The water settled. The blood did not.
Red smeared the waves as floating bodies bobbed in the current—villains silenced by an overwhelming force they never expected.
On the rocking boat, Izuku Midoriya gripped the rail so hard his knuckles turned white.
He stared at the scene in front of him—at the boy standing calmly atop the crimson-stained water.
Madara's blue skeletal armor faded into the air like smoke, as if the massacre had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
Asui Tsuyu shivered beside him.
Midoriya's stomach twisted. His heart pounded louder than the crashing waves.
Was this… a classmate?
On the far side of the battlefield—
"Retreat."
Tomura Shigaraki's voice was gravel-thick with frustration. He scratched at his neck until red streaks laced his skin.
"We aren't ready for this… monster."
Kurogiri gave a low hum of agreement.
"Understood."
A portal swallowed them both, their forms fading into violet mist.
They left the remnants of their force behind—mere pawns to be crushed or arrested.
At the flood zone—
Madara exhaled slowly, lowering his hand.
He turned his head slightly, casting a glance over his shoulder.
"You two… still breathing?"
His tone was flat, indifferent.
Izuku couldn't answer. He felt something hollow crack inside his chest.
So much for "becoming a Hero."
So much for "saving people with a smile."
Was this… what power meant?
From the shore, hurried footsteps echoed.
"Uchiha!!"
Aizawa's sharp voice cut through the air as he sprinted toward them, No. 13 trailing behind.
"What happened here?!"
He arrived just in time to see the last remnants of Susanoo vanish into faint wisps.
Madara simply folded his arms.
"They're dead. Situation handled."
Aizawa's eyes widened, darting from the corpses in the water to the ashen faces of his students.
"…You killed them?"
Madara didn't blink.
"They would have killed your students. I did what you couldn't."
A heavy silence fell.
Izuku finally found his voice—thin, strained.
"You… You didn't have to kill them…"
Madara turned, eyes narrowed.
"You want a lecture now? Then listen."
He stepped forward.
"Out there, heroes die every day. Villains kill without warning. The world isn't kind, Midoriya. And it won't wait for you to catch up."
Izuku clenched his fists.
"But… Heroes don't kill."
Madara stared at him for a long moment.
And then… he smirked.
"Then you'd better pray you never meet a villain who doesn't care about your ideals."
Aizawa inhaled deeply, holding his anger in check.
There would be questions later. Explanations. Reports.
But for now—
"We'll talk… back at the school."
Madara gave a small nod.
Behind them, sirens wailed in the distance—rescue units closing in.
And under the dark sky, three students stood side by side…
…each carrying a very different idea of what it meant to be a hero.