I walked out of Building D.
Midoriya lay unconscious over my shoulder, his breathing shallow but steady. His right arm hung limp, bruised with scraped knuckles.
Jiro was already waiting outside, arms crossed, her eyes locked on the doorway. Kaminari stood nearby, slouched and rubbing the back of his neck.
As soon as she spotted me, Jiro raised her hand in victory. "We won, Henshin—!"
She froze mid-step when she saw Midoriya slumped against me.
"Shit. Is that… Midoriya?" Her tone dropped. "What happened to him?"
"He used his Quirk," I said. "Didn't even hit me directly, just punched the air. But the shockwave alone cracked the hallway wide open. Brought the whole place down around us."
Kaminari's eyes widened as he stepped in closer. "Dude... his arm looks wrecked. Like I know his Quirk is crazy powerful but that's way worse than I expected."
"Yeah," I said simply. "He was basically done after that, could barely stand, but I let myself get carried away. I should've ended it there. Instead, I hit him again before using the capture tape."
Jiro frowned but didn't say anything. Kaminari looked away.
I didn't add more. I don't actually think I did anything wrong, but I wasn't about to say that out loud.
A blur of red, blue, and gold appeared at the edge of the courtyard.
All Might's arrival was like a sudden pressure change in the air. He jogged toward us, but the usual warmth in his voice lowered just slightly when he saw Midoriya.
"All right, let me take a look at him." he said, moving to check on him. He crouched down, lifting Midoriya's injured arm with surprising gentleness. After a few seconds, he nodded to himself. "He's lucky, it doesn't look like there will be any permanent damage after getting a visit from Recovery Girl."
"All Might," I said evenly, "is it alright if I take him to Recovery Girl myself? I went too far in the match. I should be the one to bring him in."
All Might looked over at me, studying my face for a beat longer than usual.
Then, with a booming laugh, he clapped a hand on my shoulder—not the one carrying Midoriya.
"Ahahaha! That's the spirit, Young Henshin! Your classmate may be down, but your sense of responsibility is standing tall! Very well—Recovery Girl is in Room 117."
He paused and added, "But do not let guilt weigh you down. From the look of things, these injuries were mostly the result of Young Midoriya's own decision. He used his power knowing the risk."
I nodded once, accepting the words but feeling nothing behind them.
Then I turned and began the walk across campus, Midoriya still slung over my shoulder.
My boots thudded rhythmically against the pavement, the sound dull and even. With every step, the silence gave way to thought.
One For All.
What a magnificent Quirk.
Even now, I could still feel it coursing through me—a slow, steady pulse of raw energy buried beneath the surface. And it wasn't just leftover voltage or residual power. No, something about my body had changed. I could feel it. My absorption capacity has increased, if I were to copy a Quirk right now, I'd be able to take more than just ten percent.
I knew my limits, ten percent. That's all I've ever been able to take from any Quirk. Doesn't matter if the user was weak or strong, ten percent was the hard cap. I've tried everything to change that. Years of theory, testing, brutal trial and error. Nothing moved that ceiling.
But now? After a small dose of One for All?
That cap cracked.
Fifteen percent? Twenty?
Maybe more.
The exact number didn't matter.
What mattered was that One For All had pushed my Quirk to evolve. So what if I used that new limit to copy it again? Would it react the same way? Would it stack? Could I loop that process until I reached something more?
Take ten percent, let it evolve me, then take fifteen? Rinse and repeat until I'm in the same league as All Might and All For One.
I adjusted Midoriya's weight slightly and laid a hand on his arm, focusing.
Searching.
Waiting for that current of power to hit me again.
…
Nothing.
Just the same ten percent, like recharging a battery that was already full. There was no resistance or backlash from the quirk, but I couldn't take more. Couldn't break through the ceiling.
Of course. That would've been too fucking convenient.
I clenched my jaw and kept walking.
If I lose this sample of One For All when it wears off, does that mean the improvements to my Quirk go with it? Or are they permanent?
Hard to say.
But one thing was certain—I wasn't satisfied anymore.
I wanted more.
I needed more.
Not just of this Quirk, but of what it gave me. The edge. The growth.
Still, I couldn't take One For All by force. That much was clear. But I didn't need to.
If I can get Midoriya to look at me the way he looks at All Might, or even Mirio...
I let a small smirk tug at my lips.
Yeah.
That'll be enough.
Deku, your future's already been decided for you.
If everything goes according to plan, you'll end up as the #2 hero. Right behind me.
Congratulations in advance.
And if it doesn't?
Well, I'm sure you'll find happiness in flipping burgers, or whatever the hell was supposed to happen at the end of your story.