Dreaming of Stars

by Gushy48

Sanji Inochi, a selfless man who is unable to use his Quirk—Dreams, being considered Quirkless. Through luck and seemingly-impossible odds, he finds his way to U.A. High School in Class 1-B. With what Life brings to 1-B, the society that they live in—the Hero Society—will forever be altered. (x-posted on AO3 and Quotev/bi-weekly schedule)

34. The Next Stage of Battle

Shinzo Mantora

"Kichoki."

"I'm him."

"He is indeed!"

"I won't lie Principal Nezu, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this," Shinso admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "I only knew Shinzo's real last name through a chance encounter with… Ugh, what's-his-face?"

I answer, "Seiji. You used your Quirk on Seiji. That was why he was acting a little strange that day, but even with that, he didn't bother to tell me about it." About a week ago, give or take, Shinso encountered Seiji in a store. Seiji, being the loud-mouth that he is, ran on about a kid in the General Courses named "Shinzo Kichoki" who he really admired. Shinso got curious and used his Quirk—breaking the law, but I'm not qualified to judge him—brainwashing Seiji. He got him to describe what the kid looked like, describing him to a T. So, Shinso figured out that Shinzo Mantora and Shinzo Kichoki was/is the same man. I bet Seiji didn't tell me because he was too ashamed of himself. Gotta reprimand him later.

"Heh…" Shinso scratches his neck. "I had a feeling that something was off about that guy. I only asked him about you before letting him go. I didn't want to push my luck too much."

I nod, telling him, "That was a good choice. If you had gone any further, you'd end up at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean." It's a bit shifty to take a body to the Pacific since boating laws are stricter today than before the Origin of Quirks. Honestly though, with the right Quirk, it's terribly easy to dispose of the body and clean up the evidence, no boat needed. Technology makes it really simple to do things like that.

Shinso looks at Nezu for a response, asking him, "Is Shinzo joking?" That's a good question to ask.

Nezu raises a finger and exclaims, "The look in his eyes say he isn't!"

"You can't even see my eyes."
"You can't even see his eyes."

"Both of you are correct!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...I'm joking," I tell him after the weird and sudden silence. I lean back in my chair and cross my arms. Shinso sits on the other side of the table with his binding weapon wrapped a little more loosely around his neck. Wonder how Mister Aizawa feels about his pupil being pulled away. He'd surely have noticed by now, but he's probably occupied with his class, especially Bakugo. Sometimes, I noticed him staring at me, both despising me but also interested in a hopeful sense, if I'm understanding that right. I'm not surprised that he knows about the Kichokis though. Miss Kojo doesn't know, I think.

"So…" Shinso focuses himself, staring at me. "Shinzo, I'm curious. How did...all of this happen exactly? With you being…"

I nod.

"The prince of the Jizen Mugen Yakuza." That's who I am; call me the Yakuza Prince. Second-in-line anyway. My great-grandfather was the one who founded the Jizen Mugen, my grandfather inherited it, so did my father, and soon Mato, my older brother. Once Dad decides to retire to a quiet life, he'll pass it on to him. Mato still has a lot of power anyway, but Dad has the final say.

I shrug my shoulders, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Long story. The gist of it is—U.A. will let anybody enroll. Even if they're the kid of a genocidal dictator, U.A. would still let them join. I know a few schoolmates, who I can say for sure, shouldn't be in this school whatsoever for moral reasons."

"Don't you think that's a little ironic? Tell me Shinzo, is the Yakuza life like the movies? Is there gruesome fights with power struggles all throughout? I'm getting more curious by the second," Shinso asks me. I don't like the look in his eyes. He's probably up to something again. There's no harm in telling him the truth though. The Commission already knows mostly everything already.

"Gruesome fights? Not if we can help it." I glance at Principal Nezu for a brief second, still calm as ever. "You can say we have some power struggles. Hate to break it to you, Shinso, but the Yakuza is a dying species. Villains are taking over the space that the Yakuza once had." It's an inevitable truth that Dad's convinced about. Not Mato. He's rabid on making the Jizen Mugen great. As it stands, we aren't the strongest Yakuza out there. The strongest, well, that goes to the Shie Hassaikai. Kai Chisaki—also known as "Overhaul"—leads it. Him and Mato shares the same ideal about making our respective Yakuzas great. The only difference between them is… Well… One of them is a crazed sociopath who abuses a little girl and the other guy is my brother.

Principal Nezu nods, hopping up slightly. "He's correct! Ever since the Age of Heroes came about, the Yakuza has been declining in power ever since. Villain overlords took their place, mightier overlords such as Chikara Yotsubashi, also known as 'Destro!' You shoulda learned about him in your Hero History class."

"Why are you telling us about him?" Shinso asks, tilting his head to the side.

"This is a school after all! We are meant to teach and nurture the next generation of adults! In this case, Pro Heroes! That, and I've been told that my students don't really care much about Hero History. I'm making it my life's mission to add tidbits of history in whatever I say," Nezu explains, getting a lot more stern in the end. We stare at him, not really sure what to say or do in this situation. He has a really scary look in his eyes. "Boys, our scores in Hero History are lacking. Please raise them."

"Yes sir." I got an A in that class anyway.
"You got it…?"

"Good! The Yakuzas are a great topic of research honestly. Any historians studying Hero History would love to have Kichoki as a primary source," he says, returning back to his usual self. He jumps on his table and paces. I think he's humming too.

Shinso shakes his head, his purple hair swaying slightly. "Moving on. Shinzo, let's get back on topic—you getting enrolled. How did this happen? We have all day to explain." You were the one who switched the subject to life as a Yakuza, but alright then, I won't judge you.

I droop my shoulders with a sigh. "Alright… For a little context, I grew up wanting to be a Hero just like pretty much everybody here—"

"Even when you're the Yakuza Prince?"

"Yup. My dad liked it and my brother, Mato, was...alright, I guess. I was still a kid then, so I hadn't matured. Fast-forward a few years and I'm a teenager, still hadn't matured yet, but that's besides the point. I told my dad that I genuinely wanted to be a Hero, and he wasn't angry. But Mato? Jeez, you'd think a man couldn't turn so red. He absolutely hated the fact that I wanted to become a Hero. You'd think my dad would get blood-boiling furious; Mato proved that wrong.

"He wanted me to give up on my dream. He ordered me to, commanded me, demanded me, and the other verbs that apply in this situation. Then Dad came along and said, 'Mato, you have to let Shinzo make his own decisions.' And Mato did. Not out of his love for me, but out of respect for the man who brought us into this world.

"Oh, with Mato being Mato, he figured out that our dad—and the rest of the Yakuza to an extent—gets government protection through a loophole in Heroism Laws. So when he found that out, he slightly approved. Not much really, not much. It didn't matter in the end because—"

"The Commission figured out that you were Shinzo Kichoki?" Shinso asks next, interested in my story. Heh, my story is interesting enough to tell. Suzuki would like this story, if I ever tell him one day.

"Yup, it was the day after I took the Entrance Exam. I was at home—just a regular house don't worry, I can be completely normal sometimes—where a black van came up. Out came the President of the Hero Public Safety Commission with a few bodyguards— Pro Hero bodyguards. Dad greeted them with respect and smiles while Mato fumed in the back, not bothering to show them any. Naturally, being the good guy I am, I did what my dad did.

"We let them inside—again, Mato was furious—and we had a little chat. The President said that she's aware of our roles as the monarchs of the Jizen Mugen. In fact, the only reason they didn't arrest my dad and Mato was because of two reasons—A: They had no evidence; B: They wanted to make an arrangement."

Again, I check on Principal Nezu, seeing how he's reacting to this. He's listening with that same posture and expression, yet in the inside, I can tell he's being serious. Yeah, this isn't something to take lightly.

"The arrangement was… How do I put this…? I was allowed to attempt to become a Pro Hero and the Jizen Mugen won't get prosecuted and a bunch of other benefits…if we follow a few several…? A lot of conditions, alright? It was a lot of conditions, but I'll sum up the main parts.

"We had to cooperate fully with the Commission. Whenever they need intel on something, we have to give them it. We weren't allowed to hurt Pro Heroes, unless in special circumstances, and we couldn't directly act against the Commission or against Japan in general, or conspire to plot its destruction. The President got really thorough with it and I honestly zoned out for half of the conversation. But my dad made the deal with them."

Nezu decides to butt in, "And this is where I come in! You see, the Commission would have refused Kichoki's wish to become a Hero and pursued to put all of the Jizen Mugen in prison! But they didn't! You know why? The Jizen Mugen is a special kind of Yakuza! They commit crimes, yes, but not against the people. No, they act for the people. 'Vigilantes' would be a more appropriate label for them! They kill those who they deem vile and disgusting, nothing more! They're a charitable group, giving back to Japan more than Japan gives to them!

"The Commission holds the Jizen Mugen the highest out of all of the Yakuzas! They match closely with the ideals of heroism even despite lynching Villains and terrible people! That was why they struck a deal with them. You see, crime will never end, and so will the Yakuza no matter how endangered they become. So in the Commission's eyes, having the Jizen Mugen be the top dog is the best outcome for society! Both sides benefit from having the Jizen Mugen as the most powerful Yakuza. The Commission can monitor the Villain underworld better and the Jizen Mugen will have a larger influence over Japan; ironically enough, they are both fighting for the same thing—a better country governed under similar beliefs."

That's right. I'm proud to be the Yakuza Prince. After all, if the Jizen Mugen didn't kill disgusting bastards like pedophiles or anyone like that, then we would be considered Heroes. Heh, some people would still consider us Heroes anyway when we enact vigilante justice. We're different from the rest, and we take that with pride. Pretty much everyone else despise heroism because it gets in the way of business. We don't. We respect heroism because it protects Japan from higher threats like Destro or some other overlord out there. Pro Heroes will handle the big fish, while us, we'll handle the little ones. We're content with that life—except for me. Admittedly, that was one of the reasons why I want to become a Hero—chasing after big fish. Dad always said that my ambitions are as bright as my heart.

Mato didn't like it. No, he absolutely hated it. He shares very different opinions with Dad and I. When Dad made the deal with the Commission, it took him two minutes to think about it. Mato was going to speak out against it, but I stopped him. After all, Dad had the final say in everything, and he exercised that power. When the President left, Mato yelled at him for agreeing to the deal within a short amount of time. He said that he doomed the future of the Jizen Mugen, making us slaves to the Commission and heroism itself. Then he turned the blame to me, saying that none of this would've happened if I hadn't taken the Entrance Exam. He stormed off into his room and since then, he respected us because we were his blood, not for our ideals.

He loathes heroism. I remember when I was only five, I told him that I wanted to be a Hero. He had a look of disgust and told me, "Heroism is a game for fools, Shinzo. It parades a cannibalized ideal, hoping that it'll enslave the weak-minded for its crusade. If you follow heroism—No, if you follow their heroism, then you're submitting your life as a mindless servant."

He always had a way with words. Mato is such an intellectual. Of course, I'm being sarcastic. Though, imagine what he said to me after the ordeal? Besides his outburst? Nothing. He said nothing. He was so disappointed in his little brother that he couldn't say a single word, so he never did. He let me go to U.A. without berating me or insulting me. Because, this is the life that I chose for myself. I might've tied the Commission and the Jizen Mugen together—we're using them as much as they're using us. Overall, we're still fighting for Japan— Mato still fights for a better Japan—a Japan that's greater than it ever was. Just… I don't know to what extent that he'll fight for those beliefs. For someone who hates heroism, he must love to parade his own ideals around. I just have this aching feeling that he loves them more than he loves his family.

I mean, Dad always told me that "he's like that" ever since our mom died. I don't remember her, but he did. Whatever happened, whatever she said to Mato, it influenced him. I would ask Dad more, but I'm a little afraid. There's only one man scarier than the Villain Overlord himself—I won't mention him by name—and that one man is my brother.

Against the false crusade of heroism, there he is. The Jizen Mugen, we're the Infinite Charity. Out of his own charitable heart, Mato will give his all. He will give everything. I might be the Glowing Heart—the Golden Heart; my brother, with me as a comparison, I'm nothing.

Because my brother, he is the "Mugen" in the "Jizen Mugen"...

He is Infinity.

I look up and see that Principal Nezu is still talking to Shinso. He's answering some of his questions. Good because chances are, I don't know the answer to them. Especially since he's talking about the President of the Commission. I don't know much about her aside from when we first met. She's...just about how I imagined her to be—strict and calculating. Running Japan is serious work, I'd imagine. Shinso asks Nezu, "Why did Shinzo go with 'Shinzo Mantora' as his fake name?"

"Nezu gave me that name, and I didn't complain," I answer, finally joining in. Principal Nezu smiles and nods.

"Mhm! I am very proud of that name!"

"You only changed his surname."

"So? I changed something in that boy's life!"

"Like my faith in my principal…"

"That's a little cold, Kichoki! How rude!"

"Uh huh."

"Say something more than that! I'm your principal!"

"I'm a prince. Technically, I have power over you."

"In what domain? What do you rule over?"

"Japan."

"Well, I can't argue with that logic!"

Shinso stares at us like we're freaks. "What is wrong with you two?"

I answer, "Just about everything—"

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Come in, Eraserhead!" Nezu says, and he's right. Mister Aizawa comes through the door like a walking zombie. There's bags under his eyes. He looks around the room, first noticing me and Nezu before taking a look at his apprentice. Nezu teases him, "Checking up on Mini-Shota Aizawa?"

"Be quiet," he snaps before resting his eyes on Shinso, "I came to see why Nezu pulled both Shinsos away—had to ask Vlad King to watch my class for a little bit."

"You what?"

"Seriously?"

"That's a poor choice!"

---

Shota Aizawa's Mistake

"Kuhahahahaha! How terrible that your teacher abandoned you! Guess you really aren't that great, 1-A! Mister Aizawa truly loathes each and every one you! Especially the Terror Trio—Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo! You three are the worst!"

"Kahahahahaha! Now I get to talk to you personally! Aizawa is a good man, but I'm better! Take that as fact!"

"Sanji, that's our teacher."

"Itsuka, that's our classmate."

"Dude, should we stop them?"

"I have no idea, Awase. Honestly, I'm too stunned to do anything."

"Same."

"Yup…"

("Why are they like this?")

("Maybe Monoma is Vlad King's secret love child?")

("Todoroki, that's...very far from the truth.")

("Midoriya, I'm only joking.")

("Oh…")

"Kuhahahaha!"

"Kahahahaha!"

("Midoriya, I dunno about you, but I'm absolutely convinced.")

---

"Yeah probably. My class can handle whatever Vlad King does to them. I'm a stricter teacher than him anyway." Mister Aizawa leans against the wall, his hands in his pockets. "Anyway, I'm assuming Shinso managed to figure out that Shinzo Mantora is Shinzo Kichoki?"

"Yup!" Nezu answers, hopping up.

"Alright. Seems like you already explained the situation, so let me take these two back to Battle Zone Central."

"You're in a bit of a hurry, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Mister Aizawa answers, looking out into the hall. "Besides, I think Grandmaster and The Count are looking for you, Nezu. As for the Shinsos, we shouldn't miss the tiebreaker match. Gera is fighting Suzuki."

Really? We tied? Well, I shouldn't miss Suzuki's funeral.

---

Karisuma Suzuki

"The final match of the Freshman Proxy Battles is here! Boy, am I excited to see how this turns out! To my left reigns the Mistress of Earth, Gera Rudolphus of 1-A! She volunteered to fight in the tiebreaker match after defeating Kyoko Usami of 1-B in less than three seconds! Can we hear some noise?!"

"Gera! Gera! Gera!" Gera flexes her arm, having her clearly defined biceps showing. It's not surprising that she can kick my ass.

"That's what I like to hear! On my right is the Kitsune of Fury, Karisuma Suzuki of 1-B! After his match with Yutani, it's clear that he's strong in both body and mind! For 1-B, it was a no-brainer that he had to volunteer to fight the powerhouse that is Gera Rudolphus! Who thinks Suzuki will win?!"

"Suzuki! Suzuki! Suzuki!" Hey, glad to know I still have fans left. Too bad my five rascals couldn't come to see this. I'd hear them over everyone else.

"Awesome! Gera Rudolphus, got anything to say before the match starts?!"

Gera snorts, looking around at the stands and bleachers. "'Course I do! I'm gonna prove that you don't gotta be smart in order to be a Hero, even if it means beating up my good friend, Suzuki! Sorry bud, but you're gonna go down." She winks.

Present Mic roars into his mic, "How bold! I wouldn't get on her bad side! Honestly, I feel bad for Suzuki, but he volunteered to fight this monster of a woman! What does he have to say about this?!"

I run my hand through my hair, stepping forward with my dominant foot out. Three tails, that's all I have. Considering it's Gera, I probably need more to defeat her. Anyway, I announce, "Nothing! I'm not going to say anything! As much as I like becoming a Hero, I think my friendship with Gera is much more important."

Everyone exclaims all at once, "Really?!"

"No, I'm lying!" I reveal, throwing my arms up in the air. "What kind of an idiot do you take me for?! No offense Gera, but nothing's stopping me from becoming a Hero, even you!"

Gera slams her fist together, smirking. "That's the Suzuki I know! You almost had me tricked there, you dick! Don't go easy on me 'cuz I sure as hell ain't gonna go easy on you! In fact, just go all out!" Heh, how sweet. I should trick her more often, like this fight. Gera is not smart by any means. It took her a long time to understand that chocolate milk doesn't come from brown cows.

"Yeah no, I wanna be a Hero, not a murderer," I say, cracking my neck. That will always be satisfying. "I still can't utilize Fury of the Nine Tails either, so you're fighting me way below my maximum strength, sorry to break it to ya."

I might have a theory as to when I can use Fury of the Nine Tails. The hint is in the name I gave it: fury. Unlike most people's Quirks, my Quirk involves emotions as a side effect or a consequence of the main function—growing tails to gain power. I won't activate that state from growing tails, but rather when I experience heavy amounts of emotion, presumably rage, anger, or something along those lines. Or it's something else altogether. It might activate when I'm in a life or death scenario. I heard about, before Quirks existed, humans can fully utilize their muscles when their life is in danger. The only problem is: They will destroy their muscles in the process. In normal circumstances, the brain prevents them from using their muscles like that. If I apply that logic to Fury of the Nine Tails, it explains why I was more injured than my classmates. Fury of the Nine Tails lets me go to my uppermost limits at the cost of destroying my body.

If I take a look at Gera's Quirk, it's nearly flawless. Her technique, despite being a nitwit, is better than most. Then again, it's not hard to beat the bottom line. You know the rule where 90% of everything is crap? Well, during the U.A. Entrance Exam, 95% of the testers were crap. A lot of them had strong Quirks, but they never had the technique to use it, thinking that their strength will carry them to Class A or B. Gera had both. She knows how to effectively use Earthen Feet to trap or defeat someone, but to use it to its fullest potential? No, she can't. She isn't smart enough yet . I'm tutoring her. I won't say this out loud, but I look forward to see when Gera is able to match her brains to her brawn. Guess I enjoy being a tutor, huh? Look at me getting all sappy… It's not like me.

"Al riiiiii ght! No more dilly-dallying! Side conversations must come to a close! It's time to decide who wins! Will Class 1-A, the class known having overwhelming power, be the victor once again?! Or, will it be Class 1-B, the class of controversy, pull a win out against 1-A?! Let's find out! C'mon Gera and Suzuki! Show 'em what you got!"

We hear Present Mic standing out of his seat. "Three!"

Gera steps forward. I can faintly hear the earth vibrating underneath my feet. That's not good. She's planning to trap me once the fight begins. "Two!"

Rumble rumble…

More rumbling. It's all around me. I won't be able to roll out of the trap. If I do, then I'd be rolling into another one. There's only one way I could go. "One!"

Gera snickers, locking eyes with me. She mouths, No hard feelings. "Fight!"

Now—!

THE DEEP TERRA!

LEAP!

I was right! Gera was planning to trap me right from the get-go! She used the same Super Move on Usami, but on a much larger scale! I jumped up in the air right as Present Mic started the match, but there's one big problem facing me—the landing. If I land, then Gera has another chance to trap me. This entire arena is her weapon. I could cut her off by taking her feet off of the ground, since that's her Quirk Factor needed for Earthen Feet to function. I need to get in close without giving her a chance to capture me. Good thing that there's a ceiling in Battle Zone Central!

"C'mon Gera, is that all you got?! You're just as stupid as I thought!" I taunt her while in the air. She growls and stomps her foot down, cracking the arena floor. From her offshoots of jagged rock, it grows like it has a mind of its own. It flies towards me with a bunch of sharp spikes that have my name on them. Jeez! It hasn't been ten seconds and she's already trying to kill me! Don't tell me that she'll "accidentally" turn me into a skewer?!

RRRRRR!

"—Hah!"

Barely! Just barely dodged the ever-living shit out her attack! Holy hell, that was too close! I spun just before the spike jerked forward. I spin back around and slam my feet against the spike's shaft, pain starting to well in my bones from how hard I slammed on it. Before Gera gets to do anything, I jump off, flying towards the ceiling. There's steel bars running across them, meant for structural support. I grab onto the edge of one of them, dangling from the ceiling with one hand. Gera sees me up there and shouts, "Hey genius, what's your plan?!"

"Tell me yours first!" I shout back.

"It seems like Suzuki's taking the high road! Literally! What is he doing hanging up there?! Is this part of his plan or is he jumping around like a headless chicken?!" Present Mic narrates. If I could make him shut up, I would. He's distracting me.

"Shut up Mic! I'm focusing on trying to kill—I mean defeat Suzuki 'ere!" Gera yells at Mic—and I'll just ignore the first part—before she turns to me, "Suzuki! If you come down here, I'll knock you out cold!"

What kind of deal is that?! "Is that supposed to be a reward or something?!"

Gera defends her ridiculous offer, "Do you know how many masochists who wanna get hurt by me?! It's a lot more than you expect!"

"You're letting Kazeha get to you! I told you she's a terrible influence, but does anyone listen to me?! Hell no!" I point at Kazeha below me with my free hand. She's looking at me with the most offended face in the world; it's like she's saying, What did I ever do to you?

In response, Gera raises her fist at me. "Don't bully Kaze like that! She's my best friend in the entire world! Much better than you, you son of a bitch! If I was speaking German, then I'd have better words than 'bitch', you bitch!"

("Gera, you sweetheart! I love you too!")

I scream-ask, "Can we start fighting again?! My ears are bleeding from hearing your nails-on-a-chalkboard voice screaming up here!"

"Oh, is the Pope Catholic?!" she…?

"...?"

"What?" Mic says into his mic.

("I believe the answer should be 'yes'," Shiozaki answers.)

"That's a rhetorical question, you dumbass! Of course we're fighting!" Gera points a finger to herself and sticks her tongue out. That's a mocking gesture isn't it? Jeez Kari, you made yourself look like an idiot in front of Gera. I'm not going to live this one down, am I? Gera groans and slams her foot again; it's enough to make a small crater. "Ugh! Just take this!"

A ton of more spikes pop up around me, coming out in varying angles and speeds. But, the base of her spikes is contained within the arena. Guess she can follow orders. This is a detail I should keep note because as of right now, I'm about to be skewered again. This is what I expected. All Gera is doing is giving me more footholds to use!

"Take a dirt nap, bastard!" she screams as she accelerates her spikes, but I let go of the beam.

CRASH!

The spikes crashed into the steel beams above me, bending and twisting them. The ceiling creaked and moaned, signaling that Gera did some structural damage to the building. I swear to God that if Battle Zone Central falls down on top of us… Ugh, Gera would kill everyone in here. She would literally do Shigaraki's job for him.

Moving on, I put my feet on the side of a spike that's nearly vertical in the air. Let's see, what combinations of jumps can I do that'll get me to Gera the fastest? Yeah I could jump around this place like a trampoline park. Won't be the wisest thing to do since it gives Gera ample time to run me through and put my head on a pike. That would be a really bad thing because I kinda need my head! How else would I give Gera some backtalk?! Jokes aside, I need to take her off her feet! That's how I'll win!

"Suzuki—!" Gera screams as she grows more spikes from the earth. They're coming by the hundreds it seems! Damnit, damnit! Of course she'd try to pull something like this! It's worse than before! Need to maneuver around them while continuously getting closer to Gera! If I'm not careful, then I can kiss my career goodbye before it starts!

"—Hah!"

THREE TAILS: FANGS OF THE YAKO!

My Super Move, Fangs of the Yako, is a technique that lets me leap around the battlefield even if the terrain is untraversable for the average human! That means in this fight, I'm the only one who can properly get around while Gera is stuck on her side! Unless she uses her Quirk to blast through the spikes she created, there's no way she could move around the battlefield without hurting herself!

That means my agility is my most valuable tool in this fight! It's a means to close the distance and defeat her!

"Gera—!" I bounce from shaft to shaft, flipping and spinning around incoming spikes that sprout from the ground! So many! Each time I evade her attacks, it takes snips out of my costume, leaving me with a few small and very annoying cuts on my body! It's hell to navigate around in her jungle jim, but there's something good that came along with it—Gera uprooted the arena with the onslaught of attacks! The only intact section of the arena is her end, which is a measly rectangle that's a few meters wide! She's making this way too easy for me!

"You gotta be kidding me! You're actually reaching me?!" Gera says, but I don't have the ability to say a fitting remark. Fangs of the Yako took more energy out of me than expected, but I'm still able to fight! Now to actually execute Fangs of the Yako, I need to land an attack on Gera! If I could take her out of the arena, or at least get her off her feet, then that'll end this goddamn nightmare!

I leap off of another spike, sliding myself through a narrow gap in-between two shafts. I flash my claw and hook it onto a skinny one in front of me, using it to rotate myself in the right direction before letting go perfectly right towards Gera! She grits her teeth and steps forward. Her nice little rectangle is ruined as she creates a platform that lifts her off of the ground, gliding her forward in the air like a hoverboard. Oh come on! I knew she was able to do this, but why does she have to be a bitch and make it harder?!

I change my position in the air then! I spin around, gathering momentum for a powerful right hook!

Gera laughs and leans her head forward, as if she's taunting, Come and punch me, little dick!

Alright, I'll give her what she wants—!

—She blasts forward, cackling!

BAM!

"—Tch…" Gera caught my fist. I stand in front of her, my feet on her platform/ride/whatever-the-hell-I-call-it. She smirks and wags her finger at me in a mocking—being frankly annoying and bratty like a rich girl.

"C'mon Suzuki, you know I got more muscles than your scrawny ass. You really think that this'll work?" she scolds me as she tightens her grip around my fist. Damnit, I put myself in a bad spot.

"It was worth a shot. I mean, it's a no-brainer that I—" In the middle of my sentence, I try to slam my forehead against her nose. But, Gera moves her head out of the way, letting my forehead smack against her hard-as-hell shoulder, and by the way, it hurts! Her shoulder is like obsidian! What is she made of?! "—Ugh!" I groan in pain.

"Stupid lil' Suzuki! What were you trying to pull?!" She—?!

WHAM!

"—Ghrk—ugh!" Gera kneed me in my chest, cracking a few ribs, probably breaking one from the sounds of it! Crap, it suddenly got a lot harder to breathe! Each breath I take, my nerves in my chest scream in pain. I let out a small cough and a few specs of blood splatter Gera's cheeks… She cringes in disgust. I laugh, pain inflaming my chest. "Gotta say Gera… Blood does not go well with your tan skin…"

"Hmph," she huffs before gripping my hand tighter, twisting my wrist in an angle that could make a grown man cry pathetically, shooting a sharp pain down my arm like she's sticking an iron rod through it.. Damnit, just gotta grit my teeth and endure it! Gera cockily urges, squeezing my wrist like a vice, "C'mon Suzuki, say 'uncle' for me!"

"Kiss my ass…" I answer through gritted teeth. Gera clicks her tongue, practically saying, So be it . With her other hand, she slams it against my neck. Air leaves my lungs again as I heave and heave, hacking up more blood all over Gera's ugly bodysuit that she wears for her costume. Her fingers wrap around my neck, her nails digging into my skin like tiny little needles. With her strength, she could snap a man's neck using only one hand.

She glares at me with fury raging in her eyes, her veins bulging out of her head. But damn… She's not… She's not angry at me. No, she's pretty fucking angry at something else. Unfortunately, she decided to take that anger out on poor little me. Gera's always been the aggressive type, always filled with protein and had more testosterone than the average man, but she was rarely angry, y'know? Sure, she screams and yells a lot, she does that to everyone—I won't lie—still though, she does that for fun. It's hard to get her pissed. Whenever we have one of our contests of "Who can out-insult the other?", it's just a game.

But here, she's furious. I know she is. I know because that's the same look I had when I was obsessed about Inochi, when I was ignorant to the effect that Nine Tails had on my emotions. It's a seething anger that can never be fulfilled, the kind of anger that searches for a scapegoat and blames all their problems on them. I used Inochi as mine, but this isn't some cliche anime. I'm aware of what I did, I'm aware of my faults, but I won't become friends with him. I will never become friends with a bastard like him. Gera though, she's too much of a good person to use someone else as a scapegoat. Shocking, I know. The toned tan girl has an honest heart. Really, her scapegoat isn't me or some asshole like Bakugo, but…

"Y'know Suzuki, you keep tutoring me, but I still don't understand a single damned thing. I'm just a dumb musclehead who can't even do basic trig-no-metry or whatever the math-fucks call it! How the hell can I compete with geniuses like you? Good God, you know that I'm the only retard who got a zero on the written portion on the Entrance Exam, right? I'm still rocking a zero. There's no way — Ah forget it, doesn't matter. Forget I said anything, okay? If you bring it up, I'm punching you."

Yeah, the scapegoat is herself. She's angry at herself for not being smart. It's the only reason why she wasn't accepted into the Hero Course. During the Sports Festival, she believed that taking out a few Hero Course students would elevate her chances, but from what she said just the other day, she cares about her academics. Gera is forcing herself to be all brawn when she knows that a Hero isn't just about might. I think I might've been underestimating her. Gera is academically dumb, but she isn't a complete numbskull. She can realize her flaws, but she can't do anything about them. So, whether she likes it or not, she has to act as a musclehead.

As she holds me up in the air, I say stuttering from the lack of air, "G-Gera—"

"Shut up!" Gera shouts and slams me against her platform hard enough that it cracks. My back takes the brunt of the damage, making my arms and legs go weak from the impact. She slides me a meter before throwing me deeper into the arena, where the spikes are, coming out in different angles and lengths. All of the ends are near the ceiling, thankfully, but the shafts? I'm heading right into a crowd of them. This… This will hurt a lot.

CRASH!

"—Ghrk! Hhrk!"

Through rock.

BANG!

"Ugh—!"

Through stone.

CRASH!

"Fhrk!—Agh!"

My body breaks.

THUD!

"Geh—ugh…"

I crash, rolling.

CRACK!

"Ah—uh!"

I lay on my back and everything hurts.

"Take this—take this—take this—!" Gera screams. She stomps her foot and more spikes erupt from the ground, around me! She's not trying to stab me—thank God—no, she's doing something else. Those spikes are—! They're heading towards the steel beams! She's trying to take them down—along with the ceiling! I can't move my body!

WMP! WMP! WMP!

CRAAAAAAAASH!

Her spikes crash against the ceiling and soon enough, the steel beams bend and groan. Before I know it, I see cracks forming in the concrete. The lights shatter, the entire building screaming as loud as my body is screaming in pain. A blanket of darkness overtake my eyes, then I hear everything falling on top of me.

THMP!

"Guh—!"

"Suzuki! Oh my goodness, is Suzuki dead?! To get thrown through ten pillars of rock and stone, then having Battle Zone Central's ceiling come crashing down on him?! Just how strong is Gera Rudolphus?! The match might be called there!" Present Mic narrates… Good God, he's too loud…

My eyes flicker open to a blinding light—the sun—my ears ringing, my head is pounding, and my breathing's heavy. It feels like my chest is about to crush my lungs. "Ugh…" I groan, pushing rock and concrete off of me. I'm not dead… I don't know what happened, but I'm lucky that I didn't get crushed…

"I'm...not...dead!" I yell loud enough, just enough that Present Mic wouldn't call the match there.

"Oh, Suzuki is still in the realm of the living! He's getting up, standing on the battlefield on top of the debris! His body might be battered, but his battle spirit is untainted! This is what defines a Hero, folks! When their body is broken, they keep fighting because hope—their hope is never shattered!" Mic builds up my rise. I grab onto one of the shafts of the spikes, lifting myself onto my feet. My right wrist is dislocated, and a few of my fingers are broken too. Ugh, my fingers aren't supposed to bend that way. It's disgusting to look at, but it confirms that I can't use my right hand anymore—well, if I don't wanna further injure it.

I walk forward—

And nearly trip over.

My left foot's busted too. I can walk with only a limp. Blood is running down the left side of my face. There must be a big gash on my head, isn't it? Damnit, I'm not as resilient as Inochi. But, pretty sure he'd get hurt too if he was thrown through ten of those spikes—at least that's what Mic said.

I'm in the middle of the arena from the looks of it. All around me is random shit—rock, steel, concrete, everything in-between. It's like I got dropped in the middle of a fantasy book if you look hard enough. God, would I love reading a book right now, a fairy tale even. I love fairy tales…folk tales, literature, I love them...

When I was a kid, Mom would always read them to me before bed. It calmed me down enough so that...that I would sleep in peace. I wouldn't...feel angry anymore. None of that… I wouldn't be mad. Because if I was mad, I'd be in trouble. Here, if I get mad...then Gera would get hurt. I don't want that. I'm afraid because…

Because I feel my burning heart pounding in my chest, like fire trying to burn itself through my ribs. Every part of me is on fire. My nerves, my limbs, my everything… It burns just like the time I fought Charon… My blood is like lava, pure fire that's trying to scorch my bones into ash... God damnit… I don't want this now… I don't wanna hurt Gera… I don't wanna win like this…

"Suzuki, you're still standing? You're…banged up. Look at yourself," Gera asks, shocked that I'm still moving. I inch closer to her, dragging my dead foot along the floor.

"Long, long ago…in Kyoto, the people of the...city were terrified of the accounts of...a dreadful ogre…who, it was said...haunted the Gate of Rashomon at twilight and...and seized whoever passed by…"

"Suzuki is reciting The Ogre of Rashomon ?!" Mic exclaims.

"What are you doing…?" Gera asks me again.

"Long, long ago...there lived in Kyoto a brave soldier named Kintoki. Now...he fell in love with a beautiful lady and married her… " I was never that good of a singer…

Mic, from the sounds of it, stands out of his chair. "Now it's The Adventures of Kintaro ?!"

"Suzuki! Snap outta it!" Gera urges me… I keep limping forward…

" Long, long ago...there lived, in Japan...a brave warrior known to all as...Tawara Toda, or 'My Lord Bag of Race.' His true name was...Fujiwara Hidesato...and there is a very interesting story of how he came to change...his name… "

" My Lord Bag of Rice ?! Suzuki is pulling out all kinds of fairy tales today!" Mic says, sounding like he doesn't believe what's going on…

"He'd better stop if he doesn't want a scar on that face of his!" Gera cries. Her voice doesn't sound… It doesn't have any conviction…

" Long, long ago...there lived...in Musutafu...an arrogant boy known as...Karisuma Suzuki...who took on the form of a...kitsune...from the very stories...his mother sung to him on a winter night...when he was a small child... "

"His...His own story?!" Present Mic spits into his microphone, amazed…

Gera says, "Suzuki…"

"Gera… I've always been a piece of shit… Honestly, I'm not...quite the best to transfer into the Hero Course… Honestly, you...you're the strongest out of 1-D, and the entire… Yeah, the entire damned General Department…" I admit, looking at her with a broken smile. I feel blood staining my white teeth. It tastes awful…

She steps forward, lowering herself to my level using her platform. She says, crying out, "That's bullshit! You might be an asshole, but you're a better person than before! Back then, you never cared about us! You were arrogant as shit! But now, you've gotten better! Who the fuck cares if I'm strong?! The strong bastards out there?! The ones who can change?! They're the strongest fuckers in the world!"

Blood continues to pour down. The left side of my vision is colored red, crimson red, but I see Gera with my right, clear as day. I shake my head, fighting her, "Nah, you're wrong… I might be strong, but I killed a girl… I killed Hifumi...Osuhashi… I killed her..."

"Eh?!" Gera gasps, confused. "Suzuki, I'm not gonna tell you that it was Catharsis's fault, damnit! I will say… What I will fucking say is that you're a dumbass! You feel sorry for yourself, don't you?! Guilty?! Stop that shit! If you keep anchoring yourself, then how the hell are you gonna float back up?! Be a goddamn Hero! You're better than this!"

It's not that simple… Being responsible for Hifumi's suicide… There's a whole bag of emotions in that… What she says, it won't snap those feelings away… But I don't think that's the point she's trying to make… I think, I think she knows that these feelings aren't gonna disappear within the second. Maybe she wants me to let it fade slowly, not instantly, but slowly. The only way to do that is chasing after heroism, by saving and helping people, and doing whatever I feel is right.

I laugh, picking my head up and wincing in pain. "Alright Gera…"

The burning stops.

"You win, but you have to promise me a couple of things first…" I stand up tall, using my broken right hand, pointing at her with my broken index finger. "Are we still on for tutoring tonight? 'Cause...from what you said, you're just book-dumb. You're not dumb at life though, far from it… But I'll help you anyway…"

Gera's eyes widen before they soften. She nods and hums. "If you're up for it… A couple is 'two', right? What's the other thing?"

"Yeah… See, you can learn something!" I exclaim, trying my best to not laugh because my chest is on the verge of collapsing. "Anyway… To win, you have to knock me out. I won't forfeit, I won't accept going out of bounds as defeat... I gotta be a Hero, you know...? Even when a Hero's body is destroyed...just by standing up, they show true strength, true unwavering and stubborn as hell strength… That's what separates the fakers from the real ones… And…"

With my left hand, I wipe the blood off my face. I see Gera with clear, bloodless vision. I tell her, smiling with blood-caked teeth, "I dunno about you, but I'm no faker."

"Neither am I... Neither am I…" Gera repeats before coming down to my level. She clears away a few of her spikes, letting them sink back into the ground. The floor is a lot more even than before, but it's still uneven. She puts her fists up, getting into a boxer-like stance, hopping back and forth like a jack rabbit or a kangaroo. "C'mon Suzuki, I ain't gonna pummel you with my Quirk, only my fists. Got that?"

"Yeah… Got it… Hit me with your best shot, Gera…" I submit myself to a fight, a brawl between a girl who can carry Earth like Atlas and a kitsune who has a foot and a hand broken, not to mention his ribs. But, this is the fate that I, Karisuma Suzuki, submitted myself to. Accepting it, I stand tall, back straight, right hand out, left hand back, right foot forward, left foot back. Even broken, I'll still fight with them.

"This is the final brawl! Who will win?! C'mon crowd, c'mon students of U.A., chant the name of who you think wins!" Present Mic asks Battle Zone Central, and he gets an immediate response.

"Suzuki!"

Eh?

"Suzuki!"
"Suzuki!"

Gera smiles, laughing at me like I'm a goddamn idiot. "Dumbass, wipe that shock off your face. They're not chanting for who wins—they're chanting for the guy who's stronger. C'mon, let's not keep them waiting. Right—?!"

SMACK!

With my right forearm, I block Gera's left hook, knocking her arm away. I might've stopped her punch, but even blocking it is killing my arm. She's so strong that if you just get tapped by her, you could get the wind knocked out of you. "Hup—!"

I kick her left foot just as when she's about to go for a low kick. Following up, she pulls her right fist back and tries to uppercut me, but I pivot underneath her arm, snapping to her right side. She might be stronger, but I'm faster even with a bum foot—!

BAM!

One blow! Left jab into her cheek!

"Ugh—!"

"—Hraaah!"

Two blows—!

Three—!
Four—!

Five—!

I don't care if I'm using my broken limbs to fight! They can still punch and kick! Adrenaline is pumping through my veins, ignoring the pain I'm supposed to feel!

Gera glares at me with her bruised face, laughing with the thrill of the fight! "Gotta try harder than that, Suzuki—!"

—Damnit!

"Grrrrah—!"

She tries for a right hook, but I block it with my arm.

She punches—!

And punches—!

And punches—!
Not letting up—!

"Damnit, lemme hit you good!" Gera yells after failing to land a good hit.

I shout back, screaming, "So stupid to think that I'll go easy on you—!"

"—Eh?!"

I pull my right hand back and she instinctively raises her arms. It's a feint. I jump up and spin around, performing a taekwondo kick into the side of her skull. Her body goes limp and she stumbles to the side! My chance—!

I step forward with my damaged foot, reeling my left fist back. This is coming towards her head! This might not knock her down, but it'll surely do something! "Gera—!"

I bring my fist down—?!

"Aghk—?!"

The second before! The split second before! Gera dodged and landed a punch into my chest, shattering my ribs further. I cough out blood, recoiling and stumbling back, barely able to keep myself upright. I hold my heart with my right hand, clutching my costume. It's hard to breathe! It's so hard to breathe!

"Suzuki—!" Gera yells before she punches my temple.

WHAM!

Again—!

And again—!

And again—!

"Gah—ugh, fhrk—!"

My face is bloody. It's covered, soaked. All I see is red with Gera blurry, shifting around in the light, but she's standing still.

I'm not...done...yet!

I step forward, using all of my strength I have left for one final punch! I scream at the top of my lungs before I send it out.

THUD!

But Gera catches it.

She grins, her teeth caked with blood too. She says to me, "You did good, Suzuki. See you when you wake up."

Gera pulls her head back—

SLAM!

The last thing I feel is her head hitting mine before everything fades away.

---

Click!

"You have a guest, Suzuki. It's—"

"I know who it is, Recovery Girl. Give us some privacy."

"I swear if you two wreck my office—"

"It won't come to that, I promise," Inochi says, holding his hand to his chest. "I came to check up on him."

"As you can see, I'm alive and everything's fixed. But whenever I look at you Inochi, I have the sudden urge to undo Recovery Girl's healing," I reply, turning around to face him. Inochi scowls before shaking his head, returning back to a neutral look.

Recovery Girl throws her arms up in the air and walks to the door. "Boys, if I hear any banging, I'm getting Aizawa and you both are getting suspended, if you're lucky. Do you understand? I'm not playing around." Wow, U.A. cares more about me than Bakugo, an arguably worse asshole. I'm touched.

Inochi nods. "Yes, Recovery Girl."
"Roger. Have a good day." I nod too.

She sighs and leaves, shutting the door behind her. I walk over to my bed, grabbing my bottle of water and unscrewing the top. "Did your friends ask you to check up on me? If so, you should rethink your friends."

He answers, stuffing his hands in his P.E. uniform's pockets. "No, only me. Well, Itsuka too. After you lost, she said that I had to talk to you, and I agreed. So, once I got word that you were awake, I came here first thing."

"Aw, you love me," I tease him, drinking my water before I screw the top back on.

"Not at all," he shuts me down. Inochi is shooting me a glare. Looks like he isn't taking any of my shit today. "Talking about 1-B though, my friends are disappointed that you lost, but they don't absolutely hate you. They have...mixed feelings if I'm putting it simply. Monoma and Mister Kan are a bit upset that 1-A beat them again , but there's always a next time."

"What about your girlfriend?" I ask, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed.

He answers with a tired face, "Itsuka's not my—Ugh, never mind. I didn't get a chance to ask her, but I guess she feels the same as always."

"Because you hate me, so she hates me." I raise my finger. "You have a devoted partner, Inochi. You better take care of her, because you sure as hell aren't gonna take care of yourself."

"Now you're saying that too…"

"Of course I am. I know you better than you know yourself, which isn't a hard thing to do." I look away from Inochi, looking at a poster of the human anatomy. This doesn't apply to everyone, not anymore, because of Mutant-type Quirks, but oh well.

Inochi takes a step forward. "When we were in Kibo?"

"Yup," I say, still not looking at him. "First time I saw you, I thought to myself, 'What's wrong with this weak Quirkless?' At first, I thought you were depressed since you know—foster child and legally Quirkless. Not the best life, I admit."

"Still, you treated me like I was dirt. In our class, you went out of your way to make an example out of me—the foster child who's legally Quirkless—the easy target. You thought it was easy to crush my aspirations."

"No, it's the opposite! Those who were born strong, they get praised just for breathing. That's how much people today worship powerful Quirks, not the people. So, these guys get big heads with even bigger dreams. Lemme tell you something though—their dreams are like balloons. When a small, tiny-teeny needle comes in, it pops—" I snap my finger to prove a point. "—just like that. To the weaklings out there? Their dreams are as hard as diamond. No matter how much you beat them down, they stay there unscratched."

"But you still tried to beat me down."

"Yeah, that's true. Back then, I believed I was a diamond in the disgusting rough that's called Kibo—that's how I viewed things. I thought I could easily destroy your dream, but I couldn't, obviously. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't."

"And you only tried because you felt inferior, weak," Inochi says, pacing back and forth. "The old Suzuki, the strong, charming man that everyone adores—'The next All Might,' they would say—devoted so much time to a lowly Quirkless named Sanji Inochi. Why?"

Inochi stops. We look at each other, our gazes unwavering. He continues, "Because I think you knew, Suzuki. I think you knew that today, at this very moment, at this very second, I would be standing where I am today; and for you, you would be standing where you are. You were jealous of me from the very beginning, weren't you?"

I laugh, shaking my head playfully. I knew he would figure it out. "Yup, I was. Your diamond dream was unbreakable, Inochi. I wanted that for myself, but I could never get it."

"And at Golden Week—" Inochi snaps his fingers. "—your dream popped. You tried to pick up the pieces up until the Sports Festival, but you only fell further into your own despair. And I, in your words, rose higher. In my opinion though, I simply had a better life than before. That's an objective fact."

"It's just like in the stories, Inochi. Just like in the stories…" I look up at the ceiling. It's a nice ceiling. Perfect for a perfect school for perfect heroism, just perfect. "The arrogant man experiences a tragic fall due to his own hubris while the underdog rises to a higher standing. It's been told time and time again, and it never gets old."

"So what now? What happens after that?" he asks me. I can still feel him staring, trying to find something, but what he's searching for isn't on my body.

"A shift, Inochi. A grand shift. The timid and withdrawn boy becomes this beam of sunlight, the epitome of a good man. While the other guy? No one cares about him anymore! It's all about this man!" I exclaim, gesturing to Inochi. "All about you, Inochi. You're the hero, y'know? You're the hero and the Hero ."

"I'm not… I'm not the hero, Suzuki. The attention I get, I don't think I deserve it. All I'm trying to do is become a Hero," he says.

I groan, banging the back of my head against the wall. "You stupid idiot. You say that, yet you're the most popular student in 1-B, one of the most in the entire grade. What about me? I want to be famous, but all I'm remembered for is nearly tearing your shoulder off. Besides that, no one really pays attention to me outside of school."

"Really? I thought you were still somewhat well-known," he says, kinda shocked. Heh, no one sees me and thinks, "That's Karisuma Suzuki!" Nope, all they see is a guy with fox ears and a tail.

"Nope, they notice my mutations, not my face." I get off the wall, taking a few steps forward. Inochi watches me, still uneasy. I can tell in how he breathes. He's calm, but there's still some bits of anxiety in them. "Inochi, congratulations. You have friends who adore you. You're even living with someone who loves you. Everyone says that you'll be a great Hero, a top ten guarantee."

"And you, you have friends too, no matter how much you curse at them. Gera cares about you, Kazeha, Mantora, and the rest of 1-D. Don't forget what Gera said—she believes that you're the strongest in the school. And about Hifumi—"

"Don't talk about her."

"Alright… Moving on, you stopped being a self-absorbed man. You started to give back to the world—tutoring elementary school kids, tutoring Gera, trying to be a better person. I think that's… that's a better story than mine, I believe."

"Eh, depends on personal taste." I shrug, crossing my arms. "But yeah, I'm moving on from middle school me. I'm becoming my own man, Inochi, my own Hero. I'll become a Pro just as great as All Might. Who knows, I might get into the top ten too? Being powerful and super famous? Recipe for success, I'd say."

Inochi rolls his eyes. He stops staring at me and looks over to a poster of All Might in his signature pose. "I don't understand why you would become a Hero for that. I don't understand why someone would become a Hero just so they could get rich quick, become famous, or for any self-indulging motives. That's not what being a Hero means, Suzuki. A Hero is meant to be selfless. They have to serve the society, and society isn't supposed to serve them in return."

A diamond in the rough… But he's an ugly diamond.

I respond, standing a little straighter, my words a little more firm, "No, you're wrong. Besides, who gave you the power to decide what society can or can't do? They just do , no one's controlling them. Sure, we got some celebrities like Mount Lady who relies on popularity more than anything else, but she's still saving people isn't she?"

" Because she wants to be more popular. To her, saving people is a means to an end. I don't mean to insult her, but that's what I believe."

"But, remember the but, people are still being saved. At the end of the day, she's fulfilling her role as a Hero, so it's fair that she could reap its rewards. It might be selfish for her, but it's perfectly reasonable."

"Still, being a Pro Hero means that you have to put selfish needs aside. Some Heroes out there, they wouldn't consider going into a burning building because 'it's too dangerous.' They aren't thinking 'people are in need, I need to save them.'"

"That's a bit suicidal. Inochi, lemme ask you about Stain. He believed that modern Heroes are cash-worshippers—"

"Don't compare me to him. Society has faults, Suzuki, but we shouldn't kill people or destroy the country to fix them. That's all I say about it."

I stifle a laugh. Okay, the tension just got a little thicker. I start to pace back and forth just how Inochi did earlier. "Y'know, being selfish isn't bad. Humans are naturally created to be selfish beings, and so is every animal on Earth, every plant even. Do you think plants care about other plants? Not really, all they want is sunlight."

"Yeah, I understand. But selfish desires chain us down, stopping us from moving forward. In order for heroism to properly work, every Hero needs to be selfless. The more selfless they are, the more people they save; the more people they save, society is being preserved. This is why All Might is the greatest Hero, why he stood out from the rest. He's so selfless that he became a pillar for society. He revolutionized the foundations of heroism—to rescue and to defeat, the dogma of heroism. I aspire to become selfless like him so I could save people without getting paid in wealth or fame. I don't want to be able to call myself a good person. I just want to see the world go on for thousands of years."

"That's a bit selfish though, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Wanting to be selfless? Wanting is a selfish word. 'I want to win'—'I want to be great'—'I want to be selfless.' The phrase itself is a contradiction, Inochi. If you want something, then you're truly aren't selfless!"

"You said it yourself, Suzuki! Humans are born to be selfish!"

"Yet you're treating 'selfish' as a dirty word," I tell him, turning around. I raise my arms up in the air, saying to Bakugo who isn't here, "Oh watch out Bakugo, you're being selfish. Time to put you in heroism jail and throw away the key. Enjoy your life in prison you selfish prick! Can't win in jail, can you?!"

"There's nothing good that comes from being selfish! It's why the media tried to destroy 1-B's reputation, why Villains exist—we need selfless people in the world to balance that, to ensure that society is good! If we don't, then who will?!"

"The selfish people, damnit!" I snap at him. "I guarantee you, there has to be one innovator who improved the world for a selfish reason—and I'm being generous! Oh, what about wars? Let's take All Might's war against villainy! He fought for his own ideals, trying to shape the world into what he imagined! Not anyone else! Only himself! Isn't that selfish, Inochi?! Your hero is selfish! Good God, get me a rope and I'll hang him myself!"

"I believe in what he fights for! He's fighting for generations of selfless Heroes who'll take his place as the Symbol of Peace! He entrusts them with the responsibility to save Japan even if they have to give up their own life in the process! That's what being a Hero means! Sacrificing your life everyday for this country!"

Inochi gets face-to-face with me. I step away, because if I stand my ground, then I'm surely gonna punch him. I walk over to the window and stare out of it. There's the U.A. campus, pretty beautiful isn't it? I can smell the flowers of heroism from where I'm standing! It's putrid. "That sounds like a fancy way of saying 'suicide' to me, Inochi. Just what the hell… You're a barrel of contradictions, an empty man."

"I'm not empty, Suzuki. I've never been empty in my life. I have heroism, the very ideal that you won't accept."

"I don't accept your heroism. Why? That kind of heroism breeds husks. It creates empty men and women. They're enslaved to the hive mind that is heroism, getting them to kill themselves for it. That's what you did back when we fought Charon, and I sure as hell didn't like when I nearly had to become a martyr for a cause I didn't ask to fight for." I drag my finger along the blades of the blinds. Heh, no dust. So the robot janitors do clean these.

"I'm none of those things you describe me as. Heroes are alive as its society. I'm willing to kill for it so that no one else has to. There has to be someone who carries its burdens, so I'm willing."

"Jeez, this guy is sick in the head. I'm talking to an insane man, can you believe it? I'm not sure what's worse—his mental illness or his hypocrisy," I talk to no one in particular other than the possible phantoms in the room.

"I'm sane, Suzuki. You just don't like how I think."

"You're wrong. I hate it ," I admit, I confess even! I turn my head to the side, watching him from the corner of my eye. "You are so broken that I can't tell that you were even whole to begin with. Every time I see you, I'm reminded of the reason why I hate you. You are a foreign entity to heroism, Inochi. You are the embodiment of every flaw it has.

"Even your name is a lie. 'Sanji' could mean 'third son', but it could also mean 'eulogy'. If you put 'sanji' and 'inochi' together, it would mean 'eulogy of life'. So let's praise Sanji Inochi for his suicide. He never had a life to begin with, he was never living in the first place—because heroism took his heart and never let go, and it killed him for it."

"Suzuki—"

"You're sick. You're so sick. That's why you have the Hero Syndrome, don't you?"

"The what?" the dead man named Inochi asks me, confused to the very mental disease he has. How funny…

I explain to him, " The Fallacy of Hero Society: The Broken and Final Machine written by Edmund Wahrmann, a German philosopher. His book is banned by the Commission because they believe this book can and will instill toxic beliefs into rising Heroes, faltering their ideals in a Hero Society."

"He defined Hero Syndrome in his book?"

"Of course he did. He's the one who coined the term, yet no one is willing to accept it. Don't get me wrong, Edmund Wahrmann was a hardcore nihilist who favored Villains over Heroes, so I understand why no one wants to acknowledge him, but some of his ideas are great, especially the Hero Syndrome.

"I'm no psychologist, but I know you have it. Wahrmann defined it as 'an individual who is willing to devote their life to heroism, everything else is secondary. They are always extremists, radicals who fight for their twisted meaning of heroism. They are selfless by nature, self-sacrificial by nature, and especially, most definitely…'"

I stare at Inochi, making him see the pure hatred in my eyes. "'They are the ones who will become the greatest Pro Heroes that the world births. However, they become cogs in the heroism machine, never personified as a person, but personified as an object whose sole purpose is to serve as a Hero. The most well-known example of this is Toshinori Yagi, more known as All Might of Japan.'"

"You make it sound like a good thing."

"Depends on who you're asking. Wahrmann said that those with the Hero Syndrome are mentally ill individuals, and society simply perpetuate those 'disgusting ideals, furthering the objectification of those with Hero Syndrome.' His words, not mine. Though, if you ask the average citizen, then they would encourage it. If you ask a Villain, they would agree with Wahrmann.

"So tell me Inochi, what do you think?"

Inochi shakes his head and turns his back to me. "I don't care anymore. Whatever you say won't change my ideals. I'll still strive to be a selfless man who saves others without question. I'll still believe that heroism is meant for the selfless. Just because I get diagnosed with some disease doesn't mean I won't be a Hero.

"All Might, I'm following his path. I'll continue to follow it throughout U.A. and into my career. I'll save people just like him, and defeat Villains like him as well. I don't want to be known in the history books, but I think that's inevitable at this point. All I want is for others to be happy and alive—especially my friends until the day I die."

"See you at your funeral in July, Inochi."

"That's next month."

"I know. If you want, let's meet in the middle and say early August."

"Hmph, see you around. Have a good day, Suzuki," he says to me before walking to the door. Before he opens it, he looks back at me. "You know, I do think you could be an effective Hero. That's all I'll say though."

Inochi opens the door and leaves, closing the door behind him. I hear his footsteps in the empty halls, echoing. They grow faint, fainter, and fainter before I stop hearing him altogether. Yeah, this is where we part ways. He's walking into hell out of his own volition, while I'm staying in here…

Here in this place, being the man—and a Hero—that I can be proud of. I have a long road ahead of me. Better not squander time.

---

Setsuna Tokage

"It amazes me that you can walk brazenly into U.A. despite of who you are."

"Why, I can say the same to you! Your name was ridden through mud and dirt! Yet, you are still able to enter U.A. without any care! I admire your courage, Fuyushiro! You're much more courageous than I am!"

"Flattery will not work on me. What do you take me as? A fool? I survived in this industry ever since I was born, so please, stop acting like I'm one. So, you ought to answer the question without lying—why are you here? You specialize in lifestyle support."

"Correct! However, I am thinking of reaching my influences to other places, like how Tokage Industries has their hands in many things—medical, technology, Hero support ."

"So that's why you're in U.A.? Hero support? You're not at the top of lifestyle support yet, why go into Hero support now?"

"No, I will be though. Once that happens, I'll venture into the Hero support industry and rise to the top— overtaking you . It's bound to occur, my friend. Your stocks are plummeting ever since the Catharsis controversy. Really, your only saving grace is your Quirk therapy research that you're unveiling at I-Expo. I hear you're on the edge of genetically altering Quirks."

"Whoever you heard that from, they're not completely wrong. As for you, I heard that you'll unveil Hero support technology at I-Expo as well?"

"Correct! We both have reliable sources, Fuyushiro! Heroism is such a profitable industry, we both know that. That's why if I rise to the top, then those with difficult Quirks could live a better life. That is the reason men like Tomura Shigaraki and Risai Tatchikutsu exist. They were not able to fit into society's mold of a proper citizen, so they turned to villainy as an escape. Fuyushiro Tokage, do you still reject me?"

"Of course. Your vision of the world will lead to a utopia, but I see it as the incarnation of Hell. Absolutely disgusting."

"You say that like you're better, Fuyushiro. Such a shame though. Your mind is ignorant and stubborn like an old man. I would show you the better light, but not here. Frankly, you care more about your company than your—"

"My, are you listening in?"

"Eek?!"

Crap, Chitose Kizuki just appeared out of nowhere! This blue-skinned devil smirks, sitting next to me with her legs crossed. She radiates smugness, but she can back it up. Kizuki isn't just any ordinary executive, she's a powerful one. If the media was a Yakuza, she'd be one of the heads. The reason why U.A. is under intense scrutiny is because of her. She's able to research each and every student here, find every bit of dirty detail and incriminating evidence to damn us. I remember that she tried to call Togaru due to his relation to the Executioner Wasp, and everyone knows what happened during Catharsis. Her posture—yes, she's showing her curves off with that tight black dress, but that's not the point—tells me that she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice a few henchmen in order to get what she wants. In her mind, she's right, and that's worse than a Villain who knows that they're in the wrong. If someone believes that they are undoubtedly correct, then it's nearly impossible to prove them otherwise. That is called a "radical". Radicals are the most dangerous kind of people in the world. They're few in numbers, but they're able to change the face of the planet in an instant, like how she changed the public's perspective on U.A. and especially 1-B.

With her dangerous mindset, she has Japan at her fingertips. Whatever she writes, the majority of the country will take it as fact. Really, the only thing that's stopping her is the Commission and the federal government. They can prohibit certain materials from being published, like obscene content and such. Slander and libel are illegal—obviously—but someone as smart as her can navigate through those laws even without a super-attorney. I remember the death threats that Sanji had gotten over his transcript error. It was total bullshit, and all of my friends blamed the media for pushing a toxic narrative. However, we couldn't do anything about it. Honenuki couldn't do anything about it. He said, in his words, "Technically, Kizuki didn't send any direct death threats. She just...threw a can of gasoline into a bonfire thinking, 'I am a good person!' The Commission can't stop her, Mayor Yamamoto refuses to help us, and we can't sue her. The only thing we can do is ignore what's going on and focus on our studies. Mister Kan would want us to do that." For a silly guy, he really is smart. Doesn't do his homework, but aces all the tests.

So Setsuna, how will you get yourself out of this situation? Your left eye and ear is in the meeting room, eavesdropping on the conversation. Kizuki caught you red-handed, and it isn't smart to lie to her. Journalists can see through lies like two-way mirrors, especially her. She'll know if I'm being dishonest, so instead of acting dumb, I need to act like the heiress I am. In business, companies try to get ahead of each other all the time. Here, I could try talking to Kizuki, maybe throwing her a bone to chase after that'll keep the attention off of Dad and 1-B. Yeah, here's the problem though—I need to think of a bone. I could throw her any bone really, but it's the scent of it. If it smells rotten, she wouldn't chase it. However, if it's like flowers on a spring day, she'd run a marathon. So what's her favorite aroma?

"Miss Kizuki, I haven't seen you in a long time," I say, hiding the left side of my face with my hair. "Guess you caught me red-handed. You gonna tell my father?"

"No, I don't see why. Oh, for your information, there's no one in this hallway, not even a camera in sight. In all of U.A., this area has the least amount of security. Everyone is focused on the Freshman Proxy Battles. We're alone, Setsuna Tokage. You can recall your missing pieces now," she replies, turning her head towards me. I didn't see it, but I felt it . She's staring right at me. Kizuki's trying to find any cracks. There won't be any cracks in me.

Slowly, but surely, I pull my scouts back into my face. There, I'm whole again. I can't hear the conversation anymore. Dad's battling, so am I. I stare at the door, not giving Kizuki the eye contact she wants. If I glare back, I'll lose. I can't beat her. "How's Shoowashya Publishing?" I ask her.

"It's been quiet, but it's still thriving. Thank you for asking! This event will be a great story, you know! Karisuma Suzuki is enacting his redemption after Golden Week and the Sports Festival! Not only he's a major player, there's also Hitoshi Shinso who Eraserhead is keeping a close eye on. The other Shinzo—Shinzo Mantora—is the biggest player in them all. He—Oh, excuse my rambling. I almost gave up information that you certainly aren't aware of," she tells me with a haughty little giggle. Kizuki's trying to provoke me into asking about Mantora, isn't she? She rambled on purpose to spike my curiosity. If I ask about him, she would try to strike a deal with me to exchange sensitive information about my friends in order to get an answer. I can't fall into that trap. Besides, I don't care about Mantora that much—not to be rude. But if she has information about him, then who else does she have information on?

I shake my head, resting my hands on my lap. "Mantora can do whatever. I have a feeling that you want something from me though. Is it about a man named Sanji Inochi?"

"Ah!" Kizuki gleefully exclaims, putting her hands together, "you're intuitive, Miss Tokage! Of course I am. I asked Grandmaster and The Count earlier today; they refused to answer. I hoped that you're more keen to an interview, since you're one of his closest friends." Hmph, thank goodness that they refused, but they put me in a bad spot. If I refuse Kizuki, then that curiosity won't be sated. I need to satisfy her need to figure out Sanji and sic her to chase after another big story. That means I have to follow along.

"Why are you investigating Sanji? Running dry on stories that'll bring about a revolution?" I ask, glancing at her. She still has her laser-focused eyes on me. What a bother…

"My, you think highly of him. To answer your question, Sanji Inochi is an individual where my curiosity jumps whenever I think about him. You're aware of his status as a foster child, right?" I nod. "Like I thought. However, did you know that Sanji Inochi existed at five years old? How peculiar!"

"What do you mean that he 'existed at five years old'? Shouldn't he exist at, y'know, zero years old? Unless he's apart of an extraterrestrial species, which I don't doubt by the way, it's impossible for someone to magically exist when they're five," I find myself asking. Damnit, I should've thought out what I was gonna say, but if what Kizuki says is true, then… then Sanji didn't exist before the age of five?

"Yet, Inochi did. In the census a few years back, there was no one who had the surname of Inochi. Quirk Registry: nothing. The man is a complete slate. Unknown Quirk, only one with the surname 'Inochi', and he won't reveal his past. I even went ahead to track down his foster parents before he went under the care of Master Kendo. Most of them either refused. The ones who joyfully answered our questions didn't have any information to give, other than the fact he was introverted and withdrawn.

"We even tried talking to Gin Ikumoto, also known as the retired Pro Hero 'Vilemouth'—his last guardian before he came into the care of Master Kendo. Interestingly enough, he moved away from Kibo shortly after inochi's departure! We tracked him down to a remote, yet gorgeous, seaside town named Mugazuki! It was so beautiful that I'm tempted to search the town's history for the sake of it! Anyway, back onto Mister Ikumoto, we spoke to him, but he promptly swore and chased us out! We thought that he'd be a valuable source of information, yet we didn't think he would be so...protective. Mhm, that is the right word to say! Are you satisfied?"

Hmph, that answered a lot of my questions that I wasn't going to ask. Sanji, Gin Ikumoto, wherever the heck Mugazuki is… She didn't theorize what Sanji's Quirk is. She only went on about his past. As of right now, I know that Sanji's Quirk is a Mental Accumulation-type, which means it's probably an Emitter considering most, if not all, Accumulation-type Quirks lead to Emission. One of the passive effects, that we're aware of, is Sanji's Quirk makes him immune to other Mental-type Quirks that harm the mind—like Catharsis or Hitoshi Shinso's Quirk. The most notable passive is Adoptive Muscle Memory, which lets Sanji cheat at any physical task.

(A little information about A.M.M. itself—it's easy to assume that it's an actual Quirk. After all, it sounds like one and even has a unique name! Yet, it's not. If it was, then it'll surely fall under Mutant-type Quirks. One of the conditions to decide a Quirk is a Mutant-type is the mutation itself—like for example, Ojiro's tail. The mutation needs an abundance of AP molecules, energy molecules that power the Quirk. To Sanji, his Mutation would surely be his eyes, since A.M.M. activates on sight. However, I've been told that the amount of AP in his eyes are on par of an average person. From that fact, it disqualifies as a Mutant-type Quirk. We ruled out the impossible, so whatever remains, no matter how improbable, is probably the truth. And the truth is—Adoptive Muscle Memory is a passive effect of Sanji's real Quirk, like how Jiro's Quirk passively makes her have super-hearing. It's just that A.M.M. is a really good passive effect. I wouldn't be surprised if one of his parents had it as their Quirk. Even with this, Sanji is treated as a Quirkless. At least he's proving those naysayers wrong little by little. He's my little badass boy.)

Moving on, we also know that, in certain cases like in his fight with Catharsis, his gray eyes turn white—Shojo told me that. That's all the information I have. If we knew a single family member, we'd have more information about his Quirk, if it isn't a random mutation. Jeez, there's something that bothers me—Sanji knew A.M.M. isn't his Quirk before it was proven so. Every time I asked him—or someone else did—he changed the subject. He didn't use the biological excuse that I explained earlier. That means Sanji doesn't know Metaology that well, or he knows what his true Quirk is from the very beginning. Honestly, both might be true considering his grade in Metaology. I digress. If I could conclude that Sanji knows his true Quirk, then Kizuki has too. She wants me to tell her what Sanji's Quirk is, but I can't. No one can other than the man himself; he won't. No matter how much he loves me, he will never tell me what his true Quirk is. To him, it must be so sensitive, and the rest of us, we're here dreaming about it.

I need to turn the conversation around, putting it back on Kizuki.

I snicker to myself, saying, "You're clueless about his Quirk. That's why you're telling me this. Once his Quirk is known, you can track down his family history. Tell me, you're not investigating Sanji purely out of the need to inform the public, aren't you? This sounds a little insulting, but you're a heartless woman—heh, sounded a lot more insulting than intended."

"Let's not trade insults, Miss—"

I snap, "I'm not done talking." Kizuki gets taken back from my brashness. Good, she should react like that. I continue on, "You're worried about him, his potential. Once the rumor went around that he'd become a top ten when he graduates, suddenly the underdog of U.A. was meant to be the best of us.

"You know, Miss Kizuki, you have rumors yourself. It's natural that I heard of them—each and every one. They say, you deem these people who started these rumors as 'conspiracy theorists.' They say that you're apart of a larger organization who wants to topple our current government. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence to be had, but it's convincing the more I read."

"What are you trying to say, Miss Tokage?" Kizuki asks. Her voice was excited and cheerful, and now it became cold. I feel her glare becoming stronger, burning holes into my skull. I hit the jackpot. This is the bone I should throw. It's not about heroism, but her position of power. That begs the question: Who is Chitose Kizuki?

I reply, "I'm not one to conclude something based on circumstantial evidence, but the implication is damning. Hypothetically, let's take the implication as fact. That means—" I stare back. "—you are afraid of Sanji Inochi. Everyone is focused on Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, and Shoto Todoroki, but you're able to accurately predict their strength in the near future. Midoriya will have All Might-like potential, Bakugo the same, and Todoroki will rise higher than his father ever will. For Sanji? The mystery you describe him as? He's an unknown variable that cannot be predicted. That's why you're so focused on him. If you can't solve the enigma known as Sanji Inochi, then when he's liberated from his Quirk—"

Kizuki starts laughing. " Miss Tokage ! 'Liberated' is such an odd way of saying 'Quirk Awakening'! Why else would you say something like that—?"

"—Meta Liberation Army."

"...!"

"Jackpot." I smile, flashing my jagged teeth. "You wanna know how I figured it out? Your office. I seen it in interviews and I went inside once before—business trip with my dad. I took in every single detail in your office. Do you know what gave it away? It was your books. You always had the Meta Liberation War on your desk or it was tucked away nicely in your shelf. Honestly, it's a miracle that no one has seen it earlier.

"I mean, you're close friends with Rikiya Yotsubashi, the very man who my father is talking to right now. Ah, 'Yotsubashi'... Sounds like the surname of Chikara Yotsubashi, also known as 'Destro', the grand commander of the past Meta Liberation Army, so Rikiya Yotsubashi is his son meant to carry his legacy. That's pretty clever, actually. Everyone would suspect a brand new, super evil mastermind-like organization to start a revolution, but no one would expect an organization as old as the M.L.A. to be revitalized.

"And before you talk, lemme confirm something with you—you're waiting, right? You're waiting to make your big move. Before you do, you need to figure out who would be a threat—like Sanji. I don't know what you have planned exactly, but I know it won't work. Villains like you, they don't last long in the world."

Kizuki sighs and stands up, adjusting her dress. She combs through her pale hair with her hand. Her entire demeanor changed, her aura. I haven't felt an aura like this since...Catharsis. "Little girl, you're playing a game meant for adults. Not only you eavesdropped on your father's conversation, you're fighting against something larger than you could ever imagine. Did you ever consider your precious father's place in all of this? Probably not. For a prodigy, you really are stupid! You're right about Sanji Inochi though. The world is waiting for him to awaken, to become liberated as a new man. When that happens, he'll surely become an enemy of our cause.

"Though, I truly am impressed that you're able to piece the information together. When the second advent comes, we'll have free use of our Quirks and I'll capture Japan's hearts with my journalism. That is why I have to give you my congratulations, Setsuna Tokage, because you possibly condemned your friends to death! I hope you're satisfied with yourself! The truth you were looking for is poisonous like cyanide itself!"

I stand up as well. "Like I said, that won't happen. All Might will stand in your way."

" If he doesn't retire. Face it, he's becoming an old man. Soon enough, that body won't be fit for a Hero."

"Then Shigaraki."

"Shigaraki? What about him?"

"Hehe, you should be worried about what the Heroes will do to you, but you should be worried even more about enemy Villains. As I see it, Shigaraki will stand in your way of a liberated world. In order to have it, you need to defeat him and the League of Villains. Lemme be honest, you won't win. He will decay your entire dream to ash. And when you fall from grace, it'll be because of your hyper-obsessive zeal."

"And when that happens, your pursuit of righteous justice and heroism will shed blood. It won't be any Villain's blood, but it'll be your allies. I wonder who it will be, Miss Tokage? The lizard with fangs will kill someone, so who do you choose?"

I grit my teeth. "Who are you really, Chitose Kizuki?"

"Curious. Refer to me as 'Curious'. And my friend, Rikyia Yotsubashi, he's Re-Destro. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lizardy."

Click!

Rikiya Yotsubashi, Re-Destro, leaves the room with Dad behind him. Kizuki smiles and puts her hands together. Re-Destro smiles and looks at me, still smiling. "Chitose and Miss Setsuna Tokage! What a wonderful surprise! I'm afraid I cannot chat with you Miss Tokage, as Chitose and I have other business to attend."

They start walking away, quietly chatting with one another. Dad's at my side, his eyes focused on their backs. Let's have the last word. I call out to Curious, "Miss Kizuki, at I-Expo, I'll have David Shield figure out Sanji's Quirk! From now until then, I'd personally wouldn't focus on Sanji anymore. Instead, I would look into Izuku Midoriya and his relations to All Might. Just a little piece of advice from you to me!"

Re-Destro and Curious stop, and only Curious turns around with a gleeful smile. "Thank you for the advice, Tokage! I'll be sure to treasure it! See you and Class 1-B at the I-Expo!" I give her a nice little nod before they start walking again.

Dad rubs his mouth with his hand. He's stressed. "Setsuna, did you really talk to that woman during my meeting with Rikiya? What did you talk about?"

"Sanji, which was why I said that I'll make David hook him up to one of his Quirk machines," I answer, watching the two Villains disappear down the hall. Dangit, what did I get myself into? I need to ask him—

"What did you find out? There's something more. What did you say to her?" Dad presses, grabbing me by the shoulders. "I never seen Kizuki that furious before. Tell me Setsuna, what did you say to her? "

"M-Meta Liberation Army… It's being revived," I stutter an answer. He lets go of me and winces, cursing under his breath.

"Don't tell anyone about this—"

"Why not? They're Villains! We need to tell U.A., the Commision, anyone—!"

"No! Are you insane?!" he shouts. I shrink, stepping back. "God, sometimes you're too smart for your own good. Let's think about if you tell the Commission about this, what would happen?"

"..."

"You're staying silent now ? Setsuna, answer the question! You know the answer, so tell me!"

"I would...accelerate their plans."

"That's right. What are the consequences when that happens?"

"Uhm, the second advent that Curious—I mean, that Kizuki mentioned. It would happen sooner and Japan would be launched into war."

"Correct. The Meta Liberation Army is called that for a reason—it has an army of over 100,000 believers, including Heroes within the country. By revealing its existence, you're basically putting your head into an anthill of fire ants. Why? Because each soldier is skilled in their Quirk while in Japan, the average citizen is mediocre at best. We ought to hope that Rikiya didn't build the army in other countries like his father."

"So...we have to keep this a secret? From everyone?" I ask him, my voice sounding barely above a loud whisper. Dad nods. He nods… I say, "Japan could be destroyed if we withhold this information."

He replies, he calmly replies, "And it will surely be destroyed if we tell the Commission now. Setsuna, if you were in my position, then you would see that I'm more powerful than any Prime Minister or President. By the fact that I know, I hold Japan's fate in my hands. I could easily plunge everyone into war without calling the government to hold a vote. Really, it's the potential of what I could do. Do you understand? Something like this—I'm preparing you for it."

Even saying that, I still defend myself, "Dad, people will die . Do you expect me to live with that fact? I'm supposed to be a Pro Hero. We need to save who we can."

"I know. You have to sacrifice a few lives to save the majority. You need to do the most sinful acts to save the world. That's how it has always been, Setsuna. The world was always like that; it will never change."

"Is that my future?"

"Yes. You'll think negatively about it today, but when you're older, you'll understand. Come on, let's start our way back to Battle Zone Central," Dad tells me before leading the way. I follow him without a word.

The Meta Liberation Army… We'll meet them again at I-Expo. And what Dad said… Why is that life waiting for me? If we don't tell anyone, then the M.L.A. will surely kill innocent people. But if we do, then thousands will die in the second advent. Ugh, I never expected this.

---

"Setsuna—!"

"No."

"I haven't finished my sentence yet!"

"Don't need to hear it. Please Okichi, step off."

A tuft of Okichi's hair falls on his eyes from leaning forward too much. He chuckles and, in the most arrogant way possible, he flips the tuft back up, rolling it back with his hand. "Is that any way to treat a fellow student at U.A.? We could make a good partnership, Setsuna. You, a Pro Hero, and me, the manager of your Hero Agency! I can be quite shrewd like my father, you know. You'll be a star."

I roll my eyes. "I'm already a star. If I get any brighter, I could even outshine the sun, so sorry, not interested."

"Shame… May I ask why you aren't watching the Proxy Battles? I haven't seen you at all during the Freshman Round. When I left, the last match just ended with the score tied. The tiebreaker match is about to start," he informs me. Knowing the two powerhouses on each side, it'll be Suzuki versus Gera. It has to be. Unless they got really injured in their fights—which I doubt—they'll be fighting each other. Out of the two, Gera would win. I'm not saying that because I don't like Suzuki. He has a strong Quirk, but Gera's stronger. She's like Todoroki but with earth. And I'm also not saying that because I would enjoy Suzuki get his face punched in. Totally not!

I bat my hair, turning away from him. "Business stuff. I can be quite shrewd like my father, you know, who's currently meeting with others influential figures."

"How so? Did you already make a business deal at the ripe age of fifteen? I expect nothing less from a beautiful mind such as yourself," he compliments me. Yup, just go ahead and compliment me. I totally didn't anger what could be possibly one of the most largest Villain organizations in all of Japan. At least when we defeat them—or someone else does—I get to brag to my friends that I saw it coming, if they don't hate me for keeping it a secret from them in the first place.

"Flattery won't work on me as much as you think," I tell him.

"But it's working."

"...I hate wordplay sometimes." I shake my head just about at my maximum level of annoyance. "Anyway, lemme ask you a question—why are you here? I thought you wanted to watch lower class fight like barbarians?"

"You talk like you're a lower class yourself, which is obviously not true," he replies, laughing like an aristocrat from a movie—so basically stereotypical. In fact, he's what the stereotype is based off of. "Anyway, I wanted to roam around U.A. in peace. Usually, it's so loud and rambunctious. There are so many loud-mouthed egomaniacs in this school, Setsuna—namely Katsuki Bakugo. I can't stand him."

I mutter under my breath, "I can think of another loud-mouthed egomaniac who's standing right in front of me."

"You do realize that my Quirk is Super Hearing, correct? A whisper to the ordinary man is practically screaming in my ears—which it isn't else I'd already be deaf, but the analogy is still fitting," he reminds me. Jeez, you really can't get anything past this guy. His Super Hearing trumps Jiro and Suzuki's. They can hear things a lot better than the average person, but Okichi is scores above them. He can hear things up to kilometers away if he wanted to—key phrase: "if he wanted to." Okichi can selectively hear, so he can turn off noises close by and listen to the radio three blocks down the street in a quaint little cafe. Wait… Okichi was here and he was surely waiting for me, right? Then, he could've been eavesdropping on my conversation with Curious!

I face him. "Okichi—"

He interrupts me, "You realized it by now, haven't you? Your conversation with Miss Kizuki and Mister Yotsubashi? It was only natural that I listened in." This bastard! If he told the Commission about the Liberation Army's existence, then all of Japan could be in danger! He laughs and puts his hand on my shoulder. I think he's trying to calm me down, but I only feel disgusted, very disgusted. "Don't fret, their life as a Villain is a secret that I'll keep. But we ought to devise a plan, correct? Us two together."

"Why? What would I gain by coming up with a plan with you?" I ask, flicking his hand off. He frowns and walks up to a window, looking out into campus.

"The Army's destruction, of course. They're Villains, what do you expect that we'll do? Take them out for tea? No, as Heroes—you to be specific—we will instead have them drink tea in a dark, cramped jail cell in Tartarus with the rest of their ilk. In fact, today is quite a fortuitous day. I had suspected that the Meta Liberation Army was revived under a new leader, and your conversation proved it. And now, we could destroy them in one fell swoop."

"Really? They have over six figures of soldiers ready to die for them. That includes Pro Heroes that could very well be in Battle Zone Central as we speak."

"What's an army without their general?" Okichi rhetorically asks. "Setsuna, don't you know that their Top Executives are owners of various companies within Yotsubashi's circle? Politicians as well? And I-Expo, what is the main purpose of the event?"

"Stop giving me questions to answer, Okichi. Cut to the chase already, we don't have much time," I say, impatiently tapping my feet.

"Alright," he replies, continuing, "what I'm trying to say is—most of the major leaders of the Meta Liberation Army are attending the I-Expo, along with the Grand Commander himself. When the time is nigh, we'll defeat them." Okichi slams one fist into his palm.

"..."

"Is something wrong?" He turns around to check up on me.

I lower my head, trying my best to not laugh. "You want me to defeat Yotsubashi? His father was a dangerous man, so he'd be even more dangerous than him. Look, I might be smart, fast, gorgeous, but I'm not strong—far from it! Asking me to fight him is suicide! Unless I drag my friends in to help, it won't happen."

Okichi has a disappointed look on his face. "Not physically defeat him! I mean evidence! We find evidence that he is the son of Destro, that the Meta Liberation Army exists and has double agents within the foundations of Japan! You see, Rikiya Yotsubashi is a very meticulous man. He keeps very good records, so it isn't far-fetched to assume he has a list of every soldier at his command. We just need to find it. Once found, every single warrior will be arrested for conspiracy. It's quite ingenious actually; I came up with the plan ever since your conversation was finished."

"Okay, okay!" I throw my arms up in the air—not literally this time. I pace back and forth, just about to yank each strand of my wavy hair off. "This sounds way too simple to work. We need a lot more detail than that, Okichi. The hows, wheres, whens, whats ! We're only teenagers trying to take down an evil organization! It's only us!"

"It's a task fitting for Hercules himself, I ponder. Such a massive trial, yet if successful, Japan will become safer than ever before."

"Yeah, but let's say if our plan worked and Japan gets this list—which by the way, we're not certain that it exists—what's stopping the exposed soldiers from waging a war? The Top Executives and the Grand Commander could go into hiding. What's stopping them?"

"All Might for one. And perhaps… The United Hero Nations if I utilize my cards correctly." Goodness, Okichi is insane. He's not only talking about taking down the Meta Liberation Army, he might get the U.H.N. to be involved too! I have to hand it to him though—he's thinking outside of the box. Instead of thinking nationally, he's thinking internationally. Yet, these are some big aspirations for someone who's only fifteen.

"God, we're going to die…" I say, shaking my head.

Okichi follows up, " If you help me. You don't have to answer today, but I need an answer soon. And if you refuse, then I won't execute my plan. You have my promise. I do warn you though—my plan is something that even you would admire." He claps his hands and starts to walk away towards the exit—must be going to Battle Zone Central. "As my proposition has been established, I need to depart! Au revoir, my Setsuna! I need to see barbarians fight! Oh, do not tell your father about this plan, obviously!"

Okichi—!

"'Barbarians'? Such an arrogant way of addressing your schoolmates, Tokugawa. That kind of thinking will only lead to sinful actions," Ibara comes in with a scowl on my face, but there's a smile on mine. Okichi chuckles and pats her shoulder, leaving without a comeback. Heh, coward.

I exclaim, running up to her, "Goddess, you're here! Don't tell me that you wanted to check up on me! You shouldn't have!"

"No, I came to get a snack from the cafeteria," she replied, looking down at me. Well...this is awkward.

"Oh."

Ibara suddenly laughs, her hair bouncing and swaying as she does. That's the music of God, no one else can convince me otherwise. "I'm only joking. I was wondering where you went, Setsuna. You disappeared for the entire event so far. The tiebreaker match is on its way."

I apologize, crossing my arms and my legs. "I know, sorry. Had to take care of things—heiress stuff as usual. I'm surprised that you came to fetch me though, not Sanji or Itsuka. Guess you're fond of your little sinful lizard."

Ibara sighs, closing her eyes for a brief moment. "Don't think of yourself as sinful. You are a treasured friend, something that is more valuable than the world's gold."

My face heats up. I look away to… Well, a wall. I'm staring at a blank wall. This will do. "Thanks… Can I ask you something, Ibara? It's a little personal, so think of it as a confession booth of sorts—an informal one at least."

"Ah," Ibara exclaims before nodding, "very well. Whatever you say will remain a secret. Now please, what is it?" She gestures us to start heading back to Battle Zone Central. We walk together side-by-side, our shoulders nearly touching.

I ask her, trying my best to not reveal much, "Is sinful acts necessary to preserve the world?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, in order to save the world, you have to do something that's considered 'sinful', like killing someone to save another. It's been itching in the back of my mind for awhile ever since Catharsis—" (Sanji tried to kill him,) "—and with everything that's going on in my life, I just someone to give me advice."

She says to me, "Well, those acts are sinful by action, but not completely sinful in nature. You are not allowed to take another's life, but those rules and conditions do not account for context, doesn't it? If a man steals bread to feed his child, then he's morally right, yet lawfully wrong. To preserve the world, we're simply thinking in a larger perspective.

"Here, I believe in nothing, because each case is different. I cannot judge one man the same way I judged another. I may condemn a man for his crimes, but admire him for his morality, or vice versa."

I pose another question, "What if you had to choose between doing a sinful act or going your own way? The sinful one, you let fate or God decide what happens; in the other act, you take fate into your own hands? What would you do?"

"I don't know. I can't answer that because I cannot see into the future. God will never give us a future that we desire, and because of that fact, us as humans try to take hold of God and try to control the future. Yet, arrogant as we are, we fail."

"It's worth trying though, isn't it?"

"Perhaps. The future isn't absolute, Setsuna. There might be a large chance that our future will end in villainy, yet there's a chance that it won't. For some, the existence of a chance is enough to fuel their willpower. For others, leaving fate up to God is enough. It depends on who you are as His child. But…"

Ibara smiles and stares out of the window as we walk, watching the trees sway in the wind and the sun shining brightly. "I believe that our friends are so stubborn that they'll try to create a future that they yearn for."

I laugh, looking down at the floor. "Yeah, they're stubborn alright. That's why I love them."

"So do I," Ibara replies, giving me one of her beautiful smiles. Heh, as much as I want to admire it, there's something more important.

My future… What do I pick?

Remain idle like Dad tells me to or—

—Take control and go along with Okichi's plan?

That's my decision, but no matter what…

The next stage of battle is at I-Island.

---

The next stage of battle is at I-Island! The Hero Course Tutoring Arc is over! Here comes the Final Exams! The next chapter will focus back on Sanji and Itsuka *finally*.

The next chapter is called: A Day in Life

Post-chapter discussion:

Shinzo's Reveal: The Yakuza Prince! Originally, his backstory was darker where he escaped the Yakuza and tried to become a Hero despite his past. That's been kinda done before (dark past) with Kamakiri, so I decided to cut out the middle man and had him remain in the Yakuza and changed a few details around. So, we now have the Jizen Mugen! With Shinzo's perspective as a Yakuza Prince, we get to have an insight into the Yakuza world and especially into the Shie Hassaikai. (We might even see an appearance of a special man—and a little girl—soon.) Aside from that, there's the conflict about Shinzo's brother—Mato Kichoki. His ideals conflict with him and their father, so it might pop up again in the future. Mato's Quirk is called Infinity. Much like Catharsis, his Yakuza Name is the same as his Quirk.

The Tiebreaker Match: Starting out, I knew that Gera would win. Her Quirk is really strong and even though Suzuki is the highlight of the arc, he needed to lose. I had him lose not to change his character, but to clearly show how much he changed. That is what this match is about—showcasing change. Really, by finishing this arc, Suzuki rose to one of my favorite characters because writing lovable assholes is the best. If I ever decide to give him a love interest, then there's a lot of choices (both male and female) because of how well he bounces off others.

Debate w/ Sanji Inochi: And here, I would say this is where Sanji's story and Suzuki's story come together—the debate. We have a binary here—selfless and selfish. Suzuki represents the selfish desire of heroism and how he embraces being selfish. He sees it as a necessary—and a positive—thing. On the other hand, Sanji is completely against it. He stands against selfish actions and through his words, we see how much he believes in his own ideals. He believes in them *even if they are suicidal and contradictory.* That is what Sanji is: a hypocrite. In my opinion, Suzuki had a better argument, and this was intentional.

Hero Syndrome: Suzuki had a better argument because he accused Sanji of being mentally ill. Usually, the mentally ill doesn't have the soundest of arguments. He claimed that Sanji had Hero Syndrome (PS: Reminding you of Overhaul?). With this said, it explains a lot of Sanji's actions and beliefs, putting it into a definition. I'd say the others who have it are Izuku Midoriya and Mirio Togata through Wahrmann's definition. With Overhaul, I put in Hero Syndrome for a reason. I know that he's not relevant to this story whatsoever, but he accuses the heroes of having Hero Syndrome. It's not the same as Wahrmann's definition. Rather, he took the part where Pro Heroes become mindless cogs to the slave machine called heroism and said, "You know what, screw that shit. I'll eradicate Heroes like the plague." That's how I view it at least.

Reveal of the I-Expo Antagonist: Woo boy, the Meta Liberation Army is the antagonist of the I-Expo Arc, which will center around your girl, Setsuna Tokage. She went on and exposed Curious for what she is, what a badass. However, she can't exactly expose them because it'll kill everyone. But Okichi Tokugawa presented her with another option—destroy the MLA during I-Expo. What will Setsuna choose? Listen to her father or go along with Okichi's crazy plan? Whatever happens, her friends will be dragged along. Anyway, it's kinda cool how a lot of members of the MLA are corporate suits and politicians. By that logic, wouldn't they be at U.A. events? At the I-Expo? So, knowing this, I simply combined the two together and had the MLA as the antagonist. Yeah, this fanfic is definitely not anime-only friendly.

That's it! Now, the next chapter will probably be two weeks from now. Personally, I need to do a lot of writing because it's winter break. Ciao.