Flames of Hope

Chapter 81

Hi! Welcome back! I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! I had some... interesting things that I found! Feel free to comment! I appreciate every one of you! The song above is Stormtroopers by Sabaton!

"I found such an interesting quirk today, Toshinori, would you like to see it?"

A voice asked, so amused and smug, and Toshinori glared at the offending speaker.

"Of course I don't." All for One chuckled and replied.

"Well. I'm going to show you anyway."

In an instant, hundreds of glass-like needles surrounded Toshinori, floating mere inches from his sunken skin. They were sharp, deadly, ready to pierce through anything that got in their way, and Toshinori gulped.

"During the Crushing of U.A, I found a doctor in training with this little gem. They were training to become a surgeon, and this quirk was the perfect fit for the job." All for One seemed wistful.

"It's a simple quirk, needles that cut down to single cells, and even allows the user to connect to the needles, to see what they cut. It's perfect for any kind of surgery. They were being trained to help you. To heal you." All for One's grin turned so smug.

"Now, it's going to be used to harm you."

Needles started to inch closer to Toshinori, and as soon as they touched his skin, indescribable pain struck his entire body. It felt as if his body was hit with lightning, his very cells burning like a thousand suns.

Screams tore out of his dry throat, blood following after as the needles burrowed deeper, cutting deeper, reaching further into Toshinori.

Then, the needles retracted and Toshinori sighed in short-lived relief before they pierced again, and his screams resumed. Each needle brough pain greater than the pain he felt when his entire side had been torn out.

But, Toshinori was a Hero, and he'd deal with this pain, push through it with a smile, just like his master told him to do. Grinning, Toshinori shot at All for One.

"Is that all you've got? Ha! I can do this all day!"

Even if he lacked One for All, even if the embers died so long ago now, even if he couldn't hold his muscle form for longer than a second, he was still All Might, he was still the Number One Hero, he was still the Symbol of Peace; he held the Peace for so long, carried the world for longer, his dreams carried him further than any hero had before him.

All for One may hurt him, may break him, but his spirit? His unyielding heart? His determination? Oh no, this creature of evil could never break that. No matter what, Toshinori would stand firm, for in his heart burned bright with Hope, knowing that Izuku, his successor, his son and the bright eyed hero was still around, still alive to fight.

And even if Toshinori died, he knew that Izuku would carry on. It would hurt his boy, but Toshinori knew that Izuku would keep him in his heart and carry on.