The ground trembled.
The battlefield was shrouded in dust, the air thick with the aftermath of All Might's final attack.
Reiji stood frozen, watching the aftermath unfold.
At the center of it all—All Might loomed over a crater.
His fist was still raised.
The force of his United States of Smash had ripped through the battlefield, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.
And at the bottom of the crater, motionless and beaten—
Was All For One.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
For the first time, the League of Villains did not speak.
For the first time, the Pro Heroes did not advance.
For the first time, even Reiji felt something unfamiliar.
Awe.
All Might lowered his fist slowly, his muscles visibly shrinking.
His body wavered, steam rising from his skin.
His time limit was up.
And yet—he stood.
The civilians watching from afar, the media broadcasting the battle live, and even the villains saw the truth.
This was the Symbol of Peace.
And this was his final stand.
All Might turned toward the cameras, his weakened arm lifting.
His fingers clenched into a tight fist.
And then—he raised it high.
A final declaration.
A final symbol.
Even in his final moments as the world's strongest hero—
He was still victorious.
All across Japan, people wept.
They saw his struggle.
They saw his sacrifice.
They saw his final fight.
And they knew—
The era of All Might had come to an end.
Reiji stared at the man before him.
His golden flames had long since faded, his fists lowered at his sides.
He had never seen anything like this.
A fight where victory wasn't just about strength.
All Might had won—but at the cost of everything.
Reiji's fingers tightened into fists.
For the first time, he asked himself a question.
Would I ever fight like that?
Would he ever fight for something beyond himself?
For others?
For a world that didn't even trust him?
He didn't have an answer.
And that unnerved him.
A crackling voice broke the silence.
"NO."
Shigaraki stepped forward, his red eyes burning with fury.
"NO, NO, NO!"
His fingers twitched violently, his body trembling with rage.
"You took him from me!" he snarled. "You took everything!"
Deku tensed. "Shigaraki…"
Shigaraki's voice grew unhinged.
"You think this is over?! You think you've won?!"
The air around him crackled.
Then—his gaze locked onto Reiji.
"You," he growled.
Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Tch. You got something to say?"
Shigaraki smirked darkly.
"You should've come with us," he whispered. "You would've seen what real power looks like."
Reiji's golden eyes flickered.
Then—Shigaraki raised his hand.
Decay spread across the battlefield, cracks forming in the earth itself.
Reiji tensed.
[Shit.]
But before the attack could reach him—
"ENOUGH."
A shockwave erupted as Gran Torino appeared, slamming into Shigaraki and dragging him away.
The League of Villains immediately began retreating, warping away one by one.
Shigaraki vanished last, his red eyes never leaving Reiji.
Then—he was gone.
And the battlefield fell silent once more.
The Pro Heroes secured the area, ensuring that the remaining villains were apprehended.
Bakugo was safe.
The students were alive.
But nothing felt like a victory.
All Might stood in the center of it all, his form shrinking permanently as his power finally faded.
Deku lowered his head.
Todoroki exhaled softly.
Even Bakugo, usually loud and aggressive, was completely silent.
Reiji watched it all, his golden flames completely gone.
For the first time, he realized something.
Power alone wasn't enough.
Victory alone wasn't enough.
Because if it was—then why did this feel like a loss?
As the rescue efforts continued, Reiji walked away from the battlefield.
Deku noticed. "Reiji—?"
Reiji didn't stop.
He kept walking.
His thoughts were a mess.
For the first time since coming to U.A., he didn't know what he wanted.
The world had just changed forever.
And for the first time—Reiji didn't know what that meant for him.
End of Chapter 45.
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