The battlefield of U.S.J. had fallen into an eerie, suffocating silence. The once chaotic clash of Nomu, debris, and students' frantic commands had faded, swallowed by a growing darkness that coiled around Hikaru Amano's broken body. Blood streaked his clothes, hair hung in uneven strands across a pale face, and each breath came in shallow, ragged bursts.
The students froze in place, eyes fixed on the boy who seemed more phantom than human. Some dared not move, some whispered prayers under their breath, while others simply stared, paralyzed by disbelief.
And then, the shadows began to curl.
They rose like living serpents, slithering and wrapping around Hikaru. Mist thickened, enveloping him completely, until the students could no longer see the boy beneath the darkness. Where he had lain, there was only void: featureless, black as night, humanoid yet terrifyingly inhuman, radiating a living, pulsing menace. Every movement of the shadows was deliberate, yet unnatural, as if they existed with their own intent.
The students instinctively stepped back, the air thick with tension. Mina Uraraka's hands flew to her mouth, trembling. Jirō pressed herself against the wall, wide-eyed, whispering, "What… what is that?"
Kirishima swallowed hard. "I… is that him? That's Hikaru?"
Bakugo's knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists. "Damn it… what the hell happened to him?"
Midoriya whispered, almost inaudible, "It's his quirk… It's his fear… his trauma… given shape…"
The shadows extended toward Nomu, moving like liquid smoke. The central figure raised an arm, and faint humanoid forms emerged from the mist to restrain the monstrous creature. Nomu thrashed violently, its artificial muscles coiling to strike, but it was trapped. Students froze in shock, some crying, some fainting, unable to comprehend the horror.
Shigaraki Tomura screamed from the rubble, panic lacing his voice: "What… what is that kid doing? That's insane! You're not supposed to—STOP IT!"
The mist snaked through Nomu's mouth and nose, and the creature's thrashing became erratic, almost berserk. Students instinctively scrambled backward, some vomiting, some pressing against walls in terror. Iida's voice rang out: "Everyone, stay back! Keep distance! This is beyond us!"
Gradually, Nomu stilled, its violent energy consumed by the shadows. The smaller humanoid figures dissipated, returning to the central void, leaving only the towering, black, featureless figure.
Shigaraki's voice, high-pitched and frantic, broke through the tense silence: "No! That… that can't be! He—he isn't supposed to—Nomu—stop!"
Kurogiri dragged him away. "We leave. Now. You cannot confront him."
The students held their ground, trembling. The figure now turned toward them, silently observing. The weight of judgment pressed down, almost suffocating, as if it could see their fears, their doubts, their very thoughts.
Momo whispered, barely audible, "It's… him, right? It's really Hikaru…"
Tokoyami's feathers ruffled in disbelief. "I… I've never seen anything like this…"
Bakugo muttered through clenched teeth, "Damn… that's… him?"
For long, tense minutes, the shadowed figure remained silent, unmoving. The students' fear built, a crushing weight, until the air itself seemed to vibrate. Every second stretched, every eye fixed, every breath held. No one knew what the figure might do next.
And then, breaking the silence, a tall, powerful presence appeared: All Might. His silhouette cut through the mist, a symbol of hope and authority that even the darkness seemed to hesitate before.
All Might's voice carried over the battlefield: "Hikaru Amano… what has become of you?"
The shadows reacted, and for the first time, voices layered over one another. Male, female, childlike, distorted, each carrying the weight of suffering:
The voices inside the shadows wove together, countless tones whispering as one:"We are what this world created… forged from neglect, carved from fear… the echo of society's failures. You abandoned him, and so we were born. All of you share the blame."
The students recoiled, terror evident on every face. Momo pressed against Uraraka, trembling. Jirō's hands shook.
All Might's expression softened with sorrow. He spoke with care, addressing both the boy and the world he represented: "Hikaru… I know the suffering you endured. The abuse, the loneliness, the fear… you deserved peace. But this… this violence, this revenge… it is not the answer. There is a way to live without letting the darkness consume you."
The shadows pulsed violently, their overlapping voices screaming:"YOU KNOW NOTHING! YOU HAVE NEVER FELT WHAT WE FELT! THE SYSTEM, THE WORLD… IT CREATED US! THE ABUSE, THE FEAR… ALL OF YOU! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!"
Hikaru's voice emerged faintly through the mist, defiant and cold: "Yes… yes! This world is broken! Not just you… all of it… society… the system… the people who let us suffer!"
The students were frozen, some crying, some silent, some vomiting. Tokoyami's feathers stood on end.
All Might took a deep, steadying breath: "I see your pain… I know your suffering… but this… is not the way... Hikaru. You are not a monster. You are a boy who deserves life and hope."
The shadows pulsed again, their voices overlapping: "You left him… belived in you… yet you never came."
All Might's gaze was heavy with sorrow. "I failed you once… but even now, you are not lost. You can still choose… to fight the darkness, not let it consume you."
The mist swirled chaotically, almost considering his words. Slowly, the shadows began to dissolve, retreating into nothingness, leaving only the central void humanoid figure.
The students exhaled, some sobbing softly, some silent, some still frozen. Bakugō's usual scowl faltered. "This… this isn't a kid anymore… that's… not human…"
Midoriya muttered, voice trembling, "I have to understand him… I have to help him."
All Might's voice, heavy with both hope and sorrow, rang clear: "Hikaru… remember who you are. You are not only your quirk. You are not only your fears. You are a boy who deserves life, and I will not stop reaching for you, no matter what happens next."
The void exhaled — a silent, long sigh of relief — and the mist dissipated. Hikaru Amano remained, transformed and unconscious, leaving the students and All Might to process the immensity of what had occurred.
Silence fell over the U.S.J. ruins, thick with awe, fear, and the realization that Hikaru Amano had become something far beyond their comprehension.