Chapter 5: There's Always Time for a Power Up!

If there was ever a time where people would look at him and call him an idiot, this definitely felt the right time for it. It just wasn't appropriate for him to be worrying about the other applicants in an exam where he was meant to be actively competing with them to accumulate points, but he felt like his excuse was reasonable, given that people were actually getting hurt.

And sure, that could have spoken of how weak his heart was and how hard he was trying to be a white knight or something. It seemed like the kind of behaviour of someone who didn't know when to just mind their own business. But he just couldn't help it. Ever since he was a kid, he just couldn't ignore bad things happening around him, and that part of him hadn't changed as he grew up. He wanted to help people in need. That was the whole reason he wanted to be a hero in the first place, and what motivated him to be involved in community work all those years ago.

It was all about giving back to others or doing the right thing just because. There wasn't ever a need for compensation, because the only thing he wanted was to inspire them to do right for others in turn, just as All Might had inspired both him, Katsumi, and millions of others to uphold justice. It was a cycle, and if he could keep it rolling, then that would have been more than enough.

And that determination stayed even now, as he leapt down from the roof of a building, shifting his momentum into a roll to ease his landing. He jogged over to a pile of bricks, of which a building to his right had apparently been demolished in an attack and buried a person. He wasn't even kidding; there was a hand sticking out of the pile, unmoving. The dread seizing his heart was unbearable, and he quickly removed the debris from the unconscious applicant's body before assessing her state, a finger to her jugular and his ear close to her lips.

'No fatal injuries, light bruises on her skin, slow breathing and pulse present. Okay. Maybe she got knocked out from something hitting her head.'

Better than having her ribs broken or something to that effect. Not like he could tell with her clothes still on. And he wouldn't be doing her any favours leaving her out here while the mecha was still rampaging about, or for some other thing to accidentally fall onto her while she was out.

Without delay, he promptly pulled her into his arms, «One For All» surging in its entirety as he then leapt away from the scene, making a swift retreat to the safe spot to let the girl recuperate.

Four people. This girl would be his fourth rescued person thus far, and that didn't fill him with much confidence. Sure, the other students might have had some amount of training to protect themselves in dangerous situations like this, and the staff were on standby, ready to evacuate the students if they were seriously injured. But that didn't make him any less nervous, which was why he simply sped up in his run back.

And it was worrying to know just how far they were from where he'd left Danny and the other two. The zero-pointer was active here a few moments ago, but therein lied the possibility that there must have been some other students injured a little further from here. He would have to check once he's dropped the girl off.

Arriving at his destination, Izuku buckled a little from the strain on his body. He was still not used to it. He'd only ever had the chance to use «One For All» sparingly on his lonesome, perhaps wanting to keep it a surprise from his mom and his girlfriends. Perhaps after this, he'll have Katsumi adjust his regimen to supplement his use of his Quirk, which would be better training overall.

He shook away his discomfort, stepping through the doorframe and called out with a soft voice. "Hey, guys."

The other applicants—Danny, a girl with a third eye on her forehead and another boy with bird wings on his back—looked at him, surprise colouring their expressions when they saw the girl he was carrying. Bird boy quickly ushered him to a mattress on the floor. "Here, lie her down slowly. Any injuries?"

"None that I could tell. There wasn't any blood, but she did pass out."

"I can help check for her wounds after this," the girl offered. "It's the least I can do. 'course, I'd rather be out there looking for points, but I can't exactly do that with a sprained ankle, could I?"

As she said that, her eyes were directed downwards to her foot, where it was wrapped up with some cloth that Izuku had scavenged from a nearby shop and a rod to set it. He would have liked to do more, but with the limited resources he had on hand, it was the best he could do for her. She would definitely need to have it checked out afterwards.

"Eh, well, it was an accident, so there's nothing to be done about it," despite saying that, Danny's gaze moved towards him, a frown on his face. "Still, how 'bout you, Midoriya? There are only two minutes left, you know. You sure you're not gonna' go look for more bots to fight?"

Two minutes to spare… Yeah, that wasn't a lot by any means, but if he ran with all of his energy, he might make it to some areas with a few robots remaining. He could then at least try and gather a few more points for himself, which could then be supplemented by his written test.

But if he stayed here, then thirty points would be all that he could claim to his name. It wasn't enough. That would mean failure here, and a lower chance of getting into U.A. with Katsumi and Uraraka.

And yet, through it all, Izuku's feelings from the very beginning hadn't changed from the start of this entire thing. "I'd be much more upset if there was someone out there in serious need of help, and no one found them—just like you guys," he replied, smiling back. "It's okay. This wasn't our only test, remember? The written test will add to the weightage, and that should help us."

"But you—"

"You can stop trying to convince him. The guy already has his mind set on this," bird boy nodded towards him. "And no matter what others will say of you, you've got my thanks for helping us, Midoriya, especially when we're supposed to be competing with one another."

"N-No, it's okay! I'm just happy to help. It's no big deal. Anyways, I'll do one last search. By then, the exam might already be over. Stay safe in the meantime."

"And you, too!" The girl called out. "Be careful out there, okay? Please don't get hurt on our behalf…"

"Ah… Yeah," he nodded, smiling. "I'll be back. Promise."

With that, he sped off from the safe space, deciding to go in the robot's direction. He'd covered just about everywhere already save for the 'active zone', as he would put it. Were someone to be caught up in all that, there was no knowing just how badly they were going to be hurt.

No signs of life so far, though. He was probably three kilometres or so away from the mecha, and nothing. In buildings or vehicles, underneath fallen trees or toppled trucks, he couldn't find a hint of a person. No news was good news, but his brain was more paranoid than he'd thought, which forced him to continue looking in case he would miss anyone. Better to be absolutely safe than sorry.

He made a turn at an intersection, his feet pounding on the road as he ran and his eyes shooting left and right to see if there was anything he could find. Nothing. As much as he wanted there to be no one, he had to be absolutely sure that there wasn't a single person trapped somewhere—

In the distance, something smashed through the windows of a bus. It was so sudden that he came to a halting stop almost immediately, staring wide-eyed as another body (a robot, he quickly realized) flew onto the roof, bending the metal before it just slumped over the edge.

Looks like someone was caught in a fight here. Izuku was a little surprised by that, seeing that they were pretty close to where the mecha was actively moving about, but he opted to quickly check in on the person in case they were in trouble. Though, if they were taking out the robots this easily, he doubted they needed his help.

And they definitely didn't, when yet another robot was sent flying his way, forcing him to sidestep the incoming body. He turned his head back towards the fighter.

Long orange hair fluttered in the wind, her every movement measured and fluid. Soft blue eyes watched her surroundings for any incoming enemies, and with every step she took, her dress that reminded him of a Chinese outfit women typically wear seemed to follow her, like two waves overlapping one another. It was difficult to look away.

"Hi-yah!" Her scream was accentuated by her slamming one fist into one robot's chest, obliterating it in mere seconds. Her next step took her leftwards, dodging a swing of a mechanical arm. She used that opportunity to slam her fist into its face, knocking it backwards before she reared her arm back and thrusting it forwards, hand open.

And then her hand just expanded. Literally. He watched her hand literally grow to double her size, impacting against the entire robot's body and breaking it apart, a shower of parts that clattered against the road noisily.

In the silence of the moment, he heard her take in a deep breath, as if attempting to calm her nerves. She relaxed her stance, one fist planted against an open palm as her eyes closed. All the tension escaped her, and Izuku couldn't help but feel awed by the sight. Graceful and mighty in equal measure, he'd never thought he would have found such a traditional fighter with such skill here.

'Ah, now's not the time,' he shook his head, moving towards her. He allowed his footsteps to ring loudly, alerting her of his presence. And that's what happened; she perked up, looking at him with surprise. He raised a hand in return. "Sorry. I was moving around here and noticed some fighting. That was you, wasn't it?"

"Ah, yes. It was," the girl smiled back, coming close. She raised a hand, and when he took it, she had a firm grip. "I'm Itsuka Kendo. You are..?"

"Izuku Midoriya. I wasn't here to steal your points, if that was what you were thinking. I was looking for injured applicants."

At her questioning expression, he quickly explained the situation to her, making her frown. "Four people, huh? I see… In that case, I should thank you as well," she smiled beautifully. "For you to go out of your way to look after other people is truly noble of you."

"H-Hey now, it's nothing special."

"I'd certainly disagree! But, for our sakes, let's leave it at that," she shook her head. "But if the exam is coming to an end, I suppose we should get ready to leave, huh?"

Before he could get a word in, the sound of a horn blasted throughout the city, which was the official signal that the exam had officially ended. Even the distant rumbling had come to a stop, which likely meant that the zero-pointer had been deactivated. Izuku sighed, relieved. Now the other applicants could get the medical help that they needed. And he could use some ice for his feet. His shoes were killing him.

"Well, time to head back then," Kendo smiled sadly. "Sorry you wasted your time searching for me."

"You said the same as all the others," he chuckled. "It's fine, Kendo-san. I don't mind it. Now come on, we should—"

A person's instinct, when sharper than a blade, could turn a decision requiring a single second of thought into an automatic response shorter than a point of a second. And in that moment, Izuku's instinct was to turn around and block two metallic fists with his forearms, «One For All» charging right away.

"Eh? Midoriya-kun?!"
"Ghk..! Sneaky!"

With a grunt, he shoved the robot backwards before dealing a roundhouse kick to its chest, dismantling it in an instant. He winced at the sting in his arms, but was now less keen on letting his guard down, checking their surroundings.

"Hey, are you okay?" The ginger asked as she came to his side, staring at him with naked concern. He shook his head.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Smarted a little, but it didn't break anything."

"Weird… The exam's already over. And the zero-pointer's offline. The other robots should also stand down now, right?"

"They… should," Izuku frowned as he massaged his arms, looking around in case there was a stray bot watching them. The pit in his stomach did not fade, and he didn't like that whatsoever. "Maybe there's a delay?"

"Maybe. Or that one robot malfunctioned…"

Well, she could be right. Maybe it was just a stroke of bad luck in that moment, and he'd been the unlucky fellow to be subjected to its wrath. Hopefully he wouldn't get into trouble for dismantling it after the exam is over. Self-defense should be fine, right?

As he began surveying the area, there was a sense of something that struck him like an arrow. A distant sound, almost like a scream. He frowned, moving in that direction as he kept his eyes open, trying to listen to the sound.

"Izuku? Is something wrong?"

"…I thought I heard someone screaming," he said, allowing «One For All» to flow through his body once more. "Kendo-san, sorry to leave you alone, but I'll be going ahead. There might be something wrong."

"If you think there is, then let me come with," when he made to retort, she simply pushed harder. "Two fighters are better than one, and if something's happening, it'll be easier to handle it together than to shoulder that burden alone," teal eyes stared into green ones, her expression firm. "I won't let you run off into danger on your own. I'm coming with, whether you like it or not."

"I… Alright," he conceded with a nod. "We go together then. I'll be counting on your strength, Kendo-san."

Her expression brightened, then she was back to serious mode as she followed him. Their run took them down the street. It was hard to tell whether they were in some district or the overall layout of the simulated battleground was generalized, which made it hard to figure out where they were.

What he could tell was that they were moving southeast, skirting around an imaginary circle that would fall under the mecha's area of destruction. The streets were looking a little less worse for wear, and he felt that the other candidates would have been busy farming points here in this safe zone.

But the scene they came upon when they turned the corner wasn't a single applicant going sicko mode on a bunch of bots just to destress. That would have at least alleviated his worries somewhat.

"Oi, oi! There's so many here! What the heck?!"
"C-Careful, Kirishima-kun!"

Instead, it was a single boy with red hair holding off a swarm of bots, his arms hardened into rock breaking through them with ease. There was no denying that he was more than skilled enough to handle himself. But it was the person behind him that mattered more; a girl with bright pink hair and black sclera eyes, currently clutching her arm to her side, a terrible bruise apparent over her skin.

Izuku cursed, leaping into action. "Hold on!" He yelled, tackling a bot and breaking its chassis with a firm punch. "Kendo-san!"

"Yeah!" With ease, the martial fighter quickly positioned herself to cover the redhead's flank, taking out the bots with ease. She enlarged her hands and pummelled the bots into the ground, grinding them into dust.

The redhead and pinkette were surprised for a moment, but the boy was invigorated to fight harder. And between the three of them, it didn't take long for them to eventually dismantle the rest of the horde that'd been bothering the redhead and his friend.

With one final sweep, he downed a bot before he smashed it underfoot with a stomp. Izuku let out a sigh of relief, then shifted his focus to the pair. "You two alright?"

"B-Been better," weakly chuckled the girl. Now that he had time to observe her, he noticed she had horns growing out of the top of her head, and her entire skin was pink. Was it some kind of a Mutation-type Quirk? "Just had a run-in with one of them earlier, and it sort of got the jump on us… Argh, this sucks…"

"There's nothing we can do for the bruise now. You can have it iced once we get out of here. And if you haven't broken a bone, then I don't think a cast will be necessary."

"G-Good to know…"

"Man. I honestly thought that we were going to be in serious trouble, but you guys showed up at the right timing," the redhead laughed, smiling a little easier now. "The name's Eijirou Kirishima. We appreciate your help, you two. Really saved us back there!"

"Well, you can thank Midoriya here. Even from afar, he heard your shouting. I couldn't make out anything, despite the silence."

"Admittedly, I'm more worried about what's going on right now for the bots to still be active after the exam is done. They should already be offline, but one had already attacked me, and you were under attack from a lot of 'em…"

"No kidding. That was the biggest surprise we've had so far," he sighed, dragging his hand through his hair. "When that horn sounded off, we pretty much let our guard down since we thought it was officially over. Then some bot attacked Mina here—"

"The name's Mina Ashido!" She quickly introduced.

"—and we've been trying to get away from them. More showed up and cornered us, and if things had gone any other way…" He paused, then shook his head, brightening once more. "Bah, whatever! It's over now, so nothing to it! What say we get out of here?"

"Mm. Let's. We'll meet up with some others, first. I wanna' make sure they're safe too."

While injured, Ashido was more than capable of keeping up with their pace, which made their journey back to the safe spot fairly simple enough. And the lack of bots to hinder their trip was an added benefit that was more suspicious than anything else.

Where had they all gone? The complete silence was uncanny, and he had to keep himself from openly staring left and right in case something decided to jump out at them. Maybe he was running on frantic nerves at the moment, but he decided to focus on simply locating the others for now.

Thankfully, when they arrived at the building, it had been exactly as he'd left it moments ago. The silver-haired girl had thankfully woken up by then, sporting a headache but nothing worse. The others were also much rested. Izuku took that moment to quickly brief the others on what transpired, everyone's expressions growing grim with time.

By the end of it, it was Danny who spoke up first, with arms crossed and his unease obvious. "Seriously? That sucks… Think we should just stay in here and wait for the teachers to bail us out?"

"We'd be making ourselves sitting duds if we just remain here. Maybe it'd be better to move towards the entrance ourselves."

"We're in pretty deep, though. We're closer to the centre of the city, where the mecha first appeared from. And trying to move a group this large is gonna' be a lot of trouble."

"Even so…" Everyone went quiet, before bird boy looked to Izuku. "How about you, Midoriya-san? What should we do?"

"Hmm? Oh, well… Realistically, a rescue situation would have taken long, maybe even up to days to conduct. However, we're in a school. At best, we'll need an hour, or even half of that. The staff will be deployed to locate us and extract us."

"An hour? That's pretty long, but doable," Kirishima's words had everyone nodding. "I mean, it'd be one thing altogether if we did have to wait an entire day. But an hour's really great in comparison."

"Right. In that case, maybe we could just stay here in the meantime. There's no need to force ourselves to move. Plus, some of us aren't able to move around a lot. Too much movement will just be bad for them."

Both Danny and Ashido winced at that. "Sorry 'bout that," the lizard boy said, Kendo shaking her head in return.

"Don't be. This all happened on accident. There's nothing to be upset over."

"Right. For now, just sit tight. I wanna' take a look outside for a moment."

At this point, he doubted it was necessary, but he couldn't find it in himself to stay cooped up inside. Maybe it was the few dredges of adrenaline still running in his system. Having something to do in the meantime could help him calm down, and he trusted the others to be able to take care of themselves inside.

As he walked outside, Izuku's eyes drifted towards the mecha. It cut for an epic sight, deactivated as it was and its head hanging low; like a war machine of a civilization long past, now left behind on a forsaken planet. His geeky brain couldn't help but supply that, and he almost took amusement in that bit of imagination.

Someone stepped out to follow him. He looked back, finding Kendo shooting him a calming smile that had him returning it with his own, tired grin.

"Sorry. Couldn't relax, and I didn't want to make the others uncomfortable. Had to step out to get some fresh air."

"It's fine. I'm pretty much the same," he hummed. "Gotta' admit, I wasn't expecting our physical exam to be this insane. Figured that it would only get weird during classes."

"Tell me about it. I suppose we should be grateful for this exposure, as it'll help us understand just how devastating hero work can be…"

No kidding. He grew up watching vids of heroes involved in all sorts of chaotic scenarios, and none of those could have prepared him for this day. All that it did help with was simply accentuate just how unprepared he was for that. But hey! He supposed it was a good thing U.A. High was throwing this at them right off the bat.

It was in that moment of silence that he felt something grace his shoulder. A phantom touch, enough to make him freeze up on the spot.

'Hey, hey. No need to be scared. It's just me.'

'Wha—Lady Ai, is that you?' He couldn't see her whatsoever, but the faint giggle in the back of his mind was telling enough. 'Hey. Sorry I couldn't visit you recently.'

'Oh, no need to. You were plenty busy as you were. Preparations for the exam, training with your new Quirk, your escapades with your girlfriends~!' Her singsong voice had him blushing. 'Goodness, you definitely worked much faster than I would have expected! I'm super-duper proud of you, Izuku!'

'T-Thanks? I guess?'

'And I know what you're thinking. Lady Ai, why is your power so weird?' He couldn't even deny it. He mentally apologized to her for even thinking that. 'Don't worry. That's because you hadn't exactly explored the full extent of my power—we'll do that after your exam, don't worry. But for now, I'm here to tell you that you're about to experience just a small portion of my blessing's potential.'

'I… I see,' well, he wasn't sure what the power of a goddess of love exactly entailed (and quite frankly, he was a little afraid of what that entailed, especially since he's an introverted person with barely enough experience in romance as is), but she certainly seemed optimistic about its benefit to him, so he'll just have to trust her on that.

'Exactly! Trust me on this!' Whoops. She heard his thoughts. 'But rather than explaining to you, I think it's much better if you experience it yourself. Look there, Izuku.'

A faint outline made itself visible in the corner of his vision. What was likely her hand pointed off towards the sky, drawing his attention to the inactive titan. His brows furrowed.

'Ready yourself, Izuku Midoriya. Once more… show me that you have the power to overcome fate and write your own story.'

Ai disappeared with the jingling of bells…

And, like a thunder had just run through its body in that moment, the great titan suddenly came to life, its eyes gleaming blood red as it trembled with renewed life. It slowly rose to full height, its metal joints groaning painfully all the while. If it had a mouth, Izuku could have imagined it roaring into the sky, announcing its return.

"What the…" He turned his gaze towards Kendo, whose teal eyes widened in disbelief. "H-Hang on, are they serious? Is it coming back online?"

"A-Apparently," Izuku gulped. "But it's far from here. There's no chance that they would target us—"

When the beast groaned again, its head slowly turned to scan its surroundings, as if looking for something. Or someone. It looked around for a couple of seconds before its gaze finally settled on a particular set of people.

Them.

"I-It's not looking at us, right?"
"Nah, that's probably just a coincidence—"

It was still looking at them.

Then it began walking towards them.

And then it started running.

Nah, screw that. "Yeah, we're not staying here anymore! Kendo-san, get the others out! We're running straight for the entrance!"

"R-Right!"

The girl hastily fled back into the building, Izuku cursing this strange turn of events. Did Ai really think it necessary to make all of this happen to him? For crying out loud, this was way too much for a fourteen-year-old!

Just as he was about to head back inside as well, he felt the presence of numerous foes surrounding them. His head snapped away from the mecha, and he found a multitude of red eyes glowing from the alleyways and the buildings, all directed at him.

Great. A siege just when they were planning to leave. What was with this script? This was too ridiculous to be purely random!

"Nothing to it, then…" He growled. «One For All» heeded his call as energy surged forth. "Time's ticking. Come at me! I'll take you all on!"

And like a sea of metal, they rushed him down with a single directive in their commandment; to defeat the green-haired boy.

But Ai had sort of given him the heads-up. With renewed power, he was already darting forwards and smashing his way through the bots, uncaring of the reckless abandon behind his method. Precision was given up in terms of sheer firepower, and with every motion of his attacks, he was still catching all of them.

A fist reared back cracked the skull of a bot. He moved with his momentum and twisted his body for a midair circular kick. A brick is hastily plucked from the ground before it cracks apart a bot's chest. His feet moved as he ducked and weaved between punches, hitting back with enough oomph to crumple it as it tore through its fellow bots.

Just as he was about to fend off another, a massive fist smashed down onto a group of bots, reducing them into a metallic pancake. "Sorry!" Kendo-san shouted, joining the fray quickly. "Waited long?"

"Not at all!" He grinned back, headbutting a robot—then wincing at the stupidity and the hurt behind that single action. At least it broke apart. "Aargh..! E-Everyone ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Kirishima showed up as well, hardening his body to what could only be described as a rock's sheen, pummelling his way past the mob. Danny was carried by bird boy, while the unconscious silverette was carried by three eyes girl. Ashido followed after, good enough to run with the rest of them. "Thanks for the wait! Now let's get out of here!"

This must be what a zombie attack would feel like. Overwhelming numbers, overwhelming odds, and a real messy fight.

Calling it a fight was kind of overselling it, though. He would have personally loved to watch a recording of whatever was happening, because it essentially just boiled down to a group of teenagers trying to force their way forwards through what would have looked like a huge blob of white metal.

And to be honest? That was just the way it is.

"Hah!" With a sweep of her enlarged hand, she easily swatted aside ten to fifteen bots in one go, sending them flying into the buildings to her right, exploding into nuts and bolts. She did the same on her left, cutting their path forwards with utter ease. "Come on, everyone!"

"Nice one, Kendo-san..!"
"Hey, behind you!"

"I got you!" Kirishima roared, his hardened fists easily tearing through the bots. How he was swinging his fists really, really fast was impressive to watch, as was the way he didn't even flinch from tanking hits on his body. His Quirk was definitely helping to add to his impact and his resilience.

There was so much going on with little point of rest. His brain was working on hyperdrive, and Izuku couldn't even imagine how a real scenario like this would be in a battle with a bunch of villains. Micromanaging a group this small felt nigh impossible—

Especially when his own body was moving before he could think, thunder rumbling in his feet as he positioned himself to guard bird boy's flank, pummelling a stray bot with an axe kick. His eyes tracked a follow-up bot, but he'd already intercepted it in time, deflecting its jab and beheading it with a chop to its throat.

Something struck his gut. His eyes watered, but he pushed through the pain to knee the bot in the chin, dazing it long enough for him to follow up with another kick to send its head flying. He hopped away from more bots, and charged up his fist before throwing a fast punch to send them crashing into one another. Metal creaked and screeched as they imploded on themselves, scattering upon the ground as parts.

A deep breath left his lips as he returned to the group, keeping watch over their flank. Even despite their rough situation, they were making significant progress. If they kept up this pace, he'd wager them reaching their destination in at least ten more minutes. It certainly felt long, but in the heat of the moment, a single minute was flashing by like seconds.

But outrunning the entire horde was impossible. Not when he looked behind him and found more still pouring out of buildings like leaking pipes. He winced, but they were getting close. They just needed a bit more time!

Just as he was trying to think of what to do, something exploded in the distance; it was a horrible sound that rattled the entirety of the city, and he couldn't help but stare backwards once again to find the source.

And, within two seconds, ponder his life decisions that deserved him having an entire twenty-storey building thrown right at him.

"HOLY SH—"

It was an impulse that had him kicking «One For All» into high gear, a wave of fire consuming his vision before he dashed forwards. It was an accidental collision with the group that was basically akin to clotheslining them, cries of surprise and pain filling his ears as they were all lifted off their feet.

And they'd barely edged out from getting crushed under tonnes' worth of concrete, the impact sending all of them flying forwards with a cloud of dust. Izuku couldn't even protect himself before he came to a startling halt when his body hit a streetlight and bent it over with a horrifying screech, knocking all the air out of his system.

Everything felt numb at first. A cold that crept towards his fingers that had him automatically trying to flex them to return feeling into them. He must have scratched the ground somewhere in his struggle, but nothing was felt.

And then, his entire body flared up. It hurt. It was enough to make his vision swim for just a moment, but through gritted teeth and a teary gaze, he rolled himself over onto his front, trying to find purchase. "F-Fuck…" He groaned, his arms shaky. "That… sucks… so much…"

Everything slowly returned to him, and he was only then aware of the growing tremors. His eyes gazed upwards, and what appeared as a mirage of giant running straight at them dominated his vision.

He tried to stand, but he fell to one knee, gasping. Damn it. No matter how much he wanted to try and grab the others and run, he couldn't do it. His whole body was in too much pain for him to even focus on running. «One For All» wasn't helping much either, too chaotic in his vessel with little time for his body to properly adapt to it. Looking around, the others were unconscious too. There was nothing else he could do.

Nothing but to destroy it himself.

Forcing himself to stand, he reared back one fist, feeling the sparks bite into his skin. All this while, he'd only relied on a sliver of his power to strengthen his body. Now, he needed more of it. All of it. The kind of power that All Might had easily demonstrated throughout his career, holding steadfast to his position as number one hero.

He needed that of «One For All». Everything it could pump out to destroy the mecha until all that remained was dust.

His power built up for just a bit before it fizzled out with a sputter. "Come on..!" He hissed desperately, clenching his fist so tight, he could feel his nails digging into his palm, stinging. "I… can do this..! I got this!"

Electricity hissed once more. Izuku felt his body grow lighter, but there was barely much he could do in this moment. All he could do was glare at the approaching mecha, his mind desperately trying to figure out what he could do…

A hand graced his shoulder, hair tickling his ear as someone whispered gently to him. 'As I am the goddess of love, my duty is to bear witness and guide man in the path of bonds he sets for himself,' Ai's hand danced across his arm, a confident smile on her lips. 'And you, of the thousands of men I have met, bear a heart so large, it graces others with compassion rarely seen in others… And that, too, will become your strength.'

The scent of spice and tea struck his nostrils. It was so sudden, yet it was so familiar that he couldn't help the gasp that slipped his throat.

'Ochako? Katsumi?'

'Think of them, Izuku. Draw your strength from these feelings you have for them. Remember your vows to the girls your heart yearns for, and let them—their memories, their voices, their adoration—be your guiding force.'

It was like magic. One moment he was staring at the impending disaster, and the next, he felt his soul dissociate from his mortal vessel. His vision became what he could only describe as a camera reel, his entire being turning into what felt like a third person phantom that witnessed countless pivotal moments in his life.

The moment when he was denied a Quirk by the doctor. His despair that had him momentarily pushing away Katsumi, who only stuck to him closer. Her endless encouragement that he could become a hero, when everyone else had likely given up on him.

The day he met a beautiful girl with brown hair. The villain attack that almost took away his most important people. His confession to the both of them. Their date.

Ochako's smile. Her melodic laughter. Her hand in his. Her determination for her family.

Katsumi's strength. Her endless courage. Her faith in him. Her conviction to become a hero.

Years' worth of memories coalesced into a single sensation that completely overrode everything else; his fear, his doubts. All trickled away like sand in an hourglass, carried by the wind as all that remained was a single truth that echoed in his head.

He was a hero for himself, for the people, for his parents, for All Might…

And for Ochako and Katsumi.

Izuku's world shifted. His soul burnt with newfound power, information and knowledge flooding his brain, «One For All»'s power surging like a torrential waterfall that threatened to spill out of him, his body that was the container barely maintaining its shape. It roared like a beast that'd been let loose from its cage, rampant.

And against all of that, a bell sounded off in his head, followed by words only he could perceive in an intangible manner, as if felt deeply in his bones.

[You have unlocked a new skill: 'In the Name of Love'!]

['In the Name of Love' has been activated!]

With cheer, the phantom of Ai pumped her fist in the air. 'Just like that! Now it's time to go Plus Ultra! Clench your fist, tighten your core, and—'

"SMAAAAAAASH!"

When the observers would be asked to describe the scene, as Izuku, alight with energy that made him look like a living thunderbolt, threw an electrical fist in the robot's direction, they would describe it something like this:

A ray of light ran through it.

And moments later, when the dust would settle and the on-grounds examiners would come to survey the damage, all that remained was only a pair of legs, some of the towers and streets obliterated and clouds parting circularly in the sky—and a lone boy wreathed in verdant lightning, who stood tall amongst the others.

And from where he sat, amongst all the other shell-shocked teachers who suddenly erupted into chaotic screaming, All Might simply nodded to himself with a grin. 'Heh… Colour me surprised.'

Author's Notes:

That second third line was a reference to Isshou Senkin. Such an awesome manga, man. It's women Kengan Ashura, and just as badass. You won't want to miss it.

Also, I'll try and figure out more ways to tie in Ai's power with the Quirk, so let's see how that comes along over time.