A Chance Encounter: Izuku's First Step to Becoming a Hero

Chapter 6: Emerging Leader

Chapter 6

Izuku barely managed to duck under the lightning-fast strike aimed at him. With no time to catch his breath, another blow was swiftly directed at his head. Cornered and with no escape route, Izuku braced himself for the inevitable. Eyes shut tight and teeth clenched, he felt the strike connect with stunning accuracy. Collapsing to the ground, he was overwhelmed by a sense of defeat.

Who knew someone so small could pack such a punch?  He thought, his head still spinning from the impact. Sitting in the nurse's office, he could sense Recovery Girl's displeasure. It was only the second day of school, and already his third visit for healing - he couldn't really blame her for her frustration.

"I can't believe that muscle head didn't stop the match," Recovery Girl muttered, her eyebrows knitting in frustration. She then turned to Izuku, giving him a gentle but firm whack with her cane. "And you, young man, are not off the hook. Stop being overly dramatic; I've already healed you," she chided with a mix of sternness and warmth.

Izuku looked up apologetically. "I'm sorry... I used 100% because I was worried about my friends getting hurt in the explosion," he explained, his voice laden with guilt.

Recovery Girl sighed, her expression softening slightly. "You're just like that big buffoon. But remember, if you keep getting hurt like this, I won't heal you next time. You'll have to endure the long, natural healing process," she warned, her eyes holding a serious but caring glint.

"I promise to be more careful in the future," Izuku vowed, bowing deeply to convey his sincerity.

After expressing his heartfelt gratitude, Izuku made his way back to his classroom. As he entered, his classmates immediately surrounded him with a mix of concern and admiration.

"That was so manly," exclaimed a boy of average build with spiky red hair.

"Deku! Are you alright?" Ochaco asked, her voice filled with worry.

"I sincerely apologize for my teammate's actions leading to your injury," Iida interjected, maintaining a formal posture even as he bowed deeply.

"My name is Mina Ashido, that was an awesome match!" a girl with pink skin cheered, some of her defining features including two yellow horns coming from her head and black eyes containing yellow irises.

A choir of voices buzzed through the room, some expressing their concern for the reckless match while others held admiration for Izuku's actions. Following Mina's lead the rest of Class 1-A began their self introductions.

Katsuki, clearly having had enough of the commotion, swiftly grabbed his bag and exited the classroom. Ever observant, Izuku noticed his departure. After a brief internal debate, he decided against following him, recognizing that he owed him nothing after all their troubled history.

Once the flurry of greetings and conversations subsided, the classroom slowly emptied, leaving only a few students behind. "I'm going to stay back for a bit, I have something else to attend to," Izuku informed Ochaco and Tenya, offering them an apologetic smile.

Ochaco, with a playful nudge and a teasing grin, quipped, "Meeting up with your girlfriend, huh, Deku?"

"W-What? No, I don't have a girlfriend!" he stammered out, his reddened face showcasing his embarrassment.

Tenya interjected with his usual formality, "Uraraka-San, making such baseless assumptions is not appropriate."

Ochaco rolled her eyes playfully. "Just kidding! See you tomorrow, Deku!" she called out, waving as she and Tenya left for the train station.