Chapter 5: The Blade And Me
Izuku followed the odd-looking man into his shop. It didn't look like there was much room for him to live there, but he supposed it was better than nothing. The store was stocked with candy and not much else, but Izuku had never seen the candies that were on sale. They were white and round, which was fine, but the logo was what threw him off. It looked like a skull lit on fire. The fire was a dark blue, with lines of red going through it, and a white outline. Izuku was trying to remember if he had ever seen a candy with that logo before when Urahara pushed his cane into a door which opened into a modest sized room.
"This is where you'll be staying." Urahara said. "For now, unpack your things, I'll come by in about two hours, then I'll introduce you to your coworkers, and we can start our training." Izuku was ready to agree, if only to get away from the strange presence the man held, before one of his words caught his attention.
"Sorry," He began, stopping Urahara from walking out of the door. "My coworkers?" Urahara looked genuinely surprised at his comment.
"Well, yes? You don't think I'm hosting you for free, do you?" He laughed heartily, a sentiment Izuku didn't share. This was his first job! What if he messed up? Was Urahara going to kick him out? What about if someone came in to steal things, should he fight?
"Woah woah woah, kid, hold your horses!" Urahara put a hand on his shoulder. Izuku had to fight not to shudder at the feeling. "It's alright if you mess up, don't worry too much about it, we don't get too many customers down here!" Izuku realized, mortified, that he had muttered his thoughts aloud. He thought he had gotten rid of that! Before he could embarrass himself more, he bowed and thanked Urahara before beginning to unpack everything. Izuku hadn't brought much with him, he didn't want to impose on the man after already moving in with him, and so had only bought two All Might posters, his laptop and notebooks, and a few pictures from home along with his clothes. As he unpacked, he could remember his room back home, and almost cried when he realized he wouldn't be back there for almost a whole year! What was his Mom going to do without him? Scratch that, what was HE going to do without his Mom?
True to his word, Urahara showed up exactly two hours later.
"You ready to meet everyone?" Izuku nodded, curiosity overtaking his nerves. Just who were the type of people who worked here? He imagined a bunch of teens who just wanted some money, but nothing could have prepared him for the truth. His jaw dropped as he saw two kids, a boy with red hair and a girl with black hair that had a slight purple tint to it. They couldn't have been older than 12!
He turned to Urahara, his thumb pointing at the two children now at his back.
"Is this legal?" He asked incredulously. "There's no way you can just have kids working in your shop, right?!" Urahara chuckled.
"Of course I can, they're made by my Quirk after all!"
Izuku was getting more confused by the minute.
"What does that mean? Just what is your Quirk, and how does it allow you to make people?!"
Before Urahara could answer, Izuku heard Soul shout out in his head. JUMP! Izuku jumped and saw a huge metal kanabo fly under his legs. He turned around to see the red haired boy staring at him in shock, holding the kanabo seemingly with ease.
"How'd you dodge that, you moocher?"
"M-Moocher?!" Izuku didn't know if he was more confused at the name or the attempted attack, but he was saved from further assault by Urahara's intervention.
"Now, now Jinta! I thought I said not to hit guests with your bat!" The boy, apparently named Jinta, scoffed and crossed his arms, turning away from the man.
"Yeah right, and why would I listen to a weirdo like you?" Izuku was severely lost. First, there were children working in a store, then, it turned out that those kids were apparently made by Urahara's Quirk, and now, after attempting to crippled him, the kid wasn't even listening to his apparent creator! Izuku could feel his brain smoking as he tried to figure all of this out, but felt his body straighten up as a man walked through the shop doors. He was gigantic, at least 200 centimeters, and tanned. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue apron, neither doing anything to hide his muscular frame. He had cornrows, and a large handle bar mustache. His eyes were hidden under a thin pair of glasses. Izuku gaped at the man. There were not many men that large in Japan, especially not without an incredibly noticeable Quirk, but this man didn't show any signs of a heteromorphic Quirk, meaning his stature was likely natural! Izuku was envious, he had grown since Middle School, nearing 180 centimeters, but he was nowhere near as big as this guy! Izuku wasn't surprised when Jinta and Urahara both stopped talking, the man seemed to draw all attention to him even before he spoke, and when he did, his voice was deep and gravelly.
"Jinta." The addressed boy shot into a military salute. Was this some sort of bootcamp training?! "I thought I told you to take out the trash." Izuku felt his fantasies fade at the boring task, but Jinta seemed to take it as seriously as if the man had said his Mom was in the hospital.
"Yes, sir! I will go take it out immediately, sir!" Jinta ran off to do as requested, the girl following him, leaving Izuku, Urahara, and the new man in the shop.
"Tessai!" Urahara walked over to the man, and Izuku felt some tension fade as he realized Urahara knew the man. "How come Jinta only listens to you? I'm the one who made him!" Izuku could feel his hopes for his training dwindle a bit as Urahara collapsed to the floor in front of Tessai, whining about Jinta.
"Mr. Urahara." The man interrupted softly. "We should get to training the boy soon." Urahara stood up so fast Izuku wondered if he'd even been on the floor in the first place and snapped his fingers.
"You're right, of course. Let's get started!" He turned to Izuku, his back straightening involuntarily as Urahara's attitude seemed to shift drastically. Where he had once been laid back, he now seemed like a true drill sergeant. "Follow me, my new student, we have some work to do." Izuku wondered if the man was bipolar, but followed him nonetheless, eager to learn how to harness his power.
Izuku followed the two men down a set of stairs that he could've sworn weren't there earlier into an underground hallway, ending in a set of large iron doors, bigger than Tessai twice-over. Izuku was struggling to keep his mouth shut, he had so many questions but the air was so serious, he couldn't bring himself to ask them. His hands clenched around an imaginary pencil in his hand, wishing for his notebook.
"Tessai." Urahara said. Tessai seemed to take that as a cue, bracing his shoulder against the door and his legs into the ground, he started to push. Izuku's brain shorted out at the impossible sight before him.
"Man, Tessai!" Urahara seemed just as surprised as him. "You really outdid yourself here!"
"I made it to your specifications, sir."
Izuku stopped paying attention to their conversation, instead he took in the desert that surrounded him. He was in a multi-mile wide complex, the ground covered in sand to resemble the dunes of a desert. There were tall, craggly mountains that poked out of the sand, and dead trees littered the area. A bright, sunny sky was somehow present in the underground chamber, the clouds seeming to move around the walls. Though, looking closer, Izuku could see the sky seemed to be…painted? He could see the corners of the room intersecting, breaking up the illusion of a complete chamber. (A/N: Google Urahara shop training room if you want a better description of what it looks like!
"What-What is this?!" Izuku asked, his tone reverent. "How is this possible?" Urahara just laughed.
"Our friend Tessai over there," He pointed at the man over his back. "His Quirk lets him project images into as wide of an area that he wants. Furthermore, do you feel anything…different down here?" Izuku knew what Urahara was saying. The air was sweltering, and the sun was beaming down on him like it was a real desert, he could feel his skin heating up and sweat forming all over him.
"How is that possible?" Izuku asked again. "It-it's like he projected an actual desert here!"
"Bingo!" Urahara cheered. "His Quirk also lets him choose the properties for the area he projects! If he wanted to, he could make this desert as cold as ice!" Izuku was taken away by the possibilities of such a Quirk. The man could change the Heroics scene easily! Burning building? Project a safe building on top of it. Hostage situation? Change the scenery and take advantage of the villain's subsequent confusion. He could save whole cities from natural disasters! Urahara tapped him on the head with his cane, breaking him out of his mental gymnastics.
"Let's get started, shall we?" Izuku nodded, it was time to show Urahara what he could do.
"Renji already told me all about your Quirk, new developments and all. For now, how about you summon that sword you had on the slime villain attack." Izuku nodded again, eager to finally use his sword after such a long time. The last time he had attacked anything with the sword had been back at the slime villain attack, he reminisced. It felt like a lifetime ago, he couldn't believe how much time had passed since then. Refocusing, Izuku felt for the hilt in his subconscious and yanked it out, the familiar purple sheath materializing in his grasp. He pulled the sword out, already feeling the difference that his martial arts training had made. His balance was much better, and his motions were smoother now. This time, his feet planted firmly and his balance improved, he didn't fumble with the blade, pulling it out of its sheath smoothly and reveling in the feeling of holding power in his hands once again. No! He couldn't think like that! Thoughts like that were what led to him attacking that boy, he had to control himself, that was what he was here for after all. Urahara whistled, his gaze running over Izuku's sword.
"That's a mighty fine blade you've got there." He said, approval shining in his eyes. "How about I show you mine?" Izuku felt his heart skip a beat. Was there someone else with a Quirk like his? Urahara seemed to notice his thoughts, preemptively ending them.
"Don't worry kid, I'm not taking your style, but there are some similarities between our powers." Izuku listened attentively, this could be exactly what he needed!
"My Quirk," Urahara continued. "Must never leave this room. I'm trusting you since Renji vouched for you, but trust me, I'll know if you tell anyone, understand?"
"Yes, sir!" Izuku responded, filling his voice with as much solemnity as he could muster.
"Good. My Quirk is similar to yours in that it has to do with souls, but the difference is that it doesn't affect MY soul like yours does." Izuku forced his mouth shut. He could ask questions after the explanation.
"My Quirk, simply put, lets me create souls." Izuku's breath left his body.
"I can create a soul, I won't tell you how, that is something even Renji doesn't know, and infuse it into different objects. Currently, I have three creations, or ModSouls, as I like to call them, out and about. Two of them are the pair of children you met earlier, Jinta and Ururu. Those two have been there since Renji and his friend were here to train, meaning they're actually older than you." Izuku couldn't keep his mouth shut anymore, he needed to ask a question.
"But, if they're your creations, why don't they listen to you?" Urahara looked taken aback at his question.
"You know a lot less than I thought you did, kid." Before Izuku could ask what he meant by that, slightly pissed off, Urahara kept talking. "I might have created them, but they're still souls. They have their own personalities and beliefs, I have no real control over them once they've been created. Any more questions?" He raised his eyebrow, and Izuku felt like, despite the words, further questions would not be welcome. Accordingly, he shut his mouth and shook his head.
"Good. Now let me continue. The third object I have my soul in is why Renji sent you to me to begin with." Urahara lifted his cane and grabbed onto the handle, before pulling at it and revealing a sword attached to the cane handle. "I've put a soul into this here sword, and she's allowed me to access her power, even gave herself a name. You wanna hear it?" Izuku felt he wouldn't get the response he wanted, but nodded eagerly anyway, always ready to see Quirks in action.
"Well, too bad!" Izuku fell over dramatically, his hopes dashed. "You can learn her name once you can actually swing a sword properly! For now, I'll teach you the basics of Iaido and Kendo, and, once you've gotten the hang of that, we can work on getting a handle of your firepower." Izuku grabbed the handle of his sword and held it in front of him.
"Yes, sir!" Urahara grinned.
"Good! Let's start with the very basic movements. Hold your sword in front of you, both hands on the hilt." Izuku obliged, putting his right hand underneath his left and standing with his legs shoulder width apart, shoulders squared back and back straight.
Urahara hummed, walking around him and making minor adjustments, putting his legs closer together and moving his hands lower before moving back in front of him.
"Good, now swing downwards." Izuku cringed, remembering the shitshow that had taken place when he last tried swinging his sword down, but complied, hoping that his martial arts training would help him keep his balance this time. He lifted the sword up before tensing his core and swinging downwards. He made sure to keep his feet planted firmly, and managed not to fall over, relief filling him at the properly fulfilled action. Urahara nodded, his eyes firm.
"Good enough. The downward cut is the simplest and most effective move a swordsman can have. It can be used to break through a block, pressure an opponent, or as a finishing move. Before the day is up, you will swing that sword straight down 1000 times." Izuku blanched at the ridiculous number, his arms were going to fall off! Then he remembered the handprint he had left around the boy's throat, and his resolve reaffirmed itself. He raised the sword again, but before he could swing down, Urahara stopped him.
"I didn't say start yet." He seemed amused.
"We've got a few more swings to go through, don't get too antsy just yet." Izuku let his arms come back down, getting back in the base stance, waiting for Urahara to continue.
"Next up is the diagonal cut. Don't move your sword up or down, just twist your arms until the blade is almost perpendicular to your body, but keep it a little less tilted than that. While you're moving your arms, take a single step forward, and then slice diagonally downwards."
Izuku did as he said, wincing at the unfamiliar strain on his forearms. The sword seemed to want to slip out of his hands.
"The diagonal cut is the one most important for setting up a combo. The downward momentum is less than that of the downward cut, so you can recover and swing it back almost immediately after using it. You will be doing 1000 of these as well." Izuku didn't let the number sway him at all this time, just prepared himself for more.
"The last for today is the sideways cut, similar to the diagonal cut, but sideways this time. Try your best."
Izuku swung again, Urahara's face giving him no idea if he was doing it right or wrong.
"The sideways cut is used to take advantage of an opponent's guard being too high, or to take advantage of a downward cut. You will swing your sword in this way 1000 times. I will be watching each of your repetitions and correcting any mistakes. Start with the downward cut."
Izuku took a deep breath, and stretched his muscles out for a few minutes before beginning. He lifted his sword high into the air and swung down. That was 1, he thought, time for 999 more.
Two Months Later, Year 2214, Izuku age 16. Time until U.A. entrance exam: 8 Months.
Izuku sheathed his sword, the movement finally feeling natural after months of practice. 'That was 1000.', he thought with satisfaction. It had been two months of nothing but swinging his sword. While Izuku had hated the monotony at first, after about a month of the same training, he had started to take comfort in the practice. It felt almost meditative, swinging the sword the same way so many times, he felt like he was keeping control of his emotions. He and Soul had spoken often throughout the two months. Izuku felt like he needed to make up for the long amounts of time he had ignored his Quirk, and spoke to him about the boring things going on, and about how he missed home. And oh, how he missed home. He missed his Mom's little notes, and her warm hugs. He missed Renji-sensei's smile and teachings, and he missed his friend, Itsuka, the most. He missed fighting her every day, missed the adrenaline rush that came with it, and missed the joy he derived from their sparring sessions, except he couldn't feel that way! He had to control himself, master his feelings. He wasn't some maniac who only wanted to fight! He only liked sparring because it was with his friend, not because he wanted to hurt people, after all, no Hero liked hurting people. He ignored the niggling voice in the back of his head telling him he was lying to himself. This was why he liked to swing his sword, he thought resignedly. When he was training, all he could focus on was making sure his form was perfect, making sure he was putting everything he had into his strikes. He dematerialized his sword and stretched, getting ready to get some rest. Work was done for the day, and he badly needed a shower after practicing for so long in the desert heat.
"Stop." Izuku whirled around to see Urahara leaning by the door, his voice uncharacteristically serious. Izuku was used to his unsettling aura after spending two months with the man, and had gotten relatively close with him by now, but it wasn't often he saw him this serious.
"What's going on, sensei?" Izuku asked, worry littering his tone.
"You've learned enough on how to swing your sword around." Urahara said, his tone firm and uncompromising. "It's time we have a bit of a test. If you can knock my hat off, I'll declare your training over, let you go home to your Mom and Renji. If you can't," Urahara lifted his head, glaring at Izuku, whose body froze at the deadly determination that lingered there. "I'll kill you." Izuku's heart fell through his stomach. He mustered up a weak laugh, Urahara-sensei sure was strange sometimes.
"Sensei, that's not a very good joke, I mean-"
"I'm not joking." Izuku was scared. What was going on? Why was his sensei threatening to kill him all of a sudden?
"Sensei. What are you-" Izuku tried again to get some sort of explanation, but was cut off again.
"Do you remember when I told you I could borrow my sword's power?" He said, his voice flat as he unsheathed his sword from the cane.
"I think if I show you her power now, you might realize what's going on. Be careful, though. She's not as nice as I am" He held the blade firmly and pointed it directly at Izuku, his clothes beginning to float as a blood-red energy flared around him.
"Wake up, Benihime." With those words, Urahara's sword seemed to transform, the cane handle reforming into a more normal sword handle, save for the bend at the bottom, and the red tassel that dangled from it. The blade thickened, becoming a straight-edged chokuto. There was no cross guard, the blade connecting to the hilt with only a slight U-shaped bracket hiding their connection. It leaked a crimson energy, the blade seeming to vibrate as it sung its joy at being used. Izuku jumped back, his own sword coming to his hand at the bloodthirsty aura that coated the air around him, emanating from Urahara. His hands shook as he accepted reality, his sensei was going to kill him if he didn't fight back. Izuku felt the giddiness that always erupted within him during a fight peak its head out, but forced it away. He couldn't be excited, damnit, someone was trying to kill him, how could he be excited about that! His rational thoughts told him to run, get away from this madman and get help, but his instincts wanted him to fight. His body itched to fight again, itched to feel the euphoria that a fight brought him. He shoved the itch down, he wasn't some sort of addict, he would control himself!
Before Izuku could think of a plan of action, Urahara swung his sword, the crimson energy seeming to coagulate on its edge before flying towards him.
"Sing, Benihime." The wave of energy rushed towards Izuku. He forgot everything he had learned, felt his instincts drown in a wave of panic as the bloody crescent raced towards him.
DEATH.
Izuku could feel it in his bones. There wasn't any playfulness behind this attack, no other intent. If the wave hit him, he would die. He forgot everything he had learned, felt his instincts drown in a wave of panic as certain death raced towards him. He dove underneath it, rolling to the side and watching it pass over his head and fly towards a nearby rock mountain. His body shook as he watched the wave slice straight through the rocks and continue towards the ceiling, petering out as it made a deep gouge in the concrete. Izuku couldn't do this. He had to go home, go back to his Mom and Renji-sensei and Itsuka, he didn't want to die! He turned to run, but Urahara appeared in front of him, like he had teleported.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, his voice frigid and disappointed. "I thought you wanted to be a Hero, who are you going to save when you're such a coward?" He swung his sword, a sideways cut at Izuku's torso. He raised Soul, desperate to block it, but was shocked when Urahara's sword seemed to cut into Soul, the Quirk letting out a pained howl in his head. Izuku was sent flying back by the force, only slowing when he hit one of the rock pillars, slamming through it and tumbling over the ground before he stopped. He stood up shakily, and cursed, seeing Urahara leaping through the dust cloud that his body had created hitting the rocks, his sword raised high in the air. Izuku put his sword up to block Urahara again, the impact forming a crater underneath his feet.
"You blocked Benihime with that half broken lump of metal? Very courageous of you" Urahara seemed impressed, but Izuku was more focused on what he had said. 'Half-broken?' His eyes drifted to his sword, then widened in horror as he saw the deep groove Urahara had cut into Soul, cracks branching off from the pit in his sword.
"Soul!" Izuku cried out, his voice a mixture of disbelief and panic. Urahara ignored him.
"It's very courageous, but very stupid." Urahara looked Izuku in the eyes, his eyes glinting red. "Your half-baked resolve and fear are what manifest in your sword, and that manifestation isn't nearly enough to stop Benihime. Watch."
Izuku could only watch and listen as Urahara seemed to effortlessly slice through his partner and into his shoulder, hitting his bone. He couldn't feel the pain anymore, though, he was much too focused on the voice that had stayed with him since he was in elementary school. The voice that had gotten him on track to be a Hero, gotten him so far into his training. That voice was gone.
"You haven't even accepted yourself." Urahara's voice was harsh now, angry. "Renji told me about the amplified emotions, I was ready to deal with them but you-you absolute fool, you ignored it! You pushed those emotions down, refused to acknowledge them! Your soul is composed of your desires, your emotions, so how are you supposed to use it properly when you won't acknowledge your desires or your emotions! By pushing down your desires, you are actively limiting your Quirk! How are you supposed to be a Hero when you can't live with yourself?!" He took a deep breath. "It's best to kill you now, before you get a civilian killed by being too scared of yourself." He sneered out the last few words. Izuku heard the words, felt them settle within him, but he was preoccupied.
"Soul?" Izuku asked weakly, his mind shaking at the loss of his…What was Soul to him? His Quirk, yes, but he had spent so long with that voice at the back of his head, mocking him and helping him in equal amounts. Desperation filling him at the lack of an answer, Izuku grabbed onto the energy running through his body and yanked, pulling himself in rather than pulling it out. He found himself in his mindscape, but didn't take any time to take in the view, instead choosing to sprint down into the soul chamber. The fire was burning as merrily as ever, but he couldn't feel Soul within it, no matter how far he reached. He started to hyperventilate, his body numbing in his fear.
What was he going to do? Urahara was going to kill him any minute now, and he didn't even have a sword! Izuku looked at the fire, the energy that was supposed to be his Quirk, and felt a surge of anger. He almost tamped it down, but felt the words Urahara had spat at him earlier like a gut punch with him before he could. He thought of Urahara's words, how he was refusing to accept the desires that had created his Quirk, how he would get someone killed, and realized something. Urahara was right. It made him sick, agreeing with the bastard, but he was right. Izuku needed to accept his emotions, acknowledge his desires, and stop repressing his Quirk. He turned to the fire and, without hesitation, walked into it, his whole body entering the flames.
The fire didn't burn. That was the first thing Izuku noticed. It was warm, sure, but it didn't hurt him at all, it seemed to welcome him instead, curling around his body like an over-eager pet. He continued walking until he reached a glowing orb, its surface a deep red, like a metal ball heated to its melting point, and reached out to it. When he put his hand on the orb, the fire roared around him, coalescing into the shape of a majestic bird. It was a phoenix, he realized.
What…want…you? The voice wasn't stable, it sounded like a jet engine was talking, but Izuku could get the gist of the question.
"Bring Soul back." Izuku demanded, his voice firm like iron.
Why…I…do…that? The energy seemed almost amused, like he was a toddler asking for a million dollars.
"I need him to kill that bastard. I need him to fulfill my desires." Izuku gritted his teeth, he had fought against what he knew he wanted for so long now, fought against his instinctual desire. Now was the time for him to lay it all out. "I'm angry, mostly at myself, I could've saved us this whole hassle if I'd just accepted myself, but here we are. I want Soul back, and in exchange, I'll stop holding back. I'll get my friend back, and you get a nice little snack every now and then, how about that?"
What…if…not…enough?
Izuku laughed without humour. "Then let's call it rent. You owe me for staying in my body, after all."
The voice laughed back at him. It sounded like explosions echoing across an empty plain, like food sizzling on a hot pan, and like the crackling of wood all at once.
I…agree.
The bird disappeared, and Izuku saw a handle from in front of him. He grabbed the hilt, a grin spreading across his face as he did, and felt himself return to the real world.
A plume of his Reiryoku exploded from him, forcing Urahara back and creating a huge cloud of dust. Izuku stood up, taking in the sight of his new sword. The sword still looked the same as it did in his mind, just like how it used to, with the exception of the plain white bandage that now covered it. The bandage hung from the end of the hilt, around 5 inches of extra length that blew in the wind. The blade looked the same as it did before, but it was slightly blackened, as if it had been scorched by something.
"Soul?" Izuku called out, his voice hopeful.
If you can, Izuku felt a smile break across his face as the familiar voice responded, sounding tired. I would avoid dying. It's not a great time.
Izuku felt a laugh bubble in his chest, and let it out. He had promised his Reiryoku to be more open, after all.
Everything alright, Izuku?
"Never been better, partner." He grinned, his heart racing as he turned towards Urahara, who was looking at him with a pleased expression on his face. "What do you think, should I go for it?"
Hit him with every ounce of power you can muster, kid.
Izuku smiled, he had missed Soul's voice, even in the brief period it was gone.
"Urahara." He called out, letting his anger rush through him. It felt so good to let it all out, to let his anger rampage through his body instead of blocking it out, but there was something other than anger too, something that sent his blood pumping in a frenzy. He was so happy to be fighting again, so happy to let himself feel the adrenaline rush through him without tamping it down, embracing the high.
"Fuuuccckkk, that's the stuff." He nearly moaned out, eyes closing as his normal attitude fell back as he accepted his desires. He opened his eyes again and stared at Urahara, his face splitting open even wider.
"Urahara." He repeated. "I'm pretty sure you just wanted to help me out here, get me to use my power, am I right?" Urahara looked back at him, a wondrous curiosity alight in his eyes, and answered back.
"Yeah, but don't mistake it, if you hadn't gone through with this at the last second, I would've killed you. Someone who's scared of their power wouldn't survive as a Hero."
Izuku nodded.
"See, normally, I'd say something like 'I forgive you, thanks for helping!' but I'm-" He took in a deep breath, exhaling a plume of fire. "Really sick of holding back. I would dodge this if I was you."
Urahara laughed, half mockingly and half curiously.
"Why would I need to dodge an attack from you? I almost just killed you!" Izuku let his grin fade a bit as he focused, condensing his energy from around him in an instant, the plume of fire that surrounded him vanishing and collecting onto the edge of his sword, like Urahara had done earlier.
"I can't control this!" He yelled out, joy surpassing his anger as he swung his sword forward, The fire burning a blinding white, and he watched, exhilarated, as the flames formed a large crescent, reminiscent of the moon, and raced towards Urahara, tearing through the ground. Urahara's eyes widened and he quickly swung his sword forward, swinging it in a circle around his wrist.
"Cry, Benihime!" He shouted out, a blood-red mist forming around him and solidifying into a shield from Izuku's attack. The shield had barely finished forming when the fire impacted him, it seemed to curve around his shield slightly before exploding, a huge burst of fire erupting into the sky. Izuku stared at the mushroom cloud of fire that loomed over the training ground, and burst out laughing, his body alight with glee. Was that the kind of power he had been holding back this whole time?! He felt his legs give out, and collapsed to his knees, planting Soul in the ground and leaning against it.
"How was that, Soul?" He panted out, he could see steam wafting off of his body as the cost of expending that ridiculous amount of Reiryoku caught up to him, his sweat evaporating from the heat that pulsed in his veins. He could feel his skin tightening against his muscles as the heat started to get to him, and his muscles shook as he gave out, unable to stay conscious.
The last thing he saw was the giant crater of molten glass he had created in the sand, and Urahara's hat floating high in the air, no trace of its wearer to be found.
When Izuku woke up, the first thing he saw was the ice. He was surrounded by it, his body submerged in a tub of cold water. He looked around, noticing how heavy his body felt, and noticed he was in an unfamiliar bathroom. He…didn't feel all that cold, surprising given his surroundings, but couldn't put too much thought into it, the steam in the room was making him sleepy again, and he allowed his head to fall back, and his consciousness to fade.
The next time Izuku woke up, he was more aware of what was around him. He was back in his room, and his body didn't feel weak like it did the last time he woke up. He sat up gingerly, wincing and grabbing his shoulder when it let out a sharp protest at his movement. Why did his shoulder hurt? Had he gone too far in training yester… Izuku remembered. He remembered the panic, and the fear. Remembered the grief, the demand, and the subsequent gain. But mostly, he remembered the euphoria that had run through him while he fought, the way the world had faded away and his desires and instincts had worked together to let him fight back, and he remembered the giant glass impact zone he had made. He grinned a little at that, before letting himself fall back into bed, relaxing. There was no sense in hurting himself now that he'd earned a bit of rest after all.
When Izuku woke up again, it was to a much more unpleasant sight than the first two times. Urahara was sitting next to his bed, changing the bandages on his shoulder.
"You did good, kid." The man said conversationally, like he hadn't tried to kill Izuku only-! Izuku didn't know how long it had been since their "training session", but still! "I'll keep my promise, you're good to go home after your shoulder heals." Izuku waited for the usual rush of expectation and happiness to fill him at the thought of going home, but was hit with a sense of…dissatisfaction instead.
"No." He croaked out, his voice hoarse. Urahara looked at him, eyebrows high in shock.
"No?" He asked.
"No." Izuku replied, firmer this time. "I'm gonna stay here for another 7 months, I'm gonna learn how to use my powers against other people, and I'm gonna learn how to regulate my emotions while accepting them." Urahara looked shocked for a little longer, before he smiled down at Izuku and ruffled his hair.
"Whatever you say, kid, but you're gonna be stuck in bed for at least 3 more days."
Izuku groaned and flopped back, his head bouncing against the pillow. He didn't think he could even survive three days!
When Urahara left again, Izuku thought about his Quirk, specifically, how he had misused it. He closed his eyes and poked at the fire that flowed through his veins, feeling it jump and sputter at the contact. Soul hadn't spoken to him since the fight with Urahara, no matter how much Izuku tried to contact him, but his presence was strong in Izuku's soul. He played with the fire for a little longer, before grabbing onto the source of his flames firmly, yanking himself into his mindscape.
The mental space looked, cleaner than it had before. The dingy yellow lighting was gone, replaced by a soft white glow that lit up the hallway, the walls were cleaner and smoother than they had ever been, and the floor was dry. The biggest difference was the pipes that ferried his Reiryoku around his body. They no longer dripped the energy onto the floor, instead, the pipes throbbed with the beat of heart, a dull orange glow emanating with every thump. If he had to guess, Izuku would say this was the result of him accepting his desires, but he wasn't sure what his desire really was yet. He knew the energy was amplifying his emotions, including the joy he took from fighting, but what was the desire that pushed him to fight? He knew he wanted to be a Hero, to save people. That was all he had wanted to do since he was a kid, but why did that feel so awkward in his thoughts now, so wrong? Was it power, or strength, that he desired? Did he want to be stronger than everyone around him, until he was the greatest, just like All Might? But that didn't feel right either! Izuku had never wanted people to look up to him, he wanted them to look at him, as a saviour, a Hero! Not, not some tyrant! No, it wasn't strength, or power, it wasn't to save people, so why did Izuku want to be a Hero? He knew the reason, deep in his heart, had known the reason since the day he had met his Quirk, but he hadn't wanted to accept it then. Things had changed since then, however, and he felt…at peace with his desire now. Urahara had helped him come to terms with it in their fight, forcing him to look within and accept that he wasn't the selfless paragon that All Might was, that his emotions weren't focused on helping others or saving lives. He took a sick pleasure out of fighting others, out of feeling himself grow and measuring himself against others. That pleasure was part of his desire, it wasn't something Heroic, no, it was intrinsically selfish, something he wanted to do no matter who it hurt.
He entered the soul chamber and pulled Soul out of the fire.
"I'm going to destroy the current system." He said quietly.
I thought we already agreed on that? Soul was radiating confusion.
"No." Izuku was done hiding. His fear could not be allowed to hold him back anymore! "I said I agreed with you because I was scared you wouldn't let me use your power if I didn't, scared that I was a villain for wanting that. I wanted to disagree, to fight against your words, but that fear wouldn't let me go. There was a part of me that agreed with your words, that knew that I couldn't allow society to continue as it had, but another part of me wanted to keep the system going. I wanted to be the symbol of peace, and I couldn't do that if I dismantled the system that has been put in place. So, I lied to you, lied to myself, tried to use my power with conflicting thoughts and desires, but I've decided to change that." Izuku felt fire pulse through his veins, his Quirk responding to his acceptance. "I want to change it all, Soul, and to do that, I need to burn it down and rebuild it from the ashes. I wanted to be like All Might, a perfect Hero, the light of society, but I'm not like him, Soul. I want to save those who the light doesn't reach, the people like me who society didn't help. Not just the Quirkless, but those with heteromorphic Quirks and villainous Quirks too."
Soul was quiet for a moment. Izuku waited, not taking a breath, hoping his partner would stay with him after his confession.
Izuku, you're an idiot.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Izuku asked, surprised and slightly irritated.
It means that your whole "my desires are villainous" nonsense was just that, nonsense! Izuku sputtered at the unexpected insults.
"Well, I mean, I know that now! I was just struggling a bit back then! Plus, no Hero ever says anything like 'oh I like fighting, it makes me feel good.' I was nervous!"
So you decided to try being a Hero without a finished resolve?! We could've talked about this kid! Izuku flinched, he really could've been more open with Soul, especially after they argued about this exact thing after his first spar with Itsuka.
"I-I know, Soul. I made a mistake." He sighed. "I should've told you about my doubts, especially when it came to our dream. I'm sorry. Can you keep helping me?"
Soul snorted, voice incredulous.
What, did you think I was going to tell you to fuck off? Of course we're going to keep working together! Especially since you've managed to pull your shit together! I told you what your desire was on day 1, I tried to make it easy for you, and you still managed to mess up!
Izuku smiled wide and bowed to the fire.
"I won't let us down!"
3 Months Later, Izuku age 17, Time Until U.A. Entrance Exams: 5 Months
Izuku was only allowed to get out of bed two weeks after the fight, and it was nonstop sparring with Urahara after that. Izuku had been desperate to replicate his feat of power from the first fight, but…
He coughed violently as he rocketed through another rock pillar, his body flailing as he slammed into the ground. Pulling himself up with his sword, he glared at the approaching Urahara, looking like he was out for a light stroll and glaring back at him in disappointment.
"Is this really all you can do, kid? You showed so much potential last time, and you can't do it again?" Izuku growled, trying fruitlessly to pull at his Reiryoku and force it onto his blade like he had done so long ago. He glared at the pathetic wisps of energy that danced off of Soul, kicking himself over his failure. Urahara sighed and swung his sword down. Izuku leapt out of the way, watching in horror as the sword dug a huge trench into the ground. Urahara smacked himself on the forehead, frustration evident in his body language.
"Why are you dodging?!"
"What the fuck do you mean 'why am I dodging'?!" Izuku shouted back, hoping the anger would hide the fear in his voice. "That would've killed me if I hadn't, I thought we were done with the idle threats!"
Urahara stomped on the ground like a toddler, the sight would've been funny if Izuku didn't know the power the man possessed.
"That's the point! How are you supposed to fight villains who are trying to kill you if you can't resolve yourself to kill them!"
"Hero's don't kill villains!" Izuku protested. Urahara ignored him.
"You managed to pull off that attack before, and now you can't resolve yourself to do it again! I thought we were done with this 'will I, won't I' bullshit!" Urahara motioned to the glass crater as he spoke, a truly huge blemish in the otherwise pristine landscape. Izuku grit his teeth, feeling frustration well up.
"That was just luck!" He shouted out, letting his frustrations loose. "I can't do that shit whenever I feel like it!"
"Well that's what you need to be able to do!" Urahara yelled back, just as upset. He sighed and dragged his hand down his face.
"Look, kid." He began, his tone softer. "You have talent, that's true, but at this point? You're barely on par with an amateur Hero! Any villain worth their salt would kill you before you could stop shaking! That attack," He motioned to the crater again. "Shows that you're near the level of strength needed, but if you can't do it again, you're just going to get killed!"
"I know that, damnit! But I can't even remember what it took to use it last time, I was near the end of my rope before I used it!"
"That's why I'm doing this again!" Urahara shouted, straightening out again and drawing his sword back. "If I remind you of that situation again, maybe you'll get it together!" He lunged forwards, smashing his sword into Izuku's hastily made block, and sending him flying back again. Izuku was starting to get really sick of hitting those rock pillars, he swore Urahara was doing it on purpose! His anger was put to rest by Urahara appearing above him, smashing his sword down onto Soul, who Izuku had raised above his head reflexively.
"Look at yourself! You can barely stand after being hit a couple of times! Where is your resolve?" He pointed at Benihime, vibrating in his hand. "Benihime is resonating with my resolve to kill you, and nothing else, but your sword shakes with fear! People die in Heroics, Izuku, maybe you or maybe the person you're trying to save. Your one and only job is to make sure that it's either you, or the person you're fighting! If you can't shake your fear of death, you'll never be a Hero."
Izuku felt like the world slowed down for a minute, Benihime coming down on him again, the dust clouds drifting in the wind, and his own clothes dancing in the breeze, all of it felt like it was going slower.
Remember our promise, Izuku. Soul's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of the oath he had made with the sword.
'Yeah,' he thought, his mind roaring to life. 'If I want to be a symbol for the darker side of society, if I want to be a Hero and save people, if I want to remodel society…!
He swung his sword and knocked Benihime off course. Urahara raised an eyebrow before grinning at him, jumping back onto a different rock pillar.
"So, you've got some resolve after all!" Izuku pulled his sword back, and the fire collected on the edge of his blade. It felt so much easier, Izuku marveled, now that he had firmed his resolve in the face of death. He looked at Urahara, the man mirroring his pose as blood red energy formed on Benihime.
You know what it's called, Izuku. Shout out its name, from the depths of your Soul!
"TAIMATSU!"
Izuku roared out, swinging his sword down and releasing the crescent wave of condensed fire at Urahara, who countered with Benihime's similar attack. The attacks clashed, and the world lit up, the shockwave sending Izuku flying off of the pillar and into the wall next to the steel door, his consciousness fading as he saw the devastation wrought by him and Urahara.
Five Months Later, Izuku Aged 17, Time Until U.A. Entrance Exams: 30 Minutes.
Izuku couldn't believe he was here. Staring up at the entrance to the most prestigious Hero University in Japan, and the massive campus that sprawled behind it. This was where Heroes like All Might, Endeavour, and Best Jeanist were made, and now he would join their ranks. There was no room for doubt, he would pass this exam, and he would fulfill his dreams! A shoulder knocked into his, a familiar brash voice sounding out.
"Get out of the way, fuckin' Deku." Bakugo Katsuki stood before him. He had grown, the last Izuku had seen of him, he was about 170 cm and he seemed about 180 now, and his shoulders had broadened into a wide plane of muscle, probably to withstand his Quirk's kickback. What hadn't changed was his attitude, sneer still seemingly permanently affixed to his face. Izuku allowed his face to fall into a matching glare, but walked past him for now, he had a test to get to. His Quirk flared up at his refusal to fight, the energy pulsing a bit more energetically in his veins, but he soothed it with the knowledge that he would do better than Bakugo in the exams. Actions spoke louder than words, after all.
The auditorium for the practical exam to be explained was huge, the size matching the area under Urahara's shop, and packed full of student hopefuls, each one finding their assigned seating. To his chagrin, Izuku found himself sitting next to Bakugo, the explosive blond giving him a mean side-eye and a glare, but nothing else. Izuku shrugged, if Bakugo wasn't going to start something, then neither would he. He watched as what looked like thousands of students poured into the room, they would be his competition for this test. Each student was wearing practical and normal exercise gear, some had a little extra, like a tall, blue-haired boy who had knee and elbow pads, and a tailed blonde who had fighting gloves, but overall most were dressed pretty similarly, except for him, that is. Izuku was wearing an outfit identical to Renji's, white undergarments with a black robe and black hakama pants, along with tabi sandals. He had been given the outfit by Urahara, apparently it was a type of ritual among his students, each wore the outfit to symbolize their training with him, and their survival of that training. He wasn't the biggest fan of Urahara after the numerous times the man had tried to kill him, but the clothes were nice, allowing a wide range of movement and some protection against targeted attacks with how baggy they were.
Lost in his memories of receiving the outfit, Izuku almost missed the moment Present Mic entered center stage, and almost laughed at the comically dressed Hero. His hair looked even more ridiculous in person, it was almost double his height! He tried to control his excitement when the Hero started talking, but it was so hard when his hair wobbled with every movement he made!
"Hello listeners! Thanks for tuning in to my live performance!" All conversation in the room stopped as Present Mic's voice shouted over them. "Let me hear you all say "Hey!"" Izuku almost felt bad for the man when his shout resulted in pure silence, no one in the crowd feeling up to his challenge.
"Man, tough crowd!" Somehow, he managed to keep smiling. "I'm here to give you guys a rundown of the practical exam! Are you ready?!" The silence was deafening.
"As it said on your pamphlets, you'll be doing a battle test for 30 minutes in our mock cities! You may bring anything you like. Please check your cards for the exam site you'll be taking your exam in!"
Izuku looked at his card to see the letter B highlighted under 'practice center'. Bakugo spoke up from behind him.
"Looks like they're not letting people from the same schools work together." He said, eyeing Izuku's card. "Too bad, I was looking forward to crushing you."
Izuku scoffed.
"You're lucky we aren't, they would've had to shovel your ashes off the streets." Living with Urahara and Jinta for ten months had completely annihilated any confidence issues he might have had. It was hard to be shy when two idiots were trying to kill him all the time.
"What'd you say to me, Deku?!" Their spat might have continued if Present Mic hadn't decided then was the time to keep explaining.
"Each site will have three types of villains, worth one, two, and three points respectively! Your task is to destroy those villains with your individual Quirks, without doing anything anti-heroic, of course!" Izuku saw the blue-haired boy he had noticed earlier stand up completely straight and raise his hand, his posture perfectly rigid.
"May I ask a question?" He called out, a spotlight shining on him from the ceiling.
"Go ahead, little listener!" Present Mic pointed at him with finger guns.
"On the printout we were given, there are four types of villains, but you've only explained three! This is an oversight that is very shameful from a top university like U.A.! Additionally!" He whirled around and pointed at Izuku and Bakugo. "You two, you're endless talking is incredibly disruptive! If you're only here to have fun, you should leave now!" Izuku knew what Bakugo would do, and was more than happy to let him handle it.
"Shut up! I'm here to be the number one, not pander to some shithead extra like you!" Yep, there it was, Bakugo's classic superiority complex. It was almost funny when it wasn't aimed at him.
The blue-haired boy sputtered, the wind taken out of his sails by the extremely rude retort, but was stopped by Present Mic before the argument could continue.
"Ok, ok, that's enough! To answer your question, Examinee 7111, the fourth villain is worth zero points, they're just obstacles that will be causing problems in the exam center! You can take them out, but there's not much point! I advise you guys to avoid these things! Now, if there are no further questions, let's get going!"
Izuku stood in front of the gate to exam center B. 'This is insane!' He thought, eyes blown wide. 'A whole city just for an exam?! How big is their budget?! No wait, not the time to think about that.' He shook his head. 'If there's a gate, then part of the obstacle is getting in there before anyone else. I need to be fast enough to start destroying robots before anyone else.' Luckily, Izuku had managed to learn something other than sword techniques from Urahara. He took off his shoes and closed his eyes, focusing on the fire that circulated through his body. He materialized Soul, his partner quiet for now, and began focusing his energy into his feet, condensing it around his toes and heels. A hand grabbed his shoulder, the impact startling him almost into releasing the fire preemptively, but he managed to keep it under control. He opened his eyes, and glared at the blue-haired teen from the exam hall, who had called him and Bakugo out. He seemed to be in the middle of some sort of speech.
"And another thing, what is this outfit? Do you think this is a costume party? I told you, if you aren't going to take this seriously, then-"
"Shut the fuck up, four-eyes." Izuku bit out, sneering at the man. "If I didn't have as good of a handle on my Quirk as I do, you would've been incinerated right there." He ignored the man's sputtered words about 'threats' and 'villainous'. "And if I wasn't serious about taking this test, I wouldn't fucking be here. Stay in your lane, and stop acting like you're some sort of boss of mine, yeah?" He didn't bother listening for an answer, instead focusing back on the fire condensed at his feet.
Wasn't that a little harsh, Izuku? Soul's voice rang out in his head. You could've just told him to leave you alone.
"It's better he gets me being harsh than my Reiryoku exploding because he startled me." Izuku muttered bitterly. "But I guess you're right. I'll apologize once the exam is over."
Good. Soul sounded happy. You should try to make friends with your possible classmates, after all.
Before Izuku could respond, Present Mic's voice rang out.
"And, GO!"
Izuku moved, his body jerking forward as he let the Reiryoku at his feet explode, pushing him forward so fast it looked like he teleported. 'Shunpo!'
He rocketed into the exam site, his speed dropping as the fire at his feet was expended, and came across a green robot, a bright '1' spray painted onto it's body. He grinned, allowing his excitement to take control of his emotions, and ran towards it. He raised Soul above his head and, remembering his training with Urahara, sliced straight down, splitting the robot in half.
"That's 1!" He shouted out, his face awash with glee. "This is gonna be way easier than I thought!" He continued to run forward, managing to cut down another 1-pointer and a 2-pointer before his competitors managed to catch up. 'Gotta get further into the city.' He thought as he sliced through another 2-pointer. If I stay here, all the robots will get taken by these guys. I can get into the middle quick with Shunpo, and then farm all the robots that haven't made it out here yet!'
He paused, focusing his energy back into his heels, and then exploded towards the city center, slashing through every robot in his path.
Observation Room, At the same time.
"In this practical exam, the number of villains and their locations are not disclosed to the students." A cheery and slightly high-pitched voice said to a group of teachers surrounding an array of screens, multiple smaller ones surrounding one large display, that each showed different students taking the exam. "The time limit and large field helps us determine a number of things, such as; The ability to quickly gather information!" The main screen flickered to show a large man with multiple arms connected to each other by the webbing of his skin. One arm on each side had an ear, an eye, and a regular hand. He was on a rooftop, scouting for robots before jumping onto them from above and destroying them.
"The mobility to respond to changing situations!" The screen switched to a tall, bulky, blue-haired man, engines in his calves shooting out flames as he kicked through a villain and slid to a stop before dashing off to the next one.
"The discernment to stay calm under any circumstance!" The screen changed again, highlighting a strange blonde haired boy who seemed to be looking directly at the camera and winking.
"And pure combat ability!" This time, the screen split and showed two examinees, one with ash-blonde hair standing atop a pile of destroyed robots, his shoulders heaving and his hands sparking. There was a wild grin spread across his face. He looked like destruction incarnate, the embodiment of Hachiman standing over his enemies.
The second figure was a wildly laughing green-haired boy, his eyes flitting from target to target in glee, his movements a discordant dance of fire and ruination. His method of demolition changed with each robot, sometimes it was a sword, alight with flames and slicing through everything he touched, in others it was fire reducing all it touched to ash, and finally he used his legs to great effect. It seemed he was compressing fire onto his shins until it was barely visible, then letting it explode on impact, vaporizing whatever he hit.
The two boys both looked like they were enjoying themselves, but the difference was their attitude towards other examinees.
The blonde one snapped at anyone coming near him, but it seemed like he was telling them to get away because of how strong his explosions were rather than anything else, pointing them paths he hadn't gone down.
The green one switched from wild swings to stabs and kicks once others surrounded him, but his spacial awareness was to be applauded, perhaps even more than his combat skills. He stopped every swing before it got near other examinees, and helped multiple other competitors out of danger, cutting rubble in half before it could hit one girl and smashing a collection of robots that were surrounding a purple haired boy on the floor.
"These basic qualities for a Hero are measured under our point system!" The speaker was revealed, a rodent-like being with white fur and a scar over his left eye. He was dressed sharply, wearing a suit and vest along with dress shoes.
"The examinees this year look quite promising." Midnight said, her voice low and breathy.
"Too early to tell just yet." Cementoss said, sounding as rough as the rocks that made up his body.
"The real test begins now!" All Might said, sitting among the teachers in his skinny form. "May I do the honours, Principal Nezu?" The man-like mouse nodded his head, whiskers twitching.
All Might reached over and flipped the case off of a bright red button labelled 'Zero point switch!' and pressed it firmly.
Back in Exam Site
Izuku was panting heavily. His heat resistance was high, but condensing his flames for Shunpo and Ikkotsu took a lot out of him, the condensed flames testing his resilience to their heat. He looked around, there weren't many robots left, and by his count he was well over 90 points, from what others were saying, he was well above the cut. He let his Reiryoku settle down, lowering the heat around him and allowing those closest to him to sigh in relief. He took deep, measured breaths, assuming control over his Quirk-amplified anger and thirst for battle, before a loud crash echoed throughout the exam area, buildings falling over and huge smoke clouds formed as a giant robot bigger than the buildings that surrounded it rolled out of its containment chamber.
"That must be the zero pointer!" Somebody screamed.
"Everybody run!" Another test-taker shouted.
All examinees in the area began evacuating, fear overcoming them as they ran from the threat. Izuku stared up at it, considering whether or not it was worth it.
Don't do it, kid. Soul warned. With how big it is, the power necessary would put you out of commission. That's not what you want to show the supervisors.
Izuku reluctantly agreed. If he collapsed after destroying a worthless obstacle, all it would show is his recklessness and lack of control. He turned to follow the rest of his competitors before he froze, a cry reaching his ears.
"Help, please!"
Izuku! Soul hadn't needed to speak, the second Izuku heard the scream he was already running, boosting his steps slightly with his Reiryoku. He ran past multiple examinees, all of them running away from the screams for help.
'Disgusting!' He couldn't help but think, a grimace coming across his features. 'They're here to be Hero's, so why are they all running away from a victim?!'
Unbeknownst to him, a certain blue-haired man saw him running towards the scream and paused, considering, before following him.
Izuku reached the area he had heard the scream from and looked around wildly, trying to find whoever needed help before the robot was on top of them. His head snapped to the left as he heard a pained shout, and he ran in that direction, hoping he would find them soon. 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Where are you?!'
He skidded to a stop, finally finding the screamer. It was a brown haired girl, trying futilely to reach the concrete slab that rested on her legs. He ran up to her and, eyeing the slab carefully, prepared his sword.
"Wait, what are you doing!" She shouted out, but he didn't have time to explain, the robot would be on them any second now!
"Close your eyes, and don't move." The girl, obviously frightened by the man with a sword, obliged, screwing her eyes shut. Izuku slammed the hilt onto the stone, shattering it into pieces, and sheathed his sword, his new robe having a spot for his sheath.
"Can you run?" He asked urgently, cursing when she shook her head.
"I overused my Quirk," She said. "I might vomit any second now, and the rubble crushed one of my ankles, I can't put any weight on it!"
The robot appeared above them, its titanic head peering down at them.
"Fuck!" Izuku couldn't help but shout. He wouldn't be able to outrun the robot while carrying her without burning her if he used Shunpo, and he couldn't kill the robot without burning her either!
"I just need someone to get you out of the way!" He griped, ignoring the offended look the girl threw at him at his comment about her being in the way.
"Then, I'm glad I came this way!" Izuku whipped around and grinned widely at the man standing before him.
"Four eyes!" He shouted out, relief colouring his tone.
"That's not my name! I am-"
"No time! You have a speed Quirk right, engines in your legs?" The man nodded, and grabbed onto Uraraka, lifting her into his arms bridal style. She squeaked, turning red as the man held her close.
"I'll get her out of here, but what are you going to do?" Izuku looked at him and let his battlelust run free again.
"I'm gonna kill that thing!" Before the man could argue, Izuku turned around. "Get out of here, now! If I fire off my attack with you guys here, I'll cremate you!" The man clicked his jaw shut and ran off, engines releasing plumes of smoke and jets of fire as he bounded over the landscape. Izuku watched as they ran before turning around and facing the zero pointer.
"If I kill you, no one else is at any risk, right?" He smiled and pulled his sword out, holding it in an upwards and diagonal stance. He closed his eyes and remembered Urahara's training, the desperation to survive and the resolve he had gained. He flared his Reiryoku out, the energy circling around him before coalescing around his blade. Then, he swung.
"Taimatsu!"
And the top half of the zero pointer was immolated.
Izuku panted, he had been fighting at near full power for 30 minutes, and then used the most devastating move he had in his arsenal. His sweat was evaporating, and his muscles gave up at the heat exhaustion he had subjected himself to.
He lay there, letting his emotions fade down to more usual levels and his body cool down a bit, before an elderly lady walked over to him, followed by four eyes.
She looked him over and 'tsk'ed.
"Looks like you overdid it, don't worry, I should be able to fix you right up!" Even in his exhaustion, Izuku was able to recognize this Heroine.
"You're Recovery Girl!" He said, his voice hoarse and grating after he had evaporated almost all of the saliva in his throat. "You're one of my favourite Hero's! But you can't heal me."
She looked confused at his statement.
"Why not, sonny? I can heal almost everything, you know."
"My skin will be too hot for you to touch." He managed to drag out. "You see the steam around me? That's my sweat evaporating from the heat I'm exuding right now. If you try to kiss my wound away, you'll burn yourself, badly."
She hummed, taking his words into consideration.
"Then, how should we help you?" Izuku thought for a second, before an idea came to mind.
"I need an ice bath." He said. "As much ice as you can manage."
One Week Later, Midoriya Household.
"I-I-I-I-IZUKU!" His Mom's voice cried throughout the house. He was on his feet in an instant, worried at how loud she had yelled, and ran downstairs.
"Are you okay?!" She looked up, holding a letter out to him.
"Your letter from U.A.! It's here!" He sighed in relief, relaxing as he realized his Mom was in no trouble, before he comprehended her latter words.
"My letter!" He grabbed it, ripping it open.
"Izuku!" His mom smacked his head. "You ripped the letter!"
Before he could panic over that, a metal disk fell out of the half in his right hand, clattering to the table. They both looked at it and saw a bright red button labelled 'Press Me!' Shrugging, Izuku placed it on the table and pressed it, jumping as a hologram appeared.
"HAHAHA! I AM HERE! To give you your results, Young Midoriya!"
"ALL MIGHT!" He and his mother both screamed out. Why was All Might on a U.A. letter?
"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm giving you your results! It's because this semester, I will be teaching your Heroics class! I can't wait to watch you grow!-What do you mean I'm taking too long? I have to do HOW many of these?! Alright, Alright! Young Midoriya! On your application, your grades were exemplary! You have been granted access into the General Studies course! But, you were aiming to be a Hero!"
Izuku was clenching the dining table, struggling not to set it alight as All Might continued to tease his scores.
"In the practical exam, you received a total of 98 points! Just shy of 100, but enough to net you first place!"
Izuku nearly cheered in delight, but All Might kept talking.
"At least, that's if that was everything! Watch this!"
Izuku watched, worried at first, and then stunned as a video played of the brown haired girl he had saved asking Present Mic to give her points to him, and the voice Hero brushing her worries aside. The video switched to the scene of him saving the girl, he saw himself, grinning, launch a colossal wave of fire at the zero pointer, and then collapse, panting.
"How could we, as a Hero School, not reward such Heroic acts!" All Might reappeared, grinning wider than before. "It's just another criteria we look for! Midoriya Izuku, awarded a total of 65 rescue points! That brings your total to 163 points! Congratulations, Young Midoriya! This is YOUR HERO ACADEMIA!