"MIDORIYA!"

"DEKU!"

Todoroki and Uraraka ran up and cradled the ghostly hero's limp body, tears brimming at the corners of their eyes.

Bakugou watched, frozen as his friend perished in less than an instant.

It's over... it's all over... All for One won...

"Pity, he had an amazing quirk too, wouldn't you agree?" All for One added sarcastically, rubbing salt in the wound for Bakugou.

"You're a monster!" Bakugou shouted back. "Deku was the least of fucking all of us to deserve to die like that!"

"I'm not the monster here, Bakugou," All for One sneered, his tone darkening. "You're the one who caused all this. Remember that."

Bakugou swallowed his retort, hiding his eyes behind his bangs as his whole body trembled at the super villain's words.

He's right... I'm the one who got kidnapped, again... Deku's gone... any possible chance of stopping All for One is gone... all because of me...

"Fine," he whispered, his voice catching in his throat. "You win..."

He closed his eyes in defeat, as if those two words were what finally shattered him.

Sorry... Todoroki, Uraraka... everyone... I can't do this anymore...

One student erupted in a coughing fit, and all eyes turned to Midoriya, who struggled to crawl towards Bakugou.

"Kacchan..." he whispered, barely conscious. "Remember... remember who you are! You're the top student in the hero course! You can't lose yourself, because you have all of us rooting for you, chasing after you for strength and confidence! Do what you do best: FIGHT!"

The other students all erupted in cheers of agreement as Midoriya kept rambling on and on.

I can't... I can't beat him... A small smirk crept onto his lips. But that doesn't mean I won't go down without trying!

He slammed his fist down into the ground beside him, the impact leaving a small crater under his fist. With deep breaths, he pushed himself up, slowly rising to his shaky feet.

"Don't you ever stop talking, Deku?" He smirked, glaring darkly at all the villains. "You!" He pointed at All for One. "I may not be as strong as you yet, but as the future Number One Hero, that doesn't mean I can't go down without a proper fight!"

All for One snapped his fingers, and all their monster forms disappeared. "Let's see you do it without your monster forms—"

"Like I needed a wolf tail to kick your ass!" Bakugou snarled.

"I won't let you hurt my Master!" Shigaraki shouted, as all the League villains rushed at him simultaneously.

"My fight isn't with you bastards!" Bakugou blew them all back, but they charged again, ready to stop him.

Each villain found students blocking them from their target. Todoroki stared down Dabi, Kirishima, Iida and Uraraka readied to take on Shigaraki. Tokoyami and Shoji readied to face Mr. Compress again.

"You're the one who caught me in that weird pearl," Tokoyami muttered. "I've got some payback I've been meaning to give you!"

The rest of 1-A split up amongst Toga, Spinner, Magne, Kurogiri, and Twice, along with some of Class 1-B, all ready to leave Bakugou and Midoriya the main fight uninterrupted.

"Sure you can do this, Shitty Nerd?" Bakugou muttered as Midoriya stepped into an attack stance. "You're seriously injured—"

"You're one to talk, Kacchan," Midoriya countered, neither taking their eyes off the super villain. "Besides, I was still a ghost then. Most of the attack passed through me harmlessly. Now, let's take the League down!"

And with that, the two lunged against the most powerful villain on the planet.