chapter 14: training

The rising sun painted the sky with soft hues of orange and pink, while the waves gently broke on the sand. The sea breeze carried a light scent of salt, mixed with the less pleasant aroma of accumulated trash.

Midoriya, with a determined look on his face and beads of sweat running down his forehead, dragged a huge tire through the sand. His skinny arms trembled with effort, and he occasionally stumbled, raising clouds of sand.

All Might stood beside me, watching the young man with a proud smile on his face.

"Look at him," said Toshinori, pointing at Izuku. "The kid's got grit, doesn't he?"

I nodded, trying not to laugh when I saw Midoriya stumble again, this time falling face-first into the sand.

"He certainly has... something," I replied, as he got up, spitting sand and looking like a wet, angry cat.

All Might laughed, his thin body shaking. "Ah, he reminds me of myself when I was young."

The sun began to set, painting the sky with vibrant shades of orange and red. Midoriya was sitting in the sand, exhausted, his clothes dirty and sticking to his body with sweat. He looked at us with a mix of confusion and determination in his green eyes.

"All Might," Izuku began, his voice a little hoarse from the day's effort, "why exactly am I doing all this? Moving all this trash... what's the purpose?"

Toshinori looked at the young man with an enigmatic smile. He slowly stood up, his thin body casting a long shadow on the sand.

"Young Midoriya," All Might said, his voice gaining strength, "your current body is not suitable to receive my power. If I gave you my Quirk now, your limbs would explode!"

Midoriya's eyes widened in shock and a bit of fear.

"This training," All Might continued, "is to prepare your body. To make it a suitable vessel for One For All!"

At that moment, I joined the conversation, my eyes glowing slightly as I activated my X-ray vision.

"Actually," I said, adjusting my glasses, "your body is already showing signs of improvement. Your muscle density has increased by about 15% since you started the training, and your lung capacity has expanded considerably."

The young green-haired man looked at me, mouth agape, clearly surprised by my detailed analysis.

"How... how do you know that just by looking at me?" he stammered, confused.

I smiled, a little embarrassed. "Well, let's say I have my own tricks. My vision can see through almost anything, including the human body."

The boy's eyes widened even more, if that was even possible. "Incredible! So you can see through walls? And clothes? And metals? What is the range of this ability? Does it work with all materials, or are there exceptions? And..."

He continued murmuring a series of questions in rapid succession, his mind clearly racing with excitement.

All Might laughed, giving the boy a pat on the back. "Calm down, young man. Give our friend a chance to answer!"

I laughed too, charmed by the apprentice's enthusiasm. "It's alright. It's refreshing to see someone so interested. How about we talk more about this while you continue cleaning the beach?"

The boy nodded vigorously, already getting up and heading for the next pile of trash, still murmuring theories and questions to himself.

The months of intense training transformed not only the green-haired boy's body but also his routine and his life as a whole. Each day brought new challenges, small victories, and occasionally moments of doubt that he overcame with fierce determination.

The mornings at Dagobah Beach became a sacred ritual. Long before the sun rose, when most people were still sleeping in their warm beds, the boy was already up.

The rhythmic sound of his sneakers on the damp sand was accompanied only by the noise of the waves breaking on the shore. At first, his runs were short and punctuated by gasping pauses. But as the weeks passed, his strides became longer, firmer, and his pauses, increasingly rare.

After the morning runs, came the heavy work of cleaning the beach. Rusted refrigerators, giant tires, twisted pieces of metal - nothing was too big for the determined young man.

At the beginning, he could barely move the heaviest objects. We saw his frustration, the sweat running down his face contorted in effort. But day by day, object by object, the beach was transforming, just like the boy's body.

All Might and I took turns supervising. Sometimes, when the sun was already high in the sky and the boy seemed about to give up, Toshinori would step in:

The afternoons were dedicated to more specific exercises. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats - hundreds of them. I used my X-ray vision to monitor his physical progress, adjusting the regimen as needed.

"Ten more," I would say, even when he seemed at his limit. "Your body is stronger than you think."

And invariably, with clenched teeth and trembling muscles, he would do ten more.

The nights on the beach were a spectacle in themselves. As the sun set, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, we often found our pupil sitting on the sand, gazing at the horizon with a distant look. In those moments, we saw not only the physique in transformation but also the mind of a future hero being forged.

Nonetheless, it wasn't all sweat and hard work. There were lighthearted and fun moments that helped relieve the pressure of intense training.

One afternoon, while the young man was swimming against the strong sea currents, All Might and I were on the beach discussing his progress. Suddenly, a group of girls approached, their eyes shining with excitement upon recognizing us.

"All Might! Clark!" one of them shouted, waving frantically. "I can't believe you guys are here!"

All Might tried to hide behind me, which was a comical sight considering our height difference.

"Can we take a picture?" another girl asked, already pulling out her phone.

While I tried to politely refuse, explaining that we were there for work, the girls crowded around me.

"Clark," one of them said, fluttering her eyelashes exaggeratedly, "you look even more handsome in person. How about a date after this?"

I felt my cheeks flush. "Ah, well, thank you, but as I said, we are here for work. We're supervising that young man over there," I pointed to the sea where our pupil was bravely battling the waves.

The girls looked in the indicated direction, their expressions changing from flirtatious to admiration. "Wow, he's dedicated! He's lucky to have you guys as mentors."

After the girls finally left, All Might and I exchanged amused glances. "It looks like you have some admirers, son," he teased.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Nothing compared to your fan club, Dad."

As the physical training progressed, we noticed significant changes in the young man's daily routine. His meals, for instance, increased considerably. What used to be a modest plate turned into portions fit for an Olympic athlete.

One evening, we decided to visit Izuku's home to discuss his training progress. When we arrived, we knocked on the door, and after a few moments, we heard hurried footsteps approaching.

The door opened, revealing a short woman with green hair, whom we assumed to be the boy's mother. Her eyes widened comically upon seeing us, and her mouth formed a perfect 'O' of surprise.

"A-All Might?!" she stammered, her gaze bouncing between the skeletal hero and me. "And... Clark Kent?! Here? In my house?!"

She began to hyperventilate, her hands trembling as she held the door. All Might, noticing her state of shock, quickly tried to calm her down.

"Calm down, Mrs. Midoriya," he said gently. "Breathe! It's alright, we just came to talk about your son's progress."

The woman seemed to compose herself a bit, but she still looked at us with a mix of awe and disbelief. "Oh my... please, come in," she said, stepping aside. "Sorry for the mess, I wasn't expecting... well, heroes in my house!"

We entered, and she led us to the kitchen, still looking a bit dazed. It was then that we noticed the empty pots in the sink and a look of concern replaced the initial shock on Mrs. Midoriya's face.

"Ah, yes," she said, looking at the pots. "Izuku... he ate everything. Three plates of rice, two whole chicken breasts, and all the salad I made for the week! I've never seen him eat so much..."

All Might laughed gently, placing a comforting hand on the still-stunned woman's shoulder. "Don't worry, ma'am. Your son is just fueling his growing muscles. It's a good sign, actually."

Mrs. Midoriya looked at us, a mix of pride and concern in her eyes. "Do you... do you really think he has potential?"

I exchanged a look with my father before answering. "Mrs. Midoriya, your son has more than potential. He has the heart of a true hero."

Her worries seemed to ease a bit with our words, and a shy smile appeared on her face. "Well," she said, starting to recover from her initial shock, "I guess I need to do more shopping then. How about some tea while we wait for Izuku to come back?"

At school, however, the young man's academic performance began to suffer. The rigors of physical training were taking a toll on his ability to concentrate and his energy for studies.

One afternoon, we went to the public library where he usually studied after training. We found him asleep over his books, a small line of drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, staining the pages of his math notebook.

"Young man," All Might gently shook him, "wake up! Don't neglect your studies. A hero needs muscles and brains."

The boy woke up with a start, looking around confused before realizing where he was. "Ah, I'm sorry," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "I just closed my eyes for a second..."

"We understand the training is exhausting," I said, sitting next to him. "But it's crucial that you maintain your grades. How about we set up a study schedule along with your training?"

The young man nodded, determined to better balance his responsibilities. From that day on, we implemented structured study sessions into his routine. Surprisingly, All Might proved to be a patient tutor in history, while I helped with science and math.

I couldn't resist teasing my dad a little. With a mischievous smile, I turned to All Might and asked, "Since when are you smart, Dad? I thought your muscles had sucked all the blood from your brain."

All Might feigned an offended expression, placing his hand on his chest dramatically. "Ouch, son. That hurt more than any punch I've ever taken."

Izuku looked between the two of us, a mix of confusion and amusement on his face.

All Might laughed, ruffling my hair as he used to do when I was a child.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Okay, okay. Let's get back to studying before my dad's ego gets bigger than his muscles."

The boy laughed, clearly appreciating seeing this lighter, more familiar side of his mentors. With the relaxed atmosphere, we turned our attention back to the books, determined to balance the physical and mental development of the future hero.

The beach, once a forgotten landfill, began to reveal its true beauty. Each day, more clean sand became visible, and the water seemed clearer. The progress was slow but steady - just like the development of the young hero in training.

There were tough days, of course. Days when fatigue seemed unbearable, when discouragement threatened to set in. On one such occasion, we found the boy sitting on the sand, looking disheartened at a particularly large pile of debris.

"I don't know if I can do it," he murmured as we approached. "It seems like no matter how hard I try, there's still so much to do..."

All Might knelt beside him, his body casting a long shadow on the sand. "My young man," he said, his voice soft but firm, "look behind you. See how much you've already accomplished."

The boy turned and his eyes widened. Most of the beach, which had once been covered in trash, was now clean. The transformation was impressive.

"You did that," I added, smiling. "Piece by piece, day by day. That's how great things are achieved."

The boy stood up, a new gleam of determination in his eyes. Without saying a word, he returned to work, attacking the pile of debris with renewed vigor.

When only three months remained until the big day - the U.A. entrance exam - it was evident that Midoriya was no longer the skinny boy who had started this journey.

His body was stronger and more defined, his movements more confident and precise. But more than that, there was a new confidence in his eyes, an unwavering determination that wasn't there before.

All Might and I exchanged a look of pride mixed with anticipation. The boy had progressed faster than any of us had expected. It was time to enter the final phase of training, the most intense and challenging yet.

"Are you ready, you two?" I asked, looking from All Might to our pupil.

Both nodded, their eyes shining with anticipation.

"Then let's begin," All Might said, his voice laden with emotion. "The next three months are crucial. It's time to transform this boy into the hero we know he can be."

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with shades of orange, Midoriya ran along the beach with All Might at his side. I flew low, keeping pace with them. Suddenly, Izuku stumbled and fell into the sand, panting and trembling.

"Come on, young Midoriya!" All Might exclaimed, stopping beside him. "We still have two kilometers to go. Get up!"

I noticed something odd and used my X-ray vision to examine him. His muscles were tense and inflamed, clear signs of overexertion.

"Dad," I interrupted, landing gently. "He's pushing himself too hard. His muscles are at their limit."

He frowned, looking at Izuku with concern. "Young man, have you been training beyond what we agreed?"

Midoriya, still panting, nodded timidly. "I... I just wanted to get stronger faster."

We exchanged glances, a mix of concern and admiration on our faces.

"Midoriya," I began gently, "we understand your determination, but hurting yourself won't help. You need to respect your body's limits."

Toshinori agreed. "Remember, young one, the path to becoming a hero is a marathon, not a sprint."

He stood up with difficulty, his eyes shining with a mix of tears and determination. "I know I'm asking a lot from both of you. But... but I promised myself I wouldn't waste this chance. I want to become a hero who can save everyone with a smile, like you, All Might!"

"Your words have deeply touched us." All Might laughed, a sound mixed with pride and emotion. "Ah, my boy. You already have the heart of a true hero."

I smiled, placing a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "And that's why we need to make sure you're prepared to get there."

Toshinori nodded thoughtfully. "I'll make some adjustments to your training plan. We need to balance your enthusiasm with proper recovery."

Seeing that Izuku could barely stand, I offered, "How about I fly you home? You look like you need some rest."

Midoriya's eyes widened with excitement. "Flying? Really?"

Laughing, I wrapped his arm over my shoulder to support him. "Hold on tight!"

We took off smoothly, leaving All Might waving from the beach. As we flew over the city, the lights beginning to turn on below us, Midoriya was silent for a moment, clearly in awe.

"Clark," he finally said, his voice low, "do you think... do you think I can really become a hero like you guys?"

I looked at him, seeing the mix of hope and insecurity in his eyes. "Midoriya, I have no doubt. You know, when I was training, I had my doubts too. But he taught me that being a hero isn't just about power, it's about heart. And you, kid, have plenty of heart."

Midoriya smiled, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you, Clark. For everything."

We arrived at his house, landing gently on the porch. "Remember," I said, ruffling his hair, "rest is also part of training. Now go eat something and get a good night's sleep."

Midoriya nodded, still smiling. "Good night, Clark. And... thanks for the flight. It was amazing!"

As I took off again, I couldn't help but smile. As expected of the protagonist, my dad and the anime were right - this kid had something special. And I was looking forward to seeing the hero he would become.