The afternoon sun painted long shadows through UA's towering windows, creating patterns that danced across the freshly polished floors of Class 1-A. Students filed back in from the quirk assessment test, their uniforms slightly dusty but their spirits high. Izuku felt the now-familiar weight of curious stares following his every movement as he made his way to his desk, his classmates' eyes drawn to the ethereal pulse of antimatter flowing beneath his skin.
The morning's display had only intensified their fascination. Whispered conversations floated through the air, not quite as subtle as their participants thought they were being:
"Did you see how the air actually bent?" Kaminari whispered to Sero, leaning across his desk as they settled into their seats. "During the dash test – like reality itself just... gave up for a second. One moment he was there, then this purple flash, and suddenly-"
"Forget the air," Sero interrupted, trying and failing to gesture subtly toward where Izuku sat. "Look at his veins now. They're glowing different than before – there are these dark spots gathering near his hands, almost black in some places. And during the ball throw, did you notice how they-"
Their observations weren't wrong. The antimatter was still settling from the assessment test's exertions, creating unusual patterns beneath Izuku's skin that he'd learned to read like a personal language. The darker purples concentrating near his palms meant the energy was pooling there, ready to be used if needed. Smaller, branching patterns of lighter violet traced up his forearms like cosmic rivers, each one pulsing gently with his heartbeat.
Near his wrists, spots of concentrated antimatter gathered in small clusters, resembling miniature star systems beneath his skin. These formations always appeared after using his speed abilities – little pockets of excess energy that would either be reabsorbed or used later.
Mina dropped into her seat beside him, immediately leaning over to poke one of these darker clusters running along his wrist. The moment her finger made contact, ripples of purple light spread through his network of veins like waves in a cosmic ocean. The spot she'd touched burst into smaller patterns, the antimatter responding to her presence like a distant galaxy coming alive.
"You're doing the galaxy thing again," she said fondly, her yellow and black eyes reflecting the purple glow as she watched the light show beneath his skin. Several of their classmates had stopped pretending not to stare, openly fascinated by how his quirk reacted to her touch.
"Can't help it," he murmured back, watching the light settle into new constellations beneath his skin. "It always gets a bit... excited after using that much power. Especially the speed bursts." He flexed his fingers, watching the patterns shift and flow. "It takes time for it to redistribute properly into my bloodstream."
Yaoyorozu, who had been quietly observing from her seat, finally spoke up. "The energy appears to be clustering in specific nodes," she noted, her analytical mind clearly working through the implications. "Are those gathering points natural formations, or did your mutation create them specifically for-"
"Oi!" Katsuki interrupted from his desk, feet already propped up despite Iida's increasingly frantic chopping hand motions in the background. "Save the nerd analysis for later. You extras seen what's next on the schedule?"
Izuku glanced down at their curriculum guide, which had been waiting on their desks as promised. His eyes widened slightly as he read the next period's designation, making his antimatter glands pulse brighter with anticipation. The darker spots near his palms swirled faster, creating intricate spiral patterns that caught the afternoon light.
"Basic Hero Training," he read aloud, his voice carrying a mix of excitement and something deeper. The purple glow beneath his skin intensified unconsciously, casting gentle shadows across his desk that made several classmates lean forward with renewed interest.
"Think they'll let us use our quirks properly?" Mina asked, still tracing patterns on his arm and watching the antimatter dance in response. "The assessment test was one thing, but actual hero training..."
"If they do," Katsuki grinned, small explosions popping between his fingers, "some of these extras might finally see what you can really do, Deku."
The implications of that statement sent a fresh wave of whispers through the classroom. They'd seen glimpses of Izuku's power during the assessment test, but all of it had been carefully controlled, deliberately held back. The idea of seeing it unleashed...
"Come on, Midoriya," Kirishima pleaded, interrupting Izuku's thoughts as Kirishima turned in his seat to face Izuku. "Just give us a hint! Is it some kind of space manipulation? Energy projection?" His sharp-toothed grin widened. "The way you just disappeared during the dash was so manly!"
Izuku just smiled, watching the antimatter swirl beneath his skin in lazy patterns. Dark purple clusters still gathered near his palms, occasionally sending ripples of light up his forearms like reverse shooting stars. A part of him – a part that had grown from years of being looked down on – enjoyed their growing frustration.
"Now where's the fun in that?" he replied, earning a giggle from Mina who was still absently tracing the glowing patterns on his arm. Each touch sent new constellations dancing beneath his skin, the antimatter responding and acting like a cluster of sparkling stars or mini galaxies, the mix of blue and purple of his antimatter glowing brightly at each touch.
"But it has to be some kind of enhancement, right?" Kaminari jumped in, practically vibrating with curiosity. "The strength you showed in the ball throw-"
"Could have been gravity manipulation," Uraraka interrupted thoughtfully. "Though that's not quite like my quirk..."
"The air distortion suggests spatial warping," Yaoyorozu added, her analytical mind clearly working overtime. "But that doesn't explain the molecular breakdown we observed during-"
"You extras are overthinking it," Katsuki snorted, though his smirk suggested he was enjoying their confusion just as much as Izuku was. "Maybe he just makes pretty lights and you're all losing your shit over nothing."
That earned him several indignant protests, which only made his grin widen. He caught Izuku's eye and they shared a moment of understanding – this game of keeping their classmates guessing was becoming quite entertaining, Izuku shooting Katsuki a smirk.
"The lights are pretty though," Hagakure chimed in, her floating uniform sleeve pointing at a particularly bright cluster near Izuku's wrist. "They look like tiny stars!"
"Stars don't typically respond to physical contact," Tokoyami observed from his seat, his dark eyes fixed on where Mina's fingers were still creating ripples of light in Izuku's veins. "Nor do they bend reality around them... usually."
Izuku grinned in amusement. Each theory they proposed missed the mark so spectacularly that it was getting harder not to laugh. Even Mina was struggling to keep a straight face, burying her giggles in his shoulder.
"Your reactions are half the fun," she told their classmates, her yellow and black eyes sparkling with mirth. "You should have seen the look on Katsuki's face the first time Izuku used his quirk around him."
"Oi, Raccoon Eyes!" Katsuki barked, small explosions popping in his palms. "We agreed never to talk about that!"
"About how you screamed like a little-"
"I WILL END YOU!"
The class dissolved into laughter at their antics, though Izuku noticed they hadn't stopped watching his veins. The patterns had shifted again, darker near his core now where the antimatter was slowly redistributing itself after the morning's exertion. Small galaxies of violet light swirled beneath his skin, some spots so concentrated they appeared almost black.
"At least tell us if it hurts," Jirou spoke up, her earphone jacks twirling thoughtfully. "Having all that... whatever it is... moving around under your skin."
Izuku considered the question, watching a particularly dark cluster of antimatter trace its way up his forearm. "Not anymore," he said finally. "In the beginning, when it first manifested... that was different. But now?" He flexed his fingers, sending waves of purple light cascading through his veins. "Now it feels natural. Like it was always meant to be there."
"Very poetic," Katsuki deadpanned. "Really fucking deep, Deku."
"Better than your explanation of how explosions work," Izuku shot back, his eyes glowing with amusement. "'I sweat boom juice' isn't exactly scientific, Kacchan."
"I will literally murder you."
"You can try~"
Their friendly bickering was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. The class straightened instinctively, curious about who would be teaching their first hero training session.
As the footsteps drew closer, Izuku felt his antimatter finally settle, flowing steadily through his veins like blood, Izuku keeping the some of the stored antimattter in the glands in his palms. The dark clusters near his palms began to pulse more rapidly, like excited heartbeats beneath his skin. He watched, fascinated, as new patterns formed – thin streams of violet light branching outward from the concentrated spots, creating what looked like lightning frozen in time.
"Your quirk's getting excited too," Mina observed quietly, her finger following one of the brighter streams up his forearm. Where she touched, the antimatter seemed to reach for her, creating tiny spiraling galaxies that followed her fingertip. "It always does this before something big."
She wasn't wrong. Over the past few months, they'd both noticed how his quirk seemed to have a mind of its own sometimes, responding to his emotions in ways that went beyond conscious control. The way it danced and brightened at Mina's touch, how it darkened when he was deep in thought, the subtle pulses that preceded danger...
"Betting pool on the teacher?" Kaminari suggested, trying to break the growing tension. "Ten bucks says it's Midnight."
"No way," Sero countered, "gotta be someone more combat-oriented. Maybe Ectoplasm?"
Izuku tuned out their speculation, focusing instead on the strange way his antimatter was behaving. The darker spots had started moving, flowing away from his palms and gathering instead around his core. This usually happened when his quirk sensed he might need to move quickly – the energy positioning itself for rapid absorption.
"Something's coming," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. But Mina heard him, her hand finding his as she recognized the signs. Even Katsuki sat up straighter, years of training with Izuku having taught him to read these subtle warnings.
"What do you mean something's-" Kirishima started to ask, but fell silent as the footsteps stopped just outside their door.
The entire class held their breath, watching as the handle began to turn...
The door slid open with deliberate slowness, the sound unnaturally loud in the silent classroom. Izuku felt his antimatter respond instantly – the clusters that had gathered around his core began to pulse in a steady rhythm, like a second heartbeat beneath his skin. Deep violet light threaded through his veins in complex patterns, preparing for whatever might come through that door.
Mina's grip on his hand tightened slightly as she noticed the change. She'd learned to read his quirk's reactions almost as well as he had, understanding that this particular configuration – the way the antimatter gathered in his core rather than his extremities – meant his body was preparing for potential rapid movement.
"Your quirk's doing the defense thing," she whispered, so quietly only he could hear. Her yellow and black eyes tracked the shifting patterns beneath his skin, watching as darker spots of concentrated energy formed along his spine.
Katsuki, from his position on Izuku's other side, had also noticed. His hands dropped casually to his desk, ready to generate explosions if needed. Three months of training together had taught him to trust Izuku's quirk's instincts – when the antimatter acted like this, something interesting usually followed.
The rest of the class remained oblivious to these subtle exchanges, their attention fixed firmly on the slowly opening door. Yaoyorozu had stopped mid-calculation, her creation quirk halted with a half-formed analysis tool barely peeking from her arm. Kirishima's skin had partially hardened, responding to the building tension. Even Tokoyami's Dark Shadow peeked out curiously from behind its wielder.
Footsteps echoed in the doorway – measured, purposeful steps that seemed to carry weight beyond their sound. The antimatter in Izuku's veins pulsed stronger with each one, creating rippling waves of purple light that caught their classmates' attention. Several heads turned toward him, noticing how his quirk was reacting.
"Dude," Kaminari whispered, eyes wide, "your veins are doing that galaxy thing again, but like... angrier?"
He wasn't wrong. The usual gentle swirls of cosmic light had taken on a sharper edge, the patterns becoming more angular, more focused. Near Izuku's shoulders, spots of antimatter had concentrated so densely they appeared almost black, like tiny holes in reality itself.
The tension broke rather anticlimactically as Aizawa walked in, looking exactly as exhausted as he had during their assessment test. His capture weapon shifted lazily around his shoulders as he took in the class's expectant faces.
"Settling in, I see," he noted dryly, making his way to the podium. His tired eyes swept across the room, pausing briefly on the cluster of students around Izuku's desk before moving on.
"Now then," he continued, his voice carrying that familiar tone of someone who'd rather be sleeping. "Hero Basic Training. This class will be your introduction to practical hero work, combat scenarios, and rescue operations." He paused, letting that sink in. "You'll have different teachers for different aspects of the course."
The class straightened with renewed interest. Different teachers meant pro heroes – actual heroes they might have grown up watching. Excited whispers broke out among the students:
"You think Midnight will teach us?" "Maybe Edge Shot!" "What about Gang Orca?"
"For today's session..." Aizawa began, but paused as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway – much louder and more dramatic than his had been. The sound grew closer, like oncoming thunder.
Aizawa sighed deeply, as if personally offended by the approaching dramatics. "Right on cue," he muttered, stepping aside from the podium. "Try not to destroy the classroom."
The footsteps grew closer, each one seeming to carry more weight than the last. The class held their breath, waiting...
"I AM..."
The classroom door burst open with enough force to make the windows rattle. Aizawa's eye twitched visibly, his capture weapon shifting in irritation at the unnecessary dramatics.
"...COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"
All Might burst into the room in a flash of primary colors, his Silver Age costume gleaming under the classroom lights. His cape billowed behind him despite the complete lack of wind – a feat that made Aizawa's eye twitch again.
"Inside voice," Aizawa muttered, though it was drowned out by the excited chaos of students leaping to their feet:
"All Might!" "He really is teaching here!" "That's his Silver Age costume!"
"GREETINGS, YOUNG HEROES IN TRAINING!" All Might's voice somehow managed to get even louder, making Aizawa visibly wince. The underground hero shuffled a few steps further from the podium, as if trying to physically distance himself from the volume.
"Must you shout everything?" Aizawa deadpanned, but All Might either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him.
"THIS WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT CLASS IN YOUR HERO EDUCATION!" All Might continued at the same deafening volume, striking pose after pose that made his cape flutter impossibly. "BASIC HERO TRAINING!"
"We can hear you just fine without the theatrics," Aizawa grumbled, pulling his capture weapon up like a makeshift sound barrier.
All Might strode to the front of the room in three massive steps that somehow managed to echo dramatically. Aizawa watched this display with the dead-eyed stare of someone who had completely given up on maintaining any semblance of proper classroom decorum.
"TODAY'S LESSON WILL BE..." All Might paused for dramatic effect, making Aizawa slouch further into his capture weapon. The Symbol of Peace reached into his belt, producing a card with 'BATTLE' written in English letters so bold they were practically screaming off the paper.
"...COMBAT TRAINING!"
"Could have just said that normally," Aizawa muttered, looking like he was seriously reconsidering his career choices.
"ANYWAYS!" All Might's voice boomed through the classroom, completely ignoring Aizawa, making him sink further into his capture weapon. "THE FOUNDATION OF HEROIC WORK! Today, you young heroes will engage in TWO-ON-TWO INDOOR BATTLES!"
He struck another dramatic pose, cape somehow catching nonexistent wind. "VILLAIN VERSUS HEROES! One team will protect a nuclear weapon, while the other team must either capture it or apprehend the villains!"
"Could just write it on the board," Aizawa muttered, looking increasingly done with the theatrics.
"BUT FIRST!" All Might continued, either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring his colleague's suffering. "Every hero needs their signature look! Their costume helps form their identity, crafting the image they present to society!"
He pulled out a remote with an unnecessarily dramatic flourish. "YOUR COSTUME REQUESTS, SUBMITTED BEFORE SCHOOL BEGAN, HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY CRAFTED BY OUR SUPPORT DEPARTMENT!"
With a press of a button that All Might somehow managed to make look heroic, panels in the wall began to slide down. Numbered cases emerged, each containing their hero costumes. The class leaned forward collectively, excitement building.
"Case 18," Izuku murmured, spotting his number. The support department had taken his detailed specifications seriously – pages of technical requirements about his quirk's unique needs, the necessity for his costume to withstand and channel antimatter safely.
"I can't wait to see yours," Mina whispered, squeezing his hand. "You were so secretive about the design!"
Even Katsuki looked curious, though he tried to hide it. He'd seen snippets of Izuku's costume plans during their training sessions, but never the full concept.
"GET CHANGED AND MEET AT TRAINING GROUND BETA!" All Might announced, striking yet another pose that made Aizawa physically recoil from the volume. "YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO TRANSFORM YOURSELVES!"
"They can read the clock themselves," Aizawa grumbled, but the class was already moving, eager to collect their cases.
"REMEMBER, YOUNG HEROES!" All Might called after them as they headed for the door. "FROM THIS MOMENT ON..."
"Please don't," Aizawa pleaded quietly.
"YOU ARE ALL STEPPING INTO A NEW WORLD! THE WORLD OF HEROES!"
As the class filed out, Izuku felt the weight of his case in his hands. Inside was more than just a costume – it was the physical manifestation of everything he'd worked toward. A suit designed to work with his quirk rather than contain it, to channel the cosmic power that flowed through his veins rather than suppress it.
'I still can't believe I'm here... it still feels like a dream' Izuku thought to himself as he joined his classmates in the walk to the locker rooms.
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The locker room buzzed with excitement as the male students opened their cases. Exclamations of awe and satisfaction filled the air as they examined their costumes, but Izuku remained focused on his own case. His fingers traced the number 18 embossed on the surface before carefully unlatching it.
The moment the case opened, something extraordinary happened. What looked like liquid metal began to move, dark particles rising from the case like a swarm of metallic fireflies. His classmates fell silent, watching in fascination as the particles swirled around him.
"Dude," Kirishima breathed, his own costume forgotten. "That's so manly..."
The nano-particles responded to Izuku's presence, recognizing the DNA they had been programmed with. They began to attach themselves to his skin, spreading like living ink across his body. The sensation was strange but not uncomfortable – cool at first, then warming to match his body temperature as each piece found its place.
Layer by layer, the armor formed. First, a base layer that felt like a second skin, the particles knitting together seamlessly. Then, the more substantial armor plates materialized, each one clicking into place with microscopic precision. The matte black surface seemed to absorb light, giving him an almost predatory appearance even before the suit fully activated.
"That's some serious support department tech," Katsuki observed, watching as the armor continued to form. He'd seen snippets of the design during their training, but the reality was something else entirely.
The suit continued its assembly, creating the intricate network of channels designed to work with his quirk. As the final pieces settled into place, Izuku felt his antimatter respond. The energy that constantly flowed through his veins seemed to recognize the pathways built into the suit, eager to fill them.
It started at his core. Purple-blue light began to seep through the deliberately engineered gaps in the armor, following the artificial veins etched into the surface. The glow spread like liquid starlight, tracing patterns up his arms and down his legs, each line illuminating with cosmic energy. Where his natural veins aligned with the suit's channels, the light pulsed stronger, creating a harmonious flow between flesh and technology.
"Holy shit," someone whispered – possibly Kaminari, though Izuku was too focused to be sure.
The energy continued its path, filling every designed conduit until the entire suit was alive with flowing light. The effect was both beautiful and intimidating – organic patterns of purple-blue antimatter coursing through technological channels, making the black armor seem almost alive.
Finally, the energy reached the X-shaped core on his chest. The moment his antimatter made contact, the nexus point flared brilliantly, pulsing with concentrated power. The light there was more intense than anywhere else on the suit, creating the impression of barely contained energy straining to break free.
The final piece formed last – the half-face mask materializing seamlessly from the collar of the suit. As it covered his nose and mouth, completing the intimidating silhouette, Izuku opened his eyes. His purple irises and black sclera seemed to glow brighter now, complementing the energy flowing through his suit.
He flexed his fingers, watching how the armor moved perfectly with him, the particles adjusting to his every movement. Where the glowing channels crossed his joints, they shifted fluidly, never restricting his motion. The suit felt like an extension of himself, as natural as the antimatter flowing through his veins.
"That's got to be the most advanced costume I've ever seen," Iida said, his own armor gleaming but suddenly looking rather conventional in comparison.
"It's like you're wearing a contained galaxy," Tokoyami added, Dark Shadow peering with interest at the pulsing lights.
Izuku turned to examine himself in one of the locker room mirrors. The effect was exactly what he'd hoped for – the perfect blend of technological precision and raw power. The matte black armor made him look like a living shadow, while the flowing antimatter energy gave him an otherworldly, almost cosmic presence. Even standing still, he looked dangerous.
"That technology is quite remarkable," Iida said, approaching Izuku with genuine interest. His own armor clinked softly as he moved. "I wasn't aware such advanced materials were even possible yet."
Izuku smiled behind his mask, the purple glow of his eyes brightening slightly. "They weren't, actually. The support department had to develop it specifically for this costume. The blueprints alone took months."
"You designed this yourself?" Iida's hand movements became more precise with excitement. "The engineering requirements must have been astronomical!"
"The biggest challenge was making it compatible with my quirk," Izuku explained, gesturing to where his antimatter flowed through the suit's channels. "Regular materials... don't react well to prolonged exposure. We had to create something that could not only withstand the energy, but actually work with it."
Kaminari wandered over, drawn by their discussion. "Speaking of your quirk," he started hopefully, "now that we've seen the awesome suit, maybe you could tell us what it actually-"
"After combat training," Izuku interrupted, though his tone was playful. The lights in his suit pulsed gently with amusement. "Consider it motivation."
"Come on!" Kirishima joined in, his hardened costume glinting. "At least give us a hint! The suit's got all these crazy energy channels, and during the assessment test you literally bent reality-"
"Keeping them guessing, nerd?" Katsuki smirked, adjusting his gauntlets. "Didn't think you had it in you to be this devious."
"I learned from the best," Izuku replied dryly, making Katsuki snort. He turned back to Iida, genuinely enjoying their technical discussion. "The nano-particles actually share some of my DNA coding. It's why they respond so naturally – they recognize me as part of themselves."
"Fascinating!" Iida's enthusiasm was contagious. "A biological-technological interface! The applications for hero work are-"
"You two are such nerds," Kaminari groaned, but he was smiling. "At least tell us if the glowy parts are just for show?"
Izuku's eyes gleamed mysteriously behind his mask. "Nothing in this suit is just for show."
"That's both awesome and terrifying," Kirishima decided. "Like the whole aesthetic you've got going. It's manly but also kind of... cosmic horror manly?"
"Pretty sure that's what he was going for," Katsuki commented, watching Izuku's antimatter create new patterns in the suit's channels. "The nerd spent weeks perfecting the 'controlled apocalypse' look."
"It's more about functionality than aesthetics," Izuku protested, though he couldn't quite hide the pride in his voice. "The channels serve as a power distribution network. Without them, the energy buildup would-"
"And we're back to nerd speak," Katsuki said as he lowered his head in defeat.
The conversation drifted to other costumes – Kirishima's emphasis on durability, Iida's family-inspired design, Kaminari's concerns about conductivity. But Izuku noticed they kept glancing back at his suit, especially when the antimatter created new patterns or the X-core pulsed brighter. The conversation then shifted back to Izuku.
"The integration of the nano-particles with your nervous system must have required extensive testing," Iida continued as they gathered their things. His genuine interest in the technical aspects was refreshing. "The response time alone would need to be virtually instantaneous."
"We went through seventeen versions before getting it right," Izuku explained, watching how the channels in his suit rippled with each movement. "The first few attempts... didn't end well. Turns out, creating materials that can safely channel my quirk is surprisingly difficult."
"I would imagine!" Iida's hands chopped through the air with scholarly enthusiasm. "The molecular stability requirements alone-"
"If you two nerds are done," Katsuki called from the door, "All Might's waiting."
The class began filing out of the locker room, their various costumes creating an impressive display of color and technology. Izuku and Iida fell into step together, continuing their discussion as they walked the corridor toward Training Ground Beta.
"Your own costume shows remarkable engineering," Izuku noted, genuinely impressed by the precision of Iida's armor. "The aerodynamic considerations in the design-"
"Indeed! The Ingenium line of costumes has evolved through generations of trial and error. Though I must say," Iida adjusted his glasses beneath his helmet, "your technological breakthrough with the nano-particles could revolutionize hero costume design. Have you considered publishing the research?"
"After graduation, maybe," Izuku replied thoughtfully. Behind them, he could hear Kaminari whispering to Kirishima about how they'd found "another Yaoyorozu" in terms of technical knowledge.
The conversation paused as they emerged into sunlight, the training ground's massive buildings looming before them. Izuku noticed how other students seemed to unconsciously give his costume a wider berth – the pulsing antimatter channels probably had something to do with that.
"You know," Iida said more quietly, his tone shifting to something more personal, "I must admit I had... misconceptions when I first saw you with Ashido this morning. I thought perhaps you were not taking the hero course seriously enough."
Izuku turned to look at him, purple eyes glowing steadily behind his mask.
"I was wrong," Iida continued, bowing slightly as they walked. "Your dedication to the technical aspects of heroics, the thought you've put into your costume's functionality – it's clear you approach this with utmost seriousness. I apologize for my hasty judgment."
The antimatter in Izuku's suit pulsed warmly. "Thanks, Iida. That means a lot." He paused, then added with a hint of amusement, "Though I think you'll find Mina takes this just as seriously, in her own way."
"Speaking of Ashido," Iida glanced ahead, where they could see the girls' class emerging from their locker room, "I believe your costume may cause quite a reaction..."
The girls emerged from their locker room just as the boys approached the training ground. Conversations died mid-sentence as they caught sight of their male classmates, particularly the living galaxy that was Izuku's costume. The afternoon sun caught on his armor's matte black surface, making the flowing antimatter channels seem even more ethereal.
"Holy..." Jirou breathed, her earphone jacks twitching with interest. "That's... different."
Mina pushed to the front of the group, her own acid-resistant costume forgotten as she took in Izuku's appearance. Her yellow and black eyes widened, fixed on how the armor seemed to move with him like living metal. Where normal costumes had seams or joints, his flowed seamlessly, the black material rippling like liquid shadow.
"The support department really outdid themselves," Yaoyorozu observed professionally, though even she couldn't hide her fascination. "The integration of transparent conduits for his quirk's energy is remarkable engineering."
But Mina wasn't listening to the technical analysis. She walked slowly around Izuku, watching how the armor adjusted to his every movement. The black material didn't just sit on his skin – it merged with it, moving as naturally as muscle. When he turned his head to follow her motion, the armor at his neck flowed like water, never restricting, never showing a single gap or seam.
"It's like..." she reached out tentatively, "can I?"
Izuku nodded, the purple glow of his eyes brightening slightly behind his mask. Mina's fingers touched his armored forearm, and she gasped softly. The surface was smooth but somehow alive, warm to the touch and subtly responsive. She could feel a gentle vibration beneath the surface, like a sleeping cat's purr.
"The material," she said wonderingly, "it's not just sitting on your skin, is it? It's... part of you?"
"Best way to prevent quirk leakage," Izuku explained, his voice carrying that tone he got when trying to simplify complex concepts. "The suit needs to be in perfect sync with my quirk."
As if demonstrating, a wave of antimatter energy flowed through the nearest channel under Mina's fingers. The purple-blue light traced patterns beneath the transparent sections, creating swirls and eddies like cosmic currents. Where her hand touched the armor, the energy seemed drawn to her presence, clustering beneath her fingertips like curious stars.
"That is so cool," Hagakure's floating gloves gestured excitedly. "It's responding to her touch!"
"The whole thing's responding to everything," Uraraka noted, watching how the armor shifted with each of Izuku's breaths. "Look at how it moves – there's no rigid parts at all."
"Like biological armor," Asui observed, head tilted thoughtfully. "Ribbit."
Mina was still transfixed by the way the costume merged with Izuku's skin. At his wrists, the black material seemed to fade into his flesh rather than end abruptly. The transparent channels aligned perfectly with his natural veins, creating an uninterrupted flow of energy from body to armor.
"This is why you wouldn't show me the design," she realized, looking up at his masked face. "You wanted to surprise everyone."
The X-shaped core on his chest pulsed brighter for a moment, and even through the mask, she could tell he was smiling. The armor around his eyes shifted subtly with his expression, the material moving as naturally as skin.
"Worth the wait?" he asked softly.
"Beyond worth it," she breathed, still watching how the antimatter danced beneath the surface. "You look like something out of a sci-fi movie. But like, a really good one where the advanced alien is actually on humanity's side."
That earned a few laughs from their classmates, breaking the spell of fascination that had fallen over the group. But Mina noticed they were still stealing glances at Izuku's costume, particularly when new patterns of light would form in the channels or when the armor would shift in particularly fluid ways.
"It suits you," she said more quietly, just for him. "Powerful but controlled. Beautiful but kind of terrifying."
The antimatter in his suit pulsed warmly at her words, creating a brief aurora of purple-blue light that reflected in her eyes. Izuku reached up to rub the back of his head – a nervous habit that survived even his transformation – and ruffled his purple hair. The armor flowed seamlessly with the motion, adjusting like living metal around his shoulder and neck.
"Really? I thought I looked straight out of Terminator," he joked, the mask shifting slightly with his smile. The channels near his face brightened briefly, creating patterns that made his purple eyes seem to glow even more intensely.
"Nah," Mina grinned, falling into step beside him as they began walking toward Training Ground Beta. "Terminators wish they looked this good. Though..." she poked one of the brighter antimatter channels on his arm, watching the energy swirl around her finger, "maybe a bit Tron-ish? You know, if Tron was way cooler and could erase things from existence."
"I was thinking more Alien," Kaminari chimed in from behind them. "Like, if the xenomorphs were heroes instead of murder machines."
"Pretty sure that's not the aesthetic he was going for," Jirou commented dryly, but she was watching with interest as new patterns formed in Izuku's suit with each step he took.
The group made their way across the campus, their various costumes creating a colorful parade of future heroes. The afternoon sun caught on Izuku's armor in strange ways – the matte black surface seemed to absorb light while the antimatter channels refracted it, creating an otherworldly effect that drew more than a few stares from passing students.
"The suit's integration with your quirk is fascinating," Yaoyorozu said, moving closer to examine the transparent sections. "The energy distribution appears to be perfectly balanced. How did you manage the flow regulation?"
"That was one of the biggest challenges," Izuku admitted, gesturing to where the channels converged at the X-shaped core. "The antimatter wants to pool in certain areas, but we needed it to maintain consistent circulation. The solution was to-"
"Here they go again," Katsuki muttered, though there was a hint of fondness in his voice. "Fucking nerds."
"I think it's cute," Mina whispered to him, making small explosions pop from his palms in annoyance. "Let them geek out about the science stuff."
As they approached the training ground's entrance, Izuku continued explaining the technical aspects to an increasingly fascinated Yaoyorozu. His hands moved animatedly as he spoke, the armor flowing like water with each gesture, antimatter creating new patterns that seemed to emphasize his points.
"The real breakthrough was getting the material to recognize the difference between controlled and uncontrolled energy release," he was saying, the scientist in him fully engaged. "It needed to be able to adapt instantly to-"
"Young Midoriya!" All Might's voice boomed from ahead, making several students jump. "I see the Support Department exceeded expectations with your costume! MOST IMPRESSIVE!"
Izuku's explanation cut off as they reached the gathering point. The massive buildings of Training Ground Beta loomed around them, creating artificial canyons of concrete and steel. All Might stood before them, his own costume gleaming in the sunlight, but for once he wasn't the most eye-catching figure present.
"Your costume's stealing the show, hot stuff," Mina teased quietly, squeezing his arm. The armor warmed slightly under her touch, antimatter swirling in pleased patterns.
"Not the intention," he murmured back, though the way his eyes glowed suggested he wasn't entirely displeased with the attention. After years of being overlooked and dismissed, having his presence acknowledged – even feared a little – felt validating.
"Sure it wasn't," she grinned, poking another channel and watching the energy dance. "Mr. I-Designed-My-Costume-To-Look-Like-Contained-Cosmic-Horror."
"Says the girl who literally has horns and acid powers," he shot back playfully, making her stick out her tongue at him.
----------------------
"NOW THEN!" All Might's voice boomed across the training ground, making several students wince at the volume. "Let us begin with the combat training! As I explained earlier, you will be divided into hero and villain teams!"
He produced a box with "LOTS" written on it in his signature dramatic style. "Teams will be determined by drawing lots! Once paired, you will face off against another team in indoor battles!"
As the students began drawing their lots, Izuku observed how his classmates' costumes reflected their quirks and personalities. His attention was drawn to the way his own suit continued to adapt to his movements, the support course had really outdone themselves.
"The scenario is this!" All Might continued, gesturing to one of the nearby buildings. "The villains will be hiding a nuclear weapon somewhere inside. The heroes must either capture the weapon or apprehend the villains within the time limit. The villains win if they can protect the weapon until time runs out or capture the heroes!"
"Team A: Izuku Midoriya and Mina Ashido!" All Might announced, making both of them look up in surprise.
"Well, that worked out nicely," Mina grinned, bumping her shoulder against his armored one. Where they touched, the antimatter swirled in pleased patterns, creating tiny galaxies beneath the surface.
As All Might continued announcing teams, Izuku noticed Katsuki watching them with a knowing smirk. The explosive boy had been paired with Kirishima, a combination that promised to be particularly destructive.
"First match!" All Might drew two balls from different boxes. "These teams will face off... TEAM A AS HEROES... VERSUS TEAM D AS VILLAINS!"
Team D consisted of Iida and Yaoyorozu. Izuku's eyes met Iida's, and despite their earlier friendly conversation, he could see the serious determination in the other boy's stance. This wouldn't be an easy fight.
"Villains, you have five minutes to set up! After that, heroes will be allowed to enter! The rest of us will observe through the surveillance cameras!"
As Iida and Yaoyorozu headed into the building, Izuku felt his suit's systems fully activating. The antimatter began circulating more rapidly through the channels, preparing for combat. The dark material of his armor seemed to absorb even more light, making him look like a piece of living shadow streaked with cosmic energy.
"Got a plan?" Mina asked, acid already beginning to drip from her hands in preparation.
"Several," Izuku replied, his modified voice carrying an edge of anticipation. The X-core on his chest pulsed with concentrated power as he accessed the antimatter stored in his suit's specialized containment systems. "How do you feel about making an entrance they won't expect?"
Mina's grin turned predatory, her black and yellow eyes gleaming. "I like the way you think, hot stuff. Going to show them what that fancy suit can really do?"
"They wanted to know what my quirk does," he said, purple eyes glowing intensely behind his mask. "Might as well give them a proper demonstration."
As they waited for their signal to begin, Izuku felt his antimatter responding to his strategic thoughts. The energy began to concentrate heavily in his forearms and hands, flooding the transparent segments of his armor until they glowed like captured auroras. The light was intense enough to cast purple shadows across Mina's face as she watched with fascination.
"That's new," she whispered, eyes tracking how the energy seemed to pool and swirl in specific channels. Where normal veins might bulge with pressure, these sections of his armor adapted seamlessly, expanding slightly to accommodate the increased flow while maintaining their sleek appearance.
"Trust me?" Izuku asked softly, the mask of his suit shifting slightly with his smile. The X-core on his chest pulsed steadily, like a second heartbeat.
"Always," she replied without hesitation, already understanding what he had planned. They'd trained together enough times for her to recognize when he was preparing for a portal jump.
Izuku's arm slipped around her waist, the armor surprisingly warm against her costume. Where they touched, the antimatter in his suit created excited swirls of energy, like tiny galaxies celebrating the contact. He could feel her heartbeat through his armor, steady and trusting.
With his free hand, he gathered a concentrated sphere of antimatter, smaller than usual but more densely packed. The energy compressed into a perfect orb of violet light, barely the size of a marble but containing enough power to tear through reality itself.
"Ready?" he murmured, feeling her nod against his shoulder.
The sphere dropped from his palm, expanding rapidly as it hit the ground. Reality warped and folded inward, creating a circular portal that swirled with cosmic energy. Without hesitation, Izuku stepped forward, taking Mina with him into that moment of weightless transition.
For a fraction of a second, they existed everywhere and nowhere, the sensation familiar to Izuku but still thrilling. He felt Mina's grip tighten slightly as they passed through, her breath catching at the strange feeling of reality bending around them.
They emerged silently in a shadowed corner of the top floor, behind a large concrete pillar. The portal snapped shut behind them without a sound, leaving no trace of their unconventional entrance. Through his suit's enhanced sensors, Izuku could detect movement on the other side of the room – Iida patrolling in precise patterns while Yaoyorozu appeared to be creating defensive measures around the fake nuclear weapon.
"That gets cooler every time," Mina whispered, her voice barely audible. She was still pressed close against his side, and he could feel her suppressing excited giggles. "Their faces when they realize we're already in here..."
Izuku's eyes glowed with amusement behind his mask as they observed their opponents. Neither Iida nor Yaoyorozu had noticed their arrival, too focused on fortifying their position. The antimatter in his suit had settled into a quieter flow, though the channels still pulsed with ready energy.
"They've barricaded the main entrances," he noted softly, watching Yaoyorozu create what appeared to be motion sensors. "They're expecting us to either break through the door or come up through the windows."
"Standard thinking," Mina agreed, acid beginning to coat her hands in preparation. "Want to show them why that's a mistake?"
The antimatter in Izuku's suit responded to his growing anticipation, creating new patterns of light that made him look even more otherworldly in the dim room. The X-core on his chest pulsed once, bright enough to briefly illuminate their hiding spot.
"Let's give them that demonstration they wanted," he replied, his modified voice carrying a hint of mischief. "Ready to help me break some laws of physics?"
Mina's grin turned predatory in the purple light of his suit. "Born ready, hot stuff. Let's show them what we can really do."
"You take Momo, I got RoboCop," Izuku murmured, the antimatter in his suit beginning to gather at his fingertips. The transparent channels in his gauntlets pulsed with increasing intensity as he prepared the attack. Mina nodded, already coating her hands with a precisely calculated acid mixture.
In the observation room, Katsuki's explosive laughter echoed off the walls. "RoboCop!" he wheezed, drawing curious looks from their classmates. "Fucking perfect!"
"Is... is that Midoriya and Ashido?" Kirishima asked, squinting at the monitors. "How did they get in there already? The match just started!"
Back in the battle room, Izuku felt his antimatter responding to his intent. Four perfect spheres of cosmic energy formed at his fingertips, each one no larger than a marble but containing enough power to distort reality itself. The purple-blue light they emitted cast strange shadows through his suit's channels, making the black armor seem to ripple like liquid night.
Iida continued his methodical patrol, completely unaware of the trap about to be sprung. His engines gleamed in the dim light as he made another precise turn, exactly when Izuku had predicted he would. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Yaoyorozu was in the process of creating what looked like defensive barriers around the nuclear weapon.
With calculated precision, Izuku flicked the spheres in a perfect arc. They shot through the air silently, expanding rapidly as they surrounded Iida in a diamond formation. Before the speedster could react, the spheres erupted into a dome of pure antimatter energy.
The effect was instant and mesmerizing. Inside the purple barrier, reality began to break down in controlled ways. Gravity reversed, then failed entirely. Iida's startled yelp cut off as he found himself floating, his engines firing uselessly against the distorted space. Small objects around him began to drift, some of them warping strangely as they passed through particularly dense areas of antimatter.
"Distortion Barrier," Izuku announced calmly, his modified voice carrying an almost ethereal quality through his mask. The X-core on his chest pulsed in rhythm with the dome's energy, creating patterns of light that made him look like something from another dimension.
In the observation room, the class had fallen silent, watching in fascination as Iida struggled against the laws of physics themselves.
"Holy shit," Kaminari breathed. "That's what his quirk does? He can just... decide gravity doesn't exist anymore?"
"That's not gravity manipulation," Uraraka observed from beside him, her expertise with zero-gravity evident. "This is something else entirely..."
"MOST IMPRESSIVE, YOUNG MIDORIYA!" All Might's voice boomed, though there was a note of caution in it. "Though perhaps we should discuss power scaling in future classes..."
Back in the battle room, Mina had already begun her approach toward Yaoyorozu, who was now frantically trying to create defensive measures against both acid and antimatter – a nearly impossible task given the nature of their quirks.
Izuku maintained the barrier with careful precision, the antimatter flowing through his suit's channels pulsing in sync with the dome's energy. The armor seemed to drink in what little light remained in the room, making him appear as a shadow crowned in cosmic fire.
"I apologize for this, Iida," he said genuinely, watching his friend trying to activate his engines in zero gravity. "But a hero should always be prepared for the unexpected."
"Most... impressive... Midoriya!" Iida managed to say between attempts to right himself. "Though I must say... this is rather... disorienting!"
The barrier continued to swirl with purple energy, creating abstract patterns that hurt the eyes if watched too long. Small objects that drifted too close to the edges simply ceased to exist, erased from reality with surgical precision.
While Mina engaged with Yaoyorozu near the nuclear weapon, Izuku turned his attention back to the contained Iida. The barrier dome pulsed with cosmic energy, its edges constantly erasing small particles of dust and debris that drifted too close. Inside, Iida continued his futile attempts to use his engines in the distorted space, managing only to spin himself in elegant but useless circles.
Izuku approached the barrier's edge, his suit's channels glowing brighter as he prepared to enter. Where others would be instantly erased from existence, his mutation allowed him to pass through his own antimatter safely. The black armor seemed to drink in the purple light as he stepped forward, moving through the barrier like it was nothing more than a curtain of water.
Reality shifted around him as he entered the distorted space. Gravity became a suggestion rather than a law, but his suit's systems automatically compensated, allowing him to move normally while everything else floated chaotically. The antimatter flowing through his costume's channels pulsed in harmony with the barrier's energy, creating complex patterns of light that made him look like a being made of captured starlight.
"Your engines won't work properly in here, Iida," Izuku explained, his modified voice echoing strangely in the distorted space. "The barrier doesn't just negate gravity – it warps the fundamental laws of physics themselves."
"Fascinating... and somewhat terrifying," Iida managed to reply as he slowly rotated in place. His normally precise movements were reduced to awkward flailing. "I don't suppose... you'd be willing to share... the scientific principles behind this phenomenon?"
Izuku couldn't help but smile behind his mask as he gracefully pushed off from what used to be the floor, propelling himself toward his floating friend. The capture tape unfurled from his utility belt, the white material catching purple reflections from his suit's glowing channels.
"Maybe after class," he offered, smoothly avoiding Iida's attempt at a zero-gravity kick. "Though I should warn you – the physics involved tend to give people headaches. Even Yaoyorozu struggled with some of the concepts."
In the observation room, the class watched in fascination as Izuku moved through the distorted space with practiced ease. His costume's channeled antimatter created trails of light as he maneuvered, making it look like he was swimming through liquid cosmos.
"It's like the laws of reality just... don't apply to him in there," Tokoyami observed, Dark Shadow peering intently at the screens.
"They don't," Katsuki replied with a knowing smirk. "That's what makes the nerd so fucking dangerous. In his barriers, he decides what physics even means."
Back in the dome, Izuku had finally managed to wrap the capture tape around Iida's torso, careful to avoid the engines. The white material stood out starkly against the swirling purple energy that filled the space around them.
"I hereby declare this villain captured," he announced formally, though his eyes glowed with amusement behind his mask. The X-core on his chest pulsed brighter for a moment, as if celebrating the small victory.
"Well played, Midoriya," Iida conceded gracefully, still slowly spinning in the zero-gravity environment. "Though I must say, this is not how I expected my first training exercise to go."
"Sorry about that," Izuku chuckled, preparing to release the barrier. "Ready to have gravity back?"
"Please," Iida replied fervently. "I'm developing a new appreciation for Uraraka's quirk."
The barrier began to fade, reality slowly reasserting itself as Izuku carefully controlled the antimatter's dispersal. The purple light retreated into his suit's channels, leaving them standing normally on solid ground once more.
-------
Meanwhile, Mina continued to face off against Yaoyorozu near the mock nuclear weapon. The creation hero had already established an impressive array of defenses – metal barriers, what appeared to be acid-resistant shields, and several other devices Mina couldn't immediately identify.
"Sorry about this, Yaomomo," Mina called out cheerfully, her hands dripping with precisely calculated acid. She'd been practicing different mixtures, finding the perfect balance between corrosive power and control. "But you're about to find out why they call me the Acid Queen!"
Yaoyorozu responded by creating a shield from her arm, her expression focused as she analyzed the situation. "Your acid is impressive, Ashido, but I've prepared for—"
She cut off as Mina suddenly moved, displaying the acrobatic grace that made her so dangerous in close combat. Acid sprayed in carefully controlled arcs, eating through the outer layer of defenses while deliberately avoiding any structural supports. The last thing they needed was to compromise the building's integrity.
In the observation room, the students watched with growing appreciation as Mina demonstrated that her quirk was far more versatile than simple acid production.
"Look at that control!" Uraraka gasped as Mina performed a perfect acid-sliding flip over one of Yaoyorozu's barriers. "She's not just throwing it around – every move is calculated!"
"Been training with Deku," Katsuki explained, a hint of pride in his voice. "Nerd's obsession with precision rubbed off on her."
Back in the battle room, Mina continued her advance. Her movements flowed like liquid, each dodge and weave bringing her closer to the objective. Acid sizzled against metal, creating precise openings rather than wholesale destruction.
"Your defenses are amazing," she complimented sincerely, ducking under a swing from a metal staff Yaoyorozu had created. "But you planned for standard acid attacks. I've learned a few new tricks!"
To demonstrate, she released a spray of acid that seemed to hang in the air, creating a fine mist that began slowly eating through multiple layers of defense simultaneously. The precision of the attack spoke of hours of practice – each droplet carefully controlled to cause exactly the amount of damage needed, no more, no less.
"Impressive innovation," Yaoyorozu acknowledged, already creating new barriers to replace the dissolving ones. "But I can keep producing defenses faster than—"
A pulse of purple light from across the room interrupted her. They both turned to see Izuku's barrier fading, Iida now safely captured. The distraction cost Yaoyorozu a crucial second – exactly as Mina had planned.
With a movement that would have made her gymnastics teacher proud, Mina flipped forward, unleashing a perfectly timed combination of acid attacks. Her feet touched down on a self-made acid slide, carrying her through the gap in Yaoyorozu's defenses that she'd been gradually creating.
"Like I said," Mina grinned as she slid past the final barrier, "new tricks!"
Her hand touched the nuclear weapon just as Yaoyorozu turned to create another defense, the motion coming a fraction of a second too late.
"THE WEAPON HAS BEEN SECURED!" All Might's voice boomed through the speakers. "HERO TEAM WINS!"
Mina's victory pose was interrupted as she felt familiar armored arms wrap around her waist from behind, lifting her in a celebratory spin. Izuku's suit hummed with pleased energy, the channels glowing brightly as he set her back down.
"Perfect timing," he said warmly, the mask doing little to hide his proud smile. "That acid mist technique is really coming along."
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The victorious team regrouped with their classmates in the monitoring room, where they were immediately swarmed with questions and exclamations. Izuku's suit continued to pulse with residual energy, the antimatter creating pleased patterns beneath the transparent channels.
"That was AMAZING!" Kirishima burst out, his sharp teeth flashing in an excited grin. "Midoriya, your quirk is like something out of a sci-fi movie! And Ashido, that acid control was so manly!"
"The precision of both your techniques was remarkable," Yaoyorozu added, having already recovered her analytical composure. "Ashido, I noticed you varied the acid's molecular structure for different applications. And Midoriya, the spatial distortion effects..."
"YOUNG MIDORIYA!" All Might interrupted, his voice somehow even louder in the confined space. "While your control was impressive, perhaps we should discuss the safety implications of creating localized reality distortions during training exercises?"
Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, the armor flowing smoothly with the motion. "The barrier was completely contained, sir. I've spent months practicing to ensure no antimatter leaks beyond the designated area."
"He's actually underselling it," Mina chimed in, leaning against his armored shoulder. Where they touched, the antimatter created excited swirls of light. "You should have seen the early attempts. Now he can control the size down to the millimeter."
"Speaking of control," Iida joined them, having finally regained his equilibrium, "the experience inside that barrier was... unique. I've never felt such a complete negation of physical laws."
"Looked fucking hilarious though," Katsuki smirked, small explosions popping in his palms. "Especially when you tried to use your engines and just started spinning."
"NEXT MATCH!" All Might announced, drawing everyone's attention back to the monitors. "Young Bakugo and Young Kirishima as heroes versus..."
The antimatter in Izuku's suit pulsed with interest as he watched Katsuki's grin turn predatory. The explosive boy had been waiting for his chance to show off, and Izuku knew exactly what that look meant.
"This should be interesting," he murmured to Mina, who nodded in agreement. The channels in his armor shifted to create new patterns, responding to his anticipation.
"Ten bucks says Katsuki tries to outdo your entrance," she whispered back, watching as their childhood friend cracked his knuckles menacingly.
"No bet," Izuku chuckled, his modified voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Though I'd love to see him try to portal through..."
The antimatter in his suit created brief auroras of purple light as they settled in to watch the next match, his X-core pulsing gently with each breath. Around them, their classmates continued to steal glances at his costume, particularly when new patterns would form in response to his changing emotions.
"Hey, Midoriya," Kaminari spoke up suddenly, "quick question before the next match starts – that stuff with your quirk, is it actually, you know... dangerous?"
Izuku's eyes glowed mysteriously behind his mask. "Want to find out?"
The way Kaminari quickly backed away made several students laugh, though they all unconsciously gave Izuku's suit a slightly wider berth after that. The channels in his armor pulsed with quiet amusement, creating patterns that looked suspiciously like laughing stars.
"Hold up that pencil," Izuku said suddenly, pointing to the one Kaminari had been fidgeting with. The antimatter in his suit began to concentrate in his right hand, making the transparent channels glow more intensely.
"Uh..." Kaminari looked uncertain, but curiosity won out. He held up the pencil, trying to keep his hand steady. "Like this?"
"Perfect," Izuku replied, his modified voice carrying a hint of scientific enthusiasm. A tiny sphere of antimatter formed at his fingertip, no larger than a grain of sand but pulsing with cosmic power. The channels in his armor created flowing patterns down his arm, like rivers of starlight leading to that single point.
"You might want to hold it a little further out," Mina suggested, already grinning in anticipation. She'd seen this demonstration before.
The sphere shot forward with perfect precision, striking the pencil's center. For a split second, nothing seemed to happen. Then reality itself seemed to hiccup. The pencil didn't explode or disintegrate – it imploded, collapsing inward as space itself twisted around the point of impact. There was a brief flash of purple light, and then... nothing. No debris, no sound, just a pencil-shaped void in reality that quickly snapped closed.
Kaminari stared at his empty hand, mouth agape. "It just... where did it... what?"
"My quirk doesn't destroy things in the conventional sense," Izuku explained, the scientist in him emerging. The channels in his suit pulsed with enthusiasm as he spoke. "It erases them from reality itself. The reaction causes a localized collapse of space-time, effectively removing the object from existence."
"That's..." Kaminari swallowed hard, still staring at his hand. "That's terrifying."
"And fucking awesome," Katsuki added with a savage grin as he headed for the door. "Come on, Shitty Hair. Let's show these extras what real destruction looks like."
Kirishima followed, though he kept glancing back at Izuku with a mix of fear and admiration. "Remind me never to spar with you, man. That was both super manly and super scary."
As the next teams prepared for their match, Izuku noticed several of his classmates eyeing his suit's channels with newfound respect. The antimatter continued to flow through them in complex patterns, occasionally forming small galaxies of light where the energy concentrated.
"Was that really necessary?" Iida asked quietly, though he too was watching the suit's patterns with fascination.
"They needed to understand," Izuku replied, his eyes glowing softly behind his mask. "Better a pencil than learning the hard way in combat training."
-----------------------
The monitors flickered to life as Katsuki and Kirishima entered their assigned building. The exercise was about to begin, but several students were still stealing glances at Izuku's suit, particularly when the antimatter would pulse brighter in response to his interest in the upcoming match.
The monitors displayed Katsuki and Kirishima making their way through the building's ground floor. Katsuki moved with predatory grace, small explosions crackling in his palms like deadly fireworks. Their opponents – Sero and Tokoyami – had set up their defense on the third floor. Izuku had decided he'd help his classmates actually understand what's going on.
"Watch how Kacchan approaches this," Izuku commented to the class, his suit's channels pulsing with analytical interest. "He may seem reckless, but there's always a strategy."
As if proving his point, Katsuki suddenly stopped, holding up a hand to halt Kirishima. His crimson eyes narrowed as he spotted nearly invisible tape lines crossing the hallway – Sero's first trap.
"Amateur hour," Katsuki growled, his grin turning feral. Instead of avoiding the tape, he launched himself directly upward with a controlled explosion, blasting straight through the ceiling. The concrete crumbled as he emerged dramatically on the second floor, bypassing the entire trap system.
"DIRECT APPROACH!" All Might commented, though he seemed uncertain whether to praise or scold the property damage.
In the observation room, Izuku's antimatter created interested patterns as he watched his childhood friend's tactics. "He's not just showing off," he explained to their bewildered classmates. "By going through the ceiling, he's disrupting their planned defense routes. They'll have to readjust."
The cameras caught Tokoyami's surprised expression as Dark Shadow reported Katsuki's unexpected approach. The explosive hero-in-training burst through another section of ceiling, this time directly into the third floor corridor.
"Found you, Bird Brain!" Katsuki's voice carried through the speakers, followed by the distinctive sound of his explosions. The camera feed filled with smoke and flashes of light as he engaged Tokoyami directly.
Dark Shadow emerged from the chaos, trying to wrap around Katsuki, but the constant explosions created too much light for the quirk to maintain its full strength. Katsuki had clearly planned for this matchup.
"He's using the light from his explosions strategically," Izuku noted, his modified voice carrying professional interest. The X-core on his chest pulsed as he analyzed the fight. "Each blast is positioned to both attack and weaken Dark Shadow's effectiveness."
The battle was intense but brief. Katsuki's mobility and the light from his quirk proved too much for Tokoyami in the confined space. Within minutes, the capture tape was secured around the bird-headed student's arms.
"VILLAIN TOKOYAMI HAS BEEN CAPTURED!" All Might announced.
"Now watch Kirishima," Mina suggested, leaning against Izuku's armored shoulder. The antimatter swirled pleasantly where they touched. "He and Katsuki have been practicing combination moves."
On the monitors, Kirishima had used the distraction of Katsuki's fight to methodically work his way up the standard route, his hardened form easily breaking through Sero's tape barriers. The redhead moved with surprising tactical awareness, using his quirk's defensive capabilities to spring Sero's traps safely.
"He's improved his mobility," Izuku observed, watching Kirishima maneuver through the obstacles. The channels in his suit created analytical patterns, tracking the movement. "The training with Kacchan is showing."
Sero appeared at the end of the hallway, tape shooting from both elbows in an impressive display of coordination. But Kirishima had clearly anticipated this, his hardened form charging straight through the tape barrage while losing none of his momentum.
"Sorry, man!" Kirishima called out as he closed the distance. "But we've got a point to prove after Midoriya's show earlier!"
The close-quarters fight that followed was brief but impressive. Sero's mobility advantage was negated in the narrow hallway, and Kirishima's improved combat training showed as he methodically broke through his opponent's defense.
"VILLAIN SERO HAS BEEN CAPTURED! HERO TEAM WINS!" All Might's voice boomed through the speakers.
"Faster than our match," Mina noted, poking one of the brighter channels on Izuku's arm and watching the antimatter dance. "Though less physics-breaking."
"Give me a fucking break," Katsuki growled as he rejoined them in the observation room, though his grin betrayed his satisfaction. "We can't all erase shit from existence, nerd."
--------------
As the final match concluded, the class gathered back in the monitoring room. The afternoon light filtering through the windows caught on the flowing antimatter in Izuku's suit, creating ethereal patterns that danced across the walls. All Might stood before them, his signature smile somehow even brighter than usual.
"EXCELLENT WORK, YOUNG HEROES!" his voice boomed through the room, making several students wince. "Now, before we conclude today's training, who would you say was the MVP of these exercises?"
Yaoyorozu's hand rose first, but before she could speak, Katsuki interrupted.
"It's fucking obvious, isn't it?" he growled, small explosions popping in his palms. "Much as it pains me to admit it – it's Deku."
The antimatter in Izuku's suit pulsed with surprise, creating ripples of purple light through the transparent channels. The X-core on his chest brightened momentarily as all eyes turned to him.
"Bakugo is correct!" All Might nodded. "Young Midoriya, would you care to explain your team's strategy?"
Izuku stepped forward, his armor seeming to absorb the fluorescent lighting as he moved. "We identified three key factors," he began, his modified voice carrying clearly. "First, the element of surprise – using my quirk to bypass traditional entry points. Second, immediate target separation – isolating Iida with the distortion barrier while Mina engaged Yaoyorozu. And third, precise quirk application – controlling our powers to achieve victory without excessive damage to the facility or risk to our opponents."
"The coordination between you and Young Ashido was particularly impressive," All Might added. "Your quirks complemented each other perfectly!"
"That's because they've been training together for months," Katsuki interjected, rolling his eyes. "The nerd's obsession with precision rubbed off on Raccoon Eyes."
"Aw, Katsuki, almost sounds like you're proud of us," Mina teased, making small explosions pop from his palms in annoyance.
"DIE!"
"ADDITIONALLY!" All Might continued over their bickering, "Young Midoriya demonstrated excellent quirk control. While his power could have easily ended the match instantly, he chose to use it responsibly and within appropriate parameters."
The channels in Izuku's suit created modest patterns at the praise, the antimatter swirling in pleased but embarrassed formations. Near his core, the energy pulsed warmly.
"Though perhaps," All Might added with a slightly strained smile, "we should discuss the implications of reality-warping quirks in future training sessions. The support department's insurance adjusters are... particular about spatial anomalies."
"Sorry, sir," Izuku replied, though the glow of his eyes behind his mask suggested he wasn't entirely repentant. "Would you prefer I stick to regular matter erasure next time?"
"Young Midoriya, please do not make me explain to Principal Nezu why parts of the building have ceased to exist."
The class's laughter was interrupted by the end-of-day bell. As they began gathering their things, Izuku felt the antimatter in his suit settling into calmer patterns, the day's excitement wearing off. The channels still pulsed with gentle light, but the more dramatic formations had faded.
"Dude," Kaminari approached cautiously, still eyeing the suit's glowing sections. "That pencil thing earlier... that was just showing off, right? You can't actually erase people...?"
Izuku's eyes glowed mysteriously behind his mask. The antimatter in his suit created brief constellation patterns before settling again.
"Want another demonstration?"
The way Kaminari practically teleported across the room made Mina burst into giggles, leaning against Izuku's armored shoulder as they watched their classmate's hasty retreat.
"You're terrible," she said fondly, watching the antimatter dance beneath her touch.
"Says the one who spent our entire match dissolving through walls like a horror movie villain," he replied, his suit humming contentedly as they headed for the exit.
Behind them, they could hear their classmates still discussing the matches, particularly the implications of Izuku's quirk. Words like "cosmic horror" and "reality manipulation" floated through the air, making the antimatter in his suit pulse with quiet amusement.
It had been a good first day of combat training, all things considered. Even if the support department's insurance adjusters might disagree.
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As a bonus, heres a picture of izukus costume: Izukus Costume