Chapter 5: Partners
- MUSUTAFU GYM, THE UNDERGROUND -
The sound of bodies landing harshly on the floor sounded out through the expansive room. Heavy breathing came from two teens as they took the time to catch their breaths, obviously haggard after a round of sparring. Both teens focused on the other under the watchful eyes of the Underground Hero, Eraser Head.
Izuku and Shinso slowly stood up and took their stances, studying the other from across the mat. Aizawa held a stern gaze on the two teens as they began moving in a circle, subtly shifting their bodies into a new guard every few steps. It was a stalemate, with both teens pushing each other to the brink of exhaustion. The air was tense as both their eyes narrowed, trying to pick up the slightest movement from the other.
And in one second, that stillness was broken by Izuku as he rushed at his friend, clearing the distance between them with several long strides, and trying to overtake Shinso with a series quick strikes. His padded gloves cut through the air as he threw a straight punch at the indigo-haired teen. Shinso was quick to block the punch, but was unable to deflect it, having to tank the hit instead. Izuku took that moment to quickly jab at his opponent's stomach several times.
Shinso grunted in pain as he took the hits before grappling the verdette and hitting him with a wide swing with his right hand. Izuku hissed and stumbled backward, fighting to stand on his feet. He was forced to raise his guard, unable to take even a second to breathe as Shinso pushed his advantage. Izuku dodged the flurry of punches and countered Shinso's assault with a punch to his friend's left side.
"Gah!" Shinso cried out, feeling to first dig into his side. Shinso broke away and tried to protect himself as Izuku pushed the advantage. Shinso caught the his green-haired opponent off guard by ducking under one of his swings and sweeping his legs.
Izuku hit the mat as the air escaped his lungs. He barely recovered when his eyes widened, having to quickly roll to the side as Shinso went low in an attempt to hit Izuku and followed after him with several fists, only to hit the mat each time. The sound of Shinso's knuckles rapping against the matted floor sounded out as he continued to chase after the Izuku.
The freckled future-hero caught one of Shinso's punches and went to grapple him, locking his legs around Shinso in a hold tight hold. Shinso viciously elbowed Izuku's side in a desperate attempt to break free.
Izuku grunted as he struggled to maintain his hold while Shinso continued to batter away at his side. Izuku responded by maneuvering his arms around Shinso's and locking them at an awkward angle, preventing the indigo-haired teen from continuing his attack.
"Alright. That's enough," Aizawa called out. Izuku released his hold and Shinso rolled over next to him. Both teens gasped for air as their bodies finally gave out after their intense spar.
"Still sloppy," Aizawa commented dryly. His sharp tone caused the two teens to flinch slightly at his words. "But," Aizawa continued, "you're both improving."
Izuku and Shinso forced themselves to sit up, wincing slightly as they gave their mentor shaky smiles, happy to earn even his basic praise. Aizawa walked over to Shinso and addressed him. "Shinso, you are either not committing or over-committing to an attack. You put yourself in a bad situation by bringing yourself to your opponent's level and attacking as you did. That allowed Izuku to find the right time to counter you. You were right to try and take your opponent off their feet. That will allow you to better capture any villain you are fighting."
Aizawa turned to face Izuku next. He gave the teen a once over before speaking. "Midoriya, You were doing well at the start. You took control of the spar and tried to dictate what Shinso did. Even when pushed, you pushed back. You need to remember your footing though. If you aren't rooted, you are easier to take down, as you just learned. Also, you have more than just your arms. What else do you have?"
Izuku had to think about that for a second. Aizawa just deadpanned at the freckled teen before the he had an epiphany.
"I have legs!" Izuku's voice rang out in excitement at his sudden realization.
Shinso curled up in pain as he struggled to hold back his laughter. Aizawa was starting to question Izuku's intelligence. He let out an exasperated, drawn-out sigh before speaking. "Yes, Problem Child. You have legs. So use them."
Izuku gave Aizawa a sheepish smile before he took notice of Shinso desperately trying to hold back his amusement. Izuku turned and pouted at his friend who finally gave in and broke out into full-on laughter. Izuku did the same soon after. Aizawa himself was struggling to hold back a chuckle but was able to maintain his tired and disinterested expression.
After the two teens calmed down, Aizawa addressed them again. "Alright. Take a twenty-minute break. Afterwards, we'll work on your Quirks. Understood?"
""Yes, sensei!"" The two teens answered.
Aizawa nodded and went over to the corner of the room, pulled out a yellow sleeping bag from the ether and climbed into it. His head poked out of the hole as he zipped it up and spoke to the two teens one last time. "And keep it quiet. I'm going to take a nap in the meantime."
Shinso looked on at his mentor as he began to wonder where the sleeping bag came from. He turned to look at Izuku's reaction but was surprised that his friend had pulled out a notebook from supposedly the same ethereal space where Aizawa's sleeping bag resided and was busy theorizing about said sleeping bag.
Shinso decided he valued his sanity and chose not to question it. "Nope."
Izuku and Shinso recovered from their break and were now standing in front of a practice dummy. Aizawa stood next to it as he addressed the teens. "Alright. We're going to be practicing with your Quirks or how to use them in a combat situation." He turned to face Izuku. "Midoriya, you recently made two new pins, yes?"
"Yes, sensei. One is a sword-based pin called Excalibur, giving me my close-quarters combat ability. The other is an energy blast pin called Buster-Shot, which gives me a long-range option." Izuku explained as he brought out the two pins in question.
Excalibur had Izuku's trademark green rabbit holding a black sword in a theatrical guard pose, with the sword pointing outward. The rabbit stood over a rock that had a hole on the top, signifying the rabbit drew the sword from it. The image sat on a simplistic yellow sunset background, with white energy flowing from the tip of the sword as it wrapped around the rabbit.
Buster-Shot had the rabbit facing the viewer with its left arm in front of it as it charged a bright white, blue, and yellow energy from its palm. A Blue hue seemed to envelop the tips of its ears, arms, and legs. The rabbit stood against a dark purple background with lighter purple dots painted on it.
"Have you used them yet?" Aizawa asked the teen.
Izuku shook his head. "No sir. I waited until now. Unlike my Orbit and Pyre, which I had a solid inspiration and understanding of, these two are pretty much unknown. Better to be safe and under your instruction. Plus, your Quirk can stop my Psychs if they get out of hand."
"Good. Then this will be a learning experience. Let's test them out." Aizawa looked over at Shinso. As Aizawa's tired eyes landed on him, Shinso stood stiffly at attention. "Shinso, while Midoriya is using his Quirk, you will be trying to get control of him. You and Midoriya came up with the idea of using quips, so use this as a way to learn to speak to a future villain. Study how a person reacts non-verbally to figure out what to say next. Likewise," Aizawa looked at Izuku again, "Midoriya, you will try to resist Shinso's goading. Villains will often try to throw you off your game. You'll need to be able to resist the urge to respond and stay focused. That's the goal for this session."
Both teens nodded at their instructor and got into position. Izuku pinned his new Psychs to the hem of his shirt, right next to Ego. He felt the hum his Psychs made when they connected to his Quirk's energy. Focusing on Excalibur, Izuku felt that energy flow to his hands. He got into a basic guard he learned about online and readied himself.
Shinso stood to the side, making sure to be out of Izuku's range, just in case his new Psych had more power to them than expected. He studied his friend, taking note of Izuku's subtle movements as moved his feet, shifting his weight and center of gravity.
Aizawa kept silent as he eyed his students. His voice cut through the silence, causing both Izuku and Shinso to tense up like coiled springs. "Begin!"
Izuku let his energy flow from his core to his hand. It took the shape of a vibrant green energy sword, with flickers of teal mixing in now and then. Izuku immediately slashed at the dummy with a downward diagonal strike. To his surprise and Aizawa's scrutiny, the blade seemed to phase through the dummy.
"Man, who left the window open? Seems a bit drafty, yeah? Even the dummy shivered. Oh, wait, that was just you,Izuku," Shinso chided. Even he cringed at his quip. 'Might need that joke book after all.'
Izuku was able to ignore Shinso this time, focusing on the dummy in front of him. He followed up with a horizontal slash, and again, the blade phased through it, but Izuku noticed that the dummy seemed to move as if hit full-force. Izuku followed through with four more slashes, each one at a different angle and with each one gaining more power in their strikes. As the final strike hit, the dummy to shook and rattled in place, nearly toppling over.
"Congrats, six hits and it's still standing. Maybe we should send the dummy out to fight villains for you," Shinso remarked.
Izuku, unfortunately, took the bait. "Hey that last hit di-"
Shinso just stood there and stared at Izuku before focusing his attention on Aizawa, who was pinching the bridge of his nose. He could hear the Underground Hero mutter under his breath before finally addressing the two. "I at least expected him to not get caught on the second try. Shinso release your hold."
Shinso complied and Izuku shook off the mental haze and looked around the room in confusion. He slowly turned to Aizawa and gave him a sheepish smile. Aizawa just stared back. "Again. And Midoriya, make sure you focus this time."
Izuku nodded and took a second to let Excalibur fully recharge from its short use. He had noted that six hits seemed to drain its power by a fifth of its charge. He began a combo new combo, slashing at the dummy six times in succession and smiled as his observations were correct. Excalibur seemed to generate more power as a combo was chained. Izuku tried to study it more and ended several combo chains at different points, noting that once a chain was disrupted, Excalibur essentially reset itself.
"Midoriya, hold it," Aizawa called out. Izuku and Shinso stopped and turned to face the Underground Hero. He walked over to the dummy and inspected it critically. His eyes glanced over to Izuku and addressed him. "I see some minor damage to the dummy. Do you know how powerful your Psych is?"
Izuku brought a hand to his chin, tapping his finger against it as he pondered the question. Shinso and Aizawa could hear his quiet mumbling as he continued on for several seconds, too lost in his own little world to notice them or his habit. Izuku spoke out after a moment of thought. "I don't normally think about what kind of power is put into a Psych other than what it does. I noticed that Excalibur seems to gain strength as I string together a combo, though."
Aizawa hummed in thought as his focus returned to the dummy. He could see very minor damage to the surface of it, some cuts deeper than others. Aizawa stepped back and spoke to Izuku again. "Midoriya, I want you to strike the dummy one more time. Don't think about anything aside from just attacking it."
Izuku was confused but did as he was told. "Yes, sensei." He walked up to the dummy and began to shift his energy to Excalibur. Once he did, he struck with a vicious slash.
And cut the dummy clean in two.
Shinso blinked in surprise at what his friend did. "Holy shit, Izuku."
Izuku, on the other hand, panicked. "Crap baskets! I-I'm so sorry Aizawa-sensei! I didn't think it would get cut in half!"
Aizawa raised a hand, signaling the panicking teen to calm down. "Midoriya, relax. You did what I asked and I expected something like this to happen." He went to inspect the dummy as one half sat on the ground. It was a clean cut from what he could see. He could even feel some heat from the edges of the cut. "Midoriya, when you were first attacking the dummy, what was your mindset? Did you visualize the dummy as something?"
Izuku nodded. "Yes, sensei. I-I was thinking that it was a villain I was fighting."
"I see." Aizawa stood up and turned to face the pair of teens. "I think you were subconsciously controlling the damage of your Psych. You treated the dummy as a living person, so your Quirk adjusted itself to avoid 'killing'. A rather good thing for it to do. Its also good that you can consciously control the power output at will." Aizawa eyed the destroyed dummy one last time. "We'll have to test it next time to be sure. I'll have a dummy with pain sensors applied so we can track how your Quirk causes damage."
Aizawa left the room and returned with two new training dummies. He put them side by side and spoke, patting one of the dummies. "For now, get back to work. Don't break this one, Midoriya."
The two teens continued this training for another thirty minutes, with Izuku focusing on building his skill with Excalibur while having to avoid Shinso using his Quirk. Shinso found his rhythm as he was able to catch Izuku every so often, starting to learn not to let a miss get the better of him. Shinso had noticed that he had a bad habit of getting desperate if he failed to catch someone with this Quirk after a failed attempt. 'Something to work on' he thought.
As the time ended, Aizawa switched gears. "Alright. You're done, Midoriya. Take a breather," Aizawa ordered.
Izuku complied and went over to his bag to get a refreshing drink from his water bottle. As he did, Aizawa motioned Shinso over to him. Once Shinso joined the Underground Hero, Aizawa gave his next set of instructions. "Shinso, you said you wanted to learn how to use my capture gear. Here's your chance. I'll be teaching you the basics for today. Once I feel that you're ready, we'll move on to the more advanced stuff."
Shinso's eyes gleamed at Aizawa's words and turned to look at the second capture scarf now in Aizawa's hands. His excitement began to build up before Aizawa spoke again. cutting the teen off from his fantasies. "This isn't a toy. It's a tool that you'll use extensively. And I'm trusting you to give it your all while training with it. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sensei," Shinso answered with a determined nod.
Aizawa nodded as well and handed Shinso the spare capture scarf. He began to give instructions on how to grip the weapon, how to send it out, and how to control its slack or tightness when capturing. Shinso stepped up to the training dummy and began the first set of basic exercises as Aizawa watched over him, making sure to call out any faults in the teen's attempts and to offer corrections.
Izuku walked over to a separate dummy and decided to focus on learning about Buster-Shot. He drew energy to the new psych, once more feeling it surge to his hands. Raising his right hand, Izuku curled his pointer and middle fingers, almost like he was wrapping them around a trigger. He then turned his body slightly to aim, lowering his center of gravity and placing his weight on the back foot and placed his left hand on his arm as a way to provide stability should he need it. When he felt the energy ready to burst, a green-teal energy blast shot out from his hand and rushed towards the dummy. Upon contact, it caused it to tilt and rock on its base.
Izuku smiled and let Buster-Shot recover the energy from the initial shot. He spent the next thirty minutes finding his new Psych's limits and the number of shots he could fire before it needed a full recharge. The green-haired teen noted that he could pull off twenty-four shots, but they either came as a single shot or a three-shot burst naturally. He forced himself to fire as quickly as he could, learning that he could bypass the three-burst limit to have a rapid-fire ability should he need it.
Izuku categorized this basic form as Energy Rounds.
He then thought about applying more force to them and began testing the possibility. Focusing on stabilizing his arm with his pointer and middle finger directed at the dummy, Izuku fired off a more powerful bullet that pierced the dummy and hit the wall behind it. Izuku's buster-Shot seemed to run on the same logic as his Excalibur as he subconsciously reduced the damage to a target to prevent deadlier attacks. Something that will need further testing once Aizawa could bring the dummy target with embedded sensors.
Izuku dubbed this variant as Force Bullets due to the extra power and piercing capabilities behind them. He also learned that using Force Bullets only allowed for eight shots.
He had one more idea and considered what he knew a shotgun shell acted. He fired off one round from an open palm and six energy blasts shot out, hitting both the target and the wall behind it in a scattered pattern. The sudden burst of energy knocked Izuku off his feet due to the sudden recoil, causing him to slide several feet away.
Shinso rushed over to check on his friend, Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose once more and began to mutter something about problem children and too much damage.
After Izuku recovered, he and Shinso resumed their training. Izuku braced himself properly as he continued to test his new Spread Shot to learn its limits. He noted that he could only fire four of these before Buster-Shot needed to recharge. Izuku spent the rest of his time putting down his new knowledge in his Psychs notebook and watched as Shinso practiced with the capture scarf. Their session ended soon after, and the hero-hopefuls were standing outside the warehouse Aizawa used as their training ground.
"Good work today. You are both improving," Aizawa said as the two teens stood up a bit straighter at the man's simple praise. "Keep it up and you just might make it into U.A.," he continued, "We'll continue to focus on Quirks and skills for now. Later I'll have you two begin a new physical regiment, so keep up your light exercises. For now, we're done. Head home and rest. We'll pick this up again at the same time next week."
Aizawa walked away without much fanfare. As their mentor disappeared into the busy city streets, Izuku turned to Shinso "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"
"Sleep," Shinso replied.
"Sounds about right," Izuku said with a chuckle. "Finals are coming up soon. Want to have a study session at some point?"
Shinso thought about it for a moment and agreed. "Sure. I won't say no to some extra help."
Izuku smiled brightly at his friend. "Awesome! We can study at my house if you want."
"Sounds good." Shinso turned and began walking down the street, "Just let me know when." With his piece said, Shinso raised a lazy hand and waved goodbye to his friend.
"Got it! Later, Shinso!" Izuku called out. He began to go in the opposite direction when he heard Shinso's voice call out to him.
"Yeah, later, Izuku." Shinso gave him a small grin and continued on his way home.
Izuku watched his friend walk away. His thoughts soon turned to another friend of his as he pulled out his phone. He opened Hero Scramble and went to his chat log. His eyes stared down dejectedly at the last message he sent.
BUNYMIGHT: So a new Villain Raid Event started. I haven't tried it yet, so if you want we can team up for it.
BUNYMIGHT: Just...
BUNYMIGHT: Just let me know, okay?
Izuku took in a breath and sighed. They were still left on "Unread". It had been several weeks since his trip to Shibuya. Izuku had sent a message now and again to check and see if KAT was back, but each time was met with nothing on their end. He was worried about his friend but kept on trying, hoping they would return soon.
He was about to pocket his phone when he got a notification from Hero Scramble. He quickly looked at his phone with his excitement and expectations building up. Only to see it wasn't a message from KAT.
HS ALERT: The LadyMateria Agency has sent a signal for aid! Will you answer the call?
Izuku read the notification and saw what raid this person was attempting. It was a rather high-end basic one but the player showed they didn't have an appropriate rank to tackle it. He thought about it and came to a decision 'What kind of hero would I be if I don't help out with the little things'. He accepted and chose the two heroes in his roster he would send to help out this new player in this specific raid, making sure that they wouldn't overshadow his ally's team.
HS ALERT: Requested aid on the way.
Once he saw his help was sent, he closed the app and went to his music. Starting his playlist, he took out his headphones, placed them over his ears, and as the beat began to pick up, he made his way home.
- MIDORIYA HOUSEHOLD -
Izuku sat at the dinner table enjoying his meal as his mom chatted away about her day. It was a peaceful evening for the two, Inko being able to enjoy a day off while Izuku was training with Aizawa. It took some time to reassure his mother some more after he brought up training with Shinso that he would be alright and that he was training under the watchful eyes of a hero. That seemed to put her at ease.
"So how was training today, sweetie?" Inko inquired.
Izuku finished the bite of food before responding enthusiastically to his mother, "It's going great! I'm picking up some things I didn't learn at my old self-defense classes, and Shinso and I are getting better with our sparring." He began to stir his katsudon with his chopsticks as he kept speaking, "I also got to test out my new Psychs. They worked better than I imagined."
Inko noticed that after he finished his retelling her son began to rub the back of his head. She knew his habits and now her motherly instincts were running rampant. "Izuku," she said with a sickening sweet tone. her son jolted slightly as he knew what that meant. "You wouldn't be avoiding telling me everything, would you?"
Izuku began to sweat bullets as he mentally debated on what to say to his mother. His honesty won out in the end, so he told her exactly what happened. "I may have gotten too excited with my training and testing that I knocked myself to the ground when using my Buster-Shot."
He sat there quietly, waiting for his mother to respond. He was not expecting her to snort and chuckle at that. He tilted his head trying to make sense of her actions when she finally spoke. "Oh sweetie. You weren't hurt too bad were you?"
Izuku began to laugh along with her as he answered, "No. Just a little winded. Got some good distance with my sliding, though."
The two Midoriya's enjoyed a good laugh at his joke. As they finished up their meal and began to clean up, Izuku asked his mother a question, "Mom? Shinso and I were talking about studying together for when our finals come around. Is it alright if he can come over for that?"
There was a silence that worried Izuku. He turned to his mother and saw tears beginning to form in her eyes as she wore a wobbly smile on her face. He prepared himself physically and mentally for what was about to happen.
"MY BABY IS BRINGING HOME A FRIEND!" The older Midoriya exclaimed jubilantly.
Izuku would need to use his Vitali-Tea Psych later once their apartment was dry.
Izuku sat at his desk later checking his homework for any last-minute changes he needed to make. He had just finished his work when his phone got a notification, its playful chime filling the air. He put his work in his backpack, ready for classes tomorrow, and brought his phone closer to check it. He blinked as he saw he received a message from the player he helped earlier.
LadyMateria: Greetings.
LadyMateria: I wanted to give my thanks for your assistance earlier today.
LadyMateria: I recently started playing this game based on the word of someone I know.
LadyMateria: I must confess that I do not play many games like this and it seems I overestimated my abilities.
Izuku understood their plight. He had attempted a basic raid once and learned that you can't just solo with and all All Might.
No matter how much he wished it was otherwise at the time.
BUNYMIGHT: Glad to help. Everyone who starts out has at least one raid story that starts out like that.
The other person's response was almost instant.
LadyMateria: I honestly thought I understood what to do.
LadyMateria: I guess I still have more to learn.
BUNYMIGHT: Yeah, there can be a slight learning curve.
BUNYMIGHT: Trial and error can help, but a little assistance every now and then goes a long way.
LadyMateria: Perhaps if it is alright with you, you could assist me should I need it?
LadyMateria: I would graciously accept any help you could give me.
LadyMateria: Again, only if it is alright with you.
BUNYMIGHT: You can count on me!
Izuku added his saluting bunny emoji for an extra effect. He would later swear he could hear a high-pitched squealing off in the distance that night but wasn't too sure.
LadyMateria: Then I shall endeavor to do my best.
LadyMateria: I am in your care.
Izuku chuckled at the enthusiasm this new player expressed and was about to get ready for bed when his phone chimed one last time.
HS: The LadyMateria Agency has requested a Team-up. Do you accept?
HS: LadyMateria has sent a friend request.
Izuku smiled and accepted both requests from his new HS friend. He finished getting ready for bed and drifted off to sleep.
- SEVERAL DAYS LATER -
Izuku and Shinso were currently crashing on the couch in the Midoriya apartment. Shinso had a distant look in his tired eyes. Izuku was faring much better than his friend though, but even he would admit they may have gone overboard with their studies.
"Why?" Shinso groaned.
"Because Aizawa-sensei said we had to get ninety or higher on each of our finals," Izuku supplied.
Shinso groaned even louder. Izuku decided that they needed a break and went to make some coffee using some of Mr. H's blend he gave to the green-haired teen. Once the coffee was made, Shinso seemed to perk up considerably and nearly downed the cup. Izuku decided that maybe it would be better to leave the coffee pot on the table.
Izuku sat back down as his phone chimed.
"That your new HS friend?" Shinso asked while refilling his cup.
"Yeah, so far they are the most technical player I have come across. Very strategic too. Learned a few things from them myself," Izuku replied, a wide smile adorning his face.
Shinso hummed. Izuku took the time to reply to his friend when Shinso spoke up again, "Have you heard back from KAT?"
Izuku stopped suddenly. A look of longing filled his now-dim green eyes as he stared at the screen.
Shinso frowned at that. "I'm sorry man."
"Don't worry Shinso. Thanks for asking though." Izuku gave him a weak but thankful smile.
"No problem. I hope you get to speak with them soon. Just..." Shinso paused, figuring out his next words, "expect me to at least be a little angry on your behalf. You may forgive them, but I sure as hell won't."
Izuku gave him a chuckle. "I'll be okay with that. Just don't go too hard on them."
"No promises," Shinso replied as he took a deep sip of his drink.
The two sat in silence just enjoying their coffee. Izuku took the time to go over their notes once more, while Shinso decided to take a quick nap in the meantime. The teens continued their study session and later enjoyed the dinner Inko prepared for them once she returned home.
As the two continued to study and chat, Inko had the brightest smile as she watched Izuku and Shinso interact with each other, ecstatic that her son had made such a good friend.
LadyMateria: I believe victory shall be mine this day BUNYMIGHT.
BUNYMIGHT: Seeing is believing LadyMateria. My team is ready. Get ready to Go Beyond!
Izuku stared at his phone intently, his green eyes focusing on the 3v3 battle before him. LadyMateria was good, but they seemed to have overlooked several important, and hidden, factors to the game. As Izuku defeated the last hero on his newest friend's team, he was greeted by the victory screen and a message from his opponent.
LadyMateria: How? I spent hours throughout the week planning this.
LadyMateria: Tell me, is there something I am missing?
BUNYMIGHT: Your team may be balanced but you don't have any cohesion.
BUNYMIGHT: It's a hidden mechanic that the game tells you nothing about. It's one of those things you either are told about, or learn on your own.
BUNYMIGHT: I was the latter.
LadyMateria: Why would they design something like that and not tell their players?
BUNYMIGHT: The rumor is that Nezu was one of the game designers. He might have designed that mechanic to run experiments on people in a legal manner.
At U.A. University, a small, white-furred chimera with a lovely sheen to his coat, began laughing maniacally, causing those around him to pray to whatever deity could provide them safety.
LadyMateria: Do you believe those rumors?
BUNYMIGHT: I-I came across a player just named "ADMIN" once.
BUNYMIGHT: I l-lasted three rounds.
BUNYMIGHT: I received a message later saying s-s-see you in two years.
LadyMateria: Goodness.
BUNYMIGHT: Yep.
BUNYMIGHT: T-the logical side of me doesn't want to believe it.
Izuku took a moment to calm himself before continuing.
BUNYMIGHT: The other side threw my logic out of a window and I to this day don't doubt the rumor.
LadyMateria: So be careful if I come across ADMIN.
LadyMateria: ...
LadyMateria: BUNYMIGHT, I just got a challenge request from ADMIN.
LadyMateria: I am concerned.
BUNYMIGHT: D-don't accept yet! G-give me a m-m-moment to transfer you some heroes!
Izuku stiffened as he saw someone force their way into their chat not two seconds after he tried to help his friend.
ADMIN: No cheating you two.
ADMIN: This is a test after all.
Izuku was found curled up on the couch, swaddled in a blanket for safety when Inko came home that day.
Elsewhere, a young woman sat in a plush chair, trying to drink a calming cup of tea while her hands continued to shake after her sound defeat.
She had only managed one turn before suffering a crushing defeat.
- MUSUTAFU GYM, THE UNDERGROUND -
"Alright, I brought the training dummies with the damage sensors. These are designed to learn how a Quirk can hurt a person. They're mostly used to study Quirks whose power isn't as apparent." Aizawa stood beside a training dummy with several metal discs implanted within its rubber façade. He messed with his phone and several LEDs lit up, indicating the sensors were active.
"Midoriya, we'll run three different tests. First I want you to use a single slash on the dummy. Next, perform a three-hit combo. Finally, perform a full six-hit combo," Aizawa instructed as he counted his points with his fingers.
Izuku nodded and stood in front of the dummy. He began send his energy into Excalibur and performed a diagonal slash. Aizawa checked the readings and saw that it indicated blunt force damage, not just where the energy initially hit, but across the rest of the body in the slashes' path and from its exit point.
Aizawa looked at Izuku and nodded, indicating that the teen could continue. Izuku readied himself again and performed a three-slash combo, striking the dummy at several different points. Aizawa checked the readings and noted that, indeed, there was a damage increase as Izuku performed a combo.
Izuku continued and finished off with a six-slash combo, the dummy rattling and almost being knocked back from the last hit. Aizawa saw that the starting damage was always the same, but saw that the damage from the last slash was nearly doubled and had spread throughout the body.
"Alright. That's enough, Midoriya. I'll be sure to give you the data so you can put it in your notes later," Aizawa said to his student in his usual tired fashion.
Izuku's smile blinded the older man, who had to turn to shield his eyes. "Thank you, sensei. I appreciate it."
Aizawa grunted and focused on his other student. "Shinso, your skill with the capture scarf is coming along. We'll up the difficulty now. Mirdoriya!" Izuku stood up straight as he was addressed. "You'll be his target this time. Shinso, you'll now have to learn how to try and capture a moving target. Midoriya, all you have to do is avoid capture. We'll do this for ten minutes, have a break for five, and continue this for three more times. Understood?"
""Yes, sensei!" Both teens answered.
Shinso went to get his capture scarf while Izuku limbered up. Once they were both ready, Izuku moved. Shinso tracked his friend's movement as his hands gripped the scarf tightly, ready to attack at the first opening. He saw a chance and flicked his wrist, whipping the scarf forward. Izuku easily dodged as the scarf went slack before it even reached him. Shinso grunted and reeled the scarf back and waited for another opportunity.
Several minutes passed and Shinso tried again and again, each time getting closer to success. Izuku made sure to be a difficult target for Shinso. He recognized that Aizawa made this training for both of them, so he made sure to not disappoint the man. With one minute remaining, Shinso saw his chance and whipped the scarf once more. It sped across the room and managed to wrap itself around Izuku's arm. Shinso quickly maneuvered his wrist to tighten his hold over hi struggling friend..
"Time," Aizawa called out.
Shinso loosened his grip on the scarf. The carbon-fiber cloth slid off of Izuku's arm and pooled limply on the floor.
Aizawa spoke again when he had the two teens' attention on him. "Take a five-minute break and rest up. Shinso." The sleep-deprived teen perked up, "Good work. You found the right time to strike and took it. There were other more opportune times you should have capitalized on, but this training will help you recognize them better."
After their short break, the two hero-hopefuls continued their training as Aizawa took the time to give them both pointers when it was needed. Soon, their training concluded for the day. Aizawa went to rest before his patrol while Izuku and Shinso went home to study more before their exams.
BUNYMIGHT: So I found another person to team with.
BUNYMIGHT: They are rather quick to learn things and have a pretty unique play style.
BUNYMIGHT: Maybe once you're back we can all meet up and play together.
- SHINSO HOUSEHOLD -
Izuku and Shinso were lounging around in the ever-tired teen's room, listening to music as it rang out from the nearby speakers. Their finals would happen soon, so they decided to have one day of rest to not overload themselves.
"Gotta say, Shinso, you were right about this track. It absolutely slaps," Izuku commented as the beat faded out.
"That it does. Their next few tracks are pretty relaxing. A complete change in style, but still good," Shinso replied as he closed his eyes.
The two continued to listen to the music as the minutes ticked by into hours. Both were just enjoying the other's company, unwilling to break up the general relaxing atmosphere. Shinso, though, took the time to ask Izuku why he was rather tense during the week. "What's going on, Izuku?"
"Hmm?" The hero nerd turned to face his friend.
"You've been acting jittery when we left school the last few days. Something's up," Shinso continued as he opened his eyes. His tired stare bore through Izuku as he spoke. "So? What's wrong?"
Izuku let out a sigh. "Bakugo. He's been rather quiet, but he isn't subtle. I have a feeling something is going to happen. That, or I'm starting to get paranoid because of Aizawa-sensei."
Shinso huffed out in amusement. "I don't doubt the paranoia. I half expect him to jump out of nowhere just to tell me I should have expected it. But, if Bakugo does try something, then you won't be alone."
Shinso held out a fist to Izuku, a determined look replacing his tired stare.
Izuku smiled and bumped his fist against his friend's. "Thanks Shinso."
"No problem. You said it yourself. We'll be heroes together. Might as well stick together through it all." Shinso slowly closed his eyes again, intent on enjoying the music that filled the air.
Izuku maintained his smiled as he looked at his friend, happy to have Shinso by his side.
LadyMateria: So how is your studying going?
LadyMateria: Are you ready for your finals?
BUNYMIGHT: As much as I'll ever be.
BUNYMIGHT: How about you?
LadyMateria: I am more than ready.
LadyMateria: I have no doubt I will pass with no issue.
LadyMateria: I would rather not disappoint my tutors.
BUNYMIGHT: Glad you're so confident. Mind sharing some of that?
BUNYMIGHT: Doesn't hurt to have an extra boost.
LadyMateria: What has you so concerned about passing?
BUNYMIGHT: One of my mentors. He told my friend and I that we need to pass with an A in all our exams.
BUNYMIGHT: If either of us fails to meet that, he will stop training us.
BUNYMIGHT: And I would like to pass. He is helping us train for UA after all.
LadyMateria: You also plan to go to UA?
BUNYMIGHT: You too?
LadyMateria: Yes!
LadyMateria went silent for a while. Izuku grew concerned for his friend but waited for them to continue at their pace. His waiting paid off when they finally sent another message.
LadyMateria: Can I be honest?
BUNYMIGHT: Of course. Is everything alright?
LadyMateria: Yes. It's just...
LadyMateria: I am taking the recommendation exams next year.
BUNYMIGHT: Really?
BUNYMIGHT: That's amazing!
LadyMateria: You really think so?
BUNYMIGHT: Of course! You must have applied yourself and your Quirk to earn a recommendation.
BUNYMIGHT: Wait...
BUNYMIGHT: I never even asked you what your Quirk was!
BUNYMIGHT: Do you mind sharing? I-I'm actually a really big Quirk nerd. Well, my other HS friend says so.
BUNYMIGHT: ... They aren't wrong though.
BUNYMIGHT: B-but if you aren't comfortable with sharing t-then you don't have to.
LadyMateria: It's no trouble. I'm glad to see you excited about something.
LadyMateria: My Quirk is called Creation. I can use the fat cells and lipids of my body to create any nonliving material or object as long as I know the molecular structure of all its parts.
LadyMateria: I had to spend many hours of study just to memorize anything and everything I could.
Izuku stared at the screen for what felt like hours. His mind raced with thoughts and theories about this Quirk. He didn't notice he had already begun writing it down in a blank notebook, but he was able to stop himself so he could respond to LadyMateria without causing them to worry.
BUNYMIGHT: That... That is one of the most amazing Quirks I have heard of.
BUNYMIGHT: The possibilities of your Quirk are almost endless.
BUNYMIGHT: You can fill a combat, support, or rescue role in any situation.
BUNYMIGHT: And if you had to memorize the atomic structure just to do so means your intelligence is through the roof.
BUNYMIGHT: No wonder you received a recommendation. You more than earned it.
LadyMateria: You really think that, don't you?
BUNYMIGHT: Of course!
There was another pause in their conversation as Izuku waited for LadyMateria to respond again. He didn't wait as long this time. It was a simple message but it seemed to speak volumes.
LadyMateria: Thank you.
- ALDERA HIGH SCHOOL -
Izuku and Shinso trudged out of Aldera High at a sluggish pace, both teens drained mentally as they passed through the doors. They had completed their final exams and just received their grades. Hours of extra study time piled on top of the training Aizawa provided them had paid off.
They both had passed. Izuku already had stellar grades, though with how others treated him or how Bakugo saw his excelling over him as the teen not knowing his place, Izuku often had to limit himself. But with Mr. H helping his confidence over the years and the need to excel in Aizawa's eyes, to show the Underground Hero that his time wasn't wasted, Izuku pushed himself and managed to be in the top 5% in his year.
Just above one Bakugo Katsuki.
Shinso, while not reaching the top 5%, managed to be just under. He was rather grateful to his friend for helping him through it, taking the time to fix bad study habits, and having the patience to even do so.
The coffee helped too. A lot.
"So, ready for our next training session?" Izuku asked his friend.
Shinso replied with a yawn. "Yeah, yeah, sure. I'm just glad Aizawa is nice enough to give us a break."
"Same. I feel like with how frazzled my brain is, if he says jump, I'll somehow drop," Izuku commented. The two continued past the school's gate and up the road, traversing the streets of Musutafu. "Mr. H said he'd throw us a little celebration for surviving. His words, not mine. I think he meant that more for Aizawa-sensei's training rather than our exams."
"Sounds about right," Shinso said in agreement.
The two continued down the round at a comfortable pace. Shinso took out his phone and began to mess around with it. Izuku did the same and decided to message his two friends.
BUNYMIGHT: Survived our exams. Managed to pass with flying colors.
BUNYMIGHT: Just one more year till UA.
He quickly switched to his other chat to avoid lingering on the previous one.
BUNYMIGHT: I passed my exams.
BUNYMIGHT: How did you do with yours?
LadyMateria: I passed with a near-perfect rate. I am glad to hear you passed as well.
LadyMateria: My parents decided that we should celebrate so I will be unavailable for the time being. I hope that isn't a problem.
BUNYMIGHT: No worries. My friend and I are going to our usual café to celebrate as well.
BUNYMIGHT: One of my other mentors insisted on it.
LadyMateria: A café? What is it called? I may have to make a trip to visit it myself.
BUNYMIGHT: Café Wildkat. I would recommend it for sure.
LadyMateria: Hmm.
LadyMateria: Perhaps we should plan a time to meet up there?
LadyMateria: It would be nice to meet a friend face to face.
Izuku mentally paused as he read the message. He wanted to say yes. But a part of him was worried about something happening, just like in Shibuya. Izuku continued to stare at the screen debating on what to say.
BUNYMIGHT: Yeah. Maybe someday. How about when we both get into UA I can show you?
Shinso took notice and glanced at Izuku's phone. He sighed as he read the tail-end of the chat and was about to talk when an abrasive voice yelled out to them, causing the two teens to flinch. "DEKU!"
Izuku and Shinso turned to look over their shoulders. Standing behind them was Bakugo and several of his followers. The ash-blonde teen looked at Izuku with a feral rage burning in his red eyes. He stomped up to Izuku, stopping just inches away from. The two began to square the other up, with Bakugo noticing the changes Izuku had started to show over the years.
Izuku, due to his training and exercise, was now only a few centimeters shorter than Bakugo. And where Bakugo had a more muscular physique, you could see the hints of building muscle in Izuku. But the biggest change was in the teen's eyes. Bakugo still saw some fear and self-doubt in them, but those feelings were starting to become overshadowed by confidence and courage.
And it made Bakugo furious.
"Who the fuck do you think you are!?" Bakugo belted out. He gritted his teeth as he seethed out his next words. "I thought leaving you alone a bit wouldn't be an issue. But then you decided to act like you were better than everyone else." His red eyes narrowed dangerously. "Like you were better than me."
Izuku and Shinso tensed slightly. They shared a glance, as if to mentally plan their next move. Bakugo's followers seemed to read that action as Izuku and Shinso acting scared, but Bakugo noticed. Just another thing that made him more pissed. The two had been training.
"I think it's time to remind you of your place, Deku. And it seems like your zombie friend needs to learn it too." Bakugo moved his hand to put it on Izuku's shoulders. Izuku could smell the scent of burnt caramel and acted.
Pinned to the end of his left sleeve was Verdant Orbit. He felt the surge of his energy flow to it as he felt around. Bakugo and his followers were all within his range. In a flash, he grabbed the three teens with Orbit and pushed them back telekinetically. The action drained Orbit completely, but gave Izuku and Shinso the room to act. The two teens turned and sped off, already having a destination in mind.
"You sure about this, Izuku?" Shinso questioned, sparing the other teen a glance.
"Yeah." Izuku's eyes narrowed. "I'm tired of this. He needs to learn that I choose who I am and what path I take."
Their conversation was cut off as they heard Bakugo's voice trailing after them. His building rage became more and more apparent. "GET BACK HERE YOU SHITTY DEKU!"
Bakugo had rushed after the two, leaving his two followers in the dust as they stumbled to get back up. His mind raced with wild thoughts. 'That fucking bastard. You're nothing but a stepping stone.'
He narrowed his eyes as his mood shifted slightly at his next thought. 'So why? Why are you trying so hard? You were supposed to be nothing!'
Izuku and Shinso raced through the streets of Musutafu. They dodged and weaved through the crowds as they dipped through various alleyways, vaulted over railings, and ducked under obstacles as they continued to lead Bakugo on.
Bakugo, for his part, was tenacious as he was able to keep up with the two rather easily, though not with the same level of finesse the other two displayed in their maneuvers. Soon the streets gave way to grass and wood as the three teens crossed into the forest at the edge of the city. They rushed through the thickets and underbrush until they came upon the same clearing Izuku and Shinso would often come to during some of their early training sessions.
Izuku and Shinso tossed their bags to the side and quickly to their stances as Bakugo broke through the tree line. He had a feral grin form on his face as he looked at the two teens across from him. "So you finally grew some real balls, huh, Deku?" He growled out. He shrugged off his backpack and tossed it to the side without care.
The ash-blonde spread his legs apart and brought his hands to the side as he took a stance. Sparks began to pop from his hands as his smile grew even more feral. "Then let's see how your useless, shitty Quirk stands up to mine." He glanced at Shinso, "And don't think your shitty mind Quirk will help you much either, Zombie."
There was a heavy tension in the air as the three teens waited and watched each other. Izuku began to feel his energy flow into Excalibur that he had pinned to his other sleeve while Orbit acted as standby, a very small amount of energy flowing to it.
Shinso paid attention to Bakugo and the emotions displayed. With how angry the teen was, it would either be easy or difficult to get a hold of his mind. And with what Shinso remembered Izuku telling him about Bakugo's personality, his headstrong nature would make it even more difficult to do so.
Bakugo focused entirely on Izuku, not even paying Shinso any mind. He began to force his heart rate to increase to produce more sweat, a subtle trick he learned one day to get the most out of his Quirk.
Soon, that tense silence was broken as Bakugo boosted himself forward with a loud explosion his Quirk. He quickly cleared the distance as he prepared to throw a right hook and took aim at Izuku. "DIE!"
Izuku readied himself and when Bakugo's fist came closer, he grabbed it and flipped Bakugo over his shoulder, slamming the ash-blonde teen to the ground.
Bakugo grunted out in pain as Izuku quickly moved to put Bakugo in a hold, but was unsuccessful as the he used his Quirk to blast Izuku off of him.
Izuku yelped in pain as he was blasted off, feeling the heat and power behind that explosion as it rocked his body. Bakugo kipped up but his attention shifted when he heard Shinso's voice directed at him.
"So the Pomeranian does know some tricks. Well, can you talk boy? Can you? Go on, bark." Shinso quipped. Bakugo only growled in anger and rushed the indigo-haired teen. 'Hard way it is then,' Shinso thought solemnly.
He was given no respite as Bakugo began to throw a series of punches at him, oftentimes mixing his Quirk in to disorientate the tired teen. Shinso was able to dodge the brunt of Bakugo's attack and got in a hit or two of his own before being blasted away. The heat from the ash-blonde's Quirk singeing his uniform as smoke billowed from the point of impact. The sting of Bakugo's hits caused him to struggle to maintain his guard.
"Know your place, Zombie!" Bakugo yelled out in frustration. He began to prepare another explosion.
"Heads up!"
Only for Shinso to duck immediately as Izuku vaulted over his friend and performed a flying dropkick, knocking Bakugo back several feet and causing him to grunt in pain at the sudden action.
Bakugo quickly recovered, using his Quirk to stabilize himself and quickly moving to attack Izuku. The freckled teen met him head-on, throwing a series of punches and kicks to test the ash-blonde and bait him. Bakugo held his own, matching Izuku blow for blow before he began to overpower the verdette. Bakugo built up a powerful explosion and launched it at Izuku with a heavy thrust.
"FUCK OFF, SHITTY DEKU!" Bakugo roared. His yell was drowned out by the sound of the explosion going off. The combustion blasting forward, ready to hit its target.
Until Izuku used Excalibur. The green-teal energy cut through the explosion with ease. Izuku stood tall, his Excalibur still brimming with power, ready for the next strike. "Nice try, Bakugo!" Izuku said with a challenging smirk. Despite his apparent bravado, internally, he was still panicking.
Bakugo stood in shock and was immediately pushed into defending himself as Izuku began to use Excalibur to its full extent, chaining several slashes together into a combo. Bakugo felt like he was getting hit by a thick wooden sword all over his body from where Izuku "hit" him, all the way to where Izuku's attack followed through.
Izuku felt Excalibur drain and was about to switch over to Orbit when he heard Shinso's voice tag in.
"Don't lose focus now!" Shinso jumped back in and began to assault Bakugo. The ash-blonde teen jumped back, creating distance between him and the pair so he could keep track of them better.
"Watch the birdie, mutt!" Shinso quipped.
"SHUT TH-" Shinso managed to make a connection despite Bakugo still showing heavy resilience at the moment.
Izuku took his chance to land a heavy hit on Bakugo, knocking him free of Shinso's control. Before could recover, Shinso struck next. The two teens worked as one to overcome the natural skill Bakugo had. When Izuku hit high, Shinso would strike low and then switch. Bakugo was struggling against the surprising onslaught, but his mouth formed a smirk as a plan came to mind.
"FUCK OFF, YOU SHITTY EXTRAS!" Bakugo screamed. He aimed his hand down and fired off an explosion at the ground, causing dust and dirt to fly up from the blast. His action surprised both Izuku and Shinso, who immediately protected their eyes and covered their mouths, failing to notice Bakugo continue to use his Quirk as he ran circles around them.
The constant drumming of explosions sounding out, breaking the normal atmosphere of the forest. Soon the Izuku and Shinso were surrounded by a ring of dust, blocking their vision. Realizing Bakugo's plan, the two stood back to back, waiting and watching for any sign of attack. They were suddenly hit by Bakugo, who used his Quirk to blast him through his smokescreen, and struck Shinso before quickly blast back at a new angle to hit Izuku.
Izuku and Shinso faltered at Bakugo's continuous hit-and-run tactic. Izuku sought to change that. His mind raced at the thought of a new application of Excalibur and prepared himself to use it, letting it fully recharge. After taking one more blast from Bakugo, Izuku called out to to his friend. "Shinso, get down!"
Shinso immediately hit the ground, crouching as low as he could. Izuku built up energy into Excalibur and spun on his foot. At a rapid pace, Izuku rotated on the tip of his toes, completing several rotations with the final releasing a shock wave of energy. This caused the dust to dissipate, removing Bakugo's advantage.
Bakugo seethed when he saw this, releasing his Quirk in anger. Smaller explosions were let loose as he stomped forward. But then, he suddenly stopped. Bakugo lowered his head, his body shaking in frustration, causing Izuku and Shinso to wonder what his plan was. They weren't expecting him to speak.
"Why?" His voice was low, barely audible enough that Izuku and Shinso had to strain their ears to hear him.
"Why what, Bakugo?" Izuku questioned.
"Why the hell do you still try you shitty Deku!?" Bakugo raged his focus entirely on Izuku. "All you were was the useless kid with the useless Quirk trailing behind me..." He raised his head high enough to look at Izuku, his red eyes narrowing in frustration. "I was supposed to be the hero. The one who won. And then you... you started to forget your place."
"WHAT THE HELL, DEKU!?" Bakugo roared, releasing several explosions from the palms of his hands.
The forest around them grew silent as if listening in on the drama before it. Shinso tensed as he looked back and forth between the two, wondering what was going to happen next. Izuku released Excalibur, its energy fading away, shocking the other two teens.
"Because the world ends with me," Izuku said. He looked at Bakugo, his eyes filled with confidence new found confidence. Izuku saw his old friend, trapped in the shell of what Bakugo was, and he was determined to reach out to him, hoping that he would listen.
"Because my world doesn't stop growing. My choices are my own, and my reactions to those around me are my own. I determine the meaning of my world, just like you determine the meaning of your world, Bakugo." His gaze hardened as he continued, gesturing to Shinso, "And I choose to grow. By sharing my world with those around me. By having friends who stand by me and me with them." Izuku clenched his fist tightly as the words kept flowing from his mouth. "And just like those who inspired me, I want to inspire others. My world will keep growing because there are other worlds around me, Bakugo. To ignore them, to deny their experiences means my world stays stagnant."
"Your world matters, Bakugo. Your values and beliefs are your own and I can learn from those. To be inspired by those. But I won't let you dictate how my world grows or the values I hold!" Izuku's gaze softened, a sense of longing within his emerald green pools. "And I hope that one day you choose to let your world grow too, Bakugo. Maybe then... maybe then we might connect again." Izuku looked to the ash-blonde with a shaky smile, one that held back pain but carried some hope with it, "Maybe we could be friends again. Be heroes together, like we used to say we would."
Bakugo stood frozen in place as he listened to Izuku, shock apparent on his face. Izuku let out a heavy sigh and went to grab his backpack. Shinso gave Bakugo one last look and followed suit. Bakugo just stood there as the two left the clearing. His shock gave way to some thoughtfulness, and for a moment, he considered Izuku's words. But, as he continued to do so, rage and sadness built up within him, ready to burst out.
And he expressed it the only way he knew how.
With a powerful explosion that rocked the area around him.
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Bakugo yelled out to the sky. His arms grew weak as they flopped to his sides. He continued to watch the sky as clouds passed by overhead. He clenched his teeth in frustration as his breathing became haggard.
"Dammit, Deku..."
Shinso kept an eye on his friend as they left the forest. He saw the tears begin to fall down Izuku's cheeks as the frustration built up in him.
"Hey," Shinso called out softly, "Are you going to be alright?"
Izuku stopped and Shinso went to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. Izuku looked at him and gave him a grateful smile. "Yeah... I did what I needed to. Said what needed to be said."
With a thoughtful and tired expression on his face, Izuku turned his head to look back at the forest. "Maybe it made a difference."
Izuku shook his head and continued to walk again. "Come on. We still got to celebrate with Mr. H."
Shinso gave him a smirk and followed after him. They walked in a comfortable silence. Their roughed-up appearance caused several citizens to look at them in concern but most simply ignored them.
"Shinso?" Izuku called out to the tired teen.
The indigo-haired teen turned to Izuku.
"Thanks for being my friend." Izuku's beamed brightly at his friend.
Shinso saw the look of appreciation in Izuku's eyes. He had a soft smile that had such warmth behind it. Shinso gave one of his own and replied, "Thanks for being mine, Izuku. Besides..."
Shinso held out a fist to Izuku. "We're going to be heroes. We're partners, right?"
Izuku's smile widened and returned the fist bump. "Partners!"
Excalibur
Psych Type: Blade
Allows Izuku to create an energy blade whose power builds up as he chains attacks up to six together. Cutting power is controlled subconsciously. There is more application to the pin that is yet to be discovered. Recharge time is 15 seconds.
Izuku has a total of 30 slashes before Excalibur requires a recharge. Using a "Vortex Spin" Izuku can deflect projectiles of any nature and send out a final shockwave.
Vortext Spin uses up to 5 standard slashes.
Buster-Shot
Psych Type: Shooter
Buster-Shot is a long range based Psych that allows Izuku to shoot out blasts of energy. Buster-Shot has three different firing types, with the capabilities of another unable to be achieved at the moment. Recharge rate of 20 seconds.
Fire types:
Energy Blast: Izuku has 24 shots that he can fire in either single, 3-round burst, or full rapid fire.
Force Bullet: Izuke can shoot up to eight higher powered blasts that can "pierce" targets.
Spread Shot: Izuku fires a blast in the form of a shotgun shell, causing a spread of six pellets. Izuku can only fire 4 in total.