The two classes stood at the edge of Training Arena C, a specially designed battleground for ground-to-air combat. The arena was flanked by eight towering columns strategically placed along the edges, designed to provide height, cover and obstacles.
As the students waited with fervent anticipation, All Might bellowed out the first combatants. "Our first match will be between Tenya Iida and Hanta Sero!" The two students stepped forward, taking their positions on opposite sides of the vast battleground. With a powerful swing of his arm, All Might signalled the commencement of the fight. "BEGIN!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Iida quickly activated his engines, unleashing an explosive burst of power that sent him hurtling forward with the ferocity of a speeding bullet. His body became a blur of motion as he closed the distance between himself and Sero in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a dazzling trail of sparks that illuminated the arena with a display of his incredible speed.
Sero wasn't one to be caught off guard so easily! With a keen eye and sharp reflexes, he managed to anticipate Iida's attack and narrowly evaded a powerful right hook that had been aimed at his jaw. Using his quirk, Sero fired tape from his elbows pulling him out of harm's way, barely escaping the blow by a mere hair's breadth.
Recognising the effectiveness of maintaining a higher position, Sero formulated a plan to capitalise on that advantage. By staying above Iida, he could force his opponent to come to him! Although Iida possessed incredible speed and mobility on the ground, aerial combat was a considerable challenge. His quirk wasn't designed for the air, leaving him at a huge disadvantage when it came to bridging the gap between himself and Sero.
Undeterred, Iida's mind raced, searching for a solution to overcome these evasive tactics. There had to be some way to turn the tables! But the absence of anything like a ramp meant launching himself skyward would be no easy task… Without a suitable vantage point, his jumps alone fell short of what he needed.
Sero felt a surge of confidence coursing through his veins. Seizing the opportunity to press his advantage, he extended two elongated strands of his tape from his elbows, anchoring them to the ground on either side of his agile classmate. Pulling on the taut strands, he propelled himself forward with his legs fully extended, generating a tremendous surge of momentum that rocketed him towards Iida.
With his target in sight, Sero unleashed a forceful kick directly at his opponent! Unluckily for the tape hero, Iida knew the attack was coming. At the precise moment Sero's foot was about to connect, Iida executed a precise turn, spinning on a dime and evading the strike with impeccable timing. In a display of remarkable precision and agility, Iida jumped, extending his own leg outward.
With a battle cry of "ENGINE KICK!", Iida's leg connected with unyielding force, striking Sero squarely in the face. The impact was nothing short of devastating, propelling Sero across the arena like a ragdoll. His body crashed into one of the towering columns with a thunderous impact that reverberated through the arena. Clouds of dust and debris billowed into the air.
"Tenya Iida is the winner!" All Might announced with his trademark enthusiasm. "Young Sero!" he yelled across the arena to the crumpled body on the opposite side, "Should we get Recovery Girl?"
After a moment, Sero gave a little wave from amidst the rubble and shouted back, "Nah, I'm good…". Meanwhile, Iida couldn't help but feel remorseful for his victory, apologetically bowing to his opponent again and again.
With the battle concluded, All Might turned his attention to the rest of the class, their eyes fixed on the explosive bout they had just witnessed. "Wonderful!" He exclaimed, "Would anyone like to share their insights on how our young friends can strive to make improvements?"
Momo Yaoyorozu, respectfully, raised her hand and wasted no time in sharing her thoughts. "There seemed to be an issue with confidence levels on both sides of the fight," she observed. "Iida appeared to stumble when Sero took to the air, as if he had resigned himself to being incapable of aerial combat. It's a noticeable flaw in his quirk, and his opponent quickly recognised and took advantage of that."
Iida nodded in acknowledgement, a bashful tone to his voice. "Yes, it is quite an embarrassing flaw," he admitted humbly. "But it's one that I hope to remedy, to become a more well-rounded hero."
All Might turned to the class, seeking their input for Iida's training focus. "Astute observations, young Yaoyorozu!" He commended. "Any suggestions for an area where young Iida could concentrate his efforts?"
Without missing a beat, Yamashita from the support course shared her ideas on the matter. "We could design a support item that redirects the engines to a different angle, specifically aimed towards the ground. That way, he might be able to gain some height." She proposed, casually activating her quirk and summoning a banana, which she nonchalantly started to eat.
"Yo, this chick has banana powers?!" Kaminari blurted out in amazement.
All Might nodded, acknowledging the value of Yamashita's suggestion. "A support item could indeed prove to be a valuable resource!" He affirmed. "Additionally, I would suggest focusing on honing your acrobatics and climbing skills. I can see at least six different ways you could have climbed the pillars surrounding the arena."
Eager to keep the conversation flowing, All Might turned the attention towards Sero's performance. "And what of young Sero? Any insights on areas where he can make improvements?"
"He got too cocky, ribbit. Sorry Sero," Asui remarked, a hint of empathy in her tone.
Sero, taking responsibility for his actions, didn't shy away from admitting his mistakes. "No, you're totally right!" He confessed. "I saw what I thought was a perfect opening so I went for it without really thinking. It was a stupid move, thinking I could go for close combat. I should have strategized and attacked from a distance."
"I can only apologise for the force of my kick, the momentum of both our speeds may have made me a tad overzealous." Iida said.
Still nursing the giant lump on his head, Sero brushed off the apology with a casual response. "Nah, don't sweat it, dude! I wish I could say it's the first time I've been kicked across a room…"
Turning his attention to the support students, All Might struck a dramatic pose and boomed "Alright folks, let's hear some genius ideas to enhance young Sero's combat skills!"
Izuku pondered the question, and thoughtfully answered. "Hmm, maybe we could come up with a way for Sero to gather a ball of tape in a container, then he could shoot it out as a projectile."
"Like a tape bomb!" Mei helpfully added.
Kazutani also added his perspective, "We also have to do something about those dreadful shoulderpads, they make you look like a Digimon. Do they serve any practical purpose, other than hindering your arm movements?"
Slightly embarrassed, Sero sheepishly admitted, "uh… no not really. I just thought that they looked kind of cool…"
"Buh," All Might stuttered, "LET'S MOVE ON! Our next fighters, Ashido and Todoroki if you please!"
—
While the training session moves along, it's time to check in on everybody's favourite teacher! No, not Snipe… Eraserhead!
Perched on the edge of a building in Musutafu City, Eraserhead sat cross-legged, phone in hand. "You haven't heard anything at all?"
The bright sun was at his back, but even so, the intensity of the day was causing some discomfort to his sensitive eyes. It had been a gruelling 36 hours since he last slept, but at least the migraine he had been nursing was starting to ease. Or maybe he was just ignoring the pain.
On the other end of the line, Mt Lady's voice chimed in, "Naw, nobody using any forks that I've seen. Super weird question though, how did you even get this number-" Eraserhead abruptly ended the call, and rubbed his tired eyes with his palms.
"This is getting me nowhere." He muttered to himself, standing up and stretching. For the past day and a half, he had been scouring every seedy nook and cranny for any clues or hints of crimes involving cutlery.
The closest lead he had stumbled upon was a wealthy investor named Dakamoto, who had been discovered dead in his office with four puncture wounds on his neck, like they came from a fork. However, a DNA analysis had indicated that he had been alone in the room. The police were close to ruling it an accidental death, due to the wounds being similar in size to the needles the deceased could fire from his wrists.
Eraserhead couldn't help considering the possibility someone else had removed any traces of another person's presence. Sometimes a room could be too clean. There was another peculiar aspect to the case: Dakamoto's two top security officers, who were supposed to be present at the party he had hosted, had mysteriously vanished. According to records, they had taken an impromptu trip to Europe together on the day following the event. Nobody had heard from either of them since.
Other heroes operating in Musutafu had been little assistance. Along with Mt Lady's lack of help, he'd gotten nothing from Death Arms, Kamui Woods, or Edgeshot. He'd even succumbed to asking the skateboard hero 900 if he'd seen anything, but the kid just called Eraserhead a dweeb and did a 540 heelflip away from him. If the heroic community wasn't getting him answers, it was time to get into the underbelly.
—
"No freaking way, man! Seriously, I swear, that's everything I know!" The skull faced man screamed, suspended like a bat from the rafters of the dimly lit warehouse. His body was tightly bound in bandages, twisted around a sturdy beam. It was Eraserhead, with an impressive grip, who held him in that precarious position. While he swung back and forth with a slow, ominous rhythm, Eraserhead fixed his eyes on the desperate man, wearing his typical deadpan expression.
"This is all small time information you've given me, Skullcap. I'm aiming higher than petty crime. You always know something. Or would you prefer I tell your parole officer about your little side gig? Counterfeit wristwatches could put you in Tartarus…" Eraserhead taunted, a faint smirk dancing on the edge of his lips.
"H-hey man, we're friends, right?! You wouldn't do something reckless like that to me, would ya? But seriously, I'm telling you the god's honest truth! I'm as clueless as a newborn baby when it comes to cutlery! Now can ya do me a solid and LET ME DOWN?! My head feels like a tilt a whirl!" Skullcap pleaded, equal parts desperate and confused.
Without a word, Eraserhead slowly released his grip on the bandage he held, the tension abruptly vanishing, causing Skullcap to plummet to the floor with a thud. To add insult to injury, the impact of the fall caused his head to detach from his body, bouncing off and rolling up to Aizawa's feet. The head looked up at him with an annoyed expression.
"For crying out loud, couldn't you have been a little more delicate with the landing?!" Skullcap's headless body scrambled awkwardly out of the tangled mess of bandages, stumbling around aimlessly with outstretched arms. Eraserhead, unfazed, casually nudged the detached head with his foot, sending it rolling back towards the disoriented corpse, who promptly picked it up and placed it back on his shoulders. "Real nice of ya, Eraser…"
"Listen up, Skullcap, tread carefully. If I catch you breaking parole again, that head of yours is mine to keep." He left no room for doubt or negotiation.
"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever, man. Oh, by the way, next time you find yourself in the company of your hero pals, give that Mayhem chick a heads up, will ya? She's been the bane of my existence lately! Eight of my uh... buddies, are currently behind bars thanks to her meddling!" Skullcap blurted out.
Eraserhead, intrigued by the mention of this Mayhem character, raised an eyebrow. He had no previous knowledge of anyone of that name, but perhaps this little tidbit could lead him down an unexpected path. Without uttering another word, he skillfully deployed his capture scarf, propelling himself upwards and effortlessly making his exit through the open skylight above. Maybe this Mayhem could hold the key to unravelling a deeper mystery.
—
"Mayhem? Yeah, that rings a bell!" Detective Omasuba exclaimed, leaning back in her chair. She rummaged through the chaotic mess of papers on her desk, swiping a stack and sending them flying into a nearby wastepaper basket. Omasuba moved her attention to the keyboard that was hidden beneath the paper, and with a few keystrokes the printer hummed to life and churned out three crisp pages. Each one containing valuable nuggets of information about the vigilante known as Mayhem.
"Hope you don't mind, Eraserhead. I'm an old-school kinda detective," Omasuba explained with a playful grin, tearing open a chocolate bar and taking a bite. "I like to work analog, you know? Makes it easier to digest. And man, this case is starting to sound pretty cool! Vigilantes roaming the streets, kickin' bad guys' butts left and right! You must get to see some wild stuff, huh?"
Eraserhead opted to tune out Omasuba's enthusiastic rambling. He wasn't exactly thrilled that she had been assigned to the case, but he knew he had to stay focused. His eyes scanned the freshly printed documents, searching for anything that might stand out to him.
The reports on Mayhem painted a picture of a vigilante who had left behind a trail of minor skirmishes and encounters with low-level criminals. These incidents were all concentrated within the boundaries of Musutafu. While they weren't earth-shattering in nature, they had managed to create a reputation for Mayhem in the city. The reports mentioned incidents such as busting drug deals, interrupting a mugging or two, and even some instances of scaring off a few playground bullies.
According to eyewitnesses, Mayhem was most likely a female, donning a mask with a built-in voice synthesiser. The reports consistently described her as around 5 feet 2 inches in height. But what intrigued Eraserhead the most was the constant chatter attributed to Mayhem. She talked. A lot. Every civilian interview mentioned her penchant for relentless banter, constantly delivering jabs and insults to the criminals she encountered. Could it be a taunt-activated quirk? It was a possibility.
Eraserhead turned the page, his attention piqued by a particular mention in the document. "Omasuba," he interrupted, pointing to a specific section. "I need to see the crime scene photos for this case right here." It was the only recorded instance where Mayhem had managed to take down not one, but three criminals simultaneously. The circumstances surrounding that encounter could shed some light on Mayhem's true capabilities.
Omasuba, her mouth still partially stuffed with chocolate, arched an eyebrow in response to Eraserhead's request. "Sure thing, boss." she mumbled, hastily wiping the remnants of chocolate from her lips. With a few quick keystrokes, she manoeuvred her way around the computer, eventually turning the monitor to face Eraserhead. "Got the pics right here."
The screen displayed a trio of imposing figures, two of them with their legs entangled in bolas. The images hinted at the presence of some electrifying force in the bolas, as evidenced by the scorch marks and smoky wisps surrounding the immobilised men. But it was the third man that captured Eraserhead's attention, leaving him very intrigued. The man was suspended against a wall, his wrists and ankles firmly bound by strips of wire adorned with sharp claws that were embedded in the solid surface, holding him aloft. The frozen image depicted him in a mid-run position, as if caught in the midst of a desperate motion. It was a sight that completely defied logic. If Mayhem had acted alone, the level of accuracy and precision required to execute such a capture was nothing short of astounding.
The only recent encounter that had showcased a similar level of precision had been the failed assassination attempt on his own life. If there was a connection between Mayhem and the assailant who had targeted him, he needed to uncover it.
But if there was a connection between them, why would Mayhem be trying to kill him?
—
The training session with All Might had drawn to a close, leaving the support students armed with a laundry list of new gear to build. Given the small size of the support class, the aspiring inventors were each assigned a number of students to assist. To their modest relief, this time the second-year support class would be helping class 1-B.
Izuku glanced down at the list of assignments he had been tasked with and let out a sigh of frustration. "Alright, let's see... I'll be working on Sero's new projectiles, designing an ammo belt for Kodai, crafting new speakers for Jiro, and... uh, I guess I signed up for something related to Komori, but I'm drawing a complete blank on ideas for that one, not sure why I volunteered for that…" he muttered. In hindsight, he questioned his past self's decision-making skills.
Mei smirked at her friend's predicament, tilting her head and fixing her gaze on him. "Oh, come on, Izuku. It's pretty obvious why you volunteered for Komori's project. The moment you saw her in that dress you were practically tongue-tied," she teased.
Izuku's face instantly flushed a deep shade of crimson as he stuttered, desperately trying to deny Mei's claims. "W-what!? N-no I didn't, that's not what, I'm not, she's not," His eyes darted from side to side as he waved his arms in protest, "She's not my type, honest!"
Laughing at his reaction, enjoying his embarrassment, Mei decided to push him a little further. "Not your type, huh? What is your type, anyway?" She prodded.
Izuku could feel his face growing hotter by the second as he struggled to answer. Admitting that he had a crush on someone was the last thing he wanted to do. Every word that escaped his lips only served to reveal his secret. "I-I don't know, I mean, I guess I like um... shorter girls, brunettes, I guess..." He trailed off, the realisation hitting him that he was describing Komori.
His expression spoke volumes. With a laugh, she patted her friend's shoulder. "People who can grow mushrooms all over your body and make you sneeze spores?" she teased. "Good luck, buddy."
Izuku buried his face into his hands and groaned.
A/N Lets leave off with some authors notes!
First of all, If people hadn't noticed yet: Yes, Mei plays a central role and isn't just a bystander who occasionally gets worried about Izuku doing something like 95% of the other fanfics she's in. She actually does things and enjoys it, so sue me. If you're going to shout at me in reviews at least bare that in mind. Unsurprisingly, further complaints about it are just going to make me double down.
Second of all, to the comment saying they expected izuku to be the main character because of the summary: The summary is accurate, that's what happens in the fic. Izuku doesn't want to be a hero but found out he has a quirk. I don't know what more you want from me. There are like 80 billion fics on this site, read something else.
