Izuku Midoriya had always wanted to be a hero. But as his telepathy grew stronger, he began to understand that his journey might not follow the traditional path. The hero course at U.A. High—the dream of every aspiring hero—wasn't meant for someone like him.
His quirk allowed him to read minds, explore memories, and even control people from a distance. It wasn't flashy. It wasn't bombastic. And it certainly wouldn't help him during the U.A. entrance exam, where applicants fought against mindless robots.
Sure, Izuku could have controlled the other students during the exam. He could have guided them into destroying the robots for him, making it look as if he had passed the test through some unexplainable talent. No one would know. No one would ever be able to prove it.
But that wasn't heroic.
Instead, Izuku had set his sights on a different goal. The hero support department.
"I need to build something... something that can amplify my telepathy," Izuku muttered to himself as he scribbled down designs in his notebook. If he could extend the range of his power, if he could develop tools to enhance his abilities, he might be able to contribute to the world in ways no one else could. He could support heroes from behind the scenes. And one day, maybe even stand beside them.
It was the last day of middle school, and as usual, the classroom was buzzing with excitement about the future.
"Alright, class," their teacher said, waving a stack of papers in the air, "it's time to talk about where you're all headed after this. Now, I know many of you are aiming for U.A. High."
Katsuki Bakugo leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "I'm going to the hero course at U.A.," he announced loudly, as if daring anyone to challenge him. "I'll crush anyone who gets in my way."
The class murmured in admiration, as always. But Bakugo barely noticed. He was too busy shooting a side glance at Izuku, who sat quietly in the back of the room.
"And it seems," the teacher continued with a glance at his paper, "that we have another student aiming for U.A., but not for the hero course. Midoriya's applying to the hero support department."
A few curious whispers spread across the room. People glanced back at Izuku, who kept his eyes down, silently enduring the attention. He could feel their thoughts flicker in the air—most of them didn't know much about his quirk, just that it allowed him to read minds. That alone was enough to make his classmates avoid him.
"He can read your mind, you know."
"I bet he knows all of our secrets."
"Glad I never hung out with him…"
Izuku pretended not to hear them, though their thoughts were as loud as voices to him. He'd known for years now that his classmates feared him, thinking that his telepathy meant he could pry into their personal lives. They didn't know he could do far more than that—he could control them, move them like puppets if he wanted. But that wasn't something Izuku ever intended to use.
The truth was, he already knew everything about his classmates. Their insecurities, their dreams, their fears. But he never spoke of it. He wouldn't betray their trust like that, no matter how they treated him.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Bakugo stiffen. It wasn't obvious to anyone else, but Izuku could feel it—the slight unease radiating from Bakugo's mind. The memory of that day was still fresh in Bakugo's subconscious, the day when Izuku had stopped him in his tracks, freezing his body with nothing but a thought.
Bakugo didn't want to admit it, but Izuku could sense the fear.
"Midoriya's going to support, huh?" Bakugo said, his voice flat and low. For a moment, it seemed like he might say more, but he stopped himself. Izuku could sense why. Bakugo didn't want to confront the reality that Izuku's quirk was stronger than he let on. Acknowledging it would mean admitting his own weakness, and Bakugo wasn't ready to do that.
Izuku looked down at his notebook, focusing on the designs for his device. It would be a way to expand his telepathic range, allowing him to sense minds from even further away—maybe hundreds of kilometers, or even more. It was a long shot, but the support department at U.A. had the resources and expertise to help him make it a reality.
And perhaps, by building this device, he could support the heroes in a way no one else could. He could be part of the action, even if it wasn't in the spotlight.
The class bell rang, and everyone began packing up to leave. Bakugo slung his bag over his shoulder and marched out without another word. The other students filtered out in small groups, leaving Izuku alone at his desk, still lost in his thoughts.
He sighed, closing his notebook. He knew that the path he had chosen wasn't glamorous. It wasn't what most people thought of when they imagined becoming a hero. But Izuku knew better than anyone that being a hero wasn't about flashy displays of power. It was about doing what was right, even when no one was watching.
it was late in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to dip below the skyline as Izuku made his way home. He preferred taking the quieter route through a small alley, away from the bustling streets of the city. It gave him time to think and reflect. Today, his mind was focused on the designs for his telepathy amplifier, which he was certain would help him reach his full potential.
Izuku walked through the small alley, calm and composed. He knew every corner of Musutafu like the back of his hand—not because he had walked these streets often, but because his telepathy, always active, gave him a constant awareness of everyone in the city. He had felt the presence of the slime villain even before the commotion at the store. The villain's chaotic, panicked thoughts had been like a ripple in an otherwise calm sea, and Izuku had silently tracked its movements as it fled from All Might.
So, when the slime villain appeared from the storm drain with a malicious grin, Izuku didn't panic. He had been expecting this.
"I've found the perfect hostage!" the slime villain cackled, its body slithering towards Izuku. "With you, I can escape that blasted All Might!"
Izuku stood his ground, his heart steady. He had sensed this villain's desperation from the moment it had decided to rob the store. It had been running from All Might ever since, and now it thought capturing him would provide the escape it needed.
But Izuku wasn't afraid.
As the slime villain reached out to engulf him, Izuku focused his mind, his telepathy expanding in an instant. The villain froze mid-lunge, its gelatinous form suddenly losing cohesion, starting to melt into the pavement. Its body turned into a puddle, unable to move. Only its eyes remained active, darting around in panic, the villain fully aware of what was happening but powerless to stop it.
Izuku released a quiet breath. He hadn't taken control of the villain's mind entirely—just enough to paralyze its body.
Before Izuku could gather his thoughts, a shadow loomed overhead. The ground trembled as a figure landed with a resounding crash.
"Fear not, for I am he–!" All Might's booming voice filled the alley, his smile as radiant as ever.
But then, the No. 1 hero paused. His confident grin faded as he took in the scene before him. The slime villain, who had been giving him such trouble, was now a harmless puddle on the ground, its eyes the only thing moving.
"What...?" All Might blinked, clearly surprised. He bent down to inspect the villain, confused by its sudden incapacitation. "It's... not moving?"
Izuku stood quietly, unsure of how to explain. He had never expected to meet All Might like this, and certainly not under these circumstances.
All Might turned his gaze to Izuku, still puzzled. "Are you alright, young man?"
"I'm fine," Izuku replied calmly, his voice steady. There was no need for panic—not when he had been aware of the situation long before it unfolded.
All Might studied him for a moment, then knelt to scoop up the immobile slime villain into a bottle. "You've certainly made my job easier," he said, though his tone still carried an air of curiosity. "How did you do it?"
Izuku hesitated for a brief moment before answering. "It's my quirk," he explained, his voice steady. "I can stop someone's movements using my mind. Telepathy."
All Might's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then his smile returned, even brighter than before. "A telepathic quirk, huh? That's quite an impressive ability! You could make an excellent hero with a quirk like that!"
Izuku didn't reply immediately. Instead, he gave All Might a small smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. He appreciated the compliment, but the path he had chosen wasn't the same as the one everyone expected for him. He didn't want to be a hero—at least, not in the traditional sense.
All Might tilted his head, perhaps sensing that Izuku had more to say, but before anything else could be said, Izuku's telepathy brushed against All Might's mind.
And that's when he felt it—eight distinct presences, all existing within All Might's consciousness. It was startling, unlike anything he had ever encountered. Each presence was unique, yet they coexisted, intertwined in a way that didn't feel forced or unnatural. It was as though they all shared the same space, but were still separate.
What is this? Izuku thought, momentarily caught off guard. All Might... isn't just one person?
His curiosity flared, but he held himself back. Izuku knew better than to invade someone's privacy without reason, and All Might was no exception. Even though this discovery intrigued him, he quickly withdrew his telepathic senses, leaving the mystery alone.
All Might, oblivious to Izuku's internal thoughts, gave him a nod of gratitude. "Well, thank you again, young man. You've helped out a lot today."
Izuku nodded, his mind still buzzing with questions, but he kept them to himself. For now, the mystery of All Might's quirk would remain just that—a mystery.
"Stay safe!" All Might called out, before leaping into the air, disappearing from sight with a powerful jump.
As the alley fell silent once again, Izuku stood there for a moment, still processing everything. Meeting All Might in person had been a dream come true, but it also left him with more questions than answers.
Eight minds... what could that mean?
Izuku shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. Whatever the truth was, it wasn't his place to pry. He respected All Might too much to intrude. Instead, he turned his thoughts back to his own journey and the amplifier he planned to build. There was still much work to be done if he ever wanted to reach his full potential.
As he continued his walk home, his thoughts back to his designs for the telepathy amplifier. He couldn't help but wonder if one day, with his invention complete, he might finally understand the full extent of his own abilities—and perhaps, even discover more about the mysterious minds he had sensed in All Might.