Chapter 7: Breaking Limits

It had been ten months since Izuku first met the hero who would change his life forever. The winter snow was beginning to melt, giving way to the early signs of spring, which meant only one thing. The UA Entrance Exam was only a week away.

With the clock ticking, Izuku found himself in All Might’s private gym. The gym, purchased by the mighty hero’s personal funds, was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, ensuring that Izuku could train in privacy as he prepared for the U.A. Entrance Exam. This was especially crucial for the two so that people would not stumble upon their training on the beach, which Katsumi had criticized him for when Izuku shared his training schedule with the hot-headed girl. Realizing his blunder, All Might quickly commissioned a private gym to be built for them to use, which was incredibly convenient as the blistering winter months came and went.

Izuku was currently running an intense obstacle course designed to push his limits with One for All. The course was a series of grueling challenges: high walls to vault over, narrow beams to balance on, heavy weights to lift and carry, and sprinting sections that required both speed and agility. Each section demanded precision and control, forcing Izuku to carefully manage the 5% of One for All he had mastered. He already had a stellar time, in his master’s opinion, but to him, it wasn’t enough.

On the sidelines, Katsumi and All Might spectated closely. The tomboy leaned against a railing, her eyes sharp as she tracked Izuku's progress. All Might stood beside her in his true form. His arms crossed as he observed his young protégé.

"He's pushing himself," Katsumi remarked bluntly, but the hero could sense a note of concern in her voice.

All Might nodded, a slight smile on his face. "He is. Izuku's determination has always been one of his greatest strengths. He says there are things he needs to prove.”

“Bullshit,” Katsumi swore. “What he needs is not to kill himself before the exam.”

All Might hummed and asked, “If you were in his shoes, would you not do the same?”

The girl sighed, unable to shoot back. “...Whatever.”

‘They are very much alike. Quite the couple.’ Toshinori Yagi mused as he watched his companion hold her breath every time her boyfriend attempted a risky maneuver. He knew her heart was in the right place despite her biting words.

The hero chuckled as he recalled their first proper meeting after his protégé revealed the truth to her. The girl almost passed out when he offered a handshake in his “hero” form, not to mention how greedily she held onto the autograph she received on an old trading card. Even casually speaking to him as she did now was a learning process. Despite how she acts, she may be just as big of a superfan as Izuku is.

He leaned back and chuckled. “You've grown as well, haven’t you?”

Katsumi's cheeks tinged pink, and she quickly looked away. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, old man."

All Might laughed but didn't press further, watching as Izuku neared the end of the obstacle course. He vaulted over the final wall, sprinted the last stretch, and crossed the finish line with a new personal best time.

"Impressive, young Midoriya!" All Might called out, his voice filled with encouragement.

Izuku panted heavily, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. Despite his exhaustion, a smile of satisfaction spread across his face. "Thanks, All Might. I'm getting there."

Still slightly blushing, Katsumi stepped forward, her usual fiery spirit returning. "Alright, Deku. Now that you're warmed up let's spar. Let’s see if your playtime with the cat was worth anything."

Before Izuku could respond, Katsumi's phone rang, cutting through the moment. She glanced at the screen and groaned. "Fuck. It's my mom."

She answered the call, her expression quickly turning from irritation to frustration. "I know, I know! I'm on my way… I just lost track of time."

Hanging up, Katsumi swore under her breath. "Damn it, I have to get to my part-time job. The hags still have me helping with their stupid shows."

Izuku gave her an understanding smile. "Don't worry, Kacchan. Go on, I'll just do some more power training."

"I’ll kill you if you push yourself too hard." The blonde closed the gap and kissed her lover on the lips. She then added with a whisper, “The only thing you should be pushing is yourself into me. Got it, nerd.”

Izuku lit up like a red light. Ever since the two lost their virginities, the tomboy had really tested his stamina whenever they had enough alone time together. Part of the girl's desire to keep her part-time job, despite its annoyances, was so that she could afford the many love hotel stays she paid for. Izuku was getting worried when the two finally lived away from home. Hopefully, the dorm beds were built well.

Coughing, Izuku reciprocated the kiss and said his farewell. As Katsumi left the gym, Izuku was now alone again with his mentor. After some light teasing from the hero, the young man turned toward the gym machinery tailored toward strength-type quirks. Despite having One for All for nearly nine months, he could barely maintain 5% of its maximum strength. To him, this wasn’t enough. The students heading to UA have been honing their bodies and quirks for a lifetime more than him. If he wanted to be the hero he wanted to be, he couldn’t just coast on what he accomplished. No, he had to be the best.

He needed to break past his limits, something he kept telling himself as he lined up before the specialized punching bag. All Might stood nearby, watching his young protégé with pride and concern.

"Remember, young Midoriya, focus on maintaining control," All Might advised, his tone serious. "Don't push yourself too hard."

Izuku nodded, his face set with determination. "I understand, All Might. But I need to be ready for the exam."

All Might fought back any more words of concern. He knew they’d have little to no effect on his successor. Izuku had something to prove, something that he couldn’t stop.

With a deep breath, Izuku activated One for All, feeling the familiar surge of power coursing through his right arm. He focused on channeling the energy, pushing past his previous limits. Aiming his fist up in preparation to land the punch, he felt the flood of energy bubble and waver. As he strained, he felt the power rise within him, but something went wrong. Just as he began his straight jab, the power surged to 100%.

"Shit!" Izuku screamed as his arm exploded with energy, the **** shattering his bones and sending shockwaves through the gym. The specialized punching bag ruptured under the impact and flew across the gym as the full **** of One for All slammed into it. Izuku collapsed to the floor, clutching his broken arm, tears streaming down his face from the pain.

All Might rushed to his side, panic gripping him. "Young Midoriya! Stay with me!" He quickly pulled out his phone and called someone he knew quite dearly.

"Chiyo, it's Toshinori. We have an emergency. I need to bring Midoriya in immediately," All Might said, his voice tight and urgent. “Yes… My successor.”

After getting approval to bring Izuku in, All Might carefully helped him to his feet, supporting him as they made their way to his truck. "Hang on, son. We'll get you fixed up."

The drive was as long as it was tense, with All Might glancing worriedly at Izuku every few seconds. Despite the pain, Izuku tried to stay conscious, his mind racing with worry—not about his future with the exam but about what Katsumi would do to him if she found out about this blunder.

After what felt like an eternity, the truck stopped, and the worried hero helped the young man out of his worn-down truck. Izuku had wondered where they were going, and in between bouts of pain, he got his answer. A towering H-shaped building stood before him. His eyes grew wide. He was here. He was at UA University.

While Izuku wavered between excruciating pain and unbridled excitement, All Might rushed the young man into the infirmary, where his close confidant reigned supreme. Chiyo Shuzenji, better known as the world-renowned Youthful Heroine: Recovery Girl, was waiting for them, a rather severe expression on her face as she beheld the two approach. The chastising could wait. She had someone to treat first.

"I swear, you boys are always so reckless," Recovery Girl scolded after her healing kiss began to do its incredible work. Izuku could feel the pain recede almost immediately as exhaustion took its place. He had heard about Recovery Girl's incredible healing prowess, but to experience it firsthand was incredible. If only he had his notebook on him.

Once the healing had run its course, the elderly woman took her syringe cane and hit the number one hero with it. “When you informed me you finally found your successor, I expected to meet him sooner, not after he destroyed his own arm!”

“My apologies, Chiyo. Things happened, and…” Toshinori stopped himself from making an excuse and accepted his mistake.

Izuku was astounded. All Might may be his greatest Idol, but for her to make All Might act like this put Recovery Girl in a whole new light. He gulped, hoping he wouldn’t incur her possible wrath often.

He shivered when the elderly woman turned her attention back to him, yet instead of a wrathful glare, he was met with a motherly expression of concern. "You need to learn control, young man. This is no way to prepare for the exam."

Izuku frowned, knowing he brought this upon himself. "I'm sorry, Ma’am. I just wanted to be ready."

Recovery Girl sighed, her expression softening slightly. "I know, dear. But pushing yourself to this extent will only hinder your progress. You must learn and gradually extend your limits, not **** them."

All Might stood nearby, his expression somber. "She's right, Young Midoriya. You must learn to control One for All, not let it control you."

The mention of One for All caused Izuku to freeze. Looking between the two adults, he was worried that his mentor just let something incredible slip.

Catching on to his concern, Chiyo snorted. “I know all about your quirk situation. Who do you think healed this lug when he was breaking his bones in school.”

It suddenly made sense why All Might had brought him here instead of some normal hospital. Recovery Girl was more than a nurse. She was his mentor’s confidant, much like how Katsumi was his.

Izuku smiled, feeling a wave of gratitude for the support and guidance he was receiving. "That makes sense. Thank you, Ma’am. I promise I'll be more careful."

Recovery Girl finished her work, patting Izuku's good shoulder gently. "You have a great potential, young man. Just remember that power without control is dangerous. Take your time and train wisely."

As she turned to leave, she looked back at All Might, her eyes sharp. "And you, Toshinori, need to ensure he trains safely. We can't afford to have him injured like this again."

All Might nodded solemnly. "Yes, Chiyo. I'll make sure of it."

With his arm freshly healed and renewed determination, Izuku stood up from the infirmary bed, testing his newly mended arm. Recovery Girl’s words of caution still echoed in his mind, but he couldn’t help but feel excited when his mentor approached him with a proposal.

"Well, since we’re here. How about a sneak peek around the campus, Young Midoriya?" All Might offered with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Izuku's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? That would be amazing! Thank you, Yagi-Sensei!"

All Might laughed at how eager his ward was to simply see the campus. "Alright then, let's go. UA has a lot to offer, and I think you'll be quite inspired by what you see."

The two of them began their tour, starting from Chiyo’s infirmary and down the great halls of the main building of UA. While they walked, they passed many students heading to and from their varied courses, surely rushing as the school year was drawing to a close. Izuku felt dizzy from just how many people he saw with incredible quirks, his need to catalog and question each and every power growing with each person passed.

Toshinori adored this side of his successor. It showed that he had an inquisitive mind and wanted to learn about his future peers. Unfortunately, his ward was beginning to gain many odd looks as he muttered and mimed the act of writing in a notebook. As such, the pro hero ushered Izuku outside and toward the more secluded training grounds, where he could perhaps see a few students exercising their quirks freely.

While on their way, All Might pointed out various buildings and explained their purposes. UA had a wide collection of training facilities with names ranging from Beta to Omega, each with its own purpose and environment. On the campus proper, there were two main “Grounds,” Beta and Gamma, which focused on commercial and industrial environments, respectively. Other locations, such as the forested Ground Omega, were a bit off campus, where there was more than sufficient room. Other than the grounds, there were named gyms and fields that shared the same naming structure. One of which was the destination that All Might was leading his protégé.

Closing in on the location of Beta Field, All Might suddenly paused, a look of realization crossing his face. "Ah, that's right. Today is the day for the Recommended Student exam."

Izuku looked up at All Might, curiosity piqued. "Recommended Student exam? Really?"

All Might nodded, turning to Izuku with a grin. “That’s right. It’s a special exam for the few prospective students who receive recommendations from Pro Heroes or Alumni. The school gets quite a few of these, so they have a different entrance exam before the standard one to select only the best.”

“Huh, so I imagine there would be quite a few people recommended by their pro-hero families,” Izuku muttered, wondering if the idea ever crossed his girlfriend's mind having two pro-hero mothers. He shook his head at the thought. Knowing Katsumi, she wouldn’t want the ‘easy’ way in. And neither did he.

Seeing his successor not ask about him not getting a recommendation from the number one hero made him proud. Izuku Midoriya wanted to get in on his own merits, not because of a piece of paper with the hero's name on it.

Capturing Izuku’s attention with a cough, All Might pointed toward the direction of Field Beta. “Wanna see your potential classmates?”

Izuku eagerly agreed, and the two made their way to Field Beta. As they approached, they could hear an announcer describing the play-by-play of the supposed obstacle race that was underway. Izuku immediately recognized the glorious voice of Present Mic. How could he not when he listened to the Pro Hero’s radio show nearly every morning?

As the nerd geeked out, All Might dragged him toward the stands where they could find a seat and spectate the exam. Right off the bat, Izuku could tell just how intense the match was. Of the six men running the course, only two solidly fought for first place. One was a slender man with dual-colored hair using ice to carry him forward, while the other was a burly man with a shaved head with what seemed to be gale-**** winds propelling him toward victory. Whatever obstacles were on the course meant nothing to the two as they blew past them as if they didn’t exist. Izuku did note that the young man in third place was no slouch either, as he literally ‘swam’ through the same obstacles the leaders had overcome. Seemed like an odd power to use in an obstacle race, but it worked.

Back with the two competing for first place, the race was intense. Both aspiring heroes seemed to have a near mastery of their quirks with how much skill and control they were demonstrating. It was no wonder these were recommended students. Soon, the finish line was in sight, and though the ice-user had maintained a steady lead, the man with wind on his back narrowly stole the first-place finish, claiming the victory for himself.

Spectators consisting of parents, pros, and students roared in applause at the incredible finish. Present Mic, who was still on the coms, even commented on how the two broke the average time for the course by three minutes. There was no doubt the two had what it took to excel at UA. Yet while Izuku and All Might applauded the two on their performance, they watched as the wind-user spoke excitedly toward his competitor only to be brushed off. Although he couldn’t tell what was said, Izuku could sense that whatever it was had struck something in the winner of the race, whose expression had darkened as he walked away.

Izuku turned to his mentor, puzzled. “What was that about?”

All Might scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps a bit of a rivalry? Not uncommon to see, especially in a place like UA where everyone is striving to be the best they can be. I can tell that the wind-user seems particularly driven.”

“Maybe…” Something still didn’t sit right with the aspiring hero. “I’ll be right back!”

Before his mentor could respond, Izuku rushed down the stands and ran toward the direction that he saw the winner wander off to. It didn’t take long for the green-haired man to find his target, lurking around a water fountain. Just as Izuku thought, the man’s face was dark with frustration.

“Hey there! Great work in the race!” Izuku called out, reaching into himself to put out a friendly aura.

The man turned around, his expression filled with frustration. Despite that, the man charged up to Izuku and bowed deeply. "Hello there! Thank you for your support!”

Izuku blinked in surprise, feeling the intense energy radiating from him. "Uh, yeah, of course. I'm Izuku Midoriya. Nice to meet you. Your quirk is incredible!”

“Likewise.” The man raised his head and bowed again. “The name’s Inasa Yoarashi! Again, thank you for your kind words! I’ve trained quite hard to control my winds.”

“I can tell! The way you claimed first place from that other student was incredibly impressive.” Izuku smiled, then absentmindedly mimed writing in a notebook again. “Could you tell me a bit about it?”

At the mention of the ‘other student,’ Inasa’s face grew dark again. “Ah, I suppose. I’m glad someone here is interested in being friendly.”

Izuku quickly understood who he was referring to. “Did something happen out there?”

“Nah.” Inasa threw his arms behind his head and gave a disdainful look. “Just had a bit of a run-in with someone who doesn't seem to understand the spirit of being a hero."

Being from the outside, Izuku didn’t quite know what happened between the two to elicit such a response. He nodded, feeling a mix of empathy and curiosity. "I see. Still, you did pretty well regardless?"

Just before Inasa could respond, the field's PA system cracked to life. “Inasa Yoarashi, It’s time for your final interview. Please return to Field Beta.”

“Guess I gotta go.” Inasa sighed, then bowed deeply once more. “Thank you for your kind words, Midoriya.”

“It’s no problem. My exam is next week, so it was interesting to see someone as skilled as you compete.” Izuku gave him a thumbs-up and smiled. “I’m pretty pumped up now.”

“I see. I wish you luck on your exam, then.” Inasa nodded and turned away to rejoin his group.

Izuku felt that something was still off. "You too, Yoarashi! I hope we both get into UA and can become heroes together."

Inasa's eyes dimmed a bit. "Yeah, sure... Let's both do our best!"

The aspiring hero watched as the large man returned to the field and was escorted away. Still feeling unfulfilled, Izuku walked back toward the stands where All Might was waiting for him.

His mentor gave him a knowing grin. “Did you cheer him up?”

“I, uh…” Caught red-handed, Izuku could only sigh. “I’m not sure. He’s not acting like he just aced the exam.”

“I suppose not.” All Might mused. “I’ll keep an eye on him and that other boy too. He looks familiar… Anyways. Ready to continue your tour? There's still a lot to see.”

Izuku’s eyes lit up. “Absolutely, let-”

The buzzing of Izuku’s phone cut him off. He checked the caller ID. Kacchan. ‘Oh no.’

**********

AN: Howdy Howdy! We got a nice glimpse into UA and a sneak preview of a few students we may see in the future. We also got to see a bit of motivation for Izuku to figure out how to properly control OfA early. He hasn't figured out Full Cowling yet, so he's still only powering up certain parts of his body when he needs them. Hopefully, he can get it sorted sooner rather than later. Regardless, I'd say our boy is in a pretty good position going into the Entrance Exams compared to canon! He might even get a combat point! If Katsumi doesn't kill him before then... We'll just have to see next time when the Entrance Exam starts with a bang!

I figured I'd throw it out there, but Omakes are welcome! If you have a solid idea for the story and want to contribute to this tale we're writing, let me know!

As always, thank you all for reading, and be sure to check us out on my Discord for behind-the-scenes looks at all my writing. Lastly, a special thanks to Zephyr0F8 for beta-ing this chapter!