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Chapter Text

The seven-year-old boy's cry for help could be heard, but it seemed that there was no one in that rather dark alley to hear the child’s screams.

The man who dragged the boy to that alley, a grotesque pedophile with a rat-like contenance, looked at the boy's efforts to escape from his big hands with a nauseating smile.

"Cute little one, you know there's no point in doing this, there's no one around, so you better stop struggling and spend your energy on something else."

Izuku didn't know anything about the man's words, the only thing he wanted at that moment was to be in his mother's arms right now, and he blamed himself for getting out at this time. He shouted once more with all his might.

"Help! Please help me if there is anyone!"

And the man's heavy hand slapped him hard. He looked in front of him with more fear, his fear increased when the man took his fingers, which now had the shape of sharp blades, to show the threat near his face. Izuku tried to free himself by shaking. But how strong is a seven-year-old boy? Izuku is shaking with fear and staring at the villain with his eyes. Tears were flowing from his eyes like a river.

"I told you that no matter how much you shout, no one will help you, even now. . ."

The degenerate man had not finished speaking yet when he noticed heat and light from behind him, he quickly turned back, seeing the person behind him, he quickly wiped around and let go of Izuku's hand.

Izuku coughed a few times and tried to move his limp body, which he did. He was able to forcefully go to the person who had saved him. He was crying tears of relief knowing that he was saved by a hero.

As soon as Izuku moved away from the man, the hero hit so hard that the man fell into the wall of the alley. Seeing this scene, Izuku smiled excitedly. He always saw these scenes on TV and now he was watching one of them closely.

Izuku looked at the hero who had a big body and flames coming out of his body, that was Endeavor! The Number Two hero in Japan, who rivaled All Might!

Izuku, as someone who is infatuated with heroes and knew all of them and had seen their interviews many times, had never seen any of the top ten heroes up close.

But now the second best hero was in front of his eyes!

Endeavor looked at the man buried in the wall with his usual fiery frown and then without saying a word grabbed the unconscious man by the collar and prepared to take him to the detention center.

Heard a voice "Mr. Endeavor! Mr. Endeavor!"

Endeavor turned and looked at the seven-eight-year-old green-haired boy he had just saved. The kid seemed to be so excited that Endeavor Rosh's fiery look didn't affect him at all:

"Thank you for saving me! You were always super cool. The only hero other than All Might who has never been defeated and even has more cases solved than All Might! I remember your fight with the metallic villain! That was very. . ."

Izuku stopped to take a breath. It was as if talking would drain his excitement, and if that was the case, Izuku would have to spend hours talking to Endeavor until his energy was exhausted. Even though he was not far from death just a few seconds ago! But once he saw that Endeavor was walking away without paying attention to him. He was a little anxious, he had to do something quickly:

"C-can you sign my note please?"

"No. I do not have time"Endeavor said without turning back

Izuku expected this. In any case, Endeavor didn't have a good history in social interaction or with his fans, although it did not lessen Izuku's shock when Endeavor directly said it to him, but anyway, Endeavor was leaving and Izuku had to ask his question. He clenched his fists and said:

"Mr. Endeavor! Do you think someone can be a hero without a quirk?"

Endeavour stopped suddenly. He turned his head slowly and fearfully towards Izuku and said: What did you say?

Izuku, who had a bit of fear and anxiety, swallowed forcefully "Ah... I don't have a quirk. I'm quirkless and... Everyone makes fun of me and says it's not possible, but... I... I always thought that saving people like you and...All Might is the best work in the world to do and... I want to be a great hero like you or All Might and..."

“You damn brat!”

"EH?!"

Endeavor's completely angry tone shocked Izuku so much that he stepped back and almost fell down.

Izuku didn't know exactly what he expected, but he certainly didn't expect Endeavor to be so mad as hell!

Endeavor, whose flames seemed to be hotter than before, came forward, his massive figure towering over the little boy.

"Do you understand how much you are insulting me, you little...?! All these years of my life I tried and pushed to be the number one hero and I'm still number two!” As the flame hero continued his voice boomed louder and his flames grew bigger, “Now, you think that some fool without any power thought you can be a great hero without training for a day?! Weak people who can't even save themselves have no right to be heroes! You are insulting me and all the hard work I and every other hero have ever done! Get out of my sight!"

Endeavor's tone would make any villain run away, and seven-year-old Izuku. . . He couldn't bear it anymore and started running crying and didn't look behind, ran all the way, reached home crying, without paying attention to his worried mother, he ran into his room and closed the door. He did not care about his fatigue.

Endeavor was right. Who does he think he is to want to become a hero like Endeavor or All Might?

Is becoming a hero so curdled that a person without any power wants to be one of them?

He was just insulting people who really wanted and could be heroes. So was it because Kacchan hates him so much?

He looked at his small and thin hands and thought: Who is going to be saved with these hands?

He hugged his knees in sadness, sat with his back to the door and cried.

He is nothing but a useless Deku.

You fool, without any strength, thought you could be a great hero without training for a day?!

Izuku stopped his thoughts. He think about Endeavor's words again in his mind and said to himself:

"Endeavor. . . he didn't say no. . . right?"

He thought of Endeavor's words again:

All these years of my life, he tried and pushed himself to be the number one...

You are insulting me and all the hard work I have done...

Endeavor hadn't mentioned quirk. . . he was referring to his effort

And how much effort had Izuku really made? Did he . No he simply wanted to be a hero as though that was enough.

"I’m an idiot..." Izuku slapped his forehead hard with his palm and laughed to himself.

He looked at his hands again. Who could defeat any strong villain with such feeble hands?

What was he thinking to himself? It was clear that he could not become a hero without training and effort for a single day, with or without quirk.

Weak people who can't even save themselves have no right to be heroes...

He had never heard a truer word in his life, someone like Endeavor really had to shout this seriously into his face to understand. No one has become a hero by sitting and dreaming like Izuku wants to be.

Izuku now had a new motivation. He didn't have a quirk, so now he had to try a thousand times harder than any other person. It is from all aspects and all abilities. If he didn't have the power of a quirk, he should have made one for himself.

If I want to be a hero without a quirk, I have to become stronger than any other quirk. . .

Chapter Text

Izuku had a lot to do to become a hero.

First of all, he had to get stronger. Anyway, it was hard to say that he has any muscles at all!

For a long time, he looked for gyms and fad diets so that he could gain muscle and physical strength for himself. It didn't take long for him to find a club and join it... and well, it was a hell of a lot harder than he thought!

Everyone who was there, even those who were almost the same age as Izuku, had the same muscles as a gorilla, and Izuku looked like a cup in front of an elephant. However, the majority of bodybuilders are good with it and start guiding it very seriously. Izuku couldn't imagine how many times he was going to pass out during training...

eight times...in first day...

Second, Izuku had to learn how to fight. It was true that the Hero highschools probably gave training for fighting, but if he were to remain a beginner like this, he would not even have a chance to pass the entrance exam.

Izuku talked to his mother and told her that he wants to do everything he can to make himself stronger, so that he can be more than a weak quirkless kid. Inko was very skeptical, but in the end, seeing that her son has so much hope, she could not ignore it.

But whatever it was, she didn't expect Izuku to go to swordsmanship class!

Izuku went to a kenjutsu dojo, or in other words a samurai swordsmanship class. Which means he was supposed to fight with a sword!

Kenjutsu, or sword combat simply put, terrified her. The idea of her son playing with swords struck her in the heart like a knife and she was ready to refuse on the spot.

But a teary eyed Izuku managed to convince her to at least bring him to the Dojo once before making her final decision. It was there that she spoke with the Dojo's sensei.

The dojo master, who was called Takahashi Sensei, was a good, serious and strict man. Takahashi Sensei was one of the few people who continued to teach traditional swordsmanship during the quirk era.

Inko was heartbroken every time she saw Izuku fall down or get hit, but Izuku always got up again with a smile and determination and continued his training.

"Izuku might not be my best student. But he is definitely the most hardworking." It was while watching Izuku that Takahashi told this to Inko. It relieved some of the tension in her heart

After the fifth practice, she knew her son was in a good place. She reluctantly allowed him to continue in this dojo.

The third thing Izuku had to do was work on his greatest strength: his analysis.

The only thing that Izuku was better than others of his age was his analytical intelligence and investigations. Izuku should have tried his best to make this strength even better and stronger than before. He spent a long time learning various sciences and analytical techniques. So much so that he would read and complete at least one book a day. Most of the time, he read exercises and books in school and took notes:

- Well, if making water quirk is related to the bonding of oxygen and hydrogen...which is not possible, there is no hydrogen on the surface of the earth, it is located above the atmosphere...then it must be some kind of absorption of moisture in the air, which probably means It gives less results in dry weather and if there are no clouds in the sky...

A shout broke his train of thought:

"Ahhh! Shut it damn Deku! You are humming again! Do you know how annoying this is?" It was Bakugo. Again.

Izuku got shock" wh-what?!..oh...sorry Kacchan...I didnt want to..." Izuku tried to apologize just to be yelled at by Bakugou again.

“When why the hell are you still talking? Shut up so I can get back to. . .” Kacchan stared at him, looking over his arm and his notes. “Deku. Have you been working out?”

Izuku was shocked and tried to gather some words, but Bakugou didn't seem to wait "seems like that quirkless brain of yours still doesn't understand, Deku! There has never been a fucking quirkless hero in history! It's better for you to forget this nonsense and just watch me when Im becoming the number one hero! Do yourself a damn favor and give up!"

"NO!"

Bakugo looked at Izuku in shock. “What the...?”

Izuku mustered his courage, turned towards Bakugou and said with the most serious expression he could" I will be a hero...I will be a hero anyway and you can't stop me, Kacchan!"

Bakugou stared at Izuku for a moment, then grinned and said, "Really?" Explosions appeared on his palms "Let's see you have this shit when I blow up your words in your face!!!"

Just as he was about to start fighting again,  teacher's voice came "Bakugou! Class has started! Go back to your place!"

Izuku sighed in relief as Bakugo sat back down. He expected to regret this later, but at the moment, standing up to Kacchan was satisfying. He narrowed his eyes, staring at Kacchan.

I’ll be a hero, Kacchan. You can’t stop me! Nothing can stop me!

one year later

After all this time of Kenjutsu training, Izuku was getting ready to test his belt. He had to fight with one of his classmates.

Izuku took the wooden training sword and stood in the ring and looked at his opponent.

He wasn't someone who had negative feelings towards people or anything like that, but his opponent named Yuichi, who was four years older than Izuku, was a real bully. He usually did not practice the katas thoroughly and focused more on his high strength and clearly ignored the principles of Bushido. He didn't know why Yuichi enrolled in the dojo.

"I have to fight this little guy? This is very easy." Yuichi, sure of himself, enters the ring

Izuku will definitely prove him wrong.

"Hajime!" Takahashi announced

And Yuichi charged forward with power, raising his sword, ready to bring it down on Izuku, and Izuku quickly stepped forward, stepped away from the sword, and struck Yuichi hard in the stomach.

Takahashi announced: point Midoriya! Yuichi! This card was brazenly careless. Remember, patience is better than haste.

The older boy said under his breath, guarding again and getting ready.

- Hajime!

This time Yuichi did not attack. Rather, he turned with Izuku and looked for an opportunity to attack. And finally he attacked, Izuku didn't miss a chance and tried to defend, and Yuichi's strength easily threw him back and landed on his back foot. Yuichi came forward and placed his foot on Izuku's chest until Sensei pulled Yuichi back again

"Point Yuichi. Im telling you Yuinchi, stop doing this, otherwise you will be disqualified!" Takahashi said seiously.

Izuku felt a pain in his arm. But he ignored it. If he had to defeat Yuichi to progress, he would do it here. Giving up meant nothing to Izuku.

The fight continued:

- point Midoriya... point Yuichi...point Midoriya...point midoriya...point Yuichi...

Izuku gasps. His opponent hit him every chance he got with all his strength and without stopping himself. Anyway, even with the end of the sword.

-Final point. Whoever gets this point is the winner.

Izuku was ready. He didn't care if he was in pain or if his hands were red, he didn't want to give up. He could not lose now. If he fails here, then he fails in one of his first steps to becoming a hero.

So he quickly attacked. He turned several times to Yuichi's sides and tested him. Although Izuku was shorter and weaker than Yuichi, he was definitely faster and sharper. Every time Yuichi blocked, Izuku would quickly and without interruption make another blow and keep the older boy under pressure.

Izuku quickly dodged, stepped forward again and attacked as Yuichi quickly pulled back and brought his sword down on Izuku with all his might. Izuku defended. But he could feel that his arms and legs were weakening before the pressure of the older boy's blow. But he did not back down. He tilted his sword, as Yuichi's sword slid in his direction and Yuichi staggered forward. Izuku quickly took advantage of the opportunity, put his sword on Yuichi's shoulder and with a push, knocked Yuichi to the ground and stood on his head and took the tip of the sword towards his face.

- Midoriya point. Midoriya wins.

Izuku pulled back tiredly and bowed to his master. He looked at Yuichi who was still lying on the ground. And then he took his hand towards her. Yuichi stared at Izuku and his hand. But in the end, he took Izuku's hand with a frown and got up.

Izuku could feel his master's admiring gaze behind him. Walking out of the dojo with a new belt couldn't have felt better.

Three years later

Izuku was holding twenty kilo dumbbells in each hand and was training with them. His muscles were burning and he felt as if his hand would be torn off.

But he would not give up. The Endeavor poster that he hung on the wall of his room always reminded him of that day and what he had learned. It was as if Endeavor was looking at him from the same poster and telling him that if he is not strong enough, he has no right to be a hero.

Izuku hoped that he would gradually become stronger and stronger. He knew when to rest, when to eat, and whenever he had time, he would go to the gym and dojo, and if he was at home, he would train with a wooden sword in front of the mirror or lift weights. Maybe this seemed strange for a twelve-year-old teenager, but Izuku knew that becoming a hero without a quirk required a lot of effort, and he wasn't willing to reduce his effort one bit.

If he was going to become a hero, he should have tried a thousand times more than other people.

After weighing several more times, he let go of the 20 kg dumbbells and went to the 30 kg dumbbells.

two years later

Seeing the fight of villains and heroes was exciting as always, and it did not diminish Izuku's interest in these scenes. As always, between people and from a close distance, he enthusiastically watched the fight between heroes and mutant villains and took notes.

Fortunately, after some time of practice, he was able to stop humming and in this way he would attract less extra attention. Over the years, he had grown his curly hair a bit longer, reaching almost to his shoulders. Many people considered this hairstyle weird or even girlish, but Izuku was comfortable with it.

Kamuiwoods was doing great as always. His quirk was versatile and perfect, especially for such a situation. Izuku could very well see Kamui easily becoming one of the top heroes later on.

It was in the middle of this fight that, suddenly a giant woman arrived and hit the villain instead of Kamui.

After that... well... she started to attract people's attention in her own way...

Izuku sighed. This was a weak ending. Not to criticize heroes to much, but it was clear that this Mount Lady is here more for fame than anything else. Kamui had practically finished the work of the villain, the girl immediately jumped in the middle to show off more.

"Well, this is another day, I better get to school." He closed his notebook after writing some more analysis notes and thought.

He put the white notebook into his yellow backpack, looked desperately at the new hero, and walked towards the school under the cherry blossoms.

Since it's your third year, it's time for you to start thinking seriously about your futures. I'll pass out handouts for your future plans now,... but you're all pretty much planning on going into the hero course, right?" Everyone began to dance around with their quirks, trying to out-do each other as they cheered in happiness.

"Sensei, don't lump me in with these weaks." A growl of a voice came from the back of the room. Everyone turned to the owner with anger, obviously not happy with being called 'weak.'

Several began to scream in outrage at the boy's statement, but their sensei looked at the student at the center of attention and looked down at his clipboard. "Oh right, Bakugou, you're planning on going to UA, right?" The student in question jumped up onto his desk with a cocky grin.

"That's right, I aced the mock test. I'm the only one at this shitty school that could possibly get into UA." Izuku ignored the blond's spiel about becoming better than All Might and how he would be the new number one. It was obvious that the explosion user didn't understand who the number one hero was if he was basing it solely off of strength.

All Might had what Bakugou would never: a good heart and a sense of justice. It was evident he didn't have those qualities by his constant putting down of anyone who threatened his dreams of being the best.

"Oh ya, Midoriya wants to go to UA too." Their teacher called out, much to the curly haired boy's chagrin.

Everyone looked back at the quirkless student with laughter and disbelief. It was obvious that they didn't believe he could do it.

Izuku Midoriya was wearing the school's classic uniform, his somewhat baggy clothes hiding the years of experience built up underneath.

"Deku!" Izuku avoided the stinging explosion of Bakugou's hand, though he backed away from the blond. "You're below the rest of these rejects. How can you stand in the same ring as me?!"

Izuku looked fearlessly into Bakugou's eyes, which were full of fire, and said with a voice full of confidence: "This has been my dream since I was a child, Katchan, and I'm not going to give up that easily. I tried hard for him and you can be sure that I will not back down because of your words."

" You? want to be a hero without a quirk? Do you think you are better than me?" Bakugou clenched his teeth.

Izuku didn't answer, just looked at Bakugo indifferently.

"Remember Deku, if you want to be a hero, you only have one way. Throw yourself from the top of a building and hope you have a quirk in your next life!"

After seeing that Izuku didn't even react even to this, he let out a muffled roar. Then, without saying the slightest word, he walked out of the classroom.

The teacher was surprised and considered the path he was taking and with a voice that was more like a question than an order, shouted

"Bakugo! The class is not over yet! back!"

Izuku was walking home, thinking desperately about today. Bakugou wasn't going to give up that easily, was he?

Thanks to many years of experience with his so-called childhood friend, he was able to find his way out without aby trouble.

For rest of the day, maybe it would be better to train with Takahashi Sensei. It is true that he had learned swordsmanship well in these years, but competitive swordsmanship and combat swordsmanship are very different. Izuku had to still practice swordsmanship while learning to fight without harming anyone. Anyway, it's a samurai sword! The sharpest known sword in human history. If someone doesn't know how to use it properly, he might kill someone with it.

Izuku was in these thoughts when suddenly a sound came from the manhole... as if something was trying to open the manhole and come out.

Quickly turning, he found a strange gelatinous creature pour out of a sewer drain, its large yellow eyes staring at him with a wicked look.

"A medium sized invisibility cloak."

Izuku dodged the creature's attempt to capture him, the sludge not expecting him to do so, judging by the look in its eyes. Izuku wanted to get away from this thing as soon a possible. It was obviously after him for a 'disguise' of some sorts, and from the looks of it, it was completely made of a strange substance. It got out of the drain with not problem, meaning it could morph its body any way it wanted and didn't care about physical damage.

That didn't fare well for him.

Izuku dodged another charge from the sludge, using his keen eyes and other forms of observation to watch its every move.

He hear the slime's tentacles come at him from the side, so he dodged. It sent several from the front, forcing him to slide under them. The creature continued its assault, but Izuku was avoiding the attacks, though with difficulty.

'I can't keep this up much longer. This thing is fast and I'm bound to slow down eventually, then it'll make it's final move. I need to get out of this area and find some help, maybe a hero with a quirk effective against liquid.

Izuku jumped off the ground, flying over the sludge villain. He twisted his body around and was upside down, his feet hitting the ceiling. Izuku took that moment to shoot towards the exit, an angered monster following behind him.

It was then that Izuku was grabbed from the foot and he couldn't pull it off him. He remained cool, but inside he was screaming.

He was caught.

"You know you move really well brat. It'll really help me out when I take your body." Izuku saw the slime come towards his face. Thinking of the worse scenario, Izuku bit his mouth shut, not caring if he might bleed a little bit. He tucked his neck in and shut off any forms of airflow from his nose, knowing what this thing was likely to do.

Izuku was enveloped by a mass of slime, the creature poking at any ways to enter his body. It ran along his face and over his mouth.

"Oi, brat, you better open up! That faster this goes, the less pain you'll be in." Izuku knew this thing didn't care about his well being. It was a ruse. Izuku felt liquid enter his nose, but it hit the block and was forced to stop. It tried to slid in between his lips, but he refused to budge.

The slime continued to push against his mouth and nose, but he held his breath and stood firm. Izuku thought happy thoughts tried to relax his mind, knowing that if he didn't calm down, he would be forced to breath sooner.

"You know, you're really annoying brat. I was trying to be nice, but I have another way in." Izuku thought it meant his ears or eyes, but then he felt slime soak his pants. Izuku's eyes widened in fear when he felt it crawl up his calves.

Oh god, please no.

"I didn't want to do this, but I'm in a rush. Don't worry, I'll make sure it doesn't hurt... too much." Izuku knew he needed to be brave but he couldn't help but quiver at the look in the villain's eyes. It made him want to open his mouth and give in, but he knew that's what it wanted.

He was running out of oxygen and he felt his lungs were going to collapse any moment. He didn't know what to do, it was a no win situation.

He felt slime crawl under his clothes and he tensed up. Izuku let his cool attitude falter. Tears began to streak down his cheeks and he prayed for someone, anyone to help him.

Please, anything but this! He felt the unwanted feeling crawl closer and closer, wrapping him in fear and hysteria

PLEASE!

The drain that the villain came out of blew open, a massive figure stepping out of it and staring down the sludge.

"Fear not, for I am here!" Izuku's eyes widened at the sight of the hero. It couldn't be...

All Might.

The sludge's eyes mimic's Izuku's with equal shock. It sent out an attack at the hero, but the giant blond dodged it and reared his arm back as another came at him.

"Texas Smash!" The attack blew away the villain in a blast of air, releasing his victim.

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief, air filling his lungs once again. Landing on the ground in a heap, he shook off the disgusting slime on his body, trying to remove any of the foul taint on him.

There was even some in his pants. Izuku bit his lip and shook his legs violently, expending the horrid liquid that oozed out. Izuku wanted to ball up, but took slow breaths to stop the actions.

He was okay now. It was safe.

"I'm glad you're okay." All Might smiled at Izuku, who was trying comprehend everything. "I'm sorry about getting you caught up in my fight, but I just moved here and wasn't prepared for such an incident on my day off." All Might began to laugh into the air before running towards the spatters of villain on the ground. Izuku was left in shock, his mind spinning in circles at who just spoke to him and what just happened.

It was All Might!

The number one hero!

He saved his life!

Izuku turned his head to see the hero emptying soda bottles and filling them with the disgusting goop of the villain, shutting the cap on it and sealing it shut.

It was really him. One of the few who inspired him to be a hero. The smiling Symbol of Peace itself.

This was his chance. Izuku pushed all thoughts away from his mind and walked forward. He needed to ask. If anyone knew anything about heroes, it was the number one himself.

"All Might!" The man turned around with his signature smile.

"Oh, you can walk, that's good! I'm sorry I disregarded you for a moment, but I had to make sure this villain was sealed up first." Izuku nodded at the statement.

His logical mind was telling him that saving someone usually came first before the villain , but Izuku pushed those thoughts away. Now wasn't the time for hero analyzing. "I-It's fine, I just wanted to ask you something." Izuku looked up at the hero, who placed the bottles of villain in his loose side pocket. It didn't seem very safe.

"I must take this villain to the police as soon as possible, so please ask your question quickly." All Might said with a smile, staring down at the much smaller, slime soaked boy.

"Is putting such a villain in a plastic bottle an effective method of arrest?" Izuku thought for a moment but didnt say it.

Izuku took a breath. "Can someone without a quirk become a hero?"

Chapter Text

-Can someone be a hero without a quirk?

The question he asked and the answer All Might gave him were still in his ears. That he should be realistic, he can become a cop because they also do heroic work...

Izuku still couldn't believe that his favorite hero actually told him that he couldn't become a hero. Izuku just stood there and watched All Might leaves. He wanted to go and hide himself in a corner and be away from the whole world and just surrender...

But No...

- Give up? Who did he think he is to telling me to give up? Did he even listen to me when I said that I have been practicing since I was younger? Or did he say that because I just said I don't have a quirk?

He squeezed his fist tightly and said to himself:

"A lot of people told me I can't be a hero, you too All Might. But there is nothing wrong with it. I am not  going to listen to you and ignore all hard works I have done all these years... I will show you and everyone else how I can be a hero without a quirk!"

"Just Watch!" He turned and walked towards his house

Tomorrow, Kenjutsu dojo

The sound of the clash of wooden practice swords filled the entire dojo space. This time louder and more intense than ever. Because there was a green-haired boy among the students who was fighting his opponent with more intensity than ever.

After hitting a blow that knocked his opponent to the ground, his master called: "It's over!" Midoriya wins.

Izuku bowed to his teacher and returned to his place, but his teacher stopped him

-Midoriya!

-Yes sensei?

"You were fighting much harder today." As an experienced master who had trained Izuku for nearly eight years, Takahashi had noticed something "You were angry about something, am I right?!"

He didn't wait for Izuku's answer "What was the first lesson of real fighting, Midoriya?"

"Never fight with anger," Izuku replied "A person who does not own his anger will not own his mind."

Takahashi nodded "Exactly. So be careful. Today, your anger became the fuel of your power, but if it gets out of your control, it will be the cause of your failure. be careful."

"Yes Sensei " Izuku bowed.

And he went to his place and sat down. As soon as he sat down, someone took a bottle of water to him

-Here dude.

It was Yuichi. The older boy, who had now become one of the seniors in the class, like Izuku, and there was an unexpected friendship between them.

Izuku thanked and took the bottle from Yuichi. "You were very, very fast as always," Yuichi said "But maybe it would have been better if you had gave the boy some chance too."

After drinking a cup, Izuku replied: "Fighting is not unfair to the opponent, Yuichi. You know this better than me."

Yuichi, who knew that he was the most ruthless of the class, laughed "Who can expect this cruelty from you? "

Izuku thought for a while, and then answered "Today I am told again that I cannot become a hero."

"One of those idiots again?" Yuichi sighed "I don't understand, You are still making me, who is three years older than you, useless in a fight, so why don't you kick their butt like that?"

For a moment, just ONE moment, Izuku imagined himslef kicking All Might's butt...

When replied " Morals of warriors do not allow me to act on my feelings to harm someone. I tried my best to be someone who helps others and not hurts them"

"You and that big heart of yours" Yuichi laughed  "Indeed, Izuku. Sensei finally accepted your request to get a real katana?"

Getting a real katana marked the end of Izuku's training as an apprentice and the beginning of his path as a warrior.

 "Sensei told me that the time is near." Izuku said.

"Okay then. With that sword, you have to defeat every quirks! I watch first of all. OK?"

and took his fist towards Izuku. Izuku smiled at his friend, and gave him a small fist bump.

A month later, the gym

- Come on boy! You can do this!

Izuku's senpai, who had now become the club's assistant coach, encouraged Izuku as he pushed himself to lift the 120 kg weight. Izuku's back, legs and arms wanted to give up, but Izuku himself had no intention at all.

Senpai encouraged "Well done boy, you are almost there! Show me who is the boss!"

Izuku should be very grateful for Senpai's encouragement, without them he would have lost weight by now. He pushed the weight up with all his remaining strength and...

Senpai shook his hand "Nice boy! You did it!"

Senpai looked at the well-trained body of a boy who was once as thin as a dying tree branch and no one would have believed that he would be here now " It was great, Izuku. Go do some stretching and rest, then we'll go to the rest of the weights."

Izuku suddenly stretched his arms and said "Yes Senpai!"

- This is the spirit boy. Let me see what you can do!

Later...

Inko put the food on the table and waited for Izuku to start the lunch. Izuku had just come back from running around the city and he was tired and hungry and almost passed out, which was his own fault. In the past few months, he has been pushing himself and training more than all these eight years.

It was not easy for her to believe that her little son had become so strong during all these years of training. She remembered how upset Izuku was the day they found out that he was not supposed to have a quirk. It was not easy for Inko to see the destruction of her son's dream. But her son did not give up. She didn't know why or how, but Izuku had changed after meeting a hero. The efforts he was making were something that no one could expect from a child of that age. And you can see the result. Izuku had become muscular, skilled and smarter than anyone his age.

And she could only be proud of him.

Izuku finally came to the table with his usual greeting and smile and started eating lunch with his mother.

In the middle of lunch, Inko asked "Izuku, why did it take you so long to come down?"

Izuku swallowed "I was reviewing the analysis that I did last night."

-Izuku...you finish at least two books a day, but do you ever get bored of reviewing your previous analysis?

"Well, I'm going to be a hero, mom. There is a lot of reason to working hard." Izuku answred with a smile.

Inko unconsciously smiled. Her son was not one to give up even for a moment. She was really proud of him

A few months later...

Izuku took a deep breath, brushed away his long hair and entered the room with the calm and dignity of a warrior and knelt before his master. Today was an important day.

"Get up, young man," Takahashi said loudly.

Izuku immediately stood up and looked determinedly into his master's eyes. "Midoriya Izuku," his master said loudly "When you entered this dojo eight years ago, despite all your weaknesses, you proved to me that you are a true warrior inside and out. You are the hardest working student I have."

He picked up the tall black box with a green design and pointed at Izuku" With this, you will show your true power from today."

He opened the box, and took out a long Japanese sword and pointed it at Izuku. With involuntary excitement, Izuku took the sword with both hands and looked at it. A traditional long katana with a golden sheath and handle and a green ribbon around the sheath and near the handle.

"Draw your sword, Midoriya!" His teacher ordered

Izuku obeyed and slowly drew the sword from its sheath. A long and shiny dark blade with an edge that showed off a wavy design. Izuku had seen pictures of such swords many times, but holding one in his own hand was...

Fascinating.

He looked at his sword and blade for a while until he heard his teacher's voice:

"Well, Midoriya, you have a mission today, and with every mission, you have a duty to take care of it on time."

Translation "Go to the entrance exam quickly or you will be late!"

Izuku quickly sheathed his sword, bowed to his teacher, and walked out of the dojo towards the UA entrance exam place.

Today was the day he proved himself to everyone...

Chapter Text

Izuku arrived at the exam venue. Big, crowded and glamorous as expected from Japan's best hero school.

Since he was a little kid, he planned to be a part of it.

Izuku was practically seeing and touching his dream. Something that he had put his time and effort into since he was a child, and he was supposed to get it now. His path to becoming a hero started from here...so no wonder Izuku was so excited that he didn't notice his shoe hit the back of his foot. before he notice, he was falling face down on the ground...

That did not happen. Someone slapped his back and Izuku floated instead of falling.

“Oh I’m sorry! I should have asked before I used my quirk” said a sweet voice before someone grabbed him and placed him flat on the floor "just figured it’s a bad omen to trip and fall."

Izuku looked at the owner of the voice and saw a girl with a cute face and brown hair.

Izuku stood up, gave the best smile he could "Thank you. gravity control quirk?"

"Yes, if I touch something with my five fingers, its gravity will be neutralized." The girl answered with a cute smile.

Izuku hummed "It's very effective for rescue scenarios. You can stop debris from falling with it and you can even float the villains so they can't hurt anything. Amazing." He said thoughtfully

The girl looked a little embarrassed "Thank you very much...then I'll see you in the exam." 

Izuku bowed his head as a sign of respect and walked towards the entrance. From the outside, he showed himself to be calm. But inside he was screaming to the point of death:

"I talked to a girl!!! I talked to a girl!!! And she was cute..." 

Nothing could surprise him anymore...

"Oi Deku!"

...Except for that piece of work.

"You've come around me again, damn long hair nerd!" Bakugou apeared in front of Izuku

Izuku sighed "What are you worried about Kacchan?" I am here to be a hero like you."

" As the fuck if a quirkless nerd like you can become a hero. Go home so you don't embarrass me and the damn whole world! Get the fuck out!"

And he went inside. Izuku just signed "Normal Kacchan" and went inside too. 

After an orientation sitting alongside Bakugou, Present Mic said that before starting the exam, each person should wear the appropriate clothes. Most of the people prefer to go to the exam in the same clothes they came in. Only Izuku and a few others went to change their clothes.

Izuku, according to what his sensei had taught him, should wear a comfortable loose clothing so that it does not block his hands and feet while fighting. So he put on the green ronin kimono he got from his teacher and knowing that he wouldn't have time to push his own long hair out of the way of his eyes, he tied them with a ribbon.

Izuku was assigned to Test Site 2. He was with Bakugou, the gravity girl from earlier, and a boy with glasses.

“Excuse me, may I have my weapon?” asked Midoriya as he spoke to one attendant at the test site. 

"You are Midoriya Izuku right? Ok. A katana..." The man said and gave Izuku his sword.

 Izuku took his sword. Thanks to Sensei, he had received the form and permit to carry a weapon in the test. It was time to show everyone the result of that years of training and hard work.

"Excuse me..."

Izuku turned to find a boy with dark blue hair, glasses, and wearing a set of cobalt training sweats. Izuku filtered through his mind on who this was and he quickly remembered that it was the same boy who asked those questions earlier to Present Mic.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. but I noticed you have a katana, and I'm really not sure if you're allowed to use such a deadly weapon in a test like this, since I was not aware that deadly items were allowed during the entrance exams, especially for someone of your stature"

A tick mark formed on the smaller boy's head. However, according to the self-control training he had , he answered calmly "I got premit to carry this weapon and I proved my skill in using it. I understand your concern, but it is unnecessary."

And then he distanced himself from the boy and went among the rest of the participants. His eyes fell on the same brown-haired girl. He wanted to go talk to her for a moment "No, it's better not to disturb her. We have to focus on the test."

He placed his hand on his sword and concentrated. Well, he should have attacked the robots, defeated them and stayed away from the zero pointer. It seems simple. In fact, it seems too simple for a top school like UA. Does that mean there was another way to get points other than destroying robots?

"What are you all waiting for! Start! There'll be not warning before a villain attack, so you better get going!" The voice of Present Mic said over the speaker systems.

As soon as he heard this, he didn't hesitate anymore, released all the energy and power that he had stored inside himself during these years, shoot himself forward with all his strength, saw a robot in front,  coming towards him, tightened his grip on the tsuka, pulled the blade out of the scabbard, and cut the robot cleanly in half with a horizontal slash.

Glancing at the shining piece of metal, he smiled a little inside and thanked his sensei for getting this masterpiece to him on time. It felt right in his hands and it's power was a reflection of his own.

Perfect.

More robots are coming towards Izuku. Many people want to fight with them.

Good start. But not over yet.

Now it was time for Izuku to show what he can do without a quirk.

In a control room, the teachers, Pro heroes who accepted the task of training in UA, were watching and analyzing participants. And they seem to be interested in many of them.

"Quite the group we have this year." It was Midnight, the R-Rated hero, who was saying this. And well, even she didn't know what R-Rated hero was doing in high school. This was one of that kind of works that  UA principal does.

"I must say, some of these children have shown quite the ability to adapt to the situation at hand." Cementoss voiced as he watched a boy with multiple arms survey the area, and another who used his speed quirk to move around and find robots.

Gravity, ear jacks, multi-arms...

adaptive abilities, attack, support and multitasking. it's really interesting.

- That boy is very strong, isn't he? That explosive boy.

Everyone looked at the blond boy with red eyes who was blowing up the robots one after the other at.

"High power, good control and strong fighting instinct. And of course, pure cruelty." Aizawa, otherwise known as Erasurehead drawled.

"How about that one?" said Sekijiro Kan, the teacher of class B.

Everyone turned to see a boy with tied long curly green hair, who charged forward, dodged the robot attack easily , jumped into air and plunged his sword into the robot's circuitry, knocking it out. And then he jumped back on the ground and attacked other robots.

"Impressive skill." Ectoplasm stated with his baritone voice.

Aizawa narrowed his eye "Obviously, he has been practiced very well. Skill in swordsmanship is acquired with a lot of practice."

"And intelligence. He recognizes the weak and strong points of robots, destroys the strong points and attacks the weak points and" Sekijiro added.

One of the robots attacked from behind to the boy, and a laser beam shoot by a blond boy destroyed the robot. And sword boy quickly turned around, passed by the side of the laser boy with a strange speed and slashed the other robot that was about to attack. And then, he and the laser boy went back to back and prepared to double attack to robots.

"And collaboration! Great!" Present Mic said loudly.

"Is it allowed to carry weapons in the exam?" Midnight asked

Nezu checked the boy's file "Well, most of the time, the participants only fight with their quirks, but it is always possible to bring equipment to the test, provided that they get its documents and permission. And here the boy's swordsmanship is confirmed by an official martial arts federation. So there is no problem."

A thin blond man, Allmight in his weak form, didn't know what to say. He just felt as if he had seen the boy somewhere before. Although he does not remember when and where.

Instead, he turned his mind to something else and said "Well, shall we start the real test now?"

After cutting off the head of another robot "37 points. Two minutes left..." Izuku thought.

His score was definitely not as high as that many superpower kids got. But it was very good for a quirkless boy.

Three robots attacked him. He deflected the robots' attacks with a double cross motion, disabled one robot with a downward slash, and sliced the second robot in two with a powerful slash at the same time as a spin.

And the third robot was destroyed by a laser beam that was shot by a blonde boy.

- Need some help Mon Ami?

Izuku looked at the laser boy, "Thanks Aoyama-san, be careful around. It is not clear what..."

Suddenly, Izuku felt the ground rumble under his feet. Just around the corner of a building, a large cloud of smoke rose into the sky and Izuku wondered if an explosion went off.

But when he saw the giant metal monster that was taller than the buildings, he realized that he was wrong.

"THAT is zero pointer?! Where... HOW was it hidden?" He shouted in his mind.

If Izuku knew one thing well, it's that you should never face to face with an opponent you will never be able to defeat. He turned quickly and prepared to retreat. But he heard something.

- H-help...

 He turned his head to the noise and saw that cute brown haired girl trapped under a giant pile of debris. Izuku's feet moved before he could think and his body was quick to action.

He quickly reached the girl. The girl was not in a condition to be able to move the debris, and Zero Pointer was approaching.

He quickly put his sword under, levered it and started pushing it. But the debris didn't move at all. Izuku didn't give up. He continued to push until his muscles gave out and the blade began to bend.

Izuku heard "Go! save yourself You can not..." 

"Don't bet on it!" Izuku said through clenched teeth "I will never leave someone who needs help behind. because this..."

With a loud shout, he pressed the sword harder, and the result of his years of bodybuilding training finally came to his aid and pushed the heavy debris aside.

"...is what a hero does."

He helped the girl who was looking at him in a daze to get up and prepared to retreat. But he realized that Zero Pointer was too close to them. The chance of their escape was very low and the robot had locked on them exactly!

Izuku's mind quickly thought.

"What should I do?! That giant is too close, I can't fight with it, this girl is injured too, we can't run away fast enough! I have to do something...Izuku, think! Think! You must have learned something from all the books you read..."

He looked at Zero Pointer's head. There were several red dots. Probably for identification. He looked around. The street was very quiet, only he and the girl were left there and there were tall buildings on both sides.

A thought came to his mind. It was just too risky.

"I have an idea." Izuku said without showing any hesitation "Can you neutralize the gravity on me, yourself and my sword?!"

"Yes, but for what?"

-We don't have time. Just do it!

The girl nodded and hesitantly touched all three of them with her five fingers and made them float.

Izuku took a deep breath, closed his eyes, prepared himself...and NOW!

He grabbed the girl's collar with one hand and threw her towards the middle floor of a building on the left and shouted

"Go to the middle floor!"

And then he quickly threw himself up with all the strength in his legs with a strong blow on the electric pole. He went up...went up... went up...and now!

He took his sword by the hilt like a spear in one hand, took a deep breath and with all the strength of his muscles threw the sword straight at the robot's head, and the sword was shot forward with the speed of a bullet and entered one of the robot's eyes, in the middle of the left side. 

Its left middle vision is now gone. It probably shouldn't be able to see that girl anymore. But it can still see me!!!

And it was exactly at this moment that Zero Pointer hit Izuku with his huge metal palm.

And Izuku fell like a rocket on the canvas of one of the buildings and made a loud sound!

Izuku tried to ignore the pain. He tried to get up with difficulty, but the pain in his muscles and bones did not go away. He looked at the robot that was still coming towards him and his sword that was still stuck in the robot's eyes.

Well, there is nothing I can do anymore.

Time is up!!!

And Zero Pointer stopped working. Izuku breathed a sigh of relief. And without caring about the pain in his body, he went to the stairs.

When he got outside the building, he noticed that many people were looking at him. It was as if they were watching a hero who had just come out of the shadows.

Well, he was the one who fought a Zero Pointer head-on, anyway.

He smiled and limped over to the same brown-haired girl who was being treated by a little old lady. He knew him. Recovery Girl.

Recovery Girl came to him and cured him by kissing him and of course gave him back his sword. Izuku thanked her with a bow. However, he did not know how such an old lady pulled out that sword from that giant robot's head.

Anyway, he went to the dark-haired girl, gave the best smile he could and said:

-Are you okay?

The girl looked at him in shock, and then said with a smile: "Oh yes. Thanks. You saved me."

Izuku smiled and said, "I'm glad I helped." My name is Midoriya Izuku.

"Uraraka Ochako. Thank you again." Girl said

After saying goodbye to Uraraka, Izuku left the exam. It felt wonderful. He knew that many people probably scored better than him, but as a quirkless boy, he was definitely better than many who had quirks. He knew that he had succeeded. The start of his journey to becoming a hero was truly satisfying.

Tomorrow

Principal of UA, a creature named Nezu, who was known as the most intelligent living creature, and now he is sure what to do. Now the final examination of the test scores of the participants is being done so that they are ready to be sent. All that needed to be done was have Toshinori do the recordings as All Might.

But one particular case was a bit difficult.

Single-digit rank in the written test, excellent score in the practical part, skill, cooperation, rescue and intelligence to the extent that it can even deal with a Zero Pointer, plus the potential to learn more, and all without quirk and with just a sword and pure skill!

Nezu knew one thing well and that is that quirks bring certain limitations and weaknesses with them. But a quirkless person has none of them. So if it can be trained, it can be brought to a high level of skill. And you can't really expect someone who doesn't have any specific powers to be able to keep up with people who grew up with a superpower from the age of four.

But this boy was able to do it. Really, how much effort could a person have made to be able to fight at this level and to be able to recognize the way to deal with a Zero Pointer?

There was only one technical problem: weapon registration.

The Martial Federation had confirmed Midoriya Izuku's skill. They have also filled out the weapon carrying form. But the problem was the katana itself. That boy's katana was made by one of the few remaining traditional blacksmithing companies from the pre-quirk era.

But the katana itself was not registered as a commodity. That means, legally, that katana did not exist. And when there is no katana, there was no point for that boy. Practically, all the points that the boy had gained with that sword would be invalidated. And well, this means that the boy could not enter the UA hero course. Nezu sighed in frustration. It was pure potential and a lot of effort that was wasted because of a stupid office mistake. And well, Nezu couldn't allow that.

Well, there was only one way. Nezu hoped the boy would understand.

One Week Later

When his frantic and excited mother trekked into the living room with his letter from UA, Izuku practically jumped to his feet and flashed next to his mother to find out the results of his performance.

She of course was started by his sudden movement, but didn't do more than scold him for scaring her with his silent charge.

Sitting in his room be himself, as his mother wanted it to be a private moment for him, he placed the letter on his desk and stared at the insignia on the outside of the paper, the golden letters practically yelling at him to open it up and read its contents.

Izuku opened the letter without a single hesitation. Using his letter opener, which looked like a tiny katana, he ripped through the paper and found a disk inside, which began to glow as soon as it was outside of the paper binding.

"I am Here as a Projection!" The familiar yell of All Might burst out through his room, causing Izuku to fall back in surprise.

Izuku stared at the projection of the number one hero, his mind and heart flashing through several thoughts and emotions. Even with that shining smile, Izuku couldn't find it as amazing as it used to be.

After that day with those words, Izuku felt something inside him change.

It didn't break, but it was warped and shifted in a new way. His mental image of All Might was altered, the words of the number one hero transforming Izuku's idea of him.

He shook his head quickly and tried instead to focus on what All Might was saying rather than All Might himself.

"You passed the written portion of the exam, but that alone is not enough to get you into UA! You needed to score well in the practical portion as well, and you scored a total of 37 points!" Izuku felt his heart tense the slightest bit. 

"But thats not all! Here is a hero school. In addition to the score of fighting robots, heroism and rescue has always points. And by rescuing one person from Zero Pointer, you managed to get 40 points, with 77 points, together with another applicant, you were in the first place!

Izuku couldn't believe it. He wanted to scream with all his heart and tell everyone that he succeeded...

"What's that, I forgot something?" Izuku stopped his jittery thoughts as hand came onto the projection screen, All Might leaning in to listen to what the man on the side had to say.

"You want me to say what?" All Might asked the assistant not quietly.

Izuku was confused. Was this an accident? Maybe they forgot to stop his recording?

"I think it wold be better if I told him, All Might." A somewhat high voice called out from the side. Izuku saw a small mammal-like man walk up to All Might, the much larger tailored hero giving him a boost onto his shoulder.

Izuku knew who it was just by seeing his upturned nose and black marble eyes.

Principal Nezu! The Principal of UA!

- What am I? Am I a mouse? Am I a dog? Am I a bear? It doesn't matter, I'm principal! Midoriya Izuku, I congratulate you on the impressive and excellent result you achieved. The first rank you got jointly with another participant in such a test is something that will remain as an honor for you forever. But unfortunately there is a problem.

Izuku's eyes widened.

- I have to say that there was a problem in the registration of your sword. Even though the form work and the license to carry your weapon were registered in the exam, but unfortunately, it seems that your sword itself is not registered as a fixed weapon. And well, this means that you entered the test practically without a weapon... and well... I hate to say this, but the scores you got with your sword cannot be added.

No, this can't be happening...

After all this effort, practice and even success in the test, everything should be ruined because of a mistake that was not even his fault!? It wasn't his fault that he didn't have a quirk, right?! Does that mean he should have made a decision for all the mistakes that were not his fault?!

- But Midoriya Izuku! It's not over yet...

Izuku looked again, tears still filling his eyes. So he could only listen.

- Despite this incident, as the principal of UA, I will never let someone's potential and hard work to be destroyed. So even without entering the hero course, there are other ways. So, I reserved a place for you in the UA General Course as a single digit rank in the written test.

Izuku came to himself. General course?

He had thought about it because UA, even if someone could not succeed in the hero course, would not let them go. These people were trained in the general course to get decent and good jobs.

And of course, this course was practically for those who did not pass the entrance exam for any reason. And there was one way for them to enter the hero course.

Sports Festival.

- Midoriya Izuku, even with this unpleasant incident, you showed that you deserve to be a champion. So, I hope to see you in the UA general course, and after that in the hero course! This will be your hero academia!!!

With that, Izuku was left with a darkened room, his thoughts stirring around what just happened.

He technically made it in, but at the same time didn't

This was not what he expected. According to many, the general course was more for those who failed. Izuku looked at his sword. The sword that was the cause of his success was actually the cause of his failure too.

But no... Maybe Izuku didn't seem to have succeeded, but he hadn't failed. Izuku had shown with an excellent rank that his efforts of all these years had paid off.

And it was not over yet. His quest to become a hero with this blade was still going on.

Only now he had to try harder than ever and Izuku was ready for him with all his heart.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

The next two days at UA passed smoothly and without any problems.

The lessons were still too easy for Izuku and he felt somewhat bad about it. But after briefly reviewing the rest of the chapters of the books, he hoped that the lessons would be harder and better in the future.

He was browsing one of these books when he heard the voices of his classmates.

"Mirko is the best and that's it!" This was Tsume"I mean, at first glance, who can think that someone with a bunny quirk will become the top female hero? She is definitely better than any other hero."

"But Mirko is only good in fights. Not saving people" This carefree sound was definitely Tetsuki"If you want my opinion, Ryukyu is still the better hero. Apart from fighting, she has extraordinary endurance and she is way bigger too. She can solve more difficult situations."

Izuku thought that they were both good examples. To himself, of course, he admired Mirko more because, as Tsume said, at first glance, no one would think that someone like her could be among the top heroes. It was clear that Mirko also came up with a lot of effort.

"Let's not forget who is number one!" Surikku said"Those two are nothing against a hero like Allmight. I mean he's the best because his strength. He can defeat villains in a single punch and fight anyone with any kind of quirk. He can change the weather with a punch. It doesn't matter how strong Ryukyu is now or how skilled Mirko is, Allmight's power will defeat them all. That's why he is number one..."

"I don't think that's right." Izuku put in, getting looks from the three.

"What? Why?" Tetsuki asked.

"No hero is perfect. Even Allmight" Izuku answered" He relys on using pure force too much and that is the reason for some of his failures."

"Oh seriously?" Tsume said mockingly. "So, Mr. All-Knowing Professor, give me an example of a fight where Allmight did not succeed."

Without even pausing"Three years ago, Allmight fought a villain in the outskirts of the city who had the ability to absorb kinetic energy. Because of this, no matter how much Allmight fist hit him, it was practically ineffective. Search the internet, you will probably find the video." The three plus one tuned in closer with interest.

"Hey, I remember that" Tetsuki said "But Allmight won!"

Yes, because the underground hero Eraserhead who had the ability to temporarily neutralize quirks came and neutralized that villain's quirk. Allmight was only then able to deal a real blow to that villain."Izuku took a breath "All in all, Allmight didn't win, he got lucky."

"You did quite a lot of research on this didn't you?" Surikko asked."Usually no one knows the underground heroes."

Izuku nodded and felt memories come back up from before UA."This isn't just about the Allmight." Every hero, Mirko, Ryukyu, Endeavour or anyone else has a weakness. They are heroes, but it is not healthy to believe that they are always going to be perfect. They also need help for situations that they can handle themselves; Even Allmight."

"Seems like you don't like my Allmight at all"Tsume smirked

"Well, it's not like I hate him. I just know he is not perfect. Like everyone else." Izuku suddenly got a strong tone"It's why I want to be a hero, because villains are going to be out there that he won't be able to defeat. Villains that I possibly can. It just depends on the situation and what type of quirk the enemy has, and if I can do my part to save people." 

His eyes sparkle with determination and have a very funny contradiction with his serious face.

Izuku's three audience looked at each other. And then said "Hey Midoriya, were you raised by a samurai or something? You have a long and deep answer for everything."

"Yeah. I bet you have a card and a note in your pocket where you wrote down your proverbs and explanations" Tsume laughed.

All three laughed, and Izuku joined them.

After a short laugh "Now, who is your inspirational hero?" Tetsuki asked.

"Its Endeavour." Laughter dried up on the lips of the three of them.

Endeavour of all people?! With that scary attitude? He was number two, but in terms of popularity, he was fifth or sixth...

After a little pause "Mmmm...how?"

"When I was seven, he saved me from a villain." Izuku replied with a little smile "And then I asked him can I be a hero like him without a quirk."

This was the place where those three were afraid "So what did he say?"

"Well, he told me that my dream is offensive and to get out of his sight." Izuku was still smiling.

"What The Heck?" Tsume said loudly "How the hell this can your motivation?!"

"Well, he made me to understand I can't become a hero without even a day of training." Izuku rubbed his ear "And I realized that when I don't have a quirk, I really have to train and sweat so that I can stand next to other quirk owners without a quirk. Because of what he said, I have been training since I was seven. So that I can reach here."

His classmates just stared at him.

Meanwile

On the other side of the UA, the number one hero, Yagi Toshinori aka Allmight, was watching the hero course students battled it out in the heist building, the team consisting of young Bakugou Katsuki and Iida Tenya protecting the bomb from Uraraka Ochako and Rikido Sato.

Bakugou was strong and talented. Like the other kids in the class with high potential. Everyone is ready to improve a lot and become great heroes...

But to him, none of them felt right.

He was still searching for a successor, one to inherit his power and the title it carried with it. He could see the worthy children in this class. But his mind was busy with another person who was not in this class. A person with the heart of a true hero.

He could not remember Nezu's words:

Principal Nezu jumped off of All Might's large shoulder, the man turning to the small mammal. "Nezu-san, was it true what you said, about that quirkless boy getting 77 points in total?" The human animal nodded.

"Yes, he did quite well in the written portion as well, scoring a 98%, higher than anyone else." The principal smiled. "Now for some tea." The principal began to walk away to get to his office and favorite drink.

"W-Wait Nezu-san." All Might was stopped in his pursuit by a hand.

"Please, Toshinori, there are still several students that need their own recordings." The assistant said nervously. All Might stared between the small assistant and the distant head of UA, relenting in his decision.

His curiosity was piqued at the moment by this 'Midoriya Izuku', but he had a job to do first.

Getting back in his spot, All Might looked at the stage cards for the next student on the list, his mind somewhere else.

If Allmight had not witnessed this himseld, he might not have believed it. This boy was strong, skilled and had no quirk. It was all a sign of strong and intense training and commitment all to reach a dream. Something that reminded Allmight of his old self. No quirks, no superpowers, with intense training to climb and prepare to reach the dream of becoming a hero. In addition, saving someone who needed help in front of an opponent like Zero-Pointer...

While the boy was jipped out a spot due to a ridiculous paper error, it didn't make his feat any less incredible to the One for All user. After he finished going over everything, he practically begged Nezu for the address of the boy. He wanted to see him as soon as possible.

From what he watched in the high stands, the boy was fast, powerful, and most of all, helpful. He jumped into a fray and carried a girl to safety, simply because she needed help. Now that was hero material! One for All hero material!

However, Nezu denied him his request.

The small principal didn't want the Symbol of Peace to pressure Midoriya into the spot he offered, much less talk to him about gaining a quirk. From Nezu's standpoint or reasoning, Midoriya would most likely be broken up about not passing due to his own katana, which All Might could understand. The boy's own weapon was his downfall, which was probably very rough on him.

So Nezu told him to wait until whether the boy came on the first day or not, leaving the option up to the boy on whether he wanted to continue his journey in a different way.

Well, Allmight had to wait. Even with his time limit as Allmight, as well as the difference in hours between the gen ed and the hero classes... Anyway, he felt that if he talked to the boy, he could achieve a favorable result. Whoever tried so hard to become a quirkless hero, must have had good motivation and enthusiasm. By talking, he could understand that this boy is suitable for one and all, but... 

A loud buzzard shook All Might from his thoughts and he brought the microphone up to his mouth without a moment of hesitation.

"The Heroes failed to reach the bomb, the Villain Team wins!"

Bakugou stood over Sato and Urararka menacingly. He knocked out Sato and Uraraka, and Iida was next to the bomb the whole time.

Some of the students started talking about the blonde boy's incredible quirk and skill.

"Man. Bakugou is very strong. He was enough to defeat both himself."

"No wonder he got the first place in the entrance exam"

"Beyond his strong and versatile quirk, he has a great fighting skill and mind."

"But he is too ruthless isn't he?"

Allmight called out orders for the next teams, but his thoughts trailed off to Midoriya again.

He didn't know why, but he felt he'd met the boy before. There was something familiar about him that the Number One Hero couldn't put his finger on.

He watched the boy in the stands, yes, but there was something else. Somewhere else where he met him.

Next Day

Izuku walked into his class with Tsume by his side, both of them going over the sharpness of her nails and ways to make it better.

"Have you ever tried painting them with something to make them stronger?" Izuku asked as he looked at her lengthened nails. Tsume scoffed at the question.

"Of course I have, but it doesn't grow with my nails and stays at the tips. That and when I fire them off I can't wait another thirty minutes for a new coat to dry on them." Izuku chuckled a little bit at her abrasive attitude.

"I think I have a better idea for you. What if you make specialized glosses that have different properties, such as flammability so you can light the tip of your lengthened nail on fire, or steel so you can use the tip to cut through harder surfaces, like steel plating." Tsume put a sharpened nail on her chin and smiled.

"I might just have to use that, thanks runt." Izuku deadpanned a little at the insult. "The name's Midoriya Izuku, but you're welcome." The girl slapped him on the back.

"I'm just kidding. Don't worry, I'll find a better nickname for you by tomorrow." The two waved to one another as they separated. Izuku walked to his seat to wait for their teacher

"Yo. Sup?" Surikko and Tetsuki appeared.

"Sorry for being late. But those reporters were beating us. They put their cameras in our throats to give them an opinion about Allmight and UA." Tetsuki said.

This morning, everyone had to deal with the drama that was the media. The hoard of nosy people was unrelenting and bothered every student that could about All Might, much to everyone outside of the Hero Course's major annoyance. They didn't even have classes with the super hero.

"I know." Tsume said with a sigh. "Those idiots almost made me want to skin them alive after they poked those damned cameras in my face." Everyone backed away from the fuming girl, sweatdrops forming on their heads at her overly violent nature.

"It's not that bad," Izuku said "At least when we realize that we are not from hero course"

"Viva. Yeah." Surikko said "I think this is one of the advantages of being in the ged ed."

Before any of them could react, a ring signaled through the air, making everyone in the cafeteria stop in their eating process. "There has been a level three security breach. All students please evacuate promptly."

Tsume turned to a nearby upperclassman. "What the hell is it mean by level three?"

"Level three means someone got onto the campus without authorization." The older boy ran off, leaving the first years to figure stuff out for themselves. "Well." Tsume began, as she got up from her seat. "We better follow his lead and get the hell out of here." The other three nodded and made their way to the exit with everyone else.

Sadly, that meant a lot of students crowding around one spot. Everyone was floundering around one another, smaller kids being pushed down by the larger ones. It was mass hysteria as everyone charged for the doors with the EXIT sign over it.

Izuku knew that he had to calm down the chaotic atmosphere quickly, and in the fastest possible decision, he stood up firmly, and his expressive voice and reassuring tone drew the attention of his classmates who were sitting at a table with him:

"Everyone be calm, we are students of UA, a school that has the strongest security system. Apart from that, all our teachers are professional heroes and protect us."

Unfortunately, Izuku didn't have as much voice as he should. But at least he was able to gather the people near to him and take them to a corner so that they don't get crushed by the hands and feet of the other scared students. Fortunately, a few minutes later, a guy with glasses somehow went to the exit door and was able to calm the others down.

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't realize that his classmates were admiring him instead of the guy with glasses..

Toshinori walked into Principal Nezu's office with his baggy yellow pinstripe suit hanging over his skinny body.

He had wanted to come in yesterday like he hoped, but he stupidly used all his time out in the field. It wasn't that he didn't like or want to help people, it was that he needed his All Might form for other things too, and he knew better than to make a first impression to Midoriya as a skeleton. One of the burdens as a hero like himself.

That, and everyone was flustered about the break-in with the media. He wouldn't have had a chance to get into the school without being question on who he was by the police. A weird skinny man with baggy clothing just screamed 'hobo' to them for some reason.

So he was forced to break his own plans and try to fix it today, noe that things have simmered down a bit.

"Oh, Toshinori, how are you doing today? Would you like some tea?" The number one hero was about to refute, but Nezu was already pouring him a cup. Now he couldn't refuse the gesture. Picking up his own cup of hot tea, Toshinori looked at the mammal principal with his beady eyes.

"Nezu-san, I must ask abou-"

"About Midoriya Izuku? Yes, he did show up yesterday, and the day before that, if you wanted to know." The Symbol of Peace sighed in relief. That was good. The boy came to UA and now he had a chance to meet the boy and talk to him.

Nezu said "Well, well, the reports about him are interesting. But more interesting than that, it was today that he led some of his classmates during the chaos in the cafeteria. I must say that you have chosen a good person as a possible successor."

"However, there is something you should know before you go track him down." Nezu put down his tea and gestured for All Might to sit across from him, which the skinny man could not deny. "What is the problem Nezu-san? Did something happen to him? Was he bitter or angry about his spot in the General Course." The principal shook his head as he took another sip.

"Not at all. In fact, he seems to be doing very well in his class and has made three new friends during homeroom..., but that is not the problem I was referring to." Toshinori gave the animal man a confused look. "Then what is the problem?" Nezu continued to drink his tea.

"He doesn't like you." Those words struck Toshinori in the heart.

"W-What do you mean he doesn't like me?!" He shouted in disbelief. How could someone not like the Symbol of Peace? Much less a boy like Midoriya, who pushed to become a hero more than anything.

"Allow me to explain in more detail." Nezu began. "You see, because of the awkward situation we faced with Midoriya, I decided to have his homeroom teacher, Kayama sensei, relay information back to me about how he was adjusting to the General Course." Nezu took a sip of his tea and pulled out a green paper from his desk and began to read.

Midoriya Izuku, quirkless 15 years old born on July 15th.

On the first day, Midoriya has shown that he has an open mind towards the general course without any inconsistency and also has a good relationship with the students.

Midoriya also has a lot of self-confidence and stated that he intends to become a hero and prove to everyone that he can be a hero without a quirk and achieve any dream. He also befriended three other students and has a good relationship with them.

  During the conversations he had with his friends, he stated that he does not see Allmight as a perfect hero, and he mentioned some evidence in this regard, and added that his other motivation for becoming a hero is to defeat people whom Allmight will probably not be able to defeat.

 

Conclusion

As a general ed student, Midoriya has a certain pride.

 

He has determination and drive. Wants to go into the Hero Course.

 

He is not overly confident, but he is not afraid to express his opinion.

 

He is somewhat shy , but he tries not to show it openly.

 

He has a very analytical mind and has a good range of information.

 

He somewhat does not like Allmight and, unlike the majority of students, sees Allmight as imperfect.

Nezu put the paper down with a sigh, grabbing what was left of his tea and downing it before filling his cup again. Toshinori was frozen in his spot, the words of the teacher settling on his shoulders.

Midoriya didn't like him for some reason. The boy who was the best choice for inheriting his quirk... didn't like the Symbol of Peace. Was it perhaps because of his strength? It made sense in his mind. Someone with no quirk would easily be angered at another for having one as powerful as One for All.

No, from the reports, the boy has no problem talking about quirks and heroes with exceptional abilities. His powers as the Symbol of Peace wouldn't affect how the boy saw him. He was also prideful as a quirkless person, which might be problem later.

Could it perhaps be that he didn't save someone close to the boy? There were some who blamed him for not saving their loved ones or friends. He didn't deal with it too often, but every now and then a person would yell at him about failing to save their mother or sister.

That was a plausible reason, but it didn't seem right. The boy would probably hate him much more than what the report said. That, and Midoriya wanted to do the jobs that heroes like himself couldn't. If the boy truly hated him, he would be shooting to replace him, not work beside him.

He still couldn't put his finger on the reason, but something in his mind itched at the curly haired boy. It was like he'd met him before. He met dozens of people everyday while saving lives, but something about Midoriya made him special in All Might's mind. He just couldn't remember why.

"I believe the best thing is to start out with why he dislikes you, and try to fix the situation. If you want this boy to inherit your quirk, then you will need his full trust. Something you don't have at the moment." Nezu paused for more tea, causing Toshinori to sweatdrop. How much tea could the principal drink?

"Another thing to account for is his pride. He wants to be a hero without a quirk, which contradicts what you wish to offer him. He made it through the entrance exams without a quirk and scored very high, so he most likely believes he doesn't need a flashy power to succeed in his dreams. In all honesty, I don't think he'll want your power." Toshinori bit his lip, wishing the mammal man before him would stop drinking tea for a moment.

Nezu was right. Even if he did get the boy to like him again, it was obvious that Midoriya wanted to be a quirkless hero. While that was noble and brave on so many accounts, Midoriya was also a great candidate for his quirk.

He would need to focus on that half later. Right now, he had to do the first part. Learn about the boy and get his trust. All he needed to do was talk to him and figure out why Midoriya didn't like him.

Who knows, maybe he'll figure out why the boy was familiar to him in the process.

Chapter Text

After those events in the cafeteria and some other things that the teachers took care of, the classes resumed as usual. Izuku and his friend returned to their class. It didn't take long for Midnight to return to the classroom and resume teaching in her usual mood, until finally it was time for a more special thing.

Midnight grabbed a stack of papers off her desk. Passing some of the stack to each student front row, she gained everyone's attention with a quick snap of a ruler. "Pass them back and don't flip them over until I say."

With that, the stacks were filed back from person to person, everyone receiving the paper faced down. "Well, as you know, UA is basically a hero school" She began to explain""As you know, this Course is made up of students who want to enter one of the other courses, such as Support or Hero. It will be an up hill battle, but these results will be shown to the Hero Course teachers along the year and if they show interest, they can determine if you're a fit for their class."

"With that said, we will begin with a simple mentality test. The questions will seem confusing and strange, but the point is to make you think deeply about it and what your answer would be. Reaaady?! Begin!"

 Izuku went through the problems slowly, making sure to take his time on each one with patience. He needed to focus on the importance of the questions and explain himself in a few words as possible. He could easily ramble on about how he felt about the Hero Course, but the teachers who might look at it could easily toss it aside if he did so.

Questions like these required an understanding of oneself. That's why these mentality tests were so important. There wasn't really a right answer to these sort of things, it was based solely of the person's perceptions of what the correct answer was. If someone believed that something was a certain way, then examiners of the test could determine how that person thinks based on their answers. Making it to the last problem, he read out the statement carefully.

Please Answer this question in ten words or less: What is a hero?

For such a question, Izuku had a storehouse of different sentences that did not fit into ten words. How did he want to describe something like this in a short sentence?

This question was not looking for an empty simple answer, it was looking for understanding his own way of thinking about being a hero. How Izuku personally understands the answer and what kind of hero he imagines himself to be.

So after a long pause he finally wrote:

A protector who inspires others to follow his path.

The Next Day...

Izuku sat down to lunch with Tsume across from him, Surikku and Tetsuki sandwiching him on both sides.

After doing the mentality tests, they were all subjugated to a questionnaire about who they would save in a life or death situation, the students being chosen randomly in each case.

Tsume was obviously still miffed about not being chosen. She had an answer for each one and the people who got chosen were either too skittish to answer or too dumb to understand what the questions meant.

Surikku took offense to that.

Anyway, Izuku broke his chopsticks and began to eat his streamed vegetables, much to everyone else's displeasure.

"Dude, at lease put some mayo on those. Seriously." Tetsuki said as he bit into his beef. Surikku nodded. "I have to agree, why did you get vegetables? Lunch rush could've made anything and you chose that." Izuku chuckled a little bit.

Izuku bit into his greens slowly, much to Tetsuki's disdain. "Well, I think that eating vegetables is great, as it helps with your body's health, eyesight, and growth." Izuku said happily.

Tsume snickered. "A few vegetables isn't going to help you much with your height dear." A tick mark formed on Izuku's head. That was a double whammy of an insult on Tsume's part.

"At least I'll be in shape, unlike you after you finish all that ramen." Sitting on Tsume's plate was a heaping bowl of shio ramen, the salt and carbs practically steaming off it in Izuku's opinion. "Hey!" Tsume jumped up from the table. "Don't you dare dis ramen! Ramen is the best thing on this earth since hot wings." The three boys turned to her in confusion.

"What are hot wings?" Tetsuki asked less carelessly to which Tsume smiled viciously at the three. "One of these days, I'm going to show you boys some grade A American cuisine." The three shivered. While Izuku may be the health nut of the group, they can all agree that anything from America was soaked in grease and not good for you.

"By the way..."Izuku did not understand exactly when and how the tone of her classmates changed."You said a lot that you want to be a hero without a quirk, but you are short and well, your face look so...girly. What can you really do except sit and talk like that?"

Izuku first wanted to ask how Tsume could call her girly when she looked boyish herself...But, he just took a deep breath to give an answer... just for hearing a familiar voice from behind suddenly :

-I know that green hairs! It's you!

They all turned around and saw a smiling girl coming towards them. Izuku recognized the girl."Uraraka-san right?"

"It's nice to again. You're... Midoriya, right? The one who saved me in the entrance exam." She said and Izuku nodded.

" it wasn't a big deal. I'm sure UA has some plans for safity" he smiled and said as humbly as he could.

"But this does not reduce the value of what you did. I'm sure." Uraraka said with a sincere smile "So are you in the class B?" 

Izuku's smile to falter a little bit at the memories of his failure. "Um, no. I'm in the General Course actually."

"What?! No way!" It's as if Uraraka's eyes popped out in disbelief." How? You slashed robots like -Boom Woooshh- cutting them down with your sword and helping people along the way. Why didn't you get in?" 

Izuku gave a sheepish smile. "It's... kind of hard to explain. I'm sorry." Uraraka didn't seem satisfied with that but nodded softly anyway.

"Okay, I'll see you around Midoriya-kun. Thanks again for the help in the exam." She walked off with her tray, leaving Izuku with a few classmates who were looking at him thoughtfully...

"So..." carefree classmate began" Does that mean you really were raised by a samurai?"

Later...

Izuku made his way to his next class with a sigh. Today was just as crazy as the first day.

After Uraraka left, his friends questioned him on his abilities and how he could wield a sword. Surikku went into detail about samurais from the old days, bur Izuku placated him.

More importantly, thanks to the insistence of his classmates, Izuku was forced to explain his many years of study in addition to admitting his Kenjutsu training.

Izuku didn't intend to explain this in the first place because he didn't want to cause a rift between him and his classmates when they found out that he is a top ranker in the entrance exam who had to go to gen ed because of a ridiculous clerical error.

Fortunately, Izuku managed to convince his classmates to keep it a secret. Instead, he tried hard to advise and inspire them.

Izuku explained to everyone that a person's abilities determine their capability , not their quirks. With a lot of effort, the most useless people, even a quirkless one like Izuku, can make himself strong and ready to become a hero. The fact that Izuku did not see himself above the others because of his great efforts caused them like him more.

Izuku subconsciously thought back to his classmates' quirks and their effectiveness in different situations.

One of the classmates who attracted Izuku's attention was Shinsou Hitoshi. His quirk was called brainwash, although it had not a so nice name, but was really effective and could work great for very dangerous situations like hostage taking. Izuku remembered the incident of the villain sludge and thought that someone like Shinsoy could solve the situation that the flashy heroes couldn't solve more easily and effectively.

However, Shinsou's qurik, being able to control others, at first glance is useful for anything but being a hero. Izuku didn't tell anything to Shinsou, but he could understand how it feels to be told that you're not good enough to be a hero or something like that. Still, from the point of view of having inherent abilities, Shinso was in a higher category than Izuku. All in all, if All Might had seen Shinso instead of Izuku during the Sludge Villain incident, he probably would have told him he could be a hero.

-AAAhhhhh...that memory again...

Remembering that day and All Might's words again... he preferred to go back to his class and lessons....

-Younge Midoriya!

Speak of the Devil.

The hulking muscular hero apeared. Izuku unconsciously took a defensive guard. But he quickly opened it and respectfully said: Yes, sensei?

Although he didn't want to talk to All Might again, he still had to respect him.

"It's good to sae you young man, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment." Izuku collected his courage.

"With all respect, No. I have a class to get to." Izuku then passed by the yellow wearing behemoth, much to the man's shock. "A-Are you sure? It would only take a moment of your time." Izuku continued to walk briskly.

I'm sorry sir, but I can't afford to miss any classes or be late to them. I hope you understand."And without showing any emotion, he passed by the blonde hero and left him in shock.

All Might didn't think that someone would deal with the number one hero like thay, instead of Endeavour. Usually people didn't care if they were late even for their work, they only cared about seeing the symbol of peace.

- Please wait a moment, young Midoriya...

All Might's different tone stopped Izuku a bit. In addition, he had been close to Izuku for a long time now.

- Just tell me why you don't like me? You said this your class, right?

Izuku could easily say that he didn't say such a thing, he just said that he doesn't accept him as a perfect hero. But if he said this, he would be lying to his feelings. Yes, he didn't like All Might like other people anymore and he couldn't deny it. In addition, the fact that All Might seemed to have forgotten the reason really upset him.

So he lowered his head so that his eyes could not be seen, and said, "Sludge villain, Tatooin Shopping District."

And after saying just these few words, he quickly passed by All Might, didn't look back and left. He should have reached his class, away from All Might.

At that time, he realized that coming to Gen Ed, away from hero course and the All Might, was really the best choice for him.

Next Day...

A warrior must train without interruption. Getting accepted to UA didn't just mean that Izuku stopped going to kenjutsu class.

 -Midoriya!

Hearing Takahashi's voice, Izuku stopped, wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood facing Sensei.

"Midoriya, you seem nervous again today." Takahashi said loudly and expressively" Energy and anger can be seen in every blow and every movement. Why?"

Izuku lowered his head "The truth is...you know sensei...I didn't tell you, but about a year ago I had a small meeting with the number one hero and..."

There was no need for Izuku to continue. Takahashi Ryou was an experienced master who had gotten to know Izuku well over the years of training him. He knew very well that Izuku had been training more and more seriously for the past year. At first, Takahashi thought it was because he was closer to the UA entrance exam, but now he could understand that it was something else.

So he told to his long-haired student "Midoriya. There is no need to continue. I understand. Everything that happened to you in the past belongs only to you. And it is admirable that this is a reason for you to make harder efforts, but..." he picked up a training sword "If you want to relax yourself, fighting the air won't change anything."

"Guard UP!" He said and went in front of his student and said loudly " and remember your exercises. Your training is the only thing that will never betray you!"

Izuku quickly got ready. "I hope going to that school didn't soften you, Midoriya." Seeing Izuku's seemingly strong guard, Takahashi said,

And the fight began.

Takahashi could see that his hardworking student was practicing his moves with all his heart. He could boldly say that this boy is ready for any battle in UA.

However, Midoriya Izuku still had a lot to learn. More things than swordsmanship to show what he can really do.

Chapter Text

Izuku should thank Takahashi sensei for sparring. Practicing real kenjutsu fighting techniques with his master was both helpful and relaxing. So the next day he went to his class calmly.

Fortunately, there was no news of All Might. It seems that he was doing things outside of school that made Izuku comfortable.

In the classroom, Midnight entered again with a good mood and said: "Well, guys, I have another important work for you today."

She pulled out a bunch of papers ( from nowhere..?) "First of all, I want you all to write a one or two page article about the heroes and your views on their work. And second, you are going to do a group test. Everyone in the class forms a group of two with another person and writes an article about their group and their abilities."

"The work is simple. You have the next two days and the weekend to get to know each other's abilities and characteristics and to present the ways of their effectiveness from your point of view to the class in a report." She explained and added "Remember that presentations are oral."

And as soon as these words were finished, the class started making noise and for team formation. Many people went and tried to be in a group with someone they knew, and of course Midnight told them that it is better to be in a group with someone they don't know so that their analysis would be better.

And this was anything but easy for Izuku, because he had to act as a mediator between many kids in the class to choose who they wanted to be in a group with. It was not easy. For example, Tsume and Surikko were fighting over teaming up with Tetsuki, and Izuku had to try hard to separate them. Izuku wasn't exactly the best judge in normal day-to-day situations, and everyone else should have known that, so Izuku didn't really understand why his mediation resolved the conflict between Surikko and Tsume, whose manners reminded Izuku of Katsuki.

It was at this time that Izuku thought to himself that he wished Kachan could be calmed down that easily.

Well, luckily things turned out well...though not for Izuku.  Because he couldn't get a group.  The problem was that no one wanted to be in a group with a quirkless boy because basically they couldn't see anything in Izuku for proper analysis.  It was a pain, hindered by being quirkless again, but Izuku pulls through.  There were 20 students in the class, so at the end there will definitely be one person left without a group for Izuku to be in a group with.

Before that, Izuku preferred to go to the corridor and work on his English homework.

But before he had his forth step in his way, something happened.

The door automatically shut at the front of the class, a metal guard coming out and sealing the students in the classroom.

"What's going on?"

"Did the media get into the school again?"

"No, this alarm sounds different"

"Why did the doors seal up?"

"The school has been placed on lockdown. All students please remain calm and follow the instructions of the teachers. If a student is outside one of the classrooms, please proceed to the nearest classroom door and a teacher can allow you excess in, thank you."

The alarm then ceased and everyone in the class began to talk loudly and question what was going on. The teacher was having a hard time getting them to calm down, but he was doing his best in the situation.

Izuku wondered what was going on. It probably wasn't the same as the other day or they would all be asked to evacuate the premises. The only thing that made sense was that it was off campus, or someone got into the school and was walking the halls.

He took his phone and entered the chat group of his classmates.  Some of them were online:

 Midoriya: Whats happening?

 Tetsuki: No idea.

How Tetsuki could looked carefree even in the chat?!

 Surikku: I was in the hallway and now I'm stuck with a bunch of second years. I'm freaking out! (owo)

 Tsume: I didn't understand either! Now I'm stuck with some cowardly and talkative second years, they're making me angry! if this situation takes long time, I will peel them off!

 Tetsuki: Calm down, Tsume.  The second year does not bite. But really, why is this happening?

 Midoriya: I'm sure that everything is fine. We just have to relax and follow the instructions of the teachers. I doubt that the school would allow a villain to get into the school without trouble.

 Midoriya: It's most likely something near the school and they want to take precautions with the students at UA. Nobody is going to get hurt.

Izuku put his phone away with relief, happy that his friends weren't in any form of danger. He wondered if something bad was happening in the school, but at the same time, wasn't too worried. This was a school occupied by pro heroes. Even if they were strong, the villains couldn't beat seasoned pro heroes like Ectoplasm or Present Mic in UA itself.

"Hey, you are Midoriya, aren't you?"

 Izuku looked at the person who said his name. A tired looking boy with purple hair. "And you are Shinsou-kun, right?"

Shinsou nodded and  Izuku said "I remember you from the first day. Your quirk was brainwash, right?"

"Yeah," Shinso answered simply.

Izuku smiled "Very good. You have a great quirk. It means that anyone with any strength will be under your control if his mind cannot resist."

"Of course a kid with no quirk would think that." Izuku knew it was meant to be barb at him, but he wasn't ashamed of his lack of quirk. He proven to himself and others that he was just fine without one.

"Huh?" Izuku said in surprise "What difference does it make? It doesn't diminish the awesomeness of your quirk. With such a powerful quirk, you can easily become a hero. There are dozens of ways it could be applied to Heroics."

“Name three,” Shinso growled.

“Hostage situation, suicide prevention, general de-escalation of tense situations,” Izuku replied robotically, making Shinso blink, “I can give more detailed examples if that’s not good enough.”

Shinsou thought for a moment about all three situations that Izuku had said "No, I got what you mean."

Izuku continued "I understand that most mental quirks like yours, which are not interesting and flashy, are often not seen as heroic enough, but this does not diminish the effectiveness and excellence of your quirk. Your quirk is really unique and can save many people in many situations and this is the most valuable." He finished with a smile.

Shinsou leaned back on wall with a sigh of annoyance. And then he peered at Izuku. "Why do you talk like an old man?".

"Well, it's actually-" Before he knew it, he lost control of all his functions. Realizing what just happened, he cursed himself for the moment of forgetfulness.

"Go back to your seat and sit patiently until we get out of the lockdown." And with that, Izuku was forced to follow the orders of the brainwasher, and there he remained quiet until the end of the lockdown, thinking about how to get out of the mental hold and talk to the boy once again.

a few moments later...

"Well, as you know, the school will be closed for two days due to the attack of the villains on USJ and the students of the championship course. Use these two extra days to work on two-person analysis. Remember, you will not be exempted from homework. Free class for now." Midnight said and left the classroom

And the students started talking about what happened at USJ and the villains attacked there. One class, the top class in the hero course, had fought real villains. This was not something to be underestimated.

"Honestly... I don't know how it can feel to fight villains and those... you know that..." sounds like he didn't now how to put his mean in words.

"Oh come on," Surikko said impatiently "All Might was there, so nothing bad should've happened, right?" His tone showed jealousy to a great extent.

Tsume didn't care "I heard that two students who were in the sea area or something were badly injured."

"Being injured does not mean dying." Surikko said " Im sure everything is fine"

as much as it is interesting to talk about it, I think it is better to get to our lesson. " Izuku finally said his opinion "You know that villains attack does not affect our class, right?"

Hearing this from Izuku, everyone stared at him with surprise, but did not dare to say anything. Because now the dark aura around Izuku seemed scarier than any villain.

Izuku was thinking more than everytime in all of these years. The villains attack on the students was not something he had thought about. Training aside, the real experience of fighting real people in a dangerous situation was a great experience for strengthening people. The hero class was definitely making a special progress now. And this means that Izuku was going to face a much stronger opponent than he expected in the sports festival.

Now it was more difficult to reach his goal than before.

Chapter Text

-Shinsou-kun you have time?

Shinsou looked behind him and saw a green haired girl... no... Midoriya Izuku. Every time he saw this boy from behind, he thought its a girl. Shinsou didn't know what that long hair was for.

"What?" Shinsou said in a tired tone "More questions about my quirk?"

Izuku continued without being bothered by Shinsu's tired tone "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the two-person analysis assignment. Are you willing to work together?"

Shinsou narrowed his eyes "Why me? Didn't you have your own friends in your class?"

"Well, honestly, they have their own groups now." Izuku said with a honest smile "I'm more curious about you and it seems that you have not been grouped with anyone."

Shinsou said with a frown again "Does my quirk have much to analyze? One answer, one brainwashing, that's it" 

Still with the same sincere smile, Izuku took out a notebook from his bag and opened it to Shinsou.

Shinsou got curious. He brought his face close and read:

Brainwashing based on verbal answers.

Probably, the user will not be able to command the main cortex to perform a specific task, such as saying a specific word. Solution: By studying different parts of the brain and psychology, it is possible to increase the application

Suggestion: artificial vocal cords to change the voice and deceive the enemy. Digital converters are not recommended due to the possibility of disrupting the quirk process.

Second suggestion: learn stealth techniques such as ninjutsu as a supplement

Questions: What is the time threshold of controlling a person?

How many people can be brainwahsed at the same time?

What can break brainwashing control?

Shinsou looked surprised. Even the synthetic vocal cord part seems interesting for him. Shinso himself had not thought that the digital changer could cause interference.

Midoriya was still waiting for his answer. This quirkless boy seemed to really know something. And like Shinsou, he dreamed of becoming a hero.

Well, this boy was seriously serious for him. So "OK. Let's see what we can do." He answered.

Tommorow

Shinsou Hitoshi had problems in his life.

The lack of sleep he had, the problem he had with his parents, he had trouble finding friends, but the third thing was most important and the origin of this problem was his quirk.

Shinsou had a strong quirk, but this quirk is like the heroes on TV who had no glamor and sometimes even seem scary.

Shinsou was admired, but these admirations were wrong. His old classmates were always kids who loved to do whatever they wanted and Shinso actually had that kind of power. Admiring Shinsou as someone who could do things that were against the law and manner, left nothing more than a bitter taste in his mouth. It can be said that no one in Shinsou's life had told him that he could become a hero or something like that. It was then that Shinsou realized that admiring a person is different from admiring his quirk. And for this reason, he felt a kind of hatred and contempt for those who have strong and so-called "heroic" quirks.

And this feeling was intensified in the UA entrance exam because his quirk had no effect on some robots. Shinsou had no idea who designed that test, but whoever he was was definitely looking for powerful and flashy quirks rather than effective ones.

Shinsou didn't give up and went to the Gen Ed, hoping to show himself in the sports festival. He had good luck. Anyone with any power or quirk will be defeated by just giving him an answer, And Shinsou could easily show the difference between a really effective quirk and flashy quirks.

Until he saw that boy.

The first time he saw Midoriya Izuku from behind,  Shinsou thought he was a girl because he had long hair and a rather girlish voice. At the beginning of the class, Midoriya was in a serious and deep analytical mode, and when he introduced himself, he was cheerful and friendly. This contrast seemed strange even to Shinsou.

He was not surprised to hear that Midoriya is also planning to enter the hero course. However, this was common in Gen Ed, which was practically known as the "rejected ones" class. What surprised him was that the boy has no quirks and he talked about his dream of becoming a hero in front of the kids who have quirks. Shinsou couldn't tell if this boy was stupid or too determined. People who don't have a quirk are one-fifth of the population and the majority of them have lost their quirk due to old age. So practically in the whole country, there were few people like Midoriya Izuku. But definitely, none of them have entered the most difficult job in today, that is becoming a hero; or even supporting them.

Another thing that surprised Shinsou badly was that Midoriya admired glamorous and flashy heroes, but even he saw All Might, the symbol of peace incomplete and not flawless as other people and he believed that everyone needed help to succeed.

It was a strange and pessimistic motivation that someone like Endeavor usually talks about, but Shinso likes it, anyway, he still doesn't understand what this quirkless boy can do at all?

Well, definitely the first thing was Midoriya's analytical mind; Shinsou had to admit that he had underestimated it. Midoriya was very good at guessing Shinsou's quirk and efficiency and some details, which was admirable for Shinsou. Besides, Midoriya was the one who directly looked at him as a future hero. At first, Shinsou thought that Midoriya was saying this because he doesn't have a quirk, but could he really expect something like this from this boy who even considered All Might to be incomplete?

Anyway, now that he was teamed up with Midoriya, he was going to get an answer. Midoriya and that plan to meet each other at Midoriya's training place during these holidays....

On the other side of the story...

The villains' attack on USJ happened quickly and unpredictably. And of course it caused damage. The security of UA was increased so that such an incident does not happen again.

Fortunately, students were not seriously injured. The students, as expected of UA students, fought off the villains well and came out unscathed. Counseling with them for mental and emotional injuries was going well and excellently.

But the same could not be said about teachers. Aizawa had suffered the most and worst injuries and Thirteen had also received bad wounds. But the most important of them was All Might.

Although his injury was completely hidden, All Might couldn't deny that his severe injury was getting worse. That strange monster called Nomu made his injuries worse than before. Now, instead of three hours, his time limit had reached one hour, which was cause for great concern for him.

Which was why he needed to come up with a new alternative soon. His power was depleting and his time was short. He needed to pass on his quirk to the next person in line. One who could not only handle it, but who understood its importance and had the heart to handle such a task. He needed a successor that represented the Symbol of Peace, so people would not loose sight when he eventually had to retire.

Which was going to happen sooner than he thought.

Luckily, he found someone who fit his criteria. A boy with courage and strength to stand against others. One who would rush into danger simply because it was his duty to. A child who would probably sacrifice himself for the greater good of society. Who carried a heart of gold and a fire in his eyes. He was just what All Might needed.

But the boy didn't even give the giant hero a chance. He tried to avoid him and pushed the number one hero away, much to his shock.

All Might felt bad about this. Ever since he could remember, he had tried his best to be someone that everyone looked up to and hoped for, and when he found someone who didn't feel the same way about him... well... All Might definitely wanted to know that. Where and what mistake had he made? And he should have corrected this mistake quickly, so that he could give the boy something that the world had not given him.

A quirk... a power...

Well, All Might was determined to find out today. So he went to the place the boy had told him.

"Tatooin Shopping Plaza" A bandaged skeleton man muttered out, looking around at the scenery of the area with interest. This was that place. Where he could learn about his connection to the boy, and why Midoriya didn't like him.

It might even solve the strange familiarity he has for the boy. He still can't figure that part out, and it's been itching at him.

All Might, as thin Toshinori Yagi, scoped out the area with his keen blue eyes, thinking about its importance. Was there a villain fight here? If so, did the boy get hurt because of him? Or perhaps a part of the boy's family?

He peered around at the shops and caught something. A burn mark, one that stretched along the sides of an alleyway and out onto a hat shop.

He remembers the place. Because he saved a victim of a villain attack who was in his class. Where a slimy villain got Bakugou Katsuki hostage. And there was no mention of the green-haired boy...

Or was...?

Toshinori put his hand under his chin and reviewed the events of the day...following the Sludge Villain in the sewers...then out in a tunnel and the initial attack and...someone holding his sleeve... a green haired boy...

"Can someone without a quirk become a hero?"

And what did he answer?

And yes....he finally remembered what exactly he said to someone who was able to reach the joint first rank with Bakugou Katsuki without a quirk. So it was no surprise that the boy was upset with All Might. A boy who, with his dream of becoming a hero, pushed himself to the point where he was more successful than many in the entrance exam, had heard such words from the number one hero.

It all made sense. Why the boy saw him as nothing but a hurdle, an obstacle to pass in his goals to be a hero.

Well... he must have consulted Nezu.He should definitely go and consult with Nezu to find a solution.

Shinso biked to the location with a yawn. While he had no problem biking towards the location, he looked up to spot on his phone found that it was a dojo.

A Kenjutsu dojo.

At least he could confirm that about Midoriya. The curly haired boy obviously wouldn't choose a place like this at random. It had a place in the boy's interest and was most likely the same spot where Midoriya learned his skills. The skills he had yet to see.

Midoriya was standing right in front of him and seems waiting for him.

- Shinsou-kun good afternoon. I'm glad to see you again. 

The boy's apparel immediately caught the purple haired boy's attention. Instead of the UA school uniform, Midoriya was wearing a simple emerald green shirt, greatly accentuating the shine in the curly haired boy's eyes, as well as his dark green hair.

Shinsou had never seen Midoriya in anything other than UA's uniform, and he didn't know what that uniform was hiding until now.

Midoriya was built. Shinso found his attention taken to Midoriya's arms, which pulsed with energy and power, despite being slim and close to his body. The same energy traveled up to his covered shoulders, which made a presence under the green shirt which popped out at the spots Midoriya had more muscle.

All in all, it was not what he was expecting. Midoriya's body did not fit his face, one being much more rigid than the other. It made him a little self conscious about saying yes to partnering up with the curly haired boy.

"Well, Shinsu-kun," Midoriya's voice interrupted his thoughts "today is a day off, the dojo is empty and only my master is there. Shall we go inside?"

"Okay, lets get inside and get started then." Shinso followed the smaller boy into the dojo and found himself surveying their workplace. "Shinso-kun, welcome to this Ryu Dojo. It's where I trained in kenjutsu over the years."

It was definitely what Shinso expected from a kenjutsu dojo. The walls were cleaned and polished, the only things on them were pictures of fighting forms or the occasional titles held by the owner/master. There was a small area of business at the front with a desk, a calendar with dates and times, a simple computer that didn't look very used, and a tea set with several different kinds of cups and tea leaves.

In the main area was a black rubber looking surface, expanding over almost all the floor. There was no cracks in between the rubber plates, as if they were welded together. The floor had a large white ring in the middle, most likely for spars, and it was freshly cleaned. On the far wall was a rack of different wooden weapons, most of which being katanas or bokken, but also bo staffs, nun-chucks, and naginatas.

Next to the collection of the weapons was a closed door, most likely a restroom or owner's quarters, and a trophy case. He couldn't see much from the distance, but it looked like there were pictures of different students, all of which celebrating what appeared to be a belt test of sorts. There were also placards and plaques, along with trophies inside the glass case, showing that the dojo had success in training students.

All in all, it seemed nice enough, if a bit stuffy, but Shinsou wondered what kind of person owned this place, and why Midoriya chose kenjutsu as a fighting style.

"-Shinsou-kun, this way please." Midoriya pointed to a small table with two small cups and seats on either side of it. When they both sat down, Midoriya poured a hot drink "I hope you like green tea. Sugar is here too."

They both took a sip of green tea, and then Midoriya spoke, "Well, shall we begin? We can start by examining the shark and then go to the physical abilities..."

"What did you mean by 'Physical'?" Shinso said as he sipped his tea, noticing the soft hint of sugar in the flavor. Midoriya drank his own tea with grace. "Like Sensei said, we need to find out about each others abilities." Midoriya brought his cup back to the table. "I thought it would be good to see how strong you are. Is something wrong?" Shinsou's eyes narrowed at Midoriya.

"Why is it any of your business how strong I am. Just because we have a project together doesn't mean you get to know my secrets." Shinsou shot, not at all feeling comfortable with how this was going.

Of course the quirkless kid would try to learn about him the most. After all, some people had quirks that could counteract his own, but Midoriya had no such ability, and was looking for a weakness to exploit in the future.

"Shinsou-kun, I meant myself" Midoriya explained "I wanted to show you my abilities. Anyway, you must have something to present in class, right?" Midoriya spoke more more control than Shinso thought he would. 

And the conversation began. And well, Shinso expected everything...except to hear that Izuku was inspired by hero number two! Shinso couldn't imagine that anyone could get inspiration from that human torch. But the fact that Izuku said that he understood after meeting him that even people with quirks cannot become heroes without a lot of effort was more important than that.

 The plan that Midoriya had followed for several years was something that Shinso couldn't say anything about. Long years of hard work, bodybuilding, fighting training, increasing knowledge and information... these were more like recommended students than a quirkless boy in the general course!

 Shinsou was eager to see how the green haired boy's skills were in action. Anyway, hearing who was like seeing. If the boy really wanted to be a quirkless hero, he should have shown it.

 And in the middle of his thoughts, he heard a man's voice "Midoriya. And he must be Shinsou Hitoshi."

Shinsou turned and looked at the owner of the voice. A tall man in traditional Japanese clothes who looked about forty years old with long black hair and narrow eyes.

Midoriya stood up ans bowed "Hello, Takahashi-sensei." Shinsou-kun, he is my master. Takahashi Ryu Sensei."

Shinsou quickly got up to bow, when the man stopped him with a loud voice  "Boy, I don't want your bow. We still don't know each other well enough. Respect is not desired, it has to be earned and I don't think you know me that well yet."

Shinsou frowned. Like student, like teacher, right?

Looking to the the man who didn't look over 40, he gazed at him with curiosity. "Where were you all this time. I didn't here the door open at the front." The man smiled sagely. "I was searching for myself, looking into my own thoughts and relaxing my body and soul. It helps control the mind and reinvigorate oneself." He finished cryptically, only confusing the purple haired boy.

Midoriya smiled and explained "Sensei meant that he was taking a nap, there is a small bed outside that..."

-OK!!!!

Takahashi quickly interrupted his student with a loud voice "You said you came for a class investigation, right? What is the best way to show skills Midoriya?"

"A fight sensei." Izuku replied in less than one second.

And in less than a few seconds, both the student and the master took wooden swords, stood in front of each other and took guard.

Before starting, Izuku turned to Shinso and said, "Shinso-kun. Sensei and I usually fight with a focus on speed. We try to go slower, but pay close attention to our movements. Preferably don't blink."

"Huh?" Shinsou frowned again "I'm not short-sighted, Midoriya."

Shinsou was ready to take notes of the fight...

.

.

.

He was very wrong!!!

Chapter Text

- Well, everyone, sit down and relax, we have a work to do today.

Midnight said this and everyone sat down.

"Well, I gave you an assignment for the weekend," 

Midnight said with her usual cheerfulness "Let's see what you did. Maybe I will give you a prize."

Then she looked at the class list "Well, the first two students... hmm? Eenie, meenie, minie, Mo! Then Midoriya Izuku and Shinsou Hitoshi!"

Both Izuku and Shinso got up and went to the board. They looked at each other, and then Izuku began "Midoriya Izuku and I did a project on Shinso Hitoshi."

And he continued "Shinso's quirk, called brainwashing, is a powerful quirk with high ability that can completely control and bring a person under his command in exchange for a verbal answer. However, it does not seem to be able to make a person do certain things, especially things related to the frontal lobe of the brain, such as saying a certain word. The uses of this quirk are many. Using it, Shinso can force the villains to surrender without causing any damage or casualties, just by getting a verbal response."

He took a breath "Of course, this quirk is not perfect. If the person does not answer, Shinso will definitely be in a bad situation. In addition, excessive use of this quirk gives Shinso a headache. In addition, Shinso's physical strength is not at a high level, and in hand-to-hand combat, he gets stuck in a bad situation. If he trains physically and learns fighting styles, Shinso will definitely become a great hero in the future."

Izuku's speech ended here. Shinso nodded with a smile. His green-haired classmate did a good job, now it was his turn. So he went forward "Well, I'm Shinso Hitoshi and I'm going to talk about Midoriya about these things. And for a demonstration... Midoriya?"

"Yes" Izuku answered

and Izuku's eyes went dull and everyone leaned forward in their seats. "According to his suggestion, I have him under control for now." Shinso said and then started.

"Well, first of all, Midoriya doesn't have a quirk..."

He ignored the surprised looks of some of students and continued "Because of this, he had to find another way to get power. To do this, he came up with a more difficult and lengthy method that many would certainly find exhausting. To show it better, hey Midoriya, take off your uniform and do a handstand."

Izuku readily obeyed and took off his shirt in front of the entire class, revealing a full set of muscles without any fat that left the class speechless, even his three friends who had seen Izuku's muscles before, ans then got on both of his hands, holding up his body without any trouble.

Shinso himself also looked for a moment before coughing and continued "Midoriya trained his body over years. Because of this, he has great physical strength. He can lift 140 kilograms, run a mile in less than three minutes and back, and he can break normal bones with his punch, which is the result of his extensive training in the gym."

Shinso took a breat "And that's not all. Midoriya also has a black belt in kenjutsu and is very skilled in sword fighting and can use a wooden sword in ways many think impossible, which he has acquired through years of training. Midoriya, do one handed handstand push ups." The green-haired boy did what he was asked and everyone gawked as he pushed himself off the ground with only one arm.

"In general, it can be said that Midoriya has compensated for his lack of quirk by training his body and skills to a great extent, which makes him able to defend himself and others from villains in many situations... and such things" Shinso wanted to say more things, but hearing wasn't like seeing was it? None of his classmates had really seen what Shinso had seen yesterday...

Yesterday...

Shinso could only stare in shock at the scene of the fight between the master and the student and try to recognize their quick movements... But it seemed impossible!

They were very fast! Their movements with wooden swords made such sounds and were so fast that one thought they could only see them in movies. If their swords were real, Shinso was sure that sparks would be flying everywhere and burning the rubber floor beneath them.

Midoriya Izuku was amazing. He didn't say that about anyone, but at the moment, he found it hard to tears his eyes off him, or for better word keep his eyes on the green boy. Midoriya moved so fast that it shouldn't even be possible. He dodged away from attacks and Shinso had to refocus on the boy'd position again to even see him.

His technique was something to marvel, blocking, parrying, and striking at his sensei without restrain but with control. It was impossible to describe other than like watching those old martial art movies were the fight scenes were sped up to make it more exciting. Except it was all happening right before his eyes.

Shinso could now see the source of the green boy's strange confidence. Even with no quirk, Midoriya had acquired such a great skill that he didn't seem to need a quirk to fight anyone at all and that's why he was not afraid to say that he wanted to be a hero.

Ans Shinso couldn't help but be a little jealous because he just realized that despite having a quirk, if he could acquire abilities like Midoriya, his chances of going to the hero course would be better. Shinso just realized that he had relied too much on his quirk. Like many others. He wasn't stupid, he knew that every quirk has a weakness, and Midoriya with his intelligence and skills could easily finds them. Plus, even if Midoriya's swordsmanship was limited, it didn't have a usable weakness. 

Yeah, quirk has a weakness, and skill hasn't.

Maybe All Might always said in his ads that everyone can be a champion, but only Midoriya Izuku could be the living and real proof of this. At least for Shinso.

After class...

"Guys, this is Shinso Hitoshi." Izuku introduced

"Ah, Mr. Mind Control. Nice to meet ya." Tsume said as she looked to Shinso.

"Hello. My name is Tetsuki Otoya. Anyone who is a friend of one of us is a friend of all of us." stuck out his hand to Shinso, who took it with a nod.

"One for all and all for one. Viva Tetsuki. Im Surikko. Nice to meet you Shinso." Surikko said and shaked a hand with Shinso.

"But Im curious, how did you ended up with our little samurai?" Surikko asked just after hand shaking.

And "Hey you sound like as if they are dating." Tsume growled.

"Why not? Are you into one of them?" 

"Wanna die slime boy?!"

"Hey hey don't fight here! Tsume!"

Shinso and Midoriya just watched that friendly fight, Shiso with a sweat on his head and Midoriya while eating his meal. 

"Is this usual?" Shinso asked.

"Yeah don't worry about it." Midoriya answered.

And thus, Shinso Hitoshi was added to Izuku's circle of friends.

After lunch, Izuku was ready to go to his next class when he heard that familiar voice again:

"Younge Midoriya!" Izuku jumped back, looking at the Symbol of Peace with shock and defensiveness. "I've been looking for you!" The blone hero said with his forever smile glistening in the hallway lights. Izuku gave a narrowed glance to the hero. " *cough* Well, son, I must convene with you about something important, if that is not too much trouble." He said somewhat softer.

"Excuse me, but I have a math class to catch up with, so..." Izuku quickly said but:

"No need to worry, son. I talked to your teacher, so there is no problem." Allmight said confidently.

Izuku sighed. It was like there was no way to get away from the blonde hero now, unless he wanted to be rude...which he couldn't. So he surrendered and ""Alright sir, what do you wish to discuss?""

Both of them went into a room and sat facing each other on a pair of chairs. Izuku was not sure what Allmight wanted to tell him. After all, Allmight doesn't even seem to remember seeing Izuku before.

But when Allmight mouth opened, Izuku realized that he thought wrongly "Young man, I went where you said.  And I remembered that day.  And I think I owe you an apology."

He continued "I really couldn't tell you with confidence that you can be a hero without a quirk because, as I said then, this job is extremely dangerous and you can't ignore the smallest deficiency. But ironically, you are the one who managed to get the top rank in the entrance exam without a quirk and only with your own skills. This made me think about myself and my words, and I think I should apologize to you for that."

Although that smile on the giant man's face said otherwise, Izuku could tell that the man's apology was completely sincere. He could not put down the method, so:

"Allmight san, I think I should say that as someone who doesn't have a quirk and dreams of becoming a hero, you always said that everyone can be a hero, among all those who told me that I can't be a hero, it gave me hope and made me want to continue my dream. . And well, then you messed that up. And I felt really bad, but then... I just wanted to prove you wrong."

He got up and smiled  "It doesn't mean I hate you, even though I had a negative feeling. Because you are still a hero and you saved me. So I can say that I can forgive you, and thank you"

َAllmight wanted to say something with a bigger smile when he heard the boy's next words "But I need some time to think. There is still a lot to think about those words."

Allmight's smile didn't fade "You really are a complex and wonderful boy, young Midoriya. I hope you succeed."

Izuku smiled. He felt that a heavy burden had been lifted from his mind. It can be said that he was just very happy that he was finally able to prove himself to a person like Allmight.

This was a great step forward.

Chapter Text

"Alright, alright, dear students of the General Course, I have an announcement for you: The Sports Festival is approaching!"

Cheers erupted from nearly everyone! Izuku didn’t say much, but he couldn’t hide his excitement. This was his chance to advance to the Hero Course. His real and true opportunity to pursue his dream.

Midnight continued, "You all know that the Sports Festival is watched nationwide, including by pro heroes. By showcasing your abilities here, you can capture their attention and enter different professions, including hero work!"

Izuku's smile widened. So, it was true—by succeeding in the festival, he could indeed move to the Hero Course. It was exactly the opportunity he had been waiting for.

Midnight added, "But remember, students from the other courses aren’t going to sit idly by. They’re under the spotlight more than anyone and won’t let others take their place easily. No one can care more about sitting on the throne than the king himself. This festival is as important to them as it is to you. Also, let’s not forget that one of the classes fought real villains this year. Your competition will be tough."

With that, she stood up and said, "Alright, for the rest of the class today, you have free time. Enjoy yourselves!" 

She exited the classroom.

As soon as Midnight left, the students began chatting among themselves. Izuku was deep in thought. After all the training and hard work, this was his first chance to prove himself. A chance to show that being a hero didn’t depend on having a quirk. He was about to face strong quirks on his own...

And he wasn’t planning to lose!

"Hey, Midoriya! Stop daydreaming and join our conversation!" 

A gruff voice belonging to a short haired girl called out. Izuku looked up from his musings to see his friends all bunched up together, Surikku and Tetsuki sandwiching the poor Shinsou while Tsume was sitting on the desk.

And after joining them, Tsume started "It’s time to show what these little cuties can do!" She extended her claws.

Surikku added "If I can just make it to the combat round, I think I have a good chance. My quirk is really useful, don’t you think?"

Tetsuki chimed in "But if you use it too much, you have to go to the restroom. Isn't this more embarrassibg when all nation is watching? So, what about you two?" 

He was pointing to Shinsou and Izuku.

Shinsou answered seriously "I plan to join the Hero Course. I don’t care how—I’ll do whatever it takes to succeed!"

His tone sounded a bit villainous, but no one pointed it out. Then they turned to Izuku and asked, "What about you?"

Izuku replied "I came to UA with the goal of joining the Hero Course and becoming a hero. I’m not going to lose!"

Once again, the interesting contrast between the excitement in Izuku’s eyes and his serious face made everyone laugh. Izuku smiled too. After a minute of laughter, Tetsuki said, "Well, we need to prepare for the festival. Any suggestions?"

Shinsou grinned mischievously "I’ve got a good one!"

"What...what’s going on here?!"

A bouncy haired girl exclaimed in shock at the horde of students crowding around the front door of class 1-A. Students from class 1-B, support, business, and mainly general, were all swarming around the front entrance, trying to get a better view of the classroom and the students that inhabit it.

"We can't get out!" A Mineta yelled in frustration. "What'd you come here for anyway!?"

"Scouting out the enemy, small fry." A taller, blond haired boy drawled out, directing his insult towards the small boy. "We're the ones who made it out of the villain attack. They probably want to check us out before the UA fesitval." The blond walked forward staring down the other students with his blood red eyes. Several backed away, seeing how dangerous the blond was with how he carried himself.

"There's no point in stuff like that. Get out of my way, losers." He barked causing mixed reactions both inside and outside the classroom. Several students were wary of their classmate's actions, one of which was chopping the air as he told the blond of his unfair criticisms of people he didn't know. The blond didn't care, looking over the now shocked and angry crowd of students.

A purple-haired boy smirked and said, "Heh, you act like you’re a special kind. Are all Hero Course students like this? Disappointing."

A voice from behind him said "Shinsou-kun, you’re free to say what you want, but don’t provoke them unnecessarily."

Shinsou sighed "Alright alright. But you know, seeing stuff like this makes me disillusioned. Because of that ridiculous exam, many with great abilities didn’t make it into the Hero Course and were stuck in General Studies. Doesn’t that bother you?"

The purple haired boy rubbed the back of his head. "There are quite a few people enrolled in the General Course or other Courses because they didn't make it into the Hero Course. Did you know that?" He asked the blond, who instead of staring at him like he hoped, was looking to the group of friends that made it to the front.

Bakugo paid no attention to Shinsou’s words. His focus was on the green-haired boy standing calmly beside him: "Deku! You useless nerd, you’re here again?!"

Before Izuku could say anything, someone else spoke up "Hey! That’s Midoriya. Hi again mon amy"

It was Aoyama who said this. Iida adjusted his glasses "I remember he had a sword during the entrance exam. Honestly, I didn’t expect to see him in General Studies." He thought but didnt say it.

Izuku turned to Aoyama, bowed, and said, "Hello again, Aoyama-kun. I see you made it into the Hero Course."

Aoyama politely, but shining and showing as always, returned the greeting and said, "It’s good to see you again as well. But..."

"Don’t ignore me, Deku!"

Bakugo shouted, stepping forward and aiming his hand right at Izuku’s face...

But Izuku moved forward, dodging Bakugo’s hand, placed his foot beside Bakugo’s, and pushed him back into the classroom. Bakugo staggered and fell to the ground.

Everything went silent. Everyone stared in shock at Bakugo on the ground and the boy who had thrown him. And Izuku said, "I’m not a violent person, but I won’t tolerate aggression."

Bakugo’s red eyes gleamed with rage as he leaped toward Izuku "Damn useless Deku, I’ll kill you!!!"

But this time, the green-haired boy grabbed Bakugo’s hand, spun him around, and with a powerful slam, threw him to the ground! If anyone wasn’t already shocked, they certainly were now—Bakugo, the top student of the Hero Course, had just been thrown to the ground twice by a General Studies student.

Izuku looked down at Bakugo, who was struggling to catch his breath, and said, "After all this time, you still start all your attacks with your right hand? Predictable as always."

Bakugo wanted to get up and say something. But what could he say? In front of all the UA classes, he had been thrown down twice, and now he was being called predictable. What could he possibly say?

Shinsou chuckled and said, "Quite the impressive show from the Hero stundents' skill. If this is the best student of the class that fought villains, I can only imagine what the villains were like."

No one had a response.

He turned and added, "I probably don’t even need to declare a challenge. Just remember, if you get overconfident, if you get too full of yourselves, we’ll bring you down—just like what you’ve seen now!"

The clawed girl smirked and said, "Good job, Shinsou. Just because our quirks aren’t as flashy or useful against robots doesn’t mean we’re weaker than you. Just come at us, and we’ll bring you down too..."

"Enough, Tsume!!!"

The green-haired boy’s voice silenced everyone. His tone was strong and confident.

"Don’t forget where we are and who we are. This is UA, and we are UA students. This place has high standards. Ninety-eight percent of people who want to get here fail, whether it’s the Hero Course or General Studies. But every student standing here has made it, and everyone should feel proud of that."

He took a breath and continued, "Everyone here stands in pursuit of their dream and has worked hard to achieve it. This festival is a chance to show the results of that effort. So we’ll keep moving forward and show how we stand alongside the Hero Course students! Right?!"

There was a moment of silence, and then the students gathered in front of the classroom started cheering:

"Bravo! Ten out of ten!"

"Viva Midoriya!"

"I liked that!"

Shinsou smiled and said, "Well, I think we’ve said all there is to say. So watch yourselves. Just like you have your reasons to succeed, so do we!"

Everyone turned to leave, but not without saying last words "See you at the festival."

Later...

"Man, the other classes are fired up too!" 

Kirishima said this, recalling the morning’s events outside their classroom. The others around the lunch table nodded.

 Momo said, "Well, they did say that this year’s Hero Course students are considered above those of previous years. It’s no surprise the General Studies students are just as prepared."

Ashido added, "Yeah! And did you see that green-haired boy? He seemed more ready than anyone. He was so cute—I just wanted to eat him up! What was his name? Deku?"

Uraraka start thinking "I think his last name was... was Midoriya. Iida-kun, do you remember anything?"

Iida adjusted his glasses "Midoriya Izuku. I remember his name because he used a katana during the entrance exam. And he performed well too. I don’t understand why he ended up in General Course. At the very least, I expected him to be in Class B."

Kaminari chimed in, "Why are you saying that, Iida? Gen Ed is for those whose quirks weren’t strong enough to fight the robots, right? Didn’t you say this boy had to use a sword?"

Some nodded in agreement, but Iida shook his head, more serious now "It seems none of you are aware. This year, our most important rival may come from General Studies."

Everyone looked surprised. Momo leaned in closer, asking "What do you mean Iida-san?"

And Iida explained "As you all know, I was second best in the entrance exam. So, I checked the other rankings as well. And we all know Bakugo took first place."

Everyone nodded. Kaminari asked, "So, what's that got to do with the general course?" Kaminari asked, still confused.

Iida’s next words sent chills down everyone's spine. "Well, the truth is, someone else scored the same as Bakugo. We had two students with the highest score. But, due to an administrative issue, that person ended up in the general course."

"Wait, so... you're saying there's someone in the general course who’s on the same level as Bakugo?" Kaminari stuttered

"And they’ve got all that will to make it into the hero course as well." Ashido added

"Exactly." Iida noded and then added "we shouldn't understimate our rivals. They are not those low level villains we fought in USJ."

Ochako frowned in thought "But who could it be? Midoriya? That purple-haired guy, Shinsou? Or maybe the clawed girl...? Ah I can't guess..."

The first time All Might saw the boy at U.A., his attention was immediately drawn to him. He couldn’t say for sure whether Midoriya was the perfect successor he had been searching for or if he should choose someone like Mirio, whom Nighteye had in mind. 

Midoriya was strong. That was the first thought that crossed his mind. Even without a quirk, the boy had outstanding abilities. It was clear that he had worked hard, sharpening his skills to pursue his dream. 

Then, All Might realized that Midoriya’s dream wasn’t selfish in the slightest. The boy didn’t seek money or fame; he wasn’t trying to imitate All Might or profit from becoming a hero. All he wanted was to help others. It didn’t matter whether he became a hero or not. Even in the general studies course, he had helped his friends in every way he could. Midoriya had entered this path purely out of a desire to aid others. 

And more importantly, the boy had a heart of gold. He held no grudges against anyone. He could even forgive All Might after the harsh words he had spoken to him on that rooftop. 

The more All Might thought about it, the more he became convinced that this boy was worthy of One for All. Even more so than Mirio. Beneath Midoriya’s serious expression, there was a determination that was contagious. It was like All Might’s smile—a quality that could inspire others without even trying. Perhaps this was even more than All Might had been looking for: someone who could have the same effect on people in their own way, without imitating him. 

"Hey, All Might!" 

Aizawa’s voice snapped him back to reality. Turned back" Oh."Aizawa, how are you doing?" He asked the man, trying to forget his own problems for a minute

"I'm fine. One of my more irritating students was worse today, but it was fine." Aizawa said as he laid down on the couch, his body spreading over it. Toshinori sweatdropped at the man's weird sleeping habits.

"That's good." Toshinori sighed out.

"You’re deep in thought. Let me guess—you’re thinking about your successor? Nothing else could get you this lost in your thoughts.”

Aizawa was as sharp as always “Yeah. I was thinking about a candidate I’ve found.” 

"Is it one of my students? Or from Class B? Or maybe that third-year?" Aizawa asked from behind his bandages. 

All Might replied honestly. “At first, I was thinking of choosing someone from your class, but my mind kept wandering to someone else. To be honest, he has more determination to become a hero than anyone I’ve seen, and... well, he has no personal motive for becoming a hero. He just wants to help as many people as he can, even without a quirk...” 

Aizawa interrupted. “Wait... you’re talking about Midoriya, aren’t you?” 

All Might was surprised “So you know him?”

"Yeah. When I heard he failed the entrance exam, I checked up on him. The kid has good potential. His skills show that he’s ready to learn even more." 

All Might nodded. "Exactly. And imagine what he could do with One for All." 

Aizawa agreed, still wondering about how Midoriya can handle sport festival, with his class students, especially Bakugo.

Can a quirkess boy really defeat them...?

As the Sports Festival approached, Izuku had been training more and more. He took every opportunity he could find to hone his skills. Weightlifting, aerobics, body conditioning, Kenjutsu, Jiujitsu—he trained harder than ever before. 

There wasn’t much time left. His first and last chance to prove himself was drawing near. His opponents were people with powerful quirks, especially those from a class that had already fought real villains. If he failed, he’d lose any real opportunity to prove himself as a hero. He had to show that he was worthy—even without a quirk. 

"Young Midoriya, my boy!" 

For once, Izuku didn’t jump in surprise. He simply turned around “Hello, All Might-sensei.” 

All Might, in his muscular form, spoke. "My boy, I wanted to talk to you about something important if you have a moment." 

This time, Izuku had no reason to refuse. He agreed and followed All Might into his private office. They both sat down across from each other at a table. All Might began: 

"As you know, my boy, I’m known as the Symbol of Peace. I’m the one who always smiles and reassures the people that evil will never win. I’m proud to be that person who gives others hope. But... I can’t continue for much longer." 

Suddenly, All Might's body deflated, his muscles vanishing to reveal his frail, skinny form. Izuku was momentarily shocked but then remembered the first time he had seen this version of All Might, along with the terrible scar. 

All Might revealed the scar again. "As you can see, five years ago, I got this injury from a powerful villain, and I’ve been like this ever since. Unfortunately, I can only use my power for about one hour a day." 

Izuku, shocked, stammered “Only... one hour? But...” 

All Might, in his weakened form, continued. "Midoriya, believe it or not, I need a successor. Someone with a strong, heroic will and heart, who can take my place as the Symbol of Peace." 

"A successor?" Izuku was getting confused about where this gonna go.

"Yes, my boy. My quirk is a special one. It’s been passed down through eight generations, from one person to another, to keep peace and fight against evil. My quirk is transferable. And I’ve chosen you to be the next wielder of this immense power!" 

All Might continued, “You’ve exceeded my expectations in every way. You possess an undeniable heroic spirit, unwavering determination, and a moral compass that proves your worthiness. Even more than others believe.” 

He got back to his muscular form, smiled heroicly again,  extended his hand toward Midoriya. "Will you accept this power, to become my successor and the next Symbol of Peace?"

Chapter Text

He got back to his muscular form, smiled heroicly again,  extended his hand toward Midoriya. "Will you accept this power, to become my successor and the next Symbol of Peace?"

A deep silence hung in the air after All Might’s words. For Midoriya, this was an opportunity—one beyond his wildest dreams to prove himself. With the skills he had honed over the years and the power of this quirk, One For All, the combination could make him nearly invincible.  A massive advantage for Midoriya Izuku...

"Why...?"

All Might snapped out of his thoughts. He jusy realized that Izuku had lowered his head, his hair covering his face.

"Why me?"

He seemed to be trembling. All Might didn’t want to know the reason, but Izuku’s tone spoke volumes

"When I was seven, I saw Endeavor... He was the one who made me realize that I can't be a hero without hard work and effort—something you never told me, All Might. Since then, I've dedicated all my time to becoming someone worthy to be a hero, even without a quirk... And you... You..."

Izuku raised his head, his face contorted in anger and tears streaming down as he shouted " You are still telling me to give up on it!?"

All Might was stunned by the boy's rage and took a step back. He wanted to say something, but Izuku suddenly stood up "Ever since then, I've clawed and fought, pouring everything into becoming strong enough to stand on my own, without a quirk. And now you’re telling me to throw all that away!?"

All Might tried to respond "N-No, my boy, I didn’t mean..."

"Then what?!" Izuku just cut him off "You think I need your quirk to prove myself? Is that why you're telling me the same thing you said almost a year ago on the rooftop!? Do you really believe I need your quirk to become a hero, All Might!?"

He turned his back to All Might, voice firm "You can give your quirk to someone else who couldn't reach their dream. But I will become a hero without a Quirk, All Might! Even if I have to surpass you!"

With that, Izuku stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

And All Might was left alone... defeated in more ways than one.

The Next Day...

"Nezu... I’ve never felt this much like a failure."

"Well, All Might, you picked the wrong time and the wrong person for that offer." Nezu responded calmly "Honestly, I really wonder why you'd even offer such a thing to someone so determined to be a hero without a quirk."

Nezu took another sip of tea before continuing "To be frank, Toshinori, you really don't believe someone can become a hero without a quirk, right?"

All Might fell silent, staring at the floor. His long pause was answer enough. But finally, he spoke "Nezu... I was once quirkless... You don't know what it feels like..."

"Do you know yourself?" Nezu’s words caught All Might’s attention "All Might, you've been a hero for almost forty years, And for most of that time you've had One For All. Do you really think you can understand what Midoriya feels anymore?"

"I remember enough..." All Might answered sadly "But that's not the issue... It's the people he'll have to face. And I don't just mean villains as dangerous as All For One. There will be people who will belittle him, even if he becomes a hero, and it might get worse..."

He took a breath, and then finished with this words "Midoriya is great, and I don't want his potential to go to waste. Not like this..."

"Toshinori, maybe this is harsh," Nezu said calmly "but is it possible that you wanted him to be your successor because he could become the quirkless hero you couldn't be?"

Those words hit All Might like a punch in the gut. It was something he had never even considered.

Nezu, seeing that his words had struck deep, continued "All Might, it might be time to realize you're not perfect. That boy, the one you couldn't inspire, found inspiration from someone like Endeavor. I can't imagine what harsh words Endeavor told him, but I don’t need to be a genius to figure out they were more encouraging than what you told Midoriya. I guess its because Endeavor never relied on anyone but himself and his own efforts—just like what Midoriya is trying to be. Unlike you, who relied on Nana Shimura for years."

Once again, the words landed like blows.

Nezu was about to continue when footsteps echoed from the hallway "It seems our guest has arrived. I suggest you return to your muscular form, All Might."

Before Nezu could say anything else, the door flew open with force... and a woman with green hair stood at the entrance to the principal’s office. Luckily, All Might quickly hid himself in the corner.

"Greeting, Mrs. Midoriya" Nezu greeted her with his usual tone "I'm glad that the button I sent to you last night got to you. Those new shipping drones are very fast, but they can get lost pretty easily." The principal humored her, but he made sure what he sent her wouldn't' be lost. A pass onto UA grounds, even if he could have it self destruct on on command, was dangerous in the wrong hands. "Can I interest you in a cup of tea?" The concerned mother shook her head, too flustered and upset to drink anything.

"Alright then." The principal said as he poured his own cup. "What can I do for you today. I understand that you are concerned about your son, but you didn't specified anything other than seeing All Might today." Nezu smiled at Inko.

Inko took slow breaths and calmed herself. Now wasn't the time to get upset on Izuku's behalf. "You see, my son came home yesterday very late from the recreational center, obviously tired from his workout. Despite that, he barely ate and he didn't talk at all." She bit her lip, holding back her frustration. "I wasn concerned and so I talk to him about what happened. He refused to talk at first, but after half an hour of persuasion, he finally told me...and it involves a certain hero-"

"I Am Here!" All Might, now in his muscle form, appeared ""Sorry for being late. How can I—"

Inko cut him off sharply "Look, my son told me that a certain hero seriously hurt his morale." She glared at All Might, the large man easily putting two and two together.

All Might froze. Midoriya told his mother?! Why would the boy talk about his most protected secret, other than his primary form. He struggled to form words "I-I apologize for yesterday. That wasn't my intention to—"

"Stop right there! She spat lowly  "Izuku might hold back out of respect, but I won’t." She growled."Do you have any idea how devastated he was when he found out he didn't have a Quirk? How many times people told him to give up? Even I couldn’t give him hope! And do you know how hard he worked to become what he is now?" A dark green cloud of malevolence surrounded the angry mother. "And do you know how hard he worked to become what he is now? How many classes, injuries, and times he passed out from exhaustion to get to this level? How many times I had to feed him because his hands were dislocated from training? He started all this when he was just seven years old—do you get that!?"

The blond man signaled for the principal to help him, but Nezu sipped his tea and continued to watch.

"No you don't know, but now you assume to know my son and assume that he's just perfect for you? As if all his work for his goal means nothing! You don't understand my son. You don't understand Midoriya Izuku!" She hissed out protectively. All Might raised his hands, trying to placate the angered mother.

"I...I admit I acted too hastily and I should have taken my approach in a diff-"—"

"You should have never approached him at all!" Inko interrupted again. "I don’t know how, but I’m sure you told something to him that hurt him so much that holds something against you, and I plan on finding out what it is in the future. He even got rid of all of his All Might collectibles months ago." All Might flinched back even more. He could only imagine the tongue lashing he'll get after she hears about him telling her son to give up.

"Back to yesterday." She started up once more, the power in her voice going down a few levels with a sigh. "My son told me about your offer and how you wanted him to be your successor. He told me about his rage, his confusion, his words that he said before leaving." Her arms dropped to her side. "After all of these, at nightfall, all he could think about the whole time was the lives that could be lost because he didn't accept your offer." Her glare held as much sadness for her son as they did rage for the Symbol of Peace.

"He felt guilty for rejecting it, he cried about his stupidity, for the lives he might not save because of his pride... got in the way of what was important, even if it meant giving up the dream he had since he was a little kid."

She took a deep breath. "It took me a long time to calm him down. But remember this—don’t you dare approach my son with that offer again!I don’t care if you're the Number One Hero or the Symbol of Peace—you won’t dictate Izuku’s future." All Might's eyes widened.

"Midoriya-san, you must understand my position. If I don't pass one my quirk to another, then it will die with me. I need a successor, you must understand."

The little woman nodded. "Oh, I understand, but that doesn't concern me. Go and find another quirkless boy like my son, at least one like him before he met you."" All Might stared at her in shock.

She turned her back to All Might and walked toward the door. Before leaving, she added "By the way, don’t tell Izuku I came here. It’ll only make things worse for both of us." With that, she left, closing the door behind her, leaving a devastated All Might alone with a smiling Nezu.

 "Nezu-san, what just happened?" The giant hero asked in shock, turning to the principal of the school.

The mammal sipped his tea without a care in the world. Putting the cup down, he gave All Might a smile. "I believe she was sending a message about staying away from her son, something I recommended to you after your second encounter with Midoriya."

All Might couldn’t respond. He didn’t know why, but even after all these years, angry protective parents still terrified him more than any villain ever could.

Chapter Text

“Alright, Shinsou-kun, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart like this, bend your knees a little, and keep your arms up—one high, one low, like this. Got it?”

Shinsou, who had asked Midoriya to teach him some combat techniques for the Sports Festival, did his best to mimic the stance Midoriya was showing him. “Like this?”

Midoriya stepped closer to adjust his stance. “I said bend your knees a little, not a full 90 degrees. See? Come up a bit, tuck your hips in, and don’t hunch your back. Now that’s better.”

Midoriya then moved into his own stance “Alright, I’m going to attack now, and you try that aikido move I showed you. Ready?”

Shinsou nodded. Then Midoriya lunged forward, aiming a palm strike at Shinsou’s face. Shinsou caught Midoriya’s wrist and palm with both hands, pivoted on his toes with his hips as the axis, twisted, and threw Midoriya to the ground, despite their weight difference.

“Wow, Shinsou-kun. You learn fast.” Izuku smiled to Shinsou "Nice job."

Shinsou grinned and offered his hand. Midoriya took it, pulling himself up, and they both went to get a drink. On the way, Midoriya commented, “You know, Shinsou-kun, with how quickly you’re picking this up, I have no doubt you’ll become one of the best heroes out there. Your quirk is perfect for so many situations, and knowing how to fight will only add to your success.”

Shinsou didn’t know what to say. In his whole life, Midoriya was the only person who had ever looked at him as a future hero. Midoriya had shown him that anyone could become strong and heroic, even with a villainous quirk or without one at all. He was inspired to work harder.

All Might might be the symbol of peace, but for Shinsou, Midoriya was the symbol of hope for success.

Caught in his thoughts, he heard Midoriya’s voice: “Shinsou-kun? Something on your mind?”

Shinsou thought for a moment before replying, “We’ve known each other for a while now, haven’t we?”

Midoriya tilted his head. “Yeah, why?”

“Well, what if...we start calling each other by our first names? Isn’t that something close friends do?”

Midoriya looked at him, smiled, and said, “Sure, Hitoshi. That is your name, right?”

Shinsou narrowed his eyes. “You remembered my name all this time even though I never told you?”

Izuku, still smiling, replied, “Yeah. I memorized the full names of everyone in the class on the first day.”

Shinsou scoffed, “You’re such a freak... Izuku.”

Later... at the start of the Sports Festival.

“HELLOOO, EVERYBODY! How are we doing?!”

Present Mic’s voice boomed through the stadium speakers, and the crowd erupted with excitement.

“Welcome to the U.A. First-Year Sports Festival, the event we’ve all been waiting for! Are you ready?!”

The audience responded with loud cheers. Everyone was eager to witness the talents of the students from the top hero school. Beyond regular spectators, several heroes and high-ranking officials were in attendance, even more than last year, since one of the hero classes had fought real villains.

Though, some attention was drawn to the General Studies course. Particularly by a certain scrawny blond skeleton and a mummified teacher…

“Now, the students are entering the stadium!”

From all sides, tunnels opened, and students from different classes began filing into the center of the stadium.

Leading them was Class A, the class that had fought villains. At the front was Bakugo Katsuki, walking with a fierce determination.

“And here we have Class A! The class that faced real villains! Rising stars with the promise of tomorrow!”

All cameras zoomed in on the 19 students of Class A, until Present Mic announced the next class’s entry:

“On the other side, we have the class yet to show their hidden talents! Class B!”

Class B students, led by Monoma and Kendo, walked in confidently. It was clear they had no intention of losing to Class A.

Not everyone was cheering, though. In another tunnel, an annoyed claw girl muttered, “Yeah, each hero class gets their own tunnel and extra cheers, but they crammed all of us from Support and General Studies into one.”

When they finally emerged, Present Mic announced, “And here are Support and General Studies students, Classes C, D, and F!”

Tsume couldn’t hold back anymore. “See?! He didn’t even bother to name each class separately!”

But Izuku reassured her. “Tsume, getting mad won’t help us right now. Just stay calm, and we’ll show them what we’re made of in the events.”

Tsume smiled. “Thanks, Grandpa-Izuku. That really helped.”

Shinsou chimed in, “Yeah… time to show what people who couldn’t defeat robots can do against real opponents!"

Hearing that, Tetsuki sighed, “Shinsou, for the love of all things holy, stop trying to imitate Midoriya. You’re ruining the vibe.”

As Shinsou bickered with Tetsuki, Izuku only tightened his grip on his sword. This event, this day—it was his chance to prove himself. Today, he’d show that he didn’t need a quirk to succeed.

Today, he’d prove it to everyone.

---

After Midnight’s entrance as the referee, which made Izuku question the sanity of whoever made that choice, and Bakugo’s speech, where he boldly vowed to come out on top (earning groans from several students, including Tsume), Midnight announced "Now lets get started right away!" Midnight said with a smile. "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier. Every year, many drink their tears here. Now, here is the fateful first game!" A screen popped up behind the tightly clad woman, the name spinning wildly. "This year, it's..." The screen finally stopped it's spinning and Izuku sighed, calming his nerves.

Everyone took their positions, getting ready for the start. Izuku focused on stretching and steadying his breathing. As he prepared, someone approached him.

“Izuku…”

Izuku turned around “Oh, Hitoshi?”

Shinsou told him, “Listen, beyond our friendship, you should know I’ll do whatever it takes to succeed in this festival. So, here, I’m also your rival. I won’t go easy on you.”

Izuku looked at Hitoshi for a moment, then smiled. “I completely understand, Hitoshi."  as he tied to ribbon around his hair, holding his large curls together "Don’t hold back. I won’t, either.”

They bumped fists, both bracing themselves. The first event was about to begin. Izuku gripped his sword tighter, waiting for the signal…

And finally, The final light went out : “START!”

It was time for Izuku to show what he was made of.

Chapter Text

“START!”

All of the students began a quick and hectic frenzy through the gate, determined to get as much of a head start as possible.Izuku had to put in serious effort to force his way out for several reasons.

First, the crowding made it impossible to use his speed and agility fully. Second, he had to be cautious with his katana so he wouldn’t injure anyone. And third, he needed to avoid getting hurt by everyone else’s quirks.

While he was surrounded by people, Izuku felt an uncomfortable disturbance behind him. Forcibly twisting around and jumping up, he found a wave of ice running down the thin corridor, freezing everyone in their places.

It was a good thing he jumped.

He saw a person running though the crowd, passing by the horde of immobile UA students. Izuku nodded to himself and found his feet back on the frigid ground. He began to look through the people and found some were trying to break free while others already did.

Finally, in the midst of the crowd, Izuku spotted someone with a large build, stuck among the mass of people. With a determined grin, he clamped his katana between his teeth, scrambled up the person's body like a mountain, set his foot on the guy's shoulder, and leapt forward. A few more quick jumps, and he finally broke free from the tunnel and started running.

As he sprinted, he looked around and spotted his classmates, Tsume and Tetsuki, sliding one a trail of jelly-like slime to speed past others. 

Izuku knew these two really can work together.

Izuku ran forward, keeping his hand on his blade as he rushed past people who were slipping around on the ice. He passed Shinso, who nodded to him on top of a pile of mind controlled students. Izuku nodded back and continued his running, easily passing by dozens of students who were unprepared for the ice. Izuku took caution in avoiding several purple balls that were stuck to the ice, seeing that someone was now stuck to one of them and was struggling to get off of it.

As he saw ice melt away into dirt, the swordsman UA student found firm ground under his feet and kicked it up a notch, running passed a girl with black hair in a spiky ponytail and another boy with strangely formed arms. Izuku saw at the front of the pack a boy with half white and half red hair, with a strange boy little student hovering over him in the air. The purple haired boy pulled one of those purple balls off his head and prepared to toss it at the half and half kid.

That was, until he was launched away by a metal arm.

A familiar rumbling brought Izuku to a halt. Ahead, several massive Zero-Point robots loomed, their numbers far exceeding anything he’d seen in the entrance exam. As if this event couldn’t get any better!

While the others paused in their tracks, Izuku gasped quietly. He'd narrowly escaped from a single Zero-Pointer before—But a lot of them more was a real challenge!

"Let's see how this talented young hero-in-training fares in this robo-inferno!"

Everyone stopped at the sight of these robots. Passing these towering machines wasn’t going to be easy. Back in the entrance exam, no one had been able to defeat them, so now…

Suddenly, all the robots froze in place, covered in ice. There was no question who did it.

"There you have it! Recommended student Todoroki Shoto freezes the powerful robots and breezes past them with ease!"

Izuku looked around. Many students wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to advance, but Todoroki was still in the lead. From what Izuku saw, Todoroki would likely melt the ice once he passed, trapping everyone else with the robots again.

He had to hurry!

All those years of training finally had to pay off!

With tremendous speed, he shot forward, but he wasn’t alone. Bakugo also propelled himself ahead with his explosions. In no time, they both reached Todoroki, all three locking eyes… and Izuku surged ahead, maneuvering like a race car cutting off its competitors.

"Yes! It seems other students are catching up to Todoroki! One of them is Bakugo Katsuki, whom we all know! And who’s the other one?"

"That would be Midoriya Izuku of the General Course 1-C." The mummy man said blandly.

"Oh? How do you know his name, Eraserhead?" Present Mic yelled into his microphone.

"...he has potential." The voice hero looked to his fellow announcer with interest. If Aizawa said someone had potential, then that meant something. Present Mic watched closely as the race between the three students intensified, captivated by the unexpected appearance of a General Course student among the frontrunners.

Present Mic supposed that he would have to keep an eye on the boy as well.

Their clash was fierce. Not only did Izuku have to contend with Todoroki’s recommended status, but Bakugo’s explosive power as well.

“Deku!" Izuku was forced to dodge and explosion shot his way, sliding to the side and continuing his quick pace. "Don’t you dare get in front of me, you weakling!” Bakugo shouted.

Explosions on one side, ice on the other—Izuku had to navigate between the two while keeping his balance. A surge of ice rose from below, while a blast came at his face from above. Trapped between two attacks with only an opening behind him—it looked like he’d have to back off. But someone like Izuku didn’t retreat that easily.

With a swift move, he leapt forward, spun sideways, and launched off the dirt with a powerful kick, propelling himself forward once more.

“Oho! What a move!” Present Mic exclaimed. “He dodged both attacks with grace and agility!”

Izuku continued his run, but found his cut short at the sight of a new obstacle.

A giant canyon cut him off between his objective, long wires running to rock panels practically floating in the ever deep canal that separated the area. Hearing the explosions behind him, Izuku watched as Bakugou flew over them, the ice boy coming in a moment later and using his ice to build quick bridges which broke under gravity a few moments later. That meant using Todoroki's quirk to his advantage again was out

Izuku cracked his knuckles."He muttered. Izuku clicked his sword in and jumped down. Grabbing the thick wire, he began his monkey bar journey to the next location. 

Sadly, more UA students were able to catch up in his slowness, including a strange girl with support equipment on every limb of her body. She flew over Izuku with a blast of her shoes, laughing the whole way, much to the curly haired boy's chagrin. He needed to catch up. he didn't know what the cut off was, but he doubted that they'd allow lots of students passed the first round.

More and more students were able to pass him, using quirks to jump, fly, or slide around or across the wires. That one boy was even balancing on the wire and jetting forward with his legs. Some of these people had very creative ways of using their quirks.

Just as he was approaching the edge, he felt it... Like the wire's strength disappeared...

Izuku’s eyes widened—someone had cut the wire!

He had no time to think. If he fell now, he’d be out of the race before the first stage was over.

Letting go of the wire, he threw himself forward, extending his hand towards the cliff edge. When he didn’t quite reach, he swiftly drew his katana, flipped it around, and lodged it into the rock face to hold himself up. With a firm push from his feet, he vaulted up over the edge.

“Looks like the underdog from General Course isn’t giving up! Let’s see what he does next!” Present Mic announced, as cameras zoomed in on Izuku scaling the cliff with his sword and launching himself forward.

At a dojo, Inko Midoriya, Takahashi Ryu and other students sat in front of the television, eagerly watching the competition. When Aizawa had mentioned Midoriya’s name, they all crowded closer. Inko, teary-eyed with pride, clutched a tissue as she watched her son in action.

When Izuku skillfully dodged Todoroki and Bakugo’s attacks, his dojo mates whispered praise and encouragement under their breaths. “Go, Midoriya… Show them what you’ve got…”

When Izuku reached the edge but wire just got cut, every viewer thought it was over—until the camera zoomed in to show him climbing with his katana like an ancient warrior overcoming a challenge on his great journey.

Only Takahashi wasn’t surprised. He had trained Izuku for this kind of struggles.No challenge like this was enough to stop him.

Izuku pushed himself, faster than he though, overtaking this challente. But his journey wasn’t over yet; he wasn’t here to settle for a mediocre rank. He was here to prove that he could reach the top, even without a flashy quirk...

Izuku crawled up from his spot on the floor and saw a shine catch his eye from the side. Looking to his side, he saw that cannon from before was now left behind, no longer being used by that annoying blond kid from class B, he guessed.

Izuku looked to the frame of the cannon and pulled out his sword. With a quick cut, he sliced the barrel from the body and grabbed up square piece of material. He didn't know why, but something was telling him it would be useful, even for a moment.

Izuku sheathed his blade and took off with the new cargo. He started a light job, slowing building up his speed and pushing forward with power. Man was he thirsty... and tired. He didn't know how much energy he had left in him after that cliff climbing. He had to think of something to help him out.

And as soon he arrived at the third obstacle: a minefield with pink smoke mines, seeing Bakugo and Todoroki had already maneuvered through, a stupid idea popped into his head.

The crowd was going nuts as they watched dozens of children fighting in the landmine zone, pink explosions going off every few moments. To most of them, they found the most thrilling thing to be the front runners, who were past the halfway point of the bombs and were combating each other in a flurry of ice and explosions.

Heroes were also watching the fray with interest. While there were plenty of students, those two were showing plenty of ability when it came to quick actions, thinking, and combat. They hoped that the two boys had more to show after they made it to the second round.

"It looks like Todoroki and Bakugou are getting closer to the end of the final obstacle! They’re neck-and-neck for the lead, but which of them will- wait, what's that?" Present Mic said in shock as the cameras panned out, revealing more of the obstacle zone.

All eyes turned to the opposite direction, where a figure was flying towards them at incredible speed. Riding on a metal plate, hair flying like a banner, Izuku was racing to catch up with the two frontrunners.

“Whoa! "It seems that the boy who passed Todoroki at the beginning is not ready to give in yet! Midoriya Izuku is making a surprise return to the front!”

Izuku clung to the metal plate he’d taken from earlier, using its momentum to propel himself. He couldn’t believe the plan had worked. Closing in on Todoroki and Bakugo, he saw them turning back to strike at him. Bracing himself, he spun the plate around, using Bakugo’s explosion to shoot forward. Touching down with a powerful run, he sprinted past both of them!

Now, he was catching up to both Todoroki and Bakugou, but neither seemed to happy about it.

He could here the screams behind him and the explosions, but he knew better than to look back now. This was his chance, and he couldn't worry about other people right now. Pushing more power into his legs, he kicked it up a notch and ran even faster, his legs burning with strain as he entered the long and narrow tunnel.

The sounds of ice and explosions were now apparent in his ears but he focused on what was in front of him. he was almost there. He could do it, prove what he could do! Izuku continued to push his legs to the maximum, speeding forward. He tucked in and held his blade firm, increasing his aerodynamic form. He was almost there! He ignored the sounds behind him, not caring about Bakugou, Todoroki, or anyone else at the moment. He didn't need to worry about them. He saw the light at the end of the tunnel...

"And coming in first place! Ladies and gentlemen, taking first place in the first stage of this year’s sports festival is the boy who gave it everything he had, never giving up for a moment—from General Course Class C, Midoriya Izuku!"

Chapter Text

"And coming in first place! Ladies and gentlemen, taking first place in the first stage of this year’s sports festival is the boy who gave it everything he had, never giving up for a moment—from General Course Class C, Midoriya Izuku!"

Izuku wiped the sweat off his brow and looked at the roaring crowd in the stadium. Of course, he knew this applause was thanks to Present Mic’s hyped commentary and the fact that he had only cleared the first stage. Still, this small victory… it felt amazing. It reminded him of how it felt during the entrance exam, like he had come out on top again. This joy… it didn’t fade. It was exhilarating.  

Heroes and spectators in the industry watched the first-round winner, murmuring their thoughts about him. Most speculated about his quirk—what it was, or if he had even used it. Izuku had advanced using nothing but skill and strategy, without displaying any visible quirk. Even the sword strapped to his back was untouched. To many, it seemed like this boy had been trained long before entering UA.  

Meanwhile, others focused on the flashier abilities of the higher-ranked participants. Their quirks were more visually spectacular, stealing the spotlight.  

Aizawa smiled, a grin so wide it was almost unsettling. All Might, in his emaciated form, gave a slight nod. Midoriya Inko was crying uncontrollably, prompting dojo members to fetch her another box of tissues. Takahashi Ryu, Izuku’s mentor, smiled proudly at his student. 

Elsewhere, in a dimly lit room, a thin man with pale blue hair scratched his neck, muttering to himself. “Who is this kid? I didn’t see him at the USJ…” 

In the stands, a boy turned to his father, a pro hero, and said, “Look, Dad, that’s Izuku! The guy I told you about from the kenjutsu dojo.”  

His father squinted at the screen. “The one who kept beating you, Yuichi? Doesn’t look that tough to me.”  

Yuichi smirked. “You think so? Even like this, he’s got the skills to humiliate every kid here. He wiped the floor with me, and I’m three years older than him.” 

Nearby, Bakugo stormed toward Izuku, his face flushed with rage. “Deku! Dammit! How dare you ...?!”  

Izuku remained calm. “Whatever you do, Kacchan, it’d be best to hold yourself back here. Getting disqualified for attacking me won’t help you.”  

Bakugo growled but begrudgingly stepped aside, accepting his third-place rank. However, a cold, piercing gaze remained fixed on Izuku’s back. He didn’t need to turn around to know it was Todoroki Shoto. He decided to say nothing and simply wait.  

One by one, the other students crossed the finish line. Izuku recognized a few of them: the blue-haired, bespectacled boy; the brown-haired girl; Aoyama with his laser quirk; and finally...  

“Hitoshi!”  

Izuku ran to him, grabbing his shoulders. “You made it!”  

Hitoshi replied, “Not as far as you, though, Rank One!”  

Izuku smiled. “Well, it’s a start. There’s still a long way to go.”  

Their conversation was interrupted by familiar voices shouting.  

“Noooo! We were so close! So close!”  

Izuku and Hitoshi turned to see their defeated classmates approaching. Suriikko groaned, “If it wasn’t for that walking bomb hedgehog, we would’ve made it.”  

Tsume, claws extended, yelled angrily, “And if I find out who made those damn purple balls, I’ll shred them!”  

All girls pointed in unison at Mineta. “It was him!”  

Tsume’s expression turned demonic. “Thanks for the tip, ladies!”  

Mineta screamed and bolted. “Wait! If you attack me, you’ll get disqualified!”  

Tsume growled as she chased him. “I’ve already lost! I’ve got nothing left to lose! Let me skin you so I can feel better!”  

The rest of the defeated students hung their heads in shame. Izuku turned to them. “Hey, everyone. You didn’t make it this time, but there are always other opportunities. Just because you lost today doesn’t mean you’ll lose tomorrow.”  

Tetsuki stepped forward, patting Izuku on the shoulder. “Viva. You’ve still got that big heart, Midoriya, even after coming in first.”  

With that, they returned to their seats to watch and cheer for their remaining classmates.  

Less than twenty minutes later, Midnight entered the arena to announce the next event: The Cavalry Battle.

“Let me explain!” she said with a grin. “Each student will form teams of four and try to grab headbands representing points from other teams. Points are based on the ranks from the first event! In other words, the first place headband is worth... ten million points!”  

All eyes immediately turned toward Izuku, predator-like gazes locking onto him as if he were their prey.  

Izuku swallowed hard, forcing down his anxiety. All those years of meditation training had to pay off now. Slowly, he calmed himself.  

“You have 15 minutes to form your teams! Good luck!”  

The students scattered to assemble their groups. Izuku didn’t need to be a genius to know most wouldn’t want to team up with him. Being the obvious target made him a risky partner. No one wanted to share that danger—well, almost no one.  

Hitoshi approached first, but before he could speak, Izuku stopped him.  

“Hitoshi, go find others to team up with. It’ll be better that way.”  

Hitoshi frowned. “What about you? How will you form a team when—”  

Izuku smiled. “I understand my situation, Hitoshi. I know it’s tough for me right now, but that won’t stop me. I just don’t want to drag you down if I lose. I’d rather one of us wins this round.”  

Hitoshi stared at Izuku for a moment, then smiled. “Just like Tetsuki said—you’ve got a big heart, Izuku.”  

They both set off to form their teams, though neither had a clear idea how to recruit strangers.  

“Hey! Team up with me!”  

Izuku jumped, instinctively raising his guard, just to see a pink-haired girl laden with gadgets standing before him.  

She grinned and leaned in close. “I don’t know your name, but let me use your first-place rank to show off my babies!”  

Feeling slightly uneasy at her proximity, Izuku hesitated. “Uh... who are you?”  

“I’m Hatsume Mei from the Support Course and future CEO of Hatsume Industries! And these are my babies! Pretty cool, right? My babies are absolute works of art!"

Izuku couldn’t help but admire her gadgets "They’re… amazing. You really built all of these yourself?"

"Of course! Every single bolt, wire, and circuit was crafted with love and genius!"

Hatsume was clearly a genius. "Love and genius"… yeah, that fits. "I can see that. They’re well-designed. You must’ve put a lot of thought into each one." He thought about asking her for advice after the festival, but for now, he needed more teammates.

Not like Hatsume really cared about it. "Obviously! I mean, someone like you probably gets by on raw skill, but me? It’s all about innovation! With these, I can make anyone a winner. Even you, Mr. Ten Million Points!"

Izuku didn'r really know how to answer. ""Ah… thanks, I think?"

“Midoriya-kun!”  

Izuku turned to see a familiar face. “Uraraka-san, right?”  

She nodded. “Yeah. Want to team up?”  

Izuku bowed slightly. “It’d be an honor to have you join us, despite our… disadvantage.”  

Uraraka smiled. “Well, I still owe you for the entrance exam.”  

Izuku shook his head. “Really, it was nothing. I didn’t do it for repayment. Thank you for joining us.”  

He pondered for a moment. “We’ve got one spot left. We need someone who can defend and attack at the same time… someone like…”  

He made his decision and approached him.  

“Would you join us, Tokoyami-san?”

"Alright, time's up! It's time for everyone to get ready Cavalry Battle!" Present Mic said from the high beams, nudging the sleeping Aizawa awake. The erasing hero looked down at the area with interest, finding some of the teams to be quite...interesting.

Down on the floor, Izuku tied the headband around his forehead, using a second tied around his hair in case of emergency. He wasn't told that you couldn't do such a thing, only that it was tied around the head or neck. Nothing was said about double-tying.

"Uraraka-san!"
"Ready!"

"Hatsume-san!"
"Hi Hi!!!"

"Tokoyami-san!"
"Ready."

"I’m counting on all of you. Let’s win this!"

"3" Uraraka readied her powers.

"2" Hatsume shifted in her gear.

"1" Dark Shadow loomed next to Tokoyami, ready to fight.

"Start!" Izuku tensed up.

"It's a fight for the ten million!" A boy with silver hair and an eye mask yelled in fury. Izuku narrowed his eyes. "Lets get out of here!" Team Midoriya went to escape, but the boy at the front used some sort of quicksand quirk trapping them all in the viscous liquid floor.

However, within the first few seconds, Midoriya's team soared into the air and remained there, floating high above the chaos. It seemed like a brilliant strategy.

The audience erupted in cheers.

In the stands, the General Studies students were particularly loud, passionately rooting for their representatives. Surikko and Tsume waved green and purple flags enthusiastically, their voices rising above the noise. It wasn’t long before Yuichi joined them.

In the dojo, where literly everyone had stopped practice to watch the sport festival, students were on the edge of their seats. Izuku’s mother, Inko, couldn't hold back her tears of pride and worry. And this made Takahashi worried about the mother more than her son.

Finally, Midoriya’s team descended to the ground, and the real battle began.

Izuku knew he couldn’t avoid conflict forever and had prepared himself thoroughly. But preparation didn’t stop him from being caught off guard. Some sticky purple balls pinned them to the ground.

There was no question about who was responsible. The opposing team, led by Mineta, Izuku should have guess that little pervert guy is smarter than he looks, was well-organized and heavily fortified.

Before they could regroup, a long tongue shot toward them.

But Izuku was faster. Drawing the blunt side of his sword, he struck the tongue mid-air, deflecting it. His voice rang out loud and firm.

“I’d prefer not to cut your tongue. Don’t try that again, or I might have to.” Izuku said loudly to the girl, causing her to suck in her own tongue in fear. Izuku turned to his other teammates. "Lets get out of here!"

He was forced to use Hatsume's equipment again, sadly tearing apart one of Uraraka's (Hatsume's baby) shoes due to the ball haired boy's ability sticking them to the ground.

"My baby!" Hatsume wailed.

"It’s fine," Izuku reassured her, examining their remaining gear. "We can still stay airborne for now, so we should be—"

"DEKU!!!"

Izuku barely had time to react as Bakugo propelled himself toward them with explosive speed. He was relentless, closing the distance in seconds. Izuku saw the hand coming closer and a thought flashed through his mind. Times slowed for him as he thought about the action, thinking of the repercussions of such a decision.

"No choice," Izuku thought, gripping the hilt of his sword. He waited until Bakugo’s hand was close enough. And then..

With a quick flick of his wrist, Izuku sliced the palm open with his katana. Bakugou's eyes widened at the sudden pain in his hand. He was forced to look in shock at the blood that put out his nitroglycerin, canceling his attack and stopping any moves from said hand. Bakugo lost control and fell back toward the ground.

Izuku sheathed his sword with precision, his long, green hair swaying in the wind as the sun glinted off the blade.

"Well, well!" Present Mic’s voice boomed over the stadium speakers. "Looks like Midoriya’s sword isn’t just for show! Just a small cut, but enough to not only force Bakugou down, but perhaps take that hand out for the rest of the game!"

but perhaps take that hand out for the rest of the game!" The crowd cheered on the event, uncaring of the small injury, much to Izuku's relief. He was sure that many would be angered by the use of his blade to spread pain.

Uraraka gasped. "You… cut his hand?"

"It’s just a shallow cut," Izuku clarified. "Enough to keep him at bay without causing serious harm."

Tokoyami nodded in approval. "A decisive move. Well done."

"But this is far from over." Izuku replied, his tone serious "We’ve got plenty of other challengers to watch out for!"

His words refocused his team.

Izuku noticed Bakugou, who tore Kirishima's shirt sleeve to make a wrap for his hand, was now going after a Class B kid who stole his headband.

Apparently, that same team had stolen half the headbands in the game, most of which were Class A, meaning the pressure was on all the groups to get them back. Izuku was relieved that they didn't have as much problems now, except for the group in front of them.

Team Todoroki, and they didn't look to keen on sharing.

"That kid’s amazing!"

"So smart—still holding the top rank!"

"Look at that hair—he is so cute! Think he’d date my second year daughter?"

"What do you think his quirk is?"

On the other side, were corporate managers. The leaders and financial carriers of hero agencies all over Japan. Their attention locked onto a boy from the General Studies Course, who was clawing his way to hero-level prowess:

“Well, it seems Izuku Midoriya’s stock is rising. What’s your take?”

“He’s shown impressive skills, particularly with that sword and his physical conditioning, but his quirk hasn’t been revealed yet. It’s tough to predict how far he’ll go. If you were to manage him in an agency, how would you market him?”

“For starters, his appearance has potential. His soft features, long green hair, and innocent face are solid selling points.”

“Add to that his demonstrated physical abilities, which have drawn a lot of attention on their own.”

“And what about that blade?”

“We’ll get to that, but for now, it’s clear that he’s skilled, strong, and…well, appealing. For future development, we need to understand his quirk as well.”

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Team Midoriya had landed again—only to find themselves surrounded by ice, made by Todoroki Shoto.

Todoroki’s lineup was formidable: alongside himself were Momo Yaoyorozu, another recommended student; Tenya Iida, the second-place scorer in the entrance exam; and Denki Kaminari. There was no denying that Team Midoriya was cornered.

They were trapped. Both sides were ice walls and Todoroki's team in front of them.

After Todoroki trapped them, they've been staying on his left side, avoiding his attacks and playing defense for a solid five minutes. They didn't have much time left and were still the owners of the ten million.

Izuku gripped his sword tightly, bracing himself. He had no knowledge of Yaoyorozu’s abilities since she wasn't in the entrance exam. Iida was a wildcard move, “Recipro Burst”, and Kaminari’s lightning already weakened Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow.

Izuku saw moment on their opponents side and readied his blade. He didn't know what the boy at front was planning but it wasn't good by the looks of it. He had engines in his legs and could move very quickly with such a quirk.

With Iida speeding toward them and Todoroki closing in on his headband, the odds were stacked against them.

Izuku silently prayed his backup plan would work—and it did, but at a cost: a billion-ton pain exploded in his head.

“What the—?! Is this even allowed?!”Present Mic asked from the high stands as he stared at the situation in awe.

Down below, Midnight stared at the same event. "I-I don't know, I didn't even noticed him do that... it was never specifically stated as a rule either." Midnight stared at the cargo of team Todoroki.

The entire stadium turned their attention to the bizarre scene. No one had anticipated Midoriya’s back up plan.Todoroki, the team of four frozen in shock as the blast of speed they just experienced. Iida surprised all of them.

Through gritted teeth, Izuku muttered, “Todoroki-san…this hurts so much…ugh…”

Todoroki, puzzled by the sudden halt in his charge, finally noticed what had happened.

Before anyone could react further, Dark Shadow surged forward, snatching one of Todoroki’s headbands. At the same moment, Izuku struck Todoroki’s hand with the hilt of his sword, breaking free and shouting, “Uraraka-san!”

While moving forward as fast as they could, Uraraka quickly tapped all the members of Todoroki’s team with her quirk, causing them to float momentarily. Though she was on the verge of nausea, it bought them precious seconds.

Present Mic’s voice boomed: “Unbelievable! Midoriya tied his headband to his hair tie! Nobody even noticed! Not only did he protect his ten million points, but he also snagged Todoroki’s headband!”

The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement reaching new heights.

Tokoyami said, “I didn’t think such a move could turn the tide so dramatically. Admirable.”

Izuku, massaging his head and feeling some blood on his skin, replied, “The battle’s not over yet.”

One Minute Left!

Izuku looked around and found that it was a battle royal. People were stealing headbands left and right, some teams trying to figure out the next course of action in the madness.

Todoroki team was still slowed down, unable to light the engines of Iida's legs and the half and half user now sporting a sizable bruise on his hand. "I won't let you escape, Midoriya!" He yelled, pulling out the staff Yaoyoruzu made for him and stabbing it into the ground. A trail of ice made its way towards team Midoriya, but they were quick to avoid the blast, only to find it was meant to block them.

While slow, team Todoroki moved forward, Iida obviously put out by the movements.

“DEKU!!!”

An explosion shattered the ice barrier as Bakugo’s team entered the fray. Even with his injured hand, Bakugo was relentless.

Team Midoriya was cornered again, with opponents closing in from both sides

"10 Seconds left!" Present Mic yelled out, making everyone go even more nuts. Izuku heard a familiar sound and saw an angry blond coming straight at him. "Deku! Don't think I forgot about the shit you pulled!" Bakugou yelled from the air, showing off the patched up hand, which was wrapped in Kirishima's arm sleeve.

He could still use it after all. Izuku tensed up and un-sheathed his sword once more. "Tokoyami, get ready!"

People circled one another, headbands were flying and Todoroki and Bakugou both had a vendetta against Midoriya for what he did. They were so close and now the boy was trapped, like a sheep ready for slaughter.

That damned headband was theirs.

"Times...UP!"

Todoroki growled in frustration having the same headband that Dark Shadow snitched from them, Bakugou landed on the ground in a pile, screaming into it with fury, and Izuku sighed in relief.

It was finally over.

“YES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! TEAM MIDORIYA KEEPS THEIR TEN MILLION POINTS AND REMAINS…wait…ah, correction! Due to no official rule against tying the headband to his hair, they’ve been penalized and awarded 2000 points, placing them in…fourth!” Izuku sighed in relief at the unexpected but still okay turn of events.

Midnight’s voice cut through: “If you pull something like this again, you’ll be disqualified!”

“Moving on! First place is now team Todoroki, second is team Bakugo, and third is…Shinso? When did that happen?!”

Izuku scanned the area and spotted his friend Shinso with a triumphant smile. Izuku grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. Both had made it to the next round.

Chapter Text

That General Studies kid is insane, isn’t he?"  

Another hero nodded. "I hear you. Who would've thought he'd go that far just to hold onto ten million points?"  

"I still think he cheated," a third chimed in.  

"Come on, there’s no rule against it. Others have done crazier things. He’s been penalized already, hasn’t he?"  

"True. Plus, he hasn’t even used his quirk yet."  

"Maybe he has, and we just didn’t notice. Did you see how fast and strong he was?"  

"Or maybe he’s saving it for the third round. That round’s no joke, after all."  

"All we can do is watch and see for ourselves."

Elsewhere, the UA teachers were seated in their section, astonished that this year, despite the exceptional talent among the students, someone from General Studies kept advancing steadily.  

Snipe, sipping a soda, commented, "Well, the results are intriguing. It’s clear Bakugo won’t give up until he wins. Todoroki’s putting a ton of effort into this, too."  

Present Mic added, "And that curly-haired green kid, Midoriya? What about him?"  

Cementoss, with a questioning tone, said, "I still don’t understand why Aizawa and Kayama allowed him to continue."  

Aizawa, taking a sip of coffee, replied, "You can’t disqualify an entire team for one person. Besides, there’s no rule against what he did. They’ve already been penalized."  

Cementoss retorted, "You gave them just enough points to move forward."  

Power Loader, who had been keeping an eye on the team because of Hatsume, said, "I’m pretty excited to see how far they go. Plus, I still don’t get what is Midoriya’s quirk."  

Aizawa spat out his coffee, stifling a laugh. It seemed his colleagues hadn’t done their research, and he wasn’t about to spoil the surprise.  

The revelation would come soon enough.

In the participants’ rest area, Hitoshi and Midoriya sat side by side, both thrilled at their success in advancing to the third round.  

"The third round is the real deal. It’s always the same—a one-on-one battle." Midoriya said.

Shinso smirked. "Your specialty, right?"  

Midoriya chuckled. "Specialty? Sure, but everyone has their strengths. Let’s show them what we’ve got—both of us. This is our chance to prove ourselves." He extended a fist. "Let’s show the world what future heroes look like, shall we?"  

Shinso looked at him, then bumped fists. But that wasn’t enough. He grabbed Midoriya’s hand and pulled him into a firm hug. Midoriya hugged back just as tightly.  

Shinso gasped, "Midoriya…you’re not embarrassed right now?"  

Midoriya smiled. "Not really. You’re a good friend to me."  

Shinso whispered, "Not as much as you’ve been to me…from the very beginning until now…"  

Midoriya didn’t hear him. Present Mic’s voice boomed through the arena, announcing the start of the third round:  

"Hey! Are you all ready for the third round?!" Present Mic yelled to the crowds around.

After a small fiasco in the final's decisions, with two of Shinso's victims forfeiting, two new students took up the spots and were ready and will to to compete. The line up was set and everyone, especially Izuku, were a bit nervous.

   Kaminari Denki vs. Shinso Hitoshi

   Todoroki Shoto vs. Sero Hanta

   Iida Tenya vs. Hatsume Mei

   Shiozaki Ibara vs. Midoriya Izuku

   Ashido Mina vs. Aoyama Yuga

   Yaoyorozu Momo vs. Tokoyami Fumikage

   Kirishima Eijiro vs. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

   Bakugo Katsuki vs. Uraraka Ochaco 

"A lot has happened, but now the serious battles are starting up!" Present Mic yelled from his high zone to the cheering crowd of spectators. "No matter who they are, these students will have to face and overcome situations like this on their own! Hear, Skill, Body, Wisdom, and Knowledge! Those will take theses students to the top, and here they are, the first round participants of the first year finals!"

The contestants were set. Now it was time to showcase everything they had trained for.

The first match began: Kaminari Denki vs. Shinso Hitoshi.

As the two stood in the arena, Kaminari exuded his usual electric energy, while Shinso appeared calm and collected.  

Present Mic introduced them enthusiastically: "On one side, the electric boy from class 1-A, Kaminari Denki! And on the other, a General Studies student who’s still a mystery—Shinso Hitoshi!"  

Despite some bias in the cheering, Izuku and the rest of the General Studies section were loudly rooting for Shinso.  

"The rules are simple," Midnight announced. "Knock your opponent out of bounds, immobilize them, or force them to surrender. Don’t worry about injuries—Recovery Girl has you covered."  

Shinso smirked confidently at Kaminari. He just needed one response.  

"Hey," Shinso began. "So, you’re friends with that monkey guy who went off about his pride.? Let’s see if you’re as weak as him."  

Kaminari didn’t reply.

"Ready..."

Shinso pressed on: "By the way, what’s your quirk called again? What’s your special move?"  

"Start!"  

Kaminari shouted, "This is my special move! Ten thousand volts—"  

His mind suddenly went blank. Shinso smiled wickedly, "Walk out of ring."  

Kaminari complied, leaving the arena.  

The General Studies students erupted in cheers for Shinso, none louder than Izuku.  

From Class 1-A, someone groaned, "I told that idiot not to respond to him! I went through all the trouble of explaining it to him too!""  It was Ojiro

"What do you mean?" Uraraka asked,

Ojiro explained, "That purple guy’s quirk lets him control someone if they reply to him."  

Momo murmured, "A powerful quirk…especially against someone as talkative as Kaminari-san..."  

Iida agreed, "Well, I shoud say Kaminari wasn’t the ideal opponent for this."  

As Kaminari stepped out of bounds, Midnight declared his loss, and Present Mic announced, "Kaminari Denki is out of the bounds! Shinso Hitoshi wins in the a boring and unexciting way!"  

"Hey!!!" 

"Sorry, Eraser! But it wasn’t very exciting."

Shinso made his way up the steps to the seating area, but halfway up, was assaulted by a hug. "Hitoshi, you did it!" Shinso found a heavy smaller boy attached to his side, squeezing him around the waist.

"Yo, Izuku, please don't hug me again in places like this." Shinso said stoically, ignoring that he was the first one who hugged Midoriya before. Izuku released his friend and smiled. "Come on, lets watch the next fight, after all the winner will be our opponent." Shinso nodded and walked alongside the smaller boy.

"Oi Shinso!" The boy in question looked to his side, finding a smiling Tsume patting the seat beside her. "Take a seat, you're probably tired after questioning that guy's ear off in the first round." Shinso smirk.

"Oh, and what would you do if you were in the finals?" Tsume smirked at the question.

"Well, I'd-" Her face went blank, her eyes unfocused.

"Tsume, put your index finger in your nose and scratch your head with your other hand." The girl did what she was asked, doing the two tasks for a few moments before she was released from the brainwashing. She looked at herself in horror and glared at Shinso, who smirked back. "What's so wrong with asking questions?" Tsume smartly said nothing, simply crossing her arms and wiping the snot off her finger.

"Hitoshi, please don't use your quirk on Tsume...she just try to claw your eyes out later." Izuku placated as he sat down beside Shinso.

"Thanks for the idea Grandpa-Izuku." Tsume smiling evilly as she sharpened her nails. Shinso looked to Izuku with a deadpanned expression. "Do you have to give her ideas." Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

The two watched in surprise as the ice user created a giant glazier of ice, expanding out of the whole Coliseum and bringing his opponent with him. "Todoroki had knocked Sero out of bounds. Todoroki Wins!" Izuku couldn't help but pull out his notebook from absolutely nowhere and begin to write about both Sero's and Todoroki's abilities.

The third match, Hatsume vs. Iida, was less of a battle and more of an infomercial for Hatsume’s gadgets. After an hour of showcasing her creations, she willingly stepped out of bounds, leaving a fuming Iida behind.

Finally, it was time for the fourth match: Shiozaki Ibara vs. Midoriya Izuku.

Present Mic announced, "Finally, we’ve got a real fight! On one side, a pretty flower with thorns— assassin of class 1-B, Shiozaki Ibara!" The crowd went insane as the vine haired girl walked up to the battle zone, showing off an air of power and elegance.

"And on the other, Although he hasn't shown his quirk yet, he has demonstrated exceptional abilities in both previous rounds and has proven repeatedly that he’s not joking with that blade! UA’s Genral Studies wild card—Midoriya Izuku!"  

The crowd erupted in cheers, especially the General Studies section, eager to witness the green-haired boy's skills. Among them, Tsume enthusiastically waved flags shaped like Midoriya’s hair.

From the hero course seats, Kirishima commented, “Man, I really want to see how this turns out.”

“I agree,” Iida said. “Not only am I intrigued by Ibara’s abilities, but I’m also curious about Midoriya’s quirk. It could be important for the next fights.”

Uraraka nodded. “Yeah… He’s really skilled, especially with his sword.”

Momo tilted her head thoughtfully. “I’m not sure bringing a sharp weapon like a katana to the competition is allowed.”

Sero shrugged. “Hatsume brought all those gadgets; a sword doesn’t seem like much.”

Bakugo, however, remained silent, his intense gaze fixed on the arena. 

"Now, we'll have a super flashy fight this time to-!"

"Um, excuse me." Present Mic was cut off when the girl contender looked up at him, her hand raised respectfully. "My apologies for the interruption, but what do you mean by 'assassin'? I have only come to find victory, not to take my opponent's life." Izuku smiled at the his opponent's statement.

"U-Um I'm sorry." Present Mic said apologetically, but she wasn't finished.

"In the first place, I wished to enter UA not for wicked purposes, but for the salvation of others..."

"I get it, I'm sorry! Okay?" Present Mic said in a rush, much to the girl's joy.

"I thank you for your understanding."

The girl walked to her start spot and Present Mic sighed in relief. "Alright, let's st-"

“Excuse me, I have something to say too.”

Present Mic groaned. “What about you now, Midoriya?”

Izuku smiled and said, “"I'd like to tell you all why I've yet to show off my quirk in a flashy manner yet."

The crowd murmured in curiosity, their whispers filling the stadium. Many speculated and even started placing bets.

Meanwhile, the General Studies students grinned like a mischievous demon army, eager to see everyone’s reaction. They knew the surprise was worth the wait. Aizawa smirked in a way that sent shivers down Present Mic’s spine.

"Midoriya, why are you revealing your quirk before the fight?" Izuku bowed his head sagely.

“Because I want to show her that I’m here to fight for honor and victory.” he replied.

“Alright, Midoriya. What’s your big reveal?”

It was finally time to reveal the truth.

Something Izuku thought he had prepared himself for, but now, in front of this crowd and in the spotlight of almost the entire nation, he felt a sensation like a million butterflies fluttering in his stomach...

Took a deep breath. This was going to make some people pretty unhappy, and he didn't care.

"The secret about my quirk...is that I don't have one."

"HUH?!"

"Eh?" Shiozaki quirked her eyebrow in confusion.

In an instant, the crowd fell completely into a deep silence.

Izuku, still smiling, stood his ground. “Yes. I Am Quirkless. And with all my heart, I’ll say it: I want to be a hero.”

“That’s correct…”

This time, it wasn’t Present Mic but Aizawa who spoke. “Midoriya Izuku was diagnosed as quirkless at age four and has since had no appearance of one. Despite this disadvantage, it’s worth noting that Midoriya has displayed remarkable physical skill and combat proficiency. Remember, he advanced through the first two rounds without a quirk.”

The stadium exploded. Murmurs of disbelief, amazement, and even outrage filled the air. Many were angry that such a fact had been kept secret. Heroes in the crowd debated the revelation, some supportive, others skeptical or outright dismissive.

In the hero course section, the reactions were just as chaotic.

“When we teamed up, he didn’t have a quirk? I should’ve asked, but I forgot!” exclaimed Uraraka, her voice full of shock.

Tokoyami said seriously, “To have come this far and led us without a quirk only increases my respect for him.”

Sero pondered aloud, “Wait… Are there really people without quirks? Do they even exist?”

Momo replied, “Approximately 20% of the population is quirkless, though only a small fraction are born that way. It’s quite rare.”

Mineta interjected, “Wait! You’re telling me he beat Bakugo twice without a quirk?”

“YOU’RE DEAD, GRAPEHEAD!”

“Why did you say that?”

Izuku looked to his opponent with curiosity, who looked at him critically. “If you said this to make me hold back, you’re mistaken. I won’t ignore my dream just because of your problem.”

Izuku smiled. Drawing his sword with a sharp sound, “I understand, and I never intended for you to hold back. Holding back in a fair fight is an insult to opponent. So, please, fight me with everything you have, just as I will. Let our skills decide the winner.”

Shiozaki nodded. “Very well. In advance, I humbly apologize for any harm I cause you.”

Izuku raised his sword in salute and bowed. “May the best one win.”

“Uh… um… Start?!” Present Mic said unsure of himself. The crowd was still either cheering, yelling, debating, or discussing about Midoriya.

Regardless of the crowd, the fight began, and it quickly pulled the attention of everyone.

Ibara’s hair, a tangle of green vine-like tendrils, broke away from her scalp and slithered under the concrete ground like serpents. Izuku noticed the movement and adjusted his path quickly. The vines burst out of the ground, aiming to ensnare him like natural green ropes.

With two swift strikes of his katana, Izuku severed the advancing vines, green ichor splattering across the blade.

He surged forward, cutting through another wave of vines with a horizontal slash. More tendrils shot toward him, coiling tightly around his ankle. Just as he raised his blade to free himself, a sudden whoosh of air alerted him to an attack from behind.

In a blur of motion, Izuku spun on his heel and slashed, severing the ambushing vines. Without losing momentum, he leaped into the air, dodged a fresh wave of tendrils, and slashed through those still binding his leg.

Ibara, unyielding, sent another barrage of vines toward him. Izuku’s katana answered every attack, the blade flashing like lightning.

“Unbelievable!” Present Mic’s voice echoed across the stadium. “Midoriya is evading every single attack and cutting down those vines before they can trap him!”

The audience began to murmur, their initial skepticism giving way to awe.

“He’s so fast!”

“Go, Midoriya!

"Show that quirkless runt his real place!”

“Damn, those kids are both good!”

The loudest cheers came from the General Studies section. Every evasive maneuver, every precise strike from Izuku drew louder applause. Shinso, in particular, was glued to the match.

“He’s not just fighting to win,” Shinso muttered, clenching his fists. “He’s fighting to prove he belongs here—with everything he’s got.”

“Shiozaki goes all in!” Present Mic bellowed. “She’s sending out a tidal wave of vines from all directions! If it wasn’t for Midoriya’s sword, he’d be done for like a bug in spider web!”

The entire arena gasped as dozens of thorny tendrils erupted from the ground, surrounding Izuku on all sides. The audience held their breath.

“This is it,” someone murmured. “There’s no way he can fend off an attack like that.”

But Izuku refused to yield. Planting his foot firmly, he spun his katana in a whirlwind arc. The blade sliced through the incoming vines in a circular motion, creating a storm of shredded plant matter around him. The vines fell to the ground in pieces, leaving the crowd stunned into silence.

“Wow,” Uraraka gasped. “I didn’t know he was this good with a sword.”

“Me neither,” Sero added. “He’s been holding back this whole time!”

Momo analyzed his movements carefully. “It’s not just skill. His speed is incredible.”

“Speed?” Ashido chimed in. “Nah, his speed’s god-tier!“

“No!” Iida cut in, his voice sharp with focus. “It’s not about speed—it’s precision and acceleration. Look closely at how he moves!”

The class turned to watch as Iida explained.

“He’s not simple fast; he can change the direction of his sword mid-motion, transition quickly from one spot to another, and focus on multiple directions at once while attacking. It’s the perfect strategy for fighting Shiozaki, whose vines can strike even from underground.”

He paused before adding, “And more than that... it seems like he’s predicting her every move. As if he’s already analyzed her quirk and style in detail before the fight even started.”

The realization hit the group hard. Bakugo’s eyes narrowed, recalling how analytical Izuku could be. “Damn longhaired nerd,” he muttered.

The arena was littered with severed vines as Izuku continued his relentless assault. With every step, he dodged, parried, and cut through Ibara’s attacks. The once vibrant tendrils began to wither and yellow, their movements sluggish.

Izuku noticed Ibara swallowing hard, her breathing labored. Her hair and vines were drying out.

“She’s running out of stamina,” Izuku thought. “Just like what I thought, Her vines need a lot of water to sustain this level of growth. It takes a lot of her body's water. She should be really thirsty right now and her body is not athletic enough too.” He grinned "Now its time!"

Seizing the opportunity, Izuku shifted tactics. He charged straight toward Ibara with blinding speed. She tried to form a defensive wall of vines while simultaneously launching a counterattack, but her movements were too slow.

Izuku sliced through the attacking vines and then cleaved the wall with a powerful vertical slash. Planting a foot on the crumbling barrier, he launched himself into the air.

Ibara froze, her wide eyes reflecting the warrior descending toward her. Silhouetted against the sun, his long hair billowed as he held his greem blood-streaked katana.

With one final, precise motion, Izuku brought the blade down, stopping it just inches from her throat. The tip lightly grazed her skin, leaving a shallow scratch that didn’t even bleed.

The Stadium fell silent.

Midnight’s whip cracked through the stillness. “Midoriya has captured his opponent! The winner is Midoriya!”

The crowd erupted into cheers, led by the General Studies section. Any lingering doubts about Izuku’s worthiness vanished in the face of his masterful performance.

Izuku sheathed his katana after wiping the green ichor off the blade. Turning to Ibara, who was still in shock, he extended a hand.

“Shiozaki-san,” he said with a gentle smile. “It was an honor to fight you. Care to share a drink of water together?”

Ibara stared at him for a moment before taking his hand. A faint smile crossed her lips. “Thank you.”

Their sportsmanship drew another wave of applause, louder than before. Together, they exited the arena, leaving behind a battlefield strewn with the remnants of their duel.

“Somebody clean this up!” Present Mic shouted, laughter in his voice. “The arena’s covered in vines!”

Chapter Text

After the fight between Izuku and Ibara, in a private conference room where Hero Commission officials, influential investors, and corporate sponsors were gathered, a serious discussion unfolded.

"I have to admit, that boy is impressive," one of the investors began. "But... it’s hard not to suspect some kind of foul play."

"Even if it’s not outright cheating," another chimed in, "he likely wouldn’t have stood a chance if his opponent wasn’t Ibara. His sword was effective against her quirk, but against someone like Kirishima or Todoroki? I doubt he’d last."

A third added with skepticism, "This has to be part of some hidden agenda by Principal Nezu. There’s no way a boy with no quirk could make it this far in the festival otherwise."

"I agree. Perhaps Nezu’s testing the capabilities of our hero students by throwing in a wild card. But if that’s the case, it could hurt us in the long run."

"Exactly. If this boy becomes a hero, it might destroy the foundation of what we stand for. Our entire system is built on the idea that heroes are extraordinary—symbols of hope. If people start believing that anyone can become a hero, it could lead to chaos and encourage vigilante behavior."

Another voice added gravely, "If low-tier individuals like him are recognized as heroes, we’ll lose public trust. Financial support for hero agencies will dwindle, and our business model will collapse. The whole system will crumble."

A loud, commanding voice cut through the chatter. "Enough. This boy could also be an asset to us."

"An asset? How?" one of the skeptics questioned.

The commanding figure explained, "There’s still a significant portion of the population with weak quirks—or none at all. These people often feel alienated and overlooked by the hero society. A quirkless hero could serve as a symbol of hope for them. That kind of representation could bring us new support and financial backing."

Another nodded in agreement. "True. Seeing someone like him succeed could inspire weaker individuals to place more faith in heroes."

A more cautious voice countered, "Perhaps, but the risks far outweigh the potential benefits. The negative consequences could be catastrophic. For this to work, he’d have to not only win but prove himself in a way that leaves no room for doubt."

"Exactly," another affirmed. "If he fails or doesn’t deliver any meaningful results, we can simply spin the narrative. We’ll declare that he was part of a UA experiment to test the capabilities of hero students. Afterward, we’ll blacklist him and ensure he’s removed from both UA and the hero industry permanently."

"And if he succeeds?"

"Then he’ll earn our support—at least as much as someone like him deserves."

The room fell silent for a moment before one of them concluded, "Let’s see how this plays out."

In the teachers’ viewing area, discussions about the match were also underway.

Snipe spoke up loudly, "I didn’t think that boy could be such a skilled fighter, especially without a quirk."

Ectoplasm nodded thoughtfully. "He’s compensated for his lack of a quirk with intense training and exceptional technique."

Vlad King frowned, crossing his arms. "I don’t buy it. A blade and a bit of skill aren’t enough to put him on par with the others. I mean, how can someone without a quirk push beyond his current limits?"

Cementoss added, "Vlad has a point. He fought an opponent who allowed him to use his full mobility. But against stronger quirk-wielding opponents... I don’t see it ending well for him."

From beneath his bandages, Aizawa commented flatly, "Well, the rest of the tournament will settle the matter."

All Might remained silent, deep in thought. He was still considering the possibility of passing One For All to Midoriya. The boy’s quirkless skills were already remarkable, and All Might couldn’t help but wonder how much further he could go with a quirk. But things had become complicated.

Midoriya had openly declared his quirklessness to the public, turning his journey into a symbol for those without quirks. That changed everything, making the decision to give him One For All much more difficult.

For now, All Might would have to wait.

After Izuku’s success and the warm congratulations that followed, the next matches began.

In the battle between Ashido and Aoyama, Ashido capitalized on the insights she had gained during the match, landing an uppercut that secured her victory. Izuku was captivated by her performance, noting her exceptional physical abilities. Her flexibility, balance, and control stood out, making her seem like a formidable opponent.

The next fight saw Tokoyami swiftly push Yaoyorozu out of bounds, dealing a heavy blow to her confidence. Izuku couldn’t help but feel bad for her.

Yaoyorozu was one of those people who seemed to have it all—an incredible quirk, a prestigious family, impeccable manners, and a kind personality. But it was clear she relied too much on her quirk. Despite her ability to create various tools, she didn’t seem skilled enough in actually using them in combat, which ultimately led to her defeat. It was a lesson that would surely sting, and Izuku hoped she would recover her confidence soon.

The battle between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu was a pure test of strength, with both fighters relentlessly clashing in a power struggle. In the end, it was declared a tie. Some, like Tsume, found the result amusing, given how evenly matched they were.

Bakugou and Uraraka fight was a brutal, one-sided match. Yet, Uraraka endured and fought valiantly, earning Bakugo’s respect. Izuku, knowing Bakugo well, understood that he never held back. Uraraka, despite her slim chances of winning, gave it her all and refused to back down—something that even Bakugo would admire.

Then came the start of the next round and a match Izuku dreaded.

Todoroki Vs Shinsou.

In the arena, Shinsou stepped in with a mix of nerves and determination, doing his best to hide his anxiety. Todoroki, on the other hand, entered with his usual cold, serious demeanor.

Shinsou sneered, his voice laced with challenge. "So, what’s it like being the son of the No. 2 Hero? Having a good time? Or are you worried you’ll never measure up to your daddy?"

Unfortunately for Shinsou, his words got no response.

The moment the match began, Todoroki unleashed a massive wave of ice, overwhelming Shinsou and blasting him out of the ring. Shinsou was frozen mid-air, encased in ice, and rendered completely helpless.

"Todoroki wastes no time and throws Shinsou out! Todoroki wins!"

Izuku ignored the cheers and announcements, focused only on Shinsou. As soon as the match ended, he rushed to catch Shinsou and take him to the infirmary.

On the other side of the arena, Todoroki Shoto was locked in a tense argument with his father.

“I’ve made it this far,” Shoto said, his tone defiant. “I’ve defeated two opponents without using your fire.”

Endeavor, the Flame Hero, responded coldly, his piercing gaze cutting through his son’s bravado. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Shoto. The opponents you’ve faced so far weren’t even close to your level. Beating them is meaningless. Do you really think you could’ve won against someone like Bakugo or Yaoyorozu using just your ice?”

Without hesitation, Shoto replied, “Yes, I would’ve. I don’t need your fire to win. I’ll end this with my mother’s ice alone and still come out on top.”

Endeavor’s voice dropped to a venomous whisper. “In the last two rounds, you fell behind a boy with no quirk.”

Shoto clenched his teeth, his frustration boiling over. “That won’t happen again. A quirkless nobody will never beat me.”

Endeavor’s tone turned colder. “Make sure of that. But only if you use your full power. Because he will.”

Shoto turned his back on his father, heading toward the exit. Without looking back, he said, “You know as well as I do. A quirkless boy can’t become a hero. He won’t win.”

Endeavor watched his son leave, his jaw tightening. No matter what he said, the fact that his son—his ultimate creation, meant to surpass All Might—had fallen behind a quirkless boy twice in a row infuriated him. From every angle, the reason was clear: Shoto’s refusal to use his flames. His son’s stubbornness was holding him back, keeping him from realizing his destiny.

And then there was that green-haired boy…

“Endeavor, sir!”

Hearing his name, Endeavor turned slightly, only to see that damn boy—Midoriya Izuku—standing before him. The look in Midoriya’s eyes wasn’t one of fear but an almost unsettling admiration, one he usually only saw from Hawks.

And then, to Endeavor’s surprise, the boy bowed deeply. “I’m sorry!”

Endeavor’s brows furrowed. “What?”

Without lifting his head, Midoriya began speaking quickly. “Almost eight years ago, you saved me from a villain. That day, you showed me I was on the wrong path. Until then, I hadn’t worked hard, had no foundation, and still thought I could become a hero just by dreaming. But you proved to me that empty dreams aren’t enough. Since that day, I’ve trained every single day, inspired by you, to become worthy. Just like you said back then: weak people who can’t even save themselves don’t deserve to be heroes. I never got the chance to apologize for what I said to you that night, so—”

“Enough!”

Endeavor’s voice boomed, silencing Midoriya instantly.

“This festival isn’t over, and you haven’t proven anything yet,” Endeavor said sharply, his tone laced with disdain. “Being a hero isn’t just about saving yourself. It’s about being strong enough to save others. Even if you’re strong enough to survive, that doesn’t make you worthy of being called a hero.”

Midoriya fell silent, his head still bowed.

Turning on his heel, Endeavor began walking back toward the spectator stands. “A hero speaks through their actions, not just words.”

He left without another word, leaving Midoriya standing there.

Watching Endeavor walk away, Midoriya clenched his fists. “He’s right… the festival isn’t over yet. There are still two more rounds. I have to prove myself against opponents even stronger than Shiozaki.”

Shortly after, Izuku's name was called again.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! We’re moving on to the next match of the this round! On one side, the wild card of U.A., the sword-wielding student from the General Studies course—Midoriya Izuku!"

The crowd erupted with mixed reactions. Some cheered, others discussed his skills with curiosity, and a few were genuinely excited to see what he’d do next.

"And on the other side, though he’s had not many opportunities to showcase his talents so far, it’s clear he’s here to prove himself—second in the entrance exam rankings, Iida Tenya!"

As Iida stepped into the arena and locked eyes with Midoriya, the crowd’s cheers reached a deafening pitch. Both competitors stood firm, their gazes unyielding.

Iida adjusted his glasses. "Midoriya, I must admit, your performance in the last round was impressive. But I hope you understand—I won’t be holding back, even if my opponent has... challenges."

Izuku narrowed his eyes. That phrasing irked him. Instead of responding, he silently unsheathed his sword, leveling it in front of him as Endeavor’s words echoed in his mind: A hero speaks through their actions, not just words.”

Words mean nothing. Action is what counts.

He recalled Iida’s quirk from the entrance exam—those powerful engines on his legs granted incredible speed and strength in his kicks. But they came with drawbacks: a relatively weaker upper body and difficulty maneuvering sharply at high speed.

He thought "Iida ranked second, and I ranked first. But my rank was due to rescue points. In direct combat, Iida likely outscored me. I’ll need to be cautious."

"Ready… Begin!"

The instant the signal sounded, Iida rocketed forward, his engines roaring. He launched a powerful kick aimed at Midoriya’s side. Izuku barely dodged, but before he could counter, Iida darted around him at blinding speed, attacking from another angle.

Unable to turn in time, Izuku raised the flat of his blade to block, but the force of the kick sent him stumbling backward. Before he could recover, another kick slammed into his thigh, disrupting his stance.

He’s targeting my balance! Izuku realized. If my guard breaks, I’m done.

Attempting a counter, he swept his sword low in an arc, aiming for Iida’s legs, but the speedster easily leapt back and retaliated with another kick, forcing Izuku closer to the edge of the ring.

Iida wasn’t giving him any room to breathe. He dodged the blade with ease, circling and striking relentlessly. Izuku hadn’t landed a single hit. To the crowd, it looked like Iida was toying with him.

Then, something clicked in Izuku’s mind. I’ve got it. He sheathed his sword.

Mic gasped. "Whoa! Midoriya just put away his sword! What’s he thinking?"

The audience leaned forward, puzzled. Even Iida paused, surprised. "Why would you set aside your weapon? Don’t you think you’ll need it?"

Izuku stood tall, his hands open and raised in a defensive posture. His expression was calm yet resolute. "Sometimes, a warrior must adapt. A single approach won’t win consecutive battles."

The announcer added with a laugh, "Looks like Midoriya’s pulling out some wise proverbs. He’s starting to sound like an grandfather!"

Izuku knew he shouldn't, but he could swore he could hear Tetsuki and Tsume laughing from the stands.

Iida charged again, aiming a kick straight at Izuku for a liver shot. But this time, Izuku sidestepped and, in one fluid motion, grabbed Iida’s leg with both hands, just like how he gripped the hilt of a katana.  Using Iida’s momentum, he spun, lifted the taller boy's leg upper, and slammed him face-first into the ground.

The crowd erupted.

"WOW! Midoriya just turned the tables with a single move!"

Izuku wasted no time. He threw himself on top of Iida, pinning him down with his body weight. Grabbing one of Iida’s legs with both hands, he twisted it into a Jujitsu lock, immobilizing his opponent further.

Up close, Iida’s speed was useless. Izuku had found his opening.

It all happened in under three seconds.

Iida struggled, his arms pinned awkwardly beneath him. The engines on his legs flared to life, but even with their power, he couldn’t dislodge Izuku’s grip. The shorter boy from General Studies was surprisingly strong and heavy.

Iida’s mind raced. There’s only one way to break free.

"Recipro Burst!"

With a deafening roar, his engines unleashed a burst of power, propelling him forward and breaking Izuku’s hold. Iida immediately kicked out, his boot slamming into Izuku’s stomach, right to the aperture and knocking the wind out of him. Grabbing the shorter boy by the shirt, Iida hoisted him up like a sack of rice and sprinted toward the edge of the arena.

"Iida has broken free! He’s heading straight for the boundary to throw Midoriya out!"

Dangling from Iida’s grip, Izuku cursed his shorter stature. The speedster was about to carry him out of bounds.

Not like this!

As they neared the edge, Izuku grabbed Iida’s arm with both hands, with the same strength as he gripped the hilt of a katana, using his weight to pull himself higher. Then, with a sudden shift, he twisted his body and executed a Jujitsu throw, flipping Iida over his shoulder and slamming him onto his back outside the ring.

The crowd roared.

"Iida is out of bounds! Midoriya wins!"

Iida lay on the ground, stunned. The reversal had happened so fast. One moment, he was carrying Midoriya out of the ring. The next, he was flat on his back, staring at the sky.

That was the same move he used on Bakugou, Iida realized.

"Incredible! Just when it seemed like Iida had the upper hand, Midoriya turned the match around with precision timing and skill!"

The crowd’s cheers grew louder as Izuku bowed to them before turning to Iida. He extended a hand. "That was a close fight, Iida-kun."

Still processing his defeat, Iida accepted the hand and stood. "I underestimated your skill—especially after you put away your sword. And... I apologize for my earlier remark."

Izuku shook his head. "It’s fine, Iida-kun. Really. I got used to it."

Adjusting his glasses, Iida hesitated before asking, "Midoriya, I need to know something. Are you the shared first rank with Bakugou?"

Izuku froze. He hadn’t expected anyone to bring that up. Bute there was to place to hide it. Clearing his throat, he replied, "Yes, I am. I was placed in General Studies due to registration issues with my katana."

Iida nodded in understanding. "Thank you for your honesty."

As he walked away, Iida felt no shame in his loss. Losing to someone of Midoriya’s caliber—someone strong enough to tie with Bakugou—was nothing to regret. Midoriya Izuku was a true contender.

As Iida and Midoriya walked toward the exit, the spectators were left in awe and disbelief. The second-best scorer in the UA entrance exam had lost to a quirkless general studies student. The shock was palpable, especially among Class 1-A. Iida’s defeat wasn’t just surprising—it was a statement. It meant that Midoriya was on the same level as UA's strongest: Bakugou and Todoroki. But what was someone that skilled doing in the general studies course, a course often dismissed as second-rate?

Among the astonished crowd, Todoroki Shoto was distracted by something else—something far more personal. It wasn’t just Midoriya’s unexpected skill or strength. It was the way Midoriya looked into the crowd, his eyes searching for someone specific.

Midoriya's gaze wasn’t just intense; it was filled with admiration and anticipation. And it was aimed directly at the Number Two Hero, Endeavor.

Todoroki clenched his fists, his mind racing. He saw it. Before the match, he had overheard Midoriya speaking to Endeavor. Their conversation and Midoriya’s reaction—an expression Todoroki never thought he'd see—had confirmed his suspicions.

Midoriya Izuku, the rising star whose strength was now being compared to Bakugo and Todoroki, was an Endeavor fan.

Todoroki's eyes narrowed as a cold, bitter determination settled over him. His voice barely above a whisper, he muttered under his breath:

“I’ll crush you, Endeavor fan. Just wait…”

Chapter Text

“The kids in General Studies this year are insane.”

“I liked that brainwash kid. I might send him an internship offer. We just need to train his combat skills a bit.”

“Even without that, he’d make a great assistant.”

“What about the green-haired, Quirkless boy? He’s done pretty well so far, hasn’t he?”

“Well, too bad he’s Quirkless. I’m not really interested.”

“His skills are impressive for a student. They just need to be developed into proper special techniques.”

“Easier said than done. I doubt we can push that boy beyond his current level. Without a Quirk, there’s nothing to enhance or base any special moves on.”

“Come on, it’s harder, sure, but not impossible.”

The debate about Midoriya Izuku was heating up among the heroes. Half of them doubted a Quirkless boy could become a hero, while the other half thought he was worth a shot. Many believed his success so far was due to sheer luck and skill, but they doubted he’d stand a chance against stronger opponents with powerful Quirks.

Meanwhile, the executives of the hero industry watched the results seriously and discussed:

“He’s done well so far, hasn’t he?”

“Can’t argue with that. He hasn’t lost a single match. He stayed at the top in the first two rounds and is still undefeated.”

“But he hasn’t been particularly impressive. The current matches are nothing extraordinary. They don’t carry enough weight to consider him hero material.”

“True. So far, it’s been about skill. He hasn’t proven himself to possess anything unique as a Quirkless hero candidate. The option to expel him is still on the table.”

“I think the next match will settle things. His opponent is the son of the Number Two Hero—a potential future symbol with an extraordinary powerful Quirk. If anything is going to be decided, it’ll be in this fight.”

“Midoriya’s chances of winning are less than five percent.”

“But it’ll be still worth watching.”

Midoriya sat quietly, gripping his katana in his hands. The next fight was the most important one for him. He was about to face Endeavor’s son—the son of his favorite hero. This was his chance to prove himself, once and for all.

Endeavor was watching… his son against him… This was the final step in his journey to prove himself.

“Hey. You’re Midoriya, right?”

Izuku looked up and found himself face-to-face with someone with red-and-white hair.

“Todoroki-kun, right? Nice to meet you, I—”

“No need to say anything.”

Todoroki’s cold tone startled Izuku.

Todoroki continued, “I just want to ask you something. You’re a fan of my father, aren’t you?”

Izuku felt uneasy about Todoroki’s tone and gaze but replied calmly, “Yeah, I am. Is that strange?”

Todoroki frowned even more, a bad sign.

“Do you know about Quirk marriages, Midoriya? Marriages between people with specific Quirks to create children with stronger, more perfect Quirks?”

Izuku was stunned. He didn’t want to hear whatever Todoroki was about to say next.

“My father is the Number Two Hero. That title will stick to him as long as the world exists. But he wanted to be Number One. And he had no problem forcing that goal onto his children. He used his money to buy my mother so he could have a child with a powerful Quirk to surpass All Might.”

Izuku stared at Todoroki, shocked. That kind of look hadn’t been on his face for years.

“He put me through torturous training since I was a kid. It wasn’t just me. My sister, my brother, my mother—we all suffered because of him. My mother was under so much pressure that she poured boiling water on my face. That scar will never leave.”

Todoroki took a breath and continued, “Just thought you should know what kind of person you’re a fan of. Half my power is my mother’s ice, and the other half is his fire. But I’ve made it this far using only my mother’s ice. And I’ll succeed without ever touching his fire.”

Izuku didn’t respond. He stood there and watched as Todoroki turned and walked away. His bitter silence was exactly what Shoto had wanted. As he’d said, he would crush this boy—

“Wait, Todoroki-kun.”

Todoroki stopped and turned back. “What is it?”

Izuku’s head was lowered, his bangs covering his eyes. “You said you only use your mother’s ice. So… is it because of your grudge against your father that you refuse to use your fire?”

Todoroki hadn’t expected this. “I don’t need his fire. My ice is enough to beat anyone in this class or school. You’ve seen it yourself.”

The shadow over Izuku’s face darkened as he whispered, “Do you think there’s no one who can beat you? Do you think you can be Number One with just half your power?”

Finally, he raised his head, locking eyes with Todoroki. “You’re just holding yourself back. You can’t save people who need all your power. A grudge isn’t worth refusing to use everything you have.”

He continued, “When I was seven or eight, your father saved me from a villain. He didn’t give me an autograph or listen to what I had to say. When I asked if I could be a hero, he told me to get out of his sight. But he showed me that unless I gave it everything I had, I didn’t deserve to be a hero. If I’m standing here now, it’s because of your father.”

Izuku’s gaze hardened. “So why won’t you use all your power?”

Todoroki replied coldly, “Whatever my father told you, you’d better forget it. Someone like him isn’t worth listening to.”

Izuku clenched his teeth. Was this boy ignoring everything he’d said just because his father had been mentioned? Was his grudge so deep that he couldn’t see any other side of the man?

Gritting his teeth, Izuku said, “Then who was I supposed to listen to? Even All Might told me I couldn’t be a hero without a Quirk.”

“Maybe you should’ve listened to All Might.”

Izuku froze.

Todoroki continued, “You’ve gotten this far on luck. Anyone can see you don’t stand a chance in the next match. When someone like you can beat the second-highest scorer, I don’t think I even need to use half my power to beat you.”

Todoroki’s cold tone cut through Izuku like a blade.

Izuku clenched his fists, ready to argue back. But then he remembered words: : A hero speaks through their actions, not just words.

So he stayed silent, watching as Todoroki walked away. It seemed this boy didn’t even understand the value of fighting for a dream. That’s why he didn’t see the need to use his fire.

Izuku was gonna show him...

A few minutes later...

"We are in the semi-finals! Our final four will be facing off for a chance to be number one!" Present Mic's voice echoed. "On one side, we have the son of the Number Two Hero, the Icy Powerhouse of Class A, Todoroki Shoto!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, but Todoroki showed no signs of caring about their enthusiasm.

"And on the other side, the UA wildcard, the rising star of General Studies, the swordsman with no quirk, Midoriya Izuku!"

The reaction to Izuku was mixed, though the General Studies class drowned out the doubters with their enthusiasm.

"Go, Izuku!"

"Knock out Mr. Freeze!"

"Don't turn into ice cream!"

Meanwhile, in Class A, the students exchanged uneasy glances.

Ojiro muttered, "This is going to get intense."

Uraraka, visibly worried, added, "Yeah. Midoriya's strong... but Todoroki is insanely powerful."

Tokoyami remained silent, his sharp eyes fixed on the arena. A logical part of him knew Todoroki was the clear favorite to win, yet something about Midoriya’s presence felt… different. There was an aura around him—a strange, unexplainable intensity that Tokoyami couldn’t ignore. He whispered, almost to himself, "A battle of shadows…"

Elsewhere, in the dojo, the atmosphere was electric. The students there, having closely followed Izuku’s success, were in a frenzy of excitement. Everyone was eager to see just how far their green-haired peer could go.

Inko was still sobbing uncontrollably, her tears flowing like waterfalls. The students had to fetch water for her to prevent her from fainting due to dehydration.

Takahashi Ryu observed with a calm yet confident demeanor. To him, this match represented the culmination of every battle, every training session, and every challenge Izuku had faced. This wasn’t just a fight; it was the clash of a determined will against a true powerhouse. It felt as though every effort Izuku had made until now had been preparing him for this very moment.

Back in the arena, Izuku stood with his katana in hand, glaring fiercely at the son of his new idol. His intense gaze didn’t sit well with Todoroki.

Todoroki broke the silence. "Midoriya. I’ll give you a chance none of the others got: walk out of the ring on your own. Leave now, unharmed. You know you can’t win."

Izuku’s fingers tightened around the hilt and sheath of his sword, his grip so firm that his fingertips started to turn white. He heard his master’s voice in his mind "A person who does not own his anger will not own his mind."

After taking a deep breath, Izuku spoke, his voice calm but firm "Todoroki-kun… I get it. I understand you hate your father. But…"

He locked eyes with Todoroki, his gaze sharp and unwavering. "When I look into your eyes, it’s like I’m staring at a villainous version of him."

Those words—and that piercing look—were enough to trigger a memory Todoroki had buried deep inside. The day his mother had poured boiling water on his face.

A wave of fury erupted within Todoroki. "Don’t you dare compare me to that bastard!!!" He yelled,

With a roar, he unleashed a massive wave of ice toward Midoriya.

Everyone watching held their breath...

Todoroki’s ice was immense… but only the smaller sections at the front actually trapped his enemies and Izuku had noticed this during watching Todoroki and Sero match.

If I move just faster than it… if I rush forward quickly enough…

Few people knew that drawing a katana wasn’t merely an action; it was a martial art of its own—Iaijutsu. A discipline samurai spent years mastering, perfecting the strongest and fastest motion of unsheathing their blade to strike their opponent in one fluid motion. It was like a duel; the samurai who drew faster won. For more than two years, Midoriya had relentlessly trained just only this single move to reach perfection.

With a speed that would shame even the Iida family, Midoriya shot forward like a bullet, unsheathed his sword, and—

Todoroki froze for a moment, his thoughts racing "He's so fast!!!"

The crowd collectively leaned forward in shock.

Izuku now stood directly behind Todoroki, his sword raised in one hand toward the sky. Todoroki stood frozen, reeling from the shock that his ice mountain had failed to trap his opponent. Then, he felt a sharp sting across his forehead, and slowly, a red liquid began dripping over his right eye.

"Whoa!!! Todoroki’s been hit! Midoriya just rushed in with insane speed and managed to land a cut above Todoroki’s eye!"

After a moment of stunned silence, the crowd erupted into a deafening roar of cheers. No one had ever landed a blow on Todoroki before, and now there was a clear gash above his brow.

"This...this was really, really fast!" Ashido said in astonishment.

Kaminari also said in surprise "IIDA!! I thought you said he wasn't fast..."

Iida adjusted his glasses, his expression a mix of surprise and admiration, as if trying to see more clearly. "That wasn’t just raw speed! It’s the combination of fast reflexes, precise execution, and a deep understanding of his opponent’s timing. Together, they create the illusion of superhuman speed."

"What does it mean?"

"Simply put, Midoriya's sudden move was faster than Todoroki could react to... wait... Its not finished yet!"

Todoroki quickly snapped out of his daze, spinning around to fire another wave of ice at Midoriya. He was certain Midoriya couldn’t pull off a move like that twice in a row because such a move makes a real pressure in legs, both musscles and bones, so this was his chance to fight back.

But as the ice surged forward, Midoriya leaped to the side and began running in a circular path around Todoroki, evading the attacks.

"I can’t believe this! Midoriya is dodging Todoroki’s ice! But how?!"

Aizawa, observing intently, explained, "It’s the cut above Todoroki’s eye. The blood dripping into his right eye is messing with his aim."

Todoroki thought, That’s right… I’m using my right side, and he struck right above my right eye…

Izuku’s eyes tracked the ice, noting its path and speed. The front’s always the fastest. It spreads out wider further back.

He darted forward, low and fast, his feet finding traction despite the icy ground.

The crowd gasped as Izuku juked left, then right, narrowly avoiding the ice’s leading edge. His movements weren’t superhuman but precise and calculated, honed by years of agility drills and sparring.

Todoroki’s brow furrowed. He’s faster than I thought.

As Midoriya continued dodging, he noticed something: the ice was getting slower. Todoroki’s attacks were weakening. Izuku didn’t risk another direct advance. Instead, he sidestepped, using the edge of the ice wave to build momentum. His years of balance and agility training allowed him to run along the icy surface, closing the distance in an unexpected arc.

He’s adapting to my movements, Todoroki realized, frustration flaring.

When another wave came his way, Midoriya jumped onto it, sliding down the icy slope and charging toward Todoroki. He sliced through the ice wall Todoroki had raised for defense, dodged Todoroki’s freezing hand, and landed a roundhouse kick right to the side of Todoroki’s jaw!

"Todoroki’s been hit again?! This is unbelievable!"

As Todoroki staggered, dazed from the blow, Midoriya quickly retreated. The ground was cold and frozen, and clouds of vapor escaped Midoriya’s mouth with each breath. The cold was definitely taking a toll on his muscles and lungs. But it wasn’t just him feeling the chill.

Midoriya shouted, "I see it, Todoroki. Half your body is freezing up. Using only one side of your quirk is causing frostbite. Unless you use your fire, your body won’t last."

Todoroki replied coldly, "I don’t need it. All you’re doing is delaying your defeat with everything you’ve got."

Midoriya locked eyes with Todoroki, his voice firm and sharp: "You don’t get it, Todoroki. If I wanted to, I could’ve aimed for your throat with my first strike and ended this instantly."

Todoroki’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Midoriya continued, "I don’t use all my strength against someone who’s handicapped."

Rage flared in Todoroki’s eyes. He roared, "DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ME, YOU DAMN QUIRKLESS !!!"

Todoroki sent another wave of ice toward Midoriya, but before he could react, a solid punch slammed into his stomach, right to his diaphragm and knocking the breath out of Todoroki and sending him stumbling backward.

Midoriya’s voice cut through the air “You just don’t get it, do you, Todoroki?! I’ve landed three hits on you, and you haven’t even scratched me!”

Todoroki’s memories surged to the surface—his father’s fists slamming him to the ground.

“Get up! If this is all you’ve got, you’ll never surpass All Might!”

“Stop it! He’s only six years old!”

“He’s six already, so don’t interfere! He needs to become what he’s meant to be!”

With a guttural yell, Todoroki unleashed an even larger wave of ice, more massive than any before, hurtling it toward Midoriya with the force of an avalanche.

Midoriya glanced to his sides. Both escape routes were blocked by towering walls of ice, leaving him no way out. The avalanche bore down on him.

There was only one option.

The ice swallowed him whole.

The stadium fell silent as everyone stared at the massive ice formation now covering half the arena. The only movement on the field was Todoroki, trembling slightly from the exertion. Midoriya was nowhere to be seen.

“What happened to Midoriya?! Is he trapped in the ice? I can’t see him"

Todoroki straightened. It didn’t matter how fast or skilled this quirkless boy was—he couldn’t outrun the ice forever.

Midnight raised her hand, preparing to call the match. “And the winner is Todor—”

Ting...TIng... TING!

The sound interrupted her announcement. It was from within the ice. The noise grew louder, sharper, drawing everyone’s attention. Even Todoroki’s expression shifted into one of shock. The stadium collectively held its breath as the sound grew closer, more intense.

Finally, a blade pierced through the ice, cracking and breaking it apart. Midoriya emerged, frost-covered and visibly shaken by the cold but standing tall.

For a moment, the stadium was utterly silent. Then, a tidal wave of cheers and astonishment erupted, shaking the arena.

“Incredible! Midoriya hasn’t given up! He carved his way out of the ice with his sword!”

Todoroki swallowed his surprise and forced himself to act, sending another wave of ice at Midoriya. However, the attack was weaker and slower than before. The massive wave earlier had clearly taken a toll on him, leaving his body chilled and his movements sluggish.

Midoriya dodged with ease, slicing through some of the smaller ice formations with his sword as he charged forward. He closed the gap and struck Todoroki’s injured forehead with the pommel of his sword, reopening the gash above his eye.

Todoroki winced, momentarily distracted by the pain. He reached out, trying to grab Midoriya’s arm to freeze him, but Midoriya ducked, pivoted, and drove his knee into Todoroki’s stomach.

The crowd’s shock was palpable. Izuku Midoriya, the quirkless underdog, was dominating Todoroki Shoto, one of the most powerful students in UA.

The arena erupted with roars of disbelief and excitement as Midoriya stood over his opponent, determination blazing in his eyes.

Midoriya shouted, “Use your flames, Todoroki! Or admit defeat right now!”

Todoroki snapped back, “So my father bought you off, huh?! Is that it? You joined this match just to force me to use that man’s fire?!”

Before he could say another word, a fist slammed into his face.

“You think I’m here because your father told me to be?! Everyone here is giving it their all to become their best! Since I was seven, I’ve been working tirelessly to become strong without a quirk! And you think I’m here because of your father? If you believe everyone here is beneath you, go find something else to do besides being a hero!!!”

A shadow fell over Midoriya’s eyes as he continued, “All of us—me, Uraraka, Shinsou, Katsuki—we’re all fighting to improve. But you? You act like you’re so far above us that you don’t even need to use your full strength!”

"Shut up!" Todoroki roared. "I’m not here to make friends! They’re just obstacles in my way!”

As he said it, his father’s voice echoed in his mind:

“Don’t waste your time with them, Shoto… You live in a different world.”

Then Midoriya’s voice broke through his thoughts:

“When I look into your eyes, it’s like I’m staring at a villainous version of him.”

Midoriya continued, “Even your dad pushes himself to the limit to succeed, to save others. There’s a reason he’s still number two despite his terrible personality. But you? Out of spite for your father, you’re turning into something worse…”

With a powerful kick, Midoriya sent Todoroki sprawling to the ground, then stood over him and yelled, “I’m Midoriya Izuku! I don’t have a quirk, and I got here through sheer effort because I have a purpose beyond hatred! What are you without yours?!”

Leaned closer and bellowed, “Don’t you want to be a hero?! Isn’t your quirk your own?!”

Todoroki froze. My own…

.

.

.

.

Suddenly, a massive explosion of flames erupted, melting the surrounding ice instantly and raising the temperature of the stadium.

Midoriya stepped back, watching Todoroki surrounded by fire.

Todoroki smirked, “I hope you don’t regret helping your enemy, Midoriya!”

Midoriya replied, “We’re not enemies, Todoroki. We’re hero students. Both of us.”

With a grin, Todoroki said, “Then I won’t hold back anymore. You don’t deserve anything less than my full power, Midoriya!”

And in an instant...

Everything exploded.

Even Cementoss had to raise walls to shield the audience from the blast.

Steam covered the arena, blocking everyone’s view of the outcome. Slowly, it began to clear.

The first thing visible was Todoroki Shoto, panting heavily near the edge of the arena. He was still standing but clearly exhausted.

As the steam dissipated further, all eyes turned to the other side of the arena. But nothing was visible—just shattered ice and the remains of the ice mountain. Everyone looked around, searching for Midoriya.

“Hey! There’s movement in the ice!”

Everyone turned, and through the ice, a figure stood, leaning on the sword he had thrust into the ground, barely keeping himself upright.

His shirt was torn, his hair disheveled and loose. His right arm and part of his face were burned and blackened. The rest of his body was covered in large bruises, dark purple and swollen, with visible fractures and wounds scattered across his form.

But he was still standing.

Todoroki muttered, “How…?”

When he saw where Midoriya had been standing, the realization hit him. “You… you went back into those ice to shield yourself from the explosion!”

Midoriya didn’t respond. The entire stadium was silent as he pulled his sword free, took one step forward, then another, stumbling toward Todoroki.

Stumbling weakly, he moved toward Todoroki, the crowd silent as they watched this broken and battered boy refuse to back down.

Todoroki, panting, called out, “It’s over, Midoriya. You can’t go on anymore.”

Midoriya’s weak voice murmured, “No… not yet… I can’t… lose… I can’t… lose… I will win… EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!!!

He quickly leaned on his sword again, pushing himself backward before using it to propel himself forward like a projectile, slamming into Todoroki’s stomach and catching everyone off guard.

Todoroki, tired and his body is tired of the inconsistent temperature difference, using all his remaining strength, created an ice wall behind him to prevent himself from falling out of bounds. And just after that... Midoriya collapsed. It was clear he couldn’t continue. This was the limit of his strength.

Midoriya collapsed. He had nothing left.

“...Todoroki… is out of bounds.”

Midnight’s announcement made Todoroki’s eyes go wide. He turned to look and saw it—his foot had crossed the line. He hadn’t built the ice wall in time. Exhaustion had slowed him down just enough.

Despite his injuries, Midoriya had been faster.

“I… I don’t believe it! With a last-second attack, Midoriya has forced Todoroki out of bounds!”

The crowd was stunned by the surprising victory of the quirkless boy. Then, Midoriya slowly stood up, ignoring his wounds, raised his fist into the air, and proudly showed everyone.

The stadium erupted in cheers, louder than Present Mic’s voice.

The same cheers echoed through Midoriya’s dojo, where his classmates and even his master, Takahashi, joined in the celebration, clapping and shouting.

Inko Midoriya fainted from relief and joy.

Class 1-A stared in shock. Jirou whispered, “I can’t believe it…”

Uraraka added, “He… he defeated Todoroki.”

Tokoyami murmured, “It’s… incredible.”

Bakugou clenched his fists so tightly they began to bleed. “Deku… damn it… how did you get so strong…?”

Meanwhile, Midoriya, through all his pain, smiled. He had proven that a person’s birth didn’t determine their future. He had just defeated someone with an extraordinary quirk.

With his head held high, he limped toward the exit, refusing to show any weakness. Certainly not in front of all these audience. He could feel the burn of his wounds and the broken bones, but he ignored the pain.

He hobbled toward the exit, waving weakly at the cheering crowd. Ten minutes later, after finally leaving the arena…

Finally collapsed on the ground and lost consciousness.

Chapter Text

Izuku's green eyes fluttered open, the unfamiliar smell of medicine and disinfectant filling his senses. He stared at the white ceiling above him, disoriented and exhausted. His entire body ached. It took him a moment to realize he was lying in the infirmary. His gaze shifted to the bedside, where his sword rested, propped up against the bed.

“Izuku!”  

“Guys, Midoriya’s awake!”  

“Grandpa-Izuku’s back with us!”  

In the blink of an eye, Izuku found himself surrounded by his classmates.  

“Took you long enough to wake up.” Tetsuki smirked.

“After all that cheering, you passed out. Shinso found you in the hallway about ten minutes later and called for help to bring you to Recovery Girl.” Surikko added

"Man, Midoriya, you were wrecked. That half-ice, half-fire guy did a number on you.” Tsume chimed in

Izuku waited for everyone to finish speaking before asking, “Guys, what happened with the match?”  

Hitoshi was the one to respond. “After your fight with Endeavor’s son, it was Bakugo versus Tokoyami. Bakugo won. You were still unconscious, so the teachers assessed your condition and decided you couldn’t continue. In the end, they awarded first place to Bakugo. Right now, Todoroki and Tokoyami are fighting for third place.”  

Tsume burst into laughter. “You should’ve seen the look on that explosive guy’s face. He was fuming like a kettle, yelling that it wasn’t a real win and that he had to fight everyone again for it to count. It was hilarious.”  

Ah, yes… the ever-dramatic Kacchan.  

Amid their chatter, an elderly voice interrupted. “Sorry to cut in…”  

Recovery Girl entered the room, her presence commanding immediate attention. “Don't overexert yourself." The healing hero Recovery Girl stated as she got in Izuku's field of vision. "You had little to no energy to start, so healing your injuries was a bit of a task. You won't be able to move around like normal for the rest of the day and your limbs will be quite sore, other than that, you're all healed." Izuku smiled to the little lady.  

“Thank you, Recovery Girl-san,” Izuku said gratefully.  

She handed him a candy, which he accepted with a small smile.  

Tsume, eyeing the candy, asked eagerly, “Uh… can I get one too?”  

Recovery Girl replied with a sly smile, “Only if you’ve got injuries that need healing.”  

Turning to Sourikko, Tsume said, “Hey! Punch me in the face, quick!”  

"Wait Tsume, lets get our frail little samurai out of here." Hitoshi said.

"I think we should have people more Izuku's height help him...ow! Why you pinched me?!" Tetsuki put in.

Meanwhile, after Shoto defeating Tokoyami...

"You lost, Shoto."

It was probably the first time Shoto couldn’t muster even the smallest response to his father. Endeavor continued:

"You fought someone who used their full power, and you lost because you didn’t do the same. If you had used both your fire and ice from the start, you would have won."

Shoto remained silent, unable to refute his father’s words. He finally muttered, "I underestimated him. He was stronger than I thought."

Endeavor stared at his youngest son for a long moment before speaking again. "You’ve fallen behind, Shoto. You’re holding yourself back from reaching your destiny. I hope this loss serves as a lesson for you. Once we’re back, we’ll resume your training."

With that, he turned and left.

Shoto stood there, reflecting on his father’s words and the fierce determination of Midoriya. For the first time, he saw both of them in a different light.

"He's right. Unless I use all of my power, I can’t be the hero I aspire to be... Mom would have say that too, right?"

In his heart, Shoto thought, Thank you… Midoriya Izuku.

A short while later, the medal ceremony began. The stadium erupted with fireworks, cheers, and excitement, filled with the bustling energy of the crowd. All the first-year students stood on the field, each expressing themselves in their own unique way.

But most of the attention was focused on the podium, where the top three stood.

On the third-place podium stood Todoroki. Though he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his rank, he didn’t let it show. After all, he had gained something far more valuable than a medal in this battle.

On the second-place podium stood the boy who had upended all societal expectations. Though still weary from his injuries, Midoriya stood tall with confidence, having achieved a rank higher than many others with powerful quirks.

And on the first-place podium...

"BWAHAHAHA!"Tsume burst into laughter. "Look at him! He looks like he escaped from a mental asylum!"

Indeed, the blond explosive boy had been tied down with numerous ropes to keep him in place on the first-place podium. Anyone could tell he wasn’t happy about winning.

Tsume wasn’t the only one laughing. "Yeah, He’s about to blow up himself!" another voice chimed in.

Tsume turned to the speaker. "Wait, who are you?"

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Yuichi, one of Midoriya’s classmates from the Kenjutsu class."

As the laughter subsided, it was time for the medals to be awarded.

"Ha-ha! I’ve brought the medals!"

In front of the roaring crowd, the number one hero, All Might, landed in the center of the field with a dramatic pose.

After an extra round of applause, All Might picked up the medals and approached the podium.

He started with Todoroki, placing the bronze medal around his neck. "Congratulations, young Todoroki. You fought with strength and determination. If you continue to push forward, I’m certain you’ll become an incredible hero."

Todoroki accepted the medal. To him, its value far exceeded the first place. It was a reminder of something he had long forgotten.

Next, All Might approached the second-place winner, Midoriya. Despite his exhaustion, the fire of resolve still burned in his eyes. Placing the silver medal around his neck, All Might said, "Congratulations, Young Midoriya. Not only did you surprise everyone here, but you proved to all of us that anyone can be a hero, even without a quirk. I’m proud of you, my boy."

Midoriya closed his eyes and responded, "I wanted to show everyone that I won’t give up on my dreams just because I don’t have a quirk. For anyone striving toward their goals, I’m here to show them that with effort and determination, they can achieve anything."

All Might smiled differently, leaned closer, and whispered so only Midoriya could hear, "You, my boy, are what the future needs. I’m sorry for burdening you with my own problems. You... you are not me when I was younger. You are stronger"

Midoriya’s eyes widened in shock as he processed the words. He stared at All Might as the hero moved to the first-place podium. Could All Might have been...?

Finally, All Might reached Bakugo, who was tied up on the first-place podium. As he approached, Bakugo exploded: "All Might! This first place is worthless! I don’t care what the world says, I know it’s meaningless! I need to fight that Icy-hot and that useless Deku to prove I’m stronger than them! I need to put that Deku back in his place! I need to—"

All Might didn’t wait for him to finish. He shoved the gold medal into Bakugo’s mouth, silencing him.

Midoriya tried to de-escalate the situation. "Uh, Kaachan... look, I couldn’t fight you because of my injuries. Maybe next time, we’ll both show each other our full strength."

Of course, Bakugo wasn’t appeased.

Midoriya knew there would always be people who wouldn’t accept his dream, and Bakugo was one of them.

But he had overcome a massive hurdle today. To everyone who believed in him—and even those who didn’t—Midoriya stood as proof of what hard work and persistence could achieve.

He glanced at the silver medal in his hands and the cheering crowd around him. Sure, it wasn’t gold, but no matter. He had come so close.

That, in itself, was a victory.

Chapter Text

Izuku's victory was nothing short of remarkable, even if it wasn’t first place.  

That same day, as Izuku returned home, he was greeted with a burst of confetti and party poppers exploding in his face the moment he opened the door. Cheers erupted from inside.  

In the living room, not only was his mother waiting for him, but so were all his classmates from the dojo, his instructor, and even his General Studies classmates—led by Hitoshi, who seemed to have been rallied by Yoichi. They all clapped and cheered, congratulating him with genuine excitement.  

Yoichi, the son of a pro hero, had spared no effort in organizing an incredible celebration, even footing the bill for a lavish party that left everyone in high spirits.  

One by one, his dojo classmates congratulated him, their faces beaming with pride. They began calling him "Senpai," as he had now become a symbol of pride for the dojo and all of them.  

His instructor, Takahashi-sensei, looked at him with a deep glimmer of admiration that far exceeded Izuku’s expectations.  

Izuku’s mother embraced him tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face. “I’m so proud of you,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.  

Even more surprising, all of Izuku’s General Studies classmates had signed up for swordsmanship classes. They were determined not to fall behind him, no matter what. Takahashi-sensei welcomed them with open arms—though Izuku couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for them, knowing how grueling the training could be.  

That celebration became an unforgettable memory for Izuku. For a moment, he felt like a symbol of hope and inspiration to the people he cared about.  

In those few hours, Izuku felt, just a little, like All Might himself.

By morning, every news outlet was buzzing with coverage of the U.A. Sports Festival:

A Quirkless Boy Takes Second Place in the Nation’s Biggest Sports Event! Is Becoming a Hero Really That Easy?!

The Result of Years of Extraordinary Effort—A Quirkless Boy’s Struggle!

Interview with Takahashi Ryo, Mentor of Midoriya Izuku, Who Recently Secured Second Place in the U.A. Sports Festival...

"Midoriya Izuku may not be my strongest student, but he’s certainly the most hardworking."

Public Support Grows for Midoriya Izuku, Tensions Lead to Street Clashes Between Supporters and Opponents...

Public Opinion on the Quirkless Contender Remains Divided...

"That runt is just taking up space meant for truly talented kids! He should step aside and let the real heroes in!"

"I wish I had the guts to do what he did."

"If he can be a hero, then anyone can! Just like All Might said—PLUS ULTRA!"

"Hero work isn’t for weaklings..."

Izuku didn’t need the news to tell him what he already knew. He had seen it firsthand yesterday.

Takahashi-sensei’s dojo was more crowded than ever, swarmed with new students and reporters alike.

Everywhere he went, people chased him down for interviews. Strangers on the street threw comments his way—some admiring, some scornful. He even considered changing his appearance just to get a moment of peace.

But as his classmates in UA pointed out, with his curly long green hair, there was no way hiding, even if he got plastic surgery, people would still recognize him by them.

And to be honest, they were right.

One memory, however, stood out.

While celebrating with his mother at an upscale restaurant, a father and his young son approached him. The boy, wide-eyed with excitement, had been captivated by Izuku’s performance in the festival. He wanted to be a hero too but had an incredibly weak quirk (this is what he said himself and Izuku didn't ask for details) Before watching Izuku, he had nearly given up on his dream.

The boy even held a handmade doll of Izuku—stitched together with button eyes, green yarn for hair, and a tiny carved wooden sword.

Izuku did what felt right—something All Might had never told him to do. He ruffled the boy’s hair, smiled warmly, and said:

"Anyone can be a hero. You just need a strong heart—which I can already see you have—and a strong body to carry that heart. And that… comes from hard work and perseverance. If you keep pushing forward, you’ll definitely become a hero.

Lost in thought, Izuku was suddenly snapped back to reality by the TV.

"Live: The Hero Commission’s Official Statement on Midoriya Izuku!"

Izuku immediately leaned forward, turning up the volume. This was the reaction that mattered the most.

The screen showed a man in a formal suit and round glasses stepping forward, cameras flashing all around him.

"Midoriya Izuku is a quirkless boy. We all know he has no superpowers. But as All Might has always said, ‘Anyone can be a hero.’ That remains our stance."

"So you’re saying a quirkless boy has the right to take a spot in the hero course over countless others with powerful quirks?" A reporter quickly interjected:

The spokesperson’s expression didn’t waver.

"Hero academies are not third-rate schools where someone can claim they ‘deserve’ a spot more than others. Every year, countless individuals with quirks fail to get in. Midoriya Izuku passed through sheer effort and determination. If others failed, they have no right to blame a boy who fought his way in fair and square. If they lost, that’s on them—quirk or no quirk."

"But if Midoriya Izuku becomes a pro hero, will he truly be able to handle situations that require a quirk to save lives?" Another reporter followed up

The spokesperson replied without hesitation.

"A quirk doesn’t make a hero. A hero is someone who uses all their abilities—including their quirk, if they have one—to do the right thing in any situation. And as a commission dedicated to public safety, we will not produce a weak hero. Midoriya Izuku is now under our direct supervision and the best hero academy in the country. Rest assured, we will not take it easy on him."

"Does that mean you have a specific training program planned for him?"

"Absolutely," the representative confirmed. "Because he lacks a quirk, his training will not be the same as the others. He will undergo a specialized program to match the capabilities of quirked heroes. If he fails to meet expectations, we will remove him from the program ourselves. As we’ve said before—we will not create weak heroes, quirk or no quirk."

The broadcast ended.

Izuku sat frozen, stunned.

The results of his training were finally acknowledged. The Hero Commission had officially recognized him. They weren’t just allowing him to compete—they were planning to turn him into a hero equal to those with quirks.

If I succeed...

And if I fail…

No. There was no if.

Izuku would succeed. He would give it everything he had.

His efforts had brought him this far.

And now, the next stage was about to begin.

The Next Day at U.A.

“Midoriya… Report to the principal’s office immediately.”

Izuku clenched his fists over his pants and nodded before standing up. He wasn’t particularly surprised by the summons.

With long strides, he made his way through the halls, reaching the principal’s office in no time. He turned the doorknob and stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room. Principal Nezu, All Might, and Aizawa were already there. All Might and Nezu greeted him warmly, while Aizawa, unsurprisingly, remained expressionless.

Izuku nodded respectfully before sitting down in the chair across from Nezu, his posture straight as he prepared to hear whatever they had to say.

All Might was the first to speak, flashing his signature grin. His voice carried the confidence of the Symbol of Peace.

“Congratulations, young Midoriya! Your performance in the tournament was absolutely phenomenal!”

Izuku’s heart pounded. His glassy eyes shimmered with excitement. Hearing those words from All Might—about him—felt surreal. It was proof that he had shown his worth, that he could do it. The same phrase echoed in his mind, the words that had driven him forward all this time:

“Just sit back and watch!”

After All Might finished his dramatic congratulations, Nezu spoke in his usual robotic yet cheerful tone.

“Indeed! Your actions and strategies have caught the media’s attention. Everyone is talking about you.”

Izuku smiled, nodding. “Thank you.”

Despite the praise, his heartbeat remained erratic—not from excitement, but from unease. Something was wrong. Despite all his achievements, not a single internship request had come in for him.

His fingers, which had been clenched tightly into fists against his pants, slowly relaxed. He looked directly at Nezu, who was stirring his tea with precise, deliberate movements. Carefully, Izuku voiced his concern.

“To be honest… I’m a little worried about my internship. I haven’t received any requests.”

Nezu paused mid-sip, setting his tiny golden teacup down. He met Izuku’s gaze with his usual composed expression, then interlocked his fingers and rested his chin on them.

“Midoriya-kun… You are a unique case. That’s why the usual requests weren’t sent your way. The Hero Public Safety Commission has personally selected someone for you—someone specific. This decision is not up for debate.”

Izuku’s breath hitched. Someone so important that even the commission wouldn’t allow a replacement? The thought sent a thrill through him—was he really that special now? The scrawny, quirkless kid he used to be had become someone worthy of a personal selection?

But at the same time, unease settled in his gut. Who had they chosen for him?

Seeing the anticipation in Izuku’s eyes, Nezu calmly opened a drawer and pulled out an envelope made of glossy, expensive paper with golden trim. He unrolled the letter carefully and read its contents.

And then… his eyes widened.

First, they were the size of tennis balls. Then basketballs. Then, impossibly huge.

Izuku swallowed hard, his heartbeat skyrocketing. Nezu, still visibly stunned, wordlessly passed the letter to All Might.

All Might took one look at the name and immediately spat blood, covering his mouth with his hand in shock. Izuku stared, bewildered. Just who had they assigned him to?!

Before he could ask, Aizawa snatched the letter from All Might’s trembling hands—probably to keep it from getting soaked in blood—but his eyes unintentionally landed on the name.

For the first time, Aizawa’s expression shifted. His pupils shrank, veins becoming visible in the whites of his eyes. He silently turned his face away, refusing to react any further.

Izuku couldn’t take it anymore. His chest tightened, and his breath came out uneven.

He grabbed the letter with shaking hands and read the name.

Japan’s No. 6 Pro Hero, the top female hero.

The Rabbit Hero—Mirko.

Chapter Text

All of Class 1-A was busy discussing their internships and their chosen hero names. Everyone had come to realize that Todoroki and Bakugo were undoubtedly at the top. Meanwhile, Aizawa, finally free from his bandages, was lazily rocking his chair, feet propped up on the desk, scrolling through his phone without a care in the world.

Of course, his peace didn’t last long. Uraraka suddenly stood up as if something had just clicked in her mind. Placing her hands on the desk, she stared at Aizawa with her large brown eyes, filled with urgency.

“Uh… Excuse me, Sensei!”

Aizawa sighed and looked up from his phone. Seeing Uraraka’s determined yet slightly nervous expression, he immediately knew she was about to ask something important. There was no reason to stop her curiosity, so he simply said:

“Something wrong? Go ahead and ask.”

Uraraka took a deep breath, slowly exhaling as if trying to quietly release the fizz from a soda without making a sound. Then, she raised her head and asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for a while.

“Sensei… What happened to the General Studies students?”

The entire class fell silent. Conversations stopped. Whispers ceased. Everyone understood exactly who she was referring to—Shinsou and Midoriya.

“Shinsou is training under me,” Aizawa replied without hesitation.

The class, who had been watching him intently, froze at his words. It was as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over them. Now that they understood what Shinsou was going through, they silently prayed for his well-being.

“As for Midoriya… he’s a special case. Unlike you, his internship is a full-time, day-and-night training program. I can’t say much for now.”

That was all Aizawa offered.

Uraraka, however, could only focus on one thought after asking her question.

Who is Midoriya interning with?

Izuku walked with steady, heavy steps toward the location where he was supposed to meet his mentor—Mirko. Ever since he had found out he’d be interning under her, he had been in shock. He had barely slept for nights, replaying the news in his head.

From what he had gathered from the rumors and chatter, Mirko was Japan’s top-ranked female hero—a fiercely independent and powerful fighter. Unlike other pro heroes, she wasn’t affiliated with an agency, choosing instead to operate freely, showing up whenever and wherever help was needed. That alone proved her independence.

But more than that, Mirko was a natural-born warrior. Izuku had heard people say that it was as if she had been born for battle, and that was exactly why she had become a hero.

Lost in thought, he suddenly found himself at the entrance of a sleek, newly constructed building—the place where he was supposed to meet Mirko. He swallowed hard, staring at the structure, his mind racing about what awaited him inside. Steeling his nerves, he repeated the words he had practiced in front of the mirror before pushing the door open.

“Hello! I’m Midoriya Izuku, and—”

A SCREAM.

Izuku definitely hadn’t planned to scream. That word hadn’t been anywhere in the introduction he had rehearsed. Yet, his body froze in shock as he took in the scene before him.

Mirko was casually sitting on top of a pile of battered, groaning bodies, munching on a carrot like it was just another day at work.

“Ugh… I’m so bored,” she muttered. “This is why I don’t bother with agencies—these sessions suck. Now hurry up and get up before I—huh?”

Her eyes landed on Izuku. In an instant, she was right in front of him. With her outfit and sheer presence, it was impossible for Izuku not to turn red.

“Oh? Hi little guy,” she said, grinning. “Haven’t taken in a trainee in years, to be honest if commission hadn't ordered I wouldn't take you too. But this should be…”

“Ugh… ow… help…” groaned one of the poor souls on the ground.

Mirko turned her head and barked at them, “Oi! Why are you still lying around? Either get back to work or go patrol the city before I kick you out myself!”

No one wanted to get kicked by Mirko. No one.

Izuku stood frozen, watching as the group scrambled to flee from the Rabbit Hero in terror.

Mirko turned back to him, smirking. “Anyway, don’t get the wrong idea, kid! So, you’re…?”

“B-Bright! I mean—M-Midoriya Izuku, ma’am…”

Five years. It had been five years since Izuku had lost stuttered. Yet here he was, stammering like an idiot in front of Mirko.

Her expression grew sharper. She stepped closer, leaning in until their faces were only a couple of inches apart.

“The Quirkless kid who dominated the Sports Festival with his katana,” she said, a grin stretching across her face. “The moment I saw you, I knew—I found someone just like me. You know, people say hard work and talent don’t go together, but that’s complete bullshit. Because pushing yourself to the limit—that’s a talent on its own.”

She suddenly grabbed Izuku’s head and trapped him under her arm.

“But it’s not enough, kid! Right now, you can only take down first-years in ring fights! I’m gonna break you and rebuild into a real hero student! Ready?”

Izuku couldn’t believe he was thinking this at his age, but—

Moooooom!!!

Chapter Text

The students of U.A. High were in the midst of a pivotal moment in their hero training: the internship period. This was a time for each student to shadow a professional hero, gaining real-world experience beyond the confines of textbooks and theoretical lessons. It was a chance to grasp the true weight of heroism—protecting lives, property, and society’s peace, not just posing for cameras or signing autographs.

For example, Kyoka Jiro, interning under Death Arms, was patrolling the city streets, her boots pounding the pavement as she listened intently to her mentor’s words. “Hero work isn’t the glamorous show the media makes it out to be,” Death Arms said, his voice gruff but earnest. “The news shows the flashy saves, the hero poses, the cheering crowds. But they don’t show the grueling training, the sacrifices, the sleepless nights it takes to get here. Our job is to protect people’s lives and safety with everything we’ve got. One moment of hesitation can cost an innocent life. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” Jiro replied with a firm nod, her earphone jacks twitching with determination.

Elsewhere, Tsuyu Asui, interning with Selkie, was scrubbing the deck of a ship after a rigorous physical training session. She admired Selkie’s strength and sharp senses, earned through relentless effort rather than just her Quirk. Tsuyu respected that kind of dedication—it reminded her of her own resolve to grow stronger.

Not every internship was so inspiring, though. Momo Yaoyorozu, paired with Itsuka Kendo under the hero Snake Woman (Uwabami), watched with a mix of disappointment and frustration as their mentor posed for fashion magazine shoots and product endorsements. Momo’s poker face barely hid her disillusionment. Still, she considered herself luckier than Mineta, who was stuck playing errand boy and cleaner for Mt. Lady, fetching coffee and polishing her boots.

But for one student, the internship was a trial by fire unlike any other. Izuku Midoriya, the Quirkless aspiring hero, was enduring a grueling regimen under the number six hero.

Mirko was a total beast, a hero who didn’t know the meaning of surrender. Her strength lay in her physical prowess, particularly her powerful legs, and she was determined to forge Izuku into something extraordinary. Unlike her peers, she saw potential in the Quirkless boy who carried a katana—a weapon she dismissed with a smirk. “Put that toothpick aside and follow me,” she said, her tone sharp as she eyed Izuku’s blade.

Izuku froze, his face paling. “T-Toothpick?!” he stammered, clutching his katana protectively.

Mirko rolled her eyes, already walking away. “Toothpick, fishing rod, whatever! Move it, kid, or you’ll regret it!” Her piercing gaze left no room for argument. Izuku quickly set his katana down and followed, his steps cautious but hurried. Mirko valued time and discipline above all else, and she wasn’t about to coddle him like other mentors might.

They reached a wide city street flanked by sidewalks and curbs. Mirko’s training philosophy was clear: build the foundation first. Physical strength was her domain, and she’d start there with Izuku. She turned to him, her eyes glinting with intensity. “On your hands and knees. Now!”

Izuku blinked, stunned. “W-What?”

Her glare could’ve melted steel. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Green Bean. Down!”

Swallowing his hesitation, Izuku dropped to all fours on the pavement. Before he could process what was happening, Mirko hopped onto his back, her weight pressing down like a boulder. A crack echoed from his spine, and Izuku’s arms trembled under the strain.

“Move it, kid!” Mirko barked, delivering a light jab to his side. “Crawl! Don’t be such a wimp!”

It wasn’t about Izuku being weak—he was tougher than most gave him credit for. But carrying Mirko across the city like a pack mule was a whole new level of torture. His muscles screamed, his knees scraped the ground, and sweat poured down his face. “Tch, too heavy…” he muttered under his breath, instantly regretting it.

Mirko’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned closer, her voice dripping with menace. “What was that? Keep whining, and I’ll shave that green mop of yours with a rusty razor. Or maybe I’ll make you regret ever signing up for this. Move faster!”

Izuku’s entire body shuddered at the threat. “S-Sorry!” he gasped, swallowing hard and forcing his limbs to move. His arms and legs burned as he crawled, Mirko’s weight a constant reminder of the stakes. This was no ordinary training—this was Mirko’s way of forging him into something unbreakable.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached a stopping point. Izuku’s lungs heaved as he struggled to stand, his legs wobbling like jelly. Mirko hopped off, her expression unreadable. “Not bad, kid. But we’re not done. Next stop: the pool. It’s a few kilometers away. You’re running there.”

Izuku’s eyes widened. “R-Running? After that?!” But one look at Mirko’s no-nonsense glare silenced his protests. With a resigned sigh, he dragged himself to his feet and jogged after her, his body screaming in protest. Every step was agony, his muscles begging for rest, but Mirko’s relentless pace kept him moving.

By the time they reached the pool, Izuku was drenched in sweat, his breaths ragged. Mirko glanced at him, unimpressed. “Stay there and don’t move until I’m back,” she ordered, disappearing into a changing room.

Izuku collapsed onto the poolside bench, his body aching from head to toe. The cool water in the pool sparkled under the lights, a stark contrast to the fire in his muscles. He pressed his forearm to his eyes, wincing as the pain from Mirko’s weight lingered in his back and legs. This internship was going to be brutal, and he had no choice but to endure it.

As he sat lost in thought, Mirko returned—wearing a sleek swimsuit that caught Izuku off guard, A tight, white one-piece swimsuit that highlighted Mirko's prominent muscles and feminine body even more than before.

His face flushed a deep crimson, and he quickly averted his gaze, steam practically rising from his head. “Uh—uh—n-nothing’s wrong! I’m fine!” he stammered, waving his hands frantically.

Mirko raised an eyebrow, smirking. “What’s with you, kid? Got a fever or something?”

“N-No! I’m good!” Izuku squeaked, turning away to hide his embarrassment. His heart raced, and he cursed his inability to stay composed.

Mirko chuckled, pointing to the pool’s shallow end, about four meters deep. “Alright, enough blushing. Your next exercise isn’t swimming—it’s running. In the water. Get in and start moving!”

Izuku gaped. “Running… in the pool?!” But Mirko’s glare brooked no argument. He stepped into the cool water, the resistance tugging at his already exhausted legs. Running through the shallow end was like wading through molasses, each step a battle against the water’s weight. His thighs burned, but he pushed forward, following Mirko’s barked instructions.

After thirty grueling minutes, Mirko called him back. Izuku dragged himself out of the pool, his body screaming for mercy. But Mirko wasn’t done. “Back to my agency,” she said, already striding ahead. “Run.”

Izuku groaned but obeyed, his legs moving on autopilot as he followed her back to her agency. By the time they arrived, his muscles felt like stone, his lungs gasping for air. Mirko, meanwhile, looked as fresh as ever, a triumphant grin on her face as she unlocked the door.

Inside, Izuku collapsed onto a chair, his body pleading for rest. Mirko glanced at him, her grin softening slightly. “Alright, kid. That’s enough physical training for today.”

Izuku let out a shaky breath, silently thanking the heavens. But then Mirko’s grin widened, and she patted her stomach. “Your final exercise: cook me something. Make it good, and no poisoning me, got it?”

Izuku blinked, his tired brain struggling to process. “C-Cook?” He managed a weak smile and nodded. The only thing he knew how to make was instant noodles, so he prepared a bowl with chopsticks and a glass of water, setting it before Mirko. He sat across from her, slurping his own noodles.

Mirko tasted the dish, her expression thoughtful. “Not bad, kid. You might be a better cook than me.”

Izuku grinned sheepishly. “It’s… the only thing I know how to make.”

Mirko set her chopsticks down, eyeing him critically. “You need to eat better, Green Bean. These exercises aren’t a game. Your body needs real fuel, not just noodles. I don’t want you passing out mid-training—or worse, making me drag you to a hospital.”

Izuku swallowed, glancing at his bowl. She was right—his body was pushed to its limits, and he needed to take care of it. Mentors sure were weird, he thought, but Mirko’s intensity was starting to make sense.

As the clock struck midnight, Mirko yawned and stretched. “Alright, kid, it’s late. Time to hit the sack. Early start tomorrow.”

Izuku nodded, setting the dishes in the sink. He followed Mirko to a small room with a single, narrow bed. His heart sank. “Uh… where am I sleeping?”

Mirko pointed to the bed. “There.”

“And… where are you sleeping?” he asked, his voice trembling.

Mirko rolled her eyes, already pulling on a loose sleep shirt. “On the bed, genius. Where else?”

Izuku’s face turned scarlet, his mind spiraling. Sharing a bed with his mentor?! He scanned the room for a blanket or mat, anything to sleep on the floor, but Mirko’s sharp gaze stopped him. “No way, kid. Sleeping on the floor will wreck your back. You’re on the bed, and that’s final.”

Izuku gulped, his cheeks burning. Mirko handed him a stack of papers. “Here. Study these. They’re combat techniques and hero theory. You need to know them by the end of this internship.”

He stared at the pile, his jaw dropping. It was as thick as a novel! How was he supposed to memorize all this? But Mirko’s expectant look left no room for complaints. Resigned, he climbed onto the bed, keeping as much distance as possible from Mirko, who flopped down beside him with infuriating ease.

Her presence was overwhelming—her confident aura, her casual sleepwear, the way her rabbit ears twitched slightly as she drifted off. Izuku’s heart pounded, his eyes darting anywhere but her. He tried to focus on the papers, but his mind kept wandering. Why was she so close? Why was the room so warm? Why was he overthinking everything?!

As Mirko’s breathing steadied, Izuku considered sneaking to the floor. But her arm shot out, wrapping around his neck in her sleep. “Gotcha… villain…” she mumbled, snoring softly.

Izuku froze, sweat beading on his forehead. He was trapped. The night stretched on, endless and mortifying, as he lay stiff as a board, praying for morning.

The next morning, Izuku stood in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, when Mirko’s voice cut through the air. “You read any of those notes I gave you?”

“Mmph—yesh, I read ‘em,” Izuku mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste foam. He rinsed and stepped out, finding Mirko lounging with one leg crossed over the other, her eyebrow raised skeptically.

“Really? Prove it.” She dragged him to the training room, her grip firm. “Show me a move. Now.”

Izuku didn’t hesitate. Channeling every ounce of focus, he executed a high kick with precision, his form sharp and controlled, like something out of a martial arts film. Mirko’s eyes widened, her usual smirk replaced by genuine surprise. “What the—how’d you nail that after one night?”

She grilled him with questions about techniques and theory, and Izuku answered flawlessly, his responses quick and confident. Mirko crossed her arms, baffled. “Kid, how’d you memorize all that overnight? It took me weeks to get that stuff down. Are you even human?”

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, blushing. “Well… last night was… intense. I, uh, kept reading to… distract myself.”

Mirko’s eyes narrowed, then lit up with understanding.

Oh, I get it. You were so embarrassed lying next to me that you buried yourself in the notes to avoid thinking about it. How red did your face get, huh?

Izuku’s blush deepened, but then Mirko noticed something else. “Wait a sec. If you were up studying all night, why aren’t you exhausted?”

Izuku pointed sheepishly to a faint bruise around his neck. “I… kinda strangled myself to force myself to sleep.”

"Wait, what the actuall hell?!" Mirko couldn't believe. In fact, such a thing didn't seem possible at all, especially for a quirkless boy...

"In fact" Izuku said shyly "If someone, like me, has read anatomy and pathology books before UA, this isn't too difficult, it's just a bit tedious."

Mirko frowned "Anatomy and path...? Wait, why did you even read those? Shouldn't you have focused more on your martial arts training?"

"Well, yeah" Izuku confessed "But to know how and how much to hurt an opponent without causing irreparable damage, or at least to know my own body and fully utilize it in kenjutsu, I had to study. Before UA, I would finish at least one book a day."

One book each day? Well, ok then its not that suprising he finished these all notes in one night.

Mirko stared, then burst out laughing. “You’re insane, kid!” Her laughter faded as she studied him, a spark of respect in her eyes. “But you know what? I figured it out last night.”

Izuku tilted his head. “Figured what out?”

“Adrenaline,” Mirko said, grinning. “All those crazy exercises, the threats, the pressure—it’s to get your blood pumping. Adrenaline spikes your strength, your focus, your learning. Makes you sharper, faster, stronger. That’s why I pushed you so hard. And you got it, didn’t you?”

Izuku’s eyes widened as the pieces clicked. “That’s why you kept threatening to shave my head or beat me up! The adrenaline—it made me learn faster, push harder. That’s… genius!”

Mirko smirked, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “You’re catching on, Green Bean. Didn’t think you’d figure it out after one night next to me. You’ve earned something.”

She tossed a chest in front of him and opened it, revealing a hero costume: a green jumpsuit with Japanese-style armor plates on the chest, arms, and forearms, tailored to his kendo-inspired fighting style. Izuku’s breath caught, his eyes shining with awe.

“Your hero costume,” Mirko said, her grin wide. “What do you think?”

Izuku stared, speechless. It was more than a costume for him...

This intership was going to really work for him...

Chapter Text

The sky was overcast, a dreary grey that settled over the city like a shroud. Izuku felt a prickle of unease, a feeling that only grew when Mirko spoke.

“Alright, kiddo,” she said, her voice sharp and serious. “You did great in this time. Your body’s gotten tougher. But now it’s time to level up the training. We’re going villain hunting.”

She shot him a sideways glance, her expression deadly serious. “This is your first real engagement, so remember, This isn't the Sports Festival where you just have to knock someone out of a ring ans win. Here, your opponents will be aiming to kill. You need to fight with everything you’ve got to put them down, knock them for good.”

Izuku nodded, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his katana. They arrived at their destination: a large, dilapidated warehouse with a large, reinforced metal door.

Mirko cracked a feral grin. “Well, well, we’re here. Let me show you how a real hero throws down!”

And then, KICK!

The metal door shattered like a sheet of aluminum foil, flying off its hinges and crashing into the back of the warehouse.

Inside, a dozen or so thugs were startled into action. They were a motley crew, each with a different bizarre Quirk: one had monstrous claws, another could manipulate wind, one shot lasers from his eyes, and another looked like a humanoid tiger.

Izuku immediately moved to draw his sword, but Mirko held up a hand. “You stay put. These guys are mine. Just watch for now.” She strode forward, cracking her knuckles and stretching her powerful legs. “Your part is easy, just if any of them get past me, you take them out. Got it?”

Without waiting for a reply, she faced the villains. “It’s your lucky day. I’ve got an intern with me, so I’ll try to take it easy on you.”

One of the thugs scoffed. “Oh, I’m so scared.” The others joined in his laughter. Another, trying to mask his fear with bravado, sneered, “What are you gonna do? You’re just one woman.”

Mirko’s grin widened, all teeth. “Come and get it weaklings!.”

The thugs charged. Mirko met them head-on, launching herself into the air with explosive force. She spun, her heel connecting with one villain’s face and sending him flying. She was a whirlwind of controlled violence. Izuku watched in awe as she single-handedly dismantled the group of villains at once with efficiency.

Twisting her body, Mirko swung up to slam into a villain's temple, dropping him to the floor. She used his falling body as a springboard, launching herself into a two-footed kick that caved in another's face. A clawed man tried to sneak up behind her, but her sharp rabbit ears twitched. In a fluid motion, she bent backward, dodging his swipe, and drove her heel straight up into his chin, knocking him out cold. Another villain saw an opening and rushed forward, but Mirko simply pivoted and brought her leg down like an axe, the heel of her foot connecting with the crown of his head, knocked him face first to the gound.

Incredible! Izuku thought, his mind racing. She’s not even using any of her special moves. These are all basic kicks, but her speed, power, and skill are on another level! She’s taking on multiple opponents at once and she’s only using one leg!

This was the power of a top-tier pro.

“Fuck! I’m outta this!”

One of the villains lost his nerve and made a break for the door, another right behind him. They saw Izuku standing in the way.

“Get out of the way, brat!” the first one yelled, transforming his hands into crude blades and lunging forward, killing intent burning in his eyes.

Don’t watch his eyes. Watch his body. Predict his path and move!

Izuku moved with fluid grace. He sidestepped the attack and, without even unsheathing his sword, slammed the hilt of his katana into the man’s solar plexus. The villain suddenly stood still, like he couldnt breath, his eyes rolled up, then collapsed, unconscious.

Another villain tried to dart past him, but Izuku swept his leg, knocking the man off balance. As the villain scrambled to get up, Izuku was on him in an instant.

This is not the sport festival, this is not a ring match, this a not a fight, this is a battle! Neutralize the threat.

He wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, applying chokehold that he learned from Mirko's textbooks.

The man thrashed, trying to pull Izuku's arms away, but the boy was surprisingly heavy and his grip was like iron—a testament to Mirko's recent training.

"Three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten."

The villain went limp, unconscious. Izuku released him.

“Nice one, kiddo!”

Mirko strolled over, dusting off her hands after finishing her own brawl. “Alright, you took down two of them. I’ll give you a sixteen out of twenty.”

Izuku’s face fell. “Sixteen?! But why? I took them both down! I didn’t even use my katana's blade.”

“You still used your little stick on the first one, didn’t you? And then used something totally different on the second one” she retorted. "You immediately switched to hand-to-hand instead of pressing your advantage. Right now, you’re just a parrot, repeating the moves you’ve learned in the situations you’ve practiced. You haven’t developed your own flow, your own instinct. You’re still just an apprentice.”

A familiar, gloomy aura began to form over Izuku’s head as he slumped against the wall to sulk.

Mirko blinked. “Hey, don't go sulking in the corner! Man up! Look, I said sixteen, but back at the Sports Festival, you were a twelve at best. That’s a four-point improvement, means 25 percents better, in just the few days of your internship! That’s huge! You know, if you were my age, I’d probably ask you to marry me!”

At that, Izuku’s brain short-circuited. He combusted.

“M-m-m-m-marry…?”

Mirko burst out laughing, a loud, unrestrained sound that echoed through the warehouse. “Bwahahaha! Oh man, my stomach… Look at you! You’re as red as a tomato! Hahaha! Im...I can't... I was just kidding! The look on your face… priceless! Hahaha!”

Izuku stared at the floor, his entire face burning with embarrassment, as Mirko wiped a tear from her eye. “Okay, okay… come on, let’s head back.”

“Mirko-san…” Izuku’s voice was quiet.

Her laughter subsided into a smirk. “Yeah? What is it?”

“What was your math grade in school?”

The smirk faltered. “Why do you ask?”

“Because your calculation is way off,” Izuku said, his analytical brain taking over. “A four-point improvement from a base of twelve isn’t a twenty-five percent increase. It’s a one-third increase, which is about thirty-three percent. That’s not hard math; it’s a simple ratio they teach in middle school. You got it wrong.”

For a split second, Mirko froze. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. “W-well, you know… it’s… I saw the one-third had a repeating decimal, just a lot of threes, and figured I’d just give you a rough estimate…”

Izuku looked up, a tiny, triumphant smirk on his own face. “Since when is twenty-five a rough estimate for thirty-three? They teach rounding in elementary school.”

Mirko’s smile twitched. “Does it matter? In heroics, it’s the progress in your power that counts…”

“Knowledge is power!” Izuku chirped.

That was the last straw. “Ok, Thats it you smart-pants! Get back here! I said get back! Im gonna give your smart ass a kick to learn math is not gonna save you!"

Chapter Text

The air in the bar was thick and stale, heavy with the sour smell of spilled liquor and old dust. The only light came from a single, bare bulb that flickered erratically, casting long, dancing shadows across the grimy tables and secondhand furniture. It was a place for secrets and decay.

Seated at the bar, a young man with shaggy, light-blue hair scratched furiously at his neck, the dry rasp of his nails against his skin the only sound in the room. His body was adorned with dismembered hands, pale and unsettling in the dim light. He was a glitch in reality, a creature of pure, childish malice.

A third figure sat across from them, cloaked in shadow. His clothes were ragged and worn, but he held himself with an unnerving stillness. His red eyes, sharp and predatory, scanned the room, taking in the two figures before him. Finally, his voice, low and gravelly, cut through the silence.

“So you’re telling me you didn’t just bring me here for no reason,” he said, his fingers tracing the rim of the untouched glass in front of him. He leaned forward, the flickering light catching the hard lines of his face. “You want me… to join your little group.”

The smaller man, the one covered in hands, let out a dry, rasping chuckle from behind the hand obscuring his face. The scratching stopped. “That’s right, buddy!” he chirped, his voice a high-pitched, grating sound. “You’re exactly the kind of player this party needs!”

The man who was called “buddy”—the Hero Killer: Stain—narrowed his eyes. He slowly pulled his hand back from the glass, his gaze shifting from the boy to the misty figure behind the bar. “And what exactly is it you do?”

Shigaraki Tomura’s grin was a slash of darkness beneath his mask-hand. He leaned forward, his own red eyes gleaming with a manic energy. “I wanna smash things,” he said, his tone dripping with petulant glee. “I wanna kill heroes… starting with All Might.” He resumed his scratching, the sound growing more agitated. “I wanna take all the things I don’t like, all the things that piss me off, and just… delete them. I’m gonna crush all those fakes who get to call themselves heroes!”

With a flourish, Shigaraki pulled a cracked smartphone from his pocket. He swiped to a photo and shoved it across the table. “And I especially wanna destroy annoying little shits like this who just pop up out of nowhere!”

Stain glanced at the cracked screen. His expression remained impassive. “Midoriya Izuku?” he grunted, his voice laced with dismissal. “The Quirkless kid who’s been all over the news.”

His face hardened, and a profound disappointment settled in his features.

“It was my own folly to feel a flicker of interest,” Stain declared, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. “A crusade without conviction, a goal born from a pathetic, childish grudge. That’s all I’ve heard since you opened your mouth. Do you expect me to align myself with such hollow, vapid ideals?” He pushed himself back from the table. “People like you… you disgust me most of all.”

In an explosion of motion, he was on his feet, his blades already in his hands.

The misty bartender, Kurogiri, reacted first, but he wasn't fast enough. A blade flashed, and a deep gash appeared on his incorporeal arm. Stain used the bar as a springboard, launching himself over it. Before Shigaraki could even process the attack, a second blade plunged into his right shoulder, pinning him to the floor like an insect.

Stain landed on Shigaraki’s chest, his full weight pressing down. He raised the blade slick with Kurogiri’s essence to his mouth and licked it clean. He slammed his other sword into the floorboards next to Shigaraki’s head, trapping him completely.

“You wanted me to join your little crew?” Stain spat, his face inches from Shigaraki’s. “Then you should know this: It doesn’t matter what you want to achieve. What matters is the strength of your will, the fire of your conviction! Those whose resolve is weak will be culled. It’s the law of nature! It’s why you’re lying here, pathetic and broken!”

Shigaraki let out a pained hiss. “Agh, damn it… this is getting to be a pain… Kurogiri! Get this guy off me!”

Kurogiri’s voice was strained. “My apologies, Tomura Shigaraki… I cannot move… I believe this is the effect of his Quirk…”

Stain ignored them, his voice rising into a zealous sermon. “This society is drowning in fakes! So-called ‘heroes’ have flooded the streets, and the word itself has lost all meaning! And the criminals are no better, wasting their power on petty greed! They must all be purged! They must all be cleansed by my blade!”

He pressed the flat of his sword against the hand on Shigaraki’s face…

“Don’t you dare,” Shigaraki whispered, his voice suddenly stripped of all its childish petulance, replaced by a cold, quiet fury. “Don’t you dare scratch ‘Father’.”

Before Stain could react, Shigaraki’s hand shot up and grabbed the blade. A web of cracks spread across the steel, and in a cloud of grey dust, the sword disintegrated.

“Or I’ll kill you.”

The move caught the Hero Killer completely off guard.

Shigaraki scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide and wild. “You lecture me about will? You preach about purpose? What the hell do you know?! I don’t have any of your fancy, high-minded ideals! I just want one thing: to destroy everything in this shitty world! A conviction so absolute that even you can’t comprehend it!”

He jabbed a finger at Stain, his voice rising to a screech. “Heroes… fakes and phonies… so what?! Do you even understand the difference yourself?! The only ‘true’ hero in your eyes is All Might, right?! It makes you sick to see all the other NPCs pretending to be him, doesn’t it?! So why don’t you aim for the right target?!”

He snatched the phone off the floor and threw it at Stain’s chest. The picture of Izuku glowed on the screen.

“You didn’t see it? The Quirkless kid who clawed his way to second place with nothing but a sword and a mean streak? The one who is the living proof of how weak all your precious ‘heroes’ have become? The one who, instead of idolizing your beloved All Might… looks up to the Number Two Hero!”

Stain froze. That one detail seemed to short-circuit his entire brain. “What?! Endeavor…?”

Shigaraki saw the crack in his armor and pounced. “Are you blind, too? You didn’t see it? In all the footage? The way that kid looked at the Number Two? The way he fought? Brutality, aggression, disabling his opponents with maximum force… don’t tell me you didn’t see the methods of Endeavor in that boy, Mr. Hero Expert?”

His tone was thick with mocking sarcasm. Stain was speechless.

“What’s wrong?” Shigaraki taunted. “You’re out here trying to purge the fakes, but you haven’t even dealt with the ones who truly need to be destroyed! Cat got your tongue, senpai?”

Stain’s teeth were clenched so hard his jaw creaked. Veins bulged on his forehead. “Send me back to Hosu,” he snarled. “I have unfinished business there that needs to be settled.”

He turned his back on Shigaraki, but paused at the door, glancing over his shoulder. “I see the seeds of a deep darkness sprouting within you, young man. And you were right about one thing.” His eyes burned with a renewed, terrifying purpose. “There is a target that I must pursue…”

His voice boomed through the small bar, a chilling, absolute vow.

“Midoriya Izuku will be purged! I will kill him myself!”