The bell rang, its shrill tone cutting through the chatter. Desks squeaked as students packed up their things. Mr. Tanaka called after them, "Don't forget to turn in your forms tomorrow!" but most were already out the door, laughing and shoving each other down the hall.
Izuku lingered, sliding his charred notebook into his bag. He'd managed to save a few pages, but the smell of smoke clung to the paper and to him.
A shadow fell across his desk.
Bakugo stood there, palms still faintly smoking, his grin sharp. "You still carrying that stupid book around, Deku?" he asked. "Didn't get the message earlier?"
Izuku didn't answer. He just tightened his grip on the bag strap.
Bakugo leaned closer, his voice low and mocking. "You really think you can be a hero? You're a weakling with no Quirk. The world doesn't need people like you pretending they matter."
He flicked his hand. A small burst of heat scorched the top of Izuku's desk, just inches from the notebook. The faint smell of burnt wood filled the air.
Bakugo smirked, satisfied with the flinch that followed. "Keep dreaming, Deku. That's all you're good at." He turned and left the room, laughter echoing down the hall.
Izuku waited until the room was empty before he stood. He picked up the notebook carefully, staring at the singed corner. A hole had burned clean through the words Hero Analysis for the Future No. 13. His throat felt tight, but he forced himself to breathe slowly.
Don't cry. Not here. He packed up his things and left the classroom, stepping into the cool evening air.
The Walk Home
The streets of Musutafu glowed with the soft orange light of sunset. Heroes patrolled above, their silhouettes crossing the sky like giants. Izuku walked with his head down, the voices of students fading behind him.
Each step echoed Bakugo's words in his mind. Weakling. Pretending. Never be a hero.
He turned down a quiet side street near a construction site. Steel beams hung suspended from cranes, catching the dying light. The rhythmic clang of metal echoed through the air, steady and hypnotic.
Something about it made him stop.
He placed a hand on the cool metal railing beside the path. The instant his fingers touched it, a faint vibration passed through his skin. It was subtle barely a hum but it made the hairs on his arms stand on end.
He frowned and drew his hand back. The railing trembled.
"What… was that?" he whispered.
Nuts and bolts on the ground shivered and rolled a few inches toward his feet before going still. The air felt heavier, charged. For a heartbeat, it was as if the entire city had taken a breath with him. Then a loud splash broke the silence.
The Sludge Villain
Something oozed from a nearby storm drain dark, viscous, and alive. It slithered across the pavement, forming a grotesque humanoid shape with glinting yellow eyes.
"Well, look at that," the thing hissed. "A kid all alone. Perfect hiding place." Izuku stumbled back. "W-what what are you?"
The sludge lunged. Cold slime wrapped around his body, pinning his arms to his sides. Izuku gasped as the creature forced itself toward his mouth, trying to suffocate him.
"Don't fight it, boy," it rasped. "Just give me your body. Need a new skin before he catches up." Izuku's vision blurred. He clawed at the sludge, panic rising but beneath the terror, something else flickered.
A low hum, deep and resonant, filled his ears.
The scattered metal around the alley began to rattle: cans, bolts, even a rusted pipe. They trembled, then lifted into the air, spinning faster and faster around him.
The sludge villain froze, eyes widening. "What what's happening!?"
The metal circled Izuku in a furious orbit, glowing faintly with friction. Sparks lit the alley as the objects spun faster, forming a metallic storm around him. Then, with a violent pulse that shook the ground, the swirling metal exploded outward.
Steel shards and rods tore through the sludge, splattering it against the walls, the pavement, everywhere. The monster screamed, its form shredded and scattered like liquid rubber.
Izuku collapsed to his knees, gasping, his pulse pounding in his ears. The air crackled around him alive, magnetic, electric. Bits of metal floated lazily around him, caught in some invisible field that responded to his racing heart. "What… what was that?" he whispered. "Did I… do this?"
The alley smelled of burnt ozone and wet iron. Sludge dripped from the walls, twitching weakly. Then a powerful voice boomed from above.
All Might Appears "Don't worry, young man! Why? Because I am ALL MIGHT!"
The Number One Hero landed with an impact that sent dust flying. His presence filled the narrow alley, sunlight gleaming off his perfect smile. He glanced around at the mess, at the splattered sludge, and finally at Izuku who sat in the center of it all, trembling, surrounded by floating bits of metal.
"Hah! Looks like I'm late to the party!" All Might said with a laugh. "You already flattened the villain before I could make an entrance!" Izuku looked up, eyes wide, still in shock. "A-All Might… something happened. I just awakened a Quirk. I didn't even know I had one!"
All Might blinked, the confidence on his face shifting to curiosity. "A newly awakened Quirk, huh? That explains this magnetic chaos." He looked around at the warped metal scattered across the alley. "That's quite the first impression, young man!" Izuku swallowed hard. "Please, All Might tell me… if I really have a Quirk now… can I become a hero?"
For a moment, the hero didn't answer. The smile softened, and his voice lowered, steady and sincere. "Of course you can," he said. "Having power doesn't make you a hero using it to save others does. What matters is what's in here." He tapped his chest. "You've got the heart for it. I can see that already."
Izuku's hands trembled, tears forming in his eyes, but this time they weren't from fear. "Th-thank you…" All Might grinned again, scooping the sludge remnants into a soda bottle with practiced ease. "But you'd better learn to control that magnetism before you pull the city apart next time!"
He straightened up, holding the sealed bottle. "Stay safe, young man. I'll be keeping an eye out for you." And with a single mighty leap, All Might vanished into the sky, leaving a whirlwind of dust in his wake.
Izuku stood there long after he was gone. The faint hum in the air was still there, responding to his heartbeat. He raised his hand and the metal scraps around him lifted, orbiting gently like tiny moons.
A slow, awed smile spread across his face.
"I have a Quirk," he whispered. "I really have one."
The sunset light reflected off the spinning metal, painting the alley in streaks of red and gold. For the first time, Izuku Midoriya felt it the spark of destiny, the pulse of power that would change everything