High above the ground, riding atop the giant white bird, Shina Etsuha followed the trail of destruction left by the shockwaves—and quickly spotted his target.
All For One.
And in front of him—
Lying on the ground in a battered state—
Was Edgeshot.
Through the vision granted by his Sharingan, Etsuha could clearly see just how dire Edgeshot's condition was. His entire body was bruised and swollen, his limbs distorted in unnatural ways.
"…Broken bones, huh?"
Etsuha clicked his tongue.
"He really didn't take my warning seriously."
He had expected Edgeshot to be killed outright—but it seemed he had underestimated the durability of Pro Heroes. If nothing else, their resilience was impressive.
Now—
The priority was to draw All For One's attention and bring him into range.
At this altitude, ensuring a clean hit would be difficult. Etsuha needed a perfect opportunity—a single decisive strike.
To achieve that—
He guided the giant bird downward into a steep dive.
Whoosh!
The bird's wings beat powerfully as it descended.
Garuda and Etsuha leaned forward slightly with the motion, the distance between them and All For One shrinking rapidly.
In the blink of an eye—
Less than fifty meters remained.
"…Hm?"
All For One reacted instantly.
His perception abilities picked up the disturbance above him almost immediately.
"What is that…? Some kind of aircraft?"
He activated the investigative Quirk he had just stolen, but due to the distance, all he could make out was a vague silhouette.
Then—
The bird dove straight down.
And upon it—
A young boy stood at the front, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
It was Shina Etsuha.
Edgeshot, barely conscious, had been watching the sky.
The moment he recognized Etsuha's face, his expression changed drastically.
"Get away…!"
He forced the words out with what little strength he had left.
"This isn't an opponent you can fight!"
He couldn't understand it.
Why was this boy here?
Etsuha was just a student—someone who had only crossed his path once or twice.
Facing a monster like All For One—
There was only one possible outcome.
Death.
Even if Best Jeanist or other top-ranking Heroes joined forces, they would stand no chance.
This was a being beyond human limits.
Only All Might could hope to defeat him.
At the same time—
All For One had already locked onto Etsuha.
Excitement surged within him.
His body still carried the scars from his past battle with All Might. Those injuries had damaged his very foundation, preventing full recovery for five long years.
But now—
Etsuha's appearance changed everything.
If he could obtain this boy's Quirk—
His injuries could be completely healed.
Without hesitation—
All For One stepped on the air itself and shot forward, closing the distance instantly.
"I thought you had run away…"
His faceless gaze fixed directly on Etsuha.
"…but it seems you've come back."
But just as he spoke—
His instincts screamed.
Something was wrong.
Etsuha—
Was smiling.
Using his investigative Quirk, All For One sensed something behind Etsuha.
And in that instant—
His perception was flooded with an overwhelming signal.
A blazing green light.
Brighter than the sun.
So dense with energy that merely perceiving it made his mind tremble.
A terrifying force—
Beyond comprehension—
Had taken form right before him.
"This is impossible!!"
All For One roared.
For the first time—
Cold fear gripped him.
He didn't hesitate.
The moment he recognized the danger—
He turned and fled.
Too late.
Etsuha formed a hand sign.
"Detonate."
Behind him, the figure of Deidara rapidly expanded—
Then burst apart like a balloon.
Fragments scattered into the air, drifting silently on the wind.
For a brief moment—
Everything was still.
Then—
Chaos erupted.
The surrounding environment reacted violently.
Birds shrieked and fled in all directions.
Beasts ran wildly as if driven mad.
The ground trembled.
Insects poured out from the soil.
Rats scattered aimlessly.
Crows filled the sky.
It was like the onset of a natural disaster.
And at the center of it all—
All For One.
Through his enhanced perception, he saw it clearly—
Countless microscopic particles, glowing faintly green, carried by the wind—
Entering his body.
Seeping into his flesh.
Filling him from within.
In less than a moment—
They had already spread through his lower body.
"What… is happening…?!"
From afar, Edgeshot forced himself to look up.
To his shock—
The invincible All For One—
Was running.
Desperately.
"…Are we… saved?"
At that exact moment—
Etsuha formed another hand sign.
"Break."
Instantly—
The world froze.
The fleeing rats.
The writhing insects.
The circling crows.
All of them—
Stopped.
And then—
Disintegrated.
Silently.
Completely.
The chaotic noise vanished in an instant.
An eerie stillness descended over the battlefield.
And before Edgeshot's eyes—
The once untouchable All For One—
Began to fall apart.