One Week Later
The gym echoed with grunts of exertion and the occasional explosion from Bakugo's palms. I stood at the center, clipboard in hand, overseeing our after-school training session.
"Kirishima, try hardening just your fists instead of your whole body," I called out. "It'll conserve energy and make you more agile."
He flashed me a sharp-toothed grin. "Got it, Midoriya!"
I nodded, making a mental note. Useful advice, but it left his torso vulnerable. Something to remember.
"Uraraka, focus on touching objects with just your fingertips," I suggested. "It'll make your quirk activation faster."
She beamed, giving me a thumbs up. "Thanks, Deku!"
I moved on, offering tips and observations to each classmate. Todoroki and Mineta were notably absent, but that was fine. Less variables to manage.
As I watched them train, I began mentally ranking my classmates based on various factors:
Momo Yaoyorozu: Highly useful, excellent synergy, strong individually, great team player. Her creation quirk and intelligence make her invaluable.
Katsuki Bakugo: Extremely strong, decent synergy (if managed correctly), poor team player but improving. His raw power and drive can't be ignored.
Tenya Iida: Very useful, good synergy, strong individually, excellent team player. His speed and leadership skills are assets.
Ochaco Uraraka: Highly useful, good synergy, average strength but improving, great team player. Her quirk has vast potential.
Fumikage Tokoyami: Strong, interesting synergy possibilities, good team player. Dark Shadow is a wildcard that could be exploited.
Tsuyu Asui: Useful, decent synergy, surprisingly strong, good team player. Her versatility is her strength.
Eijiro Kirishima: Strong, good synergy, excellent team player. His hardening quirk complements others well.
Shoto Todoroki: Extremely strong, potentially good synergy, poor team player. His absence is telling, but his power can't be discounted.
Kyoka Jiro: Useful, interesting synergy potential, average strength, good team player. Her reconnaissance abilities are valuable.
Mina Ashido: Strong, decent synergy, good team player. Her acid quirk has offensive and utility uses.
Denki Kaminari: Useful but unreliable, interesting synergy potential, poor control but strong quirk, decent team player. His electrical quirk could be devastating if harnessed properly.
Hanta Sero: Useful, good synergy, average strength, good team player. His tape has numerous applications.
Mezo Shoji: Strong, decent synergy, good team player. His multiple limbs offer versatility.
Mashirao Ojiro: Average strength, decent synergy, good team player. His tail offers unique movement options.
Toru Hagakure: Useful for stealth, limited synergy, average team player. Her invisibility has potential but needs work.
Koji Koda: Limited usefulness, poor synergy, average team player. His animal control is too situational.
Yuga Aoyama: Limited usefulness, poor synergy, poor team player. His navel laser is strong but impractical.
Rikido Sato: Strong but limited, poor synergy, decent team player. His sugar-boost quirk is too costly.
Minoru Mineta: Limited usefulness, poor synergy, poor team player. His absence is no great loss.
I looked up to see Bakugo glaring at me from across the gym.
"Oi, Deku!" he snarled. "Stop scribbling and fight me!"
I raised an eyebrow. "We're here to train, Kacchan, not fight each other."
He scoffed. "What better training than a real fight? Unless you're scared?"
I sighed, setting down my clipboard. This could be useful, actually. A chance to gauge Bakugo's progress and reinforce my own image.
"Alright, Kacchan," I said, stepping into the sparring area. "Let's see what you've got."
The rest of the class gathered around, excited murmurs rippling through the crowd.
Bakugo grinned ferally, explosions popping in his palms. "I'm gonna crush you, nerd."
I settled into a fighting stance, keeping my expression neutral. "We'll see about that."
He charged, leading with a right hook enhanced with explosions. I ducked under it, using the momentum to slide past him.
"Too slow, Kacchan," I taunted, knowing it would rile him up.
He snarled, pivoting for another attack. This time, I met his explosion with a burst of One For All at 3%, the resulting shockwave pushing us both back.
"Not bad," I admitted, shaking out my hand. "But you're still too predictable."
Bakugo's eyes narrowed. "Oh yeah? Predict this!"
He launched himself into the air, using his explosions for propulsion. I tracked his movement, calculating his trajectory.
Just as he was about to unleash a massive blast, I moved. A quick burst put me behind him, and a well-placed push to his back sent him crashing to the outside of the ring.
The gym fell silent.
I offered Bakugo a hand up. "Good fight, Kacchan. Your aerial maneuvers are improving."
He slapped my hand away, pushing himself to his feet. "I don't need your fucking praise, Deku."
Good. An angry but motivated Bakugo was exactly what I needed.
I turned to address the class. "What did you all notice about that fight?"
Hands shot up. I pointed to Iida.
"Midoriya , your defensive capabilities have greatly improved," he said, chopping the air for emphasis. "And Bakugo's quirk control in mid-air was most impressive!"
I nodded. "Good observations. Anyone else?"
Momo spoke up. "Midoriya, you seemed to be analyzing Bakugo's movements the entire time. You were always one step ahead."
I smiled at her. "Excellent point, Yaoyorozu. In a real fight, observation and quick thinking can be just as important as raw power."
The class murmured in agreement. I could see the wheels turning in their heads, each of them reassessing their own strategies.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands. "Let's break into pairs and practice what we've learned."
As they paired off, I caught Momo's eye. She gave me a small smile, which I returned. Our late-night strategy session was already paying off.
I picked up my clipboard, ready to continue my observations. The Sports Festival was approaching fast, and I needed every bit of data I could get.
After all, knowledge was power.
As I circulated among the pairs, offering advice and making notes, the gym door creaked open. Eight unfamiliar faces peered in, their eyes scanning the room with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
Class 1-B. Interesting.
The room fell silent, my classmates pausing mid-exercise to stare at the intruders. I straightened, clipboard tucked under my arm, and approached the newcomers.
"Can we help you?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.
A guy with blonde stepped forward, his lips curled in a smirk. "Oh, don't mind us. We just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Class 1-A, the so-called elite of UA."
Bakugo bristled behind me. "Who the fuck are you calling 'so-called', you extras?"
I held up a hand, silencing him. This needed a delicate touch.
"I'm Izuku Midoriya," I said, offering a smile. "And you are?"
The blonde-haired boy's smirk widened. "Neito Monoma. Pleasure."
A girl with orange hair stepped forward. "I'm Itsuka Kendo. We apologize for the interruption, but we were... curious."
I nodded, studying each of them in turn. A boy with scales, another with a bizarre speech bubble head, a girl who seemed to be made of mushrooms... Class 1-B was certainly diverse.
"No need to apologize," I said. "We're all here to learn, after all. Would you like to join us?"
That caught them off guard. Monoma's smirk faltered for a moment.
"Join you?" he repeated, disbelief coloring his voice.
I shrugged. "Why not? We could learn from each other. Unless you're worried about showing us your quirks before the Sports Festival?"
A challenge, veiled as an invitation. I could see the conflict in their eyes.
"Midoriya," Iida's voice cut through. "Are you sure that's wise?"
I turned to address my class. "Why not? The Sports Festival isn't just about competing against each other. It's about showcasing our skills as future heroes. And heroes need to be able to work with anyone, right?"
Murmurs of agreement rippled through Class 1-A. I turned back to the 1-B students, raising an eyebrow in silent question.
Monoma looked like he'd swallowed a lemon, but a bulky guy with messy gray hair stepped forward.
"I'm Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu," he said, his voice gruff but not unfriendly. "I like your attitude, Midoriya. Let's do this!"
The ice broken, the rest of the 1-B students introduced themselves. Kinoko Komori, the mushroom girl. Juzo Honenuki, with his softening quirk. Yosetsu Awase, the welder. Kosei Tsuburaba, who could create solid air. And Setsuna Tokage, who could split her body into pieces.
As we integrated them into our training session, I kept a close eye on everyone's interactions. This was an unexpected opportunity, and I intended to make the most of it.
"Alright," I called out, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's mix things up. I want you to pair off with someone from the other class. Focus on quirk compatibility and teamwork."
As they shuffled into new pairs, I made my way around the room, observing and taking notes.
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were comparing their hardening quirks, excitement radiating off them in waves. Useful information on the limits of their abilities.
Momo was deep in conversation with Awase, discussing the potential combinations of her creation and his welding. A partnership to keep an eye on.
Bakugo, surprisingly, was working with Honenuki, testing how his explosions interacted with softened ground. Creative, if volatile.
I paused near Monoma, who was watching the proceedings with a mixture of interest and suspicion.
"Not joining in?" I asked casually.
He snorted. "And reveal my quirk to you? I don't think so."
I nodded, as if in understanding. "Smart. Though I wonder... is it that you don't want to reveal your quirk, or that you can't use it effectively without knowing ours first?"
His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing. "What are you implying?"
I shrugged, keeping my voice low. "Nothing. Just an observation. Your quirk... it's not something innate, is it? It relies on others."
Monoma's face paled slightly. Bingo.
"How did you-"
"Just a hunch," I interrupted, smiling. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. For now."
I walked away, leaving him sputtering. Another piece of the puzzle, another potential advantage.
As the session wound down, I called everyone together.
"Great work today, everyone," I said, looking around at the mixed group. "I hope you all learned something valuable. Remember, when the Sports Festival comes, we might be competitors, but we're all aspiring heroes. Let's show the world what U.A. is really made of."
Cheers erupted from both classes. As they filed out, chatting animatedly, I caught snippets of conversation.
"Man, Class 1-A isn't so bad after all!"
"We should do this again sometime!"
"Midoriya's pretty cool, huh?"
Mission accomplished. We'd gained valuable intel on Class 1-B, fostered some goodwill, and I'd positioned myself as a leader in their eyes.
As I gathered my things, Momo approached me.
"That was... unexpected," she said, her voice low. "But brilliant. You turned a potential confrontation into a bonding experience."
I nodded, allowing a hint of satisfaction to show. "It seemed like the best way to handle it. Plus, now we know a bit more about our competition."
She studied me for a moment, something unreadable in her eyes. "You're always thinking three steps ahead, aren't you?"
"In this world, Yaoyorozu, you have to be."