The final day of school had arrived for Izuku and Tamo, a day filled with anticipation and a touch of anxiety. As Izuku sat in his classroom, their teacher initiated a discussion about the future, asking, "So, what schools are you all planning to apply to?" The students began sharing their choices, each speaking with their own dreams in mind.
However, a stir of excitement filled the room when a confident, ashy-blond boy stood up from his desk. A cocky smile graced his face as he proclaimed, "I'm going to UA High, the BEST school in Japan. Unlike you losers, I'm going to be the NUMBER ONE Hero."
The entire classroom was taken aback by the audacious declaration, their gazes fixated on the self-assured boy who exuded confidence.
His bravado, however, soon shifted from his classmates to Izuku. In a disdainful tone, he targeted Izuku with his taunts. "Heh, unlike this quirkless nerd, I'm passing the exam and getting into the best Academy in Japan."
The classroom erupted into laughter at the expense of Izuku, as students joined in on the mockery. "Yeah, unlike Bakugo, Midoriya will probably be working in a grocery store," one student added, leading to even more laughter.
Unfazed by the jeers, Izuku continued writing in his journal, his concentration unwavering. His determination remained unshaken, even as the ridicule persisted.
In his thoughts, Izuku reminded himself, "His words mean nothing. Izuku, remember, you can still be a hero, and you will be, no matter WHAT." He continued scribbling in his journal, exploring ways in which a quirkless individual could stand up to and potentially defeat a villain.
Suddenly, another student drew his attention, calling out to him with a smug chuckle. Izuku raised his eyes from his journal, meeting the gaze of the inquiring student. "What school are you going to apply for?" the student asked with a sly smile.
Izuku responded matter-of-factly, "UA High," before resuming his journal writing.
A collective gasp filled the room, including the teacher, who was left agog. Even more shockingly, Bakugo had heard Izuku's response and stormed over to his desk.
"This BETTER be a bad joke, Deku," Bakugo muttered with a menacing seriousness as he grabbed Izuku by the collar.
Izuku found himself momentarily stunned. "Come on, Izuku, you've been training with your bro and dad. You got this," he encouraged himself, mustering the courage to respond. "Yeah, I'm going to UA High. Why do you care?" Izuku's surprising response took everyone, including himself, by surprise.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Bakugo, however, was not one to back down. With a hand on Izuku's shoulder, he activated his quirk, causing a slow burn that grew increasingly painful. Izuku let out a small cry as the pain began to sear his shoulder. The teacher rose from his desk, about to intervene.
"KATSUKI BAKUGO, that's eno-" the teacher began, "SHUT UP!!!" Bakugo yelled back silencing him. Bakugo turned back to Izuku, his grip on his shoulder intensifying and he increased the heat from his quirk.
The pain was becoming unbearable as steam began to emit from Izuku's shoulder, reaching the sprinklers on the ceiling and setting them off. Chaos erupted as students fled the drenching classroom, leaving Bakugo and Izuku behind.
Bakugo, dripping wet but smug, stood over Izuku with an air of victory. "Now, take back what you said," he demanded.
Izuku, in pain yet resolute, found the strength to defy Bakugo. "NO!" he yelled and struck Bakugo hard in the gut. Bakugo groaned, clutching his stomach.
Taking advantage of the opening, Izuku grabbed his bag and journal, making a run for it. He sprinted out of the soaked classroom as fast as his legs could carry him.
Tamo, exiting his classroom, spotted Izuku running towards him. Concerned, he asked, "Izuku, what's wrong?"
Izuku, panting heavily, replied, "Let's go. I just want to get home quickly."
Tamo recognized that something was amiss but decided to go along with Izuku's request. "Alright, let's head home."
As they headed towards the exit, Bakugo's furious shout rang out, "DEKU!!" Using his quirk to fly down the hallway, Bakugo inadvertently triggered more sprinklers along the way.
Tamo positioned himself in front of Izuku, blocking Bakugo's path. The simmering tension between the two escalated as Bakugo floated in the air.
"So, the other quirkless brother comes to help, HUH?" Bakugo taunted, an arrogant smirk on his face.
Tamo remained steadfast, refusing to engage in Bakugo's provocation. He stared silently at the fiery-tempered boy, showing no reaction.
"So?? Are you just going to stare??" Bakugo said as he stopped using his quirk and walked forward just as He was going to do something.
"KATSUKI BAKUGO, come to the headmaster's office right now!" A Teacher yelled catching Bakugo off guard, silencing him momentarily.
But Bakugo couldn't resist delivering a final, cryptic message: "You think this is over? I'll see you at UA High, the quirkless brothers."
Tamo watched Bakugo walk away, his expression unwavering. As Bakugo retreated, Tamo turned to Izuku. "Are you okay?" he inquired with concern.
Izuku reassured him, "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's head home."
When they arrived home, their father, Toshinori, was waiting for them at the door. He acknowledged the end of their school year with enthusiasm, understanding the importance of their rigorous training schedule for the upcoming UA exam.
"School's finally out, huh?" Toshinori remarked, prompting both Tamo and Izuku to nod in agreement.
With unyielding determination, Toshinori declared, "Alright, it's training time. We have ten months until the UA exam, so we're going to work really hard."
Despite the fatigue from a long school day, Tamo and Izuku were invigorated by their father's enthusiasm. They raised their fists in unison, excited to dive headfirst into their training.
Ten months later, standing before the gates of UA High, Tamo exuded confidence. Izuku nodded, equally resolved. They had come a long way and were ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.