— The Sludge Villain Incident —
Sasaki Kenjiro didn't wait.
The instant Midoriya slipped into the alley Kenjiro moved.
"Sludge villain. All Might. This is it."
He sprinted down the cracked sidewalk, his feet pounding against the pavement as pedestrians flinched and turned, startled by the blur of motion. A woman dropped her groceries with a startled gasp as Kenjiro raced past, muttering a quick "Sorry!" over his shoulder.
Traffic horns blared in the background, blending with the rush of wind in his ears. His mind was a storm of calculations and certainty. He knew what was waiting ahead.
"Hang on, Izuku."
He skidded to a stop at the alley's mouth, dust kicking up around his shoes—and froze.
A grotesque, writhing mass of greenish sludge was wrapped around Midoriya like a living tarp, tendrils shoving into his mouth, his nose—suffocating him. Midoriya's eyes were wide, wild, panicked. His hands clawed helplessly at the villain's slimy form, but it was no use.
Kenjiro's heart twisted. Rage bubbled up inside him.
He took a step forward—
"FEAR NOT, YOUNG MAN!"
The voice hit like a thunderclap.
Then came the impact.
A golden blur crashed into the alley, the sheer force of it ripping trash bags open and flattening a stack of crates against the wall. The air itself seemed to ripple as a mountain of muscle in red, white, and blue delivered a haymaker that shattered the sludge's grip on Midoriya.
Goop exploded across the alley like a burst balloon.
Midoriya hit the pavement, coughing and gasping.
Kenjiro blinked. "Right on cue."
The legend himself—All Might—landed in a crouch, cape fluttering in the breeze. "Apologies for getting you caught up in my villain chase, young man!" he boomed, already scooping up bits of the scattered villain into an empty soda bottle. "Luckily, I was in the area!"
"A-All Might…?" Midoriya wheezed, barely able to speak.
Kenjiro stepped closer. "You alive, or do I need to slap you back to consciousness?"
Midoriya coughed, blinking at him in shock. "K-Kenjiro?! What are you—how did you—?"
"Followed you," Kenjiro replied flatly. "Good thing I did. You really thought chasing a villain was a good idea?"
"I—he had someone's Quirk! I had to—!"
All Might turned, bottle sealed with the villain inside. "Ah! Another brave young soul!" He gave Kenjiro a nod. "Fear not! The villain has been apprehended thanks to swift action!"
Midoriya sat up, shaking. "I—I can't believe this is happening…"
All Might smiled, the sunlight catching the gleam of his teeth. "No need to worry! Just doing my job!"
As he turned to leave, Midoriya surged to his feet.
"Wait!" His voice cracked.
All Might paused.
Kenjiro crossed his arms. Here it comes.
"I need to ask you something!" Midoriya cried, gripping his backpack like a lifeline. "I've admired you for as long as I can remember—please, I just need to know…"
A deep breath. Then:
"Can someone… someone without a Quirk… become a hero like you?"
Silence fell like a curtain. Even the background noise of the city seemed to mute.
All Might's eyes changed—just for a second. His smile remained, but Kenjiro saw the flicker of pain.
"Dreams are important," he said gently. "But… so is reality."
Midoriya's expression faltered.
"A hero's job is to fight villains, save lives, protect people," All Might continued. "And without a Quirk, the risk—it's too great. It's not impossible, but… it's extremely unlikely."
He placed a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "You're brave, clearly. But being brave isn't enough."
Midoriya stood frozen, absorbing every word.
Then, in a quiet, shaking voice: "...I'll prove you wrong."
All Might blinked.
Midoriya's eyes burned with determination. "I'll become a hero. Quirk or no Quirk. I've trained for years. I won't stop now."
Kenjiro couldn't help it—he grinned.
That's my friend.
All Might studied him in silence. Then, he nodded once. "You've got spirit, young man. I admire that. But spirit alone won't save lives."
And then, with a flex of his legs, he launched into the air, vanishing over the rooftops.
Midoriya stared after him, shoulders stiff.
Kenjiro moved to his side and clapped him on the back. "Could've been worse."
"He… he said no," Midoriya said softly.
"Yeah. And?"
Midoriya turned, blinking at him through watery eyes.
"And I'm still going to try," he said.
Kenjiro's grin widened. "There's the idiot I know."
Midoriya sniffed, rubbing at his face with his sleeve. "Thanks… for being here."
"Hey, I'm not letting my best friend die choking on villain goo." Kenjiro looked around, wrinkling his nose. "Let's get out of here. This alley smells like a swamp made love to a landfill."
---
The Walk Home – A Shift in Fate
They left the alley and stepped back into the city's afternoon rhythm. The streets were busy again—ordinary people going about their lives, never knowing how close someone had come to dying.
Midoriya was quiet. His eyes were on the sidewalk.
They passed an older man sweeping his storefront. He gave them a nod. "You kids okay? Look like you seen a ghost."
"We're good, thanks," Kenjiro replied, waving.
"You sure? Green-haired one looks like he's about to faint."
"I'm—" Midoriya started.
"He's just dramatic," Kenjiro said with a grin.
The old man laughed. "Aren't we all at that age? Stay safe, boys."
They continued on.
"Do you think he's right?" Midoriya asked after a long pause.
Kenjiro didn't answer right away. They passed a group of schoolkids playing near a park, one pretending to be a hero, the other pretending to be a villain. Shouts of "Smash!" echoed in the distance.
Then he finally said, "Does it matter?"
Midoriya glanced at him. "W-what?"
Kenjiro shrugged. "He's the Number One Hero. But he's still just a person. And people can be wrong."
He looked at Midoriya squarely. "You've trained harder than most kids with powers. You've studied, trained, bled. So what if All Might doesn't believe in you yet? You'll make him believe. That's what heroes do, right? Make the impossible possible?"
Midoriya's steps slowed. Then he smiled. "You sound like a protagonist."
"I sound like a guy who's not dragging your unconscious body home after you pick a fight with sludge monsters," Kenjiro shot back, smirking.
Midoriya laughed—really laughed, even if it was still a little watery.
---
Elsewhere – A Hero's Hesitation
All Might landed heavily on a distant rooftop, the weight of the day settling in his bones.
Steam hissed off his skin. He shrank, coughing violently. Blood spattered onto his sleeve. His lungs felt like fire.
He groaned and leaned against a vent, breathing hard.
"That boy…"
His mind replayed the moment—Midoriya's fire, his words.
"I'll prove you wrong."
He'd heard those words before. From another time. Another voice.
He looked toward the horizon.
"I can't drag someone without a Quirk into this madness," he muttered. "They'd die."
But still…
That look. That will.
Toshinori Yagi closed his eyes.
For the first time in years, the certainty in his answer cracked—just a little.
And that little crack let something through.
Hope.