Chapter 3: Continuity
Izuku silently sat down on the table, across from his mother. Both of his hands were together, thumbs overlapping each other as he tapped his foot on the floor. He had told his mother that he would explain everything to her, but the truth was...
He didn't exactly know where to start.
His mother seemed to recognize his trouble, "Don't worry Izu, if you don't wan-."
Izuku let out a sigh. "No, no. It's okay Mom... I-I probably should start from the beginning." Izuku looked down, "You remember, when I came back after having a run in with a villain?"
Inko nodded, prompting Izuku to continue.
"That... Wasn't the only thing that happened." Izuku let out a breath, "I encountered something... In the woods where me and Kacchan used to play." He held a hand to his neck, rubbing it softly, deciding to leave that part out. "I don't know what it was. Only that it exposed me to something."
His mother seemed to be listening intently despite the worry in her face.
Izuku held out his hand, horizontally in front of his face, just as Onkko did. "They're are two worlds that apparently exist. One is the one we live in. And the other is..." He pointed to the underside of his hand. "Of dreaming and impossibility. T-That's why my power isn't a Quirk. It's just that I now exist between between both of these worlds."
Inko blinked, "Is it... Painful?"
Izuku shook his head, "No."
She seemed to look down in though before looking back up, "And who told you all of this?"
"A man named Onkko, he...-" Izuku paused again, "He exists there I think, in the Void. The only reason I was able to talk to him was because I meditated at a temple."
"You meditated?" Inko asked in surprise.
"U-Uh, yeah." Izuku said with a tinge of awkwardness, "It was like an astral projection I guess. My mind was somewhere else while my body remained here."
His mother put her hands together, "And this... Onkko, can he be trusted?"
Izuku slowly nodded, "I-I think so. He didn't seem like a liar..." Izuku then looked to the side, rubbing the back of his neck. "Besides, I'm not going to pass up an opportunity to learn. If I can master this power, I can not only keep it from hurting others, but I can also become a hero, Mom. Just like I always wanted to be."
Inko seemed to stare at him for a moment before she let out a sigh, "I've done nothing but worry this entire time, while you've been finding ways to help yourself, Izu." She looked away, "Some mother I am..."
He pushed himself up from his chair. "T-That's not true mom! I know you tried to help!"
She looked back at him, smiling as she wiped a tear from her eye. "So, what happens now? I-I can still try calling a Quirk behaviourist,-"
"I don't think it would do any good." Izuku looked at his own hands before balling them into fists. "And the U.A. entrance exam is in 10 months."
His mother gave a supporting smile, "Well, whatever choice it is, I'll support it to the best of my ability, Izu. That is my promise to you."
Izuku smiled, the words of his mother bringing comfort to his soul. "Then I better start training... A lot. Look up a few routines I could use in the gym. Possibly meditate from time to time. I wonder what's a good place to-" He droned on and on before he heard his mother spoke up.
"Izu." Izuku looked up, his mother showing an nervous expression. "You're mumbling again."
"Oh." His face turned red. "I-I guess I should probably write a plan then." He put a fist atop his palm in determination. "Organize what I'll do, figure out what works. Make time for every activity." He walked down the hallway, "I'll be right back, Mom!"
She sniffed, wiping away another reclusive tear. "My little baby's all grown up."
Katsuki sat with a hand holding up his head, staring out the window, his eyes narrowed. School had started a few hours ago, and so far he was absolutely stumped, mainly because Izuku had changed.
Usually, whenever he would come into class, he would look as if the wind was ready to knock him down. Yet this morning, he had simply arrived, sat down, and immediately went to work, scribbling
"What the hell is the nerd up to?" Katsuki thought, peering to the side.
Izuku seemed fully dedicated to his work now, eyes focused as he wrote line after line. It wasn't until the bell rung that Izuku immediately stood up, packing whatever book he had and stuffing into his bag, bolting within an instant.
Katsuki merely sat there, turning his head back as he huffed.
"Fucking Deku..."
Izuku exited the residential district after changing into more suitable clothes at his house, continuing his walk onward. Today was the start of his training, and he had promised that he wasn't going to go easy on himself.
Yesterday, he mapped out a few places he could potentially go to train. One was the Dagobah Municipal Beach Park, but online he had read that the beach had turned into a junkyard, definitely not a preferable place even if he was hauling junk.
So he went with the second best option, which was the Hoth Company Stone Quarry.
Decades ago, Izuku remembered his grandparents telling him that the quarry was an important asset, as stone was turned into various forms of aggregate and hauled off to Tokyo. Yet when Quirks came about, it was put out of commission as better sites were found by those with ground related Quirks.
Now however, it would be his training ground.
He ducked low to squeeze through one of the broken fences, noticing the feel of hard ground beneath his shoes and abandoned construction vehicles that had been left behind after the companies shut down.
Izuku opened one of his books, looking at the set of routines he had recorded off a website.
"Well... Time to get started."
He had first started with some stretches, then with a proper warm up of doing a laps around the center of the quarry. Before long, he was well into his harsh routine, even doing 3 sets of 10 pull ups on one of the construction vehicles, letting out strained breaths as he lifted himself off the back of it.
Yet physical endurance wouldn't be the only thing Izuku would train.
During a five minute break, he had came upon a giant stone slab that had been left in the open. "Alright,-" He rubbed his hands together, feeling the energy slowly build up within them. "Now!" He thrusted his palms forward, trying to use a Void Blast.
A meagre little cone shot out, brushing some of the dust off the surface of the stone.
Izuku paused, letting out a sigh. Looks like Onkko was definitely right about it being more difficult. At least it didn't seem dangerous at the moment, just very underwhelming.
He balled his hands, his eyes narrowing in determination. "Let's try that again."
Izuku shot another blast, this time putting more form into it. Later, he would have to go check out a potential spot for training his Void Dash, a small pool of water that separated two platforms from each other.
If he did the dash correctly, then he should be able to go over six meters, reaching the other side and avoiding the pool.
"Izuku? Why are your clothes dripping!?" His mother asked in surprise, her son giving her an embarrassed look when he had entered the apartment.
Izuku let out pant after pant, water still clinging and soaking his exercise clothes. He made a mental note to bring fresh clothes just in case he fell short next time. "Er, I-I went for a swim... By accident." He then sniffed the air, the soreness of his muscles and the grumbling of his stomach.
Dinner proceeded as normal, yet this time with Izuku practically wolfing down whatever his mother had cooked.
He immediately went onto doing his homework before going off to bed, preparing for the next day.
"Eek!" A lady screamed as a man wrenched her purse from her hands, the thief escaping the scene as the girl yelled out. "Thief! I've just been robbed!"
Another person ran up to her, wearing a white mask and bearing spiky white hair. A black vest was draped over him with no undershirt, and two revolver chambers could be seen on his arms.
"Don't worry, Miss! I'll get that purse back for you!" The Hero then began to move, trying to catch up with the thief.
A few passerby's recognized the Hero, gawking at him. "Woah! It's Gunhead!"
He smiled behind his mask, yet kept his eyes sharp as he focused on chasing the thief, his Gatling Quirk beginning to act up as he watched the man push a few bystanders in the way.
Gunhead was momentarily slowed as he checked if the people were alright before continuing on, noticing the thief rapidly approach a corner.
A student was waiting their, head down and unfocused on what was going on, the Thief preparing to push the kid right on the street. Gunhead raised an arm, "Hey you! Lookout!" The student turned his head, eyes widening.
And then Gunhead saw the student's face shift, turning into that of pure focus and determination.
The student performed a sweeping kick, tripping the thief before witnessing the student deliver a perfectly formed palm hand directly into the thief's chin, knocking the man out cold before had even hit ground. The student seemed to look at his own hands with shock as Gunhead caught up, looking at the students handywork.
"Wow..."
The student turned his head, noticing the Hero as his eyes widened even further. "G-Gunhead!? The Battle Hero!? " The student then bowed his head in apology upon realizing that the hero was chasing the thief. "S-Sorry! I didn't even m-mean to do that!"
Gunhead tilted his head, picking up the purse from the unconscious criminal. "Well, first off, I think it'd be the stealing criminal that you should apologize to. And second of all, where did you learn those moves, young man?"
The green haired student frowned in thought, "I-I don't know actually. I just kind of reacted on instinct."
As if on cue, the lady from before rounded the corner, a relieved look on her face. "My purse! Thank you hero!"
Gunhead handed it to her, "Well, to be honest,-" Gunhead reached down, picking up the criminal with ease as he held the man up, "You should thank this young man, miss. He was the one that stopped the thief in his tracks."
She turned her head, bowing to Izuku. "Then thank you too. Most of my mother's photos were in that purse, I would have lost those were it not for you."
The young man nodded as the lady went on with her day, walking down the sidewalk.
Gunhead produced a pair of handcuffs, "I'm off to the police station. But before I go-" Gunhead handed out a small card, "I know it's not much, but I have a dojo that you may be interested to hone your skills at." He then shrugged, "I mean, someone who's simple reaction in a dangerous situation is to do a precisely timed leg sweep and a perfectly executed palm fist would probably feel at home."
The student seemed to freeze up, "Y-Y-You're inviting me? T-To train at your dojo?"
Gunhead nodded, walking away with the criminal in tow. "Yeah. In the meanwhile, stay safe."
Izuku stared at the card for a moment, shakily reaching into his bag before writing a new addition to his 'Proposed Independent Training Menu'.
"-And make sure to remember that the test is coming up soon."
Izuku silently tapped the desk in thought, unsure of what to make of today. Gunhead, the actual pro hero Gunhead, had invited him to train at his dojo. Even today, he was unsure how exactly did he become some pro martial artist, as the Void probably had nothing to do with that.
But maybe the dreams did?
Yet even so, the prospect of knowing martial arts without even having to train in the first place almost felt like... Cheating. Regardless, he wasn't going to take it for granted, he could probably learn something at the dojo.
He shook his head, concentrating on his work. He couldn't afford to be distracted, as his control over the Void was linked to his state of mind as Onkko told him.
"Alright. Class dismissed. Homework is on page 40, I'll be having a quiz on that topic next week."
Everyone groaned, with the exception of Izuku as he packed up his things, sitting up from the chair and walking out of the class. He was in the hallway now, walking on his lonesome, a few students streaming out of the other classes.
First, he was going to the temple today, second he was going to check out the dojo, and third he had to keep exercising at the quarry. It was a sound plan and he had enough time to get back and complete his homework.
Sounds like a plan... Deku.
He stopped his thoughts, eyes wide as he kept his mouth shut. He remembered what Onkko said, about 'The Man in The Wall', the dangers attributed by the supernatural entity.
Giving me the silent treatment?
There was a pause.
You break my heart, Deku.
Izuku carried on, ignoring the voice in his head, resolving himself to keep moving forward. Little did he know, that Katsuki watched from the doorway of his classroom, a frown on the teen's face.
"Erph!" Izuku grunted out, his muscles straining as he did a pull up upon the back of a dump truck. "A-Almost t-there!" He then let go, letting out a sigh of exhaustion. "That was 35 in one go..." He said to himself.
Definitely an improvement.
He turned his head, noticing the slab of concrete. Even though his body begged him to stop, he still kept going, panting out as he stood in front of the slab. Izuku put both his hands together before thrusting forward, a Void blast engulfing the slab yet only serving to chip a few pieces off. He frowned, gritting his teeth.
"Come-" He then thrusted both his arms forward, "ON!"
And then the slab was absolutely decimated, chunks of stone being blown off as teal energy went awry. Izuku paused before he let out a strained cheer, a smile on his face.
But then his nose began to bleed, Izuku wiping the blood away as a brief headache passed through his head.
A warning.
"At least I managed to destroy the slab..." He then looked around, noticing the lack of slabs and the abundance of lumpy rocks sticking out of the ground. He looked at his right hand, clawing his digits. "Guess it's time to make new ones."
"Kaneda-sama, I bought you some matcha powder from the market." Izuku announced as he bought a shopping bag into the temple. The monk looked up from his meditation, a smile on his face.
"Ah, thank you Midoriya. Such a nice young man." The monk grasped onto the bag, placing it beside him. "Are you here for meditation again?"
Izuku nodded as the monk chuckled.
"And how long has it been since you started?"
He paused, Izuku realizing something.
4 months had passed already. 4 months since he had acquired the power over the Void. It had been proving to be a tough ride, and his dreams... Had actually improved. They were random now, often throwing terms he didn't understand or waking up and not remember what happened in it.
But, if he were to be honest, he would say that something was holding its breath, as if waiting to unleash something horrible. Izuku often did his best to ignore that feeling, instead putting all his effort into the day ahead of him.
"Is that important?"
Mr. Kaneda laughed, "Of course not! Come, sit." The monk stood up, "I'm going to go make some of that tea that you gifted me."
Izuku nodded, watching the monk leave as he found a cushion to sit down on, closing his eyes as he felt his mind...
Shutdown.
It was like that for a while, Izuku not knowing if it was seconds or hours when he felt his senses return, the monk gently tapping his shoulder.
"Midoriya, it's been an hour. You may wish to head off to the dojo."
Izuku nodded, standing back up as he bowed his head. "Okay! Thanks for telling Mr. Kaenda!" He then proceeded out the temple, the monk waving at him as Izuku walked past the Torii gate, breathing in and breathing out.
He may have not have known what was going to happen, but he did know one thing.
His life was happening, and it was happening now.
"Hah!" Gunhead yelled as Izuku's face met the mat, the pro hero immediately backing up. "Woah! You okay there, Midoriya?"
Izuku nodded, wiping his cheek. "Y-Yeah."
Gunhead helped him up, "Maybe I shouldn't go to hard on you."
The student shook his head, stretching his arm. "I-It's okay. I can take it." He was sure that Gunhead was smiling behind his mask.
"Alright then. Next time I'll keep that in mind." The hero then looked at the clock afixed on one of the walls, "Some of my intern's are gonna coming earlier today. I hate to say it, but you might need to clear out. Unless you wanna join in on the class?"
Izuku froze before shaking his head again. "I mean, I would love to but-" Izuku sighed, "I-Is it alright if I ask you something?"
Gunhead turned his head, "Shoot."
They both paused, Izuku letting out a strained groan as the hero chuckled. "O-Okay, sorry. Ask your question."
"Why? Why did you invite me to train at your dojo all those months ago? For free?" Izuku asked, "I'm not a hero in training, I'm still just in junior high."
"That's a good question." Gunhead crossed his arms, "First off, you're really no exception Midoriya. I mean, you do realize that I teach interns that come here for free?"
"But they take hero courses..."
Gunhead scratched the back of his head, "That's hardly besides the point. Just because someone's taking a course in heroes doesn't mean I can't teach self defence to other people besides heroes."
Izuku nodded, albeit with a bit of uncertainty.
"And second... Was that I saw a spark in you." Gunhead placed a hand on Midoriya's shoulder, "When you took down that thief, I noticed that look you had, the type of look every hero has before he takes down a villain, that look saying 'I'm going to stop this guy'. I don't know if anyone's told you this, Midoriya... But you have so much potential."
Izuku suppressed a shiver. If only Gunhead knew...
Regardless he was grateful for the pep talk. Months ago, Izuku would have never believed the notion of being taught martial arts by a pro hero.
"Okay. I-I understand." Izuku said as he looked away.
"Good. Now show me another open hand strike before we head off."
Another 5 months passed, Izuku had extended his exercise period. Now instead of running laps around the quarry to warm up, he would instead run a circle around the entire residential district. While something like that would exhaust a normal person, they did not have the same commitment or training that Izuku had employed on himself.
He had gotten stronger.
Currently, he was jogging alongside the pier, a few fishermen sitting down and waiting for a bite. It wasn't long until he reached Dagobah beach, the midday sun giving off a fierce glare.
Izuku wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, drinking from a bottle of water before closing the cap. He walked to the edge, leaning against the pole. Dagobah beach was surprisingly clean, not like what the online sources had said. The only garbage was only at the edge while the most of the center held clean white sand.
Maybe he should go for a swim?
He entertained that idea before noticing a figure down at the edge of the beach, lugging what appeared to be a washing machine in both of his arms.
Izuku's curiosity was stoked, walking down a few steps to reach ground level with the beach. Did they organize a clean up? Yet all Izuku could see was one person, one person at the site.
And then he got closer, recognizing a familiar cow lick hair cut.
Mirio. The U.A. student that saved him.
"M-Mirio!" Izuku called out.
The U.A. student turned his head, bland face momentarily surprised before showing a huge smile, dropping the washing machine to the ground. "Hey! Izuku, right? Sorry, you didn't tell me or All Might your last name last time we met."
Izuku paused, scratching the back of his hair with embarrassment. "Er, s-sorry. It's Midoriya. I just-" Izuku let out a relieved breath, "Honestly, I-I didn't expect to see you again. What are you doing out here?"
Mirio shrugged, gesturing to the pile of garbage that was nearby.
"Cleaning up the beach, obviously. There can't be junk in a public place after all." Mirio exclaimed, holding his stature high as he picked up the washing machine again, hold it with ease. "Did you know that, originally, being a hero meant doing volunteer service?"
Izuku blinked shaking his head. "I actually didn't. Did they tell you that in U.A.?"
Mirio seemed to pause for a second, "Er, no... I learnt it from someone else." He then threw the washing machine into a another pile, "Regardless, how have you been doing Midoriya? Staying out of trouble?"
He marveled at Mirio's strength for a second, "U-Um..."
Mirio then let out a hearty laugh. "Yes or no, it doesn't matter." He then pointed at his arm, "It looks like you've been bulking up."
Izuku looked at his own arm for a second, now showing signs of tough athletic muscles beneath the skin. It almost felt unreal to see his own body change from his scrawny self all those months ago. "Yeah. I-" Izuku narrowed his eyes in determination, "I'm going to try for the entrance exam and get into U.A."
Mirio's smile grew to a tenfold, "That's great! Can't wait to see you there!"
"If I get in." Izuku shrugged, "By the way, Senpai." Izuku paused, "Can I call you that?" Mirio nodded, prompting him to continue. "I've been meaning to ask, what exactly is your Quirk?"
"Oh, you're gonna love this." Mirio stretched his back.
And then he fell, right through the sand as if nothing was there. Izuku's eyes widened in shock, running forward to see where he had went. The only evidence of Mirio even existing being his leftover clothes
A moment passed, Izuku watching with a wide stare.
Mirio then seemingly teleported behind the washing machine, leaning against it. "Hey, how's it going?"
Izuku blinked, thankful that the washing machine blocked the view of Mirio's more private parts as the U.A. student was completely naked again.
"Is your Quirk... Teleportation?"
Mirio shook his head, "Close, but no cigar." He then put a hand atop the washing machine, his arm sinking into it as if nothing was there. "It's Permeation. I can become intangible, letting me travel through solid objects and the ground."
"T-That's insane!" Izuku exclaimed. "But how were you able to appear like that?"
"Oh, that?" Mirio pointed downward, "I don't know the scientifics behind it, but all you need to know is that my Quirk reacts in a weird way when I reactivate it underground. It's like the mass can't overlap on top of eachother, so it shoots me back up. Best of all, I can adjust the angle and pose of my body to control where I pop up."
"Wow." Izuku said, "But... There has to be a drawback."
Mirio nodded slowly, "You're right. There is." Mirio looked down, grabbing his pants from the sand and slipping it on. "When my Quirk activates, no oxygen can come into my lungs because air passess through me. My eardrums don't even vibrate and my retinas catch no light. Not only that... But I still feel the sensation of falling." He crossed his arms, "Even the simplest things like passing through a wall for instance needs an entire set of operations. So my Quirk is strong because-"
"-Because you made it strong." Izuku said, deep in thought.
Mirio smiled before tilting his head, "By the way, Midoriya. What's your Quirk?"
"M-My Quirk?" Izuku froze, realizing that he didn't know what to say. He was as Quirkless as the day he was born, but now... "It's not really that simple to explain."
Mirio gave daring look, "Try me."
Izuku paused again. He wasn't sure if he should... But then again, Mirio saved his life. Whether or not Mirio believed it, that would be seen.
"I exist between a fold that lies between our world. Or in other words, I have extra dimensional powers." As if to prove his point, Izuku opened his hand as calm teal energy developed within his palm. Mirio watched with fascination before Izuku closed it. "But,-" He sighed, "-that doesn't change the fact that I was born Quirkless."
Mirio blinked, a surprised look on his face.
Izuku took that as an opportunity to continue, "That day, when I bumped into you at the train station. That was when I became exposed to this power." He decidedly left out the part about being strangled. "And it terrified me when I began accidentally using it the next day."
"Did..." Mirio paused, "Did you find someone to consult you about this?"
Izuku shook his head, "No. At least, no one in our world." Izuku then shook his head, ignoring Mirio's confused face. "L-Like I said, it's really complicated. I would go more into detail but... I just don't know how."
Mirio seemed to stare at Izuku for a moment. "What can you do with it?"
Izuku shrugged, "M-Many things. I can pool it up in my hands and use it like a blast, or concentrate it into a beam. I can even phase out of existence completely and perform a dash. I've been trying to master and train it." Izuku then looked up, remembering the time his nose began to bleed, or the fact that people almost got hurt when his power awoken. "But even so, it's-"
Dangerous
"Versatile." Mirio finished for him.
"I-I wouldn't say that." Izuku said awkwardly. "But I guess you're right."
Mirio smiled again, "Welp. Even if you weren't born with a Quirk. Even If this power was something you randomly acquired. I'd say that you're doing a good job to make it your own."
"Y-You think so?" Izuku asked, an unasked question popping back up into his head. "T-Then do you think I can become a hero?"
Mirio crossed his arms, "Honestly? If you asked me that months ago, when we first met..." Mirio's smile died out, "I wouldn't have known what to say."
Izuku grimaced, yet he knew it was the cold truth.
"But now I do." He then gave a warm smile, "Izuku Midoriya. You always had the opportunity to become a hero with the drive that you've shown. That drive could've easily gotten you placed as a policeman to keep criminals off the streets, or maybe even a doctor to save people's lives, both of which are heroes in their own right. But now, with the power fate's granted you, adding the drive you always had... You can become a Pro hero."
Izuku gazed, wide eyed.
Mirio then picked up a piece of stray trash, "Now if excuse me. I gotta clear off the other half of this pile before sundown."
"D-Do you need any help?" Izuku asked.
The U.A. student shook his head, "Nah. Besides, I promised someone I would do it myself. Just continue with your own training and pass that entrance exam..." Mirio then stomped on a can, "And maybe we might see each other again at some point."
Izuku nodded, "O-Okay. T-Thank you, Senpai!"
"Don't mention it."
The green haired boy walked away, leaving Mirio to his own devices. A few minutes passed before the young man let out a breath, rubbing his hands together as he placed them at the base of a junk pile.
"Alright... Let's try this again."
One For All activated in Mirio's arms.
"97, 98, 99,... 100!" Izuku announced, falling off the back of the dump truck after doing a full set of pull ups. A few beads of sweat had settled on his head, the hard work out now being a walk in the park for the teenager.
He came up to a few newly created slabs of rock, opening a water bottle and drinking from it. He placed it back down, clapping his hands together.
"You can do this." He encouraged himself.
Izuku then thrusted his hands forward, a blast of Void destroying the slab before him. However he did not pause for a second, instead going onto the next slab as he clawed his hand and shot out a straight beam, running it through the midpoint. The second slab was cut in half before Izuku repeated Void blast he did before, crumbling both haves into pebbles.
He then turned away, running quickly to the right, reaching a slope that held a platform at the end of it.
"Now!" Izuku thought as he reached the end of the platform. His form was immediately engulfed by the familiar tinge of energy before he rushed forward, straight over the water pool below as he landed at the other end. He let out a breath, blood beginning to come out of his nose and a minor headache scraped at his skill.
The teenager then shot both hands into the air, letting out a cheerful cry.
"Yes!"
Proud of you, Deku.
Izuku froze up, his good mood now gone. Yet he didn't let the sinister voice complete crush him. The entrance exam was only a week away now, and he couldn't afford to be let down.
He looked around the quarry, balling his hands into fists.
"Again..." He simply said.
A week passed.
Today was the day.
Izuku nervously walked on the sidewalk, hands glued to his backpack straps as he passed a gate. The location was huge, a giant glass building that looked reminiscent to a capital H.
"So this is U.A.?" Izuku thought as he looked up at the building.
Quite the spectacle, isn't it Deku?
Izuku shook his head, taking note that the voice today was more... Chatty then usual. He tried replaying Onkko's instruction in his head, to give the voice no attention. Besides, he had other things to worry about, such as the test itself for instance. U.A. was a #1 school, so it came as no surprise that the acceptance rate was less that one in three hundred.
He needed to be focused, determined, maybe even-
"Move aside, Deku!" Izuku lifted his head in surprise, turning around to see Katsuki. "Outta my way or you're dead."
Izuku didn't say anything as he blinked, simply stepping back to allow the delinquent to pass. Katsuki gave him a strange yet angered look for a split second before huffing to himself, walking past the green haired teen. Izuku felt an uncharacteristic frown form on his face as he watched Katsuki's back, "Next time. I won't be stepping out of the way for you, Kacchan."
That's what he wanted to say, but couldn't.
Ever since that day, Katsuki had stopped tormenting him. For whatever reason, Izuku was unsure of. Two other students recognized Katsuki, whispering to each other about the 'sludge' incident.
Izuku shook his head. He needed to worry about himself. The exam building was just ahead of him, and if you missed this step, then his dream of becoming a hero would be gone.
"Focus..." Izuku thought to himself, "Ten months. That's how long you've prepared for this moment." He took a step forward, "Keep that in-"
We prepared hard, RIGHT DEKU!?
The voice echoed as Izuku's eyes widened, his head throbbing. His concentration was completely lost as his back leg collided with the front, making his body fall forward. Images of his head cracking open and blood pooling at the ground began to surface.
Only for something to wrap around his waist in a tight embrace, pulling him backwards onto his own two feet.
Izuku stumbled for a split second, hands shaking as he felt himself over, checking for any damage only for his hands to come back... Slimy, as if someone had tracked spittle on his student uniform.
A rather monotonous voice then spoke out, "That was pretty clumsy of you."
He turned his head, noticing a girl that was a tiny bit shorter than he was, wearing a scarf and a school girls uniform. However most stand out were the wide eyes the girl held, as well as a set of distinctive lower lashes. Her hair was the color of a green sea. Currently, she was giving him an emotionless look, with her posture and hands being slouched forward.
"Uh..." Izuku paused, his mind in complete upon the realization that a girl was actually talking to him.
"Regardless, you might want to clean off your clothes. I had to use my tongue to catch you."
Tongue? Well, that explained the saliva. Izuku tried to speak, yet his words sputtered like fumes. "T-T-Thanks f-for the c-ca-"
"You're welcome." The girl simply said, walking past him. He watched her walk away, revealing a cute little bow that her hair was tied into.
Izuku's cheeks turned red, "I-I talked to a girl."
Good for you, Deku.
The redness was scared away, replaced with dark foreboding. "What do you want with me!?" He thought within himself.
There was no response.
Naomasa sat in his office, busily writing a record on All Might's arrests. He was good friends with the #1 hero, and was one of the few who knew his secret, so it came as no surprise that he volunteered to fill out his work.
He placed a file to the side, putting his pen down to take a sip of coffee as his secretary came in. "Tsukauchi-san. I received a call just now from the Park Ranger association. They're on hold right now."
Naomasa put down his coffee, "Thank you. I'll look into that right away."
She nodded, leaving the detective to his own devices as he picked up a nearby phone, putting it to his ear.
"Hello, this is detective Tsukauchi speaking, how may I help?" A voice spoke on the other end, "Trees? What about them?" Naomasa asked. Another bought of dialogue sounded, "Vandalism? Well, you know some people. They go out into the forest to use their Quirks out of the public eye."
The voice on the other end continued, Naomasa now frowning.
"Clean cut? What do you mean by that?" More speaking from behind the line, "Like...-" Naomasa paused, "-Like from a blade?"
There was agreement on the phone. Naomasa slowly turned his head, standing up from his seat to open a nearby cabinet. He retrieved a folder of an unsolved case, left 9 months prior due to the lack of info from the investigation.
He then held the phone up to his ear again.
"Sorry, I'll definitely call you back about this." He then narrowed his eyes, "And I promise you, we'll find out who's responsible."
Chapter 4: Overextended
Izuku quickly found a seat within the auditorium, sitting down alongside a few other students. The lights were dimmed right now, and a giant screen could be seen at the front, the golden initials of U.A. at the center. He spied Katsuki sitting a few rows ahead of him, the delinquent looking forward with his arms crossed.
A few minutes passed, Izuku expecting the voice to come back. However it had remained silent... waiting... It was only until the light's turned on and the U.A. symbol on the screen glinted that the show began. A tall, blonde, spiky haired man with a small moustache walked onto the stage, Izuku instantly recognizing him.
The voice hero, Present
"Welcome to today's live performance!" The pro hero yelled out before momentarily switching to english, "EVERYBODY SAY 'HEY'!"
Silence. Not one examinee even uttered a sound, Izuku being no exception as he stared at the stage awkwardly.
Present Mic gave a shaky shrug. "What a refined response..." He then put a finger in front of him, "Then I'll just quickly present a rundown on the practical exam." He then enthusiastically put a hand to the air.
"Are you ready!?"
No one said anything as the Pro Hero yelled out an excited 'Yeah' throughout the auditorium. Izuku had to admit, it was a bit embarrassing to watch the whole display. Yet he still fondly remembered listening to Present Mic who would be on the radio every week.
But the fact that Present Mic was being the presenter for the exam... Did that mean that every teacher in U.A. was a pro hero?
He would have murmured his excitement were it not for an obvious reason.
He's loud, Deku.
Izuku frowned, keeping his mouth shut.
Still angry at me? You'll get over it.
"Shut up." Izuku said through gritted teeth. A few nearby examinee's took notice, turning their heads to him as Izuku simply sat there, an awkward expression painted on his face as his cheeks reddened.
Present Mic continued his speech, "As it says in the application requirements, you listeners will be conducting ten-minute mock urban battles after this!" The U.A. symbol on the screen changed, showing a box saying 'You Are Here'. "You can bring whatever you want with you. After the presentation, you'll head to your specified battle center." A few more boxes representing the battle centers showed up around the first, all in alphabetical order.
"Okay?" Present Mic asked.
More silence.
"OKAY?!"
Izuku looked down on the piece of paper he had been given, noticing that his assigned battle center was E. "Looks like the process is randomized." He silently thought, looking downwards to spy on Katsuki's paper, noticing that he was assigned to A. "Or maybe consecutive ID numbers are assigned to different places."
That would make sense, you wouldn't want friends working together in a test that involved personal ability. Regardless, he was thankful that he wasn't in the same center as Katsuki. That would have been... Awkward to say the least.
The screen changed yet again, showing a city and a shadowy outline of three robots next to it. A number and a P could be seen above each outline, indicating the amount of points each would give. "Three different types of faux villains are stationed in each battle center. You earn points for each of them based on their level of difficulty." As if to drive home Present Mic's point, the screen changed, showing a 16 bit looking video game.
A small pixel Present Mic could be seen, jumping and kicking faux villains and increasing his score.
"Your goal, dear listeners, is to use your Quirks to earn points by immobilizing the faux villains." Present Mic said, turning his head away from the screen. "Of course, attacking other examinees and any other unheroic actions are prohibited."
What a shame... Right, Deku?
"I said shut up...!" Izuku muttered, now even more heads drawn his way. He must have looked like a crazy person by this point, but couldn't help it, the voice was beginning to grow more and more consistent by the second, giving him a massive headache. "Why can't you just leave me alone!?"
There was a pause.
Because we're in this together.
He blinked, unsure of what the voice meant before an examinee a few rows ahead sat up from his seat, raising his hand diligently. "May I ask a question?"
Present Mic pointed, "Okay!" A light then shined on the questioners seat as he produced a sheet of paper from below.
"On the printout, there are four types of villains. If that is a misprint, then U.A., the most prominent school in Japan, should be ashamed of that foolish mistake." The examinee then put a fist to his chest, "We examinees are here in this place because we wish to be molded into exemplary heroes."
And then the examinee turned his head directly to Izuku, revealing a frowning face behind a pair of glasses.
"In addition, you over there with the curly hair-"
Izuku froze up, hands tightening around his seat. "M-Me?"
The examinee nodded, "You've been muttering from time to time. Stop it, it's distracting! If you're here on a pleasure trip, then you should leave immediately!"
Izuku leaned back into his seat, whispering a sorry as he hung his head down with embarrassment, a few other examinees giggling silently as they watched the exchange. It was moments like these that Izuku truly felt crushed.
At least the voice had nothing to add for now as Present Mic de-escalated the situation. "Okay, okay, Examinee Number 7111." The pro hero then gave a thumbs up, "That was a nice catch." He then pointed at the screen, a new outline appearing. "The fourth type of faux villain is worth zero points. That guy's an obstacle, so to speak."
The screen changed back into the videogame style from before, the miniature Present Mic walking down a street.
"You ever play Super Mario Brothers? It's kind of like a Thwomp. A gimmick that'll rampage narrow spaces." The small Present Mic encountered the 0 point villain on the screen, quickly turning around to run away. "It's not impossible to defeat, but there's no reason to. So it's a stage gimmick that's to be avoided."
The examinee bowed politely, "Thank you very much! Please excuse my interruption!" He then sat down, the light shutting off above him.
Izuku frowned, realizing something. This entire exam was beginning to feel less like an important hero course and more like a video game of some sort.
Present Mic held out his hands, "Welp, that's all from me! I'll just leave my listeners a present, our school motto!" He then continued, "Like the great hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said... True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life, in whatever shape they may challenge us to combat." Present Mic then leaned forward.
"Go beyond." He then gave a great big smile, "Plus Ultra!"
Izuku didn't know what to expect when he had gotten off the bus. A giant center? Maybe a few fake buildings to simulate a street.
Not an entire artificial city, surrounded by walls equal to the size of the skyscrapers it contained. He gaped at the structure, all of the sudden conscious at how small he felt as he tugged at his teal colored sport jacket.
Where the hell did U.A. even find this money to build such a huge training ground, Izuku would never know. It made it even more jarring to think that there were SIX more of these sites.
Sounds like they have a lot of time on their hands, right Deku?
Izuku shook his head, looking around at the other contestants. Currently they were stretching, preparing themselves for the test to come. Izuku slightly shivered, "Shouldn't they be nervous?" He then spotted a few bits of equipment amongst them, realizing they bought their own enhancements to the exam, further cementing the unprepared feeling that Izuku held in his gut.
His looking stopped as he noticed one of the examinees. A familiar froggy looking girl, or more exactly, the one that caught him from falling at the gateway.
"S-She's here too?" Izuku thought. "Maybe I should properly thank her-"
Go ahead, DEKU.
There it was again, The Man in The Wall voice echoing within his soul. Izuku stumbled for a split second, putting a hand to his head as he groaned. It felt as if someone was tapping in his skull with a hammer, every echoing noise being a singular thud into his head. He leaned on the bus, hand splaying on the metal.
Someone spoke out next to him.
"Hey,-"
Izuku turned his head, noticing a... Bird headed examinee, with a yellow beak and red eyes. His eyes seemed narrowed, as if he was analyzing Izuku. He then crossed his arms, the rest of his body being a normal human shape despite his odd anatomy.
"-I'm not normally one to speak, but you were stumbling just now. If you are having second thoughts and want to leave, it would be considered a wisdom, not a cowardice."
"N-No I-" He paused, feeling an odd wave of determination beat within him. "I'm not leaving until I pass."
The participant seemed to raise an eye before walking past Izuku.
Another child of darkness, another Rell. Yet this one holds the ability to socialize... Ironic.
Izuku huffed, The Man in The Wall spouting nonsense by this point. A few seconds passed, Izuku realizing that he was going to have to concentrate harder if he wanted to get through this.
"Come on. You can do this. Remember your training, and you'll get through this." He balled a fist, holding his head up high as he let out a deep breath.
"Okay, start!"
Everybody looked up at one of the nearby towers, speakers on the side of it as Present Mic's voice blared out.
"What's wrong? There are no countdown in real fights!"
Izuku's eyes widened upon the utterance of those words, and within milliseconds he was running. A few other examinees caught on as well, running past the metal gates alongside him, entering the artificial city. Izuku felt elevated to say the least, his heart beating against his chest. He quickly analyzed the situation at hand, almost with a calm tranquility that was unlike him.
"Split up." He turned his head, noticing clutters of small streets and alleyways.
He slinked away from the main group, running to the side as he kept his breathing steady, slowing down once he reached the other side. The street was devoid of any life, Izuku patting himself on the back for that maneuver.
There was a reason behind his decision to be on his own, as it would be inconvenient for him to be fighting only for someone to swoop in and steal his score. Besides, there would probably be a more significant chance for him to encounter a faux villain.
As if to prove his point, one of the walls of a building shuddered before a villain bot bursted out, scattering rubble before it. The menacing 1 pointer turned its head, its singular optical eye focusing its gaze on Izuku.
"Target acquired." The mech then rushed forward, mimicking a criminals voice. "I'll kill you!"
Izuku froze up for a split second, unsure of what to do. He then got over his terrified instinct, realizing that he had been through this before. He had fought fake opponents after all, just like that golden warrior in Onkko's realm.
"Now!"
He slipped into the Void at the last second, the bot passing right through him as it slammed into the pavement with one of its shield like arms. Its one wheel attempted to turn, yet Izuku was prepared as he returned to the physical world. Thrusting both hands forward, he let loose the Void, a blast sending the robot directly into a nearby pillar, scattering chunks of concrete and metal everywhere. Izuku inspected his handiwork with wide eyes, noticing the bot fizzle out with a spark as its head fell flat against the floor.
1 point.
Izuku smiled to himself before resolving himself. He couldn't celebrate now, he had more points to acquire. Turning around, Izuku began running the other way, looking for more targets.
Toshinori Yagi was late by the time he had reached the control room, giving him barely any time to catch his breath or adjust his tie as he entered. A few heroes were already sat down within the dark room, watching various screens as the test unfolded.
"-ese basic abilities are needed to keep peace in the streets." Principal Nezu seemed to be just finishing a statement as a few others turned their heads, noticing Toshinori's presence within the room.
"Oh, Yagi-san. Where have you been?" Cementoss asked.
Toshinori bowed his head with embarrassment, "Sorry! I was caught up with something on the way here."
That wasn't entirely a lie. He indeed was caught up, but in reality, it was due to his poor time management skills when both lecturing and training Mirio. Truthfully, Mirio had absolutely astounded him, and the young man was progressing way faster than All Might expected him to.
Cementoss shrugged as Nezu spoke out, "It is great that you are here! Look who has shown up to see you."
Toshinori blinked, looking past Nezu to see someone sitting beside the only vacant seat.
A lean, well-kept man sat there, wearing a clean set of office clothes and a pair of glasses. Toshinori's blood ran cold upon recognizing the person.
His former sidekick, Sir Nighteye.
The #1 Hero was to shocked to say anything except gawk at him, Nighteye simply adjusting his glasses as his sidekick stared back. Not a single word was exchanged between the two of them, almost as if symbolizing the fallout they had all those years ago. It was only till Snipe spoke that Toshinori was ushered back into the present.
"Ain't ya gonna press Motivation the button?"
Toshinori nodded, awkwardly sitting down next to Nighteye without so much of a hello as he leaned forward to press a red button.
Izuku let out a pant as he clawed his hand, firing a beam directly into the midsection of a 3 pointer, the faux villain pausing as the internal wiring was cut off. It then slumped over, Izuku wiping blood away from his nose as he did the calculations.
So far, he had destroyed nine 1 pointers, seven 2 pointers, and three 3 pointers. He was doing great by all means. 32 had to be a good score to have, yet it was only made possible due to the strategy he devised with his Void beam. Instead of blasting the robots and giving himself more of a headache, he figured that breaching the villain with a precise strike worked better to his favor.
He spotted another 2 pointer down the street, facing the away from Izuku.
"Another one." Izuku simply thought.
Go get 'em, Deku.
Izuku balled his fists, rushing forward as he gritted his teeth. He was about to fire a beam out before noticing something.
There were birds pecking at the robots head and rats crawled out of every opening on the faux villains, carrying small pieces of wiring within their teeth. Izuku watched with amazement, jaw open as he watched the whole ordeal unfold, the robot tipping over from the internal sabotage.
He turned his head, the assortment of creatures communing to a solitary examinee, sitting on one of the curbs. The examinee held a very tall and large build, yet his head looked like an unevenly shaped rock, with a square shaped jaw to go along with it. He seemed to be talking to the animals, a smile on his face.
"Good job little ones. That should be 34 points now."
Izuku blinked as the examinee noticed him, the participant letting out a yeep before retreating from the spot, alongside the many critters that followed.
He didn't even know what that was about.
Regardless, this street had ran out of its share of villains. Izuku would have to move onto the next. He slinked into one of the alleyways, running to the other side as he fought off the reaving headache growing within his skull.
"Come on,-" He bought up both his palms, slapping his cheeks in a quick succession. "-Keep it together..."
Feeling better now, Deku?
"SHUT UP!" Izuku yelled out, his headache growing worse by the second. He stumbled out of the alleyway, looking up to see the next street occupied by a few other examinees, each person busy with their own villain to fight. Despite the pandemonium, Izuku was able to recognize a figure that was hopping around.
The frog girl from before.
He watched as she jumped through the air, kicking her legs directly into one of the joints of the faux villain. The machinery shuddered for a split second, the girl landing back down as she turned her head up.
"Kero!"
And then, much like a frog, her tongue shot out, wrapping around the 2 pointers neck as she pulled herself forward, delivering another kick directly into its head.
The optics shattered, the machine slumping down as Izuku watched. She turned her head, seemingly regaining her breath as she met his gaze with a vacant stare.
Izuku quickly turned away, his arms crossed as he held an awkward face. He quickly spotted another familiar examinee, the bird-headed one that had noticed him stumbling before the test. Currently, the examinee seemed to be taking on two villain bots at once, a strange looking... dark beast of some sort was tearing into the first one, scattering pieces of metal everywhere, possibly the bird head's Quirk.
"Better clear out." Izuku simply thought, the street obviously occupied. He was about to leave before he felt the sidewalk rumble. Izuku blinked, unsure if it was another headache or the ground itself.
"What's going on?" Izuku thought, a huge cloud of dust and building debris could be seen billowing at the end of the street.
He then looked up, as did a few other examinee's. Quickly noticing the reason why.
A gigantic robot. The length of a skyscraper and the width of 40 tanks combined. Its gigantic arms were currently resting upon the tops of two buildings, it multi optical interface peering down like a human would to ants.
Izuku then realized something, the general shape of the titan matching the outline of the 'obstacle' described in the beginning presentation.
"That's the 0 pointer!?" Izuku thought in shock as he watched the machine raise a collosaul arm, balling its steel digits into a fist. It then punched downwards, Izuku watching with wide eyes as the street ahead was absolutely destroyed, covering it with thick clouds of debris. He spotted a few examinee's begin to run, their clothes covered with specs of grey building material.
However, despite all the chaos that was unfolding, Izuku was able to make out a shape falling down within the dust. It cleared, revealing that the bird-headed examinee had been entrapped, a large piece of building covering his leg as the strange shadow beast he possessed seemed to try and lift it.
Izuku looked on, realizing the current gravity of the situation as the 0 pointer came closer upon its giant street wide treads.
Are you going to play Hero, Deku?
He felt his hands shake.
Or are you going to watch him die?
The voice finished as a hand landed on his shoulder, causing Izuku to flinch. He turned his head, face to face with the frog girl from before, a serious glint in her eyes despite her emotionless look.
"What are you doing? Can't you see the giant 0 pointer heading our way?"
"I-" Izuku paused, turning his head towards the downed examinee. "T-There's another examinee down the street, his leg is stuck." The girl turned her head, noticing what Izuku was talking about, her eyes widening.
Izuku then spoke out.
"I can't watch him die."
It was a funny thing about Izuku's legs... how they had the tendency to move on their own.
He was already running, caution and safety completely thrown out the window. His head was already doing a myriad of calculations, his thoughts and emotions in complete chaos.
Perhaps he could try and help lift the concrete rubble off the examinee, but judging by how big it was and how close the robot was, it would take too long. Blast the debris with Void? Too dangerous, he could just end up blasting the person he was trying to rescue alongside it. Beam? Again, too slow.
What exactly could he do?
And then Onkko's words resurfaced at the most convenient of times, bring an unnatural steadiness to his heart.
"You are thinking about what you are capable of, not what you could be capable of. Go further."
Izuku's thoughts condensed for a split second, a singular plan beginning to rise to the top. If he couldn't help the examinee out of the rubble, then he would have to stop the robot instead.
Izuku closed his eyes, time slowing for a brief second.
When he had reopened them, they were no longer his own. Instead, bright ethereal energy streamed out, radiating pure power. He peered up, his target clear and purpose reshaped.
He then let out an unrestrained yell, hands coming together before letting loose.
"BE-GONE!"
A bright flash, and then a blast.
The Void was ushered forward engulfing the behemoth, the sound of groaning metal being heard as portions of teal energy developed upon its surface like a raging fire. And then, as quickly as it stared, the entirety of the 0 Pointer began dissipate, flakes of steel simply peeling of and fading into energetic nothingness. The robot seemed to fall back, but by the time it had even reached the ground, it had simply faded away.
Almost as if it was banished from existence.
Izuku let out a breath, his eyes returning back to their natural state, staring up at the space that the colossal faux villain once held. The air felt completely still as he looked down, noticing the bird headed examinee staring up at him with shock.
He then heard someone speak out from behind, "You- That-"
Izuku turned his head, noticing the froggy girl from before, her wide eyes even wider now.
"You're bleeding." She simply finished.
He paused, unsure of what she meant by that before he felt tears develop at the edges of his eyes. Izuku bought up a green sleeve from his sport jacket to wipe it away.
The sleeve came back, now stained with red.
"I-" Izuku then froze, the world around him beginning to feel slower than usual as he looked down at his bloodied sleeve. "I don't feel so good..."
And then he passed out.
"What the hell was that?" Snipe asked in surprise.
Toshinori admittedly couldn't believe it either. One of the examinees in sector E had managed to destroy a 0 pointer... If it could even be considered that seeing as nothing even remained. While Hero staff like Nezhu looked on with a wondrous glance, Toshinori couldn't help but notice that Nighteye seemed disinterested in the whole event. His former sidekick merely sat with one leg over the other, looking down as if in thought.
He looked back at the screens, Toshinori noticing the camera zoom into a lying down teen, the one that had taken down the 0 pointer in order to 'save' the examinee that had been entrapped. His eyes widened upon noticing the green curly hair and the plain look. There was not a single doubt about it.
It was the same exact kid that Mirio had rescued, Izuku.
Currently, Izuku didn't look too good, Toshinori edging forward on his seat as he noticed two lines of blood down his unconscious face, a crowd of examinee's forming around him as a girl holding a bird-headed teen upright seemed to be requesting aid. On instinct, Toshinori had almost sat up from his seat and used One For All in preparation to save another life only to be stopped as Cementoss laid a hand on his arm.
"Don't worry. Recovery Girl's already there. I think the best we all can do is hope that the judges gave a high rescue score for that kid's efforts."
Toshinori paused before he slowly nodded, slinking back into his seat. As if on cue, recovery girl showed up on the screen, rushing to the boy's side despite her old age as she checked his pulse. He was drawn away from his watching as he felt someone gently tap his shoulder, turning his head to see Nighteye standing up.
"I need to have a talk with you outside... All Might."
Izuku slowly reawoke, his head throbbing in pain as his eyes painfully adjusted to the light. He squinted, realizing that he was lying on the ground. Izuku let out a groan as he put a hand to his forehead.
"Oh thank goodness you're awake, young man."
He blinked, an old lady standing beside him, wearing a doctors lab coat and leaning on a cane that looked remarkably like a syringe. He immediately recognized her, the pro hero Recovery Girl.
"Now take a steady breath... How many fingers am I holding up."
"I-" Izuku blinked, "Three."
She breathed out a relieved sigh. "It's good to see that your vision was unaffected. Can you stand?"
Izuku nodded, shakily getting to his feet. It took him a moment to realize that a small crowd of examinee's had gathered around him. All of them whispering to each other as they watched him with awe.
"Holy crap. The guy is finally awake. I can't believe he actually took down that 0 pointer."
Another examinee nodded, "Yeah... He made it disappear completely. What I would do to have a Quirk like that."
"But crying blood like that? Jeez, I thought he was dead. That did not look pleasant at all."
He looked around noticing that the bird headed examinee and the frog girl were nowhere to be seen. They had probably gone home already, everyone had something to do after all.
Which reminded him, shouldn't he go home too?
Izuku turned his head to Recovery Girl, a lingering headache still there. "Ugh... How long was I out?"
"Half an hour. I was just about to have you transported to the hospital." She then intensified her stare. "Next time, consider not overusing your Quirk. I could not get the full read out on your condition, but I would assume the blood that your eyes were emitting was coming directly from your head. I almost thought you had a coma." She then seemed to look worried despite her fierce glare. "Is that what normally happens when you overuse your Quirk?"
"I... don't know..." Izuku admitted.
"Well then you should see someone as soon as possible. You could have gotten permanent brain damage if I didn't use my healing Quirk on you."
Izuku didn't exactly know what to think of it, instead slowly nodding. "T-Thanks. I'll try to be careful next time."
Recovery Girl nodded before her she smiled. "Now that that is all over, you should go home and take a rest. My Quirk only amplified your bodies ability to heal, so a lot of your own energy has been expended." She then held out her glove as multi colored gummy bears could be seen. "Would you also like a gummy bear?"
"So who was it?" Nighteye asked.
Toshinori blinked, tilting his head. "Hmm?"
The two were currently in the hallway, the afternoon sun beginning to dip down into a reddish orange.
"Which student did you pass on One For All to?" Nighteye asked, "I came here to try and figure out myself, but I-..." His former sidekick then seemed to pause, "-came out with nothing."
"So you know that I passed it on?" Toshinori asked, to which Nighteye nodded. Foresight was a Quirk that Toshinori knew Nighteye used sparingly. But to see him this concerned... Something was up. "You would not believe me..."
Nighteye narrowed his eyes, "Try me."
Toshinori paused.
"Mirio Togata. The student you recommended to me all those months ago."
His former sidekick seemed to freeze up for a second, Nighteye taking off his glasses slowly as he folded them, placing them in his coat pocket. "You... Followed my advice?"
Toshinori sighed, "To be honest, it's more then that." He then looked up, "Remember that sludge villain incident? All those months ago?"
Nighteye allowed him to continue.
"He was there too..." Toshinori then sighed, "While I was beating myself up for wasting all that precious time I had with my other form, he had this serious look on his face, almost like you now that I think about it."
Nighteye crossed his arms, "Analyzing the situation. Just as I taught him."
Toshinori chuckled, "Although I'm sure he was, Young Mirio didn't hold that look for long, not after another kid from the crowd rushed the villain in an attempt to save his friend. I watched as he Mirio sprung to action, something which I was still struggling to do." Toshinori then paused for a few seconds, "And it was that moment I did not see the next All Might..."
He then looked up.
"I saw someone who was better. Better than me. Someone who inspires others to be better than themselves. I hate to say it, but that folder you wrote of him does not do him any justice. He surpassed all my expectations." He then smiled, "Best of all, those two kids that he rescued? They were both here today to take the entrance exam today."
Sir Nighteye looked down for a split second, his face mired with thought.
Toshinori grew nervous for a split second, "Was my reason not a good one? Because Young Mirio has a great smile too."
"No, no-" Nighteye frowned, "It's just that..." His former sidekick looked up, "Something's changed with my Foresight. The frames that I see have grown burnt so to speak and I can't quite figure out why that is so."
Toshinori looked out the window, "Perhaps your Quirk is not so set in stone as you once thought."
Nighteye crossed his arms, "I wouldn't say that. Your future is still-" Nighteye then sighed. "Is this what it feels like? To be unsure?"
Toshinori shrugged, yet a smirk could be seen on his gaunt face. "Like they say, ignorance is bliss."
There was a pause between the two of them before Nighteye let out a small chuckle, the fallout they had all those years ago seemingly dissipating within thin air as a Hero and his sidekick reconciled.
"I suppose that is true."
Izuku walked home alone as he chewed on a gummy, looking down in thought.
Brain damage. So that was the difficulty and danger that Onkko spoke of.
He sighed, walking onward as he checked the time. It was almost the late afternoon now, his mother was probably already cooking. He briefly smiled at the thought before looking back up, approaching a familiar tunnel.
Izuku casually walked inside before pausing.
A figure stood at the end of it, facing him. He couldn't see his face because of the shadow as his eyes were still adjusting. All he could make out was a general shape with... Similar curly hair. It was only until his eyes fully adjusted that his entire body froze up.
Mainly because he realized that he, Izuku Midoriya, was standing at the end of the tunnel.
He then heard it, the other Izuku speaking out in a familiar voice that should have been at the back of his head as pitch black eyes stared in the dark.
"Hey, Deku."
Izuku flinched, blinking as the other Izuku seemingly disappeared. A few seconds passed, Izuku eyes simply staring forward. He wasn't just terrified, his entire being was absolutely shaken.
The wind softly blew through the trees as a figure laid slumped within the woods, leaning against a tree as its blade laid buried within the trunk. It was inanimate for a few moments before it let out an angered howl, retrieving it's blade within the blink of an eye before slicing. Two halves of the tree fell, leaves spreading everywhere as birds from the nearby forestry took off.
It paused, watching its work before turning its head back again.
Something had called to it before, activating distinct familiar feeling that it could not explain. It had only momentarily stopped to vent its frustration before it carried on with its journey once more. Leaving behind the many other defiled trees, all of them cut up beyond recognition.
Like a moth to a flame, it made its way towards a city within the distance, pausing at road sign upon exiting the forest.
Musutafu, 10Km.
Needless to say, the sign did not last for long.
"Kaneda-sama! Are you there?!" Izuku called out as he frantically knocked on the paper sliding door.
There was a pause before the old monk opened it, a surprised look on his face. "Midoriya? What is wrong?"
Izuku balled his hands, "I-Is it okay if I use the temple to meditate for a second?"
"Of course. Why would it not-"
He rushed past the monk, quickly running to the middle of the room as Mr. Kaneda watched him. Izuku simply sat down in the medititory position, silently praying that when he opened his eyes, he would simply be there.
His prayers were answered.
When he reopened them, he had found his surroundings replaced, now the familiar dry pebble garden he had come to know fondly.
"You have returned."
Izuku turned his head, noticing Onkko meditating upon one of the many rocks that laid around the garden. The Quill's leg was crossed as his visor tilted down, showing his attentiveness.
"Speak, and I will listen."
Izuku stood up, "I-I need to know what happened today... What I saw..."
Onkko seemed to stare at him for a second before climbing down the rock, landing gracefully upon the pebbles. "What you saw was him. I... Did not anticipate it being so soon." And then Onkko turned away. "I believe this means you are ready for the next step."
"What?!" Izuku said in shock, "How can I be ready for anything!? I almost gave myself brain damage from using the Void too much!"
"Which is why it is crucial for you to continue now that you understand the danger behind it." Onkko crossed his arms, turning back around. "At this very moment, history is happening and events are rapidly beginning to unfold. To hesitate now will simply not do."
Izuku paused, "So... W-What should I do?"
"Come, I will explain."
They were back on the beaten pathway, rivets of Void energy zapping at the edges as Izuku followed Onkko closely. Izuku had admittedly gotten used to it, barely even acknowledging his chaotic surroundings this time around.
Onkko spoke, "Before we move on, I wish to congratulate you despite the danger you had accidently put yourself in. That was a fine display of power and mastery you showed today, and it was only made possible due to your training. Well done."
Izuku scratched the back of his head, unuse to flattery. "T-Thanks."
The Quill nodded before walking straight off the path, Izuku sighing.
"Here we go again..." Izuku huffed, balling his hands and performing a leap of faith. He fell downwards, straight into the energetic abyss. A second or two passed, Izuku feeling his surroundings momentarily shifting before he landed with ease, slowly standing up. He was now in a small cavern of some sort, illuminated by strange looking lanterns. Pieces of what Izuku assumed was armor could be seen on pedestals, similar to Onkko's cuirass but smaller... Possibly his size.
Izuku inspected the gear, the same futuristic looking takuhatsugasa and visor staring back at him.
"Hmm... Now where did I put it?"
Izuku turned his head, spotting Onkko digging up something behind a stone table. He walked up, noticing pieces of glowing equipment left on the cold slab.
"Aha! Here it is."
Onkko stood up, holding something unrecognizable in his hands. It looked like a gauntlet of some sort, but its design seemed more like a handle made of molded metal. The Quill held it out, "Take it. It is yours."
Izuku curiously abided, reaching out as he slid his hand in. Within an instant, the gauntlet seemingly adjusted, fitting around Izuku's forearm perfectly. He stared at it in wonder, "What is it?"
"An Amplifier... Your first Amplifier. It will help improve your Void Beam's efficiency by a significant margin." Onkko then bowed his head, "The Amp is an extension of your will. No part of it may be chosen lightly. May it ease your burden."
Izuku slowly responded in kind, noting to test out this 'Amp' when he had the chance. Yet an unanswered question still nagged at Izuku.
"Onkko. Can I ask something?"
"Ask, and you may receive."
Izuku let out a deep breath. "When I saw The Man in The Wall at the tunnel... I-I somehow knew I wasn't hallucinating." Izuku looked up, "He's grown stronger, hasn't he?"
Onkko paused. "... You are too perceptive for your own good. But yes... He has. Which is why you must stick to your own path and grow stronger." Onkko then lifted his visor, a stern look on his face. "You fight on two fronts now, Izuku Midoriya. The war without...-"
"-and the war within."
Izuku pondered for a moment, "But I really don't know my own path, and even if I did, what would it even-..." His mumbling continued for a while, going a full length before Izuku finally stopped on his own accord, realizing that Onkko was watching with a neutral expression. "Oh, sorry... I-I tend to mumble."
"Do not apologize. You will know in due time." Onkko then paused. "I used to mumble too..." He then looked up, sighing. "I even had a book that would be filled to the brim with notes, much like yours... My wife Saya would often help me organize it."
"You had a wife?" Izuku asked in surprise, "Where is she?"
A saddened look grew on Onkko's face. "This one took the wrong path."
Izuku paused, decidedly dropping the subject as Onkko looked back down.
"Well, enough about that. You need to return soon."
Izuku nodded a determined look on his face... Only to realize an important fact as he inspected his new found gauntlet.
"Wait! H-How am I supposed to take this back with me!?"
And then he was back at the temple.
Izuku flinched, almost falling back from his position. He quickly recovered, letting out a breath as he saw Kaneda talking.
"-be... Are you alright, Young Man? You almost fell over-" Kaneda then scrunched his aged face, looking directly at Izuku's arm. "Did you come in with that?"
"Hm?" Izuku blinked, looking at his arm to see the Amp attached. He stared at in perpetual shock before shaking his head. "N-No... I didn't."
Kaneda's expression was equally as priceless as Izuku's.
A week passed.
The Man in The Wall no longer tormented him... At least for now.
Izuku had used the time to test out the Amp, realizing how true Onkko's words were. For starters, he could maintain the Beam significantly longer without feeling a headache or suffering a bloody nose. Of course, his other abilities still required a lot of mental power, but having the Amp meant that he could have that extra bit of energy when it truly mattered.
There was also the case of potential modding.
He had reason to believe so after studying the gauntlet at his house. It looked complex, with bits of strange looking gems, electro magnetic metals embedded within it... and the brace smelling oddly like fish, but he could tell that there were more compartments that could be added to the device. He left that thought in his notes, keeping in mind on what to ask Onkko next time.
Izuku arrived at his apartment, studying his Amp. His mother had obviously been surprised when he had came back with such a gadget. He stretched his arm out, flexing it for a moment as he got used to the feeling.
He went up to unlock the door to his house, opening it and letting himself in.
His mother was immediately in his face.
"Izu-Izu-Izuku!" She then held up a sealed envelope, its address labelled from U.A. High School. "It's here!"
He sat in his room now, his desk lamp being the only source of illumination as he looked down at the envelope. He could hear his mother pacing around in the hallway outside, but that wasn't important.
His future was laying on the desk in front of him.
Izuku stared at it for another second before grasping at the flap, opening it slowly. As if on cue, a burst of light shot out from the opening, Izuku backing away in surprise.
"W-Wh-"
And then a screen formed above, revealing the full face of All Might.
"I AM HERE AS A PROJECTION!"
He almost fell out of his chair. Luckily he quickly recovered, looking up at the projection with avid wonder. The envelope was from U.A. of course, but All Might was the one giving the news...
Did that mean that All Might was teaching at U.A.?
"I remember you quite fondly, Midoriya." All Might put his hands on his hips, the background almost reminiscent of a gameshow. "You left quite the impression. Not just from the entrance exam last week, but from all those months ago. You performed a valiant effort on both occasions."
All Might remembered him, acknowledged him even. Already Izuku could feel his heart elevate with confidence.
The #1 Hero held up a piece of paper, looking down at it. "But...-"
Izuku froze up.
"-32 villain points would've been a little too low to pass the practical."
He looked down, balling his fists as he felt his dream slowly slip away. He somehow knew that, that he didn't peform-
Wait did All Might just say 'would've'?
Izuku swung his head back up in realization, All Might chuckling on screen as if noticing Izuku's reaction. "Allow me to-" A hand came on screen, All Might looking to the side. "Eh? Get to the point? I am right now, he just needs to see what I have to show." The hand gestured an OK before disappearing, All Might turning again. "First, let's take a look!"
All Might took out a remote, activating a nearby tv. A familiar person showed up on screen, holding a slouched posture as she walked inside of a room.
"Is this the teacher's office?"
Izuku immediately recognized her as the frog girl from the entrance exam.
"She came to have a talk. Why? Keep watching to find out!"
All Might unpaused, Present Mic entering the picture with his back turned towards the camera. "Indeed it is, Young Listener! Do you need anything?"
The frog girl nodded, "Yes. That boy who destroyed the 0pointer..." Izuku blinked, realizing she was talking about him. "I want to give him some of my points."
"Woah! Why's that?" Present Mic asked.
She tipped a finger against her mouth, "Actually, I was thinking that myself on the way here." She seemed to ponder, "In fact, looking back on it, I thought what he did was incredibly rash, foolish even."
Izuku sat back, an awkward look on his face.
"But..." She looked down, "I was no better. I didn't try and stop him, neither did I do anything to help the trapped participant until afterwards. I just... stood there." She shook her head, "Which is why I think he deserves some of my points if he didn't have enough to pass. He was a hero that day, he saved someone's life."
The video then paused, All Might's back turned. "Your actions spurred others to act."
Izuku looked down, a warm feeling bubbling within him.
All Might then faced the camera again, "Last week's entrance exam was not only graded on villain points."
The video unpaused once more, Present Mic speaking out. "I'm afraid we can't give him your points..." Present Mic then patted her on the head, causing her to wince. "But there shouldn't be a need for it, little listener!"
She looked up, "Oh, so he passed?" She then gave a vacant stare. "Also, please don't pat me on the head."
Present Mic shrivelled up as All Might paused it, an embarrassed look on the hero's face. "I was meant to pause it there..." He then crossed his arms, "Anyways, a hero course that rejects those who do the right thing is no hero course at all! In this job you risk your life and put your money where your mouth is!"
A scoreboard showed up on the tv.
"Rescue points were also a factor here! Another fundamental way for U.A. to evaluate you!"
Izuku's eyes widened, a big fat 60 right next to his 32 score.
"60 points for Izuku Midoriya! And while we're at it, 25 for Tsuyu Asui thanks to her afterward aid!" All Might turned away from the tv once more, "You're in. Especially with one of the highest passing grades to date."
For once in his life, Izuku was completely overloaded with emotion. His entire dream had culminated into this singular moment, and now it was actually happening. The negative things that people had said to keep him down simply ebbed away as stray tears developed at the edges of his eyes.
"Come now." All Might showed a hand, "This will be your Hero Academy."
"Haru! Where are you Haru?" A small child called out. She was in front of her house, out in the suburbs as she looked around the street. "Haru?"
A small bark was heard, the girl's face lighting up as she ran to the source. She turned a corner, noticing her dog beneath the light of a street lamp. She came up to the Shiba Inu, kneeling down with a smile. "There you are! I was looking all over for you."
The Shiba Inu looked at her for a moment, wagging its tail before turning its head back to continue barking. The girl turned her head to see what her dog was barking at, noticing nothing out of the ordinary except for a pitch dark street ahead. She looked back down, producing a leash. "Come on Haru, you can't add nothing to the list of things you bark at. Let's go back. I bet dad has some of your favorite treats."
Although the dog obliged, letting the girl put on it's leash, it let out a light whimper as it walked away, head still turned.
A few minutes passed after the girl and her pet left.
Umbra entered the illuminated circle.
It had watched the ordeal from a mere step away, the darkness acting as it's very own cloak. It slowly looked around before leaving the circle, disappearing back into the night.