Go Beyond, Prince of All Saiyans!
Chapter 3 - U.A. Beginnings
As he flew high above the clouds of Japan, The Saiyan Prince Vegeta made his way to U.A. High School with thoughts of concern on his mind. To say the least, he was impressed by how far young Midoriya had come during their ten months of training. However, one very important aspect of their training that the number one hero didn't cover was how to actually use One For All.
Vegeta cursed himself for not noticing Midoriya push himself to the brink sooner before that day where it was nearly all over. The closest the two were able to come to an understanding of the inherited power was through meditation. This was so that Midoriya could get a feeling of letting the power flow through his entire body.
The additional fact that Vegeta sensed no ki whatsoever in the boy's body, much like most of the Earth's population, only lessened the chance for his apprentice to fight on the same level as him. And it especially won't help him in the Entrance Exam that was to take place today.
Vegeta then thought that there was no point in lamenting what couldn't be done. All that could be done now was simply hope that young Midoriya passes the exam despite the odds against him.
The familiar sight of his former academia distracted him from his concerns. Even from this height, he could still make out the window blanketed building and the signature blue and white archway that greeted its students and staff alike. Now that he was at his destination, the number one hero descended at an intractable speed at the back of the notable 'H' letter-shaped building where he was instructed to go. Vegeta breathed steadily before turning the handle to open the door.
Walking through U.A.'s hallways gave the Saiyan hero an unprecedented amount of nostalgia. He couldn't even count how many times he walked through these hallways with his fellow peers who were now Pro Heroes. Vegeta almost chuckled to himself how the place hadn't changed after all these years, for he could barely remember the last time he came here before-
"Damnit not again", Vegeta berated internally to himself. The sudden painful memories this academy gave him distracted him from his thoughts. The Saiyan Prince now remembered that he didn't take these recollections into account when he was asked to come back to this place, for these stomping grounds reminded him of a simpler time.
"Is that Vegeta I see? What's up, bro?" An irritable eccentric voice called out.
Vegeta turned to his left to see a young man leaning against the wall clad in a black jacket adorned with a pair of headphones and what looked like a speaker obscuring his neck. Not only was his pair of sunglasses distinguishable, but also his lemon-colored mustache and a large tuft of hair which the Saiyan hero thought to resemble a Super Saiyan knockoff.
"Hello Mic," Vegeta grumbled. He forgot that he would be joining Present Mic, the Voice Hero, in overseeing the potential candidates for the next generation of heroes. The man reminded the Saiyan Prince of Kakarot through his jovial personality.
"Present Mic actually," The Voice Hero chuckled awkwardly. "I'm just heading over to our auditorium to give these kiddos how it's all gonna go down. The rest of the teachers are to head to a 'special screening' of the contestants. Want me to show you the way?"
"No need for that," Vegeta retorted. "I know where to go."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Present Mic laughed loudly. "Sadly I won't be joining you guys. I'm gonna see all the action myself, see ya!"
The Saiyan hero suppressed a groan as the eccentric Present Mic walked to the auditorium, he internally knew that it was only a matter of time that the blonde would get under his skin. Vegeta shook these irritating thoughts from his head as he walked over to his destination.
Vegeta stood at the door leading to the panel of judges inside. He knew that the pro heroes inside would stand alongside him as his colleagues, some having been teachers for some time now. The Saiyan Prince was very much aware of his shortcomings as a teacher, his tutelage of young Midoriya one of many examples.
Even though he was the number one hero, Vegeta internally knew that title didn't matter once he stepped through this door. Many, if not all of them, outranked him in being teachers at this academy for the Saiyan hero only knew what it was like at U.A. as a student.
Vegeta swallowed his pride like a large pill and opened the door to the room. Present Mic's description of a 'special screening' was correct as there were rows of seats directed at a large TV screen. It almost looked like a movie theater for teachers only.
"Oh, Vegeta!" A bear-like creature popped out. "The introduction will be starting soon, I saved you a seat right next to me upfront!"
Vegeta recognized the chimera individual as Nezu, the current principal of U.A. From what the Saiyan hero knew, Nezu was an extremely rare case as he was an animal that somehow gained a quirk that made him more intelligent than even the average human. Though he was used to seeing the variety of quirks that altered a person's appearance through civilians and pro heroes alike, he could never pinpoint what exactly kind of animal the principal was.
The Saiyan Prince made his way to his seat, ignoring the prying eyes of his fellow teachers. Looking over to his right, he saw that Nezu's size made him comically look like a small child watching a movie with their parent.
Darkness then illuminated the room, the TV screen turning on as the only source of light. A broadcast showed of the auditorium the future students resided, their orientation. The camera switched over to Present Mic who resided in front of a large TV screen displayed towards the examinees and teachers alike. The U.A. symbol was adorned behind the eccentric blonde hero as he began his introduction.
"How's it goin' future U.A. students?" The eccentric hero introduced. "You're tuning in to your school DJ, Present Mic. Can I get a hey?"
The DJ hero turned his head to his side with his ear sticking out to get a response from the audience, though he was only met with silence reverberating through the auditorium. Vegeta and many of the teachers looked onto the scene unpleasantly, it was obvious that Present Mic's enthusiasm was not shared by the candidates.
"Keepin' it mellow huh?" Present Mic shrugged. "Well, I'm here today to give you the rundown of your practical exam! YEAH!"
Silence once again echoed throughout the auditorium. Vegeta could barely resist the urge to sink into his seat from this second-hand embarrassment.
"As you probably saw in your applications, you'll be going through a ten-minute long urban battle!" A diagram behind Present Mic displayed blocks designated from A to G, all of them overarching one block labeled 'Current Location'. "Feel free to bring anything you want! Once you're done watching this awe-inspiring presentation, you'll head to your designated location!"
Watching the pro hero's presentation reminded Vegeta of the purpose of these multiple testing locations. Candidates from the same middle school are not, under any circumstance, to go to the same training block to prevent tag-teaming of any kind. Even then, Vegeta was unsure who else from Midoriya's school came with the hopes of attending U.A.
"As you can see here, each training block will be filled with these three types of faux villains." A miniaturized display of one of the training blocks came up on the screen, then three silhouettes with the number of points designated with them. The points you'll earn are rewarded based on their difficulty. What you'll need to do dear listeners is to use your quirks to defeat these faux villains and get those points!"
A silhouetted figure then appeared to be that video game character 'Mario' Vegeta heard much about, taking down the silhouetted villains and raising its point counter. Present Mic then leaned forward and pointed his figure to playfully warn, "And of course, attacking your fellow examinees is a big no-no!"
"Excuse me, sir, may I ask a question?" A stern voice said. Out of the corner of Vegeta's eyes, a young man with spectacles stood up with his hand raised.
"Hit it!" Present Mic replied, a lone spotlight shining on the young examinee right on cue as the pro hero snapped his finger. Vegeta and the other teachers then focused their attention on the spectacled candidate.
"On the applications that you mentioned, there are four types of villains listed, not three. This is an unacceptable error, U.A. is the most notable school for teaching heroic academics in all of Japan!"
Though initially irritated at the interruption, especially since he thought the presentation was going on longer than it needed to, Vegeta respected the boy's freethinking. With that many candidates sitting in the same room, the hero half-expected at least one of them to point out this obvious contradiction to Present Mic's statement. Blind conformists were just as detrimental as those who refuse to respect the rules placed.
"And you with the messy hair!" The spectacled candidate shouted as he suddenly turned around to point an accusatory finger. A somewhat familiar voice yelped out in reply, though the cameras did not pick up who it was. "I can hear you over there muttering this entire time, stop it! If you're not going to take this seriously, then leave!"
After a barely audible 'sorry' followed, the cameras zoomed in on the boy responsible, leaving Vegeta barely any resistance to facepalm. It was Midoriya, and he was already making a fool of himself before the exam. The Saiyan hero's eye twitched in gall, the boy is dooming himself by the second!
"Alright, alright, Examinee 7111! Nice of you to point that out!" Present Mic appeased. "Now as for the fourth faux villain, it's actually a zero-pointer. An obstacle more or less, you all played Mario right?"
A giant squared silhouette with spikes all over then appeared on the screen, the 'Mario' silhouette hopping away as soon as it appeared.
"Think of it as a thwomp! There's one of it at each site and it can't really be killed, unless you got a Super Star, it's just really there to make things a lot more interesting for you future heroes!"
"So it's an obstacle to be avoided. Thank you very much. I apologize for the interruption, please continue," The examinee bowed then took his seat, the spotlight leaving him.
Vegeta almost chuckled to himself, as he knew the true reason for the zero-pointer's existence. It was to test them on whether or not they will have true courage in the face of danger. It was an important detail that the number one hero purposely left out in Midoriya's training. He may have helped him prepare, but he wasn't going to let him off too easily. He still had to earn his place in this school.
"Say isn't that Ingenium's younger brother?" An alluring feminine voice asked. "He looks just like him!"
"You're right," A gruff voice responded. "Guess it's his turn now."
Though he never met the pro hero, Vegeta knew very well of the Iida family that have spanned several generations. All of them had a speed-based quirk from engines imbued in their bodies that made them faster than the eye could follow, though not as fast as the Saiyan. They were very much recognizable through not only their quirks but because of their hero costumes being comprised of full-blown body armor. They were a family that have placed a lineage of glory through their name alone, so that meant this young boy had a lot to live up to.
"Now my dear listeners, before you go, allow me to part with you our school motto!" Present Mic began to conclude. "As the great Napoleon Bonaparte once said, 'true heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life.' Now lemme hear you say: Go beyond! Plus Ultra!"
Vegeta could barely compose himself from irritation as the two words immediately flashed onto the screen behind the DJ hero, only irking him once more.
"Break a leg kiddos," Present Mic said in sendoff. "Hope you're ready to hit more than just books!"
Izuku stood behind the large mob of candidates, quivering in fear and excitement alike as he examined the enormous wall that led to his battle center. It won't be long before his ten months of training will be put to the test.
"This is it. My dream is just through these doors," Izuku thought to himself as he trembled, his mouth divided with a worried frown and a nervous smile. "I won't fail you, Sensei Vegeta!"
"They got a whole city here? How big is this school?" One excited candidate exclaimed.
Young Midoriya directed his attention to his fellow examinees. He didn't understand how they could be so confident before the exam, shouldn't they have at least some concern of the dangers that awaited? Upon looking closer, he could see that many of them attributed their bravado to their equipment to match their quirks.
Among the mass of candidates, Izuku suddenly recognized one familiar figure. Breathing steadily as she tapped the upper part of her chest near the collarbone, it was the girl who saved him from falling earlier. He was surprised to see her so calm in comparison to him, he wondered if that was to help with her floating-type quirk.
His heart now thumping in his chest, and out of instinct, Izuku started to walk rigidly toward the girl whose back was facing him. He figured it was a good idea to thank her for her charitable act by saving him from falling on his face. Maybe he can ask more about her quirk. His thoughts were interrupted as a literal firm hand was placed on his shoulder. Turning around, he shook in fright as it was another familiar face, though in more unpleasant circumstances.
It was the spectacled boy from earlier who chewed him out on his muttering. In contrast to his earlier formal appearance, he now wore a mostly blue shirt with some hints of black traces. The boy looked much more intimidating up close, especially considering the fact that he was nearly a full head taller than Izuku.
"What devious scheme are you planning?" The stern boy asked. "That girl over there is preparing for the challenge ahead. What're you going to do, distract her with deceitful seduction?"
"N-no, it's not like that at all!" Izuku turned and faced the accusing boy while waving his hands wildly. It wasn't long before a few eyes from the crowd of candidates started to shift towards the commotion.
"Hey look at that, it's the kid that wet himself at the auditorium earlier"
"He's way more of a wimp in person."
"At least now we know who's definitely not gonna pass."
Izuku sweatdropped as the spectacled boy humiliated him once more. The exam didn't even start and he was already being written off.
"And start!" A familiar voice shouted.
All of the candidates looked around in confusion for the source of the loud voice until they saw Present Mic atop a giant tower behind them. Many of them were confused at his sudden outburst.
"Whaddya doing? The exam's already started, there are no countdowns in real life! RUN RUN RUN!"
The fainting sounds of hundreds of footsteps drew the clueless Izuku to a stunning reality that he had been dawdling while the rest of the candidates ran towards the battleground. In a panic, he sped behind the crowd desperately to catch up.
It was already the start line and he was already falling behind to last place.
As he entered his battle center, he was able to make out that he stood upon a replica of one of the many cities in Japan. It was a suitable simulation for what the students at U.A. had to deal with for their studies.
Izuku's thoughts were interrupted as something erupted from one of the buildings up ahead. Stopping dead in his tracks, he froze still as it was a green large mechanized robot. It stood atop a single wheel that kept him mobilized with elongated arms placed with what looked like miniguns and large shields to protect it. After seeing the large number 'one' on its arms, Izuku realized that this threatening mecha is one of the one-pointers.
"Target acquired," The robot's emotionless voice declared.
Now, it was Izuku's chance to get one point. One point so he could at least have some chance of passing the practical test. This was now his chance to use One For All, surely enough time has passed for him to actually use it.
Except the problem was, his feet stuck firmly to the ground. He was frozen in pure terror.
"Why can't I move?" He thought to himself. He silently cursed himself for his cowardice as the robot rolled quickly to his position, ready to strike with its arms. Izuku sealed his eyes shut as he awaited his fate until a bright ray of blue beamed through the one-pointer, destroying it immediately.
Now opening his eyes, Izuku turned to his left to see his savior. He was a blonde boy adorned with an unusual smile and what looked like seventeenth-century European clothing. He was in an unusual position as he simply folded his hands behind his head and had his waist thrust forward. Izuku looked down to see that the blue ray of light came from a circular device on his waist, very much likely what assisted his quirk.
"Merci beaucoup," The blonde boy said in a peculiar accent. "The assist is appreciated, though I doubt we'll meet again!"
With what looked like a sparkled wink, the boy sped away while shouting something that must have been along the line of farewell. Izuku stood in confusion. What did the boy mean by that last part, and did he just speak in French?
"Six minutes and two seconds remaining!" Present Mic's voice called out, interrupting his thoughts. Izuku panicked once more, four minutes have already past and he messed up his first chance to get a single point.
He darted his way through the city, only finding the remains of scrap metal from the robots. Judging by the numbers on their arms, Izuku recognized them as only the lower leveled faux villains. No sign of the three-pointer or zero-pointer yet.
After going through a thin alleyway, Izuku froze as he stood before a large street filled with destroyed faux villains and examinees alike, most of the former destroyed. On his right, he was able to see the girl from earlier darting through the machines. Even from his far distance Izuku was able to see her touch a few of the villains, which made them float. After touching the fourth robot, the girl stopped in her tracks to place her hands together with some strain.
"And, release!" At the girl's command, the floating robots fell to the ground and were crushed from the impact immediately. "Okay... that should be at least twenty-eight points!"
"Twenty-eight points?" Izuku wondered aloud. The sound of air hissing shifted young Midoriya's attention to his front, it was the spectacled boy who humiliated him earlier. He was moving exceptionally fast, probably thanks to the engines embedded in his calves from the look of it. At such speed, the boy was able to dropkick a one-pointer faux villain.
"That should put me at forty-five points!" The boy declared aloud.
Izuku stared wide-eyed as he watched the rest of the candidates destroy the faux villains with ease. Some would even bicker amongst each other as they would try to steal their chances from others just to get points for themselves. Time was running out and all of his chances were diminishing down to the seconds, who knew how much time he has left now?
Vegeta winced as he watched this pathetic display. Not only is Midoriya not using One For All like he was supposed to, but he is also squandering his every chance of getting both the villain and rescue points necessary to pass the exam by standing there helplessly. Where was the fearlessness he saw back when the sludge villain attacked?
"If the boy doesn't get his act together, all those then months would've been worthless!" Vegeta thought in aggravation.
To ease himself from irritation, the Saiyan hero directed his attention to the rest of the examinees. Through the use of a mockup city as their battlegrounds and time limit, these factors allowed the U.A. candidates to give it all they got.
Vegeta took notice of one candidate standing on top of a building with what looked like multiple arms spread out like wings. Upon closer inspection, he was able to see that the boy held a variety of eyes and ears attached to each. Vegeta figured that his quirk was being used for intelligence gathering, a suitable usage for strategy.
Some used speed to get through the exam as fast as possible, such as the Iida boy. Vegeta watched as the young spectacled boy sped through the mock city and destroyed the faux villains with ease, mainly due to the usage of his legs. Though he was impressed at his quick progression, Vegeta knew that young Iida would need more than that to prove himself.
Now for careful types of examinees. Vegeta looked at one of the monitors to see the young blonde boy who saved Midoriya from suffering the consequences of his hesitation. The blonde kept his arms back over his head as he would use the laser from his waist to destroy the villains, seemingly looking at the hidden camera. Vegeta thought of that last part as somewhat unsettling.
And finally, some used pure combat efficiency. The Saiyan hero recognized one figure huffing over a group of destroyed faux villains as the blonde Midoriya tried to save from that villain nearly a year ago. Vegeta nearly scoffed as this was a clear contrast from the terror the boy had when he was captured by an actual villain. The boy had a clear case of overconfidence.
The most successful students at U.A. held a culmination of all of these traits, very useful for their service as Pro Heroes. Of course, they would have to keep this attitude consistently for the next three years as they needed to be on top of their studies as well.
"My my what a wonderful display!" Principal Nezu exclaimed excitedly.
"Mm, I'd say this group looks promising!" The alluring voice said once more.
"Even then, we have to remember that not all of them will pass," A distorted voice pointed out.
"Which will be a blessing compared to what they'll face in their studies."
The teachers turned behind them to their left, the source of the bored-sounding voice. Leaning on the wall near the doorway was a man dressed in a simple black, baggy outfit with a grey-looking scarf around his neck. He had a very unkempt appearance as stubble adorned the lower part of his face topped only with his messy shoulder-length black hair and baggy eyes.
"Aizawa, you came just in time!" Nezu leaped up and waved. "Why don't you take a seat?"
"I'll pass," Aizawa replied. "The view's good from here."
"Well, suit yourself!" Nezu said as he and the rest of the teachers faced the screen once more, except for Vegeta. He recognized Aizawa as the Pro Hero Eraserhead, well-known for his erasure quirk which could cancel out anyone's powers. Eraserhead was also one of the current faculty members at U.A. like his longtime accomplice Present Mic.
The said hero then took notice of Vegeta and only replied with a pungent stare. This was a signature feature that made the Pro Hero intimidating to both his students and villains alike, though the Saiyan hero silently refused to allow this to unnerve him. Vegeta faced the front towards the screen once more.
"This has gone on for quite some time now," The gruff voice said. "Nezu, perhaps it's time we use the Yaruki switch."
"Oh good idea, I nearly forgot!" The principal chirped. Straight from the ground, a control panel lifted to Nezu's waist level. There were many buttons and switches adorned, though one notable feature was a red button with a cover and labeled 'Yaruki Switch'. The chimera lifted the cover and pressed the button with his entire paw.
Though he kept his cool, Vegeta felt his heart thump in his chest for he knew what that switch meant. But what made the number one hero worried was not what the panel of judges were about to unleash, but how his apprentice was going to handle it.
A loud rumble interrupted Izuku from his worried thoughts as he felt as the entire ground shook. A loud boom echoed through the buildings with trails of smoking, quickly catching the attention of all the candidates.
The rumbling got closer, everyone was able to feel it. They quickly saw a shadow within the cloud of dust was approaching them slowly. Eight red orbs lit through the dirty air until the body which they belonged to came into full view. It was one of the faux villains, but far bigger than any that they have seen before. Its kaiju-sized hands were planted on the top of two buildings which were only dwarfed by the mecha's size. The robot turned its giant rectangular head to inspect the examinees while it rested on wheels fitted for a military tank.
It was the zero-pointer.
The other candidates shared Izuku's terror as many of them froze in place while some began to retreat. The monstrous robot then closed its fist and slammed onto the ground, shaking the ground. The terrified boy fell on his back and saw numerous figures race from the dusty air. He simply stared at the zero-pointer as the other candidates raced past him without taking notice of him, except the spectacled boy before running once more.
Izuku then fell on his stomach and started to desperately crawl like a bug escaping the boot of a towering human. There was no guessing he had to get out of here. There's no way he could possibly defeat this monstrosity, the candidates who were actually able to fight villains fleeing only added further proof to that. He knew that the zero-pointer was meant to be an obstacle, but a behemoth ready to squash school children like ants? Were the instructors trying to kill them?
"Less than two minutes left!" Present Mic shouted with no concern.
"Two minutes?!" Izuku shouted in his head. He recalled all of the ten months of training. Ten months of runs that sucked the breath out of him. Ten months of senseless beatings. Now, they were ten months wasted. He could only imagine what Vegeta would think of him in this state or his mother. It was all over.
"Help!"
Izuku slowly turned over his right shoulder. A few feet away, he saw someone stuck under some rubble. Looking more closely, he could see that it was a girl. But it wasn't just any girl, she was the girl he met at U.A.'s gates. Her leg was stuck and she groaned as he desperately tried to crawl free. Behind her, the faux villain only continued on its route, no doubt about to crush her.
"Please, anyone?" She cried once more.
Some of the teachers watched breathlessly as the zero-pointer approached the girl stuck under the debris, many hanging their heads low unable to bear what was about to happen. Vegeta, on the other hand, gritted his teeth in bubbling rage as he watched his apprentice sit there like a deer in headlights.
A girl was about to die, and Midoriya was doing nothing.
"Come on, do something!" Vegeta thought with rage.
Izuku fell on his knees as he watched the scene unfold. Everyone else was running away, no one was helping her. Not the more powerful examinees that shred through the other robots with ease. Not the boy in glasses with his speedy quirk.
But most of all, Izuku was doing nothing. The boy who swore to keep pursuing his dream despite not being born with powers. The boy who accepted tutelage under the most powerful hero in the world and inherited his legendary power. That boy who was now sitting idly by while someone was in danger.
"Sorry for not warning you first," He remembered her saying. "I just thought it wouldn't be a good omen to fall on your face on the day of your exam."
His heart pounded like a drum in his chest. Izuku looked down at his hands. All he saw was worthlessness. He was now only being a coward once more, nothing whom Sensei Vegeta had trained him to be. His lips then curled into a grimace, then into a rage. He clenched his fists so tight he felt his nails dig into his palms.
"If I can't save one person, then how can I call myself a hero?!" He bellowed.
Unbeknownst to him, small pieces of rubble around him started to tremble, then began to levitate into the air all the while a white aura engulfed him like a flame.
The camera centered the scene wide open through the monitor. The panel of judges watched the scene with a now piqued interest in young Midoriya, but none of them compared to Vegeta. The Saiyan hero could barely resist jumping out of his seat as he felt a ping in his chest.
But this was not the first time he felt something like this. He had this feeling numerous times when he was around his peers that had the same power as him. Like the feeling when Kakarot would display his prowess. He bared his teeth in his menacing smile.
"Yes, that's it!"
Izuku placed himself in a runner's position, his eyes fixated on the zero-pointer with furious intent and his legs streaked with red veins. After bending his legs past his waist, the boy began to sprint at a barely traceable speed with only a trace of red in his wake.
As he got closer to the girl, the boy leaped up into the air straight at the robot like a rocket. Keeping his left arm bent with a closed fist, Izuku brought his right fist straight past his face while the fabric from his sleeve tattered into the wind. The red veins began to engulf the entirety of his right arm with a glow.
He flew straight to the robot's chest like an arrow, just the place to aim. Just as he was instructed by his Sensei, Izuku clenched his buttocks and yelled from the depths of his heart:
"SMASH!"
Cameras from the battleground captured Midoriya's attack at all the angles possible. His right arm was laced in red with his fist, knuckles mainly, stained in dried blood while his legs flailed through the air. Explosions ran throughout the zero-pointer as a result of the giant hole in its chest until it fell to the ground. Numerous teachers from the panel of judges looked on with shock and awe, Nezu even jumping up in the air in joy. Vegeta only smiled once more at the scene unfolded.
Midoriya finally did it. Not only did he use One For All, albeit breaking his body in the process, but he achieved something much more. Not just saving the girl from her doom, but he had awakened something that not even the Saiyan noticed in their training.
"Know your true self! Embody what it means to be a warrior and a hero! For there is no greater act than self-sacrifice!" Vegeta muttered under his breath with satisfaction.
The cameras managed to track Midoriya's body skid to the ground until he came to a half. The boy was in a rather awkward position as his face kissed the ground with his arms limp down to his bent knees, buttocks straight up at the sky.
Despite this awkward scene, Vegeta smiled as he folded his arms. He had a lot to ask from young Midoriya after the Exam.
Izuku groaned in pain and exhaustion as he breathed down the pavement. His knuckles burned from punching the robot straight through the chest, and his legs felt like broken sticks. The only appendage that wasn't broken was his left arm.
Despite the pain, he knew it was worth it.
He managed to not only save the girl who was stuck under the rubble, but he finally felt the taste of One For All after all this time. He couldn't exactly pinpoint what exactly the feeling was like, but he knew that its awesome power nearly overwhelmed him. He made sure to recall his training with Vegeta on his meditation acting as practice on how to use One For All, silently cursing himself for not heeding his sensei's advice. He was specifically instructed to allow the power to flow through his entire body, and he only used it for his legs and one of his arms. He thought to himself what would have happened if his entire body would have broken, a most unpleasant scenario.
But there was something else. In his short moment of rage, Izuku felt something envelop him in pure energy. What was it? There was no time to think about that, because he just reminded himself that the exam was still going. Using his remaining unbroken arm, Izuku used it to drag his broken body through the street. There had to be enough time left.
"Come on, just one point!" Izuku groaned as he crawled.
"Time's up!" Present Mic announced with the sound of a blaring horn.
It was all over. There was nothing left to do because time ran out, and he hadn't gotten a single point. Combined with the shocking news and the state of his body, Izuku's vision felt fuzzy until he fell to the pavement once more.
Back at the judge's panel, Vegeta watched Midroiya pass out as the exam reached its end. He recognized the small figure walking with a cane as Recovery Girl, U.A.'s school nurse. The elderly woman calmly walked to the young boy's body and worked her magic. Stretching her lips and puckering them, she kissed Midoriya's broken legs and arm. With a green glow, the once-injured appendages were good as new. A suitable quirk although it came from an elderly woman.
Even though Vegeta's heart was filled with pride from his apprentice's earlier accomplishment, it quickly fell to the pits of his stomach at the earlier reminder: Midoriya didn't get a single point.
Vegeta clenched his fist in frustration. Though the judges still had to score each candidate on how well they did, he worried that odds for Midoriya would make him ineligible for attending U.A. If that were the case, Vegeta would have no choice but to blame himself for failing his student's hopes and dreams.
"Well, that's all folks!" Principal Nezu exclaimed with a clap of his hands. "Now for the fun part, scoring time!"
All of the teachers sitting down pulled out tablets that showed each candidate and allowed them to judge them on whether or not they passed. Vegeta gulped down some air as he hoped for the best.
"Izuku?"
The boy snapped out of his trance as his chopsticks gripped a small dead fish. Looking ahead, he saw his mother with a worried look in her eyes.
"Why are you staring at that fish? Should I schedule an appointment for you?"
"I just spaced out for a minute!" Izuku quickly tried to reassure her before going back to munching on his food.
Later he sat solemnly on the living room sofa with his phone on his left and a yellow handgrip on his right. It has been a week since the Entrance Exam and no news of results, not like it would reveal anything new. He already thought prior that he barely passed the written portion of the exam, not to mention undoubtedly failing the practical exam.
"I know waiting for your results can be a pain!" His mother said in an attempt to comfort him. "But no matter what, I want to let you know that I'm very proud and I think you're awesome!"
"Thanks, mom," Izuku replied dejectedly. A knock at the door then came after that with a slipping sound, the boy not even bothering to glance at the source.
"Oh, that should be the mail! Who knows, maybe it could be your results?" Inko said as he made her way to the door.
Throughout all this time, Vegeta hadn't contacted him since. Izuku wondered how disappointed the number one hero was in him. Not only did he fail the exam, but he also made a mockery of himself by nearly destroying his body from using One For All the first time. As he placed his phone down and started to lift a medium-sized dumbbell, he thought back on the trust his Sensei placed in him by confiding in his secrets. Out of all the people he could have possibly chosen, he picked Izuku.
He could never pinpoint what the number one hero saw in him. Maybe it was a one-in-a-million moment of bravery? He may never know now. Maybe Vegeta will pick a better successor, but that would mean Izuku would have to give back One For All. How would that work?
For all he knew, he blew his chance of being a hero.
"Izuku, Izuku!" His mother suddenly shouted.
Alarmed, Izuku turned to his left to see his mother on her knees. She held out a letter in front of him labeled 'U.A. High School' as she trembled.
"It's from U.A., your test results!"
Izuku sat on his desk with his attention fixated on the envelope with tired eyes. His heart thumped as he hesitated to open it. What was it about? Was there the slightest of chances that he managed to pass? Or did they send this to inform him that he won't be able to attend the most prestigious high school in Japan?
After staring at the parchment for a few more moments, he shook his head in frustration. There was only one way to find out and it certainly didn't involve the letter opening by itself. Grabbing both ends of the envelope, Izuku strained as he heaved both ends of it until it tore in half. A small circular object fell out of the sleeve and fell on his desk. A blue light then emanated from the device, immediately showing a threateningly familiar face.
"I am here... as a projection!" Vegeta's voice shouted through the device's speaker.
"V-Vegeta?!" Izuku gasped. He recalled that his Sensei would be informed of his results, but certainly not this way. Speaking of him, Vegeta was dressed in an unusual yellow formal suit with a blue necktie and white undershirt. Behind him was a spectacled display of colors while a TV screen stood on his right side. The sight was very unusual, even for the hardcore hero.
"A great amount of time was taken on our end to grade each and every single candidate from the Entrance Exam, this is the reason why it took so long to contact you," Vegeta explained with a small cough. "Nonetheless, your results have finally come in."
Izuku's eyes began to beam with excitement, maybe there was a chance he made it. Out of the corner, a gloved hand beckoned Vegeta along with a quiet voice. Closely, the boy recognized the voice to belong to Present Mic.
"What is it? What do you mean I'm 'holding up'?! I have to show him...," Present Mic quietly replied to Vegeta something that made his eyes go wide open. "Wait how many of these do I have to do?"
Something on the DJ hero's end made the number one hero growl in frustration and facepalm. Running his hand from his eyes to the bottom of his chin, Vegeta huffed irritably and continued. With a thumbs-up, Present Mic's hand disappeared from view.
"Now first things first, you have managed to gain a suitable score on the written portion of the exam to pass. But I cannot say the same for the practical."
Izuku's head hung low for he already knew this brutal reality. His eyes began to sting as he awaited Vegeta's holograms to break the news to him. The news that he can't-
"However, there's something I will show you concerning that."
The boy snapped his attention to the projection as Vegeta pressed a button on a remote and motioned to the TV screen next to him. Right as the screen turned on, a girl entered what appeared to be one of U.A.'s classrooms. Izuku nearly jumped out of his seat as he recognized the nice girl as the one who saved him at the school's entrance, and how he did the same for her at the exam.
"Excuse me, do you know about a curly-haired boy with freckles?" She asked as she attempted to visualize to help her explanation to Present Mic. "He's kinda plain-looking? It's kinda hard to describe because he doesn't really stand out that much."
Izuku felt his heart thump in surprise as he couldn't remember the last time a girl his age described him in a non-insulting manner.
"Anyways, would it be possible to give him some of the points I got?" She asked shyly. "I could hear him say under his breath that he needed just one point! How didn't he get any after taking down that big villain?"
Izuku's heart pumped louder as he remembered the words that would keep bringing him down all the way up to today.
"Don't even think that you'll hang with the best!" Kacchan told him.
"Yeah what the hell were you thinking?! What was going through your head when you thought throwing a backpack at that villain was a good idea?" He remembered Death Arms chastizing him.
"Please sir, I have to make it up to him!" The girl now exclaimed as she shut her eyes. "He saved my life, it was the least he could do!"
With another press of a button, the video feed of the girl paused.
"You may have powers, far beyond just a quirk, but your actions are what moved this young lady."
A smile began to form on Izuku's lips as hearing the words from the girl gave him much-needed comfort. He managed to save one person and it paid off by the looks of it.
"This may surprise you because the exam wasn't graded on your ability to defeat villains alone," The projection of Vegeta said, alarming Izuku once more.
"Thanks for your consideration!" the video feed of Present Mic said as it resumed. He then began to pat the girl's head much to her surprise. "However, there's no need for you to do that! He did well on his own!"
As he paused the video once more, the projection of Vegeta walked in front of the TV screen before continuing. "A hero course turning away aspirants for doing what is necessary, the hypocrisy!"
"For that is what a true hero is," Vegeta declared as he faced the camera. "Actions like yours are what the instructors at U.A. yearn to see, which is why we were also giving rescue points."
Izuku's eyes widened in shock as silhouetted figures pulled out handheld devices that displayed sevens, eights, even tens. He quickly recognized them as high-scoring points for taking down the giant villain.
"Courtesy of the judges watching you, you have gained sixty rescue points! And for Ochaco Uraraka, forty-five rescue points, just enough for both of you to pass!" Vegeta said triumphantly as he turned around to have his back face the camera while he turned his head over his shoulder.
Izuku clutched his chest as he could feel his heart in his chest barely able to take what his Sensei is telling him. He passed. He couldn't believe it, but he actually passed! These words were well enough to reassure him that he had made his teacher proud. He was worthy.
"But don't let this get over your head," Vegeta reminded sternly as he turned around. "You along with many others must prove yourselves as worthy students if you so wish to become heroes, for I will be joining U.A. as its newest faculty member!"
Now that was something Izuku was expecting the very least of this news. Vegeta as a teacher at U.A. High, his former alma mater? Who else knew about this and how long was he planning an act this ambitious? Why didn't he tell his apprentice beforehand?
Speaking of hands, Vegeta thrust his left hand forward as if beckoning for him to grab it. His unsmiling features never left him.
"Now, Izuku Midoriya. Let this be your hero academia!" These were the final words the projection of Vegeta said before the device turned off, its message finished.
As for yours truly, Izuku wiped the tears of happiness from his eyes before taking a glance at the Goku action figure he's had for so long. Reaching out to grab it with his right hand, he inspected the plastic figurine with a crooked smile on his face. He remembered holding this figure in the exact same chair when he saw his idol pass from this world. Back then he was told that there was no chance he could be like his greatest hero, that his dreams are pure fantasy. Back then, the world saw its greatest hero fall to the evils that he worked so hard to keep at bay.
Now, it was Izuku's turn.
Inko paced around the apartment's hallway in front of Izuku's room, panting with absolute anxiety. The boy had been in his room for nearly ten minutes now, what was that message from U.A. all about?
Did her son pass, finally having a chance to be a hero like he's always wanted? Or did they send this message as a rejection, once more crushing the boy's dreams? Waiting around certainly didn't help her ease these worrying thoughts.
She recalled how despondent Izuku was ever since he came home from the exam, despite her efforts to reassure her pride within him. Worst case scenario, Izuku would have to wait until he can try again the next year. Maybe then he'll have more success that time around.
Just as she contemplated about going inside his room, the door opened with an audible creak. Turning to attention, she saw Izuku slowly walk out dressed in his robe that matched the color of his inherited hair. He held one of the numerous Goku figures he's owned since his childhood, she recognized it as the one he held when-
Shaking her head from the painful memories, she was worried as she awaited the news.
"So?" Inko asked with a nervous grimace. "What'd they say?"
After a small pause, all Izuku replied with was a smile. Just a smile, and it was all she needed to see. Her eyes became watery, and Inko ran to embrace her son who accepted her grasp while crying himself. Both mother and son held each other tightly as relief swept over them, freeing them from the misery that plagued them for a decade.
The moon was lit brightly as a crescent high in the dark sky with a soft breeze that journeyed through the late Son Goku's childhood home. Running along the shifting grass was Izuku, now jubilant as he looked left and right for his sensei. After informing his mother of the big news, Izuku raced to Mount Paozu to reunite with Vegeta after the week-long hiatus. Somehow, Izuku just knew he would be there.
After what seemed like an eternity of running, Izuku nearly gave up hope until he saw a peculiar object in the sky just right under the crescent moon. It looked just like some regular speck in the sky until he recognized the pointed tip and the serene yet intimidating figure. Vegeta levitated high in the air with the soles of his feet connected to each other and pointed down while he placed his hands in an interesting position with both indexes touching each other's tips.
As if he was able to sense his presence, the pro hero slowly began to descend onto the grass as Izuku got closer. The green-haired boy almost fell on his knees to catch for breath while Vegeta calmly stood up on his feet before turning to face his apprentice.
"S-Sensei Vegeta!" Izuku gasped while panting. "I got the letter an hour ago!"
"I can tell by your obvious excitement," Vegeta replied with his usual tone of steel. "Congratulations, you've managed to pass albeit with the skin of your teeth."
"Yeah!" young Midoriya shouted as he jumped up for a high-five, which was only left hanging. Realizing it wasn't the best reaction he continued. "Speaking of U.A., I was surprised when you said in the message that you were gonna be a teacher this year. You never told me that before!"
"That's because I wanted it to be kept a secret until the school made such an announcement. Sending messages like yours throughout every candidate who passed was the only way to mitigate the endless possibilities the public would perceive this information."
Izuku took a mental finger to his lips as he theorized the ramifications of Vegeta becoming a teacher at U.A. While it would certainly boost morale for the public and the students alike, there was also the issue of the media. The pro hero's overwhelmingly popular status would bring a metaphorical microscope to the school. Undoubtedly that would lead to the faculty and scholars constantly being under pressure. Reporters always found their ways no matter how dirty their hands got.
"I see," Izuku concluded. "And by the way, does anyone else at the school about ... well ... us?"
"In all honesty, very few," His sensei replied. "Not only because of the secrecy of One For All, but you as my apprentice would make it seem I'm choosing favorites. I chose this job a while before I met you to give me a better chance at finding a successor."
Much more sense came from Vegeta's words before. He was going to choose from one of the new students, one who had a quirk. Again, Izuku wondered why he specifically was picked out of all the upcoming students. He saw for himself the raw talent of his future peers, how worthy is he in comparison? Pushing these thoughts aside for another time, there was another subject he had to bring up.
"So I managed to use One For All," Izuku said in a more downtrodden voice as he looked down onto his once-broken hands. "But it completely wrecked my body. All I could do was throw one punch, I can't control it."
"Don't draw these conclusions that easily," Vegeta sternly reassured. "Even Kakarot and I struggle to get used to its power. All that's required is the will to keep learning and the attitude to make it so, every user of this power had dealt through this."
"Oh," Izuku pondered before he realized the meaning of his sensei's last statement. "Wait, so you knew this was going to happen?"
In a rare instance of uneasiness, Vegeta's eyes trailed off as he scratched his forehead with one finger.
"Y-Yes, I did. But only because you messed up when you didn't follow my plan!" Vegeta quickly raised his voice as he pointed an accusatory finger at Izuku's forehead.
"Now hold on, I managed to get through in the end! But you didn't tell me it would hurt that much!" Izuku replied with waving hands.
Vegeta sighed in frustration as he rubbed his temples. Young Midoriya couldn't believe it, but his words seem to have gotten through his sensei's head. He would have called it a moment of victory had it not been for the circumstances.
"Let me bring up another subject," Vegeta replied after a short pause. "Before you attacked that zero-pointer, what else did you feel besides One For All?"
Izuku took a moment to recall his temporary rage back at the entrance exam. He remembered how he felt One For all, but there was something else. There was another feeling that helped him defeat the faux villain but he couldn't put a finger on it.
"W-What do you mean?"
"Before you flew yourself at the villain, an aura surrounded you. What was it?"
"I- I don't - whoa!" Izuku gasped as a yellow orb suddenly illuminated atop his master's palm. Something was fascinating yet off-putting about the circular object. Not only he could feel the heat emanating, but there was another deep within his gut. It's like he was able to-
"You can sense this correct?" Vegeta's voice asked.
"Y-Yeah I can actually!"
"That was the same feeling I felt all the way over at the U.A. buildings spectating you," The pro hero said as he crushed his hand, dissipating the yellow orb. "Which confirms what I hoped you would have when we started training: you can use ki."
"Ki?" Izuku thought in puzzlement before he asked aloud. "What do you mean by that? Is that some kind of quirk, you have more than one?"
"It's nothing like that!" Vegeta shouted as he fanned his hands out forward. "The power that awakened in you is energy that far predates the quirks that changed this world forever! I tried to use our meditation sessions not only for you to understand One For All, but ki as well. It seems your moment of frustration is what finally allowed you to fly temporarily."
"So what can I do with it?"
"Having ki itself opens a door to a near limitless amount of potential. It's the same power me and Kakarot have and look what we've done with it, same for the rest of the Z Fighters."
Izuku's eyes widened as he looked down at his hands again. A power that came before quirks, was it the first one? How come no one else has talked about this on the media? Perhaps it was because of the commonality of quirks this power of ki has been accepted as so. He then dug deeper into what his sensei meant when he talked about how he and Goku had this power.
"So what you're saying is I can fly," He said as his excitement grew. "I can shoot energy blasts? I can change the color of my hair?"
CHOP
Izuku rubbed the top of his head from the punishment he was well used to for rambling. He looked up at his disapproving master growing ever more frustrated.
"You see? It's that exact thinking that made you break your body in the first place!" Vegeta shouted. "You have to regulate the power flowing within you and realize your limits before you go beyond!"
"But how?" Izuku asked with more frustration in his tone as he jumped to his feet. "If I'm gonna break my body using One For All, what hope do I have to do what you can?!"
Words did not come as a reply as a kick met Midoriya's gut and sent him sprawling across the grass. Shakily getting up to his knees, Izuku barely avoided a downward punch from his master and brought up his arms to block a lead uppercut.
"The torch I've passed onto you is nothing but a small flame," The number one hero grunted as he delivered two slower, but hard-hitting liver punches to each of Izuku's sides. "Only time will allow these two gifts to evolve into a flaming inferno!"
Izuku barely resisted bending over from his sides getting hit. Nonetheless, he kept his arms up and tried to keep his distance from his master. It was not enough though, as Vegeta was far faster than the boy even without his 'ki'.
"In time you become stronger than ever before," Vegeta said as he sent a vertical punch to Izuku's chin, then an ax kick to his right cheek. "In time, you will surpass me and Kakarot!"
By now, Izuku's arms were starting to fall down to his waist and his head was getting dizzier. The pro hero instantly took advantage of this and grabbed his apprentice by the collar to throw him on the ground. in conjunction, he knelt until his face was inches away from Izuku's.
"In time I, too, will pass from this world and you will find a successor to inherit your power just as I have done for you. That is the responsibility not only of One For All but as the Symbol of Peace."
Tears began to sting Izuku's eyes, not from the pain, but the reality that his master was telling him. Son Goku's unexpected death was proof that Earth's greatest heroes weren't going to be around forever. It was that kind of fear that made people realize who exactly will come to take their place. No, he wasn't going to let this stop him from his dream. Using his sleeve, he wiped whatever water he had in his eyes.
"I will Sensei!" Izuku declared in a shaky voice. "I promise I'll do it for you and Goku!"
"Good," was all his sensei replied as he stood up and backed up some feet. "Then stand up. You still have some time before your classes start, don't waste it."
Nodding, Izuku jumped on his feet and assumed a fighting pose with more assertion. His sensei was right, if he wanted to be better than both him and Goku he had to start by honing One For All and his ki alike. It wasn't going to be easy, but whoever said it was?
It was now spring, the first day of class for U.A. Izuku was now dressed in his new school uniform, a white dress shirt covered with a light grey jacket and a tie to go with it. There was also his darkly shaded green dress pants and his red shoes. He got his yellow backpack ready while his mother stood over him watching him as he finished packing his things.
"Did you bring your pocket tissues?"
"Yes, mom."
"Do you have enough notebooks? You didn't just pack your action figures right?"
"No mom I got it! I gotta go!"
"Izuku?"
"What?" Izuku asked in a frustrated tone as he opened the door slightly. A sparkle lit his mother's eyes as she smiled and hesitated on what she was going to say until she looked at him confidently.
"I'm proud of you son, I want you to remember that."
Redness flushed at Izuku's cheeks at his mother's words. Today was going to mark a major turning point in his life, how much he didn't know yet.
"Thanks, mom!" Izuku replied with a smile. "I'll be back soon!"
He then ran outside his apartment, but not without closing the door. Once he was on the street, he raced straight to his destination: U.A. High School.
"Come on Class 1-A, Class 1-A. Where is it?" Izuku thought to himself worryingly.
As soon as he stepped inside the glass-covered building past the archways, Izuku as if he were in a maze. He was running now as he didn't see anyone else enter the school, obviously meaning that class was about to start very soon or that he was late. He could barely resist thinking about the latter as he tried to find his own class.
Usually, there would be an orientation of sorts that would assist new students in getting acquainted with their homeroom. But no matter what, he figured he would have to find the class the old-fashioned way.
"There it is!" Izuku said aloud as he saw the sign bearing '1-A'. Skidding to a halt, he stared widely at the door that stood several feet high. He pondered the reason why, were there kids with giant quirks like Mt. Lady?
Shaking his head, he breathed steadily as he was about to meet his future peers. Many of Japan's most promising students would share the same classes as him for the next three years give or take. His heart pounded at the mere thought of meeting his peers who no doubt had quirks that made them stand out in their original schools. What were they going to think of him?
His mind then unpleasantly shifted to that of Kacchan and the boy with glasses from the exam. Shaking his head, he laid a firm hand on the sliding door. Maybe those two boys are in different classes, no doubt the students here will be-
"Take your feet off that desk this instant!" A familiar-looking boy with glasses said in a stern commanding voice. "It's the first day of school and you're already disrespecting not only the fine craftsmanship of those who made it but the former students who sat in it! Do you have no shame?!"
"Huh, what's that?" A blonde with an unmistakable threatening appearance, one that Izuku has seen many times in his life. "Did your school send that stick up your ass as a farewell gift, or were you born with it?"
Izuku smiled meekly, as these two students were exactly whom he'd feared to share the same class as him.
AN: Finally, Midoriya is at U.A.! Super sorry for the long wait everyone, didn't really work on writing once the previous chapter which is why I got an extra-long one for you to enjoy today!
To get things right off the bat, I fumbled around the idea of Midoriya being a ki user for some time now and I decided to just go with it. I figured it would interesting for his character as a combination of MHA and DBZ elements. Now could the same be said for the rest of Earth's population? Well, let's just say a hundred years of quirk generations may have made impacted people's ability to have ki.
In addition, Midoriya's attack against the zero-pointer in the Entrance Exam is supposed to be a callback to Dragon Ball when Goku does his meteor combination against Piccolo Jr and his younger self punching through King Piccolo's chest respectively.
As of today, the new World Heroes' Mission is supposed to be released today in the U.S. It may be really soon so I'm not sure if I'll incorporate it into this story. Nonetheless, I hope it'll be an enjoyable watch, I'm gonna be watching it with my younger sister tonight.
Hope you liked the chapter, stay safe!