The streets were bustling with life, but Daigo Kiyoshi only had eyes for the wide screen mounted high on the outside walls of a big shopping center, it is one that is used for promotions. It loomed over the crowd like an unblinking eye, broadcasting a live feed of UA's campus. Pedestrian's walked by, glancing up in curiosity as the image of UA's fortified gates filled the display. The live feed looked oddly still, as though holding it's breath. Daigo smirked, his sharp features lit by the bluish glow of the screen.
The crowd began to grow as more people noticed the peculiar broadcast. A murmur rippled through them, an undercurrent of unease creeping in as they started to pick up on the strangeness of it all.
The camera feed flickered once, twice, and then shifted. The gates disappeared, replaced by views of UA's interior: classrooms, training rooms, and bustling hallways. Students and teachers appeared, caught unawares. Some were mid-conversation; others froze as they noticed the invasion. One by one, the figures on screen reached for their phones, their faces shifting from confusion to outrage as they realized they were live without consent.
The tension in the crowd thickened. Voices rose in alarm and anger. It was the perfect symphony for Daigo, who thrived in chaos. He stepped closer to the edge of the group, his dark coat swaying slightly as he moved. His sharp eyes scanned the faces, settling on a teenage boy lingering near the back, wide-eyed and unsured.
With an unsettling grace, Daigo strolled up to him, his hands casually in his pockets. Leaning down slightly, he whispered with mock camaraderie, "Want to know how to create a suicide bomber?"
The boy's head jerked toward him, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. He stammered, "W-wait..., aren't you... Proxy?"
Daigo's lips twitched into a faint, dismissive smile, ignoring the question entirely. His voice dropped to a conspiratorial murmur, low enough that the surrounding crowd didn't catch the venomous words.
"It's easier than you think," he said, his tone playful yet chilling. "You start finding cracks. People always have them, a weak point, a moment of vulnerability. Take this woman, for instance. A copilot, married with two kids, and a cheating husband. She'd just found out about his infidelity, and the weight of it? Crushed her. She didn't know what to do, so she booked a hotel room instead of going home. Needed to breathe, I suppose."
Daigo's eyes gleamed with sadistic delight as he continued. "That's when I made my move. I had a young man approach her. Not just any young man, a sixteen year old with a beautification quirk. Mature looking, charming, perfect bait. She thought she was escaping her pain, but what she didn't know was that their little rendezvous was recorded. Every desperate, guilt-ridden second."
The boy's breath hitched, but Daigo pressed on, his words tumbling out like poisoned honey.
"When I showed her the footage, her face was... Panic. Horror. Fearful. She realized she'd just slept with the governor's sixteen year old son. That's statutory rape, in case you're wondering. I laid it all out for her, how she'd lose her job, her children, her freedom. She'd be nothing but a headline, another disgrace. She was... pliable after that."
Daigo chuckled softly, the sound devoid of warmth. "But I didn't stop there. I needed more. First, I had her seduce businessmen, politicians, anyone I pointed her toward. Every encounter recorded, every step deeper into the abyss. Then came the murders. At first, just low-level scum, crooks, thugs. She was shaking when she stabbed the first one. By the third? She didn't even flinch. And oh, how I recorded everything."
The boy's face was pale now, his hands trembling. Daigo leaned in closer, his voice a whisper that cut through the noise of the crowd.
"Do you know what happens when someone has nothing left to lose? When the secrets they've been hiding pile so high they can't see over them anymore? They'll do anything. Anything to make it stop. She started killing without question, no longer mentioning her children, her cheating husband, nothing. She was mine. A puppet on strings she didn't even know were there."
Daigo straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his coat. "And that, kid, is how you create a suicide bomber."
The boy opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was frozen in place, his fear palpable. Daigo's gaze shifted back to the screen. The UA feed was gone, replaced by a close-up of a cockpit. Inside was a pale blonde woman, her face streaked with tears. She gripped the controls with white-knuckled hands, her lips trembling as she mouthed silent words.
The camera feed shifted, revealing the nose of the plane. It was diving. The crowd erupted in panicked cries as they realized the plane's trajectory, straight for UA.
Pandemonium broke out, people shouting and pointing at the screen. The boy turned back to Daigo, but the man was gone. In his place was a cold void, the space he'd occupied now filled only with dread.
The boy's heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of the man who'd just vanished. But Daigo was nowhere to be found, leaving behind only the weight of his words and the horrifying reality unfolding on the screen above.
______
The morning was calm as All Might strolled through the halls of UA High School. Dressed in his signature yellow suit, even with everything negative going on recently within the nation, he hummed a cheerful tune, the feint echo of his footsteps accompanying the rhythm. The world felt lighter in moments like this, small pockets of peace that let him forget, just for a moment, how fragile everything had become.
He turned the corner, heading toward the staff room, when he noticed Denki Kaminari leaning against the window, staring into the open sky. All Might slowed his pace, the hum in his throat dying away as he approached the student.
"Young Kaminari?" he called out, his voice warm but curious. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?"
Kaminari's gaze didn't waver from the sky. "The teachers are going nuts," he replied, his tone surprisingly subdued. "Apparently, 'someone' hacked into the school's surveillance system. Everyone is being watched. Some people just... left class. They're tired. Annoyed."
All Might's brow furrowed as he stepped closer. "Are you alright?" he asked, placing a reassuring hand on Kaminari's shoulder. "This will all be resolved before the day ends. I promise."
But even as he spoke, an unease settled in his chest. His thoughts drifted to a name he didn't want to think of in the moment. Daigo Kiyoshi: Proxy. It was clear that even Kaminari believed it to be him.
Kaminari finally looked at him, his usual spark of humour absent. "It's not just that," he said. "My quirk... it feels like it's going crazy."
All Might straightened. "Crazy? How so?"
Kaminari gestured toward the sky. "I... I'm really good at sensing big hubs of electricity. It's like a radar in my head. And right now, I can feel something huge coming. Fast."
The unease in All Might's chest turned to alarm. He followed Kaminari's gaze to the sky. For a moment, all he saw was the endless blue. Then, a small dot appeared on the horizon, growing larger with every passing second.
It was a plane.
A massive passenger plane, it's nose aimed directly at UA, descending at terrifying speeds.
All Might's body moved before his mind could process the full scope of the situation. He scooped Kaminari into his arms and dashed through the hallways. His powerful legs propelled him toward the school's underground bunker, a space designed for emergencies like this. As they reached the reinforced doors, he set Kaminari down.
"Stay here," All Might ordered. "Do not move until it's safe."
Kaminari barely had time to nod before All Might vanished, a blur of yellow and determination. He sprinted through the school, his voice booming as he called out orders to staff and students alike.
"Everyone, to the bunker! Move quickly but stay calm!"
He doesn't know why he even said that. He could imagine being in their position, with the number one hero in the nation shouting at everyone in a fearful voice to stay calm, he couldn't even get his act right.
He carried clusters of students and staff in his arms, using his diminished strength as efficiently as he could. Each trip back and forth left him winded, but he refused to stop. Sweat dripped down his face as he pushed his limits, his mind racing with calculations.
'How many can I save?'
He gritted his teeth as he realized the bitter truth: not everyone would make it to the bunker. He had always rejected thoughts like that because he was the one with the power. But now all he could do was hate the fact that he was no longer in his prime, that his body could no longer keep up with his will.
As he set another group down in a relatively safe corridor that would lead to the bunker, he paused, a single tear escaping down his cheek.
"Forgive me," he whispered, a silent prayer to the ones he couldn't save. Then, steeling himself, he raced outside.
The plane loomed larger now, it's massive frame casting a shadow over UA. The engines roared like an approaching storm, the sound rattling his bones. All Might jumped into the air, his body soaring upward as he met the plane head-on. For a brief moment, he hovered there, suspended between earth and sky, as he took in the full scale of the disaster.
It's too big. The thought struck him like a blow. The impact will destroy the entire school. Not only that, it will kill everyone.
His mind raced, searching for a solution. He cocked his fist back, unleashing a powerful blast of air aimed at the plane's nose. The force slowed it's descent slightly but didn't stop it. The plane shuddered, veering slightly off course but it continued it's deadly plunge.
All Might surged forward, his hands slamming against the plane's metal frame. The heat from the engines burned his palms, but he held firm, pushing back with all his might. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he fought to redirect the massive aircraft. Sweat poured down his face as the strain threatened to overwhelm him.
"Come on... Move!" he roared, his voice mixed with desperation and determination.
The ground beneath him crackled with the air between him and it, the plane barely budged. His heart pounded as he realized he was running out of time. The school was just below, filled with students—his students—who trusted him to protect them. His mind screamed for a solution, a miracle, anything to stop the impending disaster.
Then, without warning, the plane exploded.
The shockwave hit him first, a wall of force that sent him tumbling through the air like a ragdoll. Flames erupted in every direction, a fiery inferno consuming the sky. The deafening roar of the explosion drowned out all sound, leaving only a ringing silence in it's wake. All Might crashed to the ground, his body skidding across the dirt and debris.
Pain shot through him, but it was nothing compared to the anguish clawing at his heart
'Did I... fail?'
His heart sank as he looked towards the school, bracing himself for the worst.
He struggled to his knees, vision blurred by the smoke and tears. His suit was torn, revealing a torn up costume. His body was battered, but none of that mattered. His eyes darted towards the school, bracing himself for the worst. Through the haze, he saw that much of the building still stood—miraculously, the explosion had torn through the air above, scattering debris across the campus but sparing the heart of UA from total destruction.
But the relief was short-lived.
As the smoke began to clear, All Might's breath caught in his throat. The ground around the school was littered with wreckage—twisted metal, shattered glass, and... bodies. Students and teachers alike lay motionless, some buried under rubble, others sprawled across the ground. The air was thick with the smell of blood and burning flesh, a smell that he would remember for the rest of his life, a scent of failure.
His eyes locked onto a familiar figure near the edge of the blast zone. Aizawa, his face pale and bloodied, was crouched over a student—Midoriya. The boy's body was limp, his green hair matted with blood. Aizawa's hands trembled as he pressed them to Midoriya's chest, desperately trying to stop the bleeding, but it was clear the damage was too severe.
All Might's heart shattered. No. Not him... not my boy.
He stumbled forward, his legs unsteady, his mind refusing to process the scene before him. Aizawa looked up as All Might approached, his eyes sharp but shadowed with guilt and exhaustion. "I tried to stop him," Aizawa said, his voice tight and rushed. "He saw you struggling with the plane and ran out to help. I told him it was too dangerous, but he wouldn't listen. He said he couldn't stand by and keep watching you fight alone."
All Might's breath hitched. He dropped to his knees beside Midoriya, his hands hovering over the boys battered form, unsure of where to even begin. It wasn't even long ago when he seen him in a worse state which was after the Hosu Games.
The sight of his successor, broken and bleeding was almost too much to bear. Midoriya's face was pale, his freckles standing out starkly against his ashen skin, but he was alive. Barely.
"He's strong," Aizawa said, his voice quieter now, almost as if he were trying to convince himself. "He'll pull through. But we need to get him out of here—now."
All Might nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He carefully lifted Midoriya into his arms, cradling him like something fragile, something precious. The boy stirred faintly, a weak groan escaping his lips, and All Might's heart ached with relief and anguish.
Uraraka's sobs cut through the noise, her hands pressed to her mouth as she stared at the destruction. Iida was shouting orders, his voice cracking under the strain, while Todoroki stood frozen, his expression unreadable but his fists clenched so tightly they trembled. The weight of the moment pressed down on all of them, a suffocating reminder of how close they had come to losing completely everything.
All Might's gaze swept over the ruins, his jaw tightening as a storm of emotions raged within him. 'This was done by Daigo Kiyoshi!'
All Might knew that it must have been that man. Main point being the school was going through a cyber attack just minutes before the attack happened, it wasn't long before the media would show up. What was he to do? Give another speech? Attend more social welfare events?
No. He knows what he has to do. He is a hero. The number 1 hero.
'I will catch you PROXY!'
His fists clenched so hard they shook. His eyes blazed with fury and then in a flash of golden light... he was gone.
_____
The sky above Japan shimmered with an eerie luminescence, casting unnatural hues of teal and violet across the sprawling landscape. Towering skyscrapers glitched and flickered, their neon lights pulsating as if synchronized to an invisible rhythm. Every screen in the nation, from billboards to handheld devices, displayed the same image: Proxy, standing against a backdrop of code cascading like the rain. His face was calm, but his eyes burned with unrelenting intensity.
"Good evening Japan," his voice reverberated across every corner of the nation, augmented with a digital distortion that made it resonate unnaturally deep in the listener's chest. "Welcome to the final stage, we will now be entering humanity's next stage."
Crowds gathered in public squared, their expressions a mix of horror, confusion and rage. In the streets of Shibuya, people froze mid-commute, staring up at the towering displays. In rural towns, televisions in family homes flickered with his image. Hospitals, airports, schools—all were halted by the same broadcast.
"For years, you've all played your roles in this broken society. Heroes, villains, the downtrodden masses, and the elites who profit off your misery. But now, the game changes. I will do what no one else could: unify this fractured world. Starting with the grounds you all stand on, Japan."
He raised his arms, the image behind him shifting to reveal a pristine mirror of the nation—a surreal Japan with clearer skies, perfect architecture, and streets bustling with avatars of the very people watching.
"I have transported over a million of you already. Every minute, eighty-five thousand more to join this paradise. By the end of 24 hours, every living being within this nation will be digitalized, merged into this flawless world. Here no one will suffer. No one will starve. No one will die... unless I decide otherwise."
Gasps and murmurs erupted across the real Japan. The streets of Tokyo filled with frantic whispers as some looked at their hands, watching faint, glitch-like distortions creep up their skin before vanishing. Other's voiced out that they could see health bars in their right periphery, closed off to others but themselves if they think of it.
Daigo's voice continued, unwavering.
"You're injuries will fade. Your weaknesses will disappear. You will be perfected, your flaws erased. Once the process is complete, my Japan will replace the broken one you've lived in. No heroes. No villains. Just balance. Order. Perfection.... Eden."
In the crowd, a bedraggled man clutched his chest as the gaping wound from a recent car crash began to close. "What is happening?" he muttered, his voice trembling.
The face of a villain that just stepped out of his hideout, his face twisted in confusion as his burns from a recent battle faded, leaving behind smooth skin behind. "Even I don't like this."
The broadcast continued, Daigo's voice taking on a more sinister edge.
"I know many of you must be asking, 'Why?' The answer is simple. Humanity has failed itself. Your so-called heroes perpetuate this cycle of chaos, and your villains only accelerate the descent. But I've transcended that. I am your salvation. I am Proxy. And I am eternal."
In Musutafu, All Might stood frozen in his torn gear, dread and anger etched on his face. An anger he only ever had for one particular villain.
Across the nation, heroes of every caliber—Endeavour, Hawks, Mirko, Gang Orca—all stared at the screens, fists clenched, as the realization hit them: every second mattered now. This was no longer about casual heroism or villainy. This was detrimental to the survival of an entire nation.
Daigo leaned closer to the camera, his smile widening. "Heroes, villains, even civilians—I invite you all to stop me. Unite against Proxy. Let's see if your strength, your cunning, your willpower can overcome perfection."
The screen eventually cut to black, replaced by a timer counting down from 24:00:00. Across the nation, panic erupted. People cried, shouted and scrambled to find some kind of answer. Heroes coordinated over emergency channels, their voices grim. Even villains looked at each other uneasily.
Far away. In the heart of this digital world, Daigo Kiyoshi stood atop the Tokyo tower, arms crossed, watching everything below. He smiled.
The world held it's breath.
"Let the games begin!"