
 
"Do not be so mean to Otto, that never happened", Emilia stated, feeling genuine pity for her knight’s friend. "Besides, was it not a good thing? Was that not why, whenever we visited a noble’s mansion, Subaru would bring up how Otto burned down the mansion to help everyone...?". The merchant’s eyes widened upon hearing his lady’s sweet declaration. But Emilia still had an innocent doubt—. Although I still do not understand why Subaru never mentioned how it helped scare away the mabeasts...
 
—E-Emilia-sama... W-what did y-you just say...? —Otto stammered. The memories of all the times nobles had looked at him with terror and distrust whenever he stepped into someone else’s mansion struck his mind all at once.
 
"Awesome! Did you hear that, Kiribro...? Natsubro is still the same as ever", Kaminari cheered with a radiant smile, ignoring the merchant’s existential crisis. He could not lie, he missed spending time with his friend and their jokes.
 
—He is still the same... that is so manly —Kirishima nodded, bumping his fists together enthusiastically.
 
"But poor guy, kero. He looks like the most miserable man in the entire world, ribbit", Asui pointed out, bringing a finger to her chin as she observed a devastated Otto.
 
"Do not worry about Brotto. He is only processing how incredible the captain’s jokes are", Garfiel justified, trying to contain the laughter threatening to escape his throat.
 
—I suppose you are not going to tell him that both you and the maid also joined my contractor’s prank, in fact? —Beatrice exposed him.
 
Garfiel laughed nervously as he felt Otto’s gaze of absolute betrayal boring into the back of his neck. Behind them, Ram remained with her arms crossed and a bright, haughty smile, proud of her acts of vandalism alongside Barusu’s group.
 
While most of them laughed at the merchant’s tragic fate, Otto had only one thought echoing through his head... «I have the enemy living in my own home...». With a defeated sigh, he returned his gaze to the screen, plotting how he would make those who had betrayed his trust pay.
 

"It has been two years, but even so, he is stronger than he was before...", Subaru whispered on the screen through clenched teeth, looking at the villain with unwavering determination. The camera focused on his eyes; their usual orange now flashed with the overwhelming brilliance of One for All. "¡¡¡Now you have to endure the combined strength of nine wielders!!!".

 
—That is right, young Subaru. One for All fulfilled its purpose; the unreachable struggle of the nine wielders finally reached its conclusion thanks to your effort —Toshinori said, his voice trembling but grateful to be able to witness the imminent fall of his greatest nightmare.
 
"All Might, you did well. All of you", Nezu commented from the last row. He was one of the few who knew the entire bloodstained history behind One for All and All for One. "Every wielder gave their life so people could smile tomorrow. Even though Natsuki-kun delivered the final blow, this battle belonged to you just as much as it belonged to them".
 
—Thank you, Nezu. But I also do not want you to forget the brave young people who fought so fiercely in a war they never should have had to participate in —All Might turned his face to address Class A and the injured professional heroes in the last row.
 
The students smiled warmly, moved. Hearing the greatest hero in history recognize their sacrifice filled them with indescribable pride. Even the most stoic professional heroes silently nodded at All Might’s words.
 
"I am glad to know that you managed to defeat the greatest enemy in your history. I am certain that all the people in your world feel safe with you protecting them", Crusch expressed, addressing the heroes with the utmost respect a military leader could offer.
 
—Idiots never rest, girl —Endeavor growled, crossing his arms in annoyance—. Since Subaru disappeared, new villains have crawled out of the sewers, hoping to accomplish what All for One could not. That was the reason my retirement was delayed.
 
"At least the situation must have improved, right? The supreme leader is gone, is he not?", Tivey asked, frowning. From his experience, he knew that the presence of a leader was everything when it came to keeping savage dogs under control, whether in a dark guild or the Iron Fang.
 
—Yeah, well... they no longer have a monster capable of stealing Quirks left and right, but the sudden disappearance of the hero who defeated him gave all those types false hope —Aizawa frowned, his tired eyes reflecting irritation—. Things would be much better if Subaru had stayed, with or without One for All.
 
No further words were needed for those from Lugunica to understand the gravity of the situation. They knew perfectly well that the same thing would happen if the Sword Saint or the Divine Dragon disappeared from one day to the next; the kingdom would descend into total anarchy.
 
Although they felt guilty for taking away their pillar, the Emilia Camp suppressed that feeling. Even knowing the chaos he had left behind, they were grateful from the bottom of their hearts that Subaru had entered their lives. They would not trade him for anything in the world.
 

In a blinding eruption of multiple colors, Subaru’s thunderous impact caused All for One’s body to begin disintegrating little by little before the stunned gaze of the Dark Lord himself. His face cracked deeply and the hand covering his face shattered.
 
"His body is disintegrating...", Shindo murmured, mesmerized as he watched the mass of mutated tentacles turn to dust.
 
"Did you really do it, Natsuki?", a battered Kirishima whispered on the screen.
 

"Tch... that would have been so great", the Kirishima in the audience sighed, looking at his counterpart. "If All for One had given up right there, maybe Natsubro would never have left...".
 
—Do you really believe that, Kiri...? —Mina asked with a smile tinged with sadness—. We still do not know exactly how it happened, but I have a feeling that even that would not have prevented it.
 
Uraraka sighed heavily. —Mina is right. First we have to see how it happened before jumping to conclusions.
 
"As Uraraka-san said. We must continue watching to understand how Natsuki-san was taken from our world so easily. We do not know whether, upon leaving this theater, we will be separated from him again. The best thing we can do is find a way to locate him if that were to happen", Iida declared, causing more than one heart to lurch in terror. Having Subaru so close had made them forget the harsh reality; once they left, they might lose him again.
 
Eri and Naoko tightened their hold on the sleeping boy. For them, losing him again was an absolute no. It did not matter if they had to beg the very guardian of the room; he would stay. And many in the room shared that fierce conviction.
 

«Not yet», All for One’s pupil-less eye bulged. «I am still alive», he declared in his mind.
 
Suddenly, dozens of irregular spikes erupted from his ruined body. A toxic purple glow shone with immense intensity within his core, creating a cataclysmic explosion that threatened to devour everything in its path.
 
«He reconstructed himself using his Quirks». The shockwave, brutal and relentless, sent Subaru flying through the air.

 
—¡¡¡Subaru!!! / ¡¡¡Subaru-kun!!!
 
Emilia desperately gripped her knight’s hand, just as Naoko gripped her son’s. Beatrice and Eri embraced the sleeping body as though he were their lifeline. Rem made a move to leap from her seat, her Oni instincts screaming at her to enter the screen and slaughter whoever was hurting her hero.
 
"How did he generate such an immense explosion...?", Anastasia asked, dumbfounded, opening and closing her fan nervously. "I have never seen any mage in the kingdom produce an attack of such destructive magnitude...".
 
—Impressive... —Roswaal murmured, momentarily losing his sing-song tone. The greatest mage in Lugunica knew that he himself could create an explosion like that, but seeing a dying man unleash so much power took him by surprise.
 
"That damned bastard...", Al hissed, digging his fingers into the armrest of his seat. "Are you not going to fucking die already, asshole?".
 
Priscilla completely ignored her jester’s vulgarity. She was mesmerized by the display; her crimson eyes followed every movement of the black-haired boy. She did not want to miss a single second of the exact moment when he crushed that filth.
 
—¡What kind of shitty powers did that idiot have that kept him from dying after all of that?! —Felt roared, kicking the air in frustration.
 
"That man possessed absurd regeneration. Subaru would have finished Shigaraki much faster if he had not completely recovered after every blow", Mirio commented, scrutinizing the screen. Beyond the villain, he wanted to know the exact moment when they had lost their friend. Merely remembering Nejire’s helpless crying after the war made Lemillion clench his fists until his knuckles turned white.
 
"But that does not look like regeneration magic", Reinhard stated, narrowing his blue eyes as he analyzed the flow of the battle. "Rather... it looks like he intends to destroy himself and take Subaru with him". The Sword Saint clenched his jaw helplessly. He knew it was the past of another world, but witnessing so much chaos before him and being unable to draw his sword made him sick.
 
Felt shook her head in annoyance upon noticing how her knight was already looking for a way to blame himself for something that had not even occurred in his own universe.
 
—One final valiant act, huh...? —Ricardo released a hoarse laugh devoid of humor.
 
"Valiant? That idiot was nothing more than a desperate coward clinging to anything that would allow his fragile pride to keep convincing him that he was a god", Jiro spat disdainfully. Her hatred for the villain had intensified after personally confronting him on the battlefield.
 
—I was being sarcastic, girl... I also think that man is acting incredibly pathetic.
 
"That is a veeeeery superficial way of looking at it~...".
 
—¡Are you implying that you support that fucking asshole, you shitty clown?! —Mirko shouted at him, baring her teeth and glaring at him.
 
"Not at all, my savage rabbit lady... I simply find Ricardo’s perspective deeply mistaken", Roswaal clarified, gesturing with his usual theatricality. "Think of it this way... eveeeeeryone would be shouting that Subaru-kun was incredible, amazing and the greatest hero in history if he did exactly the same thing on his deathbed".
 
—Yes, yes... we already know you identify with that idiot, I suppose. But absolutely no one asked you anything, clown —Beatrice cut him off, glaring at him coldly.
 
"What do you mean when you say he identifies with him, little girl?", Todoroki asked, fixing an icy stare on the sorcerer before returning his attention to the Great Spirit.
 
—Tch... what insolence, calling Betty a little girl, in fact. Besides, it is none of your concern, disrespectful brat.
 
"It matters a great deal to us if you are saying that man identifies with All for One", Todoroki replied without flinching, his expression deathly serious. "Subaru has been living under the same roof as all of you for the past year; if that clown is anything like the villain, we need to know right now". All of Class A nodded with protective determination almost simultaneously.
 
—If you are insinuating that my contractor is in danger with Betty by his side, then you are being a complete idiot, in fact. Betty would never allow anything to happen to her Subaru.
 
"And what exactly is a little girl like you supposed to do?", Shinso inquired, genuinely curious but skeptical of the idea that a library loli could be Natsuki’s bodyguard.
 
—Oh, you see, Beatrice-sama is no little girl, even if her appearance suggests otherwise. She is a Great Spirit; to be more specific, the Great Spirit of Yin, Beatrice —the ever-courteous Otto interjected, attempting to calm the situation.
 
"A... ghost...?", Toru asked, confused. If she was some kind of poltergeist, she could relate a little; after all, she used her invisibility to frighten her classmates all the time.
 
—¡Tch... such tremendous insolence...!
 
"Calm down, Beatrice. They do not know much about our magic. Remember that Subaru was exactly the same when he arrived at the mansion", Emilia mediated, stroking the spirit’s head to calm her tantrum.
 
—You are mistaken, Emilia-sama. Barusu was far more unbearable... and useless —Ram felt the overwhelming need to correct her lady.
 
"All right, enough. I do not want to hear an explanation of your magic system right now. Let us keep watching the screen; let her show it to us, or ask during the breaks...", Kaina growled, losing her patience. Lady Nagant absolutely refused to be trapped in trivial arguments when the climax of her savior’s battle was right in front of her.
 
And to her own surprise and satisfaction, both worlds fell silent and reluctantly obeyed the order.
 
"I have not accomplished anything yet. I will not allow them to take away what rightfully belongs to me. I alone will fulfill my dream", All for One declared on the screen, fixing his empty eye socket on Subaru. "¡No one will succeed me! ¡They will not connect anything...! ¡There is only one Dark Lord!".
 
—All for One... is afraid —Mineta whispered, trembling as he listened to the self-proclaimed Demon King’s raw internal monologue.
 
"Everything he fought for over an entire century is falling apart because of a group of broken students and heroes. He must have been losing his mind from desperation", Hawks analyzed, completely devoid of his relaxed attitude. He was witnessing the misery of the filth who had stolen his Quirk.
 
—He deserves that and a thousand times worse —Endeavor growled, the flames on his face burning slightly stronger. All Might and Aldebaran nodded fervently, sharing the same visceral hatred.

 
On the screen, Subaru rolled across the ground, abruptly stopping his momentum with both hands. He lifted his face, stained with blood and ash, to confront the monster.
 
«This is it. I only have to repeat it. What I did with that fool Tomura», All for One thought as he crawled. «Without One for All, he will serve me. Or anyone else».

 
—Wait... What do you mean without One for All? —All Might asked, suddenly rising from his seat, visibly alarmed.
 
«I suppose they will realize it now... but at least they need to see it with their own eyes», Aizawa thought heavily, before addressing Yagi and the rest of the confused group. —All Might, it would be best for us to keep watching. The visualization itself may answer all those questions.
 
"Do you know something about that, Aizawa-sensei?", Ochaco asked, clasping her hands together with profound concern.
 
—Just keep watching. If something appears that I know and all of you do not, I will explain it without any problem —Aizawa replied, refusing to look away from the screen. The tension in the room skyrocketed; the villain’s insinuations had planted icy terror in the former Symbol of Peace’s chest.
 
Both worlds shared the confusion. Most of them had witnessed Subaru’s titanic display of power; it sounded ridiculous and impossible that anyone could steal it from him.

 
«I will surrender myself and steal everything from him...». The image showed the apocalyptic trail of destruction All for One left in his wake, sweeping the heroes aside as though they were insects. «¡¡¡Give me a vessel!!!».

 
—That disgusting bastard... —Bakugo rose to his feet, tiny sparks involuntarily exploding from his palms—. ¡That bastard wanted to steal the nerd’s body!
 
"Take possession of his body...", the veterans of the White Whale and Sloth subjugations murmured in unison. A chill ran down their spines as they remembered Petelgeuse’s Fingers. Knowing that another madman wanted to do exactly the same thing to Subaru made their blood boil with rage.
 
—Subaru-kun... you have to run away from him —Rem brought both hands to her chest, hyperventilating slightly. The Oni only wanted to tear through the fabric of reality, enter the screen and tear apart the monster who coveted her hero.
 
"Bastard...", All Might hissed, tensing. The mere thought of such an aberrant possibility made him wish he could revive All for One solely to kill him with his own hands.
 
"Grandma... Daddy will be all right, right?", Eri asked, thick tears forming at the edges of her eyes. Although she did not fully understand the mechanics of Quirks, she knew that they wanted to hurt the person who had saved her.
 
Naoko swallowed the lump in her throat and formed a smile that looked more like a grimace of contained pain. —H-he will be all right, my little girl... It is Subaru, remember? He always, always finds a way to win...
 
—What repulsive filth... —Priscilla looked at the villain with disgust. A scavenging rat with plans as cowardly as invading the body of a superior merely for convenience did not deserve to breathe the same air as her.
 

"I will not allow it, All for One!", Subaru roared on the screen, charging directly toward the villain at maximum speed without the slightest hesitation. He leapt with the intention of crushing him, preparing the decisive blow. But, before he could strike, a dark mist materialized in front of him.
 
"I-I want you to give Tomura Shigaraki back to me... he... has a friend waiting for him...".

 
—Shirakumo... —Aizawa closed his eyes tightly and turned his face away. Seeing his old friend from his youth reduced to a dying servant was torture, even though he knew that, deep down and until the very end, Oboro’s heart was still there.
 
"Let me guess; that mist-covered man is one of All for One’s fanatical followers", Tivey deduced, crossing his arms.
 
—Rather, he was Shigaraki’s caretaker and follower, not All for One’s —Nezu gently corrected him. Seeing Eraserhead so distressed drove him to honor Shirakumo’s fractured memory a little.
 
"I would call it a noble act if he were not on the enemy’s side", Anastasia admitted, evaluating the sorrowful memories of that young villain displayed on the screen. Most of those present nodded melancholically at the merchant’s words.
 
—Shit... the captain is going to have to go through that poor bastard to reach the real scum... —Garfiel growled, grinding his fangs. His 'incredible being' would have given anything to be there, serving as a shield for his brother.
 
"Do not worry about that...", Sero stated with a crooked smile full of confidence. "That is where the cavalry arrives to help Natsubro...". His eyes drifted toward Bakugo, who was not blinking, completely immersed in the visualization.
 
Everyone copied the gesture, looking at the ash-blond boy before returning their attention to the large screen. Naoko, for her part, looked at Katsuki tenderly.
 
—Thank you, Katsuki. Thank you for watching my Subaru’s back when he needed you most...
 
That was the only voice in the entire room capable of making Bakugo look away from the battle. —I could not leave that idiot Deku alone. You do not have to thank me, Auntie.

 
On the screen, just before Subaru crashed into Kurogiri, the sharp whistle of a detonation sliced through the air. An orange flash crossed the battlefield at supersonic speed, slamming directly into the shadow portal and knocking him out of the way.

"Bakugo? ¡Your wounds are fatal, you should not be moving!", Present Mic exclaimed from above, alarmed. "Did you get all the way here by propelling yourself with explosions?".
 
"I had to use Todoroki’s ramp". The shot changed, showing an exhausted Todoroki kneeling on the asphalt beside a track of ice he had created himself.
 
"¡¡¡Do not let him surpass you, Subaru!!!".

 
"Damn... that was way too awesome", Garfiel admitted, for the first time in his life making no attempt to hide his admiration for the explosion boy.
 
—You performed excellently, Bakugo-san —Julius praised him, inclining his head slightly as a sign of knightly respect.
 
"¡That was incredible! ¡He made a huge BOOOOM! ¡And then he came flying in to help the Mini-Boss!", Mimi celebrated, bouncing in her seat with stars in her eyes.
 
"Thank you very much, Bakugo, for helping my knight. And you are Todoroki, right?", Emilia inquired, looking at the heterochromatic boy with immense gratitude. Todoroki nodded calmly. "I am extremely glad that you helped Subaru again. Your control over ice is incredible and very powerful".
 
Bakugo released a "Tch" and crossed his arms, refusing to accept the praise aloud, but Todoroki offered a slight bow from his seat. —There is no need to thank us, miss. All of us were willing to give our lives in that war to support him.
 
—I suppose my contractor learned his ice techniques from you? —Beatrice asked, studying Shoto intently.
 
"Um...? I suppose so...", the fire-and-ice hero replied, slightly confused by the drill-haired girl’s sudden attention.
 
—Oh, you do not know, but Emilia-sama is an ice user with overwhelming magical potential. And Natsuki-san was the one who instructed her the most in offensive tactics —the ever-timely Otto explained, not wanting to mention that it was fire magic because he did not want to explain how that element worked. He knew it would be confusing for them, just as it had been for Subaru according to Emilia.
 
"I see...", Todoroki nodded, looking at Emilia with renewed interest. "Then I would very much like to witness your technique, if it is ever possible. If Subaru adapted my movements to your combat style, I would like to see how well you execute them so I can give you some advice".
 
—¡Of course, that would be wonderful! —Emilia accepted with a radiant, bell-like smile. Meeting and exchanging knowledge with one of her beloved knight’s closest friends filled her with joy.
 
"You know, Bakugo? You were amazing. When I met you on the first day of class, I never would have imagined that, out of all of us, you would be the one to help Deku-kun at that moment", Ochaco told him, smiling kindly at the blond.
 
—I am proud to say that you have matured for the better, Bakugo-san —Momo agreed, bringing a hand to her chest.
 
"Even though that idiot Deku is a pain in the ass, he is still a hero, my damn rival and... a friend. We had to crush that scrotum-face, and we did it together". Bakugo alternated his gaze between the sleeping Subaru and his animated counterpart, allowing a small smile filled with pride to escape, which he refused to suppress.
 
—You are not going to die if you admit out loud that Natsuki is like your brother, Bakugo —Shinso mocked with a lazy smile, earning a furious growl from the explosive blond, although everyone in Class A noticed that he did not deny it.
 

"All for One, I will never forgive everything you have done. But... I also do not see you as some incomprehensible monster", Subaru declared as he closed the final meters separating him from his nemesis. The screen showed a close-up of his eye, which burned with the wielders’ compassion and fury. "¡You are no Dark Lord!".
 
"No... stop...", a pathetic and disfigured All for One begged.
 
The darkness cracked like glass, giving way to the light radiating from the hero. Subaru’s fist, shining with the colors of the rainbow and the strength of generations, brutally struck All for One’s outstretched hand. The villain desperately tried to block it, but his hand began to disintegrate under the sheer pressure of One for All.
 
"¡You are only a lonely human being!". Slow motion immortalized the decisive clash between the light of hope and the remnants of pure evil.
 

"So typical of Subaru-sama. Always trying to find humanity, even within the most soulless villains", Frederica murmured, gently shaking her head while a smile adorned her lips.
 
"It is a unique trait within Natsuki-san’s convictions", Iida stated, adjusting his glasses with pride. "That empathy is what establishes him as a great hero".
 
—But that same empathy can become his greatest weakness —Anastasia warned, narrowing her eyes. Although she was not a fighter, she knew perfectly well that hesitating for even a millisecond before a predator guaranteed death.
 
"Although your logic is irrefutable, Anastasia-sama, I must say that the world needs people who think like Subaru. Not every enemy is truly evil", Julius argued, measuring his words with the delicacy expected of the Finest of Knights.
 
—Julius-dono is entirely correct. I have seen too many people raise their swords on the battlefield simply because life gave them no other choice —Wilhelm closed his eyes, remembering the blood-soaked fields of the Demi-Human War—. Although I will not deny that attempting to save an enemy often ends in tragedy, a heart like Subaru’s can stop entire wars before they begin.
 
"Your wisdom is worthy of profound admiration, Grandfather Wilhelm", Reinhard agreed reverently, inwardly fearing the Sword Demon’s reaction. But to his surprise, Wilhelm simply nodded, offering his grandson the faintest yet comforting smile.
 
—¡Be quiet and watch! ¡He is about to deliver the finishing blow...! —Mina shrieked, gripping the seat in front of her in excitement, returning everyone’s attention to the climax.
 

"¡¡¡Ahhhhhhhhh...!!!". Subaru clenched his teeth, driving his radiant fist through the villain’s final defenses.
 
All For One froze, his eyes bulging in disbelief as Subaru’s punch sank into his chest, reducing his body to dust and extinguishing his century of tyranny with a single impact.
 
A colossal explosion of light swept across the battlefield, suddenly dispersing the ominous black clouds. The sky cleared, revealing a bright and pristine blue; the storm vanished, giving way to a new and peaceful dawn.
 
The last remains of Shigaraki and All for One’s body turned to ashes in the wind. At last, the greatest villain in history had died.
 
And in the midst of that reborn sky, a single figure floated, bathed in the first rays of sunlight. Subaru Natsuki, the ninth and final wielder of One for All. Breathing heavily and raising his fist toward the heavens, he stood in absolute solitude as the symbol who had restored hope to the world.
 
The screen slowly darkened, leaving Subaru’s iconic silhouette floating in the bright blue sky as its final image.
 

A fraction of a second later, the entire theater erupted in deafening cheers. Applause thundered against the walls as heroes, knights and candidates acclaimed their friend, their beloved, their savior.
 
Aldebaran was euphoric. Since that fateful day, the one-armed knight had dreamed of All for One’s death. Witnessing his humiliating fall, his complete desperation at the hands of his "brother" from another world, was as though new life had been injected into his veins. "At last, you disgusting piece of shit. At last I got to see your stupid ending".
 
—Are you happy, jester? —Priscilla asked. She already knew the answer; she had been present when Subaru confessed to her knight how the villain had met his end. Even so, she delighted in the moment.
 
"Are you kidding, Princess...? This is officially the best day of my entire damn life".
 
—Even better than the day you crawled toward me to beg to become my loyal servant?
 
"Eh... well, it is the second-best day of my life...", Al quickly corrected himself, scratching the back of his neck to prevent his mistress from deciding to use him as a footrest or something worse. But beneath the helmet, he smiled upon noticing the radiant mood of the Baroness of Fire. "I see you are also in a very good mood, Princess".
 
—The commoner always knows exactly how to entertain me; I must grant him that honor —Priscilla commented, gently waving her crimson fan, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction—. If he continues producing spectacles of this caliber, it will not take long before he stands at the level of a goddess such as myself.
 
"Was killing that scum really still not enough?".
 
—This is only the prologue. Subaru Natsuki is a commoner who conceals far more potential than all the mediocrities in this room could ever comprehend. And for that very reason, my divine being shall take him beneath her wing and shape him into a jester truly worthy of my greatness.
 
"Yeah, sure... just a simple jester...", Al whispered to himself, laughing quietly, happy to know that, in Priscilla’s twisted way, Subaru had already earned her respect. Although the one-armed man knew it was not only respect, not after the Royal Selection.
 
—¡That was incredible...! —Petra shouted, completely forgetting her maidly manners and shyness—. ¡Subaru-sama was amazing! ¡He looked exactly like the heroes from the stories they read to us as children!
 
"Did you see that I told you...?". Nejire turned toward those from Lugunica, puffing out her chest with a bright and smug smile. "¡I told you Susu was the coolest hero of them all!".
 
—I suppose you are correct, in fact. My contractor is undeniably the greatest; only one step below Betty, of course —Beatrice boasted, crossing her arms, overflowing with pride.
 
"Watching him epically finish off the final boss on a movie screen was absolutely insane", Kaminari celebrated, throwing punches into the air. "¡It literally looked like the climax of a Shonen anime where the protagonist saves the universe with the power of friendship!".
 
—You know that, in practical terms, Natsuki is the protagonist of this entire event, right? —Jiro pointed out, twirling her earphone jack around her index finger with a mocking smile—. We are going to watch his journey after being summoned to a fantasy world. That makes him an Isekai protagonist... Does it not, Bakugo-kun?
 
"¡Tch! Why the hell are you asking me?", Bakugo growled, crossing his arms and sinking into his seat, feeling cornered.
 
—Because you were the expert otaku who watched those things with him, were you not? —Mina attacked, joining the crossfire—. Is that not right, Naoko-san?
 
Upon hearing her name, Subaru’s mother turned toward the pink-skinned girl, and a wicked yet innocent smile illuminated her face. —You are absolutely right, Mina-chan. My Subaru and Katsuki used to spend entire weekends locked away watching anime, devouring manga and analyzing All Might’s battles. They even... oh, I remember when they used to buy costumes of the characters online and fight in the backyard while pretending they had magical powers...
 
—¡¡¡AUNTIE!!! —Katsuki roared, jumping to his feet, his face red all the way to his ears from absolute mortification.
 
Laughter erupted immediately. His classmates were crying with laughter, followed closely by Garfiel and Felt, who did not hesitate to mock the aggressive blond mercilessly, despite not understanding half of the strange words they used.
 
"You have nothing to be embarrassed about, dear Katsuki. Subaru was never ashamed to admit his hobbies. I even remember that you two had heated debates about your tastes in girls. My Subaru always, always adored silver-haired elves, and you..."
 
—¡¡¡THAT IS ENOUGH, AUNTIE!!! —Bakugo nearly leapt over the seats to cover his second mother’s mouth. If Auntie revealed his tastes in a room where the literal embodiment of his taste in girls was present, he would undoubtedly throw himself off a bridge once he left the theater.
 
Emilia’s ears subtly moved upon catching what Naoko had revealed. Tastes... for silver-haired elves? Her heart gave a strange leap, accelerating rhythmically. Without knowing exactly why, a shy smile and a deep blush took over her face. She squeezed her sleeping knight’s hand with even greater affection, whispering to herself: "Silly Subaru...".
 
Only a few seats away, Rem puffed out her cheeks, forming an adorable yet dangerous pout of jealousy. Upon hearing that her hero had already possessed a preference for girls exactly like Emilia-sama even before meeting her, she felt as though she were starting at a disadvantage. The Oni internally promised herself, with fire in her eyes, that she would do absolutely everything possible to make her beloved have eyes only for her and her blue hair.
 
—Oh, I am extremely interested in hearing about Bakugo-kun’s tastes... —Uraraka sang with a wicked and sharp smile. The gravity heroine was already planning the blackmail and jokes she would use throughout the rest of their years at the academy.
 
"I am interested as well. Although we already know beforehand that Bakugo is dating Camie, it is always productive to learn about your friends’ tastes", Todoroki added in his usual monotonous tone, pouring more fuel onto the fire without even trying.
 
Seeing that the discussion threatened to degenerate into high school gossip, Julius decided that it was time to impose order. He elegantly cleared his throat. —Then, to confirm... Was that the end of that villain and the war in your world?
 
Aizawa mentally thanked the knight for saving his eardrums. —Yes... All For One’s reign definitively ended that day, and the war concluded with the heroes’ total victory.
 
—Although the collateral damage and losses will weigh upon us for decades... —Nezu lowered his ears, remembering the mountains of paperwork, the funerals and the infrastructure reduced to rubble—. But at the end of the day, the primary objective was accomplished; eliminating the architect of the tragedy.
 
"The idiots who rose up by exploiting the power vacuum left behind by All for One are nothing more than a handful of amateurs", Endeavor growled, spitting out the words. "They are like irritating cockroaches, but not one of them comes close to that monster".
 
"That was truly impreeeeeessive~...", Roswaal L. Mathers’s prolonged, sing-song voice cut through the air, drawing disgusted looks from both factions. "It was an exceedingly interesting and colorful battle, buuuuuut... I believe we will now witness what truly brought all of us together inside this theater...".
 
—What do you mean, Roswaal-sama? —Ram asked, solely as a matter of protocol. The loyal maid already knew exactly which part of the story her master’s intentions were pointing toward.

"You already know it perfectly well, my dear Ram...". The sorcerer made a dramatic pause, almost savoring the moment, and fixed his heterochromatic eyes on the members of Class A, who were already beginning to tense up. "Now we shall see how the glorious Subaru-kun... was torn away from his beloved home and brought into our world".

The clown’s venomous words fell like a bucket of cold water over all the inhabitants of the hero world. Although it was true that they had spent hours longing to know what had become of Subaru’s life, that did nothing to lessen the terror of having to witness, from the front row, the exact moment when their beacon of hope vanished before their very eyes, without being able to do anything to save him.

Naoko stifled a sob and Eri hid her face against the sleeping boy’s chest, clutching his clothes tightly, her eyes glistening with tears. Ochaco, Nejire, Momo and Kaina clenched their fists on their laps, with a suffocating knot tightening around their throats. Their male companions hardened their expressions, swallowing bitterly. But, despite the pain, no one dared to look away from the immense black rectangle.

"Damned clown... I swear to God that I feel an overwhelming need to put a single bullet through his stupid head", Lady Nagant growled, her patience exhausted and her frustration mounting at the sorcerer’s mocking tone.

—Don’t even mention it... as soon as we get five free minutes in this room, I’m going to kick that ridiculous makeup off his skull —Mirko agreed, baring her fangs at the nobleman of Lugunica, who merely gave her a sickeningly radiant smile.

"Yes, yes... I also share the feeling that this guy is absolutely disgusting. But, looking at it coldly, at least we finally have the opportunity to find out what the hell happened to Natsuki and uncover the mystery of how he disappeared", Hawks reasoned, his voice completely devoid of the relaxed and playful tone that characterized him.

—Tch... —Both women frowned with restrained fury upon hearing the hero’s undeniable logic. Sighing heavily, they turned their heads toward the screen, mentally preparing themselves for what was to come.

"Young Subaru... I pray to heaven that everything went well for you, my son...", All Might whispered, biting his lower lip until he nearly drew blood from having to witness his pupil being taken away from him for a second time. Noticing that Naoko was trembling, he extended his arm and placed his warm hand on the mother’s shoulder, silently assuring her that she was not alone in her agony.

The members of Lugunica paid full attention to the screen. The idea that someone could cross beyond the Great Waterfall into another world was a fantasy that they would soon witness with their own eyes.

Emilia, Beatrice, Rem and everyone closest to the boy prepared themselves to see what the screen wanted to show them, the truth about the boy they loved so dearly.

The window showed a dense and dark void, dotted with flickering lights. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the echo of harsh gasps of pain; the sound of someone agonizingly struggling to breathe.


—What the hell? Who’s dying? —Bakugo immediately demanded to know, gritting his teeth. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine; that broken voice sounded far too familiar.

"But weren’t we going to watch the continuation?" Nejire asked, with a mixture of confusion and fear clouding her large blue eyes. Like most of them, the tone of that agonized voice was unmistakable to her, and a knot formed in her stomach.

—Calm down, Nejire —Tamaki murmured, setting aside his usual shyness for a brief moment in an attempt to reassure her. The black-haired boy clenched his fists, refusing to think about the implications of what they were hearing.

"Let’s remain calm and keep watching, everything will be answered in due time". Iida suggested, moving his hands stiffly. Although he was trying to be the voice of reason, his heart was pounding rapidly; the darkness on the screen and those all-too-familiar gasps were deeply unsettling.


"This is bad... Very bad". The voice on the other side of the screen gasped, completely broken by suffering, fighting for every breath of air.


The eyes of everyone present widened. Any trace of doubt vanished instantly upon clearly hearing the identity of the injured person.

"S-Subaru..." Naoko murmured, bringing both hands to her mouth. Her mother’s heart threatened to shatter into a thousand pieces upon hearing her son suffer that way.

—What’s happening...? —Ochaco asked in a trembling whisper, sheer desperation coloring her voice. In all the time she had known Subaru, she had never heard him sound so vulnerable and broken.

"Daddy...?" Eri shifted her gaze between Subaru, who was sleeping deeply beside her, and the ominous screen. Her small crimson eyes filled with tears, unable to understand why her daddy was suffering so much.


"Subaru, what’s wrong?" A much softer voice suddenly intervened, clear and melodious like a silver bell. Her words carried deep and genuine concern.


—Is that me...? —Emilia blinked, tilting her head without fully understanding the situation. The half-elf frowned, dividing her gaze between the screen and her sleeping knight, latent concern in her amethyst eyes.

"Emilia-san, do you know what’s happening?" Todoroki hurried to ask the question. The usually stoic expression of the heterochromatic boy cracked slightly, revealing his distress.

Emilia quickly shook her head. "I-I... don’t know what’s happening. Subaru has done very reckless things that frightened me many times, so I can’t be sure what moment this is".

—But has he ever been so badly injured? —Shinso intervened, fixing an intense and inquisitive gaze on the silver-haired half-elf.

"Subaru...". Emilia closed her eyes for a second, desperately searching through all the memories she shared with her knight. "No... Subaru was never so gravely injured when he was with me".

—Then what the hell is happening? —Felt asked, crossing her arms and baring her teeth. She understood nothing, but her instincts screamed that what she was hearing was a very bad omen.

"Emilia-sama is very strong, just like Subaru-sama. Nothing bad will happen to them if they are together". Petra stated, trying to convince herself. The little maid nervously played with the hem of her apron, seeking to ease the tension gripping her chest.


The dense darkness suddenly dissipated, revealing a limp hand resting in a pool of blood that was rapidly growing beneath it.


—What the hell are we looking at?! —Mirko growled, completely losing what little patience she had left.

"That hand... it can’t be...". Momo murmured in a silent plea, turning toward the half-elf in search of some reassuring answer. However, Emilia did not even notice her; she was paralyzed, staring at the screen in absolute horror.

Rem was in the same state. She would recognize those scarred hands anywhere; the ones that had saved her and that she longed so deeply to have caress her. Both girls shared the same expression of pure disbelief and panic at the sight of the boy in such critical condition.

"Emilia-sama, do you remember the day we met Barusu?". Ram’s stoic voice cut through the tension-filled atmosphere.

Emilia, still trapped in shock, slowly turned her gaze toward the pink-haired servant. She nodded her head, lacking the strength necessary to utter a single syllable.

Ram nodded slightly in response. —Then I don’t believe you should worry. Remember how Barusu ended up after that altercation in the loot house.

The eyes of Emilia, Reinhard and Felt widened upon understanding Ram’s implication. The light briefly returned to the half-elf’s amethyst orbs. But the latter two were not entirely convinced. That was not how things had happened when Subaru fell gravely injured.

—Could you explain what you are talking about? —Nezu asked, bringing his paws together with genuine interest and calculated concern.

"Allow me to explain...". The Sword Saint stepped forward, intervening with his usual kind and chivalrous tone, although he was very nervous about what he was seeing on the screen. "The day we met Subaru, there was a rather serious conflict in the slums. It ended with Subaru protecting Emilia-sama from an attack, receiving a very deep wound in his stomach".

—But Emilia-san said a moment ago that Subaru wasn’t badly injured when she was present —Melissa argued, turning her head to look at the half-elf with slightly narrowed eyes, seeking consistency.

Emilia blushed in embarrassment all the way to the tips of her pointed ears for having omitted such a vital detail. She felt even worse upon noticing the worried looks she received from Naoko and Eri. —I... think I completely forgot about it with everything that has happened...

"Tch... Deku is screwed if he’s living with that stupid albino”. Bakugo growled. Although he maintained his harsh tone, he seemed somewhat calmer. Knowing that idiot Subaru had survived that wound managed to ease the pang of anxiety in his chest.

—Ha! At last a commoner opens his mouth to say something coherent —Priscilla mocked, elegantly opening her fan. She was not going to waste the slightest opportunity to emphasize her rival’s incompetence.

"Then Daddy will be all right, right?" Eri asked, raising a pleading and hopeful gaze toward the others.

—You have nothing to worry about, in fact. Betty personally took care of healing Subaru, I suppose —Beatrice replied, raising her chin with a small smile filled with pride. She would never waste an opportunity to emphasize how indispensable she was to her contractor.

"Beatrice, I helped a lot too!" Emilia complained, puffing out her cheeks, slightly indignant at having been excluded from the credit.

—Yes, yes... Emilia also helped however she could, I suppose... —the Great Spirit conceded, dismissing it with a gesture.

"Mhm..." Emilia nodded with a loud affirmation of satisfaction at being acknowledged.

Some in the room could not help but let out small laughs at how childish and innocent the beautiful girl looked. However, the unease did not completely leave the half-elf. «But... why do I feel as though something doesn’t quite fit...?» she wondered, clinging to Subaru’s arm.


The screen abruptly changed scenes, once again showing Subaru floating in the air, but now the shot closed in on his face illuminated by the radiant sun.

"At last... it’s all over". The boy said between exhausted gasps, observing how not a single trace of All for One remained.


—And we’re back again... —Tivey commented, adjusting his monocle, visibly confused—. Does anyone have the slightest idea how this works?

"Tch... in some of those stupid anime Deku used to watch...". Most of his friends and classmates rolled their eyes at Bakugo’s refusal to admit that he was also a fan. Naoko could only form a small maternal smile at the explosive boy’s attitude. "They started by showing a damn glimpse of the future, and then went back to the present to explain how the hell they got there. I suppose they’ll understand it better as this shit continues".

—Was it really necessary to use that vocabulary, Bakugo-san? —Momo sighed tiredly, rubbing her temples. Although she agreed with what he said, since many novels she read used that device, she would have preferred a more polite explanation.

"Whatever, Ponytail. The point is that we’re about to see how that idiot Deku disappears from our world, everything else is irrelevant". The blond growled.

Momo frowned, unable to find a valid counterargument to that harsh truth. She straightened in her seat and focused all her attention on the projection once again.


The scene flickered again, returning to the image of the trembling hand over the growing pool of blood, indicating that the person was rapidly losing consciousness.

"No... Run! Hurry!". The young man’s voice screamed desperately, torn apart by agony and urgency.

¡THUD!

A dull sound echoed when another body collapsed heavily beside the bloodied hand.

It was the motionless body of a girl with long silver hair, wearing white robes with purple details.


—Wait, wait... isn’t that you, big sister? —Felt stammered, turning toward the half-elf with her eyes wide open in shock. And she was not the only one; expressions of horror and bewilderment spread throughout the entire room. The Crusch and Anastasia camps stared in astonishment. Emilia was right there, sitting beside them safe and sound, but the screen showed her collapsing, on the verge of death.

"Emilia-sama...?". Petra let out a choked gasp, bringing both hands to her chest upon seeing her lady collapse. Although she had initially feared her because of her resemblance to the Witch, throughout a year of service at the mansion she had grown very fond of her. She would never wish to see her die in such a cruel manner.

"Me...? But that never happened...". Emilia whispered, pale and disturbed. The terror of seeing herself perish on the screen left her breathless; an icy shiver ran down her spine, making her feel a phantom pressure in her chest, as though she shared the agony of her on-screen self.

She was afraid, terribly afraid. She did not want to die. Not after having lived through a final year that seemed taken from a dream. Not now that she finally had true friends, a clear goal in the Royal Selection and, above all, a knight like Subaru by her side.

—Emilia-san... —Naoko called to her gently, placing a warm hand over the half-elf’s trembling hands. Mrs. Natsuki could barely contain her own tears while hearing her son’s agonized screams on the screen, but upon seeing the young woman trembling so violently, her protective maternal instinct took over—. Everything is all right, dear. You’re here, you’re safe. No one will hurt you.

"B-but that never happened... that never...". The silver-haired girl stammered, her voice broken and her gaze lost.

"Tch... Is this place playing with us?". Kaina asked with a coldness that barely concealed her rage. She gritted her teeth, unable to tolerate hearing her hero suffer in such a way. He, of all the people in the world, did not deserve to end up lying in a pool of blood. "Is that damn Guardian enjoying himself by showing tragedies that never happened...?".

—But before, he showed us Natsuki’s final battle exactly as it happened. Why would he suddenly decide to mock us? —Kaminari asked, completely devoid of his usual energy. Like the rest of Class 1-A, he was in shock as he processed that his friend’s life seemed to be fading away.

"Kaminari is right, he showed us everything exactly as it happened. He didn’t even falsify the scenes in the bunker or what Melissa and the others were doing while he was so far away". Jiro continued the line of thought, nervously fiddling with her jacks. She was just as disturbed as the rest of the theater.

"So far, the Guardian has not shown us a single lie. He even brought Natsuki here so we could witness his journey. It would make no sense for him to start playing mind games now". Aizawa said in a stern and analytical tone, forcing himself to be the pillar of calm his overwhelmed students needed.

—It would make perfect sense coming from an entity we know absolutely nothing about. He could be manipulating us, lowering our defenses so that we later fall completely into his stupid game —Endeavor countered, crossing his arms with his brow deeply furrowed in irritation.

"Or, who knows, perhaps we are witnessing a future; an event beyond the current time of this room". Hawks said, attracting everyone’s attention. The hero shrugged with apparent nonchalance upon feeling so many gazes fixed on him. "I mean, there must be a reason he gathered all of us in this place, right? Maybe the Guardian is an unknown friend of the kid and wants us to unite to prevent that tragic ending".

—If he were really his friend and had that power, don’t you think he would save him himself instead of kidnapping people from two completely different worlds? —Ricardo questioned, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.

"No idea, big guy. I was just throwing theories around". Hawks replied with a half-smile.

"Discussing theories without solid foundations will not lead us to any conclusion. It is evident that the Guardian will not allow us to leave until we understand what he wishes to show us. I recommend that we remain calm and wait for the screen to reveal the context of the situation". Director Nezu suggested, imposing reason upon the room. As a leader, he could not allow panic to cloud his students’ judgment.

The director’s logic was silently accepted by most of them. Rem wrapped Emilia in a firm embrace, providing an anchor of reassurance for the pale half-elf. Naoko, guided by her unwavering instinct, held Eri’s small hand tightly, keeping her close. In the upper rows, Toshinori’s skeletal body trembled imperceptibly; seeing the young man he regarded as a son on the verge of death had left him speechless, unable to process a coherent thought.

Ochaco, Nejire and Momo remained petrified, their eyes wide open as silent rivers of tears ran down their cheeks. None of them could bear to see Subaru perish in such a lonely and painful manner; not the brilliant person they loved so dearly and who had risked everything for them so many times.


The scene suddenly returned to the bright sky, focusing on Subaru as he floated and watched his fellow heroes in the distance, all of them staring in disbelief at All for One’s definitive fall.

"At last, idiot...". Katsuki murmured in the projection, dropping to the ground, exhausted but victorious.


—Are they going to keep making us jump from scene to scene...? This is torture —Mineta complained, trembling in his seat, overwhelmed by the constant contrast between victory and imminent death.

"He’s right; this fragmented way of showing the events is extremely confusing". Julius agreed, settling into his seat in a vain attempt to conceal the anxiety caused by seeing his friend and his lady die in such a merciless manner.

"A quick question... don’t Quirks related to visions or prophecies exist in your world?" Otto suddenly asked. Ever since he saw his friend’s gruesome fate on the screen, the merchant’s mind had not stopped searching for a rational explanation. "I don’t know, perhaps Natsuki-san awakened some kind of power that allows him to see the future or something similar...".

The eyes of Roswaal, Ram and Priscilla shone with sudden understanding at the merchant’s theory. The eccentric mage leaned forward, intrigued by the possibility of witnessing the manifestation of the power his teacher longed for so deeply. For Priscilla and Ram, the perspective was different but equally revealing: both knew firsthand that Subaru always possessed information that bordered on the impossible. If he could truly see the future, many of his miracles would finally have an explanation.

—I’m afraid that is impossible, young man —All Might replied, firmly shaking his head—. Young Subaru was a Quirkless boy before inheriting One for All. The vestiges of the previous holders would have immediately detected any spark of another latent power and informed him.

"And, just to be clear, if that idiot Deku had possessed a hidden Quirk and then received a power enhancer like One for All, his body would have collapsed when he tried to use it". Bakugo scoffed, bringing up the discoveries regarding the inheritance of the power. Although he knew death would not have been instantaneous, the point remained valid.

—And isn’t there a possibility that he took it from All for One? —Otto insisted, refusing to discard the only logical explanation he could find.

"With the exception of All for One, there is no one capable of stealing a Quirk... at least no one alive that we know of. Furthermore, if that monster had possessed the ability to see the future, he would never have been cornered and defeated in that manner". Toshinori declared. In their world there had only ever been one person capable of such a feat, and his dear friend Sir Nighteye had been dead for a long time.

“And to put an end to that idea, if Subaru were witnessing visions, he would be disturbed or at least confused. But there are no signs of anything unusual”. Melissa commented, bringing the idea to a close. Otto sighed, dropping heavily into his seat, frustrated at seeing his brilliant deduction completely crushed .

The scene returned to the lady's now motionless body as blood suddenly filled the area beneath her.

The scene of the struggling hand from the beginning moved slowly, trying to reach the girl.

"Hold on...". The boy gasped, a clear determination filling his dying voice.


"It can't be...". Ochaco murmured, feeling her blood run cold. Her worst fears were confirmed when she clearly heard Subaru's voice coming from that dying body.

There was no longer any room for doubt: the broken boy on the screen was Subaru Natsuki. The brutal revelation filled almost everyone in the room with panic and anguish, except for a select group who watched the macabre outcome with growing intrigue and calculated confusion.

Naoko was quick to hide Eri's face against her chest to keep her from watching any further. She embraced the girl desperately, using the contact to turn her own gaze away, unable to endure the sight of her boy choking on his own blood.

Although there was a faint hope that it was a sick illusion created by the Guardian, witnessing the young hero's agony was unbearable.

However, the more analytical ones doubted that it was merely a deception, so they kept their eyes fixed on the screen, refusing to draw hasty conclusions.

The scar-covered hand finally reached the limp hand of the silver-haired girl.

It was revealed that Subaru was the owner of the hand, with blood pouring from his mouth and his face twisted into a grimace of pain.

"I'm going to...". He said through the blood surging up his throat.

"But if this is supposed to be a damn vision of his world... where the hell are all of you?" Shinso demanded, clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white with frustration.

Seeing the class's pillar of hope shattered in such a way was too much. Naoko, little Eri, Beatrice, and the girls who secretly harbored strong feelings for the boy let out sobs filled with pure despair. All Might remained with his mouth open, petrified, while bitter tears rolled down his sharp cheekbones.

"They're alone in that place. There's no one there except Subaru and the girl. Where the hell is the Spirit who swore to protect him, the devoted maid, or all those people who boast about being his great support...?" Kaina shouted in despair, striking the armrests, one impulse away from leaping toward the other world's stands to force the answers out of them.

Neither Beatrice nor Rem registered the sniper's threats. Their worlds had been reduced to the screen, silently crying as they watched the most important person in their lives wither away.

—Miss, I don't believe it's fair to blame us for tragedies from a future that hasn't even happened yet —Anastasia replied, playing with her scarf but with clear offense in her tone. Although she didn't have a close relationship with Subaru, her merchant's pride wouldn't allow her to be branded incompetent.

"I completely understand your frustration, but I ask that we maintain our composure. We still lack the context behind that scene". Reinhard declared, raising a pacifying hand to prevent their tempers from colliding. "As already mentioned, there is a possibility that it is an illusion, or an event that does not reflect reality".

—He's right. Starting a conflict based on conjecture is illogical —Aizawa nodded, agreeing with the red-haired knight.

"Ha! What a group of pathetic beings who refuse to see the truth even when it's rubbed in their faces". Priscilla let out an arrogant laugh, concealing her smile behind her crimson fan. "Which one of you possesses the divine authority to declare that it is false? Allow me to remind you, ignorant commoners, that the Jester who dragged us here warned us that Subaru Natsuki harbors multiple secrets. That absolutely no one in our world comprehends the entirety of his existence... not even that band of incompetents surrounding him".

—Are you implying that scene... actually happened? —Mirio asked, his eyes widening, unable to process such an absurd idea. Beside him, Tamaki curled into a ball in his seat, intimidated by the oppressive aura radiating from the woman in the orange dress.

"My divine self is not affirming anything, commoner. What my vast intelligence deduces is that if this entity had the arrogance to bring us all here and gather all of you, it was not to bore us with stories we already knew. You are blinded by your attachment to Subaru and have conveniently forgotten the rules that were established before that screen came to life".

"Can you stop trying to act mysterious and just say what the hell you mean already, you arrogant witch?!" Felt shouted, jumping to her feet, fed up with the baroness's riddles.

Priscilla's smile widened with genuine mockery upon seeing the slum rat explode. —My divine self has no obligation to lower her words so your street-bred intellect can comprehend them. The world turns in my favor and kneels at my feet. If the world has decided that I must witness Subaru's hidden truths, then so it shall be.

—You damn... I swear that if you open that mouth again...! —Felt bared her teeth, one step away from leaping over the seats.

"Felt-sama, I beg you to restrain yourself...".

"Shut up, Rein! Can't you see that this idiot is only trying to get under our skin?".

"You must not yield to such crude provocations, my lady. Although Priscilla-sama seeks to incite your anger, you are a candidate for the throne of Lugunica; you must demonstrate composure in such situations". Reinhard's calm voice managed to halt the blonde's advance.

—I don't give a shit about formalities right now! —Felt clicked her tongue, crossing her arms—. Big Brother and Big Sister just died on that damn screen, and I'm sure that narcissist knows something she refuses to reveal.

"Felt-sama... actually, I believe I do understand what Priscilla-sama is referring to". Otto stood up, his voice managing to capture everyone's attention.

Priscilla narrowed her eyes at the mediocre merchant who dared proclaim that he understood the designs of a goddess. However, she decided to remain silent, amusing herself by planning a suitable punishment for such insolence.

"Before the war of the other world began to be projected," Otto explained in a firm but nervous voice, "the Guardian gave us a very clear warning: he said that we would have to understand the true magnitude of his suffering in order to help him through the crisis he is currently facing".

—Are you suggesting that the 'suffering' he referred to is nothing more than the boy's nightmares? —Endeavor asked, rubbing his flame-covered chin, unconvinced.

"I'm sorry, Otto-kun, but it would seem like a tremendous waste of our valuable time to be held in this place merely to observe Natsuki-kun's nightmares". Anastasia spoke, adjusting her fox scarf. Her words earned her severely disapproving looks from the entire Class.

"To tell the truth, I must support Anastasia-sama's logic". Crusch intervened, straightening herself with military bearing. "Do not misunderstand me, I deeply value that we were brought here; especially because it allowed Rem-san and me to recover our memories. But forcing us to witness Subaru-dono's nightmares without his consent seems unnecessary and cruel".

—Crusch-sama is absolutely right, nya. If Subaru-kyun were suffering from such severe night terrors, I'm certain Emilia-sama and Beatrice would have already discovered them, nya —Felix argued, moving his ears in support of his mistress—. I understand that Subaru-kyun's world is here to witness his adventures, but it would not be necessary for us, nya.

“Tch…”. Beatrice clicked her tongue without wanting to look at anyone, she did not even want to raise her face as she remembered those nights.

"Allow me to remind you that the Guardian also specified that this process would help heal... not only Subaru, but all of you as well". Momo pointed out, directing her profound gaze toward the inhabitants of Lugunica. As the conversation became analytical, both she and the rest of the students began to regain control of their emotions.

—I don't see the sense in that. What are we supposed to 'heal' merely by watching Natsuki-san's journey? —Tivey asked in confusion.

"Are you saying you don't like the Boss?" Mimi puffed out her cheeks, looking at her brother with deep disapproval and preparing to deliver a clean blow to his head.

—Hey, hey! Where did you get that conclusion from, Mimi? —the cat boy defended himself—. Obviously the Mini-Boss is admirable for everything he achieved against the Whale and Sloth, I'm only saying that the healing excuse sounds far-fetched!

"Well, that's precisely why they brought you here, little kitty". Hawks intervened, settling into his seat and recovering his relaxed tone. "I bet the boy carries secrets that even his loved ones don't know. We were brought here to witness what our young prospect became; and you were brought here to tear the blindfold from your eyes before the truths that are coming. Or at least, that's what common sense tells me".

"Very well, I believe the time for debating theories has concluded. Let us continue watching; the answers lie within that screen". Nezu ruled. The principal was already losing count of how many times he had been forced to urge the room to keep watching in order to calm the waters.


The projection returned to the clear sky, focusing on the victor floating peacefully. Suddenly, Subaru grimaced in pain, bringing a hand to his head when he felt a sharp prick in his brain.


"Emilia-sama, breathe. Everything is all right. Subaru-kun would never allow anything bad to happen to himself, much less to you". Rem squeezed the half-elf's hands, attempting to transmit warmth and comfort to her in her miserable state.

"I... I'm so afraid, Rem". The girl whispered, her voice dull and devoid of all its usual warmth. Rem could perceive the pure terror and anxiety consuming the half-elf's spirit.

—It's natural, Emilia-sama. Rem understands that witnessing an illusion of your own death must be deeply distur...

"Subaru... Subaru was dying...". Emilia interrupted her. Thick, hot tears began to overflow, leaving everyone nearby speechless. "He... he was dying in front of me, and I wasn't able to help him. He has done everything to see me happy, and I...".

"Emilia, please, we don't even know whether that was real, you can't blame yourself..." Beatrice tried to calm her, tugging at her sleeve.

"It doesn't matter!". Emilia sobbed, interrupting the little spirit with a harshness uncharacteristic of her. "I didn't help him... I... I'm nothing but useless...". Her voice broke, dripping with such profound self-loathing that Rem, Beatrice, Naoko, and All Might were left speechless. Even the U.A. girls seated in the row behind them heard the elf's lament. Toshinori's heroic instincts and Naoko's maternal heart wanted to flood her with words of encouragement, but the heavy atmosphere told them they should remain silent.


And then...

A hand with sharp claws, covered in a mist of darkness, was shown tearing through a white wall of space and stretching directly toward Subaru.


—W-What the hell was that damn hand?! —Mineta shrieked, recoiling in his seat in panic. Immediately, the grape boy's gaze (along with the rest of his class's) shot toward the only shadow user they knew.

The oppressive aura radiating from that simple limb alarmed the most primal instincts of the experienced warriors from both worlds. Watching a condensed shadow destroy reality sent widespread chills through them. Reinhard narrowed his eyes; his Divine Protections buzzed before the anomaly, forcing him to scrutinize the screen for any clue regarding the threat stalking his friend.

"Tokoyami-san, your Quirk... do you know what that is?" Iida asked, making rapid gestures with his hands, fearful for the freckled boy's fate.

Unexpectedly, Dark Shadow briefly emerged only to immediately hide within Tokoyami's cloak, trembling uncontrollably. Tokoyami furrowed his beak; never in his life had he witnessed his powerful Quirk cower that way before another shadow.

"No... Dark Shadow and I know nothing about it. At that time, Hawks and I were being treated by the doctors". The crow hero replied in a grave tone. "Furthermore, the nature of that darkness... emanates an evil so profound that it is completely foreign to us".

—Wait a moment... Dark Shadow is afraid of that shadow? —Hanta Sero asked, astonished. It was common knowledge that the shadow beast not only loved darkness, but fed upon it and grew stronger through it.

Tokoyami nodded solemnly, unleashing astonishment among the heroes. In the other corner, Bakugo's crimson pupils contracted. His combat instincts screamed that the disgusting shadow was responsible for the nerd's disappearance, and an oppressive knot warned him that his friend was about to face grave danger.

"Aizawa-sensei, could it possibly be Kurogiri's Quirk?" Ochaco asked, searching for a lifeline from her teacher, who understood the inner workings of the League of Villains better than anyone.

"It's true, the shadow that Bakugo-san destroyed". Julius nodded, relieved to find a rational explanation for such a sinister phenomenon.

—Impossible, it isn't Kurogiri —Aizawa cut the theories off at the root—. Both Mic and I made sure that Kurogiri was no longer alive. We are completely certain that he no longer existed after Bakugo destroyed him.

"T-That... is impossible...". Roswaal L. Mathers whispered, losing all the usual color from his voice. As an individual who had lived for more than four hundred years and walked beneath the shadow of the Witch of Greed, he knew exactly to whom that devouring power belonged. For the first time in centuries, Lugunica's most powerful mage felt the true ice of terror flow through his veins.

His heterochromatic eyes crossed the room to meet Beatrice's horrified gaze. At once, he confirmed that the spirit had also recognized the hand's origin. Despite the hatred separating them, the two shared a silent and terrifying understanding.

However, no one noticed that a third individual among Lugunica's ranks also perfectly recognized the dark entity. Hidden beneath his helmet, Aldebaran clenched his teeth until they nearly fractured, fighting titanically not to reveal his true emotions. He prayed to any listening god that no one would notice how his body trembled, consumed by volcanic rage. Fortunately for him, everyone's attention remained captured by the screen.

"W-Was that... thing what took Susu away...?" Nejire asked, clutching her own knees. If that creature possessed the power to tear through the fabric of space so easily... What hope did a simple group of heroes have against something of such magnitude?

—It seems so, Nejire-senpai... —Melissa nodded. Her trembling pupils betrayed her frustration and helplessness—. I-I had hoped that, if we discovered some clue, we could perform a miracle and build a machine to go rescue him... but seeing this... that energy defies all science...

"A hyper-dimensional baby capable of tearing through the veil between worlds...". Mei Hatsume murmured to herself upon catching Melissa's comment. Although her rational mind screamed that it bordered on impossible, the eccentric inventor felt a spark of excitement burning in her chest at the prospect of such a colossal challenge.

"Could it be that he senses that... shadow?" All Might murmured into the air, his body tense enough to hurt and his fists clenched over his bony knees.

"Impatience is the enemy of strategy. Observe carefully; Subaru-dono does not appear to be aware that this aberration is looming over him". Wilhelm the Sword Demon suggested, sharpening his veteran gaze upon the screen.

—I agree with your reading of the situation, Wilhelm-dono —Crusch supported him, recovering her characteristic composure—. Pay attention, perhaps this record will reveal exactly how and, above all, who dragged him into our kingdom.

"Tch... that damn woman...". Aldebaran thought beneath his helmet. He didn't know whether to curse the universe or thank it; in a single day, not only had he witnessed the destruction of that idiot from his world, but now fate was rubbing the presence of the other entity he hated most in his face.


A strange force of wind traveled through the world around Subaru as though it were a scanner. Feeling that pulse, Subaru looked down and around himself, searching for whoever was doing it. "I guess I'm so tired from the fight that I'm thinking about and imagining things that aren't happening...".

With the hand that was down, he rubbed one eye without lowering the fist raised toward the sky. He struggled to force his eyes open against the brightness that he assumed came from the sunlight.


Naoko and Eri tightly intertwined their fingers. A suffocating knot settled in their throats when they realized they were witnessing the exact second in which their favorite person had been taken from them without warning.

That same suffocating melancholy spread quickly throughout the heroes' rows. The raw frustration of having lost him without being able to do absolutely anything combined with the agony of watching the world swallow him once again before their eyes.

Nejire, Ochaco, Kaina, Momo, Bakugo, Todoroki, Iida, All Might, and the rest of their allies felt their heartbeats pounding painfully in their ears. The helplessness churned their stomachs. Even the most hardened professionals, such as Endeavor and Aizawa, had leaned toward the edges of their seats, their jaws clenched.

Emilia intertwined her pale fingers with the warm hand of her sleeping knight, refusing to release him. Beatrice clung tightly to the boy's side, curling up protectively against him. Farther away, Priscilla slowly fanned her face, keeping her intense eyes fixed on the image, refusing to blink for fear of missing the climax.

An unbearable tension dominated the theater. Everyone shared the visceral instinct that the point of no return was about to occur.

The world of heroes would relive the unjust loss of its greatest pillar of hope. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Lugunica understood that what they were about to discover would change their perception of their hero forever.


Once he opened his eyes, he looked at the city before him with an expression of anguish and disbelief. He slowly looked around as his pupils trembled.


"So... this is how it happened...". Naoko sobbed inconsolably, her soul sinking at the sight of her lonely boy's confusion and fear. She wrapped both arms around Eri, creating a maternal shield, while the little white-haired girl shed heavy tears of sadness onto her grandmother's clothing.

"Young Subaru... forgive me". All Might whispered, self-loathing corroding him from within. He had sworn to Naoko that he would protect her boy. He had promised himself that he would be the unbreakable shield his successor would need. Watching a sinister force tear him away from his world while he had been thousands of meters away was the bitterest defeat of his entire career.

"Damn it...!". Bakugo slammed his fist against the armrest, forcing himself to swallow the burning knot of frustration blocking his throat. It wasn't only the bile from watching his childhood friend be banished without being able to fight; it was the helplessness of seeing his aunt and the brat crying inconsolably a few meters away without knowing how the hell to comfort them.

—Deku-kun... —Uraraka covered her mouth with both hands, feeling her heart break all over again. Tsuyu, faithful to her stoic but empathetic nature, wrapped a firm arm around her, offering the silent support she so desperately needed.

Nejire leaned forward in her seat, extending her hand to gently stroke the unconscious Subaru's locks of hair. Mirio and Tamaki exchanged self-reproachful glances for not having sat closer to their friend during such a vulnerable moment.

Momo stoically struggled to maintain the composure befitting a vice president, but the moment Melissa enveloped her in a warm and understanding embrace, her defenses collapsed completely, allowing tears to cloud her flawless face.

The rest of Class 2-A observed a silent mourning, overwhelmed by the brutal reality that, even with all their combined power, they could never have reached him in time. Pro Heroes such as Endeavor, Hawks, Mirko, and Aizawa looked away, chewing on the ashen taste of uselessness.

For her part, Kaina smiled in a chilling manner. The former assassin fervently wished to someday cross paths with the scum responsible for depriving her of her savior. Nothing would give her greater satisfaction than putting a bullet through that wretch's skull to avenge every tear shed in that room.

Even the world of Lugunica remained silent out of respect for the loss their companions in the theater must have felt. They frowned as they watched them cry inconsolably, and many began reproaching themselves because, in one way or another, they still wanted that entertaining young man to remain in their lives.


"What's happening? Where am I?". The boy's lips moved while his eyes continued looking around in disbelief. His gaze settled below, realizing that he was no longer floating..


"He must have been so desperate...". Rem murmured, clutching the chest of her dress. Selfishly, she blessed the fate that had dragged him into her life, but her love prevented her from celebrating while watching him suffer for his loved ones.

—You think...? —Garfiel let out a dry laugh devoid of any amusement, showing his fangs in anger—. The Captain was torn away by the roots. They didn't even give him the chance to say goodbye to his incredible mother and his friends.

"It was too cruel...". Petra said, rubbing her tearful eyes. "I'm so happy that Subaru-sama is with us, but it breaks my heart to know the price he had to pay for it". Frederica smiled sadly and gently patted her young pupil's head, agreeing with every one of her words.

"Natsuki-san always told us that he would give anything if it meant seeing his family again...". Otto recalled with a smile filled with bitterness. The merchant identified with the feeling of exile, since he too had abandoned his home; nevertheless, the crushing difference was that he could always return whenever the road allowed it. Subaru could not.

“You must have felt so lonely, didn't you, Subaru?”. Emilia whispered while caressing the hand of her sleeping knight. She felt terrible for the boy who had given her so much in such a short time of knowing her. The boy who always smiled and whose mere presence illuminated her entire life. Emilia had made many promises in her life, but one of the most important was to return that happiness to her foolish knight.


"T-This isn't Japan...". Subaru's hands began to tremble as he saw where he was. Memories of him and Bakugo watching Anime together as children came to his mind. Fantasy stories where a person was taken far away from their world.

In his mind, the faces of his mother, Eri, All Might, his classmates, the Big Three, Kacchan, Todoroki, Iida, his teachers, the heroes who had fought so hard, Kaina, Momo, Nejire, and Ochaco immediately passed through his thoughts.

"I've been summoned to a parallel world". Subaru murmured, raising his face toward Lugunica's clear skies, his voice choked by the most absolute and desolate state of shock.

Title card.

Re: zero Starting Life in Another World, from Zero.