71 Epilogue

The gavel came down hard upon the wooden block. The shaking echo caused some of the more drowsy members of the court to stiffen and pay more attention. The talk had been one that had gone on for weeks. Ever since the tree emerged from the centre of Australia.

"The decision is final. Nicklaus Hendrix, now known as codename: Yggdrasil. Is no longer considered human and all such rights associated with such status are hereby be revoked." The judge called the effective death sentence the final words recorded by the clicking of the typewriter.

As translators conveyed the verdict to the leaders of the countries and nations of the world, some nodded in agreement and others showed passive acceptance on their faces.

The ruffling of paper as people started to pack up was suddenly interrupted.

"I implore you to reconsider Sir." A voice spoke up, a shrill voice that was on the verge of rage. "Nicklaus saved the lives of everyone on planet Earth. The disaster that would have gotten out from the pipe portals could have ruined us all."

Staring at the animal, the principal of U.A. and one of the highest authorities in the super nation of Japan. By his side sat the strongest human Alive. All Might, his arms crossed over his chest and his broad smile gone from his face. The seriousness of the situation had weighed down upon his normally unparalleled joy.

"The decision of the court is final. This is a world matter and will be treated as such. Your negligence of your student lead to this, as far as I am concerned Mr. Nezu this is your fault and only because you still have rights that we can revoke, are you not being punished. Yggdrasil is far too dangerous to be left alone. Who knows what it is capable of." The voice of the judge said between heavy breaths. The monotone drone of his voice did not match the seriousness of the discussion.

The extermination of the tree would soon begin.

As everyone started to file out of the auditorium a female with long blonde hair slowly made their way up to All Might's side. Her grim face was guilty as she looked down at her shoes. "I will no doubt be given the order to help with Nicklaus' sentence… I can refuse, however." She said as she looked up to her idol and Hero.

"Do not cause trouble for yourself young Cathleen… I simply hope that Nicklaus does not respond to the attempts at his life." Yagi responded. His voice was heavy. He knew the power that Nick had, he still remembered the fight he had against that boy, that felt like so long ago. Nicklaus was nothing like he was now, no one, not even all the world's strongest would be able to leave so much as a scratch on his bark. He knew that much.

Eyes widening a bit Cathleen responded, shock tracing her voice as she said. "So… you don't think we will be able to hurt him. At all."

"You will not, that I am certain. He, however, could cause more damage than you can imagine. He exterminated every bug in Australia in seconds. Think of what he could do if his roots spread further than they have already." All Might replied, finally looking at Cathleen as she nodded her head.

She knew it was foolish, everyone deep down knew. As much as the governments of the world were saying that the 'monsters' of Australia were highly exaggerated and had an unconfirmed existence. Most people knew it to be false, they were just desperate to seem in control, but against that? Who could be…

It had shed its mortal limits. And was still growing.

---

The embers fell from his hair as they drifted in the wind that moved the branches. Giant waves of limbs moved through the sky, slower than even drifting cloud cover that was well below the branches and leaves. The fiery rain of embers was soft, gentle even. Wherever an ember landed life would grow. The once vast wasteland of Australia was now overgrown in the mere weeks that the tree had existed.

That was because Nick did not want to spend his eternity dwelling in such an arid and harsh environment. And it could be whatever he wanted it to be. So why would he not make it a paradise? Australia, it was his now. So he would live here as he wished.

Walking along the top of one of the branches, below the canopy that the leaves made he felt the warmth of his heat against his false skin. The sun had set but the light from his leaves was more than bright enough to light up the entire country and the sea surrounding it.

It was more than enough, after all each leaf was like a sun itself. Shining with a golden warmth capable of sustaining life.

It felt so hollow. To be trapped in such a world when he knew that there was so, so much more that was beyond his reach. Unobtainable to the powers that he could gain. No matter how strong he grew, this world had a peak that he had reached. To go further was not something that could be done.

Such heights he had reached, yet it was still so hollow.

Looking down the edge of the giant tree from the branch he stood on the sense of vertigo from the height he stood at never hit him. Countless researchers were gathered around his trunk. A base camp had been made as soon as they had found him. He hadn't closed the pipe portals. Hell, he had even kept them open when they tried to break them. He wanted people to be able to come and see him. Come to his paradise if they wished.

But they had used them to send Heroes to attack him. Hell, even a villain or two had come out of the woodwork to try and gain something from him.

He ignored their attacks however, they were honestly pitiful. He knew what the court case had declared… he had watched it after all. It was hard not to see everything as he was. He just turned into the things he was interested in, however.

It didn't matter to him. They could do nothing, they could find nothing, they would gain nothing. He would not give them anything, that was the only way that they could get anything from him. But they were harmless. So there was no reason to attack them back.

Feeling a presence that interested him touch the trunk of his body he tuned into it. All Might… And Cathleen Bate. Listening to what she said he just smiled, it was amusing at least.

---

"Nicklaus Hendrix will revert back to who he was before the change." Her voice firm, she believed in her own words, her quirk would not fail here.

As she spoke the words she listened to the sound of leaves being gently swayed by leaves. The sound of the air through the branches of the green trees around her was almost mystical, it was calming. To calming to be natural but she felt no danger from it.

As the moments passed and the tree stood before her she simply looked at it and tried again. "Codename Yggdrasil shall revert back to Nicklaus Hendrix." Her voice was still firm although the trace of doubt she felt was starting to weigh on her mind.

She didn't even feel her quirk try to activate.

The sound of footsteps behind them made Cathleen and All Might suddenly turn around. Looking at the 19-year-old young man behind them who was looking up the tree fondly. A small smile on his face holding the barest hints of sorrow.

A melancholy smile that somehow perfectly matched the accepting calmness of the atmosphere around them. The shifting of the trees. The gentle gurgling of a waterfall. The cool air. The warm light of the sun above. Night never existed here. It was… homely.

"Nicklaus Hendrix is not something that you can affect Cathleen. He is now something so much more than you can understand. You cannot understand me. So even if you could use your quirk on me it could not affect me. But you can't even use your quirk on me because I do not wish it to be possible. After all, that is one of my rules. No quirks cannot affect me without my permission." Nick said, his voice smooth. Low, humming with the various sounds that were happening around them.

The water gurgled with the low notes, and the wind whispered with the high ones. The world was speaking with Nick.

"Nick…" Was all that All Might said, turning to the golden-haired figure. He was not Nick, he was so different. His skin was smooth and unmarred, covering tense and strong muscles. The loose white fabric pants were all he wore. His feet were bare against the soft grass.

His golden eyes blazing with power beyond his understanding. Nicklaus was no longer something that could be reached, this was all foolish, trying to study and understand Yggdrasil, he understood now why it was impossible and progress hadn't been made. It was not something that Nick wished for them to understand.

So they couldn't, it was as simple as that.

"Give Nezu a message for me will you Yagi? One last request from your student." Nick said. Breaking the silence.

---

Bakugo sat on the balcony of the dorms, his feet kicked up on the railing. Staring into the distance. The soft golden glow on the horizon wasn't the sun. No, it was something so much greater than even that.

Just the room next door was Nicklaus' but he hadn't slept in it for ages now. Hell, it felt like an eternity, but it really wasn't that long was it?

He had once hated that boy, but he had taught him a lot of lessons. Was it really the person that made the quirk great? He had doubted those words, it couldn't be. No one could compete with All Might because his quirk was the best…

But Midoriya had been so weak, Midoriya had not made the quirk great. Midoriya was weaker than All Might despite the quirk.

Nick's quirk was the pinnacle of power right now. He sat on the horizon. A flaming tree unmatched by anything and everything. It was simply… spectacular.

He didn't hate him anymore. He envied him, yes, but he didn't hate him.

He would make his quirk great, one day, one day he would put a mark on that fucking tree and show Nicklaus just who he had been in fucking school with. He would become something even greater than All Might.

Pulling his feet down from the railing he leaned his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. Staring at the golden horizon.

He would make his quirk great.

---

Midoriya panted, hands against his knees as he gasped for air. Each heaving breath rattled his breath as he took in deep gulps of air. Looking at the horizon. The golden glow, not the setting sun. No something much more terrifying. He couldn't believe that he had been in the same year as the monster that made that.

Standing up with a mighty feat of willpower he opened his water bottle and took a few deep gulps. Enjoying the cooling water.

Hearing the footsteps come to a stop behind him he looked up at Mirio who had been running with him. Helping him train since he got a work placement at Sir Nighteye's.

"I didn't know him for long but he always looked as if he was going to do something greater than I could imagine. Seeing him there, on the horizon despite how impossibly far he is… is, shocking." Mirio said, his voice filled with hesitation at talking about it.

"He was a confusing person like he didn't know who he was," Midoriya said, his words slow. As if trying to find the right words.

"He was, yeah." Was all Mirio responded with, before turning and continuing his run. Looking at the back of his senior Midoriya didn't know how to feel. He didn't know Nick that well but to think that someone like that hadn't even taken two semesters to become something so great.

Defeating Shigaraki, the person who he was meant to beat. It felt so… bitter in a way. He had inherited All for One to be able to take care of things and Nick had just swooped in and gotten rid of the problem like that… it felt like something was stolen from him.

But in the end. He was grateful. He really was… maybe this power wasn't needed anymore.

He would still try to master it though. He would become All Might could be as proud of as he was of Nick. He would become a great Hero.

He would still become Number One!

---

It had been weeks since it happened. Since he felt Shigaraki die. And Garaki was dead… he didn't think that any of his backup plans would work against that monster. He had prepared for almost everything situation that he could think of. But this… he never thought something like this would happen.

Suddenly feeling the temperature of the room increase slightly he saw heat appear before him. A person had suddenly formed. Using his other quirks he could see him. Blazing hair, blazing eyes. Like an angel of justice.

"So have you come to kill me Angel of Retribution?" All for One said with a dull amusement in his voice. The presence before him was shattering.

Was this how people felt when they first saw him? He felt numb… for the first time in forever, he felt like he was powerless. And he hated it. But he would give no satisfaction of fear.

Sitting down before All for One with a summoned chair Nick sighed. This notices me not the quirk was amazing, he had increased its power with some combinations and controlled mutating.

Nothing could detect him unless he wanted it to. Every security system in this prison was reporting this room as normal. Even All for One wasn't doing anything abnormal according to the sensors. This room was as silent as it always was.

Tilting his head Nick let out a dry chuckle. "No… No, I am not. I have lived in fear of you ever since I was born you know? Ever since I knew of your existence. It made me act foolishly secure. But alas, those times are in the past. I am simply here to take your quirks from you. All of them." His voice was steady. He didn't know why he felt the need to say what he did but who cared. All for One wouldn't even remember this.

"Goodbye, Shigaraki. It wasn't a pleasure living in the same world as you." Nick said before putting his hand on the man's head.

"The displeasure was all mine." All for One said in calm acceptance. He wasn't a fool, so why fight this? He had lost. To something he never saw coming.

---

The tree stood on the horizon. No matter where one lived. Shining like a setting sun, a symbol of this world's pinnacle. It was a stark reminder, of what could have happened.

The revoke of human rights from the tree was met with… nothing. Yggdrasil did not care. It simply just continued to be. Doing nothing… or at least that is what most saw.

It was a bittersweet ending. But an ending nonetheless.

If only he had realized sooner… that despite this world being a story. It was his story.

=======

Hey all! Thanks for reading this story. It was amazing to write, I loved every second of it honestly. Thanks to everyone who left their support from stones to comments. It has all been great for me to see.

Let me know what your favourite chapter was! I am honestly just curious to see what part people liked the most.

I'll be taking a little break from writing but worry not! I shall be back with another Fanfic soon enough.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Dimensional.

I already have so many ideas for it and am looking forward to it. I plan to actually make a solid plan of where I want the story to go before I start writing this one haha.

Once again thanks for all the support that this book has been shown throughout me writing it, I never expected so many people to read it. So it was amazing to see it grow. Thanks for all of this, it really has made me feel that I can do something that I enjoy! Hell, I might even make a patreón so I can write more often, who knows.

Well, this was good fun. Thanks for reading!

Cya, Epic.

P.S. I refrain from setting the status of the book to completed so that I can send an Authors Note when I start my new book. I think that is a good idea at least...