Izuku got up from bed, feeling the impatience gnawing at him. This waiting period before he found out was so very annoying. He just wanted to know, and he then could move forward either way, if he passed, great, and if not then he could figure out what to do next. The not knowing one way or the other, was just so much worse than knowing one way or the other.
Izuku walked over to his desk and looked at his notes he had for the written exam for UA. they were neat and orderly, as he had put so much time into studying them. His eyes then looked over at his many books on quarks when he thought they were the end all be all of power, and abilities. He reached over and took one of them into his hands. Reading his notes on Quirks always felt different now that he had a power of his own, something outside of the typical Quirk system.
Leaning back, he thought about how much his life had changed in the past six months since he'd stepped onto that bus, heading to that strange town and meeting his teacher.
He looked up at the two framed quotes on his wall—words his teacher had shared with him early in his training. One was long but meaningful: "You must master the art of peace in addition to the art of war; we achieve victory through the art of war. Strategy is derived from the art of peace." The other was simpler, but just as important: "Work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty."
Izuku smiled, reflecting on those lessons and how much he'd grown. He was stronger and more capable than he'd ever been, and though he was far from where he wanted to be, he felt like he'd found his path to becoming a hero—one who could protect the innocent and uphold justice.
A moment later, he heard the door. Since his mom was out shopping, he was home alone. He walked over and opened it to find his sensei, Yamcha, standing there in a new white Chinese-style shirt and pants, looking more dressed up than usual.
"Sensei, what are you doing here this morning?" Izuku asked, smiling. "Are we doing some training today?"
"Nope," Yamcha replied, smiling back. "I actually came to talk to you. And I brought some good news—I think this letter might be for you." He handed Izuku a letter from U.A., containing the results of the entrance exam.
Izuku blinked, feeling his nerves intensify as he took the letter. His heart raced as he held it, knowing it would reveal his future and whether or not he'd made it into U.A. He hoped with everything he had that he'd gotten in, but part of him feared that being Quirkless would affect his chances, no matter his exam scores.
Izuku held the letter in his hands. It told him one way or another. It would, be one of the most important moments in his whole life. He had been working so hard for this, and now he would know if he was going to be going to the school. If all his endless work had been worth it, and if that work had gotten him into the school. Izuku took a deep breath as he centered himself, before he ripped open the top of the letter and pulled it out.
Reading the letter in his hands. He felt a joke of excitement, his heart leapt—he'd been accepted! And not only that, but the acceptance letter was written by none other than his hero, All Might, the person who had inspired him to dream of being a hero in the first place. A rush of pride filled him, and yet…this journey was different than he'd imagined. He was forging his own path, relying on his own strength, thanks to the person standing beside him. He looked up at Yamcha, the one he'd now come to consider the second hero in his life.
Yamcha gave him a small smile. "Congrats, kid," he said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You're on your way."
Izuku looked up as he realized something, that if he was in UA, that he wasn't going to be able to learn any more from Yamcha, that he would be too busy with the course work and working with the teachers at UA to head to the beach where he had been training. Izuku blinked wondering for a moment if he was losing more than gaining from this. He wanted to go to UA of course, but was going they're actually the best move, if he lost the ability to train with the person who helped him get so strong. It seemed perhaps like a lose if one thought about it like that. Still, it was his dream, and he was sure he could learn from his sensei from time to time when he wasn't in school. "Um, sensei, I think this is awesome, I promise to do my best, but…"
"Midoriya, it seems that you aren't the only one starting a new chapter in life now," Yamcha said with a smile figuring that might be a issue that he would have. He had gotten to know the teen rather well in the 6 months that he had been training, and he was a sensitive sort, and one who thought a lot about things. Way more than he did himself. He smiled, "It seems that you will get the chance to continue these studies directly under me as I am going to be a teacher at this UA place. I don't know anything about it, but I figured why not, I got nothing better to do."
Izuku's eyes widened in surprise, processing Yamcha's words. "Wait…you're going to be teaching at U.A.?" he asked, his voice a mix of shock and excitement. Just moments ago, he'd worried that he'd be losing his teacher and mentor, but now it seemed like fate had something else in mind.
Yamcha nodded with a casual smile. "Yep. Some of the teachers stopped by, asked a bunch of questions, and then offered me a job. I figured, why not? I'd still get to keep an eye on you, and hey, I think it'll be fun teaching a bunch of kids how to handle themselves." He crossed his arms, looking down at Izuku with a proud expression. "So, you're not getting rid of me that easily, kid."
Izuku let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, feeling a rush of relief and happiness. Not only was he accepted into U.A., but now he wouldn't have to give up the training that had already changed his life so much. "Thank you, Sensei," he said, bowing slightly. "I'll work even harder from here on out, I promise!"
Yamcha chuckled, ruffling Izuku's hair. "That's the spirit. Midoriya, just remember this is a new starting point, this isn't your end. You are far from the you that you will be someday. This is but one step, on that path. I know that you will however get there someday, that you will be the hero you want to be," Yamcha said with a confident smile, showing his belief in his student. "And who knows? Maybe you'll even surpass me someday."
Izuku grinned back, more determined than ever. "I'll do my best to make that happen."
Yamcha smiled, "Now, that cat is out of the bag, um, the other cat should be here soon, Puar is helping your mom look for cake for the celebration. I might have called ahead and told her about this all," Yamcha said with a laugh as he looked around the quant house, "Now, as far as training, we can if you really want, but I think today, is about enjoying things. Finding things that make you happy and working to enjoy them as much as possible too. Balance is key after all; all training and no play doesn't help anyone."
Izuku couldn't help but smile as he heard Yamcha's words. He was so different than he ever would have thought a super powered warrior to be. However, that good, he learned from that too, that one didn't have to be some serious overbearing warrior of justice to be a great hero. That being a hero was just about the journey to get there as it was about the destination itself. He nodded his head, he had to enjoy these moments, make friends, people to support and whom would in turn support him. Being a hero was more about power, quark or not after all.
"Thank you, Sensei," Izuku said sincerely. "I think... I needed to hear that. Sometimes I get so focused on working hard that I forget to just enjoy the moment."
Yamcha gave him a playful nudge. "That's what I'm here for. Besides, you've earned a break. Celebrate this win—don't just power straight through it. Enjoy what you've accomplished so far."
Just then, Puar floated in through the door with Inko close behind, carrying a small box tied with a ribbon. She beamed when she saw her son. "Izuku, you didn't tell me about the results!" She placed the box down, pulling him into a warm hug. "You're going to be a hero, Izuku!"
Izuku hugged her back, his cheeks turning pink. "I wanted to surprise you, Mom." He looked over at the small cake, feeling touched by the thoughtfulness of it all.
As they all settled around the table, Yamcha raised an imaginary glass with a grin. "To Izuku, for making his dream a reality—and to the great journey ahead. We're all proud of you, kid."
Izuku smiled, feeling his chest swell with pride and happiness. "Thank you, everyone. I won't let you down!"
As Yamcha watched Izuku and Inko share laughs over the small cake, a sense of nostalgia filled him. He thought back to Master Roshi, remembering the old man's wisdom, his strange sense of humor, and his unwavering faith in his students. Roshi had seen potential where others might not, even in someone like Yamcha, who hadn't reached the same heights as his friends but had given it everything he had. He wondered if this was how Roshi had felt, watching them grow from eager kids to accomplished fighters, each carving out their own unique paths.
Yamcha couldn't help but feel a new kind of purpose here—a fresh start where he could pass on all he'd learned, maybe even correct some of the mistakes he'd made along the way. He knew he wasn't the strongest or the flashiest hero, but that didn't matter to Izuku, who looked up to him like he was.
This was his chance to be the kind of mentor he wished he'd had at times, to help someone else find strength they hadn't known they possessed. As he looked back at Izuku, who was laughing with his mother, Yamcha felt something he hadn't in a long time: pride in himself, for the path he'd taken and the steps that had brought him to this very moment.
Izuku savored each bite, feeling like this celebration marked more than just a step toward his dream—it was a step toward his own identity. He wasn't just trying to mimic his heroes anymore; he was figuring out how to be his kind of hero. Yamcha had taught him moves and strategies that felt like glimpses into an entirely different world, one without quirks but still brimming with incredible power.
Watching Puar shapeshift into various objects and animals, Izuku marveled at the little creature's abilities. It was a reminder of how vast the possibilities were, of how quirks were just one of many sources of strength in the world. He saw that same potential in Yamcha's strange but powerful abilities. There was a whole universe of strength he hadn't yet touched, and this was only the beginning.
As the evening wore on, he felt more confident than ever. With each bite of cake, each laugh with his mom, Yamcha, and Puar, Izuku knew he was on the right path. And no matter what obstacles awaited him at U.A., he was going to tackle them with everything he had. He would make this journey his own, every step of the way.
"Well it is time for me to get going," Yamcha said as he looked over, "I will see you at the beach tomorrow, finalize the training before we start school, and you start your path to being a hero according to this world, but truth be told, you have already started that path in my opinion, don't you agree Puar?"
"Yes, Master Yamcha, I agree completely, Master Izuku, is already a hero in my book," Puar chirped in as he flew out behind Yamcha, as the two of them headed off for the night to head back home.
Izuku felt his heart swell at Yamcha's words, and hearing Puar call him "Master Izuku" brought a surprised but happy smile to his face. The validation from his teacher and even Puar meant the world to him; these past months had been tough, but they had also been transformative.
"Thank you, Sensei," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "I'll keep working hard."
Yamcha gave a small wave, his familiar grin spreading across his face. "Good. Keep that fire, Izuku. The world's tough, but you've got what it takes. We'll make sure of that."
As Yamcha and Puar walked off into the night, Izuku felt a deep sense of peace and determination. Tomorrow would bring the final day of training, a last lesson from his teacher before the doors of U.A. would open. He was ready to step through them as his kind of hero.