Nearly half an hour had passed since Shina Etsuha defeated All For One. One after another, Heroes from all over the area rushed to the scene—and the moment they arrived, every single one of them froze in shock.
"What kind of battle… could cause this level of destruction?"
"You've got to be kidding me… is this some kind of divine clash?"
"Hey… that crater—there's no way even missiles could make something like that. It's at least twenty meters deep! And that massive icicle… what is this, some kind of natural disaster?!"
"Just what kind of Villain did Akishoute run into?!"
"This is already beyond a normal incident… this is a full-scale disaster!"
The scene before them was beyond imagination. No one could comprehend what kind of force had created such devastation.
Several Heroes quickly gathered around Akishoute.
"Akishoute! Was this the Villain you encountered? Are you alright?"
"At this scale, only All Might could've handled something like this…"
"You're lucky to be alive—that's already a miracle."
"Yeah, facing something like this… survival alone is a blessing."
In everyone's eyes, only All Might could possibly resolve a disaster of this magnitude.
Akishoute shook his head with a bitter smile.
"I didn't defeat him… I was saved. This disaster was resolved by someone else."
He didn't hesitate to speak up for Shina Etsuha. After all, Etsuha had saved his life—this was the least he could do.
The surrounding Heroes were stunned.
"Resolved? Don't tell me All Might showed up himself?!"
"…No. It was him."
Akishoute pointed toward a figure sitting quietly nearby with his eyes closed.
Everyone followed his gaze—and froze again.
"…That's just a kid."
"He's the one who did it," Akishoute said firmly. "Shina Etsuha. First-year student at U.A."
Silence fell over the group.
Then—
"You're kidding… he's that young?!"
In their minds, someone capable of this level of destruction had to be a towering, battle-hardened veteran—someone like All Might, or at least a seasoned Hero hidden away in the city.
But a high school student?
That was beyond belief.
Etsuha ignored their shocked stares, continuing to quietly recover his strength.
As time passed, he noticed something unexpected—his energy was returning at an astonishing rate. The massive shockwaves from the battle had spread across the city, and combined with Akishoute's explanation, countless people had likely become aware of him.
That awareness… was feeding him.
It wasn't part of his original plan.
He had intended to rely on transformation techniques to eliminate All For One from a distance. But the close-quarters clash at the end had forced him to abandon that plan and fight head-on—revealing his identity in the process.
Still… the outcome wasn't bad.
At the very least, the Heroes present didn't seem hostile toward him.
Their gazes gradually changed—shock turning into something closer to awe.
But then, someone spoke up.
"…Wait a second. Shina Etsuha is still a U.A. student, right?"
Everyone—including Akishoute—froze.
Akishoute's expression darkened instantly as he turned toward the speaker.
"…Death Arm. What are you implying?"
Death Arm let out a cold laugh.
"What am I implying? It's simple. A first-year U.A. student doesn't have a Hero license yet, right?"
He glanced at Etsuha before continuing.
"Using a Quirk in public without a license. Causing massive destruction. Killing multiple individuals. That's illegal Quirk use, destruction of public property… and suspected intentional homicide."
"Bullshit!" Akishoute snapped. "Etsuha was acting under my authorization—"
"Authorization?" Death Arm interrupted with a smirk. "Are you saying everything Shina Etsuha did was under your orders?"
Akishoute froze.
Death Arm's smile widened.
"Be careful with your words, 'Ninja Hero.' If you claim responsibility, then sure—Shina Etsuha walks free. But that also means you take the fall."
His voice turned cold.
"A Hero who authorized killing dozens of people… do you know what that means? Your license gets revoked. Heavy fines. Possibly prison."
Cold sweat trickled down Akishoute's back.
He knew… it was true.
If he took responsibility, his career would be over.
But if he didn't…
Etsuha would bear everything alone.
He stood there, frozen—unable to move forward, unable to retreat.
Protect Etsuha… and lose everything.
Or stay silent… and let a student shoulder the consequences.
Either choice was unbearable.
"I…" Akishoute's voice faltered.
Death Arm watched him with satisfaction.
"Go on. Say it. Say everything was your responsibility."
He leaned in slightly.
"Or don't—and let Shina Etsuha become the criminal responsible for this disaster."
Akishoute clenched his fists, his mind in chaos.
At that moment—
"Hey."
A cold voice suddenly sounded from behind Death Arm.
"Have you said enough?"
"Hiss—!"
Death Arm felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around sharply—
Only to find that the boy who had been resting moments ago was now standing right behind him.