*Please check out the side story "Heroes Never Die; It's Hero Time, Anytime" for fun one-shots that are canon to this story and for updates about future chapters.

*This fanfiction has a TV Tropes page so please feel free to check it out.


Ch.67: Training Camp

Morning arrives all too quick for the members of Class 1-B. Sure they may have gotten 8 hours of sleep but that trek through the Beast's Forest yesterday was a real challenge that they're still feeling the pain from. Everything hurts still and the ungodly hour doesn't help.

Even so they all do their best to stand at attention, but a few yawns slip out.

Kimori's so tired she nearly falls over, the only thing stopping her is the fact that Kendo managed to catch her by the arm.

"We're focusing on our Quirks?" Itsuka Kendo asks, wanting their homeroom teacher to continue his explanation.

"Class A's already training." Vlad King states with a low frustrated growl like that of a drill sergeant. "You all need to catch up." He turns signaling them to follow him through the thick woods. "Last semester, Class A was in the spotlight. Next semester, it's Class B's turn. From now on, you're shooting for the top. Don't let me down!"

Tears of shame stream down Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu's face as he silently airs his frustration. 'We're such disappointing students!'

Seeing his overreaction, Manga Fukidashi's head pops up with a Speech bubble that reads: "You're crying too much."

Setsuna Tokage is uncertain about this. "I get you want everyone to improve our Quirks, but we have twenty unique powers in our class. What kind of training will help all of us get better?"

Togaru Kamakiri nods his mantis-like pincers clicking together as he speaks. "Yeah, can you be more specific?"

Vlad King continues his march but allows for an explanation. "When your muscle fibers are overused, they break and grow back tougher, thicker. Quirks are the same way. They improve the harder you push them. Stronger after every workout." He can see the clearing just up ahead and continues his march. "In other words, there's only one thing to do!" He steps forward and enters the clearing, holding himself proud before his students and declares. "You'll have to break yourselves!"

Class B lets out resounding gasps and whimpers of surprise and dread. Before them they see that Class A is already hard at work and it looks like a living hell on earth!

"DAMMIT!" Katsuki Bakugou is screaming bloody murder as he dunks his bare hands into a barrel of boiling water before taking them out and sending a massive Explosion into the sky that brilliantly shakes the air.

Shoto Todoroki's in the same boat, his body soaking in a barrel of water exposing him to his own temperature manipulation as he generates a field office around himself before evaporating it all away with his flames.

And so it goes on from Hanta Sero crying out in agony as he continuously fires out streams of tape nonstop to Koji Koda shouting at the top of his lungs atop a cliff face while Fumikage Tokoyami is locked away in a pitch black cave with a rampaging Dark Shadow. And all the while Tenya Iida is speeding around them, racing this way and that with his Engines roaring behind him. He nearly ends up tripping over as the ground rises up from underneath him like a wave.

The surf of rock tosses around a massive, inflated ball with a green faced Ochaco Uraraka inside before she's hurled away again by the rocky wave.

Her ball nearly hits the cliff where Tsuyu Asui is climbing. And below the cliff sits Rikido Sato and Momo Yaoyorozu who are using their Quirks while stuffing their faces with food.

Hitoshi Shinso is nearby, his brain sweltering as he pours over every Book that's ever been written about the Human Brain.

Then of course you have everyone else that's hard at work. Torturing themselves, bleeding themselves dry, and in some (most) cases, literally. All in the name of improving their Quirks.

Class B is taken back, disturbed by all the curses and groans being slung through the air by their already exhausted and miserable schoolmates.

Hiryu Rin backs away in freight. "Oh, man. This is pretty intense."

Vlad King, however, remains stoic and unsympathetic to their plights. "Operative types will be raising your limits, maxing out your power. And the rest, you'll mostly focus on strengthening body parts related to your Quirks. Now normally, these changes happen gradually as you grow-"

"-But we don't have time for that." Shota Aizawa cuts in, looking as uncaring as ever to his students' suffering. "Your class has a lot of work to do."

Kendo pauses, airing her concern. "Once we team up with Class A, there'll be 41 students here. That's a whole lot of Quirks for our homeroom teachers to manage on their own."

"Which is why we called them."

"That's correct!" An overly silly woman with green hair and a yellow uniform literally pops out from nowhere and announces out in a silly voice. "Four kittens in one litter!"

"Your feline fantasies are here!" Mandalay joins in with a wink and a spin. "Say "meow!""

The green haired woman reenters the skit with a crazy fast spin. "Allow us to lend a helping paw!"

"We're champions serving up justice." A red eyed man with an intense glare flexes and joins in. "With our tails!"

And finally, Pixie-Bob finishes off the routine. "Purrfectly cute and catlike heroes!"

"We're the Wild, Wild Pussycats!" They all pose and shout out in declaration. "Full version!"

"I'm Ragdoll and my Quirk is Search." The green haired woman introduces with a silly yet welcoming grin. "I can look at up to 100 people and know everything about them. Like their location and weakness."

Pixie-Bob follows her lead and explains herself as well. "With my Earthflow, I can create the ideal training ground for every student!" To prove her point the wave of rocks crashes on by, bouncing Ochaco along with it.

It's Mandalay's turn next. "And my Quirk is called Telepath. I can give advice to multiple people at once."

And finally, the epically awesome presence of the squad introduces himself. "The name's Tiger. And I'm here to beat you guys to a pulp."

Rin stares ahead in confusion. "I have questions about him."

"All you kids with strength Quirks time for Tiger's bootcamp!" Tiger swings his massively swol arm over towards said camp. "Class A's already sweating, so catch up quick!"

The entire class jumps with a start as they look over and find a giant bipedal tiger just a few meters away. How they didn't notice him none of them are sure. And what they see is certainly weird as the giant tiger is busy working up a sweat while performing weird stretches and movements.

Tiger slides in and starts hounding him like he's the beast's personal trainer. "C'mon! Show me what you got!"

Rath instantly knows what to do and goes in for a punch. "Petrosapien Wallop!"

Tiger, using his Pilabody Quirk, bends and twists his body away from the punch before introducing a CAT PUNCH to the tiger's stomach.

"GAH!" Rath's thrown back against a tree. "Ughh…" He slides down the tree, his head spinning in a daze.

Tiger scowls, disappointed by Rath's performance. "If you don't push yourself, you won't shred your muscle fibers, and then you won't get stronger!"

Rath's temper ignites at that. "Let me tell ya something' Tiger who's actually really scary yet a very efficient coach, Rath doesn't appreciate being yelled at!"

"Well, if Rath wasn't so weak! Maybe I wouldn't yell!"

"Well, if Tiger let Rath hit him! Then maybe Rath wouldn't be so ANGRY!"

Tiger scowls, meeting Rath's gaze. "You wanna go punk? Because if so then I don't mind putting you down myself."

"Bring it on! Rath's gonna show you who's the real top cat around here!"

"Grrrrrr!" They both square up, leaning their heads close while glaring daggers at each other like the feral cats they are.

'They're scary.' Thinks Sen Kaibara.

Jurota Shishida fearfully looks away. 'These guys are way more intense than I expected.'

Scowling at his student's lack of motivation, Vlad King decides to clue them in on why the Wild Wild Pussy Cats are here. "There's a lot going on at U.A. So it's hard for us to spare much staff for the hero course first years."

Aizawa nods and adds in. "Based on their experience and range of powers these four were the most logical choice to help you enhance your Quirks in such a short amount of time."

"'And here I thought we were picked because he missed his old classmates.'" Mandalay's playful thoughts telepathy echo in Aizawa's head but he shows no outward reaction.

"Don't fall behind Class B!" Vlad King barks, jolting his students awake. "Do me proud!"

Class B echoes back. "Yes, sir!"


"Ugh!" Before they can be assigned their exercises, Class B is startled by Izuku's sudden collapse.

The greenette groans in pain, sweat and grass sticking to his head while he tries to catch his breath. "Wh-why am I even doing this? I'm not even a strength type Quirk!"

"I needed to keep you busy for a little while." Aizawa, unapologetically, answers.

"Keep me busy? Until what?"

"Until we had enough participants." Aizawa answers before following it with a question. "Midoriya, tell me, what is the core of your Quirk?"

"My core?!" Izuku gasps, his eyes snapping down towards the Omnitrix.

Worried he might have given himself away he quickly tucks it behind his back.

"Yes. What is its sole function? What is its primary role? Principal Nezu and I have determined that your Quirk's primary focus is altering your form and developing new ones. We also deduced that you gain new forms when under severe stress and adrenaline."

Well doesn't that sound familiar? If Izuku has to guess he'd wager that after hearing Yaomomo's theory on his Quirk. Hisashi must have gone right around to telling Nezu about it. Probably something along the lines of "that's good we should use that!"

"So, I gain new powers when I'm in danger?"

"Good, then you understand what we have to do."

"Do… what?"

A sly smirk peeks out from behind the Capture Scarf. "We have to replicate that scenario."

Izuku's heart drops to his stomach as Aizawa calls his classmates over.

"Todoroki! Shoji! Come here." As the two stop and begin to trek their way over, Aizawa turns back to Class B. "Vlad is it alright?"

The homeroom teacher of Class B gives him the go ahead. "Of course, this will be good for them too."

Aizawa appreciates the sentiment. "Ibara and Kurorio, if you wouldn't mind joining us!"

Ibara Shiozaki and Shihai Kurorio both stop what they're doing and step forward just as Shoto and Shoji join them. They all look at each other expectantly hoping one of them would know why they were called on.

Izuku frowns at them, unsure of why they're here. "Um, Mr. Aizawa?"

"This is how your training's going to work." Aizawa explains with a blunt attitude. "I want you to avoid being caught by these four for the next ten minutes."

Everyone is stunned, including Class A, but none more so than Izuku himself.

"Mr. Aizawa?" Shoto steps forward looking for clarification. "Are you saying that we're all gonna be chasing Midoriya?"

"Chase? No. Attack and capture? Yes."

"Is t-this really necessary?" Izuku asks with a forced smile. "I-I mean can't I just work on my transformations one at a time?"

"We can but we already have 40 other Quirks to work with. Adding your transformations would be adding another 60 or so." Like always his logic is sound. "Besides, your real strength comes from your utility. If we can get you to generate new forms, then the more practical and useful your Quirk will become."

"Don't you think this is a little unfair?"

He knows right away that he shouldn't have asked, especially as Aizawa's crooked smirk widens. "Of course. And to make sure these four have proper incentive." He turns to the four and addresses them directly. "If you manage to capture and subdue Midoriya then you each earned yourself a thirty-minute-long break."

The four stud-...combatants perk up.

"You can use it now or later. But you must have him immobilized within a ten-minute span. Understood?"

The four don't even hesitate before they respond. "Yes, sir!"

"Todoroki? Shoji?" Izuku whimpers.

"Sorry, Midoriya." Shoji bows his head in apology.

"It's nothing personal." Shoto adds as if it'll make it better. "But even I need a minute to rest."

"TRAITORS! Why won't anyone take my side?!" Izuku settles down before accepting his fate with irate determination. "Fine. You win, Mr. Aizawa. If it's a fight you want, then I'm gonna make it a good one!" It might be the exhaustion getting to him, but a cocky smirk stretches across his face. Almost like he's gone mad from the heat of the sun. "You don't know this, but I haven't just been sitting around this entire summer. I've been working hard, cultivating my skills, and growing stronger every day!"

Kendo's eyes widened in disbelief. "Does that mean?"

"Yes! I already have new transformations!" Izuku laughs, losing himself to the madness. "They're nothing like you've ever seen! And they will ensure that I achieve victory!" With a maddening grin he snaps his head over at Aizawa. "You want me to upgrade my Quirk? Fine!" In a flash Izuku transforms before their eyes. [Then let's Upgrade my Quirk!]

Upgrade's slick onyx and emerald physique stretches before them. His singular eye aglow with spite.

"WOAH!" Class B and some of Class A cry out.

[Yes! Woah indeed!] Upgrade flaunts, his chest puffed out and swelling with pride. [Take a look for this is the mechanical marvel of my entire arsenal! He can take control of any piece of technology. Reshaping it and amplifying its power to create unstoppable war machines!]

"That's so cool!" Yosetsu Awase awes, his eyes alight like stars.

"So, unfair." Rin sobs, mostly to himself.

Juzo Honenuki frowns, eyeing the form curiously. "Just what exactly is it supposed to be?"

"Sooo, what do you call this one?" Tetsutetsu asks with a naive grin.

Upgrade pauses, his moment ruined as he slowly processes Tetsutetsu's question. [Up-upgrade…his name is, Upgrade.]

"Oh, really?"

[Y-yeah. Didn't you hear me announce it at the beginning?]

"Oh, I thought that was just a weird rant."

Upgrade lets out an exasperated breath.

But his breath is cut off as a Capture Scarf snakes around his neck and limbs and pulls him down to meet the red-eyed glare of one Class A homeroom teacher.

"I see you have been busy." Aizawa growls between his grinding teeth. "So, when exactly were you going to notify me about all your newest forms, Problem Child?"

Upgrade, somehow, begins sweating bullets. [I-I w-was g-going too! I j-just didn't have a c-chance yet…]

'That's a lazy excuse.' Thinks Class B.

[But don't worry Mr. Aizawa I promise I'll work hard. I promise!]

Aizawa eyes him as if considering if the Problem Child's word is actually worth it. And after a moment he considers it so as he unties the terrified Mechamorph.

While Upgrade rubs his neck, a smirking Neito Monoma strolls up to him with an air of arrogance and cockiness like he knows something that Midoriya doesn't. "So, you said this guy take over technology and enhances it? Is that right?"

[Yup. You hit the nail on the head.]

"Good. Haha…Haha…! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHA!" Monoma loses himself, bellowing out a haunting laugh of victory.

[Uhh.] Upgrade backs away out for his own safety.

"Midoriya." Kendo taps him on the shoulder.

[Yes, Kendo.]

"Haven't you realized it yet?"

[Realized…?]

That's when Shoji decides to speak up. "Midoriya, we're in a forest."

[Nani?] Upgrade takes a pause and slowly looks around at his surroundings. And after seeing nothing but a sea of trees and rock he turns back to Class B, grabs his head and collapses while letting out a devastating wail. [AAAAHHHH! I'M SO EMBARRASSED! AND HERE I AM TALKING MYSELF UP LIKE AN IDIOT! AAAHHH!]

Everyone just stares with a deadpan expression. 'Did he just realize?'

[Mr. Aizawa! Do-you have anything I can borrow?! A truck or maybe even a washing machine?] Upgrade snivels, bowing down at Aizawa's feet in rapid succession.

"I think I failed to mention the other half of this training." answers Aizawa. "This training isn't just for you. It's a way for the others to gauge themselves and to use their Quirks on a sufficient challenge." His malicious smirk returns. "Oh, and I should mention that I've planned to match each of your forms with the best counters?"

Upgrade, fearing for his life, scrambles to find a way out. [Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait a minute! You have to give me at least something!]

Aizawa thinks for a moment before reaching into his back pocket. "Fine."

[Oh, thank you Mr. Aizawa! You're a real swell gu….-] Upgrade freezes as Aizawa drops a tiny walkie-talkie into his palm.

. . . . .

[What the hell is this?] Upgrade asks after an extended pause.

Aizawa turns his back and walks away, making sure to stay clear of the battlefield. "Considering it more training. You have to learn to use whatever's available to you."

[Nani?!]

Aizawa stops in his tracks and without turning back he says. "By the way, the ten minutes have already started." He holds up a timer and it shows that they only have 8 minutes left.

[What?!] Upgrade's head flails around as he scans for anything other than a radio that he can use. And there hidden in the trees he spots Kraab sunning himself with a pair of shades and a little reflective mirror.

[KRAAB!] He silently begs.

Kraab lowers his shades and waves before laying back and settling himself in for the show.

[I'VE BEEN BETRAYED AGAIN!]

As he flails for anything else, Upgrade spins around and finds Shoto, Shoji, Ibara, and Kurorio are already stalking towards him. Their eyes glow red with a determined fire that he hasn't seen since the Sports Festival.

[G-guys.]

"It's nothing personal, Midoriya." Shoto promises as his right side begins to freeze over with a layer of frost.

Shoji marches forward with his Dupli-Arms forming into a swarm of hands. "Forgive us, but we're going to give this our best."

"Kekekeke." Kurorio snickers albeit with a nervous yet excited grin. "I'm actually gonna fight the Rising Star. Shit, not gonna lie I'm kinda creeped out."

"Please don't think ill of our actions." Ibara pleads with a slight bow. "I so do hate causing harm."

[THEN DON'T FIGHT!]

"But I must!" Despite the pain and guilt in her voice, Ibara unleashes a wave of Vines that tear through the ground like a crashing wake.

The Vines explode from underneath Upgrade's feet before entirely enveloping him in a tomb of thick powerful thorns.

"You got him!" Kurorio cheers.

"No, she didn't." Shoto's left side begins to burn.

"Huh?!"

A jade laser pierces through the thorny tomb, and with a swing it slices it apart in a brilliant explosion of green flames.

Shoto and Shoji, having expected the counter, braced themselves against the sudden blast of heat and wind while Ibara and Kurorio are thrown off their feet. Too stunned by Midoriya's sudden display of power. They hurry to their feet but stop as they are met with Upgrade's furious glowing gaze.

"I might be at a disadvantage. But how easy did you think this was going to be?"

In response, his four opponents stand at the ready.

Without breaking his gaze Upgrade holds up the little radio and before their eyes he demonstrates how his power works. His body melts into the device, coating it and reshaping it to his will. The little walkie-talkie turns sharp and jagged as its shell is rearranged. The antenna turns sharp and extends out becoming a little lance while legs are out from the sides like a spider. The Omnitrix sits on the back while the speaker in the front expands and protrudes out like a cannon.

And through the speaker, Upgrade speaks. "Let's try to have some fun. Shall we?"


And what fun they had. After time was up Izuku got himself a quick five-minute break, mainly because they had to wait for his "Quirk" to recharge.

But when it was ready, damn did things get intense. Next up Aizawa had Four Arms go up against Sato and Kirishima. And then rightfully he threw in Tetsutetsu and Shoda into the mix creating a brawl that exuded manliness. There was one point all four opponents had grabbed and were wrestling the Tetramand before the red hulk turned the tables in a fit of rage.

Afterwards, XLR8 was zipping around with Iida and Tsuyu while Tsuburaba and Bondo tried to intercept him with their Solid Air and Cemedine Quirks, respectively. They had him for a minute, but he managed to make a "quick" escape, as it were.

But the most fun was watching an army of Ditto fight each other after half of them fell under Shinso's Quirk. Leaving Mineta, Tokage, and Manga to sit back and watch before stepping in after the Dittos exhausted themselves.

But they are far from the only ones who are exhausted. Ochaco falls over, exhausted and out of breath. Her face red from the sun while her stomach gurgles with displeasure warning her that it'll barf again. But the only reason nothing comes up is because her stomach is literally empty. Having puked up everything since breakfast already.

And right now, she's so tired she can't even bring herself to eat anything, instead taking the 5-minute break Aizawa graciously gave her to actually rest up.

But there's something bugging her.

'I need to keep improving.' She thinks. 'I have lots of work to do.'

But then again so does everyone else.

And so unable to rest, Ochaco looks around to observe what her classmates are up to. 'I wonder how Deku's doing?'

Wondering this, she looks over to see for herself. And what she sees does not disappoint.

"Raagh!" Diamondhead roars while swinging his crystal hammer down.

Jiro, who was knocked to the ground, rolls away before the hammer smashes the ground with a violent shake.

"Take this!" While springing to her feet Jiro's Earphone Jacks lash out and pierce into Diamondhead's downed arm. "Shout for me!"

"AAAaaahhh!" Diamondhead screams as Jiro sends a current of sonic waves into his body, causing his crystal shards to shake violently, threatening to break apart.

Not wanting to break away into dust, Diamondhead grabs her Earphone Jacks and pulls with all his might while yelling in a deep threatening voice. "GET OVER HERE!"

"Aaaah!" Jiro is pulled off her feet, flung forward by Diamondhead's powerful swing.

As she's hurled forward, Diamondhead gets ready to meet her with a devastating punch!

*CLANG!*

His fist, however, never connects as a similarly crystal blade of a Jian design intercepts his strike.

Dumbfounded, Diamondhead peers over at the wielder. Momo stands defiant, glaring back at Diamondhead with a fiery yet nervous gaze.

But his focus is more on the familiar looking 31-inch-long blade. It appears to be made out of the same crystals as himself, cut so thinly one might mistake it as paper. Its hilt is long with an elegantly designed cross guard of onyx black with the original shard gifted by Diamondhead inside.

"Enough!" Momo rips Jiro away from the Petrosapien while parrying his fist away.

"T-thanks Yaomomo!" Jiro breaths, backing away from the imposing alien.

"Be ready! This isn't over!" Momo shouts, holding her blade up before their opponent.

Diamondhead glowers, standing back and examining the blade. "Is that the Zircon Blade? Haven't seen that thing for a while. I thought you tossed it out?"

"Why would I? This Training Camp is the perfect place to hone my skills with such a weapon. And not to mention, I've been taking swordsmanship all summer."

"You've been practicing? Good." With a cocky smile, Diamondhead produces a dual set of massive blades of his own. "Then show me what you got."

With a spin of her blade, Momo takes a Soresu stance, wielding the blade close to the side of her head, preparing to attack or defend at a moment's notice. "With pleasure."

They stand before the other, awaiting the other to make the first move. Neither even taking a breath as tension rises until it all just snaps. I

"Raaaagh!" Diamondhead charges while taking a massive swing at Momo's head.

*CLANG!*

It begins. Momo parries the attack and ducks, allowing the crystal limb to slide over her head before she spins around Diamondhead's body.

He swings his entire body around with another swing to which Momo blocks again. But Diamondhead's stronger, forcing her blade away with a mighty blow.

Momo nearly loses her breath and her blade, but she bounces back quickly just in time to lean back and avoid Diamondhead's next slash. He slashes again but misses allowing her to slip in close and strike him across the chest.

Diamondhead winces as the blade actually leaves a cut. Growing angry he charges forth with a blade over his head.

He swings but Momo side steps, dodging it. With his arm down she raises her blade and swings down at his neck.

Seeing the attack coming, Diamondhead swings himself away causing her blade to miss and pierce the ground. Embedding it in place as a result.

Seeing an opportunity of attack, Diamondhead takes it with a mighty swing.

But that's when Momo demonstrates what makes her blade so special as a second blade sprouts from the bottom of the hilt and shoots up, intercepting Diamondhead's own.

Surprised, he's thrown off as Momo kicks the dual blade around, putting distance between them as she grips the hilt, keeping the blades out to the sides.

"Bring it!" Diamondhead roars initiating the next round.

*CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!*

Again and again their crystal blades clash as they each take swings and stabs at the other only for them to parry and counter. That is until Momo finds herself holding off the giant's Petrosapien's blades. Her Zircon Blade's dual blades struggle to hold up against his massive blades. The weight is too great but even, so she manages to hold her own under the pressure.

Diamondhead's scowl soon turns to that of an impressed smirk. "You're good." With a slide of his foot a thin crystal shoots out from the ground and nearly pierces her face.

Momo, surprised, stumbles and falls with a push by Diamondhead.

She falls back, landing with a thud, and as she's about to pick herself up she's met with the pointed end of Diamondhead's blade.

"But I'm better."

Momo scowls. "And outnumbered. Now, Juzo!"

Suddenly a pair of arms shoot out from the ground underneath his feet and grab him. And like a cliche zombie horror show Diamondhead is pulled down into the Soften ground.

"Wait? What?!" Diamondhead's fully taken by surprise, unable to move as his body continues to sink into the Soften muck.

This must be Juzo's Softening Quirk at play. He must have used it to tunnel underground like a mole-man before creating a sinkhole right underneath his feet.

"Ehehehe!" Juzo's skeletal head pops out from the Soften ground, he's seemingly swimming away through the Soften ground as if it were water. "Ehehehe! Surprised you? Just, how easy did you think this was going to be."

"Hey! That's my line!" Diamondhead snaps while Momo hurries away from the sinkhole and shouts.

"Kodai!"

Hurrying out from the woods the silent Kodai throws forward a hand-sized net that Momo Created earlier in the fight. As it's flung through the air, she presses her hands together causing the net to glow bright before expanding out into full size. The heavy chain-mailed net falls over Diamondhead like a sheet.

Not willing to go quietly, Diamondhead raises his blade in an attempt to cut himself free. But he's held at bay by Jiro's presence.

"I wouldn't." She warns with her Earphone Jacks poised and ready to strike. "Not unless you want your eardrums to bleed."

Diamondhead stares at her in confusion. "I don't have eardrums."

"You know what I mean, Damnit!"

Diamondhead struggles against his binds, his other arm is stuck, pressed against his body and the Soften ground.

Already starting to feel drained, Momo shrinks her sword and brings it back down to a single blade. She then stands over the Petrosapien victoriously and with proud defiance she states. "It's over, Midoriya. We have the high ground."

Diamondhead glowers in response. "You underestimate my power!"

"Don't try it!" Momo warns but it's too late Diamondhead has already made up his mind.

Suddenly from beneath the Earth a massive wave of crystals explodes forth and tears through the Soften Earth like it was playdough.

"Everyone, shield yourselves!" Momo screams as Jiro takes shelter behind her.

Without a moment to lose Momo stabs the ground with the sword and a large crystal wall shoot ups.

Diamondhead's crystals flood the battlefield, crashing forward like an avalanche. The wave of crystals hammers against Momo's shield, but they're all pushed aside and around like high pressure water crashing into a stone.

Jiro holds onto Momo for dear life as Momo herself struggles to hold up their shield.

And even though it feels like hours the crystal wave is over in mere moments leaving a massive piercing wave of crystals frozen around Momo's barricade.

With the barrage over Momo nearly falls over with a fatigued breath. Thankfully Jiro is there to catch her and keep her on her feet.

"Oh, wow." Juzo's head pops out of the ground between Jiro's feet alongside Kodai. "You Class A guys really are crazy. Ehehe."

Uncomfortable with where he chose to pop out from, Jiro steps on his face. "We're insane?!" She considers it for a moment before figuring it to be somewhat true. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"J-Jiro…" Momo breaths between heavy pants.

"Yaomomo?"

"What…what happened…to Midoriya?"

Jiro pauses and stares up at the wall of crystal in confusion. Honestly, she has no idea what happened to the guy, but she can take a few guesses.

They all pause and stare at the wall before Momo gives Kodai the signal to go ahead. Kodai hesitantly reaches out to the crystal wall. Upon her activating her Quirk the wall shrinks away revealing to them a field of flattened crystal. As if the earth itself was frozen in a layer of pure ice. And at its center stands the freed Diamondhead, but he makes no move, nor does he act surprised when he sees them. Instead, it seems like he was waiting for them to reveal themselves.

"Impressive. Most impressive. You've grown strong, students."

"YOU'RE A STUDENT TOO!" Jiro snaps finding Midoriya's wise mentor act strange and out of place.

But Diamondhead ignores her in favor of giving his opponents one last time to surrender. "Yield."

Momo glares back and moves to straighten up. She nearly stumbles, scaring Jiro who hovers nearby. But Momo waves her that she's fine before gripping her blade and prying it from the ground. And even though she can feel herself going in and out of consciousness she refuses to give before the unstoppable menace. "I will not yield. Not while I still draw breath."

"Please don't indulge him." Jiro deadpans, giving them both an odd look while she wonders why they're taking this so seriously.

"So be it." Diamondhead's arms reform into blades. "Let it not be said that I did not show mercy. Raaagh!"

With a whip of her sword the blade shifts and lashes out like a chain. The chain of diamonds cracks like a whip and wraps around Diamondhead's neck. With a yank the bind tightens with the edges of the blade cutting into his neck.

"Release me!" With a roar Diamondhead fires forth a crystal trail that shout spout of the ground like Shoto's own icicles.

Before the others can run for it, Juzo ran right at the incoming crystals.

They all cry out in shock. "Juzo!"

He takes a stand, holding his hands out as if he's gonna catch the crystals. The crystal trail crashes into him with such force that he's pushed back. He's nearly thrown off his feet and his hands begin to bleed against the piercing crystals, but he holds his own and the crystals soon come to a stop and begin to melt away like ice cream melting in the sun.

"Now's our chance! Hurry!" He cries while keeping his Softening Quirk on the crystals.

Heeding his advice, Jiro lashes out with her Earphone Jacks.

Diamondhead fires back with a rain of shards, repelling her attack.

Kodai runs in from behind and tosses an array of broken sticks and small rocks. But as she releases them into the air, they glow bright violet under the effect of her Size Quirk and grow to giant proportions.

Even while his neck is bound up, Diamondhead uses his free hand to slice the giant branches in half and bat the incoming boulders. But the large branches and giant boulders break through and crash into him, forcing him to his knees.

With their opponent down, Momo pulls harder on the chain, hoping to keep him down.

Not one to give up, Diamondhead rises up and grabs the chain before declaring out in a deep and threatening voice. "GET OVER HERE!"

"You already used that line!" Jiro shouts!

Momo is pulled forward along with her chain-sword, her strength is completely drained and she's unable to react in time as Diamondhead knocks her down with a swing of his arm.

She hits the ground hard, and she loses grip on her blade, which shrinks down to the size of a dagger. Clanging against the ground as it falls, discarded.

Momo is entirely exhausted, her body shaking as her vision turns cloudy. She gave it all she's got but the Zircon Blade is still too much for her it seems. She had thought that using the blade as a conduit to produce more crystals would be the key to victory. And in a way it was, it sure made it easier to produce crystals versus doing it herself. But it would appear to be that the original diamond wielder won out, this time.

Diamondhead towers above her, the others stay off to the side, as he draws his bladed limb over her head. "You've fought bravely. Well done. You should be proud."

"But it wasn't enough."

Rather than belittle her, Diamondhead offers a sympathetic yet proud smile. "Don't worry." In a flash of red, a scratched up and bruised Izuku finds himself smiling down at Momo. "You'll get there one day."

With a kind smile he reaches down to help, offering her his hand.

Momo appreciates the gesture and takes it, allowing him to help her to her feet.

She stumbles a bit, but Izuku catches her, making sure to secure her arm around his shoulders so that she can lean on him. "Don't worry, I have you."

"Thank you, it's much appreciated."

They both smile, bathing in the glow of a well fought dual.

That is until Mina lets out a high-pitched whistle. "Look at you Midoriya. Acting all smooth and confident! Ha! I love it!"

"Yeah!" Tokage laughs, joining in on Mina's fun. "You've really grown a pair! Hahaha!"

"Ashido!" Izuku cries, his face beat red.

"Hahahahaha!" They both laugh, enjoying the fact they made the boy's face turn so red that he looks like a tomato.

Izuku's not just red from embarrassment but anger too, so much so he passes off Momo over to Jiro before storming off to tell them to stop.

While Izuku tells them off, Jiro lets out a tired sigh. "Shit, I really thought we had him."

"Yes." Momo nods while leaning against Jiro. "Perhaps next time."

Juzo frowns, scratching the side of his cheek. "He's a slippery one."

"He sure is!" Tokage laughs much to Izuku's embarrassment.

"T-Tokage! Ashido! S-stop! Please, I'm begging you!"

"Hahahahaha!"

The four combatants watch in confusion as Izuku passes out but soon their defeat hangs back over their heads like a dark cloud.

"It's my fault." Momo drops her head in shame, her eyes drifting over towards her weapon.

Jiro looks over and spots the shrunken Zircon Blade. It's so small it could fit in a cargo pocket. Her Earphone jacks snake down and pick it up before placing it into Momo's waiting hand.

"If I wasn't so reliant on this sword maybe we could have figured out another way to beat him."

"Are you kidding? That blade's so cool!" Juzo is in awe of the blade, his eyes glowing with stars as he examines the crystal creation.

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Jiro agrees while Kodai nods her head furiously in the background. "You were a total badass out there."

Momo can't help the smile and sheepish blush from appearing on her face. "Thank you, everyone."

"I said stop it!"

"Aw, look at him, he's so cute when he blushes."

"So, shy. You would never know."

"STOP IT, PLEASE!"

The four combatants stare on, dumbfounded by the scene before them. Shouting and laugher is nonstop. Izuku's head is steaming, literally, and is several shades of red as Mina and Tokage continuously mock him about something.

Juzo looks over at the others and asks what they're all thinking "So, what exactly are they going on about?"

Jiro shrugs. "No idea."

Meanwhile, Ochaco laughs at their antics. But mostly she's impressed by all their hard work, causing her to think about her own training. She's working on Zero-Gravity right now but what about One For All? All Might passed the Quirk on to her and now it's up to her to make it her own. She needs to prove that she deserves it because honestly, she's not sure if she does. Sure, Gran Torino taught her how to use it more efficiently but it's still yet to feel like her own Quirk. 'I've come a long way in such a short time. It's up to me to move forward and make this power my own.'

"You Uraraka?"

Ochaco peers up and finds a scowling Tiger, arms crossed, looming over her. "Y-yes."

"Come with me. Since you're a hybrid Quirk we'll have you train your physicality with me for the rest of the day."

"Got it."

"GOT WHAT!? Wax in your ears?! I said we're training so get a move on!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Ochaco shoots up to her feet in a panic and hurries to Tiger's Bootcamp.

As she hurries off to train her strength, Aizawa gets Izuku's next match going. This time he assigns Koda and Ojiro along with Shishida and Rin of Class B to take on the ferocious and feral Wildmutt.

The hairy beast roars before beginning his ferocious assault upon his prey who fight back with everything they got. Shishida fights back like the beast he is while the others feel like the Prophet Daniel trapped in the lions' den.

As Wildmutt barks and fends them off the Omnitrix glistens under the sun, catching Kota's eye.

Kota watches from the side, hidden away in the thick brush and trees with a nasty look on his face. He watches as Wildmutt shakes off his attackers before retaliating.

'Stupid.' Kota gets annoyed just from watching them and turns to leave. 'They're all idiots. Every. Last. One of em.'

As the kid marches away, he passes under the same tree that Kraab is perched in. The little cyborg actually noticed the kid go by and watches him curiously. But he ignores him and goes back to recording the fight as Koji Koda unleashes a swarm of rats and squirrels upon the Vulpimancer.

And he's got even more to record after that from Stinkfly buzzing around like a fearful fly to Bullfrag springing from tree to tree. This goes on until a thick layer of clouds roll in blocking and provide a much-needed reprieve from the sun for the hard-working students.

But it's not like they have the chance to actually appreciate it as Mr. Aizawa makes it a point to keep them working. Especially poor Izuku who just can't seem to catch a break.

"Midoriya. Are you ready?" Aizawa asks while holding a clipboard.

Izuku exhales, not seeing any point in arguing. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Good. Because these four will be your next opponents." He gestures behind him to a stoic Tokoyami, a nervous Denki, a passive Reiko, and a determined Kendo.

"Hey, guys." Izuku waves, exhausted but still trying to be friendly.

Denki jerks his head up in hello. "Sup."

Kendo smirks, folding her arms confidently. "Our turn now. Hope you're ready."

"Do we have to?" Reiko shutters. "No offense but you're creepy."

Tokoyami can conquer. "Creepy he may be, but he is fierce as well."

Izuku's not sure how to take that, was it a…compliment? "Um, right back at ya…?"

Aizawa checks the clipboard, he had Izuku fill it out with all sorts of info on his transformations earlier. "It says here you have a ghost-like transformation. Care to clarify what that means?"

Izuku is more than happy to clarify, even getting all excited about using the alien. "He could walk through walls, disappear, and fly. He's much more unique than the other guys."

Aizawa gives him an inscrutable look. "Is that so?"

"Yup."

"Alright, then let's see it."

Izuku gets a little too excited as he joyfully yells out. "Going Ghost!"

With a slam of the watch and a flash of green, Ghostfreak breaks onto the scene. "And I do mean that literallyyy. Eheheheheheee!"

"No! Not you!" Denki shutters, fear written all over his face. "Please, anyone but him!"

Ghostfreak zooms in, leaning in uncomfortably close to Denki's face. "Hi, Kaminariii! I missed youuu."

"EEEeeeeekkk!"

"Fascinating. Truly fascinating." Tokoyami cups his chin as he examines Midoriya's ghastly form. "You impress once again, Midoriya."

"Please refer to me as Ghostfreak when I'm like thisss."

"Like I said, creepy." Reiko shutters and yet there's a slight intrigued smile on her face.

"Enough, let's get a move on. We're losing daylight." Aizawa exclaims.

"Um, we can't even see daylight right now." Denki comments while looking up at the sky. Seriously the clouds rolled in from out of nowhere, completely blocking out the sun as a result.

"Um, sir?" Kendo raises her hand in questioning.

"What is it?" Aizawa responds.

"I was wondering why exactly I'm here. My Quirk isn't exactly built to deal with someone like him." She gestures over to Ghostfreak who's hovering over a terrified Denki. "Especially in this state."

Aizawa figured this question was coming and so he has a prepared response. "You're all training to become heroes. You're all going to face threats seemingly outside your capabilities. Use this opportunity to learn and adapt." He turns away and begins to walk off, off the battlefield. "This training is just as much for you as it is for Midoriya. Now get a move on." He raises up and flashes them the stopwatch. "The clock is ticking." With a click the countdown starting from ten minutes begins.

"Yes, sir!"

As Kendo spins around she finds her teammates all bracing themselves for the fight against the haunting spirit.

Denki nervously sweats and shakes at the sight of the ghost. "Y-you w-wouldn't mind going e-easy on us?"

"Easyyy?" Ghostfreak laughs. "I'm the one that's getting it easyyy. Watchhh." He hovers down before gesturing for them to charge him. "Go ahead, I'll let you all take the first shottt. I won't move an inch, I promiseee."

"Really?"

"Reallyyy."

Denki breaks out in a wide grin. "Okay. But don't get mad when we win!"

Denki's entire body sparks with electricity as he sprints headfirst towards Ghostfreak. "Hahaha! Take this-WHA?!"

His electrified fist passes straight through Ghostfreak's body like it was made of air.

Denki's jaw drops. "What?! That's cheating!"

"Is ittt? But I kept my word, I didn't move an inchhh. Eheheheheheee!"

"Hy-yah!" Kendo's enlarged hands swipe and chop at Ghostfreak but he was ready, allowing them to phase through him with little to no harm.

Not one to give up, Kendo keeps up the attacks, striking, kicking, and chopping at the gray spirit in the hopes that there's a weak point somewhere.

Ghostfreak, however, folds his arms as she continues to attack him. "Go aheaddd. Wear yourself outtt. The faster you tire yourselves out the sooner I winnn!"

Reiko scowls at Ghostfreak. "You may be creepy but who knew you were so cocky too?"

She moves her hands forward, her fingers lurched as if she were controlling puppets, but at the movement of her hands a massive boulder rises from the ground, surrounded by a violet aura. And with another puppeteer-like motion the boulder drops right onto Ghostfreak burying him alive with a loud SLAM.

"Wasn't that sort of overkill?!" Denki cries, worried that they might have actually killed the ghost.

"Killll? Meee? Eheheheee! Don't make me laughhh." Ghostfreak phases upward and through the boulder, completely unscathed and unbothered. "What's with those facesss? Don't tell me you're scared of little ole meee?"

His opponents scowl in frustration as a response.

"Face ittt! Nothing can hurt me when I'm like thisss. I'm literally untouchableee!" As Ghostfreak gloats his singular green eye snakes across his black veins and stops to eye the last combatant. "Oh, Tokoyamiii!"

An observant Tokoyami jerks his head up after being called.

"What's the matterrr? Don't you want to take a shottt?"

Tokoyami's eyes narrow, suspicious of the gleeful specter.

"Oh, don't be like thattt. What the harm afterallll? Not like it'll hurttt…well, meee. Eheheheee!"

Tokoyami scowls before addressing his Stand. "What do you think, Dark Shadow?"

Dark Shadow pops out from his shoulder like a parrot. "'Let me take a swing at him. I'm feeling pretty good about this.'"

"Very well. Prepare yourself, Midoriya! For we will bring you back down to this earthy plane!"

"I'd like to see you tryyy."

"And so, you shall. DARK SHADOW!"

Dark Shadow launches out claws out and with a blood curdling roar. "You're going to get it! Raaaaggh!"

"It's hopelessss!"

Dark Shadow begins to rise quickly through the air.

"Uselessss!"

Dark Shadow gains speed, speeding towards the specter like a bullet.

"Victory is mineee!"

It's almost there, its massive claws outstretched and ready.

"I'm UNTOUCHA-Bleeehhh!"

Dark Shadow's fist connected with the side of Ghostfreak's skull. It hits so hard that Ghostfreak swears his skull rattles and is nearly torn free from his paper-thin skin. Everyone stares in shock-and-awe as Ghostfreak is flung across the air like a spinning football with a trail of sparkling painful tears trailing behind him. WHAM, he hits the ground hard, face first and eating dirt with a painful grimace.

Ghostfreak holds his pounding head and groans. But what really has him down is the fact that he was struck. "No wayyy… Dark Shadow cannn…touch meee?!" He spins around in shock over at Tokoyami and his familiar.

Tokoyami and Dark Shadow share a look before playful smirks stretch across their beaks. As Tokoyami folds his arms and smirks, Dark Shadow leans its arm against his shoulder and laughs. "How easy did you think this was going to be?"

"That's it, I'm trademarking that lineee!" Ghostfreak rises up from the ground along with his rage. "Looks like I'm gonna have my work cut out for me after allll." He turns his emerald gaze onto his opponents. "You all had your shot and now it's my turnnn." With a furious death glare Ghostfreak vanishes from sight.

"I don't like this." Kendo takes a stance, poised and ready for Ghostfreak to reappear from anywhere.

"You don't like this? I hate this!" Denki cries, cowering away like he's expecting a jump scare. "You just know he's going to come after me! Just you watch!"

Tokoyami scans the battlefield carefully. "Calm yourself Kaminari. Stick close and together we shall prevail."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. Okay." Denki calms down and relaxes. It's all in his head, why would Midoriya ever target him anyway?

There's a tug on the back of his collar.

"God damnit, I knew it. AAAaaaaahhh!" Denki is ripped off the ground, and lifted up away from his teammates. "Let go of me! Aaaahhh!" Out of fear rather than thought, Denki discharges a wave of electricity around him.

"Aahhhh!" The invisible Ghostfreak lets go and reappears, holding his singed hand.

Denki falls, landing on his butt, thankfully the ground was only five feet away.

"You let your guard down!" Kendo's massive hands grab the distracted Ghostfreak and swing him to the ground.

He hits it with a thud and she goes for an ax-kick at his head but her foot passes harmlessly through his head.

"Right back at yaaa." With the foot still phased through his face, Ghostfreak grabs her legs and shoves her away.

Ghostfreak rises and prepares to strike but he's cut off by Dark Shadow, who wrestles him to the ground.

Ghostfreak shoves the shadow away and flies off, but the raven-shadow gives chase. "No wonder they call you a shadowww. You just can't help but follow me everywhereee!"

The others watch uselessly from below as Dark Shadow and Ghostfreak weave through the air, they clash and soar around like birds of prey, both trying to knock the other out of the sky.

"We have to do something!" Kendo shouts, watching helplessly as Dark Shadow does all the work.

While gazing up, Reiko has an idea and so she opens her hands up towards the sky. "Allow me to give this a try."

While in the air Ghostfreak is suddenly pulled to a stop as a violet aura surrounds him. "Heyyy! I-I can't moveee!" He tries to phase through the telekinetic hold but it's no use.

"'Incoming!'" Dark Shadow's claw slashes him out of the sky.

Ghostfreak chases into the ground, hard. "Ugh, talk about being overshadoweddd."

As he flips himself around, he finds himself surrounded from all sides by his opponents.

Denki snickers as they surround him. "Now that we have you like this. You're not so scary."

Ghostfreak's jade eye rotates around his body and glares at Denki.

"Eeek!" Denki shrieks and takes cover behind Tokoyami.

"Enough, Midoriya." Kendo calls out. "How do you expect to win with Reiko and Tokoyami around? It's pointless."

"Are you sure about thattt? How do you know that it's not I who has youuu?"

"Stop with the mind games! It's over"

Ghostfreak snickers into his hand. "You call these mind gamesss? No, this is a mind gameee." He rushes forward, and Kendo strikes but it's useless as Ghostfreak phases through her hands and into her body.

He vanishes inside her and Kendo immediately collapses to her knees. Her body convulsing and jerking in unnatural ways. Like her body's a sweater that Ghostfreak can't seem to be fitting into that well.

Denki, Tokoyami, and Reiko all back away, disturbed and frightened.

"Kendo!" Reiko gasps but there's no response. "Kendo!"

Kendo stops shaking but she remains hunched over, catching her breath.

Concerned for her friend, Reiko approaches Kendo from behind and slowly reaches for her shoulder. "Kendo?"

"Eheheheheheee…!" Kendo's head snaps up and spins 180 degrees around. Her face corrupted with black veins, her mouth lined with sharp needle-like teeth, and one of her eyes is glowing with an ominous green hue.

"Eeeeekkk!" Reiko and the others jump back in freight.

"What's the matter, Yanagiii? Don't you recognize your beloved friend, Kendooo? Eheheheheee!" Ghost-Kendo shrikes with laughter as their body jerks and twitches while they get up to their feet.

"Foul Demon!" Tokoyami roars while summoning Dark Shadow to attack.

However, Ghost-Kendo catches Dark Shadow in midair with their Big Fists. "Pot calling the kettle blackkk. Eheheheee!"

The possessed Kendo suddenly goes still and is frozen in place by a violet aura.

"Be gone, spirit!" Reiko glares with her hands and fingers lurched. "Release my friend, she's not yours!"

"You know what they say, possession is nine/tenths of the lawww." Ghost-Kendo smiles, flashing her needle-sharp teeth. "But because you asked so nicelyyy! I'll make an exceptionnn."

And just like that Ghostfreak exits Kendo leaving her confused and disturbed.

Reiko hurries ot her side. "Kendo! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Kendo shutters, "I just feel so violated."

While Reiko sees to her, Denki shouts for them to attack. "He's out!"

Ghostfreak immediately snaps his attention towards him. And just as Denki realizes his mistake the phantom comes chasing after him.

"And he's after me! Eeeeek-!" Ghostfreak catches him and possess his body. "Eheheheheheheee!" Ghost-Denki cackles as black veins line his face and his left eye glows green.

"Kaminari!" Tokoyami gasps before having Dark Shadow lash out at their possessed teammate.

With a grin, Ghost-Denki repels Dark Shadow's claw with a slap of his electrified hand. "Eheheheheee! You should never go near live wiresss. Didn't you know thattt?" They smirk, smile lined with needle teeth as their hands begin to spark wildly with electricity. "Let's give this a tryyy. 1.3 MILLION VOLTSss!"

Electricity surges through their body and out in a wild frenzy in every which direction

Reiko acts quickly, forming a shield of rocks and Earth with her Poltergeist, shielding herself and Kendo. While Tokoyami, who's too far away is forced to duck and dive away from the cracking bolts of lightning.

All the while Ghost-Denki is cackling. "Ehehehehehee-Ehehee… Aaahhh!" The electricity stops and Ghost-Denki holds their head in pain.

Before long Denki's body drops to the ground leaving Ghostfreak in the air with his head in a daze.

"What happened to him?" asks Kendo.

Tokoyami answers. "Kaminari's Quirk has a negative effect on his brain. And Midoriya is less adapted to such voltage."

Less adaptive but it would seem that he was able to escape the brain surge in time. "Does Kaminari really do this to himself every timeee? No wonder his grades are so lowww. Ugh, my head's still spinninggg."

As Ghostfreak recovers the tiniest ray of sunlight manages to peak through the clouds. The ray just skims his elbow but it's enough to cause it to burn and singe.

"OW!" Ghostfreak jumps, reeling away and rubbing his arm. 'What was thattt? A bee stinggg? Or was it Kaminari's lightninggg? Residual static maybeee?'

The phantom might not have seen it but Kendo sure did. She looks to the sky and notices that the cloud cover will soon blow away with the wind in just a few minutes.

"Ain't that something?" She grins with a plan forming in her head. "Everyone, we need to coral him!"

Denki shakes his head frantically. "We already tried that. And guess what, it didn't work."

"Trust me, this time it will."

Denki's still not so confident.

Reiko, however, has full confidence in her Class pres. "Trust me when Kendo has a plan, it usually works."

That's enough, at least for Tokoyami. "We are with you."

Kendo's glad to have them aboard. "Good. Because here he comes."

On que Ghostfreak is back in action, having recovered from that mysterious pain he dives down, aiming to attack them head on.

Denki shrinks back, praying. "Oh, please not me!"

Ghostfreak immediately swerves and goes after him.

"God damnit! Is it because I said something?!"

Denki runs but the poltergeist never makes it as he's the one that gets grabbed by Reiko's Poltergeist Quirk.

The violet aura suspends him in place allowing Denki to scrabble away.

With their target paused, Kendo initiates her plan. "Alright, now just hold him! Tokoyami, surround him!"

"DARK SHADOW!" Tokoyami attacks and Dark Shadow totally envelopes the frozen specter is a cocoon of darkness. "RAGNAROK: WOMB!"

Tokoyami's Ultimate Move completely overtakes the foul spirit, locking him away in a prison of shadows. The only thing able to escape the coffin is Ghostfreak's angry howls.

"We got him!" Denki cheers before pausing to think. "Now what?"

"Now we wait." Kendo responds.

"For what?"

"For that." With a smirk she looks up towards the sky.

And like the beacon of hope it is the clouds part away with the wind, and sunlight beats down, bathing the entire mountain forest in its bright hot rays.

Dark Shadow immediately begins to wither and shrink away under the intense sunlight.

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami gasps, he won't be able to hold Ghostfreak like this!

But Kendo accounted for that. "No, it's okay. Release him."

"But he'll escape!"

"Trust me, he won't."

Tokoyami remains skeptical but after watching helplessly as his partner fades away he summons his demon back. Dark Shadow unwraps and slithers away taking refuge in Tokoyami's body, and thus releasing their captive.

"It's about ti-Aaaaaahhhh!" Ghostfreak grimaces under the sun, reeling back and shrinking away as his body withers and burns under the intense light. "Aaaaahhhh…!"

"It's working? Hahaha! It's actually working!" Denki's so happy he could cry.

Tokoyami, however, is very interested in Ghostfreak's reaction. "He's just like Dark Shadow. He can't handle the light."

"Not just any light. Sunlight." Kendo confirms, proud to see that her theory was right. "I wasn't quite sure but I saw some light rays hit his arm earlier, so I had my suspicions. And it looks like I was right."

Reiko smiles. "See, I knew Kendo had a plan."

"Yeah, she did. Go Kendo!" Denki cheers.

Meanwhile, Ghostfreak continues to wither in pain, holding his head and doing whatever he can to shade himself as steam burns off his body.

Kendo stands tall, placing her hands at her hips with her chest out in pride. "Alright, Midoriya time to call it quits."

He doesn't answer, too busy agonizing over the burning sensation across his body. His head is pounding, and his entire body is searing with pain, flashes of purple flood his thoughts, making it impossible to think.

"Midoriya? Midoriya?"

Denki shakes his head at the show of stubbornness. "Give it up dude it's over."

Ghostfreak moans in agony, it's becoming too much. He can't think. He can't speak. Is…is someone calling him? He can't even tell the pain is just too much. More flashes of eerie purple and then…darkness. And his body goes limp.

Kendo suddenly has a horrible realization. "Midoriya?"

His body begins to shrivel away like rotting fruit left in the sun.

"It's not weakening him…it's… KILLING HIM!" Kendo hurries to his side, her Big Fists expanding out as she tries to use them as a shield. Holding them over him in the attempt to shade him. "Quick! Cover him! Cover him now!"

"Dark Shadow, quickly!" Tokoyami shouts.

Dark Shadow peeks his head out and winces. "'Aaaah! That's too bright!'" But it doesn't complain for long as it quickly slithers forward, its form is too small to make any significant effect so instead Dark Shadow coils himself around the inflicted Ghostfreak as best as it can.

Denki, on the other hand, has no idea how to help. "What do we do?! What do we do?!"

Reiko hurries to find something, anything to help and then she spots it. Tiger has just pulled up in a large truck with a tarp covering the bed. And without a moment to waste she uses Poltergeist to rip the tarp away, snapping the bungee cords that were holding it down and startling everyone.

"Hey!" Tiger shouts not appreciating being startled.

"Waaah?!" Mina has to duck her head before the flying tarp can hit her.

Shinso has to dive out of the way. The tarp knocks over the towers of books around him, causing them to collapse on top of him. "What the hell?!"

Even Aizawa seems perturbed, not sure of what's happening.

Reiko immediately gets the tarp stretched out and levitates it up and over Ghostfreak, providing enough shade for the burning agony to finally subside.

"There you go." Kendo relaxes, watching as the withered and hunched over Ghostfreak begins to slowly recoup. "Thanks, Reiko."

Reiko nods but refuses to take her focus away from the tarp.

"What happened?!" Aizawa demands along with Tiger and Vlad King while an entourage of curious students like Ochaco, Tsuyu, Shinso, and many others follow behind.

Kendo immediately steps forward to accept the responsibility. "I'm sorry, sir it's my fault. I had no idea Midoriya's Ghostfreak form was so horribly affected by sunlight. It was actually hurting him. Killing him."

Concern finally sets in and Aizawa hurries to the burned specter's side.

"He seems fine now." Denki confirms even though steam is still pouring off the ghost's body.

Aizawa ignores him and kneels down at Ghostfreak's side. "Midoriya, are you alright?"

He shakes, head still close to the ground and he continues to hold himself. But despite the pain they manage to get a choked, yet weak, moan out of him. "The-...the lighttt…"

"Don't worry you're okay now. But why didn't you tell me that light can kill you in this form, Midoriya?" Aizawa wants to scold him, he really does, but he better make sure the kid's nothing gonna become a real ghost first.

But the sunlight must have really done a number on him as the Ghostfreak remains still and hunched over, with no answer.

"Midoriya?" Aizawa reaches out to help him up.

GRAB. Ghostfreak's cold dead hand latches onto Aizawa's wrist. The pro's instincts kick in immediately sensing danger and pulls back but Ghostfreak has a deathgrip on him and refuses to let go. And just as he's about to demand what's wrong, Ghostfreak finally raises his head to reveal, not a jade green eye, but a dark purple iris.

"Midoriya-"

"RRrrraaaaghhhh!" Ghostfreak suddenly lurches forward, resign to the air and grabbing Aizawa by the neck stunning everyone as he lifts him up into the air and glares threateningly into his eyes.

"Midoriya what are you doing?!" Iida gasps, appalled by Izuku's apparent actions.

"Grrrrrrr." Ghostfreak hisses into Aizawa's face.

And Aizawa on his part doesn't recognize that look on the specter's face. He's seen Midoriya lose control before. But this…this isn't him. It's something else entirely.

"Raaaghhh!" Ghostfreak drops him as something inside his body begins to slither and press through his skin and then without warning an array of black-and-white tentacles rip through his skin like something out of the Beetlejuice movie.

"What the hell is that?!" Denki screams.

"Raaaaaaagghhh!" Ghostfreak unleashes a blood curdling shriek, and his tentacles lash out in all directions, swiping at everyone and everything. Tossing over jugs of water, hitting Tiger's truck, and nearly bashing in several of his own classmates. At this point the others that kept with their training couldn't ignore what was happening anymore and look over in confusion.

"Midoriya!" Kendo ducks down from a swinging tentacle. "What are you doing?!" Seeing her not get a response, Ochaco tries her luck after diving away from another wild tentacle. "Deku! Deku! What's wrong?!" No answer so she tries something else. "Ghostfreak!

That does it as Ghostfreak's head snaps over in her direction.

Ochaco stops in her tracks, taken back by the specter's single purple eye. "De-...Deku?"

Ghostfreak seems to grow angry, and he lashes out, directing the tentacles at her.

"Uraraka, move!" Denki shoves her out of the way but gets knocked away by one of the striped tentacles.

"No! Kaminari!" Ochaco screams watching him crash into the table of food left out for Sato and Momo.

Kendo turns to Reiko who's still holding up the tarp. "Reiko! Hold him!"

She hesitates, still worried about the sun but reaches out one of her hands to grab Ghostfreak.

It works, Ghostfreak and his tentacles are frozen in place by a violet aura.

Everyone seems relieved thinking it's over.

But that's far from the truth as Ghostfreak's body seems to glitch out of existence before the violet aura is broken through, shattering away like glass.

Everyone's stunned, especially Reiko as they all wonder the same question. "How…?"

Vlad King scowls. "What's wrong with him?!"

"I don't know." Tiger responds while cracking his fists. "But I'm about to set him straight! Rawr!" He leaps up and strikes the ghost with a CAT PUNCH!

The strike launches the ghost away, causing him to crash into Bakugou's barrel.

"Hey! Damnit, Deku!" Bakugou roars.

Ghostfreak spins around, his purple eye glaring straight into Bakugou's soul.

"D-Deku?"

Meanwhile, Denki finally picks himself up and dusts himself free of all the food. He looks across the battlefield and finds the raging Ghostfreak rising back into the air

"Midoriya! That's enough!" Aizawa calls, causing the ghost's head to jerk in his direction.

They all freeze in place as Ghostfreak's tentacles slithering and whip at his side like hungry vipers.

Realizing the danger, Shinso hurries to take action. "Midoriya! Hey, Midoriya!"

No response or reaction.

"Hey, Ghostfreak!"

That seems to do the trick as the specter's creepy eye slithers across his body to glare at him.

Shinso smirks before calling out with his Quirk. "How do ghosts stay in shape?!"

Everyone one pauses, even the ghost, staring at him deadpan like he's grown a second head.

But somehow it works. "Whattt-?"

The ghost goes silent as his purple eye enters into a haze. And like that his tentacles fall away and shrink back into his body.

Shinso snickers, admiring his handy work. "By exorcizing." He snorts with laughter, loving the joke, and even playfully elbowing a nearby Tsuyu to laugh along.

But she just gives him an annoyed look and quickly tells him all he needs to hear.

"Yeah, you're right. It was lame." He plays it off as a joke but it's clear he really did enjoy the gag.

"Bonzai!" Having missed Shinso's work, Denki rushes in, his hair and body charged with electricity.

"Kaminari! NO!" Everyone screams but it's too late.

Meanwhile, Ghostfreak's purple eye fades away and his normal green eye returns. "Ughhh. What happeneddd? Kaminariii?"

Denki grabs him, wrapping himself around Ghostfreak's arms and chest. "1.3 MILLION VOLTS!"

"Wait-wait-wai-Gaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" Ghostfreak howls in pain as electricity surges through him. His ghostly wails echo across the forest but soon those screams become more human as Izuku's time as the ghost runs out; leaving him entity exposed to Denki's electrical assault. And the Omnitrix pinned between their bodies.

And soon Denki's attack ends and they both collapse to the ground in a heap of charred hair and skin.

They all stare on, relieved it's over but worried that they might both be dead, well except for Shinso who can't help but make a snarky remark. "Well, that sure had a shocking outcome."

Tsuyu slaps the back of his head.

"…I'll stop."

"Ughh…everything hurts." Izuku groans. His hair is standing on end, and he's covered in burns and his skin is red from all the sun damage.

"You're hurt?!"

"Aaah!" Izuku's suddenly pulled into the air by his collar and now he's faced with a snarling Tiger.

"I should show you what hurt really means!" Tiger roars, spit flying into the terrified teen's face.

"EEEeeek!"

"Tiger."

Tiger pauses, looking over at Aizawa.

Aizawa glares back, his eyes threatening to go red.

Knowing not to get on his bad side, Tiger releases the boy, dropping him on his butt.

As Izuku rubs his sore behind Denki giggles, braindead, and lying on the ground with a stupid grin on his face.

"Midoriya." Aizawa approaches cautious of Izuku's response. "Just what exactly was going through your head back there?"

Izuku blinks up at him, not sure what he's referring to. "What?"

"You attacked us." Kendo explains "Well I mean that you attacked all of us." She gestures to everyone and the destroyed tables and training equipment.

"You went berserk." Reiko explains, shrinking back fearfully.

"I did?!" Izuku looks around and sure enough he must have, judging on all the fear-stricken expressions on his friends' faces. "That can't be. It was a normal exercise…"

Tokoyami has a suspicion, but he can't be sure. "How exactly do you recall things playing out?"

"Um, you had me trapped inside Dark Shadow and then there was light!" He suddenly grabs himself, shuttering. "And it, it felt like I was being burned alive and then-...and then… I…I don't know. I can't remember. All I can recall was the searing pain everyone trying to save me. Then, I don't know. Maybe the pain was too much for me and I…blacked out?" He shrugs, not sure how else to explain it.

Tiger, however, might know how. "Then perhaps it was your instincts."

"My instincts?"

"Fight or flight, those instincts always kick in when someone finds themselves in a life-threatening situation. In this case your fighting instincts won out and sought to defend you from the threat. Threat being your classmates who were holding you in the sunlight."

"Oh. Oooooh." Realization dawns on him. "You mean, I really attacked them, then."

"You did but whatever the case it's over now." Tiger assures, not even angry about it anymore.

Aizawa then decides to chime in. "It might have also been a side effect of your Quirk at play as well. No offense, but I really don't understand your Quirk all too much."

"Heh, neither do I." Izuku admits.

Aizawa still has his concerns, however. That form was…unnatural. More so than any others. It was downright sinister. And those fighting instincts? Sure, the kid's been through too many villain attacks already but there's no way he would have developed such a bloodlust already. Right?

"So, is he cool now?" asks Shinso. "He's not gonna try to kill us."

"No, I'm not gonna kill anyone, promise."

Everyone's relieved to hear it. Looks like they won't have anything to worry about.

Bakugou snorts. "Hahaha! Nice tan nerd. Hahaha!"

Izuku peers down at his arm and realizes that he's red with a nasty sunburn.

Kendo, not one to hold grudges, offers him a hand up.

He takes it and immediately flinches in pain when his burned hand touches hers. "Ow!"

"S-sorry."

"Come." Tokoyami stands nearby slowing Dark Shadow to help Izuku up instead. "Let us help you."

Aizawa agrees. "Come on, kid. Let's get you patched up. I think you had enough for today." Aizawa follows behind the three as they make to leave.

Overhearing them however, Kirishima breaks out into a hopeful grin. "Does that mean-"

"No."

"Damnit!" Kirishima curses. "I thought that meant all of us."

Oh, well. Looks like it's back to the grind for all of them.


"Now, remember what I said? We're not serving your food anymore!" Pixie-Bob laughs, presenting the exhausted students with piles of uncooked vegetables and food packs.

"Tehehehehe!" Ragdoll giggles at all their sad worn-out expressions. "If you guys wanna eat, you'll have to make your own meals! Starting with curry!"

"Yes, ma'am." All the downtrodden students respond.

"Tehehehehe!" Ragdoll giggles in a fit of laughter, finding their expressions oh so hilarious. "Oh, man, do you guys look exhausted! But that doesn't mean you can coast by making sloppy cat food!"

Iida has an epiphany. "Oh! I see. An important part of saving someone recovering from a disaster is providing for their physical needs as well as spiritual. Ah! This is a great opportunity! Let's make the most delicious curry in the world, everyone!"

"Yeah, okay." The students painfully respond while Ragdoll laughs her head off.

Aizawa watches from the side with indifference. 'Thank you, Iida.'

And so, with the energetic Iida leading the way of this zombie island, everyone slowly but surely gets to work from chopping the veggies to gathering water while others get the fires going.

Shoto for one uses his own Quirk to start the flame under his outdoor stove.

"Hey, Todoroki!" Ashido waves him over hoping he could help. "Can we get some fire over here, too?" Her and Ochaco have been struggling to figure out how matches are supposed to work for the last five minutes, and they've already given up.

Watching Shoto light his, Sero gets an idea himself. "Bakugou, use an Explosion to light that."

"This is so beneath me!" Bakugou might hate it but he does it anyway.

Too bad it's straight overkill as he pretty much blows up the entire stove.

"Too much!" Tokoyami gasps.

Momo shakes her head in spite of his antics. "Rely on others and you'll never learn to start a fire yourself. We should focus on acquiring new skills." She says while Creating a lighter for her to use.

"Ugh." Jiro pauses, eyeing the lighter, and wondering if she should call Momo out on her hypocrisy or give her props for being so clever.

Meanwhile, Shoto leans down to light up Ashido's and Ochaco's oven. "Here. Let me."

A gentle flame lights up in his hand before he ignites the stove.

"Wow! Thank you so much!" Ochaco gushes.

As does Mina. "Burn, baby, burn!"

"But not too hot, okay?" Ochaco laughs.

Shoto looks at her questionly before realizing it was a joke. And actually, he can't help but find it ever so humorous.

Seeing him smile makes Ochaco smile in return.

However, he notices her staring. "Is something wrong?"

"Nope. Nothing's wrong, nothing at all." Ochaco happily answers. "I was just thinking about how reserved you were about your flames. But look at you, you're using it like it's nothing." Her smile turns soft as he leans her head to the side, her eyes glistening as she gazes into his flames. "I'm glad. Your flames are really pretty."

He turns his head away, trying not to embarrass himself, but he can't hide the smile on his face from her.

And so, with the fires burning and everyone doing their part, no one has to wait long for dinner to be served.

"We did it!" They all cheer as they grab their plates of curry and sit down.

Kirishima and Sero are chowing down on their curry like there's no tomorrow.

Kirishima even nearly chokes but manages to scarf it down. "If I got this at a restaurant, I'd send this crap back. But after today, I'll eat every bite!"

"Don't say that!" Sero tells him between bites.

Meanwhile, Mina leans over from her table to talk to Momo. "Whoa, you're scarfing, Momo!"

Momo swallows before answering. "Yes. My Quirk transforms lipids into brand new atoms to create inorganic materials. That means, the more I eat, the more I can make."

"Like how poop works." Sero comments after listening in.

It may have been a harmless comparison, but Momo still takes it hard. Sitting away in silence and shame, embarrassed and hurt.

"Apologize!" Jiro barks, punching him in the face.

"O-Okay! I'm sorry!" Sero cries while his cheek swells with pain.

Momo eventually rejoins the table after cleaning her face of tears and goes back to her meal.
But it's not long before Shinso decides to call her over. "Say, Yaoyorozu, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it?" She asks, hesitating, especially after what just happened.

"Your Zircon Blade, I thought you couldn't use it without hurting yourself?"

"Not quite but I understand the confusion. You see, the process of generating the crystal is so difficult that it nearly drains all my energy. And thus endangers my health. However, by using the sword as a conduit I can ease the process of generating more crystals and even manipulate the blade's shape."

Jiro's beginning to understand as well. "So, like you can't make any more crystal weapons because it might kill you. But you can make more crystals by using the crystal weapon you already have?"

"Exactly. Although it still takes quite a bit of energy to make such crystals. But hopefully with enough training I may be able to use the blade without hindering myself"

Shinso nods in understanding. "Oh, I think I get it now."

As they all go back to their meals, Izuku continues to chew away on his own. 'That blade is really cool. I'm glad I gave her that shard. Although it was a bit of a pain to deal with, then again compared to afterwards it was nothing.' He thinks while checking out his arms.

His entire body is wrapped up in gauzes and bandages, and his skin feels slimy from all the Aloe Vera but at least it's working. He can already feel himself getting better. "Ah, ow…" Well mostly he thinks while hissing in pain.

"Hey, Midoriya can we talk for a sec?"

Izuku's green hair whips at his face as he spins around. "Kendo. Yanagi. What's up?"

Kendo bites her lip, hesitating and unsure how to go about this before she suddenly bows at Izuku, startling him. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you as bad as we did! If I had known, I would have never used the sun against you!"

Izuku panics trying to calm her down. "Hey-hey, hey! It's not your fault. I didn't even know Ghostfreak had that kind of weakness. So…I guess I should be thanking you. I mean that's not something I wanna figure out when fighting a villain, right?"

"But still, I can't help but feel guilty." Kendo admits with guilt and shame.

Reiko feels the same way. "Yeah, I mean we almost killed you. Doesn't that upset you?"

"Well, I mean, it's not like you're the first to try and kill me. If anything, you're the first to apologize. Hahaha!"

Is it weird that he finds that funny? Everyone else seems to, giving him very concerned looks. Especially those that may have had certain adventures with him during their summer break.

"But seriously don't worry about it." Izuku assures. "It's water under the bridge."

"If, you're sure?"

"I am, trust me." Izuku holds up his bandaged arm. "Besides, I've been needing to work on my tan." He jokes.

The joke may have been bad, scratch that it was terrible, but it might have just been enough to Kendo as she visibly relaxes.

"Thank you." That's a serious weight off her chest.

One of which Izuku understands and does not hold against any of them. And now they can all get back to their meals and actually enjoy them without having any lingering guilt.

Ochaco, who was sitting next to him and overheard everything, leans over and whispers. "Hey, Deku. What was with you earlier? I mean the last time you went berserk like that you burned down an entire city."

"First off, that city was fake. And second off…I don't really know."

"You said you couldn't remember anything? So, were you just blind with anger?"

"Maybe?" he shrugs, not really sure if that was the case here. "I'm just not so sure."

That's when Mina decides to lean over and add herself into the conversation. "Whatever the case, you weren't yourself."

Izuku and Ochaco reel back before wondering if she knows something thanks to Emote.

"Mina did you…sense something?" Izuku whispers, making sure no one overheard but thankfully they're all too busy stuffing their faces.

Mina gives them an unsure look. "I-maybe, it was so…unnerving. The Emotional Wave lengths didn't feel like your usual self, even when angry. It…it was almost as if you were someone else entirely."

'Well, that's not disturbing.' Izuku admits but it can't be right. The Omnitrix doesn't work like that. Maybe it was just the alien DNA itself or something like that. A new ability or instinct perhaps. But then again… "Well, Ghostfreak has always felt off. It just feels weird to be him compared to my other all-transformations. Maybe it has something to do with his biology, I mean he's not exactly "human."" He makes air quotes with his fingers when he says human.

Either way none of them really have an answer and after trying to think of more theories they all just silently give up and decide to think on it later. Perhaps it was nothing more than a freak accident.

"Kota! It's time for dinner!"

Izuku jolts up and looks over to see Mandalay at the front of the lodge, shouting for Kota.

"Where are you?!" She yells, hoping he'll show himself.

Izuku looks around, trying to see if he can spot the kid. That's when he catches a glimpse of the kid's spiky hat in the distance. Specifically, he's marching away into the woods, away from them and ignoring Mandalay. Causing Izuku to worry.


A rumbling growl echoes into the night. But not the growling of a hungry beast but that of an empty boy's stomach.

Kota, however, ignores it as he glares out to the night sky hanging over the dark mountain forest. He sits at the edge of a cliff as a large rocky clearing sits behind him. And at the opposite end of the cliff face sits a small cave, making the perfect hiding spot for him. Too bad it also makes his stomach growls sound even louder thanks to the echo.

"I heard that. You must be hungry."

Kota jolts up, and glares at the green bean who dares to enter his turf.

Izuku, however, on his part remains gentle and polite as he offers Kota a tray of hot food. "Here, I brought you some curry."

"No way! How'd you find this place?!"

"Oh, sorry, and well…" He stops and thinks about how best to answer. "Let's just say a little friend lit the way for me."

Meanwhile, Kraab sits on a nearby tree. But he's too busy napping, figuring that this was a private conversation and didn't need him. After all he did his part, he did Izuku the favor and followed the kid here.

Izuku tries to step forward, moving carefully like he's trying to rescue an angry kitten. "I thought you might want some dinner before it gets cold."

"Whatever. I'm just fine." Kota spits. "Get lost. I don't wanna hang out with you. So forget about my secret hideout."

Izuku takes a look around, noting the height of the cliffside and the amazing view. "This is a secret hideout? I like it. It's got a much nicer view than mine, that's for sure." Seriously, hasn't Principal Nezu ever thought about a skylight for the base?

"Hmph. Spending your entire life trying to improve your Quirk." Kota mocks, turning away and hiding his eyes under his red cap. "It's dumb! All you want to do is show off. Get lost!"

Izuku pauses, he considers responding but something else has been bothering him and…he'd really like to help if he could. "Hey, about your parents. I was wondering. Were they the Water Hose heroes? With the water Quirks?"

It appears he was right based on the look of horror on Kota's face, like he just uncovered the kid's darkest secret.

"Did Mandalay tell you?!" Kota yells.

"No. It's, um…well… Sorry. But…I heard a little about what happened to them. And based on that information, I figured…" He stops taking a moment before continuing. "I remember reading about that horrible incident a few years ago."

"Go away." Kota hides his eyes again under the brim of his doubt, and Izuku suspects he might be hiding angry tears. "Everyone here's so crazy. Calling people stupid names like "hero" and "villain," and then killing each other because of it. Always focusing on their Quirks. If they hadn't been showing off, they'd still be here. Idiots."

Hearing that, Izuku gets a peek into Kota's mind, and it only makes him feel even more for the kid. 'It's not just heroes. Kota hates Quirks. And this entire superhuman society.'

"We're done here! Go back to camp with the other losers!"

Izuku falls silent, his hair covering his eyes, giving Kota the impression that he won.

But after a moment, Izuku finally speaks up albeit at a soft whisper. "If he hadn't been showing off… He would have never left me."

Kota's stunned, confused but something about the pain in the teen's voice strikes a chord.

"Like you my dad was-is a hero too. He was rarely home when I was little and when he was…well to be honest I can't even remember what he was like back then." Only a few vague memories here and there but nothing…concrete. "But I do remember he had a mission. He had a duty to fulfill and it…sent him away. And for the longest time I told myself it was…because of me."

Kota goes quiet, listening intently but still wary, unsure what any of this has to do with him.

"At first I told myself that couldn't be true. I told myself that he left to protect people. But-..." Izuku hesitates unsure if he should continue but then decides that he should if he's gonna reach the boy. "He just so happened to leave around the time…that I was declared Quirkless."

"Huh?!" Kota gasped, not really understanding the gravity of the revelation.

"It's a hereditary thing. Where a child doesn't receive any powers from their parents. And these days it's really uncommon." Last he checked about less than 20% of the human population is Quirkless. "And even though my dad was a hero and left me behind, I still admired heroes and what they stood for so much. And I wanted to be one. But…you can't become a hero unless you've got some kinda Quirk. But still. I refused to accept that and hoped for a miracle." He can still remember all those times he tried so desperately to activate his "Quirk" only for him to end up in tears and crying himself to sleep. "I tried to use telekinesis. And to breathe fire. But it was no good. And for a long time, it seemed that I'd never reach my dream. And that…that my dad was right for…leaving me behind." Izuku pauses, taking a breath and trying to keep himself composed. It's all true and his heart aches to admit it but also, it's almost like a noose has been removed from his heart. And even though he knows the truth now it still doesn't make the past feel any less painful to revisit.

He peers up to find Kota absolutely stunned to silence, but also clearly confused.

"But then again you probably think I'm lying. But it's true. I have a Quirk Mutation, uh, that means it evolved and became something completely different than my parents. But it didn't reveal itself until a year ago." A lie but still technically true when you look at it from a certain point of view. "And now I'm way behind everyone else. They all had a lifetime to develop and use their Quirks. Heck, I can't even use my Quirk without this device." He gestures to the Omnitrix and when he does, he pauses, taking it in and just thinking about how such a device has been both a blessing and a curse for him. "And you know what else? Sometimes my own Quirk…scares me." His mind flashes back to Heatblast burning away a faux city along with All Might, to Ghostfreak's earlier freak-out, and the many times someone came for the Omnitrix which put his friends and family in danger. "There are lots of different ways to think about how Quirks work. So, we might not be on the same page. But I think that if you reject them completely, it's just going to make life harder for you in so many ways."

"Will you just leave me alone already?!" Kota's had enough of this shit and has completely lost his patience. Who does this idiot think he is telling him all this? Is he trying to make him pity him? What was the point?! "Go away!"

Izuku flinches and backs off. "I'm sorry. I guess I have a habit of rambling sometimes. Here, I'll leave the curry." He gently places the tray on the ground and backs away.

He stops, waiting for Kota to come get it but after it becomes clear he won't move till he leaves. And so, taking the hint, Izuku finally decides to leave the boy alone and make his way back to camp.

He hikes down the path but stops halfway to turn back around and consider going back up. But after a moment he thinks better of it and continues on his way just as Kraab scurries up his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Kota watches him disappear. "Shut up. All of you. Just stop it."

The cliffside falls silent and empty once again, leaving Kota all alone with no one to share his pain with. The only noise that fills the night is his own silent tears and the drops of water coming from the side of the rock wall. For beside the cliff a large scar has been gouged into the cliffside, a small crater has been eroded out by blasts of highly pressurized water.


A blinding spotlight turns on, but instead of illuminating the entire room it only shines at the back of a single figure. Casting a shadow over their face and figure.

"Is it done? Has everything been prepared?" The figure asks into the seemingly empty pitch-black room.

Another spotlight illuminates a second silhouette. "Not to worry. It's all taken care of."

A third light turns on and reveals a third figure, this one being much bigger than the other two. "They won't know what hit em!"

"Tehehehe!" A fourth figure cackles with laughter under their own light.

And finally, a fifth light illuminates at the end of the table, and the final member speaks up. "I gotta say it, this is one devious plot even for you."

"Worried?" Asks the first silhouette.

"No, impressed."

"If you're impressed by that then you may find them even more so." The first figure drops serval files onto the table.

The others peer over and take in the photos of a freckled face teen with green hair, a caramel haired girl with rosy cheeks, and a kid they mistake for an angry Pomeranian with ash-blonde fur and red-hot eyes.

"I must warn you; they won't go down easily."

"That's just fine." The biggest silhouette laughs.

"They're nothing but toys for us to play with." Remarks the second figure, flexing their fingers and causing the sheen of their claws to be seen.

The fifth figure smirks, licking their lips in anticipation. "But we have the bad habit of always breaking our toys. Don't we?"

Three of the others smirk back in anticipation as the first silhouette nods in approval. "I'm counting on it."


Like I warned about list time, I told you guys this one was gonna follow the anime again. But not to worry the next chapter's gonna be fully original! What's gonna happen? What's it going to be about? Who were those mysterious figures? And what do they want with our heroes? Stay tuned and you might just find out.

But anyway, yes, you guys are getting a nice original non-filler chapter! Although sadly I can't start working on it this weekend and because it's an original chapter and I am really bad about cutting details out it's probably gonna take somewhere between 2-3 weeks to finish. Maybe. I will post the status of Ch.68 in the next few Omakes.

*That said, we can have some fun in the meantime. I don't mind writing out those fight scene we didn't get to see from this chapter like Four Arms vs. Kirishima, Tetsutetsu and others, Wildmutt vs. Shishida and Koda, XLR8 vs. Iida and Bondo, Ditto vs himself mostly, etc. Seriously, is that something you guys would want to see as an Omake or two over on the side story "Heroes Never Die; It's Hero Time, Anytime?" Also let me know what you think the other matchups would be like, and keep in mind the same students would have had to fight Izuku more than once. So, which 4 students fought Stinkfly? Grey Matter? Terraspin? Or Buzzshock?

*Zircon Blade. I think there's still some confusion. So just to be clear Momo can use the Zircon Blade without killing herself BUT it does drain her quickly. What actually harms her is the process of creating a crystalized item itself. So hence she will not be creating any more crystal weapons, but she can still use and manipulate the one she does have.

Also, would a drawing of the Zircon Blade help you all to visualize it? Because that can be arranged. Or heck if you have an idea about how it should look then please draw it up and let me know. I love seeing people's original art.

And that goes for any artwork that involves any aspect of this story. Thank you.


Responses for "Guest" reviewers from Ch.66:

Atom king: What a incredible way to start summer camp arc, with izuku getting to show most the new aliens he unlocked over the summer like Cannonbolt upchuck and Bullfrag along with the other students talking what they did over the summer. Along with the fun antics that everyone is having before training, poor izuku can't get brake with the Omnitrix timing out the worst possible time in with all girl students talk about embarrassing that going to haunt him for while plus his dad pack some of snacks for him too bad that their Hisashi favorite on plus side at least izuku has kraab with him so that cool.

I do have one question will Mandalay along with Kota find out the truth about the Omnitrix and that aliens are real and on earth?

Guardian-Sigil: Yeah I thought a good recap was good and everyone wanted to see Class A's reaction to Izuku's new aliens. And of course since the chapter was gonna be like the anime I had to think of some funny scenes and interactions to change things up a little. And I like em, they made me laugh :)


DeadCool14: This chapter was great, can't wait to see what you have in store for us, and I have a good idea as what alien will show up given what arc we're in. I hope that moment with the Class B girls comes back so many times XD XD XD XD, Tokage is the cherry on top. And I would have expected Deku to have the Omnitrix pod on his room too

Why did you change your name?

Are you gonna do an episode like Ghost Town? Not the whole Ghostfreak takes over Vilgaxia thing but something similar. I would love to see how you do Vilgax in that, if you do, cuz I like that, he sees everyone else as below him but he does care for his people, he's probably the All Might of his homeworld

You said that Murk Upchuck wouldn't show up but could you at least acknowledge in the story that the Murks exist? Because that is seriously one of my favorite things they did in Omniverse

Have you seen JoJo yet?

I think that you could write about ships pretty well, it would be just like their normal friendship but with hugs, kisses and hand holding… and y'know… other stuff like that XD, if you want to do things like that; you don't really have to write about them going on dates if it would be difficult, (unless you do another original arc, you could do a chapter where they go on a date there), you can just write them hanging out like usual, it's not like an obligation, I've seen some shows where people are dating and don't go on dates very much. Like Lumity, I mean we know that if Disney wasn't being a bitch they would have an episode of them going on a date, but even though we don't we still see them as a couple and that they love each other

Guardian-Sigil: Trust me a got a lot in store for you. These last two chapters being kind of the exception but trust me things are gonna real fun next time.

I changed my name for the exact reason I said in last chapter's AN. I wanted to. That's literally it. There was no real reason other than that

I might do something like Ghost-Town it is something in the back of my mind when thinking about future events/arcs

I never said Murks would ever show up. I said I won't really address it and besides a lot can change so if it seems important I may try to add it in

Also no I haven't gotten back into Jojo I stoped halfway through Part 2 :(

As for ships. Like I said I don't mind them but I have no desire to write about them.


DevilishMan87: I showed this fanfic t a friend of my who liked it and is getting to the chapter involving the null void he feels like you describe the place as if a real life hell, but your still alive, although given how the life expectancy sounds to be quite short he guesses hell. I just thought that was a funny description and wanted to share it with you.

Guardian-Sigil: I'm so glad you did. Because that's exactly what I was going for. The Null Void is a hellscape so I wanted that to be the case. It's a palace filled with savage monsters, criminals, and murderers. Sounds like hell to me


BlueRanger-Lyric: Wow, this was quite a good chapter to start the training camp arc, and I'm loving it so far, all though I am curious as to how the pussycats will try and "Improve" Izuku's "Quirk" since the only way he can improve is ether by gaining a new transformation or if his improved base strength has an effect on how strong his aliens are, and it's nice to see Kraab is gonna be sticking around a bit longer, I'll bet while he's watching them train, he's take enjoyment in their pain and suffering and mock them on their misshapes or not doing good enough on their training, kinda like how the mice brothers are like in "Chicken Run" when they watched the Chickens try and fail to fly, and as for your comment the link to the AFX YouTuber, what line did you wish you could have used for this Chapter? That is if you can't Edit your chapters and add it now that you've seen it, but other than that, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next

Guardian-Sigil: So how'd you like the plan to "Improve" Izuku's "Quirk?" I've had that planned for a long while now. It was that or he does a different silly exercise as each alien. But I liked this way better

And yeah you called it, Kraab is just enjoying himself here

As for lines I could have used. IDK, I really need to go through that link some more and hey I got to use some iconic lines here although that was off my own wit and spur of the moment than actually watching the vids.


Guest: So you mentioned restructuring after Kamino and I just have one request/question

Will we ever get a Katsuki VS Henzu match. I understand that he is Izuku's rival/nemesis but Henzu and Katsuki also went to school together and got into scuffles from what you showed in the first chapter.

I just think it would be cool to see that fight and I hope i get to see it. Two people connected through Izuku. Both former friends of Izuku. Both who turned their back on Izuku. Yeah that would be awesome

Guardian-Sigil: A Henzu vs. Katsuki match…yes


TommyD: How far are we from a Khyber appearance?

Guardian-Sigil: Sorry to say but we are a far ways off. I don't really have a set "time frame" right now but I already have plans to bring him in and there are/will be some hints to his inevitable introduction. I promise


Dreadbot: I really liked this chapter I thought it was hilarious with the students being thrown off the bus midoriya accidentally exposing himself to all the girls in class b I laughed out loud when I read that and Mina calling him a Playboy I really hope you keep that as a running gag for the next few chapters please keep writing

Guardian-Sigil: Well I kept with the running gag. How did you like it? Because I probably won't keep up with it for too long in all honesty but I think it lead to some more funny moments during this chapter too


Guest: Ahora qué lo pienso...

Qué pasaría si Mineta y Billy Billions se conozcieran?

Deberíamos preocuparnos?

Guardian-Sigil: Yes, very much so


O'KevinsKar: I think most of us can agree that UAF Vilgax is a bit of a downgrade in terms of character, but feats are incredibly greater than OG Vilgax. Do you have any plans on using UAF Vilgax schemes with an OG Vilgax spin? I think people already has been asking about this to death already but I'm gonna toss my hat in as well in short questions, Vilgax's super power stealer machine that he used on Ultimo? Galactic code of conduct Tetramand Challenge? The Bioid Army? (Just no Diagon...Diagon Arc was...bad)

or do plan to have some other villain schemes be handed to Vilgax instead? like the Negative Nine(Ten) was a Forever King scheme but you gave it to Vilgax instead. Will we get the Aggregor Map to Infinity Arc with Vilgax instead?!

Besides all these Vilgax specific questions I have a few other questions as well Will we see the return of O'Henzu's Kar? Will Overhaul accidentally gets some alien tech (like a hero makes their own villains type thing). Alien Nomus?

Anyways congratulations Chapter 70 for HNDIHT, after everything we finally made it to the training camp arc. Hope to see no real life delay the next installment to this master piece

Guardian-Sigil: I agree I love his achievements but his design and character…I so prefer his Classic characterisation and design. And yes I do plan to mix the two and there's already been hints albeit subtle. I don't want to give to much away but I think you're gonna really like where things are going

Also I am not gonna do the Diagon Arc, it wasn't really my favorite. Plus some concepts have to be cut so why not that?

As for Map of Infinity, I have no plans for that. But I could change my mind later

As for Overhaul getting some alien tech…I don't know yet. TBH after Kamino Ward I'm gonna go on a TEMPORARY hiatus so I can rework and restructure the outline for future arcs, events, characters, etc. So that will be something I will be giving serious thought to later

And thank you! It took way longer than I wanted but we are finally here! I hope it was enjoyable


Guest: Have you ever considered to have EightEight as Khyber's partner/rival? Like she wants revenge on Earth to what happened to her brothers?

Guardian-Sigil: No I have not and I kinda like it. I will give it some thought for sure


ToastFreak: Have you ever considered an OVA where what if Izuku had Master Control from the very beginning?

Guardian-Sigil: I have not and I'm not really for it. I never wanted to write a Power Fantasy so if I do this it'd be more of a parody of my own story and show why I didn't want to give Izuku Master Control from the start


Guest: forgevdeviantart/art/Eri-and-Alien-Forms-UA-Tracksuit-with-Background-890055370

forgevdeviantart/art/Eri-as-ChamAlien-Eri-meets-Deku-Digital-Sketch-917505030

Saw these arts of work online, any chance you might do a separate mini-series based of this work!? Or even an OVA!? pls...

Guardian-Sigil: Those were really cool and I love em. Not sure if I would make another series since I have so much to deal with one story already. But an OVA is fine. And later I do plan to make a spin-off featuring all alternate timeline and dimension hopping plots (Read "Special Announcement" chapter for more detail).


DeadCool14: No, wait, how about this, when Albedo shows up, his Upchuck transformation would be a Murk, in contrast to Deku's Perk. Which not also works as a reference to the rivalry between the two species, but also because if you do decide to give Albedo the Ultimate Aliens and that Ultimate is the one from the new Ink Tank video, then Ultimate Murk Upchuck would be perfect for him, given it's destructive abilities

How bad would Argit be? Like in Andreas' Fault, when he cared more about the money than Andreas dying? I mean he did say he didn't care about what Clancy did with the device he gave him, but I think it's different because he wouldn't be directly responsible

Can't wait for the Pussycats' reaction to Rath

Do you think Feedback should have another plug on his tongue? For like surprise attacks

Since you added Billy Billions, even though you said you wouldn't, does that mean that you'll add Deku's other two bullies from Aldera as J.T and Cash?

Does Undertown exist already or will it be created after?

Are you gonna replace some Kevin scenes with Argit? Like when he goes all detective mode in Ultimate Aggregor?

When Malware returns will he still be in his original red form? Because I feel like his more hunchback looking one should appear later on, which is something I wish OV did

Guardian-Sigil: Like mentioned before not sure if I will do Murks/Perks or address them. But if it's tiny detail like that sure, fine, whatever. Just remember I don't detail Izuku's aliens all too much because I want the readers to picture the version of the aliens they prefer. So if you envision Izuku using the Murk then that is technically canon

Anway, yes Argit would pick money over loyalty

And no, a plug on Feedback's tongue is too weird

I won't be adding J.T. and Cash. They serve no purpose and if I did add them then I would use the two bullies that used to hang out with Bakugou instead

No, Undertown does not exist

As for Malware you will have to wait and see. Also the forms have names


W8W: Yes there was lots of rehashing canon in this chapter (Rather big risk for fanfiction.) but at least jokes are funny.

Mineta passing himself from fear make me cackle.

I love everybody reaction to how many new forms Izuku got during break.

I think that you wasted some potential with Upchuck. With his gimmick of eating everything you could make Izuku arrive stuffed because he eat earth beasts and not needing meal.

I like that you emphasized that Deku can emphasize more with Kota because of Hisashi situation.

Nice joke with Midoria inability to change clothes during transformation.

I knew where it was going the moment he mentioned that his parents packed snack for him but it did not made it any less funny. Did they not look at what they eat? Even if they didn't read labels most of this food doesn't look normal.

Something come to my mind. What if character that didn't knew about aliens was kidnap by them(to be used as leverage against Izuku) and knew that they are aliens. Person would assume that it is alien abduction instead of ransom kidnap and be afraid of anal probing and such.

Guardian-Sigil: I realize that hence the jokes. And I know this chapter has same issue but not to worry, the next chapter's gonna be fully original!

As for the snacks. I like to think the kids were so hungry and so trusting of Izuku that they just ripped it open and dug in

As for the abduction, that would be a funny scenario


Guest: You know make great team combo for upgrade, momo why because she can make things out her body and upgrade can well upgrade it like ben 10 generator rex heroes united

Guardian-Sigil: That would be a great combo. Maybe something to consider for later on in the series


BlueRanger-Lyric: Something interesting I just thought of after remembering this scene from "Detroit: Become Human", so what if when Izuku face's Albedo when his human form is exactly the same as his, and after they fight, his friends come to help him, then they go through something like what's in this link at 1:55 to figure out who's the real Deku, what do you think?

/WLH9X7WE3ZI

Guardian-Sigil: I don't need to watch the vid because every show that's involved double-gangers has done this. And I'm gonna do it too :)


Guest: Can't wait to see the Negative Nine in action soon. So quick question. Like the Sinister Six, are you going to change the members of this group as the story progresses? This will likely occur if Vilgax needs to replace his members if some of them were either killed or captured. I feel like that this way, it would give other Ben 10 villains a time to shine in the story. Villains like Michael Morningstar, Khyber, Eon, Aggregor, and Albedo would be perfect candidates for this group.

Guardian-Sigil: Yes. I am gonna treat the Negative Nine like how Spectacular Spider-Man uses the Sinister Six. With an ever-rotating roster of villains and members. And trust me I got some members in mind (que evil laugh) Mwhahahahaha!


Guest: Are you gonna include more minor and bland villains like Fisttrick and Nyancy-Chan and turn them into more competent villains, or even give them tragic backstories? On the topic of Nyancy-Chan, I had this idea where she's a former member of the Wild, Wild Pussycats but was ousted from the group.

Guardian-Sigil: Yes I will be using minor characters. Not all of them will be expanded on however. For example I will not be using Nyancy-Chan. I considered her but if she ever appears in the story it would be for a small one-off gag. Also I already introduced Fisttrick into the story and hinted that he'd be back later.