[Midoriya Izuku's POV]
The adrenaline still hadn't worn off. Izuku's legs ached, and each step toward home felt like dragging iron weights through mud. But his heart—his heart was soaring.
I saved Kacchan.
The memory was fresh. Terrifying. Unreal. He had charged forward without thinking, without a plan, without even a Quirk. Just instinct.
And it had worked.
Well… kind of. All Might had still done the saving. But Izuku had moved first.
That thought alone filled him with a strange, electric kind of pride.
Until—
"Oi, Deku."
That voice.
Sharp. Familiar. Loaded with venom.
Izuku froze. Slowly, he turned.
Katsuki Bakugou stood a few feet behind, arms stiff at his sides, palms faintly crackling with sparks. His school uniform was torn and stained with sludge, his eyes wide with something Izuku couldn't quite name.
"…Kacchan."
"The hell was that back there?!" Bakugou barked, voice trembling slightly. He took a step forward, fists clenching tighter. "You trying to embarrass me?!"
Izuku stood his ground. "You were in trouble. I had to—"
"Don't give me that!" Bakugou's voice cracked like a whip. "You think I'm weak or something?! You think a worthless, Quirkless nerd like you gets to save me?!"
There it was. The old script. But something about the words didn't hit the same way anymore.
Izuku looked him in the eyes. "I didn't do it because I thought you were weak."
Bakugou flinched.
"I did it because someone I care about was going to die. That's all."
For a long moment, neither of them moved. The sound of distant sirens drifted through the cooling air.
Then Bakugou scoffed, breaking the silence.
"Tch. Still playing the hero, huh?" He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Stay outta my way, Deku. Next time, I won't let you help."
He walked off without looking back, sparks flickering behind him like embers.
Izuku stood alone beneath the streetlight, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"He's still angry. But… he's shaken."
"And for once… I'm not."
---
The Hero's Arrival
Izuku had barely taken two steps when a voice boomed behind him—deep, familiar, commanding.
"Young Midoriya!"
Izuku whirled, eyes going wide. "A-All Might?!"
There he was. The Symbol of Peace, towering like a statue cast in gold, though his presence tonight felt… different. Softer.
He wasn't smiling as wide. His cape hung still. His breathing was measured—but there was strain in it.
Izuku's mind raced. "H-how—why—"
All Might raised a hand. "Apologies for startling you."
Izuku blinked rapidly. "No, I just—um—didn't expect—"
The hero chuckled, but it came with a cough, faint steam trailing from his mouth. "I owe you an apology."
Izuku gawked. "You… what?"
All Might's gaze turned serious. "Earlier, I told you something. That someone without a Quirk couldn't be a hero." He paused. "I was wrong."
The words hit Izuku like a freight train.
"I saw what you did. You didn't hesitate. Even though you had no power, even though the villain was deadly—you moved. You ran to help someone in danger."
Izuku's throat tightened. His vision blurred.
"That," All Might said gently, "is the essence of heroism."
For a moment, the world faded into a still, breathless quiet.
Then All Might stepped forward. "Which is why I have a proposal for you."
Izuku's heart stuttered. "A… proposal?"
All Might's signature grin returned—gentler now, but still bright. "Yes. You, young Midoriya, have the potential to become a true hero."
Izuku's knees wobbled. "Me? But… I'm Quirkless. I mean—how could I ever—"
All Might cut him off with a raised hand. "My Quirk… is unlike any other. It can be passed down. It's called One For All."
Izuku's breath caught.
"One For All," All Might repeated. "A power cultivated through generations, each user strengthening it, adding to its might. It is both a torch… and a burden."
He looked directly into Izuku's eyes.
"And I've decided to pass it to you."
Silence.
Wind rustled through the leaves nearby.
Izuku's brain stalled. "You… you want to give me your Quirk?!"
All Might nodded. "Yes. Because you have the one trait every great hero shares: the resolve to act. When everyone else froze… you didn't."
Izuku's lips trembled. "But… I'm just a fanboy. I mean i train my body for the past few years but that's it. I—"
"You'll train harder," All Might said firmly. "And you'll grow. That's what makes a successor."
Izuku's breath hitched.
He thought about all the times he'd sat in front of his notebooks, sketching battle tactics he'd never get to use. About all the doctors who told him no. About all the kids who laughed. The teachers who looked away.
And then, today.
He had acted.
His fists clenched. "I'll do it. I'll train harder than before. I'll give everything I have!"
All Might laughed, full-throated and warm. "That's the spirit!"
Izuku sank to his knees, overwhelmed. The tears came freely now, soaking the front of his uniform.
All Might rested a hand on his shoulder. "We start tomorrow. You'll need to get stronger—much stronger."
Izuku nodded furiously. "I'll do it! I'll clean every beach in Japan if I have to!"
"…Funny you should mention that," All Might said with a mischievous grin.
---
[Sasaki Kenjiro's POV – That Night]
High above the city, Kenjiro sat on the roof of the orphanage, legs swinging over the edge, a half-eaten meat bun in hand.
The stars were clear tonight, but his eyes weren't on them.
He watched the dark silhouette of All Might leap between rooftops, the faint ripple of energy trailing behind.
"…So, he finally passed it on."
He took a bite, chewed slowly, then grinned.
"Heh. Took long enough."
He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head.
Midoriya Izuku. Bearer of One For All. The future Number One Hero.
Kenjiro closed his eyes.
"I'll be watching. And when the time comes… I'll be ready too."
Below, the city lights flickered like stars.
*****
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