Chapter 32 - Everything Goes On

Chapter 32 – Everything Goes On

"You knew that it would harm you. If it hit Shigaraki then it would probably only injure, but then again he could just regenerate. Why did you take the hit for him? It does more harm for him than good." She was genuinely curious.

However, it was only after a round of intense coughing did Twice manage to utter some words.

"*Cough. We're friends *cough *cough after all. *cough we need him to be as prepared *cough as possible, so he could save us after."

"You believe he can save you?"

"Yes."

His eyes burned with confidence and reliance. Shigaraki didn't fail to notice this, and inside, something stirred.

He felt the influence of something, but he didn't know what. It kept trying to tempt him, to abandon his friends and run and prioritising his own life, but he stubbornly resisted.

On the outside however, he was in great pain. A bulging headache overtook him and he screamed out.

Hu Tao raised an eyebrow at this. Her eyes then glowed before dimming down.

"For your information, he has two souls inside of him."

"Two souls?" It was Dabi was asked.

"Yes. Don't think of this as me helping you. I'm merely stating facts. It seems that after being in that pod, All for One has put a part of his soul into Shigaraki, as well as his quirks. He's currently fighting against him. That's probably why he's in pain."

"Can you help him?"

"Toga, I am here to defeat you, do you really think I will help you?"

They were silent after that. Only the sizzling of her wings and the muffled screaming of Shigaraki could be heard.

"Then... can you help him? Like, do you have the ability?"

"Ability? Hmm, can't say without trying. It's a bit like his decay, so with my vitality flames maybe... why?"

"What are your conditions for helping him?"

"Toga!" Is was then Dabi spoke up, "did you really say that?"

"Yeah Dabi, I'm willing."

"ARE YOU DUMB! Why would you even say that to a hero. Don't forget what they did to you."

"I didn't." She bit her lips, "but I do feel like Hu Tao's different. I feel like she's more forced into doing this than anything, right?"

"No comment."

"See?"

"Still..." He also had a troubled look on his face.

Then, Twice stumbled into Dabi. He caught him with one arm, "hey, don't move about so carelessly."

"I agree with Toga's opinion."

"What?"

"Shigaraki *cough has done so much for us. He practically saved our lives, so why can't we save him?"

Despite the pain, Shigaraki still heard him quite clearly, and he was also confused at their attitude.

"Twice..." Toga looked at him.

"Are you guys done? What do you want?"

"We are willing to give anything you want in order to save him."

"Asking your opponent to save your friend so he can carry on fighting?"

"Yes." A resolute expression was evident on Toga's face. Twice also looked on strongly, and Dabi had a complicated expression.

"Uhh?" What do I do? I've never been in this situation before!! Hmmm, *sigh. It seems like there's no way to avoid it then...

"Then... I want you to pass on peacefully."

"What?"

"Just agree!"

"Uhh, I agree!"

"Good!"

Then, she reached out her palm and pointed at Shigaraki, and his entire body was enveloped gently in flames.

Meanwhile, Dabi was thinking, how ironic to be saved by a hero...

In Shigaraki's mind, he saw his other self being burnt alive, screaming and screeching from the pain, and eventually the headache died out.

As his mind cleared, other thoughts surfaced.

(Why am I doing this again? What exactly am I fighting for?)

He looked at his friends, then Hu Tao who still had a cheery smile on her face. Her wings burnt brightly and her pupils were still glowing.

He shook his then readied himself and began fighting again. Looking at this, the rest also smiled, even Dabi, and they worked together again.

Punches were thrown, quirks were used, fires were extinguished. From the packed action, not even the ground could support the force that were thrown around, and cracked under the pressure. Twice could only help by weakly making bodies to tank and distract Hu Tao.

This was also Dabi's strategy. After realising his flame doesn't work, he uses it as more of a distraction.

Toga tried to be as helpful as possible with her masterful weapon techniques, and Shigaraki was the main fighting force.

Hu Tao took on all this with a smile. She accepted every attack thrown at her, and also expertly danced around the battlefield.

On a flat grass plain with few trees and animals, it was only these five who were engaged in a fight.

Sparks flew everywhere, but for some reason Hu Tao never gave a finishing blow.

Shigaraki kept increasing the intensity of his attacks. He only knew the strengthening types and his decay quirk. Given that he only woke up recently and just hours ago still asleep, he was doing very well.

His fist always met a stronger fist, but he didn't wince in pain even if his hand was blown to bits. With his inherent regeneration, it grew back in no time and he once again rushed forwards.

He didn't have to do this, but seeing his friends working so hard and even giving the opponent a chance to take their life to save his, it deeply moved him.

He didn't have a family. The one he once knew were killed and he was betrayed. Ever since he met All for One, it had become a dream come true. He had someone who could save him, someone who he could depend upon. And all these years of growing up with him had made him forget who he was in the first place.

Perhaps he was still just a child. But he could accept it if he was.

Looking at the people who worked so hard for him despite a losing battle, he felt... fulfilled?

It only inspired him to fight harder and stronger. His determination fuelled his battle drive, but alas, his mentality could not keep with reality.

Half an hour passed, and everyone apart from Hu Tao began to exhaust themselves.

Twice was long past his limit, and was awake by a thread. Dabi has used so much of his quirk that his body was half-charred, and Toga had no more usable weapons left.

Shigaraki was the only one who can even stand without threatening to fall.

Hu Tao looked at this neutrally but nodded inside, before backing off and giving them some time to rest.

(It's time...)

"How about this, I will give one more final attack, and if any of you survive then it will be my loss. I will leave and never target you again."

At this point, they were too tired to even question it. They had thought why she was prolonging the battle, but speaking was effort so they just put it to the back of their minds.

Shigaraki looked around and saw them nod, so he accepted.

Seeing this, she gave a genuine smile, before taking 10 steps back. Then, she held her staff with one hand and pointed it in front of her at the others.

A ball of fire began to gather. This small ball then slowly flew at them.

Needless to say, Shigaraki and co were confused but for some reason, they felt contempt. In life and death situations, such things were not uncommon.

Taking use of this time, it was Shigaraki who spoke up first.

"Hey guys, have I ever told you how I'm grateful to meet you?"

Dabi looked at him in disbelief, "since when did you become the sentimental type?"

"I'm very grateful too!" Toga, suddenly full of energy, exclaimed.

"Same here."

"...Me too."

"That's why we'll survive right?" Toga then asked expectantly, "we still have sooo much to do together right?" she giggled, just like a normal school girl.

Why did their personalities and behaviour change all of a sudden? They were villains.

The tiredness had gotten to them to the point that they even forgot who they truly were.

The small ball was only a couple meters away now.

"We do. We can go watch movies together and eat noodles together in a better world, right Shigaraki?" Dabi smiled.

"...Indeed. We could... in a better world... We have to survive first."

"I look forward to it! Come here!" Somehow ignoring his injuries, Twice brought them all in together in a warm hug. His blood smeared onto everyone else.

"I've never been hugged before."

"So I took your first time?"

At this, everyone laughed. Only in the face of death does one's true nature appear.

The ball then reached them.

The ball then exploded above their heads.

Did they know? Did they know that they will die? Perhaps they still had the expectation of surviving. The thought of a better world still laid ahead.

They still had to kill the heroes, and conquer Japan.

Dabi still had to get revenge at his father. He hadn't humiliated him yet.

Toga still wanted someone to love. Only in a reformed world could she do that.

Twice also wanted a better society. Somewhere where people like him could freely walk the streets.

And Shigaraki... he still had to kill Izuku. As his destined opponent, he still needed strength to kill him.

Maybe, they still had these thoughts in their head.

But of this instant, they were all forgotten, moved to the back of their minds, forgotten for all eternity.

Right now, they just basked in the warmth of each other in a hug, with a smile on their faces.

Did they know that they will die? Yes. Did they accept it? Yes.

They were still children after all, apart from Twice. They all wanted to be accepted, and in this very moment, they were.

Not by society, but by each other, and perhaps this was what they needed after all.

A brilliant sphere of rainbow engulfed them for a few seconds, and as it subsided, the moment was preserved for a while.

The four was still in a hug, smiling and motionless, before the wind blew and they disintegrated into ashes, forever lost.

Hu Tao looked on with a smile.

Invisible to everyone, 4 souls giving off a green colour floated into the sky together. They danced for a while before disappearing into the atmosphere. Hu Tao seemingly saw this.

(They weren't inherently evil, they just grew up in the wrong environment.

Being villains were all that society thought of them, but only in death does true nature show. That display showed that they were in fact just childish people with too many thoughts and responsibilities.

At first, I didn't want to kill the other three, but it was quite obvious what they wanted...

So only like this can they pass on without regrets.

I helped you guys pass on peacefully...

Grandfather... Be sure to welcome them...)

A tear dropped from her eye before evaporating into mist.

Another minute passed, before she left the scene slowly.

As she left, she hummed a little tune to herself.

...