The sun dipped low behind the rusted chain-link fence that surrounded Aldera Junior High's training grounds, its orange light spilling across cracked pavement and fading gym equipment. The sharp clack of sneakers echoed as Midoriya Izuku struggled through another set of push-ups, his arms trembling violently under the weight of his own determination.
"Come on, Midoriya! Five more!" barked Sasaki Kenjiro, his arms crossed as he loomed over his friend, a confident smirk playing across his lips.
"I-I'm trying!" Midoriya gasped, sweat dripping onto the hot concrete. His shirt clung to his back, soaked through.
"You're whining is what you're doing," Kenjiro teased. Without so much as moving a step, he extended his arm, stretching it like taffy to snag a water bottle from his duffel bag. He tossed it at Midoriya's head with casual precision.
Midoriya fumbled and caught it, barely. "Y-you're worse than All Might's training montages…"
Kenjiro snorted and squatted beside him. "You think All Might got that ripped by doing half-assed workouts? Dude probably bench-pressed trucks as a warm-up. You want to be a hero or a hobbyist?"
Midoriya blinked, suddenly pulling a pen from his pocket and flipping open his ever-present notebook. "Wait—that's actually a really good point! If his Quirk is strength-based, then his training regimen would have to—"
Flick.
Midoriya recoiled as Kenjiro flicked his forehead with a stretchy finger.
"Focus, nerd. Sprints. Now."
---
Weeks Later – Steady Progress
The transformation was slow, but undeniable.
Midoriya could now run a mile without collapsing. His punches had weight to them. His breathing, once ragged and uncertain, now came in steady, practiced rhythms.
"Alright, new drill!" Kenjiro called, cracking his neck. "Dodge this."
"Huh—?" Midoriya yelped, barely dodging as Kenjiro's arm whipped forward like a rubbery cannonball.
"W-warn me next time!" he huffed, regaining balance.
"Villains won't warn you," Kenjiro replied with a shrug. "You want real training? You get the whole package."
Several students nearby had stopped to watch. A few from Class 3-B whispered among themselves.
"Is that really Deku?" one muttered. "Dude used to trip over air…"
"Kenjiro's been training him like a bootcamp sergeant," another replied. "Kinda scary. Kinda awesome."
Midoriya, hearing the murmurs, stood straighter. He raised his fists. "A-again!"
Kenjiro grinned and obliged, launching a flurry of mochi-powered jabs. Midoriya ducked under one, sidestepped another—
Smack.
A glancing blow clipped his jaw, sending him tumbling.
Kenjiro winced. "Okay, maybe slightly less force next time."
Midoriya sat up, clutching his shoulder but grinning. "N-no! I need to get used to real hits!" His eyes gleamed with fire. "Again!"
Kenjiro blinked, his smile fading into something more thoughtful. "Damn. Kid's got guts."
---
Kenjiro's Quirk – Mochi Mayhem
As Midoriya caught his breath, Kenjiro turned inward.
Training Midoriya was one thing. But he couldn't afford to slack on his own progress. His Quirk—Mochi Mastery, as he'd dubbed it—was already powerful. Enhanced strength. Speed. Durability. But it had potential.
And he was gonna milk every drop of it.
"Mochi Hammer!"
His arm expanded, growing into a massive, spiked mallet that crashed down on a rusted car hood, flattening it like foil.
"Mochi Whip!"
His arm thinned and lengthened, snapping outward like a tendon wrapped in steel. It sliced clean through a wooden plank.
"Mochi Clone!"
A chunk of his torso split off, forming a semi-solid double that mirrored his stance before melting back into him with a squelch.
Midoriya stared, slack-jawed. "Y-you're turning your body into weapons! That's an incredible application! The versatility—the adaptive mechanics! You're basically creating entirely new forms of martial tactics—!"
Kenjiro tossed him a towel. "Relax, nerd. I just thought it'd look cool."
"But it's so efficient!" Midoriya cried, eyes sparkling. "You could probably take on five opponents at once with all that flexibility! Do you think—do you think I could come up with my own combat style, too?"
Kenjiro glanced at him. "Once you get a Quirk? Definitely. But first, let's survive long enough for that to happen."
Midoriya nodded, eyes burning. "R-right!"
---
After School – The Tension Builds
The sun had dipped further, painting the sky in crimson and violet when it happened.
Kenjiro had just zipped up his backpack when he heard it.
"Oi, Deku!"
Bakugou.
Kenjiro groaned. "Here we go again."
He followed the voice toward the back courtyard, where Bakugou and his usual gang had cornered Midoriya against the wall.
Midoriya stood stiff, fists clenched, but his shoulders shook.
"You've been gettin' real cocky, huh, Deku?" Bakugou sneered, small sparks cracking in his palm. "Think training with that mochi freak makes you something now?"
"Leave him alone, Kacchan," Midoriya said, voice unsteady but firm. "I'm not trying to be better than anyone. I just want to get stronger…"
One of Bakugou's lackeys laughed. "Hear that? Deku thinks he's tough now! Should we teach him a lesson?"
Bakugou stepped forward. "Tough talk for someone who still doesn't have a Quirk. You're just pretending. And pretending gets people hurt."
"Back off."
Kenjiro's voice cut through like a blade of ice.
Bakugou turned, grin curling into a snarl. "Stay out of this, Sasaki."
Kenjiro stepped forward, eyes flat. "Nah. See, Midoriya's my training partner. And I don't like people messing with my stuff."
Midoriya sputtered. "I-I'm not stuff, Kenjiro—!"
Bakugou stepped up, eyes glowing. "You wanna throw hands over this loser? How pathetic."
Kenjiro smiled, teeth sharp. "Nah. I'm just saving you from losing to a Quirkless kid in front of an audience."
He gestured behind him.
More students had gathered, watching in hushed silence.
Bakugou's eye twitched. "You're dead."
He lunged—hand igniting in an explosion—
But Kenjiro's arm morphed instantly, forming a thick, padded mochi shield.
The blast slammed into it with a muffled boom, but the mochi simply absorbed the shock and rippled harmlessly.
Bakugou's eyes widened. "What the—?!"
Kenjiro stepped forward, voice low. "Try again. I dare you."
Bakugou hesitated. For once, he didn't charge in.
The bell rang.
Kenjiro relaxed his Quirk and turned to Midoriya. "Come on. We've got training to finish."
Midoriya stumbled forward, face pale with adrenaline. "R-right…"
They walked away, students parting for them like a tide. Whispers trailed behind them.
"Did you see that shield—?"
"He stopped Bakugou's explosion like it was nothing…"
"Deku didn't even cry this time…"
Bakugou's voice rang out after them, furious and raw. "THIS ISN'T OVER, DEKU!"
Midoriya flinched but didn't look back.
Kenjiro clapped him on the shoulder, solid and steady. "Hey. You stood up to him. That's something."
Midoriya's breath came in ragged gasps. Then, slowly, he straightened.
"…Yeah," he whispered. "It is."