While still trapped inside the shimmering force field, Izuku Midoriya felt his stomach twist and churn. The sensation of being hurled through dimensions at incomprehensible speed made his head spin, his vision warping into streaks of color and light. He could see countless realities passing by—entire worlds flashing before his eyes in an instant. For a fleeting moment, he could have sworn he saw himself within one of them, living a life that felt both familiar and alien. But he couldn't tell if his eyes were deceiving him, or if he was truly glimpsing another version of himself.
Then came the voices.Echoes of memories—or perhaps fragments of his other selves—began whispering into his mind as he drifted through the dimensional current.
"My legs moved on their own! I don't know why, though!"
"My whole body hurts... fighting while in pain, reading the enemy's moves... you already went through all this, didn't you? Hey, Izuku, can I still catch up to you?"
"The only words I can say are: look closely at what you want to become!"
"If you're going to die, then die after you've achieved your goal!"
"As long as people help each other, someone who inherits the spirit of a hero will destroy you—without fail."
"Meddling when you don't need to... that's the essence of being a hero, right?"
"Please... let this place... continue to be his hero academia!"
"You can become a hero."
Each voice resonated deep within him, piercing through the noise of the void. He didn't understand why—but his heart ached, and tears welled in his eyes. It was as though he was mourning a life he had already lost, memories from a world that no longer existed. A world that had been his.
When the turbulence finally calmed, Izuku opened his eyes and saw it—the multiverse itself. A vast, breathtaking sphere of infinite universes, each one shimmering like a star enclosed within a translucent bubble.
The sight was beautiful beyond words. But that beauty was shattered when, from the edge of eternity, he saw one of those universes collapsing into nothingness. A distant spark fading into oblivion.
He knew, instinctively, that it was his world. His reality.
His chest tightened. His mother… was gone.He failed her. Her mother would spend her final moment believing she had failed to protect her son. The thought broke him.
With trembling hands, Izuku took out the iPod—his only remaining link to her. Inside was a recorded message from his mother, but he couldn't bring himself to press play. His tears finally fell.
"I'm sorry, Mom...! I'm such a pathetic, worthless son! It's not your fault!"
He wept until the force field's hum became the only sound in the emptiness. Minutes—or perhaps hours—passed before he wiped his face, forcing himself to breathe.
He had to stay composed.
Whatever world he was heading toward, he needed to be ready.
Still, disbelief lingered in his heart. The existence of the multiverse alone was overwhelming—but now, he had learned of an omniverse, a realm of countless multiverses, each one containing infinite worlds.
Unknown, the enigmatic being who had "saved" him, had told him that he could no longer belong to any universe within his old multiverse. Perhaps it was because every single one already contained a version of Izuku Midoriya. There was no place left for him anymore.
"So... what kind of multiverse am I entering now?" he murmured. "Do they have heroes too? Or Quirks?"
He reached for his notebook out of habit, intending to jot down observations, but the charred remains of its pages crumbled in his hands. A bitter smile crossed his face.
"Couldn't Unknown have saved me before Kacchan blew up my notebook?" His voice echoed weakly through the void.
The question about Unknown's intentions continued to gnaw at him. Why save only one person from each reality swallowed by nothingness? And why him, of all people—a boy without a Quirk?
Unknown had said he would play an "important role" in one of the universes in another multiverse, yet even that being claimed ignorance of what the role was. It made no sense.
Before he could dwell further, the force field began to shift.
From afar, a new bubble appeared—another multiverse, radiating with unfamiliar energy. Izuku could sense it: this was the realm Unknown had spoken of.
But as he stared, he realized he couldn't tell the difference. Each universe looked the same from here: radiant spheres in a cosmic sea.
The force field locked onto one specific universe within that new multiverse. As it accelerated, the voices returned, louder and stranger this time—belonging to people and places entirely unknown to him.
"Tikki, spots on!"
"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"
"You save the world every day with your mask, but the girl behind it saved my heart."
"Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his Lady."
"If chaos is the way, then I'll burn the world and lose myself in the flames!"
"Fly away, my little akuma, and evilize him!"
"Plagg, claws out!"
"Miraculous Ladybug!"
The overwhelming flood of voices pierced through his skull. Izuku groaned, clutching his head. The force field shuddered, reacting to his instability, and before he realized what happened, his hand brushed against the interior wall.
Instantly, the sphere began to spin out of control, spiraling violently as it plunged into the heart of the designated universe.
—
When the force field pierced through the atmosphere and descended toward the planet, Izuku felt the world twist around him once more.
Before he could brace himself, the sphere crashed through a mansion roof, hurtling into an ornate office lined with glass cabinets and marble flooring. The sudden impact sent papers and furniture flying, and the force field collided directly with a man standing near the desk.
The man was knocked unconscious instantly, crumpling to the floor as something small and metallic slipped from his pocket, clattering across the tiles.
The luminous barrier flickered violently, cracks of blue light running through it before it finally dissolved with a sharp pop. Izuku stumbled forward, disoriented and dizzy from the crash.
He blinked several times, taking in his surroundings—mahogany walls, elegant furniture, a massive portrait of a stern-looking man with silver hair. It looked like an office belonging to someone wealthy, perhaps even famous.
"Where… am I?" he muttered under his breath, still dazed. His gaze fell on the unconscious man. Judging by his formal suit and the luxurious decor, he was likely the owner of this mansion.
Izuku panicked.
"Oh no… I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't mean to—uh—I'll just… go now!"
He backed away nervously, glancing around for an exit. The last thing he needed was to be arrested the moment he arrived in this strange new world. That was when his eyes caught the glint of the object that had fallen earlier—a silver locket shaped like a stylized brooch.
For some inexplicable reason, he felt drawn to it. As if compelled by instinct, he crouched down and picked it up. The moment his fingers brushed against it, he felt a faint pulse of energy ripple through his hand.
Before he could examine it further, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. His heart leapt into his throat.
Without thinking, Izuku bolted toward the nearest window.
"Sorry again!" he whispered, before smashing the glass with his elbow and leaping through.
He landed roughly in a bush outside, wincing in pain but forcing himself to stay completely still.
Moments later, a woman and a bodyguard burst into the office. Izuku peeked through the leaves, catching sight of them. The woman had sharp eyes behind rectangular glasses, and her professional attire suggested she was an assistant or secretary.
"Sir, are you alright!?" she cried out, kneeling beside the unconscious man and shaking him gently. "Sir! Please wake up!"
Relief washed over her when she felt his pulse—he was alive, just unconscious. But her expression hardened when she noticed the shattered window. "Someone broke in," she murmured darkly. "No one enters the Agreste Mansion without an invitation."
She stood, her tone turning firm. "Placide, find the intruder and bring him to me."
The tall, broad-shouldered bodyguard gave a curt nod before marching out of the room. Izuku froze as he heard the man's footsteps crunch closer to the bushes where he was hiding.
His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might give him away. He covered his mouth, afraid even his breathing might rustle the leaves.
Just as Placide was about to reach the bushes, another voice cut through the tension.
"Nathalie, is everything alright?"
Izuku peeked out just enough to see a young blond man rush into the office, his expression filled with concern. His bright green eyes flickered between the unconscious older man and the assistant.
"Is my father okay!?" he asked, worry thick in his tone.
Nathalie sighed, still checking the older man's condition. "Yes, Adrien. He's fine. There was some kind of break-in, but it looks like the intruder fled. Go upstairs and lock your doors and windows—it's dangerous right now."
Adrien hesitated, glancing once more at his father before nodding. "Okay. Please take care of him." He turned and hurried upstairs, with Placide following to secure the upper floors.
Izuku waited until the coast was clear. From his hiding spot, he saw Nathalie press a concealed panel behind the office bookshelf, revealing a hidden passage.
She carefully helped the unconscious man—inside before the secret door closed behind them.
This was his chance. Izuku crept out from the bushes, sprinted toward the perimeter fence, and began to climb. The wall was high, but he'd trained enough to pull himself up with determination.
He used his torn school uniform to cover his face as he scaled over the top, landing clumsily on the other side.
He tore off his uniform jacket the moment he reached the nearest alleyway, gasping for air. His entire body trembled from adrenaline and exhaustion.
"Great," he muttered between breaths, "first day in a new universe and I'm already breaking and entering."
—
After a few tense minutes of silence, he stepped out from the alley. No one seemed to be following him. The mansion's distant outline disappeared behind rows of buildings.
As he walked down the streets, he noticed something strange—people chatting in a language he barely recognized. The signs, the accents, the rhythm of their words… this wasn't Japan.
He caught a few fragments of English, but his comprehension was clumsy at best. His father had once tried to teach him before going abroad, but those lessons felt like a lifetime ago.
Then, as he turned a corner, his breath caught in his throat. Rising majestically in the distance was the Eiffel Tower, glinting under the soft afternoon light.
"Paris…" he whispered in awe. "I'm… in Paris."
The realization hit him like a wave. The City of Love—one of the most iconic places on Earth. Was this where Unknown had meant to send him? Or had his accidental bump inside the force field caused a random landing? Either way, it seemed that fate—or perhaps sheer cosmic misfortune—had brought Izuku Midoriya to the heart of Paris.
"What am I supposed to be doing in Paris?" Izuku muttered in confusion, staring down at the ornate locket brooch resting in his palm. The polished surface shimmered under the afternoon light, its craftsmanship far too exquisite for something ordinary.
A sinking realization struck him.
"Oh crap… I stole this! I stole something valuable from that mansion!"
Panic flooded through him as he paced back and forth, his thoughts spiraling.
"I have to return it! But if I do, they'll think I'm the thief! I'll get arrested for sure—and I don't even exist in this world! No ID, no record, nothing! Oh no, no, no, no, this is bad! I should've stayed in my own reality with Mom! I don't think I was meant to be he—!"
"Calm down, Master."
Izuku froze mid-sentence, his voice catching in his throat. His eyes darted around wildly, scanning the empty street. "Wha—who said that?"
Passersby gave him strange looks, whispering among themselves as they continued walking, but no one seemed to acknowledge the mysterious voice he'd just heard.
"Master," the voice spoke again, calm yet distant. "Find a place where we can speak privately."
Izuku's heart raced as he turned in every direction, searching for the source. The voice sounded close—almost inside his head—but too clear to be a hallucination.
Maybe it was another side effect of his chaotic arrival through dimensions. Still, something in the tone compelled him to listen.
He hurried away from the crowded streets, eventually finding a quiet spot by the Seine River. The late afternoon sun glimmered off the rippling water, casting golden reflections against the stone steps.
It was peaceful—at least for now. He sat down cautiously, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby.
A Liberty boat floated idly in the distance, its deck seemingly empty.
"Alright," he said hesitantly, "we're alone now… probably." His voice wavered with uncertainty. "Who are you? Are you some kind of voice in my head?"
Without warning, the locket in his hand began to glow faintly. Izuku's eyes widened as something ethereal emerged from within—a small, butterfly-like creature about ten centimeters tall, its translucent wings fluttering gently in the air.
Its body shimmered with soft shades of lavender and violet, and delicate spirals marked its forehead and lower wings. Two calm, dark purple eyes regarded him with timid curiosity.
"Greetings, new Master," the creature said in a meek yet polite tone. "I am Nooroo, the kwami of Transmission." It bowed slightly, its wings trembling faintly. "You are now the new wielder of the Butterfly Miraculous… hmm…"
Izuku blinked rapidly, his brain struggling to catch up with what his eyes were showing him. He stared at the tiny creature floating before him, then at the glowing brooch in his palm, then back again.
After several seconds of stunned silence, he finally managed a single sound.
"Eh?"