A Tarnished Hero

Once everybody was relatively recovered, Izuku had them sit on the ground since there weren't any chairs provided in the training area. They sported bruises, some of them had slightly crooked noses because of his heavy hits, but overall, they were fine. Nothing a little rest and a quick visit to Recovery Girl can't, bruised egos aside.

"Okay, everybody listening to me?" Silence reigned through the area, none of the students even uttering a single peep as they all stared at Izuku with either a glower or fear. "I assume that's a yes. Anyway, first order of business, your fighting sucks."

This got a reaction as most of the students got up from their sitting position to decry against the insult. A scathing glare from Izuku shut them up,

"Are you all daft? I just kicked your asses 1 - 40, and you still think your fighting skills are good enough?" Taking a page from Katsuki's abrasiveness, Izuku stomped forward, stopping just shy away from one of the students. He bent down, nose nearly touching as he glared into the student's eyes. "You think you can beat me? Here and now?"

Said student yelped and recoiled back in terror, his head full of purple balls jiggling animatedly. Izuku withdrew his head, eyes scanning the rest of the students, most of which had their heads hung down.

"What about the rest of you? I see some of you with the will to fight. You want to continue?" They all bowed their heads, tails tucked between their legs. "That's what I thought."

Izuku retreated from the group, back turned away from them. Once he was a good few meters away, he turned back around and grabbed All Strike that was propped up against a wall.

"As I was saying, all of your fighting sucks. No, I don't care if you have good synergy with some of your peers, but if you're somehow caught lacking in the field all alone, there is nothing that can save you other than yourself." Izuku tapped his zweihander against the ground, the sound of a muffled thump echoing throughout the area. "As such, this lesson will all be about single combat. Each of you find a partner. Anyone would do. You have a minute."

The students all looked at each other in relative silence, before they all gazed back at Izuku. Narrowed eyes were all it took to push the students to do as he said, all of them standing up to find the partner who they were going to beat up.

It didn't take long for all of them to find a partner willing to get their teeth knocked in. Izuku smiled when he saw some of them excited for the oncoming spar. It would be funny if they found out that what he had in mind was not just the regular spar, but full on no holds barred fighting. He wondered how some of the students would react if they lost a finger or two. Definitely horrified, of course, but it would be curious to see it in person.

"You all paired up? Good. Now fight." The students pretty much had gobsmacked faces, and frankly, that was just no good. "Are you all deaf? I said fight! Or do you want me to kick all of your asses again?"

"Uh, sir…" A raised hand caught his attention. It came from a bespectacled teen with engines in his calves. "You didn't mention the rules yet…"

"There are no rules. Go all out. First one knocked out loses." Izuku shrugged and the students were back to gaping their mouths at him. "What are you all waiting for? Just go at it. Those that remain standing will be given points, and those that fall will earn nothing. Note that this will affect your performance rating in your grades."

And just as fast as Izuku laid down the ultimatum, chaos began. He didn't know who started it, nor did he care, but it was enough to get the others raring to go. And if they managed to get into a free for all because of friendly fire? Then even better.

This'll teach them that there are no fair fights in the real world.

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Half an hour later, the students still standing collapsed to the ground, heaving sighs of relief as they tried to catch their breaths. All around them, the fallen bodies of their classmates laid unmoving, bruised and beaten but otherwise, stable. Recovery Girl has her work cut out for her, but hey, they wanted Izuku to teach combat, and teach he will.

He just had other ways to teach them, and what better way to do it than real-life experience. After all, fighting in a controlled environment rather than risking their lives out in the field where a single mistake could cost you your very life is much more preferable.

"Midoriya." Aizawa called out to him from behind. Looking back, he saw the teacher still bundled in his yellow sleeping bag slowly inching himself forward. It took a few moments before he was finally right at the tip of his foot and the yellow sleeping bag stood up, the two of them coming face to face. "Quite an intense first lesson."

"Eh, much better to get the shit beaten out of you here than out there." Izuku still hadn't dropped the Katsuki impression. Somehow, someway, it was relaxing in a sense. Did people actually relieve stress by swearing so much? "Also, I wouldn't have done this if it weren't for the fact that Recovery Girl was on duty here."

"... I pity you for what you will be experiencing with the old lady." Aizawa stretched an arm out from his sleeping bag and landed it on Izuku's shoulder. He retracted it seconds later. "Anyway, as much as I believe you have good intentions, how you're going at it may hinder the students in the long run."

"... Really?" Izuku didn't believe that. Looking back at the collapsed students, some of those still conscious enough glared at him like he was the bane of all things holy. He was sure that those unconscious shared the same sentiments. "Other than a few broken bones and bruised egos, I don't see the reason."

Aizawa sighed, but other than that, left Izuku to his own devices. The greenette tilted his head at the act, before he shrugged and let the man walk. He turned back to the students still able to stand and yelled from the top of his lungs.

"All of you still standing, head over to Recovery Girl's office. Also, bring those that are currently indisposed. Can't haul themselves to get healed when knocked out, can they?" A few grumbles were uttered underneath their breaths but otherwise followed his instructions. "After that, when you're all healed up, you can head home."

And they did just that without much of a fuss. Izuku watched them go without a sound. All in all, today was a productive day. Sure, it got cut short because most of the students weren't physically fit to continue, but that was something they could rectify in the coming days.

He was also sure some of them hated him with a passion now that he'd done them dirty. Eh, they'll survive.

Tomorrow is another day.

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"Had fun?" Melina greeted Izuku the moment he returned to his house. A smile graced his lips as he saw the spectral woman sitting on a couch, fully engrossed with the television playing an anime of all things.

"Yep. I assume you did too?" Melina tilted her head, but he couldn't mistake the slight upturn of her lips.

"Such a curious thing." Melina leaned forward; hand cupped under her chin as she observed the anime progress in its story. "A machine made with circuits and various tiny bolts… How'd your people make this?"

"That? I have no idea." Izuku shrugged and sat right next to Melina, the spectral girl unperturbed by his closeness. "Something about connections and signals. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject."

"Indeed?" Melina sighed and bowed her head, her eyes still refusing to part from the screen displaying the climax of said anime. The brother and sister caught in their degeneracy, right at the front door no less… "Hmm… Why is this scene familiar…?"

"... Wut?" Izuku blinked. That scene? The one with the incest? Familiar? "Uh, Melina… Is there something you should tell me…?"

Melina blinked her only open eye at Izuku before an imaginary lightbulb went off atop her head.

"Oh, right. I forgot that you aren't privy to the details of our land." She cupped her chin once more, a hum leaving her throat. "Strange that the Greater Will would whisk you from your own land. A soul, embodying the body of a tarnished."

"... Wait, what? What do you mean by that?" Izuku was briefly stunned at the revelation.

"I thought you had already known." Melina blinked, eyes finally away from the screen depicting incestuous relations.

"I didn't!" Izuku stood up from the couch, eyes trembling. "You mean to say this isn't even my real body!?"

"Yes?" Melina tilted her head. "To be tarnished is to be descended from Lord Godfrey, a truth adhered by even the lowest of omens."

"... This isn't my real body…" Izuku slumped to the couch, eyes unfocused. "About eleven months… And I just learned this now…?"

He looked at his hand. "Am I even Izuku…?"

"Calm, my companion. Your memories aren't false. Your experiences and reactions aren't false." Melina cupped Izuku's cheek with a gentle hum. "For what is a person without his memories? A man without his hardships? You are Izuku Midoriya, never forget that."

Izuku toned down his breathing, the warm hand of the spectral girl clasping against his. Eyes closed, he breathed deeply, his chest expanding as air filled his lungs. Letting it all out, he felt his heartbeat slow, the panic from earlier ceasing to exist.

"I… Yeah… Thanks Melina…" Izuku let go of the girl's hand, before he turned to face her. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to let me know about something important next time…"

"As if something as insignificant as this is enough to stop your momentous rise as the Elden Lord." Melina snorted… Like, actually snorted. It seemed that she realized that and was quick to school her expression. "Apologies. That was unbecoming of me."

"... Actually, you look better without stressing yourself on how you behave." Izuku grinned as he leaned down on his hand propped up by his knee. "Talking is relieving, isn't it…?"

"... Indeed." Melina nodded solemnly. "... Perhaps I should endeavor to interact with you more?"

"Please. It's kind of lonely in the Lands Between without someone to talk to." Izuku smiled. Back in the Lands Between, the only time she would talk to him was either when he would need to turn his gathered runes into strength, or when she dumped him with information regarding Marika. The only time she talked to him willingly was about Boc.

"Very well." Even as she said that with an indifferent tone, Izuku could feel the genuineness coming from deep within. It was hard to get a read on her emotions, but perhaps coming back to Japan with her in tow was something of a boon, if he does say so himself, regarding the spectral girl. Not for him, however… The memory of his mother's grave still haunted him, but he had already accepted her death. The only way to honor her legacy was to become someone she would be proud of.

Back to Melina, however, every time they talked in a lost Site of Grace, she felt cold… robotic… indifferent. As if she was just going through the motions. The less said about her test, the better. Perhaps Izuku wasn't the first one she had traveled with. Maybe he was but one of many faces she had accompanied in her long, spectral life as she tried to head to the foot of the Erdtree… To the Leyndell Royal Capital…

If so, no wonder she was detached… How many Tarnished have she seen never to return? How many times did her heart break? How many times did she give her trust, only to be given nothing in return?

An existence such as that would be hell for Izuku. It was a miracle that Melina could've continued without going stark mad. Maybe Torrent made sure she didn't go off the deep end…

Izuku felt his spectral steed neigh in his incorporeal form. Yes, it did seem that Torrent pulled out all the stops to ensure that Melina didn't go mad. He'd have to give his trusty steed even more raisins as a treat.

"By the way, how are you enjoying Japan?" Izuku grabbed the remote to change the channel, just as the credits of the anime rolled. "Still curious about some of the other things my people had created?"

"Very." Melina's eye sparkled, a gold pupil gleaming underneath the hanging lights. "How do these… cars work…? How about these airplanes?"

Well, at least Melina was enjoying the sights. Izuku wondered what would happen when they finally reached the Royal Capital. Would she still follow him? Or would they go their own separate way…?

A question for the future Izuku. Right now, he had to satiate the curiosity of his self-appointed finger maiden.

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Chiyo wanted to throttle their new assistant teacher. She also wanted to throttle Nezu, along with the rest of the staff who thought it was ok for kids to beat the ever-living shit out of each other so bad, they got broken bones. Sure, her quirk could make all of those trivial, but prevention is better than a reaction. Even now, an hour into her duty, there were still at least twenty students' unconscious on the beds, some of which collapsed due to exhaustion. Something that her quirk wouldn't help with.

She looked at the pieces of glowing stones laid right next to each bed, all of them radiating some sort of healing properties that slowly, but surely, mended their injuries. Bruises faded and gashes closed, but some of the more serious ones like broken bones were her responsibility. There was also something strange with the pieces of rock, however.

It could restore stamina, albeit at a tiny amount. In fact, just having one injured student right next to it was enough for Chiyo to use her quirk to heal him back to full health. He was still sleeping, however, due to her quirk's drawbacks.

"Shuzenji." A voice called out to her, and the old woman nearly snapped her cane at the source.

"Nezu, tell me why I shouldn't beat the ever-living shit out of you with my cane?" Chiyo growled as she tapped the ground rather harshly with her cane. "I may be old, but these bones are enough to kick your sorry little ass."

"Ah, no need for that, Shuzenji, old friend." Nezu approached one of the rocks with a calculating glint in his eyes. "Fascinating, isn't it? An item that could produce the effects of a low-powered regenerator quirk in a given area. And judging by how Midoriya handed them out like candies, he had a whole supply of them just hidden in that tiny, little box of his."

"I still don't understand why you let him in here as an assistant instructor of all things." Chiyo sighed, body leaning heavily on the cane. "That man is unstable. You've seen it in his eyes. He would not blink an eye at a corpse if it meant furthering his own goals."

"Yes, yes, I can perfectly see that." Nezu waved her off and Chiyo was once again annoyed at the rat. Damn that quirk of his, always making a mess of things. How far had he planned this out then? Years? A decade? There was no telling with the rat she saved from the hands of those horrible animal abusers decades ago. "I believe, however, that we can direct his… shall we say, morals, back on the… well, not really on the path, but just close to it. It would be such a waste, after all, for a man such as him to be labeled as another villain."

"He is close to being one." Chiyo narrowed her already narrowed eyes and Nezu stifled a laugh.

"Oh, please." Nezu grabbed one of the rocks that weren't in use and tossed it into the air before catching it with his paws. "You and I both know that Midoriya is probably more innocent than I am. From what I had observed through his body language and mannerisms, he dislikes killing. He doesn't shy away from it, but he doesn't go out of his way to kill either."

"Are you sure you should be saying that within earshot of our students?" Chiyo grumbled, already knowing that Nezu calculated everything he was doing with that quirk of his. She just wanted to take a jab at him for being a know-it-all, damned rat.

"Why, if they all weren't asleep, I wouldn't." Nezu's grin was so nefarious, it could've sent shivers down a normal person's spine. Chiyo was already used to it. "Now then, distractions aside, have you found out anything about these rocks?"

"So far? Nothing." Chiyo's face twitched. "This shouldn't be possible. It is literally radiating light, yet everything the scans pick up is saying that it's just a regular rock with a different color."

"... Very interesting." Nezu cupped the bottom of his snout. "Are there any side effects to using them?"

"From my observations, also nothing." Chiyo shrugged, procuring a warming stone that had lost its radiance. "They just have a time limit before they are depleted. After that, it's just a colored rock that could be used to bash someone's hard head in."

The menacing tone as she glared at Nezu didn't faze the rat. Instead, it just made him more pensive.

"Curious… Is there anything else of note?" Chiyo shook her head and Nezu hummed. "Well then… That will probably be all. If you need me, I'll be off visiting our new assistant instructor. His actions earlier today may have been made with good intentions, but I will admit, it was a tad excessive."

"You think?" Chiyo deadpanned as she gestured towards the unconscious student. "If you must tear into him, you have my permission to smack him with a stick."

"Noted." And with their brief conversation done, Nezu left Chiyo to her job, making sure that the students didn't go home with permanent injuries.

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A/N: 9 Chapters left before we return to the Lands Between

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