As dusk settled over the city, its heartbeat slowed, the endless hum of activity softening beneath the shadows. Somewhere within the maze of towering buildings, Izuku Midoriya-known to the world as Deku-was hidden away, caught between the pain of memory and the pressure of destiny. His mind raced, replaying the past he couldn't shake: All Might's hand on his shoulder, a gesture full of faith and strength; the moment he'd entrusted Izuku with his powers; and, later, the horrific news of his death at the hands of a nameless criminal. All Might's loss had been a wound he couldn't heal, an open scar that pushed him to keep fighting, even when he felt the weight of that responsibility grinding him down.
But another wound lay fresh and raw in his heart-Kuri. His best friend, his closest confidante, the one who'd known him long before he'd ever dreamed of becoming a hero. Kuri, who had taken on the mantle of Miko, not for glory or fame, but to protect him. She thought she could shield him from the dangers that came with his double life, that her own powers could help shoulder the burden of being Deku. But he couldn't bear the thought of her risking her life for him, of her being pulled into the same dangers that had taken All Might. So he had made a choice, ripping his own heart open in the process.
Izuku had broken up with her, thinking he could dissuade her from the path of Miko if she no longer had him to protect. He'd said things he could hardly bear to remember, cruel words meant to sever the bond between them, hoping she'd turn away from her life as a hero. But deep down, he knew he hadn't truly driven her away. Kuri was too loyal, too determined to walk away so easily. And while he hid his own pain, he knew she still kept his secret-that she knew he was Deku. They were bound by their shared history and their unspoken love, even now, when distance and secrecy kept them apart.
Meanwhile, in the underbelly of the city, another story was unfolding, one driven by ambition and ruthless intent. Kai Chisaki-the man the world knew as Overhaul— was working tirelessly, his focus shifting from his criminal empire to a new pursuit that demanded just as much control, just as much risk. Science and power had become his new tools, his experiments veiled by the pursuit of progress. And at the heart of his work was Reiko, his brilliant but unwitting assistant, whose loyalty he manipulated and whose quirk he exploited. Her powers of luck and plant manipulation had become invaluable to him, giving him the precision and probability he needed to keep his work under control.
She believed she was assisting him, driven by her own passion for science and discovery. But Overhaul saw her as Her powers gave him an edge, an ability to push his machinery and his ambitions further than ever before. And his ruthlessness knew no bounds; Reiko's safety was an afterthought, secondary to the progress he so desperately craved.
Izuku's path and Overhaul's were bound to intersect, though neither knew it yet. One fought with a broken heart, hoping to protect those he loved from the dangers he faced alone. The other chased power with a calculating mind, ready to sacrifice anyone to achieve his vision. And Reiko, the innocent tether between them, stood unaware of the forces closing in around her.
But fate would not wait much longer, its threads tightening as it pulled each of them to their role. Soon, heartbreak, ambition, and loyalty would collide, drawing them together in a web of choices that would alter each of their fates forever.