From the rooftop across the alley, Shin Karasuma sat crouched low behind a rusted water tank, his dark school bag resting beside him.
And now here he was, eyes sharp beneath the dusk sky, watching everything unfold.
The sludge villain.
All Might's arrival.
Midoriya clinging to the Number One Hero's leg with the kind of resolve that sent a chill up Shin's spine.
And then—all of it.
The rooftop conversation.
Shin didn't need to hear every word to understand. He could read body language like a second language. All Might's sudden stillness. Midoriya's stiff shoulders. The rising fire in the boy's eyes.
He said yes, Shin thought, lips twitching.
He let out a slow breath, laying back against the rooftop with one arm behind his head.
"Good for you, Izuku."
He meant it.
Truly.
Watching it happen—watching Midoriya change—was like watching fate melt into something new.
The boy he once pitied from afar wasn't the same anymore. Not since Shin had first spoken to him, not since he'd encouraged him to train, not since he'd shared stories of strength that didn't come from quirks.
And now—Midoriya stood on the cusp of something extraordinary.
Shin's eyes drifted to the orange clouds above.
This is where the story truly starts.
But it wasn't just Midoriya's story anymore.
It was his too.
Shin Karasuma—the reincarnator, the anomaly.
He felt it in his bones. He'd already changed the flow of events. And yet the core moments—the beating heart of the original tale—remained.
Midoriya still met All Might.
Still earned the torch.
Still chose to jump into danger, quirkless, for someone else.
Shin smiled faintly.
That meant the world wasn't so easy to break after all.
But it also meant…
His time was running short.
Soon, UA would open its gates. The real game would begin.
And he couldn't afford to be a shadow in someone else's spotlight forever.
He stood slowly, brushing off his pants.
The air crackled faintly around his fingers, a soft glow of lightning dancing across his skin before flickering out.
Strength hummed beneath the surface—contained, focused.
This was the world of heroes.
And he would be more than a spectator.
He would be ready.
******
The Day After the Sludge Incident – Lunchtime at Aldera Junior High
The classroom buzzed with energy. Word about the sludge villain attack had spread like wildfire, especially after the media picked up the footage. The group of four sat together near the windows, trays of food only half-touched, their attention fixed on the topic everyone was talking about.
Yuki slammed her juice box down on the desk. "Did you see the news?! I mean—Midoriya just jumped in! No hesitation, no quirk—just BAM! Straight into that monster!"
Toma blinked slowly, stirring his yogurt with a spoon. "Yeah. Kinda dumb… but kinda cool," he mumbled. "Bakugou's lucky someone was willing to be that reckless."
Shin leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His eyes were half-lidded in thought, but there was a glimmer of something deeper behind them. "It was reckless, yeah. But it was real hero stuff. That was all heart."
Shiro nodded slightly, setting down his chopsticks with care. "He moved before any of us would've processed what was happening. No power, just instinct."
Yuki grinned wide. "That's what I'm saying! Deku's a total maniac—but in the best way! He's always been this dorky, mumbly guy, but yesterday? Dude went full main character."
Shin chuckled softly. "He is one of us," he said with a bit of pride. "We've seen how hard he trains when no one's watching. Even without a quirk, he's always trying to catch up."
Toma stretched his arms behind his head, letting out a long yawn. "I mean, saving Bakugou of all people? That guy's all explosions and ego. I would've just called a hero and waited it out."
Yuki laughed. "Yeah, but Deku doesn't think like that. That's the thing—he couldn't just stand by."
There was a short pause. The sun filtered through the classroom windows, casting soft shadows across their table.
Shin broke the silence. "You guys think this'll change anything? Like, for him?"
Shiro glanced toward him, voice calm. "The public saw it. All Might was there too. Something like that doesn't just vanish. I think it already changed everything."
Yuki nodded, mouth full of rice. "Maybe they'll finally see he's got what it takes. About time."
Toma smirked. "Still gonna have to survive UA. If he thinks villains are scary, wait till he meets the entrance exam robots."
Shin smiled faintly, gazing out the window. "He'll pass. I'm sure of it."
Yuki leaned in, eyes gleaming. "You know what this means, right? The whole gang's going pro together! Hero school, here we come!"
Shiro gave a small, rare smile. "Chaos, caffeine, and combat training."
Toma sighed. "...I'm going to need more naps."
The four friends chuckled, their bond growing stronger through shared dreams and quiet admiration for the boy who had taken a reckless leap into danger and, in doing so, stepped closer to becoming a true hero.
******
Two Months Before the U.A. Entrance Exam
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over Musutafu. In a quiet park near the beach, Shin Karasuma crouched in the shadows of a tree, his breath steady and silent. His lightning-infused muscles barely made a sound as he shifted his weight to observe the training ground below.
There, across the clearing, was Izuku Midoriya.
The green-haired boy was panting, dirt streaked across his face, arms trembling from exhaustion. He lifted another piece of heavy debris and ran with it, pushing himself through a circuit of brutal tasks laid out by none other than All Might himself.
Shin's sharp eyes caught every movement.
Midoriya tripped once, twice—but he always got up. No complaints. No hesitation. Just pure, unfiltered drive.
"You're crazy, Deku…" Shin whispered to himself. "But maybe that's what it takes."
He didn't interfere. Didn't let Midoriya know he was there. This wasn't about stepping in—it was about recognizing a flame that burned the same way his own did.
---
The Next Day – Training with His Friends
"Alright!" Yuki clapped her hands together with enough energy to shake leaves from a nearby tree. "UA is in two months! So no more slacking!"
"Was I ever not slacking?" Toma asked lazily, already reclining against a bench, eyes half-closed.
"Exactly my point," Yuki shot back.
Shin stepped into the middle of the clearing, where the group had gathered. "Let's focus. Physical stamina, reaction time, and quirk control. We rotate every ten minutes."
Shiro nodded, already removing his jacket with quiet efficiency. "I'll start by monitoring time. I want to test my invisibility mid-sprint later."
"Nice," Yuki said, cracking her knuckles. "I'm gonna go full Boom Mode. Let's see if I can break the 20-meter sound wave today!"
Toma groaned. "Great. Another day of ringing ears."
They began training in earnest. Shin moved with precision—his movements sharper, faster, enhanced by his growing control over the fusion of his lightning and strength-type quirks. Electricity crackled faintly through his limbs as he ran, punched, dodged, and lifted weighted obstacles he'd set up himself.
Each session, he pushed harder—not to impress anyone, but to stay ahead. To keep his edge. Because Shin knew the U.A. exam wouldn't just test strength—it would test resolve, instinct, and heart.
And he wasn't the only one with something to prove.
---
That Evening – Alone Again
Shin stood on a rooftop, wind brushing his bangs back as he looked toward the coastline where Midoriya was still training.
"He's growing fast," Shin murmured. "Faster than I expected…"
He let his lightning dance along his fingertips before closing his hand into a fist.
"I can't let myself slow down—not even a step."
Because soon, everything would change.
And Shin Karasuma had no intention of being left behind.