Boku no Hero - A Different Deku Chapter 3 | First test

All Might is seen smiling as he watches the video of Midoriya's test. He looked proud of the actions of his successor. Midoriya had demonstrated that he was a hero worthy of admiration and had far exceeded All Might's expectations.

Principal Nezu looks at All Might and says:

—As I suspected, that boy is your successor, right? He is certainly impressive. To think that he took down two robots with a single punch. It was an unfortunate mistake, but it eventually worked itself out.

All Might looks at Nezu and says:

—You mean you hadn't planned for that?

Nezu responds:

—It was planned, but not like that. There was only supposed to be one, and we were going to use an actress to put herself in danger to test the candidates. But that girl got caught before our actress could arrive, and your boy left everyone in awe with...

Nezu stretches out his arm, throwing a punch into the air and then says:

—TEXAS SMASH. It was incredible. But you know, you could have recommended him from the start if you wanted.

All Might pauses the video he was watching and says:

—Partly, I wanted him to earn his place, but it's not just that. I didn't recommend him because I believe that young Midoriya can shine and inspire others, just as he inspired me. I wanted everyone to see the future symbol of peace in action, and judging by the reaction of those kids, I'd say I wasn't wrong. Thanks to this test, everyone could see a hero's heart in action. The clearest proof is that girl he saved. She didn't mind losing her spot just so young Midoriya could attend U.A.

Nezu's eyes widen even more, and he says:

—That reminds me of something. I believe young Midoriya thinks he wasn't accepted into U.A. My contacts have informed me that this young man has tried to apply to several hero academies, but unfortunately, none accepted him.

Nezu smiles in a way that makes him look like a mob boss and continues:

—We won't let them take one of our students.

A slight drop of sweat appears on All Might's forehead. Looking at Nezu, he says:

—Don't tell me you...

Nezu changes his expression to one of gentleness, and with complete calm and peace, he says:

—I used my influence to ensure he couldn't enroll in any other academy, because Izuku Midoriya already belongs to U.A.

All Might smacked his face and said:

—That explains why young Midoriya has been avoiding me all this time.

All Might began to recall all the times he tried to see Deku, but he always managed to escape. He even went to see him at his house, but when they went to his room, he was already gone. He also tried to wait outside his apartment at night, but had to stop after someone called the police saying a strange man was watching from the shadows. All Might took Midoriya's acceptance letter and said:

—Do you mind if I deliver the acceptance letter in person?

Nezu looked a bit hesitant but then smiled and said:

—I shouldn't allow it, but it's okay, you can do it.

All Might sighed, thinking:

“‘And he says that after what he did.’"

All Might thanked Nezu and then left to look for his elusive successor. Meanwhile, Deku was returning from a long trip where he had gone to apply to the last option he had left. Deku looked at a piece of paper with the names of several academies, all of which were crossed out. He crossed out the last one, saying:

—I don't understand, why did everyone reject me? I improved my studies and my quirk control should help me get in, but they didn't even let me take the test. I was just rejected, and I can't keep avoiding All Might. I don't know what I'm going to do now. Could I be an underground hero or something? No, that's impossible, unless... no, I'd definitely end up getting arrested.

Deku squeezed the paper until it became a crumpled ball and said:

—Not even my bad jokes can lift this mood. I guess I'll go talk to All Might...

The boy arrived at the bus stop where he got off. As he looked up, he saw All Might in his thin form. Seeing him, All Might greeted and said: —Finally, I get to see you, young Midoriya. You've been avoiding me for a long time. Now, follow me, I want to talk to you.

The young man looked downcast and just walked alongside All Might, thinking:

"‘He probably already knows I didn't get into any academy. He must be really disappointed. I suppose he'll ask me to return his quirk. After all, I'm not a worthy successor.’"

All Might stopped when they reached the plaza. He sat down, and Deku sat next to him. All Might broke the silence, saying:

—First of all, allow me to apologize, young Midoriya. The fact that you got hurt during the test was my fault. I gave you the One For All a few days before the exam, but the truth is you were ready for it a long time ago. I needed to see that you were the right one to have that power. Because of that, you were forced to use a quirk you couldn't control and were at a disadvantage against the others. Yet, you used your quirk to save that girl. You inspired everyone present at that moment and reinforced my decision. I know you are my worthy successor.

Deku looks at All Might and says:

—Don't apologize. You told me that the One For All is a power born to save everyone, and now that I have it, I understand how powerful it is. It's natural that you needed to be sure of whom you were passing that power on to. Honestly, I was afraid of disappointing you. I didn't know how to tell you that I failed the exam. I tried to apply to other schools just to show you that I could be a hero, even if it wasn't at the same school as you. But for some reason, they wouldn't let me take the test. That's why I've been avoiding you these days. I even jumped out of the window to avoid seeing you. And about that, I'm sorry that my mom called the police.

A slight drop of sweat falls from All Might's forehead, who says with a nervous laugh:

—So it was your mom. It doesn't really matter. Besides, there's something else I need to tell you. You never failed the exam. That's why I came here. Honestly, I wanted it to be a surprise. But then the principal told me you were looking for another hero school, and he made the other schools reject you. Because from now on, you are a student at U.A.

Instead of getting angry, Deku is deeply happy and says:

—I no longer regret that my mom called the police. Why didn't you say it earlier? You have no idea what I went through to find a school. I was really worried.

All Might laughs lightly and says:

—I apologize, but it wasn't really my fault. I didn't know anything about it until today. Next time, you should face your problems directly. But now I only have one thing to say to you: welcome to U.A., young Midoriya.

All Might hands the acceptance letter to Deku, who takes it with great joy. All Might pulls out a small box from his jacket, wrapped like a gift, and hands it to Deku, saying:

—I was told that moments like this are perfect for giving gifts. Consider this a small compensation from me.

Deku takes the box and asks:

—What is this?

All Might smiles and says:

—During the days you were avoiding me, I decided to visit your house. Your mom showed me your room. You really made a mess. I didn't expect you to use the One For All inside your room.

Deku laughs a bit nervously:

—It was only one percent. I didn't expect it to be so strong.

All Might sighs and says:

—You surprise me sometimes, Midoriya. I was also surprised by the amount of merchandise you had about me. I saw you tried to fix them. You really are a loyal fan, but I think maybe you should start over. Consider this the first item in your new collection.

Deku, upon hearing this, opens the package and sees a small box with a highly detailed action figure of All Might from the hero's golden age. Deku looks at it with great amazement; it was incredibly detailed and seemed like a very expensive piece. But there was something strange; he didn't remember seeing it before. Looking at All Might, he says:

—All Might, don't you think this is too exclusive for me?

The hero only laughs, saying:

—You have a good eye. So you noticed that this is a limited-edition action figure. Only three people in the world have it, and you are one of those three.

Deku looks at the figure in amazement, saying:

—Are you kidding? This is too exclusive. Are you sure you want to give it to me?

Without hesitation, All Might says:

—I believe no one would appreciate it more than you.

Deku, overwhelmed with emotion, instinctively hugs All Might, who is surprised by the young man's attitude. Hugging Izuku, he says:

—Congratulations, Izuku.

These simple words bring great joy to the young man, possibly because he saw All Might as the father figure he never had, and All Might had understood this for a long time. Midoriya says goodbye to All Might, but before he leaves, he hero says:

—From now on, call me Toshinori. You can't call me All Might all the time. But in school, you'll have to call me All Might like everyone else.

This makes the young man happy, feeling closer to his mentor. But one thing resonates in his head:

"‘In school? Wait, that means...’"

Toshinori shifts into his muscular form, saying:

—That's right! From now on, I'm a teacher at U.A.

Upon hearing this, Deku is greatly delighted, but his amazement is overshadowed when he hears the shouts of people who were astonished to see All Might. Everyone runs toward him, so All Might decides to leave, saying:

—Everything else is in the letter I gave you. See you soon.

All Might takes off running, and that's when the group of people runs into Izuku. After that, the boy returns home. His mother hugs him, saying:

—I'm sorry you didn't get into that last academy. I know you worked really hard. I'll support you in any way I can.

Izuku, buried in his mother's arms, says:

—Wait, Mom. There's something I need to tell you.

His mother lets go and says:

—What is it, Izuku?

—It turns out that the reason I couldn't get into another academy is because I already belonged to one. I got into U.A.

The young man shows a big smile, filling his mother's heart with joy.

—I knew it, I knew you could do it.

Izuku hugs his mother to console her. He was already used to her heartbroken sobbing her; he knew it was her way of showing great joy. After his mother calms down, Izuku heads to her room. He decides to throw away all the broken objects from his experiment and start a new collection with the figure All Might had given him. Before doing so, he takes the envelope Toshinori had given him. Upon opening it, he finds a small circular metal object, which confuses Izuku, as he thought he would find some kind of certificate or something similar. He looks in the envelope and sees a paper that possibly contains the exam results, but he doesn't open it since the object caught his attention. When he touches the object, a small projection activates, showing All Might, who says:

—I'm here, in projection form! It must surprise you to see me here. I know you already imagine it, but I'll answer that question. And yes, from now on, I will be teaching at U.A.

Deku smiles and comments:

—He probably recorded this before seeing me. So he was also worried about me. I should have talked to him earlier.

The recording continues, and Deku turns his attention back to it when he hears All Might say:

—You probably think you failed because you destroyed the "Trap Robot," but nothing could be further from the truth, young Midoriya. I'm surprised you didn't realize it yourself. But do you really think U.A. would reject someone willing to risk their life, their chance, and their dream to save others? I would be ashamed. I know you know where this is going, Midoriya, but there's something you don't know. I could have recommended you to U.A., but I wanted you to earn your place. And why? Because I wanted you to touch everyone's hearts, just like you touched this girl's heart.

All Might presses a button, and a screen behind him lights up. On it, Uraraka is seen entering a room, saying:

—Excuse me, there's something I'd like to request. Today, one of the boys in the test, Izuku Midoriya, lost all his points because he saved me. If it weren't for him, I don't know what would have happened to me. So, I beg you, I plead with you to give him my points and my place at U.A. That boy will be an incredible hero! I couldn't forgive myself if the world missed out on that hero because of me.

All Might pauses the video and says:

—That boy will be an incredible hero. That's what I think too! The points earned by defeating villains weren't the only ones; the trap robot was just...

All Might strikes a heroic pose and says:

—A double trap! At no point were you at risk of losing your points; it was a ruse from the start. In fact, it was the opposite, you earned rescue points! Which, by the way, are awarded by a panel I'm not part of. You were given a total of sixty points, which, added to your 141 villain points, gave you a total of 201 points, making you the student with the highest score. Not only did you shine and blind everyone with your light, but you also fulfilled my selfish request. I thank you, young Midoriya, and now I can only say: come, your hero academy is waiting for you.

Midoriya feels immense joy upon hearing this. Even though All Might had already told him in person, he didn't know about Uraraka and the trap behind the trap robot. The last words All Might dedicated to him in that video filled him with pride, completely counteracting the mood he had started his day with.

The next day, Deku was resting when he heard his phone ring. I picked it up and saw on the screen that it was All Might. He answered but couldn't say anything since Toshinori was the one speaking.

—Come on, Izuku, we have a lot to do.

Midoriya looks out the window and sees Toshinori at the apartment entrance waving at him.

—I'll be right down.

Midoriya hangs up and gets dressed to leave. His mother, seeing him so rushed, says:

—Where are you going?

Midoriya puts on his sneakers, saying:

—I'm going to train with Toshinori. I have to be up to U.A.'s standards. Don't forget I just managed to awaken my quirk. I have to work hard.

Inko strokes her son's hair, saying:

—I understand, but tell Toshinori that next time he can come in for breakfast with us. In fact, wait a second.

His mother leaves for a few seconds and then returns with two bentos, which she hands to Izuku, saying:

—You must eat something before training. I packed an extra portion for Toshinori. Just between us, I think he's too skinny.

Izuku laughs at this comment and then bids his mother goodbye, thanking her for the bento. The young man closes the door, thinking:

"I'd like to tell her the truth, but I must keep the secret. Fortunately, she believed the story that my quirk took a while to awaken due to its nature, and Toshinori supported my theory when I talked to her. I can't tell her the truth, for All Might's sake and hers."

Deku goes to Toshinori, who says:

—You took your time, kid.

Deku apologizes, saying:

—Sorry, my mom insisted on giving me this.

Deku shows him the bentos, saying:

—I think we should eat something before training.

Toshinori looks at him somewhat puzzled, saying:

—Training? Personally, I think you're in perfect shape, but I support the idea of eating something.

Deku is surprised by this, saying:

—Then why are you here?

Toshinori looks at him, saying:

—Hey, you make it sound like you don't like my company.

Deku, embarrassed, says:

—No, not at all, that's not it. If it were up to me, you could live with us. I just mean...

Toshinori laughs, saying:

—I know, Izuku. I was just joking. I came to take you to register your quirk. When you join U.A., they create a special suit for your quirk, so they use the registration data to know what kind of materials to use. I wanted to take you to register it so they can make you a suitable suit. I came early so we could talk and create a realistic story for your quirk. So, if you want, we can go to the beach and eat what your mom prepared.

The boy agrees, and they both go to the beach while eating. Toshinori says:

—We can say your quirk is super strength. After that display, I think most people think that.

Izuku eats a bit before saying:

—That's what I thought at first, but I think I could say my quirk is strength accumulation. I can say my quirk allows me to accumulate strength in each of my muscles, giving me great strength and speed. But my weakness is that if I accumulate too much strength, my body can get damaged. What do you think?

Toshinori thinks for a few seconds before saying:

—Actually, that's brilliant. That can also explain why your strength will keep growing. Alright, we'll say that. From now on, your quirk is strength accumulation, and if any of your former classmates ask, we can say it hadn't manifested because your body wasn't ready yet. That way, there will be no doubt.

Midoriya seems convinced by this idea, but Toshinori notices some doubt in him and says:

—Tell me, Izuku, is something bothering you?

Midoriya clenches his fist, saying:

—I trained One For All to the fullest. Since I got it, I use it whenever I can to get used to controlling every gram of power. Even so, I've only managed to control thirty percent of its power. When I saved Uraraka, I could use one hundred percent unconsciously, but my body paid the price. And I even feel that one hundred percent isn't the same as yours.

Toshinori stands up and says:

—The fact that you can use thirty percent is already incredible. Personally, I thought it would take you much longer to master it, but you managed to use it at thirty percent throughout the test. It's true you were exhausted afterward, but that's normal. Your body needs to get used to that power. One For All is a special quirk and behaves differently in each body. It's almost like it has its own consciousness. The fact that you can only use thirty percent for now doesn't mean you'll never be able to use one hundred percent without getting hurt. You just need to be patient and train with the idea of surpassing yourself. I know you'll shine brightly one day, become the symbol of peace, and surpass me. That's my dream.

Deku is moved by this, saying:

—You're right, I must give it my all. Thank you for everything, All Might. I know I've thanked you many times, but without you, I wouldn't have been able to achieve my dream.

Toshinori transforms into his muscular form and strikes a heroic pose, saying:

—I should be the one thanking you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have achieved my dream either. What I mean to say is...

All Might returns to his thin form and says:

—This is not something you should thank me for. You earned this power with your own hard work and bravery. Never forget that, Midoriya. I'm happy to have found you. Now, let's register your quirk.

Toshinori takes Deku to register his quirk. After doing so, he stays to talk with one of the staff members while Midoriya waits outside the building. A few minutes later, Toshinori comes out, saying:

—Alright, we can go. My car is nearby.

This surprises Deku, who imagines All Might in a vehicle, thinking he might get stuck because of his muscles. Toshinori snaps his fingers in front of Midoriya's face, saying:

—You got lost in your thoughts again. Come on, I want to buy some things.

Deku goes with him. Toshinori takes the young man to a mall and says:

—Alright, let's buy what you need for school. You should also get some new clothes; your style is a bit outdated.

This confuses Izuku, who says:

—Wait a second, I didn't bring any money.

Toshinori raises his hand, saying:

—I'll take care of that.

Izuku shakes his head and says:

—But I can't accept that, you've already done so much for me, and I have everything I need.

Toshinori remains silent for a few seconds and then says:

—If you don't buy it, I'll pick whatever I want, and you'll have to keep it. Deku sighs and then says:

—Alright, I understand. Thank you very much.

Toshinori keeps walking, saying:

—I don't understand why you're thanking me for something you've earned, but okay, let's go, Izuku.

Toshinori decides to buy him a new backpack, clothes, shoes, and other items he thought a boy would use. The boy tried to stop him, but Toshinori seemed very happy while doing it and didn't listen to anything he said. After that, Toshinori takes Deku to his house. He says goodbye to the young man when Deku's mother opens the door. Seeing him, she says:

—Ah, Toshinori, I knew it was you. Would you like to come in for dinner?

Toshinori accepts, and Deku's mother smiles, saying:

—Great, I can finally thank you for all the help you gave my son.

Inko looks at Izuku, who has a lot of bags with him.

—And all that?

—It was a gift from Toshinori. I told him it wasn't necessary, but he bought all this anyway.

His mother, upon hearing this, says:

—We can't accept all this, it's too much.

Toshinori raises his hand, saying:

—This is a gift from me. These months training this boy showed me that he is truly amazing. I know he will be a hero who will shine so brightly that he will blind everyone with his light. This is just a small gift for the future symbol of peace. So I humbly ask you to accept it.

Hearing this, the woman bursts into tears, saying:

—Thank you so much.

Toshinori approaches Izuku, saying:

—Did I do something wrong?

Izuku smiles and says:

—No, that's just how she is.

After dinner, Toshinori says goodbye to them. He looked happy to have spent that day with his young successor. Looking at the moon, he says:

—Now you must prepare yourself, young Midoriya, because U.A. won't be a walk in the park.

Toshinori remembers the entrance exam, saying:

—Although I don't think I have anything to worry about.

Toshinori takes out a book from his coat, with the cover reading "How to Be a Good Father in Simple Steps." He opens it, saying:

—Well, I did everything this book said, so young Midoriya's confidence should have been strengthened. I must be a good teacher if I want my disciple to shine. The torch I gave you has become strong in you, but it still has a long way to go to be fully strengthened.

The next day, Izuku gets ready to go to school. He puts on his U.A. uniform and takes the backpack All Might had given him. He also grabs a phone that seemed to be the latest model, made of an expensive material.

—Why does it shine like that? It's too flashy. And to think All Might would give me a phone too. I think it's even more expensive than the one he has. Well, I guess I should use it.

Deku turns it on and sees that it already has a contact saved, All Might's number. He transfers his data to the new device and realizes he still has the photo he took with Mount Lady. This brings back memories of his past self, and he feels he has come a long way since that day. He decides to set that photo as his wallpaper to remember everything he has overcome. Then, he says goodbye to his mother, who approaches him, saying:

—Izuku, I am proud of you. I shouldn't have given up. I should have told you that you could be a hero. not know what to do, but you never gave up and got stronger and stronger. You are amazing, son.

Izuku smiles and hugs his mother, saying:

—Thank you, Mom.

The young man says goodbye and heads to U.A. When he arrives, he is surprised by the enormous size of the facilities.

—Well, I'm in Class 1-A. I think it's this way.

He reaches his classroom and is very surprised by the huge door.

—What kind of people did they make this door for? I think even Mount Lady could fit through it.

Deku opens the door and sees Tenya arguing with Bakugo.

—I'm telling you to take your feet off the desk. It's disrespectful to the school and the people who made the furniture.

Bakugo laughs and says:

—I don't care. What school did you come from, trash?

Tenya stands firm and says:

—I come from Somei Private Academy. My name is Tenya Iida.

Bakugo laughs and says:

—So, a rich kid, huh? Man, I'm gonna have a great time kicking your ass.

These words seem to horrify Tenya, who is about to respond when a voice says:

—If I were you, I'd give up. Bakugo doesn't usually listen to anyone.

Both Bakugo and Tenya recognize this voice. Bakugo looks disgusted, while Tenya smiles and walks toward his friend, saying:

—I knew I'd see you here. You realized the true nature of the practical exam, didn't you? That's why you went after the zero-pointer.

Deku laughs, saying:

—Not at all. I thought I was out of U.A. In fact, I was looking for other schools until U.A. contacted me to give me my grades.

—You mean you went after it thinking you'd lose all the points you'd earned? I admit that only makes me think you're incredible. I won't lie, I only realized it when the exam was over. I hate to admit that I ran away with everyone else.

Deku smiles, saying:

—Well, that's normal. If I hadn't seen Uraraka, I would have done the same.

A female voice is heard from behind, saying:

—Were you talking about me? Wait a second, that hair looks familiar.

Deku turns around, and the girl smiles, saying:

—DEKU! I knew it, Present Mic was right. Of course you'd get in. They couldn't afford to lose such an amazing hero.

Deku looks at Uraraka, saying:

—Wow...

Uraraka gets confused and says:

—Wow?

Deku covers his mouth, thinking:

"Crap, I said that out loud."

Uraraka was about to speak when a male voice says:

—If you just came here to socialize, get out.

Izuku opens his eyes wider when he sees a strange yellow lump on the floor, pointing at it, saying:

—There's a talking caterpillar on the floor...

This strange yellow lump turns around, revealing his face. Somewhat annoyed, he says:

—Who are you calling a caterpillar?

The man stands up and gets out of the sleeping bag. Tenya, seeing him, says:

—How did a homeless person get into U.A.?

Deku and Uraraka remain silent at this comment, especially since they realized that this person was their teacher. The man looks for something in his sleeping bag, takes out a gym uniform, and throws it to Tenya, saying:

—Get dressed and go to the field. Don't keep me waiting.

Before leaving, the man stops and says:

—By the way, my name is Shouta Aizawa. From now on, I'll be your homeroom teacher. Nice to meet you. Now move, life is short, and you're wasting valuable time.

After getting ready, they go to the school field where Aizawa begins to explain what they must do. They will start a quirk assessment test, and everyone is surprised by this. Uraraka raises her hand, saying:

—But what about the entrance ceremony and orientation?

Aizawa says seriously:

—You came here to be heroes; there's no time for such nonsense. At U.A., we're not bound by those absurd traditions. You're my class, and I'll do as I see fit. Enough talk. I'll start explaining what this test is about. You've done it before; it's the same physical tests you did in middle school. Back then, you weren't allowed to use your quirks, but here it will be the opposite. You must use your quirks as you see fit to pass this test. Izuku Midoriya, you ranked first in the practical exam, right?

Izuku steps forward, saying:

—Yes, sir!

Bakugo is surprised to hear this. He hadn't bothered to look at the scores, as he was sure he had ranked first. How did that piece of trash surpass me?

Aizawa looks at the boy, saying:

—Alright, how far could you throw the ball in middle school?

—About eighty-five meters, I think.

Aizawa throws a ball to him, saying:

—Go to the circle and throw the ball using your quirk. Anything goes as long as you don't step out of the circle.

Deku takes the ball and activates his quirk. His body lights up, and several red marks appear on his body, lines that then turn into green lightning that fluctuates through his body. Bakugo, seeing this, says:

—This is impossible...

Deku concentrates his strength in his body, using thirty percent, as he did during the exam. He throws the ball, releasing great pressure that launches it into the sky. It lands very close to the edge of the field. Aizawa looks at the numbers, saying:

—Well, I guess that wasn't the best example. Anyway, everyone should start with the goal of surpassing 700 meters.

Uraraka raises her hand and asks:

—Excuse me, but what score did Deku get?

Aizawa looks at the girl and answers:

—About fifteen hundred meters. It's impressive, although I admit it's below my expectations.

Everyone is surprised to hear this and thinks in unison:

"And how much did he expect?"

Bakugo couldn't understand what had happened. Deku had surpassed him, but how? Bakugo starts to reflect, remembering the times he had attacked him. Deku had always defended himself and had managed to hurt him more than once. But if he had such a powerful quirk, he would have used it for sure. Bakugo looks angrily at Izuku, thinking:

"There's something very different about him. He's been ignoring me since we got to U.A., but it's not just that. It's like he's a different person. In fact, I had seen this change before. It was shortly before we finished middle school, the last time we talked. He had the same look, full of determination. Why? Why is a guy like him surpassing me?"

As for the others, they seem happy about this test. One of the boys says:

—We'll get to use our quirks as much as we want.

This class is awesome. A girl approaches and comments:

—Yes, this will be a lot of fun.

Hearing this, Aizawa gets annoyed and says:

—Fun? You think being a hero is a game? You have three years to become heroes. You better change that childish attitude. These trials will be your first exam. Whoever ends up in last place will be expelled from the academy. Show your heroic spirit, because if you don’t, I don’t want you here.

Uraraka quickly says:

—This is too much for our first day. Even if it wasn't the first day, this would still be very unfair.

Aizawa responds in a serious tone:

—I’m training heroes, not kids playing at being heroes. Deranged villains, natural disasters, chain collisions. Heroes must constantly face challenges, and if a hero fails to overcome them, lives are lost. You must keep this in mind. Every time you fail, a life could be lost. That’s why we will test you again and again. You must push beyond your limits no matter how difficult it is. That is what it means to be a U.A. student. This is Plus Ultra.

Aizawa looks closely at each student and then says:

—Show me what you're made of.

The trials begin. The first test is a short 50-meter race where they must use their quirks to win. Tenya manages to win with a wide margin over his rival, a small girl with frog-like abilities. Next is Uraraka, who uses her quirk to lighten her clothes. Her opponent is a blond boy with a kind of tail; his body looks strong, possibly from martial arts training. Izuku looks at the boy’s size and quietly comments:

—I trained in martial arts too. But why didn’t I grow like him?

The race begins and the boy significantly outpaces Uraraka. However, this doesn't discourage Uraraka, who is happy to have beaten her time from middle school. The next group is a girl whose quirk Izuku can't identify, against a blond boy Izuku dubs "The Frenchman." The race starts, and the boy uses his quirk to gain a small initial advantage. Izuku points at the girl and says:

—The Frenchman has an early lead, but she will win.

Uraraka watches as the blond boy falls to the ground, and the girl overtakes him to win. Despite losing, the boy seemed happy.

Uraraka looks at Deku and says:

—How did you know he would lose?

—I saw it during the exam. His laser is strong, but it has a major weakness. It seems to fail if he uses it for too long. It's similar to what happens to me. For now, I can only use a percentage of my strength because otherwise, I might damage my body.

—Oh, that's why...

Aizawa interrupts the conversation and says:

—Midoriya, Bakugo, it's your turn.

Uraraka wishes him luck, to which Izuku just smiles. He gets into position, keeps his eyes forward, and activates his quirk, concentrating his strength in his legs. As he takes off, he transfers his power to the soles of his feet, achieving a rapid start that makes him disappear from the others' sight, leaving only a trail of dust. The robot announces:

—0.9 seconds.

Everyone looks in that direction and sees Deku standing up. Bakugo is stunned; he hadn't even seen him. Where did he get that speed from? Aizawa just smiles, thinking about what he had witnessed. The young man had used all his strength at the start, making a small jump that took him beyond thirty meters. Just before touching the ground, he made another small jump with less force, reaching the finish line and decelerating in the process. He distributed the load of his quirk throughout his body to avoid injury. He was certainly an interesting kid. Bakugo can't hold back his rage any longer and runs towards Deku, creating an explosion in his hand, and yells:

—You piece of crap! How did you do that?

Deku, seeing him so close, almost attacks out of reflex until his teacher erases their quirks and restrains them both with those strange ropes hanging from his neck like a scarf.

—Enough, brats. I hate having to work so hard.

Deku looks at Aizawa's goggles and says:

—Of course, you're Eraserhead!

Hearing this name, everyone wonders who he is. The name sounded familiar, but they didn't know which hero he was talking about. Almost as if Izuku were reading their minds, he says:

—Your quirk lets you erase the quirks of those you look at.

Bakugo tries to break free while saying:

—Damn, I didn't know there was a quirk like that.

Eraserhead releases him, saying:

—Bakugo, if you act like that again, I'll expel you from U.A. As for you, Deku, don't use your quirk without thinking first.

Upon hearing this, Deku realizes that he activated his quirk without noticing. If he had hit Bakugo, he might have seriously injured him. Izuku makes a slight bow, saying:

—Thank you very much.

After this incident, the tests continue. Deku manages to pass them without much effort. Aizawa decides that the final test will be the ball throw, and although Izuku had already thrown it, he now has to do it again. Only this time, he will go last. The test is easily passed by most. The only notable case was Uraraka, who, upon throwing the ball, used her quirk, causing it to go to infinity. After everyone had thrown, it was Izuku's turn, who gets into position. Using the same technique as last time, the boy was about to throw the ball. But a second before he released it, Eraserhead erased his quirk, causing it to reach only about 100 meters. Deku looks at his hand, saying:

—What just happened? Did my quirk fail?

Aizawa looks at him and says:

—Not exactly. I'm not entirely sure, but you can't fully control your quirk, can you? During the race, you were outstanding, but during the other tests, although you scored well, you were quite average considering the nature of your quirk. At first, I thought you didn't want to stand out or simply weren't using your quirk, but that wasn't it. You were using it, but at a much lower level than the first time. After observing you, I understood. Your legs were exhausted from your first move, so you tried to regulate your power, but you couldn't avoid that fatigue, and you were about to use all the strength you could at this moment to compensate for your other scores, right? If I'm right, then explain the nature of your quirk.

Deku is surprised by his teacher's quick deduction, but after all, he was a pro hero, so he says:

—That's right. My quirk is the accumulation of strength. My quirk allows me to accumulate strength in each of my muscles. Due to the nature of my quirk, it didn't manifest until my body was ready. That's why I don't know my limit, so I try to compensate for the fatigue as best as I can.

Aizawa throws him a ball, saying:

—Well done. It's not a bad way of thinking, but in a real battle, it's better to use a power that allows you to keep fighting or saving lives for as long as possible. Keep that in mind for future tests. You have another chance. Use all the strength you want, but if you break an arm, a muscle, or even a single bone, I'll kick you out of here.

Uraraka defensively stands up for Deku, saying:

—But, Professor, he just woke up his quirk. You can't expect him to master it so quickly. It's unfair.

Aizawa focuses his gaze on Deku and says:

—He didn't complain, and that's because he knows what he wants to become. He understands that if he wants to be a hero, he'll have to work hard. If he just awakened his quirk, he'll simply have to put in more effort than anyone else. If you want to be a hero, show me your determination, Izuku Midoriya.

Deku nods. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and starts activating his quirk while trying to visualize how it moves within his body. He concentrates all his strength in the center of his body, then visualizes this strength spreading through every fiber of his being. Deku moves his arm back, focusing his strength in his arm at thirty percent, preparing to throw the ball. At the last moment, he channels all the power he can from the base of his body to his arm, concentrating it in his finger. Deku opens his eyes and yells:

—ULTRA SMASH!

In that instant, the ball is launched thousands of meters away. Unlike last time, Izuku's technique didn't create a shockwave, but a loud noise similar to a gunshot was heard. Aizawa watches as the numbers measuring the distance increase rapidly until the ball seems to go out of range. Aizawa smiles, having seen what the boy did. Besides focusing his strength in his arm and finger, he also concentrated it in his legs for a solid base. Then, he expelled all this power through his body to his arm, allowing him to throw with enormous force. Literally, his arm was like a cannon firing a bullet. Deku looks somewhat agitated and in pain, but with a smile, he says:

—I did it, Professor. I can still keep fighting.

Aizawa smiles and says:

—Well done. At least your potential isn't zero like I thought. With this, the test is over. I don't plan to call out each score, especially because I'm not interested in the points. At the beginning of the test, I told you to show your spirit. Since it started, I've been watching each of you and I admit I've been disappointed.

Aizawa points at one of the students, saying:

—You, short purple-haired one, Minoru Mineta, you lack the spirit of a hero. Since the tests began, you've done nothing but harass your classmates. Do you think that's what a hero would do? You lack the necessary motivation for the sacrifices a hero must make. Gather your things and leave. You're out of U.A.

The boy, angry, says:

—This isn't fair! I took the test too. I know I wasn't the last, that's why you don't want...

Aizawa shows the scores, and indeed, the boy had placed last. Aizawa says:

—As I said, the scores don't matter to me. What matters is your spirit, and you lack it. I won't waste my time with you. When you have the spirit of a hero, you can come back and try again next year.

The boy looks at the others, hoping someone would say something, but no one does, especially the girls, who feel uncomfortable around him.

—I understand, I'll leave.

The boy leaves, disheartened. Izuku, seeing him like that, approaches him, saying:

—Wait a second. I'm not one to talk, but I think what the professor meant is that being a hero is dangerous work. So, you have to be sure that's what you want to do. Because when you're a hero, people's lives will depend on you. For example, do you think All Might would be so strong if he didn't have a strong motivation? Every hero must have a motive and an origin that helps them overcome all the difficulties they face.

Mineta looks away, saying:

—I guess I don't have any motivation. Well, my only motivation was to get women, but if there was real danger, that motivation wouldn't help at all. Without a doubt, I would just run away. What's your motivation?

Deku smiles and says:

—To save everyone. I want to create a world where everyone can smile happily. That's why I'll get stronger to protect them all.

Mineta looks at him, saying:

—I see. Compared to you, it's normal they discarded me like that. After all, I didn't even want to be a hero. I don't know what I'll do, but if we meet again someday, I'd like to see what kind of hero you'll become. Maybe you can introduce me to a girl or two.

After saying this, Mineta leaves. Deku hits his face, saying:

—I guess what I said didn't help. Well, at least he left happy.

Deku returns to the group. Uraraka approaches him, saying:

—The pervert left smiling. What did you say to him?

—I just told him what the professor said, but in a different way. Then I didn't understand what happened at the end.

Aizawa approaches Deku and hands him a note, saying:

—I don't think you have anything damaged, but go see Recovery Girl and think about what I said, because I won't be this kind again.

Aizawa walks away and that's when he sees All Might, who was also leaving. Upon seeing him, Aizawa says:

—All Might, what are you doing here?

The hero turns around, saying:

—I just came to see the kids' test. They'll be my students too, so I wanted to meet them.

Aizawa looks at him, saying:

—You know, that kid Izuku Midoriya has a strength similar to yours. Though unlike you, he seems to break his body when he uses it. Clearly, his quirks are different, but still, the nature of his quirk is very similar to yours.

All Might laughs while thinking:

"He can't know that he's my successor, can he?"

Aizawa continues:

—There’s also a strange rumor about you. It’s said that you’ve been reading a book on how to be a good father. Tell me, All Might, is that kid your son?

All Might is taken aback by this, and with no response, Aizawa leaves, saying:

—Well, he looks like his mother. Anyway, you shouldn’t involve emotions in this. You’re still a teacher, and I’m not going to go easy on the kid just because he’s your son.

All Might snaps out of it, saying:

—Wait, he’s not...

All Might realizes that Aizawa is already gone and says:

—Did I clarify that he’s not my son? Whatever, I doubt Aizawa will spread that rumor, so I’ll clear it up when I have the time.

Deku leaves the academy, saying:

—I ended up hurting part of my abdomen. Did Aizawa notice?

Deku remembers only noticing it when he took off the top part of his uniform and saw part of his abdomen had turned purple. Deku looks ahead, saying:

—I thought I had controlled my strength, but I still have a long way to go. I can’t rest on my laurels. I have to give it my all and then some.

Tenya appears, saying:

—Oh, Deku, how are you? Since you took so long to come back, I thought you were hurt, but I see you’re fine.

Deku looks at Tenya, saying:

—Not at all. I exceeded my body’s limit again. I guess the teacher noticed and sent me to Recovery Girl. I suppose he’s kinder than I thought.

Tenya looks ahead, saying:

—Probably. Honestly, I think he’s an incredible hero. At first, I thought he would be dull and that learning from him would be a drag, but he spoke the truth and made it very clear what a hero has to do.

Deku smiles and says:

—Yeah, I think all the U.A. teachers are like that. I can’t wait to see what else we can learn.

Tenya is about to respond when Uraraka runs toward them, calling out to Deku. They stop, and Uraraka says:

—You’re heading to the station, right? Can I join you?

Deku looks at her and responds:

—Sure, no problem.

They start walking. Uraraka looks at Tenya, saying:

—Both you and Deku have amazing quirks. You dominated the 50-meter dash.

Tenya looks at Deku and says:

—Well, my quirk is engine. It allows me to reach great speeds. If I hadn’t won that race, it would have been unacceptable. But Deku’s quirk is super strength. Even so, he uses his quirk in an unconventional way. I already knew he had great speed, but seeing it up close is amazing. From what I saw, you can concentrate your strength in any part of your body, right?

Deku looks at his hand and, clenching his fist, says:

—I can. If I concentrate enough, I can regulate the percentage of strength I use in each of my muscles. The problem is I still can’t do it unconsciously, so I can’t use my quirk with much freedom, at least not during a fight.

Uraraka puts her finger on her chin, saying:

—Is that why you got hurt when you saved me?

—That’s right. You could say that at that moment, I acted on instinct. I knew I had to save you, and I guess I unconsciously released all my strength. But since I had just awakened my quirk, I didn’t know how it worked, and a lot of it is controlled by my emotions. That’s why I reached one hundred percent, and before I knew it, my body had reached its limit.

Tenya looks ahead, saying:

—All quirks have their weaknesses. It’s normal for such an incredible quirk to need more training.

Deku smiles and says:

—You’re right. That’s why we’re at this academy: to learn to strengthen those weaknesses.

Tenya cuts through the air unconsciously and says:

—I know this has nothing to do with what we’re talking about, but what’s up with the explosive kid? I mean, from the way he acts, it seems like he hates you. He didn’t stop glaring at you during the whole class. Honestly, it was annoying, but since you didn’t say anything, I let it slide.

Deku, without hesitation, responds:

—We’ve known each other since we were kids. We used to be friends, at least until he awakened his quirk. After a while, he started picking on others to show off his strength. Once, I tried to defend a kid he was bullying, and since then, he’s had it in for me. Things got worse when my quirk didn’t awaken. From that moment until high school, he dedicated himself to bullying and mocking me. In fact, the name Deku comes from an insult he used to call me. I think it’s like calling me "useless" or something similar. I guess the fact that I got a quirk must have really bothered him. That’s why I decided to ignore him and focus on what I should be doing. I won’t gain anything by paying attention to him.

Uraraka nervously waves her hands, saying:

—Wait a second! If Deku is an insult, why do you let others call you that?

The young man smiles and, remembering All Might, says:

—Before entering U.A., I started intense training with a man I admire. That man confused the name "Deku" with "You can do it." Since then, it has had a different meaning for me. Now it just reminds me that I earned this power through hard work, and it shows me how much I’ve achieved since that day. It also helps me remember that the man who trained me will always be fighting by my side.

Tenya observes Deku’s expression and comments:

—I see. That man must be very important to you. You have the same look I do when I talk about my brother. But still, there’s something I don’t understand. Why don’t you just put that idiot in his place? I mean, you have your quirk now, and I doubt he could rival you. Don’t you feel the desire to settle things?

Deku responds sincerely:

—At first, yes. I admit I wanted to beat him up more than once. But I’m not the same person anymore. I have to leave the past behind and move forward. I want to be a strong hero, and to do that, I have to let go of all that resentment. Personally, I think Bakugo’s quirk is amazing and that he can become a great hero. Although I doubt we’ll ever be able to work together. It’s time to move on and grow. And if someday Bakugo decides to fight by my side, then I don’t see why I should refuse.

Uraraka stays silent while looking at Deku and thinks:

—He’s such an incredible person. Now that he has the power to make Bakugo pay for everything he did, he decided to let it all go. He even compliments him, saying he can be a great hero. I don’t know if I could be that kind to someone like that.

They say goodbye, and Deku heads home, thinking about the trials. That technique he used to throw the ball could be a good attack if he could do it without hurting himself. Deku touches his chin, saying to himself:

—Well, the level of concentration I need is too high. I could use that technique without measuring my power, but that would damage my arm too much. I’m taking too long. I can only use thirty percent of One For All. Even though I told Aizawa that at that moment I used all my strength, the truth is I don’t think I exceeded sixty percent. Although I’m not sure why I lost control at the last second. I know All Might told me it’s just a matter of time, but I want to get stronger. I want to show All Might that he wasn’t wrong in choosing me. That’s why tomorrow I have to give it my all in his class.

Meanwhile, All Might looks at his suit and says to himself:

—You exceeded my expectations. I admit I was worried, but even Aizawa saw your potential.

He remembers the test, also the moment when Bakugo attacked Midoriya. All Might clearly remembers Deku’s expression when he realized he could have hurt Bakugo. At this, All Might smiles and says:

—During those months of training, you were honest with me and said you held a grudge. But even then, you only asked for help to let go of that grudge. I can proudly see that you did it. Today, even though he attacked you, you never wanted to hurt him. Even after everything he put you through, you managed to overcome that grudge.

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