'Full Cowl'
That seemed to be the name of the new technique Midoriya had come up with.
Though calling it a technique might be overstating it, it was really just about using the power of his Quirk with his whole body, something he previously could only manage with parts of his body and only for brief moments... Still, compared to before, the difference was like night and day.
Indeed, since he started using Full Cowling, Midoriya's movements had improved dramatically.
He said he could only manage about 1-2% of its full performance at this point, but even so, his physical abilities had exploded upward.
The Quirk Apprehension Test we did on the first day of school (which he technically skipped). When we measured his records again while he was in Full Cowl state... he got results that would definitely place him in the upper ranks.
He broke all his previous records except for the seated forward bend, which doesn't involve physical ability, and the softball throw where he broke his finger and got an amazing record. Even his softball throw, while the number was lower, his overall performance had shot up to a level where he could compete for a top spot in the class.
And this is still in its early developmental stages... Honestly, it's beyond my expectations...
No wonder he got so excited he gave it a name.
Whether he was happy about being able to move properly or something else, Midoriya was cheerfully bouncing all over the training ground. With a really nice smile. Cute.
However, he kept stumbling and face planting into walls, landing dramatically on his butt, or diving face first into the floor.
Proof that his control is still lacking. He'll need to keep training to make it stable and usable, and gradually increase his output.
"I understand that... but is there really a reason why the training method has to be grappling techniques?"
"This way makes it easier to consciously adjust where and how much power to focus."
Midoriya was face down on the floor with his legs bent, unable to straighten them.
I was holding him down from above, covering him.
As usual, if he could apply the right amount of force to the right spots in the right sequence, he could easily break free, so I was waiting for him to figure it out and put it into practice. Though, if he applied force incorrectly, it would put strain on his joints and hurt.
We've repeated this kind of training many times today, but perhaps he's getting used to it, as Midoriya is becoming able to clear it quickly.
First the ankles, then the knees... using the toes as a pivot to push up his back and hips. Then using his abs and back muscles to raise his posture, and when a slight gap appeared, freeing his arms too... okay, accomplished.
"Good work. You're getting faster, Midoriya. You're a quick learner."
"Hahaha, thanks... That's because you're a good teacher, Fumiko. You even let me try where to apply force, it's really helpful. Though, if possible, I wouldn't mind if you used methods other than grappling techniques..."
"...Do you dislike it that much?"
"N, no, it's not that I dislike it... it's just, well, it's embarrassing..."
"..."
squeeze
"Whaa!? Eeeeeeh Fumiko!? Wh, wh wh wh why are you hu hu hugging me...!?"
"No reason, I just thought you were cute, and couldn't help myself."
"Cu...te!?"
"It reminds me of that heartwarming feeling when a relative's elementary school kid, around middle grades, starts getting cheeky and aware of the opposite sex, acting a bit distant even though they used to let me hug them normally until last year."
"We're the same age, you know!?"
Well, I know that... but size wise, it's just right, you know? The feel is perfectly huggable... No, of course, as a result of prioritizing efficiency, I'm acting as a human cast.
"Besides, I myself learned this way, practicing fine control, so I know it's a method that, while plain, promises steady growth... strangely enough, I have an attachment, or rather, feelings for it."
"Oh... So you also had someone do this for you, Fumiko? You learned grappling techniques this way?"
"No, in my case, I used a proper cast made for that purpose. But I don't have one now, so I'm just using human power as a substitute."
"Ah, I see..."
Ah, by the way, I've already released Midoriya.
After that, while doing proper post training stretches, we had that conversation. His face was still a bit red, but perhaps due to his inherent stoicism, he was properly taking care of his muscles and joints as taught.
To such a Midoriya, I handed the now almost customary cafe au lait (energy in),
"For a while, let's learn how to move your body in the enhanced state like this. Precisely because you can suddenly output power, the gap between your mental recognition and actual physical ability could lead to accidents, so even though it's plain, it's a part you can't neglect. This is that 'speaking from experience' thing."
"Does that mean... you also failed at control and got injured, Fumiko?"
"Hmm. Thankfully, I never broke bones like you did, Midoriya, but I did dislocate my elbow and shoulder once from too much momentum while punching. A normal punch ended up with extended reach like a rocket punch, ahahaha."
"Ha, hahaha... You're talking about it like it's fun, but that must have hurt a lot, right?"
Yeah. Dislocation hurts like hell, actually, depending on the person.