Then—without any assistance—she began to walk.

Her lion's foot, still wrapped in bandages, pressed firmly against the ground as she limped forward.

The movement was slow, every step strained, but she kept going.

Shadow could see the way her fingers twitched, gripping the edge of her sleeve.

The way her jaw clenched, forcing herself to swallow down any sounds of pain.

Shadow's ears twitched as he watched her struggle toward the last door in the hallway beside her guest bedroom.

Mitsuki and Masaru, still standing by the guest room entrance, watched as well—quiet, curious as she limped down the hall to Bakugou's room that was the about beside hers.

(Y/n)'s breaths were uneven as she finally made it, her hand pressing lightly against the door for balance.

Then—a knock.

Not loud.

Not demanding.

Just soft.

Shadow's sharp eyes flickered to the floor beneath the door.

A shadow.

Two feet.

Bakugou was there.

He hadn't opened the door, but he was standing right behind it.

(Y/n)'s mark glowed faintly beneath her clothing.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

And then—she reached out.

"Katsuki?..."

Soft.

The moment her voice touched his mind, the shadow of his feet flinched.

She knew he could hear her.

"I'm about to head out, Katsuki. I wanted to thank you... before I leave."

Heavy silence.

Shadow watched closely.

(Y/n) waited.

"...No"

Her breath caught.

"just get out of here..."

The words were quiet—almost a whisper—but (Y/n) felt the weight behind them.

She lowered her gaze to the floor, her fingers tightening slightly against the doorframe.

A single tear slipped down her cheek.

But still—she smiled.

Gently, she bent down, placed the bean bun on the floor, and whispered: "Thank you, Katsuki. I'll see you later."

She turned.

Shadow, Mitsuki, and Masaru watched as she limped back to them.

Mitsuki's hands were clenched, her brows furrowed, but she said nothing.

Masaru just sighed.

Shadow, however, glanced back at the door.

Bakugou's shadow hadn't moved.

He was still there.

Listening.

The Bakugous bid their final goodbyes, and with a flash of crimson energy, Shadow activated his Chaos Control—teleporting them away.

.

The hallway fell silent.

Inside his room, Bakugou stood still.

His gaze burned into the floor, his hands clenched into fists.

For a long moment...

He just stood there.

Then—

Slowly—

He leaned forward.

Resting his forehead lightly against the door.

.

===(Midoriya's Apartment)===

When they arrived at Midoriya's apartment, All Might managed to convince Aizawa to visit the next family on his own while he and (Y/n) handled this one.

As soon as Inko Midoriya opened the door, she gasped, hands flying to her mouth in astonishment.

"Oh! Please, come inside! We're so honored!" she said, voice filled with excitement and nervousness.

Midoriya stood beside her, his bandaged arms stiffening, eyes wide as he struggled to keep his cool.

"Thank you," All Might said gratefully, stepping in

"I-I can't believe All Might is actually in our home!" Inko stammered, bowing slightly in respect as she welcomed them inside.

"Be cool, Mom. It's totally fine," Midoriya tried to reassure her, despite his own hands trembling as he fought to maintain his composure.

All Might's eyes scanned the apartment, eventually landing on Midoriya's room—which was practically a shrine dedicated to him.

Miniature All Might figurines, posters, and memorabilia lined the walls, a clear tribute to the young hero's admiration.

All Might let out a chuckle, feeling a sense of warmth at his student's devotion.

But the moment was cut short when (Y/n) let out a pained groan, shifting her weight on her crutch.

Inko's expression immediately softened, her eyes filling with concern as she quickly moved toward the young girl.

"Sweetheart, thank goodness you're alright."

She wrapped her arms around (Y/n) in a tight yet gentle embrace.

(Y/n) returned the hug without hesitation, melting into the motherly warmth.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Midoriya approaching.

His steps were careful, hesitant—but when he finally reached her, he joined the embrace.

His grip around her shoulders tightened, his breathing uneven

"(Y/n)-chan... I..."

He held his emotions back, but (Y/n) could feel the weight of his relief, his pain, and his gratitude.

Her gaze drifted down.

Her fingers tightened slightly on his shirt.

She had noticed.

The bandages wrapped around his arms.

Her heart sank.

She knew the price he had paid—for her, for Kota, for everyone.

"....you should've taken better care of yourself," she wanted to say. But instead, she just held on a little tighter.

When Midoriya finally pulled back, his eyes softened, but before he could say anything else, his gaze landed on the dark figure standing beside her.

A tall, black-and-red hedgehog, his arms crossed, piercing red eyes watching them closely.

Midoriya blinked, momentarily thrown off.

"(Y/n)-chan... Who's that?"

(Y/n) glanced at Shadow before responding.

"This is Shadow. He's a friend... and my personal bodyguard." answered (Y/n) telepathically

Midoriya's eyebrows raised slightly, intrigued.

"I see... It's nice to meet you, Shadow. I'm Izuku Midoriya."

He extended his hand politely, offering a handshake.

Shadow's gaze flickered to it for a moment before finally reciprocating the gesture.

Their grip was firm, but Shadow remained silent—his face unreadable as always

"Here, come have a seat," Midoriya offered, pulling out a chair.

(Y/n) gave him a grateful smile, allowing him to help her to her seat beside All Might.

Midoriya then sat across from them, hands clasped together.

Noticing the extra chair, he gestured toward Shadow.

"You can sit too, if you'd like."

He moved beside her, gently helping her lower into the chair next to All Might.

As Midoriya took a seat across from them, he turned to Shadow, offering another chair.

Shadow, however, shook his head.

Instead, he moved to the far side of the sofa, leaning against it with his arms crossed, standing guard.

His red eyes flickered, observing everything with calculated precision.

Moments later, Inko returned, setting a tray on the table.

Two steaming cups of coffee sat beside a neatly sliced pound cake.

"I hope you don't mind," she said kindly, setting it down. "I figured you must be tired after all your visits."

"Thank you," (Y/n) said telepathically, giving her a warm smile

She carefully reached for her cup, savoring the comforting warmth of the drink against her palms.

As the conversation started, Shadow remained silent, observing everything.

All Might settled into his seat and looked across at Inko Midoriya, who sat with a tight grip on her cup of tea. The tension in the air was palpable, but he had come prepared for this conversation.

"You probably already know why I'm here. You received the notice about UA moving our students into dormitories?" he began, his voice calm and diplomatic.

Inko exhaled slowly, her grip tightening on her teacup. Then, she shook her head.

"Yes, I read the letter... and I won't allow it."

Midoriya gasped, turning toward his mother in pure shock.

Wait, what?"

(Y/n) remained calm on the surface, though internally, she was just as surprised. She had expected hesitation—concern, even—but a complete refusal was unexpected.

"But yesterday, you said—"

"I've thought about it since then and changed my mind." Inko cut in, her tone firm, but not unkind.

She turned her gaze to All Might, her expression filled with a mix of grief, fear, and determination.

"Izuku has admired you for so long—even when he didn't have a Quirk, even when people told him he could never be a hero. Then, suddenly, a Quirk appeared. And ever since he's enrolled at UA, all I've seen is my son getting hurt."

Her voice wavered as she glanced at Midoriya's bandaged arms.

(Y/n)'s eyes followed hers.

Her fingers clenched onto the fabric of her shirt, her stomach twisting. She had seen the wounds Midoriya had suffered. She had witnessed firsthand the lengths he went through to protect others—to protect her.

"One fight. One villain. And he might never be able to use them again," Inko whispered.

(Y/n) swallowed hard, looking away.

"I watched you and (Y/n) on TV."

Inko's voice was heavier now, as if she was reliving the horror all over again.

"I saw what those villains did to you both. I saw (Y/n) stand against them, bloodied and broken, still fighting. I was grateful she won, but at what cost?"

Her voice shook as she turned to (Y/n), eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"I watched you grow up, sweetheart. You're like a daughter to me. And seeing you—like that—on that screen... I can't imagine how All Might felt, or how your father felt, but I do know one thing.

She closed her eyes briefly, as if trying to calm the storm inside her.

"The path my son is following—your path—will lead him to nothing but pain. And as a mother, I cannot allow that."

Silence.

Midoriya's hands trembled, his breath uneven.

"Mom..." he whispered.

She turned toward him, her voice softer now, but still resolute.

"Forgive me, Izuku. When you were Quirkless, you were happy just watching heroes do their jobs. Maybe that was better for you. I don't know anymore."

Midoriya pushed back his chair abruptly, turning to face her.

"That's not true!"

His sudden outburst startled Inko, but Midoriya pressed forward.

"Mom, you promised to support me! And I know you're scared—I know you're worried—but this is my dream! I can't just walk away from it!"

Inko closed her eyes, her expression filled with nothing but heartbreak.

"Honey, I told you I'd support you, but I also told you I wouldn't stop worrying. Do you remember that? And now, I can't take it anymore. I can't just sit back and watch you destroy yourself, piece by piece."

She turned back to All Might, her gaze sharp and unwavering.

"I'll speak plainly, sir. I don't have the nerves to entrust my son to UA anymore—not with everything that's happened. It doesn't matter what a wonderful hero you are. When the villains attacked, classes had to be canceled. You couldn't stop your students from getting seriously injured. You couldn't stop what happened to (Y/n).

(Y/n) flinched but kept her head bowed, processing every word.

"My son had to watch his best friend—his sister in all but blood—die in front of him. Do you know what that does to a child? He still has nightmares about it. Then, I had to watch her get arrested. And now she's sitting in front of me, battered and bruised, with God knows what scars that aren't visible."

Her voice cracked as a few tears escaped down her cheeks.

"I won't let my son be next."

A heavy silence filled the room.

All Might slowly stood up, about to speak, but before he could, Midoriya spoke again.

"It's not like that, Mom! It's my own fault that I kept getting hurt. The teachers warned me over and over again, but I didn't listen!"

"So you're saying you didn't learn?" Inko's voice rose slightly. "Don't you think that means the school is responsible? They couldn't even protect (Y/n) this entire time, and now look at her."

Midoriya winced, his fists clenching.

"Young man, sit down." All Might's voice was soft yet firm.

Midoriya gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling.

Inko let out a shaky breath, trying to compose herself.

"I might be acting like an overprotective parent, but I'm at peace with that. And while I don't want to steal my son's dream away from him, he can always go to a different school. There are other hero courses besides the one at UA."

Midoriya snapped.

Without a word, he bolted from his chair, ran out of the living room, and disappeared into his room, slamming the door behind him.

"Izuku!" Inko called out, but it was too late.

She slumped back into her seat, hands shaking.

(Y/n) sat quietly, absorbing everything.

'This must be heartbreaking... He's followed Papa's footsteps for so long. How could he give it all up now?'

She bit the inside of her cheek, eyes flickering toward Inko.

'I understand why she's doing this. I can't blame her. I have no mother of my own, but... if I did... I would want her to fight for me like this.'

The guilt weighed heavily on (Y/n)'s shoulders.

'This is my fault too. My suffering, my mistakes, they made her doubt UA's ability to protect him. If I were in her place... I don't know if I'd send him back either.'

he clenched her hands in her lap, swallowing the guilt, the sadness, the pain.

Shadow, who had been silent the entire time, subtly glanced at (Y/n).

He noticed her hands trembling.

To anyone else, it was barely noticeable.

But Shadow saw everything.

She was holding something back.

Inko sighed, composing herself as she wiped her tears. "I'm sorry. I'll go talk to him." She bowed apologetically.

"Mom, it doesn't have to be UA."

Midoriya suddenly turned, holding up a small, folded letter. He stepped toward the table, placing it down for them all to see.

"Here. Look at this. You, too, All Might... (Y/n)-chan."

At the mention of her name, (Y/n) lifted her head. She had been silent for most of the conversation, sitting beside Shadow with an unreadable expression.

"I got this letter at the hospital. It's from the boy I saved at the training camp."

All Might's gaze softened. (Y/n) felt her chest tighten knowing exactly who he was referring to.

"Kota... Someone who hated heroes and Quirks wrote to thank me for saving him."

Midoriya clutched the letter to his chest, his voice steady but filled with emotion.

All Might inhaled sharply, beginning to understand.

"I know who I'm meant to be. And that's what I'll train for. At UA or not, I swear it!"

His determination shined through as he clenched the letter tightly.

The air felt heavy.

Then, it happened.

All Might, inspired and touched, suddenly transformed into his buff form.

The sudden burst of energy startled Inko, Midoriya, and (Y/n), whose fingers instinctively tightened around the fabric of her shirt.

"W-What the—?" Midoriya stammered.

Even Shadow's red eyes widened slightly, though he remained silent.

Then, in a move that shocked them all, All Might bent onto his knees.

His forehead touched the floor, hands clenched before him.

"I'm afraid I haven't been upfront, ma'am."

His voice was low, steady—serious.

"Please allow me to try again. I believe that Young Izuku is the right person to succeed me. That is, he is my choice to become the world's next Symbol of Peace."

Midoriya gasped.

"Huh? Hold on. What are you, All Might? What is this?" said Inko froze, completely bewildered.

"It's an apology," All Might said solemnly.

"As the one who held that title, I allowed myself to remain his hero rather than giving my all as his teacher. I'm sorry."

A hiss of steam escaped his body as his form deflated.

As a UA teacher and a father figure, I implore you to forgive my past weakness. It's true that my path has been filled with blood. But that is what makes me the right person to help him find his own way—free of the mistakes I made as a young hero."

"Don't do this, All Might," Midoriya whispered, watching his mentor lower his head again.

"The heroes at UA know that things can't continue as they have. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our students—including (Y/n) from here on out. It is our top priority."

(Y/n)'s fingers twitched at the mention of her name.

Shadow, still leaning against the wall, silently observed her.

Something felt off.

He had seen her fight, suffer, and rise again, but there was something in her stillness that concerned him.

"Look not at the current UA, but at the future. Will you allow me to devote myself to Young Izuku? Together, we will go beyond. I will lift him up. And I will protect your son—even if it costs me my life."

Midoriya's mother dropped to her knees, tears brimming in her eyes.

Midoriya rushed to her side.

"Mom are you okay?"

Inko shook her head, overcome with emotion.

"I can't... I mean—"

She placed a trembling hand over her chest, her heart hammering.

"You and (Y/n)... You're Izuku's reason for living."

(Y/n)'s unpatched eye widened slightly.

"It's not that I hate you or UA."

Inko looked at the three of them.

"It's just... I want Izuku to be safe and happy alongside (Y/n)."

The air shifted.

(Y/n) didn't react.

She merely stared at the floor, hands neatly resting in her lap.

Shadow, still beside her, furrowed his brows slightly.

She wasn't stiff or tense.

She was just... too quiet.

"All Might... Don't give up on your life."

Inko's voice was firm despite her tears.

"He needs you. To protect him. To raise him. If you can promise me you'll do that... then he can return to UA."

All Might lifted his head.

Their eyes met.

"I promise," Said All Might, with his voice steady.

Then, he lowered his forehead to the floor once more.

Inko wiped her tears, sniffling.

"Izuku. If you're going to go back to this school, you have to be so careful."

"Of course. I won't make you worry." Said Midoriya as he wiped his own tears, grateful beyond words.

"Mr. All Might... Please. Take good care of my boy."

As the air settled, Midoriya turned his head slightly.

His eyes landed on (Y/n).

She was smiling—softly. Genuinely.

But something felt off.

She had been too quiet.

Even now, when everything was settled, she didn't react as much as she normally would.

Midoriya knew her.

He knew something was wrong.

And for the first time since the trial, he realized...

(Y/n) was hiding something.

All Might let out a deep breath, placing a hand over his chest before smiling warmly at the Midoriyas.

"Thank you both for your time and for trusting us with Izuku's future."

Inko nodded, still emotional, while Midoriya gave a determined smile.

As All Might turned toward (Y/n), he gestured slightly to Shadow.

Without a word, Shadow nodded, already understanding what needed to be done. He stepped forward, grabbing (Y/n)'s crutch from beside the chair and offering it to her.

(Y/n) gave him a gentle nod in thanks, gripping the handle as she tried to push herself up.

However, the