MIDORIYA RESIDENCE-LIVING ROOM
Naomasa chuckled at the bustling teens before a vibration from his phone got his attention. "This can't be good." Upon opening his device, he grimaced upon seeing the message. "Sometimes I hate being right." He held back a grumble and looked up with an apologetic look. "Sorry, but I need to go." The adults looked at him while the teens were still overwhelmed by the offer. "Just got a call, apparently they arrested a suspected potential bomber thanks to an anonymous tip and they need me to interview the suspect to verify the intel."
"It's no problem at all Detective!" Hisashi cut in as he stood to accompany the detective out. "I'm sorry for taking your time."
Naomasa waved a hand. "It's no issue, when Nezu and Toshinori asked me for info concerning the kids, I knew I needed to see this meeting through." He then looked at the still-stunned children with a smile. "Good luck!" Both men chuckled before they went out of sight near the door.
But Bakugou paid them no mind as his mind caught up with him. "I can't believe it." He muttered in a daze.
"To train in U.A." Toga added and pinched her arm. "Nope, not a dream." Her mother giggled at her antics.
"But…" Izuku trailed off before recomposing himself. "But why?" The adults gave him confused looks. "I mean, not to sound ungrateful, but why offer this opportunity to us?" After all, it wasn't every day a principal from one of the top hero schools came to offer a place to train your abilities for free.
"Simple." Nezu smiled, expecting the question. "As we said before, we've seen the great potential you three possess for heroism." He then frowned. "But also, the potential dangers." He took a sip as the three were taken aback by this.
Seeing this, Toshinori chimed in. "While it's obvious that all of you want to use your powers for good, there's also the risk of it causing unwanted damage." He raised a hand before Bakugou could cut in. "Your parents have already told us that you train together. And while you've made great progress from what we've heard. Let me ask you this." The teens decided to quiet down and listen as the man looked serious. "When was the last time you truly went all out with your quirks?"
"And we're not simply asking about using it." Nezu added with a serious look. "We're referring to the maximum damage your quirks can do." When none answered, he continued. "Training for maneuvers, tactics, and duration is all good. And should be one of the main focuses when training to be heroes." He praised them and gave them a knowing look. "But what about restraint? Power distribution? Or even the potential damage that can be caused to not just the environment, but the people you'd be fighting." The young heroes looked down as they considered this while Hisashi returned to his seat next to Inko.
While it's true that their training focused on efficiency and technique. They never had the opportunity to go all out since they hadn't seen the reason to, not when training together. Not when there wasn't any real threat around them when they trained.
But what if there was? What if, for some reason, they were put in a spot to face a powerful villain who has no problem with putting innocent lives in danger? Someone who would destroy everything guilt-free just to satisfy their desires.
They would fight, of course, but if the situation proved to be more harmful with their intervention, what then? Bakugou's explosions had already demonstrated the risks, Izuku and Toga's quirk could potentially do the same if left unchecked.
The adults were glad to see that the teens looked like they were deeply thinking about this, so Toshinori added. "We're not saying what you're doing is wrong, you've made great progress from what we're told." His words made the teens look up to him. "And while there's nothing wrong with continuing your training, would it not be preferable to have a place dedicated to testing your limits?" He patiently asked.
"It would help make great progress in your training." Nezu chimed in. "Less risks to not just everything and everyone around you." He then brought the cup close to his lips. "But to yourselves as well." He drank as Toshinori nodded in agreement.
"He's right Izuku." Inko spoke as she gently held his hand. "I've noticed how you've held back a little when we train." She gently squeezed his hand when he was about to speak. "It's nothing to be ashamed about, I know you don't want to hurt anybody on purpose." She gave him a motherly smile. "You've always been a gentle giant." He ran a thumb over his knuckles, calming him.
Hisashi nodded with a proud smile before frowning. "But Izuku, most villains out there won't have the decency to pull their punches even if you're young. But I'm sure you already know that." He pulled his wife close when she looked uncomfortable from remembering seeing her son being restrained by the sludge villain. "Your mother is tough, but she won't always have the time to spar with you." He patted his chest. "I'm strong too, but I'm not exactly an expert nor do I have the same durability as her." He sighed. "You need to expand upon your opportunities and to do that, you'll need a proper place to train without restraint." His warning about not causing a fire in the secret forest area flashed through the teen's mind, making him look down.
"It's the same thing with you Katsuki." Her son snapped at her with a look that didn't faze her. "Don't deny it, I've seen you train with Izuku and Toga." He looked away at that. "You say you went all out but I know you. Every time you're about to hit them with your quirk, you hesitate at the last minute and end up missing or making the blasts low in power to do anything." The blond gritted his teeth but didn't say anything.
Toga bit her lip and looked away, wordlessly telling them that she also had to hold herself back from hurting them or taking too much blood.
Nezu refilled his teacup. "I highly doubt the facilities you train in have the proper equipment needed for you to unleash your powers." He blew his cup. "While I'm sure they have the means. Durability and quantity would be something they lack." His guess was proven right when the teens looked at each other, remembering the sessions that needed to be cut short because they had run out of training dummies to use.
"Again, it's not something we're forcing on the three of you." Toshinori calmly added. "The decision is ultimately up to the three of you." He pointed out as he leaned back in his seat with his hands clasped together with a patient look as Nezu enjoyed his tea, silently telling them the same thing.
The three then looked at each other, having a silent discussion on the matter as the parents remained silent, opting to leave the choice to their children.
It was a reasonable and logical choice from a tactical perspective. One that guaranteed even greater progress with their quirks and skills. As well as building character and offering new possibilities for them as future heroes.
But…
After a moment of silence, the three nodded to each other before looking at the principal. "Again, we don't want to seem ungrateful." Izuku started with an unsure tone, garnering curious looks from the adults.
"It's just that…" Toga added while rubbing her arm, looking conflicted. "Isn't this kind of cheating?" Her words took their parents aback while the pros remained neutral. "There are plenty of people like us out there who work hard to want to become heroes." She gently pointed out.
Bakugou sighed. "I want to be the best." He then scowled a little. "But having it handed to me on a silver platter doesn't show that." He crossed his arms. "It just means I haven't earned it."
They might have just screwed themselves over by giving up a once-in-a-lifetime chance like this, but in a way, it'll make things more even when they eventually meet up with other heroes in training.
But to their shock, Toshinori looked impressed while Nezu chortled. "I can see why you three are close!" They looked at each other in confusion, what's so funny? "It's not every day I get to meet such humble youth." He chuckled before smiling at the parents. "You've raised them well."
While the adults felt a surge of parental pride from the praise, Bakugou cut in. "Wait, you aren't pissed at us for refusing?" He ignored his mother scolding him for using foul language at a guest while his friends remained focused on the principal.
"Quite the opposite." Nezu waved his hand, not even bothered by the language. "From what we've heard from your parents and seen from the fight, we expected this kind of response." He chortled again before recomposing himself. "But make no mistake, this wouldn't be cheating, it's simply an offer for you three to go all out in a controlled environment."
Toshinori nodded. "And training in our facility doesn't automatically mean that you'd be joining U.A." His point got their attention. "Yes, we'll have data on your quirks, but you'll still be free to choose which schools you want to go to." His expression then became daring. "Meaning, you'll go through the same process as everyone else if you want to enroll."
"There's no favoritism here either." Nezu chimed in after grabbing a biscuit from a plate. "You three wouldn't be the first offered to train their quirks in our facilities." He looked amused when they were shocked by this. "Don't look so surprised, quirks come in all forms through the ages." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you honestly think that your quirks are the only volatile ones out there?" He prodded before taking a bite of his biscuit.
The three blinked as they processed his words, that…made a lot of sense. "Whoops." Izuku rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish look, Bakugou groaned in embarrassment while Toga looked down with a blush. Meanwhile, their parents' chuckles increased their embarrassment.
"Our school isn't usually known for offering our facilities for individuals who haven't enrolled, but it's happened before. Even before I became in charge." Nezu finished his biscuit and reached for his teacup. "We just do it discreetly to avoid unsavory rumors or assumptions." He sipped his drink. "At one point, even All Might trained in U.A." Next to him, Toshinori hummed in acknowledgment and grabbed his teacup.
Izuku nodded. "Makes sense." He chuckled. "I mean, the last thing we need is for him to accidentally destroy a building with his epic punches."
Toshinori choked on his drink but managed not to spill anything as he coughed while Nezu just chortled, unbothered. "Oh yes, that would be embarrassing." He commented with a cryptic smile as he patted the back of his associate who had a slight flush on his cheeks as he placed his cup down with an apology.
While thoroughly confused and surprised by the blond's reaction, Izuku slowly nodded. "Uh, yeah, it would." Toga and Bakugou exchanged confused glances. "But anyways." He recovered from his stupor with an excited grin. "When you put it like that." He looked to his friends who mimicked his expression. "A safe place to train with no special favors attached, how could we possibly say no to that?"
"Splendid!" Nezu clapped his hands while Toshinori smiled at them. "We'll discuss the details with your parents while the three of you rest. It's been a long day." The three nodded and made their way to Izuku's room with excitement.
When the three were in the Kaiju user's room, Inko looked at the principal with a warm smile. "Thank you so much again for giving them the opportunity." She bowed, as did her husband and the others. "We wouldn't have been able to provide them proper facilities without you."
"There's no need to thank us, I meant what I said, they would have made great progress even without our offer." Nezu waved them off and got another biscuit. "Besides, it's the least I could do for such promising individuals." He then formed a cryptic smile. "Especially with an interesting family history for one." Toshinori nodded as well.
While everyone else was shocked, Inko and Hisashi didn't look surprised. "We had a feeling you knew." The mother held her husband's hand. "Izuku mentioned how smart you are." She admitted with no resentment.
"I can't take all the credit." Nezu chortled. "Seeing your son's transformations on the screen, reminded me of a story a friend of mine mentioned." He then gestured to Toshinori. "To my shame, I forgot about it, but when my associate here mentioned that the transformations on screen were familiar, I was reminded of the tale and had a feeling there was a connection." He then frowned a bit, as did the blond. "I was right and despite not having much information available, I was still able to make a connection." He sighed. "Detective Naomasa's assistance and recounting of his encounter with the children years ago further confirmed the connection."
Inko nodded, concern forming on her features as she and Hisashi held each other close, the latter giving the principal a hardened look. "Now that you know, what do you intend to do?" The other families were also giving the two wary looks, thinking that their children were in trouble too somehow.
Nezu calmly placed his cup on the table and raised his hands while Toshinori remained calm. "The dark choices of a few, do not represent your family as a whole." His words calmed them somewhat, but they remained cautious. "From what I was able to learn, most of the 'villains' in your family made their choice due to unfair circumstances." He shook his head. "Only a few had malicious intentions, but thankfully they were stopped before the damage became severe." Although the circumstances were a mystery, the principal was still glad that lives were spared.
Toshinori nodded. "Young Midoriya has proven his worth." His words garnered curious looks from the families. "Despite the tragedies in your family line, he still chose to follow the path of a hero and defend the innocent." He gestured to the teen's room. "His actions today and the valor he inspires speaks volumes of his character." He wore a comforting smile. "I see no reason why we shouldn't support him."
"Precisely." Nezu chimed in. "And if anyone tries to bring up the negative parts of the past, rest assured, your family will have our support." Toshinori nodded with a look of resolve. "It would simply be disgraceful to allow such kind souls to be slandered."
Hisashi looked beyond relieved while Inko couldn't stop herself from sobbing in happiness. "T-Thank you!" She covered her mouth as her husband pulled her close. "Y-You, don't know how much this means to us!" She cried as he rubbed her back with a grateful smile while everyone else was glad.
"It's you who we should be thanking." Toshinori gently replied with a smile. "The life of a hero is dangerous and yet you supported your son anyway." He bowed, followed by Nezu. "You have our word; we won't waste your trust and do all in our power to ensure his growth as well as Toga and Bakugou should they choose to enroll in our school."
After the parents expressed their thanks and recomposed themselves, they then discussed the best time for the three to train in the facility as well as what they'd need to bring.
MIDORIYA RESIDENCE-IZUKU'S ROOM
"It feels like a dream." Toga exclaimed as she jumped and lay on Izuku's bed.
Bakugou grunted in agreement as he leaned against a wall. "I know what you mean." He crossed his arms. "I didn't think we'd ever get a chance like this."
"It only means we'll have to do our best." Izuku's words got their attention. "Chances like this are rare, so we shouldn't waste their trust." He pointed out with a serious look.
While Bakugou voiced his agreement with the same look, Toga looked a little nervous but nodded. "Right." She then tensed when she realized something. "Do you think Nezu knows about your family history?" At that, the explosive teen became tense as well.
Izuku paused in thought before speaking. "Nezu is smart." He nodded with a neutral look. "I wouldn't put it past him to do a quick background check after seeing us in action." He glanced at his notes. "There isn't much to find, but there's enough to connect my family's quirk." He hummed and placed a hand on his chin. "That would also explain what Detective Naomasa said to dad earlier about Nezu asking about info on us." He may have been in shock then, but he was still vaguely aware of his surroundings.
"Shit." Bakugou grimaced while Toga paled and looked at the door, thinking that trouble would come at any moment. "Do you think he'll screw you over with what he knows?"
To this, Izuku shook his head. "If that were the case, he'd give me a warning or something of that nature." He shrugged. "And from what I can tell, he and Toshinori were sincere in their words so I think we'll be fine." His words helped ease his friends, but they made a mental note to watch for anything fishy just in case.
"If you say so, Izuku." Toga smiled earnestly at him. "I trust you." Bakugou said something similar and sat next to them.
Izuku returned the smile and pulled her close for a hug. "Thanks guys." She blushed and made no move to free herself while Bakugou held back a snort from the reaction. "Besides, I doubt they'd want to deal with a couple of Kaiju and angry teenagers wrecking their school." He added, garnering laughs from them.
THE NEXT DAY-U.A. GROUNDS-UNDERGROUND TRAINING FACILITY
"Damn." Bakugou muttered as he looked out from the glass interior of the elevator and stared at the massive training grounds in awe. "This place is bigger than I thought." Izuku and Toga nodded dumbly as they looked around.
Nezu chortled at the remark while Toshinori chuckled in understanding. "It's only logical to provide the best for the next generation." He then placed his hands behind his back as they neared the end of the ride. "Apart from training quirks, this facility also functions as a place for powerful individuals to realize that their abilities have more paths than villainy." He said with no doubt as they reached the end and the elevator doors slid open. "Welcome to one of many of our facilities." He bowed as the teens walked out to take in the place in awe.
Apart from being well-lit, the place was very roomy, twice as big as the secret training spot in the forest. There's also countless training equipment to the side and from what Izuku could tell, this place had more to offer than meets the eye.
"This place is amazing!" Toga's amazed voice echoed throughout the area as she did a twirl before facing them with a toothy grin. "There's so much room here to train!" She pumped her fists in excitement, Bakugou chuckled at the possibilities while Izuku noted the elevator going up again. Maybe they'll be having a guest?
"I'm glad to please." Nezu smiled before looking apologetic. "But I'm sorry to say that the three of you won't be training together yet." Toshinori also wore the same look.
All three snapped at the principal in surprise, or in Bakugou's case, indignance. "Huh?" He composed himself when his friends gently placed hands on his shoulders. "Why not?"
Thankfully neither of the adults was bothered by the outburst. "Because your parents and I have come up with a way to help boost your confidence first before you train together." Nezu calmly explained.
"The first step would be to train you three in separate rooms that specialize with your quirks and physical capabilities." Toshinori chimed in as he gestured to the room. "For this place, we'll be focusing on Midoriya's transformations and efficiency. He'll be able to unleash the power of his transformations without the fear of hurting either of you." The teen stared at his hand in thought. "In time, he'll learn to discipline his techniques to prevent accidentally causing fatal injuries." He then pointed to the high ceiling. "And when he manages to obtain a transformation that could fly, he can practice here without fear of crashing onto the property or making a scene."
When Izuku remained in silent thought, Toshinori turned to Toga. "Your parents explained your quirk as well as your incredible agility." She nodded. "While they say you've made progress, they admit that they aren't experts when it comes to training." He then gestured to the door at the far end of the room. "Your training will focus on your agility and flexibility first; we'll have to add blood acquisition to it as well. Once that phase is done, your quirk use and techniques will be worked on next." She stared at the door and thought about the possibilities she could gain from this.
"The next room is specialized for individuals with powerful emitter-type quirks like Bakugou." Nezu added, gaining the blond's attention. "It has the equipment and the landscape to let you practice your quirk's capabilities." He then raised a hand. "Your mother has mentioned your great control already, but that only applies to non-combat scenarios." His expression then became serious. "You must learn to control the intensity of your blasts first before you even consider using it on other people, especially if they happen to be students who want to become heroes." His tone left no room for argument so the blond gritted his teeth and looked away, but understood his point as he remembered his bandaged hands and the people he nearly hurt.
Noting the silence after that, Toshinori sighed. "We understand your frustrations and know that you trust each other to the fullest." They looked at him. "But please understand, there's a process to this kind of thing." His expression turned serious. "Believe me, you wouldn't want to be the one that causes an accident with your quirk." The principal subtly glanced at him with a knowing look but quickly looked away before anyone could notice.
At that, Izuku's expression steeled, and clenched his fist. "He's right." They looked at him. "We aren't ready for a true spar yet."
Bakugou was taken aback while Toga bit her lip. "It does make sense." She looked at them. "If we train on our own for a bit, we'll be able to focus without worrying about hurting each other." The memory of the villain fight came to mind. "The only reason we went all out on that villain was because he was tough enough to take it." She then grimaced. "But that won't necessarily apply to every person we face."
"Exactly." Izuku nodded and turned to Bakugou who looked hesitant. "I know you don't like it, but if we want to improve, we'll have to do it the right way." He paused as the blond thought about it. "We can't rush this Bakugou, we need to be patient." He calmly pointed out.
Bakugou then looked between the two and knew he was outvoted so he groaned. "Fine." His friends beamed while the adults looked pleased. "But when I get the hang of my quirk, you better be ready!" He flashed him a challenging look.
Toga giggled while Izuku flashed him a daring grin. "Same to you." The blond smirked at him as he looked at Toga. "And to you as well." She flashed him a smile and a thumbs up.
"Excellent!" Nezu chirped with a clap of his hands. "Allow me to show you to your training rooms." Bakugou and Toga nodded and adjusted their bags as they got close. "Now…" He turned to Toshinori. "I leave the training for Izuku to you from here on out, I'll be sure to lock the doors to prevent unnecessary interruptions and inform you ahead of time when we're done and about to enter the area." He wore a cryptic look that they couldn't decipher.
But it was enough for Toshinori as he nodded in understanding. "Of course, thank you sir." The principal returned the nod and guided the two as Izuku waved them off. "I look forward to helping you grow Midoriya." He bowed.
"The honor's mine." Izuku returned the bow. "Chances like this don't just come out of nowhere and I'm not planning on wasting it." He straightened up with a grin.
The blond chuckled approvingly at his enthusiasm. "I like your spirit kid!" He glanced at Nezu, Toga, and Bakugou as the doors slid closed behind them, making him sigh. "But before that, there's something you need to know." His tone and expression were serious.
Izuku gave him a curious look. "What are you-?" His attention was shifted to the elevator, revealing an elderly heroine. "Recovery Girl!?" He gasped and approached before Toshinori could stop him with a grimace.
The heroine looked taken aback by being recognized. "Well, that's surprising." The woman chortled. "I didn't think anyone could recognize me."
"While it's true you're not as popular as you were back in the day, people still talk about you." Izuku reassured as he reached into his bag while she was shocked from hearing this. "I've seen plenty of people mentioning you or talking about the lives you've saved in your time." He took out his autograph book and shyly offered it to her. "Can I have your autograph?"
Recovery Girl chortled at his shyness. "Sure you can." She took out a pen from her coat and kindly took the notebook. "While I'm not in it for the fame, it's nice to know that people still remember." She giggled at how he vibrated with excitement when she returned the book.
After letting out a cheer as he placed the book in his bag, Izuku smiled at her. "It would be criminal if people forgot." He stood. "No matter how big or small, people who heal with their quirks will always be remembered and thought highly of, no matter how long it's been." He said earnestly.
The heroine was beyond touched by his words and wore a warm smile. "That means a lot to hear, thank you." She patted his arm. "And please, call me Chiyo."
Izuku grinned and patted the hand on his arm. "Sure thing, Chiy-"
*FWOOSH*
With a jolt, Izuku turned around into a fighting stance before freezing at the scene while Chiyo shook her head with a sigh. "Honestly, couldn't you wait?"
Instead of Toshinori, All Might stood tall with steam near him and power oozing from his form. "Sorry." He rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "But Nezu said that they'll be back, so I needed to reveal the truth fast."
"You could have at least let us finish the introductions first." Chiyo pointed her cane at him, the action making him flinch. "We were having a moment, you meathead." She gave him a disapproving look.
After apologizing again, All Might turned to address Izuku but stopped when it looked like the teen was coming to terms with something. "So, I was right." He exclaimed while they gave him curious looks. "It was you."
Despite years of masking his emotions, All Might couldn't stop himself from being taken aback while Chiyo was shocked. "What do you mean?" He furrowed his brows a bit. "Had he seen me transform somehow?"
"I don't know if mom mentioned it to you and Nezu." He sat on the floor to calm himself. "But my mother's side has good instincts and senses." He tapped his nose, making the hero realize how he had been discovered. "In our usual form, apart from instincts, our senses are still heightened." He shrugged. "When I first saw you at home, I thought it was just a coincidence that you smelled like All Might, that maybe you just happened to use the same cologne." He then formed a slightly teasing look. "But nope, you just confirmed my theory."
Chiyo shook her head in amusement while All Might didn't know whether to be impressed or embarrassed. "It's honestly impressive how you weren't discovered sooner." He then gave him an admonishing look while pointing her cane at him. "Stop wearing things that give you away!"
"I-I can't help it!" Never before did Izuku think he'd witness the Symbol of Peace stuttering and shrinking a bit from a cane of all things. "I like the brand and I don't want people thinking I have poor hygiene." Well, he had a point there. At one point, people thought he never took breaks because he had always appeared to stop a crime for a straight month!
Chiyo huffed at that while Izuku shrugged. "It's fine All Might, I mean, it's not like the scent of cologne would be enough to expose you." He reassured with a smile. "Plus, I doubt anyone would take the word from someone who says: 'Hey look! This guy and All Might smell the same!'." He said in a mocking voice before laughing at the mental image. "Now that I think about it, it'll be funny to see their reasoning as to why they went around smelling people."
While the heroine giggled at the scenario, All Might looked relieved and chuckled. "True my boy." He then became serious. "And now, another thing to reveal." The teen gave him his attention, though he had a feeling what was next. "Nezu and I, as well as other individuals, know of your family's history." He admitted with a guilty look that was shared by Chiyo, guess she knew too. "It wasn't my place to know without permission, but after learning the truth, Nezu thought it be wise to share it with our inner circle-"
"It's fine, All Might." Izuku waved them off and leaned back to look at the ceiling with a calm look. "Nezu's known for his intelligence, so it isn't surprising to know that he did his research before meeting us." He then looked at them with a smile. "I'm just glad that, from what I've seen so far, none of you view my family negatively after learning the truth."
Chiyo then cut in. "It wouldn't have been right to." She sighed. "Nezu made sure to reveal the circumstances that led some of your family to become villains and that very few had caused harm on purpose." She then gave him a warm smile. "But if it's any consolation, aside from myself, All Might, and Nezu, only Naomasa and the U.A. staff know."
Izuku hummed at the info. "That is nice to know, Nezu did mention U.A. supporting our family." He chuckled. "Guess this is what he meant." A thought then came to him before looking at them with a frown. "Did any of them have a bad reaction? Or wariness?" He sighed in relief when they shook their heads. "Ok, good. The last thing I need is to cause a divide." He grimaced. "The villains will have an advantage if that were the case."
"They were surprised at the start, but they got over it after learning the whole truth." All Might explained before his brow furrowed. "Though I admit, like everyone else, I'm confused as to what led to them retiring early or dying." Chiyo's expression shifted to concern. "From what I recall from the briefing, your family is quite formidable, it's not like them to easily fall like that." His expression darkened a bit at another possibility but didn't want to discuss it yet.
Izuku's expression was also concerned as he sighed. "I wish I knew, but none of us are certain. All we know is that they either died from a villain attack or were left with severe injuries that forced them to retire and shortened their life due to the health complications their injuries caused." He then shook his head. "But enough about that, I assume you have an explanation as to why you're like this."
Remembering the limited time, All Might agreed to put the topic on hold for now. "Right, as established, we know the truth of your family's history. So, it's only right for you to know my secret as well." Steam emitted from his body before he returned to his normal form. "Better get comfortable." He moved to sit in front of the teen while helping Chiyo do the same. "But you must swear to never tell anyone about this unless I permit it." He said with a serious look before coughing into his hand.
"Of course." Izuku nodded and grew concerned from the coughing. "Like my family history, I'm not revealing it to anyone unless I 100% trust them not to view us negatively or use it against us." He placed a hand on his chest. "Only those within the circle of trust for now."
Toshinori nodded with an approving look as Chiyo smiled at him. "Very good, like you, there's also a small circle who knows my secret." He gestured to the heroine. "Aside from her, every teacher in this school, Detective Naomasa, and a select few know." Izuku nodded and made a mental note to remember those names.
He was then pulled out of his thoughts when Toshinori sighed. "As to why I look like this." He gestured to himself before pulling up his shirt, revealing a severe injury that made Izuku pale while Chiyo's expression grew grim. "Let's start with this."
AFTER THE EXPLANATION-U.A. GROUNDS-UNDERGROUND TRAINING FACILITY
"Damn…" Izuku muttered with a grimace while staring at the two heroes as everything started to make sense. "No wonder people rarely see him unless he happens to be in the area when a crisis happens." His brows furrowed. "That also explains why he seemed to be in a hurry when Toga and I met him."
But that wasn't the disturbing part, no, what's troubling is the fact that there's a villain strong enough to inflict such a severe wound on All Might. Someone who many perceived as untouchable, invincible even.
Izuku and others knew better of course, underneath all that power and stature is a human. Just another guy who's just as mortal as everyone else.
A human who was now reduced to a living skeleton who couldn't eat solid food anymore.
While putting aside his grim thoughts, Izuku decided to ask a more critical question. "Who did it?" At their confused looks, he clarified. "Who gave you that injury?"
At that, Chiyo looked uneasy while a dark look flashed on Toshinori's face for a moment before he sighed. "To know who did it." He held out his palm. "You must first learn about my quirk." His eyes began to glow as a light emerged from his palm in a multitude of colors. "My quirk is One For All!"
Izuku stared at the light in awe before snapping out of it. "What does it do?" Although it seems obvious based on what he's seen, he had a feeling there's more to it.
"To most, it's a powerful strength enhancement quirk." Toshinori's expression became serious. "Others say that it's simply power." He shook his head. "But no, it's more than that." His expression steeled. "It's a duty! A sacred promise passed on from one user to another. Growing stronger with each generation to fulfill its mission!"
Izuku was taken aback, a quirk that could be passed on? It sounded impossible but at the same time, the world of quirks is…vast to put it lightly. It would make sense in a way for quirk transferring to become a reality. "Whoa..." He whispered in awe before blinking when he realized what Toshinori said. "Wait, what mission?" Wasn't it already a given to use it to protect people?
As if reading his thoughts, the blond shook his head. "While defending peace is one of the reasons for One For All's existence, it isn't the main one." His expression hardened as he placed a hand over his injury. "The main reason for its existence is to defeat All For One." Izuku didn't know why, but his instincts were suddenly triggered with concern upon hearing that name.
"Unlike One For All, which empowers its users to fight for all." His expression turned grim. "All For One allows the user to take and give quirks."
The teen paled, with that power, you could theoretically do anything. And if the user was given the ability to combine the quirks at will…his gaze shifted to Toshinori's wound, making his nerves grow. It sounded impossible for one person to have all that power.
But as he remembered, the world of quirks is vast.
Noting the horror dawning on Izuku, Toshinori continued. "Long ago, AFO had a brother." The teen snapped out of his dark thoughts and paid attention. "A brother that no one paid attention to, due to how frail and sickly he was. A far cry from his powerful and malevolent brother." He looked up. "AFO couldn't stand the sight of his weakened brother and offered to give him a quirk." His eyes narrowed. "But he refused, not wanting to be a part of the evils his brother had caused." Izuku gulped, thinking that the villain didn't take the refusal well.
And he was proven right when Toshinori looked down with a sigh. "As you can imagine, AFO didn't take it well and instead forced his brother to accept his quirk." Izuku was aghast, was nothing sacred to this man? "But he didn't know that his brother already had a quirk. A simple transfer quirk, one that didn't hold any power." He then smirked a bit. "But that all changed, when AFO gave a quirk to his brother."
"A basic stockpile quirk that changed the brother's quirk entirely." He frowned. "After being murdered by his brother for being too rebellious, it turned out that he had already passed on his quirk to someone else." Izuku's eyes widened, realizing where this was going. "One hero after another, the quirk was passed down. Becoming stronger with each generation along with the responsibilities that came with it." His eyes glowed with intensity. "A quirk that I inherited as the 8th wielder! And used it to defeat this evil!" His proclamation echoed throughout the area. "In a strange twist of fate, the greatest tool against evil came from a being of evil.
Izuku was floored before letting out a relieved laugh. "Awesome." He grinned. "I'm glad you were able to stop him, Toshinori." He praised before his grin fell when the blond looked away with a dark look. "What's wrong?" He carefully asked.
When the hero remained silent and had a look of regret and frustration, Chiyo decided to fill in with a sigh. "Dearie, he said he 'defeated' AFO, not stop." She became downcast. "As far as we know, he's still out there." Izuku paled in disbelief.
"I got reckless." Toshinori let out a heavy sigh. "I was so…angry at him for what he had done. For all the suffering and deaths he caused that I…" He touched his injured side. "Allowed myself to be injured just so I can continue dealing as much damage as I could." He clenched his fists. "I should've known better than to think his face being caved in was enough." Chiyo patted his arm in comfort.
Izuku shot up as the implications fell on him. "That's impossible!" How could he have survived with an injury like that!? "Even if he did somehow survive, it's been a long time and a very long war, old age should have ended him by now." Even if that weren't the case, he should be an old man.
"It's not that simple." Toshinori gave him a grave look. "Keep in mind, young Midoriya. This secret war has been going on for years, it's not out of the realm of possibility for him to acquire a quirk that gives him a long life." Izuku gaped as he hadn't considered that. "And after the fight…" The blond closed his eyes. "They never found his body and we just assumed he had disintegrated since his body couldn't contain all those quirks he stole." He looked down in frustration. "What fools we were." He spat in anger.
Izuku paled as the horror of the situation set in. Somewhere out there, is an ancient evil plotting against all that's good in the world. A man who had no doubt taken more quirks for his arsenal.
At that last thought, Izuku staggered a bit and sat on the ground. "Then…" He swallowed and regained his composure. "What's the plan now?" The only reason he wasn't having a full-on freakout, was because Toshinori still had OFA, giving everyone a fighting chance.
"Calm yourself." Toshinori reached out and placed a comforting hand on the teen's knee. "For all his power and spite, AFO knows he can't just go on wreaking havoc." He shook his head. "He's a man who seeks to dominate, there wouldn't be a point to his endless lust for power if there's nothing to rule." As twisted as that was, it was comforting in a way. "Before our confrontation, I had managed to destroy the empire he had built up, leaving him with less influence than before." He retracted his hand with a sigh. "All he's done so far is allow the people under his command to do the dirty work for him and calling him out wouldn't help, the chaos that would cause is exactly what he wants." He explained with a serious look.
"Ok." Izuku was relieved to know that there wouldn't be an all-out war yet. "I guess the plan is for you to find a successor." Seeing their shocked looks he quickly explained. "I mean no offense, but I doubt you can continue for long with how bad your injury has gotten over the years." He hummed. "From a tactical standpoint, it would be best to start fresh." He then gave the man a guilty look. "You've been holding out for us for far too long Toshinori, it's about time you recovered and let us deal with the burden." He may not have a quirk like OFA, but he's confident to know that his quirk can at least do some damage.
While Chiyo was amazed by his willingness to help, Toshinori was touched by his sentiment and chuckled. "You sound just like Nighteye." Izuku blushed a little from being compared to the intelligent former sidekick. "But you're spot on, I am looking for another person to wield OFA." His eyes narrowed. "AFO knows I'm injured and is most likely just waiting for the day my body succumbs to the injury before he makes an appearance."
"Sounds about right." Izuku nodded with a grim look at the scenario. "Have you found someone?" Maybe he could even help train them?
At that, Chiyo wore a smile that he didn't notice while Toshinori nodded. "I have, he's-"
"Great!" Izuku cut in with relief. "Maybe you could bring him over to train with us!" He then raised a hand. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul unless you-"
"Midoriya." Toshinori cut in with a smile. "You're the person I've chosen to succeed me." Next to him, Chiyo wore an approving look.
Izuku froze, thinking that he must have misheard before rebooting. "You…" A look of disbelief formed. "Choose me?"
"I have." Toshinori nodded and raised a hand before the teen could speak. "When I first met you, I saw something." The teen's mind flashed back to the time All Might stared at him. "Not just power, but a compassion that matches it." His smile grew. "And when I watched you rescue your friend, inspiring valor while doing it. I knew you had the makings of being a worthy wielder of OFA." He vividly remembered watching in awe as the children pulled Bakugou free. "Despite the risks, the pain and tragedies in your family. You still strived to be a hero because it's what you feel to be the right thing to do." Izuku was speechless, was he that person he described?
Seeing this, he continued. "Selfless and Humble despite the great power you wield." He exclaimed with a grin. "How could I not choose someone with that type of character." Chiyo looked like she agreed with his assessment.
A moment of silence passed before Izuku looked down in thought. If he accepts this, it'll guarantee a death mark from AFO. It would mean that his life would be in even more danger than it already is with his path to being a hero.
Villains under that man's command will go after him if it means pleasing their master. And not just him, his family and friends would most likely become targets because of this.
But then again, with the paths they've chosen, they're already in danger as it is, even without knowing of AFO's existence.
Not only that, accepting the quirk means a better chance at beating this ancient evil and securing the lives of not just the innocents of today, but for generations to come.
And what kind of hero would that make him if he abandoned this great responsibility?
With this, the answer became clear for the young hero as he looked at Toshinori in determination. "If it's for the sake of everyone, how can I refuse?" Toshinori smiled at the remark as he stood and helped Chiyo to her feet. "I accept the responsibility." He added with conviction.
"Excellent!" Toshinori grinned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The others will be here soon, so for now, we'll be focusing on training your Kaiju quirk." The teen nodded. "Meet me at Dagobah Beach tomorrow morning, we'll talk more about OFA there." He added.
As Izuku agreed, Chiyo smiled at the two but sighed. "Just don't push yourself too hard." She pointed her cane at Toshinori. "I don't want you getting reckless like this meathead!"
Toshinori became embarrassed while Izuku snickered. "I can't fully promise that, but I will try to." Chiyo didn't look satisfied with the answer but nodded in understanding. "Now…" His eyes sharpened before he transformed into Gudon and whipped the ground. "Should we start?" He growled.
The old heroine shook her head in amusement at his eagerness while Toshinori chuckled. "Of course!" He took out a remote from his pocket. "But first, you should know that we'll be observed." The teen gave him a curious look as he pressed a button, causing one of the nearby walls to reveal a hidden window. And standing behind it are two people.
The first one is the Pro Hero: Power Loader. And the one next to him is someone he didn't know. A girl with pink hair wearing goggles looked ecstatic as evidenced by her hopping in place.
"I'm sure you're already aware of who the man is." A nod in response. "As for the girl, well…" He looked at the window and showed a thumbs up. "I'll let them handle the introduction."
Power Loader nodded and was about to reach for something until the girl beat him to it. ["Salutations! I'm Mei Hatsume! It's a pleasure to meet you!"] Izuku opened his mouth to reply. ["Don't bother replying, we can't hear you!"] She laughed before taking out a notepad with an eager look. ["Feel free to demonstrate your capabilities! Principal Nezu assigned me here to improve your training routines so that it wouldn't be the same thing every time, the same goes for your friends."] There was a glint in her eyes. ["And don't worry about going too fast, I'll be watching every bit of detail."] She said with a giggle that made him a little nervous while the adults sweatdropped.
["Hatsume! Don't be creepy!"] Power Loader scolded before sighing when she ignored him and began taking notes on Gudon. ["Sorry about her kid, her big dream is to become the best hero support item maker there is."] Izuku nodded, he could tell that much. ["Nezu saw her potential and assigned her here so that she'll have a better understanding of what she'll be dealing with in the future."] He calmly explained before looking at her with a warning look. ["Just be sure to stop making things that explode!"] He grumbled when she idly waved a hand, still focused on her task.
"Cool." Izuku exclaimed until he remembered that they couldn't hear him so he turned to Toshinori. "Might want to tell them to open the mic on this side, it'll suck to have a one-way conversation the whole time." He pointed out while doing some stretches.
Toshinori chuckled. "Agreed." He pressed another button. "I'll be in the viewing room with them to give tips if needed." Just then, a hidden door next to the window opened. "Remember, you don't have to prove anything. Just do your best." He said before escorting Chiyo to the room.
"Right." Izuku nodded with a serious look, knowing that he was also referring to OFA. He took a deep breath before composing himself. "Ready Hatsume." He got into his stance with a growl.
["Affirmative!"] The young inventor chirped with a giddy laugh as she pressed a button. ["Let's start with something basic!"]
Izuku looked ahead at the sound of something sliding open, just in time to see three holes open on the ground before platforms emerged with three humanoid drones. {"Ready for combat!"} They announced in sync before stepping away from the platforms, allowing the holes to close.
Their gaze then landed on Izuku, causing their eyes to flash red. {"Target Spotted!"} They yelled and pulled out electric stun batons. {"Attack!"} They charged.
Izuku roared and slammed his whips on the ground, extending their length, before going for a wide swing with both arms to the right.
Two drones were quick enough to roll under the attack, leaving one to have its head smacked off. Causing it to emit sparks from its neck as it tried to reach for its missing head before crumpling to the ground, the sight making Power Loader wince and rub his neck.
Izuku followed up with the same maneuver, only this time he swung at a lower angle to the left.
One drone was quick enough to jump over the attack while the other had its legs caught. Breaking its legs and making it spin in the air before slamming on its back with sparks. Despite this, the robot still tried to shakily get up.
Seeing this, Izuku's eyes flashed before shooting out green lasers, destroying the robot before he focused on the last one that got close with its weapon ready.
The Kaiju user managed to block the attack with his left arm, grunting from the electricity before delivering a kick to the drone's chest, making it stagger back.
Izuku then quickly wrapped one whip around its ankle and pulled, tripping the drone on its back. Before it could move, he winded both of his arms and delivered a heavy whip slam on the downed machine, crushing its chest.
The drone sparked before the light in its eyes left as it went limp, the sight making Izuku roar in triumph as his whips returned to their original length.
["Astounding!"] Mei exclaimed before furiously taking notes, Toshinori and Chiyo were impressed while Power Loader felt kinda bad for the drones. ["Despite the lack of formal training, you've destroyed these robots with efficiency!"] She exclaimed without looking up from her task. ["I can tell our partnership will give me bountiful data to make excellent babies!"]
In an instant, it looked like Izuku had been struck as he staggered before snapping at her in bewilderment, as did the others. "B-Babies!?" He stammered with a blush, what kind of inventor was she planning to be!?
Power Loader groaned. ["It's what she calls her inventions!"] He glared at the girl who ignored him. ["I keep telling her that people will get the wrong idea if she keeps saying it like that, but she wouldn't listen."] He then gave him a tired look. ["Better get used to it kid, you'll be hearing it a lot from her."] Though still shocked, Izuku nodded in understanding after composing himself.
["Enough chatter! There's progress to be made!"] Mei cut in with enthusiasm, earning a grumble from the man as she typed commands on the console. ["For this round, I've decided to increase the level a bit."]
Izuku got ready as three hidden holes opened near him and revealed three drones again. Only this time, one of them sported red shoulder plates and two stun batons. {"Attack!"} The elite pointed at him as the two charged.
Not wanting to be overwhelmed, the teen fired a quick laser blast at one drone, punching two holes in its chest as it fell with sparks. Before wrapping his spiked tail on the other one's torso as it got close.
Before it could attempt to attack the appendage, Izuku tightened his grip and threw it at the elite that was charging at him. The latter was faster however and simply rolled under the projectile and drew its batons as it ran.
Izuku growled and fired his lasers but to his shock, the drone jumped over the attack, landed behind him, and quickly struck him on the back, sending a quick shock throughout his body, making him roar in pain.
The teen then glared at the elite that was about to attack again before lashing out with swift whip attacks.
To the audience's amazement, the machine was able to block the attacks but it was becoming apparent that it would soon be overpowered by the onslaught based on how its blocks gradually became weaker and sloppier. {"Assistance required!"} It exclaimed after nearly losing its weapon before blocking again.
The drone that had been thrown earlier looked roughed up with a scratched torso but was otherwise willing to assist as it ran toward the two.
Izuku heard the approaching drone's footsteps so while doing his attack, he adjusted his stance before delivering a quick whip uppercut. The elite drone didn't expect the sudden change in pattern and was smacked back until it fell on its back.
As this happened, the other had gotten close and was just about to attack before Izuku delivered a quick whip slap that crushed its torso as it spun before falling on the ground with sparks.
The teen growled in satisfaction before looking back at the elite drone that had gotten up and noted its destroyed allies.
Both combatants stared at each other before they charged. As they neared, Izuku's instincts allowed him to duck under a heavy swing from the elite before he quickly wrapped a whip around the drone's neck and pulled, forcing it on its back.
Not willing to give it a chance, the teen quickly delivered a body slam that crushed the drone's torso, forcing it to release its weapons, but not destroy it.
Izuku quickly got up and eyed the drone as it turned its head to look at one of its weapons, eyes flickering and body sparking as it tried to reach for it. "Stay down!" The teen stomped on its chest before delivering a crushing whip slam to the head and roared in triumph.
Mei was giddy and added more notes, Power Loader let out an impressed whistle, Chiyo was glad he wasn't badly hurt while Toshinori frowned despite being impressed. ["While your forms offer a great defense, keep in mind, you mustn't over-rely on it."] His expression turned serious. ["Thinking that you're immune to damage is one of many ways a villain can take advantage."] He warned with a grave look.
Izuku looked at him and realized his point. Defenses are well in good, but what if a villain had a powerful quirk that broke through it entirely? His fight with the Sludge villain proved that he could be hurt with enough force.
Not only that, speed was something he noted that needed improvement. Toshinori may not have said it, but the teen knew he was thinking it.
With this, Izuku nodded with a serious look. "I'll keep in mind when the right time is to endure or dodge." His mentor nodded in approval and was about to speak before the teen beat him to it. "I'll also be sure to improve my speed and reaction time while I'm at it."
Toshinori looked pleased with the teen's drive to improve while Mei let out a laugh and entered more commands on the console. ["Well, in that case, this round will be dedicated to that!"] She pressed enter and looked up with a grin that was interpreted as borderline crazy by the adults.
But Izuku saw it as the same look Bakugou has when he gets excited to blow stuff up. In response, he returned the grin and got into his stance as more hidden holes opened.
THE NEXT DAY-DAGOBAH BEACH
As expected, thanks to the help of U.A., the trio had made great progress in their training. And with the assistance of Mei, they had developed new maneuvers and perspectives when it came to combat.
Speaking of the young inventor, because of her involvement, she had found herself being welcomed into the group's friend circle. Something that she casually admitted not having before because of her…ambitious personality.
Which of course, motivated the three of them to welcome her as a friend. A gesture that touched her and caused her to promise to help them in making their costumes or any support items they need in the future.
Bakugou began to learn how to manage his explosions better. And thanks to Nezu's guidance, he was able to gain valuable insight into how his quirk could affect the place or people around him.
Toga had learned how to utilize her reflexes and agility more thanks to the equipment and pointers shown by Nezu. The latter had also shown her what other nimble individuals, who didn't have ranged quirks, had done during their fights. Maneuvers like hit-and-run tactics, staying hidden until the time was right to strike, or fleeing to trick the opponent into thinking that she was still there.
As for Izuku, he was able to pinpoint what he needed to improve upon thanks to Toshinori's advice. But he had a feeling there was more the man wanted to add to his training aside from simple pointers.
This brings us here, in a place that would have been a beauty if it weren't for the mountains of trash. "When are they going to start cleaning this place up?" His nose twitched when he picked up a familiar scent despite the smell of garbage and looked to see Toshinori walking up to him. "Sorry for being late." He looked sheepish. "I accidentally stayed up late from doing research."
The blond waved a hand. "No need to apologize. Now, about OFA." Izuku's expression turned serious. "It's not enough to simply wield the quirk, you'd need to have a proper vessel if you want to use it." He grimaced with a look of experience. "If your body isn't built to withstand its power, the quirk will do more damage to you than anything else."
"Makes sense." Izuku nodded while wincing at the mental image of the quirk backfiring on him. "I'm guessing that the training is related to the garbage here?" Even if it wasn't, he could use this hidden spot to train.
But it looked like the decision was made for him as Toshinori nodded. "You guessed right." He gestured to the area with a frown. "This place once held one of the finest views of the horizon and a serene environment. But due to the garbage washing up on shore, it was turned into a dump site." He shook his head. "Thankfully they stopped, but they still failed to clean up the place."
"Making it our responsibility." Izuku concluded, earning a nod. "Not exactly a glamorous task but…" He glanced at the area before shrugging. "Cleaning the environment is pretty heroic in a way." His eyes sharpened as he took a step forward. "Let me just-"
Toshinori calmly grabbed his shoulder before he could do anything. "Hold your horses, kid." He gave him a confused look. "Remember what I said about having a proper vessel?" A nod in response. "Aside from your quirk, your body needs to be able to withstand the power within OFA." Understanding dawned on the teen. "We'll apply OFA training with your Kaiju quirk in time, but for now-"
"I'll have to do things the old-fashioned way." Izuku sighed but understood, his Kaiju forms gave him great strength by default so it would make sense to train his base form. "Ok." He stretched his arms with a grin. "Luckily dad works at construction, so he's taught me a thing or two about manual labor."
"Good to know." Toshinori chuckled as he gestured to a heavy pile. "Let's put it to the test." The teen nodded and jogged to the pile while the blond watched him with a smile, already looking forward to the fruits of their labor.
9 MONTHS LATER-DAGOBAH BEACH
Toshinori took a deep breath of the now clean air before sighing as he admired the now beautiful beach. Clear of trash in the water and the sand. The perfect view of the sunrise accompanied by the calm waters only added to the serenity.
This place was practically brand new in his humble opinion.
It had been grueling work for Izuku, but the teen had pushed on and trained hard without wavering. And it's because of his drive, it was all worth it. His body had grown stronger and he had learned new Kaiju forms to adapt to different situations
His musings were cut short when he noted Izuku jogging up to him. "That was the last of it." He huffed and looked around, very pleased. "Damn, this place is gorgeous." He knelt and breathed in the clear air. "I should invite the others here sometime." He muttered.
"Sounds like a good idea." Toshinori nodded before wearing a teasing look. "Just be sure not to leave a landfill for you to clean up."
Izuku chortled and got up. "Don't worry, I won't waste the progress I made." He dusted the sand off him. "But since the beach is clear." He looked to his mentor. "What now?"
Toshinori smirked at the question as he looked around. "Now?" In a puff of steam, he was in his bulky form. "Now I bestow upon you OFA." The teen was stunned. "These months of training have shown me your dedication and determination, cementing my choice to make you, my successor!" He proudly exclaimed.
Izuku chuckled. "I didn't do it alone." He looked down with a fond smile. "I had my family and friends every step of the way." He had the drive to do it, but it was them that pushed him to do more.
All Might made a sound of approval. "Your humility goes well with your strength." He said before plucking one strand of hair from his head. "Always remember, everything you've gained up to this point is because of your efforts! Never think that you are given anything because you're recognized!" He held the hair in front of the teen as it shined from the sunlight. "You've earned this, Midoriya." He said with a proud look.
Izuku stared up at the man in awe before looking down with a smile. This is it, after all the blood and sweat to get to this point. The time has finally come to-
"Eat this."
With a blink, Izuku looked up to All Might who was giving him an expectant look as he gestured to the hair. "Eh?" He picked his ear. "What did you say?"
The hero guffawed at the reaction as he remembered reacting the same way. "You need to eat this to gain my DNA and obtain One For All." He revealed a bottle of water with his other hand. "Take it with water, it'll make it easier."
Izuku gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously?" He exclaimed while gingerly accepting the hair and bottle. "This is how you become a wielder of OFA?" He eyed the hair with a grimace. It sounded like a bad joke.
"If you have another way to pass it on, I'm all ears." Izuku thought about it before sighing in defeat, making the man chuckle. "I know it's not pleasant right now, but it'll be…" He trailed off when Izuku stopped placing the hair in his mouth to stare at it with a frown. "What's wrong?"
The teen looked at the man in concern. "Toga sometimes uses my blood to train her quirk." He pointed out while thinking of the consequences of accidentally giving Toga OFA.
Now understanding the issue, All Might calmly waved a hand. "While your concerns are valid, there's nothing to be worried about." His response earned a curious look so he explained. "OFA cannot be taken unless the wielder willingly and consciously allows it." He smiled down at his successor. "The same rule will apply to your quirk once it merges with OFA."
"That's a relief." Izuku sighed, glad he didn't have to worry about Toga's body being destroyed due to his carelessness. "Here I go I guess." He placed the hair in his mouth and cringed from the taste. "Ugh, hair product." He hastily unscrewed the water bottle and drank. "Sometimes, enhanced taste has its drawbacks."
All Might had the decency to look embarrassed at that. "Sorry." He then recomposed himself and looked to the sunrise. "You won't feel anything at first. But once you've digested the hair, you'll-"
"Woah…"
All Might looked to his successor before returning to his skinny form in a puff of steam. "WHAT!?" He exclaimed in shock before coughing blood onto his fist.
Izuku stood in awe as he stared at himself. His eyes shined as green electricity emanated from his form. "This feels…" He stared at his hand, eyeing the sparks. "Great." He clenched his hand. "It feels like I got a stat boost in a video game." There might have been better ways to describe the feeling, but it's honestly what came to mind first.
But Toshinori wasn't focused on that. "How did you digest it so fast!?" When it was his turn, it took him at least an hour or two before he had OFA.
"Well…" Izuku chuckled and rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish look. "My parents always said that I have a good appetite." He jokingly patted his stomach for emphasis.
Toshinori sweatdropped at that, but he wasn't going to complain. "Well, that's quite something." He chuckled before recomposing himself. "From this point on, your quirk training will have to include OFA." The teen looked at him, still emitting sparks. "You'll need to get accustomed to it, treating your new power as if it was with you since birth."
Izuku nodded. "Understood." He looked at his hand before chuckling, earning a curious look from his mentor. "Sorry, I'm just feeling excited, it's like a rush if that makes sense." He admitted before he was able to deactivate OFA, making him sigh.
"I understand the feeling." Toshinori nodded knowingly. "I felt the same when I used it for the first time." He wore a look of nostalgia. "But you must always remember Midoriya, this power must be used responsibly. If you lack discipline, you'll cause more problems for yourself." His eyes then hardened. "Allowing people like AFO to gain the advantage."
Izuku mirrored his look and nodded. "I know." He looked to the horizon as he envisioned several scenarios. "I can't afford to get a big head and lose myself to my power." He frowned as he remembered his bloody claws and crying friends. "I'll need to work even harder."
"Yes." Toshinori agreed before frowning. "But as you and Toga said to me, don't forget that you have limits." The teen looked at his smiling face. "Go beyond your limits, but don't purposely break yourself to do it." Izuku took in his words before nodding in understanding, knowing that he was referring to himself as well.
Seeing that his words were taken seriously, the blond was satisfied and sat on the beach. "You've earned your rest for today; we'll continue your training tomorrow." He looked at the horizon with a serene look. "I know you want to train here, but I advise you to train in U.A. for the time being. Less unwanted damage and exposure that way."
"Alright." Izuku agreed before turning into a Gomora while emitting sparks, gaining an amused look from the hero. "Sorry, I just wanted to know what it felt like in my Kaiju form." He rubbed his neck with a sheepish grin while his tail swayed in joy from the rush. "It's tingly." He chuckled before turning back to normal and stretching.
Toshinori chuckled. "Enjoy the feeling while it lasts." He leaned back to take in the scene. "Someday, you might get bored of it." He said knowingly.
"Doubt it." Izuku calmly retorted before taking a seat. "I'll be enjoying it all the way." His teeth sharpened with a feral grin. "Especially when I scrap some training drones." His mentor snorted at that, already imagining pieces of metal flying all over the place. "But for now, we relax." He unceremoniously flopped on his back on the sand and placed his hands behind his head, relishing the soft texture underneath him. "Thanks again for choosing me." He yawned. "I won't let you down." He muttered before closing his eyes.
Toshinori stared at him with a smile before looking out to the horizon again. "I know you won't, Izuku."
1 MONTH LATER-U.A. GROUNDS
"It still feels like a dream." Clad in a standard school uniform, Toga skipped ahead of Izuku and Bakugou as she stared at the large entrance where other students could be seen entering.
Bakugou grunted. "Well, you better start believing!" He looked up at the massive school with fire in his eyes. "This is where our path to the top begins!"
While Toga cheered in excitement, Izuku nodded and sighed. "It feels like yesterday we trained here." He could still remember explaining things to his mother after she was understandably shocked to see Gudon with green electricity on his form during his training sessions in U.A.
Thankfully he had already planned for the scenario and said that it could be a result of him getting stronger due to training or it was his father's strength quirk blending with his progress.
It wasn't a concrete answer, but it was enough for his parents to express how proud they were of him without suspicion.
Inko diligently followed Toshinori's suggested diet plan and even made a few modifications to it. And during their sparring sessions, she would increase the intensity since Izuku had grown much more confident in his abilities.
Hisashi would join him when he needed to work out or improve his endurance. Offering words of encouragement to push beyond what their bodies could do. A bonding activity that greatly benefited both.
Toga and Bakugou's parents were also proud of how much progress their children have made. And while they couldn't do much when it came to combat or physical training, they'd support them where they could.
"That's because we did." The blonde cut through his thoughts with a teasing look, drawing a deadpan from Izuku while Bakugou snorted. "But yeah, time flies."
Izuku hummed before recomposing himself and adjusting his bag. "Ready to officially start our journey?" He gave them a knowing smile.
"Fuck yeah I am!" Bakugou barked with a scary grin, causing a few students who heard to become nervous upon seeing his face.
"Yep!" Toga happily nodded before grabbing a hold of Izuku's arm. "Now get moving! Or we'll be late for the written exam!" She jokingly warned while pulling his arm, pouting when he didn't move an inch. "Curse your hunky body!"
Izuku chuckled at her antics. "Relax Toga." He freed his arm and patted her head, making her blush. "We still have plenty of time before the test starts." He wrapped an arm around her. "Don't overthink, ok? You'll make mistakes if you do." He advised with a soft smile.
The blonde could only nod and look away from his charming smile before she melted. "R-Right." She shyly smiled and allowed herself to be guided to the entrance.
Bakugou watched them go before shaking his head. "I swear, those two better end up together or I'm going to start screaming." Just by remembering how many chances were missed because of circumstances made him groan. "One is oblivious while the other is shy, it's like a fucking romcom." And the annoying kind too.
He then sighed; he could focus on his wholesome pals later. Right now, he needs to pass the entrance exam.
U.A. GROUNDS-HALLWAY
Unsurprisingly, with the amount of time Izuku had to research and study, he was the first person to finish the written exam and waited for his friends while leaning against a wall. "I hope they're not having trouble." Even if they studied together, they knew U.A. wouldn't mess around with the written exam.
Thankfully he didn't have to worry for long as Toga and Bakugou exited the room, along with other students. "Had trouble?" He approached the two.
Bakugou huffed. "I didn't come all this way just to get beaten by a test paper." Toga giggled and said that, apart from the math portion, she had no issue. "Frankly I'm surprised you didn't ask Present Mic for an autograph when you finished."
At this, Izuku looked down in embarrassment. "I wanted to, but there were a lot of eyes on me so I bailed on the idea." Toga resisted the urge to coo at how cute he looked while Bakugou snorted, how a guy with a powerhouse of a quirk and stature like that had a little stage fright was a mystery to the blond.
"Wimp." Bakugou's comment earned him an indignant look from the taller teen while Toga snickered. "Anyways, what exam area did they assign you guys to?" He held up a card. "Mine's B."
"A." Izuku held up his card and looked at Toga. "Yours?"
"C." She exclaimed with a pout. "I was hoping we could do the test together."
The OFA user chuckled and patted her head, which helped calm her. "Don't worry Toga, I'm sure you and Bakugou can pass on your own." He gave her an encouraging smile. "And if it's any consolation, we shared our blood with you this morning. So, in a way, we'll be with you."
While Bakugou held back a remark at how corny that sounded, Toga was touched and formed a fanged smile. "Yeah." She reached up to the hand on her head and held it. "Good luck on your test Izuku!" She said with a warm smile.
Bakugou harshly cleared his throat, making Toga embarrassed. "And to you too, Bakugou." The blond grunted but smirked in amusement when she released the hand with a blush.
Izuku snickered at their antics and raised his fist to them with a grin. "Good luck guys." The two returned the expression and bumped fists with him before the trio left for their designated changing rooms.
U.A. GROUNDS-CITY SIMULATION AREA: A
Clad in a simple white shirt, green cargo pants, and dark green shoes, Izuku gaped at the sheer size of the area. "Geez, I heard it was a city but I didn't think it would be one." He looked up at the tall buildings. "Then again, it does make sense. The more detailed the area, the better training experience." He noted a small store and saw that it even had things for sale.
"This place is huge!" He heard one of the examinees exclaim. "Where do they get the budget for this stuff!?" At that, Izuku had no idea, but if he had to guess, it was probably from the government.
Izuku then took a good look at the examinees who were too distracted by the scenery before his eyes landed on a girl with reddish brown hair and blush on her cheeks, fidgeting in place with obvious signs of nerves getting to her.
The OFA user could relate, due to the responsibilities that came with his quirk and the consequences if he failed, he knew what it was like to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
He does a good job of hiding it. But once he was approached by Toga and his parents when they noticed how stressed he was. It hurt not to tell them the whole truth, but it was nice to know they would be there for him when things became too much.
A simple reminder that he wasn't alone in his journey.
With this thought, Izuku nodded and began to approach the girl with an air of resolve. "It may not be even a big deal, but even the smallest things can make a big difference."
But as he got close, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, looking back he was met with the sight of another teen with glasses and almost the same height as him giving him a disapproving frown. "I apologize for the rudeness, but that girl appears to be trying to compose herself." He narrowed his eyes. "Are you perhaps trying to increase her troubles?"
Izuku blinked at the accusation before waving a hand. "Not at all." He gently removed the hand from his shoulder. "I was actually on my way to give her encouragement or at least, help her calm down." He then pointed a thumb to himself with a sheepish grin. "I'm a big guy, but that doesn't mean I'm a stranger to pressure getting to me."
The teen was stunned before guilt formed on his features as he bowed at a comically perfect angle. "I apologize for jumping to conclusions!" His commotion caused some examinees to look in their direction. "It was foolish of me to assume your motives without getting to know you!" He added with guilt.
"Calm down!" Izuku cut in while trying not to be embarrassed by the attention they were getting. "I get where you were coming from, I mean…" The teen looked up as he gestured to himself. "I'm not exactly friendly-looking at times, so I get it." He could remember a few classmates back in the day backing off because of his presence, not realizing he was a gentle giant.
The teen with glasses straightened his posture but still looked guilty. "Still, it was foolish of me to assume the worst." He looked down again. "Again, I apologize for that."
Izuku could tell he felt bad so he gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's fine, you're probably just like that because of stress." He shrugged as the teen looked up. "After all, it's not every day you get a chance to join U.A." Even though he and his friends technically did.
The teen thought about it before nodding. "It's most likely that." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, it's just that I come from a family of heroes. And I wanted to use this chance to prove that I can follow in their footsteps."
"Small world." Izuku chuckled as the teen gave him a curious look. "I come from a family of heroes too." His statement took the teen aback. "But you're wrong about seeing this as a chance to prove your worth as a hero." He shrugged. "My parents told me once that you shouldn't let your family name affect how you act. If you want to prove that you're a hero, then do good." He waved his hand. "No need to bring the family name up as a reason, that's just being prideful."
The teen took in his words before nodding in approval. "Your parents are wise; I'll be sure to remember the advice." Izuku beamed at the remark. "Family name shouldn't be the main reason to be a hero, the safety and happiness of the innocent should be." He then held a hand out. "My name is Ida Tenya, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Izuku grinned and firmly shook his hand. "Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you too." He then released the hand and gestured to the girl. "Since we're acquainted now, why don't we help her calm down together?"
Ida looked at the girl before smiling at him. "That sounds like a splendid idea Midoriya!" He then gestured ahead. "Lead the way, friend." Izuku chuckled at his fancy talk and nodded before moving.
The girl was taking deep breaths before jolting when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Excuse me." She looked and was shocked by their sudden appearance. "Me and my associate." Izuku gestured to Ida who nodded to her. "Noticed how stressed you look and thought it would be a good idea to help ease your nerves." He carefully explained, hoping that their gesture wouldn't be interpreted in a bad way.
After gaining her composure, she registered his words and blushed. "Was I being that obvious?" She held her cheeks in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to cause trouble!"
"There's nothing to be ashamed about." Ida shook his head. "It's understandable to be stressed given the circumstances." He gave her an encouraging smile that helped a bit.
Izuku nodded. "What he said." He gestured to the crowd. "This is a pretty big step for everybody, so it makes sense to be a little on edge." Just one look at the crowd was enough for him to know that this would be their first experience.
The girl contemplated their words before smiling up at them. "Thanks." She then rubbed her arm. "It's just…this opportunity means a lot to me. And…" She looked up at them again with a look of resolve. "With how much my parents have supported me; I can't afford to let them down."
"I know the feeling." Izuku nodded with a grin. "A lot of people have supported me ever since I started my path to be a hero." He then cringed. "I know they wouldn't think any less of me, but the thought of failing them would be heartbreaking." Both nodded, having similar views on the matter.
Ida hummed in agreement and adjusted his glasses. "Then that just means we'll have to give it our all today." He then offered a hand. "My name is Ida Tenya."
"Ochako Uraraka." She shook the hand with a bright smile and turned to Izuku. "What's your name?" She squinted her eyes a bit. "Now that I look at him, he kind of looks familiar."
"Izuku Midoriya." He kindly answered before she could think about it. "Well, this is nice." He crossed his arms with a triumphant grin. "Haven't even made it into U.A. and I already made two new friends." His comment received chuckles from the two.
Just then, the PA system can be heard activating. ["Attention all examinees!"] Present Mic's jovial voice was heard. ["The entrance trial is about to begin! Be ready and good luck!"] There was some static before the system shut off, causing the crowd to discuss.
"This is it." Izuku muttered as he stared at the nearby loudspeaker before smiling at the two. "Best of luck to both of you." The two nodded with smiles and wished him the same before moving to different parts of the large group of examinees. "Time to put all that training to the test." He began moving through the group.
["Get ready!"] Present Mic's voice cut in, startling a few examinees as Izuku made it to the front. ["On your mark!"] His eyes and teeth sharpened as a few of them grew tense with anticipation. ["Get set!"] His muscles bulged as he charged 5% OFA. ["GO!"] Without hesitation, he charged ahead in a trail of green sparks, stunning the group for a moment before they snapped out of it and charged as well.
Author's Notes:
1. Huh, I didn't think this story would get positive feedback, but I'm glad to know that you folks enjoy it so far.
2. And as I said in the previous chapter, I apologize if the slow updates cause anyone to lose interest. Work gets in the way and my brain can only do so much. XD
3. Also please feel free to point out any errors I've made, I'll fix them as soon as I can and give your honest opinions. I'd like to hear more from all of you.
THANK YOU FOR READING, PLUS ULTRA!