I rub my neck lightly.
This is going to be… something.
I continue scanning the crowd, recognizing more faces I know will end up in the hero course — and even Shinso, the boy with the brainwashing quirk. His expression is unreadable, same as always.
About half an hour passes before the flow of students finally thins. The noise fades. The pathway empties. I remain in the same spot, alone between the statues.
While waiting, I keep training.
Lightning hums faintly under my skin as I extend my senses outward.
Life signatures.
Electronics.
Residual energy from quirks used earlier in the day.
Small fluctuations in electromagnetic fields.
I map each one in my mind.
Every student I recognize, I commit their signature to memory — shape, rhythm, density. No two people are exactly alike.
As I'm scanning the building again, a signature brushes against my senses.
Light. Soft. Almost… buoyant.
Like it's barely touching the ground.
A few seconds later, a short-haired girl steps out of the building.
Ochako Uraraka.
She has a faint frown, like she's lost in a spiral of thoughts. So deep in them that she doesn't even notice me a few meters away. She walks right past, still staring at the ground, still thinking.
She turns onto the main path and leaves the school grounds without even glancing up.
She really does have a bit of a round face.
The moment that thought crosses my mind, Uraraka — already on the sidewalk outside the walls — stops suddenly. She looks around, eyes scanning the area as if she felt something.
After a few seconds of searching, she gives up, turns left, and disappears behind the massive barrier walls surrounding U.A.
'Mom is never wrong. Women do have a killer instinct.'
I sigh softly as Ayaka inevitably comes to mind.
'And that idiot's instinct is worse than Mom's. More like an animal.'
***
Unknown to Izumi, back in the Adachi mansion, Ayaka suddenly stops writing. She freezes mid-equation, pencil hovering above the page.
Across the table, Aoi looks up from the tablet she had been reading.
"Why did you stop?" she asks quietly.
Ayaka frowns slightly, thinking.
"I feel like Brother is badmouthing me or something."
Aoi stares at her for a moment… and a brief memory surfaces.
A conversation with Izumi from a few years ago.
"Mom… I think Ayaka has some kind of instinct. Whenever I think about her, she stares at me like a ghost just walked through the wall."
Aoi had blinked at him.
"…Reasonable."
The memory disappears as quickly as it came.
"You're just imagining things," Aoi says, returning her attention to the papers. "Get back to work. If you finish early, we can go have a snack. I'll tell the girls to prepare that yogurt ice cream you like."
Ayaka brightens immediately, practically vibrating in her seat.
"Thanks, Mom! You're the best!"
"I know," Aoi replies calmly, already scrolling through her tablet again.
Her eyes move down the screen, slipping back into work without breaking rhythm. A quiet notification sits at the top of the document — another internal report.
She opens it with a swipe.
It's the same issue she's been monitoring over the past week: a string of unusual incidents in several European branch facilities.
Reports mentioning a group of religious fanatics.
People preaching about "divine quirks"… and calling mutation-type quirks "curses."
More activity than she would like.
Aoi exhales softly through her nose, the only sign of annoyance she ever shows.
Then she keeps reading, expression composed as ever.
Unaware of her mother's thoughts, Ayaka is quietly plotting.
'He's definitely badmouthing me. Hmph. How should I punish him…?
Delete all his game saves on the Station… no, no, that's too much. He'll actually get upset.
Maybe I'll swap the drive with an empty one and pretend it was accidentally deleted. If it's an accident, he won't complain even if he's losing his mind inside. Yes. Perfect.'
Her lips curl into a tiny, devilish grin as she snickers silently.
Aoi looks up again, sensing something off.
Ayaka is sitting perfectly still, eyes on her work.
Aoi stares for a moment.
"…Must have been the wind," she mutters, returning to the report.
***
|| Back at U.A. ||
A sudden shiver runs through me.
My shoulders twitch without warning.
Why am I getting shivers?
'There's no change in the environment… and I don't sense anyone near me.'
I extend my awareness outward, pushing my sense as far as I can — scanning for the slightest fluctuation.
Nothing unusual.
Just faint signatures from remaining staff inside the building.
But then—
A few minutes later, I sense someone approaching the exit of the main building.
Someone stepping out.
The signature hits me immediately.
Dense.
Heavy.
Layered.
It brushes against my senses like All Might's — strong enough to distort the surrounding electromagnetic field just by existing.
But unlike All Might, this one feels… covered.
As if something deeper is buried under a controlled layer.
'That's a very odd signature.
But not surprising.'
I turn my eyes toward the building entrance, waiting for the figure to appear.
A few seconds later, the source of that dense signature finally steps out of the building.
A green-haired boy — exhausted, messy curls, freckles scattered across his cheeks — drags himself through the gate. His steps look automatic, like his mind is somewhere else entirely.
He's muttering under his breath.
"…zero points… I couldn't save anyone… All Might put faith in me and I— no, no, this is bad—"
'Typical Midoriya.'
I walk toward him, closing the distance until I'm two steps away. He nearly bumps into me before stopping short, startled.
He blinks rapidly.
"O-Oh— s-sorry! I didn't see—"
"Izuku Midoriya."
He stops talking instantly. His attention snaps to me, nervous but curious.
"…Yes? Do we… know each other?"
His muttering dies instantly. "H-Hello? Do… do I know you?"
"Not yet," I say. "But we share a connection. All Might."
The name hits him like a shockwave.
His eyes widen. Breath catches. His posture stiffens completely.
"I— I don't— I mean— All Might— I—"
I cut in before he spirals.
"You don't need to worry. I haven't disclosed your connection to All Might to anyone."
His shoulders relax just a little. His breathing steadies.
After a moment, he gathers enough courage to speak.
"Um… who are you? And… why were you waiting for me? Did something happen? Did All Might say something? A-Are you—"
"Right." I nod lightly. "My name is Izumi Adachi. I'm also applying for U.A.'s hero course. There's something I need to discuss with you. And with All Might."
Midoriya stiffens again — not out of fear, but confusion.
"What… what did you want to discuss?"
"I can't tell you yet."
I hold his gaze. "How about we exchange contact information? I'll reach out when the time is right."
"That sounds… reasonable, but—"
"I'll probably contact you after we receive our results," I add before he finishes. "You can mention me to All Might when you speak to him. Does that work for you?"
Midoriya pauses. He thinks — really thinks — before slowly nodding.
"Yes. I… I look forward to talking again."
We exchange numbers.
"I should get going," he says with a small bow, still flustered. "Th-Thank you for… um… keeping it a secret."
I nod. "Have a safe trip home."
He gives a small bow — awkward, sincere — and hurries off, still processing the entire conversation.
I watch him disappear behind the barrier walls.
I call a taxi and make my way toward the city streets.
A few moments later a cab comes to a stop in the designated space.
The moment I settle into the seat, my thoughts begin circling.
'I'm still not completely sure that contacting All Might and approaching One For All this early is the right move.
But after reviewing the possibilities… this is the option with the least risk. My existence alone shifts the story away from canon. Some changes will be harmless. Others… won't be.
I need to prepare for all of them. I can't afford to stand still. I need to secure every advantage I can.'
The car rolls through the late-afternoon traffic, sunlight flickering across the window.
'And if I can help everyone grow stronger than their original selves… then maybe this world will be ready for the approaching storm.'
***
The letter arrives in the evening — a crisp envelope stamped with U.A.'s seal.
Miss Chiyo brings it into the family lounge, where the Adachi household is gathered in their usual quiet rhythm.
Ayaka and Izumi sit together on one of the couches, trading a notebook back and forth as they argue over a formula only the two of them understand.
Across from them, Aoi slices fruit on the low tea table while Jin reads something serious on his tablet.
Chiyo steps closer, bows her head slightly, and says in her polite, practiced tone:
"Pardon me, Madam, Sir… young masters."
She presents the envelope with both hands.
"A letter from U.A. has arrived."
All four pairs of eyes shift toward her.
Before anyone can say a word, the envelope vanishes from Chiyo's hands — reappearing instantly in Ayaka's.
"Thank you, Miss Chiyo. Finally. They took this long just to send confirmation?"
She grumbles, but the faint smile tugging at her lips and the jitter in her movements betray exactly how she feels.
"You aren't fooling anyone," Izumi says, matter-of-fact. "Just open it."
Aoi only exhales softly, the kind of resigned sigh a mother gives when she's long accepted that her children will always be like this.
"As if."
Ayaka huffs and turns back to Chiyo — who is already holding out a letter opener.
That, too, flickers out of sight and into Ayaka's hand.
"You're the best, Miss Chiyo."
Chiyo simply smiles, steps back, and quietly lifts her phone to begin recording.
Ayaka slits the envelope open and pulls out a small metallic disc.
"Hm? A projector?"
She taps it and sets it on the coffee table.
A second later, a bright holographic projection bursts to life — All Might's face filling the entire space.
"I am here… as a projection!"
Ayaka jumps slightly, eyes sparkling. Aoi and Jin straighten in surprise.
Izumi remains still, unsurprised — almost as if he expected this.
Jin blinks. "Since when did All Might start working with U.A.?"
"No idea," Ayaka answers without looking away, her smile stretching wider as the projection continues.
"Hello, Adachi Family," All Might's projection booms, bright and larger than life. "This message is for both Ayaka Adachi and Izumi Adachi."
Ayaka straightens, practically glowing.
"We are pleased to inform you that U.A. High School is delighted to welcome you both into the Hero Course."
Her smile somehow gets even bigger — she looks like she might levitate.
"I will also be working at U.A. this year as a teacher," the projection continues. "I look forward to guiding two young aspiring heroes to reach even greater heights!"
Then, in true All Might fashion, he throws his arms back, laughs heartily, and shouts—
"Get ready to go beyond! PLUS—ULTRA!"
The projection bursts into sparkles and fades out.
"WOOH! All Might is teaching at U.A.!"
Ayaka launches her arms into the air, spinning once in a full circle as if she's made of pure excitement.
Aoi laughs softly and reaches out to ruffle her daughter's hair.
"Well, isn't this the best opportunity? Learning directly from the Symbol of Peace… The two of you always admired him. Especially you, Izumi."
Izumi nods, smiling lightly. "Yes. This will be a good opportunity."
Ayaka, however, is nowhere near calm.
"We're going to be taught by All Might! ALL MIGHT! Do you understand how insane that is?! Years of training, all of this effort — and now THIS?! I CAN'T—"
Izumi clears his throat gently.
Ayaka freezes mid-gesture.
"Why don't we all go out for ice cream?" he says. "My treat."
Jin arches a brow, smirking as he lowers Ayaka from where he'd lifted her during her celebration.
"Oh? You're treating me? With our money?"
Izumi just stares at him. "You do remember how much revenue I've pulled in since I restructured the business, right?"
"Tha—"
Jin opens his mouth to argue, ready to fire back—
but Aoi gently places a hand on his shoulder and gives him a soft, sweet smile.
Jin freezes.
That smile — polite, gentle, pleasant — sends a visible shiver down his spine. Whatever comeback he was about to launch dies instantly. He deflates in his seat like all the bravado has been knocked out of him.
Izumi watches the exchange, head tilting slightly.
It's the exact same smile Ayaka captured in her training footage earlier today.
The smile that came right before Aoi paused Ayaka's video.
"Should we get going, Izumi?" Aoi asks, already turning toward the hallway with that serene, harmless expression.
Izumi nods and falls into step behind her.
Ayaka walks over to Jin, who is slumped on the couch like a man who has just survived a battlefield disaster. She pats his shoulder gently — once, twice — the way one soldier comforts another after barely making it out alive.
After all, she faced that same smile this morning.
She understands his pain on a spiritual level.
"It's okay, Dad," she murmurs. "I'm here."
Jin lets out a defeated sigh.
"At least… at least I have my daughter…" he mutters, accepting his fate.
In the corner, Miss Chiyo quietly stops recording.
She slips her phone away, bows her head once, and silently fades into the shadows — vanishing with the efficiency of someone who has served this family for years.
***