Chapter Text
"Sorry kid but without a Quirk, you can't be a hero."
These words continued to float around inside Midoriya's head as his head hung down in defeat. 'So even All Might thinks my dream is impossible...'
Snap!
The sudden sound of a camera shutter jolted Midoriya out of his thoughts. He whirled around, wide-eyed, his heart skipping a beat. Behind him, a man leaned casually against the staircase that All Might had just walked down.
"Oof... That's rough, buddy but hey, at least it'll make for a nice photo." the stranger remarked, a knowing smirk on his face.
The man wore a sleek black jacket, its edges crisp but showing signs of wear from countless journeys. Beneath it, a deep magenta buttoned-up shirt added a striking contrast to his otherwise dark attire. His pants, dark and well-fitted, blended seamlessly with his combat boots, each step carrying the weight of a seasoned traveler. A silver camera rested casually over his shoulder, its well-worn surface hinting at the stories it had captured. His sharp eyes scanned his surroundings, giving off an air of confidence and experience, as if he had traversed the world and saw a great many things.
"W-who a-a-a-are you?!?!" Midoriya exclaimed as his eyes darted around to see if there were any more people lurking around.
"Who, me?" the man asked as he tapped his chest with a smirk. "I'm Kadoya Tsukasa. And you are...?"
Midoriya blinked before stammering, "M-Midoriya... I-Izuku. N-n-nice to m-m-meet you." he replied, his voice trembling as he nervously wondered if the man had seen his conversation with All Might.
"Tell me Midoriya, why are on a roof all on your own?" Kadoya asked as he slowly walked over to Midoriya, so as to not scare him. "And why did you look so down after that strange skeletor rip-off began to leave?"
Midoriya tensed up in horror as he realised that Kadoya had seen All Mights real form but quickly relaxed upon realising that he hadn't heard his conversation with the number one hero.
"O-o-oh i-i-it's n-n-nothing i-i-important." He replied as he rubbed the back of his head nervously causing Kadoya to arch an eyebrow.
"Really now? Cause it seems to me like he said something soul crushing to you and don't try to lie cause I did catch the tail end of your conversation with him."
Kadoya's admition caused Midoriya to freeze up as he stared at Kadoya in shock. "W-w-w-what?" He muttered before his shoulders slumped in defeat and tears began to form in his eyes.
"Listen," Kadoya said as he placed a firm yet gentle hand on Midoriya's shoulder, grounding him. The warmth of the gesture cut through the chill of despair that had wrapped around the boy's heart. "I don't know why he said what he said, but I do know for a fact that Quirks aren't the be-all and end-all that everyone thinks they are."
Midoriya stopped as he looked up at Kadoya, who was smiling gently at him, "Y-y-you really think so?" He asked, a faint glimmer of hope sparked within his chest.
"Yes. Because," Kadoya replied, his gaze steady, "there are plenty of heroes out there who don't fit the mold of having a powerful Quirk, heck, some heroes don't have Quirks suited for combat. But above all of that, I've seen people with nothing but sheer willpower and heart accomplish some amazing things. So I know that being a hero is not just about having a Quirk."
As Kadoya spoke, the world around them seemed to fade. The bustling city below was a distant hum, a contrast to the calm moment they shared. but just as Midoriya opened his mouth to respond, a loud explosion shattered the tranquility, jolting both of them back to reality.
"What was that!?!" Midoriya screeched as soon as he found his voice again.
"Well... I'd hazard a guess and say that's a villain attack." Kadoya replied as he removed his hand from Midoriya's shoulder and stepped closer to the edge of the roof before turning back to face Midoriya with a cheeky grin on his face. "Want to take a closer look?"
Midoriya hesitated for a moment as he thought on how to respond to Kadoya's question. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of fear and curiosity swirling inside him. After a few moments, he eventually nodded his head.
"B-b-but w-w-wait, how a-a-are w-w-we going to get there?"
Kadoya gave a knowing smile. "No need to worry. We're already there."
Confused, Midoriya blinked and glanced around, before he realised that they were now surrounded by multiple people and were no longer on the roof. He even spotted All Might in his skinny form looking on in horror.
Before he could say anything, another explosion occurred, the deafening sound sending shockwaves through the crowd. Midoriya's heart pounded as he turned toward the source, his blood running cold.
"No..."
The sludge villain that had tried to possess him earlier loomed over the street, its grotesque, slimy form bubbling with malevolent glee. People screamed and scrambled to get away, but the villain's thick, suffocating body pinned a lone figure to the ground. A familiar figure.
Kacchan.
Midoriya's breath hitched. His childhood friend turned bully, Katsuki Bakugo, was struggling against the same villain that had nearly taken his life just hours earlier. Midoriya's pulse quickened, panic taking root in his chest. 'But why is he here?! Shouldn't he still be sealed in a bottle? Safely tucked away in...'
His stomach dropped as the truth hit him like a ton of bricks.
All Might. The villain had escaped because of him.
Midoriya's hands clenched into tight fists, trembling as guilt flooded his veins. His heart raced, the world around him closing in. 'This is... my fault. I grabbed onto him, didn't I? I distracted him and let the villain escape. If Kacchan... if someone dies...'
He could barely finish the thought, the weight of the possibility crushing him. His feet felt glued to the ground, indecision freezing him in place as chaos erupted all around him.
Beside him, Kadoya stood with his hands in his pockets, his gaze calm as it swept over the scene unfolding below. "Looks like a pretty bad situation," he said nonchalantly, though there was a sharpness to his tone, as if he was testing Midoriya. "You going to do something about it?"
Midoriya's eyes shot up to Kadoya. "W-w-what do you mean?" he stammered, his voice barely audible over the roaring flames and the cries of the panicked crowd.
Kadoya raised an eyebrow. "You want to be a hero, don't you?"
Midoriya's mind whirled. 'A hero? But how? What could I possibly do? I don't have a Quirk. I'll only get in the way. But...' His eyes flicked back to Bakugo, who was thrashing wildly in the sludge, his explosions flickering weakly in the monster's grip. The sheer panic in Kacchan's eyes was something Midoriya had never seen before.
Without thinking, Midoriya had unconsciously took a step forward.
Kadoya watched him closely, his expression unreadable. "Not everything comes down to power, Midoriya," he said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. "Sometimes, all it takes is to be in the right place, at the right time."
Midoriya's legs shook, but he kept moving. His thoughts screamed at him to stop, that it was suicide to go up against a villain like that. He wasn't a hero. He couldn't be a hero.
But Kacchan needed help.
The crowd was growing, but no one was doing anything. The heroes nearby were stalled, their quirks were proving to be ineffective against the sludge villain. Even All Might remained frozen at the edge of the crowd, his face twisted in pain and indecision as he clutched the injured side of his stomach. Midoriya's chest tightened. Even All Might couldn't step in...
His legs moved faster.
Kadoya remained still, his eyes never leaving Midoriya. He made no move to stop him, nor to help. His words hung in the air like a challenge.
Midoriya sprinted.
The shouts of the crowd faded into the background as he charged straight toward the villain, his feet pounding against the pavement, his mind blank with only one thought racing through it. 'I have to save him. I have to save Kacchan!'
Kadoya's lips quirked into a small smile as he watched the boy rush forward. He muttered to himself, "Now we'll see..."
"What are you doing?!?!" One of the heroes cried out as Midoriya charged towards the sludge villain. Hus heart pounded in his chest as the deafening roar of the crowd behind him faded into nothing but white noise. His feet were moving faster now, despite his mind screaming at him to stop. He wasn't even sure why he was running-what could he possibly do?
'Why am I doing this? I don't have a Quirk... I'll only get hurt...' His thoughts raced in circles, trying to convince him to turn back. But his body refused to listen. 'I can't stop... I have to... I have to save him!'
In an instant, he was there-right in front of the towering mass of sludge. Kacchan's face was barely visible through the grotesque creature's body, his eyes wide with panic, explosions flickering weakly from his hands as he struggled to breathe.
Midoriya's pulse quickened. Without a second thought, he unslung his backpack and threw it with all the strength he could muster, aiming at the villain's eye.
The backpack hit its mark, smacking into the creature's face, momentarily blinding it. The villain let out a low growl, its form convulsing in response as its grip on Bakugou loosened slightly.
"Kacchan!" Midoriya screamed, panic rising in his throat as his feet skidded to a stop. His mind was racing, and he couldn't stop trembling. 'What am I doing?! What now? I can't fight this thing!'
But despite the fear clawing at his insides, he kept going. He reached out, grabbing at Bakugou's arm, trying to pull him free from the sludge's grasp. The villain's slimy body twisted, resisting him, and Bakugou's arm slipped through Midoriya's fingers like oil.
"Let go of him!" Midoriya shouted, though his voice cracked, betraying his terror.
"Gah! You again?!?" The villain exclaimed as Midoriya's fingers dug into the slime, pulling and yanking with all his might. The sludge villain roared in frustration, its body undulating around them as it started to close in again.
"What the hell?!? why are you here?!?" Bakugou gasped, his voice barely audible through the suffocating grip of the villain. His eyes, filled with fear, anger and confusion, locked onto Midoriya's.
"I don't know! My legs! They just started moving!" Midoriya explained as he clawed at the sludge villains body. As he threw the pieces of sludge aside, he mustered up a teary smile, "Kacchan...! I couldn't just stand there and watch you die!"
Kadoya smile as he heard Midoriya's proclamation before glancing over to see a the shocked look on All Mights face. He watched as steam began to rise from the heroes body as it slowly began to increase in muscle mass. 'Good... So you're finally starting to understand.'
"Just a little bit longer kid and I'm done playing with you!" The sludge villain cried out as it prepared to strike Midoriya.
"Save the boy! This thing will kill him!" Kadoya heard the heroes cried out as he watched them race forward with their arms out stretched.
But before they could do anything something blocked the slime villain causing a massive gust of wind to blow upwards.
"I really am pathetic!"
Midoriya's eyes snapped open as he turned to stare at the number one hero. "All Might... but..." He trailed off as he stared at the symbol of peaces grinning face.
"I told you the traits to make a great champion!" The hero grunted as smacked away the sludge villains tendrils. "But I see now that I wasn't living up to my own ideals!"
Everyone stared in shocked disbelief as All Might, in one swift motion, pulled Bakugou free from the sludge villain. "Pros are always risking their lives! That's the true testament of a hero!" All Might proclaimed as he pulled his fist back.
"Damn you All Might!!!" The villain Midoriya's legs wobbled beneath him as he gazed up at the symbol of peace, his eyes wide with awe and confusion. He watched as All Might's form expanded once more, his muscles bulging as he powered up. Steam rose off the hero's body, and the ground trembled beneath the sheer force of his presence.
"But I can't just stand by and let you shoulder everything alone." All Might's eyes sharpened as his hand shot forward, pulling Midoriya and Bakugo free from the sludge villain's grip with a single, earth-shattering punch. The air reverberated with the force of the blow, sending shockwaves through the crowd.
"Texas... Smash!"
The villain exploded outward, his body scattering in all directions as the sheer force of All Might's attack disintegrated his form. The surrounding heroes shielded their faces from the blast as the remains of the villain splattered against nearby walls, leaving the street eerily silent for a few moments.
Midoriya collapsed to his knees, as he gasped for breath. His whole body trembled, while the adrenaline still coursed through his veins. His mind swirled in disbelief as he looked over to Bakugo, who was lying next to him, still coughing and trying to catch his breath.
"All Might... you saved us..." He whispered, his voice barely audible.
The hulking hero turned towards the boys, his larger-than-life figure silhouetted against the sun. He smiled gently, though the strain was evident in his eyes. “I couldn't have done it without you, kid.” He gave Midoriya a reassuring pat on the head. "You've got the makings of a hero."
Kadoya smiled, 'And there it is...' he thought as he took a photo of the scene. 'Theres that fire I sensed. Looks like there's hope for you yet, Midoriya.' With a happy smile, Kadoya began to walk towards Midoriya, wanting to pull him away before the heroes could give him a earful.
...
30 minutes later and Midoriya found himself walking alongside Kadoya towards his home.
"Now do you understand what I told you earlier?" Kadoya asked as he walked beside Midoriya with a slight smile on his face.
"I think so..." Midoriya replied, still feeling tired and jittery from his earlier experience. His whole body felt sore.
Kadoya grinned, "Good because I have an offer for you kid." He said as he stopped in place and turned to face Midoriya "How would you like to become my successor?"
"W-w-wha...?"
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I'm low on energy and this was the best I could muster for an ending. All in all, I don't think it was to bad, definitely better than the previous version of the story. The next chapter will be focused on Kadoya training Midoriya as well as helping Midoriya finally get the emotional help he truly needs. Additionally, I've made the prologue longer than the measly 1,000 words from the original version of the story. Still though, I'm sure I could have made this better but for now it is what it is.
Now befor e anyone makes any requests, I'm pairing Izuku with Melissa Shield. No harems or anything of the sort!
Other than that, please tell me what you think of this story so far. I'd really like your thoughts on this.
The next story I'm working on now will be Spiders Justice, a Young Justice x Spider-Man crossover set at somepoin t during season 2 of the show. Be sure to look out for that one when I release it cause I'll be taking elements from all Spider-Man and DC Media s o expect multiple spider suits and abilities. I'm still torn on whether I should make Peter date Jessica Cruz (Green Lantern), Zatanna o r Super Girl.
Other the n that, enjoy! I'll see you guys next time!