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Paradise, Part 7

Chapter 8

So Luffy asked a mermaid and a skeleton if they can poop. The skeleton said yes…so mermaids?

POV All For One (AFO)

Think carefully…there is still a way to do this.

The only reason I came all this way was because I had deemed One For All’s time to be over. I had confirmed that the fool had not chosen or trained a successor like so many before him. This time it would truly be the end for One For All.

Deep down, I was worried for how the fight would end as I knew how much the power could grow from user to user. All Might’s master, Nana Shimura, was a worthy foe until she exhausted her supply of One For All as she no longer held the core. It was only when she was clutching onto the embers she was truly overpowered and defeated.

But what about now? What about All Might, the 8th holder of One For All. Would it be different from the last 7 holders and 6 fights? Would it end in his death…or mine? Not only would his One For All be more powerful, but unlike the others, All Might would have the core of his quirk with him. A quirk which would never exhaust itself.

I let the thoughts out of my head as I thought of my younger brother. My foolish younger brother who simply did not understand the grand design I had for this world. This hellish world would never be one of justice no matter what masks the Heroes put on nor what capes they fly.

The only way to bring lasting peace was not to raise a fake Symbol of Peace but rather solidify the idea of terror and fear. A fake symbol would crumble away bit by bit until it’s true insides are revealed turning all that went into it into nothing.

Fear and terror on the other hand lasts forever. The deepest emotion rooted in people will keep them in line and finally bring order in this quirky society. Parents will tell child and neighbor will tell neighbor. Friend will warn friend and sister will warn brother. At the top administering the peace and order established at long last shall be me…as only I possess the might and will to do such a thing.

But looking at the hazy figure in front of me, I began to doubt if I was correct in my assumption of strength. As the snow storm raged on, I felt myself pushing down something I didn’t remember I had, instinctual fear. A prey’s senses warning that there was a predator nearby.

Why, why was I feeling this?

Should I not be at the top of all things in this world? All For One. All For One should be enough to outmatch anyone. Even my own creation of One For All…even All Might. Then who was this Snowfallen to give me this much fear?

I wasn’t able to stop my left leg from taking an automatic step backwards which came with a feeling of discomfort.

Is my ‘Life-force’ quirk acting up again? Why does it have to be now?

While I do owe it to Dr. Garaki’s Life Force quirk, it truly was a bother as it came with the downside of being physically weak…very weak. Of course, I had gathered and absorbed countless physical enhancing quirks to make up for this weakness but the occasional muscle pains came up once in a while.

Snowfallen: You better pay attention there

In less than a blink of an eye, she was right in front of me with her fist already closing in on my face. I didn’t have time to even blink before I felt the impact before being thrust into the air.

The world around me went hazy and gravity lost its hold when all of a sudden I saw her again…appearing out of thin air directly…sideways? No…I lay falling flat and she simply appeared on top of me.

Snowfallen: Gravity Press

It was as if a boulder was dropped directly onto my stomach as I felt the air rush out…and not be replaced.

*BAMMM*

Crashing into the ground below, I looked up to find the girl in a mount position.

Me: Wai—

*BAM!* *crack*

Me: You don’t kn

*BAM* That’s my nose gone

Me: I must recommend that yo—

*BAM!* And that’s my lips gone as well.

Me: EMNHOUGH!

That came out wrong. This is why you don’t punch people in the lips.

My brain ran desperately as I watched in slow motion another fist coming directly towards my face. Unlike the others…this one seemed more dangerous for some reason. As if it was packed with something that could really damage me.

Wait…slow motion?

Me: Overclock!

A quirk I had stolen from the Hero O’Clock activated as I saw the world go into slow motion. The fist that easily broke sound barriers inching toward me like a turtle. I began to smile in victory as I raised my hands when…

Her eyes

Her eyes were tracking my fist in real time. No…that’s impossible though! No one without the quirk should have this crazy reaction speed!

Then her lips began to part and I knew she was going to activate something. Something I really really did not want to know.

My hands tried to reach for her face to distract her before she could mutter whatever was coming but somehow her other hand found the speed to cover her mouth before I reached it.

Snowfallen: C-u-b-e

Then like magic, everything fell apart. Time seemed to bend and space rewritten completely as every small action of hers became faster and faster and I became slower and slower…all while the particles in the air stood frozen in time…frozen in space.

Snowfallen stood up, releasing me from her advantageous position, but looked around with great interest as she moved her hands about and touching the space-timed locked things around her.

Snowfallen: So this is what it feels like. How strange…how impressive. An overdose of specific mix of chemicals injected into the brain to speed up perception. A superpose of adrenaline I suppose…though the stress it puts on both the head and body would explain why the Hero O’Clock wasn’t able to use it for long anyway.

No…no…how was this possible? I could feel my brain heating up as the time limit for the O’Clock began to reach its end. A headache beginning to form as my mind can’t keep up with the frozen time. But if I let go here…I won’t be able to keep up with her at all!

Me: How…how did you do this?!

Snowfallen: Why? Did you think you were the only one with multiple quirks?

Shit…this just took a turn for the worst case scenario. If she can keep up and even surpass me in speed, then there is no use in even attempting to play that game anymore.

It looks like I’ll need to play the heavy hitting tank and hope that a shot would connect.

Me: Greater regeneration, Superior Healing, Troll’s Stamina, Steel Skin, Body Augmentation, Greater Hardening, BulletProof.

As I activated the defensive and hardening quirks, I felt the weight of my body lift as I could breathe more easily and felt as if I could lift anything.

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Me: Now let us play a different type of ga—*cough* *cough*. *THUD!*

It was as if a parasite had attached itself onto my back and dug into my flesh and spine…and that was just the pain. Whatever it was doing, it was injecting poison into my body as I felt weaker…less than what I was before putting on the enhancing quirks.

I could feel myself losing my strength rapidly as my vision blurred and my movements jerkier.

Me: What…what is this??!

Snowfallen: Well well, it looks like you’ve been a naughty boy haven’t you? Karmic Retribution is what I call it. Now tell me, do you feel your sins crawling on your back?

The grimace of pain must have been answer enough as she looked at me in amusements.

Snowfallen: The sky might no longer be blue and the birds are nowhere around us to chirp…regardless, if you are feeling that much pain, then you truly are unworthy. You should be burning in hell.

No…it can’t end here. Not like this!

I called upon all my healing and strengthening quirks at once. I felt life being pumped into my heart as it began to counteract whatever was carving away at my life. I took in a shuddering breath at the fear of seeing death before I got back onto my feet.

Snowfallen: Oh, so it looks like you’ve managed to counteract your karma…though it looks like you’re not healing at the rate you used to.

Me: What a dangerous quirk…I will make sure to rip it out of your corpse.

Contrary to what I’ve expected, Snowfallen simply began laughing again, as if my words amused her.

Snowfallen: Sure sure, feel free to try. On the other hand…I must thank you for showing me the speed quirk. It’s not exactly the same but…

My danger sensing quirk spiked to max as on instinct I activated O’Clock once again as the world slowed down to a crawl except…

Snowfallen was in front of my eyes in an instant as she threw a light punch directly at my face. Dodging under her light attack, I prepared my own punch only to be front kicked.

Me: *groan* What sort of monst—huh?

My arms were tied down to the rubble behind by…ribs? Massive bones stopped my movements. I tried breaking them out in a futile attempt as Snowfallen teleported directly above me once again, her fist fully cocked and loaded this time.

Snowfallen: Tell me how much this hurts.

Due to O’Clocks’ effect, I saw her fist clearly as it came closer and closer to my face. Mid thrust, I saw her fist changing from white to shining black due to some mysterious quirk. Whatever it was, there was no way it could be good.

As I felt the fist connect with my face, I felt my nose shatter on impact continued with my mouth and the regenerated face as well. Unfortunately, she wasn’t done as a second hook came around and crashed directly into my shoulder. My shoulder which wasn’t as prepared as my head exploded on impact, drenching her in my blood.

The bones holding me shattered on impact as well as I was sent even further deeper into the rubble underneath.

Thankfully, it seemed like my eyes were spared for the moment. Still, I lay under there groaning in agony at the loss of my arm and my lower face as I let the pain suppressing and regeneration quirk take care of my wounds.

In come cruel joke, it seemed like the parasite on my back returned as the healing process slowed itself to a crawl. Barely stopping the bleeding on my stump and face before seemingly run out of juice, having been drained of everything by Snowfallen’s Karmic Retribution.

I looked up to see the glowing blue eyes of Snowfallen looking down at me in satisfaction. Did I need to escape?

No…I could sense there was a barrier of sorts blocking any space related ability. Teleportation would be a heavily risky move if the space around her was truly under her command. The only way out of this would be to either fight her or escape her on foot.

Snowfallen above me drew a blade out of thin air, only confirming that she had a space related quirk.

Snowfallen: Come on out All For One. It’s time to portion you out…there are quite a number of victims who want a piece of you, you see?

She swung her blade before frowning in frustration…why? Was something not working?

Snowfallen: Fucking plot…why is it that it is always the strong ones that are immune to Kitchen Slash?!

Whatever Kitchen Slash was, I was thankful that it did not have affect…though from the looks of Snowfallen, it wasn’t the only thing she had up her sleeve.

Snowfallen: Fine then, traditional way it is.

POV Third person

All-For-One sensing a great amount of danger teleported himself out and into the distance only to be met with a blade through his back.

Syrup: You can’t escape me

AFO: Air BURST

A ear shattering followed a massive air explosion as the world itself was blown away from him. Unfortunately, it did nothing but dislodge the blade stuck in him as the next moment, Syrup was closing in on him again; completely unharmed from the attack.

Syrup: So you think shockwaves are your allies? You merely stole those quirks…I was hit by them, suffered from them, I came to master my abilities of shockwaves and made it my own.

In an instant she was behind AFO as she put her palm directly to his back.

Syrup: Allow me to show you. 八衝拳奥義 錐龍錐釘

The entire torso of All For One exploded into a show of blood and gore as the shockwave bypassed all of his defenses. His heart busted, his lungs gone, his bones shattered and his lower body disconnected from his head.

Just when it seemed over…

AFO: LIFE-FORCE

With a glow of green, All For One was fully recovered. His old body discarded as a new body formed from neck down. A new torso and new legs. His entire being was reformed in a matter of a second as he hit the ground in full shape.

This display of recovery brought All-Might, who was still watching from the sidelines, down onto his knees as he found himself witnessing the might and resistance of the two monsters. Monsters on a level that even he, the symbol of peace, would have little chance facing off against.

Syrup: Now this is quite the surprise. I was pretty sure that Dr. Garaki never mentioned anything about having a quirk akin to resurrection or full recovery.

AFO: It is not without its consequences I assure you. To make things even more ironic, this quirk is Dr. Garaki’s own original; Life Force.

Syrup lowered her blade a bit as she seemed interested in listening to what quirk could possibly allow the user to recover like that. From her perspective, she had her Kitchen Fruit which could easily reassemble and disassemble as well as create a number of things…but it would at least take a couple minutes at full strength and concentration to recover like that…even with the passive recovery active. It was quite…tempting.

AFO: A hidden function of Life Force I had discovered while fighting against the eighth holder of One For All- Nana Shimura. In exchange for ten years of my life, I am able to fully recover instantly. While I am a hundred and forty years old, thanks to you and Shimura…I am now a hundred and sixty physically.

Syrup: Do you get older or younger?

AFO: I can only assume you are joking. If there is a quirk that gives you power in exchange for becoming younger…then life truly is unfair. Of course it is older Snowfal—-wait…you hold strength that no child should have…could you possibly…?

Syrup: I’ll let you draw your own conclusions old man.

She rushed All For One who began to hastily defend herself from her and her blade. Cuts began appearing all over All For One faster than he can heal himself as Syrup’s blade began to cut in deeper and deeper, beginning to affect All For One’s movements and will.

Syrup: If you have such a skill, doesn’t that mean I simply need to kill you instantaneously so you have no time to cast your quirk? Or better yet, bring you to death enough times that you simply die of age!

AFO: If this is where I die, then do not think that you will be getting away unscathed. From here on out, I will be holding nothing back!

All For One crouched as instead of dodging or blocking, he began tanking and simply enduring Snowfallen’s attacks. While the cuts on his body drew blood, he grit his teeth as he activated what he knew could possibly harm her.

Snowfallen on the other hand realized this as well as she began to stop her barrage. Her eyes glinted with excitement as she drew her left arm back and began to prepare her own attack. One to match All For One’s.

Syrup: Charging begin

AFO: Air Cannon, Air Propulsion, Muscular-skeletal Coiling, Four Instantaneous Impacts, Three Physical Amplifications…

Syrup: Charging Complete- KING PUNCH

An inhumanly shaped arm ballooned from All For One as he thrust it to match Syrup’s pitch black ‘straight’.

‘BOOOOOOOOM’ *CRRRAASSHHH* *CCRRAAAASHHH*

As if a nuclear explosion was set off, the ground around the two was unable to stand the impact as it was blown away for miles on end. Heat and light radiated from the center burning everything in its path.

All Might in his desperation ran away from the center of the explosion until he saw the blast continuing onto the city with enough force to raze it to the ground. He called upon his quirk as he stood firm and strong, ready to face on the blast alone.

As he began punching the air as the blast away the coming wave of death, the first thing he felt was the heat. Heat so intense it felt as if he was being burned alive. Looking down, he saw his uniformed begin to melt away at his skin. His foot began to feel softer…looking down he saw his bare feet digging into the melting rock.

All Might: This…this must be stopped! For the Peace of Japan to continue!!

As he called upon everything he had into one blow, he prayed that it would be enough to stop the devastation.

All Might: THIRTEEN COLONIES…SMASH!!!

His strongest attack yet as it proved to be successful. The cloud and wave of heat and destruction was blown away and diverted from the city’s course as it continued its path of annihilation elsewhere.

All Might: Huff…huff…

Even being so far from the center of the explosion had been enough to reduce him into such a shape…then what about Snowfallen? What about All For One? Had they been taken care of by their own attacks?

While that would be the best case scenario of a villainous Vigilante and the Symbol of Evil taking each other out, he knew better than anyone that fate was not to kind.

As he took a step forward towards the clouded area, his body halted as if to warn him not to take another step forward. Not there…not again. Not against both the Vigilante and the Symbol of Evil.

But he must.

After all, he was the Symbol of Peace. He wouldn’t lie to himself as he knew he was scared, frightened of what was there…who was there. Despite this, he was first and foremost a Hero. A true hero whom must face evil and stand strong against all odds.

A hero who has no wounds on their back from running away. A hero who’s cape is used for protecting the weak rather than covering their escape.

A hero’s smile that never falters. A Symbol that will remain unbroken. That was who All Might was…and it would take more than death for Toshinori Yami to give that up.

Newfound strength and determination flooding his legs, he gathered One For All into his muscles before charging into the unknown.

Through the fog of dust, he continued to run to where he last saw Snowfallen and All For One. If such an attack had anything close to what he had felt, then at least they had to be fatally injured…right?

What he saw when he fog cleared in the center of the blast zone was a scene from a nightmare. Something that would never clear from his mind no matter how long he lived.

The blast zone looked like a giant glass crater with lava still pouring out of the heated stones and concrete. The glowing red light illuminated the crater as the dark clouds covered the sky above. Shadows danced across the scene making the scene even more eerie.

While the setting itself was a shock, it was nowhere close to what was at the exact center.

Two figures were there…one standing while the other…literally half.

All For One’s lower half stood with his feet trapped into the molten floor and knees locked. From above belt was where his upper body was gone…instead was simply a layer of charred skin.

While his upper body was gone, his head, on the other hand, was found writhing in pain just a couple of meters away. An agonizing scream came from All For One as his head burned on the ground but his pain didn’t end there as the burn healed just to be cooked again. Seemingly using all the quirks he had on hand to keep him alive while trying to activate his Life Force one more time to save himself from certain death.

The most horrifying of all was perhaps Snowfallen. Standing across from All For One’s standing pants was Snowfallen who looked as if she wasn’t touched at all…except for her clothes.

Her clothes were singed and her hair previously hidden under her beanie…was waving free . The previously white hair that seemed so pure and innocent glowed red (and pinkish) as it waved freely in the wind. But other than that…nothing…except for the fact that everything had changed.

Her mask which had protected her face and identity was gone as a single small cut dripped blood from her cheek.

As she slowly lifted her hand to her cheek, her fingers traced her cut before putting it in front of her face. Her eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe that something had been able to harm her at all. As if it was an impossibility.

She began to shake…tremble in excitement, anger, rage, and so many other emotions as black and pink lightening began to dance around her. A bloodcurdling scream echoed across the ruined landscape as it sent shivers through my being, freezing me in place as it ripped and teared at my will to continue. Cracking the already cracked ground, melting the molten stone. Destroying what little was left of the place.

Perhaps it was from the shock but All For One glowed once again as he recovered fully…looking older and weaker but woundless once again. Shivering and shuddering, All For One lifted himself up to face against what was easily his greatest foe.

Snowfallen was different. Her face, which was finally revealed, lifted itself up into an insane smile as her the ends of her mouth lifted…but her eyes. Her eyes looked as if she saw the greatest pain in the world. Her eyes spun out of control as she gripped her head as if she was in pain…fighting for control until…

Snowfallen: This is what I was worried about…

Her voice which used to be childish and playful changed completely as all warmth was gone form her words. The tone she used made All Might shiver as he felt as if something was wrong…very wrong.

Looking up, he saw her. She was the same…same posture, same clothes, same girl…but her eyes…her eyes were different.

Her brilliant blue eyes were all but gone as it was replaced by a pale orange in her right eye. Her left?

A bright orange flame burned and danced in her socket instead as the flames, not satisfied with the space, burned outwards and up to her hair.

The Blessing of Diana has temporarily overpowered ??’s Blessing of Calm Mind. Effects of Calm Mind will remain suppressed while Genocide Run is active.

Snowfallen: It always makes me so…bloodthirsty

(Begin playing Dark Souls Phase 2 Music here)