Here it is, another part of Symbol Of Life is here like a normal Chapter.
Review Time -
I put Reiko Yanagi in Izuku's team because she has perfect defense with her Poltergeist, and also because Ochako should try something on her own so her Deku-kun will notice her. However, her team got overshadowed completely in the second round. But Ochako will have her time to shine.
Regarding the Shie Hassaikai arc, it will remain a secret. The Hosu incident might not happen, or it might happen entirely differently. Izuku might not even get an internship with Gran Torino, and it won't be with Endeavor or Eraserhead either.
Some names may have been misspelled due to using fanfiction AI to correct grammar and spelling, which sometimes results in incorrect names.
I am rechecking previous chapters to fix these issues, including incorrect naming.
That's all I wanted to say. Reviews are always appreciated as they motivate me to continue writing.
CHAPTER 13 - TROUBLE, TRAUMA OVERCOMING
"Whattt!!!"
Izuku's eyes widened as soon as he heard those words from Shoto. He was related to the second-ranked hero, and it had been hidden from him for 15 years. He had to learn this from his classmate of all people.
Seeing Izuku's reaction, Shoto guessed that the revelation was big enough for Izuku to take. However, he didn't have time, so he started telling Izuku about the story he had heard from Endeavor.
Hearing the end, Izuku slapped his forehead and leaned against the wall with a tired sigh. "I guess that explains how mom and your mother became friends. They are practically family, and that makes her my aunt." Izuku took the news better than Shoto expected. The bi-colored-haired boy thought Izuku would go wild, but then Izuku was smart, and he wouldn't thrash without reason.
"But then... Why are you telling this to me now?? Don't tell me because your dad couldn't beat my dad, so you want to beat me and show him that you're better than him??" Izuku asked with curiosity.
Though Shoto shook his head negatively, "Did any of them tell you why my mother was admitted to the hospital?"
"Mom said she suffered a psychological trauma, and none of your family visited her since she was admitted. She didn't even know that you made it into UA."
Shoto looked down and rubbed his finger on the burned scar before he replied quietly, "This burned scar happened because she threw boiling water at me when she was traumatized by Endeavor."
Izuku's eyes widened at the revelation, but he stayed quiet to listen to Shoto.
"My father, Enji Todoroki or Endeavor, wanted to become the number one hero but couldn't because of All Might. One day he gave up and thought that his next generation would surpass All Might, which is why he married my mother, whose quirk was Frost, a quirk that can easily negate the weaknesses of Endeavor's fire quirk."
Izuku didn't need to know the rest as he already guessed the most.
"My eldest brother Toya, who was born with his fire quirk, didn't fully adapt his mother's Frost, so he was branded a failure. But Toya was too obsessed with Endeavor's dream, which led him to his death at a very young age. It was Endeavor who led him to his death."
Izuku already had the feeling that the Todoroki family was not normal, but where Shoto was going made Izuku realize why Rei became insane.
"Then comes my sister Fuyumi, who adapted mother's Frost and got Endeavor's fire quirk, enough to negate Frost's weakness, but he wasn't happy because he wanted his fire quirk to be dominant. Also, Fuyumi was a girl, which made her also a failure. Then there was Natsuo, who didn't adapt his fire quirk, so he was also a failure."
"Finally, I was born, with the perfect combination of fire and ice. Endeavor then ignored all of his other children for me, and that let Toya hate me. One day, he couldn't hold it in and attacked me with the intention of killing me, but Endeavor saved me. That night, burning with hatred and jealousy, Toya overused his quirk and burned himself to death. We were sad, but that changed as soon as I awakened my quirk, and he started to train me. My mother wasn't happy since she wanted us to have a happy childhood like others, but Endeavor never listened. After spending time with him, my left side became colder, like him, and mother thought that I would end up like him one day, and that led her into that incident. Endeavor was angry with her and had thrown her into the hospital and banned us from visiting her for years."
"I get it," Izuku said as soon as Shoto finished. "You fear that you will become more like Endeavor if you use the fire quirk—a hero for the world but a villain to your own family..."
"That is not my quirk," Shoto sneered, but Izuku shook his head negatively.
"That's where you are wrong. The fire quirk was given to you, and from the moment you tapped into that power, it became your own, and you're using it. What Endeavor did was wrong, but what you are doing now is also wrong. You are not pushing against Endeavor by not using it; you're pushing against your own growth. I saw at the cavalry battle that you almost used your fire quirk, and I know that it was your instinct..."
Izuku was interrupted when Shoto sneered, "You don't know..."
But Izuku interrupted Shoto, "I sure know. My quirk took my dad's life, and for years, I vowed to myself that I wouldn't use my quirk no matter what. And that's why I physically trained my body until it started to break, but my quirk couldn't let that happen as my body healed. If it wasn't for All Might, who I met a year ago, then I would have left my dream, and if it wasn't for my mother..."
Shoto's eyes widened as he heard the last part, and he couldn't find any answer to give his cousin.
He saw Izuku start to leave, but the verdette stopped after taking a few steps and spoke. His voice was dead serious: "You know only you and Kacchan have the potential to give me the fight I want, or I'll win the sports festival with my eyes closed. It is not arrogance, but my strength. If you don't use your left side, then I'll beat you, heal you, and beat you again until you use your full potential." Izuku's seriousness disappeared, changing into a smile. "And one last piece of advice: go and visit your mother. In fact, Endeavor started to visit her every day and always brings her favorite flower. She is happier now, but she is still lonely, and only you can fill her loneliness. See ya, we still have some time left."
Izuku ran off from the tunnel until he ran into Toshinori Yagi.
"Young Midoriya!! You didn't come to the cafeteria, so I went to find you. Where were you, and what is that look on your face?" Toshinori said, slightly worried to see Izuku's face bearing mixed emotions of sadness, anger, and frustration.
"I'm sorry, All Might, but this is something I can't tell you now. It's not about One For All or anything, but is it possible for me to meet my mom here?"
The deflated number one hero sighed at Izuku's behavior, and a part of him told him it was not his business, so he let Izuku go without any further questions.
"Izuku, dear, is something wrong?" Inko asked worriedly her son.
Izuku shook his head negatively. "Not much, but a few minutes ago I met someone who told me that we are cousins, and I've an uncle along with your friend, who is actually your relative."
Inko's eyes widened as Izuku said those words, and judging by her reaction, Izuku confirmed that Shoto was right about everything.
Before Izuku could say anything else, Inko put a hand on his shoulder and looked directly into his eyes. "Izuku, you may have questions, and I have answers for you, but it is not the time. I didn't want you to find out like this, but you did. But listen, there are reasons I hid it from you."
Izuku raised his hand, stopping his mother. The female verdette thought Izuku was too angry at her since he could have had three cousins, an uncle, and an aunt to grow up with, but... Wait... Izuku was smiling.
"It's fine, Mom. I don't have any questions, or I don't need any answers. You raised me alone, so you had your reasons. I just wanted to know if what Todoroki said was true, and that's all... But.." Izuku stopped with a small blush and a nervous smile.
"What was your maiden name?" The question startled Inko, and Izuku also knew that wasn't the time to ask it, but he couldn't help it.
"My maiden name? It was Shimura. I was known as Inko Shimura before I was married. My aunt was a well-known heroine in her time; you may have heard of The Floating Witch."
'That was my hero name,' Nana said, her jaw dropping along with Izuku's.
'Hmm... It means seventh is technically ninth's grandmother,' Yoichi said sagely.
"I see... And what's your hero name?" Izuku asked timidly, since his mother had never talked about her hero life, so she might get upset.
Though Inko didn't seem upset at the question, a small smirk appeared at the corner of her lips—a smirk that normal people would ignore, but Izuku had noticed it many times. "My hero name was Wolf. They used to say I was like a wolf who would surely get her prey without missing," the female Midoriya said with a giggle.
"Ohh... Okay... Mom... Fine... I think I should go now... I need to eat something... See you, mom," Izuku stuttered and quickly ran away, leaving Inko behind. 'All Might will faint when he learns that,' Izuku thought.
"Heyy... Even though it's a break time, we still have.. What?? Shota?? What are your students doing??"
Present Mic's eyes bulged out when he saw the girls of class 1-A coming out in cheerleader costumes with pom-poms in their hands.
"I can't believe I fell for it and used my quirk for this." Momo hung her head down as she, along with the girls, was tricked by Mineta, Hanta, and Denki for that.
"This is so embarrassing." Kyoka muttered with a deep blush on her face, not because she was wearing the costume but for the other curvy girls around her.
Meanwhile, from afar, the pervy trio was having fun, knowing it would be painful for them later.
"The only problem is I can't see Midoriya-chan anywhere, so I feel like it's wasted, Ribbit," Tsuyu croaked in disappointment, causing a deep blush to appear on Ochaco's face.
"It's the problem in your mind," Kyoka sighed.
"Oh, come on, guys! It's fun. Stop thinking too much and enjoy it!" Toru cheered, and Mina agreed quickly as they danced. One by one, the other girls also accepted their fate and did what they were tricked into.
Back to arena after break -
"YEAH LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE BACK AGAIN AFTER A SHORT YET LONG BREAK. IF YOU ARE TOO EXCITED FOR THESE YOUNG ASPIRING HEROES TO SEE IN BATTLE,"
Present Mic shouted in his usual tone, getting the crowd more pumped up for the sports festival.
"NOW FOR THE LAST FINAL STAGE OF THE FIRST YEAR'S SPORTS FESTIVAL, MIDNIGHT PLEASE SPIN THE WHEEL AND TELL US WHAT THEY ARE FACING NEXT."
"Ahh yess.. I can't wait to see what will come next and how these little things will overcome it." Midnight squealed, hugging her body and pushing her breasts upwards to give everyone a little show.
Before the R-rated heroine could spin the wheel, Nirengeki Shoda raised his hand, stopping her.
"Sensei, I want to drop out," Shoda declared, surprising most of the finalists and the students of Class 1-B. "I don't have any memories of what happened in the second round. I don't even remember which team I was on, and that's why I think I can't participate in the third round," he stated his reason.
Midnight frowned slightly. "This is naïve to think like that. You are going to sabotage your chances for the future, but... If this is what you want, then I won't ask anything."
From behind, Monoma was shouting angrily at Shoda not to retire and show Class 1-A who was better until he was knocked out by Itsuka and apologized.
"It's final, then. Nirengeki Shoda retires from the third round, and one participant from the fifth position of the second round will fill his place. Team Kendo, please decide who will replace Shoda on your team."
"Kendo"
"Kendo"
"Yeah I agree 'shroom"
Yui, Setsuna and Kinoko quickly declared Itsuka's name surprising the said girl.
"Guys!! You should at least think," Itsuka yelled at her friends. Even though she wanted to be in the third round, she didn't want to abandon her friends for that.
The other three members didn't budge from their word, so Midnight declared that Itsuka Kendo would replace Nirengeki Shoda in the third round.
The pro heroine didn't waste any time spinning the wheel, which stopped on one-on-one fight.
"It's decided. The third round of the first-year sports festival will be a one-on-one head-to-head fight. We'll have Cementos to help with it."
Cementos walked out from a tunnel, his calm and smiling face always present. "I'll provide the stage where these young, aspiring heroes can showcase their talents and try not to break it after every fight."
The cement quirk user used his quirk to create a battlefield.
"This will be the battlefield for the third round. The battle will be over if a fighter surrenders or they are thrown out of the border line, then they will be eliminated. If you get excited and use lethal attacks, then me and Cementos will stop the match immediately," Midnight explained.
Izuku raised a hand. "Sensei, I have a question."
The R-rated heroine nodded and gave permission to ask the question.
"Some of us have the ability to float or fly using our quirks, so will we be eliminated if we are pushed out from the line while levitating in the air?"
Midnight smirked at the question, sure they had a rule for that, but no one had questioned it, so the answer was forgotten for a long time.
"No wonder the principal talks highly of little brain Midoriya. Yes, your feet or any body part must touch the ground behind the border line for elimination. However, you can see that the stage is extended about a meter behind the border. If you're levitating, then any part of your body has to be outside the stage for elimination."
Midnight explained once again as Izuku nodded. The pro waited for a few more seconds to see if anyone had any more questions, but there were none, so she pointed towards the giant screen behind her.
"The computer will match up randomly.."
Izuku Midoriya vs Momo Yaoyorozu
Katsuki Bakugo vs Mina Ashido
Hitoshi Shinso vs Mei Hatsume
Tenya Iida vs Itsuka Kendo
Shoto Todoroki vs Denki Kaminari
Ochako Uraraka vs Eijiro Kirishima
Fumikage Tokoyami vs Toru Hagakure
Mashirao Ojiro vs Reiko Yanagi
...
...
"Now who the hell is Mina Ashido?" Katsuki questioned to no one and got a dumb look from Mina.
"Seriously, Bakugo? How didn't your ass get exploded even with that much ego in it??" Mina mocked, annoyed that Katsuki couldn't even remember her name, despite them participating in the previous round as a team.
Meanwhile, from the audience, Mitsuki couldn't control her laughter at some girl just mocking her idiot son without any fear.
Katsuki glared at the pink-skinned girl and replied, "Oh, it's you raccoon eyes. It would be easy." His irritated face changed into a dark grin as he turned towards Izuku, "It means I'm going to pulverize that worthless Deku in the second round".
Though Izuku heard that, he didn't give Katsuki any reaction.
"Okay everyone.. Except Midoriya and Yaoyorozu. You two have 5 minutes to form any plans to pulverize your opponent" Midnight announced.
...
...
"Yaomomo got the toughest challenger at the first round," Kyoka sighed, knowing there would be no chance for Momo to get into the next round. She would have bet on Momo even if it was Katsuki or Shoto, but there was no chance with Izuku.
The same feelings Tsuyu shared with Kyoka, but she was also worried about Mina, who was against Katsuki in the next match. "At least Momo-chan won't be hurt, but I'm not sure how Bakugo will fight with Mina-chan. He is already looking like he wants to murder someone," she spoke with some worry.
5 minutes later -
Izuku and Momo faced each other for the first match of the third round. The crowd was cheering for the verdette more than Momo, but that didn't mean Momo didn't get any cheers.
Midnight eyed both competitors, and she was slightly amazed by Momo's confident look, as it meant she would give Izuku some surprises.
"Both Midoriya and Yaoyorozu are ready. You two know the rules. Start the match."
Even though the match had started, neither of them moved first.
"Aren't you going to attack, Midoriya?" Momo asked confidently.
Izuku shrugged. "If you aren't, then I will," he charged One For All at 70% and flicked his finger to generate a compressed wind pressure.
Momo smirked as if she was expecting it, and Izuku saw that, but he decided to attack anyway.
"I've eaten a lot," she said, as her gym costume's pants were shredded below the knee, and sharp metal holders came out from her legs. She withstood Izuku's first attack, but surprisingly, her gym uniform didn't withstand, as it was ripped away from her body.
Izuku's jaw dropped at the view in front of him.
It was Momo Yaoyorozu clad in a red cheerleader costume consisting of a sleeveless top which revealed a good amount of her ample chest along with a mini skirt that only covered her butt, leaving her smooth legs open with fishnet stockings.
"Oh my~" Momo almost moaned as she created a pair of glasses and wore them, winking at Izuku. "Naughty boy! You tore my dress off."
The verdette's eyes almost popped out as he saw Momo in that outfit. His face heated up completely while blood gushed out from his nose, and his little might was on its way for a mighty stand.
"Wh-wh-what are you doing, Yaoyorozu?" Izuku stuttered, unable to take his eyes off Momo's figure.
Momo blinked cutely and replied, "Oh~ why are you asking? You ripped my clothes? Do I look that good?" She took slow steps forward.
"WHAAAAAAT!! WHAT IS YAOYOROZU DOING?? YAOYOROZU, THIS IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY SHOW.. YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Present Mic yelled with wide eyes at Momo's display.
"She can do that," Shota butted in quickly with a wide grin. "There are no rules for that, and Midoriya is completely stunned. Looks like Yaoyorozu found Midoriya's weakness."
...
...
"Yao-Yaoyorozu" Izuku yelped as Momo was near him, bending forward slightly to give the boy a good look of her cleavage.
Mentally, Momo was grinning for her little show. 'It's actually working. This big boy actually loses his confidence and cool when he sees a girl too close, not to mention this outfit,' she thought while walking towards Izuku, who was taking steps back to maintain the distance. It won't be long before he backs himself into a corner without realizing it.
'This is something I didn't expect,' Yoichi said, while the other vestiges of One For All agreed.
'It would be cheating if we help him now to snap him out of this, but his danger sense will never activate since this girl has no ill intentions for him,' Nana said, watching the scene with amusement.
'Oi, Oi, little ninth... Don't give in so easily. You are supposed to get the girls with your charm. Now snap it out!' Daigoro Banjo yelled.
Even though Izuku could hear the vestiges, his mind couldn't do what he wanted. He shakily lifted his hand to flick his finger once more, but Momo spoke...
"Midoriya-kun... If you flick again, then these will rip out. Do you think you can do that??" Momo asked sweetly, as Izuku's brain went blank.
...
...
Izuku's POV -
Izuku found himself at a corner of his old school, Aldera Junior High. He looked at his body and found he was looking younger.
"Oh, Izukuu~"
Izuku froze as he heard a feminine voice. Looking forward, he saw a well-endowed black-haired girl in front of him, looking at him alluringly. The girl's shirt buttons were open, and her skirt hung barely by a single button.
Even though Izuku was socially awkward at that time, he had a crush. It was the same day he got all of his courage to tell the girl about his feelings.
As soon as he told the girl about his feelings, she suddenly started to allure him sexually.
Izuku was scared, not knowing how to handle the situation, and he tried backing off but found his back against the wall quickly.
The girl was too close as he felt her breath on him, but at that moment, a teacher appeared.
"What is happening here?" The teacher asked sternly.
The girl's demeanor changed 180 degrees as she turned towards the teacher with tears falling down her face.
"Sensei, please help me," the girl cried out, alarming the teacher. "Midoriya told me to do what he wanted, or he said he would use his quirk on me," the girl lied, making both Izuku's and the teacher's eyes widen.
"Midoriya, you damn delinquent!" the teacher roared and grabbed him to drag him out from there.
After that, he was charged for molesting his classmate and was suspended from school. His mother had to face a lot of shame, even though Izuku didn't do anything. That's what Inko knew, but she had nothing to prove.
Later, Izuku had a last talk with the girl, giving her a betrayed look.
"What's with that look, you criminal?!" The girl mocked. "You think someone like you had a chance with me? Get real. You're a villain, and that's all you're worth. I'm sending you where you belong... Prison."
"I can't believe you did those things to her.. You really are a criminal. It's good you're not going to attend classes here" another girl said with disgust.
Izuku could see the disgusted faces of his classmates and teachers, pointing their fingers at him accusingly.
"You're disgusting"
"You're worthless"
"You are a criminal"
"You should be in prison"
"You will never be a hero"
"Your quirk is villainous"
Izuku closed his ears and shut his eyes, yelling that he didn't do anything wrong, but...
Again...
And again...
The voices in his head grew louder, driving him crazy.
"NOOO.. I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs, and a large wave of energy left his body, engulfing the voices and leaving an eerie silence.
...
...
Meanwhile, in reality, Momo could see all the color drain from Izuku's face, and he froze just before the border line.
'I'm sorry for this embarrassment, Midoriya, but I need to win,' Momo thought, looking apologetic. She reached near him, knowing that with a push, he would be out.
...
...
"STOP THAT PONYTAIL OR DEKU WILL KILL YOU!!" Katsuki shouted, startling everyone near him. Deku had many things against him, and he hated the nerd, but he didn't agree with that incident. He knew how much the verdette was scarred.
The other members of Class 1-A looked angrily at Katsuki. Ochaco was about to snap at him, but then her eyes met his, and she noticed a small amount of fear. She was surprised and turned her head towards the fight once.
...
...
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG"
Izuku screamed, and a blast of energy released from his body.
Momo couldn't react in time, but even if she had reacted, she didn't know if she could do anything as the blast slammed Momo back against the wall, eliminating her instantly.
That's not what happened only when Izuku released the unintentional energy. The blast broke the stage and the whole ground into pieces, and the walls of the stadium cracked badly, causing a small earthquake.
"What the hell!!" Midnight lost her balance and ended up in the middle of the almost destroyed stadium.
"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?? IS THIS YOUR DOING, MIDORIYA??" Present Mic shouted, but he only saw Izuku slumped on his knees, hyperventilating. "SOMEONE GET BOTH MIDORIYA AND YAOYOROZU. MIDORIYA IS HYPERVENTILATING, AND YAOYOROZU IS KNOCKED OUT. THEREFORE, THE WINNER IS MIDORIYA."
Even though Present Mic tried to be formal, he was concerned about the blast of energy that knocked Momo out, and Izuku didn't look any better.
No one had thought that the first match would end like this. Some were disappointed, and some were booing Izuku for losing control.
Midnight quickly ran to Izuku while Cementos went to check Momo.
"Yaoyorozu is fine, she is just knocked out by the blast," Cementos declared and sighed in relief. But then he thought about what could cause Izuku to lose control like that and hoped it wouldn't be severe.
Meanwhile, Midnight checked Izuku, who was in bad condition. "Quick, get them to the infirmary. Midoriya is hyperventilating and suffering from severe mental trauma." Everyone gasped upon hearing what was happening to Izuku.
Meanwhile...
"Dammit!! What is happening this time??" Toshinori cursed, not knowing what caused Izuku to go berserk like that. He thought for a moment until his eyes widened. "Of course, I know where to find that answer. It has to be a connection from there."
The number one hero stood and bulked up in his hero form, about to walk out, until the screen in front of him lit up with Nezu's face.
"What do you think you want to do, All Might??"
The pro glared at the small mammal. "Young Midoriya is my successor, and I want to have the answers as to what caused that. I also know the place where to get answers."
Nezu stared at the number one hero for a whole minute before he nodded. "Just don't do anything irrational, and if what I think happened is true, then some people will get on my bad side very soon."
With that, Nezu cut the call. He could only berate society for its treatment of those with dangerous quirks. 'They fear what they don't understand, and that's why they try to destroy it out of sheer foolishness,' he thought, and called Midnight to continue the sports festival to divert everyone from that.
...
...
Meanwhile, from the audience, Mitsuki was having trouble controlling a wailing Inko. The verdette woman almost lost control when Momo started playing her game, and Inko's fear came true when Izuku lost control.
"It's okay, Inko... It's fine. Izuku is a strong boy... He is your son, he will be fine. Come on, we will find him," Mitsuki assured her old friend and took her to find Izuku. She sighed, knowing she was going to miss Katsuki's match, but she was sure that her son would win because it was Izuku who would be waiting for him in the next round.
At Nighteye Agency -
"What was that??" Bubble Girl was startled when Izuku showed his powers uncontrollably and knocked both himself and the girl out. "That was not a reaction just for some girl trying to flirt with him. It was like a psychological trauma," she stated and looked at her boss.
The former sidekick of All Might nodded while rubbing his chin. 'This is not something I expected. He fears girls?? No, it's not about girls. He is scared of the actions that girl did. Looks like I've got some information to dig into,' he thought.
"Bubble Girl, send someone to Aldera Juniour High School for a false inspection and dig information about Izuku Midoriya and his track records. Find if there's something troubling about him."
Bubble Girl nodded. "What are you thinking, sir? Do you think that behavior might be related to his old school?"
"All Might couldn't stop talking about the boy, so I remember some points he made."
The blue-skinned sidekick didn't question anymore and went to find the suitable hero for that job.
With Izuku -
Izuku opened his eyes and saw the clear sky above him with a small wind blowing past him.
"Huh?? Where am I?" He asked himself with a monotone voice, still remembering what happened at Aldera Junior High some time ago.
He remembered the looks his classmates and other students gave, along with the teachers and some of their parents, when he was coming out from school with his mother.
The shame and embarrassment, along with the disgusted looks, were eating him alive. It was not only him but Inko also had to suffer insults. As soon as the news spread, those insults doubled, and no one sided with them.
He couldn't take it anymore; the pain was too much to handle.
Izuku looked down and found he was standing at a very high place, which was the edge of a building's roof.
Oh! He remembered the place. It was an abandoned building on a remote side of Mufutashu, and it was his base of solitude to get peace from hearing how villainous he was.
"I remember why I am here... To quiet the voices in my head," he mused, taking a step forward that caused him to fall from the building.
He felt the air rushing past him as he approached the ground. His sole goal was to silence the voices.
Closing his eyes, he prepared for impact as the ground drew nearer.
The impact came finally...
Though it was not the hard impact of solid ground, but a strong pair of hands.
"You are really insane, little Izuku," it was Nana's voice that made Izuku's eyes shoot open.
He opened his eyes and saw he was hugged by his supposed-to-be grandmother, Nana Shimura.
"Shimura-san!" He gasped.
But she shook her head negatively. "That's grandmother for you, Izuku," she said softly, and slowly ruffled his hair gently, knowing Izuku was still stiff from his experience.
"It's fine, Izuku. No one will hurt you or say anything to you."
"But the voices..." He was stopped by Nana once again. "What voices can you hear, Izuku? Try to listen to them again."
Izuku was not sure how to respond to Nana, but the previous One For All user was radiating an assuring aura, so he tried to listen.
"Yes, young Midoriya!! You can become a hero, and there is no doubt about it."
"You have the heart of a true hero, Izuku. Those who call you a villain are fools. I'm proud to be your mother."
"You have the potential, and you're using it properly. Leave the past behind, Midoriya, and the future will be as you want it to be."
"You saved my life, Midoriya. You are my hero."
"Thank you, Midori. You helped me even though you've known me for just a few days. With the training you gave me, you will see a new Toru Hagakure in the sports festival."
"You are really cool, Deku-kun. You're strong and help others without any second thought. I really admire you for that."
"You are a reliable person, Midoriya, just like my brother. To surpass my brother, I have to surpass you, and it's my promise that someday I'll surpass you."
Tears rolled down Izuku's eyes as he heard All Might, Inko, Aizawa, Thirteen, Toru, Ochaco, and Tenya's voices who believed in him and whom he inspired.
"You see, Izuku, there are many people who believe in you, and there are also people who are inspired by you," Nana said, and Izuku nodded.
"Now look beneath you"
Izuku gasped as soon as he looked down.
It was him, lying in a pool of his own blood.
He remembered then clearly: that was not a dream of his mind. He jumped after that incident, and he had been lying dead there for hours until his quirk activated and brought him back to life.
That was also the day he realized he couldn't die abnormally. No matter what, his wounds would regenerate, bringing him back as if nothing had happened.
"That's me," he muttered quietly, seeing himself lying dead like that.
But Nana shook her head. "That's not you, but the past you, the troubled you, the defeated you. But that's not the present you, the you who wants to become the symbol of life. You are not that scared boy anymore. You are now the hero of many lives and you will be the hero of many more lives in the future. The past you was dead at that moment, and the new you was born when you woke up."
Izuku was calmed by Nana's words but stayed silent. Though Nana was not concerned by the silence. She knew Izuku needed some time to calm his nerves and to turn normal. She was a mother, so she wasn't new to those motherly instincts, and Izuku was her grandson after all. She supposed to spoil him with everything.
"Thank you... What happened to Yaoyorozu??" He asked with a low tone.
Nana almost frowned because she didn't want to bring the girl at that moment, but she couldn't help it. The ninth holder of One For All had a very active brain.
"You released an uncontrolled blast of life force and knocked the girl, leading to your victory. She wasn't badly hurt... Do you think you owe her an apology?" she paused between her words to choose them carefully but ended with a blunt question.
"I don't know... She made me recall those memories I buried deep in my mind. I... Don't think I can forgive her soon."
Nana nodded in agreement. She was going to question Izuku's forgiveness for everything, but it seemed Izuku was not willing to forgive Momo that easily.
"It's fine, Izuku. She needs to earn her apology for that. But right now, you're going to wake up, and there are people who are waiting for you."
The world Izuku was within started to fade as he gave Nana one last glance. She smiled at him, and the world went dark until he opened his eyes to find the regular ceiling of the infirmary.
"My head is hurting," he mumbled with a small groan.
"Not more than mine." Izuku almost jumped when he heard the gruff, bored voice from beside him. He sighed in relief when he saw Aizawa standing beside him, frowning.
"How is Yaoyorozu now? I lost consciousness before she could come near me, and I was told that I released a blast of energy to throw her out."
The underground groaned but expected that question from his troublesome student. "She woke up without injuries, but she lost every ounce of her strength. Though she is recovering from that state, she is more concerned about your health than anything else, but that's not important."
The pro hero hardened his gaze at Izuku and started, "After they brought you here, your body was suddenly crushed as if you fell from a multistorey building. Thankfully, we didn't let your mother enter at that time by telling her you were alright and just resting. Then your injuries healed just before you woke up. Care to tell me what is happening and what caused you the trauma? If you don't tell me the truth, then say goodbye to UA High. Also, a very angry All Might rushed out to your previous school, thinking it must be related to there."
Izuku gulped, hearing an angry All Might already marching towards his old torture hall. He didn't hesitate to think of that place as a torture hall at that time.
"You can hear about the incident later from All Might, but I can tell you what happened and why my body was crushed like that... if you don't tell my mom. It's for her own good," Izuku pleaded in his last words.
Aizawa guessed the incident wasn't pleasant, but he would decide if he should tell Inko Midoriya about what Izuku was going to tell him. So, he nodded.
"That false incident... Brought every type of insult towards me and too much harassment for mom. I lost it and ran away to my base of solitude, an abandoned building where no one comes. I often went there to feel silence, far from those words. But that day, the words just couldn't leave me alone, so I decided to stop them. I went to the roof and jumped, and died. But luck wasn't on my side... Or was it? *chuckles* I woke up there, a few hours later, at the same place, as if I had just fallen asleep. I found out that I can't be killed in normal ways, though I didn't test that any further."
He paused to look at his teacher for a moment, then continued, "When I was knocked out, I found myself at the same place, and I did the same thing, which caused my body to crush. But my body fell, not my spirit. My spirit was caught by a vestige that was created by my quirk. I once swore to All Might to take a secret of my quirk to my grave, but later, I also argued with him about telling someone about the secret whom I believe to trust, and that was you. I think I'll tell you later, after the sports festival. About the vestige, she told me to hear the voices I wanted to hear. I heard my friends' voices, the real friends I made in UA. The old, scared me died that day, and the new me was born, who wanted to be a hero... Sorry if I said too long."
The teacher didn't know how to react to that and sighed, "I guess we will have another long chat after the sports festival, but I really want to know what you're hiding with your quirk, along with All Might."
Izuku chuckled, "If I have time, then I can tell you about some history, you're my teacher, and it would be dumb if I don't trust you enough to tell you about this."
Shota grumbled at the teen, "Fine, you have time. Your next match will be against Bakugo, but there are many matches before that, so let me hear."
"I can bet everyone knows about the child who was the first human to be born with a quirk, but I can bet you don't know about his descendants. Since the quirk was cultivated from a single person, the quirk society must also end with a single person. The first had two sons: one had the quirk to give everyone his quirk, named One For All, meaning one quirk for all, and the other had powers to take quirks, named All For One, meaning all quirks for one person."
"I heard legends of an underground criminal who could steal quirks, but you're using present tense as if he is still alive," Shota interrupted.
Izuku nodded. "He is the one who gave All Might that nasty scar. We believe he has a quirk that gives him eternal youth. He won't age, but that doesn't mean he can't be killed. Anyways, All For One became a criminal, and One For All started to rebel against his brother. One For All was weak, so his brother pitied him and gave him a stockpiling quirk in amusement to see if anyone could defeat him. He didn't know that One For All existed, which led him to go underground after being persuaded by One For All. Though One For All wasn't immortal, he passed his quirk to his follower. The second trained and stockpiled power to pass it to the third, then to fourth, to fifth, to sixth, to seventh. The seventh met a young quirkless boy with a heart of hero, named Toshinori Yagi. 30 years later, he also found a socially outcasted boy who was supposed to be a villain and passed One For All..."
Aizawa's eyes were bigger than saucers, and the bored look disappeared from his face as he turned serious, but it returned to normal in a few moments.
"I get it. Take rest for your match," he got up and left quietly.
...
...
Outside of Izuku's room -
Shota left Izuku's room to find his mother waiting outside with Mitsuki Bakugo.
"Mrs. Midoroya," the pro hero called her to get her attention.
The said woman looked at Shota for a few moments before bowing slightly. "You must be Aizawa-sensei. Izuku talked about you more than just like an admirer but with utmost respect."
Shota cursed Izuku for saying such things since he wasn't good with talking, but that was his student's parent, so he needed to be done with it.
"Your son has great potential to be a hero and a special ability to encourage everyone around him, but don't tell him that I praised him." He paused for a moment. "But he doesn't remember what happened with Yaoyorozu. So I told him that Yaoyorozu tried to knock him down with a hidden dart filled with sleeping pills, but his body acted even after his mind went blank and knocked Yaoyorozu out, which made him the winner. And I suggest he shouldn't hear what happened. Other than that, he is fine to participate in the next rounds."
With that, Aizawa left the two women behind.
"You see, Inko, Izuku is fine now. He got the trauma, but he forgot about it. Isn't that fine? As long as he doesn't remember, he's fine, and I know he won't remember it ever," Mitsuki tried to assure her friend.
"But what about his friends? Won't they ask what happened? What about the people who witnessed that? Someday they will question, and those memories will come out one way or another. It can't be hidden forever, Mitsuki," Inko retorted.
Mitsuki sighed. "Then you must leave Izuku to handle it. He is a big boy now, and if he wants to be a hero, then he must overcome his fears. Also, he is going through a time when girls will notice him. Heck, you said many girls have already taken a liking to him. How will he handle them then?"
Inko went silent at Mitsuki's words. She knew that her friend was right about everything, but she was talking about her son. Inko couldn't help but worry because of the rough past.
Seeing Inko's worried face, Mitsuki tried to divert her attention. "Let's forget about that and go meet Izuku," she cheered, dragging Inko towards the infirmary.
"Mrs. Midoriya."
Mitsuki stopped as she looked back to find the flame hero, Endeavor. She knew about the relationship between the Midoriya family and the Todoroki family, so she let Inko go.
"Enji-san, Boss, nice to meet you," Inko quickly wiped her tears and greeted Enji.
Enji nodded. "You don't need to call me boss, Mrs. Midoriya. It's nice to meet you again after all these years, but I have something important to tell you."
Inko blinked. "What? You told your children that they have a cousin? I also took Izuku to meet Rei."
"HPSC is targeting Izuku. For what reason, I don't know."
Inko's face went blank for a moment before her eyes narrowed and darkened, and the shadows fell over her forehead and upper eyelids.
"They are free to do it, but they must remember: Night Wolf never lets go of her prey with a heart in their chest," she replied with a dark, whispered tone.
Mitsuki's jaw dropped when she saw her innocent friend give off that dark aura and those dead-looking eyes made her shiver.
Inko then turned towards Mitsuki, and she returned to her normal persona. "Don't worry, Mitsuki. If someone threatens Izuku Midoriya, they must know what his mother can do. Please go back and watch the finals. I think I need to meet someone before I see my son," she said, and then left.
"Don't worry about her. She is still the same person she used to be," Enji said, and then he also left.
Mitsuki stood there with a baffled expression. "What the hell, Inko? What are you hiding beneath that normal mother persona?"
Who the hell was Inko Midoriya?
"Mrs. Midoriya, I assume you're here for your son's health... " Recovery Girl was stopped when Inko raised her hand firmly.
"I know my son will be fine, but I'm here to tell you that I need to have a short chat with that pesky rat, Nezu," Inko spoke in a stern voice.
Recovery Girl raised an eyebrow at the verdette woman and replied, "And why do you think Nezu will agree... White Wolf?"
Inko smirked, "He will, or I'll play basketball with that rat."
The aged healer sighed, knowing she couldn't change the mind of a wolf who already had its eyes on prey.
TO BE CONTINUED -