Midnight entered the teachers' lounge, as was her morning ritual. She'd come here, chat up whoever was present and then go to her first class. However, today was different. There were more people than normal. She couldn't think of the last time she'd seen Vlad King in here before lunch. Before she could ask what was going on the Class 1B homeroom teacher moved aside and she saw it. A pink box overflowing with pastries. Free food, the siren song of the underpaid everywhere. She made haste to the treasure trove, eyeing a particularly tasty looking chocolate cornet.
"So, who do we have to thank for this?" she asked as she grabbed her desired treat. She highly doubted it was the principal. He wasn't cheap by any means but he seemed to think tea sufficed as a treat. To the X-rated hero, it decidedly did not.
"Uzumaki," Cementoss said in between bites of a manju. He seemed pleased with it and looked even more adorable than usual to Midnight.
"Oh?" was her response. She couldn't say she had a read on the man's character. Her fellow heroes and she had been severely outclassed but she could admit he didn't use any more force than was required to subdue her.
"This isn't terrible as an apology," Ectoplasm said and several nods followed.
"While I'd hate to undermine my gesture," a voice said from the doorway, "it wasn't an apology as I only attacked that Nomu thing. But I do hope we can start fresh since we'll be colleagues."
Midnight turned to see the man in a charcoal gray suit and a sky blue shirt that made his eyes pop. His smile was almost disarming enough to make you forget who and what he was or that he dismantled top rank heroes just to have a conversation with his son. That kind of power was dangerous and Midnight wondered how corrupting it could be.
But he was here, on staff, that was the reality. Did she engage? Was there any benefit to not? If there was she couldn't see it and his contention that it was hero society that made an enemy of him suggested he might be open to being more than professional acquaintances. The heroine decided to give it a try.
"You know, Mr. Uzumaki, to truly be one of us you'll need a hero name." He looked at her in mild puzzlement before his smile returned.
"Oh, I never thought of that. Um, I'm just Naruto. Can't say I've really considered an alias."
"Really?" she asked in genuine surprise. Even if he reconsidered at some point, every child used to think about their future hero name. It was highly unusual not to. "Well, if you ever need help coming up with names let me know," she offered and marveled at his genuine smile, something that didn't seem to fit a fearsome villain but looked as natural on Naruto as the sun in the sky. He thanked her and departed, leaving the heroine wondering even more about their newest addition.
"I'm pulling you from that school and that's final!" his shitty father shouted but Shoto didn't care. Regardless of what the man said, regardless of his legal authority, Shoto wouldn't leave UA and there was nothing to argue about.
"Why would Shoto need to transfer schools?" Fuyumi asked as she peaked her head out from the kitchen.
"Endeavor got beat up by Uzumaki Naruto," Shoto answered. He could almost smile at the man's glare. It was as fearsome as it was empty. Endeavor wasn't going to hit him, apparently even the HPSC had their limits. And then there was the aforementioned Uzumaki. He knew about Endeavor and wasn't the least bit afraid of him.
"Dad, are you ok?" Fuyumi asked. Shoto wished she hadn't. He was alive, who cared if he wasn't well beyond that? But as much as he wished she hadn't shown any concern, a deep spike of anger pierced his core when the asshole only grunted.
"The least you could do is respond properly! Care that someone cares that Mr. Uzumaki didn't break your neck."
"Watch your tone, boy! I won't be disrespected in my own house, do you understand me?" Endeavor rounded on Shoto, shoulders broad and fists clenched.
"Looking for a fight you can actually win?" Shoto asked uncharacteristically. He couldn't explain it but seeing Endeavor trounced and humbled on the floor was the first time in years air filled his lungs with ease. He felt free. His icy mask of indifference cracked. Endeavor used to seem like a titan, something insurmountable so his only choice was to rebel at the margins. But he'd seen him felled, bloodied and barely conscious.
The sight had been so paradigm shifting that Shoto didn't even flinch when Endeavor's hand flew. Maybe it was Fuyumi's shout that stopped the assault before it could reach him, maybe it was something else. Either way, Endeavor knew he wasn't afraid of him and once again breathing became easier.
Shoto sat at his desk with his usual demeanor but he'd noticed an increased number of glances targeted toward him. He wondered if people were curious as to why he hadn't helped his father or if it was something else. Had he been acting differently? He hadn't thought so but he might not have been the best judge. He knew he could appear aloof, he had often felt that way but he wished if they had questions they'd just ask instead of the poorly hidden observations they were making.
He'd rarely appreciated the dismissal to lunch more, glad the other students were preoccupied. As he moved through the line and grabbed his meal he also wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. He was curious about Uzumaki Naruto but knew Endeavor would never tell the truth about the enigma. But the short introduction left him with a clue, even if he'd been tight lipped before, Shoto hoped to be considered an exception.
"May I sit here," he asked and his classmate seemed momentarily startled.
"S-sure, Todoroki," Midoriya answered. He took his seat and began to slurp his soba noodles. He hadn't thought this part out particularly well, nor was he the greatest at extended interactions. Would being blunt offend Midoriya? There was only one way to find out.
"Midoriya, could you tell me about your time with Uzumaki Naruto?"
"W-why?" he asked.
"Very few people stand up to Endeavor and Uzumaki seems to know things that aren't widely known. I'm just interested in what kind of man he is."
"Oh, ok. Well, it's like I told everyone else I," he started and then relayed the details of their interaction. Todoroki didn't know why but he felt Midoriya was withholding something but it wouldn't be wise to call him a liar baselessly. He nodded and continued to enjoy his lunch.
"So, Todoroki, are you looking forward to Philosophy?"
He swirled his noodles in contemplation before settling on his answer. "I am more interested in the teacher than the subject."
"While diligence in our studies is a must to be the very best, I must confess to also being far more intrigued in the legitimation of Uzumaki," Iida announced. Uraraka meekly agreed but Midoriya stayed silent, Shoto noticed.
"What about you, Midoriya?" the Ice user questioned. He watched the boy adopt a look of deep contemplation before he answered.
"My dad couldn't be there for my mom and I but he'd send things to help me with my quirk. Training guides and the like, ya know. One thing he said, which he got from his old village, was, "If you do not possess heaven, gain wisdom and be prepared. If you do not possess earth, run through a field and seek strength." When Mr. Uzumaki fought the heroes, he wasn't just stronger or faster. He knew their strategy and knew how to pick it apart. So, I am curious how someone like that came to be and maybe he'll show us how to become that proficient."
"Well put, Midoriya," Iida said and Todoroki found himself agreeing. The lunch break passed but not before Midoriya extended an offer for Todoroki to join them again should he wish. He'd think about it later, they all had to get to their next class.
Class 1-A approached the same area they took Mr. Aizawa's first assessments, all in their UA gym uniforms. There was a rush of confusion when Mr. Aizawa told them their last class of the day would take place outside and that they needed to change. Speculation about what Mr. Uzumaki was planning threatened to overwhelm the class but Tenya managed to focus everyone on the tasks at hand. Now, as they arrived at the specified location they saw their teacher waiting on them.
Gone was the suit he donned earlier instead he wore an all black tracksuit with orange stripes, with shoes to match. He was in the lotus position with a small bird perched on each shoulder. It was such a peaceful visage the students were reluctant to interrupt. Or as Mineta put it, "What if we disturb him and he pops our heads off?"
Mr. Uzumaki laughed and answered, "I'm not an ogre, for one. Now, come pair off then spread out, except Toru and Minoru." The students did as instructed but many were still confused as to why they'd be outside and in gym clothes. However, that conundrum was jettisoned when the students saw three perfect replicas of Mr. Uzumaki appear from seemingly nowhere. One then transformed into a copy of Mineta, one a possible younger version of Mr. Uzumaki that went over to Toru while the other stayed by the original.
Their teacher laughed as he watched their gaping faces. "Alright everyone, I'm sure you're curious why you're outside and paired off. That's because we are going to be practicing the arm-wrap takedown. Don't worry, it'll eventually make sense," he promised. He then demonstrated, with help from his clone, how to perform the takedown. He informed everyone about the proper ways to practice such a technique and how the person being taken down shouldn't fight, as this wasn't a competition. Everyone understood the safety of their partners was of paramount importance. And for twenty minutes the students switched off, as Mr. Uzumaki gave advice on how to improve. Until he got to Tsuyu.
"That is near perfect, Tsuyu," he complimented.
"Thank you, Mr. Uzumaki but call me Tsu-chan," she requested.
"From henceforth I will. Now, Tsu-chan, pretend for a moment that Ochaco isn't a fellow classmate but a villain and your takedown occurs after a fever pitched battle. The only effective way for her to use her quirk is through her hands so what should happen next is fairly obvious, right?" He finished with a rhetorical question. The rest of the class stopped their drills to pay attention to the exchange. "Tsu-chan, break her arm," he ordered. The frog girl looked mortified at the command and wasted no time refusing the command.
"Why not? This is a villain, someone who cares not at all to harm others. A broken arm can be healed so temporarily removing her quirk usage isn't that bad so why do you refuse?"
"There are other ways to restrain someone, Mr. Uzumaki," Tsu answered.
"Are those means available to you right now?" Tsu shook her head in the negative. "Then how would you subdue this villain?"
"Knock her out or use my tongue as a restraint."
"Excellent!" he replied, "and you can let Ochaco up now." Mr. Uzumaki turned to the rest of the class and somehow made them all feel as if he were staring into each of their eyes simultaneously. "To be a hero is to be given power. The power to detain, to harm or to show mercy.
Tsu-chan obviously didn't want to harm Ochaco-chan, and I'm glad she didn't blindly obey that nonsensical order. But you will all find yourselves in moments when you are pushed; tired, injured, or nearing your breaking point. And yet, those that depend on you, the Commission that empowers you, society itself will expect you to not falter.
This is why it's important to start thinking now about the kind of hero you want to be. No system of Ethics can prepare for everything you will experience but having one, one you've internalized because it represents the kind of hero you want to be, can be a lamp post in the darkness. It can help discipline you into making good snap decisions instead of bad. Showing restraint even when angered, standing up even when afraid.
For some heroes, a villain is a villain is a villain. The very category removes all other considerations from them. Their experiences, their motives, everything becomes moot. For others, they over identify with the villains, seeing the ways systems and their failures produce villains. Sometimes they have so much empathy for the villains they forget who they are supposed to truly protect.
The point of this class isn't to get you to think like me, or anything near it. But you are not dogs of the government. You are not tools. You are thinking, feeling people and this is the first step in helping you channel that into becoming a protector, a defender, a hero. Now, with that being said, let's talk a little about virtue ethics." While the class absorbed the lesson for the day, two observers went undetected. Naruto knew but gave away nothing. It didn't surprise him that All Bitch and Nezu might want to observe him but he didn't feel the need to pay them any mind.
UA, to Naruto's mind, had too much money. And this was from someone that received pretty generous patronages from various governments to stay the hell away from them. Still, the training facilities they had available were insane. The area they were in was large enough to comfortably summon Gamakichi, Bunta, and Tatsu with room to spare. And it was just one of many. If he were receiving pay to be here he'd be asking for a raise. More out of principle than anything, a man must know his worth.
Alone in the enclosed training area Naruto created a mud wall several meters away from where he and Izuku stood. He was excited but attempting to appear outwardly calm. He'd thought a lot about what he wanted to teach Izuku but all of that had to wait until Naruto corrected something he hadn't initially accounted for. Growing up in a ninja village, even before he stepped foot in the academy, Naruto was treated to chakra enabled feats by all levels of ninja. Being super or hypersonic wasn't unrealistic to him, just something he had to train for.
Izuku, didn't grow up in that culture and had built barriers premised on fault assumptions. He knew his son trained hard and as a result should be much faster and stronger than he currently was. Unless, he simply didn't believe it possible or based his maximum potential on the enhancement quirks around him. The spiritual part of chakra was often poorly understood so ninja didn't know how their own beliefs could be reinforced and handicap them.
His dad had undergone extensive training to remove his own barriers, to ramp his reaction time and movement speed to unreal levels. Naruto had to go through his own trials to remove the emotional barriers he erected because the village gave him an unconscious fear of himself. Now, his son needed to be shown that his limitations are much fewer than he'd previously realized. Only then could their real training start.
"You loose? Being tense won't help," Naruto advised. Izuku rolled his shoulders and shot him a smile.
"Yes, I'm relaxed."
"Good. Now use a lightning jutsu and pierce that mud wall." Naruto watched as Izuku performed the hand signs and aimed his hand toward the wall. He waited for the lighting to spark and start to travel before he moved, intercepting the raiton jutsu with a concentration of lightning chakra in his right hand. He was just outside of Izuku's reach. His son looked at him in shock and worry.
"W-why did you do that?" he asked.
"To demonstrate I'm faster than lightning," Naruto said breezily.
"Congrats?" Izuku offered. Naruto wanted to bop him on the head but mushed his hair instead.
"Son, if chakra enables me to be faster than lightning then why couldn't you be that fast as well?" He laughed when realization hit Izuku and he made the "oh" face. "I think you've been unconsciously holding back your full physical potential. I need to know what you can do at your best so I know how hard to push you."
"And how are you going to find that out? You said it was unconscious, right?"
"That is rather simple but it won't be easy. However you feel about me, you don't have that innate sense of safety that you have with your mom," Naruto cut Izuku off before he could interrupt, "It's fine, Izukun. I haven't earned that level of trust yet. It sucks but we can make use of it because while your conscious, rational mind hopefully knows I won't hurt you I can still trigger your flight or fight response. So, we're going to spar."
"That's it, sparring?" Izuku asked.
"Hahaha, yes but not how you do it." Naruto released a low level of killing intent and watched his boy go wide-eyed. He figured even that would be something he wasn't familiar with and was prepared to give him a moment to adjust.
"The first test Kakashi-sensei ever gave my team he told us to come at him with the intent to kill. Izuku, I cannot stress this enough, I am not out to hurt you but you need to fight like I am. This isn't the dojo and the more real you treat your training the better prepared you'll be. So, in the immortal words of a crazy snake lady, TRY NOT TO DIE!" Naruto yelled as he blitzed his boy.
Inko walked toward her door with a smile on her face. She'd gone to do some midday training to center herself. Izuku-kun had been incredibly understanding, not lashing out or hurling accusations even as he'd been within his rights to do so. She felt blessed to have a son that was so reasonable. 'Maybe I'll make something special for dinner,' she thought as she entered her apartment and saw her only son slung over Naruto's shoulder.
Naruto turned to her and smiled like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Hi, Inko; how was your training?" he asked.
"Clearly not as intensive as your own if you had to carry Izuku back here," she said while narrowing her eyes.
"I-it's not his fault mom," Izuku forced out. "I wanted to keep going and pushed it too far, honest."
"Fine," she responded after a moment. Naruto took Izuku to his bedroom and returned to Inko sitting at the table. "You have to be more careful, Naruto," she said. She had no desire to argue in front of Izuku but she didn't buy it was him that went too far, she knew Naruto and moderation were a poor match.
"He's exhausted and a little sore. I wouldn't let him get hurt, I hope you'd know that."
"I do but I also know how excited you get about things."
"That's a fair point but I have had years to mature, ya know." Inko didn't immediately respond but did consider it.
"What will your training entail?"
Naruto sighed, "With the Sports Festival not that far away I'll focus on combat and physical training for now. Get him used to his subelement and instill some battle instincts. After that, if he should want, I'll have my agency established so he could intern with me but if not then after his internship we'll start on the non combat skills like information gathering or infiltration and assass…" Inko went wide-eyed before he finished the word.
Her baby was not going to be some child supersoldier that could destabilize governments or disappear crime bosses. She would not allow it! Even if that was the norm for Naruto's society, she'd have none of it. Cultural sensitivity only went so used every ounce of ability she had with her quirk, focused on his color and yanked him forward.
"Repeat that, Naruto-kun."
"He needs to know how," Naruto said firmly and Inko let him go, not used to that tone of voice from him. "When he becomes a pro, if I have any say about it, he'll be stronger and faster than All Might. If they can't beat him in a fight they may try other means. He needs to know how assassins think so he knows how to protect himself or secure a location. But, and this may be even more important, I need him to understand he isn't engaging in duels of honor."
"I understand you want him to be able to protect himself but I don't want him to be ruthless."
"Inko, baby, I don't want to change Izuku but I won't leave him ignorant. I have faith he can see the reality of being a hero and still keep his good heart." Inko released him and took some calming breaths. She'd known her son wanted to be a hero since he was old enough to know what heroes were but it was all starting to feel real. Naruto's urgency in making sure he could protect himself also had her worrying of an imminent threat.
That old feeling started to emerge. The sensation of the air becoming dense and lingering on her skin. The thoughts that held no conclusions, only worries. She just wished everything would stop, pause for just a moment but it wouldn't. Was letting Izuku go to UA a mistake? It would only be a matter of time before people outside of the hero community discovered who he was. Could villains target Izuku because they couldn't possibly harm his father.
In her state, Inko didn't notice Naruto reaching out for her until she felt the warmth of his hands on top of hers. It helped. He always had a way of calming her down even when he hadn't done much. She never understood it but appreciated it all the same. "Will he be a target?"
"Possibly. Things are happening in the shadows. I healed that idiot All Might so he should be an adequate obstacle now and my general reputation is I only harm people who cross me, be they hero or villain so I don't have a long list of enemies."
"But you said you're starting an agency so that's likely to change," Inko retorted.
"Maybe. I plan to help people mostly and leave the fighting to others but there may be some outstanding business I have to attend to. But that's why I'll train him so hard. I even had a breakthrough on his bloodline so he can stop being afraid of it."
"I know it's irrational to worry to this extent, to want him safe when being a hero is dangerous. I just want him to have a good and full life."
"I'll do everything in my power to ensure he can." The two parents sat in silence, Inko allowing the last of her anxiety to pass. Once she felt balanced, she invited Naruto to stay for dinner, which he happily accepted. She then excused herself to shower and change out of her jiu jitsu gear. When Naruto offered to wash her back she said nothing but a curio smacking him in the back of his head, thanks to her quirk, was answer enough.
A man in a hooded, lightweight jacket double checked the address on the phone. Secure that he was in the right location he entered. Only two other people were there and they seemed mildly surprised to see him enter. He took a seat at the bar and waited for the bartender to come to him.
"This is a private establishment and you aren't welcome," the younger man, with a severed hand covering his face, said from the end of the bar.
"Tsk, maybe you can make an exception. I haven't been back to Japan in a while and am just looking for a quiet place to drink. Surely that wouldn't be too great a burden, would it?" He adopted a friendly, easy going tone but doubted the sentiment would be returned.
"I hate when fodder doesn't listen. Your XP increases are hardly worth the effort," the young man said as he got up from his seat. The hooded stranger laughed at how predictable that reaction was. And that the edgelord in training thought his threats meant anything.
"I don't know if you had a double helping of oats for breakfast or liquor for dinner but you should sit down sweetheart before you get yourself hurt." That enraged the man and he charged, intending to take a life.
"Tomura, that'll be enough," a disembodied voice said.
"Really, Teacher?" Tomura whined. "I really want to kill him now."
"You must be more observant, Tomura. See the spiral on that man's sleeve? That is the mark of Uzumaki Naruto and I believe our guest is his sole student."
"Right on both accounts, mystery voice," the guest said.
"Fine, one drink and then he can get the hell out," Tomura offered as if it were a great compromise.
"You strike me as a whiskey man," Kurogiri said as he filled the glass with the amber colored liquid.
"Good eye, Mister. And thank you." The unnamed stranger took the drink in his gloved hand, the black, fingerless accessories going to the middle of his forearm.
"Are you here as Uzumaki's emissary? Here to depart a message?" the voice, but who the hooded man knew to be All for One, asked.
"If Sensei wants to deliver a message he does it personally. I'm just here for a drink," he answered before downing the rest of the alcohol, "and it appears I've had it. I'll leave you gentlemen to your evening," he said as he took out a wad of folded yen, sitting them down and his empty glass on top of them.
"Feel free to never return," Tomura said.
"And here I thought we were becoming friends, Tomura-kun. Now who will I tell my secrets to and text with late into the night about girls, games, and the latest fashion? Oh, well, the search continues." The man exited the building and walked to his black, two-door coupe. Once inside and on the road he made a call to his teacher.
"Hey, kid, how'd it go?" Naruto asked.
"You should have just let me kill the pair of them." He smiled when his master laughed.
"That bad?"
"All for One's project, Tomura, he's feral. Not dangerous now but he could be in the future."
"Hmm, I got that impression, too. Well, we need to let this game play out just a little longer but if I ever give you the greenlight, don't stop until you're sure he's dead."
"I've never been one to half do anything, Sensei. You give the order and his fate is sealed."
"Good lad. Now, to new business. Tell me, Touya, how would you feel about becoming a pair of big damn heroes?"
It was the student's turn to laugh. "Our return is going to be fun, Sensei," the eldest Todoroki said.
"Who says revenge can't be? We're going to settle what needs to be settled and enjoy ourselves while doing it so come on over; I got a ten year, ninety proof bottle waiting to be opened."
"On my way."