Chapter 1

Izuku sat in the inflexible plastic seat of the doctor's office wiggling his body, attempting to find a comfortable position so that his rear wouldn't be so sore. Even then his excitement was so explosive that even a bruised posterior couldn't hold him back. This was the day. The one he had been waiting for since he was born. Well, actually, when he was born he wasn't quite aware of his situation and instead cried and slept, but Izuku liked to think he was over that phase by now.

At four years of age, the majority of the population were to receive their quirk and it was time for him. With it, he'd be able to match All-Might! He could change the weather with a single punch and grin so widely that even the saddest of people could see hope in their lives.

The doctor before Izuku sat stationary, his lab coat flowing gently in the breeze. His mustache was grey, long and fluffy and reminded Izuku of a cloud. He wanted to reach out and grab it but kept to himself. The man had on a pair of round cloudy spectacles that covered his eyes which Izuku found slightly intimidating.

The boy then watched in silence as the doctor bent down and slid a brown folder across the desk, the woman seated beside Midoriya opening it slowly.

"I'm sorry, M'am. He doesn't have a quirk."

Inko Midoriya clasped her hands, kneading her fingers together until her knuckles were a deathly white.

"How's that possible? Izuku comes from a family of Quirk users. It doesn't make sense..." She muttered softly.

The doctors faced softened as he looked at the young boy before him playing with his favorite All-Might figurine. He was just a normal child who wanted to be a hero. Unfortunately...

"Young Izuku may come from a family with Quirk users but you are a fourth-generation quirk user whilst your husband, Hisashi, was only a first generation. The likelihood of Izuku receiving a quirk was low in the first place."

The older woman slumped in her chair and felt a lump form in her throat. Her mind began to race as she tried to piece together the doctor's words.

"I don't understand. Isn't there a chance his quirk is small and insignificant? Maybe like mine?" she noticed the doctors face hadn't changed. "At least give him that much. Please?"

"Miss Midoriya, I'm afraid there's nothing to show. Your boy is quirkless, and there's nothing that can change that. I wish it were different for him, but unfortunately, X-Ray's don't lie."

Inko felt her heart drop in her chest as an uncomfortable frown settled upon her face.

"How do you know? How could you possibly know? Maybe he has the most powerful quirk and it just hasn't shown yet or maybe your stupid machines just can't measure it properly!"

"Please 'Mam, you need to calm down. If you need evidence, I'm happy to provide it."

The doctor opened another folder that he had been holding. He pushed it in front of the green-haired mother. Inside was a transparent black sheet. An X-Ray, of small Izuku's feet. He pointed to at the smallest toe.

"See here? Your boy has an extra pinkie joint. It's been well documented and researched that those who have this peculiar change won't develop a quirk, no matter what. It's science that's been backed up by thousands of other researchers." He coughed. "Miss Midoriya. I'm truly sorry. I know your boy wants to be a hero but there's nothing wrong with becoming a police officer, or even a firefighter. It's not as flashy, I admit, but it's better than nothing, right?"

Izuku looked up at his mother, his eyes bright with eagerness only just now catching the conversation.

"Momma, what'd the doctor say? Do I have a cool quirk? Is it super strength!" He breathed out, "No that's unlikely. Oh, maybe fire breath or telekinesis like you or Dad!"

Inko's heart broke as she watched her boys face change from one of happiness to dead shock and finally to sorrow.

"Momma... I do have a quirk, right?" The boy pleaded, his eyes widening.

"Izu, honey, I'm s-so sorry! I'm so so so sorry!"

She lept out of her chair and wrapped her arms around the boy who had begun trembling.

Even in the warm embrace of his mother, Izuku's mind couldn't calm itself. The room was dark and the only thing he could see was a fading light of the Doctors room. He was quirkless. He had no power to change anything. To save anyone. He'd never be like All-might. Yet the most crushing thing to the small boy was the realization then, on that very day, that there was a chance he'd never be a hero.

***

The sun shone down on the streets of Musutafu where Izuku walked. The sidewalks were crowded and the teen had to push his way through clumps of citizens just so he could see the other side of the road he needed to cross. He continued at a brisk pace until he reached the gates of his small high-school.

He looked up at the small building, shuddering. Why did he continue to attend? No one would care if he just upped and disappeared. Quirkless people in this world didn't matter. They were lower than trash. At least, that's what Bakugo had told him, every day, for the past 10 years.

He slunk inside, doing his best to avoid interacting with any of the other students, none of which he had ever bothered to talk to. His condition didn't allow it. To his left was a boy with black hair who's fingers were able to stretch meters in length and on his right was a girl who's hair could expand to many times its size. To Izuku it was like walking through a circus if he was honest. Sure, quirks made an individual. But some were so small and insignificant, or even downright hideous that couldn't really be considered a quirk at all.

When he reached the classroom and sat down in the back and felt a pair of eyes bury into his skin like sharp needles. It was Bakugo. Izuku could tell already from the many, many times the bully had done the exact same thing. The explosive blonde grinned, stood up and walked over to 'Deku', his affectionately named punching bag, cracking his knuckles all the while.

"Deeeeeeeeku," he drawled, "you decided to come in today, did you? I told you not to, didn't I? You're quirkless. You shouldn't be here! Although, now that you are..."

Luckily, before Bakugo could 'knock some sense' into Midoriya, the teacher appeared, shouting at the blonde to sit in his seat lest he receives a "THWACK" to the head. Though this did nothing to quell the stares of the other students that laughed at the green-haired teen.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Recess, class. Lunchtime, class. All throughout this, Deku remained in his seat listening astutely to the teacher, scribbling down notes as quickly as possible whilst trying to keep his head down to remain undetected. It was only when the bell rang and the teacher exited the class that Deku felt the intense hatred of Bakugo re-appear, this time at full force, a red haze seemingly spreading throughout the room.

Bakugo swaggered towards the green haired boy and swung wildly. Izuku fell out of his seat and backed himself against the wall only barely missed by the blondes enranged punch.

"So Deku you thought you wouldn't receive punishment? You thought you could hide behind the teacher for the rest of the day? NOT happening. A FREAK LIKE YOU DOESN'T DESERVE IT!"

"Just leave me alone Bakugo..." Izuku muttered. "I-I'm not hiding behind the teacher. I'm just trying to learn. That's all..."

Katsuki saw Izuku's notebook sitting on his desk and picked it up.

"No can do, Deku. Say, is this important to you? I bet you were writing notes because you wanted to be a hero, huh!? You're pathetic." he spat, the venom clearly evident in his voice.

"P-Please K-Kacch-"

"Don't call me that." The blonde hissed furiously.

"O-Okay. I didn't mean it. Just give me the notebook back, please. It has all m-my school notes. I r-really need it!"

The blonde teen laughed at the heap on the floor and ignited his fists, first crushing the book in his hands then throwing it to the front of the classroom in a heap for good measure.

"You want it? Go get it. You know what, you remind of a Dog. Always following me around, trying to get my attention. If you want that book so bad, fetch! I'll allow it!"

Katsuki ushered to the front of the room with his hands and threw his victim forward cackling wildly as he did so.

"L-Leave me alone!"

Izuku finally cracked and with a burst of strength and a little bit of courage, he shoved Bakugo aside. The fiery character fell and slammed his head into a table not able to retaliate due to actions of the usually quiet and timid boy. Izuku scrambled for the notebook, grabbed it and sprinted out the door, down the stairs and out the gate.

The blonde teen currently situated ass-down on the floor looked at his feet in shock before he screamed in rage at his cronies, got up, and charged out the building after Izuku.

"You two follow me, now. I'm going to end that putrid piece of shit. He's going to feel pain!"

***

Izuku ran fast. Faster than he ever had in his life. He could practically feel the heat radiating behind him as Bakugo gave chase face writhing in pure rage.

"Stop running you bastard! I'LL KILL YOU!"

The green haired teen began to sweat and breathe heavily as the other boys gained ground. Running in fear was getting to him, both mentally and physically tired. So tired in fact, that he almost tripped, only barely managing to catch himself and continue on for another few blocks before he grew too tired to continue.

By the time he had reached the last street, sweat was pooling around his shoulders, back and practically anywhere it could reach. Whilst taking a breather, Midoriya noticed that Bakugo hadn't rounded the corner yet, and so he decided that quickly bolting into the nearest alleyway next to him and looking for a place to hide was his best bet.

'Of course, a dark alley while being chased by goons. This couldn't get anymore clic-'

Izuku's train of thought was broken as he noticed, located in the corner of the brick-paved dead end, a dumpster.

'Oh come on! Couldn't they have at least put a cardboard box or a stack of barrels? A dumpster... Why is it always a dumpster!?'

Before he could complain any more, he heard the thundering footsteps of his bully. He decided that a deep dive in the trash was better than being beaten until he bled, and so he began digging down until he was covered head to toe in it.

He held his breath as he heard footsteps approaching the dumpster. The cover was thrown open and Izuku expected a burst of flame to scorch his skin but or harsh words to pierce his ears, but it never happened. Instead, he felt a cold liquid pooling in his hair, slowly trickling down his body until it felt like it had entered every orifice of his body.

He shuddered. Clam chowder. Expired. Clam. Chowder. Izuku sighed and wiped the mess off his face as he heard the dumpee leave. What was he going to tell his Mom? Before he could exit the bin, he heard a soft 'Ding.' Looking down, he noticed a soft blue light emanating from a popup window that was floating before his eyes. He read the text, eyes running over it as if trying to quantify its existence.

[Quest: Clean that Chowder]

[Description: You've been covered in Clam Chowder. Expired clam chowder. How's that for dumpster diving? Find a way to get yourself cleaned up by the time you get home [OR] find a valid excuse to settle your mother's curiosity.]

[Reward: 100 XP, + Relationship with Inko Midoriya]

[Failure: -]

[Accept] [Deny]

Izuku stood shocked. He didn't understand what this thing was. He hesitantly pressed [Accept]. Another sound rang out as the screen closed, only to be replaced by another.

[Welcome, Izuku Midoriya, to the Gamer Setup v2.0.]

[Would you like to run the tutorial?]

[Accept] [Deny]

The teen pressed [Deny] and began walking home while the screen dispersed behind him. Through the streets, careful not to draw attention, he walked. He eventually reached the door of his apartment and flung it open, dredging along, leaving behind a path of wet chowder.

"Having a bath, Mom." he called out, "Did too much exercise in PE. I'll be out soon!"

"Alright, honey. Dinner will be ready when you're done," she replied absentmindedly.

Izuku smiled and drifted along the hallway dreamily until he reached the bathroom to which he entered. He filled the bathtub with lukewarm water and slid in letting his sore muscles relax, groaning at the pleasure it brought.

"I can't believe today." he brought his hand to his face and massaged his temples. "First I knock Kacchan over, then I'm forced to dumpster dive and finally, I hallucinate up some sort of screen."

He scoffed. "I'm going crazy..."

"At least I managed to escape," he said to himself casually.

"Why did he have to destroy my notebook though? That's the third one this year..."

There was a split second of silence, only the mild shifting of Izuku's body and the ripples of water making a light splash. Then he realized.

"Wait! My notebook! Where the hell did I put it?" he shouted, a little too loudly.

"Izuku, honey, are you ok?"

"Fine, Mom. Just dropped the soap," he inwardly cringed at his excuse.

"Alright dear, just be careful."

Izuku continued to let himself soak, thinking over the puzzling situation he had found himself in. A single day and it had all gone so wrong.

"So... My notebook disappeared while I was busy. So I could have dropped it somewhere, but I swear I had it with me all that time!" he remembered the screen. It was exactly like a game he thought. "It couldn't be..." He paused. "Couldn't hurt to try."

"Box!" Nothing.

"Storage!" Still nothing.

"Ummm. Inventory?"

[Inventory]

The air shimmered and he gasped, almost submerging himself fully. Before him was another floating blue screen. However, unlike the previous ones, this one had a large array of smaller blue boxes, most of them empty, except for one which held a crude picture of a partially destroyed notebook.

Izuku moved his finger slowly towards the pop-up, idly tracing its corners. The space around his fingers seemed to fluctuate and ripple, even more so as he slid his whole hand then shoulder disappeared into the void. The teen willed himself to pull out the object listed, and as he removed his arm from the portal, he felt the burnt pages of his crumpled notes. Once completely removed, sitting in his hands was the torn and burnt workbook from school.

"What the hell!? That's so cool!" He said to himself, eyes full of wonder. "Idle screen, quests, and now an inventory." The notebook was thrown back into storage and Izuku called out a different word.

"Status!"

Another screen popped up.

[Status Screen]

[Name: Izuku Midoriya, Age: 15]

[Title(s): The Grand Gamer]

[Level 1: 0/100 XP]

[Attributes]

[Strength: 2]

[Dexterity: 4]

[Vitality: 3]

[Intelligence: 10]

[Wisdom: 6]

[Quirks]