Embers

by TheNexus97

From the purest love, the fiercest hatred can arise.

3. Chapter 2

EMBERS

CHAPTER #2:

FIRST SPARK

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Fire Force, My Hero Academia and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice belong to their respective authors, creators and publishers.

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Early Evening

-Midoriya Abode-

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"*ahem* So..."

"..."

"You... Uh... You really have a wonderful house, Midoriya-san!"

"Mhm."

"Not to mention the furniture and upholstery! Haha...!"

"Right."

"So... Yeah... I can see that you have a predisposition for green!"

"Well, my family name does mean 'green valley', so..."

"Haha... Yes, of course! Haha...!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

And that's it.

If they had told Toshinori Yagi, A.K.A. All Might, the Symbol of Peace, the No. 1 Pro Hero and current pillar of the Hero society, that he would've found himself uncomfortable and barely muttering a few words while sipping tea with someone, most likely he would've burst out laughing hysterically.

Although, to be fair, that someone was not your classic fan, co-worker, Hero Commission higher-up, politician or journalist.

But Jinemon Midoriya.

The current head of the Midoriya family, one of the oldest and most respectable families of all Japan.

That Jinemon Midoriya.

Renowned businessman, philanthropist and CEO of Akatani Enterprises, one of the most famous pharmaceutical companies with several offices around the world.

The Jinemon Midoriya.

And currently, said man was sitting right there, in front of the legendary Hero, across the table in the living room of his family's abode.

*siiiiiiiiip*

With a long, almost agonizing sip, Jinemon drank his tea, but he never took his eyes off his host.

*gulp*

Toshinori swallowed loudly.

Something wasn't right.

How come that he's able to fight, stand up to and overwhelm myriads of Villains and criminals, but he is practically immobilized while having tea with the maternal uncle of his newfound pupil.

Having had enough of the embarrassing and pressing air in the room, Toshinori opened his mouth to talk about Izuku, but-

"What did he tell you?"

-Jinemon beat him to it.

Toshinori recoiled at the man's sudden question. Despite Jinemon wearing his shades, the Hero could feel an icy gaze penetrate his soul.

Taking a deep breath to calm down, Toshinori returned Jinemon's gaze with one of equal intensity.

"Nothing, to be honest. We had a brief meeting just before the incident with Sludge Villain."

Jinemon nodded.

"Go on."

"Young Midoriya, after some intense... uh... 'fanboying'..."

Toshinori chuckled at the memory.

"... he asked me if it was possible for him to become a Hero."

The Hero noticed Jinemon stiffen, but continued.

"He asked me that. But he also added another detail to the question, one that left me speechless, back then."

Sighing, Toshinori rested on the table with his elbows, joining his hands in front of him.

"Then the whole mess with the Sludge Villain broke out. And that's when I saw it, Midoriya-san. That's when I felt it."

Jinemon mimicked his guest's posture.

From the way his brows furrowed, it was clear that he was narrowing his eyes at Toshinori.

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"Choose your next words carefully, All Might."

"..."

Toshinori held his gaze for a few seconds against Jinemon's.

"There was no need for Young Midoriya to tell me. For in that moment, I knew that I was facing Manslayer's son."

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"Grr..."

A feeble growl escaped Jinemon's lips.

"Midoriya-sa-"

"Quiet."

"...!"

Toshinori jumped at the animosity in the man's tone. The latter, now with his head bent over the table and with his hands wide open on the wooden surface, was in the midst of taking long breaths, as if to calm himself.

The air in the room, already oppressive, now became almost unbreathable. The Hero also felt his hair rise slightly, along with other hairs on his body.

Concerned about Jinemon's state, Toshinori started to get up to make sure he was okay, but once again-

*SLAM!*

"JIN!"

"JIN-SAN!"

"JINEMON!"

-he was beaten on time.

Turning to the voices of the intruders as they entered the living room, Jinemon and All Might noticed three people rushing towards the two men's position.

"H-Huh...?!"

"What the he-Hana? Mitsuki? Masaru? What are you doing here?"

Fortunately, this powerful entry took Jinemon by surprise, effectively calming him down all the way.

The three intruders, who turned out to be Hana Kotatsu, Mitsuki Bakugou and her husband Masaru Bakugou, blatantly out of breath as if they had just run a marathon, glared at Jinemon.

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"What...?"

"GAH! For fuck's sake...!"

Mitsuki exclaimed irritably. Reaching inside her purse, she flashed out her smarthphone, and after fiddling with it for a few seconds, she shoved it right in front of Jinemon's face.

The latter registered late what he was seeing, but it was enough for him to read the title of the video to understand what this was all about.

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[BREAKING NEWS! UNKNOWN SAVIOR RESCUE A BOY TAKEN HOSTAGE FROM CERTAIN DEATH! ALL MIGHT RUSHES IN TO LEND A HAND TO THE MYSTERIOUS BOY!]

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Jin groaned, as Mitsuki's glare intensified.

"Explain!"

---

Meanwhile

-Midoriya Abode's Inner Garden-

Within the innermost area of the house, on the outside, was located a large traditional-looking courtyard.

The ground was covered with white gravel, and to delimit its borders there were numerous plants and small ground lamps, which illuminated the area with a faint light.

Two things stood out in all of this.

The first was an area outlined in the gravel by slightly larger rocks. These drew a large circle in the middle of the courtyard, like a kind of arena or combat zone.

The second was a large cherry tree. Its petals, a delightful bright pink color, moved in the light evening breeze.

This idyllic landscape was Izuku and Jinemon's personal sanctuary, when they needed to disconnect from everything and everyone and unwind a little.

Calm, quiet and silent.

Everything seemed almost perfect.

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*SLAP!*

"O-Ow!"

"YOU IDIOT!"

Almost.

Right in front of the imposing trunk of the cherry tree, Tamaki was intent on hitting Izuku with a rolled-up school notebook.

*SLAP!*

"Gah!"

"YOU FOOL!"

*SLAP!*

"Ouch!"

"YOU MORON!"

*SLAP!*

"I get it, stop!"

"YOU MOONCALF!"

"Is that even a word...?"

"Grrrrrr...!"

Tamaki growled, her small body shaking with upset. Before she could again rail against her best friend, a new voice joined the two.

{Izuuukuuu-boooooo!~}

Out of nowhere, Nekomata appeared in front of the green-haired teen in a small burst of yellow flames. The latter took a beaming expression upon seeing the fiery cat.

"Nekomata!"

Wasting no time, Izuku raised his hand and started scratching behind Nekomata's ear, who began purring as she pushed her head further into the boy's hand.

{Meeeooowww...~}

"Still got it."

He chuckled.

"EXCUSE ME!"

Tamaki yelled, attracting the attention of the two.

"Nekomata! I'm trying to be angry here!"

The cat in question cast a smug look to the girl.

{Oh? Jealous, girl? Maybe you wish you were the one being pampered?~}

This earned a fierce blush from Tamaki, who began to pout.

Izuku joined the teasing, and raise his other arm.

"This arm's free, you know?"

He said, fighting back another chuckle.

"Nnnggghhh...!"

Having had enough, Tamaki rushed to the boy, pushing Nekomata (who hissed in protest) away and wrapped him in a tight hug.

The girl's sudden gesture gave pause to both Izuku and the flamy cat. Then they both noticed the slight trembling of Tamaki's body.

Sensing that the time of jokes and teasing had ceased, Nekomata vanished into the thin air, returning to her master's body.

"Tamaki..."

Izuku reciprocated his best friend's embrace, starting to tenderly caress her head.

"I was so worried..."

She murmured into his chest, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"Hey, it's alright. I had Zabimaru with me and then there was All Mi-"

"You used it, didn't you?"

Izuku stiffened.

Sensing the boy's reaction, Tamaki tightened the hug.

Silence fell over the two, with only the sound of the wind and the rustling of the cherry petals filling the void.

Izuku took a long sigh before answering the question.

"Yeah, I used it, but... From what I could see, nobody seems to have understood what was happening, so..."

"Izu..."

"Tamaki, listen, you know I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't absolutely necessary. It was a matter of seconds or Bakugou would have died. None of the Heroes there had lifted a finger to help him."

The girl loosened her hold.

"So you did it...?"

Resuming the head patting, Izuku nodded.

"Bakugou might be a, pardon my french, narcissistic asshole with a superiority complex and a planet-sized ego, but I would never let him die if I have the chance to save him. That goes for anyone else."

Izuku could feel Tamaki pouting.

"You're too damn good sometimes, you know?"

He chuckled.

"I have my moments, thank you."

The two teenagers shared a laugh, basking in the comfort of the now lightened atmosphere.

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"Sooo... you really wanted to be pampered, huh?"

Tamaki snapped her eyes open and pushed herself from her friend's chest, but she still kept her hands on him.

"W-What?!"

Izuku snickered.

"You were purring just now."

"Wha-! No I wasn't!"

"Also, you're blushing. Bright red."

"N-Ngh...! You...!"

Sighing in defeat, Tamaki once again buried her face on Izuku's chest.

"I hate yooouuu..."

She drawled, but the green-haired teen just smiled.

"Nah, you don't."

"..."

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"..."

"Don't stop."

Izuku had to refrain from bursting out laughing.

"Yes, ma'am."

But before he could resume the task of petting Tamaki's hair, the two were interrupted-

*click!*

-from the unmistakable noise of a camera shot.

The sound made Izuku and Tamaki jump, who scrambled away from each other, flustered.

Turning to the source, they came face to face with Jinemon, Masaru, Hana and Mitsuki.

The last two had their smartphones in hand and the biggest shit-eating grins on their faces.

"Ohohoh ~! This is some prime teasing material you just gave me, guys! Thank you!"

Mitsuki giggled.

"A fine addiction to my collection, if I do say so myself!"

Hana laughed, while Jinemon and Masaru could only shake their heads at the women's antics.

"MOOOOOOM!"

Tamaki, now utterly embarassed and blushing atomic red, covered her face with her hands, unintentionally releasing a small burst of yellow flames from her feet. Thankfully Izuku quickly put it out with a flick of his fingers.

Fighting back a chuckle, Izuku approached the four adults, stopping in front of Mitsuki and her husband.

"Hey, uncle, auntie! It's been a while! Although I would have liked to see you again in better circumstances..."

He said as he scratched his cheek sheepishly.

Masaru replied by ruffling his surrogate nephew's fluffy hair, smiling.

"Don't worry, Izuku. In fact, we should thank you for saving our son, despite things being a little... 'rough', between you two."

"How is he, by the way?"

Mitsuki snickered.

"Aside from being all chapped after taking a dozen showers to get rid of the stench of the sludge? Great! Even if his pride has taken a good hit."

"Haha, I can imagine."

It was then that Izuku noticed that someone was missing from those present. He turned to his uncle.

"Uncle, where is All Might?"

Jinemon shrugged.

"Eh, still in the living room, with Yuriko and the other girls to keep him company. Most likely he'll be autographing stuff left and right as we speak."

Rolling his eyes, Izuku and his family went back inside.

They had an important discussion pending, after all...

---

A Couple Of Minutes Later

-Living Room-

"Oh boy... those were a lot of autographs..."

All Might thought as he shook his aching hand.

A small crowd had assembled in front of him, made up of the Midoriyas, Yuriko and her assistants, Hana with her daughter and the two Bakugous.

After another retelling of events a few hours ago, Jinemon stepped forward.

"So, in summary, after watching my nephew rescue a classmate of his and using his powers, you connected the dots, realizing he was Manslayer's son."

"Yes sir."

"That Manslayer."

"Yes."

"The Manslayer."

"Yes...?"

"And after you found out about the boy's desire to become a Hero, you decided to help him follow his dream."

"Exactly."

"Mhm..."

Jinemon's expression hardened slightly. He then he turned to Yuriko and the other girls.

"Yuriko, could you leave us alone, please?"

The old woman, still with her angelic smile, nodded.

"Of course, master. If you need us, don't hesitate to call."

Smiling back, Jinemon nodded. So the servants left the room and its occupants.

"Now, All Might..."

The older Midoriya said.

"... just to be clear. Whatever you have to say you will say it in front of me, my nephew and everyone in here. I trust them with my life and there must be no secrets or subterfuges between us."

All Might nodded.

"Of course, I understand."

Finishing the little tea left in his cup, the Hero turned to everyone.

"As I told Young Midoriya earlier, the fact that he is Manslayer's son does not make him less worthy of wanting to be a Hero, but it will surely lead to problems along the way..."

"Are you talking about people's reaction? Or that of the other Heroes?"

Jinemon asked.

"Both."

All Might replied, and a grim look crossed both Jinemon and Tamaki's faces.

"That's exactly why I've always been against my nephew becoming a Hero, even though he's absolutely capable of it..."

"Uncle, please..."

Izuku huffed in annoyance, while Tamaki gently squeezed his hand in a comforting gesture. All Might interjected.

"With all due respect, Midoriya-san, not that I want to teach you how to treat your own family, but do you really believe that hiding Young Midoriya from the world is the right choice? I don't think-"

"I don't give a damn about what you think, All Might."

Everyone gasped at the stern tone Jinemon assumed.

"Actually, I don't give a damn what other Heroes think or, what the hell, even what the Hero Commission think."

"Jin, please...!"

Hana hurried to her friend's side to try to calm him down.

"Because, to be honest, if it depended entirely on me, I would have taken my nephew and hid him in a cave within the bowels of the planet if it means keeping him safe from fucking vultures like them."

"Jin!"

"Jin-san!"

Ignoring his friend's pleas, Jinemon stood up from his position.

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"So tell me, All Might."

*ruuuuuumble*

"UNCLE!"

"Wha-JIN!"

Izuku and Tamaki jumped to their feet, as Hana, Masaru and Mitsuki collapsed to the floor, panting heavily. Even All Might, still in his muscle form, had to lean on the table to keep from falling to the floor.

"Ngh...!"

A strange pressure was oppressing the whole room, and the Hero felt his old wound begin to throb as a result.

Looking up, he found himself faced with a rather peculiar scene.

Jinemon, fully erect to his feet, was glaring at All Might and the latter could swear that he saw a red hue coming from behind the man's dark shades.

Then there were Izuku and Tamaki, who tried in vain to calm the man down. The former had the same blazing red eyes he saw that afternoon during the Sludge Villain situation, while Tamaki's glowed a vivid yellow.

*poke*

"...?!"

All Might felt something poke the back of his head.

"Tell me why I should entrust my nephew's future to you."

"M-Midoriya-san?! When did you...?!"

Currently, Jinemon was standing right behind the Hero, with the index finger of his right hand against the back of the Hero's head.

"He was right in front of me! How did he move so fast without me noticing?! All I did was blink-"

"Answer me."

Noticing blood escaping from the corner of the Hero's mouth, Izuku jumped to his feet, pushing his uncle just enough to get between him and All Might.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Izuku roared.

The others could swear they felt the house shake.

The nephew and uncle thus found themselves in a staring contest. Bright red eyes met dark shades.

"Take it easy with that, you're suffocating the others, uncle."

Widening his eyes slightly, Jinemon glanced around, noting the state of those present, sans his nephew and Tamaki.

Taking a deep breath and then heaving an equally long sigh, Jinemon slumped on the floor. Covering his eyes with his hands.

And just like that, the ominous pressure that was crushing the room and surroundings vanished.

"Tamaki, go check on Yuriko and the other girls, please."

Completely forgetting the elder woman's fragile condition, said girl didn't hesitate to run to the sliding door.

But before opening it, she turned to Izuku with a worried expression.

"Izu..."

The green-haired teen shot her a comforting smile, and that was enough for her.

He then directed to glare towards his uncle.

"We'll continue this another time. In private."

The man, wordlessly, got up and left the room.

Now alone with three or four unconscious people with him, Izuku sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

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"What a damn mess..."

---

Later

"Well... uh... that happened..."

All Might chuckled awkardly, as both Izuku and Tamaki stood in front of him in the middle of the street, just outside the Midoriya abode.

The boy could only sigh in mortification.

"I'm so sorry, All Might. My uncle is not a bad person, and believe me when I tell you that he admires and respects you a lot as a Hero, but he's... well..."

"Overprotective?"

All Might finished the sentence and Tamaki snickered.

"Understatement of the century."

Izuku rolled his eyes, while the Hero chuckled again, but earnestly this time.

The former picked up his messenger bag and a yellow backpack. Then he turned to Tamaki.

"Okay, I'm ready."

The girl tilted her head.

"Are you sure, Izu?"

"Absolutely. Don't worry, I know my uncle. In these situations it is best to leave him alone to cool off. Sorry for being a burden to you and auntie Hana."

She shook her head, smiling.

"Never. You're always welcome in our home."

Then she raised an eyebrow.

"Why does something tell me that you intend to accept All Might's proposal well before the issue with your uncle is resolved...?"

She felt her friend's index finger poke her forehead.

"Because you know me."

He winked at her, before addressing All Might.

"All Might, again, I accept your offer. I'll do my best to not to disappoint you and not to make you regret helping me."

All Might's smile, as it impossible as it was, widened even more.

"Of course, my boy! I'm thrilled with your-*glurk!*"

*POOF!*

Just then, having long since reached his limit and also due to the previous event with Jinemon, All Might exploded in a cloud of steam.

Once cleared out, the two teens found themselves face to face with the skinny form of the Symbol Of Peace.

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"Uh... surprise...?"

"KYAAAAAAAAAH!"

Tamaki's scream was heard throughout the neighborhood.

---

Meanwhile

-Inko's Altar Room-

In the silent walls of the now deserted home, Jinemon knelt in front of his sister's altar.

His hands joined and his eyes closed in prayer, while the aroma of freshly lit incense permeated the room.

After the prayer, the man took off his shades and closed his eyes, taking a few moments to relax in the almost hypnotic quiet of the room.

Today was... interesting, to say the least.

*siiiiiigh*

*thud*

Jinemon dropped backwards, lying on the tatami floor, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"What to do..."

He muttered to himself.

Then he tilted his head back toward the door.

"Huh... did you gain weight, Hana? Your steps sure got heavier..."

And just like that-

*SLAM!*

-the sliding door of the room was violently opened, showing Hana in all her fury.

"HOW RUDE! I just drove back and forth between the Bakugous' house and mine to come back here to see how you were doing, and this is the welcome I get?!"

Jinemon laughed warmly, and it was enough to make the woman's anger pass away, smiling kindly at the man before approaching the altar.

Kneeling in front of it, she tenderly touched the photo of her long departed best friend.

"Hey, Inko-chan."

Then, as has been the tradition for years now, Hana began to talk about her day, as if she were still talking to the woman in person. Jinemon, now accustomed to his friend's routine, remained silent. He flinched slightly when she mentioned the part about All Might, but he kept quiet.

After Hana finished, Jinemon registered the woman's movements until he heard her behind him.

*rustle*

With her gentle touch, Hana put Jinemon's head on her lap.

Jinemon, still with his eyes closed, relaxed further, much to Hana's relief.

"We're a little old for a lap pillow, don't you think?"

"Shut up."

The two chuckled together.

"You look like crap tough, CEO-san."

"Ugh... I hate it when you call me that..."

"When was the last time you got a proper rest?"

"Uh... can't remember..."

"The last time you and Izuku spent time together?"

"Yesterday."

"Genuinely, not for training."

"Oh."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Next question?"

Hana sighed disapprovingly.

"Jin..."

The man grumbled.

"I knew it..."

He shook his head slightly.

"I'm not made for this. Raising a kid. I'm a bad pa-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll punch you."

Hana scowled at Jin, pinching his cheek slightly.

"Izuku adores you. You're his entire world."

Her pinch turned into a soft caress.

"It won't be this disagreement that will ruin your relationship. I know you too well, Jinemon Midoriya."

Laughing lightly, but warmly, he finally fully relaxed in his friend's lap.

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"It's in moments like these that I miss Inko..."

At mentioning her best friend, Hana was slightly surprised before adopting a melanchonic expression.

"Me too, Jin. Me too."

"..."

"But you also know what Inko would have wanted for Izuku, right?"

"Yeah..."

A few seconds of silence passed before Hana giggled.

"You know that right now, as we speak, Izuku will have already accepted All Might's proposal."

Jinemon nodded.

"Of course. He is my nephew, you know?"

The woman giggled again.

"You never meant to stop Izuku from wanting to go to U.A. and become a Hero."

"Heh, bullseye. If I really meant to, my sister's ghost would start haunting me."

"Your sister was scary even when she was still with us, you know?"

"Oh, I know, trust me. Be grateful that you weren't there with her during her pregnancy... In that state she would have made even the most fearsome Villain run for his life..."

At that point Hana burst out laughing, and shortly after her Jinemon followed. Then, the man rose from the woman's lap.

And stretched.

"Thanks for that, Hana. I needed it."

She only smiled kindly.

"That's what friends are for."

Jinemon walked over to the room window, opening it for air. Noticing the dark sky, he turned to Hana.

"Huh, it's late. Come on, I'll give you a lift home."

Waving her hand dismissively, Hana shot a wide, cheshire-cat smile at him.

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"Uh oh. That smile. I don't like this!"

Jinemon thought, alarmed.

"Aaactualyyy... I was thinking of spending the night here, and leaving the house free for Izu-kun and Tamaki...~"

"Uuugggh..."

Jinemon facepalmed.

"If only those two would move rather than tiptoeing around each other... It's almost painful to see them like this..."

"Nah, it's fine!"

Hana exclaimed.

"When the time comes, it will be even more satisfying for us!"

Jinemon raised an eyebrow.

"You really need to find yourself a hobby, woman."

"Hey! I'll let you know that shipping couples is a widely spread hobby nowadays!"

"So is competitive duck herding. Still weird and bit creepy, tough."

"RUDE! Go prep the guest room instead of being a smartass, CEO-san!"

Jinemon shook his head with a grin.

"Aye aye, ma'am."

---

Later

-Kotatsu House-

"Aaaaaauuuuuugh..."

A groan ran through the Kotatsu residence, an ordinary two-story Japanese house. Due to the late hour, most of the lights were out, except for the kitchen, where Izuku and Tamaki had gathered for dinner, cooked by the former.

The girl, on the other hand, had her head resting against the table, and she was massaging her temples.

"Are you okay, Tamaki?"

Izuku asked the girl as he finished clearing the table.

Tamaki raised her head, looking at him with an incredulous expression.

"How come I'm the only one who's shocked?!"

Sitting back up correctly, she glared at the boy.

"Toshinori Yagi, more commonly known as All Might, the No. 1 Hero and the Symbol Of Peace, the very foundation on which the current Hero society stands on, was..."

Tamaki broke off.

"I can't believe I'm going to say it..."

She thought.

"... Quirkless. But then he received a Quirk from a Hero who was also his mentor, who in turn received it from another Hero and so on. All this to explain that All Might's Quirk is nothing more than a stockpiling power handed down from generation to generation to cultivate its potential."

Tamaki jabbed her chopsticks at Izuku's directions.

"The same Quirk that All Might, who I just discovered by myself is a living skeleton, thank you very much, Izu...!"

The girl's glare intensified, and Izuku chuckled awkwardly.

"... had proposed to pass on to you!"

Izuku washed his hands after he finished putting the dishes and stoves in the dishwasher, joining her friend at the table.

"Yup."

Tamaki threw her hands in the air, exasperated.

"I can't believe you! Is that really all you have to say?!"

Izuku shrugged.

"I mean, should I really be that surprised?"

Izuku put his hand under his chin, supporting his head. Then with his other hand, he created a small emerald flame. The flame began to dance elegantly in the green-haired teen's hands, moving deftly between the palm and fingers. Tamaki found herself watching the boy's display with an almost mesmerized look in her eyes.

"Quirks of all kinds and looks can be found these days. Is it so strange to imagine a power being transferred from person to person?"

Tamaki shook her head slightly, looking away from the flame on the boy's palm, before looking at him.

"Maybe you're right, but..."

She sighed. Looking closely at Izuku, she noticed his downcast expression, his eyes looking almost blank.

Her mind drifted to a little while ago, before All Might left.

---

"You refuse ...?"

All Might, with wide eyes, glanced the pair of teens in front of him.

After explaining the reason of his appearance to a rather traumatized Tamaki, he accompanied them in front of the girl's residence.

Once arrived at their destination, All Might also explained the origins of his Quirk, and the fact that he was looking for someone to pass it on to become the next Symbol Of Peace, in view of the Hero's eventual retirement.

To be fair, All Might was pretty sure Izuku would accept his offer. He had everything he was looking for in his ideal protege.

Strength, perseverance, altruism and determination. The fact that he was also the son of one of the worst villains to ever stalk this earth only reinforced his resolve.

But unfortunately...

"I'm sorry, All Might ..."

Izuku looked mortified, looking at the floor. Tamaki tried to console him by taking his hand in hers. The Hero asked a question.

"Does your father have something to do with it...?"

Izuku flinched, and squeezed his eyes shut.

To prevent her best friend from having a crisis, Tamaki stepped forward.

"It's complicated, All Might... It's not that Izuku doesn't want to inherit your Quirk..."

Glancing behind her, Tamaki noticed Izuku in the same position he was before, but he looked much calmer. She glanced back at the Hero.

"... it's just that he can't."

All Might's expression went from surprise to confused. But sensing the sensitive topic, he decided not to pester the two further.

"I understand."

Then he showed off his legendary smile, although in its current form, it wasn't the same, sadly.

"Even if you can't inherit One For All, my offer remains valid, Young Midoriya! If you wish, I'll be happy to help you with your preparations for the U.A. entrance exam!"

This statement was enough to calm Izuku and bring a kind smile to his face.

"I appreciate it, All Might. But first I'd like to clear things up with my uncle. Anyway, I'll let you know. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done today."

The Hero's smile grew even wider.

"That's what Heroes do, right?"

So, after gaining contact informations with All Might, Izuku and Tamaki retired to the latter's house.

---

Thinking back to that meeting, and the state Izuku was in, Tamaki shook her head and reached out to take the boy's hand.

The flame that danced on his palm died out, but a pleasant warmth remained on it. Slightly surprised by the girl's gesture, Izuku looked up, meeting Tamaki's golden eyes, full of tenderness.

"Everything will be fine, Izu."

She smiled, gently stroking his hand with her thumb.

"We're all here with you. Me, mom, Jin and also uncle Masaru and auntie Mitsuki."

Taken aback by Tamaki's words, Izuku replied with a soft smile. He gently squeezed her hand.

"Thanks, Tamaki."

{Hey, don't forget about me!~}

As usual, Nekomata popped out of nowhere, snuggling into Izuku's chest, who could not help but chuckle, stroking the cat's head.

"I would never."

With the atmosphere now lightened, Izuku and Tamaki decided to call it a night and get a much deserved rest from the tiring events of the day.

So, after taking turns in the bath, the two retired to their respective rooms (Izuku to Hana's bedroom, despite continuing to insist that the sofa was fine too. But Tamaki's puppy eyes are a deadly weapon...) and it didn't take long for them to fall asleep.

---

?

-?-

.

.

.

.

.

Opening his eyes, the first thing Izuku saw was white.

A vast, almost infinite, expanse of white.

Looking down at his feet, he understood why.

First, he was barefoot, and was wearing a completely white jinbei. He seemed to almost blend in with his surroundings.

Second, the white that covered the ground for miles upon miles was nothing more than flowers.

White spider lilies, to be exact.

Looking up, Izuku found himself staring at the bluest sky he had ever seen, with a few clouds here and there.

He closed his eyes.

Then he opened them again.

And finally he sighed.

.

.

.

.

.

"Here again, huh...?"

.

.

.

.

.

"Welcome back, warrior."

In response to the new voice, Izuku could only frown.

Slowly, he turned in its direction. He found himself in front of a kind of hill, always covered by the same flowers.

At the top, as if he were almost sitting on a throne made of white spider lilies, was a figure.

Curly and almost wild hair, just like his own, but completely black.

Flaming red eyes, just like his own whenever he taps into that power.

A pale, almost white complexion.

And a jinbei, just like his own, but as black as pitch.

The figure looked at Izuku, before a grin split his face.

"What's the matter, warrior?"

His voice was deep and slightly distorted, but it was undoubtedly his.

"What's with the surprised expression? Did you really think you got rid of me?"

"Why am I here?"

Izuku spat. He really didn't want to waste time in that place, of all places.

The figure just chuckled.

"Well, I don't know. You tell me, warrior. I remind you that this, all of this..."

He gestured with both arms around him.

"... it's right here..."

He pointed a finger to his temple.

"... in your head."

"Tsk...!"

Izuku turned his head away, irritated.

"I certainly didn't ask to be brought here...!"

"Yet here we are."

The figure rose from its floral throne, starting to approach the boy.

"Let's stop wasting time on these trifles, shall we? Tell me about yourself instead."

Once in front of Izuku, he put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's been... what...? Five, six years? How's the family? And the little kitten? What have you been up to while not-"

"STOP IT!"

*thud!*

With a violent shrug, Izuku shook off the hand of his doppelganger, stepping back to make room between the two of them. Then he glared at him.

"I thought I was clear, damn it! What part of 'disappear from my life' wasn't clear to you?!"

The figure just raised an eyebrow, his expression was passive, almost bored.

Then he rolled his eyes and walked back to his throne.

Supporting his head with the knuckles of his right hand, the figure boredly stared at down at the green-haired boy.

"The wolf loses its fur, but not its vice, huh...?"

Izuku glared at him and opened his mouth to retort, but he was interrupted.

"Before you start with the usual spiel, I remind you that it was you who used that power of yours that you oh so despise."

Izuku flinched.

"And for what? To save that little bitch, Bakugou? Wow, I knew you were an idiot, but not at this level..."

"What was I supposed to do? Let him die?!"

The doppleganger scoffed.

"And why not? It would be the very least he deserves. Trust me, few would've cried for him."

Izuku looked down, and gritted his teeth.

"-ter."

"Huh?"

He muttered something, but the figure didn't hear him.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch tha-"

"YOU MONSTER!"

Izuku roared, but the figure, once again, remained impassive.

"You're a monster, just like them! Just like him! All of you!"

He took a few steps forward, enraged.

"You're just a cancer! A disease that lives in my psyche! Why don't you just disappear and leave me alone?!"

"..."

*fwhip*

Somewhere in the expanse of flowers, one of them took on a crimson, almost sanguine tint.

Between the two occupants of this white space, silence fell. Izuku was panting slightly from his outburst, but stood his ground. The figure rose to its feet again.

And then...

"You're getting cocky, warrior."

... with almost frightening speed...

*fwhoom*

.

.

.

.

.

*SCRUNCH!*

... tore off Izuku's left arm.

*flosh*

Warm blood gushed from the wound, but Izuku recorded it late. However, when he did...

.

.

.

.

.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

... a howl of pain escaped his mouth.

Clutching his now bleeding wound, Izuku fell to his knees, right in front of the figure who had just maimed him.

The latter, who had now assumed an expression of disdain, looked at him with his red eyes.

"Tell me, warrior..."

The figure knelt in front of Izuku, who was panting in an attempt to control his breath to ease the excruciating pain.

"... if I'm a monster..."

He pointed to Izuku's wound, and Izuku followed his gaze.

The boy's eyes widened in horror.

"... what are you?"

"No..."

Izuku's wound began to throb, and something that appeared to be smoke or very thick vapor began to pour out.

"No...!"

It was then that a bone shot out of the stump.

And began to grow.

"NO!"

The bone continued to grow and divide until it recreated what was in effect a human arm.

"S-Stop!"

But it didn't stop.

After the bones were done, it was the turn of the nerves. Then the cartilage, muscles, blood vessels etc. In the end, the only thing missing was the skin, and when that too was done, Izuku found himself with a brand new arm.

At that point, the boy felt the first tears come to his eyes, but before they could spill from his eyes, he heard that voice again.

"Trust me, warrior."

Raising his wet eyes, he noticed with surprise that the figure now had a sad expression on its face.

"It's worse if you try to fight it."

.

.

.

.

.

"You cannot deny what you really are."

---

The Following Morning

Slowly opening his eyes, Izuku awoke from his dream, which was far from pleasant.

He remained motionless in bed, staring at the ceiling.

After a few minutes of idle contemplation, he looked at the clock fixed to the wall.

06:12 A.M.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Izuku dragged one of his hands across his face. Despite the early hour, he felt rested and refreshed from yesterday's events.

"Nothing better than a nice, traumatizing nightmare to start the day..."

He thought dryly.

Pulling off the covers, he sat on the edge of the bed.

Then his eyes fell on his left arm.

.

.

.

.

.

It was still there.

*siiiiiigh*

He put his head in his hands.

Before negative thoughts could form in his mind, his smartphone vibrated, indicating the arrival of a message.

Curious, he got up to pick it up, noticing that he had several messages.

The first was from Mitsuki.

"Hey Izuku! I'm writing to let you know that Katsuki has recovered and, surprise surprise, he's pissed off about what happened. Ever since he woke up he kept raving about how he didn't need your help, he had everything under control bla bla bla! But he calmed down considerably when we gave him All Might's autograph! Take care, and come over for dinner every now and then!"

Chuckling, Izuku moved on to the second message, which was Hana's.

"Good morning, Izu-chan! I hope you and Tamaki had a good night (not too much, tough, if you know what I mean! ). You'll be happy to hear that Jin has calmed down considerably. In fact, now he looks kinda guilty! He may contact you shortly, so be prepared. I will go directly to the office from your home, so make yourself comfortable!

P.S. Don't let Tamaki go near the stoves."

Blushing at Hana's innuendo, Izuku shook his head and moved on to the last message.

It belonged to his uncle.

Steeling himself, he opened it and started reading.

Izuku's eyes widened.

.

.

.

.

.

"Training for U.A. starts next week. Tell Tamaki and All Might.

Prepare yourselves."

.

.

.

.

.

"Haha."

Izuku smiled. In spite of his austere, tough air, Jinemon was a softie underneat it all.

Locking his smartphone, Izuku stretched.

"Well... let the day officially begin."

---

Ten Months Later

-U.A. Entrance Gates-

"And here we are, finally."

Izuku said as he stared at the large entrance gates to U.A. High, looking for once unconcerned with the various worries of the world outside his personal bubble. The brisk winter wind lashed at his hair, whipping his emerald manbun in the air.

He heaved out a sigh, a hand clutching the strap of Kusabimaru's sheath.

As per the regulations for applicants for the entrance exam, Izuku was wearing his middle school uniform. He also had with him a bag containing the clothes that he would use for the practical part of the exam.

"Heh... it's really happening, huh..."

Izuku thought.

It had been ten months since Izuku and Tamaki began their special training under Jinemon's tutelage, and in that time, they had put their bodies through absolute hell. Although Izuku and Tamaki were somewhat accustomed to his tough and rigorous training and sparring regimens, the man somehow managed to make it even more hellish...

Needless to say that both teenagers fell flat on the ground after particularly tough workouts.

However, the ordeal they have undergone has definitely paid off. Izuku's already impressive physique was now even more tempered. His skill with Kusabimaru was as sharp as ever.

Spying a familiar head of raven hair, Izuku made his way through the crowd, eager to see his best friend.

"Tamaki!"

He called out over the crowd. Her eyes snapped to the sound of his voice, before turning around to meet him.

"About time! Finally showing your face after making me wait!"

Tamaki pouted, while Izuku stood in front of her, looking at her figure.

To be honest, he was still coming to terms with how much his friend had changed in the last ten months.

Her face had grown more mature as she lost the last of the baby fat around her cheeks, and while her black hair was still worn in the same twintails as usual, her bangs were slightly longer, shadowing golden eyes and giving her a particularly exotic look. Even with the typical sailor fuku she wore, it was evident that Tamaki's athletic figure had grown both curvier with age and notably more powerful along with the increased intensity of her training.

.

.

.

.

.

And no. He was definitely not staring at her thighs. Nope.

"Out of my fucking way, extras!"

The voice of their former childhood friend screeched, causing both Izuku and Tamaki to turn around. Noticing Katsuki was actually expecting the couple to move, Izuku frowned.

After the incident with the Sludge Villain, the explosive blond avoided Izuku completely, merely throwing him dirty looks from time to time in class. Tamaki had speculated that he was still licking his wounds for being saved that day, but frankly she didn't care if it meant Izuku didn't have him around to pester him anymore.

In any case, said girl returned Katsuki's glare.

"Or you can just walk around us, since there is plenty of space to do so. You're just wasting more time acknowledging our existence."

"I said get out of my way!"

He yelled.

Rolling her eyes, Tamaki stood her ground.

"What's the matter, Bakuhoe? Too important to take a little detour?"

This made Katsuki stop.

"What the fuck did you just say, you bitch?"

"Wow, that's it? I'm kinda disappointed... I was expecting yet another derogatory nickname, Bakuhoe."

At this, Katsuki was prepared to launch an explosion to the girl, only to stop when Izuku spoke to him.

"Go on, Bakugou. Swing at her if you really want to ruin your chances by attacking an applicant on school grounds. This time you won't have Aldera covering your ass."

After that, Izuku made his way to the school with Tamaki fell into step beside Izuku as he walked by, both entering the gates of U.A. , leaving the fuming blonde behind them.

Once inside, they were filtered through a screening process, where it was confirmed that they were actually U.A. applicants, granting them a guest pass card that allowed the two past school's state-of-the-art security system without issue.

He couldn't help but gaze around in awe at the grand architecture of this legendary establishment. Mementos from U.A. alumni, prestigious awards, and other such decorations seemed to be plastered to every surface.

"Quit gaping, Izu! We've got a practical to ace!"

Tamaki exclaimed, shoving him lightly.

Izuku playfully fell over entirely, fully intending to catch himself at the very last moment as he had done so many times before. But curiously, before he could act, a peculiar sensation overcame his body.

It was as if all the weight left his form… as if he would drift away from the earth with even the slightest application of force. It was wholly disorienting considering everything around him remained determinedly stationary.

Then he heard an unknown voice.

"I'm sorry for using my Quirk on you without asking! I know it can be a bit unsettling the first time round, but it would be bad luck to fall on such an important day, right?"

Izuku stared into the wide brown eyes and frowning face of the girl he assumed had helped him.

Except that she wasn't frowning, it was just Izuku that was still floating upside down.

Wait...

"Gravity manipulation, huh?"

Izuku thought as he peered curiously at his arms, floating weightlessly through the air.

"Tamaki, look! The blood's not even going to my head! Its like I'm really in space!"

"Izu, please...!"

Tamaki groaned, a dusting of red on her face as she glared at some of the other applicants starting to stare at the display.

"Hey, don't be like that! Since when have you cared about what other people think?"

She pouted irritably but ultimately let the matter rest as the brown-eyed girl from before patted his chest, returning him to earth's grasp once more.

And sending him plummeting to the ground.

She really should have thought that one through a bit better, but luckily Izuku caught himself in a one-armed handstand and flipped over onto his feet, earning a surprised gasp and soft clap from the girl and rolled eyes from Tamaki.

"Thanks for the help...?"

Izuku trailed off, looking curiously at the girl.

"Oh! I'm Ochaco Uraraka! It's a pleasure to meet you, and it was no trouble at all, uhm… Deku-kun...?"

Izuku raised an eyebrow. Where did this girl get that name from? He'd been looking forward to no longer hearing it as an insult. He moved to correct her, but before he could get a singe word out, Tamaki had stomped over to the peppy girl and fixed her with a scowl full of a malice that Izuku had rarely seen from his friend.

"Where did you hear that name!?"

She almost snarled, jabbing her inded finger into Ochaco's chest.

"You know someone from his middle school?!"

Before the situation could get worse, Izuku intervened.

"Tamaki, relax! Look at her! Does she really look like she's even capable of bullying someone?"

They both turned to look at the girl, taking in the wide, innocent, chocolate-brown eyes, the youthful bob haircut and near permanent blush marks. They turned back to each other and Izuku could practically see the gears turning behind his best friend's eyes of him.

"Crap... I... kind of overreacted?"

She muttered.

"Just a tiny bit, yes."

Izuku chuckled.

Sighing, Tamaki resignedly turned to Ochaco and bowed down, who to her credit, looked only politely curious despite practically being assaulted moments earlier.

"I am deeply sorry for what just happened, Uraraka-san."

"Oh, don't worry! I totally get it! Must be the stress for the exam, right? I hope you all do your best!"

Izuku was floored, this girl seemed to radiate a sense of energy and wholesomeness like no one he'd ever met before. No one should be that happy! It was almost overwhelming, but certainly something he could eventually get used to. He nodded in agreement earning another beaming smile from the girl.

"I ... was way off the mark, wasn't I?"

{Yup. You're such a lovely dork sometimes, girl!~}

Tamaki thought beside Izuku's shoulder as she peered suspiciously at the new girl, who perked up in realization to something.

"Oh right! Uhm... Can I ask what that was all about? I didn't mean to offend anybody!"

Ochaco's brows were furrowed adorably as she stared them down resolutely.

Izuku inwardly smiled, as did Tamaki, getting a bit of a better understanding of their new friend.

"Don't worry about it, Uraraka-san, just a bit of a mix-up."

Izuku tilted his head towards Tamaki, pouting at his side.

"This is Tamaki Kotatsu and I'm Izuku Midoriya."

He said, giving her a wave.

A look of bewilderment came over Ochaco's features.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! I just heard a guy with blonde hair muttering something after calling you 'Deku' and… I just thought it had a kind of 'you can do it!' vibe, you know? Was I wrong?"

"..."

"..."

.

.

.

.

.

"She's too pure!"

Tamaki exclaimed, taking Ochaco's hands in hers and hopping in place, enthusiastic.

Izuku couldn't help but laugh at the scene, agreeing with Tamaki's statement, before addressing the brown-haired girl.

"I'm flattered, Uraraka-san, and you're welcome to call me Izuku, or Deku, whichever's easier for you."

Izuku smiled as Ochako practically had stars appear in her eyes, her face audibly swishing through the air as she rapidly nodded in agreement in combination with Tamaki's hops.

And so, after saying goodbye and wishing each other good luck, Ochako left Izuku and Tamaki to find her assigned seat as they all filtered into one of U.A.'s many massive gymnasiums. To Izuku it looked more like a futuristic concert stage than any gym he'd ever seen, but it was an observation that made much more sense when moments later, the Pro-hero Present Mic walked to the stage.

Tamaki had to physically restrain her best friend to prevent him from going into full "fanboy mode".

What followed was a general explanation of the practical exam delivered in the voice hero's typical fashion: loud and as flashy as possible. Surprisingly, the rules were straightforward to an almost insulting degree.

This was all it took to gain entry to the most prestigious school for aspirign Heroes in Japan? Smashing robots? Sure, the theoretical exam weeded out the poor academic students, but there had to be something more to this practical.

There had to be.

"Looks like we're in separate blocks..."

Tamaki said, a bit dejectedly, peering over at his exam location.

"That's good, wouldn't want you to help me cheat, now would they?"

Izuku teased, almost managing to keep a straight face but failing in the end. Even Tamaki had to crack a grin at the absurdity of it.

"Go out there and show them."

She said, poking his cheek. Izuku went to caress the top of her head as usual, but she pulled away at the last second. Her golden eyes stared up at his own.

"However..."

Her expression turned serious, and a bit worried.

"Don't overdo it. Do what is necessary to pass the exam, but nothing more, understood?"

Touched by the girl's kindess, Izuku poked her forehead, smiling tenderly.

"Don't worry, Tamaki. You think about kicking butts in your block, understood? When we pass, not if, I'll take you to eat your favorite mackerel sushi, ok?"

Tamaki grinned.

"Hohoho~! I hope you have enough in your wallet!"

{Damn straight! I'm starving!~}

After the friendly exchange between the two, they got up from their seats to head to their respective blocks.

Izuku greeted Tamaki one last time with an encouraging smile.

.

.

.

.

.

"Let's go leave our mark."

---

Half An Hour Later

-Block D-

"I knew this would happen!"

Tamaki thought angrily.

"Ten steps into U.A. and Izu has already run into another girl that had shown interest in him! I can't believe it!"

Nekomata, in an attempt to console her master, appeared beside her.

{Come on, girl. You knew it was only a matter of time before someone took an interest in Izuku-bo!~}

Tamaki pouted.

"I know! But I was hoping I had more time!"

And the worst part was, without a doubt, that she could for no reason in the world hate Ochaco.

She was too pure, damn it.

Just like Izuku.

"Grrrrrr...!"

Growling, Tamaki reached her destination in Block D. She had already changed into clothes more suited to the physical strain she will soon be putting on her body. She was dressed in a yellow sports bra, black leggings and sneakers. Instead of tying her hair into her usual twintails, she decided to go for a ponytail. Once finished, she began to stretch, looking around.

"..."

.

.

.

.

.

Of course there were boys.

And of course they were ogling her like she was a piece of meat.

She groaned.

"Why did I choose these clothes, again...?"

{Because you were hoping you would end up in the same block as Izuku-bo, so you could show off the wares, girl!~}

"Ngh...!"

Embarrassed and frustrated, Tamaki took it out on the perverts she had around her, shooting them a vicious glare, inwardly smirking at the violent flinch they gave.

Pulling her ankle to her hips to stretch her hamstring, Tamaki started deliberating on how she'd approach the exam.

"For smaller robots martial arts should be enough. But for those of medium size or if there are any targets with ranged attacks, I would have to resort to Nekomata. And of course, if I were to find the Zero Pointer I absolutely must- *mutter* *mutter* *mutter*"

Upon hearing Tamaki mutter just like a certain green-haired boy, Nekomata had to refrain herself from laughing.

{These two really deserve each other...!~}

*thud* *thud* *thud*

Tamaki hopped from foot to foot, throwing a few experimental jabs. The small bursts of flames released from her hands and feet went mostly unnoticed by those around her. Some were yapping with other contestants, while others gaped around at the barren city in awe.

She raised an eyebrow.

"They're acting like they've never seen a city..."

Not to put on airs or act arrogant (that's Bakugou's mission, apparently...), but Tamaki suspected that most of the applicants there were taking the upcoming exam too lightly. Sure, destroying robots wasn't that hard if you had the right Quirk for it, but it was clear there was something else going on.

"Oh well, if they don't figure it out for themselves, I'm certainly not going to spoil the surprise..."

Beginning the final stretches, Tamaki noted that a selected few, like herself, were running through simple warm ups to prepare themselves for the challenge ahead. Smiling, she committed those students to memory.

They could easily be her future classmates, after all.

After that, Tamaki strolled casually to the front of the starting line, exhaling slowly through her nose and rolling her head languidly. About ten minutes had passed, what were they waiting for to announce the beginning of the exam-

"BEGIN!"

And just like that, Present Mic's voice boomed over multiple test blocks, its power and range absolutely staggering to the contestants below.

"Well... here we go!"

A grin split Tamaki's lips as she took two bounding steps to clear the first line of contestants.

She then bent over on all four on the asphalt, her fingers clawed to the ground.

She closed her eyes.

She inhaled.

.

.

.

.

.

Then she exhaled.

"Come forth..."

She opened her eyes, which were now glowing bright yellow, her white pupils now slit-shaped, similarly to a cat's.

"... Nekomata!"

*fwooosh!*

A flash of golden light engulfed Tamaki, who emerged with yellow flames dancing around her body.

Those lingered on the girl's head and backside, where they took the form of two pairs of flaming cat ears and two flaming forked-tails, respectively.

It was then that the girl really let herself go.

An almost lightning-fast leap sent her rocketing ahead, while the other contenders were left reeling at the display.

Landing right in front of a group of robots, Tamaki ducked, crawling on all fours. Her two tails aimed menacingly at her targets.

She smirked.

"Bring it on!"

Her eyes flashed yellow.

"I'm ready!"

---

Earlier

-Block C-

Shortly before the start of the exam, the situation in Block C was not that different from that in Block D.

While numerous participants chatted animatedly among themselves, gazed in amazement at the fake city, or went about their own business in general, few were actually preparing for the upcoming trial. Either by stretching, thinking about which strategy to adopt or simply trying to stay calm so as not to get overwhelmed by anxiety.

In all of this, there was Izuku.

Currently he was in the middle of Mokuso, having assumed the classic meditation posture of the half-lotus. Kusabimaru was neatly placed on top of the bundle of bandages it was wrapped in, right in front of Izuku.

*... anf...* *... huff...* *... anf...* *... huff...*

Breathing in and out, Izuku had completely isolated all the cacophony of sound around him.

The chirping of birds.

The sound of the wind.

The echoing horns of distant cars.

The din of the participants as they talked to each other.

And their buzz as they talked about him.

"Hey, look at the weeb over there!"

"A katana? Seriously...?"

"Bah, don't mind him. He must have a pathetic Quirk to take the exam with that thing."

"I bet it's all scene to get noticed..."

"Pfft! Who wants to intimidate with that toothpick...?"

The conversations around him only grew in volume as more attention was brought onto him.

Izuku had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes.

Trying to regain the lost peace, he tried to refocus as much as he could, but-

"Excuse me!"

-it was easier said than done...

Sighing in frustration, Izuku reluctantly opened his eyes, finding himself in front of one of the participants.

He was a tall guy, slightly taller than Izuku and had indigo-tinted ebony hair with a pair of eyeglasses covering his eyes. He was heavily muscled and wore a royal blue compression suit that left his legs from the knee down bare.

"Wow... someone here certainly doesn't skip leg day...!"

Izuku thought, noticing the boy's impressive lower limb musculature, and what appeared to be engines merging with his calves.

"Huh... they remind me of someone..."

After the idle thoughts, Izuku rested his attention on the one who had just called him, looking into his eyes.

"Yes? Do you need something?"

The boy slashed a stiff hand through the air as if he was trying to chop something, repeating the motion several times.

"I couldn't help but notice that!"

He exclaimed, while chopping towards Kusabimaru. Izuku looked at his katana for a few seconds, before addressing the bespectacled boy with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. And...?"

"And what's the purpouse of bringing it here?!"

He asked, his chopping never stopping.

"Surely you must be aware that this is the practical exam for U.A. Hero Course, right?! In that case, why on earth would you need such a dangerous weapon?! Your Quirk should be enough to allow you to pass with a decent score!"

"Huh... I guess that's how I sound like when I start my mumbling storms..."

Izuku thought.

"And if not, why are you even here?! Hoping to interfere?!"

The scolding and the chopping never stopped.

"There are students here that have worked their whole lives for this opportunity! It is indeed disrespectful for you to be here just disr-"

"That's enough."

Izuku sharply cut him off, silencing the other teen's rant.

Untangling himself from his position, Izuku grabbed Kusabimaru, starting to tie it to his left hip.

"I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm one of those students, after all."

Once finished, he stood up, glaring at the taller boy's eyes, whose expression was still shocked.

"As you said, I've worked all my life to be here, along with with you and everyone else, so trust me when I tell you that sabotaging the exam is the least of my thoughts. Actually, the only one who is trying to sabotage something here is you, isn't it?"

Glare intensifing, Izuku took a step closer towards the blue-haired boy, who stiffened to his harsh words.

"Until proven otherwise, you came to me while I was in the middle of meditation to calm myself for the exam. Moreover..."

He tapped Kusabimaru's handle.

"... It is not written anywhere that Hero Course applicants are prohibited from using weaponry or gadgets as an aid to the exam. If the school approves that, you could show up here with a goddamn rocket launcher, you know?"

Izuku said, noticing the astonished expression of the boy in front of him, along with that of the other participants.

Realizing that he might've exaggerated a little with his rebuke, he sighed.

Not that anyone could blame him. Hearing the same taunts from all those ignorant people of his youth had left him heated in that moment. This was supposed to be the day he left all that behind him, but once again he was reminded of the fickle nature of crowd mentality

Shaking off the haunting thoughts, Izuku walked past the tall boy, patting his shoulder in what he hoped would've been a reconciling gesture.

"That said, I apologize if I gave you and others the wrong impression. Good luck with the exam."

Izuku walked away from the rest of the group, stopping only a few meters from the giant doors that gave access to the fake city.

Izuku checked that Kusabimaru was tied tightly to its place, then he reached to the sky to stretch the muscles that had stiffened slightly while he had been sitting.

All he'd have to do was prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he belonged here. That all the people that said he wasn't good enough were dead wrong.

His power raged within him, just waiting to be ignited.

Izuku ignored the hushed whispers of those closest to him. They were fools that had written him off just moments earlier, but he'd save them all the same. He'd show them that he deserved to be here. That he was meant to be a Hero. For all those who believed in him. For Jinemon, Hana, Mitsuki, Masaru, All Might and Tamaki.

And, above all, for his mother.

"Look at me, Mom. Today is the day."

"BEGIN!"

And just like that, Izuku lunged forward, darting past the gates of the fake city, leaving the still-stunned participants gaping.

"WHAT'S THE HOLD UP LISTENERS?! THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL LIFE! GO! GO! GOOOO!"

Izuku, whose mind was solely focused on the exam, raced through the city, dodging abandoned vehicles and trees alike. The wind moved strongly against his green locks and face, but Izuku cut through the abandoned streets without giving it any thought. He ran, skidded, jumped and vaulted through the environment with wild abandonment, yet with the goal always imprinted in his head.

It was then that he saw in the distance a small robot, one of the one-pointers. The machine noticed him from far away, and raised its arms, almost certainly to attack or intercept him.

Without losing any momentum from his audacious sprint through the city, Izuku unsheathed Kusabimaru, as the mechanical Villain unloaded a round of rubber bullets. While the ammunition obviously wouldn't inflict that same amount of damage as a typical bullet, taking a shot to the neck or face could possibly put some of the more fragile contestants out of commission.

But Izuku was far from fragile.

By dodging the bullets and, where it became difficult due to the short distance, deflecting or even cutting them with Kusabimaru, Izuku closed the distance against his attacker. It took a powerful swing with its clawed, mechanical arm, but Izuku had already leapt off into the air. The machine's glowing reticle tracked his path through the air, only to get impaled a moment later with Kusabimaru.

With a swift movement of his arm, Izuku pulled the blade from the robot's head, which fell to the ground deactivated.

*vvvrrrrrr!*

A menacing mechanical sound came from behind him, and as he turned, he noticed a large array of robots in front of him. They were all two or three-pointers, and they were about to surround the boy.

But the latter, whose expression remained calm and focused, raised Kusabimaru in front of him, holding it in a horizontal position.

Then, with a sudden jerk of his hand-

*splat!*

-he lowered his weapon, making the previous robot's oil and grease spatter out on the ground.

Glaring at the enemies in front of him, Izuku assumed his Te Ura Gasumi No Kamae stance. The tip of Kusabimaru's blade was pointing menacingly at the group of robots in front of him.

In what appeared to be a Mexican stalemate, they were all still, until one of the three-pointers aimed his weapon at the boy.

*BANG!*

By moving his head slightly to the side, Izuku dodged the rubber bullet, once again reducing the distance between him and the mechanical attacker. Before the other robots could overwhelm him with rubber bullets, Izuku jumped into the middle of the first group, ducked down and gripped Kusabimaru's grip firmly.

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"Floating Passage."

The slaughter began. Izuku cut, shredded, mutilated and beheaded every single robot that stood before him. Making his way through the growing piles of debris, he didn't notice that one of the two-pointer was about to attack him. At the very last second, Izuku threw a backward kick to the robot's arm, causing it to miss the target. Then, he grabbed his katana and threw it in the middle of the robot's head, destroying it for good. After that, he turned again and, intercepting the blow of another three-pointer, Izuku grabbed its clawed arm before plunging his hand into the enemy's metal body. Finally, he pulled his hand out, ripping a handful of circuitry from the now helpless body of the robot.

"And there you go... Damn... I'm sorry for Yuriko and the other girls who will have to wash all the engine oil and grease off my suit..."

Shaking off the grime from his arm, Izuku stepped back to extract his weapon from the robot's impaled head.

Looking around and noticing only a cybernetic graveyard, Izuku again launched into a wild run to reach a new area where he would find more robots to destroy. As he whizzed through the streets again, he noticed that there were still some applicants taking advantage of the low-density area to take on the robots one-on-one. He let out a chuckle at the sight of Uraraka flinging weightless three-pointers into the sky only to drop them to their grizzly demise a moment later.

"Huh... I guess that's one verstile way to use her Quirk. Good thinking!"

He mentally complimented the girl, before registering some movement in his peripheral vision.

Turning around, he just had time to lift Kusabimaru to deflect what appeared to be a...

.

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... laser beam...?

He turned with raised eyebrows to the source of the attack, only to notice another applicant looking way too calm for someone who had nearly blasted his head off.

"Oh, mon Dieu!"

The flashy boy exclaimed.

"Is that french...?"

Izuku thought, even more confused. But the boy, who seemed to sparkle with his own light, merely winked at him.

"I apologize for my poor aim! After all this time I'm still working on it! Good luck for the exam, mon amie! Au revoir!"

And so, the sparkling teenager waltzed away, leaving a flabbergasted Izuku behind.

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"Okay...?"

---

Meanwhile

-Block D-

Destroyed robotic carcasses lay all around her.

The pungent smell of engine oil and smoking circuitries seemed to permeate the air, one of the many traces of Tamaki's handiwork.

She fought through the fake city like a one-woman army, taking on every machine that crossed her path and leaving only destruction in her wake.

Flickering orange reflected off bright golden eyes as Tamaki let out a breath of tainted air.

"It can't be... There must be something underneath this test, I feel it!"

She tought.

"Anyone could fight their way through these robots without too much trouble, so why...?"

Something was wrong.

The one-pointers were fast, but caved under her blows like tin cans, and the two-pointers weren't much better. The lower point robots were both at least equipped with guns that shot rubber bullets, but they had a fairly predictable moveset. Easy enough to exploit, avoid and destroy.

The three-pointers were the ones that really packed a punch. They looked like armored tanks with better mobility. Not to mention the shock rounds that came loaded in their turrets.

"Gah... those things really sting, tough!"

Tamaki exclaimed, rubbing one of her arm in the process, remembering when she was caught off guard by a three-pointer, getting hit on the forearm as a result.

It was proof that, in spite of everything, a short time of inaction could be the difference between passing or not. The other applicants seemed to be avoiding them in favor of racking up points from the weaker of the three. It might have been a good strategy, and some might even say the test favored highly mobile quirks that could get to more robots in the short amount of time given.

Fortunately, brute strength and agility were not an issue for Tamaki.

Using her tails, she launched herself above a cluster of eight three-pointers that had cornered a group of students. They hadn't been paying enough attention and had trapped themselves down a dead end. She seemed to hang in mid-air, enjoying the brief moment where she was free of gravity's hold.

"Hang in there!"

She shouted to the other applicants.

That was enough to catch the attention of the group of robots, as they stopped chasing the cowering students, turning their optics up towards Tamaki. The momentum from her jump quickly waned and she let herself freefall towards her targets. Using her tails as leverage, she maneuvered between the shots, avoiding them one by one.

Getting closer and closer to the asphalt, Tamaki braced herself.

*THUD!*

Landing in the middle of the group, Tamaki stood still in a perfect one-arm handstand. Just as the robots pointed their weapons at her, she twisted her body to the side, her tails coiled around her.

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.

And then it happened.

"Fiery Whips!"

*SWOOOSH!*

Dropping off her stance, Tamaki rested the top of her head on the ground, and began spinning at full speed in what was effectively a headspin.

With the only difference that-

*clang!*

*crash!*

*blam!*

*ka-boom!*

-her tails, whirling with her, whipped all the robots around her, mutilating their mechanical limbs and heads.

In the end, only one robot was left standing, and Tamaki stopped her movement in an instant just as she was in front of it. Standing still for a few seconds, still upside down, she pulled her left leg back and-

*CA-CLANG!*

-with the inertia of her other leg, she axe-kicked the unfortunate robot down, obliterating his head.

Getting to her feet with a leap, Tamaki wobbled to bit.

"Guh... Luckily I had a light breakfast this morning..."

Fighting the growing sense of confusion and nausea, she shook her head and got back on track.

Darting through the various groups of students, Tamaki looked around, hoping to find more faux villains to destroy. Meanwhile, around her, the others could not help but notice the girl's onslaught.

"Holy shit! That chick's been taking these things out like nothing!"

"I know! Did you see that stunt she pulled earlier?!"

"So manly!"

"Wait, what...?!"

Tamaki angrily thought. She'd been content to ignore the other comments to focus on the exam, but did someone just define her 'manly'? The heck was that supposed to mean?

She turned harshly towards the source of the voice, but-

*VROOOOOOM!*

-a low, rattling groan filled the arena. It was the kind of sound that could only be produced by something incredibly large and metal trying to shift its weight.

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"Huh... I was right, after all..."

A massive mechanical arm smashed through one of the multi-story buildings a few blocks down the street, sending shattered glass, dust, and all kinds of debris raining down on the street below. Tamaki used her tails to slice through a particularly large chunk of concrete that was coming down on her. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the mechanical monstrosity that was now rampaging through the fake city.

She rolled her shoulders, assessing how much more stress her body could handle before she'd really start feeling it.

Even she might have some trouble taking something like that down.

Its body was heavily armored, for one. And some sort of plating covered its exterior, everywhere but at the joints at least. Like a suit of armor, those areas were clear to allow a certain level of mobility.

Tamaki eyed the other students fleeing in terror and horror from the giant as well as the lower leveled robots that now stood idle, but not close enough for them to engage in combat.

"What to do..."

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{You already know the answer, girl...~}

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Smirking, her golden eyes settled once more on the zero-pointer.

---

Meanwhile

-Block C-

*splat!*

Absentmindedly, Izuku removed the oil and grease from Kusabimaru's blade, as he stared wide-eyed at the gargantuan mechanical monstrosity that made its way into the fake city.

"Are the examiners out of their freaking minds!? What were they thinking sending out something so dangerous?!"

He tought as he carried another applicant to safety after the zero-pointer started smashing his way through a building. The poor boy's Quirk had reached its limit and left him vulnerable to the chaos caused by the giant robot's havoc.

Izuku safely tucked him away from the battle, advising to stay out of trouble until the end of the exam.

"Now, then..."

He turned toward the zero-pointer.

U.A. clearly wasn't above throwing their students into the deep end to get the best results possible. However, by doing that, they only reinforced the belief that this was where he needed to be.

And nothing could take that away from him.

Not even some robotic kaiju.

"Heh..."

Grinning, Izuku crouched with Kusabimaru held tight in his hand, as he dashed towards the source of the chaos. He kept an eye out for the one, two, or three-pointers that he could take out along the way, but at the moment he was mostly looking for students that were being overwhelmed by the zero-pointer's destruction.

Then suddenly, an echoing crack accompanied by a harsh flash of bright golden light in the corner of his eye brought Izuku out of his thoughts, only to widen his eyes in realization.

That had to be Tamaki's power, he'd recognize it anywhere. But seeing it from so far away? What had gotten her so riled up?

An irrepressible smile came to Izuku's lips a moment later, his eyes tracking the path of the zero-pointer.

"Kind of a dumb question... of course she'd try to take it on..."

Izuku slowed down as he approached the rampaging robot, dodging around fleeing applicants left and right. Seeing an armored three-pointer flanking the retreating group, he quickly sprinted over it and coated his free hand with emerald flames. When he got close enough to his target, he swiped his fire-engulfed hand in front of the robot, blinding it, before cleaving his head and arm off with a precise slash.

Leaping backwards, Izuku frowned as the light of the sun above disappeared. He looked up and peered into the towering form of the zero-pointer.

"Huh... it didn't look that big before..."

Izuku sheathed Kusabimaru, turning around for a quick getaway. Tamaki could have her glorious clash of the titans, he'd stick to evacuation as long as there were people to be evacuated.

One quick glance around told Izuku that most of the applicants had made it to a relatively safe distance away from the giant robot. He could wait out the rest of the time limit at the top of a building, out of the zero-pointer's reach. He'd lost his exact count in the frenzy of the exam, but Izuku was quite confident he had enough points to pass. He'd be surprised if more than one or two applicants from his own test site had topped his score. Hopefully someone would deactivate it by then, or the examiners would at least do something to stop it.

"The time is about to end, anyway..."

However, after finishing said thought, a pained cry caught his attention.

On the nearby street there was a familiar energetic young girl, though her face lacked its normally sunny disposition, and was now twisted into a grimace of pain. A thick block of concrete had fallen from the zero-pointer's rampage and pinned the brunette in place. Her arms were twisted at an awkward angle leaving her unable to use her Quirk to escape.

The ground shook as the zero-pointer, pulverizing an abandoned vehicle into scrap metal, got close, almost too close, to the helpless girl.

"N-Ngh...!"

She cried.

"..."

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.

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.

.

Izuku moved without a thought, grabbing the still sheathed Kusabimaru.

A heavy, armored limb began its descent.

Time seemed to slow down.

He felt his own eyes burn, as they changed color.

---

"Now or never, warrior."

---

*RUUUMBLE*

Just like that day in his classroom, a mysterious pressure hit the surrounding area.

*haaaaaaaaah...*

Izuku exhaled, his red and black eyes shining as he unsheathed Kusabimaru, grabbing it with both hands.

He then he brought the katana overhead.

"D-Deku-kun...?"

Uraraka choked out in a small, pain-filled voice.

Izuku did not turn around, directing all his attention to the zero-pointer in front of him.

He just replied to her.

"It will be all right, Uraraka-san."

His voice was dark, and combined with the malevolent atmosphere around her, it made the girl's eyes widen. Partly in admiration and awe, and partly...

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... in sheer terror.

The zero-pointer arm was now mere meters from crushing the two, and that's when it happened.

The veins on Izuku's arms bluged as his grip tightened.

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"Bisection."

A rattling boom shook the street.

---

Earlier

-Examination Room-

"In this practical exam, the examinees have not been informed of the number of Villains or their location."

The small principal of U.A. High, Nezu, happily lectured the observing teachers on the qualities they looked for in their applicants, though from the bored look on their faces, the speech must have been for the new teacher's sake alone. From what Nezu had said so far, he didn't need to listen.

Why?

Because the qualities U.A. looked for in its students were the same ones the world looked for in Pro Heroes.

Toshinori may have been new at the whole teaching thing, but if there was one thing he knew, it was his job as a Hero. That aside, he still paid rapt attention to his new superior, not quite having the guts (no pun intended) to slack off so brazenly as his colleagues beside him.

"Information gathering, the ability to assess and understand the situation before anyone else. Mobility that can be used in many different circumstances, discernment to be able to stay calm in any situation. And, of course, pure combat prowess."

The projected screens that displayed the various exam blocks filled the room's walls. The images displayed cycled through the various applicants, settling on two faces that were familiar to him.

He couldn't help but smile as a jolt of excitement ran down his spine. The couple had no idea he would start working at U.A. as a teacher.

"I really hope this doesn't upset Midoriya-san too much..."

Despite the less-than-ideal first meeting between Toshinori and Jinemon, the latter was kind enough to allow the Hero to lend him a hand in preparing Izuku and Tamaki for the entrance exam. Although he focused mainly on the physical aspect of their training sessions, leaving Jinemon those related to the powers of the two teens, Toshinori could only renew his admiration for Izuku Midoriya.

That boy was a warrior. In the literal sense of the word.

The teen's qualities seemed to shine even more when he took into account who the boy's father was. Precisely for this reason he feared that Izuku might have some reservations in giving his best during the exam.

But, hoo boy, was he sorely mistaken about the boy's skills.

From what he remembered from his brief, though brutal, encounter with the boy's father, Izuku's technique lacked power and sheer destruction when compared to Manslayer's. But he made up for it with speed and a fluid grace he hadn't seen in years.

"We have a really promising group this year, don't you think?"

A female teacher said in a sultrily tone.

"Eh, so it seems. However..."

Another one snickered. He flicked open a glass case that had obscured a large red button.

"... the real test starts now."

Pressing the ominous button, the teachers sat back to watch the show begin.

Toshinori sat with clenched fists and rapt attention as he watched as young Hero hopefuls met what was most likely their first experience with despair and defeat. He knew it was necessary to bring out an applicant's true nature, but seeing people needing saving right before his eyes and being unable to interfere went against every fiber within the body he had build up over his long career of Hero work. But his attention was drawn once more by the mutters of the various staff as a familiar freckled face dove straight into the fray, grabbing various applicants that had been unable to get away from the rampaging zero-pointer on their own.

He felt a familiar surge of energy stir in his gut, and he clamped down on it immediately. Buffing up at a time like this would only be wasting the precious time he had left.

A gasp ran around the room as something else was shown on the monitors, a young brunette girl, trapped under fallen rubble directly in the path of the lumbering robot.

"Be ready to cut the power."

Nezu's voice cut through the murmurs like a blade, the seriousness of the situation reflected in his beady eyes. Toshinori's hand hovered over the button he'd been entrusted, a minor stipulation he added before he agreed to be a part of the examination process.

But a moment later Izuku had moved, and in some spur of the moment decision he'd have trouble explaining later, the Hero decided to entrust this one to him.

An overwhelming threat.

The green-haired boy landed heavily in front of the robotic monstrosity, staring it down with a cold expression and red ey-wait.

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"Red eyes...?"

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.

*ruuumble!*

"Urk...!"

"Gah!"

"Ugh...!"

An uncomfortable, yet familiar feeling crossed the room, and Toshinori felt his old wound twitch in pain.

Sensing the cause, he turned his gaze to the screen and-

"Y-Young Midoriya...?!"

The exclamation was enough to attract the attention of the others present, but-

*BOOOM!*

A rattling boom shook the building.

---

-Block C-

Silence.

Total silence.

Totally heartbreaking silence.

In the general chaos of Block C, silence had fallen, so heavy and palpable that a certain green-haired teen could have sliced it in half with a sword.

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.

Just like he had done with the zero-pointer.

The aforementioned machine was lying right there, in the same spot where it was about to crush Izuku and Ochaco.

But now it was completely still.

And neatly sliced in two.

The two halves that made up the mechanical body of the gigantic faux Villain rested on the sides of the road it was rampaging on, slightly inclined. Smoke and sparks came out from them, due to the explosion that followed Izuku's attack.

The latter, on the other hand, was also immobile. Still holding Kusabimaru, now lowered into what looked like a Gedan no Kamae stance, he looked as if he was staring into space. Around him, there were several applicants, gawking at him.

"What the hell just happened...?"

"Did you see?! He sliced the zero-pointer like it was made of butter!"

"Wasn't he the loser from before, at the entrance...?"

"Holy shit... it's really true when they say they to never judge a book by its cover..."

It was then that Izuku finally turned, and his crimson eyes met those of the other students, who shivered in fear at both the boy's ominous appereance and previous display of power. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the oppressive air seemed to suddenly vanish, just as it had appeared, and the boy's eyes regained their emerald tint.

*phew!*

Taking a long sigh, Izuku remembered the reason for his gesture, directing his attention to Ochaco, who was still trapped under the huge boulder.

"Uraraka-san! Are you okay?"

He asked, moving closer to the girl, who was also gaping at him like the others.

"Y-Yeah, I'm *ow!*... a-alright."

She squeaked.

"That's good..."

He sighed in relief.

"Can you move?"

Watching Uraraka stretching painfully, trying to reach the chunk of concrete with all five fingers, was all the answer he needed.

"It's ok, Uraraka-san, don't strain ourself. I got this."

Hearing the boy's words, the girl slumped to the ground with a pained wince and a resignated sigh. Reinserting Kusabimaru in its sheath, Izuku approached the concrete block, putting his right hand against it.

He glanced at Ochaco.

"Uraraka-san, you may want to cover your eyes."

After that, Izuku squeezed the boulder with his hand, hard enough to break it partially to make it lighter.

*FWHOOOSH!*

*screeeaaak!*

Just as the debris fell from the larger piece of concrete, the indigo-haired boy from earlier came racing through the clouds of dust, engine-calves blazing. He stopped just a few inches from them.

"Gravity Girl-kun! Swordman-kun! I saw what happened in the distance! Are you two alright?!"

"Gravity Girl...? Swordman...?"

Izuku thought amused. He turned toward the newcomer.

"I'm doing just fine, thank you for your concern. Unfortunately I think Uraraka-san can't say the same."

He pointed towards the still-trapped girl, who was now on the verge of losing consciousness. The taller boy nodded, before promptly giving a devastating, yet well-aimed kick to the now frail block of concrete, obliterating it and finally freeing the girl.

"Here, let me help."

Izuku offered, taking one of the girl's arms on his shoulders as the indigo-haired boy took the other. Just as he was about to express his thanks to the bespectacled boy, Izuku was interrupted by-

"AAAND TIME!"

-from the thundering voice of Present Mic, who had just announced the end of the exam.

Izuku wanted to collapse right there in the middle of the street, but he fought against the urge.

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"Was that good enough, Tamaki?"

He grinned.

---

Meanwhile

-Examination Room-

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

I could once again emphasize the silence of this scene, but I'd risk sounding repetitive as a narrator.

The fact is, that almost all the faculty of U.A. was staring at the screen with various expressions of awe and shock. Including, surprise surprise, Nezu.

The first to recover asked his colleagues a question without ever taking his eyes off the monitor.

"Do I need eye drops again, or have I seriously seen one of the applicants slice the zero-pointer in half as if it was nothing...?"

"N-No way... m-my precious zero-pointer...!"

Another one was about to burst into tears. Nezu instead, after the initial shock, resumed his classic serene air.

"Mhm. I see."

He then turned towards Toshinori, who meanwhile tried to go unnoticed as he got closer and closer to room's exit.

"Do you have something to tell us, All Might?"

The Hero froze.

"Dang it..."

---

A Couple Of Hours Later

-U.A. Gates-

Outside the huge complex that was U.A. High, three figures could be seen near the entrance gates. They seemed to be in the midst of a heated argument, judging by the exaggerated movements of one of them.

"-and then he brandished his katana and went all *pwushhh*! *fwuaahh*! *kshh*!"

"Mhm. Impressive, indeed."

"Uraraka-san, you're kinda overstating the story..."

Izuku chuckled as he stood next to the two students he met early in the middle of the exam. He adjusted Kusabimaru's shoulder strap, trying to ease his shoulders, sore from the excessive physical activity he had just taken part in.

Shortly after the end of the exam, and after a trip to Recovery Girl's infirmary to medicate Ochaco's wounds, the trio made their way to the exit. Uraraka and the bespectacled boy were kind enough to stay with him once he told them that he was waiting for Tamaki.

So here they were.

After Ochaco finished her exaggerated retelling of her encounter with the zero-pointer, the indigo-haired boy turned to Izuku.

"Midoriya-kun!"

He exclaimed while chopping, making the other two jump in fright.

"Y-Yes...?"

*chop!* *chop!* *chop!*

"First, forgive my lack of manners! I haven't introduced myself yet!"

*chop!* *chop!* *chop!*

"My name is Tenya Iida. I'm a student from Soumei Junior High School."

*chop!* *chop!* *chop!*

"Midoriya-kun, I must acknowledge you for discerning the true nature of the practical exam!"

*chop!* *chop!* *chop!*

"I completely misread you! I'm mortified for thinking badly of you when we first met!"

*chop!* *chop!* *chop!*

"Iida-kun, buddy, if you keep chopping the air, you will tear through the space-time continuum..."

Izuku tried to calm Tenya, who in the meantime had stopped his incessant chopping.

"I appreciate the sentiment though. Again, I'm Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you."

The two shook hands while smiling.

Izuku, staying true to himself, opened his mouth to bombard Tenya with questions about his Quirk, but before he could even utter a single word-

"HYAAAAAAH!"

*slam!*

"Gah!"

"D-Deku-kun?!"

"Midoriya-kun?!"

-a very angry Tamaki kneed the poor green-haired boy in the back of his head, sending him sprawling on the ground.

*thud*

With almost feline grace, Tamaki landed, glaring at the boy she just hit. The latter, rising from the sudden assault, sent her a glare of his own, before noticing the crutch with which the girl was standing.

"Tamaki!"

Eyes widened in alarm, Izuku rushed over to her. Her right leg was also bandaged, and she was being careful not to put all of her weight on it.

"Don't worry about me, Izu. I'm fine."

Tamaki tried to downplay her injury, but Izuku was having none of it.

"Fine?! You injured your leg enough to have it bandaged and needing a crutch to walk and yet you still jump-kicked me!"

At the mention of the previous event, Tenya broke out from his stupor and stomped his way to Tamaki, but was beaten to it by Ochaco, who shoved the taller boy aside to inspect the injured girl with worry.

"Tamaki-chan! What happened?!"

Rolling her golden orbs in exasperated fondness, she met their eyes silently for a moment before answering in a gentle tone.

"I'm fine, really. Recovery Girl checked me out already. The ligaments in my leg are bruised, but she said it would be healthier to let it heal naturally. That explains the bandages and the crutch."

Izuku and Ochaco sighed in relief, and the former's face lit up in realization.

"Crap, I forgot!"

He moved to the side, making space for Tenya.

"This is Tenya Iida. I met him during the exam. He helped me rescue Uraraka-san from the zero-pointer."

Said boy nodded, while chopping.

"As I was trying to say just now..."

He shot a stern glare to Ochaco, who chuckled sheepishly.

"... that act of violence against Midoriya-kun's skull was totally uncalled for! Especially when you take into consideration the fact that you are injured and he's physically exhausted from the exam!"

He chopped towards Tamaki's bandaged leg, but she only huffed.

"I was gonna congratulate him for the hard work, before discovering that he took out a zero-pointer by himself, thus putting himself in needless danger! Again!"

"Well, in Deku's defense, he did it to protect me so... wait, how did you get hurt, Tamaki-chan?"

The brunette asked, her wide eyes filled with curiosity.

"Uh... well..."

"...?"

"...?"

"...?"

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.

"I kicked the head off a zero-pointer..."

She whisper-pouted.

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.

"Whaaat?!"

"Preposterous!"

"Pffft...!"

While Ochaco and Tenya were shocked at the revelation, Izuku was trying his hardest to not burst out laughing. Unfortunately, Tamaki noticed this and started poking him with her crutch.

"Grrr...! Enough of this, I'm starving!"

She stomped her uninjured leg.

"If my memory serves me right, you owe me some sushi, Midoriya-san! I need nourishment to replenish my lost energy!"

"Aye aye, your ladyship."

Izuku smiled in amusement, then he turned to Ochaco and Tenya.

"Uraraku-san, Iida-kun, are you busy? If not, would you like to join us for dinner?"

After a small moment of contemplation, the two nodded.

"Gladly. Let me warn my family."

"Mhm! I'd be happy to!"

Tamaki grumbled inaudibly for a moment but eventually relented.

"Fine! They can come, but I'm picking the place!"

---

Meanwhile

-U.A. Faculty Room-

In the meeting room, all of the teachers gathered. Shota Aizawa, Nemuri Kayama, Higari Maijima, Hizashi Yamada, Ken Ishiyama, Sekijiro Kan, Snipe and Ectoplasm were intent on listening to Toshinori, who was in the middle of telling about his meeting with Izuku Midoriya and his uncle. And of his proposal to help the boy achieve his dream of becoming a Hero.

Reluctantly, and because of Nezu's insistence, he also revealed his... "lineage".

That caused everyone present to drop their jaws, including Nezu, albeit in a more refined manner.

"There is a limit to how irrational you can be, All Might, but congratulations... you have far exceeded it..."

Aizawa sighed in exasperation, but Toshinori could only frown at the man's words.

"Say what you want, but I don't regret my decision or the words I told that day to Young Midoriya."

He stood up from the couch he was sitting on.

"In fact, from what I could see during the exam, I couldn't have been more right than that. That boy has the makings of a true Hero."

Present Mic intervened this time.

"Nobody doubts his abilities, All Might. Heck, all I need is just a look to tell that he's far from being Manslayer's kid. But..."

"But...?"

Mic sighed.

"You know not everyone will think like us, right? When they find out who he really is, a lot of people out there will freak out."

Toshinori narrowed his eyes.

"I know, but if I may be blunt, that's their problem. I won't let Young Midoriya spend the rest of his life hidden from the world for something he has absolutely no control over."

He looked at his smartphone.

"Any moment now..."

Aizawa stepped closer to him.

"And let me guess, I bet you proposed him to inherit your...?"

"Yes-"

*slap!*

The weary-looking Hero facepalmed. Hard.

"I can't believe you, do you have any ide-"

"-but he refused."

"Huh...?"

Aizawa put on a surprised expression at this new revelation. But before All Might could clarify, they heard some bickering at the end of the room.

"Nemuri, please! This is definetly not the time for this!"

"Aw, don't be such a spoilsport, just for a couple more minutes!"

Nezu turned towards Vlad King, who was trying to pry Midnight off the window.

"What are you two doing?"

Vlad could only sigh, while the woman turned to the chimera.

"Just appreciating some eye candy! There is a hot stud standing in the main courtyard and it would've been a crime not to apprecia-Wha-!"

When she turned again towards the source of her fawning, the Heroine noticed that he was gone.

"Aaawwwwww! He's gone! Sekijiro, you jerk!"

"So now it's my faul-"

"Not quite."

"KYAAAAAAH!"

"WHA-!"

Upon hearing a new and strange voice in the room, everyone present with the exception of Toshinori and Nezu jumped to their feet, putting themselves on the defensive. Immediately directing their attention to the newcomer, the teachers assumed confused and/or surprised expressions.

Toshinori could only grin.

"You're right on time, Midoriya-san."

Surprise turned into shock.

Jinemon shrugged.

"I would have arrived earlier, but I had a last minute meeting to attend."

He adjusted his shades.

"Now..."

.

.

.

.

.

He looked at all the Heroes in the room.

.

.

.

.

.

"... let's have a seat. There's much to discuss."

---

Next Chapter:

First Meetings

---

MARTIAL ARTS TERMINOLOGY

Te Ura Gasumi no Kamae:

A katana stance where the sword is held over one's left shoulder with the blade curving downward. Primarily used in Ninjitsu and Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū.

Gedan no Kamae:

Frequently shortened simply to "gedan", occasionally shortened to "gedan-gamae", is one of the five stances in kendo. This position is adopted when the sword is held out in front of the body pointing at the waist in kendo, or at the knee or sometimes the ankle in kenjutsu.

---

EMBERS WORLD COMPENDIUM:

AKATANI ENTERPRISES

Akatani Enterprises is a renowned Japanese pharmaceutical company. Founded in 1915 by the magnate Jūkei Midoriya and his wife, Harumi Midoriya (née Akatani), the company has always stood out for its commitment to investing in research and studies that could benefit the medical-scientific community in the development of treatments for grave/mortal diseases. To date, Akatani Enterprises is known around the world, with multiple offices in several countries.

Jinemon Midoriya is currently in charge of the company as its CEO.

---

A/N:

Second chapter of Embers, folks! I hope you enjoyed it!

I know that for some of you it might have a little accelerated pacing (especially if you take into account An Asura Is Born's pace), but for this story I'm trying to get the initial part of MHA out of my way, which is the encounter with All Might and the Entrance Exam, as soon as possible.

I left a few clues here and there, but to get to the real meat of the story it will take a really long time (one more reason to get to U.A. quickly), so be patient! If you have any doubts or questions for me, feel free to ask them via private message or review, but to avoid spoilers I may not reveal details or crucial points of the plot. ;)

Thanks for reading, and once again, I'll leave my twitter account for my stories here:

/TNexus97

Now, onto Asura's next chapter!

That said, have a nice weekend and stay safe and healthy, everyone! ^_^

Here, have a cookie. 🍪