Chapter 3

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Izuku POV

As we walked away from the spot where we had hidden, my mind was still racing. My heart hadn't slowed since we'd heard those voices above us. Rimuru was calm as always, but there was a sharpness in her gaze I couldn't ignore.

Then, she spoke.

"Those people," she said quietly, glancing over her shoulder as if making sure we weren't being followed, "they were lackeys for All For One."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. "W-what? Are you sure?"

Rimuru nodded. "I recognized one of their voices from a news segment a while back. He's one of the guys who works in the shadows for All For One, the biggest villain in history. If they're here, it's not a coincidence."

My head spun. All For One—the villain who controlled the underworld, the one even pro heroes were terrified of. And we'd been right under his goons' feet!

Before I could process any of this, a gust of wind blew through the street, and a powerful presence made me freeze in place.

"It's okay now! Why? Because I am here!"

That voice. That unmistakable, booming voice.

I turned around so quickly I almost fell over, and there he was—All Might. The Symbol of Peace himself stood before us, his signature smile wide and reassuring. His presence alone seemed to banish the tension in the air, and I felt my panic dissolve into pure, uncontainable excitement.

"All Might!" I practically screamed, my voice cracking as I pointed at him like a kid seeing their favorite hero for the first time. "It's really you! Oh my gosh, you're here! I can't believe it!"

Rimuru raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my outburst, but I didn't care. This was All Might!

He chuckled, striking one of his iconic poses. "Yes, young man, it is I! Now, tell me—are you two all right? I noticed a disturbance in this area."

Rimuru stepped forward, her calm demeanor returning. "We're fine, thanks to some quick thinking."

All Might looked at her, then back at me. "Quick thinking, huh? I like to hear that! It's always good to see young people stepping up."

I could barely speak. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, questions, and pure hero worship. "A-All Might, I—I've studied all your fights! Your Detroit Smash, your Texas Smash, your—"

"All right, all right," Rimuru cut in, placing a hand on my shoulder and pulling me back gently. "Fanboy later. We need to figure out what's going on here."

All Might tilted his head, his expression softening. "What exactly happened here? You look shaken."

Rimuru hesitated, glancing at me for a moment before speaking. "We overheard some people talking. Villains. They mentioned clearing the area and working for someone they called their 'boss.'"

All Might's smile faltered, just for a second, before he recovered. "I see. And did you recognize any of them?"

Rimuru nodded slowly. "One of them works for All For One. I recognized his voice."

The air grew heavy. Even All Might's larger-than-life presence couldn't fully mask the seriousness of the situation.

"All For One," he muttered, his voice low. "That's troubling news."

I clenched my fists, my fanboy excitement giving way to a mix of fear and determination. Just being near All Might made me feel braver, like I could face anything.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" I asked, my voice trembling but sincere.

All Might looked at me, his eyes kind but firm. "You've done plenty already by staying safe and sharing this information. Leave the rest to the pros."

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