Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Izumi POV.
I could see faint dark spots in my vision. I blinked rapidly and forced myself to stay conscious. My whole body ached even though all my wounds were healed.
All Might and Grandpa had moved far enough away to talk to the other heroes who had approached. I stayed to one side, waiting quietly.
"Izumi!" I heard four girls shout, and my gaze turned to them. I smiled lazily toward my fiancées. I was genuinely relieved that none of them were hurt.
They were just tired, they looked a little roughed up, but nothing to worry about.
"Girls." I said with difficulty in their direction. Ruby was the first to approach, and she hugged me tightly.
"Izumi! Are you okay?" I could hear Ruby's voice tremble slightly, though I could hear the relief in it. I just nodded.
"I'm fine," I said earnestly. "Although very, very tired," I said with a sigh. I tried to pull away, but Ruby just clung to me. I chuckled softly and glanced at the others.
The three of them seemed slightly anxious; Azula's hand even appeared to be trembling slightly. I simply opened my arms wide and smiled, ignoring Ruby's body.
"Aren't you going to give me a hug?" I asked with a lazy smile. That finally seemed to put them out of their misgivings, and they pounced. Taylor and Darkness wrapped around me tightly, even surrounding and squashing Ruby in the process. Azula walked quickly, stood behind me, clung to my arms, and rested her forehead against my back.
"You're okay... It's all over." Taylor said shakily as she squeezed me tighter, and I nodded as best I could.
"Yes, it's all over." I confirm with them. "Are any of you hurt?" asked quickly. They finally separated slightly.
"No, we're fine. After killing the dungeon boss, we cleared out the stragglers and helped with the evacuation while you defeated the villain," Taylor said quickly. I nodded as my body felt heavier and heavier.
"That's good," I murmured slowly, the dark spots in my vision growing larger. "You know what... I'm really sleepy..." I mumbled, before falling unconscious, I threw my swords into my shadows along with another object.
I could feel my Totality escaping from my body. My aura finally broke, and everything went dark.
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Taylor POV
"Izumi!" we all exclaimed at the same time as we grabbed Izumi, who had just collapsed forward. His face was buried in the crook of my neck as I clung to him. I could feel his aura shatter in my arms.
"Relax, it's okay," said a new voice that had approached. We all looked at the same time.
"R-Ryuma-sama!" I squealed in surprise, and Ryuma just snorted.
"Call me old man, kid. It doesn't change my identity at all." Ryuma said, shrugging his shoulders.
"I-I can't do that!" I said quickly, almost horrified, before Ryuma smiled mockingly at me.
"I should have let the hunters beat you up a lot more during the internship." Ryuma mocked. I froze in place, all expression disappearing from my face.
"I really feel like punching you... old man." I said with an almost contemptuous sneer, though I trembled slightly. Being so close and casual with a National Ranker was... It was unusual, rare at best. To my surprise, Ryuma just let out a loud laugh.
"That's more like it, kid." Ryuma said, tapping my shoulder a few times. I blushed slightly as I held Izumi in my arms. My eyes widened.
"Izumi!" I squealed once again, completely mortified at having momentarily forgotten about him.
"Don't worry. He's just sleeping." Ryuma said gently, looking at Izumi… his grandson. I shuddered mentally… Yes, that's not something I can get used to anytime soon.
"Sleeping?" Ruby asked worriedly, and Ryuma nodded.
"He... he was the one who used the most aura trying to weaken All For One. He spent so much aura in the fight that I'm surprised he lasted this long. He's stupidly stubborn, and I have no doubt he simply kept his aura together through sheer willpower." Ryuma snorted... with affection? I nodded as I carefully checked on Izumi.
After carefully manoeuvring his body with the others' help, we finally saw Izumi's face.
I could see him and hear him breathing slowly and comfortably. He was moving his mouth, almost babbling, like when he slept peacefully in bed. He looked so peaceful.
Despite how slightly battered he looked, there wasn't a single drop of tension on his face; he was simply... sleeping peacefully.
I sighed with relief along with the others.
"Little girl, there's something I have to return to you." Ryuma said with a smile as he lifted Shusui. My eyes widened slightly, and a pang of fear gripped me. I gritted my teeth and carefully handed Izumi to Darkness, who was the closest.
Darkness quickly placed her weapon and shield on her back, lifted him with ease, and carried him like a princess. Izumi grunted softly and snuggled against Darkness, looking terribly comfortable in his new spot, even lying on top of Darkness's armor. I wanted to snort, but I glanced at Ryuma instead.
Ryuma simply laid Shusui down, which was back in its sheath. I bit my lip.
"Shusui... is yours." I said tremulously, clutching Yubashiri to my hip almost as if seeking solace. I found none. It wasn't my sword, it wasn't familiar to me, it wasn't mine, it wasn't Shusui.
"Don't be ridiculous." Ryuma snorted as he used Shusui like a stick and hit me on the head. I winced in pain as my eyes widened. "Shusui recognised you as its partner long ago," Ryuma said gently as he stroked the sword.
"What?" I asked foolishly. Ryuma smiled slightly.
"I already told you during the internship, Shusui chose you... You are its companion, until your death or until you decide to give it to someone else. But Shusui won't choose anyone else for decades. You are its owner, and you are the only one who can wield it."
"Even I, its former owner, even if I agreed that I could wield it in this fight, will have trouble unleashing Shusui's true power now." Ryuma said with a smile as he extended his hand with Shusui.
I bit my lip. My insects were everywhere. Heroes, police, rescue workers, and journalists with their cameras were all present near us. The moment Ryuma decided to approach, all the cameras were pointed at us.
Having Shusui was one thing; there was no confirmation that she was Ryuma's 'heir' in any way. But... Ryuma himself handing Shusui over so openly was something else entirely.
Before I could even consider it, my hand reached out on its own and grasped Shusui. I couldn't even mortify myself when I felt the wave of relief, the feeling of wholeness when I held Shusui in my hands again, as if a limb that had been torn off was growing back.
"I... I will use Shusui well." I said finally with determination. Nothing else mattered anymore; it didn't matter how the rest of the world saw me, they could call me whatever they wanted, give me whatever title they liked, but Shusui... Shusui was mine. And I wouldn't back down because of a mere title.
Ryuma just nodded his head while smiling broadly, as if he were reading my mind.
"Excuse me... Ryuma-sama." Ruby interrupted shyly. Ryuma looked directly at her, and Ruby paled.
"You must be... Ruby Rose, right?" Ryuma asked while humming. Ruby blushed deeply.
"Ryuma knows my name." Ruby murmured in amazement. I coughed quickly while smirking. Ruby blushed deeply. "Sorry!" Ruby squealed, embarrassed. Ryuma snorted amusedly.
"Don't worry, and yes, I know your name, all of yours. My idiot grandson loves talking about you," Ryuma said, rolling his eyes. "Azula, Darkness," Ryuma said simply, nodding in their direction.
"Ryuma-sama." Azula said as she placed her left hand in a palm shape on top of her right fist and bowed even more deeply in greeting.
"I-it's a pleasure to meet you, Ryuma-sama!" said Darkness as she bowed as far as she could with Izumi in her arms.
"That's not necessary; all that formality is annoying. Call me whatever you want as long as you drop the honorifics. Grandpa, old man, Ryuma." Ryuma said, shrugging. They both seemed ready to argue.
"Ruby, didn't you want to ask something?" I asked quickly.
"Ah, yes! You—you talk about Shusui as if… as if it were alive. I know Izumi does too, but…are you saying they're capable of choosing their owner?" Ruby asked timidly. Ryuma hummed softly.
"They are. Perhaps not exactly living, but something similar, they have... their own souls. The weapons... reflect their wielders or their creators; both constantly use their aura in the weapons, which sometimes leave... an impression on them."
"Sometimes, weapons can absorb those impressions and... gain something akin to a soul. Most Meito possess something similar to varying degrees. The weapons of high-level hunters do as well."
"Actually... yours too. Your scythe soul is tiny, but it's there." Ryuma said, looking at Ruby's hip.
"Crescent Rose?!" Ruby squealed excitedly. Ryuma nodded slightly.
"I can see that you are its creator and its wielder, so yes, it has quite a cheerful spark." Ryuma said, and Ruby's eyes sparkled as she began to bounce.
"Seriously?! My Crescent Rose is becoming a Meito?! Will she be just as strong?! Will she get any powers?! Will she be able to talk?! Will I be able to communicate mentally with her and make a super strong duo to catch villains?!" Ruby asked quickly with excitement.
Ryuma blinked before snorting playfully. Ruby blushed, realising exactly who she'd gotten excited in front of.
"Unfortunately, it won't be able to speak, not in the traditional way; weapons only communicate with those who know how to listen," Ryuma said with amusement.
I almost sighed. Another riddle. He really liked doing that. I'd think it came with age, but Izumi also enjoyed doing that sometimes when it wasn't about something important. It was just fun for them.
"Yours... too." Ryuma said, looking at Azula. "In fact... its spark awakened today, that's... truly impressive." Ryuma said, gazing at Azula's sword. Azula's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh... I... I gave it a name today, that... might have something to do with it?" Azula asked, puzzled, as she gripped her sword. Ryuma nodded.
"What is its name?" Ruby asked excitedly. Ruby, being a lover of weapons, was the one who had most insisted that Azula name her sword. She had even done so with Darkness and her shield, but she hadn't had her shield for very long, less than a week.
"A name is very... important, especially when it has a significant meaning," Ryuma said simply.
"It's called Amaterasu," Azula said simply. Ryuma stopped stiffly before bursting into laughter.
"Arrogant, girl, I like you," Ryuma chirped. Azula smiled slightly. "May I?" he asked, pointing at her sword. Azula nodded quickly, extending her sword toward Ryuma. He carefully drew it from its scabbard and began to look at it.
"Ah, the Nichirin sword... Izumi commissioned this one; it was his second sword." Ryuma said fondly as he looked at Azula's newly named sword, pausing in one spot before sighing.
"It has a crack," Ryuma said, pointing to a spot. Azula froze. I could see the horror in her eyes as she approached the sword's blade. "I'll fix it for you," he said simply, returning it to its sheath.
"Huh?" Azula asked foolishly. Ryuma looked at her, confused.
"Didn't Izumi and Taylor tell you I own a weapon shop?" Ryuma asked, puzzled.
"Y-yes, but they never said that YOU made the weapons." Azula said, surprised, as she looked at me.
"Don't look at me, I didn't know either." I said defensively. Ryuma scratched his chin.
"Ah, the topic never came up." Ryuma said casually, shrugging his shoulders. I could feel my eye twitch. Right, now I remember why I wanted to punch him so often—he really was Izumi's grandfather.
"Oh my God! You create weapons?! This day is getting even better! Can I help you repair Azula's weapon?" Ruby asked excitedly. Ryuma paused slightly.
"You know qu-"
"NEXT, IT'S-" We all fell silent as All Might's voice echoed across the battlefield. We turned simultaneously and saw All Might, not smiling, his hand pointing at one of the cameras. "-YOUR TURN!"
Those words utterly shook me. I couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion as a smile spread across my face. A statement from the symbol of peace. A statement from one of Japan's greatest heroes, possibly the world's. A warning to criminals on the loose.
It was so… incredible. All Might was incredible. Apparently, I wasn't the only one; Ruby was cheering happily.
"How dramatic." Ryuma mocked with a smile. I opened my mouth to try to defend All Might, but stopped myself as soon as I remembered exactly who Ryuma was. If anyone could call All Might dramatic or make fun of him, it was Ryuma. "Well, girls, I have work to do."
"A UA helicopter with one of your teachers will be here soon. Get in and head to UA to avoid the crowd," Ryuma said as he started walking away. He tossed the sword to Azula. "I'll come back for your sword later," he added.
"What? No, wait, I can still help with the rescue operation!" I said quickly. Ryuma looked at me over his shoulder.
"I know, but it's not necessary. Now that we're not busy, All Might and I are more than capable of giving directions. Izumi's Observation Haki might be ridiculous, but ours is by no means negligible." Ryuma said, amusedly as he walked away.
"Besides, it's best if you take care of my idiot grandson; he might do something stupid the moment he wakes up," Ryuma said, raising his hand in farewell.
I sighed before looking at the girls. We exchanged a glance, then nodded, our gaze finally falling on Izumi, who was sleeping comfortably.