Izuku POV
The years passed in a whirlwind of training and growth. By the time I hit ten, I had nearly mastered the basics of my quirk—or rather, quirks, as I liked to call them. My Armament Haki could coat my punches with raw power, letting me strike with incredible force. My Observation Haki gave me an edge in almost every situation, allowing me to sense danger or emotions around me. Conqueror's Haki? That one was trickier. I only ever used it once by accident, scaring a gang of bullies half to death, and I hadn't dared try again since.
Not only that, I had to train the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika in reverse. Unlike Luffy who had to work all the way to Gear 5, I had to work down from Gear 5. This was so that I wouldn't have to unleash the full power of Saturday morning's Toon Force on a grunt trying to rob the nearby grocery store for a thousand yen.
By the time I turned fourteen, my reputation in the neighborhood was set. I wasn't just "quirky Izuku" anymore. I was the guy who stood up to anyone, helped everyone, and made even the loudest bullies—looking at you, Bakugo—think twice before acting out. But no amount of preparation could've readied me for what happened ten months before the U.A. entrance exam.
The day began like any other. School had just ended, and I was wandering through the shopping district when I heard the scream.
"Help! Someone gross is chasing me!"
Turning the corner, I saw her: a blonde girl about my age, running for her life. She was fast. Very fast. Chasing her was a figure that sent a chill down my spine in pure disgust—a man made entirely of sludge, laughing maniacally as he surged toward her.
Without thinking, I dashed forward.
"Get behind me!" I shouted, placing myself between her and the villain.
The sludge villain chuckled. "Out of my way, brat! I need a new body, and she'll do just fine!"
Not on my watch, I thought. Clenching my fists, I activated my quirk. White steam began to rise from my body as my hair lengthened.
"Gear Fourth : Snakeman," I whispered, my heart pounding.
But before I could attack, a massive shadow loomed over us.
"I AM HERE!"
The sludge villain froze as a booming voice echoed through the alley. A towering figure appeared, his iconic smile shining as bright as the sun. All Might had arrived.
With a single Detroit Smash, he blew the villain apart, capturing him in a bottle with ease. The blonde girl, still trembling, turned to thank him.
"Uncle Might thank you!. You saved me! That guy was so gross."
"It's my duty, young lady!" All Might declared, his smile unwavering. "But you should thank this young man as well. He put himself in harm's way to protect you."
Melissa turned to me, her eyes wide. "Thank you… What's your name?"
"Izuku Midoriya," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
Before I could say more, my Observation Haki surged, locking onto Melissa. What I sensed made my jaw drop—an impressive , radiant power was flowing through her.
That's…One for All?! Why is it weaker than my Haki?
Before I could say anything, All Might picked Melissa up in his arms. "Come, young Shield, I'll take you somewhere safe!"
"Wait, the bottle!" I shouted as All Might leapt away. The bottle containing the sludge villain slipped from his belt, tumbling far away, onto the ground unnoticed.
I sighed. Looks like my job wasn't done today.
An hour later, I heard the commotion near the shopping district. Sprinting toward the sound, I found a horrifying scene: Bakugo, my old rival, was being suffocated by the sludge villain, who had escaped thanks to some careless students.
All Might and Melissa arrived just as I did, but All Might looked…hesitant. His time limit must've been up, meaning he couldn't intervene without risking exposure.
I didn't hesitate. The villain noticed me charging straight in.
The villain laughed. "What can you do, kid? You can't touch me!"
"Oh yeah?" I grinned, my fist glowing black with Armament Haki. "Let's see about that."
I launched myself forward, my stretchy limbs extending as I reeled back a Haki blacked fist.
"RED ROC!"
The flaming punch slammed into the villain, burning through his excess sludge and the haki solidifying and sending him flying. Bakugo fell free, coughing but unharmed.
The villain tried to reform, but I didn't give him a chance. With a flurry of Haki-empowered Gatlings, I reduced him to a harmless naked man.
The crowd erupted into cheers, though Bakugo just glared at me. "I didn't need your help!"
"Sure you didn't," I said with a laugh, patting his shoulder. "You're welcome, though."
As the paramedics arrived to check on everyone, I turned to leave, only to find All Might and Melissa standing in front of me.
"That was incredible," Melissa said, her eyes shining. "You took him down like it was nothing!"
"It's more than incredible," All Might added, his voice booming. "Young Midoriya, your quirk is extraordinary. Your power and courage are exactly what this world needs. That's why I have a proposal."
He turned to the gathering crowd and the cameras that were now rolling.
"I've already taken on one disciple," All Might declared, nodding at Melissa, "but I believe the time has come for me to take another. Midoriya Izuku, will you become my second disciple?"
The crowd gasped, and I froze. The Number One Hero wanted to train me?
Then I grinned, reaching out to shake his hand. "I'd be honored, All Might!"
As we shook hands, the cameras captured every second, the cheers of the crowd echoing around us.
"You're truly remarkable," All Might said, smiling at me. "Your quirk has immense potential."
"Thanks," I said, laughing. "I worked hard to gain this power. It took me 7 months to learn how to throw a punch properly!" I said, jokingly swinging my arm in a cartoonish wind-up motion.
Melissa sighed, smirking as she followed us. "You two are such dunderheads," she muttered, leaving the stunned crowd behind as we walked away, the world forever changed by that day's events.