Before Aizawa could continue, a sudden shadow passed over the field out side the dorm building. A second later, Izuku descended from the sky and landed quietly behind him.
"Sorry I'm late," Izuku said, scratching the back of his head. "I had to stop a bank robbery on the other side of the country."
The class immediately lit up.
"That's insane!""Kamino Ward was incredible—what did it feel like to fight like that?"
Questions overlapped as students crowded him, their excitement obvious. Izuku smiled awkwardly, answering a few in his usual humble way, until a sharp cough cut through the noise.
Aizawa's tired eyes swept over the class. Silence fell instantly.
"We haven't forgotten about the provisional licenses you were supposed to obtain during the training camp," he said. "What happened that night matters."
"Kirishima. Yaoyorozu. Todoroki. Ida." He paused after each name. "You four broke the rules and went to rescue Bakugo."
His gaze moved across the room. "Judging by your reactions, the rest of you were at least aware of their plan."
Diana raised her hand. "I honestly didn't know they were even on the battlefield," she said quickly. "But… I still think what they did was brave."
Aizawa didn't respond to the compliment. Instead, his voice hardened.
"I'm going to set aside a number of issues and be very clear," he said. "If it weren't for All Might's retirement from the hero scene, I would expel everyone here except Bakugo, Jiro, Hagakure, Diana, and Midoriya."
A sharp intake of breath spread through the room.
"The four of you who went acted recklessly," Aizawa continued. "And the remaining ten who didn't stop them betrayed our trust—even if you thought you were protecting your friends."
Aizawa said, "That's all," before turning toward the dorm building and starting to walk away, hands in his pockets.
Kaminari broke the silence with a nervous laugh. "So… are we supposed to be excited after that speech, or…?"
No one answered him.
Inside the dorms, Aizawa explained which sides were for the boys and the girls, then laid out the rules in his usual blunt manner. He walked them through the building's layout, the common areas, and finally added, "The belongings you sent ahead of time have already been placed in your rooms. You have the rest of the day to unpack."
With that, he left them to it.
Later that evening, Class 1-A gathered in the common room. The tension from earlier had eased just enough for conversation to start flowing again. Laughing and chatter filled the space, and before long the topic shifted to curiosity.
"What do the boys' rooms even look like?" Mina asked, grinning.
A few of the girls immediately agreed, and just as they were about to head toward the elevator, the doors slid open.
Izuku stepped out—already in his hero costume.
Diana noticed first. She blinked, then walked up to him. "Are you heading out?" she asked.
Izuku nodded. "Yeah. Sorry."
She smiled, a little teasing. "What a shame. I was hoping to spend some time getting to know you. We were just about to go check out the boys' rooms."
Izuku's face instantly turned red, which only made Diana laugh. Her laughter cut short when Izuku suddenly went still, his expression sharpening as distant screams reached his super-hearing.
"I… I want to get to know you too," he said without thinking, then quickly added, "But I have to go. Someone's in danger."
Before she could reply, he launched himself upward and disappeared into the night.
Diana turned back around to find all the girls staring at her with huge smiles. They immediately surrounded her, firing off questions all at once, her protests drowned out by their excitement.
Izuku flew straight to Tokyo. In a narrow alley, he found a man with a gun-type quirk threatening a terrified woman. The confrontation ended almost instantly—Izuku flicked the man on the forehead, knocking him unconscious. He delivered the villain to the nearest police station, calmly explained what happened, and took off again before anyone could thank him.
After everyone finished exploring each other's rooms, a group of students settled into the common room and turned on the television.
"This is Daikaku Miyagi with breaking news," the reporter said. "The young hero known for incredible speed and strength has been spotted all across Japan tonight, stopping multiple villains in rapid succession."
The camera showed blurry nighttime footage of a red-and-blue-clad figure soaring through the sky.
Back at the dorms, several students exchanged quiet looks—pride, worry, and awe mixing together as they watched the screen.
The footage shifted from the shaky phone video to a wide aerial shot of Tokyo's skyline.
"According to police reports," Daikaku Miyagi continued, "the hero known as Superman intervened in at least seven incidents within the past hour alone—armed robberies, quirk-related assaults, and a hostage situation. In every case, suspects were apprehended with no civilian casualties."
Images flashed across the screen: overturned police cars righted as if they weighed nothing, cracked pavement where a villain had been pinned, and eyewitness clips of a red-and-blue figure hovering calmly above the streets.
A second reporter appeared on screen, standing outside a police station. "Officers here confirm that suspects were delivered directly to custody, often before emergency calls had fully gone through. One officer described the experience as 'blink and you miss it.'"
The broadcast cut to an interview with a shaken woman wrapped in a blanket. "He just… appeared," she said. "One second I was screaming, the next the villain was gone. He even asked if I was hurt before flying away."
Back in the U.A. dorm common room, the students leaned closer to the screen.
"Is that really all tonight?" Sero muttered.
The anchor nodded grimly. "Authorities are still trying to track Superman's movements. Reports place him in Osaka, Sapporo, and Fukuoka within minutes of each other, raising serious questions about the limits of his speed."
The segment ended with a familiar shot: Superman hovering high above the city, the red-and-blue colors of his suit standing out against the night sky.
"For now," Miyagi concluded, "Japan rests a little easier knowing that when danger strikes, Superman is already on the way."
The TV clicked softly as the report ended, leaving the common room quiet—every student fully aware that one of their classmates was rewriting what it meant to be a hero.
The next morning, Aizawa had Class 1-A gathered in their classroom. He stood at the front, arms crossed, eyes sharp despite the familiar tired look.
"I believe I've already mentioned this," he said, "but your main focus this summer is obtaining your provisional hero licenses."
"Yes, sir," the class answered in unison.
The classroom door slid open and Izuku walked in, slightly out of breath. "Sorry I'm late."
Aizawa glanced at him once and gave a small nod. Izuku took his seat without another word.
Aizawa continued as if nothing had interrupted him. "Do not take this lightly. A hero license means you are legally responsible for human lives. As you can imagine, the exam to receive one is extremely difficult."
He let that sink in before adding, "Only about fifty percent of students pass each year. To prepare you, today's lesson will focus on creating something new."
The door opened again. Midnight leaned against the frame with a grin, Cementoss stood calmly behind her, and Ectoplasm's duplicates filled the hallway.
Aizawa didn't look back. "Two ultimate moves."
The class erupted with excitement.
"Hero costumes on," Aizawa said flatly. "Meet outside Gym Gamma."
As he turned to explain the details, there was a sudden rush of air. Izuku was gone.
Aizawa's eyebrow twitched, but he continued speaking as if this were merely another inconvenience he'd expected. "You'll be evaluated on creativity, control, and practicality."
Izuku shot across the sky toward the coast of Japan, moving faster than sound but slowing as he approached a cluster of seaside buildings. Sirens echoed below. Several villains had already been subdued by the time he arrived, and within minutes the rest were restrained.
As he handed the last unconscious villain to a police officer, Izuku's expression suddenly sharpened.
He heard voices.
They weren't coming from the shore—or from any boat.
Izuku turned toward the ocean. The surface was calm, empty. No ships, no movement. Slowly, he rose into the air above the small coastal houses and focused.
Using his vision, he peered deep beneath the water.
There it was.
A massive submarine, resting far below the surface.
Izuku scanned the outer hull. No markings. No insignia. Nothing to identify it as belonging to any nation or organization. His unease grew.
Carefully, he moved closer and looked inside.
Several men were gathered in a large cargo area, dressed in tank tops and shorts, sweat visible on their skin. Stacked around them were heavy wooden crates, secured with metal bindings.
One of the men spoke, his voice clear even through the water and steel. "Make sure you've got some Trigger on you," he said. "Just in case a hero finds us."
Another laughed. "At this depth? No way we get detected."
Izuku's jaw tightened.
He pulled back and descended to the shore, landing beside the officer he had spoken to earlier.
"There's a large unmarked submarine offshore," Izuku said quickly. "Multiple armed men. Wooden cargo crates. They mentioned Trigger."
The officer's eyes widened.
"Put this through the hero network," Izuku continued. "Have heroes gather on the beach. Bring officers too.
The officer didn't hesitate. He nodded sharply and ran to his car, grabbing the radio. Within seconds, urgent requests for backup were being transmitted, and alerts were sent out to nearby pro heroes.
Izuku turned back to the officer one last time. "Tell the heroes gathering on the beach that I'm going to lift the submarine out of the water and set it down there. Make sure civilians are cleared first."
The officer nodded without hesitation and jumped into his car, speeding toward the coastline.
Just around the corner, unseen by either of them, a freelance journalist froze mid-step.
Taneo Tokuda.
He had been chasing rumors of unusual hero activity all morning, and what he'd just overheard made his pulse spike. A grin spread across his face as he broke into a run toward the beach.
"This is it," he muttered. "A scoop like this doesn't come twice."
High above the ocean, Izuku hovered and focused. His enhanced vision pierced through waves and steel alike, tracking the submarine's exact position. He switched to x-ray vision briefly, confirming the internal layout, the number of people inside, and the cargo's placement.
Once he sensed enough heroes had gathered along the shore, Izuku dove.
The ocean split around him as he plunged straight down, pressure meaning nothing to him. In seconds, the submarine filled his vision.
Inside the vessel, alarms suddenly blared.
"Something just popped up on radar!" one man shouted. "It's coming straight at us—fast!"
Before anyone could react, the entire submarine lurched violently.
"Brace yourselves!" another yelled.
Men were thrown off their feet as the vessel came to an unnatural halt. Loose equipment slammed into walls. The engine whined uselessly.
The radar operator stared at his screen in disbelief. "Depth gauge is moving," he said slowly. "We're going up."
Panic spread instantly.
On the beach, a line of pro heroes stood ready, eyes fixed on the water. Police had already pushed civilians back, but tension rippled through the crowd.
"Are we sure this isn't a false alarm?" one hero muttered.
Before anyone could answer, a hero with enhanced vision stiffened. "Something's coming up," he said. "Big."
The ocean bulged outward.
Then it happened.
The submarine burst through the surface in a massive spray of water, rising higher and higher as if pulled by an invisible force. Gasps and shouts erupted from the heroes—and from the crowd beyond the barricades.
Taneo Tokuda skidded to a stop, camera already rolling, eyes wide with disbelief. "No way," he whispered. "He's actually lifting it…"
Izuku emerged from the water beneath the submarine, one hand braced under its hull. With controlled precision, he carried it toward the shore and set it down heavily on the sand, the impact shaking the ground but stopping just short of damaging nearby buildings.
The moment it settled, Izuku's eyes glowed.
Twin beams of heat vision sliced cleanly through the submarine's side, carving a massive opening. Steam hissed as seawater met superheated metal.
"Come out slowly," Izuku called, his voice calm but commanding. "Hands where everyone can see them."
One by one, stunned men crawled out, coughing and blinking under the sudden sunlight. Heroes rushed in, restraining them before they could even think about resisting.
Inside the wrecked submarine, officers cracked open the wooden crates.
Trigger.
Dozens of containers.
"This is a major bust," one hero said under his breath.
As the last criminal was taken into custody, cameras zoomed in on Izuku standing atop the disabled submarine, red-and-blue suit gleaming against the sky.
Just then, the device on Izuku's wrist vibrated softly.
Kelex.
Izuku stepped behind the massive submarine wreck as Kelex unfolded and transformed, his holographic form stabilizing before speaking. "Izuku, I need to inform you of a developing situation. A distress signal has been detected from a cargo freighter off the coast of Antarctica."
Izuku blinked. "Antarctica? That's… really far. Why would I even be getting that signal?"
"Because your hearing and perception do not yet fully encompass the entire planet," Kelex replied calmly. "Until they do, I have taken the initiative to access and coordinate with every operational satellite in orbit. I am monitoring global conditions for moments where your intervention may be required."
Izuku exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Thanks, Kelex. But only alert me if it's a situation where the heroes there are likely to fail—or someone's going to die. I don't want to steal anyone's thunder."
"Understood," Kelex said.
Without another word, Izuku launched into the sky, accelerating until the world below blurred into insignificance. Oceans, continents, and clouds passed beneath him in moments as he headed south—far south.
The Antarctic came into view as a vast expanse of white and blue, endless ice stretching to the horizon. Izuku slowed and descended toward the coordinates Kelex had provided.
The cold didn't bother him in the slightest.
He hovered above the frozen sea and spotted the cargo ship immediately. The massive freighter was trapped fast in the ice, its hull locked in place by thick, jagged sheets that had frozen solid around it. The engines were silent, and several crew members stood on deck bundled in heavy gear, waving frantically.
Izuku landed lightly on the bow of the ship.
One of the crew members stared at him in disbelief. "A-Are we hallucinating?" he asked. "What are you doing out here?!"
"I'm here to help," Izuku said with an easy smile. "We picked up your distress signal."
The man's eyes widened. "You're… Superman."
Izuku nodded once. "Yeah. Everyone okay?"
"We're low on fuel and the hull's under pressure," the crewman said quickly. "If the ice shifts—"
"It won't," Izuku said gently.
He stepped off the ship and onto the ice below, his boots crunching slightly as he moved. Kneeling, he reached down and wrapped his hands around the ship's anchor chain, gripping it firmly.
The crew watched in stunned silence.
With a steady pull, Izuku began to move.
The ice groaned loudly as massive cracks spread outward, splitting apart under the sheer force. The cargo ship shuddered, then lurched forward as Izuku dragged it free, carving a clean path through the frozen sea.
From the deck, the crew could only stare as their ship slid forward, ice breaking like glass around it.
Within minutes, the freighter was free, floating once more in open water.
Izuku released the chain and floated back up to the deck. "You should be able to restart the engines now," he said. "Head north and follow the cleared path until you're out of danger."
The crew erupted into cheers, some laughing, others openly crying in relief.
"Thank you!" someone shouted. "You saved us!"
Izuku waved awkwardly. "Just doing my job."
By the time Izuku made it back to U.A., Class 1-A was just returning to the dorms as well. He entered through the main doors and immediately spotted a few of the girls lounging on the couches, complaining about how brutal training had been that day.
Izuku lifted a hand and gave a small wave before heading toward the hallway that led to the boys' rooms.
Diana noticed.
She waved back, a warm smile spreading across her face.
The moment Izuku disappeared down the hall, the other girls slowly turned their heads toward her.
"Oh?""That smile again?""Okay, spill."
Diana froze. "W-What? It was just a wave."
They didn't buy it.
They crowded closer, bombarding her with questions—how long she'd liked him, whether she'd talked to him more than they knew, if something had happened between them already. Diana's face burned as she tried to deflect, changing the subject again and again, but they refused to let her escape.
Then—
A blur of red and blue streaked through the common room.
A second later, a thunderous boom echoed outside as Izuku launched skyward.
The girls stared in stunned silence.
"…So," one of them said slowly, grinning, "he leaves that fast when things get awkward?"
Diana buried her face in her hands.
A week passed quickly, and before anyone could blink, the day of the provisional license exam arrived.
Class 1-A stepped off the bus and found themselves staring up at a massive, imposing building. Its sheer scale made the pressure sink in instantly.
Jiro swallowed. "I don't like this. I'm already nervous."
Aizawa stood behind them, hands in his pockets. "If you can pass this test and earn your provisional licenses," he said, "then you novice eggs will become chicks—semi-pros. Do your best."
With that, he dismissed them.
Students from hero courses all across Japan filled the area, and soon everyone began mingling. Some exchanges were friendly, others competitive. There were a few groups that clearly didn't get along, tension simmering just beneath the surface.
Izuku, already in his hero costume, lifted off without a word.
A student from another school watched him go, eyes wide. "Wait… was that Superman?"
"Yeah," another said excitedly. "I'm a huge fan!"
A few blocks away, Izuku landed quietly when he spotted a small problem—a child standing beneath a tree, crying.
"My cat won't come down," the kid sniffed.
Izuku smiled gently and slowly floated upward. He reached the branch and carefully picked up the cat. The animal hissed and tried scratching him, but its claws didn't even leave a mark. Izuku brought it down and handed it back.
The child's face lit up. "Thank you!"
Izuku waved and took off again.
Down the street, he noticed an elderly woman struggling with grocery bags. In a flash of red and blue, he was suddenly beside her.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
She blinked in surprise, then smiled. "That would be lovely."
Izuku carried her groceries, helped her cross the road, and even put everything away once they reached her home. She thanked him repeatedly before he departed once more.
As he flew past a zoo, panic flooded his super hearing.
He stopped instantly.
A child had fallen into the lion enclosure.
Izuku dove down, landing softly beside the terrified boy. He crouched, placing a reassuring hand on the child's shoulder.
"It's okay," Izuku said calmly. "I've got you."
A sudden weight slammed into his back.
The lion had jumped on him.
Izuku didn't react with force. He simply lifted the boy with one arm and, with the other, gently grasped the lion by the back of the neck. The animal struggled for a moment before Izuku carefully set it back onto the ground, unharmed.
In a heartbeat, Izuku flew the child back up to safety, placing him into the arms of a screaming, relieved parent.
Cheers erupted.
Moments later, other heroes arrived on the scene.
To Izuku's shock, their expressions weren't grateful.
"Do you have any idea how bad this makes us look?" one of them snapped."You're doing our job!" another shouted.
Izuku hovered there, stunned, slowly lowering his hands.
"I was just trying to help," he said quietly.
The heroes didn't let up.
"You don't just rush in and handle everything yourself," one of them said sharply, folding his arms. "There are procedures. Coordination. You're throwing the whole system off."
Another scoffed. "Every time you show up, it's the same thing. Criminals caught, civilians cheering, and the rest of us looking like we were too slow to matter."
Izuku hovered there, listening, his cape fluttering lightly in the air. "I wasn't trying to replace anyone," he said earnestly. "I heard people in danger, so I helped. That's all."
"That's not all," a third hero snapped. "You're setting expectations no one else can meet. People start wondering why we even exist when you're around."
Izuku clenched his fists slightly, then forced himself to relax. He remembered what he'd told Kelex—don't steal people's thunder. He hadn't meant to do exactly that.
"I'm sorry," Izuku said, bowing his head. "I'll be more careful about when I step in."
The heroes exchanged looks. None of them seemed satisfied, but the anger dulled just enough for them to turn away and begin handling the aftermath themselves.
Izuku rose higher into the sky, the noise of the city fading beneath him. For the first time since he'd gained his power, the weight on his chest had nothing to do with villains.
Maybe I really am doing this wrong, he thought.
Without another stop, he turned north.
A red-and-blue blur streaked across the sky as he headed straight for U.A.
Izuku descended onto the campus grounds moments later, landing near the main building. He didn't go to the dorms. Instead, he headed directly for the administrative wing.
Nezu's office door was already open.
The small principal sat behind his desk, tea in hand, eyes sharp and curious. "Ah," Nezu said pleasantly. "I was wondering when you'd come see me."
Izuku stepped inside and bowed. "Principal Nezu… I think I need some advice.
Izuku sat across from Nezu, hands resting on his knees, posture straight but tense. The principal watched him quietly, eyes sharp behind his usual pleasant expression.
"I ran into some trouble today," Izuku began. "Not with villains… with heroes."
Nezu tilted his head. "Oh?"
Izuku took a breath and explained everything—from the zoo incident to the way the arriving heroes had berated him, accusing him of doing their work and making them look useless. As he spoke, the weight he'd been carrying finally started to leak into his voice.
"I didn't mean to step on anyone's role," Izuku said. "I just heard people in danger and reacted. But now I'm wondering if I'm doing more harm than good."
Before Nezu could answer, the door creaked open.
"All Might" stepped inside.
Not in his hero form—this was Toshinori Yagi, thin but smiling gently as always.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," he said.
Nezu chuckled. "On the contrary. Your timing is excellent."
All Might's eyes softened when he looked at Izuku. "Young Midoriya, I heard you wanted to talk."
Izuku stood immediately. "All Might!"
"Please, sit," All Might said, moving closer. "Nezu filled me in on the basics. I'd like to hear it from you."
Izuku sat back down and repeated the story, this time more slowly, admitting his doubts outright.
"They said I'm stealing their spotlight," Izuku said quietly. "That people will start asking why other heroes are even needed. I don't want that. I don't want to replace anyone. So now I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
He looked up at them, eyes full of conflict."Should I stay in one city? Focus on just one area? Or should I keep doing what I've been doing? And… how am I supposed to help without taking away other heroes' chances to shine?"
For a long moment, neither Nezu nor All Might spoke.
Then All Might laughed softly.
Izuku blinked. "All Might?"
"All those worries," All Might said, smiling warmly, "mean you're already thinking like a true hero."
He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. "When I was active, I faced the same criticism. Other heroes said my presence warped the balance. That villains waited for me, that civilians expected miracles."
Izuku's eyes widened. "You did?"
"Of course," All Might said. "Power doesn't exist in a vacuum. The greater it is, the more it changes the world around it."
Nezu folded his hands. "The issue isn't that you're helping," he said calmly. "It's that the current hero system was not built with someone like you in mind."
Izuku swallowed.
"You are not stealing the spotlight," Nezu continued. "You are redefining the stage."
All Might nodded. "But that doesn't mean the other heroes are wrong to feel threatened. Pride, insecurity, relevance—those are human emotions. Heroes are not exempt from them."
Izuku clenched his fists. "So what do I do?"
All Might's expression turned serious. "You learn when to act, not just how."
He pointed a finger upward. "Saving lives always comes first. If someone will die without you, then you move. No hesitation."
Izuku nodded immediately.
"But," All Might continued, "when the situation is stable—when other heroes are capable—you can choose to support instead of replace. Be the shield, not the sword. The safety net, not the headline."
Nezu smiled. "In other words, you don't need to limit yourself to one city. Nor should you chain yourself down to avoid offending others. What you need is judgment."
Izuku exhaled slowly. "And the spotlight?"
All Might chuckled again. "Young Midoriya… the spotlight will follow you whether you want it or not."
Izuku winced.
"The trick," All Might said gently, "is to stand slightly to the side of it when you can—and step fully into it when no one else can."
Nezu nodded approvingly. "You are not here to make heroes obsolete. You are here to raise the standard. Others will adapt."
Izuku sat there, letting their words sink in. The knot in his chest loosened just a little.
"So," Izuku said, "I keep helping… but I think more. I prioritize. I don't hold back when lives are on the line—but I don't take over just because I can."
All Might's smile widened. "Exactly."
Nezu took a sip of tea. "And for the record," he added lightly, "this internal conflict is precisely why U.A. exists. Power without wisdom breaks systems. Power with wisdom evolves them."
Izuku stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you. Both of you."
As he straightened, All Might placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"You're walking a path no one else can walk," All Might said. "But you're not walking it alone."
Izuku sat across from Nezu, hands resting on his knees, posture straight but tense. The principal watched him quietly, eyes sharp behind his usual pleasant expression.
"I ran into some trouble today," Izuku began. "Not with villains… with heroes."
Nezu tilted his head. "Oh?"
Izuku took a breath and explained everything—from the zoo incident to the way the arriving heroes had berated him, accusing him of doing their work and making them look useless. As he spoke, the weight he'd been carrying finally started to leak into his voice.
"I didn't mean to step on anyone's role," Izuku said. "I just heard people in danger and reacted. But now I'm wondering if I'm doing more harm than good."
Before Nezu could answer, the door creaked open.
"All Might" stepped inside.
Not in his hero form—this was Toshinori Yagi, thin but smiling gently as always.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," he said.
Nezu chuckled. "On the contrary. Your timing is excellent."
All Might's eyes softened when he looked at Izuku. "Young Midoriya, I heard you wanted to talk."
Izuku stood immediately. "All Might!"
"Please, sit," All Might said, moving closer. "Nezu filled me in on the basics. I'd like to hear it from you."
Izuku sat back down and repeated the story, this time more slowly, admitting his doubts outright.
"They said I'm stealing their spotlight," Izuku said quietly. "That people will start asking why other heroes are even needed. I don't want that. I don't want to replace anyone. So now I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
He looked up at them, eyes full of conflict."Should I stay in one city? Focus on just one area? Or should I keep doing what I've been doing? And… how am I supposed to help without taking away other heroes' chances to shine?"
For a long moment, neither Nezu nor All Might spoke.
Then All Might laughed softly.
Izuku blinked. "All Might?"
"All those worries," All Might said, smiling warmly, "mean you're already thinking like a true hero."
He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. "When I was active, I faced the same criticism. Other heroes said my presence warped the balance. That villains waited for me, that civilians expected miracles."
Izuku's eyes widened. "You did?"
"Of course," All Might said. "Power doesn't exist in a vacuum. The greater it is, the more it changes the world around it."
Nezu folded his hands. "The issue isn't that you're helping," he said calmly. "It's that the current hero system was not built with someone like you in mind."
Izuku swallowed.
"You are not stealing the spotlight," Nezu continued. "You are redefining the stage."
All Might nodded. "But that doesn't mean the other heroes are wrong to feel threatened. Pride, insecurity, relevance—those are human emotions. Heroes are not exempt from them."
Izuku clenched his fists. "So what do I do?"
All Might's expression turned serious. "You learn when to act, not just how."
He pointed a finger upward. "Saving lives always comes first. If someone will die without you, then you move. No hesitation."
Izuku nodded immediately.
"But," All Might continued, "when the situation is stable—when other heroes are capable—you can choose to support instead of replace. Be the shield, not the sword. The safety net, not the headline."
Nezu smiled. "In other words, you don't need to limit yourself to one city. Nor should you chain yourself down to avoid offending others. What you need is judgment."
Izuku exhaled slowly. "And the spotlight?"
All Might chuckled again. "Young Midoriya… the spotlight will follow you whether you want it or not."
Izuku winced.
"The trick," All Might said gently, "is to stand slightly to the side of it when you can—and step fully into it when no one else can."
Nezu nodded approvingly. "You are not here to make heroes obsolete. You are here to raise the standard. Others will adapt."
Izuku sat there, letting their words sink in. The knot in his chest loosened just a little.
"So," Izuku said, "I keep helping… but I think more. I prioritize. I don't hold back when lives are on the line—but I don't take over just because I can."
All Might's smile widened. "Exactly."
Nezu took a sip of tea. "And for the record," he added lightly, "this internal conflict is precisely why U.A. exists. Power without wisdom breaks systems. Power with wisdom evolves them."
Izuku stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you. Both of you."
As he straightened, All Might placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"You're walking a path no one else can walk," All Might said. "But you're not walking it alone."
For the first time since the heroes had yelled at him, Izuku smiled—not wide, but steady.
He still didn't have all the answers.
But he finally knew which direction to keep flying.
have izuku fly back to the provisonal license exam and sit with aziawa and Ms. joke they talk about the exam and how being a hero going for someone so young
Izuku left Nezu's office with a clearer head and a steadier heart. He stepped outside, glanced once toward the sky, and then launched himself upward. A red-and-blue blur cut through the clouds as he headed straight back toward the provisional license exam site.
He slowed as he approached the massive testing complex, dropping down behind the spectator and instructor area instead of making a scene. Aizawa was already there, wrapped in his capture weapon, standing beside Ms. Joke as they watched the students gather below.
Izuku landed quietly and walked over. "Sorry I stepped out earlier," he said.
Aizawa didn't even turn his head. "You made it back before the exam started. Sit."
Izuku did, perching on the edge of the platform railing. Ms. Joke glanced at him, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Well well," she said, leaning closer. "If it isn't the world-saving first-year. You're cutting it pretty close, you know."
Izuku laughed awkwardly. "Yeah… sorry."
Ms. Joke tilted her head, studying him. "You ever think it's unfair? Being a hero already, when you're still this young?"
Izuku blinked. "Unfair?"
"To you," she clarified. "Most kids your age are worried about exams and training scores. You're out there dealing with international incidents, angry pros, and public expectations."
Aizawa finally spoke. "Being a hero isn't about age," he said flatly. "It's about responsibility. And that's exactly the problem."
Izuku looked down at the students below—his classmates among them. "That's what I was thinking about," he admitted. "Some heroes today… they were angry. Said I was taking their jobs. Their spotlight."
Ms. Joke's expression softened. "Ah. The ugly side of hero society."
Aizawa sighed. "It doesn't matter how strong you are. The moment you disrupt the balance, people get defensive. Especially professionals who've built their identity around being needed."
Izuku nodded slowly. "All Might said something similar. That I need to think about when to act—not just how."
Aizawa shot him a sideways glance. "He's not wrong."
Ms. Joke smiled faintly. "You know, most students taking this exam are terrified of failing. You're worried about what happens after you pass."
Izuku scratched his cheek. "I don't want to mess things up. I want to help… without making things worse."
Aizawa looked straight ahead. "You will mess things up. Every hero does. The difference is whether you learn from it or let it break you."
Below them, an announcement echoed as exam officials began organizing the students.
Ms. Joke stood up straight. "This exam is going to push them hard," she said. "Fear, chaos, pressure. It's meant to see who cracks."
Izuku watched his classmates steel themselves. "They'll be okay."
Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "You sound confident."
Izuku smiled, small but sincere. "They're training to be heroes. That means they chose this path. Same as me."
Ms. Joke laughed softly. "For someone so young, you carry that weight surprisingly well."
Izuku didn't answer right away. He just kept watching Class 1-A, determination clear in his eyes.
"I'm still learning," he said finally. "But I won't stop moving forward."
While the exam was underway, the testing grounds filled with noise—alarms blaring, students shouting, mock disasters unfolding all at once. Aizawa and Ms. Joke watched carefully, eyes tracking the chaos below.
Izuku sat quietly beside them.
Suddenly, he stiffened.
His gaze drifted away from the testing field, turning slightly to the west. For just a moment, his eye glowed faintly as he activated his x-ray vision, looking through concrete, steel, and distance itself.
Miles away, he saw it clearly.
A convenience store robbery in progress. Shelves overturned, a frightened clerk, two armed villains shouting orders.
But he didn't move.
Instead, he focused harder.
Just a few blocks away, three pro heroes were already in motion, closing in fast. Their body language was confident. Prepared. Capable.
The situation was under control.
Aizawa noticed the subtle shift in Izuku's posture. "Something wrong?" he asked, eyes never leaving the exam.
Izuku blinked, the glow fading from his eye. "No," he said calmly. "Some heroes are already taking care of it."
Ms. Joke glanced at him, then smiled knowingly. "You didn't jump in."
Izuku shook his head. "They've got it. No one's going to die."
Ms. Joke tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Izuku.
"…Hold on," she said slowly. "Did you just say you saw that from here?"
Izuku blinked. "Uh—yeah?"
She leaned closer, hands on her hips. "From miles away."
Izuku nodded again. "With x-ray vision. And my hearing's… pretty far-reaching too."
There was a brief pause.
Ms. Joke burst out laughing.
"X-ray vision?!" she said, pointing at him. "Since when do you have that? And Aizawa—were you aware your student is basically a walking privacy violation?"
Aizawa sighed. "I'm learning new things every week."
Ms. Joke grinned wickedly and bent down so her face was level with Izuku's. "So tell me, Superman—be honest. How often are you 'accidentally' peeking at girls through walls, hmm?"
Izuku froze.
"I—I don't!" he stammered, face instantly turning red. "I can control it! I don't use it like that—ever!"
Ms. Joke laughed even harder. "Relax, relax, I'm kidding. Mostly."
Aizawa shot her a flat look. "Don't tease him. He already overthinks everything."
She straightened, still smiling. "Hey, with senses like that, it's impressive he's this polite."
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I try really hard not to cross lines."
Ms. Joke's expression softened just a little. "That's good. Power like yours needs restraint—and self-awareness."
Aizawa glanced at Izuku. "The fact that you noticed a crime, confirmed pros were handling it, and chose not to intervene tells me you're learning faster than most."
Izuku looked back at the exam field, watching his classmates push through the challenges. "I'm trying."
Ms. Joke chuckled. "Just do me a favor, okay?"
Izuku looked at her. "Yeah?"
"Keep that x-ray vision pointed away from the girls' dorms," she said with a playful wink.
About half an hour later, the exam finally came to an end.
The remaining students were gathered, sweat-soaked and exhausted, as the final results were confirmed. One by one, quiet murmurs spread through the crowd as people checked the outcome.
For Class 1-A, the result was clear.
Only two had failed.
Bakugo stood rigid, jaw clenched so tightly it looked like his teeth might crack. Todoroki remained silent beside him, eyes lowered, expression unreadable. No announcement explained why. No justification followed. The decision simply was.
The rest of the class passed.
Some looked relieved. Others looked conflicted, glancing toward the two who hadn't made it. No one celebrated openly. The weight of the result pressed down on all of them.
The elevator doors slid open.
Izuku stepped out, stretching slightly as he walked into the kitchen area. "Hey," he said casually.
A few of the girls waved back.
He moved to the island in the center of the kitchen and sat down, opening his laptop. While it powered on, he reached into a nearby cabinet, grabbed a bag of chips, and tore it open.
"Test was brutal," Mina said from the couch.
"Tell me about it," Jiro added. "At least we're back to regular classes tomorrow."
Izuku smiled faintly. "You all did great."
They teased him lightly about not even taking the full test the same way they did, but the mood stayed relaxed. After a moment, they drifted back into their conversation.
Meanwhile, Izuku's screen lit up.
He began browsing international hero reports—quietly, thoughtfully. After his conversation with Nezu and All Might, he'd been thinking about something bigger. If the world was changing… maybe it needed coordination.
A headline caught his eye.
Central City Picture News: "Mysterious Red Streak Rescues Dozens from High-Rise Inferno"
Izuku leaned forward, reading carefully. Witnesses described a lightning-fast figure—barely visible, just a red blur—carrying people out of a collapsing building faster than firefighters could reach them.
He grabbed a notepad sitting beside his laptop and wrote:
Red Streak – Central City (USA)
He continued scrolling.
Another article popped up.
Gotham Vigilante Spotted: Bat-Like Figure Dismantles Crime Ring Overnight
Grainy photos showed a dark, cape-like silhouette perched on a rooftop. Reports described a "bat creature" striking fear into organized crime groups.
Izuku tilted his head. "Non-lethal… strategic… works at night…" he muttered, jotting it down.
Gotham – Bat Hero (USA)
A third article appeared.
Coast City Welcomes New Hero Wielding Mysterious Energy Ring
This one fascinated him. The report described a hero capable of forming solid energy constructs—shields, weapons, even platforms—using a glowing ring powered by willpower.
Izuku's eyes lit up.
"Energy manifestation tied to mental focus…" he whispered, scribbling again.
Coast City – Ring User (USA)
He paused and looked at the list.
"…They're all from the U.S."
That couldn't be the only place producing emerging heroes.
Izuku adjusted his search parameters, widening the scope.
Europe. Asia. Africa. South America.
Soon another report caught his attention.
Cairo Chronicle: Winged Duo Thwarts Smuggling Operation Along Nile
The article detailed two heroes with large wings, both wielding maces. They worked in perfect synchronization, aerial combat specialists with impressive restraint and precision.
Izuku leaned back slightly, impressed. "Strong. Coordinated. Protective instincts."
He wrote them down.
Egypt – Winged Mace Duo
As he read further, he noticed a pattern. The duo frequently teamed up with another figure.
A name appeared repeatedly.
Doctor Fate.
Izuku clicked the link and skimmed rapidly. Ancient symbolism. Arcane abilities. Reality manipulation on a localized scale. Strong moral compass. Appears during high-level threats.
"Magic user," Izuku murmured, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
He began writing the name down—
And froze.
A small, glowing ankh symbol materialized in midair directly in front of him.
The girls on the couch were still talking, unaware.
The ankh shimmered faintly, radiating a soft golden light. Then, without warning, a sealed letter appeared beneath it and dropped gently onto Izuku's laptop keyboard.
The symbol faded just as quickly as it had come.
Izuku stared at the letter.
Slowly, he reached out and picked it up.
Izuku turned the letter over in his hands.
There was no seal he recognized—just a faint golden symbol pressed into the paper in the shape of the same ankh that had appeared moments ago. The material felt thick, almost like parchment rather than modern paper, and it carried a faint warmth, as if it had just come from sunlight.
He carefully opened it.
Inside, elegant handwriting flowed across the page in dark ink.
Kal-El of Earth,
I have observed your actions with great interest.The balance of this world is shifting, and you stand at the center of that change whether you wish it or not.
There are matters that would benefit from discussion—matters of responsibility, power, and what lies beyond the horizon you currently perceive.
If you are willing, I would like to meet you.
Location: The Great Pyramid of Giza, EgyptTime: Whenever you choose to arrive
You will be expected.
—Doctor Fate
Across the room, Mina was mid-sentence about class schedules when she noticed Izuku staring at a piece of paper.
"Whatcha got there?" she asked casually.
Izuku looked up quickly. "Oh—uh—just… something I need to check on later."
She shrugged and went back to talking.
Izuku looked down at the letter again, rereading the words.
The balance of this world is shifting…
His notepad sat beside him, filled with names of emerging heroes across the globe. People like the red speedster, the Gotham vigilante, the ring user… the Egyptian duo… Doctor Fate.
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