Chapter 34 – His Foolish Dream
For the past months, Medea had just been doing nothing all day.
Of course, not nothing of course, as she was exchanging knowledge with Ainz about magic and other different abilities.
She also talked with everyone else quite a lot and gained deep insights into different areas of expertise.
However, she didn't do anything in the meaning that she didn't really interfere with any heroes and villains.
Her role assigned by Ainz was kind of pointless after the All for One incident, so she's just been at home, either doing chores and just strolling about the city.
Even so, she missed the others.
Because, being at the café, though there was also not much to do, she had the group chat, and talking to Rimuru and Ciel always brought a smile to her face.
In a way, she was grateful for coming here, but with a couple months left on the timer, everyone agreed it was time to go back.
...
Ever since All Might 'retired' from being the number one hero, his popularity began to decline bit by bit. But there were still people who celebrated him.
On one of many rooftops, a small statue of All Might raising a fist into the air was constructed in memory of him, and the person himself, now known as Toshinori Yagi, was looking at it, and felt the wind blow against his face.
Silently, Medea teleported to the other side of the rooftop, and quietly watched him.
He looked very tranquil and peaceful.
Even though he lost his powers, noticing a change in the wind was still quite normal for him.
"Quite a contrast huh," he began saying in a very calm voice, "this statue looks nothing like me at all now. I'm all shrivelled up now." He gave a pitiful laugh.
"You... are you after my life?" He didn't turn around but still asked anyway, and the silence answered his question.
"So you won't mind listening to this old guy's mumbling?"
Another silence.
"Heh. Since my young days, I've always carried this burden to become a pillar of hope that people could always rely on during harsh times. After getting One for All, I finally became what I strived to be, a hero. I then invested all my time into defeating villains and protecting society.
I was still quite young back then. I stubbornly believed that if I tried hard enough, the world will become a better place, and crimes and villains won't come to light to haunt the civilians. But now I noticed that the harder I tried, the further from the target I got. Why?
Especially now that the symbol of peace has left the stage, more and more crimes are being committed. The entire structure of balance I strived so hard for is crumbling before my eyes! Is it because I tried so hard to maintain peace, that when I fell everyone thought it was their opportunity?
Is it because people became too reliant on me that when I'm gone, they still expected me to come save them?
They still walk the streets, even if villains were present, why? I achieved what I wanted for a couple years, but look at them now!
People are committing sin as we speak, and I'm not there to help them!
Did I become the problem? Was it because of me? Did I stubbornly think that the present was all we needed? That the future was left to others?
Was it my fault that Kurumi died?
Did I really believe in that stupid dream?
Was I really an idiot to believe that?" He then started to mock himself, but his questions were not rhetorical and Medea could discern that much. Even now, in the distance there was smoke rising from a housing complex, and people were screaming for their so called 'heroes' to help them, but none turned up as they were too busy dealing with other cases.
In the past months, crime rates had risen by over double, and All Might's guilt grew in proportion.
"I don't think you're an idiot for believing in that." For the first time, she spoke to him and although her voice was not loud, he could hear her clearly.
"You say you wanted to become everyone's hero when you were a child. That's a noble and valiant dream. Not many people can pursue their dreams, let alone achieve it.
You strived hard and worked hard to be who you were, or are, today. I don't think all of it was pointless.
In the years that you worked as the symbol of peace, think of how many people you saved.
You saved countless, and even now, perhaps you don't realise it but your belief had influenced thousands. Look at Endevour. He wanted to be like you. If you didn't exist, would he still be the same person? Would he still save the amount of people he did if you weren't there to push him?
And, think of All for One. If you didn't appear, Japan would be very different from how it is now? Think of who the credit deserves to go to for that."
"But what about everyone who are suffering as we speak! Look at them! No one's there!"
"Do you really think you're omnipotent? You're being greedy! You are just human after all, no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to help them all. Why don't you, instead of thinking about the people who needs saving, think about the people who you have already saved?
I, for one, already know that you saved Izuku Midoriya. Look at him now." Probably dead tbh.
"But that's not enough. There... is still..."
"Maybe you've not grown up after all. Maybe... you're still stuck in those childish dreams of yours, even when you're retired. You're being very greedy! Cherish what you have earnt, not dwell on what you wish to earn!"
"Maybe I am greedy, but I refuse to give up." He began to raise his voice and shout, "that is my dream! I will never give up, and I will continue to save people, even if it costs me my life."
"A noble dream, but unrealistic."
"Unrealistic?"
"There is no point for that. You're generation is over now. You have been betrayed by time and fate. Your time in the spotlight is over now. Give it to the younger generation why don't you? You're not immortal and you've long reached your limit.
Maybe, it will be better if you just stuck to being a normal civilian. You're guilt will only be contagious."
He looked down in contemplation, "perhaps... but I will not fall here..." Fire began to burn in his eyes, he turned around and looked directly into her eyes, "I still need to witness the so called world lead by the younger generations. I may be GREEDY... I may be an IDIOT... but I still have a million DREAMS! I will not DIE here!" His firm resolve inspired Medea's respect for him. "You won't be the one to kill me. I will defend everything you send at me with my life."
Medea smiled.
A sword manifested itself into Medea's hand, and she pointed it at him.
Meanwhile, he tensed and concentrated his all his strength into his legs and rushed towards her.
As someone who's still stubborn in his ways and believes in destiny, he showed no fear or hesitation.
And, just like a miracle, his right arm raised above his head began to swell, just like that time he faced All for One.
His body began to enlarge, and the eventual muscular shape he grew into was identical to the statue.
Despite a smile, blood leaked from all his orifices. He was long passed his limit, and in this last moment, with his firm beliefs of a better future,
he surpassed his limits.
His speed then increased to dozens of times, but not nearly near his prime.
Then, ice began to form on his back and started to slowly spread outwards across his body.
He felt numbness and pain, but didn't falter.
His one and only target was to punch the person in front of him.
He brute forced his way through the ice.
It spread from his back, to his left arm, completely disabling it.
Then, it made it's way down to his legs and feet until those were no longer functioning.
Without being able to move, he could only rely on the decrease in friction between the ice and the floor, and he skidded across the roof.
His smile was as bright as ever, and a strong fire still burned in his eyes.
The ice then travelled up to his neck but he still didn't falter.
"PLUS-" he shouted. His fist was already swinging towards Medea as he was very close now.
Just closer...
Closer...
"-ULT-" the ice moved across his face, completely shutting his senses off, but he still continued.
"-RA!!!!" Although the frost covered his entire body, and his fist was submerged, somehow, it radiated a fiery glow and burnt through. The last sign of his life was the unrelenting and firm shout he gave.
His last shout.
His last 'plus ultra'.
He was already dead, but his stubborn beliefs still stayed.
The fire condensed and burst forth, melting the patch of frost on his fist and arm, and he swung forwards.
BOOM!
A shockwave echoed across the rooftops, and a dust cloud was swept up.
A thick ray of fire also followed suit, igniting the entire sky. Maybe the civilians who saw this thought it was a beautiful sight, but in truth, it was his last struggle.
His last appearance, as both Toshinori Yagi and All Might.
As it cleared, the fist was next to Medea's head. Behind her was melted land. If she had not moved it slightly to the side, perhaps it would've been fatal.
She then saw All Might's figure, preserved in ice, still standing tall and proud.
His smile etched across his face and the fire that once burnt so brightly dimmed out.
His arm then fell limp, only supported by the ice beneath it.
Hu Tao... Who would know that your power you used on him all those months ago would have this ability... I almost got severely injured because of it.
Looking at his lifeless body, she engraved his proud figure into her mind.
He was definitely one of her greatest opponents she faced.
Not because of strength, but ideals.
As someone who was betrayed by everything, his ideologies resonated with her, but in complete opposite ways.
He wished for a better society, and wanted to always protect everyone no matter who they are, evident in the fact that he rarely killed. His determination was second to none. A genuine hero to the end.
Whilst Medea believed she will do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones. Not everyone. She wasn't greedy, just having a couple people to protect was enough for her. And in contrast to his efforts, she didn't hesitate to kill anyone who got in her way.
But they both believed in a better society. Both wanted somewhere better to live and both dreamt of such a world.
A foolish and unrealistic dream only dreamt by children, but a dream nonetheless,
If I met you under different circumstances, maybe we could have... nevermind.
In the end, you died not as Toshinori Yagi, but as All Might huh...
Perhaps your wish did come true...
You were All Might to the very end...
...
Soon, the group chat members left the world, and they left the world in a mess.
News reporters were everywhere. Not just the heroes, even the villains were shocked by the loss of so many important people.
For the first 10 minutes, the world was silent, but it never had the chance to become louder again, as in the sky, a figure suddenly appeared.
Since the news were still broadcasting, even the international audience could see the figure. They watched the figure intently whilst authorities and scientists were going crazy.
It was Ciel, or one of her many avatars that she created. Her real body was still with Rimuru.
"Since there are no more useful things any of you can provide... [Shub Niggurath]"
"You called mistress?"
"I give you permission to feed on them..."
"I am eternally greatful"
Although she only muttered to herself, the noise detecting equipment heard the entire conversation, or just Ciel's words since the other voice echoed inside her head, but nonetheless is sounded mysterious enough.
Then she disappeared. But what was left behind was a small black wisp circling in the air.
Under the perplexed gazes of everyone, the wisp slowly fell and sank into the ground. Then, a severe earthquake followed, and from where it sank black goo began to rise.
The living creatures that were caught in it, regardless of animal or plant or even bacteria, were instantly turned evil and mindless. The goo influenced their mind and completely rid them of their sanity.
They also got their strength increased by a major amount, and could survive inside the goo where not even oxygen reached.
The mass began to multiply exponentially until Japan was completely infected within a minute, but that didn't stop the blob as it continued over the ocean. Even the sea creatures were not exempted since the goo just multiplied and sank.
The next 10 minutes, the entirety of Asia was covered, and in the next 5, the world was covered.
If one looked from outer space they would think that Earth was a black hole. There was no colour to be seen, even the clouds were pure black. The light from the sun never made a difference on it.
The planet was completely converted into the yoats of Shub Niggurath, but it didn't end there.
If one looked slowly, the goo seemed to be working together and preparing something. As if having a mind of it's own, in the next minute a small bit of it was launched into space, heading straight for the sun.
It wasn't too quick however, and took an entire year for it to reach. When it did, it didn't burn up from the heat, but instead embedded itself and started to spread, covering the light.
3 months later, and the entire solar system was infected. Pure darkness, with mindless creatures naturally forming from the abundance of power. This Shub Niggurath fragment was empowered by the infinite strength of Rimuru, so power was the last thing it lacked.
10 years later, 2 figures saw the monstrosity of this universe, which was now unsalvageable.
"What? Isn't that the aura of Shub Niggurath? One of the outer gods?!" A formless being expressed in shock.
The other one just sighed, "I suppose it is. I thought they were all asleep in the outerverse where the others reside, but it seems like some idiots in this universe foolishly called upon one. However, this fragment seems very powerful for some reason."
"Indeed it does. Is it because that they just had too much strength anyway so decided to give more power?"
"Most likely, but this is now not a problem that we can solve. Heck, at this stage not even the higher ranks or even the council could deal with it without severe repercussions. It's best to just seal the entire multiverse away to a corner of the void."
"That serious?"
"You are still a new level 9, so I guess you don't know, but situations regarding the outer gods are strictly confidential and very serious. Us being here is already a risk, but luckily we are protected so the god can't notice us. Anyway, we should go back and report this now."
"Agreed. I don't want to be here a second longer."
And they both left...
But Shub Niggurath did detect them.