Izuku Midoriya stared at the All Might poster on his wall, the hero's ever-present smile now a cruel mockery. The words All Might had spoken replayed in his mind, each syllable a fresh wound. *'You can't be a hero without a Quirk.'* The weight of that pronouncement pressed down on him, crushing his dreams under its immense gravity.
He was Quirkless. Useless.
Tears welled in his eyes, blurring the already faded image of his idol. He sank further into his chair, the cheap plastic creaking under his weight. The small, cramped room felt smaller, the air thick with the stench of failure. His mother was working late again, another double shift to make ends meet. He couldn't even tell her. Not yet.
A prickling sensation started at the base of his spine, a cold, unsettling tingle that spread outwards like frost. He shivered, pulling his threadbare blanket tighter around himself. The feeling intensified, becoming a burning ache that pulsed with a strange rhythm.
He looked down at his hands, noticing a faint crimson haze emanating from his pores. It shimmered in the dim light, an unnatural glow that seemed to writhe and twist. Fear coiled in his stomach, cold and constricting. What was happening to him? Was this some kind of late-blooming Quirk? But that was impossible. He'd been tested. Repeatedly.
The haze thickened, swirling around him like a suffocating fog. He gasped, struggling to breathe. The air tasted metallic, acrid, like ozone and blood. A low hum resonated in his ears, building in intensity until it became a deafening roar. He clutched his head, trying to block out the noise, but it was inside him, vibrating in his bones.
Then, a voice.
It wasn't a voice he heard with his ears, but something that resonated directly in his mind. Cold. Alien. Promising.
*Power.*
The word echoed in his thoughts, a seductive whisper that cut through the despair and fear. *Power beyond your wildest dreams.*
He wanted it. He needed it. The desire was a raw, primal hunger that consumed him. To prove them wrong. To prove All Might wrong. To finally be worthy.
Suddenly, a stark, unsettling notification flashed before his eyes, superimposed on his vision. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, a window of pure information that hung in the air, defying reality.
`[System Notification: Negative Speed Force Integration Initiated.]`
He blinked, his mind reeling. System? Speed Force? What did any of it mean? The crimson haze intensified, engulfing him completely. He felt a surge of energy course through his veins, burning like fire and chilling like ice simultaneously. It was agonizing, exhilarating, and utterly wrong.
The room around him seemed to distort, the familiar shapes and colors twisting into nightmarish mockeries. The hum intensified, reaching a crescendo that threatened to shatter his eardrums. He screamed, a raw, desperate sound that was swallowed by the encroaching darkness.
Then, silence.
The haze receded, leaving him trembling and drenched in sweat. The room returned to normal, the All Might poster still smiling down at him, oblivious to the cosmic shift that had just occurred. But something had changed. He could feel it, a subtle alteration in the fabric of his being. He was different.
The 'System Notification' remained, hovering in his vision like a digital ghost. He stared at it, trying to decipher its meaning. What was the Negative Speed Force? And why had it chosen him?
He focused on the notification, willing it to give him answers. The text shimmered, then expanded, revealing more information.
`[Negative Speed Force Integration: 12%]`
`[Current Instability Rating: High]`
`[Recommended Action: Stabilize Connection]`
`[Warning: Prolonged Instability May Result in Catastrophic Consequences]`
Catastrophic consequences? What did that even mean? He swallowed hard, trying to calm his racing heart. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he had to figure it out. He couldn't afford to fail. Not again.
He reached out tentatively, his fingers brushing against the ethereal window. The text responded, shifting and rearranging itself to display a series of menus and options. It was overwhelming, a torrent of information that threatened to drown him.
He scrolled through the options, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar terms and symbols. 'Energy Conduit Calibration,' 'Dimensional Resonance Tuning,' 'Temporal Displacement Matrix.' It was all gibberish. But one option stood out, highlighted in a pulsating crimson glow.
`[Stabilization Protocol: Initiate]`
He hesitated. What would happen if he initiated the protocol? Would it hurt? Would it make things worse? But he had no other choice. The warning about catastrophic consequences loomed large in his mind.
He took a deep breath and clicked the option.
The room went dark.
He felt a jolt of pure energy surge through him, a wave of raw power that threatened to tear him apart. He screamed, his body convulsing uncontrollably. The 'System Notification' flickered, displaying a string of rapidly changing numbers and symbols.
He was being rewritten. Remade.
The pain was unbearable, but beneath it, he felt something else. A sense of exhilaration. A feeling of boundless potential. He was changing, evolving, becoming something more than he ever thought possible.
The darkness began to recede, replaced by a blinding white light. He squeezed his eyes shut, shielding them from the intensity. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped.
He opened his eyes, blinking in the dim light of his room. The 'System Notification' was still there, but the text had changed.
`[Negative Speed Force Integration: 37%]`
`[Current Instability Rating: Moderate]`
`[Stabilization Protocol: Partial Success]`
`[Recommended Action: Continued Stabilization Required]`
He had survived. Barely. But he had made progress. He was one step closer to understanding this strange new power.
He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers. He felt different. Faster. Stronger. The crimson haze was gone, but he could still sense it, a latent energy simmering beneath his skin.
He stood up, his legs feeling unsteady. He took a tentative step, then another. He felt a strange pull, a subtle resistance in the air around him. It was as if the world was trying to hold him back.
He pushed against the resistance, focusing his will. The pull intensified, then suddenly vanished. He stumbled forward, propelled by an unseen force.
He was moving faster. Much faster.
The room blurred around him, the familiar objects turning into streaks of color. He gasped, struggling to control his movements. He was losing control.
He slammed into the wall, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath.
He had to learn to control this power. Or it would control him.
He pushed himself to his feet, his body aching. He looked at the All Might poster, the hero's smile now seeming less mocking, more challenging.
He would prove them wrong. He would become a hero. Even if it meant embracing the darkness.
He focused his mind, channeling the latent energy within him. He felt the pull again, the resistance in the air. He pushed against it, harder this time.
The world blurred again, but this time, he was ready. He anticipated the shift, adjusting his movements to compensate. He was still moving fast, but he was in control.
He took another step, then another. He was moving faster and faster, but he was still in control. He was learning. Adapting.
He ran to the window and looked out, seeing the city lights blur as he focused his energy. This strange power, the Negative Speed Force, was his now. He did not know why he had been chosen, but he would not waste this chance. The world would know his name.
He jumped.
The glass shattered, showering him with shards. He felt a moment of panic, then exhilaration. He was falling.
He focused his mind, channeling the Negative Speed Force. He felt the pull, the resistance. He pushed against it, harder than ever before.
He slowed his descent, hovering in the air for a moment before gently landing on the street below. He looked up at his broken window, a faint smile playing on his lips.
This was just the beginning.