[9] Seeds of Alliance

(A/N: As a thanks for hitting 2.5k collections and 350 power stones, here is an extra chapter!) 

The ground shook, forcing me to steady myself against a nearby wall. A shadow fell over the mock city, and I looked up to see a colossal robot towering above the buildings. The zero-pointer had arrived.

Chaos erupted. Examinees scattered like ants, screaming and pushing each other in their haste to escape. Pathetic. They'd forgotten the whole point of being here.

I was about to turn away, to hunt for more point-yielding targets, when a cry caught my attention. A girl with brown hair was trapped under some rubble, right in the zero-pointer's path.

For a moment, I hesitated. Rescuing her would eat up valuable time, potentially costing me points. But then again, this was exactly the kind of scenario U.A. would be watching for.

"Damn it," I muttered, sprinting towards her.

As I reached her, the zero-pointer's massive foot came down, shaking the ground. The girl looked up at me, eyes wide with fear.

"Hold still," I instructed, gripping the edge of the concrete slab pinning her down and lifting.

The girl scrambled out, wincing as she tried to stand. "My ankle," she gasped. "I think it's sprained."

I glanced at the approaching robot, then back at her. No time for subtlety. I scooped her up in my arms, ignoring her surprised squeak.

"Hold on," I said, then ran. We soared past the debris, skidding safely several blocks away.

As I set her down, she stared at me in awe. "That was amazing! How did you-"

"No time," I cut her off. "Can you walk?"

She tested her ankle, nodding hesitantly. "I think so. Thank you for saving me."

I offered a quick smile. "That's what heroes do. Now get to safety."

As she limped away, I turned back to the zero-pointer. It was still rampaging, and I could see other examinees struggling to evade it.

My eyes landed on a thick piece of rebar jutting from a chunk of concrete. Perfect.

I yanked it free, the metal groaning in protest. It was heavy, but manageable with my enhanced strength.

Gripping the makeshift weapon, I faced the zero-pointer. Its massive form blocked out the sun, sensors locked onto me.

I grinned. This was going to be fun.

Channeling a bit more of One For All into my legs, I shot forward. The world blurred around me as I zigzagged between its stomping feet. Up close, I could see the joints in its armor, the weak points in its construction.

I leapt, using chunks of debris as stepping stones to climb higher. The zero-pointer tried to swat me away, but I was too quick, too agile.

Reaching its shoulder, I paused for a split second. Its head loomed above me, red sensors glowing ominously.

"Let's see what you're made of," I muttered.

I launched myself upward, rebar held like a spear. I poured One For All into my arms, careful not to overdo it.

Time seemed to slow as I met the zero-pointer's gaze. Then, with a primal yell, I drove the rebar straight through its head.

Metal screeched and tore. The zero-pointer's eyes flickered, then went dark.

As it began to topple, I kicked off, using the momentum to clear the falling debris. I landed hard, rolling to disperse the impact.

Standing, I surveyed the damage. The zero-pointer lay in a smoking heap, my improvised weapon still protruding from its ruined head.

Around me, silence reigned. Then, whispers broke out among the stunned examinees.

I allowed myself a small, satisfied smirk. Mission accomplished.

"AND THAT'S TIME!" Present Mic's voice shattered the moment. "THE EXAM IS OVER!"

As the other examinees gathered, pointing and staring, I brushed dust off my clothes. My body ached, but nothing felt broken. Good. I'd managed to keep One For All in check.

A few minutes later, Recovery Girl arrived on the scene, her cane tapping a steady rhythm against the concrete. She surveyed the aftermath with practiced eyes, tutting at the destruction.

"My, my," she said, reaching into her pocket. "What a mess you've all made."

She began handing out candies to the battered examinees. Some accepted eagerly, while others eyed the sweets with suspicion.

I watched as she approached the brown-haired girl I'd rescued earlier. With a gentle kiss, the girl's leg glowed briefly. When the light faded, she flexed her foot experimentally, eyes wide with wonder.

"There you go, dearie," Recovery Girl said, patting the girl's head. "Good as new. Now, don't overdo it for the next few days, you hear?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you so much!"

As Recovery Girl turned away, her gaze landed on me. She paused, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Well, if it isn't our young visitor from last week," she said, voice low enough that only I could hear. "Causing trouble again, I see."

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Just adapting to the situation, ma'am."

She hummed, eyeing the fallen zero-pointer. "Quite the adaptation. No injuries this time?"

"Not a scratch," I replied, allowing a hint of pride to color my tone.

Recovery Girl's eyes narrowed slightly. "Impressive progress for just a week. Toshinori's training must be quite... effective."

"He's an excellent teacher."

"Indeed," she murmured, then held out a candy. "Well, take this anyway. You've certainly earned it."

As I accepted, she leaned closer. "Remember what we discussed about overexertion, young man. Even if you're not injured now, pushing too hard has consequences."

I nodded, meeting her gaze. "I understand. Thank you for your concern."

She studied me for a moment longer, then moved on to the next student.

As I settled into my seat on the bus, I let out a sigh. Looks like my calculations were right. 3% of OFA was my limit to keep control and even that takes a lot of concentration and reigning in. I could go up to 8% for mobility, but that uses up more stamina and can lead to injury. The best thing to do is stay at 2% for now, until I get a higher maximum output.

"Excuse me," a soft voice said. "May I sit here?"

I looked up to see the vine-haired girl I'd saved earlier. Her green tendrils swayed gently as she waited for my response.

"Sure," I replied, gesturing to the empty seat beside me.

She sat down, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "I wanted to thank you properly for your assistance during the exam. Your actions were most heroic."

Her formal way of speaking caught me off guard. "It was nothing," I said. "Just doing what needed to be done."

She shook her head, her vine-like hair rustling. "No, it was far more than that. You risked your own success to aid another. Such selflessness is truly admirable."

I studied her for a moment.

"I'm Izuku Midoriya," I offered, deciding to play along with her formality. "May I ask your name?"

"Ibara Shiozaki," she replied with a slight bow of her head. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Midoriya-san."

As the bus started moving, Ibara turned to face me more fully. "If I may ask, what motivated you to pursue the path of heroism?"

I paused, considering my words carefully. "I've always wanted to help people," I said, which wasn't entirely a lie. "To make a difference in the world."

Ibara nodded solemnly. "A noble aspiration. The Lord calls us all to serve in different ways. For some, that calling manifests as the desire to be a hero."

Religious devotion, huh? "And you?" I asked. "What drew you to this path?"

"I believe it is my divine purpose," she said, her voice filled with quiet conviction. "To use the gifts I've been blessed with to protect and nurture others, as our Heavenly Father protects and nurtures us."

"That's a beautiful way to look at it," I said, offering a small smile.

Ibara's eyes lit up. "I'm glad you understand. Not everyone appreciates the spiritual aspect of heroism."

The bus ride passed quickly, with Ibara doing most of the talking. I listened attentively, asking questions here and there to keep her going. By the time we arrived back at U.A., I had a solid grasp on her personality and motivations.

As we disembarked, Ibara turned to me one last time. "Thank you for listening, Midoriya-san. It's rare to find someone so understanding of my beliefs. I hope we both succeed in our endeavors to join U.A."

"Likewise, Shiozaki-san," I replied. "Good luck with your results."

She bowed slightly before walking away, her vine-like hair swaying behind her.

I watched her go, mentally filing away everything I'd learned. Ibara Shiozaki: devoutly religious, formal in speech and manner, and possessing a strong moral compass. If she made it into U.A., she could be a valuable ally... or a troublesome obstacle, depending on how things played out. I'd have to appeal to her sense of justice, convince her that my way aligns with her beliefs.

"Oi, Deku!"

I turned to see Bakugo stomping towards me, his perpetual scowl firmly in place. "Ready to admit defeat?"

I raised an eyebrow. "The results aren't even out yet. A bit premature to be claiming victory, don't you think?"

He snorted. "As if there's any doubt. I crushed it out there."

"If you say so," I replied, keeping my tone neutral. "Heading home?"

Bakugo grunted in affirmation, and we fell into step together. It was an odd echo of our childhood, walking home from school. But so much had changed since then.

As we walked, Bakugo glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "That vine-haired girl," he said gruffly. "Did you save her during the exam?"

I nodded. "Ibara Shiozaki. Interesting quirk, strong moral convictions."

Bakugo scoffed. "Tch. Saving others during the exam. What a waste of time."

"On the contrary," I said, a small smirk on my lips. "I have a feeling those actions will benefit me in the final calculation."

He faltered for a moment, then his scowl deepened. "Whatever."

We walked in silence for a while, the familiar streets of our neighborhood passing by. It was strange, being back here after the intensity of the exam. Like stepping out of another world and back into mundane reality.

I finally spoke. "It'll be interesting to see how we all stack up once we're at U.A."

"Assuming you make it in," Bakugo retorted, but there was less bite to his words than usual.

As we neared the point where our paths diverged, Bakugo stopped. He turned to face me fully, his red eyes intense.

"Listen up, Deku," he said, his voice low and serious. "I don't know what the hell happened to you over the past year. How you went from being a quirkless nobody to... whatever the fuck you are now."

I prepared myself for an explosion of anger or accusations. But Bakugo surprised me.

"But whatever it is," he continued, "don't think it means you've surpassed me. I'm still going to be the best, you hear me? So you better bring your A-game to U.A., because I won't accept anything less from my rival."

I stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words. Rival? That was... unexpected.

Finally, I nodded. "Wouldn't dream of giving you anything less than my best, Kacchan."

A fierce grin spread across Bakugo's face. "Good. Because if you half-ass it, I'll kick your ass myself."

With that, he turned and stalked off towards his house, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

I watched him go, a mix of emotions swirling in my chest. Our relationship had shifted yet again, evolving into something I hadn't anticipated. Rival, huh? I could work with that.

As I continued on towards my own home, I replayed the events of the day in my mind. The exam, Ibara, Bakugo's unexpected words... it all added up to a complex web of potential allies, obstacles, and opportunities.

The exam results wouldn't be out for a while, but I couldn't afford to rest on my laurels.

As I reached for the doorknob, I paused. Beyond this door was Mom, probably anxiously waiting to hear how the exam went.

I opened the door. "Mom? I'm home!"

Her response was immediate. "Izuku! Oh, thank goodness! How did it go? Are you okay? Do you need anything? Some food? A bath?"

I laughed, the sound only slightly forced. "I'm fine, Mom. Just tired. The exam was... intense."

She pulled me into a tight hug, and I allowed myself to relax into it for a moment. "Oh, my brave boy. I'm so proud of you, no matter what happens."

As I recounted a sanitized version of the exam to her, leaving out the more dangerous details, I couldn't help but marvel at the complexity of my situation.

"So," Mom said as I finished my story, "do you think you passed?"

"I did my absolute best. Now we just have to wait and see."

She nodded, pride shining in her eyes. "That's all anyone can ask for. Now, how about some katsudon to celebrate your hard work?"

As she bustled off to the kitchen, I allowed myself a small, genuine smile. Whatever else might be said about this situation, at least the food was good.