My hero academia:Am I worthy?

A/N

/Wishing you all a pleasant reading and thank you for your very strong support in the previous chapter. I won't keep you waiting with my words, please enjoy/

The night was clear, and the stars seemed closer than usual. All over the world, people enjoyed the silence, but suddenly a strange flash appeared on the horizon. The stars shone brighter, as if warning of impending danger.

High above the Earth, in the atmosphere, a comet flared. It looked like a dazzlingly bright ball of light surrounded by a vortex of black energy. Its tail shimmered in dark blue and crimson hues, leaving a trail reminiscent of a thunderstorm.

The comet was moving too fast. Passing through the upper layers of the atmosphere, it transformed from a glowing sphere into a black flaming ball with cracks, from which a viscous substance erupted. Scientific instruments recorded strange anomalies—it wasn't just a celestial object. It emitted pulses that interfered with the instruments' functioning.

Above the coast of Japan, the comet suddenly began to slow down, as if it were being controlled. Around it emerged a field resembling a giant web, which started to disintegrate as the comet approached the ground.

At 23:43 local time, the impact occurred. The comet crashed into the shoreline near Tokyo, sending a giant column of water, sand, and smoke into the air. The explosion was deafening, but strangely did not cause mass destruction. The shock wave was absorbed by something inside the comet.

At the site of impact, a crater formed. The ground around it was covered with a strange, shiny black substance. It shimmered like liquid metal and moved quietly, as if it were alive.

Seconds after the fall, the crater began to emit strange sounds, like breathing or the whispering of many voices. The black substance slowly moved in search of a threat, and finding no one nearby, it slowly and carefully headed towards the forest. The blob of black tar moved in search of a host for survival and, finding a white rabbit in a burrow, it approached its prey like a predator, completely engulfing it with its symbiotic tendrils. The animal was primitive, and upon invading the rabbit's mind, it found information about nearby beings called humans, who were taller and stronger than this primitive creature. Taking control of the rabbit, it headed towards the nearest human settlement. The rabbit, under Venom's control, was much larger than its kind, with big white eyes. Finding a person wandering in the forest alone with a flashlight, it decided he would be an ideal host. Approaching closer, it made noises that attracted attention, and the person, frightened by the sounds, was scared and immediately warned the person or creature.

"Hey, who's there? Come out!" The person shone the flashlight towards the bush, and from the bush came an ordinary white rabbit that stopped when the flashlight was pointed at it. Sighing heavily, he turned around to leave but felt he had stepped on something sticky and black.

"Damn, now I have to clean my shoes," he said, taking a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the slime. But to his surprise, the slime began to move, enveloping his leg.

"Hey, what's going on? Get off me, damn slime!" Venom was enveloping his leg and, having absorbed the host's life force, began to furiously penetrate the person's skin, feeding on his life energy.

"Someone help!" the person cried out in the forest wilderness, but no one heard him. He was alone, and no one came to his aid. Immobilizing its victim, Venom silenced him with one of its tendrils, so as not to attract unwanted attention. Having fully taken over the body, it scanned his memory, learning what a human was and what it consisted of.

The host's memories stopped, and Venom, sliding off him, returned to its form of black tar in search of a new host.

"If this thing called a quirk rejects me, I must find a person without one. There are few, but they exist," it said, searching for new people.

On its way, it encountered several lone rangers patrolling the area. Splitting up, they allowed Venom to take over their bodies, but again it was unsuccessful. Somehow, merging with them, Venom killed its hosts who had quirks. It battled with the foreign body, but this quirk defended itself. Venom tried to destroy it, but it ended up killing the host by cutting off oxygen and tearing the heart apart.

Learning from the rangers' memories about the existence of creatures called birds, which can fly over long distances, Venom decided to find a new host. It approached a flock of crows, silently merging with one. The crow felt something alien merging with it and began to caw, but it didn't last long. Venom seized it and the animal's mind. Getting used to the body, it flapped its wings, but didn't take off. Looking into the crow's memory, it understood how to fly. Taking a few steps to gain momentum, it crouched, pushing off the ground, flapping its wings, finally taking flight. Enhancing the crow's abilities, it swiftly flew towards the city in search of the perfect host.

****

The alarm rang, waking up a green-haired youth who had stayed up late due to his fascination with heroes. Raising his head, he noticed a crow tapping at the window. Perhaps it was asking for food. Overcoming his laziness and fatigue, he reached for the alarm clock and turned it off. Straightening up, he approached the table with two photographs. The first showed his mother holding a two-year-old Izuku in an All Might costume, and the second showed them with Nejire, smiling in hero costumes. Smiling warmly at them, he wished them a good morning.

"Good morning, mom, Nejire. I hope you're having as good a morning as I am," he said, packing his school bag. His gaze fell on his notebook titled "Hero Analysis No. 13," and there were only a few pages left to finish. He hadn't managed to complete it last night due to his long conversation with Fuyumi. Smiling at now having a friend, the crow began pecking at the glass, irritating him, but he didn't get angry and went to the kitchen for a piece of bread. The crow watched him before he opened the window.

"Hey buddy, are you hungry? Here, have some breakfast; it's important for everyone," Izuku said, giving it the bread, which the crow eagerly pecked at. Satisfied with his deed, Izuku headed to the bathroom to wash up and wake up. He was troubled by a dream where he held a gun, and his mother's killer was on his knees, begging for mercy, but the shot didn't happen as the alarm interrupted the dream. Looking at his face and chest, still marked by scars and bruises from his classmates, he touched the bruise left by Bakugo and hissed in pain. He still had to wash under a cold shower.

Clenching his teeth, he removed his clothes and stood under the cold water, which stimulated his nervous system. Drying off and quickly having breakfast, he slowly put on his uniform, breathing in the cool morning air from the window. Before leaving, he looked at the photographs of his dearest family and left the house, starting a new day with a clean slate. Boarding the crowded morning metro, Izuku opened his phone, scrolling through the morning news about heroes. His eyes caught a headline about All Might arriving in his hometown. The news delighted him, his eyes sparkled, and the corners of his lips curled into a smile. All Might, hero number two, had arrived in his hometown, but why? He didn't care much, as his childhood idol had come. Watching for his stop, he exited the metro and, climbing the stairs, heard the crowd's roar, quickening his pace to find out what was happening.

Exiting the metro, he saw a massive villain rampaging through the city's streets, and locals gathered around barricades, filming the event on their phones. Police tried to calm the residents, asking them not to approach, but they barely listened, trying to capture the moment with their eyes. Izuku's eyes lit up, seeing the scene, as a new hero named Kamui Woods and the hero Death Arms confronted the villain.

"Careful, citizens. Please step back to a safe distance; you might get hurt," the wooden hero said, trying to grab the villain with his wooden tendrils, but it didn't work until a figure flew towards the villain, growing in size and casting a massive shadow over the street. With a swift kick, she knocked out the villain, striking a pose for the paparazzi. She was as large as a mountain, in tight-fitting clothes that accentuated her figure.

"Hello, everyone! This is my first day as a professional heroine. You can call me Lady Mountain," she winked at the residents, posing for the crowd, which caused some confusion and a few unfriendly remarks from her colleagues.

"Shameless," murmured Kamui Woods.

"Damn mountain hogged all the glory," added Death Arms. Izuku, watching the spectacle, was amazed, but he didn't smile, as it was a typical confrontation between heroes and villains during the day.

Izuku wanted to turn when he bumped into a short old man with gray hair and several prosthetics. Knowing his mistake, Izuku quickly apologized.

"Sorry, sir, I didn't see you," but the old man decided not to accept his apology and merely scoffed.

"Watch where you're going, pup. Hah, what fools, watching that nonsense," commented the old man, looking at Izuku.

"Hey, don't speak disrespectfully about heroes. They've saved many civilians, unlike you. Have you saved anyone?" Izuku said, speaking emotionally, stirring memories of how the old man couldn't save his partner, was defeated by All for One, and became a lifelong invalid. The words of the cheeky boy hit home, and he couldn't remain silent for long.

"Shut up, brat. You still have milk on your lips, and you're raising your voice at your elders. Your mother should be ashamed that her son behaves this way in public," the old man's words caused most of the crowd to fall silent, looking at the shocked teenager and the old man, who gritted his teeth, glaring at the boy.

"What you see there are just show-offs with no real heroism. Look at me, I lost my arms and a leg, and the fact that I gave half my life to this damn heroism means nothing to you. Everything is replaceable, and as soon as you stop being useful, they replace you with a newer doll. New is just well-forgotten old," said Gran Torino, pouring out all his negativity on the teenager. Deeply hurt by the old man, his words had meaning, as looking at his prosthetics, it was sad to watch him. Once a sought-after hero, now just a discarded toy, no longer entertaining or useful. Izuku didn't start a verbal skirmish and decided to pass the old man, remaining silent. Passing by, Torino stopped him with his robotic prosthetic.

"Forgive me if I touched a nerve, but I needed to vent, young man," Torino released him, lowering his eyes, not daring to look the boy in the eye. Shocked by the gesture, Izuku looked at the old man with pity and decided to leave without speaking. Reflecting on his words, Midoriya asked himself who a real hero was and if he had the right to be one. For behind sweet words and bright costumes lay an unpleasant side of heroism. Everything is replaceable, even heroes. Famous heroes remain only because they perform feats everyone remembers, like All Might's deeds. But no matter how strong his idol was, he was still human with needs. Deciding that, in his opinion, a hero not only fights villains but also helps people solve their everyday problems without resorting to violence. It's an extremely high bar for a hero, as who would want to spend their time, energy, and money on those they don't know. And for most heroes, the public is only needed to boost their ratings.

Deep in thought, Izuku quickly reached the school entrance. The school corridor was filled with students, and fortunately, he didn't see his bullies nearby. Reaching his locker, he was alarmed by the strong smell of glue. Opening it, he found his notebooks smeared with a white substance resembling semen, and on the locker wall was a photo of a famous model in erotic lingerie. Touching his notebooks, he saw the pages stuck together and couldn't be separated. Everyone was watching him and his locker, where the smell of glue spread, and the attention was drawn to the white liquid dripping from the locker.

Shocked, he turned and saw mocking looks from his peers, including Katsuki with Katsuo.

"Hey, Deku, did you get excited being alone after class?" Katsuo laughed loudly, and others joined in, laughing as loudly as he did. Emotions boiled in Izuku's veins, he wanted to attack him and fight as before, but he couldn't do anything, or he'd be punished, forced to clean floors again. His eyes filled with blood, but this laughter on his face made him want to turn it into a face full of suffering, but what could he do against Katsuki. They did it, he would never have done it even if he wanted to, but Bakugo intervened with his caustic comment.

"Oh, Deku, your mom would be so disappointed to know you're indulging yourself at school," Bakugo's mocking smirk got on his nerves, but taking a deep breath, he lowered his head and looked at his locker, covered in white glue. Not allowing tears to spill, he carefully removed his notebooks to avoid getting dirty. Looking at the notebooks, he realized he'd have to start new ones, spending hours rewriting everything.

"What's going on here, everyone to class immediately," said Fuyumi, drawing the attention of the students, including Midoriya.

"And who are you? I haven't seen a teacher like you," Katsuo first noticed her form, which was indeed more attractive than other teachers.

"I'm your new teacher, and I ask you all to gather in class. Midoriya, stay, I need to talk to you," swallowing a lump in his throat, he saw mocking faces of his classmates heading to class.

"E, Fuyumi-san, I didn't do anything, I swear," looking at his teacher, who was coldly assessing her student. Seeing his notebooks, she realized he didn't have spares and decided to help, giving him some.

"I know, Izuku, you wouldn't do that, but please try to stay out of trouble. Here, take these notebooks and go to class," Izuku was grateful to fate for meeting her, but decided to handle his problems himself without help.

"O-okay. Thank you, Fuyumi-san. I won't let you down, Fuyumi-san," passing by her, he left her alone in the corridor.

"Do your best, Izuku," she whispered, entering the class after him.

The class was filled with its usual noise—students chatting, rustling notebooks, and a few bright phone screens in the back rows. The bell, as always, was more of a signal to continue the chaos than to start the lesson.

Fuyumi entered the room, adjusted her glasses, and lingered by the door. She didn't rush to speak, just observed the class, hoping her silence would attract attention.

But her hopes were dashed. The noise continued.

"Good morning," she finally said, calmly but loud enough.

Several students turned, some even fell silent, but most continued as if she wasn't there.

Fuyumi approached the teacher's desk, placed a folder, and tapped the tabletop lightly.

"Good morning, class. I am Todoroki Fuyumi, your new history and mathematics teacher. I hope we'll have a productive year."

"Really?" came a voice from the back row. It was a tall boy with tousled hair. "Think you can last here?"

A few students giggled.

Fuyumi met his gaze calmly.

"Your confidence that I won't manage only strengthens my resolve," she said with a slight smile.

Her response caused chuckles but also a bit of respect. However, tension hung in the air.

Somewhere in the middle of the room, almost hidden behind larger classmates, sat Izuku Midoriya. He looked focused, his eyes following every movement of the new teacher. Fuyumi noticed and nodded slightly at him.

During the break, Fuyumi stepped into the corridor to make some notes about the class when she heard muffled voices coming from a corner.

"Hey, Deku, you think the new teacher will save you?" one of the older boys' voices dripped with mockery.

Fuyumi paused. Around the corner, she saw a small group of kids surrounding Izuku. He clutched a textbook, trying not to meet their eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked, though his voice trembled slightly.

"Just that you were the only one glued to her during class. What, think she'll be your protector?" Laughter erupted.

Without hesitation, Fuyumi stepped forward.

"Is something happening here?" her voice was calm but cold.

The group froze. The older boy, the one who had just mocked, crossed his arms.

"No, miss. Just chatting."

Fuyumi held his gaze a moment longer than the others.

"Good. Then I hope you'll spend the rest of the break doing something more productive."

Reluctantly, the kids scattered. Izuku stood, holding his textbook like it was his only shield.

"Are you okay?" she asked more gently.

He nodded, though his face showed exhaustion.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. But if there's a problem, come to me. Okay?"

Izuku smiled slightly.

"Okay, Fuyumi-san."

From the first lesson, Fuyumi realized she had a challenging job ahead. The students were varied: some eagerly absorbed knowledge, some deliberately ignored her words, and others just entertained themselves, disrupting everyone around.

In the first math lesson, a group of kids decided to create chaos. They started whispering, laughing, and tossing paper balls. Fuyumi initially ignored it, hoping it would subside. But one paper landed right in front of her desk.

She picked it up and unfolded it. On the sheet was a caricature of her with the caption: "Miss Bore."

The class held its breath.

Fuyumi slowly raised her head and looked at the culprits.

"Quite amusing," she said calmly. "Though I think your talent would be better used in art class."

A burst of laughter filled the room. Even those not involved couldn't hold back.

Despite the difficulties, Fuyumi persisted. She sought ways to connect with the students. In history lessons, she told not just facts but engaging stories from the lives of famous people.

"History isn't boring dates and events," she said. "It's people. People with their hopes, fears, and struggles."

Gradually, students began to listen. Even those who used to be noisy now sat quieter as she spoke of great scientists, revolutionaries, and artists.

She communicated with Izuku most often. She noticed his genuine thirst for knowledge and the support he tried to offer others. At the end of the lesson, he approached her desk when everyone left for a break.

"Thank you for trying," he said.

Fuyumi smiled.

"We're all here to learn, Izuku. And me too."

He gained her trust, and in a 45-degree bow, he offered her a container with food, a token of appreciation. She didn't refuse this gift of fate and accepted it.

"Thank you, Izuku. By the way, could you share the recipe? I really liked it and want to make it for my family," she said warmly, and Izuku pulled a slip of paper with ingredients from his bag.

"Simple yet very tasty," he said as the bell rang, interrupting their conversation.

"Well, I have to go teach other classes. Don't miss me, Izuku," she said, leaving, and something inside him felt a pang, unable to explain why. Perhaps he had become fond of her company and her kind smile, which he missed seeing ahead.

One last lesson remained, and under the monotonous speech of the science teacher, almost half the class wanted to sleep, but etiquette rules didn't allow it. Izuku engaged in what he loved to do in his free time—analyzing heroes. Only a few pages remained before finishing when the teacher cleared his throat, drawing attention.

"So, children, I'll hand out blank sheets. Write down what you want to become and which future institution you wish to attend," the teacher was remarkably calm, as students constantly whispered to each other, showing disrespect not only to him but to the lesson.

Seeing the blank sheet, Izuku wanted to write "Hero" without hesitation, but he hesitated.

— Am I worthy of being called a hero? — he asked himself. He wasn't special, and he didn't have a bright quirk to help him win, no strength to save people when he couldn't even help himself. But he had something others didn't, not even All Might — "compassion and morality." Though everyone considered him a weakling, Izuku never treated those younger than him with arrogance. He knew how to care for others, even if they rejected his help, he would still try. Deep in thought, he created a credo for himself, a mantra and promise he has kept to this day, even if others saw him as a fool.

A true hero, Slava, is not one who stands in shining armor and a pretty pose. A hero is someone who does what needs to be done. You have to get dirty, help the weak even if they can't stand up for themselves, and still do it because it's necessary. A hero is a hero because he understands this.

Finally blinking, he wrote his cherished dream with a pen and signed next to it the university he would attend, smiling with pride.

— Time is up, please put down your pens and be ready for me to collect them, — the teacher said, approaching each desk to collect the papers. Returning to his desk, he began to read what the students wrote when asked what they wanted to be. They all wrote "hero," surprising the teacher.

— I see you all want to be heroes?

— YES!!! — the students shouted, waving their hands, activating their quirks and creating chaos, but a loud explosion from Katsuki calmed them down.

— Thank you, Bakugo, — said the teacher, though Bakugo had his own plans.

— Teacher, don't compare me to a bunch of idiots. I won't just be a hero, I'll be the number one hero the world has never seen, — Bakugo said, putting his feet on the desk, leaning back in his chair to emphasize his coolness. An immediate murmur of disapproval fell on Bakugo, and everyone but Midoriya glared at him, but it didn't bother him.

— Strange, but Midoriya also wants to enter UA, just like you, Bakugo, — hearing this, Bakugo first became furious but calmed down as his classmates started laughing.

— Is he serious?

— You made us laugh, Deku.

— I'm sorry to say this, but Deku, what can you possibly find at UA? There's no place for the quirkless.

— Delete what you wrote, Deku.

Everyone started laughing at him, causing pain not only to his body but also to his soul, which cracked further, creating fissures. If only it had ended there, but they continued their tirade, and the teacher stood by and listened.

Izuku sat at his desk, tightly clutching his notebook labeled "Hero Analysis." It was his pride, his work. The pages were filled with detailed notes on quirks, combat techniques, the strengths and weaknesses of heroes and villains. He knew it was his chance — his opportunity to compensate for the lack of a quirk. But today, everything went wrong.

— Seriously? — one of the classmates scoffed loudly, putting his feet on the desk. — Midoriya wants to be a hero without a quirk? That's just funny!

Those words pierced Izuku like poison. He felt all the eyes in the class turn towards him. Smiles, smirks, loud laughter filled the air.

— And who would take you? — another continued, glancing at his notebook. — Maybe you'll become some hero's mascot? Ha-ha!

The words cut into his consciousness, leaving deep wounds. His chest tightened as if someone was squeezing his heart. He tried to respond, but his voice got stuck in his throat. His face burned with shame, his eyes welled up with tears.

— I... — he began, but his voice was too weak for anyone to hear.

The laughter grew louder, overpowering even his thoughts. Their words echoed in his head: "Useless," "Funny," "Dreamer." Izuku lowered his head to hide his tears, but he felt them betrayingly stream down his cheeks.

Deep inside, something vital was breaking. His belief in himself, his hopes, his dreams — all trembled like a fragile glass sphere ready to shatter. But along with this pain, something else flared up — anger, mixed with despair.

"I have to prove them wrong," he thought, clenching his teeth, though he knew how difficult it would be. "I'll show them. I won't give up. Never."

These thoughts filled him with determination, but they weren't enough to drown out the hurt. At that moment, he was just a boy with a shattered dream, surrounded by the laughter of those who didn't believe in him.

The lesson ended, and it was time to go home, but one of his classmates tripped Midoriya. Holding his notebook, Izuku dropped it, and it caught Bakugo's attention. Feeling his inner pocket, he couldn't find the photo with Nejire.

— Where is it? — Izuku asked himself, while Katsuo caught his attention, holding the photo.

— Hey Deku, did you lose something? — The photo connecting him and her was in the hands of the most unpleasant person — his bully.

— Isn't that you with some girl? Wow, Deku, do you really think she'll fall for you? Look at yourself, you're pathetic, and you think this girl will notice you? Hahaha! — Gathering around him, taunts and nasty comments poured like a river, and Izuku's despair reached new heights. His eyes welled up with tears, and he no longer hid his emotions.

— Ha, Hero Analysis. Deku, if you want to be a hero, there's a more proven way than these scribbles, — Bakugo said, burning his notebook from all sides, turning it into a piece of charred paper, which he threw out the window into a nearby pond. In tears, Izuku asked what way, but the answer was more horrifying than he could have imagined.

— And what way is that?

— Jump like a kangaroo from the roof and hope for a better life with a quirk. — His world shattered, and it seemed there were no more reasons, but Bakugo seemed to think it wasn't enough and decided to get closer.

— Remember, I'm the hero here, not you. You won't get into UA, and forget about becoming a hero. No one will accept you, so deal with it. And don't cross my path, — Bakugo snatched the photo from Katsuo and began to show it to Midoriya.

— Want to see a trick? See this photo, now you see it, and in a second... — Using his quirk, the photo turned to a handful of ash, and his world froze, like in slow motion.

Laughter filled the classroom again, but for Izuku, everything disappeared. He stared at the charred piece of his past, slowly settling to the floor. It was a memory of the only person who once looked at him without pity or contempt, but with a sincerely friendly smile.

His eyes stung with tears. Pain squeezed his chest, and the taunts of his classmates echoed in his head.

"Why?" he thought, clenching his fists. "Why do they always have to destroy everything that matters to me?"

— Forget your dream, Deku. You were never a hero, and you'll never be one, — said Katsuo, leaving Izuku in tears, alone in the classroom. He would have burst into tears, but remembered his notebook outside and decided to go after it. Descending, he saw his soaked notebook being eaten by fish.

Grabbing the notebook, Izuku headed home, pondering Bakugo's words.

— Maybe he's right? Maybe you really can't become a hero without a quirk. But no, until All Might himself says it, I'll keep believing until it happens... — his monologue was interrupted by a strange sound of an opening manhole, and turning around, he saw a disgusting sight. A villain made of sludge with two red eyes with yellow whites and revolting teeth, smelling of garbage and sewage, gave the villain a terrifying appearance and stench, making it unpleasant to breathe.

Seeing the teenager trembling before him, the villain grinned with his crooked teeth, looking down on him.

— Oh, look what a lonely child is doing in such a deserted place? — the villain asked, smirking at the find. Izuku was scared and prepared to run. But he tried to buy time for someone to come to his aid.

— No one will help you here, boy; we're alone. If you don't mind, give me your body voluntarily. I promise you'll only suffer for 35 seconds before you die, — the villain began to grow and slowly moved toward Izuku.

— Help! Villain! — Izuku shouted, but no one came to his aid. The villain lunged at him, capturing his body. Izuku resisted, buying time, but deep down knew he wouldn't last long unless someone helped.

— Come on, don't resist, and you'll do me a big favor, — the villain tried to force his sludge into Midoriya's mouth, but he shut it tight, not allowing it to enter. However, using the gaps in his nose, the villain easily penetrated, slowly reaching the brain, causing an unpleasant viscous mass within his organs. The process was slow, and if he opened his mouth, the villain would easily take over his body. But it didn't end there — the sludge began to seep through his skin, causing excruciating pain. Slowly but surely, Midoriya's resistance weakened, and he nearly lost consciousness until he saw a silhouette before his eyes.

Was that his mom? She looked at him and the villain.

— No, it can't be, she's dead. She can't be here, no. His mind raged, trying to regain clarity. Maybe I'm dead, and the villain won? — he asked himself, but the silhouette of his mother began to fade, replaced by the immense figure of his idol.

— There's no need to fear! Why? BECAUSE I AM HERE! — All Might shouted, seeing the boy in trouble. He rushed at the villain.

— Damn, All Might!! — the villain cried, trying to hit him with his tendrils, but All Might dodged skillfully despite his size. He missed and, clenching his fist, All Might delivered his signature blow.

— Texas Smash!!! — The air blast sent the villain flying, shattering into countless pieces, saving the boy from death.

— All... All... All Might? — Izuku said before losing consciousness from lack of air. The last thing he saw was All Might's silhouette.

— No, it can't be, — he muttered before losing consciousness, catching his idol's attention.

Five minutes passed after All Might saved Midoriya from death. He thought the boy had died and began to blame himself for failing to save him, but his fears were unfounded as the boy slowly opened his eyes.

— Oh, young man, you're alive. Thank goodness you're alright. If not for your fantastic resilience, I'd probably be giving interviews to local news, hahahaha, — All Might laughed, looking at Midoriya, who couldn't believe his eyes: his idol stood before him, having saved him. He couldn't find his notebook and searched everywhere, finally spotting it five meters away. Quickly approaching it, he opened the notebook searching for a clean page. When he did, he was shocked beyond belief. On one page was All Might's signature.

— Thank you... thank you... thank you! — he began to bow repeatedly, expressing his gratitude for the rescue and autograph.

— What a strange boy, — said Nana Shimura, watching her successor from the astral world.

— Well, young man, I have to leave now and take the bad guy to the police station. Don't be bored, and see you soon, — All Might gathered the villain's remains in a plastic container and placed it in his large pocket. Izuku couldn't let his idol go; deep inside, a question tormented him.

— Am I worthy of becoming a hero? Or is a quirkless person capable of being a hero? — a question only his idol could answer, and as soon as... His nails dug into his skin, it reddened, and he clenched his fists so hard that his skin turned white.

— Wait, sir, may I ask you a question? — to which All Might answered firmly and clearly.

— I'm sorry, but I have to go, I don't have much time, — he said, preparing to jump. Not wanting to accept such an answer, turning off his rational mind, Izuku ran to All Might, grabbing his pants. With one big leap, he lifted off the ground, and seeing the earth disappear beneath him, Izuku began to scream, catching All Might's attention.

— Young man, what are you doing? Let go of me! — All Might shouted, but due to the strong wind, Izuku's face took on a comical expression, looking extremely amusing. Through the wind, he finally managed to speak.

— If... if I let go, I'll die.

— Oh yes, you're right. Hold on, young man, I'll bring us both down now, — All Might said, descending and landing on the rooftop of a building.

"Young man, do you understand that this was an extremely reckless act? You could have died," - inside, All Might felt his time was running out and he only had one jump left, but he had deceived himself and slowly began transforming into his skeletal form.

Izuku was worried that he would miss the chance to talk to All Might, and decided to ask the question directly and without hesitation. Clenching his shirt, he closed his eyes and loudly said:

"Can a person without a quirk become a hero?" Izuku spoke, but the question caused All Might to freeze, as it was a painful topic for him, since he himself was quirkless. But why did this young man decide to ask him such a question, All Might wondered.

"Everyone laughs and mocks me because I don't have a quirk. They all tell me that I'm unworthy of being a hero, and without a quirk, I have no place in this society," the young Midoriya told him, pouring out his soul. Hearing that he was quirkless, All Might felt pity for him, but he hadn't heard the word "quirkless" since he had received the power of One for All.

"Damn," All Might muttered, returning to his skeletal form. Midoriya was surprised, opening his eyes and seeing a skeleton instead of a person.

"Who are you, and where is All Might?"

"I am All Might, but in my true form," Izuku was surprised and expressed his sympathy for the man. He was too thin, and it seemed to him that he was ill.

"But how did this happen, you should be invincible," Izuku said loudly. At his response, All Might chuckled and sat on the concrete floor, showing him the wound he had received from All for One.

"Look, I got this wound many years ago, and because of it, I have one lung and a destroyed stomach. I hope you won't blab this secret, young man?" Izuku now understood the responsibility he bore, knowing All Might's weakness. He instantly decided that no one would find out.

"I will keep your secret, All Might, even at the cost of my life," Midoriya said, earning the trust of All Might. But All Might was troubled by the fact that the teenager in front of him had asked a very serious question, to which he had no answer. To avoid putting the young man in danger and remembering himself as he was, All Might decides to refuse him, shattering the boy's hope and then his dream. He wanted him to live a full life, not like him, eternally suffering from his wounds.

"I'm sorry, young man, but without a quirk, you can't become a hero," the words echoed in Izuku's head, and he, kneeling, stared at the floor, pondering the words of his idol. He didn't believe it, no, his idol was bluffing, this couldn't be reality, Izuku told himself.

"But... but you said that anyone can be a hero," Izuku murmured in a trembling voice, raising his gaze to All Might. Tears glistened in his eyes, but he didn't let them fall. "I've always dreamed of saving people with a smile on my face... I want to help people, and..."

He stumbled, unable to finish. It seemed to him that the air around had become heavy, as if the world was pressing down on him with its weight. All Might stood before him, tall, confident, so unattainable, and his face expressed regret.

"I'm sorry, young man," All Might repeated, his voice soft but firm. "Being a hero is more than just the desire to save people. For that, you need the power to protect. You are very brave, but... without a quirk, it will be too difficult for you."

These words echoed in Izuku's head. He lowered his gaze to his hands, which had always seemed so strong, so ready for action. But now they looked weak and useless.

"But I... I can learn," he continued, desperately trying to find some support. "I can become stronger! I'm willing to train as much as it takes! I..."

He fell silent again, because All Might's gaze was full of regret, but there was no agreement in it.

"Heroism is not just about training," All Might said softly. "It's about responsibility, risks, fighting enemies who are much stronger. Without a quirk, you..."

Izuku felt his heart tighten.

"You're saying I'm useless," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

"No," All Might shook his head. "I'm saying you're not worthy of being a hero."

These words finally shattered him. Izuku's inner world collapsed, and, lowering his head, he stared at the floor. His hands fell limply, and his eyes widened. He tried to find the strength to argue, but all he could hear was:

"Without a quirk, you can't become a hero."

He repeated these words over and over in his head, like a worn-out record. It seemed to him that the world around him was crumbling, leaving him alone in the void.

"It's... not true," he exhaled, but even in his own voice there was no confidence.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his skin.

"No... it's not true..." he repeated, as if trying to convince himself. "You're bluffing... This can't be reality..."

But All Might's words continued to sound like thunder in a clear sky, destroying his faith in himself. Izuku trembled all over. His eyes, full of despair, now began to fill with fury. All Might's words, which should have been a support, became blows that destroyed his dream.

"You... you just don't understand!" he shouted, abruptly rising to his feet. "How can you say that?! You are All Might! You are the symbol of peace, the hope for everyone! You have to believe in people! And you... you just refuse to believe in me!"

Izuku stepped forward, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails left marks on his palms.

"I won't give up! You can't just say that I can't do anything!" he cried, desperately stepping closer to All Might. His voice was filled with anger and pain. "You have no right!"

All Might frowned. He saw that Izuku had lost control of himself. His emotions were boiling, turning into uncontrollable rage.

"Young man, calm down," All Might said firmly, raising his hand to stop him.

But Izuku didn't listen.

"Why are you, my idol, telling me this? Why are you destroying my dream?!" he shouted, approaching him very closely. His hands were trembling, and for a moment it seemed like he was ready to strike.

At this moment, All Might realized he needed to act.

"I'm sorry, but this is for your own good," he said, and in the next moment his huge palm gently but firmly struck Izuku on the shoulder. The force of the blow was carefully calculated. All Might didn't want to hurt him, but one movement was enough to make Izuku fall to his knees, losing his balance.

Izuku didn't want to give in, and under the influence of emotions, he wanted to pounce on him, grabbing his T-shirt. He abruptly stood up, moving quickly, but with one blow to the face, All Might calmed him down.

"Enough!!! What do you think you're doing?" All Might was furious at the boy, he couldn't control his emotions. And All Might noticed that he was starting to cry, and what horrified him was a trickle of blood coming from his nose because he had to use force. He felt ashamed and apologized.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking at Midoriya.

"Why?" he whispered, his voice full of bitterness.

All Might knelt down next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Because I don't want your dream to turn into a tragedy," he said quietly. "I see your heart, your determination, but without power, you will only suffer."

Izuku clenched his fists, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes again. He wanted to hate All Might, but he couldn't. Instead, he felt broken, as if his world had collapsed and left him in the void.

"I won't... give up..." he exhaled, his voice full of pain. "I'll find a way. Even if you don't believe in me."

They talked for a long time, as a result of which Izuku's moral state was completely destroyed. A black crow with large white eyes was eavesdropping on them. Seeing the quirkless boy, a quiet sadistic satisfaction overwhelmed her.

"The perfect host," she whispered.

****

Descending from the roof to the ground, Izuku wanted nothing more than to go home, lie down in bed and never wake up again.

A few blocks away, he noticed that an enormous glacier the size of a building had appeared in broad daylight. A dense stream of mud and debris was spiraling like a giant whirlpool, obeying the villain who was controlling the element. In his path was Fuyumi Todoroki, trying to contain the wave with her ice. Each of her sweeps froze the dirt, but her strength was waning, and the villain was only becoming more aggressive. The mud villain captured her, she resisted in every way, but, investing most of her strength in defense so that he could not penetrate her insides, she allowed him to use her quirk, turning the street into a kind of ice age, not allowing the heroes to approach her even a step. She was in pain, and fear and panic were readable in her eyes, he forcibly made her use her quirk in public. When she tried to completely freeze the villain, she failed due to the chemicals on his amorphous body.

The local heroes stood in a cordon, not daring to come closer. The ice created by Fuyumi was binding the ground, turning everything around into a deadly cold trap.

"We can't get close!" shouted one of the heroes. "Her freezing is too dangerous, and this dirt will swallow us all if we approach!"

Izuku, standing nearby, clenched his fists. He saw how Fuyumi fought to the last, but her knees were already giving way. Her face was pale, her breathing heavy.

"Something has to be done!" he cried. Izuku looked, and it hurt him that he couldn't do anything in such a situation. His knees were shaking, and the fear for her was also strong. After all, she was the first person who had treated him normally for a long time.

"What are you thinking, kid? You're just a child! Don't interfere, it's not your business!" one of the heroes turned to him.

But Izuku wasn't listening anymore. His legs carried him forward on their own. He ran, not thinking that the villain might notice him, not thinking about the icy surface that threatened to freeze him to the bone. There was only one thought in his head: "I have to save her!" The field had been turned into one big skating rink, and one careless blow from the mud villain would have been the end of him. The villain tried to kill him using Fuyumi's quirk, but knowing that her quirk generated ice in the direction her hand was pointing, he clumsily dodged, constantly falling to the ground. All the spectators watched this picture as the boy tried to save her. But everyone wondered why he didn't use a quirk to save her.

Mud waves rose up like giant tentacles, ready to crash down on him. Izuku dodged, slid on the ice, fell, but immediately got up. He pushed forward until he finally found himself next to Fuyumi. He threw his backpack into the villain's eye, disorienting him for the necessary time. But while there was time, he had to take advantage of the moment.

"Grab onto me!" he shouted, holding out his hand to her. Midoriya grabbed her pale hand, using all his strength to pull her out. He was succeeding, and the disoriented villain's tentacles didn't hit him. He pulled Fuyumi out of the clutches of the mud villain halfway and could have continued, until he heard Fuyumi's voice.

She raised a weakened gaze to him, her lips trembling, but she managed to whisper:

"You... without a quirk... Why?"

"Because I can't just stand and watch!" he cried.

She hesitated only for a moment before weakly grabbing his hand. Izuku with all his might dragged her back, towards the cordon. The mud furiously engulfed them, but he dodged, shielding Fuyumi with himself. Each step was difficult, but he continued. After pulling her out of the villain's clutches, Izuku looked into the villain's eyes, in which anger and anger were read. With one of his tentacles, he tore open his bag, from which notebooks and devices spilled out. The tentacles rushed towards him, but All Might protected him with his own body and with one blow ended the villainy of the mud villain.

When they finally reached the safe zone, Fuyumi collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness. Her breathing was uneven, but she was alive.

Izuku, covered in dirt, turned to the heroes, expecting them to come help. Instead, their faces expressed a mixture of irritation and condemnation.

"What do you think you're doing?!" shouted one of them, a tall hero with a massive figure. "You could have died! Do you understand how reckless that was?"

"We would have handled it!" another heroine chimed in. "You're not a hero, kid! You're just getting in the way!"

Izuku was silent. His hands were trembling from exhaustion, and his gaze was downcast. He wanted to argue, to say that the heroes were inactive, but he understood that words would change nothing.

He just looked at Fuyumi, lying unconscious, and felt pain and disappointment overwhelm him.

"Maybe I'm not a hero," he thought, clenching his fists. "But I can't just stand aside when someone needs help. Even if it's wrong from their point of view."

Izuku stood a little apart, exhausted and soaked in dirt, when a crowd of journalists suddenly surrounded the scene. Cameras clicked, microphones reached out to the heroes. Everyone was waiting for an explanation of why a simple boy without a quirk turned out to be the one who saved Fuyumi Todoroki, while professional heroes were inactive.

"It was reckless," declared one of the heroes, trying to calm the journalists. "We were already developing an action plan. This boy just got in our way."

Izuku wanted to argue, but the words got stuck in his throat. He still felt the condemning looks of the heroes, who considered his act not heroic, but stupid.

And then a figure emerged from the crowd that he couldn't mistake for anyone else. All Might. His tall, imposing silhouette immediately attracted the attention of everyone present. The crowd fell silent, and the cameras turned to him.

"All Might! What do you say about the actions of this boy?" shouted one of the reporters.

For a moment, regret flickered in All Might's eyes, but his face immediately took on a serious expression. He approached closer, looking at the dirty and trembling Izuku, and, straightening up, said:

"What this boy did was extremely irresponsible."

These words hit Izuku like lightning. He looked at All Might, his idol, the one he respected so much, with whom he dreamed of meeting and getting approval.

"Heroes are those who act not only with courage, but also with wisdom," All Might continued, his voice firm but not malicious. "He has no quirk, which means he has put at risk not only his own life, but also the lives of those who tried to protect him."

The crowd buzzed, the journalists recording every word.

"He's commendable for wanting to help, but that's not enough to be a hero," All Might summed up. "Heroism is not just the desire to save others, but the ability to do so safely and effectively."

These words became the final blow. Izuku felt the tears welling up in his eyes, but he didn't want to cry. Not in front of all these people, not in front of his idol.

He lowered his head, clenching his fists. A void, mixed with despair, was expanding in his chest. All he wanted was to prove that even without a quirk, he could be useful. But now his dream seemed even more distant.

When All Might stepped away, one of the reporters shouted:

"Boy, how do you feel?"

But Izuku didn't answer. He turned around and slowly walked away, leaving behind the cameras and the words that had pierced his heart like a knife. Picking up his torn bag, he went home with his head down, dragging something resembling a school backpack. The journalists photographed him, trying to capture the moment, and tried to get an interview from him. The cameras blinded him, and microphones were pushed towards him, but he remained silent and with his head down, with the backpack, slowly walking home, until all the journalists left him alone, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

****

In the cozy living room, Nejire Hado sat on the sofa, relaxed after a long day. The TV was on, and a news program was playing on the screen. She was scrolling through her phone, only noticing the host talking about some incident in the city out of the corner of her eye.

"Today, on the city streets, a boy without a quirk rushed to save the daughter of a famous hero, Fuyumi Todoroki, from the control of a mud villain..."

These words caught her attention. She raised her head and froze when the screen showed scenes of the rescue. Izuku Midoriya, covered in dirt, with a desperate expression on his face, was dragging the exhausted Fuyumi, sliding across the frozen ground.

Her heart stopped.

"However, this act provoked not approval, but criticism," the host continued. "Well-known heroes, including All Might, called the boy's actions reckless and stressed that he lacks the necessary skills to engage in heroism."

The footage switched to the faces of the heroes condemning Izuku, then to comments from the crowd, where people mockingly discussed his actions.

"It's just stupid! What was he even trying to prove?" commented one of the passersby.

"A hero without a quirk? That's just absurd," a woman laughed.

Every word hit Nejire like a hammer. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched the screen. The cameras showed Izuku again, standing in the crowd. His face was lowered, his shoulders trembling, but he remained silent, clenching his fists.

Nejire felt her heart breaking.

"This is wrong..." she whispered, but her voice was trembling.

She could no longer bear to watch this. With a shaking hand, she reached for the remote and turned off the TV. The room fell silent, but in her head, the mocking laughter of the crowd and the harsh words of All Might still echoed.

She gripped the remote tightly, her chest constricting with pain.

"How can they treat him like that?" she spoke aloud, feeling the tears streaming down her cheeks. "He risked his life to save someone else, and they just... just mock him."

Nejire covered her face with her hands, trying to calm down, but the tears wouldn't stop. Her heart was breaking at the thought that the one she remembered as a kind, bright boy who always tried to help was now subjected to such humiliation.

She sat in silence, trying to find a way to do something, to somehow support Izuku. Her thoughts revolved around one thing: "He doesn't deserve this."

****

Izuku walked silently down the lonely street. The day had become a nightmare from which he wanted to wake up. All Might had destroyed his dream, Bakugo had destroyed his photograph with Nejire. And now he had become a local scandal star, whom only the lazy would not point a finger at on the street, now he had disgraced himself across the country as a quirkless idiot. Now the headlines will be filled with titles like "Quirkless heroism", "Courage of the weak" and so on. Due to the weight of his plight, Izuku thinks that it will be the right decision not to go to school for a few days, so that he is not recognized on the street and so that the news of his unsuccessful feat does not become a reason for strong ridicule.

The same peculiar crow was watching Izuku. Even the moment when he recklessly tried to help that girl, he also saw and was interested in his future host. While he was alone, it was the perfect opportunity to merge with him, but the risks were high that someone would see them. And carefully flying up to him, he drew his attention.

"Hey, buddy, hello, you're also having a bad day," Izuku had never seen such strange birds with big white eyes and thought he was lucky and had seen a new species. He knelt down on one knee, holding out his hand to pet him on the head. He stroked him, and it became pleasant to him that he was so obedient. Smiling at him, she sat on his hand. Izuku examined her and the strange white patterns and disproportionate white eyes that greatly puzzled him.

"I'm sorry, buddy, I don't have any treats for you, but I promise that if we get home, I'll give you something to snack on," Izuku said, looking at the crow, who cawed approvingly. Holding the crow in one hand, they walked together to his house.

The symbiote, separating from the crow, moved to Izuku's clothes and looked like a large dark spot on his jacket, thus not attracting attention to itself. The crow, freed from the control of the symbiote, began to caw chaotically, scaring Izuku, and flew away from him.

"How strange," he said, entering the house.

It was quiet at home, very quiet, no one was home, only emptiness and loneliness were companions for Izuku. Due to recent events, he collapsed to his knees and released all the tears he had accumulated over time.

"Why? What for? What did I do to them?" he said to himself. His body became heavy, and it smelled worse than any dirt. Throwing his school uniform into the dirty laundry basket, he went to the bathroom to wash off all the dirt that had accumulated during the day. The hot water caressed his skin, relaxing his entire body, and after taking a bath, feeling tired, he went to his room. Seeing the lightning playing in the window and the clouds thickening, he closed the window and curtains, remaining in his room alone in the dark.

****

The symbiote, hearing that the potential host had come out of the bathroom, began to act, emerging from the dirty underwear, twisting its tentacles. He listened to the sounds in the apartment, but heard only the rumbling of thunder and the sound of rain dripping in the window. Passing through the door crack, he looked around to make sure the person didn't see him. He examined every room, and each of them was empty. He began to think that the host had left until he checked the room with "Izuku" written on it. Passing through the crack, he felt the host peacefully sleeping, tossing and turning in his sleep, and seeing him, he finally began to act.

Like a predator, he crept up to his prey, moving slowly, not making any unnecessary noise. He felt how difficult and painful it was, but a meter away from approaching Izuku's bed, he began to speak in his sleep, causing the symbiote to stop. Seeing no consequences, he approached him, climbing onto the bed.

"Here it is, the perfect chance," Venom whispered, making sounds of slime dripping down the fabric. Transforming his body into a hand-like shape, he touched Izuku's left arm. Slowly but surely, cell by cell, he enveloped his arm, seeing his memories and his whole life, reading him like an open book. Now he saw a dream in which Izuku brutally beat the killer of his mother, not regretting his actions. The latter, in turn, begged for mercy. Izuku resisted his impulses and tightly gripped the blanket, and at that moment the symbiote was capturing every cell of Izuku's body while he slept. Capturing the lower half of the body, he slowly made his way to his head to gain full control.

****

"Please, I beg you, spare me, please, give me a chance," the killer knelt, looking into the eyes of Izuku, who held a gun pointed at him.

"WHAT ABOUT MY MOTHER? DID YOU GIVE HER A CHANCE? DID YOU?" Izuku shouted, until he fired the gun, making a loud sound. The killer's body collapsed, and he dropped the gun to the ground. Finally opening his eyes, he was horrified that he was being captured by a black substance. Every tentacle covered his body, and before seeing the darkness, he looked at the ceiling, and his eye managed to capture how the light disappears and is replaced by darkness.

Lightning struck with a roar, startling Izuku, who jumped out of bed at the sudden sound. Opening the curtain, he saw the rain pouring outside. Disappointed in himself, he went to the kitchen, but then decided to look at the mirror and his reflection, staring into it.

"It's just a bad dream," he whispered. Izuku tried to touch the doorknob, but froze in place, unable to move an inch.

"Hey, what's happening?" Suddenly, tentacles began to emerge from his back. They clung to the ceiling, and he approached the ceiling, and the ground under his feet began to disappear.

"We will help you, Izuku Midoriya," a sinister voice sounded in his head, greatly frightening him. He was unable to move until he felt something wrapping around him from head to toe.

"I can't move, please, stop, stop," he pleaded with the alien as he was wrapped in a symbiotic cocoon from head to toe. Opening his eyes, Izuku found himself in a strange world where he was alone.

"Am I dead?" he asked himself, until someone gently touched his shoulder. These warm hands he would never forget.

Turning his head, he saw the person he had long lost, and could not believe his eyes that she was standing here before him in full health with a warm smile. Disbelieving his eyes, he questioningly pronounced her name.

"Mom?"

To be continued.