A Different Path.

UA Sports Festival.

Three weeks had gone by faster than Izuku would think possible. During those weeks he'd gotten much done, but at the same time so little.

Sure, he's upgraded his support gear and worked on building more muscle mass, but at the same time his left arm was still pretty useless.

It hurt when he moved it. It hurt when he didn't move it. It hurt when it was cold and it hurt when it wasn't.

His arm just simply hurt, all the damn time.

But, nonetheless he had to participate in the UA Sports Festival. Apparently, one of the teachers didn't think he was fit for the Hero Course and Izuku had to prove he was.

He had to fight for his position, because he was Quirkless. It was completely unfair and was a complete violation of the Anti Discrimination Act against the Quirkless passed earlier this year, but he couldn't complain.

Who would even listen to him?

"Yo! Izuku keep up!" Togaru Kamikiri yelled.

"Ah, yep!" Izuku replied, now having just realized he'd fallen behind due to his thoughts.

However, before he could make do on that, a tall, black clad teacher placed his hand on his shoulder.

"You go and get ready Kamikiri, I need to talk to your friend here."

The teacher signalled for Izuku to follow him, and he did despite the uneasy feeling he was getting. This could not end well.

Once they were far enough from everyone else, the teacher spun on him with a scowl.

"My name's Eraserhead." He began. "And I despise you with every fibre of my being. Just wanted to make that clear. This is not a, you can do it speech. I hate you and everything you stand for. You have no right to be standing here on UA grounds as a Hero student when you have no Quirk to speak of. All you are going to be is just another statistic. You are going to die before you graduate, with your only achievement being shattering Kan's heart."

Izuku took a small step backwards, his heart aching and white hot rage boiling in his blood. What had he done to deserve Eraserhead's wrath? Aside from being born with nothing special.

"But, I'm not going to actively stop you."

"Huh?"

"I may hate your guts, but I do believe that you may be good enough to make it as a Hero. So, today you need to prove everyone wrong. Either win the Festival or come pretty darn close to it. Anything less and you're a failure."

Something inside Izuku snapped as he noticed the same condescending look he's seen from Kachan every day of his life. The same arrogant, cocky grin. The better then thou attitude. And he had enough of seeing.

Izuku stormed forward and punched Eraserhead. Normally, the man would be towering over him, but because he had slumped down to be on his level, Izuku's fist made contact with his nose. He felt the bone and cartilage crack and bend under his knuckles and Eraserhead staggered backwards, blood pouring from his face.

"Fuck you." Izuku declared. "Fuck you and everyone else who thinks I'm nothing other then a fucking useless Deku. I am going to win the Festival, not because you want me to, but because I want to. I earned my place in the Hero Course, the same way everyone else did. Now, if you excuse me I have to go prepare to kick everyone's asses."

Izuku shot one last look at the teacher before walking off to the boy's locker room.

Thirty Minutes Later.

Izuku stood with the rest of his class, patiently waiting for the first round of the Sports Festival to start.

Katsuki Bakugo had been called to the podium to make his Student Pledge. In character for someone as arrogant and stuck up as himself, Katsuki chose to declare war on everyone.

Neito sighed as he fidgeted by Izuku's side. He shot a concerned glance at Izuku's arm and occasionally muttered something under his breath.

Momo, the ever dutiful Class President was handing out bottles of water to those who wanted them.

Ibara was one of the few students who took a bottle, and promptly poured its entire contents on her head.

"What?" She snapped, glaring at everyone shooting her weird looks.

Deciding that they'd rather not poke the bear anymore then they already have, the class chose to ignore her.

"So, support gear huh?" Neito asked, trying to fill the awkward silence with something.

"Yep. Beacuse I am Quirkless, Nezu let me carry up to three items of my choice into the Festival. Assuming I made them of course."

"Yes, about that." Momo interjected, coming back to them. "Is that particular gauntlet safe to use?"

Izuku was about to reply when he noticed a jagged burn in her chin. That was not there at the start of the year. Had he done that to her?

Momo, having noticed where Izuku was looking blushed lightly.

"Um... If you're wondering yes. Your gauntlet did this to me when it blew up. I got a little close and well... But that doesn't matter. As long as it's safe we should be good."

"Yeah it's good. Power Loader-Sensei helped me make it."

Momo sighed with relief as a small amount of fear crept into Izuku's mind.

At least one teacher in the school wanted him gone. Assuming that wasn't Eraserhead, as based on his conversation he only hated him. Could Power Loader be that teacher?

Surely he wasn't.

But even if he was surely he wouldn't purposely sabotage him would he?

Izuku's face paled as he recalled their conversation this morning. As Power Loader was handing Izuku his stuff, he explained that he had built a remote that could control or detonate each aspect of his suit. Izuku currently didn't have the remote as Power Loader had miss placed it.

Izuku's fear turned into horror.

He was a walking, ticking time bomb.