BNHA: Singularity

As if the fact they had been ignoring him all day was a distant memory, Tsuyu and Ochaco approached Izuku shortly after All Might was finished evaluating their performance.
Touching her chin, Tsuyu, wearing a predominately green, frog-themed bodysuit with goggles, remarked, "You really gave it your all, didn't you, Izuku-chan?"
Pumping her fists excitedly, Ochaco, wearing a form-fitting pink and blue bodysuit, oversized pink boots, pink wrist accessories, and a utility belt, added, "I know, right? That was totally awesome! Ah, I'm pumped up just thinking about it...!"
Adopting a somewhat wry smile, Izuku, still-shirtless, replied, "Thanks, Ochaco-san, Tsuyu-chan. I appreciate the compliment. Unfortunately, I still have a ways to go before I can call myself a Pro. If I hadn't lowered my guard trying to show off, I wouldn't be in such a miserable condition."
Though he hadn't sustained any serious injuries, Izuku was looking a bit worse for wear, his hair and body covered in a mixture of sweat, dust, and concrete fragments. He was fairly used to being dirty, but it felt awkward chatting with two girls while he looked like shit.
Exhibiting a surprising lack of shame, Tsuyu gave Izuku's body more than a cursory glance before remarking, "Your condition doesn't seem too bad. That thing that makes your body all shiny must be pretty effective, ribbit. But I'm a little confused. Didn't you say your Quirk was related to boosting your strength, speed, and intellect?"
Suppressing his feeling of awkwardness, Izuku nodded his head and gave his chest a light smack as he explained, "This is one of the side effects of increasing my strength beyond a certain threshold. It would disappear if I shifted my focus to something else."
Reaching the obvious conclusion, Tsuyu asked, "Does that mean you gain other effects by shifting your focus?"
Though a number of his classmates were listening in on the conversation, Izuku didn't hesitate to answer, "That's right. If I focus on enhancing my speed, my legs are strengthened, and my feet can stick to surfaces more easily. If I really push myself, I can even run across water or scale walls a certain distance."
Blinking in surprise, Tsuyu voiced the opinion of nearly everyone present, stating, "That's incredible. Your Quirk is a lot more versatile than I initially thought, ribbit. I'm envious..."
Shifting the focus away from him, Izuku retorted, "The Quirks I'm envious of are Ochaco-san's and Todoroki-kun's. Giving objects the properties of zero gravity and being able to freeze over an entire building is incredible." Recalling her defeat at the hands of the latter, Tsuyu hung her head and became a little downcast. At the same time, Ochaco exhaled a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her head as she said, "My Quirk isn't anything to be envious of. It's super useful in certain situations, but it isn't as flashy or cool as an emission or enhancement-type Quirk. If I'm unlucky, I could be spending my entire career as a sidekick."
Resisting the urge to explain how batshit-crazy-overpowered even the weakest form of gravity manipulation was, Izuku smiled broadly and said, "You're too hard on yourself, Ochaco-san. We haven't known each other for long, but I can tell you're kindhearted and have a persevering spirit. All you really lack is confidence. Once you realize how truly amazing you are, nothing can stop you from becoming a Pro."
Not expecting such heavy praise, Ochaco's face blushed bright red as a sudden urge to run away swelled within her chest. Fortunately, she wasn't alone, allowing her a chance to collect herself as Tsuyu gazed up at Izuku and advised, "You should consider toning it down a bit, Izuku-chan. Even if you're being one hundred percent sincere, it comes off as disingenuous when you praise people too much, ribbit."
Scratching the back of his head, Izuku defaulted to the tried-and-true method of easing tensions through self-depreciation, expressing, "Sorry, Tsuyu-chan, Ochaco-san. Before enrolling in UA, I rarely had the chance to speak with girls other than my Kaa-chan. This is all kind of new to me, so I apologize if it seems like I'm laying it on a little thick. It's just that all the girls in our Class are super amazing. This is the UA High Hero Course, after all."
"Kero..."
Looking as though she had received critical damage, Tsuyu surprised Izuku by abruptly walking away. Things became especially awkward when Ochaco smiled bashfully and followed after her, but at least Izuku wasn't left completely alone. Immediately following the duo's departure, Kaminari and Kirishima approached him, patting his shoulders as they said, "You had a good run..." and "Better luck next time..." with looks of sympathy that were undermined by the glimmers of amusement in their eyes...
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After a surprisingly exhausting day, Izuku was seriously considering just going home after waiting nearly an hour outside UA's front gate. Ashido had said she would meet him there after she took care of something, but the sky was beginning to darken and she still hadn't shown up.
Fortunately, while he was a little annoyed, Izuku had plenty of thoughts to occupy his mind. After all, if things continued to develop as they were, the USJ incident would be occurring the following day.
With more than two years to prepare, Izuku had considered hundreds, if not thousands, of methods to prevent the events in canon from getting out of hand. He may have only watched up to the fifth or sixth season of the anime, but that afforded him more than enough knowledge to alter the flow of events in a favorable direction. At the very least, he wouldn't allow his favorite rabbit-theme Hero to lose an arm and a leg...
Interrupting Izuku's thoughts, Ashido finally arrived, waving her hand and calling out to him as she ran over.
Stopping once she reached Izuku's side, Ashido bent over, placing her hands on her knees and struggling to catch her breath. Notably, unlike the other students passing through the gate, she wasn't wearing the grey blazer associated with their school. Instead, she was wearing the red tie and white dress shirt worn underneath, allowing keen-eyed observers to see the outline of her bra and the faint pink hue of her skin.
Though he couldn't help taking notice of these two features, Izuku took care to ensure his gaze didn't wander as he asked, "Is everything okay, Ashido-san? I appreciate that you ran all this way, but I would have kept waiting even if you took another hour or two."
Instead of responding to Izuku's question, Ashido exhaled an exhausted chuckle and focused on trying to catch her breath. She had originally only planned to keep Izuku waiting around fifteen minutes, but she got carried away conversing with the other girls. Then, on her way over, she realized her body was perspiring quite a bit due to their afternoon training, so she ran over to the showers, gave herself a quick scrub, and changed into her backup uniform before rushing over nearly an hour late...
Catching Ashido a little off guard, Izuku extended her a bottle of water he had pulled from his backpack. He generally carried several bottles and a fully-stocked first aid kit for emergencies, so he had plenty to spare as he said, "Here, take this, Ashido-san. It's a bottle of alkaline water with a pH level of 9.5. It may be a little warm since it's been sitting in my backpack, but the flavor is better than conventional tap or mineral water."
Accepting the bottle, Ashido jokingly asked, "What are you, a Boy Scout? Who carries bottled water around in their backpack instead of a tumbler?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Izuku answered, "Someone who doesn't want to feel helpless if they encounter a young child or an elderly citizen suffering from Heat Stroke?"
Rolling her eyes, Ashido removed the bottle's lid and downed its contents in a single go. She was surprised by how fresh it tasted, but she didn't comment on it, returning the empty bottle to Izuku as she said, "Thanks, Midoriya-kun. That really hit the spot. Now, how about we get this party started? The cafe I mentioned closes around 6:30, so we'll need to hurry if we want to make it."
Without waiting for Izuku's response, Ashido grabbed his arm like an over-affectionate girlfriend, intentionally brushing her breasts against him with a bright and cheerful smile.
Contrasting Ashido's expectations, a slight frown marred Izuku's face as he said, "This may be a date, but I don't think we're close enough to walk together in such a lovey-dovey fashion. At least not yet."
Though he didn't really mind it, Izuku could tell Ashido was attempting to goad him. It may have worked if he was a legitimate fifteen-year-old, but he wasn't some inexperienced brat. He was also secretly holding out for a real woman, examples being Midnight, Mirko, or Mt. Lady, so it would take more than a bit of skinship and playful flirting to move him.
Loosing her hold on Izuku's arm but not releasing it completely, Ashido narrowed her eyes and teased, "Wow, look at you. So mature..."
Instead of refuting the assertion, Izuku gave an affirming nod and asked, "Now, where is the cafe? Since you seem determined to cling to me, I may as well escort you properly..."
Turning her eyes up with an expression that seemed to ask, 'Are you for real?' Ashido replied, "It's not too far from the station, around a block or two South. I'll give directions as we go."
Hearing Ashido mention that their destination was South of the station, Izuku's eyes briefly narrowed. Said area was riddled with love hotels and other 'recreational' facilities. If members of UA's body were seen there, it would adversely affect the school's reputation. It was no wonder Ashido had 'forgotten' her blazer...
("This dumbass...") thought Izuku, even as he followed Ashido's directions to a tee. He could simply refuse if she attempted to invite him somewhere compromising, so there was no harm in playing along. Rather, if things did develop in that direction, he could reinforce the notion he wasn't a hungry wolf that would jump at the first opportunity to feed his urges. He held out against Inko, so there was no way he would succumb to a brat with more bravado than sense...
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Though Izuku was correct in thinking that Ashido was steering him in the direction of Musutafu's version of a red-light district, the cafe she had in mind was located on the periphery, just outside the accepted 'boundary' of the region. It was the type of place people invited their boyfriends or girlfriends to when they wanted to take their relationship to the next level but lacked the courage to suggest it directly. As a result, the atmosphere within the cafe was palpably tense as Izuku and Ashido sat in a tiny booth intended for couples.
Exhibiting the same sense of unease as someone utilizing the cafe for its intended purpose, Ashido sat close enough to Izuku that her thigh grazed against his as she asked, "So, what do you think? Pretty interesting place, huh?"
Instead of immediately responding to Ashido's question, Izuku scanned their surroundings, inspecting every last person present before turning his gaze to the visibly nervous pinkette and replying, "I imagine it would be a nice place to visit if and when we get a little closer. For now, I think we're both out of our element."
Exhaling an uncharacteristically nervous chuckle, Ashido admitted, "You know, I think you may be right. The atmosphere is a lot tenser than I was expecting..."
Nodding in agreement, Izuku said, "Then there's no reason to hesitate. Let's get out of here."
Rising to his feet, Izuku extended his hand to help Ashido do the same. Their actions drew the gazes of several people, but as they had more to worry about than some random high school students, most looked away fairly quickly. As such, rather than falling into a trap, Izuku ended up in a situation where Ashido was the one embarrassed and forced to thank him when he lent her his blazer...
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After getting a decent distance from the cafe and the periphery of the red light district, Ashido abruptly threw up her hands and exclaimed, "Ah! That was so intense...!" in an enthusiastic but markedly relieved tone.
Turning to Izuku, a broad smile developed across Ashido's face as she added, "You know, you're a pretty good guy, Midoriya-kun. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I suspected otherwise. I guess it's because you don't really act like a boy around our age?"
Instead of commenting on Ashido's remark, Izuku raised his brows and asked, "Does this mean our date is over? I was kind of looking forward to hanging out with you. I mean, this is the first time I've ever accompanied a cute girl like this. It would be a shame to end things early."
Pointing directly at Izuku's face, Ashido exclaimed, "You see!? That's exactly what I'm referring to! What kind of middle-turned-high-schooler talks like that?"
Shrugging his shoulder, Izuku responded, "One who is polite and cares about how people perceive him? We are aspiring to be Pro Heroes, after all."
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Ashido visibly deflated, hanging her arms and slumping her shoulders at the sheer 'insensibility' of Izuku's rationale. He was right, of course, but it just sounded so weird to hear a boy around her age speak with such 'level-headedness.'
Shaking her head, Ashido regained a bit of vigor as she asked, "Can I ask you something? You said something along the lines of always doing your best to be honest, so let me ask you this: What kind of girls do you prefer? Even if it's true that you think we're all cute, you 'must' have a preference."
Nodding his head, Izuku calmly remarked, "Honesty is the best policy..." before answering, "When it comes to physical appearances, I'm honestly not all that picky. What I 'do' prefer are strong and mature girls who are passionate about something they love and know precisely what they want from a relationship. In other words, I'm looking for someone I can treat as a friend and an equal."
Hearing Izuku's response, Ashido couldn't help massaging her forehead as she remarked, "Is this guy for real...?" under her breath. A normal boy would have hesitated or responded by vaguely listing off the features of the girl he was with. Izuku's answer exuded sincerity, but it was way too serious for a typical high schooler...
Noticing Ashido's obvious exasperation, a faint smile developed across Izku's face as he asked, "Should I have answered by saying I like girls with amazing physiques, pink skin, and badass eyes? Because it wouldn't be a lie..."
Looking up to meet Izku's gaze, a hint of incredulity briefly flashed across Ashido's distinctive gold and black-sclera eyes. Then, regaining her usual smile, she affirmed, "It's certainly better than your previous response. But you forgot to mention my horns. Do you not like them?"
"On the contrary," replied Izuku. "I just didn't think it would be appropriate to say I like horny women."
Though it was nearly indistinguishable due to her complexion, a blush developed through Ashido's cheeks when she heard Izuku's surprisingly brazen response. With how over-the-top and polite his other responses were, she didn't think he had it in him to flirt properly.
Unable to contain a smile, Ashido gave Izuku a weak shove as she said, "You dog..." in an embarrassed but slightly gratified tone. Even if Izuku's words were superficial lip service or simple ribbing, they made her heart beat a little quicker...
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After parting ways with 'Mina' at the station, Izuku was in an excellent mood the rest of the way home. Ashido had given him her number and permission to address her informally, so the two exchanged texts late into the evening while Izuku mulled over his plans for the following day.
Because of the rapport he had built with Nezu and All Might, Izuku was fairly certain he could persuade them to prepare countermeasures even if he didn't reveal the specific details of what might happen. Fortunately, he had experimented in the past by increasing each of his attributes to 100, so he had a reasonable excuse to offer.
By increasing his Luck to 100, Izuku's system rewarded him with a Perk called [Intuition]. As the name implied, it gave him a sixth sense of sorts. Unfortunately, even though it was a Perk obtained at 100 Luck, it wasn't very reliable. Izuku had tried using it to 'game' the stock market, but only around half his investments paid off. He had a much higher success rate by simply paying attention to the news and analyzing market trends, so he gave up on [Intuition] until he had spare attributes to pump into Luck.
Luckily for Izuku, Nezu, or anyone else, could see his current distribution of attributes. He also wouldn't be lying when he said he suspected an incident might happen, so even someone as brilliant as Nezu shouldn't be able to see through him. Beyond that, Izuku's true concern was whether the presence of additional teachers would positively or negatively impact the outcome of the incident...
As the first Nomu to appear in Boku no Hero Academia was designed to counteract All Might, the presence of additional teachers may very well lead to a massacre. Izuku doubted the Nomu was anywhere near Level sixty-thousand, but he should possess superhuman strength and agility along with the Shock Absorption and Super Regeneration Quirks. Normal Heroes would be completely powerless against it, so Izuku spent much of the evening deliberating the best course of action before simply sending Principal Nezu an email detailing his concerns...
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Early the following day, nearly as soon as Izuku broke through the mob-like group of reporters surrounding the front gate, a voice informing him to report to the Principal's Office sounded over the school's PA System.
Upon reaching Nezu's office, Izuku was asked to take a seat before the mouse-like dog-bear hybrid said, "I apologize for calling you here on such short notice, Midoriya-kun. I thought to send you an email, but I prefer to discuss matters related to the school's security in person."
Shaking his head, Izuku replied, "Please, don't apologize, Principal Nezu. If anything, I should be thanking you. My [Intuition] is far from perfect, so it's entirely possible I'm making a mountain out of a molehill..."
Raising his oversized, paw-like hand, Nezu firmly asserted, "I would never ignore the concerns of one of my students, especially when said concerns involve the safety and well-being of the entire student body. I also regard you as a trustworthy individual, so I don't believe you would send such an email unless you were fairly certain something would occur."
Punctuating his words, Nezu brought up a holographic display depicting a dome-like structure with the words Unforeseen Simulation Joint hovering in the air.
"For tomorrow's Foundational Hero Studies course, Class 1-A was scheduled to conduct Rescue Training at this facility, our world-renown 'Unforeseen Simulation Joint,' or USJ for short. Since it would be, mind the pun, fairly disastrous if an incident were to occur at such an important facility, I have privately conveyed your concerns to the supervising teachers and several of the more members of the Security Department. That includes All Might, so please, put your mind at ease and focus on your classes."
Feeling genuinely relieved by Nezu's words, Izuku adopted a broad smile and replied, "Thanks, Principal Nezu. I still have the impression something will happen, but if the Level 60,000 All Might is present, I can't imagine it will be difficult to resolve."
Blinking his somewhat beady black eyes, a very human smile developed across Nezu's face as he said, "Well, if there's nothing else, please be on your way."
Rising to his feet, Izuku lowered his head and thanked Nezu one last time before leaving, unaware that he had just passed the former's test. Most of what Nezu had just said were half-truths. He was skeptical and somewhat paranoid by nature, so he experimented to see if Izuku's words were truly the result of [Intuition] or something else. In other words, by pointing out he still felt as though something was amiss, Izuku had convinced Nezu he wasn't simply talking out of his ass...
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As Izuku had reached the campus around 15 minutes before the bell, Homeroom was already in full swing by the time he arrived. Fortunately, today was the day they were nominating their Class Representative, so it didn't matter if he was a little late. At the very least, Aizawa didn't even say anything as he entered the classroom.
Though virtually everyone noticed Izuku's arrival, the person to call out to him was Mina, raising her hand and shouting, "It's about time you showed up, Izuku-kun! We're trying to decide if you should be the Representative or Vice-Representative of the Class!"
Raising his brows, Izuku ignored the varied stares he was receiving from some of his male classmates, making his way over to the all-female group to ask, "What's this about, Mina-san? I don't recall volunteering for either position."
Spreading her hands and shrugging in a gesture of mock helplessness, Mina explained, "What can you do? Aizawa-sensei said we needed to pick our Class Representatives before Homeroom ended. Ida-kun suggested we put it to a vote, but just about everyone voted for themselves. You're the only boy that received more than one vote, so you and Yaoyorozu-san need to decide which of you is in charge."
Piggybacking off of Mina's words, Yaoyorozu revealed, "I personally cast my vote for you, Midoriya-kun, so I don't mind if you want to take the lead Representative position. I'm still lacking in many ways, so I was frankly a little surprised to receive two votes."
"And how many did I receive?" asked Izuku, genuinely curious to know the answer.
Anticipating Izuku's question, Mina held up five fingers and revealed, "You received a whopping five votes. One was your vote, as we assumed you would nominate yourself, while the remaining four came from Yaoyorozu-san, Uraraka-san, Tsuyu-chan, and Shoji-kun. On that note, you're free to change your vote, but it wouldn't change the fact you received the most out of everyone here."
Instead of opposing his nomination, Izuku adopted a smile, passing his gaze over Ochaco, Tsuyu, Yaoyorozu, and the nearby Shoji as he said, "Thank you for the votes of confidence. I would have nominated Ida-kun and Yaoyorozu-san for the positions, but if this is the result of diplomacy, I'll accept the result with humility."
Fixing his gaze on Yaoyorozu, Izuku added, "That being said, I believe you should take the Class Representative position, Yaoyorozu-san. I'm better at logistics and administrative tasks than leading people directly, so you can leave all the forms and paperwork to me. Of course, if you ever need my help directing people, I'll be happy to assist."
Though she was a little surprised when Izuku said he would have cast his vote for her, Yaoyorozu recovered quickly, a wide smile developing across her face as she said, "Thank you, Midoriya-kun. I shall do my best to meet both your and the Class's expectations."
As he was listening in on the conversation from his sleeping back, lying on the ground behind the teacher's podium, Aizawa rose to his feet and said, "Then that settles it. Momo Yaoyorozu will be the Class Representative, and Izuku Midoriya will be the Vice Class Representative. Get up here and give your introductions. After that, you can have self-study for the rest of Homeroom. I have a Staff Meeting to attend."
As he was one of the teachers that would be chaperoning Class 1-A during the following day's Rescue Training, Aizawa had already received a 'yellow' alert from Nezu informing him to come by the Principal's Office. Yellow was just two steps down from the worst-case scenario, so Aizawa had a serious expression as he departed the classroom, taking off at his maximum speed the moment the door closed behind him...
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Though he had trained hard leading up to his enrollment in UA, Shoji had never fought a serious battle where neither he nor his opponent held their punches. Actual combat was more intense and significantly more painful than he expected...
Ignoring his body's protests, Shoji slowly pushed himself to a kneeling position, his obsidian black eyes fixating on the nearby Izuku as he asserted, "You're strong..." through the veil of his balaclava-like facemask.
Shaking his head, Izuku cracked a smile as he said, "Not as strong as you. This outcome is the result of a difference in experience and conviction. If you truly wished to hurt me, those powerful arms of yours could probably make me into a meatball. That's one of the burdens of being a Hero. We're obligated to hold back, even when our enemies intend to kill us."
Rising to his full height, Izuku dusted himself off as he added, "Not that I disagree with this way of doing things. Heroes exist to inspire and protect, not pass judgment. Now, get to your feet and come at me. So long as you limit yourself to punching and kicking, I should be able to endure your full strength."
Blinking in surprise, Shoji asked, "Are you sure? I don't mean to brag, but I can bench press 2000kgs if I use all of my arms. If I seriously injured one of my classmates, I don't think I would be able to become a Hero..."
Instead of responding to Shoji's words, Izuku peeled off his chainmail-like shirt and tossed it to the side, revealing a lean yet incredibly well-defined physique that earned him a bit of fanfare among the spectators. That was one of the reasons he removed his shirt, but the main reason was to show off the effects of his [Bronze Skin].
With Shoji staring at him in confusion, Izuku slapped the center of his chest with all his strength. Doing so produced an exceptionally loud sound, but it also caused the entire front of his body to turn a luminous shade of bronze.
"Did you see that?" asked Izuku. "I may not be as durable as Kirishima-kun, but I can disperse forces across my body. Unless you're hiding a gun or a knife somewhere, you won't be able to break my defenses easily."
Though he was more than a little confused, Shoji only hesitated for a brief period before getting into a boxing stance and saying, "Let's do this..." in a resolute tone.
In response to Shoji's words, Izuku launched himself at the much taller boy, executing a flying leg kick. Strength and Agility were complimentary attributes, so the power of his kicks was much stronger than his punches. His maximum speed may not increase as his Strength rises, but he could leap greater distances and kick off the ground to accelerate much faster.
Caught off guard by Izuku's 'surprise' attack, Shoji barely had time to cross his arms before the former's heel impacted his guard with the force of a cannon. He managed to stay upright, but his feet scraped against the ground as he was pushed back nearly three meters, impacting a wall.
Not giving Shoji any time to recover, Izuku attacked, this time executing a simple side kick, but much faster than any ordinary Karateka. The wall behind Shoji was the exterior wall of the building, so Izuku was planning to kick him out and take the fight to the street. That way, they would both be able to move freely.
Interrupting Izuku's plan, Shoji used his tentacles as a spring to abruptly repel himself from the wall. At the same time, he tried to grab Izuku's leg with his left hand while punching outward with his right.
Not expecting Shoji to lurch forward without any forecasting movements, Izuku barely managed to twist his head and torso to evade the former's punch. This consequently allowed Shoji to grab onto his leg, but that was something Izuku had anticipated the moment he launched his attack. The moment Shoji's arm wrapped around his foreleg like a vice, Izuku tucked his body inward, coiling himself like a spring before straightening out with explosive force.
As powerful as he was, Shoji's speed and reaction time were lacking. He was also severely lacking in experience, so the tensions in his body had relaxed, albeit only for a moment, when he caught Izuku's leg. As a result, his mind failed to comprehend what had transpired when Izuku suddenly 'exploded,' sending his body smashing through the concrete wall behind him.
Fortunately, though Shoji would have been fine either way, he was only on the second floor when Izuku kicked him outside. He also managed to flip himself over at the last moment, saving himself an intimate introduction to the asphalt.
Following close behind, Izuku leaped from the second floor, executing a flawless three-point Hero landing as he fell to ground level. This caused a sharp pain to spread through his knee, but it faded almost instantly due to his Digitalized body and the diffusion effect of [Bronze Skin].
Rising to his feet, Izuku took a moment to dust himself off, asking, "Can you keep going?" in an intentionally casual tone. He was supposed to be playing the part of a Villain right now, so he decided to play it up a bit for the viewers.
Catching Izuku a little off guard, Shoji responded by hurtling chunks of destroyed building at him. They weren't particularly fast, and Izuku was more than capable of withstanding the forces they contained, but having head-sized pieces of concrete fly at his face was fairly unnerving, forcing him to raise his guard.
Taking advantage of the momentary gap in Izuku's preparedness, Shoji charged forward as his feet could carry him. Then, as if borrowing a page from the former, he tackled Izuku through the building, crashing through several walls before eventually tripping over.
Feeling himself falling backward, Izuku gripped Shoji's body, tucked his legs, and rolled with the fall. He was currently blind due to some concrete dust getting in his eyes, but he still managed to execute a flawless tomoe nage, one of the traditional throws of Judo. The result was that Shoji was sent flying through the air, allowing Izuku the opportunity to bound to his feet and create some distance between them.
While trying to clear his vision, Izuku adopted a wry smile and remarked, "That was one hell of a tackle, Shoji-kun..."
Hearing Izuku's words, Shoji, who was currently half-embedded in a wall, groaned, "Speak for yourself..." before asking, "Was that Judo...?" after a brief silence.
Nodding his head, Izuku was about to answer when the sound of a bull horn interrupted them, followed by All Might exclaiming, "And that's the end of Round 3!!!" over the building's intercom. Fortunately, just as Izuku was panicking internally, All Might added, "The Villain Team managed to hold out until time expired, so they're the victors!"
Hearing the relieving news, Izuku exhaled a loud and exhausted sigh. He had gotten so caught up in the moment that he completely lost track of time. Fortunately, as he would later learn, Ashido has no issues dealing with Mineta. Her acid was able to counteract the properties of Mineta's Grape Shot, so it was nearly as one-sided as the fight between Ojiro and Koda.
Now that their battle was over, Izuku made his way over to Shoji, pulling him from the wall and helping him stand as the two made their way out of the building. It was a little awkward due to Shoji being bulkier and a full 20cm taller than him, but the act of sportsmanship earned him a round of applause and several approving remarks once they reunited with the rest of the Class...
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While Class 1-A was in the middle of their Battle Training, two people were observing the exercise with very different expressions. The first, Principal Nezu, had an approving smile on his mouse-like face, while the second, Katsuki Bakugo, wore a grim, almost pouty expression.
As if he didn't notice Bakugo's displeasure, Nezu asked, "So, what do you think, Bakugo-kun? Do you still believe Midoriya-kun is undeserving of his position in Class 1-A?"
Instead of answering Nezu's question, Bakugo hung his head, no longer able to look at the monitor they had been using to observe Izuku's and Shoji's brawl. He already knew Izuku was qualified after witnessing his performance and seeing the results of the Quirk Evaluation Test. What he couldn't understand was how Izuku had gone from a loser that couldn't even meet a girl's gaze to someone who exuded confidence as if it were his default state of mind. It was almost like he was a completely different person...
Seeing through Bakugo's thoughts, Nezu's voice was utterly calm and relaxed as he said, "It is becoming increasingly well-documented that a person's Quirk can have a drastic effect on their mentality. As someone who grew up alongside Midoriya-kun, he must seem completely different from the boy you once knew. However, that isn't what it's important right now. The real question is, are you 'serious' about becoming a Hero, or was it simply an excuse to show off?"
Furrowing his brows, Bakugo flared up, exclaiming, "What kind of question is that!? Of course, I want to be a Hero! And not just any Hero! I'm going to be the greatest Hero of all time! Even greater than All Might...!"
Instead of panicking or trying to refute Bakugo's words, Nezu gave a slight nod, waiting for the former to settle down before asking, "Then let me ask you this, Katsuki Bakugo-kun. What does being a 'Hero' mean to you?"
Without missing a beat, Bakugo thumped his chest and replied, "It means being the strongest! Strong enough to save anyone and fierce enough to deter any wannabe villain from showing their ugly mug in public...!"
Seeing a strange emotion in Bakugo's chest, Nezu revealed an expression he had rarely witnessed when interacting with adults, disappointment. It was even worse when the latter shook his head and said, "While strength is important, especially when it comes to protecting people, it isn't power that deters Villains and compels people to admire Heroes. If that were all that was necessary, the JSDF and the police force would do a better job at keeping the peace than a handful of Heroes..."
Meeting Bakugo's gaze, Nezu's expression and tone were severe as he explained, "The reason Heroes are so integral to our modern society is because they inspire others, especially the younger generations of Quirk users, to be good...to be 'better.' If the only thing you know how to inspire is fear, it doesn't matter how many people you save. You will never be the number one Hero..."
"..."
As virtually everyone had lauded his power and reinforced the notion he could be an exceptional Hero, Bakugo found himself at a loss for words in response to Nezu's declaration. If it were some random person, he would have scoffed and told them to fuck off. However, the 'man' in front of him was the Principal of the most prestigious Hero Academy, not just in Japan but the entire world. He wasn't some 'loser' that had no idea what he was saying...
Reinforcing Bakugo's silence, Nezu went on to say, "If Midoriya-kun had elected to press charges against you for yesterday's incident, your path to becoming a Hero would have been severed right then and there. Even if you regretted your conduct and worked tirelessly to prove you had been reformed, you would never be entrusted with a Professional Hero License. If you still aspired to become a Hero, your only option would have been to become a Vigilante. However, as your Quirk is exceptionally rare and very easy to identify, you would quickly be apprehended and incarcerated for illegal Quirk usage..."
Looking away from Bakugo, Nezu used a remote to rewind to the scene of Class 1-A clapping as Izuku arrived, supporting his former 'enemy' on his shoulder. When Bakugo eventually looked up, staring at the image on the screen, he regained his smile and said, "You truly do have the potential to be a great Hero, Bakugo-kun. Don't just take my word for it. These are the words of Midoriya-kun as well. Despite everything you've done, that child doesn't hate you. Instead, he actively tries to convince others you're not a bad person. He also believes that it's only a matter of time before you rejoin the Department of Heroes, so allow me to ask one more time...are you 'serious' about becoming a Hero?"
...
..
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Chapter 15: Chapter 15