Another day of Midoriya's crusade continued with him taking a small break to meet with All Might. The two stood on the ground floor of an apartment building as rain patterned against the glass. All Might held the bundled lunch in his hands, frowning, "Young Midoriya... I heard about what happened with those two villains from Hawks." Midoriya frowned looking out the window while he continued, "Doing things alone it's... it's not sustainable anymore! Your classmates have been working harder than ever to get stronger and fight by your side, you can join them!"
Midoriya's expression made it look as though his mind was partially somewhere else. He spoke robotically, "I'll only be putting them at a greater risk... if I stay on the move, at least I can be the only target."
All Might grimaced and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Your intentions are noble, Young Midoriya... but that hasn't been working well for you! You were nearly captured yesterday because of those two! What if Ha—"
Midoriya's danger sense went off and his eyes tracked a bullet going straight for All Might's head. He glared and moved into action, grabbing the bullet inches from Toshinori's face and crushing it with a black whip before tracking the trajectory it came from.
His eyes met with the assassin in leopard print clothing on top of a building and he acted without thinking. Black whip extended and wrapped around him, ripping him through the railing of the building and slamming him into a car before pulling him through the shattered glass and slamming him into a wall, putting a crater in it. He gripped him by his collar and yelled in his face, "Where is AFO's location?! Tell me!"
The assassin coughed up blood and Toshinori raised a hand, "Midoriya..."
Thoughts of his failure against the snake duo ran through his mind and the assassin grabbed a flashbang on his belt, but Midoriya grabbed and crushed his hand in it, "Tell me!"
The assassin gritted his teeth and cried in pain, "Ok ok! It's—"
Before he could speak, his skin cracked and glowed and Midoriya's danger sense went off again. He tossed the man out of the window and he exploded hardly a moment later.
Both of them fell silent as car alarms went off, and Midoriya was the first to recover, "AFO must have planted something in his assassins to make them self-destruct if they're gonna betray him... of course, he would do that..." He clenched his fists.
Toshinori looked down, "That was too far, Midoriya... That was..."
"That was necessary! I couldn't risk that guy potentially killing you!"
Toshinori stepped toward him, "And what about when you had him in your hands already? You brutalized him... Midoriya, this isn't who you are."
Toshinori put his hands on his shoulders, and Midoriya swiped his hands away,, backing off, "Well, maybe I gotta change some things then! I can't go soft against AFO! THAT is why they almost beat me yesterday!"
"Young Midoriya! That is not the message you should have gotten from that fight! You're not talking like a hero! One For All is not about fighting in solitude! Your predecessors—"
"My predecessors failed!" His words cut sharp and Toshinori fell silent. Midoriya's expression momentarily softened before hardening again when he remembered AFO telling him "It's your turn now."
He put his mask back on, "I'll make sure to succeed where they all failed... I'm sorry, All Might, I shouldn't have come here. I'm just putting you at risk too."
He turned away and got ready to jump away, but Toshinori called out, "Wait! You aren't fully recovered, at least eat!" He held up the food he made, but Midoriya only briefly looked at him before turning away again. "All Might... don't tag along anymore... I'm capable of going above 100% without any recoil now; there aren't any heroes stronger than me, so... don't worry about me."
He jumped away and Toshinori tried to call out to him, but it was in vain as Midoriya disappeared into the rainy city.
The next day, a week officially passed since everyone was released from the Hospital, and the class trained to exhaustion, with most of them sweating bullets and lying on the ground or on their knees. Recovery Girl walked around healing bandaged-up students, and Sasuke caught his breath; observing his classmates, he saw that only Bakugo, Kirishima, Mina, Iida, and Todoroki were still standing. Sasuke stated, "Most of you guys gotta improve your stamina a lot more, or else villains will be running circles around you."
Kaminari breathed heavily while lying flat on the ground, "Come to think of it... why hasn't Momo been suffering here with us?"
Jiro answered, "She's been... helping Nezu out... with plans."
Sasuke called out, "We can take a break."
After many sighs of relief, Sasuke left the room and wiped the sweat off his brow with a rag. After the wipe, he noticed Hawks strolling down the hall in his direction, "Yo. Good morning, or is it afternoon now?"
He asked, "What are you doing here?"
Hawks' natural smile faltered slightly and he answered, "It's about Midoriya. Some days ago, I had to save him from a couple of dangerous villains, and this time around, I think he needs his classmates to save him."
"Save him from what?"
"Himself... It was going steady for a while, but he's recently cut contact with everyone, including All Might. All Might said he thinks he'll protect everyone by taking on everything alone."
Sasuke smirked, "Hn, sounds familiar."
Hawks pointed a finger, "That's part of why I think it'll be good for his classmates to bring him back to his senses." He tossed Sasuke a tracker, "Here's a tracker that Nagant put on him. I wouldn't recommend all of you guys going though."
Sasuke caught it and stared at it, "Me neither. Thanks, I'll be sure to bring the right people," he turned and waved, thinking about all the times he'd talked to Midoriya and all the pain he'd inflicted on himself for others sakes, 'You've always been an idiot when it's come to that kind of thing, haven't you?'
He opened the door to the training grounds and called out, "Todoroki, Bakugo, I need you two."
The two perked up and exited the room, "The hell do you want?"
"It's about Midoriya, we gotta bring him back." He held up a tracker and Bakugo's expression eased.
Todoroki asked, "Where's this coming from? Did something go wrong?"
Sasuke briefed them on the conversation he just had with Hawks and Bakugo put his hands in his pocket, "He's screwed up in the head... That idiot Deku will get himself killed."
Sasuke replied, "Yeah, we're not gonna let that happen though. We should go now."
"Not without me!"
The trio turned to see Uraraka standing next to the corner she must have been listening from. Sasuke said, "You should stay here and train, it'll be more efficient with just the three of us."
"I couldn't train knowing that Deku is out there and needs our help that badly! If you don't take me with you, I'm telling everyone what I heard!" She clenched her fists.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, Bakugo snickered, and Todoroki said, "I think she could be helpful. We're the strongest in the class... but none of us have a track record of having a good way with words."
Bakugo snapped back, "I do just fine with words! I had something important to tell Deku anyway..."
Sasuke was silent for a minute before shrugging, "Fine, sure. You can come, just don't hold back the team."
Uraraka smiled, "Of course."
Sasuke turned and the squad made their way out of the building, "Let's go."
Midoriya stood in the rain with heavy eyes, wearing a blood-drenched torn costume. He stared down at a villain who was crawling away past the rest of his unconscious comrades whose arms were bent at weird angles. He trudged over to the side of the man who crawled away whimpering and lifted him up by his collar, "Last chance. Where's AFO?"
He grabbed Midoriya's hands and yelled, "I don't know, you bastard!"
Midoriya grabbed his hand and put pressure on it like a hydraulic press, "Tell me!"
He screamed in pain, "I seriously don't know! I don't know!"
Midoriya sighed and knocked him out with a hit to the dome before tossing him aside. He saw the wisp of the predecessors, "Listen, Ninth, you haven't fully healed. You need to get some rest."
"... I'll be fine." His danger sense went off and he jumped into action. He floated into the air and slammed into the ground a few blocks away in front of villains.
He knocked out every villain with one hit like he was on autopilot while his mind drifted, 'Dead end after dead end... Will I ever find them? I have to find them... I can't let them hurt anyone else... If I complete One For All, everyone can live in peace...'
He raced through the city, taking out dozens of villains in under a minute, breaking bones, and drawing blood in a path of destruction. 'Come to think of it... wasn't killing AFO Sasuke's goal?... Sasuke's always been strong but...' He thought back to the fight he saw between AFO and Sasuke, 'He won't be strong enough... I'll... have to do it for him. That's the only way to put a stop to AFO... He definitely regenerates like Orochimaru or Kabuto... I can't hold anything back on him. Maybe if he disappears then... maybe we can all smile together again...'
While Midoriya's odyssey continued, Sakura and Tsunade walked together outside the Berlin Chancellery under the afternoon sun. Sakura asked, "So when are you leaving to go help in Japan?"
"I should be leaving tomorrow."
Sakura frowned, "I really can't come to help too?"
Tsunade smiled, "Sorry but no, I can't legally bring someone who isn't a pro hero."
Sakura sighed, "Fiiiine. I just hope those UA guys are ok... besides Mina..." she mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Heh." She stared up at the Chancellery, "Aren't the EU leaders having a meeting with the US President right now?"
Tsunade answered, "They are, It's probably related to what's going on in Japan, but it's weird that America's President went out of his way to come in person..."
They both stared at the large building that the clouds casted a shadow over. Halfway across the planet, Midoriya sensed another villain and jumped into an open Plaza, wobbling and catching himself before he fell. He looked up at a villain surrounded by civilians on strings and briefly glanced up at the statue of All Might. A sign hung over it saying: I am not here. "You take on the world alone... to the point of exhaustion. Yes, indeed. You're just as he described you. I'll enjoy breaking you before I bring you in."
Midoriya's head felt heavy and he lifted his fist, "You're Dictator... another escapee. I hope you'll be the one that tells me where AFO is."
Dictator wagged his finger, "First, you'll have to get past the ignorant masses themselves!"
The crowd of civilians sloppily rushed at him and a woman yelled. "We can't control our own bodies! Help us!"
Midoriya yelled weakly, "I will! I promise..." 'Dictator... his control can be broken by either landing a strong hit to the people or knocking out Dictator himself... Should I use Air Force? No... I don't have my gloves... maybe black whip...'
Whips weakly waved around him and a civilian tackled him to the ground. He weakly pushed the middle-aged man off and side-stepped a woman whose movements were sudden and jerking; he wobbled in the process, and his shoulders slacked. "Our bodies aren't listening to us! We're sorry!"
Midoriya replied, "I know... it's ok... I'll free you..."
Dictator tilted his head and chuckled, "Fascinating, the one that AFO has wanted so badly, too weak to even fight against civilian puppets. You're... disappointing."
Midoriya made eye contact with Dictator and charged at him at 20%, but Dictator laughed and protected himself with four people piled up. Midoriya pulled back at the last second and sighed, clenching his fist. Dictator stated, "AFO mentioned how much of a pure boy you were. How you wouldn't risk hurting innocent people even at the risk of your own life. Despite your disheveled appearance, this seems to hold true."
Midoriya's danger sense went off as two civilians rushed at his sides, but he failed to react as they grabbed his arms. Midoriya's sight became blurry and he started seeing doubles, "Tell me... where AFO is..."
Dictator laughed and no other civilians attacked him. A woman yelled, "C'mon, hero! You can beat him!"
Dictator turned to the woman and positioned her in front of Midoriya. She looked scared beyond belief, "What are you doing?!"
Dictator spoke, "Since you wanna talk so much how about you learn to shut up? Listen here boy, there's something you have to understand, and that's that you're in no position to make demands. In fact, I think it's time for a little demonstration." He spoke in a jovial manner as he forced the woman to grab her own throat. She gagged with wide eyes and put unnatural pressure on her throat while she stared at Midoriya with pleading eyes.
Midoriya shook off his dizziness and his heart rate increased, "Stop!"
Dictator tapped his chin, "Hmmm... let me think about it... no, I don't think I will!"
A young boy yelled, "Save my mom! What are you doing?!"
The woman's face started to lose color and Midoriya summoned the strength to break free from the civilians holding him. He activated 50% of OFA and dashed toward her, "I said STOP!"
"Too slow," as Midoriya reached out mere inches from the woman, Dictator flicked his finger and the woman broke her own neck in front of him.
Midoriya froze in place while the woman's body fell in front of him. His hand shook, held out like he could still save her. 'She... died... she died... she died... cause I failed... I...' Midoriya's mind crumbled and he felt like he would scream, but the young boy beat him to it, "NOOOO!"
Dictator made the boy tense up, "One down. How about the boy next, 'Hero'?" Dictator tossed a knife to the boy and made him catch it before covering himself in a crowd of people who started yelling.
"What are you doing?!"
"Stop messing around! Stop him already!"
"Are you gonna let us all die?"
"Don't let him hurt that child!"
Midoriya yelled, "I WON'T!"
Dictator replied, "Oh yes you will; you can't even hurt people if it means stopping a villain. Not like you could, you've exhausted yourself too much like a fool. Now witness the fruits of your labor before I take you to AFO."
He made the boy grip the knife, bracing to slice his own neck, "I'm scared..."
Everything froze for Midoriya, including the rain while he stared at the knife. The world seemed to lose color as his gaze shot between the dead mother, the boy about to follow her, the crowd of people staring at him with desperation, and Dictator himself hiding like a coward behind them all. His adrenaline and mind raced, 'A boy lost his mom... because of me... What good am I as a hero if I can't save one woman?'
Nighteye's death, Sasuke's vendetta, what he resolved to do to AFO, and Gran Torino's death and his last words ran through his mind. 'What good am I doing... restraining myself if it's gonna get all these people... my classmates... everyone killed?'
One For All raised to 100% in his body as the pain of his bones creaking kept him fully alert, 'I need to save that boy... that's all that matters... even if I permanently injure this villain.'
He disappeared from sight and blitzed through narrow gaps in the crowd, knocking the people away with the air force of his movements while he got closer to Dictator. He aimed a punch straight for Dictators chest, but instead of sending the villain flying into a building, the punch went straight through his chest and painted Midoriya's costume red.
Midoriya's eyes widened as Dictator's arms went limp and he croaked out, "Oh... Didn't think... You had it in you..."
Dictator went limp and slid off his arm, falling to the ground with a wet sound while Midoriya stayed stunned in place. Strange things fell off his arm and his mind went blank.
The people, now freed from Dictators had a mix of reactions. Some fell to their knees crying, others ran, and some went to the young boy's side trying to comfort him. Midoriya stared at his shaking arm while bits fell off it, "I didn't think... he'd be so fragile... I didn't mean to..."
His voice was too low for anyone to hear and an elderly woman stood behind him, "Thank you for saving us, young man."
Midoriya slowly stared back at her with wide eyes, "I didn't mean to kill him... I'm... sorry... I just wanted to stop him..."
The woman glanced back at the other people, "If you hadn't... the rest of us wouldn't have been next. I understand, and I'm grateful."
He finally made proper eye contact with her and the rain slowly washed the blood off his arm. She continued, "I think you should go, young man. Some of the others might not agree with me."
Midoriya stared at the young boy who cried over his mother and his hand stopped shaking. He nodded and looked at all the people he saved one last time before turning away and using the remainder of his adrenaline to jump away and activate float. He settled on a faraway building and took a few steps, but he collapsed to his knees before he could take anymore.
He sat there in the rain, looking down at his hands as it became hard to breathe. He ripped off his mask and tried to catch his breath as things finally sunk in. Tears welled up in his eyes, but before he could think about anything he heard four pairs of footsteps behind him.
"We've finally found him."
He heard Todoroki's voice and turned in the direction he came from. Standing there was Todoroki, Sasuke, Uraraka, and Bakugo.
They all took in his dirty blood appearance and Uraraka covered her mouth before running to him and pulling him into a hug, "Deku! We're here for you!"
He didn't return the hug, but he didn't push her away either, he had nothing left in him. "... How did you guys find me?"
Todoroki answered, "A tracker from Hawks."
Todoroki kept his mouth open to continue speaking, but closed his mouth.
Midoriya's voice quivered, "I... I... K..."
Sasuke said, "Yeah, we saw on the way here."
"I didn't mean to... I was just..."
Uraraka nearly frowned, 'So it's true…' But stopped herself and cupped his cheeks, "We know you didn't mean to, Deku... you're clearly exhausted, you were just trying to protect people, right?"
Bakugo rubbed the back of his head and mumbled, "Good thing she came with us..." Todoroki nodded.
Midoriya nodded slowly, "A... a mother died because I couldn't..."
Sasuke stated, "You can't save everyone, Midoriya."
Uraraka added, "But you still saved all those other people, Deku! This is why you need to come back with us to UA!"
Midoriya's mouth tensed and he looked away, speaking in a dry voice, "But you guys aren't strong enough... you can't keep up... I'll end up luring AFO straight to you..."
Sasuke chipped in, "Midoriya, a slight breeze would blow you over right now. You won't survive another hour out here. Just come back with us and we'll talk more when you're better."
Midoriya was about to contort, but he collapsed in Uraraka's arms before he could speak. Todoroki side-eyed Bakugo, "Didn't you have something you wanted to tell him?"
"Yeah but... it can wait. Let's just get him home to UA."