"Enough!"
Just as the expressions of the Pro Heroes grew increasingly complicated under Shigaraki Tomura's words, a massive figure surged forward in a gust of wind and landed directly before him.
The man stood far taller and broader than any ordinary person.
No—
It would be more accurate to say his art style itself didn't match the rest of the world.
A towering blond giant with a heroic physique.
The moment Shigaraki saw him, he recognized him instantly.
That dazzling, exaggerated grin.
The unmistakable V-shaped bangs.
That distinct presence that felt almost drawn from a different genre.
There was only one person in the entire world who possessed such unmistakable traits.
Japan's Number One Hero—
Code Name: All Might.
Since his debut as a Pro Hero, crime rates had plummeted nationwide. Beloved by the masses, he was hailed as the Symbol of Peace.
Shigaraki had even seen statues of him in commercial plazas just days ago.
"A-All Might!"
"Take him down, All Might! Take down that nonsense-spouting guy!"
"Defeat him!"
The crowd, which had fallen into heavy silence under Shigaraki's earlier speech, suddenly erupted into cheers.
They were like people who had been stripped naked—only to suddenly stumble upon a scrap of cloth to cover themselves.
But not everyone cheered.
Many remained silent, their expressions conflicted as they watched Shigaraki and All Might face off.
Because they knew—
What Shigaraki said reflected reality.
And precisely because it was true—
It was hard to accept.
"Young man, I don't know your intentions for saying those things," All Might began, raising a hand to calm the crowd.
"But you are merely sophistry!"
His voice was steady at first.
"I sympathize with those who have suffered tragic pasts and oppression before turning to villainy…"
"But!"
His tone rose sharply.
"Evil is evil!"
"Being oppressed or enduring tragedy does not absolve wrongdoing!"
"The pain they suffered in the past is not justification to inflict pain upon the innocent today!"
Truthfully, All Might should not have transformed again.
He had already exhausted his daily limit.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been forced to stand by earlier when Katsuki Bakugo and Izuku Midoriya were in danger.
But Shigaraki's words were too incendiary.
One misstep—
And social unrest could erupt.
As a Pro Hero.
As the Symbol of Peace—
That was unacceptable.
Even if transforming worsened his injuries—
He had to step forward.
He could not allow Shigaraki to incite the crowd into chaos.
And his effort was not in vain.
At his words, the confusion lingering in the Heroes' and civilians' eyes began to clear.
Support surged back toward him.
The first to shout in support—
Was Izuku Midoriya, still slumped on the ground.
For the number one All Might fan in the world—
All Might was justice itself.
"That's right, All Might!"
Soon, voices echoed one after another.
"He's right! Being oppressed doesn't give you the right to commit crimes!"
"That logic is completely wrong!"
…
Midoriya beamed at the crowd rallying behind his idol.
Beside him, Katsuki Bakugo—who had been tossed over earlier after being freed from the Sludge Villain—glanced at the cheering masses and clicked his tongue in irritation, turning his head away.
What he was thinking—
No one knew.
Meanwhile—
Watching the narrative shift entirely after All Might's arrival—even the flames of public sentiment turning toward himself—
Shigaraki remained utterly calm.
Because this was never his true objective.
From the very beginning, he understood—
A social mindset distorted over decades could not be overturned by a few words.
He had never expected to awaken mass sympathy for the oppressed in one speech.
He wasn't speaking to the crowd in front of him at all.
He was speaking to those watching.
To those bullied.
Oppressed.
Marginalized.
He wanted to awaken their will to resist.
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