The air was thick with the scent of sweat and steel. A sharp, metallic tang that mingled with the rhythmic echoes of heavy breathing and the deep, resounding impacts of fists slamming against reinforced dummies. The artificial lighting overhead was harsh, casting elongated shadows against the walls, stretching Izuku's already exhausted figure across the gym floor.
His arms trembled violently as he forced himself into another stance, his entire body a tapestry of bruises, raw patches of torn skin, and aching muscles that screamed in protest with every minuscule movement. Yet, even as pain threatened to pull him into the depths of exhaustion, he refused to stop.
This was his training, his burden to carry. One for All was a beast that refused to be tamed.
All Might stood a few meters ahead, watching carefully, his sharp blue eyes analyzing every movement, every misstep, every minor shift in Izuku's posture. He was no longer smiling, no longer the charismatic hero that the world adored. Instead, he was focused, intense, commanding.
"Again!" All Might's voice rang through the gym like a whip, snapping Izuku's hazy mind back to reality. Izuku gritted his teeth and planted his feet into the ground, his breath sharp as he focused everything into his core.
Five percent. No more. No less.
Electricity crackled through his muscles, surging up his limbs like wildfire. The force of One for All coiled within him, restrained yet potent, filling every fiber of his being with the promise of destruction if he lost control.
A flash of power snapped through his limbs, veins igniting with pure force as he launched himself forward. The reinforced training dummy stood firm, unmoving, awaiting his strike. He pivoted as his feet skidding against the polished floor, the kinetic energy building too quickly with a violent shift in momentum—and then—
CRACK!
Izuku's fist connected.
The shockwave rattled the metal supports holding the dummy in place. The impact vibrated up his entire arm, rattling him to his core. For a moment, his heart swelled with satisfaction until the familiar searing pain tore through his tendons like wildfire.
His knuckles split open, the flesh peeling away in jagged cuts, rivulets of blood dripped onto the floor beneath him. The pain, sharp and unforgiving, nearly sent him collapsing. But he gritted his teeth and stayed on his feet, arms shaking uncontrollably as he gasped for air.
"Again." All Might's voice rang out stern and commanding.
Izuku barely managed to lift his head, sweat-drenched hair clinging to his forehead. His breath was ragged, his vision swimming in and out of focus.
"A-All Might—"
"Again!"
All Might was relentless, the sheer authority in his mentor's voice sent a chill down his spine. All Might wasn't giving him room to hesitate. He wasn't going to let Izuku take this slowly. Not anymore.
Izuku clenched his fists, ignoring the sting in his fingers, the rawness of his aching muscles, and forced himself forward again. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his lungs burning as he squared his shoulders. He couldn't afford to stop.
He shifted his weight, inhaled deeply, and this time—
Ten percent.
His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain. He darted forward again, faster, pushing past his previous limit. The power exploded through him, lightning-like currents crackling through his bloodstream, sending violent tremors through his frame. He felt lighter, faster… unstoppable.
His leg swung around in a vicious arc, striking the dummy's core with brutal force. The metal frame groaned under the impact, denting slightly before rebounding the shock back into his leg.
Izuku's body rejected the force.
He barely had time to react before his knee gave out, buckling under the sheer recoil of his own strength. He hit the floor with a harsh, bone-rattling thud, his vision flickering as pain rocketed through his limbs.
A split-second later, All Might's hand was on his shoulder, gripping tightly, not in reprimand but in concern.
"That's enough." His voice, still rough, carried a softer edge now.
Izuku couldn't reply… his chest heaved, lungs struggling to draw in oxygen. His arms, riddled with deep bruises and torn skin, hung limply at his sides. His body was battered, but his mind... his mind was somewhere else.
It wasn't just exhaustion that made his hands tremble. It wasn't just pain that made him feel so utterly detached from his own skin.
It was that voice from last night. The one that had spoken to him in the dorms, that had whispered to him in that dark, hollow, suffocating moment.
"Get out of my body."
Even now, those words clawed at his consciousness, rattling around in his skull like an unsolvable equation. It didn't make sense. Who was that? What did it mean? Why did it sound so much like—
"Midoriya."
All Might was crouched in front of him now, concern deep in his gaze. "You need to take a break," he said, his voice no longer the commanding, booming presence it had been moments ago. It was softer now, controlled. "You've pushed yourself too hard."
"I can still—"
"No, Midoriya." All Might's tone hardened slightly. "This isn't about how much pain you can take. You won't get stronger if you keep breaking yourself before you even reach your peak."
Izuku looked away, shame burning at the edges of his exhausted mind.
"Besides," All Might exhaled, standing to his full height, his shadow looming over Izuku, "we both know you have more to train than just your body."
Izuku swallowed hard, unsure of what that meant, but unwilling to ask.
The heavy echo of approaching footsteps broke the silence.
"Honestly, Toshinori, I should make you do laps for waking me up this early," Recovery Girl huffed, arms crossed, her gaze sharp and disapproving. "I know I agreed to help the boy, but he's one step away from collapsing. Have you no shame?"
Recovery Girl wasted no time. Before Izuku could protest, she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his forehead, and immediately, a warm rush of energy flooded through him. His injuries began mending, muscle fibers weaving back together, bones strengthening, bruises fading.
But even as his body healed, his mind didn't. The exhaustion remained, the dread still clung to his ribs, and that voice still whispered at the back of his head, lingering like a specter waiting to strike.
"Alright," Recovery Girl sighed, stepping back as Izuku's wounds finished closing up. "You're not fully recovered, but at least you won't collapse on your way back. I gather you can push yourself just a little more, but only one more time!"
Izuku nodded, voice still shaky. "Thank you."
She rolled her eyes. "Just don't make a habit of getting yourself killed every morning. I'll be back soon." Recovery girl then left, making it a habit to stare at All Might one last time, warning him silently.
All Might chuckled, but there was still a lingering unease in his expression. Then, his gaze locked onto Izuku's, sharp, evaluating, unreadable.
"Midoriya."
Izuku froze.
"Get ready. You and I are sparring."
Izuku stared. "…Huh?"
All Might cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as if preparing for battle. "You need control. You need precision. And the best way to do that," he said, grinning, though there was an unmistakable seriousness behind his eyes, "is to train with me since I am one of the few heroes who can manage anything you throw."
The weight of the challenge settled over Izuku like an unmovable force. He had just barely begun to control One for All, and now he was being asked to fight the man who had mastered it.
For a brief moment, that same fear crept in. Was he ready for this?
…Was he even worthy of this power?
All Might's grin widened. "Get ready, Midoriya."
Izuku felt his heartbeat thunder in his chest. This was it. There was no turning back now.
The gymnasium hummed with tension, the silence was deafening.
All Might, in his prime form, exhaled deeply, steam rolling off his body like a raging furnace about to ignite. The sheer pressure of his presence made the ground feel unsteady beneath Izuku's feet. This wasn't the warm, encouraging mentor that had guided him until now… this was the Symbol of Peace in his full, terrifying might.
And Izuku was expected to fight him.
His breath hitched in his throat as he instinctively clenched his fists, his entire body tensing. Sweat was already pooling at the back of his neck, his heartbeat hammering against his ribcage with a frantic, erratic rhythm.
This was impossible.. he wasn't ready. How was he supposed to fight All Might?
How could he even think about standing his ground when a single flick of that man's wrist could send him cratering into the wall like a fly swatted midair? His body screamed at him to run, to get away, to do anything but face the overwhelming force in front of him.
But there was no escaping this.
All Might cracked his knuckles, his expression unreadable but determined. "Don't hesitate, Midoriya."
A chill ran down Izuku's spine.
"If you want to understand your power, then you need to push yourself beyond fear. Beyond doubt."
All Might's muscles coiled like loaded springs, his entire stance shifting ever so slightly. His mere presence filled the gym like an approaching storm, his gaze steady and unwavering.
"Don't hold back. If you do, you'll never master One for All."
Izuku swallowed, his throat dry as he shifted his feet into a defensive stance. He forced himself to focus, inhaling deeply, centering his mind the way All Might had drilled into for All flared inside him, an electric surge threading through his veins.
Yet the moment was short-lived as All Might vanished.
Izuku barely had time to register it before a punch that promised annihilation barreled toward him. He activated 5 percent of One for All in his legs, instinct kicking in just in time for him to pivot to the side. The sheer force of the missed punch sent a gust of wind tearing through the air, ripping across his uniform.
His breath caught in his throat. If that had hit…
If he hadn't dodged just now…
All Might let out a booming laugh, not out of mockery but sheer exhilaration. "Good! That's the instinct you need to sharpen!"
Izuku barely had time to register what was happening before All Might moved again.
"But dodging alone won't save you!" A shadow loomed over him, and before he could react, All Might's fist crashed into his stomach.
Pain. Searing, mind-numbing pain as it exploded through Izuku's torso as his body was lifted off the ground. Everything blurred as he was sent flying across the gym.
The impact came an eternity later, his back crashing against the reinforced walls with bone-rattling force. Dust and debris exploded outward, filling the air with thick clouds as he crumpled to the floor, gasping.
His lungs burned. His vision swam. He coughed, tasting iron on his tongue. Blood.
Somewhere, through the fog of his mind, he heard All Might curse under his breath.
"Damn it."
All Might was moving toward him now, concern replacing the excitement in his eyes. He must've realized he had overdone it. Izuku knew that punch wasn't even close to All Might's true strength, but for someone still adapting to One for All, it may as well have been a death blow.
His arms shook as he pressed his palms into the floor, trying to push himself up. His body felt like it was made of lead, his ribs aching with every shallow breath.
But he couldn't stay down.
He wouldn't.
Izuku forced himself to his knees, then staggered to his feet, legs trembling, battered, barely holding his weight.
All Might paused, eyes widening slightly. "You're still standing?"
Izuku let out a weak, breathless chuckle, his vision hazy. "Barely…" The moment of respect was fleeting.
Izuku's legs buckled, and before he knew it, he collapsed onto the mat once more.
All Might sighed, running a hand down his face. "This isn't enough, Midoriya. You need to be stronger than this."
Izuku heard him, but the words barely registered. Something else was clawing at his mind, something dark.
"Pathetic."
The voice slithered through his skull, wrapping around his thoughts like a vice.
Izuku froze. It was back.
"You call this fighting?"
His breath hitched, his fingers twitching.
"You can barely stand after a single hit. You're worthless like this."
No, no, no! His mind screamed at him to block it out, to push it away—
"Let me show you how to fight."
A sharp pain lanced through his skull, and suddenly the gym faded around him. The world shifted, twisted. His vision darkened, his muscles locking up, his heartbeat erratic. For a moment, he wasn't in the gym anymore. He wasn't at U.A… just darkness. A void.
"Let me take control, and I'll show you what real strength looks like."
His pulse hammered. He wanted to resist. He had to resist. But…
"JUST FUCKING DO IT."
Suddenly Izuku gasped as his senses crashed into him. The world came back violently, the gym snapping into focus. He was on his hands and knees, sweat dripping from his face, his breath ragged.
All Might was watching him with a deep frown, his posture stiff.
"Midoriya…?" His voice was cautious now, wary. "I think we should call it for the rest of the day."
The sound of heavy, ragged breathing filled the gym, intermingling with the faint crackle of settling dust. The floor was cracked in multiple places, fine splinters of concrete marking the trail where Izuku had been sent flying. Blood dripped from his lips, crimson staining his already battered form. He could barely move, his limbs unresponsive, each breath feeling like fire scorching his lungs.
And yet…
A sound started from deep within his chest, bubbling up in broken gasps. It was quiet at first, barely more than a whisper carried by the trembling in his body. But it grew. Soft chuckles twisted into strained laughter. Then deeper. Louder, and finally hysterical.
Izuku's head lolled forward, his green curls matted with blood, his shoulders shaking as the laughter spilled from his lips like something deranged, something wrong.
All Might took a cautious step forward, his brows furrowing. "Midoriya?"
The laughter only escalated. The boy's entire frame convulsed with mirth, as if he had just heard the greatest joke of his life. His lungs heaved, broken giggles twisting into breathless wheezes, as if something inside him had finally snapped.
Izuku's shoulders shook as he bent forward, blood spilling from his split lip, dribbling down his chin onto the ruined floor. His entire body trembled, but not in pain.
And then, suddenly—
Izuku stopped.
His head snapped up so fast that All Might felt something coil in his stomach, something instinctual and dangerous. His eyes wide, unfocused, and gleaming with something feral locked onto the towering hero before him. His mouth was curled into a grin, but it wasn't the hopeful, nervous smile that All Might had grown familiar with.
This one was twisted. Hungry.
His entire face was smeared with blood, his lips split open, his nose slightly crooked from the repeated impacts. And yet, despite the state of his body, he looked exhilarated. And then he finally exhaled, a shuddering sigh of pleasure.
For a moment, All Might hesitated. This wasn't fear-induced adrenaline. This wasn't reckless determination from the boy he knew.
Izuku's gaze flicked down to his trembling hands, fingers twitching erratically as if experiencing something foreign, something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. He flexed them experimentally, curling and uncurling his fingers, marveling at the sensation.
"It feels so good…" Izuku whispered, the words slithering from his throat with an almost reverent awe. His voice was raw, ragged, each syllable like the scrape of jagged glass. "So good to feel pain again…"
All Might's stomach clenched. "Midoriya, that's enough," All Might warned, his voice firm but not unkind. He took a step forward, cautious but ready to intervene at any moment. "You've pushed yourself too far today. Recovery Girl will treat you again, and—"
Izuku swayed slightly on his feet, his movements erratic. His knees buckled for a brief second before he caught himself, his entire body trembling, as if something inside of him was breaking apart and barely holding itself together.
Then, suddenly—he lunged.
Faster than All Might expected.
Izuku rushed forward, his body barely functioning but moving with a terrifying animalistic speed. His breath came in short bursts, his chest heaving as if his very existence depended on this moment. His feet barely found purchase on the ground, but that didn't stop him.
All Might had no time to react.
A wild fist shot toward him, coated in 100% of One for All.
It was reckless. Desperate. Suicidal. All Might barely managed to brace himself before the impact connected.
The entire gym shook as the punch landed against his forearm with enough force to send tremors through his bones, his boots sliding back across the broken floor. The sheer power behind it was monstrous.
All Might's face tightened with alarm. Izuku had never used this level of force before.
"Midoriya!" he barked, but Izuku wasn't listening.
The voice inside his head was laughing. "Yes… that's it. That's it. Keep going. More. MORE."
Izuku staggered back, his right arm now a ruined mess of flesh and shattered bone, hanging limply at his side. Blood poured from the broken limb, but instead of stopping, instead of even reacting to the pain, he merely let out a wheezing, bloodied laugh.
"FIGHT ME, OLD MAN!" The words tore from his throat like a war cry.
All Might's heart stopped for just a moment. This wasn't right.
Izuku's eyes gleamed with something detached from reality, his body trembling but still itching for battle. His posture was erratic, like a puppet whose strings had been cut but still moving purely out of instinct.
"That's enough, Midoriya!" All Might shouted, his deep voice booming through the wrecked gym. His patience had run dry—whatever was happening to Izuku, he had to stop it now before the boy tore himself apart.
But Izuku only giggled, the sound giddy and deranged, before slowly lifting his head to meet All Might's gaze. His eyes—those eyes— sent a chill down the Symbol of Peace's spine. Wide, unblinking, pupils shrunk to pinpricks, his irises gleaming with something dark, something primal.
Before Izuku could charge again, All Might rushed forward with a speed that blurred the world around them.
His massive arm locked around Izuku's left limb, his grip firm but not crushing, intending to subdue him before things got even worse. But before he could tighten his hold, Izuku merely tilted his head back, his grin widening.
"Make me."
With no hesitation, Izuku twisted violently, contorting his own body in a way that sent a sickening crack reverberating through the gym. His left arm snapped like brittle glass, the bones shattering under the sheer torque of his own movement.
All Might's grip faltered for just a fraction of a second, but it was enough.
Izuku broke free. The moment of hesitation was all he needed. With a crazed snarl, he drove his right fist forward—100 percent power. All Might barely had time to brace.
The impact was devastating.
The punch connected with All Might's jaw, sending him rocketing backward. He crashed through the farthest wall, smashing through concrete like paper, his body embedding into the debris. A deafening explosion followed, dust and rubble scattering in all directions.
For the first time in years—Toshinori Yagi tasted blood from being hit.
From the wreckage, he coughed, crimson splattering onto the ruined ground. That hit… His vision swam for a moment before he forced himself to focus. Even holding back, he hadn't expected such an overwhelming strike. That wasn't just brute force… it was fighting instinct. The kind of ferocity honed through real battle.
He couldn't afford to hold back anymore. Not against this.
Izuku stood amidst the destruction, his body swaying as if barely able to hold itself upright. But his expression… he was smiling.
The weight in the air shifted. It was suffocating, heavy like gravity itself had tripled.
The gym felt smaller. Darker.
All Might had fought many enemies, monsters, villains, people with the power to level cities… but never had he felt this. A creeping, oppressive dread settled over him as he stared at the boy before him, his student, his successor… or so he thought.
Izuku lifted a trembling, bloodied hand, curling his fingers in a beckoning motion. Challenging him.
"You said I need to become stronger and control it," Izuku rasped, his voice hoarse from the battle. He took a slow step forward, then another, his breath shuddering, but his grin never wavered. "I'm doing what you asked!"
"Not like this!" All Might roared, slamming his foot into the ground. He wouldn't let this continue. He had to put an end to it now.
Izuku's body was completely wrecked… his right arm hung limply, broken beyond recognition, his left arm a mangled mess of flesh and shattered bone. But he kept moving.
Kept laughing.
All Might charged.
Izuku did too.
The sound of their blows echoed like thunder, shaking the very foundation of the gym. All Might's punches came hard and fast, each one controlled, but with enough force to knock a lesser opponent unconscious. But Izuku—he dodged. Slipping between the strikes with an almost unnatural precision, twisting his broken body in ways that shouldn't have been possible.
All Might gritted his teeth. "How? How was he moving like this?"
The precision. The fluidity. The madness. It reminded him of… no. He couldn't think about that now.
He threw a right hook, yet Izuku ducked. Then knee to the gut that Izuku redirected. A backhand strike and to his surprise Izuku twisted at the last second, letting it slide past his cheek, laughing all the while.
Their movements became faster.
More violent. More chaotic.
Blow after blow, block after block, strike after strike. Their battle escalated into something that no longer resembled a training match. It was a brawl, brutal and devastating.
And then—All Might saw an opening.
With both of Izuku's arms beyond use, he lunged. "Grapple him. Subdue him. Stop this madness."
But before he could close the distance, Izuku spoke. "You couldn't even save one person at USJ. Not even Thirteen."
All Might stopped. His heart skipped a beat.
Izuku's eyes glowed with something dark, something unnatural. His voice dripped with venom.
He kicked the concrete in front of him at 100 percent power, causing his right leg to completely break apart. The force shattered the ground, sending thousands of sharp shards flying at mach speed toward All Might.
He barely managed to shield himself, crossing his arms in front of his face as the debris struck him like bullets. Rubble. Dust. Chaos.
And then Izuku moved through it. Using the screen of debris, he lunged, now his left leg at 100 percent.
All Might barely saw him in time. But he saw his face, and he felt fear. Eyes that were once filled with kindness, hope were gone. All that was left was emptiness, a smile that belonged to a demon.
The last thing All Might saw before impact was Izuku Midoriya flying at him, headfirst, broken, flailing, grinning like a monster.
And then suddenly… Izuku's body locked up.
His muscles froze mid-motion. His expression twisted in panic, his pupils dilating as if something had just been ripped out of him.
"No—!"
The manic grin vanished, replaced by wide-eyed horror.
The voice screamed. "NO! YOU COWARD! YOU FAKE!"
And then silence as the madness faded. The dark presence, the voice, the overwhelming hunger for destruction was gone.
All Might coughed violently, blood pooling in his mouth as Izuku's shattered body hit the floor. The gym was in complete ruin, craters gouged into the floor, walls shattered like brittle glass, debris scattered across every inch of the battlefield. The very air felt thick, charged with something primal, something unnatural.
And in the center of it all, Izuku Midoriya lay motionless.
His body was utterly wrecked. Arms, legs, everything twisted at grotesque angles, his limbs shattered beyond recognition. His uniform was drenched in blood, his chest barely rising and falling, and his breath came out in shallow, pained gasps. The eerie stillness around him made it seem like he wasn't even alive.
All Might, barely standing himself, was hunched over, one knee crashing onto the floor as he coughed violently, his breath ragged, his body shaking. What had he just witnessed?
That wasn't… that couldn't have been Izuku. A monster? A remnant of his trauma? Some psychological break from everything he had endured? Or had the villains done something to him? His mind spun with possibilities, but none of them made sense. That level of aggression. That level of madness.
There was no hatred in the boy's eyes. Just emptiness. Like he didn't care about the pain, the destruction, the way he fought, the way he laughed, the way his body moved even when it was broken beyond reason… it was inhuman.
The heavy sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the ruined gym as Recovery Girl finally burst in, gasping in horror.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!" she shrieked, rushing over to the boy's broken form. Her hands trembled as she pressed her fingers against his neck, searching—praying—for a pulse.
All Might barely managed to turn his head toward her, his lips slightly parted, his mind still caught in the spiraling storm of what had just occurred. His voice wouldn't come out.
"He's alive," Recovery Girl breathed in relief, but her eyes were still filled with fury. "But just barely! His bones… his muscles… What the hell happened here?!"
All Might swallowed thickly, the taste of iron still fresh in his mouth. He tried to force himself to speak, to explain, but what could he even say? That his own student, his successor, had turned into something unrecognizable before his eyes? That the very core of who Izuku Midoriya was had unraveled in real-time? That he had fought like a monster that didn't care whether it lived or died?
No. He couldn't say that, he wouldn't say that.
"I—I was training him," All Might finally rasped, his voice weak, almost distant. "It got out of hand."
"OUT OF HAND?!" Recovery Girl's voice trembled with anger as she whipped her head toward him, eyes blazing with disbelief. "You shattered every bone in that boy's body, Toshinori! Do you have any idea what state he's in?! How could you push him this far?! What in the world were you thinking?!"
All Might winced. He had seen Recovery Girl angry before, but never like this.
She motioned down at Izuku's mangled, bloodied body.
"His bones are shattered beyond simple repair! His muscles are torn! His body is so beaten that if I don't act fast, his limbs will never recover properly!" She took a shaky breath, looking down at him, her heart breaking at the sight of his broken form. "This is the worst condition I've ever seen him in… How did you let it get to this?"
All Might gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself.
"I thought… I thought I was helping him get stronger…"
"STRONGER?!" Recovery Girl's voice was full of anger. "This boy has been through hell, Toshinori! His mind, his body—he's been through enough! And yet, you still forced him into this fight?! You let him break himself apart like this?!"
"You don't understand," he murmured, running a shaking hand through his disheveled hair. "Something… something was wrong. This wasn't just—" He hesitated. How could he even put it into words?
Recovery Girl furrowed her brows, her expression tight with frustration. "What the hell are you talking about? The boy has been through hell since he came to U.A.! First he gets taken by the League, then we find out he's been tortured, and now he has inherited your quirk with you pushing him to the extreme!"
All Might clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He knew. He knew she was right. But she didn't see what he saw. The way Izuku had moved or the way he had enjoyed it.
That wasn't just a desperate boy struggling to prove himself. That was something else entirely.
And the worst part? It was familiar.
All Might exhaled shakily, forcing himself to rise back onto his feet, though his legs still trembled from the force of the fight. "Chiyo," he said softly, using Recovery Girl's real name in a rare moment of vulnerability. "I didn't do this to him. He did this to himself."
Recovery Girl's lips parted, but before she could respond—
The doors slammed open as Aizawa, Present Mic, Cementoss, and several other teachers rushed in. The noise, the destruction, the sheer chaos of the battle had drawn them.
And now they stood at the entrance, completely stunned. Their eyes flickered between the wreckage, the shattered gym, the two figures at the center of it all.
All Might—bloodied, panting, visibly shaken.
Izuku—unconscious, broken, mangled.
Darkness. At first, that was all Izuku could comprehend... a deep, heavy void that wrapped around him like thick chains, dragging him further and further into oblivion. It was suffocating, relentless, cold. His body felt like lead, weighed down by an unseen force pressing against his very existence. His limbs refused to move, his breath shallow and weak, every inhale like swallowing shards of glass.
Then, the pain returned.
A slow, agonizing crawl of sensation worked its way through his body. His nerves screamed, his muscles ached, his bones throbbed with a deep, pulsing agony. Every inch of him felt like it had been torn apart and haphazardly stitched back together. His chest rose and fell in labored breaths, sweat pooling at his temples.
And then, the light as his eyelids fluttered open, the harsh glow of sterile white blinding his vision. It took a moment for the blurry edges to sharpen, for the hazy fog in his mind to lift just enough to recognize the stark ceiling of a hospital room.
The rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor droned softly beside him. The crisp, sterile scent of antiseptic filled his lungs, grounding him back to reality. The smooth, cool touch of the sheets tangled around his battered form provided the only comfort in a body that felt completely foreign to him.
His vision refocused slowly, adjusting to the brightness of the room, until finally, he saw him.
Sitting in a chair beside his bed, hunched forward with his elbows resting on his knees, was All Might.
The No.1 Hero looked utterly exhausted. His usual unbreakable presence was dimmed, the weight of his thoughts pressing visibly on his shoulders. His brows were drawn together, deep lines of concern etched into his features. His lips were pressed into a tight line, his jaw tense.
But the moment All Might saw those tired, green eyes finally open, his expression softened. For a fleeting second, the worry that had settled so heavily on his face melted away, relief flooding his features.
"You're awake," All Might murmured, his voice low, almost cautious.
Izuku's throat was dry, the simple act of breathing painful. He tried to speak, but only a weak croak escaped his lips. He swallowed, forcing himself to push through the discomfort.
"I'm…" His voice was barely above a whisper. "…sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for, young man."
But they both knew that wasn't true.
Silence lingered between them, heavy and unyielding. Izuku could feel it… the tension, the unspoken fear behind All Might's eyes. He had seen All Might angry before, frustrated, disappointed even. But this… this was different.
He wasn't just concerned. He was afraid.
All Might blinked. His expression shifted again, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features before he exhaled slowly.
Then, Izuku swallowed, his throat dry and raw. He tried to lift his arm, but pain flared violently up his nerves, making him hiss through his teeth. "What… exactly happened?" Izuku asked, voice shaking, barely managing to push the words past his lips.
All Might's hands clenched into fists on his lap. He hesitated, as if debating whether to tell him the truth. But there was no point in sugarcoating it. Not this time.
"You lost control," All Might finally said, his voice quieter than usual, almost… careful. "You weren't yourself, Midoriya. You—" He hesitated for the briefest moment, as if struggling to find the right words. "You were laughing. Enjoying the pain. You broke your body over and over again, and yet you kept fighting, kept smiling through it all."
Izuku stiffened as his blood turned to ice.
Fragments of the battle surfaced in his mind, disjointed and scattered. Flashes of movement, the taste of blood in his mouth, the feeling of something raw and primal clawing its way through him. The voice.
That voice… it had taken control.
His breath quickened, his chest tightening as a suffocating weight pressed against his lungs. His mind reeled, panic sinking its claws into him as his body remembered before his mind could. "All Might—!" he gasped between ragged coughs, body trembling as he emptied the contents of his stomach.
All Might's eyes widened slightly before immediately springing into action. Without hesitation, he grabbed the nearby trash bin and held it out for Izuku, using his free hand to gently rub circles into the boy's back, as if comforting a sick child.
"It's okay," he murmured, voice softer now. "Breathe, Midoriya. Just breathe."
Izuku coughed again, gagging slightly before finally slumping back against the pillows, completely drained. His face was pale, eyes wide and glassy with absolute horror.
He had done that…. He had laughed while breaking his own body. He fought All Might like a feral animal and terrified the man he admired most. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes. He clenched his teeth, curling in on himself.
"...It won't happen again," he whispered, desperate.
All Might exhaled sharply, pulling away to meet Izuku's broken gaze. "Easy," All Might murmured, rubbing slow, grounding circles against his back. "Just breathe, my boy. Breathe."
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut, his mind screaming at him, what did I do, what did I do?!
After what felt like forever, the sickness finally subsided, leaving him trembling and weak. All Might handed him a damp towel, watching as Izuku feebly wiped at his mouth, his movements slow, almost absentminded.
"You really don't remember, do you?"
Izuku barely managed to shake his head. His hands clenched the sheets beneath him, knuckles white. "I… I don't," he choked out. "Only bits and pieces. It's like… it's like something else was there. Something inside me—"
He swallowed hard. "And I let it take control."
All Might's jaw tightened. His eyes were shadowed with something Izuku couldn't quite place.
"Midoriya," All Might said, his voice more serious than Izuku had ever heard before.
Izuku looked up.
"You must never let that happen again." The weight of his words hit like a hammer.
Izuku nodded frantically, his breath unsteady, his body trembling. "I won't. I promise, I won't," he whispered. "I don't want to hurt anyone—I don't want to be a monster."
All Might studied him for a long moment. The boy before him was fragile, terrified… a stark contrast to the relentless, merciless force he had fought just hours ago.
Finally, All Might exhaled. "I believe you," he said. "But I also cannot ignore what happened."
Izuku's breath hitched as All Might stood up, his towering frame casting a shadow over him.
"I took the blame for pushing you this far," All Might admitted. "None of the teachers know what really happened in that fight. I told them it was my fault, that I pushed you past your limits. That's the official story."
Izuku's eyes widened.
"But hear me well, Midoriya," All Might continued, his voice low, firm, and unwavering. "If this happens again. If you lose yourself to that madness once more..."
A heavy silence stretched between them.
"I will make sure you never become a hero."
Izuku's heart stopped. Not out of anger. Not out of disappointment. But because he meant it.
All Might turned away, his back rigid, his stance unwavering. "I don't say this to threaten you," he said. "I say this because I care. Because if you truly wish to be a hero, you must control this power. You must control yourself. Until we figure out what's happening to you."
He looked over his shoulder, his piercing gaze locking onto Izuku's. "Also… In regard to the U.A. Sports Festival, you are banned from using your Quirk."
Izuku felt like the air had been sucked from the room.
"If you want to participate," All Might added, "you will do so without One for All. That is my condition. Otherwise, you can sit this one out."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. His head snapped up, eyes wide. "Wait—what?"
All Might finally turned to look at him.
"You heard me, Midoriya," he said firmly. "You are not allowed to use One for All. Not in the tournament. Not in training. Not until we find a way to control whatever is happening to you."
Izuku's stomach dropped. "But—!"
"You also have the option to sit out," All Might reiterated, ignoring his protests. "I won't force you to participate. If you don't feel like you're ready—you don't have to do this."
Izuku gritted his teeth, his mind spinning.
No quirk.
No One for All.
Not even a chance to prove himself. Not a chance to prove that he was still in control. He felt his entire world tilt beneath him. But then… A quiet determination burned inside his chest. He clenched his fists, inhaling deeply before meeting All Might's gaze with newfound resolve.
"No," he said, voice steady.
All Might blinked. "No?"
"I'll compete," Izuku said, his throat raw. "Even without my quirk."
A pause.
Then slowly, All Might smiled. "Good." And with that, he turned and walked toward the door, pausing only briefly to glance over his shoulder.
"I know this is hard," he said. "But if you really want to be a hero, Midoriya… you'll find a way." Then, without another word, he left.
A/N: Oh lord... what a chapter! How you all enjoyed it! Keep looking out for more, having too much fun writing this story.