A villain slammed into the wall with a crunch. Smoke cleared. The last of the ambush squad dropped with a whimper.

  Bakugo straightened, smoke hissing from his palms. “Too weak to be worth our time.”

  Kirishima lowered his guard, scanning the ruined corridor. “Still, we should find the others... see who needs backup.”

  Bakugo didn’t even glance at him. “No. Priority’s the gateway guy. We shut him down, this ends.”

  A flicker of movement behind them. A villain lunged, rusted blades, cracked grin, eyes wild.

  Bakugo didn’t turn. He just raised one hand and fired.

  A sharp BOOM echoed. The attacker folded midair, unconscious before he hit the floor.

  “Pathetic.”

  Kirishima let out a breathless laugh. “Guess I’m coming with you then. Sounds pretty manly to me.”

  Bakugo snorted. “Just don’t slow me down.”

  They moved together, stepping over unconscious bodies, boots crunching on broken glass and warped tile. Smoke hung low in the hallway like a warning.

  Iida reached the front doors of the U.S.J., feet pounding the stone with purpose.

  Almost there... then a ripple in space appeared infront.

  Then a voice, low and polite: “I’m afraid I can’t allow that.”

  The fog warped, solidified. A dark mist twisted into the vague shape of a man. a faint metal collar, glowing eyes, the sound of void behind his words.

  Iida skidded to a halt, engines flaring. “You!”

  The warp expanded, arms of mist clawing outward to engulf him.

  Suddenly, a voice shouted from behind. “Iida, go!”

  Uraraka floated herself upward from a ledge, kicking off debris. As she rose, Sero fired a blast of tape. Uraraka touched the metal collar midair, rendering it weightless. The tape hooked firmly and Sero yanked hard.

  The mist-man drifted upward, distorted and flickering, warping uncontrollably.

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  “Nice shot!” Sero called.

  Uraraka landed hard, nearly twisting her ankle. She didn’t hesitate. “Get out of here!”

  Iida’s eyes widened, then he gritted his teeth and surged forward, engines screaming. He vanished through the broken gates, a streak of steel and purpose.

  The mist twisted in the air, slipping back into the nothingness as quickly as it came.

  Aizawa’s goggles were cracked. His face was a ruin of bruises and blood. But his eyes still burned red as he staggered upright.

  Nomu didn’t care.

  It smashed him down again, hard enough to crater the ground. A sickening crunch echoed.

  He didn’t move.

  The mist-man reappeared beside Shigaraki. “Thirteen is down, but one escaped. The boy with engines.”

  Shigaraki’s fingers twitched. ”What?! You let one escape Kurogiri?”

  Kurogiri was calm. “Reinforcements will arrive soon.”

  Shigaraki’s hands opened and closed, skin flaking with as he scratched at his neck in agitation. “Game over...”

  “No no no...! This wasn’t supposed to...” Then his eyes caught movement.

  Three students limping into the plaza, Midoriya, Tsuyu, and Mineta, soaked from the flood zone.

  And Shigaraki’s mood shifted.

  He smiled. “Well... guess a few dead students would be worth it.”

  He sprinted toward them, unsteady, twitching. Fingers outstretched. Reached for Tsuyu’s face.

  He made contact... but nothing happened. Shigaraki froze.

  Behind him, Aizawa was still alive. Barely. Blood pouring from a head wound. But his eyes were open, red glow still locked on target.

  Shigaraki’s mouth twisted. “You really are cool, Eraserhead.”

  Nomu moved. It leaned forward and pressed Aizawa’s head down into the concrete with mechanical precision.

  Aizawa didn’t get up again.

  Midoriya screamed, and charged. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t think. He just moved.

  He went to hit Shigaraki square in the ribs, using 100 percent of his power. Teeth gritted. Tears in his eyes. The impact landed.

  Dust exploded around them. For a moment, there was silence.

  And then the dust cleared.

  Midoriya’s fist hadn’t struck Shigaraki.

  Nomu had moved.

  It caught the punch square in its chest.

  It didn’t blink.

  Midoriya gasped, staring. His arm should’ve shattered. But it hadn’t. The blow had landed. Nomu didn’t budge, but for the first time, it reacted.

  Nomu’s eyes twitched.

  Kirishima slid around the corner first, eyes wide. “Whoa, what is this place?”

  “More like what happened to it,” Bakugo muttered, cracking his neck.

  They stopped at the edge of the plaza, half-hidden behind shattered pillars and broken glass.

  Smoke rose from the center. Screams echoed. The Nomu’s silhouette loomed above a broken Midoriya, still trying to fight.

  Before either of them could move, someone staggered into view from the landslide zone.

  It was Robinn.

  Breathing hard, eyes sharp. She looked drained and muddy, but upright and focused.

  Kirishima took one step toward her. “Hey.. are you...?”

  She brushed his hand away without looking at him and kept walking.

  Her eyes were locked ahead. On the fog. On the figure in the center.

  “We need to get to them,” she whispered.

  Kirishima blinked. She was already past him.

  Bakugo scoffed. “Tch. What are you gonna do like that?”

  Robinn didn’t answer, she just kept walking.

  A shadow stood across the cracked doorway. Smoke swirled. Dust settled.

  And standing there, framed in ruin, was All Might.

  Eyes hard. Jaw clenched. He loosened his tie. Shrugged off his yellow blazer.

  Then he spoke, voice like thunder breaking the storm:

  “Everything is fine.”

  He took one step forward.

  “I am here.”