Chapter Text
It was over.
Izuku panted heavily, the golden stumps on his back still sparking. He stood at the edge of a massive crater, the remains of what used to be Deika Tower. In the center lay Re-Destro, his Quirk depleted and his body at its normal size. His eyes were blank, a clear sign of his unconsciousness. They’d won.
Izuku stumbled to the side, and his transformation disappeared in a flash of green light. He would’ve eaten dirt if Kyouka hadn’t rushed forward and caught him. “You really need to work on staying conscious after using that transformation, babe.”
Izuku grinned weakly. “Plus Ultra, am I right?”
Katsuki walked forward with his arms crossed and huffed warmly. “Well, you could’ve at least let the rest of us have a piece of him. C’mon, we gathered everyone from our provisional license exam. Can’t we give them anything to do?”
Izuku chuckled. “Charge the remaining forces from behind. Hammer and anvil tactic, can’t go wrong.”
Kendou Itsuka walked forward and huffed warmly, staring down at Izuku. “1-B will take over from here. You hang back with your class and recover. You’ve done your jobs, now let us have some fun.”
Izuku’s grin widened slightly. “Go kick their asses, Battle Fist.”
Kendou smirked, before turning on her heel and raising her voice to address the gathered students from around the nation. “Alright, heroes! This area’s clear, but we’re not quite done yet! The enemy army is still fighting the heroes to the west and the north, so let’s go give ‘em a helping hand or hundred, yeah?”
There was a roar of agreement, and Izuku could hear the rumbling sound of the students’ feet charging off through the city. Kyouka propped him up so that he could see the rest of the class approaching, and he grinned warmly. “Good work, 1-A. I’ve never been prouder to call you my classmates.” He glanced over at where Yuga was standing, the blonde’s hands laced together nervously. “Oboro, send Yuga back to the classroom. There’s a gift waiting for him in Nedzu’s office.”
The blonde’s eyes widened, and he ran through the offered black cloud without a word. Katsuki watched him go with a raised eyebrow. “What was that about?”
Tenko grunted. “The Doctor was keeping a student’s family hostage to force said student to pass information on UA to the League.”
The pieces clicked, and 1-A glanced at each other with worry. Momo sighed. “Well, at least he has a happy family to return to.”
Izuku grinned wider. “I wonder about that.”
Inko smiled softly as the Aoyama boy ran into the room, immediately spotting his parents and bursting into tears. As the family shared a long-overdue hug, she turned to the principal and raised an eyebrow. “So, how long until the next one?”
The mammal made a show of checking his watch. “Three… two… one.”
As if on cue, the Yaoyorozu girl burst into the room, looking around wildly. Noticing the obvious absence of her parents, she frowned, before catching sight of the principal. She walked over and said, “Midoriya-kun implied that my mother would be here. Where is she?”
Inko smirked and held up a sheet of paper. “I recommend that you get used to calling him Izuku. After all, it’d be awkward to refer to your brother by your family name.”
Momo’s eyes widened, and tears began to flow. “You mean… you…?”
Inko smiled softly and held her arms out in an invitation. “Yes.”
The girl ran forward, pulling Inko into a tight hug. She whispered soothing words in the girl’s ear, stroking her hair gently as Momo sobbed her heart out.
Shouto glanced up as the door to Mic-sensei’s office slid open, and he raised an eyebrow as Yagi Toshinori walked in. “Really? You’re bothering with me? Even after what I did to you?”
The emaciated man chuckled. “I believe Yaoyorozu-shoujo made her thoughts on the matter quite clear, and I can’t help but agree.”
Shouto huffed. “Entirely fair. Still, why did you want to meet with me?”
Yagi-san sighed and walked over to the other chair in the room, sitting down and clasping his hands together. “I… have something I wish to share with you. You see, I had a… strange connection to the man that stole your Quirk, All for One. My Quirk… did not belong to me, originally. It was given to me as a gift. It is called One for All.”
Shouto hummed. “Go on.”
“Early in his life, All for One had a younger brother, who was presumed Quirkless. All for One forced a strength stockpiling Quirk onto this brother to make him subservient. However, the brother did have a Quirk - the ability to pass his power to others. On its own, a useless Quirk, but it merged with the stockpiler to become One for All, a Quirk that can be passed to others and gathers the strength of every consecutive wielder. I am the eighth holder. I was born Quirkless.”
Shouto raised an eyebrow. “And you’re telling me because…?”
“Please, let me continue. Originally, I had assumed that One for All only stockpiled physical strength. However, upon All for One’s death, I realized that it was far more complicated than that. I could feel dozens of Quirks within One for All. As it turns out, All for One and One for All were far more connected than I first thought. Under the effects of Erasure, the ‘barrier’ between One for All and All for One weakened. Before the villain detonated, several of the Quirks in his stockpile crossed over and were absorbed into the core of One for All. I could feel the influx of strength just before the explosion. And I have determined that Half-Hot, Half-Cold was among them.”
Hope swelled in Shouto’s chest. “Does that mean… you could give my Quirk back to me?”
Yagi-san shook his head and Shouto’s face fell. “Sadly, no. As the Quirks were absorbed into One for All, they became inseparable from it, and so I cannot give them out individually. However, I do have an offer.”
Shouto’s eyes widened as he put the pieces together. “Sir?”
Yagi-san held out his hand. “If you accept, I will give you One for All. You could use your original Quirk again, and you would have access to the small arsenal of Quirks within. You would also possess the strength I held in my prime, and then some. You would become far stronger than I ever was, and could ever hope to be.”
Shouto considered it. All that power… To be stronger than All Might. It seemed like everything he had ever wanted. And yet…
He shook his head. “Forgive me, Yagi-san, but I can’t. To accept such power would feel like admitting failure. Admitting that I would never surpass my father on my own. So, I appreciate the offer, but I refuse.”
To Shouto’s shock, Yagi-san smiled. “To be honest, Shouto-shounen, I was hoping that you would. I have heard from your teacher that you have been… morose, as of late. As though you no longer had any purpose. But you’ve found your new goal, haven’t you?”
Now that he thought about it, he did. Shouto did have a goal now. He nodded. “You’re right. I will be better than Endeavor. Not stronger, but better. I will be a hero without the power he thought was necessary. I will step out of his shadow and set myself apart from him by saving all I can.”
Yagi-san smiled warmly. “I am glad to hear it, Shouto-shounen. Though, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a few more years than you’d probably like. A sad consequence of the circumstances that led to this moment.”
Shouto sighed and glanced at the tracking bracelet on his ankle. “Yeah. I did a lot of things wrong, and I’m going to have to make up for a lot of them before I can take another shot at becoming a hero.”
THREE DAYS LATER
True to form, Aizawa-sensei walked into homeroom right as the late bell rang. “Morning, hellspawn. Good to see you’ve all recovered from the fight at Deika.”
Indeed they had. After the fighting had ended for good, Oboro had warped them back to the dorms and they had immediately crashed. The following two days had been spent resting, relaxing, and recovering from the fighting. Of course, school waits for no one, so they were back to class as soon as they were back to full strength.
“Right. With the League gone, the yakuza back in the shadows, and the Meta Liberation Army fully destroyed, we here at UA don’t see that many possible interruptions to your education this year.” He fixed the class with a deadpan stare. “Of course, not even Nedzu can predict how much trouble you hellspawn will get into in second and third year. And since I apparently can’t let you out of my sight, you’re stuck with me for homeroom until you graduate.”
The class cheered, and the hero grunted warmly. “Yeah, yeah, get it out now. You won’t be cheering much once Nemuri starts teaching you about PR.”
THREE YEARS LATER
Hanasu Urusai announced, “Welcome, one and all, to our biannual Hero Rankings! I’m certain you’ve all been waiting three years for this, so let’s not waste any time! Here’s our newest Top Ten! Starting us off, it’s The Rabbit Heroine: Miruko!”
The crowd cheered as the infamous white-haired heroine bounced onto the stage, chuckling deeply. “Well, it was fun being Number One while it lasted, but these new kids can put up one hell of a fight! But that doesn’t mean I’m done! Hold onto your hats, folks, the big bad bunny’s still kicking major villain ass!”
The crowd cheered again as the heroine walked off the stage. Hanasu shuffled her notes and continued, “Moving on, at number nine, we have The Chemical Heroine: Acid Queen!”
A pink-skinned woman with yellow horns and a pink-and-blue leopard-print jumpsuit skated onto the stage on a trail of liquid. “Thanks, everybody! I never thought I’d keep up with the powerhouses of my class, and yet, here we are! I’m utterly psyched that I ranked this high, and I promise that I’ll keep getting better!”
“Up next, coming in at number eight, it’s The Nitro Hero: Ignition!”
A white blur sped onto the stage, sweeping Acid Queen off her feet and materializing into a figure in white armor with exhaust pipes coming out of its thighs. “I must give my thanks to everyone who has helped me reach this prestigious position! I swear I will do my best to uphold the standards of heroism!”
Acid Queen snorted and flicked the figure’s helmet. “C’mon, Tenten, you can be more informal than that!”
The figure groaned and began walking off the stage, the heroine still in its arms. “Must I keep reminding you not to use that nickname in public? Who knows who would use that information against me?!”
The crowd chuckled, and Hanasu joined them for a bit. “Alright, alright. Moving on, at number seven, we have The Rainy Season Heroine: Froppy!”
A green blur shot onto the stage, and the crowd cheered at the sight of the familiar water-based Rescue heroine at the microphone. “Thanks, kero. It’s crazy to think about how soon I got here, but that’s not gonna stop me from doing my job. Thanks for all the support, kero!”
“At number six, it’s The Turbulent Hero: Gale Force!”
A burst of wind announced the entrance of the famously loud hero, whose booming laughter was echoing throughout the room. “Great to be here! Never thought I’d be among the ranks of the most famous heroes in history, but you don’t see me complaining! I’m proud to be ranked with these passionate men and women!”
Hanasu cleared her throat as she shuffled her notes again. “Next, at number five, we have The Sturdy Hero: Red Riot!”
The famously bare-chested hero walked onto the stage, flashing his sharp-toothed grin at the cheering crowd. “Thank you, all of you! It’s pretty crazy how I’ve managed to outpace one of the manliest heroes I know, but not crazy enough for me to not know what to say! Which is to say, it’s pretty damn cool for you all to support me this much!”
“Coming in at number four, it’s The Musical Heroine: Jack Sabbath!”
The crowd cheered as a woman in a biker’s vest and combat boots walked onto the stage, twirling her dangling earlobe around her finger. “Thanks for all the support, guys and girls. Never thought I’d get this far, but that just goes to show the power of rockin’ it with a full band by your side! Keep chasing those chart-topping dreams!”
Hanasu chuckled, before glancing back at her notes. “Next, at number three, we have The Everything Heroine: Creati!”
The crowd cheered even louder as a woman in a red-and-black jumpsuit walked up to the microphone, a red cloak draped over her shoulders. “Thank you, thank you all. This means so much to me, to be ranked so highly, and so soon after my graduation. I hope I continue to live up to your expectations of me, and that I’ll continue to inspire all who wish to follow in my footsteps.”
“At number two, we have The Explosive Hero: Ground Zero!”
The crowd went wild as a man with spiky blond hair walked up to the podium, his signature black-and-orange mask on his face. “Yeah, yeah, thanks or whatever. Let’s just get this over with so I can get back to work.” Of course, that just made parts of the crowd cheer louder, as the hero’s gruff attitude had become one of his most admired qualities. Ground Zero grunted warmly as he walked over to a corner of the stage, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently.
Hanasu consulted her notes again, before nodding and facing the cameras. “And last but most certainly not least, our newest Number One hero, it’s The Inventory Hero: Save Point!”
The curtains at the back of the stage split apart, and the crowd went nuts as the famous green-haired hero walked up to the microphone with a massive grin on his face. “Thank you, thank you all, it’s a great honor to be here. To be honest, if you had told me four years ago that not only would I be a hero, but the number one hero in all of Japan, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. And yet, here we are. I’m so happy to be ranked this high, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished on the road to get here. Of course, there’s still work to be done. There’s always someone in need of saving, but that’s nothing to fear. Why? Because we are here. This generation of heroes will stop at nothing to ensure that the public remains as safe as humanly possible. And I’m proud to be named the head of this amazing collection of people. Let’s go beyond, everybody!”
Class 1-A was forever immortalized in the minds of the public as The Hero Generation. Their contemporaries in 1-B and the other schools around the nation were impressive, sure, but it was clear to everyone that these were the best of the best.
Aoyama Yuga would finally reach his true potential once his parents were saved from All for One’s followers. Starlight Nova went on to become a beacon of hope in both Japan and France, and his work as a diplomatic ambassador would revolutionize intercontinental trade and relations.
Ashido Mina graduated at the bottom of her class, but she was far from incompetent. The Chemical Heroine: Acid Queen would be a face for mutation and “villainous” Quirks in Japan and abroad. She was widely known as “a lover of fun and a friend to all” - unless you were the unlucky sap who tried to cause trouble on her patrol route.
Asui Tsuyu was the most well-known water-based hero in history, even more so than Gang Orca. Her work alongside Selkie and his crew on the Oki Mariner would set an example for water-based hero agencies around the world. Her siblings would brag to anyone they met about how their big sister was the coolest mutant-Quirked hero in the world - though some of her former classmates weren’t far behind in their eyes.
Iida Tenya would succeed his older brother as the head of Team IidaTen, and would mold the agency into a force for justice the likes of which had never been seen before. He also forged connections with multiple team agencies around the globe, sharing information and helping to deal with international incidents. There were also rumors that he’d formed a close friendship with one of his former classmates.
Uraraka Ochako became the most prominent Rescue hero in all of Japan, and eventually the entire world. She became well-known for her cheerful disposition and eager nature, willing to help anyone she came across. She eventually hired Cementoss as part of her agency, which earned a reputation for its efficiency at repairing collateral damage. (She also became famous among the underground for her legendary fighting abilities and unofficially-named Berserker Rage.)
Ojiro Mashirao would soon open a dojo in the heart of Tokyo known for its efficiency and its acceptance rates. So long as one showed the dedication to study, they were allowed to participate. Its students went on to become great fighters, though none quite managed to become true legends. Much like its head, to be quite honest.
Kaminari Denki quickly became one of the most popular heroes in Japan, mainly due to his laid-back personality. He was as friendly as can be, always willing to strike up a conversation. He even managed to lead a second career as the equally famous streamer SparkMaster69, and his gaming skills were second only to his former classmate.
Kirishima Eijirou quickly rose through the popularity rankings, mostly on account of just how upbeat he was. Photos of the man making a sad face were as rare as hen’s teeth, and nobody could feel down when he was out on patrol. He was most often seen in Esuha City, walking along the street and sharing a tray of takoyaki with Fat Gum.
Kouda Kouji would silently fade into the background of Rescue heroics, finding a place in the mountains close to the home base of the Wild Wild Pussycats. Not a single mountaineer or skier was lost on his watch, and he consistently made donations to several charities and wildlife preserves, including Gang Orca’s aquarium. While he never made headlines, the rock-headed hero was perfectly content with that.
Satou Rikidou wound up leaving heroics fairly quickly - not for lack of efficiency, but for lack of interest. He kept his license to use his Quirk in emergencies, but retired from the busy life of a hero to open a bakery in the Hosu district of Tokyo. Anyone was allowed through the doors, so long as they never caused any trouble. Those who did were quickly shown just what had made him a hero in the first place.
Shouji Mezou, like his pink-skinned friend, would go on to become an advocate for those with “unsightly” mutations. His work as a hero led to multiple reforms and laws that just about eradicated discrimination against mutant Quirks. He eventually opened an agency alongside a reformed Iguchi Shuichi, codenamed Drazil.
Jirou Kyouka would eventually begin a second job as a freelance composer in addition to her career as a hero. Her labels frequently topped the charts, and she was a common guest on Put Your Hands Up Radio, even taking it over on occasion. She was sometimes commissioned for music pieces for HeroTube creators, made famous through the piece she’d composed to be Kaminari’s channel intro theme.
Sero Hanta quickly found a sponsorship deal with a Support company that specialized in restraining tools (much to Hatsume’s chagrin). His low casualty ratings and charismatic nature quickly brought him into the top fifty. He never seemed to rise much higher, but he also never seemed all that bothered by it.
Tokoyami Fumikage would go into underground heroics, quickly making a name for himself as the “Demon of Shadows”. However, those who knew him would tell you that the brooding and mysterious nature was a facade he put on for hero work. When the costume came off, his true friendly personality came out. He, like Shouji and Ashido, was also an advocate for mutants’ rights.
Todoroki Shouto had a much longer stay at UA than he had initially expected. While there was no denying that Endeavor had been the main cause for his actions, that didn’t change that he had hurt people. As such, he was required to undergo a villain rehabilitation course, which took five years under the supervision of Eraserhead. When he had finished, he quickly went about earning his hero license, taking up the title of The Reborn Hero: Icarus. He also changed his last name to Kettei, a symbol of his determination to never give up on the first dream he ever had, and a final step out of the disgraced Flame Hero’s shadow.
Yoarashi Inasa, much like Kirishima, would quickly become known as a friendly face and an energetic hero. His love of passion quickly sparked a massive following, and he had to take to patrolling from the skies so as to avoid the swaths of fans along the streets. He also struck up a friendship with the Air Force squadron that worked alongside Star and Stripe.
Hagakure Toru would take her place among the few hybrid heroes, working in both the limelight and the underground just about equally. Her near-monopoly on stealth earned her the nickname “The Shadowless Ghost”. Her bubbly nature also earned her quite the following of fans, especially younger girls. She even landed a commercial deal with a makeup company after she learned to undo her invisibility - a trick she’d learned partway into her second year at UA.
Bakugou Katsuki would go on to amass a similar following to that of Endeavor’s, only with about twice the size. His gruff nature and standard straightforward approach appealed to the same kinds of people, but his restraint and tactical thinking also made him a favorite of many others. Most importantly, he took to the number two position with substantially more grace than the former Flame Hero.
Midoriya Izuku would go on to become a household name, a Symbol of Hope in the same vein as All Might before him. Save Point was an inspiration to many a young child, and his nature as a late bloomer motivated both Quirked and Quirkless. He would frequently return to UA as a guest speaker and, after obtaining his teaching license, as a Foundational Heroics teacher. He even managed to keep up a streaming career as Boss Bushman, becoming well-known in the gaming community for his incredible aim and his friendly rivalry with Kaminari. Jirou would occasionally appear in the background of his streams, the two managing to keep up their relationship around their respective careers.
Aiyama Hitoshi would succeed Eraserhead as the face of the underground, surpassing his adoptive father in skill and efficiency. However, unlike Eraserhead, Hypnos would occasionally make himself known to the public as an advocate for those with “villainous” Quirks. He was also a regular customer at Satou’s bakery, which quickly morphed into a cat cafe and a meeting spot for underground heroes and vigilantes.
Midoriya Momo would go on to be a symbol for young women everywhere. Taking to her hero work with gusto, she inspired girls across the country to stand up for themselves and fight for their own dreams. She even stepped out of her mother’s shadow and distanced herself from the Yaoyorozu Conglomerate. She became the founder of Creative Industries, her own Support company that specialized in custom orders for its clients. (And one of the few companies that earned Hatsume’s approval.)
Shirakumo Oboro would graduate alongside 1-A as The Airborne Hero: Loud Cloud. The name never garnered that much attention, but the blue-haired hero was fine with that. He spent most of his days patrolling around UA and catching up with his old friends. He was especially popular with kids due to his friendly and carefree disposition.
Hatsume Mei would quickly become a giant in the field of Support, establishing Hastume Industries as a major competitor. At one point, she received an invitation to the board of administrators for I-Island, but declined, wanting to stay in Japan with her consumer base. She continued to act as 1-A’s Support technician for years, and her many scientific breakthroughs turned her into a self-made billionaire.
Togata Mirio, Hadou Nejire, and Amajiki Tamaki graduated at the top of their class and with the public’s full support. The three of them founded the Phantom Fairy Agency, based in Tokyo. They excelled in all cases, but their specialty was by far child abuse and kidnappings. They also kept up working relationships with Sir Nighteye, Ryukyu, and Fat Gum.
Aizawa Shouta would retire from hero work as soon as The Hero Generation graduated from UA, claiming that “Japan’s got more than enough heroes for a fossil to take his leave”. He would continue to teach heroics classes at UA, finally making his marriage with Present Mic public now that he felt he no longer needed constant vigilance.
Yamada Hizashi would retire from hero work shortly after his husband, reasoning that he’d “sung his heart out to the public”, and his vocal cords needed a long break. He still kept up his teaching career and radio show, much to his fans’ delight.
Yagi Toshinori would continue to help teach business and heroics classes at UA, especially after obtaining his teaching license a year after his retirement from heroics. His decades of experience served him well to provide the next generations with the knowledge they needed to succeed.
Midoriya Inko continued to serve as the vice principal for Musutafu Junior High. She and Chishiki Yonda quickly molded the school into a promising facility, well-known for producing students with heroic attitudes and high potential. It rapidly formed connections with not just UA, but other major schools like Shiketsu, Ketsubutsu, Seijin, and Seiai.
Shimura Tenko would complete his rehabilitation at UA and finally step out from All for One’s shadow. He would then go on to become The Decay Hero: Earthbreak, joining Froppy and Uravity in the ranks of Rescue heroics. His mechanical arms bearing the hands of his late sister would soon become a sign of comfort to those facing disasters.
Todoroki Touya would graduate from Ketsubutsu’s villain rehabilitation course around the same time that Shouto finished his own. He kept the moniker Dabi, but utilized his talents for vigilantism instead of villainy. He and Detective Tsukauchi formed a working relationship, wherein the detective would turn a blind eye to the vigilantism so long as Touya didn’t break any other laws.
Toga Himiko graduated from Ketsubutsu’s villain rehab course with flying colors, having finally received recognition of her Quirk’s dietary needs. She quickly gained control over her blood mania, and studied under Recovery Girl to become a respected doctor who specialized in cases related to anemia and other blood-related diseases.
Bubaigawara Jin would graduate from Ketsubutsu’s villain rehab course after regaining control over his shattered mind. He went on to earn a therapist’s license, specializing in cases of imposter syndrome and other forms of psychosis. He also earned a provisional license, and would occasionally assist heroes who were having issues near his clinic.
Aiyama Eri would grow up to follow in her adoptive family’s footsteps, aiming for UA’s hero course just like her parents and older brother. She would intern under Recovery Girl and other supportive heroes around the nation, quickly making a name for herself as The Healing Heroine: Twilight.
Izuku stepped out onto the balcony of his hero agency, known as The Inventory and located in the heart of Tokyo, a few blocks down from the Phantom Fairy Agency. Kyouka walked up next to him and laced a hand around his waist, leaning her head into the crook of his neck. “Whatcha thinking about?”
He leaned his head on top of hers and smiled. “Just thinking about how far we’ve come. To think, less than a decade ago, I was a scared little kid who was just learning that he had a Quirk. And now, here I am. Slayer of All for One. Destroyer of the Shie Hassaikai. Death of the entire Meta Liberation Army. The Number One Hero of Japan. And all because I played a silly video game.”
Kyouka smiled softly and pulled him closer. “Life’s weird like that.”
Izuku smiled wider and returned the hug. “And I wouldn’t reset this save file for the world.”