Izuku Midoriya's mind was completely filled with a single thought—
No matter what happens, I have to save Bakugo Katsuki.
What do I do next?What do you mean "what do I do"? Who am I supposed to ask?!
Right—page twenty-five!
Izuku suddenly remembered page twenty-five of his notebook. Written clearly on that page was a single principle:
In combat, striking first grants the advantage.
"Then I'll strike first!"
Izuku hurled his backpack straight at the enemy.
"This kid… is he here to die?" the villain sneered. "That All Might might've saved you once, but now you can become my new camouflage cloak!"
The backpack burst open midair.
Pens, notebooks, loose papers, and the bag itself rained down toward the villain. Using that brief opening, Izuku charged forward, reaching into the slime with his bare hands, desperately trying to dig Bakugo out.
"Ow—!!"
The villain suddenly screamed.
A pen's sharp tip had stabbed straight into one of its eyes.
The slime covering Bakugo's face loosened—he could breathe again.
"Why did you rush out here?!" Bakugo shouted.
"My legs just moved on their own!! Why?! I don't know either!!!"
Izuku kept tearing at the slime with his hands.
"You… you had that look on your face. Like you were asking for help!" Izuku cried, tears streaming down his face.
This won't work! Use your knife! Aim for its eyes! Use the spikes on your shoes too!!
Izuku abandoned pulling Bakugo free. He stepped onto Bakugo's body and jumped upward.
"You brat!"
The villain shot a slime tentacle toward him.
"Deku, what are you doing?!!"
"Let Bakugo go!!!"
Izuku pulled a broken knife from his pocket and stabbed downward into the villain's eye—
Sqush.
The sound of metal piercing flesh.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
One of the villain's eyes was destroyed. Its entire body fell into chaos.
Bakugo struggled free from the slime, but his body was limp, barely able to move. While the villain focused on its injured eye, Izuku hit the ground, grabbed Bakugo by the arm, and dragged him away.
"You little brat!!! You're dead!!!"
The villain, now with only one eye, lunged after them, slime surging forward.
"It's over—!!!"
"I've been completely schooled here!"
At that critical moment, a towering, muscular figure appeared in front of Izuku and Bakugo.
"Lecturing others… while failing to act myself!!!"
All Might raised his fist, massive like a steel cauldron.
"A HERO MUST ALWAYS BE READY TO RISK HIS LIFE!!!"
DETROIT—SMASH!!!
The punch obliterated the slime villain instantly.
The shockwave blasted through the street, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When the wind pressure faded, rain began to fall from the sky.
"It's raining?"
"Did the updraft from that punch—?"
"He changed the weather with just one arm!!!"
"Amazing—this is the legendary All Might!!!"
The incident ended.
The villain was defeated.The hero earned glory.Everyone celebrated.
Everyone—
Except Izuku.
He was harshly scolded by the heroes.
"Running out like that was completely unnecessary!"
"Yes…"
Izuku bowed deeply, kneeling on the ground as he listened to their reprimands.
Bakugo Katsuki, meanwhile, was praised.
"What incredible willpower! And that Quirk!"
"When you become a hero, be sure to join our agency!"
"Hmph…"
Bakugo bit his lip.
...
Izuku walked home alone beneath the orange glow of the setting sun, his expression dark.
I need to apologize to All Might. When I get home, I'll try sending him a message through the site.
Suddenly, Bakugo shouted from behind him.
"You Quirkless, useless idiot! Were you trying to make me owe you something?! Don't look down on me!!"
Bakugo trembled with anger.
"I wasn't trying to save you…! And you didn't save me either, right?! I made it through on my own!" Izuku said seriously, meeting Bakugo's eyes.
"Damn it… you idiot!!"
Bakugo spat one last insult before storming off.
So stubborn…
…He's right. I didn't accomplish anything. I didn't change anything. Maybe now I can finally think about a future that suits me…
It's just a shame about that knife. I hope the teachers don't notice.
Izuku kept walking—
And suddenly, the massive figure of All Might appeared in front of him once more.
"I'm here!!"
All Might struck a dramatic pose.
"Wah!! Could you stop appearing out of nowhere?! You scared me!"
"All Might?! Why are you here? Weren't you surrounded by reporters just now…?"
"Escaping reporters is easy!" All Might boasted. "Because I am All Mi—phh!!"
Mid-pose, he reverted to his thin form and coughed up blood.
"You're bleeding again! Tissues—tissues!!"
"Forget the tissues for now!" All Might said seriously. "Young man, I came here to thank you… and to correct myself. And to make you a proposal."
"If it weren't for you… if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes…"
"I almost became a hypocrite. Thank you."
Hypocrite…
"No—this is my fault," Izuku said, lowering his head. "I interfered with your work… I don't even have a Quirk, yet I said such arrogant things…"
"That's right!!!"
All Might shouted.
Izuku looked up.
"Among everyone there, the only one who ran forward was the cowardly, Quirkless you! That shook me to my core!!!"
Izuku's body trembled violently. He clutched his chest, knees buckling.
All Might exhaled deeply.
"Most top heroes leave behind defining stories from their student days… and they all summarize it the same way—"
'Before I could think, my body moved.'
Izuku bent forward, shaking, tears filling his eyes.
He thinks… I'm like them?
For some reason, Izuku remembered his mother's words.
I'm sorry, Izuku. I'm sorry!!
"You're the same, aren't you?!!!"
All Might's voice rang out.
"…Yes…"
Izuku dropped to his knees, forehead pressed to the ground.
"You can become a HERO!!!"
What Izuku once thought was delusion became reality.
Two fused souls ignited into a new flame.
…Fine. I give up. This works too.
The thoughts attacking the wall and the thoughts defending it finally reached out—
And shook hands.
The two became one.
And thus, the legend began.