AM N. NOT.(っ－＿－)っ
"Cloning… what a good skill you've got there…"
"Superman – sorry, I gotta go. I've got to cook dinner."
All Might's focus snapped fully back as Maki spoke. He wasn't sure if Maki was telling the truth, or just wanted to avoid the growing crowd, or genuinely needed to get home – but he pushed those thoughts aside. What mattered was that Maki was safe, he'd saved countless lives, and he'd taken down the Anomalies before things spiraled out of control.
He let out his signature booming laugh. "HAHAHAHAHAHA… Don't you worry about a thing, Young Maki! Leave the rest to me! Go home safe now!" He flashed his iconic smile and gave a thumbs-up.
Maki nodded, a small nod of thanks, and returned the thumbs-up – though his stoic expression clashed sharply with the gesture.
"By the way, Young Maki – I'll send the reward straight to Nemuri's name, alright?"
"Rewards?" Maki asked.
"Eeeh? You didn't know about that?!" All Might exclaimed.
Maki just shook his head.
"Well, it's—"
But before he could explain, a deafening crash shook the pyramid to its core.
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaang....
"Oh, looks like some strong folks are trying to get in – they made the whole place shake with just one hit!" All Might said, steadying himself as dust rained from above.
"S-Man.. – well, bye-bye then."
All Might nodded firmly. "Be safe on your way home!"
Maki gave one last nod, then turned and walked slowly toward the far side of the pyramid – the quietest corner of the chamber. The banging only grew louder with each step he took.
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG... Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaang..... Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaang...
Each impact sent vibrations through the wooden floors and walls, and the sound of splintering wood echoed all around. But Maki never looked back. He moved at his own pace until he reached the pyramid wall – where a section of wood big enough for him to pass through shifted open, branches coiling aside to clear a path.
All Might watched him go, muttering to himself. "Truly a strange person… but incredibly strong. With youngsters like him around, I can rest easy knowing the future's in good hands." His gaze drifted back to the Nessus, still holding the Anomalies' bodies high above. He grinned wildly. "So this is what Shishō meant."
Then came one final, earth-shattering blow:
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG....
CraaaaaAaaAaaAaaack...
BoooooooOooOoOooOOOoOom..
A massive hole tore through the side wall, and a woman's silhouette filled the gap. All Might glanced toward the crowd pouring in through the breach, then turned back as she approached.
"Guess we were all late to the party…" he said with a chuckle.
The woman stepped into the light – her voice was calm but carried an air of authority, leaving no room for delay. "Toshinori – where is the one who did all this?"
All Might heard the urgency in her tone, and he knew exactly why she was asking. "He just left – said he had to rush home to cook dinner."
The woman's mouth twitched slightly at the answer, but she said nothing as her eyes swept across the chamber. She could feel it – faint traces of chakra lingering everywhere, slowly fading away. Without that energy holding it together, the wood was already growing easier to break. She recognized what this was – she'd read about it in her family's old records. There was no doubt. This was a bloodline ability: Mukoton – Wood Release.
Unbelievable, she thought to herself. The sheer volume of chakra that must have been poured into this place… what is happening here?
Her gaze settled on the three Nessus still standing tall with their prizes. "Where exactly did he go?" she asked again.
All Might saw the curiosity in her eyes and shrugged. "No need to worry – you'll see him at UA. Honestly, I can't remember his address off the top of my head – I saw it in his file once but forgot. I was planning to ask Nezu for it so I could send the reward."
The woman studied the scene a moment longer before speaking. "Alright. I'll deliver the reward myself – I have some questions for him."
All Might looked back at the behemoths and dead Anomalies. "Strong, isn't he? When I got here, he wasn't even breathing hard – no sweat, no injuries… nothing at all."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "If he's at UA, and he has this kind of chakra… are you telling me he's that student?"
All Might smiled. "Sharp as ever, aren't you? By the way – what brings you here? Another request for healing?"
She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes on the Anomalies. "No. I was bringing my disciple to UA when traffic got tied up here – then I heard all the shouting and screaming."
"Your disciple?" All Might said thoughtfully. "Looks like I wasn't the only one drawn here today." He found himself wondering about his own students – what would they make of all this?
The woman's attention was fixed on the suspended creatures. "Those Anomalies are different. I've never seen anything like them before."
"Hm? What do you mean?" All Might asked, studying the beasts more closely.
"It's their heads," she said. "The wood's covering most of it, but there's definitely something like a flower on top."
All Might squinted at the Devouring Flowers, now sealed tight by the wooden anchors. "Then this must be some kind of mutation… or a new variant we haven't encountered yet."
!!ヽ(ﾟдﾟヽ)(ﾉﾟдﾟ)ﾉ!!AM N. NOT.