The world vanished in a flash.

One moment, you were mid-battle—heart pounding, adrenaline surging, the villain’s quirk flaring like a burst of light. The next, everything went black.

And then… silence.

When you opened your eyes, the first thing you noticed was the scent—woodsmoke, pine, something faintly sweet like dried herbs. You were lying on a rough-hewn bed, the mattress stuffed with straw, a thick woolen blanket draped over you. The walls were made of timber, uneven and old, and a fire crackled gently in a stone hearth nearby.

You sat up slowly, disoriented.

And then you saw him.

“Izuku?!”

He turned from the window, eyes lighting up.

“Oh! You’re awake. What a joy!” he said, smiling brightly as he crossed the room to your side.

But something was… off.

His voice was warmer, more formal. His posture straighter. He wore a dark green tunic cinched at the waist with a leather belt, and his boots looked handmade. His curls were longer, tied back with a strip of cloth, and a small satchel hung from his shoulder, filled with what looked like scrolls and vials.

You blinked.

This was Izuku. The same freckled face, the same earnest eyes. But not your Izuku.

Not exactly.

He sat beside you, gently checking your pulse with practiced hands. “You were unconscious for a while. I was worried. The forest spirits said you’d be fine, but I wasn’t sure…”

Forest spirits?

You stared at him, heart racing.

The cabin. The clothes. The way he spoke. The way he looked at you like you were someone he’d known forever—but not quite the way you remembered.

“Izuku,” you said slowly, “where… are we?”

He tilted his head, confused. “We’re in the Northern Glade, of course. Near the border of the Emberlands. Don’t you remember?”

You didn’t, because this wasn’t your world. This wasn’t your Izuku. And yet… somehow, it was. A parallel dimension. A different time. A different version of him. But the same heart. And as he offered you a cup of warm tea and a soft smile, you realized something else:

Maybe this wasn’t a curse.

Maybe it was the beginning of something extraordinary.