A/N Hope you guys enjoy this fic. Another new pairing because I cannot help myself. First several arcs will follow fairly closely to soul land. If you don't like take your hate elsewhere.
Warnings: Abusive Inko Midoriya, Parental Tsukauchi Naomasa, Parental, Abusive Bakugo Katsuki, Tsunagu Hakamata (Best Jeanist)/Izuku. M/M pairing if you don't like it don't read!
Izuku's POV
In this world, people are defined by two things in life. Their quirk and their spirit essence. Spirit essence could be anything in the world. From a handkerchief to a dragon. When it was unlocked they either had spirit power or they didn't. Those that did were sent off to schools to train and become spirit masters.
Quirks on the other hand followed a fairly straightforward pattern. They didnt have the mutations that spirit essences did. Not everyone had a quirk either. 20% of the world's population only had their spirit essence.
No one knew what their spirit essence would be. Not until they turned the age of six. Then a spirit grandmaster from the spirit hall would visit their town. Most of the time it was a once or twice a year event in his town.
It was a short walk from his house to the school. The other students were walking as well. Most gave him a wide berth. No one wanted to be around the quirkless Deku. Word had spread quickly about Katsuki's nickname for him. It stung more than he cared to admit.
Upon entering the hall he saw a blond-haired man. The man had grey eyes that pierced into each person as they entered. If Izuku had not faced down worse from bullies he might have been intimidated by it.
The man introduced himself once they were all standing in the room, "My name is Lucien YaoFan. I am a level, 26 Grandmaster. Today I will guide you to your spirits."
There were about thirty students around him. Not all of them were from his school. Some were from the neighboring schools. He could see Katsuki right up near the front.
YaoFan continued, "Today you will have your spirit essence awakened. You will have your essence level tested as well. Those of you who are worthy will become spirit masters. Watch carefully."
The man focused. At first, it seemed nothing was happening. Then the air around them began to change. Izuku could feel the power coming off the man. Then it materialized around him.
YaoFan snarled, "Lone Wolf transform!"
His appearance began to change as two rings formed around him. One was white and the other yellow. Spirit masters had rings the color represented the age of the spirit beast they killed. YaoFan's once blond hair was now silver. His silver eyes tinted with red. Canines doubled their length and so did his nails. So that was the power of a spirit master.
One of his fellow students started crying. He was one of the students that Izuku didn't get along with. They tended to bully or ignore him.
YaoFan said grabbing the boy by his collar, "There are two types of spirit essence. There are beast spirit or took spirit. Lone Wolf is a beast spirit."
YaoFan focused once more. A golden light encircled the boy forming a seal on the ground. So this is what an awakening looked like.
YaoFan said to the boy, "Hold out your right hand. Focus on the image in your heart and your spirit shall appear."
Despite his sniveling, the boy obeyed. The light surrounded him. It took a moment but something began to appear. What he saw astounded him. While it was possible to have a handkerchief spirit essence it wasn't common. Not for good reasons like the white tiger spirit. The handkerchief spirit had no attack or defensive properties. All it was good for was wiping tears and snot.
YaoFan said holding out a large crystal, "Put your hand on the crystal. Let's test your essence level. Junk spirits have no attack, defense, or supporting attributes. Your spirit is a tool spirit. Even by normal standards, it's a junk spirit."
Ouch, that was mean. Even if Izuku didn't like the other kid he wouldn't have said that. The boy tried his hardest to get the ball to glow. To no one's surprise, it stayed dark.
YaoFan continued with a sigh, "Only the people who have an essence level when they awaken can train their spirits. The essence level is very important to a spirit master. It determines the level at which you begin training. You do not have a level. The rest of you line up. I will awaken your spirits one by one."
Katsuki shouted drawing YaoFan's attention along that of the class, "Listen up you extras! My quirk is already super powerful. My spirit essence is going to be too! I'll leave this crumb heap of a school for a much better one once you see how powerful I am!"
YaoFan said coolly without any amusement behind his tone, "Just because you have a powerful quirk does not mean your spirit essence will be powerful. Nor does it mean you will have any soul power. If you do not have any determination or will to better yourself you will never make spirit master."
Izuku looked down at his hands as the process repeated itself for Katsuki. Did he have the determination? Did he have the will? A frown marred his face and he concentrated. Yes. Yes, he did have those things. He might not have a quirk but he could better himself with a spirit essence. He would not give up!
There was a soft young roar as a snow-white leopard appeared. It sat at Katsuki's side and had amber eyes that peered into your soul. Snow leopards were rare in spirit essences just like out in the wild. Only a handful of people in history had one.
There were ooos and ahs as the other kids saw the essence. They all thought he was going to be a spirit master. It was in their eyes, Izuku could see it. The problem was Katsuki thought he was the best. That would make it difficult for the blond to find the will to improve himself further. He needed to be taken down a few pegs before he could really become a spirit master or even a hero.
The crystal was held out to Katsuki and the blond placed his hand on it. To everyone else's disappointment and Izuku's amusement, it stayed dark. It seemed that the loudmouth would not be a spirit master.
With that, the other children went through the same process. None of them had beast spirits. Tool spirits without any spirit power. Izuku was the last in the line.
YaoFan said sounding bored, "Last one, Izuku Midoriya. Concentrate. Make out the image from your heart. Materialize it in your hand."
Something about his awakening was different. At first, there was a sensation in his hand and a howl signaling that he had gained a spirit. That would have been normal. However when YaoFan turned to look at him. It was as if he was moving in slow motion. A sensation similar to the mark on his hand went across his eyes. Then it was over. People moved normally again and he nearly collapsed to his knees.
Before him stood an all-black wolf its eyes were blue like the sky. Izuku could feel the power that came from his spirit. A similar power to when YaoFan had activated his spirit. Izuku's was weaker but that was to be expected. He had just awakened after all.
The man looked at the wolf and said, "Shadow Wolf. Weak but acceptable beast spirit."
He called it back into himself as YaoFan held out the crystal. Izuku focused his energy into the crystal. The man had turned as if expecting it to stay dark as it had with the others. To everyone's surprise, it didn't. He could feel harmonizing with the wolf and his eye spirit.
The orb glowed a bright blue color. It looked like the ocean in the clearest of waters.
Vaguely he could hear YaoFan saying, "This spirit..."
He could hear one of the teachers running in. By the footsteps, there were more people with him. Likely the kid's parents.
YaoFan said, "Essence level harmonization. What a rare talent! The highest level a person can reach when their spirit is awakened."
The man immediately began to write out a spirit hall pass for him. Izuku did not correct the man on his assumption that he only had one essence. Something told him to keep that a secret unless he trusted the person beyond doubt.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Katsuki's hands sparking in anger. The boy wanted to use his quirk on Izuku but with all the witnesses couldn't. Normally that wouldn't be enough to stop him. No one cared about what happened to a quirkless Deku.
Now however they would care because he had spirit power. Not just a small amount of it either. He had the highest amount someone could awaken with. That meant he would have a future as a spirit master. No one else in his class could say the same. They would all be struggling to become heroes.
Once the pass was made YaoFan said, "Nuoding Academy starts it's new semester next month. They accept students from all walks of life and there is a part-time program in case you cannot afford tuition. The Headmaster is a good man and will look after you."
Izuku was handed another paper with instructions on how to get to the academy. It was a good thing that they had a program for those less fortunate. While he wasn't starving or homeless he wasnt well off. His mother worked all the time and he rarely saw her. When she found out he was quirkless she had grown cold towards him. Any love that she once held withered and died.
Hope flourished in his gut that maybe she would love him again. He was no longer useless to the world since he has a spirit essence. Another spark of hope went through him. Maybe he would get to meet his soulmate at this new academy.
Soulmate marks were written across a part of your body when you are born. Most people had one though there were a few in the world who didnt. It was a less than 1% chance that you would be born without a mark. That was even less of a chance than being born quirkless.
Izuku's soulmate mark was across his right wrist. It was the name Tsunagu Hakamata. He didnt know who that was but he dreamed of finding them one day.
Like with everything else his classmates had bullied him over his mark. No one knew who their soulmate was. Yet because he was quirkless they picked on him.
At least he wouldn't have to put up with it for the next month. All students going to spirit master schools took a break before they left. He would be no exception and once he got his first spirit ring he would have money coming in. It wouldn't be much but maybe his mom wouldn't have to work so much.
School let out early that day as it did every year. Most kids wanted to race home and show their parents what spirit essence they had. Izuku knew that his mom wouldn't be home until late. So he could take the longer route home.
People who passed him on the street gave him a wide berth. Musutafu was not an overly large town. Most people knew he was quirkless and considered it contiguous despite the fact it wasnt. Some stores refused to allow him to buy the things he needed. Or they would jack up the prices because he was quirkless. All he could do was hope that when he got his first ring things would change.
When he finally got home he found his mother's shoes surprisingly at the door. Wasnt she at work? Maybe she came home early to find out what spirit essence he had!
Quickly discarding his shoes he moved into the living room and kitchen. His mom was in the kitchen humming softly to herself as she cooked.
Izuku greeted happily, "Mom I'm home!"
She startled violently dropping the knife that she held. It clattered noisily against the ground. She turned to face him surprise briefly flashed across her features.
"I'm sorry," he apologized softly, "I didn't mean to scare you."
She asked in a sickly sweet tone, "Why are you home so soon, Izuku? Shouldn't you be at school?"
Izuku replied his shoulders going up to his ears, "Ummmm we let out early today because we unlocked our spirit essences."
Her green eyes widened slightly then narrowed. She demanded, "Well go on then. Show me your spirit essence."
He had to hide a frown at her demand. That wasn't the reaction he hoped for. It was better than a smack or her telling him how useless he was.
Taking a deep breath he focused on the sign of the wolf that was on his right hand. It took a little prodding as he just got his spirit essence but it came forth with a howl. The black wolf with piercing blue eyes stared at his mother coldly. It was as if his essence was daring her to do something.
Izuku knew that even untrained essence such as his could do serious damage. His mother had a mental attribute essence. She never used it around him but he heard Aunt Mitsuki talk about it once. It was mental attributed but not very powerful. They had been talking about how she never used it. Most people used their essence at one point or another. To not use it at all was to reject your very soul. Izuku couldn't even imagine ignoring his essence.
While he was lost in his thoughts his mother had moved around the counter. As fast as lightning she struck him across the face. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground. He could only raise a hand to his cheek his eyes watering. Why had she struck him? Did he do something wrong? He didnt understand.
She snarled angrily, "Take your spirit essence and get out! I won't have another one of HIM in my house," when he didnt move she screamed, "GET OUT! AND DONT EVER COME BACK!"
For the first time in his life, Izuku felt real fear for his life. Tears filled his eyes as he got to his feet running for the door. His mother was really angry. Never before had she talked to him like that.
Once out on the streets, he kept running not paying any attention to where he going. All he knew was that he had to getaway.
