Chapter 101: Hero Names
Midnight looked at her watch and announced, "Time's up! Let's start with those of you who have already decided. Who wants to go first?"
No way! We have to announce it in front of everyone!? That takes a serious amount of guts!
While the others hesitated, Yuga Aoyama hummed a tune and walked up to the podium, holding his whiteboard high. "My hero name! The Shining Hero: I Cannot Stop Twinkling!"
Everyone sweat-dropped. That doesn't sound like a normal hero name at all!
And yet, Midnight actually accepted it, just abbreviating it a little. "It's a bit long, but it's definitely memorable. Approved!"
Seeing the others still hesitating, Aizawa said from the side, "You're only announcing your name in class right now. In the future, this is what people will be calling you. If you don't even have the courage for this, you should give up on the path of a Pro Hero."
"I'll go next!" Mina Ashido ran up to the stage. "My hero name is: Alien Queen!"
"Wait, isn't that the name from the movie that just came out!?" The movie "Alien vs. Predator" that was just released in March... The main character was a hero with the title 'Alien,' whose Quirk was to create parasitic, corrosive face-huggers... Don't tell me that's the direction Mina wants to go in?
"Rejected. Rethink it," Midnight said without mercy.
First two up, and they're both weird names. This is going to make it really awkward for the next person...
Tsuyu raised her hand. "Can I go next?"
"Go right ahead, Tsuyu-chan!"
"I've actually had this name picked out since elementary school." Tsuyu walked up and turned her board around. "The Rainy Season Hero: Rhythmic Sprite."
"It gives people a friendly feeling! This is an excellent example of a good name!" Midnight said with a smile. "This name will definitely be loved by everyone!"
Kirishima strode up to the stage, slammed his whiteboard down with a flourish, and said with a confident smile, "The Sturdy Hero: Red Riot!"
Midnight smiled. "Are you paying homage to the Chivalrous Hero, Crimson Riot? That's a great name. But carrying the name of someone you admire is a heavy burden, you know."
Kirishima clenched his fist. "The hero I admire most is the hard-boiled type, just like Crimson! My heart is already prepared for it!"
Inspired by Kirishima's passionate speech, the others also got fired up and went up one by one to announce their names.
Kyoka Jiro: The Hearing Hero, Earphone Jack.
Mezo Shoji: The Tentacle Hero, Eight Claws.
Hanta Sero: The Taping Hero, Tape Maniac.
Mashirao Ojiro: The Martial Arts Hero, Curly-Tail Hero.
Mina went up again and got approved with the name "Pinky."
Momo walked up to the stage with her board: "The Everything Hero: Genesis." She said with a serious expression, "I will not bring shame to this name."
"The Jet-Black Hero: Tsukuyomi."
Kira had been able to tolerate the previous hero names, but when it got to Tokoyami, he could feel a stomachache coming on. Every name was more chunibyo than the last. The problem was that they were all saying them with such a solemn tone! Don't any of you feel the slightest bit of shame!?
"King Explosion Murder."
Hearing Bakugo read that name out in a calm voice, Kira just couldn't take it anymore. He buried his face in his desk, his shoulders shaking. Is this a naming convention, or a competition to see who can come up with the most embarrassing name!?
The rest of the class also burst out laughing. "Bakugo, you probably shouldn't use that name!"
Kirishima booed. "Hahaha! Bakugo, why don't you just call yourself 'Explodo-Taro'?"
Bakugo's face turned beet red. "Shut your mouth, you damn spikey-hair!"
The situation devolved into chaos after that. The whole class started shouting until Uraraka went up to the stage and restored the peace with her hero name, "Uravity."
Bakugo, his hands stuffed in his pockets, stalked back to his desk, looking impossibly arrogant. He saw Kira trying to hide his face, his eye twitching. "Hey, Kira! Stop laughing! I'm gonna kill you!"
"I've been through rigorous training. I don't normally laugh, unless..." Kira wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and sat up straight. "...unless I absolutely can't hold it in."
Bakugo snorted. "I'd like to see what kind of great name you can come up with."
Hagakure, who had just chosen the name "Invisible Girl," said excitedly, "I bet Kira-kun's name will be super cool! I can't wait!"
Kira stood at the podium. He looked at the expectant faces of his classmates and cleared his throat. "This is my hero name. The Hamon Hero: Gold Spirit."
The class's excited expressions instantly turned to disappointment. That name isn't cool or flashy at all...
Midnight tilted her head, confused. "I get 'Hamon Hero,' that's your Quirk... but what does 'Gold Spirit' represent?"
Kira had thought about this for a long time. Choosing "Gold Spirit" was a deliberate decision, because he felt it was the title that suited him best.
Kira slowly began to explain. "In the last century, in America, countless people left their homes to travel thousands of miles to the West. It was said there was gold there. If you could find it, you could get rich overnight. However, very few succeeded. Most went bankrupt or ended up homeless on the streets."
"But, the anthem of humanity is the anthem of courage. Even when faced with such dire circumstances, they never gave up on their dream of striking it rich. They refused to accept mediocrity and used their own strength to grasp at that faint glimmer of hope..."
Momo looked confused. "Kira-kun, isn't that just a typical gambler's mentality? To keep going even when you know the chances of success are slim... isn't that just foolish?"
Kira thought of the great Jonathan, who unleashed a final Hamon Overdrive even in the face of certain death. He thought of Zeppeli's resolve as he faced his fate. He thought of Caesar's final ripple, and Kakyoin's 20-meter Emerald Splash...
Even when they knew their hope of victory was slim, they still contributed their last ounce of strength to change their destiny. That kind of action... is what's known as the Gold Spirit.
None of their endings were happy. In fact, most were quite tragic. But... Yoshikage Kira admired them. He yearned for that kind of spirit. What could he do?
"Yes. It is indeed foolish," Kira said with a self-deprecating smile. "But, when faced with a cruel reality, they were able to accept it calmly. They were able to summon the courage to look their own sacrifice in the eye. They had an indomitable fighting spirit in the face of despair. And that spirit... I call it the Gold Spirit."
Kira knew the students below him didn't know about the people who possessed the Gold Spirit, so he could only use the source of that spirit to explain his philosophy.
Momo, who was well-read in history, wanted to say, "Those gold prospectors brought it on themselves. They didn't have the 'Gold Spirit' you're talking about..." But when she saw the bittersweet, nostalgic smile on Kira's face, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Perhaps... history is wrong?
"Excellent!" A great gust of wind suddenly tore through the classroom. All Might grabbed the doorframe to come to a screeching halt. He laughed boisterously. "Composure! Courage! Indomitability! Self-sacrifice! Young Kira, you have a very noble goal! That hero name suits you perfectly!"
"All Might!" Seeing All Might here, all the students broke into excited smiles, holding up their whiteboards to show him their new names.
"The Shocking Hero: Chargebolt! What do you think!?"
"This is my name! The Fresh-Picked Hero: Grape Juice! All Might, take a look...!"
"Everyone has such great names! And Young Todoroki and Young Iida... Shoto and Tenya? You're using your real names...?" All Might said with an awkward smile. He turned his head to Midoriya, his eyes full of encouragement. "Young Midoriya, what about your name? I'm looking forward to it!"
Under All Might's gaze, Midoriya stood at the podium. He knew this name might be questioned, but... he didn't regret it.
"My hero name is... Deku."
Kirishima looked confused. "Midoriya, are you sure you want to use that name? People might call you that for the rest of your life."
"Deku." In another context, it meant "useless."
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