The moment Izuku slid the flip phone into the belt's slot, something changed.
Thin red lines spread across his body, tracing his frame like glowing circuitry. They pulsed once—
Then a flash of silver engulfed him.
When the light faded, the staff room felt different.
A knight stood in his place.
Taller than Izuku. Broader. Encased in sleek, metallic armor that caught the light along sharp, polished edges.
Izuku raised his hands slowly, turning them as if they belonged to someone else.
"…This is insane."
He reached up, brushing his fingers against the helmet. The surface was smooth. Solid. Real.
Behind him, All Might dragged over a full-length mirror and set it down.
"See for yourself."
Izuku stepped forward.
The reflection staring back at him wasn't a student anymore. It was something else—refined, composed, powerful.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "It really is."
All Might crossed his arms, his expression more measured now.
"It looks impressive," he said. "But appearance isn't what matters. Let's find out what it can actually do."
Izuku nodded. "…Right."
His gaze shifted to the side. Bakugo still lay unconscious on the floor.
"What about Kacchan?"
All Might glanced over. "We're not leaving him behind."
Izuku hesitated for a moment, then looked to Mecha Pegasus.
The machine gave a small nod, stepping forward to lift Bakugo carefully into its arms.
"Let's go," All Might said.
By the time they reached the training grounds, the sun had begun to set.
The sky glowed with fading gold and orange, long shadows stretching across the field.
All Might stood beside a strength-testing machine, now fully in his Hero form.
"We'll start with raw power," he said. "For reference, I can output around 1.32 tons under normal conditions. This machine wouldn't last long against me."
He looked at Izuku.
"Let's see where you stand. No One For All. Just the suit."
Izuku flexed his fingers inside the armored gloves. The strength was there—steady, contained, waiting to be used.
"…Okay."
He stepped forward, drew his arm back—
—and struck.
The impact exploded through the air.
The machine didn't just break. It vanished from its position, launched across the field with violent force. A moment later, the sound of it tearing through the air echoed faintly in the distance.
Izuku stood still.
"…That wasn't normal."
All Might followed the trajectory with narrowed eyes. "Not even close."
A soft electronic chime drew their attention.
Mecha Pegasus had already set up a board, chalk moving quickly as it wrote.
All Might stepped closer and read.
"Estimated output… 2.5 to 3.0 tons."
He looked back at Izuku.
"That's a significant increase."
Izuku lowered his hand slowly, still absorbing what had just happened.
"Next," All Might said, "speed."
Izuku moved.
One step—then he was already accelerating. The ground blurred beneath his feet as he crossed the field again and again, each run sharper than the last.
He came to a stop, breathing steady.
"100 meters in 5.8 seconds."
All Might nodded. "Solid. Now jumping."
Izuku bent his knees and pushed off.
The ground dropped away instantly. Wind rushed past his helmet as he rose—then slowed at the peak—
—and landed cleanly.
"Thirty-five meters," All Might said. "A clear improvement."
They continued, moving from one test to another.
Power. Speed. Mobility.
Each result reinforced the same conclusion.
This form was strong.
An hour later, they finally stopped.
"The last category is endurance," All Might said. "How are you holding up?"
Izuku paused, checking himself.
"…I'm fine," he said. "Just a little hungry."
The moment the words left him, the armor disappeared.
No warning. No transition.
One second it was there—
The next, it was gone.
Izuku blinked, suddenly back in his normal clothes.
"…What?"
He looked down, searching instinctively for the belt.
Gone.
The phone too.
A flicker of unease crossed his expression. He lifted his shirt—
—and froze.
The outline of the belt remained.
Not worn.
Embedded.
A faint imprint traced across his waist, with the shape of the phone resting within it like it had always been there.
"…What is this?"
Mecha Pegasus stepped forward and raised the board again.
The explanation was straightforward.
For ease of use, the system merged with the user after activation. The belt and phone would remain stored within the body. To activate them again, the user only needed to call their name.
Izuku stared at the message.
"…That's… convenient."
He lowered his shirt slowly, still trying to make sense of it.
By the time he got home, the feeling hadn't faded.
After finishing his homework, he sat at his desk, staring ahead in silence.
The power.
The armor.
The way it felt.
He exhaled and leaned back.
"…Not unless I have to."
The decision settled quietly, but firmly.
He picked up his phone and sent a message to All Might, explaining his choice.
Then, after a brief pause, he opened the class group chat.