The Heroic Kaiju!

by FlickeringIdeas

In a world of quirks, it wouldn't be far-fetched for someone to have a quirk that lets them transform into Kaiju from the Ultraman franchise. [Author's Note: Kind of like Ben 10 but without the watch and time limit. XD] Cover image by FleshQB on DeviantArt.

7. Chapter 7: After Recovery

U.A. GROUNDS-RECOVERY GIRL'S CLINIC

Izuku stirred on his bed before waking up to the familiar ceiling. "Today's the day." He yawned before sitting up with a stretch, producing a satisfying crack. "Much better." He smacked his lips and got off the bed for the toilet.

During recovery, his classmates and teachers would visit him or simply inquire with Chiyo about his recovery. But the most frequent visitors were his family, close friends, and All Might.

Upon being informed of what had happened to him, Inko and Hisashi, along with the parents of his friends, rushed to the clinic. Naturally, they were all surprised to see his mentor there when they arrived, but the man had anticipated this and explained how at fault he felt for allowing the teen to risk himself for everyone.

After giving a small bow, the man was about to leave to give them privacy before Inko and Hisashi stopped him. The latter explained that they didn't blame him and while saddened by how hurt their son was, they knew things like this would happen.

When asked to elaborate, they explained that Izuku has always shown compassion for life. Protecting it the best he could while giving people chances to turn their lives around. While sad and painful at times, it's who their son is.

After Toga had told them everything Izuku had done during the attack, including the things her classmates witnessed, they couldn't be any prouder.

The man was stunned at being forgiven but agreed with their words and decided to give them their privacy.

When Izuku first woke up he was greeted by tearful hugs from Toga and his mother. The latter scolded him a little for being reckless but also said how proud they were of him.

And as much as they wanted to stay, Recovery Girl had told them to leave him to recover but assured him that he'd be fine. With some reassurance from Izuku, they begrudgingly agreed.

After exiting the bathroom in his casual clothes, Izuku passed by a mirror and looked at himself. Although the bruises were gone, he could still feel the blows and wounds he received, causing him to frown. "I need to improve." His fingers glided across the faded wounds in determination.

His musings were interrupted when the door to his room opened, revealing Toga who was pleasantly surprised to see him. "Looks like you're good as new." The blonde said with a warm smile as she approached.

"Yep, Chiyo knows her stuff." Izuku grinned before chuckling when she hugged his torso. "What's with the clinginess?" Not that it bothered him, he likes hugs. "I could always hug you later." He added while returning the embrace.

Toga shook her head against him and tightened the embrace. "I missed you." Even if a part of her was dying of embarrassment, she still wanted to be close to him. "I was…scared." She pressed her ear against his chest, cherishing the sound of his heartbeat and reaffirming to herself that he was safe.

At this, Izuku's expression softened as he rubbed her head. "I'm ok now Toga." He said in a soothing voice. "I'll get stronger."

"...I know you will." She whispered after a moment and tightened her embrace. "I just don't like seeing you hurt." She knew she sounded selfish, but she couldn't bear seeing him being pummeled again while she stood on the sidelines.

The memory alone made her heartache.

Izuku sighed, cursing himself for making her sad. "You know I can't promise not to get hurt, that would be a lie." He paused before rubbing her back. "But I can promise to do better." He loosened his hold, allowing them to look at each other. "Does that sound fair?"

There was silence before she nodded with a sigh. "Yes." She shrugged. "If our roles were reversed, I probably would have done the same thing." She admitted before lightly smirking. "I guess we're both selfless in that regard." She added with a knowing tone.

"Don't forget Kacchan." His remark earned a giggle as he held her close. "But yeah, we're supposed to protect people, even if it means risking ourselves." While not the ideal thing to say, it was reality. How could they call themselves protectors if they didn't risk themselves? "I'll do better Toga, for everyone's sake and my own."

She mused that was the best she was going to get out of him, so she hummed in agreement. "That's all I ask." She mumbled against him while returning the embrace. "So warm…" If only she could stay in his arms forever.

"I knew you were here."

With a jolt the duo snapped to the entrance where they saw Bakugou at the door, arms crossed with knowing smugness. Behind him, their respective parents, the mothers swooning from the scene while the men had the same knowing aura as their friend. "Good grief, could you at least let us finish talking to Nezu before sneaking off." Beside them, Chiyo shook her head with an amused smile.

Toga's face erupted in red before hastily separating from Izuku who calmly waved at them with a smile. "S-Sorry!" She tapped her fingers together as she glanced to the side. "I-I just thought that it was a conversation for our parents, so I decided to leave." She muttered in embarrassment.

"Keep telling yourself that sweetie." Mana's tone and teasing smirk caused her to redden further. "How are you doing?" She asked the OFA user in a motherly tone.

Izuku did some stretches. "A little sore, but I think that's just from being stuck in bed for a while." Despite his insistence to Recovery Girl that he was fine to at least stretch, the elder heroine urged him to stay in bed.

She could be quite persuasive, especially with her cane and stern demeanor.

"If you're that bothered being on a hospital bed, then maybe you shouldn't be so careless!" Chiyo's scolding tone made the teen sheepish as he separated from Toga. "Now sit on the bed and let me check you."

"Yes ma'am." Izuku did a salute before doing as told. Toga giggled at his antics while Chiyo shook her head in fond exasperation.

After doing her standard medical checkup, the elder heroine nodded in approval. "Everything looks good." She stepped back with a smile. "You're free to go." She then frowned and pointed her cane at him. "But that doesn't mean you should go wild, take it easy, I don't want you to become a frequent visitor."

"I'll try." Izuku agreed in a joking tone but Chiyo could tell that he was serious about it, prompting her to nod in approval.

"We're so proud of you." Inko softly spoke as she embraced her son after standing up, thankful to finally be able to hold him properly.

The OFA user smiled warmly at her. "Thanks, mom." He returned the embrace and kissed her forehead.

Hisashi chuckled as he stood beside the two. "You just started school." He hugged the two. "And yet you're already making a name for yourself." He said with pride in his voice, remembering the stories he'd heard from Toga and Nezu about the impact his son had on his classmates.

"Pretty sure the three of us already did that during the Sludge Villain incident." Bakugou's comment earned a light admonishing slap on the arm from his mother that he ignored. "I can't believe you teamed up with All Might." It was something they'd dreamed about as kids.

Izuku looked sheepish. "More like let him finish the job." He rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't even do much damage to Nomu with how fast he healed." He shrugged. "I got a few good hits in, but All Might was the one that turned the tide."

"No need to be modest." Hideo's assurance got a surprised look from the teen. "While it's true that Nomu healed from your blows, your actions revealed his hidden quirks, giving the heroes the edge needed to deal with him." He formed a small and knowing smile. "And according to Toga, if it weren't for you, All Might wouldn't have the opening to deal the final blow." Of course, Nomu still ended up escaping, but it was still a success.

While Toga was blushing from her father's words and tone. Izuku became bashful. "W-Well…you have a point." He scratched his cheek with a small grin. "Plus, I managed to convince four people to switch sides."

"That's another thing that surprised me." Mitsuki calmly admitted. "How did you manage to convince them?" The rest looked to him for an explanation, although Toga had already told them what she heard from Tsuyu. The latter expressed that it would be best to hear it from him.

"You can thank the research on my family for that." At the curious looks he got, Izuku explained. "Apart from being in unfair situations, a recurring theme in my family's history is the lack of trust and harsh judgment towards them." He rubbed the back of his head. "I just didn't want the same thing to happen to those guys." He shrugged with a kind grin. "Like I told Tsuyu, if there's a chance of redemption, I'll offer it."

Upon hearing his reasoning, their collective admiration for him grew. "Beautifully said dearie." Chiyo said with an approving smile. "Some heroes tend to forget that the villains they defeat are people with complicated circumstances." She explained in a knowing tone, already thinking of a few pros who went overboard.

"Too true." Inko had learned a fair number of cases from her family's history. "I'm glad you've grown to be compassionate and open-minded." She leaned into her husband's one-armed embrace as he mirrored her proud expression.

Izuku opened his mouth to reply before an audible rumble was heard from his stomach. "Sorry." He flushed with a crooked grin, prompting fond laughter from his parents.

"Seriously?" Bakugou groaned as Toga covered her mouth with a snicker. "I swear that thing has a mind of its own." His comment earned chuckles from the other adults.

The OFA user reddened further. "I don't get to eat much here." He crossed his arms, tongue sticking out in disgust. "And the food's pretty bland too." His father guffawed at his blunt honesty while Inko tried to calm him down, though she was giggling.

"This isn't a hotel!" Chiyo chided while pointing her cane at him with an indignant look, making him flinch. "And Lunch Rush isn't around because Nezu gave everyone a few days off, so you're stuck with standard hospital recipes!"

Upon realizing that it was her cooking his meals, Izuku looked down in shame. "Sorry." He mumbled with guilt.

Seeing this, the elder heroine's expression softened with a sigh. "It's alright, I know how bad the food tastes." She had taste-tested them after all. "But unless the Medical Hierarchy decides to change it, we'll be stuck with it for some time. So just bear with it." The teen looked up and nodded with an embarrassed smile.

Hisashi chortled. "Chin up son, your mother made something special for you back home." His smile widened from the excited gaze directed at him. "Full of love and flavor." He winked knowingly.

You could practically feel the joy radiating from Izuku. "Then what are we waiting for!?" He casually grabbed Toga's hand, the latter squeaking in surprise. "Let's go!" Without waiting for a reply, he dragged the now red-faced girl out the door.

"O-Oi! Wait for me you nerd!" Bakugou yelled before following the pair.

Chiyo shook her head with a sigh as the adults chuckled from the scene. "Honestly, how is he so energetic?" She turned her gaze to Inko. "He must have been a handful as a kid."

The mother giggled with a nod. "He was, especially when Toga and Bakugou were involved." She then formed a loving smile. "But, no matter what, he's always kind."

"All of them are." Mitsuki added before laughing. "Even Bakugou can be kind, believe it or not." Her husband shared her amusement. "Not that he's going to admit it."

Chiyo chortled with an understanding nod. "I believe it." The blond's protectiveness for his friends proves this. "You've raised them well." She added before going to her desk.

With a surge of parental pride from the heroine's words, Mana beamed at her. "Thank you." She said as she held her husband's hand before the group left Chiyo to work in peace.

---

A FEW DAYS LATER-U.A. GROUNDS

"It's good to be back." Izuku exclaimed with a pleasant sigh as the three caught sight of the door to their classroom. "We must have missed a ton of lessons during the break."

Bakugou snorted at his enthusiasm. "Only you would be excited about that." He cracked his knuckles with a cruel smile. "I just want more combat training." He chuckled.

The tall teen shook his head. "I like a good fight but we just got through an intense battle Kacchan." He glanced at him with a worried frown as he patted his back. "You need to take it easy once in a while, it's bad for your blood pressure."

"Don't coddle me!" Bakugou immediately removed his arm to glare at him. "It's not like you're any better, I know you've been out training during our 'break'." At the look he was getting, he got a little smug. "You're not as sneaky about it as you think, your folks are terrible liars." It was a common thing to joke about between families but at the same time, it was something to admire. "I may not know where you go to train, but I know you did anyway!" He then frowned. "And I told you to stop calling me that!"

Izuku let out a carefree chuckle that irritated the blond. "That's just me stretching my muscles after being stuck in bed for so long, you'd do the same thing." When the blond looked away, he knew he had him. "As for the nickname, it's a habit now I'm afraid." Toga nodded in agreement with an apologetic smile.

A tick mark formed on Bakugou's head. "Well knock it off!" He looked around with a scowl. "What if someone hears you?" How was he supposed to be taken seriously with a nickname like that!?

Izuku looked up with a hum before grinning at him. "Then you'll become more approachable I guess." Toga giggled at his reasoning.

Bakugou's left eye twitched. "I'm always approachable you ass!" He retorted with clenched fists. "I'm the friendliest guy around!" He declared with confident ferocity and an intimidating aura to match.

Toga deadpanned at him while Izuku merely stared. "Whatever you say, buddy." His casual reply irritated the blond, but before the latter could explosively retort they entered their classroom.

Upon entering, they were immediately spotted by Ochako and Ida. "It's good to see you in good health Midoriya!" The tall teen happily exclaimed as the brunette approached, the commotion causing everyone to look at them.

Izuku chuckled as he shook his hand. "Good to be back, friend." He then frowned as he placed a hand on the representative's shoulder. "Toga and Bakugou told me that you've been blaming yourself for what happened to me." The tall teen merely looked down, confirming the information. "Nobody here blames you, myself most of all. It was beyond anyone's control." He offered an encouraging smile when his friend met his gaze. "What matters is that everyone is safe now and that you did your best during the crisis."

Ida took in his words before nodding to him with a smile. "Right, thank you."

The OFA user returned the smile and looked at everyone else. "How are you guys holding up?" While they all looked ok, he needed to be sure.

"We're fine greenie, you're the one we should be asking." Jiro replied with a kind smile from her seat. Her opinion was echoed by the rest of their classmates as they inquired how he was.

While touched by their concern for him, Izuku thumped his chest. "All good now thanks to Recovery Girl and mom's cooking." He chuckled and crossed his arms with a sharp grin. "Ready for the next challenge."

"Manly!" Kirishima excitedly exclaimed while slamming his hardened fists together, next to him, Mina fondly shook her head at the expected reaction.

Momo smiled a little before becoming serious as she remembered something. "But how are you?" She raised a hand before he could speak. "And I don't just mean physically." An experience like that would leave a mark even on the most hardened individuals.

Izuku was about to tell her that he was fine until he caught sight of Toga's worried expression, causing him to hesitate, remembering how frightened she was for him. It also didn't help knowing the stress he caused for his parents when they saw him in Chiyo's clinic.

With this, he sighed and decided to be honest. "I'm not going to lie…" He rubbed the back of his head with a frown. "I'm a little shaken up, especially after finding out that Nomu was made to fight All Might." He held back a grimace when memories of the blows dealt to him flashed in his mind. "Not to mention how strong he was." He looked down with an unreadable expression.

Thinking that he was reliving the ordeal, Momo became concerned, as did everyone else. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." Izuku calmly cut her off with a small smile. "I already had time to process everything." It also helped that he had plenty of time to recover alone to gather his thoughts.

Ida let out a heavy sigh. "How on earth was that monstrosity built?" The others exchanged unsure murmurs, wondering the same thing.

"I can think of a couple of theories, none good." Izuku pursed his lips before shaking his head. "I wish I knew the answer." He paused. "Then again, it's probably best that we leave it for the pros to figure out." It's not like they had anywhere to start anyway, plus he'd rather keep them out of harm's way.

Kaminari made a sound of agreement. "I think that's for the best." He rubbed his arm with an uneasy expression. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not in a hurry to face Nomu." While he wasn't a witness, he'd heard enough to know that he wouldn't stand a chance against the monster.

Bakugou huffed at the blond's fear. "Speak for yourself." Everyone looked at him. "I missed my chance because of a bunch of small fries slowing me down." He smacked his fist against his palm, producing a small explosion. "But now that we know the freak's weakness, we can take him down easily." He wore a feral grin.

"I have to disagree." Tokoyami spoke up, earning an annoyed look from the explosive teen. "We may know his weakness, but applying it in combat is another problem altogether." He calmly pointed out as his expression turned grim. "I may not have seen it firsthand, but from what I've heard, we're all clearly outmatched." His expression turned grim. "Another encounter with the beast would end in tragedy."

"As much as I hate to say it…he's right bro." Kirishima reluctantly spoke. "Midoribro's a powerhouse and even he had a hard time fighting Nomu." He grimaced. "The fight turned to our favor because All Might arrived." He then looked at the blond with a sad frown. "But what if he wasn't there? What if we see Nomu again without All Might to save the day?" It felt terrible to say, but his point was made.

All Might only arrived because Ida had managed to call for help. And even if they found a way to fight off the villains, the cost of such victory could have been too much.

Bakugou said nothing and looked down in frustration, noting that Izuku spoke. "I understand how you feel, I'm not comfortable with an Anti-All Might out there either." Among other things. "But let's face it, we can't beat them the way we are right now." His words made the blond look up to see his determined grin. "We'll beat them, but not yet, first we train." Toga mirrored his expression as she nodded in agreement.

The explosive blond looked between them, mulling the things said to him before slumping with a sigh. "You're right." He looked up with a groan. "I'm just so pissed at them for what they did to you." He crossed his arms with a scowl. "Now to mention their plan to kill All Might." Seriously, where do these guys get the nerve to try this shit?

"I know, but for now…" Izuku raised his fist towards him. "Patience and Training." He said with an expectant look.

Bakugou grunted and bumped his fist with his. "Fine." He smirked when Izuku and Toga beamed at his response. "Since when did you get so damn wise?"

Izuku hummed in thought, deciding to ease the tension a bit. "No idea, maybe it's from all the studying I've been doing." He shrugged before casually placing his left arm on top of the blond's head, making him freeze while the others gaped at the display. "Or it could be my height getting a better signal for wisdom." Toga shook her head with a fond smile, knowing exactly what his teasing would result in.

Bakugou didn't disappoint as a tick mark formed on his head. "That has nothing to do with it, you dumbass!" He barked as he roughly removed the arm to glare at the laughing teen. "Height doesn't make anyone special!"

"True." Izuku honestly agreed but couldn't help himself and continued his teasing. "But it sounds like there's more to it coming from you." He raised an eyebrow. "Something you want to share?" He prodded in a knowing tone.

The tick mark on the blond's head grew. "I'm not insecure about anything!" He quickly defended himself and pointed his finger. "And stop talking to me like I'm some kid!" He crossed his arms in indignance. "I'm older than you!"

Izuku nodded. "Can't deny that." His eyes widened in realization as inspiration hit him. "Maybe that explains why you're so cranky all the time." He exclaimed in a way like he had solved a great mystery and not in a joking way.

And with how genuine he sounded, Bakugou's eye twitched as his scowl intensified. "Listen here you damn skyscraper…" He growled as the tall teen calmly gave him his full attention.

Toga giggled at the familiar scene before turning her attention to her classmates who were simply watching the interaction in a stunned and concerned silence. "Don't worry." They tore their gaze from the banter to look at her. "This is normal." She waved a hand.

The group dumbly acknowledged that as they watched the scene more closely. Bakugou was barking up his words with surprisingly no real malice, just annoyance, while Izuku listened attentively in amusement, occasionally nodding along. It was honestly amazing how the latter could hand and befriend such a volatile individual.

Which, weirdly, makes sense.

Just then, the school chime was heard. "Time to start the day." Toga exclaimed before looking at the two. "That's enough guys, the teacher could be here any moment." She said in a playful scolding tone.

Izuku immediately agreed and went to his seat while Bakugou reluctantly followed, grumbling about the OFA user starting it. "No pouting Bakugou~." She giggled when her teasing remark earned an annoyed glare from the teen.

"I don't pout." Bakugou grumbled in his seat with his arms crossed. Silencing those who were snickering with a fierce glare.

Izuku held in a chuckle, opting to not aggravate the blond for now. His expression then turned curious as he looked to the door. "I wonder who the substitute's going to be?" From how injured Aizawa was, he doubted he'd be back for a while.

"Probably Present Mic." Tsuyu's answer earned a cringe from Jiro, knowing that her hearing would suffer again in his class. While she respected his skills and enthusiasm, his quirk led to painful outbursts when left unchecked.

Toga hummed before smiling. "Hopefully it's Midnight!" She chirped with excitement, earning fond chuckles from her friends. "It'll be cool if she continued her history lesson about that one painting." While most would be bored with such a class, the pro heroine held a passion for it that made the class engaging.

"You're just saying that because you're her fan." Mina's teasing remark earned a cute pout and denial from the blonde. "But yeah, she has a way of making lessons interesting." An idea came to her, making her rub her hands together. "Or maybe she can share some juicy details about her relationship with Aizawa." Kirishima as well as her friends sighed tiredly at the gleam in her eyes, this could only end badly.

"Over my dead body."

With a jolt, the class snapped to the door just as it slid open. Revealing their homeroom teacher who was heavily bandaged all over. "Good Morning." He muffled through his bandages.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Bakugou exclaimed in shocked disbelief, effectively expressing everyone's thoughts at the sight of the man.

Izuku closed his gaping jaw while watching his teacher make his way to the desk. "How are you still walking?" The last time he saw him, it looked like he was falling apart.

"I-It's too soon for you to be here sensei!" Toga exclaimed in disbelief and awe while everyone vocalized the same thoughts.

Aizawa grunted as he took his seat behind his desk. "Despite how I look, I'm still able to teach. But let's move on to something more important." His gaze then shifted to the explosive teen. "Bakugou, while I understand the sentiment. Reckless searching for the villain would only lead to your doom." His words took everyone aback. How early was he? "As heroes, you need a level head, otherwise you'd be a risk to yourself and others around you." His eyes glowed within the bandages. "Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Bakugou replied with a serious expression and looked down at his desk.

Aizawa made an approving sound, glad that the teen didn't make a fuss over it like he thought he would. "He's a lot more reasonable than he appears to be, good." His gaze shifted to Izuku who tensed under his gaze. "Midoriya. Midnight and Mic insisted I say this before we start class." This drew curious looks from everyone. "Thanks for saving me." He smiled behind his bandages before looking stern. "But next time, just pass the information to the pros and let them handle it."

While most were put off by the sudden scolding, Izuku wasn't foolish enough to react to it and simply nodded with a sheepish smile. "You're welcome and, uh, I'll keep that in mind." While he can't promise to do exactly what his teacher said, he'll at least have it as an option.

The pro nodded, satisfied with the response before focusing on the rest of the class. "As for all of you, good work." The students beamed from the praise. "But now, onto the next topic." And just like that, they became tense again from his tone. "The U.A. Sports Festival is almost here."

Upon hearing this, most of the students became excited. The Sports Festival is a momentous event that allows the students of U.A. to show off their skills to not just the school but to the whole of Japan and sometimes, even the world.

But more than that, it's a time for students to get noticed by other Pro Heroes or Agencies looking for fresh recruits. Essentially jump-starting their hero careers.

Others, however, were concerned. "Sensei." Momo raised her hand. "Isn't it too soon to have a festival after the villain attack?"

"They could use the chance to attack again." Sero pointed out with a serious expression as others expressed similar thoughts.

Aizawa understood their concerns and calmly spoke. "The security for this Festival will be stronger than previous festivals. As for Nomu…" His expression hardened. "Several pros will be around to patrol the area. If the villains try anything, they'll have heroes and law enforcement to deal with." His assurance helped ease the troubled students and raised their spirits.

"And us." Izuku thought as he glanced between Bakugou and Toga, a silent agreement to assist if needed. The explosive blond wore a hardened expression while the blood user was a little nervous but 100% willing to join them.

Mineta however was still fearful. "C-Can't they cancel it for a little while." He glanced at the window as if another attack was coming. "At least until things calm down a bit."

To his dismay, Aizawa shook his head. "Not possible, this isn't something that can be delayed because of a few villains." The short teen looked down, nervous. "The festival has become a major milestone for young heroes and a tradition." His expression hardened. "If we delay this, the villains could gain unwanted confidence, thinking that they can do as they please."

"I…understand." Mineta truly did, he just couldn't help but be fearful after what he'd experienced and seen.

Hearing this, Izuku turned to him with a reassuring grin. "Don't worry about it too much, unlike last time, the security will be tougher." The short teen still didn't look reassured so he added. "And keep in mind, All Might will be there, so I doubt the villains will risk attacking, even with Nomu."

Mineta looked considerably calmer after being reminded of the Symbol's presence at the festival. ''Oh yeah...'' His posture loosened as it dawned on him. ''And Nezu said that they wouldn't try anything so soon after losing.'' A content smile formed on his face as he leaned back in his seat. ''You're right Midoriya, things will be fine.'' Now all he had to worry about was his performance and the large audience.

Izuku grinned and looked to Aizawa who was giving him a grateful glance before continuing his discussion. Toga stared at him with an adoring smile from his gesture while Bakugou huffed, simply glad that he didn't have to hear more whining from the short teen this early in the day.

''If you get noticed in the event by a well-known hero or agency, your chances of greater experience and popularity will skyrocket.'' The pro explained, exciting everyone at the prospect. ''But keep in mind, becoming a hero is the priority, not fame and wealth.'' The students took those words to heart. ''You'll only get a few chances here to jumpstart your reputation, so make them count and do your best!''

''YES, SENSEI!'' The students replied with great enthusiasm.

Aizawa nodded, pleased by the response and thankful for the bandages for hiding his smile. ''Very good, Homeroom is dismissed.'' He began making his way out of the room. ''I'm going to take a nap.'' He tiredly added before closing the door behind him.

With the teacher gone, the students began to discuss among themselves. ''With a quirk like yours Midoriya, you automatically stand out.'' Sato spoke with amusement from his desk while most agreed with his statement.

''Fair.'' Izuku chuckled while waving a hand. ''But I don't care about the fame, I just want to do good and honor my family.'' He rubbed the back of his head with a humble grin. ''And helping All Might take down AFO someday.'' Maybe the ancient villain can wait until he's a fully-fledged pro hero.

Aoyama let out an impressed laugh, drawing their attention. ''In that case!'' He did a pose with a sparkling aura, making Tokoyami cringe. ''Feel free to direct the attention to moi!'' He flamboyantly said with another pose. "I'd love to show them my dazzling style!"

While most looked at him with blank stares, Izuku hummed with a head tilt. ''Sounds vain.'' He bluntly pointed out.

Aoyama looked like he had been shot as he put a hand over his chest and leaned on a table with a stagger. ''I-I see…'' He stammered while trembling as most snickered from the bluntness.

Bakugou snorted dismissively. "Take the damn reporters." He had enough media attention for a while. "I just care about showing everyone who the best is!" He cracked his knuckles with a scary grin.

While most were intimidated, his close friends were amused. "You know you don't have to prove anything Bakugou." Toga calmly pointed out. "Most who take one glance at you know not to mess with you." She'd seen her fair share of bystanders moving out of the blond's way after all.

"I know that, but it's not about ego or rep." The blond crossed his arms. "It's about principle."

Izuku made a sound of approval. "I can respect that." His friend had always strived to be the best after all. "Just don't be salty if you lose a game or two." He jested with a friendly grin.

"HA!" Bakugou scoffed in amusement. "In your dreams, I plan to win the thing." He narrowed his eyes with a challenging smirk. "Of course, that would mean you'd have to step aside." He said with an expectant tone.

As expected, Izuku met the challenge with a sharp grin and a low growl. "Don't count on it." The explosive teen chuckled approvingly with a nod, already expecting an awesome fight.

Toga giggled at their banter. "Aren't you two forgetting something?" The two looked at her in confusion. "You'll have to fight me too." She formed a daring smirk. "With both of your quirks in my arsenal."

"I didn't forget." Izuku chuckled as he patted her head, eliciting a giggle. "I'm curious as to what forms you'll use during the event." He removed his hand, allowing her to look up at him. "And knowing you, you'll be at your best." He grinned at her.

A fire lit inside the blonde as determination formed on her features. "You won't be disappointed." She said in a promising tone.

Bakugou chortled in amusement and patted her back. "Looking forward to it." The blonde giggled while Izuku chuckled.

"Don't forget about us." Ida spoke as he fixed his glasses with a smile. "You three won't be the only ones training before the event." The others cheered at the proclamation.

To some, fighting all of their classmates would be a nerve-wracking feeling, but Izuku was excited at the prospect. "Sounds fun." Next to him, Bakugou wore a vicious grin as he cracked his knuckles while Toga merely giggled.

In the back, Mineta gulped from the trio's intimidating aura and prayed that he wouldn't cross them during the event.

As the students began to express how excited they were or what they planned to do after class, Izuku watched with a fond smile. "Everyone's hyped for this thing huh?"

"It's hard not to be." Ida straightened his posture. "Like sensei said, our official paths as heroes start here." He did a few usual arm chops as he explained. "Everyone needs to be at the top of their game for this."

Bakugou huffed through his nose. "No problem here." His comment earned a light elbow to the side from Toga while Izuku chuckled at his remark. "What do you think round…" He trailed off as he processed what he saw. "...face?" Following his gaze, they were also surprised by the sight.

Ochako sported an intense expression as an intimidating aura emanated from her in contrast to her usual bubbly personality. ''I'm thinking of doing my best!'' She declared with a surprising amount of power that took everyone aback.

''Ummm…'' Izuku hesitated, unsure how to respond. ''Aren't we all?'' Since when did she become so competitive?

While curious, Toga eyed her with caution as she slowly began to reach for her shoulder. ''Are you alright-?''

''Better than alright!'' The gravity teen user's instant and intense reply caused the blond to squeak and hide behind Izuku who merely blinked in surprise while others flinched. ''I'm pumped!'' She exclaimed with a strong stance.

Bakugou raised an eyebrow. ''You sure? Because you're not usually this…'' He trailed off while gesturing to her entire being. ''Fiery.'' Maybe it's a coping mechanism, he's read about people dealing with stress in different ways.

Mineta stared at her in fear before his eyes widened with a blush as a theory came to him. ''Maybe she's on her-'' A swift tongue slap to the cheek from Tsuyu cut him off as he fell to the floor. The latter mentioned staring at his twitching form with a disappointed shake of her head.

Unaffected by what the short teen was about to say, Ochako turned to the rest of the class with her fist raised. ''LET'S DO OUR BEST EVERYONE!'' She declared with intensity, prompting them to cheer in agreement, albeit awkwardly.

''What in the world?'' Ida muttered while adjusting his glasses, a range of emotions stirring within him from her sudden burst of passion.

---

LATER-U.A. GROUNDS-HALLWAY

As the group made their way to the cafeteria for lunch, Ochako walked ahead of them with the same air of determination while the rest watched her go in curious silence.

This went on for a few moments before Bakugou decided that he had enough. ''Alright, I'll bite.'' He stopped with a sigh, prompting the others to do the same. ''What's with the sudden fire round face?'' He crossed his arms. ''You're never usually that intense.'' It was off-putting, to say the least.

Suddenly, Ochako became hesitant, her earlier confidence replaced with nervousness as she mentally debated on what to say. "W-Well…it's because." She slumped and faced them with a blush. "I want to become a pro…" She hesitated before looking down. "To earn a lot of money."

The group was stunned into silence for a moment until Toga spoke. "So…" She carefully said. "You're in it for the money?" Surely there was more to it than that?

"I-I know how that sounds." Ochako rubbed the back of her head, blushing deeply. "B-But…" She quickly covered her face with a whine. "This is so embarrassing!"

Izuku tilted his head. "It's not exactly unheard of." His words made her look up to him in timid surprise. "I've read my share of stories of people who wanted to become heroes to improve their financial situations." He then grinned. "And keep in mind, most of my family members did the same thing for a variety of reasons." Ochako's eyes widened as she realized his point.

Toga nodded in agreement. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to live comfortably." She pointed out with a kind smile.

"Heroes get paid whether they like it or not." Bakugou cut in with a knowing tone. "How they choose to live with that wealth is up to them." For instance, he'd read somewhere that despite her popularity, Mirko lived humbly.

"Indeed." Ida nodded in understanding. "There's nothing to be ashamed about." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

With the warmth from his gesture as well as the understanding words of her friends, Ochako felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you for understanding." She placed her hand over his as she looked up at him with a sweet smile. "But that's not the only thing." She turned to the others as they listened. "My parents own a construction company." She looked down with a frown. "But business hasn't been going so well."

"Sounds like something your quirk would be useful at." Izuku pointed out with a thoughtful look. "Logistics wouldn't be an issue either since you can just make things lighter for transport." It would save a ton of money for their family.

Ochako nodded, still frowning. "I know, but my parents didn't want me working for them, telling me to just focus on reaching for my dreams." She clenched her skirt and looked up at them in determination. "That's why I want to become a hero, to earn enough money to make my parent's lives easier!"

While the others were stunned by the declaration, Ida smiled in approval. "An admirable goal!" He placed a hand over his chest. "One that I will support if needed!"

Ochako gave him an odd look before the implications shocked her. "Y-You don't have-"

"You can't expect us to drop it after hearing your problems." Izuku gently cut in with a kind smile. "We'd be pretty lousy heroes if we just left you to deal with it alone."

Toga nodded in agreement. "That's right. And even if we weren't heroes, we're friends, it would be wrong to not help." Their words stunned her into silence.

"We're in this thing together, as cheesy as that sounds." Bakugou crossed his arms with a smirk. "You're deluded if you think we'd leave you on your own." Especially since the three of them had grown to be supportive of one another.

Ida approached with a warm smile. "You're not alone in this Ochako." She looked up to him. "We'll help you achieve your goal."

In an instant, Ochako lunged forward and buried her face on his chest. "Thank you everyone!" She muffled against the tall teen as she embraced him.

The class president was stunned by the sudden movement for a moment before snapping out of his stupor and returning the embrace. "You're welcome, Uraraka." He softly said as the others silently watched the scene.

Izuku smiled, touched by the moment before his nose twitched. ''Huh?'' He pointed his nose in the air, audibly sniffing.

Naturally, this caused all of them to look at him in confusion, apart from Bakugou who rolled his eyes. ''Seriously nerd, can't you pick a better time to listen to your stomach?'' They're not even close to the cafeteria yet.

The OFA user shook his head, his face scrunched up. ''It's not food I smell.'' He pointed his nose to a nearby corner, drawing an intrigued look from the blond. ''It's cologne.'' He muttered before his eyes widened in realization.

Toga's expression shifted as well as the rest gave him strange looks. ''What are you-?''

''HA! HA! HA! HA!'' A familiar laugh boomed throughout the hall, surprising the others while Izuku grinned. ''YOUNG MIDORIYA…'' The group looked to the corner in time to see All Might slide into the view, already pointing at them. ''IS HERE!'' He stood tall. ''With friends!'' He proudly added with his signature laugh.

Izuku and Toga chuckled from the man's entrance as the rest were still recovering from their surprise. ''Good Morning!'' The blonde cheerfully chirped. ''What brings you here?''

To this, All Might pulled out a small packed lunch. ''Lunch with young Midoriya!'' He declared before looking comically hopeful. ''If he accepts.''

Ochako's cheeks puffed up before she buried her face in Ida's chest to laugh, the latter merely shocked. Toga was speechless at how adorable he looked while Bakugou gaped, not believing that he was seeing the Number 1 Hero looking like a damn maiden!

An image that was now burned into the blond's mind forever.

Izuku on the other hand had a feeling that there was more to this. He loved food, but his instincts were telling him that something was bothering his mentor. With that in mind, he decided to store it away for now and ask later. ''I'm honored but…'' He tilted his head with a curious look. ''Why?''

All Might understood the confusion and explained. "Consider it an apology for the injuries you've sustained during the attack." He gave him a proud look. "And my way of saying thanks for your efforts."

"I'd be delighted to." Izuku grinned before looking unsure. "But uhh…" He lamely gestured to everyone else, thinking of a way to phrase it properly. "Can they come? I know Bakugou would be over the moon to hang out with you."

While Toga was warmed that he wanted her to be with him, Bakugou became mortified at the exposure. "He wasn't offering it to me, you dumbass!" He looked away and crossed his arms with a huff. "Don't make it sound like I'm desperate for his time!" He retorted with a very faint flush on his cheeks.

"Your kindness is noted Midoriya." Ida adjusted his glasses with an amused smile. "But this is something you earned; I suggest you take it." Ochako nodded encouragingly next to him, still giggling from the blond's outburst.

Izuku looked among his friends before nodding with a smile. "Alright." He met the gaze of his mentor. "But we should hang out as a class at some point, I think everyone deserves it after USJ." His recommendation touched his friends, admiring his limitless modesty.

All Might chortled warmly with a nod. "Agreed. If I'm lucky, Aizawa will be able to give me permission for the outing." Though he had a sneaking suspicion that Nemuri would be the one to convince him. And knowing her, she'll take any opportunity to spend time with the underground hero. "He could certainly use the rest." His expression then turned a little teasing. "I'm sure young Bakugou will be looking forward to it."

The blond looked at the ceiling with a groan as his face reddened in frustrated embarrassment, much to everyone's amusement. "He will." Izuku replied with a knowing laugh as he turned to his friends. "See you later guys." He said before following his mentor.

"Have fun!" Toga cheerfully replied as the group continued their way to the cafeteria with an embarrassed Bakugou leading the way, the latter grumbling to himself.

---

LATER-ALL MIGHT'S OFFICE

''Thanks for the meal All Might!'' Izuku said with a satisfied grin as he leaned back in his seat while patting his stomach. ''If it means getting more food, maybe I should save USJ more often.'' He joked.

Toshinori, in his real form, chuckled a bit. ''Maybe you should.'' But as quickly as it came, his amusement was replaced with a frown, putting his elbow on his knee and perching his chin on his hand in contemplation.

Seeing this, the teen grew concerned before sighing. ''He's making a move, isn't he?'' He said in a way he already knew the answer.

"He is." Toshinori nodded with a weary sigh, not remotely surprised that his successor figured it out. "And the worst part of it all is, that was just a taste of what he could do."

With a grimace, Izuku wanted to ask something that had been bothering him. "Are there any leads on what or who Nomu is?" He had theorized that even if he was made in a lab, a template or host would have been needed to make the creature.

Wordlessly Toshinori stood up and approached a nearby filing cabinet. "They did, thanks to the blood and chunks of flesh left behind during the fight." He pulled out an unmarked folder and approached the teen. "With DNA analysis and record searching they were able to identify who Nomu is." He placed the folder on the table and slid it to him with a dark look. "Or was."

With a small gulp, Izuku opened the folder and was immediately shocked when he was greeted by an average-looking man with olive green hair and thick lips. "!?" His eyes darted to the man's name. "Yasuda Jun…" He muttered with a frown.

"He was a small-time thug that went missing and eventually went under the radar after a few years." Toshinori explained as he took a seat. "The authorities believed that he had gone into hiding or left the country altogether." He closed his eyes with a grim look. "But it's now clear that he had been taken."

Izuku read what was known about the man, and while he wasn't innocent, no one deserved to be turned into that. "What did they do to him?"

Unfortunately, Toshinori looked unsure. "To be honest, no one knows exactly how it's done, even Nezu could only speculate." His expression turned serious. "But what they were able to find out was that he also shared DNA with four different people."

"Four people?" Izuku repeated with disbelief. "Just how modified did they make this guy?"

"Heavily, from what we've seen." Toshinori's grim answer didn't sit well with him. "As you know, unless it's from natural means, no one can hold multiple quirks at once." His expression darkened. "Unless of course, someone could implant quirks."

"All For One…" The Kaiju user mirrored his mentor's expression as he looked down. "A part of me was hoping that I was wrong, but..." His gaze studied the picture again. "That doesn't explain how they turned him into that."

Toshinori understood his confusion and spoke. "Nezu believes that it's someone else's handiwork." His expression hardened. ''And considering that I've never seen anything like Nomu before, it only confirms it.''

Izuku bit back a curse, based on what he'd been told, it would make sense for the ancient villain to have connections. ''But why would AFO need a mad scientist to help him?'' His question drew a curious look from his mentor. ''I mean, isn't it enough to pump someone full of quirks?'' That monster didn't seem like the type of guy to be held back by natural limits.

Toshinori considered the question for a moment before answering. ''It's possible that he needed scientific help due to the host not being able to withstand being implanted with multiple quirks at once.'' He paused again. ''Or maybe he needed someone to manufacture hosts that would loyally serve his purposes.'' He shrugged. ''We may never know for certain, but I'll be sure to pass along your question to Nezu, maybe he and the investigators can come up with something.''

''Damn…'' Izuku felt a new wave of pity for the criminal, shuddering at the experimentation he must have been through. ''He just keeps finding ways to violate life.'' He shook his head before tensing as a thought came to him. ''Are there…more like him?''

There was a pause as Toshinori looked down in contemplation before letting out a heavy sigh. ''It's possible.'' The answer sent unease through the young hero. ''With how powerful Nomu is, I wouldn't put it past AFO to make more like him, even if they don't end up as strong.'' It certainly would be something the madman would do. If not for power, then for sadistic desires.

''Do you think we can cure them?'' Izuku immediately asked while fighting through the wave of nausea at the thought of more people being turned into monsters.

Another uncomfortable silence before the man looked downcast. ''It's…hard to say young Midoriya.'' He truly wished he knew of a way to restore the victims. ''Without more data, there's no real guarantee of changing them back.'' He felt guilt at the crestfallen expression the teen wore so he added. ''Until we capture Nomu or something similar to him, we're in the dark.''

While a part of him expected the answer, it still hurt to hear just the same. ''And what if we encounter more Nomu?''

''Nezu said that the best thing to do is to detain them to research for a cure.'' His expression turned grim. ''But if it cannot be helped and that their quirks prove to be incredibly dangerous…they'll need to be destroyed.'' He didn't sound thrilled about it, but knew it would be the most sensible thing to do. ''Better than having a raging monster rampaging with a destructive quirk.''

Izuku's expression was neutral as he looked down. ''I…'' He trailed off before nodding with a sigh. ''Understand.'' While logical, he hoped there would be a way to reverse what had been done, lest he and the others be forced into taking a life.

Seeing this, Toshinori decided to steer the conversation away from the topic for now. ''But we can let the authorities and Nezu handle the research for now.'' He then offered a proud smile. ''I was impressed with how much you've improved using OFA.'' He knew it was a poor attempt to change the topic, but it was better than letting the young hero drown in worry.

Izuku appreciated the gesture and returned the smile, albeit small. ''It wasn't much of an improvement; all I did was increase the intensity at the heat of the moment.'' He shrugged. ''My body felt drained when I turned it off.''

''That's to be expected, your body still hasn't experienced the maximum potential the quirk can do.'' Toshinori then wore a thoughtful expression as a memory came to him. ''Come to think of it, if you were to train yourself to handle varying levels of OFA, your body should be able to adjust to it in no time.'' He smiled encouragingly. ''Back in the day, I used a similar training method, and look how well that turned out.''

Izuku looked contemplative. ''I'll make the necessary adjustments to my training.'' He then looked up to his mentor with a worried frown. ''But how are you doing? I've figured the battle must have taken a lot of energy from you.''

The blond gently patted his side. ''It did, but it would have been worse if you hadn't assisted.'' While glad that his efforts weren't a complete waste, it was still disheartening for the young hero to hear. ''Don't despair, we both know that my power will fade as it transfers to you.'' It was a fact that couldn't be denied. ''What's important is that lives were saved thanks to our efforts.'' His words made the teen look at him. ''But if it makes you feel any better, your interference bought me some additional time.''

While it was bittersweet, he knew his mentor's words rang true. Lives were saved that day and even if the Symbol was going to lose his power eventually, he still managed to spare him from serious damage from the battle. And at the end of the day, those things are what mattered.

Seeing the contemplation on the young hero's face, Toshinori sighed and got up from his seat. ''To be blunt, I don't have much time left as the Symbol of Peace.'' He admitted with a serious look as he stared outside. ''You and I already discussed this when I revealed the truth to you.'' The teen said nothing and simply listened. ''There are also likely others who know this.'' He glanced at the teen. ''Which is why I want you to show them otherwise.''

''What do you mean?'' Izuku inquired with a look of confusion as he stood and approached.

Toshinori fully faced him with a look of conviction. ''I want you to show them that the next generation of heroes are just as Powerful and Valiant as I am!'' The teen was taken aback by the declaration. ''While it won't deter AFO, it would certainly show him and the others that your spirit, as well as the others, haven't faltered in the slightest from the attack!''

Izuku stared at him in shock before snapping out of it. ''That's uh…a pretty tall order.'' A thought came to him. ''But isn't that risky? What if AFO watches the event and discovers that I'm your successor?''

"He'll most definitely be observing the event." Toshinori's words did little to ease him. "But you wouldn't have to worry about him connecting you to me, while he knows of OFA's existence, there's no real way for him to know if I passed it to someone after all these years. It also helps that you were born with a quirk." He smiled encouragingly. "So as far as he'll know, you're just a hero in training who can transform into Kaiju."

While the thought of an ancient evil watching him unsettled him, he was glad that his family wasn't in direct danger. "Do you think he knows about my family?" It wouldn't surprise him if a family member ran into the ancient foe at some point, even by chance.

Toshinori paused as he recalled every encounter he had with the evil man before shaking his head. "He never mentioned ever meeting your family or the Kaiju quirk." He put a hand on his chin. "But even if one of them did, it was most likely a minor operation that didn't draw his attention." The only times he could remember where OFA bothered to show up were objectives that held large significance in his empire.

Izuku let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Ok, that's good." While unnerving to become a target, it was comforting to know that his loved ones wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.

"We're taking precautions to protect the students and their families." Toshinori calmly advised with confidence. "Just focus on your growth in the next two weeks."

Izuku nodded to his advice. "I'll do my best." His mentor nodded approvingly at the response as he turned to leave before stopping.

Seeing this, Toshinori became curious. "What is it my boy?"

"Just thinking." The teen's vague response didn't satisfy the man's curiosity so he elaborated. "I'm wondering where Shigaraki fits in all of this?"

Now understanding the topic, the answer came easy for the Number 1 Hero. "He's most likely another pawn of OFA." The teen glanced at him. "It wouldn't be the first time he'd manipulate others just to get what he wants." He had encountered his fair share of people who had believed to have found a spot by the evil being's side.

Only to realize too late that they were mere fodder for their master's purpose.

Izuku took in his words and nodded a little. "It could be, I just can't help but shake the feeling that there's more to it." His words drew a serious look from his mentor. "I mean, if he was just another pawn, why entrust him both Nomu and the task to kill you?" It sounded far too important for a mere pawn to do.

The blond saw his point immediately and thought about it. In his time, AFO only entrusted vital tasks to the strongest in his arsenal. And while Shigaraki was strong, he wasn't even close to the high-ranking people he had encountered in the past.

Furthermore, the blood feud between them was deeply personal but for different reasons. If the evil man wanted to end him, he'd want to do it himself. After all, why let someone else have the satisfaction?

Realizing that his successor's line of thinking had more weight to it, Toshinori decided to discuss it with Nezu later. "It could have been his way seeing how strong I am after all these years." However, even that theory didn't feel solid enough.

"A probing attack huh?" The teen crossed his arms. "Makes sense, why strike when your enemy is still at his strongest? He'd probably just want you at your weakest to finish the job faster." He shrugged, oblivious to the dark look his mentor wore from his accurate description. "Maybe you're right and that I'm just thinking too hard."

Izuku looked back to his mentor, just as the latter schooled his features. "I guess I'll just focus on doing my best." He did a two-fingered salute. "See you at the event!" He said with a big grin before leaving.

Toshinori watched him go with a small smile before it was replaced with a serious look as he turned to the window. "What are you planning?" He clenched his fists with a hard frown as a bit of steam emanated from his form from unconsciously releasing a bit of his power.

---

LATER-U.A. GROUNDS-1A CLASSROOM

After their last class with Ectoplasm ended early, the students decided to pass the time with their usual interaction.

"It's pretty manly of All Might to invite you to lunch." Kirishima exclaimed with a big grin. "Not that you don't deserve it bro." The hardening user patted the tall teen's back.

Izuku chuckled with a nod. "Definitely wasn't expecting it." He then patted his stomach with a wide grin. "But hey, I'm not complaining." Toga giggled at his satisfaction while some guys chuckled.

Bakugou rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Pretty sure you're more focused on the food than All Might." He crossed his arms.

Tsuyu tilted her head with a finger on her chin. "Bakugou, are you jealous?" She calmly inquired.

Her blunt question earned a tick mark from the blond. "Why the hell would I be jealous!?" He snapped a glare at the girl who merely blinked. "I can hang out with All Might anytime I want to!" His bold claim earned amused looks from some of his classmates while the others did their best not to react and risk his wrath.

"Keep telling yourself that." Sero muttered before paling when the blond snapped at him with a killer glare.

"Care to repeat that?" Bakugou challenged as he let out small explosions from his palms, causing the tape user to rapidly shake his head in fear while Ida reprimanded him for irresponsible quirk use.

Thankfully Izuku saved his skin with a snicker. "No need to be so grumpy buddy." He patted the blond's head, replacing his rage with indignation. "Remember, I already asked All Might for all of us to hang out as a class someday." His reminder received a grunt from the blond who removed his hand in annoyance.

While most of his classmates were surprised by the gesture, Momo and the others smiled kindly at him. "That's very generous of you Midoriya."

The OFA user waved a hand. "It's no biggie, it's the least I could do after all of you fought like heroes at USJ." His words sent a surge of pride through them all.

"You're truly a noble warrior." Tokoyami's words earned a bashful look from the teen, something Toga found cute. "Which reminds me, I discussed your family history with my elders."

At once the tall teen's attention was piqued, as did everyone else's. "How…did they react?" He carefully asked.

"Surprised and Heartbroken." The shadow user's words didn't surprise him, but he was glad, this meant that they didn't encounter the villains in his family. "They also promised to be careful with who they share the info unless you permit it."

"I appreciate the gesture." Izuku smiled before bowing a little to him. "Please send them my thanks." It was always a great feeling to know that someone supported his family.

Tokoyami gestured for him to straighten up. "I'll gladly pass on your words but I doubt it's a big deal for them." The tall teen looked at him with a curious look. "After all, the hero they encountered accomplished a great deal before their unfortunate disappearance." He explained with a saddened tone from the last bit.

Izuku nodded with knowing sadness before wearing a small smile. ''What was their name?"

Tokoyami opened his beak to speak before the school chime was suddenly heard, making him sigh. ''Perhaps we can discuss it later in Private Messaging?''

''That'd be great, thanks.'' Izuku grinned before chuckling upon noticing that most of his classmates became downcast from not hearing the tale. ''Don't worry guys, I'll be sure to tell you their history when I can. I mean, it's not like I'll be going anywhere.'' Toga giggled, promising to do the same in case he forgot.

The reactions were immediate as they became elated. ''We'll hold you to it bro.'' Kirishima spoke up with a chuckle, it was always awesome hearing about the Kaiju user's family, even with the tragedies and struggles that came with them.

''Pfft, you guys look like a bunch of kids begging for story time.'' Bakugou pointed out as he stood while wearing his bag. ''What's next? Gonna cry for some milk and cookies?''

Kaminari blinked before rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish smile. ''Well, those do sound good right about-'' He yelped in pain from a swift elbow to the side from an annoyed Jiro. ''What was that for?'' The musical teen simply rolled her eyes at him.

''We can't help it man, they're always so interesting to hear about.'' Sato pointed out, gaining nods from a few students. ''Don't tell me you find them boring?'' How could you ever get bored about hearing this stuff?'

The blond stopped his march to point at the sugar user in indignation. ''I never said I found them boring, that's like saying I hate hearing about All Might.'' Sato raised his hands in a calming gesture, conceding to his point. ''I just don't like you guys pestering him so much for stories.'' He crossed his arms with a stern look. ''If you want to know so much, just do your research.'' Some glanced at each other with uncertainty, realizing his point.

A warm chuckle from Izuku got their attention. ''I appreciate the sentiment, but it's not a bother, honestly. And even if it was, I'm more than capable of refusing.'' While his explanation eased his classmates, they still made a mental note to tone down their curiosity and research on their own if they ever had time. ''You don't have to be protective about this, I can handle it.''

Bakugou pursed his lips before looking away with a sigh. ''Fine, just don't come crying to me about a sore throat or something.'' He grumbled.

Izuku knew his friend was just trying to deflect and act tough, so he decided to spare him the embarrassment. ''I doubt it'll get to that point, but you don't have to worry about me crying on your shoulder.'' He nudged his head in Toga's direction. ''I'll just go to her instead.'' He said in a joking tone but it caused the blonde to shyly hold her cheek with a blush just the same. The reaction caused some girls to coo, increasing her flush.

With an eye roll, Bakugou turned away from them. ''Whatever, I'll leave the mushy shit to her.'' He ignored the chuckles his comment got. ''I'm too tired to care right now.'' He put a hand on the sliding door. ''I just want to go home and-WHAT THE!?'' He yelled in shock after opening the door, jolting everyone else in surprise as they scrambled to see what was outside.

To their further surprise, it was a large group of students from different classrooms. All discussing amongst themselves as they stared at the class with varying expressions of curiosity, skepticism, and amazement.

"What's going on here!?" Ida loudly exclaimed with a confused arm chop. Next to him, Ochako was equally lost as she stared at the large gathering in shock.

Izuku looked around in confusion. "Did we miss an announcement or something?" He mused aloud.

Momo idly shook her head. "No, there weren't any announcements made." She stepped forward to face the group. "May I ask what you're all doing here?" She calmly inquired.

"To bear witness."

Everyone turned to the voice and saw a teen with indigo hair and visible eyebags walking out of the crowd. "Haven't any of you heard? Rumors are being spread around your class."

At this, Mina's curiosity grew. "What rumors?" She and Toru hadn't heard any gossip about them, but then again, their class was given a few days off the campus.

"Rumors of your villain encounter at USJ." The teen's words shocked the class. "It varies but it's generally the same, your class was attacked but you managed to fight them off." He said in a bored tone.

"That's not entirely true." Izuku calmly chimed in as he approached with Toga and Bakugou following. "All Might and the pros helped us. We didn't win on our own."

The indigo-haired teen hummed at the information. "I had a feeling that was the case, it's good to know that one rumor is confirmed." He then waved a hand. "Anyway, everyone here wanted to see the famous Class-1A for themselves." His eyes lazily shifted from each student. "And from what I can tell, you don't seem that impressive."

While most were thrown in a loop, Bakugou narrowed his eyes at the tone. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The other teen huffed, not intimidated in the slightest. "And arrogant too." He shook his head. "But then again, what else do you expect from an elite?"

Bakugou was about to retort before stopping when Izuku placed a calming hand on his shoulder and stepped between them. "Ok, there's obviously something more than simple rumors causing this." He gestured to the teen who had to look up to meet his gaze. "Why don't you explain? Starting with your name."

"Shinso and the answer to your question is obvious." He pointed to the rest of 1A. "You're all in the hero course because of your powerful quirks, forcing others like me to take different classes." Though his eyes retained their tired look, there was a challenging edge to them. "The festival will be our chance to sweep you all under your feet and give us an opening in the hero course." Behind him, some students muttered to themselves in agreement.

Most of his classmates, apart from Bakugou who hardened his expression at the declaration of war, were concerned. Izuku remained neutral as he took in his words. "Is that really how you see it?" The indigo-haired teen looked up at him. "That we got here just because of our quirks?" There was a hint of disappointment in his tone.

When he says it like that, it sounds pretty shallow, but Shinso wasn't backing down. "Having the right connections helps." He pointed out.

"Not necessarily." Izuku firmly cut in before sighing. "Look, while I can't speak for every person, I know that most here worked hard to get into the school." He crossed his arms with a look that said his words were obvious. "It takes more than a powerful quirk; you need to work hard."

Shinso narrowed his eyes and gestured to the crowd. "Everyone knows that, but how come none of us were given the chance for the hero course?" There was an accusatory tone in his voice now. "How come our efforts weren't recognized?"

"Nobody's denying your efforts, the teachers know we all worked hard to get here." The tall teen calmly appeased. "As for your question, the hero course is…well, to put it bluntly, a sort of multitasking course." At the curious looks he was getting, he carefully explained. "Apart from saving lives, we'll be put into situations where we have to face off against villains." He paused to let his words sink in. "The world needs rescuers and protectors."

As most in the crowd glanced at each other, Shinso frowned. "Is that it then? Only multitaskers and front liners can join the hero course?" He questioned with frustration.

Izuku sighed as he shook his head. "You're missing the point, heroism comes in all shapes and forms, not just in combat." It was his turn to frown. "Even if your class doesn't have much action, it still offers plenty of opportunities to do good for the world." At that, Shinso didn't meet his gaze. "Your quirk doesn't define you, it's your actions that matter."

In an instant, Shinso snapped his gaze in disbelief and searched his face for any signs of lying. When he found none, he looked away with a small pensive frown. "It's easy for you to say since you aren't cursed with a villain's quirk."

Ah, so that's what's going on, he was born with a challenging quirk that he deemed evil. Izuku was finally understanding the issue as his expression softened. "Quirks don't make the person evil, it's ultimately how the wielder uses it." Unbeknownst to him, Todoroki looked away with slightly pursed lips.

"Not for a quirk like mine." Shinso looked away again, frustrated. "It's not something that people deemed heroic like yours." He explained with a hint of envy in his voice.

Izuku stared at him with a calculative expression for what felt like a long time before he glanced at Bakugou and Toga. "Step back."

They were confused at first before realization dawned on them. "Are you sure?" Toga asked in a soft voice as she held his hand, next to her the explosive blond silently asked the same thing.

"I'm sure." Izuku gave her hand a comforting squeeze, garnering a nod from her and Bakugou before they stepped back. The action confused everyone else. "You don't know about my quirk." He glanced at Shinso with a knowing look. "Do you?"

While still lost, Shinso shook his head. "Mostly rumors." Where was this guy going with this?

Izuku nodded before his form sparked, taking Shinso and the crowd by surprise. "Then get ready for an introduction." His eyes sharpened before a green flash emanated from his form, forcing most to shield their eyes.

When the light dissipated, they were all greeted by Izuku's Gomora form as he roared. "WHAT!?" Shinso yelled with comical shock while the crowd also reacted with various surprises and silent disbelief like most of his classmates.

Ida was about to say something but was stopped when Bakugou raised a hand and shook his head with a hardened expression.

Undeterred by their reactions, Izuku began to explain. "My family's quirk allows me to turn into different kinds of Kaiju." He stared at his left hand. "Even without my father's strength quirk in the mix…" He clenched his fist. "I could easily crush people or destroy things around me." His expression hardened before looking at the teen, freezing him in place while the crowd tensed.

Izuku then approached Shinso who snapped out of it and unconsciously took a step back. "You talk about having a villain's quirk..." He gestured to himself with a neutral look as he towered in front of the teen. "Doesn't that include mine?"

At that, Shinso's demeanor became uncertain. Both from the teen's intimidating presence and the point thrown at him. "It's…not the same…" He weakly retorted.

"Isn't it?" Izuku moved his head so that he was at eye level with him. "One glance from an unaware civilian in this form could label me as a villain and have them send heroes after me." His form sparked as he raised his head, towering over Shinso. "My quirk is destructive; shouldn't I be locked away?"

"I…" Shinso hesitated, unsure of what to say.

Seeing this, Izuku decided to continue with his point. "I could have easily been a powerful force of evil, but I chose not to." He stood proud and gestured to his classmates who were beginning to understand his point. "Each of them could have abused their quirks, instead they chose to train here and become protectors." He gazed into the crowd. "I'll say it again, our quirks don't dictate who we are, only our actions."

Shinso felt like he had been struck in the heart as he felt small, and not because of the OFA user's intimidating form. Meanwhile, the crowd felt something in them stir from his words and contemplated it.

Izuku returned his gaze to Shinso, his demeanor softening as he shifted into his normal form. "If the world treated quirks as villains, then a lot of people would have been imprisoned." He paused. "All Might included."

At once the realization of what Shinso had been saying crashed down on him. "I…that's not…" He looked down, in his quest to become a hero he had been belittling others who had earnestly worked for it and caused an unnecessary divide. How could he not have seen it sooner!?

The word Envy quickly came to mind. For as long as he could remember, he had been treated with caution by his peers when they had discovered his quirk's nature. As if he was going to use it on them at some point.

It got to the point where he wished he wasn't born with a quirk like his. That he should have been given something more tolerable for everyone.

Something that would have been accepted and not feared.

Because of this logic he had hated himself, hated the quirk that he was born with, eventually seeing it like everyone else had, "A Villain's Quirk". Making him jealous of those born with amazing quirks that were generally accepted.

But hearing someone say his logic out loud made him realize how much of a fool he was being. And seeing the amount of damage he had done to not just himself, but the people around him made it worse.

Izuku frowned upon seeing the despair Shinso was falling into. While glad he was able to get through to him, this wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to help the guy, not depress him.

With a determined expression, he took a step forward and placed a gentle hand on Shinso's shoulder, the latter flinching back to his senses. "Tell me…" He endured the surge of guilt upon seeing the teen's dismal expression look up at him. "What's your quirk?" He asks in a gentle tone.

Shinso wanted to shake him off, to get as far as he could from the guy. He wanted to go home, lock himself in his room in shame, and apologize to everyone he wrongfully discredited in the past. But for some reason, seeing his kind demeanor and tone made him hesitate.

And before he realized it, he spoke. "I...can control people's minds." As soon as the words left his mouth, his eyes widened in alarm before he backed away with a grimace.

To his dismay, murmurs emanated within the crowd, even the students of 1A expressed their surprise but Shinso didn't hear any of it. He was too preoccupied with cursing himself for answering.

Today just wasn't his day. What was supposed to be a declaration of war turned into an unexpected debate between views that he lost. And now he had just revealed to what might as well be the entire school his damn quirk!

While trying to brush aside his internal plea for the ground to swallow him whole. With his eyes clenched shut Shinso mustered whatever courage he had to turn and-.

"That's an amazing quirk!"

And just like that, the world went silent for the indigo-haired teen as his eyes snapped open in shock. With a breath he slowly looked towards the OFA user, expecting an expression of mocking sarcasm.

Only to be met with a genuine grin, something that only his parents had directed at him. Behind Izuku, his classmates were impressed, sure some of them were surprised, but none looked bothered by the revelation. "W-What did you say?"

"I said you have an amazing quirk." Izuku happily repeated before looking contemplative. "You could save a ton of lives with that." His eyes glinted with intrigue. "You could diffuse a hostage situation, stop rampaging villains, trick a terrorist into not triggering a remote-controlled bomb, or maybe even-."

A light shove from Bakugou stopped him. "Nerd, you're rambling again." He gruffly cut in as he crossed his arms. "But yeah, that quirk is useful as fuck." The taller teen chuckled with a sheepish grin while Toga giggled but agreed. "Now that I think about it, didn't we read a manga about a guy with roughly the same shit?" Granted, the guy went a little nuts with it, but at least he came to his senses eventually.

Toga let out an excited gasp. "Oh my gosh yes!" She began to hop in excitement. "He was so cool!" She gushed, earning a fond chuckle from Izuku who agreed and patted her head.

"That is quite a useful ability." Ida added with a hum, already thinking of various scenarios to apply such a quirk. Even Ochako piped up and said that it would be a good way to get information out of a villain without hurting them.

As the 1A students expressed their amazement or pointed out the possible use of the ability, Shinso stared at them like they were crazy. "Wait…" They turned to him. "You're not disturbed by my quirk?" It sounded too good to be true.

And yet, the sincerity and kindness on Izuku's face remained. "Not in the slightest." He raised an eyebrow. "With how almost limitless the world of quirks is, it isn't surprising." He shrugged. "Besides, it isn't entirely new, I've seen my fair share of mind control abilities during my research." He wouldn't even be shocked if his family had forms that manipulated minds too.

Shinso was stunned, nobody but his parents had ever accepted his quirk. Even though it was expected, their support and love for him helped keep his vision of heroism clear.

So, to see such approval from people outside his small circle of trust sparked warmth within him like never before. "I…" His eyes glistened as he looked away. "Don't know what to say." It was like a dream, being welcomed like this.

"Then don't say anything." Izuku gently spoke with a kind smile as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just know that you're no villain." He gestured to the crowd. "I'm sure they can agree."

Shinso followed his gaze and saw that not one person in the crowd was looking at him in fear or disgust. He could even make out a few people expressing how amazed they were by his quirk. A far cry from the usual paranoid and negative remarks he's accustomed to.

With that, his tears flowed freely, prompting him to hastily wipe his eyes with a shaky laugh. "I've never had this before."

Izuku chortled kindly and patted his shoulder. "Better get used to it, because this is how it'll be from this point on." Shinso said nothing, merely lowering his head in relief as the weight he'd been carrying within him lifted.

The OFA user then directed his attention to the crowd. "If you want to be heroes, go do good, no matter how small or mundane it is." His grin sharpened. "But if you plan on facing villains, then train hard!" He raised his fist in the air with a determined grin. "Show everyone the meaning of PLUS ULTRA in ALL FORMS!"

Inspired by his spirit, the group raised their fists as well. "PLUS ULTRA!" They cheered, prompting his classmates to do the same.

When the excitement died down, the crowd began to disperse and Izuku turned to address his classmates.

"Midoriya."

The OFA user turned to see Shinso smiling despite the tears. "Thank you." He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit awkward. "Sorry for being an asshole."

Izuku chortled as he returned the smile. "Don't sweat it, considering what you endured, I don't blame you." He crossed his arms with a playful yet challenging grin. "Just do your best from here." Beside him, Toga nodded with a kind smile while Bakugou smirked.

"I will, and good luck at the festival." Shinso returned the smile and walked away with an air of confidence he'd never possessed before.

"You too." Izuku watched him go in contentment, already imagining the impact Shinso would make in the world with his abilities.

''Nicely done Midoriya.'' Ida commended as they neared him. ''The world can be a cruel place, thankfully people like you are around to help.''

The tall teen waved a hand. ''I just did what any one of us would have done.'' He humbly pointed out. "Besides, the world already has enough troubled folks, no need to add more." His logic was met with unspoken agreement from his classmates.

Toga nodded and stood close to him. "You're so kind Izuku." She fondly said while leaning her head against his arm, causing Toru and Mina to squeal.

"And humble." Bakugou cut in with a knowing smirk, causing his childhood friends to laugh in agreement. "It's like you're allergic to praise."

Tokoyami hummed in agreement. "One's actions last longer than the glory that comes with it." He said in a sagely tone.

Most just stared at the avian teen before Kaminari slowly nodded. "Too true man." Jiro and a few others gave the electric user weird looks, wondering if he truly understood or not.

Izuku stretched his arms, sighing in satisfaction after a pop was heard. "Now that that's taken care of, let's head back." He grinned in excitement at his friends. "Mom's making katsudon tonight, want to have dinner with us?"

Toga giggled at his giddiness while Bakugou rolled his eyes. "Do you even have to ask? Our families eat together almost every night." None knew when it started, but it had become somewhat of a tradition for the three families to eat dinner together from time to time. To the point where the parents discussed coordinating which family would host for the said night.

As the group began to move with Izuku leading, Sato whistled. "Must be fun having a large family dinner like that." He could only imagine the number of recipes shared or created between the three groups.

"It's never dull, that's for sure." Toga giggled as she walked by the OFA user's side. "You'd think we would get tired of it, but our families are so close that it's never the case."

"Ah, to have such a strong bond." Ida adjusted his glasses with a slightly longing look. "If only my family had more time for such gatherings." With how formal and busy his family is, such gatherings were often too rare for his liking. Which fueled his desire to treasure the time spent with his parents and big brother.

Ochako's expression lit up as an idea came to her, but just as she was about to speak, she hesitated before looking away with a frustrated frown. Noticing this, Bakugou let out a quiet huff. "You know, you could invite round face for dinner sometime." He ignored the shocked looks and the knowing grins from Izuku and Toga directed at him. "I'm sure your folks would get along fine." He explained with his usual sternness.

Ida looked contemplative while Ochako looked like she had been handed a gift. "Hmmm, sounds like a wonderful suggestion Bakugou!" It would certainly strengthen their friendship. "And maybe we can facilitate a gathering between all five of our families someday." He completely missed how the gravity teen deflated at the suggestion.

While Izuku and Toga glanced at him with deadpan expressions, Bakugou's right eye twitched. "Whatever." He grumbled before marching ahead in irritation, much to Ida's confusion.

While chuckling to herself at what unfolded, Jiro looked to Izuku. "How many forms are you planning on unlocking for the festival greenie?"

While amused by the nickname, the OFA answered. "No idea, to be honest, it'll be pretty tough unlocking a bunch considering the short time frame." He shrugged. "But I'll do what I can, it'll make training interesting at least." The musical teen nodded in understanding.

"I'm guessing the three of you will be training together?" Ojiro piped up as they reached the stairs.

Izuku thought about it before shaking his head. "Nah, knowing Bakugou he'd want to grow on his own. It'll ruin the surprise if we train together." He wore a knowing grin as he looked at the explosive blond who kept walking.

"That goes for me too!" Toga cheerfully chimed in. "If we keep training together, we won't grow as much." The tall teen chuckled in agreement and patted her head, earning a cute smile from her.

Kirishima chuckled. "I hear that." He wrapped an arm around Mina who leaned close to him. "But hearing you guys being serious about training is getting me fired up!" His girlfriend fondly giggled at his enthusiasm.

"Make use of that fire dude, because I have a feeling this festival is gonna get crazy." Kaminari's comment was met with unanimous agreement while Mineta gulped, dreading how things would go.

---

LATER-SECRET TRAINING SPOT IN THE FOREST

With a tired sigh, Izuku sat on a clear patch of grass. "This form is a lot more complicated than I thought." He panted while wiping the sweat from his brow. "How on earth did my great-grandfather create such a form?" He swiftly picked up the water bottle next to him and drank.

Needless to say, after dinner between families, the young hero had asked his parents for permission to train. And while his mother was hesitant to allow him since it was getting late, she paused upon hearing his reasoning.

With the festival in two weeks, he can't afford to waste time unlocking transformations. He needed as much time as he could to train with what forms he could unlock or what he currently had to maximize their potential. Going into the event with only half the preparation could cost him.

His father had agreed, pointing out that the new forms would only be for show if he didn't know how to use them. Not only that, he calmly pointed out that their son was responsible enough to know his limits for the night. With these points, Inko agreed but urged him to find time for himself to relax and warned him not to overdo it to which he agreed.

After a few moments, Izuku huffed before getting up with a grunt. ''Ok, that's enough rest.'' He stretched. ''Hmmm, maybe I'll just work on that another time.'' He walked over to his notebook next to a lamp and flipped through the pages before forming a sly grin when he stopped on Red King's page. ''If I was able to make Red King, what's stopping me from making more forms?'' He flipped another page, revealing his experimental page which held various sketches and Kaiju ideas. ''Or something more?'' He chuckled as he backed away and got into position his eyes focused on one particular experimental sketch.

Izuku closed his eyes and took deep breaths to compose himself before snapping them open with a determined glow and sharpening pupils. ''Now…'' He clenched his fists as the sparks of OFA emanated from him. ''Back to it!'' He wore a sharp grin as the power around him intensified.

Days went by in a flash for the young students, all driven by the determination to be the best heroes there are. And before they knew it, the time to show the world what they're capable of had arrived.

---

Author's Notes:

1. So…the My Hero Academia manga ending dropped. And while it's been discussed already, I just want to say…I'm disappointed. If you like the ending, that's cool, just don't start causing a scene for the folks who thought differently, like myself.

A lot of characters and material were wasted, not to mention how rushed everything is and because of this, the internet has memed Midoriya with low-wage jobs and NTR stuff. So yeah, pretty disappointed, I don't know what the author was thinking. Oh well, there are fanfics out there that are written exceptionally and writers who do better. At least I can count on them not to waste anything (overused Harem stuff aside XD).

2. If any of you spot errors. Feel free to point them out so I can correct them.

3. If you have any Ultraman Kaiju you'd like to see, feel free to suggest!

THANK YOU FOR READING, PLUS ULTRA!