Chapter 25
The UA staff walked through the grand entrance of the conference centre
"Wow Sho! Look at you, you can look smart when you need to!" Yamada joked in a suit and tie.
"I actually know how to dress, it's just that it's not logical to wear a suit when I'm constantly doing backflips and kicking villains." Aizawa said, transformed, looking like a brand new man, after styling his hair and wearing a suit, unlike his usual "hobo" look.
"Hey there Aizawa how's it going?"
Aizawa turned around and saw Onimaru waving towards him, in a rare sight, Aizawa grinned and extended his hand for a handshake, which Onimaru gladly accepted.
"Fine."
Onimaru whispered into his ear. "Spent anytime with Emi?"
Aizawa blushed and whispered back, "They don't know about that. Shush."
"I swear, he's only this friendly with other underground heroes..." Kayama muttered.
"That's because we understand, we work differently than you." Aizawa dead panned. "Then why is it he always looks focused and you about to crumple from sleep Sho?" Yamada shot back.
"Be quiet."
"Oh hey there UA!" The rest of the Shiketsu staff arrived, Nariko, Ryujin, Akagi, the principal and vice principal, along with other staff members and teachers.
Principal Nezu stepped forward. His smile, turned way up as if forced. Extending a hand.
"Why hello there Principal Matsuda, how are you today?"
Matsuda extended her hand, but Nezu pulled it away and acted as if swiping his fur a move only done by literal children, she forced a smile back. "Why it's been great, are you going to talk about the... incident during the seminar?"
Onimaru whispered to Aizawa. "How much tea did he drink?"
"Nine tea bags, how much caffeine did Matsuda drink?"
"Seven mugs of coffee, and two sports drinks."
"Yikes... They're gonna go at it huh?"
"Yup, this petty rivalry isn't just amongst students, turns out the principal has a grudge as well..."
Matsuda smiled confidently towards Nezu, "So... what special announcement will you make?"
Nezu flashed her a grin. "Oh... You'll see... Japan will see..."
"He's going to announce something reckless isn't he." Kayama whispered.
"Japan will see... No way they're going to hold the sports festival right..." Yamada whispered.
"We are holding the sports festival."
The conference room filled with murmurs, the UA teachers face palmed
A teacher from Ketsubutsu raised his voice from his section "Wouldn't that be a foolish decision? Given how the USJ was attacked mere days ago?"
Nezu chuckled "If you're worried about security, then don't, this year we have increased our security measures, extra heroes will be on the scene."
Another staff member from Seiai asked. "We heard that the only reason the USJ wasn't more tragic is because of the intervention of several double agents, some of whom were former villains, how can students trust UA to keep them safe, when you are using people like that?"
Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd. Nezu silenced them before saying. "These people have committed crimes in the past, however they have proven their willingness and desire to change for the better, for this I am thankful for their service, we should not judge them for what they've done in the past. This decision comes from the need to convey to the world, especially to villains, that UA will continue on, nothing can break us down, we shall, as hero school, symbol for our future hope, persevere. "
Matsuda, having a challenging face, asked "Are you going to change anything this year? Or will more "outside forces" affect your policy?"
"Damn board of directors..." Nezu muttered under his breath. "Yes, this year will put more more of a focus on physical skill and strategy."
The UA teachers look to each other, lost, the sports festival was quite a shock in of itself.
"If nothing else, then this is the end of my announcement, and the head speaker will come out soon to talk more in detail about today."
The head speaker walked on stage and a screen behind him lit up
"COLLABARATION BETWEEN HERO SCHOOLS"
Matsuda and Nezu shot each other a manic grin. The rest of the teachers of both schools simply accepting their new torturous fate.
"The point of this seminar is to discuss safety, and we at the HPSC believe, more collaboration between hero schools will be a very wise decision, let us begin."
T-rex:
GUYSGUYSGUYSGUYS!
Big Fist:
If this is about the sports festival then we know Tokage.
T-rex:
Still! It's big news!
Big Fist:
Isn't it a bit reckless for them to do this, I mean the villain attack was still pretty recent.
Softy:
Maybe the teacher will explain, they probably added a lot of security tbh.
Copy:
Finally! We can show our power!
Tsuburaba:
I still hope we can show off, I mean people have been really focused on 1A since you know, they survived a villain attack.
Welder:
I know right! I mean we're just as good! They're not better just because they got into a villain attack.
Copy:
It's so unfair! They must be shoved into the depths of despair!
Midoriya:
Well to be fair, they didn't ask for the villain attack.
Copy:
True...
Tsuburaba:
Look at these!
1A-THE SURVIVAL STORY!
1-A! HEROES OF TOMORROW
UA USJ ATTACK SHINE LIGHT ON FUTURE HEROES
Copy:
They must be sooo high on their horses right now.
Midoriya:
Monoma, you only personally met two of them, granted both were unpleasant, but still, me and Kendo met some of them, they seem nice
Copy:
Fine, I'll let it go for now.
Mines:
When they announced it, some people doubted UA's choice, but seeing no one got hurt at the USJ I think they let it go, but still, have you seen the betting pools that already started?
Midoriya:
Betting pools?
Mines:
Yeah! I stumbled upon it after reading on a maths forum and they were discussing the odds of it, some people opened a betting pool and polls for the sports festival, it's nothing too big right now, right now just a poll guessing from which class will the first place be from and it's 93 to 7 in favor of 1A.
T-rex:
When the betting pool starts, if any of us win, then some people are going to be rich!
Big Fist:
When one of us win, cause we're gonna try our best and besides we're too young to bet.
T-rex:
Of course, big sis, no worry about that! Pretty lame we can't bet though...
But a math forum?
Mines:
I need to know physics and math to use my quirk effectively, knowing trajectory and angles really help, it is very fascinating once you get down to it. Also, I'm studying for the maths quiz Ectoplasm sensei told us
T-rex:
WAIT A QUIZ?!
"So... UA will hold the sports festival..."
The few people at the bar looked at Izuku with incredulous looks, the late night light shining through. "What?"
Dabi at the back, reading some files snorted "Isn't it a bad idea... Considering the fact that they got attacked, heck the news were all over their ass the last week for the USJ!"
Izuku rubbed a glass, and sighed "Well, this email says otherwise, this year they claim to be different, less focus on quirks, more on physical skill? I doubt that, there's probably going to be a big focus on quirks still, maybe just not as much, but still if that's true I like it... and my class group chat blew up. You got the classic "I'm gonna try my best!" Some "I'm gonna beat everyone!" and some saying "How 1A is going to the depths of despair!""
"Is it-"
"Yes, blond hair blue eyed, drama kid."
"Of course..."
Insight tapped the bar top. "Hey Broccoli, I guess this means you got to train harder huh?"
"Yeah I'm planning to train up in my spare time, but now, with the sports festival I really hope I can get someone to train with, just to make sure I don't get too rusty, keep me sharp, UA is probably gonna train us harder as well, but I want to make the most of this week, I tried calling Hare to train me for this week, but Hare is spending time with his family and "keeping that rascal in check!"" Causing some people to snicker.
"Which hero are you considering if you get an offer from every single one?" another man with a long tongue and bumps on his forehead asked.
"I'm not sure, assuming I win the entire thing, theoretically, I'll get a lot of offers, maybe from the top 5 even, but I want to stick to heroes that do work similar to what I do here, rehab, anti discrimination, all that."
Insight quickly typed and texted something to someone, before looking back up. "Broccoli, I actually have been meaning to introduce you to someone.. And given the sports festival coming up, I think she can really help with your training, she was a full blown pro hero at one point, before... shenanigans, I met her at the HPSC." Insight suggested.
"Sure! If you think she's good then I can really learn a lot of things from her!"
"Good, because actually, she's on his way here..."
"Ah, and here I thought the closing shift would be easy!" Izuku joked.
Then as if on cue, the door swung open to see a tall woman with pink and purple hair, cascading down her shoulders, she had an uninterested look, before seeing Insight at the bar top, at which she smiled at him.
"Hello sir! Glad to see this is the right place!" She bowed, showing full respect to the old Insight.
"L-LADY NAGANT? YOU GOT ME LADY NAGANT!" Izuku squealed.
Lady Nagant sighed, an amused smile formed on her lips. "So, Insight is that the kid ?"
"Yes... Trust me, he wants to train, he's a good one, grew up amongst people like us."
"K-K-K-Kaina sensei?" Dabi hesitantly asked from the back.
Lady Nagant whipped her head around. "S-Shimo!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" They yelled out at the same time.
Izuku's eyes lit up "Dabi! You know Lady Nagant?"
"Yeah... remember the special course and I said it was taught by a law legend... She's the teacher. How were you involved with any of this sensei? Kid, and is Lady Nagant her hero name?"
Izuku nodded "Yup! One of if not the best marksman to grace the hero world, even Snipe, who has a quirk that let's him shoot accurately, says she's better off pure skill alone!"
"Holy shit..." Dabi muttered.
Lady Nagant sighed "Well... Now you know Shimo, I was a hero once, but I was used... Used to kill by the HPSC against people they don't like, an assassin. I lost it, saw blood on my hands everywhere, I tried to quit, they said no. I only escaped because Insight here, forged all of the psychological records, said how I was mentally incapable of being a hero, only then did I get dismissed. Now you know how I'm so good at those cases huh?"
"So that's how you got all the evidence against the chairman 2 years ago! You were a cog in the machine!" Dabi exclaimed.
"Yes, a bloody one... But, they've been cleaned up, I got all the evidence because I knew where to look, some corrupt ones are still in there but the big fish are mostly gone, I aimed for the death penalty but he got off easy for life imprisonment. I've been working in law ever since, they couldn't believe it! The "mentally unstable" one is calling them out, but when they looked for the records of me being psychologically unstable, trying to make me a "unreliable witness" they got nothing! Zilch! To the court I was just someone who worked in the HPSC, exposing their secrets! It was such a huge scandal at the time, and it was all thanks to him." Lady Nagant pointed to Insight.
Insight bowed slightly. "It was the right thing to do Kaina, I was also sick of doing atrocities, I'm glad to see you going strong."
Izuku looked at her with eyes of awe, even Dabi muttered. "As if she couldn't be more of a legend..."
"So Shimo, how did you get involved with this?"
Dabi looked to Izuku, then to Insight, they both nodded. "Well, you see Shimo Toki is not my real name it's Todoroki Touya, and-"
"The Todoroki that was said to have died years ago?!" Lady Nagant got off the stool and looked at him with shock.
"Yes, long story short, I ran, my mom got locked up in some mental hospital, escaped because of that kid and some other folk, then they found me forced me to go back to my mom, reason for all this? Endeavour is abusing his children, and that's why I want to learn from you."
"Well...that is something, my best student is a long lost son of the Number 2 hero..."
"Yeah, It's tough to believe huh?" Dabi snickered.
"No... I've seen way weirder and worse shit before."
Lady Nagant's eyes turn into one of anger, even something predatory, "So... the number 2 hero, is an abuser, and you're telling me he's still kicking around?"
"Yes..." Lady Nagant's eyes closed. "Fakes..." she pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to Dabi.
"Is this-" "Yes it's a request for my law firm, I want you to work with me, I want to help you with that case, not to mention, you get good grades, think about it, I need to speak to the kid."
Dabi took the paper with a manic look on his eyes. "Yes ma'am..."
Lady Nagant sat on a bar stool. "So tell me kid, why do you want to be a hero?"
"To help people here, people forgotten by society, because I know this world ain't fine and I want the world to understand it as well, and make them understand that we need to help them.", heroes automatically get celebrity and fame status, and yet most of them don't even use it for good, I want to spread the word for people around here."
"Would you judge someone for things they did in the past?" Lady Nagant asked.
"Kaina, this kid literally helped people who were villains before, he will help anyone, as long as they want to be saved."
She slowly nodded. "Good... Not starry-eyed. If what Insight has said about your skill is true, then I think I can help out for a week or so..."
"So, you don't mind the things I did in the past?" Lady Nagant asked.
Izuku nodded. "No, from what I heard from Insight, the HPSC a few years ago was a cesspool, and it might still be one today, granted it's smaller but still. I don't hold your actions against you."
Lady Nagant teared up slightly. "All right, I'll help you, I hope you grow up to be a real hero."
"I'll try my best Miss." Izuku bowed.
"So, got any questions for me?" Lady Nagant smiled as she asked.
Izuku leaned in, his excitement practically bubbling over. "Your quirk is a rifle, right? You were so cool back in the day! I have so many questions, Miss—"
Before Izuku could finish, Insight interjected, amused but firm. "Broccoli, I'll let you see the notes on her quirk later. Ask some other questions first."
Izuku quickly stopped himself, thinking for a moment before coming up with something else. "What made you go for 'Lady Nagant'? Isn't the Nagant a rifle used by the Russians back in the day? And how did you get so good at shooting?"
Lady Nagant raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a slight smile. "Well, glad to see you're educated, kid. Yeah, the Nagant was a Russian rifle. My father's half-Russian, and I've got some family ties over there. Our ancestors fought in both World Wars, and one of their family heirlooms is an old Nagant 1895 revolver and a Mosin-Nagant rifle. I was the first granddaughter born into the family, so when I was about nine, my father took me on a trip back to Russia to meet our relatives."
Her eyes gleamed as she recalled the memories. Izuku sat forward, listening intently, not wanting to miss a single detail.
"They treated me like royalty, being a girl and all that. At the time, I could only manifest a small barrel from my elbow. My cousins, who were around fifteen, thought it'd be funny to give me the Mosin-Nagant to play with. We were out hunting, and they handed me that ancient rifle like it was a toy. When my family came to check on us in the woods, my father nearly had a heart attack seeing me with it. My grandparents were ready to kill my cousins for being irresponsible."
Her grin widened, pride shining through her eyes. "But I shut everyone up by taking a shot. There was a bird, perched not too far away, but for a nine-year-old with a rifle that big? It was a challenge. I hit it right in the wing. That was my first-ever shot, and in that moment, I felt free—liberated. I was hooked. I begged them to let me shoot again. I even stayed in my room, refusing to eat for two days, just to convince them to let me use the Mosin again."
Izuku's eyes sparkled with awe. "Wow... That's incredible! So you really had a connection with the rifle from the beginning."
Lady Nagant nodded. "Yep. My family finally relented. They let me practice, and over time, I got better. My grandma or "babushka" as my dad called her, was a solider, she's old but smart and tough, taught me all the poses, salutes, shooting positions, and with her guidance I got really good really fast, they taught me about the history of the Nagant rifles, how they were used, and the significance they held. It wasn't just a tool to them—it was a symbol of survival, they used those rifles to fight invaders, and I loved that. By the time I was a teenager, my quirk had fully developed, and I could create a full sniper rifle out of my arm. That's when I started thinking about becoming a hero."
Izuku tilted his head, curious. "Was there a particular moment that made you choose the hero path in the first place? You weren't always like this weren't you?"
Lady Nagant took a deep breath, leaning back in her chair. "It wasn't a straightforward path. You see, my quirk—turning my body into a living weapon—wasn't something people saw as heroic at first. I wasn't some flashy powerhouse like All Might or Endeavor. But the more I learned about precision and control, the more I realized that heroes don't have to be flashy. They just need to be effective. I wanted to be someone who could stop threats before they even reached civilians. Snipers don't run into the battlefield—they eliminate the danger from afar. That idea stuck with me."
Her expression shifted, becoming more serious. "And then there was the HPSC. They saw my potential, but they didn't care about the person behind the quirk. To them, I was just a tool—a weapon to be used for their dirty work. I didn't want that. I wanted to be a hero, not a puppet."
"But I still believed in what I was doing—at first. I thought if I could help keep people safe, it didn't matter what the HPSC asked of me. But after a while, it got harder to convince myself. They kept pushing me to do things that didn't feel right. Taking out threats before they even had a chance to act. And the more they used me, the more I lost myself."
"But to answer your question," she continued, "I chose 'Lady Nagant' as my hero name because of my family, my heritage. The Nagant rifle represented precision, patience, and control. I wanted to embody those values and I will train you in those values way more than you already have. I wanted to be a sniper in the hero world, taking out danger before it reached innocent people. And 'Lady'... well, that was just to add a bit of class."
Izuku chuckled. "It definitely suits you! But... what made you keep going even when the HPSC was pushing you to do things that didn't sit right with you? I heard from Insight that they do quite horrendous things back then."
Lady Nagant's smile faded slightly, her gaze turning inward. "For a long time, I didn't. I was on the edge of breaking. I wanted out, but they had too much control over me. They threatened my family, my friends. I felt trapped." She clenched her fist. "But then, the old man reached out, as I said. I couldn't be more thankful. He saved me from becoming something I didn't want to be—a killer for hire. After that, I took a break from everything. I needed to find myself again. I went into law, trying to figure out how to fight those bastards, they kept a false veneer of peace, it all came into fruition when I revealed the chairman's decisions such as taking in literal children to train them into heroes, those heroes are kept anonymous but rest assured, not another child would come to the hands of the HPSC, and I helped find the taskforce that manages and investigates HPSC dealings to hold them accountable, and soon I got the chance to teach, and that's how I met that guy. "
"Wow... Thank you for doing this for Japan ma'am." Izuku said.
Lady Nagant simply chuckled. "There are many more bad heroes and officials to take down, so don't thank me yet, the next one on the hit list, is probably Endeavour, who knew I would meet my student here?"
"Small world huh?" Dabi joked.
"Small world indeed..."
Izuku, still absorbing all of this, couldn't help but ask, "What's it like, seeing the world now, after everything you've been through?"
Lady Nagant sighed, her gaze softening. "It's... different. I've seen the best and worst of people. I've seen how corrupt the system can be, sometimes I want to end it all, but now, I see people like you. You're not just about power or fame. You genuinely care about people. And that's something this world needs more of."
"I-I see, thank you Ma'am, it means a lot coming from someone like you." Izuku replied. "The sports festival is in three weeks, according to Insight, you're on a week break, before going back to UA, I'll train you for the rest of your break. Do you have any idea what you might do in the sports festival?"
Izuku stroked his chin, "I'm not sure... they always spin a wheel, the only guarantee is the final stage of the festival will be a tournament style gladiator fight, the first two stages could be anything, I know the first one is a free for all, I've seen things like races, or dodgeball, and the second one is a team based thing, I've seen cavalry battles, paintball gun shootouts, capture the flag. It could be anything!"
"In that case, I'll train you in my skill set, given you don't have much to go off of, I think a general training would work best for you."
"So, are you ready for my training?" She asked.
"Yes Ma'a-"
Lady Nagant threw a punch towards him, Izuku stopped her fist while bowing looking down, he pulled the fist towards him and grabbing her throat, still having that polite smile. Lady Nagant smiled. "Good, you have the very basics down. So let me ask you again? Are you ready for my training?"
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Really? Zuku, think you're gonna get one on me?" Himiko shot him a deadpan, doubtful look as they walked towards the forest in their hero costumes.
"I-I just wanted to train extra for the sports festival is all!" Izuku replied
"You get to have a week of training with the best sniper in Japan, and not tell me? Oh I'm hurt darling. Himiko dramatically grasped at her chest.
"Sorry Himi, I was just so excited you know? Besides you're here now! We're here at the agreed point..."
Izuku and Himiko looked around, a large clearing, surrounded by deep forests, the trees were tall and lush with leaves.
"We're gonna get sniped." "We're gonna get sniped." They both said at the same time.
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the clearing as Izuku and Himiko ducked low, hearts racing.
Izuku clenched his fists. He knew Lady Nagant was only trying to push them, but the challenge of facing her was still intimidating. "We've got to make our move, Himiko. She's covering all her angles. If we stay here, she'll pin us down."
Himiko calmly said "Then let's go on the offensive."
"You read my mind."
Together, they made a break for it, sprinting deeper into the woods, dodging between trees and using the foliage for cover. Despite the intensity of the training, Izuku couldn't help but admire how fast and agile Himiko was. Her quirk allowed her to shift her appearance, but even in her natural form, she moved with grace.
"You're keeping up, Zuku, I'm impressed," Himiko teased as they crouched behind a large boulder.
"Thanks, but we're not out of this yet," Izuku replied, scanning the area for any sign of Lady Nagant. She had to be close, but the fact that they hadn't spotted her yet was a testament to her skill.
As if on cue, another shot rang out, and this time it was aimed directly at their cover. The bullet smashed into the boulder, and a small explosion followed, sending debris flying in all directions.
Himiko dove for the ground and Izuku surrounded himself in a fire dome. He then deactivated it and crawled into the forest along with Himiko.
They crawled upwards, towards a small hill.
Himiko whispered to Izuku. "I'll serve as distraction, try to find where the bullets come from, snipe the sniper."
Izuku raised his eyebrows but nodded. "Alright, just try to out snipe the best sniper with a bow and arrow, while she is using a rifle, but I'll try."
Himiko smirked "Suck it up, as Hare would probably say, "Rumi did this when she was still in the womb!"" She said before lunging into the forest, Izuku sighed and manifested his fire bow and loaded an arrow, he scanned the area around him, as Himiko ran through the forest, dashing from tree to tree, a shot rang out and grazed her leg, Izuku followed the bullet and loosed the arrow from where it came from, a bush slightly rustled not too far away. Izuku fired an arrow, at the bush, it caught on fire, forcing Lady Nagant to roll out, Izuku quickly made the distance by getting on a board made of fire and flying towards her, she loaded another shot, and fired, missing Izuku, but Izuku quickly realized, this was the best sniper in Japan, no way would she miss a shot like that, he quickly made a barrier behind him, and sure enough the shot exploded into shrapnel, but Izuku blocked it with the barrier.
Izuku staggered a bit, but quickly backed away, firing another arrow, she flipped backwards and pulled out a pistol and fired, Izuku rushed forward to engage in close quarter combat,
Izuku sprinted toward Lady Nagant, his fire bow dissolving as he focused his energy into his hands, preparing for close combat. He could see her calculating, her movements sharp and precise as she leveled her pistol at him, her finger hovering over the trigger with deadly intent.
Just as she fired, Izuku pivoted to the side, dodging the bullet by a hair's breadth. He closed the distance between them in a blur of speed, his fists igniting with flames as he swung at her.
Lady Nagant didn't flinch. She ducked under his strike, her movements fluid as she countered with a swift upward kick aimed at his midsection. Izuku barely had time to bring up his arms to block, the force of the kick sending a shockwave through his body. But before he could recover, Lady Nagant had already pivoted, bringing the butt of her pistol down toward his head.
Izuku raised his arm just in time, the impact ringing through his forearm as he blocked the strike. He gritted his teeth, the flames around his hands roaring to life as he pushed back, forcing her to jump away.
"You're not as bad as I think kid!" Lady Nagant said with a small smile, holstering her pistol and pulling out another from behind her back. "But you still have a long way to go."
Izuku didn't reply, his mind racing as he tried to think of a strategy. Lady Nagant was using her pistols like extensions of her hands, seamlessly blending her firearms with martial arts in a way he had never encountered before. She was controlling the pace of the fight, constantly staying just out of reach while keeping him on the defensive.
He had to change the tempo. He had to get close.
Without hesitation, Izuku launched himself forward again, flames swirling around his body as he tried to overwhelm her with speed. Lady Nagant fired another shot, but Izuku was ready this time. He twisted in midair, the bullet whizzing past him as he landed just a few feet away from her, his fist blazing with fire as he aimed a punch at her side.
Lady Nagant sidestepped, her reflexes lightning-fast, but Izuku anticipated her movement. He spun on his heel, using the momentum to sweep his leg toward her ankles in a low kick.
She jumped, avoiding the sweep, but as she was airborne, Izuku saw his chance. He thrust his palm upward, a burst of fire erupting from his hand and racing toward her. The flames licked at her boots, forcing her to twist midair and land awkwardly a few feet away.
Izuku pressed the attack, not giving her a moment to recover. He summoned another fire arrow, drawing it back on his manifested bow and releasing it with a snap of his fingers. The arrow streaked toward Lady Nagant, its fiery trail illuminating the darkening forest.
Lady Nagant flipped backwards again, dodging the arrow with grace. But as she landed, she was already firing her pistol, the shot aimed directly at Izuku's chest.
Izuku conjured a wall of fire in front of him just in time, the bullet exploding into shrapnel against the barrier. He winced as a few shards grazed his cheek, but he didn't stop moving. He had to stay aggressive, had to keep pushing her back.
With a roar, he charged again, his flames flaring brighter as he aimed another punch at her. But this time, Lady Nagant was ready. She stepped to the side, her movements swift and deliberate as she brought her pistol up, aiming for his ribs.
Izuku barely had time to react. He twisted his body, avoiding the full impact of the shot, but the bullet still grazed his side, the pain sharp and immediate.
He staggered, his momentum faltering for a brief moment, and Lady Nagant capitalized on it. She closed the distance between them in an instant, bringing her elbow down hard on his shoulder. Izuku grunted in pain, his vision blurring for a second as he tried to regain his balance.
Before he could recover, Lady Nagant kicked his legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground. She stood over him, her pistol pointed directly at his head.
"You're good, Midoriya," she said, her tone almost gentle. "But you're not good enough."
Izuku's mind raced, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the heat of the flames still burning in his hands, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He manifested a fire wall in front of him as quickly as possible.
Just as Lady Nagant was about to pull the trigger, a blur of movement caught her attention. Himiko burst out of the forest, her knife gleaming in the dim light as she lunged at Lady Nagant from behind.
Lady Nagant spun on her heel, firing a shot at Himiko, but Himiko was too quick. She ducked under the bullet, her grin wide and wild as she closed the distance between them.
"That shot, was personal." Himiko taunted, slashing at Lady Nagant with her knife.
Lady Nagant dodged the strike, her expression calm as she fired another shot, this time aiming for Himiko's leg again. Himiko twisted, though slightly limping, avoiding the bullet, but the distraction gave Izuku the opening he needed.
With a burst of flame, Izuku propelled himself off the ground, tackling Lady Nagant and knocking her off balance. She rolled with the impact, landing in a crouch a few feet away, but now both Izuku and Himiko were on their feet, facing her.
Lady Nagant's eyes flicked between them, her grip on her pistols tightening. "Not bad," she said, her voice calm. "But can you handle this?"
Without warning, she fired both pistols simultaneously, one aimed at Izuku and the other at Himiko. Izuku conjured another fire barrier, blocking the shot aimed at him, while Himiko darted to the side, her movements erratic and unpredictable as she avoided the bullet.
But Lady Nagant didn't stop there. She moved like a whirlwind, her pistols firing in rapid succession as she kept both of them on the defensive. Izuku tried to close the distance, but every time he got close, Lady Nagant would fire a shot that forced him to back off.
Himiko, meanwhile, was darting in and out of the trees, trying to flank Lady Nagant, but the sniper's aim was impeccable. Every time Himiko tried to get close, Lady Nagant would fire a shot that forced her to retreat.
It was a stalemate. Lady Nagant was keeping both of them at bay, but she couldn't take them both down at the same time. Izuku and Himiko were fighting with everything they had, but Lady Nagant's skill and precision were keeping them on the defensive.
Finally after what feels like hours, after bouts of running and hiding to snipe and shoot and going in for close combat, they finally winded down back on the clearing.
Izuku and Himiko lightly panted in the clearing Lady Nagant followed shortly after, lightly panting as well.
"Ok, I have to admit I underestimated you two." She panted out. "You two are on a level that is not first year hero school I can tell, at least a rookie new on the scene."
Izuku and Himiko grinned. "Results of growing up as street kids I guess."
Lady Nagant sighed, muttering under her breath "If only we could have more kids like them..."
"Alright! It's almost night time, the sun is setting, and we are going to do something I love doing, take it as training, I heard from others you guys trained to shoot." Lady Nagant pulled out multiple small pellets made of her hair, handing a bunch of them to both Himiko and Izuku.
"Are you going to train us to shoot better?" Izuku asked, wide eyed, after all getting trained by the best sniper the HPSC had was a huge deal.
"Yep, besides, the sports festival as you said can be anything, so if it has anything to do with guns, you're set! I mean paintball was one two years ago. Not to mention it trains hand eye coordination and focus."
"So, do you know what exactly this forest is?" Lady Nagant asked.
Himiko and Izuku shook their heads, Lady Nagant smirked. "It's my favorite type of place, a hunting grounds, quail and hogs mainly, here take these!"
Lady Nagant opened a case she had with her and pulled out modified two Mosin-Nagant rifles, "I brought two of them, your job hunt something, bring it to me, and I'll judge the quality, and yes, I have a hunting license, I know the people who own and manage this place, they trust me, so go wild! Use my hair as bullets, the rifles are modified to take custome rounds and cartridges. Come with me!"
Himiko and Izuku look at her bewildered before looking up at the sky, the sun was setting, if they were to try and hunt anything, they have to be quick, or else it'll be too dark to see anything.
They followed Lady Nagant into the woods, after a while, she stopped them at another clearing, and pointed up.
Lady Nagant hefted one of the Mosin-Nagant rifles in her hands, turning it over with ease before handing it to Izuku. Himiko stared at the old-fashioned rifle she had been handed, blinking in surprise.
"These are... surprisingly heavy," Himiko remarked, adjusting her grip on the rifle.
"Of course, calling them old is an understatement, these are ancient, but they'll teach you how to respect your weapon. Modern guns have a lot of technology to help with aim and recoil. These rifles?" Lady Nagant patted the Mosin-Nagant in her hands. "You have to rely on your senses, your timing, and your instincts. Just like sniping should be."
Izuku shouldered the rifle, feeling its weight. It was heavy and bulky, and while he'd been trained in using firearms, this was a completely different experience. The sun was already beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the forest. Soon, they would lose the light, and hunting anything fast, like quail, would become significantly harder.
"So, quail?" Himiko asked, glancing toward Lady Nagant. "Isn't that, like, super small and really fast?"
"Exactly," Lady Nagant replied with a grin. "Quail are quick and agile, making them perfect targets to test your precision and patience. With a rifle like this, you won't have the luxury of rapid fire. Every shot counts."
They followed Lady Nagant further into the woods, their footsteps muffled by the soft underbrush. The air was filled with the distant chirping of birds, but as the sky darkened, the forest became stiller, quieter. After several minutes of walking, they arrived at another clearing. Lady Nagant stopped them and pointed upward.
"There, in the trees," she said, her voice low. Izuku and Himiko squinted, trying to follow her gaze. It took a moment, but eventually, they spotted the small, brown forms of quail nestled among the branches.
"Quail like to roost just before nightfall. This is your chance," Lady Nagant whispered. "But don't expect them to stay put for long. One wrong move, and they'll scatter. Now, take aim."
Izuku and Himiko raised their rifles, squinting through the iron sights. Their hands were steady, but the weight of the Mosin-Nagant made it harder to keep the rifles raised for too long. The quail, still unaware of their presence, sat perched on the branches, their tiny heads occasionally bobbing as they adjusted themselves.
He fired.
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the trees, startling the quail, the bullet grazed one of them, but it flew away. They scattered into the sky in a burst of feathers, and Izuku realized with disappointment that he had missed.
"Don't get discouraged," Lady Nagant said calmly, as if expecting the result. "That was a good attempt, but your timing was off. These rifles require more than just a steady hand. You need to feel the shot."
Himiko raised her rifle next, tracking one of the quail that had darted to a lower branch. Her finger hovered over the trigger, but as she squeezed, the quail leaped into the air, and her shot went wide.
"Argh!" Himiko groaned, lowering the rifle. "This thing is way harder than it looks."
Lady Nagant walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's not just about hitting the target. You need to understand your weapon. This rifle has a heart of its own. You have to sync with it. Don't rush it, let it guide you."
Izuku and Himiko exchanged glances, both feeling the pressure of the challenge. The sky was darkening faster now, and they knew their window of opportunity was closing. They adjusted their stances, listening closely as Lady Nagant gave more instructions.
"The trick is to wait until you're completely sure," she explained. "A sniper doesn't always pull the trigger on the first opportunity. Sometimes you wait. Sometimes you let the target get away, because you know the perfect shot will come."
She gestured for them to look out again into the trees. The quail had begun to settle again, their movements slower as night approached.
Izuku tried to focus. He could feel his heartbeat in his chest, the cool night air brushing against his skin. He scanned the branches, watching the quail flit from tree to tree. This time, he didn't rush. He took a deep breath, remembering Lady Nagant's advice. He could feel the weight of the rifle, the tension in the trigger.
He aimed carefully at a quail that had perched a few branches lower. It wasn't the easiest shot, but it felt right. His finger gently squeezed the trigger.
The rifle cracked, and the quail dropped from the branch.
"I got it!" Izuku exclaimed, feeling a rush of excitement. He could hardly believe it himself.
Lady Nagant gave him a nod of approval. "Nice shot. See? Patience."
Himiko, not to be outdone, took a deep breath and steadied her rifle. She lined up her shot with the next quail that had settled, this time allowing herself a moment longer to adjust her aim. She fired.
The quail darted, but her shot clipped its wing, sending it spiraling down to the ground.
"Yes!" Himiko cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "I got one!"
Izuku wiped his brow, the rifle still heavy in his hands. "How do you stay so calm under pressure? I mean, when everything's on the line, and you only have one shot…"
Lady Nagant paused, her gaze distant for a moment, as if remembering something long ago. "My grandmother used to say that a sniper's strength doesn't come from their hands but from their heart. It's something deeper than just aiming a gun."
She looked up at the stars beginning to twinkle above them. "She would sing this song whenever things got hard. It helped her focus during shots, she was a hunter after all, helped her stay grounded, I don't fully understand it, but she said t reminded her of me. It's a Russian folk song, passed down in my family. I quietly sing it to myself, my pronounciation is probably horrendous, but I still do when I'm about to take a shot."
She cleared her throat and began to sing, her voice soft but clear, carrying a melody that was both ancient and comforting.
"Расцветали яблони и груши,
Поплыли туманы над рекой.
Выходила на берег Катюша,
На высокий берег, на крутой."
(Rassvetali yabloni i grushi,
Poplyli tumany nad rekoy.
Vykhodila na bereg Katyusha,
Na vysokiy bereg, na krutoy.
The apple and the pear trees were blooming,
Mist was floating over the river.
Katyusha stepped out onto the high, steep bank.)
Izuku and Himiko looked at her with awed looks "That was beautiful!"
Lady Nagant blushed slightly, "Yeah, I can teach it if you want, but for now, let's get some more quail."
"Hell Yeah!"
"What you got there kids?" Tetsuchi asked them as they came back with two large sacks, and with small flecks of blood on their hands that Himiko was licking off of, Lady Nagant right behind with the rifles in a long bag.
"Dinner, write that we have a special, quail." Izuku grinned.
Tetsuchi eyes widened, he looked to Lady Nagant and back to them, realizing what happened. "Ah, you two... Did some hunting?"
"Yep! We're gonna go to the kitchen to get these ready! I'm making it rare!" Himiko declared.
"You always make every meat you can rare Himi." Izuku chuckled. Himiko replied. "Of course, there's some true villains that come through here, the folks that order well done, ugh!"
"You sound as pissed as those times you get alcoholic or diabetic blood." Izuku teased.
"Of course! It tastes so weird! I almost got drunk! Diabetic blood is just too sweet, but I can not take someone that does well done." Himiko tutted.
"Alright, let's go prepare these Himi." Izuku pecked her cheek with a kiss before going into the kitchen.
"A-Are you r-really sure about this Broccoli?" Hushed asked in a nervous tone.
The next day, they were at Dagobah beach again, this time to catch up on the progress they have made with their quirks.
"Yes I am sure Hushed, I trained you well, I have full faith in both our abilities, I believe you can stop whenever you want and can control it, I want you to use your quirk on me to help me train my mental resistance and fortitude, it helps with my quirk and besides, I'm not one hundred percent sure what quirks I will face, if I face off a quirk like yours that affects the mind, I will have some experience, not to mention, I have a tall glass of comfort and love right next to me if the fear gets too much." Izuku said as he held on to Himiko's hand, the rest of the kids that Izuku helped with their quirks are there to, observing them.
"O-ok, here goes."
"So Broccoli, how's bar life." Hushed asked, activating his quirk, already seeing scenes of Izuku's darkest moments, he tries and replay Izuku's fears.
"It's been going great Hushed." Izuku focused and closed his eyes trying to resist the affects of the quirk.
"So, exicted about the sports festival?"
"You bet."
Defect!
"I must say I really appreciate you for helping me."
Deku!
Get the defect!
"I-It's all well and good Hushed."
Izuku focused, he could only hear the insults, but he was trying hard to prevent those scenes from happening, Think of the bar, think of Himi...
After almost half an hour of back and forth conversation, there was cracks in Izuku's focus, his focused look before devolved into one where his lip trembled and eyes teared up. Until that fateful night when the men came in with knives and-
They're gone. Just like that.
Izuku opened his eyes, to see Hushed look at him with hopeful eyes.
"Y-You did it Hushed, you stopped it before it got too bad! You're getting better at this!"
Hushed pumped his fists. Pleased with his progress.
"And now some kisses to make it all better!" Himiko leaned in and kissed his cheek, making him giggle.
Izuku raised his finger "Actually, I have a theory for voice related quirks and I would like to test it out with you. Here,"
Izuku handed Hushed an English book.
"English?" Hushed asked. Izuku nodded. "I simply want you to try and read it out, you know how to sound the words out, but you don't understand what they mean, but the reason I want to do this is to test a theory with mental and voice based quirks, I want to see if you speak to me in a way you can't comprehend, will it work, and similarly, If I respond in a way you don't understand can your quirk work. Try to read out the words on "
Hushed nodded before trying to read from the book.
As he read, and tried to use his quirk, but to no avail, he couldn't see anything. He shook his head at Izuku.
Izuku nodded. "Alright talk to me normally and I'll talk to you in English."
As they switched the script, Hushed also can't seem to get any memories. He shook his head again.
Izuku grinned "Ok, that proves my theory, for mental and voice based quirks, both sides must comprehend each other."
The rest of the kids clapped their hands lightly, nice to see one of them get better with their quirks.
"Alright, show me your progress people!" Izuku said.
"YES!"
Nocturn shifted into a round black dot on the ground before extending, slowly slowly, it took on the form of an Izuku shaped shadow stretched out, Izuku stood up, and Nocturn quickly moved to the position of his natural shadow, making it darker, as Izuku moved, Nocturn replicated his movements, as if she's one with the shadow, Izuku even flipped, and Nocturn even replicated how his shadow would look, as if she was his shadow.
Tune snapped his fingers, first his red ones, Izuku punched the sand, and as Tune increased his intensity, Izuku's punch became stronger, until the final one where his punch sent sand and rocks flying everywhere with a slight gust of wind, he looked at Izuku with a smirk.
Hivemind, stepped up Izuku flashed mutiple large flashes of fire, but Hivemind kept her cohesion, muttering to herself she muttered to themselves "Oh brothers and sisters, calm down, be still." Izuku then extended his tendrils and whirred around him. Making a small sandstorm, but despite this, Hivemind still kept her cohesion.
Mako was up next as she jumped into the water, her body bent to unnatural proportions as she blasted off from the shore into the water, Izuku, holding a radar gun, whistled as she came back. "183 kmph!" Mako pumped her fists "Hell yeah! 12 more!"
Noton stepped up next and held his hands out, the sand in the area in front of him started to "fall" upwards, he shfited it in the air, making the grains of sands go left and right, with a surprised and pleased smile on his face.
Fuse wasn't there, but Izuku had a digital report from Necra as to how he was doing, he read it and it said that Fuse, have been eccentric... but he has proved really useful, multiple injuries that would have resulted in an amputation, given enough time and knowledge, Fuse was able to mend it all back, all without needing anasthetic, even chopped off one of Necra's hand and attached it to his arm to use her quirk of giving and taking life energy before fusing it back to her arm, it felt really weird feeling you hand when you know it's not there.
"Good job everyone! You have trained well given my advice!"
"Yeah good luck on the sports festival Broccoli! See ya!" Mako yelled back.
As they left, Hushed remained, Hushed tapped Izuku on the shoulder, "B-Broccoli, about the new ones..."
Izuku snapped his fingers "Oh right! You have introduced me two new people here, they should be coming any second right?"
Right on time, two people walked down the stairs to the beach in the distance, as they got closer, he could see a young, her short curly hair was gray just like Hushed's and she wore a silver coloured dress, and the boy who came with her had short, wavy, light brown hair, tan skin, and brown eyes, with a scowl on his face, but slightly loosened at the sight of the kids.
The girl walked forward, "Hi! Hushed is my brother, I-I was told you could help me?"
"No! you're an idiot! I hate you! Go get help somewhere else!" Izuku said with a smile, before slapping his own mouth shut
"I mean it idiot!" Izuku slaps himself, making sure what the hell was going on.
The girl panicked and took out a notebook and scribbled Cover your ears!
Izuku listened, he covered his ears and he heard the girl mouth something, before she gives him the ok sign
Hushed explained "That is my sister, she's 13, and you can call her Twister, based on tongue twisters, because that's her quirk. Let me explain, if she talks to you, and you respond, everything you say from that point on will be the opposite of what you actually mean, let's call that state, "Tongue tied" if you are tongue tied and talk to someone, that person will also become tongue tied, the only way to stop it, as far as we know is that you need to not hear something from the person who you got the state from, so let's say she talks to you then you talk to Carmilla, Carmilla will become tongue tied, but if she fails to hear something you said, she'll lose it, but you'll still be tongue tied and you can only resolve it if you fail to hear something from my sister. We are hoping that she can have more control and not have it spread just by talking to people, it usually goes up to 10 people before she suffers from quirk exhaustion, so I guess if you can train her on how to handle using her quirk on more people, she'll have a better time."
Izuku nodded "I see, thank goodness, I didn't mean any of that by the way, I'm willing to help you!"
Twister nodded Thank you! she scribbled.
"As for this guy, his name is Mustard."
Mustard looked to Izuku with a scowl. "You're a UA student? and that girl is a Shiketsu student?"
"Mustard please no, he's good, I mean I'm talking to you more because of his advice!"
Izuku looked at him with a small smile. "Yeah, I am one, do you have questions?"
"How does it feel being handed everything? When there's people trying twice if not three times as hard to even get some of your success?"
Hushed looked at Mustard with a stern look. "Mustard, I can't tell you much, not without Broccoli or Carmilla's permission, but what I can say is that they for sure got nothing handed to them."
Himiko had a curious and sympathetic look "I can't say much, I was part of the people who had to try twice if not three times."
Before Mustard could continue, "Let me guess, people have told you that your quirk is not suited for heroics, and that the ones who do have them are lucky and pretentious bastards?" Himiko asked.
Mustard bit his teeth before nodding, "How the hell would you know?"
Himiko sighed "My quirk makes me need blood, I've attacked people, because of it, got called villain, you're not the only one."
Mustard's eyes softened, "How, how do you go on, how do you just stop yourself from becoming a villain, to just ignore every single thing those people say, how you'll be a villain, how do you resist to not make them right? Make them suffer?"
Himiko chuckled "Would you want to make people you hate right?"
Mustard had a look of contemplation before groaning "I guess you have a point..."
Himiko crossed her arms. "I get it, it's hard, but I had people, you never had anyone have you?"
Mustard tsked before slowly nodding. "So, you can help me with my quirk?"
Izuku and Himiko smiled "Yeah, can you tell us something about yourself?"
Mustard huffed. "Look, I'm a bit different because according to Hushed, these people here are just here to get control of their quirks, I'm here to actually train, I want to be a hero, I'm sick of having a villainous quirk, and getting told I can't do shit other than murder puppies or rob stores! I'm not gonna sit here, and take it, I want to do something about it, but it's so fucking hard, to not give in to people's hate, so hard to resist just beating the shit out of them and filling the prophecy, so I want to prove them all wrong, I know I shouldn't expect much, but I want you guys to help me be better at my quirk and actually fight!"
Izuku nodded "Very well, do you have any experience?"
"With fighting? No, I'm shit at it, but I have worked out."Mustard said as he flexed his arm, showing some muscle. "My quirk is gas, the ability to generate a noxious, sleep-inducing gas from my body, it's not life threatening, nor does it affect someone's health, I'm not immune to it completely, I need a gas mask, I have no control over it, it's like a typhoon where I'm the eye of the storm, it swirls around me, it spans a very large area, and I can feel whatever moves within it thanks to fluctuations, and it's purple and like moving through thick fog. If you can help me find some way to control it, even if I need some support gear, I'll take it."
Izuku raised his eyebrows, "Nice, you got a better understanding of your quirk than people your age. Well with that said, I have a few ideas, Mustard I think you can keep exposing yourself to your gas, but in terms of controlling the gas, I think you're going to need a support gear, I can help you with that, if you want to be a hero, I think you should learn how to fight, and use your quirk while fighting, such as when you throw a punch, spew out gas and try to make your enemies inhale it."
Mustard nodded slowly, "Alright, will you help me fight?"
"No, I'm helping Twister, but she will." Izuku pointed to Himiko.
"Follow me Mustard!" Himiko led Mustard away to a more distant part of the beach.
"Alright so Twister, can you tell me how it feels when someone becomes tongue tied because of you?"
She wrote on her notebook Like a tether, connecting my mouth to theirs, and if they spread it, a new tether between theirs and the new person, the more people it comes with, the tauter it becomes. I heard from my brother it's something about imagining it? Like I have to retract and extend the tether? I tried it but not much is working.
"Alright then, let's explore this togethe-"
A large thud and grunt was heard from the background Himiko just threw Mustard to the ground "Again!" He yelled.
"Broccoli, that reminds me, take this for me." Hushed pulled out a small revolver.
"Hushed, you know I don't cover people's crimes for them." Izuku said in a serious tone. Hushed shook his head, "No, Mustard brought this to school, I saw it and used my quirk, got him scared and calmed him down, make him think what he might do, he was so close to shooting a bully."
"How did he even manage to get this in the first place?" Izuku asked.
"I don't know but he got it somehow, I took it from his back pack." Hushed sighed before continuing, "Mustard is my friend, we talk to each other a bit, since you know, villainous quirk, he accidentally gassed his classroom once, no one was hurt severely, just fell asleep, but the bullying he got? Intensified, today there was like a career analysis session, Mustard has top grades, and a desire to be a hero, but when they got to his career report, all he got, was a recommendation to be a bug exterminator, the bullies laughed at him, and when he stormed out, I was at the bathroom, I walked out and saw him pull out a revolver and a gas mask from his locker, I yelled to him, used my quirk and stopped him, he cried, I held him, and he calmed down, that's why I took him here with my sister, I really hope he can get help, at least get to the point where he was seriously considering shooting a kid."
Izuku nodded, "Alright, I'll help him. Thanks for telling me this Hushed."
"Now, Twister, let's begin shall we?"
"Alright you feel ready for the festival?" Asked Lady Nagant.
Izuku nodded, "Yes! Thank you so much for your tutelage miss!"
"Good, I expect to see some of those skills in the sports festival ok?"
"Yes ma'am!"