The Dark Hero Arc (黒いヒーロー編, Kuroi Hīrōhen) marks the nineteenth chapter in My Hero Academia’s saga, and with it begins the story’s fateful Final Act.

In the wake of the devastating Paranormal Liberation War, hero society stands fractured and trembling. Faith in heroes—the very pillars that once held Japan together—has crumbled. The prisons that once chained the nation’s greatest threats now lie shattered, their bars torn apart by Tomura Shigaraki’s hand, releasing monsters like All For One back into a world already on the edge.

Amid this chaos, Izuku Midoriya—Deku—makes a choice that will redefine him. To protect his friends, his school, and what little order remains, he walks away from U.A. High. No longer just a student, he becomes a lone hunter, a shadow moving alongside All Might and the few remaining symbols of strength—Endeavor, Hawks, and Best Jeanist. Together, they wage a desperate pursuit against the League of Villains’ fractured remnants.

But beneath the battles lies something deeper. Deku is not only chasing villains—he is wrestling with One For All, mastering its secrets, enduring its burdens, and preparing himself for the inevitable collision with Shigaraki and the dark will of All For One.

It is not simply a fight for victory. It is a test of resolve.
A journey into the darkness, where a boy must learn what it truly means to carry the weight of being a hero when hope itself seems lost.

 

Summary – Prologue

In the silence that followed Izuku’s meeting with the vestiges of One For All, a heavy truth lingered: his resolve to save Tomura Shigaraki. Yoichi Shigaraki, the first user, turns toward the second and third—still turned away, faces hidden by walls of their past—and quietly asks for their help. They don’t answer.

The air breaks when Daigoro Banjo, ever the lively spirit, teases Izuku, urging him to first focus on mastering Hikage Shinomori and En’s Quirks. It’s a lighthearted moment in a room otherwise drowning in old scars.

But then, the third user finally speaks. His words echo of an era darker than anything Izuku has known—an age where All For One reigned with absolute control. In those days, it was their leader—the second user—who gathered the courage and allies to rise up against that shadow. Yet, such resistance came at a cost. The second admits to Yoichi that his rebellion was written in blood; he took countless lives in the struggle against tyranny. To him, the idea of helping a boy who seeks to “save” their mortal enemy sounds like a dangerous fantasy, a child’s delusion.

Yoichi does not back down. He reminds them of the day they spared him, when they had every reason to kill him for being tied to their enemy. He tells them that because the second user carried him out of that room, their war against All For One truly began. One For All was born of that choice—born of mercy. And now, Izuku is the same kind of choice. Their only choice.

Slowly, the weight of his words sinks in. The second asks one more time: Can this boy really end it all? Yoichi answers with quiet certainty—it was Izuku’s hand that reached for him, just as his once did. And that, he says, is why One For All still lives. At last, the second and third relent. They will lend Izuku their strength.

When Izuku wakes in Central Hospital, the world feels different. Around him, patients recover, many already discharged thanks to Recovery Girl’s care. But Izuku must stay. His body, after pushing itself to the edge, has changed.

A doctor explains: before, his injuries exploded inside his frame, tearing him apart. This time, they broke closer to the surface. Blackwhip had held his body together, binding his limbs from within like scaffolding. His growth has been staggering—rising from 5% to 45%—and though his body is adapting, the danger remains. If he goes further carelessly, he could lose the use of his limbs altogether.

After the doctor leaves, the weight shifts from body to heart. Inko Midoriya, his mother, now knows the truth of One For All. She understands that his Quirklessness made him its perfect vessel—but also that it makes him the perfect target. Terrified, she asks what will become of her son. All Might promises protection at U.A., but Izuku shakes his head. He won’t be going back.

He explains that Tomura can sense him, can find him. And if Izuku stays close to others, they’ll be in danger. His decision is firm: he will hunt down Tomura and All For One before their power reaches its peak, before worse tragedies unfold. Inko protests—reminding him that he lies in this very hospital because he couldn’t win. Izuku smiles softly and promises he’ll get stronger.

When she cannot bring herself to agree, he holds her hand. “When you smiled and thanked me,” he tells her, “it made me happier than I can say. That’s why I have to go. I’ll come home to you.” His words, both a promise and a farewell, leave Inko trembling.

All Might watches and remembers the day he bowed to her, pledging to protect her son. He knows now that he can’t stop Izuku from leaving. So instead, he makes another vow: he will go with him.

All Might quickly contacts Best Jeanist. With him, Endeavor, and Hawks already set to dive into the chaos of collapsing cities, they hatch a dangerous plan. Izuku will become bait, drawing out the League of Villains, while the others shadow him from afar. The hunt begins.

Before leaving the hospital, Izuku visits Gran Torino. The old hero greets him with rare warmth upon hearing Nana Shimura’s regards. But even here, the mood is tinged with gravity. Gran Torino admits his regret—he should have killed Tomura, he says. He warns Izuku not to cling so stubbornly to ideals, because sometimes even death can be salvation. Then, with a small, almost weary smile, he hands Izuku his cape.

It is not just a gift. It is a mantle.
The last piece Izuku takes before stepping out into the world—not as a student, not as a boy, but as a hunter carrying the weight of the Final Act on his shoulders.

 

Deku vs. Muscular: Round 2

In the ruins of an abandoned city, two Ketsubutsu Academy third-years—Yo Shindo (Grand) and Tatami Nakagame (Turtle Neck)—search desperately for civilians. Their orders are simple: guide stragglers toward evacuation zones, and keep watch for reports of a dangerous villain wreaking havoc in the south ward, someone the authorities call “Jailbreaker.”

But simple orders never mean simple choices.

When the students arrive at the Taguchi Building, a gym turned refuge, they find a group of civilians barricaded inside. Yo tries to persuade them to come with him to Ketsubutsu, promising shelter and protection. But their leader scoffs—schools are nothing but painted targets for villains, he says. Why put themselves at risk again, when their own black-market support gear was enough to fend off past attacks?

Yo pushes back, frustrated. Ordinary people, no matter how armed, can’t hope to stop monsters like Nomu… or worse, someone like Jailbreaker. But distrust runs deep, and the civilians turn their backs. The young heroes leave in bitter disappointment, Tatami urging calm while Yo fumes that he would’ve dragged them out by force if he could.

And then, the ground shakes.

A warning comes over their communicator—Shikkui Makabe’s panicked voice, reporting that Jailbreaker is closing in. Within moments, a hulking figure lands hard on a nearby rooftop. The dust clears, and the “Jailbreaker” reveals himself. It’s not just any villain. It’s Muscular.

Yo steps forward, determined, telling Tatami to get the civilians out. But the civilians—foolishly, recklessly—rush to aid him. Muscular swats them aside like insects, pinning Yo with his writhing, grotesque muscle fibers, slowly crushing the boy beneath his strength. Yo forces out a desperate Tremoring Earth blast, trying to destabilize the villain, but Muscular simply layers on more fibers, shrugging it off.

The civilians watch in horror. Tatami screams. Yo is seconds away from death—

And then it happens.

A thunderous “SMASH!” cracks the air. Muscular is sent flying, slammed into the roof of a house. Smoke billows across the street. From its veil emerges a hooded figure, his body wrapped in a mist-like haze. In his arms, an unconscious Yo. The voice is unmistakable.

 

Izuku Midoriya has arrived.

Carrying his classmate to safety, Deku mutters that he was alerted by his “gift from the Fourth.” The civilians can barely process it. Muscular, however, grins. Recognition lights his bloodshot eye. “That voice…” His expression twists into ecstasy. He doesn’t want revenge—he just wants to fight. He crams a stone into his empty eye socket and lunges.

Deku’s smoke engulfs the area, disorienting civilians and Tatami alike. They can’t even see his face—only the voice as he hands Yo over, telling her to care for him. Then, turning back to the battlefield, he vows: no more buildings will fall tonight.

Inside the haze, Deku speaks with En, the sixth user of One For All. His new Quirk, Smokescreen, feels overwhelming, and En gently advises restraint. These powers, he reminds Izuku, aren’t ultimate moves—they’re tools, pieces to a larger strategy. Relax. Think. Adapt.

Floating above the ruins, Deku surveys the battlefield. He knows Muscular well—knows that his raw durability can withstand 100% smashes. So this time, he doesn’t attack blindly. Instead, he weaves his arsenal together. Float keeps him airborne. Danger Sense guides him through incoming strikes. Smokescreen blinds his foe. Blackwhip lashes out, chaining Muscular to the ground.

Muscular snarls. To him, these are nothing but “cheap party tricks.” He doesn’t want strategy—he wants carnage. Deku ignores the taunts, his voice steady, even compassionate. He calls Muscular by his true name—Goto Imasuji—and asks him: Why? Why live like this? Do you feel no regret? No longing for something else?

Muscular laughs. He wants no path, no redemption. Only blood, only violence. His hunger is simple, endless.

Deku hears this and reflects on his own resolve. He wants to understand villains. He believes, deep down, that if he can reach even one of them, the world could shift. But sometimes, the darkness runs too deep. And when words fail, only action remains.

Muscular bursts free of Blackwhip, roaring, but he is faltering. His muscle armor unravels—Yo’s vibrations had weakened him, and Deku recognized it from the start. Muscular tries to press forward, bellowing in rage, but his body betrays him.

Deku moves in. One final motion, clean and decisive. A fist drives into Muscular’s stomach, a resounding SMASH echoing through the broken streets.

With a single blow, the monster collapses. Deku stands victorious, whispering that this is his full power.

Round 2 is over.

And this time, the boy who once barely survived has become a hunter cloaked in smoke and resolve.

 

The New World

The city breathes heavy under the weight of collapse. Heroes and villains clash, civilians cower and resist, and in between it all, Izuku Midoriya walks a path alone.

 

Muscular’s capture

Above the ruined streets, third-years Shikkui Makabe and Itejiro Toteki catch sight of a shocking sight: Muscular, the rampaging monster of flesh, strung up and hauled through the sky like prey. Beneath him, a lone figure cloaked in smoke—Deku.

Back at the Taguchi Building, Tatami cradles the battered Yo, still shaken from the battle. The civilians, once stubborn, bring out a stretcher to help, their leader softening. “We don’t want anyone to die either,” he admits, finally cracking the wall of distrust.

As Yo stirs back to consciousness, his memory flashes—Deku’s silhouette. He recalls the boy he once met during the Provisional License Exam, but now… he feels something different. A presence older, heavier, almost unrecognizable. Was that really the same kid?

 

Return to All Might

Deku delivers Muscular to the Daina Police Station. The prison’s iron maidens are the only cells strong enough to hold him. Before the guards can even question, Deku vanishes into the air, guided by the silence of his Danger Sense.

He lands in an alley where All Might waits, worry etched deep. “Are you hurt?” the old hero asks. Deku shakes his head—his limbs hold, his body is stable. All Might then reveals a new support item: the Mid-Gauntlets. Ordered from America before the borders closed, they are designed for endurance. They’ll reinforce his frame, but cannot handle the reckless 100% that once defined him. All Might warns him again: don’t push past the line. Not yet.

Elsewhere, the Top Three Heroes wrestle with chaos—Endeavor’s fire scouring villains, Best Jeanist binding them, Hawks moving like a shadow. Between fights, Hawks calls All Might, asking about the boy. But even as All Might reassures, Deku is already gone, pulled away by a new tremor in his Danger Sense.

Hawks sighs knowingly. “He doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt. He’d rather walk alone.” And yet, he admits, Deku’s strategy—seeking the enemy before the enemy seeks him—may be their only real chance.

 

The Giant Woman

Night falls. Rain drizzles across broken streets. In another city, fear twists into cruelty as civilians armed with support items turn against a giant woman. Her mutant body makes her stand out, makes her a target. She pleads with them to stop, insisting she isn’t a villain, only afraid. They don’t listen.

Before the mob can strike, Deku arrives. Smoke and resolve cloak him as he saves her. He speaks firmly but gently: he understands everyone is scared, but she is innocent. The attackers disperse, muttering that she “shouldn’t look like a freak.”

The woman confesses to Deku: she stayed home too long, thinking her quiet town would be spared. When she finally tried to evacuate, the chaos frightened her. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, ashamed of the burden she feels she’s become.

Deku returns her umbrella, softening his tone. “Everyone’s scared,” he assures her. “But I’ll make sure it goes back to normal.” All Might arrives soon after, taking her toward safety. Before leaving, he hands Deku a lunch box. A small gesture. A reminder of care.

 

 

Surveying the ruins

Deku rises above the city, the rain and lights reflecting off the smoke surrounding him. Inside his mind, Daigoro Banjo muses that this age mirrors his own—chaotic, brutal, survival-driven. Deku thinks aloud: they have no leads on Shigaraki, All For One, Dabi, or the League. Even Endeavor and Eraser Head struggled against Tomura empowered by All For One’s Quirk. Until he masters One For All completely, there is no victory.

With the voices of the past users behind him, Deku steels himself. The night stretches long, and his hunt continues.

 

The Fractured Society

Elsewhere, Endeavor faces a gang of petty villains wielding dangerous support tech—products of Detnerat’s black market. With a blazing Ignited Arrow, he crushes them and delivers them to the police.

But there’s no applause. No gratitude.

Instead, mobs jeer at him, at Best Jeanist, at Hawks. “Hero scum,” they shout, demanding answers for Tomura’s escape, for Dabi’s televised confessions, for the endless tide of criminals set loose. They spit blame, contempt, and hatred. The once untouchable symbols of hope drive away as nothing more than frauds in the public eye.

Inside their car, the heroes talk grimly. Hawks contacts Edgeshot, urging him to investigate the remnants of the Paranormal Liberation Front. They also discuss Izuku—how much to protect him, how much to expose him. Hawks admits they’re using the boy as bait, as he himself volunteered, but wonders how long he can carry that burden.

They turn to All For One’s plan. The conclusion is terrifying: Tomura isn’t just a successor. He is a vessel. A new body for All For One, whose life now clings to machines after All Might’s devastating blow.

But something puzzles them. Why does Tomura need rage? Why does All For One want him to embody such hatred? Best Jeanist speculates that the Quirk One For All, born of will and resistance, requires a counterpart strong enough to withstand its weight. Hawks doubts if All For One truly has that hatred in his heart at all—after all, he’s always smiling, as if nothing touches him.

The answers remain out of reach.

The Ambush

Night deepens. In his car, All Might tracks Deku’s signal. He remembers Sir Nighteye’s words, how he once begged him to rest, to live, to preserve himself. And yet Izuku never stops. Never slows.

Then, his phone buzzes. Deku’s GPS vanishes. Before he can process it, a grenade explodes against his car. Flames consume the street.

At Deku’s location, the truth is revealed. His phone, pinned to a wall by a bullet. A bullet carrying a microphone. A woman’s voice instructs him: Come with me.

Deku realizes instantly—All For One has sent an assassin.

On a distant rooftop, beneath the storm, she appears: a woman with a rifle fused into her arm, eyes steady and merciless. Lady Nagant.

She raises her weapon and smiles coldly. “Comply,” she says. “Or lose your limbs.”

The hunt has changed.
The hunter is now the hunted.

 

The Lovely Lady Nagant

Not long after the mass breakout at Tartarus, All For One approached one of the most dangerous prisoners — the former hero turned assassin, Lady Nagant. Once a celebrated Public Safety Commission operative, now branded a traitor, she carried the scars of a world built on false smiles and bloodstained orders. All For One greeted her with mock admiration, calling it an honor to meet the “treacherous hero.”

Nagant remembered a time when he himself had been one of her targets. Now, with a sick twist of fate, he offered her a job: capture the boy who carried One For All. Capture Izuku Midoriya.

At first, she refused. Why should she be given an assignment while others were free to vanish into the chaos? But All For One pressed on her old wounds — the hero she murdered, the corruption she despised, the fragile society she longed to see collapse. None of that, he whispered, would ever happen as long as Deku lived.

Nagant hesitated. The man’s words coiled around her like chains. As if sealing the pact, All For One gifted her a new power: Air Walk, the ability to fly. A poisoned gift, a leash disguised as freedom.

 

Overhaul’s Empty Plea

Among the rubble of Tartarus shuffled another broken man: Kai Chisaki — Overhaul. Nagant dragged him along, using him as leverage, though she claimed he was nothing but a tool. Chisaki, hollow-eyed and trembling, told her the boy she hunted was the same one who destroyed his empire. He spat the words “Hero Syndrome.”

Nagant saw it as fate. She agreed to let him come, but only so he could point out her target. Chisaki asked for nothing in return — only to be taken to his boss, the only figure left in his shattered world. His grudges were gone; all that remained was desperation.

 

Hawks’ Warning

Far from the prison, Deku remembered a warning Hawks had given him before he left the hospital.

Tomura and All For One wanted One For All intact. They needed him alive. Most villains would struggle to capture him… but if she came for him, things would be different. Hawks, his voice heavy with regret, told him plainly: “If you cross paths with Lady Nagant — run.”

 

A Sniper in the Shadows

That warning came to life in a heartbeat.

A bullet ripped through Deku’s phone, pinning it to a wall. Fibers of pink and blue spiraled around the casing — unmistakably Nagant’s work. From the rooftops, her voice cut through the night. “Come with me quietly, and you can keep your limbs.”

Deku’s danger sense screamed. He launched into the air with Blackwhip, weaving between buildings as her bullets pursued him like living predators. Her skill was inhuman — every shot curved, every trajectory merciless. Even blocking felt like being hit by an explosion.

 

The Rival of Snipe

Deku recalled something he once heard: that if it weren’t for Lady Nagant, Pro Hero Snipe would’ve been Japan’s top marksman. Snipe’s “Homing” Quirk let him land shots within six hundred meters. Nagant, with her Rifle Quirk, could fire with precision from three kilometers away — and mold her own bullets out of her hair. A weapon and ammunition in one.

She was relentless. Deku’s body screamed in protest, but his mind sharpened. Instead of fleeing, he turned to face her. If he wanted answers, he had to confront her head-on.

 

All Might Under Fire

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the storm, All Might’s car was ambushed. A grenade detonated against his vehicle, villains leaping from the shadows with flaming spears. They mocked him, saying the “real” All Might died long ago.

But when he rose from the wreckage, eyes blazing with the will he swore to Inko and Izuku, the villains trembled. He roared that the day his student fell would be the day he himself died — and the weight of his conviction alone drove fear into their hearts.

 

Smokescreen & Fa Jin

Back in the sky, Deku wove through Nagant’s barrage. Her bullets came from impossible angles — until he realized All For One had given her another Quirk.

He blasted a full Smokescreen, filling the night with choking clouds. Nagant adjusted, shooting at decoys — his cape, his mask, his backpack — only to realize too late that Deku was already on her, grappling her out of the air.

He unleashed a power he’d barely touched before: Fa Jin, the stored kinetic force of the Third User. Combining it with Blackwhip and One For All, Deku achieved a makeshift Faux 100%. His body tore against its limits, but it was enough to close the gap.

 

The Fall of Lady Nagant

Their battle turned brutal. Deku demanded to know why she had sided with All For One. Nagant snarled back, spitting the truth he’d never heard — how she killed in the shadows for the Safety Commission, preserving a false peace built on blood. She described the moment it all cracked: when children ran to shake her hand and she saw blood dripping from it instead.

Her past was a spiral of betrayal, disillusionment, and finally, rebellion. She shot the Commission president when he told her murder was “necessary” and that she could never walk away.

Deku listened, shaken. For the first time, he saw the dark machinery that powered hero society. And still, he reached out to her. “Because you’ve seen the darkness… you’re the one who can help bring back the light.”

But when her resolve began to falter, her body exploded. All For One’s failsafe — a punishment for failure, a way to silence her before she could betray him. Her flesh charred as she plummeted.

Deku screamed.

 

A Hero’s Choice

Hawks arrived just in time to catch her broken body, his voice trembling as he begged her not to die. “I’m your successor. I know you’re better than this. Don’t let him take that from you.”

Through the pain, Lady Nagant whispered her final clue: a mansion in Haibori Woods. And with it, a warning — there were others All For One had called to his side.

Before losing consciousness, she admitted she couldn’t bear the dark side. And she wondered aloud how Hawks, like Deku, still burned with hope despite it all.

 

Aftermath

As Endeavor restrained Chisaki, Deku confronted the villain, demanding if he felt any remorse for Eri. Chisaki stammered apologies, desperate to see his boss. Deku, battered and weary, told him if he truly wanted to atone, then he needed to direct that apology to Eri herself.

When All Might finally reached the scene, rain pouring around them, Deku stood scarred but unbroken. Lady Nagant and Chisaki were secured. But All For One’s shadow loomed larger than ever — and now they had only a thread to follow

 

The Dark Deku Arc: All For One’s Mocking Praise

Fresh from his brutal clash with Lady Nagant, Deku is given no time to breathe. At the hideout of the Creature Rejection Clan, the heroes find only silence — and a hologram waiting for them.

From the flickering screen, All For One greets Deku with dripping sarcasm, “congratulating” him on his victory. He teases him with poisoned words: did he enjoy his little “Q&A with Lady Nagant”? Did he savor her suffering?

He reminds Deku that he never forced her into his service. She chose him, just as many others will. His philosophy is laid bare: in every society, those who don’t fit in are discarded and called villains. It is human nature. He insists Deku, for all his stubborn light, will be no exception.

And then, with a grin that cuts deeper than any blade, he says:
“Next, it’s your turn.”

The mansion detonates in a fireball.

A Society on the Brink

The heroes escape, shaken but alive, regrouping to face a grim reality. Hawks, Edgeshot, Best Jeanist, Endeavor, and the Lurkers weigh their dwindling options.

Heroes are quitting in waves. Death Arms, once a dependable pro, has retired, broken not by villains, but by relentless public criticism. Even those who fought bravely now crumble under doubt and despair. Best Jeanist warns that this exodus is bleeding not just manpower, but morale.

Mt. Lady asks the question gnawing at them all: why hasn’t All For One exposed One For All to the public yet? Endeavor speculates — because if the truth were known, society would rally to hide Deku. All For One wants Deku isolated, not shielded.

And it’s working.

Deku Leaves All Might

As the group debates, Deku continues forward alone, hunting assassins All For One throws his way. Each one falls, but the cost is his humanity — his body ragged, his eyes hollow.

When All Might rushes to his side, still desperate to protect the boy he once mentored, Deku pulls away. He refuses food, refuses comfort, refuses company. “I’m fine on my own,” he tells him, his voice cold and frayed.

All Might reaches out — and trips, powerless to catch him.
From the shadows, Stain, the Hero Killer, watches.

The Weight of One For All

Within the vestige world, the former users of One For All argue. Nana Shimura fears her grief is poisoning Deku. Daigoro Banjo insists Deku simply believes every cause is worth fighting for.

The Second User, however, sees the truth. Deku is burning himself alive. He respects it — but warns it cannot last without something to hold him up. Something beyond One For All.

The Rumors of a Monster

As Deku roams, saving civilians in the ruins of collapsing cities, whispers begin. Some believe he is a Nomu — his many Quirks too monstrous to be human. Others see a savior, a hero who moves even when broken.

Yet all agree on one thing:
“Looking at him, you’d never guess he was a hero.”

Dictator’s Chains

In Kamino, beneath the shadow of All Might’s ruined statue, Deku’s path is blocked by Dictator — another assassin from All For One’s ranks.

Dictator does not strike with his own hands. Instead, he turns civilians into puppets, forcing them to swarm Deku, their terrified voices crying apologies even as they attack.

Exhausted, bleeding, Deku refuses to harm them. He’s overwhelmed. Dictator sneers that this — this hopeless collapse — is exactly as All For One predicted.

And then — an explosion cuts the air.

Bakugo arrives.

Class 1-A Returns

Dynamight drops Dictator with a single AP Shot, standing tall with the fury of someone who will not let his friend drown alone. One by one, the rest of Class 1-A arrives.

They’ve tracked him down. They’ve defied the silence of the pro heroes. And they will not leave without him.

Deku pleads with them to stay back. He insists he is fine, that All For One will only take them away from him, that they cannot keep up with him anymore.

But his classmates refuse. Ingenium speaks for them all: “If you won’t stop, then we’ll stand in your way.”

The Battle of Bonds

The fight begins. Not a battle of enemies, but of friends trying to tear open the walls around a breaking heart.

One by one, Deku’s classmates restrain him, reminding him of shared memories, of lessons learned, of moments of connection he has long forgotten.

• Shoto blocks his path with an ice wall, urging him to share his burden.

• Froppy tells him it’s okay to cry, that even heroes tremble.

• Mineta clings desperately, sobbing that Deku’s courage — not his Quirk — was what made him cool.

• Ochaco soars above, shouting that they don’t want to be protected — they just want to stand beside him.

Even as Deku breaks free of their restraints, his Danger Sense never activates. His heart knows — they are not threats. They are his friends.

Ingenium’s Hand

In the sky, Ingenium rockets toward him, grabbing his hand mid-flight. Deku thrashes, begging him to let go. Ingenium refuses, repeating the words Deku once told him:

“Giving help that’s not asked for — that’s what makes a true hero.”

Deku begins to sob. His strength crumbles.

Bakugo’s Truth

When Deku collapses to his knees, Bakugo steps forward. For the first time, he calls him by name. “Izuku.”

He confesses everything — his jealousy, his cruelty, his fear of being left behind. He admits he looked down on Deku because he was Quirkless, yet Deku always moved ahead of him. He apologizes. For everything.

And then he promises this: Deku doesn’t need to shoulder it alone. Surpassing All Might won’t be a solo victory — it will be all of them together.

Deku finally lets go. His body gives in. And when he falls, Bakugo is there to catch him.

Rescued, Not Alone

As Class 1-A gathers around their friend, Creati reminds them this is only the beginning. Uraraka agrees.

They have saved him from drowning in his own resolve — but the war still looms.

And for the first time in weeks, Deku is not walking forward alone.

 

Return to U.A.: A Hero Who Cannot Rest

When Deku wakes, the first face he sees is not an enemy, nor even a classmate, but Thirteen. She gently explains the state of Japan: most civilians have taken shelter, though unrest festers outside the walls. Vigilantes and looters roam the ruins, yet more and more exhausted people are giving up the fight, turning themselves in to evacuation centers. Heroes, police, and students are holding the line.

For the first time in weeks, Izuku is not in the streets. He is not running, not bleeding, not dragging his body forward on fumes. He is back at U.A.—carried by his classmates, shielded by walls that could withstand even Shigaraki’s Decay.

But Deku resists the comfort. His heart insists he does not belong here. He is a danger. A “ticking time-bomb.”

And outside the gates, the people echo his thoughts.

The Protest at the Gates

Refugees gathered inside U.A. scream that Deku must be turned away. They know who he is — the boy Tomura Shigaraki hunts. To let him in is to invite disaster. They had come here for safety, not to share a roof with a target painted so brightly.

Best Jeanist steps forward, composed but weary. He admits the truth: yes, Deku is the villains’ prize. But he is also humanity’s best hope. Exhaust him further, and the nation falls. Rest him here, and they still have a chance.

But the words fall flat. The crowd’s fear is stronger than logic. Stronger than trust. Strong enough to awaken Deku’s Danger Sense, drowning him in the anxious pulse of hundreds of hearts.

It seems inevitable. Deku will leave. He believes it is the only choice.

And then — Ochaco moves.

Ochaco’s Voice

Floating above the crowd, microphone in hand, Ochaco’s voice cuts through the storm.

She tells the people the truth: Izuku Midoriya left U.A. to protect them. He left so they could rest easy, so their lives would not carry his burden. And yet, here he stands — broken, ragged, still trying to fix everything despite knowing death could strike him at any moment.

“Look at him,” she begs. “Not as a weapon. Not as a monster. As a boy who still smiles for you even when the world has crushed him.”

The crowd falters. A Mutant girl remembers that Deku once saved her. Others recall whispers of a shadowed hero in rags who never stopped running.

Ochaco’s voice grows stronger. She confesses her own fear, her own exhaustion, her own wish to see people smile again. She admits that heroes cannot guarantee safety, because they are human too. And that is why the people must lend their strength — not to worship heroes, but to walk with them.

Finally, she screams the words that pierce Deku’s heart:

“This place is his hero academy!”

Izuku Breaks

For the first time since he left U.A., Izuku allows himself to collapse. Tears crash down his face, unstoppable, as memories return: meeting Ochaco on the first day, the hand she offered him when he was powerless.

Kota Izumi rushes forward, apologizing through sobs for not coming sooner, but promising he is here now. The Mutant woman embraces him, thanking him for seeing her worth when no one else did.

For the first time in weeks, Deku is not alone. He is not a weapon. He is home.

The Hero Killer’s Gift

Elsewhere, a broken man wanders Kamino. All Might, powerless, feels the weight of failure crushing him. He could not protect his successor. He could not stop society from collapsing.

From the shadows, a blade rests against his throat. Stain.

The Hero Killer sneers at the sight of Toshinori Yagi, unable to believe this hollow figure was once the man he revered. But Stain drags him to the ruined statue of All Might, where a girl — the last he ever saved — still scrapes away the graffiti every day.

That, Stain insists, is proof. All Might’s smile lit a fire in people’s hearts that still burns, even if his body is broken. Heroes fall, but the embers remain.

Then he offers his gift: data stolen from Tartarus itself. Evidence of All For One’s whispers, a conversation with Shigaraki’s vestige. Proof that the end is closer than anyone thought.

Stain leaves with a final command:
“If you are All Might, then use this. Kill the monster who devoured forty heroes. Prove that the fire you sparked will never die.”

And for the first time in months, Toshinori feels the embers stir within him again.

The First Rest

Back inside U.A., Class 1-A drags their mud-soaked friend to the bath. They scrub him down, laugh, and for once the war feels far away. Bakugo barks at them, swearing they’re still rivals, but even he cracks a smile.

At night, Deku apologizes again for the trouble he’s caused. His friends brush it off. He is finally allowed to rest.

Even All Might, returning with Stain’s gift, admits his own failings. Yet Izuku tells him the truth:
“Your food gave me strength. It was never that I didn’t need you. It was that I always had you with me.”

And in that moment, master and successor reconcile.

The Next Step

As the world reels, information spreads: Shigaraki’s body, thought to need two months to stabilize, may in fact be ready in mere three days.

At the United Nations, nations debate whether to risk sending aid. Fear chains them down — except for one.

The United States has already moved. Their Number One Hero has flown ahead, carving her path through the sky.

Star and Stripe.

The final battle draws near.

 

New Faces in the Fight

The battlefield continues to shift, bringing with it new figures and new powers that reshape the war between heroes and villains.

Among them stands the Ordinary Woman — a reminder that not every soul caught in this chaos wields a Quirk or carries a heroic title. Sometimes, it is the ordinary who embody resilience the most, their survival shaping the course of the extraordinary around them.

Then comes the chilling presence of Dictator, a villain whose very existence strips people of their freedom. His Quirk, Despot, allows him to seize control of countless individuals at once, turning them into unwilling marionettes dancing to his cruel commands. Where he walks, free will falters.

On the other side of the spectrum emerges hope incarnate: Star and Stripe, the United States’ No.1 Hero. She is a towering force of conviction, carrying with her the weight of a nation’s ideals and the audacity to challenge evil at its core.

Quirks That Shift the Scales

• Smokescreen (En’s Quirk): A suffocating cloud that rolls across the battlefield, concealing movements and breaking enemy sightlines. What appears to be simple smoke becomes a strategic veil, allowing a hero to turn the tide in moments of chaos.

• Rifle (Kaina Tsutsumi’s Quirk): A hauntingly efficient ability—Kaina can manifest a rifle directly from her right elbow, firing deadly bullets crafted from her own hair. Each shot is precise, each strand molded into a weapon of lethal intent.

• Fa Jin (Third User’s Quirk): A kinetic reservoir of raw energy. With every movement, power is stored, waiting for release. When unleashed, it transforms into explosive speed and strength, turning steady momentum into devastating impact.

• Despot (Dictator’s Quirk): The power to shatter autonomy. Dictator can seize control of multiple people at once, twisting their bodies and wills into extensions of his own. Few abilities so directly strip away the essence of humanity as his.

The Dark Hero Arc reminds us that My Hero Academia is no longer just about students chasing dreams—it’s about survival, sacrifice, and what it truly means to stand as a hero when the world is on the brink of collapse. With new characters stepping in, dangerous quirks unveiled, and Deku walking the path of a lone warrior, this arc solidifies its place as one of the most defining chapters of the series.

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