Chapter 5

March 18, 2162

0618 Hours

The Fireman Carry. A tried-and-true method that allowed someone to carry a whole other person across long stretches of rough terrain with nothing but their own strength. It'd been used countless times over the centuries to transport the wounded, saving an equally countless number of lives. However, none of that information meant that it was a comfortable process.

Izuku tried his best to remain steady and take the pressure off of the shoulder that was buried into his stomach. "Hnngh," he grumbled.

"Sorry, Izuku," Hitoshi panted out. He took a split second to readjust his hold, but had to continue on the trail. It was a four-kilometer loop around the complex. The exercise called for one partner to carry the other for half of the course, then they'd switch at the halfway point. They'd done it a couple times by now, but that didn't change the fact that it sucked the energy out of them mercilessly.

"It's ok," Izuku assured him. If he wasn't as exhausted as he is now, he would've pushed on Hitoshi's back to raise himself up and thus relieve the pain. But he'd already run the course as the carrier. It left him drained and barely able to talk.

They continued their run in relative silence after that. It was best not to waste energy through something like talking. Throughout the whole time, he couldn't help but think about his life at that moment. Hitoshi, Mei, and William. His team. His friends. What a concept. No, it was no mere concept, it was reality. They, and every other candidate, were quick to get on a first name basis at the behest of the instructors. Apparently, their family names were considered null on account of the world considering them to be dead.

It bugged Izuku at first, but he had more important things to worry about. Like the fact that he had friends now who actually cared about him. It was such a shift for him, especially since his only friend beforehand was Kacchan, who was… admittedly not the best.

He remembered the distinct change in Kacchan's attitude when he told him about his Quirklessness. It was so sudden and violent. But here? No one cared. In fact, Will and a few others were Quirkless, too! When Hitoshi and Mei had heard of the two's histories, they vowed to always be there for them, no matter what. It was- it was just-

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the other half of his team called out to them.

"Come on, Hitoshi! You got this in the bag! Put your rear in gear!" Will shouted as he matched their pace. On his shoulders was Mei, who looked even more exhausted than Izuku. Despite her state, she made eye-contact with the two, gave a weak smile and a thumbs up, then proceeded to throw up. Will didn't seem fazed, so that meant she must be okay.

In fact, Will seemed like he could keep going for ten kilometers before being remotely as drained as the rest of them. He was still breathing heavily, but it looked more like he was going for a light jog rather than carrying a whole other person on his back for the past kilometer. Even before the training, Izuku noticed that he was the strongest of the team.

"Weren't… you… ahead?" Hitoshi asked between breaths.

"Well, yeah," he said. "But then Mei pointed out that you were falling behind, so we had to come back."

"Why?"

"Cause it's like Mendez-sensei said: we do everything together! We're here for each other, no matter what."

Izuku couldn't help the smile, nor the tears in his eyes. The pain wasn't that bad when he had friends like these with him every step of the way.

April 11, 2162

0904 Hours

"Are both candidates ready?" Mendez-sensei asked.

Izuku gave a curt nod, but remained focused on the person opposite of him. "Yes, sir."

His opponent did the same. "Yes, sir," she answered. Golden eyes stared at him with the same sort of enthusiasm that a wolf might have before leaping on a deer. It was nothing new, but all the same, Izuku felt like the underdog here.

Mendez-sensei glanced at both of them, stepped out of the dirt ring, and called out. "Begin!"

099 was a blur. She'd crossed the five meter gap between the two of them before the last syllable had crossed the instructor's lips. Izuku had little doubt that she would've barreled him over had he not been laser-focused on her the entire time. His attentiveness rewarded him with the chance to score the first strike.

Izuku stepped to the side and threw out his right knee just as she came in range. He made sure to pivot his hip into the attack, using his whole body to ensure that it would inflict as much damage as possible. The force of the impact sent her flying almost all the way back to where she started. Izuku knows that he should've felt horrible for what he'd just done. He'd just hit his friend with an attack that was intended to seriously injure them. Worst of all; instead of running over to see if they were okay, he was sprinting over to finish the job.

But things had changed since they'd started learning combatives months ago. This was what they were supposed to do: go for the takedown, and don't let up until your opponent is out for the count.

And besides: he knows for a fact that that won't keep her down for long.

He was proven correct when 099 leapt back to her feet effortlessly. She made no noise. Not a cry of pain, a grunt of exertion, nor a laugh to try and brush off the attack. That same delighted smile remained on her face. Izuku was certain that it was still there even when he'd driven his knee into her stomach just a second ago.

Oh well.

Legs still pumping, he tried to use his momentum and deliver a devastating punch to her face. He should've realized it was a bad idea when his opponent made no move to get out of the way. Instead, she threw an elbow aimed - not at his face - but at his fist that was hurtling straight towards her. Izuku tried to reel back as soon as he saw what was going down, but it was too late. Agony overtook him for a moment as excruciating pain raced up and down his arm. He clenched his teeth so hard that he feared he might crack them from the pressure.

Yep. That hurt.

His momentary loss of concentration gave 099 the perfect opportunity to hit him with a spin sidekick. He fought to keep his senses as the taste of bile rose in the back of his throat. He couldn't stand still. Just like they'd been trained, 099 didn't stop after just one attack. She continued her combination by jabbing out with her left arm. Izuku barely dodged out of the way, stepping back to maintain a healthy distance from her. She paused for a moment, considering her next action.

Izuku needed to relax. His breathing was sporadic, his legs were far too wide, and his body had become extremely tense. At least he was still in the state of mind to keep his hands up near his face. Not that it did much good since his opponent didn't allow any time for Izuku to collect himself. 099 darted straight for him seemingly intended to take him head on. Izuku shifted himself so that he was squared up with her. The way her previously gleeful smile turned practically feral told Izuku that it was exactly what she wanted.

As soon as she got within distance, he threw out a right cross to stop her dead in her tracks. She simply slipped under it and used a hook punch to hit him right in the stomach. Before he could retaliate, she followed it up with a straight punch that slipped past his guard and struck hard against his cheek. Disoriented - though far from defeated - Izuku responded by lashing out with a back fist which knocked her head to the side. It didn't do much damage, but it distracted her enough to allow him the chance to throw his knee into her side.

The blow sent her back a few paces, but 099 refused to back down. She bobbed and weaved past his next few attempts until she found an opening. As Izuku went for a hook punch, she moved in close then sent a powerful uppercut to his midsection. The blow staggered him for a second, which was perfect for her as she capitalized on the momentum. Two more uppercuts hit in the same spot before the last one cracked against his jaw.

Izuku saw spots at the edges of his vision as he collapsed backwards. Muscle memory kicked in as he tucked his chin to his chest to avoid smacking the back of his head against the ground. Once he landed, he tried to rise back to his feet. His disoriented mind, however, made that almost impossible.

"Match over. Izuku is unable to continue. Both candidates return to the sidelines."

Instantly, 099 was by Izuku's side. She helped him to his feet and then steadily led him to where the rest of the candidates were waiting. The other members of Fireteam Mythic were quick to surround him, checking for any serious injuries. Hitoshi let out a low whistle while Mei's face twisted into a grimace as she overlooked the damage.

"Damn, boss," Will muttered. He noticed a thin stream of blood trailing from Izuku's lip. It seemed he'd bitten it when he took the uppercut to his face. "She did a number on you. You need the doc?"

Izuku simply shook his head in the negative. Right next to them was Candidate 099's team, Gauntlet, who were also in shock. Though for a fairly different reason.

"Wow!" Camie softly exclaimed. "I think that's a new record for someone lasting this long against her. You took those hits like a champ, Izuku!"

Izuku looked up to give her his best smile, as battered as it was. Then his eyes wandered to the girl to her left. She met him with a smile of her own. Some would say that it was far too psychotic for a kid her age, but not one of the other candidates were bothered by it anymore. "Good match, Himiko."

"You too, Izu-kun!"

May 27, 2162

1252 Hours

Heroics class. It was something to look forward to everyday. Two split sessions that were an hour each, teaching them everything that they needed to know about being a hero. Though their lessons were more tailored with how to be the best Spartans too. Things like team tactics were far more emphasized than they'd usually be on account of how they would operate in the future.

The first few months were all about the basics of being a hero. How did heroes come into the world? What do they do? What do they represent? For the most part, it was simple classes that they probably would've learned at school anyway. However, their instructor would always set aside time at the end of their lessons for the most interesting part. Understanding the shortcomings of modern-day heroes.

The majority of heroes today had a pop culture essence to them. It made sense considering that they're supposed to be public figures, inspiring hope and assuring the people that there was someone to keep them safe. But then money came into the equation. The more popular a hero was, the more merchandise they sold, the higher their profits became. All of a sudden, you get heroes who are more worried about their account balance than the lives of those they swore to protect. Though to be fair, there were definitely more who weren't greedy but still relied on the cash.

Team Idaten was a perfect example. Not only did they have dozens of sidekicks at their agency, but they also had an expansive support staff who handled logistics, communication, investigation, and resupply. The cost of fielding all those people and managing the equipment they operated must've been through the roof. They needed to maintain a profit if they were going to continue in that capacity.

"And that's where the Spartans will differ," Tsutsumi-sensei said. "With the Commission's backing, there's no need for any of you to worry about money. Our annual revenue ensures that you'll practically have an unlimited budget. Food, weapons, ammo, medical supplies, transportation, maintenance, support personnel; there's no shortage of them. All that matters is that you complete your mission."

She stopped and made a show of looking around the entire class. "There is a small, overlooked fact that comes with working inside a massive organization with multiple different departments. Would anyone like to guess what it is?"

Every candidate took a moment to think about it, racking their brains for an answer. Izuku himself was struggling to see what she was hinting at. Inefficiency? Miscommunication?

Someone finally raised their hand.

"Yes, Keiichi?"

"Rivalry."

Tsutsumi-sensei nodded her head approvingly. "Precisely."

She clicked a button on the remote in her hand and the holographic projector changed to show several different symbols that Izuku didn't know. Some of them had globes and anchors, whereas others had what looked like wings and stars. "The interservice rivalry of a nation's military is perhaps the best known example. Despite their common goal, there's always been a great deal of competition amongst the different branches. For the most part, it's in good nature."

Pictures of pranks and sporting events appeared. There were just as many scenes of tension and aggression as there were of the groups smiling and making amiable gestures. Izuku allowed a soft grin to emerge. He could understand that sense of competition. Despite how laidback he seemed, Hitoshi would sometimes 'get in the zone', as William put it. He'd push himself to run faster, punch harder, and jump higher than everyone else. But once the exercises were over, he always returned to that same - fake - apathetic attitude. Saiko was the same way, but more targeted towards their academics than their physical training.

"However, there are historical cases where these benign feuds can turn into something far more vicious."

The previous images were replaced with black and white photographs of soldiers with antiquated weapons and vehicles. Some depicted old military ships burning or sinking, while others showed the soldiers suffering or dying. "More than two hundred years ago in our own country, the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy actively sabotaged one another despite being engulfed in a World War. Groundcrews refused to fix the other branch's aircraft and crucial intelligence wasn't shared between them. The Navy would consciously fail to resupply Army troops, leaving them to starve and die."

Izuku was shaken at the idea. The both of them were on the same side, how could they just knowingly inflict such damage against one another? He'd had differences with some of the other candidates before, but he knew for a fact that he'd lay down his own life to keep them safe, and they for him. What Tsutsumi-sensei was telling them was just… unacceptable.

"I can see that this is troubling for many of you," she resumed. "That's good. The idea of such animosity between you and your brothers and sisters in arms should be revolting."

She glanced at her watch, noting that their hour had come to an end. "Remember that there are thousands of people working to support you in every way possible. Should even the smallest gear break, the entire machine could fail. Now get going. You don't want to keep Instructor Mendez waiting, do you?"

Author's Note: I apologize for the delay. I'd written the whole thing out and was prepared to submit it when I had a sudden moment of "okay. but what if I did this instead".