I muttered as I looked around the USJ…
'Is that Shigaraki…? No. Shigaraki has bluish hair. Who the hell is this guy?'
"They're just fake villains!" Kaminari yelled as he rushed forward—
But suddenly—
A fist shot toward his face with such overwhelming force that the shockwave alone blasted several of us backward.
"Eh—?"
Just as realization finally hit Kaminari—
'Full Cowl… 20%.'
Izuku intercepted, grabbing him and pulling him away before the punch could cave his skull in.
'Damn… I got careless. Shigaraki or not, a villain is still a villain. They don't hesitate to kill.' Izuku thought.
"This isn't a drill!" Aizawa shouted. "They are real villains!"
His eyes flicked to Izuku. "Good instincts, Midoriya. Thanks for saving him."
"Thirteen! Protect the kids and sound the alarm. We need backup—now."
Aizawa lunged at the incoming villains, scarf snapping like a whip.
"You may use your quirks freely," Thirteen ordered. "Stay behind me. I'll keep you safe. Iida-kun—go call for help. The alarms are jammed!"
"D-Don't worry, Iida-kun. At that distance, you're the fastest here—go!" Thirteen insisted.
The moment Iida ran—
A purple mist spread across the plaza.
The students began warping away.
"We can't allow that, hero. If pros come, our plan fails," the mysterious villain said calmly.
'That voice… it's even similar to Shigaraki. Who the hell is this guy…?' Izuku thought as the mist swallowed him.
"Oii, Kurogiri. All Might isn't here," the orchestrator said.
"He should be, young master… it seems there was an error."
"You think you punks can take on All Might when you can't even handle pro heroes?" Thirteen snapped.
"We might not be able to." The villain grinned. "But he can."
Thirteen tried to pull them all in with Black Hole, but a Nomu slammed into her mid-escape, sending her crashing across the floor.
'That was close… I thought I'd die. Thanks, Kurogiri.' the villain laughed as he was warped away.
Elsewhere in the USJ…
"Shit… am I alone?" Izuku muttered.
"I—I'm here, Midoriya-kun!" Hagakure said, appearing as faint footprints.
"You were warped too? We can't waste time. Hagakure, the teachers need us—let's move."
"B-But Thirteen Sensei said—"
"Sorry… but I can't let them fight alone."
'He sounded kinda cool just now…' Hagakure thought.
"I'll go too," she said.
"Yeah. Let's go!"
"Well, well. Where do you think you're going, brats?" a villain blocked their path.
"I don't have time for this…" Izuku growled.
Another villain smirked, "Oh? Trying to impress your girl?"
Hagakure vanished instantly.
"Looks like she's embarrassed, brother!"
Izuku's eyes narrowed. 'Full Cowl… 20%. I need to end this fast.'
"Sorry, brat. You're not going anywhere."
The villain dashed forward—fast.
'He's fast… but not Iida-fast.' Izuku dodged and countered.
"Smash!"
His kick sent the villain crashing unconscious across the room.
"Not bad, kid. You beat my brother," another said.
"You're next," Izuku warned.
The man grinned. "Ohh, scary."
Izuku lunged—
Yet the villain effortlessly dodged.
'What? I'm faster than him—how did he avoid that?'
"You telegraph everything you do, brat," the villain said. "Your punches, your kicks… all like a normal kid. Except you HAVE a quirk. Late bloomer, right?"
Izuku froze. 'How did he know—?'
"You're an open book. I only have minor strength and speed, but unlike you, I'm not an amateur."
The villain grinned. "Why not ditch the hero crap? Come work under me. I'll pay you well."
Izuku's jaw clenched.
"M-Midoriya-kun…"
Hagakure's small voice reached him.
'She's still here…?'
"You're not yourself. He's just trying to make you angry. Smile… saving people, that's what heroes do, right?"
Izuku breathed out slowly.
"Thanks, Hagakure."
He charged again.
The villain dodged—
Until he suddenly slipped, collapsing.
"What—?!"
Izuku toppled over him, pinning him down and punching him repeatedly before stopping just short of a knockout blow.
"You're right. I'm an amateur. My fighting is awful. I don't have instincts like Kacchan or Shoto. But I'll keep fighting—because I want to save people and be a hero. This… is Izuku Midoriya's… SMASH!"
His fist slammed down, ending it.
'That oil can… I almost forgot it was there. I slipped him. Without Hagakure, I'd have lost.'
"Let's go, Hagakure."
At Aizawa..
Aizawa was already bleeding, cornered by the orchestrator.
'Sensei… that guy's quirk… he's crushing Aizawa in hand-to-hand. Who IS he?'
The villain raised his hand to kill Aizawa—
Izuku blurred in and kicked him aside, grabbing Aizawa.
"Oh? And who's this?" the mastermind asked.
"Leave my sensei!" Izuku shouted, leaping away with him.
"Midoriya… careful. Everything he touches decays. Don't let him lay a hand on you," Aizawa warned.
'Decay…?!'
Izuku placed Aizawa on a high platform.
"We can't run. I'll stop him here."
A Nomu lunged. Izuku barely dodged.
"Stop."
The monster froze at the villain's command.
The man smiled. "What's your name, kid?"
"Izuku Midoriya."
"I am Rin Shigaraki. Interested in a deal? Lure All Might here, and I'll let the students live. I'm a man of my word."
'Shigaraki… Rin?!'
"No," Izuku said firmly. "Not happening."
"Then die."
The Nomu attacked.
"Sensei—focus its quirk! Can you erase it?!" Izuku shouted.
"As long as I can see, it's quirkless," Aizawa muttered.
'Full Cowl… 20%.'
"Ninth!" Yoichi called out from within.
"His name… is like my brother's. Be careful," Yoichi warned.
Izuku gritted his teeth.
"Let me use the Third's quirk. Please. I can't protect anyone like this."
"…Don't use it recklessly," Bruce said.
"Thank you."
"Third—Fa Jin!"
His legs pumped rapidly, storing kinetic energy.
"What are you doing?" Aizawa asked.
"Charging a jump!"
Izuku shot toward the Nomu like a cannon.
For two minutes, his movements erupted with the force of 50% despite running at 20%.
Punches rained down—
Even the Nomu felt pain.
"Oii, Kurogiri," Rin snapped. "This is supposed to handle All Might—and it's losing to a brat?!"
"It should. Garaki said—"
"That old fool?!"
Izuku jumped back, panting.
'My hits aren't getting through… I need more.'
"Brat, don't—" Bruce warned.
"I'm going 100%," Izuku said.
"You'll destroy your legs!"
"I'm ending this."
"No. Go 50%," Kudo said. "That's enough to unleash One For All's true power with Fa Jin"
"Kudo-san… I thought you hated me."
"What can I say? Seeing you push past your limits lit a fire in me again. Now go—do it, Midoriya!"
Izuku charged to 50%—without breaking anything.
"3rd… Fa Jin!!"
The Nomu moved—
Izuku wouldn't reach in time—
A blast struck it.
Bakugo landed beside him.
"Tch. Kill that thing already, nerd!"
Shoto froze the Nomu midair.
"Izuku—end it."
They were both injured.
'I can't waste this chance.'
"Kurogiri! Warp it—now!" Rin panicked.
"Too late."
Izuku leapt—
"WORLD… SMAAAAAASH!"
The punch annihilated the Nomu
AND cracked the USJ dome.
Izuku's body went limp midair—
Suddenly he floated.
Nana's voice echoed gently,
"Don't look at me like that. Toshi would cry if something happened to you."
"Thank you…" Izuku whispered.
"MIDORIYA!"
Rin appeared above him, hand out—
All Might slammed into Rin with a single punch, sending him flying unconscious.
Kurogiri hurriedly warped Rin away.
Izuku drifted downward—
And landed in someone's arms.
"Eh—? You are…?"
The man smiled.
"Airboy. Your super-senior."
"S-Super senior?"
"Yeah. Tenko Shimura. Ring any bells?"
Izuku's eyes widened in shock.
'Tenko… Shimura… WHAT does that mean…?'