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The other schools' students happily gathered while having a break. They were chatting animatedly, and some others were surrounding a short figure in a simple hero costume. From what Joke had told him, he was responsible for the events that occurred.
Shiketsu's First Year General: Hero Name: Mr. Nobody
Shota grunted as he watched his students with lowered heads, notoriously embarrassed that they hadn't been able to even move on to the next round of the exam. Not even Bakugo Katsuki was exploding, furious as it seemed. Mr. Nobody had eliminated him.
With a surprised expression for his classmates, Shinso Hitoshi was the only one calm. Recently, he had transferred to class 1-A. The purple-haired boy had attended the exam to support his classmates, not participate due to lack of training.
What had he done wrong? If his students weren't ready to pass the exam, he wouldn't have sent them. As simple as that.
The Crushing of UA had never worked before- It always ended up being a childish trick of the other schools.
But this time, none of his students had passed. Maybe class B had done better. He wouldn't know until they got back to school.
"That's my bro!" He heard Inasa Yoarashi screaming.
The student was putting his arm around Mr. Nobody and laughing frantically. Ketsubetsu's students -Shindo Yo and Nakagame Tatami- handed an envelope to Mr. Nobody, who immediately gave it to Yoarashi, who saved it in his suit.
"You're amazing!" Shindo laughed, "But the alliance ends in the second round."
Mr. Nobody shook his head without responding and waved them farewell.
The students parted ways.
He expected to take his class and leave, but he wasn't counting on Mineta Minoru exclaiming out loud: "Idiot. I didn't even see him using a quirk."
Shota rolled his eyes. He believed that he had made it clear to his students that not all quirks were physical and that some couldn't manifest on the outside. Most likely, Mr. Nobody had a mental quirk, perhaps an analysis one. But before correcting him, he heard a sarcastic laugh.
All 21 pairs of eyes turned to find the student approaching them, all alone, without Yoarashi.
"Not all quirks are physical, Mineta Minoru." He said gruffly.
His hero costume was black pants with green knee pads, a kind of hoodie for the top of the same color that covered his hair, black fingerless gloves, a dull red tool belt, and sneakers of the same color.
It had no design. It was all flat. His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses that looked like virtual reality ones. He could see the hint of his lips.
Smiling sarcastically. Making fun of his students.
"Seriously, bro... Did you guys have to be so heartless?" Kirishima asked.
"Right!" Ashido yelled, crying. "You guys went over there! You went against us!"
Shota wanted to intervene to tell his students to leave. At the same time, he felt that it was better for them to release their frustrations, especially since Shiketsu's student was the one who had made the plan to defeat them.
Mr. Nobody stopped smiling and began to play with his hands. For a moment, Shota saw a hint of regret. But he couldn't believe it since the boy had charged for the plan and notoriously enjoyed the victory along with the others.
"It's nothing personal, or at least 99%. It's simply tradition and, as General, I had to contribute to my institution and its allies."
"You could have refused!" Hagakure exclaimed annoyed
The boy shook his head. "I said 99% was nothing personal, there's 1% of me who was craving to do it. I'm just honest. Be thankful that you'll be able to take the next exam. I'm not planning that crushing. If you prepare, nothing can stop you."
Shota grunted. It was better to end everything there. He didn't mean to let someone rejoice at their failure. "Don't think you're so essential. You're just in this position because of your quirk."
The atmosphere became tense, much more than it already was. His students looked at him with wide eyes. Even Shinso was surprised. Yoarashi had approached Mr. Nobody, who had straightened up.
If they had dropped a feather, they would have listened to it.
Bakugo snorted, "You don't have anything to say, huh?"
All the tension broke when Yoarashi started laughing uproariously.
Shiketsu student was on the ground, laughing with tears coming out of his eyes. He held his stomach tightly as if Shota had told the funniest joke ever told. Mr. Nobody had relaxed and shook his head.
"Eraserhead!" He relaxedly said as he removed a device from inside his hood. "Excuse me if I'm rude," the voice that continued was different from the one he had started.
A voice changer, he thought.
Shinso and Bakugo's eyes widened abruptly upon hearing it. They recognized it. A challenging and amused smile formed on Shinso's face, surprising his classmates and the same Shota, as the boy commonly maintained a stoic and bored expression. Bakugos was one of pure rage and anger as if the voice's owner was his mortal enemy or something." But I must correct you," he continued, taking off his glasses.
Green eyes sparkled under them. Mr. Nobody's face began to show little by little.
"Since I don't understand," he said, taking off his hood. Released wild curls in his head, "which quirk are you referring to?" he finally exclaimed with a sarcastic smile crossing his face.
Uraraka and Iida's eyes also widened.
The child in front of him had fluffy green curly hair with some black highlights, big eyes of the same color, soft features, and freckles decorating his cheeks.
He remembered: The Quirkless boy who had tried to get into the Department of Heroics of UA.
He could see where he had ended up.
The exam was subject to conspicuous quirks. Shota understood the reason for the boy's failure, as Shinso, both of them were at a disadvantage. UA had been offered a place in General Education Department, but he had turned it down.
Maybe he would have been in my class along with Shinso, he thought.
"Izuku!" Shinso replied animatedly.
Bakugo yelled angrily. "Deku!"
He threw himself straight at the student.
Before being able to restrain his student, the boy dodged Bakugo and took him by his left hook. The greenette threw him to the ground.
Class A's jaws dropped.
The boy lowered his gaze to where Bakugo was being held and growled. "Hello, Bakugo!" Then his gaze lifted and turned to Shinso, "Hitoshi! How nice seeing you with Heroics!" He smiled.
Shinso nodded, surprising his classmates.
Since they knew him, Shinso stayed out of everything. He didn't like to socialize a lot. He seemed to not relate to almost anyone in class 1-A, except Kaminari, but it was more like a you talk, I pretend to listen to you relationship. Something similar to what Shota himself had with Yamada. So, it was a kind of total shock for the rest of the class when they saw his classmate speaking so naturally with the boy who had prevented them from getting their licenses. Maybe a betrayal in the eyes of the students.
But Shota knew that Shinso didn't care much what other people thought about him. He couldn't afford it if he wanted to be an underground hero or needed to use his quirk.
"You showed off, Izuku!" He finally replied. "I'll wait the next time we meet to show you what I've learned." He challenged.
Izuku's eyes gleamed with amusement. "I'm still looking forward to that beating."
"Believe me," Shinso snorted, "You'll regret saying that." The boy nodded excitedly. "Please release Bakugo." His student asked with an irritated tone. "Not that I like that he is free, but I would like to go to sleep in my bed. From what I see, it's not here. "
Izuku laughed and released Bakugo.
The child growled and stood in front of Shiketsu student in a threatening way. Izuku was unfazed.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE, DAMN USELESS NERD?!" He growled.
Yoarashi seemed to want to react, but Izuku held him back before rolling his eyes. "It's Izuku Midoriya, not ' Deku' or 'Damn Useless Nerd', Mi-do-ri-ya." He said slowly as if he were speaking to a four years old kid.
"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!" Bakugo yelled furiously, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, DEKU?!"
Midoriya rolled his eyes again. "Taking the test?"
"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TAKING IT?!" He growled.
Shota was beginning to worry about his student's reasoning.
"Because I'm a Shiketsu student hero and first-year general. I get good grades. I have the right like everyone else here." Midoriya replied, shrugging.
"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU DO IT BEING QUIRKLESS?!" He finally yelled, earning gasps of outrage from his classmates. "HOW DID AN USELESS QUIRKLESS LIKE YOU GET IN A HERO SCHOOL?! WHAT TRICK DID YOU USE?! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?!"
Yoarashi looked furious, the boy seemed to want to hit Bakugo, but Midoriya looked calm as if he was used to it.
Bakugo was volatile, a violent student, but Shota didn't believe that he was a bully, least of all a Quirkist. When they returned to UA, he would begin to investigate his student because Bakugo's actions and comments wouldn't go unpunished. If the child wanted to be a hero, he should start acting like one.
Midoriya sighed. "It's not like I'm looking down on you or something like that," he replied, "I passed the entrance exam because they didn't make me face robots. I had a chance by fighting people."
Bakugo snorted. "You? Fight people? You've always been unable to defend yourself!"
Midoriya laughed sarcastically. "I never defended myself because the school wouldn't let the useless quirkless hurt or surpass the golden boy . If I had defended myself, they would have expelled me. I better be punished for provoking attention-seeking fights. Actually, Bakugo, I'm capable of kicking your ass as I did in that arena, so don't forget that. Remember that useless Deku beat the great Kacchan." He said the last word poisonously.
So much so that Bakugo recoiled wide-eyed and shocked.
"Do you know why my hero's name is Mr. Nobody?" Bakugo didn't reply. "It's in your honor, add that to your ego, because you told me so much that I was a Nobody, I decided it was perfect for who I wanted to be as a hero. You might be number one in the rankings. But... you know? Endeavor is close to being it too." Todoroki tensed. "And, I'm honest, if people like you can be that high. I'd rather stay in the shadows. Being a 'Nobody' and helping people like always I've wanted." Then Midoriya turned to Uraraka's direction. "Gravity Girl!" He calmly exclaimed. "It's so nice to see you, I never thanked you for stopping me from falling on test day."
Uraraka blushed. "It was nothing, plain boy, a shame in this situation."
Midoriya laughed. "Yes, anyway, thanks for keeping me from crashing to the ground."
Someone came up behind Yoarashi and whispered something in his ear. The taller boy nodded and approached Midoriya.
"Sure, Inasa. Go ahead! I'll catch up with you in a few seconds."
"Okay, Izuku! Don't delay, General!" He yelled loudly and retreated.
Midoriya finally sighed, his gaze crossing the faces of the 1-A students. "Well... It was a pleasure to have met you all. Unfortunately, in this uncomfortable situation. But, trust me, I have nothing against you, not even Bakugo. It's simple. Tradition is tradition. I couldn't disappoint my school or its allies. It's like a game of chess to me. I hope the next time we meet, it'll be on friendlier terms and not in a direct attack on my condition. Remember, my strategy was the one that didn't allow you to get your licenses. Don't feel like you didn't do what was necessary. You did more than I predicted. Sadly, it was 90% inevitable. Quirks don't matter, people do." His eyes posed on Shota. "Mr. Eraserhead! I just wanted to tell you that I greatly admire your work and hope one day to be on a mission with you!" He finally said before leaving in the direction of the other examinees.
The second part of the exam was about to begin.
"Dude, it wasn't manly at all what you said to that Midoriya guy," Kirishima said to Bakugo, who was looking out of the bus window.
Mina coughed. "It wasn't great what that guy did to us either. He put a target on our back and joined the other schools to make us fail!"
"We should train more." Todoroki stated, "Midoriya said there was a 10% chance that his plan would fail, so to a certain extent, we didn't do enough."
His students had gone from disappointment at failing the exam to scandal after the scene starring Bakugo, going through surprise with Midoriya's revelation and final criticism of the events in general.
"Shinso," Iida called to the sleeping student.
The boy woke up reluctantly.
"What?" He growled.
"You looked close to Midoriya, kero." Asui continued. "Did you tell him everything about us?"
Shinso's eyes narrowed. Shota understood that the boy was irritated. To suppose that his classmates suspected that he had given Midoriya information was a thing. But they were actively accusing him of betraying them. That was harder, even sadder.
Shinso snorted, "It wouldn't be necessary for Izuku. He would figure out any information I could have provided him since he saw your quirks at the Sports Festival. That boy's brain is a fucking machine!
I'm grateful that he doesn't have a quirk. He's scary enough without one. "
Bakugo laughed dryly, "How do you know him, Eyebags?! How do you know Deku?!"
Shinso growled, "His name is Midoriya Izuku, not Deku, and the circumstances of our friendship are none of your concern."
Shota sighed wearily as the bus stopped in front of the dorms. "Well, hellspawn, all in. Bakugo, I want to see you in my office tomorrow morning to discuss certain things. Shinso, come with me, now."
The students sighed and started to get off the bus, heading to their bedrooms. They looked exhausted, tired, and disappointed. But, also confused. Bakugo said nothing and followed them, his gaze was indecipherable, but the anger showed.
Shinso waited for everyone to come down until he approached Shota.
"Do you think I sold them too?" He asked bluntly.
Shota shook his head, "That child scored very high on the written exam, Nedzu was especially interested in him. I'm not surprised he was able to beat them. At least it's a humbling experience for them."
Shinso nodded, and his gaze focused on the bus next to them.
Class B had arrived.
Shota watched as Kan got off the bus with an unreadable expression and his crestfallen students got out. The other teacher's eyes focused on Shota.
"You too?" He asked in exasperation.
"Yes." Shota admitted. "Shiketsu's First Year General is the mastermind."
Kan snorted. "Great! We'll have to wait until next time."
Shota nodded, "The students will be much more prepared."
Kan grunted and headed with his students to the dorms.
Shinso snorted, "At least Monoma won't be able to declare the superiority of Class B."
It was a good point.
"If you are not accusing me of selling them to Izuku. What do you want to talk to me about, Aizawa-sensei?" Shinso asked, frowning.
"If you don't mind, I want to know what you know about Midoriya."
Shinso rolled his eyes, "You too, sensei?"
Shota shook his head, "Regarding what happened to Bakugo. I want to talk with Nedzu about what punishment we could give him."
The tension on the child's shoulders lessened, "I don't think you didn't notice, but I'll confirm it anyway. Bakugo was Izuku's bully ever since he was diagnosed with Quirkless. He even told him to commit suicide."
Shota's eyes widened at the last thing mentioned. He was confident that Shinso was sincere and, after what he had seen that day, there was no point in doubting that Bakugo had been a bully.
"Thanks, Shinso, go with your classmates," he finally said.
Shinso sighed. "Now that I remember, I wanted to ask you for a pass to get off campus for the weekend."
Shota frowned, "Reason?"
"You heard me there. Izuku and I have a pending rematch. Thanks to your training, I'm going to beat him, and he won't know what hit him."
Aizawa nodded, letting him know that the permission was intended, before asking, "You guys are close, right?"
Shinso nodded, "He understands what I've experienced, like you. We met after the Sports Festival. He was in the audience. Now I know why." He laughed.
Shota understood that the Crushing of UA had been planned for a long time.
"Some guys were claiming me for the use of my quirk. He defended me. After that, it ended up being that we got along well, and he helped me train since my physical condition was painful. It was true. He had said he was taking the test, but I never asked for his hero name or test location. So I was also surprised to see him there." He laughed. "Now, if you'll allow me, I'll go to sleep a few minutes before my insomnia attack, so I will also avoid being considered a traitor by the guys."
"Don't worry." Shota told him, "I'll make things clear for them. I won't allow you to be accused of something you didn't do, even if I have to bring Detective Tsukauchi to get that into their heads."
Shinso smiled. "Thank you, sensei."
"I AM SO HAPPY YOU PASSED THE EXAM, MIDORIYA! I DIDN'T DOUBT THAT YOU WOULD DO IT!" He exclaimed, overflowing with enthusiasm.
The young student's voice came from the other end of the phone, "I'm too excited! Especially because with the money I got, I'll be able to get better equipment."
He smiled.
His personal project was delightful. He was completely grateful Midoriya had accepted his offer. A young mind to rival his own, a partner to play the greatest and biggest chess game society has ever seen in history. A young mind to nurture and train.
"Although..." Midoriya snorted from the other side. "I feel mildly bad about what I did to them. It seems that most of them are good guys."
Well, he just needed to take some of the boy's morals because he was too good. He lacked genuine malice, not just the mask he wore with his hero suit.
"If they couldn't make their way to the 10% chance you left open to surpass your plan, it's because they weren't prepared enough. A shame they won't do their work studies, but that will only motivate them to be better."
His ward sighed at the call. "You're right, as always."
He smiled. "No problem, Midoriya. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I have a meeting in a few minutes," he said.
"Take care! Have a good night, bye!" Midoriya replied.
"Bye, we'll talk shortly," he said and finally hung up the call.
Izuku Midoriya. Such a curious child.
A Quirkless child. A near non-existent probability, considering that he came from a telekinetic mother and a father who could breathe fire, part of the fourth generation of Quirks in his family.
A brilliant boy with a great analytical mind, he had visualized in his exam in the entrance tests, a pity that the boy decided not to be a UA's student. Nedzu knew that, with determination, the boy could have been along with Shinso Hitoshi in the students transferred to the heroism course, but he had to accept that he had a big mettle and was quite proud.
He failed to get into UA, so he would do it at Shiketsu, which entrance exam was more feasible for other types of quirks. He had even made him think about changing the entrance exams. He didn't want to lose any more raw diamonds for such a corrupt society.
When he had met with the boy, Nezu proposed Midoriya to be his personal student for free. Great minds had to stay together. The boy had accepted without hesitation, realizing that it was an opportunity that he couldn't miss.
It was an advantage to some extent that the boy didn't attend UA since the boy could make a name for himself, and no one could influence Midoriya but himself. The two of them could exchange information and plan together for both schools. Maybe an alliance in the future.
He had a plan, which he hadn't told his student about it. First, he had to destroy his old school. By Midoriya's second year in Shiketsu, Aldera would be burned to ashes in reputation and closed. But, before that, he had to make Bakugo Katsuki be discovered as the bully that he was.
With the knowledge about the Crushing of UA. Shiketsu and Ketsubetsu's teamwork to make it happen. His student was designated to plan it. Nedzu didn't hesitate to provide Midoriya with tickets to the Sports Festival to be closer to the action and make his analysis more accurate.
How was a principal able to sabotage his own school in that way?
He just wanted to keep his school name at the top. That was why he had asked Midoriya to leave a 10% margin of failure on his plan. If the students didn't pass the exam, it would mean they were not ready and hadn't reached the excellence of which UA was proud.
He wanted Bakugo and Midoriya to face off in the exam. So, he only had to move a few influences to make sure that class 1-A had to take the test in the same place as the green-haired boy class.
Furthermore, he had to convince Aizawa to take Shinso with them. The plan had been put in place so that no one would doubt the version of Midoriya's events, not after Bakugo's inevitable tantrum.
Most likely, students from Class A doubted Shinso. It was a small price to pay for revenge on behalf of his personal student, but he was going to reward him with the help of Aizawa, who was coming to talk about Bakugo's attitude, just as he had planned.
Shinso was the first domino piece, the first move in chess, the flutter of the butterfly in chaos theory. When he saw the boy's transfer request before the Sports Festival, he knew that he could arrange for the two students to meet and form a friendship.
After all, the rejected had to stick together.
Furthermore, this had also favored Shinso's transfer and improved his training so that he didn't look like a rookie compared to his classmates who were half the semester ahead of him.
He had gotten his transfer for after the summer. In the fall, Shinso would join the Heroics department. He wouldn't participate in the exam, but he had made sure that he was present so that Aizawa would have someone to inform him about Bakugo.
He would be lenient with the boy. He wasn't going to expel him. He would take therapy with Hound Dog and perhaps a suspension because expelling him would lead to villainy in the worst case.
Nedzu drank his cup of tea quietly until he heard the door to his office.
He smirked. Excitement flooded the chimera's body, and he wanted to let go of his maniacal laugh.
His plan was being carried out step by step.
He loved the chaos and, the 1-A teacher was unknowingly about to unleash it.
Too satisfying. Too funny.
The man would sleep less than he already did.
But he kept his composure. He took another sip from his mug and took a deep breath.
"Come in, Aizawa-kun. I think we have a lot to talk about."