5: Villain/Antagonist
The first classes of the day were a bit boring in Izuku's opinion. Learning another language was important, of course, but Izuku had already learned a lot on his own. Although Present Mic's lessons were not bad, there were many things he already knew, so getting bored was easy.
For that reason, as the class went on, Izuku tried to decipher more of his teacher's diary.
The Meca-Shift blueprints, as his teacher called them, were very difficult to understand. There were things that made no sense to Izuku, such as how an weapon that transformed into different types of weapons would help him on his heroic path?
Well, aside from being useful in fights, but even then, Izuku didn't want to use something like that to shoot someone who wasn't bulletproof.
Or to cut them.
Or stab them.
Or simply hit them with it.
In reality, he didn't know how strong the villains he would face in the future could be, so perhaps having the weapon as a support element could be useful.
But even then, his teacher had forgotten a rather important matter.
Izuku didn't know how to use weapons, whether in close combat or at a distance. He only knew how to fight with his fists and feet.
Having to learn a new combat style could take time.
Izuku didn't understand it until he decided to set aside deciphering the weapon blueprints and move on to the Dust.
It was then that he realized.
Dust was like nothing he had ever seen before.
The substance described in the notes could even be called magical if it could truly do everything that was described.
And Izuku didn't doubt his teacher, so the dust should do everything that's written.
And if it was combined with the weapon...
With renewed vigor, he tried to decipher the chemical composition of Dust, something that didn't exist in this world and could very well be an entirely new element for his world.
Why did his teacher give him this? The potential that existed if he managed to synthesize it was unimaginable!
The number of support products as well as everyday life products that could use it was just insane.
While thinking this, Izuku deciphered a small note from his teacher next to the Dust information.
"Izuku, tell me, what does a hero need most to change the world apart from strength? In a world as complex as the one you live in, the ability to hit things so hard that they break barely serves any purpose against the real big problems of the world. A hero not only needs strength but influence, and to have true influence, there's another kind of power required... MONEY! If you truly want to help the world beyond just punching the bad guys in the face, you need the capital to address various problems that go beyond the villain of the week. Dust is an almost magical substance that can bring great changes to the world. The chemical compositions I've left will help you synthesize different types of dust, and I want you to use them to change the world and help it. This is yours, Izuku. Remember to patent it, and then create a great company and get super rich or something! Or, if you believe you're not up to it, simply use it to punch the bad guys."
Izuku felt that the last part was a challenge.
Helping people in a limited way by just doing the normal hero work, or being a hero and at the same time helping the entire world?
Izuku had no doubt about the choice to make.
Now, how the heck do you start a company?
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Lunchtime arrived, and Izuku decided to put the "get super rich or something" plan on hold. Something of that magnitude probably wouldn't be achieved even after he graduated from his hero studies.
Plus, he hadn't even fully deciphered the chemical composition of the first type of dust, fire dust, let alone synthesized it, let alone patented it.
His teacher had put too much faith in him, and Izuku felt a great weight on his shoulders, but even if it was extremely difficult, he would prove that his teacher was not wrong in entrusting him with such an important task.
"This place is enormous!"
"I know! I can't believe we even have a professional hero in charge of our meals."
Looking at Uraraka and Mina chatting happily, Izuku snapped out of his deep thoughts.
He looked at the hero Lunch Rush with great excitement but managed to contain his inner fanboy, mainly because he was sitting next to two beautiful girls, and if he embarrassed himself now, he wouldn't have the face to see his teacher again.
"Excuse me, can I sit here?" a girl's voice came from behind him, and when Izuku looked, he saw it was Yaoyorozu Momo.
"No problem."
"Of course, the more company, the better!"
"Go ahead!"
All three responded quickly.
Momo blinked in surprise at the instant positive responses and smiled as she sat down next to Izuku.
The girls introduced themselves to each other, even though theoretically, they already knew each other's names due to the test the day before. It was still polite to reintroduce themselves more directly.
"So, what do you think the hero class will be this afternoon? So far, everything has been so boring! I can't wait any longer!" Mina said with an exaggerated sigh.
"Well, yesterday we tested our quirks, so maybe some training with them?" Uraraka added, not entirely sure.
"Those were very basic exercises to test our abilities, so it should be something more strenuous this time. I think maybe a field test? Perhaps fighting stronger robots," Momo said thoughtfully.
"Or maybe it's something different, like theoretical teaching about different types of situations that rookie heroes face," Izuku added, not wanting to be left out.
Although he was somewhat nervous, he hadn't talked so much with people other than his teacher or his mother.
Those 100 girls didn't count!
As they chatted and got along, time passed quickly, and soon it was time to return to class.
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Izuku looked at the notebook in his hand while waiting for the teacher's arrival. Unlike his hero analysis notebooks or his teacher's notebook, this one had been created exclusively for him.
"Hero Analysis: Midoriya Izuku"
In it, he had recorded everything he could about his aura and what he had discovered so far, in addition to what his teacher mentioned in the notes he left. He had detailed possible strengths he might possess, his potential weaknesses, and even strategies he could employ in the midst of a battle.
Izuku had always analyzed others; having to analyze himself was a completely new experience.
"I'VE ARRIVED! Through the door like a regular person!" Then, Izuku's entire world seemed to come to a halt. His pupils dilated, his breath caught, and his heart nearly exploded on the spot.
The only reason a cry of excitement didn't escape his mouth was that he bit his tongue to see if he was dreaming.
"It's All Might!"
"So the rumors were true! He's going to be our teacher!"
While his classmates cheered with excitement, Izuku remained silent, gazing at his number one idol. All Might looked even more incredible in person!
'Stay calm, Izuku! Don't embarrass yourself in front of your greatest inspiration. Just act natural'
This was probably easier now than it had been a year ago. He was definitely jumping with excitement inside, but on the outside, he remained as composed as he could. Although the enormous smile on his face and his shining eyes didn't help with his apparent composure.
"I'm here as your teacher for the Heroic Training assignment! I will teach you the basic skills that every hero should deeply understand through practical exercises. So today, we'll be doing something very exciting! Combat training!"
"Combat!?" the students exclaimed in astonishment. Izuku suddenly felt a gaze from his side and saw Katsuki giving him a predatory smile. Izuku couldn't help the sweat drop that formed on his head. Maybe he could fulfill his teacher's request after all?
"And to add even more excitement, now you can use this!"
It was then that several numbered compartments emerged from the side of the wall.
"Your hero costumes!"
Oh! Izuku got excited. Could he finally wear it? The suit he and his teacher created? Although many of the support accessories were useless now that he had a quirk, it was still a suit he made with his teacher. Finally being able to wear it excited him almost as much as meeting All Might.
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Beta Testing Area: Changing Rooms.
Izuku began to unpack his costume. In truth, the design wasn't anything extraordinary. It started with a full-body suit with sections of black and dark green on the sides. The fabric was a special Kevlar imported from I-Island.
He didn't know how his teacher had obtained it, but it was extremely durable and would protect his body even if he didn't have an aura.
Next was a red utility belt containing different types of supplies for various situations. Izuku had filled it with everything he believed could be useful, as much as it could hold, of course.
Following that were a pair of knee-high black boots with a red toe cap, specially designed for delivering powerful and accurate kicks. He also had metal knee pads for extra protection.
Then came his arms. First, he wrapped them in black bandages made from a special fiber capable of withstanding a greater amount of kinetic impact. It was a trial product from I-Island that didn't make it to the market due to its high production costs.
On top of those bandages, he put on a pair of red gloves that reached up to his elbows. The color turned black on the inside of the palm, and there were metal protectors on the knuckles to maximize damage.
Moving from his arms, in the upper part of his body, there were a pair of metal shoulder pads that weren't too bulky but added to his hero-like figure. Over his chest, there was a breastplate that covered the important areas as well as his sides. Extending from his shoulder pads was a white cape on the outside and black on the inside.
To finish it all, covering the lower half of his face was a steel mask to protect his teeth, and over his eyes, he wore a pair of goggles with a green frame to protect his vision.
With everything on him, Izuku realized that they might have taken the protective gear a bit too far, but he couldn't blame himself for it! His teacher never told him he was going to have an aura! He thought he'd have to fight without a quirk, so the most appropriate option was clearly to protect his body as best as he could.
Still, Izuku felt great, like a true hero.
"Man, that's so manly!"
The voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and when he looked, he saw a red-haired boy smiling at him with excitement about his costume.
"Why does mine look like a giant diaper?! It's supposed to look like a bowl!" an indignant shout came from the side, and when they looked, it was hard to contain their laughter. Mineta's body size certainly didn't help at all.
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Izuku gazed at the fake city. Even if he knew that U.A. had something like this and had fought against robots in one before, the sight was still amazing.
"You're definitely the spitting image of a hero!" All might sai
"Midoriya! You look incredible! I almost didn't recognize you." Izuku looked and saw Mina Ashido in her costume running toward him. That wasn't a good idea. Blood rushed to his cheeks when he saw her exposed skin, and he was thankful that his face was mostly covered.
"You look like a combination of a fantasy warrior and a modern hero!" Another voice came from the side, and Izuku was glad again that his face was covered. Uraraka's figure was accentuated too much in her suit!
Perhaps noticing his gaze, Uraraka blushed and smiled awkwardly. "I should have been clearer in the description. My costume turned out much tighter than I expected, hahaha," she said while rubbing the back of her head with her hand. Mina looked at her with a huge smile.
"Are you kidding? You look amazing!"
Izuku averted his gaze from such a heavenly sight for the sake of his mental well-being. That was a mistake. When he turned, he saw Momo coming out of the dressing room. If this were an anime, Izuku would have been launched into the sky by a geyser of blood coming directly from his nose.
"Y-Yaoyorozu!" Fortunately, it wasn't his voice that stammered; instead, it was Uraraka who exclaimed upon seeing her classmate.
Even Mina was astonished.
Noticing the stares, Momo scratched her cheek with some.
"My quirk requires a lot of exposed skin. I certainly didn't expect the cold air to feel so much once I put it on," Momo said. Izuku could only give a thumbs-up in encouragement.
"Your costumes are incredible, especially yours, Midoriya. I can tell it's a personally crafted piece, right?" Izuku nodded, swallowed hard, and composed himself.
"Yes, I made it with my teacher while preparing for U.A."
"That's amazing!" Uraraka got excited to learn that it had been personally built.
Mina nodded with equal enthusiasm, and momo the only one who noticed the hint of extra information decided to ask out of curiosity.
"Teacher?"
Just as Izuku was about to answer, All Might's voice rang out.
"Alright, everyone, gather around! It's time to begin."
Then All Might explained the exercise in detail, even answering Iida's questions. Izuku noticed that also had a cool costume.
Izuku quickly approached to pick one of the balls that would determine his partner. When he saw the letter "G," he looked up and saw a girl with long green hair gazing at him with an expressionless look from which he couldn't deduce much.
Armed with the courage of a hundred rejections, Izuku approached.
"It seems we're partners," she spoke first, and Izuku nodded.
"Midoriya Izuku," he introduced himself, extending his hand.
"Tsuyu Asui," she took it without much fuss.
It seemed that this cooperation would go smoothly for now.
Izuku looked around and saw that Momo had teamed up with a girl with short hair and long ears that seemed to end in headphone connectors.
Uraraka and Mina seemed to have been lucky as they remained together. He looked for Katsuki and saw him with Mineta. Oh, that couldn't end well for either of them...
Soon, all the teams were assembled.
"All right, the first matchup will be between Team C and Team J!" That was Katsuki's team against the red-haired boy and another guy with an electrical theme.
It seemed like his chance had slipped away again.
Preparations began, and as the teams got ready, the other students entered a monitoring room where they could watch the battles.
"How do you think this will go, Izuku?" Uraraka asked once everyone was gathered.
Momo and Mina were also nearby, so they paid attention, along with the short-haired girl and Asui.
"From what I saw in the practical test, everyone has quirks suitable for combat. But, if I have to say it, Kac—Katsuki has the highest offensive attack potential. Anyone facing him needs to avoid getting caught in his explosions, or they'll lose quickly. Similarly, Kaminari could end the fight quickly if he manages to touch either of the two long enough. As for Mineta, he has great versatility with his spheres, so perhaps the best option would be an ambush to catch them off guard and incapacitate them quickly. I don't know much about Kirishima other than he seems quite resistant, so maybe he could go head-to-head against Kac—Katsuki's explosions and contain him while Denki incapacitates Mineta. It's really a fight with many variables. It will depend on the experience, judgment, and skill of each of them to see how far—"
Izuku suddenly raised his hand and covered the back of his head, opened his eyes wide, and nearly paled. He looked around, and everyone was giving him strange looks. He had muttered...
"That's informative..." Asui said, her face still wearing that expressionless look, but Izuku swore he saw some amusement in her eyes.
"I'm sorry! I got carried away," Izuku quickly apologized.
"Don't worry, Midoriya. In fact, it's a good analysis. You just forgot—" and Momo decided to show Izuku that he wasn't the only one who could talk a lot.
The entire class froze as they listened to the two of them discussing non-stop. Fortunately, their teacher arrived to save them, as expected of the Number 1 hero!
"Alright, let's begin!"
The fight was almost as Izuku expected. Katsuki, being part of the hero team, shot off immediately to locate the bomb, leaving Mineta, who, with his short legs, was forced to stay far behind his partner.
As Katsuki ascended, he came face-to-face with Kirishima, attacking head-on with a big grin on his face, expecting to get rid of the guy with a quick move. It didn't go well for him. Kirishima easily shrugged off the explosion, and his fist slammed into Bakugou's stomach, taking him by surprise.
But he quickly recovered and unleashed a series of explosions to get away.
While the two of them fought, Mineta stealthily sneaked past the battle, going beyond it and climbing the stairs to the bomb room.
When he saw the bomb, he immediately got excited and ran toward it. That was a mistake. Kaminari leaped from behind, having hidden on one side of the door, and his two hands crackling with electricity struck Mineta's back, making him let out a scream.
Mineta's smaller-than-normal body couldn't withstand the high current, and he was paralyzed. Denki took advantage of that to drag him, but he didn't put the capture tape on him.
Demonstrating a cunning that was rarely seen in him, the electric boy brought Mineta to the same floor where Katsuki and Kirishima were fighting. It was then that he applied the capture tape to Mineta.
All Might announced the capture at that moment, and Katsuki froze for a brief second, which cost him a solid blow from Kirishima that sent him backward.
That was his downfall. Kaminari, like a leopard pouncing on its prey, shot forward toward Bakugou's back, releasing a large amount of electricity that caused Bakugou's body to convulse.
Seeing this as an opportunity, Kirishima launched himself with capture tape in hand and wrapped it around Bakugou, ending the fight.
If he was honest, Izuku didn't expect Katsuki to lose.
Soon, their teacher brought them back, and Katsuki had his head down, his shoulders slumped.
"All right, now, who can tell me who the MVP of this match was?"
All Might's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he responded without hesitation.
"Kaminari."
"Kaminari."
Two voices echoed in unison, and Izuku looked at Momo, who had also spoken. He gave her a slight hand signal with some embarrassment, indicating that she should continue.
Momo nodded at Izuku and continued speaking.
"Out of all of us, he took his role most seriously and didn't recklessly abandon his task. Instead, he waited patiently and prepared a simple but effective ambush. After that, he played with the rules of the combat in his favor by not immediately capturing Mineta. Instead, he waited for the right moment to distract Bakugou and then ambushed him. In contrast, Kirishima only focused on fighting, just like Bakugou, and Mineta got too distracted and overly confident."
There was silence, and All Might coughed slightly to break it.
"Exactly! Young Kaminari knew how to wait for his moment and play the circumstances in his favor. That's why he's the MVP of this match!"
With that said, the blond boy was congratulated.
"All right, it's time for the second match! Team G vs. Team D!"
Izuku felt someone watching him, so he turned and saw the boy with two different hair colors staring at him. Next to him was a blond boy wearing what looked like knight's armor, and he had a strange smile on his face.
"Let's go," Asui said to him, and he nodded.
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Izuku didn't expect to be the villain in this exercise. Looking at the fake bomb, he wondered how he should take this. What should the plan be?
"Have you thought of something?" the question pulled him out of his thoughts, and he looked at Asui, who was still wearing her expressionless face.
"Let's talk about our... quirks. To come up with a good plan, we first need to know what we're working with." Asui then explained her mutant-type frog quirk. Like any mutant quirk, it came with physical benefits, such as making her legs much stronger than those of regular people, as well as her arms, the ability to cling to walls, a powerful, wide-extending tongue that was also physically strong, fast swimming in bodies of water, and the ability to secrete mucus with various effects, like paralysis and scent concealment.
It was a good set of abilities, and if this scenario were in an aquatic setting, she would have the absolute advantage.
He also explained some basic aura concepts or, as his teacher called his quirk, "Telekinetic Barrier." On paper, it could protect him from external damage to a certain extent and enhance his physical attributes like a form of tactile telekinesis. He could also infuse it into objects to make them more durable, though he wasn't very proficient at that yet.
"It seems like we're both close combat attackers, although my tongue allows me to take enemies by surprise," Izuku nodded.
The two continued to make some plans until time ran out.
"Alright, begin!" With those words, any plan was shattered when Izuku's instincts screamed, and without hesitation, he picked up Asui with one of his arms and held the bomb with the other before quickly jumping into the air.
Then the entire building froze instantly.
"T-this is b-bad," Asui was trembling uncontrollably, clinging tighter to him. Izuku looked at her in confusion before remembering the type of animal she was related to and seeing the entire place covered in ice.
Thinking quickly, he landed on the ground. He didn't know if breaking the ice that had already frozen the entire building would affect its structure, but if he didn't get Asui out of the ice, she wouldn't be able to help him.
"Warm." While Asui clung to him even more, he realized that he didn't feel affected by the cold. Then he remembered another feature of aura that he didn't expect to test so soon.
'Aura can protect the user's body from extreme climates.'
Also, aura could be infused into objects. Looking at Asui shivering in his arms, Izuku swallowed hard before speaking with some nervousness.
"Asui... I might have an idea."
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In the observation room:
"What's happening to Asui?" Uraraka asked when she saw the green-haired girl start trembling after everything froze.
"It must be due to her biology. If I recall correctly, she must be related to frogs, so such low temperatures are a significant weakness for them. Todoroki's initial move is affecting her more than anyone else," Momo explained.
"This is bad! If that's the case, then Midoriya will be completely alone against the hero team," Mina worried. However, her concern disappeared when she saw Midoriya holding Asui close behind his back, using his cape to secure her to himself.
Then, a green glow began to envelop Midoriya, and that glow extended to his cape. The change in Asui was evident as she stopped trembling and regained her composure, holding onto Izuku more securely.
"Is that his Quirk? What's he doing?" Everyone watched with curiosity at this effect.
"It seems he used his Quirk to cover the cape that envelops Asui to counteract the cold effects. I didn't expect his Quirk to be capable of that," Momo commented with intrigue.
"Does anyone know what his Quirk is?" someone asked, but everyone shook their heads. It seemed like no one had inquired until now.
All Might observed with interest.
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when they did not announce their immediate victory Todoroki knew that his plan had failed. He had hoped to finish quickly with that move, he had seen what Midoriya was capable of during the previous day's tests, and he knew that a direct confrontation would be very challenging.
But it seemed like he had no other option now.
"Let's go," his partner nodded, trembling a bit, but his full-body armor provided enough coverage for it not to be an issue.
They entered the building and began ascending the floors. Todoroki was on alert for any ambush, having learned from Bakugo's mistakes.
On the other hand, Aoyama continued to smile, seemingly unworried. He admired his cape with bright eyes; it looked incredible in his costume! Then, something wrapped around him from the side, and before he could scream, he was dragged away from Todoroki.
Todoroki kept moving but felt that something was wrong. He stopped, realizing that he didn't hear Aoyama's footsteps. Frustration etched across his face as he looked around for danger.
The sound of a laser hitting something echoed not too far away, and before he could hurry over, All Might's call came in. His partner had been captured. Todoroki clicked his tongue, changed direction, and ran directly to the upper floors. Capturing the bomb was their best option!
the countless years of fighting with his father saved him when a foot headed towards his head. He quickly ducked, and the ice exploded outward, creating a wall between his attacker and himself.
A green blur passed by his side, and again, sharp instincts honed by years of beatings enabled him to react in time when a fist almost hit him in the stomach, the ice like a pillar that extended towards Izuku with great speed and force.
But Izuku didn't evade. His fist connected, and the pillar shattered, sending ice fragments flying everywhere.
This obstructed Todoroki's vision, and he once again lost sight of his opponent. From his left side, a flexible, elastic appendage extended and wrapped around his leg. Almost by accident, he used his fire side, but his hatred held him back. However, this restraint cost him.
His body was launched into the air and slammed into a wall, the air escaping his lungs upon impact. This time, his instincts were not enough to dodge the next attack.
The air that had already left his lungs didn't even have a chance to recover before Izuku's fist buried itself in his stomach.
A figure peeked out from behind Midoriya, and an angry girl's fist struck Todoroki's face.
Dazed, he tried to use his ice, but it was too late. The capture tape wrapped around his body in record time.
And that was the end of it.
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Returning to the observation room, Izuku felt Asui's body moving behind him and a few other things that had been making him blush since he carried her on his back; they were so soft! Maybe that's why he was so quick to defeat Todoroki.
He unfastened his cape and let Asui down from his back.
"Thank you," she said, nodding her head.
"Don't thank me; I wish I could have found a better way," he said with some shyness. Somehow, he managed to spot a faint blush on the girl's face despite her usual expressionlessness. Before there could be an awkward silence, three figures hurried toward them.
"That was incredible, Midoriya!" Mina exclaimed.
"It was a good plan given the circumstances," Momo commented.
"It looked really cool when you smashed that ice pillar with your fist!" Uraraka pumped her fist.
Izuku scratched his cheek in embarrassment. Being praised so much made him a bit nervous.
"Alright, everyone, who can tell me who the MVP of this match was?"
"That's easy! It was Midoriya!" someone said, and everyone seemed to agree.
All Might nodded before continuing to speak.
"Young Midoriya acted swiftly and was able to handle adverse circumstances. Not only that! Instead of leaving his partner, he decided to continue cooperating with her in his own way while ensuring her well-being. Their ambush was effective, thanks to their teamwork, and they were able to defeat Young Aoyama and Todoroki quickly thanks to this."
Congratulations were quick to follow, but Izuku was most focused on All Might's praise. He felt amazing!
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The day ended on a great note for Izuku. The following fights were very entertaining to watch, and along with Momo, they both analyzed everything they could about their classmates.
Afterwards, all his classmates introduced themselves to him. It could be said that he now knew everyone in his class. When he put everything into perspective, it was a great day.
While sitting on the train, he remembered something he had forgotten due to the excitement.
"Oh, I forgot to ask about a place to train." Looking at the sun still in the sky, he couldn't help but sigh. He didn't really feel tired at all.
Aura replenished its own stamina as long as it wasn't broken or exhausted. That meant Izuku hadn't managed to tire himself out in the slightest since he obtained it.
"Maybe I should go to Dagobah Beach to try to stretch my muscles a bit." Nodding, he sent a message to his mother to let her know he'd be home a bit later and headed to the gym, where he changed into his workout clothes and went straight to the beach.
Looking at the piles of trash, he vowed that when he had the money, he would clean up this place. For now, it was his training ground, lacking a better option.
While Midoriya trained until almost dusk, he didn't notice the darkness that began to envelop the area, nor the strange black birds circling in the sky.
The sound seemed to muffle, and a cold wind stirred. Izuku blinked in confusion; he felt strange, as if he were numb. He ignited his aura to make that sensation go away, but the atmosphere still left him bewildered.
"What's going on?"
He heard footsteps approaching from one side, and when he turned, he saw a figure covered in black robes slowly approaching him. The feeling it gave him was wrong, as if something were fundamentally off about the figure before him.
"The scent ends here; from here, there's no other trace of him, except for you," their voice was low, with a calm and serene tone, echoing and without any discernible gender.
Eyes as red as blood gleamed behind all those layers of black fabric.
Green and red met in silence; the sunset on the horizon cast a crimson light on the surroundings, and the shadows seemed to deepen with their encounter. The wind whistled strongly, and anyone looking from the outside would see a land of blood-red and profound black.
Izuku was about to face his first major trial.
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Note:
A little challenge, does anyone know what the main genre of this story is? It is not action, comedy, adventure, etc. In the next chapter the answer!