History Awesome / MyHeroAcademiaFinalActSaga

[[center: [-[[Awesome/MyHeroAcademia Main Awesome Index]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaUABeginnings UA Beginnings]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaRiseOfTheVillains Rise of the Villains]] | '''Final Act Saga''' | Final War Arc ([[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaFinalWarArcPart1 Part 1]], [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaFinalWarArcPart2 Part 2]])]]-]

[[center: [-[[Awesome/MyHeroAcademia Main Awesome Index]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaUABeginnings UA Beginnings]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaRiseOfTheVillains Rise of the Villains]] | '''Final Act Saga''' | Final War Arc [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaFinalWarArcPart1 Part 1]], [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaFinalWarArcPart2 Part 2]]]]-]

[[center: [-[[Awesome/MyHeroAcademia Main Awesome Index]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaUABeginnings UA Beginnings]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaRiseOfTheVillains Rise of the Villains]] | '''Final Act Saga''' | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaFinalWarArc Final War Arc]]-]

[[center: [-[[Awesome/MyHeroAcademia Main Awesome Index]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaUABeginnings UA Beginnings]] | [[Awesome/MyHeroAcademiaRiseOfTheVillains Rise of the Villains]] | '''Final Act Saga''']]-]

[[folder:Final War Arc, Opening (Chapters 343-379)]]
* Chapter 343:
** So Aoyama has Midoriya meet him all alone in some ruins, telling him about the collapse of Japan and AFO's big plan to take over the world by destroying the pillars of global civilization and cornering the ability to keep society functioning. For his sake and that of his parents...
** [[TheDreaded All For One]] ''himself'' appears. Thanks to Search and his unnamed lie-detecting Quirk, he knows Aoyama's telling the truth and that Midoriya has no help nearby. He seems ready to take One For All at last...
** Until the Heroes' trap starts to spring. ''Aoyama attacks All for One'', revealing Midoriya's [[TheMole mole]] gambit... and revealing that the world hasn't given up on Japan just yet because they know All Might's successor still lives. All For One is actually surprised that he couldn't suss out the trickery, not realizing that the Heroes had intentionally kept the Aoyamas in the dark ''[[CrazyPrepared just for that reason]]''!
** Undeterred, All For One calls up Tomura, Dabi, and the rest of the League, figuring there's no way Midoriya can be helped when they're all miles away...
** ...until the aspect of Aizawa's plan unknown to the reader is finally revealed. Monoma utilizes Kurogiri's Dark Gate, and just as suddenly the Heroes appear to even the scales. The final battle begins ''NOW!''
** One important thing to note here: All For One ''pretends'' to be mildly annoyed at best... but internally, he's left completely befuddled and at a loss for ''how'' this happened. For the first time in the series, the original All For One is unambiguously taken off guard. While he tries to act like it doesn't matter, rather than his previous composed reassurance, it comes off more as him trying to convince ''himself'' he's still in control -- and that was ''before'' the rest of the heroes arrive en masse to show him that, no, he's '''not''' going to be dictating how this story goes anymore. From arguably the beginning of the manga, All For One's multiple plans and long-term contingencies have ensured that events have always proceeded along a path that will achieve his ultimate victory one way or another... and that ends '''right now'''.
*** There's also Aoyama's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to All For One as the other heroes arrive:
---->'''Aoyama:''' Maman and Papa told me something else. They told me what it is you fear most, All For One. You fear the world learning that Japan isn't finished yet. You fear the light and hope that will come with recovery. And you fear Japan inspiring the world to unite once more. So, today is that day ''and this is the place where you fall''!
** Monoma once complained how unfair it was that the world and the narrative itself seemed to be focused on 1-A all the time, noting that his fellow classmates and himself were equally outstanding heroes. Now, he not only gets to put that into practice, but the very fact that he was OvershadowedByAwesome is [[{{Irony}} exactly why]] All For One was caught off-guard by his ability to utilize Kurogiri's ThinkingUpPortals power, the same thing that made the League such a troublesome opponent in the beginning chapters. Even more than that, Monoma's control over the warping ability means that the second condition for the heroes' victory -- separating each villain to a distance of over 100 kilometers each to prevent them forming a united front -- is now easily achievable, making [[HeroOfAnotherStory him]] the lynchpin of their counter-attack against All For One's evil, not Izuku. It pays off wonderfully for Monoma, too: he gets to spend the next two chapters gloating and cackling like a deranged lunatic, and he and the audience both know he ''earned it''.
** What makes this all the more satisfying and cathartic is every scene All For One has had in the past few chapters amounted to him bragging and smugly assured his plans within plans made victory in the final confrontation a formality... and then [[OutGambitted the heroes flip the script]] and lure him into ''their'' trap.
* Chapter 344:
** A quick backtrack to just before it starts going down reveals just how they tricked AFO. First, the Heroes were well aware of AFO using Search, so their little hunt was more a feint than anything, tricking him into thinking they're running themselves ragged looking for him.
** Next, based on what the Aoyamas told them, Yaoyorozu figures out that AFO must have some kind of lie-detector Quirk, and Toshinori adds on that the basis of that Quirk must be ''voice'' since the Aoyamas only contact AFO by telephone.
** So AFO's lie-detector Quirk can tell if someone is lying... but not if someone is ''controlled''. AFO couldn't suss out the trick because the Aoyamas, including Yuga, were speaking under [[ChekhovsGunman Shinso's]] Brainwashing. Shinso even admits that he's able to perform this action when he was incapable of such during the Sports Festival and Joint Training Exercise ''precisely'' because he trained in improving his Quirk's control and limitations in order to better compete with outstanding heroes like Izuku and the rest. [[TheParagon Izuku's]] Rivalry with Shinso brought forth the one weapon that could best play into All For One's arrogance and ego to manipulate ''him'' into ''their'' trap, the DiabolicalMastermind of the story.
** And then we get the confirmation of Monoma's appearance. Vlad King points out that, in real life, there is no such thing as a side character. This plan has to rely on ''everyone'' to work, and since there's no guarantee of Kurogiri being able to help them, the only way to use Dark Gate is to ''Copy'' it.
** Leading us back to the present: the start of the big battle. After a brief scattering and exchange, Toshinori and Tsukauchi activate their plan: System Troy. Numerous cells rise up to encapsulate and separate the various parties. AFO wonders why go to the trouble since they should be able to break out quickly... until he figures it all out. The chapter ends with a massive Dark Gate looming over the numerous encapsulated cells, presumably ready to scatter all of them far and wide.
** Of note, Aizawa sadly admits that with one of his eyes destroyed by Tomura, he can barely use Erasure anymore, and won't be able to help out in the war. A brief shot of Tomura when both sides are arrayed against each other shows him reaching down to the ground to activate his [[MakeThemRot Decay Wave]]... only for his fingers to curl and jerk away from the ground, refusing to let all 5 digits contact the earth. Tomura's silent contemplation of his inability to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim destroy the allied forces arrayed against them]] [[WeHaveReserves at the cost of his allies' lives]] implies either one of two outcomes. Either Izuku managed to get through enough to the 'Tenko Shimura' inside of Tomura that he's FightingFromTheInside against All For One's control, along with refusing to harm his [[TrueCompanions friends]] in the league, or All For One's insane obsession with claiming One For All won't allow him to make any moves that could potentially destroy the Quirk's 'container' before he's ready to steal it. Either way, Tomura might now be [[PersonOfMassDestruction potentially stronger than All For One himself]] but his BattleInTheCentreOfTheMind with the vestige of his predecessor is ''severely'' handicapping his power, in contrast to Izuku, who is only enhanced by working in tandem with his.
* Chapter 345:
** The villains showcase their might by tearing through what looks to be incredibly solid cages in under 3 seconds like papier mâché, with Dabi mocking the heroes if they really thought they could restrain them like that. The Answer? ''Nope''. It was just to delay them long enough for the heroes to position themselves to unleash every wide-range blasting and physical attack they have all at once to force the villains backwards into the massive warp gates behind them. One of the PLF villains lampshades the absurdity of them using [[Fiction500 so much money and resources]] for such a simple aim just to gain the advantage over them, only for his opponent to fire back that ''of course'' they won't spare any expense. The villains have [[ToCreateAPlaygroundForEvil made their aims clear]], and all the heroes are united as one to thwarting them no matter the (literal) cost. Which leads into...
** The villains getting successfully blasted to different locations despite their resistance, where the heroes' remaining forces lie in wait for their arrival to pincer them in a surprise attack. Hawks takes a page out of Thanos' book and goes straight for the head the second All For One arrives, which fails only because of how tough his protective armour is, showing how the Heroes are ''not'' playing nice this time. Endeavor even taunts All For One that his own warping Quirk cannot compare to Kurogiri's range, and they've set up their plans to place him well away from Tomura, negating the combat advantage their PsychicLink brings then. Whilst All For One soon turns the conversation back to his [[UnsportsmanlikeGloating trademark gloating]] he noticeably has to refer to the situation ''away'' from his current location, because the heroes have so thoroughly OutGambitted him that he can't offer any rebuttal for their preparations, nor how absolutely he's been outplayed.
*** This stands out for one major reason: All For One himself has effectively been checkmated. Even if he ''did'' manage to kill Endeavor and Hawks, his forces are so scattered he literally ''can't'' fix this and regain control of the situation at all. He's ''stuck'' there with his forces scattered over Japan too far for him to teleport them back and he ''can't'' teleport himself as a limitation on his Warping Quirk. All For One, for all intents and purposes, can do ''nothing'' to contribute to his side regaining control.
** This results in the setting for the Final Battle: In addition to All For One vs Hawks and Endeavor at Gunga...
*** It's shown that Shoto and Iida are facing off against Dabi and a near-high end at All Might's statue at Kamino, both looking to negate the destructive potential of their opponents despite the danger and Dabi's [[AxCrazy crazed ferocity]] in a fight.
*** Meanwhile, Tomura is warped straight to the UA school itself... which has been transformed into a ''massive'' FloatingContinent through anti-gravity engines installed underneath the building, surrounded by a massive forcefield to negate any attempts at aerial escape and with the interior covered by massive cables and floating platforms, all set up to counter Tomura's Decay abilities, leaving him faced off against Best Jeanist and Bakugo as the main-liners to combat [[WorldsStrongestMan him]]. However...
*** Things doesn't go entirely according to the heroes' plan. Toga's [[{{Yandere}} insane obsession]] with Izuku allows her to entangle him with one of her blood-drinking cables despite the chaotic one-sided attack on the villains and yank him backwards into her portal before he can react, the attack so absolute and efficient that Izuku doesn't even have time to activate [[SuperStrength Full Cowling]] before he's yanked through. He even comments that Toga was somehow able to bypass his [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]] despite it being specifically able to warn him of incoming threats. This leaves Izuku arrayed with Uraraka and Gang Orca against Toga and 2 near-high ends ''at the wrong battlefield'', something that is shown to seriously threaten their countermeasures against All For One's arrayed army. [[DiabolicalMastermind All For One]] walked every villain on his side straight into a trap through his own hubris and belief in his superiority, and the one that threatens to undo their strategy isn't even him or Tomura, but [[SpannerInTheWorks Toga]], out of her desire to settle her complicated relationship with Izuku and Uraraka.
* Chapter 346:
** Tomura attempts to gain the advantage over the heroes by quickly trying to activate his decay wave the instant he makes contact with the Earth, only for U.A. to demonstrate that All For One isn't the only person who can devote massive time and effort into creating [[CrazyPrepared a foolproof plan that covers every conceivable angle]] to defeat an opponent.
*** Firstly, the ground that Tomura's crumbling launches up skyward in sections before the decay can spread far, allowing them to harmlessly deteriorate to nothing before the decay can propagate. Tomura is also launched backwards and slams into the electro-magnetic forcefield surrounding the area, badly electrocuting him and temporarily seizing up his nervous system, giving Best Jeanist the opportunity to ensnare him with cables and slam him to the ground. Even if Tomura is now strong enough to compete with One For All's might, it means nothing if his body is temporarily paralysed and unable to utilise his great strength. When Tomura taunts Jeanist if he can afford to be so carefree with the ground Tomura's destroying, believing that it's a finite resource up on the FloatingContinent, Jeanist just mocks him that they've got plenty of resources to spare as more undamaged plates are slotted in to fill the gaps Tomura created.
---->'''Jeanist:''' Have you truly not figured it out yet, Shigaraki? [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu Is your brain short-circuiting from that shock?]] This arena was constructed solely to defeat you. [[BadassBoast It shall be your coffin in the sky]].
** A shot of the interior of the massive building showcases the extensive logistics and cooperation needed to operate it at peak efficiency, requiring multiple characters named and unnamed to contribute their powers and skills into suppressing Tomura's strength and limiting his options whilst the front-line fighters slowly chip away at his vitality. Power Loader oversees the machines providing the disposable plates needed to thwarts Shigarkai's decay, whilst Cementos provides building material to cover the gaps created in the ground. Mei and the support students are physically providing maintenance and on-the spot repairs to keep the machines running, whilst Yaoyorozu is using her Quirk to create a near-limitless amount of plates to supply them with, aided by, of all people, [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower Lunch Rush]], using his Quirk to prepare food necessary to power Momo's Quirk to create the plates. Ectoplasm is revealed to have used his [[MesACrowd body multiplication]] alongside Cementos and Nezu to construct the Arena in record time, even with the breakdown in supply and logistics caused by the league. The energy powering the electromagnetic forcefield is revealed to be provided by Kaminari, Manga[[note]] using a 'Zap' onomatopoeia[[/note]] Yuyu Haya, as well as an unnamed student, showing how it's not just the first-year students taking a stand against the league, but ''all'' of them working together as one. It resonates particularly hard with what Vlad King said before, about how there is no such thing as a side character in this story.
*** And the capper, Tomura attempts to use his multiple Quirks to blast through the forcefield and destroy those providing power to his cage... only to find out that he ''can't''. Standing atop the power room, safely behind the see-through shield, stands Aizawa, Manual, and Monoma, using his [[PowerCopying Quirk]] this time to copy ''[[PowerNullifier Aizawa's]]'', circumventing Aizawa's own confession that he can no longer use Erasure himself to fight, as well as his own 5-minute time limitation as long as they remain in contact. With Manual repeating his eye-moisturising trick from the Paranormal Liberation war, this effectively means the heroes again have an extended window of opportunity to beat down Tomura without the full force of his overwhelming power in play.
** However, despite all of that, things still aren't fully going the heroes' way.
*** Aizawa and the heroes lament Midoriya's absence, noting that their plans were based around having his amazing strength in play at this point to provide the force necessary to beat down Tomura at his weakest, showing how badly [[SpannerInTheWorks Toga's interference]] has thrown their strategy -- that was perfectly placed to capture and immobilise both the DiabolicalMastermind of the story and the WorldsStrongestMan ''at the same time'' -- off the rails.
*** Tomura then retaliates by using his newly-developed power to grow a [[BodyHorror grotesque amalgamation of fingers]] from his left hand to attack Mirko with so fast that Bakugo can't even finish his sentence, voicing his disgust for Aizawa using such cheap tactics to try and weaken him again and claiming he's lost all [[VillainRespect respect]] he had for him. To note, by this point, Monoma is cancelling all his Quirks again and leaving him with nothing but the base enhancements Garaki made to his body to allow it to withstand the strain of All For One's power. This implies that, whatever this warped ability is, '''it isn't a regular Quirk -- it's a mutation, which can't be Erased'''. Aizawa remembering that Tomura's body was imperfect during their last encounter implies that, through ThePowerOfHate, Tomura has forcibly accelerated whatever process Dr. Garaki had ongoing within him and become something [[HumanoidAbomination other than human]], just to ensure that there's nothing the heroes can do to thwart his desire to destroy everything this time.
* Chapter 347 has two elements of CreepyAwesome:
** First, Shigaraki confirms that his ability to grow parts of his hand like crazy is a body mutation; mutations can't be Erased. Haughtily declaring himself the epitome of Dr. Garaki's foretelling of the "[[ArcWords Quirk Singularity]]", he proceeds to go full ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' on everybody: turning himself into a ''Kaiju-sized'' monstrosity as large as the UA building, sprouting grotesque fingers all over the arena, pinning down everyone, including Monoma, who has no choice but to keep his eyes fixated on Shigaraki. As the growths are all hands and fingers, each of them has the potential to use Decay. If Monoma tries to switch Quirks, or even blinks, Shigaraki is likely to destroy the entire arena in one fell swoop. When Tomura tried to overcome his weakness of being able to use the AOE decay with only one hand, he didn't settle for [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill half-measures]].
** The heroes then get one in turn: they don't ''care''. They'll just beat him down ''anyway''.
** Meanwhile, on Okuto Island, Midoriya is rapidly trying to figure out what's going on, needing to find a way to cross the 200km distance from the current battleground ''on his own'' to reach Tomura's battlefield and settle things with his EvilCounterpart. What's complicating the matter is [[SpannerInTheWorks Toga]], who seems able to attack him in the chaotic brawl caused by the near High-End Nomu's attacks with her insane physical speed and agility ''without triggering Midoriya's [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]]''. He and the vestige of Hikage Shinomori are nearly dumbstruck at the realization: Toga is a full-blown {{Yandere}}, attacking Midoriya not out of malice, but out of a ''maniacally-twisted sense of love''.
* Chapter 348:
** The first half of the chapter showcases how, despite her relative fragility against a LightningBruiser like Midoriya, Toga is still a massive threat to go up against. She goes from standing in front of him to vanishing from sight the second a wave cause by the Near High End's attacks obscured her from sight, the flying rubble in the background making it clear that she moved ''fast'' in almost the time it took to blink. Izuku's [[StealthExpert unable to keep track of her]] despite holding a short conversation with her in the chaotic maelstrom erupting from the brawl, right up until she reveals herself after solidifying her resolve to strike down Midoriya and Uraraka after they both 'rejected' her. Toga unveils her upgraded equipment, her blood sucker tubes getting flying stinger-like attachments that she can direct on command, enabling her to [[CombatTentacles attack from multiple angles]] [[ConfusionFu at once]], each one designed to draw blood so she can use her [[PowerCopying Quirk's upgraded potential]] against the heroes. When Uraraka get distracted by two stingers coming at her from behind, Toga instantly moves in for the kill, quick enough the even seeing the attack coming, Izuku can't snare her with Black Whip to pull her away from Ochako fast enough...
** Until Tsu gives Toga a taste of her own medicine, [[DynamicEntry blind-siding her with a Camouflaged drop kick from the side]] before she knows she's there, preventing her from giving Uraraka more than a skin-deep cut, and hard enough to crack one of her stinger attachments. With Tsu providing her backup, Uraraka tells Midoriya to leave the situation to them, setting up one fated confrontation while he starts sprinting to the U.A. battlefield for his own fated fight with Shigaraki.
** The heroes get an understated one that ''they don't even realize''. Uraraka comments that they chose the isolated island to fight Toga in precisely because she's so unpredictable and hard to keep track of, so pulling her to an island severely limits her options and ability to flee the battlefield in their blindspots. What none of the heroes are aware of is that this ''also'' limits Toga's ability to activate the Sad Man's Parade as a wide-range threat, the surrounding oceans slowing the 'spread' of Twice's propagation and there apparently being no boats to cross the 200 kilometres to the mainland with. Whilst it won't save the heroes on the island if she uses it, this move has undercut Dabi's plans to use both Twice and Toga's Quirks together to advance his own chaotic agenda.
* Chapter 349:
** The chapter starts with Midoriya demonstrating the ingenuity of combining his available Quirks. He has put together the NotQuiteFlight of Float, the [[ChargedAttack charging ability]] of Fa Jin, and his Air Force techniques for propulsion and balance to achieve outright ''{{Flight}}''... at speeds comparable to a motor vehicle. He would be going ''even faster'' if the ocean had anything he could tether to with Pseudo-100% Blackwhip, showing again how powerful and versatile he is even with only about half of One For All under his control at present.
*** Midoriya briefly chats with the second holder after the latter discourages him from losing himself to his impatience and anxiety and sternly warns him against using his Quirk to try and reach the mainland faster. Though the details aren't revealed, they way both of them discuss the power makes it clear that it's ''the'' DangerousForbiddenTechnique amongst all of One For All's ComboPlatterPowers. The second wielder comments that, like the other Quirks within, his has been boosted drastically from when he wielded it in the past, but in his case it's become a DeadlyUpgrade and it's not something Izuku should use ''except'' as a last resort. Considering that One For All's powers include the ability to sport CombatTentacles on command, godlike speed and reflexes as well as the power to hit beyond even Izuku's maximum % of force, it's clear that whatever said power is, Izuku's usage of it will be a [[BatmanGrabsAGun total game-changer]] for whatever situation forces him to such extremes.
** Dabi cuts loose at Kamino Ward, demonstrating how powerful he actually is by engulfing the buildings all around them in flames visible for miles away, making it look like the whole city is on fire, and trapping Shoto inside a personalized battlefield with a flame tornado to settle his grudge with Endeavor's [[SuperiorSuccessor masterpiece]]. With Iida unable to interfere from the sheer heat threatening to blow up his engines at a distance, Shoto's only backup is the flame-wielding sidekicks from his father's agency who can withstand the heat with their own Quirks -- all of them except Kido. Rather than use any flame abilities to counter Dabi's own, Kido merely uses his Quirk to [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower alter the trajectory of the blazing air away from him]], commenting that he's had plenty of practice in Endeavor's agency with such a tactic and refusing to run away from a battlefield that would be lethal to him with just a single lapse in concentration.
*** All three sidekicks also make it clear that, despite the issues with Endeavor's past, all of them choose to support him regardless for always preforming his job as a hero, and they're all standing before Dabi to fight him not out of blind trust in Endeavor, but because all of them want to put a stop to the chaos that his insane son is spreading around. When Dabi similarly calls out Shoto for facing him as Endeavor's pawn in this fight, he retorts that said claim would only be true if he still tried to remain a hero without facing Toya and his family's painful history head on -- that Shoto ''refuses'' to run away from their confrontation not because he's obligated to, but because he ''wants'' to stop his crazed sibling's destructive warpath, which Dabi [[{{Touche}} ruefully accepts]].
*** Dabi demonstrates his sheer tenacity and commitment to his goals, unleashing such destructive firepower despite the visible toll it's taking on his body, the unburned patches remaining on his body slowly blackening and spreading as the damage accumulates, with Dabi acting as if nothing's wrong, even as his own skin slowly disintegrates off him. His cheek tears apart like paper, exposing [[FacialHorror his raw jaw muscles underneath]], but Dabi's so far gone he [[FeelNoPain doesn't even notice]], showing that nothing less than death itself will stop him from striving to achieve his warped revenge.
* Chapter 350 flashes back to eleven years ago, revealing the connection between Toya Todoroki and All For One. The full extent of Toya's Quirk had emerged on that day ([[BlessedWithSuck cursed by flames hotter than his father but a body weak to flames like his mother]]). ''All For One himself'' appeared from nowhere at the scene of the inferno and had Garaki go to extreme lengths to rebuild him (he was in a coma ''for three years'', and practically all that skin on him was ''grafted''). He, like others at the time, were "damaged goods": people rejected by society and holding grudges like Tenko Shimura for being shunned. Toya was orignally one of All For One's many "backup plans" in case Tenko didn't work out. But Toya was deemed a failure. The reason goes back to his cursed body: his power literally eats away at him. The only thing holding him together by this point, the one thing that drives him even as his body keeps consuming itself, [[ThePowerOfHate is vengeance]]. Shoto puts it simply; Dabi has become a living embodiment of the RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
-->'''Shoto:''' [[DeathSeeker You wanted to die from the start.]]
** Though twisted, the young Toya does get a moment where he '''utterly rejects''' All For One's manipulation attempts. The DiabolicalMastermind has demonstrated a skill with manipulating those around him to forward his goals, no matter their relationship with him, whether antagonistic or ambivalent, but despite everything he'd done for Toya, keeping him alive for years and rebuilding his body, not to mention offering him the chance to regain the full force of his potential firepower if he agreed to become a part of the 'family' at the orphanage he'd made to accumulate children similarly abandoned by society, Toya cared ''nothing'' for it. The only thing that mattered to him was being trained and recognized by Endeavor alone, and he could accept no other compromise, burning down the orphanage to escape without a second thought, even with a half-assembled body that now took greater damage from his flames than before, and was only supposed to last a month without aid from Garaki's medical surgeries. He tried to return home... only to find out his family had assumed him dead and gone on without him. The day he came upon the memorial shrine eight years ago was Toya's StartOfDarkness: the day Toya Todoroki died and Dabi was born: a villain of his own free willpower, in complete defiance of All For One's ability to control everything in the narrative at that point.
--->'''Garaki:''' Even the man who had known [[ControlFreak absolute control far and wide]] couldn't exploit the boy's obsession with his father.
** Back in the present, Dabi prepares to finish his warped vengeance on his father, pushing his flames to their absolute limit even as they reduce his body to ashes in the process, determined to create a flame so powerful it will obliterate all that Endeavor holds dear, even against his [[SuperiorSuccessor masterpiece]]. The shot of him standing atop the statue of All Might, burning so hot he starts ''melting'' it and looking like a charcoal daemon held together by his own hellfire, is as awe-inspiring a sight as it is hellish.
** Of course, after all that, Shoto manages a succinct ShutUpHannibal toward his elder brother, showing that the Todoroki Family is far from done resisting evil.
--->'''Dabi''': Once I've burned away all that '''[[ItIsDehumanizing that thing]]''' holds near and dear... that'll be the mark I've left on this world!\\
'''Shoto''': '''[[{{Determinator}} Like I said, big brother-- not on my watch]]!'''
* Chapter 351:
** Continuing Shoto vs. Dabi, there's a brief rundown on their father's signature move, the Flashfire Fist: how it concentrates as much heat as possible before unleashing it all at once. Now Dabi introduces his own, wild and chaotic spin on the technique, '''Flashfire Fist: Hell Spider''', unleashing chaotic slashes of fire that ravage the battlefield outside their personal duel in the flaming tornado, showcasing how [[PersonOfMassDestruction destructive]] Dabi's powers are now he's finally at the PointOfNoReturn. Which turns out to be just a feint so he can use his flames to propel himself at literally-blistering speeds to assault Shoto up close, targeting his weakness in hand-to-hand combat with punches that are propelled by nearly-solid flame blasts in a one-sided assault, finishing with a point-blank Jet Burn that launches Shoto into a nearby building, showcasing how much ''force'' his unleashed powers pack, all the while lambasting his little brother as a spoiled brat who had everything...
** ...but Shoto actually manages to neutralize his brother's nearly-molten heat with his own powers in equilibrium and counters that he was far from spoiled. On the contrary, he had always thought of himself as "half-baked". In fact, the fact Dabi had been keeping tabs on Shoto (rather than just his single-minded focus on Endeavor) delights him, because Shoto has likewise been focusing on Dabi...
** ...because everyone has their fated battles in this war: Midoriya vs. Shigaraki, Uraraka vs. Toga, Endeavor vs. All For One... and Shoto vs. Dabi, at his own insistence so that Endeavor could concentrate on All For One. Shoto tells Dabi to stop burning bystanders and focus his hatred where it matters: upon their own screwed-up family, [[IAmYourOpponent and at him]]. At this, Shoto reveals that he has finally found a way to unleash both sides of his quirk in battle, and prepares his own take on Endeavor's move, '''Flashire Fist: Phosphor'''!
** Of note, this new move has Shoto using his flames on his ''ice-using'' right side, his flames burning so cold the fire turns '''white''' and needs Shoto's rapid heating powers to avoid freezing himself in the process. This flame is the opposite peak of what Endeavor envisioned when he hoped of making a SuperiorSuccessor... and now Shoto is using that freezing firepower to extinguish the maddened inferno that symbolizes his crazed sibling's own apex of Endeavor's firepower. Thus, this fight is a showdown between two people each capable of surpassing their father as the premier example of a flame-user, and right now, neither has any interest in anything else but smothering the other's flames with their own in a direct contest between the FlawedPrototype and the 'masterpiece' determined to save lives from his all-consuming wildfire.
** In a case of {{Irony}}, it clearly takes Shoto a bit of time to charge up both his sides enough to activate his 'Phosphor' move, time which he needs to rely on Burnin and the other sidekicks to deflect Dabi's attacks away from him until he's ready. Helping him in this regard is Dabi's characteristic [[IShallTauntYou mid-battle taunting]] of his opponents, ranting about how much he's been looking forward to killing Shoto and seeing the despair it'll inflict on their father, and mocking his sibling for being so 'inferior' as to rely on help to fight him, rather than stand alone. Whilst this bought time for Dabi to unleash his heat to the maximum, it also allowed Shoto to do the same with his own ultimate move, even if he was slower than Dabi because of the latter's disregard for his own well-being. Despite the beatdown he inflicted on him, 'Phosphor' allows him to counter Dabi's own heat on equal if not greater terms, meaning that Shoto actually turned Dabi's [[CaughtMonologuing signature battle strategy]] back on him at last!
* Chapter 352: Shoto and Dabi's battle meets its conclusion:
** In flashback, Shoto clarifies the specifics of Phosphor. Rather than increasing his flames and using his ice to counteract the inner heating problem, Shoto instead alternates heated and freezing blood throughout his body through his heart, achieving an equilibrium that causes the white fire that manifests upon his chest, which has the unique property of not burning anything even when his classmates stick their unprotected hands into it. As Shoto puts it, he's aiming for the opposite outcome of his old man's vision -- a ''cold fire'' that '''freezes''' what it touches, allowing him to manifest ice strong enough to stifle even Dabi's [[DeadlyUpgrade self-destructive hellfire]], the symbol of his desire to destroy himself to achieve the heights of power Endeavor once believed he could.
** Shoto's attack unleashed last time sends Dabi flying and crashing into the ground, cursing at the 'masterpiece' that between his heat-resistant body and increased freezing ability, Shoto is the perfect counter to his own fighting style. However, despite the [[ElementalRockPaperScissors bad matchup]] Dabi remains ever-focused on killing his brother no matter what he loses in the process.
** He retaliates by unleashing a gigantic torrent of fire hot enough to even burn Shoto, and his inability to maintain Phosphor for long leaves him open to take a devastating hit... before the sidekicks fighting at his side [[TakingTheBullet jump between them to mitigate the damage as best they can with their own quirks]], blunting the heat enough that Shoto can shrug it off while charging up his finishing blow, thanking them profoundly for their support as he does so. Dabi might be strong enough to win his fights solo, but Shoto's allies and friends are all he needs to even the playing field with his brother's insane firepower.
** As Dabi is left wide open from the previous attack, Shoto launches forwards so fast his brother can't react and lands his new ultimate move: Great Glacial Aegir. It completely extinguishes Dabi's flames and ''flash freezes every building in the entire area'' with his 'cold fire.'
** The most impressive thing? [[CurbStompBattle Dabi never lands a single meaningful hit the entire fight]]. The attacks he ''does'' land on Shoto are just shrugged off without much reaction and Shoto is in control the entire battle. Dabi devolved into a raging berserker while Shoto remained calm and collected the entire battle. Shoto even pointedly refutes Toya's RedemptionRejection, stating that even if he and his brother are '[[EvilCounterpart a warped rail]] running in parallel to [[GoodCounterpart a straight and narrow one]]' he'll make sure they can still mingle together regardless, and so he'll stop him ''right now''.
* Chapter 353:
** Shoto's victory over Dabi fires up the remaining heroes still in combat with the Near High-End Nomu, the last standing combatant on their field, making them determined to take it down quickly and lend their aid to the other battlefields, showing just how effective their strategy against All For One's forces has been, that even with Dabi's advantages, he and the assembled villains with him were dealt with swiftly before they could truly unleash as much damage as they could have. All Might and the others at the command centre swiftly broadcast the good news to all of the other battlefields, leading to a mass boost in morale for their side, as the heroes, many of them Shoto's own classmates and friends, are all the more determined to win now.
** And from the looks of things, Pinky and Red Riot are about to face off against the one who killed Midnight.
** Props to Dabi for two things in this chapter: for one, he's still alive even after his self-immolation, and for another, Spinner reveals in a flashback that while he accepted a new Quirk from All For One, Dabi refused him point-blank.
--->'''Dabi:''' Like I need any of that crap.
** While All For One attempts a BreakingLecture on Endeavor, his speech is noticably more angry and frustrated as opposed to his previous composed confidence. The heroes managed to blindside All For One to such a degree that he ''can't'' truly regain his composure, showing just how much they outplayed him.
* Chapter 354:
** In flashback to their pre-battle meeting, Hawks outlines that, despite his immense power, All For One's wounds inflicted by All Might are ''still'' a [[AchillesHeel massive crippling weakness]], no matter how much he tries to hide it, thus giving them an opening to seriously hurt him despite his position as the runner up for the title of WorldsStrongestMan next to Tomura. Since attacking him with numbers to target said weak spot would only empower him, Hawks points out that they need to hit him with with their most skilled fighters in the smallest possible team, meaning the fighting comes down to him and Endeavor working in concert to combat All For One and blitzkrieg him to prevent him unleashing any wide-range attacks that could devastate all the combats below, hero and villain alike. Endeavor's heat proves capable of pushing through the heat resistance All For One possesses from one of his quirks, Hardflame Fan; as it's a non-physical attack, he can't use Impact Recoil to defend himself like he did with All Might's own blows, showing how much the heroes have learned and adapted to All For One's tactics since Kamino. Even All For One's [[BreakThemByTalking characteristic taunting]] fails to work against Hawks, who merely turns his attempts to get a rise out of him back in his face, mocking the DiabolicalMastermind that he's not as capable as he ''thinks'' he is if he's unable to fight both of them off adequately.
--->'''All For One:''' Since Recovery Girl's efforts couldn't bring you back to your prime, your few remaining feathers need aid from prosthetic ones to bring you up to even this speed.\\
'''Hawks:''' [[ArmorPiercingResponse So we're both crippled, huh?]]
** However, All For One again proves his most dangerous power is not his multiple quirks, but his intellect and his ability to worm his way into the mind of his opponents through the simplest of words. Just by observing that Endeavor isn't fully matching up to Hawks' timing during their attacks, he understands that the Number one hero's mind is still distracted by thoughts of his family, digging into that by taunting him again with how he's left his own personal baggage to be cleaned up by his 'masterpiece', mocking him for failing to keep his mind focused on task like the rest of the combatants around the, and then delivering the final blow... revealing that Enji never found Toya's body on the hillside that day because of his interference. This fact genuinely takes both heroes' smooth coordination off-guard, resulting in Endeavor flying into a blind rage that All For One exploits to tear a huge chunk out of his torso with a fanged maw he forms from his hands.
--->'''All For One:''' [[TitleDrop Oopsie daisy.]]
** All For One then attempts to unleash his air cannon quirk against Hawks at a distance he can't move fast enough to dodge, motivating Hawks to [[TakingTheBullet take the hit]] so long as he can move Endeavor to a safe location to keep his destructive flames in play against All For One... before the attack is blocked by Jiro's Heartbeat Wall move, flown into the battlefield atop Tokoyami using his Black Fallen Angel. Hawks yells at them to get back, because [[KnightOfCerebus All For One]] is way out of their league and unwilling to show mercy to his opponents, only for Tokoyami to point out that he and Hawks are equally capable of teamwork, refusing to let his mentor stand alone against a foe than endangers ''everyone'', and willing to do whatever he can to avert the worst-case scenario.
--->'''All For One:''' The pesky gnats that swarm around One For All...In the old comic I used to read, there were [[CListFodder "jobber" characters]] who only existed so the demon lord [[TheWorfEffect could show what he was made of]].\\
'''Jiro:''' [[ShutUpHannibal How about you save that line until you've actually beaten us]], All For One?
* Chapter 355:
** Hawks turns out to have been using a subtle tactic to take out All For One even with Endeavor down for the count and his own relative lack of strength compared to the {{Diabolical Mastermind}}'s multitude of quirks -- repeatedly attacking the same spot on his mask again and again in precise strikes to chip into his armour, even when having to constantly blitz about him and additionally keep Jiro and Tokoyami away from All For One's lightning-fast attacks on them, showcasing both his preference for outwitting an opponent than outfighting them, and his sheer skill. He even manages to combine the Katana he was using to make up for his impaired performance from Dabi's flames with Jiro's quirk by chapter's end, turning it into a {{Vibroweapon}} that, even when it breaks from the strain, successfully cracks All For One's defenses, quipping as he does so that All For One's amassed strength is no true counter for multiple powers ''truly'' working together.
--->'''Hawks:''' Enough cracks bring any dam down.
** All For One continues to be a terrifying foe, managing to almost effortlessly strike at Jiro and ''tear off her ear'' with his vicious attack.
** When Jiro's injured, she manages to make damn good on her promise from last chapter by fully attacking All For One, blasting him with her full power even though she's lost an ear. Though All For One can endure the attack and power straight through it to either steal Jiro's quirk or her life, the ''vestiges of his stolen Quirks' former users'' spring from within him and drag him down, holding him back from escaping and forcing him to stand still long enough for Hawks to put the final nail in to pierce through his image of invincibility. Thanks to everybody efforts in opposing him [[FightingFromTheInside within]] and without, the "side characters" do what Endeavor, the number one hero, couldn't... and '''shatter All For One's life support mask'''.
*** Right after All For One rips her ear off, Jiro responds with a brutal ShutUpHannibal speech before unloading her sonic attack on him:
---->'''Jiro''': All you do is talk about who's weak, who's strong, who's special, and who can inspire fear in others. Well I don't give a damn about any of that nonsense! All I know is that YOU MADE MY FRIENDS CRY!!
*** Why did the vestiges rebel? Because Jiro's sheer guts and defiance against their seemingly omnipotent jailer did what All Might, Star, the Torch Bearers and no one else was ever able to do and inspire them to rebel against him. In fact, it's ''because'' she's not them that such a miracle occurred. By necessity, to oppose All For One's god-like strength, the Bearers and Star herself had to be [[StoryBreakerPower a level above anybody else around them]], making them stand apart for the crowd and preventing anybody from thinking that an 'ordinary' person would defeat the 'demon lord'. But Jiro, wounded, hurt, far too young to be fighting such an ancient evil, nonetheless demonstrated that it ''can'' be done, motivating the other faceless 'nobodies' within All For One's MentalWorld to oppose him in unison -- and given they managed to freeze him in place, it would seem that such an outcome is not only unforeseen by All For One, it's arguably more ''dangerous'' for him than when New Order was damaging his quirk from within. Now the masses inside him ''know'' he can be fought, he can be opposed, and he can be '''beaten''', even without the power of One for All, and they're eager for payback. All For One's 'smile' in the Vestige realm isn't his normal, calm, collected one: it's a forced, frustrated smile. All For One is losing control of the situation, the fight, his body and he ''[[VillainousBreakdown knows it]]''.
----> '''All For One''': The Quirks I've stolen in the past...their very wills?! [[ThisCannotBe Impossible!!]] Even New Order didn't manage this! They were spurred on by '''this'''?! By the weakness of such push-overs?!
* Chapter 356
** Tokoyami takes advantage of the opening Hawks and Jiro created, covering his right arm with his cloak to sidestep his weakness to sunlight, enabling him to manifest Dark Shadow's clawed limb at his full-powered 'Ragnarok' size and unleashing a MegatonPunch straight on All For One's face, the biggest blow anyone except All Might has ever dealt. The blow is so gigantic that, combined with the damage from Hawks and Jiro, All For One's life support mask is ''completely shattered to bits''. Even better, All For One was both too shocked at his mask being broken and unable to 'sense' Tokoyami's approach to dodge, because his quirks rebelling against him also disrupted his ability to use the sensory quirks to keep track of the heroes, leading to him eating a massive attack that he could have easily dodged if he'd been in any fit-for-fighting state. Much as he's desperately trying to hide it, Team Endeavor's efforts are exposing All For One's inherent weaknesses in battle with him, and showcasing how [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll he's far from being the 'invincible demon lord']] he dreamed of becoming.
** Showing just how far they've pushed him, All For One's composure finally ''completely'' shatters along with his mask and he starts ''screaming'' at them while going utterly berserk. All of this has done what All Might and all the Torch Bearers couldn't: make the original All For One ''completely lose it''. However, pushing him this far has arguably made All For One [[CorneredRattlesnake even more dangerous than before]] --he ''violently'' suppresses the rebelling Vestiges within him with an almost feral intensity, appearing to literally devour their consciousness in order to regain control and unleashing his [[CombatTentacles Rivet Stabs]] in a wide-range attack all around him, both to skewer the heroes who so humiliated him as well as to catch the tiny fragments of his mask, showcasing both his dexterity and control as he reassembles his shattered visage and holding it in place almost with sheer force of will alone, demonstrating [[SoreLoser his utter refusal to accept defeat]] at any cost. The only reason the trio weren't killed by All For One then and there was Endeavor's BigDamnHeroes return.
** The Number One hero rockets back into the battle, tanking some of the Rivet Stabs that he can't burn away to protect his allies and pushing ever-forward towards his target even as the strain ''bodily tears his right arm clean off''. Endeavor doesn't let that stop him for a second, reflecting all the while that his real enemy has never been All For One, but his own inherent weakness that he so cursed, admitting that he never had the ability to be a ''super''hero like Izuku or All Might, but regardless, even if he's just another hero, it's his duty to put an end to the fight with the DiabolicalMastermind, forming a blazing fist from his stump to ''punch'' straight through all of All For One's defenses with a ''gigantic'' fire attack, leaving him ablaze and reeling in the air, his mask now further damaged and irreparably broken along with his image as the unshakeable manipulator of the story.
* Chapter 357
** Endeavor just keeps pushing on, raging and sending himself flying toward All For One even as he begins to burn himself in the process. The "Greatest Demon Lord" even admits that, for all Endeavor's faults, he has truly earned his spot as Number One Hero, making the villain relive the day of his defeat at All Might's hands.
---> '''All For One:''' (''internal'') ''Wounded heroes... are always the scariest.''
** Hawks pulls the same trick he and Endeavor used to finish off Hood, using some of his remaining feathers to propel Endeavor close enough to smash him with a MegatonPunch formed of his flames and blazing rage towards All For One, crushing him to the ground before he can dodge with a massive beam of fire. When questioned on why he didn't unleash Prominence Burn and kill All For One then and there, Endeavor reminds everyone of his AwesomenessByAnalysis talents by noting All For One went on the defensive with the intent to burn him out and regain the upper hand.
** Endeavor follows all this with nothing short of an ''UnstoppableRage'', the other Heroes even clearing the way so he can beat down All For One personally, ''forcing'' his full-power fist through All For One's DeflectorShields, grabbing him by the neck and using his flames to propel them both away from the other heroes at literally blistering speeds, dragging All For One like roadkill all the way. All For One notes that the damage done to his life-support system is further compounding his humiliation, his body no longer responding like he wants to, unable to fight off a one-armed man despite all his power. His only response is to attempt to steal Endeavor's quirk, an action that Endeavor quickly shuts down by ''shooting fires from his eyes like laser beams'', despite the pain it gives him, burning All For One's hand to a charred stub, making it clear that he is '''done''' with his bullshit for good, vowing to protect the dreams of the next generation as he continues going utterly berserk, even ''making All For One cry out for him to stop'' before enveloping them both in a massive aura of fire.
** Despite the odds, the final victory of the chapter goes to All For One. After this brutal fight, All For One reveals this still wasn't him going 100% serious. He regains his composure and, despite being utterly charred and visibly crumbling away, asks Endeavor if he ''really'' thought he didn't have a contingency for his lack of a HealingFactor. He even tells his opponent that his body was already going down, and he's got one last trick up his sleeve, drawing the attention of the First and Midoriya while his internal monologue bookends the chapter by noting that villains are also scariest when wounded. The Symbol of Evil, even in the jaws of a true, desperate defeat, is terrifyingly prepared, the visual imagery implying that he managed to absorb a variant of Eri's [[DevolutionDevice Rewind quirk]] from the Erasure Bullets Tomura salvaged from the hospital. Before the heroes' eyes, the [[WoundThatWillNotHeal injuries]] All Might inflicted upon him at the cost of his health, the one thing keeping him back from [[GameBreakingInjury using his full power against them]], start to vanish as '''his right eye and left ear regrow from nothing''', compounding his smug NightmareFace.
---> '''All For One''': ''Heroes don't have a monopoly on big sacrificial moments, you know?''
* Chapter 358
** Back at Tomura's battlefield, the tide is still in his favor, despite all the heroes' efforts to weaken or restrain him. His rampaging fleshy growths threaten to crush his opponents like bugs whilst replacing any damage they inflict against them, all whilst he goes on a MotiveRant that highlight's All For One's sheer god complex, even as it also digs into [[VillainHasAPoint the various failings heroes have had]] in allowing the build-up of oppression and discrimination that resulted in an influx of 'villains' that now rally to Tomura's standard.
--->''' [=TomurAFO=]:''' With this body, and this power, all will come to rest in the palm of my hand. Giving rise to a world of my own, or one beyond me entirely. Appearance, Form, Function... For a world split beyond any hope of a status quo, all that awaits is schism and destruction. These massive disparities give rise to incomprehension. And that lack of understanding in turns leads to [[FantasticRacism dread and rejection]]. [[JerkassHasAPoint That's the present state of the world, no?]] [[HappinessInSlavery But under my rule, all will be exploited as the working class! All will be equal!]] Don't heroes yearn for world peace? Is it that hard to imagine taking a step towards that?
** However, the heroes ''won't'' let him have it all his own way. They note that despite the danger of his fleshy form's mass and regrowth, he's [[MightyGlacier lost the mobility he had during the war]] reminiscent of [[LightningBruiser All Might's]] top speed and power. Angered by '[=TomurAFO=]'s' constant speeches and pontificating over the morality of heroes, Bakugo loudly yells at him to shut up as he activates some new support gear he had equipped for the battle -- Suppressive Heavy Mobile Unit Strafe Panzer, reminiscent in looks of War Machine: a bunch of auto-targeting guns sprouting from his back that use his explosive sweat, of which he had stocked up plenty of whilst dodging Tomura's attacks, to basically re-create his gauntlet explosion blasts multiple times in a single attack. He then tears straight through Tomura's fleshy defenses with his new move: Howitzer Impact: Cluster, paving the way for his teammates to start attacking his real body.
** Bakugo furthermore verbally tears into [=TomurAFO=] as well, making it clear to him that he cares ''nothing'' for how logical his arguments are or how hopeless the odds are; he just wants to shut the would-be GodEmperor up and stop his madness before he hurts any more people. Bakugo notes that the world doesn't ''need'' his twisted guidance to be better, because he himself has already faced and overcome his own fear and rejection through his CharacterDevelopment with Izuku as his FriendlyRival. This, along with his actions in working as part of a team effort, delights Best Jeanist into using his full hero name as a sign of acceptance for the kind of hero Bakugo has matured into.
--->'''Bakugo:''' You want to talk about some big disparity? Lack of understanding? Dread? Guess what- [[CharacterDevelopment I've long since taken all that crap to heart]]. And I've seen a real step towards progress with all that. It might take some time, but some people I know are trying to push forward. Thanks anyway but...you can ''shove'' your sermon...'' [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu ya nutsack-faced handy-man!!!]]''
* Chapter 359
** Despite the chaos of the heroes' efforts, [=TomurAFO=] seems to be [[NoSell unfazed]] even by Bakugo's ultimate attack, even as it scorches the right side of his face and apparently blinds his right eye, injuries unhealing whilst his quirks are sealed, and instead seizes the boy's right arm to shatter it and put him down for good, in a sick parallel to the damage dealt to Endeavor. Aizawa calls out for someone to save him, saying that Dynamight needs to fulfill his destiny as the future No.1 hero...
** ...And who should answer the call but [[BadassCrew Suneater, Nejire-Chan and Lemillion]] themselves, suited up and ready? After all this time, it's finally happening – '''the Big Three are going into battle together'''.
* Chapter 360
** The Big Three show their flawless teamwork to rescue Bakugo, with Nejire unleashing a lance-like spiral of energy at Tomura, showing dexterous control over the piercing attack to avoid hitting Bakugo when Tomura uses him as a HumanShield. This turns out to be a distraction for Amajiki to discreetly stab Tomura in the back with two scorpion tails, having using an octopus' camouflage ability to sneak close enough whilst Tomura was distracted. Tomura/All For One mocks their efforts as pointless regardless, [[AdaptiveAbility growing a mouth along his shoulder to spit the poison out]] and gloating that he'll overcome any tactic they try to pull on him as he attempts to crush the both of them with more fleshy masses... only for the trio to reveal that even ''that'' was a distraction, Mirio using his phasing ability to pass right though Tomura's attack and pluck Bakugo from his grasp whilst he's distracted, successfully extraditing him from the grip of a PhysicalGod, however weakened.
*** Mirio furthermore takes to the frontlines against Tomura whilst Bakugo recovers, determined to hold him back however long he has to for Izuku to arrive. Despite that, he notes that his phasing provides him an unparalleled defense against Tomura's sheer might, but it also means he lacks the power to put him on the back foot. Instead, Nejire shoots one of her spirals into the chaotic mess from Tomura's thrashing growths and successfully wraps it around Mirio's arm, enabling him to use an EnhancedPunch to knock Tomura backward, showing both her fine handling of her Quirk (as her quirk reveal box noted the spirals were hard to aim accurately) as well as the trio's well-polished teamwork.
*** Mirio also starts reversing All For One's [[BreakThemByTalking favorite tactic]] back upon his protege/'successor', asking what drives Tomura's hatred and desire to destroy everything around him, and accurately summarizing the root cause of his deep misanthropy with a response that [[ArmourPiercingResponse actually seems to get through to the Tomura aspect of the boy]] buried underneath his mental merging with All For One.
---->'''Mirio:''' So, why do you destroy?\\
'''Tomura:''' [[DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans Because the current framework has failed.]]\\
'''Mirio:''' Oh, I get it...[[IJustWantToHaveFriends You've never had any friends.]]\\
'''Tomura:''' [[WhamLine Huh?]]\\
'''Mirio:'''... otherwise you'd realize, there's plenty worth keeping around!
** As he's preparing to finish him off, the All For One vestige within Tomura's psyche [[EvilIsPetty can't resist further tormenting]] Bakugo, using his helplessness against him despite unleashing his best attack and his rapid improvements as proof that, no matter how much he trains and pushes himself, in a world where he has to contend against the power levels of [[StrongerWithAge One For All]] and [[WorldsStrongestMan All For One]], he will [[CantCatchUp never be able to become the number one hero on his own merits]], and is doomed to forever be a side-character in Izuku's own story. When Jeanist rushes to him in the aftermath of his rescue to try and suture his arm together to enable him to jump back in the fight, it initially seems like All For One's taunting and one-sided beatdown actually managed to [[BreakTheBadass break Bakugo's spirit]]... until Jeanist listens closer and hears Bakugo muttering under his breath, eyes fixated upon Mirio battling Tomura and analyzing his moves, akin to Midoriya's own AwesomenessByAnalysis, trying to understand how Tomura's twisted form moves so he can better fight back even with his injuries. Far from being broken, Bakugo is fired up and determined to make Tomura/All For One regret his mockery of his dreams.
* Chapter 361:
** [=TomurAFO=] showcases again just how [[MadeOfIron damn durable]] he is when Mirio's direct hit on his main body barely getting scuff marks on it, despite the power he took head-on, with Mirio noting [[NighInvulnerable he failed to even break the skin]]. However, despite the lack of external damage, internally, Mirio's words resonate with him in the depths of his fragmented psyche, causing Tomura to snap back in an utterly childish retort that takes both combatants off-guard for how [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness out of character]] he reacted. To the shock of the All For One vestige, he realises that there's still a part of Tomura that hasn't been assimilated yet, despite having absorbed all of Tomura's hate-filled psyche into his 'Next me'-- 'Tenko Shimura', the childhood self of Tomura before his quirk awakened, and now the sole remaining piece of him that can still consider itself to be wholly separate from All For One's mental assimilation. The dominant "[=TomurAFO=]" personality is [[OhCrap noticeably unsettled]] by this, realising that despite all his precautions and time spent waiting to create the 'Perfected Demon Lord", there's still some piece of Tomura that [[FightingFromTheInside rejects him after all this time]], and as a result, he's shown up to the FinalBattle neither fully in control of Tomura's now nearly-godlike abilities housed in his body, nor mentally unified in preparation for overcoming One For All in a battle of willpower. Notably, he immediately turns his attention [[TargetedToHurtTheHero back to killing Bakugo]] upon realising this, having understood that he's ''not'' as guaranteed an absolute victory as he believed prior, and despite suppressing any outward signs of panic, is very much concerned for the first time in the battle that he might actually ''lose'' if he doesn't ensure Izuku's not also in the best mental state to fight him.
--->'''All For One:''' A fissure within! This body was complete! A perfect unification of Tomura Shigaraki and me- or so I thought? It seems there's a component that hasn't quite melded...Neither Tomura...Nor All for One... [[WhamLine Shimura]]. Dragging this out...[[OhCrap is not ideal]].
** Even better, it's implied that Tenko can resist All For One where Tomura couldn't because despite his father's abusive nature when it came to the subject of heroes, Tenko ''did'' have happier memories during his childhood of playing with others and having fun as a kid, and the utterly-sociopathic All For One's [[EvilCannotComprehendGood inability to understand positive memories and emotions]] means that he cannot assimilate Tenko because he cannot understand [[ChildrenAreInnocent the concepts he's using to keep his individuality from him]]. Izuku was charged before with the duty of possibly [[ShootTheDog having to kill Tomura in order to stop his destructive rampage]], despite recognising the good side of him symbolised by Tenko, still crying out for help in the depth of his psyche. Whilst this mental merging of the two was supposed to be All For One's masterstroke to finally stealing One For All, now instead it seems [[NiceJobFixingitVillain it will provide the opposite]], as All For One has basically absorbed all the 'bad' parts of Tomura's psyche into himself and unintentionally separated the 'good' parts, meaning it might actually be possible for Izuku to 'save' Tenko whilst destroying Tomura and All For One together.
** Mirio and Nejire's attacks on [=TomurAFO=] are revealed to be mere delaying tactics to set up their ''real'' serious attack on him. As he powers through every attempt they make to stop him as he strolls inexorably closer to Bakugo's prone form, Nejire fires a blast at him that appears to miss... and instead hits Amajiki, who has used the time to Maximise his "Vast Hybrid" technique with about '''30+''' different fruits and animals parts, forming a ''massive'' organic BFG that charges up with Nejire's energy and starts amplifying it to blow [=TomurAFO=] away. The duo's voiceover notes that Amajiki's quirk, lacking an upper limit to the amount of objects it can assimilate and fuse together, is the only means they have of creating a blow powerful enough to seriously affect their unstoppable opponent, in an ironic recreation of how All For One's own quirk works.
* Chapter 362: Another massive WhamEpisode.
** Bakugo tells Jeanist to take care of the others despite being injured. Jeanist cries out, but it's not enough. Bakugo steps forward, likely knowing exactly what will happen.
** Bakugo opens by noting Tomura's attack... and ''dodging'', much to the shock of everyone around him.
** Bakugo has indeed found a weakness in the enemy's strategy. What's more, he's ''improved his Quirk'' this time. By forcibly containing his sweat and letting it all explode incrementally, he manages to give himself a massive boost in power, charging forward and propelling himself at the cost of damaging his own body... just like Izuku, proving that he takes after All Might's successor after all.
---> '''Bakugo''': ''So, Izuku... can I... still catch up to you?''
** [=TomurAFO=] can't stop himself from panicking at the charge of Bakugo, admitting that even though he doesn't have One For All, he still terrifies him. In this moment, the fusion sees a vision of the Second's vestige. Bakugo may not have One For All, but he puts the very same fear into All For One!
** When Bakugo talks to a vestige of All Might, he's bizarrely serene, admitting his flaws and noting the only regret he has is not getting an autograph.
** Bakugo's power is too great, and in the midst of his charge, his heart itself ''explodes'' from the strain.
** [=TomurAFO=] scores the chapter's ultimate victory by striking a decisive blow as Bakugo's heart bursts, sending the Hero flying backward and striking the ground repeatedly like a ragdoll. Still, the hybrid can't help but wonder why [[EvilCannotComprehendGood Bakugo would charge so readily to his death]] despite tracking his opponent's movements with pitch-perfect precision beforehand. It's clear that this apparent kill wouldn't have been achieved without Bakugo's own body giving out on him, though [=TomurAFO=] takes a moment to call him out as he lays on the ground, a hole in his chest.
--->''We came prepared for today... with a perfect demon lord body, ideal for the final boss. Understand yet? What's coming now... is '''our''' story. The villains' tale.''
* Chapter 363: In the Heroes' DarkestHour, there should be no doubt that the declaration that this is "the villains' tale" is proven true.
** The chapter opens with a confirmation that Bakugo is dead, with his killer [=TomurAFO=] proudly displaying himself before the other Heroes, an overjoyed smugness clearly present on his features. Even Mirko leaping into action only earns her a vicious rebuking.
** No matter how legitimate Shoto's victory was, Dabi once again proves to be ''MadeOfIron'' in the most nightmarish way possible. He rises from the ground like an infernal demon and starts ''incinerating'' Endeavor's sidekicks, having copied Shoto's technique. Dabi isn't just an AxCrazy pyromaniac, he's exercising AwesomenessByAnalysis to terrifying effect.
** It's revealed that none other than ''Skeptic'' has been organizing the battle and serving as the Villains' strategist. Still loyally serving Tomura, he quickly redirects Dabi to Endeavor before beginning to strike at the Heroes' defenses, cutting off their electronic communication with each other whilst mocking that they honestly thought they could cut him out of a system ''he'' designed. He then goes onto to start raising all the mobile shelters housing civilians inside them to the surface, intending to wipe out all those who placed their faith in heroes, whilst shots of All For One's various pawns within the civilians are shown communicating with each other as part of his plan to efficiently wipe out not only the heroes, but [[MakeAnExampleOfThem everything]] they're putting themselves on the line to protect.
** The last panel: We finally see the nearly-complete regeneration of ''All For One''... and a full view of his madly grinning face!
--->''Heroes are those who defend... while Villains violate. Behold, as we plunge headlong toward our dreams!!''
* Chapter 364:
** While seeing All For One fully regenerated ''is'' terrifying, he also confirms something else: he's ''not'' surviving this. No matter how smug of an act he puts on, no matter what he does from here on out, he's only delaying his death. Team Endeavor did what the users of One For All and even All Might couldn't: they ''[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu killed All For One]]''.
** The chapter cuts over to America, clearly in disarray after the death of Star and Stripe. In the White House, Ackpar is arguing with the President of the United States, who is looking to capitulate to Shigaraki after the debacle with Star put America at a disadvantage in the race between countries to get in Shigaraki's good graces, having [[DirtyCoward utterly given up on defeating this seemingly invincible menace and looking to retain as much of his own power as he can]]. [[OnlySaneMan Ackpar]] refutes the presidents claims this is for the good of the future, saying the country has no future if Shigaraki is allowed to exist. Ackpar then clarifies the manga's theme of sacrifice and the old generation of heroes inspiring the next generation and so on, stating that perserving the chance of the next generation is the reason heroes wield their powers in the first place. During his speech a sequence of panels beautifully depicts All Might reaching out to Star, who reaches for the next generation in turn, symbolizing her sacrifice giving Japan's heroes a fighting chance.
** Cutting back to UA, a battered Edgeshot enters the scene, declaring Bakugo's to be a life they absolutely cannot afford to lose. Edgeshot screams for Mirko to hold back Shigaraki no matter what, [[DoNotGoGentle even saying if she's reduced to a severed head to bite Shigaraki's neck out]]. After some tense dialogue between Edgeshot and Jeanist, Edgeshot reveals his ultimate technique, Thousand Sheet Pierce- Zenith, allowing him to begin to repair and restart Bakugo's heart, [[HeroicSacrifice seemingly at the cost of his own life]].
* Chapter 365: Edgeshot wastes exactly no time getting to work meticulously repairing Bakugo's damage; he quickly assesses the damage to Bakugo's heart and lungs before using his Quirk to suture together and replace Bakugo's ruptured tissue, performing CPR from ''inside Bakugo's own body'' and even sanitizing his threads via [[MundaneMadeAwesome a bubble]] from Wash. He does this knowing this technique will drastically carve away his own lifespan, but he does it anyway with ZERO hesitation or regard for himself beyond getting the job done and saving someone. 'Cause that's what heroes do.
** '''''Mirko'''''. She kicks Shigaraki hard enough to make his supposedly invincible head spin, distracting him from leaping at Bakugo and buying Edgeshot crucial time. Even after Shigaraki catches her good arm in one of his hand-mouths, she ''just rips it off herself'' to deliver another walloping kick. As she reaffirms with her philosophy of giving absolutely everything she can to die without regrets when her time comes, [[HeroicWillpower it's clear nothing short of complete death]] will prevent Mirko from delivering as much of a beatdown as possible, and with a tourniquet from Jeanist she charges straight back into the fight with a shower of acrobatic kicks called Luna Rush. She can get replacement limbs, but her sheer grit is a cut above damn near anything shown by anyone else in the series.
** Shigaraki's realizing that Mirko's attacks actually hurt and that his invulnerability [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll is somehow weakening]]. Despite appearing outwardly mostly fine, without his regeneration the damage seems to be stacking up internally. It's then Shigaraki realizes the uneasiness he felt when facing Bakugo was [[OhCrap genuine fear]], as he subconciously began to realize [[WorldsStrongestMan One For All]] isn't the only power capable of really hurting him.
** Previously unable to damage Shigaraki even with Nejire-charged fists, how does Mirio contribute? [[BoringButPractical He covers Shigaraki's eyes with his hands]]. Cue Shigaraki blindly and ineffectually flailing to get Mirio off him while Mirko continues the beatdown.
** In a brief montage showing the heroes, we see Tamaki ''growing the same mutant fingers as Shigaraki'', implying Tamaki [[CannibalismSuperpower literally ate part of Tomura's mass of flesh]] in order to fight against him with his own upgrades. If he manages to put together another Plasma Cannon, Shigaraki likely won't be able to shrug it off as easily this time.
* Chapter 366:
** In a villainous one, Shigaraki's accumlated damage causes his AdaptiveAbility to compress his mutations into a more compact and maneuverable form, the mutated mass of fingers fusing into armor and the forms of his family forming an enourmous wrecking ball of a fist. This form absolutely ''wrecks'' the assembled heroes nearly instantly, including Mirko who was beating him down moments before, and cannot be slowed down by anything they throw his way, cutting the bullshit and running straight for Bakugo.
** However, the heroes get one as the reason Shigaraki assumed this form ''at all'' is because, despite all odds, they ''beat'' his first form and forced his body to [[DiscardAndDraw discard it in exchange for pure defense.]]
** The hilariously apt way Mirio saves the day: Shigaraki has realized Mirio is no threat to him physically and starts to ignore the latter's distractions while incapacitating the other heroes. Mirio is desperately trying to think of how to hold Shigaraki off for the two seconds Mandalay has asked for, but knows he simply cannot produce enough power to do so. He then remembers Sir Nighteye's prophecy of him becoming a great hero and how a world without humor has no future, so Mirio unleashes his final gambit: {{Mooning}} [[RefugeInAudacity Shigaraki]]. Which [[CrazyEnoughToWork actually distracts]] Shigaraki long enough for Deku to pull off a badass DynamicEntry in the nick of time.
** Speaking of which, '''''[[TheCavalry DEKU]] [[BigDamnHeroes HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!]]''''' His entrance is announced via a stunning double page spread of him using Blackwhip to grab the pylons surrounding the battlefield and [[FastballSpecial slingshot himself]] straight into an unsuspecting Shigaraki. Cue an instant of eye contact between Deku and Shigaraki before Deku SMASHES straight into the villain hard enough to send him spiraling in mid-air. His belated arrival is the first big chance the heroes get to really turn the tide again and signals the final battle has truly begun in earnest.

* Chapter 367:
** It turns out Star's squadron were the people Deku saw coming, having [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight ignored orders to return to the US in favor of helping Japan]], giving the young hero a RousingSpeech before taking him to UA.
---> '''Ethan Drive, Squad Leader''': ''The [[CoolPlane school bus]] is here, kiddo! Hop on!''
** Immediately after landing the first hit, Izuku follows up with another that sends [[NighInvulnerable the near-unmovable Shigaraki]] [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom hurtling across the battlefield and into the barrier]]. He realizes Deku has become ''much'' stronger than their last encounter, recognizing the energy billowing from Deku as the third user's Fa Jin.
** Shigaraki's plan to [[DespairEventHorizon break]] or [[RageBreakingPoint enrage]] Deku to the point of him becoming reckless by killing Bakugo seems to work... until [[SpannerInTheWorks Mirio]] intervenes and tells him everybody still has a chance to survive and [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan not to give in when there's still hope]], even tossing AFO's [[HannibalLecture accusation]] [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids of denying reality with platitudes]] back by [[ShutUpHannibal saying heroes]] [[SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers turn platitudes into reality]]. This causes Midoriya to remember the advice from All Might, Banjo, and Star's squad, in particular Banjo's advice on controlling his emotions. Midoriya calms down and not only is the plan AFO/Shigaraki have been trying to put in motion for chapters foiled in moments, it [[HoistByHisOwnPetard may have backfired]] since Deku seems to have gotten ''even more powerful'' by focusing his anger into a [[TranquilFury controlled state]], the darkness obscuring his face retreating and his [[GlowingEyes still-burning eyes]] gaining pupils.
** A subtle but powerful one: as Deku is nearly going berserk upon seeing the state of Bakugo and the heroes, Shigaraki tries to goad him into making an excuse to [[NeverMyFault divert responsibility]] for not being where he was needed most, basically daring Deku to make himself like how Shigaraki views all heroes: people who [[ItsAllAboutMe ultimately ignore]] or [[FailureKnight fail to help]] those who need them most. Deku doesn't take the bait. Even after regaining control of himself, Deku doesn't make any excuse beyond apologizing for freaking out and delivers an ArmorPiercingResponse and [[ArmorPiercingQuestion question]] in one: Asking AFO if Shigaraki is "still in there", indicating his mission is still to [[SaveTheVillain save]] [[PoweredByAForsakenChild Tenko]], and in the process proving he's the kind of hero Tenko needed this whole time. The cherry on top is the OFA vestiges manifesting behind him as he asks this, indicating they've got his back in this goal.
* Chapter 368:
** All For One tries to bluff that 'Tomura Shigaraki' no longer exists within him, and that the 'Perfect Demon Lord' has achieved a complete melding, mocking Izuku that he won't get his 'ideal pie-in-the-sky' ending, even as the imagery makes it clear that 'Tenko' is still resisting total assimilation within him. Mirio again interferes with his attempts to play his usual psychological manipulation on his targets, bringing up Tomura's earlier outburst and deducing that their mental synchronisation is actually becoming ''more'' unstable the harder the fighting got, which visibly irks the [=TomurAFO=] personality driving the body. Despite his inability to inflict any [[ScratchDamage meaningful damage]] to his monstrous opponent in the fight, Mirio's presence has [[SpannerInTheWorks constantly thwarted]] All For One's attempts to control the outcome of the battle, no matter how hard he rages, and his [[MadeOfAir intangibility]] means that the DiabolicalMastermind ''cannot'' shut up this source of moral support when Izuku needs it most.
** [=TomurAFO=] bulks up his legs with masses of finger armour like Muscular's quirk, for a jump so powerful it actually ''pushes the entire [[FloatingContinent floating battlefield]] sideways'' from the force, going for a powerful overhead smash straight onto Izuku that devastates the landscape around him as he swears to steal One For All at last... only for Izuku to reveal he's now strong enough to ''tank'' the same kind of blows that were ragdolling the rest of the assembled heroes like flies, threatening All For One to his face that this time, the battle ''will not'' go however he wishes.
--->'''Izuku:''' Know this, All For One. I won't let you have your ideal ending either.
** Izuku unveils another combination of his ComboPlatterPowers, mixing the charged energy from Fa Jin into Black Whip to create a stronger binding weapon capable of briefly restraining [=TomurAFO=]'s massive strength: Black Chain. Using this, he slingshots his hulking opponent away from him, and when All For One prepares for Izuku to re-create their mid-air collision from the War, he instead dissipates the chain, revealing he's learned from their last encounter not to repeat the same mistakes as before, instead using the space generated to set up his ''real'' FinishingMove...
** Having finally reached his destined battlefield, Izuku dispenses with [[HoldingBackThePhlebotinum holding back the big guns]], and finally reveals the 2nd's [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Quirk]]: [[SuperSpeed Gearshift]]. Able to change the speed of a chosen target up to 4 stages, Izuku amplifies his own speed and attack power all the way straight to 'Top Gear' to hit [=TomurAFO=] with a punch that actually ''breaks the sound barrier'', launching him straight into the sky and unable to keep track of his movements anymore. Whilst the 2nd warns Izuku that he needs to finish the fighting and beat [=TomurAFO=] [[RaceAgainstTheClock within 5 minutes]] or the war will be lost, it's revealed that this quirk enables Izuku to achieve the same amplification effect as Fa Jin instantaneously without charging, as Izuku rockets up with a ''fifth'' gear state: Overdrive, to kick [=TomurAFO=] back down to Earth with a Detroit Smash.
--->'''The 2nd:''' As Izuku Midoriya would put it, this is [[SuperMode 120 out of 100 percent]].
** Notably, Izuku's blows are so powerful that, even in a form his body made to [[StoneWall amplify his defences]] against the heroes, [=TomurAFO=] ''vomits'' blood from the hit, and is as powerless to block Izuku's attacks as the heroes were to stop him just seconds before. All For One is visibly [[ThisCannotBe disorientated]] and even ''afraid'' of how one-sidedly he's getting hurt even in his 'perfected' body, demonstrably proving that if Izuku had been fighting Tomura alongside his allies from the start, he had a good chance at overwhelming him in a straightforward clash even with the [[AdaptiveAbility changes to Tomura's body]].
*** It bears repeating, but this is what Izuku can do whilst only able to utilise ''45%'' of One For All's base strength by himself. Adding on the amplification effects from both [[ChargedAttack Fa Jin]] and Gearshift, and [[SuperiorSuccessor Izuku's]] potential attacking power once he masters One For All is [[ReadingsAreOffTheScale astronomical]].
* Chapter 369:
** A flashback to the Second's passing has him display both the same grit and determination that the rest of his successors possessed in defiance of their mortal enemy, even though the power difference was [[DavidVsGoliath particularly pronounced]] with [[WeakButSkilled him]]. Without the enhancement of One For All, Gearshift could only affect small objects like bullets in mid-flight, meaning he had to make creative application of his shots in a battle to inflict delayed attacks into his opponent's blindspots. Despite his LastBreathBullet being [[OffhandBackhand casually blocked from behind]] by All For One without even looking, the Second still went out with a DyingSmirk at his opponent's icy rage towards him, having succeeded in landing a victory against the DiabolicalMastermind that he would then spend ''decades'' trying to undo, in the form of reclaiming his brother's quirk after the Second successfully liberated him from his prison.
*** Of note, All For One has a [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristic]] and [[TranquilFury visibly enraged]] countenance when dealing with him, glaring with ice-cold anger at him with BerserkerTears actually streaming down his face and too upset to taunt him or enjoy his enemy's death, unlike other occasions where he visibly revelled in the power disparity and hopelessness of others trying to fight him. Even in the present, he refers to the Second with pure contempt and is viscerally upset at how his 'insignificant' power is overwhelming him. Whatever the reason for this, it's clear that the Second somehow managed to earn All For One's pure enmity, to the extent that it seem to even outstrip his voiced hatred for his ArchEnemy All Might. Not a bad result for somebody with a 'peashooter' of a quirk.
** Back in the present, the Second explains that thanks to One For All's amplification, by the present point, Gearshift's effects have now evolved enough that it can be applied to more diverse targets and even affect living organisms on the cellular level. When applied to a LightningBruiser like Izuku with the sheer might of One For All's accumulated strength behind him, his fists now have the power to ''warp the laws of reality''. Izuku then proceeds to demonstrate exactly what this means by unleashing a '''quintuple''' Detroit Smash that buries [=TomurAFO=] into a crater, moving so fast that not even the ''sound effects'' of the Smash can keep up between the pages.
** When [=TomurAFO=], still vomiting blood even through his [[StoneWall enhanced defensive form]] realizes Izuku's powerful attack was still weaker than before, and he's run out of [[ChargedAttack Fa Jin energy]], he aims to use his opponent's new speed against him with a counter-attack, even though he admits that he has to calculate when Izuku's heading because he's ''still'' too fast for his eyes to follow. However, Izuku then reveals the other aspect of Gearshift -- by applying 'low gear' to his movements, he can slow himself down even in mid-air, outright negating his inertia and causing [=TomurAFO's=] blow to miss completely. And when the latter winds up for another swing, [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]] forewarns Izuku to rocket back into 'high gear' rendering him functionally untouchable by his enemy no matter what moves he pulls.
** Izuku further stacks on the full application of his ComboPlatterPowers, blinding [=TomurAFO=] with Smokescreen, using Float to rise above him, and then yanking him upward with Black Whip before he can react, all to pull him into range of his final move: having used the multiple Detroit Smashes from before to charge Fa Jin for ''another'' 120% smash straight to the chest. The result? [=TomurAFO=]'s defensive form, designed specifically to enhance his toughness to the point the heroes couldn't even ''scratch'' him, is '''shattered''', leaving him with a massive gaping ''hole'' in his chest and knocked back to his 'base' form, completely helpless against Izuku's might.
*** It took the entire assembled heroes several chapters of inflicting [[DeathByAThousandCuts gradual damage]] against Tomura's enhanced body to defeat his initial {{Kaiju}}-sized form. Thanks to his time limitation, with all his stacked abilities working in tandem together, Izuku canonically ''broke'' his much-tougher second form in under a few minutes without [=TomurAFO=] being able to defend himself in any way. 'World's greatest hero' indeed.
** And while ''all this'' is going on, the All For One aspect of [=TomurAFO=] is still losing his shit, wondering why he can see the vestiges of One For All behind Izuku and raging at the fact that the Heroes decided to "play dirty": going for a divide-and-conquer approach to deal with his final assault, the U.A. Coffin dedicated arena, having Erasure used on him so that he can't use his Quirks to fight back "properly". Backed into a corner, he starts yelling and appears to be undergoing ''yet another'' transformation, the lights of nine vestiges appearing around him as well, then declaring as the scene cuts to the gigantified Spinner continuing his assault to the Central Hospital:
--->'''All For One:''' NO, NOT YET!! Indeed, Yoichi!! The entire chain of events up to now will inevitably spell out victory or defeat for all! Not yet!!! Victory is still within my grasp!!
* Chapter 370: When Spinner and the civilians that have been whipped up into a riot are about to overrun the heroes, Shoji arrives and ''lays into'' Spinner despite him having grown to massive size, all the while [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse calling them out]] on being {{Hypocrite}}s. Made all the more impactful when he reveals he's badly scarred under his mask and went through the same discrimination as they did.
--> '''Shoji:''' What's any of that got to do with attacking a hospital? Back in Jaku, the first thing the heroes did was take action to make sure the patients and staff were safe. What about you guys?! Go on! Tell me, do you have a plan here?! You'd better! Because if not, I WON'T LET THIS STAND!
* Chapter 371:
** Even after Spinner activates a second Quirk All For One gave him, turning him into more or less a small kaiju, and cutting off one of Shoji's split arms, Shoji just keeps fighting on even ground. In the process, he continues to use the suffering ''he's'' gone through to rip into what they're doing in the angriest display we've ever seen from Shoji. The final pages have him using his quirk to form a single massive arm for a CrossCounter with the enhanced and toughened Spinner in mid-air once the latter smacks him skyward. Of note, Spinner's quirk enables him to use the buildings around him as leverage to better attack Shoji, who has no such grounding, but nonetheless keeps [[DidntThinkThisThrough verbally tearing into Spinner's short-sightedness]] along with that of his followers even when forced into a battleground that puts him at a disadvantage. His last words make it clear that, difficult or not, he'll embrace all the hardship and overcome it to save the day, as a true hero, rather than the mutant monster people have seen him as.
--->'''Shoji:''' Yeah. [[IAmWhatIAm This is who I am]].
** We find out Shoji's scars come from having been hit in the face with a pitchfork for touching a nonmutant. He has no interest in revenge, he just wants to be a good person due to a good memory of saving someone from a flood. He just wants to do good and prove the FantasticRacism wrong by deeds. As Tokoyami points out, this makes Shoji a stronger person than Spinner and his entire army can hope to be.
---> '''Shoji''': I'll be the coolest hero the world has ever seen to give good memories to generations to come!
** The Hooded Advisor continues to bad mouth Shoji and keep trying to talk up the crowd... only for Koda to come up behind him with a ''huge'' flock of birds. In addition, his head begins to reshape as a horn-like structure starts to emerge, implying his desire to back up Shoji might have made him undergo a Quirk awakening.
---> '''Koda''': Don't you dare mock Shoji!
* Chapter 372:
** It's revealed that Koda's new horns allow him to simply use telepathy to command animals from a far greater radius as he [[TranquilFury silently orders his impromptu army]] to shove the Hooded Advisor off the building he was on. It's also shown that Koda's nonmutant father defended his wife's horns from several racist people.
*** Koda also does something pretty ballsy with his new power and names his resulting super move [[Film/TheBirds Hitchcock's Birds]]. Not many people can look this heroic while directly referencing NightmareFuel.
** Shoji's Octo-Spansion attack proves powerful to crash through Spinner's BFS and seriously damage the hulking mutant, even though his jagged [[SpikesOfVillainy Scalemail]] Quirk. Despite also taking a deep slash in the chest in return, Shoji's still got enough in him to yell out to the hesitating rioters that if they go through with assaulting the hospital, then the CycleOfRevenge will only continue, and it will be their children who feel the pain dealt out in [[SinsOfTheFather retribution for their actions]]. Without the Hooded Advisor spurring them on, this almost convinces them to stop...except Spinner's intense determination to be useful to Tomura enables him to overcome his physical damage and mental degradation, reciting his 'Call to Action' online speech to rile his followers up once more to continue onto the hospital, despite barely being aware of what he's doing anymore. Shoji's shocked that not only is he still going, but he's somehow even stronger after their clash, underscoring how Spinner's relentless willpower is his greatest strength, despite his enhanced powers.
** The greatest moment of heroism goes not to Shoji, Koda, Mic or any of the assembled police or heroes defending the hospital, but to the unnamed doctors and nurses who are caring for the helpless patients inside the walls. When Spinner and his army smashes into Central Hospital, the mutant and nonmutant workers [[GoThroughMe form a living barrier]] as a last-ditch attempt to block the way, their faces showing both their determiantion not to move as well as their visible ''exhaustion'', making it clear they're been pushing themselves to the limit to care of all those injured or endangered by the current crisis, no matter who they are. This display of silent rejection for the 'nobleness' of their cause stops the rioters dead in their tracks, stunned by [[NeverHurtAnInnocent what they'd have to do]] to follow Spinner further. Spinner himself however has his mind [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity too far degraded by his multiple quirks to process anything]], and continues onwards straight through his harmless opposition. While they fail to stop a walking armoured tank like him, and it's implied the damage done clearly [[HeroicSacrifice cost several of them their lives]], this display of quiet, selfness heroism from people who aren't even professional heroes finishes what Shoji started and gets his point through to the rioters, resulting in them stopping in their tracks.
** The end result is Spinner left alone as he powers through the hospital's corridors, pursued by Present Mic for a one-on-one clash of opposing wills as both of them call out to the restrained Kurogiri. Mic wasn't able to avert his old friend's death last time he fought a rampaging beast like Spinner's devolved into, or stop his corpse being defiled into a tool of All For One's will, but this time, Mic's clearly determined to prevent his old school buddy from being further twisted by the insane megalomaniac's ambitions.
* Chapter 373:
** A minor case, but it's shown that Koda's upgraded abilities don't just limit him to controlling pigeons, but any kind of avian in the area, up to and including have a bald eagle restraining the hooded Advisor.
** Upon witnessing the devastation Spinner inflicted on the innocent in his drive to enter the hospital, the shell-shocked supporters turn around and stand with Shoji, one of them even taking a BarehandedBladeBlock from a spear to protect him, admitting that they might be called cowards or indecisive for turning back now, but they can no longer be certain that they're right to hurt others the way they've been hurt in the past. Shoji commends their willpower regardless, admitting that the feelings that caused them to riot were neither useless nor wrong, merely the way they chose to act upon them. The Hooded Advisor curses out Shoji for derailing the momentum of their charge almost single-handedly, and Rock Lock even notes that whilst the assembled heroes were only thinking of protecting themselves, Shoji was trying to protect their accusers from their righteous anger turning them down a dark path.
** Mic's voice blast bowls Spinner over and knocks him down for the count, additionally breaking the phone containing the recording he was planning to command Kurogiri with. His body pushed beyond the point of exhaustion, his mind still slurred from wielding too many powers, his only means of controlling Kurogiri gone, and his supporters having turned their backs on him, it looks like the end of the line for Spinner... and then he sees [[ChekhovsGun the remaining charred-black hand of Tomura's]] that he was holding onto lying on the ground as well. In a villainous moment of Awesome, Spinner manages to summon up enough strength to seize the hand and push it onto Kurogiri's face, begging him to save Shigaraki. Though Mic rushes forwards with another voice blast ready, aiming to [[MercyKill prevent his friends being used anymore]], its too late, and the chapter ends with Kurogiri standing upright, his face a mixture of Shirakumo's and Kurogiri's as he announces who he is. Even after losing every advantage he had, in the end Spinner's own willpower was enough to allow him to seize the victory he ''truly'' desired in the end -- saving his friend.
--->'''Kurogiri:''' I am... the protector of Tomura Shigaraki.
* Chapter 374: An example of this occurring for all the ''villains'' at once.
** A weather news report at the chapter's beginning reveal that the massive cumulonimbus storm clouds starting to cover the entirely of Japan's southwest are being caused by the rapid massive heat spikes caused by the fighting against the villains, the paneling specifically showing Endeavor, Shoto and Dabi as the main offenders, emphasizing [[PersonOfMassDestruction how powerful]] said family line is. The weather reporter points out that the unprecedentedly massive cloud has the potential to ride the jet stream and affect the weather in North America, citing the [[ButterflyOfDoom Butterfly effect]] and wonders if this sort of chaos was inevitable from the moment Quirks first emerged. However, she then uses this to segue into an open condemnation of All For One and the world's decision to submit to him on national television, pointing out the if the power of these people can have such a massive effect, then correspondingly, all it would take is the power of the right person to stop All For One, despite his apparent invincibility and limitless power.
** Dabi's contrasting [[MadeOfIron durability]] and [[GlassCannon frailty]] get a mention, as despite emitting enough heat to seriously damage even the resistant Shoto, with the damage having conversely almost entirely reduced him to a walking charcoal husk that can barely ''move'', and can only propel himself around by using flames from his feet as propulsion, Dabi ''still'' won't stop fighting. He only breaks off further trying to attack Shoto because he factors in the distance he'd have to travel to Gunga in addition to the damage his body can take and realizes he'd never reach Endeavor if he killed Shoto first, implicitly stating that he's still confident of victory against him despite being practically dead on his feet.
** All For One's [[CrazyPrepared foresight]] comes around to screw over the heroes in the worst possible move for them. Despite the obvious recording device being destroyed by Mic, it turns out he also implanted a micro device in Nana's remaining hand, enabling his orders to still reach Kurogiri despite all the heroes' efforts. Kurogiri demonstrates again just how devastating the ability to commit mass teleportion is, warping Dabi straight to Endeavor's location and pinning him between an invincible All For One and his psychotic son with plenty of fuel remaining to destroy them both. The other portal... opens to reveal two clones of Twice emerging, revealing that Toga activated the Sad Man's Parade, and apparently overwhelmed the heroes on the island and is now poised to swarm their weakened forces on the mainland. In a single move, the tide has once again turned and put the heroes in check once more.
* Chapter 375:
** Several villainous props have to be given to Toga's quick thinking in her battle with Uraraka and Tsuyu. She manages to get out of Uraraka's grasp, and baits Tsuyu into thinking she's about to drink blood from All For One, only for it to be revealed to be a drug that attracts High End Nomu, who attacks Tsuyu. And when Uraraka arrives to help Tsuyu, she finds two of the frog hero... As it turns out one of them was Toga, using the moment of distraction to drink Twice's blood, revealing how the Sad Man's Parade was activated.
** However, despite Toga's quick thinking putting the heroes at a heavy disadvantage, a ray of hope has shined. Refusing to let Toga get away, Uraraka (After nearly getting to Toga by calling back to them talking about romance) manages to go after her thanks to a recovered Tsuyu using her tongue to launch her into the portal, allowing her to take part in the battle between Endeavor's team and All For One with Dabi and Toga. And as this goes on, we get a flashback of the news reporter citing the butterfly effect. What went from a horror-implying notice turns into an inspiring notice, showing that while actions can accumulate into a massive moment of destruction, actions can also build up to an equally heroic moment.
** On the heroes' side, Uraraka's group have pretty much ''won'' at this point. Only Toga, the Near High End, and a few stragglers on the villains' side are still standing, and the second of those was getting hammered by Gang Orca and the rest of the heroes. Even Toga admitted if it weren't for Kurogiri teleporting her to All For One, Sad Man's Parade wouldn't have even ''mattered'', as she couldn't keep it going long enough and there were too many heroes and not enough villains for her to actually make use of it. Even with Kurogiri's intervention, the heroes in that group seem to have secured a clean victory.
** Special mention goes to Gang Orca grappling with a ''Near High End'' and seeming to be holding his own perfectly well.
* Chapter 376: Hawks manages to intercept All For One's attempt to flee despite the latter's speed, their mid-air collision making Hawks look like he just got hit by a speeding truck whilst All For One has not a scratch on him, emphasizing the sheer power difference between them. When All For One falls back on his normal {{Breaking Lecture}}s, mocking Hawks' request that Endeavor stop Toya's rampage so they can focus on stopping the DiabolicalMastermind from fleeing, Hawks has a simple ShutUpHannibal. Endeavor ''already'' fulfilled his duty of stopping All For One, even with his last-minute gamble buying him extra time: He still actually '''killed''' him in the end. This causes All For One's smug demeanor to slip for the first time since he used Rewind as he levels a furious DeathGlare. Hawks knows All For One's BerserkButton and knows just what to say to get under his skin, in an ironic reversal of his favourite tactic.
** Hawks furthermore notes All For One's haste to reach Deku's battlefield, even with his existence now on a proverbial timer, and mocks him with his weakness. Even with the current version of himself now effectively invincible, the 'perfect demon lord' that All For One seeks to mould Tomura into throughout this battle is still incomplete, and Izuku still has a chance of stopping him and his long-term plans. Whilst All For One is still deluding himself that events will ultimately play out to his advantage, there's still hope for the heroes to thwart him in the end in the midst of the chaos, something [[HopeCrusher he]] intends to avert at all costs.
** Enji, even in a weakened state and with his son now effectively burnt to the point of certain-death, his flames at their hottest just before they get snuffed out for good, ''finally'' has a chance to try and atone for his role in creating Dabi. The chapter ends with his tired yet resolute face, absent the flaming beard and eye-mask that denoted him as 'Endeavor, the hero', as he prepares to face his son as a father.
--->'''Enji:''' This time around, I'm really seeing you.
* Chapter 377:
** Monoma is finally rendered unable to use Erasure, letting the Tomura-AFO hybrid unleash its full power-- a power that can destroy ''the world'' if UA isn't there to defend it.
** The Vestiges confirm that All For One, despite his claims, has been losing control and unification of himself and Shigaraki... which is shown in vicious detail when Shigaraki himself takes over once more as the dominant personality, literally 'shedding' his upper half into a whole new body as his personality reasserts control, declaring that it won't be All For One's hand that destroys the world, ''but his own''. Whilst not ideal for the heroes, at long last, Izuku and Tomura are posed to have their fated final clash as the present-day holders of All For One and One For All, without All For One's controlling interference, a suitable denial of his desire to remain the story's sole BigBad. Tomura's wording even implies that he's come to recognise Izuku himself as his WorthyOpponent for his own heroic traits, unlike All For One seeing him as merely a vessel for One For All's immense power, [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou desiring to beat Izuku himself]] rather than allow his master to decide the outcome.
---> '''Tomura''': ''What if I told you that it's '''me''' here now... what wouldja wanna do? Sit down for a chat at the mall? Hmm? Ain't happening, hero. After all, I '''am''' your villain.''
** Izuku's conversation with the Second reveals the drawback to Gearshift's massive power boost: with his cells constantly active and sped-up by the quirk, they cannot rest and properly pump oxygen around his body, meaning Izuku cannot adequately breathe as long as he's speeding up. This effectively means he's been beating [=TomurAFO=] into a bloody pulp without literally being able to catch his breath during the assault, and despite the drawback, he's thrashed the DiabolicalMastermind ''so badly'', the Second confirms he cannot control Tomura anymore. He orders Izuku to keep up the pressure against his ArchEnemy for even a second more, as the actions of Izuku's allies also fighting in the various battlefields around Japan will in turn [[ThePowerOfFriendship become his power]] even if his physical strength starts to falter.
** Skeptic has been able to hack into UA's systems and threatens to drop the school, killing the heroes and civilians there in one fell swoop. However, to his shock, his own systems are hacked by... [[TheBusCameBack La Brava]]! Even more so, she's [[HeelFaceTurn working with the Police Force, even if she's still devoted to Gentle]]! Skeptic goes from being confident and in control to [[OhCrap panic]] in a nanosecond. Even better is that La Brava implies she was ''waiting'' for Skeptic to try this so she could exploit it to turn the tables on him.
---> '''La Brava''': Found ya!
** Skeptic's hacking skills and technological connections have been an invaluable and omnipresent boon to the villains regardless of which organisation he was working for, always providing needed intelligence and communication to allow the villains he supported to proceed with their plans in ways that disadvantaged the heroes, acting as a lynchpin that ensured they always held the edge whilst pressuring the heroes. At the time, it was noted that Izuku's small-scale battle with Gentle was unneeded and unnecessary, and it would have been better for him to seek the aid of the official heroes instead of trying to confront the AntiVillain by himself. And yet, by empathizing with Gentle's motivations, fighting him to the point he couldn't escape, and convincing himself to surrender to the authorities to protect La Brava from the repercussions of their villainy before their crimes escalated, [[TheParagon Izuku's]] 'needless heroism' ultimately resulted in the one person who can counter Skeptic fighting on the heroes' side when they needed her most.
* Chapter 378: May as well be called '[[KarmicJackpot Karma]] strikes for Izuku'.
** La Brava reveals that, during her days as a shut-in, she once hacked into Feel Good Inc's servers and replaced all their ads with dancing optic kitty mascots for fun, utterly trouncing Skeptic's prized coding skills as she did so. As he suffers a meltdown from being upstaged by the same hacker ''again'', she then proceeds to rub salt in the wound by flooding his screen with the same mascot dancing tauntingly at him, which [[TraumaButton really gets under Skeptic's skin]]. Her hacking is so one-sided, Skeptic is forced to transmute the servers forcing UA to plummet and the Evacuation shelters to expose themselves before she can reach them, and then flee the compromised hideout rather than fight her out, underscoring how all his superiority and resources [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter mean nothing in the face of true skill]]. Even better, Skeptic once told Re-Destro that he'd only failed in his life ''once'' before, with it being implied that La Brava's hacking was that failure.
*** Skeptic is even denied the pleasure of thwarting La Brava's counter-hacking with his RageQuit, as she simply cooperated with heroes in the nearby area to ambush him the second he went above ground, putting a stop to the Villain's technological advantage against the heroes.
** Even with La Brava stopping Skeptic's interference, Tomura's blasting of the UA compound has still wrecked its flight capabilities so badly that its freefall is inevitable: La Brava admitting she can reconfigure the remaining operational system to get it airborne again, but not before it reaches the earth and allow Tomura's decay to potentially spread beyond their battlefield. With the mass of Twice clones literally swarming across the connecting power cables to engage the supporting heroes and technicians with a mass of never-ending bodies, the American fighter jets circling the fighting cannot lend their aid unless they hit their allies too, leaving the situation again looking hopeless... until one of them notices something. [[TheBusCameback A familiar-looking figure bouncing in mid-air]] in the path of the plummeting arena.
** Gentle enters the battlefield already in Lover-Mode, determined to repay his debt to Izuku for the second chance he allowed him to have. Noting that their time apart has only strengthened the power boost from Lover-Mode [[note]]as 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'[[/note]], Gentle then proceed to use it to create a '''massive''' air trampoline that covers the entirely of the school building catching it in mid-air. Even better, as Tomura's decay can only affect 'solid' objects, but not solidified incorporeal substances like the air itself, Gentle's quirk allows the heroes to have a reliable means of keeping him airborne even without the personalised battlefield. Gentle flashing back to his failure to save the falling worker makes it clear that this heroic achievement to save Izuku when he most needed help is [[MyGreatestSecondChance his redemption for his prior failure to be a hero]].
--->'''Gentle:''' On that fateful day, I only wished to save someone who'd fallen. Yes, to be of service to others was my hope!
** Furthermore, a flashback to the night of All For One's mass breakout of Japan's prisons reveals the reason why only '''''six out of the seven''''' of them were free of inmates: when given the option to flee and wreak havoc to their heart's content, Gentle alone stood before his fellow prisoners and asked them if they ''really'' wanted to go out and add more crimes to their misdeeds despite being utterly terrified out of his wits, recalling the words of the arresting police officer that 'the only ones who say they can't turn their lives around are the ones with no real desire to change'. When the prisoners confirmed that [[RedemptionRejection they did intend to rob, kill or do whatever they wanted]], it was recalling [[GreaterScopeParagon Izuku's determination]] to show those like Eri a bright future that convinced Gentle to [[YouShallNotPass fight back alone]] against the entire prison. The aftermath? Gentle [[OneManArmy single-handedly subdued]] ''everyone'', resulting in his prison being the sole one that didn't suffer any breakouts. His only price for his aid to the heroes was getting to see La Brava again and helping out Izuku in his final battle.
** However, though Gentle has halted UA's downward plunge, he can't do anything about the revived Tomura, who, lacking his master's desire to steal One For All from Izuku before killing him, just attempts to launch an AOE decay wave to obliterate everybody. Suffering from oxygen deprivation, Izuku can't reach Tomura in time... before a familiar-looking spiralled bullet zips in out of nowhere and blows his right hand clean off. Kilometres away, [[ImprobableAimingSkills atop a building in the middle of a city covered in pouring rain and high winds so far away that UA is barely visible]], [[FriendlySniper Lady Nagant]] is providing pinpoint backup support to the boy who reignited her belief in true heroes once again. Tsukauchi sums up best how Izuku's selfless actions have come back to aid him in his greatest moment of need.
-->'''Tsukauchi:''' No matter [[FallenHero how far they're fallen]], each villain is [[AntiVillain still a human being]]. It's on us to recognise that about them. We absolutely have to. To borrow a phrase from a friend, deep within each of their hearts, we'll find their starting point -- Their [[ArcWords Origin]].
** A closer look at Tomura reveals that his painful 'moulting' of his upper half as he regained control of himself from All For One also [[RemovedAchillesHeel regrew the previously destroyed fingers on his left hand]]. Whilst obviously bad for the heroes now he can freely unleash his maximum destructive powers with either limb, it's a point in his favour that marks him out as the natural SuperiorSuccessor to All For One as the leader of Villains. For years, his master was ''defined'' by [[WoundThatWillNotHeal the unhealable wounds]] inflicted upon him, to the point that his mental image of himself within his vestige still bears them, and he initiated his plans to [[GrandTheftMe become 'the Next Me']] partly because he couldn't stand the idea of the 'demon lord' being so obviously disfigured and beaten in his very appearance. Every time he stepped out to battle, he made certain to cover the injuries up with a CoolMask to maintain the illusion of him being an untouchable imposing evil. And now, out of his desire to beat Izuku and the heroes behind him, Tomura has done in half a year what his master never could, and repaired injuries not even [[GoodThingYouCanHeal Hyper Regeneration]] could fix. His master's hold on him is nothing but a handicap that limits Tomura's full potential against his enemies, and this is further proof of that.
* Chapter 379:
** Nagant is revealed to be firing from atop the Central Hospital, launching her rounds to aid Izuku even as the recoil from firing such a high-calibre destructive projectile that far rips open her barely-healed injures, causing her to gush blood everywhere. Despite the pain and nearly losing consciousness, Nagant holds on just long enough to launch a second round before she collapses, successfully blowing off Tomura's remaining hand before be can launch Decay with it, giving Izuku the opening he needs, noting as she does so that this too, is [[MyGreatestSecondChance her own redemption for her past sins]].
--->'''Lady Nagant:''' Grey skies...I'd been [[FallenHero stained by darkness]] and [[TheCynic lost faith in the light]], until you and my successor came around to remind me of how I felt back then, with [[WideEyedIdealist my bright and shining hopes]], and of my reason for ''being''. Now, let this reach Izuku Midoriya, from Lady Nagant!!
** Rock Lock, introduced as a cynical older hero who vocally expressed his lack of faith in Izuku's capability, vouches for Nagant and gives her a communicator to keep track of the overall battle, expressing faith that, despite her sins, her heart is in the right place to help their side, because both of them had their opinions overturned by the same boy fighting on the frontlines for them. His brief words highlight how [[TheHero Izuku]] is carrying ''everybody's'' faith on [[OnlyICanKillHim him being able to defeat Tomura's unbelievable power]], but despite the fact Izuku is the only one who can carry that brunt of that burden, every hero and past villain he has met is willing to do [[YouAreNotAlone whatever they can to support him]] in his heroic efforts.
--->'''Rock Lock:''' Listen Lady Nagant. Ultimately, this full mobilisation on our part hinges on our faith in [[HopeBringer Izuku Midoriya]]. So if your heart's telling you to take action for that kid, then I'm choosing to trust you.
** The Central Hospital staff get a mention: despite the events taking place shortly after Spinner's destructive rampage straight through several of their overworked staff, what survivors there are are mentioned off-screen to be still tending to those wounded in the fighting, both friend and foe, despite the enormity of the task and the impossibility of being able to save all those requiring attention. True heroism does not require one to fight, merely having the willpower to never stop trying to save others despite the odds.
** Enraged by all the constant interferences getting in the way of his victory, the vestige of All For One can only [[VillainousBreakdown scream bloody murder]] in [[ThisCannotBe futile denial]] of the reality of his situation, cursing Nagant for still trying to play 'a noble agent of justice' despite her past sins. At this point, his ''glorious'' HumiliationConga reaches a peak, as his vestige self is literally choked off his tirade by a mass of fingers bursting from his mouth, as the 'Tomura' personality starts to reassert full control over himself, additionally ''really'' [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech rubbing salt in the wound]] over how pathetic and unsightly his master becomes the more things don't go the way he planned, dismissing his master's obsession with One For All and plans to become an 'immortal demon Lord' as irrelevant compared to his own willpower. Mocking his master for how all his efforts to groom him, use his hatred and turn him into a LivingWeapon to steal his brother's Quirk have come to nothing in the end, thanks to him keeping his '[[ArcWords origin]]' deep within his soul to retain his individuality, Tomura's own vestige ''rips open All For One's from within'' as the capper to his speech, possibly outright ''destroying'' All For One's consciousness inside the quirk and leaving him as Izuku's sole opponent with all his master's accumulated powers. All For One has unequivocally '''lost''' his mental fight with Tomura, and has absolutely no means or recovering from this or playing it off.
--->'''Tomura:''' Unlike those flip-flopping screwups, [[{{Determinator}} my heart ain't wavering]]. Everything I witness in this world, led to the existence of ''that'' house. [[SplitPersonalityMerge As Tomura Shigaraki and Tenko Shimura]], I've got just one hope. The destruction of everything stemming from that house. That's the only thing that's gonna ''save'' me, '''[[ArchEnemy Hero]].'''
** Though minor, the last thing the All For One vestige does in a desperate attempt to avert his fate is cravenly scream at Kurogiri to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere warp Tomura's body back to the original All For One]] so he can reclaim control over his 'Next me'. However, Kurogiri fails to react, his smoky visage transforming back into Shirakumo's as his mentality starts to become dazed and confused once more, seeking out 'Tomura' to protect him and unable to see his charge within the body before him. With the blackened hand knocked to the ground nearby, Kurogiri is no longer directly being controlled to mindlessly serve All For One's interests, and the paneling makes it clear that Spinner's last impassioned plea has awakened just enough of Shirakumo to fight back against the brainwashing for Tomura's sake, [[LaserGuidedKarma denying All For One respite when he needs it most]].
** As Tomura returns to reality, it's revealed that Izuku has tackled them both off the suspended UA building, restraining his regenerating hands with Black Whip as they freefall towards the ruined city together. With access to his Quirks restored, Izuku realises that fighting him atop UA only places those heroes and students within in danger, taking on Tomura solo at the height of his power and complete control over himself at last to protect everybody. Despite Tomura reaffirming to his face that [[RedemptionRejection he fully intends to destroy everything as his only means of salvation from his pain]], Izuku likewise states that he won't ignore his enemy's anguish or desire to be rescued from it, even if there's no other way to stop him but fighting him. The chapter ends on an ''epic'' double-panel spread of Izuku and Tomura squaring off in the apocalyptic ruined streets of the city as lightning flashes above the suspended UA building in the background, the stage for their final fight at last.
*** Though neither realise it, one of the business course students is filming their confrontation from within UA, as each side prepares to battle it out. Izuku's dream to be a hero started with a video of All Might heroically rescuing civilians and showcasing how awesome heroes are. Now, Izuku's fight with Tomura, the strongest villain in the world, seems likewise [[BookEnds posed to become the next source of inspiration for future heroes]]. After many of his battles were kept out of the public spotlight, Izuku's climatic confrontation with Tomura seems to be the one where the world will finally see him in action as a hero, fitting with Izuku's assertion that this story was about how he became the greatest hero in the world. Furthermore, whilst All Might inspired an entire generation of new heroes, the story hasn't shied away from how this did nothing to help those labeled ''villains'', many of whom would have had a better chance in life if people had been more willing to give them a chance. Izuku's determination to 'save' Tomura from himself, despite being both unrepentant and apparently [[AmbiguouslyHuman truly monstrous]], will showcase that a ''true'' hero sees the humanity and chance of redemption within everyone, even those he fights against.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Final War Arc, Conclusion (Chapters 380- )]]
* Chapter 380:
** When Gentle notices the business course students filming both him holding the falling UA building afloat and Izuku's epic battle on the ground, he yells at them to get to safety, only for them to rebuff him. Dangerous as it it, the drama unfolding around the scattered battlefields ''must'' be shown in its entirely to the world, so that the people recognise that heroes do still exist, even in this DarkestHour. Gentle can only smile and chide himself for ever trying to infiltrate UA as a lesson in the fallibility of heroes, when such outstanding non-combat students are risking their lives to prove the exact opposite.
--->'''Business Course Student:''' When Japan was falling to pieces, the nation placed the entire burden on Endeavor!! That day, [[IShouldHaveBeenBetter we should have been documenting and curating the whole saga]], and it should've secured the link between heroes and society! But we couldn't! So now we film to reforge that link!! This is how the business course does heroics!!
** Said student's speech moves La Brava, who decides to make sure their efforts don't go to waste (and also primarily as a means of boosting Gentle's popularity) by taking advantage of UA's damaged electromagnetic barrier being down to hack into their phones and stream their footage live across the globe, ensuring the whole world watches as the fighting unfolds. When Tsukauchi calls her out on focusing on online popularity rather than restoring UA's flight capabilities, La Brava flippantly reveals she's ''already'' created a program capable of working with the damaged generators, mere minutes after Tomura devastated the hi-tech battleground.
** With his mind still short-circuiting from Shirakumo's aspects FightingFromTheInside, Kurogiri is left behind atop UA, struggling against his programming and trying to remember who he's supposed to be fighting for... before catching a glimpse of both Present Mic and Aizawa falling off the side of the control room, being attacked by rabid Twice's all the way. Swiftly, Kurogiri/Shirakumo teleports both his old classmates out of danger, proving that there is still some part of him that remains a hero, even if those still fighting the horde notes that he also removed [[PowerNullifier Erasure]] from being used against Tomura.
--->'''Kurogiri/Shirakumo:''' ''I am...Pro..tector''...[[ArmourPiercingQuestion of what?]]
** It looks as if All For One has finally killed Hawks... only for it to turn out the 'Hawks' he killed was actually an illusion created by Camie while Seiji used Meatball to save Hawks. The two once more managed to prove All For One isn't as infallible as he likes to ''think'' he is by successfully fooling the EvilOverlord, through a 'weak' Quirk that is only able to affect him because of his regrown senses and arrogant disregard of his prior 'crutch' Quirks he used to compensate with.
*** All For One further smugly reveals his 'plan' to become the 'Perfect Demon Lord' has him injecting the copied Quirk factor he possesses inside his rewinding shell into Tomura, believing that the vestiges in his original and copies Quirks will undergo a FusionDance into a singular one strong enough to [[DeathOfPersonality utterly erase Tomura's psyche]] after using it to Steal One For All... [[DramaticIrony again highlighting]] how ''utterly doomed'' his plans are. Tomura has seized full control over himself, rejects the idea of indulging his master's obsession with his brother's Quirk in favour of [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just destroying it]], and has torn his original Vestige apart. As much as All For One [[IRejectYourReality refuses to accept the reality]], his stint as the Symbol of Evil is fast approaching it's end.
** It turns out the Shiketsu High students were put on refugee duty but realized when no one arrived, something had gone wrong. Cue their Hero Course students [[BigDamnHeroes arriving just in time]] to give some very much needed back up. This includes Inasa sucking up a huge number of the Twice clones inside of a whirlwind, his precise control over his far-reaching Quirk's abilities arguably the perfect counter to the rapidly-spawning horde of enemies, just like he demonstrated with the target balls in the License Exam. Inasa caps it off by giving a ShutUpHannibal to All For One, who'd just said the wind was blowing for him.
---> '''Inasa''': Listen up, pal! I'm the guy who decides which way the wind blows!
* Chapter 381:
** Though understated, Seiji comments that he's got a personal stake in facing All For One, as [[YouKilledMyFather his father]] was one of the many Jailers he killed in the outbreak of Tartarus. Despite facing the man who took his family from him and remorselessly threatens to spread further destruction against his friends and his country, Seiji makes it clear that he's joining in the fighting [[RevengeIsNotJustice not for personal vengeance, but to honour his father's memory]] and desire to protect the innocent against the crazed Villains of society, of which All For One has come to embody the pinnacle of, showing again how All For One's attempt to manipulate the narrative of the story [[VillainProtagonist around himself]] is only ensuring everybody moves on from him in disgust, desiring to make the world a better place without granting him the satisfaction of treating him as the 'Omnipresent Villain of the world' he wants to be seen as.
--->'''Seiji:''' Indeed, as a prison guard, my dad set out to ''protect''. I shall take up his mantle!!
** With Inasa using the Twice clones as literal missiles against All For One, every available hero on the scene then starts to blast him with every ranged attack they've got, throwing a literal maelstrom against him to hold him down and prevent him moving on to interfere with Izuku and Tomura's climatic fight. All For One decides to retaliate with a glimpse of his old potential, combining multiple abilities together into a WaveMotionGun that ''devastates'' the landscape and the arrayed forces against him, mocking them for thinking multiple 'weak' abilities combined together could overcome his power. Without the force provided by outstanding individuals like All Might and Endeavor, All For One taunts the heroes that they're ''vastly'' [[YouHaveNoIdeaWhoYoureDealingWith overestimating how feasible an idea it is to face the Symbol of Evil and live]], let alone win against him.
*** Though he doesn't draw attention to it, Endeavor's feat of almost killing All For One has left its psychological mark on him. He refers to the weakened, one-armed and half-dead man as 'the only one who can stand up to him' on the battlefield, something he once referred to [[ArchEnemy All Might]] as, demonstrating how shaken he was by his near-death and technical defeat at his hands. Even if he's effectively cheated death for the moment, All For One is now demonstrably ''[[WorthyOpponent wary]]'' of an individual other that a holder of One For All and Star and Stripe.
** As All For One blames their naive faith in his defeat as being born from the ignorance the younger generation has of his heyday, of the time when [[TheDreaded everybody trembled before his presence]] and [[ParanoiaFuel the fear of his control over everything]], Inasa shoots this down. Even if [[UnPerson All For One himself is a complete non-entity to them]], contemporary histories classes have educated the younger generation as to the dark age of Quirk history that All For One seeks to re-create, and ''none'' of the heroes, no matter their background, are willing to tolerate a return to such a barbaric era on their watch. Commenting that windy days only improve his Quirk's power, Inasa redoubles the bombardment around All For One, aided by the very cumulonimbus storm indirectly created by the Todoroki's family's flames, showing how Endeavor's actions have helped pull the fragmented heroes still willing to fight into a united front against All For One's malice. This noticeably [[BerserkButton irks]] All For One, commenting to himself that [[HopeCrusher despite all he does]], the heroes simply won't stop re-igniting each other's hopes for a better future.
--->'''Inasa:''' ''Forget you and your ancient glory days!'' What I wanna see is a future built by the guys I'm cheering on!!
** As All For One prepares to start stealing some Quirks to both break free of the encirclement and crush his enemies' hope, taunting them that they're still unable to attack him directly because of the danger [[PowerParasite his power]] brings, he's [[OhCrap shocked]] from sensing [[EnemyRisingBehind something looming over him from behind]] -- ''Dark Shadow'', now in a '''gigantic''' Ragnarok form that dwarfs anything Tokoyami's released before. Using Pixiebob's [[DishingOutDirt Quirk]] to bury Tokoyami in the darkness beneath the earth, with the storm clouds above blocking the sunlight and the fires Dabi and Endeavor unleashed being removed by Inasa's gale force winds, Tokoyami can now unleash strength beyond anything he could alone, attacking All For One with ''true'' power wielded in unity. For a bonus -- Tokoyami taunts All For One that Dark Shadow is capable of touching him because of his LogicalWeakness, that he cannot drain a Quirk from the user if he is not touching the 'true' body, as he lamented being unable to do so earlier from the Twice clones. With Inasa's winds helming him in, All For One cannot do anything to stop Tokoyami unleashing an attack on par with One For All's strength directly at him, an attack he instantly realises he needs to ''dodge'', showing outright panic at the sight of Ragnarok's fist bearing down on him.
--->'''Tokoyami:''' ''Dark Shadow: Total Release''. '''Abyssal Black Body: Light of Baldur!!'''
** The panelling of Ragnarok's unleashed power emphasises how ''insignificant'' All For One truly is. Despite his delusions of being the pinnacle of darkness and evil in the series, with his present appearance and the Quirks he was using to attack the heroes having grown vaguely wing-like structures from his back, All For One resembles a FallenAngel caught in the gaze of a ''true'' god, about to bring righteous punishment down upon him for his hubris in declaring himself almighty.
--->''' Tokoyami:''' Even darkness comes in a range of shades. So you don't get to speak of '''The Dark'''. That muddied dismal darkness you brought about... we've already devoured it whole!!!
** To add to Tokoyami's moment, he's one of the only people to ''ever'' make All For One flat out ''panic'', the other one being Endeavor.
* Chapter 382:
** Both heroes and villains alike realise that despite the good guys being outnumbered, Toga's version of the Sad Man's Parade has [[PowerUpLetDown a fatal weakness]]: she cannot successfully replicate the Quirks of those she copies besides Jin, meaning that [[ZergRush an endless horde of disposable attackers]] is all they have to contend with. Tsuyu theorises that Toga's Quirk, [[PsychoactivePowers needing her to 'love' the target]], likewise extends to the doubles she creates, meaning that, because she doesn't truly love her ostensible allies like she did to [[TrueCompanions Jin]], she can't duplicate [[StoryBreakerPower their abilities]] as well, giving the heroes a fighting chance. Ironically, despite Dabi planning [[HeadsIWinTailsYouLose a sure-fire way]] to unleash the Parade no matter what Hawks did, his [[IWorkAlone lack of true emotional camaraderie]] with Toga [[HoistByHisOwnPetard undercut his masterstroke]], [[EvilCannotComprehendGood something he couldn't have predicted]].
** Tsuyu notes that despite this, Toga's powers being based on [[EmotionalPowers her emotional state]] means that this limitation could change at any moment with the right impetus, so they need to locate the real Toga and stop her asap. However on top of her [[StealthExpert specialised skills]] at hiding her presence, Toga now looks [[NeedleInAStackOfNeedles identical to the endlessly-spawning hordes of Jin]] on the chaotic battlefield, making the task near-impossible.... if not for one thing. In a [[VillainousBreakdown fit of self-loathing]] at herself for her inability to truly 'become' Jin and kill all the heroes like Toga believes he would want, Toga cannot stop herself from crying in frustration, which Uraraka notices amongst the chaos.
--->'''Narration:''' She's always loved seeing happy people. So of course, she zeroed in on her tears.
** Tokoyami's full-powered Ragnarok keeps pinning down All For One, aided by every hero piling on as support, until the arch-villain unleashes another massive blast to destroy its arm and force everybody back, rising to his feet whilst mocking their attempts to stop him with brute force... only for him to stop short as his face comes into view, revealing that he's now ''visibly younger'', about the age of a young adult. His HourOfPower has finally started to reach the limit of his [[LongLived lengthy lifespan]], and because of him indulging in his revived strength at his physical prime against the 'gnats' he mocked for trying to beat him, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain All For One has wasted most of his 'second chance at victory']]. His face doesn't express anything, but his [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere instant attempt to flee the fighting]] again without a word shows that he's now [[OhCrap deeply concerned]] about his chances of emerging victorious if any more of his time is wasted.
*** Going further than that, Hawks' slice healing on his face was accompanied by a stronger burst of Rewind energy over the cut, implying that the more All For One's body becomes damaged, the stronger the energy rewinds him to undo the damage [[CastFromLifespan at the cost of burning through his remaining lifespan quicker]]. All For One's visibly younger appearance and his fear towards Tokoyami's attack imply that it seriously damaged him to the point of pushing him back to his early years, potentially even ''outright killing him again'' without his current status.
*** Even better? The huge explosion that All For One put off...does nothing to Tokoyami and Dark Shadow but knock them back. The very next page, they're charging right after him with no visible damage. Tokoyami just {{No Sell}}ed an attack from ''All For One''.
** As All For One flees, pursued by all the assembled heroes determined to drag him down no matter what, all parties notice a new incoming threat on the battlefield: '''Gigantomachia''', awakened and already in full-battle mode as he makes a beeline straight for his master, the heroes having apparently failed to stop the villains from rousing him. Certain of his escape, All For One smugly orders Machia to crush all his enemies, except...
--->'''Hawks''': [[BaitAndSwitch Not quite the disaster it looks like?]] Right Tsukauchi!?
** Cue Gigantomachia '''throwing an entire mountain at All For One''', knocking his master backwards and stunning him over how his [[UndyingLoyalty most loyal minion]] has turned on him, before noticing some figures standing atop Machia's head: A bloodied but still determined Kirishima, and ''[[CompellingVoice Shinso]]'', using his equipment and Quirk to control the [[TheJuggernaut otherwise-unstoppable asset]] the villains thought they had complete control over against them, at the worst possible timing for All For One.
*** Kirishima's presence also implies that he and his group, like Uraraka's, managed to win their respective fight, despite Machia's freed state indicating it was a close victory.
* Chapter 383:
** A flashback to the villains ambushing Machia's containment facility reveals that, rather than try to fight their way through to him, they simply combined their Quirks with a high-frequency transmitter, designed to pierce sound waves mimicking All For One's voice straight through any buildings or bindings placed on the inert giant, aware one of his abilities, "Dog", would pick it up regardless of how faint the sound was and [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant rouse him to action]]. Furthermore, despite the heroes having utterly stopped the assault on the ground thanks to Juzo's [[MuckingInTheMud Softening]] burying all the ground-based forces in one move, the Scuba-Faced Advisor has hoisted himself and a few allies aloft to ensure the broadcast continues uninterrupted, mocking the heroes that all they need to do is make Machia respond to their call and they'll win regardless of the heroes' efforts. Mt Lady's desperation to stop them highlights the [[TheJuggernaut sheer unstoppability]] of the titanic behemoth, that everybody on both sides of the fighting is aware he's leagues beyond any efforts to stop outside of One For All or All For One.
** Mt Lady gets to show her improved skills and determination as one of the main fighters, using Kodai's [[{{Sizeshifter}} Rule]] quirk to grow ''massive'' spanners and wrenches about 50 feet long for her to wield as melee tools against the attackers, being about to wipe out their foes in a single blow before Machia erupts from the containment facility swatting her aside like an afterthought as he blindly screams for his master. Despite once again getting ragdolled by a force she's can't overpower, Mt Lady still has the presence of mind to rip the bindings off of Machia's ears to render him vulnerable to Shinso's brainwashing as per their fallback emergency plan, doing what she can to stop him even as he's beating her bloody.
** However, the heroes run into an unexpected complication: [[ChekhovsGunman the sludge villain that attacked Midoriya in chapter 1]], just tagging along to the easiest battlefield he could find and aiming to [[DirtyCoward pretend to fight before slipping away]], as the only remaining heroes still opposing them are the ones with true grit, chanced upon the weakest opponent he could to attack, Shinso. Having [[AchievementsInIgnorance unexpectedly upset the heroes' counter-attack]], Kirishima can only helplessly recreate Midoriya's own frantic efforts to save Bakugo, futilely clawing away the sludge from around Shinso's mouth as he suffocates, as Machia prepares to impale Mt Lady through the head and march out once more on a bloody path of destruction straight to his master. As the Scuba Advisor gloats that their era of Liberation has begun...
*** Mina creates a ''gigantic'' blob of acid, large enough to cover Machia's hand, interjecting it between his attack on Mt Lady, at a high enough volume that it actually ''eats into'' his fingers and the giant is forced to pull back from the strike to avoid losing them, even with his inability to sense pain. The effort involved in creating that much acidic mass, larger than her own body several times over, leaves Mina so dehydrated that one of her black sclera is drained of its usual colouration, but she still has enough strength left in her to attack the Sludge Villain with her remaining acidic touch, forcing him off Shinso. She furthermore shoots back at the Scuba Advisor, dismissing his '[[TheSocialDarwinist Law of the Jungle]]' HannibalLecture by yelling that she knows full well what it means to be weak: that's why she loves making friendships and grouping with other people, and [[NotSoDifferentRemark that same fear of being alone and weak also goes the same for the villains as well]]. The Scuba Advisor remembering how Re-Destro claimed them to be one and the same implies her words got through to him, and he can only rant that Machia's power makes her sentiments useless -- words he swiftly eats when Shinso turns said power against all the remaining flying opponents.
** Shinso's Brainwashing gets again to prove how useful it is, instantly incapacitating not only Machia, but the otherwise-intangible Sludge Villain with a few careless responses. Shinso also gets to show how he's physically improved from his training under Aizawa, managing to parkour up Machia's body to get close enough to his ears to issue a command in All For One's voice. Furthermore, shutting off Machia's brain via his Quirk means that it doesn't matter how good his hearing is, no further orders given to him will register to the DumbMuscle, turning his might squarely on the heroes' side for good.
*** Shinso was only able to mimic All For One's voice thanks to the Tartarus recordings of his jail cell, meaning that Stain's interference and providing said intel to All Might defanged one of the greatest assets available to the DiabolicalMastermind -- a fitting karmic punishment given how he manipulated the Hero Killer's own crusade from the shadows to suit his own purposes.
** The chapter ends on an ''epic'' double-page spread of [[AllYourPowersCombined everybody teaming up]] to fight All For One, Inasa and Tokoyami pinning him down with tornado-force gales and Ragnarok's empowered might, the brainwashed Gigantomachia casually chucking ''mountains'' at him like they were sacks of flour, Mt Lady striking him with another enlarged weapon and every standing hero remaining also pitching in on the side. Despite all of it, the ex-leader of the villains remains aloft, blocking every strike and holding his ground despite enough power being arrayed against him to count as an entire army, underscoring [[OneManArmy how powerful he remains]], even [[LivingOnBorrowedTime with his time running low]]. However, it's equally clear that defending himself is ''all'' he can do, a shot of his face being visibly strained and his trademark smile utterly absent, making it clear that All For One is inching steadily closer to [[VictoryByEndurance losing the fight]], and his only hope being to find some means of escape, rather than being able to kill his foes by himself like he arrogantly presumed the revised "Demon Lord" could achieve with ease.
* Chapter 384:
** All For One realises that Shinso is somehow controlling Gigantomachia, and unleashes a massive shockwave targeted at him that's powerful enough to actually knock Machia backwards and out of the brainwashing... but then the giant keeps attacking him ''anyway''. As it turns out, Machia figured out it was All For One inside of Tomura - and thus his beloved master - who rewarded his loyalty by abandoning him and leaving him to rot. As Hawks points out, All For One managed to [[TheDogBitesBack successfully turn even his most loyal minion against him]], [[EnemyMine who joins Mt. Lady and Tokoyami]] into making sure All For One falls into the annals of history ''forever''.
--->'''Hawks:''' Looks to me that '''[[HatedByAll nobody's]]''' on board...with your grand tale, buddy.
** Kirishima also deserves a mention for protecting Shinso from the attack, full-body blocking a blow that was powerful enough to make Machia falter. Shinso also fires back at All For One's accusation that controlling somebody to fight for him is something a villain like him would do, [[ShutUpHannibal mocking him]] that as villainous as his power seems, it can't control anybody's heart, and all the heroes like him are here to do is make sure the DiabolicalMastermind reaps ''[[LaserGuidedKarma everything]]'' he's sown.
** Meanwhile, two reporters flying far away from the battle between Midoriya and Shigaraki are determined to cover the story despite the ongoing risks of them dying in the story, since one of them has a personal interest in Midoriya since she realised that he was the "Dark Hero" acting as a vigilante and remembered he was the nervous wreck in the U.A Sports Festival who broke himself to pieces. Then they see ''another'' news chopper also trying to cover the story for the sole purpose of proving that Japan isn't going to fall without anyone fighting for it, whether the heroes lose or not.
** Izuku and Tomura's battle has created a massive swirling maelstrom of destruction on the Japanese coastline, the collision of their mighty abilities large enough to dwarf the houses and streets nearby, showing how powerful the current inheritors of their respective powers are. Izuku is grappling with Tomura in a cross-arm lock despite the danger that a single ''touch'' can cause him, whilst his nemesis is LaughingMad at the carnage they're creating and the thrill of fighting a WorthyOpponent who can take the full brunt of what his new body and fully-controlled powers can dish out. Meanwhile, the viewer counter on Gentle's website, streaming theirs and everybody else's battles, continues to skyrocket, reaching past 20,000 viewers without any signs of stopping, as a double-panel spread of various characters watching their climatic duel highlights: The World is watching. For bonus points, some of those observing are [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaTwoHeroes Melissa Shield]], [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaHeroesRising Mahoro and Katsuma Shimano]] and [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaWorldHeroesMission Rody Soul and his siblings]], showing how all those Izuku has bettered the lives of with his heroic deeds before are now watching him ascend on a world-wide stage.
* Chapter 385:
** Despite all the damage being piled onto him and the best efforts of the heroes to hold him down, All For One ultimately proves that his reputation as the "[[HeroKiller Symbol of Evil]]" was well-earned. Giving in to his [[RageBreakingPoint inner fury]] over his predicament and utilising the rewinding state of his body to neutralise any [[VillainousRROD backlash]], All For One is able to push his various Quirk combinations beyond the limits his body could normally endure, creating a massive tendril that guts Mt.Lady, unleashing a sword-shaped light beam that slices Machia's arm and 1/3 of his chest off, and unleashing a WaveMotionGun to vaporise Dark Shadow: Ragnarok along with his own arm. In the aftermath, he stands victorious over the heroes despite the absolute overkill they heaped onto him.
--->'''All For One:''' Perhaps this is my other self's influence...but [[WhatIsThisFeeling something dark brews within my core]]. The younger I revert, the more untamable it grows. And the more I give myself over to this darkness, the more I can draw on my Quirk's latent potential. For instance, a cataclysmic blast of light. [[PreAsskickingOneLiner Youth is a wondrous thing.]]
** Intent on avenging his humiliation by Tokoyami's hands, All For One heads straight for him to steal his Quirk, [[NoSell utterly ignoring Hawks' attempts to stop him via impaling his chest with his katana]], and stealing his Fierce Wings as an afterthought as well. Just before he reaches him however, he's [[DefiantStoneThrow hit by one of Mineta's Pop-off balls]], drawing his attention to the badly-wounded teenager. [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu Mocking him]] that taking Dark Shadow would only make him ''even more'' of a "[[{{Chuunibyou}} cringey edge lord]]" than he already is, Mineta taunts him to [[TakeMeInstead come take his own Quirk instead]], saying it'd give the EvilOverlord a sick hairstyle. Though outwardly unfazed, All For One's inner recollection of Jiro's own stand against him and how that turned out implies that he's secretly unnerved by how even the weakest of the heroes refuses to break against his unstoppable might. Mulling over his dwindling time limit and noticing a nearby news helicopter filming the scene, All For One contents himself with [[HopeCrusher letting the carnage break the watching citizens' spirits instead]], choosing to head to Shigaraki ASAP instead. However, this doesn't quite disguise the fact that he's leaving the fight having utterly failed to break his enemies' resolve and he's even implied to be ''nervous'' that they could actually beat him again, [[KnowWhenToFoldEm forcing himself to settle]] for a close-enough victory to sooth his over-inflated ego.
*** In contrast to his imposting stature when he turned up to face Izuku, All For One leaves the battle at Gunga LivingOnBorrowedTime, clad in makeshift rags and with no concrete plan to achieve victory beyond gambling on being able to reach Shigaraki in time, and even that is uncertain with how much of his HourOfPower the heroes successfully managed to waste. He was repeatedly humiliated in battle by 'weaker' foes who aren't even a holder of [[ArchEnemy One For All]], technically ''killed'' (and his state whilst rewinding from the heroes' barrage, his body reassembling from practically nothing, makes it clear that it was ''more than once'', if not for his current condition making him [[InvincibleVillain unkillable]]) and forced to cut down his most powerful minion after his own character flaws turned him against him. All For One himself notes that [[CastFromLifespan the damage done to him further cuts into his remaining time]], and Hawks notes that he can't actually use mutation-type Quirks to fight back because the same rewind energy reduces them to an infantile state, actually limiting his ability to use Quirks the further back he goes. Though the heroes failed to stop All For One, their efforts in delaying him have severely reduced the threat he possesses, and it's clear that both sides are aware [[PyrrhicVictory it's a hollow victory for him]].
*** Despite potentially being taken out of the battle due to his injuries this chapter, a moment has to be brought up for Tokoyami. After being clobbered by both the student and Dark Shadow, Mt. Lady, ''and'' Gigantomachia to a point that he was pretty much a ragged legless corpse, once he had managed to take out everyone attacking him and is in the midst of taking out a desperate Hawks, All For One singles out Tokoyami as the one who pushed him so far and intended on stealing Dark Shadow for that reason. Not bad for one of the people that the so-called Demon Lord had called a "jobber" character several chapters prior.
** Inside the evacuation shelters, All For One's extensive preparations continue to unravel. With Skeptic captured, La Brava has steadily taken back control of the shelters and continued moving them to a safe place, save one that is being actively sabotaged from within by a desperate mole attempting to produce some results to convince the evil mastermind to spare him. Gunhead discovering and attacking said mole implies the other shelters are likewise being investigated by their protectors to unearth any saboteurs, steadily rooting out All For One's spies one by one. When the mole's sabotage causes a section of the shelter to collapse onto the civilians within, who were just bitterly complaining about the results of the Gunga battle meaning that them putting their faith in the heroes once more was AllForNothing, the one who steps in to protect them isn't Tetsutetsu, but Death Arms, still retired and in civilian garb. Admitting that he knows it won't change anything, that he'll still be criticised for quitting when the going got tough, and he can't expect to be forgiven for it, watching [[HopeBringer Izuku]] battle and being reminded of his selfless heroism in their first meeting still moved him to action. Likewise, back at Kamino ward, Shoto and Iida are picking themselves back up after their intense ordeal with Dabi, unwilling to give up the fight either, watched over by Stain, judging their heroic conduct from the shadows.
* Chapter 386:
** In the wake of All For One's conclusive defeat of their forces, the situation continues to go FromBadToWorse for the heroes. In addition to the now-freed demon lord speeding unimpeded towards Izuku and getting close enough to use his warping, the police's analysis of Dabi and Endevour's fight reveals the insane villain's final plan to kill both his father and the image of heroes with him. Having been using the Phosphor move to steadily accumulate thermal energy within his decaying shell of a body, Dabi has essentially turned himself into a FantasticNuke that ''will'' detonate within 10 minutes at best, blowing everything within a 5 kilometre radius off the map. Furthermore, the area he's charging towards his father in is where the evacuation shelters pass through to reach Shinketsu, with the damage done to the shelter the Todoroki family's in having left them stranded right in the blast zone. Tsukauchi is horrified to realise that Dabi might have done this on purpose, if Skeptic made him aware of the shelters and their routes, driving home his insane willpower to continue attacking both heroes and those they protect even as his body is little more than a charcoal corpse by now. With no heroes on standby nearby to help out and no means of stopping Dabi or All For One, it looks like their efforts were all in vain... until [[HopeBringer All Might's]] voice sounds over the radio.
** Dabi deserves special mention as with one move, he's gone from being 'just' the Todoroki Family's ArchEnemy to as big of a threat to the heroes' victory as Tomura or All For One.
** All Might briefs both Shoto and Iida on the situation, dispelling their doubts with a RousingSpeech and telling them both [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre how much respect he has for them]], who struggle onwards even filled with doubt about their victory. He tasks Iida with carrying Shoto all the way to Gunga so his ice and flames can counter his insane sibling's detonation and protect the endangered civilians, a task Iida accepts despite the distance and the time limit. He reassures Shoto that he can make that sprint despite his stalled engines because of the storm rains cooling them down, reaffirming his conviction to be a hero with a statement that drives home to the watching Stain how different Iida's become from the angry teenager who confronted him in that back alley.
--->'''Iida:''' I can do it. Because after all, Todoroki, my legs are meant to guide wayward children.\\
'''Stain:''' ''(Quietly observing)'' Acting...for the sake of others...
** Meanwhile, to deal with All For One, All Might reveals how exactly they can stop the currently-unbeatable force of nature he's become... by giving him a target [[EvilIsPetty he absolutely can't resist attacking]], even with [[LivingOnBorrowedTime his remaining time having almost run out]].
--->'''All Might:''' You must remember the endless warring that got us here. And now I hear that Tomura Shigaraki's hatred is even affecting your original body. [[SanityHasAdvantages So I'm thinking you won't be able to ignore me]]. Isn't that right?\\
'''Tsukauchi:''' No, stop! You're [[{{Depower}} Quirkless!]]\\
'''Izuku:''' ''(Via flashback)'' [[MeaningfulEcho Can someone without a Quirk be a hero like you?]]\\
''[All Might stands alone before the revived Demon Lord, activating the briefcase he brought with him to transform Hercules into a suit of PoweredArmour to [[HoldTheLine fight him]] [[TheLastDance once again]] with a GrinOfAudacity]''\\
'''All Might:''' '''[[CharacterCatchphrase I Am Here!!!]]'''
* Chapter 387:
** As Toya's assault upon Endeavor continues, he continues to demonstrate why his self-destructive firepower is indeed naturally superior to his parents' despite the drawbacks, burning Enji even through his own natural heat resistance and unleashing a ''massive'' ElementalPunch that completely dwarfs Endeavor and wrecks the landscape around him. The blowback of this also self-detonates his own arm, turning it into a charcoal stump, which Dabi doesn't even react to, continuing to mindlessly assault Endeavor in an effort to showcase how strong he is. The interior of his injury shows that Dabi's insides are now almost entirely molten flames covered by his charcoaled shell of a body, demonstrating how tough he is that he can keep fighting even whilst basically ''dead''. And Endeavor soon discovers the reason why as his insane son grapples with him -- he was able to replicate Shoto's Phosphor move because [[DeadlyUpgrade the damage he'd done to himself and pushing him so close to death]] ''finally'' unlocked the ice Quirk he'd inherited from Rei, long-dormant in his body, but now able to use contrasting temperatures to freeze his heart and keep moving based on his insane tenacity. Toya was always determined to prove he was the SuperiorSuccessor Endeavor wanted all along despite his unequal inheritance, and now he's finally achieved that.
** Seeing the proof of his son's success before him and realizing that he doesn't have enough strength left in his battered body to keep luring him away from the civilians and heroes before he blows, Endeavor resolves himself to do the only thing he can to protect everyone -- using Toya's flames as propellant to [[HeroicSacrifice launch them both into the sky to explode away from everybody else]]. Thinking back on his dreams of his family living happily without him, Enji prepares to do his duty as a hero and a father before he notices something...
** '''Rei Todoroki''' approaching them both, using her ice Quirk to counter the heat long enough to reach her son, even as the raw temperature is visibly scorching her and starting to ''boil her eyes''. Her face resolute, Rei's memories of Toya blaming her for his situation as well shows that [[MyGreatestSecondChance she's determined not to fail him this time]].
--->'''Toya:''' (''via flashback'') You're guilty too, mom.
* Chapter 388:
** One for the U.A. Robots. When aiding the civilians in evacuating the immobile damaged shelter, Rei, realising her son and husband are fighting nearby from the massive fireball Dabi's generating, hops abroad one of them and asks it to take her to the epicentre of the conflagration. Despite lacking a face to express itself and clearly being able to tell taking a civilian towards the danger zone is an illogical move, the robot proves to have enough emotional intelligence to sense Rei's determination to risk herself, and agrees to help her. The next shot is of the broken robot's arm triumphantly held [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay in a thumbs-up pose]] after it [[HeroicSacrifice self-destructed]] from the heat closer to Dabi, clearly conveying how the automaton considered everything WorthIt to help Rei.
---> '''Robot:''' We exist... to serve humans' desires.
** Rei also makes it clear to Enji that she's doing this to save ''both'' of them, unwilling to let her husband sacrifice himself as [[DeathEqualsRedemption a form of atonement]], and wanting him to live beyond this fight despite his guilt for the harm he's caused. To have the emotional courage to demand that Enji keep living without taking the easy way out after all the pain that happened between them is no easy feat, and shows that Rei is far more than the ShrinkingViolet she appeared to be on their first meeting.
** Rei turns out to not be the only member of the Todoroki family unwilling to stand on the sidelines anymore, with both Natsu and Fuyumi also commandeering a robot to approach their self-destructing sibling with their own cooling powers, likewise getting scorched by his self-cremation. Fuyumi refuses to lose any more of her family to the mad obsession that Toya's demoted himself to, and Natsu reminisces on how Toya kept bothering him endlessly at night over his concerns, a panel of his younger childhood self impatiently listening to his brother's complaining driving home how he feels he also failed Toya and needs to pull him back from the brink.
* Chapter 389:
** With the family's combined effort in applying ice to Toya despite the burns from the omnipresent heat, they manage to delay the explosion for a few moments more, but even with all three ice-users applying their Quirks to the limit, it's not enough to avert Toya's self-detonation. A montage of all those nearby the blast highlights everybody endangered by his SpitefulSuicide: the heroes grappling with Toga's Twice army, the 1B students struggling to evacuate the civilians from the shelter, the reporter who critiqued Endeavor recording from the skies, the footage even reaching the Can't-Ya-See supporter, who can only pray for everybody's safety, as the kindergarden teacher tries to reassure her charges that everything will be fine in the end... and the non-panicking children agree with her.
--->'''Kid:''' Yeah, for sure, cuz after all...we've got [[EmbarrassingNickname five weiners]] on our side.
** Cue a blur zipping past some abandoned buildings before the resulting sonic boom blows the pouring rain away in a visual display of the sheer speed Iida's achieved: with Todoroki providing support by creating a ''jet-plane'' out of ice around them to increase his aerodynamic velocity and allow them to go faster than ever before. With his Phosphor move already activated, he races towards his imperilled family as the velocity tears apart Iida's protective armour around him, prepared to finally quench his insane brother's fires for good.
* Chapter 390: Shoto finally arrives thanks to he and Iida managing to ''break the sound barrier'' and ''blasts'' Dabi with a gigantic Great Glacial Aegir that freezes him so thoroughly as to completely negate his impending explosion. He admits that the attack wouldn't have been successful if it weren't for the combined help of the ice quirks from Rei, Fuyumi, and Natsuo because Toya's flames were STILL hotter since their previous fight. As a result, the Todoroki family put an end to the threat of their own making known as Dabi so they can bring him down back to Toya and progress from there.
* Chapter 393:
** A colossal one for Ochako. The danger of Toga's exponential horde of clones is rapidly growing, with the clones drinking the fallen blood of heroes to take on their appearance to disorient the overwhelmed heroes and having multiplied to the point of washing over an entire city like a tidal wave or human GreyGoo event. The reporter covering the battle from a helicopter even says that Quirk Doomsday, the frequently speculated doomsday scenario, is seemingly upon them, and that Toga's feelings of rejection, anguish and rage are about the change the world.
** Despite having been stabbed in the abdomen by Toga in the previous chapter and bleeding heavily, [[{{Determinator}} Ochako]] refuses to give up the fight, using her suit's boosters, her [[GravityMaster Zero Gravity]], and her martial arts skills to repel the [[ZergRush clone onslaught]] Toga sends her way. Toga [[ShutUpKirk insists that Ochako's attempts to help and reason with her are hollow]], believing Ochako will abandon Toga to her fate after capturing her or kill her outright if she can't be taken alive, but Ochako defies her.
** Though Ochako could end the fight by just deactivating her Quirk and dropping Toga, and despite Toga's remark Ochako isn't actually hurting the clones, she refuses to do so and keeps fighting, [[ShutUpHannibal insisting her Quirk isn't for hurting people and tacitly refuting Toga's accusation that Ochako doesn't actually care about her life]]. While fighting, Ochako continues to insist on correcting the miscommunications between the two of them that led to this mayhem, starting to [[BreakThemByTalking truly get under Toga's skin]] by expressing the empathy that Toga never received before becoming a villain, even expressing admiration for Toga's ability to be so open about her feelings. Ochako's affirmation of her ideals and intent to connect with Toga not only refutes Toga's disillusioned view of her, but combined with [[HeroicSpirit her resolve to push through the impossible odds]], the agony of her injury, and the exertion of pushing her Quirk so far ''causes her Quirk to awaken'', sending out energy spheres from her fingertips which create web of energy that ''instantly sweeps away the entire tide of clones'' except for Toga and Ochako themselves and saving the heroes from being literally crushed under the sheer mass of the clone army, causing an astonished Jirou to exclaim Ochako's Quirk is affecting things she didn't even touch and the reporter to realize a single girl just halted calamity. Ochako then offers to donate her own blood for the rest of her life to persuade the stricken Toga to stand down and have their talk, a panel of child versions of both seemingly indicating Ochako has broken through to Toga. Ochako, while critically injured, just reached a villain who many including [[DespairEventHorizon Toga herself]] thought was [[MoralEventHorizon beyond saving]], experienced one of the most massive power jumps in the series, and ''averted a potentially country if not'' '''world''' ''ending event'', '''IN ONE FELL SWOOP'''.

* Chapter 394:
** Tiger and Kamui Woods observing Uravity's quirk awakening and commenting how much she has grown in just year of hero training. It is great to see pro heroes discuss and praise Ochaco's abilities.
** Uravity successfully stopped Himiko Toga's rampage by reaching out to her humanity and talking her down. Ochaco stayed true to her convictions about wanting to help everyone smile again, persisted against Toga's protests and attacks, and she managed to reach her archenemy through love and compassion.

* Chapter 395:
** We see the aftermath of Toga's Legion of Doubles. Iida, the Todoroki family, and Hawks were all about to be bombarded by the doubles before they dissolved. Had Uraraka not managed to talk down Toga as she did it is very possible for Toga to have drunk the blood from one of her Twice clones to increase her time limit and continue her rampage indefinitely. Essentially Uraraka saved everyone at Gunga Villa area by empathizing with Toga and getting her to stop her attack.
** After a lifetime of taking others' blood due to her [[{{Yandere}} twisted perception of love]], Toga willingly spends what might be her last moments on Earth [[ActOfTrueLove giving her own blood]] [[RuleOfSymbolism to save Uraraka from certain death]], showing genuinely selfless love. It's powerful that, just like [[{{Foil}} Uraraka]], Toga finds a way to repay and help her enemy without compromising her own sense of self and is willing to follow through with it no matter the cost.

* Chapter 396:
** Three words: '''[[PoweredArmor Armored.]] [[BroughtDownToBadass All]] [[HesBack Might.]]'''
** Toshinori knows he's Quirkless and at a big disadvantage, even with the armor, and that this battle is more than likely the one that Nighteye predicted would end in his gruesome death. Does any of that deter him from being willing to try and ScrewDestiny? [[BringIt Hell no]]. While he's clearly more than willing to do down swinging, it's obvious he's not planning on just throwing his life away without giving it his all. Even without superpowers, he's every bit the SupermanSubstitute he always was.
--->'''All Might''': We've known each other for long enough that you should realize something, [Tsukauchi]! ''[[BadassBoast Not once in my entire life have I gone into battle expecting to lose!]]''
** All Might isn't just going in and swinging blindly. He knows how All For One fights, explaining he relies on powerful long ranged attacks to wear down opponents before stealing their Quirks, which Toshinori doesn't need to worry about, [[DisabilityImmunity being Quirkless himself]]. As a result, AFO has no idea how to fight up close, allowing All Might to immediately close the distance and force AFO onto the backfoot.
** Better yet? All of the abilities of his PoweredArmor are [[AllYourPowersCombined based on the 1-A kids' Quirks]], showing how much the next generation has inspired All Might himself. And they're ''very effective'', using gadgets based on Kirishima, Deku's Blackwhip, Kaminari, Sero and Sato to tank a laser blast that shears through several buildings, arrest AFO's regeneration, and reel him into pummeling range. And it goes deeper than just replicating powers; Toshinori utilizes his armor's capabilities in concert and deconstructs his opponent's tactics to exploit them, just like his protégé, even closing out the chapter by delivering a ''rocket-powered Shoot Style Smash''.
** And the designer of this armor? ''[[CanonImmigrant Melissa Shield!]]'' Melissa had already appeared in the canon manga alongside Mahoro, Katsuma and the Soul siblings, being seen among the people watching the final battle from around the world, but it's amazing a character from a side-story gets to make such a massive impact on the final battle of the main story, especially given her bond to Uncle All Might in her movie. All Might even says that this armor is his way bringing everything that he's been blessed with in his life, his bonds with his friends and students, to bear against AFO.
** It's increasingly obvious just how ''screwed'' AFO is. His younger body is breaking under the strain of his Quirks' full power, the massive laser attack he hurls at All Might [[AnArmAndALeg obliterating his own arm]] whilst leaving All Might unscathed, and instead of hanging back to regenerate he furiously charges straight ahead, allowing All Might easily paralyze his regeneration with an electric attack. AFO's running very short on time, his own powers are eating him alive, and he's now unable to escape a fight with an opponent he's completely unprepared for.
* Chapter 397:
** All Might's physical barrage on All For One is accompanied by his far more devastating [[IShallTauntYou verbal beatdown]] on his arch-foe, mocking him about how bad it feels for a man in his 50s to pound the tar out of such a weak and helpless young man, and laughing in his face over the audacity of All For One calling himself a "Demon Lord" when he can't even win a fight with a Quirkless man. His mental dialogue makes it clear that he knows it's his words that are inflicting the more devastating impacts on All For One rather than the physical wounds that are being undone with rewind, and he's picking every one of them carefully to keep All For One as blind as possible to his reality until his time is up. In contrast to how he operated as the Symbol of Peace, Toshinori Yagi is fighting this last battle with his head, just like his protege Izuku, and not his heart and fists.
-->'''All Might:''' Any real Demon Lord would be aghast! Getting whupped by a Quirkless man? I mean, really!?
** All For One forced some distance between them with another mass Quirk combination that blows apart several blocks like they were made of cardboard. Despite the intensity of the attack, All Might guards against it with his mechanical cape's auto-guarding feature, designed after Dark Shadow and furthermore notes that whilst powerful, the Quirks were ''not'' working in synch in that attack, being just a mishmash of abilities that All For One lashed out with, further proof that All Might is indeed deeply pushing his buttons, and keeping him off-balance with them.
** Despite his defenses, it's demonstrated that All Might's PoweredArmor isn't capable of fully protecting him from damage regardless, due to the sheer force of All For One's unleashed accumulated abilities, with him sustaining several fractures in his left arm and the other layer of armor on said arm getting shredded. All For One mocks him that the weakness of his support items is that they cannot go beyond their limits like the Quirks he's solely fighting with and cannot hope to keep up with his godlike might for more than a few seconds -- once they break, so too will All Might. Does that stop All Might? ''Hell no''. He just orders his suit to assist his movement to max, the armor ''compressing'' on his damaged arm to hold it in place and still allow him to move it. All Might recalls his own advice to Izuku about over-relying on support items in a fight and continuing on his more devastating strategy of trash-talking All For One to extend the time he wastes on him.
** It's revealed that Yagi originally met Nana Shimura when he -- at the time a mere Quirkless middle school student -- picked up a pipe and tried to fight off some low-level criminals despite the impossible odds, only for her to arrive and casually defeat them without trying. Her dialogue makes it clear that it's not just a case of Yagi being menaced by them, like Izuku, he ''couldn't'' remain on the sidelines despite his powerlessness, and risked himself to stand up against evil. And in an ironic fashion, his final fight is now a mirror of his first heroic action, fighting with a "weak" support item against a foe he can't hope to win against...but this time, Yagi has ''experience'' backing him up instead of his mentor.
** Throughout their fight at Kamino and whenever they've interacted before, All For One's trademark [[BreakThemByTalking snide taunting]] has always gotten under All Might's skin, making him aware that he's still being toyed with in the DiabolicalMastermind's plans despite all he does. At their final fight, it's now ''Yagi's'' taunting that is getting underneath All For One's skin, making him foolishly waste time he cannot spare in a pointless battle -- and furthermore, All For One's [[SanityHasAdvantages unravelling psyche means that even if he]] ''[[SanityHasAdvantages knows]]'' [[SanityHasAdvantages this, he just]] ''[[SanityHasAdvantages can't]]'' [[SanityHasAdvantages let it go and walk away, being mentally cornered by the very ego that fueled his villainous actions]], [[IRejectYourReality even if he continues to childishly deny how he's being outplayed]].
-->'''All For One:''' No, [[BlatantLies obviously I didn't fall for your cheap ploy to stall me.]] I can easily spare the time to clean up the trash by the roadside!!\\
'''All Might:''' [[LampshadeHanging Desperate to play it cool]], huh? How undignified!!
* Chapter 398:
** As All For One relentlessly blasts All Might with a shockwave attack, the still-mobile Hercules, stripping itself down further to the car's framework with every support item it sends his way, arrives and launches another one, detaching in segments ''through'' the shockwave like a orbital rocket to deliver the payload straight to his waiting arms: an injector with a concentrated superacid designed to mimic Mina's Quirk, gutting All For One with incredible internal damage as the acid eats away at his insides. All Might having the skills to catch the injector with a backhanded catch even with his fractured arm and fighting to keep his position close-range to All For One showcases how skilled he remains, even as a retired hero. All Might continues to mock All For One's performance, both for his strategy and to showcase how superior he remains against his foe, not matter how much stolen power he wields, driving All For One insane with rage.
-->'''All Might:''' I'm [[{{IronicEcho}} "trash",]] right? So much for that theory!!
** Throughout the chapter, an ongoing flashback to All Might and Nana's first meeting highlights how similar the younger Yagi was to his pupil, following after his future mentor and begging her to let him help her, even whilst Quirkless and capable of only wielding a simple pipe to defend himself with. When Nana, still hurting after the loss of her husband and estrangement from Kotaro, dismissed him and told him to defend the "three-meter radius" he could with his weapon, All Might refuted her. For all that people could rebuild the damaged buildings and try to move on from the collateral destruction caused by the rampant battles of their time, their hearts would remain oppressed with fear of the next chaotic battle that would sweep them up in it. Yagi could not accept a world that suffocated the innocent with fear of constant loss and death, so whilst everybody else devoted themselves to protecting their own lives, he wanted to become the Symbol of Peace to bring them all hope of a better tomorrow, in addition to protecting them in the present.
-->'''Toshinori Yagi:''' Everyone's got a tough enough time with their own three-foot radius. So Yes. [[HopeBringer I would step up]]. A Quirkless guy like me has no role otherwise.
** A side-shot of the city visible across the canal they're talking beside underscores just how monumental the task Yagi wanted to undertake was. Entire ''swathes'' of the city are destroyed rubble, the damage comparable to the devastation unleashed at Kamino ward or Gigantomachia's rampage across the cities, with massive tower-like spirals sticking out of the ground visible for miles around. And yet, there's no indication that All For One or any minion of his was involved in the carnage, that is just how things ''were'' for the people back then, with each villain being a possible PersonOfMassDestruction. And yet Yagi, more powerless than any other, wanted to single-handedly reverse this situation, to give the people faith in a better tomorrow, for no other reason than he ''wanted'' to, no matter the cost to himself, an attitude comparable to [[SupermanSubstitute his inspiration]]. It's no wonder that Nana was convinced to choose him as her successor, or that he became the greatest one of the torch bearers before Izuku's turn.
*** The revelation of his motivation is also another ''massive'' dose of LaserGuidedKarma for All For One. He espoused with delight to Inasa over how people trembled in fear during his reign, afraid and oppressed by the unknown menace that he ruled over from the shadows, only for that ''exact state of affairs'' to motivate Yagi to become a being powerful enough to overturn it, in so doing [[CreateYourOwnHero creating All For One's worst nemesis]].
---->'''All Might:''' (''explaining the origin of One For All to Izuku'') An ironic tale, no? Justice is always born from evil.
** In an amazing callback to the very first chapter, All Might crashes down into Tatoin station, the very place where he and Izuku first met by accident. Collapsed on a rooftop, his armour busted and broken as the system detects numerous internal injuries, fractured ribs, contusions and his very lungs being damaged from the blow, All Might lays eyes upon the same rooftop where Izuku discovered his secret and he himself once rebuffed the young hero about his dreams of being a hero, even Quirkless. Thoughts of Izuku's selfless heroism against the sludge villain resounding in his head, remembering Stain's tirade to him about the role that All Might, the Symbol of Peace served, All Might [[HeroicResolve rises once more to his feet]], the rest of his armour likewise compressing on his damaged body to enable him to stand upright even with his shattered internals. Noticing that All For One's appearance has again gotten visibly younger, even if his enemy is [[FuryFuelledFoolishness too lost in his own mad rage to notice]], All Might cottons onto the fact that the more he hurts All For One, the less time his ArchEnemy will have. Knowing what he has to do with his remaining time, All Might briefly goes LaughingMad, again enraging All For One, as All Might thinks back gratefully on his life, preparing his LastStand against his foe [[ScrewDestiny and]] his [[MentorOccupationalHazard destined end]]. A shot of his face shows that the damage done to him has somehow drained the black sclera on his right eye, the effect combining with his BrokenFaceplate to give the impression that half of Yagi's face has turned back into his younger Quirkless self's, a reminder of how he's at heart still the Quirkless young man who just wanted to save people's hearts all those years ago.
--->'''All Might:''' To be of service to others...what a joy!
** All Might summons more support items from Hercules to continue the fight, CombatTentacles with suction cups to emulate Shoji and Froppy, a [[TailSlap robotic tail]] to mimic Ojiro, robotic drones in the shape of birds to copy [[SpeaksFluentAnimal Koda]] and jet thrusters to enhance his mobility like Uraraka and Iida, armed with massive flamethrowers to bring Shoto's firepower into play, bringing all his students' powers to bear to support him as he supports them as a teacher. All Might's will to fight reaches his vestige within One For All, causing both it and Izuku to realise All Might's situation as the 9th inheritor remains locked in a literal maelstrom of conflict with Tomura, his own crazed ArchEnemy focused on ending their battle. The message is clear: by the day's end, the decades-long conflict between One for All and All For One, both present and past generations, will be finished for good.
* Chapter 399:
** Unable to cope with All For One's god-like strength openly, All Might sticks to the alleyways of the city to hide from [[WaveMotionGun the building-destroying blasts]] he's unleashing, operating the multiple robotic limbs of his suit like they were an extension of himself, highlighting both his skill and the engineering that Melissa put into it. When All For One uses [[CombatTentacles Rivet Stab]] to try and skewer him in the cramped confines, All Might is barely able to dodge and evade, even as All For One hounds him relentlessly with nightmarish Quirk creations, his inner monologue [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analysing and calculating like Izuku]] as to the best possible option he's got to damage All For One immensely and ''really'' put a dent in his remaining time, deciding that if repeated massive damage is what it'll take to finish him for good, then there's one student's Quirk that's perfect for the job.
** All For One demonstrates a horrifying, but impressive display of the sheer might he causally wields, even boasting that he's fighting All Might on "[[WithMyHandsTied power-saver mode]]" to conserve his remaining time whilst killing the retired hero. Not only does he force him to hide for cover in the shadows with his wide-area attacks, he creates two gigantic misshapen fleshy constructs in the shape of faces with [[CheshireCatGrin warped demented grins]] in the skies above the buildings with his spare tentacles whilst he forces All Might out from the alleyways, forcing the retired number one to leap back into cover whilst they literally chew through the buildings to get to him. When All Might calls him a liar for claiming he was holding back his power, All For One retorts that he is. That kind of insane might really is not that taxing for him in his current state at all. Topping off his gradual cornering of his ArchEnemy, All For One breaks through the side of the building as All Might flees past him and slams him to the ground with a gouging attack aimed right on his old injury, all whilst taunting his hated foe over how badly he's failed despite all his efforts
--->'''All For One:''' Smile, you're still on camera!! The whole world's watching, remember!? They'll see the symbol of peace falling to his doom, as the symbol of ''impotence!'' Their guiding light about to be snuffed out.
** Though injured, All Might swiftly wraps All For One's attacking limbs up with his robotic limbs to pin him in place, retaliating with an uppercut blow that jams the flaming nozzle of his flamethrower through All For One's jaw, crushing it and literally shutting him up as he gives his own rebuttal to All For One's taunting, revealing that his ''real'' aim was to hold him in place for the Anima drones to safely target him with a floating support item themed after Aoyama's Quirk, draining power from a nearby substation and unleashing it in a massive KillSat blast straight down on him. All Might notes internally that the support item can only be fired once, but its power is enough that he's confident in finally killing All For One, using technology patterned after the very student he coerced into being his mole within his class.
*** Punctuating All Might's speech, the same visual of his weakened, powerless self adrift in a blizzard that was shown as Kamino Ward is used. Back then it was used to represent All Might determination to keep his remaining power alive long enough to stop All For One, but this time, the flame has gone out, and the weakened All Might is left in the cold and the darkness....until he turns around and sees shining lights in the snowy field, the massive size of one of them making it clear that they represent his protege Izuku and the rest of 1A, the students who re-ignited his desire to fight despite his powerlessness for the sake of their future.
---->'''All Might:''' [[EvilCannotComprehendGood You still don't get it]], good buddy!! Lights tend to flicker on and off! So while my light might be snuffed out, someone's sure to pick up my torch and shine on!... Let there be light in the darkness! So that I might twinkle as well!! So no, I'm not here to lose, All For One!! Know this name, as you burn away!! '''Can't Stop Twinkling!'''
** Yuga himself gets his own moment to shine in tandem with this. The Tartarus escapee Kunieda's Quirk has allowed him to curb-stomp all the heroes assembled at his battleground, leaving only Fatgum and Aoyama conscious when the actions switch to them. Thanks to his Quirk's seedlings being able to slowly burrow into the bodies of living victims to consume them for nutrients, Fatgum's Fat Absorption Quirk is useless against him, and he can only leave the rest to Aoyama as he falls unconscious, leaving the 1A student alone, hoist aloft by the plants' tendrils and with several seedlings steadily eating away at him too. With his support item belt broken, Aoyama can only expel scattershot light blasts that can't hit Kunieda even as he mockingly lounges on his plants mere meters away from him, mocking him for his failure and inability to be either a hero or a villain with the powers "gifted" to him. Rather than breaking down in hopelessness over his situation, Aoyama instead again thanks Kunieda, telling him that his shameful memories and past regrets do not hold him down -- rather, they instead spurn him onwards, to truly shine as a hero alongside the friends that still hold faith in him despite his betrayal, pushing his Quirk to the limit in unleashing a torrent of inaccurate light blasts on Kunieda, even as he mobs him with a swarm of man-eating plants and the strain from the seedlings eating away at his vitality.
*** Whilst Kunieda mocks him for his shameful efforts in the face of death, a double-page spread reveals why Aoyama's shooting attacks he knows he can't hit him with -- because he doesn't have to. Hagakure, invisible and undetected, has snuck up behind Kunieda, her existence revealed as her invisibility fades from refracting and combining all of Aoyama's power into one concentrated laser beam that blasts Kunieda InTheBack from point-blank. The attack is so powerful, that it shoots straight through him and hits Aoyama too, yet he endures his own power for the sake of taking down the dangerous villain and fulfilling the expectations his friends have of him.
---->'''Hagakure:''' Took you long enough, [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre hero!]]
** All Might and Hagakure's uses of Aoyama's Quirk have deep thematic weight. Hagakure's Quirk combo with Aoyama poetically links to her discovery of Aoyama's [[TheMole mole]] status after the first war, allowing the heroes to redirect this to their advantage and disrupt AFO's endgame. For All Might, it's touching to see him put so much stake in the Quirk and student that indirectly led to his "retirement", and Aoyama's humility and determination in this chapter demonstrates why he inspired Toshinori as much as the other students despite being AFO's pawn. All Might knows how AFO coerces and manipulates innocent people into complicity with his crimes, and wouldn't reject his own student for experiencing that. Fitting that AFO giving Aoyama such a self-destructive and uncontrollable Quirk to put his family under his thumb comes back to bite him so hard.
* Chapter 400
** Hagakure realises that her trademark invisibility is bugging out and exposing her real form because being pushed to the brink of death by Kunieda's attacks made Aoyama also tap into the EmotionalPowers aspect of his bestowed ability, making his lasers stronger and showcasing that despite his doubts about being worthy as a hero with a "false" power, he did indeed make the Navel Laser his own quirk. Aoyama furthermore declares his intention to use this new strength along with Hagakure's fine control to burn away the rest of the plants still sucking the life out of their allies, despite the fact this increase in power comes with a corresponding backlash on himself, especially with his support item broken. Regardless, Aoyama is still determined to save as many lives as he can, since this day and this battle marks his last chance to be a heroic student of UA alongside all his classmates.
** All Might reveals the "Can't Stop Twinkling" KillSat was inspired by Star's own final battle against [=TomurAFO=], improvising his own method of emulating her tactics in honour of Star's memory as a further symbolic humiliation against All For One. Aware that All For One ''still'' won't throw in the towel despite everything -- indeed, he continues to lash out with his CombatTentacles even as the laser steadily buries him underground, [[CorneredRattlesnake further damaging All Might despite his precarious situation]] -- All Might instead uses several of his remaining gadgets to continue restraining the Symbol of Evil to make him take the full force of the blast, using his suit's transformative capabilities (patterned after Yaoyorozu) to shed the armour on his right arm and make them into copies of Mineta's binding balls to restrain All For One's hands, noting that he also had the armour plated with an optical resin based on Hagakure to better resist being nearby the intense laser beam and ensure the bindings won't crumble away whilst their target does. Furthermore, he continues to hammer All For One on top of that with a chest-mounted sound speaker based on Jiro's quirk - the same Jiro that caused the Quirks inside All for One to revolt. And despite all his claims of fighting All Might without his full strength, All For One can do ''nothing'' to break free or defend himself from this assault.
*** All Might mentally reveals that the crushing attack that pinned him before was a DeliberateInjuryGambit of his, not a successful sneak attack like All For One believed. He guarded the attack with Tailman and left behind the Tentacole parts to hold All For One still long enough for the laser to hit him, and was even aware that All For One ''wouldn't'' kill him immediately despite the chance to -- his immense desire to see him suffer in pain instead had him target his old wound rather than his more important head just so he could revel in the expression of pain and suffering on All Might's face, again exposing [[SanityHasAdvantages how inefficient All For One's sadistic mindset makes him]] when faced with an opponent who knows how to use it fully against him. Despite his success though, the damage done has crippled All Might's lower body, leaving him with just the shoulder-mounted hover jets to dodge All For One's wild attacks with... and yet the retired hero still has enough skill to keep in the thick of the fighting with just those alone.
** Meanwhile, in another country a kid is watching the battle on TV. Despite being miles away and not fully understanding the situation, with his grandmother claiming that the battle won't affect them either way, the kid is transfixed on the image of the underpowered and badly-injured All Might with his hands clasped in silent prayer, clearly hoping for his victory regardless. Even retired and powerless, Yagi Toshinori is still such a pure hero that he ''continues'' to inspire others across the globe.
** Just as he's on the verge of erasure, the KillSat finally overheats and explodes, leaving All For One still alive and All Might bereft of any further gadgets or moves with the necessary firepower to bring him down for good. Despite the sudden turnaround, however, it's also made clear that All Might nearly ''succeeded'' regardless of fighting Quirkless -- All For One is reduced to the body of a young boy, roughly the same age as the watching child. But this is still All For One, so he immediately prepares to counterattack whilst spitefully taunting All Might that indeed, tools cannot surpass the limits of power like his Quirks can. Except, he finds his body frozen, unable to unleash his attack, or defend himself against the still-mobile All Might. And then, hoovering above their battlefield on a gliding support item, a piece of bloodied rock in his hands, an unexpected ally shows himself.
---> '''Stain''': All bleed red. '''Now conquer him! All Might!'''
*** Stain's success with paralysing All For One was only possible because All Might's efforts successfully drew blood from him, despite their insane power disparity at present. It calls to mind the quote, "If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in him." All For One spent ''decades'' tirelessly cultivating the image of being an [[InvincibleVillain invincible]], unstoppable Demon God beyond the reach of mere mortals, and yet All Might has successfully proven that claim of his false not once, not twice, but now '''three times over'''.
*** This is even better considering that when he was overseeing the League of Villains, All For One used Stain's image and fame to bolster their own reputation and numbers. And as a result of that, Stain purposefully recovered the security data from Tartarus and delivered it to All Might, informing the heroes of invaluable intelligence on All For One and how best to formulate their strategy against him, [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan knocked Yagi out of his funk]] after he became doubtful about his ability to be of use as a Quirkless spectator to events, as All For One intended, and now has stepped in to support All Might when there are no other heroes available to save him in a moment of crisis, with the ''worst'' possible [[TheParalyzer kind of Quirk]] to oppose All For One with, given his [[RaceAgainstTheClock current situation]]. All For One created the very worst SpannerInTheWorks for himself through his own actions, and now he's forced to face the consequences of that.
* Chapter 401:
** Caught between All Might and Stain, unable to move a muscle, and his time further running out, it looks like an unavoidable loss for All For One.... except, inches before either of their attacks can reach him, he uses his Forcible Quirk Activation power on one of his stockpiled Quirks "Bloodlet" to undo Stain's paralysis. How? By ''forcing every last drop of his targeted blood out of his body'', with it exploding from his eyes, ears and everywhere else, leaving him utterly drenched in his own viscera and preventing either blow from reaching him. He's reliant on Rewind to ensure the tactic wasn't fatal regardless, and it's made clear it was ''incredibly'' painful for him, but afterwards, he's able to move freely again. A horrifying demonstration of [[{{Determinator}} his sheer commitment]] to not losing, that he'd mutilate himself that badly instantly the second his defeat seemed inevitable, just to squirm out of it.
*** When Stain tries to use the fresh supply of blood against All For One again, he reveals that he possesses a Quirk called Antigen Swap, that allows him to overwrite his very DNA as needed, enabling him to neutralize Stain's powers outright. Rather than coincidentally having [[ManOfKryptonite the exact powers best needed to combat Stain]], All For One mocks the hero killer that he prepared them ''precisely'' for Stain's potential interference, having actually noticed him sneaking away from Tartarus on his own and spurning [[ControlFreak All For One's]] "offer" of aid to the prisoners, and aware he was against him because of that. Further proof that his immense Quirk collection and insane willpower are both still secondary to the dangerous threat he represents, born from his maniacal preparations to ensure his inevitable victory. Their trump card is gone, All For One ends the chapter within view of UA and is able to warp straight to it, with only a crippled All Might left as his opposition. Villainous, evil, but undoubtedly awesome for how thoroughly he turned around his situation.
** Unable to paralyze All For One anymore, Stain is swiftly overpowered, crushed into a nearby building, and has the unstoppable villain bearing down on him, mocking him that his role in their story ended once he'd been of no use in bolstering the League. Too broken to evade, [[FaceDeathWithDignity Stain calmly accepts his fate]], muttering only that his role had not ended, but remained part of the grander tale that All For One cannot see beyond himself. Raising his hands up in a position as if asking somebody to arrest him as the killing blow comes down on him, Stain recalls his challenge to All Might to find and arrest him for his murders of 40 heroes after the war was won. This, and his thoughts throughout the chapter, greatly imply that the real reason Stain interfered wasn't simply to kill All For One, but to ensure that All Might lived beyond a battle that (unbeknownst to Stain) was destined to take his life, even if that meant [[TakingTheBullet the Hero Killer would die in his place]].
---> '''Stain:''' Ah, All Might... surely you understand, yes?! Why I would dare to leave the shadows and expose myself! "Say a god has fallen, prostrate upon the Earth, and his divine soul has turned feeble and mortal..." ''Certainly he has the right to cling desperately to life!'' I am here...because you must live!!
** All For One's following strike against All Might is almost certain to kill him regardless, only for the blast to be blocked by the last remaining piece of Hercules, the system's AI demonstrating just enough sapience to protect its user of its own free will. It blunts the attack just enough to ensure All Might is left breathing in the aftermath...but not much more. His PoweredArmour is completely stripped off him, his injuries have crippled his legs, and the overall damage done leaves him hallucinating a vision of Nana and Nighteye encouraging him, which he recognizes as his subconscious motivating himself however it can to stay alive. Even without the means to face him head-on anymore, All Might refuses to give up.
--->'''All Might:''' However...'''You are not dead yet.''' (''flashing a still determined smile at All For One as he pushes his body up with his still-working arms'') [[BringIt Do your worst]].

* Chapter 402
** The chapter begins with a brief summation from Tsukauchi's helpers, noting the success of Shoto and Uraraka's efforts in stopping the most wide-scale destructive abilities the villains had to play, and by the present point confirming that all the fighting has concluded, ultimately leaving the heroes victorious in their different battlefields, and All For One and Tomura as the sole remaining conflict still ongoing. The fact that victory is ''still'' uncertain thanks to the near-godlike power each contains individually speaks volumes about just how far beyond ordinary villains and heroes each has become...and contrastingly, just how powerful Izuku is, that he's now [[OnlyICanKillHim the greatest bastion]] standing between them and the world.
*** Uraraka's successful TalkingTheMonsterToDeath against Toga also indirectly saved UA itself, as the sheer weight of the infinitely-replicating clones threatened to overtax the engines and send the whole building plummeting to the Earth before they dissipated just in time. Whilst it was an OffscreenMomentOfAwesome moment, Momo successfully single-handedly held back the horde alone, defending Mei as she worked to reboot the UA Flying Fortress. In addition to her usual staff and shield combo, Momo also creates the firing compartment of a handgun, as well as a ''[[GatlingGood gatling gun]] and missile launcher'' on each her shoulders.

** We return to Deku and Shigaraki fight. We learn that Deku's new speed is fast enough to dodge Shigaraki's attack point blank range and is able to grapple him in a stalemate using Black Chains around his wrists, showing how ''strong'' the bindings are that they can hold Tomura down despite his raw power. Remember the original plan was for Deku to fight Shigaraki alongside the #3, #4, and # 5 heroes, the Big 3, and Bakugo. They hoped that with everyone working together they could defeat Shigaraki, most likely remembering just how much trouble Shigaraki gave them in the last major battle. Everyone ''wasn't'' expecting Deku to be strong enough to go to toe toe-to-toe with Shigaraki on his own before his body could handle 100% of OFA. Here we see Deku, with only a semi-complete mastery of his full powers and potential, is able to fight a Shigaraki with his completed body, evenly. The same Shigaraki who defeated all the other heroes before Deku showed up. He has come a long way from the boy who could only throw two or three Smashes before he broke his arms.

** All For One has achieved his goal, since he used the Rewind drug, and made it close enough to Shigaraki to use his Gloop Warp Quirk. Despite All Might's best attempts to bait All For One, the villain ignores him. We see the black goop come out of Shigaraki's mouth, and all hope seems lost... only for Shigaraki to mentally tell his master not to butt into his fight and ''[[NoSell cancel the Gloop Warp Quirk by]]'' '''''[[NoSell swallowing it]]'''''. All For One realizes his apprentice has overcome his vestige and reclaimed full control of his body. Shigaraki stays true to his word about refusing to be his master's pawn.
*** Furthermore, All for One's mental dialogue has him believing that the vestige was "swallowed up" by Tomura's own consciousness, when the reader is acutely aware that's not the case -- his successor utterly ''destroyed'' that piece of himself and left it in tatters around his MentalWorld, absolutely torpedoing any hope All For One has of enacting his plan to merge into Tomura, an outcome All For one ''cannot'' envision at all, because, despite all his plans and contingencies, that's not a setback he could ''ever'' recover from.
*** Whilst Tomura refuses to accept All For One's direct interference in his fight, he showcases his [[XanatosSpeedChess adaptability]] in playing off the efforts of other villains to achieve victory in the end, using All For One's attempt to kill All Might in front of Izuku and the watchers on UA to force a SadisticChoice on him -if he tries to save All Might, Tomura will head straight to UA to kill ''everybody'', mentally pressuring his nemesis when he proved capable of physically stalemating him. If not for All Might taking the choice out of Izuku's hands, it might have secured Tomura's victory.
** All Might's final play against All For One. Most of All Might's armor's destroyed, his legs are broken, and he can do nothing but watch as All For One attempts to warp Shigaraki to himself, futilely trying to keep his attention focused on himself rather than their successors. When Tomura shrugs off All For One as an annoying nuance to his fight however, the evil villain decides to "do the legwork" himself whilst smirking sadistically at All Might, who answers in turn with his own ever-present defiant smile. As the arch-villain grabs him by the leg and parades him around to demoralize his enemies and distract Deku, All Might shows why he was pleased at All For One's predictable sadism -- it literally handed him the opportunity to turn the tables by grabbing his neck, causing All For One to recall the night he killed Nana and how she'd said he'd be defeated by All Might... ''because he's even more unhinged than he is''. To All For One's horror, All Might smiles and asks him a simple question:
--->'''All Might:''' (''With his left eye drained of its black sclera, now resembling his young self on the night of Nana's death'') [[PreMortemOneLiner If you die one more time, you'll rewind into a kindergartner, right?]]
** All Might then uses his seemingly-broken remaining gauntlet to ''[[ActionBomb blow himself up]]'' in a HeroicSacrifice, catching All For One in the center of the blast, emulating the one 1-A [[StuffBlowingUp student]] he ''didn't'' include in his arsenal, and the one all but stated to be a second protégé to him.
** A subtle one for Nana. The whole series AFO has been taunting All Might by saying Nana died pathetically, and his inner monologue in this chapter still says she was a pathetic idealist without the power to back up her convictions. But when we actually she her in her final moments, bloodied and exhausted after her battle with AFO, what she is she doing? ''[[GrinOfAudacity Smiling]]'' as she confidently declares All Might ''will'' [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture defeat AFO eventually]]. Better, ''she was right'' as in the panel right next to hers, in his own final moments, All Might grins the same [[Anime/OnePiece Will of D]] worthy smile as he [[HeroicSacrifice unleashes his final attack]]. [[EvilCannotComprehendGood AFO's solipsism]] is shown once again as he could never understand the selflessness, conviction and belief in others that allows Nana and Toshinori, like the Second User of OFA and Star, to remain absolutely DefiantToTheEnd.
*** And All Might's death won't be in vain - All For One's already burned up most of his remaining time fighting All Might, and this death will cut his time down from minutes to ''mere seconds''.
* Chapter 403
** Though All Might's willingness to ''die'' as a final attempt to stop him threw him for a loop, All For One reveals that he was counting on his nemesis pulling ''something'' out of the hat to turn the tables against him, [[TaughtByExperience courtesy of his own past experience]] with All Might's prior victory and both Star and Endeavor's actions against him. Therefore, he's able to just barely react in time, growing spikes from his body that impale the exploding support item and All Might's arm, stopping the detonation cold. Having now satisfied himself that All Might has no more surprise moves to pull, he uses [[TheParalyzer Bloodcurdle]] to paralyse him completely, rendering him unable to exercise even the meagre strength left to him to resist. Once that's done, he flashes a demented SlasherSmile - which literally ''rips his cheeks like paper''- and gloats that All Might's ''finally'' got the expression he's longed to see: ''complete and utter despair''. Despite everything he threw at him, All For One's CrazyPrepared nature allowed him to ''finally'' succeed in a decisive victory against his ArchEnemy, leaving him poised to brutally finish him, and the hopes of the watching world, off in one move.
** All For One proceeds to systematically thwart and deny any possible attempts any active heroes or helpers in the area could pull to stop him, devastating the newly-floating UA building with a lighting blast that tears through the entire structure with childish ease, forcing Gentle to keep it aloft again even as his strength is reaching the breaking point and the falling building threatens to crush him beneath it, and ripping through the supporting X-66 jets piloted by Star's squadron like they were made of cardboard, dismissing them as nothing without the aid of a powerful hero to work alongside. With the cameras rolling, people around the country falling into despair at the fight, those outside it writing off All Might's death as a certainty and Izuku still locked down fighting Tomura and ForcedToWatch as per All For One's intention, the arch villain begins slowly [[HalftheManHeUsedToBe tearing All Might in two]] as everybody either sinks into hopeless despair or prays vainly for a miracle to stop him.
--->'''Tsukauchi:''' (''In tears'') Someone, ''anyone...''\\
...\\
'''[[HellYesMoment KA]]-[[HesBack BOOOM!!!]]'''
** Standing Atop UA, the power of his explosion clearing the smoke from All For One's attack and revealing him in full, a revived Katsuki Bakugo stands again, now the sole person who can stop All For One's victory and fulfil one half of the creed All Might taught both him and Izuku, whilst his rival upholds his own: "Win by Saving, Save by Winning". As his and Izuku's eyes meet, the chapter title repeats again, reaffirming that the time, the day for not one, but ''two'' symbols of peace to be shown to the world... has come.
---> '''No 403: [[EndOfAnAge The End of an Era]]'''\\
'''And...'''\\
'''[[PassingTheTorch ...The Beginning]]'''
* Chapter 404
** Despite his revival and his now speedier Quirk upgrade, the distance between Bakugo and All For One is simply too far to make it in time before All Might's ripped apart. How does Bakugo resolve this conundrum? Wordlessly, almost like they are communicating telepathically, he blasts towards ''Izuku'' instead, reaching out his hand to grab Izuku's own as the former spins him around to launch him as a FastballSpecial towards their target, taking advantage of Tomura's momentarily stunned disbelief at Bakugo's return from the dead to pull the maneuver off in a literal second whilst he's still restrained by the Blackwhips and chains controlled by Izuku's other arm. On top of the strength of One For All, and Bakugo's own speedy Quirk, they have one more trump card to add on top of their combo -- ''Gearshift'', which the Second originally used on projectiles other than himself, can still apply that same effect with its enhanced capabilities, allowing Izuku to turn Bakugo into a light-speed projectile. The Second warns him that doing so risks leaving himself open to Tomura once the blowback hits, but Izuku doesn't hesitate or waver in his actions despite the danger.
** Despite their turnaround, Tomura smugly taunts Izuku that it's ''still'' too late, as their shared mental link allows him to see the vestige of All Might within Izuku has started to take actual form as his death approaches, delighting in how the death of the world's HopeBringer will [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids bring the masses back to harsh reality...]] [[WindsOfDestinyChange that is, until a wind starts to blow past Izuku]]. Around the world, watching the fight, nameless, faceless people are begging and pleading and hoping for All Might's survival, even if there's nothing they themselves can do. And yet, as every one of them still cries out for him to [[ArcWords live]], the narration again recalls Nighteye's dying words - that the unseen, immutable energy that comes from people wishing and striving towards a certain future ''can'' [[ScrewDestiny overcome his predictions and change fate when one man alone cannot]]. In a double-page spread, panels of all these civilians, recognizable and unfamiliar, seem to form the very wind itself at Bakugo's back, pushing him towards his target ''even faster'', as the young man's own wish gets added to the momentum: [[ItsAllMyFault his pain and regret]] about [[MyGreatestFailure the part he played in All Might's forced retirement]], and desire to [[MyGreatestSecondChance fix his mistake...]]
*** The end result? Bakugo reaches All For One ''just'' in time, ''[[AnArmAndALeg blowing his arms off]]'' to pluck All Might from his grasp before he can finish his sadistic execution, the vestige of All Might again resuming its indistinct appearance as he's pulled back from the brink of death.
*** Because of the combined power of their wishes and willingness to keep fighting despite the odds, Bakugo, Izuku, and all their supporters around the world [[ScrewDestiny defied Nighteye's prediction]] and [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] the ObiWanMoment, the one trope that's ''expected'' to play out (and ''completely straight,'' no less) during the course of any superhero story. All For One's stunned expression of frozen rage at Bakugo's interference is the icing on their victory cake.
*** Furthermore, this turnaround flips the SadisticChoice Tomura was forcing onto Izuku onto ''All For One''. Bakugo's now fleeing with All Might in the opposite direction of UA, where Izuku and Tomura's clash continues, and All For One's remaining time's run low enough that he's now visibly younger than either UA student. With minutes left to live at ''best'' (and about to lose even ''more'' of his already limited time restoring his hands), All For One's left with two choices - either pursue the super-fast Bakugo in a vain attempt to [[TakingYouWithMe spitefully crush his nemesis before he dies,]] or save himself by getting to Tomura and successfully performing a GrandTheftMe on him, despite knowing that his successor will fight tooth and nail before he'll ever let him control him again. ''He just doesn't have the time to do both.'' All For One's actually, ''truly'' alone, and thanks to his heartless nature, no one's there that could help him to have both desired outcomes. Whichever choice he makes, All For One's hopes for a seemingly "perfect" victory have just gone up in smoke.
*** And it's AFO's own fault - his obsession with being a [[CardCarryingVillain living comic book villain]] has caused him to [[HoistByHisOwnPetard screw himself over]] by falling for the [[VillainBall biggest cliché in the book:]] the villain has the hero at their mercy, but they're so [[CardCarryingVillain cartoonishly evil and sadistic]] that they ''can't'' do the [[PragmaticVillainy pragmatic thing]] and [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just kill them]] - they ''have'' to [[EvilGloating mock their hopeless situation]] and [[KickTheDog draw out their death]] just long enough for TheCavalry to swoop in and [[BigDamnHeroes save them at the last minute.]]
* Chapter 405
** The chapter starts out with a vision meeting between All Might and Sir Nighteye, confirming what was pointed out in the entry for the chapter above: that was the fate that Nighteye saw, and Bakugo, with the unseen aid of the world Yagi sacrificed so much to protect, stopped it at the final hour. After so many chapters of the villains trying to deride the irrational idealism prevalent in a hero saving others like a comic book, it's awesome to see [[TheFatalist Nighteye]] use that same argument to confirm his own prediction is null and void.
--->'''Nighteye:''' [[ScrewDestiny Fate was reshaped]], you see. What's true is that the dream did end here. And... your [[ThePromise promise]] is intact.\\
'''Yagi:''' But everyone knows [[ObiWanMoment the old master is meant to die after passing on the torch]].\\
'''Nighteye:''' [[ThisIsReality You've read too many comic books]], Toshinori Yagi. ''(smiling)'' You are a hero, but you're also human. You can't possibly die so readily.
** Once the heroes land, Edgeshot finally emerges from Bakugo's body and reveals something amazing: It wasn't Edgeshot's Quirk that revived the young hero, but ''Bakugo's''-- his creation of nitroglycerin[[labelnote:*]] Nitro is actually used as a medicine to help treat certain heart conditions and does so by relaxing the blood vessels and increasing the amount of blood and oxygen that flows through the arteries.[[/labelnote]] caused a small explosion to kickstart his heart when a bit of his sweat got into his bloodstream. The power of science, people!
--->'''Edgeshot:''' I only held you together. What brought you back was the power '''you've''' honed.
** Even with his arm still damaged from saving All Might, Bakugo is still willing to go back and help Izuku, showing his traditional brash confidence in facing All For One, even calling him "[[PreAsskickingOneLiner that runt I'm about to destroy]]" without a hint of doubt. What does All Might do? He gives Bakugo the remaining Support Item, a gauntlet, from his armor to act as a splint, revealing he named it "Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight", after Bakugo himself. The paneling of the support item passing from All Might to Bakugo as he names it and the young hero in one almost feels like All Might is knighting Bakugo with both his hero name and his faith that he can succeed where the old Symbol of Peace could not, and stop All For One for good. Bakugo's childishly happy expression at hearing his hero's faith is him is but the capper on the moment.
** Meanwhile, we've confirmed another thing the previous chapter hinted at: AFO is running out of time and knows he needs to get to Tomura and attempt the merge. However, it looks like that's not happening either-- before he can even fly towards the fighting enemies in comes Bakugo, declaring that ''[[IAmYourOpponent he]]'' [[IAmYourOpponent will be the wannabe Demon Lord's]] FinalBoss, unleashing a ''massive'' explosion right in All For One's face that punches him straight into the ground, the arch-villain too slow to even defend himself. Even more, Bakugo is no longer calling himself Izuku's rival-- he's the guy who's stepping up to handle what Izuku can't on his own!
*** On top of that, his inner thoughts reveal that losing All Might right at the crucial moment was a setback All For One ''couldn't'' ignore or downplay. As a montage of all the "side characters" who've faced him flashes through his head, it becomes clear that even his [[IRejectYourReality ironclad delusional viewpoint]] cannot warp or deny the facts for much longer -- he's '''''losing''''' this fight, no matter what he tries. His humiliation gets another layer added on top of it when the visage of the Second User, the one he maintains an unnatural hatred of even decades afterwards, flashes through his head right as Bakugo pounds it into the pavement. The user who scored the first chronological loss All For One suffered almost seems reborn to thwart him again in the present as his final heroic enemy.
---->'''All For One:''' Oh, how it boils the blood! How can it be that the gears have gone so awry?! The wind was meant to blow my way!
** In short, Bakugo's act of saving All Might from his clutches managed to accomplish even what All Might couldn't in his prime or any other One For All bearer for that matter against All For One: '''''[[VillainousBreakdown completely and absolutely obliterate his ego]]'''''.
** And one more thing to consider, Edgeshot mentions that even though he was able to stitch Bakugo's organs and body back together, they're not actually healed and he can't do anything about the pain, so for the entire time since his revival, Bakugo has been suffering unimaginable agony ''every time he breathes'', yet it [[HeroicWillpower doesn't slow him down at all]]!
* Chapter 406
** A brief wide-area transmission at the chapter's start tallies off the various crises areas the heroes are fighting at. Save for National Takoba Arena, wherein Ojiro and Ryukyu are still fighting against one of the Tartarus escapees, almost all of them have been suppressed or resolved in the heroes' victory, Gang Orca having succeeded in defeating the Near-High End on Okuto island, the central hospital secured and providing treatment for the wounded, the evacuees to Shinketsu safely arrived, and all other villains are at the Jaku hospital ruins, immobilized by Mudman. The heroes have almost won this war, but their biggest challengers won't go down without a fight...
** Izuku mentally cycles through his options as Tomura keeps easily breaking the hold Black Whip has on him, lamenting that he doesn't yet have any idea how to decisively overcome Tomura's combination of instant regeneration and TouchOfDeath abilities, at best being able to stall him momentarily. He notes that with his current state, he ''will'' be immobilised and left vulnerable should he use Gearshift once more, but he doesn't have anything else that stands a chance at meaningfully damaging Tomura's current form. Resolved to make his last move count, Izuku activate his SuperMode once more as Tomura readies himself to weather whatever Izuku dishes out.
** Refusing to be delayed by an unexpected nuisance and desperate to make his last moments count, All For One dismisses Bakugo as "A mere pebble in my path" and tries to go around him, using a shockwave blast to launch himself through the still-standing buildings in a beeline for Izuku's battle. Does Bakugo take that lying down? Hell no, as he calls out All For One on his foolish belief that he's the main villain when he's already lost that position to a worthier successor, relegating him to a nuisance that refuses to go away during the climactic battle.
--->'''Bakugo:''' Still at it? You filler character!
*** Bakugo finally realises how to control his new speed boost: using the immense pain caused by the exploding sweat globules distributing around his body as a handle to properly time his backup blasts. It self-damages him every time he does it, and the speed is simply too fast for him to control, but Bakugo doesn't care. With a massive smile on his face, he manages to catch up to the fleeing All For One even moving at his top speed, taking the wannabe top villain by surprise even as his new move causes him to crash along the ground. Rather than let himself be stopped by this, Bakugo simply turns this into a headlong roll at breakneck speeds to properly manoeuvre himself into unleashing a point-blank blast that smacks All For One down, forcing him into a confrontation he cannot escape from.
*** All For One's frustrations with Bakugo's interference causes him to realise why he's starting to feel ''even angrier'' with him than against All Might. Bakugo's uncanny resemblance to the Second reminds All For One of their confrontation, revealing why it is that the psychopathic villain maintains such animosity against the rebel leader even generations later: he used his last words to '''mock''' All For One with the [[ArmorPiercingResponse truth]]. That Yoichi's death was due to his own actions in roleplaying a villain, and either directly or indirectly, All For One killed the only other person in the world he ever cared about. Furthermore, All For One's immediate shifting of the blame to the Second rescuing Yoichi and taking him out of the vault in the first place shows that, on some level, ''he knows he's right'', and has spent decades in denial over his own culpability because of it.
---->'''All For One:''' ''The one I loathe above all others.'' '''You're to blame for it all, [[GivenNameReveal Kudo!!]]'''\\
'''Bakugo:''' Finally gone senile, bub?! That's ''Kacchan Bakugo'' to you, ya grade-A moron!
* Chapter 407:
** A flashback to a year before the worldwide news of the glowing baby was announced tells the story of a nameless prostitute, suffering from her poor living conditions and an unknown pregnancy that sapped her strength, eventually leading to her [[DeathByChildbirth passing away after giving birth underneath a riverside bridge]], leaving only the two babies beside her corpse. When rats emerged to eat the carcass and the newborns, the flooding river swept all of them away. And yet, despite the odds, the babies survived. How? Because the newborn AFO, manifesting his Quirk apparently on instinct, absorbed the Quirk that had developed within his mother, unbeknownst to her of what it was, allowing him to grow hornlike growths from his body to pierce into her corpse, holding onto it as a makeshift raft in the floodwater, and then using the Quirk as an assist to allow him to feed on what nutrients were left in her breast. From absolutely nothing, he used his powers from birth to [[SelfMadeMan raise himself up]] into becoming a threat that would eventually try to dominate the entire world. Utterly nightmarish, but it perfectly underscores the tenacious willpower that drives AFO, even at his most desperate moment by the present day.
** Though young, and left utterly powerless by his frail body, born from AFO naturally and unthinkably monopolising the majority of the nutrients from their mother in the womb, Yoichi's natural goodness and empathy shines through despite, and particularly ''because of'' the twins' destitute situation. When AFO brutalises others to steal their Quirks or possessions for himself, the weak Yoichi throws an empty soda can at him, crying at him to stop. Despite being too young to even ''know'' about right or wrong, Yoichi knows what pain feels like, and doesn't wish that on others, showcasing the beginning of his natural opposition of AFO's own inherent evil nature.
* Chapter 408:
** Though the exact specifics of exactly ''how'' it happened are ambiguous, it's shown that Yoichi managed his initial Quirk transfer to Kudo right on the very moment of his death, passing the genesis of One For All into him right as his body was blown to pieces by his brother in his own attempt to prevent "losing" Yoichi. Given Kudo's MeaningfulLook at the hand that was holding Yoichi's at the moment he fell to pieces, its implied that Yoichi, being the Quirk's original holder, succeeded in doing what no other holder has done since and instinctively transferred his own Quirk to Kudo on touch, just like All For One can. Despite living a life that was defined by his brother's control over him, Yoichi found a means through death to not only be truly free, but actively resist his twin.
*** Furthermore, though it never stopped him from pursuing his path of villainy at all costs, it's shown that Yoichi ''did'' leave an emotional impact on his Twin, with him being [[VillainousBSOD unusually shaken]] by his sudden death, allowing Kudo and the 3rd user to flee when he had the resistance movement dead to rights. This mania, whilst later mutating into his absolute obsession with targeting the holders physically and emotionally with every dirty tactic he could, is ultimately the reason why he keeps letting chances to seriously kill Izuku slip by the present day, giving the heroes a fighting chance against him.
** The subsequent montage of All For One facing off against the holders of Yoichi's will has a moment for each of them.
*** Kudo, beaten and broken, managed to emotionally enrage the tyrant to a degree he'd never been before by his mockery of his attempt to reclaim "Yoichi", causing him to shed BerserkerTears over missing his chance to reunite with him, an emotional outburst All For One makes a point to deny he ever had, claiming they were mere CrocodileTears to confuse Kudo, rather than admit how badly hurt he was by it. Even generations later, this proves the be the root of his absolute ''loathing'' towards the rebel leader, enough that being reminded of him in any way is a bigger BerserkButton than [[ArchEnemy All Might]].
*** The 3rd wielder, Bruce, apparently made a LastStand against All for One with the remnants of Kudo's resistance movement, fighting him despite the hopeless odds. Though he was overwhelmed and impaled for his efforts, it's implied the battle bought enough time for Hikage Shinomori to escape and hide from All For One's frenetic searching for his brother
*** Though he never openly faced him, it's showcased that Shinomori's decision to hide from All For One and cultivate the inherited power was the correct one, as All For One is seen fruitlessly searching for him before being forced to give up and focus his efforts on his empire instead, and after the 4th, the subsequent users were strong enough to actually fight against the arch-villain directly.
*** Banjo was powerful enough to fight All For One head-on, but was ultimately overcome. Despite that, it's shown that he was the first time that All For One failed to steal the Quirk, leaving him absolutely stunned with [[ThisCannotBe a look of visible shock]] at his unexpected resistance to his signature ability.
*** En is shown to be sliced in half from behind by All For One, yet despite being left a torso with a single arm, has enough strength left in him to tear out his hair to pass onto Nana with a smile, the imagery of the 7th holder glaring at All For One through En's smoke greatly implying he continued to output his smokescreen to his last breath to hide her and allow her to flee.
*** Though Nana's efforts aren't shown, the impact she left through her immediate successors of All Might and Izuku, and the message she provided of being a HopeBringer that inspired them both, more than speaks for itself, being the greatest upset to All For One's efforts than any of her predecessors
*** And at last, All Might's fateful victory and decisive blow against All For One is finally shown, his MegatonPunch ''liquifying'' All for One's upper cranium into bloody viscera, all whilst holding his injured stomach wound with his other hand, implying that if not for said injury he'd have done ''worse'' to the body. The fact that Garaki had to recover All For One's body from a morgue makes it clear: All Might genuinely ''[[GoodIsNotSoft killed the bastard]]'', and [[SpannerInTheWorks if not for Garaki]] frankensteining the corpse BackFromTheDead, that legitimately would have been the end of him and his insane ambitions.
** All For One realises why Bakugo reminds him so much of his hated enemy despite his absolute extermination of his bloodline -- Bakugo's eyes are [[HeroicWillpower filled with the determination to beat him]], unlike at Kamino, showing how he's changed and matured in the months since that battle. Pissed off by his interference, having no means of removing Bakugo from the fight, All For One decides to settle everything in a final move: Unleashing ''every single Quirk factor he possesses'' into a massive misshapen blob of flesh straight out of a nightmare, all to propel himself through Bakugo and reach Tomura in a single move, even if the blowback will ensure he'd rewind into an infant. The energy from this abomination charging up starts to ''vaporise'' the nearby buildings, looking like massive cannon pointed straight at Bakugo, who merely has his wounded body and newly-discovered Quirk attribute to resist with. What does Bakugo do? Smirk, and [[SarcasmMode sarcastically chide himself]] for ever hoping to become a hero powerful enough to overcome the sheer power One For All and All For One possesses, though his undaunted attitude hints he still has faith in his victory.
--->'''Bakugo:''' Some genius I am. How could I ever hope to beat that?
* Chapter 409:
** As All For One launches his massive, monstrous body straight at Bakugo, the latter merely ruminates on [[TheHerosJourney his shared journey]] with Izuku, swearing that he won't stand in his rival's way of becoming number one, nor will he let the old villain intrude in his climatic fight, yelling out for him to "Blow the hell up!"... and he does. His head is torn apart form the inside by a small powerful blast, stunning him from the unexpected attack that seemingly had no input from Bakugo himself, cutting his charge short and leaving his misshapen form to crash down into the city, reeling from confusion. Bakugo moves in close and taunts him that his last attack on All For One had him sneakily toss some of his explosive sweat beads covered by regular sweat inside his mouth as a [[DelayedExplosion time bomb]], taking a cue from how the downpour around them was affecting his new move. With All For One's own volatile movements having set them off and the same mass Quirk combination now leaving him [[ClippedWingAngel a giant, immobile target against a speedier opponent]], Bakugo now has him dead to rights despite -- and in fact, ''because of'' -- his same ridiculous levels of power. Fitting for the man who desired to be stronger than anybody, and contrasting against his and All Might's climatic PunchParry struggle, Bakugo beats him by just ''[[WeakButSkilled not letting him use that strength]]''.
--->'''Bakugo:''' If nothing else, I've always earned kudos for my intuition. ''The one Quirk I've got is enough!!''
*** Bakugo's move not only fittingly takes advantage of the fact that All For One [[BreakThemByTalking never shuts up in a fight]], as well as feeding into his obsession with [[PowerParasite devouring]] and his BodyMotifs of mouths, but [[FeedItABomb chucking a bomb into the big monster's mouth, waiting for it to go off and then wailing on it]] is a classic video game tactic. Contrasting against his SuperiorSuccessor's enjoyment of video games as an entertainment medium, All For One being obsessed with comic books instead left him too confused to react properly to Bakugo's tactic.
** Enraged by being so casually outsmarted by a mere child, All For One starts up another tirade about how this is his story....only he's talking to the character who has ''zero'' tolerance for bullshit. Starting with a point-blank Howitzer Impact to his face, what follows is a '''glorious''' 4-page montage of Bakugo unleashing an utterly non-stop NoHoldsBarredBeatdown of explosions on his helpless target, regardless of how badly he tears himself apart as well, drowning out his objections with unstoppable tenacity and a louder voice.
--->'''All For One:''' This is...''my tale!!'' Move aside! You ''extra!!'' You ''NOBODY!!''
--->'''Bakugo:''' GET WRECKED!! AND ''[[ShutUpHannibal SHUT THE HELL UP!!]]''
*** All For One's frantic attempts to resist the barrage has him noticing his various Quirks are getting torn apart too easily, the synergy between them degrading and weakening them enough to blast his body to scraps. At first he thinks it might be because of his child's body being too delicate to wield them properly anymore, before a voice from within him draws his attention to the [[MentalWorld Vestige Realm]] within him. He sees the vast group of vestiges all standing opposite from him, united in their animosity, crowded around the vestige of Hawks, who taunts him that his poor grasp of Tomura's negative emotions weakened his iron grip over his subdued prisoners without him noticing, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain allowing Hawks to hold a "fan club meeting" within]], using his charisma and popularity with the masses to unite all the Vestiges once more in denying All For One their powers at the point he needs them the most. Even if the death of All For One means their death too, all of these nameless remnants of his victims are [[TakingYouWithMe willing to make that sacrifice]] rather than be monopolised for his selfish ambitions forever. Hawks taunts "Shigaraki" that he'd failed to swallow them up as efficiently as he thought before Bakugo lands the final blow.
*** In contrast to his fearsome, inhuman appearance when he devoured the vestiges before, All For One appears as he is on the outside, and has always been underneath the fearsome image of the Demon Lord he tried to be: a child clad in rags raging against reality, alone and abandoned in the rocky nothingness of the vestige world without anybody to leech from. Whilst it might be because of how [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody his changed body affects his mental state]], it can also be seen as the vestiges managing to see past the image of the fearsome oppressor he was to [[NotAfraidOfYouAnymore reduce All For One down to his true pathetic self in their eyes]].
** The final blow: a double-spread FacepalmOfDoom that blows apart All For One's upper cranium, the paneling framed in such a way that it references not only All Might's fateful victory over the SoreLoser, but also Tomura and his own touch-based abilities. The recoil from the blow is strong enough to not only break apart All Might's support brace, but [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu Bakugo's arm]] as well, bending it 180 degrees backwards, yet just like his rival, the young hero still follows through on the hit to shatter All For One's delusions along with his face: literally knocking him down from his delusional heights down to reality as he spells it out for him.
--->'''Bakugo:''' Get it straight. This is...'''our tale!!'''
** As the dust clears, it reveals all that's left of All For One: A naked, crying infant lying helpless atop the filthy rags he wore to protect his modesty, now exposed humiliatingly as the baby he was underneath before the entire world for all to see and remember. His remaining time could only last a minute at best, he's lost control of the Quirks he controlled and his body is in no fit state to reach Tomura anyway. At long last, after generations of effort and united teamwork in opposition to him, All For One, the overarching villain of the narrative, has lost, and there isn't a single further trick he can pull to avert his fate.
*** Both All Might and Bakugo note this isn't ''just'' Bakugo's actions, but [[VictoryByEndurance the actions of everybody who'd faced him]], both during the FinalBattle and over the years since he began his villainy. [[DeathOfAThousandCuts Every hero who stood up to him, delayed him and gave it their all to force him to fight for every inch he advanced towards Tomura]] wore him down to the point Bakugo could drive the final nail into his coffin, as he notes by repeating his earlier statement.
---->'''Bakugo:''' Yeah, I never coulda hoped to beat [[LovecraftianSuperpower that.]] At least, not '''alone.'''

* Chapter 410
** The title alone should tell you how awesome it's gonna get: "Farewell, All For One". This is [[DeaderThanDead the end]] for AFO.
** The chapter begins from AFO's POV as he ''slowly'' drags himself through the dirt, his mental monologue still ranting about how he has a chance for victory if he can reach Tomura, how his vestige self didn't get to use the "trump Card" he'd prepared within him, how he ''needs'' his brother, that he wants to destroy the future of the world so nobody will ever forget about his existence... And then, we see his current state: reduced down to a ''baby'', too young to even speak his ravings properly anymore. Then, before he can drag himself any further, Bakugo steps out of the smoke to stand in his way once more, incredulous at his childish foe's obstinacy as the reduced EvilOverlord freezes in fear.
** Despite his physical advantages over his diminutive opponent, Bakugo is in worse physical shape, coughing blood, motor functions shutting down and fighting to stand up. This is literally [[MemeticMutation Coughing Bomb vs. Hydrogen Baby]]. Noting All For One's current state means his odds of interfering somehow in Izuku's battle are practically nil, that he'll vanish regardless even if he doesn't do anything, Bakugo starts to collapse to the ground in sheer exhaustion from all his injuries. However, before he does fall, he's reminded of his own comment to Kirishima about how "standing through anything makes you crazy strong" and he finds his HeroicSecondWind, slamming his foot down to steady himself before he hits the dirt.
--->'''Bakugo:''' That was close. (''flashes a bloodstained GrinOfAudacity at the '''terrified''' baby AFO'') Nah, nothing less than absolute victory... [[PrepareToDie ...FOR ME!!]]
*** Moreover, All For One's attitude prior showed a frenzied hope that Bakugo would just collapse and give him a chance to pass before he caught himself. All For One ''exulted'' in being a HopeCrusher who let his victims know they were doomed through his trademark {{Slasher Smile}}s before remorselessly executing them. In this moment, in addition to his resemblance to Kudo and intentionally modelling his behaviour off the heroic All Might, Bakugo takes on traits of ''All For One'' and turns them against him, [[LaserGuidedKarma letting him experience the same fear and hopelessness he's subjected countless others to]]. All For One can only stare in shock at finally meeting an opponent whose mania with winning outstrips [[SoreLoser his own]].
** In sheer primal terror at his enemy's resolve and unable to think of a way out, All For One fires a Spearlike Bone ''from his mouth'' to try and impale Bakugo, the same tactic he used when he was a child and arguably the ''only'' Quirk he can still control with his stolen powers rebelling against him. Bakugo's response? To pull a PunchCatch on the projectile ''[[NowThatsUsingYourTeeth with his own teeth]]'' before blowing it up. All For One can only stare in shock at his crazy foe's tenacity, right before the shockwave travels down the bone and hits him. Whether from the damage done or his remnant time simply having been exhausted, this proves to be the final straw for his physical shell, causing him to scream RapidFireNo as the last traces of him start to fade. All For One then [[DeathByDeaging turns into a fetus, then an egg cell, then disappears]]. And with that, All For One, the BigBad of the series, is gone forever.
--->'''Bakugo:''' [[PreMortemOneLiner Nighty night, All For One.]]
*** Even more, it wasn't Bakugo who ensured his reign of terror was forever gone, but, in an indirect way, ''[[HisOwnWorstEnemy All For One himself]]''. His selfish monopolisation throughout the generations, all to benefit himself, ensured that he never created a legacy that would outlast him, because he ''never'' planned to be anything less that the eternal BigBad of the narrative, forever lording his power over everybody for the rest of time. Instead, his own "successor" destroyed his vestige, his most loyal minions turned on him and hold his memory in contempt, and he died in the most humiliating manner possible, recorded for posterity as an eternal failure who dies without ever having a true name to [[{{Unperson}} characterise himself]]. Being given ''exactly what he wanted'' through Eri's Rewind, a means to restore himself to full power and be invincible in battle, ultimately only resulted in there being NoBodyLeftBehind to revive All For One a third time, ensuring every last trace of his being, physical and spiritual, is gone for good. DeaderThanDead doesn't begin to describe that.
** The Quirks within All For One FaceDeathWithDignity, each any every one of them aware that his end means their own and accepting this as a necessary sacrifice. Hawks' vestige is the last to fade, wistfully noting it'd be too convenient for them to return to their owners upon their captor's death.
** Back at Izuku's fight, the narration reveals how the stakes of TheHero's climatic fight are [[SerialEscalation still higher]] than taking down the nigh-immortal and godlike power of the DiabolicalMastermind of the story's history. A flashback reveals that the heroes would have actually ''preferred'' to fight All For One rather than his protege. Vile, irredeemable scumbag he may have been, All For One's desire to TakeOverTheWorld meant that he did have ''some'' limitations on the devastation and destruction he'd unleash against them -- limitations that Tomura, with even greater power in his enhanced body, doesn't possess. Shigaraki reveals just what this means in the present -- he has honed his skill with his Decay Quirk even further since the first war, enabling him to choose to shift his direction below, allowing him to bore into the Earth's crust and destroy the very foundations of the country. With this new display of his power, he has Decayed the ground beneath himself and Deku until nothing was left, causing ocean waters to come pouring out and flooding the area, creating an awe-inspiring display of the very world collapsing into chaos around the two combatants, just from the collateral damage of their god-like powers.
*** Shigaraki clarifies that he plans to keep this simple but efficient tactic going, unleashing his Decay non-stop until [[OmnicidalManiac it affects all 378,000 kilometers of Japan to completely destroy the nation]], leaving only sky and ocean in his wake. In contrast to his master's impressive but inefficient usage of multiple powers with poor skilful handling, Shigarkai is using his own arsenal to take a page out of Izuku's book, using his various powers to enhance his simple combination of non-stop Decay and Hyper Regeneration to [[VictoryByEndurance endure whatever blows Izuku unleashes on him]] whilst the world falls apart around him, With the lives of literally every person in Japan riding on his victory, the stakes have never been higher for Izuku....and yet, he has still to come up with a means of actually ''defeating'' Tomura despite all of that, as his all-powerful foe [[InvincibleVillain simply seems to have no weaknesses]] and all he can do is stall him whilst time runs out for him and the country both.
*** To make matters worse, Shigaraki showcases his adaptability in a fight once more, claiming his brief face-off with Bakugo's own new speed gave him the insight needed to match Deku's combo of Gearshift and Fa-Jin. He [[SpeedBlitz speed-blitzes]] the young hero and manages to get his hand right on his face. While Deku is quick to act and cut off his fingers, Tomura reveals he actually wasn't trying to Decay him that time. As Banjo appears to warn Izuku, he realises that Danger Sense, the Quirk he was relying on to predict Shigaraki's lethal attacks...is missing. The predecessors' worst fears become a reality; Shigaraki can indeed steal One For All, and now he intends to strip Izuku of all his ComboPlatterPowers until his ArchEnemy is weak enough to be obliterated, followed by the rest of the country, if not the world.

* Chapter 411:
** A flashback to within the Vestige Realm of OFA shows what happened when Tomura stole Danger Sense: Shinomori's Quirk naturally warned him of the ''massive'' hand that appeared behind them, all focused on the outward battle, allowing him to react in time to shove the rest of the Torch Bearers out of the danger zone so [[TakingTheBullet only he was taken by the giant facsimile of Tomura's fist]]. As the only holder who didn't wind up preforming a HeroicSacrifice against All For One, Shinomori more than made up for it here, giving the rest of his allies a chance to recompose themselves against this new threat.
*** It's also a moment for Tomura as well. En's dialogue points out that if not for Shinomori's early reaction, he could have stolen ''more'' of the vestiges in that split second, if not the '''entirety''' of Izuku's power in one go. Tomura's hatred has advanced to the point that there's no longer even a contest of wills against him: If he touches them again, he could very well {{Depower}} Izuku fully -- and he's not even focused on achieving that outcome unless it'd make killing Izuku easier. One way or another, Tomura intends to put an end to the only obstacle that can oppose his unrelenting drive for destruction, unlike his master [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou allowing the preservation]] of "[[LivingEmotionalCrutch Yoichi]]" until it became too much for him.
** Izuku instantly attempts to get some distance between them, unleashing CombatTentacles of Fa Jin-enhanced Black Chains to swing at Shigaraki only for him to neatly dodge all of them, demonstrating that [[InstantExpert he's instantly adapted to Danger Sense]] after stealing it. Now no longer able to predict his foe's movement whilst Shigaraki can do the opposite, the villain presses his advantage on Izuku, unleashing a ''blistering'' amount of shockwave attacks on him, knocking him backwards from their oceanside battleground and [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom repeatedly hammering him through the landscape again and again]], all whilst mocking his belief that Shigaraki can still be "saved", laughing that he's no longer a mere human being who can be reasoned with.
*** Despite losing one of the powers that allowed him to go on the offensive against Tomura, Izuku shows that he's not totally defenceless either, wrapping himself in a layered ball of Black Whips to endure the barrage and still able to stand at the end of it, something no other hero could have done. Even cornered, Izuku's still thinking on his feet to find a way to win.
** Tired of Izuku's stalling tactics and unwilling to allow the ninth holder to flee for another chance at victory down the line, Tomura points out to Izuku that their fight has taken them to the very slopes of Mt Fuji, making it clear that he intends to leave them no further chances or places to run away, so he'll start his countrywide destruction by [[MonumentalDamage destroying the famous inert volcano first]]. The vestiges realise that Tomura intentionally pushed Izuku towards the site, all to force him into a SadisticChoice. If Tomura decays the volcano, it'll unleash a cataclysmic eruption of magma that'll ravage the countryside independently of him, ensuring massive loss of life even if Izuku keeps him occupied, forcing him to stand his ground and face a literal WalkingWasteland that has no apparent weak spots and who ''will'' kill Izuku if he gets a direct hit in.
*** Despite his dire situation, Izuku still espouses his faith that Tomura is not the irredeemable villain he presents himself as, no matter how monstrous he makes himself or the death toll he intends to commit, even as he also prepares himself to stand and fight to the end, once more wrapping his arm with Black Whip as a recoil booster to unleash 100% attacks, combined with Fa Jin, on Tomura, the force tearing apart his support braces from the sheer power he's channelling. On Tomura's end, his newly-stolen Danger Sense starts going ''berserk'' at the danger Izuku presents now, causing enough warnings to make even Tomura wince from the intensity.
--->'''Izuku:''' No, it's all... somehow connected. And somewhere inside you... [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre is a person]].

* Chapter 412:
** Izuku reveals that, rather that reinforcing the outside of his arm with Black Whip, like he did in the war, he's using it ''subdermally'' on his muscles underneath the skin, manually flexing his muscles to build up power for Fa Jin along with better reinforcing his arm against the blow, all whilst enduring Tomura's prior attacks. Along with the still-active Gearshift, Izuku swings an underhand punch that he shifts into an open-hand flick of air, creating a literal ''sea'' of air through Delaware Smash, scooping up the onrushing wave of destruction that Tomura was unleashing and blowing it all harmlessly away in a single blow. Tomura's impressed that Izuku calculated the full range of his Decay's spread and countered it in a single move as the gale-force winds lift him skyward.
*** Tomura believes all he needs to do is restart his Decay wave once again until Izuku's efforts are exhausted, but as he shoots himself back towards his foe, he realises that the dust cloud that the wind picked up hasn't vanished. Smirking as he realises he's fallen for Izuku's next tactic, Tomura's new Danger Sense gets overwhelmed by multiple Black Whips bursting from the clouds, leaving him too distracted to properly react to the ''real'' threat of Izuku's new MegatonPunch blow, cleanly chopping through his super-tough arm like it was made of paper mâché. Izuku reveals he's using both his experience against Lady Nagant to exploit Danger Sense as a weakness against Tomura, as well as the ingenious move of combining "Low gear" and Smokescreen to create long-lasting smoke cover to hide in whilst he peppers Tomura with attacks his resilient body can't withstand.
*** However, Tomura's adaptability in a fight ultimately wins out, as rather that continuing to rely on Danger Sense, he instantly switches to Search to accurately pin down Izuku's location and hits him backwards with [[CombatTentacles Rivet Stab]], the same power also letting him know Izuku's AchillesHeel: that Gearshift's time has run out, leaving him slower and vulnerable as the recoil affects him. Despite his chaining of his remaining Quirks, no tactic Izuku pulls can keep an advantage against Tomura for long.
* Tomura continues to mock Izuku's naiveté in trying to "save" him, insisting that he's completely fine with being BeyondRedemption and it's only Izuku's hubris that's deluding himself into believing otherwise. He even points out that their mental link between the Quirks works both ways, so Izuku can see inside Tomura's head just as he can see the Vestiges within Izuku....and can thus see that there's so sign of the young Tenko left within Tomura, only the swirling chaos that demonstrates his never-ending desire to destroy. Seeing this, even Nana cannot help but advise Izuku, however regretfully, that he ''needs'' to kill Tomura, that he doesn't need to feel guilty over making a hard choice that compromises his ideals as a hero in order to save millions in reality. And yet, even with that seeming to be his only option, Izuku '''still''' refuses to give up on Tomura. It's not merely about his own desire to save the piece of Tomura that's suffering, but an acknowledgement that Tomura and the rest of the villains who wanted to change the status quo are correct: the world ''needs'' to accept that there's flaws in the system that hurt and overlook those it's meant to protect, and if Izuku picks the "easy" option of killing Tomura to stop his threat now, it will merely allow the problems to continue festering, maybe even giving birth to an even more dangerous "Tomura Shigaraki" down the line. Izuku is not just fighting for his or Tomura's sake, he's fighting to stop the cycle of hurt and suffering for future generations, even without any clear idea of how to pull off that miracle. For both good and ill, he truly deserves to be called "History's Maddest Hero", moving Nana to tears with his dedication.
-->'''Izuku:''' '''No'''. I have to ask why he can't let go of that sad, lonely past of his!! All he did was put a lid on it. So until that lid shatters to pieces, [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath I won't stop smashing away at it!]]
** Another point for Izuku: Both Nana and Tomura's dialogue makes it clear that, even with Tomura's threat against him and the ''entirety'' of Japan, Izuku is actually '''[[IAmNotLeftHanded still holding back against him]]''', avoiding unleashing the maximum amount of force he potentially could straight at Tomura, which even he admits could be enough to put his body beyond recovery. Even with all the enhancements and emotion-driven evolution that Tomura's body has undergone, Izuku's peak is ''still'' actually faster and stronger than him thanks to One For All's accumulation over the generations, again driving home how doomed All For One's efforts to "cheat" a way to victory against his brother's power were.
** Seeing Izuku resolutely stalemating Tomura, his empathy chaining back their best hope for victory, Kudo can only muse that his assessment was correct: Izuku is indeed incapable of finishing the feud between the twin powers because his idealistic belief in the inherent goodness of everyone, even their deadliest enemy, means he refuses to make "the hard decision" even with millions of lives counting on him....and yet, having observed Izuku's memories from within, not even the hardened Kudo can find it in himself to deride that same pure belief as "unnecessary", seeing his forgiveness and redeeming of even those he should have hated the most, like Bakugo. And so, Kudo likewise decides to make his own "insane bet", as an image of Star and Stripes appears pointing at Tomura's inner world, symbolising both the inherited will to defeat him that Izuku's carrying on, as well as giving Kudo a slim hope. If fighting Tomura externally is doomed to end in failure....
--->'''Kudo:''' I'm betting everything on you, ''Ninth''. '''[[WhamLine The time has come...to part ways with One For All.]]'''

* Chapter 413:
** The chapter begins with a flashback to Star and Stripe's perspective during the finale her Quirk's rampage inside of Shigaraki's mindscape, revealing that she in fact witnessed the core of Tenko still within the chaotic mass of Tomura and AFO's fusion, and despite her Quirk's power burning out, enough of her will remains to relay a crucial piece of information to the vestiges within One For All: Within Tomura's mindscape, every bit of his trauma, rage and hatred that made him who he is has been compressed into a seemingly impenetrable [[TitleDrop "lump of lead"]] representing his indomitable will, except for a single small crack left behind from his battle with Star, a [[AchillesHeel psychic wound]] that [[WoundThatWillNotHeal none of his Quirks are capable of healing]], which Star's spirit points out to All Might and the other vestiges by proxy. Though her battle with Tomura only temporarily delayed his upgraded body's completion and the Quirks she destroyed could be replaced, Star's battle nonetheless created a crucial weakness in the sheer face of Tomura's willpower and her will lingered on long enough to both allow Deku and the vesitges to exploit it and confirm that no matter how deeply buried, Tenko and Tomura's humanity still exists.
--->'''Star and Stripe's vestige:''' Master... There's a forlorn little boy in there...
** Kudo explains his [[CrazyEnoughToWork crazy gambit]] to exploit the flaw in Tomura's mental fortress: by imagining OFA's [[ExactWords transference]] as an ''attack'' and basically using the individual Quirks as ''ammunition'', Deku can send the individual Quirks into Tomura with such force as to blast apart the crack in Tomura's mind, hypothetically possible since Tomura [[NiceJobFixingItVillain accidentally]] proved the Quirks can be separated from One For All itself through [[TakingTheBullet Shinomori's sacrifice]], with the supercharged Quirks of OFA having the potential to each inflict tremendously more damage than even Star's New Order could due to the power they've accumulated over the years. Kudo knows this is still incredibly risky and likely to be a HeroicSacrifice... which is why he [[HeroicSacrifice volunteers to go first]], explaining that either his Quirk is destroyed on "impact" before Tomura can even use it, or the transferred backlash from Deku's own overuse of Gearshift will cause Tomura become exhausted and allow Deku to regain his stamina in one fell swoop.
** After the plan is explained, Nana observes that Deku is still struggling to commit to it, not out of a selfish fear of death or of returning to being Quirkless, but because even after all the time he spent training and earning OFA, he still views it an irreplaceable treasure ''trusted to him'' by the hero and man he admires most in the world, All Might. Though despite his trepidation at giving up the very thing that allowed him to pursue his dream of being a hero and literally struggling to breathe and get upright from his prone state, at Kudo's prompt for Izuku's affirmation, the boy shouts with complete conviction:
---> '''Izuku''': '''I'LL DO IT!!'''
** Cue a ''massive'' burst of Blackwhip tendrils '''shearing one of Tomura's arms clean off''' faster than he can react even with Danger Sense, a feat that last chapter was achieved by a direct strike with OFA's SuperStrength. When the dust clears, we see that Deku has gotten around his fatigue from Gearshift by '''spreading Blackwhip tendrils throughout his entire body to puppeteer himself from within''', the result being an absolutely ''savage'' new look with tendrils suspending him off the ground like spider legs, webbing across his body resembling a [[ComicBook/SpiderMan symbiote al a Venom or Carnage]], demonic looking eyes and ''claws'', prompting Shigaraki to make a remark calling back to an iconic moment of the Dark Hero Arc as a Quirk spark begins to shine within Deku's hand as he prepares to put the plan into motion:
---> '''Tomura''': Looking at you... I'd never guess you were a hero.

* Chapter 414:
** Resuming the fight, Izuku and Tomura each charge towards the ground, racing each other to prevent/activate the Decay Wave. Izuku blocks Tomura's vision once more with En's "useless" Smokescreen, to his surprise, as the former unleashes a double-handed Decay strike on the ground...only for a double-page spread to reveal that Izuku had lifted a huge chunk of the earth free with Black Chains as support underneath through the Smokescreen, neutering Tomura's attack just like the UA defence system. Banjo notes that rather than using the Chains' raw strength alone, Izuku had actually dragged them underground when Tomura [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom blew him through the landscape]] last chapter, tearing up the ground in preparation to counter Tomura's Decay even as he himself was getting beaten bloody.
** Tomura instantly reacts to Izuku's follow-up attack out of the cloud cover, turning around to Decay him as he attacks from behind...only to discover it's Gran Torino's cape suspended on a Black Whip, the same decoy tactic Izuku used against Nagant. Tomura, confused, notes that he was using Search to track Izuku's position in the low-visibility to avoid this, only to Decay the cape to dust and reveal what's underneath it. A clot of blood gripped by the Black Whip Tendril, shining with Kudo's Vestige within. From [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Tomura's own taunting against Izuku]] and the vestiges beforehand, Izuku realises that their PsychicLink between the Quirks allowed Tomura to "see" them, and thus, [[LoopholeAbuse allowed their individual vestiges to be tracked by Search as well]], allowing him to distract Tomura with a decoy attack whilst he readies the real finisher. Realising he's wide open, Tomura tries desperately to unleash a HandCannon blast against Izuku's ''actual'' body as he emerges from the smoke, already unleashing his simultaneous attack to stab Tomura with the blood clot, as he mentally reassures En that his "useless" power was crucial to their combined effort against Tomura.
*** The Kicker? Tomura, faced with Izuku's impending hit, ''instinctively'' tries to re-form the high-defensive hand armour he used against the Heroes before, the same form that made him a massive punching bag for Izuku in, because he '''knows''' on a primal level that taking that punch is ''worse'' than leaving himself wide open.
---->'''Tomura:''' My body rejects what's coming. [[OhCrap It can't afford to take this hit!]]
** Despite Tomura's counter gouging out a chunk of Izuku's forehead, his attack lands, Kudo's vestige, [[GoOutWithASmile smile on his face]], impacting the "Dark Mass" of Tomura's soul like a meteor in a blow that rocks him physically ''and'' mentally. The blowback from the attack leaves both Tomura and Izuku hallucinating a jumbled mixture of their memories, facsimiles of Dabi, Toga, Spinner and Shoto at the Sports Festival appearing all around them. En quickly snaps Izuku out of the disorienting experience, his will to fight restored by Kudo's sacrifice, pointing out that Tomura's genuinely reeling from the attack with his mutation faltering from the psychic damage, and pushing him to unleash another hit whilst they have the opening.

* Chapter 415:
** Pressing his advantage, Izuku charges his fist with ''all'' the Vestiges as one, aiming to force every part of his accumulated power into Tomura's revealed AchillesHeel to finish the fight in one go. Desperate, Tomura rapidly grows more finger armour around himself whilst lashing out at Izuku with Rivet Stab, aiming to keep his distance at all costs, only for that effort to prove futile: Izuku sheering through his CombatTentacles with Black Chains of his own to keep his hands free for another direct strike that tears into his chest, launching the combined vestiges straight at his core. Yet, Tomura's insane adaptability in a fight still pulls through at the last moment, as he uses his never-ending hatred for the inverse intent of what All For One groomed him for: '''rejecting''' One For All's non-consensual transference ability and forming a "shield" around his leaden mass that bounces the attack off, something that All Might explicitly stated was impossible to do when explaining how the transference worked. Tomura once again proves that all bets are off as to how the twin Quirks interact with each other thanks to his powerful will.
** Despite that, Tomura was a step too late, and En alone managed to slip through the cracks in his "armour" to land another direct strike, leaving what looks like lasting physical damage on Tomura's body from the interlink of his mental and physical states. In contrast to his unarmored humanoid form that demonstrated his absolute confidence in his victory against Izuku, and his constant taunting of his ArchEnemy over his desire to "save" him, Tomura now cannot articulate a single word from the mental agony he's inflicting on him, and his body completely distorts with more finger-masses growing into a vaguely butterfly-like shape to keep his physical self safe from Izuku (as the transfer can only work on his original body). Tomura has done a complete 180 from the unstoppable force he was minutes prior and gone onto the absolute defensive against the hero he was overpowering one-sidedly.

* Chapter 416:
** As Izuku continues his assault on Tomura's sealed-off body, he showcases his skill and commitment to protecting ''everything'', not only ripping through each massive fleshy finger pressing in on him from all sides, when but [[TouchOfDeath a single graze]] could start Decaying him instantly, he also uses Black Whips from his fingers to lasso the fingers from the bottom of Toura's mutated form, yanking them upwards to avoid scraping the ground when their mid-air clash swerves too close to it. In a situation wherein anybody else's focus would be on keeping themselves as safe as possible from Tomura's omnidirectional attacks, Izuku is not only keeping his mind on stopping the damage from spreading any further, but managing to do so with such ferocity that Tomura's "shield" is getting torn to pieces faster that he can can attack.
** The broadcast of Izuku's non-stop efforts against Tomura gets shown across all the settled battlefields, civilians and exhausted heroes alike watching him heroically stand against Tomura's destruction, outmatched, exhausted, bloody and desperate, lacking any of the usual confidence that was trademark of the prior Symbol of Peace's battles. Yet, as Rock Lock and Lady Nagant discuss, what Izuku has instead that makes him worthy of the successor is his simple and pure ''compassion'' for everyone, even monsters like Tomura. His simple heroic spirit is shown in a double-page spread to have rendered a massive crowd of onlookers mostly silent at the sight of him fighting Tomura with [[SympathyForTheDevil tears of sympathy for his enemy's pain]] in his eyes.
--->'''Lady Nagant:''' He managed to wrench open my heart. He has this special way of doing it. And there's nothing harder for a Villain to bear than ''[[DontYouDarePityMe that.]]'' [.] I bet that's what he's up to right now. He's not merely out to punish evil, like it's all so black-and-white. That boy's dream is taking him down a thornier, more nuanced path. And that look on his face, when he's up against the wall and running himself ragged? It makes you wanna risk it all to back him up.\\
'''Crowd Onlooker:''' (''spoken quietly'') You can do it.
** Tomura, in a full emotional breakdown, ''screams'' at Izuku to keep away from him, the paneling bringing up a flashback to Kotaro's own reaction to his son's fatal approach to drive home how much Izuku is making him '''fear him''' as another blow tears into him, bringing Izuku a concrete, unwavering vision of the Shimura household as he gets closer to Tomura's emotional core.

* Chapter 417:
** It's revealed that Izuku's connected blow last chapter successfully transferred ''all'' the Vestiges into Tomura's Core at once, in spite of his iron willpower, leaving it on the verge of breaking despite his mental and physical defences. The only exception is Nana alone, which as she realises is because of her own subconscious emotional rejection of Tomura's innermost pain and suffering born from her own family line, not any failing on Izuku's part. Regardless, the Ninth successor still affirms that he's glad to have her on his side as they both venture into Tomura's innermost self, the vision of his family house, Izuku no longer dressed in the rags of his hero costume, but [[BookEnds the middle school uniform he wore on first meeting All Might]] and starting his heroic journey, affirming for all that he's changed and grown, his simple heroic desire to help others has never wavered, being the greatest tool he can bring to bear in stopping Tomura's unending desire for destruction.
** As Izuku discovers, objects and beings within this deep a layer of his MentalWorld can affect Izuku's avatar physically, shown by a memory of a speeding truck grazing his backpack. Despite the danger this poses on Tomura's home ground, Izuku still fearlessly advances through his memories and twisted perception of reality, even as Tomura seeks to impede him every step of the way.
*** Tomura first confronts Izuku through a twisted shadowy mirror of himself in hero garb, showing the young boy how he doesn't see anything good or heroic in his efforts to face him and trying to undermine his willpower in order to empathize with his deepest pain, pointing out how even if he understands how Tomura's a TragicVillain, knowing exactly why he became this way won't change a thing about their mortal battle out in reality. Izuku immediately ''agrees'' with him, but affirms that he'll still proceed regardless, because just killing Tomura without understanding him wouldn't feel right to him no matter what.
---->'''"Dark Hero" Izuku:''' How about you die instead.\\
'''Izuku:''' You '''will''' let me in.
*** As Izuku pushes onwards towards the front door, Tomura physically pins him down with the memory of Stain doing the same to him, his face morphing into both Re-Destro's and Overhaul's as [[MeaningfulEcho the memories of their own conversations and challenges to Tomura's convictions]] become part of his own BreakingSpeech to Izuku. This too barely impedes Izuku, as he affirms [[MissingStepsPlan he's got no plan]] for how to "save" Tomura or the people imperiled by their fight, but [[HeroicWillpower he's going to anyway]], before smashing through the phantasm.
---->'''Memory Stain:''' (''Stabbing Izuku's arm'') That's why you're about to die. (''face morphs into Re-Destro'') What burdens do you bear?! What do you seek to build?! (''morphs into Overhaul'') [[ArmourPiercingQuestion Got a plan?]]\\
'''Izuku:''' Nope!! Get outta my way!!
** Entering the house, both Izuku and Nana witness the memory of Kotaro striking Tenko in a fit of rage after he found him with Nana's photo, paralysing Nana with grief over how twisted the painful scars left by her absence turned her son. This close to the vision of Tenko, Izuku finally hits a barrier he cannot overcome, the concentrated emotional rejection stemming from him erecting an invisible wall that steadily pushes him away. Nana, after hearing Kotaro's bitter tirade against her and heroes, is reduced to broken tears... that is, until he raises his hand for a further blow on his son. Despite her regrets, sorrow and self-loathing for failing them both, this time, Nana accepts her guilt and pushes through the barrier alongside Izuku, doing what she could not before and grabbing onto Kotaro's image to stop his attack on his son, as Izuku reaches out to comfort Tenko's shade, successfully transferring Nana's vestige into Tomura and shattering his core to pieces.
** The result of their efforts? Izuku finds himself alone, confronting the root cause of Tomura's pain and villainy in one, a shadowy vision of Tenko in the back garden as his Decay activates on Mon, finally having a chance to deal directly with his enemy's greatest source of strength.
* Chapter 418:
** Seeing Mon crumble to bloody pieces, Izuku realises the [[{{Familicide}} tragedy]] that's about to unfold with Hana is the starting point of Tenko/Tomura's origin, and that he has to stop it....which he does by forcibly willing his vestige body to physically exist within Tenko's memory, standing between him and Hana in the form of the young child he was in the very opening pages of the manga, holding back Tenko's uncontrollable TouchOfDeath from reaching the memory of Hana with his bare hands, even as the Decay painfully and slowly rips his arms apart. When Tenko insists that he ''chose'' the tragedy to occur, given how Quirks reflect upon the nature of the wielder, Izuku accepts this, but remains adamant and firm in his stance that he's there to save the part of Tenko that suffers in guilt from the death and pain he's caused, the memories of Class 1A reaching out to him during his Dark Hero moment giving Izuku the final push to force his own Vestige against Tenko until they both collapse to the ground.
--->'''Izuku:''' Others have reached out to take my hand and give me peace. That's why....'''I Am Here.'''
*** Whilst Tenko/Tomura's vestige is left still intact in the aftermath, he quietly and sadly rejects Izuku's offer of atonement, noting that, despite having found a true hero to save him from his misery, [[TrappedInVillainy he still has to oppose him regardless]], because he's a hero to the Villains who look up to him and supported him all this time, with images around the world showing that even at his most monstrous, there are still misanthropic individuals witnessing their fight in reality who are cheering for Tomura to win, a dark reflection of Izuku's own HopeBringer nature. Regardless, with the Decay having stopped consuming Izuku up to his shoulders and Tomura's quiet resignation, it's clear that Izuku's empathy has finally succeeded in smothering the burning hatred that [[ThePowerOfHate relentlessly empowered Tomura's rampage]] at long last, leaving both heroes at a standstill on how to proceed, neither one having the will or the means to continue their fight.
** However, before either one can resolve the standstill between them, they're suddenly assaulted by memories of Kotaro talking to somebody, memories that are explicitly ''not'' Tomura's, to their confusion. As these memories continue to cascade and overwhelm them both, they're suddenly knocked off-balance by a force rising through the ground beneath them, like a zombie bursting forth from its own grave to consume Tomura's weakened vestige now his willpower has faltered, deriding him for losing the mental and emotional struggle to an "absolute nobody" as he looms over the armless and powerless Izuku to reclaim his role as his final opponent. ''ALL FOR ONE IS BACK.''

* Chapter 419:
** All for One makes his return by revealing he manipulated Shigaraki's life from the start - after realizing Kotaro's first child was too old for his plan to work, he approached the family over the years as a neighbour, subtly convinced Kotaro to have Tenko whilst also encouraging his anti-hero mindset, and once he was born he secretly replaced his original Quirk with Decay (revealed to be a modified copy of Chisaki's Overhaul Quirk with its reconstruction aspect removed), patiently waiting for it to awaken in the worst way possible. All these reveals shake Shigaraki to his core as All for One claim this means he's nothing but a puppet he crafted for his own use, and at Shigaraki's most emotionally vulnerable he destroys his mind and claims his body as his own, with it reforming in reality into an [[CompositeCharacter amalgamated appearance of every significant villain in the story]] as All For One takes his place as Izuku's last enemy. All for One proves his petty and heinous actions make him an unrelenting antagonist to Izuku and Tomura both...
** But despite All for One's claims, we get a moment for Shigaraki as well. All for One reveals the only reason he could come back is because Midoriya's mental attack weakened Shigaraki enough for All for One to break free and use his trump card. This means despite what All for One said, his puppet became too strong for him to handle, and his consciousness was swallowed up by Shigaraki, meaning that if Midoriya hadn't tried to reach out to Shigaraki, AFO would've ''stayed'' locked up in his mind forever. All for One got ''lucky,'' and the only way he can stay in control is if he destroys Shigaraki's self-worth in order to beat Shigaraki in a battle of wills. In the end, even though All for One was confident his attack fully destroyed Shigaraki he can still hear an echo, which is implied to be Shigaraki's consciousness lingering. All for One simply isn't strong enough to permanently get rid of his tool, proving he is inferior to Shigaraki in the end.
*** Decay being a modified version of Overhaul's Quirk retroactively lends an extra dose of [[LaserGuidedKarma Karma]] to Tomura using that same power to neuter the original's ability in the most humiliating and gratifying manner possible.
** Deku is faced with his darkest hour. Despite having lost his predecessors' Quirks and vestiges, despite having potentially lost One For All itself and now having lost ''his own arms'', Deku refuses to admit defeat. He is still utterly determined to stop All For One and save Tenko and everyone else despite bleeding out helplessly on the ground before him. All For One utterly failed to conquer his will. Demonstrating why All Might chose Izuku and what Yoichi's vestige saw in Midoriya. HeroicWillpower indeed on Midoriya's part.
** Deku's actions weren't AllForNothing - All for One discovers that Shigaraki's body was damaged from the mental attack, with both Decay and Tomura's unstoppable hatred and willpower that fuelled his abilities having vanished alongside his psyche, leaving the body he inhabits as [[ClippedWingAngel a crippled shell]] of what he envisioned. Even more dammingly, the Vestiages' HeroicSacrifice means he's lost the chance to claim Yoichi for ''[[DeaderThanDead good]]''. On realising this, All For One, '''the''' epitome of a SoreLoser, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness sincerely admits]] that his "mid-term goal" has failed, dropping even his EvilIsHammy theatrical personality as he hits a DespairEventHorizon over losing his Twin for good and revealing what his true self is like: a [[DissonantSerenity disturbingly placid]] EmptyShell who cannot even take sincere joy in his villainy anymore and has only two goals left to motivate him to do ''anything''. TakeOverTheWorld out of "obligation" to the Demon Lord's reputation, and taking brutal bloody vengeance on Izuku with ice-cold fury in his [[DeathGlare gaze]]. It shows the ninth successor that All for One has always declared useless has essentially set him back even further than All Might did.
*** All For One spent the war obsessed with Izuku as a mere component in his plan to become the "Perfect Demon Lord" whilst deriding him personally as an InadequateInheritor of One For All's power. By refusing to allow his [[TheBully verbal bullying]] to [[BreakThemByTalking affect him]] and focusing only on the genuinely important goal of facing Tomura as his opponent, Izuku has pushed All For One to the wayside in his envisioned climatic face-off with his brother's power, such that when he finally "[[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor claimed]]" his prize, it was in [[PyrrhicVictory the worst, most hollow victory]] imaginable for him, having hurt him on an emotional level even worse than his original losing of Yoichi. Now, All For One is focused on Izuku out of mere petty spite for having destroyed his own [[HopeSpot dreams]] of reuniting with [[LivingEmotionalCrutch his twin]], like he did to so many countless others, and damming him to an eternity without any happiness.
** As All for One gets ready to finish Midoriya off once and for all, Sero, Ojiro, and Sato appear to rescue their friend. Together, they stop the self-proclaimed demon lord from attacking and manage to push him back. Midoriya happily exclaims they are still alive, as a Warp Gate opens, and Aizawa walks out apologizing for being late. The heroes are still fighting back and somehow, they have managed to get ''Kurogiri'' on their side.

* Chapter 420:
** In flashback, Aizawa and Mic are revealed to have been teleported to a random rock in the middle of the ocean, the latter furiously beating the comatose Kurogiri in frustration over being separated from the important ongoing battle with their students risking their lives and Kurogiri's aid to the villain's side. However, Aizawa stops him, seeing faint tear marks in Kurogiri's smoky head. Whilst Mic insists their friend is gone for good and they can't expect a repeat of their prior "miracle" in Tartarus, Aizawa actually agrees: even if they can dredge up Shirakumo's buried personality, their former friend has been [[TheCorruptible inevitably tainted by evil]], and all it takes is further "black" added to him to smother the "white" of his former self, as Spinner achieved. Yet, even with that, Aizawa notes that Kurogiri still didn't drop them to their deaths, showing that there's still some part of him that remembers them. Reaching out to that buried piece of his old friend, Aizawa notes to him and Mic both that guiding [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre wayward souls]] until graduation is the role they're entrusted with as teachers, and if Shirakumo's Origin in the same, then he too will never forget the memories of once being a hero, no matter how twisted he becomes. This succeeds in awakening Shirakumo's personality into a [[TwoFaced merging of his old and current selves]], giving them access to Kurogiri's warping once more.
** Aizawa immediately starts assembling the scattered heroes across the various battlefields in the backdrop of Izuku's clash with Tomura, moving quickly whilst Kurogiri's support lasts. Being witness to Izuku's heroic struggle, even the non-action civilians volunteer what clothing, supplies and resources they can spare to help the heroes side, whilst even retired heroes like Death Arms volunteer to accompany Aizawa to the frontlines in support of him, showing just how far-reaching [[HopeBringer Izuku's]] efforts have been.
** Besides the climatic showdown against Tomura, the only remaining major battleground the heroes are struggling in is Tacoma National Stadium, against the Tartarus escape Gashly. Gashly's powers are tailor-made for [[VictoryByEndurance long battles against overwhelming odds]], with him mobbing the remaining fighters with an endless sea of creepy baby-like creations in a manner equivalent to the Sad Man's Parade Toga unleashed whilst he maintains a safe distance. Not having the time to waste on a pointless fight, the heroes simply [[CuttingTheKnot open a portal right behind the Villain]] and [[CurbStompBattle mob him with numbers]] before he can say a single word.
*** Despite not being [[OutOfFocus standout members]] of 1A, Sero, Ojiro and Sato are all depicted as being some of the last remaining heroes holding their ground against Gashly's endless forces, besides Number 13, whose Quirk provides her a distinct advantage against a mob of mindless enemies. Sato in particular, is a demonstration that he's definitely trained himself to overcome the HeroicRROD that became his downfall during the Final Exam against Cementos. And then, after the most stamina-draining battle of the entire war, they're the ''first'' through the portals to immediately jump into battle by Izuku's side. They're not flashy, but they're all certainly [[HeroicSpirit heroes]].
** Aizawa checks if it's only been a few minutes since Izuku's arms were destroyed before pulling something from his pocket: Eri's horn, given to him by the little girl to allow her power to help Izuku even if she herself won't be allowed anywhere near the dangerous battlefield. Whilst Aizawa is angered at Ectoplasm for helping Eri to self-mutilate herself, noting it could cause ''permanent damage'' to her Quirk, his fellow teacher just retorts that Eri has learned both Aizawa's rational and irrational ways, determined to help her saviour [[HeroicSacrifice no matter the cost to herself]]. Stabbing Izuku with the horn, Aizawa relays to him Eri's dream to one day sing for Class 1A like they did for her at the Cultural Festival, telling his student he cannot die before he hears her. Izuku bursts into grateful tears as the incumbent energy begins slowly restoring his arms from nothing.
** In true [[Film/AvengersEndgame endgame-style]] fashion, all the battered heroes begin to emerge from Kurogiri's portals to stand behind the recovering Izuku, facing down the weakened All For One in [[LastVillainStand one last clash]] to end the war and his dreams of world conquest for good.

[[/folder]]

** The details of Nagant's Quirk is revealed-and perhaps the most awesome part of it is that her threat level comes mainly from ''herself'' and not her inborn powers. Snipe, the other resident long-range shooter, admits that his own Quirk -- which guarantees his bullets will hit any target within 600 meters that he can see -- isn't always precise with where he actually strikes, but Nagant can be even more accurate from ''3 kilometres'' away -- and the secondary effect of her Quirk lets her craft bullets made from her own hair into any form she wants, from curved rounds to hollow points. Nagant then proceeds to demonstrate how unbelievable her shooting skills are when she easily nails Izuku -- a moving mobile target with extended versatility mid-air through a combination of Float, Blackwhip and OFA's raw speed -- with a curved bullet straight round a building corner and into his escape trajectory, to the point that even with danger sense, Izuku can't fully dodge the attack. And to top it all off, she manages to make her shots as far as 3km WITHOUT a scope, so that means her bullseye shots are all from her eyesight and skill alone.

** Aizawa checks if it's only been a few minutes since Izuku's arms were destroyed before pulling something from his pocket: Eri's horn, given to him by the little girl to allow her power to help Izuku even if she herself won't be allowed anywhere near the dangerous battlefield. Whilst Aizawa is angered at Ectoplasm for helping Eri to self-mutilate herself, noting it could cause permanent damage to her Quirk, his fellow teacher just retorts that Eri has learned both Aizawa's rational and irrational ways, determined to help her saviour [[HeroicSacrifice no matter the cost to herself]]. Stabbing Izuku with the horn, Aizawa relays to him Eri's dream to one day sing for Class 1A like they did for her at the sports festival, telling his student he cannot die before he hears her. Izuku bursts into grateful tears as the incumbent energy begins slowly restoring his arms from nothing.

** In flashback, Aizawa and Mic are revealed to have been teleported to a random rock in the middle of the ocean, the latter furiously beating the comatose Kurogiri in frustration over being separated from the important ongoing battle with their students risking their lives and Kurogiri's aid to the villain's side. However, Aizawa stops him, seeing faint tear marks in Kurogiri's smoky head. Whilst Mic insists their friend is gone for good and they can't expect a repeat of their prior "miracle" in Tartarus, Aizawa actually agrees: even if they can dredge up Shirakumo's buried personality, their former friend has been [[TheCorruptible inevitably tainted by evil]], and all it takes is further "black" added to him to smother the "white" of his former self, as Spinner achieved. Yet, even with that, Aizawa notes that Kurogiri still didn't drop them to their deaths, showing that there's still some part of him that remembers them. Reaching out to that buried piece of his old friend, Aizawa notes to him and Mic both that guiding [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre wayward souls]] until graduation is the role they're entrusted with as teachers, nurturing the next generation's Origins until they're ready to become true heroes. This succeeds in awakening Shirakumo's personality into a [[TwoFaced merging of his old and current selves]], giving them access to Kurogiri's warping once more.

** Besides the climatic showdown against Tomura, the only remaining major battleground the heroes are struggling in is Tacoma National Stadium, against the Tartarus escape Ghastly. Ghastly's powers are tailor-made for [[VictoryByEndurance long battles against overwhelming odds]], with him mobbing the remaining fighters with an endless sea of creepy baby-like creations in a manner equivalent to the Sad Man's Parade Toga unleashed whilst he maintains a safe distance. Not having the time to waste on a pointless fight, the heroes simply [[CuttingTheKnot open a portal right behind the Villain]] and [[CurbStompBattle mob him with numbers]] before he can say a single word.

** Yuga Aoyama presents another WhatMightHaveBeen situation for Midoriya. Like him, Aoyama was born Quirkless, but because his parents are of high society, a Quirkless child would've been utter scandal, so they used their connections to find All For One, who gave Yuga a Quirk in exchange for becoming TheMole...''or else'' (as was graphically demonstrated to them). Finding out the truth, that Midoriya had also been Quirkless, drives Aoyama into a despair-filled attack with his Navel Laser... which gets deflected by Hagakure's Light Refraction. And it's Hagakure that delivers one hell of a WhatTheHellHero to Aoyama. Then Midoriya ends things before they get any worse, using Blackwhip to capture the Aoyamas for questioning, revealing that Hagakure was the one who snitched to Midoriya because she knew that Midoriya was capable of subduing Aoyama and his parents without hurting them, or letting anybody else get hurt in the scuffle.

[[Awesome/MyHeroAcademia Back to main.]]

%%Per Administrivia/CreatingAWorkPageForAnUnreleasedWork, it is against the rules to add pre-hidden examples, especially for leaked content. Please verify if a new chapter is officially released on Viz, Shonen Jump or the Manga Plus apps before adding information about it.

As the culmination of ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' finally entering its final arcs, the Awesomeness was bound to intensify.

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[[Awesome/MyHeroAcademia Back to main.]]
----

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Dark Hero Arc (Chapters 307-328, Episodes 132-138)]]
* Chapter 307:
** Muscular is overwhelming Shindo through the latter's last-ditch effort to stop him from attacking the nearby citizens and Nakagame, negating his attack through [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe wrapping himself up in more muscle fibers than Grand's Quirk can affect]], and is primed to turn the young kid into a bloody meat paste when he's suddenly blind-sided out of nowhere and his hulking frame flying into a building. Holding the unconscious Shindo, the chapter ends with a shot of Deku standing before Muscular, revealing that he's progressed enough in controlling OFA's powers that he now possesses the same GlowingEyesOfDoom All Might had before. In combination with his [[ClothingDamage tattered hero costume]] and [[BadassCape Gran Torino's raggedy cape]] Deku's hero costume now looks actually pretty badass and intimidating, in contrast to the goofy-looking ensemble he had on when first wearing it, showing how far Izuku's coming in becoming a hero from the beginning of the story.
** Props should be given to Grand who, despite being rudely rebuffed by the civilians he was trying to escort to safety, still goes ahead and puts his life on the line to stop Muscular, [[TheJuggernaut a nigh-unstoppable foe]] to somebody of his current training and abilities from reaching them. Bearing in mind, Shindo's Quirk actually affects him with the knockback of his own attacks, meaning he's at a disadvantage against a hardened slugger like Muscular in a protracted fight, but he doesn't back down regardless of the odds. Shindo demonstrates he's improved enough with his Quirk that he can actually form a vibro-knife with his equipment, and when muscular has pummelled him into a building and is about to switch targets to Nakagame and the civilians in hopes of a better match, Shindo pulls his ultimate move on him -- taking advantage of the fact that he can't move anyway to [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique unleash his vibrations to the maximum in order to push through Muscular's defenses and reach his main body.]] It doesn't work, but it's made clear that, despite his attitude, Shindo does have the heart of a true hero in him.
--->'''Shindo:'''(Priming his Ultimate Move)''Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. If there's anything heroes oughta have at this point, it's a rock-hard spirit that refuses to bend or break!''
** It would have only escalated the situation for the worse, but despite their refusal to work with Shindo or believe in heroes anymore, the citizens prove that they weren't all talk when they said they were going to defend their town with their own hands, immediately starting to head out to save Grand when it looks like the young kid is about to be killed before them.
* Chapter 308: The entire chapter is a highlight for Izuku, showing how far he's progressed in mastering his powers and potential as the future greatest hero in Japan.
** First, he deftly avoids Muscular's charge, even [[PietaPlagiarism carrying Shindo in his arms,]] leaving him with Nakagame and a promise that there won't be any further damage done now that he's on the scene. Even more impressively, despite Muscular being a [[TheBerserker rampaging and unreasonable brute of a man,]] [[IGaveMyWord Izuku actually manages to keep his promise.]]
** Next, Izuku reveals another of his stored Quirks from OFA -- '''[[SmokeOut Smokescreen]]''' -- which isn't very impressive on paper, especially since Izuku can't actually see through the cover he creates, but when combined with [[CombatTentacles Black Whip,]] [[NotQuiteFlight Float,]] [[LightningBruiser OFA's natural Speed and agility enhancements]] and [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]] forewarning him of Muscular's attacks, Izuku is able to lead him around like a Matador, constantly dodging his blind attacks until he's able to take the psychotic villain off guard once he over-swings, wrapping him up with Black Whip and smashing him into a nearby canal for their final face-off
** Izuku then queries Muscular about his motivations for becoming a villain, trying to ascertain what drives him to be the way he is, showcasing how his brief meeting with Tomura in OFA's mental world has affected his perception of villains, trying to see them as [[TragicVillain people in pain]] rather than monsters that have to be put down for the good of others. It falls flat because of [[FlatCharacter Muscular being exactly the kind of deranged maniac he seems to be on the surface]] but it's heartwarming that Izuku is taking steps to try and save not only civilians, but also the villains who feel driven to their current situation because of their treatment by society. Especially in light of Twice's tragic demise and Toga's question as to whether or not people saw him as a person who needed to be saved.
** Finally, Izuku caps off his streak by revealing his trump card against Muscular. Knowing that Muscular can tank One For All at his current 100%, Izuku has instead been waiting out the villain, having noticed from his initial attack hitting the building below him and not right at him that [[AwesomenessByAnalysis Muscular's muscle armour had been affected by Grand's last attack]] something the dumb brute himself hadn't noticed in his frenzy, and his futile attacks against Midoriya have [[VillainousRRoD over-stressed his muscle armour to the point it starts disintegrating around him,]] leaving his protection uneven and allowing Deku to strike a powerful blow through an opening.
*** Even more impressive, it's later revealed that Izuku is able to keep fighting despite the grievous wounds he suffered going 100% against Tomura because All Might gave him some Mid-Gauntlet support items to re-enforce his limbs, but said items cannot withstand Izuku's 100% attacks, thus he was limited in the amount of power output he could use against Muscular. Izuku beat Muscular last time by going beyond 100% in a head-on fight, which had long-lasting consequences for himself and many others. This time around, he instead beat him by [[WeakButSkilled using the supporting powers of OFA]] in tandem with his Natural Analytics to control, coral, and neutralise the same opponent who came closer to killing him than anybody else within the span of a single chapter, showcasing once again that Izuku's greatest weapon isn't the strength he gains from OFA, but his keen intellect, combined with the multiple options his new powers afford him in fights.
* Chapter 309:
** When Inko was discussing with All Might about Izuku's dangerous future, Izuku came up with the boldest solution to postpone the impending danger: leave U.A. so he can focus on himself with All Might to solve the problem, while protecting his friends from future threats from Shigaraki. Considering that entering U.A. was one of his life's dreams and how much work hard he went through to get in, it is quite impressive that he decided to leave his school to protect everyone he cares about without hesitating.
*** Double points for also showing how far Deku has come. With his determination and all the things he learned from his friends and companions, he isn't hesitant to abandon something he had always loved to help others in need. No wonder All Might picked him as his successor.
* Chapter 310:
** Izuku saving a scared woman with a mutant Quirk from a trio of armed civilians by just talking them down. Afterward, when she makes a comment on things returning to normal, Izuku only has four words to say: "[[BadassBoast I'll make it so.]]"
** The backstory for how the first three One For All users know each other is both this and heartwarming: the second and third users were the leaders of a resistance movement against AFO and spent considerable manpower not just fighting against him, but breaking into the building containing a particular vault. When they finally get in, they find out what the contents were: Yoichi Shigaraki, AFO's younger brother.
*** The reason why they were so hesitant on supporting Izuku is also revealed: they considered his vow to save Tomura a "ridiculous delusion". Granted, they do have their reasons to be so jaded, having to fight tooth and nail in a war where victory meant life and defeat meant death. But Yoichi then proceeds to [[ArmorPiercingQuestion tear through that line of thinking]]:
----> '''Yoichi''': A ridiculous delusion? Such a sad way to see it... Then tell me this... why, on that day... knowing full well of my ties to your "mortal enemy"... did you reach out to me? Our battle never could've begun if you hadn't taken me from this room on that day.
*** Just the '''''weight''''' of that decision to save Yoichi. The second and third users are the only reason that One For All could even be "born" to begin with. If they had killed Yoichi, that was it. One For All would have been snuffed out in the cradle and All For One would've not only brutally retaliated, but likely had been unstoppable for future generations to deal with.
*** Yoichi's words are enough to sway the 2nd and 3rd users to put their trust in Izuku, and at the end of the chapter they are seen standing alongside him, ready to provide their guidance. The past One For All users are now finally all united as one.
* Chapters 311-312:
** The chapters are a combined moment of awesome for Lady Nagant, the female prisoner locked up in Tartarus, finally demonstrating why she was included amongst dangerous lunatics like Muscular and Moonfish -- she's a former hero who worked with the Public Safety Commission in a similar capacity to Hawks, with the hero himself hinting that her role involved similar high-risk wet work like his stint as a double agent in the Paranormal Liberation Front, and outright telling Izuku to run if she ever appears in front of him, even acknowledging that Izuku's multiple powers and sheer strength with OFA mean he's more than capable of handling himself against any other escapee from Tartarus -- EXCEPT HER.
** Nagant introduces herself with a frightening amount of precision and control over the incoming fight with Izuku, cutting off his signal from the monitoring All Might, arranging a simultaneous attack designed to cripple his mode of transportation if not kill the former #1 outright and sniping Izuku's phone clear out of his hand -- all whilst standing atop a far-away building in a prime sniper's position and a clear line of sight on the young hero, who was totally unaware of her presence until she'd already shot at him. The fight has barely started and Izuku is almost totally at her mercy, despite all the precautions he'd made with All Might and Endeavor.
** The details of Nagant's Quirk is revealed-and perhaps the most awesome part of it is that her threat level comes mainly from ''herself'' and not her inborn powers. Snipe, the other resident long-range shooter, admits that his own Quirk -- which guarantees his bullets will hit any target within 600 meters that he can see -- isn't always precise with where he actually strikes, but Nagant can be even more accurate from ''3 kilometres'' away -- and the secondary effect of her Quirk lets her craft bullets made from her own hair into any form she wants, from curved rounds to hollow points. Nagant then proceeds to demonstrate how unbelievable her shooting skills are when she easily nails Izuku -- a moving mobile target with extended versatility mid-air through a combination of Float, Blackwhip and OFA's raw speed -- with a curved bullet straight round a building corner and into his escape trajectory, to the point that even with danger sense, Izuku can't fully dodge the attack. And to top it all off, she manages to make her shots as far as 3km WITHOUT a scope, so that means her bullseye shots are all from her eyesight and skill alone.
*** On top of that, the final moments of the chapter have her not backing down, even as Izuku has triangulated her location and is charging towards her position, showing no fear of a power-type like Izuku closing the distance between them, and remaining confident in her victory with the addition of the newest weapon granted to her by AFO-'''Air Walk.'''
** A villainous example for AFO, who, in flashback, accurately predicts Izuku's likely course of action upon recovering from the recent battle with Tomura would be to leave UA on his own, as well as the best course of action to take to capture him, even with the likelihood of him being watched over by several of the remaining top heroes, down to the ''ideal weather conditions'' to minimise communication between Izuku and his guardians. Did we mention that this happened during the Tartarus breakout, '''weeks''' before Izuku actually left UA? AFO proves once again that the most dangerous aspect to himself isn't his Quirk, but his devious and experienced mind, planning out the necessary moves to checkmate Izuku and the other heroes before they even begin their own countermeasures against him.
** Credit to Izuku though -- even disadvantaged as he is, he still proves to be a tricky and powerful opponent for Nagant, using Danger Sense to react to her shots, grabbing one of them before it can pierce him, even as the recoil blasts him backwards straight into Nagant's second power-type blast, and reacting fast enough to deflect ''that'' shot with his support gauntlets -- something Nagant notes is a first even for her. On top of that, Izuku was even able to calculate her location based on those attacks even whilst under fire.
*** It's a testament to his potential, but Nagant admits she can see why AFO singled Izuku out as a threat to be pre-emptively neutralised after seeing his performance in battle, and the mastermind himself admits Izuku would become a serious hindrance to their shared dream of removing the current societal status quo if left unchecked.
----> '''AFO''': You seek the Downfall of Hero Society. But your dream will never be realised as long as [[TheHero that boy]] is around.
* Chapter 313:
** All Might's car gets totalled by two hired thugs using [[Manga/AttackOnTitan Thunder Spears]] to pierce through the armoured glass, forcing All Might to bail out of the moving vehicle at high speeds, showcasing he's still got the quick thinking and skills of the former Number 1 to make a safe landing. Having lost his Quirk, and his old injuries leaving his body emaciated, All Might is now basically weak enough that even an average civilian could probably take him out, in addition to all communications being cut off preventing him for calling for Aid, leaving his basically defenceless and exposed before two hardened criminals. Despite the dire situation, All Might's concern is only for Izuku, aware that this is just a delaying tactic to separate them and render his young protégée vulnerable to AFO's machinations, Thoughts of his promise to protect and raise Izuku correctly to Inko running through his head, All Might makes it clear to the would-be assassins that it doesn't matter what preparations they've put into stopping him, or how realistic it is for him for beat them. He Does. ''Not.'' '''Care.'''
--->'''All Might:''' ''[Advancing on his attackers with a seething DeathGlare]'' Stand Aside. That boy has bourne so much more than I ever have -- [[ItsAllMyFault a burden]] [[PassingTheTorch I forced on him!!]] And still, he idolises me!! [[DeclarationOfProtection The day anything happens to that kid, is the day I die!!]]
*** And in the face of his sheer HeroicWillpower, both powered individuals can only cower and run away from a man far weaker than them, with no hope of victory if they actually fought. It's a fantastic Call-Back to Gran Torino saying that All Might was the only one he could imagine replicating Stain's feat of intimidating the Pro Heroes with force of will alone, and the wavy artwork of All might's terrifying glare directed at his attackers drives the parallels home.
** On Nagant's side of the battle, she showcases she's adapted to Air Walk fairly well in addition to her existing Quirk, being able to use the [[RecoilBoost recoil of her gunshots to propel herself around at high speeds]] to reposition herself at any 3D point she desires, being able to pick and choose whatever angle of attack she wants to in sniping her target. This enables her to sneak in close enough to Izuku that [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]] can't even warn him in time to dodge her high-speed rounds anymore, and move away before he can get a lock on her new position, forcing Izuku to abandon his plans of directly assaulting her position by relying on rapid movements to confuse her aim. Given Izuku's demonstrated how difficult it is to use an entirely new Quirk in addition to your existing one, it's made clear that Nagant had put a lot of time and effort into preparing herself and her strategy to best neutralise him. About the only reason Izuku even has a chance against her is that [[LockedOutOfTheLoop AFO didn't see fit to tell Nagant that Izuku had multiple Quirks,]] allowing him to blindside her with more abilities than she was expecting.
** Izuku again demonstrates his fast reflexes by knocking away a shot from behind mid-air, and his even faster thinking when Nagant's follow-up hit from an unexpected angle leads him to realise he's also dealing with an opponent that possesses multiple Quirks like himself, and being too close to her actually benefits her more than himself, due to Danger Sense no longer being able to react quickly enough. Changing tactics, Izuku instead uses the 6th's Quirk to create a full-out smokescreen, large enough to cover a city block, in order to by himself time to prepare his next move -- the 3rd's Quirk '''Fa Jin.''' The vestiges caution him against using it, pointing out that [[UnfinishedUntestedUsedAnyway he's literally not even tested using it in the first place,]] and it's risky to do so under fire without getting a full handle on how the power works for him right now. Despite this, Izuku is apparently able to use it without issue, using Black Whip to levitate various objects on his person -- from Gran Torino's cape, to his mask and backpack -- out of the smokescreen at multiple different angles, distracting Nagant with decoys so he can get the drop on her, [[DungeonBypass via smashing his way straight up through the ceilings of a nearby skyscraper from the ground floor to the rooftop]] to obscure his assent long enough to close the distance. The chapter ends with Izuku grappling with Nagant, the young hero in training having outsmarted an older and far more experienced former hero, with additional abilities on top of her already-impressive existing skillset.
* Chapter 314: Izuku vs. Nagant continues with moments from both of them. First, Nagant reveals she's a real pro, as she uses the instantaneous retraction and extension of her Rifle Quirk as a makeshift weapon, hitting Izuku in the side point-blank to force him off her and then barely dodge the follow-up shot at the last second, giving her time to flee into the darkness of the surrounding area. After the last chapter made it look like Nagant had lost the minute [[SuperStrength Izuku got his hands on her,]] it shows how skilled she is to be able to fight off a close-range specialist with an unwieldy weapon like her sniper rifle, especially considering the form it takes somewhat handicaps her right arm's range of movement when extended.
** Nagant then proceeds to snipe Izuku relentlessly from multiple angles whilst the latter is still in mid-air, using bullets with microphones imbedded in them to allow her to simultaneously give him a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech about the hypocrisy of the "peace" that heroes have defended all this time, revealing she was once hired by the PSC in a similar vein to Hawks' role as a spy, except her role involved pre-emptive assassinations of dangerous targets or people who could upset the status quo and the public belief in heroes as pillars of morality, a hypocrisy that wore her down over time. The imagery is [[NightmareFuel not pleasant,]] but it's clear that Nagant has amassed a sizable body count throughout her career. In fact, it's hinted that the only reason Izuku's able to fight back as well as he has is that Nagant was ordered to take him in alive, meaning [[WillfullyWeak she has to go for debilitating rather than lethal shots]], and her reluctance to outright maim a child led her to give him a fair warning first.
** On his side of the battle, Izuku shows how his Quirk control is not the only thing that's improved about him, showcased a firmer strength of moral character than he ever has before, aware from [[TragicVillain Tomura's]] ranting and the sights he's seen of the breakdown in social order that [[GrayAndGrayMorality the world is not simply divided into good and bad,]] but nonetheless, he still believes that there is worth in him trying to help people, no matter the reason or what crimes they've committed. The Izuku that started the series would have been devastated at the news that the hero society was not quite the morally clean image it presented to the public, but Izuku has come far enough as a hero that even finding out the AwfulTruth only makes him more determined to try and save those in need right now. Notably, Izuku's persistent DullEyesOfUnhappiness that he's possessed throughout the arc finally start to regain some of the old fire he had in him back during earlier chapters, showing how Izuku's been able to strengthen his resolve despite the horrific sights he's seen and the enormity of the task ahead of him.
---> "Maybe I '''was''' ignorant. But I'm starting to see things clearly. It's not all black and white. Most things in this world are shades of grey. A blend of fear and anger. Which is exactly why... I've gotta extend [[SaveTheVillain a helping hand!]]"
*** He then caps that speech off by revealing he'd been baiting Nagant's attacks in midair the whole time to analyse her shots' trajectory and pin her location down again, focusing and shooting out Blackwhip with "Pinpoint Focus" extending the Quirk to a length more that 5 times the normal size he uses it for, showcasing how much the Quirk has been improved by it's incubation inside OFA, and allowing him to [[BuildingSwing rocket himself straight at her]] at a speed she can't comfortably dodge.
** Nagant finishes off by showcasing her quick wits, realizing Izuku is expending a lot of effort into reading and dodging her attacks accurately to then track her down, she decides to increase his mental burden by levelling and aiming her next shot straight at Overhaul, whom Izuku hadn't yet noticed was nearby. Not only is it ironically karmic, as Nagant is unintentionally replicating the same sequence of events that cost Mirio his Quirk back during the hideout raid, but this time with Chisaki himself as the intended victim, but it also forces Izuku into a no-win scenario. Either he switches focus to Overhaul to protect the {{Jerkass}} from his due karma, leaving himself open to Nagant in the process, or he allows Overhaul to die to focus on beating Nagant, proving his idealistic words of saving everybody, heroes and villains, to be a hollow lie -- [[HeadsIWinTailsYouLose granting Nagant the ideological victory in the end.]]
* Chapter 315, the conclusion of Izuku vs. Nagant:
** As the Third had warned, using too many Quirks at once had overloaded Izuku's brain, leaving him unable to react quickly enough to Nagant's counterattack earlier. But he took the hint and, contrary to Nagant's thinking, had actually dialed back, putting away Danger Sense, Smokescreen, and Float. He's maneuvering solely with One For All and Blackwhip, all the while building up energy with Fa Jin to pull off his final stroke.
** We learn just how '''Fa Jin''' works. By moving one's body over and over like a pump, you can build a charge of kinetic energy you can then uncork all at once. Using this, Izuku has been constantly moving his legs during the latest exchange, building up a hell of a charge in them for a technique that allows him to safely and briefly use the full force of One For All: '''One For All ''Pseudo'' 100%'''
*** This can't be understated. Izuku has always been noted to have the potential to be stronger than All Might's full power thanks to the way OFA accumulates power over the generations. With [[ChargedAttack Fa Jin]] Izuku is now briefly able to reach levels of speed and power equivalent to his 100% without hurting himself in the process, even when using only 45% of OFA at the moment. Once Izuku masters 100% and adds Fa Jin's power on top of it, he could easily reach up to '''150%''' power, capable of unleashing attacks that eclipse All Might's own impressive demonstrations of strength. He could even possibly hit hard enough to give '''Gigantomachia''' pause.
** Now only juggling three Quirks, he can figure out what to do. First, whipping his legs around, he uncorks and mimics an All Might technique, propelling himself so fast he ''outraces'' Nagant's bullet and knocks Chisaki away from the shot. And here's the kicker: that was only using ''one'' leg.
---> '''Deku''': There's something everyone my age has seen - All Might, the Symbol of Peace, ''MOVING FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET! '''FAUX ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!'''''
** Before Nagant can figure it out, Izuku unleashes his other leg: '''Pseudo-100% Manchester Smash'''! And he aims the kick right at Nagant's weak point: her right arm. Break her arm, break her Rifle; ''Nagant neutralized!'' Izuku has ''[[DefiedTrope defied]]'' the SadisticChoice.
** But now it gets interesting. Izuku reveals that he knows Nagant had been holding back the whole time. That shot meant for Chisaki was ''off''. Plus, she had Izuku dead to rights in the beginning. If she had really believed in All For One, ''why didn't she aim for his '''spine'''''?! Izuku has turned this into an IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight. And the BrokenBird ''is listening''. Like with Stain long ago, Nagant finally sees someone who could really live up to the hero ideal. She finally begins to smile...
** BOOM! TheChessmaster All For One had been fully prepared for Nagant to fail and had left a booby trap along with that Air Walk Quirk. But as Nagant begins to fall to the ground, Hawks swoops in a BigDamnHeroes moment, desperate to save his ''senpai''.
*** Cruel it may be, but there's something to be said about AFO's overall goal in setting up this fight. His comments about hearts being easily swayed and the failsafe he implanted in Nagant to ensure her compliance imply that ''[[PopGoesTheHuman this]]'' was his true intention all along. [[HitmanWithAHeart Nagant]], though skilled and dangerous, was ultimately just a [[BrokenBird broken woman]] used and abused by the system. Aware of this, AFO pointed her in Izuku's direction, but deliberately withheld vital information on the true scope of his [[ComboPlatterPowers abilities,]] leaving her unprepared to deal with him and eventually in a losing fight. Regardless, Izuku is nonetheless able to reach through Nagant's cynicism, able to see the she's a good person deep down -- only for AFO's preparations to render his efforts to SaveTheVillain [[AllForNothing pointless in the end,]] devastating Izuku. Either Nagant would be able to capture Izuku or he'd have the futility of trying to save a TragicVillain akin to Tomura rubbed in his face -- either way, [[HeadsIWinTailsYouLose AFO wins.]] The fight for OFA is one that requires emotional willpower to resist AFO's absorption abilities, and thus the MagnificentBastard is setting up these fights for Izuku well in advance of their rematch in order to wear him down physically and emotionally as well, no matter what choice Izuku makes.
* Chapter 317 features the second fight between Izuku and AFO's HiredGuns... and [[CurbStompBattle it's isn't even a fight]]. Hawks gets informed by All Might that Izuku instantly beat the attacker off-panel, punctuated by a shot of Izuku suspending him from the celling with Black Whip, his more [[ClothingDamage ragged costume]] granting him an even more menacing and intimidating appearance toward his foes, showcasing the level of Power that Izuku can unleash now that he can utilise [[ChargedAttack Fa Jin]] to reach Pseudo 100%. Even more so, this implies that Izuku struggled so much against Nagant either because her long-range fighting style was a bad match-up for him, or her [[TragicVillain sympathetic qualities]] meant that Izuku was ''also'' holding back in that high-intensity fight -- a trait he's now lost thanks to AFO's threats to keep hurting those around him just to torment the boy.
** It's tragic to see, but as Izuku rushes from battle to battle non-stop to keep saving as many people as he can, his ClothingDamage worsens to the point that he looks outright demonic, [[YouCanBarelyStand staggering down the street]] in clothing so ragged and covered in blood and filth from his fights that it looks like [[{{Manga/Berserk}} the Berserker Armour]] more than the goofy hero costume Izuku once wore, Black Whip coiling around him almost subconsciously, hinting that Izuku is using the tentacles to keep himself moving even when his body is shutting down from exhaustion. Its a testament to his [[{{Determinator}} sheer willpower]] to push himself beyond his limits for the sake of others, even as that same self-destructive mindset also grinds down at his body and soul.
--->"I hear this guy is [[BloodSplatteredWarrior covered in mud, blood, and scars]]. [[HorrifyingHero Looking at him, you wouldn't think he's really a Hero.]]"
* Chapter 318: The chess match continues. Izuku knows he has to keep the pressure on All For One, yet All For One knows this, too, and counters by keeping the pressure on Izuku. This time, he sends Dictator, a Villain who can control bystanders and use them as {{Human Shield}}s, meaning he can exploit Izuku's greatest weakness in that he won't harm the civilians. Izuku, meanwhile, has being [[HeroicRROD running himself ragged to the point that he collapses to his knees before the fight even starts]] and drags himself upright seemingly by sheer willpower when he realises he ''has'' to fight again. Being forced to 'take things easy' against the helpless civilians proves to be too tall an order for the exhausted hero and Izuku basically collapses under their assault, still thinking that he'll save them even as his body is shutting down on him from reaching his limit. But then, someone else steps in to help. With all the focus on Izuku, one was beginning to wonder what his old classmates have been doing in the meantime... [[BigDamnHeroes until Bakugo takes out Dictator with a pinpoint AP Shot]] and relays a brief but critical message, "[[YouAreNotAlone I found him, guys!]]"
* Chapter 319: Now we catch up to what Class A was doing. Sure enough, they didn't take Izuku's farewell letter sitting down. Especially Bakugo, who knows more about Izuku and One For All than anyone else there. They quickly figure out Izuku and All Might are teamed up with Endeavor, Hawks, and Best Jeanist. And Bakugo especially knows Izuku's crazy streak when it comes to saving people means that this is a ''very bad idea''. So Uraraka suggests they get Principal Nezu involved, who surprisingly turns out to be 100% on board with the idea. They want to bring Izuku back, and he replies that the door's still open for him and that U.A. is prepared should All For One decide to attack. He also tricks Endeavor to come to the school and let slip a clue about Izuku's whereabouts, leading to Bakugo finding and taking out Dictator last chapter.
** Bakugo specifically gets props, not only for calling out Endeavor on how bad an idea it was to use Izuku as bait with his ChronicHeroSyndrome, but also calling Izuku out on how self-defeating his [[ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself current attitude]] is to their childhood dream of becoming the Number One hero.
--->'''Bakugo''': ''(Sarcastically clapping)'' Wow, real inspirin'! All hail the mighty inheritor of One For All! But tell us this... [[ArmourPiercingQuestion are you smiling now?]]
** Then comes Izuku's reply. He hesitates for a moment, as if about to go MyGodWhatHaveIDone... but instead he steels himself and seems to get a HeroicSecondWind. Bakugo's pointed question has just reminded him ''why'' he was running himself into the ground.
--->'''Midoriya''': ''(Strained voice)'' If I'm going to smile again...if I'm going to see a world where people can live in peace...[[{{Determinator}} I need to keep moving forward.]] So please...everyone...''[[LeaveMeAlone stay out of my way!]]''
** And so we see a weary but still determined Izuku rising to his feet and donning his tattered hero costume one more time. And it's a good thing his mask is on, because he's probably giving his old classmates a ThousandYardStare. It sells how, despite being at the end of his physical and mental limits, he's still capable of fighting back hard enough that probably no one member of Class A could take him on alone. Good thing [[ThePowerOfFriendship they're not fighting alone.]] Instead, his classmates stand firm and basically reply:
--->'''Bakugo''': [[GoThroughMe Let's just see you try and make us]], you All-Might-Wannabe!
* Chapter 320 is basically a long extended moment of each of Class A pulling their weight to HoldTheLine against Midoriya, whose sheer strength and [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies deep-seated fears]] about them getting hurt by AFO (like Gran Torino, Aizawa and Bakugo were right in front of him) -- or worse, getting their Quirks stolen (like Ragdoll's; recall, Midoriya is the only one in the class who knows what it's like to be Quirkless) -- make him near impossible to hold down or restrain for long. Even more impressively though, it's clear that Izuku is massively holding back so as not to hurt them as he escapes, which puts into perspective just how powerful he is that his combined class' best efforts can only slow him down, and the fight is more about [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight getting him to accept]] that he [[YouAreNotAlone doesn't have to fight this battle alone]] despite holding [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou OFA]].
** On the other hand, despite them being outmatched in terms of Izuku's sheer power and variety individually, each member of the class works together well to keep countering his various attempts to flee, taking Izuku off-guard despite his in-depth knowledge of their powers and preferred tactics, showing how they're also stepping up to handle the immense task of restoring order to society in this chaotic time.
* Chapter 321: Endeavor showcases more of his CharacterDevelopment to an individual thoughtful about the welfare of others, noting that Dictator may have been working with other HiredGuns to ambush Midoriya, and that Kirishima and other UA students should secure the perimeter of the fighting to avoid any civilians getting hurt, even as he notes that they'll likely share the growing anti-hero sentiment and [[UngratefulBastard won't be thankful for their efforts]]. This is in stark contrast to when he was training Izuku, Bakugo and Shoto during their internship, wherein he saved a civilian from getting hit by a runaway car, but [[AllLovinghero Midoriya]] was the only one who comforted her in the aftermath whilst he lectured the other two on the need to be better when lives are on the line. He also shows that Class A's rebuke of him and the plan to use Midoriya as bait in Nezu's office stuck with him, denying Hawks' suggestion of having Jeanist use his Quirk to restrain Midoriya just so his classmates are the ones to reach him in the end, aware now that force won't stop Midoriya from seeing the error of his self-destructive mindset, and trusting the next generation of heroes to see the job done, rather than treating them all as kids who will only be a burden on the operation.
** Surprisingly, [[CasanovaWannabe Mineta]] gets a moment of his own, being launched FastballSpecial style at Midoriya and grabbing onto him with a line made of his sticky balls, calling out Midoriya for thinking that One For All is a special power that has to settle the fight with All For One alone because of [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou its immense strength]], stating that what made him think Midoriya was an amazing hero was the way he managed to formulate a plan to take down the Villains attacking the USJ despite his own terror and inexperience, using all his classmates' Quirks together to achieve victory.
--->'''Mineta''': I never thought it was your ''power'' that made you awesome!
** And all this time, the class keeps telling Midoriya that they are fully aware of the danger. They're not asking him to protect them; they're simply asking to stand with him in his struggle.
** Despite all his classmates' pleas, Midoriya still refuses to listen, combining Blackwhip as a Slingshot launcher with 45% Full Cowl and Fa Jin to reach Pseudo-100% and rocket himself away at high velocity... only for his classmates to reveal they've prepared to counter even that move. Utilising a 0.1 acid coating from Ashido as a wind shield to cut down on their air drag, Class A replicates Midoriya 's own plan to save Bakugo back in Kamino, using Todoroki's ice to make a ramp, with the classmate's strongmen launching them in pursuit of him, further empowered by Todoroki's Flash-Freeze Heatwave and Bakugo's new Cluster Explosion moves as propellant on top of Uraraka rendering them weightless to catch up to the fleeing Midoriya. This gets punctuated with a flashback to the Second Holder noting what Midoriya needs most to stop running himself into the ground isn't people telling him to think about himself more, but being shown that he's surrounded by people who can keep up with him, even with his 'special' abilities granted by One For All.
--->'''Second Holder''': If there's anything that could bolster Izuku Midoriya right now, it would be... those who share [[{{Determinator}} his]] [[HeroicResolve resolve]]. Those who can [[YouAreNotAlone match his pace]], and keep running alongside him.
*** On the other hand, Midoriya's sheer level of strength and speed is further showcased by the fact it takes all his classmates' combined efforts just to ''briefly'' reach the same level of Pseudo-100% speed he achieved near-''instantly'', highlighting how much of a powerhouse Midoriya's become, even if he's still not fully mastered the full extent of One For All's power at the moment. Iida visibly hurts himself catching up to Midoriya and Bakugo admits he can't keep up with the sheer speed Midoriya can achieve, putting the young hero trainee roughly in a power level equivalent to Endeavor or any of the other top heroes remaining in these chaotic times. Keep in mind that Midoriya just got his Quirk a little over a year ago and has been constantly depicted as struggling with the basic steps of having a Quirk that his classmates mastered during their kindergarten years during his time at UA. Now he's finally been able to make One For All fully his own, and, even if he cannot withstand its full strength yet, he's clearly leagues above anybody in his age bracket and probably many adult heroes as well, even with only about half of One For All's power firmly under his control.
** The highlight moment goes to Iida, with Bakugo acknowledging that even with his new speed boost, he's not built to move at the turbo-power velocities that Midoriya's capable of moving at now, but Iida -- with his own drive to keep pace with Midoriya -- is, launching him with a further explosion to catch up to Midoriya and grab him by the hand even as the G-force visibly cracks his glasses and his protective armour to to the point his tears are visibly showing (due to a massive wind hurling towards his face). And to top it off, he rebukes Midoriya's desperate pleas to leave him alone with a speech that calls back to how both he and his brother inspired Iida to become the hero he wants to be.
--->'''Iida''': ''I will not!''. Ingenium the hero will dash across the land to take [[AllLovingHero a lost child]] by the hand. [[MeaningfulEcho "Because giving help that's not asked for, is what makes a true hero!"]]
** And the anime shows this entire fight with amazing detail, as everyone does everything they can to make Izuku see reason - crowned with Izuku's ''first'' leitmotif, "You Say Run", kicking in just in time for the climax to coincide with Iida getting through to his best friend.
* Chapter 322 finally gives us a moment that most of the fanbase has been waiting for ever since Chapter 1: Bakugo finally gives Midoriya a sincere apology for the years of bullying he put him through. It's awesome not in a "HELL YEAH!" way, but rather in how it brings a long-standing (and [[BrokenBase highly controversial]]) conflict to a satisfyingly emotional conclusion.
** In addition, Kirishima, after catching him, makes a confession of his own. He recalls something he heard on the news two years ago: [[CallBack about how a kid his age rushed to save his friend from a villain]]. Kirishima now realizes the kid was Midoriya. Even way back then, his heroic spirit proved to be an inspiration. Later, Thirteen reveals that his solo journey had bought the remaining Hero Society precious time to prepare defenses and get civilians to safety.
** The aftermath. Midoriya finds himself recuperating back at U.A. However, upon entering the now heavily-armoured building, the class is confronted by the civilians taking shelter inside forming a human blockade to bar Izuku's entry, having deduced that he was likely the kid that Shigaraki was hunting for and wanting to cast him outside so the [[PersonOfMassDestruction highly-destructive]] madman's inevitable rampage won't catch them in the crossfire. The scene echoes Young Tenko's own experience with the BystanderSyndrome plaguing society, with Izuku almost ready to turn and walk away from the safety and security he's longed to return to to keep the [[UngratefulBastard citizens]] safe, except for one difference. Tenko was alone, with nobody to turn to but AFO, but Izuku has his classmates standing by his side. [[NowLetMeCarryYou And this time, they're the ones ready to protect him.]] The chapter ends with a resolute Uraraka, staring down a protesting public, echoing a question she had asked herself the last time she saw Midoriya in trouble, during the Joint Training Exercise:
---> '''Uraraka:''' [[WhoWatchesTheWatchmen Who will step up to become Heroes... when it's the Heroes who are in trouble?]]
* Chapters 323-324 confirm Uraraka has found the answer to her own question. Or rather, she realizes she has to ''be'' that answer. In spite of all the technology U.A. has to ward off a potential attack from All For One, the refugees inside (which, should be noted, include both Midoriya's mother and Uraraka's parents) are still too scared of having AFO's number one target in their midst. The anger is about to boil... when suddenly she steps up. She takes the megaphone and Zero-G's herself (recall, something she never takes lightly) to the top of the main building to address everyone. She acknoweldges their fears... and then points out that Midoriya is fully aware of their fears and that he had fled the school for several months for that very reason. Midoriya has beaten, battered, and exhausted himself for their sake, still knowing that AFO's next attack could come at any time, and that it was ''they'', his classmates, who brought him back so he can recover and prepare for the next fight. Even Bakugo, in his own way, notes that what's plaguing everyone the most right now is ''fear''. Earlier, Principal Nezu had opined that fear was keeping people from having the empathy and understanding needed to come together and trust Heroes again. The feelings she's always had for Midoriya, which she'd kept bottled up for his sake, now come pouring out in a new, constructive way. If even heroes need heroes, then she will be Midoriya's hero, and she does this by appealing to everyone to ''understand'' him: "That First Step" Nezu had mentioned and also the title of Chapter 323. ''And it works''. People take a look at Midoriya in his ragged condition and the realization starts to dawn on them. Some of them even recognize him from his earlier heroics.
--> '''Uraraka:''' Just because he has a special kind of power [[NotSoDifferentRemark doesn't make him a special kind of person!]]
** 324 continues her plea, and it's becoming clear her heart is in this, reducing lots of the heroes and students to tears (eventually including Midoriya himself). Even Uraraka herself has to pause to wipe tears from her own eyes. And the core of her plea boils down to the same thing that drives Midoriya; she, too, wants to see people smile. As Midoriya finally collapses, Kouta and the bystander from Chapter 310 rush to his side as Uraraka's plea finally gets the bystanders to make a move. And for Midoriya, he comes to a realization:
---> '''Midoriya:''' This is the story of how I became the world's greatest hero...actually, this is the story of how '''we''' became the world's greatest heroes.
* 325 has the man Deku encountered ''all the way back in Chapter 1'' continuing Uraraka's plea, pointing out that Deku isn't trying to hide with them, but trying to rest before the world tears him apart, that no other place would take him in. As well, he tells them about how All Might showed them what it meant to be a real hero and if these kids were the only ones still fighting when all other heroes have hung up their capes, [[DareToBeBadass shouldn't they finally step out of the sidelines and help, too?]]
* Chapter 326 focuses on All Might, who's been depressive due to how he feels he's made things worse for Midoriya... who should show up to save the day but ''[[HeroKiller Stain]]'' of all people? Stain delivers a harsh speech to All Might, telling him he doesn't even believe he's the real All Might, since the hero Stain knew would never give up that easily, and then challenges him to come get him. Though Stain's an evil bastard, he's the only one who can tell All Might exactly what he needs to hear, and proves his devotion to his philosophy.
** To be specific on that front, despite All Might stating [[AllForNothing his efforts were in vain due to what happened to the world,]] Stain points out it couldn't be further from the truth, both regarding how his students are still fighting to protect people and fix the world, as well as how his actions have inspired others, like the woman he saved during his last battle as All Might constantly working to keep his statue clean of graffiti, still holding faith in him.
*** He also notes that, in his mind, what makes All Might who he is isn't tied to his powers or abilities but his [[TheParagon willingness to fight for others]] and [[HopeBringer the hope he inspires in people]]. Couple that with the challenge to come after him, it's clear he's still hoping Toshinori is worthy of finally taking him down, powers or no.
*** It's also a '''fantastic''' middle finger to AFO from Stain, given how the former used his ideals and the public perception of Stain as a means of recruiting more competent villains to the league and bolstering Tomura's desire to become a more realised villain. Part of AFO's grand plan is to weaken the willpower of the Torchbearers, including Toshinori, through doing whatever he can to push them past the DespairEventHorizon so they won't be able to resist his next attempt to steal One For All. By bolstering Yagi's spirit and showing him that his efforts are not in vain, Stain has indirectly derailed the megalomaniac's plans, much in the same manner that he indirectly used Stain's own rampage against heroes for his own ends. To cap it off, he leaves Toshinori with information he'd gained from Tartarus about the villains -- information that, unlike Nagant's, is likely to be far more accurate and damaging to AFO's plans simply because he'd never factored Stain in his attempts to grind Izuku down, so the hero killer has gone out of his way to find the intel necessary to take him down simply because, for all that he's a crazed and insane killer himself, [[EvenEvilHasStandards even he cannot stand the hell that AFO has cast society into]] [[ItsAllAboutMe for his own ends]] -- a hell that stands as a stark contrast to the society that Stain envisioned when he began his killings.
* Chapter 328: As vile a person as he may be, AFO is a master strategist. Instead of the two-month window the heroes thought they had, Tomura's body will be ready in 38 days, meaning that by the present time, he'll be ready to take OFA in '''3 days'''. All Might notes this inconsistency was because AFO [[CrazyPrepared rigged the hospital data to support this false information]] well before the heroes raided the building. Remember, AFO was arrested ''months'' before Garaki first contacted Tomura and began preparing him to become a worthy vessel to inherit AFO's Quirk. This means that AFO foresaw that would lose to All Might and everything since then has gone [[AllAccordingToPlan exactly as he planned]]. If not for [[SpannerInTheWorks Stain]] approaching All Might and giving him the data from Tartarus that recorded the schedule discussed between AFO and his vestige implanted in Tomura, the heroes wouldn't stand ''any'' chance of victory.
** As the nations of the world squabble with each other over whether to send aid to Japan to fight AFO, America's number one hero [[{{Eagleland}} Star and Stripe]] bypasses all the red tape simply by [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight leaving for Japan without her government's permission]]. After all, how can she refuse a request from her very own mentor, All Might? Not to mention, many other foreign heroes who are friends of All Might have also been threatening to leave for Japan of their own accord if their respective governments continue to waffle.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Star and Stripe Arc (Chapters 329-335)]]
* Chapter 329: Whilst she isn't given time to do anything yet, the way other characters talk about Star and Stripe gives no illusions about how powerful a force she is. Hawks and Jeanist note that it's incredibly reassuring to have somebody like her on their team, their wording implying that she's even stronger than Endeavor as a hero, and All For One himself calls her '[[WorthyOpponent The strongest woman around]]' all but stating that she's ''the'' ActionGirl in the hero business. He even admits that, despite all his careful planning, the next encounter still comes down to a risky gamble simply because of her sheer strength, stating that if she were to roam free, she be 'far more than a mere nuisance' to his plans, but if he can claim her Quirk before she can arrive in Japan, then settling the ongoing revolution within the country will be a mere formality, implying that her power is strong enough that, combined with his own, he can easily trump even OFA's enhanced capabilities at present. To that extent, Tomura himself appears at the chapter's end, confronting Star in mid-air atop a flying Nomu, clearly aiming to nip the potential SpannerInTheWorks before she can help the heroes, but the odds of his victory are uncertain even with his [[TookALevelInBadass improvements]].
** All For One further reveals that his grand plans aren't simply limited to Japan, revealing that he has friends in organised crime spread across the globe, ready to start causing trouble so as to prevent further international interference from other countries. Star and Stripe's [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight attitude]] means that this wouldn't be enough to deter her from directly interfering in his plans, necessitating Tomura's direct involvement, but it all but guarantees that if he succeeds with her, he'll be able to prevent further reinforcements to Japan's besieged heroes. He also reveals privately to Spinner that, contrary to what the latter thinks and his actions thus far have indicated, obtaining OFA is '''not''' the entirety of his EvilPlan, but merely ''the midgame goal'', and he has grander ambitions underway that can only be safely achieved if he removes his brother's pesky Quirk as an opposition.
* Chapter 330: Star gets to show off her Quirk in combat and it quickly becomes clear why she's viewed so highly -- Her Quirk, New Order, is a flat-out RealityWarper ability. So long as Star can touch a target and correctly name it, she can set any kind of rule or condition she can think of to either empower or restrict the target. Her initial demonstration? Using it on ''the air itself'' to create a star-shaped atmospheric vacuum void around Tomura that severely debilitates him and leaves him wide open for her allies in the bomber jets escorting her and acting as mid-aid platforms for her to fight on top of to blast him with a barrage. When his attempt to retaliate with [[CatchAndReturn their own ammunition]] forces the rest of the fighter jets to back off, Star is quick and strong enough to grab the laser shot at her and impose a rule upon it that it's holdable in order to block the attack, again showing both her sheer versatility with her power and how skilled she is, since her speed and reflexes ''aren't'' being enhanced by her self-imposed rule. In fact, when Tomura attempts to take advantage of the fact that she has a limitation on the number of rules she can impose to close the distance to her once the void evaporates, she reveals that she always has one rule placed upon herself to give her strength near to All Might's top OFA levels, even if she can't quite equal the sheer force OFA had built up by his prime, demonstrating by catching Tomura off-guard with a mean haymaker that blows him away. Furthermore, she uses the same punch to establish the 'physical contact' part of her Quirk to impose a rule upon Tomura -- [[InstantWinCondition if he moves, his heart will stop]]. In the span of a single chapter, Star and Stripe nearly ''won outright'' against Tomura, if not for some unexpected consequences brought about by his [[BodySurf current condition]] that she couldn't possibly have known about, showing just why she's the number one hero of a super country like America.
** Star's fighter escort deserve a mention here. Star's rule ''only'' grants her super-strength, and without them, she can't fly or pull off the necessary aerial maneuvers needed for mid-air combat, unlike Tomura with his multiple Quirks to achieve the same effect. Whatever Quirks they have aren't going to be much use to them inside a bomber jet's cockpit, and in the kind of fight Star's having with Tomura, it would be ''very easy'' for them to be killed by the collateral damage of their clash -- in fact, Star outright tells them that if they die, she'll at least make sure to send their bodies back to their families, underlying the risks they're taking to help her. Nonetheless, they show no fear in rushing into the battle alongside her against a foe that could shred them and their machines like papier mâché, pulling off coordinated maneuvers to make sure Star always has a foothold to attack Tomura with and even working alongside her New Order abilities to attack Tomura with [[EnergyWeapon laser beams]] that their aircraft are outfitted with. It's the closest thing to having a BadassNormal army entering a super-powered fight as this series has gotten so far.
*** Star herself reveals a retroactive one for All Might -- its turns out that [[ChekhovsGunman she was one of the little girls All Might saved during his sojourn in America]] as seen in the prologue of [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaTwoHeroes Two Heroes]], and that his actions inspired her to become as amazing a hero as him, even if he never realised their past connection. Proof, if ever more was needed, that All Might was the BigGood of the series beyond merely his ability to personally save others.
** Of course, AFO/Tomura isn't one to let the heroes have things all their own way. It turns out that, thanks to the ongoing possession of his body and mind, Tomura's mental state is undergoing what is effectively as SplitPersonalityTakeover from AFO's consciousness, resulting in a blend of personality that combines both their mental states and can no longer be classified merely as 'Tomura Shigaraki' meaning that [[LoopholeAbuse he's immune]] to [[IKnowYourTrueName New Order's rules]], allowing him to retaliate just when Star thinks she's got him beaten with an attack that apparently causes a massive electrical explosion visible from miles away
* Chapter 331: '[=TomurAFO=]' showcases that despite his current [[SplitPersonalityMerge mental instability]], his current state of being combines the [[AwesomenessByAnalysis intelligence and perceptiveness]] of both Tomura and All For One into one nasty package. Despite the briefness of their clashing and how one-sidedly Star beat him down with her Quirk, he's able to deduce a rough estimate of its strengths and limitations based only on how it affected him and the environment -- Star has an upper limit on how much New Order can enhance a target's strength, but no limitation on how it can weaken them, and whilst her understanding of a target's identity needs to mesh with their own in order to affect them with New Order, for targets that ''lack'' a self-identity, like non-sentient objects, New Order's RealityWarper nature has increased effectiveness over them. All of this deduced despite America keeping her Quirk's information a national secret, and Star pounding him down with her Quirk the whole way.
** Star further demonstrates exactly what it means to have total control over non-sentient objects, solidifying the air around her into a facsimile of her appearance, but [[HumongousMecha 1000 times bigger]] and then proceeding to pound the ''crap'' out of Tomura with the barely-visible colossus, hitting him so hard that he can't retaliate at all and his HealingFactor is the only reason he's not killed outright. She then follows up by solidifying the lasers her escorts fire into a massive pillar that her creation wields to stab Tomura like a manifestation of the Godly spear Gungnir, pinning him to the sea bed and frying him with the concentrated energy at the same time
*** A point must be made for Tomura's sheer ''durability'' throughout all this, as despite the immense forces Star's hitting him with, he's neither dead nor unconscious, and even pinning him with the laser spear isn't Star's finishing move -- she's just doing that to ''hold him down'' and prevent him from fighting back, not believing for a second that she can kill him even with the god-like power she's channeling against [[ImplacableMan him]].
** Star finishes up by revealing her trump card-unconfident of her chances alone against Tomura and determining that he's a threat on a [[PersonOfMassDestruction global scale]], rather than a problem for Japan alone to deal with, she decides to use her special authority to have [[Franchise/StarWars Admiral Agpar]] launch America's newly developed Intercontinental Cruise Missiles codenamed 'Tiamat' at Tomura to try and finish him off for good. To put that in perspective, Star believes that Tomura is such a powerful and dangerous opponent -- not to mention [[WhyWontYouDie incredibly resilient]] -- that she feels fully justified in trying to NukeEm in order to put him down.
* Chapter 332: Both [=TomurAFO=] and Star come to the conclusion that the letter must undo her Laser rule to successfully enact her planned FinishingMove on Tomura's body -- which he mentally notes ''has'' to be powerful enough to utterly vaporise him, or he'll regenerate and resume the attack, again underscoring how durable Tomura's become since his awakening -- which they both mentally compare to a game of Hot Potato. Star manages to have her gigantic air contsruct grab the missiles mid-air with precise timing whilst her backup swoops in to blast the rising Tomura as he launches himself upwards, giving Star enough time to touch the Tiamat missiles and redirect them straight at the immobilised supervillian, represented by her air construct landing a literally explosive punch that [[ThereisNoKillLikeOverkill blasts the ocean away from them and rips a hole in the cloud bank]], visible even to Endeavor kilometres away on Japan's coastline. Just as Star's catching her breath and looking down as the devastation she's wrought, she notes a tiny, precisely dug hole in the bottom of the seabed, before the [[BodyHorror horrifically-mangled]] [=TomurAFO=] bursts from the ground like a demon rising from Hell, sporting a triumphant NightmareFace as he bares down on the defenseless Star before she can recover, and doing what both Tomura and All For One do best: [[HeroKiller Placing his hand upon Star's face]], spelling the end for America's hero.
** Despite that, [=TomurAFO=] notes that his victory was still a close one: had he been a second slower with his timing of digging into the earth to dampen the blast, as well as [[ManipulativeBastard switching places with his Nomu to distract Star's backup with the wrong target]], Star ''would'' have killed him, even with his sheer resilience.
** Star's reflexes deserve a mention. Her air construct doesn't actually stop the missiles' forward momentum when it catches them, and Star is visibly yanked off the bomber she's riding on by [[InertiaIsACruelMistress the sheer force of them]]. If she'd been any slower in touching missiles that were moving at ''hypersonic speeds'', she notes her arm would have been torn off from the strain.
** Star's unnamed backup again gets some credit: Not only do they keep up the pressure on what they 'thought' was Tomura with equal ferocity to the No.1's own attack, [=TomurAFO=] has to have his damaged Nomu self-detonate to give him enough of an opening to close the distance on Star before her team can interfere. One member even commands Star to use her Construct to smash both Tomura's body and his fighter jet together once he lands on him as the nearest stepping stone to leap at her, reasoning that he's hurt enough that the detonation from his jet should be enough to kill him, even if [[TakingYouWithMe he has to sacrifice his own life]]. Star very nearly goes through with it too, only relenting at the last second because she recognises that [[SenselessSacrifice it still wouldn't be enough to kill [=TomurAFO=]]], showing that both her and her backup are willing to sacrifice anything of themselves if it means protecting others from [=TomurAFO=]'s insane ambitions, but they won't force others to make pointless losses if they can protect lives instead.
* Chapter 333: [=TomurAFO=] successfully steals New Order from Star, hitting her with his decay Quirk in the same instant, and gloating about how he's now basically invincible with her incredible power backing him up, as Star's apparent last-ditch order to herself to not succumb to the decay fails and she begins crumbling into dust. However, just as he prepares to unleash an order of his own, there's a sudden shot of the inside of AFO's vestige realm, with the twisted mental fusion of AFO and Tomura being confronted by a confident vestige of Star in a BadassArmfold... before the scene returns to the outside of Tomura's body as his flesh grotesquely swells up and starts violently ''exploding'' from within. Even as she crumbles to nothingness, Star smirks that she got one over on her killer by imposing a rule on her Quirk before it was stolen. A rule that her Quirk will rebel inside '[=TomurAFO=]' and attack all the Quirks inside his body, visually represented by the vestige image of Star HulkingOut and tearing apart the AFO vestige with its ''bare hands'', face twisted in a roar of fury like the manifestation of all of AFO's previous victims finally paying him back retribution for the generations of suffering he's imposed upon them simply because he wanted their powers. Even better, '[=TomurAFO=]' laments that he can do ''nothing'' to stop this attack -- his own power can only '[[ExactWords give or take Quirks]]', not destroy them outright, and for all his nigh-limitless power, he's totally helpless against Star's one-sided beating. As a sign of how desperate he is by this setback, [=TomurAFO=] is actually willing to '[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness give New Order up]]', desiring to hand the power back to the American pilots that accompanied Star before his body is destroyed from the inside out -- only for them to blast him with another barrage of lasers whilst he's struggling with his disintegrating body, counterattacking him so ferociously in retaliation for Star's death that he has no choice but to cravenly flee to the mainland to find an easier target to pass the Quirk to, rather than attempt to subdue them by force.
** Even better, her Quirk is not simply causing damage, it's actively deleting all the Quirks that '[=TomurAFO=]' has, with him noting that he cannot pull the same trick he did before to [[CatchAndReturn reflect the pilot's lasers back at them]] because the requisite Quirk was just destroyed in New Order's frenzied attack -- meaning [[ShaggyDogStory by the end, he's going to end up with less Quirks than what he started with.]] These are Quirks and powers that AFO painstakingly chose and prepared for Generations in order to best outfit his eventual vessel with to make him the most powerful man alive once All Might was removed from the picture -- and thanks to this miscalculation, all those irreplaceable Quirks are getting destroyed or damaged, [[WorfHadTheFlu permanently weakening AFO for his eventual rematch with Midoriya]], rather than empowering him even more like he thought would be the outcome. Izuku's actions in the prior arc have demonstrated how much more powerful he's gotten since [[NiceJobFixingItVillain AFO unintentionally allowed him to unlock further levels of power within OFA thanks to his attempted theft of it]], and now the power gap between them has further decreased, again thanks to his miscalculation.
** Star also had the thinking to not only do this, but also attempting to prevent herself from decaying, which is noteworthy for how fast she must have used the Quirk twice in quick succession ''as it was being stolen.'' She really is a chip off All Might's block.
** Just as awesome is how Star's actions reflect the sheer impact All Might has had on heroism and the indelible mark All Might's example has had on the world. All Might may no longer be the Symbol of Peace, and AFO may have brought hero society to its knees, but his legacy stands proud. Star and Stripe's actions embody the ideals All Might stood for, and demonstrate that for all the chaos and problems brought by the loss of the Symbol of Peace, heroes across the world continue to fight on behalf of others no matter the cost.
** The crowner of it all? Every previous defeat All For One has had, he handled with his typical calm and grace, always knowing he had a way out since it was part of the plan. This time? It's not part of the plan. [=TomurAFO=] is completely caught off-guard, and flies into a panic, desperately searching for someone to off-load his dangerous new Quirk onto and baying for Star's blood. Star did what no hero, not even ''All Might himself'', ever did -- she [[VillainousBreakdown angered]] [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness All For One]].
---> ''Damn you, specter of All Might!''
** Before, only [[WorldsStrongestMan One For All]] had a chance of fighting back against [[EvilOverlord All for One]]. Star's battle has confirmed that more heroes with Quirks that can fight back against All For One are being born and that no longer will the user of One For All be alone in the fight against All For One's evil. Indeed, it's a fitting dose of LaserGuidedKarma that All For One, who stands opposed to the manga's themes of legacy and succession through his possession of his own successor to turn him into '[[GrandTheftMe The next me]]', suffers his first true, unequivocal defeat at the hands of a younger generation hero that All Might once saved, proving that the good he did and the example he showed as the No.1 are capable of inspiring others to take up the cause he wasn't able to finish himself, and one day, the younger generation will overcome All For One, no matter what he plans.
* Chapter 334: All For One's humiliation continues. Despite being able to successfully flee the pilots thanks to him having stolen the Nomu's Wings Quirk before it detonated, he's utterly panicked the whole time, due to the damage New Order's inflicting within him actually starting to deteriorate All For One's Quirk, thus putting his entire plan to preserve his existence through Tomura's body in jeopardy. By the time he finally manages to reach the mainland and find a suitable bystander, All For One plans to first steal his Quirk to bypass the 'destroys other Quirks' rule on New Order, allowing him to preserve it and its immense power for later subjugation, only for Star's vestige to taunt him that he's too late. In the time it took him to find another host, New Order's rampage ended up damaging it as much as it destroyed the other Quirks within All For One, resulting in its own self-destruction from wearing itself out in its valiant attempt to destroy All For one for good. All For One, who is defined by [[ControlFreak his total control over people and Quirks]] for generations, is ''denied'' the ability to control a single damn thing about New Order, only able to impotently watch as Star's vestige fades away into the ether on its own terms, taunting him that as long as people continue to save each other, the will of a true hero will be passed on, and someday, somebody with that same willpower will put an end to him for good. She even taunts him with her last breath, calling him '[[{{Unperson}} John Doe]]', as a mockery of how his own attempts to secure his legacy beyond his lifespan are doomed to fail because he's [[ItsAllAboutMe fundamentally incapable]] of leaving any 'true' legacy for another to inherit from him, leaving him an utter nobody in the end. All For One's last retort about how he's ultimately the winner because he survived their fight whilst she perished comes off as a ''massive'' SoreLoser's meek attempt to have the last word in the end, highlighting how he was utterly beaten in this encounter, [[BreakTheHaughty unable to salvage any of his trademark dignity and grace]] after Star thoroughly humiliated him.
** Star's final words even resonate with Tomura, causing a representation of his young 'Tenko Shimura' self to emerge from the gaping void formed in the twisted [=TomurAFO=] fusion's chest, speaking Izuku's name. It seems that, just like Izuku got a glimpse of Tenko's real self deep down during All For One's last attempted theft of OFA, he in turn got an understanding of his selfless heroism, and some part of Tomura ''wants'' to be saved by him, believing that he can do so above all other heroes.
** Even beyond that, it's confirmed that New Order's attack undid some of the progress All For One had been making in completing his SplitPersonalityTakeover of Tomura's psyche, which her team was able to pick up on thanks to them rigorously monitoring everything about his body during the battle, using the advanced equipment in their fighter jets. Their team leader makes sure to pass this along to All Might, letting him know that it will take at least 1 week before Tomura's stabilised again, giving the heroes time to mount an effective counterattack now that All For One is finally on the back foot.
*** The absolutely ''shredded'' state of the [=TomurAFO=] vestige in the aftermath of New Order's attack implies that not only did she destroy an untold number of his stockpiled Quirks, she might have actually ''damaged All For One's Quirk itself''. This is the same Quirk that he used to cement himself as the undisputed EvilOverlord of the world during the rise of Quirks, the very same Quirk that his plans to create a younger doppelgänger of himself in a stronger body hinge upon, and Star seems to have ''permanently'' damaged it. Even if All For One's body still has an undamaged copy of the Quirk inside it, it's hinted to be inferior to the original, and the damage inflicted might have permanently crippled its signature ability to stockpile other Quirks, if not severely hampered its effectiveness in stealing other abilities. To say nothing of the hints that many of the powers that Tomura relied upon to one-sidedly overwhelm the heroes during the war are either outright gone or permanently crippled, including his healing factor. No matter what spin All For One puts on this fight, his utter loss and derailment of his carefully-crafted plans is undeniable.
* Chapter 335:
** Despite a crushing humiliation at the hands of Star, All For One remains undeterred that he will be victorious, once again highlighting his sheer tactical brilliance. As he explains to an impatient Dabi, he has an intricate network of contingency plans he can follow, most of which are formed years or even decades before he needs them. This is because whenever he encounters an unforeseen variable, he can just divert to a backup plan and still accomplish his goals. This almost makes Star's efforts in the last few chapters seem pointless as All For One gloats that his plans have only been temporarily delayed, not completely defeated.
*** This is also highlighted as he listens to a screaming Tomura, cursing All Might and any that follow his legacy. All For One confirms that the process to turn Tomura into the next 'him' is still underway and he now shares Tomura's boundless hatred of All Might on top of his own.
*** As All For One completes his monologue to Dabi, he comments that while it seems events are not going in his favor, stating he has friends to spare as the last panel shows a silhouetted Toru Hagakure, seemingly confirming her as the U.A. traitor.
** Star still deserves credit, however, as while All For One maintains his composure, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he's still not smiling]] and flat out admits that his backup plans were strictly emergency contingencies, never intended to be his main one. He had a best route to his endgoal, and Star completely derailed it. He also admits that the original All For One Quirk was indeed damaged, though to what degree is unknown.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:U.A Traitor Arc (Chapters 336-342)]]
* Chapter 336:
** Horikoshi deserves some ''major'' props for TheReveal this chapter. There have been bits and pieces of information sprinkled throughout the story, from the suspicious absence of her vote during the class President voting on the day Tomura broke into UA, her unconfirmed presence during the USJ attack, to her unconscious state in the aftermath of the Hideout raid apparently being the cause of All For One [[DidntSeeThatComing being taken off-guard]] by Izuku's interference during the fight at Kamino, to her lack of an official description box for her Quirk and powers, much like Toga's own abilities weren't shown whilst she was disguised as 'Camie' during the Provisional Licence exam, that all seemingly point to Hagakure as TheMole within 1A. This is compounded by the last chapter having a TraitorShot of her as its cliffhanger... only for this one to reveal that she's ''not'' the traitor... '''Aoyama is'''. Horikoshi used Hagakure as a RedHerring and scattered subtle hints throughout the series all pointing to her that numbers fans picked up on, only to reveal that that was a smokescreen for the true traitor. He even had Aoyama act suspiciously towards Izuku and draw attention to himself, only to seemingly [[BaitAndSwitch reveal that Aoyama was sympathetic]] towards Izuku's PowerIncontinence and was suffering from a case of NoSocialSkills, which helped deflect suspicions from him, only for this chapter to reveal that that was actually his [[RegretfulTraitor suppressed guilt]] for betraying and endangering his classmates pushing him towards nearly confessing to Izuku. Suffice to say, Horikoshi is a masterful storyteller, to successfully build up the identity of TheMole and ''still'' have it be a shocking twist.
** Bakugo having the sheer ''balls'' to unhesitatingly term All For One, TheDreaded, the man who almost killed All Might on his own ''twice'' over and still crippled him, the one responsible for the current downfall of society, as '[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu Ol' Nutsack Face]]'. Bearing in mind that Bakugo has actually ''met'' All For One, and been exposed to the same sense of palpable dread that left Izuku paralysed in fear and hallucinating images of his own impending demise-- in fact, during the war Bakugo almost ''died'' at All For One's hands by TakingTheBullet for Izuku. The fact that he has no problems taking smack about such a terrifying figure, one that would leave people with PTSD even if they hadn't nearly perished because of him, speaks volumes about his character.
* Chapter 337:
** Yuga Aoyama presents another WhatMightHaveBeen situation for Midoriya. Like him, Aoyama was born Quirkless, but because his parents are of high society, a Quirkless child would've been utter scandal, so they used their connections to find All For One, who gave Yuga a Quirk in exchange for becoming TheMole...''or else'' (as was graphically demonstrated to them). Finding out the truth, that Midoriya had also been Quirkless, drives Aoyama into a despair-filled attack with his Navel Laser... which gets deflected by Hagakure's Light Refraction. And it's Hagakure that delivers one hell of a WhatTheHellHero to Aoyama. Then Midoriya ends things before they get any worse, using Blackwhip to capture the Aoyamas for questioning, revealing that Hagakure was the one who snitched to Midoriya because she knew that Midoriya was capable of subduing Aoyama and his parents without hurting them, or letting anybody else get hurt in the scuffle.
** Speaking of Hagakure, Horikoshi puts hundreds of chapters of uncertainty to rest by ''finally'' showing everyone [[TheReveal a glimpse of Hagakure's face]]. To perhaps everyone's relief (particularly shippers), Hagakure is revealed to be...just an ordinary girl. Invisible, but otherwise as sweet and ordinary as her voice and manners made her out to be.
** So Aoyama is forced to face his classmates and the faculty. Justifiably, the rest of the class has their turn railing at him. But it's once again Bakugo who cuts to the chase. He knows the Aoyamas' motivations. But then, as Aoyama once again admits himself as a Villain, Midoriya plays the flip side of the coin. Why did he turn around and help back during the training camp, ultimately resulting in his own rescue? Why did he subtly confess "I know" in cheese back during the Culture Festival? Because he was attempting a QuietCryForHelp...much like Nagant was subtly doing. And then, he takes a surprising stance. He declares the whole idea of labeling people as villains as a stigma, a path to darkness that was ruining more people than everyone realized. People otherwise capable of redemption were being given the HeelFaceDoorSlam, leaving them TrappedInVillainy. Bakugo then figures out Midoriya's plan: to [[DoubleAgent turn Aoyama back around]]...[[MyGreatestSecondChance and offer him a chance to make things right]].
--->'''Midoriya:''' Aoyama...you can ''still'' become a hero!
*** It bares repeating -- this is ''Midoriya's'' idea, not one of the older heroes or the police's, but [[AChildShallLeadThem Midoriya]], the young inheritor of the greatest power to defy All For One, finally taking steps to lead the counterattack against the shadowy manipulator and beat him at his own games. Since this strategy is based around the concept of empathy and forgiveness for past sins, it's practically guaranteed that [[TheSociopath All For One's]] [[CrazyPrepared extensive planning]] hasn't predicted such an outcome -- in fact, he outright states that he's planned for Aoyama being publicly exposed as the traitor and can still proceed regardless, but the idea that his classmates would be still willing to forgive Aoyama and even work with him to deceive All For One is something he's [[SmugSnake too arrogant]] or [[LackOfEmpathy uncaring about]] to [[EvilCannotComprehendGood comprehend]].
** Doubles as Heartwarming: Bakugo's CharacterDevelopment gets an understated moment. He's just learned that Aoyama helped provide the information that led to the attack on the training camp, the same attack that got him kidnapped, exposed to lethal danger and eventually led to All Might's retirement -- something Bakugo developed a massive GuiltComplex over, to the point be needed to vent his issues in a no-holds barred brawl with Izuku to start recovering from. More than anybody in the class, Bakugo would have every right to condemn Aoyama for his duplicity, but instead, he focuses on the CommonalityConnection he and Izuku share, noting what a small world it is. Though unstated, he's clearly remembering his own bullying treatment of Izuku prior to him inheriting One For All, and understanding the social stigma that drove Aoyama's parents to seek aid from All For One, demonstrating how much he's matured and become more empathetic since the start of the series.
** When the authorities are first interrogating Aoyama, Nezu tries to get the class to step outside while the questioning takes place. They flatly and unequivocably refuse to do so. This is their friend and their classmate here, and no rules are going to keep them from understanding how this happened.
--->'''Nezu''': May I ask you children to leave the room?
--->'''Todoroki''': No. You may not.
** Dabi gets teeny-tiny one, getting AFO to walk back his AffablyEvil vernacular and admit to seeing his "friends" as tools.
* Chapter 338:
** Tsukauchi is forced to restrain Aoyama just in case AFO managed to find ''some'' way to rig Aoyama's Quirk. But upon learning that the Aoyamas can only relay information when AFO demands it, Midoriya ''and his classmates'' realize this is the opening they need. If Aoyama can reverse his role, they can trick AFO and gain an advantage. The faculty and the police, however, question whether this is wise, but now Iida speaks for the class by agreeing with Midoriya's sentiment that what Aoyama needs now more than anything is for the class to offer him a second chance. Just then, Aizawa chimes in from his hospital room on a tablet held by Present Mic. By declaring that he has no intention to expel Aoyama, he agrees with the class. And sensing Midoriya needs help right now, noting that he hasn't ''actually'' got any details worked out in his head yet, he offers his own plan, to which the Aoyamas (and the reader) are presently left unaware, but which is apparently well-thought out and plausible enough that Nezu and the more-cynical Tsukauchi genuinely consider it as a possibility to start turning the tables on All For One.
** Agreeing with the plan, the class watches the Aoyamas being taken away and make their preparations. Midoriya and Iida decide to hit the Development Studio for costume adjustments... and DejaVu strikes when the door to the studio blows up again. When the smoke clears, Hatsume has once again fallen on top of Midoriya, boobs first... but instead of being funny (which it kinda is), the steely look in Midoriya's eyes shows this time is different. He has hero work to do.
** The class collectively wearing a DeathGlare as they begin preparations to enact Aizawa's plan-- even characters with non-threatening character designs like Minata and Koda get in on it, showing how seriously they're treating this, and [[TranquilFury angry]] they all are over All For One's exploitation of their classmate. The only exception to this montage is Hagakure, since no one can see her face again. Instead, she's the one who rallies the rest of the class.
* Chapter 339:
** This chapter gives us something different: how to be Awesome ''as a Supporting character''. Seems with all the work with the U.A. Barrier and all, Power Loader and the Support Course have been pretty busy. But the spotlight is on Hatsume. She is designing and conceptualizing at warp speed, constantly coming up with new ways to help... because that's what Support people are supposed to do. And then, ''almost backhandedly'' with her left hand alone, she provides some replacement equipment for Midoriya (a new pair of Air Force Gloves with bracers) and Iida (replacement armor), meaning Class A is now ready to take the fight back to All For One. Bear in mind, Hatsume did all that before her colleagues could properly measure Izuku and Iida to start working on their gear themselves, implying that she's memorised and retained their measurements from the last time they sought her help ''and'' whilst also simultaneously working on some new ideas for the evacuation shelters to transport civilians out of the danger zone with her right hand.
** Class 1a starts prepping for a full-class training simulation, incorporating Midoriya as the centre of their searching/fighting strategy, showing how much he's improved as a hero from when he started, to the point that he's now a lynchpin that the whole class can work around in tandem with his full array of abilities.
** Meanwhile, Nejire-chan and Suneater are busy helping Fatgum over in the west, helping evacuate people over to Shiketsu, which (as expected) is built up and fortified much like U.A. It goes to show that All For One isn't the only one who can come up with elaborate and multi-layered plans. Toshinori's been busy, too.
* Chapter 340:
** We finally get some details regarding the heroes' overall scheme to defeat All For One and the League's remnants. Aware that the HiveMind shared between All For One and Tomura's body -- each of which now counts individually as the WorldsStrongestMan -- would render any attempt to fight them together meaningless, as they would simply coordinate their overwhelming might to crush them outright, All Might states that they need to separate them by a distance at least ''10 kilometers'' in order to have a fighting chance against them individually. Not only that, since Dabi's wide range AOE attacks would threaten any coordinated team efforts, he also needs to be isolated as well -- ''all of their opponents'' need to be separated and dealt with individually if the heroes are to have any chance of winning, selling the threat level of each remaining villain left standing. Whilst they admit it's a simple plan with a lot of flaws in its execution, it also matches with the growing theme of unity that's being brought in the wake of All Might's retirement -- the [[ThePowerOfFriendship weak but coordinated teamwork]] needed to replace the overwhelming strength of the outstanding individual. And unbeknownst to the heroes, this plan also digs deep into the League's biggest weakness right now -- the same lack of trust and coordination between the remaining members, with Tomura almost literally being replaced by the sociopathic All For One and having no qualms about discarding his allies if it benefits him and Dabi's more [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish motivations]] and attitude being brought to light making it clear neither one has the same level of trust with their "teammates" that the original League did between themselves that allowed them to prevail against overwhelming odds. In fact, looking back at the Paranormal Liberation War, several of the victories that were scored by the Villains' side were caused by the weaker or less powerful villain members putting themselves on the line to interfere at a crucial moment, like Compress' ambush against Midnight and Kamui Woods putting her in a position to be killed, or Spinner being able to awaken Tomura when he was almost beaten by using his remaining hand to unleash his instinctual hate. In fact, Tomura and Gigantomachia, the two most powerful individuals in said war, technically ''lost'' their fights in the end, showing how the story's theme of teamwork and unity is being brought forward as it approaches the climactic fight.
** Upon verifying that Aoyama isn't rigged to explode like Lady Nagant, Aizawa theories that he only gained access to that particular ability upon breaking free from Tartarus, thus the only method of actual control he has over Aoyama is the 'seed of fear' he planted in him and his parents -- one that Aizawa is determined to destroy even by force, spelling out to Aoyama the grim reality that, even if he should help them take All For One down, [[BrutalHonesty he'll likely still get thrown out of UA and forever branded by his past mistakes going forward]]. However, Aizawa refuses to allow Aoyama to submit to this fate out of some misplaced sense of atonement for his sins, pointing out that his friends are still willing to believe in his ability to be a hero, as so is he as his teacher, with a panel of [[EvilFormerFriend Kurogiri]] being shown to emphasize that Aizawa not only wants to redeem his student from All For One's corrupting influence, but also his old friend as well, and he's not giving up on either of them.
---> '''Aizawa:''' That said...I won't allow you to slink off [[TheAtoner haunted by those sins]] and die a pathetic quiet death. Not as long as I'm a hero course teacher and you're my student. Because none of the lessons I teach my students are about living a life burdened by guilt. As [[BeyondRedemption ashamed and despicable as you feel]], [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre you will walk alongside the friends who still reach out to you]].
** And the kicker to this is the final panel of the chapter, showing Shinso, now garbed in more advanced hero gear than his last showing, being called away by his classmates, Aizawa's words making it clear that he aims to have his protégé get his turn to shine as a hero alongside Aoyama.
* Chapter 341:
** One the villains' side, both Dabi and All For One get their moments here, proving All For One's statement about their [[NotSoDifferentRemark similarities]] true as they each work on patching the very same cracks in their unity that the heroes are targeting by [[TheCorruptor convincing]] their [[TragicVillain more sympathetic]] remaining allies to join them in this final battle out of loyalty to their friends, both deceased and in suffering, in essence using a twisted version of ThePowerOfFriendship against the heroes, despite both of them clearly being incapable of such emotional bonds themselves.
** Dabi [[DestroyTheAbusiveHome immolates Toga's old house]] to forcibly give her some closure on her past, cynically pointing to that the world doesn't care for their suffering or happiness regardless, so they should just do whatever makes them feel happy regardless of the cost, and revealing his ultimate Trump card against the heroes: A vial of [[MesACrowd Twice's blood]] that he took from his corpse before Machia absconded with them, pointing out that if Toga uses it, she can enact the [[ZergRush Sad Man's Parade]] regardless with her PowerCopying abilities. Even worse, Twice showed that blood can be safely replicated and used from Clone Donors back during the MLA arc, meaning that if Toga duplicates him once, she'll be able to create an endless supply of Twice's blood to maintain her transformation as long as she needs to, rather than it being a one-time thing. Hawks sacrificed ''everything'' to stop that exact outcome -- his morality and his public image in striking down a broken man like Jin InTheBack -- and Dabi not only used that to throw mud on the very image of heroes along with his own origins, he was fine with risking such an invaluable ability like that by setting up Twice in a position where Hawks would be forced to kill him to stop him because he'd already planned ahead on how to pull it off without Twice, showing how smart Toya is that he could out-play even a talented double-agent like Hawks so thoroughly that every choice he made that day would be AllForNothing in the end.
** All For One and Skeptic converse with Spinner, pointing out that, despite his weak showing on a combat front compared to the rest of the league, he's actually become a HopeBringer to the Heteromorph-type Quirk users of the world with his public showing against heroes, with flashbacks to Izuku's battling against the random villains showing that many of them were copying his costume, and thus, even with Tomura currently disabled and in agony whilst he's recovering from his damage against Star and Stripe, and without Re-Destro, the remnants of both organizations can still achieve their revolution by relying on Spinner to lead the masses, and 'pull the trigger' for them all. For somebody who's often overlooked compared to his more outstanding allies, it shows that Spinner genuinely does have talents that others recognize, even if he's only going along with it to achieve Tomura's dreams in his stead.
--->'''All For One:''' Know this Iguchi. Everyone can be somebody's hero!
** Speaking of Tomura, though the imagery is [[BodyHorror not pleasant in the slightest]], Spinner sees him apparently pushing his hyper regeneration past its limitations to forcibly [[ThrowingOffTheDisability regrow his missing fingers on his left hand]]. The only reason Tomura wasn't able to enact his wide-range AOE attacks during the war more often was that his right hand alone was the only way he could use the move, so by forcibly regrowing his digits, Tomura is showcasing his determination to use his Quirk's full destructive potential in his rematch with Izuku.
* Chapter 342:
** All For One again gets to show his CrazyPrepared nature, as it turns out he managed to smuggle several pawns of his inside the UA evacuees, sending them orders to unsettle the civilians there and 'fan the flames' until Izuku is again forced outside UA and into the next stage of his trap, demonstrating how thoroughly he's spun his web to outmaneuver Izuku regardless of what choice he makes. However, as part of UA's unspoken counterplan Izuku and the rest of the UA student voluntarily leave to move to a makeshift fortress outside of UA in preparation for their counterstrike. Whilst All For One's {{Mole}} gloats that they've only made his plans easier to achieve, the Students, All Might and all their remaining allies are working hard to blindside the mastermind with their own plans, both sides working to deceive the other and catch them off-guard in their final, decisive strike -- which goes into motion by the chapter's end. The [[BattleOfWits final battle]] has begun.
** Both Izuku and Uraraka have a heart-to-heart over their SympathyForTheDevil towards Tomura and Toga. While they both acknowledge that their archenemies have committed crimes too unforgivable to ignore, they won't let that blind them to the pain the latter two have gone through, nor the ongoing suffering of those like them. From everything they've experienced during the War, both children know now that the problem is not just the villains facing off against them, but the societal issues that caused the villains' suffering in the first place, and they are determined to do something about it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Final War Arc, Opening (Chapters 343-379)]]
* Chapter 343:
** So Aoyama has Midoriya meet him all alone in some ruins, telling him about the collapse of Japan and AFO's big plan to take over the world by destroying the pillars of global civilization and cornering the ability to keep society functioning. For his sake and that of his parents...
** [[TheDreaded All For One]] ''himself'' appears. Thanks to Search and his unnamed lie-detecting Quirk, he knows Aoyama's telling the truth and that Midoriya has no help nearby. He seems ready to take One For All at last...
** Until the Heroes' trap starts to spring. ''Aoyama attacks All for One'', revealing Midoriya's [[TheMole mole]] gambit... and revealing that the world hasn't given up on Japan just yet because they know All Might's successor still lives. All For One is actually surprised that he couldn't suss out the trickery, not realizing that the Heroes had intentionally kept the Aoyamas in the dark ''[[CrazyPrepared just for that reason]]''!
** Undeterred, All For One calls up Tomura, Dabi, and the rest of the League, figuring there's no way Midoriya can be helped when they're all miles away...
** ...until the aspect of Aizawa's plan unknown to the reader is finally revealed. Monoma utilizes Kurogiri's Dark Gate, and just as suddenly the Heroes appear to even the scales. The final battle begins ''NOW!''
** One important thing to note here: All For One ''pretends'' to be mildly annoyed at best... but internally, he's left completely befuddled and at a loss for ''how'' this happened. For the first time in the series, the original All For One is unambiguously taken off guard. While he tries to act like it doesn't matter, rather than his previous composed reassurance, it comes off more as him trying to convince ''himself'' he's still in control -- and that was ''before'' the rest of the heroes arrive en masse to show him that, no, he's '''not''' going to be dictating how this story goes anymore. From arguably the beginning of the manga, All For One's multiple plans and long-term contingencies have ensured that events have always proceeded along a path that will achieve his ultimate victory one way or another... and that ends '''right now'''.
*** There's also Aoyama's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to All For One as the other heroes arrive:
---->'''Aoyama:''' Maman and Papa told me something else. They told me what it is you fear most, All For One. You fear the world learning that Japan isn't finished yet. You fear the light and hope that will come with recovery. And you fear Japan inspiring the world to unite once more. So, today is that day ''and this is the place where you fall''!
** Monoma once complained how unfair it was that the world and the narrative itself seemed to be focused on 1-A all the time, noting that his fellow classmates and himself were equally outstanding heroes. Now, he not only gets to put that into practice, but the very fact that he was OvershadowedByAwesome is [[{{Irony}} exactly why]] All For One was caught off-guard by his ability to utilize Kurogiri's ThinkingUpPortals power, the same thing that made the League such a troublesome opponent in the beginning chapters. Even more than that, Monoma's control over the warping ability means that the second condition for the heroes' victory -- separating each villain to a distance of over 100 kilometers each to prevent them forming a united front -- is now easily achievable, making [[HeroOfAnotherStory him]] the lynchpin of their counter-attack against All For One's evil, not Izuku. It pays off wonderfully for Monoma, too: he gets to spend the next two chapters gloating and cackling like a deranged lunatic, and he and the audience both know he ''earned it''.
** What makes this all the more satisfying and cathartic is every scene All For One has had in the past few chapters amounted to him bragging and smugly assured his plans within plans made victory in the final confrontation a formality... and then [[OutGambitted the heroes flip the script]] and lure him into ''their'' trap.
* Chapter 344:
** A quick backtrack to just before it starts going down reveals just how they tricked AFO. First, the Heroes were well aware of AFO using Search, so their little hunt was more a feint than anything, tricking him into thinking they're running themselves ragged looking for him.
** Next, based on what the Aoyamas told them, Yaoyorozu figures out that AFO must have some kind of lie-detector Quirk, and Toshinori adds on that the basis of that Quirk must be ''voice'' since the Aoyamas only contact AFO by telephone.
** So AFO's lie-detector Quirk can tell if someone is lying... but not if someone is ''controlled''. AFO couldn't suss out the trick because the Aoyamas, including Yuga, were speaking under [[ChekhovsGunman Shinso's]] Brainwashing. Shinso even admits that he's able to perform this action when he was incapable of such during the Sports Festival and Joint Training Exercise ''precisely'' because he trained in improving his Quirk's control and limitations in order to better compete with outstanding heroes like Izuku and the rest. [[TheParagon Izuku's]] Rivalry with Shinso brought forth the one weapon that could best play into All For One's arrogance and ego to manipulate ''him'' into ''their'' trap, the DiabolicalMastermind of the story.
** And then we get the confirmation of Monoma's appearance. Vlad King points out that, in real life, there is no such thing as a side character. This plan has to rely on ''everyone'' to work, and since there's no guarantee of Kurogiri being able to help them, the only way to use Dark Gate is to ''Copy'' it.
** Leading us back to the present: the start of the big battle. After a brief scattering and exchange, Toshinori and Tsukauchi activate their plan: System Troy. Numerous cells rise up to encapsulate and separate the various parties. AFO wonders why go to the trouble since they should be able to break out quickly... until he figures it all out. The chapter ends with a massive Dark Gate looming over the numerous encapsulated cells, presumably ready to scatter all of them far and wide.
** Of note, Aizawa sadly admits that with one of his eyes destroyed by Tomura, he can barely use Erasure anymore, and won't be able to help out in the war. A brief shot of Tomura when both sides are arrayed against each other shows him reaching down to the ground to activate his [[MakeThemRot Decay Wave]]... only for his fingers to curl and jerk away from the ground, refusing to let all 5 digits contact the earth. Tomura's silent contemplation of his inability to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim destroy the allied forces arrayed against them]] [[WeHaveReserves at the cost of his allies' lives]] implies either one of two outcomes. Either Izuku managed to get through enough to the 'Tenko Shimura' inside of Tomura that he's FightingFromTheInside against All For One's control, along with refusing to harm his [[TrueCompanions friends]] in the league, or All For One's insane obsession with claiming One For All won't allow him to make any moves that could potentially destroy the Quirk's 'container' before he's ready to steal it. Either way, Tomura might now be [[PersonOfMassDestruction potentially stronger than All For One himself]] but his BattleInTheCentreOfTheMind with the vestige of his predecessor is ''severely'' handicapping his power, in contrast to Izuku, who is only enhanced by working in tandem with his.
* Chapter 345:
** The villains showcase their might by tearing through what looks to be incredibly solid cages in under 3 seconds like papier mâché, with Dabi mocking the heroes if they really thought they could restrain them like that. The Answer? ''Nope''. It was just to delay them long enough for the heroes to position themselves to unleash every wide-range blasting and physical attack they have all at once to force the villains backwards into the massive warp gates behind them. One of the PLF villains lampshades the absurdity of them using [[Fiction500 so much money and resources]] for such a simple aim just to gain the advantage over them, only for his opponent to fire back that ''of course'' they won't spare any expense. The villains have [[ToCreateAPlaygroundForEvil made their aims clear]], and all the heroes are united as one to thwarting them no matter the (literal) cost. Which leads into...
** The villains getting successfully blasted to different locations despite their resistance, where the heroes' remaining forces lie in wait for their arrival to pincer them in a surprise attack. Hawks takes a page out of Thanos' book and goes straight for the head the second All For One arrives, which fails only because of how tough his protective armour is, showing how the Heroes are ''not'' playing nice this time. Endeavor even taunts All For One that his own warping Quirk cannot compare to Kurogiri's range, and they've set up their plans to place him well away from Tomura, negating the combat advantage their PsychicLink brings then. Whilst All For One soon turns the conversation back to his [[UnsportsmanlikeGloating trademark gloating]] he noticeably has to refer to the situation ''away'' from his current location, because the heroes have so thoroughly OutGambitted him that he can't offer any rebuttal for their preparations, nor how absolutely he's been outplayed.
*** This stands out for one major reason: All For One himself has effectively been checkmated. Even if he ''did'' manage to kill Endeavor and Hawks, his forces are so scattered he literally ''can't'' fix this and regain control of the situation at all. He's ''stuck'' there with his forces scattered over Japan too far for him to teleport them back and he ''can't'' teleport himself as a limitation on his Warping Quirk. All For One, for all intents and purposes, can do ''nothing'' to contribute to his side regaining control.
** This results in the setting for the Final Battle: In addition to All For One vs Hawks and Endeavor at Gunga...
*** It's shown that Shoto and Iida are facing off against Dabi and a near-high end at All Might's statue at Kamino, both looking to negate the destructive potential of their opponents despite the danger and Dabi's [[AxCrazy crazed ferocity]] in a fight.
*** Meanwhile, Tomura is warped straight to the UA school itself... which has been transformed into a ''massive'' FloatingContinent through anti-gravity engines installed underneath the building, surrounded by a massive forcefield to negate any attempts at aerial escape and with the interior covered by massive cables and floating platforms, all set up to counter Tomura's Decay abilities, leaving him faced off against Best Jeanist and Bakugo as the main-liners to combat [[WorldsStrongestMan him]]. However...
*** Things doesn't go entirely according to the heroes' plan. Toga's [[{{Yandere}} insane obsession]] with Izuku allows her to entangle him with one of her blood-drinking cables despite the chaotic one-sided attack on the villains and yank him backwards into her portal before he can react, the attack so absolute and efficient that Izuku doesn't even have time to activate [[SuperStrength Full Cowling]] before he's yanked through. He even comments that Toga was somehow able to bypass his [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]] despite it being specifically able to warn him of incoming threats. This leaves Izuku arrayed with Uraraka and Gang Orca against Toga and 2 near-high ends ''at the wrong battlefield'', something that is shown to seriously threaten their countermeasures against All For One's arrayed army. [[DiabolicalMastermind All For One]] walked every villain on his side straight into a trap through his own hubris and belief in his superiority, and the one that threatens to undo their strategy isn't even him or Tomura, but [[SpannerInTheWorks Toga]], out of her desire to settle her complicated relationship with Izuku and Uraraka.
* Chapter 346:
** Tomura attempts to gain the advantage over the heroes by quickly trying to activate his decay wave the instant he makes contact with the Earth, only for U.A. to demonstrate that All For One isn't the only person who can devote massive time and effort into creating [[CrazyPrepared a foolproof plan that covers every conceivable angle]] to defeat an opponent.
*** Firstly, the ground that Tomura's crumbling launches up skyward in sections before the decay can spread far, allowing them to harmlessly deteriorate to nothing before the decay can propagate. Tomura is also launched backwards and slams into the electro-magnetic forcefield surrounding the area, badly electrocuting him and temporarily seizing up his nervous system, giving Best Jeanist the opportunity to ensnare him with cables and slam him to the ground. Even if Tomura is now strong enough to compete with One For All's might, it means nothing if his body is temporarily paralysed and unable to utilise his great strength. When Tomura taunts Jeanist if he can afford to be so carefree with the ground Tomura's destroying, believing that it's a finite resource up on the FloatingContinent, Jeanist just mocks him that they've got plenty of resources to spare as more undamaged plates are slotted in to fill the gaps Tomura created.
---->'''Jeanist:''' Have you truly not figured it out yet, Shigaraki? [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu Is your brain short-circuiting from that shock?]] This arena was constructed solely to defeat you. [[BadassBoast It shall be your coffin in the sky]].
** A shot of the interior of the massive building showcases the extensive logistics and cooperation needed to operate it at peak efficiency, requiring multiple characters named and unnamed to contribute their powers and skills into suppressing Tomura's strength and limiting his options whilst the front-line fighters slowly chip away at his vitality. Power Loader oversees the machines providing the disposable plates needed to thwarts Shigarkai's decay, whilst Cementos provides building material to cover the gaps created in the ground. Mei and the support students are physically providing maintenance and on-the spot repairs to keep the machines running, whilst Yaoyorozu is using her Quirk to create a near-limitless amount of plates to supply them with, aided by, of all people, [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower Lunch Rush]], using his Quirk to prepare food necessary to power Momo's Quirk to create the plates. Ectoplasm is revealed to have used his [[MesACrowd body multiplication]] alongside Cementos and Nezu to construct the Arena in record time, even with the breakdown in supply and logistics caused by the league. The energy powering the electromagnetic forcefield is revealed to be provided by Kaminari, Manga[[note]] using a 'Zap' onomatopoeia[[/note]] Yuyu Haya, as well as an unnamed student, showing how it's not just the first-year students taking a stand against the league, but ''all'' of them working together as one. It resonates particularly hard with what Vlad King said before, about how there is no such thing as a side character in this story.
*** And the capper, Tomura attempts to use his multiple Quirks to blast through the forcefield and destroy those providing power to his cage... only to find out that he ''can't''. Standing atop the power room, safely behind the see-through shield, stands Aizawa, Manual, and Monoma, using his [[PowerCopying Quirk]] this time to copy ''[[PowerNullifier Aizawa's]]'', circumventing Aizawa's own confession that he can no longer use Erasure himself to fight, as well as his own 5-minute time limitation as long as they remain in contact. With Manual repeating his eye-moisturising trick from the Paranormal Liberation war, this effectively means the heroes again have an extended window of opportunity to beat down Tomura without the full force of his overwhelming power in play.
** However, despite all of that, things still aren't fully going the heroes' way.
*** Aizawa and the heroes lament Midoriya's absence, noting that their plans were based around having his amazing strength in play at this point to provide the force necessary to beat down Tomura at his weakest, showing how badly [[SpannerInTheWorks Toga's interference]] has thrown their strategy -- that was perfectly placed to capture and immobilise both the DiabolicalMastermind of the story and the WorldsStrongestMan ''at the same time'' -- off the rails.
*** Tomura then retaliates by using his newly-developed power to grow a [[BodyHorror grotesque amalgamation of fingers]] from his left hand to attack Mirko with so fast that Bakugo can't even finish his sentence, voicing his disgust for Aizawa using such cheap tactics to try and weaken him again and claiming he's lost all [[VillainRespect respect]] he had for him. To note, by this point, Monoma is cancelling all his Quirks again and leaving him with nothing but the base enhancements Garaki made to his body to allow it to withstand the strain of All For One's power. This implies that, whatever this warped ability is, '''it isn't a regular Quirk -- it's a mutation, which can't be Erased'''. Aizawa remembering that Tomura's body was imperfect during their last encounter implies that, through ThePowerOfHate, Tomura has forcibly accelerated whatever process Dr. Garaki had ongoing within him and become something [[HumanoidAbomination other than human]], just to ensure that there's nothing the heroes can do to thwart his desire to destroy everything this time.
* Chapter 347 has two elements of CreepyAwesome:
** First, Shigaraki confirms that his ability to grow parts of his hand like crazy is a body mutation; mutations can't be Erased. Haughtily declaring himself the epitome of Dr. Garaki's foretelling of the "[[ArcWords Quirk Singularity]]", he proceeds to go full ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' on everybody: turning himself into a ''Kaiju-sized'' monstrosity as large as the UA building, sprouting grotesque fingers all over the arena, pinning down everyone, including Monoma, who has no choice but to keep his eyes fixated on Shigaraki. As the growths are all hands and fingers, each of them has the potential to use Decay. If Monoma tries to switch Quirks, or even blinks, Shigaraki is likely to destroy the entire arena in one fell swoop. When Tomura tried to overcome his weakness of being able to use the AOE decay with only one hand, he didn't settle for [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill half-measures]].
** The heroes then get one in turn: they don't ''care''. They'll just beat him down ''anyway''.
** Meanwhile, on Okuto Island, Midoriya is rapidly trying to figure out what's going on, needing to find a way to cross the 200km distance from the current battleground ''on his own'' to reach Tomura's battlefield and settle things with his EvilCounterpart. What's complicating the matter is [[SpannerInTheWorks Toga]], who seems able to attack him in the chaotic brawl caused by the near High-End Nomu's attacks with her insane physical speed and agility ''without triggering Midoriya's [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]]''. He and the vestige of Hikage Shinomori are nearly dumbstruck at the realization: Toga is a full-blown {{Yandere}}, attacking Midoriya not out of malice, but out of a ''maniacally-twisted sense of love''.
* Chapter 348:
** The first half of the chapter showcases how, despite her relative fragility against a LightningBruiser like Midoriya, Toga is still a massive threat to go up against. She goes from standing in front of him to vanishing from sight the second a wave cause by the Near High End's attacks obscured her from sight, the flying rubble in the background making it clear that she moved ''fast'' in almost the time it took to blink. Izuku's [[StealthExpert unable to keep track of her]] despite holding a short conversation with her in the chaotic maelstrom erupting from the brawl, right up until she reveals herself after solidifying her resolve to strike down Midoriya and Uraraka after they both 'rejected' her. Toga unveils her upgraded equipment, her blood sucker tubes getting flying stinger-like attachments that she can direct on command, enabling her to [[CombatTentacles attack from multiple angles]] [[ConfusionFu at once]], each one designed to draw blood so she can use her [[PowerCopying Quirk's upgraded potential]] against the heroes. When Uraraka get distracted by two stingers coming at her from behind, Toga instantly moves in for the kill, quick enough the even seeing the attack coming, Izuku can't snare her with Black Whip to pull her away from Ochako fast enough...
** Until Tsu gives Toga a taste of her own medicine, [[DynamicEntry blind-siding her with a Camouflaged drop kick from the side]] before she knows she's there, preventing her from giving Uraraka more than a skin-deep cut, and hard enough to crack one of her stinger attachments. With Tsu providing her backup, Uraraka tells Midoriya to leave the situation to them, setting up one fated confrontation while he starts sprinting to the U.A. battlefield for his own fated fight with Shigaraki.
** The heroes get an understated one that ''they don't even realize''. Uraraka comments that they chose the isolated island to fight Toga in precisely because she's so unpredictable and hard to keep track of, so pulling her to an island severely limits her options and ability to flee the battlefield in their blindspots. What none of the heroes are aware of is that this ''also'' limits Toga's ability to activate the Sad Man's Parade as a wide-range threat, the surrounding oceans slowing the 'spread' of Twice's propagation and there apparently being no boats to cross the 200 kilometres to the mainland with. Whilst it won't save the heroes on the island if she uses it, this move has undercut Dabi's plans to use both Twice and Toga's Quirks together to advance his own chaotic agenda.
* Chapter 349:
** The chapter starts with Midoriya demonstrating the ingenuity of combining his available Quirks. He has put together the NotQuiteFlight of Float, the [[ChargedAttack charging ability]] of Fa Jin, and his Air Force techniques for propulsion and balance to achieve outright ''{{Flight}}''... at speeds comparable to a motor vehicle. He would be going ''even faster'' if the ocean had anything he could tether to with Pseudo-100% Blackwhip, showing again how powerful and versatile he is even with only about half of One For All under his control at present.
*** Midoriya briefly chats with the second holder after the latter discourages him from losing himself to his impatience and anxiety and sternly warns him against using his Quirk to try and reach the mainland faster. Though the details aren't revealed, they way both of them discuss the power makes it clear that it's ''the'' DangerousForbiddenTechnique amongst all of One For All's ComboPlatterPowers. The second wielder comments that, like the other Quirks within, his has been boosted drastically from when he wielded it in the past, but in his case it's become a DeadlyUpgrade and it's not something Izuku should use ''except'' as a last resort. Considering that One For All's powers include the ability to sport CombatTentacles on command, godlike speed and reflexes as well as the power to hit beyond even Izuku's maximum % of force, it's clear that whatever said power is, Izuku's usage of it will be a [[BatmanGrabsAGun total game-changer]] for whatever situation forces him to such extremes.
** Dabi cuts loose at Kamino Ward, demonstrating how powerful he actually is by engulfing the buildings all around them in flames visible for miles away, making it look like the whole city is on fire, and trapping Shoto inside a personalized battlefield with a flame tornado to settle his grudge with Endeavor's [[SuperiorSuccessor masterpiece]]. With Iida unable to interfere from the sheer heat threatening to blow up his engines at a distance, Shoto's only backup is the flame-wielding sidekicks from his father's agency who can withstand the heat with their own Quirks -- all of them except Kido. Rather than use any flame abilities to counter Dabi's own, Kido merely uses his Quirk to [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower alter the trajectory of the blazing air away from him]], commenting that he's had plenty of practice in Endeavor's agency with such a tactic and refusing to run away from a battlefield that would be lethal to him with just a single lapse in concentration.
*** All three sidekicks also make it clear that, despite the issues with Endeavor's past, all of them choose to support him regardless for always preforming his job as a hero, and they're all standing before Dabi to fight him not out of blind trust in Endeavor, but because all of them want to put a stop to the chaos that his insane son is spreading around. When Dabi similarly calls out Shoto for facing him as Endeavor's pawn in this fight, he retorts that said claim would only be true if he still tried to remain a hero without facing Toya and his family's painful history head on -- that Shoto ''refuses'' to run away from their confrontation not because he's obligated to, but because he ''wants'' to stop his crazed sibling's destructive warpath, which Dabi [[{{Touche}} ruefully accepts]].
*** Dabi demonstrates his sheer tenacity and commitment to his goals, unleashing such destructive firepower despite the visible toll it's taking on his body, the unburned patches remaining on his body slowly blackening and spreading as the damage accumulates, with Dabi acting as if nothing's wrong, even as his own skin slowly disintegrates off him. His cheek tears apart like paper, exposing [[FacialHorror his raw jaw muscles underneath]], but Dabi's so far gone he [[FeelNoPain doesn't even notice]], showing that nothing less than death itself will stop him from striving to achieve his warped revenge.
* Chapter 350 flashes back to eleven years ago, revealing the connection between Toya Todoroki and All For One. The full extent of Toya's Quirk had emerged on that day ([[BlessedWithSuck cursed by flames hotter than his father but a body weak to flames like his mother]]). ''All For One himself'' appeared from nowhere at the scene of the inferno and had Garaki go to extreme lengths to rebuild him (he was in a coma ''for three years'', and practically all that skin on him was ''grafted''). He, like others at the time, were "damaged goods": people rejected by society and holding grudges like Tenko Shimura for being shunned. Toya was orignally one of All For One's many "backup plans" in case Tenko didn't work out. But Toya was deemed a failure. The reason goes back to his cursed body: his power literally eats away at him. The only thing holding him together by this point, the one thing that drives him even as his body keeps consuming itself, [[ThePowerOfHate is vengeance]]. Shoto puts it simply; Dabi has become a living embodiment of the RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
-->'''Shoto:''' [[DeathSeeker You wanted to die from the start.]]
** Though twisted, the young Toya does get a moment where he '''utterly rejects''' All For One's manipulation attempts. The DiabolicalMastermind has demonstrated a skill with manipulating those around him to forward his goals, no matter their relationship with him, whether antagonistic or ambivalent, but despite everything he'd done for Toya, keeping him alive for years and rebuilding his body, not to mention offering him the chance to regain the full force of his potential firepower if he agreed to become a part of the 'family' at the orphanage he'd made to accumulate children similarly abandoned by society, Toya cared ''nothing'' for it. The only thing that mattered to him was being trained and recognized by Endeavor alone, and he could accept no other compromise, burning down the orphanage to escape without a second thought, even with a half-assembled body that now took greater damage from his flames than before, and was only supposed to last a month without aid from Garaki's medical surgeries. He tried to return home... only to find out his family had assumed him dead and gone on without him. The day he came upon the memorial shrine eight years ago was Toya's StartOfDarkness: the day Toya Todoroki died and Dabi was born: a villain of his own free willpower, in complete defiance of All For One's ability to control everything in the narrative at that point.
--->'''Garaki:''' Even the man who had known [[ControlFreak absolute control far and wide]] couldn't exploit the boy's obsession with his father.
** Back in the present, Dabi prepares to finish his warped vengeance on his father, pushing his flames to their absolute limit even as they reduce his body to ashes in the process, determined to create a flame so powerful it will obliterate all that Endeavor holds dear, even against his [[SuperiorSuccessor masterpiece]]. The shot of him standing atop the statue of All Might, burning so hot he starts ''melting'' it and looking like a charcoal daemon held together by his own hellfire, is as awe-inspiring a sight as it is hellish.
** Of course, after all that, Shoto manages a succinct ShutUpHannibal toward his elder brother, showing that the Todoroki Family is far from done resisting evil.
--->'''Dabi''': Once I've burned away all that '''[[ItIsDehumanizing that thing]]''' holds near and dear... that'll be the mark I've left on this world!\\
'''Shoto''': '''[[{{Determinator}} Like I said, big brother-- not on my watch]]!'''
* Chapter 351:
** Continuing Shoto vs. Dabi, there's a brief rundown on their father's signature move, the Flashfire Fist: how it concentrates as much heat as possible before unleashing it all at once. Now Dabi introduces his own, wild and chaotic spin on the technique, '''Flashfire Fist: Hell Spider''', unleashing chaotic slashes of fire that ravage the battlefield outside their personal duel in the flaming tornado, showcasing how [[PersonOfMassDestruction destructive]] Dabi's powers are now he's finally at the PointOfNoReturn. Which turns out to be just a feint so he can use his flames to propel himself at literally-blistering speeds to assault Shoto up close, targeting his weakness in hand-to-hand combat with punches that are propelled by nearly-solid flame blasts in a one-sided assault, finishing with a point-blank Jet Burn that launches Shoto into a nearby building, showcasing how much ''force'' his unleashed powers pack, all the while lambasting his little brother as a spoiled brat who had everything...
** ...but Shoto actually manages to neutralize his brother's nearly-molten heat with his own powers in equilibrium and counters that he was far from spoiled. On the contrary, he had always thought of himself as "half-baked". In fact, the fact Dabi had been keeping tabs on Shoto (rather than just his single-minded focus on Endeavor) delights him, because Shoto has likewise been focusing on Dabi...
** ...because everyone has their fated battles in this war: Midoriya vs. Shigaraki, Uraraka vs. Toga, Endeavor vs. All For One... and Shoto vs. Dabi, at his own insistence so that Endeavor could concentrate on All For One. Shoto tells Dabi to stop burning bystanders and focus his hatred where it matters: upon their own screwed-up family, [[IAmYourOpponent and at him]]. At this, Shoto reveals that he has finally found a way to unleash both sides of his quirk in battle, and prepares his own take on Endeavor's move, '''Flashire Fist: Phosphor'''!
** Of note, this new move has Shoto using his flames on his ''ice-using'' right side, his flames burning so cold the fire turns '''white''' and needs Shoto's rapid heating powers to avoid freezing himself in the process. This flame is the opposite peak of what Endeavor envisioned when he hoped of making a SuperiorSuccessor... and now Shoto is using that freezing firepower to extinguish the maddened inferno that symbolizes his crazed sibling's own apex of Endeavor's firepower. Thus, this fight is a showdown between two people each capable of surpassing their father as the premier example of a flame-user, and right now, neither has any interest in anything else but smothering the other's flames with their own in a direct contest between the FlawedPrototype and the 'masterpiece' determined to save lives from his all-consuming wildfire.
** In a case of {{Irony}}, it clearly takes Shoto a bit of time to charge up both his sides enough to activate his 'Phosphor' move, time which he needs to rely on Burnin and the other sidekicks to deflect Dabi's attacks away from him until he's ready. Helping him in this regard is Dabi's characteristic [[IShallTauntYou mid-battle taunting]] of his opponents, ranting about how much he's been looking forward to killing Shoto and seeing the despair it'll inflict on their father, and mocking his sibling for being so 'inferior' as to rely on help to fight him, rather than stand alone. Whilst this bought time for Dabi to unleash his heat to the maximum, it also allowed Shoto to do the same with his own ultimate move, even if he was slower than Dabi because of the latter's disregard for his own well-being. Despite the beatdown he inflicted on him, 'Phosphor' allows him to counter Dabi's own heat on equal if not greater terms, meaning that Shoto actually turned Dabi's [[CaughtMonologuing signature battle strategy]] back on him at last!
* Chapter 352: Shoto and Dabi's battle meets its conclusion:
** In flashback, Shoto clarifies the specifics of Phosphor. Rather than increasing his flames and using his ice to counteract the inner heating problem, Shoto instead alternates heated and freezing blood throughout his body through his heart, achieving an equilibrium that causes the white fire that manifests upon his chest, which has the unique property of not burning anything even when his classmates stick their unprotected hands into it. As Shoto puts it, he's aiming for the opposite outcome of his old man's vision -- a ''cold fire'' that '''freezes''' what it touches, allowing him to manifest ice strong enough to stifle even Dabi's [[DeadlyUpgrade self-destructive hellfire]], the symbol of his desire to destroy himself to achieve the heights of power Endeavor once believed he could.
** Shoto's attack unleashed last time sends Dabi flying and crashing into the ground, cursing at the 'masterpiece' that between his heat-resistant body and increased freezing ability, Shoto is the perfect counter to his own fighting style. However, despite the [[ElementalRockPaperScissors bad matchup]] Dabi remains ever-focused on killing his brother no matter what he loses in the process.
** He retaliates by unleashing a gigantic torrent of fire hot enough to even burn Shoto, and his inability to maintain Phosphor for long leaves him open to take a devastating hit... before the sidekicks fighting at his side [[TakingTheBullet jump between them to mitigate the damage as best they can with their own quirks]], blunting the heat enough that Shoto can shrug it off while charging up his finishing blow, thanking them profoundly for their support as he does so. Dabi might be strong enough to win his fights solo, but Shoto's allies and friends are all he needs to even the playing field with his brother's insane firepower.
** As Dabi is left wide open from the previous attack, Shoto launches forwards so fast his brother can't react and lands his new ultimate move: Great Glacial Aegir. It completely extinguishes Dabi's flames and ''flash freezes every building in the entire area'' with his 'cold fire.'
** The most impressive thing? [[CurbStompBattle Dabi never lands a single meaningful hit the entire fight]]. The attacks he ''does'' land on Shoto are just shrugged off without much reaction and Shoto is in control the entire battle. Dabi devolved into a raging berserker while Shoto remained calm and collected the entire battle. Shoto even pointedly refutes Toya's RedemptionRejection, stating that even if he and his brother are '[[EvilCounterpart a warped rail]] running in parallel to [[GoodCounterpart a straight and narrow one]]' he'll make sure they can still mingle together regardless, and so he'll stop him ''right now''.
* Chapter 353:
** Shoto's victory over Dabi fires up the remaining heroes still in combat with the Near High-End Nomu, the last standing combatant on their field, making them determined to take it down quickly and lend their aid to the other battlefields, showing just how effective their strategy against All For One's forces has been, that even with Dabi's advantages, he and the assembled villains with him were dealt with swiftly before they could truly unleash as much damage as they could have. All Might and the others at the command centre swiftly broadcast the good news to all of the other battlefields, leading to a mass boost in morale for their side, as the heroes, many of them Shoto's own classmates and friends, are all the more determined to win now.
** And from the looks of things, Pinky and Red Riot are about to face off against the one who killed Midnight.
** Props to Dabi for two things in this chapter: for one, he's still alive even after his self-immolation, and for another, Spinner reveals in a flashback that while he accepted a new Quirk from All For One, Dabi refused him point-blank.
--->'''Dabi:''' Like I need any of that crap.
** While All For One attempts a BreakingLecture on Endeavor, his speech is noticably more angry and frustrated as opposed to his previous composed confidence. The heroes managed to blindside All For One to such a degree that he ''can't'' truly regain his composure, showing just how much they outplayed him.
* Chapter 354:
** In flashback to their pre-battle meeting, Hawks outlines that, despite his immense power, All For One's wounds inflicted by All Might are ''still'' a [[AchillesHeel massive crippling weakness]], no matter how much he tries to hide it, thus giving them an opening to seriously hurt him despite his position as the runner up for the title of WorldsStrongestMan next to Tomura. Since attacking him with numbers to target said weak spot would only empower him, Hawks points out that they need to hit him with with their most skilled fighters in the smallest possible team, meaning the fighting comes down to him and Endeavor working in concert to combat All For One and blitzkrieg him to prevent him unleashing any wide-range attacks that could devastate all the combats below, hero and villain alike. Endeavor's heat proves capable of pushing through the heat resistance All For One possesses from one of his quirks, Hardflame Fan; as it's a non-physical attack, he can't use Impact Recoil to defend himself like he did with All Might's own blows, showing how much the heroes have learned and adapted to All For One's tactics since Kamino. Even All For One's [[BreakThemByTalking characteristic taunting]] fails to work against Hawks, who merely turns his attempts to get a rise out of him back in his face, mocking the DiabolicalMastermind that he's not as capable as he ''thinks'' he is if he's unable to fight both of them off adequately.
--->'''All For One:''' Since Recovery Girl's efforts couldn't bring you back to your prime, your few remaining feathers need aid from prosthetic ones to bring you up to even this speed.\\
'''Hawks:''' [[ArmorPiercingResponse So we're both crippled, huh?]]
** However, All For One again proves his most dangerous power is not his multiple quirks, but his intellect and his ability to worm his way into the mind of his opponents through the simplest of words. Just by observing that Endeavor isn't fully matching up to Hawks' timing during their attacks, he understands that the Number one hero's mind is still distracted by thoughts of his family, digging into that by taunting him again with how he's left his own personal baggage to be cleaned up by his 'masterpiece', mocking him for failing to keep his mind focused on task like the rest of the combatants around the, and then delivering the final blow... revealing that Enji never found Toya's body on the hillside that day because of his interference. This fact genuinely takes both heroes' smooth coordination off-guard, resulting in Endeavor flying into a blind rage that All For One exploits to tear a huge chunk out of his torso with a fanged maw he forms from his hands.
--->'''All For One:''' [[TitleDrop Oopsie daisy.]]
** All For One then attempts to unleash his air cannon quirk against Hawks at a distance he can't move fast enough to dodge, motivating Hawks to [[TakingTheBullet take the hit]] so long as he can move Endeavor to a safe location to keep his destructive flames in play against All For One... before the attack is blocked by Jiro's Heartbeat Wall move, flown into the battlefield atop Tokoyami using his Black Fallen Angel. Hawks yells at them to get back, because [[KnightOfCerebus All For One]] is way out of their league and unwilling to show mercy to his opponents, only for Tokoyami to point out that he and Hawks are equally capable of teamwork, refusing to let his mentor stand alone against a foe than endangers ''everyone'', and willing to do whatever he can to avert the worst-case scenario.
--->'''All For One:''' The pesky gnats that swarm around One For All...In the old comic I used to read, there were [[CListFodder "jobber" characters]] who only existed so the demon lord [[TheWorfEffect could show what he was made of]].\\
'''Jiro:''' [[ShutUpHannibal How about you save that line until you've actually beaten us]], All For One?
* Chapter 355:
** Hawks turns out to have been using a subtle tactic to take out All For One even with Endeavor down for the count and his own relative lack of strength compared to the {{Diabolical Mastermind}}'s multitude of quirks -- repeatedly attacking the same spot on his mask again and again in precise strikes to chip into his armour, even when having to constantly blitz about him and additionally keep Jiro and Tokoyami away from All For One's lightning-fast attacks on them, showcasing both his preference for outwitting an opponent than outfighting them, and his sheer skill. He even manages to combine the Katana he was using to make up for his impaired performance from Dabi's flames with Jiro's quirk by chapter's end, turning it into a {{Vibroweapon}} that, even when it breaks from the strain, successfully cracks All For One's defenses, quipping as he does so that All For One's amassed strength is no true counter for multiple powers ''truly'' working together.
--->'''Hawks:''' Enough cracks bring any dam down.
** All For One continues to be a terrifying foe, managing to almost effortlessly strike at Jiro and ''tear off her ear'' with his vicious attack.
** When Jiro's injured, she manages to make damn good on her promise from last chapter by fully attacking All For One, blasting him with her full power even though she's lost an ear. Though All For One can endure the attack and power straight through it to either steal Jiro's quirk or her life, the ''vestiges of his stolen Quirks' former users'' spring from within him and drag him down, holding him back from escaping and forcing him to stand still long enough for Hawks to put the final nail in to pierce through his image of invincibility. Thanks to everybody efforts in opposing him [[FightingFromTheInside within]] and without, the "side characters" do what Endeavor, the number one hero, couldn't... and '''shatter All For One's life support mask'''.
*** Right after All For One rips her ear off, Jiro responds with a brutal ShutUpHannibal speech before unloading her sonic attack on him:
---->'''Jiro''': All you do is talk about who's weak, who's strong, who's special, and who can inspire fear in others. Well I don't give a damn about any of that nonsense! All I know is that YOU MADE MY FRIENDS CRY!!
*** Why did the vestiges rebel? Because Jiro's sheer guts and defiance against their seemingly omnipotent jailer did what All Might, Star, the Torch Bearers and no one else was ever able to do and inspire them to rebel against him. In fact, it's ''because'' she's not them that such a miracle occurred. By necessity, to oppose All For One's god-like strength, the Bearers and Star herself had to be [[StoryBreakerPower a level above anybody else around them]], making them stand apart for the crowd and preventing anybody from thinking that an 'ordinary' person would defeat the 'demon lord'. But Jiro, wounded, hurt, far too young to be fighting such an ancient evil, nonetheless demonstrated that it ''can'' be done, motivating the other faceless 'nobodies' within All For One's MentalWorld to oppose him in unison -- and given they managed to freeze him in place, it would seem that such an outcome is not only unforeseen by All For One, it's arguably more ''dangerous'' for him than when New Order was damaging his quirk from within. Now the masses inside him ''know'' he can be fought, he can be opposed, and he can be '''beaten''', even without the power of One for All, and they're eager for payback. All For One's 'smile' in the Vestige realm isn't his normal, calm, collected one: it's a forced, frustrated smile. All For One is losing control of the situation, the fight, his body and he ''[[VillainousBreakdown knows it]]''.
----> '''All For One''': The Quirks I've stolen in the past...their very wills?! [[ThisCannotBe Impossible!!]] Even New Order didn't manage this! They were spurred on by '''this'''?! By the weakness of such push-overs?!
* Chapter 356
** Tokoyami takes advantage of the opening Hawks and Jiro created, covering his right arm with his cloak to sidestep his weakness to sunlight, enabling him to manifest Dark Shadow's clawed limb at his full-powered 'Ragnarok' size and unleashing a MegatonPunch straight on All For One's face, the biggest blow anyone except All Might has ever dealt. The blow is so gigantic that, combined with the damage from Hawks and Jiro, All For One's life support mask is ''completely shattered to bits''. Even better, All For One was both too shocked at his mask being broken and unable to 'sense' Tokoyami's approach to dodge, because his quirks rebelling against him also disrupted his ability to use the sensory quirks to keep track of the heroes, leading to him eating a massive attack that he could have easily dodged if he'd been in any fit-for-fighting state. Much as he's desperately trying to hide it, Team Endeavor's efforts are exposing All For One's inherent weaknesses in battle with him, and showcasing how [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll he's far from being the 'invincible demon lord']] he dreamed of becoming.
** Showing just how far they've pushed him, All For One's composure finally ''completely'' shatters along with his mask and he starts ''screaming'' at them while going utterly berserk. All of this has done what All Might and all the Torch Bearers couldn't: make the original All For One ''completely lose it''. However, pushing him this far has arguably made All For One [[CorneredRattlesnake even more dangerous than before]] --he ''violently'' suppresses the rebelling Vestiges within him with an almost feral intensity, appearing to literally devour their consciousness in order to regain control and unleashing his [[CombatTentacles Rivet Stabs]] in a wide-range attack all around him, both to skewer the heroes who so humiliated him as well as to catch the tiny fragments of his mask, showcasing both his dexterity and control as he reassembles his shattered visage and holding it in place almost with sheer force of will alone, demonstrating [[SoreLoser his utter refusal to accept defeat]] at any cost. The only reason the trio weren't killed by All For One then and there was Endeavor's BigDamnHeroes return.
** The Number One hero rockets back into the battle, tanking some of the Rivet Stabs that he can't burn away to protect his allies and pushing ever-forward towards his target even as the strain ''bodily tears his right arm clean off''. Endeavor doesn't let that stop him for a second, reflecting all the while that his real enemy has never been All For One, but his own inherent weakness that he so cursed, admitting that he never had the ability to be a ''super''hero like Izuku or All Might, but regardless, even if he's just another hero, it's his duty to put an end to the fight with the DiabolicalMastermind, forming a blazing fist from his stump to ''punch'' straight through all of All For One's defenses with a ''gigantic'' fire attack, leaving him ablaze and reeling in the air, his mask now further damaged and irreparably broken along with his image as the unshakeable manipulator of the story.
* Chapter 357
** Endeavor just keeps pushing on, raging and sending himself flying toward All For One even as he begins to burn himself in the process. The "Greatest Demon Lord" even admits that, for all Endeavor's faults, he has truly earned his spot as Number One Hero, making the villain relive the day of his defeat at All Might's hands.
---> '''All For One:''' (''internal'') ''Wounded heroes... are always the scariest.''
** Hawks pulls the same trick he and Endeavor used to finish off Hood, using some of his remaining feathers to propel Endeavor close enough to smash him with a MegatonPunch formed of his flames and blazing rage towards All For One, crushing him to the ground before he can dodge with a massive beam of fire. When questioned on why he didn't unleash Prominence Burn and kill All For One then and there, Endeavor reminds everyone of his AwesomenessByAnalysis talents by noting All For One went on the defensive with the intent to burn him out and regain the upper hand.
** Endeavor follows all this with nothing short of an ''UnstoppableRage'', the other Heroes even clearing the way so he can beat down All For One personally, ''forcing'' his full-power fist through All For One's DeflectorShields, grabbing him by the neck and using his flames to propel them both away from the other heroes at literally blistering speeds, dragging All For One like roadkill all the way. All For One notes that the damage done to his life-support system is further compounding his humiliation, his body no longer responding like he wants to, unable to fight off a one-armed man despite all his power. His only response is to attempt to steal Endeavor's quirk, an action that Endeavor quickly shuts down by ''shooting fires from his eyes like laser beams'', despite the pain it gives him, burning All For One's hand to a charred stub, making it clear that he is '''done''' with his bullshit for good, vowing to protect the dreams of the next generation as he continues going utterly berserk, even ''making All For One cry out for him to stop'' before enveloping them both in a massive aura of fire.
** Despite the odds, the final victory of the chapter goes to All For One. After this brutal fight, All For One reveals this still wasn't him going 100% serious. He regains his composure and, despite being utterly charred and visibly crumbling away, asks Endeavor if he ''really'' thought he didn't have a contingency for his lack of a HealingFactor. He even tells his opponent that his body was already going down, and he's got one last trick up his sleeve, drawing the attention of the First and Midoriya while his internal monologue bookends the chapter by noting that villains are also scariest when wounded. The Symbol of Evil, even in the jaws of a true, desperate defeat, is terrifyingly prepared, the visual imagery implying that he managed to absorb a variant of Eri's [[DevolutionDevice Rewind quirk]] from the Erasure Bullets Tomura salvaged from the hospital. Before the heroes' eyes, the [[WoundThatWillNotHeal injuries]] All Might inflicted upon him at the cost of his health, the one thing keeping him back from [[GameBreakingInjury using his full power against them]], start to vanish as '''his right eye and left ear regrow from nothing''', compounding his smug NightmareFace.
---> '''All For One''': ''Heroes don't have a monopoly on big sacrificial moments, you know?''
* Chapter 358
** Back at Tomura's battlefield, the tide is still in his favor, despite all the heroes' efforts to weaken or restrain him. His rampaging fleshy growths threaten to crush his opponents like bugs whilst replacing any damage they inflict against them, all whilst he goes on a MotiveRant that highlight's All For One's sheer god complex, even as it also digs into [[VillainHasAPoint the various failings heroes have had]] in allowing the build-up of oppression and discrimination that resulted in an influx of 'villains' that now rally to Tomura's standard.
--->''' [=TomurAFO=]:''' With this body, and this power, all will come to rest in the palm of my hand. Giving rise to a world of my own, or one beyond me entirely. Appearance, Form, Function... For a world split beyond any hope of a status quo, all that awaits is schism and destruction. These massive disparities give rise to incomprehension. And that lack of understanding in turns leads to [[FantasticRacism dread and rejection]]. [[JerkassHasAPoint That's the present state of the world, no?]] [[HappinessInSlavery But under my rule, all will be exploited as the working class! All will be equal!]] Don't heroes yearn for world peace? Is it that hard to imagine taking a step towards that?
** However, the heroes ''won't'' let him have it all his own way. They note that despite the danger of his fleshy form's mass and regrowth, he's [[MightyGlacier lost the mobility he had during the war]] reminiscent of [[LightningBruiser All Might's]] top speed and power. Angered by '[=TomurAFO=]'s' constant speeches and pontificating over the morality of heroes, Bakugo loudly yells at him to shut up as he activates some new support gear he had equipped for the battle -- Suppressive Heavy Mobile Unit Strafe Panzer, reminiscent in looks of War Machine: a bunch of auto-targeting guns sprouting from his back that use his explosive sweat, of which he had stocked up plenty of whilst dodging Tomura's attacks, to basically re-create his gauntlet explosion blasts multiple times in a single attack. He then tears straight through Tomura's fleshy defenses with his new move: Howitzer Impact: Cluster, paving the way for his teammates to start attacking his real body.
** Bakugo furthermore verbally tears into [=TomurAFO=] as well, making it clear to him that he cares ''nothing'' for how logical his arguments are or how hopeless the odds are; he just wants to shut the would-be GodEmperor up and stop his madness before he hurts any more people. Bakugo notes that the world doesn't ''need'' his twisted guidance to be better, because he himself has already faced and overcome his own fear and rejection through his CharacterDevelopment with Izuku as his FriendlyRival. This, along with his actions in working as part of a team effort, delights Best Jeanist into using his full hero name as a sign of acceptance for the kind of hero Bakugo has matured into.
--->'''Bakugo:''' You want to talk about some big disparity? Lack of understanding? Dread? Guess what- [[CharacterDevelopment I've long since taken all that crap to heart]]. And I've seen a real step towards progress with all that. It might take some time, but some people I know are trying to push forward. Thanks anyway but...you can ''shove'' your sermon...'' [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu ya nutsack-faced handy-man!!!]]''
* Chapter 359
** Despite the chaos of the heroes' efforts, [=TomurAFO=] seems to be [[NoSell unfazed]] even by Bakugo's ultimate attack, even as it scorches the right side of his face and apparently blinds his right eye, injuries unhealing whilst his quirks are sealed, and instead seizes the boy's right arm to shatter it and put him down for good, in a sick parallel to the damage dealt to Endeavor. Aizawa calls out for someone to save him, saying that Dynamight needs to fulfill his destiny as the future No.1 hero...
** ...And who should answer the call but [[BadassCrew Suneater, Nejire-Chan and Lemillion]] themselves, suited up and ready? After all this time, it's finally happening – '''the Big Three are going into battle together'''.
* Chapter 360
** The Big Three show their flawless teamwork to rescue Bakugo, with Nejire unleashing a lance-like spiral of energy at Tomura, showing dexterous control over the piercing attack to avoid hitting Bakugo when Tomura uses him as a HumanShield. This turns out to be a distraction for Amajiki to discreetly stab Tomura in the back with two scorpion tails, having using an octopus' camouflage ability to sneak close enough whilst Tomura was distracted. Tomura/All For One mocks their efforts as pointless regardless, [[AdaptiveAbility growing a mouth along his shoulder to spit the poison out]] and gloating that he'll overcome any tactic they try to pull on him as he attempts to crush the both of them with more fleshy masses... only for the trio to reveal that even ''that'' was a distraction, Mirio using his phasing ability to pass right though Tomura's attack and pluck Bakugo from his grasp whilst he's distracted, successfully extraditing him from the grip of a PhysicalGod, however weakened.
*** Mirio furthermore takes to the frontlines against Tomura whilst Bakugo recovers, determined to hold him back however long he has to for Izuku to arrive. Despite that, he notes that his phasing provides him an unparalleled defense against Tomura's sheer might, but it also means he lacks the power to put him on the back foot. Instead, Nejire shoots one of her spirals into the chaotic mess from Tomura's thrashing growths and successfully wraps it around Mirio's arm, enabling him to use an EnhancedPunch to knock Tomura backward, showing both her fine handling of her Quirk (as her quirk reveal box noted the spirals were hard to aim accurately) as well as the trio's well-polished teamwork.
*** Mirio also starts reversing All For One's [[BreakThemByTalking favorite tactic]] back upon his protege/'successor', asking what drives Tomura's hatred and desire to destroy everything around him, and accurately summarizing the root cause of his deep misanthropy with a response that [[ArmourPiercingResponse actually seems to get through to the Tomura aspect of the boy]] buried underneath his mental merging with All For One.
---->'''Mirio:''' So, why do you destroy?\\
'''Tomura:''' [[DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans Because the current framework has failed.]]\\
'''Mirio:''' Oh, I get it...[[IJustWantToHaveFriends You've never had any friends.]]\\
'''Tomura:''' [[WhamLine Huh?]]\\
'''Mirio:'''... otherwise you'd realize, there's plenty worth keeping around!
** As he's preparing to finish him off, the All For One vestige within Tomura's psyche [[EvilIsPetty can't resist further tormenting]] Bakugo, using his helplessness against him despite unleashing his best attack and his rapid improvements as proof that, no matter how much he trains and pushes himself, in a world where he has to contend against the power levels of [[StrongerWithAge One For All]] and [[WorldsStrongestMan All For One]], he will [[CantCatchUp never be able to become the number one hero on his own merits]], and is doomed to forever be a side-character in Izuku's own story. When Jeanist rushes to him in the aftermath of his rescue to try and suture his arm together to enable him to jump back in the fight, it initially seems like All For One's taunting and one-sided beatdown actually managed to [[BreakTheBadass break Bakugo's spirit]]... until Jeanist listens closer and hears Bakugo muttering under his breath, eyes fixated upon Mirio battling Tomura and analyzing his moves, akin to Midoriya's own AwesomenessByAnalysis, trying to understand how Tomura's twisted form moves so he can better fight back even with his injuries. Far from being broken, Bakugo is fired up and determined to make Tomura/All For One regret his mockery of his dreams.
* Chapter 361:
** [=TomurAFO=] showcases again just how [[MadeOfIron damn durable]] he is when Mirio's direct hit on his main body barely getting scuff marks on it, despite the power he took head-on, with Mirio noting [[NighInvulnerable he failed to even break the skin]]. However, despite the lack of external damage, internally, Mirio's words resonate with him in the depths of his fragmented psyche, causing Tomura to snap back in an utterly childish retort that takes both combatants off-guard for how [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness out of character]] he reacted. To the shock of the All For One vestige, he realises that there's still a part of Tomura that hasn't been assimilated yet, despite having absorbed all of Tomura's hate-filled psyche into his 'Next me'-- 'Tenko Shimura', the childhood self of Tomura before his quirk awakened, and now the sole remaining piece of him that can still consider itself to be wholly separate from All For One's mental assimilation. The dominant "[=TomurAFO=]" personality is [[OhCrap noticeably unsettled]] by this, realising that despite all his precautions and time spent waiting to create the 'Perfected Demon Lord", there's still some piece of Tomura that [[FightingFromTheInside rejects him after all this time]], and as a result, he's shown up to the FinalBattle neither fully in control of Tomura's now nearly-godlike abilities housed in his body, nor mentally unified in preparation for overcoming One For All in a battle of willpower. Notably, he immediately turns his attention [[TargetedToHurtTheHero back to killing Bakugo]] upon realising this, having understood that he's ''not'' as guaranteed an absolute victory as he believed prior, and despite suppressing any outward signs of panic, is very much concerned for the first time in the battle that he might actually ''lose'' if he doesn't ensure Izuku's not also in the best mental state to fight him.
--->'''All For One:''' A fissure within! This body was complete! A perfect unification of Tomura Shigaraki and me- or so I thought? It seems there's a component that hasn't quite melded...Neither Tomura...Nor All for One... [[WhamLine Shimura]]. Dragging this out...[[OhCrap is not ideal]].
** Even better, it's implied that Tenko can resist All For One where Tomura couldn't because despite his father's abusive nature when it came to the subject of heroes, Tenko ''did'' have happier memories during his childhood of playing with others and having fun as a kid, and the utterly-sociopathic All For One's [[EvilCannotComprehendGood inability to understand positive memories and emotions]] means that he cannot assimilate Tenko because he cannot understand [[ChildrenAreInnocent the concepts he's using to keep his individuality from him]]. Izuku was charged before with the duty of possibly [[ShootTheDog having to kill Tomura in order to stop his destructive rampage]], despite recognising the good side of him symbolised by Tenko, still crying out for help in the depth of his psyche. Whilst this mental merging of the two was supposed to be All For One's masterstroke to finally stealing One For All, now instead it seems [[NiceJobFixingitVillain it will provide the opposite]], as All For One has basically absorbed all the 'bad' parts of Tomura's psyche into himself and unintentionally separated the 'good' parts, meaning it might actually be possible for Izuku to 'save' Tenko whilst destroying Tomura and All For One together.
** Mirio and Nejire's attacks on [=TomurAFO=] are revealed to be mere delaying tactics to set up their ''real'' serious attack on him. As he powers through every attempt they make to stop him as he strolls inexorably closer to Bakugo's prone form, Nejire fires a blast at him that appears to miss... and instead hits Amajiki, who has used the time to Maximise his "Vast Hybrid" technique with about '''30+''' different fruits and animals parts, forming a ''massive'' organic BFG that charges up with Nejire's energy and starts amplifying it to blow [=TomurAFO=] away. The duo's voiceover notes that Amajiki's quirk, lacking an upper limit to the amount of objects it can assimilate and fuse together, is the only means they have of creating a blow powerful enough to seriously affect their unstoppable opponent, in an ironic recreation of how All For One's own quirk works.
* Chapter 362: Another massive WhamEpisode.
** Bakugo tells Jeanist to take care of the others despite being injured. Jeanist cries out, but it's not enough. Bakugo steps forward, likely knowing exactly what will happen.
** Bakugo opens by noting Tomura's attack... and ''dodging'', much to the shock of everyone around him.
** Bakugo has indeed found a weakness in the enemy's strategy. What's more, he's ''improved his Quirk'' this time. By forcibly containing his sweat and letting it all explode incrementally, he manages to give himself a massive boost in power, charging forward and propelling himself at the cost of damaging his own body... just like Izuku, proving that he takes after All Might's successor after all.
---> '''Bakugo''': ''So, Izuku... can I... still catch up to you?''
** [=TomurAFO=] can't stop himself from panicking at the charge of Bakugo, admitting that even though he doesn't have One For All, he still terrifies him. In this moment, the fusion sees a vision of the Second's vestige. Bakugo may not have One For All, but he puts the very same fear into All For One!
** When Bakugo talks to a vestige of All Might, he's bizarrely serene, admitting his flaws and noting the only regret he has is not getting an autograph.
** Bakugo's power is too great, and in the midst of his charge, his heart itself ''explodes'' from the strain.
** [=TomurAFO=] scores the chapter's ultimate victory by striking a decisive blow as Bakugo's heart bursts, sending the Hero flying backward and striking the ground repeatedly like a ragdoll. Still, the hybrid can't help but wonder why [[EvilCannotComprehendGood Bakugo would charge so readily to his death]] despite tracking his opponent's movements with pitch-perfect precision beforehand. It's clear that this apparent kill wouldn't have been achieved without Bakugo's own body giving out on him, though [=TomurAFO=] takes a moment to call him out as he lays on the ground, a hole in his chest.
--->''We came prepared for today... with a perfect demon lord body, ideal for the final boss. Understand yet? What's coming now... is '''our''' story. The villains' tale.''
* Chapter 363: In the Heroes' DarkestHour, there should be no doubt that the declaration that this is "the villains' tale" is proven true.
** The chapter opens with a confirmation that Bakugo is dead, with his killer [=TomurAFO=] proudly displaying himself before the other Heroes, an overjoyed smugness clearly present on his features. Even Mirko leaping into action only earns her a vicious rebuking.
** No matter how legitimate Shoto's victory was, Dabi once again proves to be ''MadeOfIron'' in the most nightmarish way possible. He rises from the ground like an infernal demon and starts ''incinerating'' Endeavor's sidekicks, having copied Shoto's technique. Dabi isn't just an AxCrazy pyromaniac, he's exercising AwesomenessByAnalysis to terrifying effect.
** It's revealed that none other than ''Skeptic'' has been organizing the battle and serving as the Villains' strategist. Still loyally serving Tomura, he quickly redirects Dabi to Endeavor before beginning to strike at the Heroes' defenses, cutting off their electronic communication with each other whilst mocking that they honestly thought they could cut him out of a system ''he'' designed. He then goes onto to start raising all the mobile shelters housing civilians inside them to the surface, intending to wipe out all those who placed their faith in heroes, whilst shots of All For One's various pawns within the civilians are shown communicating with each other as part of his plan to efficiently wipe out not only the heroes, but [[MakeAnExampleOfThem everything]] they're putting themselves on the line to protect.
** The last panel: We finally see the nearly-complete regeneration of ''All For One''... and a full view of his madly grinning face!
--->''Heroes are those who defend... while Villains violate. Behold, as we plunge headlong toward our dreams!!''
* Chapter 364:
** While seeing All For One fully regenerated ''is'' terrifying, he also confirms something else: he's ''not'' surviving this. No matter how smug of an act he puts on, no matter what he does from here on out, he's only delaying his death. Team Endeavor did what the users of One For All and even All Might couldn't: they ''[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu killed All For One]]''.
** The chapter cuts over to America, clearly in disarray after the death of Star and Stripe. In the White House, Ackpar is arguing with the President of the United States, who is looking to capitulate to Shigaraki after the debacle with Star put America at a disadvantage in the race between countries to get in Shigaraki's good graces, having [[DirtyCoward utterly given up on defeating this seemingly invincible menace and looking to retain as much of his own power as he can]]. [[OnlySaneMan Ackpar]] refutes the presidents claims this is for the good of the future, saying the country has no future if Shigaraki is allowed to exist. Ackpar then clarifies the manga's theme of sacrifice and the old generation of heroes inspiring the next generation and so on, stating that perserving the chance of the next generation is the reason heroes wield their powers in the first place. During his speech a sequence of panels beautifully depicts All Might reaching out to Star, who reaches for the next generation in turn, symbolizing her sacrifice giving Japan's heroes a fighting chance.
** Cutting back to UA, a battered Edgeshot enters the scene, declaring Bakugo's to be a life they absolutely cannot afford to lose. Edgeshot screams for Mirko to hold back Shigaraki no matter what, [[DoNotGoGentle even saying if she's reduced to a severed head to bite Shigaraki's neck out]]. After some tense dialogue between Edgeshot and Jeanist, Edgeshot reveals his ultimate technique, Thousand Sheet Pierce- Zenith, allowing him to begin to repair and restart Bakugo's heart, [[HeroicSacrifice seemingly at the cost of his own life]].
* Chapter 365: Edgeshot wastes exactly no time getting to work meticulously repairing Bakugo's damage; he quickly assesses the damage to Bakugo's heart and lungs before using his Quirk to suture together and replace Bakugo's ruptured tissue, performing CPR from ''inside Bakugo's own body'' and even sanitizing his threads via [[MundaneMadeAwesome a bubble]] from Wash. He does this knowing this technique will drastically carve away his own lifespan, but he does it anyway with ZERO hesitation or regard for himself beyond getting the job done and saving someone. 'Cause that's what heroes do.
** '''''Mirko'''''. She kicks Shigaraki hard enough to make his supposedly invincible head spin, distracting him from leaping at Bakugo and buying Edgeshot crucial time. Even after Shigaraki catches her good arm in one of his hand-mouths, she ''just rips it off herself'' to deliver another walloping kick. As she reaffirms with her philosophy of giving absolutely everything she can to die without regrets when her time comes, [[HeroicWillpower it's clear nothing short of complete death]] will prevent Mirko from delivering as much of a beatdown as possible, and with a tourniquet from Jeanist she charges straight back into the fight with a shower of acrobatic kicks called Luna Rush. She can get replacement limbs, but her sheer grit is a cut above damn near anything shown by anyone else in the series.
** Shigaraki's realizing that Mirko's attacks actually hurt and that his invulnerability [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll is somehow weakening]]. Despite appearing outwardly mostly fine, without his regeneration the damage seems to be stacking up internally. It's then Shigaraki realizes the uneasiness he felt when facing Bakugo was [[OhCrap genuine fear]], as he subconciously began to realize [[WorldsStrongestMan One For All]] isn't the only power capable of really hurting him.
** Previously unable to damage Shigaraki even with Nejire-charged fists, how does Mirio contribute? [[BoringButPractical He covers Shigaraki's eyes with his hands]]. Cue Shigaraki blindly and ineffectually flailing to get Mirio off him while Mirko continues the beatdown.
** In a brief montage showing the heroes, we see Tamaki ''growing the same mutant fingers as Shigaraki'', implying Tamaki [[CannibalismSuperpower literally ate part of Tomura's mass of flesh]] in order to fight against him with his own upgrades. If he manages to put together another Plasma Cannon, Shigaraki likely won't be able to shrug it off as easily this time.
* Chapter 366:
** In a villainous one, Shigaraki's accumlated damage causes his AdaptiveAbility to compress his mutations into a more compact and maneuverable form, the mutated mass of fingers fusing into armor and the forms of his family forming an enourmous wrecking ball of a fist. This form absolutely ''wrecks'' the assembled heroes nearly instantly, including Mirko who was beating him down moments before, and cannot be slowed down by anything they throw his way, cutting the bullshit and running straight for Bakugo.
** However, the heroes get one as the reason Shigaraki assumed this form ''at all'' is because, despite all odds, they ''beat'' his first form and forced his body to [[DiscardAndDraw discard it in exchange for pure defense.]]
** The hilariously apt way Mirio saves the day: Shigaraki has realized Mirio is no threat to him physically and starts to ignore the latter's distractions while incapacitating the other heroes. Mirio is desperately trying to think of how to hold Shigaraki off for the two seconds Mandalay has asked for, but knows he simply cannot produce enough power to do so. He then remembers Sir Nighteye's prophecy of him becoming a great hero and how a world without humor has no future, so Mirio unleashes his final gambit: {{Mooning}} [[RefugeInAudacity Shigaraki]]. Which [[CrazyEnoughToWork actually distracts]] Shigaraki long enough for Deku to pull off a badass DynamicEntry in the nick of time.
** Speaking of which, '''''[[TheCavalry DEKU]] [[BigDamnHeroes HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!]]''''' His entrance is announced via a stunning double page spread of him using Blackwhip to grab the pylons surrounding the battlefield and [[FastballSpecial slingshot himself]] straight into an unsuspecting Shigaraki. Cue an instant of eye contact between Deku and Shigaraki before Deku SMASHES straight into the villain hard enough to send him spiraling in mid-air. His belated arrival is the first big chance the heroes get to really turn the tide again and signals the final battle has truly begun in earnest.

* Chapter 367:
** It turns out Star's squadron were the people Deku saw coming, having [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight ignored orders to return to the US in favor of helping Japan]], giving the young hero a RousingSpeech before taking him to UA.
---> '''Ethan Drive, Squad Leader''': ''The [[CoolPlane school bus]] is here, kiddo! Hop on!''
** Immediately after landing the first hit, Izuku follows up with another that sends [[NighInvulnerable the near-unmovable Shigaraki]] [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom hurtling across the battlefield and into the barrier]]. He realizes Deku has become ''much'' stronger than their last encounter, recognizing the energy billowing from Deku as the third user's Fa Jin.
** Shigaraki's plan to [[DespairEventHorizon break]] or [[RageBreakingPoint enrage]] Deku to the point of him becoming reckless by killing Bakugo seems to work... until [[SpannerInTheWorks Mirio]] intervenes and tells him everybody still has a chance to survive and [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan not to give in when there's still hope]], even tossing AFO's [[HannibalLecture accusation]] [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids of denying reality with platitudes]] back by [[ShutUpHannibal saying heroes]] [[SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers turn platitudes into reality]]. This causes Midoriya to remember the advice from All Might, Banjo, and Star's squad, in particular Banjo's advice on controlling his emotions. Midoriya calms down and not only is the plan AFO/Shigaraki have been trying to put in motion for chapters foiled in moments, it [[HoistByHisOwnPetard may have backfired]] since Deku seems to have gotten ''even more powerful'' by focusing his anger into a [[TranquilFury controlled state]], the darkness obscuring his face retreating and his [[GlowingEyes still-burning eyes]] gaining pupils.
** A subtle but powerful one: as Deku is nearly going berserk upon seeing the state of Bakugo and the heroes, Shigaraki tries to goad him into making an excuse to [[NeverMyFault divert responsibility]] for not being where he was needed most, basically daring Deku to make himself like how Shigaraki views all heroes: people who [[ItsAllAboutMe ultimately ignore]] or [[FailureKnight fail to help]] those who need them most. Deku doesn't take the bait. Even after regaining control of himself, Deku doesn't make any excuse beyond apologizing for freaking out and delivers an ArmorPiercingResponse and [[ArmorPiercingQuestion question]] in one: Asking AFO if Shigaraki is "still in there", indicating his mission is still to [[SaveTheVillain save]] [[PoweredByAForsakenChild Tenko]], and in the process proving he's the kind of hero Tenko needed this whole time. The cherry on top is the OFA vestiges manifesting behind him as he asks this, indicating they've got his back in this goal.
* Chapter 368:
** All For One tries to bluff that 'Tomura Shigaraki' no longer exists within him, and that the 'Perfect Demon Lord' has achieved a complete melding, mocking Izuku that he won't get his 'ideal pie-in-the-sky' ending, even as the imagery makes it clear that 'Tenko' is still resisting total assimilation within him. Mirio again interferes with his attempts to play his usual psychological manipulation on his targets, bringing up Tomura's earlier outburst and deducing that their mental synchronisation is actually becoming ''more'' unstable the harder the fighting got, which visibly irks the [=TomurAFO=] personality driving the body. Despite his inability to inflict any [[ScratchDamage meaningful damage]] to his monstrous opponent in the fight, Mirio's presence has [[SpannerInTheWorks constantly thwarted]] All For One's attempts to control the outcome of the battle, no matter how hard he rages, and his [[MadeOfAir intangibility]] means that the DiabolicalMastermind ''cannot'' shut up this source of moral support when Izuku needs it most.
** [=TomurAFO=] bulks up his legs with masses of finger armour like Muscular's quirk, for a jump so powerful it actually ''pushes the entire [[FloatingContinent floating battlefield]] sideways'' from the force, going for a powerful overhead smash straight onto Izuku that devastates the landscape around him as he swears to steal One For All at last... only for Izuku to reveal he's now strong enough to ''tank'' the same kind of blows that were ragdolling the rest of the assembled heroes like flies, threatening All For One to his face that this time, the battle ''will not'' go however he wishes.
--->'''Izuku:''' Know this, All For One. I won't let you have your ideal ending either.
** Izuku unveils another combination of his ComboPlatterPowers, mixing the charged energy from Fa Jin into Black Whip to create a stronger binding weapon capable of briefly restraining [=TomurAFO=]'s massive strength: Black Chain. Using this, he slingshots his hulking opponent away from him, and when All For One prepares for Izuku to re-create their mid-air collision from the War, he instead dissipates the chain, revealing he's learned from their last encounter not to repeat the same mistakes as before, instead using the space generated to set up his ''real'' FinishingMove...
** Having finally reached his destined battlefield, Izuku dispenses with [[HoldingBackThePhlebotinum holding back the big guns]], and finally reveals the 2nd's [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Quirk]]: [[SuperSpeed Gearshift]]. Able to change the speed of a chosen target up to 4 stages, Izuku amplifies his own speed and attack power all the way straight to 'Top Gear' to hit [=TomurAFO=] with a punch that actually ''breaks the sound barrier'', launching him straight into the sky and unable to keep track of his movements anymore. Whilst the 2nd warns Izuku that he needs to finish the fighting and beat [=TomurAFO=] [[RaceAgainstTheClock within 5 minutes]] or the war will be lost, it's revealed that this quirk enables Izuku to achieve the same amplification effect as Fa Jin instantaneously without charging, as Izuku rockets up with a ''fifth'' gear state: Overdrive, to kick [=TomurAFO=] back down to Earth with a Detroit Smash.
--->'''The 2nd:''' As Izuku Midoriya would put it, this is [[SuperMode 120 out of 100 percent]].
** Notably, Izuku's blows are so powerful that, even in a form his body made to [[StoneWall amplify his defences]] against the heroes, [=TomurAFO=] ''vomits'' blood from the hit, and is as powerless to block Izuku's attacks as the heroes were to stop him just seconds before. All For One is visibly [[ThisCannotBe disorientated]] and even ''afraid'' of how one-sidedly he's getting hurt even in his 'perfected' body, demonstrably proving that if Izuku had been fighting Tomura alongside his allies from the start, he had a good chance at overwhelming him in a straightforward clash even with the [[AdaptiveAbility changes to Tomura's body]].
*** It bears repeating, but this is what Izuku can do whilst only able to utilise ''45%'' of One For All's base strength by himself. Adding on the amplification effects from both [[ChargedAttack Fa Jin]] and Gearshift, and [[SuperiorSuccessor Izuku's]] potential attacking power once he masters One For All is [[ReadingsAreOffTheScale astronomical]].
* Chapter 369:
** A flashback to the Second's passing has him display both the same grit and determination that the rest of his successors possessed in defiance of their mortal enemy, even though the power difference was [[DavidVsGoliath particularly pronounced]] with [[WeakButSkilled him]]. Without the enhancement of One For All, Gearshift could only affect small objects like bullets in mid-flight, meaning he had to make creative application of his shots in a battle to inflict delayed attacks into his opponent's blindspots. Despite his LastBreathBullet being [[OffhandBackhand casually blocked from behind]] by All For One without even looking, the Second still went out with a DyingSmirk at his opponent's icy rage towards him, having succeeded in landing a victory against the DiabolicalMastermind that he would then spend ''decades'' trying to undo, in the form of reclaiming his brother's quirk after the Second successfully liberated him from his prison.
*** Of note, All For One has a [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristic]] and [[TranquilFury visibly enraged]] countenance when dealing with him, glaring with ice-cold anger at him with BerserkerTears actually streaming down his face and too upset to taunt him or enjoy his enemy's death, unlike other occasions where he visibly revelled in the power disparity and hopelessness of others trying to fight him. Even in the present, he refers to the Second with pure contempt and is viscerally upset at how his 'insignificant' power is overwhelming him. Whatever the reason for this, it's clear that the Second somehow managed to earn All For One's pure enmity, to the extent that it seem to even outstrip his voiced hatred for his ArchEnemy All Might. Not a bad result for somebody with a 'peashooter' of a quirk.
** Back in the present, the Second explains that thanks to One For All's amplification, by the present point, Gearshift's effects have now evolved enough that it can be applied to more diverse targets and even affect living organisms on the cellular level. When applied to a LightningBruiser like Izuku with the sheer might of One For All's accumulated strength behind him, his fists now have the power to ''warp the laws of reality''. Izuku then proceeds to demonstrate exactly what this means by unleashing a '''quintuple''' Detroit Smash that buries [=TomurAFO=] into a crater, moving so fast that not even the ''sound effects'' of the Smash can keep up between the pages.
** When [=TomurAFO=], still vomiting blood even through his [[StoneWall enhanced defensive form]] realizes Izuku's powerful attack was still weaker than before, and he's run out of [[ChargedAttack Fa Jin energy]], he aims to use his opponent's new speed against him with a counter-attack, even though he admits that he has to calculate when Izuku's heading because he's ''still'' too fast for his eyes to follow. However, Izuku then reveals the other aspect of Gearshift -- by applying 'low gear' to his movements, he can slow himself down even in mid-air, outright negating his inertia and causing [=TomurAFO's=] blow to miss completely. And when the latter winds up for another swing, [[SpiderSense Danger Sense]] forewarns Izuku to rocket back into 'high gear' rendering him functionally untouchable by his enemy no matter what moves he pulls.
** Izuku further stacks on the full application of his ComboPlatterPowers, blinding [=TomurAFO=] with Smokescreen, using Float to rise above him, and then yanking him upward with Black Whip before he can react, all to pull him into range of his final move: having used the multiple Detroit Smashes from before to charge Fa Jin for ''another'' 120% smash straight to the chest. The result? [=TomurAFO=]'s defensive form, designed specifically to enhance his toughness to the point the heroes couldn't even ''scratch'' him, is '''shattered''', leaving him with a massive gaping ''hole'' in his chest and knocked back to his 'base' form, completely helpless against Izuku's might.
*** It took the entire assembled heroes several chapters of inflicting [[DeathByAThousandCuts gradual damage]] against Tomura's enhanced body to defeat his initial {{Kaiju}}-sized form. Thanks to his time limitation, with all his stacked abilities working in tandem together, Izuku canonically ''broke'' his much-tougher second form in under a few minutes without [=TomurAFO=] being able to defend himself in any way. 'World's greatest hero' indeed.
** And while ''all this'' is going on, the All For One aspect of [=TomurAFO=] is still losing his shit, wondering why he can see the vestiges of One For All behind Izuku and raging at the fact that the Heroes decided to "play dirty": going for a divide-and-conquer approach to deal with his final assault, the U.A. Coffin dedicated arena, having Erasure used on him so that he can't use his Quirks to fight back "properly". Backed into a corner, he starts yelling and appears to be undergoing ''yet another'' transformation, the lights of nine vestiges appearing around him as well, then declaring as the scene cuts to the gigantified Spinner continuing his assault to the Central Hospital:
--->'''All For One:''' NO, NOT YET!! Indeed, Yoichi!! The entire chain of events up to now will inevitably spell out victory or defeat for all! Not yet!!! Victory is still within my grasp!!
* Chapter 370: When Spinner and the civilians that have been whipped up into a riot are about to overrun the heroes, Shoji arrives and ''lays into'' Spinner despite him having grown to massive size, all the while [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse calling them out]] on being {{Hypocrite}}s. Made all the more impactful when he reveals he's badly scarred under his mask and went through the same discrimination as they did.
--> '''Shoji:''' What's any of that got to do with attacking a hospital? Back in Jaku, the first thing the heroes did was take action to make sure the patients and staff were safe. What about you guys?! Go on! Tell me, do you have a plan here?! You'd better! Because if not, I WON'T LET THIS STAND!
* Chapter 371:
** Even after Spinner activates a second Quirk All For One gave him, turning him into more or less a small kaiju, and cutting off one of Shoji's split arms, Shoji just keeps fighting on even ground. In the process, he continues to use the suffering ''he's'' gone through to rip into what they're doing in the angriest display we've ever seen from Shoji. The final pages have him using his quirk to form a single massive arm for a CrossCounter with the enhanced and toughened Spinner in mid-air once the latter smacks him skyward. Of note, Spinner's quirk enables him to use the buildings around him as leverage to better attack Shoji, who has no such grounding, but nonetheless keeps [[DidntThinkThisThrough verbally tearing into Spinner's short-sightedness]] along with that of his followers even when forced into a battleground that puts him at a disadvantage. His last words make it clear that, difficult or not, he'll embrace all the hardship and overcome it to save the day, as a true hero, rather than the mutant monster people have seen him as.
--->'''Shoji:''' Yeah. [[IAmWhatIAm This is who I am]].
** We find out Shoji's scars come from having been hit in the face with a pitchfork for touching a nonmutant. He has no interest in revenge, he just wants to be a good person due to a good memory of saving someone from a flood. He just wants to do good and prove the FantasticRacism wrong by deeds. As Tokoyami points out, this makes Shoji a stronger person than Spinner and his entire army can hope to be.
---> '''Shoji''': I'll be the coolest hero the world has ever seen to give good memories to generations to come!
** The Hooded Advisor continues to bad mouth Shoji and keep trying to talk up the crowd... only for Koda to come up behind him with a ''huge'' flock of birds. In addition, his head begins to reshape as a horn-like structure starts to emerge, implying his desire to back up Shoji might have made him undergo a Quirk awakening.
---> '''Koda''': Don't you dare mock Shoji!
* Chapter 372:
** It's revealed that Koda's new horns allow him to simply use telepathy to command animals from a far greater radius as he [[TranquilFury silently orders his impromptu army]] to shove the Hooded Advisor off the building he was on. It's also shown that Koda's nonmutant father defended his wife's horns from several racist people.
*** Koda also does something pretty ballsy with his new power and names his resulting super move [[Film/TheBirds Hitchcock's Birds]]. Not many people can look this heroic while directly referencing NightmareFuel.
** Shoji's Octo-Spansion attack proves powerful to crash through Spinner's BFS and seriously damage the hulking mutant, even though his jagged [[SpikesOfVillainy Scalemail]] Quirk. Despite also taking a deep slash in the chest in return, Shoji's still got enough in him to yell out to the hesitating rioters that if they go through with assaulting the hospital, then the CycleOfRevenge will only continue, and it will be their children who feel the pain dealt out in [[SinsOfTheFather retribution for their actions]]. Without the Hooded Advisor spurring them on, this almost convinces them to stop...except Spinner's intense determination to be useful to Tomura enables him to overcome his physical damage and mental degradation, reciting his 'Call to Action' online speech to rile his followers up once more to continue onto the hospital, despite barely being aware of what he's doing anymore. Shoji's shocked that not only is he still going, but he's somehow even stronger after their clash, underscoring how Spinner's relentless willpower is his greatest strength, despite his enhanced powers.
** The greatest moment of heroism goes not to Shoji, Koda, Mic or any of the assembled police or heroes defending the hospital, but to the unnamed doctors and nurses who are caring for the helpless patients inside the walls. When Spinner and his army smashes into Central Hospital, the mutant and nonmutant workers [[GoThroughMe form a living barrier]] as a last-ditch attempt to block the way, their faces showing both their determiantion not to move as well as their visible ''exhaustion'', making it clear they're been pushing themselves to the limit to care of all those injured or endangered by the current crisis, no matter who they are. This display of silent rejection for the 'nobleness' of their cause stops the rioters dead in their tracks, stunned by [[NeverHurtAnInnocent what they'd have to do]] to follow Spinner further. Spinner himself however has his mind [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity too far degraded by his multiple quirks to process anything]], and continues onwards straight through his harmless opposition. While they fail to stop a walking armoured tank like him, and it's implied the damage done clearly [[HeroicSacrifice cost several of them their lives]], this display of quiet, selfness heroism from people who aren't even professional heroes finishes what Shoji started and gets his point through to the rioters, resulting in them stopping in their tracks.
** The end result is Spinner left alone as he powers through the hospital's corridors, pursued by Present Mic for a one-on-one clash of opposing wills as both of them call out to the restrained Kurogiri. Mic wasn't able to avert his old friend's death last time he fought a rampaging beast like Spinner's devolved into, or stop his corpse being defiled into a tool of All For One's will, but this time, Mic's clearly determined to prevent his old school buddy from being further twisted by the insane megalomaniac's ambitions.
* Chapter 373:
** A minor case, but it's shown that Koda's upgraded abilities don't just limit him to controlling pigeons, but any kind of avian in the area, up to and including have a bald eagle restraining the hooded Advisor.
** Upon witnessing the devastation Spinner inflicted on the innocent in his drive to enter the hospital, the shell-shocked supporters turn around and stand with Shoji, one of them even taking a BarehandedBladeBlock from a spear to protect him, admitting that they might be called cowards or indecisive for turning back now, but they can no longer be certain that they're right to hurt others the way they've been hurt in the past. Shoji commends their willpower regardless, admitting that the feelings that caused them to riot were neither useless nor wrong, merely the way they chose to act upon them. The Hooded Advisor curses out Shoji for derailing the momentum of their charge almost single-handedly, and Rock Lock even notes that whilst the assembled heroes were only thinking of protecting themselves, Shoji was trying to protect their accusers from their righteous anger turning them down a dark path.
** Mic's voice blast bowls Spinner over and knocks him down for the count, additionally breaking the phone containing the recording he was planning to command Kurogiri with. His body pushed beyond the point of exhaustion, his mind still slurred from wielding too many powers, his only means of controlling Kurogiri gone, and his supporters having turned their backs on him, it looks like the end of the line for Spinner... and then he sees [[ChekhovsGun the remaining charred-black hand of Tomura's]] that he was holding onto lying on the ground as well. In a villainous moment of Awesome, Spinner manages to summon up enough strength to seize the hand and push it onto Kurogiri's face, begging him to save Shigaraki. Though Mic rushes forwards with another voice blast ready, aiming to [[MercyKill prevent his friends being used anymore]], its too late, and the chapter ends with Kurogiri standing upright, his face a mixture of Shirakumo's and Kurogiri's as he announces who he is. Even after losing every advantage he had, in the end Spinner's own willpower was enough to allow him to seize the victory he ''truly'' desired in the end -- saving his friend.
--->'''Kurogiri:''' I am... the protector of Tomura Shigaraki.
* Chapter 374: An example of this occurring for all the ''villains'' at once.
** A weather news report at the chapter's beginning reveal that the massive cumulonimbus storm clouds starting to cover the entirely of Japan's southwest are being caused by the rapid massive heat spikes caused by the fighting against the villains, the paneling specifically showing Endeavor, Shoto and Dabi as the main offenders, emphasizing [[PersonOfMassDestruction how powerful]] said family line is. The weather reporter points out that the unprecedentedly massive cloud has the potential to ride the jet stream and affect the weather in North America, citing the [[ButterflyOfDoom Butterfly effect]] and wonders if this sort of chaos was inevitable from the moment Quirks first emerged. However, she then uses this to segue into an open condemnation of All For One and the world's decision to submit to him on national television, pointing out the if the power of these people can have such a massive effect, then correspondingly, all it would take is the power of the right person to stop All For One, despite his apparent invincibility and limitless power.
** Dabi's contrasting [[MadeOfIron durability]] and [[GlassCannon frailty]] get a mention, as despite emitting enough heat to seriously damage even the resistant Shoto, with the damage having conversely almost entirely reduced him to a walking charcoal husk that can barely ''move'', and can only propel himself around by using flames from his feet as propulsion, Dabi ''still'' won't stop fighting. He only breaks off further trying to attack Shoto because he factors in the distance he'd have to travel to Gunga in addition to the damage his body can take and realizes he'd never reach Endeavor if he killed Shoto first, implicitly stating that he's still confident of victory against him despite being practically dead on his feet.
** All For One's [[CrazyPrepared foresight]] comes around to screw over the heroes in the worst possible move for them. Despite the obvious recording device being destroyed by Mic, it turns out he also implanted a micro device in Nana's remaining hand, enabling his orders to still reach Kurogiri despite all the heroes' efforts. Kurogiri demonstrates again just how devastating the ability to commit mass teleportion is, warping Dabi straight to Endeavor's location and pinning him between an invincible All For One and his psychotic son with plenty of fuel remaining to destroy them both. The other portal... opens to reveal two clones of Twice emerging, revealing that Toga activated the Sad Man's Parade, and apparently overwhelmed the heroes on the island and is now poised to swarm their weakened forces on the mainland. In a single move, the tide has once again turned and put the heroes in check once more.
* Chapter 375:
** Several villainous props have to be given to Toga's quick thinking in her battle with Uraraka and Tsuyu. She manages to get out of Uraraka's grasp, and baits Tsuyu into thinking she's about to drink blood from All For One, only for it to be revealed to be a drug that attracts High End Nomu, who attacks Tsuyu. And when Uraraka arrives to help Tsuyu, she finds two of the frog hero... As it turns out one of them was Toga, using the moment of distraction to drink Twice's blood, revealing how the Sad Man's Parade was activated.
** However, despite Toga's quick thinking putting the heroes at a heavy disadvantage, a ray of hope has shined. Refusing to let Toga get away, Uraraka (After nearly getting to Toga by calling back to them talking about romance) manages to go after her thanks to a recovered Tsuyu using her tongue to launch her into the portal, allowing her to take part in the battle between Endeavor's team and All For One with Dabi and Toga. And as this goes on, we get a flashback of the news reporter citing the butterfly effect. What went from a horror-implying notice turns into an inspiring notice, showing that while actions can accumulate into a massive moment of destruction, actions can also build up to an equally heroic moment.
** On the heroes' side, Uraraka's group have pretty much ''won'' at this point. Only Toga, the Near High End, and a few stragglers on the villains' side are still standing, and the second of those was getting hammered by Gang Orca and the rest of the heroes. Even Toga admitted if it weren't for Kurogiri teleporting her to All For One, Sad Man's Parade wouldn't have even ''mattered'', as she couldn't keep it going long enough and there were too many heroes and not enough villains for her to actually make use of it. Even with Kurogiri's intervention, the heroes in that group seem to have secured a clean victory.
** Special mention goes to Gang Orca grappling with a ''Near High End'' and seeming to be holding his own perfectly well.
* Chapter 376: Hawks manages to intercept All For One's attempt to flee despite the latter's speed, their mid-air collision making Hawks look like he just got hit by a speeding truck whilst All For One has not a scratch on him, emphasizing the sheer power difference between them. When All For One falls back on his normal {{Breaking Lecture}}s, mocking Hawks' request that Endeavor stop Toya's rampage so they can focus on stopping the DiabolicalMastermind from fleeing, Hawks has a simple ShutUpHannibal. Endeavor ''already'' fulfilled his duty of stopping All For One, even with his last-minute gamble buying him extra time: He still actually '''killed''' him in the end. This causes All For One's smug demeanor to slip for the first time since he used Rewind as he levels a furious DeathGlare. Hawks knows All For One's BerserkButton and knows just what to say to get under his skin, in an ironic reversal of his favourite tactic.
** Hawks furthermore notes All For One's haste to reach Deku's battlefield, even with his existence now on a proverbial timer, and mocks him with his weakness. Even with the current version of himself now effectively invincible, the 'perfect demon lord' that All For One seeks to mould Tomura into throughout this battle is still incomplete, and Izuku still has a chance of stopping him and his long-term plans. Whilst All For One is still deluding himself that events will ultimately play out to his advantage, there's still hope for the heroes to thwart him in the end in the midst of the chaos, something [[HopeCrusher he]] intends to avert at all costs.
** Enji, even in a weakened state and with his son now effectively burnt to the point of certain-death, his flames at their hottest just before they get snuffed out for good, ''finally'' has a chance to try and atone for his role in creating Dabi. The chapter ends with his tired yet resolute face, absent the flaming beard and eye-mask that denoted him as 'Endeavor, the hero', as he prepares to face his son as a father.
--->'''Enji:''' This time around, I'm really seeing you.
* Chapter 377:
** Monoma is finally rendered unable to use Erasure, letting the Tomura-AFO hybrid unleash its full power-- a power that can destroy ''the world'' if UA isn't there to defend it.
** The Vestiges confirm that All For One, despite his claims, has been losing control and unification of himself and Shigaraki... which is shown in vicious detail when Shigaraki himself takes over once more as the dominant personality, literally 'shedding' his upper half into a whole new body as his personality reasserts control, declaring that it won't be All For One's hand that destroys the world, ''but his own''. Whilst not ideal for the heroes, at long last, Izuku and Tomura are posed to have their fated final clash as the present-day holders of All For One and One For All, without All For One's controlling interference, a suitable denial of his desire to remain the story's sole BigBad. Tomura's wording even implies that he's come to recognise Izuku himself as his WorthyOpponent for his own heroic traits, unlike All For One seeing him as merely a vessel for One For All's immense power, [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou desiring to beat Izuku himself]] rather than allow his master to decide the outcome.
---> '''Tomura''': ''What if I told you that it's '''me''' here now... what wouldja wanna do? Sit down for a chat at the mall? Hmm? Ain't happening, hero. After all, I '''am''' your villain.''
** Izuku's conversation with the Second reveals the drawback to Gearshift's massive power boost: with his cells constantly active and sped-up by the quirk, they cannot rest and properly pump oxygen around his body, meaning Izuku cannot adequately breathe as long as he's speeding up. This effectively means he's been beating [=TomurAFO=] into a bloody pulp without literally being able to catch his breath during the assault, and despite the drawback, he's thrashed the DiabolicalMastermind ''so badly'', the Second confirms he cannot control Tomura anymore. He orders Izuku to keep up the pressure against his ArchEnemy for even a second more, as the actions of Izuku's allies also fighting in the various battlefields around Japan will in turn [[ThePowerOfFriendship become his power]] even if his physical strength starts to falter.
** Skeptic has been able to hack into UA's systems and threatens to drop the school, killing the heroes and civilians there in one fell swoop. However, to his shock, his own systems are hacked by... [[TheBusCameBack La Brava]]! Even more so, she's [[HeelFaceTurn working with the Police Force, even if she's still devoted to Gentle]]! Skeptic goes from being confident and in control to [[OhCrap panic]] in a nanosecond. Even better is that La Brava implies she was ''waiting'' for Skeptic to try this so she could exploit it to turn the tables on him.
---> '''La Brava''': Found ya!
** Skeptic's hacking skills and technological connections have been an invaluable and omnipresent boon to the villains regardless of which organisation he was working for, always providing needed intelligence and communication to allow the villains he supported to proceed with their plans in ways that disadvantaged the heroes, acting as a lynchpin that ensured they always held the edge whilst pressuring the heroes. At the time, it was noted that Izuku's small-scale battle with Gentle was unneeded and unnecessary, and it would have been better for him to seek the aid of the official heroes instead of trying to confront the AntiVillain by himself. And yet, by empathizing with Gentle's motivations, fighting him to the point he couldn't escape, and convincing himself to surrender to the authorities to protect La Brava from the repercussions of their villainy before their crimes escalated, [[TheParagon Izuku's]] 'needless heroism' ultimately resulted in the one person who can counter Skeptic fighting on the heroes' side when they needed her most.
* Chapter 378: May as well be called '[[KarmicJackpot Karma]] strikes for Izuku'.
** La Brava reveals that, during her days as a shut-in, she once hacked into Feel Good Inc's servers and replaced all their ads with dancing optic kitty mascots for fun, utterly trouncing Skeptic's prized coding skills as she did so. As he suffers a meltdown from being upstaged by the same hacker ''again'', she then proceeds to rub salt in the wound by flooding his screen with the same mascot dancing tauntingly at him, which [[TraumaButton really gets under Skeptic's skin]]. Her hacking is so one-sided, Skeptic is forced to transmute the servers forcing UA to plummet and the Evacuation shelters to expose themselves before she can reach them, and then flee the compromised hideout rather than fight her out, underscoring how all his superiority and resources [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter mean nothing in the face of true skill]]. Even better, Skeptic once told Re-Destro that he'd only failed in his life ''once'' before, with it being implied that La Brava's hacking was that failure.
*** Skeptic is even denied the pleasure of thwarting La Brava's counter-hacking with his RageQuit, as she simply cooperated with heroes in the nearby area to ambush him the second he went above ground, putting a stop to the Villain's technological advantage against the heroes.
** Even with La Brava stopping Skeptic's interference, Tomura's blasting of the UA compound has still wrecked its flight capabilities so badly that its freefall is inevitable: La Brava admitting she can reconfigure the remaining operational system to get it airborne again, but not before it reaches the earth and allow Tomura's decay to potentially spread beyond their battlefield. With the mass of Twice clones literally swarming across the connecting power cables to engage the supporting heroes and technicians with a mass of never-ending bodies, the American fighter jets circling the fighting cannot lend their aid unless they hit their allies too, leaving the situation again looking hopeless... until one of them notices something. [[TheBusCameback A familiar-looking figure bouncing in mid-air]] in the path of the plummeting arena.
** Gentle enters the battlefield already in Lover-Mode, determined to repay his debt to Izuku for the second chance he allowed him to have. Noting that their time apart has only strengthened the power boost from Lover-Mode [[note]]as 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'[[/note]], Gentle then proceed to use it to create a '''massive''' air trampoline that covers the entirely of the school building catching it in mid-air. Even better, as Tomura's decay can only affect 'solid' objects, but not solidified incorporeal substances like the air itself, Gentle's quirk allows the heroes to have a reliable means of keeping him airborne even without the personalised battlefield. Gentle flashing back to his failure to save the falling worker makes it clear that this heroic achievement to save Izuku when he most needed help is [[MyGreatestSecondChance his redemption for his prior failure to be a hero]].
--->'''Gentle:''' On that fateful day, I only wished to save someone who'd fallen. Yes, to be of service to others was my hope!
** Furthermore, a flashback to the night of All For One's mass breakout of Japan's prisons reveals the reason why only '''''six out of the seven''''' of them were free of inmates: when given the option to flee and wreak havoc to their heart's content, Gentle alone stood before his fellow prisoners and asked them if they ''really'' wanted to go out and add more crimes to their misdeeds despite being utterly terrified out of his wits, recalling the words of the arresting police officer that 'the only ones who say they can't turn their lives around are the ones with no real desire to change'. When the prisoners confirmed that [[RedemptionRejection they did intend to rob, kill or do whatever they wanted]], it was recalling [[GreaterScopeParagon Izuku's determination]] to show those like Eri a bright future that convinced Gentle to [[YouShallNotPass fight back alone]] against the entire prison. The aftermath? Gentle [[OneManArmy single-handedly subdued]] ''everyone'', resulting in his prison being the sole one that didn't suffer any breakouts. His only price for his aid to the heroes was getting to see La Brava again and helping out Izuku in his final battle.
** However, though Gentle has halted UA's downward plunge, he can't do anything about the revived Tomura, who, lacking his master's desire to steal One For All from Izuku before killing him, just attempts to launch an AOE decay wave to obliterate everybody. Suffering from oxygen deprivation, Izuku can't reach Tomura in time... before a familiar-looking spiralled bullet zips in out of nowhere and blows his right hand clean off. Kilometres away, [[ImprobableAimingSkills atop a building in the middle of a city covered in pouring rain and high winds so far away that UA is barely visible]], [[FriendlySniper Lady Nagant]] is providing pinpoint backup support to the boy who reignited her belief in true heroes once again. Tsukauchi sums up best how Izuku's selfless actions have come back to aid him in his greatest moment of need.
-->'''Tsukauchi:''' No matter [[FallenHero how far they're fallen]], each villain is [[AntiVillain still a human being]]. It's on us to recognise that about them. We absolutely have to. To borrow a phrase from a friend, deep within each of their hearts, we'll find their starting point -- Their [[ArcWords Origin]].
** A closer look at Tomura reveals that his painful 'moulting' of his upper half as he regained control of himself from All For One also [[RemovedAchillesHeel regrew the previously destroyed fingers on his left hand]]. Whilst obviously bad for the heroes now he can freely unleash his maximum destructive powers with either limb, it's a point in his favour that marks him out as the natural SuperiorSuccessor to All For One as the leader of Villains. For years, his master was ''defined'' by [[WoundThatWillNotHeal the unhealable wounds]] inflicted upon him, to the point that his mental image of himself within his vestige still bears them, and he initiated his plans to [[GrandTheftMe become 'the Next Me']] partly because he couldn't stand the idea of the 'demon lord' being so obviously disfigured and beaten in his very appearance. Every time he stepped out to battle, he made certain to cover the injuries up with a CoolMask to maintain the illusion of him being an untouchable imposing evil. And now, out of his desire to beat Izuku and the heroes behind him, Tomura has done in half a year what his master never could, and repaired injuries not even [[GoodThingYouCanHeal Hyper Regeneration]] could fix. His master's hold on him is nothing but a handicap that limits Tomura's full potential against his enemies, and this is further proof of that.
* Chapter 379:
** Nagant is revealed to be firing from atop the Central Hospital, launching her rounds to aid Izuku even as the recoil from firing such a high-calibre destructive projectile that far rips open her barely-healed injures, causing her to gush blood everywhere. Despite the pain and nearly losing consciousness, Nagant holds on just long enough to launch a second round before she collapses, successfully blowing off Tomura's remaining hand before be can launch Decay with it, giving Izuku the opening he needs, noting as she does so that this too, is [[MyGreatestSecondChance her own redemption for her past sins]].
--->'''Lady Nagant:''' Grey skies...I'd been [[FallenHero stained by darkness]] and [[TheCynic lost faith in the light]], until you and my successor came around to remind me of how I felt back then, with [[WideEyedIdealist my bright and shining hopes]], and of my reason for ''being''. Now, let this reach Izuku Midoriya, from Lady Nagant!!
** Rock Lock, introduced as a cynical older hero who vocally expressed his lack of faith in Izuku's capability, vouches for Nagant and gives her a communicator to keep track of the overall battle, expressing faith that, despite her sins, her heart is in the right place to help their side, because both of them had their opinions overturned by the same boy fighting on the frontlines for them. His brief words highlight how [[TheHero Izuku]] is carrying ''everybody's'' faith on [[OnlyICanKillHim him being able to defeat Tomura's unbelievable power]], but despite the fact Izuku is the only one who can carry that brunt of that burden, every hero and past villain he has met is willing to do [[YouAreNotAlone whatever they can to support him]] in his heroic efforts.
--->'''Rock Lock:''' Listen Lady Nagant. Ultimately, this full mobilisation on our part hinges on our faith in [[HopeBringer Izuku Midoriya]]. So if your heart's telling you to take action for that kid, then I'm choosing to trust you.
** The Central Hospital staff get a mention: despite the events taking place shortly after Spinner's destructive rampage straight through several of their overworked staff, what survivors there are are mentioned off-screen to be still tending to those wounded in the fighting, both friend and foe, despite the enormity of the task and the impossibility of being able to save all those requiring attention. True heroism does not require one to fight, merely having the willpower to never stop trying to save others despite the odds.
** Enraged by all the constant interferences getting in the way of his victory, the vestige of All For One can only [[VillainousBreakdown scream bloody murder]] in [[ThisCannotBe futile denial]] of the reality of his situation, cursing Nagant for still trying to play 'a noble agent of justice' despite her past sins. At this point, his ''glorious'' HumiliationConga reaches a peak, as his vestige self is literally choked off his tirade by a mass of fingers bursting from his mouth, as the 'Tomura' personality starts to reassert full control over himself, additionally ''really'' [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech rubbing salt in the wound]] over how pathetic and unsightly his master becomes the more things don't go the way he planned, dismissing his master's obsession with One For All and plans to become an 'immortal demon Lord' as irrelevant compared to his own willpower. Mocking his master for how all his efforts to groom him, use his hatred and turn him into a LivingWeapon to steal his brother's Quirk have come to nothing in the end, thanks to him keeping his '[[ArcWords origin]]' deep within his soul to retain his individuality, Tomura's own vestige ''rips open All For One's from within'' as the capper to his speech, possibly outright ''destroying'' All For One's consciousness inside the quirk and leaving him as Izuku's sole opponent with all his master's accumulated powers. All For One has unequivocally '''lost''' his mental fight with Tomura, and has absolutely no means or recovering from this or playing it off.
--->'''Tomura:''' Unlike those flip-flopping screwups, [[{{Determinator}} my heart ain't wavering]]. Everything I witness in this world, led to the existence of ''that'' house. [[SplitPersonalityMerge As Tomura Shigaraki and Tenko Shimura]], I've got just one hope. The destruction of everything stemming from that house. That's the only thing that's gonna ''save'' me, '''[[ArchEnemy Hero]].'''
** Though minor, the last thing the All For One vestige does in a desperate attempt to avert his fate is cravenly scream at Kurogiri to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere warp Tomura's body back to the original All For One]] so he can reclaim control over his 'Next me'. However, Kurogiri fails to react, his smoky visage transforming back into Shirakumo's as his mentality starts to become dazed and confused once more, seeking out 'Tomura' to protect him and unable to see his charge within the body before him. With the blackened hand knocked to the ground nearby, Kurogiri is no longer directly being controlled to mindlessly serve All For One's interests, and the paneling makes it clear that Spinner's last impassioned plea has awakened just enough of Shirakumo to fight back against the brainwashing for Tomura's sake, [[LaserGuidedKarma denying All For One respite when he needs it most]].
** As Tomura returns to reality, it's revealed that Izuku has tackled them both off the suspended UA building, restraining his regenerating hands with Black Whip as they freefall towards the ruined city together. With access to his Quirks restored, Izuku realises that fighting him atop UA only places those heroes and students within in danger, taking on Tomura solo at the height of his power and complete control over himself at last to protect everybody. Despite Tomura reaffirming to his face that [[RedemptionRejection he fully intends to destroy everything as his only means of salvation from his pain]], Izuku likewise states that he won't ignore his enemy's anguish or desire to be rescued from it, even if there's no other way to stop him but fighting him. The chapter ends on an ''epic'' double-panel spread of Izuku and Tomura squaring off in the apocalyptic ruined streets of the city as lightning flashes above the suspended UA building in the background, the stage for their final fight at last.
*** Though neither realise it, one of the business course students is filming their confrontation from within UA, as each side prepares to battle it out. Izuku's dream to be a hero started with a video of All Might heroically rescuing civilians and showcasing how awesome heroes are. Now, Izuku's fight with Tomura, the strongest villain in the world, seems likewise [[BookEnds posed to become the next source of inspiration for future heroes]]. After many of his battles were kept out of the public spotlight, Izuku's climatic confrontation with Tomura seems to be the one where the world will finally see him in action as a hero, fitting with Izuku's assertion that this story was about how he became the greatest hero in the world. Furthermore, whilst All Might inspired an entire generation of new heroes, the story hasn't shied away from how this did nothing to help those labeled ''villains'', many of whom would have had a better chance in life if people had been more willing to give them a chance. Izuku's determination to 'save' Tomura from himself, despite being both unrepentant and apparently [[AmbiguouslyHuman truly monstrous]], will showcase that a ''true'' hero sees the humanity and chance of redemption within everyone, even those he fights against.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Final War Arc, Conclusion (Chapters 380- )]]
* Chapter 380:
** When Gentle notices the business course students filming both him holding the falling UA building afloat and Izuku's epic battle on the ground, he yells at them to get to safety, only for them to rebuff him. Dangerous as it it, the drama unfolding around the scattered battlefields ''must'' be shown in its entirely to the world, so that the people recognise that heroes do still exist, even in this DarkestHour. Gentle can only smile and chide himself for ever trying to infiltrate UA as a lesson in the fallibility of heroes, when such outstanding non-combat students are risking their lives to prove the exact opposite.
--->'''Business Course Student:''' When Japan was falling to pieces, the nation placed the entire burden on Endeavor!! That day, [[IShouldHaveBeenBetter we should have been documenting and curating the whole saga]], and it should've secured the link between heroes and society! But we couldn't! So now we film to reforge that link!! This is how the business course does heroics!!
** Said student's speech moves La Brava, who decides to make sure their efforts don't go to waste (and also primarily as a means of boosting Gentle's popularity) by taking advantage of UA's damaged electromagnetic barrier being down to hack into their phones and stream their footage live across the globe, ensuring the whole world watches as the fighting unfolds. When Tsukauchi calls her out on focusing on online popularity rather than restoring UA's flight capabilities, La Brava flippantly reveals she's ''already'' created a program capable of working with the damaged generators, mere minutes after Tomura devastated the hi-tech battleground.
** With his mind still short-circuiting from Shirakumo's aspects FightingFromTheInside, Kurogiri is left behind atop UA, struggling against his programming and trying to remember who he's supposed to be fighting for... before catching a glimpse of both Present Mic and Aizawa falling off the side of the control room, being attacked by rabid Twice's all the way. Swiftly, Kurogiri/Shirakumo teleports both his old classmates out of danger, proving that there is still some part of him that remains a hero, even if those still fighting the horde notes that he also removed [[PowerNullifier Erasure]] from being used against Tomura.
--->'''Kurogiri/Shirakumo:''' ''I am...Pro..tector''...[[ArmourPiercingQuestion of what?]]
** It looks as if All For One has finally killed Hawks... only for it to turn out the 'Hawks' he killed was actually an illusion created by Camie while Seiji used Meatball to save Hawks. The two once more managed to prove All For One isn't as infallible as he likes to ''think'' he is by successfully fooling the EvilOverlord, through a 'weak' Quirk that is only able to affect him because of his regrown senses and arrogant disregard of his prior 'crutch' Quirks he used to compensate with.
*** All For One further smugly reveals his 'plan' to become the 'Perfect Demon Lord' has him injecting the copied Quirk factor he possesses inside his rewinding shell into Tomura, believing that the vestiges in his original and copies Quirks will undergo a FusionDance into a singular one strong enough to [[DeathOfPersonality utterly erase Tomura's psyche]] after using it to Steal One For All... [[DramaticIrony again highlighting]] how ''utterly doomed'' his plans are. Tomura has seized full control over himself, rejects the idea of indulging his master's obsession with his brother's Quirk in favour of [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just destroying it]], and has torn his original Vestige apart. As much as All For One [[IRejectYourReality refuses to accept the reality]], his stint as the Symbol of Evil is fast approaching it's end.
** It turns out the Shiketsu High students were put on refugee duty but realized when no one arrived, something had gone wrong. Cue their Hero Course students [[BigDamnHeroes arriving just in time]] to give some very much needed back up. This includes Inasa sucking up a huge number of the Twice clones inside of a whirlwind, his precise control over his far-reaching Quirk's abilities arguably the perfect counter to the rapidly-spawning horde of enemies, just like he demonstrated with the target balls in the License Exam. Inasa caps it off by giving a ShutUpHannibal to All For One, who'd just said the wind was blowing for him.
---> '''Inasa''': Listen up, pal! I'm the guy who decides which way the wind blows!
* Chapter 381:
** Though understated, Seiji comments that he's got a personal stake in facing All For One, as [[YouKilledMyFather his father]] was one of the many Jailers he killed in the outbreak of Tartarus. Despite facing the man who took his family from him and remorselessly threatens to spread further destruction against his friends and his country, Seiji makes it clear that he's joining in the fighting [[RevengeIsNotJustice not for personal vengeance, but to honour his father's memory]] and desire to protect the innocent against the crazed Villains of society, of which All For One has come to embody the pinnacle of, showing again how All For One's attempt to manipulate the narrative of the story [[VillainProtagonist around himself]] is only ensuring everybody moves on from him in disgust, desiring to make the world a better place without granting him the satisfaction of treating him as the 'Omnipresent Villain of the world' he wants to be seen as.
--->'''Seiji:''' Indeed, as a prison guard, my dad set out to ''protect''. I shall take up his mantle!!
** With Inasa using the Twice clones as literal missiles against All For One, every available hero on the scene then starts to blast him with every ranged attack they've got, throwing a literal maelstrom against him to hold him down and prevent him moving on to interfere with Izuku and Tomura's climatic fight. All For One decides to retaliate with a glimpse of his old potential, combining multiple abilities together into a WaveMotionGun that ''devastates'' the landscape and the arrayed forces against him, mocking them for thinking multiple 'weak' abilities combined together could overcome his power. Without the force provided by outstanding individuals like All Might and Endeavor, All For One taunts the heroes that they're ''vastly'' [[YouHaveNoIdeaWhoYoureDealingWith overestimating how feasible an idea it is to face the Symbol of Evil and live]], let alone win against him.
*** Though he doesn't draw attention to it, Endeavor's feat of almost killing All For One has left its psychological mark on him. He refers to the weakened, one-armed and half-dead man as 'the only one who can stand up to him' on the battlefield, something he once referred to [[ArchEnemy All Might]] as, demonstrating how shaken he was by his near-death and technical defeat at his hands. Even if he's effectively cheated death for the moment, All For One is now demonstrably ''[[WorthyOpponent wary]]'' of an individual other that a holder of One For All and Star and Stripe.
** As All For One blames their naive faith in his defeat as being born from the ignorance the younger generation has of his heyday, of the time when [[TheDreaded everybody trembled before his presence]] and [[ParanoiaFuel the fear of his control over everything]], Inasa shoots this down. Even if [[UnPerson All For One himself is a complete non-entity to them]], contemporary histories classes have educated the younger generation as to the dark age of Quirk history that All For One seeks to re-create, and ''none'' of the heroes, no matter their background, are willing to tolerate a return to such a barbaric era on their watch. Commenting that windy days only improve his Quirk's power, Inasa redoubles the bombardment around All For One, aided by the very cumulonimbus storm indirectly created by the Todoroki's family's flames, showing how Endeavor's actions have helped pull the fragmented heroes still willing to fight into a united front against All For One's malice. This noticeably [[BerserkButton irks]] All For One, commenting to himself that [[HopeCrusher despite all he does]], the heroes simply won't stop re-igniting each other's hopes for a better future.
--->'''Inasa:''' ''Forget you and your ancient glory days!'' What I wanna see is a future built by the guys I'm cheering on!!
** As All For One prepares to start stealing some Quirks to both break free of the encirclement and crush his enemies' hope, taunting them that they're still unable to attack him directly because of the danger [[PowerParasite his power]] brings, he's [[OhCrap shocked]] from sensing [[EnemyRisingBehind something looming over him from behind]] -- ''Dark Shadow'', now in a '''gigantic''' Ragnarok form that dwarfs anything Tokoyami's released before. Using Pixiebob's [[DishingOutDirt Quirk]] to bury Tokoyami in the darkness beneath the earth, with the storm clouds above blocking the sunlight and the fires Dabi and Endeavor unleashed being removed by Inasa's gale force winds, Tokoyami can now unleash strength beyond anything he could alone, attacking All For One with ''true'' power wielded in unity. For a bonus -- Tokoyami taunts All For One that Dark Shadow is capable of touching him because of his LogicalWeakness, that he cannot drain a Quirk from the user if he is not touching the 'true' body, as he lamented being unable to do so earlier from the Twice clones. With Inasa's winds helming him in, All For One cannot do anything to stop Tokoyami unleashing an attack on par with One For All's strength directly at him, an attack he instantly realises he needs to ''dodge'', showing outright panic at the sight of Ragnarok's fist bearing down on him.
--->'''Tokoyami:''' ''Dark Shadow: Total Release''. '''Abyssal Black Body: Light of Baldur!!'''
** The panelling of Ragnarok's unleashed power emphasises how ''insignificant'' All For One truly is. Despite his delusions of being the pinnacle of darkness and evil in the series, with his present appearance and the Quirks he was using to attack the heroes having grown vaguely wing-like structures from his back, All For One resembles a FallenAngel caught in the gaze of a ''true'' god, about to bring righteous punishment down upon him for his hubris in declaring himself almighty.
--->''' Tokoyami:''' Even darkness comes in a range of shades. So you don't get to speak of '''The Dark'''. That muddied dismal darkness you brought about... we've already devoured it whole!!!
** To add to Tokoyami's moment, he's one of the only people to ''ever'' make All For One flat out ''panic'', the other one being Endeavor.
* Chapter 382:
** Both heroes and villains alike realise that despite the good guys being outnumbered, Toga's version of the Sad Man's Parade has [[PowerUpLetDown a fatal weakness]]: she cannot successfully replicate the Quirks of those she copies besides Jin, meaning that [[ZergRush an endless horde of disposable attackers]] is all they have to contend with. Tsuyu theorises that Toga's Quirk, [[PsychoactivePowers needing her to 'love' the target]], likewise extends to the doubles she creates, meaning that, because she doesn't truly love her ostensible allies like she did to [[TrueCompanions Jin]], she can't duplicate [[StoryBreakerPower their abilities]] as well, giving the heroes a fighting chance. Ironically, despite Dabi planning [[HeadsIWinTailsYouLose a sure-fire way]] to unleash the Parade no matter what Hawks did, his [[IWorkAlone lack of true emotional camaraderie]] with Toga [[HoistByHisOwnPetard undercut his masterstroke]], [[EvilCannotComprehendGood something he couldn't have predicted]].
** Tsuyu notes that despite this, Toga's powers being based on [[EmotionalPowers her emotional state]] means that this limitation could change at any moment with the right impetus, so they need to locate the real Toga and stop her asap. However on top of her [[StealthExpert specialised skills]] at hiding her presence, Toga now looks [[NeedleInAStackOfNeedles identical to the endlessly-spawning hordes of Jin]] on the chaotic battlefield, making the task near-impossible.... if not for one thing. In a [[VillainousBreakdown fit of self-loathing]] at herself for her inability to truly 'become' Jin and kill all the heroes like Toga believes he would want, Toga cannot stop herself from crying in frustration, which Uraraka notices amongst the chaos.
--->'''Narration:''' She's always loved seeing happy people. So of course, she zeroed in on her tears.
** Tokoyami's full-powered Ragnarok keeps pinning down All For One, aided by every hero piling on as support, until the arch-villain unleashes another massive blast to destroy its arm and force everybody back, rising to his feet whilst mocking their attempts to stop him with brute force... only for him to stop short as his face comes into view, revealing that he's now ''visibly younger'', about the age of a young adult. His HourOfPower has finally started to reach the limit of his [[LongLived lengthy lifespan]], and because of him indulging in his revived strength at his physical prime against the 'gnats' he mocked for trying to beat him, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain All For One has wasted most of his 'second chance at victory']]. His face doesn't express anything, but his [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere instant attempt to flee the fighting]] again without a word shows that he's now [[OhCrap deeply concerned]] about his chances of emerging victorious if any more of his time is wasted.
*** Going further than that, Hawks' slice healing on his face was accompanied by a stronger burst of Rewind energy over the cut, implying that the more All For One's body becomes damaged, the stronger the energy rewinds him to undo the damage [[CastFromLifespan at the cost of burning through his remaining lifespan quicker]]. All For One's visibly younger appearance and his fear towards Tokoyami's attack imply that it seriously damaged him to the point of pushing him back to his early years, potentially even ''outright killing him again'' without his current status.
*** Even better? The huge explosion that All For One put off...does nothing to Tokoyami and Dark Shadow but knock them back. The very next page, they're charging right after him with no visible damage. Tokoyami just {{No Sell}}ed an attack from ''All For One''.
** As All For One flees, pursued by all the assembled heroes determined to drag him down no matter what, all parties notice a new incoming threat on the battlefield: '''Gigantomachia''', awakened and already in full-battle mode as he makes a beeline straight for his master, the heroes having apparently failed to stop the villains from rousing him. Certain of his escape, All For One smugly orders Machia to crush all his enemies, except...
--->'''Hawks''': [[BaitAndSwitch Not quite the disaster it looks like?]] Right Tsukauchi!?
** Cue Gigantomachia '''throwing an entire mountain at All For One''', knocking his master backwards and stunning him over how his [[UndyingLoyalty most loyal minion]] has turned on him, before noticing some figures standing atop Machia's head: A bloodied but still determined Kirishima, and ''[[CompellingVoice Shinso]]'', using his equipment and Quirk to control the [[TheJuggernaut otherwise-unstoppable asset]] the villains thought they had complete control over against them, at the worst possible timing for All For One.
*** Kirishima's presence also implies that he and his group, like Uraraka's, managed to win their respective fight, despite Machia's freed state indicating it was a close victory.
* Chapter 383:
** A flashback to the villains ambushing Machia's containment facility reveals that, rather than try to fight their way through to him, they simply combined their Quirks with a high-frequency transmitter, designed to pierce sound waves mimicking All For One's voice straight through any buildings or bindings placed on the inert giant, aware one of his abilities, "Dog", would pick it up regardless of how faint the sound was and [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant rouse him to action]]. Furthermore, despite the heroes having utterly stopped the assault on the ground thanks to Juzo's [[MuckingInTheMud Softening]] burying all the ground-based forces in one move, the Scuba-Faced Advisor has hoisted himself and a few allies aloft to ensure the broadcast continues uninterrupted, mocking the heroes that all they need to do is make Machia respond to their call and they'll win regardless of the heroes' efforts. Mt Lady's desperation to stop them highlights the [[TheJuggernaut sheer unstoppability]] of the titanic behemoth, that everybody on both sides of the fighting is aware he's leagues beyond any efforts to stop outside of One For All or All For One.
** Mt Lady gets to show her improved skills and determination as one of the main fighters, using Kodai's [[{{Sizeshifter}} Rule]] quirk to grow ''massive'' spanners and wrenches about 50 feet long for her to wield as melee tools against the attackers, being about to wipe out their foes in a single blow before Machia erupts from the containment facility swatting her aside like an afterthought as he blindly screams for his master. Despite once again getting ragdolled by a force she's can't overpower, Mt Lady still has the presence of mind to rip the bindings off of Machia's ears to render him vulnerable to Shinso's brainwashing as per their fallback emergency plan, doing what she can to stop him even as he's beating her bloody.
** However, the heroes run into an unexpected complication: [[ChekhovsGunman the sludge villain that attacked Midoriya in chapter 1]], just tagging along to the easiest battlefield he could find and aiming to [[DirtyCoward pretend to fight before slipping away]], as the only remaining heroes still opposing them are the ones with true grit, chanced upon the weakest opponent he could to attack, Shinso. Having [[AchievementsInIgnorance unexpectedly upset the heroes' counter-attack]], Kirishima can only helplessly recreate Midoriya's own frantic efforts to save Bakugo, futilely clawing away the sludge from around Shinso's mouth as he suffocates, as Machia prepares to impale Mt Lady through the head and march out once more on a bloody path of destruction straight to his master. As the Scuba Advisor gloats that their era of Liberation has begun...
*** Mina creates a ''gigantic'' blob of acid, large enough to cover Machia's hand, interjecting it between his attack on Mt Lady, at a high enough volume that it actually ''eats into'' his fingers and the giant is forced to pull back from the strike to avoid losing them, even with his inability to sense pain. The effort involved in creating that much acidic mass, larger than her own body several times over, leaves Mina so dehydrated that one of her black sclera is drained of its usual colouration, but she still has enough strength left in her to attack the Sludge Villain with her remaining acidic touch, forcing him off Shinso. She furthermore shoots back at the Scuba Advisor, dismissing his '[[TheSocialDarwinist Law of the Jungle]]' HannibalLecture by yelling that she knows full well what it means to be weak: that's why she loves making friendships and grouping with other people, and [[NotSoDifferentRemark that same fear of being alone and weak also goes the same for the villains as well]]. The Scuba Advisor remembering how Re-Destro claimed them to be one and the same implies her words got through to him, and he can only rant that Machia's power makes her sentiments useless -- words he swiftly eats when Shinso turns said power against all the remaining flying opponents.
** Shinso's Brainwashing gets again to prove how useful it is, instantly incapacitating not only Machia, but the otherwise-intangible Sludge Villain with a few careless responses. Shinso also gets to show how he's physically improved from his training under Aizawa, managing to parkour up Machia's body to get close enough to his ears to issue a command in All For One's voice. Furthermore, shutting off Machia's brain via his Quirk means that it doesn't matter how good his hearing is, no further orders given to him will register to the DumbMuscle, turning his might squarely on the heroes' side for good.
*** Shinso was only able to mimic All For One's voice thanks to the Tartarus recordings of his jail cell, meaning that Stain's interference and providing said intel to All Might defanged one of the greatest assets available to the DiabolicalMastermind -- a fitting karmic punishment given how he manipulated the Hero Killer's own crusade from the shadows to suit his own purposes.
** The chapter ends on an ''epic'' double-page spread of [[AllYourPowersCombined everybody teaming up]] to fight All For One, Inasa and Tokoyami pinning him down with tornado-force gales and Ragnarok's empowered might, the brainwashed Gigantomachia casually chucking ''mountains'' at him like they were sacks of flour, Mt Lady striking him with another enlarged weapon and every standing hero remaining also pitching in on the side. Despite all of it, the ex-leader of the villains remains aloft, blocking every strike and holding his ground despite enough power being arrayed against him to count as an entire army, underscoring [[OneManArmy how powerful he remains]], even [[LivingOnBorrowedTime with his time running low]]. However, it's equally clear that defending himself is ''all'' he can do, a shot of his face being visibly strained and his trademark smile utterly absent, making it clear that All For One is inching steadily closer to [[VictoryByEndurance losing the fight]], and his only hope being to find some means of escape, rather than being able to kill his foes by himself like he arrogantly presumed the revised "Demon Lord" could achieve with ease.
* Chapter 384:
** All For One realises that Shinso is somehow controlling Gigantomachia, and unleashes a massive shockwave targeted at him that's powerful enough to actually knock Machia backwards and out of the brainwashing... but then the giant keeps attacking him ''anyway''. As it turns out, Machia figured out it was All For One inside of Tomura - and thus his beloved master - who rewarded his loyalty by abandoning him and leaving him to rot. As Hawks points out, All For One managed to [[TheDogBitesBack successfully turn even his most loyal minion against him]], [[EnemyMine who joins Mt. Lady and Tokoyami]] into making sure All For One falls into the annals of history ''forever''.
--->'''Hawks:''' Looks to me that '''[[HatedByAll nobody's]]''' on board...with your grand tale, buddy.
** Kirishima also deserves a mention for protecting Shinso from the attack, full-body blocking a blow that was powerful enough to make Machia falter. Shinso also fires back at All For One's accusation that controlling somebody to fight for him is something a villain like him would do, [[ShutUpHannibal mocking him]] that as villainous as his power seems, it can't control anybody's heart, and all the heroes like him are here to do is make sure the DiabolicalMastermind reaps ''[[LaserGuidedKarma everything]]'' he's sown.
** Meanwhile, two reporters flying far away from the battle between Midoriya and Shigaraki are determined to cover the story despite the ongoing risks of them dying in the story, since one of them has a personal interest in Midoriya since she realised that he was the "Dark Hero" acting as a vigilante and remembered he was the nervous wreck in the U.A Sports Festival who broke himself to pieces. Then they see ''another'' news chopper also trying to cover the story for the sole purpose of proving that Japan isn't going to fall without anyone fighting for it, whether the heroes lose or not.
** Izuku and Tomura's battle has created a massive swirling maelstrom of destruction on the Japanese coastline, the collision of their mighty abilities large enough to dwarf the houses and streets nearby, showing how powerful the current inheritors of their respective powers are. Izuku is grappling with Tomura in a cross-arm lock despite the danger that a single ''touch'' can cause him, whilst his nemesis is LaughingMad at the carnage they're creating and the thrill of fighting a WorthyOpponent who can take the full brunt of what his new body and fully-controlled powers can dish out. Meanwhile, the viewer counter on Gentle's website, streaming theirs and everybody else's battles, continues to skyrocket, reaching past 20,000 viewers without any signs of stopping, as a double-panel spread of various characters watching their climatic duel highlights: The World is watching. For bonus points, some of those observing are [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaTwoHeroes Melissa Shield]], [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaHeroesRising Mahoro and Katsuma Shimano]] and [[Anime/MyHeroAcademiaWorldHeroesMission Rody Soul and his siblings]], showing how all those Izuku has bettered the lives of with his heroic deeds before are now watching him ascend on a world-wide stage.
* Chapter 385:
** Despite all the damage being piled onto him and the best efforts of the heroes to hold him down, All For One ultimately proves that his reputation as the "[[HeroKiller Symbol of Evil]]" was well-earned. Giving in to his [[RageBreakingPoint inner fury]] over his predicament and utilising the rewinding state of his body to neutralise any [[VillainousRROD backlash]], All For One is able to push his various Quirk combinations beyond the limits his body could normally endure, creating a massive tendril that guts Mt.Lady, unleashing a sword-shaped light beam that slices Machia's arm and 1/3 of his chest off, and unleashing a WaveMotionGun to vaporise Dark Shadow: Ragnarok along with his own arm. In the aftermath, he stands victorious over the heroes despite the absolute overkill they heaped onto him.
--->'''All For One:''' Perhaps this is my other self's influence...but [[WhatIsThisFeeling something dark brews within my core]]. The younger I revert, the more untamable it grows. And the more I give myself over to this darkness, the more I can draw on my Quirk's latent potential. For instance, a cataclysmic blast of light. [[PreAsskickingOneLiner Youth is a wondrous thing.]]
** Intent on avenging his humiliation by Tokoyami's hands, All For One heads straight for him to steal his Quirk, [[NoSell utterly ignoring Hawks' attempts to stop him via impaling his chest with his katana]], and stealing his Fierce Wings as an afterthought as well. Just before he reaches him however, he's [[DefiantStoneThrow hit by one of Mineta's Pop-off balls]], drawing his attention to the badly-wounded teenager. [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu Mocking him]] that taking Dark Shadow would only make him ''even more'' of a "[[{{Chuunibyou}} cringey edge lord]]" than he already is, Mineta taunts him to [[TakeMeInstead come take his own Quirk instead]], saying it'd give the EvilOverlord a sick hairstyle. Though outwardly unfazed, All For One's inner recollection of Jiro's own stand against him and how that turned out implies that he's secretly unnerved by how even the weakest of the heroes refuses to break against his unstoppable might. Mulling over his dwindling time limit and noticing a nearby news helicopter filming the scene, All For One contents himself with [[HopeCrusher letting the carnage break the watching citizens' spirits instead]], choosing to head to Shigaraki ASAP instead. However, this doesn't quite disguise the fact that he's leaving the fight having utterly failed to break his enemies' resolve and he's even implied to be ''nervous'' that they could actually beat him again, [[KnowWhenToFoldEm forcing himself to settle]] for a close-enough victory to sooth his over-inflated ego.
*** In contrast to his imposting stature when he turned up to face Izuku, All For One leaves the battle at Gunga LivingOnBorrowedTime, clad in makeshift rags and with no concrete plan to achieve victory beyond gambling on being able to reach Shigaraki in time, and even that is uncertain with how much of his HourOfPower the heroes successfully managed to waste. He was repeatedly humiliated in battle by 'weaker' foes who aren't even a holder of [[ArchEnemy One For All]], technically ''killed'' (and his state whilst rewinding from the heroes' barrage, his body reassembling from practically nothing, makes it clear that it was ''more than once'', if not for his current condition making him [[InvincibleVillain unkillable]]) and forced to cut down his most powerful minion after his own character flaws turned him against him. All For One himself notes that [[CastFromLifespan the damage done to him further cuts into his remaining time]], and Hawks notes that he can't actually use mutation-type Quirks to fight back because the same rewind energy reduces them to an infantile state, actually limiting his ability to use Quirks the further back he goes. Though the heroes failed to stop All For One, their efforts in delaying him have severely reduced the threat he possesses, and it's clear that both sides are aware [[PyrrhicVictory it's a hollow victory for him]].
*** Despite potentially being taken out of the battle due to his injuries this chapter, a moment has to be brought up for Tokoyami. After being clobbered by both the student and Dark Shadow, Mt. Lady, ''and'' Gigantomachia to a point that he was pretty much a ragged legless corpse, once he had managed to take out everyone attacking him and is in the midst of taking out a desperate Hawks, All For One singles out Tokoyami as the one who pushed him so far and intended on stealing Dark Shadow for that reason. Not bad for one of the people that the so-called Demon Lord had called a "jobber" character several chapters prior.
** Inside the evacuation shelters, All For One's extensive preparations continue to unravel. With Skeptic captured, La Brava has steadily taken back control of the shelters and continued moving them to a safe place, save one that is being actively sabotaged from within by a desperate mole attempting to produce some results to convince the evil mastermind to spare him. Gunhead discovering and attacking said mole implies the other shelters are likewise being investigated by their protectors to unearth any saboteurs, steadily rooting out All For One's spies one by one. When the mole's sabotage causes a section of the shelter to collapse onto the civilians within, who were just bitterly complaining about the results of the Gunga battle meaning that them putting their faith in the heroes once more was AllForNothing, the one who steps in to protect them isn't Tetsutetsu, but Death Arms, still retired and in civilian garb. Admitting that he knows it won't change anything, that he'll still be criticised for quitting when the going got tough, and he can't expect to be forgiven for it, watching [[HopeBringer Izuku]] battle and being reminded of his selfless heroism in their first meeting still moved him to action. Likewise, back at Kamino ward, Shoto and Iida are picking themselves back up after their intense ordeal with Dabi, unwilling to give up the fight either, watched over by Stain, judging their heroic conduct from the shadows.
* Chapter 386:
** In the wake of All For One's conclusive defeat of their forces, the situation continues to go FromBadToWorse for the heroes. In addition to the now-freed demon lord speeding unimpeded towards Izuku and getting close enough to use his warping, the police's analysis of Dabi and Endevour's fight reveals the insane villain's final plan to kill both his father and the image of heroes with him. Having been using the Phosphor move to steadily accumulate thermal energy within his decaying shell of a body, Dabi has essentially turned himself into a FantasticNuke that ''will'' detonate within 10 minutes at best, blowing everything within a 5 kilometre radius off the map. Furthermore, the area he's charging towards his father in is where the evacuation shelters pass through to reach Shinketsu, with the damage done to the shelter the Todoroki family's in having left them stranded right in the blast zone. Tsukauchi is horrified to realise that Dabi might have done this on purpose, if Skeptic made him aware of the shelters and their routes, driving home his insane willpower to continue attacking both heroes and those they protect even as his body is little more than a charcoal corpse by now. With no heroes on standby nearby to help out and no means of stopping Dabi or All For One, it looks like their efforts were all in vain... until [[HopeBringer All Might's]] voice sounds over the radio.
** Dabi deserves special mention as with one move, he's gone from being 'just' the Todoroki Family's ArchEnemy to as big of a threat to the heroes' victory as Tomura or All For One.
** All Might briefs both Shoto and Iida on the situation, dispelling their doubts with a RousingSpeech and telling them both [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre how much respect he has for them]], who struggle onwards even filled with doubt about their victory. He tasks Iida with carrying Shoto all the way to Gunga so his ice and flames can counter his insane sibling's detonation and protect the endangered civilians, a task Iida accepts despite the distance and the time limit. He reassures Shoto that he can make that sprint despite his stalled engines because of the storm rains cooling them down, reaffirming his conviction to be a hero with a statement that drives home to the watching Stain how different Iida's become from the angry teenager who confronted him in that back alley.
--->'''Iida:''' I can do it. Because after all, Todoroki, my legs are meant to guide wayward children.\\
'''Stain:''' ''(Quietly observing)'' Acting...for the sake of others...
** Meanwhile, to deal with All For One, All Might reveals how exactly they can stop the currently-unbeatable force of nature he's become... by giving him a target [[EvilIsPetty he absolutely can't resist attacking]], even with [[LivingOnBorrowedTime his remaining time having almost run out]].
--->'''All Might:''' You must remember the endless warring that got us here. And now I hear that Tomura Shigaraki's hatred is even affecting your original body. [[SanityHasAdvantages So I'm thinking you won't be able to ignore me]]. Isn't that right?\\
'''Tsukauchi:''' No, stop! You're [[{{Depower}} Quirkless!]]\\
'''Izuku:''' ''(Via flashback)'' [[MeaningfulEcho Can someone without a Quirk be a hero like you?]]\\
''[All Might stands alone before the revived Demon Lord, activating the briefcase he brought with him to transform Hercules into a suit of PoweredArmour to [[HoldTheLine fight him]] [[TheLastDance once again]] with a GrinOfAudacity]''\\
'''All Might:''' '''[[CharacterCatchphrase I Am Here!!!]]'''
* Chapter 387:
** As Toya's assault upon Endeavor continues, he continues to demonstrate why his self-destructive firepower is indeed naturally superior to his parents' despite the drawbacks, burning Enji even through his own natural heat resistance and unleashing a ''massive'' ElementalPunch that completely dwarfs Endeavor and wrecks the landscape around him. The blowback of this also self-detonates his own arm, turning it into a charcoal stump, which Dabi doesn't even react to, continuing to mindlessly assault Endeavor in an effort to showcase how strong he is. The interior of his injury shows that Dabi's insides are now almost entirely molten flames covered by his charcoaled shell of a body, demonstrating how tough he is that he can keep fighting even whilst basically ''dead''. And Endeavor soon discovers the reason why as his insane son grapples with him -- he was able to replicate Shoto's Phosphor move because [[DeadlyUpgrade the damage he'd done to himself and pushing him so close to death]] ''finally'' unlocked the ice Quirk he'd inherited from Rei, long-dormant in his body, but now able to use contrasting temperatures to freeze his heart and keep moving based on his insane tenacity. Toya was always determined to prove he was the SuperiorSuccessor Endeavor wanted all along despite his unequal inheritance, and now he's finally achieved that.
** Seeing the proof of his son's success before him and realizing that he doesn't have enough strength left in his battered body to keep luring him away from the civilians and heroes before he blows, Endeavor resolves himself to do the only thing he can to protect everyone -- using Toya's flames as propellant to [[HeroicSacrifice launch them both into the sky to explode away from everybody else]]. Thinking back on his dreams of his family living happily without him, Enji prepares to do his duty as a hero and a father before he notices something...
** '''Rei Todoroki''' approaching them both, using her ice Quirk to counter the heat long enough to reach her son, even as the raw temperature is visibly scorching her and starting to ''boil her eyes''. Her face resolute, Rei's memories of Toya blaming her for his situation as well shows that [[MyGreatestSecondChance she's determined not to fail him this time]].
--->'''Toya:''' (''via flashback'') You're guilty too, mom.
* Chapter 388:
** One for the U.A. Robots. When aiding the civilians in evacuating the immobile damaged shelter, Rei, realising her son and husband are fighting nearby from the massive fireball Dabi's generating, hops abroad one of them and asks it to take her to the epicentre of the conflagration. Despite lacking a face to express itself and clearly being able to tell taking a civilian towards the danger zone is an illogical move, the robot proves to have enough emotional intelligence to sense Rei's determination to risk herself, and agrees to help her. The next shot is of the broken robot's arm triumphantly held [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay in a thumbs-up pose]] after it [[HeroicSacrifice self-destructed]] from the heat closer to Dabi, clearly conveying how the automaton considered everything WorthIt to help Rei.
---> '''Robot:''' We exist... to serve humans' desires.
** Rei also makes it clear to Enji that she's doing this to save ''both'' of them, unwilling to let her husband sacrifice himself as [[DeathEqualsRedemption a form of atonement]], and wanting him to live beyond this fight despite his guilt for the harm he's caused. To have the emotional courage to demand that Enji keep living without taking the easy way out after all the pain that happened between them is no easy feat, and shows that Rei is far more than the ShrinkingViolet she appeared to be on their first meeting.
** Rei turns out to not be the only member of the Todoroki family unwilling to stand on the sidelines anymore, with both Natsu and Fuyumi also commandeering a robot to approach their self-destructing sibling with their own cooling powers, likewise getting scorched by his self-cremation. Fuyumi refuses to lose any more of her family to the mad obsession that Toya's demoted himself to, and Natsu reminisces on how Toya kept bothering him endlessly at night over his concerns, a panel of his younger childhood self impatiently listening to his brother's complaining driving home how he feels he also failed Toya and needs to pull him back from the brink.
* Chapter 389:
** With the family's combined effort in applying ice to Toya despite the burns from the omnipresent heat, they manage to delay the explosion for a few moments more, but even with all three ice-users applying their Quirks to the limit, it's not enough to avert Toya's self-detonation. A montage of all those nearby the blast highlights everybody endangered by his SpitefulSuicide: the heroes grappling with Toga's Twice army, the 1B students struggling to evacuate the civilians from the shelter, the reporter who critiqued Endeavor recording from the skies, the footage even reaching the Can't-Ya-See supporter, who can only pray for everybody's safety, as the kindergarden teacher tries to reassure her charges that everything will be fine in the end... and the non-panicking children agree with her.
--->'''Kid:''' Yeah, for sure, cuz after all...we've got [[EmbarrassingNickname five weiners]] on our side.
** Cue a blur zipping past some abandoned buildings before the resulting sonic boom blows the pouring rain away in a visual display of the sheer speed Iida's achieved: with Todoroki providing support by creating a ''jet-plane'' out of ice around them to increase his aerodynamic velocity and allow them to go faster than ever before. With his Phosphor move already activated, he races towards his imperilled family as the velocity tears apart Iida's protective armour around him, prepared to finally quench his insane brother's fires for good.
* Chapter 390: Shoto finally arrives thanks to he and Iida managing to ''break the sound barrier'' and ''blasts'' Dabi with a gigantic Great Glacial Aegir that freezes him so thoroughly as to completely negate his impending explosion. He admits that the attack wouldn't have been successful if it weren't for the combined help of the ice quirks from Rei, Fuyumi, and Natsuo because Toya's flames were STILL hotter since their previous fight. As a result, the Todoroki family put an end to the threat of their own making known as Dabi so they can bring him down back to Toya and progress from there.
* Chapter 393:
** A colossal one for Ochako. The danger of Toga's exponential horde of clones is rapidly growing, with the clones drinking the fallen blood of heroes to take on their appearance to disorient the overwhelmed heroes and having multiplied to the point of washing over an entire city like a tidal wave or human GreyGoo event. The reporter covering the battle from a helicopter even says that Quirk Doomsday, the frequently speculated doomsday scenario, is seemingly upon them, and that Toga's feelings of rejection, anguish and rage are about the change the world.
** Despite having been stabbed in the abdomen by Toga in the previous chapter and bleeding heavily, [[{{Determinator}} Ochako]] refuses to give up the fight, using her suit's boosters, her [[GravityMaster Zero Gravity]], and her martial arts skills to repel the [[ZergRush clone onslaught]] Toga sends her way. Toga [[ShutUpKirk insists that Ochako's attempts to help and reason with her are hollow]], believing Ochako will abandon Toga to her fate after capturing her or kill her outright if she can't be taken alive, but Ochako defies her.
** Though Ochako could end the fight by just deactivating her Quirk and dropping Toga, and despite Toga's remark Ochako isn't actually hurting the clones, she refuses to do so and keeps fighting, [[ShutUpHannibal insisting her Quirk isn't for hurting people and tacitly refuting Toga's accusation that Ochako doesn't actually care about her life]]. While fighting, Ochako continues to insist on correcting the miscommunications between the two of them that led to this mayhem, starting to [[BreakThemByTalking truly get under Toga's skin]] by expressing the empathy that Toga never received before becoming a villain, even expressing admiration for Toga's ability to be so open about her feelings. Ochako's affirmation of her ideals and intent to connect with Toga not only refutes Toga's disillusioned view of her, but combined with [[HeroicSpirit her resolve to push through the impossible odds]], the agony of her injury, and the exertion of pushing her Quirk so far ''causes her Quirk to awaken'', sending out energy spheres from her fingertips which create web of energy that ''instantly sweeps away the entire tide of clones'' except for Toga and Ochako themselves and saving the heroes from being literally crushed under the sheer mass of the clone army, causing an astonished Jirou to exclaim Ochako's Quirk is affecting things she didn't even touch and the reporter to realize a single girl just halted calamity. Ochako then offers to donate her own blood for the rest of her life to persuade the stricken Toga to stand down and have their talk, a panel of child versions of both seemingly indicating Ochako has broken through to Toga. Ochako, while critically injured, just reached a villain who many including [[DespairEventHorizon Toga herself]] thought was [[MoralEventHorizon beyond saving]], experienced one of the most massive power jumps in the series, and ''averted a potentially country if not'' '''world''' ''ending event'', '''IN ONE FELL SWOOP'''.

* Chapter 394:
** Tiger and Kamui Woods observing Uravity's quirk awakening and commenting how much she has grown in just year of hero training. It is great to see pro heroes discuss and praise Ochaco's abilities.
** Uravity successfully stopped Himiko Toga's rampage by reaching out to her humanity and talking her down. Ochaco stayed true to her convictions about wanting to help everyone smile again, persisted against Toga's protests and attacks, and she managed to reach her archenemy through love and compassion.

* Chapter 395:
** We see the aftermath of Toga's Legion of Doubles. Iida, the Todoroki family, and Hawks were all about to be bombarded by the doubles before they dissolved. Had Uraraka not managed to talk down Toga as she did it is very possible for Toga to have drunk the blood from one of her Twice clones to increase her time limit and continue her rampage indefinitely. Essentially Uraraka saved everyone at Gunga Villa area by empathizing with Toga and getting her to stop her attack.
** After a lifetime of taking others' blood due to her [[{{Yandere}} twisted perception of love]], Toga willingly spends what might be her last moments on Earth [[ActOfTrueLove giving her own blood]] [[RuleOfSymbolism to save Uraraka from certain death]], showing genuinely selfless love. It's powerful that, just like [[{{Foil}} Uraraka]], Toga finds a way to repay and help her enemy without compromising her own sense of self and is willing to follow through with it no matter the cost.

* Chapter 396:
** Three words: '''[[PoweredArmor Armored.]] [[BroughtDownToBadass All]] [[HesBack Might.]]'''
** Toshinori knows he's Quirkless and at a big disadvantage, even with the armor, and that this battle is more than likely the one that Nighteye predicted would end in his gruesome death. Does any of that deter him from being willing to try and ScrewDestiny? [[BringIt Hell no]]. While he's clearly more than willing to do down swinging, it's obvious he's not planning on just throwing his life away without giving it his all. Even without superpowers, he's every bit the SupermanSubstitute he always was.
--->'''All Might''': We've known each other for long enough that you should realize something, [Tsukauchi]! ''[[BadassBoast Not once in my entire life have I gone into battle expecting to lose!]]''
** All Might isn't just going in and swinging blindly. He knows how All For One fights, explaining he relies on powerful long ranged attacks to wear down opponents before stealing their Quirks, which Toshinori doesn't need to worry about, [[DisabilityImmunity being Quirkless himself]]. As a result, AFO has no idea how to fight up close, allowing All Might to immediately close the distance and force AFO onto the backfoot.
** Better yet? All of the abilities of his PoweredArmor are [[AllYourPowersCombined based on the 1-A kids' Quirks]], showing how much the next generation has inspired All Might himself. And they're ''very effective'', using gadgets based on Kirishima, Deku's Blackwhip, Kaminari, Sero and Sato to tank a laser blast that shears through several buildings, arrest AFO's regeneration, and reel him into pummeling range. And it goes deeper than just replicating powers; Toshinori utilizes his armor's capabilities in concert and deconstructs his opponent's tactics to exploit them, just like his protégé, even closing out the chapter by delivering a ''rocket-powered Shoot Style Smash''.
** And the designer of this armor? ''[[CanonImmigrant Melissa Shield!]]'' Melissa had already appeared in the canon manga alongside Mahoro, Katsuma and the Soul siblings, being seen among the people watching the final battle from around the world, but it's amazing a character from a side-story gets to make such a massive impact on the final battle of the main story, especially given her bond to Uncle All Might in her movie. All Might even says that this armor is his way bringing everything that he's been blessed with in his life, his bonds with his friends and students, to bear against AFO.
** It's increasingly obvious just how ''screwed'' AFO is. His younger body is breaking under the strain of his Quirks' full power, the massive laser attack he hurls at All Might [[AnArmAndALeg obliterating his own arm]] whilst leaving All Might unscathed, and instead of hanging back to regenerate he furiously charges straight ahead, allowing All Might easily paralyze his regeneration with an electric attack. AFO's running very short on time, his own powers are eating him alive, and he's now unable to escape a fight with an opponent he's completely unprepared for.
* Chapter 397:
** All Might's physical barrage on All For One is accompanied by his far more devastating [[IShallTauntYou verbal beatdown]] on his arch-foe, mocking him about how bad it feels for a man in his 50s to pound the tar out of such a weak and helpless young man, and laughing in his face over the audacity of All For One calling himself a "Demon Lord" when he can't even win a fight with a Quirkless man. His mental dialogue makes it clear that he knows it's his words that are inflicting the more devastating impacts on All For One rather than the physical wounds that are being undone with rewind, and he's picking every one of them carefully to keep All For One as blind as possible to his reality until his time is up. In contrast to how he operated as the Symbol of Peace, Toshinori Yagi is fighting this last battle with his head, just like his protege Izuku, and not his heart and fists.
-->'''All Might:''' Any real Demon Lord would be aghast! Getting whupped by a Quirkless man? I mean, really!?
** All For One forced some distance between them with another mass Quirk combination that blows apart several blocks like they were made of cardboard. Despite the intensity of the attack, All Might guards against it with his mechanical cape's auto-guarding feature, designed after Dark Shadow and furthermore notes that whilst powerful, the Quirks were ''not'' working in synch in that attack, being just a mishmash of abilities that All For One lashed out with, further proof that All Might is indeed deeply pushing his buttons, and keeping him off-balance with them.
** Despite his defenses, it's demonstrated that All Might's PoweredArmor isn't capable of fully protecting him from damage regardless, due to the sheer force of All For One's unleashed accumulated abilities, with him sustaining several fractures in his left arm and the other layer of armor on said arm getting shredded. All For One mocks him that the weakness of his support items is that they cannot go beyond their limits like the Quirks he's solely fighting with and cannot hope to keep up with his godlike might for more than a few seconds -- once they break, so too will All Might. Does that stop All Might? ''Hell no''. He just orders his suit to assist his movement to max, the armor ''compressing'' on his damaged arm to hold it in place and still allow him to move it. All Might recalls his own advice to Izuku about over-relying on support items in a fight and continuing on his more devastating strategy of trash-talking All For One to extend the time he wastes on him.
** It's revealed that Yagi originally met Nana Shimura when he -- at the time a mere Quirkless middle school student -- picked up a pipe and tried to fight off some low-level criminals despite the impossible odds, only for her to arrive and casually defeat them without trying. Her dialogue makes it clear that it's not just a case of Yagi being menaced by them, like Izuku, he ''couldn't'' remain on the sidelines despite his powerlessness, and risked himself to stand up against evil. And in an ironic fashion, his final fight is now a mirror of his first heroic action, fighting with a "weak" support item against a foe he can't hope to win against...but this time, Yagi has ''experience'' backing him up instead of his mentor.
** Throughout their fight at Kamino and whenever they've interacted before, All For One's trademark [[BreakThemByTalking snide taunting]] has always gotten under All Might's skin, making him aware that he's still being toyed with in the DiabolicalMastermind's plans despite all he does. At their final fight, it's now ''Yagi's'' taunting that is getting underneath All For One's skin, making him foolishly waste time he cannot spare in a pointless battle -- and furthermore, All For One's [[SanityHasAdvantages unravelling psyche means that even if he]] ''[[SanityHasAdvantages knows]]'' [[SanityHasAdvantages this, he just]] ''[[SanityHasAdvantages can't]]'' [[SanityHasAdvantages let it go and walk away, being mentally cornered by the very ego that fueled his villainous actions]], [[IRejectYourReality even if he continues to childishly deny how he's being outplayed]].
-->'''All For One:''' No, [[BlatantLies obviously I didn't fall for your cheap ploy to stall me.]] I can easily spare the time to clean up the trash by the roadside!!\\
'''All Might:''' [[LampshadeHanging Desperate to play it cool]], huh? How undignified!!
* Chapter 398:
** As All For One relentlessly blasts All Might with a shockwave attack, the still-mobile Hercules, stripping itself down further to the car's framework with every support item it sends his way, arrives and launches another one, detaching in segments ''through'' the shockwave like a orbital rocket to deliver the payload straight to his waiting arms: an injector with a concentrated superacid designed to mimic Mina's Quirk, gutting All For One with incredible internal damage as the acid eats away at his insides. All Might having the skills to catch the injector with a backhanded catch even with his fractured arm and fighting to keep his position close-range to All For One showcases how skilled he remains, even as a retired hero. All Might continues to mock All For One's performance, both for his strategy and to showcase how superior he remains against his foe, not matter how much stolen power he wields, driving All For One insane with rage.
-->'''All Might:''' I'm [[{{IronicEcho}} "trash",]] right? So much for that theory!!
** Throughout the chapter, an ongoing flashback to All Might and Nana's first meeting highlights how similar the younger Yagi was to his pupil, following after his future mentor and begging her to let him help her, even whilst Quirkless and capable of only wielding a simple pipe to defend himself with. When Nana, still hurting after the loss of her husband and estrangement from Kotaro, dismissed him and told him to defend the "three-meter radius" he could with his weapon, All Might refuted her. For all that people could rebuild the damaged buildings and try to move on from the collateral destruction caused by the rampant battles of their time, their hearts would remain oppressed with fear of the next chaotic battle that would sweep them up in it. Yagi could not accept a world that suffocated the innocent with fear of constant loss and death, so whilst everybody else devoted themselves to protecting their own lives, he wanted to become the Symbol of Peace to bring them all hope of a better tomorrow, in addition to protecting them in the present.
-->'''Toshinori Yagi:''' Everyone's got a tough enough time with their own three-foot radius. So Yes. [[HopeBringer I would step up]]. A Quirkless guy like me has no role otherwise.
** A side-shot of the city visible across the canal they're talking beside underscores just how monumental the task Yagi wanted to undertake was. Entire ''swathes'' of the city are destroyed rubble, the damage comparable to the devastation unleashed at Kamino ward or Gigantomachia's rampage across the cities, with massive tower-like spirals sticking out of the ground visible for miles around. And yet, there's no indication that All For One or any minion of his was involved in the carnage, that is just how things ''were'' for the people back then, with each villain being a possible PersonOfMassDestruction. And yet Yagi, more powerless than any other, wanted to single-handedly reverse this situation, to give the people faith in a better tomorrow, for no other reason than he ''wanted'' to, no matter the cost to himself, an attitude comparable to [[SupermanSubstitute his inspiration]]. It's no wonder that Nana was convinced to choose him as her successor, or that he became the greatest one of the torch bearers before Izuku's turn.
*** The revelation of his motivation is also another ''massive'' dose of LaserGuidedKarma for All For One. He espoused with delight to Inasa over how people trembled in fear during his reign, afraid and oppressed by the unknown menace that he ruled over from the shadows, only for that ''exact state of affairs'' to motivate Yagi to become a being powerful enough to overturn it, in so doing [[CreateYourOwnHero creating All For One's worst nemesis]].
---->'''All Might:''' (''explaining the origin of One For All to Izuku'') An ironic tale, no? Justice is always born from evil.
** In an amazing callback to the very first chapter, All Might crashes down into Tatoin station, the very place where he and Izuku first met by accident. Collapsed on a rooftop, his armour busted and broken as the system detects numerous internal injuries, fractured ribs, contusions and his very lungs being damaged from the blow, All Might lays eyes upon the same rooftop where Izuku discovered his secret and he himself once rebuffed the young hero about his dreams of being a hero, even Quirkless. Thoughts of Izuku's selfless heroism against the sludge villain resounding in his head, remembering Stain's tirade to him about the role that All Might, the Symbol of Peace served, All Might [[HeroicResolve rises once more to his feet]], the rest of his armour likewise compressing on his damaged body to enable him to stand upright even with his shattered internals. Noticing that All For One's appearance has again gotten visibly younger, even if his enemy is [[FuryFuelledFoolishness too lost in his own mad rage to notice]], All Might cottons onto the fact that the more he hurts All For One, the less time his ArchEnemy will have. Knowing what he has to do with his remaining time, All Might briefly goes LaughingMad, again enraging All For One, as All Might thinks back gratefully on his life, preparing his LastStand against his foe [[ScrewDestiny and]] his [[MentorOccupationalHazard destined end]]. A shot of his face shows that the damage done to him has somehow drained the black sclera on his right eye, the effect combining with his BrokenFaceplate to give the impression that half of Yagi's face has turned back into his younger Quirkless self's, a reminder of how he's at heart still the Quirkless young man who just wanted to save people's hearts all those years ago.
--->'''All Might:''' To be of service to others...what a joy!
** All Might summons more support items from Hercules to continue the fight, CombatTentacles with suction cups to emulate Shoji and Froppy, a [[TailSlap robotic tail]] to mimic Ojiro, robotic drones in the shape of birds to copy [[SpeaksFluentAnimal Koda]] and jet thrusters to enhance his mobility like Uraraka and Iida, armed with massive flamethrowers to bring Shoto's firepower into play, bringing all his students' powers to bear to support him as he supports them as a teacher. All Might's will to fight reaches his vestige within One For All, causing both it and Izuku to realise All Might's situation as the 9th inheritor remains locked in a literal maelstrom of conflict with Tomura, his own crazed ArchEnemy focused on ending their battle. The message is clear: by the day's end, the decades-long conflict between One for All and All For One, both present and past generations, will be finished for good.
* Chapter 399:
** Unable to cope with All For One's god-like strength openly, All Might sticks to the alleyways of the city to hide from [[WaveMotionGun the building-destroying blasts]] he's unleashing, operating the multiple robotic limbs of his suit like they were an extension of himself, highlighting both his skill and the engineering that Melissa put into it. When All For One uses [[CombatTentacles Rivet Stab]] to try and skewer him in the cramped confines, All Might is barely able to dodge and evade, even as All For One hounds him relentlessly with nightmarish Quirk creations, his inner monologue [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analysing and calculating like Izuku]] as to the best possible option he's got to damage All For One immensely and ''really'' put a dent in his remaining time, deciding that if repeated massive damage is what it'll take to finish him for good, then there's one student's Quirk that's perfect for the job.
** All For One demonstrates a horrifying, but impressive display of the sheer might he causally wields, even boasting that he's fighting All Might on "[[WithMyHandsTied power-saver mode]]" to conserve his remaining time whilst killing the retired hero. Not only does he force him to hide for cover in the shadows with his wide-area attacks, he creates two gigantic misshapen fleshy constructs in the shape of faces with [[CheshireCatGrin warped demented grins]] in the skies above the buildings with his spare tentacles whilst he forces All Might out from the alleyways, forcing the retired number one to leap back into cover whilst they literally chew through the buildings to get to him. When All Might calls him a liar for claiming he was holding back his power, All For One retorts that he is. That kind of insane might really is not that taxing for him in his current state at all. Topping off his gradual cornering of his ArchEnemy, All For One breaks through the side of the building as All Might flees past him and slams him to the ground with a gouging attack aimed right on his old injury, all whilst taunting his hated foe over how badly he's failed despite all his efforts
--->'''All For One:''' Smile, you're still on camera!! The whole world's watching, remember!? They'll see the symbol of peace falling to his doom, as the symbol of ''impotence!'' Their guiding light about to be snuffed out.
** Though injured, All Might swiftly wraps All For One's attacking limbs up with his robotic limbs to pin him in place, retaliating with an uppercut blow that jams the flaming nozzle of his flamethrower through All For One's jaw, crushing it and literally shutting him up as he gives his own rebuttal to All For One's taunting, revealing that his ''real'' aim was to hold him in place for the Anima drones to safely target him with a floating support item themed after Aoyama's Quirk, draining power from a nearby substation and unleashing it in a massive KillSat blast straight down on him. All Might notes internally that the support item can only be fired once, but its power is enough that he's confident in finally killing All For One, using technology patterned after the very student he coerced into being his mole within his class.
*** Punctuating All Might's speech, the same visual of his weakened, powerless self adrift in a blizzard that was shown as Kamino Ward is used. Back then it was used to represent All Might determination to keep his remaining power alive long enough to stop All For One, but this time, the flame has gone out, and the weakened All Might is left in the cold and the darkness....until he turns around and sees shining lights in the snowy field, the massive size of one of them making it clear that they represent his protege Izuku and the rest of 1A, the students who re-ignited his desire to fight despite his powerlessness for the sake of their future.
---->'''All Might:''' [[EvilCannotComprehendGood You still don't get it]], good buddy!! Lights tend to flicker on and off! So while my light might be snuffed out, someone's sure to pick up my torch and shine on!... Let there be light in the darkness! So that I might twinkle as well!! So no, I'm not here to lose, All For One!! Know this name, as you burn away!! '''Can't Stop Twinkling!'''
** Yuga himself gets his own moment to shine in tandem with this. The Tartarus escapee Kunieda's Quirk has allowed him to curb-stomp all the heroes assembled at his battleground, leaving only Fatgum and Aoyama conscious when the actions switch to them. Thanks to his Quirk's seedlings being able to slowly burrow into the bodies of living victims to consume them for nutrients, Fatgum's Fat Absorption Quirk is useless against him, and he can only leave the rest to Aoyama as he falls unconscious, leaving the 1A student alone, hoist aloft by the plants' tendrils and with several seedlings steadily eating away at him too. With his support item belt broken, Aoyama can only expel scattershot light blasts that can't hit Kunieda even as he mockingly lounges on his plants mere meters away from him, mocking him for his failure and inability to be either a hero or a villain with the powers "gifted" to him. Rather than breaking down in hopelessness over his situation, Aoyama instead again thanks Kunieda, telling him that his shameful memories and past regrets do not hold him down -- rather, they instead spurn him onwards, to truly shine as a hero alongside the friends that still hold faith in him despite his betrayal, pushing his Quirk to the limit in unleashing a torrent of inaccurate light blasts on Kunieda, even as he mobs him with a swarm of man-eating plants and the strain from the seedlings eating away at his vitality.
*** Whilst Kunieda mocks him for his shameful efforts in the face of death, a double-page spread reveals why Aoyama's shooting attacks he knows he can't hit him with -- because he doesn't have to. Hagakure, invisible and undetected, has snuck up behind Kunieda, her existence revealed as her invisibility fades from refracting and combining all of Aoyama's power into one concentrated laser beam that blasts Kunieda InTheBack from point-blank. The attack is so powerful, that it shoots straight through him and hits Aoyama too, yet he endures his own power for the sake of taking down the dangerous villain and fulfilling the expectations his friends have of him.
---->'''Hagakure:''' Took you long enough, [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre hero!]]
** All Might and Hagakure's uses of Aoyama's Quirk have deep thematic weight. Hagakure's Quirk combo with Aoyama poetically links to her discovery of Aoyama's [[TheMole mole]] status after the first war, allowing the heroes to redirect this to their advantage and disrupt AFO's endgame. For All Might, it's touching to see him put so much stake in the Quirk and student that indirectly led to his "retirement", and Aoyama's humility and determination in this chapter demonstrates why he inspired Toshinori as much as the other students despite being AFO's pawn. All Might knows how AFO coerces and manipulates innocent people into complicity with his crimes, and wouldn't reject his own student for experiencing that. Fitting that AFO giving Aoyama such a self-destructive and uncontrollable Quirk to put his family under his thumb comes back to bite him so hard.
* Chapter 400
** Hagakure realises that her trademark invisibility is bugging out and exposing her real form because being pushed to the brink of death by Kunieda's attacks made Aoyama also tap into the EmotionalPowers aspect of his bestowed ability, making his lasers stronger and showcasing that despite his doubts about being worthy as a hero with a "false" power, he did indeed make the Navel Laser his own quirk. Aoyama furthermore declares his intention to use this new strength along with Hagakure's fine control to burn away the rest of the plants still sucking the life out of their allies, despite the fact this increase in power comes with a corresponding backlash on himself, especially with his support item broken. Regardless, Aoyama is still determined to save as many lives as he can, since this day and this battle marks his last chance to be a heroic student of UA alongside all his classmates.
** All Might reveals the "Can't Stop Twinkling" KillSat was inspired by Star's own final battle against [=TomurAFO=], improvising his own method of emulating her tactics in honour of Star's memory as a further symbolic humiliation against All For One. Aware that All For One ''still'' won't throw in the towel despite everything -- indeed, he continues to lash out with his CombatTentacles even as the laser steadily buries him underground, [[CorneredRattlesnake further damaging All Might despite his precarious situation]] -- All Might instead uses several of his remaining gadgets to continue restraining the Symbol of Evil to make him take the full force of the blast, using his suit's transformative capabilities (patterned after Yaoyorozu) to shed the armour on his right arm and make them into copies of Mineta's binding balls to restrain All For One's hands, noting that he also had the armour plated with an optical resin based on Hagakure to better resist being nearby the intense laser beam and ensure the bindings won't crumble away whilst their target does. Furthermore, he continues to hammer All For One on top of that with a chest-mounted sound speaker based on Jiro's quirk - the same Jiro that caused the Quirks inside All for One to revolt. And despite all his claims of fighting All Might without his full strength, All For One can do ''nothing'' to break free or defend himself from this assault.
*** All Might mentally reveals that the crushing attack that pinned him before was a DeliberateInjuryGambit of his, not a successful sneak attack like All For One believed. He guarded the attack with Tailman and left behind the Tentacole parts to hold All For One still long enough for the laser to hit him, and was even aware that All For One ''wouldn't'' kill him immediately despite the chance to -- his immense desire to see him suffer in pain instead had him target his old wound rather than his more important head just so he could revel in the expression of pain and suffering on All Might's face, again exposing [[SanityHasAdvantages how inefficient All For One's sadistic mindset makes him]] when faced with an opponent who knows how to use it fully against him. Despite his success though, the damage done has crippled All Might's lower body, leaving him with just the shoulder-mounted hover jets to dodge All For One's wild attacks with... and yet the retired hero still has enough skill to keep in the thick of the fighting with just those alone.
** Meanwhile, in another country a kid is watching the battle on TV. Despite being miles away and not fully understanding the situation, with his grandmother claiming that the battle won't affect them either way, the kid is transfixed on the image of the underpowered and badly-injured All Might with his hands clasped in silent prayer, clearly hoping for his victory regardless. Even retired and powerless, Yagi Toshinori is still such a pure hero that he ''continues'' to inspire others across the globe.
** Just as he's on the verge of erasure, the KillSat finally overheats and explodes, leaving All For One still alive and All Might bereft of any further gadgets or moves with the necessary firepower to bring him down for good. Despite the sudden turnaround, however, it's also made clear that All Might nearly ''succeeded'' regardless of fighting Quirkless -- All For One is reduced to the body of a young boy, roughly the same age as the watching child. But this is still All For One, so he immediately prepares to counterattack whilst spitefully taunting All Might that indeed, tools cannot surpass the limits of power like his Quirks can. Except, he finds his body frozen, unable to unleash his attack, or defend himself against the still-mobile All Might. And then, hoovering above their battlefield on a gliding support item, a piece of bloodied rock in his hands, an unexpected ally shows himself.
---> '''Stain''': All bleed red. '''Now conquer him! All Might!'''
*** Stain's success with paralysing All For One was only possible because All Might's efforts successfully drew blood from him, despite their insane power disparity at present. It calls to mind the quote, "If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in him." All For One spent ''decades'' tirelessly cultivating the image of being an [[InvincibleVillain invincible]], unstoppable Demon God beyond the reach of mere mortals, and yet All Might has successfully proven that claim of his false not once, not twice, but now '''three times over'''.
*** This is even better considering that when he was overseeing the League of Villains, All For One used Stain's image and fame to bolster their own reputation and numbers. And as a result of that, Stain purposefully recovered the security data from Tartarus and delivered it to All Might, informing the heroes of invaluable intelligence on All For One and how best to formulate their strategy against him, [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan knocked Yagi out of his funk]] after he became doubtful about his ability to be of use as a Quirkless spectator to events, as All For One intended, and now has stepped in to support All Might when there are no other heroes available to save him in a moment of crisis, with the ''worst'' possible [[TheParalyzer kind of Quirk]] to oppose All For One with, given his [[RaceAgainstTheClock current situation]]. All For One created the very worst SpannerInTheWorks for himself through his own actions, and now he's forced to face the consequences of that.
* Chapter 401:
** Caught between All Might and Stain, unable to move a muscle, and his time further running out, it looks like an unavoidable loss for All For One.... except, inches before either of their attacks can reach him, he uses his Forcible Quirk Activation power on one of his stockpiled Quirks "Bloodlet" to undo Stain's paralysis. How? By ''forcing every last drop of his targeted blood out of his body'', with it exploding from his eyes, ears and everywhere else, leaving him utterly drenched in his own viscera and preventing either blow from reaching him. He's reliant on Rewind to ensure the tactic wasn't fatal regardless, and it's made clear it was ''incredibly'' painful for him, but afterwards, he's able to move freely again. A horrifying demonstration of [[{{Determinator}} his sheer commitment]] to not losing, that he'd mutilate himself that badly instantly the second his defeat seemed inevitable, just to squirm out of it.
*** When Stain tries to use the fresh supply of blood against All For One again, he reveals that he possesses a Quirk called Antigen Swap, that allows him to overwrite his very DNA as needed, enabling him to neutralize Stain's powers outright. Rather than coincidentally having [[ManOfKryptonite the exact powers best needed to combat Stain]], All For One mocks the hero killer that he prepared them ''precisely'' for Stain's potential interference, having actually noticed him sneaking away from Tartarus on his own and spurning [[ControlFreak All For One's]] "offer" of aid to the prisoners, and aware he was against him because of that. Further proof that his immense Quirk collection and insane willpower are both still secondary to the dangerous threat he represents, born from his maniacal preparations to ensure his inevitable victory. Their trump card is gone, All For One ends the chapter within view of UA and is able to warp straight to it, with only a crippled All Might left as his opposition. Villainous, evil, but undoubtedly awesome for how thoroughly he turned around his situation.
** Unable to paralyze All For One anymore, Stain is swiftly overpowered, crushed into a nearby building, and has the unstoppable villain bearing down on him, mocking him that his role in their story ended once he'd been of no use in bolstering the League. Too broken to evade, [[FaceDeathWithDignity Stain calmly accepts his fate]], muttering only that his role had not ended, but remained part of the grander tale that All For One cannot see beyond himself. Raising his hands up in a position as if asking somebody to arrest him as the killing blow comes down on him, Stain recalls his challenge to All Might to find and arrest him for his murders of 40 heroes after the war was won. This, and his thoughts throughout the chapter, greatly imply that the real reason Stain interfered wasn't simply to kill All For One, but to ensure that All Might lived beyond a battle that (unbeknownst to Stain) was destined to take his life, even if that meant [[TakingTheBullet the Hero Killer would die in his place]].
---> '''Stain:''' Ah, All Might... surely you understand, yes?! Why I would dare to leave the shadows and expose myself! "Say a god has fallen, prostrate upon the Earth, and his divine soul has turned feeble and mortal..." ''Certainly he has the right to cling desperately to life!'' I am here...because you must live!!
** All For One's following strike against All Might is almost certain to kill him regardless, only for the blast to be blocked by the last remaining piece of Hercules, the system's AI demonstrating just enough sapience to protect its user of its own free will. It blunts the attack just enough to ensure All Might is left breathing in the aftermath...but not much more. His PoweredArmour is completely stripped off him, his injuries have crippled his legs, and the overall damage done leaves him hallucinating a vision of Nana and Nighteye encouraging him, which he recognizes as his subconscious motivating himself however it can to stay alive. Even without the means to face him head-on anymore, All Might refuses to give up.
--->'''All Might:''' However...'''You are not dead yet.''' (''flashing a still determined smile at All For One as he pushes his body up with his still-working arms'') [[BringIt Do your worst]].

* Chapter 402
** The chapter begins with a brief summation from Tsukauchi's helpers, noting the success of Shoto and Uraraka's efforts in stopping the most wide-scale destructive abilities the villains had to play, and by the present point confirming that all the fighting has concluded, ultimately leaving the heroes victorious in their different battlefields, and All For One and Tomura as the sole remaining conflict still ongoing. The fact that victory is ''still'' uncertain thanks to the near-godlike power each contains individually speaks volumes about just how far beyond ordinary villains and heroes each has become...and contrastingly, just how powerful Izuku is, that he's now [[OnlyICanKillHim the greatest bastion]] standing between them and the world.
*** Uraraka's successful TalkingTheMonsterToDeath against Toga also indirectly saved UA itself, as the sheer weight of the infinitely-replicating clones threatened to overtax the engines and send the whole building plummeting to the Earth before they dissipated just in time. Whilst it was an OffscreenMomentOfAwesome moment, Momo successfully single-handedly held back the horde alone, defending Mei as she worked to reboot the UA Flying Fortress. In addition to her usual staff and shield combo, Momo also creates the firing compartment of a handgun, as well as a ''[[GatlingGood gatling gun]] and missile launcher'' on each her shoulders.

** We return to Deku and Shigaraki fight. We learn that Deku's new speed is fast enough to dodge Shigaraki's attack point blank range and is able to grapple him in a stalemate using Black Chains around his wrists, showing how ''strong'' the bindings are that they can hold Tomura down despite his raw power. Remember the original plan was for Deku to fight Shigaraki alongside the #3, #4, and # 5 heroes, the Big 3, and Bakugo. They hoped that with everyone working together they could defeat Shigaraki, most likely remembering just how much trouble Shigaraki gave them in the last major battle. Everyone ''wasn't'' expecting Deku to be strong enough to go to toe toe-to-toe with Shigaraki on his own before his body could handle 100% of OFA. Here we see Deku, with only a semi-complete mastery of his full powers and potential, is able to fight a Shigaraki with his completed body, evenly. The same Shigaraki who defeated all the other heroes before Deku showed up. He has come a long way from the boy who could only throw two or three Smashes before he broke his arms.

** All For One has achieved his goal, since he used the Rewind drug, and made it close enough to Shigaraki to use his Gloop Warp Quirk. Despite All Might's best attempts to bait All For One, the villain ignores him. We see the black goop come out of Shigaraki's mouth, and all hope seems lost... only for Shigaraki to mentally tell his master not to butt into his fight and ''[[NoSell cancel the Gloop Warp Quirk by]]'' '''''[[NoSell swallowing it]]'''''. All For One realizes his apprentice has overcome his vestige and reclaimed full control of his body. Shigaraki stays true to his word about refusing to be his master's pawn.
*** Furthermore, All for One's mental dialogue has him believing that the vestige was "swallowed up" by Tomura's own consciousness, when the reader is acutely aware that's not the case -- his successor utterly ''destroyed'' that piece of himself and left it in tatters around his MentalWorld, absolutely torpedoing any hope All For One has of enacting his plan to merge into Tomura, an outcome All For one ''cannot'' envision at all, because, despite all his plans and contingencies, that's not a setback he could ''ever'' recover from.
*** Whilst Tomura refuses to accept All For One's direct interference in his fight, he showcases his [[XanatosSpeedChess adaptability]] in playing off the efforts of other villains to achieve victory in the end, using All For One's attempt to kill All Might in front of Izuku and the watchers on UA to force a SadisticChoice on him -if he tries to save All Might, Tomura will head straight to UA to kill ''everybody'', mentally pressuring his nemesis when he proved capable of physically stalemating him. If not for All Might taking the choice out of Izuku's hands, it might have secured Tomura's victory.
** All Might's final play against All For One. Most of All Might's armor's destroyed, his legs are broken, and he can do nothing but watch as All For One attempts to warp Shigaraki to himself, futilely trying to keep his attention focused on himself rather than their successors. When Tomura shrugs off All For One as an annoying nuance to his fight however, the evil villain decides to "do the legwork" himself whilst smirking sadistically at All Might, who answers in turn with his own ever-present defiant smile. As the arch-villain grabs him by the leg and parades him around to demoralize his enemies and distract Deku, All Might shows why he was pleased at All For One's predictable sadism -- it literally handed him the opportunity to turn the tables by grabbing his neck, causing All For One to recall the night he killed Nana and how she'd said he'd be defeated by All Might... ''because he's even more unhinged than he is''. To All For One's horror, All Might smiles and asks him a simple question:
--->'''All Might:''' (''With his left eye drained of its black sclera, now resembling his young self on the night of Nana's death'') [[PreMortemOneLiner If you die one more time, you'll rewind into a kindergartner, right?]]
** All Might then uses his seemingly-broken remaining gauntlet to ''[[ActionBomb blow himself up]]'' in a HeroicSacrifice, catching All For One in the center of the blast, emulating the one 1-A [[StuffBlowingUp student]] he ''didn't'' include in his arsenal, and the one all but stated to be a second protégé to him.
** A subtle one for Nana. The whole series AFO has been taunting All Might by saying Nana died pathetically, and his inner monologue in this chapter still says she was a pathetic idealist without the power to back up her convictions. But when we actually she her in her final moments, bloodied and exhausted after her battle with AFO, what she is she doing? ''[[GrinOfAudacity Smiling]]'' as she confidently declares All Might ''will'' [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture defeat AFO eventually]]. Better, ''she was right'' as in the panel right next to hers, in his own final moments, All Might grins the same [[Anime/OnePiece Will of D]] worthy smile as he [[HeroicSacrifice unleashes his final attack]]. [[EvilCannotComprehendGood AFO's solipsism]] is shown once again as he could never understand the selflessness, conviction and belief in others that allows Nana and Toshinori, like the Second User of OFA and Star, to remain absolutely DefiantToTheEnd.
*** And All Might's death won't be in vain - All For One's already burned up most of his remaining time fighting All Might, and this death will cut his time down from minutes to ''mere seconds''.
* Chapter 403
** Though All Might's willingness to ''die'' as a final attempt to stop him threw him for a loop, All For One reveals that he was counting on his nemesis pulling ''something'' out of the hat to turn the tables against him, [[TaughtByExperience courtesy of his own past experience]] with All Might's prior victory and both Star and Endeavor's actions against him. Therefore, he's able to just barely react in time, growing spikes from his body that impale the exploding support item and All Might's arm, stopping the detonation cold. Having now satisfied himself that All Might has no more surprise moves to pull, he uses [[TheParalyzer Bloodcurdle]] to paralyse him completely, rendering him unable to exercise even the meagre strength left to him to resist. Once that's done, he flashes a demented SlasherSmile - which literally ''rips his cheeks like paper''- and gloats that All Might's ''finally'' got the expression he's longed to see: ''complete and utter despair''. Despite everything he threw at him, All For One's CrazyPrepared nature allowed him to ''finally'' succeed in a decisive victory against his ArchEnemy, leaving him poised to brutally finish him, and the hopes of the watching world, off in one move.
** All For One proceeds to systematically thwart and deny any possible attempts any active heroes or helpers in the area could pull to stop him, devastating the newly-floating UA building with a lighting blast that tears through the entire structure with childish ease, forcing Gentle to keep it aloft again even as his strength is reaching the breaking point and the falling building threatens to crush him beneath it, and ripping through the supporting X-66 jets piloted by Star's squadron like they were made of cardboard, dismissing them as nothing without the aid of a powerful hero to work alongside. With the cameras rolling, people around the country falling into despair at the fight, those outside it writing off All Might's death as a certainty and Izuku still locked down fighting Tomura and ForcedToWatch as per All For One's intention, the arch villain begins slowly [[HalftheManHeUsedToBe tearing All Might in two]] as everybody either sinks into hopeless despair or prays vainly for a miracle to stop him.
--->'''Tsukauchi:''' (''In tears'') Someone, ''anyone...''\\
...\\
'''[[HellYesMoment KA]]-[[HesBack BOOOM!!!]]'''
** Standing Atop UA, the power of his explosion clearing the smoke from All For One's attack and revealing him in full, a revived Katsuki Bakugo stands again, now the sole person who can stop All For One's victory and fulfil one half of the creed All Might taught both him and Izuku, whilst his rival upholds his own: "Win by Saving, Save by Winning". As his and Izuku's eyes meet, the chapter title repeats again, reaffirming that the time, the day for not one, but ''two'' symbols of peace to be shown to the world... has come.
---> '''No 403: [[EndOfAnAge The End of an Era]]'''\\
'''And...'''\\
'''[[PassingTheTorch ...The Beginning]]'''
* Chapter 404
** Despite his revival and his now speedier Quirk upgrade, the distance between Bakugo and All For One is simply too far to make it in time before All Might's ripped apart. How does Bakugo resolve this conundrum? Wordlessly, almost like they are communicating telepathically, he blasts towards ''Izuku'' instead, reaching out his hand to grab Izuku's own as the former spins him around to launch him as a FastballSpecial towards their target, taking advantage of Tomura's momentarily stunned disbelief at Bakugo's return from the dead to pull the maneuver off in a literal second whilst he's still restrained by the Blackwhips and chains controlled by Izuku's other arm. On top of the strength of One For All, and Bakugo's own speedy Quirk, they have one more trump card to add on top of their combo -- ''Gearshift'', which the Second originally used on projectiles other than himself, can still apply that same effect with its enhanced capabilities, allowing Izuku to turn Bakugo into a light-speed projectile. The Second warns him that doing so risks leaving himself open to Tomura once the blowback hits, but Izuku doesn't hesitate or waver in his actions despite the danger.
** Despite their turnaround, Tomura smugly taunts Izuku that it's ''still'' too late, as their shared mental link allows him to see the vestige of All Might within Izuku has started to take actual form as his death approaches, delighting in how the death of the world's HopeBringer will [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids bring the masses back to harsh reality...]] [[WindsOfDestinyChange that is, until a wind starts to blow past Izuku]]. Around the world, watching the fight, nameless, faceless people are begging and pleading and hoping for All Might's survival, even if there's nothing they themselves can do. And yet, as every one of them still cries out for him to [[ArcWords live]], the narration again recalls Nighteye's dying words - that the unseen, immutable energy that comes from people wishing and striving towards a certain future ''can'' [[ScrewDestiny overcome his predictions and change fate when one man alone cannot]]. In a double-page spread, panels of all these civilians, recognizable and unfamiliar, seem to form the very wind itself at Bakugo's back, pushing him towards his target ''even faster'', as the young man's own wish gets added to the momentum: [[ItsAllMyFault his pain and regret]] about [[MyGreatestFailure the part he played in All Might's forced retirement]], and desire to [[MyGreatestSecondChance fix his mistake...]]
*** The end result? Bakugo reaches All For One ''just'' in time, ''[[AnArmAndALeg blowing his arms off]]'' to pluck All Might from his grasp before he can finish his sadistic execution, the vestige of All Might again resuming its indistinct appearance as he's pulled back from the brink of death.
*** Because of the combined power of their wishes and willingness to keep fighting despite the odds, Bakugo, Izuku, and all their supporters around the world [[ScrewDestiny defied Nighteye's prediction]] and [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] the ObiWanMoment, the one trope that's ''expected'' to play out (and ''completely straight,'' no less) during the course of any superhero story. All For One's stunned expression of frozen rage at Bakugo's interference is the icing on their victory cake.
*** Furthermore, this turnaround flips the SadisticChoice Tomura was forcing onto Izuku onto ''All For One''. Bakugo's now fleeing with All Might in the opposite direction of UA, where Izuku and Tomura's clash continues, and All For One's remaining time's run low enough that he's now visibly younger than either UA student. With minutes left to live at ''best'' (and about to lose even ''more'' of his already limited time restoring his hands), All For One's left with two choices - either pursue the super-fast Bakugo in a vain attempt to [[TakingYouWithMe spitefully crush his nemesis before he dies,]] or save himself by getting to Tomura and successfully performing a GrandTheftMe on him, despite knowing that his successor will fight tooth and nail before he'll ever let him control him again. ''He just doesn't have the time to do both.'' All For One's actually, ''truly'' alone, and thanks to his heartless nature, no one's there that could help him to have both desired outcomes. Whichever choice he makes, All For One's hopes for a seemingly "perfect" victory have just gone up in smoke.
*** And it's AFO's own fault - his obsession with being a [[CardCarryingVillain living comic book villain]] has caused him to [[HoistByHisOwnPetard screw himself over]] by falling for the [[VillainBall biggest cliché in the book:]] the villain has the hero at their mercy, but they're so [[CardCarryingVillain cartoonishly evil and sadistic]] that they ''can't'' do the [[PragmaticVillainy pragmatic thing]] and [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just kill them]] - they ''have'' to [[EvilGloating mock their hopeless situation]] and [[KickTheDog draw out their death]] just long enough for TheCavalry to swoop in and [[BigDamnHeroes save them at the last minute.]]
* Chapter 405
** The chapter starts out with a vision meeting between All Might and Sir Nighteye, confirming what was pointed out in the entry for the chapter above: that was the fate that Nighteye saw, and Bakugo, with the unseen aid of the world Yagi sacrificed so much to protect, stopped it at the final hour. After so many chapters of the villains trying to deride the irrational idealism prevalent in a hero saving others like a comic book, it's awesome to see [[TheFatalist Nighteye]] use that same argument to confirm his own prediction is null and void.
--->'''Nighteye:''' [[ScrewDestiny Fate was reshaped]], you see. What's true is that the dream did end here. And... your [[ThePromise promise]] is intact.\\
'''Yagi:''' But everyone knows [[ObiWanMoment the old master is meant to die after passing on the torch]].\\
'''Nighteye:''' [[ThisIsReality You've read too many comic books]], Toshinori Yagi. ''(smiling)'' You are a hero, but you're also human. You can't possibly die so readily.
** Once the heroes land, Edgeshot finally emerges from Bakugo's body and reveals something amazing: It wasn't Edgeshot's Quirk that revived the young hero, but ''Bakugo's''-- his creation of nitroglycerin[[labelnote:*]] Nitro is actually used as a medicine to help treat certain heart conditions and does so by relaxing the blood vessels and increasing the amount of blood and oxygen that flows through the arteries.[[/labelnote]] caused a small explosion to kickstart his heart when a bit of his sweat got into his bloodstream. The power of science, people!
--->'''Edgeshot:''' I only held you together. What brought you back was the power '''you've''' honed.
** Even with his arm still damaged from saving All Might, Bakugo is still willing to go back and help Izuku, showing his traditional brash confidence in facing All For One, even calling him "[[PreAsskickingOneLiner that runt I'm about to destroy]]" without a hint of doubt. What does All Might do? He gives Bakugo the remaining Support Item, a gauntlet, from his armor to act as a splint, revealing he named it "Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight", after Bakugo himself. The paneling of the support item passing from All Might to Bakugo as he names it and the young hero in one almost feels like All Might is knighting Bakugo with both his hero name and his faith that he can succeed where the old Symbol of Peace could not, and stop All For One for good. Bakugo's childishly happy expression at hearing his hero's faith is him is but the capper on the moment.
** Meanwhile, we've confirmed another thing the previous chapter hinted at: AFO is running out of time and knows he needs to get to Tomura and attempt the merge. However, it looks like that's not happening either-- before he can even fly towards the fighting enemies in comes Bakugo, declaring that ''[[IAmYourOpponent he]]'' [[IAmYourOpponent will be the wannabe Demon Lord's]] FinalBoss, unleashing a ''massive'' explosion right in All For One's face that punches him straight into the ground, the arch-villain too slow to even defend himself. Even more, Bakugo is no longer calling himself Izuku's rival-- he's the guy who's stepping up to handle what Izuku can't on his own!
*** On top of that, his inner thoughts reveal that losing All Might right at the crucial moment was a setback All For One ''couldn't'' ignore or downplay. As a montage of all the "side characters" who've faced him flashes through his head, it becomes clear that even his [[IRejectYourReality ironclad delusional viewpoint]] cannot warp or deny the facts for much longer -- he's '''''losing''''' this fight, no matter what he tries. His humiliation gets another layer added on top of it when the visage of the Second User, the one he maintains an unnatural hatred of even decades afterwards, flashes through his head right as Bakugo pounds it into the pavement. The user who scored the first chronological loss All For One suffered almost seems reborn to thwart him again in the present as his final heroic enemy.
---->'''All For One:''' Oh, how it boils the blood! How can it be that the gears have gone so awry?! The wind was meant to blow my way!
** In short, Bakugo's act of saving All Might from his clutches managed to accomplish even what All Might couldn't in his prime or any other One For All bearer for that matter against All For One: '''''[[VillainousBreakdown completely and absolutely obliterate his ego]]'''''.
** And one more thing to consider, Edgeshot mentions that even though he was able to stitch Bakugo's organs and body back together, they're not actually healed and he can't do anything about the pain, so for the entire time since his revival, Bakugo has been suffering unimaginable agony ''every time he breathes'', yet it [[HeroicWillpower doesn't slow him down at all]]!
* Chapter 406
** A brief wide-area transmission at the chapter's start tallies off the various crises areas the heroes are fighting at. Save for National Takoba Arena, wherein Ojiro and Ryukyu are still fighting against one of the Tartarus escapees, almost all of them have been suppressed or resolved in the heroes' victory, Gang Orca having succeeded in defeating the Near-High End on Okuto island, the central hospital secured and providing treatment for the wounded, the evacuees to Shinketsu safely arrived, and all other villains are at the Jaku hospital ruins, immobilized by Mudman. The heroes have almost won this war, but their biggest challengers won't go down without a fight...
** Izuku mentally cycles through his options as Tomura keeps easily breaking the hold Black Whip has on him, lamenting that he doesn't yet have any idea how to decisively overcome Tomura's combination of instant regeneration and TouchOfDeath abilities, at best being able to stall him momentarily. He notes that with his current state, he ''will'' be immobilised and left vulnerable should he use Gearshift once more, but he doesn't have anything else that stands a chance at meaningfully damaging Tomura's current form. Resolved to make his last move count, Izuku activate his SuperMode once more as Tomura readies himself to weather whatever Izuku dishes out.
** Refusing to be delayed by an unexpected nuisance and desperate to make his last moments count, All For One dismisses Bakugo as "A mere pebble in my path" and tries to go around him, using a shockwave blast to launch himself through the still-standing buildings in a beeline for Izuku's battle. Does Bakugo take that lying down? Hell no, as he calls out All For One on his foolish belief that he's the main villain when he's already lost that position to a worthier successor, relegating him to a nuisance that refuses to go away during the climactic battle.
--->'''Bakugo:''' Still at it? You filler character!
*** Bakugo finally realises how to control his new speed boost: using the immense pain caused by the exploding sweat globules distributing around his body as a handle to properly time his backup blasts. It self-damages him every time he does it, and the speed is simply too fast for him to control, but Bakugo doesn't care. With a massive smile on his face, he manages to catch up to the fleeing All For One even moving at his top speed, taking the wannabe top villain by surprise even as his new move causes him to crash along the ground. Rather than let himself be stopped by this, Bakugo simply turns this into a headlong roll at breakneck speeds to properly manoeuvre himself into unleashing a point-blank blast that smacks All For One down, forcing him into a confrontation he cannot escape from.
*** All For One's frustrations with Bakugo's interference causes him to realise why he's starting to feel ''even angrier'' with him than against All Might. Bakugo's uncanny resemblance to the Second reminds All For One of their confrontation, revealing why it is that the psychopathic villain maintains such animosity against the rebel leader even generations later: he used his last words to '''mock''' All For One with the [[ArmorPiercingResponse truth]]. That Yoichi's death was due to his own actions in roleplaying a villain, and either directly or indirectly, All For One killed the only other person in the world he ever cared about. Furthermore, All For One's immediate shifting of the blame to the Second rescuing Yoichi and taking him out of the vault in the first place shows that, on some level, ''he knows he's right'', and has spent decades in denial over his own culpability because of it.
---->'''All For One:''' ''The one I loathe above all others.'' '''You're to blame for it all, [[GivenNameReveal Kudo!!]]'''\\
'''Bakugo:''' Finally gone senile, bub?! That's ''Kacchan Bakugo'' to you, ya grade-A moron!
* Chapter 407:
** A flashback to a year before the worldwide news of the glowing baby was announced tells the story of a nameless prostitute, suffering from her poor living conditions and an unknown pregnancy that sapped her strength, eventually leading to her [[DeathByChildbirth passing away after giving birth underneath a riverside bridge]], leaving only the two babies beside her corpse. When rats emerged to eat the carcass and the newborns, the flooding river swept all of them away. And yet, despite the odds, the babies survived. How? Because the newborn AFO, manifesting his Quirk apparently on instinct, absorbed the Quirk that had developed within his mother, unbeknownst to her of what it was, allowing him to grow hornlike growths from his body to pierce into her corpse, holding onto it as a makeshift raft in the floodwater, and then using the Quirk as an assist to allow him to feed on what nutrients were left in her breast. From absolutely nothing, he used his powers from birth to [[SelfMadeMan raise himself up]] into becoming a threat that would eventually try to dominate the entire world. Utterly nightmarish, but it perfectly underscores the tenacious willpower that drives AFO, even at his most desperate moment by the present day.
** Though young, and left utterly powerless by his frail body, born from AFO naturally and unthinkably monopolising the majority of the nutrients from their mother in the womb, Yoichi's natural goodness and empathy shines through despite, and particularly ''because of'' the twins' destitute situation. When AFO brutalises others to steal their Quirks or possessions for himself, the weak Yoichi throws an empty soda can at him, crying at him to stop. Despite being too young to even ''know'' about right or wrong, Yoichi knows what pain feels like, and doesn't wish that on others, showcasing the beginning of his natural opposition of AFO's own inherent evil nature.
* Chapter 408:
** Though the exact specifics of exactly ''how'' it happened are ambiguous, it's shown that Yoichi managed his initial Quirk transfer to Kudo right on the very moment of his death, passing the genesis of One For All into him right as his body was blown to pieces by his brother in his own attempt to prevent "losing" Yoichi. Given Kudo's MeaningfulLook at the hand that was holding Yoichi's at the moment he fell to pieces, its implied that Yoichi, being the Quirk's original holder, succeeded in doing what no other holder has done since and instinctively transferred his own Quirk to Kudo on touch, just like All For One can. Despite living a life that was defined by his brother's control over him, Yoichi found a means through death to not only be truly free, but actively resist his twin.
*** Furthermore, though it never stopped him from pursuing his path of villainy at all costs, it's shown that Yoichi ''did'' leave an emotional impact on his Twin, with him being [[VillainousBSOD unusually shaken]] by his sudden death, allowing Kudo and the 3rd user to flee when he had the resistance movement dead to rights. This mania, whilst later mutating into his absolute obsession with targeting the holders physically and emotionally with every dirty tactic he could, is ultimately the reason why he keeps letting chances to seriously kill Izuku slip by the present day, giving the heroes a fighting chance against him.
** The subsequent montage of All For One facing off against the holders of Yoichi's will has a moment for each of them.
*** Kudo, beaten and broken, managed to emotionally enrage the tyrant to a degree he'd never been before by his mockery of his attempt to reclaim "Yoichi", causing him to shed BerserkerTears over missing his chance to reunite with him, an emotional outburst All For One makes a point to deny he ever had, claiming they were mere CrocodileTears to confuse Kudo, rather than admit how badly hurt he was by it. Even generations later, this proves the be the root of his absolute ''loathing'' towards the rebel leader, enough that being reminded of him in any way is a bigger BerserkButton than [[ArchEnemy All Might]].
*** The 3rd wielder, Bruce, apparently made a LastStand against All for One with the remnants of Kudo's resistance movement, fighting him despite the hopeless odds. Though he was overwhelmed and impaled for his efforts, it's implied the battle bought enough time for Hikage Shinomori to escape and hide from All For One's frenetic searching for his brother
*** Though he never openly faced him, it's showcased that Shinomori's decision to hide from All For One and cultivate the inherited power was the correct one, as All For One is seen fruitlessly searching for him before being forced to give up and focus his efforts on his empire instead, and after the 4th, the subsequent users were strong enough to actually fight against the arch-villain directly.
*** Banjo was powerful enough to fight All For One head-on, but was ultimately overcome. Despite that, it's shown that he was the first time that All For One failed to steal the Quirk, leaving him absolutely stunned with [[ThisCannotBe a look of visible shock]] at his unexpected resistance to his signature ability.
*** En is shown to be sliced in half from behind by All For One, yet despite being left a torso with a single arm, has enough strength left in him to tear out his hair to pass onto Nana with a smile, the imagery of the 7th holder glaring at All For One through En's smoke greatly implying he continued to output his smokescreen to his last breath to hide her and allow her to flee.
*** Though Nana's efforts aren't shown, the impact she left through her immediate successors of All Might and Izuku, and the message she provided of being a HopeBringer that inspired them both, more than speaks for itself, being the greatest upset to All For One's efforts than any of her predecessors
*** And at last, All Might's fateful victory and decisive blow against All For One is finally shown, his MegatonPunch ''liquifying'' All for One's upper cranium into bloody viscera, all whilst holding his injured stomach wound with his other hand, implying that if not for said injury he'd have done ''worse'' to the body. The fact that Garaki had to recover All For One's body from a morgue makes it clear: All Might genuinely ''[[GoodIsNotSoft killed the bastard]]'', and [[SpannerInTheWorks if not for Garaki]] frankensteining the corpse BackFromTheDead, that legitimately would have been the end of him and his insane ambitions.
** All For One realises why Bakugo reminds him so much of his hated enemy despite his absolute extermination of his bloodline -- Bakugo's eyes are [[HeroicWillpower filled with the determination to beat him]], unlike at Kamino, showing how he's changed and matured in the months since that battle. Pissed off by his interference, having no means of removing Bakugo from the fight, All For One decides to settle everything in a final move: Unleashing ''every single Quirk factor he possesses'' into a massive misshapen blob of flesh straight out of a nightmare, all to propel himself through Bakugo and reach Tomura in a single move, even if the blowback will ensure he'd rewind into an infant. The energy from this abomination charging up starts to ''vaporise'' the nearby buildings, looking like massive cannon pointed straight at Bakugo, who merely has his wounded body and newly-discovered Quirk attribute to resist with. What does Bakugo do? Smirk, and [[SarcasmMode sarcastically chide himself]] for ever hoping to become a hero powerful enough to overcome the sheer power One For All and All For One possesses, though his undaunted attitude hints he still has faith in his victory.
--->'''Bakugo:''' Some genius I am. How could I ever hope to beat that?
* Chapter 409:
** As All For One launches his massive, monstrous body straight at Bakugo, the latter merely ruminates on [[TheHerosJourney his shared journey]] with Izuku, swearing that he won't stand in his rival's way of becoming number one, nor will he let the old villain intrude in his climatic fight, yelling out for him to "Blow the hell up!"... and he does. His head is torn apart form the inside by a small powerful blast, stunning him from the unexpected attack that seemingly had no input from Bakugo himself, cutting his charge short and leaving his misshapen form to crash down into the city, reeling from confusion. Bakugo moves in close and taunts him that his last attack on All For One had him sneakily toss some of his explosive sweat beads covered by regular sweat inside his mouth as a [[DelayedExplosion time bomb]], taking a cue from how the downpour around them was affecting his new move. With All For One's own volatile movements having set them off and the same mass Quirk combination now leaving him [[ClippedWingAngel a giant, immobile target against a speedier opponent]], Bakugo now has him dead to rights despite -- and in fact, ''because of'' -- his same ridiculous levels of power. Fitting for the man who desired to be stronger than anybody, and contrasting against his and All Might's climatic PunchParry struggle, Bakugo beats him by just ''[[WeakButSkilled not letting him use that strength]]''.
--->'''Bakugo:''' If nothing else, I've always earned kudos for my intuition. ''The one Quirk I've got is enough!!''
*** Bakugo's move not only fittingly takes advantage of the fact that All For One [[BreakThemByTalking never shuts up in a fight]], as well as feeding into his obsession with [[PowerParasite devouring]] and his BodyMotifs of mouths, but [[FeedItABomb chucking a bomb into the big monster's mouth, waiting for it to go off and then wailing on it]] is a classic video game tactic. Contrasting against his SuperiorSuccessor's enjoyment of video games as an entertainment medium, All For One being obsessed with comic books instead left him too confused to react properly to Bakugo's tactic.
** Enraged by being so casually outsmarted by a mere child, All For One starts up another tirade about how this is his story....only he's talking to the character who has ''zero'' tolerance for bullshit. Starting with a point-blank Howitzer Impact to his face, what follows is a '''glorious''' 4-page montage of Bakugo unleashing an utterly non-stop NoHoldsBarredBeatdown of explosions on his helpless target, regardless of how badly he tears himself apart as well, drowning out his objections with unstoppable tenacity and a louder voice.
--->'''All For One:''' This is...''my tale!!'' Move aside! You ''extra!!'' You ''NOBODY!!''
--->'''Bakugo:''' GET WRECKED!! AND ''[[ShutUpHannibal SHUT THE HELL UP!!]]''
*** All For One's frantic attempts to resist the barrage has him noticing his various Quirks are getting torn apart too easily, the synergy between them degrading and weakening them enough to blast his body to scraps. At first he thinks it might be because of his child's body being too delicate to wield them properly anymore, before a voice from within him draws his attention to the [[MentalWorld Vestige Realm]] within him. He sees the vast group of vestiges all standing opposite from him, united in their animosity, crowded around the vestige of Hawks, who taunts him that his poor grasp of Tomura's negative emotions weakened his iron grip over his subdued prisoners without him noticing, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain allowing Hawks to hold a "fan club meeting" within]], using his charisma and popularity with the masses to unite all the Vestiges once more in denying All For One their powers at the point he needs them the most. Even if the death of All For One means their death too, all of these nameless remnants of his victims are [[TakingYouWithMe willing to make that sacrifice]] rather than be monopolised for his selfish ambitions forever. Hawks taunts "Shigaraki" that he'd failed to swallow them up as efficiently as he thought before Bakugo lands the final blow.
*** In contrast to his fearsome, inhuman appearance when he devoured the vestiges before, All For One appears as he is on the outside, and has always been underneath the fearsome image of the Demon Lord he tried to be: a child clad in rags raging against reality, alone and abandoned in the rocky nothingness of the vestige world without anybody to leech from. Whilst it might be because of how [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody his changed body affects his mental state]], it can also be seen as the vestiges managing to see past the image of the fearsome oppressor he was to [[NotAfraidOfYouAnymore reduce All For One down to his true pathetic self in their eyes]].
** The final blow: a double-spread FacepalmOfDoom that blows apart All For One's upper cranium, the paneling framed in such a way that it references not only All Might's fateful victory over the SoreLoser, but also Tomura and his own touch-based abilities. The recoil from the blow is strong enough to not only break apart All Might's support brace, but [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu Bakugo's arm]] as well, bending it 180 degrees backwards, yet just like his rival, the young hero still follows through on the hit to shatter All For One's delusions along with his face: literally knocking him down from his delusional heights down to reality as he spells it out for him.
--->'''Bakugo:''' Get it straight. This is...'''our tale!!'''
** As the dust clears, it reveals all that's left of All For One: A naked, crying infant lying helpless atop the filthy rags he wore to protect his modesty, now exposed humiliatingly as the baby he was underneath before the entire world for all to see and remember. His remaining time could only last a minute at best, he's lost control of the Quirks he controlled and his body is in no fit state to reach Tomura anyway. At long last, after generations of effort and united teamwork in opposition to him, All For One, the overarching villain of the narrative, has lost, and there isn't a single further trick he can pull to avert his fate.
*** Both All Might and Bakugo note this isn't ''just'' Bakugo's actions, but [[VictoryByEndurance the actions of everybody who'd faced him]], both during the FinalBattle and over the years since he began his villainy. [[DeathOfAThousandCuts Every hero who stood up to him, delayed him and gave it their all to force him to fight for every inch he advanced towards Tomura]] wore him down to the point Bakugo could drive the final nail into his coffin, as he notes by repeating his earlier statement.
---->'''Bakugo:''' Yeah, I never coulda hoped to beat [[LovecraftianSuperpower that.]] At least, not '''alone.'''

* Chapter 410
** The title alone should tell you how awesome it's gonna get: "Farewell, All For One". This is [[DeaderThanDead the end]] for AFO.
** The chapter begins from AFO's POV as he ''slowly'' drags himself through the dirt, his mental monologue still ranting about how he has a chance for victory if he can reach Tomura, how his vestige self didn't get to use the "trump Card" he'd prepared within him, how he ''needs'' his brother, that he wants to destroy the future of the world so nobody will ever forget about his existence... And then, we see his current state: reduced down to a ''baby'', too young to even speak his ravings properly anymore. Then, before he can drag himself any further, Bakugo steps out of the smoke to stand in his way once more, incredulous at his childish foe's obstinacy as the reduced EvilOverlord freezes in fear.
** Despite his physical advantages over his diminutive opponent, Bakugo is in worse physical shape, coughing blood, motor functions shutting down and fighting to stand up. This is literally [[MemeticMutation Coughing Bomb vs. Hydrogen Baby]]. Noting All For One's current state means his odds of interfering somehow in Izuku's battle are practically nil, that he'll vanish regardless even if he doesn't do anything, Bakugo starts to collapse to the ground in sheer exhaustion from all his injuries. However, before he does fall, he's reminded of his own comment to Kirishima about how "standing through anything makes you crazy strong" and he finds his HeroicSecondWind, slamming his foot down to steady himself before he hits the dirt.
--->'''Bakugo:''' That was close. (''flashes a bloodstained GrinOfAudacity at the '''terrified''' baby AFO'') Nah, nothing less than absolute victory... [[PrepareToDie ...FOR ME!!]]
*** Moreover, All For One's attitude prior showed a frenzied hope that Bakugo would just collapse and give him a chance to pass before he caught himself. All For One ''exulted'' in being a HopeCrusher who let his victims know they were doomed through his trademark {{Slasher Smile}}s before remorselessly executing them. In this moment, in addition to his resemblance to Kudo and intentionally modelling his behaviour off the heroic All Might, Bakugo takes on traits of ''All For One'' and turns them against him, [[LaserGuidedKarma letting him experience the same fear and hopelessness he's subjected countless others to]]. All For One can only stare in shock at finally meeting an opponent whose mania with winning outstrips [[SoreLoser his own]].
** In sheer primal terror at his enemy's resolve and unable to think of a way out, All For One fires a Spearlike Bone ''from his mouth'' to try and impale Bakugo, the same tactic he used when he was a child and arguably the ''only'' Quirk he can still control with his stolen powers rebelling against him. Bakugo's response? To pull a PunchCatch on the projectile ''[[NowThatsUsingYourTeeth with his own teeth]]'' before blowing it up. All For One can only stare in shock at his crazy foe's tenacity, right before the shockwave travels down the bone and hits him. Whether from the damage done or his remnant time simply having been exhausted, this proves to be the final straw for his physical shell, causing him to scream RapidFireNo as the last traces of him start to fade. All For One then [[DeathByDeaging turns into a fetus, then an egg cell, then disappears]]. And with that, All For One, the BigBad of the series, is gone forever.
--->'''Bakugo:''' [[PreMortemOneLiner Nighty night, All For One.]]
*** Even more, it wasn't Bakugo who ensured his reign of terror was forever gone, but, in an indirect way, ''[[HisOwnWorstEnemy All For One himself]]''. His selfish monopolisation throughout the generations, all to benefit himself, ensured that he never created a legacy that would outlast him, because he ''never'' planned to be anything less that the eternal BigBad of the narrative, forever lording his power over everybody for the rest of time. Instead, his own "successor" destroyed his vestige, his most loyal minions turned on him and hold his memory in contempt, and he died in the most humiliating manner possible, recorded for posterity as an eternal failure who dies without ever having a true name to [[{{Unperson}} characterise himself]]. Being given ''exactly what he wanted'' through Eri's Rewind, a means to restore himself to full power and be invincible in battle, ultimately only resulted in there being NoBodyLeftBehind to revive All For One a third time, ensuring every last trace of his being, physical and spiritual, is gone for good. DeaderThanDead doesn't begin to describe that.
** The Quirks within All For One FaceDeathWithDignity, each any every one of them aware that his end means their own and accepting this as a necessary sacrifice. Hawks' vestige is the last to fade, wistfully noting it'd be too convenient for them to return to their owners upon their captor's death.
** Back at Izuku's fight, the narration reveals how the stakes of TheHero's climatic fight are [[SerialEscalation still higher]] than taking down the nigh-immortal and godlike power of the DiabolicalMastermind of the story's history. A flashback reveals that the heroes would have actually ''preferred'' to fight All For One rather than his protege. Vile, irredeemable scumbag he may have been, All For One's desire to TakeOverTheWorld meant that he did have ''some'' limitations on the devastation and destruction he'd unleash against them -- limitations that Tomura, with even greater power in his enhanced body, doesn't possess. Shigaraki reveals just what this means in the present -- he has honed his skill with his Decay Quirk even further since the first war, enabling him to choose to shift his direction below, allowing him to bore into the Earth's crust and destroy the very foundations of the country. With this new display of his power, he has Decayed the ground beneath himself and Deku until nothing was left, causing ocean waters to come pouring out and flooding the area, creating an awe-inspiring display of the very world collapsing into chaos around the two combatants, just from the collateral damage of their god-like powers.
*** Shigaraki clarifies that he plans to keep this simple but efficient tactic going, unleashing his Decay non-stop until [[OmnicidalManiac it affects all 378,000 kilometers of Japan to completely destroy the nation]], leaving only sky and ocean in his wake. In contrast to his master's impressive but inefficient usage of multiple powers with poor skilful handling, Shigarkai is using his own arsenal to take a page out of Izuku's book, using his various powers to enhance his simple combination of non-stop Decay and Hyper Regeneration to [[VictoryByEndurance endure whatever blows Izuku unleashes on him]] whilst the world falls apart around him, With the lives of literally every person in Japan riding on his victory, the stakes have never been higher for Izuku....and yet, he has still to come up with a means of actually ''defeating'' Tomura despite all of that, as his all-powerful foe [[InvincibleVillain simply seems to have no weaknesses]] and all he can do is stall him whilst time runs out for him and the country both.
*** To make matters worse, Shigaraki showcases his adaptability in a fight once more, claiming his brief face-off with Bakugo's own new speed gave him the insight needed to match Deku's combo of Gearshift and Fa-Jin. He [[SpeedBlitz speed-blitzes]] the young hero and manages to get his hand right on his face. While Deku is quick to act and cut off his fingers, Tomura reveals he actually wasn't trying to Decay him that time. As Banjo appears to warn Izuku, he realises that Danger Sense, the Quirk he was relying on to predict Shigaraki's lethal attacks...is missing. The predecessors' worst fears become a reality; Shigaraki can indeed steal One For All, and now he intends to strip Izuku of all his ComboPlatterPowers until his ArchEnemy is weak enough to be obliterated, followed by the rest of the country, if not the world.

* Chapter 411:
** A flashback to within the Vestige Realm of OFA shows what happened when Tomura stole Danger Sense: Shinomori's Quirk naturally warned him of the ''massive'' hand that appeared behind them, all focused on the outward battle, allowing him to react in time to shove the rest of the Torch Bearers out of the danger zone so [[TakingTheBullet only he was taken by the giant facsimile of Tomura's fist]]. As the only holder who didn't wind up preforming a HeroicSacrifice against All For One, Shinomori more than made up for it here, giving the rest of his allies a chance to recompose themselves against this new threat.
*** It's also a moment for Tomura as well. En's dialogue points out that if not for Shinomori's early reaction, he could have stolen ''more'' of the vestiges in that split second, if not the '''entirety''' of Izuku's power in one go. Tomura's hatred has advanced to the point that there's no longer even a contest of wills against him: If he touches them again, he could very well {{Depower}} Izuku fully -- and he's not even focused on achieving that outcome unless it'd make killing Izuku easier. One way or another, Tomura intends to put an end to the only obstacle that can oppose his unrelenting drive for destruction, unlike his master [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou allowing the preservation]] of "[[LivingEmotionalCrutch Yoichi]]" until it became too much for him.
** Izuku instantly attempts to get some distance between them, unleashing CombatTentacles of Fa Jin-enhanced Black Chains to swing at Shigaraki only for him to neatly dodge all of them, demonstrating that [[InstantExpert he's instantly adapted to Danger Sense]] after stealing it. Now no longer able to predict his foe's movement whilst Shigaraki can do the opposite, the villain presses his advantage on Izuku, unleashing a ''blistering'' amount of shockwave attacks on him, knocking him backwards from their oceanside battleground and [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom repeatedly hammering him through the landscape again and again]], all whilst mocking his belief that Shigaraki can still be "saved", laughing that he's no longer a mere human being who can be reasoned with.
*** Despite losing one of the powers that allowed him to go on the offensive against Tomura, Izuku shows that he's not totally defenceless either, wrapping himself in a layered ball of Black Whips to endure the barrage and still able to stand at the end of it, something no other hero could have done. Even cornered, Izuku's still thinking on his feet to find a way to win.
** Tired of Izuku's stalling tactics and unwilling to allow the ninth holder to flee for another chance at victory down the line, Tomura points out to Izuku that their fight has taken them to the very slopes of Mt Fuji, making it clear that he intends to leave them no further chances or places to run away, so he'll start his countrywide destruction by [[MonumentalDamage destroying the famous inert volcano first]]. The vestiges realise that Tomura intentionally pushed Izuku towards the site, all to force him into a SadisticChoice. If Tomura decays the volcano, it'll unleash a cataclysmic eruption of magma that'll ravage the countryside independently of him, ensuring massive loss of life even if Izuku keeps him occupied, forcing him to stand his ground and face a literal WalkingWasteland that has no apparent weak spots and who ''will'' kill Izuku if he gets a direct hit in.
*** Despite his dire situation, Izuku still espouses his faith that Tomura is not the irredeemable villain he presents himself as, no matter how monstrous he makes himself or the death toll he intends to commit, even as he also prepares himself to stand and fight to the end, once more wrapping his arm with Black Whip as a recoil booster to unleash 100% attacks, combined with Fa Jin, on Tomura, the force tearing apart his support braces from the sheer power he's channelling. On Tomura's end, his newly-stolen Danger Sense starts going ''berserk'' at the danger Izuku presents now, causing enough warnings to make even Tomura wince from the intensity.
--->'''Izuku:''' No, it's all... somehow connected. And somewhere inside you... [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre is a person]].

* Chapter 412:
** Izuku reveals that, rather that reinforcing the outside of his arm with Black Whip, like he did in the war, he's using it ''subdermally'' on his muscles underneath the skin, manually flexing his muscles to build up power for Fa Jin along with better reinforcing his arm against the blow, all whilst enduring Tomura's prior attacks. Along with the still-active Gearshift, Izuku swings an underhand punch that he shifts into an open-hand flick of air, creating a literal ''sea'' of air through Delaware Smash, scooping up the onrushing wave of destruction that Tomura was unleashing and blowing it all harmlessly away in a single blow. Tomura's impressed that Izuku calculated the full range of his Decay's spread and countered it in a single move as the gale-force winds lift him skyward.
*** Tomura believes all he needs to do is restart his Decay wave once again until Izuku's efforts are exhausted, but as he shoots himself back towards his foe, he realises that the dust cloud that the wind picked up hasn't vanished. Smirking as he realises he's fallen for Izuku's next tactic, Tomura's new Danger Sense gets overwhelmed by multiple Black Whips bursting from the clouds, leaving him too distracted to properly react to the ''real'' threat of Izuku's new MegatonPunch blow, cleanly chopping through his super-tough arm like it was made of paper mâché. Izuku reveals he's using both his experience against Lady Nagant to exploit Danger Sense as a weakness against Tomura, as well as the ingenious move of combining "Low gear" and Smokescreen to create long-lasting smoke cover to hide in whilst he peppers Tomura with attacks his resilient body can't withstand.
*** However, Tomura's adaptability in a fight ultimately wins out, as rather that continuing to rely on Danger Sense, he instantly switches to Search to accurately pin down Izuku's location and hits him backwards with [[CombatTentacles Rivet Stab]], the same power also letting him know Izuku's AchillesHeel: that Gearshift's time has run out, leaving him slower and vulnerable as the recoil affects him. Despite his chaining of his remaining Quirks, no tactic Izuku pulls can keep an advantage against Tomura for long.
* Tomura continues to mock Izuku's naiveté in trying to "save" him, insisting that he's completely fine with being BeyondRedemption and it's only Izuku's hubris that's deluding himself into believing otherwise. He even points out that their mental link between the Quirks works both ways, so Izuku can see inside Tomura's head just as he can see the Vestiges within Izuku....and can thus see that there's so sign of the young Tenko left within Tomura, only the swirling chaos that demonstrates his never-ending desire to destroy. Seeing this, even Nana cannot help but advise Izuku, however regretfully, that he ''needs'' to kill Tomura, that he doesn't need to feel guilty over making a hard choice that compromises his ideals as a hero in order to save millions in reality. And yet, even with that seeming to be his only option, Izuku '''still''' refuses to give up on Tomura. It's not merely about his own desire to save the piece of Tomura that's suffering, but an acknowledgement that Tomura and the rest of the villains who wanted to change the status quo are correct: the world ''needs'' to accept that there's flaws in the system that hurt and overlook those it's meant to protect, and if Izuku picks the "easy" option of killing Tomura to stop his threat now, it will merely allow the problems to continue festering, maybe even giving birth to an even more dangerous "Tomura Shigaraki" down the line. Izuku is not just fighting for his or Tomura's sake, he's fighting to stop the cycle of hurt and suffering for future generations, even without any clear idea of how to pull off that miracle. For both good and ill, he truly deserves to be called "History's Maddest Hero", moving Nana to tears with his dedication.
-->'''Izuku:''' '''No'''. I have to ask why he can't let go of that sad, lonely past of his!! All he did was put a lid on it. So until that lid shatters to pieces, [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath I won't stop smashing away at it!]]
** Another point for Izuku: Both Nana and Tomura's dialogue makes it clear that, even with Tomura's threat against him and the ''entirety'' of Japan, Izuku is actually '''[[IAmNotLeftHanded still holding back against him]]''', avoiding unleashing the maximum amount of force he potentially could straight at Tomura, which even he admits could be enough to put his body beyond recovery. Even with all the enhancements and emotion-driven evolution that Tomura's body has undergone, Izuku's peak is ''still'' actually faster and stronger than him thanks to One For All's accumulation over the generations, again driving home how doomed All For One's efforts to "cheat" a way to victory against his brother's power were.
** Seeing Izuku resolutely stalemating Tomura, his empathy chaining back their best hope for victory, Kudo can only muse that his assessment was correct: Izuku is indeed incapable of finishing the feud between the twin powers because his idealistic belief in the inherent goodness of everyone, even their deadliest enemy, means he refuses to make "the hard decision" even with millions of lives counting on him....and yet, having observed Izuku's memories from within, not even the hardened Kudo can find it in himself to deride that same pure belief as "unnecessary", seeing his forgiveness and redeeming of even those he should have hated the most, like Bakugo. And so, Kudo likewise decides to make his own "insane bet", as an image of Star and Stripes appears pointing at Tomura's inner world, symbolising both the inherited will to defeat him that Izuku's carrying on, as well as giving Kudo a slim hope. If fighting Tomura externally is doomed to end in failure....
--->'''Kudo:''' I'm betting everything on you, ''Ninth''. '''[[WhamLine The time has come...to part ways with One For All.]]'''

* Chapter 413:
** The chapter begins with a flashback to Star and Stripe's perspective during the finale her Quirk's rampage inside of Shigaraki's mindscape, revealing that she in fact witnessed the core of Tenko still within the chaotic mass of Tomura and AFO's fusion, and despite her Quirk's power burning out, enough of her will remains to relay a crucial piece of information to the vestiges within One For All: Within Tomura's mindscape, every bit of his trauma, rage and hatred that made him who he is has been compressed into a seemingly impenetrable [[TitleDrop "lump of lead"]] representing his indomitable will, except for a single small crack left behind from his battle with Star, a [[AchillesHeel psychic wound]] that [[WoundThatWillNotHeal none of his Quirks are capable of healing]], which Star's spirit points out to All Might and the other vestiges by proxy. Though her battle with Tomura only temporarily delayed his upgraded body's completion and the Quirks she destroyed could be replaced, Star's battle nonetheless created a crucial weakness in the sheer face of Tomura's willpower and her will lingered on long enough to both allow Deku and the vesitges to exploit it and confirm that no matter how deeply buried, Tenko and Tomura's humanity still exists.
--->'''Star and Stripe's vestige:''' Master... There's a forlorn little boy in there...
** Kudo explains his [[CrazyEnoughToWork crazy gambit]] to exploit the flaw in Tomura's mental fortress: by imagining OFA's [[ExactWords transference]] as an ''attack'' and basically using the individual Quirks as ''ammunition'', Deku can send the individual Quirks into Tomura with such force as to blast apart the crack in Tomura's mind, hypothetically possible since Tomura [[NiceJobFixingItVillain accidentally]] proved the Quirks can be separated from One For All itself through [[TakingTheBullet Shinomori's sacrifice]], with the supercharged Quirks of OFA having the potential to each inflict tremendously more damage than even Star's New Order could due to the power they've accumulated over the years. Kudo knows this is still incredibly risky and likely to be a HeroicSacrifice... which is why he [[HeroicSacrifice volunteers to go first]], explaining that either his Quirk is destroyed on "impact" before Tomura can even use it, or the transferred backlash from Deku's own overuse of Gearshift will cause Tomura become exhausted and allow Deku to regain his stamina in one fell swoop.
** After the plan is explained, Nana observes that Deku is still struggling to commit to it, not out of a selfish fear of death or of returning to being Quirkless, but because even after all the time he spent training and earning OFA, he still views it an irreplaceable treasure ''trusted to him'' by the hero and man he admires most in the world, All Might. Though despite his trepidation at giving up the very thing that allowed him to pursue his dream of being a hero and literally struggling to breathe and get upright from his prone state, at Kudo's prompt for Izuku's affirmation, the boy shouts with complete conviction:
---> '''Izuku''': '''I'LL DO IT!!'''
** Cue a ''massive'' burst of Blackwhip tendrils '''shearing one of Tomura's arms clean off''' faster than he can react even with Danger Sense, a feat that last chapter was achieved by a direct strike with OFA's SuperStrength. When the dust clears, we see that Deku has gotten around his fatigue from Gearshift by '''spreading Blackwhip tendrils throughout his entire body to puppeteer himself from within''', the result being an absolutely ''savage'' new look with tendrils suspending him off the ground like spider legs, webbing across his body resembling a [[ComicBook/SpiderMan symbiote al a Venom or Carnage]], demonic looking eyes and ''claws'', prompting Shigaraki to make a remark calling back to an iconic moment of the Dark Hero Arc as a Quirk spark begins to shine within Deku's hand as he prepares to put the plan into motion:
---> '''Tomura''': Looking at you... I'd never guess you were a hero.

* Chapter 414:
** Resuming the fight, Izuku and Tomura each charge towards the ground, racing each other to prevent/activate the Decay Wave. Izuku blocks Tomura's vision once more with En's "useless" Smokescreen, to his surprise, as the former unleashes a double-handed Decay strike on the ground...only for a double-page spread to reveal that Izuku had lifted a huge chunk of the earth free with Black Chains as support underneath through the Smokescreen, neutering Tomura's attack just like the UA defence system. Banjo notes that rather than using the Chains' raw strength alone, Izuku had actually dragged them underground when Tomura [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom blew him through the landscape]] last chapter, tearing up the ground in preparation to counter Tomura's Decay even as he himself was getting beaten bloody.
** Tomura instantly reacts to Izuku's follow-up attack out of the cloud cover, turning around to Decay him as he attacks from behind...only to discover it's Gran Torino's cape suspended on a Black Whip, the same decoy tactic Izuku used against Nagant. Tomura, confused, notes that he was using Search to track Izuku's position in the low-visibility to avoid this, only to Decay the cape to dust and reveal what's underneath it. A clot of blood gripped by the Black Whip Tendril, shining with Kudo's Vestige within. From [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Tomura's own taunting against Izuku]] and the vestiges beforehand, Izuku realises that their PsychicLink between the Quirks allowed Tomura to "see" them, and thus, [[LoopholeAbuse allowed their individual vestiges to be tracked by Search as well]], allowing him to distract Tomura with a decoy attack whilst he readies the real finisher. Realising he's wide open, Tomura tries desperately to unleash a HandCannon blast against Izuku's ''actual'' body as he emerges from the smoke, already unleashing his simultaneous attack to stab Tomura with the blood clot, as he mentally reassures En that his "useless" power was crucial to their combined effort against Tomura.
*** The Kicker? Tomura, faced with Izuku's impending hit, ''instinctively'' tries to re-form the high-defensive hand armour he used against the Heroes before, the same form that made him a massive punching bag for Izuku in, because he '''knows''' on a primal level that taking that punch is ''worse'' than leaving himself wide open.
---->'''Tomura:''' My body rejects what's coming. [[OhCrap It can't afford to take this hit!]]
** Despite Tomura's counter gouging out a chunk of Izuku's forehead, his attack lands, Kudo's vestige, [[GoOutWithASmile smile on his face]], impacting the "Dark Mass" of Tomura's soul like a meteor in a blow that rocks him physically ''and'' mentally. The blowback from the attack leaves both Tomura and Izuku hallucinating a jumbled mixture of their memories, facsimiles of Dabi, Toga, Spinner and Shoto at the Sports Festival appearing all around them. En quickly snaps Izuku out of the disorienting experience, his will to fight restored by Kudo's sacrifice, pointing out that Tomura's genuinely reeling from the attack with his mutation faltering from the psychic damage, and pushing him to unleash another hit whilst they have the opening.

* Chapter 415:
** Pressing his advantage, Izuku charges his fist with ''all'' the Vestiges as one, aiming to force every part of his accumulated power into Tomura's revealed AchillesHeel to finish the fight in one go. Desperate, Tomura rapidly grows more finger armour around himself whilst lashing out at Izuku with Rivet Stab, aiming to keep his distance at all costs, only for that effort to prove futile: Izuku sheering through his CombatTentacles with Black Chains of his own to keep his hands free for another direct strike that tears into his chest, launching the combined vestiges straight at his core. Yet, Tomura's insane adaptability in a fight still pulls through at the last moment, as he uses his never-ending hatred for the inverse intent of what All For One groomed him for: '''rejecting''' One For All's non-consensual transference ability and forming a "shield" around his leaden mass that bounces the attack off, something that All Might explicitly stated was impossible to do when explaining how the transference worked. Tomura once again proves that all bets are off as to how the twin Quirks interact with each other thanks to his powerful will.
** Despite that, Tomura was a step too late, and En alone managed to slip through the cracks in his "armour" to land another direct strike, leaving what looks like lasting physical damage on Tomura's body from the interlink of his mental and physical states. In contrast to his unarmored humanoid form that demonstrated his absolute confidence in his victory against Izuku, and his constant taunting of his ArchEnemy over his desire to "save" him, Tomura now cannot articulate a single word from the mental agony he's inflicting on him, and his body completely distorts with more finger-masses growing into a vaguely butterfly-like shape to keep his physical self safe from Izuku (as the transfer can only work on his original body). Tomura has done a complete 180 from the unstoppable force he was minutes prior and gone onto the absolute defensive against the hero he was overpowering one-sidedly.

* Chapter 416:
** As Izuku continues his assault on Tomura's sealed-off body, he showcases his skill and commitment to protecting ''everything'', not only ripping through each massive fleshy finger pressing in on him from all sides, when but [[TouchOfDeath a single graze]] could start Decaying him instantly, he also uses Black Whips from his fingers to lasso the fingers from the bottom of Toura's mutated form, yanking them upwards to avoid scraping the ground when their mid-air clash swerves too close to it. In a situation wherein anybody else's focus would be on keeping themselves as safe as possible from Tomura's omnidirectional attacks, Izuku is not only keeping his mind on stopping the damage from spreading any further, but managing to do so with such ferocity that Tomura's "shield" is getting torn to pieces faster that he can can attack.
** The broadcast of Izuku's non-stop efforts against Tomura gets shown across all the settled battlefields, civilians and exhausted heroes alike watching him heroically stand against Tomura's destruction, outmatched, exhausted, bloody and desperate, lacking any of the usual confidence that was trademark of the prior Symbol of Peace's battles. Yet, as Rock Lock and Lady Nagant discuss, what Izuku has instead that makes him worthy of the successor is his simple and pure ''compassion'' for everyone, even monsters like Tomura. His simple heroic spirit is shown in a double-page spread to have rendered a massive crowd of onlookers mostly silent at the sight of him fighting Tomura with [[SympathyForTheDevil tears of sympathy for his enemy's pain]] in his eyes.
--->'''Lady Nagant:''' He managed to wrench open my heart. He has this special way of doing it. And there's nothing harder for a Villain to bear than ''[[DontYouDarePityMe that.]]'' [.] I bet that's what he's up to right now. He's not merely out to punish evil, like it's all so black-and-white. That boy's dream is taking him down a thornier, more nuanced path. And that look on his face, when he's up against the wall and running himself ragged? It makes you wanna risk it all to back him up.\\
'''Crowd Onlooker:''' (''spoken quietly'') You can do it.
** Tomura, in a full emotional breakdown, ''screams'' at Izuku to keep away from him, the paneling bringing up a flashback to Kotaro's own reaction to his son's fatal approach to drive home how much Izuku is making him '''fear him''' as another blow tears into him, bringing Izuku a concrete, unwavering vision of the Shimura household as he gets closer to Tomura's emotional core.

* Chapter 417:
** It's revealed that Izuku's connected blow last chapter successfully transferred ''all'' the Vestiges into Tomura's Core at once, in spite of his iron willpower, leaving it on the verge of breaking despite his mental and physical defences. The only exception is Nana alone, which as she realises is because of her own subconscious emotional rejection of Tomura's innermost pain and suffering born from her own family line, not any failing on Izuku's part. Regardless, the Ninth successor still affirms that he's glad to have her on his side as they both venture into Tomura's innermost self, the vision of his family house, Izuku no longer dressed in the rags of his hero costume, but [[BookEnds the middle school uniform he wore on first meeting All Might]] and starting his heroic journey, affirming for all that he's changed and grown, his simple heroic desire to help others has never wavered, being the greatest tool he can bring to bear in stopping Tomura's unending desire for destruction.
** As Izuku discovers, objects and beings within this deep a layer of his MentalWorld can affect Izuku's avatar physically, shown by a memory of a speeding truck grazing his backpack. Despite the danger this poses on Tomura's home ground, Izuku still fearlessly advances through his memories and twisted perception of reality, even as Tomura seeks to impede him every step of the way.
*** Tomura first confronts Izuku through a twisted shadowy mirror of himself in hero garb, showing the young boy how he doesn't see anything good or heroic in his efforts to face him and trying to undermine his willpower in order to empathize with his deepest pain, pointing out how even if he understands how Tomura's a TragicVillain, knowing exactly why he became this way won't change a thing about their mortal battle out in reality. Izuku immediately ''agrees'' with him, but affirms that he'll still proceed regardless, because just killing Tomura without understanding him wouldn't feel right to him no matter what.
---->'''"Dark Hero" Izuku:''' How about you die instead.\\
'''Izuku:''' You '''will''' let me in.
*** As Izuku pushes onwards towards the front door, Tomura physically pins him down with the memory of Stain doing the same to him, his face morphing into both Re-Destro's and Overhaul's as [[MeaningfulEcho the memories of their own conversations and challenges to Tomura's convictions]] become part of his own BreakingSpeech to Izuku. This too barely impedes Izuku, as he affirms [[MissingStepsPlan he's got no plan]] for how to "save" Tomura or the people imperiled by their fight, but [[HeroicWillpower he's going to anyway]], before smashing through the phantasm.
---->'''Memory Stain:''' (''Stabbing Izuku's arm'') That's why you're about to die. (''face morphs into Re-Destro'') What burdens do you bear?! What do you seek to build?! (''morphs into Overhaul'') [[ArmourPiercingQuestion Got a plan?]]\\
'''Izuku:''' Nope!! Get outta my way!!
** Entering the house, both Izuku and Nana witness the memory of Kotaro striking Tenko in a fit of rage after he found him with Nana's photo, paralysing Nana with grief over how twisted the painful scars left by her absence turned her son. This close to the vision of Tenko, Izuku finally hits a barrier he cannot overcome, the concentrated emotional rejection stemming from him erecting an invisible wall that steadily pushes him away. Nana, after hearing Kotaro's bitter tirade against her and heroes, is reduced to broken tears... that is, until he raises his hand for a further blow on his son. Despite her regrets, sorrow and self-loathing for failing them both, this time, Nana accepts her guilt and pushes through the barrier alongside Izuku, doing what she could not before and grabbing onto Kotaro's image to stop his attack on his son, as Izuku reaches out to comfort Tenko's shade, successfully transferring Nana's vestige into Tomura and shattering his core to pieces.
** The result of their efforts? Izuku finds himself alone, confronting the root cause of Tomura's pain and villainy in one, a shadowy vision of Tenko in the back garden as his Decay activates on Mon, finally having a chance to deal directly with his enemy's greatest source of strength.
* Chapter 418:
** Seeing Mon crumble to bloody pieces, Izuku realises the [[{{Familicide}} tragedy]] that's about to unfold with Hana is the starting point of Tenko/Tomura's origin, and that he has to stop it....which he does by forcibly willing his vestige body to physically exist within Tenko's memory, standing between him and Hana in the form of the young child he was in the very opening pages of the manga, holding back Tenko's uncontrollable TouchOfDeath from reaching the memory of Hana with his bare hands, even as the Decay painfully and slowly rips his arms apart. When Tenko insists that he ''chose'' the tragedy to occur, given how Quirks reflect upon the nature of the wielder, Izuku accepts this, but remains adamant and firm in his stance that he's there to save the part of Tenko that suffers in guilt from the death and pain he's caused, the memories of Class 1A reaching out to him during his Dark Hero moment giving Izuku the final push to force his own Vestige against Tenko until they both collapse to the ground.
--->'''Izuku:''' Others have reached out to take my hand and give me peace. That's why....'''I Am Here.'''
*** Whilst Tenko/Tomura's vestige is left still intact in the aftermath, he quietly and sadly rejects Izuku's offer of atonement, noting that, despite having found a true hero to save him from his misery, [[TrappedInVillainy he still has to oppose him regardless]], because he's a hero to the Villains who look up to him and supported him all this time, with images around the world showing that even at his most monstrous, there are still misanthropic individuals witnessing their fight in reality who are cheering for Tomura to win, a dark reflection of Izuku's own HopeBringer nature. Regardless, with the Decay having stopped consuming Izuku up to his shoulders and Tomura's quiet resignation, it's clear that Izuku's empathy has finally succeeded in smothering the burning hatred that [[ThePowerOfHate relentlessly empowered Tomura's rampage]] at long last, leaving both heroes at a standstill on how to proceed, neither one having the will or the means to continue their fight.
** However, before either one can resolve the standstill between them, they're suddenly assaulted by memories of Kotaro talking to somebody, memories that are explicitly ''not'' Tomura's, to their confusion. As these memories continue to cascade and overwhelm them both, they're suddenly knocked off-balance by a force rising through the ground beneath them, like a zombie bursting forth from its own grave to consume Tomura's weakened vestige now his willpower has faltered, deriding him for losing the mental and emotional struggle to an "absolute nobody" as he looms over the armless and powerless Izuku to reclaim his role as his final opponent. ''ALL FOR ONE IS BACK.''

* Chapter 419:
** All for One makes his return by revealing he manipulated Shigaraki's life from the start - after realizing Kotaro's first child was too old for his plan to work, he approached the family over the years as a neighbour, subtly convinced Kotaro to have Tenko whilst also encouraging his anti-hero mindset, and once he was born he secretly replaced his original Quirk with Decay (revealed to be a modified copy of Chisaki's Overhaul Quirk with its reconstruction aspect removed), patiently waiting for it to awaken in the worst way possible. All these reveals shake Shigaraki to his core as All for One claim this means he's nothing but a puppet he crafted for his own use, and at Shigaraki's most emotionally vulnerable he destroys his mind and claims his body as his own, with it reforming in reality into an [[CompositeCharacter amalgamated appearance of every significant villain in the story]] as All For One takes his place as Izuku's last enemy. All for One proves his petty and heinous actions make him an unrelenting antagonist to Izuku and Tomura both...
** But despite All for One's claims, we get a moment for Shigaraki as well. All for One reveals the only reason he could come back is because Midoriya's mental attack weakened Shigaraki enough for All for One to break free and use his trump card. This means despite what All for One said, his puppet became too strong for him to handle, and his consciousness was swallowed up by Shigaraki, meaning that if Midoriya hadn't tried to reach out to Shigaraki, AFO would've ''stayed'' locked up in his mind forever. All for One got ''lucky,'' and the only way he can stay in control is if he destroys Shigaraki's self-worth in order to beat Shigaraki in a battle of wills. In the end, even though All for One was confident his attack fully destroyed Shigaraki he can still hear an echo, which is implied to be Shigaraki's consciousness lingering. All for One simply isn't strong enough to permanently get rid of his tool, proving he is inferior to Shigaraki in the end.
*** Decay being a modified version of Overhaul's Quirk retroactively lends an extra dose of [[LaserGuidedKarma Karma]] to Tomura using that same power to neuter the original's ability in the most humiliating and gratifying manner possible.
** Deku is faced with his darkest hour. Despite having lost his predecessors' Quirks and vestiges, despite having potentially lost One For All itself and now having lost ''his own arms'', Deku refuses to admit defeat. He is still utterly determined to stop All For One and save Tenko and everyone else despite bleeding out helplessly on the ground before him. All For One utterly failed to conquer his will. Demonstrating why All Might chose Izuku and what Yoichi's vestige saw in Midoriya. HeroicWillpower indeed on Midoriya's part.
** Deku's actions weren't AllForNothing - All for One discovers that Shigaraki's body was damaged from the mental attack, with both Decay and Tomura's unstoppable hatred and willpower that fuelled his abilities having vanished alongside his psyche, leaving the body he inhabits as [[ClippedWingAngel a crippled shell]] of what he envisioned. Even more dammingly, the Vestiages' HeroicSacrifice means he's lost the chance to claim Yoichi for ''[[DeaderThanDead good]]''. On realising this, All For One, '''the''' epitome of a SoreLoser, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness sincerely admits]] that his "mid-term goal" has failed, dropping even his EvilIsHammy theatrical personality as he hits a DespairEventHorizon over losing his Twin for good and revealing what his true self is like: a [[DissonantSerenity disturbingly placid]] EmptyShell who cannot even take sincere joy in his villainy anymore and has only two goals left to motivate him to do ''anything''. TakeOverTheWorld out of "obligation" to the Demon Lord's reputation, and taking brutal bloody vengeance on Izuku with ice-cold fury in his [[DeathGlare gaze]]. It shows the ninth successor that All for One has always declared useless has essentially set him back even further than All Might did.
*** All For One spent the war obsessed with Izuku as a mere component in his plan to become the "Perfect Demon Lord" whilst deriding him personally as an InadequateInheritor of One For All's power. By refusing to allow his [[TheBully verbal bullying]] to [[BreakThemByTalking affect him]] and focusing only on the genuinely important goal of facing Tomura as his opponent, Izuku has pushed All For One to the wayside in his envisioned climatic face-off with his brother's power, such that when he finally "[[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor claimed]]" his prize, it was in [[PyrrhicVictory the worst, most hollow victory]] imaginable for him, having hurt him on an emotional level even worse than his original losing of Yoichi. Now, All For One is focused on Izuku out of mere petty spite for having destroyed his own [[HopeSpot dreams]] of reuniting with [[LivingEmotionalCrutch his twin]], like he did to so many countless others, and damming him to an eternity without any happiness.
** As All for One gets ready to finish Midoriya off once and for all, Sero, Ojiro, and Sato appear to rescue their friend. Together, they stop the self-proclaimed demon lord from attacking and manage to push him back. Midoriya happily exclaims they are still alive, as a Warp Gate opens, and Aizawa walks out apologizing for being late. The heroes are still fighting back and somehow, they have managed to get ''Kurogiri'' on their side.
[[/folder]]
----

** All for One makes his return by revealing he manipulated Shigaraki's life from the start - after realizing Kotaro's first child was too old for his plan to work, he convinced him to have Tenko, and once he was born he secretly replaced his original Quirk with Decay (revealed to be a modified copy of Chisaki's Overhaul Quirk with its reconstruction aspect removed) and patiently waited for it to awaken in the worst way possible. All these reveals shake Shigaraki to his core as All for One claim this means he's nothing but a puppet he crafted for his own use, and at Shigaraki's most emotionally vulnerable he destroys his mind and claims his body as his own. All for One proves his petty and heinous actions grant him a victory...

** Deku is faced with his darkest hour. Despite having lost his predecessors' Quirks and vestiges, despite having potentially lost One For All itself and now having lost his own arms, Deku refuses to admit defeat. He is still utterly determined to stop All For One and save Tenko and everyone else. All For One utterly failed to conquer his will. Demonstrating why All Might chose Izuku and what Yoichi's vestige saw in Midoriya. HeroicWillpower indeed on Midoriya's part.
** Deku's actions weren't AllForNothing - All for One discovers that Shigaraki's body was damaged from the mental attack. His "perfect" vessel is damaged, and Deku's HeroicSacrifice means he's lost the chance to claim One for All for ''good''. It shows the ninth successor that All for One has always declared useless has essentially set him back even further than All Might did.

** Seeing Mon crumble to bloody pieces, Izuku realises the [[{{Familicide}} tragedy]] that's about to unfold with Hana is the starting point of Tenko/Tomura's origin, and that he has to stop it....which he does by forcibly willing his vestige body to physically exist within Tenko's memory, standing between him and Hana in the form of the young child he was in the very opening pages of the manga, holding back Tenko's uncontrollable TouchOfDeath from reaching the memory of Hana with his bare hands, even as the Deay painfully and slowly rips his arms apart. When Tenko insists that he ''chose'' the tragedy to occur, given how Quirks reflect upon the nature of the wielder, Izuku accepts this, but remains adamant and firm in his stance that he's there to save the part of Tenko that suffers in guilt from the death and pain he's caused, the memories of Class 1A reaching out to him during his Dark Hero moment giving Izuku the final push to force his own Vestige against Tenko until they both collapse to the ground.

** As All for One gets ready to finish Midoriya off once and for all, Sero, Ojiro, and Sato appear to rescue their friend. Together, they stop the self-proclaimed demon lord from attacking and manage to push him back. Midoriya happily exclaims they are still alive, as a Wrap Gate opens, and Aizawa walks out apologizing for being late. The heroes are still fighting back and somehow, they have managed to get ''Kurogiri'' on their side.

** All for One makes his return by revealing he manipulated Shigaraki since his brother, even working to convince his father to have a second child. He stole his original quirk when he was an infant, secretly convinced the two kids Tenko played with to interact with him, even modified a copy of Chisaki's Overhaul quirk, by removing its reconstruction aspect to create Decay and implanted it in when he was a boy. All these reveals shake Shigaraki to his core as All for One claim this means he was nothing but a puppet he crafted and at Shigaraki's most emotionally vulnerable he destroys his mind and claim his body as his own. All for One proves his petty and heinous actions grant him a victory and he is a gloating.
** Despite All for One's claim of victory we get a moment for Shigaraki as well. All for One reveals the only reason he could come back is because Midoriya's mental attack weakened Shigaraki enough for All for One to break free and use his trump card. This means despite what All for One said that in the end his puppet became too strong for him to handle, and his consciousness was swallowed up by Shigaraki and would have remained locked up without Midoriya helping. In truth All for One got lucky and the only way he can stay in control is if he destroys Shigaraki's self-worth in order to beat Shigaraki in a battle of wills. In the end even though All for One was confident his attack would fully destroy Shigaraki he can still hear an echo, which is implied to be Shigaraki's consciousness lingering. All for One simply isn't strong enough to permanently get rid of his tool, proving he is inferior to Shigaraki in the end.
** Deku is faced with his darkest hour. Despite having lost his predecessors' quirks and vestiges, despite having potentially lost One For All itself and now having lost his own arms, Deku refuses to admit defeat. He is still utterly determined to stop All For One and save Tenko and everyone else. All For One utterly failed to conquer his will. Demonstrating why All Might chose Izuku and what Yoichi's vestige saw in Midoriya. HeroicWillpower indeed on Midoriya's part.
** Deku's actions weren't all for nought. All for One discovers that Shigaraki's body was damaged from the mental attack. His perfect body is damaged, and he lost any chance of claiming One for All. It shows the ninth successor that All for One has always declared useless has essentially set him back even further than All Might did.
** As All for One gets ready to finish Midoriya off once and for all, while he is still vulnerable, Sero, Ojiro, and Sato appear to rescue their friend. Together they stop the self-proclaimed demon lord from attacking and manage to push him back. Midoriya happily exclaims they are still alive, a Wrap Gate opens, and Aizawa walks out apologizing for being late. The heroes are still fighting back and somehow, they have managed to get Kurogiri on their side.

** Deku is faced with his darkest hour. Despite having lost his predecessors' quirks and vestiges, despite having potential lost One For All itself snd now having lost his own arms, Deku refuses to admit defeat. He is still utterly determined to stop All For One and save Tenko and everyone else. All For One utterly failed to conquer his will. The series demonstrates All Might chose Izuku and what Yoichi's vestige saw in Midoriya. HeroicWillpower indeed on Midoriya's part.

*** Whilst Tenko/Tomura's vestige is left still intact in the aftermath, he quietly and sadly rejects Izuku's offer of atonement, noting that, despite having found a true hero to save him from his misery, [[TrappedInVillainy he still has to oppose him regardless]], because he too is a hero to the Villains who look up to him and supported him all this time, with images around the world showing that even at his most monstrous, there are still misanthropic individuals witnessing their fight in reality who are cheering for Tomura to win, a dark reflection of Izuku's own HopeBringer nature. Regardless, with the Decay having stopped consuming Izuku up to his shoulders and Tomura's quiet resignation, it's clear that Izuku's empathy has finally succeeded in smothering the burning hatred that [[ThePowerOfHate relentlessly empowered Tomura's rampage]] at long last, leaving both heroes at a standstill on how to proceed, neither one having the will or the means to continue their fight.
** However, before either one can resolve the standstill between them, they're suddenly assaulted by memories of Kotaro talking to somebody, memories that are explicitly ''not'' Tomura's, to their confusion. As these memories continue to cascade and overwhelm them both, they're suddenly knocked off-balance by a force rising through the ground beneath them, like a zombie bursting forth from its own grave to consume Tomura's weakened vestige now his willpower has faltered, deriding him for losing the mental and emotional struggle to an "absolute nobody" as he looms over the armless and powerless Izuku to reclaim his role as his final opponent. ALL FOR ONE IS BACK.

** ALL FOR ONE'S NOT DONE. The very second Tomura's will falters, the vestige proceeds to devour him and takes full control of his body.

-->'''Kudo:''' I'm betting everything on you, ''Ninth''. '''[[WhamLine The time has come...to part ways with One For All.]]'''

--->'''Tomura:''' My body rejects what's coming. [[OhCrap It can't afford to take this hit!]]

-->'''Lady Nagant:''' He managed to wrench open my heart. He has this special way of doing it. And there's nothing harder for a Villain to bear than ''[[DontYouDarePityMe that.]]'' [.] I bet that's what he's up to right now. He's not merely out to punish evil, like it's all so black-and-white. That boy's dream is taking him down a thornier, more nuanced path. And that look on his face, when he's up against the wall and running himself ragged? It makes you wanna risk it all to back him up.\\

-->'''Lady Nagant:''' He managed to wrench open my heart. He has this special way of doing it. And there's nothing harder for a Villain to bear than ''[[DontYouDarePityMe that.]]'' [.] I bet that's what he's up to right now. He's not merely out to punish evil, like it's all so black-and-white. That boy's dream is taking him down a thornier, more nuanced path. And that look on his face, when he's up against the wall and running himself ragged? It makes you wanna risk it all to back him up\\

-->'''Lady Nagant:''' He managed to wrench open my heart. He has this special way of doing it. And there's nothing harder for a Villain to bear than ''[[DontYouDarePityMe evildoers that.]]'' [.] I bet that's what he's up to right now. He's not merely out to punish evil, like it's all so black-and-white. That boy's dream is taking him down a thornier, more nuanced path. And that look on his face, when he's up against the wall and running himself ragged? It makes you wanna risk it all to back him up\\

** In flashback to their pre-battle meeting, Hawks outlines that, despite his immense power, All For One's wounds inflicted by All Might are ''still'' a [[AchillesHeel massive crippling weakness]], no matter how much he tries to hide it, thus giving them an opening to seriously hurt him despite his position as the runner up for the title of WorldsStrongestMan next to Tomura. Since attacking him with numbers to target said weak spot would only empower him, Hawks points out that they need to hit him with with their most skilled fighters in the smallest possible team, meaning the fighting comes down to him and Endeavor working in concert to combat All For One and blitzkrieg him to prevent him unleashing any wide-range attacks that could devastate all the combats below, hero and villain alike. Endeavor's heat proves capable of pushing through the heat resistance All For One possesses from one of his quirks, and as it's a non-physical attack, he can't use Impact Recoil to defend himself like he did with All Might's own blows, showing how much the heroes have learned and adapted to All For One's tactics since Kamino. Even All For One's [[BreakThemByTalking characteristic taunting]] fails to work against Hawks, who merely turns his attempts to get a rise out of him back in his face, mocking the DiabolicalMastermind that he's not as capable as he ''thinks'' he is if he's unable to fight both of them off adequately.