Corruption of Power

Chapter 4

The wind flowed around his body in rapid waves, clouds flooding into his vision, and the rushing trees under him were growing closer and closer.

"Up kid up!" A nineteen year old Hawks, barely a year of experience as a fully privileged hero yelled to the twelve year old boy, who was wearing a tight black uniform with several sensors and wires connected to him.

His arms were flailing, Izuku tumbling around in the air as he panicked until his body regained its sense of gravity. He promptly fell into the forest below, becoming a living meteor that plowed through branches and trunks all the same until crashing to a stop in a crater of twigs and mud.

With a single beat of his red wings, Hawks landed before the boy who was trying to pick many leaves out of his messed up hair. "You gave up again."

"I-I'm sorry, I'll try again."

"You keep saying that." The young man let out an annoyed huff as Izuku went back into a crouch. "For the past three hours, for the past year we've been trying to get you to sustain your flying but you still barely manage to float."

Hell it bugged him so much. Hawks just saw potential in the kid and knew the HPSC was looking for more after his success upon having his agency launch as soon as he became an official hero. But his career had only started, and he was already spending almost half of his time helping to raise a super brat that was terrified of himself.

He could see how heavy his words were to the kid, his shoulders sagging as he wiped his nose.

"I'm sorry." Izuku whimpered. Great, now he was the bad guy.

Hawks sent out a couple of feathers to shave off the splinters on a nearby trunk, smoothing it out to sit on. "Kid, just tell me what's up. Why don't you want to fly?"

"I do!" Izuku quickly shook his head in denial. "I really want to fly! I dreamed of having a quirk that let me fly, let me be strong, fast, just like-"

"Yeah yeah, like All Might." Hawks waved off the boy's constant praise towards the number one hero. "The man may technically be the best of the best, but he can't fly."

As Hawks has supervised Izuku's progress, there was something in common with his abilities. Anytime he tapped into them, it was always starting big, letting him loose and then teaching how to hold himself back once he got a good grasp on it. His senses were taking in everything, so he learned how to focus. He was incredibly strong, and after he knew how to throw a punch they taught him to pull them. The boy had to run before speed walking.

Taking a closer look over the boy, Hawks tried to look for what could be holding him back. None of the equipment on him was built to restrain him, only monitor hi-

Izuku adjusted the thick collar around his neck, one that was supposed to alert the boy whenever he got too far from Hawks. He wasn't allowed to go off on his own yet, but a glimpse into the recent past proved that whenever Izuku faltered in his flight, it was when he was getting ahead and starting to pick up speed.

The kid was wearing a literal collar, and Hawks was yanking his leash.

The same one he sometimes felt the HPSC holding him.

Yeah, he was about to get a massive earful of what he was about to do. With a quick twitch of his well trained quirk, a small precise feather zipped over to Izuku's collar and cut it off. It fell to the ground with a loud clank, the man wincing over how much weight the kid must have been dragging around.

The confused kid picked it up as if it was hardly anything though, fiddling with the broken contraption in his hands.

"Let's go." Hawks began to float into the air above the boy. "This time, don't worry about me catching up."

"A-are you sure?" Izuku, who had never gone without supervision after his quirk(s) had awakened.

Hawks affirmed with a solid nod as he folded his arms over the boy. "I want you to give it your all this time. Don't focus on me, don't focus on the ground, I just want you to focus on the sky."

Dropping the binding collar to the ground, Izuku bent down into a deep crouch. Brushing his fingers against the dirt under him, the boy did as Hawks asked, and redirected his focus. Tuning out his teacher, the forest, and even his own heartbeat, he closed his eyes and guided his senses into the gentle breeze going through the trees around him.

The dirt shifted under his hand, the particles lifting around him the deeper he became invested in the air around him.

Hawks drifted himself out of the way seeing the boy shift his gentle touch against the ground into a fist, pushing against the ground, pushing against the chains of gravity, until nothing was there to hold him back.

Izuku flexed his legs, and shoved himself into the sky like a speeding bullet, swarming the air and forcing Hawks to shield himself from the air currents.

The boy let the momentum carry him, moving further into the sky until he felt himself slow down. It threatened to stop him, to have him float endlessly without control into the endless expanse. Mentally he predicted the beeping noise, the stinging sensation around his neck, but it didn't come.

He was left to go further, faster, until his feet forgot what the ground was like.

"Hawks come in!" His masters ordered through the young hero's earpiece. "We're encountering errors in the investment's GPS system. Please, confirm his position."

"Where does it say he's at?" He asked in amusement, refraining from letting out a laugh.

"All over the damn planet! One second he's over China and the next he's at Europe, now America, over Russia and-"

That's right little guy, give them a run for their money. Hawks, Keigo Takami barely knew what he was signing up for, and by the time he realized what they would have them do they already had their claws sunk deeply into his life.

Izuku, would be the bird they could never keep caged.


The memory was something Hawks reflected back on frequently. Sometimes it was a good one, sometimes he questioned if his choice was the right one or not, other times he wished he did more, or less. It was a conflicting one depending on his mood, or whatever recent thing happened that changed his mind.

Like right now.

Izuku, in his hastily applied makeup and quick slab of the specialized hair gel keeping his curls in check, kept his head down. Not even the costume he was wearing made him look strong enough as he was summoned to an emergency meeting to talk to the President of the HPSC.

Her back was turned to them both, videos of news stations playing whatever footage of random security cameras nearby or someone who happened to have their cell phone out at the moment. All of them, with Izuku in the center and various commentators giving their thoughts on his sudden appearance.

Most praised his quick, efficient action. At least, all of the ones the HPSC had a hand in their wallets. Others questioned his authority, the legality of the circumstances, how convenient it all seemed. Some sent out whackjob theories that crumbled under the easiest of questions.

Yet there was still a fraction of genuine doubt that pointed out how officially 'Superman' was not a licensed hero.

Without turning around, the older woman teetering at the edge of her middle age spoke with a voice that filled the emptiness around them, but didn't negate the choking silence. "Actions have consequences."

Her head tilted to the side, allowing Izuku to flinch at the woman's stern gaze. "Do you know what yours are?"

Izuku had only met her in passing, never more than simple greetings and pleasantries passed as she went off to go meet the demands of her position. Never, did he have a personal meeting with the woman. The fact that she was giving her full attention to this without any other board members involved meant she was putting aside everything she was doing to address this personally. That scared Izuku, made him feel guilty for something he thought whole heartedly was good.

"I-I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry." The boy sheepishly curled in on himself, unable to say more.

"It's true you saved people, that we are not upset with." With a click of her remote, the televisions froze. All of them becoming a piece of the puzzle that made up the single confident image of superman. "It's no surprise to the world that the HPSC gives its full support to Superman. He stopped All for One, he saved All Might, he's the next number one hero."

Then she fully turned towards the timid boy, 'Superman' behind her as she claimed ownership. Izuku, was merely wearing a costume, keeping quiet, and trying not to upset the woman any further.

"But if Superman is acting outside the law, then the HPSC is a supporter of vigilantism. If we give an image that we are outside of the law then the law will turn against us, then the whole hero system that we support loses its foundation."

Izuku felt himself drop even lower as she stepped to loom over him, finally understanding just how bad he messed up. He betrayed the HPSC trust, after all the support they had given him. If he didn't have their help, then he would be forced to isolate himself from the entire world. This was his first mission alone and he blew it.

"Do you see why this has gotten my attention?" The woman asked in her eternally icy tone.

"Yes." Izuku bowed lower, humbling himself before her. After a second that lasted hours, the woman turned back to the screen and pointed at the image.

"'Superman' is an effort made by all of us at the HPSC to help give the world hope in these unpredictable times. Make sure to pull your weight Midoriya."

"Yes ma'am."

With a click of her remote, the lights in the room came to life and the screens went dark. Her heels clacked against the cold floor as she made her exit. As soon as the doors closed, Izuku let out a shaky breath.

"Well, that went better than I expected." Hawks tried to ease the boy's nerves.

"Really?" Daring to do so, Izuku slowly straightened himself to stand.

"I mean, you are grounded."

"Oh."

"But!" Swooping in to lift his spirits, Hawks wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder and began to escort him personally. "We already got some heroes who owe us a little something to vouch for giving you permission. And if it helps, I'm going to look into the case personally and make sure that construction company keeps to code."

"I think, they're struggling financially." Izuku admitted as they entered the hallway. "Their equipment was old, and they only seemed to have half of what I would expect them to have. And their clothes….there were lots of holes."

"You took a peek at their underwear didn't you?"

"I-It's not like I wanted to! I had to make sure no one had any injuries and-"

"I get it I get it!" Hawks backed off, throwing up his hands in mock surrender. "You're doing what we trained you to do, look out for any trouble no matter how small. Now, let's get that costume back to where it belongs and wash that stuff off your face. We have your next assignment ready."

"What? I thought I was grounded."

"Definitely, but until your next field assignment you are to memorize all the student profiles of each person attending the licensing exam, and the top hundred wanted villains."

Izuku paused, backtracking the information and singling out one particular part of that. "Licensing exam?"

"Well yeah, we're pushing it to be held sooner rather than later. You're eager to do some hero work, so we'll do our best to support you as always."

Placing the steadying hand to the hopeful, grateful boy who saw Hawks like an angel, the man lied right to his face.

"You can trust us."


Life, for many continued as normal despite so many threats and catastrophes. There was only a short rise in criminal activity after All Might's forced retirement, but after Superman's second appearance, they were doing better to keep to the shadows.

Even at something as simple as a bakery, people could feel safe.

"No way!" One of the customers, a teen with spiked hair dyed red leaned forward across the table. "You got to talk to him?!"

Ochaco, along with Tsu and two of their classmates Eijiro Kirishima and the plain skinny boy with overly round elbows Hanta Sero gathered in an attempt to keep the bonds they formed in their heroics training.

"It was amazing!" Ochaco, under the spotlight of their conversation retold the events in her own perspective. "I thought I was about to get crushed, but when I looked up he was there holding it so effortlessly! Then with a whoosh he got everyone to safety, and his eyes were so bright and went BZAAAP! He didn't just save my life, he saved my parent's company and did a month's worth of labor in seconds! At the end, he helped me back on my feet and double checked that everything was ok!"

"Dang." Sero gave out a short whistle. "Kirishima, did you ever manage to get his attention?"

"Nah." The redhead shook his head. "When we were getting Bakugo out of that mess, we were pretty much separated from where that fight was taking place. I barely saw anything."

"What was he like?" Tsu asked, managing to make her voice loud enough to be heard.

"He was more than a hero." Resting her hands on her cheeks, Ochaco felt like she was dreaming as she pictured him in her mind. "He was so gentle but unshakable with nerves of steel. Most heroes stick around for the cameras or autographs, but he didn't care for any of that. He was so cool, so confident, but he gave his attention to everyone else. He acted just like a noble knight from a fairy tale."

"Careful." Kirishima warned. "You don't want Mina to hear you talk like that."

Ochaco didn't care at this point, too absorbed in her imagination of how close she managed to get to him.

"Wow." Tsu was in awe of how stricken her friend was. "Sounds like the complete opposite of the guy I met not too long ago."

"Oh? You met a guy?" Sero began to tease, but Tsu was quick to shut that down.

"It's not like that. I think he was just trying to make a friend. He was super scared to approach though, I almost mistook him for a stalker. But he was just a nervous mess. I got pretty worried when my Dad showed up, but then he suddenly forgot he was afraid and looked ready to fight."

"That's pretty scary." Kirishima tried putting himself in her place. "Did he seem 'unstable'?"

"No." Tsu looked down at her cup of water, needing to watch her diet more carefully as she was recovering. "He seemed in complete control of himself at that moment, but he's definitely on some kind of spectrum."

"Ah." Sero bobbed his head in understanding. "I got a brother who's like that. He is awesome at tennis and knows everything about it, but when it comes to trying to understand him on anything else it's a struggle."

"Still." Kirishima continued to express his worries. "The fact that his thing is fighting or confrontation? Don't get me wrong I'm not hating on him, but wouldn't that be easy to take advantage of?"

Tsu didn't think about it like that, but now that it was on her mind it wouldn't leave. It wouldn't take much for someone to take advantage of that for an underground fight ring or something along the lines, or even worse to send him after people they didn't like. Luckily he didn't seem to have any visible bruising and he had clean clothes. She didn't catch what quirk he had, or if he even had one.

If he did, Tsu hoped it was a weak one.


Rubbing his sore palms against his cargo pants, Bakugo huffed as he saw a bit of red smear against his pants. Great, he was gonna get nagged again over stains. Whatever, it was just a mark of his hard work. What was really irritating was the sand stuck in his shoes and socks. All those tiny annoyances added up as they kept scraping away at his heels.

With the buildings around him bathed in the fiery orange light of the sunset, Bakugo reluctantly was making his way back home. He still needed a place to sleep, and he didn't have time for any other job than being the next number one hero. He wouldn't settle for less, and that's what his parents just can't understand.

Trudging his way towards the front door of his house, Bakugo hoped they already had dinner. That way, he could skip the talk and just take some leftovers to his room. Or maybe straight to the bathroom, he was starting to find some sand in his pants.

As soon as he opened the door though, he saw his mother leaning against the wall in front of him.

Bakugo tried to move past her, but an arm blocked his path.

"We need to talk." She sternly commanded. "Since someone apparently refuses to answer their phone."

Rolling his eyes, Bakugo just slapped the arm away while kicking off his shoes. He heard this 'talk' too many times already. "I don't need it-GAH!"

With a harsh yank on the collar of his shirt, his mother was going to make him listen whether he wanted to or not. "You can't just not answer your phone whenever you like!"

"It's my phone hag I answer when I want to!"

"Not when you have villains targeting you AFTER you have already been kidnapped!"

"I got out of it!" Bakugo tried to worm his way out. She didn't relent, dragging his ass to throw it on the couch.

"Only because you somehow have friends that cared enough to ignore the law and go rescue you after the heroes fell into a trap!"

"I don't need the help of people who fail to do their job!"

"Oh yeah? What about All Might?!"

That made Bakugo shut up, his mother finally halting the yelling match now that he got him to listen. Taking a calming breath, Mrs. Bakugo pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him. "He came by to visit, wanting to apologize to you and wanted you to give him another chance. All Might himself admitted he failed, time and time again and he doesn't have the raw strength to keep you safe anymore. But still he begged for us to allow you to stay in UA, to be a better hero than he has been for you."

Narrowing his questioning gaze at his mother, Bakugo hunched over onto his arms as he tried to understand the angle on this. As far as Bakugo ever knew, if you failed, if you weren't the very best, you were nothing. All Might was everything, undefeated, the strongest, and that inspired Bakugo to be even better.

Now what did he think of the man that did fail? That turned into nothing more than a sorry sack of bones….well he didn't have an answer for that. Maybe if he let his mother continue, she was saving one.

"As much as your father and I hate the idea of you going back to UA-" She stood up, folding her arms as the thought of him going back to the school that failed to keep him safe over and over again was still asking for another chance. "-we still want you to receive the best training possible so that when you become a hero, no one can hurt you."

This wasn't going in a direction he thought, but Bakugo wasn't going to stop her now.

"At the end of the summer, UA is sending its hero students to participate in a licensing exam. It's being overseen by all schools and the HPSC itself. If you get the top score in this just like you did in the practical exam, we'll let you stay in UA."

With shocked silence, Bakugo felt himself standing up at the news and watching her, waiting for her to take back what she said. No, this was it. This was his chance to prove to them he knew what was best for himself and that was nothing less than the best.

"Thanks." Bakugo uttered, regretting it when his mother quickly squeezed him into a hug.

He didn't fight it this time, instead he vowed. Vowed that no matter who showed up, or what tests they would throw at him, he would get the top score.

No one, would be a better hero than him.


Izuku, stuck in his room, with the piles of folders around him, was growing bored. He had already gone through everything, memorized it, made his own notes, and went through it again. It was easier to go through paper rather than a tablet, because he could take advantage of his speed.

But still he was grounded, and wasn't allowed outside unless it was to eat.

Knowing the man was probably getting ready for bed, Izuku went over to the intercom and dialed his mentor. After three rings, Keigo's face with steam all around him answered.

"What's up?"

"You could have answered 'audio only' if you were in the shower." Izuku turned around, picking up yet again the folder going over the League of Villains.

"It's not like you can see anything shoulders down."

"Why do they even have video as an option in the showers?"

"Trust me kid, you don't want me to talk about it."

"Gross."

"Anyways, why did you call?"

"Can I have access to one of the training facilities? I'm supposed to have an exam at the end of summer right? I should be completely prepared for it."

"You've had years of specialized training already. This is your vacation. Browse the internet, order a pizza, play some video games. Unless you haven't started on your homework yet."

"I already did it, ten times and the extra credit."

"Sorry, while we appreciate your diligence you're still grounded."

Grumbling as Izuku mindlessly turned from the leader to some of the other members, he took a second to review over the HPSC's high priority copying target before moving onto the one that had a criminal record.

Himiko Toga, a dangerous shapeshifter who loved playing with knives and loved to carve into people even more.

"Tell you what, when you get the top mark in the exam I'll make sure you get a reward."

Closing the file, Izuku tossed it onto the pile before sitting on his bed. "Don't you mean 'if'?"

"You read all the student profiles, do you really think any of them can do better than you? It won't be mean to say no, it's just realistic."

There were lots of cool quirks Izuku read about, some similar to others in some degree but all had reasonable limitations. He didn't want to think of himself better than them, more like, better equipped. Still, all of them could be great heroes, and he couldn't wait to meet many of them. "I mean, there are a couple that if they caught me off guard-"

"Then don't lower your guard. This is basic stuff I thought we got through your thick head."

"I know I know, always be aware of even the smallest details of my surroundings and further."

"Good, now if you'll excuse me I think my blankets are giving me bedroom eyes."

Um, ok? The screen went dark and Izuku was left all alone again. He could go over the villain profiles again, or he could try and relax enough to do any of the things Hawks recommended.

Yet Izuku still couldn't get rid of the guilt in his gut, so all he could do was make sure he was fully prepared for the next mission. Floating up towards the ceiling to sit near the light, he glanced towards one file that was tucked near his desk. Puckering his lips tightly, he quickly inhaled to pull it closer to himself until it was in arms reach.

Izuku might have not given this one enough attention, it was tied to a past he tried to forget and leave behind. But Izuku always knew that on his path to be a hero, he would eventually cross paths with him again.

Opening it up, the information inside was all too familiar to the super powered boy.

Katsuki Bakugo.

"I hope you're nicer, but this file makes me think otherwise."


Another chapter, another step into the dark. The HPSC claims Superman is theirs, not Izuku's and keeps the boy grounded from the public. Bakugo already has resentment built towards Izuku in the past, and now he has a burning hatred to Superman. What will happen when he learns he has to compete against the person that made a fool of All Might and forced the hero into retirement?

How will UA react to seeing Superman arrive at the exam? Will they make a move to gain his support, or find a weakness?

WHAT UA STUDENTS DO YOU WANT TO SEE NEXT CHAPTER IN THE EXAM? MAX OF FIFTEEN WILL BE PARTICIPATING!

Jetslinger333: Worse in what way? I think Homelander is way more messed up and has practically no morals compared to Omniman. Though the alien is capable of far more damage, and is capable of plans more thorough and damaging than Homelander. Omniman gets better results because he doesn't have to prove his strength, Homelander does his best to make people feel weak and powerless.

I'd rather be collateral in Omniman's attacks than have Homelander mutilate my loved ones in front of me because I accidentally reminded him about a family he never had.

CrowKrowQrow: I promise you that I won't have Izuku be as screwed up as Homelander, but he will have his own moments. The red and white suit is a good idea, they could simply say this is his bronze age costume and they have his silver age in the making.

Commander Cost: Yeah, it can be annoying trying to figure out the specifics from trial and error.

Guest: If they go after his mother, there won't even be an HPSC when he's done.

Shin: That's a good point about Eri, seeing how she's next in the MHA timeline. Though I have yet to solidify a plan for her. Perhaps the HPSC will get a hold of her and attempt to train her like you say with Izuku wanting to look out for her like Hawks did for him. Or perhaps someone else will get to her first and keep her away from the HPSC to potentially use against Izuku. There's a lot of options and I can't figure out which one will work best.