A Hero

A 25-year old number one hero, Deku, had long fallen into abyss after everyone's sacrifice as they had believed in him. He had ended the mastermind in the very war between heroes and villains, All for One, but was it really worth it?

Witnessing everyone's death in front of his eyes wasn't something he dreamed of. They were supposed to save the world together, hand in hand, not die for his sake.

The world had already crumbled after years of death and war, and the only one standing after plunging a fatal punch onto All for One was Deku, with his chosen successor close to dying at the side.

With her aid to send a suitable person back in time to set things right, she abandoned her own visions to make way for her idol's, Deku's, in a final attempt to set things right, where their dreams could come true—sending him in time where things are just about brewing.

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The thick cloud of dust slowly subsided. It revealed Deku's hand through All for One's chest, mind cleared of anger and sadness. After all, what should he be angry for? Though it was his win, what's left to do? Everything around him is crumbling… and everyone is dead.

The villain in his hands coughed a fair amount of blood, his mask falling from his face, revealing a mocking grin pasted on the bastard's face. "No matter what…" he choked in his own blood, "… you do… it's still my win…" his smile grew wider as he held the hero's arm tight, his words echoing in the ruins that surrounded them, "Look around you…"

Deku was too tired to even listen to the mad man in his arms.

"You've failed..."

Those chilling words echoed in Deku's mind. His blood boiled and he was instantly awaken, wanting to throw the man in eternal torture to pay for what he had done, but it was already too late for the man had already died in his arms. 'Too bad,' he thought, pulling his arms out of the man's body, letting it fall with a thud, 'that was too quick to pay everything…'

The once number one hero sighed, flicking the blood on his arms off before standing dimly in his place. He stared at the distance with his empty eyes, reminiscing with everyone's trust and fate in him before everything of this even happened.

Things weren't supposed to go this way.

It was rather quick, really. They were having the time of their lives before god knows how long war between villains and heroes erupted out of nowhere. It was just like a wave of tsunami hitting them, wiping out even the last drop of heroes that once stood side by side.

Well, All Might had died way before everything happened. Who knows what he'd say to Deku? The young man thinks he'd be detested by his idol and would rather go to hell than to face him. He failed everyone's trust in him, and just watched every single one of them die trying to protect him in order to preserve the Rising Symbol of Peace.

Shota Aizawa had died recently, in his arms too. Deku tried his best to protect him, but his once teacher protected him instead.

Shoto…

Katsuki…

Ochaco…

Every single one of them died for his sake. Many more died, but he can't bear to recall how they had died just to preserve this Rising Symbol of Peace.

Deku knew he was bleeding out, but everything felt numb. Everything felt empty as the memories of family and friends dying flash before his eyes.

For him, he doesn't deserve to be called a hero. Though he killed the one who started it all…

He let too many die.

He watched many die.

He saved no one.

His knees fell to the ground as the fog started to thicken, all done with everything. What's the use of defeating "the final boss" when… everyone's dead?

Hoarse coughs interrupted his thoughts, making him swiftly gaze to his side and meet the eyes of his chosen successor. His body moved on its own and carried him to her side, gently placing her head onto his lap. Deku's tired eyes said panic, worried over the only person breathing on the ruins, other than him.

"M-Miku…!" His voice crumbled as the young hero on his lap cough out an alarming amount of crimson blood. The red liquid trailed onto his clothes, but he doesn't mind, only worried about the child's state. "P-Please, stay with me, okay?" he was panicking, and it can be read on his face.

Hope sparked in his eyes. Maybe if he save this young girl, he might still be able to live on knowing that he had done something right. His mind flooded with guilty thoughts that if she dies right now, it's his fault for not being strong enough.

The young female hero only smiled, cupping the hero's face, trying her best to sit up. "Deku-san… no," she coughed, closing an eye, "Izuku-niisan…" she smiled as the young man in front of her let out his emotions, his mask falling down and revealing his freckled face, "… don't lose hope…" she wiped away his tears, not minding her own crying self.

"I—" The green-haired hero hiccupped, pulling away and wiping his own tears, "I've failed, Miku… I've… I'm…" his head hung low, "I'm a failure…"

"Niisan, no." Miku's words danced in his mind, "… you've done…" she coughed, "your part… and I haven't done mine yet…" She smiled, pulling herself closer to him, "... I-I'm sure you still… have a lot of time to spare…"

Deku looked up, eyes locking with the bloodied young lass in front, "Wh-What do you…?"

"I… won't be able to join you… on this one… particular… adventure…" The girl's breathing became heavier, but she tried her best to pull the young man closer. She leaned her forehead onto his, her golden eyes staring into his empty green ones.

She smiled. She's very thankful, to say the least. If it weren't for the number one here finding her, she wouldn't have had the chance to go to great adventures with him and his team, though this might be their last. Sure, she wouldn't be able to see a bright future in this dying world, but since she has enough strength to do something that will very much sure change everything, she needs to do it.

Even if it costs her own life.

Condensing a cold, golden light in her eyes, she stared into Deku's window of soul, commanding her ability to help her idol hero to make things right. Her power immediately consumed a large portion of her own life, though it doesn't matter as long as she can place her trust in him.

It's tiring, she admit, but she pulled through, focusing on the idea of a great future that will come forth for their world, in a different time. She knew that she won't be able to fulfil her dreams herself, but with Izuku, she knows that her, their dreams will live on.

"… Stay strong… for me, Hero-san…" Her smile faltered as a bright light engulfed the two of them, her essence of life slowly dissipating into an eternal slumber.

Once the light died down, the only one left on the bloodied ruins was a dying body bathing in her own crimson blood. She fell, eyes slowly closing, tears endlessly escaping her tired eyes. She sucked in a jagged breath, forcing a smile on her face despite the pain surrounding her body as the backlash of her prowess eats her alive.

With one final breath, she silently wished her hero a great luck.

"I'll miss you…"

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UA is a ranked high school for aspiring heroes and is considered as the top Hero Academy in Japan—that's why it's heavily guarded by high-tech security and top heroes, even if it's only just a few months away from accepting new students coming from all over the world. People, heroes or not, know that intruders wouldn't dare to come close to the high barriers, gates and thick forest surrounding the top school.

They knew better to not get close to the hero school, so when a new presence came out of nowhere in the forest, which caught the hero's, Hound Dog's, guard. His keen senses picked up the nasty scent of smoke, dust, and fresh blood centralise in one part of the forest. He growled, making Ectoplasm turn to him and back him up to whatever's emitting the gory scent.

They acted quickly, sending a message to the principal as a precaution of what's to expect as they head to the area. They went through a set of bushes blocking their way, stopping as when something, or someone, laying seemingly lifeless on the cold, hard ground greeted them. Both of them halted as they process what the figure actually is. This gave them time to examine the mysterious person in the proximity of the school.

The person was wearing clothes that were once green, torn and stained with filth, dust and blood. It appears to be a hero costume, but it was too tattered and covered in filth to be so sure. He looks to be someone in his late teens or in his early twenties, but they weren't really certain as he was bathing in blood. His long, fluffy hair appeared too dark and dusty to actually tell what the actual colour is.

The Hound Hero growled, catching different scents coming from the boy, one very familiar to him, but stopped as Ectoplasm put his arms out to block his way. The hero crouched down and searched for life at the young boy, picking up a faint pulse when he placed his fingers on the boy's wrist.

The Hound Hero snorted and crouched down soon after, searching for something to identify the intruder with. Opening up a pouch from the boy's belt accessory, he pulled out… something. It was a card, a hero card too, he could see that, but it was burnt and as though it had been through so much fight.

The only thing he could see was half a picture of the intruder's supposedly masked face. Knowing his name was impossible for the area that it's supposed to be in is in ashes, the only character left was the letter 'z'. It wasn't much to identify him, really.

Well, whoever he is, he definitely went through a hard time or two. The bags under the young man's eyes confirms it. Who knows, really? He might've went through a war without them knowing and escaped to the forest for safety. Of course, the 'war' part is an exaggeration in their part, but only if they knew…

"He's a hero, huh?" Ectoplasm inquired after taking a glance at the hero card in the Hound Dog's hands. "Well, hero or not, we should get him to a safe place. Whoever did this to him might still be around." It was weird for the hero to say such things, so Ryo stared at him for a good moment.

The Hound Dog was sure that the Ectoplasm he knew is unrelenting, but what had gotten into him? Sure, the dying boy in front of them might have a hero card, but he may still be a villain. But, just like Ectoplasm, he felt something in the boy that they could trust… for now, anyways.

Ectoplasm cloned himself and scooped the young man to his back, carefully adjusting him as to not make his already severe injuries go worse than worst. The Hound Hero led the way towards the nearest and safest place, being the known UA, rushing to, hopefully, save the mysterious man's life.