Chapters 33, 37, 38, 36 under repair
Reparado.
Perhaps my decision wasn't the right one. Revealing something as delicate as the existence of One For All to someone else is a direct invitation to danger.
But the people around me are already in danger, whether they know it or not. So many risks come to mind, and not just because of One For All.
Telling Shoto about this, I think, is for the best. Having someone else aware of my whole situation is quite useful.
Or maybe that's just me making excuses, so I don't have to openly admit that I need a friend I can truly trust.
"...One For All? Is that a person's name?" The first thing he assumed was that I was referring to a specific person. "And if so, how are they involved in what you did this morning?" Shoto's questions were plausible. Anyone would have thought the same thing in his situation.
"No, One For All is... my Quirk." To emphasize my point, I held out my right fist, letting the green lightning crackle into view. "The names 'Super-Strength' or 'Power Stockpiler' are just a cover-up to deceive others." I waited for a reaction—a confused or angry look—but I got nothing. The completely neutral mask he wears is a marvel in moments like these.
We stood in silence. He seemed to be weighing his thoughts, carefully choosing his next words.
I, on the other hand, was growing more and more anxious about what he might say. I really didn't want to waste too much time and be overheard by someone else.
I should have just explained everything at once and then waited for him to process it.
"I don't understand, Izuku. You have a powerful Quirk, no one doubts that, but why would you need to hide it to the point of changing its name?" His confusion grew, now visible on his face. "And you still haven't answered my first question. What does your Quirk have to do with what happened this morning?" That last part made me a little desperate. I had hoped he would figure it out on his own.
"Because my Quirk isn't really mine. Or at least, it wasn't until about a year ago." I saw him preparing to question that, so I pushed on before he could. "Look, I know you're really confused right now, and that's my fault. I should have just laid it all out and then waited for your reaction... but I just..." I struggled to find the right words to explain my sudden need for honesty, but nothing came to mind. "Just listen to me and... then you can ask all the questions you want, okay?"
He gave me a nod in response. Now it was his turn to cross his arms, looking at me expectantly.
"Great." I practically slumped in relief. I crossed my legs and sat in a lotus position, closing my eyes and trying to think of a practical way to reveal the truth behind my gift. Can't you do something to help? I mentally asked the power within me, but I only received a negative in return. The old-fashioned way it is, then. I focused my gaze on Shoto and let One For All flow freely through my body, the lightning becoming visible at my command. "This power, Shoto, was passed down to me, like a torch that must never be extinguished... and I'm the proud Ninth wielder of that torch—and probably the last." The lightning dimmed at that. One For All didn't want to die. "All Might was the one before me. The Eighth, to be specific."
Shoto's expression shifted to pure disbelief, something I hadn't expected to see so soon. Imagining that your friend is the secret heir to the Symbol of Peace must have been too much for him to handle.
"A-All Might passed his power on to you?" He managed to ask the obvious, yet hard-to-believe question. "That's impossible, there are no Quirks like that... but we are talking about All Might." Slowly, his composure returned as he analyzed what I'd told him with more logic and less emotion. "And he's the Eighth, which means there were people with his power before him."
"Actually, that's not it," I interrupted quickly, preventing him from forming the wrong theories. "You see, Shoto, this Quirk has been getting stronger over time. Each person who carries it has acted as a vessel, allowing the power to expand slowly but surely."
"It doesn't have a limit? Won't it reach a point where it becomes unsustainable for its future 'vessels'?" A smile grew on my face at his correct deduction. "You mentioned that you'd probably be the last one to wield... One For All." The name of the Quirk came out hesitantly, as if he were trying to find its true meaning.
"You're right. I am probably the last of nine long generations to carry this power. Even with all the effort I've been putting in to improve, it's still not enough to control it without repercussions." I felt the shift within One For All again. It was the first time I had felt sadness coming directly from it. Knowing your time is limited isn't easy, my friend... but it makes you a little more human, if you think about it. It seemed to cheer up a bit at my logic, tentatively asking for a more detailed explanation. All humans have a beginning and an end. It's something we learn to live with from the moment we have a basic understanding of ourselves. But even so, we don't stop. Because if you have a limited life, you have to make the most of that limit. Maybe it was the idea of being treated as a person and not just a power, but its mood improved. The energy flowing through my body became more stable, comfortable, and secure.
I think that was its way of saying thank you.
"If that's the case, why not pass it on to someone with a Quirk that lets them store energy? Wouldn't that prevent the loss of control from excess power?" Oblivious to my mental chat, Shoto continued his analysis, questioning every piece of data I gave him.
His words brought me back to the real world. I blinked a couple of times before responding. "That's not possible. This Quirk can't survive in people who already have one." He crossed his arms again, not understanding my reasoning. "You don't get it, do you?" Now he was the one shaking his head. "Think of it like a glass full of water. All that 'water' represents the Quirk a person is born with. Are you with me so far?" He nodded, not wanting to interrupt. "Perfect. Now, if you add more 'water' to that already full glass, what happens?"
After a moment of thought, he answered, "The water would overflow."
"Exactly. This power can't coexist with other pre-existing powers in a person's body." I smiled, thinking he had finally understood my point.
"Then how did you get it to work with your own Quirk?"
That question threw me off. My own Quirk? I thought the analogy was enough to make him understand that...
Blackwhip... of course. Shoto didn't know the truth about it; he had assumed that was my birth Quirk. "There's still a lot you're not getting." I let out a tired sigh and began to explain the origin of Blackwhip.
To say he was surprised after hearing my explanation would be an understatement.
"So you... you're using powers from dead people now?"
"What?! No! God, no! That's too creepy, Shoto!" I hadn't thought of the Quirks like that. Tell me I'm not using powers from dead people, I pleaded silently with One For All, getting a hesitant response... that wasn't nice. Oh, my God... I'll never be able to see these Quirks the same way again.
"But if what you're telling me is correct, then..."
"They're not dead people, Shoto!"
"Then what are they?!"
We both fell silent after his sudden outburst. I was completely stunned, and him... I have no idea what was going through his head.
"Did you just...?" The question hung in the air. I had a feeling that if I asked it, we wouldn't be able to stay serious.
"We're not talking about that," he tried his best to feign indifference, but I could recognize the hidden embarrassment.
"Sure, no one will talk about how the stoic Todoroki just yelled like a lunatic."
"That's ironic, coming from the guy who uses dead people's Quirks."
"...Alright, I'll shut up, and you do the same."
"That's a good deal for me."
Once again, silence filled the room, only this one was more awkward than the last.
I just wanted to reveal the secret of One For All to Shoto, and look how it ended up. One For All seemed amused by my situation, its energy coursing through me with a chaotic buzz. I am a certified failure.
"I never would have thought you were Quirkless before you met All Might." Fortunately, he was the one to break the silence. Those social skills of his were improving every day... and I felt proud of him for it.
"Yeah, it wasn't an easy life, especially with Bakugo around... but I managed to get through it." I sat down next to Todoroki, trying to convey the most important point of this entire conversation. "Listen, Shoto, this power comes with consequences. All For One is deeply involved in the villain conflicts we've faced, and... it's my fault... I'm telling you this so that you're at least aware of the danger you're in just by being friends with me." All jokes aside, I felt a degree of guilt.
I know I didn't ask to be in this situation, but still... I built a friendship with Todoroki. I could have pushed everyone away, but I didn't.
Maybe it was because I knew how negative that path was in the long run, or maybe it was because it all just seemed like a game to me.
I don't know anymore, and frankly, I don't care.
The best I can do now is face the consequences of my reckless actions.
And eradicate All For One for good.
Even if the thought of it terrifies me because of my lack of total control.
Shoto wasn't the best at socializing with others.
He'd be the first to tell you that and the last to complain about it.
But seeing his friend... no, his best friend—the one who had gone from just another challenge to overcome to someone important and dear to him—so fearful of something... it was really annoying.
Annoying because... he was his friend, and it wasn't normal to see him scared of anything.
He helped me when no one else did, he remembered their fight at the Sports Festival. He took the time to become my friend, the lunches at U.A., the small jokes, and all the help. And he never asked for anything in return. So many people wanted something from him. He was always seen as Endeavor's son, never just as Shoto. He's my friend, my first friend... I owe him this. He did what he had seen other people do so many times: he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to convey confidence and something as close to camaraderie as he could manage.
"You're my best friend, Izuku. You trusted me with your biggest secret, and I'm going to help you carry it. I promise." He wasn't a man of many words. He trusted that his friend would understand.
And if the smile he received in return was any indication, it seemed he had. "Thanks, Shoto, really... thank you so much."
"I should be the one thanking you." For a moment, he glanced at his left side, debating whether or not to reveal his own backstory. His friend had been honest with him. Wasn't it only fair that he do the same?
Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to get another perspective on that story...
What the hell is going on? The flow of power that One For All was allowing me to use was under terrible control.
After my revelation to Shoto about One For All and his revelation about Touya's death, we ended our conversation.
It was a surprise to hear him recount his memory of that tragic day. Shoto, despite only having known him for a short time, misses Touya a lot.
Unfortunately, I couldn't tell him that his brother wasn't really dead. He had to discover that when the situation arose, not through some external influence.
Besides, it would make no sense for me to have that kind of knowledge.
With the start of the new day, Aizawa instructed us to return to our training. It was then that Present Mic and Midnight made their appearance.
Nezu was smart; he had them arrive at the camp later, not with us, to avoid any immediate leaks.
I decided to train alone. Aizawa approved of my training regimen and allowed me to stay away from the others so I wouldn't hurt anyone.
All of which led to this.
Do you have any idea what's happening? One For All didn't deign to give me any kind of answer, opting to remain silent. The power is surging suddenly. It's like I'm constantly receiving an extra charge of energy. I flexed my right hand several times. The lightning, along with the speed of my movements, intensified. But I'm not using a higher percentage right now. I'd feel the pain if I were. I continued the motion, hoping that just observing it would give me an answer.
I hadn't neglected my meditation sessions, so the problem wasn't with me.
One For All hadn't shown any issues, so it couldn't be sabotage.
So... what the hell was going on?
There's an increase in the energy flowing through my body, but I don't feel the consequences. I'm not the one causing it either... Maybe there's an external source? I stopped moving my arm, but it was trembling on its own, as if it were holding an electromagnetic charge. Think, Midoriya, think... an increase in power, with no repercussions and a constant flow. You clearly haven't completely mastered One For All, so that rules out one option. I held my middle finger back with my thumb, building up pressure. I aimed at one of the many trees in the area and let go.
A massive gust of air slammed not only into the tree I'd aimed at but also the one behind it, and the one behind that, and... several more after that.
That amount of destruction is equivalent to 40% of my Air Force, but I'm only using 20%. One For All stopped flowing through my body, along with that strange, powerful extra energy. The movement of my arm produced that potential increase... potential... how does energy work? An idea, simple and even obvious, popped into my head.
I activated One For All and repeated my previous actions. As I moved my hand, it began to tremble again, a result of the energy it was being subjected to.
Basic law of conservation of energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. I dissipated the accumulated power with a snap of my fingers that echoed loudly through the area. The movement of my arm causes the production of kinetic energy, as the potential energy I generated is transformed. They're the two fundamental types of energy. It's pretty obvious now that I think about it. One For All stirred within me, releasing energy in small streams that felt like amusement. Was it that hard to tell me I'd gotten the Third User's Quirk?
I sat down in a lotus position, reviewing what I knew about this ability. It was clearly linked to energy and its two fundamental types.
The physics classes from my past life were suddenly becoming really useful. Understanding how the constant repetition of a movement increased the kinetic energy produced in an object or person gave me the foundation for how to use this Quirk.
I didn't want to stop there. I tried to remember any other useful data... but I had nothing.
Besides the techniques Izuku created by combining Fa Jin with One For All and Blackwhip, along with his strategies... there's nothing. No useful explanation, no marked difference from what physics dictates. Nothing. And I'm assuming you're in no better shape than I am? I understood the strange response as a shrug. This power could be incredibly useful at times... and an annoying friend at others. Anyway, with Fa Jin on my side, I'll be able to face Muscular with less risk. I don't have much time before the League's attack begins, a few days at most.
Without wasting any more time, I began to work on the new Quirk at my disposal.
Meanwhile, on a mountain overlooking the vast and sprawling forest, several figures stood.
Some stood out more than others, but they all had one thing in common.
"When are we going to attack?" a gruff voice called out from the group.
"When the time is right. Don't be so eager, Muscular," a small blue flame danced in the speaker's palm. "Just don't forget your objective."
"Yeah. To kill Izuku Midoriya on the spot."
Author's Note:
Hey.
What did you think of the chapter?
Well, the conversation with Todoroki about One For All took its time, and that's reflected in how long it is.
I wanted to get that off my list of things to develop, because Shoto is a great character, and with him knowing about One For All, it opens up many new situations with the protagonist, and even All Might.
On another note, I didn't write out the whole story of Touya's death, as it would just be a copy-paste of what was explained in the manga, and I didn't feel like writing it.
I highly doubt anyone at this point doesn't know that Dabi is Touya, especially if you're reading this story. Now, if you didn't know and found out from me, then I'm sorry, but I warned about future spoilers a long time ago.
And now, finally, I'm going to explain the whole Fa Jin thing.
The manga doesn't reveal much about it other than how it works: a Quirk that allows the accumulation of kinetic energy through repetitive movement.
I'm sure we've all heard of kinetic and potential energy, so at least the example of "a falling ball transforms its potential energy into kinetic energy due to the movement of its fall" is understood.
Since there isn't much data to expand on Fa Jin as a Quirk, I'll take the liberty of exploring it myself based on the laws of existing physics.
It won't be anything too complex because I'm not a theoretical physicist or anything, but I do have a basic and fundamental understanding.
The next chapter will cover the attack on the camp. The truth is, I'm not going to expand much more on the pre-attack camp stuff because it's not that interesting up to that point.
So, see you next time. Take care.