A/N Standard disclaimer: I don't own Mha or that time I got reincarnated as a slime; please support the official releases
I apologize for the lack of polish on all of my stories during this release cycle.
Sorry this one took so long, but… you will understand at the end of the chapter.
UA Testing Center, UA High School, Musutafu Japan, February 26, 2220, 10:30
Izuku sat back from his computer screen. He had just finished the written test, one of the toughest exams he had taken. He had repeatedly wanted to ask for Great Sage's help but resisted. If he was going to pass his exams, it would be under his skills and not relying on Great Sage. He was going to be a hero. There would be plenty of times for him to use it in the future. Cheating on exams wouldn't be one of them. In the corner of his eyes, he saw that his long-time best friend had finished. A glance at the clock indicated only a few minutes were left before the test ended. So with little else to do, Izuku started to plan for the practical. It was a known fact that the practical was some sort of combat trial.
So Izuku started to plan. He couldn't make concrete plans since he didn't know what he was fighting, but he could still develop stuff that would work regardless. He could use the Wolf or the Bat to gain an advantage if it was a person. If it was a robot or something like that, he could start strong with a 'Water Gun'' or a Water Ball Barrage and hit them hard. Part of Izuku would admit that he wanted it to be robots. He wanted to test some skills, and today would be the perfect time, depending on the situation. A water-powered Wolf Style kick or a wind-powered strike with his Mantis Shrimp Armaments could be devastating. Izuku got so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice that the test had ended. It wasn't until Katsuki let off a small explosion on one of his fingertips right next to Izuku's ears that he took notice of his surroundings. "Kachan! What the heck!" He loudly whispered to his friend,"
Katsuki grinned. "Pay attention, Slimer. Present Mic is about to start talking."
Izuku looked down at the stage at the front of the testing room and saw the famous hero and radio personality. He had listened to the show every Friday since his parents had started letting him. The man's music selection ranged from classical to punk to pop to neo-classical and everything else.
His thoughts were interrupted as Present Mic, deep into character, loudly exclaimed, "What's up, UA candidates? Thanks for tuning in to me, your school D.J... C'mon, lemme hear ya!"
Izuku wanted to shout but managed to keep himself composed. Present Mic had a mildly disappointed look before he slipped back into character. "Keeping it mellow, huh? That's fine. I'll skip straight to the main show. Let's talk about how this practical exam is going to go down, Okay?"
As Izuku looked around the room, he saw that many other test takers were as impressed as he was that one of their potential teachers was a pro hero and a fairly popular one. Soon the room quieted down, and Present Mic continued. Like your application said, today, you rockin 'boys and girls will be out there conducting ten-minute mock battles in super hip urban settings. Gird your loins, my friends. After I drop the mic here, you'll head to your specified battle center. Sound good?"
A slot on Izuku and Katsuki's desks dispensed a small card with his name and examinee number to punctuate what he said. Next to him, Izuku heard Katsuki say, "They are splitting us up, so we can't work with our friends.
Izuku nodded. "Yeah, You're right. Our exam numbers are one after the other. But we are assigned to different battle centers."
Katsuki smiled, "Still not going to keep us from kicking this exam's ass, right Slimer?"
Izuku smiled back and nodded. Anything else that would have been said was interrupted as Present Mic continued. "Okay, okay, let's check out your targets. There are three types of faux villains in every battle center. You'll earn points based on their level of difficulty. So better choose wisely. Your goal is to use your quirk to raise your score by shredding those faux villains like a mid-song guitar solo. But check it! Make sure you're keep'n things heroic. Attacking other examinees is a UA no-no, ya dig?"
Suddenly in front of Izuku and Katsuki, a tall blue-haired boy stood up and, with a stern voice, said, "Excuse me, sir, but I have a question.
Present Mic didn't skip a beat and said, "Hit me!"
You mentioned three types of villains, but the screen behind you clearly shows four. With all respect, if this is an error at an official UA exam, it is shameful. We are exemplary students. We expect the best from Japan's most notable school. A mistake such as this won't do." Suddenly he turned around and pointed at Izuku and Katsuki. "Additionally, You with the unkempt hair and you with blonde hair, You have been talking throughout the presentation. Stop that. If you can't bother to take this seriously, leave. You're distracting the rest of us.
Izuku was about to apologize, but Katsuki beat him to the punch. "Can it, Four-Eyes! If a little distraction is enough to make you fail. Then you have absolutely no business being a hero!"
The other boy looked like he was about to respond when Present Mic took control of the room. "All right, all right, Examinees 7111 and 8675, calm down. As to your question 7111, thanks for calling in with your request. The fourth villain type is worth zero points. That guy's just an obstacle we'll be throwing in your way. There's one in every battle center. Think of it as a hurdle you should try to avoid. It's not that it can't be beaten. It's just that there's no point. I recommend that my listeners try to ignore it and focus on the ones topping the charts."
The blue-haired boy nodded and said, "Thank you very much. Please continue." before he sat down.
Izuku smiled while he wasn't the battle maniac that Katsuki was, the fact that they were fighting robots meant he could cut loose. He just had to make sure that he didn't hurt anybody else.
Present Mic started speaking again. "That's all I got for you today. I'll sign off with a little present. A sample of our school motto! As General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down. 'A true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes.' Mm-hmm, that's a tasty soundbite. You ready to go beyond? Let me hear a Plus Ultra.
You could have heard a pin drop in the silence before Present Mic said, "Good luck! Hope you practiced hitting more than just books. The buses will arrive in half an hour to take you to the battle sites. I suggest you take that time to change and eat if you think you can."
Izuku looked at his friend and smiled. It was time to put all these years of training to the test. To show what he could do. To the surprise of most of those around him, he suddenly shifted, and instead of the outfit he had been wearing, he was now wearing an All Might-themed tracksuit and sneakers.
Katsuki smiled back. Just had to show off, don't ya, Slimer?
Izuku only grinned.
—-
Nearly an hour later, Izuku stood with the rest of the crowd in front of the entrance to their battle site. As he looked around him, he noticed a few familiar faces. He saw the two girls from before the test started standing together. He idly wondered if they knew each other from school but dismissed that thought as that meant they would have been at different sites. Moving on, he saw the diminutive boy standing not too far from them with the balls on his head. He was still staring at the girls and had a bit of drool on his chin. Seeing somebody act like that was annoying, but as staring was all he was doing, he would leave the boy alone. The puffy-shirted boy was also there, and now he was wearing some device mounted on his belt. He wondered what it was, and before he could move on, Great Sage spoke up. "Based on its design, there is a 90 percent chance that it is a focusing device of some sort."
Izuku smiled and thought, "Thank you, Great Sage." before he returned to watching the group. Standing a little bit away from him was the blue-haired boy from earlier. Izuku took note of the pipes that came from the boys' significantly developed calves. Something felt familiar about that, but Izuku couldn't put his finger on what. But he decided that he could figure it out later.
Present Mic's voice rang out. Izuku wasn't sure if it was through a loudspeaker or the man's base voice. "Right, Let's start.
Suddenly the huge doors slammed open. And Izuku shifted into the wolf and was off like a shot. With his canine hearing, he heard Present Mic say something about there being no countdowns in real battles but ignored that in favor of finding his first target. Finding one didn't take long as a villain bot rounded a corner, and its 'eye' glowed red. With a shout of "Prepare to die!" It started moving towards Izuku.
Not missing a beat, Izuku leaped into the air and shifted to a human before he altered his density and released a gust of wind behind him. Izuku shot toward the robot with a double-footed kick and slammed into it hard enough to send it flying back. Its head was now crushed. Taking a quick moment to inspect his handiwork, Izuku said, "Great Sage, please keep a count of my points based upon the chart from earlier.
Great Sage responded quickly, "Affirmative. You currently have one point."
Izuku nodded even as he started moving again. He could hear the other examinees coming. He had to keep moving. After a moment, he found another villain. It had a two written on its body, and Izuku couldn't help but be reminded of a scorpion. It was that thought that prompted Izuku's next move. Releasing a stream of webs from both hands as he charged at the villain, he slid under it as he got close and tugged hard as he stood up, causing it to tumble. As it struggled to recover, Izuku pointed his pointed and middle finger at it and released a high-pressure 'Water Gun' at its cybernetic eyes. After a second, it ceased to move.
In his head, he heard Great Sage say that he now had three points, but he didn't have time to celebrate as two one-pointers and another two-pointer rumbled into sight. Izuku concentrated, and suddenly the air went dry as a dozen balls of water manifested. With a wave of his hand, they flew towards the villains with blinding speed before they pierced through the lot of them. Causing them to fall to the ground.
Moving on, Izuku heard the sound of battle all around him. The others had joined the fight. As he moved into an intersection, he saw the boy with the balls on his head cowering as a three-pointer cornered him. A blast of water drew its attention to Izuku, who suddenly found himself the target of its rockets. A water barrier prevented it from making contact before he leaped into the air. As the villain continued to track him, Izuku summoned his Mantis Shrimp Armament. Mimicking footage he had seen of all might from years ago, Izuku tucked himself into a ball and started to spin as he fell. With every second, he pulled more and more of the wind to himself. When he sensed he was only a few feet away, he unfurled and collected all the wind he had built into his fist. The impact and the blast of wind that followed created a significant dent in the ground.
As Izuku dusted himself off, he looked at the other boy, who was still shaking. "Are you okay?" Izuku asked.
The boy's voice was still shaky as he tried to stand up. "T-thank you, man, you saved me."
Izuku smiled lightly. "No problem. We are here to learn how to be heroes, right?
The boy nodded, "I hope you get in then."
Izuku smiled wider. Thanks, that means a lot. I'm Izuku Midoriya."
The boy smiled for the first time since the two boys met. "Mineta Minoru.
Izuku nodded, "Well, good luck with the rest of the exam, Mineta." With a wave, Izuku ran off.
—-
A few minutes later, Izuku stood in front of three three-pointers. He had to move quickly. Others could stumble on him at any minute. Stepping into Wolf stance, Izuku focused on creating a 'Water Blade' on both his hands and feet. He could feel the blades on his feet cut into the water. He could feel the pull of his internal water as it slowly drained to replenish what was being lost. In a flash, Izuku made his way to the closest villain. As it brought its rockets to bear, Izuku got in close and sliced his water-covered hand through its midsection. As its top started falling, Izuku leaped into the air towards the second villain and, with a twist, roundhoused through its rocket pods and upper portion. The third villain managed to get its rockets off, forcing Izuku to dodge them before he charged at it and sliced through one of its tank treads before moving around it and using the remaining 'water blade' on his leg to cut through the other tread. Now immobilized, it was helpless when Izuku fired a point-blank high power 'Water Gun' through its 'head.'
In his head, Izuku heard Great Sage say he now had 35 points and just under three minutes remaining. Izuku ran into an open street where many other examinees were located, including the two girls and Mineta. Suddenly Izuku felt the ground shake, the sound of machinery was almost deafening. And then it appeared, Towering over most of the buildings surrounding it. The villain was an imposing sight. The roar that shook the area just made it all the more imposing. For what felt like hours, everybody in the battle center stood still. Then with speed out of place for something its size, it reared one of its gigantic fists and punched the ground. The ground shakes caused more than one person to fall to the ground as the dust and debris it created filled the air.
That was the queue for all present to start running. Izuku began to turn around to do the same when he heard the feminine cry of "OW," followed by the slightly deeper cry of "Ochako!"
Izuku turned around, and he saw the two girls from before. The girl with the brown hair was trapped. Her leg was trapped under fallen building debris. The girl with blackish-green hair was next to her, trying to lift the debris. Behind the giant villain started to move. The calm, intelligent part of Izuku told him that UA wouldn't allow one of its applicants to die. That the girl would be safe… That part of him was utterly ignored. Looking around him, he saw the boy with the belt and Mineta standing around. He would wonder why they hadn't run later. Right now, he needed their help.
He ran to them and said, "Guys, that girl needs our help. Cmon!"
The blonde boy with the belt looked at him briefly before he said, "Oui bien sur!" before he sparked in the sunlight. Izuku filed the questions he had regarding that for later.
Turning to Mineta, the boy was shivering in fear. "Come on, Mineta, I need your help. Those girls need your help."
Mineta's eyes darted around momentarily before he nodded. "What do you need us to do."
Izuku thought about it for a second before he said, I need you two to try to slow that thing down however you can. It has tank treads, so try to hit them to slow it down. I'm going to help get the girl out from under that debris.
Neither boy wasted any time in obeying his orders. Izuku ran up to the girls and got his fingers under the debris. Looking at the girls for a moment, he said quickly, "I am going to lift this, and I need you to get out of here as soon as it's up." The girls agreed, and Izuku swore one of them said ribbit. Channeling power into his arms, Izuku felt the debris start to rise. After another second, the ribbiting girl managed to free the other girl. As she helped her friend put her arm over her shoulder, Izuku yelled at them. "Get out of here."
The girls nodded and slowly started to hobble away. Izuku looked up at the villain. The two boys had managed to slow it down slightly, but it was still coming, and the girls were still close by. Dropping into his headspace, Izuku called out to Great Sage. "Is there any way we can stop this thing?"
Great Sage remained silent for a second before it responded, "Unlikely. The 0-point villain armor plating is far stronger than the armor on the other villain units. All attacks currently in Izuku Midoriya's skillset lack the power to do meaningful damage. 'Water Gun' at max power has the piercing power but lacks the necessary force to take advantage.
Izuku nodded to himself. "What if we combine it with something? Something that can add force to the water to do some damage when it pierces the armor. But what? My webs don't do any damage, and none of the armaments fit the need."
Izuku stood in his head, never more thankful for 'Thought Acceleration' than now. "Getting up to an area where I can do some damage is a problem too. It is too high for a jump, and even if I make it up there, staying up there is also a problem. Making myself as light as possible could get me higher, but I need something like …. WIND!" The realization hit Izuku like a wrecking ball. It was well-known that a high enough wind could cause even soft objects to pierce through harder things. The wind itself could cause no end of havoc as well. Plus, if he had something like wings, he could use his wind control to keep himself aloft. He couldn't truly fly. But enough upward force would keep him from falling, at least for a bit. The problem was concentration. The attack itself would require him to split focus between water and wind. Trying to split his focus a third way was too much.
"Great Sage!" Izuku called out in his head loudly, "I need you to manipulate the wind for me. I will be focusing on the attack and can't keep myself airborne. Can you do it?"
A moment passed before Great Sage replied, "Affirmative."
"Then let's get started."
Time resumed for Izuku, and he could hear the ground strain under the weight of the villain. Had anybody been paying attention to Izuku's feet, they would have noticed that he wasn't pressing as hard against it as before. Suddenly two white wings erupted from Izuku's back and spread wide before they folded themselves. Most of the attendees missed this as they were focused on running. What they didn't miss was the wind picking up. It started as a breeze but quickly became a gust, and it all seemed to focus on one boy.
In an observation area outside the battle zones, several eyes noted what was happening, including a blonde with piercing blue eyes. Just who was this boy?
Back on the battlefield, the wind circled Izuku, creating a miniature tornado around him. Crouching down and putting as much power as he could spare into his legs, Izuku prepared to jump. With a resounding boom, Izuku leaped into the air, the dust and debris caught by the wind flying behind him as he rose. Those present watched amazed as the boy's wings unfurled when he reached the height of the villain's head, making him seem like an All Might-themed angel.
Izuku hung there momentarily, surprised that the stunt he had just pulled had worked. "Now for the rest of it." He said to himself. Putting both of his hands in front of him, Izuku concentrated. In his left hand, water started to collect. Those who watched would later testify that the air became very dry. In Izuku's right hand, the wind collected until it became visible. Remembering his lessons from long ago, Izuku focused on what he wanted to do. He visualized what he wanted to happen. He maximized the water pressure and the force of the wind to as high as he could. Bringing the bottoms of his palms together, Izuku yelled in a voice many would later say layered with something deeper. "Improvised, Special Move: TYPHOON!"
The resulting blast of water and wind erupted from Izuku's hands, quickly growing in size until it was as tall as the boy who had created it. After a few moments, it collided with the villain. The sound of metal being warped as the attack continued to strike it. Suddenly the sound stopped before it started again. Any questions about what happened ended when the blast of water and wind tore through the back of the beast. Izuku's task finished, and he ceased his attack. Suddenly he felt faint. That attack had taken a lot out of him. More than he had thought it would. "I need to work on energy management soon."
Izuku was so tired that he barely heard a voice ring out.
"UNIQUE SKILL: 'TYPHOON' HAS BEEN CREATED."
Izuku smiled to himself. He had done it. A part of him realized that he was falling, but the other part thought he would likely survive the fall. He didn't notice that he transformed into a slime.
As one of the boys who had helped save her fell to the ground, the brown-haired girl looked at her companion. The other girl nodded, and soon both girls floated in the air. The dark-haired greeneete could feel the girl beside her shudder as the girl's stomach rebelled against her. In a matter of seconds, they had cleared the distance, and the green-haired girl shot her tongue out and caught the slime boy as he crossed paths with them. The loud alarm told them that the test had ended.
—-
When Izuku woke up, he realized two things. The first was that several people were staring at him from above. This included the blonde boy, Mineta, and the two girls. With them was an old lady that, after a moment, Izuku recognized as Recovery Girl.
The second thing that Izuku noticed was that he was in his slime form. In an instant, he was human again and sat up. "Is the test over? he asked in a rush.
Recovery Girl nodded. "It's been over for quite a few minutes, dearie. The only people left are these boys and girls. Waving one of her hands to the assembled group. Looking apologetic, the older woman continued, "I have no idea how your body works, so I couldn't help heal you. Sorry about that, sonnie. But it looks like you recovered well."
Izuku nodded. "Honestly, ma'am, Half the time, I don't know how my body works. His light tone caused the group to chuckle.
—-
Later, in an office in the main UA. Building two figures talked. The first, a massive blonde man, said, "What do you know about that boy who took down the zero pointer in battleground Delta?"
The second figure was much shorter and had a much higher-pitched voice. "Not terribly much, The boy's name is Izuku Midoriya, age 15. His quirk is listed as Adaptational Slime. According to his official record, it allows him to adapt to situations by acquiring new abilities. A powerful quirk if true.
The blonde man nodded, "I met the boy nearly a year ago. And while I never saw it for myself, the boy's friend and the villain I saved the boys from indicated that he had used water manipulation to defend themselves until I arrived."
The other figure brought a cup up to its snout. "The boy displayed that and much more." After taking a sip, he continued. "You are worried that he is somehow connected to All For One, aren't you, All Might?"
All Might nodded, Principal Nezu, I realize it is a long shot, but I feel we should keep an eye on the boy. Even if he isn't connected to All For One, a quirk like that must be watched closely."
Nezu looked thoughtful for a moment before he responded. I agree. However, what we can do all depends on the results of the boy's performance. A preliminary look at his practical exam performance looks good, but we still need to evaluate his written test. I will have Hounddog request access to any psychological file he might have. But that's not a sure thing."
The large man replied, "Thank you, Principal Nezu, that means a lot to me."
"The small creature nodded. "And, of course, if the boy makes it into the hero course, you can keep an eye on him personally."
—-
Midoriya Residence, Mustafaru Japan, March 5, 2215, 15:00
Izuku sat in the living room. It had been a week since the exams, and all he could do was wait. He had gone over his exam half a dozen times, and his answers had checked out with what Great Sage was saying was correct. The essay questions were a bit more subjective, but Izuku thought he had done well on them. The biggest question was practical. From what he could tell, how well you did was based on a sliding scale based on how others had done. UA. accepted only 100 students every year. Forty for the Hero courses, 20 for general education, 20 for engineering, and 20 for marketing. And you needed to take a particular exam for engineering and marketing.
To make things more complicated, four of the slots for the hero courses went to students who had recommendations from heroes in good standing or other people of note. That meant that thousands of students were competing for, at best, 56 slots. Izuku wasn't sure who or if anyone was listening, but he said a silent prayer regardless.
He was shaken from his prayer when the door to the apartment slammed open, and in walked his dad with a shocked expression. In his hand, he held an envelope. The envelope had the seal of UA emblazoned upon it. Soon Izuku's face was a match for his father's. Soon Inko walked into the living room and saw two of the most important men in her life standing there catatonic. Not for the first time, she noticed how much Izuku and Hisashi looked like each other. Hisashi had black hair and age lines on his face, but other than that, they looked identical. Then she saw the envelope in her husband's hand. Smiling to herself, she said, "That would do it." before she gave the two Midoriya men a nudge.
Izuku shook himself briefly before noticing that his mom and dad were standing beside him. Hisashi followed suit a moment later. After collecting himself, his dad said, "Wanna do the honors, Izuku?"
Izuku nodded and took the envelope from his dad. Not wanting to break the seal, Izuku grabbed one end of the envelope, ripped it open, and turned it over before shaking it to coax the letter. Instead of a letter, a small device came out. Inko was the first to voice what it was. "That's a holoprojector. Put it on the table."
As soon as it was on the table, the device activated. Soon they were greeted by the image of All Might wearing a yellow pinstripe suit. After a moment, the video started, "Greetings Young Midoriya, I AM HERE… to announce the results of your exams." Izuku was practically vibrating. He knew UA had a lot of pull, but he had no idea they could get All Might to announce test results. But he forced himself to ignore that as All Might continued. "First off, let's start with your written test. Congratulations, you knocked it out of the park. Your score was a whopping 99 percent, Only beaten by one other applicant."
Izuku felt himself being hugged from both sides by his parents. "Izuku honey, I'm so proud of you!" cried Inko. On the other side, Hisashi gave his son a one-armed hug and said, "That's fantastic, Izuku!"
It seemed whoever had scripted the video had accounted for things like congratulations since All Might had stood still for a bit. But after another moment, he resumed, "But as the old saying goes, knowing is half the battle. The other half is the battle. During the practical exam, you scored an impressive 35 points. That by itself may have landed you a spot in the hero course, but then you went beyond.
It is often said that a person should be judged by their actions when they have nothing to gain, and my boy, you acquitted yourself well. Your actions, and those of the two other boys, to protect the two young girls boosted your scores considerably. In your case, it landed you a whopping 42 points. Bringing you up to 77 and tying you for number one. It may be evident at this point, but congratulations, you passed. Welcome to your Hero Academia. A packet containing the required paperwork will arrive in a few days. Please return it to the relevant parties as soon as possible." Suddenly the device shut itself off, leaving the three Midoriya's staring at where All Might had been earlier.
It was Izuku who broke the silence first. "I did it! I passed! I'm going to UA!" The cheer that erupted through the apartment was so loud that their neighbors congratulated Izuku before asking the family to quiet down.
After the family had settled down, the phone rang. Their caller I.D. indicated that it was the Bakugos, and when Inko answered the phone,e she had to pull her ear away from the howls of excitement coming from Mitsuki. After a moment, Inko put the phone on speaker, saying, "It's Katsuki."
After adjusting to the racket that Katsuki's mom was making, Izuku excitedly said to his friend. "I got in!
Katsuki quickly responded, "Me too, Slimer!" with just as much excitement. Both boys then shouted simultaneously, "I tied for number one!
You did?
Me too?"
There was silence on both sides of the line as both sets of parents realized what had happened. A moment later, both families were cheering again, making such a racket that the neighbors had to ask them to quiet down again.
Now more subdued, Mitsuki said, "We need to celebrate. Come over for dinner tonight, and we can do this properly." There was silence for a moment before Mitsuki continued. "Izuku, I have the work up for your hero costume ready. So while you are here, we can go over the design."
Izuku smiled. "Thank you, Aunt Mitsuki!"
A smiling Hisashi took up the conversation while Izuku was dancing happily. "What time should we come over?"
There was some hushed conversation over the line before Mitsuki said "How about 17:00."
The Midoriya's looked at each other before Hisashi said,, "We'll be there."
—-
A few hours later, the party was in full swing. Izuku and Bakugo had told stories of their time in the battle zones while their parents listened in fascination and, on occasion, concern. There had been conversations about what UA offered regarding extracurriculars and aid in Post-secondary education. Masaru had run out to the store and had come back with steaks and a graduation cake. The cake was generic, but given the sudden nature of the party, nobody was bothered.
As things started to settle down, Mitsuki brought out a laptop, "So a while back, when you gave me that picture and asked me to design your future hero costume based on that, I reached out to some of my contacts in the hero costume industry. They gave me some ideas as to how to make this work. After all, what works for a game doesn't always work in the real world. I had some of the 3d model makers at work develop a render. I hope you like it."
With a few clicks and the push of a button, a 3d model made to resemble Izuku came up. At first glance, it didn't look all that different from the image Izuku had given her long ago. But then when Izuku looked closer he noticed the clear differences. While the original had been all cloth and leather, what was before him now clearly had some sort of armor styled in the same fashion over the shoulders, chest area, and just below it. A belt replaced the sash that had been a part of the original design. Below that, what had been the solid bottom of the coat had been split into three tails. Each tail ended with a point. Izuku could automatically see that this would grant him more freedom of movement than the original design.
The dark top looked largely the same, but on each hand was an armored fingerless gauntlet. He wasn't sure of the material but it looked tough The legs were largely the same as the original design but the boots were another matter. Like the gauntlets they were now armored.
After a moment Mitsuki continued speaking. "Now this is just the base model. It can be altered to fit your preferred color scheme. And of course the spot where the emblem is supposed to be has been left blank for the time being."
Izuku could only nod as Mitsuki moved on to the suit's features. "The chest piece is made of a composite material that while lightweight can take a serious beating. I'm not sure what it is called but they said it was someing like dragon skin. I've seen the data on it and it is extremely tough. The cloth on the other hand is Polyethylene. It is one of the toughest, most durable fabrics currently available.
The undershirt and pants are made of the same material though the shirt has Carbon nanotube fibers mixed in. with your powers and this suit you could tank a hit from Mount Lady." Izuku thought about the new heroine for a second before he brought himself back to reality. A thought shared by the other three males in the room. After everyone had returned to reality, Mitsuki continued. "The boots and gauntlets, on the other hand, are meant for offense. The gloves are made of high-quality leather and are lined with silk so they don't chafe. The armored sections on the fist and arms are made of the same material found in impact batons. That will give your punches that little extra oomph that will help you when you are in a fight.
The boots are designed with the same function in mind. The armored bits cover every spot we could fit it on except for the bottom, which was designed to be non-slip. The area between the bottom of the shoe and your feet will have a lightweight plate that should prevent anything you might step on from penetrating the foot."
Finishing up her presentation, she asked, "So, what do you think?"
Izuku stood still for a second before he ran up to the honorary aunt and hugged her tight. "Thank you, Aunt Mitsuki. You have no idea what this means to me."
Mitsuki smiled and placed her hand on Izukus's head. "I think I have a pretty good idea, kiddo."
—-
Dagobah Beach, Mustafaru Japan, March 18, 2215,06:00
As the sun rose into the sky, two gi-clad figures stood on the beach. It had become a familiar sight to many early-morning joggers, so almost nobody paid them any mind.
Camille was the first to speak. "Your parents told me about your results and what you did at the end of the test. It was very heroic. Unnecessary but heroic. Regardless of what happens here, know you have made me proud as your master.
Izuku bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master, I knew that the likelihood that that girl would die was low, but I couldn't take that risk."
Camille nodded, "I know. The friends who helped make me who I am were the same way. But we can talk later. Shall we begin.?"
Izuku nodded and took a neutral stance. "I'm ready, Master."
Camille smiled, and in a flash of green light, she was again wearing her chameleon-themed armor. "Well, then, let's begin."
Izuku nodded. Switching into the Wolf stance, he charged forward before leaping into the air to kick his master in the chest. Camille stepped back and pulled out a pair of sai. She sidestepped a roundhouse before she counter-attacked. Izuku barely had the time to avoid the jabs and sweeping strikes coming his way. Izuku summoned his 'Cat Armaments' and switched to Cat Style.
Izuku leaped forward and slashed down, forcing Camille to use her sais to block. The impact knocked them to the ground, and Izuku pressed his advantage. He landed two wide slashes across Camille's midsection. Camille staggered for a moment before she resumed her stance. "That was a nice warm-up, Izuku. Now let's get serious."
Izuku dismissed his 'Cat Armaments,' and suddenly, the air was filled with balls of water. With a wave of his hand, the water balls started to fly toward Camille. She managed to dodge several before she missed a step and was pelted by a barrage of balls that knocked her back. Izuku prepared a second set of water balls but faltered when Camille faded from view. Looking around wildly, Izuku noticed that the sais had disappeared. Izuku focused, and the balls started to spin around him before he forced them to fuse, forming a 'Water Shield". This saved him from being hit from behind.
Izuku weighed his options before he willed the shield to explode, forcing his master to jump back. While she was on the backfoot, Izuku summoned his Mantis Shrimp Armaments and willed the wind in front of his fist. Charging forward, Izuku drove his fist into Camille's stomach, throwing her back a dozen feet before he caught up and used his other fist to hit her on the side, tossing her into the morning surf.
Suddenly Izuku had an idea. Channeling more of the wind into his armament-covered fist, Izuku drove it into the ground, filling the air with dust and sand. Letting out a high-pitched shriek, Izuku listened for the ping Camille would make on his echolocation. After a moment, he found her. She was a few feet behind him. Standing still, blinded by the sand and dust as he would have been. Turning around, he charged toward his master, ready to land a third heavy blow. He was only a foot from her when he suddenly doubled over as he felt a foot impact against his stomach.
As Izuku stood up straight, he heard Camille say "Not a bad idea Izuku, but that type of strategy works best with an opponent that isn't wearing a helmet." This was followed by a devastating punch across Izuku's face that had the boy seeing stars. Letting out a soundwave Izuku sensed Camille coming from behind him and at the last moment turned around and grabbed her left arm with both of his hands. Shooting webs from his hands Izuku moved around Camille and pulled, causing her to fall off balance. Taking advantage of the situation, Izuku reared a leg back and caught Camille in the shoulder with a sidekick that drove her to the ground.
Suddenly the woman was on her feet and attacked him with a wide, round kick that caught Izuku on the side. As he fell to the ground he shifted to slime to right himself before shifting to the wolf. With a howl he charged at his master and when she put up an arm to block, he bit down.. The bite did almost nothing but being bitten shocked the woman enough that she abandoned all form and tried to shake Izuku off. After a few moments in a fit of strength, Camille threw Izuku into the air. Shifting back to human, Izuku felt gravity start to claim him, pointing his index and middle fingers at Camille with both hands. Releasing twin 'Water Guns' at his master he watched as the first missed before the second caught her on the side, causing her to spin around and lose her balance.
Izuku stood there for a moment, unsure if he should end the fight. Unsure if he had provided his master with what she had been looking for. Suddenly, Izuku felt a wave of pressure and heat coming from his master. In a golden flash her green armor was overlaid by a golden armor that resembled pictures of a phoenix he had once seen.
In a flash, she was in front of Izuku, and he barely had the time to put up a 'Water Shield' before Camille struck. While the shield held, the three rapid. strikes that followed weakened it considerably. The fourth strike passed through Izuku's shield like it wasn't there and he was quickly forced to back away.
Moving close to the water, Izuku summoned as many 'Water Balls' as he could, filling the air with hundreds of them. Holding on to this many balls was a strain, so he quickly fired all of them at his Master as she stood there. The few bystanders that had stopped to watch were amazed at the display. After nearly 30 seconds, the attack ceased, and Izuku stood there, worry clear on his face. Had he gone too far? Had he not gone far enough? His question was answered when he looked where his master had been; to Izuku's shock, she was still standing there with a visible aura of heat emanating from her. The sand beneath her feet looked like it had been turned into glass.
Izuku dropped into his mindscape. He desperately tried to think of any way he could win. Whatever this power she was using was, it was far beyond what he could handle. He considered 'Typhoon', but even if it was powerful enough to stop her. He doubted she would give him the time to set it up. This was confirmed when Great Sage spoke up. "Current chances of success are less than five percent. Camille Skinner's current abilities are beyond Izuku Midoriya's ability to counter."
Realizing that he was beaten, Izuku returned to the real world. With a resigned voice, he said, "Master, I yield."
There was no sound besides the waves and the wind in the air. There was no movement by anyone, not even the bystanders. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the heat vanished, and in a golden and green light, Camille stood there, smiling. "Congratulations Izuku, you passed."
Izuku stood there for a moment. Trying to understand what had just happened. "But I failed. I couldn't beat you. Whatever that was you used at the end completely overwhelmed me.
Camille shook her head, "Do you remember what I said during our last season before the UA exam?" When Izuku shook his head, she continued. "What I said back then was that I wanted to see you holding nothing back. During our fight you fought with almost everything you had…Can I ask why you didn't use your water blades or that attack you used during the exam.?"
Izuku nodded. "I considered using 'Typhoon' at the end of the fight. But I figured that with its build-up, I would be wide open to any attack you choose to make. As for 'Water Blade', I couldn't find a good place to use it. It's a cutting tool, and I wasn't sure if your armor would resist it."
Camille nodded. I appreciate that. I would rather not find out if I can regenerate a limb like a chameleon. As for not using 'Typhoon' you're right. That shows that you learned a lesson that is hard to teach. Sometimes it's not about knowing how to do something. It is about knowing when not to. It is important to use your head and not just your fist."
Izuku nodded, taking note to add it to one of his Hero Journals as soon as he got home. But first, he had a question that he needed to ask. "Master, what was that armor you wore at the end?"
Camille looked thoughtful momentarily before responding, "That was the power of the Phoenix. You know that some of our practitioners can use their. Animal Spirits the same way I do, right?" When Izuku nodded, she continued, "Well, in some cases, it is possible to impart a spirit upon another. A very long time ago, when I was a different, much angrier person, I received the power of the Phoenix. I used it to do a lot of damage, and eventually, it was taken from me." As she said this, she had a look of shame on her face. "But a tiny ember of it was left behind, and although I didn't realize it. That ember grew within me for a long time. When I became aware of it I learned to cultivate it. To bond with it the same way I did with the Chameleon. I haven't needed to use it in a very long time. Do you know why I used it during our fight?"
When Izuku shook his head, she continued, "I used it to teach you an important lesson. That is that there is almost always a bigger fish." At Izuku's shocked look, she explained, "As powerful as you are now, you are still young. Your powers are still developing. There are adult heroes and villains who, while they don't have your power set, could beat you just as handily as I did. You did very well today but are still years from taking your mastery exam."
When Izuku looked downcast at that statement, Camille continued, "That being said, learn how to improvise and be varied in your methods. Mix and match techniques. Make your fighting style yours. From what I have heard about your exam and what I saw today, you are starting to do that. But make that a focus. Be like your quirk and be adaptable. Don't neglect your martial arts just because you will be starting your hero training."
Izuku nodded. His master had given him a lot to think about. With a bow, he said, "Thank you, master."
Camille smiled, "Well then, it's still early. Why don't we run you through your styles for a bit before you head on home."
Izuku smiled as he nodded. "Yes master."
—-
Midoriya Residence, Mustafaru Japan, April 9, 2215, 07:00
Izuku stood in front of his mirror. Trying and failing to get his tie on correctly. Even watching videos on Youtube had led to mixed results. After another few minutes of fruitless effort, Izuku settled on what had become the most acceptable attempt he had made thus far. He had to admit that the red tie popped against the gray blazer, white button-up shirt, and blue-green slacks. He had chosen his favorite red pair of sneakers to go with the outfit, as the school had not listed anything regarding footwear. While he was going to take his backpack with him, he left it mostly empty. Assuming the school operated the same way most schools did, today was less of a school day and more of an introduction. He would meet his classmates, and they, as a class, would be introduced to the rest of the school alongside the other first-year classes. They would likely be introduced to their primary teachers and given the term's syllabus.
Despite that Izuku was practically vibrating with excitement. This was it. This was his opportunity to live his dream. To attend the school that had taught some of the greatest heroes in Japan, if not the whole world.
A large part of him hoped that he would see the two girls and the blonde boy whom he was embarrassed to admit he had forgotten to get the names of back in February. He also wondered about Mineta.
Izuku was shaken out of his thoughts by the voice of his mother. "Izuku, hurry up. We want to get some pictures on your first day!"
Izuku smiled. Some might argue that it was just the first day of High School, but it wasn't every day that your child started attending one of the best schools in the world. Taking one last look at himself in the mirror, Izuku left his room and walked into the living room where his parents were waiting.
His face filled with pride. Hisashi said, "Come on, Izuku, let's get some shots of you on your first day." What followed was 10 minutes of picture-taking. That ended when a neighbor was recruited to take a picture of the three of them together.
It was a tear filled Inko who asked, "Dear, do you have everything you'll need? Your notebooks, your pens and pencils, your action figures?"
Izuku responded quickly, "Yes, yes and Mom, I'm going to high school, I'm not going to take those with me.
Inko laughed, "I know Izuku, just having some fun with you. Now sit down and have some breakfast. Katsuki will be here in a little bit."
The three Midoriya's sat just enjoying each other's company and talking about recent events. It was twenty minutes before the door knocked and Katsuki walked in. "Cmon Slimer, we gotta get going."
Inko ever the host asked "Would you like some toast before you go?"
Katsuki thought about it for a moment before he agreed,
Now two pieces of toast richer, the two boys headed out. The morning air felt good as they jogged through the residential area towards the entrance to the school. Along the way, they said hello to people who saw their uniforms and congratulated them on their success. Soon they stood in front of the massive gates to UA.
Katsuki looked at his friend. " Ya ready, Slimer?"
Izuku grinned, "Of course I am. Are you?"
Katsuki had a feral grin on his face. "Damn Straight!"
With nothing else to be said, the two boys walked through the gates.
A/N Well, folks, that's a wrap. Some… let's be honest. All of you will notice that this chapter was shorter than the last few chapters. The reason is that I have finally caught up to the start of canon and don't need to cover years and years of training. From here on out the chapters won't be 20k-long monsters, but much more digestible 7 to 10k affairs. This may lead to quicker output. On the other hand I am working on three other stories so maybe not.
Some have been unhappy about the power rangers aspects of the story. I'm sorry that you aren't fans of that. But for what it is worth, Camille and the armaments (both what has been shown and what is coming ) are about as far as that rabbit hole will go.
you are not going to see Zords at any point (as awesome as seeing a zord fight against Gigantomachina would be ).
As I said earlier, I am working on three other stories. The first two you might already be aware of. Kingdom Hearts: (Re) Destiny and Pokemon: The Story of Us.
This new story is called My Lyrical Academia. It is a Nanoha franchise /My Hero Academia crossover, and those of you familiar with it might have seen some of its influence in this chapter. Current plan is to release it the same day that I release this chapter.
But back to IHS! For a few moments. Next chapter,,, the story enters the real meat and potatoes of canon,, and the seeds I have planted start to bear fruit.
Join me next time in It's Hero Slime Chapter 6
