A Tarnished Hero

Chapter 20: Mother of Learning

Izuku blew on his blade, wiping it with a cloth to clean off the dust that had made its home across its surface. Getting in close, eye to blade, he let out a satisfied hum as he put All Strike back into its sheath. Leaning it across the wall nearby, Izuku stood up and glared at the incoming students all making their way for him and Aizawa who was already fast asleep.

"Took your sweet time." Izuku approached the gaggle of students, all of them having looks of confusion plastered on their faces, most of which being one Katsuki Bakugo. In fact, it was hilarious that the ash blonde's eyebrows vanished into his hairline as he saw him walk towards them with a steady gait. "You know, I'd expect you all to be punctual, what with all of you being heroes-in-training."

"Wait a minute, aren't you that knight from the USJ?" One redhead commented and nearly everybody went on edge, all of them tensing for a fight ready to break out. The sight put a smile on his face. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Why, I'm your new instructor." Izuku shrugged and all of them froze, confusion once more taking root within their thoughts. "Yes, you can thank the rat for that. I still don't know why he wanted me here to teach you, but I owe him a favor for making my stay here pleasant, so teach you I will."

"What the fuck, Deku?" Katsuki, the loudmouth that he was, stormed to the front with eyes like daggers. Izuku could see the guilt hidden deep within, but it was overshadowed by the sheer confusion that plagued his inner thoughts. "You're the same age as us!"

The revelation got most of the students shouting their confusion, and it was spectacular. Let it be known that Izuku has a new hobby with messing with people, courtesy of Patches the Untethered, damn the slimy snake.

"So? Go and express your grievances with the principal, I'm sure that'll go over well." Izuku drawled and some of the students looked like they were indeed thinking of doing so. "And before you go doing that, just let me remind you that Principal Nezu does not like his time being wasted."

The area went silent for a minute, with Izuku bearing the wary gazes that pierced through him. Not anything new, he was used to this ever since he got his quirk.

"All right, that's enough." Aizawa finally thought it was time to speak up from his yellow sleeping bag. "Midoriya here will be teaching you this afternoon and that is final. Either put up with it or go home, but that will cost you your slot in the hero course. It's your choice."

His piece said, Aizawa inched towards a corner like a worm and faced the wall, fully content to let Izuku handle the fallout.

Looking back at the students, Izuku could see them murmuring to one another, their gazes seldomly crossing against his before they went back to their hushed whispering. His eyebrows twitched, fingers rapping against his waist as the students all expressed their displeasure at the sudden change in instructors.

Well, it was time to correct that sentiment.

"Alright then, since you all don't know me, and I don't know you bar a few of you I've already met back in the USJ, allow me to introduce myself." Izuku turned his back and moved to where he laid his Zweihander. Picking it up with a hand and hefting it atop his shoulder, he approached the students with an easy-going smile. "Midoriya Izuku, your temporary combat instructor for the afternoon. Also, your training starts now."

A feral grin formed on his face and Izuku zoomed towards the gaggle of students, their eyes wide as they saw his form blur. Arriving right next to Katsuki, Izuku didn't hesitate to swing his sheathed sword at the blond teen.

Imagine his surprise when Katsuki managed to block the incoming strike, but that didn't negate the impact that followed it. He heard a groan for a brief second before Katsuki was sent flying into the cluster of students, all of them finally getting the hint and taking defensive positions.