The Emperor's Dragon

Experimental Education

"Today, Izuku, I'm going to teach you how to throw a punch," Kurogiri said softly.

Izuku looked around the training room. There was a series of punching bags hanging from the high ceiling and there were targets on several of them. He noticed though as he looked around that there were several targets on concrete blocks.

"We will get to them," the misty man said when he noticed Izuku looking at them curiously.

"First off, please form a fist."

Izuku did so and held up his hand for Kurogiri to look at.

"Curl your fingers in tighter," came the instruction.

He did that.

Kurogiri nodded. "Now wrap your thumb over your fingers."

There was really only one way to do that and Izuku quickly had a fist formed. "Good," Kurogiri commented. "Now, hit this," he instructed.

This turned out to be a small ball that was about Izuku's shoulder height. He looked at it and noticed that it was on a stand that had a spring in it. Izuku threw a punch at it. His expression was shocked when he missed.

He looked at Kurogiri, half accusingly.

"I did not shift it Izuku," the man read his expression. "This will help you with targeting as well."

"I didn't realise there was so much," he said.

"Any fool can hit someone, Izuku," Kurogiri told him. "And if you've gone that far, then you should do it properly. Try again."

This time he managed to hit the target, but he could tell he'd only gotten the side of it.

"Again," Kurogiri instructed.

He tried again. This time the hit was on target. It was an odd feeling. Izuku knew the target was softer than a person but he wasn't sure what he felt. The target stretched back and then sprung forwards returning to the original position.

"Good," Kurogiri praised. "Now try a double punch." The misty man gestured with both hands, miming out a one two punch.

Izuku copied the motion. The first punch hit but his follow up missed and he was smacked in the forearm by the target.

"Lift your arm."

He tried again. He still missed the second one but the target didn't hit him as badly.

"Again."

Izuku tried a third time. This time he felt himself hit the target with both hands. It definitely felt odd with his left hand.

"Good," Kurogiri said again.

Izuku looked over at him with a small frown.

"I'm taking you through all the exercises, and then you can practice them," he explained as he moved to a new target. "Next I want you to activate Kilo and punch this," Kurogiri instructed. "Heavier, please," he added.

Izuku grinned and did as instructed. He hadn't used Kilo much, except to lighten himself when he flew, so he was happy to get the chance to practice making himself heavier. He made his fist heavier. To him, nothing felt different. Then he threw a punch at the target. It was drawn on a wooden backing board, so he expected some resistance. The complete lack of it surprised him and Izuku felt himself over-balanced.

Kurogiri cried out. The green haired boy heard it as he fell forward. The target flipped back with the base flicking out. It hit his legs and Izuku went down in a tangle of his own limbs on top of the target.