Chapter 69: A Hero's Name

The Hero Name class began with a nervous silence. The clean, empty whiteboards on their desks seemed like blank canvases on which they were to paint their futures. The pressure was immense. The name they chose today could define their career, their brand, their legacy.

Midnight, standing at the podium with a seductive smile and undeniable authority, broke the tension.

"Alright, little ones! Don't be afraid! A hero name is an expression of your soul. It has to have impact! It has to leave a mark! It has to be something villains fear and citizens cheer! Now, who will be the first brave soul to present themselves to me and claim their identity?"

As expected, the first to rise was Yuga Aoyama. He walked to the front with a flair that would make a kabuki actor blush, each step a pose. With a flourish, he turned his board to reveal it to the class.

On it, written in a shimmering, elegant script, was: I cannot stop twinkling.

"My sparkle," he declared, a hand on his chest, "is a beacon of hope in the darkness. I cannot stop!"

Midnight brought a hand to her chin, evaluating him.

"I like the sentiment, darling, but it's a bit long. You might run out of breath saying it in an interview. How about we shorten it to 'Can't Stop Twinkling'? It's catchy. Approved."

Aoyama bowed, satisfied, and returned to his seat.

Next was Mina Ashido, who ran to the front with bubbly energy.

"Me, me! I have mine already!"

She proudly displayed her board: Alien Queen.

Midnight frowned.

"Hmm, no, sweetie. Too scary! You don't want people associating you with that old horror movie with the drooling monsters! Try again! Think of something more... pink."

Mina pouted and returned to her desk, defeated.

Then, Tsuyu Asui approached with her usual calm. Her board read: Rainy Season Hero: Froppy.

A collective, heartwarming "awww" rippled through the class.

"I love it!" Midnight exclaimed enthusiastically. "It sounds friendly and professional! Approved!"

The parade continued. Kirishima came forward with a fiery determination, his board showing: Sturdy Hero: Red Riot.

"It's a tribute to my childhood hero, Crimson Riot," he explained, his voice filled with a deep respect. "I want to be a hero who, like him, will never waver!"

"A name that honors the past to build the future! That's the spirit! Approved!" Midnight praised.

As he watched his classmates, Izuku was lost in his own thoughts. He remembered his old childhood notebooks, the worn pages filled with clumsy, grandiose hero names, all inspired by All Might. All Force. Captain Justice. The Symbol of Smiles. The names of a boy who dreamed of being someone else.

For a moment, after the festival, his mind had toyed with flashy, spectacular names inspired by Mt. Lady. Gigant Impact. Maximum Charm. The Spectacular Strategist. But he quickly discarded the idea, almost with shame. That's not me, he thought, his gaze instinctively drifting toward Ochako, Momo, and Toru. My strength isn't my own power. It's not my ability to grab headlines. It's my ability to find the potential in others. To ignite their fire.

It was his team's turn. Ochako was the first to go up, her face full of serene confidence. Her board read, in round, friendly letters: Uravity.

"I chose this name because I want to be a hero who lightens people's burdens," she explained, her gaze meeting Izuku's for an instant. "I want to help people feel lighter, and encourage them to always aim high."

The class loved it. Midnight clapped.

"Combining your Quirk with your ideal! It's wonderful! Approved!"

Then it was Momo. Her natural elegance accompanied her to the podium. Her board, with impeccable calligraphy, displayed a single word: Creati.

"My power is creation," she said, her voice logical and powerful. "My name must be a direct reflection of my ability. Not just to create objects, but to create hope, to create safety, to create solutions."

"Short, direct, and memorable!" Midnight approved. "I like it! Approved!"

Toru went up, and her radiant smile seemed to infect the whole room. On her board, it read: Invisible Girl.

Kaminari, from his seat, joked:

"But you're not invisible anymore, Hagakure!"

She turned and winked at him, her confidence a shine all its own.

"Exactly! I'm invisible when I want to be! The villains will never know if I'm there or not! It's part of my charm!"

"A hero who plays with expectations! Intriguing and bold! Approved!" Midnight declared.

Finally, it was Izuku's turn.

An expectant silence fell over the room as he walked to the podium. All eyes were on him. The strategist. The leader. The boy who, with a supposedly useless Quirk, had made it to the semifinals. What name would he choose?

He reached the front, picked up the marker, and, with a firm, decisive stroke, wrote on the board.

DEKU.

A murmur of surprise and confusion spread through the room. Bakugo, from his seat, snorted with audible disdain.

Izuku turned to face the class, his expression calm, his green eyes filled with an unshakable conviction.

"I know what this name means to some of you," he began, his voice filling the silence. "For a long time, it meant 'useless' to me, too. It was an insult. A brand."

He paused, and his gaze landed on Ochako. A warm, genuine smile formed on his lips.

"But someone very important to me gave it a new meaning. She taught me it could mean 'you can do it.' That it could be a name of encouragement, not contempt."

His gaze widened, traveling from Momo to Toru, and then to the rest of his classmates.

"And after this festival, after fighting alongside my team, I think it means something more. It means 'we can do it'."

He straightened up, his voice gaining strength and passion.

"A hero is nothing without the people who support them. A hero is not an island. I'm not the strongest. I'm not the fastest. I'm a coach. My true strength is my team's. It's the ability to see their potential and help them reach it. So my hero name isn't just for me. It's for them. It's a reminder that even something the world considers 'useless' can become a symbol of victory if you have the right people by your side. I accept this name. And I will wear it with pride. I am Deku."

A moved silence filled the room. The girls on his team looked at him with eyes shining with emotion. Ochako furtively wiped away a tear. Momo nodded, an expression of deep respect on her face. Toru gave him a double thumbs-up, her smile radiant.

Midnight placed a hand on her chest, visibly moved by his speech.

"Darling, I have rarely seen a young man change the meaning of a word with such force. Approved, with honors."

The atmosphere changed drastically when Tenya Iida stepped up to the podium. The vibrant, hopeful energy dissipated, replaced by a somber solemnity. His face was a mask of contained grief.

He showed his board to the class. On it, he had simply written his own name: Tenya.

"My family has carried the name 'Ingenium' for generations," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "My brother, the hero I admire most in this world, offered it to me."

He swallowed hard, fighting to maintain his composure.

"But… until I feel worthy of representing all that he stands for, until I become a hero he can be truly proud of… I cannot take that name. For now, I will use my own."

It was a powerful, respectful moment that silenced the entire class. It reminded them of the tragedy hidden behind the festival's glitter, the harsh reality that being a hero came with a terrible price.

The class was ending. Bakugo, after several failed attempts that included "Lord Explosion Murder" and "King Explosion Death," was flatly rejected by Midnight, much to everyone's amusement, and was left with a blank board and an expression of homicidal rage.

As the students gathered their things, Izuku passed the podium to return to his seat. A gloved hand from Midnight stopped him with a gesture.

She leaned in, her intoxicating perfume enveloping him in a cloud.

"That was a very moving speech, my little prodigy," she whispered flirtatiously, her voice a purr very close to his ear. "So full of heart… and so sexy."

Izuku stiffened, his face turning the color of his gym suit.

"By the way," she added, her tone becoming a bit more serious but without losing its charm, "Director Nezu wants to speak with you and your girls. Immediately. In his office."

She winked at him. Then, she turned and walked away with an exaggerated, seductive sway, clearly for the benefit of Izuku, who watched her go with wide eyes.

The rest of the class was busy with their own conversations, unaware of the private interaction. Izuku stood frozen, his face burning, his brain trying to process the mix of flattery, embarrassment, and a new intrigue.

She stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder, directly at him.

"Aren't you coming, hero?" she said with a mischievous smile.

Izuku snapped out of his trance. He turned and hurried toward his teammates, who were packing up their things.

"Girls, quick," he said with urgency. "Director Nezu wants to see us. Now."

Ochako, Momo, and Toru exchanged confused but intrigued glances. The director? The four of them? Right now?