Outskirts of Musutafu City
The forest was drenched in rain, creating a relentless backdrop of noise as All Might trudged forward, carrying the lifeless body of Izuku on his back. His face was hard, etched with years of bitterness, yet a flicker of grim satisfaction lay beneath his stern expression. Each step through the mud was deliberate, almost mechanical, as if he was determined to get this over with. His relationship with the boy had always been strained, filled with resentment and disappointment.
Beside him walked Izumi, her eyes constantly flickering back to the lifeless form. She, along with the four boys trailing behind—Shoto, Katsuki, Kaminari, and Kirishima—moved with a sense of dread. The rain mixed with the mud on their clothes, but it couldn't wash away the guilt and fear etched on their faces. They had never imagined their bullying would lead to this, and now they were terrified of the consequences.
"We need to find a place to bury him," All Might said coldly, his voice cutting through the sound of the rain. There was no sorrow in his tone, only a grim sense of duty and relief.
Izumi nodded, swallowing hard. The boys exchanged nervous glances, each one knowing they were equally complicit in what had happened. The jungle seemed to press in on them, the rain a relentless reminder of their predicament.
All Might pushed forward, his eyes scanning the dense undergrowth for a suitable spot. He had no intention of lingering longer than necessary. His son had been a disappointment in life, and now, even in death, he was a burden to be disposed of.
They eventually came upon a small clearing. The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, the ground soft and yielding. All Might lowered the boy's body without ceremony and began to dig with his hands, the mud coming away easily.
"Start digging," he ordered, his voice harsh. Izumi and the boys hesitated for a moment before joining him, their hands trembling as they clawed at the earth. Each scoop of mud felt like a silent confession, their fear of being caught mingling with the physical effort.
When the grave was ready, All Might placed his son's body inside and quickly covered him with the wet earth. Izumi and the boys stood around the grave, their faces pale and strained. They couldn't escape the reality of what they had done, and All Might's cold demeanor only added to their terror.
"We need to go back to the city and stick to the story," All Might said, standing up and brushing the mud from his hands. "If anyone asks, You guys saw him leaving the school, but don't know where he went after that. Understood?"
Izumi and the boys nodded, their hearts pounding. They cast one last, fearful glance at the grave before turning to follow All Might back through the forest. The rain continued to fall, erasing their footprints but not the heavy burden of their guilt.
Back in his civilian identity as Toshinori Yagi, All Might dropped off Shoto, Kaminari, Katsuki, and Kirishima at their respective homes. Each boy was greeted with concern by their parents, who noticed the wet clothes and somber expressions but didn't press for details. They were just glad their sons were safe.
Toshinori finally headed back to his own house with Izumi. The journey home was tense, neither of them speaking as the weight of what they had done loomed over them. When they arrived, Inko was waiting in the hallway, worry etched on her face.
"You're finally back! I was so worried," Inko said, her voice a mix of relief and concern. "Look at you both, you're soaked. Go change out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold."
Toshinori and Izumi nodded, making their way to their rooms. Inko looked around, her brow furrowing when she realized Izuku wasn't with them.
"Where's Izuku?" she asked, her tone light but curious.
Toshinori paused, his back to her as he made his way towards his room. He took a deep breath, steadying his voice. "He's going to stay at a friend's house tonight."
Inko nodded, a little surprised but not overly concerned. "Alright. I just wish he'd told me. I hope he's having a good time."
She turned and walked into the living room, her mind already shifting to other tasks. Toshinori and Izumi exchanged a heavy glance before heading to their rooms to change.
As Toshinori changed his clothes, the gravity of his lie pressed down on him. Each item of wet clothing he removed felt like shedding a layer of guilt, but the core of his burden remained. He knew this deception couldn't last forever, but for now, he had to protect his family from the unbearable truth.
Izumi, in her room, was similarly troubled. She felt the weight of her father's lie and her part in the deception. She changed quickly, her hands trembling, and then sat on her bed, staring at the floor.
The silence in the house was almost suffocating, the sound of the rain outside a constant reminder of the night's events. Yet, beneath the tension, Toshinori felt a strange sense of relief. He had finally rid himself of the disappointment that was Izuku, a burden he had carried for far too long. Each raindrop that hit the window seemed to wash away a fragment of his resentment, leaving him with a cold, hard sense of satisfaction.
