Chapter 333 - 2-5

Chapter 2: Encounter

Momo stepped out of the school gates, her bag slung over one shoulder. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a familiar number.

"Tatsu, you don't have to pick me up today," she said casually. "I feel like walking."

In truth, she just wanted to clear her head from the mountain of upcoming stress.

There was a short pause on the other end before Tatsu spoke, but Momo cut in gently, "Yes, I'm sure. Please tell my mother she don't have to wait for me for dinner." She ended the call after a polite goodbye.

As she was almost past the school gates, three girls, slightly shorter than her but clearly in the same year, ran up to her. One with blonde hair, and the two on behind her clearly twins one with long black hair and the other with short black hair. The blonde in the lead beamed.

"Yaoyorozu! Are you free today? We could go shopping, grab something to eat, or maybe watch a movie!"

Without slowing her pace, Momo replied, "I'm busy. Maybe another time."

The second girl piped up, "Then… how about helping us with our homework?"

The third quickly added, "We could all come over to your place and study together!"

Momo kept walking. "I'm busy. Maybe another time."

Before they could protest again, a blond boy, famous among the girls in their grade for his looks, approached. The three girls instantly blushed and started fidgeting, giggling like they were in a drama scene.

With a charming smile, he looked at Momo. "Yaoyorozu! Long time not seen. How about a date? I'll take you to the most elegant restaurant in the city."

Momo rolled her eyes inwardly. 'And at the end, your wallet will be in your 'other pants' again'.

They had gone on one date he tricked her in before, but it hadn't taken her long to realize that he, like the other three girls and everyone else in her class and school, was only interested in the money and the influence of her family.

Without breaking stride, she said, "I've already told you, you're not my type." Then she glanced back briefly, adding, "And next time when you invite someone to a date, try to remember bringing your own credit card."

The boy froze mid-smile, his ego visibly cracking, while the three girls stared wide-eyed, their cheeks losing color. Momo simply kept walking, leaving them all standing there in stunned silence.

———————————————————————

A few minutes later.

Momo had been walking for quite a while now. She hadn't even paid attention to where her feet were taking her, her mind was too busy.

'Do I really want to be a hero again?' she wondered. 'In my past life, it was already exhausting and time-consuming… do I really want to start that whole cycle of stress all over again? There's really no good reason to start it again.'

Her thoughts were abruptly cut off when she collided with someone. The impact sent her stumbling backward, and the other person hit the ground as well.

Shaking off the daze, Momo looked to see who she had bumped into. Sitting on the pavement was a boy with messy green hair and freckles across his cheeks. His build was average, his school uniform slightly rumpled, and there was a shy, startled look in his bright green eyes.

He rubbed the back of his head, then quickly scrambled to his feet, bowing several times in rapid succession. "I-I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!"

Momo waved it off politely. "It's fine. I wasn't paying attention either."

He extended his hand, and she accepted it, rising to her feet. That's when she noticed a notebook lying on the ground a short distance away from them. The cover was singed around the edges, but the page that had fallen open revealed detailed notes and sketch of an hero. Probably an analysis of various quirks.

Before she could comment, the boy suddenly tensed, eyes wide in alarm. In the next second, he pulled Momo to the side, just before a heavy manhole cover came crashing down exactly where she'd been standing.

From the gaping sewer opening, a mass of green sludge shot upward, twisting and writhing until it formed a vaguely humanoid shape.

"You'll make a perfect skin suit, kids," the creature hissed.

Momo narrowed her eyes. "Sicko."

The Sludge Villain lunged, whipping a sludge-like tentacle toward them. Momo reacted on pure instinct, her right forearm shimmered, matter rearranging itself into a large, reinforced shield that came out of her forearm. The creation shredded her right sleeve, but she didn't care. She planted herself between the boy and the villain, bracing against the attack.

"So, you've got a shield quirk, huh?" the villain sneered as he continues his attack. "That won't help you for long."

Momo ignored the taunt, glancing back toward the boy. "Do you have by any chance a quirk that can help us here?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but before he could speak, a booming voice echoed through the street.

"Have no fear, you're safe… Now that I'm here!"

Both Momo and the boy turned their heads to see a towering figure several meters behind the villain. His muscular frame radiated power, his blond hair swept dramatically upward as he pulled back a massive fist.

"Texas… SMAAAAASH!"

The punch unleashed a colossal shockwave. The force slammed into the Sludge Villain, launching it backward, but the impact also sent Momo and the boy skidding across the pavement. Momo's shield absorbed most of the blast for herself, but the boy was thrown several meters away.

As the shockwave faded, Momo throw her shield to the side and sprinted toward the boy. Thankfully, aside from a fresh bruise and the scuffed scrapes he'd already had before, he didn't seem seriously hurt.

The boy came to his senses quickly. While helping him up, Momo asked, "Are you alright?"

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "It's nothing." But then his eyes drifted past her, and his jaw dropped in stunned silence.

Momo followed his gaze and saw All Might standing right behind her. Apart from photos and videos she never saw him in person and she needs to admit in persona he is much taller.

"That was a pretty tight situation," the towering hero said warmly. "I'm glad you're both okay." He held up two plastic bottles, inside them, the Sludge Villain was sealed and sloshing weakly. "Thanks to you two, I was able to capture this guy. I'm sure you'll both make great heroes someday."

Momo glanced at the boy, who still hadn't managed a word. His awe was so pure that she almost laughed, she had seen this exact look countless times before in her Ladybug days whenever a fan met their idol.

Suddenly, he snapped into motion, rummaging frantically for his notebook and a pen. When he found it, he froze, All Might had already signed his name across two pages.

"He already signed it!" the boy exclaimed in delight. Bowing rapidly again and again, he said, "Thank you so much! This will be an heirloom, a family treasure, passed down for generations to come!"

Momo found the display oddly cute.

"Well," All Might said, "I've gotta get this guy to the police so they can handle him. Stay out of trouble, see you around!" He crouched slightly, preparing to leap. "Now stand back, I'm taking off!"

That seemed to jolt the boy into urgency. "Wait, you're leaving? I still have a question!"

As All Might tensed to jump, the boy reached toward him, but Momo caught his arm just in time. A moment later, All Might launched himself skyward in a single, thunderous leap toward the city.

The boy's hand lingered in the air, as though trying to grab onto something already gone. His voice dropped to a near whisper. "I wanted to ask him something…"

When his shoulders slumped, Momo felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

He shook his head. "It's not your fault. I was the one acting stupid. I probably would've just slowed him down… maybe even let that villain escape. Or worse."

Momo recognized the tone instantly, laced with self-doubt and quiet self-blame, like someone who carried the weight of every mistake. That was a voice she used on herself in her past life.

"What's your name?" she asked gently. "I'm Yaoyorozu Momo, but you can call me Momo, or Yaomomo."

The boy straightened slightly. "Ah, right. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Midoriya Izuku, but you can call me Izuku."

Momo tilted her head. "So, what was it you wanted to ask All Might?"

Izuku looked uneasy, his gaze drifting to the ground. "I wanted to ask if… someone like me, someone without a quirk, could become a hero."

He braced himself for laughter, mockery, maybe even an insult. Instead, Momo's calm response nearly robbed him of breath.

"I don't see why you couldn't."

Izuku blinked twice, searching her expression for any trace of sarcasm, or mockery, but there was none.

"I think you misheard me," he said slowly. "I don't have a quirk. I'm… quirkless."

Momo's head tilted again, unconcerned. "So? I still don't see why that means you can't be a hero."

He stared at her, trembling slightly, eyes wide as she went on. "Quirk or quirkless, there's no difference in my eyes. If you want to be a hero, there's only one thing holding you back and that's you."

Izuku's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he quickly raised an arm to hide them. His voice wavered. "No one… no one has ever said that to me before."

Momo was about to respond, but then her gaze drifted over him more carefully. His clothes were slightly torn, his notebook singed, and there were fresh scrapes and bruises, injuries that clearly hadn't come from the sludge villain just now.

Her tone softened, but there was a sharpness behind it. "Tell me if I'm wrong… but I'm guessing the people at your school bully and harass you, just because you don't have a quirk, and because you still say you want to be a hero."

Izuku's mouth opened, ready to deny it out of habit, but Momo spoke again before he could even form the words.

"Please don't try to hide it. I've seen it far too many times, people who are bullied convincing themselves it's somehow their fault, or making excuses for their abusers. But if they target you just because you don't have a quirk, then it's exactly what it is, bullying. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Izuku trembled slightly. After what felt like an eternity, he finally gave a small, pained nod. "You're right… they do bully me. Just because I'm quirkless." He swallowed, his voice turning bitter. "It… it wasn't always like that. When we were kids, I had a best friend, Kacchan, Katsuki. He also wants to be a hero and everyone says that he will make one, especially with the quirk he has. But when he found out I didn't have a quirk… everything changed. He started mocking me. Then the others joined in."

Momo listened silently, her expression unreadable, until he finished. "If you ask me," she said at last, "anyone who bullies others for being quirkless isn't cut out to be a hero in the first place."

Izuku blinked at her, as if she had just pulled a veil from his eyes. For the first time, he realized just how wrong Katsuki's behavior had been all along.

Momo thought for a moment, then an idea formed. "Tell me, Izuku… how serious are you about becoming a hero?"

He didn't hesitate for even a second. "Completely serious. My goal is it to be like All Might and saving people with a smile."

A faint smile touched her lips. "Do you know the Dagobah Beach?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's not far from my home."

"That makes things easier," Momo replied. "Meet me there tomorrow morning. Eight o'clock sharp."

Izuku blinked in confusion. "Why…?"

Her smile widened, a glint in her eyes. "Because if you want to be a hero, the first thing we need to do is get you in shape."

Izuku's face turned red and his jaw dropped slightly. "W-wait, what?"

"It's getting late," Momo continued, turning away. "I should head home. Don't forget, tomorrow morning, at the beach."

She had only taken a few steps when Izuku finally found his voice again, his eyes falling on the discarded shield lying on the pavement. "Wait, what about the shield?"

Momo glanced back over her shoulder without stopping, her expression warm. "You can keep it if you want."

She waved lightly and walked away.

Izuku bent down to pick it up, and nearly staggered. "This thing must weigh at least thirty kilos… and she carried it like it was nothing."

He tightened his grip on the shield. "That girl… is a mystery."

———————————————————————

Later in Momo's room.

Momo stepped into her room. A maid who had accompanied her up the stairs lingered just inside the doorway, awaiting instructions.

"I'd like some time alone." Momo said politely but firmly.

The maid bowed. "Of course, young mistress." She turned and left without another word, the sound of her footsteps fading down the hall.

When the room was finally quiet, Momo crossed over to her bed and sat down, exhaling slowly. Her gaze drifted to the faint evening light spilling through the tall windows.

"That Izuku…" she murmured, leaning forward slightly, elbows resting on her knees. "He's quite an interesting boy. If I were still Ladybug, I might have entrusted him with a Miraculous."

She trailed off for a moment, her mind sifting through memories of her past life, before a faint, almost amused smile curved her lips. "But that's no longer the case…"

Her right hand opened in front of her, palm up. A faint shimmer spread across her skin, and before her eyes, a white silhouette began to manifest. It was shaped like a delicate butterfly, its edges glowing faintly, its form perfectly still in the center of her hand.

"…so I'll have to think of something else."

The butterfly gave a single, soundless flutter of its wings before Momo made it vanish into nothingness, leaving her alone once again with her thoughts.

Chapter 3: Training Day

Izuku was standing at the Dagobah beach early on a Saturday morning, already before eight o'clock, waiting for Momo. He didn't quite know why he had come. A small part of him wondered if Momo was playing a prank on him, but he didn't want to think badly of her, especially since she believed that he could be a hero even without a quirk. He glanced at the clock on his phone and saw it was still ten minutes before their meeting time. Then, when he put his phone away and looked to his left, he suddenly saw Momo leaning against a lamppost beside him.

Startled, he called out, "Momo!"

She joked, "I was already wondering when you'd notice me."

Izuku was sure he had been alone just moments ago. He asked, "Were you here the whole time and I just didn't see you?"

Momo giggled. "No, I just got here."

"How did you get here without me noticing?" Izuku asked, curious.

Momo smiled and said, "I'll show you." She touched his shoulder, and in an instant, they both vanished, reappearing moments later in front of the entrance of an abandoned slightly rundown warehouse.

Izuku looked around frantically and asked, "How did we get here?!"

He glanced back and saw that they were still close to the Dagobah beach, not far from where they had been standing before. His eyes widened in realization as he asked, "Can you teleport?"

While entering a password on the door keypad, Momo replied, "Yep, that's one of my abilities."

The door slid open, and she led Izuku went inside.

"So, besides your shield quirk, you also have a teleportation quirk?" Izuku asked as they walked further inside.

Momo shook her head. "To be precise, it's a creation quirk, not a shield quirk. I can create things from my body by using the lipids I store."

Izuku's eyes lit up with excitement. "I definitely need to write that down later."

Momo laughed softly. "That can wait. Right now, we have something else to do."

Izuku opened his mouth to ask what they were going to do, but his words trailed off as soon as he caught sight of the warehouse interior. The huge open space inside, far larger than the building had looked from the outside, was overwhelming.

On one side of the walls, there was an arsenal of weapons, swords, rapiers, sabers, firearms of every kind, even bazookas, grenade launchers, mortars, and massive mounted machine guns. On the opposite side, several mannequins stood dressed in various outfits, some finished, others still incomplete.

In the center of the room stood a massive workbench covered neatly with tools, books, countless notebooks and sketchpads, pens, two laptops, and even a smartphone. Next to workbench stood a refrigerator.

As they walked toward the workbench, Izuku looked around in awe, eyes darting from one marvel to the next. "Where… where are we?" he asked, still staring at everything as though it were a dream.

Stopping at the workbench and picking up a notebook, Momo answered matter-of-factly, "We're in my secret training warehouse."

Izuku blinked and looked at her. "Your secret training warehouse? You mean… nobody knows about this? Not even your parents or friends?"

"I have no friends," Momo replied flatly. "And my parents know nothing about it." Then she shot him a sharp look. "And neither do you."

Izuku quickly raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Your secret warehouse is safe with me."

Momo gave a small satisfied nod. "Good."

After a pause, Izuku asked hesitantly, "If you don't mind me asking… how could you even afford something like this?"

Momo considered how best to answer, her thoughts drifting back four years ago.

———————————————————————

Flashback.

A ten-year-old Momo sat cross-legged in her room, practicing her Creation quirk. She focused hard, determined to push the limits of what she could make. She was trying to create gold, only to see if it was possible. When the golden gleam appeared in her hands, she nearly dropped it. She had created a solid gold bar.

Panic hit her, if anyone knew she could do this, the consequences could be dangerous. But as she held the bar, an idea formed. She could sell it. Quietly. And with the money, she could buy something no one would question, like a property near the beach, where she could do her experiments with her quirks and even design her clothes.

The next day, she disguised herself using her Illusion ability, taking on the appearance of a rough, scarred man who looked more like a villain than a schoolgirl. In her past life, thanks to Fei, she had learned that if you wanted fast money without awkward questions, you went to a pawn shop.

The pawn shop owner looked startled at her appearance, but when she placed the gold bar on the counter and asked how much it was worth, his eyes lit up with greed. Momo was certain that if she had walked in as herself, he would have tried to rip her off. But faced with a dangerous-looking man, he didn't dare. He paid her a fair price.

With the money, she purchased the abandoned warehouse by the beach, anonymously, and over time transformed it into her secret training ground.

The flashback ended with Momo materializing the very workbench that now stood before Izuku, creating it out of her own back.

———————————————————————

End Flashback.

Looking back at Izuku, Momo gave him a version of the truth, close enough, but omitting the details about gold and pawn shops. "Let's just say… I've had ways of funding my projects without needing my parents money."

Izuku nodded slowly, accepting the answer without suspicion.

Izuku finally pulled his eyes away from the massive workbench and looked at Momo.

"So… why are we actually here?"

Without a word, Momo handed him the notebook she had been holding.

Izuku opened it and blinked in surprise, inside was a detailed training and nutrition plan, with every day mapped out from early morning workouts to late-night stretches, alongside carefully measured meal schedules.

Before he could even ask, Momo spoke. "That's your new training plan to get into UA."

Izuku's eyes widened. "You… you think this will actually get me into UA?"

Momo nodded firmly. "Yes. But this training also has another purpose."

Izuku tilted his head. "Another purpose?"

"To explain that," Momo said, her expression growing serious, "I need to tell you something about myself. Something no one knows. Not even my parents. If anyone were to find out it could put me in danger. So I'm trusting you with my life by telling you this. I hope I won't regret it."

Izuku paled slightly, his voice steady despite the sudden weight of her words. "I would never do anything that puts someone else in danger."

At his genuine tone, Momo's lips curved into a faint smile. "Good. Then listen carefully. You've already seen me create a shield and teleport, but that's not all."

Izuku's eyes went wide. "You mean… you have more quirks?"

Momo nodded. "Everyone around me thinks I only have a Creation quirk. But that's not all. I have many other abilities. I like to call them Miracle Box."

Izuku's mind was spinning, excitement bubbling under the surface. He wanted to pull out his own notebook and write everything down, but something told him Momo wouldn't appreciate that.

"I won't go into all of them right now," Momo continued, "but I'll tell you about one."

Izuku focused on her intently, hanging on every word.

Momo raised her right hand. A soft glow formed in her palm, slowly taking the shape of a delicate white butterfly made entirely of shimmering energy.

"I have the ability to give other people superpowers," she explained. "I can grant a quirk to someone who is quirkless and for those who already have one, I can make it stronger, or give them another one."

Izuku stared at the butterfly, speechless. The weight of what she was saying sank in, he understood instantly why this had to remain a secret. If the world knew, both heroes and villains would hunt her down for the power she possesses. Even quirkless people desperate for power might come after her.

Then Momo looked directly at him. "I'm willing to give you a quirk. A quirk that would suit you."

Izuku's breath caught in his throat. All his life, he'd been told it was impossible, by doctors, classmates, teachers, even his own mother. And now, the girl he'd only known for less than a single day was offering him the one thing he had dreamed about since childhood.

Before he could say anything, Momo closed her hand, and the butterfly vanished into thin air.

"But before I give it to you," she said firmly, "you need to strengthen your body. Otherwise, the quirk would be too much for your body to handle."

Izuku's initial disappointment lasted only a moment before determination flared in his eyes. "Then… when do we start training?"

Momo smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Right now."

In the blink of an eye, they were back on the beach, specifically, the section piled high with the most and largest, heaviest junk. Rusted refrigerators, ovens, TVs, washing machines, even an abandoned car, along with heaps of smaller scrap.

Momo scanned the heaps of junk scattered across the sand , rusted metal, splintered wood, broken glass, and twisted appliances.

She let out a small sigh. "This beach is so polluted… I've been wanting to clean it up for a long time, but with my tight schedule, I never had the time," she said, her gaze sweeping over the mess. Then she turned to Izuku. "Your training will be to clean up the beach. That way, you'll be doing something good for the community and training your body at the same time."

Izuku's eyes lit up, his earlier nervousness replaced with a surge of determination. "Then I'll get started right away!"

He took a step forward, ready to tackle the nearest pile, but Momo's hand lightly pressed against his chest, stopping him.

"What is it?" he asked, blinking in confusion.

Without answering, Momo held out her hand. From her palms, a pair of sturdy safety gloves and protective shoes materialized. She extended them toward him. "Rule number one, safety first."

Izuku gave her a grateful smile and accepted them. "Thank you," he said sincerely, slipping on the gloves and lacing up the shoes. They fit perfectly.

"I have to go now," Momo said, her tone calm but firm. "Before my parents notice I'm not at home studying. But I'll come back later to check on your progress."

Izuku straightened and gave a polite bow, his voice brimming with resolve. "Thank you for helping me. I won't disappoint you."

Momo returned his smile, a small, approving curve of her lips, before teleporting away, leaving Izuku alone with the towering mountains of junk and his own determination.

The moment Momo vanished, Izuku took a deep breath and turned back to the mountain of garbage. Up close, it was even more intimidating. The air smelled faintly of rust, salt, and something long-forgotten, the kind of smell that clung to the back of the throat.

"Alright… one step at a time." he told himself.

He bent down to grab a broken refrigerator door, only for his arms to tremble almost immediately. It wasn't even the full refrigerator, just the door, yet his shoulders burned as though he'd been lifting weights for an hour.

Still, he gritted his teeth and dragged. The metal scraped across the sand.

Five minutes in, sweat was already dripping down his face. His gloves were damp inside, his back ached, and he had barely made a dent in the nearest pile.

Every movement felt like a small battle. A rusted bicycle frame refused to budge until he braced his feet and heaved with all his strength, and even then, he almost lost his balance. A discarded washing machine took two separate attempts just to tip onto its side so he could roll it away.

His lungs burned, his breath coming in ragged bursts.

Still, he kept going.

He found a rhythm, lift, drag, drop, repeat. Every time his muscles screamed for him to stop, he reminded himself of Momo's words. 'Strengthen your body, so you can handle the quirk.' That single thought kept him moving.

———————————————————————

Hours passed. His pace slowed, his arms shaking every time he bent to lift something. His shirt clung to his back, his hair sticking to his forehead from the sweat. Even picking up smaller items, empty bottles, scraps of wood, felt like heavy lifting by now.

Far above, on the rooftop of a nearby building, Momo crouched low, watching him. She had returned a moment ago silently, teleporting to a vantage point where she wouldn't be seen. Her eyes followed every movement, his struggling lifts, his stubborn refusal to quit, the way he paused only long enough to catch his breath before pushing on again.

A small, approving smile touched her lips. 'Good.' she thought. 'He's not giving up. That's the spirit of a hero.'

She didn't call out to him. She didn't interfere. She simply observed, committing the scene to memory before disappearing again in a faint shimmer of air, leaving Izuku alone with the sun dipping lower in the sky, still dragging and lifting, one piece of trash at a time.

A soft shimmer of air announced Momo's arrival back on the beach. She reappeared several meters away from Izuku, who was trudging slowly across the sand with a battered microwave in his arms. His shoulders sagged, his shirt was streaked with sweat and grime, but there was still a flicker of determination in his eyes.

When he noticed her, his face lit up despite his exhaustion. "H-Hello, Momo. Why are you back so early?"

Momo arched an eyebrow and tilted her head toward the horizon, where the sun was already sinking toward the water, painting the sky in streaks of orange and pink. "You call nine hours early?"

Izuku's eyes went wide. "Wait… I've been here for nine hours?"

He glanced toward the pile of junk he had managed to stack together. It barely reached his knees. His shoulders slumped. "I… didn't get much done," he admitted, his voice tinged with disappointment.

"Are you crazy?" Momo's tone sharpened, but there was warmth underneath it. "You've done more than I expected. You pushed through even when it was hard. You didn't quit, that is what matters most."

Izuku blinked twice, unsure how to respond, before finally asking, "How do you even know that?"

Momo smirked faintly and gestured toward a nearby building. "I've been watching you from the rooftop. I wanted to make sure you'd put in the effort even when I wasn't here."

Izuku didn't know whether to feel embarrassed, proud, or both.

She stepped closer and held out a cold water bottle. "Here. Drink. You've worked hard today."

Only then did Izuku realize just how thirsty he was. He took the bottle gratefully, gulping it down in seconds. The cool water was bliss after the day's heat.

"Go home now," Momo instructed. "Shower, rest, and recover. Tomorrow at eight, I expect you at the warehouse. The access code is in your notebook."

Izuku managed a tired but happy smile. "I'll be there."

Momo turned as if to leave, but then paused, glancing back over her shoulder. "Oh, and… bring your quirk analysis with you."

Before he could even ask why, the air shimmered around her again, and she was gone.

Chapter 4: Ready?

On Sunday morning, at exactly the time Momo told him the day before, Izuku arrived at the warehouse and entered the access code. As he entered, he saw Momo already waiting for him at the workbench.

Momo's gaze lifted from the workbench as soon as Izuku stepped inside. "One thing I have to give you, you're punctual."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head, a little sheepish. "Honestly, it was hard to get out of bed with how sore my muscles were… but here I am."

"Good," Momo replied with a curt nod. "Then we can get started right away."

She opened her laptop, tapped a few keys, and a video began to play. The screen split into four panels, each showing a different scene.

The first panel showed teens running a grueling obstacle course through a dense forest.

The second showed other teens scaling a towering mountain face.

The third depicted again other teens clearing a massive building of dummy hostages.

The fourth showed again other teens swimming through a violent ocean storm toward a sinking ship.

As the footage played, Momo explained, "What you're looking at is the practical segment of the UA entrance exam."

Izuku's eyes widened.

"It changes every year," she continued, "but one thing stays the same, you have to be in peak physical condition to succeed."

A flicker of realization crossed Izuku's face. "That's one of the reasons for my intense training… aside from preparing my body to handle a quirk."

Momo smiled faintly. "Good observation." She closed the laptop and held out her hand. "Now, your quirk analysis notebook."

Izuku handed it over without hesitation.

"I noticed from our very first meeting that you have a strong analytical mind when it comes to quirks," she said, flipping to a random page. "At first, I even suspected you might have an analysis quirk."

Izuku flushed at the compliment.

She tapped the page. "As far as the written part of the exam goes, you're already on the right track. But physically? We have work to do, and that includes learning how to fight, with and without weapons."

Momo walked to the weapon wall and plucked two fencing foils from their hooks. She held one out to him. "I think we'll try you out with fencing."

Izuku eyed the foil nervously before accepting it. "Is this… safe?"

Momo waved the concern away. "Don't worry. I created every weapon you see here blunted, they can't cause any real harm. Except for the throwing knifes."

Izuku blinked, a little awestruck. "Wait, you made all of these?"

"Not just the weapons," she said matter-of-factly. "Everything you see in this warehouse was created from my quirk, except the clothes."

That sparked even more questions. "Even the guns? Are they safe? And… why not the clothes?"

She gestured to the wall of firearms. "All of those fire non-lethal rounds." Then she pointed to the mannequins wearing the outfits. "And I have a strict policy against creating clothing. I only do them if needed to be."

There was a certain fire in her voice when she said it, and Izuku guessed she must have a strong personal connection to fashion.

His thoughts were cut short when Momo stepped into a ready stance with her foil. "Let's begin."

———————————————————————

What followed was a blur of movement and defeat.

Momo demonstrated the basic footwork and stances of fencing, her form precise and graceful, every movement controlled. Then came the sparring, or at least, something Izuku thought might resemble it.

Each bout ended the same way, Izuku on his back, his stomach, or unceremoniously sitting on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. By the twentieth loss, his uniform clung to him with sweat and his arms felt like lead.

"I think it's time," Momo said calmly, barely winded, "to move on to your close-combat training."

Izuku groaned, pushing himself to his feet with visible effort. "Can't… wait," he said, his voice tight from soreness.

He assumed she was about to start trading punches with him, but instead, what happened next made his face heat up and his eyes dart away.

With a smooth motion, Momo turned her back to him and pulled her jacket open just enough to expose the skin of her back. From there, three wooden training dummies emerged directly from her back, the kind with the rotating wooden arms used in martial arts practice.

By the time she covered herself again, the devices were already standing upright before him, their surfaces polished and ready. "These," she said matter-of-factly, "will help you drill the basics before facing a real opponent."

Izuku exhaled in relief. At least he wouldn't have to be utterly humiliated in hand-to-hand combat by her, though he was certain she'd be able to drop him just as easily as she had with the foil.

"These are the standard fighting stances," Momo explained, stepping up to one dummy and showing a fluid sequence, a guard position, a quick strike, a block, a pivot, then a counter. Her movements were efficient but elegant, the kind that made the technique look deceptively easy.

Izuku watched with wide eyes, captivated by the precision.

"I'll give you a combat training manual later," she added. "It will help reinforce what you learn here."

After letting him practice a few hesitant sequences, Momo guided him toward a more distant wall lined with mounted targets.

"The next step is accuracy."

She extended her palm and, with a small flash of light, three throwing knives materialized in her hand. Without breaking eye contact with him, she flicked her wrist three times. Each blade buried itself dead-center in a bullseye, the metal quivering in the wood.

Izuku's jaw almost hit the floor. "I want to be able to do that."

Momo conjured another set of knives and handed them to him. "Practice makes perfect."

He stepped up to the line, took aim… and promptly missed. One blade hit the target's edge, the other two clattered to the ground halfway there.

Izuku stared at the results in disappointment.

Momo stepped forward and patted his shoulder lightly. "As I said, practice makes perfect."

———————————————————————

Momo led Izuku back toward the workbench. Without a word, she crouched beside the small refrigerator next to it, pulled out two bottles, and handed one to him. The chilled condensation was a welcome relief against his overheated hands.

They drank in silence for a moment, the sound of their breathing filling the otherwise quiet warehouse.

"I hope," Momo said at last, lowering her bottle, "that you've started to feel connected to this place."

Izuku nodded, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Good," she continued. "On the days you aren't cleaning the beach, you can come here, whether I'm around or not. The warehouse is fully at your disposal. You can train, experiment, or just go over your notes. I'll also create some dumbbells and other exercise equipment for you, and I'll leave detailed instructions for both weapon and hand-to-hand combat practice that could help you."

She was about to say more when she noticed tears trailing down his cheeks. Her brow furrowed in concern. "Why are you crying?"

Izuku quickly rubbed at his face with his sleeve. "It's just… this is the first time anyone's believed in me this much… and actually supported me."

For a brief moment, Momo's expression softened into something warmer than her usual composed demeanor. She stepped closer, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Her voice was gentle, but carried the weight of sincerity. "Then let this be the first of many times, Izuku. You have more potential than you realize, and I'll help you reach it."

His chest tightened at her words, and the tears slowed until he could finally manage a smile. "So… what's next?"

Momo's lips curved upward, just a little too innocently. Without a word, she raised her hands, and in a shimmer of creation, two gleaming sabres appeared, one in each hand.

Izuku swallowed audibly.

———————————————————————

10 months later.

Izuku stood atop a giant mountain of garbage on the Dagobah Beach, the salty wind tugging at his hair. Ten months ago, he wouldn't have been able to lift a piece of chunk or collapsing trying to do. Now, thanks to Momo's relentless training, his body had transformed, lean muscle lining his frame, his stamina leagues beyond what it had been. He'd learned to fight in close quarters, to handle multiple weapons, to aim with deadly precision.

Down below, Momo watched from the base of the pile, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You've done it," she called. "The beach is back to its former glory, thanks to you."

Izuku started making his way down, boots crunching against rusted metal and shattered plastic. "That's nice of you to say… but what are we going to do about this giant mountain of trash?"

Momo stepped forward, her expression calm. "This."

She placed her hand on the heap. Instantly, black energy pulsed outward, crawling over the trash like a living shadow. In seconds, the garbage began to crumble into harmless ash, collapsing in on itself until nothing remained but the clean, open sand beneath their feet.

Izuku stared, wide-eyed. "That… that was your destruction quirk, wasn't it? The one you told me about?"

She nodded. "If I touch something with it, it's completely destroyed within seconds, only harmless ash is left."

Even though she'd demonstrated and explained some of her abilities to him over the weeks and months, it still felt unreal to watch her wield so many different quirks as if they were second nature.

Momo glanced back at him. "The UA entrance exam is only a week away. How are you feeling?"

"A little nervous," Izuku admitted, "but also excited. I'm more than motivated and ready."

Her smile deepened, though there was something unreadable in her eyes. "Do you remember what I told you ten months ago, that you needed to strengthen your body before I could give you a quirk?"

Izuku's expression brightened instantly. "Yes. I worked as hard as I could to make it happen."

Momo's voice softened, almost regretful. "I have to confess, I lied."

It was like being hit in the chest. "You… lied about being able to give me a quirk?" His voice trembled.

She shook her head quickly. "No. That part was true." Before he could speak again, she explained, "What I lied about was the reason you needed to train first. The truth is… I could have given you a quirk from the very beginning."

Izuku's eyes widened. "Then… why didn't you?"

"I needed to be sure," she said firmly, "that you truly wanted to be a hero, not just say you did. Look at this beach. If you had given up in the first second or week, you would have been just another person making empty promises. But you didn't. You cleaned it with your bare hands, without any powers."

She gestured toward the spotless sand. "If I'd given you a quirk right away, would you have stayed as motivated? Or would you have become like those classmates of yours who think a strong quirk automatically makes you a strong hero?"

Izuku was speechless. He understood now, it wasn't about holding him back. It was about making sure he wouldn't lose sight of what mattered.

Momo lifted her right hand, energy swirling in her palm. It shaped itself into a glowing white butterfly. The delicate wings shimmered like moonlight.

"There's only one thing left to ask," she said, her voice steady. "Midoriya Izuku, are you ready to become a hero who saves people with a smile?"

Izuku gazed at the butterfly, feeling his heart pound. "Yes," he said without hesitation. "I am."

The butterfly took flight, drifting toward him before merging with his chest in a burst of light. Energy surged through his body, flooding every cell with warmth and power. He looked down at his hands, unchanged on the outside, but inside… something was different.

Izuku's eyes shone with a mix of disbelief and excitement. "I feel… like something's different," he said slowly, flexing his fingers, "but at the same time, I still feel like me."

Momo folded her arms loosely. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly how it works," she admitted. "This is the first time I've tried it. But generally, you'll keep the quirk until the object it's bound to is destroyed."

Izuku blinked, confused. "But… that energy didn't merge with any object."

A small smile curved Momo's lips. "Technically, it did. It merged with something not so easily broken, your soul."

Izuku's eyes went wide, a sharp intake of breath escaping him.

"Perhaps," Momo said in a mildly apologetic tone, "I should have mentioned that before I sent the energy your way."

But Izuku's face broke into a wide grin. "I don't see a problem. If it's bound to my soul, that means… I'll have this quirk for life."

"That," Momo replied, her smile deepening, "is what I call positive thinking." She tilted her head. "So, how about it, want to try it out?"

Izuku's answer was immediate, he nodded so fast it was almost comical. "Yes! But… uh, what kind of quirk do I have now?"

"One I think you'll enjoy very much."

Before he could press her further, Momo raised her arm. From her forearm emerged a massive slab of solid metal, broad as her arm, as long as her height, and thick as her fist. She set it upright in the sand, her hand resting lightly against it. A faint glow pulsed where her palm met the surface.

"Go on," she said simply. "Hit it."

Izuku's first instinct was that this was a terrible idea, his mind immediately conjured images of his arm shattering, but he trusted that Momo wouldn't ask without a reason. He took a breath, stepped forward, and punched.

The result was explosive.

The impact rang like a cannon shot, the force so great that it not only left a deep dent in the metal plate, but actually hurled the entire slab into the air, spinning end over end until it vanished over the ocean. The compressed air from his strike whipped past the ocean, sending a spray of seawater into the sky and briefly parting the ocean's surface in a long, narrow line.

Izuku stood frozen, fist still clenched and outstretched, mouth hanging open as he stared at the distant horizon where the plate had disappeared.

Momo, on the other hand, merely watched the trajectory with calm detachment, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… I expected a little more force," she remarked. "Still, for a first attempt, not bad at all."

She extended her hand. "Let's get it back before it crashes into a whale or a passing ship."

With a faint shimmer, the slab of metal appeared in front of her, fetched effortlessly from it trajectory.

That seemed to snap Izuku out of his stunned trance. "Was… was that your Fetch quirk?"

Momo nodded, turning her gaze to inspect the deep dent he had left. "Your punch," she said evenly, "was nothing to scoff at."

Izuku's voice trembled as he asked, "That strength… that's…?"

She finished for him with a nod. "Yes. The same type of quirk All Might has. Yours is a little weaker right now, but if you train it, one day, it will match his maybe even surpass his."

Izuku looked down at his unharmed fist, then at the ruined plate, unable to fully process that he now possessed a similar power like his idol.

Without ceremony, Momo placed her hand on the slab, reducing it to harmless ash with her Destruction quirk. She turned back to him, a faint glint of challenge in her eyes. "So, what do you say? Starting tomorrow, we work on mastering your new quirk, before the entrance exam."

Izuku's grin returned instantly. "Absolutely!"

Chapter 5: Entrance Exam

The time has come. Today was the day of the UA entrance exam. Momo and Izuku stood in front of the building, and they weren't the only ones. Many students walked past them into the building, hoping to pass the entrance exam and be accepted into UA.

Momo glanced at Izuku, who was trembling slightly, his hands fidgeting at his sides. She placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Try to relax," she said calmly. "Focus on that what you learned during your training, and everything will be fine."

Izuku inhaled deeply, then exhaled, trying to center himself. "Thanks," he murmured, a faint smile forming, only for Momo to suddenly push him lightly to the side.

A split second later, a blond boy shot past where Izuku had been standing, his expression twisted in aggression. He had clearly been aiming to shoulder-check him with his quirk.

Missing his mark, the boy spun around, glaring. Izuku's eyes widened. "Kacchan!"

Katsuki's boots stomped against the pavement as he marched toward them. "What the hell are you doing here, Deku?!" he spat, his voice sharp with hostility.

"You already knew I'd be taking the exam today," Izuku replied quietly, trying to keep his voice even.

"You don't belong here," Katsuki growled. "This exam is only for real heroes!"

Izuku faltered, the words hitting harder than he wanted to admit. His shoulders slumped slightly, his earlier confidence from months of training wobbling.

Before he could submit to self-doubt, Momo stepped in. "Then what is someone like you doing here?"

Katsuki's head snapped toward her, his glare deepening. "What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me," Momo said evenly, her tone like ice. "You said this place is only for real heroes, so I'm wondering why a hothead like you is standing here."

Katsuki's lip curled. He glanced at her, then back at Izuku with a sneer. "Who's this, your babysitter?"

"I'm his friend," Momo replied, her voice still calm but carrying a weight of certainty. "And I don't take kindly to anyone bullying my friends."

Izuku's breath caught. He'd often thought of Momo as a friend, but he'd been too afraid to ask, too worried she might say she only helped him out of pity. Hearing the word from her own mouth lifted something heavy from his chest.

Katsuki, however, took it as a challenge. "Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?" he said, his smile sharp and dangerous.

Momo tilted her head slightly, her expression almost pitying. "First, I'm going to ignore you. We have far more important things to focus on today, and you aren't worth a single minute of it."

Without waiting for a reply, she took Izuku by the shoulders and began leading him past. "Come on, we don't want to be late for the exam."

"Uh… right," Izuku said, still a bit thrown off but following her lead.

As they passed, treating Katsuki as if he were nothing more than empty air, his expression twisted with rage. His hand shot out toward Momo's back, but before he could so much as brush her jacket, she moved.

Her body spun with startling speed, her foot hooking behind his ankle while her arm caught his wrist. In one seamless motion, she pivoted her hips, used his momentum against him, and wrenched his arm behind his back. The next thing he knew, Katsuki was face-down on the ground, one of Momo's knees pinning his shoulder, her grip on his arm unbreakable.

The sharp movement drew gasps from several students nearby, their murmurs rippling through the crowd. Izuku's eyes widened too, but not in shock. He already knew exactly what Momo was capable of.

Katsuki strained against her hold, teeth clenched, but it was useless.

"Listen carefully, hothead," Momo said, her voice low and steady. "I don't know what your problem is, and I don't care. But if you can't control your aggression toward us, I will break your arm the next time you try anything."

She didn't wait for an answer. Rising smoothly with him in her grip, she released him and gave him a firm shove forward. He stumbled, catching himself before turning with a furious glare.

Arms crossed, Momo stared him down. "Now go. Before they decide not to let us take the exam because of you."

Katsuki growled low in his throat, but after a tense pause, he turned sharply and stomped into the building.

Izuku watched in stunned silence as Katsuki disappeared into the building, then turned toward Momo. The tension in the air slowly dissipated, and soon the other students began filing the building.

"We should probably head in ourselves if we want to grab a seat," Momo said, already starting toward the entrance.

Izuku lingered for a few more seconds, watching her walk ahead before finally taking a step forward himself. He'd barely made it three steps when his legs trembles and he stumbled, only, instead of hitting the ground, he found himself… floating.

He blinked in confusion, his legs kicking slightly as his body hovered just inches above the pavement.

"That was close!" a cheerful voice chimed from beside him. Izuku turned his head to see a girl standing there, her short brown hair framing a round, friendly face. She wore the same standard UA entrance exam outfit as the others, and her wide brown eyes seemed to shine with warmth.

"It's my quirk," she explained with a bright smile. "Sorry for stopping you like that, but I think it's bad luck to trip and fall before something important."

A moment later, the strange weightlessness vanished, and Izuku's feet landed back on solid ground. He realized he'd been staring, and blushing.

"This sure is nerve-wracking," the girl added, still smiling.

Izuku opened his mouth to respond, but his brain refused to cooperate.

"Good luck to both of us!" she said, jogging past him toward the building.

He stood there, red in the face, watching her go, practically feeling steam coming out of his ears. 'I just talked to a girl!' his mind screamed.

When he turned back, Momo wasn't far away and probably saw everything. She wears a mischievous grin that made his stomach tighten.

"Well, well," she said in a sing-song tone. "Looks like someone's in love~."

Izuku's face somehow managed to get even redder. "N-no! That's not… it's not like that! She was just being nice!" he stammered, waving his hands frantically, his voice a bit too high and fast to sound convincing.

Momo's grin didn't fade for a second, clearly unconvinced.

Desperate to change the subject, Izuku looked away. "We-we should hurry to the auditorium before all the good seats are taken!"

Before Momo could say another word, he dashed toward the entrance, leaving a literal puff of dust in his wake.

Momo watched him run, her grin still firmly in place. "Sure," she says, amused.

———————————————————————

A little later in the auditorium.

The auditorium was enormous, rows upon rows of seats stretched out before a massive stage, and nearly every spot was already taken. Students still streamed in, scanning for openings.

Momo counted them lucky to have found two seats together. She sat with quiet composure, while beside her, Izuku sat hunched forward, muttering under his breath.

"…I don't belong here… this was a mistake… Kacchan's right… I'm just going to make a fool of myself…"

Momo sighed, shaking her head slightly. These kinds of doubts were nothing new, she'd heard them from Izuku before, and she'd felt them herself in her previous life. She rested a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Breathe," she instructed softly.

Izuku obeyed, inhaling and exhaling, his shoulders loosening slightly.

"I understand you're nervous," Momo continued, her voice even and steady. "I'm sure half the people here feel the same way. But you need to control it. If you let your nerves take over, your brain won't work and if that happens, everything you've put into being here will be wasted, along with your dream."

Izuku's eyes softened at her words. He felt a little better, but Momo knew he needed one last nudge to pull him fully out of that spiral.

"Have you chosen a name for your new Quirk yet?" she asked.

Izuku recognized what she was doing, changing the subject to something more exciting and he had to admit, it worked. His mouth pulled into a wide smile.

"I have," he said. "Forceflow."

Momo's lips curved into a quiet laugh. "That fits."

Before they could continue, the boy sitting on Izuku's other side adjusted his glasses, his gaze sharp and posture rigid. He had neatly combed dark-blue hair and carried himself with almost military precision.

"I will say this in the most polite way possible," the boy began, voice clipped but formal, "but you two have been talking since the moment you sat down. Either remain silent or please leave. Some of us would like to pay attention."

Izuku turned instantly, ready to apologize and promise they'd be quiet, but Momo spoke first, her tone calm but edged with logic.

"First of all, it's rude to interrupt a private conversation between people you don't know. Second, for your information, the speaker hasn't arrived at the podium yet. But I can promise you that as soon as someone does, we'll remain as quiet as possible."

The boy adjusted his glasses again, considering her words. "Very well," he said after a pause. "I will not press the matter further."

Before anyone else could speak, the stage lights flared to life. A hush fell instantly over the crowd.

From the side of the stage, a tall man in sunglasses and a black jacket strode forward with exaggerated energy. His dramatic entrance was met with complete silence.

Izuku's eyes went wide, his mouth falling open. "That's Present Mic!" he whispered excitedly.

Momo glanced at him and chuckled quietly. "I take it you're a fan?"

Izuku nodded rapidly. "I listen to his radio show every day."

She smiled but stayed silent as Present Mic took his position at the podium, looking eager to start.

"What's up, UA candidates?!" he shouted, his voice booming through the speakers. "Thanks for tunin' in to me, your school DJ. C'mon! And lemme hear ya!"

The silence in the room was deafening. Not a single clap or cheer.

"Keeping it mellow, huh?" Present Mic said, not missing a beat. "That's fine, I'll skip straight to the main show. Let's talk about how this practical exam's gonna go down, okay? Are you ready? Yeah!"

Again, dead quiet.

"Like your application said," he continued, "today you rockin' boys and girls will be out there conducting ten-minute mock battles in super-hip urban settings. Gird your loins, my friends! After I drop the mic here, you'll head to your specified battle center, sound good?"

Still no response. Behind him, the massive monitor lit up, displaying images of three different types of faux villains. Numbers appeared above each one, 1, 2, and 3.

"Okay, okay, let's check out your targets. There are three types of faux villains in every battle center. You'll earn points based on their level of difficulty, so choose wisely! Your goal in this trial is to use your Quirk to raise your score by shredding these faux villains like a mid-song guitar solo! But check it, make sure you're keepin' things heroic. Attacking other examinees is a UA no-no, ya dig?"

The boy beside Izuku suddenly stood up, one hand raised with perfect form "Excuse me, sir, but I have a question."

Present Mic grinned wide. "Hit me!"

A spotlight immediately swung over, bathing the boy in bright light. He didn't flinch.

"On the printout," the boy began, his tone firm but polite, "you've listed four types of villains. Not three. With all respect, if this is an error on official UA materials, it is shameful. We are exemplary students. We expect the best from Japan's most notable school. A mistake such as this won't do."

Momo glanced over at him, her voice calm but carrying that unmistakable air of logic "I'm fairly certain he would have gotten to that if you'd given him the chance."

It was like she'd just flipped a switch inside his head, his expression shifted, the mental gears visibly turning until, after a pause, he gave a small, "Oh."

Present Mic chuckled into the mic. "All right, all right. Examinee number 7-1-1-1, thanks for callin' in with your request! The fourth villain type is worth zero points. That guy's just an obstacle we'll be throwin' in your way. There's one in every battle center. Think of it as a hurdle you should try to avoid. It's not that it can't be beaten, but there's… kinda no point. I recommend my listeners try to ignore it and focus on the ones toppin' the charts."

The boy executed a perfect ninety-degree bow. "Thank you very much. Please, continue."

"That's all I got for you today," Present Mic said with a wave. "I'll sign off with a little present, a sample of our school motto! As General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down 'A true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes.' Mm-hm. Now that's a tasty soundbite. You ready to go beyond? Let's hear a Plus Ultra!"

Once again, the crowd gave him nothing but awkward silence.

"Yeesh, tough room," Present Mic muttered with a smirk. "Good luck! Hope you practiced hitting more than just books."

———————————————————————

A little later.

All students who have come for the entrance exam go to buses that Will take them to their respective practice locations.

The courtyard buzzed with chatter and footsteps as the students funneled toward the rows of buses waiting to take them to their assigned exam sites. Izuku and Momo, now both dressed in standard sport clothes, walked side by side until they stopped near a large sign listing each student's destination.

Izuku's eyes scanned the list, his face falling slightly. "Looks like… we're headed to different locations," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Momo nodded without hesitation. "Yes, but that shouldn't discourage you. This is the day you've been training for over the past months."

Her calm certainty made Izuku's lips curl into a soft smile, until a sudden, dreadful thought struck him. His eyes went wide, and he practically yelled, "Ahh, damn it!"

Momo blinked, tilting her head. "What's wrong?"

Izuku raked his hands furiously through his hair, panic rising. "We… we only focused on my training! We completely neglected yours!" His voice cracked with guilt, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Momo's response was a simple wave of her hand, as if brushing away the concern. "Don't worry about me. I think I'll manage." She gave a casual shrug. "And if I don't, then it wasn't meant to be."

But that did little to ease Izuku's anxiety. The thought of her failing because of him gnawed at his stomach. Before he could sink further into self-blame, Momo flicked her finger against his forehead, snapping him back to reality.

"Don't waste energy worrying about things that haven't happened yet," she said with a faint smile. "Wait and see how things turn out first."

Izuku was still concerned, but he found himself smiling anyway. If there was one thing he could always rely on, it was Momo's unshakable logic.

"I wanted to give you something before you went to your practice exam location," she said, reaching into her palm. "A lucky charm."

When she opened her hand, Izuku saw a tiny All Might keychain, but instead of the familiar blue, yellow, and white colors, this one was entirely red with black spots.

As he took it, his brows furrowed. "This is… an All Might keychain, but the colors are completely wrong."

Momo's lips curved into a playful smirk. "You don't like it? I can always take it back."

"No! It's not that," Izuku said hastily, not wanting to seem ungrateful. "I really like it."

Once he'd calmed down, he gave a polite bow. "Thank you. I'll take good care of it."

"Before you go," Momo said as she began walking toward her bus, "one last piece of advice. You and everyone else here share the same goal, to be accepted into UA. Most people think that makes everyone else a competitor. But that's not true. Everyone here wants to be a hero, so you should act like one from the start."

Izuku frowned slightly, unsure what exactly she meant. But before he could ask, she stepped into her bus and the door closed.

He stood watching as her bus pulled away, Momo's words still swirling in his mind.

A loud announcement crackled from the speakers above. "All examinees, please be seated in your designated buses within the next five minutes. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of your exam."

Izuku startled, realizing his own bus was about to leave, run to the bus.

———————————————————————

Later.

Izuku and the other students from his group stood on a area in front of the gates, waiting to be admitted.

As his eyes scanned the crowd he saw that many people had in fact brought equipment. There was a blonde kid with a huge belt buckle that had to be for his quirk, or else it would be what Momo would say, a crime to fashion.

His eyes caught a familiar head of brown hair.

The girl from earlier was in his group. He thought that maybe he could thank her this times with words and get her name before the battle started.

As he moved to start forward he felt a hand grab his shoulder. The same dark haired boy from before had stopped him. "She's trying to focus."

"Huh?" Izuku looked again, he hadn't been able to see from his previous angle but she appeared to have her eyes closed and taking care to control her breathing. "Oh I suppose you're right."

"What do you plan to do? Distract her, and ruin her chances to succeed?" The boy asked.

Izuku was about to apologize, but stopped. He thinks about what Momo would say in this situation and says "Did I offend you before the exam started? Cut you off on a crosswalk or something? Because you don't seem to like me and you don't even know my name?" 

10 months ago Izuku wouldn't have dreamed of saying this. But Momo's confidence in him helped him have a bit more confidence in himself, so he just tried to think of what she would say.

The boy reeled at the question so Izuku carried on.

"She helped me earlier, but I couldn't thank her, so I wanted to see if I could thank her and wish her good luck, that's is all." Izuku tilted his head. After seeing the boy's shock at this he softened and a smile returned to his face. "But thanks anyway. The last thing I want is to distract her, I'll try and speak to her after the exam."

With that Izuku stepped back and out of the grasp of the boy, instead turning to the gate.

The massive gates began to open a minute later, revealing the sprawling mock city beyond. Several students gasped, murmuring in awe at the sight of towering buildings, streets littered with rubble, and the mechanical hum of distant machines.

As the examinees hesitated, waiting for some kind of official countdown, Present Mic's voice boomed over the speakers

"What are you waiting for?! In a real villain attack, there's no countdown! GO, GO, GO!"

The students surged forward, sprinting into the fake city. Izuku dashed in with them, his heart pounding.

Almost immediately, he realized a problem, the skyscrapers and massive structures blocked his view. He couldn't see where the robots were emerging from. Then, a memory flashed into his mind, one of Momo's lessons during their months of intense training.

"Sometimes, you get a better view of your opponent from above rather than below."

At the time, he thought she was just teasing him because she was taller than him. But now, he suspected there had been a lot more behind those words.

Tightening his fists, he activated Forceflow and bent his knees. In one explosive motion, he launched himself high into the air, aiming for one of the tallest skyscrapers. The wind whipped past his face as he soared upward, his legs tucking in just before he reached the ledge.

With a controlled burst of power, he landed on the rooftop in a low crouch, his sneakers scraping against the concrete.

Several students, including a stern-looking boy with glasses, saw what he had done and immediately recognized the tactical advantage. A few began copying his idea, using their own Quirks to leap or propel themselves onto rooftops.

From above, the city unfolded like a map. Izuku scanned the streets, quickly spotting clusters of robots moving in groups. Some were only one-pointers, others three-pointers.

Just as he chose a street to drop into, movement at the far end of the rooftop caught his eye. A girl with long green hair stood frozen near the edge, her hands gripping the railing so tightly her knuckles were white. She wasn't moving at all, almost as if she were rooted to the spot.

"Are you okay?" Izuku called out.

"I… I think I underestimated the height," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I don't know how to get down."

Momo's words from earlier echoed in his head 'Before you go, one last piece of advice. You and everyone else here share the same goal, to be accepted into UA. Most people think that makes everyone else a competitor. But that's not true. Everyone here wants to be a hero, so you should act like one from the start.'

Izuku smiled faintly. "I'm heading down anyway. Want me to carry you down?"

She blinked at him in surprise. "You'd help me? We're supposed to be competitors."

"We're not competitors," Izuku replied warmly. "We're students trying to pass the same exam."

For a moment she hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

Without a second thought, Izuku scooped her into a princess carry. "Hold on tight," he said before springing off the ledge. He bounded from wall to wall, each impact controlled so the girl barely jolted in his arms. In seconds, they landed safely on the street.

Izuku set her down gently.

"Thank you," she said with a relieved smile. "My name is Ibara Shiozaki. I hope we meet again at UA."

"I hope so too," Izuku replied. "My name is Midoriya Izuku."

They then parted ways, each heading in opposite directions.

———————————————————————

Izuku immediately spotted a one-point robot rounding the corner ahead. He rushed it, ducked under a wild swing of its mechanical arm, and drove a Forceflow-powered punch into its chassis. The machine exploded into scrap.

Not wasting a second, he dashed into another street where two students were struggling to dislodge a three-point robot that had pinned them behind a wrecked car. Izuku didn't attack it himself, instead, he shouted, "Its back is unarmored! Hit the joints!"

The students followed his advice, disabling the machine in seconds. They both shouted thanks, but Izuku was already moving again.

A sharp metallic screech made him glance down to the street below, just in time to see a two-point robot barreling toward a younger boy in yellow. The boy froze, backing up as the machine swung one of its heavy arms in a wide arc. Without hesitation, Izuku vaulted onto a nearby fire escape and dropped down the side of the building. He landed between the boy and the robot, catching the robot's arm mid-swing and pushing it aside with a Forceflow-powered punch. He sent the robot crashing into a wall in a burst of sparks.

"You're clear!" Izuku called down.

The boy gave him a quick thumbs-up before sprinting away.

For the next several minutes, Izuku tore through the fake city, alternating between smashing robots and aiding other examinees with quick advice or interventions. His points climbed steadily, one-point robots crumpled under clean strikes, three-pointers fell after kicking it hard against other robots, and two-pointers were dismantled with rapid, precise blows.

By the time the speakers blared, "Two minutes remaining!" he had counted 45 points in his head, his breathing ragged, but his eyes still sharp.

And then, the ground began to shake.

The ground trembled as a shadow swallowed the street. Students froze mid-step before their instincts kicked in, most of them turning on their heels and sprinting the other way. The cause towered above the skyline, a colossal robot, even taller than the skyscrapers.

It was the zero-pointer.

Nobody stayed to fight it, why would they? It was worth no points, and one hit from those massive limbs could flatten a car. Cries of panic filled the air as students scrambled for safety.

Izuku's gaze tracked the giant from a distance, wondering why the examer would even include something so dangerous if it didn't earn you anything. His first thought was to ignore it and run away, until a desperate voice cut through the chaos.

"Help! Please, someone!"

His head snapped toward the sound. A few blocks away, the girl who saved him before was pinned under a collapsed section of concrete wall, her legs trapped. She struggled to push it off, but her movements were sluggish, her breathing uneven. Quirk exhaustion, Izuku realized instantly, she'd probably overused her power and now couldn't even lift the debris.

The giant's massive treads were crushing cars as it moved closer. Every other student in the area was too busy running to even notice her, or they noticed and kept going, unwilling to risk it.

Izuku froze, heart hammering. 'What should I?'

A glint caught his eye. The small red All Might keychain Momo had given him dangled from the loop on his pants. His fingers brushed against it, and in that moment, the hesitation vanished.

He clenched his fists. 'I know exactly what to do.'

Forceflow surged through him, white energy igniting in his limbs. With a sharp inhale, he exploded forward, the concrete beneath his feet cracking. He bounded up the side of a building, scaling its windows and ledges in seconds until he was nearly level with the zero-pointer's head.

Its massive arm swept toward him like a falling tower. Izuku launched himself off the wall, twisting in the air to avoid the strike, then planted both feet against the giant's upper chest plating.

"SMASH!"

The Forceflow burst tore through the air like a sonic boom. The shockwave rattled windows for blocks, and the robot's chest caved inward before the entire frame toppled backward, slamming into the street with an earth-shaking crash.

Izuku landed in a crouch, unharmed, the energy dispersing harmlessly into the ground. Gasps and stunned murmurs rippled through the watching students. Even the boy, who had spent the whole exam lecturing him on rules, stood frozen with wide eyes.

But Izuku was already sprinting toward the girl. He braced his hands under the slab and, with one clean push, lifted it high enough for her to pull free.

"Are you okay?" he asked, steady but breathless.

She nodded, still shocked. "Y-yeah… thank you."

Several of the students, including the boy, kept staring, not at the girl, but at the boy who had just brought down the zero-pointer like it was nothing.

Izuku noticed how badly the girl's leg looked injured. The only reason she wasn't feeling it yet was because of all the adrenaline coursing through her. He was about to point it out and offer to take her to a hospital when the final siren for the entrance exam blared.

Present Mic's voice rang out over the speakers, "Time's up!"

All around them, students turned their attention toward an elderly woman making her way through the crowd, healing injured participants with a simple touch.

Izuku muttered under his breath, "Recovery Girl… maybe she can help."

Just as he was about to take a step toward her, his All Might keychain began to glow, a warm red light pulsing from it. The light detached, floating toward the girl and wrapping around her injured leg. She didn't seem to notice at all as the glow sank into her skin before fading completely. It could be a trick of the light, but Izuku could swear that he saw many Ladybugs flying around the girls leg, as his All Might keychain disappeared.

Izuku blinked twice, his mind racing. Somehow, the injuries were completely gone. Then his eyes widened in realization, the keychain Momo had given him wasn't just a lucky charm in the traditional sense. It was one of her quirks, Lucky Charm. She'd told him it could guide someone down the right path and even heal them, but he'd never expected it to work like this.

Before he could think more about it, the girl stood up and flexed her leg with a puzzled expression.

"That's weird… I could've sworn my leg was broken from that rubble."

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, hoping she wouldn't notice what had really happened. "Looks like you just got lucky."

She smiled warmly. "I guess so. Wait… you're that boy from earlier, aren't you?"

Izuku flushed, looking away. "Y-Yeah… I wanted to thank you again for before."

"It was nothing. Thank you for saving me from the zero-pointer." she replied with a cheerful grin. "Oh! I don't think we've introduced ourselves yet. I'm Uraraka Ochako, but you can call me Ochako."

Izuku smiled shyly. "Midoriya Izuku. But you can call me Izuku."

Before either of them could say more, the dark haired boy with glasses came running toward them. Izuku braced himself for another lecture, but instead, the boy skidded to a halt, bowed at a perfect 90 degrees, and said, "Please forgive me. I misjudged you."

Izuku blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

The boy straightened his posture. "At first, I thought you weren't taking this seriously. But after seeing you in action, I realize I judged too hastily."

Izuku quickly raised his hands. "There's really no need to apologize. It happens. By the way my name's Midoriya Izuku, but just call me Izuku."

"Iida Tenya," the boy replied, adjusting his glasses. "I look forward to working with you." He extended his hand, and Izuku shook it firmly before Tenya walked off.

Then Recovery Girl approached the two of them. "Either of you need treatment?"

Ochako shook her head with a smile. "Nope! No injuries here."

"Same for me," Izuku added with a small grin. "Just a few scratches, nothing serious."

The older woman studied them both and found no signs of serious wounds, so she simply handed them each a piece of candy before moving on to the next student.

As they started walking toward the exit, Ochako glanced at him. "I hope we both make it into UA."

Izuku smiled back. "Yeah… me too."

But as they walked, Izuku's thoughts drifted. 'I wonder how Momo's exam went.'

———————————————————————

Meanwhile, at the same time as Izuku was taking his exam.

The moment the massive gates of the mock city rumbled open, Momo didn't wait for Present Mic's booming announcement. She darted forward, the startled students behind her quickly realizing the exam had begun and pouring in after her.

With a sharp inhale, Momo created a gleaming kusarigama from her side, the chain snaking behind her as she broke into a run. She swung the weight upward, catching the hooked blade on the railing of a tall office building. The chain went taut, and with a practiced yank, she launched herself skyward. Her boots landed on the rooftop of a skyscraper in a smooth roll, her eyes already scanning the streets below.

Far off, three robots, a one-pointer, a two-pointer, and a three-pointer, trundled side by side, oblivious to her. Momo sprinted to the edge of the roof, vaulted off, and swung down in a deadly arc. The blade of her kusarigama cleaved through all three machines in a single sweeping motion, their metal bodies splitting apart before they even registered her presence.

She didn't pause to watch them fall. Instead, she reeled in her chain and leapt away, spotting new targets deeper in the district.

Again and again, Momo swung between buildings like a pendulum, the wind snapping through her dark hair. This time, she materialized a handful of hand grenades mid-swing, dropping them precisely onto isolated robots that no one else was fighting. Each detonation, whether instantaneous or with a short fuse, shredded circuits and left the streets littered with smoking scrap. Not once did she interfere with another examinee's fight, the last thing she wanted was to rob someone else of their points.

As she soared over a narrower street, a flicker of movement caught her eye. Below, a girl with short dark-purple hair and triangular bangs stood in a defensive stance, thin headphone-like cables dangling from her earlobes. She seems to have troubles with her devices on her wrists. Momo recognized the devices instantly, Amplifier Jacks. She'd seen the devices featured in a recent hero tech magazine. But the girl's current situation was dire, both of her amplifiers were cracked and sparking.

The girl aimed them anyway at two approaching three-pointers, only for one device to sputter, hiss, and fall apart in her hands with a sharp snap. She froze, teeth clenched, as the robots advanced.

Momo swung down and landed lightly between her and the machines. Without hesitation, she whipped her kusarigama around the pair, the chain binding their limbs together before they could react.

The girl's eyes widened, a mix of panic and frustration flashing across her face. "What are you doing?!" she demanded, her tone sharp. "Don't you dare take my points..."

"I'm not here to steal your points," Momo interrupted calmly, already lifting the hem of her sports jacket to expose her back. "I just thought you could use a little help."

The girl's voice faltered for a moment, and a faint blush colored her cheeks, but before she could ask what Momo meant, the creation quirk user's skin shimmered with light. In seconds, a pristine pair of new Amplifier Jacks emerged, their design sleeker, sturdier, and tuned with subtle modifications to improve output.

Momo held them out. "Put these on."

The girl hesitated only briefly before stripping off her damaged gear and putting the newer gear on, then slotting her earphone jacks into the replacements. The fit was perfect, the power output immediate.

Momo loosened her grip on the chain. "Go."

A smirk replaced the girl's earlier frustration. With a surge of sound, elivering a bass-heavy shockwave that shattered both robots into heaps of twisted metal. The difference was obvious, these new amplifiers hit harder and cleaner than her old ones ever had.

She stared at the remains, then at the devices on her hands, and finally at Momo. "Why would you help me?"

Momo smiled faintly, as though the answer was obvious. "Because I thought you needed it."

The girl's blush deepened, her gaze flicking away. "I… I don't even know how to thank you."

"You can thank me by passing the entrance exam," Momo replied lightly, already swinging her kusarigama overhead. With a final nod, she vaulted back into the cityscape, leaving the girl standing in the wreckage with her new weapons.

Momo swung gracefully to another part of the city, her kusarigama whistling through the air before she landed lightly on the rooftop of a mid-rise building. Below, a one-pointer lumbered into view, accompanied by two three-pointers. She didn't hesitate, dropping down behind the one-pointer, she delivered three rapid, precise strikes to its weak points, a joint in the shoulder, the main power conduit, and finally the processor casing. Sparks flew as the machine collapsed in on itself.

The other two didn't even have time to react before her kusarigama whipped out in a wide arc, slicing clean through their armor plating. Both three-pointers crumpled into heaps of scrap metal.

She turned to move on, but something odd flickered in the corner of her eye. At first, she thought she saw clothes floating through the air. But as she narrowed her gaze, she realized they weren't floating clothes at all.

It was a girl. An invisible girl.

The clothes, hero exam sports uniform, hung in the shape of a slouched figure. From the way she stood, Momo could tell she was exhausted, possibly injured. A broken spear lay on the ground in front of her, its jagged shaft still sparking from damage.

Momo approached calmly, lowering her kusarigama. "Do you happen to need help?"

The invisible girl hesitated, her voice quiet but strained. "I… just need a moment to rest before I can keep going."

From the tone, Momo immediately suspected bruised, or worse, broken, ribs. And judging from her lack of visible offensive quirks aside from invisibility, and likely some hand-to-hand combat skills, Momo figured she didn't possess any ability that could break through the robots metal bodies, at least not without a proper weapon.

This was exactly what had always bothered Momo about the UA entrance exams, they weren't tailored to support every type of quirk or person. The tests were overwhelmingly physical, often favoring those with raw strength, speed, or destructive powers. Yes, physical ability was important, but fairness could be improved.

Still, she didn't want to push or make the girl feel self-conscious.

Momo lifted her hand and created out of her palm a new spear, sleek, stronger, perfectly balanced for combat. She held it out. "Take it. This should help, especially since yours is broken."

The girl's voice wavered. "Are you sure?"

Momo nodded.

The invisible girl took it, her tone brightening slightly. "Thank you… really."

She didn't notice that, as Momo handed her the spear, Momo also brushed her fingers lightly against her arm. In that brief touch, she silently used her healing ability, mending the damage in the girl's ribs.

As she stepped away, Momo said with a small smile, "Don't overexert yourself."

Then she swung away, the chain of her kusarigama singing in the air, and quickly dispatched a nearby two-pointer with a single clean strike.

Before long, Present Mic's voice boomed over the city "Two minutes remaining!"

Then the ground started to rumble.

From the far end of the street, the zero-pointer emerged, massive, steel, and impossible to ignore. The students around Momo froze, eyes wide in panic, before their survival instincts kicked in. They were ready to scatter.

Momo didn't run.

Instead, she braced herself, opened her jacket and created a massive cannon from her own body, its surface gleaming in the sunlight. She aimed it toward the zero-pointer, adjusting her aim with precision.

"Boom!"

The first shot slammed into the giant's chest.

"Boom!"

The second struck its shoulder joint, sending one arm lurching awkwardly.

"Boom!"

The third shell smashed directly into its head, the explosion rocking the air. The machine staggered backward, its massive frame shuddering before collapsing into the street with a deafening crash.

Dust hung in the air as the students turned to stare at the wreckage, then at Momo, standing calmly beside her still-smoking cannon.

"What are you all waiting for?!" she called out firmly. "The countdown ends in less than two minutes!"

Her words snapped them out of their daze, and they bolted in all directions to grab any last points they could.

When the street was clear, Momo touched the cannon. Her destruction quirk reduced it instantly to a pile of ash, which scattered on the breeze.

She set off again, not in a rush, she was confident she'd earned more than enough points, but if another robot or struggling examinee crossed her path, she'd be ready.

———————————————————————

At the meanwhile, while Izuku and Momo taking the exam.

In a dimly lit observation room lined with rows of monitors, a select group watched the chaos unfold. Every examinee had their own feed, dozens of screens capturing the trials from every possible angle. Teachers leaned forward in their chairs, murmuring observations, while the faint hum of equipment filled the silence between bursts of action.

In the center, seated in a plush chair that seemed far too big for his small frame, was a curious creature with the features of a mouse, a dog, and a bear, his pristine white fur offset by the faint scar over his right eye. His gaze shifted between the different feeds, sharp and calculating.

Without looking away, he asked the towering man beside him, "Tell me, All Might… are there any examinees who've particularly caught your attention?"

All Might didn't hesitate. With a confident grin, he lifted a massive hand and pointed to two separate screens. One showed a green-haired boy, muscles tense, shattering the zero-pointer with nothing but a single, devastating punch. The other displayed a black-haired girl, Momo, standing next a massive cannon still glowing faintly from the recent shot.

The creatures whiskers twitched in interest. He rubbed his chin with one paw and let a small smile form. "They do seem… interesting. But perhaps you could share your insights?"

All Might's smile softened, his tone becoming more thoughtful. "Well, Nezu… these two already show what it means to be true heroes. And I believe there's more to them than meets the eye."

He gestured first toward Momo's feed. "This girl… from the very start, she kept a cool head. She's fought like someone with field experience, not just raw talent. She thinks tactically, supports others without hesitation, and…" his eyes narrowed slightly, "I believe she possesses more than one quirk."

Nezu tilted his head. "Are you certain?"

All Might nodded once. "I can't say how many… two perhaps, maybe more. But her skill set is far too varied to be explained by a single ability."

Nezu seemed to ponder this for a moment, then shifted his gaze to another monitor. "And what of the boy?"

Rather than answer immediately, All Might's grin returned, more intrigued now than before. "Before I say my piece, I'd like to hear what you know of him."

Nezu's smile deepened. He reached to the side, retrieving a file, flipping it open with practiced precision. "Midoriya Izuku. Age fourteen. Officially declared quirkless at age five."

All Might's brows rose slightly at that.

Nezu continued, "Despite that, he applied to UA anyway. He passed the written exam with near-perfect marks, one of the highest scores in recent memory, second only to Yaoyorozu Momo. Apparently, his quirk manifested only a week ago. It's called Forceflow, and from our preliminary analysis, it shares certain traits with your own quirk."

That caught All Might's full attention. He folded his arms, eyes narrowing slightly in thought.

Nezu went on, "According to what we've observed, his Forceflow allows him to deliver strikes and movements with immense, controlled power. Enough to match, perhaps even mirror, your strength-based feats."

After a moment of silence, All Might spoke again, voice lower and more contemplative. "That… is fascinating. I never imagined someone might possess an ability similar to my own. But here's what's even more impressive, despite only having his quirk for a week, he wields it as if he's trained for years. His movements, his control… it's as though he's been mentored by Gran Torino himself."

Nezu leaned back in his chair, ears twitching. "And what's your final judgment on these two?"

All Might's grin widened into one of his signature, larger-than-life smiles. "If they both pass… they won't just attend UA they'll change it."

Nezu nodded in agreement, his sharp eyes still fixed on the monitors. "Yes… I think you're right."