In a world where 80% of the population possesses superpowers known as Quirks, a new profession emerged: Pro Heroes-who fight villains and protect society as part of their duty. For many, it was a lifelong dream to become an amazing hero.
In a home in Tokyo with a view of the skyline, a certain family of a top hero lived.
Tiny footsteps pattered across the living room as a small child gasped in excitement, eyes fixed on the large TV screen that dominated the wall along with the replicas of villains his father defeated. He watched his father fight a large dragon villain that was covered in red and black scales and breathed acid.
The child looks up at his father with bright, shining eyes filled with admiration as he sees the man jump into the air and punch the dragon's eye with enough force to blind it.
He saw his father, winding up an attack, and imitated his words and actions.
""MISSOURI SMASH!"" he cried. The TV screen displayed the dragon monster crashing into a building after receiving the hit. "Wah!" the boy shouted with delight, jumping up and down and clapping his hands.
"I see you are excited," said a woman's voice.
The boy turned around and saw his mother standing there with a smile. Her fair skin glowed in the morning light, her green hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Izuku, come and eat breakfast before you continue watching your dad," she called out.
"Coming Mom," Izuku replied. As he ran from the spacious living room, his small feet pattered across the hardwood floors past the formal dining area they rarely used. He slowed down when he reached the cozy breakfast nook where his mother waited with his meal. Through the large bay windows behind her, he could see their garden with the small training area his father had installed for family workout sessions. He climbed onto his chair, still talking excitedly about his father's heroics as his mother placed his breakfast in front of him.
Framed family photos lined the hallway-Toshinori and Inko on their wedding day, baby Izuku's first smile, and a recent family vacation at the beach. A child-sized All Might costume hung on a hook by the door, well-worn from Izuku's daily play sessions. Colorful drawings of heroes, clearly done by a child's hand, were proudly displayed on the refrigerator door with All Might-themed magnets.
"Dad is sooooooo cool!" he said, jumping from his seat. "Did you see what he did earlier? He blinded the dragon! Then he threw it into the sky! When it came down he punched it so hard!"
Yagi Inko smiled and laughed. "Yes I saw that, and I saw the rest of it too. And before you ask, I'm sure you'd be a great hero like your father."
"Really?"
"Of course. I know you will be when the time comes."
"But mom, I don't have my Quirk yet," the four-year-old boy looked down as his voice trailed off. "My classmates already got theirs."
Inko shook her head and looked at him. "You'll get your Quirk, sweetheart. And when you do, I just know it's going to be something really special. Just give it time, okay?"
Izuku felt comforted by his mother's words. He nodded his head and smiled back at her. Inko stood up from the chair and went to the sink.
Meanwhile, Izuku had been doing poses on top of the couch. It was until he threw a punch in the air, shouting "Texas Smash!" like his father, that a strong gust of wind tore through the house and blew all of the cutlery on the dining table. Inko screamed in fright and the sudden wind knocked her off balance, sending her to the floor.
The boy stood there frozen with wide eyes as he saw his mother on the floor and all of the utensils scattered on the floor. Inko sat up, blinking in shock. The room felt eerily still, save for the clinking sound of fallen utensils. The air was thick with dust and the aftermath of the blast. She glanced at the ruined wall, the jagged edges looking as if a missile had torn through it.
Her breath hitched. That...that had come from Izuku.
Slowly, she turned toward her son. His small fists trembled at his sides, his wide emerald eyes shimmering with a mix of awe and terror.
"Mom! You okay?!" Izuku's voice wavered, his tiny hands reaching for her. "Sorry, mom!"
Inko inhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest as she let reality settle. Then, she exhaled, pushing down her own shock. Izuku needed her to be strong.
She smiled, brushing herself off. "I'm fine, sweetheart," she reassured him gently. Then, with an amused laugh, she pointed at the gaping hole. "And look at that-I think we just found your Quirk."
Izuku looked at where she was pointing and saw that the wall was torn through, like paper mache struck by a bullet, only much larger. She was right. And by the looks of it, it was just like his father's.
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Yagi Toshinori, also known as All Might, was walking home from work. As he turned the corner onto their street, he found himself smiling at the sight of their house. Even after five years, he sometimes felt a jolt of surprise seeing it-his home, with his family inside.
He remembered Gran Torino's face when he'd announced his engagement. "Never thought I'd see the day," the old man had grumbled. "Always figured you'd die in costume with no one to mourn you but the public."
At the time, Toshinori had been flabbergasted. Now, he could admit his mentor had a point. For years, he'd lived in spartan apartments with bare walls and empty refrigerators. His life had been a singular mission: be the Symbol of Peace, save everyone you can. The concept of reserving energy for anything else-for building a life beyond heroics-had seemed like a betrayal of his purpose.
Yet here he was, eagerly quickening his pace to see Inko's smile and feel Izuku's enthusiastic tackle-hugs.
Before he knew it, he'd fallen hard for the woman who could bake the best cookies he'd ever tasted. And somehow, against all odds, they'd built a life together.
And he wouldn't trade it for anything. He had a beautiful wife who loved him, and now they have a child together.
As Toshinori neared the house, his cheerful thoughts evaporated. His stomach lurched.
A massive hole gaped in the side of their home, jagged and torn as if an explosion had gone off.
His blood ran cold.
His body moved before his mind caught up, instinct kicking in. He rushed forward, heart pounding in his ears. 'No. No, no-please be okay.'
"Inko! Izu!" His voice boomed through the house, raw with fear. 'What if someone broke in? What if-'
"Dad!" his son, wearing his onesie, cheerfully ran towards him.
A blur of green mixed with blue and gold shot toward him at an alarming speed. He barely had time to brace himself before Izuku crashed into him, nearly knocking him off his feet.
Toshinori blinked, stunned, before slowly looking down at his son-small, grinning, unharmed.
"I got my Quirk!" Izuku beamed up at him, bouncing with excitement.
Toshinori's heart was still racing, his mind struggling to keep up. He barely registered Inko approaching, her warm hand on his arm grounding him.
A hole in the house. No villain attack. Just...Izuku.
Toshinori blinked, his mind struggling to process what his son just said. "Y-You did?" As Izuku nodded, he laughed. "You did! Hahaha! That telekinesis must-" he glanced at his wife, who shook her head while smiling.
"What's a 'teluhkenesiz,' Dad?"
"Your mother's Quirk?" his brows furrowed in confusion.
"I was cleaning the plates when he suddenly let out a wind blast from his arm, and it knocked me over and destroyed the wall." Inko gave him a hug.
Which meant neither of them were hurt. The hole in the wall wasn't an issue. It could be replaced. His family, however, couldn't.
'B-But how?' He could still feel the waving inferno, One for All, inside of him. "Are you sure?"
"It just happened! I punched and-BOOM! The wall exploded! Mom said it was my Quirk!"
Confusing as it may have been, he'd rather have this situation than the alternative. Though right now, what he thought he needed to do was...
"Izuku, that was amazing... but you packed way too much power into that! We need to be careful. I'll have to start training you soon, okay?" he said with a serious tone. Normally, it was early. Way too early, to be talking about training a child. But if what he got was somehow One for All, then it needed to be done.
Unlike most Quirks that start at relatively low power, One for All had none of that. It was a powerful Quirk from the get-go.
He wouldn't be able to take it if Izuku's body exploded when he threw a punch. Just the mental image of it almost made him weak in the knees. The fact that he was relatively unharmed was a miracle.
The boy nodded furiously. "Yes dad! Teach me how to use my Quirk!" He jumped around happily, throwing punches in the air as he mimicked his father's attacks.
Toshinori hugs Izuku, relieved, then jokingly says, "Izuku, you almost gave your old man a heart attack."
Inko suggested celebrating, but Toshinori's mind lingered on how Izuku got this power. Now that he saw him, there was a glow under his skin. It was, without a doubt, One for All.
Toshinori sighed, pulling out his phone. He was going to have to make a call-to his old principal, Nezu. He didn't have many close connections, but the ones he did have? They'd had his back through thick and thin.
And if anyone could help him figure out what to do next, it was Nezu.
And maybe Gran Torino too...even if it meant taking a few hits.
As he dialed, a pit formed in his stomach. If Izuku had One for All...then how? And more importantly-why?
Nezu picked up the phone soon after and promised to help him look into it while Gran Torino didn't pick up his phone. Probably gone to buy some sweets. So Toshinori gave a sigh of relief as he sent him a text, explaining as much as he could.
He also made a quick call to arrange for the wall to be repaired. No one would be foolish enough to rob his home-not with All Might in there. But he wasn't about to leave a gaping hole in the house all night. If nothing else, the cold air alone was reason enough.
For now, he told Izuku not to use his Quirk until they train tomorrow.
Inko made tea for them and they all sat down in the kitchen. They chatted about small things like the weather or what happened at home while they ate and drank. Afterward, she got up from her seat to refill their mugs while Toshinori began telling his family about how his day went.
When night came, Izuku was asleep in his bedroom upstairs while his parents retired to their bedroom after checking on him one last time. They both changed into their nightclothes before settling into bed together.
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Izuku and Toshinori were in their backyard for training the next morning after breakfast. It was a nice day outside; sunny, cloudless skies with a slight breeze blowing through the trees and grass around them. Toshinori was wearing his All Might jumpsuit. He stretched, preparing for the rigorous workout ahead while waiting for Izuku to finish his morning routine.
Finally finished, the young boy stood proudly next to him as they faced each other. The two stood silently for several seconds before Toshinori spoke up. "Alright, Izuku. Today will be our first day training together so we should start by-"
He was interrupted by a sudden phone call. "Wait a moment."
Upon answering the call, he was greeted by a loud "OI!" from his old mentor that made him jump back slightly and caused some nearby birds to fly away startled.
"W-What is it, sir?" Toshinori asked nervously while holding the phone away from his ear so that it wouldn't deafen him when he spoke.
"I READ YOUR MESSAGE AND HAD THE FEELING YOU'D PUSH YOUR KID TOO HARD IF LEFT ALONE! SO I'M GONNA SAY: DO NOT MAKE HIM PUNCH AS HARD AS HE CAN!" Gran Torino shouted at full volume through the speaker of his cellphone before abruptly ending the call with no further explanation as to why he called.
Toshinori blinked at the now-silent phone. Then he sighed, shaking his head. What kind of father did he take him for?
He shook his head, smiling as Izuku tapped his chin in thought "All right, Izuku! Why don't we start with regular training! No Quirks."
"Ehhh?" His son's face twisted into a frown at his father's words. "That's no fun."
Toshinori placed a hand on his shoulder and crouched down to eye level with him. "Even the strongest heroes have to start here! And if you do well, we'll try something really cool after, promise!"
Izuku pouted before sighing in defeat. "Okay..." he mumbled reluctantly. Then suddenly his eyes lit up and he bounced excitedly. "I won't disappoint you!"
With that said, he began doing basic sit-ups. Once finished, he started doing modified push-ups from his knees rather than toes. Toshinori watched as his son performed each exercise perfectly without missing a beat. As soon as he was done, Izuku looked back at him expectantly for another set of instructions.
He made sure to praise Izuku for every little thing that he accomplished, whether it was a single rep or an entire round of exercises, and encouraged him to keep going with words such as "You're doing great!" and "Keep up the good work!"
They went through several more routines, modified with his body in mind. From gentle squats, to lunges and more sit-ups, they did everything to prepare Izuku for the next phase of training.
Then they started training his cardio through play-based activities. Animal walks, running around the house or even just chasing each other. At this point, Izuku was laughing, having fun despite not touching on his Quirk.
There were even times when he asked to do an extra round or two, turning it into a playful competition.
Honestly, Toshinori would've liked to ask his son to use the lowest output he could. The fact that Izuku didn't sustain any injuries yesterday meant that his body could handle more. But it wasn't like they had a ten-month time limit or something. And the risk of him overdoing it outweighs any benefit.
Eventually, Inko would bring out refreshments and snacks for them. Some ice-cold drinks for them to cool down before they move on to the next set of activities.
This turned into a routine over the next few months. Toshinori made Izuku to promise not to use his Quirk until he said so. Were it any other children, there was no way that'd happen. But this was Izuku, promising to his father and idol. He wasn't going to break it.
The morning sun cast a warm glow over their backyard as Izuku finished his last set of lunges, his little arms stretched out for balance. Toshinori, watching proudly, clapped a hand on his son's shoulder.
"That's enough for now, champ. You did great today!"
Izuku beamed, still catching his breath while smiling. He was getting stronger, and one day, he'd be a great hero just like him!
Just then, the sliding door to their house opened, and Inko stepped out with a tray of cool drinks. "Come on, you two! Time to freshen up before school, Izuku."
Izuku's eyes widened. "Oh yeah! School!"
Toshinori chuckled as his son eagerly took a drink. He had so much energy-it was hard to believe he had just finished exercising.
After washing up and changing into his school uniform, Izuku was ready to go. He stood by the door, his tiny backpack slung over his shoulders, bouncing on his heels.
Toshinori knelt down, adjusting the straps on Izuku's bag. "Remember, no using your Quirk, okay?"
Izuku nodded seriously. "Promise."
"Good." Toshinori smiled. "Then go and have fun."
With that, Izuku ran out to meet his classmates, ready for another day at kindergarten.
Kindergarten was...loud. Izuku didn't mind, though-he liked being around other kids, even if they weren't as careful with their words as grown-ups.
He was sitting on the floor, stacking colorful blocks, when one of his classmates, a boy with floppy rabbit ears, pointed at him with wide eyes.
"Hey! My big brother said your dad is All Might! Is that true?"
At the mention of his father, the other kids perked up. A few of them gasped, while others scooted closer, suddenly more interested in him than their toys.
Izuku blinked at the attention. "Um...yeah?"
Immediately, a girl with tiny wings on her back flapped excitedly. "Whoa! That means you're gonna be super strong, right? What's your Quirk? What's it do?"
A few kids started bouncing on their feet, voices overlapping.
"Yeah, yeah! Show us!"
"Can you punch through a wall?"
"Can you fly like All Might?"
"Dad doesn't fly, though?" he tilted his head.
At the indirect admission, the kids swarmed to him further.
Izuku hesitated, glancing at his hands. He could show them. Just a tiny bit. But-
He clenched his fists. 'I promised Dad.'
His face set with determination, and he shook his head. "No. I promised Dad. I won't use it until he says it's okay."
The excitement fizzled in an instant. Some kids looked confused, others disappointed.
"Eh? Boring."
"What's the point of having a Quirk if you're not gonna use it?"
"Yeah! My mom says heroes never hold back!"
Izuku bit his lip, feeling a little embarrassed, but before he could figure out what to say, their teacher clapped their hands.
"Now, now," she said, smiling a little too much, "keeping a promise is very important! It shows you can be trusted!"
Some of the kids groaned and wandered back to their toys. A few still eyed Izuku with curiosity, but the moment had passed.
Izuku exhaled. He didn't mind that they were disappointed. Keeping his promise to Dad was more important.
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A couple more months had gone by, and Izuku was growing fast for his age. At this point, even without using his Quirk, he could keep up with a regular student in late grade school. Which...didn't sound that impressive-unless one remembered he was still in kindergarten and hadn't even tapped into his real power yet.
Today, though, his dad had brought him to meet someone important. Someone he was warned about.
"Gran Torino is...well, he's kind of scary. But don't say that to his face, okay?"
Izuku nodded seriously, filing that information away.
Then he saw the tiny old man in the yellow costume and black mask staring at him, arms crossed, looking him up and down like he was inspecting an unripe fruit.
They were about the same height.
Izuku blinked, unsure of being presented contradictory information. His father said he was scary, but Izuku didn't know why.
"Um..." Izuku tilted his head. "What class are you in?"
There was a pause.
Then:
"WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SPOUTING ABOUT?!"
Izuku flinched as the old man slammed his foot into the ground, the heavy sound of impact sending a wave of air toward him that blew through his clothes. He let out a yelp and scrambled behind his dad, peeking out from behind his leg.
To his growing concern, Toshinori was also trembling.
Gran Torino pointed an accusing finger at himself, scowling. "YOU THINK I'M SOME PIPSQUEAK LIKE YOU?! DO I LOOK LIKE I BELONG IN A CLASSROOM?!"
Izuku, still hidden, whispered to his father. "Did I make him mad?"
Toshinori, pale-faced, just nodded.
"C-Come on, sensei," Toshinori stuttered weakly as he tried to placate the old man. "You shouldn't get angry at a child. He's only-"
"Shut it," Gran Torino barked before turning back towards the cowering five-year-old. "Kid, do you know who I am?"
Izuku, drawing blank, just shook his head rapidly. The old man snorted before speaking again. "I am Sorahiko Torino, a former Pro Hero and a teacher at U.A." He paused, then added quietly. "...And I taught your father for a bit."
Izuku could feel Gran Torino's inspecting gaze like piercing through his skin. For a second, Izuku wondered if he was about to get scolded again. But then-
The man grinned, baring all his teeth. "I heard you want to know how to use your Quirk."
But Izuku only looked at him blankly, tilting his head, "But...I promised Dad not to use my Quirk unless I train properly."
Gran Torino blinked, surprised at first before a smile cracked on his face. He glanced at All Might, "You taught him well."
"Th-Thank you." All Might replied, still shaken.
"Now then," Gran Torino turned towards his student. "I suppose it's time you showed me your Quirk."
"Eh? Bu-"
"Stop it. I wouldn't be here if your father didn't trust me," he stated firmly. Then, with an impatient wave of his hand, he added. "Now come on."
Izuku hesitates but follows him outside nonetheless. The air was practically freezing, with snow falling from above. He felt shivers run up his spine and rubbed his hands on his arms to be warm.
"Best way to counter the cold is to exercise. Come on! Try to draw your Quirk," he tapped his cane to the ground impatiently.
The boy closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to focus on something inside himself-on that burning sensation beneath his skin-but it remained stubbornly dormant. He opened his eyes, frustrated. "It won't come out!"
"Huh? That's surprising," Gran Torino remarked dryly. "It's not just about forcing it out, kid. Power comes when you need it. So why don't you try imagining something that would make you fight with everything you have?"
"Make me fight..." he muttered, before closing his eyes again. In this mind, was the image of his father, saving a family a few hours ago. The family had brown hairs, the mother and daughter had a permanent blush on their cheeks.
The sheer terror on their face, contrasted with the relief upon seeing the slightest sign of his father. He wanted the same, to be like his father. His father's presence turned people's fears into smile. Izuku wanted to save others.
He frowned, brows furrowing together as he concentrated again-until finally-
Green electricity sparked across his skin as power flowed through him. There was a subtle glow under his skin, making it seem like he was glowing.
The old man's eyes widened briefly before returning to normal as he watched Izuku struggle to contain the sheer strength of One for All. "Good job! Alright, kid," he began to get ready, just in case. "Show me what you got."
"O-Okay," Izuku nodded, feeling confident in himself for once as he drew his fist back before throwing a punch at Gran Torino.
It was way too telegraphed-something you'd see coming a mile away-but the sheer speed and power behind it made even Gran Torino tense. He jumped out of the way just in time as a wave of air exploded from the point of impact, sending a blinding burst of snow and debris into the sky.
The shockwave tore through the training ground, uprooting entire trees. The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Silence.
Gran Torino slowly looked back at the boy, nary a scratch on him, despite that output.
He let out a low whistle. "...Well, damn."
Toshinori mouth gaped as he looked at his son's uninjured arm. He certainly trained Izuku, but not to the point of being fine after displacing enough air to cause such destruction. That needed way more and not something they'd do until way later.
Izuku, looking between them nervously, muttered, "D-Did I do good?"
Gran Torino's lip twitched upward. "Kid, that was something. But if you want to really control that power...you're gonna need a lot more work."
Izuku grinned, bouncing slightly on his feet. "Okay!"
Toshinori, meanwhile, was still just standing there, mouth open.
Gran Torino smirked. "Heh. Guess you've got your hands full, All Might."
Thanks for reading!
For months, I've been thinking about the concept of a Yagi Izuku-minus the neglect-and I wanted to explore my take on how that would unfold.
The Izuku - Winter King series is still my main focus, and that hasn't changed! This is just something I'll be exploring from time to time.
I hope you enjoy this journey with me as we explore this take on Izuku!