An Angel Becoming a Hero [BNHA X OC]

10 - Deku Vs Kacchan

To start, we decided the best plan would be to enter through the side rather than the front or back entrance. With our costumes being generally light, plus my Quirk, we climbed in through a window without making a sound.

"We've infiltrated successfully," I whispered to Deku, finding ourselves at the corner of two long hallways. The ceiling was high but the halls were narrow. The only light source seemed to be the sun rays from the windows.

"It looks like there are a lot of blind spots, so let's be careful," Deku said.

Slowly exploring the floor, we found a lot of intersecting hallways and doors. The two of us took our time inspecting corners. It was quiet, almost to a creepy point. Deku led the way, and I watched our backs in case Iida or Kacchan wanted to try a sneak attack.

We predicted that Kacchan would attack first, possibly springing a surprise attack from around the corner—

I was right!

A flash of blond hair poked itself out from around a corner. Kacchan emerged with a hardened expression across his face and launched a deadly explosion. Deku reacted first, jumping out of the way and pulling me along with him.

As Kacchan's explosion collided with the wall and destroyed it, Deku and I fell a safe distance away.

Finding himself on top of me, Deku scrambled away. "Takami, are you all right?"

"Yeah, thanks," I replied, swallowing hard as I barely had any time to register what just happened. I then realized that half of Deku's left sleeve got destroyed, with a few burn marks on his arm. Did he get that because he shielded me with his body? "Deku! Your arm!"

"It's just a scratch."

The smoke cleared away, revealing Kacchan's scary face. "Come on, Deku. Don't dodge."

Deku and I popped back up on our feet. "You were right, Takami. You figured he'd come for us first."

"I do know him well." After all, between Iida and Kacchan, it'd be more likely that Kacchan would want to attack first in order to get a hit on Deku.

Without warning, Kacchan charged at us. "I won't do so much damage that this fight gets stopped, but I'm gonna get close!" he yelled.

Prepared to fight back, I shouted, "Look out, De—"

Deku jumped forward to stop an incoming right hook. Then he flipped Kacchan over his shoulder and slammed him into the floor, knocking the wind right out of him. My eyes widened in shock! "Where'd you learn to do that? It's like you read his moves!"

Kacchan harshly groaned after landing flat on his back.

Deku hurriedly stepped away from his opponent. "Kacchan, you usually start with a big right swing. How much do you think I've been watching you?" Kacchan stared back at him. "I wrote an analysis for all the heroes I thought were amazing in my notebook, like you and Takami, in the notebook you nearly blew up. You know, my 'Deku' isn't always going to mean 'useless'! Kacchan, my 'Deku' means 'You can do it!', and it's my hero name!"

My eyes widened further.

Kacchan pulled himself off the ground. A vein on his forehead protruded so intensely it looked as if it were about to burst. I couldn't take a proper breath as I watched his fists clench and his eyes narrow into angry, savage-like slits. "Deku. Even though you're scared, that's what I hate about you!"

Because Kacchan, Deku, and I've always lived in the same neighborhood, we've known each other since we were little. Kacchan was the type who could do anything he tried his hand at, a rascal who led the group of neighborhood kids. Good or bad, Kacchan was full of confidence, and I always thought he was so cool. But, after his Quirk manifested, it accelerated him down the wrong path, leading to a rift between himself and Deku, someone who lived an entirely opposite lifestyle.