Rising Tides (Izuku Midoriya x F!Reader)

Chapter 023

CHAPTER 23: Pushing Limits

The excitement of choosing your hero name and donning your costume had faded slightly as you stood at the edge of the training grounds of Wavebreaker's agency. The sleek suit you had designed felt snug and functional, but now it was time to see if it would truly help you with what you needed: control.

You were working under Aqua Surge, a pro hero with incredible water manipulation abilities, one of the best in the field. She was tough, but fair, and expected nothing short of mastery from you.

"Wavebreaker," Aqua Surge called from the sidelines, "Focus on maintaining the form of the water. It's not just about moving it—it's about knowing its every shape and shift. Precision. You lose it for a second, and the fight’s over."

You nodded, your body tense with concentration. The task seemed deceptively simple—pull water from underground and navigate it through a twisting obstacle course. But the farther away the water was, the more your control wavered. And if you slipped for even a second, the water would collapse.

With your quirk, pulling from any source of water was possible, but keeping the flow steady was the challenge. You dug your feet into the ground, reaching out mentally to the water source beneath. You could feel the subtle pulse of the liquid, deep below, and slowly coaxed it to the surface. A few moments later, a thin stream began to break through the ground.

But as soon as you started guiding it, your vision blurred slightly, exhaustion creeping in. You felt your arms tremble from the strain.

“Not yet,” you muttered to yourself, forcing your focus back, trying to keep the water steady.

---

With Midoriya

Midoriya was locked in his own intense training with Gran Torino, the retired pro hero who had a reputation for speed and unorthodox training methods. Midoriya had been trying to master his Full Cowl technique, but using it for more than a few seconds left his muscles burning, his energy draining faster than he expected.

"You’re getting sloppy, kid!" Gran Torino shouted as Midoriya stumbled on a landing, gasping for breath. "Your quirk isn’t just about raw power. It's about balance and control. You're either all in, or you're out, no middle ground."

"I know," Midoriya gasped, sweat pouring down his face. "I’m trying, but—"

"No excuses!" Gran Torino cut him off, zipping past Midoriya in a blur, his foot landing a quick but firm strike against Midoriya’s side. Midoriya winced, his body still not fully accustomed to the sheer energy One For All required. He knew he couldn’t afford to hesitate, but his quirk demanded so much from his body, he felt like he was constantly walking on a knife’s edge.

---

Elsewhere in Japan

The rest of Class 1-A was spread out across the country, undergoing their internships and learning under various pro heroes. Every student was facing their own challenges, pushing their quirks and skills to the limit.

Bakugo had been placed under Best Jeanist, a decision that didn’t sit well with him initially. Jeanist was focused on refining Bakugo’s wild temper and honing his abilities beyond sheer explosions. Bakugo’s frustration was clear as Jeanist insisted on focusing on his appearance and self-control. But beneath the surface, Bakugo was starting to understand the importance of precision, even in his rage-fueled quirk.

Iida, still grieving for his injured brother, was learning the hard way under Manual, a lesser-known but highly skilled hero. Though Iida wanted to rush into action and confront Stain, Manual’s slow, deliberate approach was forcing him to see the bigger picture of hero work beyond revenge.

Uraraka had been thrown into a combat-heavy training regime under Gunhead, focusing on close-quarters combat and grappling. Though her quirk wasn’t inherently designed for physical fighting, Uraraka was learning the value of combat techniques to supplement her abilities.

Todoroki, meanwhile, was enduring the harsh training under his father, Endeavor. Their relationship remained strained, but Todoroki was slowly coming to terms with the power of his flames and the emotional baggage they carried. Endeavor’s harsh words only fueled his determination to use his fire on his own terms.

Tokoyami was training under Hawks, a pro hero known for his speed and intelligence. Hawks was teaching Tokoyami how to use Dark Shadow more efficiently in daylight, making sure his quirk was less dependent on the surrounding darkness.

Each student was pushing through their own personal battles, learning not just about their quirks but about themselves.

---

Your muscles were burning, your concentration slipping as you fought to control the water through the final section of the obstacle course. Aqua Surge watched carefully, her eyes narrowing as she saw you waver. The water began to lose form, threatening to spill onto the ground.

"Keep it steady!" Aqua Surge called out.

You grit your teeth, trying to pull it back together, but the exhaustion was getting to you. Just when you thought you couldn’t keep going, a memory flashed in your mind—your father’s proud nod after the sports festival, the determination in your mother’s eyes. You had to push through. You needed to.

With a final burst of energy, you regained control of the water, guiding it swiftly through the last obstacle before finally releasing it. The water fell to the ground with a soft splash, and you dropped to your knees, panting heavily.

"Not bad," Aqua Surge said, her voice softer now. "But you need endurance. We’ll work on that tomorrow. For now, get some rest."

---

Later that evening, you received a text from Midoriya.

Midoriya:
Today was rough. Gran Torino is pushing me hard, but I think I’m getting stronger. How about you?

You chuckled tiredly before typing a quick response.

You:
Same here. Aqua Surge is no joke. But I think we’re both gonna need this strength for what’s coming.

You didn’t mention it, but both of you knew the growing threat on the horizon. The Hero Killer Stain had been making headlines, and whispers about the League of Villains weren’t far behind.

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A/N: Word count: ~1070, this chapter dives into the various internships of Class 1-A and the challenges each student faces, including Wavebreaker and Midoriya as they push their limits. Stay tuned for the next chapter where we'll see more growth with both Y/N and Midoriya as they finally are able to grasp the initial point of their qiurks.

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