Assassins Can Be Heroes Too || Todoroki Shoto

|71| The Symbol of Peace and Justice

"With all your might... let's put everything we've got into this final blow, alright?" the Villain floated down to the ground as he bathed in the stoic-faced Hero, "ah... wounded Heroes are always the scariest, and I'm sure that Dart would agree..."

"I'm sure she wouldn't, having been fatally injured herself by creatures you created," the Hero snarled.

"Don't use that tone with me, All Might," he warned, "after I ripped your guts out, the look on your face when you charged at me still appears in my nightmares sometimes... you'll probably give me a few more desperate punches..." his right arm formed into a purple vortex as he hummed to himself, "so I should prepare myself, shouldn't I?"

The moment the words left his mouth, a rapid flurry of flames danced their way towards him, the man merely flicking the element away as the pair turned, All Might's eyes widening.

"What... what's up with that pathetic form of yours, huh?!" roared Endeavor, his flames never dying out.

"They might've only been midlevel ones... but still, cleaning up those Nomu so quickly," sighed the Villain, looking down on them with a somewhat impressed smirk, "guess I should've expected no less from the No. 2 Hero, you sure have climbed high, eh?"

"Oi, All Might," he ignored, "answer the goddamn question! Explain this pathetic form of yours!"

"If you're just here to cheer him on, then I'll need you to be a good audience," frowned the Villain, his arm surrounded by black lightning sparks, "so sit down and shut up-"

"There's a reason I recommended Dart to U.A. High," spoke the Ninja Hero calmly, zipping past him and barely grazing the man's mask, "I saw potential in her."

"Potential?" he echoed, "don't make me laugh, after what you lot did to her."

"All she needs is the confidence, which I will be willing to teach her," he argued, "Stachel will make a fine Hero one day, just you wait and watch."

"I can't wait," he sneered.

"Besides, we're here to do some saving," he smirked, "because even Heroes need saving sometimes."

"Even if it's all we can do," a familiar voice spoke from behind the American Hero, the latter turning to face Tiger rescuing the woman from before, "we'll do whatever we can to ease your burden, All Might."

"It's up to you to stop this heartless Villain, All Might!" he wasn't sure who was yelling out to him, "we're all rooting for you! No matter how you look, you're still our No. 1 Hero! Everyone's resting all of their hopes on your victory!"

"Don't make me laugh," he snarled, a large explosion rippling underneath him, "'sprit this', 'hope that', wake up, Heroes. This is reality."

The Heroes rediverted their attention back to the Villain, eyes widening slightly - though they masked their shock well - as his right arm began mutating.

"Springlike Limbs, four Kinetic Boosters, three Strength Enhancers, a Multiplier, Hypertrophy Rivets, Air Walk, Spearlike Bones, and a Sword," he hummed, "the last being from Raging Sword, of course, I can't have not taken his Quirk. So, in order to really kill you, I'll be hitting you with my ultimate Quirk combination."

"You've not only failed as a Hero... but as a teacher!" he sneered, lashing out on the male, "Izuku Midoriya! He's your new candidate, right?! He came to you, completely unprepared, completely unqualified, and he can't even control it now, can he?"

"That's right..." he agreed, "I've definitely fallen short as a teacher, both to Young Midoriya and Young Rie, and I'm willing to accept that!"

"How pathetic..." he murmured, eying him with distaste, "you would stoop this low and still struggle... so unseemly... it would seem that I miscalculated."

"Heh... petty tricks are very unlike you, it's rather scary," he hummed, "almost like I'm not fighting All Might. Whose influence is that, I wonder, hmm?"

The man faltered slightly, the Villain seizing his chance to strike.

"That's because... I didn't put my back into it!" he countered, recalling his mentor's words.

"So many have already passed this power down from one to another. In order to serve the greater good... in order to create hope for everyone... and now it's your turn. Do your best, Toshinori."

"United States of Smash!"

There was silence as the attack's large shockwave could be felt, even from where the students were standing with wide eyes. The crowd hushed, the Heroes descending back to the floor as they stared, anticipating as the large cloud of dust cleared.

A figure rose, raising his left arm high in the air.

"All Might!"

"The Villain is out cold, ladies and gentlemen!" the reporter breathed, tears brimming her eyes, "he really... he really won! He's the last man standing after this battle!"

The man teetered slightly.

"He's gonna overdo it-" panicked Edgeshot.

"Wait, just let him," paused Gran Torino, his eyes softening, "he's still on the job, The Symbol of Peace and Justice ain't retired yet..."