Chapter Text
Three days had passed since the USJ attack. The school had been closed while investigations were conducted, statements taken, and security measures reviewed. Every student and teacher who had been present gave their account of what had happened that day.
But there was one statement that required special attention.
Izuku had promised Aizawa that he would explain everything—how he'd done what he did, what his abilities truly were. And now, sitting in the UA conference room, that promise had come due.
Present in the room were: All Might, Principal Nezu, Aizawa, Present Mic, Midnight, Recovery Girl, and Detective Tsukauchi. Across from them sat Izuku and his mother, Inko.
The atmosphere was tense, heavy with unspoken questions.
Before Izuku could say a word, Principal Nezu stood up. Then, one by one, every teacher in the room rose to their feet.
And bowed.
"We are deeply sorry," Nezu said, his voice carrying genuine remorse, "for our failure in protecting you and your classmates."
Izuku's eyes went wide, and he immediately started stammering, waving his hands frantically. "W-what?! No, no, no! It's okay! You don't need to—"
"No, Midoriya," Aizawa cut him off, his voice firm. "It's not okay. We are pro heroes. Your safety is our top priority. We should have been better." His expression hardened with determination. "No—we need to be better. And from here on out, we will strive to improve and make UA safe for everyone."
There was a moment of silence, then Izuku and Inko both stood and bowed deeply in return.
"Thank you," they said in unison, their voices thick with emotion.
Once everyone had settled back into their seats, Principal Nezu cleared his throat. "Now then, Young Midoriya. It has come to our attention that your abilities are... a little more than what they seem. I hope you can expand on that for us."
"Yes," Aizawa leaned forward, his intense gaze fixed on Izuku. "You gave me something that healed me far better than any quirk could have, and at an incredibly fast pace. What was it?"
"Please, I must know!" Recovery Girl added, her professional curiosity clearly piqued. "Whatever you gave Shota was remarkably effective. I've never seen healing like that outside of my own quirk."
Izuku looked at his mother. She met his eyes and nodded encouragingly.
Taking a deep breath, Izuku turned back to face the assembled teachers. "I know this is going to be hard to believe, but first..." He gestured to his mother.
Inko stood up, pulling out a stack of papers from her bag. "Before anything is said, I would like everyone present—all UA staff and the detective—to sign this NDA. Whatever is said here today stays here. No exceptions."
The room immediately erupted in whispers.
Nezu raised his paw, and the whispering ceased. A smile played at his lips. "Of course. It must be very secretive if you need to go this far, Miss Midoriya."
"It is," Inko said, her voice steady despite the nervousness in her eyes. "This is mostly for my son's and my own safety. Because if this gets out... we don't know who might come after us."
The gravity in her words silenced any further questions. One by one, each person in the room signed the non-disclosure agreement. Detective Tsukauchi reviewed each signature carefully before nodding to Inko.
With all the paperwork signed and collected, Izuku stood up. He bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly. "I apologize for lying about my power."
Several staff members raised their eyebrows. Why would he feel like he was lying?
Izuku straightened, meeting their eyes. "You see, my power... my quirk... isn't really a quirk. It's—" He took a breath. "It's magic."
The room fell completely silent.
You could have heard a pin drop.
"Now, now, Young Midoriya," All Might said carefully, his tone gentle but skeptical. "You don't really expect us to believe your power is that of magic, do you?"
"True."
Every staff member's head snapped toward Detective Tsukauchi, who had spoken the single word with absolute certainty.
"Naomasa, wait—are you sure?" Aizawa demanded, sitting up straighter.
"Yes," the detective replied calmly. "You all know how my quirk works. What he just said is the truth. He's not lying—his power genuinely is magic."
The room exploded with gasps and whispers. Several teachers started talking over each other, their voices rising in disbelief and shock.
Nezu simply sat there, a gleam in his eyes like a new puzzle piece had just dropped into his lap—one that made the entire picture far more interesting.
Aizawa rubbed his temples, muttering under his breath, "Not just a problem child... a super mega problem child..."
Present Mic and Midnight couldn't help but chuckle at Aizawa's reaction to his favorite student.
"Order, please!" Nezu's voice cut through the chaos. He cleared his throat, and everyone settled down, though the tension in the room had shifted from concern to intense curiosity.
"I have to say, young man," Nezu continued, his smile widening, "that is truly intriguing. Can you explain how you were able to achieve magic in place of a quirk? In all my years of research, I've never encountered anything quite like this."
Izuku nodded slowly, gathering his thoughts. This was it—the truth he'd kept hidden for so long.
"It all started when I was twelve years old," he began, his voice quiet but steady. "I was running from some bullies—"
He deliberately left out that Bakugo had been one of them.
"—and I ran into the woods near my neighborhood. I just... I needed to get away, you know? I kept running deeper and deeper, not paying attention to where I was going, until I stumbled upon this cave. It was hidden behind overgrown vines and brush—I probably never would have found it if I hadn't been so desperate."
Izuku's hands gripped the edge of the table. "I went inside to hide, thinking I'd wait until they gave up looking for me. But as I went deeper into the cave, I... I fell. Through something that looked like shimmering air." His eyes grew distant with the memory. "It felt like falling through colors, and then suddenly I was somewhere else entirely."
"Another dimension?" Nezu leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with intense curiosity.
"A different world," Izuku confirmed. "Where magic is real. Where the air itself felt alive with energy." He took a breath. "And that's where I met them. Four dragons—Igneel, Mardraconus, Tio, and Araba."
The room erupted in shocked whispers. Even Tsukauchi's eyes widened, though his quirk confirmed Izuku was telling the truth.
"Dragons?" Midnight repeated, stunned.
"Real dragons," Izuku nodded. "Each one was massive, the size of a house. Igneel was red with flames, Mardraconus was blue like the ocean, Tio was green with feathers instead of scales, and Araba was brown and solid as a mountain."
He looked down at his hands. "I was terrified at first. I fell to my knees and apologized for trespassing. But they... they didn't hurt me. They asked me questions. How I found the portal. Why I was running." His voice grew softer. "And I told them everything. About being quirkless. About wanting to be a hero anyway. About how everyone said I couldn't, that I was worthless, that I should just give up."
Inko reached over and squeezed his hand, her eyes glistening with tears.
"They listened to all of it," Izuku continued, his voice thick with emotion. "And when I was done, Igneel said something I'll never forget. He said: 'How can a world so full of power be so blind? To turn away a heart like yours... it is wrong.'"
Aizawa's expression softened, and even All Might looked deeply moved.
"They offered to teach me," Izuku said. "To help me find the strength I needed—not to prove others wrong, but to fulfill my own heart. They said I wasn't weak. I wasn't broken. I wasn't alone. That I was worthy of every dream I held."
He wiped at his eyes quickly. "I didn't know what to say. No one had ever... no one had ever said anything like that to me before. So I asked them to teach me. And they said yes."
Recovery Girl dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Present Mic looked like he might start crying too.
"Before I left that first day," Izuku continued, "Tio—the wind dragon—gave me a gift. She placed a mark on my palm that would let me return whenever I wanted. All I had to do was say the word 'Apparate' and I'd be transported back to their world."
"For two years," Izuku's voice grew stronger, "I trained with them. Araba taught me physical conditioning—making my body strong enough to handle magic. He said magic takes strength, stamina, and a solid core. That if my mana ever ran dry, a strong body would be my backup."
Aizawa nodded approvingly at that logic.
"Time flows differently there," Izuku explained. "One hour in our world equals about a week in theirs. So I could train for weeks and only be gone for an hour or two here. My mom thought I was just out studying heroes or training on my own."
He glanced at his mother apologetically. "I kept it secret because I was afraid. Afraid she'd worry, afraid she'd stop me from going, afraid I'd lose my one chance to become something more."
"But when I turned fourteen," Inko spoke up, her voice gentle, "Izuku finally told me the truth. And I... I asked to meet them. To see this world that had given my son so much hope."
She smiled through her tears. "The moment I saw them—these magnificent, powerful beings treating my quirkless son like family—I understood. Igneel teased him like a big brother. Araba watched over him like a stern father. Mardraconus and Tio fussed over him like worried mothers." She laughed softly. "He was loved there. Truly loved. And he was happy."
"I started visiting with him after that," Inko continued. "I'd sit with Mardraconus and Tio by the river while Izuku trained. I watched him spar with Igneel, argue with Araba, grow stronger and more confident every day." Her voice cracked. "For the first time since that doctor told us he was quirkless, I saw real hope in my son's eyes."
Izuku took over again. "They taught me everything. Magic theory, mana control, spell casting, combat techniques. Igneel specialized in fire magic and close combat. Mardraconus taught me water and healing magic—that's what I gave you, Aizawa-sensei. A healing potion made with her techniques."
Aizawa's eyes widened in understanding.
"Tio taught me wind magic and mobility," Izuku continued. "And Araba taught me earth magic and defensive techniques." He paused, his hand instinctively going to where his sword rested. "But I wasn't just learning magic. The dragons introduced me to someone else—a master swordsman named Alibaba."
All Might leaned forward with interest.
"Alibaba taught me swordsmanship," Izuku explained. "How to fight with a blade, how to move, how to read an opponent. The dragons said that magic alone wouldn't be enough—that I needed to master physical combat as well. So while I trained with the dragons in magic, Alibaba drilled sword techniques into me until they became second nature."
He looked down at his hands, remembering countless hours of practice. "He was strict, demanding, but fair. He taught me that the sword was an extension of myself, that every movement had to be precise and intentional. That's why during the USJ attack, I was able to channel my ice magic through my blade—it was a combination of everything they taught me."
"They didn't just teach me how to use magic or fight—they taught me to believe in myself. To see worth in who I am, not what power I was born with."
He looked around the room at all the pro heroes watching him. "The portal started closing when I was fourteen. The dragons said it was time for their world and ours to separate again, that the connection was never meant to be permanent. They had maybe a year before it would seal completely."
"So they worked with me every day," Izuku said. "Teaching me as much as they could before time ran out. And then, two weeks ago, the portal was set to close for good." His hand went to his belt where the grimoire rested. "On that last day, Araba gave me this grimoire. He said it contained all their knowledge, all their teachings, everything they wanted me to remember."
He pulled out the leather-bound tome, placing it on the table. "But it wasn't just a book. Inside the grimoire was... is... Ultear."
At the mention of her name, a soft glow emanated from the grimoire, and Ultear's translucent form appeared above it, making several teachers jump in their seats.
"Greetings," Ultear said with a graceful bow. "I am Ultear, the spirit bound to this grimoire and young master Izuku's magical guide."
The room fell completely silent, everyone staring at the magical being that had just manifested before their eyes.
"The grimoire unlocked for me on my second day at UA," Izuku explained. "That's when I first heard Ultear's voice, when I could finally access all the knowledge the dragons had left for me. She's been teaching me, guiding me, helping me master the magic I learned."
He looked at each teacher in turn. "That's the truth. I'm not quirkless—I never was. I just... I have something different. Something this world doesn't recognize or understand. But it's real, it's mine, and I've worked harder for it than anything else in my life."
The silence stretched on as everyone processed what they'd just heard. Detective Tsukauchi finally spoke up: "Every word he's said is true. The dragons, the other world, the training, all of it. I've never encountered anything like this in my entire career, but... it's real."
Principal Nezu sat back in his chair, a wide smile spreading across his face. "My dear boy," he said, his voice filled with wonder, "you may just be the most fascinating student UA has ever had the privilege of teaching."
Izuku looked back at the assembled teachers. "If... if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them."
Nezu was the first to speak, his paw raised. "I have what I believe is one of the most important questions." His eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Can magic be taught to other people? With your approval, of course, Young Midoriya."
Izuku turned to Ultear, who smiled gently but answered truthfully. "I'm sorry to say, but no. In this world, certain requirements need to be met to be able to use magic."
She held up a finger. "First: to use magic, one must have mana within their body. Young master found a portal to the dragon realm where magic is vast and widespread. He spent time there, absorbing mana into his body through training and simply existing in that environment. Seeing as there isn't any mana present in this world, those on the outside cannot learn magic the way he did."
"The reason master can replenish his mana supply," Ultear continued, "is because he is linked to that source. Even with the portal closed, it channels through me—through our connection via the grimoire."
"Second," she held up another finger, "people with quirks will not truly be able to use magic."
Nezu's eyebrow raised. "And why is that?"
Ultear conjured a translucent image of an empty glass in the air. "Let us say this glass represents Izuku. As you can see, it is empty—no quirk factor. But the moment he entered the dragon realm and started to train, it began to fill with mana." The glass in the illusion began filling with glowing blue liquid.
Then she conjured a second glass, already full. "Now, this glass represents a person with a quirk. As you can see, it's already full—the quirk factor occupies that space. Now, if you were to add mana to this glass..." She tilted a pitcher of glowing liquid toward the full glass.
The realization dawned on every teacher's and officer's face simultaneously.
"The glass would overflow," Aizawa said quietly. "Unable to contain both the quirk factor and mana."
"Precisely," Ultear confirmed. "The human body can only hold so much. A quirk already fills that capacity. Adding mana would cause... catastrophic results."
"Interesting," Nezu said, his analytical mind already working through the implications. "So unless someone is quirkless and able to enter the magic realm, those with quirks—even if they somehow entered the dragon realm—would not be able to use magic safely."
"That is correct, Mr. Nezu."
"Oh, that's a shame," Nezu sighed. "That would have been a great help to our students' development."
Ultear chuckled, a knowing smile on her face. "I didn't say that was the only way."
Izuku and Inko both sighed in unison, recognizing Ultear's tendency to be theatrical.
"There is a third option," Ultear said with a grin. "Runes."
"Runes?" multiple voices echoed.
"Yes. Magic writing—a way to infuse magic into items." Ultear's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Nezu and Aizawa both sat up straighter, paying rapt attention.
"For example," Ultear turned to Izuku, "Master, do you have your drawing paper and quill?"
"Yes, I do," Izuku said, pulling out a blank sheet of paper and a special pen from his bag.
"Good. Follow my commands."
As Izuku followed her instructions, he began writing symbols in a language no one in the room had ever seen before—flowing, intricate characters that seemed to shimmer as they were written. When he finished, Ultear spoke again.
"Now, master, share some of your mana with that paper."
Izuku placed his hand on the paper, and a soft blue glow emanated from his palm. The paper absorbed the light, glowing brightly for a moment before the glow faded. When it was done, the paper looked... completely normal.
Many in the room exchanged skeptical glances, clearly believing whatever Midoriya was trying to demonstrate had failed.
But Ultear smiled, seeing the doubt in their eyes. "All Might, sir," she addressed the Symbol of Peace directly. "You are Toshinori Yagi, correct?"
All Might nearly choked, several teachers gasping at the casual revelation of his identity. He stood up slowly. "Y-yes. Yes, I am."
"Please take that paper," Ultear gestured to the sheet in front of Izuku, "and try to rip it."
The teachers and All Might looked puzzled at the request. Ripping a piece of paper—anyone could do that. But when All Might picked up the paper and tried to tear it, nothing happened. He pulled harder. Still nothing. His eyebrows furrowed, and he began applying more force—far more than should be necessary for paper.
The paper didn't even crease.
"Oh my," Nezu breathed, his analytical mind racing with possibilities.
All Might, now genuinely straining, tried one more time with considerably more power. The paper remained perfectly intact.
"Fascinating!" Nezu practically vibrated with excitement. "If you could imbue runes into student gear, hero suits, support equipment..." His mind was already cataloging dozens of applications.
"Not only that," Ultear added, "but you can regulate the magical effects in items as well. Strengthening, protection, enhanced durability, temperature resistance, even healing properties can be woven into fabric, metal, or any material capable of holding the runes."
She gestured to the paper still in All Might's hand. "That simple sheet of paper now has the durability of reinforced steel, and it will maintain that property for approximately one month before the mana dissipates and needs to be recharged."
Recovery Girl leaned forward. "Could these runes be applied to medical equipment? Bandages? Surgical tools?"
"Yes," Ultear confirmed. "Though the more complex the effect, the more intricate the runes, and the more mana required to activate and maintain them."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "The protection you put on me during the attack—that was runes?"
"No," Izuku shook his head. "That was a rushed spell I cast to help you survive. Runes take time to inscribe properly and need the right materials. In the middle of combat, I didn't have time for that, so I used a direct protective spell instead."
"Young Midoriya," Nezu's voice was filled with barely contained excitement, "would you be willing to work with our support department? The applications for hero work alone are extraordinary, but the potential for rescue operations, disaster relief, medical advancements..."
"I... I'd be happy to help however I can," Izuku said, a bit overwhelmed by the enthusiasm.
Present Mic, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. "So let me get this straight—little listener here has been training with DRAGONS, can use MAGIC, and can make INDESTRUCTIBLE PAPER?!"
"When you put it like that," Izuku rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "it does sound kind of crazy..."
"Kind of?!" Mic laughed. "Dude, you're like something out of a fantasy novel!"
Despite the tension, several people chuckled at that.
Recovery Girl, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "Young man, would it be possible for you to show me how to make that potion of yours? The one you gave to Aizawa?" Her eyes were serious behind her visor. "That would be a tremendous help in healing and fixing up students in the hero course—all years, really. If I could learn to make even a basic version..."
"Yes, of course, Recovery Girl," Izuku said with a genuine smile. "I'd be happy to teach you. Mardraconus's healing techniques can be adapted for potion-making. It might take some time, but I'm sure we can work something out."
Recovery Girl nodded, satisfied. "Good, good. We'll schedule something soon, then."
Nezu cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Well, I believe that wraps things up for today." He stood and bowed once more. "Thank you, Miss Midoriya, Young Midoriya, and Miss Ultear, for clearing everything up and explaining it in a way we could understand. This has been... enlightening."
The other teachers stood and bowed as well, showing their respect and gratitude.
Ultear smiled and bowed in return before fading back into the grimoire. Izuku and Inko both stood, bowing deeply.
"Thank you for listening," Inko said, her voice thick with emotion. "And for accepting my son for who he is."
"Thank you for trusting us with the truth," Nezu replied warmly.
After the long day, Izuku and his mother finally made their way home. The weight that had been on Izuku's shoulders for so long felt lighter now. The truth was out—at least to those who mattered most at UA.
Back in the principal's office, Nezu stood at his window, gazing out over the UA campus as the sun began to set. All Might and Aizawa stood behind him, the three of them processing everything they'd learned.
"Izuku Midoriya," Nezu said softly, his reflection visible in the glass, "you might be the greatest puzzle and the greatest thing to happen to this hero world in a very long time."
All Might nodded, his expression thoughtful. "A quirkless boy who refused to give up, found magic, trained with dragons, and now stands among heroes. His story alone could inspire millions."
"He's going to change everything," Aizawa added, his voice quiet but certain. "The way we think about power, about what makes a hero, about what's possible. That kid... he's going to turn this world upside down."
Nezu smiled, that gleam of excitement still in his eyes. "Indeed. And I, for one, cannot wait to see how his story unfolds."
The three educators stood in comfortable silence, watching as the last rays of sunlight painted the sky in shades of orange and gold.
UA had weathered many storms and welcomed many remarkable students over the years. But something told them that Izuku Midoriya would be remembered as one of the most extraordinary of them all.
The real question was: what would come next?