My hero academia:Am I worthy?

Timeskip

Izuku was 11 years old, and life had become much worse than he had expected. The elementary school he had attended since he was 6, after a year apart from Nejire, had transformed from a place of knowledge and new friendships into a nightmare filled with shattered hopes. This change was instigated by a long-time acquaintance—Katsuki Bakugo, a blond boy with red eyes and a quirk that allowed him to create explosions by accumulating sweat in his palms. His quirk had become his second "self." The school and kindergarten praised him, and his abilities matched the image of a hero. Friends, caregivers, peers, and teachers predicted a brilliant future for him, envisioning him as a hero of the new generation. However, the flattery made him arrogant, causing him to look down on everyone, viewing them as mere background characters. Once a balanced and calm boy, he became egocentric, haughty, and hot-tempered due to the sycophants surrounding him, unable to accept objective criticism. Bakugo scoffed at others' suffering. He had a good home, wealth, a quirk, and a bright future; every path in life came easily to him. Why should he care about others when they only hindered his achievements?

Izuku's former best friend had turned into a bully who despised him deeply, mocking him, unleashing his anger, and satisfying his ego by beating and insulting him at any opportunity. Izuku was in pain—he was still a child, abandoned by his father due to his lack of a quirk, severing all contact with him. His father vanished from his life as if he had never existed. He was a "quirkless" outcast in modern society, adapting to the new changes brought about by the public figure Re-Destro. Not only did Re-Destro not lose his audience, but he also expanded it with youth driven by a thirst for power. Discrimination against the quirkless became a nightmare for Izuku. Every teenager pointed at him in school, labeling him a loser. All those words:

[Loser]

[Inadequate]

[Burden]

[Outcast]

[Useless]

[Abnormal]

[Defective]

became a stigma for a boy who was just beginning to form his identity. It hurt him to see everyone looking down on him, pointing fingers and showcasing their quirks, proving his lack of the gift of human evolution. Sympathetic glances turned into contempt and hatred, as he, in their opinion, had no right to be in their superior society.

After parting with Nejire, Izuku turned 6, which meant he would leave kindergarten and enter elementary school. After the awakening of quirks among his peers, his surroundings began to avoid him, ignoring him. Often little Izuku sat alone, watching as all the other children played, depriving him of attention. He still maintained a friendship with Bakugo, who invited him to play but always portrayed himself as the hero, breaking Izuku's psyche and gradually turning him into an egocentric person. The caregiver, Ayame, tried to help him, playing with him and encouraging him, but after parting with Nejire, Izuku's fragile and pure soul was irreparably broken. During his friendship with Nejire, he had shared his worries, and his friend's support fueled his motivation to persevere and move forward. Izuku's mother was aware of everything happening to her son but couldn't help him, except by seeking assistance from Ayame, who also unsuccessfully tried to integrate him into the children's society.

A year passed, leaving Izuku with doubts about his existence and worthiness to be in a society where he was "defective." Bakugo's mother sent her unruly son to the same school to avoid ruining their friendship, unaware of what would happen between them in the future.

Dressed in a crisp uniform of a black jacket, white shirt, and black pants, Izuku walked down the hallway, searching for his classroom.

— Welcome, children, and congratulations on your first day at our school, — greeted the teacher, looking at the children with a smile. The children applauded at her greeting, sitting in their places. Seeing his classmates, Midoriya felt tense and nervous as they stood out sharply against his background.

The teacher continued to speak about the importance of diligent study and developing abilities. Her voice was soft and reassuring, but to Izuku, it sounded like distant noise. He looked at his classmates, feeling his insecurity grow within him. These children were nothing like him. Almost everyone stood out with their confidence and energy.

And Izuku? He just sat in his place, trying not to attract attention.

— My name is Katsuo, — said the boy with red eyes. — My quirk is "Iron Fists." I can harden my hands to steel strength. I think I'll be the best fighter in this class.

The class buzzed with approval.

— I'm Akira, — announced the girl with green hair. — My quirk is "Solar Flare." I can blind enemies or burn something if I want to.

Each new introduction heightened Izuku's tension in his chest. When it was his turn, all eyes turned to him.

— My name is Izuku Midoriya, — he began, feeling his throat dry. He paused, trying to think of how to best phrase the truth.

— I... I don't have a quirk, — he finally said, his voice barely audible.

The class froze for a few seconds, then laughter erupted.

— Quirkless? In school? Are you serious? — shouted the boy with iron fists, and his words sparked even more laughter.

Izuku felt his face flush.

— Quiet, children, — the teacher intervened. — We are here to learn, not to mock each other.

But her words didn't help. He knew that this day would be remembered by everyone for this moment.

After class, in the hallway, Izuku tried to stay in the shadows to avoid unwanted attention. But it was futile.

— Hey, quirkless! — he heard a familiar voice behind him.

It was that very boy with iron fists, Katsuo. He was with a group of classmates who clearly looked eager to have some fun.

— Do you really think you have a chance in a hero school? — Katsuo asked.

— I... I just want to try, — Izuku attempted to reply, but his voice trembled.

— Try? — one of the boys scoffed. — You don't even have a quirk!

Katsuo stepped forward and demonstratively clenched his fist, which began to shimmer with a metallic sheen.

— Maybe you should just leave? It would save everyone time. Heroes like us don't need someone like you.

— I... I won't leave, — Izuku replied, trying to sound confident, but his body trembled.

Katsuo smirked.

— Alright, we'll see how long you last.

He slapped Izuku on the shoulder so hard that he nearly fell. Laughter from the group echoed through the hallway, and Izuku stood there, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

He quickly turned away and walked off, heading for the exit. He needed to be alone to calm down.

In the schoolyard, under the shade of a large oak, he sat on the ground, hiding his face in his hands.

"Why? Why am I like this?" he thought.

Torment and doubts engulfed him on the very first day of his new life, practically in his second home, as Inko told him, and he immediately became the laughingstock of the entire class.

With his head down, he walked home, kicking small pebbles. The words spoken by Katsuo were deeply etched in his mind, tormenting him, forcing him to acknowledge that he was worthless compared to the others. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice how he reached home, oblivious to passersby and everything else.

He knocked on the door, waiting for his mother to open it. His heart ached painfully at the realization that this would repeat again and again until something changed in his life.

The door opened, and he was greeted by a happy mother, joy and a smile on her face, uttering congratulatory words.

— Congratulations, Izuku, on your first day of school! It's such a joy—you'll make new friends and acquaintances who will be ready to play with you! — The problem was that when Inko opened the door, she said this with her eyes closed, arms raised in the air, but she was tormented by the painful silence from her son's uneven breathing. When she opened her eyes, Inko saw Izuku's lifeless face, his head bowed, staring at his shoes, tensing his shoulders to appear even smaller.

Inko was not pleased by this picture, as she remembered the morning Izuku—full of desires and optimism, with a smile on his face, talking about new friends. And now he had come home from school clean but utterly defeated and with emptiness in his eyes.

Her mother's words resonated in his head in reverse, changing the meaning of the sentence from joyful to more oppressive and gloomy.

— Congratulations, Izuku, on your first day of suffering in a new place. How cool—you'll gain new enemies and bullies who will be ready to mock and ridicule you.

This intrusive thought made his heart ache even more, causing him to tremble before his mother Inko, who watched the whole scene with horror and concern.

— Izuku, what happened? — she asked, kneeling before him.

Izuku couldn't hold back his thoughts any longer and threw himself into his mother's embrace, sobbing into her chest, squeezing her sweater as hard as he could. Inko didn't understand what had happened—it happened so quickly that she couldn't react.

— Mom... why... why was I born like this? — The words struck Inko painfully, who had prepared a celebration for her son on his first day of school.

Looking at all the ribbons and the festive atmosphere, Izuku marked the first day of his sufferings in a new institution.

— Izuku, I'm sorry, — Inko whispered, trying to soothe her son, but he continued to cry.

— Don't worry, soon your aunt Mitsuki's son will arrive, and no one will bully you. Katsuki is your friend, and he will never let anyone hurt you, — said Inko, completely unaware of what Katsuki would do to her son in the foreseeable future.

All those two years after Izuku entered the Erudera school became a torment. It's hard to call it torment; rather, it was moral destruction of a fragile, repressed boy. Katsuki didn't help either, as with his arrival, he found new sycophants for his greatness and authority. The teachers did not intervene; they merely watched as they verbally tormented him, stating that it was not their concern.

One notable thing about the Erudera elementary school was that during breaks, students were allowed to play or engage in their activities in the schoolyard.

The schoolyard was filled with noise: some were training, some discussing the latest news, and some simply enjoying a break between classes. Off to the side, under a large tree, a group of students gathered, among whom Katsuo stood out, the boy with the quirk "Iron Fists." His face lit up with a cunning smile, and his gaze was fixed on Bakugo, who was sitting nearby.

Katsuki sat on a bench, brooding as he examined his hands. He had always been the center of attention due to his powerful quirk, but at that moment, he looked contemplative. Katsuo sensed that this was the right moment for his idea.

— Hey, Bakugo! — he called out, stepping closer. — It's amazing how easily you handle everything. Listen, you're really the strongest in this class, right?

Katsuki lifted his eyes but didn't respond. He perceived Katsuo's silence as an invitation to continue.

— I'm serious! — Katsuo continued with enthusiasm, sitting down beside him. — Do you see those guys? They're all afraid of you. You're like the future number one hero to them! I would be scared too if I faced you.

Katsuo's words began to awaken a familiar feeling of superiority in Bakugo. His lips twitched into a barely noticeable smirk.

— That's obvious, — he finally replied. — I'm not just the strongest here. I'm going to become the strongest hero.

Katsuo smiled even wider, seeing how his words hit their mark.

— Yeah, who would doubt it! But you know... — He pretended to think. — There's one person here who clearly doesn't respect you the way he should.

— What? — Bakugo asked sharply, his eyes flashing with anger.

Katsuo leaned in closer as if about to share the most important secret.

— That quirkless one. Midoriya. He practically challenges you just by existing! I saw how he looks at you. He thinks he's special, even though he doesn't have a quirk.

— Deku? — Bakugo frowned.

Katsuo nodded, his face expressing complete confidence.

— Yeah. He's one of those who silently annoys the strong. With his pathetic stubbornness, with his "I'll prove myself anyway." You know, people like him are just a disgrace to the hero school.

Bakugo's eyes narrowed. He remembered how Izuku stood with his head down, but his gaze expressed determination, as if he truly believed he could achieve something. That irritated him.

— He won't achieve anything, — Bakugo growled.

— Of course, — Katsuo agreed, adding fuel to the fire. — But he doesn't understand that. Maybe you should show him where his place is? You know, just give him a little lesson. Not too serious, of course. Just so he understands that there's no place for someone like him in a hero school.

Bakugo was silent for a long time, pondering Katsuo's words. He didn't need much persuasion. Anger mixed with a desire to assert his superiority began to fill his thoughts.

— I can do it, — he finally said, standing up.

— Now that's what I like to hear! — Katsuo exclaimed, clapping him on the shoulder. — You're just the best. I can't even imagine how anyone else could do it as effectively as you.

Bakugo headed toward Midoriya, who was sitting nearby reading a book about heroes, which disgusted him. Katsuo and his group followed him, anticipating the spectacle.

— Hey, Deku! — Bakugo shouted, drawing Izuku's attention.

Midoriya looked up, and his eyes widened when he saw Bakugo approaching him with a grim expression.

— What do you want, Kacchan? — he asked, trying not to show his fear.

— I want to show you something, — Bakugo replied, raising his hand, from which sparks immediately began to burst forth. — You want to be a hero, right? Well, heroes have to endure pain.

— Kacchan, wait... — Izuku began, stepping back.

But Bakugo didn't wait. His palm ignited, and he directed a small explosion toward Izuku, sending him tumbling and falling to the ground.

— Do you think you can be a hero without a quirk? — Bakugo shouted, his voice filled with fury. — You're pathetic!

Katsuo and his friends laughed loudly in the background, egging Bakugo on.

— Do it again! Show him! — Katsuo shouted.

Izuku tried to get up, but Bakugo directed another explosion into the ground next to him, causing him to stumble.

— I'll prove to you that you're nobody here, Deku! — Bakugo yelled, his eyes blazing with anger.

But at that moment, one of the teachers stepped out into the schoolyard.

— What is going on here?! — he shouted, causing everyone to freeze.

Bakugo lowered his hand, his face remaining tense, but he stepped back. Katsuo pretended nothing had happened and turned away with a disinterested expression.

The teacher looked at Izuku, who was struggling to get to his feet, and then at Bakugo.

— Back to your places, right now! — he ordered, and the crowd began to disperse.

Izuku stood alone, feeling pain not only in his body but also in his soul. He felt again how far he was from his dream.

After the incident in the schoolyard, the atmosphere in the class changed. Students began to whisper among themselves, casting sideways glances at Izuku. He felt the tension rising with each hour but didn't understand what had happened.

During the break, when he sat at his desk taking notes, a group of students approached him. Katsuo, who was always at the center of any conflict, led this group.

— Hey, quirkless, — he began, leaning on Izuku's desk. His face expressed discontent. — What do you think you're doing?

Izuku looked up, flustered.

— What? What are you talking about? — he asked, looking around in confusion.

— Don't pretend, — interjected the girl with green hair, Akira, who stood next to Katsuo. — You said we all rely too much on our quirks and that without them, we're nobody.

— I... I didn't say that! — Izuku exclaimed, his voice trembling. — That's not true!

But his words didn't convince those around him.

— We all heard you, — added another student, frowning. — You said that we're just arrogant, who don't understand what it's like to be quirkless.

— That's a lie! I never said that! — Izuku tried to defend himself, but his voice drowned in the murmur of the students who began to support the accusations.

— Enough, Deku, — Bakugo intervened, stepping closer. His gaze was cold, but satisfaction was evident in it.

— You always try to look better than us. You think that just because you don't have a quirk, it's harder for you and we owe you something? — Bakugo said, his tone dripping with contempt.

— No, Kacchan! I never thought that! — Izuku said, feeling panic grip him.

But Bakugo's words only added fuel to the fire. The other students began voicing their opinions.

— You know, I feel sorry that you're here, — Akira stated. — You're just ruining the atmosphere.

— Why even enroll in a hero school if you don't have a quirk? — someone from the crowd chimed in.

— You all don't understand me! — Izuku finally shouted, standing up. His voice broke, and tears began to gather in the corners of his eyes. — I never insulted any of you!

Katsuo smirked, raising his hands in a gesture of defense.

— Hey, take it easy. We're just saying what we heard. If you didn't say it, why do so many people confirm it?

Izuku froze. He felt every gaze in the classroom directed at him, every sound stilled to hear his response.

— Because you... you all just want me to leave! — he said, realizing that the truth lay exactly in that.

These words caused a brief silence, but then Bakugo stepped forward.

— Maybe you really should think about that, Deku, — he said in an icy tone. — There's no place for someone like you here.

Izuku could no longer hold back. He dashed out of the classroom, ignoring the teacher's shouts as she entered the room.

He hid on the school roof, where no one would find him. The cold wind brushed against his face, but he barely felt it.

"Why are they like this towards me?" he thought, clenching his fists. "Why is it not enough for them to just ignore me? Why do they have to accuse me of things I didn't do?"

His thoughts were filled with anger, hurt, and pain. His eyes were full of tears, but his heart beat with a new intensity.

The promise he made to Nejire seemed increasingly impossible. He wanted to forget all this, to leave it behind, but something deep inside him refused to let him do that.

The school day was bleak. Izuku spent several hours alone, trying to calm his thoughts and suppress the pain inflicted by his classmates' accusations. He returned to class only when the bell rang, signaling the start of the next lesson.

However, instead of the usual lesson, he was immediately called to the principal's office. It was unexpected, and the tension squeezed his chest.

When he entered, his homeroom teacher, the vice principal, and the principal were already in the office. All three looked at him with serious faces.

— Midoriya Izuku, take a seat, — the principal said, pointing to a chair across from the desk.

Izuku sat down, feeling the cold creep into every cell of his body.

— Do you know why you are here? — began the vice principal, crossing his arms over his chest.

— No... I don't know, — Izuku replied quietly, although he already had a feeling it was related to recent events.

His homeroom teacher, Mr. Takada, frowned, his voice sounding stern.

----We've received complaints from your classmates," the principal began, his voice firm. "They claim that you made offensive remarks to them

---That's not true!" Izuku exclaimed, his voice trembling. "I didn't say anything like that!"

---We have testimonies from several students, the principal continued, watching the boy closely. They claim you called them conceited, dependent on their quirks, and said they'd achieve nothing without their abilities.

-I didn't say that! Izuku insisted, tears welling up in his eyes.They made it up to frame me!

Mr. Takada sighed and folded his hands on the desk.

-Midoriya, I understand you might feel isolated because you don't have a quirk. It's not easy. But your reaction shouldn't involve humiliating other students.

These words felt like an accusation he couldn't escape.

-But I didn't do anything! Izuku protested desperately.

-Why do you believe them and not me?

The vice principal intervened, his voice cold and sharp. Are you saying all the students in your class are lying? That they have a reason to make up such a story?"

Izuku lowered his head. He knew it sounded unbelievable, but he knew the truth.

-I don't know why they did it,he finally said, his voice quiet.

-But I know for sure I didn't say that.

The principal stared at him for a long time before speaking again.

-We understand you deny the accusations. But unfortunately, we have no reason to believe all these students lied. We have to respond to such complaints.

Izuku felt the ground beneath his feet slipping away.

-So what does that mean? he asked, barely audible.

Mr. Takada sighed, his face a mix of disappointment and sternness.

-It means you'll be punished. To avoid further conflicts, you'll be mopping the classroom floor after school for a week to reflect on your behavior. Additionally, we ask you to write a written apology to your classmates.

These words felt like a hammer blow. Mopping the floor was humiliating, and the letter was an admission of guilt he hadn't committed.

-But it's not fair!- Izuku shouted, standing up. His voice was filled with despair. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"

"Calm down, Midoriya," the principal said, his voice remaining firm. "We don't want to cause you more stress than you already have. But we need to maintain order and respect in the classroom."

-What about my respect?-Izuku asked bitterly.

-They're lying, but you're still punishing me!-

Mr. Takada shook his head.

-Life is sometimes unfair, Midoriya. But you have to learn to accept the consequences and find solutions, not make the situation worse.-

Izuku sank back into his chair, feeling his strength leaving him. He didn't try to argue anymore because he realized it was pointless.

-You can go back to class,- the principal finally said.

-And remember, you can always come to us for help if you feel unfairly wronged-

These words sounded so hollow that a shiver ran down Izuku's spine.

-Yes, sir,-he replied quietly, getting up.

When he returned to the classroom, all eyes turned to him. It felt like every student was looking at him with judgment or mockery. He sat down in his seat, not looking up.

Katsuo, sitting a few rows away, smirked and leaned towards his friends.

-Well, Deku, see where you stand now?- he whispered, loud enough for Izuku to hear.

Laughter erupted in the classroom, causing Midoriya to clench his fists under the desk. Sitting at his desk, a self-destructive thought arose, undermining all his attempts to restore his self-esteem.

-Compared to the others, you're nothing-

To be continued.

[4 chapters before Venom's appearance]