BNHA: Singularity

After changing into their Hero costumes, the students of Class 1-A boarded a large shuttle that would ferry them to their destination, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, USJ.
Though he was secretly worried that shit would hit the fan, Izuku forced himself to appear calm, a carefree smile adorning his face despite being seated between Tsuyu and Ochaco.
Fortunately, though Mina didn't hesitate to comment on their seating arrangement, the trip between UA and USJ didn't even last five minutes. Izuku would have preferred it to have taken five hours, but that was the thing about time. The more you wish you had, the sooner it ran out.
Once everyone had disembarked the bus, All Might raised his hands high, seemingly supporting the massive, dome-like structure behind him as he shouted, "Welcome, students of Class 1-A, to USJ!"
Though most of them had no idea of the building's significance, everyone but Izuku, Shinso, and Tokoyami clapped in response to All Might's words. During this, Aizawa emerged from the building's entrance, his expression a languorous deadpan as he said, "Give it a rest and get inside. This isn't a fan meeting or a book signing. You're here to train."
With Aizawa's words as a catalyst, Class 1-A made their way inside USJ's dome, a massive, incredibly spacious structure encompassing more than a hundred acres. The inside, fitting the name 'Unforeseen Situation Joint,' was divided into eight sections, six of which simulated the many disasters Heroes faced in the execution of their duties. This included a ruined urban environment, a sloped terrain simulating a landslide, a mountainous region with fragile cliffs, a mock city that was perpetually set ablaze, a maritime environment with a lake, ship, and even a waterslide, and a zone that was beset by hurricane-force winds and a torrential downpour.
Waiting for the students to arrive, standing 180cm and wearing her bulky, astronaut-themed outfit, was Space Hero Thirteen. Seeing her caused Ochaco to geek out for a moment, but Izuku couldn't really blame her. If he could pick and choose a Quirk, Thirteen's definitely would have made the list. It had many weaknesses, but the ability to create Black Holes at the tips of your fingers was an exceptionally powerful ability.
Using a voice synthesizer that made it difficult to tell if she was a man or a woman, Thirteen took a moment to clear her throat before spreading her arms and declaring, "I've been waiting for you. Welcome, students of Class 1-A, to the Unforeseen Situation Joint!"
As All Might had already welcomed them mere moments prior, the smiles on the faces of Class 1-A became noticeably cramped. Fortunately, things didn't become too tense as All Might took the initiative to initiate another round of applause, laughing spiritedly as he did so.
Unaware that she, or, more accurately, All Might had stolen her thunder, Thirteen went on to explain the purpose of USJ before beginning a short lecture about the nature of Quirks and their capacity to cause harm. Her words were especially meaningful to Shinso, as, toward the end, Thirteen firmly reinforced the notion that Quirks were not evil. So long as they were wielded responsibly, even the most dubious or innately destructive Quirks could be used to help people.
With Thirteen's lecture coming to an end, Izuku tensed in preparation for what was to come. As a result, he was left feeling confused when Aizawa said, "Now that that's out of the way, everyone split up into groups of five. We'll determine which zone you'll go to after that."
While Izuku's mind was drawing a blank, Ochaco, Tsuyu, and, somewhat surprisingly, Shinso made their way over to him. Upon seeing the look on his face, Tsuyu tilted her head to the side, touching her bottom lip as she remarked, "Is everything okay, Izuku-chan? You look like you've just seen a ghost, ribbit."
Blinking back to awareness, Izuku replied, "Sorry, Tsuyu-chan. I was just so inspired by Thirteen's speech that I-"
Before Izuku could finish his sentence, All Might bellowed, "Students, gather together and be on your guard! Aizawa, Thirteen, protect them!"
Accompanying All Might's shout, a hazy black vortex opened near the fountain representing USJ's center. Its appearance momentarily caused Izuku to feel a sense of relief, but that changed drastically when the first figure emerged from the portal, bringing with him a bloodlust that spread outward like a frigid eruption.
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Name: [Tenko Shimura]
Quirk: Decay(Vestige), Preservation(Vestige), Self-Immolation(Vestige)
Current Level: 41 (A/N: Henceforth, only going to include this for the MC.)
Effective Level: 584
[Attributes]
Strength: 76
Agility: 83
Vitality: 4,928
Intelligence: 41
Dexterity: 118
Luck: 603
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With a slim frame, greyish-blue hair, and a body covered in the embalmed hands of his former family and victims, anyone familiar with the Boku no Hero Academia universe would recognize the man that had emerged from the gate as 'Tomura Shigaraki.' What surprised Izuku, other than Tomura's intense bloodlust, was his ridiculous Vitality, Luck, and Effective Level. He had expected Tomura to be fairly weak, but the man was already leagues above 'ordinary' Heroes.
Shifting his gaze to Tomura's Quirks, Izuku's eyes widened as information about them filled his mind. Decay, as the name implied, allowed Tomura to decay whatever he touched with his five fingers. As for Preservation and Self-Immolation, the former allowed his body to adapt and survive almost anything, while the latter was a self-destruct Quirk that would cause him to combust spontaneously. More importantly, all three of his Quirks were 'Vestiges,' fragments of someone else's Quirk that had been transplanted in his body...
Though countless questions filled his mind when seeing Tomura's status, Izuku shifted his gaze to the other two threats within the group emerging from the vortex: a man comprised of the same hazy black substance as the vortex and a black-skinned behemoth with a muscular body, beak-like mouth, large eyes, and exposed brain...
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Name: [Oboro Shirakumo]
Quirk: Cloud, Cellular Deconstruction(Vestige), Spatial Link(Vestige)
Current Level: 27
Effective Level: 82
[Attributes]
Strength: 21
Agility: 39
Vitality: 611
Intelligence: 59
Dexterity: 50
Luck: 44
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Name: [Masahiko Takamura]
Quirk: Shock Absorption, Super Regeneration(Vestige), Energy Conversion(Vestige), Adamantite Bones(Vestige)
Current Level: 105
Effective Level: 3,887
[Attributes]
Strength: 14,311
Agility: 4,920
Vitality: 17,077
Intelligence: 5
Dexterity: 2,558
Luck: 3
------------------------
"..."
Seeing the stats of 'Masahiko Takamura,' better known within the Boku no Hero Academia community as the USJ Nomu, Izuku felt a combination of fear, confusion, and relief. The muscle-bound monstrosity could swat him like a fly if ordered to do so, but as long as All Might was around, the only thing Izuku feared was getting dust in his eye from the shockwaves. After all, as terrifying as Level 3,887 was, it was a far cry from All Might's 60k+
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Name: [Toshinori Yagi]
Quirk: Transfer, Stockpiling, Singularity, Gearshift(sealed), Fa Jin(sealed), Danger Sense(sealed), Blackwhip(sealed), Smokescreen(sealed), Float(sealed)
Current Level: 20,108 (1,094,564,432,008 EXP)
Effective Level: 60,344
[Attributes]
Strength: 219,004
Agility: 53,964
Vitality: 298,408
Intelligence: 69
Dexterity: 31,896
Luck: 108
------------------------
Though he had the distinct impression that All Might had gotten a little weaker, Izuku wasn't too concerned. Even if All Might's Effective Level decreased by half, he was nearly eight times stronger than the Nomu. If not for the latter's Shock Absorption and Super Regeneration, it wouldn't even be a contest.
Demonstrating this fact, All Might entrusted the students of Class 1-A to Aizawa and Thirteen before leaping into the fray with such speed that he appeared to vanish into thin air. A moment later, tens of villains crumpled like marionettes with their strings cut as All Might shouted, "You villains! Did you honestly believe you could just waltz into UA when I. AM. Here!?"
Without waiting for a response, All Might sent several additional villains flying before charging toward who he believed to be the ringleader of the assault: Tomura and his pet Nomu.
Surprised by All Might's speed, Tomura barely had enough time to shout, "Get him, Nomu!" before the former's fist appeared before him, crushing the hand covering his face and sending the lanky man flying.
Before All Might could follow up and try to capture Tomura, the Nomu opened its beak-like mouth, revealing razor-sharp teeth as it blitzed him with extreme speed. All Might had no trouble reacting to it, but he was a little surprised as not many people, villain or otherwise, could 'force' him to defend.
Sliding back from the force of the Nomu's blow, All Might's smile seemed to sparkle as he said, "You're pretty strong. Fortunately for the people of this glorious nation, nay, the entire world, it'll take a lot more than that to defeat the Symbol of Peace!"
Setting aside the existence of Tomura, at least for the time being, All Might charged to meet the Nomu head-on, their fists creating phantom images as powerful shockwaves rippled through the area, vaporizing the water in the fountain, uprooting nearby trees, and sending the bodies of several unfortunate villains, both conscious and not, flying.
Amid the borderline cataclysmic exchange, All Might's smile gradually faded at the realization his punches had little to no effect on the Nomu. The same applied in reverse, but All Might was used to tanking damage without receiving so much as a scratch.
("I'm glad the Principal heeded young Midoriya's advice.") thought All Might. ("If this 'creature' had been unleashed in my absence, I can't even begin to imagine the devastation it would wreak...")
Punctuating his thoughts, All Might reared back his right fist, gathering a fair amount of his stockpiled energy as he roared, "Detroit...SMAAAASH!"
Following through with his punch, All Might's fist impacted the Nomu's abdomen before he twisted his wrist and 'spiked' the muscular creature into the ground, creating a massive crater and a colossal dust explosion that reached the reinforced glass panels of USJ's dome. When the dust settled several seconds later, the Nomu was sprawled out in the center of the crater, its eyes popped out, and a gaping hole in its abdomen.
Furrowing his brows, All Might was thankful none of the students were close enough to witness the rather gruesome scene. One of the woeful truths of being a Hero was that not every Villain could be defeated and detained without seriously injuring or even killing them. Most Heroes did their best to avoid such an outcome, but there were times when it simply couldn't be helped.
Exhaling a sigh, All Might turned away from the Nomu, intending to take out the remaining Villains and capture Tomura. When he never expected was to find a swirling vortex mere centimeters away from his face, from within which emerged a dry, exceptionally pale hand.
Though he ordinarily wouldn't fear even a small-yield nuclear warhead, All Might's instincts screamed at him to evade the gangly hand at all costs. Fortunately, while he was caught unawares, his reaction speed was such that he could even dodge lasers if he noticed them before they fired. For a brief moment, it even seemed like the world around him had stopped, allowing him to get a good look at the crazed youth staring at him through the portal...
("Such malice...how could such a young man harbor such intense hatred? What kind of life must he have endured...?")
Instead of asking these questions aloud, All Might dodged Tomura's hand and shouted, "You scoundrel! Attempting to sneak an attack in while I was distracted? I think not...!"
Trusting his instincts, All Might didn't attempt to grasp Tomura's hand and yank him from the shadowy vortex. Instead, he thrust forward with his palm, creating a pressurized column of air that impacted Tomura's chest, sending him flying back through the portal and revealing his location on the opposite side of the fountain.
"So, that's where you're hiding...!" shouted All Might, his figure flickering before reappearing at the location revealed by his previous attack. There, a moderately injured Tomura was being cradled by his shadowy, portal-creating companion, 'Kurogiri.'
Stopping All Might in his tracks, Tomura groaned, "This isn't what Master said..." before abruptly rising to a seated position and shouting, "You're not supposed to be this strong!"
Furrowing his brows, All Might asked, "Throwing a tantrum after you've lost? You really are a child..."
Gritting his teeth hard enough that his gums were bleeding, it was clear that Tomura wanted to argue. Instead, the bloodlust exuding from his body became even more potent as he threatened, "Things won't end the same way the next time we meet. I'll destroy you and tear down this false society you've created. Just wait..."
Following Tomura's declaration, Kurogiri activated his 'Warp Gate' with the intention of escaping. The moment he did so, All Might shouted, "As if I'd let you...!" while charging forward. Tomura smiled menacingly in response, but his expression quickly changed when Kurogiri's warp abruptly ceased, courtesy of Aizawa, better known within the Hero and Villain communities as 'Eraserhead' due to his power to negate other Quirks...
"The only place you're going is jail...!" shouted All Might, slamming his fist into Tomura's face with enough force to both knock him out and send him skidding across the landscape with Kurogiri...
...
..
.

With Nezu knowing about the attack in advance(or at least being aware that 'something' might happen), the response of UA's resident heroes and the police was exceptionally swift. Literally dozens of squad cars and a handful of SAT teams arrived within minutes, accompanied by a veritable army of paramedics and other emergency services.
Unfortunately, shortly after All Might leaped into the fray, Aizawa and Thirteen forced Izuku and the rest of Class 1-A to evacuate before the former returned to provide support. As a result, Izuku wasn't present to witness All Might taking on the burgeoning League of Villains. Instead, he was forced to remain a 'safe' distance away, protected by a group of local Pros that included Kamui Woods, Mt. Lady, Death Arms, and Thirteen.
"Man, this sucks," remarked Kirishima. "We should be in there lending a hand, not sitting out here like school children!"
Ever the stickler, Ida responded, "While my spirit burns just as intensely as yours, Kirishima-kun, the fact remains that we 'are' still in school! If we attempted to assist at our current level, we would only get in the way."
Unable to refute Ida's words, Kirishima slumped his shoulders, reiterating, "This really sucks..."
"..."
Though he didn't disagree with Kirishima, Izuku couldn't help frowning slightly. He had the advantage of being able to see a person's Level and stats, but even if he didn't, he didn't think it was appropriate for kids to be on a battlefield. Such settings were common in anime, but in reality, it was pretty fucked up.
Noticing the glower on Izuku's face, Ochaco leaned over slightly, hands behind her back as she looked up at him and asked, "Is everything alright, Izuku-kun? You seem really tense."
Adopting a practiced but reassuring smile, Izuku replied, "Thanks for your concern, Ochaco-san, but I'm alright. This incident has shown me that I need to get stronger, that's all."
"Hmmm..."
Though she could tell Izuku wasn't being completely truthful, Ochaco didn't press him to reveal his true feelings. Instead, she caught him a little off guard by facing forward, a resolute light appearing in her eyes as she said, "We'll do it together." in a firm tone.
Turning to look at Ochaco's profile, Izuku was about to say something when the former, seemingly realizing her words could be taken out of context, quickly added, "As a Class! I meant we should work hard to get stronger as a Class...!"
Attracted to Ochaco's outburst and embarrassed flailing, Mina appeared with a teasing smile, asking, "What's going on over here? Are the two of you over here flirting while everyone else is distracted?"
Stamping her foot, Ochaco loudly replied, "It isn't like that, Ashido-san! Izuku-kun and I are just friends...!"
Instead of responding to Ochaco, Mina started at Izuku, narrowing her eyes in amusement as she teased, "You hear that, Izuku-kun? Looks like you've been friend-zoned."
Resisting the urge to grab and pull Mina's flexible horns, Izuku shook his head, an unperturbed smile developing across his face as he said, "That's fine by me. All I've ever really wanted was to be everyone's friend."
Without waiting for Mina's response, Izuku shifted his gaze to Ochaco, winking as he added, "At least for now."
Though she already had a slight blush on her face, accenting the two permanent blush marks adorning her cheeks, Ochaco's face became bright red when she heard Izuku's playful remark. If they weren't in the midst of a crisis, she very well might have used her Zero Gravity Quirk to float away...
...
..
.
Several hours after the 'USJ Incident' concluded, Izuku, once again, found himself summoned by Principal Nezu. This time, however, the venue was the teacher's lounge. Also, instead of the two of them, All Might and a rather plain-looking man that had introduced himself as Detective Tsukauchi were present.
While Izuku sat next to Nezu on one sofa, All Might and Tsukauchi sat across from them, the latter taking the initiative to say, "I apologize for asking you to be here when you've already given a statement. However, I've learned from Principal Nezu and All Might that you possess a Quirk and information that could prove useful to our investigation."
Immediately following Tsukauchi's words, All Might appended, "Fear not, young Midoriya. Detective Tsukauchi is someone you can trust. He and I go way back, so you need not conceal anything before him."
Nodding his head, Izuku replied, "I understand." in a firm tone. He didn't have a strong impression of Tsukauchi from the anime, but he vaguely remembered him being one of the few entrusted with All Might's 'secret.'
Supply a nod of his own, Tsukauchi said, "I appreciate your willingness to cooperate," before pulling out a palm-sized pocketbook. He had several queries of his own, but he first wanted to get through the questions Nezu had petitioned him to ask, first and foremost being, "Were you aware that a group of villains would attack the Unforeseen Simulation Joint before it occurred?"
Without hesitation, Izuku answered, "Yes. I did not know precisely when they would attack, but I knew it would occur."
Detecting no falsehoods in Izuku's words, a benefit of his Lie Detection Quirk, Tsukauchi gave a curt nod and asked, "Do you possess a 'perk' called Intuition that allows you to sense when an incident may occur...?"
Though he realized what was happening based on Tsukauchi's line of questioning, Izuku didn't panic, answering, "Yes. It's a benefit granted to me when my Luck attribute reaches 100."
Furrowing his brows slightly, Tsukauchi commented, "It would be best if you answered my questions honestly."
Feigning shock, aided by the fact he 'was' surprised, Izuku asked, "What do you mean? Was there something wrong with my response...?"
Adopting a serious expression and tone, Tsukauchi revealed, "My Quirk allows me to tell when someone is lying or being deceitful. When I asked if you possessed a perk called Intuition, my Quirk flagged your response as false or misleading."
"Ah..."
Pretending as though he had just realized the problem, Izuku's expression relaxed as he explained, "I mentioned this to Principal Nezu and All Might previously, but my Quirk allows me to redistribute my attributes. I 'was' in possession of the Intuition perk before this incident. I have since invested in attributes that would help ensure my survival."
Sensing no falsehoods in Izuku's words, the somewhat grim expression on Tsukauchi's face faded, replaced by an awkward smile as he said, "I see." in a curt tone. Then, without missing a beat, he proceeded to ask, "Are you a spy that has been sent to infiltrate the campus and report on its vulnerabilities?"
Adopting a genuinely offended look, Izuku responded, "No. I enrolled in UA to protect people. I would never do anything to jeopardize the safety of my fellow students. At the very least, not intentionally."
Inserting himself into the exchange, as if he wasn't the one who tasked Tsukauichi with uncovering Izuku's intentions, Nezu asserted, "I believe it would be best if we moved on from this particular line of questioning. I do not wish to keep Midoriya-kun here any longer than is necessary."
"Understood..."
Returning the palm-sized pocketbook to the interior breast pocket of his trenchcoat, Tsukauchi asked the question Izuku had been anticipating for quite some time, specifically, "Were you able to ascertain the identities and Quirks of the Villains who attacked USJ? We hope to create a profile on them before conducting the official interrogation."
Regaining his smile, Izuku pulled out a pocketbook of his own, handing it over as he explained, "I didn't have time to inspect each of them, but it was fairly obvious who the ringleaders were, allowing me to memorize their statuses and subsequently record them. What struck me as particularly odd was that each and every one of them possessed multiple Quirks."
Hearing Izuku's explanation, the expressions and bodies of Tsukauichi, All Might, and Nezu tensed. It didn't help that one of the names recorded in was someone Nezu recognized. He had memorized the names and faces of virtually every student that attended UA. Especially those that had lost their lives before having a chance to graduate...
"Shirakumo-kun..."
Similar to Nezu, All Might and Tsukauichi also recognized one of the names recorded in the pocketbook. However, as there were multiple families with the name 'Shimura,' they didn't immediately assume there was a connection between 'Tenko Shimura' and the Shimuras they were thinking of. More accurately, they 'refused' to believe it.
Catching Izuku a little off guard, All Might, wearing an uncharacteristically grim expression, said, "We thank you for your assistance, but I believe it's time you made your way home, young Midoriya. But don't worry. I promise to offer you an explanation in the future..."
Nodding in approval, Nezu calmly appended, "I believe that may be for the best. Thank you for your time, Midoriya-kun. And, please, take care on your way home."
Though he didn't expect to be released so suddenly, Izuku didn't hesitate to rise to his feet, offering a respectful bow to the grim trio as he said, "I'll be leaving first..." before rising to his full height and promptly departing...
...
..
.
With the school contacting each of their parents to apprise them of the situation, Izuku's return home was met by his mother's tearful embrace. He did his best to assure her that everything was okay, but it wasn't until three hours later that he was able to escape her coddling. By then, he had 999+ text notifications, the result of Mina inviting everyone in the Class to a group chat.
Instead of reading through the past messages, Izuku typed a simple, 'Just got home. How is everyone doing?' with a concerned emoji. The moment he did so, dozens of responses began to fill the chat, followed by several people messaging him directly.
After reading just a few of the responses, a wry smile adorned Izuku's face as he typed, 'It's good to see that everyone is in high spirits. And thanks for your concern, but I'm fine. I'm probably about to hit the hay, though. Feels like it's been a long day.'
Though most people took the hint, wishing him a good night, Izuku's DMs were still blowing up with messages from Ochaco, Tsuyu, and Mina. They had been present when he was 'escorted' away by Detective Tsugauchi's subordinates, so they were understandably concerned.
As it was fairly 'refreshing' to be popular, Izuku didn't mind staying up to alleviate the girls' concerns. He approximated his chances with Mirko to be less than ten percent, but that was predicated on her permitting him to apply for an internship. If she didn't watch the UA Sports Festival or didn't care about accepting an intern, his chances effectively decreased to zero. In that case, he would have very little choice but to turn to the girls in his Class if he wanted to enter a relationship...
Recalling Ochaco's inadvertent remark about growing stronger together, a faint smile developed across Izuku's face. He wasn't ashamed to admit that, in the past, Ochaco was the girl he was least interested in getting to know. His personal ranking placed Hagakure at the top, followed by Jiro, Yaoyorozu, Mina, Tsuyu, and then Ochaco. Not because she wasn't cute, but because she was the most 'vanilla' among the girls.
Now that he was gradually getting to know Ochaco better, Izuku couldn't deny she was growing on him. She was an incredibly kind and caring girl, and the tiny pads on her fingers were as cute as they were soft. She also had an incredible figure, so Izuku didn't think he would lose out by dating her. Rather, with her Zero Gravity Quirk, they would probably have a blast 'experimenting' with its uses...
With such thoughts in mind, Izuku stayed on his phone until around 10 PM. Then, after wishing the girls good night, he dragged his feet over to his computer, exhaling a weary sigh before grabbing the nearby box of tissues.
Teenage hormones were a pain in the ass. Hopefully, it wouldn't be much longer until he had someone to deal with his urges for him...
...
..
.

Though his meeting with Nezu didn't last for more than a few minutes, Izuku was still surprised to see a seemingly inseparable duo waiting near UA's front entrance.
Waiting until he had reached the duo's side, the smile on Izuku's face broadened as he mused, "Hey, there, Ochaco-san, Tsuyu-chan. Is today my lucky day, or are the two of you waiting for someone else~?"
Returning a bright but timid smile, Ochaco revealed, "We actually wanted to apologize for yesterday. We shouldn't have ignored you, even if it was only for a short while."
Nodding her head, Tsuyu added, "It's my fault, ribbit. My baa-chan always told me to be wary of boys who were quick to compliment multiple girls. I thought you might have an ulterior motive, ribbit..."
Rubbing the back of his head, Izuku casually admitted, "To be fair, that's not far from the truth. It's just that rather than seeking to take advantage of you, I simply want to be your friend. After all, friendship is a foundation atop which many things can be built."
Mirroring Izuku's actions, a sheepish chuckle emanated from Ochaco's throat while Tsuyu stared up at him and offered one of her characteristic ribbits. Then, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket, she suggested, "If that's the case, we should exchange contact information. I'm not used to using my phone, but I'll respond if you send me a text, ribbit."
Realizing the 'true' reason Ochaco and Tsuyu had waited for him, Izuku's smile broadened as he answered, "Of course. I only have three people in my saved contacts, so I'm happy to have more."
Pulling out his phone, Izuku was about to hand it over but stopped upon noticing he had several text notifications.
"Oh? I have thirteen missed texts from Mina-san. Do you mind if I read them real quick? I can also give you my number verbally. That way, you can just send me a text, and I can save your information directly."
With Tsuyu agreeing to his proposition, Izuku recited his phone number aloud while thumbing through the messages Mina had sent him. The first was her informing him that an 'ambush' awaited him at the front entrance, but the rest concerned his meeting with the Principal, asking if he was in trouble and if there was anything she could do to help.
("How cute...")
In the midst of reading the texts, Izuku received a text alert from an unknown number. What awaited him when he opened it was a cartoon frog emoji, making it very clear who sent the message.
Suppressing the urge to comment on Tsuyu's adorable behavior out loud, Izuku quickly typed, 'Keep this up, and I'll save your phone number under the listing 'Cute Frog.''
Receiving a text notification, Tsuyu opened it before becoming statuesque at its contents. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but what surprised Izuku the most was her response, stating, 'I don't mind, ribbit...'
Adopting a broad smile, Izuku thought, ("It appears our little frog friend is more comfortable with texts than speaking aloud...")
Before Izuku could type a response, he received a second message from an unknown number. This was obviously from Ochaco, but the contents left Izuku a little speechless as it was a literal wall of text without spaces or punctuation...
Seeing the stupefied look on Izuku's face, Ochaco held her somewhat dated-looking phone up as if trying to hide behind it, stammering, "Sorry, Izuku-kun. The space key on my phone doesn't work too well, ehehehe..."
Contrasting the smartphones carried by Izuku and Tsuyu, Ochaco's was a pale ink flip phone. It strangely suited her, but Izuku's expression became serious as he declared, "We're getting you a new phone this weekend. If a brand-new one is too excessive, I'll upgrade mine to the latest model and give you this one. No buts."
"Eh...?"
Failing to process Izuku's words, Ochaco's expression blanked for several seconds. When the gears in her mind eventually started turning again, her face became bright red as she waved her hand violently, exclaiming, "You can't! I mean, I really appreciate the offer, but that's just too much, Izuku-kun!"
Shaking his head, Izuku firmly asserted, "You will accept it, Ochaco-san. If you refuse, I may have to resort to 'extreme' measures. Besides, I still owe you for returning my sword to me. Gifting you a &yen;100,000 phone is a pittance compared to the &yen;13,000,000 you returned to me."
Blinking in surprise, Tsuyu questioned, "You own a &yen;13,000,000 sword? That's surprisingly childish coming from you, Izuku-chan."
"..."
Unable to suppress the urge to defend himself, Izuku revealed, "Before enrolling in the Department of Heroes, I seriously considered joining the Support or Business Departments. I have a knack for managing finances and modifying the patents for support items. I can't tell you exactly how much I earn, but it's enough that I could retire right now and not have to worry about the future. That's the benefit of having a Quirk that enhances brain power."
While Ochaco had, once again, become statuesque, Tsuyu brought her finger up to her lips and remarked, "If that's the case, I think I'm starting to understand why you're so different from the other boys in class. You've already secured your future while the rest of us are just starting to figure things out, ribbit..."
Adopting a somewhat proud smile, Izuku explained, "Just as friendship is the foundation for all kinds of relationships, financial security is the trunk from which countless paths branch. And that's why...!"
Surprising Ochaco immensely, Izuku pointed directly at her face as he appended, "You 'must' accept the phone I give you! If you don't, I won't be able to restrain my curiosity. I'll uncover the reason you're unable to acquire one on your own and then do everything in my power to remedy it! That's my kind of Plus Ultra...!"
Though his words and actions were more than a little excessive, the truth of the matter was that Izuku felt obligated to ensure the safety and well-being of those related to the canon plot. He didn't consider himself a truly selfless person, but if he ignored the consequences of his obfuscation of fate, he would do more harm to this world than good. That was one of the reasons Izuku joined the Hero Course. If the students of Class 1-A died while he was fooling around in the Support or Business Departments, he would likely spend the rest of his life regretting it...
...
..
.
With Ochaco eventually agreeing to accept his old phone, the trio made their way to the station, hanging out for a bit before parting ways when the sky began to darken. During the train ride and subsequent walk home, Izuku's phone was practically blowing up with texts from Mina and Tsuyu. The latter was surprisingly talkative when she didn't have to speak aloud, so Izuku ultimately invited her, Ochaco, and Mina to a group chat before shifting his focus elsewhere.
Assuming the USJ incident would wrap up fairly quickly with All Might still in possession of One-for-All, Izuku flipped open the journal recording his progress and detailing his plans for the future. All Might appearing as one of the teachers of Class 1-A had derailed things quite a bit, but not to the extent he had to rework everything.
Though his chances were slim, especially with Todoroki in the running, Izuku was determined to secure first place in the UA Sports Festival. Not because he cared about being number one but because he was trying to earn the attention of a certain bunny girl.
By focusing his combat style around speed and kicking power, Izuku was hoping to catch the attention of Mirko, the Hero Billboard Chart's Eighth-Ranked Hero. There were three reasons for this. First and foremost, Mirko was incredibly hot. Secondly, she was one of the few Pros that didn't own or belong to a Hero Agency. In other words, by interning under her, Izuku believed he would have greater freedom than most other interns.
While the reasons above were both important, it was his belief that Mirko would make an excellent coach and training partner that compelled Izuku to apprentice/intern under her. He might have to suffer a bit, but having an attractive and exceptionally fierce teacher would motivate him to improve a hell of a lot faster than if he trained under someone like All Might. Not to mention that, much like Mirko, Izuku was determined to live a life without regrets...
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As the Vice-Class Representative of Class 1-A, Izuku was expected to show up much earlier than the other students. Fortunately, he wasn't the only one as Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami, and Sero were also present, the latter two on morning duty.
Spotting Izuku the moment he entered the classroom, Yaoyorozu rose to her feet, smiling as she said, "Good morning, Midoriya-kun. Were you able to sleep well last night? I, personally, experienced some difficulty. I kept replaying the incident that transpired during lunch in my mind, plagued by the notion I could have handled things better..."
By the time she was finished speaking, Yaoyorozu's smile had faded quite a bit, replaced by a pensive and slightly downcast expression. She had a very pronounced sense of responsibility, so she was currently questioning her status as the Class Representative since Izuku was the one who took charge, both during and after the incident...
Adopting a friendly and reassuring smile, Izuku calmly asserted, "You're too hard on yourself, Yaoyorozu-san. However, the notion that 'we' could have handled things better is correct. Fortunately, we have three years to learn. After all, the main purpose of the Hero Course is to teach us how to assess, handle, and resolve situations as efficiently as possible. Expecting perfection before you've even become a Pro is insensible."
Though she was momentarily taken aback by Izuku's response, a smile invariably found its way to Yaoyorozu's face as she replied, "You're right, of course. I guess I just got a little ahead of myself. Thanks for opening my eyes, Midoriya-kun. I greatly appreciate it."
Shaking his head, Izuku asserted, "While I appreciate your gratitude, it's unwarranted. After all, didn't we promise on the first day to look after and inform each other if there was something we could do to improve? I'm just keeping my end of the bargain. To that end, if you witness me making any mistakes, I expect you to do the same."
Recalling that they had, in fact, made such a promise, the faint smile on Yaoyorozu's face blossomed. Her words during their initial meeting were primarily intended as pleasantries, so it was strangely 'refreshing' to learn that Izuku regarded the exchange with such consideration. It was difficult to describe, but it made her feel uniquely 'floaty'...
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With the first half of the day passing surprisingly quickly, Izuku was on tenterhooks as he awaited Aizawa's arrival and the announcement they would be conducting Rescue Training at USJ. Fortunately, just as Sero was about to ask why he was so nervous, the door to the classroom slid open with a distinct 'vigor,' followed by a familiar voice exclaiming, "I AM HERE...!"
Seeing All Might appear in place of Aizawa, relief washed over Izuku like a warm shower. In the canon, Aizawa was the one to inform them of their Foundational Heroics Training. All Might had overexerted himself rescuing people on his way to school, so he was in the midst of recuperating when Class 1-A set out for USJ. Now, either as a result of Izuku's warning or the fact that All Might had yet to pass on One-for-All, the undisputed #1 Hero would be participating from the very beginning...
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Chapter 19: Chapter 19