Chapter 3: Plus Ultra
When All Might arrived at the beach that day, the first thing that hit him was the sound. Screams—raw and unrestrained—of rage, pain, and frustration.
Izumi stood atop the last mountain of rubble, her chest going up and down, her voice spent from the sheer intensity of her cries. Before her, the horizon stretched out, clear and unbroken. Not a single remnant of trash remained in the sand. The battle was over. She had won.
"Oi, oi, oi…" All Might muttered to himself, hardly able to believe what he was seeing.
In truth, clearing the beach had been nothing more than a way to push the girl, a training exercise disguised as a monumental task. From the very first day, the hero had known it would test her limits, but at some point, even he had doubted whether it was possible. Yet there she was, screaming into the wind, victorious.
Izumi swayed, her legs finally giving out, and All Might rushed forward to catch her. "Good job," he said.
"All Might… I made it…" she whispered, her eyes drifting up to the endless sky. "I made it in time…"
"Yes, you did," he murmured, smiling as he gently placed her down, making sure she could stand on her own. "Young people really are amazing. With this… You've become a suitable vessel."
Izumi blinked, the weight of her victory settling in an unexpected, quiet way. Vessel—the word echoed in her mind, lingering longer than she expected. You've become a suitable vessel. The triumph that had fueled her drive now felt distant, almost hollow. She had pushed herself beyond her limits, but standing there, on the other side, it didn't feel as extraordinary as she had imagined.
Have I truly earned this?
"I feel like I'm cheating…" Izumi whispered, staring down at her trembling hands. "You… you did all this for me…"
All Might's laughter was sudden and warm. "Those leaky eyes of yours—we'll have to fix that," he teased. Then his tone shifted. "Now, it's time for the award ceremony, Izumi Midoriya."
"Y-Yes!"
Without warning, All Might plucked a single hair from his head.
Izumi blinked, unsure of what was happening.
"Some things, you receive because you're lucky," All Might began, his gaze sharper now, more focused. "Others, you get because you're recognized. Those are not the same thing. Take that to heart. This is a power you've earned through your own effort."
His words struck her deeply, and Izumi met his gaze, forcing herself to stand taller despite the exhaustion weighing her down. She had turned her life around. This wasn't just a dream or some wild fantasy anymore—it was real. Her hard work, her sweat, her tears—she had made it happen.
But then—
"Eat this."
Izumi stared at him, utterly confused. "Huh?"
All Might held out the hair with a grin. "It doesn't really matter as long as it's my DNA."
The absurdity of the moment hit her like a punch. "This is nothing like I imagined!"
"There's no time!" All Might urged her. "You'll be late for the exam—just eat it!"
Izumi stood at the entrance of U.A. High School, the prestigious academy looming ahead, a constant flow of students moving in and out around her. The air buzzed with energy—an almost palpable excitement. She could feel it, the steady rhythm of dozens of hearts beating as one, all waiting for the test to begin. This is it. The last frontier.
"I've made it…" she whispered, though the words barely felt real.
There hadn't been any time to test the power All Might had given her, no way to know if the transference had even worked. One part of her was terrified—what if something went wrong? What if she was defenseless in the middle of the exam? But another part, the reckless part, believed she could do it, even if she had to rely solely on her own strength.
Then, a familiar voice cut through her thoughts like a knife—sharp, biting, impossible to forget.
"Out of my way, Deku!"
Her heart skipped a beat. "Kacchan!"
There he was. Bakugou Katsuki, as loud and hostile as ever, his sneer directed right at her. "If you stand in front of me, I'll kill you," he growled, low and menacing.
But this time, something shifted in Izumi. She couldn't help the warmth that rose in her chest. She wasn't scared. She wasn't angry. She was… something else entirely. Without thinking, the word slipped out.
"Try."
"Eh?" Bakugou blinked, the sound leaving his lips before he could hide his confusion.
She smiled, closing her eyes. "You can either try… or shut your mouth, right?"
Izumi braced herself, expecting his fist to fly at her. She could already feel the tension rising between them. But then, Bakugou's gaze flickered around the crowd of students. His lips pressed into a thin line, and he simply turned away, storming off without another word.
The girl stood there, her heart still racing. Always a weirdo, huh?
With Bakugou gone, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, shaking her head slightly. She turned to head inside, ready to face whatever came next—
—and then she tripped.
The ground seemed to rise up to meet her, time slowing as she watched it happen. Not now. Please, not now…
But before she could hit the ground, she stopped. She blinked, realizing she was… floating?
"Oh no! I'm sorry for using my quirk without asking!" A soft, hurried voice broke the silence, and Izumi found herself upright once again, her feet gently placed back on the ground. "But, you know… it'd be bad luck if you fell before the exam even started, right?"
Izumi blinked in confusion as she looked up, only to see a petite girl with a round face and warm, friendly eyes. Her hair was brown and fell into her shoulders in a simple, neat style, and her smile was so pure that Izumi felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment.
"I… uh…," Izumi stammered, trying to process what had just happened.
The girl laughed softly, waving it off like it was nothing. "Aren't you nervous? Well, let's do our best!" And with that, she was gone, disappearing into the crowd of students as quickly as she had appeared.
Izumi stood frozen for a moment. I FAILED TO EVEN WALK IN. And a cute girl just saved me. BUT I FAILED TO EVEN WALK IN.
Shaking off her embarrassment, she hurried inside, eager to avoid the stares of the few students who had witnessed the scene.
The auditorium lights flickered on, one by one, illuminating the vast space as a blonde man strolled onto the stage with a confident swagger. His booming presence filled the room, bouncing off the walls.
"For all you listeners tuning in, welcome to my show! Everybody say 'hey'!"
Complete silence greeted him.
Izumi leaned forward, whispering under her breath, "Present Mic. Strength: 50. Resistance: 40. Mobility: 30."
Her heart skipped with excitement as she saw the hero she'd only ever heard on the radio. Present Mic wasn't one of the most prominent heroes, but to her, he was important. He had been a familiar voice during lonely nights of careful study, and seeing him now made this whole experience feel a little more real.
"What a boring response!" Present Mic continued, unbothered by the silence. "Then let's dive right in! I'll quickly explain the practical exam! Are you ready?!"
Once again, silence filled the room.
The exam details were simple: seven battle centers, each filled with various types of villains that needed to be defeated. Each villain had a point value, and the goal was to immobilize as many as possible within the ten-minute time limit. No attacking other students, and they could bring whatever items they needed.
Izumi's mind raced with questions. What about students with support-type quirks? Or those with powers that don't work offensively? How would they handle villains being defeated by multiple people?
But before she could present her thoughts, a tall boy with sharp features and pure blue hair stood up, his hand raised.
"Excuse me!" His voice was firm, commanding. "On the printout, there are four types of villains listed. If this is a mistake, then U.A.—the most prestigious hero academy—should be ashamed of such an oversight!" He pounded his chest with his fist, standing tall. "We are here to become exemplary heroes. And furthermore…"
Without warning, he turned and pointed directly at Izumi, his eyes narrowing. "You there, with the green hair. You've been muttering non-stop. It's distracting. If you're here for a field trip, I suggest you leave immediately."
Heat flooded Izumi's face, anger rising in her chest. Who is this jerk? Do I have some kind of weirdo-attraction quirk or something?
Laughter rippled through the auditorium, and for the first time, the tension seemed to break.
The rest of the explanation went by in a blur. Present Mic finished the rundown with a final, encouraging shout, "The hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: 'A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes!' Go beyond, Plus Ultra! Now, everyone, good luck suffering!"
Izumi stood among the sea of students, assigned to Battle Center B—a simulated cityscape towering beyond an immense wall. The massive structure loomed over her, blocking most of the view except for the tops of the buildings peeking out above. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation, dozens of aspiring heroes standing around her, all awaiting the start of the challenge.
This is it... my chance to show them how much I've learned. To prove I belong here. Despite the rush of excitement, her body trembled slightly, her hands fidgeting at her sides. Why is everyone so calm? Her gaze swept across the crowd, noting the composed expressions and the confident stance of those around her. Even worse, unlike her, many were equipped with specialized gear to enhance their Quirks. How are they not nervous?
Then, she spotted someone familiar in the crowd—the girl from earlier, the one who had caught her fall. Maybe I should thank her, Izumi thought, breaking through the sea of her anxieties.
She took a step toward her, but before she could get far, a heavy hand fell onto her shoulder. She flinched, spinning around to find the tall, serious boy from the auditorium—his sharp eyes framed by stern glasses. The same boy who had humiliated her in front of everyone earlier.
He's here too?!
He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes ahead. "That girl appears to be trying to focus. What are you doing here? Are you taking the entrance exam to interfere with everyone else?"
Izumi froze, the tension from earlier returning in full force. His cold, judgmental tone burned through her. She knew no explanation would get through to him. Without thinking, she grabbed his wrist, and in one fluid motion she threw his body over her shoulder, flipping him hard onto the ground.
The boy hit the pavement with a thud, gasping for air, his face twisted in shock.
"Please," Izumi said, her voice soft and kind, "don't touch me without my permission ever again." She flashed him a polite smile before walking away.
A few of the other students had witnessed the exchange, their eyes wide with surprise, but no one said a word. Instead, they exchanged glances, as if silently glad that the arrogant boy had been put in his place, hoping to have less competition. Izumi, however, felt only embarrassment. She'd lost sight of the girl she wanted to thank, her one fleeting connection, gone in the commotion.
Great. Just great. First, he humiliates me in front of everyone, and now this. I really hope I don't end up in the same class as him.
"Okay, start!" A sudden scream broke the tension. Again, it was Present Mic. "What's wrong? There are no countdowns in real fights! Run, run!"
Wait, what?! Izumi blinked, her brain struggling to catch up. By the time the words sunk in, the other students had already dashed forward. She was the last to move.
I'm behind! I'm behind! I'm behind! I'm behind!
Heart hammering, Izumi sprinted through the massive gate. The fake city came alive around her—buildings towered overhead, casting long shadows as mechanical villains roamed the streets. She had barely made it inside when a huge robot emerged from a building on her side, its body gleaming with metallic armor. The number "1" was printed boldly on both arms.
One point!
This is it—my chance! She clenched her fists, recalling All Might's words. "Squeeze your buttocks and shout with all your heart... S—"
But before she could even begin, a bright beam of energy sliced through the air, hitting the robot dead center. The machine crumbled instantly, collapsing into pieces.
"Thanks for distracting it!" Someone called out. Izumi looked over to see a skinny boy grinning at her, his hands behind his head as a strange, glowing energy still pulsed from his abdomen. "Merci, but we probably won't meet again. Adieu!" With a casual wave, he ran off, leaving Izumi standing there in shock.
He... what?
"We won't meet again…?" Izumi asked herself, confused.
"Six minutes and two seconds left!"
The announcement sent a cold shiver down her spine.
No… No, no, no, no, no! I need points, I need points fast!
Panic set in as she ran through the streets, looking for another target, but it seemed like everywhere she turned, the battlefield was already cleared. Other students were tearing through the robots like they were made of paper, leaving nothing but smoking wreckage in their path. She could feel the weight of time slipping away, her chances of scoring drying with every second.
A dozen metallic bodies, each one marked with various point values, moved toward a single figure—a girl with long, light-blue hair, her small form almost hidden by the blade she wielded. The katana glinted in the artificial light as she swung desperately, trying to fend them off.
She's alone… and cornered!
That was all Izumi needed to see before she threw herself into action. I can't use One For All this close to her—it's too dangerous. But I can still do something.
Without hesitation, Izumi threw herself into one of the larger four-legged robots—a Venator, its gleaming body designed to intimidate. She crashed into it with all her strength, bracing for resistance, but to her shock, the machine flew sideways, slamming into a nearby Imperial model and crushing it under its weight.
These things… They're weak!
Her shoulder ached, the impact with the solid metal leaving her arm throbbing, but she barely registered the pain. Now that she had committed to fighting back, it was clear that the enemies had been designed to crumble.
"Are you okay?!" Izumi shouted over the sound of falling metal, her breath heavy as she rolled her shoulder to relieve the numbness. She sidestepped a Victory-class robot's swing and followed with a heavy punch, dislodging the mechanical arm off its hinges.
"Y-Yes!" the girl stammered, clearly overwhelmed. She struggled to keep up, her body moving sluggishly as she tried to find a rhythm. Her Quirk was useless against non-human enemies. Even with her katana, her strikes barely scratched the surface, forcing her to carefully aim at the robot's vulnerable joints. It took everything she had just to take down a few.
It wasn't easy.
Still, in just under a minute, the two of them had torn through the wave of enemies, dispatching the small crowd of robots with a surprising efficiency. As the last of the metal monsters fell, the blue-haired girl gasped for breath, her hands trembling. But by the time she looked up, Izumi was already gone, her silhouette vanishing into the smoke and chaos of the city, like a fleeting shadow.
Then the ground trembled.
A deep, menacing rumble echoed through the streets, followed by a chorus of distant screams. The final enemy had been deployed. And no one had warned them about the monstrous size of the Executor.
The creature loomed in the distance—a moving fortress, an unstoppable colossus that seemed more like a building than a machine. Its massive legs crushed everything in their path, splitting the battlefield in two with each thunderous step. Entire buildings crumbled beneath its weight, reduced to rubble as it advanced with terrifying slowness.
No one dared face it.
There was no reward for taking down an Executor. It was a force of nature, a brutal reminder of the fact that not everybody could triumph. The students scattered, fleeing into alleys and side streets, their fear palpable. They looked like panicked rodents, desperate to escape the crushing presence of the behemoth.
Except those who couldn't.
Quite a few students had fallen, trapped beneath the heavy rubble. And there, legs pressed beneath a piece of concrete, laid on the middle of the street, was the nice girl from before. Izumi took a look around, watching everyone else pass by without a second thought. There was no reward for stopping to care about others, after all. But the scene made her stomach turn—they were abandoning them without thought. It was disgusting.
As the massive shadow of the Executor advanced, Izumi stood frozen. Everything in her screamed to run, to disappear into the safety of the crowd, just like everyone else. Her mind urging her to flee. But deep inside, a spark was born—small but fierce. A spark of defiance, of strength, of something greater than fear.
Then, the girl on the street groaned, her body trembling as she struggled in vain to free herself.
And that was it. That was all it took.
Izumi didn't think. She didn't hesitate. That spark inside her ignited, and in a single, raw moment of resolve, she reached deep within herself for the power she had barely begun to understand. There was no pride, no fear, no doubt. Only instinct. Her fist clenched as she grabbed hold of the fire in her chest, letting it rage, letting it consume her. With a surge of energy, she bent her knees and launched herself into the air, soaring across the battlefield with a speed that defied all reason. The wind screamed in her ears, but she didn't hear it. Her focus was singular. The enemy. She clenched her fist tighter, her entire body vibrating with power.
"SMASH!"
Her voice tore through the silence as her punch connected with the titan. The impact was so violent, so overwhelming, that the entire Battle Center fell still. The Executor's massive form shattered, collapsing under the force of her strike, breaking apart like a crumbling mountain. It wasn't until the explosions started that Izumi realized the magnitude of what she had just done.
Breathless, she looked down from where she stood, high above the battlefield. Far below, the street stretched out like a distant memory.
But then, panic set in.
She was falling.
Gravity pulled her down, her brief moment of triumph replaced by cold, hard reality. As the ground rushed up to meet her, fear surged through her veins. Izumi braced herself for impact, trying to control her descent, but her body felt heavy, sluggish.
Her arm—her right arm—hung limp at her side, a searing pain shooting through her entire body.
My arm… broken?!
The realization hit her like a second impact, and she cursed herself. She had been reckless, foolish, stupid. Her body wasn't ready for that kind of power. Ten months of training wasn't enough to control something so immense as All Might's Quirk. But for one moment, she had allowed herself to forget.
I could stop the fall… But that would break my legs…
At that point, both the test and her dream would be over.
Gritting her teeth, Izumi prepared her left arm to stop the fall at the last second, hoping to survive out of pure luck. He eyes, bloodshot, focused on the ground, and then—
—she felt a rough slap on her face, and started floating again.
I… I'm okay… She saved me… Izumi could only hold her own broken arm in painful silence. Is she all right…? I'm so glad…
"Now… I just need to get… One more… Please, one more…" Izumi struggled, dragging herself forward.
But the test was over.
"Time's up!" Present Mic screamed, interrupting her last efforts.
Loud alarms officially declared the exercise as finished, bringing everyone to a halt. There was nothing more to be done. Spent, defeated, Izumi fell unconscious.
"Who was that girl?" one of the contestants asked. "She suddenly jumped at the obstacle."
"She seemed to have a reinforcement-type Quirk, but even so…"
"Was she saving her Quirk for the end?"
"Maybe she was trying to trick others."
"For what? It doesn't look like she got anything from it."
The crowd continued to discuss around the fallen girl's body even as recovery girl arrived to heal everyone's wounds, but Lida could only stand and observe from a reasonable distance.
They're missing the point, he thought furiously. Didn't they see? She jumped in to save that girl. She was aware of the remaining time, of her own safety, and the point she still needed. And even so, she did not hesitate at all! Lida clenched a fist in frustration. If this hadn't been an exam… O-Of course I would have done the same…
But then, the boy finally realized.
"Exam…? Of course… Could it really be? Then she…"
His eyes went back to Izumi one last time, before the girl was taken away, and he knew he had lost.