A/N: Sorry, after much internal debate there will be no Bottle Service. At least, not yet. Don't think it does enough to the story to justify the huge consequence to a certain character's psyche.

After more practice with his swordsmanship and getting ready for class, Izuku went and attended homeroom. Today is the day when the rest of his classmates are getting back from their internships.

The cool morning air hung heavy with tension as Iida Tenya, his face a mask of conflicting emotions, approached Izuku Midoriya on his way to the classroom.

"Midoriya-kun," Iida began, his voice tight with barely suppressed emotion, "I need to speak with you. It's about the... incident in Hosu."

Izuku turned, his expression a careful blend of concern and curiosity. "Of course, Iida. What is it?"

Iida hesitated, his eyes darting between Izuku and the ground. "I... I saw her. The girl... the villain who saved me from Stain."

Izuku's brows furrowed. "Himi? You saw Himi?"

Iida nodded, his voice barely a whisper. "She... she was terrifying. The way she fought, the things she said... she's a monster."

A shadow passed over Izuku's face. "Himi isn't a villain, Iida. She's... complicated."

"But she brutally killed Stain!" Iida protested, his voice rising in pitch. "She... she reveled in his suffering. She's dangerous, Midoriya-kun. You shouldn't associate with someone like that."

Izuku sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know she can be... intense," he admitted. "But she's not evil, Iida. She's just... lost. And she was only protecting you."

"Protecting me?" Iida scoffed. "By slaughtering a man in cold blood? That's not protection, that's brutality!"

Izuku's gaze hardened. "I asked her to look out for you, Iida. I was worried you might do something you'd regret. Or worse, lose your life. But she... went a little overboard." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "There are things... forces at work in this world, Iida, that you might not understand yet. But trust me, Himi isn't the enemy here."

Iida stared at him, a mix of disbelief and frustration warring within him. He wanted to argue, to rail against Izuku's seemingly misplaced trust in a known killer. But the memory of Himiko's chilling words echoed in his mind, a stark reminder of the darkness that lurked beneath the surface of this world. And Izuku's words... they hinted at something more, something beyond his understanding.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I... I understand, Midoriya-kun. But please, be careful. She's dangerous."

Izuku nodded, a solemn expression on his face. "I will, Iida. I promise."

He watched as Iida walked away, his heart heavy with a mixture of guilt and determination. He knew he had a lot to explain to Himiko, but first, he had a class to attend. And as he looked up at the sky, a thought echoed in his mind: 'They'll know soon enough. The truth about magic, about Evokers and Enchanters... it can't stay hidden forever. And when it does, I'll need all the allies I can get.'

As he made his way through the hallways of UA and opening the door to his class, Izuku looks around and sees all his friends have arrived safe and sound. Satisfied with the fact, he lets out a relieved sigh as he took his assigned seat.

The classroom erupted in raucous laughter as Bakugou stomped in, his hair slicked to the side in an unfamiliar style. "Seriously? Seriously, Bakugou?" Sero and Eijirou both wheezed, nearly choking on their drinks.

Katsuki, scowling, marched to his desk. "Don't laugh!" he barked. "My hair's gotten used to it, so it won't go back even after I washed it!" This only intensified the laughter. "HEY! DON'T LAUGH! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"I'd like to see you try, you side-part boy!" Sero taunted, earning a glare from the explosive blond. But the laughter gradually died down as the rest of the class settled into their seats, ready to discuss their internships.

"Oh, you get to fight villains! That's so nice!" Mina said to Kyouka.

Izuku couldn't believe what he was hearing and thought, 'Oi, Mina. You regularly fight dozens of monsters with us every other day.'

"I just helped people evacuate and did logistical support, so I didn't do any actual fighting, though," Kyouka replied.

"All I did was train and go on patrols too. There was just that one time when we caught a smuggler from a neighboring country," Tsu said.

Both Kyouka and Mina looked at her and said, "That's still amazing!"

Kyouka then looked towards Izuku's direction, her cheeks flushing slightly, and asked, "How about you, Midoriya?"

"Nothing too interesting, to be honest. Other than I got the crap beat out of me," he said with a wistful smile.

The classroom, filled with students who had seen Izuku's near-limitless power firsthand—at the quirk apprehension test, the Battle Trial, USJ, and the Sports Festival—was stunned. They had always believed he was already much stronger than ALL MIGHT. The idea that someone could overpower Izuku was unfathomable.

Todoroki furrowed his brow, his usual calm demeanor replaced by concern. He had seen Izuku's strength firsthand. The idea that someone could overpower him was unsettling.

Bakugou, for once, was silent. His intense gaze fixated on Izuku, the wheels in his mind turning. He had spent his entire life chasing after Izuku's strength, always striving to surpass him. But now, the very foundation of his being seemed to crumble beneath his feet. A cold terror gripped him, a fear he would never admit out loud, but that gnawed at his insides nonetheless.

"A-Are you okay?" Kyouka finally stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

"Yeah," Izuku reassured her, a confident smile returning to his lips. "Don't worry. I'm fine now." His eyes briefly met Ochaco's, a silent exchange of understanding passing between them.

A wave of relief washed over the class, but the unease lingered. They knew Izuku was strong, but the idea of him being overpowered shook them to their core.

"Really?!" Toru asked, concern etched in her voice.

"Yeah. Really," he replied, his voice soft but firm.

"Well, okay...if you say so..." Toru said uncertainly.

"So you met some powerful villains during your internship?" Kyouka asked as she subconsciously wrapping her earlobe around Izuku's forearm, as if to confirm his presence.

"I'd rather not talk about it. I have no idea why I even brought it up," Izuku said.

"Midoriya-chan, you don't have to act tough around us, you know? We're your friends and classmates." Tsuyu said.

"I'm not. But I appreciate the gesture, Asui-san," he told her.

"Call me Tsu. My friends always calls me Tsu."

"All right. Tsu," he said with a smile.

With that, the rest of the class decided to leave it at that. Still, the prospect that someone had actually beaten Izuku was going to worry them. It wasn't like they never saw him bleed, but what other reactions could they have upon hearing that?

After refueling with a hearty lunch, it was time for the next Heroics lesson with ALL MIGHT himself over at the sprawling Field Gamma. As Izuku entered the training ground, a hush fell over the class. Gone were his usual camo clothes, replaced by a magnificent suit of gleaming silver plate armor. While it has ornamentation, it's not over the top, its simple elegance speaking volumes of its craftsmanship. The armor accentuated his broad shoulders and powerful physique, radiating an aura of authority and strength that would make any king proud.

"Whoa, Midoriya, check out the new threads!" Kaminari exclaimed, his eyes wide with awe.

Mina, her cheeks flushed with excitement, let out a low whistle. "Damn, Daddy's looking like a total badass today!"

"He looks like he could conquer a kingdom," Hagakure added, her voice tinged with a hint of reverence.

Izuku smirked, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "It's custom-made," he said with a casual shrug, as if wearing legendary armor was an everyday occurrence.

Bakugou scoffed, but even he couldn't deny the sheer presence that Izuku commanded in his new attire. "Whatever, nerd," he muttered, though his tone was laced with a hint of begrudging respect.

"LISTEN UP!" All Might's voice thundered across the training site, instantly commanding the class's full attention. "WHEN I SEND OUT A DISTRESS SIGNAL FROM SOMEWHERE DEEP INSIDE THE MOCK CITYSCAPE, YOU'LL ALL START SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM THE OUTSKIRTS! IT'S A RACE TO SEE WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO REACH AND 'RESCUE' ME!"

He raised one bulging finger, his larger-than-life presence seeming to fill the space around them. "OF COURSE, YOU'LL NEED TO KEEP DAMAGE TO THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS TO AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM." His blazing blue eyes flickered directly to Izuku, the subtle gesture causing a few confused looks to be exchanged among the students.

'Right,' Izuku chuckled inwardly with a shake of his head. Some of his classmates snickered knowingly, all too familiar with the catastrophic levels of destruction his unstoppable power could unleash if left unchecked.

"ALL RIGHT, FIRST GROUP, GET IN PLACE!" ALL MIGHT bellowed. The first heat consisted of Izuku, Iida, Ojiro, Mina, and Sero.

As Izuku entered the training ground, the air was thick with anticipation. The scent of freshly turned earth and the faint, metallic tang of the cityscape filled his nostrils. His new armor gleamed under the artificial lights, each movement sending reflections dancing across the walls. He quickly formulated the most optimal route while minimizing potential damage.

Meanwhile, the rest of the students gathered at the sidelines to spectate, a buzz of excited chatter filling the air. "Hey, who do you think will come in second?" Eijirou asked the group.

Just as Rikido was about to ask why second place even mattered, the obvious answer dawned on him - with Izuku participating, first place was basically a foregone conclusion. "Sero sounds like he'd have a pretty clear advantage," he offered with a shrug.

Eijirou nodded sagely. "Yeah, can't deny that. Though Ashido's been on a whole other level lately, hasn't she?" His eyes gleamed with approval as he glanced sidelong at the pink girl. "Not that I'm not happy for her growth, I totally am! But she's gotten scary strong."

"Yeah, I noticed that too!" Kyouka exclaimed with wide eyes. "It's like she has this powerful aura surrounding her recently or something."

"Pretty weird," Eijirou agreed with a perplexed frown.

"Okay!" All Might's voice boomed, instantly silencing the murmurs. "You may begin!"

At his thunderous declaration, the five combatants burst into motion, a cloud of dust and debris billowing in their wake as they charged headlong towards the heart of the cityscape. Each employed their own unique mobility tactics - Sero fired off his dexterous tape to swing acrobatically through the air, Ojiro used his powerful tail to launch himself from wall to wall in bounding leaps, and Iida's engines blasted him forward in a fiery burst of speed.

Mina, however, moved with an uncanny grace and precision that seemed to defy the laws of physics. She slid across the ground, her corrosive acid creating a frictionless path, and vaulted over obstacles with effortless ease. It was as if she had an invisible safety net, ensuring each maneuver was executed flawlessly. Izuku, recognizing the subtle drain on his own energy, realized she was drawing upon his power as a Chosen, her path paved by an uncanny string of good fortune.

'If I have to guess, she's setting every move's risk to zero percent,' Izuku thought as he observed his Chosen's ability. 'Talk about cheat powers.'

Meanwhile, Izuku remained rooted in place, his sightlines unwavering as he studied the layout. "Hey, X," he called out, his deep voice reverberating with a strange metallic lilt.

The world around him came to a complete standstill, frozen in an eeriely striking scene as Izuku engaged the sentient sword's power. "What is it?" X's incorporeal voice responded from all directions at once.

"Is there any limit on this Eternal Pause thing you do when we talk?" Izuku asked, eyeing the motionless figures surrounding him with interest.

"'Eternal Pause'? Why call it that?"

Izuku shrugged nonchalantly despite his body being locked in stasis. "Unless you have a name for this already, then I'm calling it Eternal Pause."

"Well, you can call it whatever you want," X replied in a slightly haughty tone. "But to answer your question - not really. Like I told you, we can have an entire conversation in here that seems to last for days while only a minute ticks by in the real world." A pregnant pause followed before it added, "Well, you can't actually travel or move your physical form, but you already knew that."

Izuku considered this new insight carefully. 'Maybe rather than the world literally pausing, it's more like my own perception is being accelerated to an insane degree?' he mused.

"No, it isn't," X immediately countered, reading his thoughts. "The flow of time itself is literally being slowed to a crawl right now. You're just suspended in the frozen moment since this affects the motion of all matter and energy, not just your senses."

Izuku arched one emerald brow higher. "And at the end of the day, what difference does that really make?"

"The difference is that my power is objectively more awesome than some lame ass 'Accelerated Perception'! That's the difference!" X huffed with clear indignation.

"Okay, okay," Izuku relented with a mental eyeroll. "Anyway, there's no built-in delay when activating and deactivating this time dilation, right? I can turn it on and off rapidly in succession?"

"Yeah...?" X replied, seemingly unsure where Izuku was going with this line of questioning.

A mischievous grin slowly curved Izuku's lips. "Then keep doing it over and over again as I leap to the next platforms. That way I can plan out the safest route while still moving at top speed without causing collateral damage."

"Can't you just, y'know, jump straight to the center?" The sword offered in a bored tone. "You've got the power."

Izuku shook his head adamantly. "I could, but that would undoubtedly cause damage to buildings, defeating the purpose of minimizing destruction. This method lets me go all out while still controlling my output while being extremely precise." His grin widened eagerly. "You game?"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's do this," X agreed with a weary virtual sigh.

As the flow of time resumed, Izuku leapt upwards with the slightest exertion of One For All, carefully moderating the potent energy coursing through his limbs. To any outside observer, Izuku moved with a speed and precision that defied logic. One moment he was on the ground, the next he was atop a building, then leaping across a chasm as if teleporting. His movements were a blur, too fast for the naked eye to follow.

But from Izuku's perspective, the world kept freezing and restarting in rapid, jolting intervals as he meticulously plotted out a path towards the bull's-eye dead center. He spent mere fractions of a second planning each step of the way, ensuring he landed with pinpoint accuracy while regulating his momentum to avoid inflicting damage on his surroundings.

Once he'd locked onto the final destination deep within the mock city's heart, X rapidly cycled the Eternal Pause effect on and off in a staggering blur, allowing Izuku to close the remaining distance in what seemed like the blink of an eye from his accelerated viewpoint.

A collective gasp rose from the spectators as they watched Izuku seemingly vanish and reappear, his form flickering in and out of existence. "Is he... teleporting?" Kyouka breathed, her eyes wide with amazement.

"No way! That's impossible!" Kaminari exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. Mina, however, looked at his direction with a knowing smile, a warmth spreading through her chest. She alone understood what was happening and how Izuku's doing it. She didn't even need The Voices to tell her. The connection they shared as his Chosen is unique, in a way that can not be described with mere words. More than lovers. Perhaps like soulmates but different, in a way.

But before anyone else could fully process what they were seeing, Izuku had reached the center of the cityscape, a victorious grin spreading across his face as he touched down beside ALL MIGHT.

The entire race had taken less than three seconds. The rest of the class stared in stunned silence, their minds struggling to comprehend the sheer speed and power they had just witnessed. A wave of relief washed over them, their earlier worries about Izuku's defeat momentarily forgotten. He was still the strongest among them, a force of nature that defied explanation.

"One hundred twenty-eight times," the legendary blade reported, sounding moderately impressed.

"I didn't count," Izuku admitted with a casual shrug and lopsided smile.

"Eh, doesn't really matter in the end, does it?" X conceded.

A full minute later, Mina arrived, her movements a graceful dance of fluidity and precision. She launched herself into Izuku's arms, laughing as he caught her effortlessly. "You were amazing, Daddy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with admiration. "I knew you'd win!"

The rest of the class trickled in over the next few minutes, their expressions ranging from astonishment to outright disbelief.

All Might's heart swelled with pride as he watched his successor interact with his classmate. 'Young Midoriya...you've grown so much in such a short time. You truly are a remarkable young man.'

A few moments later, Sero arrived, followed by Ojiro.

The rest of the class continued as normal, and as expected, Ochaco and Momo dominated their own group and Todoroki his.

The class with ALL MIGHT's finally finished and they don't have any class scheduled for half an hour. Izuku made his way through the bustling hallways of UA High. The Heroics lessons had been the perfect testbeds to test his growing power, but his thoughts were now focused on a different matter: Kinoko's and Yui's return from her internship.

He spotted her from a distance, a vibrant figure surrounded by a gaggle of classmates in their usual lecture hall. A warm smile blossomed across his face as he approached. "Kinoko, welcome back!" he greeted, his melodious voice carrying over the chatter.

The class fell into a hushed silence, a tangible tension permeating the air as they stared at him expectantly. "I-Izuku..." Kinoko squeaked, her cheeks flushing a vivid scarlet. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say more but couldn't find the words.

'Huh?' he thought to himself. 'Why do I sense I'm about to be the subject of some inside joke I'm not privy to?'

Before he could ask, a voice cut through the silence like a knife. "Oh~ho~! Look who graces us~!" a familiar nasally voice chimed in. "If it isn't Mr. Super-Popular~!" Monoma Neito exclaimed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You've been just as awfully popular these days, haven't you, Midoriya? Should we call you 'King of UA' instead now?"

Izuku rolled his eyes. "Monoma," he sighed with exasperation. "What nonsense are you spouting this time?"

"Well," Monoma continued, an exaggerated smirk on his face as he leaned closer conspiratorially. "Apparently, you're just as much of a lady's man as you've always been~" he whispered, but his voice carried loudly enough for the entire room to hear.

Izuku had barely interacted with Neito since they graduated from middle school, even less than Katsuki, so even if Kinoko had already told him about the fact that he's being a nuisance to Itsuka at UA, he hadn't fully comprehended it. And since Itsuka hadn't returned yet from the Clan, no one was present to put a stop to his antics.

"According to my sources, you've not only ensnared several of the girls here into your harem," Neito continued, his tone becoming more dramatic with every word. "But you're even attempting to take advantage of our dear Komori-chan too!"

The accusation hung in the air, a palpable wave of discomfort washing over the room. Kinoko's eyes brimmed with tears, her body trembling as she fought to maintain her composure.

Izuku felt a surge of anger rise within him. He knew Monoma has become such a troublemaker, always eager to stir up conflict, but this crossed a line. He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could speak, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

"How dare you!" Kinoko's voice, usually soft and timid, now rang out with surprising force. "That's not true at all!" Her cheeks flushed with indignation as she stepped forward, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Izuku would never do anything to hurt me!"

Neito's eyes widened in feigned surprise as he looked at Kinoko with mock pity. "My dear Komori-chan~! Such a naïve, innocent soul you are," he crooned melodramatically. "That's exactly how they ensnare you, you know? They lure you in with sweet words and empty promises, then leave you all alone and broken-hearted." He shook his head with a deep sigh. "Alas, I can see it now... if only I had been there to protect you, my dear..."

Having endured enough of this charade, Izuku admonished him, "Okay, that's enough, Monoma." Izuku's usually soft eyes now glinted as his slit pupils constricted like a feline's. "I don't know what game you think you're playing at right now, but trust me when I say this — if you keep pushing it, I might not be able to restrain myself any longer."

Izuku's words had the intended effect of silencing Neito's antics, but they also seemed to have a strange effect on Kinoko and some of her female classmates.

Monoma shrugged in an overly dramatic gesture before saying with a sly grin, "S-Suit y-yourself then~. Just don't come crying to me if he abandons you for the next girl. He never paid attention to you all these years, and you keep on pining over him. I'll see you around, Komori-chan~." With that, he sauntered off, leaving Izuku alone with an apprehensive-looking Kinoko.

"Are you alright?" Izuku asked with concern as he tilted her chin up to look him in the eyes.

"Y-Y-Yeah..." she mumbled, her face turning a deep shade of red under his intense gaze.

He could sense there was something else troubling her, but he decided not to talk about it here. Instead, he gently held her hand and led her through the crowded hallways towards an empty classroom where they could converse in private.

Once they were safely inside, he asked again, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Kinoko didn't immediately reply, but Izuku gave her the time to gather her thoughts. Finally, she said with a gloomy expression, "Izu...am I doing this for nothing, shroom? Am I...wasting our time, shroom? You know I love you, right?"

"Kinoko..."

"And it's not because of your powers either, shroom. Or that you're so cool, shroom. Or that you're intelligent, shroom. Or that you're always there for me when I'm feeling down, shroom. No. I fell in love with you because of who you are as a person," she stated without a hint of doubt or hesitation. "The incredible person that will fight for what he believes is right, no matter what, shroom."

"Kinoko..."

"But...what if I'm not good enough for you, shroom?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly. "What if all this time, I'm simply bothering you, mushroom? That despite the teasing, it's ju-Mhmp!" Kinoko's sentence was suddenly interrupted by Izuku's lips.

It was a chaste kiss at first, but gradually deepened as she pressed herself against him. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she savored the sensation, her heart pounding against her chest. When they finally broke apart, their breaths came in short gasps as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Izu..."

"Kinoko," he said with a lopsided smile and gentle tone that would make any girl swoon. "I know it's probably been difficult for you. It may also be my fault for prolonging this...I'm sorry for that. I promised I will cherish you and protect you...and I intend to keep that promise."

"Izu..."

"But you know, Kinoko...it's okay to feel insecure. Everyone feels that way sometimes. But what's important is that we don't give up." His warm hand wrapped around hers reassuringly. "You are special to me, Kinoko. So please...don't ever doubt that."

"Izuku..."

Izuku smiled again as he pulled her into another passionate embrace. As moments passed, Izuku came to a conclusion. "Hey, I know this is going to sound weird, but I want you to come to Midnight's bar tomorrow. Clear your schedule after school."

Without hesitation, he could feel her nod her head in agreement.

"Wait, you're fine with that?"

"Other than Itsuka, Yui, and you, it's not like I regularly socialize with other people, shroom," she said. "Yui also mentioned she needs to do something tomorrow. Is that related, shroom?"

'I just thought about it. How did she...Oh, right. Mina and The Voices,' he thought.

"Yeah. Something like that. I think it's about time I reveal my secret to you. If we're going to have an honest relationship, I shouldn't be leaving you and the rest in the dark."

"Secret, shroom?"

"We'll talk more about it tomorrow. Meet me at the school gate after class. We'll go together," he told her as they walked to their next class.

With a new plan in mind, the hours flew by as they returned to their own seats inside their respective classrooms, Izuku internalizing how he'll broach the topic to everyone else as well.

Regarding Eternal Pause: Technically, there's absolutely nothing that says in LOM canon that he can't do that, but there's no instance of the game's MC using it like that. Maybe he just didn't think of it. ️ He's a different type of nerd as Izuku is, after all. Also, ZA WARUDO would've been just too easy of a name.

I'd also like to announce that Prologue-Chapter 10 to Third Person POV🎉

Next up: Strategy meeting