I'm back y'all I decided to get this chapter started while I changed the last chapter slightly just in how Iida and Todoroki addressed each other. I have been sitting on this chapter for a while but its here now . I played with fonts and writing a lot so hope you like it.

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Toshinori looked beside him seeing his successor fidgeting nervously. He wasn't surprised , all it took to get Midoriya nervous was getting a female to talk to him . How the Ninth survived his classes with Midnight was a feat in itself .

Still standing outside a HPSC branch would probably make anyone nervous , especially with such a titanic task ahead of him . Even Hero Schools besides UA are under constant fire . Since their founding people have accused hero schools of creating child soldiers or just sending kids to their death on work studies , like the story of the young hero student Loud Cloud who died tragically at his internship .

If the Commission thought Midoriya would ruin their "perfect" reputation then they wouldn't let him out in the field .There was always the possibility of this being formalities and they'd already decided …..

Stay calm , their not conceited enough that they'd disregard Izuku's strategic value .

He needed to calm his nerves , Midoriya's been in situations with worse odds before . He needed to believe in him .

" Sorry to have kept you waiting Yagi , it's great to see you again ."

Toshinori turned around negativity forgotten at hearing a voice of good cheer , one he hadn't heard in years .

" Ah! Tastumaki it's been awhile ."

Tastumaki Onigiri was one of Toshinori's good albeit strange friends but their was never a dull moment with him . Then again its hard to be bored when you're friends with a guy who's a head is a giant onigiri with eyes and a comically large mouth ( his parents weren't very creative) .

It actually made sense he'd be here , after he saved Tastumaki's wife from an office fire the strange headed man had offered his services to All Might whenever it was needed. He had become Toshinori's go-to when he needed to deal with the Commission in any way .

Tastumaki had shifted his eyes towards Izuku before looking back to Yagi .

" We can catch up later, for now though I think we are all anxious to see what this young man is capable of . Lets get this show on the road ."

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Izuku closed his eyes trying to calm down , Mr Tastumaki was about to brief him on the exam , he needed to stop focusing on nerves and Tastumaki's quirk ( how has his head not gone bad yet dammit!) and get his head in the game .

Said confusing quirk man had led them to a room overlooking a mock cityscape. Similar the ones at UA an empty concrete jungle where he could learn how to operate in the real world .

The actual room was a basic viewing area refreshments , comfortable seating and screens showing areas around the faux metropolis. Tastumaki lead them to a table with a map on it .

The onigiri man revealed the map to them with the flourish of a seasoned showman, it looked like an ordinary map detailing the city with a couple exceptions , on of which a bright red line which started at one blue building and finished at another side of the city , there were also various skull and crossbones scattered around the map , Izuku counted five of them .

" This my young man is a simple escort mission , the lovely people wishing to get their hero licences will have to guard an armoured van bringing cash from one bank to another across town , However a dastardly villain will attempt to steal the load ! The heroes will pass by either successfully making it to the bank , in which it is assumed that security forces and them could easily dispatch a villain , or simply defeat the vile criminal where he stands !"

Izuku had to admit for an HPSC member , he expected Tastumaki to be more serious but this was a welcome surprise. One thing he said stood out though .

" Heroes ? As in plural , am I going to be working with others?"

The smile Izuku got in response insured that he would be having onigiri related nightmares for weeks .

" Mr Midoriya , I don't believe I ever said you were the hero in this exercise did I ?"

Eh?

" You see while we were thinking of an exercise to test you , we remembered that some hero school graduates didn't pass the Full Time Licencing Exam and were undergoing remedial classes ….."

Oh no

"…… So we thought why not kill to birds with one stone . Pretty clever don't you think ?"

He heard All Might clear his throat behind him .

" Now , Now isn't it a bit much to send him against graduates?"

" Not really, there both aiming for the same thing so they should be equally prepared to face the challenges for Full-Time Licences ."

" He's out numbered ."

" Good that's the aim ."

Izuku couldn't resist shouting at that.

" Wait what?"

" Come on kid , we've said it a million times by now . If the public realises we've gotten desperate enough to send kids into our battles the Commission's screwed, It doesn't matter if you pass this test and legally are a hero . We'll all be done for because we 'manipulated' you and 'forced' you to walk to your death . Do you know what that means?"

" That people can't know I'm doing this but …."

And then it clicked in Izuku's head .

" If people aren't supposed to know about me that means even if I get this licence I can't work with other heroes in case the press spots me even if I work at night that's doesn't mean they stop reporting , being near any hero will get me spotted so …."

Tastumaki nodded grimly.

" Most, if not all your missions will be solo , we can send some underground heroes now and again but with the popularity contest heroism has become those are a dying breed .You know Gran Torino so he may be able to help but his age is catching up to him he can't do hero work for long ."

It felt like gravity itself just doubled around Izuku . Even if he became a legitimate hero he still expected to have back up but it turns out reality is kinda harsh .

It felt like he was quirkless again , a lonely boy trying in vain to do the impossible and his resolve slowly but surely breaks down until he's drowning . He's drowning and drowning and now he can't breathe .

Take a swan dive of a roof

A hero without a quirk? I think not

I'm sorry! Izuku

Was the room all ways this hot ? Was it always spinning? Izuku was becoming very aware of himself. The cold sweat freezing his skin while his insides burned . He could feel the bile creeping up from his throat .

He couldn't do this .

He wasn't strong enough .

He was weak .

Useless

A Deku

"Now, Now do you really still think that Ninth ?"

All of a sudden Izuku wasn't in the room anymore he was moving .

Not walking. Not running.

Moving.

His still body was being launched into infinite darkness before his eyes were suddenly assaulted by a kaleidoscope of incalculable colours that should never be seen by human eyes . His skull shook and his eyes burned .

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He didn't know when but eventually he realised that he was now laying face down in something cold . Standing up opening his strained eyes he found himself in a city seemingly in mid winter . That explains the cold but it sure as hell didn't explain how he got here or where here was for that matter .

" Come on Toshi , you can do better than that !"

Izuku turned around hoping to ask the people he heard for answers only to freeze (ha) in shock at who the two individuals were .

On the ground panting was a All Might or more accurately a young Toshinori. He didn't have his titian like physique but the iconic hair was easy to recognize even not styled up . Next to him was a women he'd never seen but from how All Might spoke of her it was easy to tell .

A fierce woman who stood as tall as a mountain but a smile so gentle it felt like a mothers embrace.

This was Nana Shimura , Seventh user of One for All.

"C'mon , Toshi I know you're better than this , what's wrong kiddo ?"

Izuku tried to call out to them figure out what the fuck is going on only to realize he has no mouth or body really. Looking down all he saw was a cloud of greenish-black mist , it almost looked like …

" Sensei is my dream really possible ?"

That got Izuku out of his head , All Might's voice sounded so ..defeated . Like he was lost , like he was giving up .

He sounded like Izuku.

"Exactly."

Izuku looked next to him and saw another Nana , slightly older and a bit more ethereal even when compared to his own body which still felt familiar like….

Like the vestiges of One for All he saw in his fight with Shinso !

" Ah sharp mind you got there , I'll answer your questions later for now though listen to the other me . She's got something important to say ."

While they were talking the Nana in the vision , memory whatever the fuck had kneeled down next to Young All Might both of them looking out into the frozen city .

" You finally got to this point huh ? Guess I should've figured ."

" This point ?"

" The moment when it seems like no matter how hard you try nothing seems to matter , we've all been there Toshi ."

" Even you?"

" You bet'cha ass I have , though I will admit you'll probably be here more than I'll ever be , you want to change the world Toshi it's as much a noble path as it will be a soul crushing one ."

" But how do I get out it feels like I keep running forwards only to end up further back ."

" That's simple , remember your origin . The reason you clench your fist and fight , why you train day in and day out . In the past lies the keys to the future."

Young All Might and Izuku both looked their fists , thinking back on their own paths . Past and future slowly reaching the same conclusion.

I want to become a hero that saves everyone. With a smile.

Young All Might and Past Nana were continuing the conversation behind him but Izuku wasn't listening anymore .

He found what he needed in the most unlikely of places . He looks to Nana's vestige wishing he could talk to express his feelings , thankfully his eyes said It all .

Thank you for everything

" No problem kiddo now go on you got some cash to steal !…. I realise that came out wrong , Anyway GOOD LUCK KID YOU GOT THIS !"

With that Izuku blinks and he's back in the room All Might and Tastumaki looking at him worried. All Might naturally spoke first .

" Young Midoriya are you okay you looked like you were having a panic attack, if you're not feeling well we can…"

" I'm fine All Might ( never been better ) , so Tastumaki…."

Izuku looked at the snack man One for All rumbling underneath his skin Nine generations of power , wielded by eight amazing people before him one even after him .

All of them together.

" ….how exactly do I win this exercise "

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Phew this was a long one and there's certainly stuff to talk about . I hope you like my idea for a test I took a long time thinking of something with a fight scene since I hadn't done one yet but also entertaining and not just a straight up brawl. Also One for All doing whatever it wants . And finally….

Easter baby lets go ! What's your favourite Easter snack I'm curious personally I like putting those chocolate marshmallow eggs in a hot cross bun and toasting it until the chocolate melts . Well I know what imma go do now see ya on the flip side !