…I got my quirk back.
UA is going to be in complete uproar when this gets out.
That's why I don't want Rin to know yet.
Not now.
There are still things I need to put in place.
Aoyama, for one.
I want him to come clean—turn him into a double agent before things spiral.
But judging by his current attitude… he has no intention of doing so willingly.
That's fine.
I'll make him.
Class 3-A, on the other hand, is genuinely happy for me.
Too happy, actually.
And Kacchan—of course—asked me for a duel.
So I accepted.
That's how we ended up walking toward the duel grounds.
---
"How much time has passed, Izuku?" Nana-san asked softly.
"It's been a year and a half," I replied. "I'm eighteen now."
Talking to her like this again…
It felt nostalgic. Comforting. Like something I didn't realize I'd been missing until it was back.
"…About All For One," Nana-san said carefully.
"Don't worry," I said. "I know he's my dad."
"…You knew?" she asked, clearly startled.
"Yeah. This past year… I learned a lot."
I exhaled slowly.
"And after we get home, I want to talk to the others. All of them."
"…Alright," she nodded. "I'll arrange it."
She paused, squinting at me.
"But… how did you get taller?"
"…Now you notice?" I shot back.
Yeah.
I finally hit my growth spurt.
I'm back to 186 cm—almost my height from my previous life.
What's scarier is that Kacchan and Shoto have kept up with me.
"…You're supposed to be about here," Nana-san gestured lower, clearly unimpressed.
"But now you're so tall," she muttered.
I smiled.
Yeah… I missed this.
More than One For All.
---
We reached the duel area.
"Ready, Deku?" Kacchan sneered.
"…More than ready."
"Since it's your first time in a while," he said, cracking his neck, "you can attack first."
"You sure?" I smirked. "I might hurt you."
"I'll kill you."
Classic.
I inhaled.
Nana-san… I've got this. Remember the feeling.
"Full Cowl… 55%."
Power surged through my veins.
God—
I forgot how good this felt.
I bounced on my feet, laughing under my breath like an idiot.
"So you gonna stand there?" Kacchan barked.
"Yeah—coming right up, Kacchan."
I launched forward.
Before, I had to rely on tactics—angles, misdirection, prediction.
Now?
It felt like flying.
Kacchan blasted backward, explosions ripping the ground apart as he countered mid-air. I swung—he twisted away, sparks grazing my knuckles.
Tch…
He's fast. Faster than before.
I chased him through the air, feet barely touching the ground, each step cracking concrete. He dove, spun, blasted upward—forcing me to block with my forearms.
Impact screamed through my bones.
Yeah… he's gotten way too strong.
Time to shift gears.
"I hope my bones don't break…"
"Full Cowl—75%!"
The world slowed.
I vanished from his sight.
Blackwhip snapped out, anchoring to a distant pillar as I slingshotted myself straight at him. Kacchan barely had time to react—his explosion collided with my kick, shockwaves tearing through the arena.
We crashed apart.
He grinned.
"So that's how it is."
We went at it again.
Explosions. Whip. Float.
Dodging, clashing, trading blows.
Danger Sense screamed constantly—but he was adapting, baiting my reactions, forcing me to move where he wanted.
An hour passed.
An entire hour.
My lungs burned. My arms shook.
And he was still keeping up.
"…You've gotten ridiculously strong," I panted.
"So have you, nerd."
Damn it.
I'm running out of gas.
Kacchan… you really became a monster.
"…Guess I'll end it."
I draw back my arm.
Every muscle compresses.
Air bends around my fist.
"DETROIT—"
Bakugo roars back.
"DIE—!!"
He compresses everything into one blast—shoulders, core, palms, sweat igniting simultaneously.
We collide.
Fist.
Explosion.
Shockwave.
The arena wall fractures.
The ground caves inward.
Sound disappears.
---
We hit the ground at the same time.
Side by side.
I'd clipped his hair—barely.
His explosion had caught me square in the chest.
"…I win, sidekick," he muttered.
"…Just… once," I wheezed. "I need a rematch…"
"Yeah yeah, sidekick."
Our faces were bruised, arms shredded, uniforms torn to hell.
I'm rusty.
But Kacchan?
If any villain other than my dad fights him…
They're completely screwed.
Aizawa-sensei and Recovery Girl rushed in.
"I told you not to go this far," Aizawa sighed.
Our uniforms are shredded.
Arms trembling.
Faces bruised beyond recognition.
And still—
We're smiling.
---
After two hours of scolding and forced healing…
We headed home.
Toru walked with me.
She was absurdly happy that I got my quirk back.
Which apparently meant I had to give her kisses.
I don't understand that logic at all.
But she's… a really good kisser.
On the way home, I stopped by Fuyumi-san's place and told her the news.
She was overjoyed.
We had a quiet in-home date—nothing lewd, obviously—and after three or so hours, I headed back.
Nana-san mentioned I'd become more of a pervert while she was gone.
…She might be right.
When I got home, I told Mom everything.
She and Mellisia threw together a full feast.
They were so happy.
…I really need to tell Mom about the other girls soon.
---
That night, I found myself standing within the vestige realm again.
Nana-san was there with me, floating close, arms crossed—watchful.
"So…" I said quietly, breaking the silence. "You guys knew, didn't you?"
There was no immediate answer.
Then Kudo spoke.
"…Yeah. We were suspicious. You look far too similar—to Yoichi… and to All For One."
Banjo scratched the back of his head, eyes shadowed.
"Yoichi was the one who finally opened up. Blood's thicker than water, I guess. He realized it the moment you became the next user."
My jaw tightened.
"Then why didn't you tell me?" I asked. "If you had… I would've—"
En interrupted, voice blunt and honest.
"I'll be straight with you, kid. We didn't trust you."
Silence.
"If you'd known All For One was your father… we thought you might've chosen his side. So we kept quiet."
"…We planned to tell you after All For One was gone," En continued. "Once it was over."
Nana lowered her gaze.
"We're sorry, Izuku."
My fists clenched.
They knew in the previous timeline too.
They stayed quiet. Let me kill my own dad.
I never even knew—because One For All vanished after his death.
How cruel can fate be?
'For the greater good.'
Bullshit.
"What makes you think I wouldn't do it now?" I asked softly.
Yoichi stepped forward.
"Because you're a hero," he said. "A hero saves lives. He doesn't take them."
His voice cracked.
"…And honestly," he added, tears forming, "I don't want you to kill my brother. If anyone can change him… it's you, Izuku."
I took a slow breath.
I won't let it happen again.
"I'll save him," I said firmly. "I won't repeat the same ending."
A pause.
"…So," I added, glancing at Yoichi, "you're my uncle then?"
"…Yeah," he replied, giving a weak smile.
---
Unknowingly to us—
A portal opened in my room.
Soft footsteps echoed against the floor.
Danger Sense didn't react.
Nana-san was already asleep, resting on my head.
"I'm… on the edge, Izuku…" a faint voice whispered.
"…What was that?" Nana asked groggily.
"Ah, it's fine," I said casually.
"Every once in a while, I get a wet dream about Kurohane. Remember that woman we fought before my quirk disappeared? My body probably reacted again."
I shrugged.
' We'll go for it like… six to seven times. It's quite common for me...We can continue the conversation."
Nana stared at me.
"really …What kind of pervert are you?" she snapped.
"That woman tried to kill you. Are you insane?"
"I can't help it," I replied. "I'm a growing boy."
"…That's not a wet dream," Nana said flatly. "She's here. For real."
"…Eh?" I blinked.
"Yes. Any normal person would've realized that already," she deadpanned.
"But since you think with your dick, you didn't."
"…Does that mean," I muttered, "I'm getting fucked over by a woman who's not my girlfriend?"
How humiliating.
Wait… does that mean I told her I love her?
A lot?
All of it?
Every word.
Every confession.
Every time I thought I was dreaming.
This started after our encounter a year ago.
I told myself it was just stress.
Just hormones.
Just me being a pervert.
…Maybe I wasn't.
I jolted awake and shoved her off me.
"What are you doing, Kurohane Rika?" I demanded.
She smiled seductively.
"Did you forget, Izuku-kun?" she purred. "We're husband and wife."
"Don't fuck with me," I snapped. "This isn't a dream."
"Oh?" she laughed. "You finally noticed. I thought you were just acting."
She stepped backward into the portal.
"After all," she added, "your favorite super villain—obviously me—shows up every week to our love nest.."
The portal shimmered.
"See you later, Izuku," she said sweetly.
"We'll continue this later."
She blew me a slow, deliberate kiss—
not teasing, not playful—
a silent claim, as if she'd already decided I belonged to her.
The portal swallowed her whole a heartbeat later, snapping shut without a sound.
And she was gone.
The room felt colder.
Too quiet.
…Damn it.
I was still hard.
That made it worse.
Our compatibility was terrifyingly good.
Stop thinking with your dick, Izuku.
That night—
Izuku Midoriya didn't sleep very well.