ShuraZero
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Chapter 68: Names and Nominations
🕑 Added 2025-10-03 14:53:06 +0000 UTCThe silence that fell over the Midoriya apartment’s living room was absolute. It was so dense and heavy it seemed to have its own gravity. The question from Ochako's father—so direct, so innocent, and so utterly lethal—hung in the air like a death sentence.
Ochako was frozen, her face cycling through a range of colors that rivaled a sunset. Izuku, beside her, had a rice ball halfway to his mouth, his brain apparently having performed an emergency shutdown. Inko Midoriya covered her mouth, her eyes glinting with a mixture of panic and amusement. Momo smiled discreetly behind her teacup, while Toru had leaned forward, her eyes wide, soaking in the drama with shameless delight.
Only Toga seemed oblivious to the tension, looking back and forth between the plate of mochi in the kitchen and Izuku's paralyzed face.
It was Izuku who broke the spell. With a visible effort, he swallowed his food, set down his chopsticks with deliberate precision, and took a deep breath, mustering all the courage he had shown in the tournament arena.
He stood up. He took Ochako’s hand, who was still paralyzed, and before everyone's astonished gaze, he gave a deep, formal bow to Mr. Uraraka—a perfect and respectful ninety-degree angle.
"Mr. Uraraka." His voice trembled slightly, but it was filled with an unwavering sincerity. "My intentions toward your daughter are of the deepest respect and admiration."
He looked up, his green eyes meeting Ochako's father's, without fear or hesitation.
"She is the strongest, bravest, and kindest person I have ever had the privilege of knowing. My only intention is to support her unconditionally so she can become the incredible hero she is destined to be… and, if she'll allow me, to be by her side while she does it. She's someone I sincerely never want to be away from."
The response was so formal, so sincere, so overwhelmingly honorable that it completely disarmed Ochako's father. The man blinked, his mouth opening and closing a few times without a sound. Ochako, for her part, melted, her eyes shining with tears of pure emotion.
Finally, Kaito Uraraka let out a thunderous laugh, a laugh that shook the entire room. He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Well now..." he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. "That's a good kid. A very good kid. You have my blessing, son."
He leaned forward, his expression becoming comically serious.
"But let's be clear, if you break her heart, I'll use my Quirk to float your house to the moon!"
He said it with a smile, but there was an undercurrent of paternal seriousness that made Izuku nod vigorously.
"Yes, sir! Understood, sir!"
The tension shattered completely. Madoka Uraraka was laughing through her tears, Inko was clapping softly, and Toru was cheering.
"Great!" Toga exclaimed, seizing the moment of general joy. "Now that intentions are clear and blessings have been given! Can we have dessert? Inko-san promised mochi with strawberries!"
Two days later, the glow of the festival and the warmth of the family dinner had faded, replaced by the familiar routine of school life. Or almost.
Izuku stood in the crowded morning train, trying to read, but people were recognizing him and whispering.
"Look, it's him. The strategist kid from U.A."
"The one with the green hair. His team was incredible. Did you see how they beat Todoroki?"
"I heard his Quirk is super weak, but he's a genius."
He was no longer anonymous. He was a curiosity. A minor celebrity. He sighed and put his phone away.
At the school entrance, he saw a familiar figure and hurried to catch up.
"Iida-kun, good morning!"
Tenya Iida stopped and turned. His face was as neat and serious as ever, but there was something different in his eyes. A shadow.
"Ah, Midoriya-kun. Good morning to you as well," he replied, his tone perfectly formal.
"Hey, I just wanted to… well, we all wanted to know… how is your brother? Is there any news? We've been really worried about you these past two days."
For an instant, just an instant, Iida’s mask cracked. A pure, devastating pain flashed across his face, so quickly that Izuku almost thought he had imagined it. But it was there. He saw it.
Then, the mask was back in place, more rigid and forced than before. A smile that didn't reach his eyes formed on his lips.
"Ah, yes. Thank you for your concern, Midoriya-kun. Everything is fine. There is nothing to worry about at all. My brother is strong. He is recovering admirably."
His tone was too formal. Too distant. Too… rehearsed.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, we must hurry or we will be late for class. It is unbecoming of a U.A. student to not be punctual."
He adjusted his glasses and walked away at a brisk, martial pace, leaving Izuku alone at the entrance with a cold knot in his stomach.
He's lying. The thought was as clear and certain as if someone had shouted it in his ear. I don't know why. But I know, with absolute certainty, that my friend is lying to me.
In the Class 1-A classroom, the atmosphere was electric. Shota Aizawa, now fully recovered and without bandages, walked in with his usual air of exhaustion.
"Quiet," he muttered, and the class obeyed. "Good. Before your egos swell so much you can't fit through the door, it's time to review the professional hero nominations for the internships."
He projected the results onto the giant screen. The dominance of Izuku's team was overwhelming.
PROFESSIONAL HERO NOMINATIONS (CLASS 1-A)
· Ochako Uraraka - 6,113 offers
· Shoto Todoroki - 4,891 offers
· Momo Yaoyorozu - 4,012 offers
· Katsuki Bakugo - 3,556 offers
· Toru Hagakure - 1,214 offers
· Tenya Iida - 978 offers
· Izuku Midoriya - 714 offers
· Fumikage Tokoyami - 689 offers
· Eijiro Kirishima - 612 offers
"SEVEN HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN?!" Mineta's indignant voice echoed throughout the class.
"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! HOW DOES DEKU, THE PET-QUIRK NERD, THE GUY WHO DIDN'T THROW A SINGLE PUNCH IN HIS LAST FIGHT, HAVE OVER SEVEN HUNDRED OFFERS AND I BARELY HAVE TWELVE?! THIS IS A FRAUD! A CONSPIRACY!"
"Calm down, Mineta," Aizawa said, and for the first time in a long while, there was a rare hint of pride in his voice. "Destructive power attracts one kind of attention. But apparently, Midoriya, your display of tenacity and, above all, your strategic genius, caught the eye of a very specific type of agency. Intelligence agencies, tactical rescue teams, strategic support units… They value brains over brawn. You created your own niche. You made yourself indispensable in a way no one expected. Congratulations."
Aizawa let the class process the information before a small, malicious smile played on his lips.
"Besides, there's an… unusual offer this year. One I've never seen before. It's for four of you. Together."
He pressed a button, and a new screen appeared, displaying a custom offer with a flashy design and bright colors from the Mt. Lady Agency. It was addressed specifically to: Izuku Midoriya, Ochako Uraraka, Momo Yaoyorozu, and Toru Hagakure.
Aizawa sighed, as if reading what came next caused him physical pain.
"And it comes with a personal note." He cleared his throat and read the note aloud, in a completely monotone voice that made it even funnier:
To my festival stars! You four are a package deal! The Power, the Mind, the Ghost, and the Brains! I want the whole team! I won't take no for an answer! I've seen what you can do together and I want that magic in my agency! We're gonna turn this city upside down! And especially you, Green Hair!
I have big, juicy plans for you, my little strategist! That mind of yours is the sexiest Quirk I've seen in years! Don't accept any other offers or I'll hunt you down!
Yours (and soon to be your employer), Your future boss, Mt. Lady!
P.S. The cheerleader outfit was a stroke of genius!
The class erupted into a chaos of envy, laughter, and sheer disbelief.
"NO FAIR!!" Kaminari yelled.
"A team contract?! That's pro-level stuff!" Sero exclaimed.
Izuku was completely stunned, his face shifting from red to white. He couldn't believe it. It had worked. His plan, his crazy, desperate idea to get the attention of the hero who valued spectacle and fame above all else… had worked. She had seen past his lack of power. She had seen his value. The memory of her debut, the moment that changed everything, came back to him with overwhelming force.
"SILENCE!" Aizawa's voice, amplified by his Quirk, silenced the uproar.
"Before you choose your internships in the coming days, there's a more important matter to attend to. Something you'll need to present yourselves to the professional world. You need a name. A hero codename."
Just as the words left his mouth, the classroom door flew open with dramatic force.
Midnight entered with her usual theatrical flair, cracking her small whip in the air.
"I heard you need a little… inspiration for your names!" she said, her voice a seductive purr. "And as the faculty's expert in art, aesthetics, and visual impact, I will have the final approval!"
Her eyes scanned the classroom before landing directly on Izuku. She gave him a slow, deliberate wink, a flirtatious gesture that was a clear reminder of their encounter in the hallway and her offer of a "special prize."
Izuku blushed instantly. Ochako, sitting next to him, noticed the interaction and narrowed her eyes with a hint of playful jealousy.
"Alright, future heroes," Midnight said, passing out whiteboards and markers. "The name you choose today could follow you for the rest of your lives. It's the first word the world will use to define you. Make it count."
She stopped in front of the podium, striking a dominant pose.
"Who will be the first brave soul to present themselves before me and claim their identity?"
The chapter ended with the class in a nervous silence, the blank whiteboards before them, and Midnight's gaze still fixed with particular interest on the class's young strategist. The task of forging their own heroic identities, of putting a name to their dreams, had just begun.
