Chapter Text
A green-haired teen wandered unsteadily as he made his way home from the UA entrance exam. One that he undoubtedly failed.
Breaking his own body from the output of his idol’s Quirk, One for All, while not securing any Villain Points made him fail. The written exam he felt he did well enough, but the practical was essential. He might have saved the nice girl from earlier, but even that bright point was overshadowed by the pain of failure.
Izuku actually felt physical pain throughout his body long after Recovery Girl healed his limbs, a wince and grunt escaped his lips, despite his Bakugou gained pain tolerance it was still bothering him. As a result of the pain he was fidgeting, shifting his body around to try and ease the burning.
He was muttering as he came home and went to his room, thinking he probably just needed rest after such a taxing day, he even skipped dinner, he was noticing the pain less and less as his exhaustion set in, he just wanted to sleep.
At the same time, something else had woken up.
Several prefectures away, in the town of Dasuomiru, a head perked up and an eager smile crossed the person's face, while another close by felt a chill of dread.
Morning came far too soon for Izuku, much to his frustration at unintentionally sleeping in from his regiment. His body ached all over and his skin felt both hot and tight. He rolled off his mattress, barely noticing the heavier groans of the springs or the feeling of dried sweat in his sheets.
He stretched his arms above his head, not noticing the seams of his shirt whine, and fell to the floor to start push-ups. The heavy thump of the floorboards still went unnoticed as the slushed movements of his arms and body became more fluid. He worked through the pain from yesterday, his feelings of failure welling deep inside him.
"Okay, let's see… I should probably start with my run," he spoke to himself as pulled on his tracksuit. "Hm… yeah, two kilometers should do."
Finishing his routine, Izuku barely paid attention to how awkward his movements seemed, everything seemed either to close or to far. An outside observer would notice his slight unbalance, his slightly broader shoulders and thicker arms.
Dressing himself, Izuku didn’t notice the slight cling of his shirt, the way it stretched to accommodate him, the way it hugged him. Only an eagle-eyed observer would and only if they were looking for it. He just kept getting ready. He had adjusted All Might’s training plan over the last ten months, and the trickle of frustration made him want to go through the entire process all day.
He first noticed it, on Tuesday, when his shirt ripped. It wasn't by much, just a few popped seams at the shoulder, but he was getting bigger and heavier if the sounds of his steps were to be believed. Could One for All have increased his mass like it had done to All Might? Now his keen analytical mind went to work, he theorised that his growth was a factor of One for All, he also noticed how his workout, diet and rest affected it.
With this information, Izuku crafted a routine, a crude and basic one, but it was effective:
He started at the junkyard he and All Might relocated all the debris from Dagobah Beach. With acceptance from the diminutive overseer, Izuku worked his early mornings after his run to Rakkusu and started moving the non-metal materials for recycling, and with metal pieces, he sorted them based on type, which strangely enough got softer at his touch as he hefted the larger scrap.
He didn't exercise One for All itself, especially with the backlash from before. But after one particularly bad night, he threw a punch at a stubborn piece of an industrial freezer and there was a hefty dent with his fist imprinted on the metal. The shock of the action had him leave early to try and clear his head more peacefully.
He was out of hearing range when the loud screech and thunderous crash of the metal meeting the ground happened.
After his early morning junk sorting, he continued his running until he came to the Mos-Eispura shopping district, where food shops were starting to load up for the day. Without prompting, Izuku found himself helping unload the stock at various posts, to the gratitude of the store owners.
After taking home the foodstuffs the various shops gave him that weren't visibly pleasing to sell, he continued his runs, finding someone at Dagobah Beach was building a gazebo deck jutting out to the ocean. Without prompting, he began moving the lumber for the job, day by day hefting more than before with little issue.
He had noticed a new girl in the area, she was of average height, with hair a deep ocean blue and enchanting purple eyes that seemed to reflect some of his green. And while Izuku was no pervert he was a straight male teenager, so he noticed her… figure.
He had noticed her at the start of the Week, but she became more and more common around the shopping district, and she became a recurring figure in Izuku’s fantasies. Nothing much, mostly some mediocre meetings, though she always seemed to want to get closer.
Izuku shook his head to clear those thoughts away. Now was not the time or place for them. Though he felt he had seen her somewhere else...
Inko noticed her son’s improved body and increased appetite, how could she not? He was eating almost three times his original portions, were not for the freebies he got for helping the shop owners they would be in the red right now.
Other things she had noticed were his footsteps having louder impacts, his clothes were tighter across him, something she was secretly happy with as it meant more girls would notice him. He was also growing taller fast, abnormally fast.
Something else she noticed he was also distracted, so he didn’t notice, but she did, he was not the only one growing. She had gotten fitter, stronger, her bust had swollen as had her hips and behind.
They were not as pronounced as Izuku’s changes, but they were there. She had caught more than one person staring at her again, these changes certainly did wonders for confidence, and it did bring an ideal thought to her mind, was Izuku’s body enlarged as well?
Izuku opened his eyes blearily, glassy from the blaring sun from his open window. He would have kept it closed, but the night air kept his room cool despite some force heating everything around him. It's why he was sleeping in nothing but his boxer shorts in the twilight of winter.
Izuku squirmed, he was too warm, and he wanted to cool off, in an effort to do this he kicked off his covers, sweat began to make its way down him, he his snapped open as the fire within him raged across his skin.
Izuku’s in that moment wished with all his heart for the heat to stop, and in an instant he felt the heat leave his body, but not enough to be uncomfortable, and that’s when he saw it:
Izuku looked - really looked - at the world around him, the swirls and clouds of something. Energy, he realised; he was seeing energy, the warm red cloud of heat his body gave off, the cool blue of the lower temperatures of the room.
Seeing the dance both of these did was enthralling, it was like a couple doing the flamenco, it was smooth and moved to a beat Izuku could not hear. Izuku stared at it for hours, watching the swirling clouds becomes smooth waves.
Hesitantly, he reached out to touch it, the energies seemingly welcomed him, continuing their dance down his arm, his vision returned to normal to witness his arm covered by a heat haze, thrusting his hand forward at the wall, he watched in awe and glee as the heat slammed into the wall, making a small crater and melting part of it.
He haphazardly covered it with an All Might poster when his mom came in to see about the noise.
Izuku’s mind was in overdrive, he had already worked out he could control Thermal Energy, he could see it, amplify it, direct it (heat vision was so cool) and even shape it. He was at a sedulced part of the beach, well away from prying eyes.
With a deep breath, Izuku snapped his eyes open, glowing a scarlet red, heat gathered around his hands as he launched his right arm forward in a punch, a beam of heat the same size as his arm shot out.
Opening his hand split the beam into five smaller separate ones, each the size of its corresponding extremity. Slashing his arm downwards then drawing a circle with it, caused the heat to do the same. The sheer temperature of the heat had turned the sand at his feet into glass.
This was on top of his now superhuman Strength, Durability and Speed, he had tested it by throwing a large rock, out running the rock and taking it on the chest, he had barely felt it. Was One for All doing something to him?
After he had returned home from helping the blue haired girl move into her new accommodations, his mother jolted from her seat on the couch, haphazardly flailing with something in her Quirk’s grip.
“Izu-Izu-Izuku-Izu-” Inko stammered as she went in front of him. “I-it-it’s here-!”
Izuku looked down at her - literally as she now only came up to his chest in height, his new physique giving a daunting presence - and saw an envelope with the UA seal. He felt his blood pressure spike in his self-contained frustration as he plucked it from the air and slowly, near painstakingly stepped into his room.
He closed the door behind him, leaving his mother pacing in worry.
She knew deep down that he was feeling guilty, and it was partly her own fault, and prayed to anyone who would listen to let her baby boy live his dream…
Izuku did not know how long he had spent looking at the letter, all he knew that is was now dark and he finally mustered the courage to open his letter. With a shuddering breath and shaky hands he did just that.
He was startled by the light thud of something dropping out of his letter. “A Holo-projector, how rich is U.A?” he questioned as he moved to set up the holo-projector. His heart pounded in his chest, as he steeled himself for a rejection.
Said disk suddenly emitted a holographic projection of All Might's face, in hero form, right in front of the camera. ["Booyah! I am here as a projection!"] The hero announced as Midoriya screamed in surprise.
"Wait, All Might!? But this is from UA, isn't it?!" He asked, looking back and forth between the torn envelope and All Might on the screen in confusion and shock.
["I know it's been a while, but with great power comes a great amount of paperwork!"] All Might explained, before coughing and bowing. ["My apologies, young man! The truth is, I didn't come to this city just to fight villains. You are looking at the newest UA faculty member!"] He announced.
Midoriya leaned forward at this news in disbelief. "You're seriously going to be working at UA?" He asked.
All Might nodded at this, before someone off-screen began waving his finger. ["Hm? What's the matter? Who's showboating?! Oh, sorry, I'll wrap it up, but I have to show him something first."] He explained as the man continued to wave his finger and such. ["Wait, I have to do how many of these things?!"] He asked, before sighing and shrugging, looking back to Midoriya.
["Right! So! Moving on."] The number one hero continued, clearing his throat as Midoriya gulped nervously. ["Even though you passed the written test, you got zero points in the practical exam. Sorry."] He explained.
'I know that... Of course I know... It's all I've thought about...' Midoriya thought, slouching forward, gripping his pant legs tightly. 'I'm a failure...' He mentally sobbed.
["Fortunately, there were other factors."] All Might explained, Midoriya looking back to the screen. ["But before we get to that, I've got a surprise! Look! A short clip for your viewing pleasure!"] He said, gesturing to a TV beside him, playing a video.
The video showed the Gravity Girl walking into a classroom. ["Uh, do you have a sec? Sorry to interrupt."] she said, walking in as Izuku watched on, surprised.
"It's that nice girl." He said.
["She showed up after the exam to talk about you, young man."] All Might explained, causing Izuku to gasp. ["What did she say? You'll have to stay tuned to find out."] He said, resuming the video.
The girl was then shown to be talking to Present Mic. ["You know that boy with the messy hair and all the freckles? It's hard to describe his face. He's kind of plain-looking... He didn't really stand out or anything, you know..."] she said.
'She means me!' Midoriya realized.
["He would've had a better score if he hadn't stopped to help me! He saved me! I have to make it up to him!"] The girl said determinedly with her eyes closed tightly, causing Izuku to gasp. ["Please, sir! Can't you just... give him my points?!"] She asked.
All Might paused the video again. ["You have a Quirk now, yes, but it's your ACTIONS that inspire others!"] All Might explained, facing the TV, away from the camera and Izuku.
["I heard him say something about wanting to get just one point in. It seems crazy! How could someone who took down that huge robot all by himself not get any points in the end?"] she asked.
An image of Bakugo then showed up. "You'll never be able to hang with even the worst of the best, you Fucking DEKU!" His voice echoed in Izuku's mind.
["And that's why I am here!"] All Might continued, turning back to Izuku. ["You see, the practical exam was not graded on combat alone!"] All Might explained, making an X with his arms, again surprising Izuku.
All Might then replayed the video. ["Thanks for showing up at the station with your request, little listener, but there's no reason to give him your points. The kid's charting well on his own."] Present Mic explained, patting the girl's head.
All Might then stepped in front of the TV with the camera to his left. ["How could a hero course reject someone committed to saving others, no matter the consequences to himself!?"] All Might said, turning to the camera and Izuku. ["After all, that is what makes a hero!"] He added, leaving Izuku shocked. ["And that is what my Alma Mater as all about: Training those who would risk their lives for the greater good!"] He explained, Midoriya's shocked expression growing wider as he saw the scoring board, which also included an additional category. ["So we have Rescue Points!"] He told Midoriya.
The monitoring room was shown once again with someone holding up a scoring... thing, that had a 10 on it. Three more 10's and an 8 was shown as well. ["A panel of judges watches and they award points for heroic acts beyond just fighting villains."] All Might went on to explain. It was then revealed Midoriya came in 6th place with 60 rescue points.
[“Midoriya Izuku! 60 Rescue Points!"] All Might announced, Izuku's expression getting even more shocked. ["And Uraraka Ochako! 45 Rescue Points!"] He announced again, the scoreboard showing Uraraka to be in 3rd place with 73 points, the aforementioned 45 points and the 28 points she got from destroying the robots. All Might had his back to the camera AGAIN, before looking back over his shoulder at Izuku. ["You both passed the exam!"] he told the boy.
["Welcome… Young Midoriya..."] All Might proudly declares, ["...to your Hero Academia!"]
Izuku gaped, breathless as the world rebuilt itself around him. He got in… he was going to UA!
["Oh! One last thing, my boy!"] All Might said rushed. ["Meet me at Dagobah Beach after you get this. See you soon!"]
“Eh?” Izuku blinked before looking at the clock. It was already past 8? “Eh?” he had been sitting there looking at the envelope for over three hours?! “EhhhhhhhhhAaaaaaaAHHHHHHH!?" He screamed in panic, not even removing his green haori and rushing out the door, shouting to his mom as he slipped his shoes on. “HeyMomIgotintoUAIneedtostepoutforabitseeyoulater!”
Inko just stared openly at her son's retreating figure, a mixture of confusion, worry, and elated joy. Her baby was taking his own steps for his future.
The night sky was clear as Izuku made it to the top of the stairs, seeing his emaciated hero standing there, his relief made him call out "ALL MIGHT!"
The skeleton turned around sharply at this, blood spewing through his teeth. "Who is tha- WHOAREYOU!?!" he demanded, both in anger and in fear.
Izuku floundered at the accusation, clearly confused as All Might's eyes glowed an eerie blue. Looking to the side, he saw a couple on the recently built deck looking around frantically for the Number One Hero. Not wanting too much attention, he immediately stammered out “O-Oh! It w-w-was the wrong person!” causing the couple to go back to their seaside view, mutely disappointed.
Toshinori sighed in relief, then looked at this supposed newcomer. The person in front of him had Izuku’s face, but the rest was totally off! Even at his own 220cm(7’2”) height, this one was maybe 195cm(6’4”), only just reaching his hunched shoulders, while the normal Midoriya was at the base of his chest at 166cm(5’8”)!
“I'll ask again, who are you?” he glowered, making this imposter step back in convenient surprise.
“B-but it's me, Midoriya Izuku! Y-you gave me One for All as your hair right before the Entrance Exams!”
Toshinori gaped slightly, his jaw hanging open. No imposter could know about One for All, or the passing of the torch. Izuku would undoubtedly keep silent on the whole thing, and there was no one else around that morning, he checked!
And looking over him more, Toshinori could consider his muscles definition nearly on par with how he looked when he premiered in America. His shoulders were broad and the haori was close to tearing at the shoulder seams. His shirt tight on his chest, the katakana stretched out wide. Even his abs were slightly visible!
“My apologies, young man, but what did you do to yourself!?” Toshinori exasperated as he motioned his hands to his successor.
“I don’t know, All Might, I’ve been growing non-stop all week. Tuesday was when I first noticed it...” as Izuku explained his superhuman growth leaving out the increased lust and hormones. He eventually reached the point of his new physical powers.
“And All Might, can we go somewhere else? This next part needs to be seen to be believed,” Izuku asked. Toshinori’s head bobbed and both set off to the area Izuku had used to get to grips with his Thermokinesis.
As they stopped at the outcropping, Toshinori blinked at the smooth glass Izuku pulled from the sand. Strangely, some of the granules were melting into the glass as Izuku tried to brush it off.
"Unbelievable..." He rasped out.
"So basically my body is emitting heat at a relatively steady rate, even though I can control it in some way, which is why I was thinking that One for All did something to me," Izuku stated, “and well, the body I now have is not just for show, I threw a similar sized rock,” here Izuku hefted a rock the size of All Might’s buffed-up form's pectorals up “and threw it, I was able to out run and take it on my chest, it didn’t hurt."
All Might looked stunned, if Izuku was speaking truly, they he had developed Minor Superhuman Speed and Durability, “My Boy, how hard did you throw the rock, could you repeat the throw now?” he questioned his successor, he needed to figure out the limit of his heir’s new powers.
Izuku nodded and threw the rock at speeds of around 161kmph(100mph) and travel about a mile and a half out into the ocean before stopping, confirming to All Might that Izuku now possessed minor Superhuman physical attributes.
After a beat of silence as both men processed this, Izuku suddenly asked "Did something similar happen to you, All Might?" the need to know, to confirm whether or not this was a universal aspect or a unique situation was easily heard.
"Strangely enough, no..." Toshinori sighed. "My body was at physical peak when my master passed it on to me. Nothing like this has been even considered… wait, have you tried using One for All since you started changing?"
"Huh?" Izuku paused and quickly shook his head. "N-no, I haven't. After the first use, I thought it would be better to have Recovery Girl nearby, just in case..."
Toshinori nodded. "Smart thinking, how did it feel?"
Izuku folded his arms in front of his chest, and Toshinori could almost hear the fabric strain. He should probably call David and ask for the fabric he used for his own costume.
"Umm… it was sort of like a 'whoosh' or a 'bang', or… oh! It was like putting an egg in the microwave!"
Toshinori's laughter burst out with a fountain of blood spewing out. "KHAHAHAHAA! That's a pretty boring way to see it, but it's unique! I like it!"
Izuku flustered at the praise, a smile on his face as a hand rubbed his neck. He felt some of his heat pass through, and looked at his hand. "But this other power… it works similar, I think, but the energy doesn't stay in one place..."
"Describe it, my boy," Toshinori urged.
Izuku nodded. "It's sort of like a glowing warmth, focused at one point, then it spreads out, like a fire."
Toshinori nodded, "That's similar to the torch of One for All…"
"But it's more fluid, like it flows through me, trying to find a way out..."
"Hmm… sounds a bit like describing how a volcano is born..."
“But, it feels like it’s more than just Heat, like there’s something else, Something I haven’t worked out yet, it’s strange, I feel like the answer is obvious, but no matter how hard I try to work it out it still escapes me...”
Both men stood in contemplative silence after that, each taking a moment to gather their thoughts and feelings. Both of them marveled at the situation, after all, Izuku had just dropped a bombshell that was unheard of.
Though in a deeper part of Izuku’s soul, something had awoken, something that would soon take center stage. Something this world had not seen before. Something this world of Heroes and Villains was not ready for.