Review Responses;
XxCaseyxX – I did indeed promise a strong Izuku. I did not, however, promise a boring invincible Izuku. I want to make a story where a Quirkless Izuku can over come the odds using the insane martial arts of Dragon Ball, but I don't want every fight to be over the moment Izuku arrives on the scene. Also, the fic didn't immediately cut to before the Slime Villain incident for two reasons, first to show some of the training Liek is giving and the second being how he and Izuku derail canon events long before they start happening.
Some1call4MR-E – I won't say you are right… but you aren't far off the mark.
If Inko and Izuku had thought the first day was difficult, they sure didn't expect to be told that Liek expected them to after. On that first day they had not only run all the way to the outdoor gym, the teen had them do strength training exercises, a hundred push ups, sit ups, squats, planks, lunges and pull ups just to name a few of the things they had to do. And all while wearing the weighted vests which basically doubled the amount of effort they had to put in to the exercises. To top it off he made them run all the way back home afterwords. At least throughout all this he had the decency to actually perform the exercises alongside them… but much to the annoyance of the two Midoriyas this back breaking regime didn't even make him sweat.
...and then he told them he expected them to repeat the regime, weighted vests and all, every day for eight weeks. At first Inko wanted to refuse, to yell at the boy for asking too much of them. But one look at her son's exhausted face, and seeing the blazing fire in his eyes, she kept quiet. The training was brutal, but if her son wanted to be a Hero he had work harder then anyone. And she was his mother, it was her duty to support him every step of the way. So she had gone along with it.
What had surprised her was the suggestions about diet and sleeping habits that Liek made, small adjustments to their diets to promote healthy muscle growth and easier sleeping. It wasn't even that big of a change, she didn't have to adjust their meals that much, just be more conscious of ingredient choices and ensure the two of them got to bed earlier. The teen also agreed that training should be in the afternoons on school days so as to not get in the way of Izuku's studies. Inko herself would join them whenever she could, but with how her job was she was effectively trusting Liek to babysit Izuku most days.
On the weekend of the eigth week the three where making the run back from open air gym. The mother couldn't help but notice the difference, even after such a short period of time the run wasn't nearly has hard as it had been that first day. She was sweating and short of breath, but her muscles and lungs weren't burning from the exertion, and the weighted vest wasn't as much of a hindrance as it had once been. She had seen the change in the mirror as well as the scales at home. All the extra padding that had built up over the last year was gone, and she'd even lost a few kilo she hadn't been able shed since Izuku was born. She hadn't felt this fit since she was a teenager!
As the trio reached the apartment complex Liek smiled at the two and asked, "So, I sense the two of you have made good progress! But what do you two think? Are you getting fitter?"
The greenette mother nodded as she child cheered, "Yeah! I'm way faster now! And I'm not as tired from all that running!" The boy's words earned a nod from the teen and Inko had to agree, over the last eight weeks they had managed to shave a whole ten minutes off the run. Undeniable progress.
"Well." Liek smiled, "I'd say to take things to the next level then!" The then pointed his index fingers at them and blasted them with another Clothes Beam and suddenly the weighted vest became that much heavier, "There, I just doubled the weight of your vests." He grinned, "I'm also adding some harder exercises to the routine!"
Only the flames of determination in her son's eyes kept Inko from quitting all over again.
By the end of the fourth month of training things changed. As the two approached the waiting Liek, expecting more of the same training, maybe even having the weight of their vests upped again they where surprised when he didn't give his usual morning response, a cheerful greeting and a nod of his head to start running. Instead he waved at them and after the cheerful greeting said, "You two have been making great progress so far! You're both ready for the next stage of your training!" The teen held out his fist and said, "Today I actually teach you some moves!"
That revelation earned an excited holler from the child!
Before they set out the teen doubled the weight of the vests yet again and the trio ran to the same open air gym they always went to, but this time they would not be using the equipment. Once they where there they spent an hour running through some basic stances along with some punches and kicks. By the time they where done the Midoriyas where feeling the burning sensation in muscles they didn't even know they had.
...and then Liek made them do the strength building exercises and run back home.
Four weeks later he introduced two new forms of training to the Midoriyas. The first was sparring; he'd have them practice the moves and stances he'd taught them by actually making them fight either each other or himself, all the while he'd offer them equal amounts of praise when they did well and criticism when they made a mistake. As the three sparred the Midoriyas started to pick up on and learn aspects of fighting only experience could teach, such as how their own bodies moved in the particular motions of hand-to-hand combat.
But Liek didn't just make them throw hands willy nilly, he included additional instruction, things that could only be properly taught and understood while practising them. Things like the best way to move your legs, where to watch your opponent to predict their moves, how to gauge distance when attack and, importantly, how to control the amount of strength put into an attack and how to stop an attack before impact. Strength and speed, precision and control. All of these where introduced to the Midoriyas.
But that wasn't the only training they received. To their surprise instead of leading them on their usual run on the weekend, Liek lead them to the train station and took them out into a more rural areas several hours out of Musutafu and into the more rural parts of Shizuoka Prefecture. There he lead them to a small farm where a stout old farmer met them.
The man looked the Midoriyas over before giving the teenager a quizzical look, "I wasn't expect'n much from a kid from the city, but a young woman and an ankle biter? What you playin at Boy?" The man shouldered his pitchfork while giving the youth a stern but curious look.
"I can assure you, Sir, that these two will get that field ploughed for you by the end of the day!" Liek said with confidence, earning shocked and confused expressions from the two greenettes.
The farmer looked up at the sky for a moment before squinting at Liek, "By hand? Without tools? With this much sunlight left? Just these two?"
Liek gave a thumbs up, "We'll be home in time for dinner!"
"If you say so…" The Farmer shrugged, not really convinced, before walking away to tend to his other duties.
Izuku looked from his mentor, to the farmer and back in confusion, while his mother looked just as flabbergasted. The child looked over at the field that was right next to them and gawked. While the field wasn't massive it was still considerably large. And here was a little five year old being told he had to plough that field. By hand. As some form of training.
"I'm sorry…" Inko started before covering her son's ears and asked, "The fuck?"
As the mother uncovered the child's ears the teenager casually strolled over to the field and smiled at the two, "You heard right. I want you to plough this field using just your bare hands with us having enough time to take the train back to your home!" Before the elder Midoriya could protest the share absurdity of what was being asked Liek interrupted her by saying, "There is a way to do it, allow me to demonstrate."
With that the teen spun on his heel, placed the palms of his hands together with his fingers extended and interlocking together before shoving his hand into the ground. The two Midoriyas stared at him for a moment as he waited for them to take in what he'd done and then BAM! He was off like a bullet, a human shaped blur and as rushed along, his legs pumping while his hands gouged out a perfectly straight furrow in the ground.
Then, just as quickly, he carved another into the ground on the way back.
The two green haired humans could only stare in shock! This was the first time Liek had actually demonstrated any of his own physical abilities, and coupled with the knowledge that the teen did indeed not possess a quirk, neither could really process what they'd just seen. Even with that limited experience they could tell he'd been holding back, and not just for their benefit either.
Izuku, despite his young age, was already showing the signs of his brilliant, analytical mind. After witnessing Liek's actions he began muttering under his breath, although both his mother and mentor could hear him all the same. "He held back. He can definitely go faster, so why? Just for us to watch? No, that can't be it. We would still get the idea even if he went faster? Something else…?" Suddenly he thought of what happened when he rubbed his hands together, or against any surface quickly, "Is that it? What's is called? Fric-tion?"
Before the boy could ramble any further Liek interrupted him with a grin, "Spot on, Izuku! Friction is exactly why I controlled my speed." He walked over and gave the kid a pat on the head, after wiping the dirt off on his pants, "If I went too fast the friction would cause damage to everything in the soil that helps the plants grow."
"This training is to help train your speed and strength, while also keeping you mindful of controlling both." The teenager explained, "After all, a Hero can't go around punching people at full strength all the time when their full strength can level buildings." Neither Midoriya could really argue with that logic. While neither was particular enthusiastic about the training laid out before them they could see the logic to it. That and if they could manage even a fraction of the speed Liek had just demonstrated then getting home in time for dinner was absolutely doable.
It was decided that Inko would take one side of the field while Izuku took the other, with Liek providing coaching and encouragement. The work was long, the work was hard, but in the end the two managed to barely scrape by and complete their assigned task while there where still trains scheduled to get them home in time.
On the ride home little Izuku simply passed out despite the aching in all of his muscles. The little guy was leaned up against his mother's side with her arm draped around him to keep him secure on the long ride home. Inko herself looked every bit as exhausted as her son, her hair was a mess and her track top showed clear signs of sweat stains from the workout. Her hands looked no better, her nails where an absolute mess and the woman could tell she'd need a few hours at a nail salon to do anything with what was left after they'd been chipped, broken and worn down running them through the ground like that.
Across from them Liek looked out the window as the Japanese countryside passed them by. Every time the elder Midoriya looked at the young man she could help but dwell on two very different things about the youth.
The first was his looks, in the time he'd been training them he'd not been shy about showing off his upper body, often removing his jacket to allow the two to have a better view of him as he demonstrated various things. And as she'd watched she'd not been able to ignore just how handsome and well built he was. He was no giant, barely six feet tall with slender but well defined muscles. But his face shone with vibrancy, his brown hair a messy mop and his blue eyes sparkling with amusement and joy at her son's efforts and achievements. Such thoughts left her wondering if she had a previously unknown interest in younger men.
But the other thing she noticed steered her away from thinking too long about the first, that being the feeling that Liek was hiding things. A lot of things. She knew only that he was quirkless, as evidenced by a visit to a doctor that confirmed the lack of Quirk genes and the extra joint in the pinky toe that Izuku had. She also knew he wanted to help her son. What she didn't know was why, the real reason. Yes, she knew he wanted to help her boy become a Hero, but what was the motivation? What drove Liek? And why was it in moments like this, when she caught Liek in deep contemplation, did his eyes look so old?
Power Level Estimates;
Liek Galswith (Ploughing demonstration, Suppressed): 62
Liek Galswith (Suppressed, normal): 267
God of Destruction: Immeasurable
Katsuki Bakugou (Age 5): 5
Izuku Midoriya (Age 5, before training): 1
Izuku Midoriya (Age 5, current): 10
Inko Midoriya (Before training): 7
Inko Midoriya (Current): 24
(Quirkless) Farmer with a Shotgun: 5
All Might (Full Power, Prime, Uninjured): 420 (Estimated)