The alley reeked of damp asphalt and blood; the jagged shadows of distant fires were thrown against the brick walls. Sirens wailed faintly, a reminder of a city falling apart. Izuku lay on a makeshift stretcher, his chest a pulsating furnace of pain, blood seeping through the bandages hastily made by Momo. His vision was blurring, but his mind clung to a sharp, familiar clarity. Around him, the group was tense: Ochako’s hands still pressed against his wound, Toru trembled but held her ground, Momo scanned the scene like a general, and Yu, bloodied but in command, had her eyes locked on Shoto Todoroki.

"What's attacking the city?" Yu's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and professional, with no trace of the playful mentor from a few hours ago.

Todoroki's gaze was icy, his heterochromatic eyes shifting from Stain's foam-engulfed form to the blood pooling beneath Izuku.

"Multiple creatures. Not human. Modified Nomus, like the one at the USJ. They attacked three districts at once: the train station, the central plaza, and the industrial zone. Iida and I were heading to the plaza when we saw your fight."

Iida's armored shoulders tensed at the word "Nomus." His voice was a hoarse whisper, steeped in guilt.

"Those… things almost killed Aizawa-sensei. And I was chasing a ghost while they tore Hosu apart."

Momo's eyes narrowed, her mind already dissecting the information.

"Multiple Nomus? That's not an isolated experiment. It's a production line. The League of Villains has more resources than we estimated."

Ochako's hands trembled against Izuku's bandage, her voice barely a whisper.

"We just beat Stain… and now this? It's too much." Her eyes drifted to Toru, who was hugging herself, her invisible form betrayed by the quaver in her voice.

"We were supposed to be getting ice cream…" Toru muttered, her wide-brimmed hat askew, a relic of her carefree afternoon.

Izuku's breath hitched, pain lancing with every word, but his voice remained steady.

"It's not random. Releasing them during Stain's patrol… it's a distraction. Or they're hunting him. They want to take him off the board."

Yu's lips tightened, her gaze sweeping over the group.

"Enough theories. We have three wounded, one high-threat villain secured, and a city under siege. Yaoyorozu, can you make long-range communicators? We need to coordinate with other agencies. Now."

Momo nodded, her arm already glowing as lipids were consumed to form sleek devices.

"Understood. I'll sync them to the hero network frequency."

Before she could finish, a roar of flames erupted at the alley's entrance. The air grew heavy, oppressive, like standing too close to a furnace. Endeavor strode in, his flame-wreathed form dwarfing the cramped space. His eyes landed on Stain, then on Shoto with a sneer.

"Pathetic. I send you on a high-profile assignment and I find you playing hide-and-seek in a filthy alley with children and a billboard hero."

Yu took a step forward, her limp barely slowing her. Her voice was a knife, sharp and unyielding.

"These 'children' just took down the Hero Killer while you were setting half the city on fire, Enji. Show some damn respect."

Endeavor's flames intensified, the heat scorching the air.

"Respect is earned with overwhelming power, Takeyama, not with guerilla tactics. Shoto, get these useless kids on their feet. We're leaving. The real threat is out there."

Shoto's jaw tightened, but before he could answer, a blur of motion cut through the tension. Gran Torino landed in the alley, his small frame moving with impossible speed, the tail of his cape snapping like a whip. His weathered eyes took in everything in a second: Stain, the wounded, the kids… before settling on Endeavor.

"Your arrogance is louder than your flames, Enji. If you haven't noticed that the most important fight in Hosu just ended here, you're dumber than I remembered."

Endeavor's scowl deepened, but Gran Torino ignored him, crouching beside Izuku. His voice was rough with grudging respect.

"Toshinori said you had the heart of a hero, kid, not the brains of a suicidal maniac. Looks like he was wrong about the second part." He glanced at the blood-soaked bandage, then at Izuku's defiant eyes. "I'm not sure if you're crazy or stupidly brave. The jury's still out."

Izuku managed a weak smile, pain tearing through his chest.

"I'll go with… stupidly brave."

The old hero snorted, getting to his feet.

"Don't get cocky. You're not dead yet."

A guttural roar shattered the moment. The cocoon of foam imprisoning Stain cracked, the pieces falling away like broken stone. The Hero Killer staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth, a hand clutching his side where a rib had punctured his lung. His eyes burned with a fanatical fire, fixed on Endeavor.

"FAKE!" His voice thundered, raw and venomous, silencing the alley. "You are the disease! A hero who lives for fame, for surpassing another man! Your fire doesn't warm; it only burns hope to ash!"

Endeavor's flames flared, but he took a step back, the sheer weight of Stain's conviction unnerving even him. The Hero Killer's gaze swept over the growing crowd of arriving pros, heroes drawn by the commotion, their costumes gleaming in the firelight.

"And you… his lackeys! Upholding a society that values rankings more than sacrifice!"

Iida flinched, his armored fists clenching.

He's right. I carried my brother's name, but I was consumed by vengeance. I betrayed everything Ingenium stood for.

The villain's gaze fell on Iida, poison dripping from every word.

"You wear the armor of a good man, boy, but your heart was rotten with revenge. You are not worthy of his legacy."

Iida bowed his head, his voice a broken whisper.

"I know… I know."

Stain turned to Izuku, still lying on the ground. His green eyes met the killer's without fear, only a strange understanding. Stain's tone shifted, no longer mocking but declarative, almost reverent.

"Sacrifice… protecting others at the cost of your own life… THAT is a hero! Something all of you have forgotten!" His voice rose, a crescendo of madness. "The only one worthy of killing me… is ALL MIGHT!"

His bloodlust erupted, a palpable force that froze everyone, even Endeavor, whose flames flickered as he instinctively recoiled. The air thickened, the metallic taste of blood mixing with the distant smell of burnt rubber. Stain's will was a weapon, transcending his shattered body.

He's not human, Yu thought. That conviction… it's a force of nature. But he's bleeding out. He can't last. Her hand tightened on her injured leg; the pain grounded her.

Izuku, fighting the haze of blood loss, analyzed. He's not fighting to win. He's fighting to die on his own terms. To prove a point. We can't let him.

Stain staggered forward, his chipped katana held high, not to attack but to provoke. His lungs rattled with every breath, blood bubbling on his lips.

"Come on, heroes! End it! Prove you're more than frauds!"

Momo's voice cut in, calm but firm.

"He's baiting us. Don't engage him. He's finished." Her hand glowed, ready to create another taser, but she hesitated, her eyes flicking to Izuku. He's seen enough blood today.

Toru, still trembling, whispered, "He's… terrifying. Even now, he's not afraid. It's like he wants this."

Ochako's fists clenched, tears streaming down her face.

"Let him die! After what he did to Deku-kun, to all of us… he doesn't deserve to breathe!"

Stain laughed, a wet, choked sound.

"You're learning, girl. Hatred is honest. But it won't save you from the truth."

His body swayed, the pierced lung stealing his strength. He coughed, blood spattering the ground, and his knees buckled. The katana clattered onto the asphalt, its blade catching the orange glow of the fires. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, unconscious, his chest barely rising.

The alley exhaled. The weight of his presence dissipated, leaving only the sound of dripping water and distant sirens. Paramedics rushed in, their boots splashing in the puddles as they surrounded Stain's body, securing him with reinforced restraints.

Gran Torino knelt beside Stain, checking his pulse.

"Still alive. Barely. Tough bastard." He looked at Izuku, a shadow of a smile on his lips. "You kids did this. Not bad for a bunch of rookies."

Endeavor's flames surged, his voice a growl.

"Enough. We're wasting time. The Nomus are still out there. Shoto, move it!"

Shoto's eyes narrowed, but he didn't move. "These people need medical attention, Father. The Nomus can wait thirty seconds."

Endeavor's glare could have melted steel, but Yu stepped in, her voice laced with contempt. "Listen to your son, Enji. Prioritize the wounded. Or do you only care about the headlines?"

The Number Two Hero bristled, but Gran Torino's sharp laugh cut the air. "She's got you there, Enji. Calm down before you embarrass yourself further."

Iida, silent until now, knelt by Izuku's stretcher as paramedics prepared to move him. His voice was a broken thread, heavy with self-loathing.

"I was a fool… a complete idiot. While Hosu burned, while you faced this monster, I was chasing a shadow, consumed by my own pride." His gaze swept over Yu, Toru, Momo, and Ochako, each of them battered but standing. "I see it now. If I had faced him alone, I'd be dead. A useless corpse, dishonoring the name I swore to protect."

Izuku's hand, trembling with effort, squeezed Iida's arm. His voice was weak but firm.

"Start… by forgiving yourself, Iida-kun. That's what your brother would do."

Iida's eyes widened, tears spilling over. He nodded, unable to speak, his armored hand covering Izuku's.

Momo, her face streaked with grime, handed out communicators to the group.

"They're synced. We'll coordinate with the agencies from the hospital. The Nomus are a city-level threat. We can't face them like this."

Ochako's voice was fierce, her hands still stained with Izuku's blood. "I'm not leaving Deku-kun. Not after this."

Toru nodded, her hat long gone, her voice steady despite her tremors. "We stick together. It's how we survived."

Yu, leaning against a wall, managed a tired smile. "You're something special, kids. Alright, hospital first. Then we solve this mess."

Gran Torino watched as they lifted Izuku's stretcher. In a low voice, he muttered, "Same damn eyes, Toshinori. That stupid, heroic spark." His gaze softened, a rare flash of pride.

Endeavor barked orders at the arriving pros, trying to regain control. "Secure the perimeter! Get that scum to a max-security cell! Move!"

Yu ignored him, limping alongside Izuku's stretcher. Her eyes met his, and she gave him a barely perceptible nod.

"You did it, prodigy."

The ambulance doors shut, muffling the chaos of Hosu. The howl of the sirens filled the air, a fragile promise of safety in a city still on fire.