--

The class had just ended. It was weird how much had changed since that fateful day.

That empty seat at the back of the class was usually hard to spot, yet it felt like an empty void in the class.

What was weird was that that person was also just as unnoticeable. Tokoyami easily blended into the shadows. Even when he thought he had gotten used to Tokoyami's absence from the previous month, it did bite back at him with the confirmation of his passing.

Midoriya couldn't imagine how Todoroki felt, being right being Tokoyami's seat.

He looked back at Tokoyami's seat. It was filled with flowers and gifts from his classmate.

For him, he put something that meant so much to him that was a reminder of his friendship to Tokoyami. A white band with the number '615' written on it. It was a band that helped him proceed in the Calverley battle during the sports festival. Tokoyami was the reason he had succeeded in advancing.

Looking at his classmates' gifts to Tokoyami, he felt a little grateful he had a stronger relationship with him. Nevertheless, Tokoyami did not hesitate to save everyone, regardless if he had a strong bond or not. That's how much he cared within that stoic expression.

This wasn't the only time either...

He remembered during the forest camp, Tokoyami had begged him to leave him alone... he was not worth saving.

"Having painful thoughts?" Shoji asked, placing one of his limbs onto his shoulder.

Midoriya looked up, realising he had been staring at Tokoyami's table.

"Yeah... Thanks."

Shoji looked at Tokoyami's table for a short while. Shoji didn't put anything at Tokoyami's table. It seems that being one of Tokoyami's closest friends, he was the most affected out of the class.

"Care to join me for lunch?" Shoji finally said.

"... Sure."

.

.

.

The cafeteria was surprisingly empty. Midoriya was glad he had a friend to keep company.

After taking his food, he sat next to Shoji and quietly ate.

Tokoyami's cafeteria group usually consisted of Shoji and Koda. They were a quiet bunch.

He tried to distract himself with spoonfuls of katsudon, but his mind was forced to y78...

"We should eat together as a class more often..." his voice came out soft.

Shoji processed his words... Before nodding once.

"Tokoyami didn't talk much," Shoji said, picking up on Midoriya's hidden agenda.

"He only discusses school work. It was saddening to hear how little he talks about himself."

"He had nothing to talk about?"

"No... In fact, the opposite."

Midoriya looked at Shoji before formulating a hypothesis.

"... He's afraid... afraid of saying too much." He proposed. Shoji's lack of response justified his theory.

Midoriya sighed.

He placed so little trust of us... What made our bond so... Fragile?

Midoriya closed his eyes, recollecting Tokoyami's return. Tokoyami mentioned his return was a second chance, his actual body had already moved on... Gruesomely. The memories of Tokoyami's death was still fresh in his mind, but he knew it was nothing compared to what Shoji felt.

He wished he had talked to his bird friend more... Show him that he was family.

Midoriya heaved a heavy sigh. He knew he should move on. He had a goal to achieve, but these few days he felt trapped in a prison.

He imagined his future, fighting villains and saving civilians.

Tokoyami would've been a great partner to have...

"Hey Midoriya, you alright?" Shoji lightly tapped his shoulder. It was then he realised tears on his cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Midoriya wiped his tears. These few days, students from class 1A had periodically shed tears. They were way too early to lose a friend.

"How are you responding to this so well?" Midoriya asked, sniffing.

"I'm not."

"I hate this pain."

"I do too... but we just have to wait for the day when it passes. "

"Just... How much longer?"

Shoji's response was interrupted by shuffling feet approaching. It was Iida and Momo.

"Midoriya, we need to head to class now."

Midoriya's heart pounded as he checked the time using the cafeteria clock.

"Huh? But our break isn't over!"

"The teachers are having a briefing for our class."

"... About?"

"Our situation."

--

Aizawa entered the classroom, dead rings surrounded his eyes but he carried a serious expression.

His usual frayed hair was neatly combed back, he was uncharacteristically formal and awake.

He scanned the classroom. All 19 students were present and dead silent. He dreaded the silence, almost wishing for them to have their usual banter, at least that would've distracted his foul mood.

Silently taking a breath, he prepared himself.

"Whatever is said in this classroom must never be revealed outside until further notice. "

The students nodded.

"I understand that this past few days have been rough. I would start by sincerely apologising on behalf of the school as well as myself. Every one of your well beings is our greatest priority. Losing a student of UA is the largest disgrace we have made."

"I have failed myself as a teacher, as well as a hero. I take full responsibility for my inability to act and save my students. I shamefully ask for your forgiveness. "

Aizawa bowed deeply. Seeing their homeroom teacher's reaction, the students stood up and bow back to return the gesture, symbolising their acceptance to their homeroom teacher's apology.

" Thank you. "

Aizawa waited until everyone was seated before he rises.

"I understand how painful it must be to lose someone at your age," Aizawa said.

"But as heroes, we have to control our emotions and move on."

However, the class didn't seem up for the task. A sense of bleakness hung in the air.

"Aizawa sensei, I know I can't let emotions get the better of us. But... I hate this feeling so much!" Mina whimpered.

"Yeah, I'm afraid that I won't ever get used to losing my friends." Momo's voice wavered.

"The hero's path is never safe. The reality is that not every hero lived their lives until retirement." Aizawa depressingly said.

"Losing a friend is something us pro heroes have to -"

"But Aizawa sensei, this feels so much different!" Midoriya started, feeling his emotions building up. But before he went off, he stopped himself and apologised for rudely interrupting his teacher.

Aizawa held up a hand. "Go on, I want to hear your thoughts... Let it out, all of you." He looked at the rest of the class.

Midoriya started first.

"I just feel so hopeless that I can't do anything to help... I hate this feeling of inevitability, my dear friend on his death bed and all I could do is just... wait.

"Yeah! And he even sacrificed himself even though he was the only one without the crystals! I should be the one suffering for being so vulnerable!" Ojiro added.

"Same..." many others agreed with Ojiro.

"We lost a great hero... And an irreplaceable family." Tsuyu whispered.

"And he did it solely because he cared for us!" Kirishima vented, on the verge of tears. "Even after he returned, he was fine with keeping it a secret. He... He was fine with us never knowing what he'd done for us..." he hid in his arms as he finally let his sobs spill out.

"I... I just... How is he able to handle it! To not get the recognition he deserves? To be able to LITERALLY SAVE THE WORLD and die without telling anyone" Mineta banged his desk in frustration. "Unsung heroes... People with extreme integrity... I aspire to be like Tokoyami one day."

"He never wanted to tell us what he did or that he was dying. He wanted us to go on our lives like nothing happened... If he never returned, I would've thought nothing about it... And that's what hurt the most. " Sato's voice was filled with guilt.

"I have the same guilt," Uraraka said, her eyes red from crying. "I hate how much worse I am feeling now compared to when Tokoyami was kidnapped."

"Why do I need Tokoyami to save us for me to finally feel the pain?" Uraraka's voice cracked, she started to rub her eyes. "Why... Why am I such... a horrible person?"

Tsuyu stood up and went to Uraraka to comfort her, giving her some reassurance.

Upon hearing their words, the students share the same remorse and let out a few sobs.

However, Aizawa Sensei had important matters to discuss and he couldn't drag on further.

"I understand you all need time, but time waits for no one. Right now, an urgent issue has arisen. Those who are not ready, you may leave this room now."

The class shifted uncomfortably after listening to the news. Some still were sobbing and their face buried in their hands.

"Is it related to Tokoyami?" Midoriya's voice sounded hoarse from the sobbing.

"Indeed."

Upon hearing that, the atmosphere of the class shifted. No one moved an inch and their attention were focused on Aizawa.

"After what Tokoyami did for us, there's no reason for us to run away again," Iida said.

"Good."

Aizawa sighed deeply, trying to recollect his thoughts before he started the presentation.

"Let's start with the villain..."

"Belenus?" Sato said, a hint of a growl escaped as he muttered the villain's name.

Aizawa nodded.

"His quirk, Soulstones, is something of a danger to the world."

"Why was that quirk so destructive?" Sero asked.

"Belenus' crystals were something even current science couldn't explain." Midoriya began.

"As Recovery Girl mentioned, the crystals did not have an atomic structure, it's existence is almost impossible."

"Yes, it seemed that what the crystals were made out of were something smaller than atoms, this also means that its density is monstrously huge," Todoroki added.

"Like a black hole?" Kaminari queried.

"Yes, but we can't measure it so we can't be sure if it is one," Midoriya said.

"How did such a quirk even come to be?" Tsuyu wondered out loud.

"You're right to ask that question," Aizawa said to Tsuyu.

"Belenus isn't the main problem here, thankfully he's been dealt with already."

A few second of silence passed to honour the feat that their late friend had accomplished.

"His quirk's existence is what we have to worry about now."

"Hmm... Who were Belenus parents? What were their quirks?" Momo asked.

"Yes, good question Momo."

"We searched Belenus house and recovered some information, his parents' quirks were never known, but we found something else."

Aizawa projected the notes found in Belenus house. The notes were neatly organised with entries and dates labelled neatly. The note was titled:

"114? Were there 114 entries?" questioned Tsuyu.

"Yes and no... Belenus was the 114th entry." Aizawa told them.

The class blinked, trying to understand what Aizawa had told them.

"What were the previous entries?" Mina muttered, wanting more information.

Aizawa showed them another slide...

"Cernunnos?" Mina was confused by the foreign terms.

"Celtic gods..." Shoji answered. Tokoyami had an interest in them too... Something about how his old friend had shared a similar name.

"That's right, Belenus is a name of a Celtic god too, the sun god," Momo said.

"Why Celtic gods?" Mina asked. "And what do they represent?"

"I believe the names are just placeholders," answered Todoroki, his face holding a scowl.

"There are over 400 Celtic gods and goddesses and Belenus is one of them," Momo said.

"That means...!" Mina realised, connecting the dots.

"Yes... Belenus was their 114th child," growled Todoroki. Being a child of four, he was a victim of quirk marriage. He deeply understood what it feels like to be treated inhumanely. Imagine a parent that desperate for having that many 'attempts'.

"What?" Uraraka exclaimed, realising the disgusting significance of that horrifying number.

"How is that even possible?" Mina gripped her arm, shivering.

"Why?" Sero asked. "Who would want so many children? "

"Quirk marriage, " Aizawa said, eyeing Todoroki's disgust. "marriages with the sole purpose of enhancing or combining a quirk to be inherited down a bloodline."

Midoriya glanced at Todoroki, he understood how the news was sensitive information to him.

"Where are the children?" Uraraka piped up.

Aizawa just shook his head. It would be too much for them to bear the purpose of the incinerator in the basement floor of Belenus' house.

Thankfully, they got the message.

"That's so cruel!" Hagakure cried.

"All of them... Gone?" Iida said, horrified.

"WHERE ARE THEY RIGHT NOW?! " Bakugo slammed his fists on the table, making everyone jump.

"They are dead... Killed by Belenus."

"Hmph, would've done the same" Bakugo growled in agreement.

Aizawa sighed, wanting to get this over with. It was depressing enough for him to lose one of his students, he wasn't expecting all of his students to be involved.

"That's beside the point. There's something more important that I need to get to."

The class shifted in silence... Whatever news that could top 113 children deaths terrified them.

"The entries that the Belenus household recorded were all notes about their offsprings' quirks. By relying on genetics mutation and extraction of DNA, they experimented on obtaining a reliable quirk."

"However, it seemed that as the number of offsprings grew, the quirks were more and more unstable..."

Aizawa pulled up the next slide. It was a shelf filled with many vials, each labelled with a number. Inside were filled with coagulated blood.

"These are..." Momo realised.

"Blood of each of the offsprings."

Aizawa looked at them. He didn't want to info dump onto them. He too, needed time to take it in when it was first mentioned to him.

The class slowly absorbed the new information that was given to them. Aizawa gave them time to put two and two together.

"Quirk marriage... Produce offsprings... Offspring DNA... Create powerful quirk..."

Midoriya's mutter echoed around the room. This helped the rest of Class 1A to be on the same page.

"Aizawa Sensei, you mean they used the DNA of their children and somehow... create more powerful quirks?" Kirishima questioned, his brows furrowed in deep contemplation.

"More specifically, merging of quirks," Aizawa answered.

"Merging? Like actual quirk marriages?" Tsuyu's question sent a chill down everyone's spine, something horrible was beginning to be revealed.

"Precisely," Aizawa said gravely.

Aizawa's tone caused the class to be silent.

"Do you understand what this means?"

"If every offspring was made by quirk merging..." Iida thought out loud.

"Belenus will be the 114th generation." Todoroki continued. His face was indecipherable but his thoughts were running wild.

"I don't get it... So wha—?" Kaminari asked, a little behind.

"It means, quirk marriage have a possibility of producing another monstrous quirk in 114 generations time." Bakugo interrupted.

Aizawa nodded.

"And we don't know if they were just unlucky for it to be the 114th... It may be sooner than that."

The class finally went wild, causing Aizawa to cringe.

"Another quirk like Belenus?!"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

With a quick slam on the board, Aizawa quietened the class down.

"Do you want to let the whole school know of this?"

"What the heck are we gonna do?" Sero whispered.

"Stopping the world from procreating? Seems like an impossible task..."

"It is, unfortunately, not an easy problem to solve," Aizawa said.

"This is terrible..." Mina whimpered.

After ending a world endangering threat that is Belenus, they thought they could rest. Yet this new threat was much more alarming than what they thought to be the most extreme.

"We had been living in a game of Russian roulette. It is an absolute wonder that we were able to discover such quirks." Aizawa said.

"I absolutely couldn't imagine how we would've discovered these quirks without the world ending."

"It was all thanks to our classmate, Tokoyami."

Aizawa bowed deeply.

"That we are still alive today."

It was truly a miracle. As the class realised the new extreme catastrophe, they also started to realise how fortunate they were to have a friend like Tokoyami.

Tokoyami was a hero. He didn't just save the world... He couldn't even bear to lose a single person.

Class 1A felt an overwhelming debt towards their late friend.

"Will the world know about Tokoyami?"

Shoji asked.

Aizawa looked at Shoji sadly...

"Unless we find a solution, the world shall not know about Belenus."

"Lest this info falls into the wrong hands."

Aizawa did not want to worsen their mood, but they had to face the truth.

"This problem... It may not be solved in our generation."

.

.

.

"What?"

"Tokoyami deserves all the recognition from the world!" Aoyama protested, even a narcissist wanted his friend to get more of the attention.

"That's so unfair!" Midoriya muttered, feeling his hands shaking with emotion.

"That's what Tokoyami has been feeling his entire life..." Shoji's lips quivered.

"An ugly demon, orphaned and lonely."

The entire class felt an overwhelming amount of emotion. The world was unfair, unjust, unequal.

Aizawa felt them darken, sick of how cruel the world was, how it treated their dear friend.

Class 1A was depressed... Sad... Angry.

"Tokoyami deserves recognition, " the class leader growled.

"We all owe him our life!" Tsuyu croaked.

"Let's not let Tokoyami's sacrifice be in vain!" Koda commanded, breaking through his shyness. Embarrassment meant nothing to him now.

"Tokoyami gave us a second chance, let's finish the job," Mina said.

"Let's solve this together!" Momo encouraged.

"Aizawa, we'll prove you wrong! We'll solve this!" Mineta bellowed.

"I'll research on quirk merging and solve it in a year," Midoriya suggested.

"HUH? A YEAR? I'd easily do it in half the time!" Bakugo scoffed.

"I'll assist in any way I can," Todoroki told the two.

"Let's do it, guys!" Sato felt pumped.

"Yeah!" Kirishima and Kaminari felt determined.

It encouraged them that they could finally do something for Tokoyami.

Aizawa smiled at the class, it was the spark that he was hoping for. He now understood why Belenus targeted them. They were truly the ones who he thought were formidable, because they have the power to change the world.

"After we solve this..." Shoji's voice cut through the room, everyone gave their

their attention to him.

.

.

.

""

"Let them know the name...

"

~END~

AN: Credits to @Macabre_Libra for inspiring me with this chapter.