Go Beyond, Prince of All Saiyans!
Chapter 2 - Saiyan Inheritance
The suburbs of Musutafu glowed by the setting sun on the horizon, with many of its denizens resting soundly at their homes. It's because of that, the streets were empty almost looking barren. There was an exception, however, as two figures stood in the center: The number one hero Vegeta and the quirkless boy Izuku Midoriya.
Izuku knelt to the grey cement with tears streaming down his round face. These were tears of joy, as he was just told that he can be a hero too by a person he was least expecting to say these words to him. Even though he was not his number one idol, Vegeta was still a heavy inspiration to him even before the unfortunate passing of his idol Goku. It was today he finally met him face-to-face, though it had its ups and downs. Nevertheless, he felt this was enough to satisfy the question he's had ever since he was four.
Meanwhile, Vegeta stood tall with the orange hue of the sunset adorning him with a glow. His arms were folded in a cross as he watched the young boy weep in front of him. Though agreeing that his actions earlier that day were reckless, Vegeta admired Izuku's bravery even though it was very much unlikely that he would have survived against that sludge villain if the hero hadn't saved him.
"And so," Vegeta proclaimed with his lifted as if he were preaching. "Therefore, I deem you worthy to inherit my power."
"What?" Izuku thought to himself. With tears and snot still glued onto his face, he looked up to the hero confused. Inherit his power, what did he mean by that? Was Izuku going to learn how to shoot balls of energy from his fingertips, or perhaps even take to the skies and fly like a bird? All of these questions swarmed his mind to the point where he had to ask out loud, "What do you mean?"
Vegeta responded with a question of his own, "Tell me, boy, what is my power from your study of heroes?"
It quickly dawned on Izuku that Vegeta must have skimmed through the hero notebook that he dropped back at the tunnel. He remembered that he wrote a specific profile on the current number one hero. He had even made his sketches to assist with his studies, Izuku hoped that Vegeta hadn't paid attention to his drawing as now felt a small sting of embarrassment.
"It's ki right?" Izuku responded with some uncertainty. "It's the power that you draw within you, what gives you all your abilities in the first place."
"Yes, that is true." Vegeta clarified. "When I was born, I was blessed with this power... but even then, that is not the full truth."
Izuku widened his eyes and mumbled to himself in near-delirium. It's not only Vegeta, but Goku had this ability as well from the interviews the young boy watched in the past. It was obvious that both men were able to fly and shoot ki blasts, some with more magnificence than others. Even then, Izuku didn't understand what Vegeta meant when he said that even his ki was not a full truth perhaps-
CHOP
Izuku felt a small sting on his head to the point where he had to rub it. Looking up, he saw that it was Vegeta who had now grown impatient and chopped his hand down on the mumbling boy's head.
"S-Sorry," Izuku stammered. "It's a bad habit I have."
Vegeta continued, "As I was saying... I have been blessed with the power of Ki. But the power I have inherited, and will now bestow upon you, is One For All!"
Izuku gazed in amazement as Vegeta held out his hand to display rays of lights that looked to have all the colors of the rainbow. One For All. The young boy wondered to himself as to how this power came to be.
"It is a power that is passed down from hero to hero," Vegeta revealed. "Each time it is inherited, the user strengthens this gift greater than before. My master had it, even the one hero you call Goku gave this power to me before he left this world, and I have searched all these years for a worthy successor of my own. And I found, to my surprise, that it is you."
Izuku felt his eyes water once again, for this was the offer of a lifetime. Two of his idols held this awesome power of One For All and he didn't even know it until now. Who knows how old this secret is, and who else knows? He could only imagine how the two most powerful heroes this world has seen could cultivate this secret ability. And now, it was going to be his turn.
"So what say you?" The number one hero questioned. "Will you accept not only this great power but the responsibility that comes with it?"
Izuku thought of Goku's smile even as the life within him left. He remembered the day he watched the hero die through his computer screen, as it was a dark day upon the golden age Goku and the Z Fighters forged. Izuku remembered learning firsthand of the sacrifices that heroes must make even if they lose their lives. Remembering all of this, it came together to him.
What Vegeta told him now was something that no one else likely knew. His actions earlier that day managed to impress the powerful hero enough to divulge his greatest secrets to him. A part of him didn't feel worthy to earn this power called "One For All". But yet, he wondered to himself how he could live with himself if he refused this opportunity.
There was no going back now.
"I... I accept this power!" Izuku declared, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
"Just what I thought," Vegeta said aloud. He turned around and looked over to give Izuku his task, "Find me near the entrance to the mountains at six o'clock sharp. From there, your training will begin."
Without even having a chance to respond, Izuku covered his face with his arms in an x formation from the dust Vegeta left as he flew away into the skies of Japan. After recovering himself, Izuku raced his way home with his heart pounding in a mixture of anxiousness and excitement. He made sure to remember to savor in the two days of rest before meeting up with Vegeta again, for his journey to become a hero has just begun.
A shrill beeping noise from his phone woke Izuku from his sleep, prompting him to groggily hover his hand over the device to pick it up. As the brightness of his screen made him squint at first, his eyes quickly widened when he saw what time it was and bolted out of bed. It was five-thirty and he rushed to get ready for his training with Vegeta.
After making himself a quick breakfast, Izuku snatched a white t-shirt and gym pants in quick haste. He could only imagine what kind of physical training the number one hero would put him through. He was relatively skinny, but his lack of muscles and physical activity alike have not helped in his physique development. On top of that, it only made it easier to be picked on along with his timidness. After getting ready, Izuku quickly made his way to the door but was quiet to not wake his mother.
"Izuku?" A soothing voice called quietly.
The boy in question nearly jolted in fright until he turned around to see his mother awake. She had a noticeable transformation in the last ten years, Izuku noted. Her height has greatly shortened and has noticeably gained weight in that time. She would always give a smile and convince him otherwise, but the young boy felt that his lack of a quirk and the death of his idol all those years ago had very much something to do it.
"H-Hey Mom," Izuku said with a shaking smile. "You're up early."
"I should say the same to you," Inko replied wiping her heavy eyes with her elbow. "What're you doing honey? School doesn't start until a little later."
"I'm just getting my workout done before school, I wanna prepare for the U.A. Entrance Exam as soon as possible." It was a half-truth.
"But this early though?" Inko yawned. "It's good to be ready ahead of time but I want you to still focus on your schoolwork."
Izuku gave his mother a reassuring smile, he didn't want to worry her any more than he had already. "It's ok mom, really. I'll come back in time for school."
This managed to put Inko at ease as she sighed once more before making her way to her bedroom. "Alright, Izuku. Don't forget to hydrate plenty for your workout, and don't push yourself too hard okay? You're gonna need enough strength for your classes."
"I'll be okay mom, I promise!" Izuku said quietly as Inko shut the door behind her to get some much-needed sleep. As soon as his mother's door closed, the young boy quickly raced down the steps onto the streets. He informed his mother of being attacked by the large villain yesterday twice but intentionally left out his encounters with Vegeta. She was obviously frightened when she learned of these incidents, though Izuku still wanted to honor the senior hero's secrecy. Even then, he felt guilty that he would be lying to his own mother.
Izuku shook these concerning thoughts away as he ran north to meet Vegeta. There was no time for hesitation, he thought. It was time to train.
Izuku's muscles shooked with pure exhaustion as he barely had the strength to keep walking. He and Vegeta were now walking through a wide area surrounded by colossal mountains. The latter of the two simply walked with stride ahead.
Once the aspiring boy met up with the number one hero, Vegeta simply tasked him to follow as they journeyed through what seemed like miles of endless forests until they now seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Izuku didn't understand why they were in such a secluded space. Now, he had instantly regretted his decision to waste his energy on running straight north.
Finally, Vegeta sat with his legs crossed on the field of grass that encompassed the area. Izuku instantly took this as a sign that they were finally stopping and collapsed to the ground right next to the hero.
"So, Vegeta, we came out here," Izuku huffed in exhaustion. "for a hike?"
The hero in question calmly stood up and gazed at the sunny sky as if it was just what he wanted. "Be grateful that I have taken you to such a historic site. I figured it would give you the much-needed focus away from the distractions of civilization."
Izuku continued to gasp for air as he recollected himself. After catching his breath he went up on his knees to observe the beautiful environment, he couldn't even hear the distant sounds of the busy cities of Japan. Here it was just him and Vegeta.
"What's so historic about this place?" Izuku inquired. "I know it's really beautiful around here but what's so special about it?"
"Very few know the importance of this sacred land," Vegeta began. Izuku then saw him turn around and watched in awe as the wind flowed through the hero's upward spiked hair. "This is where my predecessor made his debut."
The green orbs in Izuku's eyes shined in amazement as began to realize the true meaning of this serene place.
"This is where Kakarot became Son Goku."
Young Midoriya's eyes widened as he placed his hand over his chest where he felt his heart racing. Out of all the places that Vegeta could possibly pick to train him, it was where Goku did the same in his own youth. Izuku could only imagine what his idol felt when he was offered this awesome power of One For All.
Even then, a question formed in his head. What did Vegeta mean by Kakarot? Was this Goku's true name before changing it? Izuku only saw on TV interviews that Goku chose his formal name as his moniker, the same going for Vegeta and the others. Perhaps he kept his true identity a secret to protect his loved ones.
"Now young Midoriya," Vegeta said, interrupting Izuku's thoughts to him. "Are you ready to start your training?"
"Yes sir!" Izuku asserted as he wiped the tears from his eyes before they can flow.
"Then stand up, it's time for your first lesson."
Young Midoriya slowly got up to one knee as Vegeta held out a hand to him. Now upon his feet, Izuku took one step forward to take the hero's hand before he felt a sudden ping in his gut. Looking down, he saw that the older hero's hand had instantly turned into a fist and was now embedded in his abdomen.
Before he can process the fact that Vegeta literally punched him in the stomach, the unfortunate boy felt a sudden surge of liquid well up to his throat and dropped to his knees once more to dispose of what was left of his breakfast.
"Wh-wh- What was that for?" Izuku groaned as he clutches his stomach.
"A test for your physical prowess," Vegeta explained as he took out his phone. After seeing a few flashes from the camera, it didn't take much for the young boy to see that pictures were being taken of this embarrassing predicament. "Which only confirms the fact that you have no hopes of inheriting my power."
"But you said I was worthy remember?" Izuku cried out in panic before wailing. Did the two of them walk all this way only for Vegeta to tell him that he isn't worthy after all?
"Quit your whining I was referring to your weak body!"
Midoriya instantly obeyed Vegeta's command and shakily stood up to face him who now placed his phone away.
"One For All takes a toll on even the strongest fighters," Vegeta explained. "It combines the physical abilities of its past users so the current user will do the same. A body such as yours would only lose its limbs if it's not prepared enough."
"Oh I see," Izuku said as he rubbed his arms while observing his surroundings. "So these beat-up sessions are for some kind of hardcore workout right?"
"It's not only that. To truly understand the burden of One For All you must only have the body, but mind and soul to truly earn this power," Vegeta said as he motioned to his forehead and chest respectively before to the entire area. "Which is why I will also train you the proper forms of martial arts in this harsh wilderness, from there I shall teach you the first steps to properly use your power."
"I'm going to train in this? That's impossible!"
The last word from Izuku's mouth echoed through the vastness of Mount Paozu, making him wonder what or who heard him. While he saw sense in the need for secrecy, Midoriya quivered in fear at the ten months of physical pain for him.
"Remind me again, you wish to go to U.A. right?" Vegeta asked.
"Of course, it's where you and Goku went," Izuku said with confidence as he did a slight fist bump. "I know it's a long shot but I'll still aim for the moon!"
"Then don't forget that you're still on this Earth. You should know full well that U.A. is the most difficult and competitive school to get into."
Izuku took a moment to process the odds that were stacked against him. Countless aspiring heroes always had U.A. in mind not only because of its legendary alumni but also because it provided top-of-the-line education for hero studies in all of Japan.
"U.A.'s exam is in ten months," Izuku said to himself aloud. "I'll have to prepare my body and learn to use my power before then!"
"Which is why you'll need this," Vegeta said as he brought up a stack of papers that seemingly materialized in his hand. After being given the papers, named "Vegeta's American Dream Plan" respectively, Izuku's eyes widened as he examined its contents. His entire schedule was planned down to the hour. Two and a half hours of training then to accommodate for the school day. There was even a listed meal plan which he had to remind his mother of. After that, he had the rest of the day to reflect on what he had learned. And that was just the first phase.
"Every single minutia of your life has been taken into consideration for this plan," Vegeta continued. "That is unless you plan on quitting, I'll have plenty of time finding another successor and spare you the pain if you opt-out now."
Izuku knew that the number one hero was goading to give up, one of many provocations to come. A small part of him wanted to throw in the towel right then and there, to accept the life of a quirkless boy. But he already knew the answer.
"No, I won't quit," Izuku shakily said. "I'll work harder than anyone else just so I make it. Not like I have any choice right?"
The young boy then fell on his back as he felt a shockwave of air hit him in the face, nearly blowing the stack of papers away. As he got back up, he saw that Vegeta kept his legs bent with one forward and one to his side. His arms were in strange positions with his right arm in a fist facing the same direction as his leg on the side with his left arm bent in front of him with all his fingers close except for his index, middle finger, and thumb. In addition to a sudden white aura of energy surrounding the hero, Izuku immediately put two and two together.
"Then if that's the case, your training has begun!" Vegeta shouted with a frightening smile adorned. Izuku silently replied by shakily bringing up his arms in a boxers pose, his heart thumping like a loud drum.
Vegeta then charged straight at the frightened boy, who could only close his eyes for what was about to come.
From that day on, ten months of pure hell began.
Izuku panted heavily as he hopped over the multiple rocks scattered throughout the river as he tried desperately to keep the balance of the long rod of bamboo on his back with a bucket full of water dangling on each end.
"Get moving already!" Vegeta would bellow from a tall rock nearby. "You drop a single ounce, you go back to where you started!"
Izuku, unfortunately, missed a step on a rock covered with slippery moss and cried out in terror as the current swept him away.
Later that morning, it was martial arts practice which Izuku would always dread. Vegeta's moves would always be two steps ahead of him. If he sent a jab high, a gut to the punch followed. If he blocked low, there would be a close backhand against his cheek or an open palm to his nose.
Vegeta then sent a kick with his left leg to Midoriya's abdomen, sending him back several feet. Izuku barely got up to his knees when the senior hero grabbed his left arm and threw him over his shoulder with a loud thud to the grass.
Izuku rolled to his side as Vegeta sent down a downward punch from his right arm aimed at the young boy's chest, only sending a large dent in the dirt. Keeping his momentum, and taking advantage of the hero's exposed form, the young boy immediately took the chance to step forward with a left hook hoping that the hero wouldn't see it coming.
In what seemed like a blur, Vegeta smirked to his right and swatted the young boy's arm away with his fist that was on the ground. Izuku sent a desperate cross only to find the hero's open palm from his other arm against his chest, pushing him back once more.
Before he could get up, Izuku yelped in pain as he felt as if a giant weight on his chest. He saw that it was Vegeta who landed a foot on his chest to signify, yet again, another victory in their sessions.
Young Midoriya barely kept himself awake in the classroom, combined with the exhaustion of his morning weight training and sparring sessions. The only comprehensible thing he could hear from his teacher involved something involving the minister of infrastructure and something called the Building Standards Act. He was so tired he could barely catch up to these instructions.
Nonetheless, Izuku pushed down the button on his pen and started to strategize what was left before the U.A. Entrance Exam. The fact that every single day started with weight lifting and sparring sessions left him physically tired, he decided to take into account his muscle recovery time would not be enough for the time between his training.
He also had to remember that, as much as he feared him, Vegeta won't always be in his vicinity so that leaves Izuku to learn for himself the teachings he had that day. He could always go online and look at past footage of his teacher but even then he had to make his own assumptions on his style, as it seemed to be a mashup of Eastern Asian martial arts.
Then there was his sleep schedule. The plan made by Vegeta specifically listed four o'clock as his wake-up time so his free time was very much limited to looking back on his training. He remembered that his body wasn't a suitable vessel for One For All yet, so who knows-
CHOP
Izuku recoiled as he covered his mouth with his two hands after giving a loud yelp. He quickly realized that his muttering caught the attention of the entire class and it was his teacher who used his disconnected hand quirk to literally snap him out of it.
"Hey, you doin' okay Midoriya?" The long-haired teacher asked. "I know that villain gave you a really big scare, but you gotta focus! Especially if you're gonna enter U.A.!"
That reminded him of something he forgot to add, his studies.
The next morning Izuku let out a long sigh as he relieved himself nearby a group of rocks. Vegeta would only allow him less than five minutes of a bathroom break lest he brings him back for training, something the young boy definitely did not want. Regardless of how short these breaks were, Izuku always took the time to reminisce on what he needs to do better or to admire the beautiful environment of Mount Paozu.
Izuku wondered how anyone can live through this empty wilderness. He must have figured that Goku took advantage of the quiet serenity, the loud and busy streets of the numerous cities could be obnoxious at the very least.
A loud thumping interrupted Izuku from his thoughts as he was almost done. After looking at both sides, he decided to bend himself back with his head upside down before he regretted that decision.
Behind him, a large bipedal reptilian stomped its way toward the boy. After a moment or two, he quickly realized that it was a Tyrannosaurus Rex or what looked like a T-Rex. The near kaiju-sized theropod adorned a set of horn-like appendages across its head and scars to signify the previous battles fought. Not only that but the saliva dripping down its mouth was a clear sign that it was hungry.
Izuku barely had enough time to zip up his fly when he turned around and froze in terror. The dinosaur lowered its head to inspect the terrified boy who was able to feel the steady breath of the hungry behemoth.
"Say hello to your sparring partner!" Vegeta echoed. Izuku looked up to his left to see him standing atop a pillar of rock with his arms crossed and a merciless smile.
Before he had a chance to protest, the dinosaur roared in the boy's face nearly shattering his eardrums. Izuku ran as fast as his feet could carry him, fighting back against the pain and exhaustion from earlier as he was desperate to not be this monstrosity's breakfast.
The next couple of months brought more or less the same routine for young Midoriya. Vegeta's creativity for making his training miserable had no end as he would always find ways to make Izuku suffer in exhaustion, whether it be "sparring" with dinosaurs (who somehow still existed) or making him climb the face of a mountain with a large stone dangling from his waist on a rope.
No matter what, Izuku still kept going as it was his only way to achieve his true dreams. This was a once-a-lifetime opportunity, he wasn't going to let it pass.
Izuku was tasked today a ten-mile run carrying a rock the size of a small refrigerator while he followed Vegeta, simply levitating ground level on the path they took. Towers of bamboo created a narrow passageway of dirt throughout the grasslands.
The young boy huffed as his muscles started to give in to both the rock he was carrying and the muscles that held it. No matter how hard he tried to resist, he grew disoriented from the running and started to drag his feet instead of making full steps.
"Just a few more feet," Izuku thought to himself though he knew of his circumstance.
He didn't even have time to set the rock down before he fell face-first into the dirt. Though this fallacy gave him a single moment of rest, he knew that he had to get back up. Vegeta must have obviously heard him fall and Izuku knew well what the consequences would be.
He could only do so much as to drag his small body through the ground as he didn't even know where he was going anymore, he was just tired. Izuku faintly heard the whistling wind from the number one hero's levitating cease as he heard him land.
"What's the matter?" Vegeta sarcastically asked. "It's been seven months already, you only have three before the exam!"
Izuku could only wheeze in reply as he desperately tried to gather strength to get back up and running with no thoughts otherwise.
"My training is unforgiving but not impossible. You shouldn't be overworked at this point, which means you haven't been sticking to the plan!"
"One For All requires a strong and able vessel to handle its near-limitless power, which is why I designed your regimen with every single aspect of your life in mind in the first place! Now you'll have even less, or if any, time to practice this power! How can you even hope of passing the entrance exam now?!"
"In case you didn't remember I gave you a choice!" Vegeta continued. "I gave you a choice to inherit my power! I gave you a choice to suffer through ten months of hell to mold your pathetic body so don't you dare say that this suffering was forced upon you!"
Izuku recoiled at the truth being spoken from the number one hero. He hasn't stuck to the plan Vegeta made for him specifically, he hasn't kept his body in mind when he was pushing himself. The odds came stacking on top of him now more than ever, and he hadn't even gotten the first taste of Vegeta's inherited power yet. He knew that he had no excuse to give for going over his limits, he brought this on himself.
"I... I'm sorry Vegeta," Izuku croaked as he silently shed tears and clenched his fists in a whirlwind of pain and frustration at himself. "I knew that it was gonna hurt, just not this much..."
"So do tell me, if this is so painful for you, why won't you quit?!"
A small pause ensued between master and apprentice before the latter responded, crawling on the dry dirt up to the former's feet. "I asked myself ... every day ... that question since you told me that I can be a hero. The words you told me ... were exactly what I needed to hear. What I want to do... is more than just passing, or working harder than anyone else!"
Izuku used what very little strength he had at the moment to look up at Vegeta who towered over him, the sun overcast behind him.
"I don't want to be 'defenseless Deku' like everyone else calls me. I don't want to be the useless kid that can't protect anybody! I don't want any of that anymore! I want to be the greatest hero! I want to be the one who puts on a smile no matter how bad things get! I want to be like you and Goku!"
Vegeta's frown slowly began to wither away into surprise, especially at the mention of his deceased rival. Izuku tensed as his mentor took a step back to turn around and rub his temples. A small period of silence followed once more until the master began.
"It's no secret that my predecessor and I had a very public rivalry. If only I had taken the time to be what he saw in me: a friend. I was there when he gave me his power, when he left our lives forever. I look back on how much I yearned to have One For All for myself, that I alone would be the worthier inheritor. I fought with him, tooth and nail, to take the number one spot."
"Now, I question why he gave it to me," Vegeta said in a rarely solemn voice, "I ask myself every day if I am truly a worthy successor, why am I the symbol of peace, and what does it truly mean? Was gaining this power worth losing what was dear to me?"
Izuku couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not once did he ever believe that Vegeta, of all the people in this world, would have second thoughts on what he always strived for: being the number one hero, and the Symbol of Peace. He had never seen this kind of reconsideration in the numerous interviews he watched online. Vegeta always kept his signature brash personality to undermine Goku, often resulting in rather humorous outcomes.
"I never found the answer to my endless questions, that was until I found you," Vegeta finally said as he turned to young Midoriya who recoiled in surprise. "You have been the answer to my question after all these years."
"Kakarot trusted in me that I would find a worthy successor that would be different from anyone else who held One For All. You weren't born with any powers, yet you still have the drive to be a hero. Both of us were blessed, since birth, with the breathtaking powers that we used to attain our positions. Even then, you have more potential than either of us."
"Someone similar had that dream like yours, and like you at first, I told him that he was a fool and that it would be impossible. Not long after, he of all people protected me and sacrificed himself so that I may live. I will not make that mistake again."
Vegeta then walked over to grab Izuku by the scruff of his neck, placing him on his feet. Young Midoriya quivered as the number one hero was now only inches away from his face.
"If you truly wish to be the greatest hero," Vegeta said as he pointed a finger at the young apprentice's chest. "You will not be like me or Kakarot, you will be better than us."
Izuku widened his eyes in surprise at his mentor's plan for him. He thought to himself how could he ever hope to be better than Goku or even Vegeta? He can't fly, he can't shoot energy blasts, and he certainly can't make his hair yellow just by yelling. He had no idea how One For All even worked or if it will work for him.
"But how?" asked the bewildered Midoriya.
"That is only a question you will find the answer for," the hero declared as he folded his arms. "You can start by training harder than ever so that you can use One For All and feel its power. You only have three months left, which is plenty of time to hone your body."
Now with a drive more than ever, Izuku raced to the rock that he dropped on the ground and declared, "I will Sensei! Thank you, thank you for-"
The young boy's statement was cut short as he felt two taloned hands clutch his shoulders and the wind blowing past his face. Looking up, he saw that it was a pterodactyl who snatched him from the air much to his obliviousness. Izuku's screams of fright were audible throughout the forest.
For the next three months, Izuku kept at his training even harder than he had before. What helped was that he would combine his studying and his training, with assistance from Vegeta of course.
Pushups on flaming coals while reading from his textbook, or lifting wrist weights with a book on each hand, Vegeta tasked him with these methods not only to improve his physical stature but to give him hard lessons on multitasking.
This did not limit him to his martial arts, however, as Izuku would be tasked with helping the environment of Mount Paozu. One time, he would help a young flightless pterodactyl back to its nest or another time where the T-Rex that tried to eat him needed help with thorns stuck in its tongue.
All of this reminded Izuku how lucky he had it living in the city. He could truly see how living off the land inspired the hardest workers, such as Goku. He guessed that the inhabitants of Mount Paozu never saw their protector again once he started to study at U.A.
There was also meditation, as Vegeta told him that he had to allow One For All to flow throughout his entire body if he were to know its full potential. Young Midoriya found this type of practice serene. Not only was this a suitable break from the physical aspects of his training, but it gave him a sense of inner peace.
He and Vegeta would practice their moves side-by-side for better focus. Wherever Vegeta punched, Izuku followed. Sometimes he would stumble, sometimes he would fall, but he always got back up.
Then there were the sparring sessions. Vegeta would up his challenge by using a long pole of bamboo as a staff to purposely make it harder for his apprentice to counter him. However, young Midoriya accepted the challenge.
Izuku knew Vegeta's style by now, a reward for his attentiveness, and was able to successfully block Vegeta's attacks both armed and unarmed. It was a slow transition of course as the master always undermined the apprentice.
Before long, Izuku would be able to keep up with his master, enough to replicate his moves without flaw.
Vegeta landed on the grassed fields of Mount Paozu, in search of his apprentice. He managed to trust him enough to travel to his training grounds without his supervision as long as he stuck to the main path Vegeta gave him, it strayed from any strangers from entering the sacred lands.
It was six in the morning, just hours before the U.A. Entrance Exam began.
"Where did he run off to," Vegeta grumbled to himself aloud. Almost as a reply, the number one hero heard a loud yell echo through Mount Paozu. After having some trouble discerning the direction of the sound, he winced in surprise as he saw who it was.
Atop a thin, grass-tipped mountain, his apprentice stood in pride and screamed at the sky in his victory. Sweat from his exhaustion glistened his shirtless body as he finally accomplished the Saiyan hero's task of climbing the mountain on his own.
Vegeta let out a small smile as he allowed Midoriya to revel in his accomplishment, the first step in his future endeavors. He used his ki to quickly levitate toward the exhausted boy who had now fallen off of the mountain, cradling him in his arms.
"So you've accomplished your task with only minutes to spare," Vegeta said as he landed on the grassy field. "About time you've done it."
"I did it Sensei, I climbed the mountain," Midoriya said with a shaking smile. "Do you think I'm ready?"
Vegeta scoffed as he dropped the boy onto the ground who strained as he got back up. "Seeing that you have proved my expectations not only by climbing that mountain yourself, but you also managed to get yourself into a suitable shape."
As his apprentice caught his breath, the Saiyan Prince pulled out his phone and displayed the picture he took of Midoriya in his crying glory. "See that pathetic figure? That was you ten months ago. And now look at yourself, you have not only gained the competent muscles but you have also learned the true forms of combat. Because of that, obtaining One for All will be a journey of a thousand steps in your path to be a hero."
Midoriya had indeed changed by a milestone over that period of time. Not only were the changes noticeable in his arms and legs, but to his chest and stomach area as well. The muscles weren't as large as the Saiyan Prince's, but they were suitable enough for a boy his age and stature. The boy in question brought up his hand to his face, almost as if he was inspecting it.
"Sensei... Are you sure I deserve this?" The apprentice asked with tears of happiness started to flow. "You're the most powerful hero in the world, how is it that I'm the one who gets this power?"
Vegeta thought to himself as he flinched at Midoriya's. Ten months and already feeling self-doubt? The Saiyan thought this to be ludicrous. Out of all the candidates he thought of over the years, Midoriya surprised him the most. Not now, he reminded himself, in time the young boy would learn more. Today, it was time for the exam. The number one hero straightened his left hand and brought it down on the young boy's head. He snapped out of his trance as he rubbed his top from the pain.
"Nonsense!" Vegeta scolded. "You should be proud of the fact that you have come this far! You told me yourself that you grew tired from the shadow of your helpless life did you not?"
With sense now literally knocked into him, Midoriya rubbed the tears from his eyes and gave a more certain look. "Yes, sorry Sensei! I'm grateful for all that you've done for me!"
"Good," Vegeta said aloud as he folded his arms. "Now listen well Izuku Midoriya as these words have been said to me by my predecessor, Kakarot. 'Power comes in response to a need, not a desire. You have to create that need'. Those who have held One for All were not only strong but made that power strong. He had it, I had it, and now you have that power too."
Midoriya then clamped his eyes shut and held out his weak quirkless hand to grab the future. On cue, Vegeta grabbed a single lock of his ebony dark hair and held it out to the unknowing boy to simply say:
"Eat this."
The young apprentice bolted his eyes open as he couldn't believe what he just heard.
"Huh?" He asked aloud.
"To inherit One for All, you must embed yourself with some of my DNA!" Vegeta said impatiently, time was running out.
His earlier determination diminishing instantly, Midoriya quivered uncertainly. "Does it have to involve swallowing a lock of hair? What about a blood pact?"
"Are you kidding me?!" Vegeta asked in bewilderment. "The scar that will be left on your hand will only point signs where you received your power from, it must be done this way!"
With no way back, young Midoriya grabbed the lock of hair. After exchanging one last look to the Saiyan hero, the apprentice brought the strand to his mouth and swallowed it with some effort.
"Okay, it's in," Midoriya said shakily before looking down at his hands. "I don't feel anything though."
"That's because you'll need time to properly digest my DNA," The Saiyan hero said. "If only you got into shape properly months before today, but you'll have to make do. You remember your meditation, correct?"
After the apprentice nodded, Vegeta brought out his arms. "To use One for All, you must allow it to flow through your entire body, not just one area. Be warned, this power will take a toll on you as it is a price to pay for such strength. It is up to you how to wield it for the exam."
Midoriya raced to grab his shirt nearby and put on the straps for his backpack as his master continued. "I won't help you with this exam but take note of my words. To use One for All, you must clench your buttocks and yell these words: 'smash'. Only then will you feel its raw power."
The young boy paid attention to his sensei as Vegeta turned to have his back face his apprentice.
"You have very little time before the exam, get going. I will be informed of your results."
Though he could not see him, Vegeta felt that Midoriya wanted to say something. After some time, he could hear the footsteps from his apprentice fade from his hearing. Vegeta looked back to see that the young boy was now on the way to his home, U.A. to follow.
After letting some ki flow through his own body, the number one hero flew into the air at unprecedented speed. He told his apprentice all that he needed to know for the time being, but nothing of the fact that he would be heading to his former stomping grounds to watch him with his own eyes.
AN: That's a wrap for this training chapter! The first two chapters may pretty much have been the first two chapters of MHA near-verbatim, which is why I wanted to spice things up this chapter by changing Midoriya's training grounds from Takoba Municipal beach to the sacred Mount Paozu.
I wanted to go into more depth on how Vegeta's trained Midoriya as I've taken inspiration mainly from young Gohan's training in the (yours truly) Vegeta Saga in DBZ, but also from Kung Fu Panda (a film I just recently saw since nearly a decade ago on Netflix before it was taken off).
Originally, I was going to have Midoriya first use One for All against the T-Rex that chased him earlier. As much as I think that him using his power before the exam would've been very helpful (and not be too similar to the main story), I felt that this would take away the amazement that his future peers and teachers would have witnessed.
One thing I definitely wish to do well for this fic is Vegeta's inner conflict on whether or not he deserves One for All and the number one title after Goku's death. I feel that this is a really good concept for the character that I wonder how the future version of Vegeta felt in Future Trunk's timeline. Hopefully, he won't share the same fate here.
As far as the questions in my reviews, Super Saiyan is definitely still a thing in this fanfic. Vegeta may not have shown it yet, other than a very subtle reference, but you'll definitely get a taste of it in later chapters (Hint hint USJ).
Now as for other Dragon Ball characters like Gohan, Goten, Trunks, etc., they will play a part in the story. I've actually had to go through a major revision of the story as the previous version I thought of had very few DB characters involved.
I'm glad I made this revision because I felt that it was wrong for this story to just be 90% My Hero Academia and 10% Dragon Ball, that would be cheating myself into calling this a crossover.
Now as for a recent character introduced in the MHA manga (no spoilers here for anime-only watchers), I've had some mixed feelings. On the positive side, I think that a character like this has the opportunity to stand out from other characters of their kind. On a more skeptical note, I think that it's a little too late to introduce this character but we'll see.
That's about it! School just recently started for me last week (how a joy senior year of college is going to be) so when my fic going slow, that is my main reason why.
Thanks for reading!