A long, edgy title is a definite change. Good change or bad change? Also, this chapter isn't during the present time; it shows what happened during Izuku and Melissa's alone time.
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A few minutes before...
From a concealed perch high above the glistening marble floors of the I-Island International Arrival Terminal, a group of men dressed in inconspicuous civilian attire peer through tinted glass panels. Their movements are subtle. Efficient. Professional.
Their leader, a tall man with a jet-black overcoat and cold eyes that never blink, raises a sleek, encrypted phone to his ear.
"We've breached the expo perimeter," he murmured in a low, gravelly voice. His words are met with static on the other end of the line, followed by a crisp reply:
"Confirmed. Goods will arrive by 1800 hours. Maintain cover. No mistakes."
The man's gaze moves across the bustling crowd below—tourists, students, heroes-in-training, families, scientists.
Among them… All Might.
His lips curl ever so slightly."He's here, huh? Perfect."
He ends the call and pockets the device.
"Change of plan. Begin prepping contingencies."The others nod without a word, already moving.
🧪 Inside the Core Labs – David Shield's Research Facility
Humming softly with energy, the lab is an advanced hub of innovation—clean, minimal, polished steel surfaces and glowing holographic interfaces. Monitors display complex schematics and data streams in real time. In the corner, a small machine is slowly assembling a prototype gauntlet.
Samuel Abraham, assistant to the world-famous scientist David Shield, taps away at a floating keyboard while glancing at a nearby monitor.
"Well, her work speaks for itself," Samuel says with a proud chuckle. "Melissa's managed to fine-tune the quirk-boosting software to a higher efficiency margin than our previous model. Not bad for a kid still working through finals."
David chuckles, eyes never leaving the digital blueprint he's editing."She's her mother's daughter… but I've known for years she'd outpace me."
A gentle knock interrupts them.The sliding doors open.
Melissa Shield bounds in, bright as always."Dad, I've got a surprise for you!"
Behind her, the towering figure of All Might steps through the doorway, his ever-present grin shining under the sterile lab lights.
David turns, stunned."T-Toshinori…?"
"It's been a long time, David." All Might says warmly.
"Uncle Might!" Melissa chimes in.
Samuel, grinning, awkwardly waves."Mr. Symbol of Peace, sir… I just—I've heard all the stories, every single one! David used to go on about how you saved this town, that city, a cat, a vending machine once—"
"Hey! That machine was dangerous," David says with mock indignation.
All Might laughs heartily."It's good to see you again, David."
But David's eyes slowly narrow. He leans forward, expression shifting. Steam… it trails faintly off All Might's collarbone.
A sign of something being held back. Something wrong.
David quietly signals his staff to exit."Everyone, give us the room, please."
Melissa gives a final wave and drags Samuel out behind her.
🩺 Toshinori Yagi – Examination Room
All Might, now in his thin, true form—Toshinori Yagi, sits on a reclining examination table. His skeletal frame rises and falls with shallow breath.
Wires are connected to his arms, chest, and temples. A nearby screen pulses with red bars and plummeting graphs.
David stares at it. His face, usually composed, is pale.
"Your power levels… they're crashing, Toshinori. This isn't just wear and tear—this is systemic decay."
All Might looks away."I've… had a few close calls."
David frowns."I thought you were fine. I saw the Sports Festival on the news, your students, your—"
"I'm not fine," Toshinori interrupts, voice like gravel. Then, softer. "But I need to be… for a little longer."
David stares at him, betrayal creeping into his expression.
"How long have you been hiding this?"
Toshinori offers only silence.
David turns away, adjusting his glasses as the weight of the truth sinks in.
"If you fall, the world isn't ready. Japan's crime rate, the balance of power... the Symbol of Peace wasn't just a title. You were a pillar."
"Am." Toshinori's voice is firm.
"The Symbol of Peace is still alive, David. As long as I stand… hope stands."
🕰️ A Memory From the Past
David blinks.
And just like that, he remembers.
Years ago. A young, reckless scientist at a university research wing.An experiment gone wrong—an unstable chemical reaction, an explosion.
Flames raged. Glass shattered. Students screamed.
Through the smoke, a blur of gold and red burst through the fire.
Toshinori, in a prototype suit David had cobbled together only a few weeks earlier. It was his 'Young Age' suit.
He saved everyone. And when the dust settled, that ragged, smiling face looked up at him and said:
"I'm going to be the kind of hero the world can believe in. A light that never goes out."
And David had believed him.
He still did.
💣 Elsewhere – Unknown Warehouse on I-Island
Back in the shadows, the mysterious group is on the move again.
The leader steps into a warehouse where a large crate is being unsealed.A metallic click as locks disengage.
Inside: a cache of advanced tech weaponry and a strange briefcase labeled in encrypted digits.
"Delivery's confirmed," a voice says over the phone.
The leader nods."Good. Let's begin."
He flips the phone shut and looks toward a map of the expo center, blueprints pinned to the wall behind him. His eyes glint.
"And All Might… you'll find your 'peace' is a fragile thing."
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[Auther: Yo.]