Boku no Hero - A Different Deku Chapter 4 | The corrupted flame

A new school day has begun, with the first classes being quite ordinary. Today's schedule includes English, a subject most students aren't particularly excited about. During lunch, Uraraka notices Deku looking a bit distracted, so she approaches him and says:

—Deku, is something bothering you?

Deku snaps back to reality, looks around, and says:

—Where are we?

Both Uraraka and Tenya are left speechless by his response. Deku realizes he's been lost in thought all morning and says:

—Sorry, guys, I guess I was a bit distracted.

Tenya cuts through the air unconsciously, saying:

—No, no, that's more than just being distracted.

Uraraka supports Tenya, saying:

—Yeah, tell us what's on your mind, maybe we can help.

Deku shakes his head and then says:

—There's nothing to worry about, I was just thinking about how I should use my quirk. Today, we'll have All Might as our teacher. I've admired him for a long time, so I want to do things right.

Deku laughs a bit nervously. At this, Uraraka says:

—That's true, it's amazing that we're going to meet someone so incredible and that he's one of our teachers.

Tenya agrees, saying:

—Yes, we all need to give our best in his class.

Uraraka and Tenya start talking about All Might while Deku watches them and thinks:

"Thank goodness they believed me. I can't tell them I barely slept because of those strange shadows in my dreams. I've gotten used to their presence, but I'm sure I saw a weird greenish-black thread coming out of my arm last night. But since I was half-asleep, I think it was just a dream. If only there was a way to talk to them."

Deku snaps out of his thoughts when he hears Uraraka saying:

—Your quirk is very similar to All Might's. You must have been really happy when you got it.

Deku smiles, saying:

—Yes, that's right. Since I got it, I've tried to replicate All Might's techniques. Although for now, the best I can do is the TEXAS SMASH.

Uraraka puts a finger on her chin, saying:

—Yes, I remember. It was the attack you used to save me.

Uraraka recalls that moment, saying softly:

—You were amazing that day.

Deku looks at her, but before he can say anything, Tenya says:

—That explains why we compare your quirk to All Might's. Personally, I think your quirk has a lot of potential, but you should focus on finding your own style. I say this because you might be limiting your potential. My brother always tells me to learn my strengths and weaknesses and then figure out how to use my quirk more efficiently from there.

Deku claps his hands together, saying:

—Your brother is a genius. Of course, up till now, all my moves are based on All Might, but I'm not him. I need to find the best way to use my quirk. So far, my only original technique is the ULTRA SMASH, and it only came about because I decided to think differently thanks to Professor Aizawa. That's it, I need to train with more people.

Deku walks away, leaving Uraraka and Tenya very confused. Uraraka looks at Tenya, but before she can say anything, she gets startled seeing him staring at the ground, muttering:

—He's right, we need to expand our horizons or we won't progress. It's decided!

Tenya stands up quickly, saying:

—I have to go!

Uraraka is left speechless, saying:

—But... what's gotten into these two?

Meanwhile, Deku heads towards a girl with long eyes, fair skin, and dark black hair tied in a large, pointy ponytail. At first glance, she was a very attractive girl, but the boy seems to forget this as the only thing on his mind is that her quirk could be very helpful. He doesn't know how to ask her, but he has to take the risk. The boy walks towards her, feeling like a hero about to face the greatest threat of his life. Izuku takes a deep breath and tells himself:

—I must do it, I have to do it...

Izuku approaches her, saying:

—Excuse me, Momo Yaoyorozu, my name is Izuku Midoriya, but you can call me Deku. We're in the same class, but we haven't talked until now. Still, there's something I'd like to ask you, but if you don't mind, I'd prefer to talk in private.

The girls around start murmuring upon hearing this. Momo looks at the boy, thinking:

"He looks nervous, but he still mustered the courage to talk to me. He's quite ordinary, at least in appearance, but he had the guts to speak to me even in front of them. So the least I can do is respond to that courage."

Momo stands up, saying:

—Okay, Izuku Midoriya, I'll talk with you. Come, follow me.

Momo leads Deku to the yard, with the girls watching from a distance. Uraraka appears, seeing the girls intensely focused on one point, so she approaches them, saying:

—What are you doing?

The girls, startled by this, start waving their hands. Uraraka is confused until she sees Deku in the distance. She raises her hand, ready to call out to Deku when one of her classmates covers her mouth, saying:

—Wait, wait, you must stay quiet. That boy is about to confess to Momo Yaoyorozu. We want to see how it ends, so don't ruin it.

Mina slowly releases Uraraka, who is left speechless by this and only says:

—That's impossible.

Mina looks at Deku and says:

—You're right, Midoriya is quite ordinary. I don't think he stands a chance with her.

One of the girls, who had a quirk that made her completely invisible, says:

—I don't know, it's kind of sweet. Besides, he has an incredible quirk. He'll definitely be a great hero. So I think he'd be a good match.

Deku looks in the direction where the girls were, who hide at that moment. Deku sighs and says:

—It seems we have company. I don't want to take much of your time, so I'll be direct, Momo Yaoyorozu, I want to be a hero who can create a world where everyone can smile happily. But to be a strong hero who can protect everyone, I need you.

Momo blushes upon hearing this, saying:

—Hey, that's flattering, but we barely...

Deku bows, saying:

—Please, I know I can't offer you anything in return, but...

Momo sees the boy's determination, which makes her want to accept. But before she can, he says:

—I want you to help me train my quirk. If I can give you something in return, I will. I'm not looking to take advantage of your kindness or anything like that. So if there's something I can do for you, I'll do it.

Momo laughs lightly, saying:

—Is that what you wanted? For me to help you?

She continues laughing, saying:

—For a moment, I thought you were confessing and asking me to be your girlfriend.

Hearing this, Deku blushes slightly, saying:

—No, that's not it. I wouldn't do that. I mean, you're a really beautiful woman, but asking you that without even knowing you isn't something I'd do.

Momo looks pleased with his words and smiles, saying:

—Alright, I accept. But I have a few conditions.

Deku firmly says:

—If it's something I can give you, then I will.

Momo smiles and says:

—Well, I also want to learn to use my quirk in different ways. So I'll benefit too. We can use the training field at my house. After all, you can't use your quirk outside U.A., so this would be the best option.

These words remind Deku that he has been using his quirk on the beach since he got it, but she was right. Its use was prohibited for those without a license. Deku smiles and says:

—Alright, I accept your conditions. It'll be a pleasure to learn with you, Momo Yaoyorozu.

Momo makes a slight bow, saying:

—The pleasure is mine. But from now on, call me Momo, and I'll call you Deku in return. I think that's fair.

The girls in the class are shocked, especially Uraraka, who has fainted on the ground. Mina looks at Uraraka, saying:

—It's amazing she accepted him as her boyfriend, right, Urara...?

Mina falls silent upon seeing Uraraka on the ground. The other girls notice Mina's gesture and, looking in the same direction, see Uraraka lying on the ground, mumbling various random words. The girls panic and carry Uraraka away while Deku and Momo return to the cafeteria, talking about their quirks and training ideas from Deku.

The basic hero training classes begin. The girls are seen murmuring while watching Deku, who feels uncomfortable being observed. The boy imagines it's due to what happened with Momo.

"Even if that was a declaration, why on earth are they looking at me like that?" he wonders while looking at Momo. At that moment, he realizes how beautiful his classmate is and sighs, thinking:

"Of course, thinking a girl like that would accept someone like me is stupid. I suppose that's why they look at me like that. Well, I'm sure she'll clear everything up."

Momo notices Deku looking at her, so she smiles slightly and waves at him, to which he responds with a slight smile. His classmates are confused by this, but their interest fades when they hear a voice saying:

—I'm here!

The door opens, and All Might enters, continuing to say:

—Entering through the door like a normal person!

Everyone gets excited upon seeing All Might, including Deku, who recognizes All Might's costume as the one he wore during his Silver Age. All Might walks to the desk, striking a heroic pose, and says:

—Welcome to basic hero training. I'll make sure you learn the basics, molding you into heroes. So no slacking off. Today, we will...

All Might shows a card with another of his typical poses, then says:

— Combat Training! And for that...

All Might flexes his muscles and points to the wall, saying:

—You’ll need this!

Four metal bars emerge from the wall, each containing metal boxes with numbers on them.

All Might smiles and says:

—Alright, get changed and head straight to Ground Beta.

Deku

worries that he doesn't have an appropriate suit, since he had only

recently submitted his official data. All Might notices this and just

smiles at the young man, who looks back, puzzled.

While changing,

the girls question Momo about what happened with Deku. She clarifies

that he only asked her for help with training, and she agreed. However,

she admits she almost accepted when she thought he was confessing his

feelings. The girls inquire further, and Momo explains that her

conviction won over, and she couldn't say no. This seems to both annoy

and relieve Uraraka, who is finishing dressing.

The scene shifts,

and everyone heads to the training ground, wearing their custom-made

hero suits. Deku dons his outfit and feels a bit strange, as he isn’t

used to wearing something so tight. He sees a note next to his suit,

written by All Might, saying:

"I took the liberty of modifying

your suit a bit without straying from your original design. You have an

incredible physique; it’s time to show it off. Plus, your muscles will

inspire confidence in others when they see how strong you are."

—If

I have this suit so quickly, it’s thanks to him. And he personalized it

based on his experience with One for All, so I have to wear it with

pride —Deku comments.

He puts away All Might’s note and heads to the training field. Meanwhile, everyone is gathered, and All Might says:

—Well, they say the clothes make the man. I hope you’re ready because from now on, you are heroes!

He observes the group of heroes and adds:

—You all look fantastic, young ones. We should start right away, or so I’d like to say. But aren’t we missing someone?

Uraraka is about to respond when they hear Midoriya’s voice, who says:

—Sorry, it took me a bit to figure it out.

Midoriya

steps through the door, and the sunlight reveals his suit: a green

jumpsuit with dark lines outlining his muscles. He wears white gloves

extending from his hands to his elbows, a hood with a metal respirator

seemingly covering his face, red sneakers covered by metal plating, and

black knee pads. His suit is clearly designed for close combat.

Uraraka approaches, saying:

—Oh, Deku, you look amazing! It's a big contrast from your usual self. I didn’t realize your muscles were so...

She can’t finish her sentence as she blushes and looks away:

—How do you think I look?

Deku smiles and responds:

—You look incredible. That suit highlights your beauty, Uraraka.

This embarrasses Uraraka even more, while Tenya approaches Deku:

—You look great, Midoriya. That suit fits you perfectly.

Deku replies:

—Wow, your suit is amazing. I think I know who you based it on.

Tenya laughs and says:

—Is it that obvious?

—Anyway, you look like a modern knight. I think you’ll be a very popular hero, just like your brother.

—Thank you, Izuku. By the way, your suit looks somewhat familiar.

All Might notices that Midoriya's suit is detailed similarly to his own, especially around the muscles. He interrupts, saying:

—Alright,

young heroes, let’s get started! For this class, we’ll divide into two

teams: heroes and villains. You’ll fight two-on-two indoors. Why? It’s

simple. Although most battles you’ve seen were outdoors, in this society

of heroes, villains often hide in the shadows, leading to indoor

fights.

After the explanation, everyone asks questions, which confuses All Might. He raises his hand, saying:

—One

at a time, please. I’ll answer what I deem important. First, I believe

basics are learned in practice, so no training needed. Second, I won’t

expel anyone. Third...

Deku raises his hand, and All Might forgets what he was going to say. He points to the young man and asks:

—What do you want to ask, Izuku Midoriya?

The boy looks at All Might:

—You

said we’d divide into two, but the problem is we’re not an even number.

Professor Aizawa expelled one of our classmates, so one of us will be

left without a partner.

All Might gives a thumbs up:

—Good observation.

He then looks at the kids and continues:

—Alright, I have an idea. Does anyone volunteer to be without a partner?

Everyone looks at each other. Deku is about to volunteer when Momo steps forward, saying:

—I will. After all, my quirk isn’t exactly suited for combat.

All Might looks at her:

—Very

well, but there’s something I think you misunderstood. You will still

take the test. Since you volunteered, you’ll have this privilege. When

it’s your turn, you can choose your partner, but only if both parties

agree to work together. There will be no extra points, so you’ll rely on

the kindness of your classmates.

Momo looks at Deku, who smiles slightly. Then, she looks at All Might and says:

—Thank you.

All Might laughs and says:

—Nothing to thank. When your turn comes, you’ll choose your partner. But for now, I’ll explain the rules.

All Might takes out a small notebook where he had written down the test rules, making Deku laugh slightly. He begins to read:

—Alright,

the rules are simple. The villains have hidden a nuclear warhead in

their hideout. The heroes' task is to retrieve it. You have two options:

capture the villains or retrieve the nuclear warhead within the set

time limit. As for the villains, they must keep the nuclear warhead

until time runs out or capture the heroes; it’s up to their discretion.

Finishing the reading, All Might comments:

—Such simple rules, I don’t know why I wrote them down. Anyway.

All Might takes out a box, saying:

—As for the teams, we’ll draw them!

Deku raises his hand and says:

—Is

this in order to get used to working with different heroes? I say that

because in an emergency, professionals usually coordinate with heroes

from other agencies, so this would be the closest thing.

Tenya hits his hand with his fist saying:

—Of course, now it makes sense.

All Might smiles and says:

—Exactly! Now let’s get started on this, heroes!

The teams are formed as follows:

Team A: Izuku & Ochaco

Team B: Mezo & Shoto

Team C: Momo & (Not yet defined)

Team D: Katsuki & Tenya

Team E: Mina & Yuga

Team F: Koji & Rikido

Team G: Denki & Kyoka

Team H: Fumikage & Tsuyu

Team I: Mashirao & Toru

Team J: Eijiro & Hanta

After defining the teams, All Might puts his hands on two boxes, one of which was to his right and the other to his left.

He takes out two balls, one black with the letter A on it and one white with

the letter D on it. At this, Bakugo smiles, finally able to face Deku. However,

Deku didn't even look at him, not out of arrogance, but because he hadn't

noticed Bakugo's gaze. He seemed to be deeply focused on something specific.

All Might asks the rest to go to the monitors where they could watch the test,

while the group that would be facing each other got ready. Deku and Ochaco are

taken to the building by All Might, who opens the door saying:

—Don’t hold back, kids. Get into the role of the villain. Remember, this is

for your classmates to learn how to defend themselves against a villain, so the

more intense, the better. But you can’t cause serious injury, that goes for

both sides.

All Might leaves and as he arrives at the monitor room, he says to himself:

—Did I tell the kids to avoid damaging the structure? Well, it doesn't

matter, one or two destroyed walls won’t be a problem.

Back with Deku, he is looking at his hands while thinking: "So, the

chip of a villain. I can’t let All Might down. This is my chance to show him

that I can meet his expectations." Deku gets into the role of the villain,

imitating the villains he had seen in movies, and decides to use the typical

complaints of those who criticized heroes for his character. Stretching his

arms out, he says:

—This “framework of good and evil” is not healthy. It has reduced everything

to two simple variants: good and bad, heroes and villains. Something like that

is stupid. Society will never be black or white, there will always be shades of

color that heroes ignore, and that makes people forget what it means to be

human. People have become too accustomed to the idea that heroes will always be

there to protect them. It has made them insensitive to the pain of others. They

are nothing more than spoiled children completely manipulated by this society

that doesn’t even know what a hero is. When the image of a hero has been so

distorted that it has completely lost its original form, they no longer know

what a hero is and call anyone who just wants to be faster, stronger, more

ostentatious a hero, fighting for the pedestal of fame called Hero. This world

seems to have forgotten that heroes are still humans blessed with gifts, and

that makes them even more imperfect and arrogant. It’s time for this society to

wake up and see the reality of what they call heroes. This world doesn’t need

more heroes, this world needs a villain to teach them to be human again.

Deku puts on his mask, which gave him a slightly darker appearance. Thanks

to this mask, his voice seemed to be a bit deeper. Looking at Uraraka, he says:

 —Let’s finish the heroes and wake up this sick society.

Uraraka is surprised by Deku’s quick adaptation and says:

—Yes, boss! I’ll be with you till death!

Deku caresses the face of Uraraka, saying:

—I’m counting on you, my little villain.

All Might laughs a little nervous, saying to himself:

—I know I told him to act like a villain, but this is going too far.

Deku

begins his attack and counterattack plan against the heroes, explaining

each stage to his partner so they could work together. Meanwhile, Tenya

was arguing with Bakugo, as Bakugo didn't want to work with him and his

only plan was to go in and attack Deku, which Tenya thought was an

absurd and flawed plan. But Bakugo didn't care, he just wanted to crush

Deku.

The test begins. Uraraka activates her quirk on Deku, who

activates his quirk and breaks through the floor to reach the third

floor. Using one hundred percent of his power, Deku runs at high speed,

hitting the building's pillars. Bakugo and Tenya see the building

shaking, which confuses them. Nonetheless, Bakugo keeps walking and

decides to enter through the main door. After all, his rival was Deku,

and he wasn't a threat to him. Upon entering, he sees that the door

leading to the second floor is full of debris. Bakugo claps his hands

and says:

—Coward, you just want to buy time. Do you think this will stop me?!

Bakugo

uses an explosion to clear the debris, allowing the heroes to access

the second floor. However, upon arrival, they find themselves in

complete darkness. Suddenly, a faint green light flickers in the

darkness, and Tenya gets hit hard, throwing him against the wall.

Hearing Tenya's fall, Bakugo uses his explosions to light up the area,

catching a glimpse of Deku for a brief moment. He tries to counterattack

with an explosion, but Deku dodges it and delivers a strong blow to his

chest, leaving Bakugo breathless.

Fury overtakes Bakugo, who

starts using multiple explosions to try to bring some light. He manages

to destroy one of the walls, allowing sunlight to enter. Bakugo realizes

that Deku has sealed all the exits with debris and taunts him, saying:

—IDIOT, YOU'VE CAGED YOURSELF WITH US! NOW YOU'RE FINISHED!

In response to this comment, Deku applauds Bakugo and remarks:

—"Well done, Bakugo. You were always good at talking nonsense."

Bakugo looks at him confused and replies:

—Hey... What's wrong with you, piece of crap?

Tenya, astonished by Deku's performance as a villain, assumes his heroic role and declares:

—"Listen

to me, villain. Surrender the bomb and give up. You can't get out with

that bomb, and you can't defeat us because we have justice on our side."

Deku laughs and says:

—Justice?

You heroes think justice is dominating others. But you're just kids who

don't care about morals if you can get the title of heroes over those

you consider villains. Your limited vision doesn't allow you to see the

truth. You heroes are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites who look down on

those without quirks and don't care what they have to do to get the

title of hero. You're privileged people who crave fame to feed your ego.

Angry, Bakugo charges at Deku, exclaiming:

—SAY WHAT YOU WANT, PIECE OF CRAP! BUT YOU'RE CAGED WITH US! DIE!

Deku

dodges the blow, grabs Bakugo's arm, and quickly throws him to the

ground, cracking it. Deku steps on Bakugo's chest, saying:

—NO! Heroes, you are caged with me.

Deku was about to deliver a final blow to Bakugo when Tenya tackled him, crashing him into a wall. Tenya smiled, but his expression changed when he saw that Deku stopped himself with his legs before hitting the wall. Retracting the force of his muscles, Deku released a small shockwave that pushed Tenya back. Tenya looked at Deku and commented:

—Your speed and strength are impressive. But it's not just that. Have you always been this agile?

Tenya stood firm and asked:

—Why are you doing this, Deku? Your dream was to be a hero. Why are you now seeking to destroy us?

Hearing this, everyone in the exam room chuckled slightly. Both Tenya and Deku had crafted complete origin stories. Deku closed his eyes, sighed, and said:

—Why? This... concept of good and evil is stupid. It only makes people forget what it means to be human. They're so blinded by the idea of heroes that they've lost empathy for others. They see their own suffering and just say, "Don't worry, a hero will come to save you." They forgot that they, too, can do something, and it's all because of you. They've become so dependent on heroes that they think those without quirks can't do anything, and those with quirks treat the quirkless like scum. That's why this society disgusts me. If they can't see the truth, I'll force their eyes open. Sometimes, the world doesn't need a hero. Sometimes, what the world needs is a villain, and if necessary, I'll be the villain who saves them.

All Might placed his hand on his chin and commented:

—He answered, but at the same time, he dodged his question. I guess he ran out of lines.

Bakugo stood up slowly and said:

—They treat those without quirks like scum... Are you speaking from experience, Deku?

Everyone was surprised by this comment. It seemed Bakugo had also entered the game. He lunged at Deku, exclaiming:

—NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, YOU'LL NEVER STOP BEING USELESS.

Deku went on the defensive, but managed to dodge each of Bakugo's attacks, which hit the building walls, causing slight tremors. Bakugo, getting angrier, made his explosions more violent and shouted:

—YOU'RE NOTHING BUT USELESS! NO MATTER HOW STRONG YOUR QUIRK IS, YOU'RE STILL SCUM! YOU'RE STILL DEKU!

He tried to use an explosion to perform a full turn and get behind Deku, but Deku noticed and, just as Bakugo created the explosion, Deku grabbed his leg and redirected the trajectory, slamming him into the wall. Bakugo spat out some blood from the impact, and seeing this, Tenya ran to attack Deku from behind and help Bakugo. Deku realized this and planned to move at the last second, but saw how an explosion in Bakugo's hand would hit Tenya's face directly. Enraged, Bakugo shouted:

—GET OUT OF HERE, IDIOT! THIS IS BETWEEN DEKU AND ME!

Bakugo was about to launch his attack when Deku focused the One For All in his legs and, striking the ground hard, managed to break part of it, destabilizing Tenya, who stopped after tripping. Tenya looked up only to see Bakugo being thrown toward him from a cloud of dust caused by Deku's attack. Deku could be seen breathing a bit heavily, as Bakugo hadn't given him enough time to regulate the One For All's power. He barely managed to limit himself to not destroy everything and not hurt Bakugo. In the cloud of dust, Deku's silhouette approached them, saying:

—You used the name Deku to insult me all my life. You condemned me to a life of misery just because I wanted to be a hero, just because you thought I had no quirk. I was born to be a hero, but you and this society turned me into this villain. But I don't hold a grudge against you, Bakugo. In fact, I should thank you because now I will be the one to save those who heroes have abandoned.

Tenya stood up, but before he could say anything, Bakugo launched himself at Deku, creating an explosion with all the power he could muster. He laughed like crazy while saying:

—DIE!

Deku concentrated the One For All in his fingers, and just before the attack hit him, he released his power, creating a huge pressure in the air that sent Bakugo's attack back at him. Bakugo withstood this attack, but suddenly felt a deep pain in his stomach. He saw Deku, who had only a few cuts on his face. Deku focused his strength throughout his body while saying:

—Is it a crime to be born without a quirk? Tell me, Bakugo, what does it feel like for someone stronger than you to beat you? Tell me, hero, what does it feel like to be weak?

Bakugo screamed in frustration and grabbed Deku's arm with the intention of exploding with him. But at that moment, Deku channeled all his body's power into his arm, creating a shockwave with his fist as the escape point. Bakugo felt like a cannonball had gone through his body. He let go of Deku's arm and was thrown back by the strong pressure of the attack. Tenya caught him, preventing him from crashing into the ground. Tenya placed Bakugo against a wall, seeing that Deku had knocked him unconscious. He stood up, saying:

—Now it all depends on me.

He looked around, seeing that everything was closed off and the space was too small to try to escape and go for the bomb. He had to get past Deku no matter what. Tenya lunged at Deku, who was preparing to attack, but Tenya dodged at the last second and began using the walls to change his trajectory. But Deku, seeing this, used the same technique as before and struck the ground, creating a large shockwave. Tenya smiled and jumped before the shockwave could touch him. Concentrating all the strength of his engine, he prepared to attack Deku when he saw a large piece of rubble about to fall on Bakugo. Tenya couldn't do anything since he had concentrated all his speed in his leg and couldn't stop. But he was surprised to see that the rock was destroyed by a burst of air that left a circular hole in the wall. Tenya hit Deku, who was thrown back, spitting some blood. Deku focused the One For All in his legs, managing to stop just before being thrown out of the building. Feeling the weight of using the One For All, Deku decided to give it his all before his body reached its limit. Deku concentrated thirty percent of the One For All's power, launching himself at high speed towards Tenya, who protected himself from Deku's blow, managing to stop Deku's punches while using his engines to keep Deku from pushing him back. Deku felt a great pain in his right arm, so he focused his strength in his legs and, using all his power, changed Tenya's trajectory, using both Tenya's and his own strength to force him to let go, throwing him far away. Tenya managed to stop and stand up, saying:

—It's a shame you're a villain. You'd be an impressive hero.

Deku smiled and, stretching out his hands, said:

—I already told you, the world doesn't need heroes. The age of chaos has just begun, and it will come by my hand. Don't forget, Tenya, I am Deku, I am the corrupted flame that will destroy this world.

Deku opened his hand, his quirk surrounding it with slight green sparks that showed his power. As he slowly closed his hand, Deku said:

—HEROES, RUN, FLEE, AND FEAR! WHY? BECAUSE I AM HERE!

Uraraka heard this and positioned herself for the second stage of the plan, while Tenya ran towards Deku, saying:

—I WON'T ALLOW IT, VILLAIN.

Seeing this, Deku just smiled and jumped over Tenya as if his body weighed nothing. At that moment, Tenya realized what Deku had done. He had been using Uraraka's ability from the start, which is why his agility was so superior. Deku smiled and focused his strength in his fist, launching a Smash that destroyed the upper floor. At the same time, Uraraka touched the piece of rubble Deku had destroyed. It separated from the broken part while making the object float. Deku used his strength to turn the object around and extended his hand to Uraraka, who jumped towards him, and he caught her in his arms, saying:

—It's your turn, my little villain.

Uraraka clasped her hands, releasing the object at the same time Deku used one hundred percent to throw the large rubble against the lower floor, which completely collapsed. Deku began jumping over the debris, climbing between the floors while carrying Uraraka. Tenya, seeing this, decided to take Bakugo and escape. Deku reached the top, where the bomb was;

Time is running out, and Deku and Uraraka were declared the winners.

Everyone present thought in unison: "He's a ruthless villain."

Deku bumped fists with Uraraka, returning to his natural expression, which contrasted completely with his villainous demeanor. Seeing this, All Might smiled and said:

—He took control from the start. He took advantage of Bakugo's bad temper to weaken the building's structure. Before they entered, he had already struck several blows at the building's weakest points so that when it collapsed, it fell in a controlled manner, keeping the room with the bomb intact. He even made sure to have an escape route from the beginning. All that dialogue was just to distract Tenya, who would play along without realizing it. So, if the main plan failed, Izuku would use his strength to bring down the building while Uraraka stayed safe in the bomb area. He knew Bakugo would be the only real threat to Uraraka, so he took him out first. With his dialogues, he wasted so much time that even if Tenya managed to defeat him, he wouldn't reach Uraraka in time. It was an attack from all flanks. It's so impressive that it's scary. As a villain, he would be a terrifying enemy, but your hero's heart could never be overshadowed. Even though you played the villain and stayed in control throughout the battle, you prevented Bakugo from hurting Tenya with his explosion and took Tenya's blow to save Bakugo. You even wrecked your arm trying to contain the power of One For All in one point. Even with all that against you, you managed to save Bakugo and fight Tenya without losing sight of your goals. But what am I seeing? This is incredible.

All Might returned to the testing grounds, looking at Deku, Uraraka, and Tenya, and said:

—That was an incredible show. Although next time...

All Might looked at the building, which was practically demolished. He smiled and continued:

—Next time, don't destroy the building. You're lucky this is a training field. Otherwise, you all did very well. Midoriya, you played an incredible villain, guided your partner, and both of you combined your quirks to overwhelm your enemy. That's how you defeated him. Well done, Uraraka; you kept your quirk active even though it had consequences for you, and thanks to that, you gave your partner the chance to fight. You both made a coordinated move despite it being your first time fighting together. That speaks very well of both of you. As for you, Iida, you played your hero role very well. You protected your partner and fought alongside him despite the challenges. You used your quirk to the best of your ability, even with the conditions against you, and because of that, you managed to pressure Midoriya. Without a doubt, if they had fought more coordinated, Izuku and Uraraka would have had problems.

Tenya looked happy, with several tears streaming down his face. At this, All Might laughed and said:

—Well, I must make a rule about not destroying buildings. I don't want Principal Nezu to get mad about this. For now, follow me; let's analyze your combat and then continue. Although I think Midoriya should go to the infirmary.

Deku quickly said:

—I'm not going to the infirmary...

Deku fell silent after hearing someone say the same thing from behind him. He turned around, seeing Bakugo smashing the stretcher he was being carried on. He walked towards Deku without saying anything and then looked at All Might, saying:

—I want to watch the other battles, so tell those robots to get lost.

All Might, looking towards Bakugo and seeing several destroyed robots, smiled and said:

—Fine, you can stay, but go to the infirmary as soon as the tests are over. The same goes for you, Midoriya.

Both Deku and Bakugo nodded. They returned to the monitor room where the others were. All Might stood in front of his students, saying:

—Alright, since everyone participated in the building's destruction, no one will get the MVP prize. But still, you passed the test, and the villains will keep their victory since, partly, it's my fault for not informing you about this.

Tsuyu raised her hand, saying:

—But Midoriya and Ochaco's performance was impressive. They even won.

All Might raised his hand, saying:

—You all were impressive, and without a doubt, Midoriya and Uraraka's participation as villains was excellent. Still, none of them played their roles correctly. Does anyone know why?

Momo raised her hand, saying:

— I think I know why you said that, but I also have an objection. If you'll allow me, I'll explain why you said it and why I think you're being unfair.

All Might pointed at Momo, saying:

— Sounds perfect. Go ahead.

Momo stepped forward and said:

— Both Iida, Uraraka, and Deku adapted to their roles. The only exception would be Bakugo, who let himself be guided by clear resentment and completely forgot his role as a hero. In Uraraka's case, she decided to play a secondary role but executed it perfectly and was fundamental during the fight. As for Iida, he played his hero role well but didn't manage his partner well, yet he still forced himself to work with him, which led to their defeat. He should have forgotten the idea of working together and attacked independently. As for Deku, he took on the villain role and executed it sensationally. He guided Uraraka in the battle and used his quirk in conjunction with her, even taking advantage of their disadvantages and the bad temper of one of the heroes to his favor. Now, the reason you think they don't deserve to win the "best player" award is because, in a real scenario, the destruction of a building would cause other heroes to come, leading to the villain's defeat. As for the heroes, their destruction can endanger civilians, making them no different from villains. Now, my complaints: Deku and Uraraka's team took into account the scenario with two heroes and two villains, so they created their plan based on that and managed to surpass the heroes. As villains, they fulfilled their role. Everyone performed their roles well; you should have established the no-building-destruction rule from the beginning, so I believe it shouldn't be considered in making that decision.

All Might laughed and said:

— Yes, you analyze everything. Very well, you're right, and that reminds me of something. From now on, it's a rule not to demolish the building. Some interior walls can be destroyed, but none of the facade or main structure. As for the best player award, I think it would be ideal for Uraraka, Iida, Midoriya, and Bakugo to choose who was the best.

Deku raised his hand and said:

— I think it should go to Uraraka and Iida. Thanks to Uraraka, I was able to fight at full strength, and she was key to the final move. As for Iida, he perfectly played his hero role, and I don't think that should be overlooked.

Uraraka smiled and said:

— Actually, that title belongs to you. I was only able to do something because you planned everything from the beginning. You created the plan and even took the damage to keep me safe. You were an amazing leader, and that's the only reason I could follow you without hesitation.

Tenya stepped forward, saying:

— I think the same. I could only step into the hero role because you started with your villain role. Also, in my last attempt to defeat you, you took my hit to save Bakugo. If it had been a real villain, I would have been responsible for my partner's death. So I firmly believe that the best player title is yours.

Bakugo, for his part, just said:

— I don't care. I just want us to continue with this. If you want the stupid Deku to be the best player, then I don't care. Just end this already.

All Might looked at the kids and said:

— Well, that was an incredible speech. It's a shame it's just symbolic, but well, okay. Izuku Midoriya, you have the best player role. Don't forget that your teammates chose you and that they were inspired by you. Value that a lot and never forget it.

Deku's eyes looked somewhat shiny; it seemed he was moved by his teammates' and his mentor's words. Deku just smiled and said:

— I'll never forget it, I promise.

All Might nodded and said:

— Very well, heroes, let's move on.

The trials continued, and everyone was determined to surpass the first team's performance. It's now the turn of the second group, Team B against Team I, where Team B easily wins thanks to an incredible performance by Shoto, who freezes the entire building and stops the villains' movements, achieving a perfect victory.

After winning this, he places his hand on one of the walls, releasing a bit of heat that melts all the ice created. This greatly surprises Deku, as it showed that the boy controlled more than one quirk or, at the very least, had an extremely high level of control over his quirk. The other tests continue without anything notable. Now it was time for the final test, with only two teams left: Team C against Team G.

All Might looks at Momo and says:

—Well, Momo Yaoyorozu, since you don't have a partner, you can choose who to participate with. You've seen their abilities, so choose wisely.

Momo, without hesitation, says:

—In that case, I choose Izuku Midoriya.

All Might is surprised and says:

—Are you sure? I mean, Midoriya seems exhausted; you'd have a better chance with someone else.

Momo, seriously, says:

—I'm sure of my choice. There's something I want to verify, so if you don't mind, I'd like to participate with him.

All Might looks at Izuku and says:

—Well, I should say no...

Deku walks over to Momo and says:

—If you're okay with me, I'll do it. I promise I'll give it my all.

All Might sighs and then says:

—Fine, if that's what you want, then it's okay.

The teams prepare for the test. Momo hands Deku a bandage and says:

—You're injured, why did you accept?

Deku takes the bandage and wraps it around his arm, saying:

—Because you chose me. I wasn't going to disappoint you. But if you knew this, why did you choose me?

Momo looks into Deku's eyes and says:

—Because I see something different in you. You have something different from the others, and I want to see if you're the type of person I think you are.

Deku adjusts the bandage and says:

—I understand, well, not really, but okay. So, what's the plan?

Momo is surprised and says:

—I thought you wanted to take the lead. After all, your villain role was impeccable.

Deku laughs and says:

—I don't know if that's good or bad, but you're the boss. I'll trust you completely. Just tell me the plan, and I'll make it happen.

Momo smiles and pats Deku's head, saying:

—I'm counting on you, my little villain.

Deku blushes slightly, letting out a nervous laugh, and says:

—What's that about?

Momo blushes and says:

—It's what you did with Uraraka. Don't blame me; I just imitated you.

Deku widens his eyes even more and says:

—Did I do that?

Deku remembers his villain role and laughs while thinking:

"I did. Damn, I got too into my villain role. Sorry, Uraraka."

Deku sighs and forgets about it to focus on the test. He puts on the mask and activating his quirk, says:

—I understand, my dear leader. You can count on me. I would give my life for you if necessary.

Momo smiles and says:

—That's the spirit. Alright, let's begin.

The test begins.

Kyoka tries to find their location with her earphones, but Deku uses his strength to create a shockwave on the ground that prevents her from sensing the building's vibrations, rendering her quirk useless for a few seconds. Deku and Momo are seen running through separate areas, passing by Denki and Kyoka, who split up to go after them. After a few seconds of walking, Denki realizes he's lost. He looks at the walls and says:

—I'm pretty sure I came this way. It's like this wall appeared out of nowhere.

Denki laughs and says:

—Nah, it's not like this is a horror movie.

After saying this, Denki hears something breaking behind him. A wall collapses, and Deku, wrapped in bandages like a mummy, emerges. This scares Denki, who starts shooting electricity while yelling at Deku to stay away, but his attacks are repelled by the bandages. Deku prepares to attack, but seeing the mummy glowing, Denki attacks with all his might, managing to destroy part of Deku's bandages. Still, Deku withstands it by covering himself with his arms. Deku prepares to attack when he sees Denki staring at a wall while laughing. Deku looks at him for a few seconds, but he doesn't react.

—So that's the weakness of his quirk.

Deku says while searching for something in his clothes. He finds a small weapon that Momo had created to use the bands All Might had given them as ammunition. Deku uses the weapon, shooting the bands that tie Denki up.

Kyoka, hearing the commotion, tries to use her earphones to find out what was happening, managing to see Deku and Denki together. She tries to see what happened to Denki but notices another figure holding something similar to a megaphone on the other side of the wall. She had ignored this figure, being worried about her teammate. Kyoka tries to remove her earphones, but at that moment, Momo yells into the megaphone, leaving her stunned. At that moment, Momo comes out and uses her weapon to tie her up with the bands, declaring themselves the winners. Deku drags Denki with the ropes as if he were a puppy and then hands him over to Kyoka, who says:

—What happened to him?

Denki starts moving his fingers side to side as if dancing. Deku, a bit confused, says:

—This isn't my fault. He shot a strong beam at me and then ended up like this. It's like that beam caused a short circuit in his brain. He probably just needs to rest.

Momo walks over to Izuku and says:

—We did really well. I think we'll make a great team.

Deku smiles and says:

—It was thanks to your plan. You're really incredible, Momo.

Momo looks at Deku and says:

—I verified what I wanted, so if you want, we can start the training you wanted to do today. But first, you should go to the infirmary.

A man's voice is heard saying:

—I agree with that.

Deku turns around, seeing All Might, who says:

—You should go to the infirmary. You can't continue with your arm in that state. Go now while we finish analyzing the match.

Deku leaves while All Might finishes analyzing the last match, declaring Momo the best player thanks to her epic strategy. She had created false walls that blocked some of the entrances and forced the heroes to separate and go down the paths she wanted them to take. Thanks to this, both Deku and Momo were able to use a surprise attack to win easily and without any harm.

All Might was getting tired, so he decided to finish the class as soon as possible, and after congratulating them on their phenomenal work, he runs to a metal door that opens. All Might presses the door button, and it closes. All Might returns to his slim form while saying to himself:

— I should talk to Bakugo, but even after a class, I've reached my limit. That kid is pure ego, and guys with that kind of ego tend to lose it very easily. After his fight with Midoriya and the overwhelming abilities of his other classmates, it must have been a hard blow. I'll have to talk to him as soon as possible, but for now, I need to talk to my successor.

Toshinori arrives at the infirmary. He was about to open the door when he hears Recovery Girl talking to Midoriya. She speaks in a very serious voice as she says:

— I know you're All Might's successor and that you have One for All.

Deku is surprised by this but pretends ignorance, saying:

— One for What? I don't know what you're talking about. If I admire All Might and you think I can be his successor, I'm flattered, but I'm not on his level.

Recovery Girl takes out a lollipop and says:

— I'll give it to you if you tell me the truth.

Deku looks at Recovery Girl and responds:

— This is wrong in so many ways, but I really don't know what you're talking about.

Recovery Girl stands up and comments:

— Fine. If you don't want to tell me anything, that's up to you. But you should be more careful. Using a quirk your body isn't accustomed to could even kill you. So be careful until you fully control your quirk.

Deku thanks her for the advice and opens the door, seeing Toshinori, who enters, saying:

— Seriously, Recovery Girl? Can you not mention One For All so lightly?

Deku looks at Toshinori and asks:

— So she really knows about our quirk?

Toshinori looks at Deku and responds:

— Yes, she's one of the few people who knows. Still, you did well to deny it and keep it a secret. At least someone understands how important it is to keep it a secret.

Recovery Girl sighs and then says:

— Don't worry, Mr. Born Hero, Mr. Symbol of Peace. I know we're few who know about your quirk, and no one else will. I don't understand why you give so much importance to being a born hero or the symbol of peace.

Toshinori was about to respond when Deku says:

— That's because if All Might, or rather, if the Symbol of Peace disappeared, then society would fall into the clutches of evil. The power of the Symbol of Peace isn't just something that pushes villains back; it's something that lights up the hearts of people and heroes. Since All Might appeared, the crime rate dropped drastically, and it wasn't just because villains feared the number one; it was because people had a symbol of peace that inspired them. That's why, despite how hard it was, All Might had to stay strong and save everyone with a smile.

Toshinori smiles and says:

— That's precisely why the Symbol of Peace was born. I'm glad my successor can see the real meaning of the Symbol of Peace.

Recovery Girl looks at both of them and comments:

— You two are crazy, but anyway, All Might, you should educate your student better and teach him not to be so reckless. Don't forget that it can cause a lot of problems.

Toshinori lowers his head and says:

— Yes, ma'am, you're right.

Recovery Girl looks at Deku and continues saying:

— As for you, young successor, you should stop using your quirk so lightly. Your body isn't ready yet. You should go little by little. You have no idea of the internal injuries using that power can cause you. If your body isn't ready, you must train it until it is. Don't always rely on your quirk because your quirk isn't your only strength. If you want to be a strong hero, you must first be a strong man.

Deku makes a slight bow and says:

— Thank you very much for your words.

After leaving the infirmary, Toshinori and Deku realize they've been scolded by Recovery Girl. This makes them both say in unison:

— She seems like a worried grandma.

This makes both Deku and Toshinori laugh at the idea. They keep laughing until Recovery Girl opens the door and exclaims:

— WHO ARE YOU CALLING GRANDMA?! GET OUT OF HERE, BOTH OF YOU!

Deku returns to his class while Toshinori leaves to rest. Upon arriving in class, his classmates congratulate him on his performance during the tests. Mina approaches him and says:

— It was certainly incredible. Your villain act gave me chills. I think you even managed to stop Urara's heart...

Mina can't finish speaking because Ochako grabs her arm and covers her mouth. Kirishima pats Deku on the shoulder and comments:

— Man, I never imagined you had such a ripped physique. You looked very manly in that hero suit.

— Thanks, although it's the first time I've worn a costume like that, so it's a bit weird for me.

Deku laughs slightly until he realizes Bakugo isn't there. He hadn't seen him in the infirmary either, so he asks:

— By the way, where's Bakugo?

Tenya approaches and says:

— Ever since we returned from the test, he's been acting very strange. He didn't attack anyone or yell at me for losing. It was too strange, so I asked if something was wrong. When I did, he stood up and then left.

Deku looks at Tenya and asks:

— How long ago was that?

Tenya places his hand on his chin and responds:

— A few seconds before you came in.

Deku walks out the door and says:

— I'll go talk to him.

Tenya is surprised by this attitude from Deku. Looking at Bakugo's empty seat, he says softly:

— It's incredible that a guy like him has a friend like Deku. I think I should follow his example and get closer to him. After all, we are heroes.

Bakugo was about to leave U.A.

When he hears Deku's voice, which says:

—Why are you leaving? Have you already given up?

Bakugo stops and responds:

—That's none of your business, idiot. Don't think you have the right to talk to me like that just because you won a stupid test.

Deku approaches him and says:

—I don't care about the test result. What matters to me is your attitude. I saw you during the tests, you did nothing but look down on everyone else's work. You felt overwhelmed by the potential of others and for the first time, you felt like you couldn't surpass someone.

Bakugo turns around and exclaims:

—You damn bastard, you're smart but you never know when to shut up. I don't care if you beat me or not. I used to think that one day I'd surpass you, but today when I saw the ice guy, I started to think I couldn't handle him.

Bakugo fills with rage and shouts:

—DAMMIT! You know what I hate the most? YOU DIDN'T EVEN FIGHT ME WITH YOUR FULL POWER, YOU EVEN WENT OUT OF YOUR WAY TO SAVE ME! HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU PLAN TO UNDERESTIMATE ME? DO YOU THINK I'M NOT WORTHY OF BEING YOUR RIVAL?

Deku's expression doesn't change, he just looks at Bakugo with firm determination, which fuels Bakugo's anger even more. He gets closer to him and, face to face, Bakugo exclaims:

—WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU USE YOUR FULL STRENGTH AGAINST ME?

Deku responds without hesitation:

—Because I can't control that power, I don't want to hurt you. No matter how stupid you are, no matter how much I hated you, I always thought you could be a great hero. That's why I hate the pathetic look you have now.

Upon this, Bakugo becomes enraged and hits Deku, who hits him back saying:

—YOU WANT TO FIGHT? GO AHEAD, I DIDN'T GIVE UP BEFORE, AND I WON'T GIVE UP NOW!

Bakugo tries to hit him again, but Deku stops his fist, saying:

—Since you awakened your quirk, all you've done is make my life miserable. You insulted me and treated me like trash because I wanted to be a hero. But now that someone who shines brighter than you has appeared, all you do is throw a tantrum. It's incredible that I ever thought you were amazing. If you give up this easily, then you're not a hero. You're just a brat who can't accept he's not the center of the world.

Bakugo uses his other arm to hit Deku, who takes the hit and says:

—You want to surpass All Might with that crappy attitude? If you want to surpass the number one hero, then earn that right.

Deku gives him a hard punch that makes Bakugo stagger back. He gets back up and, looking at Deku, says:

—Just because your quirk awakened doesn't make you special. You'll always be a useless.

After saying this, Bakugo walks away, while Deku looks annoyed by Bakugo's attitude. He was about to return to his class when All Might appears, saying:

—So, you're still having the same kind of relationship. For a moment, I was worried, but I see your heart doesn't hold hatred towards Bakugo.

Izuku wipes his mouth, saying:

—I left that behind a long time ago. Thanks to those insults and the way he treated me, I became stronger. But it bothers me that he gives up so easily. He always said he'd surpass you, I thought that was admirable. But he gave up just because someone was stronger than him. He doesn't know all the effort behind your legacy. If he's going to use such words, he should at least be ready to back them up.

Deku walks away, apparently annoyed. All Might looks at him, thinking:

"You say that, but the truth is you care about Bakugo. You gave it your all in that test to show him your strength and give him a goal to surpass. You thought that would motivate him, which is why you got so upset when you saw the opposite reaction. I don't understand why, but it seems you have some affection for Bakugo. But, young Midoriya, heroes can't save everyone. You've taken the first step; now you have to wait for him to decide to take the second step."

That same night, Toshinori wakes up startled and exclaims:

—DAMN IT! I forgot to talk to Izuku about that training he wants to do with Momo Yaoyorozu.

Transforming into his muscular form, All Might adds:

—You're still too young, Izuku. As your mentor, I'll have to give you the birds and the bees talk.

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