"I just didn't like being called that, so I changed my name."
Iida hurriedly stuffed a few bites of rice into his mouth as he spoke.
"Ah—right. My family is a Hero family. I'm the second son."
"You've probably heard of the Turbo Hero: Ingenium."
"Of course I have!" Izuku said excitedly.
"He has an agency in Tokyo with over sixty employees—he's incredibly popular!"
"Don't tell me—"
"That's my brother!!"
Iida adjusted his glasses proudly, smiling.
No way… that's amazing!!
"My brother values rules, guides others, and is admired by many."
"I look up to him—that's why I chose to become a Hero."
"But it's still too early for me to guide others… so I recommended you, Midoriya."
"Ah—no, really, I'm not suited for that," Izuku said, scratching his head with a sheepish smile.
"You won't know unless you try," Iida insisted.
"No, seriously, I don't need it," Izuku replied, still smiling as he refused.
The Alarm
Just as Iida was about to continue persuading him—
A sharp alarm suddenly rang out.
"Attention all personnel! Level 3 emergency! Level 3 emergency!"
"All students, please evacuate immediately! Please evacuate immediately!!"
"What's happening?!"
"Did a Villain get inside?!"
"Stop asking—just run!!"
The cafeteria instantly descended into chaos.
Students rushed toward the exits in panic.
"What's going on…?!"
Izuku quickly assessed the situation.
"Uraraka, float us up!"
"Iida, use your speed—check outside through the window!"
"Yaoyorozu, create a loudspeaker!"
"Got it!!"
The four of them lifted into the air.
Iida activated his Quirk, spinning midair before sticking himself to the window with a thud.
"…It's just reporters!"
"The same paparazzi from this morning—but how did they get inside?!"
He turned back.
"More importantly—we need to calm everyone down!"
"Midoriya!"
"Got it!"
Izuku tossed the loudspeaker to him.
Iida caught it and shouted:
"Everyone, stay calm! There's no danger!"
The rushing students hesitated and turned to look at him.
"It's only reporters!"
"This is U.A.—the top Hero institution!"
"Act like students worthy of this school!!"
Gradually, the panic subsided.
Thirty minutes later, the reporters were escorted out by the police.
The situation returned to normal.
Aftermath
Back in the classroom—
Everyone was buzzing with excitement.
"Iida was so cool just now!"
"Yeah, he totally took control!"
"No wonder he's class rep!"
Izuku returned to his seat quietly.
He watched as Iida accepted everyone's praise.
No one mentioned him.
…This feeling again.
It reminded him of childhood—
When Katsuki Bakugo first awakened his Quirk, and everyone praised him endlessly.
"…Why do I still feel this way?"
"I've inherited the strongest Quirk…"
But it was never yours.
If it disappears… you're still nothing.
Izuku shook his head.
"I was Quirkless before."
"Getting into U.A… is already more than I ever hoped for."
Have you forgotten your dream?
"…No."
Just then, Iida approached him.
"I was only able to help everyone because of your plan, Midoriya."
"It wasn't much," Izuku replied, standing up.
"I just made a plan. You handled everything with your speed and presence."
"…I'm going to the restroom."
In the Restroom
Izuku splashed water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror.
"…I look terrible."
"Maybe I've been overtraining lately…"
"I should rest for a couple of days."
He lifted his shirt and tapped his abs.
"…Not bad."
"But I can't stop training."
He removed his shirt and began taking off his sandbags.
Clack… clack…
His joints cracked as he stretched.
His muscular, well-defined physique was revealed in the mirror.
"…That feels a lot better."
After loosening up, he started putting everything back on.
"I still need to wear these."
"Otherwise, I'll fall behind."
He finished dressing and stepped out of the restroom—
FLASH.
A phone camera captured the moment.
"…So handsome."
A voice whispered from somewhere unseen.
That Night – The Group Chat Explodes
Later that night—
Izuku had just returned from training when his phone began buzzing nonstop.
"…What now? More homework questions?"
He opened the group chat—
Uraraka Ochaco:WOW!! Izuku looks amazing!! Toru, post more!!
Toru Hagakure:Izuku shirt-off photo.JPG
Mina Ashido:This one is SO COOL!!!
Izuku froze.
His face turned bright red.
"…What is this?!"
"I was alone in the restroom!!"
More images appeared—
Toru Hagakure:Izuku flexing muscles.JPGIzuku removing sandbags.JPG
Midoriya Izuku:Hagakure… did you sneak into the boys' restroom?!
Toru Hagakure:Oops, he noticed! Running away! DM for more pics!
Midoriya Izuku:Don't run—explain yourself!!
Uraraka Ochaco:Too late… they're already online.
Iida Tenya:"…While I don't approve of this behavior…"
"I must ask—Midoriya, how did you build that physique?!"
Minoru Mineta:"If I had Hagakure's Quirk, I'd sneak into the girls' restroom—"
Mineta Minoru has been muted for 1 hour by Iida Tenya.
Midoriya Izuku:"…Posting them is fine, I guess…"
"But could you at least tell me beforehand?!"
Toru Hagakure:Watching secretly.JPGMidoriya, are you embarrassed?
Midoriya Izuku:"I'm not embarrassed at all!!"
Iida Tenya:"Focus! I want to hear about your training!"
Midoriya Izuku:"…Training?"
"I didn't train specifically for muscles."
Iida Tenya:"Then how are you this built?!"
Midoriya Izuku:"…I got beaten up by Katsuki Bakugo since I was a kid."
…
Silence.
Toru Hagakure:...
Uraraka Ochaco:...
Denki Kaminari:...
Kyoka Jiro:...
Iida Tenya:...
Momo Yaoyorozu:"…Wait, aren't you two close?"
Midoriya Izuku:"We were never close."
Katsuki Bakugo:"…Figure it out yourself, idiot."
Midoriya Izuku:"I realized before elementary school…"
"That every beating was muscle training."
Denki Kaminari:"…Why do I feel bad for you now?"
Momo Yaoyorozu:"Same…"
Iida Tenya:"That's bullying! Why didn't you report it?!"
Midoriya Izuku:"It's all in the past."
"Anyway—anyone need help with math?"
Denki Kaminari:"Yes!! The third question from the bottom!!"
Meanwhile—
Bakugo stared at the photo of Izuku removing his sandbags.
His eyes flickered.