SOGA'S POV
"You're late kid" I said as Izuku closes the door. I looked up from my phone and looked at his appearance. His clothes are a mess, he look like he rode a crazy rollercoaster. He sits on the couch and sighed.
"Yeah, sorry. Fought a group of thugs and a Trigger supplier" he said.
"Saw the news, you and your crazy crew fought a colossal villain" I said and he nodded. "So...have you made your decision?" I asked him. Still waiting for his decision whether to participate in the underground fights or not. I've given him enough time to think about it and he better give me damn fucking answer.
Izuku glance at me for a moment before looking back at the TV. "I-I'll do it" I stare at him. "I-I'll participate. Knuckleduster said I lack strength and power, so by fighting in the underground, I'll get stronger, like you said. It'll be like training, right?" He looked back at me with a smile.
Normally I get offended and bash the head of anybody who smiles like that...but this kid, this kid is...different. His smile is different. I don't see that disgusting grin on his face. I don't know why? Maybe cause we're similar in a way, I guess.
"Alright then, get dressed. We're going there" I said.
Izuku scratch his head. "I don't have any clothes that would make me look presentable there...I could probably go to the store to get new cloth-"
I cut him off, getting irritated. "Just wait here brat" I stood up and head to my room. I open the closet and brought out a old box. Opening it, I brought out the clothes he need. I place the box back into the closet and left my room. I threw the clothes at Izuku as he inspects them. A black leather jacket, black pants and black combat boots. The jacket has a long large red stripe that formed a V shape at the front chest and a large zero at the back. It also has three red stripes around the end of the sleeves.
"These look like motorcycle clothes" he said.
"Problem?" I asked.
"N-No. It's prefect" he said as he stood up and went to his backpack and starts changing. He came back to me fully dressed. The clothes suits him, but there's one thing that pissed me off.
"An All Might shirt! Really Izuku?!"
"Not just any All Might shirt, it's the silver age All Might shirt!" Izuku said cheerfully as he puts his hands on his hips, showing off the polo top.
"Take it off or zip the jacket! I don't want you making a fool out of us!" I hissed.
"Alright..." He mumble and zips the jacket. He suddenly brings out a white tape and use it to cover the freckles on both his cheeks.
We left the house and start heading to the underground ring. While walking, I decided to ask him a question that had been on my mind. "So Izuku...when are going to go back home? You know you can't run away forever"
Izuku looked surprised for a second before his expression turned grim. "I'll go home..." He starts. "When I've proven to myself not to be a useless Deku"
I stayed quiet. I understand the meaning of his words. He had been hurt too many times to go back home anytime soon. Might take some few years for him to do that. For now, there's no going back for him.
After a few minutes, we reached an alleyway. The road was cracked, wires were old and slacked, a guy was sleeping on the corner surrounded by beer bottles, gang members drinking and smoking and playing cards. We entered a bar that has a small casino, pool games, dancers, prostitutes. We entered the backroom where I knock on a door before it opens up, revealing a bodyguard. He lets us pass and Izuku and I make our way down the stairs. We could hear the noise of cheering and roaring. We soon reach an entrance where we could see a massive cage in the center of the room with people watching and cheering for the two fighters in the cage battling it out for victory.
Izuku looked nervous as he look around the place, his face was beet red. I place my hand on his shoulder which made him stiff. "Calm down, Izuku. Quit being a wimp!"
"I-I know...it's just...this place...wh-what is this place exactly?" He stuttered.
"Love paradise bar. Despite the nice name, it's a crazy place. The top part of the building is a bar where people stressed from work and play come here to release pent up energy, play some casino, pool, drink and have some fun or sex..." I explained and Izuku blushed at the last part. I rolled my eyes. "While this level are the fighting rings where guys like me fight to their hearts content or make some quick cash. The spectators bet on you to win or lose, and if you win, you get some of that money. Simple as that. Just make sure you don't lose"
A woman was passing by with drinks. Izuku looked away with a blush on his face due to the revealing outfit she wore. I rolled my eyes as I took two drinks and paid the woman. As she walks away to serve others, I hand Izuku one of the drinks. Izuku sniffs it and takes a sip before coughing loudly.
"That’s not how you enjoy alcohol, dumbass" I said and he blushes in embarrassment. I hear him wince as I chug down my own drink.
"Aren’t you afraid of getting me addicted?" He asks. "I mean, I'm still a minor and I could get in serious trouble if I get caught"
"That is, if you get caught. Besides, you need to build your alcohol tolerance" I shrugs. Izuku eyes the drink in his hands. He glares at it for a moment before chugging it down. He tried to hold his cough but failed miserably. "Let's go" we walk over to a man smoking at his desk. The man looks up and smiled.
"Ah, Claws. Here for another round I see" he said.
"Not today Gambeo. This kid wants to fight. It's his first time so give him someone easy"
"Sure thing" Gambeo said as he brings out a paper and pen and writes down something.
"Claws?" Izuku raised a brow.
"It's my codename. You'll need a codename as well. Do you need a mask to conceal your identity or not?" I said. He scrunch his face in thought before nodding. "Gambeo, bring out your masks for the kid to choose"
"Alright" Gambeo said and gets up to get them.
I start rubbing my chin. "As your codename, let's see...Bratty Kid, One Kill, Deadshot, Nightfall, Alien King, Collateral Damage, Sparky Sparky Boom Man..."
"Really?" Izuku said deadpanned.
"You'll be surprised by the codenames fighters use in any underground rings" I said. "Either you choose one of those names or give yourself one"
Izuku went quiet, looking at the desk, thinking about it. He scratch his hair and sighed. "I have one" he mumble.
"What is it?"
"This name, well..." He starts. "I came up with this name for a former friend of mine as his hero name...but he said the name was useless like me and he could come up with a better hero name. That was years ago, he had probably forgotten but I didn't, I couldn't. Now...I realize that the name was never meant for him, it was meant for me"
"So, what is it?" I asked impatiently.
Izuku looked back at me with a small smile. "Ground Zero"
"Hmm, not bad"
Just then, Gambeo came back with fifteen different masks. "This is all I got, Claws"
"It's fine. So pick your choice" I said.
Izuku looked at them before picking up a red oni mask and wore it around his lower face. "This will do" he said.
"Just sign here, kid" Gambeo gives a pen to Izuku and he writes on the paper.
"AND HE'S DOWN! WE HAVE A WINNER FOLKS!" The announcer yells as the crowd cheer got louder.
"Get ready in fifteen minutes and good luck" Gambeo said.
"Who's his opponent?" I asked.
"Little Rookie" he replied.
"Should be easy enough" I said. I decided to give Izuku a little exercise before his fight. Stretching and giving him some basic advices to help him.
"Alright folks! It's time for the next match!" The announcer said.
"Alright Izuku, show them what you're made off" I pat his back. He gives him a thumbs up before making his way to the cage.
"On the left is a newcomer, Ground Zero!!" The crowd half cheered. "And his opponent-" he was cut off by someone who walked to him and whispered at his ear. "I apologize for the interruption. His opponent on the right, is the lizard who gone on a tear winning his last twenty matches, the Crazy Lizard!!!" A large muscular lizard man wearing only pants and boxing gloves jumped inside the cage and lets out a roar. The crowd cheered louder for him.
"What!" I shout. I look back at Gambeo who looked shocked. "The hell?!"
"Hey man! I don't know what's going on either! I think Little Rookie was no show so Crazy Lizard took his place" he explained.
I entered the crowd and made my way to the front. I feel a lump on my throat as Izuku looked back at me in horror. He was terrified. This wasn't the plan, this is not how it was supposed to go. Crazy Lizard's skin is tough as fuck, bastard is strong and fast. There's no way Izuku can beat him. I grit my teeth and yelled. "Fuck, Ground Zero! Don't you fucking lose!"
Izuku's terrified face was replaced with determination and he looked back at his opponent. Crazy Lizard look down at Izuku with a sinister smile. "Welcome to our world, kid. Don't think it's fun and games like here" Izuku hasn't said anything and got into a fighting stance. "What? Scared? Terrified? It's ok to be stunned by my power. Hahaha!! Tell you what kid, I'll make this easy on you, I'll end this as soon as possible"
The bell rings for the match to begin. Crazy Lizard wasted no time to swing his claws at Izuku. Izuku dodged the first attack. Crazy Lizard kept swinging while Izuku was barely dodging as the claws were grazing him slightly. Izuku throws quick trio of jabs to his chest, which he simply tanks. Crazy Lizard smirks and swing his tail at Izuku, hitting him across the chest and sending him crashing to the ring floor.
"Oooh! A vicious blow from Crazy Lizard to the chest! How is Ground Zero going to counter?" The announcer said. Izuku gets up clutching his chest and gritting his teeth in pain. As he staggers, Crazy Lizard charges in and punched him with so much force Izuku pucks out blood and his pupils turns white. My mouth opened in horror. Then he give a uppercut to his chin, some series of blows before swinging his tail at him again, slamming him into the iron cage. Izuku's body slouch in a sitting position at the iron cage, unmoving.
"Looks like Ground Zero is down. He tried his best but Crazy Lizard was too much for him to handle" the announcer said as the crowd cheered for Crazy Lizard who was raising his fists in victory.
I lower my head and close my eyes tightly. "This isn't suppose to happen. This isn't suppose to happen. This isn't-"
"Hold on a minute!" The announcer said. "Ground Zero hasn't given up yet, even after those attacks!" I open my eyes and raise my head. Izuku was gripping on the cage to help him stand on his feet. Crazy Lizard lets out a growl and charges in for a shoulder tackle.
"Ground Zero!" I yelled.
Izuku quickly got out of the way as Crazy Lizard slammed into the cage. He saggers a bit and shakes his head. He glares at Izuku who was still weak on his feet. He charges in again and Izuku quickly slides under in between his feet. He gets up and kicked behind his knee joint causing Crazy Lizard to grunt in pain and fall on one knee. Taking the advantage, Izuku jumps on his back and use his arms to chock him. Crazy Lizard gets up and moves around wildly to throw him off. Izuku punches the bastard's eyes causing him to scream in pain.
"An eye gorge! That's gonna hurt!" The announcer said.
"Fuck yeah!" I cheered along with the crowd.
Izuku refused to get off and keeps punching his eye before tightening his grip on the bastard's neck. Crazy Lizard was getting dizzy and staggering. He was about to fall before he shakes his head furiously and reach for Izuku from behind and slammed him to the ground. Izuku grunts out in pain and rolls over to the side as Crazy Lizard tries to stomp him. Izuku reached the iron cage and dodges another shoulder tackle from Crazy Lizard who held his head in pain. Izuku looks at him as if he was thinking of a plan. Then he starts climbing the cage.
"What's he doing? Don't tell he's trying to run away?!"
The crowd were confused, probably came up with the same conclusion as me. Izuku reached the top and stands steady...before descending back to the cage. Raising both his hands in the air and tighten his fists, Izuku slammed his fist on Crazy Lizard's back. Crazy Lizard cried out in pain before he falls to the ring floor. The crowd was silent waiting for any sign of movement from Crazy Lizard, but he's not getting up.
"That's the match! What a turn of event folks! Our winner is the newcomer...! GROUND ZERO!" The announcer says, as Izuku raise his hand in victory. The crowd lets out a loud cheer and chants his name. Izuku gets out of the cage and makes his way towards me. I grin at his first victory. However my grin falls when I saw his eyes roll at the back of his skull.
"Shit!" I ran forward and caught him before he hits the ground. He was still breathing, just bruised up. I sighed in relief. "Damn kid, you actually scared me..." I chuckled looking at his sleeping form.