Today was Nezu's favorite day of the year. The UA entrance exam. Oh how he loved seeing the next generation of hero hopefuls, and would always watch the camera feeds of the entrance. His main reasoning is his desire to see better in humanity. His own past makes it difficult at times, but seeing that drive to help in the younger generation helps a lot. Sadly the number of students he finds with that desire has slowly been dropping. But the ones he did find shine so brilliantly that he hopes they will be the guiding stars for the future.
Except this year something felt…. Off. He couldn't put his paw on it, but something in his gut told him today was going to be a monumental day. It also said that based on what happens will determine the future of not just heroics in general, but all of Japan, if not the world. He's only had the feeling twice before, and both times were correct, so he decided it was wiser to keep vigilant.
Sipping his favorite tea he relished in the flavor as he continued watching the feed, spotting one of his favorite types of applicants. They are always distinguishable by the simple fact they always stop in front of the UA gates before entering and just stare at the school. Most of the time it's simply someone staring in awe, but every now and then he witnesses the very thing that helps get him up in the morning. Eyes full of determination. Those are always the students that go on to do great things.
He still doesn't know why they all do that despite all his observations, humans were just hard for him to understand sometimes. Zooming in hoping to find another one of those students, his typically cheerful smile fell in an instant. Oh he found what he was looking for alright, as he was awed by just how much determination he saw in the young man's eyes. It blazed brighter than any he's seen in the past, and he used to be one of All Might's teachers.
But there was something else that made his smile disappear. A few somethings in fact. The first was the most obvious, the scars. The boy had a really nasty scar on the side of his face that not only cut into his hairline but extended down his neck into his shirt. Rubbing the scar over his eye, familiar dark memories resurfaced. His empathy for the boy grew tremendously, as he doubted that scar came from a simple accident.
The second thing was what worried him the most, and solidified his belief when it came to the scar. Aside from the determination, there was nothing else in his eyes. Not kindness, not fear, and not hatred. Just nothing. In fact, if he didn't know exactly what to look for, you could easily mistake his eyes for being dead.
What's more, the feeling in his gut amplified the moment he got a good look at the boy. It practically screamed at him to keep a watchful eye over him, that he would be central to the future.
And he wasn't one to ignore his gut feelings. So he quickly turned off the feed and started going through the hero applications. The screen changed so rapidly that a normal person wouldn't be able to keep up, but for someone like Nezu it was mere child's play. He would actually be flipping through them faster if his computer was able to keep up. It took him a few minutes to finally find the application, but it made his stomach sink.
The boy is named Midoriya Izuku, and the image that came with the application showed him that the scar was more recent. But what was worse was how empty certain parts of his file were. The only thing that remained was loads and loads of school records calling him a problem child, and about him constantly getting into trouble. If it wasn't for the fact that certain parts showed signs of redaction, he might have dismissed his feeling as just him having an off day. But his parents weren't even listed. This had never happened to Nezu before and he found it extremely strange.
Re-reading the file once more, a detail he missed the first time stuck out to him. Typically he doesn't look at the quirk on applications, finding them wholly irrelevant until they become students. Afterall, it's not about the quirk that determines hero potential, but the person themselves. But in his search for answers, he glanced at it and suddenly pieces were starting to fall into place. And he hated what was being shown.
Quirkless. The boy is quirkless
The way the quirkless are treated is very well known, and for the most part people don't care or worse, agree with it. It was easily one of the things he hated most about humanity and has worked hard to try and rectify the situation with little to no success. Changing the mindset of an entire race is no easy feat afterall.
Despite the revelation, Nezu's feeling just kept nagging more and more at him. Something was up, even previous quirkless applicants didn't have the holes in their files like this. It just screamed cover-up to Nezu, so he wasted no time doing what he could to dig up more information. Thanks to his contributions to society as a whole, Nezu was allowed access to certain government files. His anticipation rose as he found a restricted file that he was allowed access to that looked promising.
After opening the file, Nezu only had enough time to process the picture of what looked like Midoriya from childhood when a knock on his door drew his attention. "Come in." He said in his chipper voice. In a swift fluid motion he hid the file he had up on his computer and reopening the camera feed, not wanting to risk any information to spread before he had the full picture.
"Good morning Principle Nezu! How are this year's hero hopefuls looking?!" Dramatically exclaimed All Might as he came in.
Nezu flashed All Might a wide smile. "Outstanding! It looks like we might have a rather large pool of promising candidates this year." He said cheerily.
Only, it was all an act. His view on All Might has been strained lately to put it mildly. It started about six months ago when he introduced his chosen successor to him and Nezu could easily see they were a bad apple. It didn't even take a minute to be proven right when the boy spoke. His method of speaking is very aggressive and loud, and his ego shined through like the full moon on a cloudless night. The boy didn't even bother hiding his temper and violent beliefs. By the end of the meeting he was actually concerned the boy might kill an innocent when he became a hero.
And oh how he hated saying "when" with that. All Might actually tried pressuring Nezu to just accept Bakugo into UA without an exam. But Nezu believes in giving everyone a fair chance, arguing that even the recommended students still take the exam. Well All Might went over Nezu's head and pulled a few strings. While Nezu held a lot of power, he couldn't exactly say no to the government that helped fund his school. Sure he puts a lot of his own money into the school, but even then it would be very difficult keeping up standards without their help. So instead of letting his students suffer, he reluctantly gave Bakugo a spot. Though he plans to keep a very close eye on the boy, resolving himself to put up with him for the next four years. Maybe he'll get lucky and find a good excuse to expel the boy before someone inevitably gets hurt.
"Fantastic! Bakugo will need the competition if he is to grow stronger!" Exclaimed All Might as he casually walked behind Nezu's desk and joined in watching the video feed.
Nezu thankfully was able to hide his twitching eyelid at the statement. Where did he go wrong? He still remembered All Might as a student with dreams of making the world a better place. But somewhere along the way he became a spotlight junkie and put more stock in power than heart. It's been happening for years and got much worse after his battle with AFO. Not only was he pushing himself far past his limits, destroying himself in the process, but he didn't even bother looking for a more worthy successor and just zeroed in on Bakugo.
Heck he'd even talked to Nighteye after first meeting Bakugo, and he expressed concern over what All Might had become. Nighteye even begged for All Might to meet his protege Togata Mirio, a very worthy candidate in Nezu's opinion, but turned it down at every turn. Nighteye is still All Might's biggest fan, but it's becoming apparent that his faith in him has been shaken.
With a quick glance of the camera feed he breathed a silent sigh of relief when he spotted the familiar green black hair walking into the auditorium. With his fixation on power, All Might is one of the last people he wanted to take notice of Midoriya. And with the boy's scars, he was hard to not notice. For now, he'll keep being his usual friendly self with All Might in hopes of getting him to reign in Bakugo. It was too late to stop him from giving Bakugo OFA anyways. As soon as All Might leaves his office he will go right back to digging up more information on Midoriya.
earlier at UA front gates*
"It's finally the day. No more waiting around. No more holding back." Blandly mumbled Midoriya as he stared up at UA, ignoring all the strange looks he got. This is his first time seeing the place in person. He'd dreamed of this moment for so many years, and he expected to be more excited than he felt. Well, that part of him no longer existed. It died that day ten months ago. Now he just felt ready to get the next four years over with so he can achieve his long term goal.
Walking through the gates he could hear quite a few people whispering about his scar. While he wasn't used to it all yet, he far preferred it over what people would usually say about him. It even came with the added bonus of people generally leaving him alone. There are a few stray Karen's that bitch about him scaring their precious babies in his day to day life, but he didn't care..
As he made his way through the courtyard he would take subtle glances at the other applicants, taking stock of their quirks if he could and creating plans to take them down should they become his classmates. He was too focused on sizing up his potential antagonists; he failed to notice the crack in the ground. At least not until he tripped on it. He readied to do a tuck and roll back into his feet when he felt something hit his back and his momentum suddenly stopped.
"Sorry about using my quirk on you, I didn't know you were going to catch yourself. I just thought it'd be bad luck to fall on such a big day!" Said a cheery feminine voice.
Looking at the source, his expression completely unchanged, he took note of the brunette with a Bob cut giving him a cheery smile and holding her backpack straps with her pinky stuck out. A quick glance at said pinkies he spotted what looked like pads, he figured they were the source of her quirk and quickly deduced she had a five finger contact quirk, explaining the slap on the back.
After quickly analyzing her quirk and looking for possible weaknesses, he took the time to really get a good look at her. He had to admit she was really cute with slightly chubby cheeks, what looked like a permanent blush, and a radiant smile. Though the thought left him as quick as it came. He didn't have time to be thinking about stuff like that, he has more important things to do than drool over someone who most likely would have just tried to step on him instead if she knew he is quirkless.
That being said, he wasn't going to be a jackass unless given reason. "Thanks, I appreciate it." Said Izuku with no emotion. "The exam starts soon, so we should get inside." He said as he started walking off, leaving her a bit stunned after she saw his scar. When he reached the doors he glanced back, noticing she got out of her stupor as she started jogging inside.
The written portion of the exam ended up being more difficult than he expected, but still felt he did well. While he had no idea what they had in store for them, he knew he would destroy any challenge they threw at him and he played with the objects in his pocket. The simple act brought him some comfort, knowing they will play a big role in the show he planned to put on. That was all he did while waiting, as he leaned back in his chair just ready to get it all over with.
Eventually the lights shut off as spotlights shined on the stage where Present Mic rose from the floor. "Can I get a yeeaaahh!!!?" Yelled Present Mic trying to hype up the room. Only to get dead silence in return.
Midoriya mentally chuckled at the flop, it seems the voice hero wasn't the best hype man. Despite his relaxed appearance, he was extremely nervous. Barely paying attention he continued playing with the objects in his pocket, trying to calm his nerves. While he had complete faith that he can handle the robots Present Mic was talking about, he worried if his plan was futile.
Either he didn't realize it sooner, or he just refused to think about it, but he was concerned they would still reject him. Sure they changed their rules to allow quirkless students, but that didn't mean the people accepting students aren't still bigots. Well it didn't matter now, he was here and would show them what he's capable of. If they reject him, then all he'd have to do is adjust his plans.
"…And you there!" Yelled a blue haired boy from the audience, before a spotlight shown on Midoriya pulling him out of his head. With an unimpressed look he simply watched the guy as he glared at him. "If you aren't going to take this seriously and pay attention then just leave! You're distracting the rest of us!" He yelled.
Strangely enough, Izuku wasn't even bothered by the boy's words. Seems he was far too beyond the point of even giving a shit. "Last I checked you aren't in charge here, so don't give me orders. And if you are so easily distracted, heroics isn't for you. If you lose focus in a battle it could cost you your life and the lives of those you're trying to protect. So maybe you should let someone more capable take the spot you're vying for." Replied Izuku deadpan, leaving the entire room speechless. He actually found the boy opening and closing his mouth like a fish very amusing.
Seeing the situation potentially further devolving, Present Mic decided to get things moving again. "All right listeners, calm down! And thank you for calling in your request number 7111! The fourth robot is actually worth a whopping Zero points! So it's more of an obstacle to be avoided!" He dramatically declared, successfully getting everyone's attention back on him.
"Y-yes, thank you." Stuttered the blue haired boy as he gave a 90 degree bow, still obviously reeling from Izuku's words.
From there the presentation went on as normal, including another attempt from Present Mic to hype up the crowd, only to be met with more silence. Izuku only paid enough attention to know what he needed to do, making him fail to notice the worried looks he was getting from a certain Brunette.
The drive over to the test site wasn't anything special, Izuku simply munched on several candy bars and downing some water he brought with him. He'd need it for what he was about to do.
As Izuku got off the bus at the test site, a snickers bar hung out of his mouth as he was amazed by how big the mock city was. He figured they had a large budget, but this was far beyond his expectations. It actually excited him a little.
With the Snickers bar slowly disappearing into Izuku's mouth as he mindlessly ate, he analyzed the competition. Most seemed like the typical cocky 18 year olds thinking they were hot shit, but there definitely were a few strong ones among them. As he scanned the crowd he spotted the Brunette that helped him earlier doing some familiar breathing exercises. Since he was a firm believer that one kind gesture deserves another he made his way over to her, his last 2 water bottles in hand.
Well he tried before a hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Looking back with an unimpressed look, he was greatly disappointed seeing it was the blue-haired teen.
"That girl looks to be mentally preparing herself, are you trying to distract her? Were you put here to…" started to lecture the blue haired teen before Izuku smacked his arm off his shoulder.
"Now you're accusing me without proof? Let's hope the court systems are smart enough to actually investigate when you arrest an innocent person." Responded Izuku, walking off before the boy could reply, so he failed to see the shocked look on the blue haired boy.
When Izuku made it to the girl, who apparently didn't notice what just happened, he wordlessly stuck out one of the water bottles in front of her. The girl, obviously not expecting the action, jumped a bit and looked at him quizzically. "Drinking water can help calm the nerves." He said blandly.
She was instinctually going to decline the offer, only stopping short as she finally got a good look into his eyes. The lack of emotion and their dull look concerned her, but there was something in there. She couldn't quite identify what it was, just that it hurt to see for some reason, yet provided some small sense of comfort at the same time. "O-oh, thank you." She said as she grabbed the water bottle and was surprised by how cold it was. It felt like it just came out of the fridge, so maybe he has an ice quirk? As she took a few gulps, not realizing how thirsty she actually was, it really did help calm her nerves.
"No problem. You helped me, I'm just returning the favor." Said Izuku before walking off.
Uraraka was about to try and stop him when Present Mic's voice caught her attention. "AND GO!" He yelled, everyone sans Izuku looked up at him. "What are you waiting for!? There's no countdown in real life!" He yelled amused as the applicants started realizing the gate was opening.
As if watching a tidal wave, Present Mic watched as more and more students realized what happened and ran into the mock city. Yet one very strange thing caught his attention. The green haired boy from the presentation was just standing outside the mock city looking towards the gate. What he saw next he would remember for years to come.
earlier in the staff viewing room*
"Mmmmm seems like we have a lively group of applicants this year." Said Midnight sensually as she watched the video feed outside the test sights.
"Just keep your hands off them please. We really don't need another student stalker." Replied Snipe half teasing, half chastising.
"Hey, I never touched that girl! How was I supposed to know she was crazy!?" Shot back Midnight.
"We're not trying to victim blame here. Just that you tend to take your teasing too far, so we can see why she thought you loved her." Added Powerloader gently, hoping to deescalate the situation.
"I'm afraid I have to agree with them Ms. Midnight. We're not admonishing you, just asking for you to tone it down." Said Nezu as he walked through the door.
"Fine." Pouted Midnight as she crossed her arms. If she was being honest, she knew she'd pushed the limits too far and silently decided to visit the girl in the psych ward she's being held in. She quickly glanced in Nezu's direction when she caught movement in her peripherals, noticing him carrying a somewhat thick folder. "Whatcha got there sir?" She asked curiously.
"Oh, just an applicant's file I'd been looking through. I'm rather excited to see their performance." He responded chipperly. The statement sent chills down several teachers' spines. It's rare for him to take interest in any one student, but when it does, it usually meant they had to deal with two mad geniuses.
Yet some teachers who knew Nezu a bit more personally picked up on the very subtle nuances. Usually the rodent was very open about those he took an interest in, yet for some reason he chose words that kept their identity hidden. Most figured he had his reason for doing so, yet one teacher hated being left in the dark.
"So which one is it, and what should we expect?" Asked Aizawa, as he got out of his sleeping bag, surprising the other teachers.
Before Nezu could respond, someone else spoke up first. "Indeed, who is this person? If you're interested, they must be very skilled. Maybe they could be the push young Bakugo needs." Said All Might in his skinny form.
Every teacher in the room had to suppress a groan at the mention of Bakugo. They've all already had the displeasure of meeting him, and none liked his attitude. They were still very confused on what All Might even saw in him. Their dislike of both All Might and the boy became worse when Nezu informed them about the forced enrollment. The only saving grace was that Aizawa agreed to take him on in his class after Nezu asked since he wouldn't put up with any of that crap and could easily shut Bakugo down if need be.
Nezu felt a rage deep inside him as he heard All Might speak. He almost wished that he could go back in time to stop what he had read in the folder in his lap. His rage was so great he couldn't fully contain it as he gripped the folder tightly. Something a few teachers noticed and took note of. When Nezu gets that furious, big things are gonna happen.
"There are more future heroes that we need to assist than just your friend's child All Might." Said Nezu, trying to sound chipper but couldn't keep the slight clip from his tone.
All Might being the meat head he is, didn't notice Nezu's tone, and unknowingly decided to add more fuel to the fire. "True, but young Bakugo will be the best of us all, so we should provide him as much assistance to get there as we can."
Nezu was mere milliseconds away from risking everything to turn around and chew him out. If it wasn't for Present Mic's voice coming through the speakers, starting the entrance exam, he very well would have. For now, he had to keep an eye on Midoriya.
After the usual confusion of the applicants and their usual scramble to get inside the test site, Nezu spotted Midoriya in the crowd, not moving a muscle.
"Hey, it's that kid. Seems he's determined to mess around til the bitter end." Said Powerloader, gaining enough of Nezu's attention to notice he was looking at Midoriya as well.
"What do you mean?" Asked Nezu confused.
"Oh he submitted a form for a support item a couple weeks ago. But it was too ridiculous to take seriously." Casually said Powerloader, immediately feeling a sense of dread. He instantly knew something was up by the annoyed glare Nezu was sending his way.
"And why haven't I been informed of this sooner?" Asked Nezu.
Feeling like his very life was in danger, Powerloader went on the defensive. "Because it was impossible to take it seriously! It says he has…" he tried to say, only to stop when another teacher grabbed Nezu's attention, silently thankful for the small miracle.
"What are those in his hands?" Asked Ectoplasm.
"They look like… vials?" Answered Snipe as he zoomed in on Midoriya, giving them a closer look.
Nezu took a quick glance at the teachers, seeing Midoriya had their undivided attention. The wide eyed and slack jawed expression of All Might didn't surprise him, and neither did Aizawa hanging in the back, seeming to scrutinize the number one hero.
Then it happened.
"What the fuck?!" Came Present Mic's voice over the intercom. A quick glance at the camera showed said hero revealed he too was watching Midoriya through some binoculars.
Midoriya had crushed the vials in his hands, not only spilling the powder that seemed to be inside, but shredding his hands as blood appeared to pour from them. He then threw whatever powder and glass was in his hands up in the air on each side of him.
Everyone was completely inraptured as the particles in the air stopped moving. Suddenly the powder, glass, and blood on the ground started moving back towards Midoriya, and the particles in the air shot back towards his hands. They were in awe at the display as everything started to take shape, making what looked to be a pair of boots and gauntlets. Then without a word, Midoriya slammed his hand on the ground where a little bit of the powder remained. Without missing a beat, Midoriya slowly raised his hand, now looking like he was pulling the most sci-fi sword any of them had seen out of the ground.
"I've gotta admit, the kid has a knack for theatrics. That is one of the most badass things I've seen in a long time." Came the voice of Present Mic, sounding very impressed.
For the most part many agreed, none of them wanting to look away to see what he had in store for them. What they didn't expect was for Midoriya to turn into a blur, leaving behind a trail of footprint shaped holes.
"Powerloader." Said Nezu evenly.
Said teacher immediately started sweating profusely as he was brought out of his awe by his boss's terrifying voice. "Y-yes sir?" He stuttered out.
"We need to have a long talk after the exam is over." Said Nezu, his tone never changing.
"R-right." Replied Powerloader dejected. He knew he messed up, so he would take his punishment like a man. For now, he wanted to see what Midoriya could do. Maybe snipe him for the support course.
The only one not keeping a close eye on the feeds was Aizawa, as he was watching All Might ever since Midoriya was revealed to everyone. Sure the boy put on a good show. But that's all it was, a show. What really caught his attention was the number one oaf and Nezu.
All Might was never subtle, so seeing his shock was easy enough a child could notice. But why is he shocked, and what was his connection to Midoriya? What's more is Nezu was acting weird, even for him. While he knew their relationship was strained, Aizawa spotted something that spoke of more. Being one of the more perceptive heroes, he was one of the few that could spot Nezus tells. And Aizawa was able to spot a tell that only happens when he is furious. Nezu, All Might, Midoriya. There was a connection there, and he was going to find it. For now, he had to see if this Midoriya kid was able to put his money where his mouth is.
A quick glance at the monitors showed that yes, yes he could.
Back at the Mock city*
'Is this really all there is to it? I could have defeated these things without my gear.' Thought Midoriya as he yawned while slicing through a 3-pointer and a 1-pointer with his sword that was now sheathed in electricity in a single blow.
If he was being honest, he was expecting more. Since his performance he'd been on the warpath, leaving many destroyed robots in his wake, as well as adding a few to his gear. After hearing exactly what they were facing, Midoriya couldn't help but feel like karma was finally paying him back. It had actually been his plan for weeks to upgrade his equipment as he went, but the robots made that excessively easy.
You see, Midoriya wasn't using a quirk. No, he was using a one of a kind support item, something he's only had for a few months, but one that drastically changed the power balance.
Nano-bots.
That's right, he has nano-bots flowing through his body. They are so tiny, they can actually destroy and reconstruct on a molecular level. He could even break down those very molecules to their base forms. For instance he can turn water into oxygen and hydrogen, then use those components and add them to something else. So as long as he has the molecular materials, he can create anything.
That's why he was only able to make his speed boots and crush gauntlets, as well as a sword that looked cool, but really was just a very sturdy sword. That's all he had the material for. Didn't want to go all out from the start. Have to prove he can adjust on the fly after all. But they decided to give them robots to fight, and that played to his strengths perfectly.
After his initial creation he rushed into the city like the rest, seeing a wave of destroyed robots in the other students' wake. As tempting as it was to use them for material, that wasn't the plan. He needed to show he could operate on his own without any help. So he quickly dashed down the street, and stumbled upon a two pointer about to attack another applicant from behind. So he sliced off the tail in one fluid motion, followed by a swift punch, destroying the body.
Now he could have used the full robot to upgrade his equipment, but that wouldn't show the full range of his skill. So he only grabbed a fistful of random components, told the other applicant to watch their surroundings, and dashed off. He had already decided to upgrade his boots first. They upped his speed, but offered nothing else. So he started making the boots extend up his legs. He didn't get enough components to fully upgrade them, but enough to be safe enough to deliver a devastating round kick to the 3- pointer that tried to shoot rockets at him.
Using the nanobots, he was able to safely extract a rocket from the robot, already coming up with ideas. He settled on splitting the rocket between his gauntlets and boots. If he was being honest, the idea was born out of spite. When he encountered another 3-pointer just around the corner, he delivered an open-palm strike to the body, and set off an explosion. He had actually developed the explosion so only the robot took the brunt, while his gauntlets took care of any recoil.
To him this act was symbolic. He had received such attacks many times, now as a quirkless man, he simulated the very attack that tormented him for years. Having no doubts that Bakugo will make it into UA, he was showing the staff he could do the exact same thing he could. Now it was time to show he could do more.
With the components from the newly destroyed robot, Midoriya finally finished his planned upgrades to his boots; they now extended half way up his thighs and now looked a bit bulkier, yet still keeping a sleek design.
This upgrade was three-fold. The first was a massive boost to his jumping power, which he used to leap on top of one of the buildings in a single bound. The second was an increase to power, he used this to deliver a strong push kick on a one pointer he found on said roof, kicking it over the edge. The last was a special component that stored a variety of chemicals.
After he got a good look around to look for the best cluster of robots he could find. Quickly making his way to the location, he leapt off the edge into the center of a makeshift park filled with several robots and delivered a devastating axe kick on a two-pointer, ripping it in half. He then went straight into a round kick on the nearby one-pointer, only this time it was accompanied by another even bigger, more intense explosion. It was loud enough that it could be heard through the entire mock city. To say the one-pointer was eviscerated would be an understatement as there were only chunks of smoldering metal left.
Pausing for a couple of seconds, Midoriya allowed several of them to charge him before he leapt on a three-pointer in the middle of the group. When he slammed his feet onto the three pointer, a large spray of acid in every direction came out of his boots, landing on all the robots that charged him, melting their circuitry and defeating them.
Being made by UA it wasn't surprising that several of the robots didn't blindly charge, making Midoriya compare this to basic gang tactics. The overconfident meatheads charge in, while the smarter ones hung back to keep an eye on the situation. Unfortunately for them, he knew how to capitalize on most situations. Since the damage to the components doesn't matter, he stabbed the sword into one robot, and summoned a wave of nanobots to break down the robots he destroyed. Upgrading his gauntlets, he extended them to his shoulder to give him enhanced strength, while the sword was made much larger, and now glowed bright white from heat. With a single 360 swing, he cut through the remaining robots like a knife through butter.
With the robots dispatched, Midoriya effortlessly held the massive sword out with one hand. Having proved he could do big attacks, it was time to show he knew that they weren't to be constantly used. With that in mind, he cooled and severed the blade, letting it fall where it may, making sure to keep all the components he needed for this next creation.
Which after it was made, confused the heck out of the watching staff as all he seemed to be holding was a mechanical sword hilt. All except Powerloader who had been practically drooling at not just the capabilities of the nano-bots being shown off, but the creations themselves. They were all so technologically advanced, he wasn't even sure how a couple of them even worked. So he was eager to see what this new device was.
He was not disappointed.
With his new creation in hand, Midoriya ran to a spot he remembered seeing more robots. As soon as he saw a line of four robots in an alleyway, he had to question if some power up high had reversed his abysmal luck. "Well, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth." He mumbled to himself as he activated the device. Suddenly the device projected lightning in the vague shape of a sword.
To ensure his device and skills were shown off, Midoriya opted to not increase speed. Instead he ran down the alley, ducking under a swipe the one-pointer in front made before slashing at it. It didn't cut the robot, but the weapon sent so much electricity it short circuited the robot, and left black scorch marks directly where the "blade" sliced.
Thanks to the device being light, Midoriya was able to easily readjust momentum, so despite the two pointer trying to strike while he was mid swing, he moved to block the attack with the "blade". Which due to it being made of electricity, ending with the robot being fried.
After the robot stopped moving, Midoriya placed his palm on it, and started using some of it to upgrade his gauntlets further. Using said upgrade immediately, he shot a large blast of air at the defeated robot, sending it into the on-pointer directly behind it, destroying it in the process. And while the robot was still in the air, Midoriya leapt over the last one to the street right behind it. Mid jump he pulled at the base of the device, revealing a throwing knife, as he was overhead the remaining three-pointer, he threw the knife, piercing the robot in the head. Only for it to suddenly be racked with electricity, defeating it instantly.
If Midoriya was being honest with himself, he was actually enjoying himself. For too long he's had to hold himself back, and for once he was able to go all out in ways he never dreamed possible. So off he went, continuing to defeat robots, trying to use as many different gadgets as possible to show off some of his repertoire. Even if some gadgets seemed more of a downgrade from one's previously used. But hey, he believed every tool has its own unique purpose.
a little bit later in the staff viewing room*
"Nezu?" Called out Powerloader, his eyes still glued on Midoriya.
"Yes?" Replied Nezu, watching over fifty different camera feeds at once while still keeping a close eye on Midoriya.
"If that kid isn't enrolled, I'm quitting and getting a job at whatever school he does end up going to." Said Powerloader, getting a chuckle out of his boss.
"Well considering he's already earned 77 points, and the exam is only half done, I'm sure he's more than earned a spot." Said Nezu jovially, his previous anger put on the back burner as he watched the exam. Plus with the performance Midoriya is putting on, there was no way in hell he'd let him slip through the cracks.
Well Nezu's jovial mood came crashing down when All Might decided to open his mouth again. "What!? You can't enroll him! He's…." He started before this brain caught up to his mouth and shut him up. But the damage had already been done.
Every teacher turned to All Might, even Powerloader ripped his eyes away to look at the hero incredulously. "But you were just arguing that he could be what helps Bakugo get stronger, and his performance has been top tier. Why are you suddenly against enrolling him?"
"He's right. In fact, if he keeps up his current pace, he might even break the current record. At which point we'd need to provide a damn good reason to not enroll him, otherwise the HPSC will be down our necks trying to figure out why." added Vlad King.
"Everyone, we will discuss this matter later. For now, our job is to watch the feeds to spot potential diamonds in the rough. Powerloader, I don't mind you keeping an eye on Midoriya, as I believe your technical knowledge will be needed for said discussions. As long as you don't forget to rewatch the footage later with Midoriya cut. We still need your expertise when it comes to certain quirks." Said Nezu evenly, but with enough of an edge to send chills down the staffs' spines.
"Yes sir!" Everyone sans Aizawa said slightly afraid.
That scene really gave Aizawa pause. He'd seen Nezu angry plenty of times, but never at a time like this, and usually he could keep it better hidden. So his alarms were blaring like a Present Mic in his ear. What's worse was All Might. He had never seen such conflicting emotion on the man's face before. He could see sadness, fear, confusion, anger, and even a touch of guilt. But why? He'll get those answers, he just had to be patient.
One thing was for sure though, Midoriya would be in his class. Normally applicants power through the exam, using the most simplistic strategies. It made sense since they were untrained, so he only cared if they acted stupid and/or reckless. Midoriya on the other hand was demonstrating a good level of skill, and even restraint. Both of which he valued more than raw power. But there was something that nagged at him, something off about Midoriya, and he had a good idea of what.
"So what exactly is Midoriya's quirk? You and Powerloader made it sound like what he's doing isn't his actual quirk." Asked Aizawa.
"Come to think of it, that's true. I admit I didn't give it much thought since it's hard to believe he's doing any of this without a quirk." Added Thirteen.
"That will also be discussed at a later time. This isn't the place for that particular discussion." Said Nezu, his voice leaving no room for arguments. This was enough to silence everyone, and to tell them all something major was up. So for now, they all just went back to watching the feeds, giving commentary about any other student that piqued their interest.
After seeing that everyone returned to their duties, Nezu wordlessly hopped off his chair, and started making his way to the big red button that stood alone in the center of all of the monitors.
In the mock city*
Midoriya was starting to feel nervous. Why? He had no idea. He believed he was doing well in the exam, and was already resigned to possibly being rejected because of his quirklessness. But something felt off. Like something was happening that would cause him nothing but headaches. What was worse is it worried him that he hadn't seen the zero pointer. At the very least he expected to hear someone scream about it, so it was more than a little worrisome.
As if answering his fears, when Midoriya used a grenade filled with liquid nitrogen to freeze an enemy before shattering it, the ground suddenly started shaking violently. Midoriya watched in both awe and fear as a massive robot emerged from the ground, rising higher and higher until it towered over the buildings. It actually annoyed him that they would use something so dangerous in an entrance exam.
With the entrance exam all but forgotten, Midoriya quickly made his way towards the zero-pointer as many of the other applicants ran scared. While he did consider them cowards, he couldn't blame them either. Something like that would require a ton of power most people his age didn't possess. Besides, he was here to ensure they escaped safely anyways.
While Midoriya did receive many strange looks for running towards the danger, he didn't care. They were still better than the looks his classmates used to give him. As soon as he got close enough he heard something that made his blood run cold.
"Help! Someone please help!" Yelled a vaguely familiar female voice.
Looking in the direction of the sound, Midoriya could spot someone through the clearing dust cloud. Without wasting a second Midoriya booked it, barely registering the blue-haired teen from earlier running by him in the opposite direction.
Thinking on the fly as he didn't have much time till the Zero-pointer reached the girl who he guessed was pinned since she hadn't moved. Spotting a nearby downed robot an idea came to him.
Using the nano-bots Midoriya dismantled all the gear he had except for the boots that he just downgraded to simply provide speed, support, and jumping power. He used all the components he took and used them to create a bigger bulkier machine on his right arm. He then used it to further add to the arm. The thing looked monstrous with a drill for a hand and pylons sparking with electricity.
With a massive leap, putting him level with the zero-pointer's head when he reached the apex. Activating the arm, the drill started rotating at over 6,000 RPM and he drove the arm as deep into the robot's head as possible. Seeing as robots aren't people and don't die from headshots, the zero-pointer tried to swipe at Midoriya, only for him to push off the base of the arm, removing it completely and dodging the attack.
Well, mostly. As he was removing the arm, he pressed a button he made inside that would set it off exactly two seconds after removal, giving him enough time to get to a safe distance. Well that two seconds was too long as the zero-pointer managed to clip his legs, not only injuring him, but destroying the boots in the process. Less than a second after the hit, electricity shot from the embedded arm straight into the zero-pointer. Despite the thing's size, Midoriya made the arm more than strong enough to fry its circuitry.
Even in the seemingly bad situation, Midoriya wasn't worried in the slightest. He knew what remained of the boots was enough for him to make new ones to land safely, albeit painfully.
Except someone had their own plan in mind. Just as Midoriya had started to put his focus on creating new boots, he felt a slap to the face, and a familiar feeling of weightlessness. Due to his resolve to never put up with mistreatment again, he instinctively came close to throwing a punch at whoever hit him. At least until he saw who it was.
It was the same girl as before. The brunette he'd interacted with twice today already. She was right there in the air with him, on top the body of a three-pointer. Finally processing that neither of them were falling and looking to where he saw the girl he was here to rescue before, all the pieces fell into place for him. She was the one he was here to save, and now she was saving him in return.
Normally something like this would have brought him to tears. But while he was thankful for the act of kindness, he firmly believed she wouldn't have done anything if she'd known about him being quirkless. Still though, he wasn't about to just up and leave. He had to ensure the girl was alright. So using a chunk of the three-pointer the girl was on, he made a basic pair of metal boots with propellers on the bottom. While he would rather have made rocket boots, he currently didn't have the materials for fuel. Thankfully the propellers were plenty to get both him and the girl to the ground due to their weightlessness.
As soon as the two got close to the ground, Uraraka put her fingers together. "Release." She groaned, releasing her quirk just in time to throw up as the announcement of the exam rang.
"You ok?" Asked Izuku, confused on why a quirk that made people float also made the girl throw up rainbows and sparkles. Quirks are weird.
"Yeah. Yeah I think I'm good." She said after spitting out the last of the vomit. She was about to get off the three-pointer, forgetting about the pain in her ankle when Midoriya stopped her.
"Your ankle is swollen. Let me help you get to a staff member so you can get that looked at." Said Midoriya as he offered her a shoulder to lean on.
"Nononono! There's no need for that, I can get there on my own!" She said frantically as she rapidly waved her hands in front of her and her blush deepened.
"*sigh* Accept the help or don't it's no skin off my nose. But do you really think it's wise to risk hurting your ankle further? Is your pride worth potentially causing permanent damage?" Asked Midoriya sounding annoyed.
Uraraka was shocked into silence by Midoriya's words. Looking at her swollen ankle, she realized he was right. This wasn't the moment for stubborn pride, or for avoiding embarrassment. It really wasn't worth risking her future. "Y-you're right. Thank you for knocking some sense into me." She said as she accepted Midoriya's help.
"It's no big deal. I'm used to dealing with stubborn people." Replied Midoriya, trying to wave off the praise.
"Still though, you saved me from the zero-pointer, and even worried about my well-being. I think that's worthy of thanks." Said Uraraka with a giggle.
"*sigh* I'm not winning this one am I?" Asked Midoriya Rhetorically.
"Nope." Said Uraraka proudly with a large smile.
"You really are stubborn." Grumbled Midoriya.
"Then it's a good thing you're used to dealing with people like me." Joked Uraraka with a laugh. It was strange. Normally she was more reserved with people she didn't know, but she felt oddly relaxed with Midoriya.
What Uraraka didn't know was her simple kindness toward Midoriya was really throwing him off. He really didn't know how to act as he wasn't used to her pure simple warmth. In fact, any warmth he received from his parents paled in comparison. But he just knew it was temporary. Odds were that he was never going to see her again, and even if he did, he knew her opinion of him will change the moment he reveals his quirklessness. He had to admit though, with her warm personality, she'd make an amazing hero.
It wasn't long before Recovery Girl was spotted handing out gummies to other applicants. As soon as the two walked up they had her undivided attention. "Oh dear, that looks bad. Here, set you down and I'll take care of it." She said in a grandmotherly tone.
Without a word Midoriya gently sat Uraraka down, and as soon as she released him he started to walk away.
"Hang on Sonny, I was told you took a hit, so let me look you over." Said Recovery Girl, stopping Midoriya in his tracks and and horrifying Uraraka. She'd seen how hard of a hit he took and was mentally cursing herself for forgetting he likely had broken bones.
In response Midoriya simply used the nano-bots to revealed his legs to be perfectly fine. "It will take more than that love tap to slow me down." He said plainly.
"I can't force you to stay, but at least take some gummies and seek medical care if you notice anything feeling off." Sighed Recovery Girl. Normally she would be more insistent, but Nezu already warned her not to push him and that he would explain later. Seeing the look in his eyes, she knew there was a harsh story there, so she considered it a win when he nodded and accepted the gummies and popped them in his mouth before walking again.
Uraraka was at a loss for words, still surprised to see his legs perfectly intact, so when he started walking away, she panicked a little. "Hold on, can I at least get your name?" Called out Uraraka before she even knew what she was saying.
"Midoriya Izuku." Said Midoriya without missing a beat.
"Well thank you Midoriya. I'm Uraraka Ochako. I hope we both get in, but if we don't, I look forward to working with you as heroes." She said without an ounce of hesitation.
Midoriya stopped walking when he heard Uraraka's words. This was the first time since his diagnosis that someone spoke with absolute certainty that he'd be a hero. Looking back at her, determination was clear on her face, and her eyes spoke of faith in her words.
"Yeah. Me too." Said Izuku gently, with more emotion than he's spoken with in months that wasn't anger. He continued his way out of the mock city as a single tear rolled down his cheek.