BNHA: Singularity

After defeating all of Ectoplasm's clones, the lightning crackling around Izuku gradually receded, followed by his plopping down and sprawling out his arms and legs.
"Oh, gods...this pain is worse than when I began exercising for the first time..."
Though the power granted by One-for-All was incredible, enough to make Izuku feel like an idiot for not getting his hands on it sooner, the sequelae were no joke. He could sustain boosting his attributes by 10x fairly easily, but 15x placed a massive strain on his body, similar to Goku overusing the Kaio-ken.
Approaching the downed Izuku, Toshinori remarked, "Your Quirk truly is amazing. Being able to control the output of One-for-All immediately after receiving it is more than I could have hoped for."
Trying and failing to force himself to a seated position, a wry, pain-tinged smile adorned Izuku's face as he replied, "Yeah, but if I use too much, my body feels like it's going to burst. I'll need to experiment with my attribute distribution until I figure out a good balance."
Nodding his head, Toshinori extended Izuku a hand, helping the latter to his feet as he said, "Now, let's get you over to Recovery Girl. The Principal is already pulling strings to ensure you can 'grind' Experience efficiently in the future. For now, just focus on comprehending your new power without overdoing it."
Resisting the urge to point out they should have brought Recovery Girl to him rather than forcing him to go to her, Izuku's pained smile broadened as he said, "No worries on that end. My Intelligence is a bit low right now, but I became a fairly meticulous person during the two years leading up to my enrollment. I won't do anything crazy."
"I'll take your word for it," responded Toshinori with a smile. He still vividly recalled the scenes of Izuku charging into a group of robots and climbing the 0-Pointer. Izuku may not be 'conventionally' reckless, but he definitely had his moments...
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After Recovery Girl fixed him up with a simple kiss, Izuku returned home to get some rest. At the very least, that was his intention before pulling out his phone and discovering quite a few missed texts.
Though most of the messages were random conversational texts, Izuku's brows perked up when he thumbed through a text from Mina asking if he wanted to hang out. It was from earlier that morning, but there was plenty of light left in the day. In fact, it wasn't even noon yet.
Before responding to Mina's invitation, Izuku read through his remaining messages to ensure he wasn't inadvertently 'ghosting' anyone. Once that was done, he typed a quick message explaining why he hadn't responded sooner before commenting that he would be happy to hang out.
Less than ten seconds after Izuku sent his text, his phone buzzed. That was a good sign, but Izuku was momentarily confused when he read the contents of Mina's message, stating, 'Great. We're at the Star Arcade near Tatooin Station. Hurry on over.'
("We...?")
Realizing he was being invited to hang out with a group, various thoughts pervaded Izuku's mind. As far as he was aware, none of the other boys were particularly close to the girls in Class. In other words, there was a decently high probability that the 'we' Mina was referring to was Ochaco, Tsuyu, or some of the other girls in Class.
Though he would be lying if he said he didn't have second thoughts, Izuku quickly replied, 'Sure. On my way.' without asking for clarification. Being the only guy among a group of girls was 'dangerous' for a number of reasons, but Izuku wasn't too concerned. After all, the girls in his Class were nothing like the 'me-too' era party girls he would encounter at the nightclubs in his previous life...
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"Over here, Izuku-kun~!"
Following the sound of Mina's voice, Izuku looked over at the arcade's concession area to find a smiling, predominately pink girl flagging him down. More importantly, at least at a glance, she appeared to be alone. That was unless you noticed the blue and pink tank top floating next to her.
("This girl is turning into one hell of a wingman...") thought Izuku, making his way over to the girls' table with a smile. Then, instead of focusing his attention on Mina, he took a moment to direct his smile to the presumed location of Hagakure's invisible face, saying, "Hey there, Hagakure-san. I didn't expect to see you here."
Before Hagakure could respond, Mina narrowed her eyes and covered her mouth, snickering like a mischievous imp before saying, "See, what did I say, Hagakure-chan? This guy is nothing if not thorough when it comes to hitting on women."
Though it was invisible due to her lack of hand and wrist accessories, Hagakure rubbed the back of her head and laughed nervously in response to Mina's words. As for Izuku, he gave a casual shrug and replied, "I'm not going to deny it. When it comes to cute girls, I can't help presenting them a bit of lip service."
Crossing her arms, Mina maintained her smile as she said, "So you say, but you haven't even seen Hagakure-chan's face. How can you say she's cute?"
Shaking his head, Izuku's expression became 'serious' as he asserted, "I'm not just saying it. I know for a fact that Hagakure-san is one of, if not 'the' cutest girls in Class. My intuition about these kinds of things is never wrong."
Cupping her cheeks with her hands, Hagakure averted her invisible eyes, unable to meet Izuku's 'intense' gaze as she said, "I'm not 'that' cute..." in an uncharacteristically timid tone.
Raising his hands in a mock surrender, Izuku appended, "I won't press the matter if it's making you uncomfortable, but remaining silent won't change my opinion. If you weren't invisible, Hagakure-san, I'm certain you would captivate the entire school with your beauty."
Clapping her hands together, Mina exclaimed, "Okay, I think that's about enough out of you, Casanova! Save the flirting for if the two of you go on a date! For now, let's focus on playing games, singing karaoke, and having some fun~!"
Seemingly just as eager to escape Izuku's praise, Hagakure pumped her invisible fists, exclaiming, "Yeah! Let's have a blast~!" in her usual, bubbly tone. Her face, ears, and neck were an almost luminous shade of red, but thanks to her invisibility, neither Izuku nor Mina could see them...
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After schooling Mina in various fighting games and singing his heart out at Karaoke, Izuku was in a phenomenal mood as he made his way home. He hadn't managed to get on a first-name basis with Hagakure, but he knew it was only a matter of time. After all, while she might be invisible, Izuku could 'sense' Hagakure sneaking peeks at him throughout the impromptu hang-out. To confirm this, he would periodically turn toward her, smiling as he stared at the approximate location of her face, causing her to startle like a kid caught trying to steal a cookie.
As she had been invisible since birth, Hagakure was accustomed to going unnoticed and being able to observe others without getting caught. Izuku suspected that, so long as he gave the invisible girl the attention she very clearly desired, Hagakure may very well be the 'easiest' girl to approach in the entire Class. Well, her and Yaoyorozu. Izuku got the impression that if he were prepared to take responsibility, Yaoyorozu would permit him to do whatever he wanted.
With such thoughts in mind, Izuku pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Yaoyorozu, asking what time 'she' wanted him to come in. That way, even if he were just a minute or two early, it would probably leave a deep impression on the intelligent but exceedingly sheltered 'ojou-sama.'
Catching Izuku a little off guard, Yaoyorozu's response came immediately, stating, '7:30 AM should suffice. I look forward to seeing you then.'
Responding with a quick 'likewise,' Izuku returned his phone to his pocket, raised his gaze to the sky, and smiled. The escape of Tomura and Kurogiri still weighed heavily on the back of his mind, but he felt calmer and more confident than ever. Just by tensing an invisible 'muscle,' he was able to channel a seemingly endless amount of energy through his body. It would take time to master, but knowing he could level small buildings, produce powerful shockwaves, or leap hundreds of meters whenever he wanted was, for lack of a better descriptive, euphoric...
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With Yaoyorozu asking him to come in at 7:30, Izuku made certain he was on campus by 7.
As anticipated, Yaoyorozu arrived a few minutes before she asked Izuku to come in, resulting in a rather adorable expression of surprise when she noticed he was already present.
Since her desk was two places behind Izuku's, Yaoyorozu made her way toward him as she asked, "Midoriya-kun? How long ago did you arrive...?"
Adopting a faint, slightly teasing smile, Izuku replied, "When I read your text and saw that you were looking forward to seeing me, I couldn't help arriving a little earlier. Witnessing the adorably surprised look on your face made it more than worth it."
Contrasting the other girls in Class, Yaoyorozu, seemingly oblivious to the fact she was being teased, adopted a smile of her own as she replied, "I see. I'm glad my reaction could boost your spirits. You seemed pretty out of it the other day, so I'm pleased to see you back to your usual antics."
"..."
Not expecting such a 'considerate' response, Izuku couldn't help feeling a little ashamed. He recovered fairly quickly, but the notion he shouldn't be playing around with such earnest girls briefly crossed his mind.
Exhaling through his nose, Izuku adopted a far more genuine smile as he said, "Thanks, Yaoyorozu-san. And sorry for worrying you. I had a lot on my mind that day."
Shaking her head and crossing her arms in a way that inadvertently emphasized her breasts, Yaoyorozu proudly asserted, "No need to apologize. After all, we promised to look after one another. I'm merely returning the favor you showed me previously."
"..."
Feeling even more awkward, the smile on Izuku's face cramped as he yielded to the compulsion to rub the back of his head. He didn't expect his past words to be used against him so suddenly, but it wasn't a 'bad' feeling. Rather, more and more, he was starting to realize that all the girls in Class 1-A were kind, considerate, and genuinely good people...
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With Homeroom starting at 8:25, Aizawa made his way into the classroom with a notably more haggard appearance than usual. He was clearly going through something but carried on as if it was just another day, his tone as flat as his expression as he said, "I have only a single announcement. One month from now, in the second week of May, UA will be hosting its annual Sports Festival. This is a tremendous opportunity you only get three times before graduation. As such, for the next month, most of your Foundational Hero Studies classes will be optional. If you would rather spend your time in the gym or honing your Quirks in UA's state-of-the-art training facilities, you are welcome to do so."
Directing his gaze to Izuku and Yaoyorozu, conveniently located in the same corner of the room, Aizawa added, "It is the responsibility of the Representative and Vice Representative to submit a copy of everyone's training itineraries and ensure the necessary forms are submitted before utilizing the training facilities. Can the two of you handle that?"
Without missing a beat, Izuku adopted a smile and responded, "Easily." Yaoyorozu was a little less sure, but hearing Izuku's response compelled her to offer a nod, adding, "We'll do our best." in a resolute tone.
Nodding his head in approval, Aizawa said, "That'll be all, then..." before surprising nearly everyone by promptly departing the classroom. Luckily, UA High's Sports Festival was one of the most popular events in the entire country, further broadcast throughout the world. It had even replaced the Olympics in Japan, so even if Aizawa didn't provide a proper explanation, it was fairly easy to gather information on past events...
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Perhaps because they didn't face off against the Villains directly, the event where the members of Class 1-B appeared to confront Class 1-A never happened. A few people came by during lunch to ask about what happened, but they departed fairly quickly after learning Class 1-A had evacuated before the fighting started.
In the wake of their uneventful lunch, Yaoyorozu asked everyone to fill out the schedules and request forms Aizawa had provided before heading off for their training. After that, true to the school's doctrine of 'freedom,' they basically had an entire month of afternoon classes to utilize as they pleased.
As he was still waiting for the 'assistant' Nezu had prepared for him, Izuku did the opposite of nearly every other student in Class 1-A by partaking in the optional Foundational Heroics course. Midnight was scheduled to give a presentation on Positive Public Relations, so Izuku figured he could earn some brownie points with the hottest teacher in the school by attending.
Unfortunately, not that Izuku was too surprised, Midnight's lecture was an open class, so nearly a hundred, predominately male students showed up. As a result, he was just another face in the crowd while the buxom beauty went on about the importance of networking, team-ups, and public image. This was especially true for aspiring male Heroes, as they made up nearly 85% of active Heroes. In other words, they had a lot of competition if they wanted to stand out...
Following the hour-and-a-half lecture, Midnight invited everyone for an impromptu meet and greet, allowing attendees to either shake her hand or have something signed by her. Izuku had no interest in being a part of the 'rabble,' however, so he was among the first to depart the auditorium.
With nothing better to do, Izuku made his way back to Class 1-A to see if anyone was loitering around. Odds were that they were preparing for the Sports Festival, but it didn't hurt to take a look. What he never, not in a million years, expected was to walk in on Mineta in the midst of sniffing Yaoyorozu's seat in the dark...
Not expecting anyone to walk in when the lights were dimmed, Mineta stared back at Izuku like a deer caught in the headlights. He had done his best to restrain himself after his expulsion, but the sudden appearance of Villains at USJ had reminded him that life was full of surprises. You never knew when the grim reaper would come to collect his dues, so he decided to remain true to himself, even if others couldn't understand him.
Catching Mineta by surprise, Izuku shook his head, exhaling a tired sigh as he said, "Whatever, man. Just wipe it down when you're finished, and don't let me catch you harassing our classmates directly."
Without waiting for Mineta's response, Izuku closed the door and walked away with his hands in his pockets. He would be lying if he said he wasn't appalled by Mineta's behavior, but he had once witnessed a fellow Soldier using the corpse of an insurgent as a tire stop. People did some crazy shit when they reached their limits and felt extreme pressure, so he wouldn't say anything unless Mineta attempted some of the antics he pulled in the anime.
Stopping Izuku before he could get too far, Mineta emerged from the classroom with an indignant expression and watery eyes as he exclaimed, "You don't have the right to judge me! You don't know what it's like being half the height of everyone else and treated as a pervert!"
Furrowing his brows, Izuku looked over his shoulder and replied, "I don't know what you experienced in your past, but the reason people treat you as a pervert is because you 'are' one. Also, I'm not judging you. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and hoping you'll correct yourself before you do something stupid. You wouldn't be here if the Principal and staff didn't believe you had what it takes to become a Hero. Remember that the next time you feel compelled to do something so...shameless..."
Finished with what he had to say, Izuku turned around, raising his hand in farewell as he walked off. Mineta had a number of reeding moments in the anime, so he wouldn't go out of his way to get the diminutive grape-head expelled. At least until he crossed a line he shouldn't...
Staring at Izuku's back, Mineta wanted to tear the sticky, grape-like balls from his head and teach the former a lesson. Instead, his anger gradually gave way to an oppressive feeling of shame. It wasn't enough to prevent him from returning to the classroom, but he at least had second thoughts and made sure to give Yaoyorozu's seat a thorough cleaning...
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With Nezu's arrangements taking longer than anticipated, Izuku elected to spend Saturday afternoon at the school's state-of-the-art gym. There, alongside an assortment of standard training equipment, they had free weights up to 10,000kgs, a specialized hydraulic press that could measure lifting forces ten times that amount, and a treadmill that simulated pulling up to six train cars.
Though his initial plan was to train alongside Shoji, Ojiro, and Sato, Izuku changed his mind when he noticed a familiar figure hanging from one of the horizontal bars. It was more accurate to say he noticed their clothes, but that was semantics.
Disregarding the unwritten rules about not approaching women keeping to themselves at the gym, Izuku made his way over to the dangling figure, asking, "Hey, Hagakure-san. Trying to get some gains in before the Sports Festival...?"
Hearing Izuku's voice, Hagakure exhaled a started, "Eep!' as she abruptly let go of the bar. She had specifically gone to a part of the gym where no one else was, so she didn't expect someone to sneak up behind her while she was focused on her dead hang.
Resisting the urge to try and catch Hagakure as she fell, Izuku waited for her to plop on the thick blue mat beneath her before offering his hand, an apologetic smile on his face as he said, "Sorry if I startled you. I noticed you were training by yourself, so I thought I'd come over to see how you were doing."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Hagakure accepted Izuku's help, rising to her feet before asserting, "You could have called out to me..." in an audibly pouty tone. She was usually the one to startle people, so she was a little annoyed Izuku had gotten the drop on her.
In response to Izuku's previous question, Hagakure took a moment to fix her gym clothes as she begrudgingly explained, "I placed 19th in the last Quirk Apprehension Test, just above Mineta-kun. I don't want to remain at the bottom of the Class, so I decided to work on my strength and stamina in preparation for the Sports Festival."
"Ah, I see..." replied Izuku. Then, with a genuinely curious look, he asked, "Have you ever trained like this before?"
Rubbing the back of her invisible head and smiling awkwardly, Hagakure replied, "Not really. I was a part of the Cheer Squad in Middle School, but this is my first time hitting the gym seriously. Why, was I doing something wrong?"
Shaking his head, Izuku answered, "Nah, I was just curious. And, once again, sorry for before. I didn't mean to startle you."
Finished with what he had to say, Izuku motioned as if he was about to leave. Before he could, Hagakure called out to him, asking, "Hey, where are you going? Didn't you come over here because you wanted to train together or offer me advice?"
Looking back at the invisible girl, Izuku regained his smile as he replied, "As I said, I was just curious. Seeing a girl's gym uniform hovering in the air was pretty conspicuous, so I came over to confirm it was you. Now that I know, I'll leave you to your business. Just let me know if you need anything."
Raising his hand, Izuku turned as if to leave but was once again stopped by Hagakure, this time grabbing his sleeve as she muttered, "You have a slim and athletic body, so you must know a few training methods. Teach me some of them..."
Turning to face the presumably blushing girl, Izuku's smile broadened as he teased, "If you're the one who's asking, I don't mind disclosing all of my secrets. Just tell me what you want to improve upon, and I'll suggest a suitable exercise. Fair warning, though, I take my training pretty seriously. If you want my help, I expect you to make an effort."
Stamping her foot and balling her invisible hands into fists, Hagakure half-exclaimed, "I'm in the Hero Department too, you know!? I won't give up or slack off just because things are a little tough...!"
Nodding his head, Izuku replied, "Then I'd be glad to teach you. Though, considering we're rivals in the upcoming Sports Festival, I won't be here to watch over you every day. I have my own special training prepared, so this is just a temporary arrangement until then."
Prompted by the words 'special training,' Hagakure brought her right index finger to her chin, head tilted slightly to the side as she parroted, "Special training? Is it related to your Quirk...?"
Nodding a second time, Izuku explained, "It's supposed to be a secret, but I recently experienced a breakthrough that allows me to drastically enhance my physical capabilities for a short period. If I'm to have any hope of defeating Todoroki, I'll need to stabilize my power before then."
Blinking her invisible eyes in surprise, a faint smile developed across Hagakure's face as she linked her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly, asking, "It's a secret, huh? Does that mean you haven't told Ashido and the other girls~?"
Pretending he didn't know what Hagakure was getting at, Izuku shook his head, confirming, "Other than the Principal and a handful of our teachers, you're the only one who knows about it. Why?"
Shaking her head, though it was difficult to tell since Izuku could only see her clothes, Hagakure answered, "Oh, no reason. I was just curious. And don't worry, I won't reveal your secret to anyone. In exchange, you can't tell anyone you're helping me train. Okay?"
Raising his brows, Izuku pointed out, "I don't mind, but we're far from the only people using the gym. Anyone who looks over here, especially from our Class, will realize I'm lending you a hand."
"..."
With Hagakure remaining silent for several seconds, Izuku's expression became marginally concerned as he asked, "Hagakure-san...?"
Coming to her sense, Hagakure shook her head a second time, stating, "Forget it. Let's just focus on our training, and if anyone asks what we're up to, we'll feign ignorance. Sound good?"
Though he was certain there was something else Hagakure had wanted to say, Izuku didn't hesitate to respond, "Sounds good." Then, for the rest of the afternoon, he acquainted Hagakure with the very basics of strength and endurance training. What he didn't know, or at least pretended not to, was that, for a very brief moment, Hagakure had considered removing her clothes so that no one could see them training together...
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After what felt like an excessively long period of time, Izuku's first week at UA finally came to a close. However, while everyone else in Class 1-A was enjoying their single day off, he was half-awake, dragging his feet to campus in order to make use of the Support facilities.
Since his original ensemble had been met with mixed reception, the first project Izuku was planning to work on was a new Hero costume. He had yet to settle on a design, but he was considering something like Captain America's outfit from Avengers: End Game. Or, if he wanted something to compliment his hair and eyes, a variation of a Green Lantern's outfit...
With such thoughts in his mind, Izuku entered the Support Department's Development Studio, expecting to find it empty or occupied by one of the on-duty teachers. Instead, he encountered a girl with prominent, salmon-pink dreadlocks and unusual golden eyes reminiscent of crosshairs. More importantly, she was staring back at him in a black tube top and a black boilersuit whose upper half was half-tied around her waist...
Speaking before Izuku could regain his senses, the pink-haired girl said, "You're not supposed to be in here." in a flat, matter-of-fact tone of voice. However, when she noticed the briefcase-like tool case he was carrying, one of the most expensive on the market, her reticle-like eyes appeared to focus an excited grin blossomed across her face...
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"I'm bored..."
With school being closed to facilitate the police's investigation and an internal security review, Izuku found himself with the day off and no plans. If it were the past, he would have spent his free time modifying patents or conducting market research. However, while that was still an option, his diminished Intelligence and Dexterity made it comparable to playing his favorite game on inferior hardware. He could; it simply wasn't as enjoyable.
*ding*
"Hmmm?"
Since his phone was set to chime only if there was an emergency or a high-priority message, Izuku was both surprised and not to find he had received a text from Nezu.
'If it isn't an inconvenience, please make your way to the school as soon as possible. There are matters of paramount importance we would like to discuss with you.'
"There go my chances of asking one of the girls on a date..." muttered Izuku. However, despite this utterance, he practically leaped out of bed to prepare. There were only a handful of reasons Nezu could be calling him in like this, most of which were extremely beneficial. Thus, after telling his mom the police needed to ask him a few follow-up questions, Izuku ran to the school instead of taking the train...
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Surprised by how quickly Izuku had reached the campus, Nezu, once again accompanied by All Might and Tsukauchi, remarked, "You're here much sooner than I expected, Midoriya-kun. Were you in the area when you received my message?"
Adopting a wry smile and rubbing the back of his head, Izuku revealed, "Sensei's text mentioned this was a matter of paramount importance, so I came running as quickly as I could. My maximum speed is faster than the trains at the station, so I...may have violated the provision prohibiting the use of Quirks without a license..."
Though Tsukauchi frowned upon hearing Izuku's admission, Nezu and All Might were all smiles as the former exhaled a light chuckle and mused, "I appreciate you treating this matter seriously. However, as the Principal of UA, I'm obligated to ask you not to violate the statutes of the Association in the future."
Without waiting for Izuku's response, Nezu shifted his gaze to Tsukauchi, asking, "Well then, shall we be off?"
Nodding his head, Tsukauchi rose to his feet while Nezu hopped down from the sofa, the duo hastily departing so that All Might and Izuku could be alone. Their sudden and swift exit caused tensions within the room to become palpable, but Izuku did his best to appear calm despite sitting as straight as a rod.
Leaning forward and linking his fingers together, All Might's expression and tone were solemn as he revealed, "The duo you identified as Tenko Shimura and Oboro Shirakumo have disappeared from their confinement. According to the medical team responsible for their treatment, a strange black liquid burst forth from their mouths, swallowing them before the on-site security had a chance to respond..."
Though he wasn't surprised by All Might's words, Izuku couldn't prevent a discontent frown from marring his face. Tomura was a key player in many of the future events he wished to avoid. If All Might had killed rather than apprehended him, All-for-One would either need to reveal himself or bide his time rearing a new successor...
Believing that Izuku was upset because the man who had targeted him and his friends had gotten away, All Might adopted a somewhat forced smile, assuring, "Worry not, young Midoriya. We have competent people working around the clock to uncover their location. We'll locate and have them in custody before you know it."
Forcing a smile of his own, Izuku replied, "I pray that's the case...that Quirk, Decay, seems like it could cause tremendous harm if allowed to be unleashed at its full potential..."
Recalling the danger he had felt when Tomura attempted to touch his face, All Might couldn't help nodding in response to Izuku's words. Then, with a resolute look, he said, "Alas, that isn't the reason I called you here. Rather, in light of recent developments, there's something important we need&ndash;no, we 'must' discuss..."
Waiting for Izuku to steel himself and reply, "I'm ready..." All Might went on to reveal the origin of his combined Quirks, One-for-All, the fate of its many wielders, and the responsibility thrust upon them. They had been engaged in a more than one-hundred-year struggle to defeat a man who referred to himself as All-for-One, the Symbol of Evil.
As his name implied, All-for-One had the power to steal the Quirks of people he touched, utilizing them for his own purposes or transplanting them into others. Doing so had allowed him to become the shadow ruler of the world, as, with the exception of One-for-All's wielders, there were none who could oppose him. Even then, until All Might's generation, every single user of One-for-All had been slain by All-for-One.
Listening to All Might recount his past, Izuku's body was incomparably tense. He was well acquainted with everything All Might was revealing, but hearing it in person hit differently. The gravitas of All Might's words placed legitimate pressure on him, leaving him completely speechless in their wake...
Meeting Izuku's gaze, All Might's body began exuding steam as he said, "I'm telling you these things for three reasons, Midoriya-kun. Yesterday's events revealed that my nemesis, All-for-One, may still be alive. If not, a person with a very similar power has appeared. Thus, if you are to inherit my power in the future, becoming the Ninth Successor of One-for-All, you must be prepared for the possibility of facing off against the greatest evil this world has ever known...can you do that? Can you stare into the abyss of evil without flinching?"
Overwhelmed by the intensity of All Might's words, Izuku found himself unable to respond. He honestly wasn't sure he had what it took to face off against a genuine monster like All-for-One. However, if he sat back and entrusted everything to others, there was a 'very' good chance he would come to regret it. Thus, as the silence between him and All Might lingered, Izuku's expression gradually hardened, culminating in the response, "If it must be done, I would rather it be me than someone else..."
Having already lived and sacrificed himself once, Izuku felt he had less of a right to live in this world than others. He may have the memories of the original Izuku, but he was ultimately an 'outsider' taking advantage of his previous life's knowledge for personal gain. If he didn't give anything back at all, he would have done more harm to this world than good. And Izuku hated having red in his ledger...
Though it took a little longer than he would have liked, Izuku's response brought a smile to All Might's face. After all, while the desire to be a Hero was required to wield One-for-All, it was far more important to possess a strong will and a spirit of sacrifice. Most aspiring Heroes sincerely wanted to help others, but very few would walk into a situation knowing there was a strong possibility they would die...
Canceling his 'muscle form' transformation, All Might abruptly changed from a 220cm, 255kg mountain of muscle to a lanky, borderline skeletal man with a gaunt face and sunken eyes. It was an exceptionally drastic transformation, but Izuku didn't flinch, asking, "Is this the side-effect of overdrawing your power?"
Shaking his head, All Might raised his dress shirt to reveal a vicious scar that radiated from his rib cage like a webbed impact crater. Just looking at it would cause others to wince, but All Might just exhaled a sigh, his voice surprisingly deep and gravelly as he explained, "During my battle with All-for-One, I received an injury that damaged most of my internal organs and annihilated my stomach. Now, I can only wield my power for around three hours before compromising the total amount of time I have left."
Letting his shirt fall, All Might, better known as Toshinori in his current form, met Izuku's gaze as he added, "This is the true reason I became a teacher at UA. While teaching here, people won't expect me to appear as frequently as I used to. It allows me to save what little power I have left to teach the person that will become my successor..."
Swallowing hard, Izuku would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous while asking, "Does that mean...?"
Nodding his head, Toshinori replied, "If you're willing, I would like you, Izuku Midoriya, to inherit my power and, if possible, become the next Symbol of Peace. I believe that your Digitalization Quirk may be the only power that can adapt my own before the next great battle. I don't know when it will occur, but if All-for-One is truly still alive, it's only a matter of time before he strikes..."
Understanding better than anyone just how right Toshinori was, Izuku no longer hesitated, nodding his head with a firm resolution in his eyes. He still believed his Quirk was more than capable of securing his position in the world, but with monsters exceeding Level 1000 appearing, he simply didn't have time to take things slow. Not when most of the major events he was knowledgeable of occurred during the original Izuku's first year in school...
Seeing the determination in Izuku's eyes, Toshinori plucked one of the luminous golden hairs from his head, grinning like a skull-faced demon as he said, "Now, if you've prepared yourself, eat this."
"..."
Though he knew it was coming, Izuku still deadpanned in response to Toshinori's words. However, eating a hair was far less disconcerting than imbibing All Might's blood, sweat, tears, or saliva. Thus, after a moment of silence, Izuku forced a smile and asked, "Can I put it on a bagel and wash it down with some coffee...?"
...
..
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A few hours after ingesting All Might's hair, Izuku was in a training room prepared by Nezu, his exposed upper body caked in sweat as he fended off the never-ended swarm of ghost-like opponents wearing trenchcoats and black bodysuits, clones provided as a courtesy of his Mathematic's teacher, Phantom Hero: Ectoplasm.
Though Ectoplasm was far from the most physically capable Hero, even losing his legs in the line of duty, his ability to create upwards of thirty-six ghostly clones made him a difficult opponent. At the very least, that was the case for ordinary opponents and Villains.
With azure blue electricity crackling around his body, Izuku repelled six of Ectoplasm's clones with the wind pressure generated by his hand. Then, in the same series of motions, he executed a sweeping sidekick, creating a blade-like shockwave that bifurcated the clones and left an impression in the reinforced steel wall behind them.
"This is incredible..." muttered Izuku, unable to keep a smile from his face even as his body screamed in protest. After all, not only was he adapting to the energy flowing through his body, but every time he defeated one of Ectoplasm's clones, his Experience would increase upwards of 1,500 EXP in a single go. It was indescribably exhilarating...
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Name: [Izuku Midoriya]
Quirk: Digitalization, Transfer, Stockpiling, Singularity, Gearshift(sealed), Fa Jin(sealed), Danger Sense(sealed), Blackwhip(sealed), Smokescreen(sealed), Float(sealed)
Current Level: 16-&gt;19 (54,108-&gt;88,295 EXP)
Effective Level: 485
[Attributes]
Strength: 50-&gt;680(A/N: With OFA Activated)
Agility: 50-&gt;680(A/N: With OFA Activated)
Vitality: 100-&gt;2720(A/N: With OFA Activated)
Intelligence: 62
Dexterity: 50-&gt;680(A/N: With OFA Activated)
Luck: 15-&gt;30(From Leveling-Up)
Free Attributes: 0
Rerolls Available: 2
[Perks]
[Bronze Skin], [Fleet-footed], [Lesser Regeneration], [Healthy Body], [Sharp Mind], [Nimble Fingers]
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Chapter 22: Chapter 22