4.9K Words as Grand Start!
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Chapter 1 — Hero Is Born!
Kamado Kurogane. If there was something really different about him from the rest, it was that he really loved heroes.
Whether they were masked riding heroes, to heroes of rainbow colors, and to pretty and curing magical girls – he loved them all. As a result of their influence, Kurogane grew up as an honest, bright, righteous, and just overall, your friendly neighborhood young man.
He was athletic and born with a strong body suited for combative martial arts, causing his teachers and friends to often say he was suitable for jobs where he could help others, such as a policeman or a firefighter.
Kurogane always kept up this bright and optimistic life, without any particular complaints about it.
…But on a certain sunny day, his life would abruptly come to an end.
Kurogane went out as usual to buy the recent release of a magazine about his new favorite tokusatsu show. He then decided to visit a nearby shopping district to buy protein powder to replenish his stock.
It was there, unfortunately, where he came across a deranged man attacking a passerby with a knife.
As people rushed to get away and as panic spread like a virus, Kurogane saw the slasher about to mercilessly attack a mother and her child.
Without even time to think, his body moved on its own to shield them away from the attacker's knife.
The knife pierced his chest, but as his face twisted from the unimaginable pain, he used his excellent physical abilities and the sudden adrenaline rush to slam the slasher on the ground to knock him out cold.
…But the price he paid was his life.
As Kurogane saw the mother and child crying for him, he was glad to see them safe and fine. He was optimistic to the end, but there was a sliver of regret within it.
A true hero won't bring tears to those who they saved. A smile... that was what I wanted to bring…
Nevertheless, this was not a bad way to go as he managed to save them. Kurogane smiled, closed his eyes, and ended his life in satisfaction.
…
Kamado Shirogane. If there was something really different about him from the rest, it was that he once wanted to become the greatest hero in history.
His dream, his aspiration, his future—All of it started from the Number One Hero, the Symbol Of Peace, All Might!
However, in a black and white society where 80% of the population had superpowers called Quirks, Shirogane was, unfortunately, part of the 20% to not have any superpower.
Quirkless.
That derogatory term was often labeled on him by those with Quirks.
A cold reality slapped him.
However,
Despite being constantly belittled and mocked, Shirogane still wanted to become someone great, even if not a hero, so those who looked down upon him would someday envy him and treat him with respect.
He then thought, If he lacked superpower, then couldn't he just persist in other potential areas?
Quirks were not everything!
Shirogane eventually learned to not treat those quirks too highly.
"People with quirks aren't inherently better."
Those with quirks often focused too much on their quirks. In their pursuit of the greatness of their quirks, they end up completely relying on it and eventually end up overlooking other areas they could explore.
Shirogane decided to explore the Scientific Field, specifically the field of support tools, to help other heroes overcome their weaknesses through the use of tools.
"If I can't become the greatest hero, then perhaps, I could help create the greatest hero?"
And someday, maybe with the help of his support tools, he could become a Hero, too?
Shirogane who was born innately weak and without a quirk, but those weaknesses also gave birth to something else within his brain.
Admittedly, he wasn't the best when it comes to intelligence, but he had the excellent capabilities to memorize and learn unknown knowledge much better than normal. It was like his brain hardware worked much more efficiently when it comes to creating stuff.
Alongside the support of his parents who run a small support company, Shirogane was determined to become a Great Inventor.
And for several years, he spent all of his time on his workshop to study new knowledge and experiment with all of his ideas.
Today, the fruit born from his resolute efforts was now to be tested in the entrance exam of the prestigious hero academy called U.A High School.
…
Tuesday, February 26 | 8:40 AM.
U.A. High School was busier and livelier than usual due to the influx of examinees aspiring to enter the hero academy that had produced various famed heroes.
On the school entrance, a white-haired boy with clear blue eyes and pale skin could be seen standing nervously. He was carrying a large black suitcase that contrasted his weak, thin, and frail body frame.
Currently, he was like a scared pitiful cat because of his overwhelming nervousness and anxiety.
"It has been a long time since I went outside our house…"
As a result of the terrible bullying he often received during nursery school, Shirogane was homeschooled by his parents which resulted in him having no social skills.
However, he was determined to change from his awkward self starting today! U.A. High School was his start.
"I can do it!"
Shirogane walked through the entrance, his nervous heart now throbbing with faint excitement.
He was finally here.
U.A. High School was standing right in front of him.
"What's the matter? Is the exam too nerve-racking for you?"
From behind him, Shirogane saw a tall teenage girl, even taller than him, with a mature physique. She had long black hair tied into a spiky ponytail with a large strand hanging on the right side of her face. Her eyes were big yet sharp, dark in color, and paired with short eyebrows set in a determined expression.
She's so pretty.
For a short moment, Shirogane's brain short-circuited as countless thoughts played in his mind.
In the end, he replied in a simple manner after his brain underwent various simulations.
"Just a little nervous."
"Try not to stress yourself too much."
The girl showed a serious yet cute face that wanted to sincerely give helpful advice.
"A calm and relaxed mind will allow us to pass the exam better."
"I'll try. Thank you…"
Shirogane mustered a smile as her words somehow eased his nervousness.
"Let us meet at the exam venue. Bye, then."
The girl smiled in return before going toward the exam location.
Shirogane remained frozen as her smile and sincere eyes replayed in his head on a loop.
Once the girl had entered the building, the white-haired boy snapped back into reality with a slight blush on his face.
He was still nervous, but it was now bearable, so he made his way to enter the building.
[Ah, youth…]
A faint voice drifted somewhere…
…
The atmosphere was full of anticipation and excitement. All student applicants had already entered the main auditorium where the exam orientation was taking place, and they were all whispering with one another, wondering how the orientation would go and what kind of challenges they would face during the exam.
Shirogane was amongst them.
Ah, there are so many people… The exam is also about to begin…
As usual, his nervousness started to surface and cloud his thoughts.
But without a warning, the auditorium's lights flickered to life and pointed down at the center stage, where someone was waiting to give his introduction to the applicants.
The man was very tall and slim, with long blond hair spiked upward in a considerable tuft. He wore a pair of orange-tinted shades and looked at all the students with a large and welcoming smile.
"Hey, all you U.A. Candidates!"
The man's voice echoed throughout the large auditorium, further highlighting his energetic and dramatic nature.
"Thanks for giving your attention to this school's DJ, Present Mic! Now let me hear you shout!"
Present Mic waited for the applicants to shout back, but the nervousness and gravity of the exam prevented any of the students from speaking out.
He seemed to realize the solemnity in the room and acknowledged their quietness.
"Keeping it mellow, huh? That's fair. I guess it's better to get straight to the point and tell you how this practical exam is gonna go down!"
With those words, everyone suddenly started to pay more attention.
"As you all read on your applications, all of you pumped-up boys and girls out there will be duking it out in ten-minute bot battles in super hip urban settings!"
"Now, after I drop the mic, all of you will go to your specified battle centers."
A large monitor on the stage showed a visual graph of the eight centers the examinees would be going to, listed in descending letters.
Shirogane examined the card he had been given upon entering the auditorium to see what center he would be going to.
"Ok, folks, let's check out your targets!"
The screen changed images to show multiple buildings crammed into a small area, just like an urban city, and adjacent to the buildings, three silhouettes of machines appeared, each with different numbers.
"There are gonna be three types of robots you'll encounter during your exam: each robot has a different number of points, and your total score will be based on the number of robots you destroyed combined with the type of robots you destroyed."
The first type of robot was worth 1 Point, the second type was 2 Points, and the third type was 3 Points.
"Your goal is to shred apart these robots with your quirk, but I'm warning you! You're all still being tested as a hero, so attacking the other applicants to increase your chances is a big no-no!"
"Now… Any questions?"
A dark blue-haired boy with glasses raised his hand to ask a question. While doing so, he also caused a ruckus with a green-haired boy who had been mumbling creepily.
The question asked was about the fourth type robot not shown yet.
"Good catch there, boy. Now let me explain about the last robot."
The silhouette of the fourth robot appeared on the screen at the bottom left section of the monitor.
"The fourth robot is worth zero points. It's just there to try to throw off your game. One of these robots is in every battle center, and it's best if you steer clear of it. Even if you destroy it, there's no point to doing it, so I recommend you keep your focus on the robots topping the charts."
Once the question was answered, the boy expressed his gratitude and went back to sit.
"Well, that's everything I have for you applicants today! Let me say farewell with a little present to show this school's motto."
"As the Great Hero Napoleon once said, "A true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes." Now, are you ready to go beyond?"
Suddenly, the monitor flashes to show the words: "PLUS ULTRA!"
"Plus Ultra!" Present Mic shouted loudly and raised his hand in the air.
"Plus Ultra!"
All of the examinees repeated with all their energy.
Plus Ultra.
Literally meaning to go beyond your limits.
This was a phrase from the U.A. High that deeply resonated with his heart.
As a result, Shirogane's entire body began to shake with excitement despite the nervousness. His clear blue eyes were sparkling with light like the sky as his mouth formed a shaky smile.
"Plus Ultra!"
…
The student examinees began to make their way toward the exit.
Once in the hallway, Shirogane went with the flow of the crowd. However, the crowd quickly began to separate to their designated battle centers that was indicated by the signs hanging from the ceiling.
His eyes then shifted to a sign leading a small portion of the students towards the Battle Center A.
At each battle center, the examinees were huddled around the entrance blocked by large, dark silver steel doors, hiding the dangers and the robots awaiting them on the other side.
In Battle Center A, Shirogane stood, wearing a tight fitting black compression t-shirt and shorts along with a pair of black socks.
He showed a nervous expression as he prepared himself for what was about to come.
"You can do it, Shiro! Just trust the tools you have painstakingly made!"
Shirogane clenched his fists, gazing at the steel door with a more hardened face.
"I have to do it! To show everyone, the world, that even someone quirkless can become useful!"
As he stood before the gate, some examinees stared at him with mocking grins on their faces. "I saw that kid at the entrance. He looked so nervous that It was no strange to see him pass out!"
"And look at his small sickly body. There's no way this brat will do any challenge during the exam."
These examinees were thinking how lucky they were to have one less competition compared to other groups.
"Attention, examinees."
A clear announcement rang out from a speaker somewhere.
"The practical exam will now begin in five seconds."
Before that announcement, Shirogane had already placed his mysterious suitcase on the ground.
Inside the case, there were the support tools he had prepared for this important day.
For mobility, he prepared hover shoes that use turbines and a powerful jackpack with limited fuel.
For attack, he decided for a long-range strategy considering his innately frail constitution, so he prepared a Laser Blaster for damage and Capture Shotgun for control.
And lastly for support, he downloaded a self-created Aim Assist Program into his goggles to cover for the lack of technique.
Those were the only tools he could afford to bring because of his weak body.
"I should have trained my body…"
He had focused too much on studying and experimenting with support tools because it was too complex.
In just a mere few seconds, he swiftly equipped the support tools in a practiced manner.
Meanwhile, the examinees readied themselves for a full-on sprint but soon got dazed by the heavily equipped Shirogane.
"So much equipment! Is that weak boy applying for the support department?
However, those thoughts were soon push aside as the countdown neared.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go!"
The large heavy door to the battle center burst open, and with that, Shirogane's exam had begun.
In an instant, Shirogane activated his hover shoes to propel himself forward at amazing speed, the turbines creating a large gust of wind that momentarily threw the other contestants off balance.
"That kid!"
Caught off-guard, they were dumbfounded by the power of the support tool, so it took them about a second to start their sprint into the arena.
"I used a lot of the hover shoes' power, but I think getting a head start is important to secure enough points."
"Now what should I do?"
Shirogane was pondering over his plan, but at the first street intersection, three robots worth three points suddenly pounced on him. The robots worth three points were like turtles. Instead of shells, there were two mounted cannons. Its two front legs were sharp claws ready to slice whoever entered its field of vision.
"So suddenly!? What a shitty luck to encounter three superior robots worth three points at once!"
As their crimson eyes flashed menacingly, Shirogane suddenly felt his head blanking out from the sudden dangerous situation of fighting three dangerous opponents at once.
His heart and brain throbbed painfully as countless thoughts and plans ran across mind.
Suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar situation, the combat inexperienced and panicked Shirogane was lost at what to do.
What should I do? How do I defeat those three at the same time? Can I do it? Did I get too carried away? They are about to attack! Should I hit one of them with the Laser Blaster? At what output? What about the time it takes the blasters to charge? If I fire one, it would leave me defenseless. Should I use the Capture Shotgun to restrict one, then fire at the other? For the third, should I use my mobility to back away and wait for my gun to recharge before attacking? But what if another one appears? What if someone comes to steal them? If I choose the wrong decision and fail, I'll end up injured and with my frail body, I am sure to drop out!
As those thoughts were processed within a second, Shirogane started to feel dizzy and nauseous as stress, anxiety, and panic overwhelmed him.
Shirogane had no experience when it came to fighting.
His body felt heavy, his mind was heavy; it felt like he was swimming in mud.
Shirogane was hit once again by the cruel reality: He had no talent to fight, much less become a hero who fights villains.
Boom!
The three robots fired three missiles at his location, causing his expression to further pale and his heart to skip.
"I need to dodge! Dodge!"
He screamed internally, but he felt his body freezing completely under the menacing and dangerous presence of the robots and their attacks.
"Those are just robots! You know a lot of them, so why are you scared!"
His eyes teared up as he felt his legs trembling from fear.
Didn't I want to not be seen as useless?
I'm tired of running away…!
As he desperately wished for his body to move…
[Calm down.]
Shirogane suddenly saw his surroundings freezing as if time had stopped.
A foreign voice resounded within his mind with a gentle yet firm tone.
[If this continues, your dream will just be destroyed…]
[And you'll fall into the depths of despair.]
Then what should I do!?
I'm weak…!
[Let us fight together.]
Together…?
[If you can't do it alone, I'll help you.]
Those kind words pierced deeply into Shirogane's frail heart.
[Together…]
[...We'll be heroes.]
Hero.
A dream he had already longed discarded due to the cruel reality.
Hero.
He thought he had already gotten over it, but it seemed he was just denying his own heart.
Yes, let's become a Hero!
To bring smiles to people!
Together!
[Now say it with me...!]
"Henshin!"
As those words that seemed simple yet unfathomable were spoken, an extremely blinding light expanded and destroyed the incoming missiles.
Once the light receded, a masked warrior clad in black appeared in the place of Shirogane. His arms were crossed together in a pose as those crimson crystals engraved across the black armor sparkled with powerful radiance.
"Masked Hero X…"
The black and red masked hero slowly walked towards the robots.
"...is now born!"
Extra Modules Detected... X-Suit integrating with Wind Hover, Burst Jet, and Eagle Eyes...!
New Features Available!
Hero X unleashed the jet on his back as a powerful burst of thrust propelled him towards the robots.
Emicules Concentration: X-Leg!
A starry energy flowed from the large crimson crystal on the chest and poured towards the red crystals on the right leg that glowed brightly as its synthetic muscle fibers and metal particles got strengthened by Emicules.
"Kamado Style: Steel Fang!"
His glowing crimson kick pierced straight through the first robot, making it completely destroyed.
"One more!"
Hero X rotated his waist as he performed a diagonal kick at the second robot behind him.
Boom!
It got easily sliced into half before exploding into pieces.
All of it happened in a few seconds, but he wasn't over yet.
"Laser Blaster."
He pointed the thick blaster at the last three point robot before firing it at 50% output.
Bang!
The crimson laser pierced the robot's head, causing it to fall into the ground. According to Shirogane's knowledge, the robot's head was the vital weakness.
Laser Blaster: Cooling Down...
"That's nine points."
Putting it away, Hero X continued to hover across the streets without indecisiveness that Shirogane had. In fact, all of its moves were without hesitation or discord but only complete decisiveness.
After sprinting through two different intersections, Hero X found two other robots, one worth two and the other worth three.
The robot worth two points was more animalistic, walking with four legs, a weaponized tail, and a serpentine head.
The three-point robot fired multiple shells at him, but the shells were effortlessly stopped by the weak but consecutive output of his laser blaster.
"I'm getting the hang of this gun."
The two-point robot then lunged for him in an attempt to catch him off guard, but backed away by using his hovering ability using turbines.
Zooom!
His jet surged out, propelling towards the two-point robot as the crystals on his right arm shone intensely.
"Steel Fang!"
To use Emicules, visualization was important, so shouting the name of the move reinforced his visualization.
Boom!
His fist went impaled the robot as he quickly backed away to launch three roundhouse kicks at its head.
"Kamado Style: Three Stage Kicks."
His leg soared high as it kicked the robot's head from the left side, then another kick at the right side, and last a powerful kick at the back of the head, completely crushing its large metallic head.
"Fourteen Points."
In just a minute, Hero X had already taken out three robots, while most of the other examinees had barely made it to the remains of the first robot destroyed. Now, the examinees who had mocked him were desperately hoping he would leave them enough robots for them to destroy.
While they fought the robots in the battle centers, U.A. High teachers were watching the progress of the practical exam from the monitoring room
The intelligent rat principal, Nezu, observed all of the middle school students with a small smile on his face.
"None of the examinees are aware of the number of robots there are, their locations, or how many remain. With the limited time frame and large setting, they must search the city for villains to hunt for every target they can find."
On the monitors, several examinees were shown either running through the streets, observing the situation from higher vantage points, or in the process of destroying villains. All of them were using their quirks effectively.
"While some utilize high speed to take down their targets, others use advanced surveillance to spot their targets and determine the optimal place to strike. At the same time, many other factors must be taken into account, such as power, confidence, combat ability, and experience. The ones who manage to combine all of these tactics will be the ones who enter this school and rack up the highest scores."
One of the other teachers, a black-haired female with a revealing outfit, was interested in what she was seeing.
"Many of the examinees seems to show a lot of potential."
"Indeed. There's one, in particular, that shows unique skills."
One of the judges wore a black mask with the image of a smiling skull adorning the front
"The student wearing the strange black and red armour?"
"Ah yes. His abilities are quite strange and unique. I don't know if that strange armor is a support tool or a quirk."
The principal had recognized who this examinee was before he had equipped the suit.
According to his application form, the child was quirkless but had excellent intelligence, particularly in the realm of developing support equipment.
However, this was the first time he saw this strange armor that amplified the child's power and changed his fighting style entirely.
In just four minutes, the masked hero had already racked up more than sixty points.
The armour was able to increase the speed and strength of the child. It also allowed him to fly with the jet and hover on the ground for swift mobility. With these abilities, the child was able to easily find and take care of the villains.
Nezu then smirked as his eyes watched the several screens before him.
"Let's see how the examinees handle the situation once the largest obstacle comes into place."
"Would they run… hide…"
"...Or fight?"
…
Hero X was doing absolutely good for the practical entrance exam. All those nervousness from before now seemed to be for naught. In fact, he had been taking out so many of the robot villains that most of the other examinees were barely able to get more than twenty points.
As he hovered on the ground and examined the area to search for more robot villains, he noticed examinees gazing listlessly at the remains of the robot villains he destroyed.
He saw their eyes filled with disappointment, the paleness of their face, and their hunched shoulders signifying them losing their will.
"At this rate, I will fail!"
"I keep finding the destroyed remains of the robot villains!"
"There's no hope at this rate! How am I supposed to get enough points to pass?"
Hero X heard their bitter and listless comments.
This wasn't what he wanted…
Smile and hope.
Those were what he wanted to bring.
These young students had put everything on the line for this exam. It was the only chance for them to realize their dreams. It was their dream. Those must be how the rest of these examinees felt.
He understood what they were currently feeling, so he also knew what he must do to reach out to their hearts.
X had already enough points. Did he really need more of them? No. That was why he decided to sincerely help them take a closer step towards their dreams.
To help others.
To inspire others.
To change others.
To spread smiles and hope to others.
Those were the Hero Creed Of Masked Hero X.
"Found them..."
X saw five robots coming from in front of his direction. Some were worth one-point, the others were worth two-points. Behind his direction, there were four robots worth two-points and three robots worth three-points.
Once he saw them approaching, he subtly acted in a way for them to detect the approaching robots.
"There are so many of them approaching! Since there are buildings at our sides, they blocked all escape routes…"
Hero X pondered for a moment before taking out his Capture Shotgun. Once the robots approached enough, he fired the shotgun at the approaching robots from both sides, encasing some of them in a durable thin webbed net.
"Our chance!"
The examinees who saw the approaching robots being restricted by the net saw this as a chance to rack points. All of them immediately went for the sprint to destroy the robot villains.
Hero X tried to run towards them, but he was left behind. Although he actually tried to slow himself down to give them a chance without insulting their pride.
Boom!
Suddenly, a large explosion sounded from above the building as a robot worth three-points fell from the sky.
And it was falling towards his position. With its heavy weight plus gravity, it was sure to crush him.
Emicules Concentration: X-Suit!
The entire black armour flared brightly in starry colors as the crimson crystals flashed resplendently.
Booom!
The ground below cracked apart and caved in as Hero X caught the robot with its arms to keep the villain robot frozen through sheer force.
"Come on..."
As he released a heavy grunt, it seemed like he was having a difficult time restraining the robot. In reality, he was waiting for them to approach and kill steal the robot from him.
Sure enough, someone soon saved him from the clutches of the robot by using their quirk.
…
"That kid is really interesting…"
In the monitoring room, the U.A High teachers realized the intention of Hero X to help the other examinees.
"Such an amazing young boy!"
All Might whole heartedly praised the masked hero. His heart was filled with admiration for the kindness displayed.
"Truly. He realized he had already accumulated enough points, so instead of selfishly going for more to achieve a higher rank, he instead chose to selflessly help those in need. A true heroic quality."
The other teachers agreed with those remarks.
…
In the battle center, Hero X was pleased to see the examinees wiping out the robots that blocked their routes.
Moreover, he chose to not end his act here, but continued to help others.
"I'm sure there are still some wandering villain robots for the others."
With those thoughts, he used Eagle Eyes to zoom his vision to spot the remaining robots. Once he found one, he would lure them to the examinees desperate for points to pass the exam.
"Yes! Just a bit more! Just a little more points to pass the exam!"
Due to his intervention, the atmosphere around them soon began to lighten and become optimistic. Words full of hope and smiles were spreading. As long as there were no unexpected interruption, there was a chance for them to earn enough points to pass.
"Oh, my time is about to run out."
Hero X saw and heard the large crimson crystal on his chest blinking or flashing with white light.
It meant that his hero transformation was about to be over.
RUMBLE!
RUMBLE!
However, out of nowhere, the ground began to rumble strongly.
The examinees saw huge dust clouds forming and rising up as they heard the sound of wires snapping along with the sound of buildings crumbling.
All of them could increasingly feel the ground rumbling stronger as if something colossal was approaching, but none of them had any ideas about this sudden event.
However, their questions were quickly answered—all examinees saw a gigantic shadow shrouding them as a gargantuan machine, dozens of times larger than the regular robots, emerged before them in a terrifying manner.
"Is that…"
A colossal giant villain robot!