The voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a solemn weight—dignified, almost ceremonial.
A power passed down like a torch, carried from one generation to the next.
And yet… Ren simply looked at All Might without hesitation.
…
The scene seemed to freeze.
All Might stood there, absentmindedly holding a strand of his hair, completely thrown off.
At least give some reaction, kid!
"Ahem…"
After a moment, he coughed awkwardly and waved a hand in front of Ren's eyes.
"Ren…?"
"Mm."
Ren stopped him and rose to his feet at the same time.
To All Might, One For All was something sacred—like the embodiment of all light, a power of absolute greatness.
Because of that, Ren didn't take this lightly.
But as he looked at the golden hair being offered to him, he slowly shook his head.
"I refuse."
"…Huh?"
All Might froze, anxiety flashing across his face.
"Young… Amamiya, you—"
Ren sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
"You're seriously injured. Stop forcing yourself to stay in that form."
"…!"
All Might's expression changed.
—Hiss!
Steam burst from his body, and in an instant, his muscular frame collapsed into a thin, battered figure. His clothes hung loosely, as if they no longer fit.
Ren's gaze softened.
The man who once stood tall, shining like a pillar of hope… had been reduced to this after that war.
"You already know, don't you…" All Might said quietly.
Ren's eyes lowered slightly.
Everything he had heard upon waking—the outcome, the cost… it had all pointed to this.
A disaster that came too fast to stop.
When All Might faced his fallen master, Nana Shimura, even his resolve wavered for a moment.
And in that instant, All For One struck—piercing straight through his abdomen.
He collapsed.
And even then… he kept fighting.
"…Right."
Ren nodded.
"I know how cruel that battle was. The fact that you survived is already a miracle."
He looked straight at All Might.
"As the Symbol of Peace… you're not allowed to die."
"Ahem—!"
All Might coughed again, a trace of blood staining his hand.
He pulled aside his clothes.
Layer upon layer of scars came into view—surgical marks overlapping with old wounds. His right side had visibly sunken in.
"The damage can't be reversed," All Might said, sitting down.
"I've lost half my respiratory system… and my entire stomach. I can only maintain that form for about three hours a day."
The smile he once wore so effortlessly now carried visible exhaustion.
An ordinary person wouldn't have survived injuries like this.
And yet… he was still standing.
"Even as the Symbol of Peace, I can no longer fight at full strength," he continued.
"If evil rises beyond control… then a new Symbol of Peace must take my place."
He looked up at Ren.
"Now you understand how important it is to pass this power on."
…
Ren could hear his own heartbeat.
The meaning behind those words was crystal clear.
If he accepted this power—
He would inherit everything.
The strength of the No.1 Hero.
The path to becoming the strongest.
Maybe not immediately… but eventually, without a doubt.
It was an overwhelming temptation.
"And you—once called the strongest weapon—are the most suitable successor."
All Might stood once more, his expression resolute.
He held out a strand of his hair.
"So… take it."
Time seemed to stop.
…
Ren met his gaze—
—and shook his head.
"No. I refuse."
All Might froze.
Because in Ren's eyes, there was no hesitation.
A faint smile appeared on Ren's lips, but his voice was firm.
"All Might… rejecting your power doesn't mean I'm rejecting your ideals."
"What you said is true."
"This power represents peace. It's the strongest force there is."
He paused.
Then continued, unwavering—
"But that's not a reason for me to inherit it."
"And it's not the path I want to walk."
…
A/N: Support Via Powerstone And Collections