Timeskip
Izuku was 11 years old, and life had become much worse than he had expected. The elementary school he had attended since the age of 6, after a year of separation from Nejire, had transformed from a place of learning and making new friends into a place of nightmares and shattered hopes. This was thanks to an old 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 became his second self. The school and kindergarten praised him, and his abilities matched the image of a hero. Friends, educators, peers, and teachers predicted a bright future for him, where he would become the hero of a new generation. But flattery made him arrogant, and he began to look down on everyone, considering them extras. The once balanced and calm boy became egocentric, arrogant, and quick-tempered because of the sycophants, unable to accept objective criticism. Bakugo didn't care about other people's grief. He had a good home, wealth, a whim, and a future, and everything in life came easily to him. Why should he worry about others if they only hindered his achievements?
Midoriya's former best friend became a bully who despised him from the bottom of his heart, mocking him, venting his anger and satisfying his ego by beating and insulting him at every opportunity. Izuku was hurt — he was still a child who had been abandoned by his father because of his innocence, cutting off all contact with him. His father disappeared from his life as if he had never existed. He was an innocent "tumor" in modern society, adapting to the new changes created by the public figure Re:Destro. Not only did he not lose his audience, but he also increased it thanks to hot-blooded young people who did not think about the thirst for power. Discrimination against the unpretentious became a real nightmare for Izuku. Every teenager pointed at him at school, indicating that he was a loser. All these words:
[Loser]
[Inferior]
[Burden]
[Tumor of society]
[Worthless]
[Abnormal]
[Defective]
became a stigma for the boy who was just beginning to form his personality. It hurt him to see everyone looking down on him, pointing fingers and demonstrating their quirks, proving his deprivation of the gift of human evolution. Sympathetic glances gave way to contempt and hatred, because, in their opinion, he had no right to be in their high society.
After parting with Nejire, Izuku turned 6, which meant he would leave kindergarten and enter elementary school. After his peers' quirks awakened, those around him began to avoid him, ignoring him. Little Izuku often sat alone, watching all the children play, depriving him of attention. He was still friends with Bakugo, who invited him to play, but always acted like a hero, breaking his psyche and gradually turning Izuku into a self-centered person. His teacher Ayame tried to help him by playing with him and encouraging him, but after breaking up with Nejire, Izuku's fragile and pure soul was irrevocably broken. During his friendship with Nejire, he talked about his experiences, and his friend's support fueled his motivation to not give up and move on. Izuku's mother knew everything that was happening to her son, but she couldn't help him, except to ask Ayame for help, who also tried unsuccessfully to integrate him into the children's community.
A year passed, leaving Izuku with doubts about his existence and his worthiness to be in a society where he was "defective." Bakugo's mother sent her violent son to the same school so as not to ruin their friendship, unaware of what would happen between them in the future.
Dressed in a clean uniform of a black jacket, white shirt, and black pants, Izuku walked down the hallway looking for his classroom.
"I welcome you all, children, and congratulate you on your first day of school," the teacher greeted them, looking at the children with a smile. The children applauded her congratulations while sitting in their seats. Seeing his classmates, Midoriya was tense and nervous, because they stood out so much against his background.
The teacher continued to talk about the importance of studying hard and developing quirks. Her voice was soft and encouraging, but to Izuku it sounded like distant noise. He looked at his classmates, feeling his insecurity grow inside him. These children were completely different from him. Almost every one of them stood out with their confidence and energy.
And Izuku? He just sat in his seat, trying not to draw attention to himself.
"My name is Katsuo," said the boy with red eyes. "My quirk is 'Iron Fists'. I can strengthen my arms to the hardness of steel. I think I'll be the best fighter in this class."
The class murmured approvingly.
"I'm Akira," said the girl with green hair. "My quirk is 'Sunburst.' I can blind my enemies or burn things if I want to."
Each new introduction increased the tension in Izuku's chest. When it was his turn, all eyes turned to him.
"My name is Izuku Midoriya," he began, feeling his throat go dry. He paused, thinking about how best to phrase the truth.
"I... I don't have a quirk," he finally said, his voice barely audible.
The class fell silent for a few seconds, then laughter broke out.
"No quirks? At school? Are you serious?" said the boy with iron fists loudly, and his words provoked even more laughter.
Izuku felt his face flush.
"Quiet, children," the teacher intervened. "We are here to learn, not to make fun of each other."
But her words did not help. He knew that this day would be remembered by everyone for this very moment.
After class, in the hallway, Izuku tried to stay in the shadows to avoid unnecessary attention. But it was useless.
"Hey, quirkless!" he heard a familiar voice behind him.
It was Katsuo, the boy with the iron fists. He was with a group of classmates who looked clearly intent on having fun.
"Do you really think you have a chance at the school for heroes?" Katsuo asked.
"I... I just want to try," Izuku tried to answer, but his voice trembled.
"Try?" one of the boys repeated mockingly. "You don't even have any quirk!"
Katsuo stepped forward and demonstratively clenched his fist, which was covered with a metallic sheen.
"Maybe you should just leave? It'll save everyone time. Heroes like us don't need people like you."
"I... I won't leave," Izuku replied, trying to look confident, but his body was shaking.
Katsuo smirked.
"Okay, let's see how long you can last."
He slapped Izuku on the shoulder so hard that he almost fell over. The group's laughter echoed through the hallway, and Izuku stood there, feeling his eyes fill with tears.
He quickly turned away and walked away, heading for the exit. He needed to be alone to calm down.
In the schoolyard, in the shade of a large oak tree, he sat down on the ground, hiding his face in his hands.
"Why? Why am I like this?" he thought.
Torment and doubt overwhelmed him on the very first day of his new life, in what Inko called his second home, and he immediately became the laughing stock of the whole class.
With his head down, he walked home, kicking small pebbles. Katsuo's words were deeply engraved in his mind and tormented him, forcing him to admit that he was worthless compared to the others. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice how he had reached home, paying no attention to passers-by or anything else.
He knocked on the door, waiting for his mother to open it. His heart ached at the realization that this would happen again and again until something changed in his life.
The door opened, and he was greeted by his happy mother with joy and a smile on her face, offering words of congratulations.
"Congratulations, Izuku, on your first day of school! It's such a joy — you'll now 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, her arms spread wide, but she was tormented by the painful silence of her son's uneven breathing. Opening her eyes, Inko saw Izuku's dead face, his head bowed, staring at his shoes, his shoulders hunched to make himself look even smaller.
Inko was not pleased with this picture, for she remembered Izuku that morning — full of desire and optimism, with a smile on his face, talking about his new friends. Now he had come home from school clean, but completely defeated, with emptiness in his eyes.
His mother's words echoed in his head, changing the meaning of the sentence from joyful to more depressing and gloomy.
"Congratulations, Izuku, on your first day of torment in your new place. It's cool — you'll find new enemies and bullies who will be ready to mock and ridicule you.
This obsessive thought made his heart ache even more, causing him to shake in front of his mother, Inko, who watched the whole scene with horror and concern.
"Izuku, what's wrong?" she asked, kneeling down in front of him.
Izuku couldn't bear his thoughts and threw himself into his mother's arms, sobbing into her chest and clutching her jacket as tightly as he could. Inko didn't understand what had happened — it happened so quickly that she didn't have time to react.
"Mom... why... why was I born this way?" The words hit Inko painfully, as she had prepared a celebration for her son, who was going to his first day of school.
Looking at all the ribbons and the festive atmosphere, Izuku marked the first day of his suffering at the new institution.
"Izuku, I'm sorry," Inko whispered, trying to calm her son, but he continued to sob.
"Don't worry, Aunt Mitsuki's son will be here soon, and no one will hurt you. Katsuki is your friend, and he will never let anyone hurt you," Inko said, having no idea what Katsuki would do to her son in the foreseeable future.
The two years after Izuku entered Erudera School were torture. It was difficult to call it torment; rather, it was the moral destruction of a fragile, shy boy. Katsuki, who had found new sycophants for his greatness and authority since arriving here, did not help either. The teachers did not intervene, only watching as they verbally abused him, saying it was none of their business.
There was one notable thing about Eruder Elementary School: during breaks, students were allowed to play or do their own thing in the schoolyard.
The schoolyard was filled with noise: some were training, some were discussing the latest news, and some were just enjoying the break between classes. Off to the side, under a large tree, a group of students had gathered, among whom Katsuo, the boy with the quirk "Iron Fists," stood out. His face lit up with a sly smile, and his gaze was fixed on Bakugo, who was sitting nearby.
Katsuki sat on the bench, frowning as he looked at his hands. He had always been the center of attention thanks to his strong quirk, but at that moment he looked pensive. Katsuo felt that this was the right moment for his idea.
"Hey, Bakugo!" he called out, approaching him. "It's amazing how easily you handle everything. Listen, you're really the strongest in this class, aren't you?"
Katsuki looked up but said nothing. Katsuo took his silence as an invitation to continue.
"I'm serious!" Katsuo continued enthusiastically, sitting down next to him. "Do you see these guys? They're all afraid of you. You're like their future number one hero! I'd be afraid too if I were up against 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 be the strongest hero."
Katsuo smiled even wider, seeing that his words had achieved their goal.
"Yeah, who would doubt that! But you know..." He pretended to be deep in thought. "There's one person here who clearly doesn't respect you as much as he should."
"What?" Bakugo asked sharply, his eyes flashing with anger.
Katsuo leaned closer, as if he were about to reveal the most important secret.
"That unpretentious one. Midoriya. He's challenging you with his very existence! I've seen the way he looks at you. He thinks he's special, even though he doesn't even have a quirk."
"Deku?" Bakugo frowned.
Katsuo nodded, his face expressing complete confidence.
"Yeah. He's one of those who silently infuriates the strong. With his pathetic stubbornness, his 'I'll prove it anyway' attitude. Well, you know. People like him are just a disgrace to the school of heroes."
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. It was annoying.
"He won't achieve anything," Bakugo growled.
"Of course," Katsuo agreed, adding fuel to the fire. "But he doesn't understand that. Maybe we should show him his place? You know, teach him a little lesson. Not seriously, of course. Just so he understands that there's no place for people like him at the school for heroes."
Katsuki 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 was already filling his thoughts.
"I can do it," he finally said, standing up.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Katsuo exclaimed, patting him on the shoulder. "You're simply the best. I can't even imagine anyone else doing 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, getting Izuku's attention.
Midoriya looked up, his eyes widening when he saw Bakugo approaching him with a grim expression on his face.
"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 fly. "You want to be a hero, right? Well, heroes have to endure pain."
"Kachan, wait..." Izuku began, backing away.
But Bakugo didn't wait. His palm flashed, and he directed a small explosion toward Izuku, causing him to jump back and fall to the ground.
"Do you think you can be a hero without quirks?" Bakugo shouted, his voice filled with rage. "You're pathetic!"
Katsuo and his friends laughed loudly in the background, egging Bakugo on.
"Again! Show him!" Katsuo shouted.
Izuku tried to get up, but Bakugo sent another explosion into the ground next to him, causing him to stumble.
"I'll prove to you that you're nobody here, Deku!" Bakugo shouted, his eyes burning with anger.
But at that moment, one of the teachers came out into the schoolyard.
"What's going on here?!" he asked loudly, causing everyone to freeze.
Bakugo lowered his hand, his face still tense, but he took a step back. Katsuo pretended that nothing had happened and turned away with an indifferent look.
The teacher looked at Izuku, who was struggling to get to his feet, and then at Bakugo.
"Everyone to their seats, now!" he ordered, and the crowd began to disperse.
Izuku remained standing alone, feeling pain not only in his body but also in his soul. He felt once again how far he was from his dream.
After the incident in the schoolyard, the atmosphere in the classroom changed. The students began whispering among themselves, casting sidelong glances at Izuku. He felt the tension growing with each passing hour, but he didn't understand what had happened.
During the break, as he sat at his desk taking notes, a group of students approached him. Katsuo, who was always at the center of any conflict, led the group.
"Hey, quirkless," he began, leaning on Izuku's desk. His face expressed discontent. "What do you think you're doing?"
Izuk raised his head, embarrassed.
"What? What are you talking about?" he asked, looking around in confusion.
"Don't pretend," interrupted the green-haired girl, Akira, standing next to Katsuo. "You said that we are all too dependent on our quirks and that without them we are nothing."
"I... I didn't say that!" Izuku exclaimed, his voice trembling. "That's not true!"
But his words did not convince those around him.
"We all heard you," added another student, frowning. "You said we were just conceited people who didn't understand what it was like to be without a quirk."
"That's a lie! I never said that!" Izuku tried to defend himself, but his voice was drowned out by the murmur of the students who were beginning to support the accusations.
"Enough, Deku," Bakugo intervened, coming closer. His gaze was cold, but there was a hint of satisfaction in it. "You've always tried to look better than us. Do you think that because you don't have a quirk, it's harder for you, and we owe you something?"
"No, Kachan! I never thought that!" Izuku said, feeling panic wash over him.
But Bakugo's words only added fuel to the fire. The other students began to voice their opinions.
"You know, I'm sorry you're here," Akira said. "You're just ruining the atmosphere."
"Why even enroll in a school for heroes if you don't have a quirk?" someone from the crowd chimed in.
"You don't understand me!" Izuku finally shouted, standing up. His voice broke, and tears began to well up in the corners of his eyes. "I've never insulted any of you!"
Katsuo smiled, raising his hands in a defensive gesture.
"Hey, relax. We're just saying what we heard. If you didn't say it, why are so many people confirming it?"
Izuku froze. He felt every gaze in the classroom turn to him, every sound fall silent to hear his response.
"Because you... you all just want me to leave!" he said, realizing that this was the truth.
These words were met with a brief silence, but then Bakugo took a step forward.
"Maybe you really should think about it, Deku," he said in an icy tone. "There's no place here for someone like you."
Izuku couldn't hold back any longer. He rushed out of the classroom, ignoring the shouts of the teacher who had just entered the room.
He hid on the roof of the school, where no one would find him. The cold wind blew against his face, but he barely felt it.
"Why are they like this to me?" he thought, clenching his fists. "Why isn't it 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, resentment, and pain. His eyes were filled with tears, but his heart was beating with new strength.
The promise he had made to Nejire gradually seemed impossible. He wanted to forget all this, to leave, but something deep inside him refused to let him do so.
The school day was gloomy. Izuku spent several hours alone, trying to calm his thoughts and suppress the pain caused 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 class, he was immediately summoned to the principal's office. It was unexpected, and tension gripped his chest.
When he entered, his homeroom teacher, the vice principal, and the principal himself were already in the office. All three looked at him with serious expressions.
"Midoriya Izuku, take a seat," said the principal, pointing to a chair across from the desk.
Izuku sat down, feeling a chill run through every cell of his body.
"Do you know why you're here?" began the vice principal, folding his arms across his chest.
"No... I don't know," Izuku replied quietly, although he already had a feeling that it was related to recent events.
The homeroom teacher, Mr. Takada, frowned, his voice sounding harsh:
"We have received complaints from your classmates. They claim that you made offensive remarks about them."
"But that's not true!" Izuku exclaimed sharply, his voice trembling. "I didn't say anything like that!"
"We have testimony from several students," the principal continued, watching the boy's reaction closely. "They claim that you called them conceited, dependent on their whims, and said that they would never achieve anything without their abilities."
"I didn't say that!" Izuku said, feeling tears welling up in his eyes again. "They made it all up to make me look bad!"
Mr. Takada sighed and folded his hands on the table.
"Midoriya, I understand that you may feel isolated because you don't have a quirk. It's not easy. But your reaction shouldn't be to humiliate other students."
These words sounded 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 that 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 that I didn't say it."
The principal looked at him for a long time before speaking again:
"We understand that you deny the accusations. But unfortunately, we have no reason to believe that all these students lied. We are obliged to respond to such complaints."
Izuku felt the ground slipping away from under his feet.
"What does that mean?" he asked, barely audibly.
Mr. Takada sighed, his face expressing a mixture of disappointment and severity.
"It means that you will be punished. To avoid further conflicts, you will wash the floor behind the classroom after class for a week to reflect on your behavior. In addition, we ask you to write a written apology to your classmates."
These words sounded like a hammer blow. Washing the floors was humiliating, and the letter was an admission of guilt he did not feel.
"But that's not fair!" Izuku exclaimed, rising from his seat. His voice was filled with despair. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"
"Calm down, Midoriya," said the principal, his voice remaining firm. "We don't want to cause you any 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 ways to solve problems, not make the situation worse."
Izuku slumped back into his chair, feeling his strength drain away. He didn't try to argue anymore because he knew it was useless.
"You can go back to class," the principal finally said. "And remember, you can always come to us for help if you feel you've been treated unfairly."
Those words sounded so empty that a shiver ran down Izuku's spine.
"Yes, sir," he replied quietly, getting up.
---
When he returned to class, all eyes turned to him. It seemed to him that every student was looking at him with condemnation or ridicule. He sat down in his seat without looking up.
Katsuo, sitting a couple of rows away from him, smirked and leaned over to his friends.
"Well, Deku, do you understand your place now?" he whispered, loud enough for Izuku to hear.
Laughter rang out across the classroom, causing Midoriya to clench his fists under the table. Sitting at his desk, he had a self-destructive thought that undermined all his attempts to restore his normal self-esteem.
"Compared to the rest of them, you're nothing."
To be continued
[4 chapters before Venom's appearance]