Oro was jumping from one spot to another to dodge Shigaraki's attacks. Then, a communication arrived.
"Shoto has defeated the Villain Dabi."
Oro smirked. "I would have expected nothing less from you, Young Todoroki. From what I understood, and from what Satoru told me, Dabi is not someone who gets taken down so easily, so... good job, Hero Shoto."
"So? You intend to just run away?" Shigaraki asked.
"Don't stop! Keep moving!" Oro said. "Aim at the main body while dodging! He now has an impressive number of hands, but he can't use the same mobility as All Might!"
"The more All For One's Quirk eradicates in me," said Shigaraki. "The more my capacity of adaptability to Quirks increases. If I'll be the one to rule the world, they'll all be treated equally! Wouldn't it be a step forward towards the peaceful world you Heroes desire?"
"I don't know if it's Shigaraki or All For One who's talking right now," said Bakugo. "But I'm getting sick of listening to you!"
Bakugo leapt on the floor and activated the technological equipment from the Item section. "Strafe Panzer!"
"Now I'm going to open up a lot of vents in you!" said Bakugo.
"Dynamight!" Oro leapt beside him. "I'll propel you forward, okay?"
"Okay, Oro-san," Bakugo said, shooting from his Strafe Panzer. "Let's destroy the main body together!"
As long as Monoma and Aizawa-sensei keep his Quirks at bay with Erasure... thought Bakugo. And as long as Kaminari and the others keep this thing floating... as long as Yaoyorozu and the others keep furnishing us something to step on... and especially, as long as Oro-san is here with us...
Incomprehension can lead to fear and emargination. The biggest disparities... incomprehension... fear...
"These are things I've already gone through!"
"Bakugo..." Best Jeanist muttered.
"I've already seen... that all these things have done progress!" Bakugo exclaimed. "Now, Oro-san! Throw me at him!"
"Got it, Dynamight!" Oro grabbed Bakugo's foot and launched him towards Shigaraki. "Do your best!"
"Howitzer Impact..." Bakugo said. "Cluster!"
BOOM!
Bakugo released a huge explosion right in Shigaraki's face. When the dust settled, though, something was off.
"You condense the explosions to limit the damages what surrounds you." Shigaraki was holding Bakugo's arm. "Beautiful. That's why..."
Crack!
Shigaraki broke Bakugo's arm.
"Dynamight!" Oro exclaimed.
"That's why I broke it," said Shigaraki. "I'm sorry, but your journey and your growth do not interest me."
Shigaraki generated other fingers from his body, and Best Jeanist, Mirko, and Oro ran to save Bakugo.
Young Bakugo... Oro thought. I know my brother Satoru deeply cares about you, so I've told myself I would have protected you... I know how much you esteem me, that's why... I can't let anything happen to you!
Shigaraki swung his arm, and everyone flew away. Oro shielded himself and grabbed Bakugo on the fly before he could touch the ground. "Dynamight..."
"What are you thinkin'? What are you aiming for?" Shigaraki asked. "Akiyama Hikaru... there's only one thing in you that I have interest in. You... are the person to whom Satoru is closer. I'm sure he's already heading here."
"Dynamight, rest for a second..." Oro slowly rose to his feet. "I'm the only one who can still fight, so I'll take him on a 1-on-1."
"Oh, so bold," Shigaraki said. "Bring it on, then, Akiyama Hikaru."
It's been a while since I've used this technique... Oro thought. "Light Spreading, Full Body: 100%."
Oro dashed forward and attacked Shigaraki, who countered. The two of them exchanged powerful blows for a while until the Number One Hero heard something.
"Gring Pike!"
Shigaraki dodged just in time.
"Young Hado, just in time..." Oro said, wiping away some blood from his mouth.
"Mega Mix..." Tamaki appeared from behind. "Octopus Mirage Plus Scorpion Toxin!"
"Poison?" Shigaraki wondered. A mouth appeared on his shoulder and vomited the poison into his body. "Pathetic!"
Shigaraki attacked again, this time with even more fingers. In this situation, the only one who can get close to Shigaraki is Young Togata... Oro thought. So I'll just take Young Bakugo with me and step back this time!
Oro dashed forward and kicked Shigaraki's arm, forcing him to release his grip on Bakugo's neck. The Hero grabbed Bakugo and then left.
"Dynamight, you okay?" Oro asked. "Let me see your right arm... Best Jeanist can fix it."
"We need your firepower," Best Jeanist approached. "Quick!"
Oro suddenly noticed something: Bakugo was crying.
"Let me see your arm," Best Jeanist said. "We'll think about the rest somehow."
Oro placed a comforting hand on Bakugo's shoulder. "Don't forget I'm still here, Dynamight. I'm still the Number One. We can win."
Probably, I'm saying this only not to discourage him... but at this point, even I don't know if I can defeat Shigaraki. Maybe, with the power he has now... only Satoru can defeat him. Still, the Number One is I.
Suddenly, Shigaraki turned and started to walk towards Oro, Jeanist, and Bakugo. Tamaki hit Shigaraki with an incredibly powerful blast, and apparently, it seemed to hurt Shigaraki. But when the dust settled, Tamaki was punched in the gut, and Shigaraki had already regenerated.
"Think about it," Shigaraki said. "Would Prime All Might have died with a blow like that? Try to think about it for a bit!"
Suddenly, Bakugo stood up.
"Dynamight..." Oro said.
"Think about the others," Bakugo said, startingto walk towards Shigaraki. "We must win... right, Izuku?"
"No, don't get closer!" Best Jeanist used his fibers, but Bakugo suddenly jolted forward and caused an explosion millimeters away from Shigaraki's face.
Right, the boy thought. Shigaraki attacked on his left, and he jumped and dodged.
Shigaraki attacked again. Once again, Bakugo appeared behind him. Hey, Izuku... can I still catch up to you...? Or even to you, Satoru...?
"I'll destroy you!" Shigaraki screamed.
"DYNAMIGHT!" Without thinking about the consequences, Oro pushed Bakugo away.
Oro-san, what are you doing? Bakugo wondered in mid-air. Why... why did you push me away...? Oh, right... because you're a Hero who saves everyone. Well, I've always been rude to everyone, so I never told you, but... I always wanted to ask you for an autograph, Oro-san.
Oro looked at Bakugo and smiled. Don't worry, Young Bakugo. This was my decision.
In that moment, Oro remembered something.
__________
12 years ago...
"Toshinori-sensei!" a 15-year-old Oro burst into the room. "I've been accepted at U.A.!"
"That's good news, Young Akiyama," All Might turned and saw him. "I'm glad you've been accepted."
"Toshinori-sensei, let's train!" Hikaru shook All Might's hand. "I want to learn new techniques!"
"Well, understandable," said All Might. "Now that you'll join U.A., you're gonna need to get even stronger."
My life with Toshinori-sensei... was great. I mean, I was being trained by the Number One Hero, what could I have asked for more?
"Light Spreading, Full Body: 80%!"
"Like this, Young Akiyama," said All Might. "But don't push yourself too far, or you'll only hurt yourself."
"I know, Sensei," Oro said. "You'll see, I'll be the best student in my class!"
First day at U.A. High School
"Let me introduce myself!" Oro exclaimed. "My name is Hikaru Akiyama, and I'm very glad to meet you all!"
Everybody seemed unimpressed by Hikaru's presentation.
"A bit too euphoric?" Oro tilted his head. "Oh, nevermind, I just wanted to make a good impression, euphoric or not!"
When I started U.A., it didn't have the same problems as now. There wasn't Shigaraki. All For One had been defeated by Toshinori-sensei and was incapacitated. The League of Villains didn't exist. Those were easier times. But only because All Might was always there, and that's why I decided to follow his legacy.
In a certain sense, I'm grateful to All For One. If it wasn't for him, I would never have met Toshinori-sensei, nor would I have become the Hero I am now. Satoru... we've had the same situation, but while I was found by the Number One Hero, you were raised by the evilest being in the world: All For One.
Why am I remembering this now that I'm on the brink of the death? I guess... it happens frequently.
__________
Shigaraki's blow hit Oro's heart. The Number One Hero was launched bac.
"Oro!" Best Jeanist tried to grab him on the fly, but he didn't manage to.
"From now on..." Shigaraki said. "OUR story begins."
Bakugo, still weak and sore, took a look at Oro, and he saw something that shocked him.
Oro had a huge hole in his chest, and his eyes were seemingly lifeless.
Best Jeanist took a closer look and remained shocked. "His heart..."
No, I cannot believe it... Bakugo clenched his fists. This cannot be true...
The reality hit the Heroes like a truck.
Oro, the Number One Hero, was dead.
Chapter 80 - End