Despite the wavering petrification fueled within this green haired little boy, it didn't stop him from protecting a defenseless kid about the same age as them.

With his trembling fists raised to the best of their courage, he stands firm before yelling out to the perpetrators behind the orchestrated assault; although the line was more so aimed at a particular juvenile "E-enough Kacchan! You're already making him cry…please stop!"

"Shut it! I'm tired from hearing a quirkless nobody like you running your mouth like your top shit or something! Why don't you move your ass along or we might as well pummel you too!" The overtly aggressive blonde labeled as Kacchan spouted, clasping his fists together to create a mighty explosion that almost lit his delinquent friends to a fiery blaze.

"I-I uhhhh…if you keep at it, then I'll have no choice but to fight you myself!" The frightened boy shouted, hoping to himself that the situation would nullify. However…knowing Kacchan, it was practically foolish of him to even think that could possibly happen.

Ignited with a burning rage, Kacchan dashed forward to strike a multitude of blows at the green haired kid, prompting their friends to join in on the tyrannical beatdown "I've had enough of you! All this tough talk as if you've got the slightest chance of becoming a hero infuriates me to a pulp! Know your place Deku!" That name…it's a title that he's worn for as long as he could remember. And while it may be a harsh label to put on someone, it couldn't even be denied at the slightest bit.

People are not born equal, that was the hard truth that Izuku Midoroya learned just at the age of four. However, that wasn't gonna hold him back. If anything, it pushes him to go further than beyond. Whether that is for greater or worse all comes down to the very timeline.

MY HERO ACADEMIA

Quirks…the very existence of it began in Qing Qing city in China where a bio-luminescent boy was born. After that, reports of people with extraordinary powers popped up throughout the entire globe. The cause remained unknown, and as time passed, the "extraordinary" would soon become the new norm.

What was perceived as merely a fantasy twisted into the endless shape that is our reality. The world as we know it turned into a superhuman society; with about eighty percent of the population possessing a special ability of their own.

Along with these abilities came an explosion in the crime rate. While various nations struggled to overhaul their legal systems, brave individuals took up the mantle of heroes, thus keeping civilians out of harm's way.

Gaining massive support from the public, some acquired the right to serve as earth's greatest protectors in an official capacity. Depending on the performance, they have the potential to earn government pay, fame and glory!

To Midoriya at the age of four years old, those things never crossed his mind when he first craved the chance of becoming a full fledged pro hero. His motivation was driven by the urge to save people, and it's all thanks to a certain debut video that shook him to the absolute core.

Recorded a while back was a disaster that left a once intact city in peril. Buildings were completely destroyed; residents couldn't escape from the hellish environment; hope had just vanished without a trace in sight!

And just when everything seemed grim, a muscly pro entered the scene, generating a bright light in what could be described as a pitch black terrain.

In just less than ten minutes, the hero in question has already saved about a hundred people as if it was a daily chore. And just when they finished carrying the last batch of endangered civilians, the hero flashes a huge smile on their face and shouted for everyone to bear witness "Fear not! Why, you ask? Because I am here!!"

All Might; the hero in question who not only made history from his debut, but quickly landed himself as Japan's number one hero. His presence alone has left a huge impact on countless lives, one of them belonging to Midoriya who could rival many as being his biggest fan.

Ever since that video dropped, the boy has fantasized every day of becoming an amazing hero like All Might. Unfortunately…he'd soon be faced with a revelation that shattered his dreams into a million pieces.

He was deemed quirkless.

"Sorry kid…it's not gonna happen." The doctor's words hit him like a truck. Pupils dilated, Midoriya could only sit there in shock as he took in the unfortunate fact that didn't stop hurting inside of him.

"N-no! This has to be some mistake!" Seated next to the stunned kid was none other than his mother who evidently was not willing to give up so easily "I mean…the other kindergartners in his class have already started showing signs. Surely another test wouldn't hurt…"

"Pardon me for asking ma'am, but you are a fourth generation quirk user, correct?" The doctor questioned her to which she gave an honest answer while having a hint of reluctance in her voice "Well yes…of course. I can pull small objects towards me. As for my husband, he can breathe fire."

"Right…well by the age of four, a child should manifest either of his parent's quirk's or a composite of the two. However, early quirk research discovered an important finding. It has to do with the presence or lack thereof regarding an extra joint in the pinky toe. Humans have no need for parts they don't use, get what I'm saying? Basically, those without the joint represent the next stage of evolution. Izuku here has two joints, meaning that he has no quirk whatsoever."

With each passing word that escapes out of the doctor's mouth, Midoriya felt himself going on a downward spiral into the dark abyss where it'd be impossible for somebody to reach their hand out to him. Maybe by extending his own out, he'd have a better chance at accomplishing his dream. But that's the worst part about dreams, they aren't the best at reflecting reality. Even so, that slimmer of hope never ceased to exist…that was until one night when he rewatched the footage of All Might's debut.

Midoriya could only stare at the screen as it displayed the pro hero's historic act, his eyes full of tears. Hearing the door creak open, he turned to face his distraught mother before pointing his shaky hand at the television, nearly on the verge of producing a waterfall "M-mom…no matter what kind of trouble you're in, he'll save you with a smile. Even when things seem impossible, he never gives up. Do you think I can be a hero too…?"

Packed with immense guilt, his mother ran up with teary eyes and hugged him from behind, dropping to her knees as she did so "I-I'm sorry Izuku! I wish things would be different…!"

Those pitying words were what sealed the deal for him. Couldn't she see that his world was crumbling? Had Midoriya been told what he really wanted to hear, then maybe…just maybe, he'd still have a sense of future left.

Years later and that tragic memory still remains, even with his body having just gotten obliterated by Kacchan and his friends. The quirkless boy laid on the ground in dwindling defeat while his wearisome eyes gazed up into the warmly lit sky; an atmosphere that carried the opposite tone to their stature. After about a while or so, Midoriya finally sat up, wincing at the pain that's been inflicted on him.

"Gahhh…! That one really hurt…" He uttered before standing up, his eyes peering around the perimeter in search of the kid he defended not too long ago. Looks like they were nowhere to be found; must've ran off by the time he got pummeled to the ground.

It's great to know that the kid was safe and sound, but even then…Midoriya still felt like it wasn't enough. What's good in protecting people when you can't even do it with a smile. Though now that he thinks about it, how on earth do these heroes do it? Perhaps maybe because unlike them, doing heroic acts is simply impossible for him. It should've been obvious at this point, just why on earth did he try to think otherwise? It's not like he had any ambition left anyways.

Standing up, he could only let out a depressed sigh before going on about his day, at least…to the best of his abilities considering the circumstances. Upon leaving the area, he had failed to notice a figure watching him from afar, chuckling in amusement while a sadistic look began to take shape.

Meanwhile…somewhere in the populated city, hundreds of civilians were at a halt as they watched the legend that is All Might get himself into a battle against the infamous Toxic Chainsaw, creating a mesmerizing scene in the process. After minutes of nonstop clashing, the villain stops in his tracks before letting out a bellowing roar for all to hear "Hah! Is this really the best you have to offer?! And they call you the number one hero…that's just hilarious!"

"Well actually, I've only just scratched the surface dear villain! Now…while I really admire the show we've just put on, I cannot allow you to put innocent lives in harm's way. That is my duty as the Symbol of Peace!" All Might voiced proudly before delivering one of his ultimate moves, knocking the villain out and ending the fight instantly "TEXAS SMASH!!!"

And just like that, Toxic Chainsaw had been detained, and everything went back into its blissful state. Well…almost everything. All Might could feel blood pouring out of his mouth, meaning there was no time to dilly-dally "Shit…!"

Without wasting any time, he blasted off into the sky as citizens nearby gazed in awe, one of them being Kacchan…or more commonly known by his actual name, Katsuki Bakugo "Did you guys see that?! All Might just packed that loser villain up in one punch! He just never stops winning!"

"You got that right! Man…I would just kill to be in that guy's shoes!" One of his friends; Nagai Tesaki added, causing Bakugo to let out a thunderous laugh as if they've just told an incredibly funny joke "Oh please Tesaki! You have a better chance at surviving a nuclear explosion! Speaking of explosions…with my quirk, I'm practically the only one strong enough to make it to All Might's level, undoubtedly even higher than that. Ain't that right Hashiga?"

Kamisori Hashiga, who had the ability to produce razor-sharp teeth with ease, scratched the back of his neck in a nervous fashion while he gazed someplace else "I mean…not to sound like a debbie downer or anything but the guy is one tough nut to crack y'know. It's gonna take a lot to surpass him."

"Oh c'mon! You really think I don't have what it takes?! It's not like you can do any better with your pointers. Tsubasa, back me up here!" The blonde spouted before peering over at the boy in question. They appeared a little too fixated, his eyes focused on where All Might previously was before "Y-yeah…whatever you say…"

Seeing as how Tsubasa clearly wasn't paying attention, Bakugo furrowed his brows in annoyance before walking up and giving him a smack across the back of his head "Hey! You weren't even listening!"

"Ow! Hey, did you really feel the need to do it that hard?" The chubby boy said while rubbing the pain away, only for his ears to get blared out unceremoniously "Whaddya think?! You didn't hear a single thing I said!"

"Sorry…it's just that I couldn't help but notice that All Might had a little something going on in his mouth. I couldn't really tell if it was like blood or something, but it did look pretty red."

"Blood? Oh please, you must've been seeing things. You do realize who we're talking about here, right? The guy is practically untouchable, and you seriously expect me to believe he would be in any sort of pain?" Bakugo states, snickering at such a ridiculous idea when Hashiga was quick to make a rebuttal, though there was hesitation clear in his eyes "Uhhhh…I'm not following here. Wouldn't that be something you want? After all, you're always talking about how you'll become better than him one day."

Offended, the explosive boy peered over at his friend with an angered look on their face as if what they said was far beyond criminal "Hold it! Just because I'll surely surpass him doesn't make All Might any less badass! This is exactly why you guys will end up being a bunch of rejects while I revel in being the greatest hero to ever exist." With each passing word that comes out of Bakugo's mouth, his self pride gets elevated ever so higher to the dismay of his three friends who were really beginning to get irritated at this point.

"Errrrr…yeah. Anyways, why don't we grab ourselves a couple of snacks!" Tesaki suggests, pointing his elongated fingers over at the nearest convenience store. To Hashiga's pleasure, he nods his head excitedly before proceeding to make a suggestion too "And after that, we can hang out at Tsubasa's place!"

"Hashiga, we practically hang out at my place all the time." Tsubasa clarified, not looking too content about that fact. Due to his grandfather's many absent days, it's no surprise to him that his home would be the perfect spot to have some chill time. But with how repetitive it has gotten, he's starting to wish for a little more variety.

Despite his irritations, the boy couldn't find any reason to refuse "Look, just make sure not to make a mess again. You know how long it takes for me to get rid of all the gunk you guys left behind yesterday?"

"Yeah…we made quite the ruckus. But think about it this way, a lot of amazing heroes make great sacrifices. I'd say that was a sign!" Tesaki stated gleefully, hoping his spin on the situation would do the trick. Unfortunately for him, the intention was as clear as day to Tsubasa who didn't bother saying another word.

As dull as his life was appearing to be, it was nothing in comparison to what Midoriya had to live through on a daily basis.

The boy had just arrived at the apartment where he and his mother lived, still feeling the bruises inflicted upon him. It didn't help that every step taken only strengthens the pain even more.

Upon opening the door, Midoriya was met with his alerted mother who came darting in a frenzy, looking extremely worried as any concerned parent would be "Oh my goodness! Izuku, what on earth has happened to you dear?!"

"I'm fine mom…it's just Kacchan and his friends messing with me." With the way Midoriya had worded it, he made it seem like they were just having a little tussle when in reality, it was way more than that.

Truth be told, his feelings were constantly urging him to resent Bakugo. Given what he's been through, it wouldn't be illogical to garner such emotions. However, no matter how hard he tried…he just couldn't. Even with everything that's been happening, it would take a miracle for Midoriya to truly hate him.

By the time sunset had occurred, he was already laid in bed to distract the pain while his mother carefully watched with gloom roaming around her very essence. As for the hooligans behind his unfortunate stature, they were having fun at Tsubasa's house, relishing on the edibles infesting their mouths while mashing buttons to some multiplayer game. The atmosphere to say the least, was a complete one-eighty.

"Hah! Eat on that, chumps!" Bakugo declared as the screen revealed his name as the crowned winner to everyone else's dismay. Annoyed, Tesaki throws his controller before slouching on the couch in a state of defeat "Gosh darnit! Why do we always play this freaking game? He wins like all the time!"

"Well it's probably the fact that this is the only thing Tsubasa owns." Hashiga noted before the boy in question immediately starts defending himself "Hey man, I'd have an easier time buying games if my granddad didn't keep leaving all the time. He pretty much keeps all the money, and there's no way you're ever gonna catch me stealing anything. Besides, don't you guys have a ton of games? Why can't we just go to one of your places instead?"

"Hey man, trust us when we say that we'd love to do that. But our parents can be pretty strict, especially Bakugo's. I mean have you seen his mom? She can be pretty feisty." Hashiga said in response followed by a rather naughty comment from Tesaki "True that. Though it doesn't make her any less bodacious if you know what I mean…!"

Before having any time to react whatsoever, he received a remarkably mighty blow to the cheek in courtesy of Bakugo's fists, sending him face-first into the floor. Both Tsubasa and Hashiga stare at their injured friend in shock, with the former moving the conversation along "Well anywho…if your parents really are that strict, then why are you guys still here? Just imagining myself as a parent…I'd probably be furious if my kid wasn't back home yet."

Wide-eyed at the sudden revelation, all three of them instantly grabbed their belongings and scurried out of the house without even saying a single word, leaving Tsubasa all by himself yet again "Goodbye to you too…just great. I told them not to make a mess like last time and what do they do? Make a mess…" The rounded boy spouted in annoyance before immediately grabbing a broom, beginning to clean around the house yet again.

He'd spent the rest of his time making sure everything was deemed spotless, finishing by the time night had settled in. While the process became practically a piece of cake by this point, Tsubasa still wasn't really fond of what his routine had turned into. With his grandfather not being around that often, he pretty much lived without a guardian throughout the entire duration of his life.

"It would surely be nice if my granddad were to appear around the house more often. Wouldn't that be something?" Was all Tsubasa could muster outta his mouth before thinking a little deeper and wondering to himself "What does he do in his spare time?"

Back at the apartment complex, things weren't looking any better. Midoriya continued laying on the bed vacantly, almost appearing to resemble a decaying corpse. When the universe itself seems as if it's out to get you, then what's really the point in even trying? Those thoughts alone invaded the boy's mind, infesting it like some world ending plague. If something doesn't change this instant, then Midoriya would be nothing but a former shell of himself. The very creation knew that, as did his own mother.

Ever since the doctor's assessment a few years back, the boy's state of mind had plummeted far below than one could ever conceive of. As for his mom, she's been digesting a plethora of food to the point that her body reshaped into a more plump form. It doesn't look too bad now, but she was afraid that it could escalate into something far worse. However, the fear of becoming morbidly obese was not her main priority as of this point in time. Right now…needs to lift her son's spirits to the highest peak imaginable.

"I-Izuku…? I know you're hurting inside, and the reason I know is because I feel the exact same way. When you were revealed to be quirkless, I felt as if I just ruined my son's life. Believe me when I say it was the worst feeling I've ever experienced" Despite the tears beginning to flow out of her eyes, Inko dawned on a smile for him to see. She can't show despair at this moment, not when her kid was at their worst. She needs to show him that his future is still alive "But even with that feeling…I never stopped hoping for you…! Even if it seems impossible, just know you have one person cheering you on. So…is my little hero gonna keep dreaming?"

For the first time in a very long while, Midoriya could feel his confidence skyrocket as evident by his enthusiastic nod. Hearing those comforting words he yearned for so long was all he needed to hear. It was just enough for him to finally consider giving life another go. Unfortunately…as his mother was just about to leave the room, she turned to look at him with a warm smile before making the poorest choice of words "And just in case you think I was bluffing a long time ago, I truly am sorry dear."

Closing the door shut, she was unaware of the pain she had just inflicted on her child. That pain would hurt more than anything Midoriya had felt before. His mother still doesn't believe in him, and the audacity to lie to his face makes it even worse. Why would she say all of that just to show pity in the end? It's like she never understood him after all this time…

This was it. This was his last straw.

Compelled by the constant anguish piling up on him, Midoriya quickly exited out of the apartment to his mother's shock. The boy could hear her cries; begging for him to come back. But as he sprinted off to full speed, those loud cries would soon fade away only for his ears to soon hear their heart pumping loudly instead.

Not even a minute has passed, and he already found himself scurrying through the illuminated city while wondering if this was really the best choice to make. Midoriya knew how ridiculous of a decision this was in hindsight, but even then…he just couldn't find himself living with someone who didn't think he could be a hero any longer.

But what now? Where would he even go? How would he even survive? Midoriya was in such a rush to get out of there that he forgot to bring any necessities along the way "God…why am I so useless at everything? It already hurts being born quirkless, but I can't even get the basics right!"

Soon enough, he found himself darting towards the deep end of an alleyway before facing his back against the wall and let the loud sobbing take control, closing eyes his shuts to get rid of the glooming ambience "I want to save lives…so why did I have to be like this…? Why can't I put on a smile…? Why can't I be a hero…?"

"Now who said you needed to be a hero to save lives?" Upon hearing a voice call out to him, Midoriya opened his eyes to see a mysterious man standing rather menacingly. Scared, he looked around for a way to get out. Unfortunately for him, the only passage to freedom was right where the man was standing.

He stood there in fear, shutting his eyes again as if waiting to embrace death at any moment. And then he hears the man laughing, but it wasn't like a 'get ready for your last breath' kinda laugh. No, it was way more genuine than Midoriya could have expected "W-what are…?"

"You know, it's not very heroic to assume the worst in someone. But hey…maybe that's just it, maybe you aren't as heroic as you dreamt of being." The man gleefully stated, taking a few steps forward to Midoriya's dismay "P-please don't move any closer…!"

"Hey now, there's no need for you to worry. After all, we've met before. C'mon now, don't you recognize my face?" It was then that they knelt down to meet with his level to reveal themselves as the doctor from all those years ago, leaving Midoriya incredibly flabbergasted "Y-you're…"

"The doctor? Yes I am, though I'm surprised you even remember me after all this time. My words must've really made an impact. Hm? Listen…I've witnessed everything you had to go through, as admittedly strange as it sounds, and let me just say young man…you don't deserve to be treated this way; being left in the dirt while everyone else gets to live out their desires. What I'm trying to say is I'm offering you a chance, a chance at everything you've ever wanted. There's someone I know who can give you a really amazing quirk, doesn't that sound exciting?"

Midoriya couldn't believe it. There was a way he could get a quirk? Is that even possible? Was that just a universal fact and he didn't even know? It just seemed too good to be true, especially since he's been lied to before "I-I…it does sound pretty amazing. But how can I trust you…?"

"Yeah…I can understand the skepticism, the predicament is very peculiar no doubt. But I should clarify to you that I am in fact a doctor, so I very well know my stuff. And besides, is this really how you want to live your life? All alone and futile? If you take my hand right now, every single problem will go away. No more suffering, only happy smiles from now on. So…whaddya say kid?"

Even though he still felt odd about the entire situation, Midoriya couldn't help but agree with the doctor's words. Does he really want to live like this? To go through an even more painful experience than before? Surely wherever they're heading, it's bound to better than this. And that's not to even mention the supposed opportunity to gain a quirk. If what they're saying is true, than that means he can finally accomplish everything he's ever wished for.

Wearily, he locked eyes with the doctor before finally making his ultimatum "Alright, I'll go with you. Just promise me that everything you've said up until now was not a lie."

"Oh Midoriya, doctors don't make lies."

PRESENT DAY

Right in the busy streets of Musutafu came a group of heroes working to apprehend a villain terrorizing the piece. The villain in question is a rat-faced individual whose size stacks up to about an average office building, though it's not as big as their temper is.

"GET AWAYYYYYYY!!!" The gigantic villain lets out a bellowing roar before swatting away a transmission tower in anger. Civilians watched and screamed at the plummeting tower as it neared its way towards them, only for a pro hero with superhuman strength to grab it in the nick of time. How lucky!

"Hey, look. It's Death Arms!" A resident called out in awe, gazing as the punching hero looked over his shoulder and proceeded to shout with all of their might "Backdraft! How's everything going in your end?"

"Oh, I'm just doing dandy!" The aforementioned answered, using his water pumping quirk in order to separate the crowd of civilians away from the ongoing battle situated just a couple of feet in front of them "Hopefully in return for my gracious efforts, the Kamui guy will finish dealing with that brute once and for all."

Finally, there was the recent pro hero who came to fight the villain head on; Kamui Woods. It was truly a sight to behold as the hero used his tendril-like arms to avoid each of the villain's swings with ease "Assault, robbery, and the illegal use of powers during rush hour traffic. You really are the incarnate of evil."

He then sticks out his right arm as the bark forms into a terrifying shape, getting ready to unleash his ultimate move "It is time for you to face your punishment…!"

"Yeah, take that villain down Tree Man!" A middle aged man from within the crowd shouts in excitement as he along with the rest of the crowd anticipated the hero's special ability.

"Preemptive Binding…" Kamui begins to state the name of his ultimate move as the bark on his arm extends and shoots out towards the gigantic villain "Lacquered Chain Prison!"

"Canyon Cannon!!" Unexpectedly, a giant woman dressed in purple landed a solid kick right into the villain's face, knocking them down in three seconds flat to the crowd and Kamui's shock.

"Piece of cake for the world's hottest hero! Hi there everyone, the name's Mount Lady! Looks like you won't have to worry about this bum anymore!" The bodacious hero said, purposely showing off her backside for pictures to be taken.

As for the bark textured hero, Kamui couldn't fathom what just happened. He could only stare at the hero who just took all of his credit in one fell swoop while his body remained frozen "Did she really just do that…?"

With the villain arrested, things were back to normal and everyone would now move on with their day. And as the crowd began to disperse little by little, the middle aged man from before appeared the more visible. He stayed right where he was, recollecting the rather anticlimactic experience that unfolded not too long ago "Man, what the hell kinda fight was that? All of that buildup just for some random giant woman to end everything in three seconds flat. And to think I worked real hard to land myself right in the front."

"You didn't like it? If you ask me, creating an unexpected turn right at the end of the battle really added to the enjoyment. But hey…what do I know." A voice to the left of them spoke out, urging the civilian to turn their head only to see a teenage boy who opened his mouth again "Sorry if I was intruding or anything, I just wanted to share my thoughts."

The teenager in question was dawning on a uniform which had quickly become apparent to the man who let out a gnarly chuckle before responding to him "Nah man, you're completely fine. Heck, it feels nice sparking up a chat, so I'm in no way against it! Though now doesn't seem to be the right time for that. By the looks of it, you should probably be heading somewhere if I'm not mistaken."

"Ah shit, you're right! See ya errrr…random stranger, and good luck with whatever it is that you do!" The adolescent awkwardly stated before running off to make his way towards the torturous enclave that is school.

Under a different reality, Midoriya has fallen into the wrong hands. But what happens next? Now with him outta the picture, who'll move forward to lead this unforgettable story? Well…this reality would now center around a boy who had just recently learned the hard truth; the same hard truth that Midoriya had learned a mere decade ago.

That boy's name was Ryoma Tsubasa.