Chapter 8: Hero Schools are Pretty Nuts

"Hmm… I don't see him anywhere…"
"You looking for someone, Kendo-san..?"

The ginger turned to look at the source of the voice, finding a boy with metallic white hair and eyes gazing at her with curiosity. In the background, their principal—a mouse-looking creature who was unanimously believed to be the smartest person in all of Japan—was giving a speech about the duty of heroes, and that even if they were competitors, they were ultimately teammates working for one shared goal. It was a fairly good speech, though she'd been a little distracted.

"Yeah. Met a guy in the practical test, and he said he'd be in Class 1-A," she whispered to Tetsutetsu. It was quite the name, and doubly so when his full name was literally Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu. His parents must really like the name.

"Ahh, I see… Yeah, the whole class is missing. No idea where they went…"

They didn't need to look far to check where Class 1-A were meant to sit. In fact, it was right beside her own class, and with all twenty seats empty, it was an utter mystery as to what had caused their absence from the orientation. Had it just been one person, then maybe that was excusable.

But all twenty people?

The weirder thing was how no one had batted an eye to their disappearance. She'd asked their teacher, Kan-sensei, on that, and all she'd gotten was an eyeroll and a sigh—not at her, as she'd initially assumed, but at their homeroom teacher. Coupled with some muttered words of 'There he goes again…', and it was clear to her that this wasn't the first time.

That was worrying. It meant that her sister class was being subjected to the same whims of their new homeroom teacher as the previous batch was. Were they doing something important? Or were they in trouble? She really hoped not. She hoped she got to see Midoriya again…

'Eh?' Blue eyes blinked. It took a minute for the thought to register, face heating up. 'Wha-Where'd that thought come from? Jeez… Don't be so silly, Itsuka. He's fine. You'll see him again soon! Just… Just calm down…'

He was going to be fine, she was sure of that.

Izuku was not going to be fine, she was sure of that.

As their teacher walked away to make a phone call, Katsumi quickly walked over to her boyfriend, Ochako in tow. She grabbed his arm, making him jump. "Izu!" She hissed. "What the hell were you thinking?! You… You idiot!"

"K-Kacchan," the way he wilted before her, looking like a kicked puppy, did things to her that she was not proud to admit. B-But this was more important!

"Don't Kacchan me! You just challenged that creepy ass to a fight, and if you fail, you're going to get expelled! This is the worst idea you've ever had!"

"S-She's right," her gaze moved to little grape head; the puny weakling of their group. Had he just accepted his expulsion, they wouldn't even be here, but Izuku just had to step in because his heart was just too big for his own good. "Dude, are you freaking crazy? Now you're gonna' get booted too, and it's my fault! What the heck?!"

"I… I'm sorry," he looked her in the eyes when he said that, and she knew he meant his words completely. "But I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

Couldn't stand by and do nothing. It felt like he'd been saying that a whole lot, and she'd heard it enough times to know that it was just a part of who he was.

It was just like when she and Ochako were going to die from that villain, and the time he'd risked his chance in U.A. to protect a bunch of strangers.

Risking everything he had, all because it was the right thing to do.

Katsumi clicked her tongue, pinching her forehead. "God damn it… You're always like this…"

"Well, we've been with each other since we were kids. At this point, you'd know me best," a bit of cheek slipped into his tone, and she hated how she snorted at that.

"Yeah, yeah. Mister I-Gotta'-Save-Them-All," she rolled her eyes. "Jeez… Look, I ain't gonna' give you flak for sticking to your guns. I respect that. But that guy there? He may look like a shrivelled up, greasy stick, but even I can tell that he's dangerous."

After all, being the best hero school in Japan, it was expected of them to hire some really talented heroes as part of the teaching staff. Even if he'd just looked somewhat grumpy at the start, he had that dangerous aura to him, and she was kind of miffed that she didn't recognize him.

"Yeah. He's a highly skilled close quarters combatant, which makes it slightly difficult for Mineta-kun and I…"

Curiosity bubbled amongst the rest of their classmates, coming over to listen to him. "You know who he is, Midoriya?" The tall girl with the ponytail asked.

"I read up ahead of time, and though his name wasn't listed in the teachers' section—either he's a new teacher, or they just forgot to update the website—it's likely that he's Eraser Head."

"Eraser Head?"

"Yeah. His Quirk, «Erasure», makes it so that whenever he looks at a person, their Quirk just turns off. Like flicking a switch. It comes back whenever he blinks, of if you break his line of sight. That makes him particularly difficult for most people who actively rely on their Quirks to fight, since they'd likely just be walking duds at that point," and then, he just shrugged. "But nothing that some planning can't combat."

"Seriously? Both you and Mineta's Quirks aren't Mutation-types. It's guaranteed that he'll be able to cut off your Quirks."

"Maybe so, but there's no point in giving up so early without having tried stuff," Izuku smiled back, in that same way that always comforted her, telling her that everything was going to be okay. And she could tell that it worked to calm everyone else. "Mineta-kun, let's talk about our Quirks. And we'll figure something we can do to handle Aizawa-sensei."

"Guh… What I'd give for that endless confidence…" With an exasperated groan, the short boy clapped himself in his face. "Fine! Let's do it! I don't wanna' go back home crying like a loser without having tried anything! Plus, you're helping me out, so I'll give it my all too!"

"Right! We got this!"

Even in the face of such terrifying odds, he just continued to grin away, instilling confidence in both his newfound teammate and everyone else present. Katsumi watched him go, and for a moment, she wished she could have just wished him luck.

She sighed. God, he was so cool…

[Your determination to face Aizawa's challenge has won you the admiration of your classmates! You gain 1 in Charisma!]

Izuku felt fine—at least, up until he got that notification, of which he couldn't help but facepalm upon reading it. Seriously, was it just him, or was it so easy to raise his charisma? Had Ai properly looked at him? He was the opposite of charismatic! He was a nervous wreck, for crying out loud!

He pushed that thought out of his mind for the time being. Their short walk took them to what appeared to be a gym building. The interior was wide, and the floor was completely concrete, with not much else to be seen. It felt odd, though there had to be a good reason for them being here.

"Midoriya, Mineta, get over here. We're burning daylight."
"R-Right."

The two hastily joined their teacher in the centre of the gym while the rest of their friends stood off to the side. Having so many eyes on him was a little nerve-racking, but he did his best to send them a confident grin, if only to calm them down. Ochako and Katsumi most definitely deserved it, looking so close to blowing up from stress.

"So, don't forget; you've got thirty minutes to defeat me. If you fail, you're expelled. Questions?"

"What counts as besting you?" Izuku asked. "It could be as easy as knocking you off your feet, or preventing you from moving for five minutes, or knocking you unconscious. What counts?"

"Good question," he seemed pleased by his query. "It'd be pointless to make it so easy, or else you won't learn anything… Alright then. How about this? Your job is to make it so that I'm incapable of moving for two whole minutes. Do that, and I'll rescind my sentence."

Two minutes of no movement… He was very obviously trying to set up Mineta as their win condition, which was probably intentional. And that seemed a little too simple, now that he thought about it, which could mean either one of three things; that the man was trying to handicap himself, that there was some kind of trick to this, or that he was going to make them work very hard for that. And knowing his character so far, that last bit might just be the truth of the matter.

Still, there was no point overcomplicating things. He'd given them their objective, and now it was their job to see it through.

A siren broke out in the gym, loud and blaring. All eyes shot upwards to a timer on the wall, which began counting down from thirty-two minutes. Two minutes before the biggest fight of their lives yet.

"Okay… Get ready, Mineta-kun," Izuku said, tensing himself. The other boy promptly readied himself as well. "This won't be easy."

"Y-You don't need to say it out loud!"

"Don't worry. We got this."

"We don't!"

Yeah, they really don't. Odds were looking pretty grim, but if they went into this already feeling defeated, then it was just going to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. And he refused to let that happen. They were going to win this, no matter what.

He'd worked so hard to get here with his girlfriends. All Might's hopes were on his shoulders. His parents had supported him from the very beginning.

He wasn't going to be booted before he could even get started.

Ten seconds. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four—

Energy coursed through his body, his senses sharpened to a level that turned everything into white noise. All that he could see in that moment was Eraser Head, who had already donned his goggles, one hand clenching his white scarf tightly as he stared at them. Mineta, standing beside him, kept his hands to his sides, ready to draw his spheres at a moment's notice.

—Three. Two. One.

It was right as he was about to make a forward dash did he notice a miniscule shift in the floor in front of him. The way the flat concrete quietly simmered, a tiny crack upon the surface.

And then, the floor burst open like a geyser. Green eyes shot wide, and he quickly backpedalled, head craning upwards as he watched a pillar of grey stone shoot towards the ceiling, moving so fluidly that he would have almost mistaken it for an actual liquid.

That wasn't the only pillar to break out of the floor. In fact, the whole area was suddenly twisting and turning, stone curving and twisting as they jutted out from the ground, forming weird and asymmetrical structures that almost threw Izuku for a loop.

"W-What the heck is going on?!" Mineta screamed, looking around in a panic.

"This… It must be the work of Cementoss. His Quirk allows him to manipulate cement into whatever shape he wants it to be, practically malleable like clay. Aizawa-sensei must have called him to help out with this test."

"…Dude, you know way too much stuff. What the heck?"

"A-Ahaha. I couldn't help but read ahead on U.A.'s staff. Plus, they all have really interesting Quirks! That's just—"

Before he could finish his words, something dived at them. Izuku couldn't even raise his arms before feet struck him directly in the solar plexus, knocking all the air out of his system as he was sent flying backwards, thankfully not colliding into a pillar but instead skidding on the concrete.

"Less talking, more fighting. Or keep talking, if you want," Eraser Head snickered, both his hair and scarf levitating now. "It won't be my fault if you end up failing. Less trouble to deal with for an entire year."

He leapt away before Mineta could even act, a stone wall forming in his place right after, making it impossible to chase him anyways. His friend rushed to his side. "Hey!" He called out with worry. "You alright?"

"I-I'm fine," he forced out, slowly pushing himself back to his feet. "Damn, that smarts… Guess it wasn't going to be as simple as we expected it to be."

Not only were they dealing with an incredibly evasive opponent, but the environment was also actively shifting to throw them off. Whether they could use it to their advantage or not remained to be seen, but at the moment, they needed to locate the underground hero and get up close to him.

Shaking his head, he looked out across the gym, watching as concrete swam and twisted everywhere. He couldn't even see his classmates anymore, surrounded on all sides by moving cement. And even worse, he couldn't spot a hint of jet black hair or yellow goggles.

They were well and truly isolated, and there was no knowing when he'd strike them again.

Or would he even think to try? He could just continue playing hide-and-seek and waste their time, up until the very end. That was a dangerous scenario, and it had Izuku clicking his tongue in frustration.

"We're gonna' need to find him ourselves," Izuku decided. "Mineta, I'll carry you. I'm adept enough at manoeuvring around all of these obstacles, so we'd have less chance of getting separated."

"Alright. Let's do it."

Secured on his back, Izuku pumped power into his legs, running forwards before vaulting over a surging wave of concrete. His eyes tracked the trajectories of all structures, mind running a mile to figure out any possible gaps from which their teacher could come at them from.

There were too many stimuli here, however. From the ever-changing landscape to the sounds of grating stone to his own heartbeat and doubts on where their teacher was; this was as bad as it could have possibly been, and he was sure Aizawa was enjoying their struggles.

"Mineta-kun," he called out over the noise. "I'm gonna' climb and find a vantage point. Hold tight."

"S-Sure thing!"

Scaling the rocks, one after another, Izuku quickly perched on top of a tower-like formation, scanning the area. He could already sense the vibrations through his shoes, knowing that the tower would either rescind or twist away into something altogether, which gave them limited time to locate their teacher.

And then, he sensed him before he even saw him. Izuku felt the surge of «One For All» cut off completely, just in time for something to leap at him from behind.

Gritting his teeth, he turned around and raised his arms to block another kick, the impact sending them plummeting down. He twisted mid-air and planted his feet against a vertical surface, kicking off it before landing in a crouch, Mineta garbling all the while. Eraser Head fled before he could even look.

"He really isn't gonna' make this easy," he clicked his tongue. "I think our only option here is to just ready our trap from the get-go. Mineta-kun, you told me you can detach your hair a number of times."

"Yeah," he nodded once he'd regained himself. "Should I lay out some kind of mine field?"

"No. There's no guarantee that they'll stay in place; they may just get repositioned or buried outright. Let's just keep trying what we can."

'He's not as panicky as I expected him to be. That's quite a surprise.'

After all, he'd read the boy's files, and it had painted him as a fairly average, if a little awkward of a boy. No Quirk before just a month ago—and he knew that All Might had passed down his Quirk to the boy. The man just wouldn't stop talking about him—but he was adapting fairly well already, not giving in to the situation.

Even now, he could already tell that the pair were concocting a scheme of sorts. Mineta on his own would likely not have been capable of that, but Midoriya was a thinker; too inquisitive in nature, too much of an imaginator. And that was going to serve him well in the long run, so long as he didn't fall into the trap of overthinking and anxiety.

At least they had twenty minutes left. A bit of a monster as he could be, he wasn't going to be completely unfair on them. If he wanted to, he could have just asked All Might to beat them black and blue and call it a day.

That wasn't what they needed here; that would have taught them humility. Right now, he just wanted to see how far his students were willing to push themselves to get the results they desired.

A purple blur travelled straight upwards towards the ceiling. And that blur was screaming.

The man had to pause at the sight of Mineta being thrown straight up, flailing his arms and legs before gravity took ahold and pulled him back down. It was silent now, save for the occasional shifting of the environment.

And then, he felt it. A rumbling in the earth, growing in intensity as something rapidly approached him. The man tensed, lowering his posture and keeping his Quirk at a trigger's notice—

The five-inch wall of concrete that was erected before him exploded right in his face as a body of pure electricity charged him down.

One might say that a wall that thick should not be easily broken by means of a single punch. But that was the exact situation he saw. «Erasure» kicked in and severed the boy's power the moment he saw his hair, the electricity fading. On his back was his partner, who was already grasping two spheres in both hands, and he proceeded to throw them right at him.

At this range, Aizawa had no difficulty sidestepping the orbs, already repositioning to put distance between them. Midoriya chased him still, a determined look on his face even without his Quirk to work with while Mineta continuously plucked his hair and threw them at him in hopes of catching him off-guard.

And he'll give it to the kid, he was fast. Not as fast as Iida, but definitely fast enough to give the average runner a run for his money (pun not intended). And that in itself was pretty impressive, since he was going purely by his own physical fitness.

Aizawa quickly vaulted over an arch, Midoriya hot on his heels. He sidestepped a tower and ducked under a twisting rock, then launched himself onto a tower that formed from the floor beneath his feet. The rapid ascent cut off his sight of the boys, and by then, he was too far up to see them whatsoever.

'Guess I've lost them for now,' he thought to himself. 'Two minutes. Then I'll start moving once more.'

But he wasn't given his two minutes. Another scream grew in volume as Mineta was launched skyward once again. Their eyes met for a brief period before he fell back down.

And then, Izuku launched himself right at him, Mineta on his back.

He quickly jumped off the tower he'd been perched upon, watching with mild fascination as the boy swept his foot out in an arc, electricity dancing off his skin. Mid-air as he was, he quickly reoriented himself to land before launching himself at the man once more, and Aizawa had to quickly dodge again, not wanting to test just how strong the boy's Quirk really was or get caught in the sticky traps.

Back and forth did their little chase go, with Midoriya not losing steam in the slightest. Purple spread across the battlefield, sticky traps that he would only need a single slip up to accidentally get himself caught in. Thankfully, they kept getting moved around or crushed because of the shifting environment, but that also had him on his toes, not wanting to get struck by something.

Eventually, as his back hit a wall (literally), Midoriya was a few feet away from him, lightning dancing around him. There was only around three minutes left, getting dangerously close to the end.

And though he wanted to hold out for a little longer, Aizawa had to admit that he felt a little winded. He may have trained himself to be as fit as he could be, but damn, Midoriya was really making him feel subpar in comparison.

"So…" He breathed out, using this moment to at least catch his breath. "Any last ideas? Looks like Mineta's completely out…"

"N-Not yet," the boy in question panted, looking a little pained. He'd been expending his hair for some time now. "I can still..!"

"It would have been much easier if Cementoss hadn't been present to alter the field. Mineta-kun could have easily just laid out a trap all over, and it would have been a matter of time before your field of movement would be limited, and you'd just get caught in the end."

Yeah, that about sounds right. Cementoss hadn't been quite pleased to hear the reason behind his phone call, but it was certainly helpful to have him here. This test would have ended far too quickly otherwise.

The boys definitely seemed frustrated with the way things were turning out. Yeah, he could imagine how much that must suck. They had a little over two minutes left now, and that just made his prior win criteria a moot point now. There was no way they could immobilize him now in time.

A shame. But that was just how the cookie crumbles, he supposed.

"Come on, Izuku! You can beat him!"
"You got this, Izuku!"

Amongst the cacophony of cheering and motivating that their classmates were yelling at them, it was the two girls—Katsumi Bakugou and Ochako Uraraka—that were most intense. The terrified yet hopeful look on their faces told him that there was more at play here, and made it feel as if they were much closer to the boy than he expected. Close friends long before they came to U.A. together, if he wasn't mistaken.

Just as he moved backwards, a firm stomp on the ground drew his gaze to the verdette, who was bent over, hair hiding his eyes as his laboured breathing slowly evened out. His fists clenched and unclenched, and he could imagine how taut his muscles were.

And then his gaze lifted, and Aizawa flinched at the sheer hardness in his eyes.

Something had changed now. Like he'd flipped a switch in his head and turned into someone completely different. His fists were drawn in front of him in a boxer's stance, albeit lower than a traditional guard. Beside him, Mineta came over, panting but looking no less determined, a small trace of blood going down his brow.

Two minutes remained, but here they were, intending to fight until the very end. There was no shred of disappointment or haste anymore; just a readiness to fight, come what may.

And one could call Aizawa plenty of things, but he could be honourable when he felt the other person deserved it. These two kids definitely did, so he lowered his stance, hands outstretched and ready to meet their bravery.

One second passes. Two seconds pass.

And so does the third.

And then, Izuku was right in his face, fist cocked back as his eyes stared deep into his soul, going straight for the head.

'What the—'

He quickly raised his arms to tank the blow—only to gasp and buckle as the attack rattled him to the bones, the follow-up a sweeping kick to his side that he countered with his own. He sidestepped the right hook, took a fast jab on his arm (again wincing at the impact) before choosing to put distance between them, backpedalling.

Midoriya didn't let him. Strained as he appeared, he was upon him once more, going for body shots and leg sweeps that Aizawa predicted, only to raise his hand to block the shoe going for his face. How he'd managed to kick so high and so quick was beyond him, and he gave a little shove to disorient him, throwing a swift jab at the boy's face.

But the hit didn't connect, because he was already ducking away from the barrage of orbs sent towards him, watching them stick against a wall. He couldn't even look for look because Midoriya quickly rushed him down, connecting his fist against an open palm before throwing an upper cut. Aizawa leaned his head away, deflecting the next few hits before hopping away, dodging glue.

'His hand-to-hand combat isn't so bad. Amateurish, but I'm more impressed by his strength. He hadn't even used his Quirk so far, so how is he…'

Midoriya continued his assault, baring his teeth as he threw his punches and Aizawa continued to evade. Mineta had run out of steam, off in the background and unable to use his Quirk no longer. But that meant nothing since he was still busy trying to avoid getting struck.

Until he hit a stone wall once more, cutting off his escape. His eyes shot wide, and Midoriya saw his opportunity. One minute left. His arm was cocked back, the muscles taut and his fist balled tight as he readied himself to deliver one hell of a punch. Aizawa braced himself, knowing one undeniable truth. He was not getting hit—

Just as he was about to intercept Midoriya's next attack, the alarm sounded off in the gym, making him and the students look up in surprise. The timer hadn't even hit the limit.

"My, my. What do we have here? Is Aizawa up to his antics as per usual?"

"Nezu?" He blinked.

In walked a creature with snow white fur, the light pitter-patter of his feet on the floor more than enough to draw everyone's attention in the sudden silence, with beady black eyes and a fancy suit over his person. He cut for a very strange figure, especially when All Might walked right beside him, practically towering over him six times over, his bright yellow suit almost making Aizawa want to heave at the sheer strikingness.

His students regarded the creature with curiosity, and that was his cue to cheerfully introduce himself. "Hello, dear students! One must wonder, what am I? A dog? A mouse? A bear? Why, it is I—Nezu, the principal!"

"All Might and And Nezu…sensei?" Midoriya seemed to relax a little, though more confused than anything else. However, polite manners drilled into him had him bowing at him. "G-Good morning, sir! I'm sorry our class didn't come for orientation! We were just—"

"Oh, there's nothing that you need to apologize for, Midoriya! If anything, it's your teacher here that has much explaining to do."

So the typical chewing out. Aizawa sighed. "I'm just conducting a small test with these two. Mineta scored the lowest in the apprehension test, and I was about to expel him, but Midoriya stepped in. Convinced me to give them a second chance, so we're having a small combat test to prove their worth.."

"I can see that. And I must applaud you, Midoriya, for your intervention," he said with genuine respect. "Aizawa-kun here has always been very difficult, and he's expelled many a student that failed to meet his expectations. Your courage today will not be forgotten."

"A-Ah," the boy turned red somewhat. "I-It's nothing that needs praise, sir! I just, um…"

"He's simply behaving as a hero would!" All Might said proudly. "After all, to protect a friend with firm belief in their potential… Guh!" He clenched a fist. "It is nothing short of awe-inspiring!"

"I can agree with that one," a man literally appearing to be a whole block of cement walked over to them, smiling kindly. "And I do apologize for my absence as well, Nezu. Aizawa requested my help, and I didn't want to be a poor sport."

"Oh, it's fine, it's fine. But it's high time that we address the matter in full. Midoriya, would you mind coming with me?"

"Huh? Where are we going?"

His question only earned him a friendly smile from Nezu. That's not good.

Okay, things had gotten way out of control, and he'd allowed himself to be swept up by the flow. It was more for his sanity's sake than anything else, because if he really tried to fight against it, he had a feeling he'd end up in a therapist's office much sooner than he would have liked.

But things had gone great! Somewhat. Made a new friend, met his whole class, done well enough in that godawful test that shaved off years of his life. Had that been the end of things, then maybe his school life could have properly started on a good note.

But alas, he couldn't keep his mouth shut, and he'd gone ahead for the basic rule of 'do before thinking'. All because he couldn't fight his bleeding heart.

And the worst part of all, he'd been pushed to rely on «In the Name of Love», focusing on his girlfriends' panicked expressions to fuel his strength during the last few minutes in their duel against Aizawa-sensei. That it still hadn't ben enough to push him to beating the man was definitely more than a little frustrating,

Still, at least they were okay now. Saved by divine intervention and all. Although…

"Ah, it's Midoriya! Look!"

"The guy who punched the zero-pointer? He looks so ordinary."

"Looks are deceiving, bro. He's insane."

"Wait, why is he up on stage with the principal?" Exactly his own thoughts. Why?

Izuku did his very best not to sweat up a storm (he was already failing that, he could tell) as he stood ramrod straight on stage, not doing so well with all the attention on him. Nezu walked over to him with a mic in hand, calmer by a lot more degrees. He tapped the head a few times, speaking into it after. "Hello, hello? Testing. One, two, three. Is my voice clear? Very good. Forgive us for the minor interruption, but let us now continue with the orientation. Everyone, I would like you to meet Izuku Midoriya."

Nah, this was hell. Having hundreds of eyes on him was not a fun feeling. This was actual torture! Introversion and stage fright went hand in hand, and his was in full swing. He could feel his entire body convulsing!

And there was a whole lot of first years here, supposedly from all the departments; the hero classes, the general course, the department of support, and the department of management. Boys and girls of all skins, races and Quirks, wearing the trademark grey uniforms and looking neat and tidy while he was slick with sweat from his prior test and still in his gym clothes. And he took stock of the teachers with internal cheer; Present Mic, Lunch Rush, Snipe, All Might (the large man waved at him, of which he offered a shy smile and a timid nod) and a couple more.

"You might be wondering why I've brought this young gentleman to the stage. Perhaps some of you might have met him in the practical test, and some of you have met him outside of school. You might have even heard of him from the news. Well, allow me to put your questions to rest—and with a short slideshow! Present Mic, if you would," a slideshow. Ain't no freaking way they made a—holy shit they did.

The greenette hit the floor with his jaw when the first slide that popped up on the projector screen had his freckled face on it, wearing the expression of a nervous smile on it. His name and age were included on it, along with his course and hang on a minute. How many slides are there?

"As you know, we here at U.A. intend to turn everyone here, regardless of your course, into individuals worthy of guiding our country's future. Leaders, you could say, each with their particular skills and talents that would help them in shaping their decisions for the betterment of society as a whole. That also applies to every other hero schools, because at the end of the day, our goals are aligned; to create beacons of hope for the people of Japan to look up to."

And then, Nezu walked over to him, and patted his leg. The boy tensed up.

"And the reason why I've brought this young man is because, as far as I can tell, he has more than proven himself worthy of being called a hero."

"T-That's not true!" He stammered, flush in the face as he tried to convince both the principal and everyone in the room. "I-I-I still have a lot more things to learn, and it's still too soon—"

"Of course, Midoriya, heroism isn't simply an occupation. It is a nature," his calm and collected words cut through his, giving him pause. "One that encompasses our behaviour and attitude in the single purpose of serving others. And throughout the years, you have showcased just that."

The slide moved. Izuku wasn't sure what to expect from that. Confusion, most certainly.

But not a collective screaming that rattled the entire building, throwing him for a loop. And it wasn't a scream of horror, but to his absolute disbelief, the kind of screaming moms would give when they see their adorable children performing a song or dance.

"Oh my god, he's so cute~!"

"That smile..! So precious!"

"Sensei, I'll pay you for those pictures!"

How old was—Izuku's head snapped backwards, and he croaked throatily at the sight of his eight years old self beaming at everyone in the auditorium, dirt clumps on his face and surrounded by so many flowers while he hugged a pot with a daisy in it.

The cheering did not stop, and he could make out even Katsumi's and Ochako's voices in the mix, both utterly mesmerized as the rest of the student body.

"Six years ago, Midoriya was first involved in community work when he was invited to work at a nursery. And throughout the years, he'd participated in other work as well," the slides moved again, showing one damning picture after another. Awws and Ahhs increased in intensity while his soul took a dive off a roof. He even noticed Ochako pass out in her seat, bleeding from a nostril. "Soup kitchens, mural painting, clean-ups, donation collections—he has been active in this field of work for six years, up until even now, with his recent feat being Takoba."

The next slide showcased two pictures side by side to give a comparison. On the left was a literal dumping site, where trash covered every inch of the land that it was just impossible to see anything. And the picture on the right was taken after he'd been done cleaning it, with countless people now walking along the sounds during the sunset, looking more picturesque.

"In fact, his contributions have frequently made articles—" And a newspaper clipping of him cleaning up of Takoba showed up when he said that. Izuku proceeded to die even further. "—which is something I wholeheartedly believe is the right move. Bringing to light the efforts of a single person carrying out gruelling work for society serves to inspire many others to take after him, and many others have indeed gone out of their way to carry out volunteerism. All because it's the right thing to do."

If he hadn't been dead before, he was certainly dead now. There was no way he wasn't in hell or something similar. A punishment of the highest order in the form of public humiliation. And all because he'd accidentally left the lights in the house on that one time!

"I bring up this matter not because I seek to embarrass him—" He was doing a really poor job of that! Izuku literally wanted to implode! "—nor to make any of you feel lacking in comparison. Simply put, I want everyone here to take this lesson to heart; that a hero isn't someone in a cape who goes around fighting villains. But rather, that they can be even the most average person, who spends a bit of time to give a bit of kindness to a stranger or his neighbour."

He swept out one paw. "Here at U.A. High, you will spend your days learning what it means to be a hero, even if you're not in the course. You will gain knowledge, experience and skills that will tailor you into becoming an individual who will inspire others around you, and an all-rounder of whom you yourself can be proud of. For a world where everyone promotes positivity is one that is certainly more preferable than the alternative."

"Look to this young boy not as some impossible standard, but a possibility. And that anyone can be a hero. And that begins with the smallest of steps that, with time, shall have you walking a distance greater than you could have ever predicted."

One paw was pumped into the air.

"With pride and conviction in your hearts, go forth, students of U.A. High! Plus Ultra!"
"Plus Ultra!"

Embarrassed as he was with how everything had turned out, he had to admit that even he felt his heart moved by the powerful speech the principal had delivered. And seeing that his work was inspiring to so many other people was… it was a feeling unlike anything he had ever felt before.

And therein lied his promise to do better. To be better. For this was his duty. And one that he swore to see it through.

Nezu, who was just about to walk off the stage, suddenly recalled something and quickly tapped his microphone once more. "Ah, yes. One more thing. The reason why I specifically brought Midoriya to the stage here was because I did want to use one of your peers as a means of motivation, but also because one of our teachers, Shota Aizawa, or Eraser Head, tried to expel him alongside another student," it was a bombshell dropped out of the blue, all the good vibes gone as horrified gasps broke out. The man in question balked at being thrown under the bus. "Do with that knowledge what you will."

"Nezu, you son of a—"

He didn't get very far before the crowd suddenly erupted into jeers and booing, colourful language thrown left and right that would have had sailors quaking in their boots. It was a sudden turn to violence that genuinely shocked him when strangers and even the friends he'd made so far—Kendo looked livid, Katsumi was as murderous as he'd expected, Danny (oh hey, Danny's here too!) swung his arm out—were being so upset on his behalf.

He met Aizawa's gaze. Izuku could only shrug back, not really knowing what to say or do to help him, to which the man suddenly had the look of someone who'd just aged fifty years. And then he looked to Nezu, who happily whistled a tune as he walked away. Damn. Nezu was cold.

It took a bit of time, and no matter how much Aizawa tried to reclaim control of the situation, it seemed like everyone were not willing to calm down until he revoked his sentence. And that was what he did; he ultimately declared that both Izuku and Mineta were eligible to remain in the hero course, though he had to explain the entire situation.

Frankly, that backfired on him, especially when he came to the part where Izuku had tried to defend the other boy's position. That only made him look better in the students' eyes, going above and beyond on behalf of a friend, and many were those demanding his head.

Izuku had to intervene at some point to calm everyone done, promising them that everything had been done with full consent and agreement on the terms. He wasn't sure if his teacher appreciated his help, but at least that helped calm everyone down.

By the end of it, they were back in the classroom, their teacher with his face in his hands while everyone sat at their tables, watching him with a mixture of pity, amusement and disagreement.

"First day of class, and things went so out of control…"

"You can say that again…" Izuku froze when the man looked up at him. "S-Sorry! It's, uh, stuff happened today for us as well. Like, before we got to school. This whole day is unreal."

"Seconded," he deadpanned, sighing. "Well, it's already been decided. Yes, you and Mineta will be staying in this class. Feels like it's already pre-determined at this point."

"Sir, what would have happened if Midoriya-kun and Mineta-kun hadn't succeeded?" Glasses boy asked. "You wouldn't have actually expelled them… did you?"

"I would've—but I won't," he added at the death glares he got. "Jeez. You kids are a little too protective… Well, it's done and dealt with. You're all now in the hero course. Better work hard to live up to that title. And, well… work hard to be like your friend over here," he gestured to Izuku, who perked up in surprise. "There are some things you can achieve with hard work. And some things that come naturally to you like breathing air. Midoriya purposely risking his place in U.A. just to protect his classmate is not something so easy. That," he stressed. "Is part of being a hero. I expect all of you to take well after him."

"S-Sensei…"

"Oi, you don't get to use that bear… mouse… thing's words at us! You're the asshole who tried to get him booted!"

"You…" The man sighed again at Katsumi's words. "You know what? I deserve that. Anyways, classes will officially start tomorrow. You're dismissed. As for myself, I'm off to find a bag of ice because I can feel my headache gradually turning into a stroke."

As the man took his leave, Izuku was able to finally relax, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in. But his moment of peace did not last very long when someone rushed to his place. "Midoriya!" The purplette cried. "You have no idea how much you've saved me, man! Thank you so, so much..!"

"H-Hey, it's fine. It's already over, so there's no need to be so held up over it."

"On the contrary, such a deed is so extraordinary that it warrants nothing but respect!" The blunette from earlier marched to his desk, a wide smile on his face. "Greetings, Midoriya-kun! My name is Tenya Iida, and it is an honour to be in the same class as someone so incredible as you!"

"Same for the rest of us!" A floating set of the school's uniform skipped over. "You were so cool back there, Midori! Like a movie superhero!"

"C-C-Cool?!" Contrary to her words, he was blushing up a storm, weathering the sudden hail of compliments flung his way. "N-No, I wouldn't s-say that!"

The others argued in turn, and Katsumi just threw her arm around his neck. "Naw, she's got the right of it! You are cool, and there's no denying that!" She looked across the room. "Ain't that right?"

"Yeah!"
"Obviously!"

From where he stood, Kirishima flashed a thumbs-up at him. "You're manly as hell, Midoribro! Don't ever forget that!"

"I swear, I'll follow you to the ends of the world!" Mineta declared, clutching his foot tightly.

"To Midoriya-kun, a shining example of what a hero should be!"

"To Midoriya!"

"A-Ahhh…" He whined, hiding his face in his hands. "T-This is t-t-too much…"

[You succeeded in besting Aizawa's test, and your deeds have won you the admiration of the student body! You gain 1 in Charisma!]

And the freaking notifications! Urgh! Like this day couldn't have gotten even more humiliating for him!

"You know, we never got the chance to get to know each other, did we?" The boy with the electricity-emitting Quirk pointed out.

"Ah, that is right! We were so preoccupied with the apprehension test that we completely forgot to do so!" Iida then smiled. "Then what say we do so now? Class is over, yes, but we should be fine to use the classroom for just a bit more to get to know each other!"

Ashido pumped her fist in the air. "Let's do that! We'll be classmates for a very long time, after all!"

"Friendsies, even!"

"Friendos!"

"Comrades!"

"Iida-kun, I think comrades goes a little too far…"

Excited banter and laughter broke out in the classroom, and not for the first time, Izuku had yet another reason to smile. School really was as chaotic as he'd thought it could possibly be.

Ten at night, and Musutafu was quiet. The occasional night owl walked the streets, perhaps looking for a food store still open, or just to take in the sights with a friend. Others would probably be asleep at this point, since it was a school week and the next day might just be a busy one, since it was the start of the curriculum.

Izuku should have been asleep. He knew that. Hell, his whole body was tired and his brain was a little foggy. His bed was snug and his pillow was super soft, so he should been asleep at this point.

And yet, he couldn't help but run the events that transpired today through his mind. Hectic was such an understatement, and it was probably a testimony of his endless patience and sanity that he'd somehow come out of it fine. Somewhat. He was still reeling from all the nonsense, but eh. It was over.

"And I suppose that marks the beginning of my 'story'," he said the word with a chuckle. "Honestly, if someone had told me that this was how my life would have turned out, I would have never believed them. Yet… here I am. A supposed protagonist of a ridiculous tale."

It certainly felt a little too egoistic to feel that way, but he supposed everyone had their own stories to live out. This was his, and just as he was determined to see his journey to becoming a hero through to the end, he would brace himself to live out his story until his dying breath, no matter what that road may look like.

Plus, he wasn't alone. He had his mom and dad, All Might his teacher, his friends… Katsumi and Ochako…

The thought of his girlfriends left fluttering butterflies in his chest, a smile working its way onto his face with ease. He really can't wait to see them again. A school life complete with friendship and teenage romance? God, it sounded too good to be true!

He sighed in contentment. It really feels like time to go to sleep now. His dreams were definitely going to be peaceful…

[Congratulations! You have unlocked 'Store' and 'Achievements'! You may access them from the main menu!]

[Congratulations! You unlocked the Achievement: A Hero in the Making! You gain 2 in Charisma!]

[Congratulations! You unlocked the Achievement: All Might's Successor! You gain 2 in Wisdom!]

[Congratulations! You unlocked the Achievement: A Lovely Boyfriend! You gain 2 in Charisma and 2 in Wisdom!]

[Congratulations! You have completed the tutorial! Your high school romance is now set to begin, and you will meet even more soulmates!]

All the notifications. All the stat bonuses.

Even more soulmates.

Izuku blinked at them, reading them with as closest of an emotion to shocked-to-death. And then, he turned around so that he was lying face-down into his pillow.

And screamed at the top of his lungs.

He forgot his life had turned into a dating game.

Author's Notes:

Ayo, what? A semi-decent Mineta for the time being? What kind of world are we living in? Also, sorry Izuku, but you can't escape your fate as dating sim protag. Don't think that I forgot the original premise of this entire story.

So far, the story has been more adventure/comedy than anything else. And I suppose that was a choice I made because I just wanted to have Izuku and everyone else settle into U.A. before we got to the real, important aspect.

And that is the romcom aspect of the story. Like I said a whole paragraph ago; I haven't forgotten that, and I'll be sure to make good on that promise. But yeah, much suffering and much agony will be had, Izuku. Such is thy journey as a hero—in both your academics and your love life.

Also, in the original draft of this story, I had four other stats added, but ultimately scrapped it because it felt impossible to use them to affect Izuku's interactions with other people. So I combined all of them into Charisma, which works enough by itself already.