July 18th, 17:00;
Mayor Nezu's office.

From behind his big desk, the Mayor spoke the words that would be listened by millions of afraid people.

"My fellow citizens, you are aware of the dangers the city under which the city right now.  Your fears are well grounded: there are indeed great menaces orchestrated by notorious villains awaiting in the streets. For this reason, I must ask you to remain at the safety of your homes. 

Nevertheless, not all the news are bad. As the media recently announced, a powerful old ally of All For One was defeated by Endeavor some hours ago, but that's not all. I have received a report from Hawks and the officials from Tartarus have confirmed it: riots have been suffocated and the prison is once again under our control.

As for the current situation of Tokyo, I wish I could share with you the details of our plans, but all I can tell you now is this: the rumors are true, the villain known as Stain, the Hero Killer, is back on the streets, and there are people ready to follow him in his ruthless crusade against our society. That is why now I beg you to trust this generation of heroes who grew up with All Might as a reference.

We all know there is one hero who could rightfully reclaim his place. And I'm giving you my word: those who have forgotten, tonight will be reminded..."

Once, the politician was done, the camera cut and left Nezu with the heroes that tonight would be in charge of leading the rest.

"What should we do about... well, you know, what Hawks told us" Edgeshot asked. Naturally, the Mayor had only shared the positive news of the Tartarus' situation. The bomb Hawks and Tokoyami had dropped at their return from the prison hadn't even left that office yet.

"There is nothing we can do about that now" for years, Nezu had feared that escape like death itself. "Now we can only hope that Deku returns victorius while we prepare our final defense. "

The research by Earphone Jack and others had been successful: there was a hidden spot in Kamino where villain activity was focused on protecting the ruins of an old factory. Only one thing could be hiding under that building.

"Edgeshot, you and the remaining members of the Big Three will penetrate into Kamino and neutralize that factory. I want no Nomus out or in."

"Ryukyu is coming too. She's fine and the kids are staying with her parents."

"Good" Nezu approved. "You, Battle Fist, will lead the attack to the Army of Liberation's lair. Now we know from where is ReDestro operating in Shigaraki's absence. Would you able to take it?"

"Count on us, Mr Mayor" Itsuka knew that was a mission worth of her friend and rival Creati, and no matter what, she would be up to the task. "I've known my team for many years and they won't fail."

"And finally, Ingenium" Nezu addressed the once Class A representative. "Are you sure you want to...?"

"I'll understand if I am doubted. But once again I request to lead the defense against Stain's followers. You all are aware of the plan I traced, right?" Iida opened the box that rested on the desk and showed its contents one more time. "You know Stain goes mostly after heroes like me. In fact, he thinks he knows me in particular. That is why it must be me. Please."

Mayor Nezu looked at the inside of the box and sighed. Iida had a good point: the people needed exactly what he was showing them.

"What do you think, Hawks?" he asked him, who had remained unusually silent until then.

Hawks had returned from his last mission in worse shape than Tokoyami. His injuries were fresh and his wings still regenerating, but somehow he had found the strength to come to that meeting.

"You can trust him, Mayor" he widely smiled. "The plan is good and could work. He earned it."

Nezu truly wished Iida's strategy worked that night. The countless tragedies and terrible news have been a heavy burden, even for a mind as privileged as his. He was doing everything in his power to be a politician who could match the actions of his once students, but it was also time to also do exactly what he had just asked the citizens: have faith on their heroes.

After details were discussed and concluded, Edgeshot, Itsuka and Iida were wished good luck on their respective missions, and Hawks and Nezu were the only ones left in the office.

There was one remaining issue the two veterans agreed it was best to treat privately.

So the Hero Commission had planned to destroy the Tartarus with his inmates inside, using an already framed hero to get his hands dirty. Not only that, but the team Hawks was supposedly leading had orders to eliminate him too in case he refused.

"In truth you were wise, Hawks. The last moment inclusion of Tokoyami saved your life..."

"More than just my life" despite his young age, Hawks looked older than ever. And not at all cheerful.

"It fills me with joy heroes like my old students haven't become puppets of the Hero Commission. But now you two have returned, we must act quickly before they come after you" Nezu stated. Enough heroes had been buried by then.

Hawks wasn't afraid of the Commission. Now they would want him dead for sure, but if he could prove his theory on their true intentions that night, they would have more reasons than him to be afraid.

July 18th, 00:30;
Kamino streets.

Mayhem. Chaos. Death. Apathy. Dispair.

All that and more had taken control of Kamino. It was exactly the scenario how Stain once predicted for a world without All Might.

Now the last member of a family of heroes stood before an enfuriated crowd willing to bring their own justice to the streets. Blades, sticks, guns and activated Quirks, but more distinctively, blood red scarfs and cheap masks of popular heroes, could be seen everywhere.

All of them yelled and dropped menaces and declarations of war towards him when they recognized the silhouette of a hero in the shadows. The shape of Ingenium's armor was known to everybody.

"HERO KILLER!" Iida cried, making himself heard among the threats. "I know you are here! Show yourself!"

The followers echoed the name of the Hero Killer as they moved aside and left way to the one that had brought them together that night.

Stain looked exactly how Iida remembered him. He had dreamed with their reencounter for so long, but he must stay calmed.

"You" Stain pointed at him with his sword. "I haven't forgotten you..."

"My brother hasn't forgotten you either..."

"You all see him?" Stain lowered his voice so his followers heard. "This man, Ingenium, is an example of the enemy we are facing tonight. A poser whose family is a traitor to the name All Might gave to the heroes."

"You dare to mention All Might and insult my family's legacy?" Iida would gladly fight them all right there, but it was his own plan he had to stick to. "You, who have crossed the lines All Might protected us from crossing? You, who tonight bring a gang of armed civilians to fight your war?"

"This is a war the heroes of the last years have tried to avoid, delay, or simply ignore. Not my war" Stain replied. "Chaos has taken over the country because of your negligence and hipocrisy. And now you can't save it, just as I knew for years. That is why these have decided to step ahead and fight."

They pretended to find the heroes who have deserted or failed and publically kill them. That would be a brutal and decisive message to send the population who still didn't believe Stain's words about the heroes's weakness.

Iida didn't move from the darkness where he was. Not the right time. The Hero Killer wasn't a villain that could be truly defeated by strength and power. It would require way more than that to stop his revolution. But Iida was sure to have found the way.

"If these people really obey you, tell them to go home and let us heroes work. We don't wish to fight them. All Might wouldn't want this. And neither Deku does" Iida knew those were names with a special meaning in the ears of the villain.

Stain frowned and took for him a moment to keep talking.

"All Might is not here anymore" Stain reminded. "As for Deku... heh, I thought he was on his way to replace him, but he has failed his people too."

The crowd of masked people joined their leader's declarations.

"YEAH!!"

"Like many heroes today, he got distracted by his life as a celebrity!"

"Look at this!" one of them tossed a magazine on Iida's direction. "He had time for his "hero wedding", while the League of Villains was getting stronger!"

"He wasn't able to make his own wedding safe! How can he keep a population safe?!"

Iida gave a brief look at the pink press magazine they had thrown. So now it was also Deku's relationship with Uravity to blame. Iida would never understood why some people would hate so much seeing his friends together. If only they knew how much they endured before being able to even hold hands...

"You see, Ingenium? It is not me who has brought them here" Stain declared "It is the truth. The truth they are sick of suffering in silence. But all of it will end tonight."

"You got that right..."

"Listen everyone" if Stain's army wouldn't retreat, it was time for the final part of his speech. "I've known Deku as a hero and a person, and I am proud to call him my friend. And you are twice wrong, Stain: he is the symbol you expected him to be. And tonight, he is here to prove so." 

"Don't you dare to lie: we know Deku isn't here!" he angrily said.

"Obviously Camie's illusions wouldn't trick the public forever" Iida placed his helmet, new for the occassion and started to walk into the light. "But we don't need illusions anymore..."

"For a hundredth time tonight, Hero Killer..." Iida showed himself, leaving Stain and his followers with a look of confusion. He wasn't wearing the colours of Ingenium, but a green colored armor with a rather different and long eared helmet that matched it. "... you are wrong. EVERYONE! NOW!"

Stain was ready to find some large group of heroes trying to stop them, but what he got was a total surprise.

Getting out from the darkest corners of the street, jumping through windows, or descending from the roofs, he witnessed how a full legion of heroes wearing the green costume and red shoes came to their encounter. He was observative enough to distinguish some well known heroes wearing an adapted to their Quirks version of the iconic costume. 

Deku was there and everywhere.

 Iida internally promised himself to compensate Hatsume for all the work he gave her so his idea was carried out.

"What is all this?" Stain asked.

"A symbol" Iida responded, before going back to reunite with his comrades. "The Symbol of Peace we all have been waiting for."

Iida had something very personal with the villain he was face to face with, but this time that wouldn't stop him from giving priority to the people's needs.

"Look! I think it is working" he recognized the voice of Sato when he reached them. "Some even look like they are doubting."

"But Stain won't surrender so easily" Iida didn't lose his eye on him. "Let everyone be ready."

"Are you all right, Iida?"

"Yes, I am. I actually wish this didn't end with a fight" Iida meant it. In his head he could almost hear what Bakugou saying "We are heroes, Four Eyes: it always ends with a fight."

"Well, we didn't dress like this for nothing, ribbit" a female voice croaked. "Luckily, green has always been my color."

"Your plan was brilliant, Ingenium!" another hero wearing the green and a cape descended, with the wind following him. "Heroes are making history tonight!"

"Such righteous gesture... those who follow the path of violence shall have the chance to see the error of their ways..." Ibara spoke with her hands together.

Iida knew it, every hero knew it, and the people just needed a quick reminder: Deku was the hero society had prayed for.

And if at that moment he was fighting the League of Villains itself, Iida would remain loyal to his family's crew and would provide people and heroes with leadership and guidance. Only this time they all had a new symbol under which reunite and prove villains like Stain and Shigaraki had always misjudged them.

Despite the confusion that was seen on the followers' faces and Stain himself, the vast majority didn't back down and attack. The army of red scarfs would have to be contained by force.

Iida knew they were far inferior in number, but the strategy was settled. Deku was known as the hero who could do it. And for one night, all of them would be Deku.

That was what the last thing he reminded his comrades before they run into the battlefield with no intention of retreating.

"No matter how many followers you brought, Stain. I promise I will meet you in the battlefield."

Meanwhile, at the hospital's parking...

With the help of a stick, the Todoroki patriarch left his tenth voice message to one of his two missing sons:

"Shoto... please, call me back when you can. I know you always give the best of you when you go on a mission with your friends. I just hope... the League of Villains doesn't hurt you.

If someone can make your brother Touya leave that life as a villain, it is you. But... you also need to come back. Like I said several times, Yaoyorozu is safe, but she needs you. You... you are a better hero than I ever dreamed to become, and you don't owe that to me at all. Now... you must return with the woman you chose to be with... and surpass me at one more thing we all know you will.

Please. Give a sign you are okay."

Endeavor heard explosions and violence in the distance, and for the first time in his life, all he could do is to go back inside the building and be with his family. Like one of those regular family men he never was years ago.

As worried as he was about Shoto and Touya, he felt what he was doing that night was strangely right.

End of chapter 45.

I think we should give some credit to Tenya Iida. He truly owned this chapter, don't you think?

Back at your service, my Watties! This chapter isn't long, but now the final act can be properly cooked.

Also, I promised Oji I would update these days. And some new readers are binge reading (thank you a lot🙏), so I must let them know I don't abandon my readers!!

As usual, you can vote, comment or curse my eyes depending on what do you think of my writing🙈🙈🙈.

Hope you enjoy! SEE YOU SOON!!🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡