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)

44. Embrace the Origin

Sasaki Kendo

"Welcome!" Ishtar exclaims, greeting the next batch of newcomers into the lobby. The kids, and Hayami, are off at the beach. I stuck behind because I honestly don't feel like going. I'm just here drinking some coffee at the cafe, sitting at a half-booth half-table on the booth side.. Of course, I see Ishtar through the window. There's something off with this lady. I felt a presence when I first saw her. It was familiar but I can't put my finger on it. Ugh, I hope I'm going crazy. Anyway, she asks these newcomers, "May I have your names?"

"Rikiya Yotsubashi." The CEO of Deternat?

"Chitose Kizuki." Oh, that bitch.

"Koku Hanabata." A politician guy.

"Gajin Nobuto." He's the CEO of some Hero Support company that Hayami complains about.

"Kabeya Rugami." She's the CEO of a lifestyle support company like Deternat.

"Hiro Takaiki." That guy's in the media too.

Ishtar hums as she checks the names off her list. However, someone catches her eye. He's at the back of the group, shying his face away from Ishtar and staring at the ground. He has pale hair, being a pretty boy if I have ever seen one. "Sir, may I have your name?"

Yotsubashi raises his hand, simply walking up to Ishtar and pointing to what-I-assume-to-be the man's name on her list. "It's this one…" His eyes catch Ishtar's name tag. "...Ishtar. I hope you do forgive me, but he's embarrassed to hear his own name."

Ishtar shakes her head. "Not an issue whatsoever, Mister Yotsubashi!" She checks the man's name off the list but suddenly frowns. "Although, if I need to call upon him, what should I refer to him by?"

He answers, "Geten." A pure-hearted smile forms on his lips. He brings his hands together as if he's persuading a client to buy his products.

Ishtar smiles and nods. "Geten, okay! There will be someone attending to you shortly! So please, find a place and patiently wait!" She bows and walks away, saying something into her walkie-talkie attached to her uniform. Yotsubashi and his gang of pricks look around for somewhere to wait in, and of course, the first thing they see is the Greek cafe I'm sitting in. Just my luck. I stop spying on them and sit back against my seat, acting like I'm just some tired old man—which I am.

I take my phone out right as when they walk inside. They pay me no attention and two of them get in line—Rugami and Takaiki. The rest of them sit near me, taking up the booths and tables. That pretty boy, Geten, is the closest one to me. They're none-the-wiser that I am sitting right next to them. I'm sure they know who I am. After all, Deternat brought my kids' data, didn't they? They know how powerful Sanji could be. Considering they're Fuyushiro Tokage's enemies, that makes me their enemy too technically. I have a few words to say to them, especially to Kizuki, but I won't bother. I don't feel like being confrontational right now. Besides, they'll be here for the next five days.

Speaking of which, I need to tell Hayami.

Me: "Sweetheart, you there?"

She replies instantly.

Hayami: "Yup! Rin's brother is here!"

Me: "Which one?"

Hayami: "Lian"

Shangdi is there? Crap, he's one of the strongest men on the planet .

Me: "Don't get on his bad side"

Hayami: "Obviously. I can sense how strong he is"

Hayami: "Anyway, what's up?"

Me: "We got 'friends' back at the hotel"

Hayami: "?"

Me: "Deternat and his lackeys are staying at the same hotel as us"

Hayami: "What? The same guys who brought our kids' data?"

Me: "Yup. Tokage got us these rooms right? Think he set this up on purpose?"

Hayami: "Idk. Thanks for telling me, Dad"

Hayami: "Ugh, can't believe he didn't tell us"

Me: "Yeah, that asshole is shifty"

Me: "Anyway, I'm going to keep an eye on them"

Hayami: "Stay safe, love you"

Me: "You too"

There, Hayami knows. Time to casually eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I-Island has gotten livelier this year," says Nobuto, dragging his finger along the table. He sits across from Kizuki, but he's mainly facing his band of business suits. "All Might is even attending the I-Expo. It's a change from previous years."

Kizuki crosses her legs, and with a bat of her hand, she says, "Oh, I wonder why that may be? I'm tempted to seek All Might out by myself and question him all day long! Maybe that Izuku Midoriya boy too! I heard rumors that he arrived on I-Island with All Might!" Those two are idiots. Please don't argue with me. I heard they're visiting David Shield before we do.

"Don't be so zealous, Chitose!" Hanabata puts a hand over his heart, laying back like an arrogant prick who thinks that nothing can touch him. "Your questions will only put a titanium lock on their thoughts and seal away their hearts! To truly open their minds, you must sing them praises that will cure them of their insecurities, then, and only then, they will lend their heroic spirits to you." Yeah, this guy definitely sounds like a manipulator. Real piece of work. Probably doesn't even care about his supporters. They're just tools to help him achieve God-knows-what.

Yotsubashi smiles, putting a hand on Hanabata's shoulder. "You have such a good way with words, Koku! Don't you agree, Geten?"

Geten sputters, turning his head away from Yotsubashi and towards me, but his eyes are pointed down at the cushioned bench. "Y-Yeah…" He fiddles with his suit, clearly uncomfortable wearing it. "It's hot…"

Takaiki comes back with a tray of drinks with Rugami behind him. He says, "The workers here are actually competent. Although, they have the audacity to make us wait for our rooms! Should I mention that Ishtar lady? She seems too proud for her own good. She's just a simple manager for God's sake."

Rugami sighs and sits down next to Kizuki, sweeping her light brown hair back. "Calm down, Hiro. We aren't the only ones staying at this hotel. You're a special man, of course, but everyone wears black suits here."

Takaiki deeply exhales before sitting down in front of Rugami, taking his drink and sipping it. "Rikiya," he says, "we know that Fuyushiro is here with his daughter's classmates. Are we doing anything to them? Him and that brat insulted our cause." Oh, this is getting interesting. What cause could he be referring to? And how are the Tokages involved?

Rikiya calmly answers, "Why should we? You are fully aware of who Fuyushiro is connected with. We'd be waging war against him . He is the very reason our cause is not plastered on every TV and billboard. When he falls, we will rise in his place." Just what the hell is this guy talking about?

Nobuto frowns, cracking his knuckles—must be a fidgety man. "Is it worthwhile to let the Tokages be? Setsuna is taking Inochi to David Shield, who will surely dispel some of the questions around his Quirk. What if she's trying to fight back behind the curtains?"

Kizuki smiles. "Then we'll give her a few lessons that not even her father would teach her. Her and her friends too, if need be. Wait, I have a riveting idea! We'll try to recruit some of her friends for our cause! We'll have a steady stream of information right under their noses!"

Geten whispers, "Risky…"

Kizuki curiously tilts her head to the side. "What was that, Geten? Speak up. Maybe we should've brought you your coat. You're more confident in it."

Geten repeats himself, "It's risky… These kids… Th-They're smarter than the usual bunch…"

Rugami gives him a stink eye. "They can't be that smart. I would be more worried about Class 1-A, frankly. They have experience fighting actual Villains, so they're surely wiser than 1-B. And I haven't mentioned the powerhouses within 1-A too, especially Katsuki Bakugo. You know I disagreed when Chitose suggested to conduct an investigation on Inochi." What are these people involved in? Good God, if I didn't know any better, then this "cause" of theirs is sounding genocidal or something. Hmph, even then, she shouldn't underestimate my kids. They're more mature than they look.

Hanabata grins. Still maintaining that shitty voice of his, he replies, "Geten, my trusted friend, I can't help but agree with Kabeya here! 1-A's strength is unparalleled! They carry the strength of an army with their two very own hands! Furthermore, with the fact they fought the League and Stain—that idealistic sword-brandishing murderer—their hearts must be spurred by the shortcomings of society and have strong convictions to change it! Chitose's idea could bear sweet fruit with that fact! Despite saying this, it is Rikiya who has the final say."

The entire table turns to him. Yotsubashi was listening to their conversation with a pleasant smile. Once they call upon him to answer, he brings his hands together gently, putting them down on the table in front of him. "I am blessed to have such strong-willed and bright-minded individuals by my side. However, for the sake of our futures, I firmly believe in observing our future Heroes instead of meddling in their careers—unlike Fuyushiro, that scum. Remember that I approved Chitose to investigate Mister Inochi because he has a chance to be a threat. We need to be aware of his potential."

Takaiki scoffs. "We spent too much money on those kids. All for what? To get some vague numbers generated by an imperfect machine? Chitose and I could've gained that information ourselves."

Nobuto argues, "How would you two have gone about it? Your outlets both ostracized U.A. and its students. If anything, you were the one who squandered our funds to radically push your agenda."

" Our agenda," Taikaiki corrects, "you were the one—!"

Okay, think I should tune them out now. Goodness, these people have a secret organization going on. It's safe to assume they're conducting some sort of shady business. Wait, I heard conspiracy theories that those in the ivory tower are apart of some group aiming to take down Japanese society. If those theories actually bear some truth in them, then this shadow organization actually exists. Of course this happens on the one vacation I take. This is why I don't go to I-Island because I accidentally uncover a conspiracy while said leaders are too stupid to realize that I'm sitting right next to them. No one else seems to care about their conversation too. Everyone is too engrossed in their own lives to even realize what's going on outside of their own bubble.

Damn, I need to keep an eye on these fuckers. I might be a retired Pro Hero, but like hell I'd sit around with a thumb up my ass. I already warned Hayami that they'll be an annoyance, but I can't tell her that they're an actual threat to our kids' lives, not now anyway. Have to keep this under wraps and get some more information. I might even have a couple of words with Fuyushiro Tokage. He knows more than I do.

Anyway, let's get out of here before they notice me. I can't just stand up because someone at the table will glance at me—that's natural human behavior. Once they see me, they will realize that I've been eavesdropping on their conversation and bad things will happen. I need to create a distraction somehow. Maybe…

Bzzt!

Okay, whoever's texting me better get me out of this situation. It's…?

The Count: "Is this Master Kendo? I hope I have the right number! Mon Dieu"

The Count? Why is he texting me?

Me: "Nah, just some senile grandpa"

Me: "What's going on, Count? I'm at I-Island yknow"

Count: "I know! Forgive my rudeness, but I'm staring right at you."

…? I look to my right, through the cafe window, and there he is… I see a Frenchman waving at me through the window. He's a happy Frenchman, finally able to get the attention of his elder. Well, if The Count is at I-Island, then Grandmaster must be here too. Man, these guys follow us wherever we go…

Count: "I've been trying to get your attention for ten minutes."

Me: "Sorry about that"

Wait, he's perfect to cause a distraction!

Me: "I need to ask you a favor, Count"

Count: "Name it, mon ami!"

Me: "Cause a distraction in the cafe. You see, I'm sitting next to some shady folks who know who I am and I don't want them to recognize me"

Count: "Say no more! In fact, I see a barista right now!"

The Count puts his phone in his black coat—why is he wearing a coat when it's summer heat outside—and without hesitation, walks inside the cafe like an aimless dolt. A barista walks out from behind the counter with a drink in hand, but she doesn't anticipate the "dumbass" about to hit her. Before the inevitable collision happens, The Count flashes a wink at me.

CRASH!

"Oh my goodness!" the barista shouts. Her drink, which turns out to be strawberry tea, spills all over her apron. Everyone turns to the commotion, and during this, I quickly stand up, throw away my drink, and leave the cafe. I hear The Count apologizing for his carelessness, sputtering his words in embarrassment. I should take him out for coffee to pay him back.

I go upstairs, getting on the mezzanine and standing just outside the library. I text Count that I'm there and wait for a little while. It takes him ten minutes to finish up whatever he's doing, finally meeting me up here. He looks frazzled; he's smiling, but frazzled. We head off to a corner where no one will eavesdrop on us. I check up on him, "You doing okay, Count? Sorry for springing that up on short notice."

The Count laughs, scratching his head. His curly brown hair seems to bounce just from a gentle touch. "No need to apologize, Master Kendo. I'm happy that you called upon me! Now uhm, can I ask why you needed me to ruin a poor lady's day? Who were those people? I recognize some of them, like that witch Kizuki."

Jeez, no reason to keep this a secret from Count. Wait, I should ask him something first. "Before I answer, why are you here? What's your partner doing?"

"Gathering information on his own," The Count answers with a frown. "He told me to contact you because he found a man who could reveal something about Mystic. He believes that he could uncover a path that will shed some light on the origin of… that Quirk." Ah, looks like Grandmaster told him about One For All. Figured it was only a matter of time.

I cross my arms. "So why aren't you helping him? Grandmaster explained our war to you, correct? It makes sense for you to help him."

He reluctantly nods before sighing, taking off his fedora and placing it against his chest. "He's afraid that I might lose my temper unexpectedly. My good man, our greatest foe had an ally named Savant, the Moriarity to our Holmes. In France, I was a mere Sidekick to a popular Hero named Jeanne d'Arc, but my holy saint was unfortunately an inconvenience to our enemies. She was killed and to deflect attention off of themselves, I was framed as her murderer.

"I was the most hated Pro Hero in France for years. I was imprisoned, verbally abused, beaten to near-death more times than there are stars in the sky; rinse, lather, repeat. Shindeka managed to clear my name and I moved to Japan with him. That's where we are today. I might seem like a jovial man in your eyes, but I have enough memories to scar a million men. Hearing that there was a mastermind behind Savant… It simply fueled my desire to see All For One buried six feet beneath the ground.

"I don't blame my partner for sending me away. It's almost guaranteed that the man he's trying to find won't anger me, but the thought of that bastard will. I understand why Shindeka didn't want to tell me, because he knew that the pain I experienced won't fade away until I die."

"Saki, I'm so sorry…"

"...I understand. My wife died in my arms, y'know?" I say keeping a steady voice. "Our friend took away my wife and the mother of my child. Toshinori and Sorahiko, they decided to tell me that the motherfucker was dead—Toshi killed him. Of course, that was wrong but they wanted to give me some closure. I was angry but there wasn't any time to mull over that. Midoriya has to train with that gift he has. Most importantly, I'm making sure my family makes it through this alive ."

"And Sanji?" he asks.

"Of course. He's been family for a damn long while. I never once considered taking him in as a mistake," I answer, not hesitating for a single moment. Sanji was never a mistake. He's the man we need in this awful world. Itsuka needs him more than me and Hayami do.

The Count smiles, putting his fedora back on. "Good, I'm happy to hear that! Mon Dieu, I never expected to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you, Master Kendo. It appears that we're more similar than we have realized! Our grief is our anger."

"Yup," I reply. I hope I never get to see Count angry. He has the same temperament as Sanji. They're smiling, happy men but when they're pissed, they're willing to tear a man apart by the limbs. It… Wait…

The Count asks, "Are you okay, Master Kendo?"

"I'm fine," I answer, waving my hand as an added gesture. "I was just thinking about Sanji." From Count's imprisonment, he most likely has PTSD from all the abuse he experienced. It explains why All For One could be a trigger for bouts of anger. But Sanji… Someone as young as him… No, I won't think about this now. That will be a train of thought for another time.

"Ah, I have a few thoughts about that boy myself, but let's not jump into that rabbit hole. Now it's your turn to answer, Master Kendo. Who exactly were those people?" he asks, reminding me why I ruined "a poor lady's day".

"Some sort of Villains," I deduce, taking hold of my chin. "I overheard them talking about some 'cause'. They're observing the kids because of the threat they might pose to them. Whatever this 'cause' is, it must be pretty damn serious considering CEOs and politicians are involved. Rikiya Yotsubashi, Koku Hanabata, Chitose Kizuki, and the rest of those pricks."

The Count hums curiously. "Shindeka did offhandedly say that it wouldn't surprise him if there was a conspiracy in corporate Japan. He even picked out Rikiya Yotsubashi as a major player, but he hasn't investigated this conspiracy yet. Seems like we have a case to solve, Master Kendo."

"Hmm? 'We'?" I ask.

"Mhm! You want to make sure that these people won't hurt your kids, correct? Let me help. After all, I promised that I would—Shindeka and I would—protect your children as if they're our own," he reminds me with a pretty smile. He's definitely a lady-killer, but something tells me that he doesn't swing that way.

"I'm no Grandmaster though. You're working with a senile old man," I joke, putting my hands in my pockets.

He gives me a charming smile. "Better than most. I'll ask Shindeka for some of his masterful deductions later. For now, we have a shadow organization to investigate."

"Damn right."

---

Shindeka Oji

Let's see…

The History of One For All:

During the Origin of Quirks—or the beginning of the Vigilante Era—there was an emergence of power imbalances all over the world. (An example outside of Japan would be the Fourth Reich led by Betelgeuse Sauer A.K.A. "Brimstone". Perhaps I ought to research Brimstone in my off-time. Food for thought, future Shindeka.) Inside Japan however—since the setting of these notes is solely based in Japan—there was the reign of All For One (AFO) who had the ability to steal Quirks. From the words of Gran Torino, he stated that AFO appealed to those who wanted power and those who wanted to be powerless. Thus, with his Quirk, he was able to build a loyal following and soon became the "Shadow Leader" of Japan. However, his younger brother defied his reign. His younger brother, who shall be named One For All (OFA), was forced with the ability to stockpile power. That combined with his original Quirk which allowed him to pass Quirks on to others. This is how One For All, the Quirk, was created.

After realizing his power, OFA tried to challenge AFO but failed, instead relinquishing this responsibility to the future generations, and so OFA gave his Quirk to the second holder. Eventually, it came into the hands of the seventh holder, Nana Shimura. She gave it to Toshinori "All Might" Yagi, who then gave it to Izuku "Deku" Midoriya. However, there are stories that stem from this hidden war.

For example, out of spite, AFO murdered the sixth holder's bloodline because he decided to accept One For All. The pattern continued with Nana Shimura, starting with her family and ending with the Tsukigamis. (Future Shindeka: Please research more about the Tsukigami Family. Information about them is unbelievably scarce considering that they should be a normal family. Their Quirks do not appear within the Quirk Registry List of Japan, which is extremely unusual. There has to be a reason why. Since the Tsukigami Family is connected to the Shimuras, with them being distant cousins, the cause could be related to One For All.)

Of course… Claude was involved. Savant and All For One both benefited from Jeanne d'Arc's death and decided to frame Claude for her assassination. I could tell that Savant was influenced with this attack. After all, he doesn't murder just one person; he murders hundreds or even thousands at once time. Well, he murdered two in this instance: the young Claude LeNoir. Claude today is traumatized from his imprisonment. It'll be a long time until he finds peace. Future Shindeka: If you need a reason to hate All For One more than you already do, then remind yourself of the terrible things he has done.

Another example is the Busan Bombing where AFO tried to "impress" Villains within South Korea. As I'm writing this, I found no evidence stating whether or not AFO was successful in his endeavor. The shadow war affected the country of South Korea and its former No.1 Pro Hero named "Bam", and was one of the main causes of Qinglong's downfall from his place as the No.1 Pro Hero in China. Additionally, the United Hero Nation's agent assigned to the operation retired shortly after the terrorist attack. His agent name was "Mystic", with his Quirk going by the same name. Which leads me to my next section…

Mystic and The Winter Samurai:

Thanks to Master Kendo's description of Mystic, it led me to believe he is/was related to The Winter Samurai (TWS) in some way. In the legend of TWS, he wore a white and gold haori. Mystic also wore a white a gold haori and appeared to be "a samurai from the Sengoku Period". About Mystic himself, almost everything about him is unknown. I had a file on hand but it only gave me his physical appearance and his nationality (Japanese). With Master Kendo's retelling of the Busan Bombing, Mystic's Quirk was described. It seemed to be a Creation-type where Mystic was able to create "constructs" from his body that he can freely morph. However, he was also able to channel some sort of "energy" that boosted his speed—and maybe grant him other enhancements as well. There is a high chance that his Quirk is an Accumulation-type due to this fact.

Anyhow, there were a lot of stories regarding TWS. Unfortunately, it was hard to differentiate the facts from fiction. TWS's description largely remained constant and so did his story: He was a well-known Vigilante who slain Villains to maintain peace in Japan. He first appeared six months after the Origin of Quirks and remained active for three years before suddenly becoming dormant. It was speculated that he was killed. As for facts pertaining to TWS himself, like his Quirk, they were rare.

One book ( The Stories of Early Vigilantes ) contained a story from a man who was rescued by TWS: "[His] feet graced the snow-laden ground. He bathed in a white light given by the Moon. At first glance, I thought he did not have a Quirk. However, upon closer inspection of his figure, his eyes glowed. The glowing was a faint gold, yet striking."

Master Kendo said that Mystic's eyes gleamed white when he activated his Quirk, yet TWS's eyes supposedly glowed golden. This would suggest that they are not related, but I need more evidence to prove this claim. Anyhow, aside from this detail, this is the only evidence I was able to find. There were theories made about TWS's true name and Quirk, but none of them held any water. However, there was a detail about TWS's hometown.

In Tales of The Winter Samurai, it had another story of a woman who was saved by him: "I asked [TWS] where he was from. With a soft-spoken voice like the whispering winds, he answered, 'Where the stars and the oceans meet.'"

Of course, TWS answered with a riddle. Future Shindeka: Try to answer this riddle when you have time and patience. Mostly patience.

That is where my notes end. There are no books regarding One For All; all of my information was collected and gathered through first-hand accounts. However, there are many books centered around The Winter Samurai, yet actual facts about the Vigilante himself were scarce. This is as far as my research has taken me. Goodness, I read ten books in one day and none of them had anything worthwhile—that is evidence of how much of a mystery The Winter Samurai has become.

I need more information on Mystic. It's not because the man himself is important but rather his connections. If he is related to The Winter Samurai, then I need to find his name. Finding his name, I'll be able to find him or any of his relatives. They will know more about The Winter Samurai and his actions, because there's a high probability that he encountered One For All—the first user. If that's the case, then more light will be shed on the relationship of One For All and All For One, perhaps even All For One's weakness. This thread of information is incredibly loose and weak, but it is the best thread I have. Master Kendo said he doesn't know anything about One For All's history other than the basics, and the same applies for Gran Torino. They doubt that All Might knows anything more than he already does right now. I cannot believe that no one—not even a holder or one of their allies—thought to catalogue the history of One For All, and because of that error, we are left with a chasm of ignorance.

That's why I'm trying to find him . His name is Hakan Aldemir, a Turkish man. He belongs to the International Villains Affair bloc in the United Hero Nations. His speciality is within the Middle East. I chose him for a reason: he's a close friend of Fujiro Hideyoshi, the man who spearheaded the operation that eventually led to one of the worst mistakes in the history of the U.H.N.: the Busan Bombing.

There's no doubt that Hakan is a high-ranking official in the International Villain Affairs bloc. After all, he's in the Middle East of all places. There are operations there that can and will forever affect the public opinion on the U.H.N. and other affiliates. Most importantly, it's home to one of the most infamous Villain Groups in the entire world: the Order of Assassins. Information about them is highly likely to be on the same level as One For All.

Let's begin, Shindeka Oji.

Sip!

"This is an amazing espresso, ma'am. One of the best I had in years," Hakan said, complimenting the barista. He's inside one of the many cafes within the central island. Apparently, this one is the "best" out of them all. Not only will I have an opportunity to attain more information, this is a chance to experience coffee that's out of this world. It's a shame that I didn't bring Claude. I love him, yet I cannot risk a sudden outburst. Especially with what I have in store.

I go inside the cafe, conveniently taking a seat next to Hakan. I place my cane in my lap, scrolling through the menu that's placed above the barista's head. They have all kinds of drinks here, not just coffee. Impressive, really. The barista asks, "Good afternoon sir! What will you have today?"

I glance at Hakan and his espresso. "I'll have whatever he's having, ma'am. I heard him absolutely brimming with delight from outside the cafe! He must've enjoyed it!" My comment makes Hakan chuckle to himself. He's a middle-aged man with olive skin, having combed dark red hair with a trimmed beard.

I take out my wallet and give the barista the appropriate amount. She takes it and nods. "If you wish! It'll take a while, sir!" I return a nod, letting her go back to her station.

"Did I really sound that delighted?" Hakan asks, taking a small sip from his cup. "In my defense, this is one damn good coffee. It's worth the money."

"So it seems!" I exclaim, bringing my hands together. "Where are you from? Judging from your accent, I'll take a shot in the dark and say Middle East, specifically Turkey."

He smirks, confirming my answer. "That's right. Glad to see that there are some educated people out there. Never thought I'd see someone from Japan to even bother with countries in the Middle East though."

"I'm a Pro Hero. I naturally take note of Villains within my own borders and outside them, especially high-ranking Villains like the Assassins."

"Heh, that's our cockroach alright. It needs a heavy boot and a strong leg. Anyway, let me introduce myself." Hakan takes another sip, putting down his cup of espresso. "The name's Hakan Aldemir. I'm an official for the U.H.N. in the International Villain Affairs bloc. My expertise is in the Middle East obviously."

"Shindeka Oji. My Hero Name is Grandmaster," I reply, bringing my hand forward. My words make Hakan raise an eyebrow just slightly. It takes him little more than a moment to shake my hand. It's a slight hesitation that the average person cannot detect. If I had to pinpoint the cause of his hesitation, then it might be because he recognizes my name. It's a logical deduction.

After shaking my hand, he asks, "What's your Quirk? Does it have something to do with chess?"

"Sorry, but no. I was a master chess player when I was younger, so that was how I came up with my Hero Name. As for my Quirk, that's a trade secret. Of course, you could look it up on the Quirk Registry List of Japan; I'm sure you have the credentials to access them."

"I do, but that's too much work for my blood. Anyway, can I ask you something? I've been following the current events in Japan myself, especially with the League of Villains and all…" So it seems the League has made it to international infamy. "I wonder if you know anything about Izuku Midoriya or Sanji Inochi."

I need to choose my words carefully.

Think Shindeka, for what reason did Hakan ask me this question? Midoriya and Inochi have something in common, but what would that be? I barely know anything about Inochi's past and I haven't done any research on Midoriya's childhood yet. Instead of looking at their character, I should look into their Quirks. What do they have in common…

Power, that's it. They are both predicted to be powerful Heroes. The United Hero Nations would be interested in their strength because they could change the balance of the world. I heard some officials in the U.H.N. scout those with strong Quirks and make them into agents much like Mystic.

I won't tell Hakan that Inochi is my future intern just yet. "Both are very promising men, I tell you that much. Why do you ask?"

Hakan drags his finger along the counter, glancing at my cane before locking eyes with me. "My friend, he took an interest in those boys. We chat about them, especially after we found out that both of them have a Growth Potential of over 10,000AP. I take you as a smart man, Grandmaster, so you understand the gravity of those numbers. At the U.H.N., we have to catalogue the people who have the potential to change the world. The more we know about them, the better."

Ah, this "friend" must be Hideyoshi. Anyhow, I don't think I can give them information that they don't already know. It's difficult to tell how much, or how little, information the U.H.N. has. "Not much, unfortunately. I should know, my good man, because I have Inochi as my intern."

Hakan raises an eyebrow. "Really? You aren't joking with me or anything, right? You actually have Sanji Inochi as one of your interns?"

"Mhm. We met through a mutual friend. Believe me, if you and your friend also did your research, then we most likely have the same amount of information. I—"

Tap!

"Here's your espresso, sir!" the barista exclaims, setting my espresso down.

"Thank you," I say, turning back to Hakan. "Anyway, where was I? Ah right… I did my research and I only added more questions to the ones I already had. Though, I'm interested in how the U.H.N. attained the Growth Levels of my intern."

I take my espresso, blow gently, and take a sip. The taste is strong and bold, dancing on my tongue. It's not a complex taste—a simple one if anything—but it does simple excellently that it might as well be perfect. This is worth my money. When I have freetime, I'll take Claude here and we can drink together.

As I drink, Hakan casts away my questions, "Through a couple of sources. My friend, he has more questions about Inochi than Midoriya, surprisingly enough. But, I would rather not go into detail about that. We'll be heading into classified information. I'll have to kill you if you want to know." He laughs, finishing his answer with more caffeine.

However, he gave me everything I needed. I wasn't sure if he was high enough to know about One For All, but two words confirmed that he did. "Surprisingly enough" gave it away. Why would he say that after saying Inochi has more questions than Midoriya? Referring to that as a "surprise"? He knows that Midoriya has One For All, the strongest Quirk in the entire world. With Inochi being the weaker one out of the two, it would naturally be a surprise that he has less information than the next Symbol of Peace.

I hold my espresso close to my lips. Just barely louder than a whisper, I comment, "Like the July Accident in Liverpool? Yet you can hardly call whatever happened an 'accident'."

Hakan stops drinking. He stares at me with wide eyes.

I continue, "Or what about the Dublin Explosion? Where chemicals and gas were in the wrong place at the same time. Coincidences like that are highly implausible, my friend."

"Grandmaster—"

"How about the assassination of Jeanne d'Arc? Where Claude LeNoire was her killer, but he was framed all along?"

"...Savant," Hakan quietly whispers, intending to end my list of examples. Savant framed them as accidents—that sociopath. His henchmen were often killed to avoid leaving a paper trial. He was the fifth most dangerous Villain in the entire world. However, on the website, it was listed that he was a mass murderer but the method was never revealed. The U.H.N. hid the fact that he used tragedies as his attacks. I don't blame them. They wanted to prevent panic from spreading throughout Europe. It won't be far to assume that he's on the same level as One For All or the Order of Assassins. However, with the problems that U.H.N. faced during Savant's period, they were stretched too thin to be able to find him. But I did. "You know that Savant was behind those incidents, don't you?"

"I do," I answer in the same hushed voice. "I was investigating Savant due to him having connections to a certain Japanese Villain. One that you should know very well."

"No.1 on the Villain leaderboards, am I right?"

"You don't disappoint."

"I try not to."

"Heh, I'm pleased. Don't worry, I don't have any intentions of revealing what I know to the public. I might be a fool, but I don't want to see the world burn. Though, I want to exchange secrets from one man to another."

"Are you seriously making a deal right now?"

"I'm making a proposal. It's up to you, and your friends of course, if you want to accept it. You see, I'm doing research on one of your agents. I was able to attain his file through some digging, but obviously I only have scraps of information."

Hakan raises a hand. "Before I go saying anything that I might regret, how are you related to the situation in Japan? You might say that it's not my place to worry, but I work for the world. Japan is apart of it."

I should give him the truth. "I'm touched. To answer your question… I was contacted by an ally of one of the holders and I became a trusted individual that they can count on. I decided to become more involved because I want to ensure the welfare of my nation; it's why I decided to take in Sanji Inochi as my intern. In order to help my allies, I need to know more about the history of One For All."

"I see… I don't understand how one of our agents can help you."

"Well, do you have the complete history of the Vigilante Era in Japan that is completely factual and doesn't involve stories that may or may not have happened?"

Hakan shakes his head. "Fair point. Back then, the internet crashed and the world went dark. I doubt historians were recording what's going on considering they either died or have much more important things to worry about. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, what information are you offering?"

"Savant. I know that you don't have a conclusive report about him, not even why he went dark about five or so years ago. However, I do . Unlike historians during the Vigilante Era, I recorded everything he did. It'll fill in the holes that you have. You don't have to take my offer immediately of course. You can talk to your friends within the organization, but I need an answer within five days."

He puts his hand on his chin, thinking. "And the agent in question will fill in the holes that you have, am I right? If you're offering information about a Villain who isn't active anymore, then our agent isn't either. Considering that you're Japanese and know about One For All, there's only one agent you could be interested in."

He's a smarter man than I had originally expected. As Hakan reaches the final conclusion, I simply nod and smile.

"It's Mystic, isn't it?"

---

Hiryu Rin

"Father… I'll be leaving to go to Japan tomorrow. I already said goodbye to everyone else, including Grandpa Zun." My father stood at the doorway looking over his orchid of peach trees, his back turned to me. It was the dawn of spring. You could hear the chirping of the nightingale, the herald of springtime.

Father didn't turn around when he heard my voice. I only witnessed an image of Xuanwu stitched into the back of his white robe. His posture remained firm as if he was ready to fight a battle. As a gentle wind breezed through the room, he spoke in a quiet yet sturdy voice, "To U.A., am I correct? Going to Japan of all places?"

"It's not a terrible place," I replied, moving half a meter forward closer to his back. "I could learn to be a Pro Hero there without being a burden to you. You should delegate your focus to ensuring that Lian could be a proper successor."

"...Do you know what would our enemies say when they hear about this, Lin?" he asked after hesitating to speak, holding his hands behind his back and looking up towards the blue sky. "The family honor will be called into question. We will be scrutinized because of your decision. We— I will be remembered as the father who let his son run away to Japan because he wanted to be a Pro Hero."

Whose fault was that? He didn't care about me as much as Lian or any of my other brothers. I was raised by my mother—his wife—and our servants. I was taught to read books about Confucianism and that's it! Out of my own volition, I taught myself how to fight until Lian became my mentor. Unlike our father, he was the one who truly cared about me. Hearing my father's words, it was like he blamed me for running away—he did blame me.

"It's…" I sucked in a breath, preventing myself from accidentally letting my thoughts become my words, "...how I can be the man I want to be. Going to Japan, it's one step in my journey to attain wisdom about the world and especially myself. I may not have Astral like you or the other men in the family, but my Scales will be my armor."

He looked over his shoulder, his black ponytail swaying in the wind. His dark eyes gazed into mine, peering into the depths of my soul. We stood there for five seconds. There were many things that went through his mind during those seconds. Remembering everything he needed to, he finally said, "I didn't teach you confidence, did I? I didn't teach you heroism, did I? I didn't teach you anything. I only gave you that body of yours, but I could never give you the family's Quirk."

"Father—"

"—Lin," he interrupted, his dark eyes glowing. "I will give you this choice; I won't force you to do anything. Your life is in your hands."

I stood up straight with my shoulders back, my posture tense for what he was about to say next.

"You can stay here with your family, remaining as the outsider who was born different. Or you can carve out the path that Lian showed you. You can go to Japan and be the man you are searching for. The Fei-Longs' reputation will be hurt, but that won't be an issue you have to worry about.

"However, there is a stipulation. If you do go to Japan, I won't allow you to return to this household until you become a Pro Hero. I will not allow you to backtrack in your journey, do you understand?"

I nodded. "I understand. I'll receive my education in Japan. But I can't promise you that I'll return home after I become a Pro Hero."

"Well then, that's your choice, isn't it?" he states, turning around so we can face each other even though we're standing at a distance away. "Even despite everything Lin, I do hope you find satisfaction in your life."

"Thank you, Father." I bowed, knowing that this was the end of our conversation. Without another word, I turned around and left my father there, who watched me leave already said everything he needed to say.

Outside the room, Lian was there waiting for me. Once I came out, he smiled and put a hand on my shoulder. "Got everything out, Lin? Tomorrow's the big day."

"Yeah, he wasn't too opposed to me leaving. No matter what anyone says, this is the right choice." I wasn't born with the best traits, I wasn't meant to be the next head of the Fei-Long Family, but I promised that I would make a mountain for myself and only myself. That goal hasn't changed for a single instance. I will find true satisfaction.

"Good!" Lian exclaimed before patting my back. "Before you know it, you'll be a new man! Do you already have your Hero Name picked out?"

"Mhm. I'll be Long Weizi, or 'Dragon Shroud' in Japanese."

"I like the sound of that, Long Weizi! C'mon, we need to celebrate your last day here. I know the perfect place."

---

"Hey everybody! I get to finally meet your shining faces in person, darlings!" Lian says, his eyes lighting up as he looks around at my classmates. Everyone is gathered around him, even Kendo's mother. I see that Tokage is done with her phone call. Kendo and Inochi are with Lian and I, since we did lead him back here—much to my dismay. Lian puts a hand on his chest, introducing himself, "If you didn't know already, I'm Lian Fei-Long, Lin's brother! My, if I can say, I never thought the women in Lin's class were this stunning. One of you might be my sister-in-law some day—Gah!"

WHACK!

I elbow his side because I'm not going to have him embarrassing me. It wasn't a hard strike, but hard enough to send a message. I… I now understand what Kendo has to go through everyday. "Please don't listen to my brother… He's somewhat of an embarrassing man, especially when he doesn't wear a shirt half the time."

"Believe me, I have my fair share of embarrassing men," Kendo comments, eyeing Inochi in particular. He smiles and rubs her head, and then Kendo smacks his hand away.

Lian whispers—well, he loudly whispers so everyone could hear him, "I completely understand why your class has a betting ring on these two. Can I join?"

Awase states, "You need to put ¥6000 down to join, dude." Behind him, Shiozaki gives Awase a death stare, which makes him shrink to the size of a gnome. He's not actually a gnome, but he's trying to hide himself from Shiozaki's anger.

Sighing, she shakes her head. "Forgive us for Awase's behavior. He, of all men, should know that I don't condone gambling whatsoever. Especially if it involves our classmates who never consented in the first place."

Kaibara, who has his arm around Monoma, explains Shiozaki's behavior, "Shiozaki makes sure that we don't become sinners and be banished to Hell."

"I want to ensure that my classmates don't fall to the temptations of the wicked!" she implores, confronting Kaibara who's just smirking. Monoma is smirking with him. Surprised that he isn't saying anything right now. "I have not forgotten about your incessant innuendos that you make on a daily basis!"

"I—"

Hayami raises her hand. Everyone stops talking and turns to her. She smiles before pushing up her shades. "Now now, we shouldn't argue in front of Rin's brother. From the look on his face, he has a treasure chest of things to say! Right?"

Of course he does. Lian looks absolutely delighted at our class dynamic. I'm happy too frankly. My class is filled with chaotic men and women who seem to never get along, always engaging in banter, but we care for one another deeply. I bet I'm not the only one who feels this way. Looking at my class, Lian puts an arm around me and proclaims, "This is an amazing set of starry-eyed students, my goodness! Y'know, whenever me and Lin talk over the phone, he talks about you all every time. He gives me juicy details about your antics, and especially what you have been through as of late."

Kamakiri asks, "So you know a whole buncha stuff 'bout us, right? Our dirty secrets an' crap like that?"

Lian smiles and nods. "Basically, yeah! As much as Lin knows anyway. Like you, for example! Your name is Togaru Kamakiri and your father was a Villain. You were ostracized for being related to him, and due to that, you have a very sour personality, like sour mangos!"

"Jackass, I'm not a sour mango!" Kamakiri snaps, shaking his fist at him. Shiozaki glares at him for cursing.

Shishida raises his hand, signaling that he has something to ask. "Mister Lian, if I may ask… You are a Pro Hero, are you not? You seem to exude that energy, and it would explain why Rin is in our class." He's perceptive.

"Mhm. In China, I am known as 'Shangdi'. Right now, I'm pretty much a Sidekick to my father—" Lian looks at me, "— our father. I'm not doing much because he wants me to focus on training myself and my Quirk. But, I got bored so I decided to take a trip here to visit my little brother and his friends."

Kendo remarks, "I thought you were some crazy guy about to harass us. I mean, you know a whole bunch about Sanji. For a second, I assumed that you were gonna pester him to study in China or something."

Lian pulls his arm off of me, laughing like a lion—he most certainly has the hair like one. "I'm not going to steal away your man, little fire! As far as I'm concerned, he's yours and yours only."

She blushes. "Th-Thanks, I—"

"Don't thank me." Lian's voice suddenly loses its cheerful tone. He faces Inochi with his golden eyes, like he's trying to challenge him or something. Inochi stands there awkwardly not knowing what to do. "Say Baihu, how about we have a little fight?"

"—?!" What the?! As much as I respect Inochi's strength, there's no way that he can defeat Lian! He can't even defeat my other brothers!

"Woah, I didn't see that coming!"

"Think you can take him, Inochi bro?"

"I love Inochi, but Lian seems way too shrooming powerful, and I don't even know him!"

The entire class erupts in the same comments. They didn't even know that Lian existed until now—most of them anyway. Just from Lian's presence alone, they can sense that he's a strong man. It's how I realized he was here. I felt a powerful aura that belonged to Lian, like how a dog can find something through scent. In the back, Miss Kendo is shaking her head and Tokage doesn't seem to support this fight. I figured…

Inochi stammers, "W-Wait, can I at least ask why you wanna fight me—?!"

TUG!

"Hahaha!" Lian suddenly laughs, tugging Inochi and pulling him close, wrapping his arm around him like what he did with me earlier but tighter. "I'm just joking! Trust me, you would get obliterated if you fought me, darling! My Quirk is one of the best there is! Not in China, before you say… It's one of the best in the entire world! "

Monoma, who somehow removed himself from Kaibara during the chaos, wears his usual smirk. "How bold! So I take it that your Quirk is better than those dunces in Class 1-A? Especially Midoriya's?"

"Monoma! Can you go one day without mentioning 1-A just once ?" Kendo scolds him with an angry huff, then turning to Lian. "I've been wondering about that too actually…"

"A-And I've been wondering if you can let go of me… You're kinda squeezing me to death here," Inochi stammers. Lian does what he asks, apologizes to Inochi with a smile as if he's saying, Sorry about that, Baihu. Inochi lets out a few dry coughs, watching as Lian stands in the middle of the group.

Putting a hand on his hip, Lian explains, "My Quirk is called 'Astral', darlings. In essence, it is an Energy-type Quirk. If you study up on your Quirk Types, Energy-type Quirks allow the user to transform one substance into energy in its purest form. For Astral, I am able to convert my life force into physical energy—with energy here meaning 'physical attacks'.

"'What's life force?' you may ask, and darling, I shall answer! In my father's words, 'life force' is our soul; it's what sustains our vitality. However, I know that some of you won't take that as an answer. Really, down to our each and every cell, I am converting my AP into physical energy. Let me make this clear to you all: Your Quirks are using AP to aid activation. I personally know a man who also has an Energy-type Quirk who's able to convert pain into energy—insane, I know. For him, AP is used to help convert chemicals that induce pain into pure energy. Without AP, he's unable to conduct that chemical reaction.

"Astral is different. Instead of using AP to expedite any process and whatnot, AP is the exact substance that's being converted. You see, it's both fueling its own chemical reaction and being converted into physical energy. The middle man is cut out. I daresay that Astral is the most efficient Quirk in existence. I am able to squeeze out every ounce of energy that AP has, where the average man would only receive a fraction of its total energy.

"There's other factors too, darlings, but I'd rather not get into those right now! I hope I didn't bore you with the science lesson! I had to study metaology in order to properly understand my Quirk and how to efficiently wield it. What do you think, darlings?"

Tsuburaba politely raises his hand. "Why do you keep calling us 'darlings'?" Okay, out of everything Lian said, he asked that? Are you serious? I—Oh, Awase smacks him across the back of his head.

Lian chuckles to himself. "All of you are darlings. What more do I need to say?" He doesn't seem to mind Tsuburaba's question… I forgot how laid-back he was.

Miss Kendo sighs, rolling her eyes at Awase and Tsuburaba. "These two lugheads aside, your Quirk really does sound powerful. I mean, I already knew you were going to be the next big thing, but damn —sorry Shiozaki. For you guys, biology and its processes aren't meant to be the most efficient; they're meant to keep us alive. You don't realize just how groundbreaking Astral is."

Tokage giggles, leaning against Tetsutetsu for no apparent reason. "Oh I believe you. I'm not much of an expert on metaology, but Astral sounds pretty dang good. It's totally a different Quirk than you would see in your everyday life."

"Of course!" Lian exclaims, "Astral is a blessing! Our other brothers have the same Quirk, so did my father and my grandfather, and so on."

I jump in, "Except for me. Out of the men in my family, I'm the only one who doesn't have Astral. It's a bit disappointing, believe me, but I'm completely over it. I'm trying to forge my own legacy after all."

Kuroiro chuckles—Kagesuke is nibbling his finger, "Fufu, you refuse to stand in your family's light, so you aim to create your own! How noble of you, Rin."

"That's really cool, bro!" Tetsutetsu exclaims while he just does...push-ups for no reason. I have Tokage and Honenuki as my classmates, but I can never understand Tetsutetsu. Getting exercise strengthens your body, of course it does. For him, I think he's a little too zealous with his workouts.

A few others give their thoughts, all of them praising me for my words. It's embarrassing… Receiving so much praise and kind thoughts, I'm afraid it'll spoil me. Hehe, it's definitely a nice change of pace from the constant banter that drives everyone up the walls. Inochi and Kendo have nice smiles, being happy for me. Well, saying what I'm thinking will just be a broken record at this point.

Miss Kendo claps her hands, getting everyone's eyes on her. "Okay everyone, I have to take my kids to an appointment with David Shield. We should pack up and head back to the hotels so you can change into your Hero Costumes. The Early Access Event has technically started." Ah right, I almost forgot—I've been thinking about Lian this entire time. Inochi has a meeting with David Shield. I don't know the specifics, but considering that he's meeting with a world famous metaologist, then it has to be about his Quirk.

Honenuki tells Inochi, "You better give us the details about your Quirk, Inochi! You know that Monoma is going to bug you to hell and back."

Monoma nods, chuckling. "Honenuki is right, I would do that. I hope that you'll find out what your Quirk does, and I also hope that your power will make 1-A weep with jealousy!"

Pony hops up and down, her hooves making noticeable prints in the sand. "Uh huh uh huh! You better! Else I'll get Togaru to smack your Quirk outta ya!"

Kamakiri smiles. "Oh, I would do much more than just smackin', Quirkless. I'm ready to bruise your ass to kingdom come."

Inochi replies, "Thanks for that comment, Kamakiri. I never thought you would introduce Pony to the idea of violence though…" ("Whaddaya saying?! I am violence, hmph!")

Here we go again, back to our usual banter. Lian takes the opportunity to tap my arm, gesturing to go off to the side. I follow him a good distance away from the group. They won't be able to hear us from here. Whatever Lian wants me for, it's obviously something private and personal. I'll take a shot in the dark and say it's about my class. "I'm sorry that they're constantly arguing with each other, Lian. You have no idea what kind of conversations we have in class. This is pretty tame compared to them."

Lian shakes his head, sweeping some of his hair out of his face. "Nonsense, I enjoy your classmates' banter. They're really entertaining. I thought you wanted to know more about what's going on at home."

"I've been keeping up myself," I tell him. "Once I left, our competitors criticized Dad for letting me leave, accusing him of being a terrible father. However, he got overshadowed by China's neighbor: Japan. There's the U.S.J. Incident, the Musutafu Suicide Spree, and things of that nature. Instead of focusing on what's happening with its own people, our country has its claws brandished at Japan."

Lian's face drops. "Okay, never mind. You got everything covered. Well… Not everything. During our calls, we only talked about what's happening in Japan. While you've been going through literal Hell, we've been worried about you honestly—except for our father obviously. Song has been going on tangents about how All Might will retire and 'the next era will rear its ugly head'. Crime in China is on the rise ever since the U.S.J. Incident. You know what they say, 'When Japan blows up, the entire world will feel its shockwaves.'"

"Don't worry, Lian. You should tell Song that I'll be ready. Everyone will be ready when All Might retires. My classmates, despite their immaturity at first glance, are prepared to rise to the occasion to be the next figureheads of society. But I think 1-A will do that instead of us. They're more liked than we are. Besides, out of the first-years, there are only three powerhouses: Bakugo, Todoroki, and Midoriya. They're the golden kids of U.A. to be honest."

Lian leans in closely with a short distance between our faces. "And Inochi. He, more than anyone, deserves to be on that list."

He's a little too close for comfort. Why does Lian feel so strongly about Inochi? It's the same reason why his voice changed when he asked Inochi to fight him. It might've been a joke, but I never seen Lian act like that before. "Goodness Lian. What's going on? Every time I talked about Inochi, you keep saying how much you want to meet him in person. Now you have. So please, what's going on?"

"A monster is in your class," Lian states, turning around with his back facing me. A breeze goes right through us, making Lian's flowing, golden hair sway. "Whenever you talked about him, I thought to myself, 'What a strong-willed man. That Inochi character is clearly a role model.' When I first met him hugging his little fire, I never thought I would feel a presence emanating from him."

Okay, this is serious enough that he's willing to gloss over the fact that he caught Inochi and Kendo hugging. He would dwell on that, telling me all about why they're meant for one another, and he's ignoring it. I ask him, "What kind of presence?"

"A power like none other. His body has locked his Quirk away, but his Quirk is growing even as we speak. All that power its accumulating, I could feel it—it's like a sixth sense. You must be thinking about how much of a madman I am, aren't you?"

"I'm not," I say, hopefully assuringly, "you always told me that Astral was a unique Quirk, and I'm inclined to believe it. I mean, our family's Quirk existed ever since the Origin."

"Mhm." Lian turns his head to me, flashing a smile. "You oughta keep a close eye on Inochi. He's like a blooming flower, you know. Right before your eyes, he'll birth beautiful, vibrant petals that give off a strong aroma. When he reaches his prime, I think I'll have a little fight with him."

"You believe he can match your strength?"

"Or surpass it, who knows? I'm just a bystander in that man's journey, Lin. It's not everyday you see a legally Quirkless man trying to scale an impossibly high mountain—whose Quirk dwarfs the other 99% of the world."

"Heh, it's one of the reasons why we look up to him so much. We respect that kind of determination. Unlike others, we put aside prejudices."

"Good…" Lian looks towards everyone else, namely at Inochi who's carrying three coolers by himself, asking everyone if they have everything. "We could be looking at a legend."

---

Sanji Inochi

"Itsuka, think everyone will be alright? I know you're a little upset that you're leaving everyone to their own devices again. At least Lian is acting as a chaperone," I ask, adjusting the straps on my bracers. We're walking over to David Shield's laboratory in the center island which is near the Early Access Event for the I-Expo. I'm heading there with Hayami, Itsuka, and of course, Setsuna. She's the one who'll introduce us to Mister Shield. His daughter, Melissa, is with Midoriya and All Might; that's what Setsuna said anyway. I hoped that Master Kendo would join us too, but he said that he has something to do and will catch up with us later—didn't say what that exactly is which is kinda weird.

Itsuka rolls her eyes; she doesn't look assured whatsoever. "As nice as Lian is, he gives off that sense of, 'I am going to do stuff on a whim.' That kind of attitude is dangerous, especially for a guy like him! He seems really damn strong! Like All Might-levels of strong!"

Before I say anything, Hayami cuts in-between us. "Well, Lian is apart of the Fei-Long Family back in China. They're known to be pretty dang powerful—and destructive. They got that in common with Toshi."

Setsuna joins the conversation, "Heh… On an unrelated note, I won't be surprised if Lian is No.1 in the 'Hottest Pro Hero in China'. I saw all kinds of women staring at him when we were at Mercer Beach. Not to mention how flamboyant he is, 'specially when he called everyone 'darlings'."

"Itsuka called him 'crazy', I called him 'nice'. Though, I was afraid for my life when he asked me to fight him," I admit, letting Setsuna rub her shoulder against mine. "I didn't expect he would do that honestly. He sounded a little like Bakugo, who by the way, is still kinda mad at me."

Itsuka scoffs. "Don't pay attention to Bakugo, would ya? He's obsessed with becoming the strongest Hero and winning. Personally, I have better things to worry about. We have better things, like for example, your Quirk!" She sounds so excited to find out more about me. Setsuna has a little hop in her step, and Hayami has a smile.

And for me, I'm cautiously optimistic. For a long, long time, everyone is focused around my potential. Ever since I introduced myself as the first legally Quirkless student in the Hero Course, my potential has been doubted. At first, they—the overall world—never believed I had what it takes to be a Hero. I convinced them during the Sports Festival, but they regressed back to their prejudices when the Musutafu Suicide Spree began; they went back to hating. Then on one faithful day, I got my AP Levels measured. By the hands of Mayor Yamamoto, those in high positions are aware of my potential. They're not just in Japan; they're all over the world. I've practically been ascended to the class of the elite. And yet, I still belong to the slums.

To my left, I am a useless, no-good man wholly undeserving of my seat in Class 1-B, undeserving of what I have today, undeserving of my life I'm able to live.

To my right, I am the world's next light, because my power—guaranteed by just a single evaluation—is able to preserve society as it stands today.

I wonder, Mayor Yamamoto, Honenuki said that you hated me because I was Quirkless; you seem to be that kind of man. Now that you found out about my potential, you magically forgot that I am Quirkless, didn't you?

So this begs the question: When these two words collide, just how many people will praise me? And out of that group, which ones hated me because I was Quirkless? God, from the very moment those numbers were calculated by an imperfect machine, they basically cemented my place in the social ladder. I wouldn't be surprised if these AP Machines become a widespread occurrence across Japan, the world even. If that actually happens, then there'll be an ocean-wide chasm between individuals with the strongest Quirks and the Quirkless—it would truly become a caste system.

—Ah, thinking about this now, it really opens my eyes. Society worships individuals with the greatest Quirks. Unless they do an incredibly unforgivable act, the world will turn a blind eye and say, " This is fine ."

Let's say in middle school, there's this selfish boy who wanted to be more famous than All Might. He bullied his classmate, someone who is legally Quirkless and a foster kid. It was so bad that it drove him to the point where he—!

Everyone else turned a blind eye and said, " This is fine ."

Let's say that there's this boy whose father was a Villain, the same boy inherited his father's Quirk. Naturally, society would cross him off as a "Villain", a rotten Villain who wouldn't amount to anything great in his life! It drove him to the point where he hates himself!

Everyone else turned a blind eye and said, " This is fine ."

In Japanese, the characters used for the word "Quirk" are the same for "Individuality"—uniqueness pretty much. Everyone is a unique individual, but some are more unique than others.

I understand why some Villains become Villains… Maybe they just wanted to be more unique than others, or maybe not. I know that some Villains are born evil like Catharsis, but he isn't the standard. I believe in the greatest heroism—I do. I also believe that, in order to become a great Hero, I need to understand both sides of the coin. That way, maybe I can do something about this.

Squeeze!

Setsuna is squeezing my arm with hers. "You finally stopped dreaming, cowboy! The Kendos were making fun of you and you didn't hear a thing." She lets go of my arm, gesturing to the two Kendos. They're laughing and smiling together, mother-daughter duo.

I try my best to smile, but I could only frown. Hayami takes notice of my expression first. She asks me, "What's wrong, Sanji? What were you thinking about?"

I sigh, turning my head towards the sky. I tune out the noise of the people around us, only hearing a dull silence. "To be honest with you? A lot. Everyone is so focused on my Quirk. If I look left, I'm being ostracized for my lack of ability to use one. If I look right, I'm being praised for something I haven't even done yet. You guys know that the world cares so much about Quirks. Seriously guys, you're so excited about this! I'm trying my best to remain cautiously optimistic, but I can't help but ask myself, 'Will I be the same man when I leave that room?'

Itsuka mutters, "Sanji, I—"

I stop. They stand in front of me, and I take this moment to take in their expressions: slightly frightened, slightly worried. "If I awaken to my Quirk today, will you still see me as the same man standing in front of you? Will you still see Armory? Or… Will you see me as someone different?"

If that reality comes true, then I have to admit that I know what my Quirk was all along. They'll see me as a liar. They know that I keep secrets; they know that I keep some things about me hidden, locked away never to be seen again. They'll know about my Mindscape, my Dream Mirrors, and maybe these voices that I keep hearing in my head. They'll know everything.

I really wish Master Kendo was here.

Hayami forms a deeper frown than I have. "Sweetheart… You'll always be our Sanji. We're the first ones who believed in you. You might've stopped being so introverted, but you'll always be the same in our eyes. Nothing will change that."

Setsuna adds on, "Ditto! I always knew you were a special guy, Sanji. Quirks aren't the only things that make up who we are, y'know! We love you because of you , not some silly little power."

Itsuka, as if she needs comfort, wraps her arms around herself. "God, I didn't think we would have this conversation—" she laughs, "—Sanji, why do you think I admire you so much? Is it because of your Quirk? Of course not! You're the best partner I could ask for, and a Quirk isn't gonna change that. You're a selfless idiot, but you're my idiot."

She walks up to me, holding out her fist. "So c'mon Sanji, I'll be your first."

"Heh."

Bump!

"And I'll be your blade, partner."

Click!

That's someone taking a photo of us. Guess who took it? Her name starts with a "Setsuna" and ends with a "Tokage". She giggles, probably sending the picture to me. "Can you guys stop having sweet moments together? I'm gonna get diabetes at this rate."

"Honey, I live with these two knuckleheads. I can't tell you how many times I ran into them having a cute argument together," Hayami comments with a faint blush on her cheeks. There we go again. We're bringing out the romantic in these two.

Itsuka huffs and crosses her arms. "For once, I would like to have a peaceful moment with Sanji without being teased to death. C'mon, let's get going. Remember you're supposed to lead us, Setsuna."

Setsuna smugly smirks, casually putting her phone away. "Of course, Miss Itsuka Inochi. Come hither, children. I will take you to salvation," she says, leading us towards Mister Shield's lab. "As you know, David Shield is pretty dang famous. He revolutionized the world of metaology. Any conversation about metaology, his name is bound to pop up. Not only that, he's a fantastic engineer as well. However, there has been some backlash with his research and findings. These mostly stem from jealous competitors. Right now, David is researching ways to artificially improve Quirks—sounds similar to Tokage Industries who's trying to genetically alter Quirks, doesn't it?

"We're both under fire for pushing the line of ethics in scientific research and application. There are some reasonable, educated voices out there. Too bad that—"

We're here.

"—David Shield sits on the shoulder of the Devil! He's trying to poison us with Satan's vile touch, making us forsake the gift of Quirks given to us by the Lord Almighty! He walks the path of sin! Sin, I say! We must stand united with Jesus as our shield! Say it with me good Christians: 'Our pure bodies, our pure Quirks!'" That preacher with the megaphone is so loud…

"—Our pure bodies, our pure Quirks—!"

"—Our pure bodies, our pure Quirks—!"

"—Our pure bodies, our pure Quirks—!"

And now the crowd is chanting with him with picket signs.

The three of us look at Setsuna, who looks pretty annoyed. "Too bad that their voices are drowned out by Quirk Purists. They're radical Christians who believe that we shouldn't 'defile our Quirks given to us by God'. There's something they hate more than altering our Quirks though…" Setsuna looks at me.

I assume, "They hate the Quirkless, am I right?"

Setsuna nods. "Bingo. They say that, when you're in your mother's womb, Satan touched you and magically removed your Quirk or something crazy like that! So these people think that every Quirkless out there are vile, horrible, and most heinous of all, godless monsters. Congrats Sanji, you're literally the Devil."

"Awesome."

Itsuka cringes at the sight of the protest. "Jeez, how the hell did these people get inside I-Expo in the first place? I don't think that these asshats live in I-Island from the looks of it."

Frowning, Setsuna says, "They aren't. I'm assuming that they're Americans from the mainland. In America, there are a few Pro Heroes who are also Quirk Purists, so they could've given them invitations. That's the best explanation I got."

Hayami, standing tall, glares at the protesters. "We need to make our way inside as fast as possible. I don't wanna deal with these people. The Kendos are very confrontational people. We could get in a screaming match if we loiter around too long."

I feel like combat has started. Let's try and analyze the current situation. Mister Shield's labs is right in front of us. It's a steel building with glass being a majority of its walls, about ten stories high. It's gated off, acting as a partition. Just outside of the gate is a small blockade of orange security posts. Security guards are within the gates and the blockade while the protesters are outside them. There's at least a few hundred Quirk Purists here, and that preacher from before must be their leader. Luckily for us, the protest is peaceful. The only risk here is Itsuka and Hayami's emotions. Like what Hayami said, the Kendos are very confrontational. If the Purists annoy them too much, they're going to engage in a bad argument with them.

Me, Itsuka, and Setsuna; we're standing behind Hayami. Itsuka is visibly gritting her teeth, hearing the awful things that the Purists are saying about David Shield. I look over at Setsuna, tapping her shoulder. "You need to be our smooth-talker. We gotta get to the gate so the guards can let us in."

Setsuna nods, taking it upon herself to lead her children to salvation. "C'mon guys, we just gotta push through them. Kendos, please don't say anything."

"Fine…"

"Ugh, okay…"

Without further ado, we approach the thicket of the protest. The preacher is on his megaphone again, shouting about the evils of David Shield and how his cause will lead to the doom of mankind. Protesters on the edge of the group notice us, seeing our Hero Costumes. Some of them wear smiles while others wear worried looks. We push through the crowd with Setsuna casually apologizing to anyone we bump into in English.

Luckily, we make it to the blockade. No one decided to confront us about our beliefs. They saw that we were involved in heroism and didn't get involved in our business; they were too focused on their protest to care. Thank goodness for that. Setsuna approaches the guard behind the gate, tapping on the steel bars. She says, "Hey good sir, I need to meet David Shield brought to you by Setsuna Tokage."

His eyebrow perks from the mention of her name. Nodding, he says, "He's been expecting you for a while, Miss Tokage. Come inside." He lets us inside the blockade. A roar of voices follow afterwards with the protestors shouting about not being let inside. The guard opens the gate and we go inside. "Just enter the building and there'll be someone who'll take you to Mister Shield."

Well, that was easier than I thought. I seriously didn't want to have another confrontation like that guy back at the beach. Anyway, let's head to David Shield.

---

"Mister Shield, Setsuna Tokage is here with her friends," our guide says. We see David Shield sitting at his desk. There's all kinds of inventions surrounding us, whose purposes escape me. It's a fairly neat room too. His drawers are labeled and organized, there doesn't seem to be a spec of noticeable dust, and the scientist himself is fairly well-kept. Professor David Shield is a middle-aged man with brown hair and a goatee. He has a kind face. That's exactly the face I'd imagine the former Sidekick of All Might having.

David Shield sees the four of us, and he smiles. Standing up, he adjusts the cuffs of his dark blue button-up. "Thank you, Alyssa. You can leave them in my care." Alyssa, our guide, nods and leaves his room.

Setsuna's the first one to approach him, and very casually too. That's her in a nutshell: whimsical. "What's up, David? I'm surprised you're not focusing on the protest that's going outside your lab."

David sighs, pushing his glasses up. "I'd rather not focus on them. After all, I have to prepare a Quirk Analyzation which is more work than you might've anticipated." He turns his eyes towards me. "I've heard a lot about you, Armory."

I laugh, scratching the back of my head. "Yeah uhm, I'm not exactly famous for being a popstar. But uh, well, besides from that , it's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Shield." I walk up to him and extend my hand. He gives me a friendly shake.

"Ah please, just call me 'David'. And don't worry, I believe you are more than capable of becoming a Hero. I bet Toshi—I mean, All Might is your role model, isn't he?" David asks.

Before I can answer, Itsuka answers for me, "You bet. Even though Sanji was inspired by All Might like millions of others, he has more determination than most."

I try to stifle a chuckle, but Itsuka pries one out of me. I introduce her, "That's Itsuka Kendo who can give you a really mean punch. And she's standing right next to her mother, Hayami."

Hayami smiles and nods. "Yup yup. Sorry David, my dad couldn't make it to this appointment. I'm sure you two would have a lot to talk about, especially our knucklehead. Did you know that Toshi beat my kids half to death?"

"Ah." David, uh, just stands there. I don't think he knows how to respond. Honestly, I don't know how to respond to her either. No one knows how to respond to something like that, not even Setsuna.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure I sucked the good vibes out of the room," Hayami says, sounding a little disappointed in herself. "Ignore me babbling like an idiot. I'm just happy that you're able to do this for us, David."

"It's no problem at all. I already had my eyes on Sanji after the Sports Festival, but when Setsuna came to me personally, she described his situation more in-depth. If I may confess, I'm partly doing this out of my own curiosity. I never met someone like Sanji."

I ask, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Setsuna responds, "Depends. If your Quirk can turn your body into a nuclear warhead, then I'm sorry Sanji, as much as I love you, I'm gonna hightail it to Canada." We share a little laugh before David checks his monitor. I don't understand 99% of the information on there, but I think the preparations are complete.

Itsuka inquires, "David, why don't you walk us through this like a dentist? Y'know, tell us what 'Quirk Analyzation' will involve."

David takes in a deep breath. "Well, I'll try my best to explain it in simple terms. I have a machine in the other room that I will have Sanji in. It'll measure his AP Levels—which I have been informed that it was already measured—and also map his genetic sequence of his Quirk. Using this, the machine can instantly analyze his genetic sequence and place his Quirk under the three types—Emitter, Transformation, and Mutant—and specific Quirk Types.

"It's also able to almost determine what his Quirk does, and I said 'almost' for a reason. The machine will compare his genetic sequence to a 'bank' of sequences I have access to. It finds sequences that has: similar structure, or same classification, or same Quirk Types. Though, I'm pretty sure you already know, all Quirks are genetically unique. Unless we find a genetic sequence that perfectly matches with Sanji's, which would mean we found his parents, the machine can only spitball a prediction."

Interesting… So this machine can analyze my Quirk to a small margin of error. Well, up to analyzing what my Quirk does at least. Wait, I just remembered something! "David," I say, "whatever happens in that room, it stays in that room, correct?"

He nods. "Of course. We don't have anything written down, but you have my word that I won't discuss your Quirk with anyone unless you give me permission to. It's up to you if you want to tell your friends here."

Itsuka perks her head up. "Wait, we won't find out what his Quirk is?" Hayami and Setsuna frown. Though, it seems like they knew that this would happen.

"Unless he tells you himself. I'm sorry, but Quirks can be extremely personal to someone. You should respect that privacy."

She sighs, reluctantly nodding. "Alright. I know that Sanji will tell us when he's ready. I trust him enough." That's really sweet of her.

I deeply exhale. "Alright, I think we should get started. Sorry guys, but I think you should wait outside."

Hayami smiles, walking up and playfully rubbing my hair. "We'll see you on the other side, Sanji. Think you can go one day without dying?"

"I'll try my best," I reply. Hayami leaves.

Setsuna gives me a fist bump. "I'm gonna check up on what the others are doing while I'm at it. They're probably conquering I-Island as we speak."

"Make sure you take a photo." Setsuna pats my arm and leaves.

And the last one is Itsuka. She simply shoots me a thumbs-up. "Everything better go well, or else I'm gonna bust you out.

"Please don't." We smile, and then, Itsuka leaves.

Now, it's just me and David. He walks to his computer and types in a few things. The door on the far side of the room opens with a tap of a keyboard. Jeez, why is the analysis room so dark? It's like he wants me to feel scared. David says, "Don't worry, you'll be fine. While I make sure that everything is all set up, can you answer a few questions for me? They don't involve your Quirk. It's, uhm, it's about All Might."

"Of course. It's the least I could do."

"Do you know? About All Might's Quirk? I know Master Kendo is let in on the secret."

I shake my head. "Not yet. Master Kendo will tell me, Itsuka, and Hayami whenever he's ready. Believe me, I'm fully aware that there's something going on." Looks like I can add David Shield to the list.

"Heh, good. How much are you inspired by All Might?"

"He's the reason why I want to be a Hero. Really, if there wasn't an All Might, there wouldn't be a Sanji Inochi."

"Do you think he'll retire?"

"...Yeah," I answer. I answer solemnly… "He's gonna retire soon. He's been working as a Hero less and less as of late. Even though he's strong, I can tell heroism is taking a toll on his body. He won't go down with a whimper though, that's for sure."

"I see… Thank you for answering my questions. Anyway, everything's all clear. Before you go into the machine, please take off your shirt—err well, the upper half of your costume," David tells me.

I quickly undress, leaving my chest bare. David leads me into the other room, which again, is dark. The only light here is the light on the machine in front of me, an array of red, green, and blue. The machine itself is made out of two parts: the chair and the tube surrounding the chair. I can't make out the colors while standing in the dark, but I'm pretty sure it's some shade of grey. The cushions of the chair are a dull red, bent back to a point where you're basically laying down. Once I lay down on the chair, it'll automatically move into the tube. I don't know what else to say about the tube. It's just a tube, almost like the one you'd be cryogenically frozen in like a sci-fi novel. Though, the walls aren't transparent. It's made out of steel, and steel shouldn't be transparent.

"Alright…" I look at the chair. "I just lay down and you'll do the rest? Am I gonna get probed with anything?"

David laughs, shaking his head. "No, that won't happen. There'll be a few needles, but you will barely notice them. Really, don't stress about this. Everything will be handled by me. Once you get inside, just close your eyes and the test will be done before you know it."

"Okay. Here I go," I announce, mostly so I can muster enough courage for myself. David goes back into the main room and shuts the door. I lay down on the chair, letting my back hit the soft cushions. My arms touch the cold metal scaring me a little. But little by little, I let my head hit the headrest. Just gotta relax… David will take care of everything. My organs won't be harvested, everything will be alright…

Brrrr!

The chair moves, and I fully go inside the tube. A faint blue glow appears along the inside walls of the tube. "Okay, the analysis is starting," says David on the intercoms, "just relax. It won't be an uncomfortable process, I promise."

I nod.

Listening to his words before, I simply close my eyes and let my mind drift from reality.

---

Setsuna Tokage

Bzzt!

It's Okichi again. I glance at Itsuka and Hayami—those two darlings—and say, "Yo, gotta take a call. Be right back."

"See ya, Setsuna."

"We'll tell you if Sanji comes back."

"Roger roger!" I exclaim, saluting before I duck into the hallway. I go down a few meters and turn the corner, right where the bathrooms are at with a few water fountains. I can barely hear the protest outside. Still going, huh? Can't believe those people. If my goddess was here, she would destroy their crappy arguments with her beauty alone. Hmph, can't believe these people call themselves "good Christians", like hating Quirkless is a virtue. Ugh, can't get myself worked up about this.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but Okichi came in at an amazing time. Waiting for the Quirk Analyzation to finish was absolutely agonizing. The last twenty minutes was hell. Though, we have to talk about the elephant in the room: the Meta Liberation Army.

So…

Ugh, let's just take the call. "What's up, Okichi? Are you finally settled in at the Gemini Hotels?" In the background, I can hear a barista calling for someone who ordered a strawberryade. Okichi must be in the cafe.

"Mhm. How are you, my sweet Setsuna? Are you with David Shield?" he asks, then taking a sip. No idea what he's drinking but I don't want it.

"Yeah, Sanji is getting his Quirk analyzed as we speak. It's just a matter of waiting until it's over. I expect that he won't tell us anything about his Quirk; I know him."

"Well, our plan doesn't hinge on Mister Inochi. It hinges on the two of us, after all. Do you remember it? It's simple, easy, and doesn't require us to sweat like pigs!" Another sip. Okay, his sipping is getting obnoxious.

"Mhm. Before you say anything, I know you want me to repeat it. Basically, when the gala starts, everyone will be there. We'll stay back in the Gemini Hotels, go to Yotsubashi's room, take his laptop and plug in T.R.I.P., unplug it, get out, bing bang boom, we're alive." I have to admit, it's a simple plan. I was really stressed out about this before because I barely had any information about I-Expo this year. Thank God that technology is so advanced nowadays. Cybersecurity be damned. I really doubt we will be noticed by anyone if we do it right. Re-Destro and his gang of liberators will be at the gala. Sure, they'll find out that we live in the same hotel, but they won't suspect anything—I hope.

I hear Okichi clapping his hands. "Good! I thought you purged it from your memory. You see, you didn't have to spend hours going through possible scenarios and such! Have you ever heard of Occam's Razor?"

"Oh be quiet, Okichi. It's your fault for not giving me enough information to actually help me! I had to run blind on wild assumptions! I even accounted for a situation when Sanji awakens to his Quirk and ends up fighting Re-Destro. That won't happen, but still…"

"Heh, you really did account for everything, did you? Remember the list of major players that are staying with us?"

"Mhm. You didn't give me their Quirks though. Just rough predictions."

"That's because I don't have access to the Quirk Registry List of Japan. But I gave you information I gathered on the public web. Never hurts to be safe, doesn't it?" Sip sip, I want him to stop, sip sip.

"Indeed… Hopefully, we don't need to use this information. We'll be in and out before anyone knows it. Then, we can have a somewhat peaceful vacation at I-Island."

"Heh, hopefully… You don't sound too convinced yourself, Setsuna. Is something wrong? You can always tell me."

...Actually, I should ask him this. "Well, it's about Sanji. Remember when we got our AP Levels measured?"

"Mhm. I heard Mayor Yamamoto sold our information. I wouldn't put it past him. That man would try and line his pockets any chance he's given."

"You know it… You see, and you better not tell anyone, Sanji has a Growth Potential over 10,000."

"...Oh. Now I see why you think your vacation will be chaotic. The world knows about his potential, doesn't he? They will try and steal him from U.A. and place him in their own programs."

" Exactly . He'll get harassed so much that he would wish that he didn't have a Quirk in the first place."

Okichi sighs. I hear him placing something down on a table. "I'm surprised Mister Inochi has so many eyes drawn to him, and he loathes attention! With his power, he's one of them."

Excuse me? "One of who-now?"

" Them. A man with a powerful Quirk like that can open doors. Companies would be on their knees begging for him to sponsor them. The media would prostrate themselves and apologize profusely to him. He could easily become an elite that possesses an awe-inspiring power over Japan."

"God, shut up would you? With how you're describing it, he'll become a scumbag who abuses his power to get what he wants. Sanji won't be that kind of man. He refuses to be that kind of man. So please, don't say that he's 'one of them'. He's better than them."

He chuckles. I can imagine him smirking right now. "If you insist. I am simply stating that men like him, born with the greatest set of genetics, are destined to sit at the top of the social ladder. Quirks are the very things that determine your place in society."

"Ugh, have you been studying sociology from Harrison recently? That sounds like something outta his book to me." Blah blah blah, Harrison was a famous sociologist who looked at how Quirks affect modern-day society—dubbed "Quirk sociology".

Okichi responds with a hum. "I'm glad you're studying to become an intellectual like I am. Anyhow, let's leave this conversation for another time. You put a lot of faith in Mister Inochi, don't you?"

I bat my hair. My answer should be so obvious. "Of course. He's an absolute sweetheart and you're the spawn of a demon."

"Thank you for the compliment. Oh, just because I'm curious, Izuku Midoriya has the same potential, doesn't he?"

"More potential than Sanji, I think."

"Ah, so another monster has entered U.A. High School. What do you think about him?"

"Honestly, not much. He's close with All Might, seems like a nice guy, and he's really determined to be a Hero—not as much as Sanji."

"I saw him once or twice. Personally, despite the fact that he fought the League of Villains and presumably Stain, he really seems focused on his own studies rather than looking out into the world."

"Whatever you say. Like I said, I don't have much to say about Midoriya. I don't know him as well as Sanji and Itsuka."

"I see…" Okichi says. I hear him ruffling through his belongings. "Did your mother and Haruto stay back in Japan?"

That's a weird question to ask. "Yeah, why do you ask? Is it about this plan of ours?"

"Mhm. They could be variables that we would have to account for, but I'm glad to hear that we will only have to worry about your father," Okichi answers. I hear him standing up, and the background noise slowly becomes faint. "I'm going to roam around at the Early Access Event. I'll speak with you later, my Setsuna."

"See—" he hangs up, "—ya. Okay, that happened." I will never like that guy. Sure, he wants the world to be a good place, but I just don't like him. All that talk about the social ladder and that crap, it's irritating. In an alternate universe, if I hung out with people of my status, I would be a snooty, bratty girl who looks down on people lower than me. But I'm not living in an alternate universe, am I? I'm with guys and girls who are lower than me, and I love them. Especially Sanji Inochi, who can be considered the lowest of the low.

Still, he makes a few good points. It doesn't matter what I think. A good Quirk separates average from great. Companies favor Heroes with the flashiest Quirks, the media is obsessed with gossip from the hottest Heroes, things like that. Guys in high-up places already have Sanji at the top of their lists. It's only a matter of time before the public finds out; they just have to accept that Sanji has the potential to be greater than a thousand Heroes combined. I can't imagine what it's like to be him. I feel so bad…

I mean hey, I'm an heiress and all… I have the responsibility of my dad's company on my shoulders. I have the responsibility to ensure our company's success and the lives of those I save. I'm both a businesswoman and a Pro Hero. Dad holds me as his future, so I need to make his future come true—make our future come true. But what about you, Sanji? Seriously dude, Manga and Shojo are constantly comparing you to a shonen protagonist. Mysterious power, no parents, you check everything off the list. I'm sad to say that real life is not an anime. The responsibilities you're holding, and the responsibilities that you're expected to have, I don't envy you. Still… This is what you signed up for, right Sanji?

Constantly, we do what we need to do to make the world a better place. All Might and the Commission is driving kids everyday to be Heroes. Heroism is what makes the world spin around, Japan most of all. For you, Japan drove you to try and become a Hero despite your lack of power. For me, my dad made me study day and night, train day and night, work day and night to mold me as the heiress-to-be. Everything is like a car, y'know? A car can take us where we need to go, but it's useless without a driver. That's where we come in. We drive and drive and drive and drive, following the road we're meant to be on. Honking our horns, revving up our engines, we ride on where the world wants us to go, laying back in our seats and hoping we'll arrive at our promised future.

I walk on, I guess, back to the lobby just outside David's office. And there, that's where I see a pretty man named Sanji Inochi. Looks like he's back already! David Shield is behind him near the doorway to his office. Everyone turns to me, and I put on my beautiful smile. Though, Sanji and David are frowning. "What's with the long faces, you two? How did the analysis go?"

Sanji awkwardly scratches the back of his head. "For starters, I didn't awaken to my Quirk. But thanks to David, I know a lot more about it. Though…"

Hayami concludes, "It left you more questions than answers?"

He sighs, confirming her words. "Yeah… I'm sorry guys… I don't feel too comfortable talking about my Quirk right now. I assure you that you'll know at some point in the future, but not at this very moment, no. Again, sorry…"

I honestly expected this. I mean c'mon, Sanji doesn't know his Quirk for his entire life. Of course it's personal. I wouldn't be too willing to bear my heart so easily.

Itsuka stands up and playfully punches his shoulder. It doesn't do much damage to the resilient Sanji Inochi. "At least you know more about yourself, right? That's a victory in itself. So how about we take your mind off of this and see what I-Expo has in offer, okay?" Itsuka knows that she wields power over Sanji. There's no way that he would deny her. Seriously, if I had to write an essay on why these two are perfect for each other, it'll easily be a thousand pages long.

I jump on the bandwagon, "I second that! There's a lot of fun stuff out there, Sanji! We need to get out, get wild, get hurt, and get wild again! We created Operation I-Island for a reason, y'know!"

Sanji takes turns looking at the both of us—Itsuka, me, Itsuka, me, Itsuka, me, Itsuka—before laughing to himself, pressing his hand against his head. "Alright, I concede. Like you said, Itsuka, I know more about myself, and that's good. We should enjoy ourselves."

Hayami agrees, "You bet. C'mon everyone, let's thank David for doing this for us." We give him a polite little bow in unison, thanking him for what he did.

David laughs, shaking his hands at us. "Ah don't mention it! I should be thanking you for helping out Japan. If you need anything, just have Setsuna call me. You should meet my daughter at some point."

"It's a date!" I exclaim, clapping my hands. Ah, Melissa is cute, but I still have my heart set on Ibara. Everyone shares a nice laugh before we head out. David waves goodbye, and we walk down the hall. I don't hear the protesters anymore, so hopefully they were chased away.

Hayami is in front of us, and I'm right beside Itsuka. I nudge her shoulder with mine, whispering, "Hey hey, aren't you a little bit curious about Sanji?"

She pouts. "Of course I am. That doesn't mean I'll pry into his personal life. He can tell us when he's ready too. It's the same with Grandpa."

Huh? "What's going on with Master Kendo? What kind of secrets is he holding?"

Itsuka suddenly straightens up. "Well… I'll tell you when I'm ready." Aw, she really played that card?

"Phooey." This is a good time to tease Itsuka, especially with what I have planned later. "You and Sanji have an amazing relationship honestly. You trust each other enough to draw boundaries."

" That constitutes a good relationship? Really? Is the line of relationships so low that drawing boundaries is amazing and ground-breaking ?"

"You'd be surprised. Heh, I don't expect you to know about relationships though. You never had a boyfriend before."

"You never had a girlfriend."

"Hurtful. You're right, but still hurtful… Anyway, gonna admit that you like Sanji yet?"

"God, Setsuna… If I say 'yes', will you stop bothering me?"

"Can't make any promises."

Itsuka sighs, glaring daggers at me. "Well, I…" She turns around, looking back at Sanji. He's…? What is he doing? He's standing still, staring at the hallway behind him, but there's nothing there. There's no one there. Itsuka calls out to him, "Hey Sanji, do you see a spider or something? No one's there."

Sanji suddenly jumps. Itsuka must've scared him out of his daydreaming. Dang, he can do that while walking? Impressive. He scratches the back of his head again. "S-Sorry! Didn't mean to be weird again!"

He runs up to us, naturally being at Itsuka's side. She rolls her eyes at her goofy boyfriend, being adorably annoyed at him. She comments, "Weirdo."

"Yup, that's me…" Sanji replies. Just barely above a whisper, he mutters, "I'm the weirdo alright…"

That's weird.

So yeah, he's a weirdo.

---

Sanji Inochi

"Welcome to I-Expo, y'all! We got cowboys, roller coasters, mechanical bulls, stands, junk food, the entire nine yards! Yeehaw, partners!" Setsuna explains… I think she's trying to mock Snipe's accent. Well if that ain't a cute little voice she got, then what is? Cowboys aside, I-Expo really is impressive. It's a massive theme park! Pro Heroes from around the world are here! Each and every person is allowed to use their Quirks! I doubt that we'll encounter others from U.A. just from the sheer size of this convention!

Ah, there's even Heroes with a Gigantification-type Quirk in the distance! Some Heroes are showing off their powers to their fans! There's even games specifically designed for you to use your Quirk! This place is just Quirks, Quirks, and more Quirks! I see why I-Island prides itself on metaology and technology. With technology, they can improve Quirks for everyone; with metaology, they can discover just how Quirks can work.

The smell of food fills the air. It's really fragrant, definitely enticing. I gotta say: I won't be seduced by lust, greed, envy, and the other sins. But there is one sin that I'll happily indulge in: gluttony. Please don't judge me. I just love food. If there's fish, then I'm going to treat it like it's my child—and subsequently eat it.

…

I really shouldn't have made that metaphor.

Hayami stretches her arms, sighing in pleasure. "Where are we going first guys? Actually, we should find one of those punching bag games and have Itsuka play it. She'll get the top score like it's nothing."

Itsuka laughs, looking around I-Expo with me. "That's a good idea. If there's a prize, you bet I'm getting it. Looking around though, it's a shame that most of these games require you to use your Quirk."

Oh, she's thinking about me. That's really thoughtful of her. Without her consent, I give her a head pat. "It's sweet that you're thinking about me, but don't worry… If I'm with you guys, then you bet I'm having fun."

Setsuna puts a hand over her heart like she's having a heart attack. "Just kill me already! My life is torture every time I see you two interact!"

Itsuka pouts and pushes me away slightly. "That shouldn't be a surprise at this point, Sanji! Ugh, let's just move on—?!"

BOOM!

"What was that?!"

"Sounds dangerous!"

"Not again…"

The heck is that?! I heard an explosion! I didn't see it myself, but I see the smoke from the explosion left behind! Setsuna points towards the smoke and announces, "That is our first destination! C'mon guys, let's go!"

Like many others, we follow the smoke and come across a massive battle arena surrounded by iron bars in the shape of a dome. There is a large TV screen that says: "BATTLE IN PROGRESS!"

"Who's fighting?"
"I bet it's a couple of Pro Heroes."

"I wonder who they are…"

Itsuka and I look at each other. So apparently, there's a battle going on. As we approach the arena, we get a glimpse of the setting. The mysterious fighters are sparring in an open field with a few trees laid about. The arena itself is sinked a good bit below us probably for our own safety. We, all four of us, struggle through the crowd, pushing to the front. We look down at the two fighters below, and…

"Is that Valjean? He's fighting Monarch!"

"Again? They did the same thing last year."

"Jeez, I hope nothing gets destroyed this time."

Valjean and Monarch…

They're fighting…

Two No.1 Pro Heroes are fighting .

Valjean is the No.1 Hero in France. He drew his inspiration from an old French novel, immediately becoming a sensation within the country. His Quirk is called Chains: he's able to telepathically manipulate chain-like objects around him. Valjean himself is a middle-aged man with short, laid-back black hair with gray streaks. He has a trimmed beard that also has some gray in it. His Hero Costume involves a large black coat over a dark gray dress shirt with black vertical stripes. His coat is buttoned-up half-way up his body. His pants are black too with gray stripes running down it, and he's wearing black, stylish dress shoes. There's something interesting about his costume though: his chains. His arms are wrapped in small black chains, and so are his legs. Valjean even has a thick scarf made of chains too! Some of his chains have spearheads at the end, probably made to attack.

If I could describe Valjean in one sentence, it would be: A prideful man who would strive for justice and fair play.

Viva la France.

Then, there's Monarch, the No.1 Hero in Great Britain. A beautiful man and a handsome woman. Why did I say that? Well, Monarch is fairly androgynous, but sorry: She's a woman. Her Quirk is called Light: supposedly, she's able to "solidify" light. The Quirk itself is simple, but the versatility is absolutely breathtaking. Monarch has short blonde hair, at the apex of youth, I feel like. Her Hero Costume resembles that of a royal king. She wears fine black trousers with a single solid golden stripe running through the legs, and she has long brown boots fit for a king. Monarch wears a blue tunic adorned with gold, having a purple sash running diagonally from her shoulder. Finally, she has a large fur cape that's mainly red with golden spots. Usually, royals would have their cape tied around with a golden rope. But King has hers directly attached to her tunic, snugly fitting over her neck. She has support equipment on her right now: her golden gloves. I don't know what they do, but I know they help her use her Quirk effectively than without.

If I could describe Monarch in one sentence, it would be: A young, honorable woman who wants to defend the glory of her country.

God save the Queen.

The battle as it stands: Valjean is at the edge of the arena, his back nearly pressing against the cold concrete walls facing his opponent—Monarch. From the appearance of the battlefield, Monarch seemed to launch an attack but Valjean avoided it, coming out unscathed. They both seem to be energized with no visible signs of exhaustion. I think we didn't miss out on much.

Brushing off his coat, Valjean steps forward and runs his hand through his black hair peppered with gray. "Victoria!" shouts Valjean with enthusiasm, "we ought to stop fighting before someone gets hurt! Resolve things peacefully! Have coffee while we're at it!"

"You know I hate coffee!" Monarch yells. From her hands, a golden broadsword made of light manifests in the air. She grips the hilt with her right arm—her dominant side—and charges forward with amazing speed that turns her entire body into a yellow blur, her blade drawn low and beneath her.

Valjean exclaims, "Such an obvious attack!"

SLASH!

CRASH!

When she reached Valjean, she swung her blade upwards aiming to land a good hit across his chest. But like what Valjean said, her attack was obvious. Her form was perfect, definitely showcasing mastery in European swordsmanship. However, it's useless if the enemy can predict your attack and evade—!

EVADE!

—It didn't even make Valjean blink; he clearly faced more formidable foes, or maybe he doesn't want to show weakness. He sidestepped Monarch's attack, letting her golden blade dig into the concrete walls of the arena. A massive crash rings out, evidence of how much power she can effortlessly put into a single blow. The concrete walls crack and shiver as if they're afraid of what else Monarch can do.

SPIN!

Monarch, seeing Valjean just less than a meter away from her, spins around to build up momentum for her next attack. After a full rotation, her blade crashes against the left forearm of Valjean, directly striking his thick black chains. The sound produced is pretty strange like the sound of space is crashing against steel.

Surprisingly, Monarch's sword doesn't cut through Valjean's chains. "Trying to take my arm off, aren't you? You're just bullying an old man!" he says, pushing Monarch's sword back and shattering her weapon into pieces. Monarch's constructs must be easy to break, but why doesn't her attacks break her sword instantly?

"—Geh!" Monarch grunts, her defense wide open! Valjean steps forward and pushes his right arm forward, his fist flying right into Monarch's stomach. She gets launched back deeper into the arena with her feet off the ground—she's in a helpless state!

Valjean clenches his hand with a confident smirk. "Go and capture her, my—!"

VALJEAN: VINES OF WRATH!

On his right forearm, his chains rush forward like bullets being shot from a gun—ten in total, all having sharp, penetrating spearheads at the end of their lengths. They expand outwards in multiple directions. Within the second, they converge onto Monarch, quickly wrapping her body numerous times to restrain her.

But that isn't enough to capture her.

"Weak attempt!" Monarch states just as her feet hit the ground—!

— BOOM!

From beneath the chains, a blinding golden glow emerged from the cracks. Then right before our eyes, Monarch literally explodes free from Valjean's restraints, blowing his seemingly unbreakable chains away from herself. She jumps back ten meters to remove herself from the chains' range, but immediately, they sprint back towards her with a heightened fury. Gritting her teeth, Monarch produces another golden blade and deflects all ten chains away. Frowning, she shouts, "What a nuisance, much like yourself, Valjean!"

Like a king commanding his archers, Monarch raises her free hand. "Come, my knight—!"

— ROUND TABLE: TRISTIAN'S SONG!

In the space around her, at least a hundred arrows of light are formed within an instant. She grabs her cape and pull it so we can see the inside lining. Valjean sucks in a breath and recalls his chains. "That's a little excessive, don't you think?! Last year, you toppled a building on me!" ...I know the feeling.

"And this year, I'll riddle your disgusting body with arrows!" she replies, tucking her cape inwards to signal her invisible archers.

WHMM!

WHOOM! WHOOM! WHOOM!

Valjean uses his chains as a grappling hook, firing one length into the iron bars above and pulling himself towards it. Due to his quick thinking, he dodges the first barrage of arrows, which batters the poor walls into submission. That's a creative way of using his Quirk though. He has mobility covered. To think that he's able to pull his own body weight though! His telekinetic power must be strong! After all, that's the main source of power with Telekinetic-type Quirks like his!

From above, Valjean continuously uses his chains to move around the battlefield with Monarch's archers constantly firing upon him relentlessly, wanting his head. One of the arrows nick his cheek, inflicting him with a small cut. Yet, that's the extent of his injuries. He manages to evade every arrow with the combination of his Quirk and his pure agility alone. Looking down at Monarch, he places his feet against the iron bars like a bat hanging off a ledge. "You've gotten less accurate than before, Victoria!"

"Shut it! You called my brother a donkey!" she...replies? Okay, I guess this is how the fight started.

Valjean retorts, "You offended my daughter! She's watching us fight right now! What do you have to say about this, Cosette?!"

"...I didn't get offended?" Oh, his daughter is right besides me! That's a coincidence and a half! Cosette is a pretty girl, about the same age as me. She has black hair just like her father. Unlike Valjean though, she isn't wearing a Hero Costume. "Do you two have to fight every time we meet?"

"Of course! I want to fight for you, Cosette!"

"Absolutely! I have to embarrass your father!"

Cosette sighs and bangs her head against the iron bars. She looks over to me and the rest of my group. "Rivals, am I right? Sorry, but this might take a while."

Setsuna whispers, "Oh, I feel so sorry for her."

The fight continues! Much to Cosette's dismay I'm afraid…

—Monarch grabs hold of her cape once more. "Come, my knight!"

Valjean's chains levitate around him with at least thirty lengths at the ready. "Launch forth—!"

— ROUND TABLE: TRISTAIN'S SONG!

VALJEAN: PARADE OF JUSTICE—

One hundred arrows.

Thirty spearheads.

Monarch doesn't hesitate to launch her arrows immediately, and Valjean doesn't hesitate to send his chains forth. They collide, clashing, exploding in the air. A beautiful spectacle appears before us. Monarch's arrows outnumber Valjean, but these arrows will break given enough force. However, Valjean's chains are stronger, but fewer in numbers.

In this clinch, Valjean's chains break through Monarch's arrows, shattering the first wave before they could reach his position. Each spearhead breaks multiple arrows, but despite their strength, some of the arrows make it through. They dig into Valjean's body, managing to pierce through his coat. It's a necessary sacrifice, because his chains manage to push through another one of Monarch's barrages, charging at her once again.

"Damn—!" Monarch swears, readying her blade!

VALJEAN: HONORBOUND LANCE!

Valjean's chains come together to form one single spear that rotates clockwise in the air, quickly gaining speed and momentum. The strength of this Super Move is powerful enough to generate a spiral of wind, the spear itself moving just as fast as a missile shot from a fighter jet. Monarch doesn't attempt to avoid this attack, but she faces it head on!

CLASH!

Once again, there's that strange noise of space colliding with metal! Monarch manages to take the massive force of Valjean's attack with her blade, just barely able to block the speartip! Despite the overwhelming weight of the spear, she steps forward and spins the spear around her sword. With her strength, she redirects the spear into the ground by impaling it through the cracks of the chains.

"Get down from there!" she roars, taking her sword with two hands and running the edge down a meter of the spear, tearing it apart. She swings her blade upwards and emits a wave of tangible light! It's just like her arrows from before! Her wave of light comes faster than Valjean could think. He instinctively jumps away just before the wave hits him—!

BOOM!

Another explosion! This attack broke through the iron bars! Ah! From Monarch running her sword down Valjean's spear, she manages to break his chains, rendering them useless for him to control! This time, Valjean is in a vulnerable position. He's caught helpless in the air, his body shaken from the shockwave of the previous explosion!

"—Fly free!" Monarch exclaims with the thrill of battle conquering her voice. She creates a long spear in her free hand, thinner than the one Valjean used on her. The spear itself is simple, yet at the end, I can only describe the head as pure beauty personified in a weapon. While she has the opportunity, she tosses the spear with the strength of an Olympian—no, her strength exceeds that of an Olympian.

ROUND TABLE: WEAPONS OF PENDRAGON - RHONGOMYNIAD!

In the battle of spears, Monarch wins. Valjean's spear—I honestly don't know the name of that Super Move, I'm sorry—was fast and contained a lot of speed enough to pulverize a semi-truck. Yet, just from Monarch pulling out her own version of her spear, it's superior. There's so much more energy contained in that spear, and once she threw it, the spear flew so fast that it became a golden blur in the air. Valjean's spear was as fast as a missile from a fighter jet, but Monarch's spear was as fast as a fighter jet .

That's why he doesn't avoid it. His reaction time is honed enough to realize that a spear is thrown at him, but I don't think his body can move in time.

He's only able to put up his arms before the spear hits him. Another explosion is created matching the power of one of All Might's punches. A tornado of wind batters the battleground and us, the audience. The iron cage rattles and moans, contorting just from the shockwave alone. We take a step back trying to avoid any unnecessary damage, but Cosette, Valjean's daughter, stands unamused at the battle she's witnessing.

The explosion from the attack makes a cloud of smoke that conceals Valjean's position from Monarch. Valjean may be a No.1 Hero, but that attack must have done some damage. Monarch, who still has her sword, waits for him to come down. "I know that Rhongomyniad didn't seal your defeat! You're stronger than that, Valjean!"

"You're correct!" Directly above, Valjean appears into sight. Not even I noticed him navigating around the smoke! He flies down with a kick, the chains on his leg contacting Monarch's sword. Despite his confidence, I can tell he's hurt.

Monarch pushes Valjean back, making him flip backwards ten meters away. He lands on his feet and sighs, cracking his neck. Monarch gets into a stance, showing off her training in European swordsmanship again. "Don't believe I will be holding back."

"Neither will I." With his left hand, his chains form into a flail with the spearheads acting as spikes. With his right hand, a short spear is created, stiff and strong. From the looks of it, both of his weapons aren't that long, especially compared to Monarch's broadsword. However, I think he made his weapons like that on purpose. He wants to make Monarch confident so he can punish her for it. Because… On his whim, he can alter the length of both weapons—the chain length for his flail, and the pole of his spear.

The two Heroes have a standoff. One holds a sword made of condensed, solid light. The other wields two weapons made of chains. Ten meters apart. A silent, steady breeze blows into the field, swaying the grass and the fallen leaves. Monarch, the king, pushes her cape back. She takes a single step forward and bridges the gap between her opponent.

SLASH! PARRY!

THRUST! SWING!

CLANG!

They engage. Aiming to wound the other, they don't relent in their blazing attacks. I'm barely able to keep up with them with my own eyes. The average person may see a mix of black and gold blurs, thinking that they're only performing one attack in a second. They're wrong. Each of them are performing multiple attacks in one second. Monarch performs at least three swift slashes that were all parried by Valjean's spear. He replies by swinging his flail at Monarch; she avoids his attack, and at the same time, does an upwards swing. Valjean steps back. He wraps the chain of his flail around Monarch's sword and yanks her to the side, spinning around and landing a kick in the middle of her chest. She's disarmed and her sword is destroyed. Instantly though, Monarch forms another much longer sword than before. Valjean wouldn't be able to use his flail in time, so he tries to thrust with his spear. Monarch sees this attack coming and avoids the thrust, tucking the spear under her left armpit. Stepping forward, she brings her blade forward to stab Valjean's head. He snaps his head to the side just narrowly avoiding being impaled. In this awkward position, he swings his other arm forward and nails Monarch in the head with his flail; at the same time, his spear, trapped under Monarch's arm, bends around and strikes her in the back of her head. Both attacks cause her to stumble back, drawing blood and staining her short blonde hair.

I'd say all of this happened within five seconds. That's how fast they're moving. There's a clear gap between me and the No.1 Pro Heroes. Valjean is excellent in close combat, restraining, and mobility. Monarch is amazing in all combat, able to pump out powerful attacks without breaking a sweat. They're monsters. I know why they're the No.1 Heroes now.

"You look a little worse for wear, Victoria." Valjean says, playfully swinging his flail around like a toy. God, I didn't notice that his spear is twice the length from before…

Monarch grunts, wiping the blood off of her face. "Hopefully, I'll finish you with this next set of attacks."

"Heh. Then please, you can have the first move." Valjean stops spinning his flail, pulling his spear back. At once, every single chain on his body begins to unwrap themselves. They levitate around him, their spearheads aimed and at the ready. From eyeballing it, there's at least one hundred individual chains.

VALJEAN: THE SINGING PEOPLE!

"Very well." Monarch raises her sword in the air. Five hundred golden arrows pop into existence. There's so many that a shadow is casted upon the pair—kinda ironic considering Monarch's Quirk.

ROUND TABLE: TRISTAIN'S BALLAD!

"—Haaah!"

"Hup—!"

LAUNCH! BANG! SHATTER!

CLING! BASH!

The chains and arrows bombard each other like before. The battlefield truly turns into a warzone as the plains become bruised from the impact of both projectiles clashing against one another. The entire arena is filled with complete chaos while the two main players are fighting in the middle with more fury than before. They fight and fight and fight while chains and arrows are taking part in an aerial battle around them. Plumes of dirt emerge as Valjean's chains dig themselves into the ground, and there are dents made from Monarch's arrows.

CLASH! BAM!

THRUST! SWING!

SLASH! STAB!

I can't follow the fight anymore. There's too much going on. The cloud of chains and arrows are blocking my sight, and the few moments that I'm able to see the two, I just can't process what they're doing anymore. The arena is too crowded with action for anyone to properly watch their fight. All we hear is the explosions from the aerial bombardment, and the sound of space hitting metal.

For the next two minutes, the fight goes on exactly like this. Then—!

KICK!

Finally, when their Super Moves stop, I see Monarch kicking Valjean in the stomach. He soars back at least twenty meters before jumping up. He—?!

Oh crap, he's jumping back towards us ! My reflexes force me back a couple of steps as Valjean leaps onto the netting. He uses his chains to support himself, and he needs it. From the intense combat before, he looks tired. Looking back at her daughter, Valjean grins. "Don't worry, I refuse to lose, Cosette!"

Cosette frowns. "Dad, I'm happy that I didn't inherit your stubbornness… Please, let's just finish the fight so we can move on."

Valjean huffs, focusing his attention on his opponent. He looks ahead wearing a smile that speaks of victory. Suddenly, his littered chains are recalled, then like before, they start to levitate around him. Though, it's different than before. I think it's similar to the time when he used his chains as a large spear, but from the looks of it, this spear will be larger. Wait… Maybe… Oh jeez, don't tell me he's going to use himself as a spear! "Let me show you my strongest Super Move, Victoria! I perfected it!"

Monarch gives him a nasty glare. Her sword enlarges, making her take hold of the hilt with two hands. She points it towards Valjean as her weapon ignites with a light that's almost blinding. From the ignition alone, it emits a shockwave that makes our clothes flutter violently. What power… "Then allow me to respond in kind, Valjean!"

Cosette cringes at the sight, turning to us again. "I really am sorry guys. These two take their fights way too seriously." ("This is the spirit of France, born in blood.")

Itsuka gestures to the entire fight. "You think?! Monarch literally blew a hole in the very thing that's protecting us!" ("I will stand over the edge of chaos, a land amok with war.")

Hayami doesn't look too afraid though. "We'll be fine guys. They're No.1 Heroes after all. They know how to control their own power. They should anyway." ("We are a lance that pierces the heart of injustice!")

Setsuna is taking a video. Of course she's recording this fight. "Mhm. Honestly, this is the best fight I watched in a while. I needed some excitement." ("In this moment, this earth shall burst with light!")

Cosette gives Setsuna a frown before turning to me specifically. "Well, I guess this is your first glimpse of how No.1 Pro Heroes fight. Impressive, isn't it?" ("I'll show you our strength! We,—!")

One day… This is how I'll fight. They are my potential. "Yeah… They're incredible examples of strength. Almost makes me envious." ("Vanquish them,—!")

VALJEAN: LES MISÉRABLES — !

— ROUND TABLE: WEAPONS OF PENDRAGON - EXCALIB —?!

"Ohohoho! C'mon Hugo! Victoria! What in the world are you two doing?!" Wha?! Who's this?! Some massive man just stormed through the crowd and approached the cage! Valjean and Monarch stop what they were doing and stare at him! Who the heck is he—?!

Cosette smiles and waves. "Hey Uncle Odysseus." Uncle—what?! Odysseus?! He's the No.1 Pro Hero in Greece! God uhm, now I recognize him… Odysseus is a mountain of a man with striking red-hair with a beard. He wears leather garments colored red and gold like he's from the Trojan War, all of that over a tight black bodysuit. I'm pretty sure he has more stuff he wears for his Hero Costume, but he's not wearing that here. For the life of me, I can't remember what his full costume looks like… I do remember his Quirk. His Quirk is called "Endless". It's a Mutant-type Quirk where Odysseus literally cannot get tired. He doesn't need sleep and he doesn't feel exhaustion. Though, Quirk Passivity is the reason why he's the No.1 Hero in Greece.

Itsuka grabs my arm and pulls me back, away from Odysseus. Hayami and Setsuna follow suit, letting him and Cosette handle the two fighters. Valjean looks back and waves at Odysseus; he has a face that says, I'm in trouble now . "Hey Odysseus! I see you finally arrived at I-Island! Don't mind us! We're just having a friendly spar!"

Monarch lowers her head in shame, letting her sword fade away. "With your appearance, this spar is finished. It's a little disappointing that we don't have a decisive victor. Come on, Valjean, let's leave. And I swear to God, if you mention anything about my brother again—"

"Don't worry, Victoria. As long as you don't insult my daughter, we'll be on good terms. Well, as good as a capsizing ship that's stranded in the middle of the ocean," Valjean replies, leaping off the bars and rolling onto the ground. Him and Monarch start to head back to the exit… Okay, I think this fight is a tie.

Odysseus lets out a long groan and looks around at the crowd. There's at least a thousand people here. Once he reveals himself, they're clamoring to get his autograph. They're so loud that my eardrums could burst. It's enough to induce discomfort in him. Slowly, he raises his hand. "My good men and women! If you wish to love me this much, then I have an event in an hour where you can give me all of your love! The first ones there will have a chance to earn a ride on my ship! Bwahahaha!"

STAMPEDE!

Immediately, most of the crowd runs to… I don't know where. Odysseus never specified the location of his event. Do they know where to go? Goodness… When they first heard about his offer, they just ran away without a second thought. The four of us remain where we are, and at least thirty other people loiter. They aren't too focused on Odysseus or the other No.1 Heroes.

Cosette looks at the distant herd that's stampeding over everyone they see. "Do you really have an event or did you just want to get rid of them?"

Odysseus haughtily chuckles, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You know Heroes aren't supposed to resort to lowly tricks! Who do you think I am? Your father? Bwahahahaha!" Yup, I think Odysseus resorts to lowly tricks.

Grabbing the three of us, Hayami whispers, "The fight is over, guys. Do you wanna do something else or just stay here and talk to them?"

Setsuna leans against her and responds, "I wanna talk to them! You don't meet No.1 Pro Heroes every day! Especially not three of them at once!"

Itsuka nods. "Mhm. We're trying to be Heroes too, Mom. We might as well get some advice from them even though they're not from Japan."

Hmm… That's a good idea, but I'm worried about one thing: they will try to pressure me to join them once they figure out who I am. I'm not stressed about it, not as much as you might think. They seem like great people. "Let's do it."

As soon as I give her my answer, Valjean and Monarch meet up with Odysseus and Cosette. Immediately, the two of them start arguing over who won. Even though no one was defeated, it doesn't mean there isn't a victor. They ask Cosette who would've won if Odysseus hadn't interrupted them. Apparently, they're keeping a tally of wins and losses. Right now, they're tied five to five.

Cosette whines and moans right before she sees the four of us. "You guys a re still here? Come help me out!" The three No.1 Heroes turn to us, and God, I never felt so much stress before in my life. "You'll be the judges. I'm not doing this."

Setsuna exclaims, "Awesome! Personally, I think Monarch was going to win. I mean, you're powerful and all, Valjean… But Monarch's Quirk packs a bigger punch. And I'm not picking her because she's pretty."

"Thank you, ma'am." Monarch smiles, even growing a faint blush. She mutters, "Though, you really didn't need to flatter me…"

Hayami steps back, declaring, "I'm letting my kids handle this. No offense you two." Alright, seems like this decision will be up to the three of us. Setsuna already said that Monarch would win. Now, it's Itsuka's turn.

Itsuka puts her arm on my shoulder. "Personally, I think Valjean would've won. I have a feeling that Monarch's Super Move is pretty stationary, while Valjean is shown to be pretty dang skilled in mobility. I'd say he would have dodged Monarch's attack and finished her off with his own."

Valjean does a little fist pump in celebration. "Ha! Looks like the vote is tied one to one! Luckily, the miss is abstaining so the final decision lies on this samurai right here. Tell me, good sir, who do you think will win?"

I can't even open my mouth before Monarch interrupts me. "Before you answer, you ought to know that this Frenchman is a rude man completely undeserving of his ranking! He called my Queen an 'old hag'! The only old hag is him!"

Odysseus, acting as a mediator, steps in. "Now now, let's not get too worked up over this silly spar! Just let the boy decide so we can move on with our splendid day."

Monarch huffs, puffing her cheeks. "Fine. If you make the right choice, I may or may not be inclined to reward you."

Valjean shouts in disgust, "Are you trying to bribe him?! What kind of scum are you?!"

"Scum?! You ought to watch your—!"

Odysseus claps his hands, creating a weak shockwave that shuts them up. "Civility! I know this is coming from me of all men, but let's try to practice civility, you two!"

"Okay…"

"Alright…"

"Good! C'mon boy, say something before they go back to bickering like elementary school kids!" he exclaims.

Okay, now I am double stressed. I can't believe such a big decision is resting on my shoulders. I don't have any preference for one or the other. Besides, I want to make this choice as unbiased as possible. I don't think they'll believe me though. No matter who I pick, they'll go back to arguing and Cosette will be disappointed even more! She's looking at me to make a choice while I'm here worried about the consequences of my actions! And… Once everyone finds out that I'm Sanji Inochi, after I make my decision, it'll show that I favor one of them. God, I'm just thinking random thoughts right now. I just need to say something. "Okay uhm… Frankly, I wasn't rooting for one side to win… Who wins and who loses wasn't on my mind. More or less, I was watching your fight in order to gauge the distance between me and you."

What David found out about me…

I look down at my open palm, clutching my hand. "It's not really fair for me to be a judge when I was only looking out for myself."

Odysseus suddenly breaks out into laughter, his chest heaving as he does so. "Bwahaha! 'Gauge the distance'? You're just a small boy, probably no older than Cosette here! Thinking about strength already, aren't you? I admire that kind of determination, don't get me wrong! We need strong men for this world! We're always in short supply!"

Monarch comments, "Odysseus is right. Either way, I'm a little disappointed that you decided to abstain. I suppose this spar will end in a tie, Valjean. Until we fight again, rascal."

Valjean chuckles, happy with the outcome. "If you insist. One of these days, we oughta settle our rivalry once and for all! See who's the better nation: France or a land made of tea."

"At least we don't wave the white flag," she retorts. Before Valjean can snap back, she faces the four of us. "Anyway, I apologize for our behaviors. I'm sure Cosette already apologized for us."

"Many times…" Cosette states, moving beside her. She eyes us as if she's analyzing everything about ourselves. First, she looks at Setsuna, then moves down to Hayami, then Itsuka, then me. She leans forward… Again, she's looking at me specifically!

Valjean frowns. "Why are you looking at him like that?"

Itsuka frowns too. "I was about to ask the same question."

Cosette shakes her head at the both of them. "Sorry. I was trying to figure out who you are, Samurai. Sure, you're handsome, but that's not what I'm focusing on. What's your name?"

Welp, here we go. I glance at my friends, telling them with my eyes, They probably know who I am. Let's be ready. With a deep exhale, I answer, "Sanji Inochi."

"It's him."

"That changes things, doesn't it?"

Odysseus stands there silently with his head down. Then, just after a few seconds, he snaps his head up with the fury of Zeus himself. "Bwahahaha! Now I understand! I understand plenty! I heard about you, my boy!"

"Who?" Cosette looks absolutely confused. She tugs on Odysseus's tunic. "Hey uh, why does everyone know who he is? The only Japanese Heroes I know about is All Might and Endeavor."

He kindly answers, "Well, he's just a small boy, but he has a mountain of a potential! The three of us heard about two young Heroes who have the ability to create waves everywhere they go! One of them is this boy right here! What's more special about him is the fact that he's legally Quirkless!"

Cosette's mouth goes agape. "Huh?"

Valjean nods. "That was my same reaction too, sweetheart. Sanji's journey is what novels are made of. Frankly, I didn't believe it at first."

"Neither did I," Monarch says, "Cosette, he has the potential to not only be as strong as the average No.1 Pro Hero, but stronger . Right now, he's still rendered Quirkless. It'll be more than beneficial to awaken his Quirk."

Odysseus exclaims, "Of course! We're lucky that we caught this boy first! In the name of Greece, I—!"

"I have something to say," I interrupt, and Odysseus stops. Oh God, I didn't think I would be able to interrupt him of all men. He's so loud and boisterous that nothing could make him stop talking, yet I did! Well, I should use this chance to actually say what I want. "I know that you will try to convince me to study heroism in your country, but I have to politely decline your offers. I'm more than happy with what U.A. have; they're great at teaching me the ropes of heroism. And besides…"

I glance beside me, at Itsuka in particular. She meets my eyes. "Plus, I have some great reasons to stay in Japan on top of that." My words cause her to blush, trying her face away from me mumbling something under her breath. Aw, she's flustered again.

Valjean has a laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "Seems like you have everything settled. How did you know that we were interested in offering you a free ride in our borders?"

Setsuna raises her hand. "My father is a CEO of a big company in Japan. He has a way of obtaining information."

Monarch, who I should note is still a bit bloody from the fight, states, "I see… So Sanji got himself some valuable connections. You need that in this world. It's such a shame that you won't join Great Britain."

Nodding, Odysseus agrees—right after bringing his hands on Monarch and Valjean's shoulders, "I'm sure All Might is helping this boy achieve his full potential! Who would need useless Heroes like us when he has him around?"

Cosette clicks her tongue. "You know you're not useless, Uncle Ody. Why do you guys want him to study with you guys anyway? And why did you easily accept that he won't?"

Valjean raises a finger and answers her, "We're very selfish people, you know. Hearing that Sanji Inochi will become someone powerful, if we convince him to become a Hero for us, it would raise the status of our country. The entire world is engaged in a battle with Japan, who has All Might. And everyone wants to be the one to take Japan's crown.

"But didn't you hear his words? I don't think there's any way to convince a man like him. Sure, I may doubt the ability of U.A. High School's curriculum, but it's near-impossible to persuade a man to betray his friends and his beloved. Loyalty is the strongest bond of them all."

"H-His beloved?" Itsuka whisper-shouts. "We're not… We're not even dating… Damnit Sanji, why are you so embarrassing?" Heh, I would answer her, but I don't feel like it. Besides, I said that on purpose. Not because I wanted to embarrass her more—although I do that all the stinking time—I knew that they (hopefully) would understand that I refuse to leave Japan. Odysseus and Valjean are both middle-aged men. I may not feel my heart racing from love, but I know that they felt its thrill—I mean, Valjean has a daughter . By stating that Itsuka is one of my reasons to stay in Japan, they know better than to get in the way of that. I'm glad Monarch was able to understand too. She's the youngest of the three, probably a little older than Hawks.

Honestly though, it was a gamble. I had to trust that they value heroism over propping up the status of their individual nations. And they do. Instead of insisting that I join them, implying that I will have to leave everyone behind or downright offer everyone a free pass to heroism with me, they backed off and gave me that respect. Seriously, even calculating this option, to think that they are giving me respect as if I'm stronger than them already. They're not seeing me for the man I am today, but the man I will be.

Sorry Itsuka, but I had to use you in order to convince them to not chase after me.

Odysseus, looking down at Cosette, lovingly rubs her raven-black hair. "You'll understand young love someday, Cosette!" She pouts, taking his hand off of her hair.

Ah, I should also ask them for a favor… I need to use their respect for me to my advantage. "Oh, if I can ask, please don't harass my friends about this. They aren't involved in my situation. It'll give me some peace of mind when others, namely more insistent individuals, aren't as kind as you three."

"I'll respect your wishes. While you still fight for Japan, I'm still interested in your development as a Pro Hero." Monarch takes out a business card, handing it to me. "If you find yourself in Britain, just call me and I'll help you any way I can."

"I wasn't planning to anyway. Since Victoria here is giving out cards, here's mine." Then Valjean gives me his. "We don't have to do anything with heroism. We can just have a good lunch!"

"Bwahaha! Of course, my boy! Unfortunately, I'm not as corporate as these two knuckleheads! Cosette, give this boy my number, would you?" Cosette does what he asks, writing Odysseus's number on a slip of paper and handing it to me. "I can take you out onto sea, my boy. It'll be a trip to remember!"

Heh… I can't believe I got three numbers for three No.1 Pros. This is crazy… When Mister Tokage told me that I'll be harassed, I think he was partly wrong. He's a pessimist. He believed that every single person will be out for blood. Yet in front of me, these people proved that wrong. They have goodwill and utmost kindness. Hopefully, they are the standard, not the exception.

I bow, hoping I can repay that kindness back. "Thank you. I hope that we get to see each other again when I actually become a Hero."

Setsuna corrects me, "When the three of us become Heroes. We're in it together, y'know! All for one, and one for all—and that jazz."

...Why do I feel an incredible sense of irony from that sentence?

Itsuka says, "Yeah, I'm stuck with these two weirdos. You have no idea how much they tire me out. At least I'm only being with one of them when I'll be a Hero. The other will do her own thing."

"Aw, you wanna get rid of me that badly, don't you?"

Hayami gives Setsuna a headpat. "Let's try to not get in an argument this time, Setsuna. I'm the mom here, and my word is law." She turns to the Heroes plus Cosette. "Seriously though, thank you. You restored my faith in humanity. I only lost it when my daughter managed to burn water."

"Hey!" complains Itsuka.

I add on anyway, "Heh… Really, thank you. I promise to be a good Hero."

"That you will, Young Inochi!" All Might?! He's with Midoriya, Bakugo, and a blonde-haired girl. That must be Melissa Shield, David's daughter. But still! Why are so many people joining this scene?! We got enough people already!

The other four notice All Might, standing up straighter than before. Just from his presence alone, All Might commands respect. Not because he's an intimidating man, but because he's a heroic one. Bakugo frowns when he sees them, spitting, "Who the hell are these losers? And why are two of 'em covered in dirt n'blood?"

Itsuka, holding back from having a nasty tone with him, answers, "Three of these 'losers' are No.1 Pro Heroes in their respective countries."

Bakugo smirks. "Prolly not as good as All Might. Heh, I'll surpass them all the same. No one's gonna stop that." Already, he's making a terrible impression on the other No.1s. As strong as Bakugo is, he won't win against them. The skill gap is too big.

Melissa ignores Bakugo and notices Setsuna, running up to her. After exchanging some warm glances with me, Itsuka, and Hayami, her and Setsuna walk off to the side to have a conversation by themselves.

All Might pats Midoriya's shoulder. "Come, Young Midoriya! Let us meet the other Heroes in this great world of ours!" He takes him to the four, engaging in a lively conversation with them. There's a lot of power within that circle. They can take over a few small countries with only themselves.

Bakugo, seeing that All Might focused on Midoriya and not him, grunts. He has no choice but to talk to us. "Ugh, guess Deku's tryna impress some nobodies. Why the hell are you guys here anyway? I thought the guys in charge of I-Island don't invite losers to this convention."

Hayami, who's profusely annoyed with him, says, "We had someone give us invitations. Besides, my dad receives invitations every year for being a damn good Hero."

Itsuka off-handedly comments, "And I don't think you'll ever come close to being a good Hero like him."

That comment makes Bakugo upset. "Oi, what was that, redhead? If you're tryna say something, then just say it! Say it right to my face, would ya!"

"You're a crappy guy with a crappy personality. You have the audacity to call three No.1 Heroes 'losers' and 'nobodies'! Who the heck does that?! I—!" I grab her shoulder, signaling that she should stop. She does.

Bakugo smirks again, crossing his arms. "You're just all bark and no bite, just like a lotta of the pricks back in Japan. Look punks, I'm gonna be a better Hero than you two combined, y'hear? Y'wanna know why? 'Cuz I win; it's as simple as that. Speaking of winning, you still owe me that fight, Shitty Deku."

"Stop calling Sanji that," Itsuka snaps, and I grip her shoulder harder.

I would say that winning is far from what a Hero does, but I don't think I'll convince him. He reminds me a lot of Suzuki now that I'm thinking about it. At least Suzuki's somewhat trying to clean up his act. Bakugo… He's still insulting everyone he looks down upon. "Why can't we just talk? I can admit that you're stronger than me, because you are. Will that satisfy you?"

He shakes his head. "Don't be a little bitch 'bout this. You told me that you wouldn't win the Sports Festival, 'stead you propped up your girlfriend here. But then, I heard 'bout you fighting with Deku and winning . Like I told you before, Shitty Deku, what's the point of winning if I lost to Deku but you beat him? What kind of Hero would I be? Huh? Tell me."

I find myself saying, "That's something you gotta figure out yourself."

"Ugh, you annoy the hell outta me. 'Sides, why are those losers interested in you anyway? I saw you talking to 'em before we got here."

"Autographs. I got their business cards," I politely answer him, lying straight to his face. To provide evidence, I simply show him their cards and Odysseus's slip of paper with his number on it.

"Ugh, whatever." Bakugo slouches in frustration, walking over to All Might and Deku, joining their conversation.

I let go of Itsuka's shoulder, the both of us sighing in relief. Itsuka says, "Jeez… I didn't like the way he was talking to you. Someone should really fix that attitude of his."

Hayami more than agrees. "I wonder how his classmates can tolerate him… I know I wouldn't be able to." Both her and Itsuka begin to talk about how much of a troublemaker Bakugo is. Heh, he's the kind of person that they will utterly hate. They despise egotistical men like him. I guess, just like Suzuki, Bakugo is brought up believing that he will become something great. I wonder how many people like them are out there?

I begin to listen to All Might talking to the three No.1 Heroes and Cosette. Bakugo is making snide comments, often either propping All Might up or himself. Midoriya simply nods along. Before I know it, Valjean asks Midoriya about what kind of Hero he'll be. Midoriya replies, "The kind of Hero I want to be… I want—No, I need to be strong. I need to be the strongest just like All Might. Just like him, I need to be a dependable Hero who's capable of smiling whenever the worst comes. I need to save everyone I come across so I can become who I need to be. If I fail to do just that, then how will I ever call myself a Hero?

"I won't be the useless Deku who can't do anything. I'll be the Deku that gives everything he got no matter the cost!"

A sense of admiration and repulsion wells up in my stomach. I don't know why… His words are admirable, showcasing the innocent dream of heroism with just a small speech. But at the same time, I can't help but feel disgusted by them. Why disgust? Why am I feeling such an overwhelming urge to be disgusted?

Why? Why do I? When I think back on Midoriya's words, for some reason, I imagine a child saying them. I imagine a child holding an action figure of All Might while watching him on TV. I don't see a man saying that, only a small child. Is that why Midoriya is the way he is? He's so fixated on becoming All Might that he fights exactly like he does, even if it means breaking his limbs to the point of permanent damage?

I personally want to be like All Might, but I don't want to be him . He's him, I'm me. Midoriya is trying to be exactly like him. He's trying to be the strongest Hero, the one that smiles when he saves the day, the one that everyone can depend on, the one that everyone will think of when they hear the word "cool". He wants to be that shining image; he wants to step onto that mantle and be what All Might is.

He wants to save those in need to become him.

And that's…

And that's undeniably selfish.

The actions he takes everyday, they're a means to achieve his end: becoming the greatest Hero. Is that why he sees the world differently than I do? A more idealistic lense? Ever since I was in Class 1-B, I had to constantly question my own beliefs and this world. These questions formed the ideals I have today. Does he question the world? Does he question his own motives for becoming a Hero? Or does he question why he isn't strong enough? Why he isn't good enough?

Izuku Midoriya, what kind of man are you? You are gifted with such a powerful Quirk! You are in the same position as I am! You have so many people expecting you to become an amazing Hero just like you showed them back in the Sports Festival! I am both hated and loved, loved and hated!

Yet, why do you keep focusing on your own journey to becoming the epitome of strength?

I kinda understand just a little bit…

We both have Origin-type Quirks.

You are blessed with the rarest type of Quirk in existence, but you don't act like you do.

Bakugo bullies you for being weak, but you have an Origin-type Quirk.

You act humble, but you have an Origin-type Quirk.

It's like…

It's like you weren't born with your Quirk.

You're acting like you're Quirkless, trying to control your newfound power.

Odysseus pipes up, "You know, boy, I wonder who's stronger! You or Sanji Inochi. I would be interested in that fight."

"Then let's do it," I say, making everyone go silent. I leave Itsuka and Hayami behind, walking up to Midoriya with my hands clenched.

Midoriya backs up, raising his hands. He stammers, "W-Woah! What happened, Inochi? Why are you acting like this all of the sudden?"

I shake my head. "Don't worry about it, Midoriya." I take a quick glance at a scowling Bakugo before looking back at the Hero in front of me. "I want to see if you're any better than before. I hope your technique has gotten better."

"What's the meaning of this, Young Inochi?" All Might.

"Who woke the devil in ya?" Bakugo.

"Oh… I didn't expect this." Melissa.

"Are you okay, Sanji? Why do you sound so angry?" Itsuka.

"This isn't good…" Hayami.

"Uhm, as much as I would like to see a fight, are you sure?" Setsuna.

"Did I accidentally trigger another rivalry? My bad…" Odysseus.

"Well, looks like we'll see who's the stronger student." Valjean.

"A Quirkless man against one who has a Quirk. How interesting." Monarch.

"...Can we stop having fights for one second?" Cosette.

"Fight." "Fight." "Fight." "Fight." "Fight." "Fight." "Fight." "Fight." "Fight." Nine voices are ringing in my head.

Midoriya asks me, "Are you serious right now? I-I don't know what to say…"

"Don't say anything. Just let your fists do the talking." I look down at him, my eyes practically shooting knives to his.

"Let's have a real fight for once, Deku."

---

Hi! Sorry that this chapter came out a day later than expected, and a bit late too! Quarantine crash is a bitch.

Look forward to: The Early Access Event.

Post-Chapter Bits:

Master Kendo and Grandmaster: I consider their scenes as "introductory scenes", as in scenes to introduce the chapter. They set up future plotlines that will be explored throughout the arc, like Master Kendo and The Count investigating the MLA while Grandmaster does his own investigation on The Winter Samurai. Of course, we have Setsuna's plan to get some information on the MLA while Sanji is busy trying to figure himself out. Lian is also there, because he just wanted to visit his little brother. You can see how everything is a bit messy, but I'm trying out something new with how plot structure works. So try and bear with me here.

Rin: More information is revealed about Rin. Since he wasn't born with Astral, he had to come to terms that he won't be as powerful as his brothers. As a result, he realizes that he can't stay in his family because it'll only hurt him as a person. So Lian helps him transfer to Japan so Rin can find satisfaction in his life. He wants to be his own man because his family's legacy pretty much revolves around Astral. I'm looking forward to what I'm doing with Rin in the future, and with Lian too. Just wait until Lian starts using his Quirk. He seriously is one of the most strongest guys on the planet.

David Shield's Scene: In this scene, I purposely left out what the analysis said for Dreams. That will be a scene for a later date, ha! Take that guys! I'm trying to be a good author by leaving y'all in suspense, mwhahaha! Anyway, for the first scene, I simply wanted to showcase more of the world and how it reacts to the current events. The Quirk Purists are one such example. For Sanji, this is where he finally thinks to himself and realizes just how much the world cares about your Quirk, and how the world reacts to what kind of Quirk you have. He's slowly evolving as the story progresses. As you see more of the world with Sanji, his ideals slowly shift and change as a reaction. Anyway, look forward to what David says about Sanji's Quirk. It's bit of a doozy.

Monarch, Valjean, and Odysseus: Hey, I foreshadowed some of these people before! These three are No.1 Pro Heroes in Britain, France, and Greece respectively. They act as a comparison of how strong our main characters could be in the future. I mean, they almost went all out in their fight before Odysseus stopped them. And, I didn't want to make them assholes and constantly harass Sanji to join them. However, then Sanji hoped that they were the standard and not the exception, he shouldn't have hoped that. Anyway, I hope it's obvious of the allusions I have to each of the Heroes. Monarch is based off of King Arthur, Valjean is based off of Les Miserables (I mean his ultimate move is literally called that), and Odysseus is based off of The Odyssey by Homer.

Bakugo: Oh boy, I have some things to say about him. So let's get this clear: I'm not really fond of Bakugo myself. But it doesn't mean I'm going to write him as an unredeemable asshole. I am going to try my damn best to write him as he is written within the canon story. However, keep in mind that his interactions in the fic are mainly 1-B, a class that he doesn't care about whatsoever. You won't see Bakugo soften up to Sanji or the rest of the characters until way later in the story (and yes, that will kinda "happen"). So right now, Bakugo is still very much hostile to Sanji and looks down on him. He even insults the trio I mentioned in the above paragraph because Bakugo mainly focuses on himself and Japanese Heroes (like All Might). Anyway, because Bakugo is pretty hostile to 1-B, expect 1-B to not be so kind to Bakugo in return. They don't have him as a classmate, 1-A does. Unlike Deku, who has a saintly patience, Sanji...isn't the most patient person when it comes to his friends being insulted. Speaking of Deku...

Deku: Oh boy, is this the start of something? At the end of the chapter, Sanji is properly thinking about Deku and his values after overhearing what he said to Valjean. I've been thinking about what Deku is as a character and what his words mean. And using those thoughts, I'm able to differentiate Sanji and Deku as two different people despite similar circumstances. Deku really wants to be All Might and focusing on himself. Though he does save people and sacrifice his body to do so, he inevitably falls back to "If I can't save this person, how can I call myself a Hero?" (which is what he roughly said in the anime just before punching Overhaul to oblivion). He sees [saving people] as a means to be a Hero. Sanji calls him out on that and considers him to be a selfish person. Then, he also lowkey calls him childish, soon thinking that Deku is Quirkless. They gonna fight.

Look forward to that in the next chapter!