With steam filling the air, Itami closed his eyes, focusing on the sounds around him. He listened closely, picking up the faint sound of footsteps moving from his right side to his left.
There you are.
Itami threw a fireball in the direction of the noise, and it swooshed through the steam, heading straight for the source. It hit a concrete pillar, missing Todoroki but dispersing the steam clouds around him. Todoroki tried to defend himself by creating another wall of ice, but with Itami closing in, it was useless. Using his flames, Itami unleashed a wave of fire that melted through the ice. He blitzed forward, getting behind Todoroki and striking the side of his head where ice covered it. The impact disoriented Todoroki, and Itami quickly swept his legs, sending Todoroki crashing to the floor.
As the steam settled, the cameras refocused, revealing Bakugo unconscious on the ground and Itami standing over Todoroki with flames at the ready.
"Young Itami, stand down now. The match is over," All Might's voice boomed over the speaker. The class stood in stunned silence, watching the scene unfold, with some whispering their concerns.
Itami's flames vanished as he turned away. "You put up a good fight, Shoto Todoroki."
"Who are you?" Todoroki asked, getting up and leaning against a pillar.
Itami stepped aside from the entrance, letting the aid robots through. He glanced back at Todoroki but didn't answer. As he walked away, Iida rushed in, asking what happened. "Just completing the mission. You took your sweet time," Itami replied, continuing to walk without looking back.
Iida turned to shout at Itami, but he was already gone. Frustrated, he shifted his attention back to Todoroki, assessing the aftermath of the battle. Meanwhile, Itami heard All Might through his earpiece. "Young Itami, why did you use excessive force? You knew you could have just touched the bomb."
Itami stopped in his tracks, thinking carefully before responding. "You said it was combat training, so I took it as you said. Besides, it's interesting to see what other students can do."
For the rest of the day, Itami kept to himself, his peers watching and whispering about him. When the final bell rang, he began packing his things, ready to leave, when two classmates approached him. "Yo, your name's Itami, right?" Itami looked up from his bag to see Kirishima and Kaminari standing at his desk. "I'm Kirishima. You're Itami, right? Nice to meet you."
Itami finished packing his bag before responding. "Nice to meet you too. And you are?" he asked, looking at Kaminari.
"I'm Denki Kaminari. If you don't mind me asking, what can you do with your quirk? We barely saw anything since the cameras got knocked out during your fight."
Itami noticed some other classmates glancing their way, waiting for his answer. Annoyed, he took a moment to think about his response.
What should I say? I can't hide the true potential of my quirk forever... I'm going to be a pro hero, so my clan's secret won't stay hidden forever... Choices, choices... What will the elders say? Screw it. They can whine and complain all they want—this is the future I want for the clan.
With a sigh, Itami said, "My quirk, in simple terms, is the power of a dragon." He summoned flames in his right hand. "I can use fire like anyone else with a fire quirk, but I can manipulate it to give it shape." The flames transformed into a small fireball in his hand. Itami flexed his arm slightly, and the fireball dispersed as he tapped his arm with his other hand. "I also have the strength of a dragon. I can break through reinforced concrete."
"Woah, that's awesome! Your quirk is definitely flashier than mine!" Kirishima exclaimed, while Kaminari added, "Man, why are some people so lucky with their quirks?"
As Kaminari and Kirishima continued chatting about popular pro heroes' quirks, Itami used the distraction to slip out of the classroom. He was soon stopped by Mr. Aizawa. "Ah, Itami. Since you're already almost out the door, bring in some textbooks from the library. Have Uraraka help you."
Hearing her name, Uraraka turned. "Eh?" she mumbled but got up, listening to Aizawa's request. With a groan, Itami followed Aizawa's instructions and headed out. "Hey, wait up!" Uraraka called, catching up to him.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Uraraka asked after catching up. "Some of us are staying to see Deku come back from Recovery Girl."
Without looking at her, Itami asked, "Who's Deku?"
"Oh, I forgot. Deku's part of our class. We were fighting in the first round, so I guess you wouldn't know him." Itami responded with an uninterested "hm," and they both entered the library to grab stacks of books. Placing his stack on his shoulder, Itami checked his phone, then clicked his tongue in annoyance, sparks flickering from his mouth. Uraraka made a shocked face but ignored his mumbling. "Tch. I'm gonna be late, and I won't hear the end of it."
Entering the classroom, Itami swiftly put the books down on the front desk and left before anyone noticed. Walking down the hallways of UA and out of its campus, Itami headed toward a blacked-out SUV where a tall, bulky man with broad shoulders and long hair pushed back leaned against it.
"Akuma, is that you?! Long time no see!" With a grin, Itami raised his hand, and Akuma did the same, their movements in sync. They stepped forward, their hands clapping loudly as they pulled each other in for a shoulder bump. Laughing, Akuma said, "Man, it's only been a year. How've you been? I was surprised the elders let this pass."
"Oh, they didn't, but I made my own decision. I need to start making choices that will help our clan in the future," Itami replied with a smirk. "Anyway, how was your mission in Hawaii?"
Akuma opened the door as he replied, "Meh, it wasn't too serious. I was on a goose chase with no end, so it was a bust. But the beaches were magnificent—clear blue skies, crystal-clear water, and events that connected me to my culture." Itami chuckled at the end of Akuma's monologue. "What, did you buy some Hawaiian shirts too?"
Akuma entered the SUV, and the driver started to pull away from the school. With a light chuckle, Akuma responded, "I was tempted but decided on getting this!" With excitement, he took off his suit coat, revealing that the long sleeves were torn at the shoulders, showing off a sleeve tattoo. Itami's eyes widened. "Your mom is gonna kill you."
With a nonchalant smile, Akuma leaned back in his seat. "Nah, I'm 20 now; she has to understand I'm a man." Rolling his eyes, Itami looked outside through the window. "Did anyone else besides the elders disapprove of my choice?"
Akuma rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment before answering. "From what I heard, just a couple of the old geezers. You know my parents support you, and Kaze does too." With a deep exhale, Itami replied, "I hope I'm doing the right thing. It feels like I'm letting my family down... it's almost that time of year again."
"Nine years, isn't it?" Akuma said, looking out his window. "Yeah, almost nine years since the attack..." Itami answered with a deep sigh. The rest of the ride to the village was quiet, with only the sound of the vehicle as it moved from the busy city to the rural grass plains.
After driving through a giant wooden gate with security at the front, they entered the village. Both Akuma and Itami watched children playing around a tall tree, chasing each other and pausing to watch their vehicle slowly drive by. One began to point. "Man, remember when we used to do that? You were such a crybaby, haha!" Akuma laughed, reminiscing about the past.
With a slight smile, Itami replied, "I was five at the time. You guys basically threw me around."
"And yet you still wanted to hang out with me and Kaze." Akuma put his suit coat back on as the SUV came to a complete stop. "Here we are. Don't rile them up too much." Waving Akuma off, Itami replied, "They're going to anyway, so what's the point?"
Opening the car door, Itami got out. Before he shut it, Akuma called out, "Mom's cooking a big dinner tonight. Your little group of friends will be there too, especially Yuki—" Before Akuma could finish, Itami shut the door. Smirking, Akuma leaned back in his seat. "Hehe, damn kid's so oblivious with that girl... maybe that could help push him..."
Watching the SUV drive off, Itami turned his attention to the temple in front of him. He took a deep breath and began climbing the steps. Entering the temple, Itami walked down a hallway leading to double doors carved with twin dragons. Two guards in suits stood by the door, and upon seeing Itami, they opened the doors, closing them behind him.
Itami stood in the middle of the room, where six elders were waiting. "You're late. What took you so long?" one elder said, stroking his long white beard. "Yes, we asked you to be here ten minutes ago," another said. "Quiet, both of you! Let's get on with this meeting. Sorry, dear, I know you're busy with the hero school thing," an elderly woman said, carrying herself with a stern yet warm demeanor.
The three elders exchanged sharp glances, two showing clear disapproval. One was bald and covered in scars and wrinkles; the other had a long, snow-white beard tied into a ponytail, his aged face marked with many wrinkles. The third, a dignified woman with silver-streaked hair, had a kind yet commanding presence.
"That's why we're having this meeting," the bald elder shouted. "This child here is trying to ruin the traditions of our great brotherhood!" Some nodded in agreement. "Silence!" one elder shouted—a tall, bulky man with a missing hand now replaced by a robotic one. "We know why we're here. Now, let the boy speak! Let us hear his proposal."
Nodding, Itami cleared his throat. "I understand our brotherhood's traditions, but those were made long ago when we were the only ones with powers—the blessings of our ancestors and divine father. Today, everyone has a power, whether they are good-hearted or bad..." Itami choked up as he remembered his family's death. "And my family, the Wyvern family. You all remember the day our village was attacked by a beast, led by a man with the power of hundreds. That day, my entire family was killed, leaving me the sole heir to the throne." Whispers could be heard as Itami continued.
"We need a new way—a new path—so that this never happens again. I will lead our brotherhood down this path to carve a way for the younglings, not only in the family business but in hero society as well, forming valuable connections."
After his speech, the elders spoke among themselves in hushed voices, with two raising their hands. The tall, bulky elder stood up, glancing at the others. Some elders exchanged heated looks of argument, while two maintained stern, unwavering expressions.
"We have made our choice," the elder announced, his voice heavy with something unspoken. "But know this, Itami—the path you're walking will be long and unforgiving. You will be alone. Your Trials of the Throne are non-negotiable, and once you're of age, you will stop whatever you are doing and return here."
Itami felt a chill run down his spine at the mention of the Trials. Clenching his fists, he nodded, though the weight of the elders' words and the pressure of the room seemed to close in on him.
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Bonus Information!
Akuma Draco
Age: 24
Quirk: Draconic Essence
Although all of the Wyverm Crest Clan have the same quirk, Akuma is especially adept in fire affinity. With a proud, charismatic, and loud personality his flames are the strongest in the Clan as he can surround himself in flames and create additional limbs from them. Akuma is also trained in many martial arts techniques such as Jujitsu, wrestling, and MMA.
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Wyrm-crest brotherhood families:
-Wyverm Family
-Wyrm Family
-Draco family
- Amphiptere Family
- Hydra Family
- Coatyl Family
-Dragonette Family