It had been several days since the Sports Festival, and the excitement had yet to die down. The students of Class 1A were back in their seats, chatting about their experiences and speculating about what would happen next.
Izuku and Kyoka sat close together, exchanging tired but satisfied smiles. Their "celebration" after the festival had been unforgettable, but it left Kyoka walking a little slower than usual and Izuku sporting an embarrassed blush every time he thought about it.
Aizawa entered the room, his usual tired expression in place as he stood at the podium. The chatter in the room instantly died down, replaced by curiosity as their homeroom teacher brought out a remote.
Aizawa, {monotone}: "Good. You're learning. Let's get started. Today, we'll discuss your internship requests following the Sports Festival."
The class collectively leaned forward, excitement buzzing through the air. Internships were a major milestone for any aspiring hero, and everyone was eager to know who had caught the attention of the pros.
Aizawa clicked the remote, and a large screen lit up at the front of the room. It displayed a list of names with the number of requests each student had received. Gasps and murmurs filled the room as they saw the results.
Aizawa, {pointing at the screen}: "These are your totals. As you can see, the number of requests varies greatly depending on your performance during the festival."
The numbers next to most names were modest—ten, twenty, maybe thirty requests. But one name stood out, sitting at the very top of the list:
Izuku Midoriya – 1,400+ Requests
Shoto Todoroki -- 950
Katsuki Bakugo -- 900
The class stared in stunned silence, their jaws practically hitting the floor. Even Aizawa, who rarely showed emotion, raised an eyebrow at the sheer volume.
Mina, {gasping}: "One thousand... FOUR HUNDRED?! That's, like, every hero in Japan!"
Bakugo, {enraged}: "HUUUHHH!?"
Denki, {pointing at the screen}: "How is that even possible? That's gotta be a mistake, right?!"
Kyoka smirked, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair.
Kyoka, {teasingly}: "What can I say? My boyfriend's a superstar."
Izuku, however, was staring at the screen with wide eyes, his face rapidly turning red.
Izuku, {stammering}: "T-that many? I-I don't even know what to say..."
Aizawa sighed, clearly not in the mood for dramatics.
Aizawa, {bluntly}: "Yes, Midoriya, that's correct. Nearly every pro hero in Japan has requested you for an internship. That includes some of the top-ranked heroes and even the Hero Public Safety Commission."
The room collectively gasped again at the mention of the Commission. It was rare for them to take a direct interest in a student.
Bakugo, {growling}: "Damn nerd... Of course, he'd get all the attention."
Todoroki, {calmly}: "It's deserved. He earned it."
Ignoring the murmurs, Aizawa clicked the remote again, pulling up a new screen.
Aizawa, {continuing}: "You have until the end of the week to decide where you'll go. Remember, this isn't just about choosing a well-known hero. Pick someone who can actually teach you something."
He stretched and stepped off the podium, dragging his yellow sleeping bag behind him.
Aizawa, {casually}: "That's all. Dismissed. Don't bother me unless it's important."
He climbed into his sleeping bag in the corner of the room, pulling the zipper up over his head. The class sat in silence for a moment before the room erupted into excited chatter once again.
Kyoka leaned over to Izuku, smirking as she whispered in his ear.
Kyoka, {softly}: "So, hero boy, which lucky pro are you picking?"
Izuku chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck as he glanced back at the massive number next to his name.
Izuku, {smiling}: "I guess I've got a lot to think about."
[Transition]
It was lunchtime at UA, and Izuku sat at a table in the cafeteria, a tray piled high with katsudon in front of him. Around him, the other students from Class 1A were chatting excitedly about their internship offers, comparing notes and dreaming about the opportunities ahead. But Izuku had his own challenge—his stack of offers was so high it could barely stay upright on the table.
As he went through the mountain of requests, he saw names that made his heart race. The top 10 heroes were all there—Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Mirko, Edgeshot, Ryukyu, and even Kamui Woods had sent offers.
Then there was the Hero Public Safety Commission's request, which carried a sense of professionalism but also made him uneasy. The most surprising name, however, was All Might.
Izuku paused when he saw the offer from his former idol. He didn't hate All Might anymore—not like he did after their harsh meeting on the rooftop—but there was still an ache in his chest when he thought about the words that had once crushed his dreams. Still, it was clear that All Might saw something in him now, enough to extend a hand to teach him. It was a lot to process.
He sighed, taking a big bite of his katsudon as his mind wrestled with the decision. Crust was his first thought—his mentor and the hero who had already taught him so much. Staying with Crust felt comfortable, but there was a part of him that wanted to explore and learn from other heroes. Maybe he could try something new.
Just as he was contemplating, Izuku's eyes widened as he flipped to another offer in the pile. His chopsticks froze mid-air, and he nearly choked on his food as he read the name: Superman.
Izuku, {muttering to himself, shocked}: "Superman... Superman?! The Superman?!"
His heart raced, and his nerd side immediately took over. Superman was an international hero, famous worldwide, and rumored to be as powerful as All Might, if not more. His reputation was legendary, a hero who symbolized hope and justice across the globe.
The fact that Superman had reached out to him was unbelievable. Izuku's hands trembled slightly as he read over the details of the offer, his eyes lighting up like a child's on Christmas morning.
Izuku, {thinking}: "He's one of the strongest heroes in the world! And he's my second favorite hero, right after Crust and Star and Stripe! This... this is insane!"
The conversation at the table went quiet as Kyoka, sitting next to him, noticed his reaction.
Kyoka, {leaning over}: "What's got you so worked up, hero boy? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Izuku turned to her, eyes sparkling with excitement as he thrust the offer into her hands.
Izuku, {excitedly}: "Look! Superman! The Superman sent me an internship offer!"
Kyoka blinked, glancing at the paper in her hands before raising an eyebrow.
Kyoka, {teasing}: "Okay, nerd, take a breath before you pass out. But seriously, Superman? That's... pretty cool."
Mina, {from across the table}: "Wait, did you just say Superman? Like, the guy who's supposed to be as strong as All Might?! No way!"
The rest of the group quickly leaned in, buzzing with curiosity as Izuku excitedly explained who Superman was, why he was so famous internationally, and why this was such a huge deal.
As the lunch bell rang and the students began packing up, Izuku sat back in his chair, the Superman offer still clutched in his hands. The decision wasn't easy—there were so many amazing heroes to learn from, including Crust—but deep down, he already knew his choice.
Izuku, {thinking to himself, determined}: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If I want to become the best hero I can be, I need to learn from the best."
He looked over at Kyoka, who smiled knowingly.
Kyoka, {grinning}: "So, Superman it is?"
Izuku nodded, a confident smile spreading across his face.
Izuku, {firmly}: "Yeah. Superman it is."
