Izuku Midoriya's extreme training had placed a massive burden on his body.
That morning—
All Might rode ahead on a small motorized scooter, while Izuku followed behind, carrying a heavy safe on his back.
Suddenly—
Izuku collapsed.
"Hey! What's wrong? There are only three months left!" All Might shouted."Are you giving up?! Planning to take it easy today?!"
Normally, Izuku would have jumped back up immediately.
But this time—
He didn't move.
"…!"
His arms trembled violently.
Overtraining…?
All Might's heart sank.
"My goal was to get you ready in time for the exam… I adjusted everything based on your physical limits…"
"…But you didn't follow the plan."
"If you push yourself too far, it'll backfire! Don't you want to pass?!"
"I want to pass…" Izuku said, his voice shaking.
"But just passing… isn't enough!!!"
"I have to work several times harder than everyone else! Otherwise… I'll never catch up!"
"I want to become like you…"
"I want to be the greatest Hero—just like you!!!"
Izuku shouted as he raised his head.
Only then did All Might realize—
The goal Izuku was chasing wasn't just passing the exam.
It was something far beyond that.
"You really are an action-driven fanboy…" All Might muttered.
He suddenly transformed into his Hero form and picked Izuku up.
Izuku's face turned pale from exhaustion.
"…I don't hate that about you."
"But if that's the case—you can't rush like this!"
"I understand how you feel."
"…Then let me adjust the plan a little," Izuku said weakly.
"I'm not your uncle…" All Might sighed.
And just like that—
Time passed.
The day of the entrance exam arrived.
At six in the morning, All Might drove his truck to Takoba Municipal Beach Park as usual.
"Today's the exam… I hope Midoriya…"
Suddenly—
He heard a familiar voice.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
All Might turned—
And saw Izuku Midoriya standing atop a mountain of trash.
A mountain he had built—
Over ten months.
The beach—
Was completely clean.
Spotless.
"…No way…"
All Might's eyes widened in shock.
"He even cleared the areas outside the assigned zone…? Is this real?!"
"I finished it… just in time for the exam…" Izuku said weakly.
"GOOD GRIEF!!"
All Might instantly transformed into his Hero form.
As soon as Izuku finished shouting—
He collapsed.
All Might caught him.
"You really pushed yourself…"
"All Might… I did it… I made it…"
All Might gently placed him on the ground.
"You scared me… Honestly, you're incredible for someone your age."
He pulled out his phone.
"Look at this."
"…?"
Izuku glanced at the screen.
It showed—
Himself, ten months ago.
Lying on the same beach.
Crying.
Now—
His body was completely different.
Defined muscles.
Solid arms.
Powerful legs.
"You really worked hard. Truly."
All Might raised his hand dramatically.
"You've finally reached the starting line!"
Izuku looked down at his arm.
"…I still feel like I'm not good enough…"
"All Might gave me so much… I'm really grateful…"
Tears streamed down his face again.
…This is your own effort, All Might thought, watching him.
"You seriously need to fix that crying habit," All Might said, patting his back.
"Now then—time for your reward, Izuku Midoriya!"
"…Yes…!"
All Might plucked a single strand of hair.
"Some things are sold as lucky charms… but this is different."
"This is something you've earned."
"Engrave it into your heart."
Izuku clenched his fist.
This is more incredible than anything I've ever read in a manga…
All Might held out the hair.
"Eat it."
"…Huh?!"
"As long as you ingest my DNA, it'll work. I don't have much time left!"
"…This is way different from what I imagined…"
With visible hesitation—
Izuku swallowed the hair.
Three hours remained before the exam.
Afterward, All Might returned to his weakened form.
"…All Might, what kind of entrance exam is it?" Izuku asked.
"It's a combat trial. Do your best."
"…So I should go all out?"
"What do you think?"
"…Right."
Izuku nodded.
Then—
He removed the sandbags tied to his body.
They hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"…How much weight were you carrying?" All Might asked, stunned.
"Not much," Izuku replied casually."Sandbags on my arms, elbows, back, and legs… plus ten kilograms of iron in my shoes."
"I should take all of this back home first. I'll see you at U.A., All Might!"
Carrying roughly 20 kilograms of weight—
Izuku ran off.
"…This kid is insane," All Might muttered.
"…But he'll definitely become a Hero."
After returning home, Izuku took a shower and removed all the hidden weights from his clothes, shoes, and backpack.
At 8:00 a.m., February 26—
He stepped out.
"Mom, I'm heading out!"
"You'll become a Hero for sure, Izuku! Do your best!"Inko Midoriya called out.
Forty minutes later—
Izuku stood at the gates of U.A. High School.
I made it…
Today, I'll challenge the U.A. entrance exam!
"…I haven't even tested One For All yet… This is bad…"
"Move it, nerd!"
A familiar voice.
"Kacchan!"
"Don't stand in my way—or I'll blow you up," Katsuki Bakugo snapped.
"G-Good morning… let's both do our best—"
Bakugo walked past him without a word.
…He's been like this ever since that day…
"…I can't stay scared forever."
Izuku took a breath—
And stepped inside.
Entrance Exam
"Listen up! You're all elite applicants, so I'll skip the fluff!"A Hero instructor shouted.
Izuku read through the exam materials.
"Four types of villain robots… they all look dangerous…"
He checked his admission ticket.
"…Exam Site Two."
"Tch. You're in my exam site too?" Bakugo muttered nearby."Guess I'll crush you after all."
9:30 a.m.
Exam Site Two.
Duration: 10 minutes.
Izuku stood before the massive testing ground.
His legs trembled.
"…Get it together."
A whistle blew—
Everyone charged forward.
Izuku ran in—
But couldn't find any targets.
Other examinees were taking them down too quickly.
"Damn it… I'm too slow!"
Then—
A massive zero-point robot appeared.
"No way anyone can beat that thing!"
Students began retreating.
There was no reason to risk it.
Izuku turned to run—
Then he saw her.
A girl—
Pinned beneath debris.
The robot's massive foot descended toward her.
Without thinking—
Izuku moved.
"STOP!!!"
He leapt into the air—
And threw a punch.
A red glow surged through his arm.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
His fist struck the robot's face—
And destroyed it instantly.
"…I did it… but—!"
His arm—
His legs—
Were completely broken.
He fell.
"Hey!"
Suddenly—
His fall slowed.
He landed gently on the ground.
"It's good that you're okay," said the girl.
Izuku looked up.
It was the same girl he had just saved.
"…Thank you…"
A week later—
Izuku still wasn't quite himself.
He found himself smiling absentmindedly—
Even at something as simple as a fish head.