Chapter 5
FIVE DAYS LATER…
Izuku floated in an endless sea of light, surrounded by swirling colors that danced like aurora borealis. The eight lights he'd seen before - white, blue, red, green, orange, purple, pink, yellow - moved around him like curious fish, sometimes coming close enough to almost touch.
But below him, a deep crimson pit yawned open like a hungry mouth. Within its depths, a silhouette stirred - massive, ancient, radiating power that made the other lights seem to recoil. It reached for him with shadowy tendrils.
More power, it whispered in a voice that felt like burning coals.
I need more.
The figure's form was impossible to make out clearly, but its presence felt familiar, like looking into a dark mirror. It showed him visions - of strength beyond measure, of vengeance against those who'd wronged him, of power that could reshape the world.
Take it. Use it. Make them all pay.
The whispers grew more insistent, pulling him deeper into the crimson depths. But when it realized Izuku wasn't willing to use the power as it intended, a wave of movement thrust Izuku away - like a giant paper fan cutting through water.
The shadowy figure dispersed, and Izuku felt himself being pushed upward, through layers of consciousness, until...
When Izuku finally opened his eyes - really opened them - the first thing he saw was his mother's worried face.
Inko Midoriya's eyes were red-rimmed from crying, dark circles beneath them suggesting she hadn't left his side. Her face lit up with relief when she saw him stirring.
"Izuku! Oh, thank goodness!"
Her hands fluttered over him like nervous birds, adjusting his blanket, touching his forehead.
He tried to speak, his throat feeling like sandpaper.
"Mom...?"
From the corner of his eye, he saw Gran Torino straighten from where he'd been leaning against the wall. The old hero made a quick motion to Toshinori, who immediately pressed a small button near the door.
"Are you okay? How do you feel?"
The questions tumbled out of Inko.
"You've been... we've been so worried."
"I'm... okay." His voice was raspy, but growing stronger. He tried to sit up, and his mother quickly adjusted the bed to help him. "How long...?"
"Your new friends told me..." Inko's voice wavered, and fresh tears welled in her eyes. "They said you awakened a Quirk. Is it true? After all this time?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with years of hope and disappointment.
Izuku's mind flashed to that moment in the alley, protecting that student. To facing down Kacchan's bullying. To all the times that deep well of power had risen up in response to injustice.
Not just rage.
Purpose.
He remembered being four years old, standing in a doctor's office as his dreams were crushed. Remembered his mother's tears then, how she'd apologized instead of telling him he could still be a hero. Years of being Quirkless, of being less-than in everyone's eyes.
But now...
He felt the familiar burn behind his eyes, knew without seeing that crimson was bleeding into his vision. His mother gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she watched her son's eyes transform from gentle green to burning red.
"Oh, Izuku..."
Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks, but these were different from the tears of apology she'd shed all those years ago.
"Your eyes... they're so beautiful."
Something broke inside Izuku's chest. All those years of holding back tears, of trying to be strong, came rushing out. He reached for his mother, and she pulled him into a careful hug, both of them shaking with emotion.
"It's true," he whispered into her shoulder. "My dream... it came true after all."
From the corner of his eye, Izuku caught Toshinori and Gran Torino exchanging small smiles at the scene. For a moment, everything felt perfect.
The moment was interrupted by the click of a door. A diminutive woman in a doctor's coat entered, her expression professionally neutral as she took in the scene.
"Ah, you're finally properly awake. I'm Recovery Girl, and you're currently in my private clinic."
She moved to check the various monitors beside his bed, her movements efficient and practiced.
"Your vital signs are stabilizing nicely. Temperature's back to normal, brain activity patterns are evening out. How's the pain level? Any headaches? Visual disturbances besides the obvious?"
"I... no, I feel okay. Just tired."
"To be expected. You've been drifting in and out for about a week now. The sudden Quirk manifestation, combined with your physical condition, created quite the perfect storm in your system."
"A week?" Izuku bolted upright, then immediately regretted it as his head spun.
"But what about school? My assignments-"
A small laugh escaped Inko despite her worry.
"I've already filed your absence, sweetie. You were injured awakening your Quirk."
"But the makeup work-"
"Young Midoriya," Toshinori's voice carried fond exasperation. "Perhaps focus on recovery before academics?"
Recovery Girl nodded, making notes on her tablet.
"As I explained to your mother, late Quirk awakening at your age can be extremely taxing on the body. Especially combined with the intensive physical training you've been doing."
"Training?" Inko's voice sharpened slightly. "Izuku, I knew you were working out but... why would you suddenly start training?"
Izuku swallowed hard. "I... I want to apply to UA."
"UA?"
His mother's face paled.
"But... but you just awakened your Quirk! Sweetie, think about this carefully. You've been unconscious for a week, and your Quirk... changing eye color..." Inko swallowed hard. "It might not even be Pro Hero material-"
The words stung Izuku, but before he could even react…
"I apologize for interrupting," Recovery Girl stepped forward, her professional demeanor masking the awkwardness of cutting into such a tense moment. "But Mrs. Midoriya, I have a few questions about your family history, if you don't mind."
Inko blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift.
"Of course..."
"Are you aware of any relatives who experienced difficulty awakening their Quirks? Or perhaps had Quirks related to eye color changes?"
Recovery Girl pulled out a tablet, her fingers hovering over the screen.
"Any family members with enhanced analytical abilities or heightened perception?"
"No, I..." Inko's brow furrowed in concentration.
"Not that I know of. My Quirk is simple attraction of small objects, and my husband's family all had fire-breathing Quirks. Why do you ask?"
Somehow, Izuku recalling his father can breathe fire as a Quirk had stirred something inside of him. Like something in the pit of crimson in his chest discovering a puzzle piece before retreating to observe it.
Recovery Girl's expression grew more serious.
"Because what we're seeing here is highly unusual. Even for late bloomers, Quirk activation at eighteen is virtually unprecedented."
She turned to glance at Izuku's monitors. "More importantly, the data we've gathered suggests this isn't just a cosmetic change. Your son's neural activity patterns during his episodes show remarkable spikes in areas associated with information processing and spatial awareness."
"What do you mean?" Inko leaned forward, concern etching deeper lines in her face.
"The eye color change appears to be a physical manifestation of something much more complex." Recovery Girl pulled up several charts on her tablet. "When active, your son's Quirk seems to grant him heightened awareness and advanced analytical capabilities. The speed at which he processes visual information alone is remarkable."
"But... but that's nothing like anyone in our family," Inko said, her voice small. "Could this be why he reacted so strongly? Why he's been unconscious?"
"That's what I'd like to determine." Recovery Girl's voice was gentle but firm.
"I'd like to run a full series of Quirk assessment tests once he's stronger. You, too, to figure out the origins of his condition. Something this unprecedented needs to be properly understood. We need to know exactly what we're dealing with, especially given the unusual circumstances of its awakening."
Inko nodded slowly, then turned back to Izuku. Her face had taken on that worried expression he knew too well.
"Then... then this is all the more reason you shouldn't rush into UA! If your Quirk is this unusual, if it affected you this strongly..." Her voice cracked slightly. "We need to understand it first, to make sure it's safe-"
"Mom, no!" The words burst from Izuku with unexpected force. He felt that familiar heat building behind his eyes, but this time, it came with years of frustrated dreams and buried hurt.
"You don't understand-"
"Izuku?"
"Everyone dismissed me. Everyone said I couldn't be a hero. I can't... I won't let you dismiss me too. Not now. Not when I finally have a chance!"
The crimson in his vision deepened, and he could feel that ancient power stirring in response to his emotions.
But underneath it, something else flickered - a glimpse of green light trying to shine through.
"Young man," Gran Torino started, his voice carrying a warning edge. The old hero had straightened from his usual slouch, recognizing the dangerous gleam in Izuku's eyes.
Toshinori stepped forward, placing a calming hand on Gran Torino's shoulder.
"Let me handle this." His voice was quiet but carried the weight of years of experience. The tension in the room was palpable, mother and son locked in a moment that could change everything.
"Mrs. Midoriya." Toshinori's voice took on that familiar resonance, the one that had inspired hope in millions. "There's something you should know."
Smoke billowed suddenly, filling the small room with dramatic flair. When it cleared, All Might stood there in all his heroic glory, his signature smile somehow gentler than usual, more paternal than the beaming grin that adorned posters and trading cards.
Inko's jaw dropped. She looked between All Might and her son several times, then let out a nervous laugh.
"Is this... did your friends arrange this? Some kind of get-well surprise with a lookalike?"
Her voice wavered between disbelief and hope, as if afraid to accept this reality.
All Might reached into his costume and produced his Pro Hero ID card with a flourish.
"I assure you, Mrs. Midoriya, this is quite real."
Gran Torino and Izuku simultaneously brought their hands to their faces in perfect synchronization.
Of all the ways to prove it...
Inko examined the ID with trembling fingers, taking in every detail. Her eyes widened at the official stamps, the holographic security features, the unmistakable signs of authenticity. She handed it back carefully, as if afraid it might disappear.
"But... why are you here? With my Izuku?"
"Your son has shown remarkable potential, Mrs. Midoriya. Did you follow the news about the Sludge Villain incident a few months ago?"
"Yes, of course." Inko nodded, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "It was all over the news - though it's hardly unusual for you to save someone. You're always saving people."
She gave a small, nervous laugh. "The news focused mostly on your capture of the villain. Something about an incident in the shopping district?"
"A villain had taken control of a middle school student," All Might clarified, watching Inko's face carefully. "Young Bakugo Katsuki."
"Katsuki?" Inko brightened slightly, turning to her son. "That's your friend, isn't he, Izuku?"
Izuku's face tightened almost imperceptibly, a shadow passing behind his crimson eyes. His hands clenched in the hospital sheets, and for a moment, that ancient presence stirred within him at the mere mention of Bakugo's name.
But before he could respond, All Might pressed on, his voice carrying just enough volume to smoothly redirect the conversation.
"The media often focuses on the end result, but sometimes the most important moments happen before the cameras start rolling. Did you hear about what happened before I arrived?"
"I... well, there was mention of a teenager who tried to help," Inko said slowly, brow furrowing as she tried to recall the details. "The news touched on it briefly, praising the boy's bravery while also warning about civilian intervention. But they never named him..."
"They didn't need to name him," Gran Torino cut in, his gruff voice carrying an unusual note of pride. "The internet did that for them."
Inko's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean?"
Gran Torino pulled out his phone, his weathered fingers navigating to a saved video.
"While the news channels were focused on All Might's victory, ordinary people were sharing this. Watch."
He held out the phone. The video was shaky, clearly taken by a bystander in the heat of the moment. Smoke and debris filled the frame as several Pro Heroes stood at the perimeter, clearly struggling with how to handle the situation. Death Arms was calling for evacuation, while Kamui Woods worked to contain the fire damage.
Then, through the chaos, a small figure burst into frame, charging straight toward the villain without hesitation. In the midst of his rush, the figure swung off his backpack and hurled it with surprising accuracy, the contents scattering to create a momentary distraction.
"That's..." Inko leaned closer, squinting at the screen. Her hands began to tremble as she recognized the determined set of those shoulders, the familiar green hair.
"Izuku?"
They watched in silence as the scene continued to unfold. The video caught everything - Izuku's desperate scramble through the sludge, trying to dig out his trapped classmate while trained professionals looked on in shock.
The determination in his face, even as tears streamed down his cheeks.
His green eyes turning into a deep shade of crimson.
"This video has thousands of views," Gran Torino said quietly. "People were moved by what they saw that day. A kid with no power, no training, running in when even Pro Heroes were holding back."
"The comments section was flooded," All Might added. "People asking who this brave young man was, praising his selfless act. Some even criticized the Pro Heroes for their hesitation while a civilian - a child - took action."
"But why?" Inko's voice cracked as she turned to her son.
"Izuku, why would you do something so dangerous? You could have been killed! Without a Quirk, against a villain like that..."
"Because someone needed help." Izuku's voice was soft but firm. His eyes, still that burning red, met his mother's. "I couldn't just stand there. My legs... they moved on their own."
"That's exactly it," All Might said, his massive frame straightening with pride.
"What I witnessed that day wasn't just reckless bravery, Mrs. Midoriya. I saw something far rarer - true heroic instinct."
He gestured to the phone, where the video had paused on a frame of Izuku reaching out toward the trapped Bakugo.
"Look at the timing. Your son moved before anyone else - before the other civilians, before the Pro Heroes. Before even I could react. There was no hesitation, no calculation of odds or abilities. Just pure, instinctive desire to help someone in need."
"But without a Quirk..." Inko's voice quavered. "He was completely defenseless..."
"And yet he went anyway," All Might interjected gently. "That's what caught my attention, Mrs. Midoriya. In my years as the Symbol of Peace, I've met countless heroes with powerful Quirks. I've seen spectacular abilities, incredible feats of strength and skill. But true heroism?"
He placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder.
"True heroism is about what drives someone to act when others won't."
There was a moment of silence.
"Mrs. Midoriya," All Might's voice carried a gentle authority that made both mother and son pause.
"Perhaps we owe young Midoriya the chance to try. UA has the finest medical facilities in the country, and I give you my word that I will personally monitor his condition." His signature smile softened. "If he succeeds, he'll have the best support possible to help him grow. And if he doesn't..."
"Then I'll know I actually tried," Izuku finished quietly. "That I gave it everything I had."
Inko turned to look at her son, really look at him. In his crimson eyes, she saw a determination she'd never witnessed before - not in all his years of hero analysis, not in all his moments of dreaming. This was something different. Something stronger.
Her shoulders slumped slightly, but when she lifted her chin, Izuku saw something new in her expression too - a steel he'd never noticed before.
"Promise me something," she said, her voice firm despite its tremor.
"If you fail, you stop. Completely." Her hands twisted in her lap. "I... I can't lose someone again."
The words hit Izuku like a physical blow. That ancient presence stirred within him, but for once it didn't feel like rage. It felt like understanding. Like recognition of a different kind of pain.
"I promise," he said, and meant it.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of medical terminology and scheduling. Recovery Girl practically bounced around the room, muttering about research papers and unprecedented cases while arranging a battery of tests for after his recovery. Her enthusiasm about documenting his "fascinating condition" made Izuku sink further into his pillows, wondering if he'd somehow transformed from a patient into a research subject.
As night fell and his visitors finally left, Izuku lay back in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling.
In a few days, he'd have his chance - his one shot to prove he had what it takes to become a hero.
One For All pulsed gently within him, while that older power watched and waited.
No more running, he thought as sleep began to claim him. No more hiding.
This time, when he dreamed of those eight lights, his own green light seemed to shine just a little brighter against the crimson.
MINUTES LATER…
The door to Recovery Girl's office clicked shut behind All Might with a soft finality.
In the sudden quiet, the transformation was almost beautiful - golden smoke wisping away as All Might's massive frame collapsed back into Toshinori's gaunt form. The moment was immediately ruined by a wet, hacking cough that bent him double.
Recovery Girl was already holding out a tissue, the motion so practiced it seemed reflexive. "One of these days," she sighed, "you're going to transform back in front of the wrong person."
"Speaking of which," Gran Torino settled into one of the office chairs, his short legs barely touching the floor, "getting awful casual with that identity of yours, aren't you? First the boy, now his mother..."
"The kid's growing on him," Recovery Girl remarked, watching Toshinori dab blood from his chin. "Making our Symbol of Peace soft in his old age."
Gran Torino barked out a laugh that seemed too big for his diminutive frame.
"Never thought I'd see the day. Though I have to admit, the boy's got something."
Recovery Girl settled behind her desk, her fingers dancing across holographic displays that sprang to life around her. Medical data scrolled past, charts and readings that painted Izuku's condition in cold, clinical terms.
"I must say, I'm surprised. I thought young Togata from UA was your chosen successor. The boy's practically All Might incarnate already - strong Quirk, heroic spirit, perfect candidate."
"Mirio is an exceptional student," Toshinori agreed quietly, lowering himself into another chair. "But there's something different about young Midoriya. Something that..." he paused, searching for words.
"Something that compelled me to choose him."
"Well, be that as it may..." Recovery Girl's expression turned serious as she manipulated the displays, bringing up several overlapping charts. "I feel guilty lying to a patient and his mother. What hospitalized him wasn't his Quirk manifesting - it was One For All's reaction to it. In all my years of medicine, I've never seen anything like this."
She pulled up another screen, this one filled with medical records.
"I've gone through every file I could access about previous holders. There's not a single indication of this kind of instability during the power transfer. No hospitalizations, no adverse reactions, nothing."
"But his own Quirk..." Toshinori started, leaning forward to study the displays.
"That's the truly fascinating part." Recovery Girl enlarged one of the displays, showing a complex network of energy patterns that pulsed and shifted like a living thing.
"The advanced neural capabilities we're seeing aren't coming from his normal bodily systems. There's a secondary energy network, completely separate from his primary nervous system, connected directly to his optic nerves."
Her finger traced a pattern that looked almost like roots or branches.
"And look here - it all connects to an organ I've never seen before. It's not in any medical text, has no relation to standard Quirk physiology. It's as if..." she hesitated, enlarging another section of the scan. "As if it's not entirely human."
"What do you mean?" Toshinori leaned closer, squinting at the display.
"Well, he's not a heteromorph - his basic physical structure is completely normal human anatomy. But this..." she highlighted a cluster of unusual tissue formations behind his eyes. "This is something else entirely. The cellular structure, the energy pathways - they don't match any known Quirk manifestation. It's either an entirely new classification of Quirk we've never encountered, or..."
"Or?" Gran Torino prompted.
Recovery Girl's voice dropped slightly.
"Or it's some kind of genetic anomaly. A marker of special ancestry we're not familiar with. The energy readings are unlike anything in our database, and believe me, I've studied every unusual Quirk case that's come through UA."
She suppressed a small shiver. "Whatever this is, it's old. Older than Quirks themselves, maybe."
"Is it dangerous?" Toshinori's voice carried an edge of concern that made Gran Torino look up sharply.
Recovery Girl's lips pressed into a thin line as she studied the readings.
"That's what troubles me. I have no idea. In all my years at UA, all my medical experience... this is unprecedented. The way it's interacting with One For All..." She shook her head. "I hope he makes it into UA - he'll make one fascinating specimen to study."
"Recovery Girl..." Toshinori's tone held a warning.
She laughed, but there was an edge to it.
"I'm not the only one who'd be interested. Even the renowned Doctor Garaki would be fascinated by a case like this. A previously Quirkless boy suddenly manifesting such unique abilities, combined with..." she gestured at the displays.
"This needs to stay confidential." Toshinori's voice was firm. "The records-"
"Will be sealed, of course," she nodded, already closing down the displays. "Anyone with sufficient medical knowledge who saw these readings might figure out he has One For All. We can't have that. Besides," she added with a small smile, "doctor-patient confidentiality still applies, even with fascinating mutations."
"The kid will be fine," Gran Torino cut in, his gruff voice oddly reassuring. "I've watched him train. Whatever this power is, he's learning to control it. Trust him."
Toshinori stared at the last dancing patterns of energy before they faded away, remembering the crimson that had bled into Izuku's eyes, the ancient presence he'd sensed within his chosen successor.
"I hope you're right."
In the silence that followed, none of them voiced the question that hung in the air: what exactly had they awakened within Young Midoriya?
Will U.A. University be enough to help him control it?
THREE DAYS LATER…
Days later, Izuku's feet pounded against the pavement as he sprinted toward U.A, his breath coming in sharp gasps.
His backpack bounced uncomfortably against his spine, filled with entrance exam documents and a half-dozen hero analysis notebooks he'd stayed up reviewing. Of all days to oversleep - the biggest moment of his life, and he'd dozed off watching old footage of All Might's early rescues, trying to calm his nerves after hours of studying.
I can't be late. Not today. Not after everything.
The morning sun cast long shadows across the empty streets as he ran, each step bringing him closer to his dream - or its end, if he failed. His mother's words echoed in his mind: one chance.
That's all he had.
One shot to prove he could be a hero.
He checked his watch mid-stride, heart hammering. Just a few minutes until the bell, and he was still several blocks away. The conversation with All Might from the previous night played through his thoughts, clear as if it were happening again:
"Remember, young Midoriya," All Might's voice had been grave, lacking its usual energy. "Under no circumstances should you attempt to use One For All unless absolutely necessary. We still don't know how it might affect you."
"But what if I need it during the exam?" Izuku had asked, thinking of the power that now resided within him, still foreign and untamed.
"Trust your training with Gran Torino. Use the environment, think strategically. You've learned to fight without powers - rely on that. The old man taught you well."
"And if things get desperate?" Izuku's hand had unconsciously touched the space beneath his eyes, remembering the burning sensation that came with that other power.
There had been a long pause, heavy with meaning. When All Might spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. "Then pray that crimson doesn't take over again. We can't afford another incident like at the clinic."
The memory of pain and that ancient presence surging through him made Izuku shudder even as he ran. Two powers warred within him now - one a gift freely given, the other a legacy he was only beginning to understand.
Both terrified him in their own way.
Izuku shook off the memory as U.A.'s massive gates came into view. The prestigious hero academy loomed before him, its H-shaped building reaching toward the sky like something out of a dream. Security robots patrolled the perimeter, their red sensors scanning each approaching student.
This was it - the school that had produced All Might himself.
He put on an extra burst of speed, racing through the entrance. His feet had barely crossed the threshold when he slammed into what felt like a brick wall. The impact sent his notebooks scattering across the ground as he bounced backward, landing hard on his backside.
"Oof!"
Izuku blinked stars from his vision, looking up to realize the "wall" was actually a tall, muscular student with neatly parted dark hair and rectangular glasses. The boy's uniform was perfectly pressed, every button fastened with military precision.
"Are you alright?" The other boy adjusted his glasses with a precise motion, already reaching down to help Izuku up. His movements were almost robotically efficient.
"You seemed rather rushed. Excited for the examination? While enthusiasm is commendable, running on school grounds could be dangerous to yourself and others."
"I'm so sorry!" Izuku scrambled to gather his scattered notebooks, face burning with embarrassment. "But we're going to be late, the exam-"
The tall student's brow furrowed, his hand making a chopping motion through the air as he spoke.
"Late? The practical examination doesn't begin for another hour. As aspiring heroes, we should strive to be precise with our timing."
"What?"
Izuku pulled out his phone, then groaned as realization dawned. He'd set all his clocks an hour ahead as a precaution against exactly this kind of panic. "I can't believe this..."
A small chuckle escaped him at the absurdity of the situation. The other boy's serious expression cracked slightly, and soon both were smiling - Izuku's nervous and embarrassed, the tall boy's slight but genuine.
"I'm Izuku Midoriya," he offered, clutching his rescued notebooks to his chest.
"Tenya Iida." The boy bowed slightly, the motion as precise as everything else about him. "A pleasure to meet a fellow examinee."
Izuku's eyes widened with recognition. "Iida? Like Ingenium? The Turbo Hero?"
"Yes, he's my brother." Tenya's posture straightened even further with pride, chest puffing out slightly. "I hope to follow in his footsteps as a Pro Hero-"
"De-ku!"
The familiar roar made Izuku's blood run cold, cutting through the pleasant moment like a knife. He turned slowly, already knowing what he'd see. Bakugo was stalking toward them across the courtyard, hands crackling with barely contained explosions. His crimson eyes burned with a fury that Izuku knew all too well.
Not now. Please, not now. Not here.
He felt the familiar pressure building behind his eyes, that ancient presence stirring at the sound of Bakugo's voice. The notebooks in his arms suddenly felt very far away, as if someone else were holding them. That deep well of red began to pulse in time with his racing heart.
"Do you know him?" Iida asked, watching Bakugo's approach with mild concern. His hands moved in precise angles as he spoke. "His demeanor seems rather... aggressive."
Bakugo strutted toward them, hands in his pockets, radiating an arrogance that seemed to fill the courtyard. His school uniform was deliberately disheveled - top button undone, tie loose - a stark contrast to the other students' careful presentation. A few nearby applicants stepped aside, instinctively making way.
His laugh was sharp and mocking, cutting through the morning air.
"Look who decided to show up after playing sick! Did mommy have to write you a special note, Deku? Or did that sketchy doctor friend of yours fake another one?"
The familiar pressure built behind Izuku's eyes, that ancient presence stirring at Bakugo's voice - but something was different.
The rage that usually accompanied these taunts felt... distant, like thunder from a storm that had already passed.
Gran Torino's training had changed something in him, built a foundation of confidence that even Bakugo's presence couldn't completely shake.
I'm not that helpless kid anymore.
"Want to be slammed on the ground again, Kacchan?" The words left Izuku's mouth before he could stop them, surprising even himself.
But they felt right - a reminder of their last encounter, when Bakugo had learned that his former victim wasn't so easily pushed around anymore.
Bakugo's smug expression twisted into fury. Red eyes widened in rage as small explosions began crackling in his palms.
"You little-" He stepped forward, smoke curling from his hands -
Only to have someone crash right into him from behind with enough force to make him stumble.
"Oh no!"
A girl with short brown hair tumbled to the ground in almost exactly the same way Izuku had moments before, her entrance exam papers scattering around her like autumn leaves.
"Are you alright?" Iida was already moving to help, his earlier lecture about running apparently forgotten. His hand movements became even more pronounced with concern.
"That was quite a fall. We should be more mindful of proper walkway etiquette, especially on such an important day."
"Thank you!" The girl accepted his hand with a bright smile that seemed to light up her entire face.
She bounced back to her feet with surprising energy, only to immediately start patting her clothes in panic, checking her pockets and bag.
"Oh no, oh no! Am I late? The exam- I can't be late on my first day! My parents worked so hard to get me here-"
Izuku and Iida exchanged knowing glances before leaning forward in perfect synchronization, suddenly feeling like veterans of this particular crisis.
"Did you also set your alarm ahead?" they asked in unison.
The girl froze mid-panic, her round face blank with surprise. Then she burst out laughing, the sound warm and genuine.
"How did you know? Don't tell me you both-" She caught herself mid-sentence, brown eyes widening. "Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Ochaco Uraraka! Sorry for crashing into everyone!"
Izuku couldn't help noticing how her warm brown eyes crinkled when she smiled, the way her uniform complemented her curvy figure- he quickly looked away, face burning. What was wrong with him? This was an entrance exam, not a-
"How dare you ignore me-" Bakugo's voice crackled with the same fury as his palms, but Ochaco turned to him with innocent curiosity.
"Oh! You're the boy who was taken by the Sludge Villain!"
Recognition lit up her face as she turned to Izuku, practically bouncing with excitement.
"And you're the one who ran in to save him! I saw the video! My friend kept sharing it in our study group - 'Look at this crazy brave kid!'"
"I- uh-"
Izuku stammered, unused to anyone speaking about that incident with anything but criticism. His face felt like it might burst into flames.
"Of course, as future Pro Heroes we need to know what civilians shouldn't do in dangerous situations," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. Then she broke into another warm smile that made Izuku's heart skip. "But it was really brave! The way you just ran in there..."
She turned to Bakugo, her expression shifting to an adorable pout. "You should be thanking him, you know. Not everyone would risk their life like that!"
Bakugo's eyebrows met as his red eyes flared with anger. He opened his palms to reveal crackling energy popping from his Quirk. He was going to raised it, had it not been for yet another interruption.
"Excuse me."
The voice cut through their conversation like a blade of pure composure. They turned to see a tall girl with a perfectly maintained black ponytail approaching them, every step radiating elegant confidence.
Izuku's eyes inadvertently caught the way her impressive figure filled out her uniform, the way she carried herself with almost aristocratic grace, and he quickly looked at his feet, face burning even hotter.
Are all UA applicants who are girls like this? he wondered desperately, trying to focus on anything else.
Between Ochaco's and this new girl's beauty, his brain was having trouble remembering this was an entrance exam, not a dating service.
"If you're here for the entrance exam," she said, holding up some papers with perfectly manicured fingers, "you might want to get these forms first. They'll tell you where to go later."
Her dark eyes swept over their group like a general assessing troops, lingering briefly on Bakugo's smoking palms.
"Assuming we're all here to become heroes?"
The four of them awkwardly followed her to the staging area in the gymnasium, where dozens of other applicants were already filling out paperwork. The smell of fresh paper and nervous sweat filled the air as futures hung in the balance of properly checked boxes and filled lines.
An hour later, Izuku's hand cramped as he worked through yet another comprehensive section. The written exam covered everything from basic grammar to complex arithmetic, current events to detailed Quirk analysis scenarios.
The latter made his eyes light up - metaphorically, this time - as he poured his years of hero study into each answer. For once, his obsessive note-taking might actually help him.
But all of that was just the prelude to what really mattered.
TWO HOURS LATER…
"WELCOME TO THE UA PRACTICAL EXAMS!"
Present Mic's voice boomed through speakers mounted on towering poles, making several students jump. A massive hologram materialized above them, showing the Pro Hero's larger-than-life figure grinning down at the assembled applicants.
"ARE YOU READY TO SHOW US WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF?"
Izuku stood before massive steel doors alongside his fellow applicants, his heart thundering in his chest.
Looking around, he could see similar groups positioned at different entrances across the sprawling facility. They'd been carefully divided and led down separate corridors, ensuring no one could coordinate or plan together. Through gaps in the walls, he caught glimpses of other testing grounds - each one a distinct cityscape waiting to challenge its participants.
Present Mic's hologram shifted, displaying a 3D map of their testing area. Different sections lit up as he spoke, highlighting various urban environments: commercial districts, residential areas, industrial zones.
"The goals are simple, listeners! Use your Quirks to take down as many villain-bots as possible in our mock city!"
The hologram changed again, showing three different robot designs. A small, agile unit skittered across the display. "One-pointers for the easy targets!" A medium-sized bipedal robot stomped into view. "Two-pointers for medium difficulty!" Finally, a massive mechanical beast crawled across the projection. "And three big points for the tough ones!"
Present Mic's grin turned predatory.
"But remember - there's only so many robots to go around, so you're competing against each other for those precious points! Score too low, and it's sayonara to your hero dreams!"
Surveillance drones buzzed overhead as Izuku's stomach churned.
This was exactly what All Might had warned him about. His eyes - his supposed Quirk - might help him analyze the robots, but what good was analysis if he couldn't actually defeat them? His body was still human, still breakable.
Around him, other applicants were already flexing their Quirks, preparing for battle.
Use the environment, All Might's words echoed in his mind. Think strategically.
Before he could finish the thought, Present Mic's hologram thrust both arms skyward:
"BEGIN!"
The doors groaned open with hydraulic power, revealing a concrete jungle waiting to test their worth as heroes. In the distance, mechanical whirs and metallic screeches announced their targets were already active, hunting for challengers.
TEN MINUTES LATER…
Minutes ticked by like hours as Izuku struggled against the mechanical menace. His fists ached from failed attempts to damage the robots' armor, each strike barely leaving a dent.
Izuku grunted in frustration, and on reflex dodged one of the robot's attacks. It took a few more dodges from different robots using different methods - a sidestep here, a fierce jump there, and at some point even pushing a trash bin to create a distraction - for Izuku to realize how far he'd come. Had this been him a few months back, he would likely just squeal at the sight of the robots at him.
Now, all he remembered was Gran Torino's voice in his head. That he was much stronger now, that the training with his body wasn't just to improve his well-being, but to give him control over his body. Izuku felt his body respond to each mental command - where to push and exactly how, where to jump and exactly how far. He was no All Might, but he was certainly leaps and bounds much better than the Izuku before. If he could hazard a guess, he was probably dodging things better than the other competitors he'd seen whenever they weren't using their Quirks.
Perhaps this was one advantage Izuku had from the others - all these years believing he didn't have a Quirk, and all these months relying on his body for his survival, had made him more aware of his physical capabilities. This wasn't something Quirk users had, and something he could use in a fight. He dodged another robot's punch and used their momentum to bring them down. It didn't destroy the bot, so it didn't give him a point. But Izuku was damn well proud of what he'd been able to accomplish.
Gran Torino's training kept him alive - he dodged lasers and mechanical arms with newfound agility - but avoiding death wasn't the same as scoring points. Each failed attack reminded him of his powerlessness.
Everyone else weren't slouches, either. Around him, other candidates were decimating the competition, their Quirks transforming the mock city into a mechanical graveyard.
Iida's performance particularly caught his eye. The engines in his calves roared to life with precise timing, blue flames erupting as he executed perfect roundhouse kicks. The exhaust provided not just propulsion but calculated torque, maximizing the impact of each strike.
Izuku watched in fascination as Iida methodically worked through a group of robots - first disabling their mobility with precise kicks to their joints, then following up with devastating blows to their power cores. Each movement was measured, efficient, like a well-oiled machine itself.
"Recipro Burst!" Iida called out, his engines suddenly flaring brighter. He became a blur of motion, destroying five one-pointers in rapid succession before his engines sputtered and needed to cool down.
Not far away, Uraraka was demonstrating her own strategic approach. She touched her fingertips to a fallen lamppost, and Izuku's analytical mind kicked in as he watched the metal suddenly become weightless in her grip.
A gravity manipulation Quirk, he realized. But there must be limits...
His theory proved correct as he watched her next moves. With visible strain, she swung the weightless post like a baseball bat, using its length to crush three robots at once. But the effort clearly took its toll - she'd pause between uses, one hand pressed to her mouth as she fought back nausea. Each time she released her Quirk, she needed longer to recover.
"Release!" she called out, dropping a particularly large piece of debris onto a two-pointer. She immediately doubled over, sweat beading on her forehead.
Some kind of physical limit, Izuku noted automatically. Maybe related to mass or duration...
Through the chaos, he caught glimpses of other impressive displays - a boy with rock-hard skin plowing through enemies, a girl using sound waves as weapons, someone controlling tape with remarkable precision. But he couldn't focus on their techniques, too busy searching desperately for any robot he might actually have a chance against.
His analytical mind wouldn't stop working, even in his growing desperation. Every robot he saw, he instinctively broke down its weaknesses, its attack patterns, its vulnerabilities - knowledge that was utterly useless without the power to exploit it. What good was seeing a joint weakness if he couldn't generate enough force to damage it?
Ten minutes gone, he thought, ducking behind a ruined wall. Not a single point.
50 MINUTES LATER…
A deafening explosion ripped through the air as Present Mic's voice echoed:
"TEN MINUTES REMAINING!"
Izuku's blood ran cold. Had time really passed so quickly? He'd been so focused on trying to find a way - any way - to take down even a single robot that he'd lost track of time completely.
Another explosion lit up the sky like artificial daylight, casting harsh shadows across the mock city. Bakugo soared above the battlefield, silhouetted against the sun like some vengeful deity. His savage grin was visible even from this distance as he reduced a three-pointer to molten scrap.
"Die!" he roared, palms crackling with deadly power.
The sound of his laughter echoed throughout the arena, a soundtrack to the destruction he wreaked. Each explosion seemed bigger than the last, as if he was reveling in this freedom to unleash his full power.
Bakugo's path of destruction painted a stark contrast to Izuku's situation. His childhood tormentor wasn't just passing the exam - he was dominating it.
And his laughter carried a familiar mocking edge, as if he knew exactly where Izuku was and how badly he was failing.
A laser blast from a nearby one-pointer forced Izuku to dive behind a concrete barrier. His breath came in sharp gasps as the reality of his situation crashed down on him.
Fifty minutes into the exam, and he hadn't scored a single point. His notebook-filled brain could recognize every pattern in the robots' movements, identify each weakness in their design - but what good was knowledge without the power to act on it?
Should I just give up? The thought tasted like acid in his throat.
Maybe mom was right. Maybe this was all pointless. Maybe I should just accept that some people aren't meant to be heroes.
The ancient presence stirred within him like a beast scenting prey, urging him to surrender to its power. At the same time, One For All pulsed beneath his skin with the promise of strength.
Both powers called to him, offered him the means to change his fate.
But All Might's warning echoed in his mind, crystal clear despite the chaos around him: using either power could destroy him before he even had a chance to become a hero.
Was he willing to risk everything? To gamble his future on powers he barely understood?
Another explosion lit up the sky, followed by Bakugo's triumphant laughter.
But a shriek cut from it just as fast.
Izuku spun toward the sound, his heart nearly stopping at what he saw. Uraraka was backing away from something emerging between the buildings, something that made even the three-pointers look like toys.
Metal groaned against concrete as a behemoth pulled itself up, easily five stories tall. Its crimson sensors focused on them with predatory intensity, scanning for targets. Each step it took shook the ground, sending tremors through the mock city's foundations. Armor plates thick as cars covered its frame, and its arms ended in weapons that looked designed for demolishing buildings rather than testing students.
The robot's shadow fell over them like an eclipse, and Izuku felt that familiar paralysis creeping in - the same fear that had gripped him so many times before.
This is worth three points? His mind raced, panic rising in his throat.
How are we supposed to- this can't be- there's no way-
Another scream from Uraraka snapped him back to reality. Debris had pinned her leg, trapping her as the mechanical monster advanced. Their eyes met across the rubble-strewn street, and suddenly he was seeing double - Uraraka's frightened face overlapping with two other memories.
First, the Sludge Villain incident, watching Kacchan struggling while everyone else stood frozen. But beneath that, more recent, was the face of that middle school student in the alley, cornered by bullies. The same fear in different eyes, the same need for someone - anyone - to help.
I haven't scored any points, his practical mind screamed.
I should run. I should find smaller robots. I should try to pass. Mom was right, this was crazy, I should-
But his legs were already moving, just like they had in the alley, just like with the Sludge Villain. The same instinct that had made him rush to save a stranger from bullies, that had driven him toward certain death to save even Kacchan - it burned through his hesitation like fire through paper.
The ancient presence stirred within him as his vision bled crimson, that familiar burn behind his eyes now feeling less like a curse and more like a gift.
For once, he didn't fight it.
Instead, he remembered the pride he'd felt helping that student stand up again, teaching him to be strong. He had power now - two kinds of power - and he refused to let them go to waste when someone needed a hero.
All Might's warning be damned, he thought as he ran.
The ground trembled beneath his feet as the robot took another thunderous step toward Uraraka.
Some things are worth the risk.
Behind his crimson eyes, that deep well of power surged up to meet One For All's light. For once, they didn't feel like opposing forces - they felt like tools waiting to be used by someone willing to pay the price of heroism.
As he ran, his enhanced perception kicked in with startling clarity. The world seemed to slow down as his crimson vision processed everything at once. This time, it felt like the crimson pit of rage inside Izuku didn't overflow with pure anger.
It felt like an anger associated with helplessness, and how it would make sure Izuku would never feel that again.
Every detail about Uraraka's previous fights with the bots flashed through his mind like pages of a familiar notebook: her weight manipulation that could affect anything she touched with all five fingers, its limitations shown by her increasing nausea with larger objects, the precise timing between when she activated her Quirk and when she had to release it.
Alongside these observations, years of hero analysis flooded his consciousness. But this was different from his usual recall - it wasn't just remembering, it was like accessing a living database. Details he'd thought were just random trivia suddenly became tactical options, each memory a potential strategy waiting to be adapted.
Mt. Lady's techniques against large opponents - using their size against them by targeting joints and pressure points. Kamui Woods' momentum-based takedowns, especially that time when-
Izuku's eyes widened. The memory crystallized with perfect clarity: All Might and Kamui Woods taking down a giant villain. Woods using his branches to launch All Might at precisely the right angle, the Symbol of Peace's timing perfect as he struck the villain's weak point.
That's it!
The information clicked together like puzzle pieces forming a perfect picture. Uraraka's zero gravity combined with a launch trajectory... it was crazy, probably impossible, but it was the only plan he had. If his enhanced analysis was right, if his understanding of Uraraka's Quirk was correct, if One For All would actually respond to his call...
Too many 'ifs,' he thought. But no time for a better plan.
"Uraraka!" he shouted, praying his voice wouldn't betray his uncertainty. "When I say now, use your Quirk on me!"
She looked startled but something in her eyes showed understanding - or at least trust. She nodded, pushing herself up despite her trapped leg.
The robot's massive arm swept down toward them, its shadow blocking out the sun. Izuku felt One For All surge through him, responding to his desperation in a way completely different from the ancient rage he was used to. Where that power felt like drowning in blood, this felt like sunshine breaking through clouds, like hope made tangible.
"Now!"
The moment Uraraka's fingers touched him, he pushed off with everything he had. Just like in that fight he'd analyzed so many times - Kamui Woods launching All Might at the perfect angle - Izuku's weightless body soared toward the robot's core.
One For All surged through him like a dam breaking, raw power flooding every muscle fiber, every cell. His bones creaked under the pressure as lightning seemed to dance across his skin.
Time slowed as he rocketed upward. The power was too much, too fast - like trying to channel a tsunami through a garden hose. He could feel his muscles straining, tearing, as One For All sought release. But there was no turning back now.
His fist connected with the robot's crucial point. The impact reverberated through his entire body, starting from his fingertips and shooting up his arm like fracturing glass. Something snapped - multiple somethings - and white-hot agony exploded through his limb. But in that same instant, the robot's armor gave way.
The shockwave rippled through the mock city, windows shattering in its wake. The mechanical behemoth's chest cavity crumpled inward around his mangled fist before exploding outward in a shower of twisted metal and sparks.
The sound was like thunder, but Izuku barely heard it over the roaring in his ears and the screaming of his overtaxed body.
Pain unlike anything he'd ever felt consumed Izuku's world. His right arm hung like a broken puppet's limb, every slight movement sending waves of agony through his body. The ground rushed up to meet him as he plummeted, his mind too overwhelmed by pain to even feel afraid.
Beneath the agony, deep in that well of crimson, the ancient presence stirred. It had felt One For All's raw power surge through Izuku's body - felt it tear through muscle and shatter bone.
But instead of recoiling, the presence seemed... curious. Interested. Like a predator discovering a new kind of prey.
Then suddenly, the fall stopped. He was floating, caught in Uraraka's Quirk despite her own exhaustion. Their eyes met - his still blazing crimson, hers bright with a mix of amazement and concern - and they shared exhausted smiles. She looked as drained as he felt, her face pale from overusing her Quirk, but there was something else in her expression. Recognition, maybe. Understanding.
"TIME'S UP!"
Present Mic's voice boomed across the battlefield, ending whatever moment they might have shared.
Izuku's smile crumbled as reality crashed back in. The numbers flashed through his mind with cruel clarity: three points. He'd scored only three points in the entire exam. Not even enough to be considered a serious candidate.
I failed, he thought as his vision faded back to normal, the crimson bleeding away like hope down a drain.
I failed mom. Failed All Might. Failed everyone who believed in me.
The ancient presence stirred again in that deep well of red, as if sensing his despair. It whispered of other paths to power, darker roads to achieving his dreams. Ways that didn't require permission or approval from others.
He pushed the thoughts aside, but they lingered like shadows at sunset, promising strength without the constraints of heroic ideals.
His mangled arm throbbed in time with his heartbeat, a constant reminder of how unprepared his body had been for real power. But somewhere deep inside, past the pain and disappointment, another thought took root:
If this was what One For All could do unprepared, what might it accomplish with proper training?
The ancient presence stirred again at that thought, and this time, Izuku wasn't sure if he wanted to silence it.
What use will that training be if I'm not in UA to do it?