Chapter 3: The Cyber Grind

"Izuku, I have taken a selfie with the funny rock."

"Mr. Gabriel I think you need to lay off Instagram for a while."

Welcome back my friends and so soon too. I really wanted to get this chapter out before the end of the week since I'm going on vacation next week. Once I get back next Saturday business will resume as usual. Before we start though I'd like to address some concerns regarding Ibara. Some people (rightfully so) have pointed out that she is rather one-dimensional personality-wise. I fully intend to correct this by giving her own an expanded and more interesting character. I'm completely creating her character from the ground up, more like adding on to what's already there.

For those who aren't too keen about the ship, all I can offer is that it won't be the main focus of the story. It still will be a major part of Izuku's and Ibara's character, so if that's enough to turn you off then sorry boss. I'm going to include disclaimers for chapters that are heavily focused toward their relationship, so if you like the story but want to skip the ship that will be how.

Other than that I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Five months.

That's how long Izuku had been learning under Gabriel since his fateful meeting with the Archangel. Five long and grueling months of the most intensive physical training Izuku had ever experienced in his life. All the All Might workout routines in the world could not hold a candle to the sheer intensity of Gabriel's regiment. If Izuku wasn't visibly on the verge of collapsing on the ground Gabriel made sure the next day was ten times worse. If not for his superhuman abilities the teen was sure he would've dropped dead after the third week.

It started out simple enough, bench a column here, sprint around the temple there, things Izuku somewhat anticipated. However, by the end of the third week, Gabriel deemed the greenette worthy of increasing the difficulty of his exercises. Instead of lifting one pillar, now he had to do three at a time. Rather than running around the temple, Izuku now had to run halfway around the Moon then back. That wasn't even considering the flying lessons, which were by far the most difficult part for the middle schooler.

He managed to master the basics of hovering and light flying fairly quickly, much to his excitement and his mentor's approval. However, whatever newfound confidence he had in his flying ability was quickly shattered. It was only a matter of time before Gabriel deemed Izuku ready to escalate his flying exercises to a more advanced stage. Now instead of simply bringing himself up to higher elevations, Izuku now had to fly at breakneck speeds. It certainly didn't help the middle schooler's anxiety when his mentor introduced a timer to his courses.

What started out as ten minutes quickly became less than two with each passing lap Izuku completed. That wasn't considering Gabriel also decided to introduce hazards in later courses, further upping the challenge of each lap. There were well over a dozen occasions where the new angel face planted into the ground or spiraled out of the air because he lost concentration. Of course, Gabriel wasn't heartless, he made sure that Izuku was not injured during any of his falls. Before promptly ordering the green haired teen to try again once he was sure Izuku was unharmed.

Despite the mercilessness of Gabriel's training, Izuku had never once backed down or gave up, no matter how much his body protested otherwise. Through sheer will alone the greenette pushed past the aching of his limbs and soreness of his muscles. Every time he fell, he picked himself back up and tried again even harder than last time.

Though Gabriel said nothing, he would not lie about the pride that would envelop his being whenever he saw the determined look in his student's eyes. The Archangel had also noticed the subtle shifts in Izuku's demeanor during the five months. The green haired teen stood straight and tall rather than his usual slouched and submissive posture. Gabriel could also see the fruits of his training in Izuku's physique. While not bulging with muscles, the beginning of his lean build defined the middle schooler's figure well enough.

It was also one of the many things Izuku had to explain to his mom when she began to notice the changes herself.

*Three Months Ago*

Izuku stepped through the front door with a tired sigh, Gabriel's lesson today had drained whatever energy school hadn't already taken. Taking off his shoes, Izuku couldn't wait to drop onto his soft mattress for the night. Though he'd have to convince his mom why he was skipping out on dinner before he could.

In an attempt to throw off her suspicion Izuku had begun eating every time Inko offered. Of course, it did nothing for him, but it pleased his mom and that was all Izuku really cared about. On several occasions he thought about revealing his new heritage, however the greenette could not conjure a single scenario where that would end without Inko passing out. Though he did feel somewhat bad about feeding his mom half truths, Izuku promised himself that one day he would reveal everything to her.

'Huh, I don't smell anything. I wonder if she's working late again.' The teen angel idly wondered as he wandered into the living room. 'Or not.' Izuku paled somewhat slightly as he came face to face with Inko, who appeared as though she was waiting for him. 'This probably isn't good.'

"Hey mom." Izuku gave an awkward wave to the woman.

"Hello Izu, how was your day?" Inko politely responded.

"Was alright…is something wrong?" Nervousness laced each syllable that left the teen's mouth.

"No–no! I just…would like to have a talk with you." She quickly corrected with a waving motion.

"Ah–ok." Izuku gulped anxiously. Whenever someone said they wanted to have a talk it usually never meant anything good. He took a seat across from Inko, his foot tapping against the ground rapidly.

"So Izuku I've noticed some…changes with you these past few months." The green haired woman trailed off.

"H-have you now?" The angel stuttered, feeling his nerves spike dramatically. 'Oh no did she figure out I was lying to her?! I didn't say anything, unless–of course! She probably noticed my irregular eating habits or heard me mutter in my sleep!' The greenette's mind raced.

"Yes and there's nothing to be ashamed about, I knew this would happen sooner or later." Inko continued seriously.

"You did?" Izuku gained a look of confusion. 'Did Mr. Gabriel reveal himself to her? If so, why didn't he tell me?' He pondered, wondering just how his mom figured out his secret so quickly.

"You're a growing boy, Izuku so you're going to experience some…changes to your body…" The matriarch trailed off before clearing her throat and continuing. "Ahem, I'm sure you've learned about puberty in your health class. But I still think it's important we discuss this in case you are confused about anything."

"?!"

If the middle schooler could see himself he'd be treated to the sight of his green eyes practically bulging out his skull. The realization of what his mom was actually talking about evaporated whatever response Izuku had ready. He could almost feel the gears in his head grinding to a halt at the sudden curveball Inko threw at him. A part of Izuku wished that Inko was talking about his angelic blood rather. It would be a lot less embarrassing than discussing puberty with his mom.

"Like I said there's no reason to be ashamed it was bound to happen. Frankly I'm unsure of how to handle it either." Inko admitted, ignoring the fish out of water expression on her son.

"I–bu–huh?!" Said teen stuttered, unable to form a single coherent word.

"But I'm willing to lend whatever ear you need to help you through this difficult time." The woman trudged on, nodding to herself and completely oblivious to Izuku's flushed demeanor.

"I don't–wha–" The green eyed teen continued to jumble his words together.

"Let's start with the basics; you'll start to notice hair growing in places that weren't there before." The elder Midoriya furthered her, too informative in Izuku's eyes, explanation. "Places like your chest, legs, armpits, and…down there."

"MOM!" Izuku shouted, his face glowing red with embarrassment. "I know what puberty is, I've just–um just…" Wanting nothing more than to end this discussion, the teen wracked his brain for any excuse he could give. "I've been training! For the entrance exam to U.A!" A half truth, he just didn't mention all the other parts.

"T-training?" Inko gained a bewildered expression, not expecting such an answer.

"Yeah, I–uh decided if I wanted to get into U.A I'd need to put some effort into making myself more physically fit." The greenette replied while rubbing the back of his hair sheepishly. "Since you know I got my quirk recently I figured I'd need to work extra hard." Another half truth, one that didn't sit well in Izuku's heart. He so desperately wanted to reveal everything, but he just couldn't, not now.

"Ah I see." A glint of worry appeared briefly in her eyes before it was blinked away. "Just…promise me you'll take care of yourself, Izuku. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Don't worry, mom." Izuku got up from his seat and made his way over to the woman, wrapping her in a firm embrace. "I promise, I'll take care of myself and become a great hero. Like I always said I would." He shot her an encouraging smile as he pulled back.

"I know you will sweetie." Inko smiled, happy tears welling up in her eyes. "I know."

*Present Day*

Izuku hadn't noticed at first, but he later came to realize that his mom was right, and a lot had changed since the day he met Gabriel. Other than the obvious changes to his body, he began to notice that his school and home life had also experienced adjustments. The almost dead silent nights that used to occupy the Midoriya residence were but a distant memory. No longer was there the awkward tension that seemed to strain every conversation mother and son had. It was a welcome change for both Izuku and Inko.

The same could somewhat be said for the green haired teen's school life as well, though not nearly as prominent. The majority of the whispers and insults that were thrown his way had tampered off. Sure, some students, usually lower level, threw a couple of remarks here and there but it was nothing compared to the torment Izuku had faced before. Even Bakugo had seemed to lay off for the most part. Of course, the bombastic blonde couldn't help but let a few threats through his teeth whenever the topic of U.A came up.

All things considered Izuku would count it as an improvement compared to the last decade of his life. Plus, the soon to be high schooler was making quite the progress towards being ready for the entrance exam. With five months down and only five left, Izuku was confident that he would be ready by then.

If only Gabriel would summon him already.

'Mr. Gabriel is never this late, I wonder what's the hold up?' Izuku idly wondered, sitting on one of the park's benches while sketching in his notebook.

The elder angel had drilled into the greenette that time was an important factor that would not be wasted needlessly. If he was so much as a minute off the armored man would ensure to make up for every second that wasn't spent training. So, it was a bit concerning when after an hour of their usual meeting time Izuku remained on his Earth.

'I hope everything is ok.' The middle schooler let out a sigh, closing his notebook. 'Last time he seemed really annoyed. Something about councilors, I think.' He recalled with a frown.

Whatever worries the green haired boy may have had were disintegrated when he felt the familiar warm sensation envelop his body. Like so many times before in the blink of an eye and a golden flash, Izuku was gone from his world once more. However glowing forest and ruined temple were not what greeted Izuku's green eyes. Instead, he was on some kind of platform, out seemingly in the middle of space. The only visible thing the greenette could make out were a large group of gray cubes that formed a huge square. That and some kind of retro arcade machine that Gabriel was currently fiddling with.

"Good you're here, let us begin immediately." The metallic voice of Gabriel broke Izuku from his thoughts. The angel remained in front of the machinery, tapping the screen several times in rapid succession.

"What is this place?" Izuku asked in amazement, walking toward his mentor.

"This is the next step in your training." The armored warrior turned to look at his pupil. "Welcome to the Cyber Grind."

"Cyber Grind?" The teen tested the words on his tongue.

"A highly advanced simulation, repurposed for the use to train angels when they've reached higher classes in the academy." The Archangel explained promptly to his student. "It can also be used by other soldiers to sharpen their skills further without risking their life."

"So what is it exactly? And how does it work?" Izuku stood beside Gabriel, staring at the terminal screen with interest.

"This terminal allows for a wide range of modes that can be used. I'll be using the horde function, where you will fight waves of enemies until you cannot continue." Gabriel explained, showing the function of the machine. He pressed a button before adjusting the slider that appeared on screen till it was about a quarter of the way. "Lucky for you the difficulty will remain at a lower level. For now."

"Alright seems simple enough." The younger angel nodded in understanding.

"Good, now make your way onto the grid." Gabriel turned back to the terminal while nodding towards the cluster of gray cubes.

"Yes sir!" Blue wings materialized as Izuku jumped from the platform, using the momentum to glide onto the grid with ease. "So how is this going to work, do I get to like practice or warm up first?" The teen shouted up at his mentor.

"Ha ha. No." The armored angel chuckled before bluntly answering. "Don't worry though, your combatants won't be able to seriously harm you. It'll just hurt. A lot."

"Y-yeah ok." Izuku gulped, not at all liking the borderline evil laughter that left his mentor's mouth.

Before he could voice any concerns the ground beneath the teen began to shift, nearly causing him to lose his balance. Using his wings to steady himself, Izuku watched in complete awe as the gray cubes began to rapidly move. In a matter of seconds, the flat grid had been morphed into a rudimentary arena. There were several small towers lined along the edges with steep ramps and staircases making up most of the middle. Connecting the slopes together were low walls that were barely taller than Izuku himself. Standing in the center of the arena Izuku heard several loud, laser-like noises around him.

Quickly looking around, green eyes observed how several bright blue flashes appeared across the field. Izuku was able to identify five individual flashes, three closer to the center with the other two at the edge. The middle schooler quickly began to form a plan on how best to take down his opponents without getting overwhelmed. However, his thoughts came to a halt when the flashes disappeared, revealing the robotic creatures.

The three closest to Izuku were humanoid in shape, with a long angular head that had two slits on both sides of its head. A long black cloak that was covered in bronze armor made its body, hazard stripes over its chest and arm pieces. Two exhaust ports and a red fuel tank were connected to the machine's back. A long, thick cable connected the tank to a gun shaped object that was held in its hands. Low, robotic breathing as though it was breathing through a gas mask could be heard coming from its head.

The two other machines were not nearly as intimidating, being no bigger than a camera that news anchors often used. It was completely purple, save for the glowing pink eye and lines that could be seen over its body. There was a single exhaust that emitted a low white fire from its back, causing it to hover in the air.

'What are these things?' Izuku thought in both wonder and cautiousness. 'They look so advanced, could these be some of the Machines Mr. Gabriel was referring too.'

Caught in his own thoughts the teen failed to notice that the robots had already begun to move in rapid fashion. The three humanoid figures quickly approached, aiming their weapons at the angel with malicious intent. Izuku could not have foreseen that a great stream of fire would burst from the barrel. Giving a yelp of surprise the middle schooler quickly used his wings to fly backward away from the flood of flames. Unfortunately, his reaction was a bit too slow, causing his left shoulder and forearm to be slightly scorched by the heat.

"Streetcleaners are some of the more adaptive Machines there are. They will take advantage of any weakness they detect, no matter how small." Gabriel called out to the boy with a flat tone. His arms crossed over his chest as he critically observed Izuku from the top platform.

"Y-yeah I-I think I got it!" Izuku shouted back, hissing in pain from the burning sensation of his left arm. Glancing down briefly he could see that his pale skin was now covered with a new angry red color. 'Ok, just a surface burn, nothing too bad.' With a powerful flap of his wings the greenette flew higher into the sky, noticing how the Streetcleaners seemed to follow his direction but not react. 'They don't seem to have any range options, so it's probably best if I keep my distance and–'

*Bang*

Before Izuku could finish his thought he was suddenly struck in the back by a powerful force. Letting out a grunt of pain, the angel in training began to spiral in the air before slamming his back against one the towers on the edge of the grid. A loud thumping sound was heard as Izuku slid down the structure onto the ground.

"Ugh…"

A groan of pain escaped the middle schooler, blinking away the blurriness of his vision to see one of the purple machines looking at him with its pink eye. Green eyes widened when said optic began to fill with an orange energy. Using the ground as a backboard, Izuku quickly sprung from his downed position. As he flew to the side he could see three orange projectiles burst from the machine's eye.

"Drones are simple minded in their programming but can be quick enough to dodge your attacks if not careful." The armored angel shouted down once more. "They're also highly explosive."

"Explosive huh?" The middle schooler mumbled, dodging another volley of projectiles. 'If that's the case and those ones use flamethrowers…' A plan soon began to form within his mind, one that would ensure to capitalize on both Machines' weaknesses.

Nodding to himself, Izuku flew through the air with great speed, dodging the fire of the Drones while also corralling the Streetcleaners. Using one of the towers as covered, Izuku waited until he could hear the sound of an approaching Drone. With lightning quick reflexes, the greenette flew over the structure, snatching the machine out of the air. Being far stronger than it, Izuku forced the machine to point its optic at its fellow companion. Unable to recognize the change of target, the Drone shot its three orbs from its pink eye without any hesitation.

By the time the second Drone recognized the projectiles were rapidly approaching it they had already struck the robot. Three medium sized holes suddenly appeared through its purple plating and pink optic. Before the machine could even process the damage it had already begun to descend from the air. Landing on the ground a small explosion, scattering metal and wires across the gray ground.

With the only other ranged enemy taken out, Izuku swiftly jammed his hand into the front of the drone he was holding. Letting out a yell, the teen ripped out the machine's pink eye, crushing it in his hand with ease. Using his wings to propel himself higher, Izuku reared his hand back before throwing the robot with all his might at the Streetcleaners. Said machines had cluttered together underneath Izuku, waiting for the boy to eventually get within range of their flamethrowers. Unfortunately for them, the Drone that Izuku threw crashed into the ground with its own explosion. The blast was enough to ignite the tanks on the back of the Streetcleaners, causing a chain reaction of combustion.

"Well done, Izuku." Gabriel praised from the upper platform. "Despite encountering these machines for the first time you adapted quickly. Quickly identifying their shortcomings and using it to your advantage."

"Thank *huff* you, sir." The younger angel panted, adrenaline beginning to wear off.

"Allow me to offer you some advice before we continue." The Archangel said, staring down at Izuku's form with indifference. "The Machines are relentless, so you must be even more ruthless. Speed, aggression, and quick thinking will serve you well, if you find yourself on the defensive then you are losing the battle." Gabriel offered plainly, his experience showing in his words alone.

"Yes sir! I'll do my best!" Izuku resolutely promised, ignoring the stinging sensation of his left arm and back.

"Let us really begin then." Gabriel smiled pridefully behind his helmet.

With each passing round the satisfaction within the armored angel grew as he watched his student tear apart each machine. The greenette had really taken his mentor's words to heart, ending his opponents with swift, decisive action. Not only that but Izuku managed to do it with such creativity that Gabriel was somewhat convinced his student didn't even need a weapon. Even when said teen was damaged he continued to fight with unparalleled ferocity that one would not expect from him.

The ever changing environment, projectiles shot by machines, or even the robots themselves were all used effectively. Using a tower to propel himself faster to take out a drone in the air, having a Streetcleaner torch its own ally, or throwing a Drone like a bowling ball to trip other machines were but a few examples. Even with the increasing number of enemies Izuku never let up his offensive approach. Gabriel could see not a single move was wasted; everything had a purpose to it. Whether it be setting up for a group annihilation or gaining more momentum to outpace the machines, Izuku made sure everything he did would be useful.

"Good –very good, Izuku." Gabriel praised, watching as his pupil smashed the last Streetcleaner. "I believe it's almost time to call it here, consider this last round your final test for the day." The Archangel moved toward the terminal, slightly adjusting the slider upward before activating the simulation once more.

Izuku ascended into the air when he felt the ground beneath him begin to shift once more, his hands twitching as he prepared him to attack at a moment's notice. The cubes rapidly rearranged themselves, forming one of the more interesting arenas. While all the others were dynamic, this one was fairly plain. Four staircases were formed, leading to a medium sized tower that made up the center of the arena while the edges remained flat.

As quickly as the battlefield formed, so did the forms of the machines begin to materialize, Izuku noticing that there were nine flashes this time. He could easily identify the five Streetcleaners; however, the other four machines were new to him. The first pair were fairly small white and gray insect looking robots.. Its body was shaped like that of a harpoon gun, being carried by a set of thin, sharp legs. A metallic claw was placed inside the launcher, a green light glowing from the slits at the base of its body.

The second pair were similar to the Streetcleaners in body shape but lacked the black cloth and bronze armor. Instead, Its metal body could be seen quite clearly, with a dark gray chassis covering the internals of the machine. Two glowing red slashes acted as the robot's eyes, which immediately locked onto Izuku's flying form. Though this set of machines carried no weapon of any kind, it was clear that the metal fist it had could deal just as much damage.

Without wasting a second, lest he add another injury to his body, Izuku flew toward a Streetcleaner that had materialized at the edge of the arena. Unfortunately, a tight, clamping engulfed his right leg, quickly looking down he could see that the new machine's claw had snared him. With robotic strength the robot pulled its barrel shaped head, causing the cable that connected to the claw to yank Izuku out of the air. With a yelp of surprise, the greenette couldn't fight the sudden pull, leading him to crash into the center of the arena.

Seeing how their opponent was incapacitated the Streetcleaners and other two humanoid machines converged on his location. Chiding himself mentally for not being more aware, Izuku hastily ripped the claw from his shin. Unfortunately for him, a Streetcleaner had already made its way to his position, pointing its flamethrower at the teen's face. Using his superhuman speed, Izuku quickly dashed over to the robot, grabbing the barrel of its weapon. The action caused the trajectory of the flames to fire harmlessly in the air,

Applying his strength, the weapon was then ripped from the robot's hands before it was thrown off to the side. Not relenting his aggression, Izuku seized the machine by its neck, slamming it into the ground. Its angular head bent under the force, causing several sparks to fly. Out of the corner of his eye the greenette could see a pair of Streetcleaners approaching from his left.

"Ragh!" With a mighty yell, Izuku lifted the body and threw it at the approaching machines.

The first nimbly dodged to the side, avoiding the makeshift projectile, the other was not nearly as lucky. The sound of metal scraping against metal was heard as the two collided into a set of tangled limbs. Not caring for its comrades' plight, the first Streetcleaner continued to charge forward, shooting a jet of fire at Izuku. The green haired teen was more than prepared this time, swiftly dashing to the side out of harm's reach. Once the flames had stopped flowing, Izuku burst forward in a great show of speed. A pale hand reached out and grabbed the head of the machine, crushing it into a crumbled pile of metal with ease.

Before the body could even fall onto the floor, the rest of the Streetcleaners had surrounded Izuku, all ready to burn the angel to ash. Keeping a level head, Izuku waited until he could see the beginning of the flames coming from their barrels. Blue wings spread wide before flapping powerfully, sending the green haired teen soaring into the air. Unable to adjust their aim, the four beams of fire were sent towards the motionless body of the destroyed Streetcleaner. Almost immediately the tank on its back ignited, creating a powerful explosion that wiped out the four machines.

'I hate those things.' Izuku thought while briefly catching his breath.

*Shhink*

The sound instantly set Izuku on high alert, his angelic reflexes kicking into gear before he could even process what he was doing. His body twisted midair, dodging the claw that nearly brought him down to the ground once more. Seeing an opportunity present itself, Izuku grabbed the retracting cable. Using both hands, the middle schooler pulled with all his might, ripping the restraining machine from the ground.

"Hagh!" Izuku grunted, using the robot as a makeshift flail to bash the other insect looking machine.

The metal between the two smashed together, creating a loud banging sound that echoed across the arena. Not satisfied, Izuku brought his arms back before swinging the robot in an overhead arc onto the other machine. Now an indistinguishable pile of scrap, the angel let go of the cable. Before Izuku could so much as take a breath he was suddenly struck with a heavy weight that seemed to attach itself to his back. Metallic arms wrapped around his throat and painfully gripped his green locks, putting him in an ironclad headlock. Naturally Izuku's own arms shot out to pull at the robotic limbs that were currently trying to choke him out.

"Let me go!" The middle schooler shouted.

With a visceral yell he ripped the arms from his neck before throwing his attacker over his shoulder. The machine crashed to the ground with a sharp crack, but otherwise looked no worse for wear. Seeing firsthand how powerful this one was, Izuku decided that keeping it off balance was the best form of attack. Descending feet first, he landed roughly on the machine's chassis, further embedding it into the ground. A foot was raised with the intent to crush the robot's head into pieces. However, Izuku would never get the chance as he was tackled by the second new machine.

Knowing that if he was forced onto the ground he would be at a great disadvantage, Izuku's wings flared as he took off into the air. The machine remained relentless, still clinging to the teen with unhuman determination. A metal hand attempted to grab Izuku's neck, but it was quickly knocked away by a pale one. Izuku tried to counter with a grab of his own, but his wrist was caught by the machine. Man, and metal engaged in a midair grappling battle, with the former spiraling constantly in an attempt to gain the upper hand.

Eventually the greenette was able to successfully seize the machine by its metallic throat after expertly twisting his body through the air. Its hands attempted to pry the digits off, but Izuku's grip remained ironclad. Digging his other hand into the chassis for leverage, Izuku began to pull. The sound of creaking metal was heard as the middle schooler yanked the machine's head clean from its body in one fluid motion. Throwing the body and head to the ground, fierce green eyes locked onto the final machine, which had managed to right itself once more.

Landing on the ground with a powerful gust of wind, Izuku confidently strode toward the robot, an aura of resolve radiating from his form. The robot attempted a haymaker toward the teen's face, but its fist was caught easily. With ease the joint was snapped before the entire metal limb was ripped from its socket. Uncaring about its damage another punch was thrown, which was met with the same result. With no way to stop him, the angel shoved his hands into the machine's chest piece. Using the last of his strength and with a loud shout, Izuku ripped the robot clean in half.

"Hah…hah…hah…" Izuku huffed, dropping to his knees as his adrenaline finally wore off for good.

"Ha ha! Amazing! Simply amazing!" The boisterous laughter and clapping of Gabriel triumphed over the heavy breathing of his student. "Now that is the power of an angel!"

"Thank…*pant* thank you *pant* Mr. Gabriel." The younger angel acknowledged with a grateful, tired smile.

"Tethers and Specters are no easy enemies to dismantle, yet you handled them perfectly and with the viciousness they deserve." The Archangel's wings sprouted from his back, allowing him to descend onto the grid. Which had begun to revert back to its original flat structure. "And all without using your Light or a weapon."

"It was a tough battle, but I followed your advice Mr. Gabriel." Izuku stood up shakily, his body reminding him of the many injuries he sustained. "I tried being fast and aggressive."

"Don't be so modest, my pupil. You handled yourself better than soldiers who have actually seen battle." Gabriel waved away the greenette's attempt at being modest. "You have more than proven you are ready for the Cyber Grind. We must merely refine your style of combat." A comforting armored hand was placed onto the boy's shoulder.

"Alright, sir." Izuku smiled, his heart fluttering from how much his mentor was praising him. "I'll continue to work even harder."

"That I have no doubt, Now hold still." The armored warrior said before drawing his hand back, keeping it hovering above Izuku's chest.

A light, golden glow appeared within the angel's hand, which began to envelop the teen's entire body. The feeling of being submerged into warm water was felt by Izuku, earning a blissful sigh from the boy. HIs aching muscles and stinging sensation of his burn and a few cuts seemed to evaporate with each passing second. Once Gabriel pulled his gauntlet away, Izuku stared in amazement as his injuries seemed to have vanished as though they never existed. In fact, the greenette felt even more energized now than he did when he first began today's training.

"Woah, what was that?" Izuku asked, staring at his now burn free arm. "I–I feel great, even better than when I first started."

"The Father's Light has many uses, one of which is to cure injuries. While I'm not as proficient as experienced healers, I believe I'm more than capable of dealing with a few cuts and a burn." Gabriel explained, watching his amusement at his student's awed expression.

"Thank you, Mr. Gabriel. I feel much better now." The middle schooler sincerely expressed his gratitude.

"Think nothing of it, I need you in your best shape if we are to continue using the Cyber Grind." The Archangel replied back easily. "Speaking of, I believe it is time we end your training for the day. Tomorrow we shall continue where we have left off." The angel turned away, flying back toward the terminal as Izuku's form was covered with golden energy. "Until next time, my pupil."

"See you tomorrow, sir!" Izuku called back before he was transported back to the park bench once more.

For a moment the teen remained seated, basking in the rays of the sunset that shone onto his freckled face. His mind began to wander, thinking of how his life had changed so much in just five months. Despite the grueling physical labor that he endured, Izuku couldn't help but note how much happier he's been. Maybe it was because his relationship with his mom was beginning to repair itself or maybe it was from the lack of bullying he's had to endure. Both were valid answers, but neither could hold a candle to what Izuku thought was the main reason.

He was finally making progress on his dream of becoming a great hero, undeniably real progress. Sure, he may have applied to U.A before he found out he was an angel, but a part of the greenette knew that it would amount to nothing. He was quirkless with nothing to make up for it other than his knack for analyzing quirks. But now Izuku had a real chance, he was faster, stronger, and could fly with equally quick speed.

'I'll become a great hero now, one that will protect everyone with a smile on his face.' Izuku thought with hardened resolve. With his dream attainable now, the teen would stop at nothing to achieve it. 'Just watch, one day I'll make sure everyone feels safe just because I'm there.' The middle schooler promised to himself, standing up from the bench and beginning his walk home.

…

'Ah, man how am I gonna explain these tears in my clothes to mom?!'

"Izuku what is a Ruby Rose?"

"We can't say for copyright reasons."

Sorry Kurama087 this is strictly Ultrakill x MHA.

How do you guys like the new Machines I came up with? There were only a few to choose from (not counting V2) and I want to save the Swordmachine and Sentry for next chapter as a final test before the entrance exam. I based the appearance of Tethers (Lesser Machine) and Specters (Greater Machine) from Titanfall 2 enemies. Also, as a bit of fun on your part and a chance to get a shoutout, can you guys comment names for angels? I'd much rather not refer see what you guys come up with than just using a website to generate it. The only names that are excluded/won't be counted is Azrael and Michael, they might appear later ;)

Next chapter: Flesh vs Steel