Chapter 1 A Hero's Run

Izuku Midoriya was reminded that this world was not fair that not all men are created equal.

It was a normal day for a twelve Year old Izuku got out of bed, went to school and try to keep his head down so no would notice him especially the explosive star of his school Katsuki Bakugo. He was by no means proper hero material just a kid who got lucky and born with an incredible quirk that made everyone around him feed his ego.

Though after school Izuku could work on his hero journals and find hero activity around town. Today was good he was able to see the new Hero Hawks in action taking on a man who was a giant puffer fish. Izuku was amazed on how Hawks was able to maneuver around puffer's spikes. Izuku was on his way a few blocks down were he heard death arms was fighting a bear man. When he heard something near the park.

"What did you think you were better than me" Screamed the master of ego Katsuki Bakugo. Izuku saw him and his cronies standing above a group of kids from another school in the middle of the park.

"Bakugo stop" yelled Izuku earning the explosive users glare

"I'm sorry did you say something Deku" said Bakugo sporting a mad grin at seeing his favorite punching bag.

Izuku began sweating "Yo-you can't beat up people Kaachan it isn't becoming of a hero" He said nervously while trying to look for a way out of the situation.

Bakugo began to march straight up to Izuku while a sinking feeling began to take a hold of him as he knew what was about to come next. Izuku began to block out Bakugo rant about him "just showing so and so how much better he was" Izuku had heard all of this before he had grown up with Bakugo. All the way from when they were friends until now.

Izuku didn't try anything as he already knew that the cronies had already blocked his escape. Like they did whenever someone tried to pick a fight Bakugo.

"Well aren't you gonna say something you damn Nerd. Well DEKU'

Whether it was the constant taunts or if it was Izuku knowing nothing could change what was about to happen. Izuku looked back at Bakugo with a hard Glare and calmly stated "You will never be a hero not because your weak but because no one will accept a hero who acts like you."

This caught everyone by surprise and the glare just made Bakugo's blood boil to a point Izuku could say that was the worst beating he had ever received from Bakugo. He eventual left with cronies after leaving Izuku on the ground. Angered that Izuku would ever says someone as great as him would never be a hero. 'I'll show that useless nerd when I become the number one hero, he'll see when everyone sees how great I am' thought Bakugo as he left Izuku on the ground.

Izuku laid their on the ground for what felt like hours. Wondering what he was going to do. 'If I don't stand up to him how am i going to be a hero. Maybe I should just give up.' he thought.

"These are some good notes"

'Huh' Thought Izuku as he looked up and saw someone seating near him reading his notes. Izuku slowly got up and got a better look at the newcomer. It was a man with blackish burgundy hair with a scar on the left side of his forehead with Hanafuda Ear rings on his ears. He was dressed old fashioned real old fashioned in a green checkered haori with some kind of uniform underneath. Izuku could tell he was quite athletic maybe a hero in training perhaps.

"Um who are you?"

"Oh I'm sorry I saw you laying there while I was out for a walk. When I came to see if you were okay I saw your notes here on the ground next to you and couldn't help myself. These are fantastic you got some great analytical skills and a good pair of eyes." The man said with a sunny smile for a moment Izuku could have sworn he was on a clear lake. When the man smiled. It was so honest and pure.

"Um Thanks mister" Said Izuku as he got and started to pick up his things. "I should be going now"

"You want to be a Hero don't you"

Izuku turned to see the man looking at him. It wasn't a cold glare it was as if the man was waiting for Izuku to do something. But he wasn't sure what. "Yes more than anything." He stated with an amount of confidence that eve surprised him.

"You want fame and fortune."

"No i want to save people, i want to save people with a smile on my face like All Might." even though he had just been beaten Izuku became more determined than ever to be a hero.

"Do you think you can be a hero as you are now?"

Reality was cruel. Izuku knew that he was born Quirkless and was too weak to even stand up to someone he thought of as a friend.

"Some people are more lucky than others." Said the man as he stood up. "Some people are born with people who are willing to train them or with talent that allows them to accel more than others or in that boys case he was born with a great quirk. Though it definitely hasn't done him any good for personality that for sure."

"Wait you saw that?" Izuku had just assumed that he came after.

"To close such gapes people need the drive and determination to become better despite their circumstances." The man bent down a little to look Izuku in the eyes. "Do you think you have what it takes to pursue your dreams?"

Izuku looked down for a moment before meeting the man eyes again. "As i am right now i can't but that won't stop me i will work hard i will get strong enough so I can save people with a smile on my face."

The man gave another sunny smile "Good answer. Then we will begin right now."

"What?"

"There's no better time to start than the present." the man said as he took a few steps away before stopping and taking a deep breath. "A good run should be a good start for your training."

"Training?" Izuku was confused even though he had just meet this man he was slowly jogging after him. He didn't know why but for some reason he could see this man honest and trustworthy, and Izuku couldn't argue if he wanted to pursue his dreams he needed start training to cover the gap. "What are you gonna ~huff~ train me. ~huff~. Who are you?"

"Mmmm I guess you could say a Hero of old."

"Huh"

"Pay attention use your eyes and pay attention to my breathing. Focus on the breathing and try to mimic it."

Izuku was confused and ready to call it quits until he tried to breath like the man lucky it was still early spring and he could see the man's breath in the chilled air. Izuku didn't know what he expected but when he tried to breath like the man running became easier. Incredible so that he felt like he could fun for hours, maybe even days.

They both kept running for awhile Izuku didn't know he had lost track of time just tried to keep up the breathing technique. Before he knew it they came to the bottom of the mountain.

When they stopped Izuku was huffing and puffing and felt like he would collapse at any moment but when he looked over at the man he saw that he was perfectly fine as if their massive run was nothing more than a walk down a city block. If anything this just made Izuku even more curious about this mysterious man.

"Hey ~huff~ you're ~huff~ quirk-"

"Oh I don't have a quirk."

Izuku shot up looking at the man in shock and were at the bottom of a mountain. They ran all the way here from a city park in mustafu which was in the middle of the city and Mustafu wasn't anywhere close to a mountain they must have ran 20 miles to get here.

"Wait a minute we're miles away from the city. We ran here. I ran here!"

Izuku was surprised at his own sudden realization on how far he just ran but the man if front on looked like he made this run daily. Now Izuku was sure he could learn something incredible from this man maybe even something that could make up for his lack of a quirk. He now saw this man as his ticket to become a hero.

"Over here."Said the man as he walked to what looked like a small shack. "You can put your backpack in here."

"What exactly are we doing now?" said Izuku as he slowly made his way to the shack before the man put his hand up signaling for Izuku to stop.

"This in a way you can say is the point of no return. If you put your bags down and follow me up this mountain you will begin a test that will push you to your limits and I warn you this test can be fatal and there is a very high chance you will get hurt." the man paused for a moment to let his words sink in though to his surprise the boy in front of him had a determined look. "Though if you pass this test you will be trained and will be one step closer to becoming a hero, do you accept this challenge?"

Izuku's look of determination didn't falter he walked towards the small shack and put his bag inside. "I accept your challenge"

"Then follow me." said the man as he began to walk up the mountain. "I'll admit i'm a bit surprised at how little hesitation you had to accept this test."

"Well it's like you said I need to be ready to put my life on the line if i want to be a hero and i'm already rather behind than a lot of kids my age so i need to work several times harder to make up for it."

"Is that all?"

"No, I need to do this. I need to prove to myself that I can become a hero and in less than a day you have already taught me so much. That breathing technique alone will help a lot during long nights while i'm on patrol."

"That's a good one to remember but your going to need a bit more to pass this test. Your going to need to use everything I've told you today and everything you've learned from those heroes and what you've gained from that explosive boy from earlier."

Izuku was a bit confused what had he gained from Bakugo that could help him he was about to ask when he noticed that the fog began to cover that mountain and air was beginning to get real thin. It was getting hard to breath.

"Do not worry i used to walk up this mountain daily as part of my training when i was your age I know this place by heart." The man stopped dead in his tracks "Prepare yourself, Izuku Midoriya, your test is about to begin."

"Right, wait when did i tell you my name now that i think about we never did introduce ourselves how do you know my name?"

The man ignored Izuku's question "We are near the top of Mt. Sagiri to pass this test Izuku your goal will be to get back down to the bottom of the mountain before sunrise if you do this then you pass. Good Luck." said the man before he was enveloped by the fog and disappeared.

"Wait he said sunrise. WHAT TIME IS IT." Izuku yelled before turning around and rushing down the mountain. "Mom is going to freak out when she wahhhh" was all Izuku could say before he felt his foot hit a wire and by the time he processed the wire a small boulder was launched right at him.

Izuku was able to dodge the boulder. ~Click~ Izuku hit the ground as several shurikens impaled the tree right behind him. 'He isn't pulling his punches, i could really die here. How am I supposed to get out of this the fog is so thick I can only see only a few feet in front of me.' That's when the man's words echoed in his head. 'All the things I've learned, calm down Izuku try breathing.' Once Izuku calmed down a little, he took a few steps down the mountain then he noticed how odd the ground was in front of him. He kicked a rock only for it to fall into a pitfall.

'I was lucky I was able to notice that, wait a minute.' Izuku brought a hand to his face. 'My eyes, he mentioned how well i noticed details. I just need to look out for anything that's too out of place.' he thought as he moved around the pitfall. 'But if i keep going at this pace, I'll never make it down in time.'

Izuku sprinted down the mountain. 'A hero wouldn't hesitate. Hesitating could cost lives and even cost me my own life.' He thought as he dodged another rock and then jumped over a wire. 'My reflexes are better than i thought, when could i react so quickly. So this is what he meant by Kaachan giving me something. I've been dodging Kaachan for so long my reflexes are better than most.' Izuku confidence grew as he sidestepped a group of blades.

"Alright let's do this."

~o~

Izuku was able to make it to the bottom of the mountain as the glow of the sun was on the horizon. He was so exhausted he could tell he was going to lose consciousness. He was able to make it to the walls of the shack where he put his bag.

He leaned against the wall and slowly slide down the side. He was covered from head to toe with dirt and small wounds all over his body. He had aches and pains that he knew would last days before he would be able to move properly again.

"You made congrats." Izuku visions was becoming spotty he could barely make out the man as he walked towards him. "Don't worry none of your wounds are life threatening and I have a friend that can fix you right up." The man kneeled down to take a closer look at Izuku. "I'm sorry now a days such form of training wouldn't be accepted but if your going to become strong enough to reach your goal of becoming a pro hero then i'm afraid this was necessary."

"Are you going to train me?" Izuku was slightly afraid of his answer. He would like a good rest before he tried anything else.

Though his worries washed away as he saw the man has such a sad look in his eyes. "Don't worry you will be trained but not by me." This was definitely a confusing day for Izuku looking back he was beginning to wonder if he was sane following this man. "Do not worry Izuku you are quite sane"

'What'

"and no i'm not reading your mind. This was the only way I could help you. For you see I don't have long for this world."

Izuku could only stare at this man. He may not have known him for a very long but even he could tell this day has changed his life for the better he could actually see himself becoming stronger, he could see himself standing up to Bakugo, he could see himself becoming a Hero.

"Your dying!"

The man gave Izuku a bright sunny smile before slowly taking his Hanafuda Earrings off before placing them into Izuku's hands. "I can tell you are the right choice with these their is no way he'll say no to training you. Don't give up, follow your dreams. Become a hero. I know you can."

Before the man could stand Izuku grabbed his arm with his open hand. "Wait. what's your name?"

"Ta-Ta-Tanjiro" said a voice but it came from neither the man nor from Izuku.

Izuku looked to see a pale teenage boy in a white kimono staring in shock at the man in green.

"Hello Yushiro it's good to see you again."

"Tanjiro, Kamado Tanjiro." The Pale boy visible shaking.

"Tanjiro" Izuku repeated

"Yes that is my name" said the now named Tanjiro before turning to Yushiro. "Yushiro I would like to watch over this boy and train him. He wishes to be a pro hero someday so please train him well."

Izuku knew now he was losing his battle to stay awake because Tanjiro looked liked he was slowly fading away. "Tanjiro what's going on?"

"Don't worry Izuku your in great hands I trust Yushiro with my life he will make you into a pillar in no time." He said this when he suddenly became see through. "And Yushiro this boy is very talented he will make a fine warrior someday."

Izuku could no longer see Tanjiro and before he lost consciousness Tanjiro said one last thing to him.

"Welcome to the Demon Slayer Corp."

Well Thats chapter one. Please review I will accept any and all criticisms. So you guys have a good day. Lorenzo Out.