Chapter 22 - Aftermath (USJ INCIDENT V)

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All Might stood with his arms raised toward the heavens, crimson streaks painting his battered form as plumes of scorching steam wreathed his body. His hands fell slowly to his sides, his gaze locking onto Tomura Shigaraki and Kurogiri, their retreat to the shadows now a desperate scramble.

"Game over!" Shigaraki clawed at his neck with frenzied irritation, his voice a grating rasp.

Kurogiri remained steadfast beside him, his tone measured yet urgent. "Victory is still within reach. Observe—he's faltering. I question whether he can even stand, much less fight."

A slow, deranged smile slithered across Shigaraki's lips. "Not game over… merely delayed." His fingers twitched with anticipation. "Let's end it, Kurogiri."

"As you command."

All Might's body screamed in protest—every muscle locked, every breath a struggle. The steam roaring from his flesh signaled his waning power, his towering frame diminishing with each passing second. One misstep, one reckless movement, and the Symbol of Peace would be laid bare before the world.

With a ragged exhale, All Might forced his voice into unwavering steel. "What's the matter? Has fear stolen your nerve?" His chest heaved, but his grin never wavered.

A suffocating tension gripped the air. Shigaraki's crimson eyes flickered to Kurogiri. "You assured me he was finished."

Kurogiri's mist swirled in agitation. "He is. This bravado is a final gambit—strike now!"

All Might barked a laugh, sweat glistening on his brow. "A gambit?" With Herculean effort, his foot scraped forward—a single, defiant inch. "Then let's see who blinks first."

Shigaraki's snarl ripped through the silence as he lunged, fingers splayed for annihilation. "Rot, hero!"

CRASH!

The USJ doors exploded inward. **Iida stood framed in the entrance, chest heaving.**

"Reinforcements have arrived!"

All Might's chuckle was a whisper. "Took you long enough."

Shigaraki jerked to a halt, veins bulging like live wires beneath his pallid skin. The escaped brat had returned—with an army. His pawns lay broken, his grand design in ruins, his **"masterpiece"** obliterated into the stratosphere.

'Why now?' The thought was a venomous hiss. He whirled to retreat—

BANG!

"Argh—!"

Shigaraki crumpled, blood gushing from his thigh. Another shot—another—his limbs became a canvas of agony as he crashed to the concrete.

"Tomura Shigaraki!" Kurogiri's voice was a thunderclap, his dark mist surging to consume them—**to vanish before the heroes could strike the final blow.

Thirteen, severely wounded by his own Quirk, was lifted by the students as he activated his ability one last time to capture the fleeing duo.

Shigaraki glared at All Might with hatred, his red eyes blazing. "Next time, I'll kill you, All Might… Symbol of Peace." Those were his final words before the mist swallowed him.

"Shit! They escaped after causing a ruckus!" Midnight muttered, resting her hands on her waist.

"Who would have thought we'd be caught off guard?" said Nezu, the principal of U.A.

"But look at the destruction - it's crazy."

"First, let's attend to the wounded."

"Right!"

The USJ facility lay in ruins. Smoke lingered in the air, fires burned throughout the structure, while the remnants of Shigaraki's forces lay unconscious on the floor. The students had successfully defended themselves, defeating the underlings of Shigaraki, who had proclaimed himself leader of the League of Villains.

Eraser Head and the other wounded students were quickly rushed for treatment, but Shin remained behind before seeking his own care. Who could have imagined they'd face real villains? No one...

Shin fought to maintain consciousness, struggling not to pass out completely, while Todoroki and Bakugo remained unharmed, having overcome their opponents without injury.

Who would have thought Bakugo Katsuki, who often acted like a villain, could play the hero so well? Shin felt awkward staring at Todoroki, who stood beside him completely unbothered. Bakugo hadn't realized Todoroki's true strength until watching replays of their previous battle test.

Despite Todoroki refusing to use the flame side of his Quirk - unlike his father Endeavor - he still surpassed his classmates by a wide margin. Shin, though chubby, had managed to defend both himself and Momo Yaoyorozu during the fight. His Quirk was powerful and versatile on the battlefield, though he hadn't yet reached the level of his father or Doflamingo.

"League of Villains, huh?" Shin whispered. "Never thought we'd face real villains so soon."

"Yeah," Todoroki said, glancing at his palms before clenching them. "But what was that monster with multiple Quirks?"

"It's still hard to believe All Might got hurt by that thing."

"Anyway, let's help the pros round up the remaining villains."

"Right."

Shin clenched his fist angrily, muscles aching from the battle's toll. The gap between himself, Bakugo, and Todoroki was painfully clear. He knew he needed to train harder - and for that, he'd need Doflamingo's help to improve.

"I need to lose this fat," he whispered to himself, biting his lip in frustration.

The students assisted the pro heroes in loading Shigaraki's defeated followers into police vans outside the USJ. Shin's vision began to blur as his accumulated injuries took their toll. "Shit!" He collapsed face-first onto the floor, blood seeping from his numerous minor wounds.

"Shin!" Todoroki exclaimed, rushing to the unconscious boy's side. "Don't push yourself, idiot. You did your best." A faint smile crossed Todoroki's face briefly. "Let's get your heavy ass to the nurse's office."

…

[Unknown Hideout]

Through the air, Shigaraki and his committed servant plunged out via a shadowy vortex.

Shigaraki crashed onto the floor immediately after emerging from Kurogiri's mist. Blood streamed down his body - his legs were shot, and he bore the small cut he'd received from Shin.

His crimson eyes blazed beneath the trembling mask that covered his face, radiating anger and frustration. Bloodlust permeated the atmosphere as he screamed at the monitor. "You lied to me! Those fucking kids were way stronger than I thought, Master!"

An unknown voice echoed from the wall-mounted monitor. "Tomura Shigaraki, my beloved. I wasn't lying."

Shigaraki gritted his teeth in rage. "Those U.A kids were strong, and some bald fatso managed to wound me!" He clenched his fist violently. "The Symbol of Peace was healthy! He wasn't sick or weakened - he defeated the Nomu masterpiece, and the kids took out all my underlings!"

"It's amusing," the voice replied through the monitor. "I believe you underestimated those children, leading to your downfall. The Nomu was defeated by All Might? Now that's entertaining."

"Those brats will become a real threat if we don't act soon," Shigaraki growled through his pain.

"The problem was your lack of preparation. Next time, plan your moves carefully. For now, focus on gathering stronger allies and establishing the League of Villains as a proper organization."

"And I'll kill that fat bastard along with the Symbol of Peace!"

"I look forward to it, Tomura Shigaraki."

"Yes, Master."

The monitor screen went dark as Shigaraki continued to growl in pain, his vision blurring as he lay in a pool of his own blood.

Kurogiri approached, wiping his hands with a white handkerchief as he moved toward his critically wounded master. "Young master, Tomura Shigaraki," he said. "You should conserve your strength. I'll take you to the doctor immediately for treatment."

"Then hurry up."

...

"How are Midoriya and Shin?" Kirishima asked.

"They'll both be fine," Momo replied, clenching her fist. 'He got hurt protecting me,' she thought to herself. 'I'll become stronger - strong enough to protect my family and classmates.'

"Pathetic extras," Bakugo spat.

Tokoyami approached him. "Bakugo, you should stop acting like a villain and start behaving like a hero."

Veins bulge on Bakugo's forehead. "Huh? What the hell did you just say, you damn crow?"

"Both of you, calm down," Iida interjected, biting his lip in frustration. He'd been absent during his classmates' battle with the villains. "I understand we're all shaken by this incident, but that's exactly why each of us must work harder and prepare for situations like this."

"I know how you feel," Todoroki said, placing a hand on Iida's shoulder. "But you were the MVP this time. You were the one who escaped and brought reinforcements. You should be proud of that." He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked away.

"We need to get stronger..."

...