The winter break had settled over U.A. High like a soft, heavy blanket. The frantic energy of the school festival had dissipated, replaced by the quiet, biting cold of January. For the students of Class 1-A, it was a rare moment of stillness in a year defined by chaos.
Inside the Heights Alliance dorms, the heating was cranked up high. The common room was a cozy fortress against the gray skies outside.
In the kitchen, Rikido Sato and Momo Yaoyorozu were engaging in a high-stakes mochi-making operation.
"More flour, Yaoyorozu!" Sato commanded, pounding the glutinous rice dough with a wooden mallet.
"Right!" Momo created a bag of flour from her arm and dusted the table, her face a mask of concentration.
On the heated floor of the living area, a small, intense game of cards was underway. Kaminari, Sero, and Mina were huddled together, eyes narrowed.
"Go fish," Mina said smugly.
"This game is rigged!" Kaminari groaned, throwing his cards down.
In the corner, the "family" occupied their usual territory on the large sofa. It was a scene of aggressive domesticity. Akaza was reading a thick book on criminal psychology, one hand idly resting on the head of the little girl sleeping against his side. Eri was buried in a mountain of blankets, clutching her cat plushie, her breathing soft and rhythmic.
Rumi was sprawled across the other end of the couch, her legs resting on Akaza's lap. She was polishing her carbon-fiber cast with a cloth, making the black material shine like armor. (She is mostly healed; this is just for precaution.)
"You're going to rub a hole in that thing," Akaza murmured without looking up from his page.
"Gotta look sharp," Rumi replied, not missing a beat. "Endeavor's agency is all about 'flashy intimidation.' Can't have scuff marks."
"You're taking it off next week," he reminded her.
"Yeah, and then I'm gonna break something else kicking a villain's head off," she grinned, finally looking at him. "You coming with us this time?"
Akaza turned a page. "No. Nezu has me on... logistics."
"Logistics," Rumi snorted. "Is that code for 'beating people up in dark alleys'?"
"Maybe."
Their quiet banter was interrupted by the elevator dinging. Izuku Midoriya walked out, carrying a notebook and looking determined, though slightly nervous. He was dressed in his winter street clothes, a thick green scarf wrapped around his neck.
"Hey, guys," Izuku said, walking over to the kitchen to grab a water bottle. He glanced at the group on the couch. "Resting up for the internships?"
"Obviously," Bakugo's voice growled from the armchair where he had been seemingly napping. He opened one red eye. "Unlike you, nerd, we actually have work to do."
Izuku didn't flinch. The dynamic had changed since their fight. Bakugo was still abrasive, still angry, but the venom was different. It was less about hate and more about... expectation.
"Actually," Izuku said, tightening his grip on his notebook. "I do too."
Shoto Todoroki, who had been silently sipping tea at the dining table, looked up. "You found an agency?"
"Nighteye is great, but..." Izuku said, his grip tightening on his notebook as a determined glint entered his eyes. "I want to learn more. I want to try a harder ground. The Work Studies are starting again, and I need to get stronger. Faster."
He looked at Shoto. "Todoroki-kun... you invited me before. To Endeavor's agency."
The room went quiet. The mochi-pounding stopped.
"You're crashing our party?" Rumi asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn't sound angry, just amused. "You think you can keep up, Deku?"
"I have to," Izuku said firmly. He looked at Akaza. "I said I'd be the light. I can't be a dim one."
Akaza looked up from his book. He studied Izuku for a moment—the resolve in his eyes, the way he stood. He gave a single, slow nod.
"Don't slow them down," Akaza said.
"I won't," Izuku promised.
Shoto set his tea down. "My father... he's intense. He's trying to change, but his training is brutal. Are you sure?"
"I need to see the top," Izuku replied. "I need to see what Number One looks like."
"Tch," Bakugo stood up, stretching his arms. "Fine. Just stay out of my way. I'm going there to steal everything he knows and surpass him. If you lag behind, I'm leaving you in the dust."
"I'll be right behind you, Kacchan," Izuku said, a competitive spark lighting in his eyes.
Three Days Later
The skyscraper that housed the Endeavor Agency pierced the skyline of the city, a monument to fire and ambition. It was glass and steel, reflecting the winter sun like a beacon.
Standing on the sidewalk below were the four interns — Bakugo, Shoto, Rumi, and Izuku.
Rumi wasn't wearing the standard U.A. uniform. She was in her hero costume, modified for winter with a white, fur-lined bomber jacket over her leotard. Her cast was gone, replaced by a compression sleeve.
"Finally!" she yelled, stretching her arms above her head. "Fresh air! I was going crazy in that dorm!"
"Keep it down, Rabbit," Bakugo grumbled, adjusting his gauntlets. "We're here to work, not play."
"Says the guy who's vibrating," Rumi poked him.
"SHUT UP!"
"Todoroki-kun," Izuku asked, looking up at the massive building. "Is Endeavor... expecting us?"
"He knows I'm bringing guests," Shoto said. "He didn't say no."
They walked into the lobby. It was a hive of activity. Sidekicks — Burnin among them with her flaming hair — were rushing back and forth, coordinating patrols and handling dispatch.
"Shoto!" Burnin yelled, zooming over. "And the entourage! Welcome back to the fiery pits of hell! Endeavor's waiting in the gym!"
They took the elevator up. The doors opened to a massive training hall, the heat hitting them instantly. The air shimmered.
In the center of the room stood Endeavor. He was shirtless, his massive, scarred, muscular frame glistening with sweat. He was sparring with three sidekicks simultaneously, moving with a terrifying speed and power that belied his size. With a single, controlled burst of fire, he knocked all three back.
He turned as the students entered. His turquoise eyes, burning with blue fire, swept over them.
"Shoto," he rumbled. "Bakugo. Usagiyama."
His gaze landed on Izuku. He frowned.
"Midoriya Izuku."
"Y-Yes sir!" Izuku bowed stiffly.
"I didn't ask for you," Endeavor stated bluntly. "I accepted Shoto, Bakugo, and Usagiyama because they have proven themselves to possess the raw power and instinct necessary to keep up with me. You... your power destroys you. You are a liability."
"Not anymore!" Izuku said, straightening up. He activated Full Cowling, the green lightning crackling around him in a controlled hum. "I've changed. I can control it now. And I... I want to learn from you. I want to learn how to be a symbol."
Endeavor stared at him. He saw the fire in the boy's eyes. It reminded him, painfully, of All Might.
"Fine," Endeavor grunted. "But I won't slow down for you. I won't save you. If you fall behind, you're gone. Is that clear?"
"Crystal!" the four of them shouted.
"Suit up," Endeavor commanded, his flames flaring to life, coating his body in his hero costume which materialized from a support case nearby.
"We're going on patrol. Now."
The patrol wasn't a walk. It was a sprint.
Endeavor didn't use a car. He flew. He launched himself into the air, a streak of fire cutting through the city canyons.
"KEEP UP!" his voice boomed over their comms.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Bakugo roared. He blasted into the air, his Meltdown technique warming up, his explosions focused and tight, propelling him like a rocket.
Rumi was right beside him. She used Geppo, kicking off the air with thunderous thumps, bounding from rooftop to rooftop with the grace of a predator. She was laughing, the wind whipping her hair back. "Too slow, old man! I'm right on your tail!"
Shoto slid on a rail of ice, using his fire to boost his speed, surfing through the air with a grim determination.
And Izuku... Izuku was struggling. He was leaping, using Shoot Style to bound off buildings, channeling 20% into his legs for short bursts. He was lagging slightly, but he was there. He was watching.
He watched Endeavor's back. The Number One Hero wasn't just fast; he was efficient. He scanned every alley, every window.
"Villain! 3 o'clock! Purse snatcher!" Endeavor barked.
Before the words had fully left his mouth, he had already turned, fired a precise, non-lethal jet of fire to cut off the thief's escape route, and landed.
But the students were hungry.
"MINE!" Bakugo screamed, diving.
"Out of the way!" Rumi yelled, using Soru to vanish and reappear in front of the thief.
She raised her leg for a kick, but a wall of ice suddenly blocked her path — Shoto cutting her off.
"Civilian safety," Shoto said calmly, sliding past her.
"YOU LITTLE — "
While they bickered for a split second, Endeavor had already restrained the thief and was launching back into the air.
"Too slow!" Endeavor roared. "You hesitate! You argue! A hero acts! Faster! Look at me! Watch me!"
He accelerated. The patrol turned into a grueling race. He led them through the industrial district, stopping a runaway truck, putting out a chemical fire, and apprehending a group of smugglers.
In every instance, the students tried to intervene. Tried to be the first.
Bakugo was the closest. His explosive speed matched Endeavor's raw thrust. He managed to blast a debris cloud away before Endeavor could. "I'm right here, you flaming bastard!"
Rumi was the most lethal. When they encountered a group of thugs with mutation quirks, she didn't wait for orders. She dove into the fray, a whirlwind of kicks. She took down three before Endeavor even landed.
"Sloppy," Endeavor critiqued, incinerating a net that was about to trap her. "You have tunnel vision. Check your six."
"I have ears for that!" she retorted, dodging a punch without looking.
Shoto was the most precise. He cooled overheating machinery, created ramps for civilians to escape, and provided support fire.
And Izuku... Izuku was analyzing. He watched Endeavor's heat management. He watched how he used his flames not just for attacks, but for flight, for intimidation, for restraint.
He's amazing, Izuku thought, panting as he landed on a roof, sweat dripping from his face. He never stops. He's always thinking three steps ahead. This is what Akaza meant. This is the difference.
"Break!" Endeavor ordered, hovering above a tall office building. It was sunset. The city was bathed in orange light.
The four students landed, gasping for breath. Even Rumi was winded, her hands on her knees. Bakugo was steaming.
Endeavor stood at the edge, looking out over the city. He didn't look tired.
"You did okay," he said, not turning around. "But you are raw. You rely on your quirks too much. You rely on power. Being Number One isn't about having the strongest quirk. It's about being the one who is always there. The one who never falls."
He turned to face them.
"Bakugo. You have the drive. But your focus is narrow. You see the enemy, but you miss the battlefield."
"Shut up," Bakugo huffed, though he was listening.
"Usagiyama. Your instincts are sharp. But you fight like a brawler, not a hero. You enjoy the fight too much. You leave openings because you want to see what the enemy will do. In a real crisis, that arrogance will kill someone."
Rumi scowled, crossing her arms. She hated hearing it, mostly because she knew Akaza had told her the exact same thing.
"Shoto. You are improving. But you still hesitate to unleash your full power. You fear losing control. You must burn that fear away."
He looked at Izuku.
"Midoriya. You are thinking too much. You analyze, you plan, and by the time you move, the moment is gone. You are trying to be All Might. But you are not him. Stop imitating a ghost and find your own way to run."
He ignited his flames again.
"We are not done. Night patrol begins in ten minutes. Drink water. And try not to die."
He walked away.
The four students collapsed onto the roof.
"He's strong," Rumi whispered, wiping sweat from her scar. A competitive grin stretched across her face. "I'm gonna beat him."
"Get in line, Rabbit," Bakugo growled, chugging a sports drink. "I'm taking him down first."
"We have to be faster," Shoto said, staring at his hands.
Izuku looked at them. He looked at the city below. He felt the ache in his legs, the burn in his lungs.
Akaza is out there somewhere, he thought. Doing the things we can't. Being the shadow.
I have to be the light. And the light has to be brighter than this.
"Let's go," Izuku said, standing up, his fists clenched. "Plus Ultra."
They stood up together, four pillars of the next generation, chasing the back of a burning man into the night.