"I'm improving! My growth shall continue until my story is finished! Then I can move on Bleach stuff..."
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The tension in the room had settled into a thick, wordless fog. All Might sat, his bony fingers laced together on his lap, eyes dim but calm. David Shield leaned back against a metallic counter, the soft glow of his monitors casting faint blue hues across his face. The silence wasn't awkward — it was heavy.
"Toshinori…" David finally broke it, voice soft, "…I knew you weren't at your peak anymore. But this… the drop in your output—it's terrifying."
Toshinori didn't respond at first. He simply glanced over at the medical graph still flickering in red warnings, then turned back, his smile thin and tired.
"It was during the last battle. Years ago. Against him."
David's expression hardened.
"All For One?"
All Might nodded. "He nearly took everything. My side… my stomach… a significant portion of my respiratory system. I've been running on fumes since."
David slowly walked over to the console, resting a hand on the monitor. He clenched his jaw as he remembered the explosion that echoed across Japan years ago. He'd seen the aftermath — on the news, in Toshinori's eyes, and in the jagged scars that now carved across his frail torso.
"I had… something." David suddenly said.All Might turned to him. "Something?"
David nodded again, more determined this time. "A device. An amplifier, not a drug. A fusion of adaptive biotechnology and kinetic resonance feedback. Basically—"
"—A support item?" Toshinori interjected.
"Not quite. A second wind. Something that could return your body to near-peak performance… permanently." David said with a flicker of hope.
All Might's eyes widened for a moment.
"But the Board of Technological Ethics classified it as 'Quirk enhancement via artificial means'. Too dangerous, they said. Too revolutionary. They shelved it before I could finish development." David explained, frustration bubbling beneath his calm demeanor. "But if we get it back, Toshinori… if I can finish it…"
All Might held up a hand."David."
There was silence again.
Then Toshinori looked him in the eyes — and for the first time since entering the room, his voice had no bravado, no performance. Only quiet resolve.
"It's not mine anymore."
David blinked, confused."What do you mean?"
All Might stood up from the table, thin frame shaking slightly but still carrying that uncanny sense of purpose.
"I passed it on. One For All is no longer within me."
The silence hit like a dropped pin in a cathedral.
"You… what?" David asked, breath caught.
"Six months ago. To a student of mine. His name is Izuku Midoriya."
David's mind raced. "You gave away your Quirk? You can do that?"
All Might nodded slowly. "One For All was never mine to keep forever. It's meant to be passed on — inherited. A stockpiling Quirk that grows stronger with each successor. Midoriya is the ninth holder."
David staggered backward, hand gripping the edge of the counter.
"But… why now? You could've kept it a little longer. You could've—"
"I didn't have time. I'm running out of it."All Might's words were firm, but kind. Final.
"I knew the moment I passed it on, my condition would worsen. And it did. I've barely been able to use it for even an hour a day now… but it was the right choice."
David was stunned. "He's just a boy…"
"A boy who's already able to handle 10% of One For All."All Might smiled again, this one tinged with real pride. "In under six months. With no prior Quirk. He's adapting faster than even I did. I believe… by the time he graduates… he'll have full control."
David sat down. Slowly.
"…That's incredible," he admitted. "That's terrifyingly impressive, actually. But Toshinori, you said it yourself — graduation is years away. Years. We may not have that kind of time. Especially if—"
His voice caught in his throat.
"He's back, isn't he?"David's tone dropped to a whisper.
Toshinori's silence was answer enough.
"Still alive. Still injured. But yes… All For One is back."His fists clenched at his side. "The attack on Hosu… the Nomu… they're his. He's grooming someone now. A successor. Like I did."
David ran a hand through his graying hair. The weight of the world returned to his shoulders.
"Then it's war all over again."
Toshinori didn't reply. He simply looked up at the lab's ceiling — as if beyond it was the sky, the people he swore to protect, and the boy he entrusted it all to.
"I'll buy him the time," All Might said at last."However long it takes. I'll stand in the way of every villain, no matter the pain, the cost, or how many minutes I have left. Because that's what a Symbol does."
David's voice was low."You've given up hope on healing."
Toshinori turned to him, gently placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"No, David. I've just found someone worth healing for."
The words stung. But they were true.
David closed his eyes, thinking back to that one unforgettable night — the battlefield in Tokyo's ruins. The battle of monsters, the blinding light, the roar of a man who refused to die until he'd made the world smile.
All Might had stood tall when no one else could.
"But if I bring you back... you'll win again," David whispered, more to himself than anyone.
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[Auther: Yo, been awhile hasn't it? Anyways, I'm mostly just giving this arc some character before we move on.]