A heavy silence fell between Uchiha Madara and Aizawa Shouta. The weight of their previous clash lingered in the air, unspoken yet palpable.
Madara was the first to break it. "Let me put it another way." His voice was calm, almost casual, but the words carried an undeniable sharpness. "What happens if a giant monster rampages through a city unchecked?"
Aizawa stared into Madara's scarlet eyes. His face was grim, lips pressed into a tight line. He had been a Pro Hero for years—faced countless villains, seen horrors most wouldn't dare imagine. But the quiet confidence in Madara's tone… it wasn't bravado. It was certain. The unsettling part was that it didn't feel forced.
"What do you want?" Aizawa asked finally, his voice low.
He wasn't foolish. Their brief exchange had proven that Madara's power far exceeded his own. Picking a fight here, in this strange mental world, would achieve nothing. The smart move was to wait—to bide his time until he could act with a clear plan.
"I don't want anything." Madara shook his head slightly. "All I want is to stay in U.A. That's all."
"Because of that so-called agreement?"
Madara smiled faintly. "Correct answer. So, how about this—if you don't expose me, I'll stay out of trouble. We'll call it a deal."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed. After a moment, he let out a slow exhale and pulled the gray binding cloth from around his shoulders. "Fine. But if you bring another disaster down on U.A… no one, not even you, will escape the consequences."
"I understand." The swirling ring in Madara's eyes gradually dispersed, returning to three tomoe that rotated lazily before fading into normal black irises. "Then… I'll leave it to you, Aizawa-sensei."
The blood-red sky above them faded, replaced once again by the familiar blue of the real world.
Aizawa stood in place, silent for a long time. He parted his lips slightly and uttered a single word.
"En."
Though their conversation inside Madara's illusion had stretched endlessly, in the real world, only a blink of time had passed.
By the time Madara returned to the USJ gate, the scene had shifted drastically. The area swarmed with police, e—fully armed, their presence commanding.
Reporters cluttered the perimeter, buzzing with excitement, their cameras flashing as they jostled for a glimpse of the aftermath. None of them had witnessed the battle, yet they clamored as though they had fought beside the heroes themselves.
Among the crowd, a familiar voice called out.
"Where have you been with Aizawa-sensei? Why are you only showing up now?" Yaoyorozu Momo hurried toward him, relief mixed with concern in her voice.
Madara gave her a faint smile. "We just… had something to discuss. Nothing important."
Momo pouted, grabbing his arm. "You two are way too mysterious. The police are taking statements, and the whole class is waiting for you. Come on."
"…Alright."
As a Pro Hero, dealing with the police was part of Aizawa Shouta's job—even if he didn't particularly enjoy it.
Fortunately, his years of service had earned him trust within the force. Along with support from the U.A. faculty and the principal, the scandalous details of the USJ incident were successfully suppressed from the media.
Though the news of the villain's attack couldn't be kept entirely under wraps, the finer details—the bloodshed, the chaos, the darker truths—remained buried.
By late afternoon, the swarm of reporters finally dispersed, their hunger for headlines temporarily sated. Peace returned, if only on the surface.
6:30 PM — Principal's Office
The atmosphere inside the room was heavier than usual. Gathered were the highest-ranking staff members of U.A.—Pro Heroes with formidable reputations and unmatched experience.
Aizawa Shouta stood alongside All Might and No. 13.
In front of them, a tall man in a sharp suit stood poised, a folder of documents clutched under one arm. His name was Tsukauchi Naomasa—a top-ranking detective, one of the rare few who knew the true connection between All Might and Midoriya Izuku.
If there was anyone in law enforcement All Might trusted without question, it was Tsukauchi.
"Based on the information you provided, we ran the data through the national registry," Tsukauchi reported, handing the file to the principal. "There's nothing. No Quirk registration, no formal records. As far as our system's concerned… he's a ghost."
Nezu, the principal of U.A., accepted the file with a slow nod. "I see… Thank you."
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." Tsukauchi placed two fingers at his temple, giving a brief, crisp salute before stepping out of the office.
Once the door shut behind him, Nezu turned his gaze to Aizawa. "Now then… let's hear it, Aizawa-sensei."
They had interviewed the students earlier, but most hadn't witnessed the villains' retreat. The teleportation quirk had scattered them throughout the facility, leaving only a handful—Midoriya, Iida, Asui, and Aizawa himself—aware of the truth.
To save face, U.A. publicly credited All Might with resolving the crisis. It wasn't exactly a lie… but it wasn't the full story, either.
Even All Might's teaching role at U.A. remained shrouded in secrecy, further muddying public understanding.
Aizawa folded his arms, his expression darker than usual. "Do you remember the sludge incident… ten months ago?"
All Might's brow furrowed. "I do. Weren't both the victims heroes?"
Aizawa nodded. "And one of them… was Uchiha Madara."
He retrieved a thin file, sliding it across the desk. Fifteen years old. Orphan. Inherited a large fortune. Officially registered Quirk: Hypnosis."
All Might picked up the folder, scanning the sparse details. "This is… all we have on him?"
Aizawa leaned forward, fingers steepled beneath his chin. "Everything I could find. And I think… he's hiding far more than that."
All Might frowned. "You're investigating a student?"
"This wasn't a personal grudge," Aizawa said flatly. "The League of Villains retreated… because of him. And not just because of Hypnosis. He used something else. Something even I couldn't erase."
All Might's hand trembled slightly, tightening around the folder. "Another Quirk? You're saying… he has more than one?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
All Might's pupils constricted.
There was only one power in the world known to grant multiple Quirks.
All For One.