MHA: Sand Sand Fruit

All Might cursed under his breath.

Nomu's strength far exceeded his expectations.

This creature wasn't just strong—it was designed specifically to counter him.

At first, All Might believed Nomu's Quirk only involved impact absorption. But as the battle progressed, it became painfully clear that this monster had more up its sleeve. Alongside impact absorption, Nomu also possessed a super-regeneration Quirk.

Super regeneration—a truly troublesome ability. No matter how grievous the injury, no matter how many limbs were severed, Nomu's body would heal in moments. It was as if this thing couldn't die.

If that wasn't enough, Nomu's base strength rivaled All Might's own.

Same power, superior durability, and a regeneration ability that mocked every ounce of effort All Might poured into his attacks. The odds were not in his favor. And to make matters worse, his time was running out. The transformation that sustained his heroic form was nearing its limit.

This was bad.

**Very bad.**

"Hahaha!" Tomura Shigaraki's twisted laugh cut through the tension. "Isn't Nomu incredible? He's my teacher's masterpiece, custom-built to take you down, All Might!" His words dripped with malice, his grin wide and manic. "Look at you—helpless, bleeding, pathetic. It's beautiful."

Nearby, Kurogiri spoke in a low tone. "Tomura Shigaraki, I'm going to retreat for now. That boy, Kitagawa Akira, is searching for me. If he finds me here, it could disrupt our plans."

"Akira?" Tomura scoffed. "Who cares about him? He's just a kid. There's no way he's stronger than All Might, the so-called Symbol of Peace."

"No, he isn't," Kurogiri admitted calmly.

"Exactly!" Tomura spread his arms as if to emphasize the point. "He can't even compare to All Might. What can he possibly do against Nomu?"

Kurogiri hesitated. "Still—"

"He's a non-issue," Tomura interrupted, his tone dismissive. "Nomu will handle him if he shows up. At best, the kid might give Nomu a light warm-up. Nothing more."

Kurogiri nodded reluctantly, though unease lingered in his posture.

Tomura's attention shifted back to All Might. "Give up already!" he shouted. "Nomu was designed to counter your 100% state. You can't win!" His voice carried a cruel delight, the words meant to chip away at All Might's resolve.

But All Might wouldn't falter.

Even as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his eyes burned with unyielding determination.

"I must not fall," he muttered under his breath. His body was screaming in protest, but his mind was resolute. He wiped the blood away and straightened his stance.

The Symbol of Peace couldn't afford to show weakness. Not here. Not now.

White steam began to rise from his body—a grim reminder that his time was almost up.

"Damn it," All Might hissed, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. "The transformation... I can't hold it much longer."

But even as his strength waned, his resolve burned brighter.

"I am the Symbol of Peace," he growled through gritted teeth. "I cannot lose!"

With a fierce shout, All Might charged at Nomu.

The monstrous creature met his attack head-on, the ground shaking beneath their feet as their fists collided. The resulting shockwave ripped through the air, sending debris flying in all directions.

All Might didn't stop. He unleashed a flurry of punches, each faster and more powerful than the last.

Nomu's impact absorption rendered the attacks nearly useless, dissipating the force of each blow. But All Might didn't care.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Punch after punch slammed into Nomu's torso, relentless and unyielding.

The sheer speed of the assault generated powerful gusts of wind, forcing Kurogiri and Tomura to retreat a safe distance.

"As long as your Quirk is impact absorption and not impact nullification, there's a limit to what you can take!" All Might roared, his fists blurring as they struck with ferocity.

"I don't care if you were designed to counter me at 100%. I'll use more than 100% to bring you down!"

Tomura watched in stunned disbelief. "H-he's supposed to be weakened! How is he still this strong?" His hand scratched at his neck in agitation, his confidence wavering.

With one final punch, All Might sent Nomu flying into the air. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he prepared to leap, gathering his strength for a decisive blow.

But then it happened.

White steam erupted from his body, and in an instant, his hulking form shrank back to his true self—a gaunt, frail man.

"No!" All Might gasped, his face pale. "Not now... not at this critical moment!"

His mind raced, but there was no time to think.

Tomura's triumphant laugh rang out. "Nomu! Finish him off!"

The monstrous creature obeyed without hesitation, charging toward the now-vulnerable All Might.

All Might's heart sank as he braced himself. "Is this it?"

But just as Nomu's fist hurtled toward him, a powerful whirlwind of sand erupted around them.

The air grew thick with swirling grit, blocking Nomu's advance and shielding All Might from harm.

"W-what is this?" Tomura shouted, his eyes darting around in panic.

Through the chaos, a figure emerged, standing tall and resolute amidst the storm.

Akira had arrived.