Cactus had been told that things had progressed to the point that an invasion of his old stomping grounds in New York wasn't a matter of how, but a matter of when. He had mixed feelings on the matter, you see deep inside the sick demented mind of Cactus Jack was a soft spot. A soft spot for the hustle and bustle of the city, a soft spot for it's adoring human population, whom thought that their heroes could do no wrong, a soft spot, for what once was but could never be again. Cactus knew that this soft-spot wasn't based on anything real, but rather the weak misguided emotions of a man desperate for the adulation of his adoring masses, masses whom had long since forgotten that he ever lived at all.

His death was heroic, at least it was in his mind. He saved people, the last view of him anyone had was his dying moments, protecting two Humans from a Hollow attack as he bled out from the damage sustained afterwards. He was a pile of blood, guts, and soon to be disappointment. He watched as the new hero on the block had come along and not only performed his job better than Cactus ever could, but he looked better doing it. The presses went wild with adulation, and the last thing Cactus heard before his world went black wasn't the silent murmur of mourning towards the sacrifices he had made, but joyful adulation in the face of what Toshinori had done. It had stuck in Cactus' heart all this time, festering and burning and boiling over itself for a number of years, and now?

Now was the perfect opportunity for Cactus to get through to this young hero. After-all, he didn't hold a grudge, he just didn't want him to go down the same road Cactus had gone down. He couldn't stomach it, to see this poor hero executed on national television, only to be surpassed and inevitably replaced by the newest flavor of the week. More importantly it was clear to Cactus that these people, these screaming masses who were dying around him with every moment that passed deserved what they were getting. They deserved the death and mutilation, they deserved to suffer as Cactus had, but what they didn't deserve.. What they didn't deserve was Toshinori. They didn't deserve a beacon of hope, they didn't deserve a symbol of peace and that was why one way or another, through peace or through destruction, Cactus was going to take him from them..

And so as Cactus grabbed the nearby small child he couldn't help but to smile as he felt the incoming presence of the man he thought so highly of.

His only regret, was that this small boy would serve as the only witness to what would come next..

The city was being brought to ruin and so many innocent people, and children, were either dead or had already lost their family. Toshinori couldn't save everyone and he wasn't a god. He couldn't just wish it all away like a blurred nightmare. He was but one mortal man, with but his strength to carry those he could to safety. He could hear a cacophony of voices everywhere, and with his unfaltering smile he would vow to save anyone under any circumstances whom was within his reach. Yet the screams only more reminded him of his tragic nightmares.

A memory haunted him from the lose of someone who he'd considered to be a father to him. Now Jack as he was named, was an eccentric hero who loved the attention of crowds and adoring masses. Although he may have had many flaws, He certainly paved the way for All Might with a golden road. His dreams were perhaps simple yet most people would dream the same. To Toshinori even the most simple of dreams like fame and money were to never be looked down upon. Cactus was direct and had saved many lives during his career he would show Jealousy at times but he was always fearless. Yet when it was time for Toshinori to carry the torch of Justice, the image of the fading light that was Jack had already sunk its way into his heart. Toshinori fought with that in mind, hoping to deal with the calamity before it was too late. Fear had plagued him in every step and breath and it was through Jacks wisdom that he had kept his composure, and Toshinori never stopped smiling. Yet when he had finished what Jack could not, Jack had already passed as the crowds cheered. Toshinori didn't care for the fame or admiration. He didn't care for the money or power. He didn't care for the title. He mourned for the one who he had considered to be the greatest Hero all time even if others did not. If anyone was Toshinori's Hero, then that man Cactus Jack. The man whom to him would always be the Hero of Heroes, Number One.

The images of Jacks faded light of Justice had struck him quite hard in the heart, but that only fueled Toshinori's will to Protect others as he made his way through rubble. Toshinori had his sights set on a figure in the distance to which held an innocent child and Toshinori didn't hesitate to Jump towards the figure. Crashing down into a Heroes landing, Toshinori stood and walked to towards the figure. The dust clearing around him to behold his massive physique and blue costume. "Fear not citizen, because I am here!", Toshinori would bellow.

"Surrender now! As the Might of Justice has come before you", Toshinori would state directly to the figure. However upon seeing the face of the said figure, his heart sunk. His smile and composure remained the same, yet on the inside his heart would wallow in mourning tears.

Toshinori seemed driven as he approached Cactus, and it was clear to him that even now he was more powerful than he was then, but Cactus had discovered new power as well. The power of vitriol, the power of agony, the power of loss.. All these things that made the human mind strive to be something greater, he had encompassed them all for the last few years of his seclusion. Cactus smirked as Toshinori approached him, billowing wildly about how well he could protect people. This amused Cactus. "Surprised to see me Toshinori?.." Cactus smirked, anger and sadistic intent permeated his every thought. He didn't want to win, he wanted to embarrass this man. Break him down for the world to see so that he could save him. Toshinori didn't understand it now, but he didn't have to. Those who need saving often don't recognize it until it's too late, and Cactus didn't have it in him to wait that long!

Cactus pushed the kid aside, and as he went to walk off Cactus pointed a gun at his head, giving Toshinori two choices. He could save the kid and probably get one of his lungs fucked up before the battle even began, or he could let the kid die. The nice thing was, Cactus knew what choice Toshi would make.. He was betting on it. So much so that he didn't even hesitate to pull the trigger. It was time to see what the hero was made of, and it was time to save him from the ultimate villain of his own story, even if he didn't realize it yet. He would, in time he would understand..

"Surprised to see me Toshinori?..", Cactus would say smirking. Toshinori was left in disbelief at who he was seeing standing before him, but to more of his disbelief, Cactus seemed to no longer be the man he once was. Future events would only cement that fact further into Toshinori's disbelieving mind.

Cactus then pushed the innocent kid a distance from himself before preparing to drive a bullet through the kids skull. Toshinori noticed this right away and knew the outcome. Cactus was going to make him choose himself or another, yet without even needing to be asked the question Toshinori would always choose others. Toshinori yelled the name Jack as he blurred to shield the innocent child from Cactus's Gun Blast. Toshinori felt a projectile penetrate into his right lung as he blurred to and from jack, Still holding his arms around the child.

Toshinori coughed and spluttered, blood dripping from he mouth as he could slowly feel his lung being filled with the crimson fluid. The young bystander simply looked up at his hero who was smile, a gun wound clearly in his back. The young child immediately began to run for the nearest authority.

Turning towards Cactus with an unwavering smile and a clenched fist, Toshinori would focus a Cero's blast worth of energy into his fist. Punching the air he would release this energy. Strong wind and a mass of concussive force would shoot toward Cactus. Toshinori also in a flash of steam ran at Cactus, following up his first attack with a right punch to the side of Cactus's chest. However the effects of Toshinori's wound were already beginning to sink in.

"YOU"RE NOT JACK", Toshinori would accuse, "JACK WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING SO COWARDLY", Toshinori would say while launching his assault.

It seemed that Toshinori was in disbelief in regards to the identity of the man who stood before him, but Cactus would be sure to cast him a gap-toothed smile, in order to be sure that he knew who he was dealing with. As Cactus prepared to pull the trigger, he could already see All Might's muscles tensing up to pounce and protect the boy he owed absolutely nothing to. Such acts of heroism were disgusting, vile even. Cactus didn't understand them within any fiber of his being, and he had no intention of pretending that he did. As the bullet dug itself into Toshinori's lung, a small smile formed across the face of Cactus. It was in this moment that he realized his plan was a success.

As the boy ran towards his nearest adult figure, Cactus ignored him outright. The unwavering smile etched across Toshinori's face was enough to give Cactus fits of unyielding rage and hatred, he just wanted to beat it out of him, to beat that heroism out of him.. As Toshinori launched the blast of energy at Cactus, Cactus would stand unflinching. His hair blew backwards from the energy, the ground shattered around him as his body was pushed back but as he dug his heels in he was for the most part undamaged, barring a few marks here and there. The pain he felt was secondary to his purpose, and to the purpose of what he had set out to accomplish here.

As Toshinori ran towards Cactus, it was almost a sad sight. The proud hero was still a tank, an unyielding force of brute strength and raw power but the fact of the matter was he simply couldn't generate enough force for it to matter. Not with his lung compromised the way it was. Cactus tanked the shot to his chest as it reverberated like a rubber band, his sternum was cracked but beyond that he was fine and Cactus was, in his fit of hatred unyielding to the pain he felt. As Toshinori bellowed out about what Cactus would and wouldn't do, Cactus would be sure to dig his hands into All Might's exposed wound with one hand, before using the other one to pull the trigger yet again, releasing a bullet into the heroes exposed stomach before launching a straight right to put him on the ground..

"More than anyone else in the Committee All Might.. maybe more than anyone else in the world you are willing to pay the price.. To sweat, to bleed, to suffer.. you’re willing to bare that cross and I say All Might.. DON’T DO IT! Because you see.. in order to sacrifice and bare that cross for them.. it means I’ll have to suffer too and I’m telling you from the voice of experience.. THEY'RE NOT WORTH IT ALL MIGHT! THEY’RE NOT WORTH IT! You see you’ve got the choice to live a good life.. NOT ME! I made my bed of nails and I had no other choice but to die on it! But you see All Might.. the world is smiling at you.. GOD.. is smiling at you.. AND DON’T YOU DARE FROWN BACK ON HIM! Before these vultures pick at your bones.. before evil rips you apart.. realize that the life of a hero.. IS A LIE! Those fans that follow you around chanting your name like intoxicated sycophants.. THEY'RE A BLATANT LIE!THEY WOULDN’T PISS ON YOU IF YOU WERE ON FIRE YOU SELFISH SON OF A BITCH! I just need you to understand Toshinori.. I know I’ve hurt you, but I need you to understand that the hatred I have in my heart isn’t for you, no no you see it's very far removed; I'm not doing this to hurt you All Might.. I'm trying to save you from yourself." As Cactus unleashed his plea for Cactus to see the truth, he knew it wasn't going to be this easy for him to see but that was okay. He hoped his impassioned pleas would eventually get through to him, even if this was just the first of many..