A yell could be heard around the newly cleaned beach as Izuku stood atop his mountain of trash. It had taken him 10 long months of hard work, but the boy had done it. He had cleaned the entire beach, and in the process made himself a fit vessel for the blessing he was about to receive. And not a moment too soon as today was the day of the entrance exam for U.A. high school. He looked at his mentor with tears forming in the corners of his eyes, so overjoyed to be getting a chance at his dream.
Toshinori looked at Midoriya with nothing but pride in the boy, he knew it was time. "Are you ready young Midoriya, to start your path on the way to being a hero?" he asked rhetorically for dramatic effect.
Izuku shook his head up and down as he imagined a million ways this would turn out. Would there be some sort of ritual, or maybe it could just jump between owners? Would it involve a blood pact? He hoped it wasn't the last one, but he honestly had no idea how this would work.
All Might stood over Midoriya saying, "There are many legends and tales of heroes born with power destined for great deeds, however," he paused as he concentrated on a single point on his head, "the greatest legends earned their power through hard work and sacrifice just like you. So now I bestow upon you, the ninth wielder, a blessing worthy of your heroic heart." As he said this, he plucked a hair from his head and held it toward the boy.
"Eat this."
Izuku was dumbfounded, he couldn't believe he had said that grand speech just to end it with some joke. "W-what?"
"Within this piece of me lies the seed of my blessing, the root of its power so to speak. You need to ingest it in order to gain my blessing," All Might said blankly. Admittedly he thought it was strange as well when he did it, so he prepared an explanation for the boy, though it did not seem to help much.
"A-are you sure? There isn't any other way to transfer the blessing?" Izuku asked, still thinking it might be a joke.
Toshinori frowned and said, "If you don't want it, I can just take it back an-," before he could finish the boy snatched the hair out of his hands and gobbled it apologizing for his resistance. A sight that made the hero laugh for a moment before he turned back to the boy.
Izuku swallowed the hair with no hesitation after he almost lost his chance at being a hero. As soon as it reached his stomach, he felt a bad case of heartburn come on as he suddenly felt his stomach was on fire. Then he thought back to what his mentor said before.
"Imagine if I tried to charge my phone with a bolt of lightning, the whole thing would explode!"
The boy suddenly panicked as he felt the burning sensation flow throughout his body, as he was preparing his last words, he felt all the pain centralize on his back and then disappear. It must have only taken a few seconds but to him, it was worse than any pain he had felt since meeting All Might.
"So… How do you feel?" he asked his pupil, seeing the pain Midoriya was in but not knowing how to help. Was Midoriya still not ready? He could've sworn Midoriya was more than fit enough to hold the blessing now.
"I'm fine," Izuku said once it was all over, "Did it work? Do I have the blessing of Prometheus?" The boy looked across his body but found no new tattoos anywhere. He feared the worst.
"It will take time to manifest on you, after all, how do you think I got this bald eagle on my chest?" he said looking at his phone to check the time, "For now you need to get ready, the entrance exam starts in one hour and the train leaves in thirty minutes. Don't want to fail because you didn't make it on time, right?" He hit the boy on the back to signal he should get a move on.
Izuku looked at the time himself and ran as soon as he realized he could just barely make it, yelling, "I'll make you proud All Might!" as he ran ahead.
"I know you will," the hero said waving his successor goodbye as the boy ran. Once he was alone, the hero looked down at his own tattoo, seeing the flames already beginning to fade. He sighed as he returned to his hero form and began jumping to campus, "I know you will…"
It was a rough day, to say the least. Not only had he almost tripped on his way to the front door of the building, but he was chastised by both Kaachan and someone he barely knew for unconsciously muttering. At least the written exam had gone well, it wasn't like he had aced it, but he was sure he had gotten a passing score. Now all he had to do was pass the practical exam… Easy right?
The green-haired boy stood in a jumpsuit looking around at all the other examinees about to take the exam. It was clear to him that most of these people had large tattoos, signifying their strength, while he had yet to see anything appear for him. He gulped at the idea that all his hard work might not be enough. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl who had saved him from falling earlier, one of the only people to show him any kindness at this school. Izuku was about to walk up to thank her when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"She looks like she's prepping herself for the exam, I suggest you stop where you are before you ruin another's chance at attending this school," a stern voice said. It was the same guy who had singled Izuku out for muttering before, just what Izuku needed right now. He glared down at the freckled boy before saying, "Some people here are serious about their future as heroes, so you should think twice before throwing anyone off of their game." With that, the boy left Izuku standing alone.
He may have been harsh, but on some level he was right. This wasn't the time to socialize, he needed to focus on passing the exam. With a few light smacks on his face Izuku was ready to take on the challenge. A moment later the gates opened in front of them all as they waited for a sign.
"What are you waiting for?! There's no countdown in the real world! GO! GO! GO!" came a voice over a loudspeaker.
Just like that, they were off as people ran into the arena searching for "villain bots" to destroy. Izuku saw many of the others use their blessings to enhance their mobility, while some began to sharpen the offenses, meanwhile, he was left straggling behind.
"Many blessed with great power this year," said a voice in a dark room, the only light coming from an array of televisions broadcasting the exam live, "Though not many seem capable of using their powers to their fullest potential. Unfortunate."
"Now hold on for a sec Nezu, the exams only just started," came another deeper voice. "I mean there are over 200 students here, there's bound to be some diamonds in the rough."
"We don't need diamonds Vlad," came a monotone and tired voice, "We need heroes capable of adapting and growing. If we accept anyone here because they punch the hardest then we're no better than the villains who weaponize their blessings." The man watched the screens carefully, taking note of any that caught his eye that had potential.
"Well, any thoughts Toshi?" Nezu asked as the hero stayed silent, observing the whole exam but keeping his eye on one student.
The examiners continued to talk about different students and their individual merits, until finally deciding to put an end to the exam with one final test.
Zero. Points.
The exam was about to end, and he had zero points to show for it. Izuku felt like vomiting right then and there, still looking around for any robots left to fight. He couldn't end it like this, not after all he had done to get here.
He couldn't let All Might, or any of his predecessors down.
BOOM!
He and the rest of the examinees heard a large explosion as they wondered what was going on.
CRASH!
There it was. Taller than any of the buildings surrounding them and looking like something straight out of a sci-fi film. The one robot that sent everyone running to the entrance.
The Zero Pointer.
Izuku started to turn and run, hoping to find some robot along the way to get something… Anything at this point, before time ran out. Then he saw it. The same girl that helped him earlier was lying on the ground under rubble, clearly wounded, and crawling away from the robot. She was too far away to run to, and she'd already been exhausted by the constant usage of her blessing. Had this happened a year ago, he wouldn't be able to do anything.
But he was different now. He finally had the power to save someone, and he wasn't ever planning on not taking the chance to do so again.
Suddenly he felt a fire ignite inside of him as he set his mind on saving the girl in front of him. His eyes changed from their usual forest green to bright raging orange as he remembered a talk he had with his mentor.
"Now listen young Midoriya, before I can bestow the blessing upon you there's something I need to tell you. The power of that blessing changed with each owner, taking on a different aspect of Prometheus each time." All Might said, overlooking the ocean.
"What do you mean?" said Izuku while tying together his 30th trash bag for the day.
"I mean that the power you receive won't be the same as my own, not entirely at least. They may not give us many signs, but at least Prometheus likes to make his champions feel special. He blessed me with my physique and the raw power behind it, but the same was not true for my mentor, and it may not be true for you."
Izuku listened intently, understanding why no one before All Might had exuded that kind of presence before if the blessing was different for every person. It even made some sense considering that two people could be blessed by the same god but have wildly different powers. "Does that mean you won't be able to help once I get it?" he asked solemnly.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Toshinori cackled before elaborating, "Just because it changes a bit doesn't mean I won't be there to help you through it. Part of the fun is finding out just what Prometheus has in store for you!" he said smiling back at his student.
"Right!"
"First thing I can tell you is that when you do use it…"
"You gotta clench your asshole super tight," he thought as he found all the muscles in his body flex as he clenched. Suddenly he felt searing pain all throughout his legs and forearms but that didn't matter as he leapt upwards towards the behemoth in front of him, unknowingly leaving a blazing trail behind.
"And scream the word from the bottom of your heart."
"SMAASH!"
Suddenly the robot was not only broken to pieces from the force of the punch but most of it had been set ablaze, as a blast of fire that could rival Endeavor in his time at U.A. engulfed the robot in front of him.
Just as quickly as he jumped into action, the boy's eyes returned to normal and the fire on his limbs went out revealing broken bones and nasty burns that hurt like hell. That would have to wait, as he had just begun his descent from his height.
"Shit shit shit shit shit," was all he could think of until he realized he still had one limb that wasn't completely out of commission. He began to aim at the ground thinking he could slow his descent by hitting the ground at the right moment. Just when he was about to do so.
SMACK
He had once again been saved by this girl he barely knew as he began to float a few inches off the ground. Then he heard it.
"THE EXAM IS OVER!" came a booming voice over the loudspeaker.
He couldn't believe it. All that work, effort, and hope, gone with one sentence. It proved too much for him as exhaustion and pain took over, causing him to pass out as he landed on the floor.
Izuku awoke later in what he assumed was the nurse's office at U.A. His arms and legs were covered in bandages and there was an old lady sitting at a desk nearby. He slowly got up and asked, "What happened?"
"Ah good you're finally awake," the woman said, looking over something on a clipboard. "Gotta say you put on quite the show, almost felt like old times seeing you out there."
Suddenly remembering what put him in this state and how he had failed, Izuku looked at the ground and asked, "What now?"
"Well, if you feel well enough you can head home yourself, but I can always have your guardian come and pick you up if you feel you can't," she said plainly.
"I'll walk. Thanks, for patching me up." Izuku said quietly.
"That's my job now, isn't it? Your uniform is on the table there and the curtain is next to it. Don't keep me waiting too long, I can't lock up until you're out of here." She said returning to her desk to write something.
It was a long walk home, as Izuku kept replaying the exam in his head. He didn't regret his decision, but he couldn't have gotten even one point. What kind of a successor was he, and how could he ever make All Might proud? He tried his best, and it still wasn't enough. Even with this insane blessing, it felt like he was being punished just for using it, some sick joke of Prometheus to give him something he couldn't handle.
Kaachan would've been able to handle it.
This line of thought continued until he got to his apartment, remembering the door of the house he used to live in before his mother did everything to give him a blessing. Even more guilt followed knowing that when he finally got one, he wasted it.
He took a deep breath in and opened the door. As he walked in, he was greeted by the smell of katsu don. His favorite.
"Izuku? Are you home? I made dinner already so come sit with me." His mother called out to him in a comforting voice. He went inside and saw her waiting at a set table with two plates of food.
"Izuku, I-I know it's still early but, I wanted to celebrate you taking the U.A. entrance exam. I know that life has been… well it hasn't been easy. But I wanted you to know that I'm proud of you, no matter what any Gods or people have to say." Tears began to well up in his eyes as he heard her say this, he couldn't explain what he was feeling at that moment, but he felt her genuine pride in the boy she raised. Not pity or regret, but pride.
"Th-thank you, Mom." He said before tears began to fall and he was embraced by his mother in a hug that made him forget about his worries for a moment. After a minute of crying, Izuku looked up and said, "Now, why don't we eat? I'm starving." They shared a laugh at his last statement before digging in.
One week had passed since the entrance exam. Izuku was expecting his results in the mail any day now, even though he already knew the results, he at least wanted to confirm his suspicions before seeking out All Might to return his blessing.
That was a can of worms in itself, the power he was blessed with was so different compared to All Might's. He wanted to use it, get better with it, and become a hero like he always dreamed of. But he had accepted defeat already. Why would he still need it if he couldn't even pass the U.A. entrance exam?
He sighed as he tried not to think those thoughts constantly, only to be interrupted by his mother yelling, "Izuku! It came, the letter, it's here!" He seemed stunned at first but quickly took it and thanked her for getting it before going to his room.
At his desk, he stared at the letter, and then looked back around the room and saw all his All Might merch. A smirk crossed his face at the absurdity of it. "Thank you, Mom, no matter what, I'll give you a reason to be proud."
Izuku opened the letter expecting the worst, only to have his hopes restored as his idol kept speaking through the screen. Suddenly, the girl who had saved him from falling twice appeared and said something he would never forget, "That boy, saved my life!"
Izuku could hardly believe his senses when he heard what came next. In saving her he had been awarded sixty rescue points. "Meaning… You passed, kid." The hero said through the screen with his signature smile.
"Welcome to your Hero Academia!"
Author's Note: Man, really filled this chapter to the brim huh? I'm actually really happy with this chapter. Finally taking this story and making it my own to some extent, or at least I hope that's what I'm doing. Obviously, there are events that can't really be changed, but I feel like the changes made to this one were good and distinct. Maybe that's just me, but I think I can safely say now that I'm more than looking forward to writing the next chapter in the future.