My hero academia:Am I worthy?

— Why didn't you tell her, Izuku? — Venom hissed angrily at Mandalay's words.

— What are you talking about? — With confusion and pain in his heart, Izuku made his way toward the exit of the cemetery. The rain continued to intensify, turning the streets into a Venice.

— You could have told her that you understand her loss, but you remained silent. You understand the pain of losing your mother, yet you didn't dare to share your story. Why? — Venom questioned, unable to comprehend why his host wouldn't talk about his history.

— Deep down, you're still suffering from this emotional pain. For three damn years, you've lived with this loss, and for what? So that some heroine could tell you that you have no idea what loss is? She doesn't dare speak to us in that tone. She doesn't deserve to talk about us as if we are without value, — Venom screamed from within, trying to break free, but the host's will strongly restrained him from the chaos he could unleash, driven by the desire to prove they were more than just worthless.

— Because I know what it's like to lose a loved one. If I can ease her suffering even a little by listening or supporting her in silence, I will do it. If I began resisting by telling her that I lost my mom due to a murderer, it would only worsen things. My own loss... I learned to live with it and accepted it, — Izuku argued, but Venom was still not satisfied with the answer, feeling the grumbling sounds in Izuku's head.

— Her wound is still too fresh. If I started to talk about my loss, it might seem like an attempt to belittle her suffering or to shift the attention onto myself. I didn't want her to think her pain is any less significant. I had to save Kota, not let him die at Muscle's hands. — The rain was getting stronger, and Izuku felt as if the dead souls were mourning their relatives, experiencing grief for leaving the world too soon and leaving them alone with a deep void in their souls.

— Still, she has no right to speak about us. We avenged Kota; now his soul rests in peace, enjoying the fruits of paradise rather than being consumed by a spirit seeking revenge to quench its thirst for retribution, — Venom tried to side with the host so that he wouldn't be belittled. Izuku was already having a hard time due to the informational bullying from the fanatics of quirk supremacy, but internally he was stronger than any hero.

— But is it worth killing for revenge? I... I couldn't contain my anger; I gave in to my desires, even though I should have resisted them, — Izuku said, looking at his right hand, the one with which he had torn off the villain's head. The way home was accompanied only by the sound of his shoes splashing in puddles and the silence of the rain echoing his heavy breathing.

— You did the right thing. Sometimes you need to listen to yourself rather than to what others have imposed on you. If you want to be on the side of good, then good must be with fists or outright killing. Mercy and forgiveness are deserved by the few, Izuku, — Venom encouraged his host, urging him not to berate himself for what was predestined for Kota. Venom, infused with the desire for Izuku to become a true hero, wanted to help him, but as he spent more time in his body, he understood that to achieve his goal, he would have to face many contradictions.

— If there is a moral, then I must create it myself. I will be a hero but not a monster. Anyone can kill, but not everyone will take responsibility for their actions. If the consequences of killing a villain bring order and peace for people, then I will take on that responsibility, — Izuku declared, his resolve accepted along with many contradictions, and making such a choice was not easy for him, but "The strong of spirit shall rise, the weak of spirit shall fall under the weight of their despair."

— You made a wise decision, Izuku. They can throw stones at you, send curses, wish for your death, but the truth is always more bitter than any loss. Sooner or later, everyone will know about your actions, — Venom was impressed by the host's choice because, looking at those around him, Izuku realized that no matter how rotten they were, no matter how much they showed their strength through quirks, they only had an empty shell thinking about worldly goods.

— I have my own path, and I will walk it. I will fight monsters in human form, but I will never become one of them. If I look into the abyss, the abyss looks back at me. If I have to become ruthless for the sake of those dear to me, then so be it, — with determination in his eyes, Izuku looked at his hands and clenched them, crushing the past he had left behind, embracing reality and his potential, transforming into the king of beasts.

Finally, reaching home and removing his clothes, leaving only his shorts, he looked at his chest, filled with various scars left from his past life. As he touched his body, Izuku realized that a strong body comes with a clear mind. His face was intact, but there was a bruise from Muscle that healed faster than usual. It was surprising that none of the Todoroki family noticed the bandage on his eye. His green hair was tousled, and looking into his own eyes, he made a promise to himself that he would keep until his last breath.

— I swear that I will become a perfect hero. I swear that I will protect and help those who deserve help. I swear to protect my loved ones and will guard them until my last breath, — reaching out to the mirror, Izuku accepted reality, leaving the past as a reminder of who he was to become the superior version of himself.

— Where are you going? — Venom asked, not understanding where his host was headed. Izuku walked to his room, opening one of the clean notebooks he had kept for special occasions.

— We have a year and a half to finish school and a year until entering UA. And in six months, I need to learn everything, and I will not regret the decisions I made. I need to take a step toward becoming a perfect hero.

— Are you really serious about this? — Venom asked, his voice reflecting admiration for the host's determination. Until he achieves what he has long sought, he will not rest, which Venom could feel in Izuku's mind as he worked at the limits of his strength, not stopping for a moment.

— I cannot allow myself to whine; I have suffered enough of that. My mom and Kota died because of my weakness. I will not allow the process to remain unfinished; I must see it through to the end, — Izuku replied, taking a pen in hand and writing down all his strengths and weaknesses.

On the first page, he wrote analysis and improvement. Once, he had dedicated notebooks to heroes, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, and now he had become a hero capable of recognizing strengths and weaknesses, becoming wiser and more aware.

**Strengths:**

— Analytical skills

— Extensive knowledge of heroes and their tactics

— Support from Andy, giving superhuman strength and speed

— Regeneration

**Weaknesses:**

— Lack of a quirk

— Lack of combat skills

— Psychological vulnerability

— Insufficient combat experience

— Inadequately developed body

— Hunger

— There are definitely more downsides than upsides, — Venom replied mockingly, reading Izuku's notes as he focused on identifying his weaknesses.

— As you said earlier, any weakness can be eliminated by finding the right approach and dedicating the necessary time and attention to it. — But looking at the weaknesses, Izuku tapped his pen on the first point: lack of a quirk. Although he had Venom's power, technically, he was quirkless; however, Venom's strength was versatile, and like any other quirk, it had its downsides, such as hunger and the psychological impact of his desires that acted on him, whispering what he wanted, but often clashed with inappropriateness or were connected to extremely violent behavior that could lead to catastrophic consequences.

**Plan to Eliminate Weaknesses**

**— Insufficiently developed body —**

1. Strengthen the body by developing an ideal training regimen and adjusting nutrition to maintain the mind and body in good condition.

2. Focus on flexibility and agility.

3. Increase speed and endurance.

4. Create a strength program for increasing power without Andy.

**Result:** Defined body, increased endurance, speed, strength. Clear mind.

**Elimination of Weaknesses**

**— Lack of combat skills —**

1. Learn to master close combat without limiting to one fighting style.

2. Analyze numerous techniques from famous heroes or fighters, adapting them to his abilities.

3. Identify opponents' weaknesses during battle by analyzing their styles and weak points.

4. Learn several martial arts. — Analyzing further, Izuku wrote down all possible martial arts he deemed effective in real combat, using techniques that would be useful for quickly neutralizing opponents. Many aspects of these sports were banned due to the severity of certain strikes, but in real combat, all means are good, and the problem with the quirk society is that martial arts have started to fade; only a few remained intact after two centuries of existence in a quirk society, but some records were preserved, which he would use to become one of the worthy heroes to protect people.

1. Boxing

Style: Soviet boxing school

Practice straight and hook punches

2. Taekwondo

Style: Hoshinsul

High kicks, distance management

3. Jiu-Jitsu

Style: Brazilian

Holds and submission techniques

4. Muay Thai

Style: Chaya Muay Thai

Elbow and knee strikes and clinch work

5. Judo

Style: Kōdōkan Judo

Using the opponent's weight against them

6. Capoeira

Style: Contemporary Capoeira

Acrobatic elements and unexpected movements

7. Combat Breakdance

Flexibility, speed, and unpredictability of movements

**Result:** Mastery of close combat.

Ability to adapt to the opponent's style.

Ability to use even forbidden techniques for neutralizing threats.

**Plan to Eliminate Weaknesses**

**— Hunger —**

1. Develop a strategy for managing Andy's hunger to avoid losing control over himself.

2. Stock up on food in containers for quick access in critical situations.

**Result:** A satisfied Andy and fulfillment of one of the points for maintaining the body with vitamins and minerals.

**Plan to Eliminate Weaknesses**

**— Psychological vulnerability —**

1. Meditation in a calm environment and breathing practice for self-control.

2. Self-control to avoid succumbing to the influence of Andy and his desires and provocations from opponents.

**Result:**

Increased stress resistance.

Full control over the symbiote in combat situations.

Ability to use Andy's abilities without losing mental clarity.

Izuku did not write the last two points in the notebook as they seemed pointless. He would gain experience in combat by fighting various villains, but the point about the lack of a quirk troubled him, and he fell silent, not paying it special attention.

**Systematization of Heroism**

— If I want to reduce the crime rate, I need more than just reacting to crimes. I need a system that will work before a crime occurs or prevent the worst consequences — Izuku said, his eyes burning with determination.

A new scheme appeared in the notebook:

1. Data Collection:

Creating a network of informants among the residents.

Using open data from the internet and local residents.

— To reduce crime, we must start in areas with high crime rates.

2. Operational Actions:

Quick response to minor crimes.

Targeted strikes against key figures in the criminal world.

3. Partnership:

Building connections with other heroes who are willing to support his initiatives.

Working with volunteers who can help in patrolling or organizing events.

**Allies:**

1. Dabi

— This isn't just a plan; it's a path to making society better, — Izuku quietly said, closing the notebook.

— Do you really believe this is possible? — asked Venom.

— Whether it's possible or not doesn't matter, — Izuku replied, rising from his seat. — The main thing is to try.

Izuku and Venom did not notice how, after dinner with the Todoroki family, all the food was digested in the midst of their thoughts, and suddenly Izuku's stomach growled, demanding new portions of calories.

— What's for dinner today? — asked Venom, his voice sounding interested but with a hint of impatience. — I hope it's something nutritious.

— Pasta with vegetables and chicken. A simple and balanced dish, — Izuku replied, turning on the stove.

— Considering how much energy you're spending on thinking and training, maybe you should add more meat? — suggested the symbiote.

— I need to maintain balance, Venom. Too much protein is a strain on the body, and too little leads to a loss of muscle mass. Everything should be in moderation.

Izuku took a frying pan and began to sauté the finely chopped pieces of chicken. The smell of the cooking meat filled the kitchen, eliciting an approving sound from Venom.

— Well, you understand the balance in nutrition, but I still have doubts about your data collection plan, — noticed Venom as Izuku added the chopped vegetables to the pan. — How are you going to make people trust you?

— It will be difficult, — Izuku admitted, stirring the mixture. — Especially considering how they feel about quirkless people. But I can start small: helping where it really matters and showing that my actions don't depend on their biases.

— And what if they refuse your help? Or start sabotaging your efforts?

Izuku paused briefly, adding pasta to the boiling water.

— Then I'll find other ways. If they're not willing to work with me, I can still help them, even if they don't want it. The main thing is the result, not their recognition.

— That sounds... noble, but a bit naive, — noted Venom, his voice becoming a little softer. — People don't change so easily, Izuku.

— Maybe they don't change, — said Izuku, draining the water from the pot and mixing the pasta with the cooked vegetables and chicken. — But I'm not asking them to change. I just want them to live in a better world.

He placed the plate on the table and sat down, preparing for dinner.

— Besides, not all of them are that bad, — he added, lifting his fork. — I've seen it over the past few days. Some are ready to help, even if they don't like you.

Venom fell silent for a moment, as if pondering his host's words.

— Maybe you're right, — he finally said. — But if someone causes you harm, I'll destroy them.

— You're being too dramatic, — Izuku smirked, starting to eat. — We'll handle this. Together.

— Together, — Venom repeated, his voice sounding confident and resolute.

As he chewed, Izuku couldn't shake off the thought of where to start and how to arrange everything systematically so he could heroically study while paying attention to Fuyumi and not disappointing her, all while strengthening his body through training and gaining knowledge in martial arts. Apart from the Todoroki family, he had no friends, and besides the three mentioned duties, there were no other responsibilities.

— What are you thinking about, Izuku? — Venom asked, enjoying the meal prepared by his host.

— I'm thinking about where to start. There are too many points, and I need to systematize them so I can devote enough time to each. Every point is important for development, and skipping any of them means unbalance in my methods, — Izuku mumbled quickly, sipping his drink. Venom, who was eating, suggested the simplest method for solving all problems.

— Maybe start with the simplest and move on to the complex, learning something new along the way? — Venom said with a satisfied voice. Understanding Venom's thought, Izuku nodded positively, unable to argue with his alien friend.

— Maybe you're right, Andy. First cooking and meditation; by doing this, I'll improve my concentration, and then I can move on to training, — Izuku said, gradually yawning from fatigue throughout his body after a busy day.

— Well, I think that's enough for today. Tomorrow is school, and I need to go to sleep, — with these words, Izuku headed to his room, jumping onto his bed and plunging into the realm of Morpheus, while Venom turned off the light behind his host to avoid disturbing his sleep. The rain outside continued to pour like crazy, tapping its drops against the window, and seeing Izuku without a blanket, using multiple tendrils, he pulled a blanket over him, shielding him from the cold.

**In another dimension**

— So, from my observations, our candidate for the One For All successor turned out to be unusual, — summarized the second holder of OFA after all the time observing Izuku Midoriya.

The other guardians, sitting in their chairs, watched the second holder with anticipation as he returned with unexpected news.

— Hmmm, I knew the ninth holder would be special. What did you find in him that led you to make such a conclusion? You are one of the most rational people in this circle, — said Shigaraki, looking forward to hearing from the second holder.

— I can say one thing: the kid is ready to go to great lengths to win, and the assumption that he is an AFO agent turned out to be incorrect. He is quirkless but quite extraordinary.

— What do you mean by saying he is special? — asked Daigoro, leaning slightly forward.

— He has a power similar to black sludge, but he acquired it recently and started heroing as a vigilante. — Everyone was shocked to hear this since none of the previous One For All holders, except the second and third, had been vigilantes.

— How does he have power but no quirk? — asked the fourth holder, stunned by this unexpected news.

— That doesn't matter. What matters is that he is willing to take any measures necessary to achieve his goals and demonstrates his determination to become a hero. Moreover, he is unusual in that he is ready to kill to protect people.

Tension filled the air as the other One For All guardians carefully listened to the second holder. The words about Izuku killing villains to protect Kota evoked mixed feelings among them.

— Killing for protection? — spoke up Nana Shimura, crossing her arms. — That decision cannot be called heroic. We strive to fight crime, not become part of it.

— And yet, he didn't do it without a reason, — countered the second holder, looking directly at Nana. — He had a choice: let the child die or stop the villains for good.

— But where is the line? — interjected Hikari Shinomori, the fourth holder. — If he starts killing to achieve his goals, how can we be sure he won't become what we are fighting against?

— Or maybe that's exactly what's needed? — calmly remarked Shigaraki, leaning on his knees.

— We live in a world where justice is weak. It often arrives late or fears doing what needs to be done. Perhaps the ninth is ready to do what we couldn't.

— Ready or not, it still violates the principles of being a hero, — Nana retorted, her voice trembling with restrained emotions. — We want to pass on this power for protection, not for destruction.

The second holder nodded slightly, agreeing with her words but then added:

— I do not condone his actions. But think about it: he grew up in a world that hates quirkless people. In a world where he is seen as weak, where his life literally means nothing to society. Despite this, he chose the path of a hero. Not for glory, not for recognition, but for the protection of others.

— Even if that's the case, — interjected Daigoro Banjo, the sixth holder, — you do understand that killing leaves scars. Not just on those who are killed, but also on the person themselves. Will he be able to cope with this? Or will his mind break under the weight of his actions?

— He has another power, — the second holder quietly said, looking down. — Something like... a parasite. This "parasite" enhances him physically, but it also affects his psyche. Sometimes he fights not just against enemies, but against himself.

— That's even worse, — Nana said, frowning. — He needs not only our support but also strict control. If we give the power of One For All to a person who already struggles with such difficulties, it could turn into a catastrophe.

— But aren't we here to help? — Hikari spoke up, his voice softer. — Each of us has faced hardships. Maybe his path is different, but that doesn't mean it's wrong.

Shigaraki smirked, as if he found the entire discussion amusing.

— The point is we can't sit idly by. He has already started acting. The question is whether we will support him or leave him to face the world alone.

— I want to hear the opinion of the third holder, — Daigoro suddenly said. — You've always been quiet, but your wisdom has often been key. What do you think about him?

The third holder, who had been sitting silently in the shadows, slowly raised his head. His voice was low and calm:

— The ninth is a complex choice. But it is in difficult times that difficult decisions are needed. His methods are harsh, but his intentions are pure. If we guide him, he can become something much greater than just a vessel of our power.

Silence hung in the room, interrupted only by the sound of anxious thoughts.

— Then it's decided, — concluded the second holder. — We will continue to observe. If he proves that his path leads to protection rather than destruction, we will support him.

— And if not? — Nana asked, her voice cold.

— Then it will be our mistake, — the second holder replied quietly. — But I believe in him. And I think you will start to believe, too.

The second holder of One For All stood, arms crossed. His gaze was heavy as he began to speak, as if each word reminded him of what had happened.

— It all happened quickly, — he began slowly, shifting his gaze from one guardian to another. — We saw how Muscle approached Kota. Izuku did everything he could to stop him, but...

A bitterness resonated in his voice. Nana tensed, her eyes filled with worry.

— But what? — she whispered.

— But he didn't make it in time, — the second holder continued. — Kota died.

These words struck the room like lightning. The silence was deafening.

— Oh my God... — Nana breathed, covering her mouth with her hand. — He... he's just a child...

And that was what triggered it, the second holder continued, his voice low and cold.

— When Izuku saw that the child was gone, he... lost control.

Shigaraki narrowed his eyes, leaning forward.

— And how did he "lose control"?

— He lost control, — the second holder replied. — That parasite amplified his rage. Izuku attacked Muscle, giving him no chance to defend himself. He didn't just defeat him... he killed him.

— And the woman too? — Daigoro asked, his voice sounding grim.

— She tried to escape, — the second holder continued. — But Izuku was no longer himself. He was... different. He caught up to her and...

He fell silent, lowering his gaze.

— You understand what happened.

— A monster... — Nana quietly said, her voice trembling. — That monster inside him, that power... it's consuming him.

— But why? — Hikari protested. — Why did he allow himself to go this far? We are supposed to trust him with power, and he has violated everything for which OFA was created.

— Because he is human, — the Second replied firmly. — And he made a mistake.

Shigaraki snorted, crossing his arms.

— Human, you say? He is no longer human. He is something else. Maybe that's for the better.

— For the better?! — Nana jumped up from her seat, her eyes flashing with anger. — Do you really think that killing villains makes him a hero?

— It makes him someone who isn't afraid to do what needs to be done, — Shigaraki countered.

— Both of you, be quiet, — Daigoro intervened sharply. — We need to decide what to do next.

— He is on the edge, — En said quietly. — If we don't find a way to guide him, he will fall. And then no one will be able to stop him.

— And what do you propose? — the Second asked, his gaze focused.

— We need to talk to him, — En replied. — Through his consciousness. If we can reach him, maybe he will understand that his path leads to destruction.

— It's a risk, — Hikari said slowly. — But it's a chance.

The Second closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

— Alright. We'll try. But if he doesn't hear us...

— We will be ready, — Daigoro concluded. He is our future successor, but that doesn't mean we will allow him to destroy everything we fought for.

Silence once again filled the room. The guardians understood that their choice would determine whether Izuku Midoriya would become the next bearer of One For All, and everyone was on edge, wondering whether he would become a killer or a hero. But they all understood one thing: he would not flinch or step back in the face of a strong enemy, not even for a moment.

Next chapter

The Beginning of Implementation