Chapter 6
Aizawa shuffled to the front of the class, still clad in his sleeping bag. The professional hero took in the looks sent his way by the students that he would be teaching this year. He knew they were looking at him in more of a state of confusion, after all the teachers here at U.A were all professional heroes and he was somebody that nobody would recognize without his gear on. His disheveled look was haggard at best, completely unpresentable on the media front.
"It took eight seconds for you to quiet down," he said stoically after having shrugged off his sleeping bag. "Time is a precious resource. You lot aren't very rational, are you?"
He could see in the eyes of those before him that a number were still confused, possibly about his looks or hopefully about what he had said. He could see though that there definitely at least one student who understood what he was saying. Shirou Emiya, the student who scored the highest score in the opening exam. The student who also had to score the highest score or he wouldn't have been accepted at all into the academy, regardless of his skill level. Shirou was looking at him with a sense of understanding, eyes which understood that time was far more valuable than any currency in the world.
"I'm your homeroom teacher, Shoto Aizawa. Pleased to meet you." Rummaging through the sleeping bag he had only just gotten out of, he pulled out a set of gym clothes. "Quickly now. Change into your gym clothes and head out to the grounds."
They all stood up and shuffled out towards where the changing room was located, Aizawa watching them one by one. As one of the students walked past however he grabbed them on the shoulder and pulled them out of the line. "Can I help you sensei?" asked Shirou.
"I just wanted a quick word," stated Aizawa as the last of the remaining students left the room. "After all, not all students get such special treatment as you."
"I believe that not all students have the ultimatum that if they don't rank as the highest in the entry exam they are sent into a juvenile facility," said Shirou. His comments caused the smallest of smiles to spread across Aizawa's face.
*"At least we know where we stand," said the teacher. "We had quite a few meetings about you ad your friend. Cementoss even went out of his way to build the two of you two homes on campus. Just as they were built so easily, so too can they be taken down as easily."
"If that a threat sensei?"
"A number of students and faculty members were able to hear Bakugo's outburst from down the halls. The confrontation may have been momentarily neutralized but don't think for a second that if you step out of line attempting to quell the situation, you may very well force my hand."
Even though there was quite a bit left unsaid as Aizawa stepped out of the room, Shirou opted not to pursue any further conversation. He knew that his time in this academy would be monitored more than any other student whom he was studying with. It was kind of a given thanks to the circumstances which forced him to be a prisoner of this institute. Any signs that he was heading towards a path of villainy in the eyes of the faculty would result in immediate expulsion and his arrest. Or at least they would try to arrest him.
Try being the optimal word.
...
"Whoa, this is awesome!"
"Seven hundred and five metres, seriously?"
"So we can use our quirks for real? The hero course is great!"
Yaoyorozu listened to the chatter happening around her, many of them gushing over Bakugo's ability to launch the ball such a distance. She knew that such tests were necessary and even though it was almost a bit premature considering it was the first thing they were doing together as a class it wasn't too unexpected. She was more than confident in her own abilities, both having gotten through to the hero course via a recommendation and in her knowledge of what she was capable of. That was more than impressive in its own right but she couldn't help but be interested in seeing the skill levels of her peers.
Looking around at said peers, many of them had gone into momentary shock the moment that their sensei had declared that the student who scored the lowest over the eight events would be expelled. She had no fear of ranking so low amongst those around her and watching how some reacted told her a lot about their character. As Aizawa continued talking she took in some of the more exuberant of reactions.
A few were nervous, almost to the point of panic while others seemed to have become more focused. More than a few were smiling, as if pleased to have this opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. Then there were those who had no emotion to the news whatsoever. Two stood out. One was the boy with dual coloured hair and the burn mark across his left eye. He was almost stoic in his reaction, unfazed by those around him.
Then there was the red haired student who was gazing at everyone with analytical eyes. At first she thought that he was simply sizing up the competition. That was until their eyes met. She could feel her breath catch in her throat as the student looked at her and she felt her body stiffen ever so slightly. It was as if simply by looking at her he was asking her a simple question.
Why are you here?
His gaze moved on to the person next to her and she still found it difficult to relax. How long had they maintained eye contact? Surely no longer than a couple of seconds but she couldn't help but feel that in those few seconds he had learned a lot more about her than she had about him.
"We'll start with the fifty metre dash," declared Aizawa, snapping Yaoyorozu out of her stupor, noticing that the area where they would be tested had already been set up. "Yaoyorozu, Emiya, the two of you are first. Remember to use your abilities to the fullest."
Switching back into game mode, Yaoyorozu lightly slapped at her cheeks as she and the person whom had rattled her so stepped forward to the starting line. She was accepted into the Hero course through a recommendation and she was determined to show that she was worthy of having been given such an honour.
Unfortunately she couldn't think of any way to increase her time. Skates would potentially work but they were more suited to a concrete floor and would risk losing traction across the dirt surface. It was within her power to craft a bicycle but precious seconds would be wasted getting onto her mode of transportation and getting started. Complicated physics equations started running through her head as she tried to figure out other ways in which she could lower her time.
"On your marks," stated Aizawa.
Momo blinked before taking her position. Why was she so rattled? She should have been able to come up with a simple solution. Why was nothing coming to mind?
Was it all because of the person next to her?
"Go!"
Yaoyorozu ran. She would finish in a more than admirable six point four nine seconds but would later have a restless night, her mind going over every possible way in which she could have bettered her run. Especially with what Shirou accomplished.
Four point eight three. An incredible feat, one which was getting a mild applause from those watching but they likely hadn't noticed what she had.
Shirou had ran. That was all. As far as she could tell, there was no use of a quirk. That was his base speed. That was on the proviso that his quirk didn't enhance his natural ability but she had seen nothing that suggested it. Also it didn't help that while she currently had her hands on her knees taking in deep breaths, Shirou didn't look exhausted in the slightest. Was this a game to him? Could he have gone faster? How long could he keep up that speed?
Who was Shirou?
...
Grip strength.
Standing long jump.
Side stepping.
While Shirou didn't rank the highest out of those around him, he had definitely found himself in the upper echelon of those around his current age. At the same time though he hadn't pushed himself to what he was truly capable of. Mostly because he wouldn't be able to justify what they believed his quirk was.
As far as they were aware, he had a weapon creation quirk, one which centred mostly around bladed weapons. If only they had any true idea of how deep his abilities truly went.
His physical abilities had to be at their peak. He had lost count of the amount of times he had been sent to tackle something which others had dared not cross. Shirou had to be stronger, faster, better in order to survive. So he became stronger, faster, better, his body reaching the peaks that he could achieve before striving to climb even higher.
This was all before he added his reinforcement to the mix.
He had yet to apply any of his reinforcement to any of these tests, his natural abilities already bordering on superhuman. He had always pushed himself, having felt so outclassed by the Heroes that had been summoned during the Holy Grail war went to show just how weak he was. Starting with his pitiful bout with Lancer to going head to head with Gilgamesh. While none he had encountered afterwards had been as terrifying as the heroic spirits that had been summoned from different eras, he had always been more than aptly prepared for any potential confrontation.
Or at least he had hoped so.
"Shirou, you're up," declared Aizawa, tossing the ball to his student.
Catching it nonchalantly, Shirou stepped up to the circle and momentarily considered his options. He had yet to show off what these people believed his 'quirk' truly was and this was an event designed to display his abilities. The record at the moment still stood at Bakugo's original seven hundred and five metres, Shirou not really counting Uraraka's ball having been defined as going an infinite distance. That was a technicality at the best.
There was a wide range of distances that had been thrown, the greatest out of pure strength having gone to the Shoji, the teenage student who had had the strongest grip strength amongst his peers. On the complete other side of the spectrum thus far had been Mineta, the diminutive kid with purple balls growing from his head had amassed a whole hearted twenty six metres.
Shirou knew that he could easily reach a distance far greater than any who had gone before, Uraraka not counting. The one joy of having been sent out to track down and defeat innumerable targets meant that his arsenal grow with every battle. He could bring forth something as common as a baseball bat and hit the ball around the three hundred metre mark, four to five if he added a touch of reinforcement.
Alternatively he could use a touch of his weaponry. He could bring forth the traditional Yumi, or perhaps even craft an English Longbow, pierce the ball on an arrow and put his teenage years of archery training to the test. If he wanted to be a complete showoff he could use the bow he had witnessed Archer use against Caster back at Ryuudou temple. Archer's original weapon, one without a name yet strong enough to carry the necessary burden brought forth by the sheer power of Noble Phantasms.
An incredible bow, one which could launch a projectile miles further than Bakugo's explosive throw.
Yet he had no intention of showing these guys what he was truly capable of.
He threw the ball. The object was launched, far further than what anybody could have imagined possible without any sort of quirk being shown. Once again, it didn't break any records but it would definitely cause some eyebrows to be raised.
...
Shirou had expected this, of course he had. The entire time that the test was going on he knew he alone was being specifically watched. Sadly, it wasn't by Aizawa, he had plans well in place to deal with the stoic teacher were he to raise some questions.
Sadly he had been prevented from leaving by a number of his classmates, iIt would seem that he had gotten the attention of a number of those who weren't exactly thrilled by his results. Five of them to be precise.
Bakugo and Kirishima had been expected, both of them were hot headed from what he had seen and had pushed themselves during the tests. It was weird seeing their competitiveness and having a small knowing that the two of them would likely drive each other to greater heights.
Iida was another one who wasn't surprising, though his vendetta still probably stemmed from the incident earlier in the day as opposed to what happened during their display of skills.
The last two were more than a little surprising. Yaoyorozu had been giving him off looks throughout the day ever since they had locked eyes before the two of them had raced in the first test. Even during the classes in between then and now he had felt her eyes wander onto him as he did his work.
The final student who had decided to momentarily miss the lunch break was Todoroki. Shirou had yet to interact with the quiet student but it was clear during the testing period that he had the potential to become someone special. The way he had used his ice quirk had shown that he had a good grasp on what he was capable of but Shirou had an inkling suspicion that Todoroki hadn't gone all out during the tests either. It would be interesting to see just what the ice wielder was truly able to accomplish.
"I don't know why these guys are here, but what I wanna know is why is a villain like you at a school for heroes?" asked Kirishima, the brass teenager breaking the somewhat awkward silence.
"The deal between me and the faculty is none of your concern," declared Shirou.
"No, it doesn't. What I do care about is the safety of..."
"If you're worried about me attacking any of the students here, don't. I'm not that kind of person," assured Shirou, earning a scoff from Bakugo.
"And we're meant to believe you villain, after you fought my brother and all those other heroes?" asked Iida, clearly not believing a word Shirou was saying. Considering the 'minor' altercation they got into this morning before class had even begun it was clear that Iida's opinion would be more than a little biased.
"What is a hero? What is a villain? Who determines who is given these labels? Why must everything be on such different sides of the spectrum? I know of those who steal in order to provide food for starving children, if they are caught then those kids will die. I know of those who do good, there public face a beacon for all to see before they return to the lab and experiment on human guinea pigs who beg for the sweet release of death."
Shirou was painting a picture for them and it was clear that they were more than a little uncomfortable with what he was saying. Yaoyorozu had gone slightly more pale in the cheeks and even the normally poker faced Todoroki seemed to be swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat.
"You are all here to become heroes, at least in the most commonplace version of the word," continued Shirou. "What happens when you leave here and the masses know your names? Will they chant for you in the streets or be pleading for you to hold off the enemy until someone stronger arrives? Never stop pushing yourselves and become the hero that people can count on in any situation."
"And what about you?" asked Todoroki. "Will the people call for you in the streets to come save them?"
"No," said Shirou slowly. "If people are going to be saved..."
"Are going to be saved?" repeated Kirishima. "You make it sound like heroes fail to..."
"They do, heroes fail all the time either to those they are trying to protect...or themselves," said Shirou momentarily recalling Archer, the false hero who had fallen from his ideals. The false hero he so desperately wished he could simply forget but knew deep down that he never would be able to. The false hero who he had become. The false hero that he had the potential to become.
Taking a breath, Shirou focused on those around him. "The word hero has changed a lot over history, the world we live in today is proof of that. In centuries to come though, your names will be nothing more than a part of a list of those who failed to stand out; one of hundreds if not thousands of those who decided that they were content to be just another hero."
As Shirou moved towards the exit, his part having been said he could hear the clenching of a fist behind him. "I'm going to be number one you here!" shouted Bakugo though Shirou paid it minimal thought. It was good to have aspirations to be the best in the world, because only then could you see how difficult the path to become the best truly was.
"Man, that totally didn't go the way I thought it would," said Kirishima as he placed his hands on the back of his head.
"You wished to catch him plotting something nefarious?" asked Iida as Bajugo stomped out of the classroom, each step banging on the floor.
"Nah, I wanted to try and figure out why he attacked the heroes back then," said Kirishima with a shrug. "Everyone had an idea as to why but nobody knows the truth. Even hearing what he had to say makes you know that the answer is nowhere near as simple as it should be."
"Agreed," said Iida, albeit mildly reluctantly. "Might I inquire as to your thoughts on the matter Yaoyorozu?"
"Well," started Momo, momentarily trying to get her thoughts to align. "I know I for one am here to show the world that I am someone worthy of being a hero. At least I thought I was."
She was shaken, it was clear to see. Those who had observed her at the start of the day had seen a woman full of confidence, ready to tackle any and all obstacles before her. Not even a full day had passed and already her confidence had waned greatly. All because of one person.
Todoroki pushed himself off of the wall he had been leaning against and started heading towards the exit. "Do you have nothing to add?" asked Iida, causing the teenager to stop in his tracks.
There were several seconds of silence before Todoroki gave his answer. "Nothing I say will make a difference." As he exited three words rang through the remaining students minds. Make a difference. Could they make a difference in this world? Unfortunately as they answered that they would make a difference, they couldn't do so with the conviction they so desperately wished they could muster.
...
"This is highly irregular Aizawa," said All Might.
"Irregular or not he is in my class and as such plays by my rules," stated the quirk cancelling teacher. "It's not as if he can't handle the situation."
"What does this show the other students?"
"That even in unfair situations the person with the greater amount of skill will be victorious."
"You're wanting me to test their dedication to becoming a hero?"
"Something like that," said Aizawa with a shrug of his shoulders as he left All Might alone, his spiel having been said. The top hero would be hosting battle training the following afternoon and if he did as he was told, it would definitely be a training not to miss.
Chapter 7
Midoriya stared at the roof, his bedroom encased in darkness with the sun having set hours prior. Sleep was eluding him thus far despite being moderately exhausted from his first day of school at U.A. Having ended the day with the lowest overall score in the physical examinations meant that his journey had only just begun. Getting into the prestigious academy had only been the first step to become the greatest but first he had to survive whatever the school would throw at him.
Which also included his classmates.
Kacchan had tried to confront him after he had launched the ball which was only mildly surprising, despite how terrifying the situation was. It was inevitable, at some point Kacchan would confront him and he would need to be prepared for whatever the volatile boy had in store. He just hoped between now and then he would have some sort of way to channel One for All without having to visit Recovery Girl afterwards.
Despite how high of a hurdle it would be to overcome, Kacchan had ranked third overall amongst his peers as opposed to his dismal last place. There were still two students who had managed to score higher.
Todoroki and Emiya.
That wasn't dismissing any of the other students who ranked above him. Each had fought and scrapped their way past hundreds of other applicants to become students at the academy and each had something to give. Now it was up to him to scrape and crawl his way to become a hero alongside his peers.
He knew it was going to be hard. Other children had already had a number of years to hone and develop their skills and to know just what they were capable of. He had little to no experience using One for All and the school schedule didn't give him much time to hone his newfound powers. He needed to train but there was only so much time where All Might could train him one on one and the laws prevented him from learning out in public and the powers of One for All were not appropriate for inside the home.
That unfortunately meant that his trial and error ways of testing what he was capable of would be limited to the school grounds. He needed somebody to train him when All Might couldn't. Someone who had a quirk that wasn't completely different from his own. Thinking of those near the top of the class rankings, there was only one he could think of that had shown abilities that seemed similar. Emiya had utilized nothing but his raw strength, speed and talent to claim the top spot of the class.
That was who he needed to help him become better.
Now he just had to figure out how best to approach him.
...
Eighth.
She had ranked Eighth.
She. Momo Yaoyorozu. A student who had gotten in through official recommendations had failed to rank in the top third of her peers.
A child prodigy who had expected to stand atop her classmates had fallen so short of her expectations within the first day. She hadn't even been able to front her parents about it, having had dinner brought to her room that evening, telling the staff that she was unwell and wished to rest.
She sat there, the flicker of a lit candle burning brightly by her side as she read, her expansive knowledge growing ever more as she learned about more things that she could potentially make with her quirk. That was what her quirk was about at the end of the day. Creation. The higher range of items she could make, the stronger as a hero she would be.
She had to redeem herself. Prove that she was worthy of having been recommended to such a prestigious hero school. That would mean confronting the greatest obstacle she had ever come across.
Shirou Emiya.
Even thinking about him caused her to remember those cold, calculating eyes. Eyes that seemed as if hope had been drained from them. Just what had Emiya been through? The words he had spoken after class had haunted her through the rest of the day and made her question just what kind of Hero she wanted to be? It also made her question why she wanted to be a hero in the first place.
Slamming the book shut, Yaoyorozu purged those thoughts from her mind. Tomorrow was another day to prove herself amongst her peers and as she blew out the candle, she knew just who she had to impress most of all.
She would impress him.
She had to.
...
"I'm...coming through the door like a normal person!" announced All Might as he walked into the classroom. Emiya was, so far, not impressed. Sure this was only the first time he had seen the hero and it wasn't in action. Apparently though he was the top hero, his kidnappers apparently wishing to kill this hero alone. He could understand their reasoning. If you want to make the biggest of splashes you took down the biggest out there. Simple.
He knew that you couldn't simply judge the professional hero just on looks alone, even if he did paint a mildly intimidating picture despite that cheesy smile seemingly plastered on his face. He doubted All Might had the ability to compete with any of the heroes he had confronted in the past but still he wouldn't pass judgement until he had seen just what the man could do.
"Hero Basic Training! The class that will put you through all sorts of special training to mold you into heroes! No time to dally! Today's activity is this! Battle training!" declared All Might, each sentence seemingly roaring with power.
While a majority of the students suddenly got excited for their afternoon classes, Shirou couldn't help but wonder what kind of conditions those around him would be exposed to. Being a first class, he imagined that it would be something simple for them to show off in front of their peers. The athletic testing the previous day might have shown off what they were capable of in a very specific scenario. Battle was a completely different game with unpredictable situations that those participating had to adapt to constantly.
Shirou couldn't help but wonder how many of those sitting in the class with him right now would deal with some of the simpler situations he had encountered. Unfortunately, he didn't think many of them would make it on a true battlefield.
"In accordance with the 'Quirk Registry' and the special request forms you filled out before being admitted..."
"COSTUMES!" shouted a multitude of the students.
"After you change, come out in ranking order to Ground Beta!" instructed All Might as the costumes were handed out. "Looking good is very important ladies and gentlemen!"
...
All Might smiled as he always did whilst he waited for the first student to arrive. He hadn't been kidding when he had said that looking good was important. Not so much for the heroes themselves, but rather for the community who watched them. The people needed to recognize the hero before them to feel a sense of comfort despite how horrifying the situation might be. A costume was a symbol, a symbol that informed those in need that they would be rescued.
Turning his head slightly, All Might could see the silhouette of the first trainee approaching. There was a reason why students were made to come out in the order they ranked in during their test the previous day. It was so that those behind them could see their goal, to see the objective in front of them and know that the next person stronger than them was only fingertips away. It kept the competitive spirit alive, even when ranking professionally. Nobody truly wished to be seen as if they were lower than the previous year, fear that their prime was behind them had a terrifying way of spurring one onwards again.
He was sure that many in Class 1-A wished to claim the number one position off of this student. The villain who was strongarmed into becoming a hero in training, someone who had already shown that they could handle what the real world was capable of dishing out. It would seem though that he had chosen to go something rather simplistic with his heroic attire. In fact, many would struggle to call it the costume of a hero in the first place though it wouldn't necessarily be something that somebody would associate with a villain either.
The outfit spoke of solitude, isolation almost. It consisted mostly of a form fitting black mesh suit, perhaps something akin to body armour which covered his torso yet left his arms open though his hands were protected by fingerless gloves (All Might assumed was made from the same protective material). The only colour on the top half of his attire was dull silver, the contrasting colour lined perfectly with Shirou's muscle structure. As for the legs, they were covered in casual black trousers which had plating protecting the ligaments. On his feet were black shoes which seemed to have metal plating protecting his toes.
There was one thing which made All Might know that this entire ensemble wasn't crafted by any of the regular support companies affiliated with the school. That was the cape that he wore. It might have been white when it had first been created but it seemed as if decades of dust, debris and blood had soaked into the fabric. The ends were frayed and torn, more than a single hole was present. All Might could tell however that it was more than a simple clothing choice, one which nearly nobody would make. Nearly every hero had a vast number of outfits, each one perhaps only mildly different to the point where it was almost difficult to notice that they weren't identical. Each one however would be fresh, clean and if there was one which became damaged then it would be replaced.
That cape would never be taken away from him.
Each one of those tears, each smudge of dirt, they were reminders. All Might still wasn't sure the entirety of the student's background, nobody really did but it was clear that cape had been through a lot, none of it pretty.
This simply was another question in the puzzle that was Shirou Emiya.
As the rest of the students walked out, each in their own individual and specialized costumes, All Might waited patiently for the last to arrive. His own pupil in Midoriya was last in his modified green jumpsuit and All Might wondered how the student would step up to the plate today, especially with the pressure this next test would bring. Originally he had planned multiple two versus two scenarios with the competitors drawn at random. That however, had now changed.
"Heroes in training!" All Might bellowed, his voice silencing the murmurs between students. "Villain battles are most commonly seen outdoors, but, statistically, the most heinous villains are more likely to appear indoors. Between confinement, house arrest and black market deals in this hero-filled society of ours, the cleverest villains out there, lurk indoors. Practical experiences are the best way to learn the basics. Hence, we will be conducting team battles."
"Will we be selecting our own teammates?" asked Iida, raising his hand as if he were still in grade school.
"Your teammates have already been selected for you," declared All Might. "Using the rankings obtained in yesterday's exercises, we have come up with appropriate teams."
"Team A will consist of Asui, Ashido, Shoji and Todoroki."
"Team B will consist of Aoyama, Uraraka, Ojiro and Bakugo."
"Team C will consist of Sero, Koda, Kirishima and Iida."
"Team D will consist of Kaminari, Sato, Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami."
"Team E will consist of Emiya, Jiro, Hagakure, Mineta and Midoriya."
...
To say that All Might's introduction of the teams was bland was putting it nicely. It was clear to Shirou that the professional hero was still getting used to his role as a teacher. What was clear however was the placement of the teams, or more specifically his team.
He had been placed with the four students who had scored the lowest in the practical while the other students had been spaced out evenly. Considering this were team battles, it was a deliberate handicap.
"Take a moment to know your teammates, learn what they are capable of before the practical begins!" All Might instructed.
It took only a handful of seconds for the groups to split up, the four students who Shirou would be working with huddled together as he approached them. He didn't blame them, none of them had interacted with him and he was well known as the former villain. While all the other groups had already begun speaking with one another, those who would be working with would had yet to say a word. Seemed it would be up to him to start it off.
"Alright, so..."
"I've been waiting so long to actually meet you!" squealed Hagakure, the invisible girl moving her hands frantically up and down. "I watched the video of you so many times then when I saw you in our class I wanted to go up and meet you face to face, but I froze and then I just couldn't because it would have been awkward and I feel as if I'm making a fool of myself."
Shirou found himself momentarily at a loss for words, blinking several times as he tried to clarify his thoughts. It also didn't help that the girl who had just confessed that she was a fan of his had a hero costume that visibly consisted of a pair of gloves and boots. Somehow, he didn't believe that the rest of her attire was made of an invisible material.
"It's okay," said Shirou sheepishly, not quite sure how he should. "So, what is everybody capable of?"
"I'm invisible, so I'm really good at sneaking around and catching people off guard," announced Hagakure, more than eager to answer Shirou's question.
"Good to know," said Shirou, giving her a somewhat awkward thumbs up for her enthusiasm.
"My quirk is a double edged sword," said Midoriya, his fist clenching as he looked at the ground. "I have incredible strength but my body is unable to handle the recoil. I can't control my output so I end up injuring myself to the point where I can't fight anymore."
Shirou nodded his head in understanding. It sounded as if Midoriya's quirk was one that was impossible to train in a safe manner. The only real way to get better with it was through trial and error until he could gain some kind of control. Unfortunately that could mean a lot of broken bones and torn muscles before trying to remember how to work through a single punch only for it to backfire again.
Mineta pulled one of the purple balls off his head and held it in his hand. "These balls are incredibly sticky," said Mineta, Shirou trying to block out how wrong that sentence sounded. "A new one will grow in its place, but if I tear off too many too quickly it will start to bleed. My costume and I are the only things that it won't stick to."
"My jacks can be used as whips but if I am able to plug them into a target I can channel my heartbeat through them to create a shockwave," declared Jiro, her arms crossed over her chest. "What about you, we all saw you fight but what is your actual quirk?"
Shirou allowed a claymore to appear in his hand before he drove it into the ground, the noise silencing all of the other groups. "My abilities allow me to craft weapons, though nothing modern. The weapons also have to be one's that I have seen in the past, I can't create an original sword. They do not last forever however and will eventually vanish on their own or when I will it," said Shirou, the claymore evaporating into blue glimmers of light. It was a very basic version that the people around him would understand and take at face value. They likely would never be able to comprehend the true abilities he possessed even if he was to tell them, not that he ever would.
"Wait, so how did you be in the top percentile of every one of the physical tests if you can only create weapons?" asked Midoriya. "Weapon creation wouldn't have anything to do with increased physical strength or stamina."
"When everybody has quirks that make them unique, they tend to forget that the human body is able to reach incredible heights through rigorous training," stated Shirou. "The greatest of heroes are able to come through every situation, without having to rely on the things that make them special." His spiel said, Shirou ignored the looks that the other students sent his way and focused on All Might. The professional hero turned teacher was still smiling at him but it was almost strained, the man clearly deep in thought.
"Well...students, now that you have a general grasp of what your teammates are capable of, it's time for you to learn what the task is," announced All Might, garnering all attention back on him as he held up a pair of handcuffs. "It will be team versus team where the objective is for each group to capture members of the opposing team. Every one of you will have a single pair of these handcuffs to use, once the handcuffs are on that student is eliminated for the rest of the exercise. That's not all, each team will also nominate a single student to be their VIP that they will inform me of. If the enemy team captures the VIP, then that entire team is eliminated and the other team will be announced victorious."
"Now, the Team that will be defending first will be Team E, who will start the exercise inside and play the role of the villains, their VIP being their heinous mastermind."
"The team of heroes who will be storming the stronghold will be Team D, who will approach ten minutes after Team E has entered the facility."
"Now, let's begin!"
Chapter 8
To say that Yaoyorozu was anticipating the upcoming exercise was putting it lightly, the young woman barely able to prevent herself from bouncing on the balls of her feet. She wanted an opportunity to engage with Shirou and prove her worth and she had it right here, right now. She had just heard what Shirou had said before he and his team had entered the facility, he could only make medieval weapons.
She could make anything that she knew the inner workings of.
How could a sword compete with a firearm?
Not that she would be using real bullets! She didn't want to kill Shirou, far from it. She needed to teach him, and subsequently, his team a lesson.
Speaking of teams, while hers had the number disadvantage it was actually well rounded and would do well storming the building. Sato was their powerhouse, though due to his quirk his strength would only last so long. Hence they had planned to use him in sparse moments, tagging him out with Kaminari whose electric ability would keep any potential counter attackers at bay.
Kaminari had also been given the title of their VIP, the belief being that the members of the opposing team would be more than a little hesitant to get close to the member of their squad that could constantly produce an electric field around them, a great defensive measure. While all this was happening, Tokoyami would be running as decoy, hopefully creating the idea that he was the VIP that would cause their whole team to be eliminated. Due to the strengths of his own quirk, Dark Shadow, he would be the hardest physically to handcuff so it would make sense that he would be targeted by either strength or numbers, depending on who encountered who.
"BEGIN!"
All Might's voice boomed around them, signaling the start of the competition and causing the members of Team D to begin their assignment. They proceeded slowly, knowing full well that Team E had had a full ten minutes to scout out the building and prepare accordingly. Also, it didn't take them long to notice the cameras located in the corners of the corridor, informing them that their entire performance would be monitored by All Might and assumably their peers. Yaoyorozu couldn't help but smile, hoping quietly that the whole thing was being recorded so that she could watch these next few minutes over and over again.
The path ahead branched off, the trio of Kaminari, Sato and Yaoyorozu took the left path, Tokoyami taking the right. The three students approached the stairs slightly hesitant, expecting an ambush to be awaiting them. Sato stepped forward first and found that it was an ambush of sorts. At the end of the room stood Midoriya and Mineta, the two of them bracing themselves for the conflict to come. The room they were in had purple balls seemingly littered across the ground, no pattern apparent. It was heavier on their side but that was nothing unexpected. The real question though, was what did they do?
None of their team had truly paid much attention to Mineta during the quirk assessment test the previous day. His small frame meant that his physical abilities weren't that great but he had managed to get into the Hero Course ahead of hundreds of other applicants. That meant that his quirk was something that couldn't be underestimated. While yesterday would have been an excellent day to watch and learn everybodies capabilities, most of the attention had been focused on the person who had already stood toe to toe with heroes. Without anything outstanding, nobody had truly paid attention to Mineat and what the balls that he produced from his head were capable of.
They needed to be avoided though, that was clear.
Sato moved forward, careful to watch his step as he proceeded towards the two smaller students. Kaminari followed behind, pulling the handcuffs out of his pocket and getting into position. While Mineta's orbs were uncertainties at this moment in time, Midoriya's quirk was very much known with the teenager having had to see Recovery Girl after yesterday's exercise. Incredible strength, terrible feedback.
Yaoyorozu watched patiently from the entranceway, wondering just how Midoriya would act in the situation before him. It seemed as if the boy was so far incapable of controlling his immensely powerful quirk, one which could likely turn the tide of any battle in an instant but it had to come with some horrible outcomes. Knowing that in order to throw a full blown punch, one which would provide victory in almost any given situation at the almost guaranteed result of injuring himself to such a degree that he could no longer compete. Momo had to give credit where credit was due, the fact that he wished to become a hero while his own body was incapable of dealing with the self sustaining damage was incredible and took incredible determination.
The creaking of floorboards next to her was all the warning Yaoyorozu received before she felt her body begin to fall, having been pushed to the side by seemingly nothing. The answer to her current predicament was quick to come to her, there having been one other member of Team E hiding in the room. Hagakure was invisible, that was her quirk and nobody had considered the possibility that she would go completely nude and hide near the entrance to the room. They had merely thought that the purple balls scattered around were the only traps in waiting.
Knowing how her dilemma came about however didn't prevent Momo from falling. Twisting her head, she saw that she was heading towards a slathering of the purple balls. Reacting on quick thinking, a wooden rod formed out of her palm, landing in a gap between the spheres. It wasn't pretty, but it kept her out of trouble for the moment. She didn't want to know just what those balls did just yet.
"Look out!"
The call from her teammates alerted her to oncoming danger, looking up to see three balls soaring through the air at her. Her predicament was a simple one, avoid the spheres at all costs while remembering that there was an invisible opponent somewhere nearby that could interfere with her efforts at any given moment.
Simple.
She began her work, preparing herself to avoid all oncoming assaults, both visible and not. It would be difficult and all of her focus would be required to successfully return to the fight at hand.
"Tokoyami has been eliminated from the test," boomed All Might's voice over the speaker system.
And there went her concentration. Yaoyorozu avoided the first ball but both the second and third connected with both her shoulder and torso, her elaborate movements flailing as she fell towards the floor, still unsure what the balls currently attached to her body did. When she did land awkwardly atop a number of them, she suddenly discovered her predicament as she found herself unable to move.
Try as she might, and she did try quite vigorously, she could do nothing bit flail with little success of getting anywhere more than where she remained. It seemed as if she had discovered just what the balls that grew on top of Mineta's head did, as did her teammates who now found themselves glued together.
While they could fight on for a handful of seconds longer, Kaminari couldn't activate his quirk without taking out Sato and the strong man would be unable to utilize his strength to his fullest without risk of injuring Kaminari. She meanwhile could do nothing from her position. Sure she could utilize her quirk to craft items for her teammates to use but Momo could tell from her place on the ground that the result was clear.
She was incapacitated, her partners were being approached from three sides with their opponents all wielding their handcuffs and preparing to finish the battle.
They had lost.
She had lost.
She had lost without even having seen Shirou. She had been taken out by the three students who occupied the lowest places in her class. It was humiliating, beyond humiliating! Unfortunately that left her with one very terrible thought on her mind.
Where did that leave her?
...
The general studies class couldn't help but find themselves in a situation they hadn't even remotely considered at the start of the day. Their teacher had decided that it would be good for them to watch and analyse the aspiring heroes. It was very possible that some of them would become well known journalists or even be a part of a hero agency in an administrative role. Those were only a couple of the examples that the teacher had come up with but the students were in agreement that it would be a good lesson.
"Do you think that Sato's quirk would be perfect as an advertisement for a children's cereal brand?"
"What kind of exercise do you think Jiro does to keep in shape?"
"Do you think it was morally wrong for Hagakure to go completely nude, I mean, I know we can't see her but still..."
These were a few of the conversations currently surrounding Rin, the world traveller barely paying attention to the rabble of the masses. Her eyes were solely locked on a single student, but to call him on the same level of those around him would be an insult.
What she was watching though was his actions, small mannerisms that only she would notice. She had seen them all before and she was on the lookout for the more worrying ones. With that being said, Shirou did look oddly relaxed. Considering the task that he had just accomplished, it seemed as if he was having a touch of entertainment predicting and countering the plans that the other team had made.
If Shirou really was enjoying this, even just that tiny amount, Rin could call the exercise a success, regardless of the inevitable result.
...
"That was awesome!" shouted Mineta, high fiving Midoriya as the two of them met up with the rest of their team. He then followed up by trying to give Shirou a clap of the hands only for the weapon crafter to cross his arms. Seemingly getting the hint, Mineta retracted his arm and went very still.
"How'd you defeat Tokoyami Shirou?" asked Hagakure.
"I didn't, Jiro did," said Shirou.
"Really?" said Midoriya in astonishment. "How'd you do it?"
Jiro, a touch embarrassed by all of the attention that had originally been directed at Shirou being thrust upon her, found herself playing with her jacks, twirling one around her finger. "Well, since his quirk centred around the whole dark being kind of thing, I made the room lighter to see if that would work against it."
"Made the room lighter?" repeated Mineta.
"She collapsed one of the walls," clarified Shirou.
"Wait, didn't you think about that doing that would risk the roof caving in?" asked Midoriya. The silence that followed along with Jiro sheepishly looking to the side answered his question more than words would have. "Then how did..."
Before anything else could be said, All Might's voice resounded over the speaker system once more. "Due to the damages that have been sustained to the current facility, another location will be used for the next battle where Team C will be the team invading the villain headquarters. Those headquarters will be occupied by...Team E!"
"Team E...us?" exclaimed Mineta. "That's not fair, we're meant to fight again so soon!"
"Why would they make us fight again?" questioned Hagakure.
"Think about the team layouts," said Midoriya, his mouth covered by his hand as his mind went into overdrive. "Every other team have evenly spaced out teams, making them well rounded while ours consists of the highest and the four lowest ranking students. This might well be a secondary test to show that individual skill will does not necessarily mean that there is an advantage over the number of opposition."
"No, I think it's much more simple than that," stated Shirou.
"What do you mean?" asked Mineta.
"It's to punish us."
"Punish us!" repeated Mineta in shock.
"Aizawa threatened to expel the lowest student yesterday," said Shirou. "The standard rules of teaching don't have to be applied in this class. The four of you were the lowest of the pack yesterday in a school which is meant to produce stellar hero after stellar hero. Any hero that comes out of this academy and fails is a blemish on the school itself."
"So what, they want to make us give up?" asked Hagakure.
"That may have been the original idea," murmured Midoriya. "They may have been counting on us all to be wiped out, trounced by students that scored higher than us to either motivate us to get better or get out. One in three hundred applicants get through to the hero course every year so they want to make sure that those who got in are determined to see it out to the end."
"How do you think the other students feel now?"
"What?" asked Jiro, curious about what Shirou had said.
"It may be as you say," said Shirou. "Were we to be badly beaten, our place in the school may have been in jeopardy. Now though that we came out of that fight and the other team failed to capture a single one of us, how do you think that makes them feel? They came in with confidence only to get beaten by the four of you, the four of you who placed at the bottom of the ladder. So I ask again, how do you think they feel?"
Silence reigned after his words, the pleasure they had felt from their victory hollow after Shirou's speech. With them having achieved perfect victory, it also meant that the other team had suffered a total defeat. Students whom they were to share the rest of their schooling with, any potential bond of friendship that may have been formed possibly shattered before it had even begun.
Thankfully their shared sense of uncomfortability was shattered with All Might announcing over the speaker system that the next location had been selected and that they had ten minutes to prepare. Shirou watched as his team marched forward, their spirits dampened from what he had said. Pausing mid step, Shirou allowed a sigh to escape his lips before he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Stop."
Shirou's command resulted in a very quick response by the four other students. They turned around to see Shirou with his arms crossed. "What, you're going to give us a pep talk now?" said Jiro, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Try and boost our morale perhaps."
"Hardly," said Shirou. "I'm going to tell the lot of you that you should quit if something like this gets you down."
"What!" Hagakure screamed out, fists clenched and shaking up and down.
"In your own time, you can worry about whatever it is that is dragging you down and kill those thoughts with movies, ice cream, long walks or anything that helps get your mind off things. However you deal with it, is how you will deal with it after we come out of this victorious."
"Victorious? You reckon we will win again?" asked Mineta. "I reckon we should just call it quits during this one and prevent ourselves from having to fight again."
"Then get out and be known as the guy who just walked out on the second day of school, all because he was scared of getting hurt in a school for people who want to put their lives on the line everyday." Mineta stiffened at Shirou's words as he continued. "We will get hurt, time and time again. Physically and mentally. Then we will get up time and time again. We will recover, get hurt and be stronger to tackle the next challenge each and every time a new problem comes our way. Right now is another task that we will overcome, even if we then have to fight the rest of the class one after the other. Now, I'm going to go prepare myself for the fact I believe Iida is going to hunt me down like a rabid dog on some weird revenge thing. Sero will try to use the tape his quirk allows him to create to pull people off balance, count on that. Mineta, since you're the distance fighter he will try to target you to reduce our overall range. Count on that. Hagakure will stand in front and get drawn in in your place. The momentary shock should give you enough time to strike with the two of you double teaming to take him down. Midoriya, you'll need to combat Koda. His quirk allows him to communicate with animals, so he won't be able to do much in the current situation unless perhaps for some spiders or insects, no need to use your quirk, just put him down with natural strength. He will likely be the one holding onto the handcuffs and be ready to eliminate whoever Sero or Kirishima puts down. On the note of Kirishima, Jiro, you're going to keep him at bay. The shockwaves you produce may be the only way to slow him down, perhaps even stop him completely but you'll have to get through the armour. Aim for the joints, behind the kneecaps, armpits, elbows, find the chinks in his armour. Kirishima or Iida will be their leader, whether they chose to go with speed or strength. They will be the hardest to take down though. Reduce their numbers and collaborate on Kirishima while I teach Iida a lesson. If you have complaints on the plan you are more than welcome to voice them afterwards. Now, let's go."
Shirou marched forward, his teammates parting for him as they tried to comprehend the whole thing before awkwardly jogging to catch up with him, not wanting to walk behind. "So much for the whole no pep talk thing," Jiro whispered to Hagakure who couldn't help but giggle.
Chapter 9
Iida couldn't help as he panted, hands and knees pressed to the ground as exhaustion and fatigue filled his body, sweat pouring from his brow from a mix of physical and mental exhaustion. The bout hadn't been going long, far from it but as the sounds of his comrades being eliminated one after the other echoed through the speakers he had found himself pushing himself harder. Again and again, trying new tactics in an area which didn't allow him to fully utilize his quirk.
Yet it had dawned on him soon enough. It didn't matter how fast he went, what side he struck from or what surprise he tried to mix into his assault, he was powerless against the monster in front of him. This wasn't the top of the class he was facing. This was someone who had seen heroes up close and personal and knew how to compete with professionals.
And here he was, a student who hadn't even been in this academy for a week thinking he could take on this juggernaut before him.
What a fool he was.
"So, tell me, what did you learn?" asked Shirou as he stood over Iida, the teenager having successfully brought Iida to this state without breaking a sweat.
"You're...you're too strong," said Iida ashamed.
"You already knew that," declared Shirou. "If I wasn't at that level then there would have been no way I could compete against your brother and the other heroes. Try again."
"Then I'm too..."
"If you're about to say weak then I want you to walk out that door and leave this academy with your tail tucked between your legs," said Shirou as he crossed his arms, creating an imposing figure. "You're trying to become a hero. The moment you doubt yourself is when the battle is lost and those people you were trying to protect die."
"Then what do you want me to do?" asked Iida, raising his gaze up from the ground.
"There is always going to be someone better than you, whether that is because they are faster, stronger, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you use everything you have at your disposal to close the gap. Take this experience and learn from it. Treat every fight as if your life depended on it and figure out just what you are capable of. Every time you get knocked down, count it as experience so it becomes harder for them to knock you down again."
Iida couldn't help but find himself swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat. Shirou wasn't simply saying this because it was something that he had seen in a self help book. He had been knocked down, repeatedly by the sounds of it and found ways to get back up, no matter how bruised, bloodied and battered he was.
He knew how difficult the journey was, he had already crawled on that path through whatever means necessary to come out the other side. It painted a terrifying picture and Iida could find himself understanding the person in front of him that little bit more, however scary that idea was. Shirou didn't become as strong as he had because he wanted to, his strength had come from the fact it was necessary.
Iida didn't resist as the handcuffs were secured around his wrists, eliminating him, and his team from the competition. Though it didn't truly matter, he had been the last one standing from his team after all.
As he stood up and started heading towards the exit of the room, he took one final look back at Shirou and wished that during their battle he had managed to accomplish a single thing. Just one single thing to show that he had been taken seriously.
Shirou had bested him without using his quirk. Not a single weapon had been crafted to battle him.
Next time though, next time they fought Iida knew that he would lose to Shirou again. If he could make him use his quirk however, no matter how badly he was beaten it would be an incredible victory.
...
Shirou looked at Mineta and Hagakure, the two of them having been captured during the last contest. Looking at the bright red handprint on Mineta's face said more than any explanation would. It seemed as if the small student had tried to get a bit frisky at some point and had jeopardized the whole operation in order to cop a feel.
"Have you said you're sorry?" Shirou asked.
"It doesn't matter if he said it or not!" started Hagakure. "He thought that while I was in front of him he could..."
"I know it won't change the way you feel," said Shirou, offering the invisible girl a small smile. "It will tell me however if he has even the slightest bit of remorse for his actions."
"Oh, in that case, no he hasn't said sorry," said Hagakure.
"Alright then, there's only one thing that we need to do in order to get him to repent for his sins," said Shirou.
"What's that?" asked Mineta, fear creeping into his body.
Shirou crafted an ancient knife, one which had originated hundreds of years earlier and was crude in design. It did make a solid point visually however and was perfect for what he was about to say next.
"Castration."
Mineta felt his knees go weak under him and he struggled to remain standing. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he begged, fearing for his manhood.
"Don't say it to me," said Shirou as he pointed the knife from Mineat to Hagakure.
"I'm sorry Hagakure! Please forgive me, I'm sorry for everything!" Mineta shouted in desperation.
"This is too much," mumbled Jiro as she found herself rubbing at her temples.
"Emiya, you're not really going to...you know..." said Midoriya, unable to find the actual words.
No answer was given however as All Might's voice came over the speaker system. "Team B, please get ready for your operation, you will be storming the headquarters of...Team E!"
"Oh what a surprise, it's us again," said Jiro with sarcasm almost visible in her words.
"Hey All Might, can we get the keys to the cuffs!" shouted Hagakure, waving her hands up to the camera, not sure if the number one hero could hear her.
Apparently not.
"While I can't hear you young Miss, I have some unfortunate news for you. You and the young sir by your side were eliminated from the competition, the whole competition," said All Might. "The rest of your team is still in the contest."
"Wait, so we're not only fatigued from our previous fights, but our number advantage is gone," said Jiro, biting at the inside of her lip.
"If you want to take a breather, find some cover and I can do the heavy lifting this time around," said Shiro.
"Are you really going to fight all of them?" asked Hagakure, still bummed out that she couldn't compete in the following event.
"No, I'm just going to fight three of them," said Shiro as his gaze shifted to Midoriya. "I think there's someone in Team B that Midoriya needs to face one on one."
Considering the four people that they were going up against, it didn't take long for Midoriya to figure out just who Shiro was hinting at. "Kaa-chan," he said softly, his palm clenching into a fist.
"We all saw him charge at you after you launched the ball yesterday," stated Shiro. "I won't ask what kind of bad blood there is between the two of you but this is your chance to rectify some issues."
"I don't know," said Midoriya with more than a hint of uncertainty.
"This is your chance to face your demons head on," stated Shirou. "If you can't even face your own fear, how are those you protecting going to know you're a real hero."
"So, Midoriya, the real question is this...Can you do this?"
Second ticked by as Midoriya did his best to gather the courage necessary to answer. Weeks ago were he given such an option he would never have chosen this but now...now things were different.
"Yes."
"Good, let's go," said Shirou with a cunning smile, wondering whether any of the other three students he was going to target would get him to use anything within his arsenal.
Jiro meanwhile couldn't help but see the smile that Shirou was wearing, an almost playful nature to it. She along with most of the world had seen just what Shirou and his partner were capable of, the way the two of them had been able to stand up to a multitude of heroes like it was nothing. Hagakure may have reached fangirl levels of obsession but she had been much more on the analytical side of things.
Even during that last bout after she and Mirodiya had succeeded in capturing Kirishima, she had watched Shirou toy with Iida all for the idea of teaching him a lesson. Having seen the footage, she was more than aware that Shirou was capable of so much more but he simply chose not to push himself. At any time he could have taken Iida out and likely in the next match he would take his time, perhaps even give some random hints of advice as he danced around their coordinated attacks.
Then, once they were tired and out of ideas, he would capture them and end the fight.
It was sadly all too predictable.
It would give her time to rest though for the final fight and after having had to restrain Koda, Sero and Kirishima, she was more than content to take a break.
...
The general studies class watched as the third bout started only for Bakugo to charge straight forward, leaving his teammates still standing at the entrance. He moved as if a man possessed, a single terrifying thought on his mind. Many of those who had never seen the explosive quirk user felt intimidated, all of them hoping to never be in the path of the teenager who looked more like a villain than a hero in this single moment.
Considering that there was someone who was once called a villain was standing right beside them, that was saying something.
Rin meanwhile couldn't help but feel mildly impressed. Mildly.
What she had been more impressed with thus far was how Shirou was interacting with those around him. She was glad that he wasn't actually using his proper strength against children pretending to be superpowered. She didn't care what kind of ability they possess which they believed gave them the right to be called the pitiful excuse of a hero in this world, they couldn't be any kind of idol if their mindset was that of a toddler. The best lesson that they needed to have beaten into their skulls was that it didn't matter that they had gotten into the top class level of the academy, they were still unprepared for the world.
Which made it all the more surprising as she watched the teenager that had yet to display a single bit of power during all of the fights thus far take the battle to the kid that could create explosions. Rin could hear the panicked whispers of those standing nearby about the thought how someone whose profile stated how the green haired kid had incredible strength but a terrifying self-destructive drawback.
Kid had courage, Rin could give him that. Unfortunately, it looked like courage wouldn't be enough in this battle. She had been in enough situations where she and Shirou had faced unspeakable odds during the Holy Grail war, not to mention everything that subsequently came afterwards. They had taken on the challenges knowing full well that they were potentially unprepared. Courage, was only good when one had the skills to back up their bravado.
Meanwhile, on one of the other screens, a couple of the students watched as Shirou danced between three sets of attacks almost effortlessly ad if he knew everything that would be coming his way. Rin allowed a smile to grace her lips for only a moment, making sure nobody else saw her reaction.
Just a small smile, one that was gone as soon as it arrived.
Shirou had had years of watching the worst of mankind eat away at his soul for decades. Rin knew that he had struggled and did his best to hide the effects that countless inhumane events had had on his psyche. He always did his best to wear that irresistible smile of his but every now and again Rin had seen it waver ever so slightly, telling her that perhaps they were fake smiles being sent her way. Shirou never wished to burden her with anything that would stress her out or make her worry, something which infuriated Rin to no regard. Yet she cared for him, and this was his way of showing that he cared for her.
A gasp from nearby caught Rin's attention, turning her head slightly to view the other screen to see Shirou's teammate on the ground, rubble and debris surrounding his barely moving body. It was clear that her earlier deduction had been on the mark, though the blood trickling both from the explosive kid's nose and a cut that had formed across his cheek. Saying that he looked annoyed was putting it lightly, infuriating also seemed as if it was an understatement.
Well, it just looked as if there was another person for Shirou to put into place.
...
Shirou secured the cuffs around Ojiro, the third person whom he had eliminated this bout. True to his style, during the entire time he had been combatting the trio, he had been trying to push them to better themselves. They actually had had some good chemistry, likely chatting amongst one another beforehand and creating some sort of plans.
Sadly it had all been a bit too predictable. Aoyama's laser instantly made him their long distance fighter while Ojiro had tried to combat him in close combat with Uraraka playing support where she could. They were still a bit green but there was nothing wrong with that. They would learn in the years to come, provided they made it that far.
The wall nearby exploded towards them, Ojiro flinching and closing his eyes as he braced himself for some manner of debris hitting his body. Nothing hit him however, his body being protected by the unmoving frame of Shirou who had stood in the path to protect him. Whatever rubble and grit collided with his frame did little to move him from his spot and only once the dust had cleared did he step to the side to see who was still around.
"Go," instructed Shirou, Ojiro taking no time to heed his call.
"There you are," snarled Bakugo as he raised a fist, his arm trembling in anticipation for what was to come. His menacing presence was only made more so by the amount of blood that was smeared across his face,red liquid still trickling from his wounds.
"I see," said Shirou as he leant to the side, the explosive palm that Bakugo possessed bypassing his head by a matter of inches. That was only the start as the momentum allowed Bakugo to twist, his leg swinging up in an attempt to strike again at Shirou's face. It failed to strike however as Shirou tilted backwards, allowing the leg to sail above his nose by the barest of margins.
Bakugo skidded off to the side, preparing himself for some measure of counter attack that never came. Instead he focused on the fact that Shirou had yet to move from the position he had been standing in when he had defended Ojiro from the destruction he had caused.
The explosive kid wasn't a fool. He knew that all of the other people in his class were merely pebbles that he needed to move past in order to reach the top. Standing in front of him though wasn't a pebble, it was a mountain. Shirou wasn't like the other students, that much was obvious. Even mountains however were scaled by the strongest and bravest of explorers, and Bakugo knew what the first step would be to ensure that he would be recognized as the strongest. That was to do what no one else had been able to do thus far.
Make Shirou use his quirk.
None of the other students had managed to do so, but Bakugo was determined to make the seemingly impossible a reality. "You better take me serious," he said as he slapped his wrists together, his palms pointing towards where Shirou was standing. "I'll crush you if you don't come at me with everything you've got."
"Everything I've got," repeated Shirou as Bakugo charged at him, the sweat building on his palms. Those watching on the cameras did so in horror as Shirou didn't budge from his spot as the palms connected with his torso, engulfing his body in an explosion which shook the foundation of the building. Smoke enveloped the human that Bakugo had struck with everything he could have mustered, causing the first year student to shake.
Many might have assumed he was terrified with himself because he had struck someone clean with his quirk, a powerful quirk that had the potential to kill an individual if not used carefully. During his childhood, while he had constantly been praised, he had also been given fair warning about the danger such a strong quirk could have.
That however, was not why Bakugo was shaking.
The smoke parted to show Shirou still standing there, seemingly unfazed by the attack that had struck him square. An attack that could have crumbled a wall hadn't even damaged the hero costume that Shirou was wearing. Was it the material itself that was able to withstand the attack or was it Shirou himself?
Knowing that potential defeat was coming soon, Bakugo's right arm swung upwards, his fist connecting with Shriou's chin in such a way that it sent the head recoiling backwards. A menacing smile crossed Bakugo's features for only the barest of moments before Shirou spoke.
"A haymaker is meant to end a fight," he said as his face shot down and his eyes connected with Bakugo's. It took only a split second then for Bakugo's insides to nearly collapse on themselves as Shirou's fist embedded itself in his stomach with enough force to send him crashing against the opposite wall.
Bakugo couldn't help the bile and blood that he coughed up as he found himself on his hands and knees, doing his best to take deep breaths. Hazy eyes went wide as he looked at Shirou and the weapon he held in his hands.
A spear. Crimson red in colour with an intricate pattern etched into the core.
Yet it wasn't these details that Bakugo noticed.
He could feel the power, he didn't know how it was possible but it felt as if the weapon itself was radiating an aura of pure strength.
Bakugo would later go on to stay that it was the weapon that had caught him off guard to which lead to his defeat. The spear never struck him, but being able to see his reflection in the spear face when it was only an inch away from his head with the tip embedded into the wall was an experience he never wished upon anyone else.
Bakugo didn't resist as Shirou placed the handcuffs on him (the pair that he had taken from Ojiro), the explosive teenager more than content to allow this competition to come to an end and allow some himself to have some manner of medical treatment administered. It was very possible that a few of his ribs were broken. It also didn't help that Shirou hadn't needed to summon the weapon to defend himself and the pure amount of strength in his fist alone was terrifying. Shirou had summoned the spear to make one point obviously clear.
That this was merely a taste of what he was truly capable of.
...
All Might couldn't help but allow a sigh of relief to sound out as the battle came to a close. Small medic robots were already on their way to pick up Midoriya, the kid having put up more of a fight against Bakugo then anybody could have predicted. He needed to learn how to utilize One for All better though or else he wasn't going to be able to see the rest of the semester through.
He was also glad that Shirou had opted to make a statement with his fist rather than the weapons he could have created. Heaven forbid he terrify all those who were watching by splashing Bakugo's blood all across the wall. Hopefully the explosive child had learned something from this and would be able to use it in the future.
Although he still wasn't sure how to feel about Shirou willingly taking Bakugo's attack head on. Was he simply that confident in his ability, or did he know he would be okay because he had been through worse in the past?
Now was not the time for idle thoughts however as there was one last bout to occur. Now it would be up to Team A to try and accomplish what no other team could.
Jiro and Shirou.
Asui, Ashido, Shoji and the son of Endeavour, Todoroki.
On paper it was two to four. Jiro and Shirou would be entering their fourth consecutive match with minimal breaks in order to restore their stamina. Team A had been able to watch what their opponents were capable of.
None of this would likely give Team A any advantage whatsoever.