HERCULES METHOD IN MHA

The years had flown by in a blur of training, growth, and relentless determination. By the time Izuku Midoriya reached his final year of middle school, he was no longer the timid boy he had once been. His body, honed through years of grueling effort, was a testament to his unwavering resolve. His quirk, Herculean Strength, had become a force to be reckoned with, and his mastery of martial arts and combat strategy had reached new heights. But despite his progress, one thing remained the same: his dream of becoming a hero.

Now, as he sat in his classroom on a seemingly ordinary day, that dream was about to take a monumental step forward.

The homeroom teacher, Mr. Tanaka, walked into the room with a stack of papers in his hands. The chatter among the students died down as he cleared his throat and addressed the class.

"Alright, everyone," he began, "I know it's still early, but it's time to start thinking about your future. I'm passing out forms for you to fill out regarding your high school plans. Most of you will be attending the local high school, but for those of you with… ambitions, now's the time to declare them."

The class erupted into murmurs as Mr. Tanaka handed out the forms. Izuku took it hhimwith a quiet sense of anticipation. He already knew what he was going to write. He had known for years.

As the students began filling out their forms, Mr. Tanaka glanced around the room. "By the way, Midoriya," he said, his tone casual but pointed, "I hear you're aiming for UA High. Is that true?"

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Izuku, who felt a familiar knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. But this time, it was different. He wasn't the same boy who used to shrink under their gazes. He straightened in his seat and nodded.

"Yes, sir," he said, his voice steady. "I'm applying to UA."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then, the room exploded into noise.

"Wait, what? Midoriya's applying to UA?"

"Isn't that, like, the top hero school in the country?"

"Yeah, but… I mean, he's got that strength quirk, right? Herculean Strength or whatever?"

"Yeah, but UA's still crazy competitive. Does he think he can get in?"

Izuku's jaw tightened at the comments, but he didn't respond. Instead, he focused on the form in front of him, carefully writing "UA High School" in the space provided. He didn't need to explain himself to them. He had worked too hard to let their doubts get to him.

But then, a voice cut through the noise—a voice that Izuku knew all too well.

"Deku."

Izuku looked up to see Katsuki Bakugo standing in front of his desk, his hands shoved in his pockets and his usual scowl plastered across his face. The room fell silent again, everyone watching to see what would happen.

"You think you can get into UA?" Bakugo said, his voice low and dangerous. "You think your little strength quirk is enough to compete with the best?"

Izuku met Bakugo's gaze, his expression calm but determined. "I'm going to try, Kacchan. That's all I can do."

Bakugo's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, it looked like he was going to say something else. But then he smirked, a cruel, mocking smile. "Whatever. Just don't get in my way, Deku. UA's my ticket to becoming the number one hero. I don't need some second-rate quirk like yours screwing things up."

Izuku didn't respond. He simply went back to filling out his form, ignoring the whispers and stares from his classmates. He had expected this from Bakugo. The boy had always been jealous of anyone who dared to challenge him, and Izuku's newfound strength and determination had only made things worse.

After school, as Izuku was packing up his things, Bakugo cornered him in the back of the school. The blonde boy's hands were crackling with small explosions, his usual scowl twisted into a sneer.

"You think you're hot stuff now, huh, Deku?" Bakugo growled, stepping closer. "Just because you've got some muscle quirk doesn't mean you're anywhere near my level. Let me show you what a real quirk looks like."

Izuku sighed, setting his bag down. He had hoped to avoid this, but it seemed Bakugo wasn't going to let it go. "I don't want to fight you, Kacchan."

"Too bad," Bakugo snapped, lunging forward with a punch aimed straight at Izuku's face.

Izuku dodged easily, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to sidestep the attack. Bakugo's fist slammed into the wall behind him, leaving a small crater. The blonde boy growled and swung again, but Izuku blocked the blow with his forearm, the impact sending a shockwave through the air.

"You're not even trying, Deku!" Bakugo shouted, his hands sparking with larger explosions. "Fight me for real!"

Izuku's eyes narrowed. He didn't want to hurt Bakugo, but he also knew that the boy wouldn't back down until he was forced to. Taking a deep breath, Izuku decided to end this quickly.

Bakugo launched another attack, his explosions lighting up the air. But this time, Izuku didn't dodge. Instead, he stepped into the blow, his muscles tensing as he absorbed the impact. The explosion washed over him, but it barely fazed him. His enhanced durability, a side effect of his quirk, made him nearly impervious to Bakugo's attacks.

Before Bakugo could react, Izuku grabbed his arm and twisted it, using his superior strength to force the blonde boy to his knees. Bakugo growled and tried to break free, but Izuku's grip was like iron.

"Let go of me, you damn nerd!" Bakugo shouted, his free hand sparking with another explosion.

But Izuku didn't let go. Instead, he used his other hand to deliver a precise strike to Bakugo's pressure point, causing the boy's arm to go limp. Bakugo's eyes widened in shock, but before he could recover, Izuku flipped him onto his back, pinning him to the ground.

"Stay down, Kacchan," Izuku said, his voice calm but firm. "I don't want to hurt you."

Bakugo struggled, his face twisted with rage. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free. Izuku's strength was too much for him.

Finally, after several minutes of futile struggling, Bakugo went limp, his breathing heavy and his eyes filled with frustration. "Damn you, Deku," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Izuku released him and stood up, brushing himself off. "I'm not your enemy, Kacchan. But if you keep pushing me, I'm not going to hold back."

Bakugo didn't respond. He just lay there, glaring up at Izuku with a mixture of anger and something else—something that almost looked like respect.

As Izuku walked home that afternoon, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He had proven to himself—and to Bakugo—that he was more than just a "second-rate quirk." He had the strength, the skills, and the determination to make it to UA. And no matter what challenges lay ahead, he was ready to face them.

The first step had been taken. Now, it was time to see where the journey would lead.