"Well… I've basically told you everything I know," Masata said after a short pause. "In short, that kind of overwhelming strength—I've only ever felt it from you, All Might. It's completely beyond the level of ordinary Pro Heroes. So I was wondering… could that man really be the one who injured you five years ago?"
Knowing that All Might carried an old, incurable wound, Masata truly couldn't imagine anyone else capable of inflicting such damage on the world's Number One Hero—except the man he had just encountered.
A brief silence fell over the infirmary.
All Might let out a long sigh.
"Yes," he said quietly. "Based on your description, I'm almost certain the person you met tonight is the one who tore a hole through my stomach five years ago."
"And his real name has long since vanished into history. What remains is only a code name—ALL FOR ONE."
As if recalling memories buried deep in the past, a fierce light flickered in All Might's sunken eyes.
"And that code name… is also the name of his Quirk."
"ALL FOR ONE…" Masata muttered. "It sounds eerily similar to your Quirk, ONE FOR ALL. Just… reversed."
The resemblance was too striking to be a coincidence. And if the names were this close, then the power behind them must be equally terrifying.
"Could it be," Masata said slowly, "that his Quirk allows him to steal other people's Quirks?"
"Yes," All Might replied. "In fact… ONE FOR ALL originated from his Quirk."
Pulling a chair over, All Might sat down, his voice dropping as he began to reveal a long-hidden truth.
"In the earliest days of Quirks, society hadn't yet adapted. The definition of 'humanity' collapsed overnight. Civilization stagnated. The world at that time was chaotic and lawless."
"And then… he appeared."
"He took Quirks from the powerless and bestowed them upon those who obeyed him. In a short time, he gathered immense strength. With power and ambition combined, he rose to become the ruler of evil almost instantly."
"That man… was ALL FOR ONE."
Masata felt a chill crawl down his spine.
"So he can steal Quirks, use them himself, and even give them to others…" Masata clenched his fists. "Just thinking about that makes my skin crawl. I nearly became his victim today—and I even tried to fight him. That's really… disgusting."
The thought of his own Quirk appearing in someone else's hands filled Masata with revulsion. It was a fate worse than death.
"Many people who received Quirks from him couldn't endure the genetic overload," All Might continued. "They turned into creatures that were neither human nor monster. I believe Nomu is one such result."
Without stopping, he went on.
"There were also cases where receiving multiple Quirks caused them to mutate—essentially fusing together into something new."
…That sounds a lot like me.
Masata's thoughts raced. His own Quirk had clearly changed—but it wasn't ALL FOR ONE. After all, that man had tried to steal it. Which meant the transformation must have been triggered by his other, hidden ability.
"And ONE FOR ALL was born from one of those forced transfers," All Might said.
"He had a younger brother—frail, quirkless, but with an unshakable sense of justice. That brother opposed his tyranny."
"I don't know whether it was twisted affection or mere experimentation," All Might said grimly, "but he forcibly gave his brother a Quirk—Power Stockpiling."
All Might spread his arms slightly, as if unveiling the truth.
"Then… his brother wasn't truly quirkless," Masata said, eyes widening. "He had a Quirk that allowed him to pass Quirks on to others!"
Masata's mind clicked instantly.
"Which means the two Quirks merged—creating ONE FOR ALL, a power that can be inherited generation after generation. I'm right, aren't I?"
"…Yes," All Might said, momentarily caught off guard. "Your analysis is correct, Igarashi boy."
Being interrupted right at the climax made All Might cough awkwardly.
"So you defeated him five years ago," Masata continued. "But now he's resurfacing… That's terrifying. He must have lived for centuries."
"That's right," All Might said solemnly. "And it's likely he's already set his sights on you. But his body hasn't fully recovered, and he still fears my presence. He probably won't act directly for now."
"However," All Might added, his gaze sharpening, "his subordinates may target you instead."
All Might looked genuinely concerned. His own time was limited—he couldn't protect Masata forever.
"Hahaha," Masata laughed suddenly. "As long as that monster doesn't come personally, I'm not afraid!"
His confidence startled All Might—but Masata alone understood how much he had changed.
True strength is invisible.
Only when you collide with something overwhelming do you truly understand yourself.
Masata clenched his fists, his gaze unwavering.
"When you face something terrifying, something far stronger than yourself… that's when you learn who you really are."
"And now," he said firmly, "I understand myself better than ever."
A powerful aura surged from Masata's body.
"After this incident, I've transformed. I've seen what true 'power' looks like—and I know how narrow my old self was."
"If villains want to come," Masata declared, "then let them come! As long as I'm breathing, as long as my bones aren't shattered, I'll keep moving forward!"
"They'll become my nourishment. My stepping stones. And through them, I'll reach even greater heights!"
Watching Masata blaze with resolve, the worry in All Might's eyes slowly faded. His tense brow relaxed, and a smile crept onto his face.
Hadn't Toshinori Yagi himself once carved a path through endless battles to become All Might?
Still—this young man was different.
Igarashi Masata was not walking the same path as the Symbol of Peace.
"Then keep growing like this, Igarashi boy," All Might said, transforming once more into his muscular form.
He flashed his signature grin and raised his thumb.
"As long as I can still move… I'll be your shield!"
"And until that day—"
"PLUS ULTRA!!!"