[UP FOR ADOPTION] Nozomu (A My Hero Academia fanfic)

Chapter 15: Trials and Tribulations

Streaks of amber and rose adorned the sky. It shone so bright that the sea visible beneath reflected its happiness, calmly swaying to and from the beach. The harsh wind that usually eroded all feeling was notably absent, creating a soft silence that had been yet witnessed. Today was a new day.

Shinso tiredly ran toward the beach, heavy sweat upon his forehead slowing his arrival further. He could not be late again. Zomu-Sensei would not be pleased. The recent events of his training thus far, although improving his reaction and fighting prowess substantially, had unfortunately not improved his pitiful stamina.

Every time they would duel, Zomu-Sensei would always gain the upper hand as Shinso couldn't last more than a few minutes of prolonged battle before suscepting to exhaustion. No matter what outlandish or unpredictable strategy he came up with, it was his lack of stamina that did him in. This is what resulted in his current predicament: dragging his feet from one end of the beach to the other with a fridge on his back.

"Kid, you're gonna have to go faster than that if you want to be able to compete with the best of the best," Zomu-sensei taunted. You see, ever since Shinso began training under the vigilante, he had begun referring to him as Zomu-Sensei, which was before just an affectionate nickname that became something of a habit for him. This, in turn, lead Nozomu to constantly call him 'kid' despite knowing full well his actual name.

Yet, in contrast to their squabbling every so often, it was evident they held no disdain for each other. In fact, the opposite appeared true. What others would interpret as taunting and belittling instead served as motivation to improve and even shatter prior limitations. If one were to test Shinso's ability two months previous, his results would be lackluster at best. However, it had become apparent that he was quite capable in combat.

And that was not including his quirk. 

With ease comparable to muscle movement Shinso could control his opponent merely by looking at them. His quirk had evolved. No longer did he have to converse with the opponent to bend them under his will. This had come in handy especially with the occasional interaction with the gangs that littered the winding streets that connected his home and the beach. With a simple gaze, he would prevent any ill-action intended for him.

Finally the time had come. It was the morn of the penultimate goal of his training. The U.A Sports Festival. And upon arrival at the beach, wishing to fit in some last minute training, he was halted by a letter attached to a box on the side, addressed to him. Opening it, the letter contained a message:

Hey kid,

I knew you would rush here before setting off, so I give you this as a final 'good luck' beforehand. You've improved so much since we started, as a symbol of your achievement, I have left you a surprise within this package. Use it well.

Yours truly,
Sensei

Inside the box contained a pair of specially designed gloves. They were primarily a leathery black, with metallic lavender plates placed in key areas such as the fingertips, knuckles and the dorsal side of the hand. Perfect for scaling difficult terrain as well as increasing the impact of attacks. Grateful for this gift and eager to see their capabilities, Shinso promptly slipped them on.

He was ready for the trials and tribulations that inevitably lay in wait for him. He was ready for the day ahead. He was ready to finally prove himself worthy of the hero course.