The Symbol of Peace and Justice

Chapter 9 – Aftershock

"So, this is the boy who helped All Might save our bacon?"

"Yes, this is Son Gohan."

Gohan cracked an eye open at the sound of his name being spoken, only to be greeted by a nonchalant Aizawa, who was standing beside a diminutive, mouse-like man in formal dress. He subconsciously raised a brow at the odd sight.

To his further surprise, the unfamiliar figure bowed. "On behalf of everyone at U.A., I'd like to express my deepest gratitude for your impeccable efforts. Were it not for your assistance, I shudder to think how catastrophic this all could've turned out."

Gohan sat up, now even more confused than before. "Umm… you're welcome?" he replied, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

"Son, this is Principal Nezu," Aizawa introduced, making the demi-Saiyan's eyes widen. "He's the one in charge of U.A. You'll do well to show him some respect."

"Of-of course," Gohan hurriedly responded, jumping to his feet and giving the principal a bow of his own. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Nezu's eyes suddenly lit up. "Now I remember you! You're the one who finished with the highest score in the entrance exam!"

"Yes… Son here is quite the capable student," Aizawa added calmly, slightly unnerving the boy.

Nezu chuckled. "Well, I suppose we should consider ourselves quite fortunate that we have such a prodigious talent gracing our halls. I look forward to following your progress, young man."

"I'm flattered to hear that, sir," Gohan admitted nervously. He knew he'd eventually catch the attention of one of the higher-ups, but he didn't expect it to happen this soon.

He cast a weary gaze over his surroundings, seeing several other teachers on clean-up duty. Some were rounding up unconscious villains, others were cleaning up the debris from the conflict and a few were sending him curious, if not wary looks. It instantly made him feel self-conscious.

"Excuse me, sirs, but where is All Might-sensei?" he asked.

If there was one teacher he could be comfortable around right now, it was All Might. Despite Aizawa's currently cordial behaviour towards him, he could never get a read on what his homeroom teacher was thinking – and it never stopped being unsettling. Nezu, on the other hand, seemed a bit too cheerful given what had happened, which was unnerving in its own right.

The two educators shared a brief glance before Aizawa answered. "All Might had other commitments, so he had to leave. He would've told you himself, but he didn't want to disturb your rest."

Gohan resisted the urge to frown. "I see. In that case, may I please rejoin the rest of the class?"

"Sure, go ahead," Aizawa replied, an eerie grin creeping onto his face. "But if you were hoping for some privacy, you're out of luck. Your classmates are going to have a lot of questions for you. They're out the front, by the way."

Gohan's eye twitched, but he forced out a smile nonetheless. "Thank you, sensei. See you later, Principal Nezu."

"See ya, kid!" Nezu chirped, sending him off with a wave.

Gohan walked away from the two adults and set off for the building's exit, his footsteps heavy with trepidation as he pondered how his classmates would react to his earlier display. Batting away cannon fodder goons that his classmates could handily deal with themselves was one thing, but fighting side by side with All Might against a legitimately deadly menace was on another level entirely.

Super Saiyan aside, he'd already resolved not to hide his powers from his classmates, and he still stood by that decision. They didn't deserve to be lied to. However, now that it was time to actually confront them, he couldn't help but feel anxious about the outcome. Would they respect him? Would they fear him? Would it be a mixture of both? How would it affect his high school life from now on?

After climbing the stairs and reaching the door, he paused to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Stamina-wise, he was perfectly fine, but today had been mentally draining. All he wanted to do now was go home, brew up a pot of green tea and unwind. Maybe he'd throw on Bloodsport and switch off his brain for a couple of hours.

But, before any of that could happen, he had to face the music. So, with a resigned sigh, he opened the door and stepped outside. The moment his foot touched the gravel, whatever conversations had been going on screeched to a grinding halt and eighteen pairs of eyes widened in his direction.

Gohan raised a shaky hand and gave a light wave. "Hey guys."

After a few moments of silence in which no one moved a muscle, Kirishima was the first to approach him, his face hard and unwavering. He locked eyes with Gohan for a few tense seconds, before a sharklike grin broke out across his face. "You gotta teach me how you do it!"

Gohan took a step back in shock. "Huh?"

"What do you mean, 'huh'?" Kirishima exclaimed, clenching a trembling fist. "You were able to hang with All Might, dude! All Might! Do you have any idea how batshit crazy that is?!"

"Yeah, man. That was fucking wild," Kaminari added with a grin of his own.

Gohan grimaced. "I'm aware."

"Then what's your secret?" Kirishima pressed excitedly. "Is it just your Quirk? Some special training you're doing? Are you being taught by some absolute monster?"

An equally eager Kaminari joined in on the questioning. "Were you experimented on as a kid? Are your bones made out of adamantium? Are you even fully human?"

Ojiro gave a confident smirk and crossed his arms. "You're both way off. It's all because of hard work and skill. Isn't that right, Son?"

A bead of sweat rolled down Gohan's temple and he suppressed the urge to gulp. He was getting a serious case of déjà vu right now – a feeling which was only magnified when Iida's large frame blocked his vision.

"I think that's enough questioning for today," the bespectacled boy declared in his typically stern tone. "We've all had a trying day, with Son undoubtedly having it worse than any of us! I perfectly understand your curiosity – believe me, I feel the same way – but give him some breathing room for heaven's sake!"

Kirishima and Ojiro had the decency to look sheepish, while Kaminari simply pouted. Gohan, meanwhile, let out a sigh of relief.

"You're right, Iida. Sorry about that, Son," Kirishima apologised, his beaming grin quickly returning. "Your display of raw, unfiltered manliness got me so hyped I couldn't help myself!"

"It-it's fine," Gohan responded, raising his hands in a placating manner. "I'll answer your questions later, I just… need some breathing room right now, you know?"

"I feel you, bro," the redhead said, giving him a kind smile. "Take as much time as you need."

With that, Kirishima walked off to stand next to Ashido, who Gohan noticed hadn't even spared a glance at him. Before he could ponder why that was, Iida turned to face him, concern visible on his features. "Are you alright, Son?"

"Yeah. Just exhausted," Gohan revealed, mustering a small smile. "Thanks for that, by the way. That's twice now you've had my back."

"Think nothing of it, my friend," Iida exclaimed. "We are all on this journey together, so it's imperative that we look out for each other every step of the way. As prospective heroes from the most prestigious hero institute in the country, such behaviour should be the minimum of what's expected from us."

Despite the circumstances, Gohan couldn't help but give a light chuckle. "Damn straight."

With a light wave, Iida departed to his own matters, leaving the demi-Saiyan to head towards his best friend. Sato was leaning against the side of the U.S.J. building with his arms crossed, Tsuyu at his side. The pair were engaged in a quiet conversation, which made Gohan raise an eyebrow. While he and Tsuyu got along swimmingly, he had no idea she and Sato spoke to each other. Was this a recent development?

When Gohan reached them, they ceased their discussion and turned their attention to him, varying expressions on their faces. Tsuyu smiled warmly in his direction, while Sato wore a massive smirk.

The sight made Gohan frown. "What are you so happy about?"

Sato's smirk only widened, serving to irritate Gohan even further. "It's just funny. You've managed to keep a low profile through six years of elementary school and junior high, yet you couldn't last a week at U.A. without doing something outrageous." He whistled appreciatively. "That's legitimately impressive."

Gohan groaned and leaned back against the wall, not wanting to look at his friend's smug face any longer. "That was never my intention," he grumbled.

Sato chuckled in response. "Oh, I know. But it's still funny."

"I think it's good that our classmates get to see the real you," Tsuyu chimed in, drawing both boys' attention.

Gohan pursed his lips. "What makes you say that?"

"You inspire people, Gohan," Tsuyu continued, making his eyes widen. "We've only know each other for less than a week, yet you've already managed to distinguish yourself from the rest of the class. Now that everyone knows how incredible you are despite being the same age, they'll be even more motivated to reach the same level or higher, so that hopefully one day they'll be able to stand by your side… as heroes. At least, that's how it is for me."

Gohan couldn't keep the surprise off his face, nor could he ignore the way his heart swelled at the compliment. "Tsuyu… I-I don't know what to say…"

She grinned at him cutely, the tip of her tongue poking out from her mouth. "You don't have to say anything. Just keep that in mind if you ever start feeling self-conscious."

Gohan was stunned. Was he really that easy to read? Or was this girl extraordinarily perceptive? Regardless, he gave her a light smile that didn't exactly reach his ears. "Thank you, Tsuyu. It means a lot."

It really did. He had no doubt the frog girl was speaking from the heart and had only the best intentions. She was a kind soul like that, and he'd do his utmost best to ensure she kept that innocence for as long as possible.

But as perceptive as Tsuyu might have been, perhaps she had a bit too much faith in people. Any martial artist worth their salt was somewhat proficient at reading those around them. After all, being aware of another's intentions helped them stay alive, both in combat and outside of it. Gohan wasn't a mind reader by any means, but he was vigilant enough to take note of everyone's reaction when he stepped outside.

As such, he didn't miss the way Aoyama and Koda hurriedly turned away from him when he greeted the class, which was still more than he got from Ashido. He couldn't ignore the glares Blasty and Jiro were shooting his way, although he gathered the latter was still miffed at him over what happened earlier. Midoriya smiled nervously in his direction but wouldn't meet his eyes, instead opting to furiously scribble something in his notebook.

Yaoyorozu briefly locked eyes with him, but her cheeks took on a crimson tint and she quickly averted her gaze. He sincerely hoped it was only because of embarrassment at having her chest exposed, and not something more severe. The thought of her being afraid of him and his power cut him deep.

Sero, Uraraka, Tokoyami, Shoji and Todoroki didn't seem too bothered by him, with the first two even giving him small waves. The other three, however, were experts at keeping their emotions in check, so he didn't have a clue what they were thinking. There was also Hagakure, but she was invisible.

All in all, it wasn't the worst reception, but it still wasn't ideal. He knew his classmates would be suspicious to some degree after he revealed his powers, but to not even look at him? Was that down to fear, or something else entirely? Whatever the case, it bothered him greatly, and he was stumped over what to do about it.

Fortunately, his attention was drawn away from that distressing topic by Aizawa, who'd just stepped out of the U.S.J. "Alright, everyone, get on the bus!" he ordered.

The students filed into the vehicle without much fuss. Wanting some privacy, Gohan took a seat at the very back, where he was joined by Sato. He gave his best friend a grateful nod and received a thumbs up in return.

The trip back to U.A. was significantly more subdued than the one from U.A. A few students engaged in light chatter, but for the most part everyone kept to themselves. While some had been more involved in the day's activities than others, it was clear that everyone needed a break. Prospective heroes or not, they were still just teenagers in their first week of high school.

At the same time, Gohan was racking his brain trying to figure out how the hell Nomu could use ki, although every now and then his thoughts strayed to his classmates. Was there another person in this world who could use ki? Did someone manage to get a hold of his DNA? Was this some divine punishment for disturbing the natural order of things? Each suggestion disturbed him more than the last.

What bothered him the most, however, was how he couldn't sense Nomu before today. If someone was experimenting with ki, he should've been able to feel it. The fact that he was completely unaware of it posed a myriad of disturbing questions that he dreaded finding the answer to. Unfortunately, he knew he had no choice but to try and get to the bottom of it.

Gohan was broken from his musing when the bus came to a stop and Aizawa positioned himself next to the driver's seat, facing the passengers. "Go and get changed, then head back to the class and wait for the bell," he instructed. "The principal thought it best to give you all an early finish."

A few students whooped in joy, while others fist pumped at the news. Gohan didn't show it, but he too was happy they got to leave early. He stood up and moved to follow the rest of the class off the bus, but before he could exit the vehicle, Aizawa's hand on his shoulder made him stop.

Surprised, Gohan turned towards his teacher. "Did you need something, sensei?"

"When the bell goes, come see me at my desk. I need to talk to you," Aizawa replied, his calm tone betraying no discernible emotion.

Gohan stiffened at the request but nodded nonetheless. "Alright."

When he didn't receive another response, he stepped off the bus and made for the changing rooms, a small frown marring his face. He knew a teacher would want to speak to him about the what happened at U.S.J. eventually, but this was earlier than expected. He figured they'd at least give the class a day off to recover.

Then again, perhaps it was better to rip off the band-aid as soon as possible. There'd also be one less cloud hanging over his head, which was a welcome thought. He already had enough crap on his plate to deal with after this shitshow of a day.

Gohan trudged through the school's hallways at a relatively sedate pace, and by the time he stepped foot inside the males' changing room he noticed most of his classmates were in their school uniform and about to leave. Not paying them much mind, he withdrew his own uniform from his locker and found an empty stall in which to change. Like before, he was in no rush.

Once he was done, he stepped out of the stall and immediately realised that the only other person present was Blasty, who was uncharacteristically taking his time. A strange sense of foreboding passed through him, but he cast it aside and headed for the door. However, his suspicious were proven correct when he found his way blocked by the irate blond, arms crossed dangerously and a venomous glare on his features.

Gohan suppressed the urge to groan. Blasty's bullshit was the last thing he needed right now. "Can you please get out of the way?"

"What are you playing at, Son?" the blond growled.

Gohan was taken aback. Since when did Blasty not call him by some derogatory nickname? "I beg your pardon?"

"Cut it out with the nice guy act, nerd. I'm sick of your shit."

Gohan was now well and truly stumped. "Dude, what the hell are you on about?" he asked calmly, hoping to defuse the situation before it got out of hand. "If this is about what I said to you earlier today, I'm sorry. I was caught up in the heat of the moment."

Blasty chuckled humourlessly. "You're either as dense as a plank of wood, or you're fucking with me. Fine. I'll break it down in simpler terms for your dumb ass. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" he enunciated, as if speaking to a child.

Gohan's eye twitched at the implication, but he kept calm. "Trying to get to class," he responded coolly.

"I meant at school, you retard!" Blasty snapped. "Why are you at U.A.?"

This time, the demi-Saiyan couldn't help but glare back at the volatile blond. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here for the same reason you are: to become a pro hero."

Blasty scoffed. "Sure as shit doesn't look like you're taking it seriously."

"Then enlighten me. What does it look like?" Gohan questioned, his voice steadily raising in volume.

"What it looks like is that it's all a fucking game to you!" Blasty shouted, mini explosions dancing around his clenched fists. "I've been busting my ass all week while you've been strutting about without a care in the world, lying to everyone!"

Gohan's eyes widened a fraction, but he reigned in his emotions. "You know nothing."

"I know you've been holding back on us. That shit you pulled with All Might earlier today confirmed it. Where the fuck was that during Aizawa's Quirk test? Or All Might's battle simulation?" Here, Blasty stepped forward so that his nose was inches away from Gohan's, allowing him to see the almost tangible rage bubbling in his crimson irises. "Are you so full of yourself that you think you can half-ass it to becoming a hero?"

Gohan remained unwavering and fired back with a steely glare of his own. "You have it all wrong."

"Give it to me straight then, you son of a bitch!" Blasty spat, his hot breath wafting over the demi-Saiyan, whose lip curled down in disgust. "What's your fucking deal?!"

That was as much as Gohan was willing to take. "What the hell did you expect me to do?!" he retorted angrily. "Punch a hole through Todoroki? Piledrive Shoji's head into the concrete? Do you understand the concepts of restraint and teamwork, you violent jackass? Just because I'm not trying to send my classmates to hospital doesn't mean I'm taking this any less seriously than you! What do you want from me, Bakugo?!"

"I want you to stop fucking with me and start taking me seriously!" Blasty screamed, his fury punctuated by even more explosive crackles. "I'm not beneath you like the rest of those worms in our class! You have no right to look down your nose at me!"

"Look down my- you're delusional," Gohan sighed, realising a lost cause when he saw one. How did someone so insane ever get accepted into U.A.? He felt his rage slowly evaporate and shook his head sadly. It wasn't worth the hassle.

"I'm gonna be the next Number One Hero, Son," Blasty declared, not a single trace of self-doubt in his proclamation. "Regardless of how much of a freak you are, you're just another obstacle in my path that I'm going to crush like a bug. For your sake though, I suggest you pull your head out of your ass and start giving a shit. Becoming the best will mean fuck all if my competition is taking it easy."

"Just get out of my way, you asshole," Gohan groaned tiredly.

"Make me," Blasty dared, locking his narrowed eyes onto the demi-Saiyan's onyx orbs.

For a few seconds, Gohan accepted the impromptu challenge, but as the last embers of his anger faded away, he averted his gaze. This kind of macho bullshit was beneath him. Instead of succumbing to the taunt, he gently shoved Bakugo aside and exited the changing room, ignoring the indignant curses being lobbed after him.

He flared his ki and vanished with a burst of speed, quickly appearing in front of his classroom. He slid open the gigantic door and stepped inside, then strolled calmly to his seat. Upon sitting down, he closed his eyes and began breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, trying to clear his head of any distracting thoughts. Meditation was such an underappreciated discipline.

When the bell rang, Gohan opened his eyes and remained rooted to his seat while everyone else rose from theirs. Sato send him an inquisitive gaze, to which he shook his head. "You go ahead. Aizawa wants to speak to me about something. I don't know how long it's going to take, so don't wait up."

A rare frown found its way to Sato's face. "Alright. Text me when you're done so I know they haven't shipped you off to some secret lab for testing."

On any other day Gohan would've chuckled at the joke, but this time he was too cautious to treat it as such. "Will do."

Sato gave him one last look before departing with a wave. Gohan stayed seated, slowly packing his things into his bag until he was left alone with Aizawa, who was casually reading a book at his desk.

Bracing himself, Gohan got up and walked over to the teacher. "You wanted to see me, sensei."

"I did," Aizawa replied, putting down his book and locking his beady eyes onto his pupil. "Sorry for springing this on you so suddenly, but the police want to speak to you."

Gohan's heart skipped a beat. "W-what?"

"It's nothing serious," Aizawa reassured. "They just want to ask you a few questions about the U.S.J. incident. We're trying to get to the bottom of what happened, and since you were smack in the middle of the action, any information you can give would be greatly appreciated."

Gohan's jaw clenched. As much as he'd be happy to help, he couldn't shake the feeling that this would double as an interrogation of sorts. The sad thing was, he could understand the polices' cause for concern.

Unaware of his student's worries, Aizawa continued. "This will be taking place in the staff room. Since you're underage, I'll have to accompany you. I'll also act as your moral support should you need it." He punctuated this statement by flashing a thumbs up, which only served to unnerve the demi-Saiyan further. "Oh, I forgot to mention… the police officer who you'll be talking to is called Tsukauchi Naomasa. He's known as the Human Lie Detector. Make of that what you will."

At that bombshell, Gohan's blood ran cold. He swallowed thickly, trying to keep his panic from spilling onto his face. Outwardly, he nodded his understanding, but inwardly, his heart was racing. If this Tsukauchi person was legitimately capable of telling who was lying and who wasn't, then the slightest misstep on his part would spell disaster.

Aizawa yawned and rose from his chair. "Come on then, let's go get this over with so I can have my afternoon nap," he drawled, leaving the classroom and guiding his student down the hallway.

Gohan followed after his teacher, his mind scrambling to come up with a way out of this predicament. A part of him knew he was overreacting, as nothing he did at the U.S.J. was against the law. He'd demonstrated a capability far beyond his years, but it was with his teachers' blessings, and only for the purpose of saving his classmates. Theoretically, he did nothing wrong.

And yet, he knew he wasn't in the clear. If being a vigilante for the past six years had taught him anything, it was to be constantly vigilant… and therein lay his biggest fear. If Tsukauchi pried too deeply, perhaps about his past or his powers, things could get hairy. He couldn't let that happen.

"Umm, sensei, how exactly is this police officer able to detect lies?" he suddenly asked, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Why? Got something to hide?" Aizawa snapped back, a dangerous grin on his scruffy face.

"N-no, of course not!" Gohan stammered. "I was just curious."

"I bet you were," Aizawa grumbled. "It's something to do with his Quirk, but other than that I don't know. I'm sure you can understand why Officer Tsukauchi keeps that information to himself."

"Yeah, I get it," Gohan said, not letting his displeasure be known. That meant he had to wing it.

It hurt, knowing the best he could hope for was for Tsukauchi to ask the right questions. He hated having to rely on luck, but this time the situation was well and truly out of his hands. All he could do was try and adapt on the spot depending on what he was asked, but even then, the power was in the police officer's hands.

"So, those were some nifty moves you showed back there," Aizawa commented, eliciting a grimace from his student.

"Just doing my best to help," Gohan explained.

"Do you remember the conversation we had on orientation day?"

Gohan stiffened. "Of course I do, sensei."

Aizawa turned his head to the side, his dark, beady eyes boring into his student. "I may have miscalculated exactly how much you were holding back, but my original point still stands. There's just something I'd like to add."

Now Gohan was confused. "Sir?"

"I fully expect you to continue doing your absolute best whenever your Quirk is being assessed," Aizawa began. "However, should you find yourself taking part in a combat drill against one of your classmates, I also expect you to hold back to a reasonable degree so as to not seriously injure your partner." He then let out a weary sigh. "Yours is a unique situation, Son, and I can't say I envy you. I've never taught a first year with so much raw power, and that brings up a whole host of problems."

Gohan couldn't help but gulp at the admission. That sounded way too ominous for comfort.

"I won't lie to you. Your strength is extraordinary for one so young, and if cultivated properly, you could go on to become one of the world's top heroes," Aizawa continued. "That being said, you aren't a hero yet. Like everyone else attending U.A., you need to graduate and receive a pro hero license before you can patrol the streets on your own. As your homeroom teacher, I will continue guiding you every step of the way to the best of my ability… but if you let your power go to your head and lose control, I won't hesitate to expel you on the spot."

Gohan was aghast. "Sensei, I would never do such a thing!"

Aizawa's expression remained stern. "Actions speak louder than words, Son. Regardless of your potential, if you prove to be a danger to your peers, you're out." Here his tone softened slightly. "You're going to have a hell of a challenge on your hands. The hero course at U.A. is already the most comprehensive in the country, yet on top of all the regular coursework you'll be busy with over the next three years, you're also going to have to regulate your power depending on the circumstances.

"Myself, All Might and the rest of the staff will help you learn to control your power as best we can, but ultimately the onus is on you to keep your strength under control when it matters most. Unfortunately, because of the delicate nature of your situation, should you mess up there won't be any second chances. Can you rise to the challenge, Son?"

Gohan didn't hesitate before answering. "I can do it," he declared confidently.

He didn't initially think it to be the case, but after his teacher put it all into perspective, he appeared to have quite the daunting task on his hands. The secret vigilante work he was doing on the side would only complicate matters further. However, despite all that, Gohan wouldn't back down. He couldn't back down. Everything was riding on this. If he failed… he had nothing left to fall back on.

"I hope you're right," Aizawa admitted. "We're here. Ready?"

The pair found themselves before a sliding door similar to the one in their homeroom, only much smaller, and with a sign above denoting that this was the staffroom. Gohan exhaled deeply to compose himself, then nodded at his teacher, who slid open the door and stepped inside.

Gohan followed along, finding himself in a reasonably large room with a violet carpet and several round wooden tables scattered about. There was a giant sofa at the front of the room, along with several comfy-looking armchairs, facing a huge flat screen TV. An entire kitchen was located at the back of the room, as clean and modern as everything they came. It all put his apartment to shame, but that was to be expected. All in all, it would've looked like a really homely place had it not been for the well-dressed individual sitting at one of the desks.

If this was Tsukauchi, Gohan would've pinned him as a cop even if he knew nothing about him beforehand; the plain-faced man looked like a detective straight out of 1930s America. He wore a standard black suit and dress shoes, and donned a massive tan overcoat that reached his knees. He even had a matching fedora. The only part of his outfit that was somewhat unusual was the white pair of gloves he wore.

"Yo," Aizawa greeted casually.

Tsukauchi looked up from the papers he was rifling through and smiled at the teacher. "It's good to see you, Aizawa-sensei." His eyes then shifted to the side, landing on the demi-Saiyan. "And it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Gohan. I've heard a lot about you from All Might."

That caught Gohan off guard. "It's nice to meet you too, Officer Tsukauchi. You know All Might?"

Tsukauchi's smile widened. "He's my best friend. We've worked a lot of cases together."

Gohan felt himself relax slightly. Knowing this man was All Might's friend helped calm his nerves a bit. "Oh, that's nice."

"Yeah, we made quite the tag team," Tsukauchi remarked fondly, before gesturing to the chair opposite him. "Anyway, please take a seat. Would you like something to drink? A glass of water perhaps? Tea? Coffee?"

"No thanks," Gohan replied as he sat down at the table, Aizawa taking the seat beside him.

Tsukauchi then clasped his hands and gave the demi-Saiyan his full attention, a sympathetic expression on his face. "How are you feeling, Gohan? Are you well? Experiencing a villain attack in your first week of school… it can't have been easy."

"I'm mentally exhausted." Gohan admitted. "I just want to go home and rest."

Tsukauchi looked at him sadly. "I understand, and I apologise for dragging you in here. Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice. As your teacher has no doubt told you, we'd like to get some insight on what happened at the U.S.J. earlier today and were hoping you could help us."

Gohan shook his head and managed to muster a small smile. "It's okay. I know how important your job is. I'm happy to help." He genuinely meant that. The police weren't his enemy.

Tsuakichi grinned. "Excellent. Now, before I get you to recount what happened, could you please tell me a bit about your Quirk? I've been made aware that the artificial human you and All Might fought is capable of harnessing numerous Quirks, including yours. Any information you can give us about your Quirk would be invaluable in case we ever come up against someone similar."

Gohan took a deep breath and readied himself. Complete honesty was his best option here. "I'm able to manipulate the energy inside my body – ki – and use it in a variety of ways," he began. "I can fly, boost my speed, shoot energy beams and increase my striking power. I can also raise or lower my overall energy output, or in simpler terms: my power level. To add to that, I'm able sense other ki signatures. That's how I was able to find out Nomu was using my power."

As he spoke, Tsukauchi was frantically transcribing the information into a notebook. "Astounding. Simply astounding, Such a versatile Quirk," he commented. When he was done writing, he grinned at Aizawa. "You guys have really lucked out with young Gohan here."

The teacher snorted. "Perhaps. The potential is there, but it remains to be seen how well Son copes with the rest of the curriculum. Being a hero isn't just about being strong."

Tsukauchi chuckled. "You're as no-nonsense as ever, sensei." He cleared his throat and refocused on Gohan. "You mentioned being able to sense ki signatures. Could you please elaborate on how that works?"

"I'm able to calculate how strong someone is based on how much energy they're outputting. I can also pinpoint where they're located," Gohan explained calmly.

"Interesting. Have you ever sensed anyone else's ki signature before today?"

Gohan swallowed thickly, his heartbeat suddenly quickening. He was wondering when he'd get asked something like this. He scrunched his face and closed his eyes, wanting to appear as though he was in deep concentration as he tried to come up with a suitable answer. When he opened them, he was greeted by a pair of unblinking coal-coloured eyes. Despite Tsukauchi's outwardly calm demeanour, his plain, unassuming face projected a strange sort of intensity that nearly sent a chill down the demi-Saiyan's spine.

Taking another deep breath to steady his nerves, Gohan replied. "Since waking up in hospital over six years ago, the only ki signature I've been able to sense before today has been my own. That's why I was so surprised when I found out Nomu had a ki signature. I don't have a clue how that's possible, and honestly, it's freaking me out."

Tsukauchi gaze softened. "Ahh, that's right. I remember reading in your file that you have amnesia. I apologise for bringing it up." He sighed. "I understand your alarm, Gohan, believe me. Rest assured we'll do everything we can to get to the bottom of this."

Gohan didn't doubt him. "I know. Thank you."

Tsukauchi gave Gohan a light smile before his expression hardened once more. "Let's move on, shall we? What I'd like for you to do now is recount, step by step from your point of view, everything that happened after the villains first showed up at U.S.J. Take your time if you need to. We're in no rush."

Gohan jumped straight into an explanation. "I was angry that the villains could sink so low as to attack a school full of children, and I was worried about my classmates' safety."

"Were you worried about your own safety?"

"No."

Tsukauchi seemed to ponder this answer a bit, but kept his reaction guarded. "I see. Please continue."

"All Might-sensei and Aizawa-sensei told us to evacuate with Thirteen-sensei while they took care of the villains," Gohan explained. "I wanted to help so I protested, but they wouldn't budge. I was annoyed, but I knew where they were coming from, so I stopped trying."

Tsukauchi glanced at Aizawa. "In hindsight, do you regret your decision to refuse Gohan's help?"

"No," Aizawa responded sharply. "As strong as Son is, he's still just a child. As a teacher, it's my responsibility to keep my students safe and out of harm's way. Regardless of the outcome of today's events, I failed in my duty."

Gohan's heart went out to Aizawa, feeling a newfound respect for the shaggy-haired educator. But as much as he sympathised with his teacher, he didn't regret his actions. Aizawa and All Might may have been looking out for him and his classmates, but he too was looking out for them all. It was a messed-up situation all around.

Tsukauchi nodded. "Very well. Please continue, Gohan," he requested, turning his attention back to the boy.

"Before we could make it to the door, a portal appeared in front of us, and out came the shadow-using villain responsible for transporting all the other villains to U.S.J," Gohan stated. "He told us we weren't allowed to leave, and that the main goal of their attack was to kill All Might."

Aizawa frowned. "That was Kurogiri." At his student's inquisitive gaze, he continued. "The one we gathered was the villains' ringleader, Shigaraki Tomura, had a big mouth. He didn't seem to understand the concept of subtlety."

Gohan's eyes widened. "The guy with the hand covering his face? Is he in custody?"

Tsukauchi grimaced. "When we arrived to apprehend the captive villains, we couldn't find a trace of either Kurogiri or Shigaraki. We assume Kurogiri teleported them out of the area while everyone else was distracted."

Gohan grit his teeth and clenched his fist. He had the pair in his grasp – literally – yet they still managed to weasel their way out of being captured. He wanted to yell out in frustration but managed to keep his cool. Now wasn't the time to flip out. "That's unfortunate," he muttered, trying to keep the vitriol out of his voice.

"Don't worry, Gohan. We'll get them eventually," Tsukauchi soothed in a calming voice. "Have faith in the police force, my boy."

"I'll try, sir."

He knew it was out of his hands for now, but if those two bastards ever dared to attack his class again, he would personally see to their capture. Shigaraki was a joke, but he clearly had some influence to be able to round up an army of low-level goons. Kurogiri, on the other hand, was too dangerous to be left unchecked.

Tsukauchi smiled. "Good man. Now, where were we?"

"After Kurogiri said their plan was to kill All Might, I lunged forward and tried to punch him in the head, but my fist passed clean through," Gohan continued. "I quickly figured out that he had some kind of intangibility, so I tried to find a way around it. I immediately noticed he had a metallic plate around his neck that looked like it could be grabbed. I tried it and it worked, so I slammed him to the ground."

Tsukauchi's brow furrowed imperceptibly. "While I don't condone you attacking a villain unprepared, I do admire your bravery. What was it about the villain that made you react like that?"

Gohan sighed. "All Might is one of my idols… the kind of hero I aspire to be like someday," he admitted, unable to hide his admiration for the man. "Hearing that the villains wanted him dead made me snap, and my body moved without thinking."

"What happened then?" Tsukauchi pressed.

Gohan gulped. He wasn't proud of this next part. "I… I wanted to keep Kurogiri pinned down while my classmates escaped, so I tightened my grip on his metal… neck thing," he revealed, averting his gaze from the two adults. "He kept taunting me before eventually implying he'd done something to my classmates. That worried me, so I turned around and saw a giant shadowy dome where my classmates were. Enraged, I tightened my grip again and demanded to know what he'd done. He threatened to kill them unless I let him go."

In a rare display of emotion, Aizawa's jaw dropped, while Tsukauchi looked perturbed. "What did you do?" the police officer questioned, his tone remaining calm.

"I let him go," Gohan replied, his voice wavering slightly as he recalled the traumatic incident. "I backed off and he rose to his feet. The next thing he did was say 'oops' and make the dome disappear." He closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath, his clenched fist trembling. "When I looked at where the dome used to be, there wasn't anyone there. I saw red and instantly feared the worst, so I sent Kurogiri flying through the wall with a kiai wave.

"I don't know where he ended up, and at the time I didn't care. All I wanted to do was knock him out and figure out what happened to my classmates. I then found out that Thirteen-sensei and a handful of others had escaped the dome. I was overjoyed to see they were alright, but I was still worried sick about everyone else."

There was now an odd kind of tension in the room. Aizawa looked like he had aged a few years in a handful of seconds, while Tsukauchi rubbed his temples wearily. Meanwhile, Gohan had started mediating again, trying to force those horrid memories from his mind. Everything was fine now. His classmates were safe and sound, and even though Kurogiri had escaped, surely his humiliation at the hands of a child would make him think twice before attacking Class 1-A again. It was a mildly comforting thought.

Tsukauchi took a sip from his glass of water, which looked to be all he needed to regain his composure. "Thirteen told us how Shoji Mezo used his Quirk to find out that the rest of your classmates were scattered around the building," he began. "He also said that he collaborated with you and Iida Tenya to come up with a plan of attack. Your role was to scour the U.S.J. and round up your classmates, then tell them where to retreat to safety. Did you have any reservations about having such an important task?"

Gohan shook his head. "None whatsoever. The only thing on my mind was making sure my classmates were safe."

Tsukauchi brightened at this. "A good attitude to have for a hero. Wouldn't you say, Aizawa-sensei?"

Aizawa scoffed, his usual surliness seemingly restored. "To a degree."

Tsukaichi chuckled. "How did you go about rescuing your classmates, Gohan?"

"Midoriya and Tsuyu were on a boat in the lake surrounded by villains. I…" he glanced at Aizawa out of the corner of his eye and swallowed before continuing his story. "I told them to go to Thirteen-sensei and the others while I took care of the villains. After they left, I created a giant whirlpool that sucked the villains in."

Tsuakuchi looked stunned. "How did you manage that?"

"I fired a kiai wave into the lake."

The police officer put a finger to his chin, as though trying to paint a mental picture of what that looked like. "Impressive. Do go on."

"Next I saved Ojiro in the fire zone, then Tokoyami and Koda in the storm zone. I flew them back to Thirteen-sensei, had a short debrief, then set off once more," Gohan explained.

"How did you deal with the villains?" Tsukauchi inquired intently. "There were quite a lot of them."

The police officer seemed rather excited now, which set the demi-Saiyan on edge. Still, he had no choice but to answer truthfully. "I moved my hand so fast I created a gust of wind that knocked them out."

Tsukauchi whistled appreciatively. "I see why All Might spoke so highly of your skills. Have you had any formal training?"

Gohan's heartbeat picked up once more and he suppressed the urge to gulp. There it was. He knew this question was coming. Still, as nervous as he was at being put on the spot, he was buoyed by his earlier success with a similar question, and as such had an answer in mind.

"Ever since I was diagnosed with amnesia, I've been training myself," he replied evenly, unperturbed by the Human Lie Detector's unnerving expression despite his racing heart. "I did spar frequently with my best friend, but we never used our powers against each other."

Tsukauchi eyed him intently for a few seconds, which seemed to stretch into an eternity. Gohan suddenly felt as though the pair of them were trapped in an empty void with no other inhabitants, the only thing around them being perennial darkness. He remained rooted to his seat, back straight, unmoving and unwavering as the police officer's eyes tried to burn a hole through his very being. He didn't know what was going through the man's head, but he didn't back down. Nothing he had said was a lie. He had no reason to be worried.

Eventually, Tsukauchi smiled and the world seemed to go back to normal. "Remarkable," he exclaimed. "I look forward to seeing how much your skills develop now that you have experts to guide you."

Gohan bowed his head, hoping the police officer wouldn't notice the slight trembling of his arms and legs. "I'm flattered, sir."

Tsukauchi chuckled, but there was a strange glimmer in his eye that kept the demi-Saiyan on edge. "Aside from your strength, you've also displayed exemplary fearlessness in the face of ruthless villains. Is that down to self-confidence? Have you perhaps had encounters with villains in the past?"

Gohan forced back a grimace and ignored the newly-formed queasiness in his stomach. "Both," he admitted, much to the two adults' surprise. "At the risk of sounding arrogant, I have more than enough faith in my abilities to deal with run-of-the-mill villains like the ones that attacked the U.S.J. I'd already had a few first-hand encounters with villains, so I knew I had nothing to worry about."

"Can you explain these encounters?" Tsukauchi requested calmly.

Gohan nodded. "Certainly. One time I was out buying groceries when a group of thugs with knives cornered me and lured me into an alleyway. They demanded I hand over my phone and wallet, but I refused. When I saw them move in to attack me, I flared my ki and knocked them out."

Tsukauchi's eyes widened, but he kept his cool. "When did this happen, Gohan?"

"When I was nine," he explained quietly.

Tsukauchi's face turned ashen, while Aizawa looked grim. "I take it this isn't an isolated incident?" the police officer pressed.

Gohan shook his head. "I live in a pretty crummy part of Tokyo, so scumbags like that aren't uncommon. I've lost count of how many times people have tried to mug me while I'm minding my own business." He shrugged, finding the whole thing morbidly amusing. "It's not like I purposely try and get myself in these situations."

"So… every time someone has tried to mug you, you easily fought them off?" At the demi-Saiyan's nod, Tsukauchi continued. "Did you ever report these incidents to the police?"

Gohan pursed his lips. "When I was younger I didn't, because I was worried I'd get in trouble for using my Quirk in public. I did start calling the police when I got older, although I never stayed to watch the villains I beat up get arrested."

Tsukauchi sunk deeper into his seat and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. "Good heavens. You truly are an extraordinary young man. Ordinarily I would reprimand you for taking matters into your own hands, but I can see you had no other choice." He gulped down the rest of his water, then locked eyes with the demi-Saiyan. "Still, I would advise caution should you ever find yourself in a similar predicament. You've been fortunate so far in that none of the people who have tried to mug you have been serious threats, but there's no telling what kind of monster you might run into next."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Gohan stated.

Inwardly, he was beyond relieved. He didn't think it possible, but something good actually came from there being so many criminals on the streets: they gave him the perfect alibi to explain his familiarity with villains without delving into his vigilantism. That said, it was still horrible that there were slimeballs out there willing to stoop so low as to mug a child. Perhaps on his next patrol as the Golden Blur, he'd keep a more watchful eye out for such cretins.

Tsukauchi cleared his throat. "Anyway, getting back on topic. What happened after you debriefed with Thirteen?"

"I came across Bakugo and Kirishima in the ruined city, but they had already subdued the villains in their area, so I told them to head over to Thirteen-sensei," Gohan continued. "I then found Todoroki in the landslide zone, but he didn't need any help either. We had a brief discussion about the villains' plans and came to the conclusion that all the low-level goons sent to attack us had been a distraction while Nomu fought All Might. The next thing I did was fly to the mountain zone, where I helped Kaminari, Yaoyorozu and Jiro finish off the remaining villains."

Gohan sighed loudly, shuffling nervously in his seat. He was getting antsy; he didn't want to be here any longer. Aizawa noticed this and frowned. "Keep it together, Son. We're not done yet."

"We're almost done, Gohan," Tsukauchi reassured kindly. "Just a little bit longer. I promise."

Gohan nodded and refocused. "It was also there that I sensed Nomu using ki, which shocked me to the core. As soon as I gathered my bearings, I sped over to where Nomu was and saw All Might on the defensive, his arms bloodied… I assume it was from trying to block a ki blast. Anyway, as soon as Nomu fired a second ki blast, I darted in front of All Might and deflected it into the sky, where it exploded."

Tsukauchi was silent for a few seconds, the only sound in the room being his fingers drumming on the desk. "If you wouldn't mind, could you please show me what ki looks like?" he asked.

Gohan nodded. He held out his hand and summoned forth a tiny ball of blue ki that hovered harmlessly over his palm. Tsuakuchi leaned forward, his bulging eyes showing how mesmerised he was by the swirling energy. Even Aizawa was entranced, although he did a much better job of hiding it.

"Incredible…" Tsukaichi exclaimed breathlessly. "If I didn't know what I did, I'd find it hard to believe that something so gentle-looking is capable of such destruction… simply incredible."

"Yeah, it's something," Gohan added, feeling slightly weirded out by the man's behaviour. "The thought of it in the wrong hands terrifies me."

Tsukauchi sighed and leaned back in his seat, which the demi-Saiyan took as a sign to release the energy. "Me too, my boy. Me too. Now, I've already heard the details of your fight from All Might, so I don't need you to go over that. However, I do have one thing I'd like to ask you."

Gohan was both relieved and exasperated, but seeing as the end was now in sigh, he nodded in affirmation. "Go ahead."

"Why do you want to be a hero?"

Whatever Gohan was expecting, that was not it. It appeared he lucked out, as this was the easiest of questions to answer. Not even the intense stares Aizawa and Tsukauchi were shooting him made him wilt. "I don't enjoy fighting, but I've been blessed with an immense power that many people would kill to have," he responded calmly. "As such, it's only right that I use my power to help those in need. I told you earlier that All Might was one of my idols, and I wasn't kidding. I want to be the next Symbol of Peace."

Tsukauchi paused momentarily. "A noble goal, but one shared by many."

"I'm aware, but that doesn't change anything," Gohan replied, his tone resolute.

Tsukauchi chuckled. "No, I didn't think it would. Tell me, Gohan, how strong do you think you are?"

Gohan winced. Wasn't this guy supposed to be done already? "As I am now, I think I can give All Might a good fight," he admitted.

Tsukauchi hummed thoughtfully. "I see. Well, that ought to wrap it up for now." He beamed at the demi-Saiyan and tipped his fedora. "You've been a great help, and I sincerely apologise for taking up so much of your time. Go home and get some rest, Gohan. You deserve it."

Gohan stood up and bowed to the police officer. "I'm glad I could be of help, sir. Good luck with your investigation."

Aizawa stayed seated, but fixed his pupil with a stern expression. "I'll see you in two days, Son."

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Two days?"

"School is cancelled for tomorrow."

"Ahh. Makes sense." Finally, some welcome news. "See you later, sensei. Goodbye, Officer Tsukauchi." 'Here's hoping I won't have to deal with you again anytime soon,' he mused as an afterthought.

"See you later, Gohan!" Tsukauchi chirped, nearly eliciting a grimace from the boy.

As soon as he was out of the staffroom, Gohan rushed to the nearest bathroom. He turned a tap on full blast and splashed the cold water over his face. Once he was sufficiently drenched, he turned it off with a shaking hand and stared at his reflection in the mirror. That was close… too damn close. Tsukauchi Naomasa didn't look the part, but he was a truly frightening individual.

Gohan placed a hand over his chest, feeling his heart beat a mile a minute. He didn't ever want to experience that kind of tension again. He didn't have a single clue how Tsukauchi's freakish Quirk worked, nor was he able to work out how much information the police officer gleaned from his head – and what he planned on doing with it. All he knew was that he never wanted to see the man again.

With his hands still trembling, he pulled out his phone and typed a text to Sato.

Still alive. Haven't been shipped off yet.

A few seconds later, the phone buzzed, signifying a reply.

Give it time.

Despite himself, Gohan let out a weak chuckle. When things went to shit, at least he always had good banter to fall back on. He put the phone away and wiped his wet face with a paper towel, then swiftly left the bathroom.

With the school now mostly empty, he had the freedom to blitz through the hallways and, upon reaching the campus' exit, rocket into the sky and race towards home. As much as he loved U.A., it was the last place he wanted to be right now. He longed for the comfort and privacy of his apartment.


Trying to fall asleep that night had been a fruitless endeavour.

No matter how long he kept his eyes closed, slumber wouldn't come.

No matter how many sheep he counted, he remained wide awake.

Meditation failed to calm him down, the distressing thoughts from the past 24 hours running rampant in his head.

All Gohan could do was twist and turn restlessly under the covers, his skin slick with sweat, and try to ignore the crippling loneliness he felt in this strange, foreign world.

These kinds of nights were the worst.

Unable to take it anymore, he flung off his covers in rage and screamed a muffled curse into his pillow. He sat up and stared straight ahead, grateful for the faint wisps of moonlight illuminating parts of his bedroom. At times like these, he loathed the darkness.

He shifted his head from side to side, testing his vision, only to find the world was uncharacteristically blurry and his movements unnaturally sluggish. He frowned. Light-headedness was a bitch. He didn't know what being drunk felt like, but he assumed it was something like this. He hated it. It made him feel like an uncoordinated mess, which was unbefitting of a warrior.

He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. It didn't do much to quell the tingling in his hands and feet, but at least it gave his limbs something to do. His frown deepened. Tonight the tingling was worse than usual.

He didn't know how long he sat huddled on his bed. All he knew was that it didn't improve his mood in the slightest; if anything, it made him feel even worse. He felt like a useless lump of shit – and he couldn't take it any longer.

He swung his legs off his bed and trudged woozily towards the kitchen, turning on the light and wincing as his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden brightness. When he regained his vision, he flung open the fridge and withdrew a pitcher of water, which he put to his mouth and gulped down greedily.

Thirst quenched, he left the now empty pitcher in the sink and shuffled to the bathroom, stripping off his sweat-drenched pyjamas along the way. Ten minutes and one ice cold shower later, he was dressed in a dark blue gi, fur boots and a woollen coat. The dizziness had mostly gone, but the tingling was still there. That was okay, though. It usually took longer for that to go away.

He walked over to the balcony and opened the door, instantly being greeted by a sweltering heat. Wearing winter clothing in spring was ill-advised, but that was okay, too. He needed it where he was going. He stepped outside and locked the door behind him, then took to the sky and flew north. He didn't need a map; he'd been there enough times to know the location off by heart.

The brisk chill he got as he soared through the clouds was a welcome sensation, but that all changed a few minutes later when he descended beneath the mist. Frosty winds whipped furiously at his face, but a quick flare of ki solved that problem. Still, despite the energy barrier coating his body, a bit of cold slipped through every now and then.

Siberia was a cruel mistress like that.

And yet, that was why he loved it so much. There was no better shock to the system than working your ass off in one of the harshest environments on Earth.

He landed on the ground and instantly felt his boots sink into several feet of snow. His lip quirked in the most minuscule of smiles. That never got old.

His onyx eyes scanned his surroundings – out of habit more than anything. He knew there wasn't a single habitable environment for hundreds of miles, the impenetrable natural barrier of metre-deep snow and monolithic mountain ranges proving too much for regular people to handle. There was of course the local wolf population, but they knew by now to steer well clear of him. The thought made his frown return. He liked wolves. He'd never hurt them. They didn't know that, though, and he honestly couldn't blame them.

He spread his legs and clenched his fists in front of his body. Faint tendrils of wind and energy swirled around his form, slowly blowing away the snow covering his feet. His spiky hair flashed between black and gold, the tendrils now expanding into a roaring whirlwind that completely shielded him from view. One bloodcurdling roar later, a dazzling sphere of pure golden energy erupted from where he stood, briefly illuminating the pitch blackness of the night.

His hair was now a solid gold, waving to and fro in the deadly winds as an armour of golden flames cloaked his body, but he didn't stop screaming. The earth rumbled dangerously beneath him, but he paid it no heed. The tingling in his limbs hadn't yet faded, but that just spurred him on.

He continued screaming as his power kept on rising, letting the heavens know just what he thought of their bullshit.

He saw Nomu priming a ki blast at him, thin strings attached to its body as it was being manipulated like a puppet by a tall, faceless figure.

He saw his classmates walking away from him in disgust, both terrified and envious of his power.

He saw a giant Bakugo Katsuki's crimson irises glaring down at him from beneath the clouds, the monstrous blond's foot raised and ready to squash him.

He saw Aizawa Shota ordering him to leave the U.A. grounds for good, all the while expressing abject disappointment at his failure.

He saw Tsukauchi Naomasa's unassuming, expressionless face staring right at him, the police-officer's coal-coloured eyes burning a hole into his soul.

With each vision, his rage, frustration and resentment grew, to the point that he didn't care about how hoarse his throat was getting. It was only when he topped out at his current maximum that he stopped his screaming.

For the briefest of moments, he considered ascending, but was cognisant enough to decide against it. There was no need. This was enough.

Huffing from exertion, Gohan took a few heavy breaths to calm himself down, then stared straight ahead, his teal eyes narrowing ominously in the frigid darkness. The tingling in his limbs had faded significantly, now leaving him feeling as though tiny insects were crawling along his skin.

His lip curled into an irritated grimace as he seamlessly slid into a basic fighting stance. He had a long night ahead of him.


AN: Not as much action this time around, but a different kind of drama that was very much needed given what happened last chapter. It was never my intention to make Gohan a Mary Sue who can get away with absurd displays of strength as a child without arousing suspicion. He may have a sizable advantage over his classmates due to his Saiyan DNA, but getting through hero school won't be an easy ride by any means.

Also, as much as he's adapted to his new life, he's still a fish out of water who's been away from his loved ones for over six years and has no clue how to return to them. He's a force of nature whose very existence screws up the natural order of things; he has the power to do so much good in the world, yet he's unable to do so because it's illegal. Being a vigilante can only accomplish so much, and brings with it a whole other set of problems.

He's not an emotionless robot who can sweep his feelings under the rug. While he's been coping well for the most part, the stress of his predicament does get to him sometimes. The whole thing with Nomu using ki, him being unaware of how it's possible, and everything that happened afterwards with his classmates, Aizawa and the police… that shit was a real shock to the system, and it hit him hard. Anxiety is no joke.

That aside, there's something else I'd like to address. As appreciative as I am of people leaving reviews or sending PMs, please don't ask me to reveal future plot details, or tell you what character X's relationship with character Y will be like. As flattered as I am that you're so invested in the story, I'm not going to casually spoil what's going to happen just to sate your curiosity. That would defeat the purpose of writing it in the first place. I love reading all your theories and predictions, and I wholly encourage you to keep making them, but I'm not going to confirm or deny whether they'll actually happen. I hope you understand where I'm coming from.

Anyway, to wrap this up, I'd like to once again thank you all for the support you've given me and this story so far. Last chapter we surpassed both 100k total views and 100 reviews for a single chapter. That's insane, and way beyond what I ever thought possible. As always, if you have the time, please let me know what you thought of this chapter. It ended up way longer than I expected, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Until next time!