Izuku Midoriya hated his luck. The first time he had taken a vacation since his debut as the Gold Legion, and it had ended in utter chaos.
For seven years, the world had not seen the once-beloved Hero Deku. To the public, Izuku Midoriya had disappeared after the war that reshaped Japan, vanishing like a whisper in the wind. No one knew where he had gone. No one knew what had happened to the young hero who had once been destined to become the Symbol of Peace.
But for Izuku, that battle had been everything.
The war had taken so much from them all. Friends lost, dreams shattered, scars that could never truly heal. And yet, they had won. The world had been saved. His friends had survived. His mother had survived. That was all he could have ever asked for.
Seeing his classmates rise, shaping themselves into great heroes, had filled Izuku with a happiness he had never imagined possible. He had been a part of their journey, even if only for a short time. And that was enough.
But for him?
His path had ended.
Even though his classmates had insisted he would always be part of Class 1-A, he had known the truth: once the last embers of One For All faded, he would be powerless. A relic of the past. A man who had given everything for hero society, only to be left behind by it.
So, he had accepted it.
When Principal Nezu had offered him a different future, an alternative path one that did not require him to fight Izuku had considered it. Being an educator sounded… right. He could help shape the next generation of heroes, guiding them just as All Might and Aizawa had guided him.
It would have been a good life.
Until he appeared.
A villain from China, one who sought to rule Japan's underground. A monster who had the power to back up his claims.
The battle had been unlike anything the heroes had faced since the war. Every Pro Hero in Japan had thrown everything they had at the villain, but it had not been enough. The country stood on the brink of destruction.
So Izuku had stepped in one last time.
His final UNITED STATES OF SMASH had shattered mountains, torn through the heavens, and sent the villain crashing into the earth, defeated.
The people of Japan celebrated his victory.
But Izuku could not.
Because that battle had made him realize a cruel truth.
This would happen again. Another villain would rise. Another disaster would come, not only for innocent people, but for his friends. For his loved ones.
And next time, he would not be able to stop it.
The thought of watching his friends die, standing helplessly on the sidelines… it nearly made him sick. He had barely managed to hide the growing fear, attending his final classes with his usual smile.
Then, the World Hero Organization had come to him.
And they had offered him something he had never thought possible.
A Quirk.
Not One For All. Not All For One. Something different. Something dangerous.
A sentient Quirk.
Three people had already died trying to claim it.
The Quirk was called Golden Wings the power of the first-generation Pro Hero, Skybright. A man so legendary that his very existence had shaped the foundation of modern hero society.
When Skybright had died, the world had lost a great hero.
But something had remained.
A single feather.
A feather that lived, glowing with an otherworldly radiance, turning into pure gold. Scientists had studied it for years, unable to understand its mysteries. And then the first subject had attached the feather to his back.
The moment he did, he screamed. His body convulsed, his veins burned gold, and as he collapsed to the floor, he spoke his final words:
"I am not worthy."
Two more had tried.
Two more had died.
The World Hero Organization had told Izuku everything. Every detail, every experiment, every horrifying moment. And in the end, it was up to him.
Would he bet his life for this power?
He had spoken to his mother. He had spoken to All Might.
As expected, the discussion had turned into yelling, crying, and desperate pleas for him to reconsider. But in the end, they had given him their support.
And so, he had decided.
The last few weeks before the experiment had been filled with laughter. The Class 1-A dorm had been alive once more, with the echoes of memories and friendships. He had spent time with everyone, ensuring that, if this was his last moment, it would be spent with the people he loved.
Then, before the operation, he had asked Ochako Uraraka out.
If she said yes, he would stay. He would be content with the life he had.
If she said no, he would walk into the unknown.
She had not given him an answer.
So he had moved forward.
And he had survived.
Now, seven years later…
Izuku flew above a ruined city, his golden wings stretching across the sky like divine light.
Beneath him, 500 golden warriors marched through the rubble, rescuing civilians and evacuating the wounded. Each one was forged from his feathers, living extensions of his will his Golden Legion.
His Quirk, now named Monarch of Gold, had three distinct abilities:
1. Summon – He could turn his feathers into warriors, an army that followed his command.
2. Forge – He could shape his feathers into weapons, armor, shields anything his imagination desired.
3. Bestow – He could sacrifice his feathers to grant himself temporary Quirks, adapting to any battle.
But Bestowal had a cost.
Each feather used meant sacrificing a soldier from his army. Each one of them had names, personalities, and loyalty that never wavered.
"Izuku still remembered when he had searched for a warrior he had first befriended, Shao, only to be told that Shao had sacrificed himself for Bestowal."
Izuku had cried for an entire day.
And now, his golden army fought beside him, even as the dragon-like villain Umak, the Dragon Emperor, roared across the battlefield.
Umak unleashed a torrent of fire, a blaze strong enough to reduce the city to ashes.
Izuku activated Bestowal, granting himself a fire-eating Quirk. He opened his mouth and devoured the flames, ensuring no more civilians would suffer.
Their battle was brutal blows exchanged, fists colliding, buildings shattering.
Umak swung his massive axe. Izuku Forged a golden shield, deflecting the strike, sending shockwaves through the sky.
Izuku Forged a blade in his hand, golden light gleaming.
"Sky Splitter."
The slash tore through the heavens, carving clouds in half.
Umak staggered, blood pouring from his chest. And yet, his laughter was joyous. He was enjoying this fight.
Izuku was not amused.
Back in Japan, at U.A. High, the faculty room was in chaos.
The Sports Festival had been their main concern until the international news broadcasted Gold Legion's battle.
The teachers watched in stunned silence.
Then
"C'MON, MY BOY! SHOW HIM WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF! KICK HIS ASS!"
Midnight (she survive the war) turned, wide-eyed. "Y-You knew who Gold Legion was this whole time?"
All Might, his eyes unwavering, nodded.
At Yaoyorozu's bar, the girls of Class 1-A were yelling, praying, and crying out loud, desperate for Izuku to stop the villain's rampage."