Hachiman Hikigaya thinks. Why didn't Shigaraki and Kurogiri deploy all their forces from the beginning? What was the reason they didn't take advantage of sheer numbers? A wave attack strategy? It would be effective. By holding back initially, they could wear down their opponent. In the world of battle or war, that's one of the most advantageous tactics. However, before even reaching the level of tactical analysis, Hikigaya reflects as he watches the new villains Kurogiri summoned. Most likely, these guys...
"Hey, that big guy called Nomu got taken down, didn't he!?""You want us to kill All Might!? Hahaha!!"
"Kurogiri!"
As expected. Hachiman Hikigaya — no, Connector — was convinced of his theory. That's why he had to lay a safety net in advance.If things went well, he, a supposed villain, could eliminate other villains.
"Tell these small fries to stay away from me. The opponent is All Might — unfortunately, I don't have the luxury to watch my surroundings."
He deliberately used strong words, making an obvious I'm the strongest here type of boast. The heroes would react to this and brace themselves — naturally. And if these were his actual allies, they would instinctively keep their distance from him. No one wanted to be caught in the crossfire. But these new villains were different.
"Connector, that was—""Hey, is that guy getting cocky?"
Kurogiri tried to speak, but it was too late. One of the villains muttered something to his comrades. Got them, Hikigaya smirked internally.
The mood spread quickly. Several others began glaring sharply at him.They began threatening him; the ones at the front had murderous intent written all over their faces.If something happened — even the slightest trigger — they'd strike.But Hikigaya didn't wait for something to happen. He'd cause it himself. That was his goal all along.
"Did you say something, you nobodies?"
Insignificant trash. As soon as he said it, over a dozen villains howled. No — roared. Shouting profanities, the villains unleashed their quirks at the gray-covered boy they called Connector.
Yes, this was the conclusion Hachiman Hikigaya had reached: These villains, likely the reserve force, had a major flaw. They talked about killing with laughter, felt no fear even after seeing their strongest fighter, Nomu, fall.
They lacked tension — no sense of danger. Even in a place like this, a den of pro heroes like U.A., they weren't even cautious. Simply put: they didn't grasp the situation.
That's why they fell for Connector's provocation. They so easily forgot that the real enemy was the watching heroes.
Connector planted his right foot firmly into the ground.
(...Good, it's linked.)
In the next instant, the villains felt a tremendous shock in their abdomens.
Their eyes widened as they were forcibly made to look down. Their bodies were bent forward in a "V" shape.
What they saw were clumps of earth.
But not just dirt.Pillars of soil shot up from the ground — each shaped like a fist.
"Wha…! Ngh—!"
As one groaned, the rest were sent flying backwards by the strange experience of being punched by earth, losing consciousness.
"...That counts as self-defense, right?"
Connector asked calmly. Of course, the ones he was talking to were Shigaraki and Kurogiri.
"Your opponent is All Might, damn it! What the hell are you doing on your own!?""Then keep your soldiers in check. You're wasting your manpower."
You're the one who reduced our manpower!! Shigaraki wanted to scream but held back. If he made a bigger fuss, the troops would go completely out of control.
That scene — the earth rising up like fists and punching — had frozen not only the villains but the heroes as well. If the troops got riled up now and started fighting Connector, the heroes would swoop in and wipe them all out.
To Connector, being captured by heroes wasn't something to avoid — in fact, it was something he'd welcome. That was what they had to avoid at all costs.
Connector's quirk was rare — and lethal when used right.They couldn't afford to lose that kind of weapon.
"...Troops, the enemy is the heroes. Do not approach Connector unless necessary.""Hey, Kurogiri!""And Connector, please refrain from attacking our troops.""I was under the impression I was acting in self-defense."
Connector feigned ignorance, causing Kurogiri to want to clutch his head. Connector clearly intended to use the chaos of the fight with All Might to turn against them. Or perhaps… even assist the heroes.
Either way, it was clear: He didn't like them. Not that it was surprising.
"...Sensei is watching, you know that, don't you? Connector. It's you who'll be in trouble.""I only did what needed to be done.""Sigh..."
He clearly had no intention of listening.A troublesome man, truly. Even in a situation like this, he hadn't given up.
In that case, they had to make sure he didn't fight All Might. Even if he got taken down, he wouldn't go that far.Better to have him deal with the other heroes instead.
"What… just happened?""An internal conflict!? Who the hell is that guy!?"
Ignoring the voices of Midoriya and Kirishima, Shizuka Hiratsuka harbored a grave concern. It was the worst-case scenario.
A Quirk that manipulates earth… if it were just earth, that would be fine.
But if that boy called Connector was who she suspected—Then it meant he was siding with the enemy villains.
That would mean—She glanced to the side, at Yukino Yukinoshita, Yui Yuigahama, and even All Might.
If those three, or anyone else who once knew him, realized who he really was—If it was true that he had defected to the enemy side…
She didn't want them to know.
She had to confirm it first!
"It appears to be a Quirk that manipulates earth! I'll take care of him and the others! All Might, please keep an eye on the black mist man and the hand-covered one! Students, do not get involved!""I can't accept that, Sensei. I'll fight too.""Only fight back if they attack! And you—watch the black mist man too, Yukinoshita!""…"
Yukinoshita and Hiratsuka turned their eyes to Kurogiri. He was the root of it all. The one who had destroyed the fate of Hachiman Hikigaya and everyone connected to him.
"You don't want to let him escape, do you!?""Then all the more reason—we need more people to restrain that man.""I'll take him on.""All Might!?""But All Might—!"
With a strong step, All Might moved forward. Don't worry — I am here!That reassuring smile spread across his face. But not even Hiratsuka nor Midoriya could hide their unease.
"It's okay, Hiratsuka-sensei. Besides… I've got some questions for him too!"
His eyes gleamed. Those eyes—since the day he awoke as a symbol of peace—they had never dulled. And now, those eyes carried a kind of fury… aimed at Kurogiri.
"…Not gonna let that happen.""!?"
But then—Connector defied everyone's will and moved toward All Might. He hadn't taken his eyes off him—not in the sense of watching the villains. But the moment All Might's focus shifted from Connector to Kurogiri, he didn't miss it.He moved in, slipping through that tiny opening in human awareness, enhancing his physical ability with his Quirk.
As a result—He was just three feet away from All Might.
"You idiot!!"
Hiratsuka swung her iron fist at Connector as he tried to close the distance in one more step. Yukinoshita and Bakugo each launched their own attacks as well.
"That's my line.""What the hell are you doing ignoring me and charging at All Might…!"
He's picking a fight! But Bakugo couldn't get the words out.
As soon as Connector landed on the ground in front of All Might—the earth rose like a pillar beneath both of them, shooting them several dozen meters into the air.
"…What kind of trick is this, villain boy?""You're fighting me, All Might. Leave the others to someone else."
Suddenly, it was just the two of them.Around them, more platforms were rising.The ground continued to form footholds from below.
"Up here, no one will interfere. Maybe someone'll smash the pillar to drop us both down. But you're heroes, right? You wouldn't do that… would you?"
"…There was one question I had."
Connector spoke in a probing tone. His meaning was clear: If we fall from this height, I might die. So you're not going to do something that reckless… right? Please make sure the others know that too. But All Might didn't answer. He didn't go on the offensive either—just spoke.
"…A question?""Now I have another question to ask. Depending on your answers, there may be many more to come."
Though he weighed over 200 kg, All Might leapt to another foothold effortlessly, distancing himself from Connector. So Connector readied himself.
His opponent was a pro hero. Ranked #1 in power, #1 in speed, #1 in toughness. He was The Symbol of Peace — All Might.
Thanks to All Might, criminal organizations had crumbled, villain activity had plummeted yearly, and society believed in peace again.
And now, he would challenge that man.
It was reckless, even foolish…But he couldn't help but want to try. Connector — no, Hachiman Hikigaya — smiled. Smiled as he apologized in his heart to everyone who had the misfortune of being involved with him.
He had been taken by the enemy villains. Even if they took a hostage, he had still helped the villains. And now, as a villain, he was being told to kill All Might.
Yet even in this situation, he wanted to show All Might his power—as a hero.
"Well then…"
From the long sleeves of his coat, Connector—Hikigaya Hachiman—reached out his hand.
"Let's keep this short, shall we?"
With a cough, All Might's sharp gaze intensified.
"Here I come.""Let's settle this quickly!"
The earth roared. The air trembled.
No.1 Hero vs. the Fallen Newcomer.
A new era begins to move forward.
"Damn it…!"
Hiratsuka clenched her teeth as she looked up. A single pillar of earth rose from the ground beneath her. More and more followed, forming footholds beneath Connector and All Might. As it stood, All Might was now locked in a one-on-one fight with that intruder——with the handicap of being near his operational limit.
Yet she couldn't take her eyes off the others: Shigaraki, Kurogiri, and the rest of the villain troops. Especially that hand-covered man and the black mist one—From the state Eraserhead was left in, she deduced: the one who broke his arms and crushed his face was likely Nomu, and the one who shredded his flesh and skin was Shigaraki.Kurogiri, meanwhile, had absorbed Nomu—So likely, he had warp, storage, or both.She already suspected the black mist was responsible for their initial infiltration.
There weren't enough people.
They needed to neutralize both Kurogiri and Shigaraki.Also the villain troops—every single one. And if it came to it, even support All Might near his limit and take down the hooded man called Connector.
She could wait for the other pro heroes and stall for time—But that would take five minutes. Five minutes in which All Might, now isolated, could be in serious danger. Not of losing per se, but of having his Quirk revealed—Which was effectively the same as defeat. All U.A. faculty agreed on that.
So—take everyone down herself, or trust All Might's remaining time?
The answer was…
"Yukinoshita! Yuigahama!""Yes!""Y-Yes!"
"Screamfist gives you permission—use your Quirks!"
"!""Huh!?"
"Stop them with your best technique! I'll take responsibility!"
She cast aside her status as a pro. Yukinoshita might be an exception, but the rest weren't even provisional heroes. They weren't legally allowed to use their Quirks. Yukinoshita realized this instantly and turned to Yuigahama. Determination gleamed in Yui's eyes too. Right.If they could catch the black mist man here—maybe they'd get to Hikki.
"Other students, protect Yukinoshita and catch any stragglers.""What're you saying! We want to fight too—!""Then act like men and protect the girls, you fools!""R-Right!""Wha—!?"
The "be a man" line instantly convinced Kirishima. But someone spoke up: Todoroki.
"If Yukinoshita can do it, why not me, Hiratsuka-sensei?""Yukinoshita and Yuigahama plan to form a team in the future. They've trained for this. Their coordination's on another level! Stand down this time! Bakugo, you too! Don't step in—you'll just get caught up!!"
Caught up. That brought back memories—the time they got surrounded by Kurogiri and Thirteen. They had charged in without thinking. Not to get in the way of pros, but still—they had. You could say it was what led to this mess. Bakugo clenched his fists, but didn't move. He was reckless, but not stupid.
"You two ready!?""Yes!""Anytime!"
In Yuigahama's hand, a chunk of ice from Yukinoshita trembled—Was it… laughing? A tiger of ice stood proudly behind her, fangs bared.
The villains tensed in response.Shigaraki ordered Kurogiri to open a gate to Connector. To Screamfist, both All Might and the students were lives to protect. But students came first.
So, he'd have the troops fight the students and Screamfist. While they were busy, he and Kurogiri would go to assist Connector—…More like interfere. Connector would definitely get in the way. But if they waited for the perfect moment, they could take All Might out—Even just destroying one of his arms would be a win.
But reality wasn't so kind.
They had seen the two girls step forward—but underestimated them.
And what Shigaraki saw next was—
A wave of ice.
With faces, roaring as it charged.
"KSSHHAAAAAA!!""Shigaraki!!"
Kurogiri widened a gate and forcibly pulled Shigaraki in. He escaped the wave too.
"KSSHHAAAAAA!!"
The ice wave swallowed the bulk of the villain forces—then stretched out hands to chase the rest.
A wave of ice—with eyes and mouths—was beyond comprehension. The troops panicked.
They were frozen before they could even scream.
Midoriya and the others, and even Shigaraki and Kurogiri, were stunned.
How could a Quirk create living ice?
This—was Yuigahama Yui's Quirk.
"That should be enough, right?""Yeah, I think we're good now."
Yukinoshita stopped feeding more ice. The original chunk had left Yui's hand—It had become the wave itself.
"Yuigahama Yui! Quirk: Animism! She can bring inanimate objects she touches to life! She can animate up to five at a time! The time it takes depends on the object's mass—the more mass, the longer it takes! They revert if damaged, after a set time, or by Yui's will!"
They had simply used Animism well.
Yukinoshita made the ice chunk. Yui brought it to life. Then Yukinoshita kept feeding it more ice—And the living ice grew.
Even damage could be repaired with more ice.
This turned it into auto-chasing ice waves, requiring no command. From the villains' view, it was like beasts or monsters were attacking.
The villain troops were helpless. Almost all were frozen already.
"Shit…! What the hell is that Quirk!?""Ice, huh… We've got nothing to counter it."
Only Kurogiri and Shigaraki were left. The tiger, Screamfist, and the students with real combat ability still stood.
Their reinforcements had been wiped out by Connector and two girls.
All Might had been taken by Connector—who definitely wouldn't kill him.
And then—
"Didn't think they'd miss even one… They're trained. Not letting a single one escape."
"Screamfist…!"
Hiratsuka cracked her knuckles, eyes full of fury.
She was dangerous.
Not just her Quirk, but her method. A fair fight with her meant a long battle—and a likely loss.
If this dragged on, pros would arrive.They'd have to give up.
They needed to retrieve Connector too—or he might get caught.
Kurogiri thought: Should we warp out and head for All Might? But when he looked up—
The platform exploded.
"No way!!"
Hiratsuka looked up. Debris rained down. People flinched physically—and emotionally.
"A-All Might!!?""Ngh…!"
All Might had fallen.
Midoriya and Hiratsuka saw steam rising from him. He was almost out of time.
Behind him, Connector landed.
"…Don't talk too much, All Might. You're a hero, sure. Caring for others is fine… but maybe you should focus on yourself right now?""Young man…! You—!""Spare me."
"Connector! Kill him! Kill All Might now!!"
Shigaraki screamed. But Hiratsuka vanished.Midoriya burst forward. They closed in from both sides.
"I won't let you!!""All Might!!"
Connector turned to Hiratsuka. Their eyes locked. She felt a chill—he'd tracked her speed.
"Annoying.""Don't screw with me!"
She struck—four rapid punches. Midoriya came in with a SMASH from behind.
"SMAAAA—!?"
But soil rose and wrapped around him—not like fists, but cloth.
"Uwaaah!?"
He couldn't move. The dirt hardened.
"What is this!? Ow!!""Midoriya!!"
His legs screamed in pain. He had broken them using One For All at full force.
Meanwhile, Connector deflected Hiratsuka's blows—redirecting them with palm taps.
"!!"
She switched to a high kick. He ducked.
Close-range was too dangerous—he'd be countered.
A brief stalemate.
"I'll kill you!"
Bakugo leapt past Midoriya, attacking. Floating ice orbs surrounded him—Yukinoshita's work.
Connector blocked with an instant earth wall. Bakugo blasted through it and closed in.
Connector turned and struck with a roundhouse kick—Bakugo blocked, but was knocked aside.
"Damn it!?"
He skidded across the ground but tried to rise—Only for earth to entangle his arms, pinning him down.
"What the hell's with you, hood guy!!?"
Connector kept fighting Hiratsuka—never hitting back. If he struck her, he'd lose the upper hand.
He'd done what he needed. Maybe one more trap…
He glanced at All Might. He hadn't noticed yet—he was helping free Midoriya and then Bakugo. Todoroki and Kirishima went to help.
"Your defensive skills are impressive. Normally, you'd counter with earth."
Hiratsuka spoke mid-attack. She was hot-blooded but thoughtful.
Connector—Hikigaya—was wary. Why talk to a villain?
"Why haven't you attacked? You restrained Midoriya and Bakugo. You only made All Might kneel. Weren't you here to kill him?"
She wasn't even out of breath. She wasn't using full power. Her Quirk didn't activate well unless her heart was fully in it.
"…"
Connector didn't answer.He wanted to. But under that old man's watch, revealing anything would be betrayal.
"Hiratsuka-sensei!"
Yukinoshita launched a wave of ice to help. Connector dodged—by leaping into the air.
Silly girl, Yukinoshita thought. In the air, you're defenseless.
She launched ice at him—But suddenly, a strong wind knocked him midair.
"Eh!?""What the—!?"
It wasn't him who shouted—but Yukinoshita and Hiratsuka.
Connector drifted…and landed right behind Yukinoshita.
"Crap—"
Too precise. Yukinoshita and Hiratsuka couldn't react in time.
Connector placed his right hand on her back—his left to her throat.
"Don't move."
Just one sentence.
But it froze not just them—the entire hero side.
"Yukinon…!""Kh… I'm sorry, Hiratsuka-sensei…!""Damn it! Let her go! She's a student—she has nothing to do with this!!"
Technically, Yukinoshita was a pro, but no one said it.
"…"
Connector said nothing.He began altering Yukinoshita's costume with his Quirk.
Shigaraki smiled.Connector couldn't be caught off guard—His Quirk made that impossible.
Now that he had a hostage, they could kill All Might.
"You get it, right, All Might!? Don't move unless you want her to die! Kurogiri—rip All Might apart with a warp gate!""Indeed. That's probably the fastest method."
Close-range was too risky—Better to kill him safely.
"…Fine. Just… after I die, let Yukinoshita go.""No! All Might!"
Midoriya and Yuigahama were in agony. But All Might didn't care.He'd just offered his life.
So did Yukinoshita.
"…I won't let you.""?""I won't let All Might die!"
She unleashed a burst of cold air.
"Wha—!!""No, Yukinoshita!!""Stop!!!"
All Might, Hiratsuka, and Yuigahama shouted.
Yukinoshita saw Connector's mouth. He looked… angry.
A massive burst of ice blew him away. He didn't lay a finger on her.
"What!?"
Wind hit again. He landed next to Shigaraki.
"Hey, Connector! Why didn't you kill that girl! Killing a student in front of All Might would crush him!""No time. We're running.""Wha—Shigaraki!"
Kurogiri tried to warp them—Too late.
Four bullets hit Shigaraki's limbs. Kurogiri dodged.Connector had already avoided them.
"They're here already!?"
"We're escaping, Shigaraki, Connector!""Want me to stall them?""Don't joke. We're leaving!"
Connector's voice was amused—because getting caught was fine by him.
If he was caught, his sister—Komachi—would stay near him.And he could protect her.
That meant he'd leave Shigaraki and Kurogiri.
They couldn't allow that.
Snipe kept firing. Thirteen rose and used Black Hole. Kurogiri grabbed Shigaraki—and forcibly took Connector too.
"Next time, I'll kill you—Symbol of Peace."
As they vanished, Connector looked at Yukinoshita. She looked back.
Their eyes asked the same question:
"Why?"