As a rule, when it comes to controlling the body, sheer strength alone isn’t enough.
The outcomes achieved with the same amount of power can vary dramatically depending on how well the core— the center of movement—has developed, as well as the maturity of the nervous system.
If the other necessary factors aren’t in place and only brute force is high, proper performance simply won’t materialize.
And that observation holds when you disregard Quirks. Once a transcendent ability like a Quirk enters the picture and grants power beyond the body’s ordinary capacity, it can even lead to self-injury.
Midoriya was a textbook example of the latter.
The colossal power amassed over eight generations simply refused to obey the boy who had suddenly tried to harness it.
If he could have controlled his Quirk with the same finesse as Kirishima, he might have been able to allocate the power between enhancing his strength and providing protection as circumstances demanded.
Had that been the case, even his current body would have been more than enough to unleash tremendous force.
But for Midoriya—who had only possessed his Quirk for just over a year—that was impossible.
For now, his best strategy was simply to limit the total amount of power he employed.
Even so, the boy who had once fumbled his way towards mastering a mere five percent of One For All now displayed a side of himself that was unmistakably different.
"This is perfect for this class!"
Leaving those few words behind, Midoriya burst past Sero like a green gale.
Using his entire body with remarkable agility and maneuvering across uneven terrain as he dashed straight toward All Might left the watching students breathless with admiration.
"Whoa! Midoriya? What was that movement?"
"Amazing... boing boing. It’s like..."
'My movement? While I foolishly wasted time, he managed to pull it off again…'
Uraraka, still oblivious to the full picture, could only gape in admiration, whereas Bakugo’s reaction was entirely different.
The instant Bakugo saw it, he realized that Midoriya was mimicking him.
Kirishima, though the strongest among them, had never been one to prize fancy, multidimensional maneuvers.
In fact, he didn’t need to. What use was there for elaborate footwork when a single, powerful push off the ground sent him hurtling forward at a speed unseen by the naked eye, and a single leap could cover hundreds of meters?
For Midoriya, there was no point in copying Kirishima’s movements—they simply wouldn’t work for him.
Instead, he chose to emulate Bakugo—the combat genius he had admired all his life.
Of course, Kirishima was unrivaled, but aside from those whose abilities bordered on the inhuman, Bakugo was the quintessential prodigy.
So, Midoriya imitated Bakugo’s movement.
Bakugo ground his teeth in displeasure.
After all, any fighting style is built by borrowing others’ strengths, learning from their weaknesses, and then refining one’s own technique. Virtually no one creates something entirely from nothing.
What enraged Bakugo wasn’t merely the imitation—it was the improvement that Midoriya was showing.
While Bakugo himself remained stagnant, Midoriya kept pushing forward, step by determined step.
It felt as though his insides were boiling.
"Midoriya?! You’re running?"
"He overcame the fracture!"
Ashido and Ojiro only then noticed Midoriya’s sprint, exclaiming in surprise.
Yet even as Midoriya put on that impressive display, his nerves and stress were in tatters.
Until now, he had only unleashed one hundred percent in brief, isolated bursts—he had never truly grasped what it meant to push his limits continuously.
He hadn’t realized that sustaining a speed beyond human limits could feel so terrifying, astonishing, and exhilarating all at once.
As he ran, Midoriya struggled to quell the heady mix of fear and exhilaration rising within him.
"Calm down! I can do this, stay calm! Always five percent! Always keep your tension and composure! Huh?"
Despite his inner attempts to maintain composure, Midoriya lost his focus, misstepping on a round pipe and slipping.
He tumbled downward, landing face-first on the floor with a heavy thud.
A moment’s error had ultimately decided the outcome of the race.
"Finish! Thank you! And congratulations!"
"Thank you!"
At the finish line, All Might smiled as he handed the ribbon to Sero.
Sero raised a single finger and cheered exuberantly.
Ashido stamped his foot in frustration while Iida hurriedly inquired about Midoriya’s condition.
Lying face-down on the floor, Midoriya listened to Iida’s concerned voice and thought to himself, "I see... In unstable conditions, I must account for where I’ll land after a jump. There’s still so much I need to learn!"
Gathering himself, Midoriya then heard All Might’s assessment.
"Sero may have come in first, but each of you has dramatically expanded the range of your Quirk since you first enrolled! Ride this momentum, and prepare yourselves for the final exam!"
"Yes, sir!"
"First team out! Next team, take your positions!"
And so, Midoriya’s first class using Full Cowl came to an end.
As he was about to depart with his classmates, All Might called him aside quietly.
"You surprised me. You’ve changed beyond recognition. Come see me after class is over."
"Yes..."
"There’s something I need to tell you. About me and One For All."
Though Midoriya had no inkling what All Might was referring to, he simply nodded at the solemn look on his mentor’s face.
Classes continued thereafter.
The students gave it their all during the run, and regardless of victories or setbacks, each one clearly showed signs of progress.
The only exception was Kirishima.
He reached the finish line with a single, effortless leap.
An ability he’d already demonstrated during the entrance exams.
In fact, unlike his peers, Kirishima had been systematically honing his skills all along—so much so that expecting him to make dramatic progress in a few short months was almost laughable.
In the end, Kirishima clinched first place without startling anyone, and class concluded as usual.
Back in the changing room, as the students shifted back into their uniforms, they exchanged thoughts about the lesson.
"It’s been a while since we had a class like that—I really worked up a sweat."
"I’m just too slow..."
"Guess I’ll have to rely on gathering information to make up for it."
"That’ll only make you late. I envy you and Sero."
While Kaminari grumbled at Tokoyami, Sho suddenly noticed something odd.
A hole had appeared where a strange poster had peeled away by about a quarter of its size.
Just as he was about to lean in with a puzzled expression, he flinched.
"This is... no way. Kirishima,"
He immediately spun around and called for Kirishima.
Kirishima tilted his head at the sight of Sho’s flushed face before noticing the hole.
"T-This couldn’t be, r-right? It didn’t go through to the next room, did it?"
"Probably it did. Whoever did this—so much for all those heroes-to-be being decent people. Kind of funny, too."
Kirishima snorted as he watched Sho’s wide eyes tremble with apprehension.
To be fair, while not exactly the same, the Hero Course at U.A. was not unlike the starting lineup of an elite sports team in his previous life.
Back then, they would have been off chasing girls without a care; so now, witnessing such an innocent reaction was both surprising and endearing.
In a deliberately grave tone, he said, "Sho, you weren’t planning to stick your eye in that hole, were you?"
"N-No! What do you take me for? I like girls—I want to love and be loved—but I’m not about to commit a crime! I-I did get tempted for a second, though..."
By the end, his voice had dropped so low that only Kirishima could hear him.
Kirishima laughed, thinking that the well-off kid had somehow grown remarkably innocent.
Without another word, he pressed the fallen poster back into place to cover the hole, then grinned at Sho.
"Now, Sho, you might be disappointed, but peeping is still a crime. For now, just cover it up with the poster and later mention it to the teacher—or even to the girls. Strictly speaking, you should report it, but this is one of those special cases."
"I-I’m not disappointed! I’m not disappointed at all! Don’t give me that look!"
In truth, the girls on the other side of the wall—whose voices could be heard thanks to the poor soundproofing—sighed collectively.
Jiro, who had been ready to assault her surroundings with her earphones if needed, simply shrugged and said, "Still, the boys in our class all seem pretty gentlemanly. Although, Sho did seem to waver between desire and reason."
"Croak. But it was good that he told Kirishima about it."
"Yeah. Eiji-chan is reliable!"
"Somehow, Kirishima gives off the vibe of a guy who stubbornly follows his own path, doesn’t he?"
"And he doesn’t seem interested in girls at all!"
At that, Ashido burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Puhahaha. Eiji-chan? No way."
"Huh? No way?"
"I asked him once if he had a type, and he said at the very least he’d go for someone in her twenties. Kind of funny, right?"
"Huh. So he likes older women?"
"That’s what I wondered too, so I asked! He said he wasn’t really into older women—just not into minors. What does that even mean? He’s a minor himself!"
"Then Kirishima isn’t interested in dating while he’s still a student, is he?"
"Maybe not, even after graduation. He said he wants to become the strongest, and although he believes strength and romance can coexist, he feels there’s still too much he hasn’t experienced, so he isn’t thinking about it. Every time I hear him, I can’t help but laugh. He puts on a cynical front most of the time, but when it comes to his dream, he doesn’t hesitate to call himself the strongest. Isn’t that hilarious?"
Ashido said this with a broad smile.
Not entirely understanding the nuances, the others smiled as well, while Yaoyorozu offered a different perspective.
"Even so, I envy him. He’s got the kind of confidence that lets him truly believe he can be the strongest, doesn’t he? And he really is incredibly strong."
"That’s true! I wouldn’t be surprised if Eiji-chan actually becomes the strongest one day."
"He’s quick to notice details, speaks so well, and his strength is unquestionable. When you think about it, Kirishima is amazing."
As Yaoyorozu marveled, the others too began to reflect on the many sides of Kirishima they’d witnessed.
Everything he had shown up to that point was nothing short of superhuman.
The girls continued to chat about Kirishima as they left the changing room.
And with that small episode behind them, the day’s activities drew to a close.
Midoriya asked Kirishima if he could skip after-school training that day, then made his way to the office assigned to All Might.
When he opened the door, he couldn’t help but flinch.
All Might sat beneath the glow of the setting sun streaming through the window, the room heavy with a somber atmosphere.
"Sit down there."
'The mood is... different.'
Sitting down in front of All Might, still tense without even realizing it, Midoriya listened as his mentor spoke in a solemn tone.
"You must have been through so much. I’m truly sorry I couldn’t be there for you."
"I don’t think you need to apologize, All Might. More importantly... you mentioned something about talking regarding One For All?"
"You heard that the Hero Killer licked blood, didn’t you?"
"Yes... It was a Quirk that stripped a body of its freedom by consuming blood. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Do you remember what I said when I passed my power on to you?"
"Eat it."
In that instant, Midoriya’s expression mirrored All Might’s as he repeated the words, though he was well aware that the impression it left on him wasn’t the point now.
"No, not that part! I meant that if one could consume DNA, then any substance would do."
"Eh! Th-Then could it be—did the Hero Killer get One For All too?!"
Midoriya sprang to his feet, nearly as if his eyes would pop out, and All Might, clearly flustered, quickly replied, "No, no. That’s not what happened. I assumed you’d be worried about that. Ah, right—I almost forgot. One For All can only be passed on to someone its owner truly wishes to bestow it upon. It can’t be snatched away by force, although it can be given under duress. From the very beginning, it was a special kind of Quirk."
With deliberate care, All Might began recounting the origin of the Quirk—a power that had been nurtured and passed down through countless generations.
"One For All was originally derived from a Quirk that existed separately."
"A Quirk that existed separately?"
"Its name was All For One. It steals Quirks from others and makes them its own—and it can also bestow them upon others."
"All... for one?"
As Midoriya mulled over the significance of the name, All Might slowly recounted the history.
It was an era at the dawn of Quirks—a time when the very framework of humanity crumbled and laws lost all meaning as these powers emerged.
Midoriya expressed his doubt upon hearing that, in that chaotic age, a man had swiftly siphoned off others’ Quirks, expanded his dominion with overwhelming power, and ruled Japan as a dark overlord.
"I’ve seen that story online a few times, but isn’t it mere fiction? It’s not even in the textbooks."
"Would they really include the exploits of a shadowy villain in a textbook? When people possess power, they inevitably seek a stage on which to use it."
"So what does that story have to do with One For All?"
"You mentioned that All For One was a Quirk that bestowed power, didn’t you? He used that ability to earn trust or force others into submission. Yet, among those who received his power, many couldn’t bear the burden and ended up like mute dolls—just like Nomu."
Midoriya’s eyes widened at the unexpected mention.
The name sent ripples of agitation through his chest.
Until now, it had all seemed like a distant legend.
The dawning of the Quirk era was a story from over a hundred years ago—something too far removed to feel real.
But once it became linked to his recent experiences, it suddenly felt vividly real.
"At the same time, there were cases where the bestowed Quirks would mutate and merge—with one man even having a younger brother who was Quirkless. That brother was small and frail, yet his sense of justice burned fiercely. He persisted in resisting, even as he suffered from his brother’s misdeeds."
All Might’s heavy voice continued to echo through the office.
Midoriya found it impossible to take those words lightly.
"To that younger brother, the elder forcibly granted a power-storing Quirk. Whether it was an act of goodwill or a means of subjugation, we can no longer say for sure."
"No way..."
"Yes. Even the one presumed to be Quirkless possessed a Quirk—a seemingly meaningless Quirk that went unnoticed by both its user and those around him! The power-storing Quirk and the power-bestowing Quirk merged into one. That is the origin of One For All!"
Overwhelmed by the sight of All Might spreading his arms wide and proclaiming in his deep voice, Midoriya felt completely overmatched.
Then All Might lowered his arms and spoke again, his voice calm:
"It’s a cruel story, isn’t it? Justice is born from evil in every age..."
"Wait, wait! I—I understand the origin, but why are you telling me about some villain from so long ago now?"
Scratching his head as if to dismiss the unsettling thought, Midoriya asked.
In a way, he hoped his suspicions were wrong.
But the words that emerged from All Might’s mouth betrayed him:
"A man who steals Quirks? In those times, anything was possible—a Quirk that defied aging! He must have stolen an ability of that magnitude: the very symbol of an evil that would have persisted almost indefinitely. The overwhelming gap in power and the turbulent social climate then left no room for resistance. In the end, the defeated younger brother entrusted the task to future generations—asking, even if it couldn’t be achieved immediately, that they gradually accumulate enough power to one day stop that man. And in my generation, I finally defeated him!"
All Might spoke of victory, yet there was no joy in his tone.
Regret and self-reproach subtly marred his expression.
"And yet... that man survived, and he has begun to move again as the mastermind behind the League of Villains. In a sense, One For All is the power destined to defeat All For One! One day, you may have to confront him and that colossal evil. It’s a brutal tale, I know, but..."
"I’ll do my best!"
Midoriya interrupted All Might, clenching both fists as he shouted.
Even as cold sweat trickled down his face, determination burned fiercely in his eyes.
"I’ll do everything in my power to fulfill your request! With you by my side, I feel like I can overcome anything!"
"Thank you..."
All Might couldn’t bring himself to say the words aloud.
He had repeatedly told himself that he needed to speak them, yet the words remained stuck in his chest—as if weighed down by iron.
All he could manage was a silent, heartfelt thank you.
Midoriya keenly observed every nuance in All Might’s demeanor.
The heavy, solemn look on his face, the hand that had covered his mouth, even the way his eyes closed tightly before reopening—all betrayed a man unable to voice what he truly felt.
And Midoriya sensed he could almost pinpoint the emotion behind it.
Though he couldn’t know all the details, he had encountered that same unmistakable scent before—emanating from All Might’s eyes, face, and entire being.
That same odor had clung to Kirishima when he once gripped his stomach and roared.
He hadn’t understood it back then, but now it was all too clear.
The scent of death lingers around those who have resigned themselves to it—damp, stale, and rotten.
Yet there was nothing Midoriya could do in this moment.
He could only vow this:
He would fight that great evil in All Might’s stead—and he would never back down.
The vow of a young boy, gathering its damp wings, readied itself to take flight.
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