The sun was beginning to set over the junk-covered beach as Zuko and Denki continued their intense training. With the UA entrance exam looming, they were giving it everything they had. The crash of the waves on the shore mixed with the crackle of Denki’s electricity and the flicker of Zuko’s shadow manipulation, the two quirks playing off each other in chaotic harmony.
Zuko took a deep breath, his muscles aching from hours of effort. “We’re almost there,” he muttered, stretching his arms. “A few more weeks, and we’ll be at UA. We just have to push harder.”
Denki grinned, sparks lighting up the air around him. “Yeah! We’re gonna kill it at the exam. No way anyone’s going to stop us!”
They were about to start another round of drills when Zuko noticed a lone figure further down the beach. A boy was hunched over, dragging a massive piece of rusted metal toward an ever-growing pile of junk. Zuko frowned. “Who’s that?”
Denki squinted. “Is he… cleaning the beach?” His eyes followed the boy’s struggle with the heavy debris. “Why’s he doing that by himself?”
The two jogged closer, their curiosity piqued. As they got nearer, they could see the boy more clearly—scrawny, with messy green hair, sweat dripping from his brow as he pushed himself far past the point of exhaustion. He seemed to be collecting trash and cleaning the beach, but there was no sign of a quirk helping him.
“Yo!” Denki called out as they approached. “What’re you doing, man?”
The boy jumped, startled, almost dropping the piece of metal he had been dragging. He turned toward them, wide-eyed and breathing heavily. “Oh, uh, I’m just… cleaning,” he stammered, looking nervous.
Zuko raised an eyebrow. “Cleaning? By yourself? Looks like a lot of work for one person.”
The boy scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, clearly not expecting to be questioned. “Yeah, well, it’s part of my… training.”
“Training?” Denki echoed, confused. “For what?”
The boy’s face flushed, and he looked down. “For the UA entrance exam. I’m trying to get stronger before the test.”
Zuko and Denki exchanged glances, both of them puzzled. The boy didn’t seem to be using a quirk, and from the looks of it, he was struggling just to keep up with the physical demands of clearing the beach.
“You’re training for UA by cleaning up junk?” Denki asked, clearly not understanding. “Wouldn’t it be easier to train with your quirk?”
The boy stiffened slightly, but before he could respond, a deep, commanding voice called out from further down the beach.
“Young Midoriya! Don’t stop now! Keep going—you’re making great progress!”
Zuko and Denki turned to see the towering figure of All Might approaching, though something about him seemed different. He wasn’t in his usual muscular form, and his appearance was much thinner, more fragile. His voice was still strong, but the sight of him looking so gaunt was jarring.
“All Might?!” Denki whispered in shock. “What’s he doing here?”
The green-haired boy—Midoriya, apparently—looked even more nervous now that All Might had arrived. He quickly tried to get back to work, dragging the metal toward the junk pile again.
(Time-skip because I don't want to explain what happened with all might but disclaimer they don't know about the quirk thing yet)
All Might gave them all a broad smile as he walked up to them. “Ah, looks like you’ve met young Midoriya! He’s been training hard, preparing for the UA exam, just like you.”
Zuko and Denki stared at All Might, still trying to process what they were seeing. All Might, the Number One Hero, was personally overseeing some kid cleaning up trash as part of his training? Something didn’t add up.
Zuko crossed his arms, his gaze moving from All Might to Midoriya. “He’s training… without using his quirk?”
Midoriya tensed at the question, clearly uncomfortable. All Might stepped forward, his usual smile faltering slightly as he looked at Zuko and Denki. “Indeed, young Midoriya has a unique training regimen. His body needs to be in peak condition for the challenges ahead.”
Denki tilted his head, still puzzled. “Yeah, but why not use his quirk to help? This looks like a lot of work for one person, especially without any help.”
All Might’s eyes flickered briefly, and Zuko could tell there was something more going on here. The hero’s usual bombastic attitude was subdued, almost guarded.
“Not every challenge requires a quirk,” All Might said, his tone firm but kind. “Sometimes, true strength comes from the heart and the will to endure. That’s what young Midoriya is training for.”
Zuko watched All Might carefully, his instincts telling him that there was more to this situation than they were being told. Midoriya was working himself to the bone, pushing far beyond what seemed reasonable for someone without a quirk. But why?
All Might’s gaze shifted to Midoriya, who was still hard at work. “He’s preparing for something important—something that requires great physical and mental strength.”
Zuko’s mind raced, trying to piece together the clues. All Might wouldn’t be here if this was just about physical training. And why would a quirkless kid need to build himself up to such extreme levels?
Denki, always one to speak his mind, chimed in. “Well, whatever it is, you’ve got guts, man. Most people would’ve quit by now.”
Midoriya looked up at him, surprised by the compliment. He gave a small, shy smile. “Thanks.”
Zuko’s eyes lingered on Midoriya for a moment longer, something in the boy’s determination reminding him of his own struggles. Whatever this was about, it wasn’t their business—at least, not yet. They had their own training to worry about.
“Well, good luck with your training,” Zuko said, his tone neutral but not unkind. “Hope you make it to UA.”
Midoriya nodded, clearly grateful for the encouragement. “You too.”
As they walked away, Zuko couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Midoriya than met the eye. The boy’s determination, his refusal to give up despite the odds—it was something Zuko could respect, even if he didn’t fully understand it yet.
Denki, on the other hand, was still buzzing with curiosity. “Man, that was weird, right? I mean, cleaning up trash as training? What do you think All Might meant when he said it was about strength coming from the heart?”
Zuko shrugged, his gaze focused ahead. “Who knows? But whatever it is, it’s not our problem. We need to focus on getting ourselves ready for the exam.”
Denki grinned, throwing a playful punch at Zuko’s shoulder. “Right! No way we’re letting some random kid outwork us.”
Zuko smirked, his determination renewed. “Let’s get back to work, then.”
As they continued their training, the sun sank lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the beach. Zuko couldn’t help but glance back one last time, seeing Midoriya still hard at work, dragging another piece of debris toward the pile.
There was something about that kid—something Zuko couldn’t quite put his finger on. But one thing was clear: Midoriya had the heart of a hero.
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ActionZuko has spent his life under the crushing weight of his father's expectations. Born with the rare ability to control shadowflames-a dangerous, unpredictable quirk-he's never been able to meet the impossibly high standards set by his hero father. Co...
