The city is a battlefield of smoke, fire, and rubble. Every street echoes with the distant cries of battle and the rumble of collapsing buildings. Kudō’s boots pound the cracked pavement as he and Bruce drag Yoichi Shigaraki along. Yoichi’s body is frail, shaking with exhaustion, yet his eyes burn with a mixture of fear and resolve.

“Keep moving!” Kudō shouts, voice tense but steady. “We’re not stopping until we’re out of this hell!”

Bruce uses his quirk, Fa Jin, to propel debris out of their path, creating brief corridors of safety. Sparks fly as walls collapse around them, yet Kudō keeps Yoichi steady, one hand on his back, the other gripping his arm tightly. “You can make it,” he mutters, voice softer now. “You just have to trust me.”

Yoichi stumbles, breath ragged. “I… I don’t know if I can—”

“Yes, you can,” Kudō interrupts, eyes locking on his face. “You’ve survived worse than this. And you’re not alone. Not now. Not ever.”

Bruce runs alongside them, carrying supplies and keeping pace effortlessly. “We’ve got you, Yoichi. Just a little further,” he encourages, tossing Kudō a quick glance that says: We’ll get through this together.

They reach the city’s edge, the extraction point, a ruined tram tunnel barely standing, looming ahead. But a chilling presence falls across the street: All For One. His calm, commanding voice cuts through the chaos. “You really thought you could escape me?”

Kudō steps in front of Yoichi, Gearshift flaring. “We’re not escaping. We’re surviving. And protecting him.”

All For One attacks, unleashing raw energy that rips through the street. Bruce reacts instantly, using Fa Jin to blast a path forward, shielding both Yoichi and Kudō. Dust and rubble cloud the air, but they keep moving, each step faster than thought, muscles burning with desperation.

Yoichi clings to Kudō, whispering, “Thank you… for coming back for me.”

Kudō squeezes his shoulder, voice low, almost tender: “You don’t have to thank me. I promised I’d keep you safe. And I mean it.”

Bruce smiles briefly, a rare softness in his eyes. “We’ve all survived worse. Together.”

With one final push, Kudō and Bruce propel Yoichi into the tunnel. Flames and shadows chase them, but they disappear into safety. Yoichi gasps for breath, trembling, yet alive. Kudō steadies him. “See? I told you,” he says, voice gentle but firm. “I’ve got you. Always.”

Bruce comes up beside them, breathing heavily but grinning. “And I’ve got both of you. Let’s get out of here.”

For the first time in years, Yoichi feels hope. Kudō, battered but unbroken, feels the quiet warmth of relief, and something he doesn’t need to name, a resolve to protect Yoichi and Bruce, no matter the cost. Together, they move forward, unbroken, their bond forged in fire, courage, and survival.