Just as promised this morning, I went with Izuku to train. The location was the usual beach where we had been training before. It was a bit deserted and didn't have any buildings around.
"Good. This is perfect."
Izuku was excited and couldn't stop talking. He kept praising me for my ability and asking questions about my quirk. He wanted to try fighting against me when I activated my second technique, which I couldn't refuse. I had to train this quickly or I would lose the feeling of using the technique.
As we trained, I couldn't help but notice something was off. He seemed hesitant, almost like he was avoiding me.
"You've been holding back." I said as I rested my sword on my shoulder. "Say, Izuku. Why didn't you use your quirk? I saw your battle earlier and noticed you didn't use it."
The boy paused and looked away from me.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about." He muttered, "But I was a bit tired from the last fight, that's all."
'Haa... This is why he got beaten a lot.'
"I don't believe you. Your power is different from before. It's like you have a new ability."
Izuku's eyes widened in shock, and he froze. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.
I noticed the change as soon as we started training. He didn't use his full strength, and his punches didn't have the same power. He was still strong, but his moves were a bit slower.
In short, he was holding back using his quirk, One for All.
"Did you underestimate me, Izuku?"
"No, it's not that!" He shouted and waved his hands around frantically. "It's just... I don't want to hurt you."
I snorted and shook my head.
"Don't worry. You can't even hit me when I am serious. Just do your worst. I will begin using my quirk now."
"Eh? Oh, okay."
He nodded and raised his fist, looking serious. However, he was too slow.
A cloud of black smoke covered my body as I stood still in front of him. Izuku was wary, but he didn't make any move. Instead, he waited for me to attack.
I didn't disappoint him.
With a burst of speed, I appeared in front of him and swung my sword.
"Huh?!"
He managed to block the attack with his arms, but the force was still strong enough to push him back. My afterimage dissipated into a black smoke once I appeared. I could feel power building up inside me.
From this, I concluded. Izuku was scared of me. He was wary and didn't know how to react to my presence.
Without waiting for him to recover, I closed our distance. My leg extended like a whip, hitting him right in the gut. He grunted in pain and fell to his knees.
"Ow!"
"Come on, don't hold back, Izuku. Use your power. I can survive All Might, so you're no match for me."
I had Izuku to work hard so he could get stronger.
Dirty but easy work would be mine. But being in a spotlight and attracting attention wasn't my thing. I preferred having my follower, Himiko, by my side and having a nice time.
'Ah, I will have to meet her again later. Or maybe she's still busy with the new group. Then... I want to talk with Tooru again and tell her what I actually see before it's too late.'
"Fine, then!"
Izuku stood up and cracked his knuckles as I was distracted. His green eyes burned with determination as he raised his fist. Glowing veins appeared on his arm, making him look even more intimidating.
"Take this! Full cowl!"
Boom!
He threw a punch at me with incredible speed. It was faster than before, making it difficult for me to block. Still, he forgot about one thing.
"Fool."
What he hit was my afterimage. I disappeared before his fist reached me, reappearing a few feet away from him.
"Damn it!"
His anger was clear in his voice. But he couldn't let it affect his mind. Not that it was my job to say that. All Might would give him clear advice on his attitude and how to control his emotions.
For me, the fight continued until Izuku was tired. He had a limit, and it was showing.
'He has a lot of potential, but he's still immature.'
Injuries appeared on his body, with a few bruises and scratches. His clothes were ripped and stained with dirt. The worst injuries he got might come from the usage of his power.
By now, I bet all his muscles were screaming. He might have broken bones too, or cracked ones. Continuing this would only result in an accident.
So, I decided to stop and lower my sword.
"That's enough, Izuku. Look at the sun." I pointed at the orange sky. "It's already getting dark. Time to go back."
"Eh? Ah, you're right. Let's go."
The boy nodded and his expression returned to normal.
I was impressed by his self-control. It was rare to see someone with a lot of emotional control. It reminded me of Aizawa-sensei and his cool personality.
But there was one thing I noticed.
'He's still immature. A bit cocky and naive. He needs more experience.'
After tidying up, we parted ways.
"See you tomorrow, Kuro-kun." He waved at me with a smile.
"Yeah, see you."
My mind was preoccupied about the future, about my friends and how I would try the last technique I had in mind. Making connections was important. Building trust was crucial. Not just one way, but both ways.
'First of all, let's contact Tooru and apologize.'
I pulled out my phone and texted her.
Kuro: Hey, Tooru. Are you free now? I have something important I want to talk about.
I had to start somewhere.
Tooru: Sure, Kuro. What do you want to talk about?
Kuro: Can we meet and talk about it? You can choose the place if you want.
Tooru: Okay, sure. How about the cafe near the station? It's quiet and no one will bother us.
Kuro: Perfect. Let's meet in 30 minutes.
I was glad she agreed. I sighed in relief and walked to the cafe. It was a peaceful area with no tall buildings or crowds.
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