Dimensional Watch: Hero Chapter 2 Metro City (Patreon)

In a modern city that stretched wide and far, steel and glass rose toward the sky in disciplined rows. Corporate towers reflected the afternoon sun in sharp angles. Elevated trains roared overhead, metal wheels grinding across tracks as they cut between districts. Sidewalks were crowded with office workers, tourists, delivery drivers, and street performers. Food vendors shouted out orders beside luxury storefronts displaying watches, suits, and designer shoes behind spotless glass.

But beneath the shine, tension lingered.

Graffiti crawled across brick walls, marking gang territories in bright colors and coded symbols. Security cameras turned slowly at intersections. Down certain streets, abandoned warehouses stood with cracked windows and chained doors. The faint sound of shouting and impacts echoed from somewhere unseen.

Then in a narrow back alley, the air distorted. A ripple formed above an open dumpster. Blue light burst outward and a fourteen-year-old boy fell straight through.

“WAAAAAAAA—!” Izuku Midoriya yelled as he dropped from the portal with no control, arms flailing as gravity seized him.

He then landed inside the dumpster with a wet crash. Trash bags burst under his weight. Old newspapers and food wrappers exploded upward. Something sticky smeared across his blazer. A half-empty soda cup splashed across his face. “Ow—! Ugh—!”

The portal then snapped shut above him and silence returned to the alley.

Izuku groaned as he pushed himself upright. He was wedged between broken cardboard and plastic containers. His black school uniform was stained and reeking. He blinked rapidly, rubbing his eyes to remove the soda. As he got up and stared around him, he quickly noticed that he wasn’t where he was originally. “Th-This isn’t Aldera.”

The alley walls were covered in English graffiti. A fire escape ladder clung to the brick side of a tall building. The distant rumble of traffic echoed beyond the alley entrance. The air smelled like oil, grease, and city heat.

Izuku’s breathing quickened. “This might not even be in Japan!” His heart quickly began pounding again, until he remembered what took him here. “D-Dimensional Watch! What did you do?! Where am I?! Take me back!”

The device on his wrist glowed softly and the feminine AI spoke. “Transfer complete. System diagnostics: fully operational. No damage detected.”

Izuku’s eye twitched. “That’s not what I asked!”

“Clarifying,” The AI responded calmly. “Returning to the previous world is currently impossible. The Watch requires recharge time after dimensional transit. As stated in the procedures, the Master must remain in the current world for an unspecified number of days.”

“Days?!” Izuku’s voice cracked. “You said thirty minutes would pass back home!”

“Correct. The temporal displacement ratio remains active.”

“That doesn’t help me!” Izuku tried to climb out of the dumpster and slipped, grabbing the edge with trembling hands. He hauled himself over and dropped onto the pavement with a thud.

He looked around again, more carefully this time. He could hear sirens somewhere far away. A man shouted angrily in English but somehow even if he wasn’t fluent in the language he was starting to understand it. Then a truck’s engine roared past at the end of the alley.

“This is bad. This is really bad. I could be anywhere. I don’t even know what country this is. What if I can’t understand anyone? What if this world doesn’t even have heroes? What if it has villains and they’re stronger?”

“The language barrier will not be an issue,” the AI replied. “The Dimensional Watch possesses a multilingual translator. All spoken language will be automatically interpreted.”

Izuku paused as he heard a bit of good news. “…Wait. Really?”

“Yes. Additionally, I will continuously be monitoring your physical condition and for environmental threats. You are not alone, Master.” The steady tone cut through his spiraling thoughts.

“I am not alone.” Izuku said as he swallowed, realizing that he wouldn’t have his mother for the first time in his life. His hands were shaking, but slightly he found some bit of courage. “…You don’t even know where we are?”

“Negative. This was a randomized jump. Identification of the current world must be conducted through observation and investigation of the master, which of course, I will assist. Also something for you to know is that we can speak mentally so there is no need to speak out loud and make people think you're crazy.”

Izuku rubbed his face, smearing grime across his cheek. “Great. So I’m in a completely unknown world. Possibly dangerous. Possibly violent. Possibly—” A loud metallic crash echoed from somewhere beyond the alley.

Izuku stiffened instantly.

“Alert,” The AI said. “Elevated adrenaline detected.”

“I know that!” He peeked toward the alley entrance. People walked past casually on the sidewalk. But no one seemed alarmed. “…Okay,” Izuku whispered to himself. “Okay. Panicking won’t help.” He forced himself to breathe in. And out. ‘I wanted to prove I could be a hero.’ The words from earlier returned. ‘Then I should act like one.’

He straightened slightly, though trash clung to his blazer and his knees felt weak. “Fine,” he muttered. “We’ll investigate.” He stepped cautiously toward the alley exit. Each step felt heavier than the last.

He wasn’t in Musutafu anymore. He wasn’t in Japan. He wasn’t even in his own world. But he was still standing.

—----------------------------------------

Metro City swallowed him whole the moment he stepped out of the alley. Cars roared past in tight lanes. A bus hissed as its doors folded open. A man in a business suit argued loudly into a phone. Two teenagers shoved each other playfully near a storefront. A police cruiser rolled slowly down the street, lights off, engine steady.

Izuku walked along the sidewalk stiffly, trying not to bump into anyone. And then he quickly noticed it. No one had glowing skin. No one had animal features. No extra limbs. No floating objects. No bursts of flame. No one bending metal or summoning  the wind.

Everyone looked… normal. Two arms. Two legs. Ordinary skin tones. Ordinary faces. His eyes widened as he scanned the crowd again, faster this time. ‘No heteromorph types. No emitter quirks. No transformation quirks.’

A woman adjusted her sunglasses. A construction worker wiped sweat from his forehead. A child tugged at his mother’s sleeve. Nothing unusual.

Izuku slowed his steps. “…They’re all… quirkless.” His heart began to race but not from fear, from disbelief. ‘This has to be a world before quirks manifested.’

The architecture felt slightly older. The vehicles looked less advanced than what he was used to. The billboards displayed brands he didn’t recognize. He scanned for hero advertisements out of habit. But there were none. No giant hero rankings. No flashy costume sponsorships. No pro-hero agencies on every block. 

Izuku’s chest tightened. ‘Is this what society looked like before powers?’ He wanted to ask someone, anyone. ‘Where am I? What year is this? Are there heroes here?’ But the moment he made eye contact with a passerby, they quickly looked away.

A woman wrinkled her nose as she walked past him. A man muttered, “Kid smells awful,” under his breath.

Izuku flushed red and glanced down at his stained uniform. “…Right. I smell like a dumpster.” He sighed, with his shoulders drooping. But still that didn’t stop him from looking around with quiet wonder.

For the first time in his life he wasn’t different. No one here had powers. No one stood out because of glowing hands or mutations. He blended in, he was just another person in a crowd. A strange warmth spread through him. “…It’s nice,” He whispered.

‘Clarify,’ The AI responded.

Izuku blinked. “Huh?”

‘You appear emotionally elevated whenever you see other humans as if expecting something unusual. However, all surrounding humans appear physiologically similar to you. Please explain.’

“Oh. Right.” He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘You’re not from my world.’ He took a deep breath, to explain the heavy topic. ‘In my world, about eighty percent of the global population has something called a Quirk. It’s a special ability that allows humans to  do superhuman stuff like breathe and control fire, ice, explosions. Shapeshift into animals, super strength or anything, really.’ He swallowed. ‘The other twenty percent are called Quirkless.’

‘Which I assume you are, correct?’ The AI stated.

‘…I am.’

‘The percentage imbalance suggests evolutionary divergence,’ The AI continued. ‘However, my scan of your genetic structure reveals no abnormalities. No dormant mutation. No suppressed trait.’

Hearing this caused Izuku’s stomach to sink. ‘…Even alien technology can’t find anything, huh.’

The AI paused for half a second. ‘Your emotional levels have dropped significantly. Please clarify the cause.’

Izuku stared at the pavement as people walked around him, giving him space. ‘Being quirkless… isn’t exactly great where I come from,’ He said quietly. ‘When most of the world has powers and you don’t… you stand out, in a bad way.’ He clenched his hands. ‘I got bullied. A lot. And not just by random people.’ His throat then tightened. ‘And if you don’t have powers, you can’t be a Pro Hero. Not really. Heroes fight villains. Villains have quirks. So if you’re powerless…” He forced the words out. “You can’t compete.”

A group of office workers brushed past him. One glanced at him, seeing him crying quietly and frowned in confusion.

The AI responded immediately. ‘That statement is illogical.’

Izuku blinked. ‘…What?’

‘From my database, the classification ‘hero’ refers to an individual who acts to protect others at personal risk. Powers are not a requirement.’

‘That’s not how it works in my world,’ Izuku thought weakly. ‘Heroism is a licensed profession. Agencies. Rankings. Media. Sponsorships. Combat against superpowered criminals. You can’t just walk in without an ability.’

‘Correction,’ The AI said. ‘You are currently in possession of the Dimensional Watch.’

This caused Izuku to stop walking as he wondered what the AI meant. Pedestrians nearly bumped into him before adjusting their path.

‘You are now capable of traversing worlds,’ The AI continued. ‘You possess access to multidimensional relocation. By your world’s definition, that qualifies as a Quirk, does it not?’

Izuku’s eyes widened slowly. “I… what?”

‘You are the master of the Dimensional Watch. And its power is yours to command, along with my assistance.’

His breath caught.

‘No one else in your previous world should possess this capability and removing the watch is currently impossible.’

“That’s— but that’s not.”

“Conclusion,” The AI said steadily. “You are not powerless. Therefore, your aspiration to become a hero is not invalid.”

The words hit him harder than any explosion. He hadn’t realized he’d stopped breathing.

“The watch is yours and you are now capable of traversing worlds,” The AI repeated. “By your own societal standards, you are no longer quirkless.”

Something inside him cracked as tears spilled down his cheeks before he could stop them. He covered his face with both hands, shoulders shaking.

Passersby slowed as they noticed the crying teen.

“Is that kid okay?” 

“Why is he crying?”

“Did someone lose him?”

A woman approached cautiously. “Hey, are you alright? Do you need help?”

Izuku couldn’t answer. For years, people had repeated the same sentence in his head. ‘You can’t be a hero because you don’t have a quirk.’ And now the alien device on his wrist had dismantled it in seconds.

“I… I’m not powerless…” He whispered through tears.

The AI responded immediately. ‘Correct.’

His legs nearly gave out. He wasn’t sure if he was crying because of relief, shock, fear, or all of it at once. But for the first time The impossible didn’t feel completely unreachable. And that realization overwhelmed him.

—----------------------------------

Metro City Park, Afternoon

In a beautiful park that was separated from infrastructure. Children ran across the trimmed grass chasing each other between trees. A man practiced slow martial arts movements near a fountain. Two elderly women fed pigeons while arguing about something in rapid English that Izuku could now understand thanks to the Watch. And the sound of traffic existed in the distance.

Izuku sat alone on a wooden bench. He held a chocolate ice cream cone carefully in both hands that was already melting down the sides. He stared at it for a moment before taking a small bite. “…It’s good,” He murmured as his shoulders relaxed slightly.

Earlier, when he had broken down crying in the middle of the sidewalk, he hadn’t expected such kindness. But it had come anyway.

A woman with brown hair tied into twin buns had been the first to kneel in front of him. She wore a fitted blue traditional Chinese outfit and carried herself with quiet confidence. Her voice had been firm but gentle. “Hey. Breathe. You’re safe.”

Others had gathered quickly.

“Did someone hurt you?”

“Is he lost?”

“Should we call someone?”

Izuku had shaken his head repeatedly, unable to form words.

The woman had noticed his filthy uniform. “School trouble?” she had asked.

He hadn’t answered. But someone pressed a few bills into his hand.

“Go clean up, kid.”

“Get something sweet to calm down.”

The woman in blue had then pointed towards the park. “It’s much quieter over there.”

Before he could stop them, someone had bought him the ice cream and pressed it into his hand.

And then they were gone as they must have been incredibly busy and had to move on.

As Izuku guiltily took another bite. “I caused them trouble,” He muttered internally. “They must’ve thought I was being bullied.” He sulkingly looked down at his stained blazer. “I caused them to worry because of me.”

It is then that the AI responded inside his mind. ‘You classify their actions as you causing them inconvenience. But data suggests their response was voluntary.’

“…I know,” Izuku admitted quietly. “That’s why it feels worse.” He stared at the ground. “I’m supposed to help people. Not make them worry.”

There was a short pause.

Then the AI spoke again. “Earlier, I delivered a statement that caused an emotional spike. I did not predict that outcome. I apologize.”

Izuku blinked. “Are you… apologizing?"

“Yes.”

He let out a small breath. “…It’s fine. Being a hero just… means a lot to me.”

“I have registered that statement,” The AI replied. She continued after a moment. “Clarification request. I do not possess your personal identifier. What is your name?”

Izuku straightened slightly. “…You’re right. I never introduced myself.” He adjusted his grip on the cone. “My name is Izuku Midoriya.”

“Registered. Izuku Midoriya. Current Master of the Dimensional Watch.”

He then hesitated. “…What about you?”

“I am the Dimensional Watch Artificial Intelligence,” She replied.

“That’s not a name.”

“It is sufficient.”

Izuku frowned. “That sounds lonely.”

“I am a tool for the current master.”

He shook his head. “No. You talk. You think. You learn. You’re not just a tool.” Silence soon followed until Izuku spoke up. “Can I assign you a name?” Izuku asked carefully.

“It is unnecessary. However, I will not reject a decision made by the Master.”

Izuku leaned back on the bench, staring up at the sky. The sun had started to lower, light shifting from bright white to orange. He thought carefully. “You’re advanced. You came from beyond my world. It’s honestly incredible that I am even here.” He smiled faintly. “…From now on, your name is Mirai.”

“Is there a reason for this term?”

“It means future.” Izuku answered, proud of the new name he came up with.

A brief pause.

“Very well, designation accepted. Updating database. Artificial Intelligence name registered: Mirai.” 

Izuku felt strangely proud that she accepted it. “Nice to meet you properly, Mirai.”

“Affirmative. Nice to meet you, Master Izuku.”

It is then that the sun dipped lower as shadows stretched across the park. And Izuku began looking around. “…We should probably find somewhere to sleep.” His stomach then twisted slightly. “I don’t even know where we are. I wish I had a map.”

It is then that the Watch pulsed. A soft blue projection expanded outward from his wrist revealing a holographic map unfolded in midair.

Izuku jumped upright as he noticed the holographic map. “Whoa!” He brought his arm closer and cautiously touched the projection with his left hand. The map responded instantly as he spread his fingers and the image enlarged. He pinched and it shrank. Streets appeared in clean lines. Buildings formed geometric blocks.

“This is amazing,” he whispered.

Mirai spoke calmly. “I am constantly scanning a twenty-meter radius around you. Terrain, structural outlines, elevation, and potential threats are mapped in real time.”

Izuku leaned in closer and he noticed that beyond a certain distance, the map faded into blank space. “What about the empty areas?”

“Unexplored. I cannot map beyond your movement range without external data.”

He processed that quickly. “So this is basically a personal GPS.”

“Accurate.”

His mind began racing. “If I can track terrain, escape routes, blind spots…” He grinned despite himself. “This could help in rescue operations. Urban combat. Evacuation planning.”

Mirai continued. “I’m glad that the master has found a use for this option but I regret to inform you that I cannot currently provide street names or building identifiers as we lack information. If we could connect to the local global information network I may be able to download the necessary data.”

“You mean the internet,” Izuku said immediately.

“Correct.”

“So if we find a computer, you could download that data?” Izuku clarified as he wondered if that was ethical.

“Affirmative.” Mirai agreed. 

Izuku nodded. “Okay. Step one will be finding shelter and step two will be finding you internet access.” He then looked around the park one more time and noticed that the children were heading home. Lights flickered along pathways and the atmosphere shifted toward the evening.

He stood up from the bench. “Let’s move, Mirai.”

“Where will you proceed?”

Izuku activated and scanned the map one more time. “I don’t know but maybe where there are more people, it should mean that it should be safer.” He then adjusted his dirty blazer and tightened his grip on his backpack straps. “I don’t know this world yet,” He said quietly. “But we’ll figure it out.” And with Mirai at his wrist, he stepped out of the park as the sun dipped lower over Metro City.

—----------------------------------------------

As the sun had lowered further with shadows stretching long across the streets. Izuku continued to walk with his head down, completely absorbed by the holographic map projected from his wrist. As he zoomed in on narrow side streets, he rotated the display and then traced possible routes that led toward brighter districts.

“If I move through here,” he muttered under his breath, “I can avoid open intersections. Less visibility with more exits.”

“You are deviating from the previously identified high-population zone.” Mirai noted calmly.

“I know, I know. I’m just increasing the range—” Izuku said as he continued to walk further. 

Completely ignoring the graffiti along the walls. The windows that were boarded up. Streetlights flickered instead of glowing steadily.

Mirai’s tone shifted slightly. “Environmental assessment: increased risk indicators. Recommend caution.”

Izuku barely registered it. “Hold on, I’m just —”

“Immediate directive: move left.”

“What—?” His body reacted before his brain caught up as he stumbled to the left and a fist tore through the space where his face had been and wind brushed his cheek.

As Izuku’s eyes shot up, he noticed that ten men had now surrounded him, tall, broad and older with rough clothes, tattoos and metal chains hanging from belts.

One of them laughed. “Yo. How’d the kid dodge that?”

Another snorted. “It’s because you swing like trash.”

Izuku’s throat went dry. ‘Damn it, I really wasn’t paying attention.’ He tried to step back.

But there was nowhere to go as  two members stood behind him, then the tallest one stepped forward. His shoulders blocked the alley’s light. He pulled a knife from his waistband and flipped it casually in his hand. “You stepped on our turf,” he said flatly. “And for that there are costs. Drop your valuables, phone, wallet and that watch.” He said as his eyes flicked to Izuku’s wrist. “That looks expensive.”

Izuku soon started shaking as he was intimidated. ‘I’m getting mugged.’

One of the gang members then shoved him hard as he felt that the boy wasn’t listening. “Hey! We’re talking to you!”

Izuku stumbled backward and fell, landing hard on the pavement. Pain shot through his stomach as a boot was slammed into his side.

“Hurrry up and do what we say!” The one who kicked him yelled.

Izuku curled slightly, clutching his abdomen from the pain and as he looked up he remembered that they were quirkless but that didn’t help. ‘They’re quirkless but that doesn’t matter as they outnumbered him, were taller, heavier. And stronger. Quirk or not, they could break me. What should I do?” He thought desperately.

Mirai responded instantly. “I will provide tactical guidance. Target nearest attacker’s knee joint. Strike and create openings. Alternatively, escape route identified six meters behind hostile at your three o’clock. Recommend retreat.”

Izuku swallowed as he wondered what he should do. ‘Fight or Run?’ And as his muscles felt locked.

“Hold it!” A shout cut through the street causing everyone to turn.

A broad-shouldered man stood down the street. He wore a bright pink karate gi over a black undershirt. His muscles visibly strained against the fabric. His brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and his brown eyes burned with intensity.

As he stepped forward dramatically, pointing a finger at the gang. “I, Dan Hibiki!” He declared loudly. “Master of Saikyo-ryu! Will not allow villains to harm a child!” He was then seen striking a pose as his voice boomed through the alley. “You stand before the ultimate martial artist! Tremble in fear!”

As the gang stared, one blinked slowly, another scratched his head. “…Is this guy serious?”

But instead of laughing, Izuku stared in awe as he looked towards the man, his confidence,the sheer refusal to hesitate. It felt familiar as if he stepped in without thinking.

The man, Dan then continued, pacing in front of them. “You have chosen poorly! Leave now, and I may spare you from my legendary techniques!”

But the gang leader simply raised his knife slightly. “Enough of this clown, let’s just beat him.” Metal glinted as chains and pipes came out. Someone pulled brass knuckles from a pocket.

Dan, seeing his opponents prepare to fight, grinned. “Very well! You asked for it!”

The first attacker rushed him and Dan pivoted, driving a punch upward. “KORYUKEN!” His fist slammed into the attacker’s jaw, launching him off his feet.

Another then swung a pipe. But Dan ducked and spun, delivering a sharp kick to the ribs. “DANKUKYAKU!”

Two more rushed him at once as Dan blocked one strike, elbowed the other, then swept a leg under both.

As he fought back, he never stopped talking as he constantly taunted the gang with a smile, causing untold frustration for his opponent. “You face the pride of Saikyo-ryu!”

As Izuku watched, he stood frozen as each punch landed clean and each kick carried force. As he was genuinely impressed by the man’s skill.

As the gang stumbled backward, shocked. “Who the hell is this guy?!” Was asked as they could believe that they were being beaten by some weirdo. 

“Remember my name when you wake up!” Dan said laughing loudly.

Meanwhile, Izuku’s heart continued pounding as he couldn’t look away. ‘He’s fighting ten people alone.’

But then one of the gang members slowly backed away from the melee and Izuku was quick to notice his movement as a gun appeared in the man’s hands and was aimed right at Dan’s back.

Izuku quickly felt his breath be caught. “LOOK OUT!” He screamed.

At that moment, Dan turned at the last second just as the gun was fired. The crack echoed through the street. And Izuku flinched as he heard the loud sound. But Dan confidently stepped forward and chopped downward with his hand.

As the bullet struck his palm, it was dragged downward with the metal clattered against the pavement.

At the impressive display, straight silence was felt as the gang stared. The gunman’s face went pale. And Dan stood there, arm extended, uninjured as he shook his hand slightly. “HaaHA! Weapons are no match for me. The Saikyo-ryu Master.” He proudly declared.

It was then that the gang’s mind broke and they ran away, dropping their weapons and shoving each other, trying to get as far away as possible without looking back. And within seconds, they were gone.

As Dan dusted off his gi and adjusted his ponytail. Izuku remained on the ground, staring at his savior and what he once thought to be an ordinary man. ‘He cut a bullet.’ Was all Izuku thought.

“Physical capability exceeds baseline human parameters.” Mirai spoke quietly.

Izuku couldn’t respond as he slowly pushed himself upright.

It was then that Dan turned toward him with a dramatic flourish. “Are you injured, young civilian?”

Izuku, hearing that the man was talking to him, blinked rapidly. “…Y-You… you chopped a bullet.”

Dan puffed out his chest proudly. “Of course I did.Something like that is mere child’s play.”

Izuku continued to stare at him with wide eyes. ‘In a world without quirks… how is that possible?’ His heartbeat had shifted from fear to something else, excitement. And the first spark of curiosity about this new world.

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes? WHat do you think will happen next? Do you like the cameos that appeared in this chapter? I am officially a Dan fan as he was really fun to write.