The Has-beens

Chapter 1: Heroes of Yester-decades

Eight generations. 

The greatest of all evils, All For One, would have struck terror into the hearts of the masses eight generations ago. However, every time he had a grand evil scheme, a master plan, an ultimate weapon, someone comes along and foils him once more. It's never enough to endanger him, but it was like an annoying thorn in the villain's side.

Every supervillain legion destroyed, every super bomb defused, every giant machine crumbled. Time and time again, when the demon lord would rise, a hero would come along and keep him in the shadows. Thanks to these nameless heroes that history will never remember, the doomsday clock would never ring.

Then, finally, after eight long generations, after so many dead piled up at the feet of the mighty villain, one's blade finally managed to meet its target, driving itself deep into the monster's heart.

"Detroooooit..."

"Damn you All Miiiiiight!!!"

"SMASH!!!" 

Somewhere, in a non-descript evil lair, the demon king finally met his end. As the fist of the pro hero All Might drove itself deep into the skull of All For One, he could feel a weight being lifted from his shoulders. The ghosts of the heroes that came before him, the ones who, years ago, battled with the villain as well, smiled upon their successor. Their centuries long war with All For One had finally ended, and All Might knew it as well.

*Kachunk!*

Or so he thought.

When All Might woke up, he found himself in the hospital, plugged to heavy life support. Sitting beside him, his trusted sidekick, Sir Nighteye, watched over him with his signature, unblinking gaze that made him impossible to read.

"You're awake, Yagi-san, I was so worried." Nighteye said with complete indifference, a feature the hero was all too used to at this point.

"W-What happened? F-For how long was I out?" All Might uttered out weakly, his voice raspy and dry.

"Nearly a whole week." Nighteye replied, "The medics did the best they could to patch you up, but it was still a very close call."

"Did... Did you get him?" Asked All Might, still reeling over from the unbearable pain his entire body was in.

"We raided the entire hideout." Replied Nighteye, "We retrieved hundreds of documents, data and arrested dozens of villains that have eluded us for decades."

"But did you get him?" All Might pressed on, not even fazed by any of the news he was provided.

"The Public Safety Commission's mobilized every member in its personel to sweep the surrounding areas, the entire distric is on lockdown as we speak. They've already apprehended dozens of splinter groups loyal to him. He may never be able to cause harm again." Nighteye pressed on.

"Did you catch All For One!?" All Might snapped at Nighteye, ripping out his IV drip in the process.

In response, Nighteye gave a tired sigh, adjusting his glasses before replying in his usual, unchanged demeanor.

"I've sugarcoated the news enough to make you diabetic." He said in a stern tone, "You'd think someone as smart as the 'number 1 hero of Japan' would have figured it out by now."

Hearing this, All Might slumps over, looking down in disappointment. 

"So he got away again, huh?" He asked.

"Yeah, he did." Replied Nighteye.

All of the weight that the pro hero had felt leave him all of a sudden felt like it was crushing him flat. Summoning all of his strength, he lifted himself off of the hospital bed, barging out of his room. Seeing this, Nighteye quickly stood up, trying to stop him, only to be nudged aside.