The week of rest that UA had given us, and that Gran Torino had forced me to take to "mentally" rest, was over.
The news about Stain, the "Hero Killer," became very prominent during the course of the week. In the end, Ingenium was forgotten by the news in favor of discussing the deaths of other heroes at the hands of the villain.
The response to this was unanimous: no one supports Stain. Reporters, politicians, and civilians alike, everyone disagrees with the man's way of acting, and they're not too wrong... although they're not exactly hitting the mark either.
Stain seeks to make a point with his actions, to show how corrupt society is because of the "heroes" that compose it, and he has been succeeding.
Not many, but most independent reporters have taken it upon themselves to investigate the murdered heroes, only to be surprised that they weren't the great defenders of the city they claimed to be.
Cover-ups, bribery, staging false crimes to gain media attention. All of that came out when investigating what these "heroes" did with their lives.
There's a whole forum on the internet dedicated solely to Stain and what he represents. I think I even read a comment from Spinner.
What Stain does is not right, but sometimes you need to get your hands dirty to achieve positive change.
I don't agree with his idea of killing all the corrupt heroes he hunts. Leaving heroes alive and traumatized along with dead heroes would generate an even greater impact. There is nothing more useful than the victims themselves being the ones who speak for you and explain your ideals to the world.
Ingenium should really feel lucky; the fact that he's alive is a miracle.
"I hope you all have rested adequately. I want to tell you that I personally feel pleased with the display of skills you gave at the Festival," Aizawa began to speak to us, boosting the morale of many with those words. "We have reviewed the requests that have been sent this year, and unlike previous years, this time it is quite noticeable who are the most sought-after by the professionals."
A virtual table behind Aizawa showed the requests sent to each student.
And I am at the highest point of said table, followed by Todoroki in second place and Bakugo in third.
What a big difference from the canon. A shame that I won't be able to choose these agencies that want to use me as their image for publicity.
"But before that, there's something important you must do." The time for hero names has come. "All of you..."
He really enjoys making the rest of the class nervous.
"You must choose your hero names."
So much drama for something so simple.
"I'm not the most suitable to guide you in this, so I've asked for help from..."
"And for that, you'll have my help!" Midnight exclaimed dramatically, cutting off and ruining Aizawa's explanation.
"...Anyway, she will help you choose an appropriate hero name."
I definitely need to ask Aizawa where he bought that sleeping bag.
"Listen, hero names are important. With them, you will represent yourselves and what you want to offer society," Midnight began to explain, with a more serious and professional tone. She knows what she's doing. "Take All Might as an example, the 'hero' who can do anything. Think about your qualities and strengths, your desires and heroic motivations, and decide on a name."
Nice speech, but it doesn't have much relevance. A name doesn't define who you are in the eyes of the society.
But it's still interesting to see the ingenuity of the rest when choosing their names.
Choosing my hero name was complicated, and not because I wanted something deep and meaningful that would represent me.
Nor because I was looking for an extremely simple name like, for example, "Squirrel Girl."
I don't want to be called "Deku," but I also don't want to be the next "All Might"... Am I making myself clear?
I don't want to be the next All Might. I will be my own hero and everything that represents to me.
Like Peter after maturing as a person and no longer being a future Iron Man.
And that's why my name is...
"Midoriya, your turn. Come to the front and show us your hero name, please."
Have the rest of my classmates already given their presentations? I need to stop thinking so much... Nah, as if I were a scholar.
With confident and steady steps, I approached the front of the class. All my classmates were looking at me, seeing the strongest in the class, the person they admire the most... Maybe not that much, but close.
"After thinking about it for a while and reflecting on the type of hero I hope to become one day, this is the result... I will be the hero 'Flashkicker'," I proclaimed with pride in my voice and confidence in my gaze.
Yes, I managed to think of an original name that doesn't come from some work from my old life. It doesn't have a great backstory or anything like that, but it's not something basic and simple either.
Even though my fighting style isn't based on legs as the name I chose indicates, I like the way it sounds, and it's a mention of my still-not-perfected "Shoot Style."
It's not the title of a future "All Might," but it's also not the name of a person who won't go far in life.
Plus, it reminds me of Kick-Ass! It's a double prize, or even triple.
"It's a... unique name, definitely unique. Where did that idea come from, Midoriya?" Midnight asked with curiosity.
"Well, it was either this name or Mr. Incredible, and in the end, this one won."
I'm not going to explain everything I thought when deciding on this name. These are transmigration things that these people wouldn't understand.
"Oh, well, that name couldn't have been used by you anyway. There's already a Mr. Incredible in the United States."
There's a Mr. Incredible here?! What kind of legendary crossover is this?!
"I approve of your hero name. Sit down, and let's see the next one."
"Hey, wait! There's a Mr. Incredible?! Does he have a super family too?!"
"What? I don't know, Midoriya. Please go back to your seat."
Turns out she could send me back to my seat... Damn unexpected epic crossovers.
As I was evaluating my internship offers, or rather, pretending to seriously consider what to choose only to end up deciding on Gran Torino's, I came across an offer that was unique in its own right. It wasn't from Edgeshot, a shame because I thought I might have caught that guy's interest. But it was interesting in its own way.
It was an offer from Endeavor... Yep, the man I told off at the Sports Festival invited me to his agency.
Which makes no sense. Why would he do something like that, knowing I detest him? And what's worse, he detests me. During the Festival, I was threatened by him... It makes no sense.
He must know I won't accept his offer, so what's the catch here? A threat of some kind, perhaps? Is he trying to tell me he has his eye on me? Does he want a new successor and saw it in me?
So many questions and so few answers...
In any case, if he tries anything against me, I'll simply request a copy of the Sports Festival recordings.
I'll deliver them to some major news channel, act like a traumatized victim, take him to court, and destroy him as a man and as a hero. It's a win-win for me.
"Young Midoriya," All Might spoke, catching my attention and making me turn to look at him. "Do you have time to talk?"
"Yes, I have time, in fact. What do you want to talk about?"
"How have you been, Young Midoriya?"
"I've been well. Every day I'm stronger than the last, and my life as a person is perfect... Or it would be if it weren't for a certain Symbol of Peace who's a cougar chaser."
"Young Mi-Midoriya, don't say such nonsense."
"...If you say so..."
Coughing, he tried to compose himself, changing the subject to avoid unwanted words.
"How much control do you have over One For All currently?"
"I can use 20% without any mishaps. 25% causes pain and discomfort in my muscles, so it's not useful for now... As for the 'others,' I have a decent handle on Blackwhip. For now, I'm limiting myself to small amounts, but I hope to be able to use them at will by the end of the internships."
"That's wonderful, Young Midoriya. I'm truly proud of you. You haven't stopped improving since you had the UA exam. I've always wondered, how did you manage to understand One For All after using it just once?"
"When I activated One For All and jumped at the robot, I managed to feel and understand it, not as a power... I understood it as something deeper than that. I couldn't tell you what that connection is like, but when I woke up from unconsciousness, I simply knew how it worked."
"The fact that you've awakened these other Quirks shows that One For All is no longer a simple power, Young Midoriya. Perhaps at that moment, you felt the consciousness of the other wielders and unconsciously used their experiences to be able to use it correctly."
"I hadn't thought of it that way. It makes sense when you think about it."
"And what about the other Quirk?"
"It's complicated. I can't actively train it unless I'm in danger, so for the moment, I only know that it works like a sixth sense capable of warning me of any nearby danger. I'll try to understand a little more about how the Quirk works during the internships... Have you not found anything about the previous wielders?"
"I've documented all the information I could find about my master and the sixth wielder, but I still have nothing on those before them. When I get something, I'll let you know, Young Midoriya."
"I see. I hope you get the information we need soon. These gifts are very useful, and I'd like to understand them in depth."
"If that's all, then I'll be leaving. I have a class in a few minutes. See you, All Might..."
"Wait, Young Midoriya! I... I normally don't think I'd be able to tell you this without lying in the process, but seeing how things are progressing and how much more confident and amazing you've become... I think it's fair that I be honest with you, Young Midoriya, and tell you what I think will happen with All For One and me. Sir Nighteye, my colleague, saw my future after defeating All For One, and... in that future, I died around this time..."
"You are going to live."
"What?"
"I said you're going to live. Listen, All Might, you may be everything you said you are... but if there's one thing you definitely are not, it's a bad hero. You're an idol to many and a great source of inspiration to others... myself included. That's why I'll tell you here and now, you are going to live."
"...How can you be so sure?"
"Because... I am here!"
"Young... You are amazing... Thank you, Young Midoriya. Thank you for believing in this almost-retired hero."
"No, thank you, All Might... for believing in me."
Author's Note:
Hey.
Well, this chapter technically should have been uploaded yesterday, but since my studies are back, I didn't have the necessary time to update.
To give a quick summary, I attend a technical school, which means that in the mornings I have theoretical subjects and in the afternoons I have practical subjects, so my schedule doesn't help me update constantly. And this is a hobby, so I can't dedicate my life to it as if it were everything, because it's not.
The next chapter will kick off the internships with Gran Torino and will focus mostly on what it's like to be a hero in a world full of powers.
See you.