What do you know about despair?
Deku was very familiar with this feeling. All-consuming like a lie, quiet, but no less destructive. You just want to curl up in a ball, lie on the floor, and cry. When you feel absolutely disgusting.
Izuku felt this way when he was told of his diagnosis as Quirkless. He felt despair when All Might destroyed his dreams. He felt despair when Sir Nighteye died. He was also in despair when he saw All Might fighting All For One in Kamino. He also felt it when All For One impaled Bakugo. And lately, he had almost grown accustomed to this feeling. But now… it seems the bar has just been raised several notches.
— Aizawa-sensei… — Izuku's haunted voice broke as he looked at his teacher. Teacher Aizawa was standing literally right in front of him, fully ready for battle. His capture scarf, the capture weapon, began to move as he attacked again.
This all started a few hours ago when literally all the heroes began attacking him indiscriminately. Of course, Deku understood that many of them were fakes, so he watched them and looked for differences in behavior that would allow him to determine whether they were real or not. And of course, heroes who were already dead were immediately counted as fakes. Izuku knocked them all out and then took them to the police station. But the fake heroes ambushed him there too with 20 villains.
Deku defeated them all.
Izuku hated every moment of it.
Even though they looked like heroes, they were fakes. Izuku knew some of them. He personally fought side by side with them during the War with Shigaraki. And it was just wrong when he beat them up for no reason. But Deku tried not to show it. He was ruthless. After all, they must fear him. Villains must dread him. Fear, despise, hate… He must instill fear in their hearts. And he would do it as Deku.
But it didn't make the act any less painful.
And then it happened.
Aizawa-sensei. His teacher, mentor, one of those who helped him become who he is today. He stood before him in a fighting stance, clearly showing his intention to fight. His bright yellow goggles were on, and his hair stood on end. Izuku already felt that One For All had weakened significantly, but it was not completely erased.
One For All was too strong a Quirk to be erased completely. Especially when its holder could perfectly control it. Essentially, One For All was an energy management Quirk, so he immediately felt the influence of Erasure. But this raised several important questions at once.
How did the fake have Aizawa-sensei's Quirk?
And what if it really is Aizawa-sensei? And if it is, then why is he fighting me and why are both of his eyes intact?
Questions that remained unanswered. And now Deku hesitated. He stepped back as the underground hero's capture scarf headed straight for him with clear intent. He jumped from the spot, but he was given no respite. In literally a second, blue denim threads immediately bound him with such force that if he were still the same fourteen-year-old boy, his bones might well have broken. But he had changed greatly since that time. And not only physically.
And then, from behind his back came one of the best heroes in Japan — Best Jeanist. A hero with a weak Quirk, but he possessed such control over it that it allowed him to become one of the strongest heroes in Japan. Izuku admired him very much. And now… what will Izuku do?
Run away.
If there was even the slightest chance that this was actually Aizawa-sensei… Izuku would never forgive himself if he harmed him.
With the skill of energy redirection, which One For All was, he redirected the erasure to Smokescreen. With power unseen by heroes before, he easily tore the bonds before beginning to fly away at high speed. This completely threw both Jeanist and Aizawa off balance, because the latter had erased his Quirk! He shouldn't have been able to free himself from the bonds so easily, and even be able to fly!
A glance at Aizawa explained to Best Jeanist that he was just as shocked. And then the current No. 4 hero pulled out his radio. The sound of static came from it, saying that the other parties were ready to listen.
— He managed to escape. Quirk Erasure does not work on him. Threat level raised to SS.
---
Midoriya ran. Flew away. He couldn't stay here anymore. He flew with everything he had, easily breaking the sound barrier one after another. But he paid no attention to it. He just wanted to run away. Seeing how Aizawa-sensei was so ready to fight him and looked at him like a villain brought Izuku more pain than he was willing to admit.
— Ninth, something is clearly going on here. And it's clearly not just this "illusion" thing, — the voice of the Second User spoke in his head. Izuku began to calm down a bit when he heard the soft voice along with the second and felt a ghostly touch to his hair. Nana Shimura's touch always calmed him down. Probably because she reminded him a bit of his mother.
— I know. Their Quirks are so similar! This can't be just an illusion anymore… — he mentally answered the souls of the past torchbearers. — But it just makes no sense…
— Ninth, from above!
Simultaneously with their cry, Danger Sense shrieked within him. Deku instantly oriented himself and, using the Second's Quirk, Gearshift, stopped dead in his tracks, switching to 1st gear, before switching to sudden acceleration with 2nd and 3rd gear to the side. All this was so fast that it seemed Izuku had broken all laws of physics regarding inertia and in a fraction of a second changed his flight direction.
Now that he had stopped, he immediately realized that the things threatening him were several very sharp feathers that sank into the concrete below. But he was given no rest. the threat came from the right. A dark-white blur immediately threw itself at him with all the ferocity of a predator, before a powerful kick sent Izuku into one of the roofs of a skyscraper. He managed to orient himself and land on his feet, thereby effectively reducing the damage. And then he raised his gaze.
— Oh no… not them, — he looked with some fear at the duo that attacked him. The first was Takami Keigo, or better known as Hawks. And the second was a girl with mocha-colored skin and rabbit ears. Rumi "Miruko" Usagiyama, the Rabbit Hero.
— Oh-oh-oh, here is our troublemaker, — Hawks drawled, looking at Deku with his calculating eyes.
— Stop flapping your gums, Keigo! — Miruko struck her fist against her palm, a fierce battle grin on her face. — I've heard about you, kid! So don't disappoint me!
— Wait! Stop! Stop! — Izuku shook his head before the pair looked questioningly at the vigilante. He now faltered a bit when they looked at him like that. — You won't agree to let me go, will you? — Actually, Izuku didn't even hope for it. He just didn't want to fight them, and defeating them was much easier than running away. The duo of Hawks and Miruko had always been very strong, especially when it came to tracking and pursuit.
— Are you really asking that after everything you've done? — that was Hawks.
— Um… I'll buy you chicken nuggets and yellow carrots? — he either asked or offered. This caused laughter from the two professional heroes. Current No. 3 Hero Hawks really laughed from the heart. Although he really wouldn't turn down a portion of chicken nuggets.
— As tempting as your offer is, we were told to catch you, — Miruko, the No. 5 heroine, said after laughing.
— Well… it was worth a try, wasn't it? — Deku could barely finish the sentence when suddenly a kick to his face arrived, which he successfully blocked.
— Less talk — more action!
Miruko threw herself at him with fierce rage, clearly deriving a certain pleasure from this situation. Izuku was able to easily dodge her punches and kicks. Despite the fact that Miruko was a hero whose strong point was her legs, the heroine's punches could well leave marks on concrete. Her physical strength was terrifying.
While he was dodging, Hawks soared into the sky before pulling out two of his feathers, using them as swords.
Deku only sighed.
— I'm beginning to doubt what's happening more and more and admire the illusionist's Quirk… — Midoriya said, and it was loud enough for the two heroes to hear him. This confused them a little, but they didn't stop attacking.
— Why the hell can't I hit him! — Miruko growled inwardly as another of her kicks was simply parried aside, as if she were some kind of amateur. This villain in front of her was clearly something more.
Miruko ducked as she saw Hawks soar over her and rush straight at the enemy. Usually, such an attack would be enough to simply sweep an enemy out of one's path. Hawks' wings were no joke. But the Vigilante simply grabbed him by the shoulders and stopped his flight.
— Now!
That was her signal. She dashed toward him in a lightning-fast burst. Her leg muscles tightened and bulged as the veins in them began to pulse. The dash was so powerful that the concrete beneath her simply cracked, leaving footprints of her feet. But that wasn't important now. She twisted her body in the air, extending both legs forward.
— Luna Fall! — at a speed possibly around Mach 2 or 3, she threw herself straight at her enemy.
— I didn't want to do this… — was all he said before Blackwhip burst right from his wrists. It instantly wrapped around her legs and rose higher, before lifting her body with titanic strength, ignoring her inertia and sending the laws of physics far and wide. Blackwhips spiraled before rushing down rapidly. She tried to tear the bonds, even bite through them, but it was all useless. And apparently, judging by Hawks' attempts to cut them, he had no luck either.
— Damn… this guy is a real monster! — that was her last conscious thought before her body hit the roof concrete so hard that she crashed through several floors of the building.
1…
2…
3…
4!
A total of four floors were pierced by her body before she lost consciousness on the debris. If she had remained conscious a little longer, she would have realized that the Vigilante had struck so as not to hit any residential complex, and she fell exactly into the building's corridor.
Hawks only for a moment took his eyes off the Vigilante to look at Miruko, before he paid dearly for it. In a flash of green lightning and the smell of ozone, Keigo felt someone land on his back, grabbing his wings. Clear apprehension was visible on his face. And for good reason. Hawks began to spin and even tried to crash into walls to shake off his involuntary rider. But the latter simply immobilized him, tying Hawks' hands and feet to certain things on the roof, such as pipes, the edges of buildings, and even trees growing on the roof as part of a botanical zone.
Hawks was crucified. And he couldn't help but feel like a fly in a spider's web.
And again, that slow touch to his wings. And then…
Crunch.
A sickening sound came from behind his back.
— Tsssssss… — Keigo hissed, trying to hold back his pain as he felt his wings break. The pain was terrible, especially considering how sensitive they were. Keigo clenched his fists, trying to somehow survive this pain. And then a voice spoke.
— Don't worry. I broke your wings cleanly enough so that you shouldn't have any long-term problems if you go to Recovery Girl… — his voice was distorted, and the mask was a gruesome grimace that vaguely resembled All Might's smile. — If you are indeed Hawks, of course.
— O… what are you… — Keigo barely managed to whisper these words in pain. But he was a hero, so he tried to ignore his pain.
— I'm talking about the illusionist who is doing all this. You're all fakes… — the vigilante's gaze became distant as he looked somewhere into the distance. It was so surreal to see. Hawks really began to doubt the vigilante's sanity, calling them fakes. Or… was he just being used? This realization dawned on Hawks as he noticed the timbre of Deku's voice. It was low, but one could still tell the owner was still young.
— Does he really think we are just an illusion? — it was very unlikely, but it was always worth a try.
— You are all pathetic parodies of them. Hawks and Miruko are real heroes, and I won't allow their names to be blackened like this, — the Vigilante said, causing a chill to run down the hero's spine.
— He really believed that we were just fakes… — that was Hawks' last conscious thought before everything was shrouded in darkness.
---
Izuku slowly released Hawks' body from his grip, causing him to fall like a limp doll. Deku looked at him for a while before simply shaking his head. The thought that he was in the past involuntarily began to creep into his head. But then it was replaced by his paranoid thoughts and fear of failing his friends.
Bakugo lies impaled by All For One, Kirishima was crushed by Gigantomachia and was completely broken. Heroes who evacuated civilians turned to dust in seconds along with other innocent lives. All his friends lay in a puddle of their own blood, wounded and almost breathless.
Izuku shuddered with his whole body as the image presented itself in his head. He began to breathe a little faster, trying to come to his senses. Some time had passed since he flew away from the scene of the battle against Miruko and Hawks.
— I love you.
Pain pierced his heart as another soft whisper from Toga softly chirped in his ear. Although he knew it was just his mind. But it didn't make it any less painful.
He just hoped… He just hoped that his friends were okay, and this was just an illusion he would soon get out of. He really wanted that.
---
— Any news, Aizawa? — Toshinori croaked, looking at the teacher of Class 2-A. Toshinori himself was dressed in his hero costume, although it hung on his body like a sack. Right now, the former Symbol of Peace was sitting in his car, heading toward the Musutafu City Central Hospital. It had just been discovered that Heroes number 3 and 5 were defeated by an unknown vigilante. And this was already starting to raise a lot of red flags. Someone capable of defeating the duo of Hawks and Miruko must be incredibly strong. Because of this, the danger was raised to SSS.
Never before had a completely unknown villain suddenly gained an SSS rank. It was a first.
— Hawks' words confused me a little, — Aizawa said, sitting in the front seat. — From the report they provided, Hawks claimed that there is a high probability that the vigilante in green is being tricked into attacking heroes.
Toshinori only raised his eyebrows, keeping his eyes on the road while watching Aizawa who was reviewing Hawks' recent report.
— If that's the case, then we must help him.
— But it doesn't erase all his actions, and he will answer to the law…
He wasn't allowed to finish. With the ease of a floating butterfly, the vigilante they were discussing descended right to them. Dressed in a tattered green suit and with a tattered yellow cloak draped over him like a scarf.
— All Might… — his voice was broken as he rushed toward the small yellow car. And then both heroes got out, looking clearly concerned. Even though they were trying to catch the guy, the voice with which he pronounced Toshinori's hero name was incredibly broken. So much so that it seemed that just a little more and he would fall into despair.
As soon as Deku saw All Might's figure, Izuku's eyes brightened. He didn't even see Aizawa who was next to him. All his eyes saw was the figure of All Might. His hero, his teacher, his support and pillar. The one who was with him at every step, the one who guided him to the light and gave him strength. His hero.
— All Might, please forgive me! — Midoriya shouted as he fell to his knees. Bitter tears began to burn his eyes. — Please forgive me. — He remembered how he had rejected and driven away his mentor when he was simply worried about him. This only intensified the feeling of guilt. — I know I haven't been the best lately, but please help me. I need your help. — His voice was broken. He was in despair. He just wanted to get out of this illusion. Is he asking too much?!
But All Might didn't budge. He said nothing. He just stood there with a stunned face. Midoriya thought it was because he had upset his mentor much more than he had originally thought. This knowledge broke something inside him.
— I… I don't know what to do anymore. Everything around has changed so much! — he lowered his head. — The city is no longer destroyed, and people just walk around, and what happened recently is as if it never happened. The villains who escaped from Tartarus are also gone. And… and… — he clenched his fists as he felt a lump in his throat. — The heroes have also become different. Miruko has all her limbs, Hawks' wings have grown back, and Kamui and the others act so flippantly as if they haven't learned anything…
Deku stopped Izuku's ranting when he noticed one important detail. All Might's eyes. They didn't recognize him. His heart was broken.
The hood on his head slowly fell, revealing a head of bushy green hair and emerald eyes. Both teachers widened their eyes when they saw the striking similarity between the vigilante and one of their students. They were frighteningly similar. And his eyes… empty, broken, and desperate. As if the last light in his eyes had gone out forever.
— No… no… no… no… no… no… no… — he repeated these words, covering his ears with his hands as he stood up from his knees and began to back away. It broke Toshinori's heart. For some reason, he felt a certain connection with this young man. And the way he spoke as if they were acquainted. Yagi reached out his hand to comfort this child. But he clearly made a mistake.
— DON'T TOUCH ME!!! — Izuku shrieked like a harpy as a massive flood of energy and power burst out of him. He screamed as if in immense pain as all his Quirks began working like crazy. Enormous thick ropes of black matter burst out like the tails of the Kyuubi from ancient mythologies, with each of their swings creating hurricanes that could easily blow away both trees and houses. Clouds in the sky began to gather, and apparently the weather itself obeyed the boy's will. A purple mist covered the entire block as lightning began to strike chaotically from the sky as if they were dissatisfied with the situation.
All Might barely managed to quickly transform into his hero form before quickly moving Aizawa out of the epicenter of the created apocalypse. The scene itself was as if torn from the Book of the End, as the water in nearby sources began to steam and electrify from the energy the boy was releasing. All Might left Aizawa and jumped straight toward the guy, trying to stop him. But he realized that it was useless and he couldn't even reach him. The purple mist combined with the black whips and the raging wind that could well tear off his skin did not even allow for the thought of approaching.
---
A few hours before.
— Oh my god, how horrible, — a white-haired woman said as she saw the Green Vigilante completely overpowering every hero he encountered. — Enji, I know you have a well-deserved day off today, but… Enji?
Rei threw a worried look at her husband as he stared directly at the screen with shocked eyes. His eyes were unnaturally wide as he looked at the figure on the television. The glass that was in his hand even fell, apparently no longer supported. The flame hero's mouth was slightly ajar as his pupils narrowed significantly. He was looking directly at the vigilante, and then a single sound escaped the lips of the current No. 1 hero.
— Midoriya?..
---
Present time.
Flame Hero — Endeavor. Symbol of Hope. No. 1 Hero. A good husband and father. That's what they called him now. But he knew better. He was a terrible husband and father, a poor hero, and unworthy of the title of Symbol of Hope. His ambition and rage had interfered in his life many times, turned his family's life into hell on earth, he completely destroyed the psyche of his wife and children. He even drove his eldest son to the fate of a villain.
But not this time.
Twenty years ago, he suddenly woke up in a white room where God gave him a second chance. He said the original timeline had been broken and now his end was not that far off. And then he was given a chance to fix everything. He grabbed that chance with his teeth and nails. Only he didn't expect to be transported back as far as 20 years. And he did everything in his power. Thanks to his experience and new control, he became much calmer, thereby improving his image. He was able to keep Toya from the path of a villain, and by funding massive amounts of money into a gene medicine foundation, he was able to make Toya's ice-resistant body fire-resistant. Thus, his eldest son's Quirk no longer burned him alive. Though with great difficulty, in very small steps, Enji was even able to start over with Rei. At first it was a very awkward experience, but now he truly loved her. And she loved him. As awkward as it was to say.
The biggest surprise was the birth of the trio of "ankle-biters" whom he had once taken on as interns. Each of them had now changed sex. Even his son… or rather daughter, now bore the proud name of Shoko, not Shoto. The second surprise was that Izumi Midoriya had a Telekinesis Quirk, potentially an S-class Quirk like his Hellflame.
Together with All Might, Enji fought All For One, temporarily passing One For All to Endeavor and literally burning with the power of the Sun itself the man who had terrorized all of Japan for the last 200 years. But even so, he didn't die and managed to almost kill both All Might and Enji. Although now he was imprisoned, Endeavor now sported the same scar he received from the battle with that High-End Nomu in the future/past. He also returned One For All. Or more accurately, One For All simply left him. Apparently the Quirk possessed a collective mind, and they lent their power to him only once. Though this still left its mark, and One For All became even stronger when Enji's own physical strength merged with the Quirk of the Torchbearers.
And now… he saw him. The original Midoriya from his world. And by all accounts, he was clearly in total confusion. And he considered it his duty to help him.
Enji flew straight into the eye of the storm, crossing the clouds and attacking from above, without getting into the razor-sharp cyclone. And then he saw him. His eyes shone like a Nomu's eyes as power just burst out of his body in huge streams. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw All Might and Aizawa. But there was no time for that.
— Deku! — Endeavor's shout caught the green-haired hero's attention, and then he looked around. He saw the destruction he had brought to everyone around him. Slowly but surely, the cyclone stopped. Slowly, they descended to the ground, Enji with the help of his fire and Midoriya with the help of Float.
All Might and Aizawa were shocked by the appearance of the Flame Hero and the sudden stopping of the cyclone.
The vigilante looked at the flame hero for a second before simply breaking down and collapsing into his arms, sobbing loudly. He let out everything he had been holding back all this time. His desperate wail echoed far and wide, and everyone who heard it clearly felt the pain and despair of the boy, who wasn't even a full-fledged adult.
Enji looked with a haunted expression at Midoriya's crying. He remembered when he last saw him. The weight of the world was too much for this child. Endeavor hugged the young teenager as a familiar pain in his heart pierced him. No matter how much he pretended, there was always an image of his family before his eyes, whose lives he had broken. And now here was a person from the same time as he was. He couldn't help but feel a kindred, yet lonely connection with him.
It seemed that in literally a few minutes of sobbing and crying, Midoriya was exhausted. He went limp in his arms. Endeavor cast a short, tired glance toward the two heroes who were still there.
— We have much to talk about… but please, let him rest for a while.