Musutafu, Japan - April 2197
Sitting in his office, Aizawa Shota switched off his computer monitor after reviewing the Battle Trial that All Might conducted earlier in the day. With no classes scheduled on Tuesday, he spent the day fine tuning his curriculum for the semester ahead as well as making pitches to any Hero firms that were willing to hold a summer internship for the Hero Course. He had already sent out several emails and received a few responses, but understandably they were all on a 'play by ear' basis with their work as Pros.
The closest one was a two-hour drive to the mainland of Honshu to a national park where the Wild, Wild Pussycats–who specialized in forest and mountain rescue operations–were located. He'd likely stick with them, but the internship camp would be something he'd have to consult with Dean Nezu and the university board members anyway.
Pro Heroes hardly had any days off; something his freshmen class would have to learn. At this point, the internship camp was only an idea. Hopefully, the people at the top would approve and the Pussycats weren't tangled up with any rescue missions at that time.
In addition to all of that the haggard man had also worked on getting some much-needed rest.
He turned in his chair and looked out at the city and its many lights polluting the night sky. He would've preferred having an interior office as they were darker, but even he'd admit he enjoyed the nighttime view this room offered.
The black-haired man sighed deeply and took a sip of coffee. Being an Underground Hero meant zero endorsement deals, but the government pay was twice and sometimes triple the normal rate. After all, Aizawa had to deal with the most heinous of Villains who rarely ever show their faces in daylight. Being an instructor at UA's Hero Department was a decent change of pace and provided a much safer salary.
Still, the man had the itch for investigating; the thirst to uncover the truth. Right now, there was a certain student that had been on his mind.
Turning back to his desk, he picked up a manila folder with the label "Midoriya Izuku" on the tab. He opened the folder and pulled out several documents, each detailing and noting Midoriya's background and application information. After taking several moments to read over the documents, he pulled out a blank sheet of paper and grabbed a pen.
BACKGROUND FACTS:
- Born in Musutafu, Japan in July 2174. Family immigrated to and became American citizens in 2177.
- Lived in Fresno, California, USA; attended Janus High School.
- Both parents died within a year of each other. Mother - terminal cancer. Father - car accident.
- Stayed with living relatives until joining the US Army at age 17. Served 3 years.
- Acquired a 5-year visa to Japan in January 2196.
IZUKU RELATIONS: Parents deceased. Claimed living relatives in Fresno according to application.
- No mention of who these relatives are. More digging is necessary.
He stopped to switch on his monitor again, pulling up clips of Midoriya's fight with Bakugo. Fast-forwarding, he paused at the moment after Midoriya dodged Bakugo's surprise attack with ease.
QUIRK: AUGMENT. All aspects of his body are enhanced to an unknown degree.
- Does this include his mind? Would explain his impressive reflexes and remarkable skill in wielding his shield.
- Need to learn more.
He un-paused the video to play the rest of Midoriya and Bakugo's short brawl. He stopped it again at the moment Bakugo was knocked unconscious and shifted his focus back to his paper.
HERO COSTUME: Militaristic blackops-like suit. Manufactured by Eagle Industries in New York City, USA, according to application.
- Find more info on "Eagle Industries".
SUPPORT GEAR: Shield. Manufacturer unknown, made from unknown materials, and claims to be a family heirloom according to application.
- Can shred exam robots like paper; bounce off objects like rubber.
- Even Power Loader seemed clueless on the shield's metal.
- Reach out to a metallurgist?
Aizawa clicked play and finished watching the rest of the battle once more. Midoriya and Tsunotori communicated well and executed their plan flawlessly. Granted, Bakugo did them a huge favor by rushing in headstrong to fight Midoriya solo instead of working together with Iida; regardless, the Hero Team performed very well.
The Underground Hero rewound the video and played through Midoriya's fight with Bakugo for a third time.
'He certainly carries himself like a trained soldier…' Aizawa inwardly noted. 'He didn't waste any time or movements. When Bakugo didn't surrender, he went straight for the kill… so to speak.'
He paused the video and zoomed in on Midoriya's face, taking note of the look in his emerald eyes. Intense, focused, and searching for openings and weaknesses to exploit; the quickest and most effective way to get past an obstacle. The look of someone who was ready to kill if absolutely necessary. Aizawa had seen that look many times in his veteran Underground colleagues.
EXPERIENCE: 3 years in the US Army.
- Review military background further.
- What kind of training did he receive? What did the US military assign him to do?
- Any other forms of combat-related training?
OBSERVATIONS:
- Unknown connection between Izuku and All Might.
- Support Item behaves similar to the First Hero's shield.
- Unclear reason for coming to UA University instead of any American Hero Academies.
Aizawa stopped writing to review everything he had noted so far. He certainly had his work cut out for him, he thought. The disheveled man was correct in his hunch the other day about having more sleepless nights.
He then took a moment to pause. Was this really necessary?
After all, Midoriya had the makings of a model student. In fact, he reminded him of Togata Mirio, an exemplary senior who was in Class 101-B three years ago and had been one of the most prodigal UA students to date.
Still, Aizawa couldn't shake the feeling that was nagging at him regarding the verdette. Even with the small sample sizes of the Entrance Exam and Battle Trials, Aizawa recognized that Midoriya was very experienced in combative situations. Could three years of standard military service as a teenager really earn him such skill?
After a moment of consideration, the Underground Hero decided to go through with his personal investigation. In his mind, it'd be better to discover his concerns were unwarranted rather than ignore his gut feeling, and then come to find out later on that Midoriya was a spy…or worse an assassin. Maybe that last one was extreme, but one could never be too careful these days.
'Alright… Where to start then…' His gaze shifted near the top to the "Izuku Relations" section.
Might as well start from the beginning. Perhaps he'd find some clarity on things if he could find out who these relatives were that took care of Midoriya after his parents' untimely deaths.
The day following the Battle Trials, Midoriya and Uraraka left their apartment complex together as per usual and met up with Yaoyorozu outside the campus–only to be nearly crushed by a swarm of reporters and paparazzi laying siege to the main gate. Upon noticing their Hero Department attire, the trio was instantly surrounded with cameras, phones, and microphones being thrown in their faces.
"You three are Hero students, right?" A female reporter looked at Uraraka. "Have you had classes with All Might?"
"Y-Yeah…" the brunette said hesitantly.
"What is he like in person?"
"I…uh… he's muscly?" Uraraka cutely replied.
Yaoyorozu flinched from having a microphone shoved in her face. "Can you tell us anything about the Hero Department now that he's teaching?" another reporter questioned.
"I apologize," Yaoyorozu squirmed in discomfort, "but I can't discuss that. It's school policy." Her reply prompted an annoyed grunt from the reporter.
"How do you think All Might is doing as a teacher?" a third reporter asked Midoriya, who was standing between the two girls.
While Uraraka and Yaoyorozu were uncomfortable from the sudden media attention, Midoriya only seemed mildly annoyed.
He externally groaned. 'The press here really is crazy over anything All Might-related.'
Midoriya calmed himself and adopted a straight-face. "We've only had one class with All Might, so it's not fair for us to say whether he's a good teacher or not. As far as first impressions go though, I believe he's done an exceptional job so far."
'Though he did have to use his teaching notes quite a bit yesterday, but the media doesn't need to know that.' He inwardly mused.
His response only invited the attention of the other reporters.
"Even if you've only had one class, what's it like being taught by Japan's Symbol of Peace?"
"What have you learned from him so far?"
The reporters around them bunched closer toward Midoriya, forcing Uraraka and Yaoyorozu to huddle closer to him. The verdette felt his face flush from the close contact with his beautiful female friends. He needed to end this quickly!
"As I already stated, I believe he did an exceptional job. And, without getting into specifics as it's against school policy." Midoriya kept his tone even, "we essentially learned that the margin of victory for Pro Heroes is small, but in spite of the odds, we fight on."
Midoriya brought up his arm to find the time on his watch. "Listen, we need to get to class. So, if you'll please excuse us." Gently pushing the mics away, he took Uraraka and Yaoyorozu by their hands and guided them away from the crowd, making the two young women blush from the contact.
Uraraka looked away shyly. 'Geez, why am I getting so flustered?'
A small tint of pink dusted Yaoyorozu's cheeks. 'My heart is beating faster… just from a touch…?'
"Hold on!" Another reporter called out. "I have a couple more-"
"ENOUGH!" Reporters and students alike covered their ears as Present Mic used a fraction of his Quirk to get their attention.
Midoriya flinched from the sharp pain and let go of Uraraka and Yaoyorozu's hands to cover his ears. 'DAMN THAT HURTS!'
"You all know the rules," Present Mic said when the ringing stopped; his voice was now much friendlier. "The press isn't allowed to harass the students, or your networks are gonna hear it from our legal team. Now go on, get outta here." The reporters grumbled, but retreated to a respectful distance.
He turned to Midoriya, Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu with a megawatt grin. "Don't worry Listeners, we figured the mob would show up sooner or later. Come on inside and get to class."
"Thank you, Mic-sensei!" Yaoyorozu bowed before Midoriya and Uraraka followed suit.
Present Mic gave a thumbs-up. "Don't mention it. Yah still got some time before your class, but I'd recommend heading there just to avoid annoying Aizawa."
Nodding at the Pro's advice, the trio increased their pace to a brisk walk down the pathway to the main building.
"You handled those questions quite well, Midori-kun." Yaoyorozu complimented.
"Yeah!" Uraraka added, smiling. "You were talking like an actual Pro back there!"
"It's nothing… You learn to handle the press with practice." He offhandedly replied.
"Practice?" Yaoyorozu raised an eyebrow. "You have experience with the media, Midori-kun?"
"Uh, y-yeah, just a little." He chuckled nervously, realizing his slipup. "I–uh… I was filmed and interviewed a few times when I was in the Army. They were putting a documentary together for Basic Training. The key is to be yourself but don't give them anything to run with. If they ask a question you don't like, just decline to answer and move on."
'I mean, it's partially true. Doing all those shows and performances helped me control my nerves better around cameras and microphones… and lots of people.' Midoriya mused.
Uraraka and Yaoyorozu nodded at his answer, but his nervousness didn't go unnoticed by them. Perhaps he had bad or awkward experiences when he was on camera back in America?
"That makes sense." Uraraka then tilted her head curiously. "Huh… Do you think any media-related lessons will be on our Heroics curriculum this semester?"
"I'd be surprised if there wasn't." Yaoyorozu said. "A big part of being a Pro Hero is having cordial interactions with the press."
Midoriya nodded, frowning slightly. 'And if they don't like you, they'll do everything in their power to break you down. But you have to stand tall in spite of it.'
The trio arrived at their classroom door and pulled it open to find Tokage as the only occupant.
"Looks like I beat you guys again. That's 3 for me and 0 for you." Tokage leaned back on her desk and folded her hands behind her head. "You stop for coffee or what?"
"I didn't know we were keeping score." Midoriya sat his bag by his desk. "Did the media outside give you any trouble, Tokage?"
"Nah!" She shook her head. "I sneaked in right as they were setting up their equipment outside."
Midoriya turned to Uraraka and Yaoyorozu with a competitive glint in his green eyes. "Hey, since Tokage is making it a competition, maybe we should start getting up earlier?"
Uraraka quickly shot down that idea. "No way! 6:30 is already early enough, Midori-kun!"
"Also," Yaoyorozu chimed, "Tokage lives much closer to campus than us, so she'd beat us either way."
"You bet I would." Tokage grinned. "Gotta be number one at something around here. Heh-heh!"
Later, the rest of Class 101-A filled the room and started conversing. Midoriya and his friends sat together, along with Jiro, at their usual spots at the back of the room. Bakugo sulked into his room with his usual scowl–not even glancing in Midoriya's direction.
'Well, at least he isn't glaring at me anymore.' Midoriya inwardly noted.
"Sup, guys," Sero walked up, "You were here early again, right? The paparazzi outside give you any trouble?"
"They did ask us some questions," Uraraka replied. "Luckily, Present Mic was there to make them back off. Did they bother any of you?"
Tsunotori shook her head. "No. Mic-sensei and Mr. Hound Dog made sure they stayed away from all of us."
"From my understanding," Iida chimed in, "the press is usually more respectful of Heroes' personal space, but I suppose All Might-sensei being at UA has riled them up."
"News must be slow or something," Tokage remarked. "I mean, I know All Might is popular and all, but isn't him teaching kind of a boring topic?"
"Yeah, no kidding." Sero agreed. "They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?"
"Well, I think I remember seeing online one time where they spent two days talking about how his hair was five degrees lower than normal." Midoriya mentioned, recalling his prior online research on Pro Heroes.
"Seriously?" Sero's eyes widened a bit.
"That's… something." Tsunotori blinked in surprise.
"Kero," Asui touched her chin, "guess when it comes to All Might-sensei, they'll take anything and make a huge deal of it."
The door slid open at that moment and Aizawa stalked inside. "That's something you all may risk if you become Pro Heroes. Thankfully, I'm an Underground Hero, so I don't have to deal with any of that nonsense." He glanced at several of the students who weren't sitting down. "You'd all better be seated by the time I blink or I deduct 20 points off your first exam."
Not willing to see if he was bluffing, there was a rush of air as everyone jumped into their seats.
"Better. Now, All Might gave me a report of everything that happened during his class." He pulled out a stack of papers and lazily started passing them to each student. "Along with All Might's grading and feedback, I've included some notes of my own."
After handing out the rest of the papers, Aizawa lazily stalked back to the front of the room–giving everyone a chance to review their scores and feedback. "Most of you did well, or at least received valuable feedback. I expect to see marked improvements in the coming weeks, but if you don't take honest criticism to heart," he gaze shifted to a certain ash-blonde, "I won't hesitate to kick you out of the Hero Course."
Bakugo's frown deepened, but discreetly nodded in acknowledgment nonetheless.
With his message sent, Aizawa's eyes then shifted to the back of the classroom. "Midoriya, Tsunotori, Yaoyorozu, and Uraraka received top marks. Although, Yaoyorozu and Uraraka, if I had to critique you both I'd suggest not being too elaborate in your planning. If one thing goes wrong, it can all fall apart. But given your opponents' abilities and the environment, I won't rag too much on it. You communicated with each other clearly and performed exceptionally well too. Nice work."
"Thank you, sensei." Yaoyorozu and Uraraka both bowed.
"Midoriya and Tsunotori," he turned to the two foreign students, "you both communicated very well with each other too, and formulated a plan to effectively counter your opponents while keeping property damage to a minimum. You aced it."
"Thank you, Aizawa-sensei." Tsunotori bowed.
"Yes. Thank you, sir." Midoriya smiled.
Not everyday the shaggy instructor would give out praise like this, he thought. He glanced to his right to see Uraraka giving him a wink and a thumbs-up, which he returned. Up ahead, Bakguo's shoulders slumped just a little. He guessed that the ash-blonde was still salty over his loss yesterday.
"Tokage. Asui." His gaze fell on the two greenettes. "You both performed well, but be more flexible next time. If a plan isn't working, don't be afraid to change strategies; otherwise, you did good despite your setback. Learn from it and keep your heads up."
"Yes sir." Tokage and Asui replied.
"With all that said, let's get started with class."
In an alleyway near UA's front gate, a young man wearing gray baggy pants and a black hoodie stood waiting. His hoodie concealed most of his face yet strands of teal-hair and dried skin were visible.
With his hands stuffed away in his front pockets, he gazed at the crowd of reporters gathered in front of the prestigious university's gate with a sneer.
Ah the media, he thought. Vultures that picked at every little piece of fame they could get their grimy little hands on. Trying in vain to share in the spotlight, trapped in the spur of the moment. Completely forgetting about the main point of anything.
Chasing after Pro Heroes and groveling at their feet, worshiping them like the old gods. The young man internally scoffed at that comparison. Pro Heroes were nothing like the old gods, he thought.
The old gods summoned the forces of nature whenever they didn't get their way–destroying everything they disagreed with. They brought order and justice by their rules alone. Their merit made them kings, and it was their right.
Pro Heroes, however, were nothing but cheap knock offs of the old fictional superheroes, and pale imitations of the 21st century Vigilantes. Breaking and implementing justice whenever it suited them. Puppets of the government tangled in strings at the bottom of a chest, waiting for real players to come out.
To him, that's all this was. A game between those who had their eyes opened to see the pieces. To see who was really in control.
He looked out over the crowd of vultures pecking at the castle of his final boss. So close yet out of reach like all pesky invisible barriers. He'd get rid of it and go straight for the prize on the other side. Why shouldn't he, after all? Why waste hours of gameplay fighting the mooks and throwing away NPCs that ultimately won't matter?
He was the only player, the main protagonist of his story. This was the start of his game of righteous retribution to bring down the twisted society that had ruined his life.
His first move…start the main quest.
The rest of the morning went by at a moderate pace.
Using a ceiling-mounted projector, Aizawa dedicated the class period to dissecting footage of the Battle Trials with the class. Multiple students flinched when it was their turn to be called out by the haggard instructor. Aizawa was accurate yet fair in his critical assessments in Midoriya's opinion. He pointed out mistakes and possible alternatives while also giving subdued praise when it was due.
Shortly after Foundational Heroics was General English 101 with Present Mic. The blonde podcaster playfully called on both Midoriya and Tsunotori a lot to state out sentences for everyone to repeat, and then others were called upon.
Bakugo was decent when he spoke in the American tongue. Tokage, Tokoyami, Sero, and Ashido had rougher times with the latter muttering 'song lyrics were easier'–prompting a subdued chuckle from Midoriya. Some of the best were surprisingly Aoyama and Jiro, with Todoroki and Iida both being very eligible as well.
Aside from Midoriya and Tsunotori, Yaoyorozu was the clear winner in speaking fluent English. No surprise there, he thought.
He had to admit that listening to Yaoyorozu, Ashido, and Uraraka talk in English was a sliding scale of angelic to downright cute! But Midoriya could sense an aura of boredom descending upon the classroom. He could understand as he knew from personal experience that learning a new language was often boring and tedious.
Following English, Class 101-A headed to the cafeteria for lunch as they had over an hour before the start of Modern Literature 102.
Midoriya sat at a table with his group of friends that included Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, Tsunotori, Tokage, Iida, Sero, Asui, and Jiro. Meanwhile, Ashido and Kirishima were sitting at another table with other members of class for the day.
Lunch Rush's food was incredible as always. He had even gone back for seconds as he was hungrier than usual after increasing his morning training regimen.
"So," Tsunotori said, "what did you guys think of the feedback from the Battle Trials?"
"I believe it was fair and constructive." Iida dutifully responded while chopping his right hand. "From both All Might-sensei and Aizawa-sensei respectively. I shall take their critique to heart and apply it going forward!" He dramatically proclaimed.
Yaoyorozu nodded. "I believe there's plenty of room for improvement for all of us."
"Except for you, Yaomomo," Jiro smirked wryly. "Didn't you and Uraraka-san both get near perfect scores?"
Yaoyorozu smiled sheepishly, "We both received a 97. The instructors took a few points off for the potential pitfalls of our plan had Tokage and Tsuyu decided to split up."
"Still," Uraraka beamed, "not bad for our first lesson!"
"Wish I could say the same." Jiro sighed dejectedly. "Can't believe I lost to the pervert's team..."
"Eh, don't take it too hard, Jiro-san." Tokage waved off. "Besides, Tokoyami-san's Dark Shadow is pretty strong. No shame in losing to a team with him on it."
"To be fair, the environment did work in Mineta-san's favor. Also," Midoriya added, "Dark Shadow seems to be stronger in the dark. So the low-light conditions in the Villains' hideout gave him a sizable advantage until Kaminari-san unleashed his electricity."
He lowered his head thoughtfully. "Speaking of which, Kaminari-san should talk to the Support Department about adding some kind of aiming gear for his costume. His attacks would be much more effective then. Perhaps even a Support Item that can prevent that kickback of his…"
"That's smart. I'll mention it to that dunderhead when I see him." Jiro suppressed a grunt recalling when Kaminari had accidentally electrocuted her during the exercise. 'Anything to prevent something like that happening again.'
Midoriya looked at the purplette across the table. "You could also talk to the Support Department too, Jiro-san. Your Quirk lets you channel the sound of your heartbeat through your earjacks and whatever you plug them into, right?"
"That's right." Jiro confirmed with a nod.
"Have you ever tried plugging your jacks into your phone before? Or any device with an auxiliary port?"
Most devices–particularly phones–in Midoriya's time had moved away from auxiliary ports to wireless. But, ever since the end of WW3 and the Dark Times, technology advancement had stalled and had even regressed for a while before slowly beginning to rebound in the last several decades. As a result, most modern phone models still included ports.
"Actually, yeah." She replied. "That's how I'll usually listen to my tunes."
He rubbed his chin contemplatively. "Then it sounds like your Quirk can also take in, amplify and redirect any sound that a device you're plugged into can produce. I'd suggest testing that out as soon as possible since your Costume's boots have directional speakers built into them."
Jiro blinked and then looked shocked. "I… I never even considered that." She breathed out. "I'll try that out in my next training session. Thanks, Midoriya-san!"
"You're welcome." Midoriya smiled. "Hopefully it'll work out for you. It could open up so many possibilities for your Quirk if it does."
"What about me?" Sero raised his hand. "I mean, I know my Quirk isn't much, but–"
"I'll stop you right there, Sero." Midoriya interjected. "I think your Quirk is pretty cool! It has quite a few applications. You can fire off your tape and reel it back in, so you already know the mobility applications."
Sero nodded with a grin.
"How much have you experimented with it? Can you change the type of tape? Like, make it double-sided or duct tape, for instance? Change the tape's color? Or fire off more than one strand per elbow?" He asked.
"Actually, I figured out how to make double-sided tape last year. It was touch and go for the first few months but I eventually figured it out. I think I can do multiple strands at once but it does dehydrate me faster. As for changing the type or color, I've never actually tried," Sero responded with a thoughtful look.
Midoriya hummed thoughtfully. "If you can't change the type drastically you have other options, such as altering the tape's thickness or controlling the adhesiveness. Color may or may not be out of your reach, but it could be good for catching the eye of other Heroes in the field. That way they can be alerted to the direction of a fleeing Villain that you're in pursuit of, or if you find yourself needing backup.
"Other than that I'd suggest trying to fire multiple strands of tape from each elbow. You might even look into firing a single strand but splitting it as you do. You could potentially make a net or barricade in a single shot with proper control," Izuku theorized the different applications of Sero's Quirk. "I'd also keep a water bottle on you for hydration if you're not already."
"I see what you're saying." Sero nodded, thinking over Midoriya's analysis and suggestions. He looked thoughtfully at his elbows. "Guess I've got some work ahead of me. Thanks Midoriya! I'll start practicing your suggestions in training ASAP."
"No problem," Midoriya nodded. "Let me know how it works out. It could open up a whole new aspect of your Quirk."
"Kero. You sure are knowledgeable on Quirks, Midoriya." Asui pointed out.
"He is!" Tsunotori said excitedly. "He even gave me some pointers with my own Quirk after the Entrance Exam."
Uraraka–who was sitting to Midoriya's right– giggled and patted his back. "Midori-kun's a Quirk-otaku. He gave me and Yaomomo good advice when we were making notes for our costumes before the start of school."
Yaoyorozu smiled and nodded. "Yes. He even designed my current Costume."
The rest of the table turned to the super-soldier with surprised looks.
"That's quite impressive, Midoriya." Iida complimented. "You know how to design Costumes and Support Gear?"
"Well," Midoriya scratched the back of his head, "I don't know how to make blueprints for complex Support Gear or anything like that. I just drew up Yaomomo's costume and my own after taking our Quirks' applications and–more importantly–practicality in mind."
"I see. Hmm…Come to think of it," Asui said, "your costume is pretty militaristic."
"Makes sense." Tokage grinned at him playfully. "He is a soldier boy."
The lizard-eyed girl adopted a thoughtful look. "Now that I think about it, you do seem kind of disciplined and usually always stand up straight all the time, Midoriya. I can't believe I didn't make that connection sooner." She glanced over at Iida. "Kind of like Iida. Were you in the military too by chance?"
"I was not." Iida shook his head. "My upbringing and the interactions at my family's agency is what helped mold me into who I am today."
The table turned to Iida in curiosity.
"Agency?" Sero repeated.
Iida blanched, realizing his slipup.
Midoriya looked at Iida and suddenly felt a lightbulb turn on in his head. "Iida, I just realized something… You wouldn't happen to be related to the Turbo Hero: Ingenium, would you?"
That question caught the group's attention as they looked at the navy-haired young man intently.
Iida shifted in his seat from the attention and sighed. "I was afraid of all of you finding out, and potentially treating me differently if you did…" He then puffed out his chest. "But yes. He's my older brother!"
"WHOA!" Most of the table gaped. "That's awesome!"
"The Iida family has been Heroes for generations. It runs in our blood." Iida further elaborated.
Midoriya smiled and shook his head. He had run across Ingenium-related articles during his time researching Pro Heroes. He was very popular and employed over several dozen Sidekicks at his agency in Tokyo. "I feel embarrassed. I can't believe I didn't connect the dots sooner. You basically have the same Quirk!"
"Your family is famous!" Uraraka added excitedly.
"Yes, well," Iida pushed his glasses up, "I am a normal Hero Course student like the rest of you. The admiration I hold for my brother is what inspired me to become a Hero." He smiled proudly. "As the second eldest Iida son, I strive to be just like him!"
The group paused as they momentarily stared at the young man.
"This is the first time I've seen you smile, Iida." Asui noted. "You should do it more. Kero."
"Yeah," Tokage agreed. "It'll make you more approachable."
Iida blinked, confused. "What are you talking about? I smile all the time."
"Could've fooled us." Sero lightheartedly commented, prompting chuckles from the rest of the table at Iida's expense.
The group's discussion was suddenly interrupted by the blaring of an alarm. Everyone in the cafeteria was startled by the sudden noise, and those with sensitive ears–like Jiro and Midoriya–clapped their hands over their ears with cries of pained shock.
"ATTENTION!" A loud, mechanical voice blared over the loudspeaker. "Security Level Three has been breached. All students must evacuate in an orderly fashion!" The message proceeded to loop after that.
Midoriya could immediately recognize that this was not a drill due to the message's urgency and how the cafeteria was descending into panic.
"Hey, you!" Midoriya grabbed the attention of an upperclassman as they stood up. "What's security level three?"
"It means someone has infiltrated the building! This has never happened in the four years I've been here! Hurry up and get out!" The senior student yelled back as he ran.
Midoriya felt his heart rate begin to increase as various memories played through his mind. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and quickly got ahold of himself. Now was not the time to have a PTSD flashback.
The group quickly proceeded to the nearest exit where the corridor was extremely congested with panicking students. In the chaos, Midoriya instinctively grabbed onto the closest of his classmates. In this case he'd grabbed Yaoyorozu and Uraraka's hands and pulled them near the windows to avoid the crowd.
"Stay together guys!" Tsunotori tried to shout over the noise.
"HEY!" Jiro yelled as she was shoved to the side and into Asui.
Midoriya looked around to survey the situation. "People are going to get hurt if this keeps up…"
"OOF!" Sero was suddenly pushed against the wall close to Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and Uraraka. "Yeah… us."
"Our peers have swift responses to danger! As expected of UA!" Iida commented while being shoved into the wall.
"Don't think this is something to commend…" Midoriya looked out the windows and gaped when he saw a crowd of reporters on the campus grounds. He then saw several other people in security guard uniforms rushing towards the incoming reporters.
'The press? How'd they get past UA's defenses?' He shook his head. 'Questions for later. We need to stop this panic!'
"So... what's up, Greenie?" He almost yelped at the air being blown into his ear. He turned to see a floating mouth and a floating ear.
"Tokage?"
"The one and only!" The mouth smiled. "So, do you need help with any of this stuff or...?"
He glanced at Yaoyorozu by his side and Tokage's mouth as he hatched an idea.
"Actually, yes. I do need your help." He turned to the right. "Yaomomo!" Garnering the ravenette's attention, he asked, "Do you know how to make a megaphone?"
She nodded. "Yes, but why does that–" Her eyes widened when she realized what Midoriya was getting at. "Oh!"
Yaoyorozu proceeded to unbutton her vest and the lower half of her shirt, revealing her flat and smooth stomach. Midoriya quickly looked away out of respect, and to hide his reddening face. One of Tokage's eyes noticed her fellow verdette's reaction and grinned in amusement.
'This guy is gonna be easy to tease.' Tokage slyly mused.
In a multi-colored flash, Yaoyorozu created a white megaphone from her abdomen.
"Here you go, Midori-kun!" She handed the megaphone to him.
"Thanks!" He turned back to Tokage's mouth. "Alright, Tokage, I need you to detach your upper body and pull me above the crowd."
"Basking in the limelight like a Pro Hero, huh? Yeah, I'll help you out, Green Buddy." The shark teeth girl said, her mouth and ear flying off to reconnect with her body. She grinned as her upper body–waist and above–disconnected, the surrounding people staring at the action with wide eyes.
"Jiro!" Midoriya called out. "Might wanna cover your ears!"
Further down the wall, the purplette rocker girl was confused but complied with his request anyway.
Tokage's upper body returned to Midoriya. "Hold on, Greenie."
She cupped him from under his armpits and pulled up. She would admit, he was heavier than she imagined, and sturdier as well. It made her lick her lips. With a pop, Midoriya was above the sea of frightened students, though no one seemed to notice at all.
Midoriya flipped on the megaphone and adjusted the device to its highest volume. "EVERYONE!" His amplified yell blared down the hall, causing nearly everyone to wince and cover. "MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION! STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND LISTEN!"
The majority of the crowd looked up in confusion at the verdette man with the megaphone being held up by a levitating greenette woman split off at the legs. Weird, but it was a world of Quirks; stranger things had been seen in the past.
Midoriya lowered the megaphone's volume by a couple notches. "Please settle down!" He spoke in a firm, commanding tone. "There's no need for panic. The reporters from this morning have somehow trespassed onto the campus. University security is dealing with them now." He informed them.
"Reporters?" Was the confused statement that followed.
Midoriya continued. "Yes, it's just the press. No one's lives are endangered. Please, walk to your designated evacuation point so the staff knows your location. After this is done, we can continue on with our day."
The mass of students began to calm down and, at a steady pace, made their way through the doorway. As the crowd dispersed, Tokage lowered Midoriya to the floor in an open spot where Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, and Iida gathered around him.
"Well, that was one heck of a show, didn't know you had it in you to yell like that, Greenie!" Tokage smiled as she reconnected with her lower body.
"Heh, you learn to find your voice when going through bootcamp." Midoriya sheepishly commented.
Tokage smiled and patted him on the back, "Well, good job!"
Midoriya smiled.
"Yes! Good work, Midoriya!" Iida bowed to him. "You utilized our classmates' Quirks and took control of the situation! As expected of our class's top student!"
Uraraka giggled at Iida's seriousness. "Coming on a little strong there, aren't you, Iida?"
"No kidding." Tokage snickered. "You bow any further and you may hurt your back."
Iida straightened up and blushed in embarrassment.
"Still, that was sound thinking on your part, Midori-kun." Yaoyorozu complimented after buttoning her vest and shirt back up.
"Couldn't have done it with you and Tokage. Thank you both." Midoriya said, making the two girls smile.
"Let's all walk and talk." Yaoyorozu suggested with a smile. "We don't want to keep Aizawa-sensei waiting."
They proceeded down the hallway and eventually met up with the rest of their group of friends further down the hallway, heading towards their designated evacuation spot.
However, Midoriya couldn't shake the feeling that something felt off about the situation. The famed "UA Barrier" was designed to keep out anyone who didn't have a Student ID Card or Special Entry Permission ID. How in the world did the press manage to get past the gates then?
Nezu, the UA Dean of Heroics, normally enjoyed his lunch; it was a time for quiet relaxation when he was alone, or easy conversation when he had company. However, he did not enjoy having his lunchtime interrupted, especially by an actual emergency.
He stared at the security footage, his lunch forgotten; his gaze was completely focused on the gaping hole in the main gate. This was certainly a problem.
He and the Heroics Department staff–All Might included–were sitting around a table in one of the department's offices. Like Nezu, they were concerned and angry about what had happened. Someone had turned a section of the outer wall to dust, setting off the level three security alarms across the campus.
"Grrr… I don't like it." Inui Ryo, also known as the Hunting Dog Hero: Hound Dog, growled. He was 196 cm (6'5") tall, had a scruffy blonde mane sticking straight out behind his head, and had the overall appearance of a canine due to his Quirk, Dog. He served as a member of UA's campus security team as well as a psychologist for Hero Department students.
"There were no reports of unauthorized personnel," he said through his growls and yips. "Either the alarm scared them off…"
"Or they got what they wanted," Dean Nezu finished. "Until we discover otherwise, we must assume the latter."
"Any ideas what they could have been after?" Midnight inquired. "Or better yet… who could've done this?"
"Sadly, even I am not certain." Nezu admitted. "Earlier, I got off a teleconference call with the president and head of campus security regarding this incident. The university will assure the students that everything is fine, but increase security across the campus."
He then directed his attention to a certain haggard instructor. "Eraserhead, can I ask you to bring in a few of your underground associates? If they can keep an eye on things from outside, the university would appreciate it."
Aizawa Shota looked as tired as ever, but his eyes were focused. "I have a few people I can call. They'll stay in civilian clothes; if the intruder is still around, they won't want to spook them."
"Thank you." Nezu nodded. "Next week, Hero Classes A and B are scheduled to go to the USJ on Monday and Tuesday respectively. I would like you to accompany the Field instructors on both trips, just in case."
Aizawa glanced at All Might, who was in his shrunken form, and then nodded in understanding. "Sure, I can do that."
"It might be overkill, but better to be safe than sorry." Nezu stated. "I don't believe there's anything else from my end at this time. I'll inform you if anything else comes up. If there are no other matters, you should all return to your classes."
The instructors stood and filed out of the room, yet Nezu remained in his seat while staring intently at the images of the damaged wall. It had been turned to dust somehow and none of the reporters possessed a Quirk capable of that. Nezu already had Power Loader analyzing the remains of the gate, but even he was baffled by it.
"It's clear that this was an attack of some kind." The chimera asked himself; his intelligence quirk, High Spec, was hard at work trying to put the pieces all together. "But what was the objective? A shot across the bow? A declaration of war? Or did something evil slip in while everyone was distracted…"
With the police overseeing the removal and arrests of several reporters, order had been promptly restored at UA University and regular school activities resumed. With 15:30 (3:30 PM) rolling around, Class 101-A was waiting in their Foundational Heroics room for their instructor All Might to show.
Midoriya glanced at his watch and frowned. 'Toshinori's running late again. He can't make a habit of this, it sets a bad example. Is his body giving him issues, or was he dealing with the press?'
Before he could ponder the thought further, Kaminari walked up to Midoriya's desk.
"Hey, Midoriya-san, got a minute?" The blonde asked.
"Huh, yeah. What's up?" He was a bit confused why Kaminari suddenly wanted to speak with him. He didn't dislike him or anything like that as Kaminari seemed to be a cool laid back dude–not too dissimilar from Sero, actually.
"Jiro was telling me you had some ideas I could use to improve my Costume. Think you could tell me, soldier dude?" He asked, sounding eager.
"Sure! But first, why don't you tell me a little more about your Quirk first?" Midoriya reached into his bag and pulled out the notebook he was using to catalog his classmate's Quirks and skills.
Kaminari grinned. "Well, my Quirk Electrification allows my body to produce large voltages of electricity and fire it off into my surroundings. My current limit is 1.3 Million volts, actually!"
"That's impressive!" Midoriya quickly jotted his max-limit stat down, already having a fair amount of information on Kaminari's profile after witnessing his match yesterday. "Although, I'm guessing you have no way to direct said electricity as of now, huh?" He inquired. "Your lightning went everywhere when you unleashed it yesterday… you even shocked your own teammate."
"Y-yeah…" Kaminari chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hit the nail on the head there. Also, if I exceed my wattage limit, it'll cause my brain to short-circuit for an hour… like you already saw yesterday."
"Hmm…" Midoriya cupped his chin and his eyebrows scrunched, processing the information. "Control rather than power will be your best friend, Kaminari-san. I'd talk to the Support Department ASAP. Have them develop a Support Item that functions similar to a circuit breaker of sorts. Anything that'll prevent you from short-circuiting your brain again."
"Yeah, that makes sense." Kaminari nodded. 'Honestly, I feel kinda stupid for not thinking of that sooner…'
"Also, I'd look into Support Items that can channel your electricity or allow you to launch it with accuracy… Oh!" He perked up as another idea entered his brain. "Since you can cover yourself in electricity, why not utilize that? Ask if the Support Department can rework your costume into adding wiring or something into your Costume. That way, you could use your power for offense and defense without having to release it from every part of your body!"
Kaminari's expression lit up. "Dude, that'd be freaking awesome! Man, I can't believe I never thought of any of that. Thanks, man! You're a genius!"
"Heh-heh, I wouldn't say I'm a genius, but you're welcome…" Midoriya smiled bashfully. "Hopefully, it helps, Kaminari-san."
"I'll go straight to the Support Department after class. Thanks again, dude!"
Meanwhile, Uraraka and Yaoyorozu–who had been chatting with the other girls–discreetly glanced over at Midoriya. Overhearing his conversation with Kaminari, they couldn't help but smile proudly at their friend. In just one afternoon he had provided insight and good advice for three classmates: Jiro, Sero, and now Kaminari. It reminded both girls of how he had helped them with their costume designs a month prior.
'Midori-kun is so helpful.' Yaoyorozu happily mused. An idea then occurred to the ravenette. 'I wonder… Could he provide insight for all of our classmates?'
Before she could entertain the thought further, the class's larger-than-life instructor finally arrived.
"Sorry that I am late, ladies and gentlemen!" All Might, having adorned his Golden Age costume, entered the room with a rush of air behind him. "But a Hero's work is never done. Now, if all of you would take your seats, we can begin!"
As everyone sat down, Kaminari patted Midoriya's shoulder in thanks before returning to his desk with many ideas bouncing around in his head.
"Yesterday, all of you got a taste of using your Quirks against another person. Today, we will be moving on to part two of our combat lesson with this!" He pulled a card out from nowhere, which had the word 'Outnumbered' on it in bright, red letters.
Bakugo smirked savagely. "More fighting!"
Other students were also particularly excited to continue their combat training.
"Being outnumbered is a common combat scenario that Heroes often find themselves in!" All Might elaborated. "Oftentimes Villains will work in groups to pull off crimes. A Hero must be prepared to face down multiple opponents alone if the situation calls for it!"
'True. If you want to stay alive in this line of work, knowing how to hold your own against multiple opponents is essential.' Midoriya nodded, agreeing with All Might's statement.
Pressing a button, the wall split open with the costume briefcase racks sliding out. "Get dressed into your Costumes and then meet me at Gym Alpha. Remember, time is of the essence!"
"Yes sir!" The class responded.
Class 101-A quickly suited up into their costumes and though Midoriya was still the last one ready, he managed to finish in time to walk out with the rest of his classmates. He definitely needed to consult with Coulson on options to decrease 'suit up' time.
The students were now standing in front of All Might inside a large concrete gymnasium dubbed Gym Alpha, one of UA's training facilities for Hero Students.
"Listen up, newbies!" All Might called out, having the class's undivided attention. "For today's lesson, each one of you will be facing off against three opponents."
The class quietly chatted amongst each other; some were excited, others not so much. Midoriya could already feel Bakugo glaring at the back of his head again. The ash-blonde clearly wanted another shot at him.
"Now then, do we have any volunteers to be the first Hero?" All Might asked, and multiple hands immediately shot up.
"Hmm…" All Might quickly scanned over the group of students and decided. "Let's have young Yaoyorozu go first."
An annoyed Bakugo lowered his hand, grumbling to himself.
"Yes, Sensei!" Yaoyorozu stepped forward.
"For your opponents," the blonde titan looked over the class. "Let's have young Tsunotori, young Aoyama, and young Mineta!"
The foreign pony-girl, sparkling French-Japanese man, and the purple-headed pervert stepped up and stood across from Yaoyorozu. Meanwhile, the rest of the class stepped back further down the street while All Might explained the rules.
"The matches will be decided by capture or time limit. If the Hero is restrained and unable to move, the Villain Team wins. If all three Villains are rendered unable to move or if 5 minutes pass, then the Hero wins." All Might explained. "The same combat rules from yesterday still apply. I want everyone to give it their all but do NOT try to seriously hurt your opponent. Does everyone understand?"
"Yes, Sensei!" The class acknowledged.
"This should be good," Midoriya murmured as he reached into his belt's pouch and pulled out a notebook and pen, eager to take notes on his classmates.
Standing close to him, Uraraka saw this and smirked in amusement. He was so cute when he got excited. She blinked at that thought. Wait…
"Alright… Begin!" All Might yelled while leaping backwards to give the students space.
Yaoyorozu instantly created a metal staff from her arm. With a swift spin, she 'caught' several of Mineta's purple balls on the pole.
'Great reflexes! Yaomomo did mention one time that she practiced Bōjutsu growing up. We're finally getting to see her skills on full display.' Midoriya thought excitedly, jotting down notes.
Yaoyorozu leapt to her right to dodge Aoyama's naval laser. She then demonstrated her flexibility by bending backwards to avoid a pair of Tsunotori's flying horns. Not wanting to give three ranged fighters space to work, Yaoyorozu dashed forward.
Creating a net from her stomach, she tossed it at a backpedaling Mineta. The Pop Off user threw his balls at the net but the move didn't stop it from covering him and sticking the net to the ground.
"Ah crap…" Unable to force the net off, Mineta realized that his own Quirk had been turned against him. His balls stuck to everything but him, and now they'd stuck the net to the ground. And he didn't possess anywhere near the strength needed to tear the net!
"Young Mineta has been captured."
With Mineta out, Tsunotori and Aoyama split up to try and pincer Yaoyorozu.
"She's fast." Tsunotori commented while jumping on top of a pair of horns and flying forward. "But not as fast as me." She grinned confidently.
"Oui, nor as fast as my sparkles either, mademoiselle!" Aoyama called out, firing his laser at the ravenette.
Yaoyorozu managed to dodge in time and multi-colored light shone off her right hand. Seconds later, a canister rolled along the ground. With a hiss, the canister erupted into a thick white plume of smoke that obscured Tsunotori and Aoyama's vision.
"Oh no…" Tsunotori stopped in midair. "Where'd she go?"
"I don't know!" Aoyama looked around frantically.
Tsunotori dislodged her horns from her head, with another pair immediately re-growing to take their place. She telekinetically guided one to Aoyama's position while keeping the other close to her.
"Here! Grab onto that! I'll get us out of–WHOA!" Tsunotori was taken off-guard by Yaoyorozu jumping out from the smoke with her staff. Put on the defensive, she tried to hit her with her spare horn, but the ravenette surprisingly shattered it with a hard swipe from her metal staff.
With a heave, Yaoyorozu tossed the staff directly at Tsunotori's head.
"OOF!" With no time to dodge, the hit knocked Tsunotori off her horns and to the ground. As she tried to sit up, she discovered that the pole was stuck to the left side of her face and the ground with Mineta's Pop Off balls, effectively pinning her down.
Tsunotori grunted in frustration at realizing she couldn't free herself. "I'm not done yet!" Before she could disconnect two more horns, an object emerged from the smoke cloud and something sticky splattered onto the blonde's head.
"Huh?!" Tsunotori yelled, slipping into English. "What the hell?!"
She tried to dislodge her horns, but they were effectively stuck to her head by a viscous instant-drying glue. The other girls nearby grimaced and inwardly sympathized with Tsunotori at the sight of glue in her long hair. Yaoyorozu certainly didn't mess around.
To make matters worse, she was positioned in a way where she was facing away from the action and couldn't readjust. The pony-girl came to a quick conclusion.
"Aw darn…" She slumped her shoulders in defeat.
"Young Tsunotori has been captured." All Might announced. "Three minutes remain."
As the haze cleared away, Aoyama nervously looked around to see both of his teammates captured. "Ce n'est pas bon…" He slipped into French.
Spotting Yaoyorozu rushing towards him, he fired his laser once more. Yaoyorozu, however, had already made everything she needed under the cover of smoke. Attached to her right forearm via straps was a circular mirror that deflected Aoyoma's laser off to the side.
With her free left hand, Yaoyorozu held up a single-shot riot gun and pulled the trigger. A sound of compressed gas rang out as a large rubber bullet slammed into Aoyoma's torso above his navel belt, forcing him to double over. The Frenchman collapsed to his knees as he hacked and wheezed, the breath knocked out of him.
"My tummy…" He painfully uttered.
Forming a new staff, Yaoyorozu held up the staff to Aoyoma's neck. "Surrender."
"Exercise over!" All Might called out. "Yaoyorozu wins!"
Yaoyorozu withdrew her staff as she heard the cheers and applause from most of her classmates.
'That was awesome!' Midoriya internally cheered. 'She used her opponents' strengths against them. Well done, Yaomomo!'
Checking to make sure that Aoyama wasn't too injured, the sparkling Frenchman assured Yaoyorozu he'd be fine; regardless, he was definitely going to Recovery Girl after class to heal the bruise on his torso. Making a box cutter, Yaoyorozu cut the net trapping Mineta with a single swipe and walked over to Tsunotori. Yaoyorozu then made a solution to dissolve the glue in Tsunotori's hair and carefully broke her staff with a small amount of acid, leaving only a small section and Mineta's Pop Off ball stuck to Tsunotori's face.
The short boy assured Tsunotori that the ball would fall in a couple hours, much to her dismay. She didn't enjoy having something that was a part of the class pervert stuck to her face.
As the four walked back to the class, Uraraka consolingly patted Tsunotori's back. "Don't worry, Tsunotori!" She encouraged her. "You'll do better next time."
"Thanks," Tsunotori smiled appreciatively.
"No hard feelings, I hope." Yaoyorozu asked hesitantly.
Tsunotori smiled and waved off. "Nah! One loss isn't gonna get me down. I'll learn from this."
"That's the spirit!" Tokage slapped her smaller friend's back.
"Good attitude," Midoriya complimented. "Besides, you still got your match as the Hero to look forward to. So you could still get a win today."
"Right!" Tsunotori nodded in determination.
"Excellent work from our first group!" All Might praised with his signature smile. "Congratulations to you, Young Yaoyorozu. A most excellent match!"
"Thank you, Sensei." Momo bowed with a smile.
"You made excellent use of both your Quirk and your opponents' Quirks!" All Might nodded to the ravenette. "That's the kind of thinking and resourcefulness that will take you far in the Hero field!"
"I was just using what I knew of their Quirks beforehand." Yaoyorozu replied. "I learned the value of being able to quickly analyze a person's Quirk firsthand." The ravenette glanced at Midoriya.
Looking up from his notebook, the verdette smiled brightly at her and Yaoyorozu felt her cheeks heat up slightly. 'His smile is very nice…' She mused as a warm feeling swelled in her chest. As brilliant as the heiress was, she couldn't identify what it was at that moment.
"You applied it very well!" All Might nodded to her.
"Thank you, Sensei." Yaoyorozu bowed again before returning to the class.
"Now for our next matchup…" All Might's gaze shifted to a certain individual in the crowd. 'Let's set the bar higher. That way everyone else will push themselves further.'
"... Let's have young Midoriya as the Hero with young Iida, young Sato, and young Sero as the Villains." All Might instructed and the four young men stepped forward while Bakugo groaned in mild frustration. He badly wanted a round two. Iida inwardly wasn't too thrilled at playing a Villain again but he'd do his best regardless.
Putting his notebook away, Midoriya straightened up and put on his helmet. He stepped near the center of the gym with Sato, Sero, and Iida standing in front of him several meters away.
'In an open setting like this gym, I don't have many rebound options for throwing the shield...' Midoriya inwardly noted. He looked at his three opponents with a keen eye. 'Sato's Sugar Rush gives him enhanced strength and durability when he consumes sugar. Sato's Tape greatly enhances his mobility and gives him many options for capturing opponents. Iida's Engine makes him really fast and he can dish out powerful kicks. Strength, mobility, and speed. It's a formidable team...'
Midoriya pulled the shield off his back and slipped his left arm through the straps. He resumed a fighter's stance while adopting a stern, focused expression. 'Let's see if they can put it all together.'
Uraraka nudged Yaoyorozu and whispered, "He's in the zone again."
Yaoyorozu wordlessly nodded in agreement.
Both girls looked at their three classmates pitted against Midoriya and their minds briefly flashed back to the scene in the alleyway. They knew firsthand that Midoriya could hold his own against multiple opponents, so the exercise wouldn't be anything new to him. The brunette and ravenette were admittedly curious to see how he'd fare against stronger, more competent opponents.
If only they knew.
"Begin!" All Might called out.
"Hey Midoriya!" Sato called out while Sero and Iida split off to cover Midoriya's back. "Let's find out who's enhancer Quirk is the strongest!" With that said, the brunette teen pulled a container off his belt and dumped the contents into his mouth. Sato's body bulked up and he charged at the verdette headfirst.
Midoriya waited to expertly sidestep Sato's charge, causing him to put on the brakes and turn to face his opponent. Losing his momentum, Sato followed up with a series of punches that Midoriya dodged or parried.
'Sato's strong in this state, but…' As Sato threw a right haymaker, Midoriya grabbed the extended arm and tossed the bulky brunette over his head and into an unsuspecting Sero standing off to the side with a comical slam. '...his moves are way too predictable.'
Hearing the sound of a revving engine, Midoriya turned to see Iida blitzing in with a roundhouse kick aimed at his head, which he swiftly ducked under. As the Engine user's feet returned to the ground, he pressed forward with a series of high-powered kicks.
'With his Quirk, Iida's fighting style naturally revolves around kicking.' Midoriya internally rationalized. 'So I have a good idea of what moves he'll use.'
With a keen eye and quick reflexes, Midoriya managed to duck and pivot away from the kicks which were breaking apart the concrete floor around them. With his opponent avoiding his kicks to the head and legs, Iida switched tactics and aimed a right kick for the midsection.
Midoriya quickly brought up the shield in time to block the kick, causing him to stagger back from the force but the impact also shattered the armored plating on Iida's right boot in the process.
"WHAT!?" Iida's eyes widened in shock as the broken pieces of his mufflers clanged to the floor. 'His shield broke through my armor?!'
While his opponent was distracted, Midoriya adopted a Savate stance and executed a jab into the side of Iida's helmet. Iida painfully grimaced from the powerful hit and was shocked to see that his face guard had caved in too. Midoriya followed up with driving the tip of his boot into Iida's midsection, denting the metal pipes on his costume, and then sent a right cross into Iida's armored temple.
With Iida staggering back, Midoriya pivoted on his right leg to deliver a swift left roundhouse kick into Iida's head that knocked him off to the side. Iida groaned with his head ringing inside his now dented helmet.
"Tu es sérieux!?" Aoyama exclaimed in French, before reverting back to Japanese. "It's Savate!"
"Huh? What's that?" Kirishima asked.
Most of the class was bemused as well.
"Boxe française, or Savate, is a Frenchmen kickboxing sport that involves using feet and hands." Aoyama explained. "My word, I am positively surprised that Midoriya-san knows it."
"Huh… that's kinda cool." Kirishima commented.
"Yeah, look at those moves!" Uraraka exclaimed excitedly.
"Hmm…" Yaoyorozu cupped her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if he learned it in the military…"
"Who the hell cares," Bakugo tersely remarked. 'If it were me out there, I would've already ended this stupid fight. Some stupid french fighting moves won't save him from my explosions.'
"You should feel proud, Aoyama-san." Ashido grinned, patting his armored shoulder. "He's kicking butt in honor of your country."
This fact made Aoyama sparkle brighter in pride.
"Yeah," Tokage chimed in, "since you lost badly, Midoriya's having to pick up the slack for you."
That comment made the blonde's shine momentarily diminish.
"RRAGHH!" Sato charged at Midoriya like a raging bull. At the last second, the super-soldier spun around the raging brunette's lunge and immediately kicked his opponent in the back of his head, sending Sato stumbling to the ground in a daze.
At the distinct sound of Sero's tape dispensing, Midoriya immediately jumped back to narrowly avoid a strand of tape aimed for his legs.
Sero grinned confidently behind his helmet's visor. "Can't dodge me forever, Midoriya!" Holding out both arms, Sero proceeded to shoot off an onslaught of tape. The green super-soldier demonstrated his acrobatic skills by jumping, somersaulting, and flipping around and in-between Sero's tape lines.
Off to the sidelines, Ashido was bouncing in glee from the acrobatic display. "Oh wow! His dodging is incredible!" She squealed.
"Man… they teach everyone in the military those moves?" Kirishima commented.
Yaoyorozu furrowed her brows thoughtfully. 'That's a good question…'
Sero, meanwhile, was growing more frustrated that he hadn't landed a single hit on his target. "C'mon! Just hold still for a second!" He continued firing multiple strands of tape… all without paying any attention to where the tape was going after Midoriya avoided them.
"SERO!"
The plain-looking man paused and finally noticed that all the tape he had been dispensing had hit Sato while he was dazed on the floor behind Midoriya, effectively trapping him in a tape-cocoon on the floor.
"Your aim stinks, dude!" Sato yelled as he struggled to break free.
"Uh… look out?" Sero said sheepishly.
Aside from Bakugo and Todoroki, most of Class 101-A laughed at the comical scene; even Yaoyorozu couldn't suppress an amused chuckle.
Chortling to himself, All Might asked, "Young Sato, can you move?"
Sato felt the effects of his sugar wearing off and, with his arms pinned to the floor, he couldn't reach for more on his belt.
"No…" He sighed in disappointment, slumping in defeat.
"Young Sato has been captured." All Might announced. "Two minutes remain."
"Sorry man…" Sero said apologetically.
'One down. Two more to go.' Midoriya thought.
Wanting to make up for his blunder, Sero fired off even more tape from his elbow-dispensers. Midoriya did an impressive job gracefully avoiding most of the strands, but one finally managed to land on his right forearm.
"HA! Gotcha!" Sero exclaimed victoriously.
Midoriya smirked. "You sure?"
Grabbing the tape, the verdette spun around and pulled Sero off his feet. He then swung Sero into an unexpecting Iida, who was just regaining his bearings.
'These guys are way too reliant on their Quirks.' Midoriya analyzed while pulling the tape off his arm. 'Their moves are predictable.' He briefly paused.
'Well… they are amateurs, so I guess I shouldn't be too hard on them.' After all, he had once been a complete novice at fighting not too long ago… relative to him, that is.
"You okay, man?" Sero grunted, picking himself off the concrete floor.
"I'm fine." Iida assured.
"This guy knows what he's doing. Any ideas?" the Tape user inquired.
The second Iida son shifted his gaze to their mutual green-clad opponent and devised an impromptu strategy. "Sero, go high and tape him up." He said quietly. "I'll run around and take him down once he's restrained."
Sero wordlessly nodded and shot a tape line at the gymnasium rafters, quickly pulling himself up. However, with his keen ears, Midoriya overheard their planning and immediately reacted by throwing the shield upward. Sero was too slow to react as the metal disk struck him in the torso, bouncing off to the adjacent wall.
Sero broke free from his line and collapsed to the ground in a pained heap, trying to catch his breath.
"Ow…" Sero painfully groaned.
"SERO!" Iida shouted out.
"Young Sero is out." All Might declared at seeing how winded the Tape user was. Better to play it safe than be sorry, he thought.
'Two down.' Midoriya caught the shield, which had bounced off the far wall and then the floor back to him, with his outstretched right hand. He then shifted his sights to the white metal-knight. 'One to go.'
"You won't succeed, Hero!" Iida dramatically declared while rushing toward him at incredible speed even with his right boot setup broken.
Midoriya didn't try to dodge; instead, he rushed forward to take the knight head on, much to everyone's surprise. Iida was confused. Surely his friend didn't think he could overcome him when he was going this fast? When he realized what Midoriya was doing, it was already too late.
At the right moment, Midoriya slid to his knees–bracing the shield in front of him with both arms–and took Iida's legs out from underneath him. Iida flipped over and his back slammed on the ground with a loud thud. Before he could recover, Midoriya somersaulted and landed on Iida's armored chest.
He placed the shield's circular edge at Iida's neck. "Yield."
"Exercise over!" All Might called out. "Midoriya wins!"
With that declaration, Midoriya's demeanor took a complete 180 as his intense, steely-eyed look was replaced with a bright, confident smile.
"Good match." Withdrawing his shield to place it on his back, Midoriya stood up and offered a hand to Iida–which he accepted–and pulled him to his feet. "You alright, Iida?"
"I am fine. Well done, Midoriya!" Iida complimented while making chopping motions with his arms. "Your skills are quite impressive. You must have worked hard to learn them."
"Heh, you could say that…" He chuckled sheepishly.
Midoriya and Iida walked over to Sato and freed him from Sero's tape using the former's shield to cut through it. The three young men then came to Sero's side and helped him back to his feet as he was beginning to catch his breath and walked under his own power.
"Excellent work, young men!" All Might gave a thumbs-up to them. "Young Midoriya, you kept calm and nullified your opponents' strengths. A job well done!"
"Thank you, All Might-sensei." Midoriya bowed respectfully, making Yagi feel giddy.
All Might continued. "Though you three on the Villain team lost, there is much you can take from this exercise that I'm sure Aizawa will debrief on tomorrow. Still, well done! I'm impressed with how far you've come in only our second combat lesson."
"Thank you, Sensei!" The three bowed to the Number One Hero.
As the four moved to rejoin their class, Midoriya finally noticed the damage done to Iida's costume. "Hey, sorry about your costume, Iida." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.
Iida pulled off his damaged helmet, revealing several bruises on his face. "It's quite alright, Midoriya." He smiled, placing the helmet under his right arm. "I'll visit the Support Department after class and have them repair it for next week."
"Still, sorry for the inconvenience."
"Again, don't fret over it. Accidents like these are bound to happen in the Hero Course." He stated while making chopping motions with his left arm.
Midoriya nodded in acceptance and briefly studied Iida's costume. 'I wonder if he could make improvements to the mufflers on his legs to provide extra thrust when needed? Something to consider…'
Meanwhile, All Might discreetly glanced in Midoriya's direction. 'You could've ended that fight sooner, Cap, but you chose to give them opportunities to work together.' He smiled to himself. 'I suppose I'm not the only instructor here.' He chuckled internally.
"Alright! The next group will be—"
With that, class continued with everyone getting one turn as the Hero and fighting on the Villain team at least a few times.
Two days later, the first week of UA University's spring semester was completed. Saturday had arrived and Midoriya and Uraraka were visiting Yaoyorozu's house for the first time today.
After a few minutes of discussion over text, the trio agreed to meet up around 10:00 (10 AM) with Uraraka managing to convince Midoriya to ignore his "15-minute early rule" for the day, and then spend the day doing whatever came to mind. There was no real plan, but Yaoyorozu suggested something relaxing, like spending time in her family's library. The point was to enjoy each other's company.
Midoriya and Uraraka left their apartment building together at around 9:30 (9:30 am) to jump on a train, taking the best route to Yaoyorozu's home. After disembarking the train and a 10-minute walk, the pair had finally arrived at their heiress friend's house at exactly 10:00. Only one word could be used to describe it.
"Whoa," Uraraka whispered.
"Yeah…" Midoriya nodded, wide-eyed. "I mean, I knew she was rich, but… yeah… whoa."
The Yaoyorozu estate was massive; calling it a mansion would've been a disservice. Only the front could be seen from the pair's spot at the front of the fancy metal gate, and though it wasn't as tall as their apartment building, it likely still exceeded it in pure mass alone.
Midoriya glanced down at himself and felt underdressed as he was wearing his red ankle-high laced boots, blue jeans, and his brown leather jacket over a white t-shirt with 'T-Shirt' printed on it. He also had his yellow satchel hanging from his right shoulder.
"Maybe I should've worn one of my buttoned shirts…and a nicer pair of pants?" Midoriya commented, feeling a little more than out of place in such a high-end neighborhood.
"How do you think I feel?" Uraraka said, a hint of worry in her tone. "I'm even more casual."
The brunette was wearing pink shoes, black leggings and pink shorts that reached to her mid-thighs, and a white shirt with the number 13 printed on it with her black school bag strapped to her back. Her hair was done in her usual short messy ponytail, leaving two strands to frame her face.
"Well… she did say to dress casually, so maybe we're just overthinking it." Midoriya noted, and then pressed the button on the side of the gate.
A few seconds later, Yaoyorozu's voice came out of the speaker.
"Oh, wonderful! You're here! One moment, let me open the gate for you."
Midoriya chuckled as he could almost hear the smile in Yaoyorozu's voice. "She sounds really happy, huh?"
Uraraka smiled ruefully. "I guess we're the first friends she's had over, huh?"
"Probably…" He smiled determinedly. "Let's make this a fun, relaxing day. That's what this is about."
Uraraka nodded, grinning. "Right!"
The metal gate slid open and allowed the pair to walk down a cobblestone pathway toward the main doorway. The large doors opened right before they approached it.
Yaoyorozu stood in the doorway and beamed. She was wearing a fancy yellow blouse, white mid-thigh shorts that showcased her smooth defined legs, and brown sandals with her long raven hair let down.
'Oh wow… She looks really good with her hair let down. And her smile is so beautiful…' Midoriya felt his face get a tad warmer.
"I'm so glad you made it! Welcome to our home!" She ushered them both inside. Midoriya and Uraraka put their shoes onto beautifully carved wooden shelves near the entrance.