"I don't understand why you resist me," the middle-aged All For One said. "Stand by my side. Look how they adore me… for being their savior."
Yoichi Shigaraki clenched his teeth.
"Savior?!" he cursed. "You… can't even say that word without a mocking smile on your face. The entire world has fallen apart. Chaos is everywhere. Innocents… dead. Yet, you continue to use your Meta powers selfishly, creating this wrong and horrible narrative… Why? Why are you so bent on still fulfilling your own desires? Why?!"
All For One smiled broadly.
"How pitiful…" he said, walking forward. "Why? I think the only reason you don't have an answer to your questions because… you were born without a Meta power."
What?!
Luke's head snapped toward the Vestige, but the latter kept looking forward. There was no emotion on the Vestige's face, but his fingers had balled into fists, his entire body jolting as if experiencing electric shocks now and then.
A thump made Luke look back to the scene.
All For One had grabbed his brother's entire face.
"Without power, forget answers, you cannot hope to achieve anything," the larger man said. "I will make this world mine and rewrite its story. And in this new world, you will have a place, too, my dear brother. Yes. I have found a power that even your frail body can handle. Power Stock, it is called. Accept it and join me… Yoichi. That's the name I have chosen for you, after all, you are the first toy I possessed."
A burst of redness left All For One's palm and began engulfing Yoichi.
"Now!" The Vestige grabbed Luke's shoulder. "Come with me—"
Before Luke could even ask, the entire space twisted, streaks of light rushing past them.
It was different, he realized. Wherever the Vestige was taking him, it was secret enough for Luke to sense the man's nervousness by the way his grip tightened on his shoulder.
It lasted but a moment.
When the scene solidified, Luke, Nyx, and the Vestige found themselves hanging midair, surrounded by a million stars — all radiating an ancient blue light.
In front of them, levitating into nothingness, was Yoichi Shigaraki.
Suddenly, a golden burst of light exploded out of the man, making them squint their eyes. The golden light shone upon all the blue stars, reaching to the furthest boundary of this realm.
In the next moment, the same blue stars that had been hanging silently in the darkness stirred.
A hum took over the world, then.
In the blink of an eye, one of the blue stars left its place, became a streak of light, and came to a stop above Yoichi Shigaraki. As if that was a cue, all the blue stars began streaking their way toward the first one, colliding into each other.
The surroundings began darkening, but the blue star in the middle…
It had become so big that it didn't take a scientist to know what was going to happen next.
True enough, unable to hold onto so much mass, the single blue star… seemingly millions of millions of miles large… collapsed unto itself.
A BANG rocked the entire space, winds of many colors rushing past Luke, Nyx, and the Vestige without affecting them as if they weren't a part of it.
By the time those colorful winds settled into blackish-purple, the entire star was gone.
Now, a black hole hung in its place, its periphery radiating a blurred blueness with… intent.
[Sigh…]
Luke's heart stirred.
Nyx looked petrified.
Even the Vestige kept looking, stunned.
That sigh was so… old, and full of emotions, that it brought up emotions hidden deep within them.
[… It's happening again.]
Those words awakened Yoichi Shigaraki, the blueness of the black hole above turning his green eyes yellow, almost gold.
Then, something happened that made Luke almost stumble back, Nyx's breathing quickening next to him.
The Blue Hole, which he had seen many times by now, molded.
Slowly, it took the shape of a featureless face… a womanly face. All the blueness that it carried became a body, the halo becoming a gown with its ends lengthening and flowing, like wind.
Slowly, She descended and landed next to Yoichi, Her long hair undulating as if they were under water.
[Are you the chosen one of this cycle?] She asked, but it felt less like a question and more like a statement.
"Who… Who are you?" Yoichi asked.
[…] She paused. [You can call me Singularity.]
"Singularity?" Yoichi asked, puzzled. "Am I… dead?"
She… didn't reject it. [You are, and you are not,] She said. [It depends on what you choose to do next.]
"What I… choose to do?" Yoichi repeated.
Singularity nodded. [Your brother bestowed a Quirk upon you, thinking that you didn't have a Quirk of your own,] She said. [He is wrong. You have always had a Quirk. Now, the bestowed Quirk and your own Quirk have merged, becoming something… unique.]
Yoichi looked at the figure, stunned beyond bounds. "Are… you that Quirk?"
The godly figure seemed to smile. [No, but…] She said. [… I am related to it. This power is a responsibility, and it carries immense weight. It will crush you if your resolve is not strong. You think the world is in chaos, but the worst is yet to come. If I am here, it means — my brother will be returning soon. Perhaps, he's already here… in your brother.]
Yoichi sat up, a chill running down his spine.
"Your brother… is controlling my brother?!" he asked.
[Influencing…] She corrected.
"Just like you?" Yoichi asked.
[… yes,] She nodded. [It's inevitable. But, unlike your brother, you have a choice. You can choose not to shoulder this responsibility alone and… pass it across generations, making it stronger.]
Yoichi's head fell. "Will there ever be… peace in this world?"
Singularity sighed. [Perhaps. Perhaps not,] She said. [I don't know. But… we can hope for it. Hope gives us power to continue to exist, to resist, and to guide the lost ones… even in the darkest of times. Be that hope, Yoichi. Be the hope for all to come after you.]
Yoichi looked up and stared at that featureless face for a while and… nodded.
Singularity lifted her right hand in response, holding out her palm.
A streak of light gathered on that palm, becoming a colorful marble.
Then, slowly, she pushed that toward Yoichi, making him burst with a white flash.
[One For All…] Singularity said, hovering above Yoichi's blindingly white figure. [… that's the power you will wield, my Radiant.]
Luke, Nyx, and the Vestige looked on… holding their breath.
It was then a redness seeped into all the whiteness and blueness… like a color that shouldn't even belong… anywhere.
[You returned a moment ago and already began your schemes, Sister?] the voice lingered across the space, like a beastly growl. [How many times must we fail for you to understand that… letting me consume you is the only way we can… Huh?]
Something was happening.
As those beastly growls came to a sudden, shocked halt, the blue figure stirred as well.
Then, with no warning, Her head snapped in Luke, Nyx, and the Vestige's direction, making their hearts skip a beat.
[SINNER!] the growl returned, fiercer than ever, one side of the space turning red entirely. [YOU DARE!]
[You should not have come here,] Singularity said, walking toward the redness. [Go… Now.]
A BOOM shattered everything in Luke's eyes.
In the next moment, he and Nyx were already back in Midoriya's room…
… their bodies sprouting hideous boils and fleshly branches, losing control!