Screen 1 – All For One's Manipulation
The city feels wrong.
Too quiet. Too staged.
All For One's voice echoes through hacked speakers, calm and amused.
"Your compassion is predictable, Midoriya."
Traps spring everywhere —
villains mixed with civilians, cries for help placed just close enough to force hesitation.
Midoriya rushes in anyway.
Every time.
He saves people.
He fights villains.
He keeps moving — even as his body breaks down.
Bruises stack.
Danger Sense never shuts off.
His eyes grow dull with exhaustion.
All For One watches patiently.
He isn't trying to kill Deku.
He's trying to empty him.
Ben skids to a stop beside him, breathing hard.
"This is bait," he says sharply. "All of it."
Midoriya shakes his head.
"But if I don't move—"
"I know," Ben cuts in. "That's the point."
He slams the Omnitrix.
Click.
Four Arms appears, lifting fallen concrete and creating instant barriers between civilians and combat zones.
"No one else gets hurt," he growls, holding the line so Midoriya doesn't have to charge in blindly.
Then —
Click.
Ben shifts into Grey Matter, eyes scanning fast.
He spots pressure triggers, fake distress signals, villain positioning patterns.
"Found it," Grey Matter says quickly.
"They're cycling your response time. Every trap is designed to drain you, not stop you."
Ben disables the setup in seconds.
The cries stop.
The ambush collapses.
Midoriya drops to one knee, breathing ragged.
"…He's trying to make me quit."
Ben steps back beside him, reverting to human form.
"No," he says quietly.
"He's trying to make you feel alone."
He places a hand on Midoriya's shoulder.
"Which means we're not playing his game."
Somewhere far away, All For One chuckles —
but even he can hear it now.
The traps are still there.
The pressure is still rising.
But Deku isn't isolated anymore.
Screen 2 – Class 1-A Brings Him Back
Rain falls lightly as Midoriya and Ben move through another empty street.
Both are exhausted.
Both still moving forward.
Then footsteps echo behind them.
Midoriya turns — and freezes.
Class 1-A stands there.
Not scattered.
Not afraid.
Together.
Iida steps forward first, glasses cracked but posture firm.
"You ran without permission," he says — then bows deeply.
"And we followed… because you are our classmate."
Kirishima clenches his fists.
"You don't get to decide you're alone, man. That's not how this works."
Yaoyorozu speaks calmly, but her voice shakes.
"We're here to share the burden. Whether you like it or not."
Bakugo scoffs, stepping up last.
"Idiot. You think carrying everything yourself makes you strong?"
He clicks his tongue.
"It just makes you stupid."
Midoriya trembles.
"…I was trying to protect you."
Ben steps in beside him.
"And we were trying to protect you," he says quietly.
"You're not the only one who can stand in front anymore."
Midoriya's shoulders sag.
He's barely holding it together.
Uraraka's Stand
Civilians gather nearby, fear and anger visible on their faces.
Whispers turn into accusations.
"That boy brings danger."
"Heroes caused this."
Ochako Uraraka steps forward.
She raises her voice — not angry, not defensive — just honest.
"He's not a weapon," she says.
"He's a person."
She points toward Midoriya — dirty, shaking, barely standing.
"He's been fighting nonstop so you don't have to.
He's exhausted. He's hurt. And he's still standing."
Her voice cracks, but she keeps going.
"Heroes aren't invincible. They get scared. They get tired.
So please…"
She bows deeply.
"…let heroes rest too."
Silence spreads through the crowd.
The Break
Midoriya's knees finally give out.
He sobs — openly, uncontrollably.
"I can't do this alone anymore," he chokes.
Class 1-A closes in instantly.
Hands on shoulders.
Someone catches him before he hits the ground.
Ben kneels beside him, steady and quiet.
"You don't have to," he says.
Midoriya looks up through tears —
at his friends.
At Ben.
"…Okay," he whispers.
For the first time in a long while,
the weight lifts.
Not because the war is over —
but because he's not carrying it alone anymore.
And this time,
Ben is part of the circle.
Be continued