Chapter 2: Reawakening of a Hunters Instincts
—Four years later—
"Stop it Kacchan can't you see he's crying". The now four-year-old Izuku yelled as he defended the boy 'Kacchan was attacking.
"Shut up Deku and get out of my way you quirkless loser"! 'Kaachan' replied viscously.
Quirkless. That word haunted Izuku's life ever since he was Labelled by the doctor 3 months ago. Since then his only friend Katsuki Bakugo, who he affectionately called Kaachan, had turned against him, his classmates avoided him, and the teachers paid him little attention.
Even his own mother couldn't comfort him. When he'd asked her if he could still be a hero, all she did was apologise.
All he wanted was to be a hero like All Might, to be strong and save people with a smile, but he knew it'd take a miracle for that to happen, no one had ever heard of a quirkless hero since the dawn of quirks over 200 years ago.
But back to the situation at hand.
"I won't let you hurt him Kaachan, it's wrong to hurt people, especially with your quirk"! Izuku cried out which only served to anger the blonde threatening him.
"If you won't move then I'll make you"! Bakugo yelled as he attacked his former friend.
He threw his palm at Izuku and it flowed with explosive power.
At that moment Izuku braced himself for a beating, but then, a miracle occurred.
His perception of time slowed to a crawl as a flood of memories entered his mind, a past life, he was once a man named Garou, he hunted heroes, he saw them as bullies, he killed monsters, he'd met a kid named Tareo and befriended him, he'd ascended to monsterhood then godhood, he'd accidentally killed people, he'd taught some naked dude to turn back time, he met God and he'd reincarnated. But most importantly for this moment, he was a master of several martial arts, chief amongst them being... the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.
As Bakugo threw his attack, Izuku's hands began to move as if by instinct, and he deflected the attack back at the blonde, sending him reeling.
"Oof... what the hell was that DEKU"? Bakugo cried out demanding answers.
At this point, the kid Izuku was defending had escaped.
Izuku then looked at Kaa... no at Bakugo, with Garou's memories he saw where placating a bully would get him, so instead he replied with...
"That was true strength Bakugo. And I'm going to use it to become a hero just like All Might"! Izuku valiantly stated, confusing the blonde even more.
The two of them then got into a fight with no real winner as the preschool teachers turned up to break them up.
This would be the start of something great for Izuku.
—Izuku's home—
The Midoriya household wasn't much, just a simple apartment paid for by Inko's now ex-husband, ever since she divorced him for cheating on her he's been forced to garnish his wages to pay for Inko and Izuku, unfortunately, his job didn't pay much which is why an apartment was all they could afford.
As soon as Izuku got home his mom asked why he'd been fighting with Katsuki, she'd thought they were friends. His reply shocked her.
"Because he was bullying someone with his quirk". Izuku stated with a pouty face only a toddler could make.
"But why did you fight him, sweetie, you could've been hurt"? Inko asked more surprised Izuku wasn't injured and Katsuki was.
"If I didn't help then I couldn't call myself a hero"! Izuku replied which stunned Inko, Izuku had never raised his voice like that before he was always so quiet.
"Are you sure you want to be a hero sweetie, it's a very dangerous job, and you can help people in other ways you know, like being a doctor or policeman". Inko replied hoping to convince her son to give up on being a hero. She'd seen the death stats of the past few years and she feared for her son's life.
"No, I'm going to be a hero without a quirk and be a symbol of hope for people like me, people without quirks and people with weak quirks, I don't care about being the best hero I just want people to have hope"! Izuku stated in a monologue a 4-year-old shouldn't be capable of articulating.
He remembered back to his previous life and how terrible his old mother was, he only knew parental affection from Bang, and he hoped he could avoid that this time round.
The passion in her son's words struck a cord in Inko's soul, it reminded her of when she was a child and saw heroes on the TV, she too wanted to help people but gave up quickly when a hero died on the news. But now, she felt reinvigorated, she couldn't help the people of Japan, but she could help her son by doing her best as a mother should. She'd already failed him once after the doctor's visit, she promised herself to never fail him again.
"Okay sweetie, I believe in you and I'll support you. I just hope you know that you'll be at a disadvantage compared to everyone else, especially if you want to go to a premier hero school". Inko stated as her son.
And from that day forward Izuku's path was set, he would become a hero without a quirk and bring hope to all like him and more.
—Intervening years—
As the years flowed along things changed for the Midoriya's. For starters, Inko, sick of her lousy ex-husband's meek income, decided to get a real job. She got a job at the local library to pay for college and got a degree in nursing in under 4 years, which she used to get a well-paying job at the local hospital. She used that income to buy a modest two-bedroom house, which was unfortunately further away from the local schools but Izuku was ok with it.
But that wasn't the only thing that changed in her life, she began working out and even dating again and did some exploring she hadn't done since her teenage years. Many were only one-offs with men and women who turned out to be dirtbags or quirkists. However, a few did go well, well enough that Izuku almost caught her with them the night after a few times. However, when Izuku was 13 he did accidentally walk in on them and the blush was atomic, she immediately explained everything as well as the birds and bees.
Speaking of Izuku, his training had begun in earnest. Every day began to train as hard as possible, from the ages of 4 and 8 he did simple exercises like pushups, sit-ups and squats when they got to the new house he began working on his speed and stamina by running to school every day, between the ages of 9 and 13 he started really pushing himself using the schedule he used when he was Garou to build up the impossible strength of the old world. Speaking of Garou his mind merged with Izuku's to create a strange hybrid of sorts, he retained his own analytical and kind persona but with Garou's bluntness, determination, and intuitive aptitude for all things, as well as his past life's maturity which helped when he walked in on his mom and another woman. Moving past that he trained not only his body but his mind and technique as well, he remastered martial arts such as the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist, and the many many other martial arts he'd picked up in his past life. He would train these techniques in a nearby forest in secret to ensure he wouldn't hurt anyone.
But not only did he train alone he also joined many dojos to test his skills. He went from dojo to dojo learning everything he could and sparred with everyone he encountered, including a redhead with a quirk that let her hands grow big, after he won he was offered her contact information and only really accepted out of chivalry, as his mother had taught him.
But beyond just his physical abilities and martial arts skills he also relearned other skills he'd need to be a strong hero, such as sensing and projecting killing intent, as well as the art of the God of Hungers Metabolism which let him rapidly heal his body through accelerated metabolism.
However, it wasn't just Izuku's home life that improved, his school life actually became half-decent. Sure due to Bakugo's persistent animosity towards him, he never had any real friends, but he had plenty of acquaintances and people to talk to. His analytical abilities also came in handy as some other students also wanted to be heroes and he was more than happy to assist by offering advice for both quirk and bodily training.
Jumping back to his relationship with Bakugo, he'd given it the old college try to fix their friendship but the blonde consistently refused his offers to bury the hatchet. The blonde would challenge Izuku almost daily to fights and every time Izuku won due to his martial arts skills and superior strength and experience.
These conflicts got even worse when they got to Aldera Middle School, we're the teachers seemed to be actively trying to cover for Bakugo and blame everything on Izuku, it got so bad that Izuku began wearing a mini camera to record the evidence of self-defence against the blonde bomber. He was happy to leave Aldera a fifteen, but the next school was even worse. His new school, Korriba High School, didn't even try to hide their favouritism for Bakugo and others with strong quirks, and their disdain for the weak and quirkless. Izuku had enough by week 2 and decided to do something about it. One night he broke into the school and sifted through their physical files and found a staggering amount of evidence of child neglect and abuse, he stole the records and anonymously handed them to the police. The school was shut down and its teachers were arrested. He along with Bakugo and many others moved to Ryloth High School, which is where he is now.
—Final week at Ryloth High School—
It was Izuku's final week at Ryloth. He'd had a good few years, but still no concrete friends or meaningful relationships thanks to Bakugo, seriously that guy was like a curse on his social life. But now it was all over and the next step in his life was about to begin.
"Now then as you all know this is your last week here and whilst I know you all want to be hero students, *thud. You all need to take these university and college applications seriously, so I'm handing out new application sheets". The teacher stated as he dropped a massive stack of papers onto his desk.
In the following commotion, a few lines of dialogue cropped up amongst the students about who'll get into a hero school.
Meanwhile, as soon as Bakugo got the new sheet he burnt it with his quirk.
"Hey teach don't lump me in with these extras! They may be destined for nothing besides nothing jobs and being the sidekicks of D-tier heroes, but I'm destined for greatness. See I already aced the moc exams for UA"! Bakugo screamed out causing everyone including the teacher, who was muttering the mantra 'just one more week', as to not groan at Bakugo's antics.
"Can it Bakugo, just because your quirk is above average doesn't mean you're 'destined' for anything". One student stated pissing off the blonde.
In the commotion, a group of students began debating how long Bakugo would last at UA with his attitude. However, another student, one of if not Bakugo's only supporters, piped up.
"I heard Midoriya's also planning on going to UA". The student none too discreetly stated.
Record scratch, dead silence.
"DEKU"! Bakugo screamed in anger.
Now had this been Aldera or Korriba the students, and likely the teacher, would've all had a good chuckle at Izuku's expense. But they all knew and accepted the truth, Izuku was strong, very strong, impossibly strong. The greenette had a reputation for his strength of both body and character, he also had a reputation for defeating the entire martial arts club monthly, even going all Bruce Lee and taking them on all at once. Yet Bakugo still wanted to pick a fight with him to soothe his fragile masculinity.
"Bakugo sit down and be quiet or I'll give you detention for the rest of your time at this school". The tether stated authoritatively.
In response, the blonde grumbled but sat back down.
Later after classes, however...
"You better not be applying to UA Deku". Bakugo growled like an animal after class ended having cut him off from leaving.
"Why are you trying to become a hero Bakugo? Go beat up some poor kid for their lunch money and become a villain already". Izuku replied exhaustively. He'd had to put up with Bakugo's antics for almost 14 years at this point and the novelty of his persistence was wearing thin after 3 years and at this point, he was just tired of it.
"Because heroes never lose and always win, just like me, it's a perfect match". Bakugo delusionally stated with a feral grin.
"Sure... unless count the 1,739 times I've kicked your ass what n under 20 seconds, then it's obvious why you should be a hero 'Kaachan'". Izuku replies sarcastically which only pissed off Bakugo more.
"Those don't count you quirkless reject, now don't go to UA"! Bakugo venomously replied in an attempt to save his fragile ego.
"I'm not going to apply to UA". Izuku stated causing Bakugo to grin.
"I'm obviously going to get into UA as a student seeing as my acceptance is guaranteed". Izuku replies as he easily slips past Bakugo's attempted assault.
—Walking home—
As Izuku was waking home his thoughts were on a few things, katsudon, his life as a reincarnated martial artist, the meaning of life, and the weather, until suddenly his killing intent sense went off. The aura was emanating from a manhole cover 30 feet away. Said manhole cover them suddenly shot up 60 into the air, propelled by sludge, sludge with eyes and teeth.
"A medium-sized invisibility cloak...perfect. Hold still now kid, this'll only hurt for a bit"! The sludge stated as it rocketed towards Izuku.
Immediately Izuku's perception of time slowed to a crawl, he got a good look at the thing and determined the creature was only a low-end threat-level tiger it reminded him of Sludge Jellyfish from his old world. But enough reminiscing, as soon as the villain's tendrils got within range he used Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist to deflect them with ease.
"What the bell kind of quirk is that? Doesn't matter, just stop resisting and let me possess you already he's almost here"! The villain cried out frantically as it unleashed more tendrils, but it was too late.
In an instant, Izuku used Exploding Heart Release to pummel the villain with each blow causing shockwaves to perforate its gelatinous body causing intense pain. The villain tried to spread out to avoid the attacks but Izuku moved so fast he seemed to be on multiple places at once to the villain.
The entire 'fight' took less than 30 seconds.
When Izuku was finished he looked at his handiwork and was pleased. However, he couldn't help but wonder who the villain was running from.
He wouldn't have to wait long, however, as another mass swiftly exited the manhole cover, in uproarious fashion.
"I am here"!! All Might bellowed as he exited the sewers. Only to immediately go silent when he saw Izuku and the remains of the defeated sludge villain.
"Ha ha, it looks as though my job has been done for me. Brilliant job young man, however, I hope you know it's illegal to use your quirk on another without a license". All Might stated getting only a blank stare in response.
"Ok, this is just weird now". The no. 1 hero thought to himself. Usually, whenever he met someone he would be bombarded with questions like requests for autographs, pictures, handshakes, adoption, and so on but this kid was just looking at him like he was a normal guy, it was a foreign yet not unwelcome feeling.
"It's fine sir I didn't use a quirk seeing as I don't have one". Izuku replied causing the hero to perform a double take.
This kid bested a dangerous villain without a quirk, how? Questions for later he was running out of time. He swiftly pulled a bottle of Coke cola from his pocket downed it along with the others he had and stuffed the villain inside the bottles.
"Good job defeating this villain young man, but unfortunately I've gotta fly, ha ha". AM stated as he prepared to jump.
However, when he did jump he didn't get much lift, in fact, he barely cleared 3 feet. When he looked down to check what he saw amazed him. The boy had caught him mid-jump and held him down, just how strong was this kid?
"You sure your quirkless young man? With strength like that one might take you for a liar". All Moght stayed trying to get quick answers.
"Toe, blood, tissue tests and everything sir, completely quirkless". Izuku stated.
"Speaking of which actually... All Might, is it possible for someone to be a hero without a quirk"? Izuku asked hoping his idol wasn't like so many people he'd asked prior.
"Well you see young man, in my opinion... *poof *cough, uh oh". All Might states in the middle of his answer, he was enveloped in a cloud of smoke and vomited up blood.
Izuku immediately took a combat stance and accused the man of being an imposter. All Might immediately retorted that this was his true form, and began explaining his past. He explained that he was Toshinori Yagi, and that apparently a villain from 5 years ago had punch a hole in his torso greatly weakening him.
"So that explains why he's been seen less and less recently, I thought it was just age". Izuku thought to himself, before refocusing on his original question.
"You didn't fully answer my question". He stated.
"Ah right that... you see kid, in all honesty, no, I don't think it's realistic for a quirkless person to be a hero. It's just too dangerous, even to an anomaly like you". All Might, now Yagi replied.
Izuku didn't reply, he just stood their with a shadow cast over his eyes.
"I'm sorry if that's not what do you want to hear kid, but please under... *oof". Yagi stated before Izuku sucker punched him and left.
"Yeah, I probably deserved that, hypocrite that I am. I just don't want people to get hurt, I'm sorry kid". Yagi thought to himself as he recovered and reached for the bottles contains the sludge villain.
They'd were empty.
"Ooohhh shit". Yagi thought to himself.
—Main road—
Izuku was in a fowl mood now, though to be honest he wasn't really expecting much, he'd heard it all before, how you need a quirk to be a hero, it just hurt more coming from someone he looked up to.
As he continued to brood suddenly he heard an explosion in the distance followed by a commotion. Immediately he ran towards it.
What he found shocked him. The sludge villain was causing havoc in the streets and somehow causing explosions. As he got closer, however, he saw what was causing the explosions. Katsuki Bakugo, with tears in his eyes, desperately trying to free himself by blasting randomly, directly making it harder for the heroes to do anything.
Wait what where the heroes doing?
He looked over at the heroes Backdraft, Death Arms, Kamui Woods, and the new girl Mt. Lady he believed. Backdraft was putting out the fires but the other three were just gormlessly see standing there, like a bunch of morons.
Then he overheard something that just pissed him off.
"I can't do anything my quirks not useful in this situation, we've gotta wait for something with a quirk that can counter this guy". Death Arms stated frantically.
These utter buffoons were wasting time, waiting for someone with a quirk that could counter the sludge villain, and not even considering doing it themselves.
With a huff of annoyance Izuku stepped forward, maybe he'd feel better after this.
"Hey cosplayer, hold this". Izuku tells Death Arms as he hands the hero his backpack.
"Hey kid, the hell are you... *Boom". Death Arms asked before being cut of by a sonic boom.
Immediately Izuku was on the sludge villain like shit on velcro. The villain had absorbed enough raw sewage to grow his in size to the point that he was bigger than last time. But it didn't matter.
Izuku immediately punched through the villains large mass with a devastating kick, saving Bakugo in the process.
He then handed Bakugo to Death Arms and doubled back at the villain who'd began launching tendrils at him in a vain hope of stopping him. Every attack looked as if it was barely even moving to Izuku, he then completely splattered the villain once again.
The whole event took less than a minute, and by the end of it, the crowd, and the heroes were flawed by what they had just witnessed. Immediately the crowd began to cheer for his victory. However, the heroes did not view Izuku actions as heroic.
"Kid do you have any idea how stupid that was you could've gotten yourself killed". Death Arms stated indignantly.
"Well, when I saw that there were no heroes around to save him, I figured I'd have to do it myself". Izuku replied smugly, pissing off the trio of heroes.
"Kid we are the heroes, can't you tell from the outfits". Mt. Lady replied in an offended tone.
"Really, your heroes? From the way you were so valiantly standing around doing nothing, I mistook you for cosplayers". Izuku replied with a smug face getting a 'ooh' from the crowd.
"Listen kid the reason we weren't doing anything is because our quirks didn't match the situation it's something we all have to learn one day we can't save everyone". Kamui Woods stated trying to salvage the situation.
"I'm sorry but can't you regenerate? Isn't it a heroes job to risk life and limb for the sake of others, or did you three skip that class in favour of coming up with one liners like 'A pleasure to make your ass-quaintance'. And what do you mean by 'we can't save everyone' what kind of a mindset is that for a hero"? Izuku asked in an incredulous tone.
At this point the crowd was siding with Izuku, the kid was right, these heroes which their taxes paid for just stood around doing nothing and now they're trying to scold the person who did their jobs for them?
The crowd immediately began to boo the heroes, and someone began to throw fresh groceries at them.
In the commotion Izuku slipped way and walked home, in a better mood than he was in a few minutes ago.
However, it wasn't just the crowd Izuku had impressed, a certain blonde hero had also bore witness to his actions and speech.
"I've screwed up big time". Yagi mumbled to himself as he stood in an alleyway.