Immortālitās

Chapter Sixteen

Even on this gloomy day, I walked through the school with a pep in my step. The day I spent with Ochaco could not have been more perfect. Our run? Perfect. Meditation? Perfect. Sparring? Perfect. Sad pow-wow about my life? A little different from what I had originally planned for the day, but nonetheless perfect!

I slammed our classroom door open with a smile on my face.

As usual, the room was empty. I walked over and took a seat at my desk and looked at the clock. There were still fifteen minutes before the first bell would ring.

Soon enough, the room started to fill and my eyes quickly found Ochaco as she entered the room. Her face lit up upon meeting my gaze and I waved her over.

"How was your walk to school?" I asked her. "I hope you had an umbrella?"

"I did," she giggled and sat on my desk so she could swing her legs. "A lot of people recognized me on the train though, so that was different."

"Anyone bother you?"

"Of course not," she playfully pushed my shoulder. "Most people just stared at me, but some of them told me I did a good job!"

"You did do a good job," I poked her in the side and she jumped a little.

"Ivan!" She swatted my hand away.

I laughed.

"Good morning," Aizawa said from the doorway.

Everyone quickly got to their seats.

"Good morning, Sensei!" We chanted.

"I'm glad your injuries are gone, Sensei." Tsuyu commented on his bandage-less form.

"The little old lady went little overboard with my healing," our teacher scratched his cheek. "But that's not important. Today we'll be having a special informational hero class."

Oh?

Half of the class tensed in anticipation of what he was going to say next.

"Code names," he stated. "Today you will be coming up with your hero aliases."

The tension in the room slipped away as most of the students jumped in excitement. That was until Aizawa's hair started standing along with his eyes glowing.

I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from laughing out loud.

"This has to do with the pro hero drafts I mentioned the other day before your short break," his body relaxed as everyone settled down again. "The drafting process becomes more fervent in your second and third years, as you most likely have gained enough experience to become an asset to a hero organization. However, for them to extend offers to first years like you, shows just how much they are interested in your prospective futures. These offers can be, and are often canceled if that interest fades away before you graduate."

So, we're going to need to prove ourselves to the heroes that pick us?

Interesting.

"Here are the totals for those of you that got offers."

Aizawa brought out a remote, and our names and numbers flashed across his board.

"We have received an unprecedented amount of offers this year," he gestured to the totals. "And this is the first time we have ever received an offer from outside of Japan. It's been a little more spread out in the past, but as you can see, all eyes were on these three this year."

At the top of the list was Todoroki with forty-one hundred twenty-three offers to my four thousand sixty-two offers. Bakugo was the next one below me with thirty-five hundred fifty-six offers.

The class was surprised that Shoto had more offers than I did, seeing that I beat him in the semi-finals.

"You're pretty amazing, Todoroki," Momo looked over at the boy with the most requests.

"They probably sent most of those offers in because of my dad."

I nodded my head in agreement, but also glanced at the boy.

It's also because you're talented.

And well, you held yourself back.

I looked towards the bottom of the small list and saw that Ochaco received twenty offers. I chuckled to myself as I looked over to her swinging Tenya back and forth in excitement. The bespectacled boy also received three hundred one offers.

"Keeping these numbers in mind," Aizawa leaned on his podium and continued the lecture. "Whether or not anyone asked for you, you will all be taking part in an internship with the pro agencies. At USJ, while not planned, you all got to experience combat with real villains. It will still be consequential to your training to see pros working empirically."

"That explains the hero names, then!" Rikido exclaimed.

"Things are all of a sudden getting so much more exciting!" Ochaco pumped her arms.

I smirked.

"Well," Aizawa continued. "Hero names are still temporary and if you're not serious then—"

"You'll have to pay for it later!" A new voice called from the doorway.

Some of the boys in our class got excited as the R-Rated Hero, Midnight, stalked into the classroom.

"A lot of the hero names used by our students become recognized by society," she continued to strut towards the podium. "And so, they end up becoming your professional hero names once you graduate!"

"That's how it is," Aizawa added lamely and pulled out his sleeping bag. "Midnight will be making sure your names are okay, and in my case, I can't really do stuff like that. When you decide on a name, you get a definitive idea of what you want to be in the future. As they say, names and natures do often agree."

Aizawa then slumped to the ground, falling asleep as soon as he shut his eyes, and we were handed dry erase boards to write our prospective names on.

"Some of you look to know what you already want," Midnight announced from the front. "So, let's start presenting names with those who are ready first!"

Mr. Belly Button took no time at all to walk to the front of the class.

Shining Hero: I cannot stop twinkling

"It means you can't stop my sparkles!"

What in the world?

"It'll be easier if you do this," Midnight took his board from his hands. "Take out the 'I' to shorten it and replace cannot with can't."

What in the world?!

"I'll go next!" Mina hopped towards the front.

Alien Queen

"Are you going for that thing with the acidic blood?!" Midnight appeared to be imagining things. "I wouldn't do that if I were you!"

"Aw, man." Mina walked back towards her seat in disappointment.

I liked Alien Queen more than Can't Stop Twinkling though...

"May I go next?" Tsuyu raised her hand.

"Of course, Tsu!"

The frog-like girl hopped to the front of the room.

"I've had this name in mind ever since I was in elementary school."

Rainy Season Hero: Froppy

"That's so cute!" Midnight seemed pleased. "It's also friendly! I like it!"

I sighed. We finally got some simplicity.

After Tsuyu brought the names back to normality, everyone started taking turns revealing their names at the front of the class.

Eijiro; Sturdy Hero: Red Riot,

Kyoka; Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack,

Mezo; Tentacle Hero: Tentacole,

Hanta; Taping Hero: Cellophane,

Mashirao; Martial Arts Hero: Tailman,

Rikido; Sweets Hero: Sugarman,

Mina; Pinky,

Denki; Stun Gun Hero: Chargebolt,

Toru; Stealth Hero: Invisible Girl,

Momo; Everything Hero: Creati,

Shoto; Shoto—perhaps he'll change it in the future?

Fumikage; Jet-Black Hero: Tsukuyomi,

Minoru; Fresh-Picked Hero: Grape Juice,

Koji; Petting Hero: Anima

I chuckled as Bakugo tried to go with King Explosion Murder, but my attention quickly shifted to Ochaco as she slowly made her way to the front.

"This is what I thought of," she smiled nervously and revealed her alias to us.

Uravity

"It sounds stylish!" Midnight approved the name and Ochaco sighed in relief.

I smiled at her. It was cute.

"This is going a lot smoother than I thought it would!" We all looked at the clock as it showed 9:20 a.m. "Only Bakugo, Iida, Midoriya, and Ivan are left, right?"

Tenya walked to the front of the room and showed us his board that had his first name written on it just like Shoto's.

He did look troubled though, so perhaps he wanted to go with a different one, but then decided not to?

"I see that Bakugo is still re-thinking his," Midnight looked past the boy. "Midoriya, how about you?"

"I'm ready, ma'am!"

He walked to the front and showed us his board.

We were all rather shocked with what he showed us.

Deku.

"I can tell the name has personal meaning to you," Midnight cupped her chin. "It's very simple and I like that! Ivan, you're next!"

I walked to the front and smirked as I showed the class what I wrote down.

Undead Hero: Zombieman

They all stared at me in silence.

"I'm only kidding," I laughed at my classmates before changing the name that I put down. "I just wanted to see how you'd all react. This is what I'm going with."

Vitality Hero: Immortālitās

-|I|-

"Now that most of you have decided on your hero names," Aizawa resurrected from his caterpillar-like state. "We can finally talk about your internships. They will last for a week, and those of you who had offers from pros will be given a list of those pro agencies. As for everyone else, you will pick a pro hero from among the forty agencies around the country that have decided to accept interns from our school. It should be common knowledge that they all work in different areas of the country, and have their own specialties. Think carefully before you choose, and I expect you to turn in your choices before the weekend."

So many names to go through in so little time!

It wasn't until the end of the school day that I finally sat down to look at my offers.

I recognized some of the hero names instantaneously.

Edgeshot, Crust, Kamui Woods, Yoroi Musha, and Gang Orca.

Yoroi Mush was an interesting idea as he, too, wore Japanese armor as his Hero Costume.

But before I turned the page, another agency caught my eye.

Bjørn Hero Agency.

The agency was based out of Norway which so happened to be the country my mother was born in.

Aizawa said that this was the first time they ever received offers from agencies outside of the country, but this seemed a little uncanny. Did anyone else in my class receive offers from other countries? I'd have to ask around.

"Ivan," Ochaco skipped over to my desk. "How's it coming along?"

"I don't know, Ochaco," I rubbed the back of my neck. "I've got quite a few agencies to look through!"

"I can see that," she peeked at my list. "You even got an offer from the number fifth-ranked hero Edgeshot! That's pretty cool!"

"I suppose," I looked up from my list and smiled at her. "Have you got any ideas yet?"

"Yep!" She gave me a thumbs up. "In fact, I've already decided!"

"Oh?" I tilted my head. "Where did you pick to go?"

"Battle Hero: Gunhead's Agency!" She declared. "I got an offer from them, and so it's a perfect opportunity for me!"

"You're not wrong!" I exclaimed. "He's purely a battle type, so I'm sure he'll be able to teach you a lot!"

"Have any of the agencies on your list caught your eye?" She looked over at my list again. "I also see that Yoroi Musha's agency sent you an offer! You both have similar Hero Costumes."

"I thought the same thing," I chuckled. "But this agency right here is currently at the top of my list."

"Bjørn Hero Agency?" She looked at it closer. "It's based out of Norway! You got an international offer, Ivan, that's amazing!"

"I guess so, but I—"

"Excuse me, Uraraka and Ivan," Izuku suddenly piped in. "But did you say Bjørn Hero Agency? As in the Berserker Hero: Bjørn?"

"Sure did, Izuku." A thought suddenly came to mind. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about Bjørn, would you?"

"I do!" He got an excited look to his eyes. "He's the number one hero on Denmark's current Hero Billboard Chart! His Quirk allows him to be stupendously strong, and the more damage he takes the stronger he gets! It's why he's called the Berserker Hero! But he's got this move called the Ragnarok where his entire body is enveloped in this red glow, and it makes him even stronger! Quirk specialists have debated whether or not the ability allows him to be invincible, as whenever he takes damage it never seems to slow him down. It's thanks to himthatDenmarkhasoneofthelowestcrimeratesintheworldand—!"

Ochaco and I sat in amusement as Izuku continued to mutter to himself.

"It's like a special craft of his," Ochaco giggled into her hand and I couldn't help but nod my head in agreement.

"Oh, sorry," he blushed. "I got a little carried away!"

"Don't apologize for your passions," I shrugged. "Besides, you just saved me a lot of time deciding who I'll be interning with!"

"So, you'll be picking the Bjørn Hero Agency then?" Ochaco asked.

"I believe so," I started to fill out the form. "I'm curious as to how this will work for the internship though, considering his agency is all the way in Norway."

"That's true," Ochaco looked curious. "Perhaps he'll have a special Hero Visa to stay during that time?"

"Or maybe you'll fly to Norway?"

Ochaco and I looked at Izuku.

"That's," huh. "That could actually be a possibility. I'll have to ask about it I suppose."

"Norway," Ochaco muttered. "You'd be so far away."

"Not for very long," I looked at the girl. "And besides, I'd only be one call or text away."

"I have arrived in a strange fashion!" All Might appeared through the door. He looked oddly anxious. "Young Midoirya, I need you to come with me for just a moment!"

Izuku quickly gathered his things before following after All Might.

"What the heck do you think that was about?" I tilted my head towards the entrance.

"Perhaps it was about the internships?" Ochaco tapped her chin. "Deku did do pretty well against Todoroki, so maybe someone put in a last-second offer?"

"I guess that's a possibility," I stood up and collected my papers. "Would you like some company on your walk home, Ochaco? We can stop by the staff room and drop off our internship forms as well."

"Your company is always welcomed, Ivan!" She smiled at me. "Just let me grab my things, and we can get going."

She quickly gathered her belongings and we walked out of the classroom together.

I was focused on Ochaco's animated form as she led the conversation on the way to her apartment, but I also found my mind wandering towards our upcoming internships.

Who exactly was this Norwegian hero, and what was it that caught his interest in me?

Hopefully, I'd get to find out as soon as I meet the Berserker Hero: Bjørn.

Hello, friends! Two shorter chapters for the day just to get things rolling! We have discovered Ivan's Hero Alias, and are you surprised? I mean, it is the title of the story after all! Also, we move into the internships where Ivan has received an international offer from an agency in Norway. My original plan was to have an encounter between Ivan and Stain, but plans have changed! I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

TTFN.