(AN): Hey people, it's me! After defeating the mighty beast known as Writer's Block, I was able to cook up this chapter in one week. The next chapter won't come too soon, because I'm still fine tuning the script.
While writing, I noticed something really great. There's a lot of Gamer fanfics popping up on the MHA section. I originally started to twrite this because there were only like, 7 of them, but now there's at least twenty! That's super cool.
Some of you gave me some really great feedback and suggestions. I really appreciate it; I'm pretty unsure when I write this story, since it's my first one, but when you guys review saying the chapter was good, I gain a burst of energy.
Now, to answer a review.
To Yupping-One: If Izuku deletes an expansion, then all of the content that's part of the expansion disappears with it. So he can't cheat for items.
If you have any questions or suggestions to improve the story, review it or send me a PM. I always try to answer everything, so go wild.
Three weeks later...
"Start!"
Izuku's body moved in a instant as he lashed out with a diagonal chop aimed at his opponent's neck. The bald young man wearing a simple gi grabbed his wrist and intercepted his attack. Izuku forced his hand away and elbowed his opponent's shoulder, pushing him away. He then stepped forward and chopped at his forehead, but his sparring partner leaned out of the way and locked his forearm.
He then kneeneeld his stomach, making the green haired boy lurch forward with a gasp, and finished Izuku off with a elbow to his spine.
"I yield." The younger of the two said. His opponent and senior, Sahashi, released his arm, lifted him up and went back into a stance.
They continued to spar for half an hour until their supervisor called them out.
"That's enough sparring, Sahashi, Midoriya." He said nodding to both of them. "Go practice your kata one more time and after that you're free to go."
They both nodded and bowed out. The supervisor left the room. The two young men practiced their movements for the last time in the day and then started to put away all of equipment in silence, until the older of them spoke.
"Man, I can't believe how much you got better with just two weeks, Midoriya. When you got here you could barely block a punch, and now look at you! I lost two times out of five!
"Thanks, Sahashi-senpai. Sensei also said I'm getting better." Izuku sheepishly replied.
"Getting better, he says." Sahashi repeated incredulously. "Give yourself some credit. At this rate, you'll probably be a master when the year ends."
Izuku just chuckled. If his quirk was removed from the equation, he could be considered a prodigy. But with the enhanced growth it provided, with just six lessons he was better than people who trained for months.
After coaxing his mother, Izuku had joined the martial arts school he wanted. At the moment, he was on an intermediary level, but he was planning to focus more in this skill during winter break. He opened the menu and looked at its current level.
[Martial Arts Mastery] Lv.14(Passive): Increases your proficiency with various fighting styles and gives your melee attacks 2.8% extra damage.
It was odd that it didn't level up quickly like the rest, but it just served to show how far he was from being a master.
Sahashi's phone buzzed. He picked it up and muttered some curses. "Hey, Midoriya. It looks like one of the newbies got hurt trying to show off. I'm going to help, so can you finish this without me?"
"Sure."
"Great! Don't forget to store everything up!" He said, already running out, his voice echoing through the walls.
Your hard work is paying off! +1 STR
He sighed and closed the locker. After a day of hard work, he just wanted to get home and relax for a bit. He shifted to his stats page and checked his progress.
Midoriya Izuku, The Gamer
[True Name]: Midoriya Izuku
[Title]: The Gamer
[Level]: 13(86.61%)
[Race]: Human
[Money]: ¥12600 {Specifics}
STR: 32
DEX: 34
VIT: 44
WIS: 58
INT: 75
CHA: 35
LCK: 58
Stat Points: 111
[Condition]
HP: 210.8/236 MP: 300/300
He smiled at the blue screen. Having his efforts translated into numbers gave him a good idea on how far he'd come.
He left around 17:00 PM and aimlessly walked through the streets. Since there was no school today, he did his training early in the morning, and now had nothing to do. It was in moments like these when Izuku realized how stunted his social life was.
This made him briefly think about his current classmates, and how Izuku was hesitant on hanging out with them. At first, he didn't know why, but the answer had been clear by the time he reached fifty-five wisdom.
The reason for why he never held anything against Katsuki was respect, with a bit of admiration. Izuku's respect for him was what kept himself from hating the blonde boy. His other classmates, on the other hand, did not have that advantage. The only thing they had going was that they were only following Katsuki's lead.
But wasn't a good excuse. What was the point of hanging out with people that just mindlessly follow the first person to set an example? If people had just dismissed his dream, he would've been fine. But they had actively belittled him at every opportunity, making him an outcast. Until now, Izuku wondered what would have happened to himself if his quirk never appeared,
So yeah, Izuku held some mild disdain against his classmates. One day, he might forgive them, because he wasn't the type to hold a grudge, but until then he would maintain his distance.
Bzzt!
Izuku grabbed his phone and opened it. Ironically, it was a message from Jiro.
Jiro-san: My school's organizing sum event to go along with the Daidogei, and the students r supposed to invite evry1 they know. So yeah, shameless self-promotion.
Currently, she was his only friend. They mostly messaged each other, since she lived on another city, but very occasionally one of them took the train ride to meet the other and hang out.
Back to her message, Izuku had an idea of what the Daidogei was. It was an international festival focused on street performances, that happened every November on Shizuoka Prefecture. It was a really popular thing on Japan, and he'd seen some cool videos of people using their quirks to make their presentations more flashy.
Festivals weren't really his thing, but maybe he could see some interesting things there.
I'll go. When should I be there?
The response came a few minutes later.
Jiro-san: It starts at 8 AM, so u should come at least one hour early.
He closed his phone with a smile. It was all right. He survived without socializing for ten years, he could manage one more year with only one friend. Plus, when High School came around, he would be able to make new acquaintances.
His life was changing, and no matter how slow or fast it happened, Izuku was just glad to have his dreams become a possibility again.
3 days later…
Steps echoed in the streets of Musutafu as Izuku jogged with his signature red shoes. Breaking his pace for a moment, he wiped sweat off his brow and continued his path.
Thanks to Gamer's Body, he could go from his apartment to the beach park without tiring himself out. The secret was to slow down the moment he felt Exhaustion might settle in. As his body worked like a gamer character's, he just needed a few minutes before reverting to a good condition.
+1 VIT!
"… Izuku." A breathless voice called from behind.
He looked back and saw the panting, hunched form of his mother. Unfortunately, not everyone could keep up his 'infinite' stamina trick.
It had been a surprise when she decided to come with him. When he asked why, she shrugged and said she was becoming too sedentary recently. And so here they were on their workout clothes.
"You can go back home if you want, mom. It's no good if you push yourself this much on the first day."
"Okay sweetie." she said, lifting herself up. "I'll go home and prepare dinner. If anything happens, just call me okay?"
He nodded and resumed his jog, while she started walking back with a slower pace.
Izuku continued to walk until reaching the beach. There, he opened the Training Grounds and stood in the middle, concentrating on pushing mana into his hands.
His control was getting better and better, and so he was going to try developing an useful skill for the future.
Opening his eyes and seeing the giant green sphere floating above his hands, he nodded to himself. Using his other palm, he tried to shape it into a cylinder. It was easy to make small things like arrows and flat barriers, but it was harder to make a large tridimensional object.
Ten seconds later, the mana started to dissipate while he was halfway done. He released more energy, only for it to happen again and again.
[Mana Manipulation] is now Lv.57!
[Mana Manipulation] is now Lv.60!
[Mana Manipulation] is now Lv.64!
[Mana Manipulation] is now Lv.70!
After countless tries, he was able to make the cylinder. The green geometrical form was three feet tall, resembling a pillar but without any details.
You have unlocked a new skill!
[Mana Construct] Lv.1(Active): The ability to change mana into tools, objects and other items. At this level, you can make small and medium sized objects without any fine details, which last for half a minute. MP cost depends on the construct's size.
While he read the screen, the cylinder disappeared. He gathered more mana in his hands and prepared to make another. The skill was too weak right now, but it was okay. He just had to level it up.
[Mana Construct] is now Lv.20!
[Mana Manipulation] is now Lv.100!
Now you manipulate the ambient mana!
All living things possess Mana, and "Mana radiates out of the physical body in very small doses." This causes an effect in which the atmosphere itself is saturated with spiritual energy.
Unfortunately, the shifts on natural landscapes caused by modern civilization make it so that only people with experience with spiritual energy can sense these now weak natural reserves, and consequently use it.
All of your mana costs are now reduced by 20%
Izuku dismissed the screen and plopped down on the sand. He was working on his control, trying to reduce the time it took to release his attacks, along with the speed of his constructs, and the results for the former hadn't been satisfactory. After a while, he came to the conclusion that dexterity played a part on it, and started to focus on the latter, making sure to adjust his training schedule futurely.
Now out of his previously concentrated state, his senses caught the filthy smell of the beach's trash. He glared at the piles of trash surrounding him while pinching his nose. If this wasn't the most secluded place he could've found, he would've never come here.
His Training Grounds ID was on cooldown, and now he was forced to endure this while his mana regenerated.
Maybe he should get rid of some of it. Even with Gamer's body, standing around in a place like this wouldn't be good for his health.
Easier said than done. Izuku had to buy a cart to take the trash to a recycling center, while taking some small objects on his inventory. Sadly, he couldn't make a cart out of mana. It was literally outside his skill level.
With time, Izuku was able to incorporate his workout routine onto the cleaning, increasing the efficiency of both processes.
"I can't believe you're planning on cleaning the whole beach." An incredulous voice got him out of his musings.
"It's not the whole beach." He protested. "I just want to take some of the trash out."
"Semantics, Midoriya." Jiro waved him off. "There's people whose job is doing that. Just file a complaint and wait."
The two teenagers were on a ice-cream shop after a walk from the train station. He was telling her about his newest training regimen, and ended up talking about his plan to clean the beach.
Jiro obviously protested against leaving such a task for a single person.
"Not going to work. The people who live close to the beach already did that, but nothing happened. It's all stuck in a big wall of bureaucracy." He explained.
"Why do you even have to go there for training? Can't your quirk create those giant spaces?" She asked incredulous.
"Yeah, but they don't last forever."
Jiro sighed. "Okay, I'll give up. If you want to do it, it's your choice."
"I was going to anyway, but I guess doing it without you complaining is better." He retorted with a grin that would be considered innocent out of context. Right now, it was just unbearably smug.
She groaned even louder. "So. Damn. Stubborn."
"But enough about the beach. Tell me more about that festival you messaged me about. You only said it was a school event." He changed the subject in hopes of brightening the mood. She gave him a light glare, but complied nonetheless.
"You already know what Daidogei is, right?" He nodded. "So, Shizudai is joining all of the schools in the city to make the opening ceremony. That's what the school event part is all about."
"That's cool. What are you participating in?"
"I'm in the band, obviously." She said in a 'duh' tone of voice.
"Well, just because you like music doesn't mean you have to be in the band."
She went silent for a moment, before smiling and nodding. "I guess that's true. Y'know Midoriya, you actually say some pretty sensible stuff once in a blue moon."
"What are you on about? What I said is just common sense." He looked at her confused.
"Yeah, but some people don't have common sense. Everyone just looks surprised when I say I want to be a pro hero. Even my parents were weirded out, but they fully supported me as soon as the shock passed."
"… I can relate to that."
"Hmm, how so? Is there a dramatic past I don't know about?" She teased him.
He chuckled, but there was no mirth to it. "You see, I'm a pretty late bloomer. So when a fourteen year old kid who's apparently quirkless start talking about how he wants to be a great hero, people start to give him weird looks." It was a lot more than weird looks, but she didn't need to know that.
Jiro looked shocked. "Fourteen? Shit man, you probably had it way worse than me. Sorry for being so rude… "
"There's no problem. It affected me way more than I like to admit, but… I never stopped dreaming. It was self-destructive of me, I'll admit it. But I never stopped longing for that dream. I couldn't stop just because people said it was impossible. So I guess that you just have to keep your ideals and act how they tell you to."
He noticed the silence and put a hand on his forehead.
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I'm trying to stop rambling so much, but it's-" His second round of rambling was stopped by the sound of laughter.
"Heh… hehehe. Pfft!" Jiro tried to contain it, but it just broke out through her mouth stronger. "Honestly, Midoriya;" she stopped to catch her breath. "Only you can make such a cool speech, and then ruin the moment right after."
His face reddened, but he stayed quiet to prevent himself from saying something stupid.
"I meant what I said, though. What you said was really cool. Who knew Mr. Hero Fanboy could be so deep?" She said, nudging his arm with a genuine smile on her face. It was a good change from her usual smirks.
She looked more beautiful when she smiled like that.
You go ladykiller! +3 CHA
Jiro's eyes widened. Her face heated up as blood rushed to her face.
"W-What are saying!?"
Izuku froze up. Diz he say that out?!
Your relationship with Jiro has improved!
Jiro Kyoka's Social Link is now Rank 3!
You gained 900 EXP.
You leveled up!
"Jeez, I thought you were supposed to be the shy one…" She muttered, her cheeks now only slightly rosy.
"Anyway;" This time she tried to move the subject. "The festival is going to happen on November 1 and finish three days later, so you got plenty of time to decide if you want to go. Don't be your impulsive self." She reprimanded him by poking his face with her jacks.
"Ouch! Okay, okay, I got it! I'm not that impulsive…" He murmured. Jiro, with her enhanced hearing, caught everything and proceeded to clarify.
"Most of time you're pretty level headed, I'll give you that. But then you have these moments when nothing can dissuade you. Sometimes it's endearing, but in some situations it's impossible to deal with." She explained.
Izuku asked some questions about Daidogei. Jiro was clearly downplaying the thing since she grew up seeing it every year, but it even so the event sounded pretty cool. Izuku had already made his decision when she texted him, but this just served to reinforce it.
The hanged out for a while before Jiro had to get back to her place.
"Gotta go. Mom and dad are cool, but sometimes they're overprotective. Can't be too late or else one of them will throw a fit; Probably dad. See ya!" She said, running off to the train station.
Izuku told his mother about his plans for November, and she accepted easily enough. It would happen on a Saturday, so missing school wouldn't be an issue.
In the end, he confirmed that he would come to Jiro. The place would be full of people, and it would be quite easy to get lost, so she gave him some directions on where to go.
Three days later…
"Midoriya-kun, can you help me with these boxes?"
"Coming!" The green haired boy said, placing a stack of books down.
He was on the same bookshop from before, helping the owner. He had become a regular in various bookshops while searching for new material. Improving his intelligence was becoming harder with every new point, and reading ahead of class was the only way he could increase it.
Eventually, the old man who ran this place, Tanaka, had offered him a part-time job on the shop. Izuku instantly accepted, not just because of the books, but to gather funds for his martial arts classes.
The shop didn't get many customers, so he mostly helped with inventory and read some of the books when he wasn't needed.
The chime of the bell indicated the arrival of a new customer. Izuku dropped his book and walked to the counter, preparing to welcome whoever came.
Katsuki walked past the bookshelves, eyes darting back and forth searching for the history books section.
There was going to be a test next week, and because the teacher was an insufferable dickhead, it would be worth the entire semester's grade.
Now, Katsuki didn't need to study for the test, or at least that's what he believed. He was a genius by normal standards, who was way ahead of the side characters in terms of academics, along with everything else of course, but this wasn't about how better he was. This was about making sure he didn't fail because of he got caught by surprise, courtesy of some extra subject or trick question.
He didn't choose this bookstore for any specific reason. It was just the one closest to his house. After picking everything he needed, he walked up to the counter.
He regretted walking inside this place once he saw Deku there. Judging by the bastard's face, he also wasn't pleased with their encounter.
"H-Hi Ka-"
"Hurry it up, Deku. I don't want to stare at your face too much." He said, lazily dropping the books on the counter.
Deku did his job, giving Katsuki his money and placing the books in a bag, all without another word. Katsuki could enjoy not having to listen to his grating voice.
After that unpleasant meeting, he was back home in a matter of minutes.
"Katsuki!" Like clockwork, the old hag's voice could be heard from the kitchen. "Did you buy the stuff I asked you?!"
… God fucking damnit.
The Bakugo household furiously shook that afternoon, for Mitsuki's recipe couldn't be saved by the time Katsuki brought the ingredients. Screams, curses and slaps could be heard by the neighborhood, but nobody batted an eye, as they were already used to such chaos.
The younger Bakugo, like a sensible human being, took the blame on himself and calmly promised to not repeat his mistake.
That is to say he blamed it all on Izuku.
Already in his house, Izuku was surprised when he felt bloodlust from a mile away. His Detect Bloodlust skill leveled up ten times in a row, while he was doing nothing but watching a new hero's debut.
This made him wonder if his quirk could have bugs or glitches. But then he remembered what happened in the bookshop and just continued to view Kamui Woods' first rescue operation.
Some days later...
"You're now entering Shizuoka City." The train's speakers announced.
Izuku exited along with the other passengers, splitting up from them and walking towards the decorated streets.
He strolled around the city, marvelling at the festival's beauty. The streets were closed off for the presentation, already fully decorated in red and yellow, with traditional japanese statues all around. People wearing kimonos could be seen in front of houses, stores and on crowd, while most of the stages were already set up.
After a few minutes, Izuku came to the realization that he was completely lost. Jiro-san had given him directions, but the whole place was like a living maze. He'd came before to visit Jiro, but now the place was fully crowded and completely different from before, making him lose all of his points of reference.
He turned to closest person to him, a tall, well-built man with blond hair. "Excuse me, sir. Can you give me some directions?"
The man was unfortunately drunk, and couldn't form a coherent response. He shoved past Izuku, muttering something about finding a horse.
Turning around, he spotted the large form of Fat Gum, one of the pro heroes who was being responsible for the security of the festival. He was leaning into a wall and eating some takoyaki while watching the passerby.
Getting information from him on where the main stage was, Izuku hurried up in the right direction.
"So, here's the plan." The guy Kendo wanted so desperately to punch in the face spoke. But then again, it would be easier to count the people he didn't want to punch than the ones he did.
He was standing on a alleyway, drunk out of his mind, along with two idiots. One of them had a horse quirk and the other had some spikes coming from his skin. The three were planning to rob some restaurant from the outskirts of the city.
Normally, he wouldn't be resorting to such shitty methods just to gain some cash. But last week, his main breadwinner, an underground fighting ring, had been closed by a hero operation. Now he had to go all the way to Kanagawa just so he could restore his way of living. And he needed money to make his trip without being caught.
Truth is, whatever plan these idiots made was bound to fail, and Kendo knew that. This was just a way for him to blow some steam by beating up some random heroes, and still get the money he wanted.
"Me and Goshiki will rob the old man. Right after we do so, Goshiki will call you to confirm everything is going as planned. Rappa, you will be staying in the place between the train station and the restaurants. The pros are all in the main street, and by the time any of them comes, we'll have split the money and gone on our merry ways. Is that good enough?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just make sure not to be caught, you bastards." He gave them the finger and walked out of the alley while ignoring their protests.
After running for what seemed to be an eternity, Izuku finally arrived at the main stage. there were no seats, so he managed to squish himself into the middle to get a good view. And now, the festival was officially beginning.
"GOOD MORRRNIN'!" The deafening voice of Present Mic resonated through the main stage. The man looked right in his element, the contrast between his frame and the wide white floors not making a difference due to his eye-catching gestures and expert showmanship.
"HEY GUYS! ALL OF THE PREPARATIONS HAVE BEEN FINISHED!" The blond haired man walked around the white floors of the stage while giving a thumbs up for the crowd.
"TODAY IS A DAY TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY AND MAKE THE CITY COME ALIVE!"
"OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS FROM THE COALITION OF ALL THE SCHOOLS FROM SHIZUOKA, WHICH WERE UNITED BY SHIZUDAI! THEY'LL START THIS OFF WITH A MUSICAL SHOW!" Present Mic certainly knew how to work a crowd. With a few words, everyone was screaming and calling for the start. Izuku was saved from being caught up thanks to Gamer's Mind, but even him had a grin of anticipation on his face.
"WITH THAT, EVERYBODY JOIN ME IN SAYING…" He went back to the center and signaled for everyone to follow his lead.
"THE DAIDOGEI…" Most people caught up and started the chant.
"WORLD CUP…" By now, at least 90% of the crowd, including Izuku, was speaking as one, their collective voices booming through the open space.
"BEGINS…" He gave a little pause to point behind him, gesturing to the giant red curtains which hid the first presentation.
"NOW!" With one last shout, the festival started. Fireworks were released, people cheered, and the curtains were opened. Present Mic jumped down from the stage and was caught by Air Jet, while the first notes came with full force.
The band was fully formed by students, from middle schoolers to colegiais. Izuku could spot Jiro with the other guitarists, and it looked like she was enjoying herself as much as everybody else.
Deciding to do the same, Izuku leaned back and lost himself into the melody.
Jiro closed her guitar's case and let out a tired huff. She really underestimated the stamina needed for a live show. Her respect for bands who did various shows per week had skyrocketed after the third song.
Around her, most of the band members had left to enjoy the festival after being congratulated by Shizudai's staff.
After grabbing her case and saying her goodbyes to the people that remained, she left through the stage's backdoor.
There, she found her friends from school, who were sitting on a plastic bench. Jiro deduced they were waiting for her. They perked up when she arrived, and pulled her into a hug with smiles on their faces.
"That was amazing, Jiro-chan!"
"Totally!"
"C'mon guys, don't pester her like that. She's probably tired from the presentation." The group's voice of reason and the only third-year, Nanami-senpai, spoke while pulling the excitable teens back.
Jiro just smiled at their antics. In the end, a little fatigue was worth if she could make people feel good with her music.
Izuku walked out of the main stage with a large smile in his face. Coming here had been the right decision.
Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to find Jiro. He guessed she was probably drained from the show, or hanging out with her friends. While it would be nice to see her, Izuku knew she had her own life and wouldn't immediately go to him and give a tour of the city. The fact that she was thoughtful enough to 'invite' him was all he needed.
Without a clear place in his mind, Izuku explored the city and enjoyed the festival by himself to the best of his abilities. He tasted new foods, volunteered for some presentations and even won some prizes.
Right now, he was on the outskirts of Shizuoka after making his way around the entire main street. The place had obviously way less people than in the center, and also fewer stages. It was there where one of the train stations was localized. The one from where he came was too filled with people, so he preferred to take the long walk to get into this one.
Crossing another street and turning to the left, he leisurely walked through the smaller crowds. After being surrounded by hundreds of people on the main street, it felt nice to have his personal space back.
Approaching a restaurant close to a backalley, Izuku witnessed a scene that outraged him.
"C'mon, we don't have all day!"
Two men were threatening the owner of a small restaurant. One of them was a tall man with short black hair, who had a mutation quirk that gave him the lower body of a horse.
Criminal
[True Name]: Umada Tashiako
[Condition]: No injuries.
[Mood]: Anxious; Impatient.
[Quirk]: Centaur
He has the lower body of a horse. This does not give him the amazing senses of one, but it does give him powerful leg muscles which he can use to run up to speeds of 30 Km/h.
The other one was a bald unshaved man with spikes all over his body. He was holding one of them to the owner's neck. The wrinkly old man with a lizard tail was trembling, completely scared for his life.
Criminal
[True Name]: Goshiki Shiryo
[Condition]: No injuries.
[Mood]: Nervous; irritated
[Quirk]: Spikes
The hair on his torso and arms are spikes which he can remove, although manually, by the base. Their size varies between 1-4 inches and they can easily pierce through stone.
Izuku stepped forward with a scowl, ready to call them out-
[Gamer's Mind] Activated.
But stopped at the last moment. If he threatened them now, there was a high chance of the old man turning into a hostage. Izuku needed to wait for the right moment.
[Sneak] Activated.
His steps were quiet and measured as he stalked towards the criminals, who had their back turned to him. The old man was crying at this point, his hand trembling uncontrollably as he put all of his goods on a sack the horseman thrusted at him.
After he finished, Goshiki shoved him to the ground and mounted Umada, who would start walking if it wasn't for the thin green wall that sprouted in front of him.
They turned around to see Izuku, who was already in front of the old man, glaring at them with an intensity no fourteen year old should have.
"Give him his money back. The police is already coming, so if you just give up now, it'll be easier for you." It was a bluff. If he had taken his time to call the police, the robbers would've escaped while he reported the situation.
You have unlocked a new skill!
[Deception] Lv.1(Active): The ability to mislead others. The effectiveness of this skill is altered by your CHA and INT.
"Shit, the cops are coming! Goshiki, break the damn wall!" Umada shouted in panic as he turned around again and galloped towards the wall at full speed. Goshiki threw three spikes at it, which weakened it enough for Umada to completely blitz through it.
Izuku turned to old man, kneeling down to see if he had any injuries. "Sir, can you hear me? Are you alright?" Izuku had already checked for injuries with Observe, he just asked the question for procedure's sake. The old man, Risei, was unresponsive, so he repeated himself.
That seemed to snap him out of whatever he was stuck in.
"T-They took all of my money. Please, you have to help me!" He desperately begged as he grabbed Izuku by the collar, feebly shaking him.
"Don't worry sir, I'll call the police, I'm sure they will handle it." Izuku tried to calm him down.
"You don't understand! There's a train station is about five streets away from here! They'll escape!"
Izuku reeled back from the new information. If it was that close, then the guy with the horse quirk would be able to reach it in no time!
He looked at the victim. Izuku watched them take all of his money because he was too afraid of the robbery becoming a hostage situation. But now, they would escape with everything.
And it would be his fault.
[Electric Aura] Activated.
"I'm going after them. Please call the authorities." Izuku said, sparks flickering around him. Rising up, He looked to the old man one last time, and jumped off.
As Izuku used Mana Rush to jump between the rooftops, a distant part of him expressed that he was acting illegally. But weirdly enough, he couldn't bring himself to care. As always, his body just moved before his mind could.
'Liar. You had plenty of time to think with Gamer's Mind.'
True. But then again, he would gladly go to jail if it meant he could help this one person. It was naive, extremely idealistic thinking, but it was his way of dealing with things.
Quest Created: High Voltage Chase
Two criminals robbed an elderly restaurant owner, Risei-san, of all of his money. They must be stopped, or else he will go into poverty.
Objectives:
Apprehend Umada and Goshiki.
Recover Risei's money.
Reward:
1000 EXP
Right now, he couldn't be stopped by the authorities. That's why he was wearing an improvised mask made from a spare shirt.
It would tear after a single hit, but this wasn't for protection. It was for anonymity.
[Electric Aura] is now Lv.2!
A rush of power surged through him. The world around him slowed down even further as he jumped further and faster. Just in time for him to reach the thieves. Thanking his luck, Izuku leapt down and landed on a lamppost ten feet in front of them.
Another Mana Barrier rose, this one smaller but thicker than the last one. The two criminals were surprised, but didn't stop. Umada took a sharp turn to the left and dodged the barrier by an inch.
Izuku jumped after him. Slowing this guy now that he picked up speed would be too difficult. He needed go for the offense instead of trying to use barriers.
He jumped to a wall and started to run over it, gaining speed, before jumping again.
+1 DEX!
Like that, he started to gain momentum and was quickly reaching the criminals once again.
At his current state, Izuku could barely keep up with a horse's pace, but that was just enough for him. He only needed his legs to keep up, after all.
Izuku fired a blast in the middle of a jump. His skill moved through the streets rapidly, but ended up hitting a spike Goshiki threw to intercept it.
So he could throw them that accurately, huh. He wanted to conserve his mana, so instead of expelling multiple projectiles, he simply shot another one.
Another blast of electricity flew past the streets. Goshiki did the same thing from before, but this time the mass of electrons twisted out the way at the last second, hitting Umada right in the torso. The horse-man stumbled to the left and hit a wall. On top of him, Goshiki also lost his balance and fell down.
Manipulating the blast's trajectory was a technique that came from his high level of mana manipulation. He could only do it with one attack at a time, but it was an efficient move for when he required precision rather than sheer power.
Umada tried to hurry and get up, but it was too late. Izuku was already right over him, ready to deliver the final blow-
Until unspeakable pain ran through his body. Strikes upon strikes were being delivered at speeds higher than he could ever imagine. It was as if his torso was being hit with six hammers over and over again, never stopping. This pain was nothing compared to being squeezed by that snake, and he could barely register anything else besides the agony that he was being put through.
He tried to put up a guard, but it was over before he knew it. Everything had happened in a matter two seconds, but for him it might as well be two hours. In one moment, he was ready to capture the criminals, while in the other he was flying back, gasping in shock.
His trajectory ended on the edge of a wall, which hit his back and made him fall down on a garbage bin.
Blam! The opening closed with the impact, making his vision go dark.
You're [Dizzy]!
His head was ringing loudly and turning on itself, his eyes couldn't see anything between the piles of trash, and he was incapable of moving himself through the pain. Izuku tried to remember what he was trying to do, but he couldn't recall anything. Why was he in a trashcan again?
The only thing he could do was listen to what was happening outside.
"Whew, that guy almost got us. Thanks for the save, Rappa." Umada, his mind supplied, said with relief evident in his tone. Who was this guy again?
"Honestly, you guys make me sick." A different voice, presumably 'Rappa', spoke with contempt. "The only reason I won't kill is because you actually got the money instead of being arrested on the spot, so good job not failing instantly. Now just give me my share and fuck off to wherever you want."
The money, huh. That was important, if he remembered it right. It had something to do with money and a… robbery?
Yeah, it was a robbery! Umada and uh… Goshiki had stolen from an old man. But where did Izuku came in all of this?
"Sheesh, just take it." Goshiki said. Some shuffling was heard, and then Rappa spoke again.
Your Dizziness has stopped.
The throbbing in his head decreased as everything became more clear. He had to stop them!
"You're welcome, idiots. Now go kill the damn hero with one of your spikes. I already incapacitated him, but there's a chance of him calling reinforcements. After that, you guys can leave."
Wait, They were going to leave already?
[Fighting Spirit] Activated!
Like hell! Pushing himself through the pain, Izuku shoved the piles of trash away and punched the cover, opening it up.
Before they could do anything, he jumped out, landing on the ground with a crouch.
"I won't…" He stopped and huffed. "… Let you… escape." He finished by glaring at them. With his visibility restored, he could see that the unknown third criminal and the one who almost defeated him instantly, Rappa, was the same drunk guy he saw before the festival.
He was wearing large metal knuckles in his hands, which explained why his strikes had hurt so much. He was wearing the same getup from before, which consisted of a white T-shirt and dark pants.
Underground Fighter
[True Name]: Rappa Kendo
[Mood]: Interested; Surprised.
[Quirk]: Strong Shoulder
His Quirk allows him to rotate his shoulder sockets at extreme speed and power, giving him commensurately fast and strong punches. However, it cannot be used for longer than a few seconds before needing to stop, leaving an opening.
The blond man grinned at him and stared him down with his red eyes that sent alarms blaring into his head.
[Detect Bloodlust] is now Lv.20!
"You're still alive?!" He exclaimed, completely surprised. "Holy shit! Now that's a real fighter over here! I hit him with enough force to break all of his bones twice over, and he still gets up!" Rappa unknowingly praised Gamer's Body as he gestured to Izuku's body, which had no blood covering it.
But in Izuku's mind, there was a completely different story. He was quickly reaching his limit. If he kept this up, Exhaustion would settle in very soon, making him unable to fight. He opened his stats to have a quick idea of his situation.
Midoriya Izuku, The Gamer
[True Name]: Midoriya Izuku
[Title]: The Gamer
[Level]: 14(11.30%)
[Race]: Human
[Money]: ¥21.600 {Specifics}
STR: 80(+40)
DEX: 79(+40)
VIT: 59
WIS: 65
INT: 83
CHA: 41
LCK: 64
Stat Points: 121
[Condition]
HP: 106.1/315 MP: 64/326
Less than half of his health. So one more barrage of attacks and he would die, no mistake about it. The bad part of having everything translated into numbers, was that when you were outclassed, the truth was more impacting than ever.
But he wouldn't stop. Even if he had to fight on the verge of death, with pain still assaulting every nerve of his torso, and almost no mana from using Electrical Aura too much, he had to keep going.
'Plus Ultra, right?' U.A's motto came up on his head as he adjusted his 'mask' and lifted himself up in a painful, slow manner. After he got up, he tried to talk like a confident law enforcer instead of the panicking teenager that he was right now.
"Surrender right now. The police is already on the station, so you won't be able to escape. Just give it up." He bluffed once again. It probably wasn't going to work twice, but he was doing everything he could to stall for time. The criminals were silent for the grand duration of six seconds before Rappa spoke.
"Nah, you're lying." The large man casually broke his bluff. "I know how fast the police force here works. They don't move that quickly."
Once again, his lack of knowledge on Shizuoka screwed him over. First when he arrived, then when he let the two robbers go, and now when bluffing for his life.
"So you can go along." Rappa waved the other two off. "Since I'm feeling generous, I'll make you both a favor and kill this runt." He said with a smile that promised violence. The two grunts ran away again. Now, it was just Izuku and Rappa in the middle right between the back alley.
"You just want to kill me without any interruptions." Izuku revealed his true motive. With the amount of bloodlust he was radiating, he would be dumb to not see where his intentions lied.
Izuku needed to pass through him. The priority was to retrieve Risei-san's money, not fight this guy.
"Ha! Saw right through me, didn't ya? Well, I think that's enough chit chat. Let's get started!" He said while getting a stance, putting his arms at his sides while spreading his legs and lowering his center of gravity.
"I may have lied about the police, but that doesn't matter. The pros will come soon, and they'll apprehend you."
"Oh, I'm counting on it. After I'm done with you, I'll go fight them."
"Well, I already made my decision." Izuku said.
[Electric Aura] Activated.
He leapt to the wall behind him, and then quickly climbed to the rooftop. Rappa's quirk gave him amazing destructive power, but no mobility.
Now, he needed to catch up to-
"If you run off, I'll kill the passerby!"
Izuku halted in his step, the electricity around him spiking up. He looked at the bloodthirsty criminal and saw him pointing at some people who were passing through in the direction of the main street. All with that same insane grin in his face.
[Electric Aura] Deactivated.
Izuku jumped down, the electricity around him already dissipating.
"C'mon man, I thought we were on the same page! Do you want me to kill these people?!" He had the audacity to use a disappointed tone, as if he hadn't threatened to kill people over some fight. It made Izuku's blood boil, but he remained calm.
"What do you want?" He already knew what, but the terms for this bout were unclear.
"A fight to death! Where two men use their power to rip each other apart, you feel me?"
Izuku didn't question him anymore. Making more questions would be a bigger waste of his time, and he needed to catch up to the robbers quickly. He simply used his last perk point to unlock Toughness.
He had a feeling he would need it.
[Electric Aura] Activated.
"Fine. I'll beat the shit out of you, and then I'll capture the others." Almost at the end of his patience, Izuku got into a defensive stance and signed for Rappa to come at him.
"That's the spirit!" Rappa screamed, and then complied with his taunt.
This time, Izuku could see his opponent approaching, and thus was able to dodge the first punches.
Then he got hit in the jaw.
And in the shoulder.
And in the stomach.
And also in the rest of his body. Rappa's quirk was so fast that his arms left afterimages, making it look as if there were multiple fists coming at him. This of course, made it harder to dodge.
[Adrenaline Rush] Activated.
Izuku jumped back, panting and huffing. He was only able to do so because of the opening his observation told him about. But Rappa was already coming back.
The pain he felt was lessened due to the adrenaline pumping in his system, but Izuku knew of his situation. He would die if he kept up this rhythm. He couldn't even get a hit in! Fixing his mask, which already had a large tear that was showing his hair, he thought about what to do.
'This calls for desperate measures'. Izuku, eyes still on the approaching enemy, opened his stats page with mental commands and used all of his stat points.
STR: 100 + / -
DEX: 100 + / -
Stat Points: 0
{Save Options}
The changes were instant. His muscles enlarged, but he maintained a lean physique due to the points on dexterity. The doubling in strength didn't go unnoticed by his opponent.
"Did you just get taller?" He paused his stride and asked, genuinely confused.
The by now familiar sensation of sparks running through his body was more powerful than ever. The skill raised his stats by a percentage rather than a flat number, which is why he used it the most when fighting. This, plus the bonus from Reinforcement?
This time, Izuku was the first to make the first move. His body moved far faster than before, surprising Rappa, and he sent two quick jabs at his opponent's shoulders, which stopped him from using his quirk.
Then he punched him right in the face.
Crunch!
The sound of a nose breaking was heard as Rappa's head snapped back from the blow. Izuku followed up with a right hook that sent him sprawling to the ground.
He rose and released his quirk right after regaining his footing, which stopped Izuku from going for another attack.
"Were you holding back this whole time?!" He asked excited. This was the first time a person not only survived his punches, but actually kept up with his speed! Adrenaline rushed through him as he ignored his broken nose and aching jaw, stepping forward and using his quirk again.
The barrage of fists came down once again, but Izuku was ready this time. He deflected most of Rappa's punches and countered with some of his.
Their battle became a bunch of senseless blurs as each fighter went faster and faster with their attacks, struggling for dominance and forcing the other to do the same. During all of this, all that could be heard was the air pressure coming from their windups and the sound of Rappa's laugh.
Izuku saw another strike coming at him, but it was too late to dodge. Improvising, he threw a punch of his own, and his fist met with Rappa's metal knuckles with a boom!
"Guh!" He gasped as the bones on his hand shook. Rappa took advantage of this and sent another barrage of strikes. Luckily, his quirk reached its time up before he could do enough damage.
Izuku recovered quickly thanks to Toughness, and so the fight continued.
Rappa noticed this weakness, and began to aim for his hands. Gusts of winds were generated as their fists collided multiple times. Izuku clenched his teeth through the pain as he channeled more mana to his arm.
'Power Strike!' His punch broke through his opponent's metal knuckles with a clang. Rappa's arm visibly shook, which made him pause for one second. Izuku punished him with an uppercut that made him fall back two feet away.
Critical Hit!
Rappa spit out blood and continued to laugh. His bloodthirsty expression just seemed to get more and more unsettling.
After rolling his shoulders, he got up and started to walk like nothing happened. Izuku started to walk too, and the two met in the middle with quirks ready.
However, while this round might have looked like any other due to the speed at which they were throwing their punches, for the combatants it was a completely different story.
Each time they went at it, Izuku was parrying the offending attacks more and more often.
'He's fast.' He thought, tilting his head away from another hit. 'And powerful.' Their fists collided once again, but this time, The green haired young man didn't react and continued to fight. 'But he has no technique. Now that I see it for the fifth time, there's a pattern to his moves.'
By now, Izuku had also already memorized the exact moment in which Rappa would stop attacking. One second before that moment, Izuku would use his trump card to win this fight.
'Three…' He deflected more blows which seemed to multiply as time passed.
'Two…' He didn't even flinch when a strike grazed his cheek, with another one barely missing his neck;
'One…' His hands were already numb as he blocked four consecutive punches with his bare knuckles.
'Power Strike!' Izuku called out in his mind as he began to up the intensity of his own attacks.
His parries now had more energy behind them, which made Rappa's arms twist further than before. He wasn't being able use his quirk fully, thanks to the few milliseconds it took him to put his arms back into position.
A cross came for his face. Izuku elbowed it down, pushing away three more attacks with his opposite limb. Two fists came in a straight line for his shoulders; The first move he used when after plan B. They were slapped to the sides. Rappa's quirk reached its limit.
Izuku stepped forward, right arm cocked back, his now bloody hand gathering mana. His hips and shoulders twisted in unison as he whipped his arm and delivered a haymaker straight into Rappa's torso. A cracking noise was heard as the tall man gasped and spouted blood.
Critical Hit!
Now stunned, The previously laughing man could only watch as Izuku took another step and cocked his other arm back.
Critical Hit!
The last things Rappa saw before receiving the meanest left hook of his life were those fierce green eyes.
He passed out with a smile in his face.
The effects of [Adrenaline Rush] have passed.
[Electric Aura] Deactivated.
You suffer from [Exhaustion].
Izuku went down to his knees, panting harshly and trying to get up, only to fail and fall face first into the ground. Now that the adrenaline rush had passed, he was feeling all of the punishment his body took during the fight coming back.
You gained 3000 EXP.
You leveled up!
You have unlocked a new ID: [Necropolis]
Some minutes later, Izuku finally picked himself up. He had amazing pain tolerance for a teen, courtesy of Katsuki, but being Rappa's attacks hurt way more than anything the explosion user had ever done. He slowly walked to his opponent and grabbed his share of the stolen money.
He took a glance at his face. The blood from his broken nose was dried up, his jaw looked like it was dislocated, but the man was still smiling. How could someone like fighting so much that they got punched in the face with a smile? It was honestly unnerving.
He looked at his hands. Warm blood was still dripping from them, But none of it was from his opponent. Another fight, another near-death experience. Were things going to be like this everytime?
A sudden wave of disappointment hit him with full force. With the time he spent fighting, the other two had probably escaped by now. Plus, even if they hadn't, he was exhausted and out of mana. There was no way for him to catch up now.
All of that fighting and law-breaking, and he didn't even manage to accomplish what he wanted.
[Gamer's Mind] Activated.
However, not everything was lost. At least he could give the old man part of what he was robbed off.
After calling the police to pick up Rappa, Izuku put the money in his inventory and slowly walked out of the back alley, leaving as the victor but not feeling one bit like one.
Kendo woke up with a killer headache, a broken nose and a ton of bruises. All around him, he could see cops talking and gesturing to him.
After remembering everything that happened, he groggily stood up, wincing as he felt his bruises acting. He looked at the shocked officers that were approaching him with quirk restraining cuffs.
Poor idiots. They should've done that before he woke up.
After beating them up, he left the alley and made his way back to his apartment. His money was taken, he lost his fight, and his plans of going to Kanegawa would have to be postponed.
And all because of that green haired guy. Kendo grinned at that. His first loss in a fight, and he was lucky enough to live after!
At first, Kendo didn't think much of the runt. BY his getup, the prize fighter assumed he was one of them vigilante types, which was something hard to see these days. With heroes being the norm, it was incredibly rare to find someone who tried to solve crimes without being paid for it.
But now, he was excited! He not only had kept up with his punches, but actually defeated him with a surprise attack!
Kendo wanted a rematch right now. He wanted to feel that same rush from before, to feel his fists striking his opponent as they traded punches, their quirks and bodies being pushed to their limits. But the vigilante had probably left as soon as the cops came. So for now, he would be satisfied with simply healing his wounds and preparing for the next fight.
As he approached the restaurant again, Izuku was able to see some people around the old man. They were police officers, who were presumably getting told about the situation.
Rappa was right; The police force in Shizuoka was pretty slow.
Izuku needed to wait until they left. If they saw him giving the money back, they would ask questions he had no way of answering. While he could try to use Deception, he felt more comfortable with not betting his potential stay in jail on a skill he'd just obtained.
After a few seconds, one of the policemen got a call. He seemed to brighten up, turned to Risei man and told him the news. When he finished, the old man visibly relaxed and started to thank the policemen. They left three minutes later.
Izuku, with his mask already off and the sack on his hands, approached the restaurant owner and called for his attention.
"Hey, there. I… brought the money from one of the robbers. They escaped, though. Sorr-"
"Hahahah! It's okay sonny." The old man assured him with a boisterous laugh. "One of the pros, Ingeneom, or something like that, captured these ruffians before they could escape. They did say a part of the money was missing, though. Did you get it?" He asked.
"Yeah." Izuku replied while giving him the sack, but his mind was elsewhere. Someone caught them? He knew Ingenium was fast, but to go from the main street to the city's outskirts in a few minutes? Izuku really underestimated the efficiency of a pro hero.
"I can't believe you actually went after them!" He said, laughing and taking his money back.
Quest Completed: High Voltage Chase
You gained 1000 EXP.
"When you told me you were going to chase them, I thought I must've heard you wrong. Thank you for that, err-"
"It's Midoriya, sir. Midoriya Izuku."
"Thank you, Midoriya-kun. But you shouldn't risk yourself like that, young man! It's good that you succeeded, but what if they harmed you?" Risei scolded him while wagging his finger. Izuku just chuckled sheepishly.
The elderly man invited him for a free meal as thanks for recovering his money, and Izuku accepted, in order to recover his health.
After finishing eating, Izuku said his goodbyes, left the restaurant and exited Shizuoka after finally reaching the train station.
While travelling back, he made sure to send a message to Jiro saying that he had a good time, while giving his thanks.
Instead of getting the sleep that he definitely needed, Izuku thought about his most current quest. While everything had ended well, it wasn't a reason to dismiss it as a success.
In the end, his actions had been worthless. It was a hard pill to swallow, but if the other two were apprehended, then they would be interrogated. This would lead to the authorities finding Rappa, and recovering the rest of the money. He didn't make a difference.
Even with a quirk, he still managed to be a worthless Deku.
Had he even done the right thing when chasing the criminals? Should've he left everything to the authorities in the first place?
'No. A pro might have solved it this time, but they can't always be there. So leaving everything to them is wrong.'
But taking the task to himself was more. A person without any formal training shouldn't go risking his life needlessly, when people whose job is that are ready and willing to do it.
'When you think about it, heroes are those who save people. Despite their different motivations and personalities, all of them volunteer to go and risk their lives for the sake of others. That's what makes them so great. So I shouldn't berate myself for doing the same but without a license, should I?'
Yes. That was dangerous thinking. Saying he was above needing a license just because he wanted to save people just as much as the pros was stupid.
The path to hell was paved with good intentions.
Finishing his thoughts, he leaned back in his seat and sighed. Thinking about this kind of stuff was odd. At first, he always thought about things in a simplistic way. Having increased intelligence was sometimes tiring.
Izuku finished the day by going back home and dropping straight into his bed. He proceeded to sleep through the rest of the day, only waking up at night to talk to his mother about the festival and have dinner.
Five months later…
Izuku walked past the crowds with his notebook at hand, looking at the fight happening right over the overpass.
The recently debuted hero and rising star, Kamui Woods, was fighting against a villain with a gigantification quirk, who stole someone's bag and was delaying the rush hour.
Kamui jumped back, evading the villain's wild swings. He cocked his arm back and concentrated his quirk on his arm, preparing his super move.
"Lacquered Chains Priso-"
"Canyon Cannon!"
The skirmish was abruptly ended as a new hero entered the scene with a flying kick to the villain's chin, shocking the bystanders, for a giant like her wouldn't be able to pass through unnoticed.
The villain, who know looked like a dwarf compared to this new arrival, was knocked out by the attack.
"Today's my debut! Pleased to meet you all! You can call me Mt. Lady!"
Her words seemed to spur people back to reality. The mass media was already under her like hounds, furiously taking pictures. She thrived in the spotlight, waving to everyone as she shrunk back to a normal size. The villain was taken away by the police, and in a matter of seconds, the order on Tatooin Station was restored.
Izuku took notes of the new hero. With her flashy quirk and seemingly good-natured disposition, she would be able to climb the ranks very quick. Her quirk was a size alteration type, but how well she could control it was a mystery.
Finishing with a rough sketch of her costume, Izuku closed his notebook and started taking hurried steps. It would be bad to arrive late on his first school day.
I Finally reached the first episode people. Now we can get to the good parts!
If some of you who only watch the anime are wondering, the only one of the criminals who wasn't an OC is Rappa. He'll probably appear on season 4, so be ready for that.
The Daidogei World Cup is real world event. Pretty cool.
Also, I'M NOT SHIPPING DEKU WITH JIRO! When shown to be complimented by someone in the manga, Jiro gets flustered. I thought this was in-character for her, so yeah. NO SHIPPING TO BE SEEN HERE.
This is honestly just a transition chapter. Instead of skipping straight to the prologue of canon, I wanted to do something else. At first, it was only the dojo scene and the training scenes, but then I had this idea of an end-of-year festival and just went nuts with it.