No one could have expected such hell. From the mountain's peak, Kota stood watching as a blue fire devoured the forest, while a swirling purple gas spread through the air.

Kota: W-what's going on here!?

Before he could leave, he heard footsteps behind him.

???: Well, I came to find a place with a good view, and look who's here—a face that's not on the list.

Kota turned around slowly to see a man in a cloak and a mask covering his face.

???: Hey, kid, nice hat you've got there... How about trading it for this stupid mask they gave me? I'm a newbie, you know, and this was all they had.

Terrified, Kota turned to run, but the villain activated his quirk—his leg twisted, granting him a burst of incredible speed that let him appear right in front of Kota.

???: Let me have a little fun!

His voice turned sinister as he pulled off both his mask and cloak. Kota's eyes filled with pure terror upon seeing the villain's face, leaving him frozen in shock.

Kota: Y-you...!

<<>>

Reporter: The Water Hose... they were great heroes. But the lives of this heroic couple were ended by a single ruthless criminal. The culprit remains at large, and both the police and heroes are still searching for him. The suspect's name is Muscular, and his quirk amplifies his muscle strength. He is an A-rank villain. If you see this face, call the police and notify the heroes immediately. It's believed he has an injury on his left eye from his battle with the Water Hose couple.

<<>>

Kota: Dad! Mom!
- He collapsed to the ground, crying as he saw his parents' killer standing before him. -

The villain laughed as muscle fibers bulged in his arms. He moved toward Kota with murderous intent, raising his arm to punch the boy, but didn't expect a kick to the side of his head.

Izuku: Smash!

Muscular was thrown into a pile of rocks, kicking up a cloud of dust as Kota blinked, realizing who had saved him.

Kota: M-Midoriya...?

Izuku: Kota-kun!
- He rushed over to the child, kneeling down to check for injuries. Izuku breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Kota was unharmed. -
Let's get you back to camp; it's not far from here...

Muscular: Ugh, what the hell was that?

Turning around, Izuku noticed a massive, muscled figure standing up from the rubble, dust falling off. Muscular's fibers started retracting back into his body.

Izuku: 'He's still standing...?'

Muscular: Why the rush?
- Muscular stood to his full height, spat blood onto the ground, and grinned. His shirt had been torn off by his quirk, and his artificial eye was missing. -
I was going to have some fun with that kid, but the main course just showed up.

Izuku: Main course? Great. So who are the appetizers, then?

Muscular: How should I know? I just wanna fight. As long as I get to use my quirk, I don't care.
- He dug into his pocket, pulling out another artificial eye, scattering several others onto the ground in the process. -
I was going to mess around with that kid, but with you here... I'll have to get serious, because you're pretty strong.

He inserted a new crimson-colored eye. 

Izuku: Kota! Climb on my back!

Muscular lunged at Izuku, but he dodged out of the way with Kota, leaving the villain to create a crater with the impact.

Muscular: Tch, this isn't fun.

Izuku: Kota, get out of here.

Kota: B-but...

Izuku: Don't worry, I'll see you soon.

With that, Kota reluctantly followed Midoriya's orders and ran as far as he could.

Muscular: Hey, hey, hey, who said I'd let that happen!?

Izuku: You're going after a child? Afraid of him, are you? You're even more pathetic than you look...

Muscular's brow furrowed in fury at the taunt.

Muscular: What was that!?
- More muscle fibers formed across his torso and legs. -
I'll make sure to torture you so much that dying right away would be a mercy!

The villain launched himself at Midoriya again, this time with even greater speed. Izuku raised both arms to shield himself, but Muscular struck with enough force to send him flying, throwing him across to the other side of the mountain.

Muscular attacked again, his fist slamming into Izuku's crossed arms, forcing him to press his back into the mountain's rubble.

Muscular: The difference between us is obvious!

With an arrogant laugh, he continued punching, and after a few seconds, he delivered a powerful blow with a massive crash.

Muscular: It's ov—

Izuku: You're right.

Muscular was cut off as Izuku darted forward with unexpected speed, landing a blow to his face. Blood poured from Muscular's mouth and nose as he was left in shock, unable to move from the force of the strike and the pain in his fractured jaw. But suddenly, the ground cracked further as Muscular's body expanded with more muscle fibers, growing uncontrollably across his entire frame as he forced himself forward.

Izuku stepped back, increasing the percentage of OFA.

Izuku: The difference between us really is clear. You're weak... 'One For All: Full Cowl 35%.'

Izuku charged forward and delivered a strike to Muscular's abdominal region.

Even covered in muscle fibers, they weren't enough to withstand the force of Izuku's blow. The impact forced the villain to howl in pain before Izuku delivered another strike, this time to his jaw, knocking him out cold with that final punch.

With the villain defeated, Izuku stared at him for a few more seconds before kicking his torso and restraining him using [BLACKWHIP].

<<>>

Kota was terrified. He thought about what Midoriya had said; somehow, the two of them had managed to build something close to a friendship. And then, just a day later, a villain had shown up, leading to a short and one-sided fight between Midoriya and Muscular—the killer of his parents—while he hid.

Izuku: Kota-kun?

Without thinking, Kota ran over to Midoriya and hugged his leg as tightly as he could. At that moment, he let his tears flow freely. He was still scared, fear gripping him tightly, but he also felt protected. He felt a hand on his cap, giving him a gentle pat, and couldn't help but look up to see his hero smiling down at him.

Izuku: Let's go, I need to take you to Mandalay.
- He crouched down, and Kota clung to his back. -

In an explosion of speed, Izuku was already down the mountain, heading through the forest.

Kota: This is amazing!

Kota struggled to keep his eyes open as they sped through the forest. The wind whipped past him as he thought about the fight that had just happened.

Kota: T-that thing you did...

Izuku: Hm?
- He tilted his head slightly to look at the child on his back. -

Kota: ...That was incredible! Teach me to fight like you!

A little surprised by this, Izuku let out a small appreciative chuckle.

Izuku: Maybe when you're older.

>>

Aizawa: Is everyone here?

Almost everyone from Classes A and B was gathered near the cabin after Kyouka and a few other classmates helped.

Yaoyorozu: Sensei! Midoriya, Aoyama, Tokoyami, Todoroki, Shoji, Bakugou, and a few people from Class B are missing! We also can't see any of the Pussycats around!

Aizawa narrowed his eyes. He could feel many eyes on him, silently asking for his guidance. He was about to give some orders when a familiar sound of electricity crackled in the air.

Izuku appeared, Kota carefully secured on his back with BLACKWHIP as Muscular was unceremoniously thrown to the ground. He gently set the child down and checked him over. Many surprised voices echoed in the clearing of the lodge, but his focus remained entirely on the boy, kneeling down and placing a comforting hand on his head.

Izuku: Kota, behave and listen to Aizawa-sensei, okay?
- Kota silently nodded. -

Izuku kept his gaze on Kota for a few more seconds before standing up and turning his attention back to his teacher.

Aizawa: 'Muscular... the kid took down another A-rank villain...' Great, now that you're here... Everyone...

Izuku: Some of our classmates are missing, right?

Aizawa recognized that body language.

Aizawa: Don't even think about it, Midoriya!
- He warned sharply, stepping closer to Izuku while also carrying Kota with him. -

Izuku: I'm the main target. I don't intend to let my friends deal with my problems, Aizawa-sensei.

His statement caused a wave of surprised sighs, and a few students tried to speak their thoughts. Their words died in their throats when both Izuku and Aizawa turned their heads to glare at them, their looks killing most of their motivation.

Aizawa: You're a first-year with no provisional license. When the police and investigators start looking into this, you'll have legal problems. Midoriya, you can't count on us to help you.

Izuku: I can't sit here, Aizawa-sensei. One of the first villains was near Kota-kun. I had to fight him as quickly as possible to buy time to help everyone.

Aizawa: Midoriya...

Izuku: I'll be responsible for my actions.

Aizawa thought about it. Even if he used his authority, the kid would do it anyway, not caring about the punishment.

Aizawa: Damn... Fine. Give that warning, I, Eraserhead, give you permission to use your quirks as needed.

Izuku: Great. Yaoyorozu, create some hidden trackers and a GPS.

Yaoyorozu: Right!

She sat down, lifted her shirt slightly, and began creating the necessary items. Kyouka, who was by her side, looked down sadly. She knew what Izuku was capable of, she knew her friends needed his help, but she was scared. Before she could sink further into her thoughts, a hand landed on her head.

Izuku: You know I won't leave things as they are. I have to help them. I promise I'll be back soon, okay?
- He removed his hand from her head before tearing the rest of his shirt off. -
Ready, Yaoyorozu?

With a nod, she handed Izuku the items he requested. Izuku then began walking away from everyone, heading toward the distant sounds of shouting and explosions. A pressure of wind and bluish lightning surged from him as he reached 60% of OFA. The trees around him violently swayed, small rocks lifted from the ground as he took one last glance before taking off, disappearing like lightning. His movement alone created a crater in the ground for several meters, knocking down the nearby trees and sending everyone flying. Aizawa let out a frustrated sigh, his gaze following where the troublesome kid had gone.

Aizawa: That damn kid... Attention, everyone! Go inside the cabin until reinforcements arrive!

Mineta: Wha—

Kaminari: What about Midoriya!?

Yaoyorozu: Where are you going, Jirou-san!?

Kyouka: I can't let that idiot fight those villains alone!

She kept running, but was caught by Eraserhead's scarf. She struggled, but it was no use.

Kyouka: Let go of me! I have to help him!

Aizawa: Calm down! We're talking about Midoriya. If we go to try and help him, we'll only be a nuisance.

Kyouka tried to ignore him and kept struggling to escape, but she couldn't do anything, thinking that Izuku might be killed. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Kyouka: 'Please... Come back safely... Izuku...'

>>>

A threat was gaining ground with every passing second. The toxic gas advanced, with the high school villain, Mustard, leading the attack. Some people fell where he walked, all unconscious. Armed with a gun, he searched for any threat within the gas.

Sensing movement to his left, he didn't think twice before firing his weapon. However, he quickly realized there was no one there and, instead, someone was behind him. He turned just enough to see a figure surrounded by green electricity, clapping their hands together, dispersing the poisonous fog around them. He tried to shoot, only to find out that this person was much faster and already in front of him, holding his shirt.

Izuku: Good. I need information on who, besides me, is being hunted. And be quick. I need it as fast as possible. And if you don't tell me...

Suddenly, only his glowing eyes could be seen as his lightning surged. He raised his right arm.

Mustard: W-wait! Aren't you supposed to be a hero!?

Izuku: I'm not one yet...

Kendo: Midoriya!

Izuku: Kendo-san? Tetsutetsu? Good, head to the lodge. It's not far from here.

Tetsutetsu: But—!

Mustard: As if I'm gonna tell you anything, idiot!

He grabbed another weapon and pointed it at Izuku during his moment of distraction, firing. However, he didn't expect Izuku to dodge it.

Izuku: Hey, now you've really pissed me off... I wonder if you've already been paid... Well, mine for you will be a good beating.

>>

???: Ahh, come on! Let me grab my tool, already!

A strangely feminine voice whined, dodging and blocking a barrage of strikes from a pair of cat gloves. Those gloves belonged to Tiger. Nearby, his archer companion, Mandalay, was in the opposite situation. She was forced to stay on the defensive, dodging a large number of swords and knives tied together.

???: Accept your deaths already, you false heroes! The world doesn't need more fakes like you!
The villain with a lizard appearance seemed to be doing his best Stain cosplay, even going as far as using knives and swords, with the same anti-fake hero rhetoric.

Mandalay: Tsk, so stubborn!

???: You're the stubborn one, idiot!
-The lizard villain seized the opportunity and lunged at her once more, preparing an aerial strike.-
Just mo- Argh!

He almost finished his strike, but a blur hit him, sending both him and his monstrous sword flying through the air.

Izuku: Mandalay! Tell everyone in the forest that, in the name of Pro Hero EraserHead, we are authorized to engage in combat against the villains! The main targets are me and Bakugou!

Mandalay: Understood!

With a grunt, she relayed the message to all the students from Class 1A and 1B, giving them permission to fight, and informing them that Katsuki and Izuku were the primary targets.

Mandalay: Mido-

Izuku: Don't worry, Kota is with the teacher! Head to the camp!

Activating [FLOAT], Izuku shot off toward his friends.

???: Oh no, you don't!

A blue aura appeared around him as he was pulled toward her. Before he could be pulled completely, Tiger attacked the villain, causing the blue aura to vanish.

Tiger: Go, Midoriya! We'll meet you there!

Nodding, Izuku shot toward the forest before the danger sensor went off. A claw made of darkness attempted to attack him, but he dodged while deactivating [FLOAT] and landing. The claw tried to strike again, but he dodged once more.

Izuku: 'That claw feels familiar...'

???: Midoriya?
-Izuku turned to see Shoji looking at him in surprise.-

Izuku: Shoji?
-He noticed Shoji was bleeding.-
That claw... it's Dark Shadow's, right?

Shoji: Yeah... We were ambushed by a villain, and I tried to cover us. However, it triggered Tokoyami's quirk.

They dodged Dark Shadow once more. Izuku looked closer and saw Tokoyami struggling to control Dark Shadow.

Tokoyami: Stay away from me! You're going to die!
-He yelled in distress.-
STOP, DARK SHADOW! GUH!

Shoji: We need to keep quiet, he's attacking anything that makes a sound by instinct.
Izuku kept watching Dark Shadow as his danger sensor went off again and again, until he thought of something.

Izuku: I have a plan, but it's a bit reckless...

Shoji: If it weren't, you wouldn't be Midoriya.
-He laughed a little before dodging again.-

Izuku: I don't get it...
-He tilted his head slightly.-
Anyway, the plan is...

<<>>

???: Meat... Meat... Pieces of meat!
A villain, wearing a black straitjacket that covered everything except his mouth and severely restricted him, didn't seem bothered. His quirk allowed him to extend and reshape his teeth into sharp blades. He used this quirk not only to move but also to attack Bakugou and Todoroki, who was carrying Kosei.

The half-and-half immediately summoned an ice wall, jumping back as one of the blades pierced the wall and struck the ground.

Bakugou: Dammit!
He shouted, frustrated at not being able to fight back, thinking that blasting this freak would stop him, but the half-and-half had warned him that if he missed, it would impair their visibility and give this monster more chances to attack!

???: Come here!

Before Bakugou could blow him up, he heard a familiar voice and was suddenly cast in an enormous shadow. Looking up to see why it had suddenly become darker, Bakugou and Todoroki's eyes widened as they recognized the figure in the air as Dark Shadow. But before they could be hit, they were grabbed by Midoriya's [BLACKWHIP]. Dark Shadow wasn't so lucky. His impact on the ground was strong enough to knock down the villain, shatter the surrounding ice, and create a crater.

Bakugou: What the hell was that!?

Moonfish: M-meat...!

Dark Shadow: Out of my way, insect!

Before Moonfish could do anything else, Dark Shadow grabbed him and squeezed the villain's body until his teeth broke again. With a roar, Dark Shadow slammed Moonfish through several thick trees before throwing him against another one.

Izuku: Great job, Dark Shadow!

Dark Shadow: You!

He quickly turned, ready to attack him, but shrieked in fear as Todoroki and Bakugou passed by Tokoyami with explosions and maxed-out fire blazing. With Dark Shadow suddenly weakened, Tokoyami was able to regain control of his quirk.

Bakugou: You and I have a bizarre chemistry...

He joked, but internally, he was a little tense. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that he, Half-and-Half, and the Nerd—who could likely defeat all of them within seconds—were considered the strongest in 1A, if not among all first-year students. But if it weren't for the fact that Dark Shadow was extremely weak to light, he wasn't sure if they could have handled it easily, especially since Tokoyami wasn't in control of Dark Shadow.

Todoroki thought the same thing; if he hadn't stopped holding back on his ice, he wasn't sure if he could have handled Dark Shadow at night.

Tokoyami: Huff... I'm sorry... Huff... Thank you for saving me...
-He then turned to Shoji and Izuku.-
Shoji, I apologize. And you as well, Midoriya. My spirit is still weak. Anger consumed me, and I let Dark Shadow take over because of it, hurting Shoji in the process...

Shoji: Forget it, it wasn't your fault.

Tokoyami looked at him for a few moments before slowly standing up, setting aside his feelings for now. They were still in danger.

Izuku: I also apologize for throwing you into the fray.

Bakugou: You threw him at us while he was out of control!?

Izuku: I was in a hurry!
-He composed himself before explaining.-
Besides, you and I are the main targets of the villains, though their reasons aren't clear.

Bakugou: We obviously must be a threat to them.

Izuku: But then Todoroki should be a target too. Anyway, I'll take us to the camp where Vlad King, Aizawa-sensei, and the others are.

Tokoyami: Like an escort mission.

Izuku: We'll have to go straight through the forest. It'll be like taking a shortcut; we don't know how many villains are on the main path.

Todoroki: But we don't know where they are; they could ambush us from the trees.

Izuku: With Shoji's skills, he can detect them before they get close, and Todoroki can help control Dark Shadow's power if Tokoyami struggles to keep it in check. Bakugou can act as firepower support.

Shoji: But what about you?

Izuku: I'll stay further back, in case you miss someone hiding.

>>>

???: Hehehe! You're sooo cute! But you'd be even cuter covered in blood!

Izuku: Uraraka-san!

He shouted as the villain slipped from Uraraka's grasp. She was ready to chase after her, but Tsuyu stopped her, saying it was too dangerous since they had no idea what her quirk was.

Shoji: Are you all right?

Uraraka: We're fine, thanks for scaring her off... She's crazy.
-She shivered. Uraraka had a bad feeling about her.-

Izuku: We can talk about this more later. Let's keep moving; we need to escort Bakugou back-!

Before he could finish, his danger sense activated, making him turn quickly. He unleashed [BLACKWHIP], shaping it as it shot from his arm toward one of the many surrounding trees, managing to grab the hidden villain and crack their mask.

???: T-that's a bold way to introduce yourself... Just like they said, you're quick, and here I thought I was being stealthy.
-Strangely, he seemed calm.-
I have full confidence in my skills, so I wonder how you managed to find me, Midoriya Izuku.

Izuku didn't respond, only narrowing his gaze.

???: Could it be... one of your quirks?
Gah!
-he shouted, not expecting to be squeezed.-
Y-you know, maybe you shouldn't take your anger out on me, after all, I'm not the only one here...

Suddenly, a huge shadow loomed over Izuku, his danger sense activating wildly. Amid all the distraction, he hadn't noticed the villain's second minion creeping up behind him. And what was on that minion was a creature he hadn't seen in a long time.

Izuku: Damn it!

He shouted just before the Nomu swung its arm at his head, tossing him like he was nothing through several trees until he slammed into a mountain, creating a crater. His friends were in shock, both from seeing Midoriya thrown so far and from the appearance of this Nomu. As the dust settled in that direction, they noticed Izuku with his arm raised, bleeding slightly. But before they could react, the lightning around him began to intensify until he lifted his head and looked directly at the Nomu.

Izuku: You still don't know how to hold back, huh...
-he muttered.-

In response, the creature let out a terrifying roar that echoed throughout the forest, forcing everyone to cover their ears and close their eyes.

When they opened their eyes again, the creature had ignored them completely and was now charging at full speed toward Izuku, slamming with all its might into the mountain.

>>>

Kaminari: What the heck was that!?

Mineta: Oh no!

They were setting traps around the cabin when the ground began to shake. Everyone braced themselves against something—or someone—to stay standing.

Kirishima: Must've been Midobro!

Mineta: W-wait! Is something forcing MIDORIYA to fight that hard!?

Just the thought of whoever was pushing their green-haired friend to such extremes was enough to send many of them into a panic. Some were even on the verge of running out to help.

Aizawa: Calm down! —he exclaimed, activating his quirk.—
I understand your concern for your friends, I really do, but I can't let you go out there. I only let Midoriya go because I know what he's capable of.

>>>

Izuku: That was dangerous...

The Nomu charged at Izuku again, but this time, Izuku met him head-on. The two collided with such force that it generated an enormous pressure wave, shaking the ground. But it didn't stop there; both the Green and the Nomu continued trading blows at monstrous speed. The ground around them cracked and shattered, with shockwaves carving out a crater right beneath them, while the surrounding trees were violently uprooted.

Neither of them stopped; both were striking at unimaginable speeds, creating ever-larger shockwaves that destroyed everything around them. After several seconds of intense combat, they both went in for a more powerful blow. A shockwave rippled down the Nomu's arm before exploding outward, continuing through and shattering several trees behind him.

Even with that, the Nomu charged at Izuku with everything it had, swinging its right arm to attack. However, the creature only grazed Izuku's mouth with the blow.

Izuku: You're full of openings!

The Nomu attacked, but Izuku dodged and countered. He began to strike the Nomu fiercely, with each blow landing, obliterating a part of the monster that would immediately regenerate. Little by little, Izuku's attacks began to overwhelm the creature's shock absorption and regeneration abilities.

With the Nomu temporarily paralyzed, Izuku seized the opportunity, concentrating his strength into his right arm. He struck directly at its torso, sending the creature flying and burying it beneath the debris of a mountain.

Izuku: Was that 125 punches? Is this Nomu weaker?
-he said, wiping a bit of blood from his forehead.-

Izuku's blow had pulverized the Nomu's torso, and it was regenerating with difficulty. The entire body of the creature bore the marks of the Green's fists. Seeing this, Izuku prepared himself to finish it off quickly and help his friends.

>>>

Todoroki: Did he just...?

Tokoyami: Defeat that thing?

Bakugou: And say it's weaker?

They watched in awe. Their fight against that guy in the top hat had been fairly simple—Bakugou just blew up his support points while Todoroki froze him. They watched as Midoriya approached the Nomu, intending to finish it off once and for all.

>>>

While Izuku walked toward the creature, he was suddenly attacked by another Nomu. Caught off guard, Izuku still raised his arms to defend himself, but the monster threw him as far as it could.

Izuku:...
-He furrowed his brows even more upon seeing the creature, and his friends stood in shock.-

A second Nomu, identical to the first, appeared. It had the same appearance and presence, almost as if it were a perfect clone of the first one that Izuku had defeated. He looked toward the location where the other Nomu was, noticing it regenerating slowly.

Izuku: Damn it...
-He growled in frustration.-
Hey! Get out of here, I'll hold them off for a while!

Uraraka: No way, forget it!
-She shouted, furious with him for suggesting that they leave him behind.-

Shoji: We have to te-

Izuku: Listen, I'm your class president, and I'm giving you an order! Understood!? Now go!

Just as he was about to fight the Nomu, something stirred inside of Izuku. A feeling that wasn't just his, but everyone present, even the previous wielders. After all, they would sense it from miles away. This feeling was... FEAR.

???: You're in the way, kid.

4th Hikage: 'BE CAREFUL, MIDORIYA!'

The [DANGER SENSOR] went off—firing in a way that Izuku had never felt before. It was like someone was slowly opening his head with their own hands. Quickly overcoming the shock, he spun around, but he had no time to react. All he saw was a red sphere before being attacked. The area around Izuku was engulfed by that red energy, destroying everything in its straight line. Everything was sent flying in that direction.

Izuku's friends just stood still, fear was visible on their faces. They dropped to their knees, trembling from the overwhelming presence of murderous intent.

???: You know, I thought you'd bleed, even just a little, but here you are, unscathed.
 -he said, with clear amusement in his voice.-
Then again, this is to be expected from someone like the Ninth Wielder of One For All, isn't it? Izuku Midoriya.

Izuku: All for one...

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Hey, the chapter is out, showing a lot of things. I hope you're all enjoying it.
I want to ask for your opinion: do you think it's better if the name stays in bold or not? In the last chapter, I did something similar but not throughout. This chapter was entirely like that, and I wanted to ask what you think about it.

The next chapter will take a little longer because I'm managing several artworks with Christian.
Spoiler for the next chapter > Izuku vs AFO

If you find any translation errors, please let me know, and I will correct them immediately.

"Just a reminder: most of the artworks/drawings belong to the original author ChristianMartins569."