After a few seconds of silence, All Might was the first to speak "AFO said Junsei was not human… that he was truly a demon. Perhaps he discovered something when he attempted to steal Junsei's quirk. He also said everyone was wrong about it, that it is not a quirk. And then… 'Humans can't fight The World.'"
All Might set his gaze on Nezu.
"AFO ruled from the shadows for generations. He was a calculating and composed villain. I found it strange that he spoke like that at the end, as if he had lost his sanity. But… sir, perhaps some of it was true. Junsei is not human, at least his true origin is not. So maybe what he possesses is not a quirk. Or not a quirk as we understand the term."
Mr. Yaoyorozu straightened slightly.
"Now that you mention it… when I investigated his past at the orphanage, the earliest medical records listed him as quirkless. He is missing the extra joint in his pinky toe. It was not until later that they concluded he had a quirk."
Eraser Head narrowed his eyes.
"I cannot erase his quirk," he said evenly. "My ability has no effect on him. During the Sports Festival, Shinso's brainwashing failed as well. Junsei was the only person who ever resisted Shinso's quirk."
Nezu thought it over. Junsei being quirkless was an absurd thought. Taking AFO's final words as objective truth would be foolish. But in the light of the strangeness surrounding Junsei's quirk, his words have some truth to them.
Junsei himself had once said the name is accurate, but the description is entirely wrong. Had he been implying he was never using a quirk at all?
Momo spoke quietly. "So… Junsei could be quirkless? And what he has been doing is something completely different?"
Nezu finally spoke.
"It is an interesting hypothesis. However, it contradicts our entire scientific understanding of human evolution and quirk manifestation. I find it more plausible that he possesses an extremely complex quirk. That may also explain AFO's reaction. He encountered a quirk that he couldn't comprehend."
All Might's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And what about the statement, 'Humans can't fight The World'? What did he mean?"
Nezu shook his head slowly.
"I do not know. I am afraid only Junsei could give us an insight of what this is about"
Meanwhile, far from civilization. Deep within a forest, hidden behind layers of trees and stone, a cave lay concealed.
Inside, Junsei rested in a fetal position.
His body was encased in a cocoon-like shell of blue light. It pulsed faintly, rhythmically, as though breathing. He had not moved since that night.
Outside the cave, the forest behaved strangely.
If one looked carefully, they would notice an unusual gathering, animals lingering, birds perched in silent watch, insects clustering along the branches.
They circled the area in quiet patterns as if guarding something precious.
——————
While the world moved on outside, within Junsei's mind, memory unfolded like an endless archive. He watched the life of Shigaraki Zen, better known to the world as AFO.
He observed the birth of the twins. The chaos of that era. Society fractured and authority was absent. People fought and killed each other, humans vs meta humans. There was no place for human mercy or goodness.
From the first breath, AFO showed his greed and possessiveness. He was the embodiment of humanity in its purist form.
Junsei watched his gradual rise. A quirk that allowed him to steal and give quirks. How he used to kill and hurt the people around him, how he found control and safety in chaos and fear. He grew up from a bloodthirsty, greedy and selfish child to a monster full of hubris.
During this period of his life, he was completely unstoppable and the world bowed to his well. But then came the resistance. The kidnapping of his little brother.
AFO stormed the camp without hesitation. He killed through opposition to reclaim what he believed was his. In doing so, he killed the very person he sought to restore.
Junsei watched the aftermath.
AFO analyzed his brother's remaining hand. Concluded that his brother must have possessed a quirk, one too weak to manifest, perhaps stunted by malnourishment.
Junsei observed silently until the confrontation with the second user of One For All.
And then for the first time, AFO cried.
The memory froze.
Junsei turned his head slightly. Beside him stood another figure, bound in blue, glowing vines. Unable to move. Forced to witness his own past.
Junsei spoke.
"The only emotions I ever sensed from you were greed and arrogance. Why did you feel sadness at that moment?"
The restrained figure replied calmly.
"You can see my memories. Hear my thoughts. Feel what I felt. And you still ask?"
"I do not understand the process of your thoughts," Junsei answered.
AFO's expression shifted faintly.
"Some things do not have process. Why do I fixate on my weak, useless little brother? It simply feels right."
"How?"
"He is my brother. My first possession. His existence belonged to me. He lived because of me." His tone hardened. "But he rejected me. Even in death, he continued to reject me. I was angry. And sad. It should not have ended that way. He should have remained at my side."
Junsei regarded him.
"That does not make sense. Nothing in your life up to this point shows you would care about losing something, you believe what you see belongs to you and if it doesn't then it will be destroyed."
AFO's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me, why did you want to save the girl? Why did you want to kill me? Your hatred for all humans is clear to anyone watching. You hate our very existence."
Junsei did not respond.
A faint smile appeared on AFO's face.
"You don't know, do you? You are acting against your own thoughts and it confuses you."
The memories resumed without Junsei responding.
He saw the relentless pursuit of One For All's inheritors. Each attempt to retrieve the quirk. Each failure.
He witnessed the meeting with Garaki Kyudai. The research that followed. All human morals and laws were ignored. He learned of the duplication of quirks. The longevity quirk granted to AFO.
Crimes escalated.
Kidnappings. Human experimentation. The creation of Nomu.
Then the order to attack the orphanage.
A single objective: to steal Sally's rare healing quirk.
Junsei watched without reaction.
He observed AFO work to trap Tomura in darkness and groom him as a successor. Garaki's involvement in shaping that path. Every calculated step. Every backup plan they had.
He watched the life of AFO in full until their battle and his defeat.
[Okina was right, AFO killed Sai and kidnapped Momo because of my words and actions] Junsei thought silently.
The memory dissolved.
They stood once more in the vestige world but it was completely different from before. The ground was no longer barren. It was covered in blue flowers stretching endlessly in all directions, while the dark sky had small glowing stars.
AFO exhaled slowly.
"So this is the end." He glanced around. "Why did you wish to learn all of this? And why am I still here?"
Junsei answered plainly.
"I wanted to take everything from you. Including your name. Your history. I instinctively understood this was how."
A faint chuckle escaped AFO.
"So it was instinct? You did not foresee the outcome?"
"Yes. All of it was my instincts" Junsei confirmed.
"And now?"
"You will die knowing that everything you built is gone. I will hunt and eliminate anyone who carries your name or your will. Even your work with that doctor will come to an end. I will stop the nomus."
AFO regarded him quietly.
"I see. Then that is my conclusion." He looked upward briefly. "It is unfortunate. I had to fight The World."
Junsei narrowed his eyes.
"Why do you call me that?"
AFO looked toward the distance. A massive entity loomed over everything.
"What else should I call what I witnessed? Or that thing over there?"
Silence followed.
After a moment, AFO asked, "I am curious. What do you desire?"
Junsei paused.
"I do not know. But I dream of a day when the world is free of humans."
"Then why not act?" AFO pressed. "What prevents you from killing them all?"
"I cannot defeat all humans."
AFO's expression shifted, almost amused.
"With everything on your side? Humans would not stand a chance. You underestimate yourself severely. Abandon doubt and abandon consequence. I assure you, you will win."
Junsei studied him.
"Why encourage me in your final moments?"
AFO's smile widened faintly. "If I can't have it, no one else can, I would rather all of it is gone, this is a good ending for me."
"You are really a human to the very end" Junsei said.
He pointed his hand at AFO and clenched it. The vines began tightening around AFO and cracks began appearing across his body slowly.
AFO spoke "You have taken everything and seen it all. Power and fear are all that matters. As long as you have the power, no one can stop you. As long as the world fears you, they will obey you. Make the world fear to utter your name, freeze at the sight of your shadow, destroy whoever dares to look at you. When you do it, their choice will disappear, so will their opposition. All your desires will come true."
AFO's body crumbled under the pressure of the vines.
As the echo of his last words remained behind "I know you can do it"
Junsei turned to look at the distance, at the entity that instilled despair and belief in AFO, Junsei muttered "Can I really do it?"
Nezu and Momo words appeared in his mind 'to be better'
"What should I do?" Junsei asked himself.
——————
In the outside world, after four months of AFO's death, The cocoon surrounding Junsei's body began to crack as he opened his eyes.