Mha: Sand Sand Fruit

"Why choose to become a Hero?" All Might asked, leaning forward slightly, his tone both curious and expectant.

Midoriya Izuku's hands fidgeted nervously as he replied earnestly, "Because… Yuei is All Might's alma mater. If I want to go, I will definitely choose Yuei." His eyes gleamed with determination despite his uncertainty.

All Might's expression softened, but his voice carried a hint of seriousness as he said, "I've told you before—Hero is not a job for those without a Quirk. The reality is harsh. Not to mention, the Hero Course at Yuei is the most challenging of all."

Izuku flinched slightly but nodded in understanding. His mind raced before he suddenly exclaimed, "In other words, I still have 10 months before the entrance exam! I'll need to train my body to its absolute limit during this time!"

All Might gave a pleased nod. "Exactly! That's the spirit. Only through hard work can you inherit my power."

With those words, All Might pulled out a stack of neatly organized papers and handed them to Izuku. "Here's a personal training plan I've customized just for you. Take a good look."

Izuku carefully unfolded the papers and scanned the intense regimen. His face paled slightly at the sheer difficulty.

"This… this looks really tough," Izuku admitted, his voice shaky.

All Might smiled encouragingly. "Can you handle it?"

"For a Hero, this is necessary!" Izuku declared, gripping the papers tightly. "I'll need to work several times harder than ordinary people to catch up!"

Nearby, Akira listened silently but couldn't help comparing the situation to his own training. *If Izuku thinks this is hellish, then what would he call my regimen?*

---

### Five Months Later

The beach was filled with the sound of crashing waves and the rhythmic grunts of exertion. Akira and Izuku had been training together daily, growing somewhat familiar despite their vastly different approaches and abilities.

During this time, the two had sparred a total of 20 times. Each time, Akira had defeated Izuku effortlessly, often within seconds.

Akira had noticed significant progress in himself over these months. His mastery of the Sand-Sand Fruit had improved greatly, though his Haki development was progressing slower than he liked. Conqueror's Haki, in particular, remained elusive—he could control it, but it lacked the devastating impact he hoped for.

On a sunny Sunday morning, Akira executed a flawless throw, slamming Izuku into the sand with a resounding *thud*.

"For the 21st time, Akira wins!" All Might declared with a booming laugh as he approached. "Midoriya boy, you'll have to work harder!"

Izuku sat up, rubbing his sore back with a sheepish grin. "I've been trying my best… but I still can't last more than 10 seconds against him."

"Don't get discouraged," All Might said, patting Izuku's shoulder. "You've made progress, but Akira's foundation was much stronger from the start. Keep pushing, and you'll close the gap."

Izuku nodded determinedly, clenching his fists. "There are still five months left. I'll do everything I can to catch up to Akira!"

Akira raised an eyebrow, amused. *Catch up? In five months?* He kept the thought to himself but couldn't help smirking. Even now, he wasn't using his full strength during their spars. If this were a real battle, Izuku wouldn't last a second.

"Akira's talent is remarkable," All Might said, turning to him. "You're well-suited to becoming a Hero. I'm sure we'll see your name among the pros someday."

"Maybe," Akira replied nonchalantly, brushing sand off his clothes.

All Might clapped his hands together. "Enough training for now. Let's take a break. Lunch is on me today!"

Izuku and Akira both nodded, though Akira wasted no time grabbing the menu once they reached a nearby restaurant.

---

### At the Restaurant

Akira scanned the menu and ordered without restraint, his choices reflecting his hearty appetite. Izuku, on the other hand, opted for simpler, cheaper dishes, clearly mindful of All Might's wallet.

"Do we have more training in the afternoon?" Izuku asked between bites.

"Of course," All Might said with a grin. "The afternoon session will be even tougher, so eat well to prepare yourself."

"Got it!" Izuku replied, his determination reigniting at the thought of pushing himself further.

"What about you, Akira?" All Might asked, glancing at the young man.

"I have other plans this afternoon," Akira replied. His mind wandered to Miyagawa Kamimoto's recently renovated office, equipped with new gear he was eager to test.

"Fair enough," All Might said, not pressing further.

As they ate, the conversation shifted to the state of the beach.

"By the way," Izuku began, "we've cleared nearly all the trash in the seaside park. What will we do when there's no more garbage left to haul?"

All Might rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's a good point. I'll assess the situation tonight and come up with a solution."

Akira smirked but said nothing. Between him and Izuku, the remaining trash wouldn't last more than a few days if they worked together.

---

### Chaos Strikes

As the trio finished their meal, Akira noticed a commotion through the restaurant's large glass windows. A crowd was fleeing a nearby high-rise building, some people stumbling and falling in their rush to escape.

Before Akira could voice his thoughts, a waiter shouted, "Everyone, please evacuate in an orderly manner! There's been an attack on the building across the street!"

Panic erupted within the restaurant as patrons scrambled to the exits. The chaos was palpable—people shoved past each other, some tripping and being trampled in the frenzy.

Akira narrowed his eyes, his instincts kicking in. *An attack?* He exchanged a quick glance with All Might, who was already on his feet.

"Stay here," All Might said firmly to Izuku and Akira before dashing outside to assess the situation.

But Akira wasn't one to sit idly by. He stood, his eyes scanning the chaos outside. *This could be interesting.*

Izuku, trembling slightly, clutched the table but found himself unable to look away.

"What do we do, Akira?" Izuku asked, his voice shaky.

Akira's lips curled into a smirk. "We wait for the signal. But be ready. This might be our chance to see some real action."