♰ ͲᎻᎬ ᎻᎬᎡϴ ᏆΝ ͲᎻᎬ ᎠᎪᎡᏦ ♰

Chapter 8: Shadows of Doubt

The sun was barely rising when Zuko and Denki hit the training grounds again. The air was cool and crisp, the beach stretching before them, littered with trash and debris. The smell of saltwater filled Zuko’s nose, grounding him as he stretched his arms above his head. Today was another day closer to the UA entrance exam, another chance to push themselves further.

Denki was already buzzing with energy—literally. Small sparks crackled around his hands as he worked to keep his quirk under control. “You ready for another day of breaking our backs?” Denki grinned, his usual carefree attitude hiding the intensity of his own determination.

Zuko smirked back, his shadows flickering at his feet in response. “If we’re not breaking something, we’re not working hard enough.”

They both knew the stakes. With the UA entrance exam looming, the pressure was mounting. Every day had to count. Zuko could feel the weight of expectation pressing down on him—his father’s words echoing in the back of his mind, the constant reminder of his need to prove himself. But this was different. Here, with Denki, he could focus. He could push the boundaries of his quirk without the fear of someone tearing him down.

As they began their training, Zuko focused on his shadow manipulation. He stretched the shadows along the ground, wrapping them around piles of trash, lifting and shifting the debris with ease. His control was improving, but he knew he had to go further. Every step toward mastering his quirk brought him closer to becoming the hero he envisioned.

Denki, meanwhile, was fine-tuning his electricity, keeping the energy under control without frying his circuits. “Hey, Zuko,” Denki called out between breaths, “You ever think about what happens if we don’t get in?”

Zuko paused for a moment, considering the question. He hadn’t let himself think about failure—it was too dangerous a thought. “No,” he said firmly, his voice steady. “I can’t afford to.”

Denki chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess I shouldn’t either. But, man, this whole hero thing is...a lot. You know?”

Zuko glanced at Denki, seeing the doubt flicker behind his usual playful demeanor. “We’ve worked too hard to let it slip,” he said, the determination in his voice as much for himself as for Denki. “We’re going to make it.”

As the morning sun climbed higher in the sky, they moved toward the edge of the beach where massive piles of trash and rusted machinery lay abandoned. It was then that Zuko noticed a familiar green-haired figure working in the distance. Izuku Midoriya—Deku—was cleaning up the mess, all by himself. His skinny frame and determined expression stood out as he dragged heavy debris toward a pile.

Denki snorted. “What’s Deku doing here? Isn’t this a waste of time? He doesn’t even have a quirk.”

Zuko narrowed his eyes, watching as Midoriya struggled to move a particularly large piece of metal. He knew Midoriya from school, and he also knew what most people thought of him—worthless. A quirkless kid with delusions of being a hero. Zuko couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for him. He was putting in the work, but without a quirk, there was no way UA would let him in.

“He’s probably trying to build muscle or something,” Zuko muttered. “But it’s not going to help him pass the entrance exam.”

Denki laughed, shaking his head. “Poor guy. Doesn’t even realize it’s hopeless.”

Zuko didn’t respond. Something about Midoriya’s relentless determination reminded him of himself. He knew what it was like to be underestimated, to have people tell him he wasn’t good enough. But Zuko had a quirk—Midoriya didn’t. That made all the difference.

As they continued their training, Zuko pushed his quirk harder, experimenting with new ways to manipulate his shadows. He summoned one of his shadow beasts, a sleek, wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes, and focused on maintaining its form for longer than usual. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he stretched his limits, the edges of the beast flickering as it strained against the confines of his control.

Denki watched, impressed but concerned. “Careful, man. Don’t overdo it.”

Zuko gritted his teeth, his focus narrowing as he forced the beast to obey his commands. “I’ve got this,” he muttered, though his body protested with every passing second. He couldn’t afford to stop. Not now.

Just as the beast began to solidify fully, a loud crash echoed from down the beach, drawing both of their attention. Midoriya had dropped a massive piece of metal, collapsing to his knees in exhaustion.

Zuko’s shadow beast faltered, dissipating into thin air as he let out a frustrated breath. He turned toward Midoriya, his curiosity piqued. “Come on,” he said to Denki, nodding toward the green-haired boy. “Let’s go see what he’s doing.”

As they approached, Midoriya looked up, startled, wiping sweat from his brow as he struggled to catch his breath. Up close, Zuko could see the sheer determination in his eyes, the same look he saw in the mirror every day. Whatever Midoriya was fighting for, it was serious.

“You okay, Deku?” Denki asked, raising an eyebrow.

Midoriya blinked, clearly surprised that they were talking to him. “Y-yeah,” he stammered, pushing himself to his feet. “I’m just... training.”

Zuko crossed his arms, watching him carefully. He didn’t know why Midoriya was working so hard when it was obvious he didn’t stand a chance. “Training for what?” he asked, his voice neutral but laced with curiosity.

Midoriya hesitated, glancing down at the pile of trash he had been hauling. “For... UA. I’m going to be a hero.”

Denki snorted, but Zuko remained quiet. Midoriya had no quirk, yet here he was, working harder than most people with quirks would even bother to. It didn’t make sense. What was driving him?

“Well,” Zuko said after a moment, “you’re going to need more than muscle to get into UA. What’s the point of all this?”

Midoriya’s face darkened, and he looked away, his shoulders sagging slightly. “I... I have to be ready. No matter what.”

Zuko glanced at Denki, who just shrugged. There was something more going on here, but neither of them could figure out what. Midoriya wasn’t just training his body—there was something deeper, something he wasn’t telling them. But whatever it was, Zuko could see it in his eyes. The kid wasn’t going to give up, no matter how impossible the odds.

“All right, Deku,” Zuko said, nodding slightly. “Good luck with... whatever this is.”

As they turned to walk away, Zuko couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Midoriya than anyone realized. His presence here, the way he pushed himself despite having no quirk—it didn’t add up. And then there was the rumor, the one Zuko had overheard a few days ago about Midoriya being spotted with All Might. Why would the number one hero waste his time with someone like Midoriya? Unless...

Zuko’s mind raced as they continued their training, his thoughts drifting back to Midoriya and the strange connection with All Might. There was something going on, and Zuko was determined to find out what it was.

For now, though, he had to focus. The UA entrance exam was fast approaching, and there was no time for distractions. But in the back of his mind, the mystery of Midoriya lingered, gnawing at him like a shadow he couldn’t quite grasp.

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