A robbery was underway in the heart of the city as three villains sped away from a bank in a stolen car, their laughter echoing through the streets as sirens wailed behind them.
Just as they thought they had escaped, a blur of motion descended from above. All Might appeared mid-air, his fist already cocked back, and with a single overwhelming punch, he smashed into the vehicle.
The car crumpled under the force, skidding violently before coming to a halt. In one smooth motion, he tore the door off, pulled the stunned villains out, and delivered precise neck chops that knocked them unconscious instantly.
Without wasting a second, he grabbed both the money bags and the criminals and tossed them toward the approaching police vehicles before leaping away into the sky.
The police quickly moved in, securing the scene as one officer watched All Might disappear into the distance. "Don't you think All Might has been acting a bit… different lately?" he muttered, adjusting his cap as they loaded the unconscious villains into the car.
His partner glanced at him and sighed. "You didn't hear? During the I-Island incident, his former sidekick David Shield was reported dead. That's probably why he's been so quiet."
The first officer's expression softened. "Oh… I see. Poor All Might." With that, they shut the doors and drove off, leaving the ruined car behind for the cleaning crew to take away.
High above the city, All Might continued leaping across rooftops, but his usual radiant smile felt strained, almost forced. It wasn't grief over David Shield that weighed on him—because he knew the truth.
After a private conversation with Hawks, he had learned that David was alive. What troubled him far more was everything else that came with that revelation.
The existence of those monstrous Nomu during the I-Island incident could only mean one thing—his greatest enemy was back in the shadows.
And even worse, the Hero Public Safety Commission had secretly ordered an assassination attempt on David using one of their own heroes.
The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. The system he had dedicated his entire life to upholding… was rotten at its core.
His mind drifted to the newly emerged Nova Genesis and its mysterious leader, Novabel.
According to Hawks, it was Novabel who had saved David—and Melissa as well. That alone raised countless questions. If David was safe, why hadn't he reached out? Was he being protected… or held under watch? And Melissa… what role did she play in all of this?
Despite everything, All Might couldn't shake a certain feeling. Novabel wasn't acting like a villain. He had saved countless lives on I-Island, including pro heroes from around the world.
He had exposed corruption that no one else dared to touch. His declaration of war wasn't born from chaos—but from conviction. All Might clenched his fist slightly. 'A revolutionary… not a terrorist', he thought. 'But even so… I need answers.'
Pushing those thoughts aside, he landed quietly in an empty alleyway. After confirming no one was watching, his muscular form deflated into his true, weakened state as steam rose from his body.
He coughed lightly, bringing a handkerchief to his mouth—stained faintly with blood. "Eight hours…" he muttered under his breath. "That's all I can manage now." His time limit had shrunk again.
He removed his hero costume, folding it neatly and placing it into a compact bag hidden within his clothing. Now dressed like an ordinary man, he stepped out of the alley and blended into the crowd.
His thoughts turned toward the future—toward finding a successor. Someone worthy. Someone who could carry the torch he would soon be forced to pass on. Yet no matter how hard he searched, no one had stood out to him yet.
Far from his location, in a high-end hotel room in Chiba, a very different kind of meeting was taking place.
Inside the dimly lit room, six individuals faced each other across a polished table. On one side sat Bruno Gollini, his posture relaxed yet commanding, with two of his subordinates standing silently behind him.
Opposite him sat Kai Chisaki, the second in command of the Yakuza organization in Chiba, also known as Overhaul, his gloved hands resting on his knees, flanked by his own men.
Bruno leaned forward slightly, his eyes sharp. "Let's see the product first."
Chisaki gave a small nod, signaling his subordinate. The man extended his hand, revealing five miniature toy-like suitcases resting on his palm. With a snap of his fingers—five times in succession—the suitcases expanded to full size and dropped onto the table with a heavy thud.
One of Bruno's men stepped forward and opened them one by one. Inside were neatly arranged vials—Trigger drugs. Hundreds of them. "Five hundred units," he confirmed.
Bruno nodded in satisfaction before gesturing to his own subordinate. The man stepped forward and unzipped a grotesque opening across his abdomen, pulling out five briefcases from within. He placed them on the table as Chisaki's subordinate opened them carefully.
Inside each case gleamed rows of gold bars—pure, untouched. "Five hundred bars. Twenty-four carat," he stated.
The exchange was complete.
Both leaders stood as their subordinates secured the goods. Bruno smirked, adjusting his suit. "The offer still stands, you know. A partnership—maybe even a marriage alliance. Your quirk would be quite valuable to the Gollini family."
Chisaki turned his back without hesitation, already walking toward the exit. "I have no interest," he replied coldly. "I don't work with people who indulge in these diseases."
Bruno watched him leave through the glass window, his smirk slowly widening. Once Chisaki and his men were gone, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, boss. We secured 500 here. Combined with our other shipments, we now have 8,000 Trigger drugs."
On the other end, Valdo Gollini's voice came through, calm yet filled with ambition. "Good. Return immediately. We strike today."
Meanwhile, in a quiet alleyway, Chisaki walked alongside his two subordinates, his mind already racing ahead. 'Once I manage to find the correct formula for a Quirk erasing drug…', he thought, his grip tightening slightly, 'This disease will be purged from the world entirely.'