They made it to the classroom just in time for the bell to ring. They quickly found their seats and waited in anticipation for their teacher to arrive.

The class whirred in excitement, rumors and whispers roaming across the room. Their teacher for hero studies was said to be All might. The classroom door suddenly flung open. The sound making Izuku jump in his seat. All eyes turned to the front of the room.

"I AM HERE, OPENING THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!" All Might's booming voice greets them, the hero stepped through the door, his long strides and straight posture emanating nothing but confidence. His signature smile leaving the students in complete awe and reassurance. The concealed excitement in the room erupted in a sea of exclamations, further bolstered by the Number One Hero's choice of Silver Age costume.

"Oh man, All Might's our hero study teacher! So lucky!"

"This year is going to be so crazy, I can't wait!"

"Oh my god, he's wearing his silver age costume! That's so retro!"

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to your most important class here at U.A. High! Here you will learn the essence of heroism." He grinned, eyes looking over every student in the room. "And today, we'll be doing." He paused for dramatics "Combat training!" An explosion of noise answered him. "But before we can get to the good stuff, we have to look the part, don't we?" He pulled a remote, seemingly out of nowhere and activated it, twenty steel containers came out from the classroom wall. "Come on now future heroes! It's time to suit up! When you are all ready, meet me at training ground Beta!"

The students quickly scrambled to retrieve their costumes, every one of them jumping in excitement at the thought of their costumes. Izuku sent his costume design to the support department a few weeks ago. All his original ideas were based on his favorite hero's costume. Now it would be too obvious to use those, nobody can know about his connection with the number one hero. He hoped the sketch he sent the support department would be enough for them to make him a costume that would both fit him and be practical for his quirk.

--

Izuku nervously walked through the tunnel leading into the testing grounds. It was a simple dark green jumpsuit with a sturdy white mask covering his lower face, a red belt attached to his waist to keep his support items. completed by a hood with two appendages sticking straight up.

It was a small tribute to the number one hero's blond tuft of hair. His overall appearance made him look like an overgrown rabbit.

He stepped out into the burning sunlight, absolutely stunned by the sight of his fellow classmates, their costumes were flashy and looking so cool! They already looked like pros.

"Now that's what I'm talking about! You, young ladies and gentlemen, are the physical embodiment of young heroes-to-be! they say the costume makes the hero! Stand tall and announce to the world that YOU ARE HERE!" All Might's booming voice encouraged the young students, his exclamation being met by cheers and whoops.

"Oh my gosh, Izuku you look so cool! That costume totally suits you!" Uraraka squeaked as she looked Izuku over.

Izuku flushed, partially from the sight of Uraraka's form-fitting black bodysuit with pink pieces resembling the design of an astronaut's equipment around her calves and forearms, with a similar collar at her neck. Her appearance vaguely reminded him of the costume the space hero: 'thirteen' wore.

"I just told them to work on putting pressure on my pressure points to keep the nausea down...but I didn't specify anything else...this is so tight!" she squeaked, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"I- I think you look really cool Uraraka!" he stuttered as he tried reassuring the bubbly girl.

"Now that we're all suited up and ready to go, let's get this show on the road!" All Might's voice cut through the air, immediately grabbing the attention of the assembled students.

Iida immediately raised his hand. "Sir! Considering the fact that this is the same testing grounds where the entrance exam was held, does that mean this will be an urban combat simulation?"

"Not quite, young man! While the majority of villain battles broadcast on television happen outside, they are quite uncommon compared to indoor battles! The truly intelligent criminals don't put themselves out in the open so easily! For this exercise, I'll be dividing you all up into teams of two and pitting you against one another in the roles of heroes and villains!"

All Might pulled a folded piece of paper out of his costume- was that a script? – and began glancing down at it intently. "Here's the scenario we've come up for you all: A pair of villains stole a nuclear bomb! The heroes, must head indoors and neutralize the danger! The heroes will be victorious if they either retrieve the weapon or subdue the villains. However, the villains will succeed if they defend their bomb until the time runs out, or they take out the heroes. Now, in the interest of saving time, we'll be deciding teams by drawing names" he gestured at the small box he held in his hands.

Iida's hand shot up instantly in protest. "Sir, isn't there a more professional manner in which we can choose teams?"

"heroes don't have the luxury to choose who they are teamed up within the heat of battle. They often end up improvising on the spot in order to defeat the villain they encounter." Izuku stuttered out, his cheeks already heating up at the sudden attention he was getting.

"I suppose that makes sense," Iida mused before his voice straightened out into an iron bar of surety. "Yes, as expected from UA! Excuse my interruption."

--

Izuku sighed in relief when his name appeared next to Uraraka's. This feeling quickly morphing into dread when All might announced that they'd be going up against none other than Kacchan and lida.

Izuku looked over to where Bakugou was standing. The other boy is already looking at him, red eyes burning holes into his head. He quickly turned away trying to ignore the anxiety and fear that started to pool in his guts. This wasn't going to end well.

Izuku and Kacchan's relationship wasn't always this bad. Believe it or not, they were once inseparable. They were a constant presence in each other's lives. Their mothers being friends since high school, their earliest memories consisted of playdates and fun games they created. Kacchan and Izuku considered each other family.

Everything changed when Kacchan developed his quirk and Izuku simply didn't.

Izuku is four. He's standing in the middle of his classroom. His peers are all gathering around Kacchan. Bakugou turned out to be quite fond of showing off his flashy quirk, it had manifested about two weeks ago. Explosion, his quirk allowed him to excrete sweat similar to nitroglycerin from his palms and ignite it at will to create various explosions.

Through either one of his palms, he created fiery shock waves that were highly powerful and destructive, often burning and or shattering whatever they hit. Izuku often found himself on the receiving end of these explosions. Whether it was because of his quirkless status, making him a weak target for Kacchan's tormenting or his presence simply getting on the angry blonde's nerves. He always ended up burned and bruised at the end of their encounters.

Izuku is six now, his relationship with Kacchan has been steadily declining ever since the day he was diagnosed as quirkless.

It started with simple teasing, slowly evolving into harsh taunts and cruel beatings.

Kacchan grew up being praised and applauded for his powerful quirk and his amazing leadership. His confidence grew with every praise and his ego expanded with every pat on the back.

In a society where people put those with powerful quirks on pedestals, destined only for greatness. Kacchan strived of the attention. He looked down on those weaker than him and made sure to remain at the top. He would show the world his strengths and become the best. The number one hero.

So, when a weak, useless kid like Izuku declared he still wanted to be a hero, despite his quirklessness. Kacchan couldn't understand it. How could a worthless kid like Izuku ever dream of standing next to him? ever dream of surpassing HIM. He was going to make sure Deku knew his place. He would make sure Deku understood that a quirlkless weakling like him could never stand on the same level as him.

He and Uraraka are waiting for the signal to start the exercise. They decided to take this time and come up with some sort of strategy.

Izuku knew Bakugou would most likely go directly for him as soon as the exercise started. He'd spent years analyzing Kacchan's behavior. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that the fiery blond would go after him.

"Uraraka, I think I have a plan." He says quietly, waiting for the girl's undivided attention.

"OH, let's hear it!" she beams at him. her excitement refreshing and her smile encouraging him to continue.

"Bakugou is going to come after me. I can try to lead him away from you. So, you can find the nuke in the meantime, are you okay with that?"

Uraraka looks uncertain so he decides to elaborate further.

"if we take them both on, we will be at a disadvantage. Lida's quirk gives him speed, and Kacchan has the brute power. Together we won't be able to win. Lida would keep the bomb out of our reach and Kacchan would defend it with everything he has. The best course of action would be to take them on separately. I'll distract Kacchan while you go find lida and I'll meet you afterward. This is how we win."

Uraraka blinks at him. her eyes look thoughtful for a moment before she decides to speak up. "You're really cool Deku you know, that right?"

"Wh- what-?"

"I mean, you came up with this whole strategy and we've barely started. Anyway, you can count on me! I'll do my best to find the bomb." She says cheerfully as she raises her fist in determination.

Izuku smiles back at her, he hopes this plan will work. Either way, he's not going to let Kacchan win so easily.

The timer is up, and Izuku and Uraraka sneak into the building. Uraraka's quirk lets them float through the windows of the third floor. Uraraka takes the stairs as Izuku goes to the opposite direction.

Not too long after, he hears bakugou's heavy footsteps approaching. Despite the boy's effort in stealth, Izuku can hear him coming. It looks like Bakugou has been probably planning to ambush them.

Unfortunately for him, Izuku was planning on that, years of being on the receiving end of Kacchan's beatings, izuku knows what his first move will be.

So, when Bakugou rushes at him with his signature right hook, Izuku grabs the blonde, flips him over his head, and throws him over his shoulder. Bakugou hits the ground wheezing, the air being knocked out of him in the process.

"DEKUU!!" Bakugou roars as he gets to his feet. "How'd you do it huh? How'd you cheat this school into accepting a useless piece of shit like you? were you hiding your quirk this whole time? Making fun of me and looking down on me! I'll show you which one of us is the strongest DEKU" He spits, venom pouring out of every word. Izuku mentally prepares himself for the retaliation.

So, when Bakugou rushes towards him he's ready. Bakugou tries to throw a quirk powered punch at him, a roundhouse kick aimed for his head and fires off multiple blasts at him. However, years of avoiding his mother's hits and his training with all might made his reflexes evolve greatly, and that's not taking into account his quirk. which promptly makes him faster and stronger. Izuku easily dodges every blow and kick aimed at him. he's steadily and slowly leading Kacchan away from the staircase Uraraka took a few minutes ago.

"You shitty nerd, stop being a useless Deku and fight me!" He snaps, breathing heavily and eyes glaring wholes into Izuku's entire being.

"That's where you wrong Kacchan! I'm not a useless Deku anymore! I'm the Deku who can do it! I'm the Deku that's not going to take your bullshit anymore! From now on Deku is the name of a hero!" He shouts back, voice cracking with emotions and eyes beaming in determination.

Uraraka's voice comes in through his earpiece, she tells him the exact position of the bomb and urges him to meet her. lida had already noticed her and apparently had devised a plan to keep the bomb out of her reach.

Bakugou is already rushing towards him again, using his quirk to jump over Izuku aiming his hands at him, Izuku's training kicks in and he easily sidesteps him. however, Kacchan's remarkable control over his power is nothing short of astonishing as he swiftly redirects his trajectory and manages to hit Deku with an explosion to the back.

He hisses, forced to retreat. But as he steps back he promptly shoots his leg up, kicking Kacchan with a 3% powered kick to the stomach, however, he doesn't let the blonde have breathing room as he immediately punches him in the face afterward with a 4% powered fist. That makes the blond fall over onto his back, wheezing as he clutches his stomach.

Izuku decides that this has gone long enough, he abruptly punches the boy as he tries to get up. His movement is brutal and specific. It effectively knocks Kacchan out.

"Villain Bakugou subdued." A mechanical voice rings out.

Izuku straightens up and takes a moment to breathe. Did he just do that? Did he just win against Kacchan? He stops himself from getting too excited. The mission is not over.

"Uraraka," Izuku calls. "Are you still in the same place?"

"Deku!" a relieved voice comes over his earpiece. "Oh thank god, yes, but Iida keeps moving the nuke out of my grasp! I don't know what to do, and we're running out of time!"

Izuku looks up at the ceiling. He could join Uraraka against Iida as he had originally planned, but there's not enough time. So, he does the first thing that comes to mind. It might be reckless but let's face it. this whole plan was wild since the very beginning.

"Keep close to a wall and tell me where Iida is. When you see the signal, float yourself and go for the nuke."

"What's the signal?"

"You'll know it when you see it."

Izuku then proceeds to settle himself in position. Izuku then proceeds to draw back his arm and punches the air using 10% of one for all.

The ceiling is blasted apart, and Izuku thinks he hears a startled yell from Iida. His focus is drawn instead to the thunderous voice of his mentor coming through the coms.

"Hero team wins!"

His hand hurts a little, but it's a sprain at worst. He grins as he looks at the destruction he caused. He's not useless worthless Deku anymore. Today proved that.

He turns around to head towards the exit but a blinding light assaults his senses, followed by soaring heat that erupts on his shoulder and it burns. He screams as he finally realizes what had happened. Kacchan woke up. He forgot to tie him up. Stupid.

Still, the training exercise is over, why did Bakugou do that? He doesn't have time to contemplate on that though. The burning pain he's feeling catches up to him and before he knows it everything around him turns black.