42 Chapter 42 : Joint Training

Months pass as Todoroki and Bakugou went to their remedial lessons for their provisional licences. They have been going to them diligently though Bakugou keeps harping on about everyone else not slacking off so that he will be challenged by the class.

The Hero Billboard Chart JP was drawing near. Everyone except for Todoroki was in the lounge waiting for the event to begin. The class was speculating on who was going to be in the top ten. Of course, All Might was still number 1 though at a decreased capacity. The event began as the announcer started it off.

The top ten were introduced in descending order starting with number 10 who was Gang Orca who was followed by the rest of the top tens. Each hero spoke of their new goals or a reinforcement of their resolve. At number 1 was All Might who went on stage in small might form. The audience quieted down as he was given the microphone.

"Hello everyone I Am Here for maybe the last time. My time limit has been dropping as I wind down my activities as a hero. I have been this nation's symbol for 35 years upholding the peace for all that time. I said many years ago that new heroes will need to rise to hold up this society. The time has come and I look forward to seeing what they all could do. Go Beyond. PLUS ULTRA!!"

""PLUS ULTRA!!""

"Die All Might!"

A gun barrel could be seen above the crowd as it fired. Time slowed as the crowd waited for the shot to land but it never did. In the path of the bullet appeared a green portal swallowing the bullet. The crowd looked at the portal as it vanished. In front of the assailant, a larger green portal opened and from it Invincible walked through. The attacker fired his gun at him but every bullet that hit him crumpled and fell to the floor. Midoriya grabbed them by the neck and used confession.

"Who are you with?"

"What? I'm alone."

Fiction

Midoriya's eyes widen as he uses barrier to cover the entire hall and stage. A bullet impacts the outside of the barrier causing it to ripple. Midoriya scanned the outside and found a sniper on a rooftop quickly packing away their weapon. Warping him into the barrier without his gun he is wrapped in green construct bands that extend to the ground to keep him upright. The same happens to the first assailant.

"Now this is all of you."

Fact

Just then security pushed their way to Midoriya's location and cuffed the attackers while thanking Midoriya for his help. One of the onlookers walked up to Midoriya phones in hand.

"Hi, Chitose Kizuki from Shoowaysha Publishing. I think I speak for everyone in the nation that we thank you for protecting All Might. I wanted to ask you why did you step in? Surely there are security measures that would have ensured that All Might was protected."

"When I saw the barrel in the crowd I knew I needed to act. All Might had already used his time for the day and using anymore would have further reduced the time he had as a hero. I stepped in because who wouldn't? I'm sure everyone watching even the heroes on stage wanted to step in even if they were the ones that would've gotten shot."

"I see. Will you be staying for the rest of the event?"

"No, I won't. I'll need to go back to the dorms. They should be very surprised that I just disappeared from the couch."

"Wait, before you go. Do you have anything to say to the villains that plan to strike All Might again?"

Midoriya looked around and found the camera recording the event. Looking straight into the camera as it zoomed closer.

"To those who hide in shadow. To those who scurry when the light hits your deadened eyes clouded with the desire to maim and do evil. Your time draws near for We Will Always Be Here."

A warp gate appears behind Midoriya swallowing him whole leaving behind an empty space where he once was.

---

A few days had passed and the expected rise in crimes was a lot lower than the public expected from the supposed last appearance of the symbol of peace. The attempted assassination of the retiring All Might had shocked the nation as well as the sudden intrusion of Invincible.

Shoowaysha Publishing released their impromptu interview with Invincible. The public agreed with his opinions and there was speculation that Midoriya was more than ready to replace All Might as the new symbol of peace or at least the new number 1 hero.

The recording of Invincible stopping the would-be assassins was making rounds on news stations and the Internet. The most impactful part of it was his final lines directed at the villains. Many felt like it was something every hero should aspire to, become so great villains dare not approach the light of peace. Invincible's fame skyrocketed after the event.

The successor of the symbol of peace a title that was tacked onto his already lofty hero name. Every day Midoriya had to warp to places and use doppelganger if he was outside of UA as people would be waiting to spot him and alert a massive crowd who wanted the autograph of a rising hero. His reluctance only encouraged them as if one of them could get it then that was the only chance they get a rare item from a rising hero.

Now in one of the mock cities the classes 1-a and 1-b were gathered in front of their homeroom teachers. Today was a special training day as the two classes will be working together as a team to defeat villains. The class was wondering who the villain would be until they noticed that Midoriya was gone from where he was standing before.

"I'm glad you have caught on quickly. Today's training will be against a villain who has an overwhelming advantage against you all. He wins if he destroys the city, eliminates all civilians, and beats or captures all of you while the classes win if they can save 50% of the civilians or defeat the villain. Midoriya will be limited to All Might's fighting style during his exam to give you all a bit of an edge."

The students nodded and began planning their approach. Bakugou being the arrogant hot-head he was found their planning stupid and wanted to just rush at Midoriya. When the class told him that was just going to get him eliminated it got under his skin.

When the training started he blasted himself into the city. The plan that the classes had come up with was to have their strongest run interference while the rest of them tried to save as many civilians as possible. Just as the classes were about to split up something fell from the sky into the middle of their group.

It was the body of Bakugou unconscious. The classes looked around trying to find Midoriya but he was nowhere to be seen. Bakugou was carried away by some medibots as the class spread out into the city. The distraction team consisted of the strongest in class ie. people who could tank a hit and run away. As the group was running through the city an air blast launched them back. They looked up to see buildings destroyed in a cone shape and at the end of it, Midoriya stood casually. Before any of them could think Midoriya was already in front of them.

"They send a force this small to stop me. What a joke."

Midoriya flicks pushing the air in front of him and pushing the assault group into the ground. Kirishima pushed himself up quickly and rushed Midoriya who just stood there and took it. Kirishima kept punching and punching but the blows did nothing to Midoriya though it had brought some time for the others to get up. They too began to hit Midoriya having the same effect. A few of them backed off as a wave of ice traveled and encased Midoriya in a gigantic glacier. Breaking out of it Midoriya saw that the group was gone.

The rest of the class was transporting the civilians to the rescue zone when.

"20% of civilians have been eliminated"

The announcement startled the classes. It had barely been a few minutes and they only had 80% left in the game. The class was starting to panic but Momo got them under control and they kept to the plan. After a few minutes they had saved 45% of the civilians and started to rush for the final 5% they searched around the entire city but they found no one that is until they spotted Midoriya standing in the plaza surrounded by the remaining civilians.

"What do we do now? He for sure already saw us."

"... Some of us will have to distract him enough so the rest of us can save as many civilians as possible."

The classes nod. They send anyone with a ranged quirk which can cause dust to float and obscure Midoriya's vision. Once they were ready they all fired at once. From all around Midoriya were a variety of quirks and a few smoke bombs which obscured both him and the civilians. The heroes rush in but before they can grab any of the civilians the dust is blasted away revealing Midoriya standing there with his hands together alone now surrounded by the classes.

"50% of civilians have been eliminated."

The classes were shocked by this. Where were the remaining civilians? They had checked every building.

"Finally things can get exciting. You all have been running around like rats avoiding me like the plague. Now, I think it's time I actually hunt."

Midoriya disappeared and reappeared with the ranged assault group unconscious around him. The remaining heroes looked apprehensive but stood ready to face whatever was next making Midoriya smile at the sight. He disappears once more this time taking each and every one down one by one causing some in the group to lose their cool and run but they never get far as they become the next targets. Eventually, only Midoriya remained standing around unconscious bodies.

"Villain wins"

Midoriya warped the unconscious students to a recovery tent where he was reprimanded by Recovery Girl for making her stay late. Bakugou was the first to wake up. He looked around still ready to fight. Midoriya wrapped him in green bands so he wouldn't destroy anything.

"Calm down. The training is over."

Bakugou's face dropped and anger reappeared.

"What the hell happened?! "

Bakugou looked around the room seeing the still unconscious class.

"They needed your help. You could have been the key to this but you faced me alone."

"If all of them couldn't do anything. Then they are just weak."

"And what does that say about you? You left them behind so you could prove that you were the best. That you could finish this exercise before they get the chance to encounter me. I knocked you out picked up your unconscious body and threw you into the group. Do you know what happened?"

"...They got too cautious. They would never risk getting closer to you."

"That's right. They weren't willing to take risks because they didn't want to end up like you. A missing piece. A liability. They needed all the strength they had and you threw that notion away for what? Your pride. They needed someone who knew me. Knew how I moved. How I would handle this exercise."

"But I don't know a damn thing about you. Ever since you got here you've only gotten stronger and stronger. Every step of the way you were always in mine. The first training, USJ, the sports festival, Stain, I-island. After All for One, I didn't know what to think. All Might had said he was going to retire. To give up after everything. I couldn't be like him I have to be number 1 forever and always."

"Winning and being on top doesn't have to be all there is to be a hero. Hasn't UA shown you that? Hasn't All Might shown you that? There are a lot more different heroes other than All Might. Winning doesn't just mean beating villains. Cause even if the villain is captured if civilians are dead then it will always be a tragedy. Your desire to win is not the problem it's your focus. If all you care about is winning you will find nothing but resentment for everyone better than you in any way you perceive."

Bakugou was quiet for a moment thinking of the past before UA. He remembers first learning of Midoriya's quirk. It was weak sure but subconsciously he knew it would grow to surpass him. He tried to beat the nerd down but all that did was make him stronger. By the time they were in middle school groups of people from other schools regularly challenged Midoriya to a fight with Midoriya always coming out stronger every time. He wanted to be the best but the game was rigged from the start.

He felt unlucky he wasn't born with Midoriya's quirk. He wanted all that strength, the invulnerability, and the presence he exuded when he faced villains. The fight with All for One was a prime example of such. Through all the attempts by the heroes to stop the beast that was All for One, Midoriya stood tall facing a monster and with a single blow defeated what All Might failed to. He looked back at Midoriya and spoke with a soft tone.

"Leave me alone."

Midoriya silently got up and left leaving Bakugou to his thoughts.

_______________________________________

Next time

Chapter 43 : Nabu Island