Chapter 324

A Young Woman's Declaration (の) is the three hundred and twenty-fourth chapter of Kohei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia.

Summary
Ochaco thinks back to how she had always loved to see people happy, which is why seeing her own parents be so exhausted hurts her so much, and why she looked at the cheering people when they saw a hero in action. She also thinks about how she wants to help the Heroes who are hurting themselves ever since she met Izuku.

In the present, the people start seeing how exhausted Izuku is, with the big woman he saved before speaking up saying that after he saved her, he immediately went back to fighting. One of the unconvinced civilians asks if the people themselves should be covered in filth too, but Ochaco replies saying that only the Heroes will be, which is why she wants them to give him time to rest to wash it away. All of the class watch her in awe as Izuku starts tearing up, with Tenya telling him that she is fighting for Izuku and everyone’s right to smile again. Then Izuku shouted out Ochaco’s name while he continues tearing up. Ochaco apologizes that she and the heroes can't reassure everyone’s safety, because they are as scared as everyone else, which makes them all the same in a sense. She screams for them to lend Izuku their strength so they can have a shot at smiling in the future, while briefly thinking back to her fight with Himiko Toga during the war and the tears in her eyes.

Nevertheless, Ochaco continues her speech begging everyone to let Izuku stay and rest, citing him as just a high school kid like herself and the others who are still learning as they go, as she realizes that when the heroes are hurting, it is up to everyone else to protect them. When the same protesting civilian tries to speak back, Ochaco screams at the top of her lungs that U.A. High is Izuku’s Hero Academy. Her words cause Izuku to collapse to his knees as he starts crying hysterically while thinking back to the very first day he met Ochaco at the Entrance Exam. In his mind, he says that this is the story of how he became the Greatest Hero, and also the story of how he and everyone became the Greatest Heroes.

As he cries, the big woman and Kota Izumi run over to him to comfort him.

Chapter Notes

 * Ochaco concludes her speech, pleading to the civilians for them to help protect Izuku and let him stay.
 * Izuku collapses to his knees, tears welling up, in response.
 * It is revealed the Hero that Twice killed during the War was named Eel Boy.
 * It is revealed that the story of My Hero Academia isn’t just the story of how Izuku Midoriya became the greatest hero, but also how everyone became the greatest hero.