Naruto: A Red Eye Hidden by Shadow

by Tatanka4Life

On the fateful night of the Uchiha Massacre, a girl of Uchiha and Nara blood is spared and left with no memories of her past. Now she must walk on the path left by her family to help her build a new future for herself. Her path will be hard, full of struggles and pain, but as long as she has her friends and family at her side she will keep forging ahead, even if it was a drag.

102. Chapter 101: The Last Shinobi

Chapter 101

Pop Quiz: The Last Shinobi

Since her night terrors first began, Amari failed to discover a pattern in their frequency. They were spontaneous. Masters of guerrilla ambush techniques and mental torture. Nothing, beyond the traumas themselves, seemed to provoke the nightmares to slink out of the shadows, attacking her when she was most vulnerable. Nothing she could see, anyway.

She accepted their random nature, though lacked immunity to them. Night terrors were her burden to bear, the painful price Amari paid for the choices she made or tragedies she failed to prevent.

However, when the kunoichi awoke with a start, body burning up and damp with sweat, heart rapidly crashing against her chest, she knew this one had a cause—a trigger.

The scars on her left arm began to pulse and ache; the muscles, tendons and ligaments from her fingertips to her shoulder, along her upper back and into her neck stiffened into stone under an invisible paralysis technique. And as the engulfing wave of agony crashed through her, Amari recognized the source of this night terror ambush: the heavy dose of anxiety and stress injected into her heart over the last two days.

Amari grit her teeth, jaw tense. She struggled to fight the covers off her body. Kicking her legs, throwing her right arm because her left hurt too much, she fought to free herself of her cocoon of suffocating heat. The absence of blankets granted cool air access to her sweaty, burning body. She forced herself to sit upright, face scrunching as she clutched at her wounded arm.

"Geh! Argghhh!" she growled and grimaced.

The kunoichi was breathing like a gravely wounded animal. She sucked in oxygen, hissed and wheezed on the exhales; her body trembled violently and the sensory neurons in her arm screamed and wept in agony as the scars unzipped themselves.

All she could see when she glanced at the limb were open wounds. Blood. Blood. Crimson blood was painted over the pale limb, streaming down and dripping off her stiff fingertips. It sent her deeper into a panic.

You're not bleeding. It's just a nightmare. It's just a nightmare. You're awake now. Breathe. Breathe. The wounds aren't real.

She grimaced and wheezed.

So why am I still in pain?

Why can I still see mist around me?

Why can I still hear the cries of those men dying?

Amari stared at her trembling left palm. The blood was still there. It hurt. It wasn't supposed to hurt anymore. She was breathing faster. Gasping for air, whimpering on exhales, wishing she could just call out to her mother to save her.

But she couldn't. She wasn't home anymore. She was trapped in a foreign world, surrounded by strangers, so far away from the person she needed most right now.

I…can't…

Hunching forward, she clutched her arm tighter, ground her teeth together and struggled desperately against the overwhelming sense of despair consuming her.

I just…I want to go home!

Hot tears burned in her eyes.

Mom, Shisui, someone, please help me!

The mist grew thicker. The crackle of the Lightning Blade approached, highlighting the streaks of mist with a hue of pulsing blue. For Amari, the air grew too cold against her sweat soaked skin; somewhere deeper in the mist, she could hear a train, the cranking gears from machines of war echoing in terrible duet with cries of agony as flecks of blood splattered over pure white snow.

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe! The mist danced with demonic silhouettes and death. The fog of her tears obscured their true shapes. There were monsters in the dark. Laughing cruelly, shrieking intensely. Louder, closer, drawing so close she could feel their warm, pungent breath on her freezing neck.

When the scar on her face began to burn, the kunoichi felt her entire world begin to collapse on itself, felt the Will of Fire dimming and the darkness contaminating her from the inside.

Please…I don't want to be alone.

"Amaririsu."

The figure glided through the mist, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed that wasn't hers. In the foreign bedroom she barely recognized. Amari's eyes, wide and teary, locked onto the sparkling blue orbs obscured by mist.

The eye color was wrong. The pony-tailed hair was wrong. The glasses and mole were wrong, as was the curvaceous and voluptuous silhouette she cut into the mist. None of them matched her mother.

"Miss Nemuri," she whimpered.

Amari was desperate for help. For comfort. Desperate, and humiliated by her desperation and weakness. By her tears and inability to say or do anything more than whimper in an unspoken plea.

An unspoken plea heard loud and clear by the Pro Hero.

Nemuri smiled warmly, wrapped an arm around the trembling, sweat covered form of Amari and gently pulled her into an embrace. She held her close, stroking her nimble fingers through her damp hair, tenderly massaging away the tension in her arm.

"You're safe now, Amaririsu. You're safe. It was only a nightmare. You have nothing to fear here. I'll protect you."

It was the one thing she needed to hear.

Her tears poured forth. She choked down a broken sob, burying her face into Nemuri's collarbone, breathing heavily, crying. Slowly, the mist began to clear, the malicious shadows within shrinking and scurrying into non-existence. The memories retreated. Her scars still burned, her arm still hurt. But those, too, would fade in time.

Nemuri held her in her arms until she calmed down. After blowing her nose and wiping away her tears, Amari changed out of her sweat-soaked clothes into one of the Pro Hero's shirt. It was more like a dress on the girl's body, the hem settling below her knees and the shirt better fit for someone of Lady Tsunade's frame.

They returned to her bed. Nemuri sat on the edge again and held Amari's hand in hers; she examined her with a sympathetic expression.

"Do you think you'll be able to get to sleep again?

"I…don't know," she admitted softly.

"I can use my Quirk, if you'd like. I can emit a sleep-inducing fragrance from my body; it should keep you in a dreamless slumber."

Amari consented to the idea with a quiet nod. Dreamless. Yes, that sounded nice tonight.

"Okay." Nemuri lifted her wrist to the Nara's nose. "All you need to do is breathe in deeply."

She obeyed the command. Her nostrils perked up at the sweet scent of lilac.

"That smells really…" Sudden exhaustion fell over the Nara. Her eyelids grew heavy, her muscles relaxed on their own and her body began to collapse sideways. "…Good…"

She was asleep before she hit the mattress.

---

The grogginess Amari awoke with was reminiscent of overdoing Shadow Clone training.

She sat in bed, stifling unrelenting and teary yawns. She rubbed both of her hands down her face. Stared into oblivion. Rubbed her eyes for a second time. Then, after an estimated ten minutes of no movement, slipped out from beneath the sheet to begin her morning.

Groggily, she lumbered to the bathroom first, covering her mouth as she yawned. The shower was pleasant. Warm. For a few peaceful moments, she stood beneath the warm water and shut her eyes, savoring the sensation of the gentle waterfall flowing over her head, through her hair and down her face, streaming across her short, fit and scarred frame. Amari hugged her arms over her belly and exhaled a deep breath.

When she finally exited the bathroom—clean, dry and dressed in Nemuri's giant grey shirt—she was stifling another yawn, but she didn't feel like a total zombie anymore. A small victory, but a decent one. A necessary win after last night.

Out of her room and into the main living space, she could hear the hum of a laundry dryer and the distinct sound of Nemuri chopping up vegetables in the kitchen.

"Good morning," she yawned as she entered the kitchen.

Her eyes were drawn to Nemuri, who dressed in a silver, silk nightdress and furry pink slippers. The nightdress hung at her knees, hugging flush against her curvaceous form; the nude flesh of her cleavage was displayed in vivid detail. Had Master Jiraiya been present, the Nara was certain he would've shot off to the moon with a bloody nose.

Not for the first time, Amari was amazed by her mature body and natural beauty.

She'd heard the envy of girls and women alike over certain women in the Leaf. Many envied Lady Tsunade, who was renowned for her beauty around the whole shinobi world. After seeing her in person, seeing her eyes in detail and her voluptuous body, Amari couldn't blame those girls or women for their envy. Lady Tsunade was truly a specimen of female beauty and strength.

Anko Mitarashi was another figure of envy. She, like Lady Tsunade, was the fantasy of men and women of the Leaf. She wasn't the conventional beauty, or the conventional woman. She was eccentric, hot-tempered, brash and unapologetically crude at times. But the Snake Mistress of Konoha embodied confidence. She was comfortable in her own skin, and unafraid to wield her charm and sensuality as a means to fluster others. After witnessing her in combat firsthand, and interacting with her out of battle, Amari understood the envy.

Then there was her mother: Kurenai Yūhi. In body and spirit, Kurenai was by all accounts a beautiful woman. She was equally fit with curves that made men envy Asuma when they saw the couple together. She was confident, sincere, strong and kind. Amari had heard girls and women praise her mother for her beauty since the Genjutsu Master first became her guardian, and in their praise were hints of their envy for which Amari could never blame them.

One day, she, too, hoped to attain the perfect balance of body and spirit beauty Kurenai was blessed with.

Nemuri was blessed with a combination of all three's traits: A voluptuous body like Lady Tsunade, the unapologetic, explicit display of her confidence and comfort in her own skin like Anko and the warm kindness and natural beauty of Kurenai.

The Pro Hero paused her cut of a cucumber to greet Amari with a sincere smile.

"Ah, good morning! I was about to come wake you up. Your clothes are in the dryer now and should be done in a few minutes. I'll be finished preparing breakfast shortly. I hope you don't mind fruits and vegetables; it was an oversight of mine not to ask what kind of food you like to eat."

"I don't mind. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Hm? Oh, no," Nemuri smiled. "All I have to do is cut this cucumber. After breakfast I'll finish getting ready and we'll depart to U.A."

Breakfast consisted of slices of celery and cucumber with hints of sea salt, grapes, blueberries, an orange, a banana and strawberry flavored yogurt. It without a doubt filled the Nara's belly up, and she appreciated the healthy meal. However, an awkward air floated between her and the Pro Hero.

She's trying to pretend it didn't happen, likely for my sake, Amari realized as she changed back into her clothes in her room.

The gesture was appreciated. Nemuri clearly didn't want to push her to speak about it, worried it might negatively affect the Nara further. Amari couldn't lie, the nightmare and the reality she was currently stuck in still haunted her. Anxiety remained. Frustration bubbled in her heart at herself for causing this mess with a faulty Seal.

But I've decided to try the Summoning Jutsu. She tied her forehead protector around her neck and examined the symbol. I have to know if I can return home. It's the only way I can ease this burden, or begin preparations for a future in this world.

First, she wanted to express her gratitude to Nemuri. She wanted her to know it was okay—that she was okay and greatly appreciated her support and comfort.

When Midnight returned from her room, she was attired in skintight bodysuit and dominatrix outfit that made her Hero outfit. Amari met her in the living room.

"Are you prepared, Amaririsu?"

"Yes, but first. Miss Nemuri." Amari bent forward at her waist in a deep bow. "Thank you. I didn't expect or want anyone to witness the after effects of my nightmares. I'm sorry I woke you up. But I'm extremely grateful to you for comforting me through it, for helping me return from the past back to the present. It wasn't your responsibility or your problem, but you still reached out to help me, even when I refused to cry out for help. It's because of you I was able to calm down, because of your support and your promise to protect me. I…needed that, more than you know. More than I can admit, but—"

Nemuri's gentle hands rested on her shoulders and guided her up.

"Amaririsu." The Pro Hero smiled kindly at her. "I will protect you as long as you need me to."

"I…haven't done nearly enough to deserve this generosity and kindness."

"Kindness and generosity are gifts we can give each other without needing a reason."

"…May I hug you, Miss Nemuri?"

Nemuri's smile became warm. She nodded and allowed the Nara to embrace her tightly.

She smelled of sweet lilac.

The Pro Hero wrapped one arm around her and glided her other hand nimbly through Amari's wild blue hair.

Their embrace lasted another moment before Amari detached herself from Nemuri.

The scent of lilac lingered in her nostrils for the rest of the day.

---

The moment of truth had arrived.

Inside the teacher's lounge, Amari anxiously tugged at the hem of her purple tank top trying to summon the necessary strength to confront fate. All Might stood near the window. He observed her nervous mannerisms with soft and sincere eyes, wishing he could aid her, but incapable of being anything more than a helpless bystander.

Principal Nezu, seated on the couch, sipped from his glass of tea quietly. Nemuri lounged patiently beside the principal, one leg crossed over the other.

Aizawa leaned his back against the entry door, arms crossed over his chest and tired eyes shut. Had this been any other situation, Amari was certain he would scold her for irrational behavior, for wasting precious time when work needed to be done. However, the disheveled man said nothing.

He, like his fellow teachers, recognized this was bigger than them, bigger than their normal lives.

What transpired in these next minutes had the potential to alter and destroy Amari's entire shinobi life. It could rip from her the world she called home, and with it the people she cherished. In its absence she would be left to pick up the shattered pieces of her future in a foreign world, surrounded by strangers in a society that didn't fully align with the world she knew.

If the Summoning Jutsu worked, and Osamu could Reverse Summon himself back to the home of the Crows, this trip would merely be a short detour—a vacation to a new world. If it failed… If the Summoning Jutsu did not work, or Osamu could not Reverse Summon himself, then this world would become her permanent home.

If this failed, the world she knew and the people she loved would be lost. Forever.

Atsuko is the Head of the Crows, thought Amari, pinching and tugging at the hem of her tank top. She has other responsibilities beyond me, to the Crows and to the Leaf. Though I'm sure she would willingly abandon it all to stay at my side, I can't force her to leave our world behind. Not when I trust her to take care of everyone for me.

Amari shut her eyes, inhaled a deep, controlled breath. Then exhaled sharply. She sank into a crouch and buried her face into her hands.

"Kami, this is worse than fighting Zabuza, Orochimaru and the Akatsuki," she hissed quietly. "I'm so petrified, I can barely think."

"Maybe we should try this later," Nemuri offered kindly.

"No. She must do this now," said Aizawa decisively. "The longer she waits, the more accustomed to this world she'll become. Rather than face this answer, she'll resign to her circumstance and never make an attempt again. Isn't that right, Amaririsu?"

"Yes, but… Aizawa, she may be a soldier, but she's still a child. This is her whole world at stake. Our lives will continue on regardless of what occurs here, but for her…"

"You may see prolonging this as a kindness, but in reality it is cruel, Midnight. Look at her. She's trembling. Amaririsu is afraid, for a rational reason. It's eating away at her from the inside every minute she spends in our world. Prolonging this answer will only intensify her current feelings.

"I'm well aware she is a child. But you're underestimating her strength and Will, Midnight. She doesn't need to be coddled; it's insulting to her. I know Pros well into their first decade of Hero work that would fall apart if they endured what she has. And as All Might said, should she be stuck in this world, we'll do all we can to help her. That's what Heroes do."

You hide it well, but you're a kind man, Mr. Aizawa, Amari thought, threading her fingers into her hair. Her scalp was damp. Trembles wracked her small frame. She was hot and uncomfortable and on the verge of a mental and emotional breakdown. Anxiety tightened her chest, set her fight or flight instinct into overdrive; it was hard to breathe. Her heart squeezed itself into her throat, obstructing the airway as it thundered and pulsed powerfully.

She sensed rather than heard All Might's footsteps approach; her heartbeat was too loud. He knelt down beside her and rested his large but painfully thin hand on her shoulder.

"I cannot say I understand what you are feeling or what you are going through right now, Young Yūhi. It'd be disingenuous of me." He squeezed her shoulder in solidarity. "But have faith. Even if the hope is a slim possibility, you must reach out and grasp it. Find your Will of Fire. Fan its flames until it becomes an unquenchable inferno and take destiny into your own hands!"

Slowly, Amari lifted her eyes from the floor to meet his. His blue orbs glowed like incandescent metal heated at a forge, piercing through the darkness that permeated and obstructed through fear and despair with hope and strength. He smiled widely.

"I believe this Summoning Jutsu of yours will work! Trust in yourself. Have faith in this lingering flame of possibility you've kindled! The family you lost and the family waiting for you at home are reaching their hands out to you." He raised his free hand and clutched it into a fist. "It's time for you to reach back!"

It took all of her restraint not to tackle hug the man. His smile, his words… Yes, she could see why this world called him the Symbol of Peace.

The kunoichi smiled through her nerves with renewed strength and nodded.

"Right."

All Might rose to his full height but stayed at her side.

Remaining in a crouch, Amari bit down on her thumb, swiped the warm blood over her palm and weaved her handseals in quick succession. She didn't allow herself a moment of doubt. This would work. It had to.

She slammed her palm onto the floor.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

The intricate fūinjutsu Seal formed on the floor, followed by a puff of smoke. The teachers all watched the smoke intently, searching for the silhouette or form of another being to become visible. Amari sensed the result instantly.

A black wing, with an iridescent blue shine, swept the smoke away.

"Lady Haya, how may I be of service?" Osamu asked, his Leaf forehead protector gleaming in the light.

"Osamu," she whispered in reverence, eyes pricking with tears. She almost fell apart then and there. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you right now."

The Crow tilted his head in confusion, though smiling in appreciation.

"I am always pleased to see you, Lady Haya. However, why are you almost moved to tears? Has something terrible occurred?"

"You could say that," she choked on a giggle. She sniffled and wiped at her nose. "It's a long story. But… Osamu, I need you to do something for me."

"May I ask who these strangers are? In fact…" The Crow began to examine their surroundings. "Where are we? These individuals are not natives of the Leaf. Lady Haya, please tell me you haven't left the Leaf without permission, or without reasonable cause."

"Osamu, I promise to explain everything soon. But I need you to Reverse Summon only yourself back home."

"Lady Haya—"

"Please, Osamu. I need to know if you can. But don't Reverse Summon me with you. I know it's a strange request, but please trust me."

"Mm." Osamu hummed in discontent. "If I can, you say. A most disturbing phrase."

He paused and shut his eyes. After a moment, he nodded.

"As you command, Lady Haya."

Then he vanished.

Amari collapsed back onto her butt, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

"Yes!" All Might cheered, pumping both his fists into the air.

"Excellent! Simply excellent!" Principal Nezu clapped his paws in joy.

Nemuri stood, strode over to the downed girl and wrapped her in an embrace, grinning widely.

"This is wonderful, Amaririsu! It's okay to cry. Don't apologize for it, don't try to hide it."

"It worked. I can't…I'm so happy! I…I…was so afraid I couldn't…"

"I know. I know. It's okay. Everything is okay now. You, my sweet and innocent little lady, will not be restrained here against your desires. Oh, this is so wonderful!"

Aizawa lowered his chin and smiled.

"All right," he spoke up after a moment. "It's best you summon the Crow again, to prove it wasn't a fluke. Then I suspect the two of you will have plenty to discuss."

The kunoichi agreed and performed the Summoning Jutsu again. Osamu appeared more disoriented than she'd ever seen him. Ignoring his disorientation, Amari lunged forward and wrapped the Crow in a hug, tears dripping onto his feathers.

"Osamu, I know you're confused. But please do not Reverse Summon me just yet."

"I…I was home for barely a breath," he murmured in astonishment. "Yet your emotional state and this environment have changed positions quicker than time should allow. This is most strange. Is this the result of a space-time ninjutsu accident?"

The kunoichi giggled and released the Crow. "Nailed it, Osamu." She lifted her left arm out for him to climb. "This will take some time to explain, but let me introduce you to everyone."

"How long have you been here, Lady Haya?" Osamu asked, hopping up onto her arm.

"About two full days."

"Two days?" the Crow gasped. "Impossible! There have been no alerts of your absence. I spoke to Lady Atsuko mere hours ago and she gave no indication that you were missing. Your disappearance would send her into a frenzy."

"Space-time ninjutsu accident, remember?"

"…This is most troubling," he sighed. "But I will allow you to explain the situation. First, who might these strangers be? Clearly they mean no ill will to you."

She provided introductions first then went on to explain the basic situation to her feathered companion as quickly as the complicated nature of it allowed, aware the teachers and principal would soon depart for the beginning of the school day. Osamu listened without speaking a single word, digesting the information in thoughtful silence.

When the Nara finally stopped to take a breath after endless rambling, Osamu spoke.

"So, there are other worlds besides our own. How truly remarkable. Never could I have suspected such a reality before, nor would I have ever believed I would witness it with my own eyes. Incredible. Simply incredible. Yet that bodes the curious question: How many more worlds exist? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? As many possibilities as there are grains of sand in the Land of Wind?"

Amari, who was seated on the couch beside Midnight, nodded.

"Makes my head spin. I'm just happy I have a way home."

"As am I, Lady Haya. However, we should summon Lady Atsuko here as well. Should she learn of your absence soon, your intention to help this world will be swept out from under you."

"Are you sure it is okay for her to stay? We wouldn't want to trouble you," Principal Nezu said.

"It is no trouble," Osamu shook his head. "In fact, I am confident Lady Atsuko will approve once the fear of losing Lady Haya passes. Time appears to flow differently between our worlds. If we Crows haven't learned of Lady Haya's absence, when we monitor her relentlessly, then I can only suspect seconds or minutes have passed since this accident occurred. Let us assume five minutes have passed in our world since the Flying Raijin failed. It would take another two hundred and eighty-eight days here for one whole day to pass in our world."

"True, and you'll both be gone long before then. That explains why you only appeared in your world for a single moment; a minute or so here may be fractions of a second where you are from."

"Yes, I suspect you are right," Osamu nodded.

"Or that may not be it at all," said Amari, bringing her hand to her chin. "Our world may be suspended in time at the exact moment I activated my faulty Seal."

"Would that be possible?" Nemuri asked. "To freeze an entire world at an exact moment in time?"

"Yes, or I believe it might be. My Mama's space-time ninjutsu placed me and six others in a separate space—another dimension, you could say, where the outside world beyond the Seal was frozen. Fūinjutsu is a fascinating art, and the limitations are unknown.

"I'm not saying I'm powerful enough to stop time in an entire world; I haven't mastered fūinjutsu or become an expert of the field. I'm not arrogant enough to claim time in my world won't continue unless I'm there. But its clear time isn't moving naturally in my world; it may be frozen altogether. Or the exact moment my Seal activated created a focal point in time."

"A focal point?" All Might repeated.

"Ah, I see what you mean," Nezu nodded, smiling. "The focal point acts as your anchor. Your Summoning Jutsu travels between our worlds—different time streams. But you can only travel back to the moment when you activated your fūinjutsu. Assuming this is true, you wouldn't be able to travel further into the past or future. You and those you bring over are locked to that exact moment in time in your world, because that's where you opened the door to our world.

"However, this is all speculation. There may be another conclusion we have yet to consider. Time is a wonderful mystery, wouldn't you say?"

"Regardless," Aizawa cut in, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "This meeting is at its end. School will begin in a ten minutes." He drew his eyes to her. "Yūhi, remember to conceal your identity if you leave the lounge. My students still believe you're a Villain. We'll use that to our advantage tomorrow."

"Right," she nodded.

"And they say I'm a sadist," Midnight grinned with sadistic charm. "Poor Class 1-A will be left curled up, stinging and aching and begging for release when Amaririsu has her way with them."

The kunoichi blushed. Aizawa, she noticed, smiled darkly for the briefest moment. It was the same fiendish smile she expected Ibiki showed Aoi Rokushō to make him scream.

He dropped it for a passive expression.

"I'll get the personality profiles to you after homeroom is over."

"Thank you."

The meeting was adjourned. Midnight and Aizawa departed first, but not before the former ruffled Amari's hair fondly and teased her for the 'virgin blush' on her face. Nezu climbed down from the couch, straightened his dress pants and vest then clasped his paws behind his back. The Principal directed his undivided attention to her.

"I do agree with Aizawa's assessment to change our Finals."

"Couldn't you change them on your own? You are the Principal, Mr. Nezu," Amari pointed out.

"Yes, I could. In fact, I already have! The teachers are unaware of it just yet," he added with an excited influx of his voice. All Might sighed, as if he should have known the truth all along. "However, this is a lesson for both our students and our teachers. We must all continue to adapt to changing circumstances, even those we are unprepared for." He motioned his paw to her. "Such as a stranger from an unknown world.

"All of our teachers and the other classes, including our upperclassmen, will witness your battle against Class 1-A. They will see a young girl dismantle an entire Class of future Heroes. For the students, this is an important lesson they must learn now: In our world of Heroes, there is always someone faster, stronger or smarter you must overcome. This is a chance for all of them to see how real our war against Villains can be."

Osamu and Amari nodded along in agreement.

"Specifically for Class 1-A, this I believe will be an important step to temper their reckless over-confidence with humility." Nezu lowered his head. "Recently, a few of our students rushed into battle against The Hero Killer: Stain. I fear the incident at the U.S.J. and their star-making performances in the Sports Festival, as well as the media attention surrounding them, has inflated their sense of power when they are still first year students. Fledgling trainees on a road towards becoming Heroes.

"Although I am proud my students possess the hearts of Heroes, willing to jump in and help others without fear for their own safety, I do not want their futures to be snuffed out before they can truly bloom. These children represent the future of Hero society. They have goals and dreams I wish for them to accomplish."

He met her eyes again. His high-pitched voice dropped an octave to a slightly lower, serious tone.

"That is why I must ask you, Amaririsu Yūhi, to please help them. Teach them all you have learned from your experiences. Show all of us the power shinobi wield."

Amari nodded sharply. "I will, sir."

"Excellent!" The drastic shift to bubbling excitement caught her off guard. All Might, too, seemed to recoil slightly. "Now then, I must return to my duties. All Might, will you be staying a while longer?"

"I will, Principal Nezu."

"Well, be sure to give this Atsuko our warmest greetings as well!"

"Of course, sir," All Might smiled.

No matter what else happened during her stay, Amari was certain nothing could ruin her good mood. She nuzzled against Osamu and smiled.

Home wasn't out of reach.

---

"Two final important pieces of business before your first period begins," Aizawa drawled tiredly. He paused, lifted his eye dropper up and dripped the liquid onto his right eye first. Then his left. The dry eye his Quirk caused was such an annoyance.

His class remained silent. Curious, certainly, but also timid in the prolonged silence; he liked to keep them on their toes.

"Right," he began after putting away his eye drops. "First, All Might will be conducting your training today at Ground Beta. This will occur right before lunch."

"Before?!" many of his more irrational students shrieked.

"Quiet," Aizawa silenced them with a glare. "Consider it a difficulty multiplier. Do you think Pro Heroes always get to eat a meal before a disaster strikes or a Villain attacks? No. Disasters and Villains don't care if you haven't eaten since breakfast. Sometimes you fight hungry, and you will overcome that obstacle if you plan to save others. If you can become a Pro, you'll learn firsthand that food and sleep don't abide by any normal schedule. You eat and sleep when you can.

"Pro Heroes overcome mild discomforts and inconveniences daily. If that's impossible for you then you better leave the Hero Course now and find a different occupation."

No one spoke. No one stood up to leave either.

Good.

"Now then," he continued, "the final thing we need to discuss is your upcoming test."

As expected, Tenya Iida's hand shot up.

"Sir, do you have information on the Final Exam?"

"No. That's not the test I'm talking about."

Aizawa listened to the quiet murmurs cross his classroom. Nerves. Discomfort at the possibility of an entirely different test they were unaware of.

Internally, the Erasure Hero smiled like a devil. Let's see how you handle this.

Momo Yaoyorozu raised her hand next, as expected.

"Mr. Aizawa, sir, what test do you mean? I thought our Finals were the last test of this semester."

This time he smiled outwardly, and savored the sweet fear of death that crossed his students faces.

"There's been a change of plans." He heard many of his students gulp. Others were beginning to sweat. "You can consider this a major Pop Quiz. A written Exam. And it's happening tomorrow."

"A- a major Pop Quiz?" Denki Kaminari gulped.

"Ah, man. I've been psyched up by our Finals, but now we have a major Pop Quiz, too?" Eijiro Kirishima muttered.

"Oh no! I'm already getting scared!" Toru Hagakure wiggled in her seat.

Tsuyu Asui raised her hand calmly.

"Yes, Asui?"

"Um, Mr. Aizawa, is it really a Pop Quiz if you tell us about it beforehand?"

Aizawa grinned fiendishly. It gave off the dark aura of fire and brimstone surrounding him.

He felt even his stoic students begin to feel dread.

"Good question, Asui," he said, dark amusement dripping from his voice. "You should all consider that carefully."

The bell for the end of homeroom rang precisely on time. Aizawa took his leave.

Opening the door, he paused and glanced back at his students.

"Try not to worry too much. It's only half your grade at stake."

He exited and shut the door behind him. A sinister smirk of satisfaction crawled onto his lips at the wails, shouts and the sound of hands slamming against desks in disbelief, dismay and purest terror on the other side of the door.

You should all know by now I play by my own rules, he thought. It's a rational deception you must learn to see through.

The world gives no pity to fools. It's full of dishonest people waiting to take advantage of your kind and naïve hearts. My job is to prevent that from happening, that way you don't mistake a Villain for an innocent bystander or an ally.

It will seem cruel now. But you'll understand one day.

Still, he lowered his chin and smiled, strolling down the hall casually, all of you have a wake-up call tomorrow. Today Amaririsu Yūhi's worst fears were eased. She has a home to return to and now has the support from two of her trusted comrades.

A good way to start his day, if there ever was one.

She'll be even more focused than before. And she will be merciless.

It was the only rational way to test them, to force them to treat her as a Villain. In this situation they could fail without lives on the line, without the possibility of dying.

All of you will understand. One day.

---

"So, Haya Uchiha is your birth name. But due to this genjutsu forced amnesia you couldn't recall your history, and the boys you met at the orphanage gave you the name Amaririsu. Then Kurenai Yūhi adopted you after you were found. Hm." All Might clutched his chin in thought. He analyzed the shogi board between them. "I see. That's why you said it wouldn't be the first time you lost everything in our first discussion."

"Yes."

"Which name would you prefer me to use?"

"Young Yūhi is fine," she giggled. "Really. Both names are mine. Haya Uchiha and Amaririsu Yūhi are the same person, they're me. I answer to both and cherish both."

"You are a remarkable girl, Young Yūhi," All Might smiled.

"That she is, though she isn't keen to admit it," Atsuko teased.

"Atsuko," she whined, blushing.

"Lady Haya certainly has a remarkable penchant for shocking circumstances such as this," Osamu joined in.

"O- Osamu!"

"Mm. I cannot deny that. It appears to be a hereditary trait," Atsuko nodded sagely.

"At- Atsuko!"

Betrayed by both of her truest companions! This was a tragedy! An insurmountable defeat for the great Amaririsu Yūhi!

All Might laughed heartily at her embarrassment. The two Crows joined him. Amari sank and dropped her head in utter defeat.

"I think I'll move…"

The Pro Hero made his move. Amari, without needing to look, having expected and predicted his next maneuver, made hers.

"To think I was happy to see you both," she mumbled.

"Oh, don't pout, Young Haya. We are both pleased to be here at your side in this foreign world. I must insist, however, that we do not prolong our stay more than a few days. It isn't our place to meddle in another world beyond our current mission. Time may be still in our world, but it isn't for us."

The Nara nodded, raising her head to look at her faithful companion.

"I know. I don't intend to stay too long. We have our own war to fight back home. But I can't pass up this opportunity to help the next generation here. One of the lessons they need to learn now is the same my team learned in the Land of Waves, it's one of the lessons Principal Nezu wants me to teach them."

She drew her eyes back to the shogi board.

"Before Zabuza and Haku, we were all self-assured in our talents—me and Sasuke especially. I knew there could be shinobi barely older than me, but out of my league in skills and strength, but I'd never experienced it. I never once considered my own hypocrisies or my naïve sense of superiority over my teammates.

"Zabuza and Haku helped us all learn that lesson the hard way. We learned our inadequacies, our weaknesses and our hypocrisies in the heat of a life or death battle. And in the end…" Her right hand found its way to her left arm. All Might and the Crows watched the action with knowing expressions. "We all sacrificed a piece of our souls on that bridge. These kids may not be as lucky as we were. They may sacrifice more than a piece of their soul. They may lose their lives, or lose their dreams through a permanent injury."

She clutched her left hand into a fist. "I can teach them that lesson, and maybe a few others, without their lives ever truly being in danger. They must confront their weaknesses, their egos, their hypocrisies and all else that obscures their vision. The battlefield is no place for doubt, wounded pride or egotistical glory seekers.

"For that reason, I'll show them no mercy. I have no choice but to defeat all twenty-one of them, to show them the harsh reality of true battle." The Uchiha smirked. "Besides, I want to see what the next generation here is capable of. I bet it'll be a good exercise."

All Might grinned. "I wouldn't underestimate my students."

"I never underestimate an enemy, Mr. All Might. But be careful—underestimating an Uchiha and the Crows of the Leaf is a risky gamble."

"Indeed, it is an irrevocable mistake," Osamu nodded.

"A mistake with fatal consequences," Atsuko agreed with mirth in her voice.

"You…are all quite scary when you want to be," All Might said, a bullet of sweat on his brow.

The trio shared in laughter.

Suddenly the door ripped opened. All Might choked on a spray of blood.

"Heya! Gather around and listen well, my faithful listeners! It's time for some breaking news! Can I get a yeaahhhh!" screeched the individual to arrive.

Standing in the doorway was Present Mic, the man who dressed like a rockstar, who apparently talked like a radio show host and yelled like they were hard of hearing. He was jabbing his fingers enthusiastically at the gathered group, waiting for a reply.

"Uh…yeah?" Amari offered.

All Might slammed his fist against his chest, hacking up blood. Atsuko and Osamu tilted their heads as if they'd seen the strangest person in the world. Amari was impressed; they knew Might Guy.

"I appreciate your participation, my little listener!" he grinned and pointed at her.

"Mic, would you shut the door!" All Might hissed.

"Uh…" The man blinked, took in the environment. Then he chuckled nervously, scooted inside the door and closed it. "Hehe, my bad, All Might."

"Don't worry about it," the Pro Hero sighed. "What's this about breaking news, or something?"

Taking on his role as an announcer again, Present Mic began to speak.

"Eraser Head sent me to pass a message on to our newest, long-distance listener! Do ya feel me? Said she needs to head to the Development Studio and show Power Loader some Weighted Seals, that way our master inventor can forge a new, fresh and stylish version that adds a quarter of the wearers body weight! Can I hear someone say Plus Ultraaaa?!"

Amari highly doubted any of those particular words or enthusiasm came from Aizawa.

"Plus…Ultra?"

"No, no, no, little listener!" Present Mic wagged his finger. "It's not a question! This is the school slogan we're talking about! From your diaphragm, scream it so all the world can hear ya!"

Amari didn't want to scream.

"How about we rein this in a little," All Might came to her aid. "We don't need the entire school knowing she's here, remember?"

"Does this Power Loader know who I am?" she asked.

"Yes," All Might nodded. "The faculty was informed so there wouldn't be any misunderstandings if you ever encountered them. Power Loader is in charge of the Development Studio and is likely expecting you, if Aizawa is sending you to him. Though you should still disguise yourself on the chance there are other students there."

"Okay. I'll head there now." Amari rose to her feet, moved her piece and turned on her heel. "Checkmate, Mr. All Might."

The Pro Hero recoiled, eyes going wide. "Huh?! How did you—"

"Oh man! The Last Shinobi has toppled the Symbol of Peace in a one-sided beat down! Has the world gone mad?! Is this the end of All Might? Will he ever recover from this devastating loss?" Present Mic announced enthusiastically.

"Seriously, Mic?" All Might whined.

Present Mic stopped Amari at the door, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and turning her back around to face their audience. He made a grand gesture to the room's occupants with his hand.

"Would you like to offer a comment to your adoring fans, little listener?"

She couldn't resist.

"He was playing into my hands the whole time," said the kunoichi.

"Owwww!" Present Mic snapped upright, grabbing at his forehead as if struck, grinning from ear to ear. All Might, on the other hand, slouched and dropped his head. "What a brutal response from Amaririsu Yūhi! An assassin with words and her blade, this girl has no filter whatsoever! And the crowd loves it!"

Atsuko and Osamu were certainly entertained. All Might looked ready to become an assassin himself to eliminate Present Mic.

The kunoichi departed after taking on her transformation again.

All was silent in the empty halls of U.A. High School. The shinobi glided towards her destination with ghostly silence dressed in the school uniform, her pony-tailed raven black hair swaying along her back. Not a single soul in the building knew she was there.

During her first night at U.A. High School, when she had been hunting for her equipment, Amari came upon the Development Studio but hadn't bothered to enter.

Based on what Aizawa wanted her to do, and Present Mic's words, it was the main studying location for future inventors of the Support Equipment used by Heroes—such as Present Mic's voice amplifier.

She recalled All Might explaining the different course curriculum's.

U.A. split their students into four courses. First and foremost was the Hero Course for aspiring Heroes. Then there were the students of General Studies, which consisted of those who couldn't pass the Entrance Exam or weren't aspiring to be Pro Heroes but still sought to study at the prestigious school. The Business Course consisted of students who planned to manage and market Heroes for professional agencies. Finally there was the Support Course, consisting of individuals who sought to become legal builders of Support Items for Heroes.

I doubt there are any mad scientists here, Amari thought as she approached the door. But I bet the amount of creativity that goes on inside is incredible, especially given the strange technology they all already possess.

As Amari reached for the door, she felt the sudden rush of super-heated air glide over her skin. Then an explosion tore the door off, enveloping her within a cloud of smoke and heat. Something human-sized crashed into her chest with tremendous force, knocking the wind out of the shinobi and blowing her off her feet.

She slammed to the floor back first and slid to a stop near the opposite wall.

Despite the explosion and collision, her glasses miraculously did not fall off her face. Somehow, an even greater miracle by her standards, her Transformation held, though it felt like she was trying to suck her belly in so her bellybutton and spine could meet for the first time.

"Ow," she groaned, eyes squeezed shut. The weight of whatever crashed into her, she realized, was still pressing down on her entire torso. "How troublesome. Did Mr. Aizawa set this up to test my reaction time? How am I supposed to dodge an explosion I'm not prepared for? Troublesome adult. How can he call this rational?"

"Oh, hi there!"

The chipper, female voice was uncomfortably close. She could feel their warm breath brush over her nose and cheeks, the tickle of their hair brush over her neck. The human-sized object, it turned out, was an actual human.

The individual didn't sound like they stood at the epicenter of an explosion and lived to tell the tale, or as if they hadn't accidentally been propelled into another person, who they tackled and continued to lie on top of. Their chipper voice made Amari wonder if they discovered a mountain where sweets grew from trees and the rolling hills were made of ice cream.

Amari creaked her eyes open. Yellow irises containing thin crosses of a scope lens stared directly into her eyes with burgeoning excitement. Pink dreadlocks, held back by red and gold steampunk goggles, fell around the stranger's face. They braced their hands on either side of the kunoichi's body, though their body still lay flush against hers.

Whoever this girl was hadn't lost her smile despite smelling of smoke, bearing smudge stains of oil or grease on her face and surviving an explosion.

"Hi," the Nara groaned. "Are you all right?"

"I'm perfect!" she practically sang. "That experiment has given me a new perspective! Now I know exactly what I need to do to make my precious baby work! I can't wait to draw its new designs and make it into an even cuter baby! And your body provided all the cushion I needed! Thanks, stranger!"

"Glad I could help, I guess. Um, could you…"

Amari shifted her eyes down. A terrible mistake. The stranger wore a plain black tank top, which in of itself wasn't harmful; the kunoichi preferred to wear tank tops, personally. But, unlike her, this stranger didn't wear a mesh top beneath it. And with her more mature figure, with their chests pressed flush against each other, the expanse of cleavage the shinobi witnessed from this teenager left her faint.

"I- I- I have to speak to Mr. Power Loader. About an invention," she stuttered, face red and eyes averting away from the stranger's chest.

"An invention?"

What was meant to respectfully hurry the teenager to remove herself utterly backfired. Instead the stranger leaned closer into her personal space, intrigue gleaming in her yellow eyes, excitement in her voice. Boundaries clearly weren't a known concept to this girl, nor did this strange and oddly intimate position seem to register to her. She was smiling widely.

Amari was dying an incredible death inside. She could only hope Midnight or Aizawa or Atsuko and Osamu didn't see this, otherwise she feared the embarrassment would cause her to suddenly explode in a violent fire.

"What kind of invention? Are you remodeling your Hero Outfit? Show me the designs! I'll add one of my amazing babies to it and then you can tell everyone where you got it. From me, Mei Hatsume! I'll use you and your friends to show off my precious babies to the world and then I'll get funding from multiple agencies! I'll be able to create babies forever!"

Every new, excited revelation Mei Hatsume apparently came upon caused her to lean more and more into the Nara. Their noses touched, and Amari felt her heart-rate rise. At that moment, she realized this mad scientist could suddenly decide on her behalf they were going to get married so they could make babies together despite how anatomically impossible that was.

The thought about melted her into a puddle of embarrassed mush formerly known as Amaririsu Yūhi of the Leaf.

"Well, spit it out! What kind of invention is it?" Mei demanded excitedly.

"Hatsume!" Someone, a man, coughed roughly. "You nearly blew up the entire Development Studio with that 'little experiment' you decided to pull!"

"My experiment was a success! But never mind that, I have to know what invention this girl has in mind!"

"Girl? What are you even doing?" the person pressed.

"I'm networking!" she declared with enthusiasm.

"Networking? Huh? Oh, you're the girl Eraser Head sent. Sorry about all this. Hatsume, get off that student so I can talk to her."

"Aw, but can't I—"

"Hatsume. Off. Now."

"Fine," she moaned in defeat. "But I want to hear about this secret invention!"

Amari breathed a sigh of relief once Hatsume removed herself. Her blush, however, didn't leave even as she stood before the man known by the alias of Power Loader and his student.

Power Loader was a fairly skinny man with spiky ginger hair that fell past his shoulders, though his hands seemed to be disproportionally large compared to his small frame. He wore strange L-shaped pieces on the ends of his fingers and a large yellow helmet shaped like an excavator claw that covered the majority of his face and his head. Besides his cyan pants and gray fingerless gloves, he didn't wear anything else, leaving him shirtless.

"All right, so what did Eraser Head want done?"

"Um," Amari played nervously with her skirt, cheeks red, "he wanted something like my Weight Seals for you teachers. But he wanted it to add a quarter of the wearer's body weight to them."

"Ah, so that's what he's looking to do," Power Loader nodded. The teacher gestured with his hand to her. "May I see these Weight Seals you use? I'd like to see how they work and how they're used. Obviously there will be some variable to it we can't replicate, but if Eraser Head wants us to replicate them to be used by us teachers, it's better if I see what inspired him to think of this.

"And don't worry about Hatsume," he said when he noticed her eye the girl nervously. "She'll learn the truth tomorrow anyway, if she pays attention. Come on in. It's just us in here for now, so you can show us your true form."

"Okay."

Once inside, Amari dispelled her transformation and reached into her pouch. Mei didn't seem at all bothered by the sudden appearance change or the lack of school uniform; her eyes were on the fūinjutsu marked pieces of paper.

"They bear the appearance of simple pieces of paper. But…" Amari wrapped one around Mei's wrist and activated it. The inventors eyes widened, arm falling slightly in response to the new weight. "When I activate the Seals on them their weight increases to five pounds. I wear eight—two on each limb—for a total of forty pounds when I train to help me increase my stamina, strength and speed."

She removed the weight from Hatsume's arm and turned to Power Loader, who watched with intrigue. Mei's eyes, she noticed, gleamed with new ideas.

"But it sounds to me like Mr. Aizawa doesn't want these weights to help increase your stamina, strength and speed over time with training, but to reduce your strength and speed and drain your stamina for the upcoming Hero Course Final. Carrying an extra quarter of your body weight while doing anything adds an increased difficulty. But to fight?"

Power Loader nodded. "Yes. It'll give the students a slight advantage against a Pro Hero, if his plan to change the test does actually pass. Though I suppose that depends on your performance tomorrow." He seemed to have a thoughtful expression on his face, though the helmet made it hard to see. "Your paper Seals make it easy to transport these weights, and your ability to activate or deactivate their weight at any time is useful. But we'll need a different design. A weight vest? No. That could restrict a Quirk like Midnight's, or be impossible to fit for someone of All Might's size."

"I have the perfect idea!" Mei declared passionately.

"Wait, Hatsume," Power Loader chided tiredly. "It wouldn't be fair just to let you do it. And competition powers inventors. Starting tomorrow, you and all of your classmates will need to build a High Density Weight design that is wearable and doesn't restrict Quirks. Whoever has the best design before the Finals will have them used by us teachers. Consider this another opportunity to prove yourself."

"Already on it, Mr. Power Loader! But first…"

A shiver of danger raced down Amari's spine. She felt Hatsume hovering directly behind her, could feel the thrilled grin on her face.

"What other babies do you have in this pouch of yours?"

"Hey! Did you just pickpocket me!"

"Ohhhh! What does this paper thingy do?"

"Wait, no! That's not a Weight Seal, it's a—"

The Development Studio experienced its second explosion of the day.

"…Paper Bomb…" Amari groaned from the floor, body shielding Hatsume beneath her. "Luckily a low-yield one."

"Neat! Show me what else you can do!"

"Hatsume! Stop blowing up the Development Studio!" roared Power Loader in frustration.

Hatsume responded with laughter.

---

Ground Beta could have easily been its own town. Or a small city.

The entire training ground was vast, designed to mirror the urban areas of the modern concrete jungle, with few planted trees scattered between the buildings representing mock businesses and apartment complexes. Tall concrete walls enclosed the entire complex.

Aizawa and Present Mic were waiting for Amari inside an observation room, hidden in the basement of one of the buildings. The Erasure Hero stood with his arms crossed, eyes locked on the screens illuminating the room, displaying his students in their current training exercise. Present Mic was talking animatedly to him, though it seemed like Aizawa was giving him the cold shoulder.

Amari entered with Atsuko and Osamu on her shoulders. She didn't bother to silence her approach. The girl appeared like a frazzled cat that had been forcefully bathed by its owner; shoulders slouched, head lowered, hair and clothes disheveled—she smelled of smoke.

The two teachers turned to face her. Present Mic grinned unabashedly at her state. Aizawa showed no physical inclination that she looked any different. He didn't even bother to ask if she was okay out of courtesy, like a normal person might have. He skipped straight to the point.

"What happened?" he drawled.

The kunoichi twitched. How he said those two words made it sound like it was somehow her fault, as if she were responsible for this. It annoyed her. It shaved away what little patience she possessed presently.

And, without a single word being spoken, she made that abundantly clear with a rush of killing intent. Aizawa and Present Mic stiffened, their Pro instincts shifting their bodies slowly into battle stances.

"Mr. Aizawa," she drawled back. "Next time you want me to run an errand, I suggest you notify me that where I'm going is the birthplace of insanity. Because if you don't and I must suffer through another instance like this, I will strap you in a genjutsu so powerful, your hair will stand on ends without your Quirk activating."

Reining in her killing intent, Amari exhaled a deep sigh and sagged forward. "I can't believe Mr. Power Loader and I actually survived all of that," she moaned. "She doesn't listen to reason. She acts without thought. She doesn't comprehend personal boundaries. She has more energy than Naruto under the influence of a sugar rush, is more eccentric than Might Guy and is so shameless in her personal conquests I feel a begrudging respect for her dedication."

Present Mic drew a sigh of relief. Aizawa relaxed his posture.

"I see you met Mei Hatsume," he said.

"You could say it like that. I prefer to believe I survived Mei Hatsume."

"A worthy accomplishment," the Erasure Hero drawled. He tilted his head to the screens. "All right, Yūhi. Enough moping. I'll give you the personality profiles you seek as you watch my students train."

"And I'll teach you their Quirks!" Present Mic said, jabbing his thumb into his chest.

"Go away. Nobody asked you to be here."

"Ah, don't be like that, Eraser Head. You'll bore the little listener to death! Let me add some flavor to sweeten this new track you've been workin' on!"

"No. Go away."

"So cold-hearted!" Present Mic screeched, though the smile on his face showed he was enjoying himself at Aizawa's expense.

"He can stay," Amari said, stepping between the two adults. Aizawa sighed in defeat. Present Mic grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Honestly, your interactions remind me of my Sensei and his eternal rival. Like them, you two synch up pretty well, oddly enough."

"Indeed," Osamu dipped his beak in agreement.

"Perhaps we should tell Guy when we return," Atsuko said, full of mischievousness. "Should he learn there are challengers to his and Kakashi's eternal rivalry, he would seek to prove to the Village—no, the world that he and Kakashi stand atop the precipice of friendship and rivalry. His insane challenges would increase tenfold."

The thought struck Amari at her core. She felt her lips begin to lift in a sadistic grin.

"I think I found the suitable punishment for Kakashi-sensei dragging me into his rivalry business."

Atsuko and Osamu hummed in laughter—a noise which the two adults associated with the chill of standing face to face with a grinning serial killer, the heart-tightening feeling one experienced when standing in the aftermath of a town or city destroyed by a natural disaster and the stomach-churning sensation of locating a mass grave.

"I pity your teacher," sighed Aizawa. "Anyway, let's get started. We don't have time to goof around."

"Right. It's easy to tell they're still rookies. And, to be blunt, I only saw a few among them who could pose a challenge to me in the footage I was given. The current training exercise appears to be a sort of hostage situation, where Miss Midnight plays the hostage while two groups are split into three Heroes and three Villains. Heroes must rescue the hostage by any means necessary?"

"Mostly. All Might is forcing them to battle each other, that way you can see their powers where they stand currently." Aizawa lowered his chin, a serious expression on his face. "However, as you can see, despite their first Finals being only two weeks away, few of them have seen major improvements in their first semester."

"Eraser Head is right," Present Mic agreed, nodding along. He crossed his arms and maintained a rather serious and calm demeanor.

Just like Guy-sensei, he knows when to be serious and when he can posture like a peacock, Amari noted.

"Class 1-A were forced to fight at the U.S.J. against Villains. And the Sports Festival afforded a portion of their class the opportunity to shine in the limelight in front of the entire audience and those watching at home. The ones who had quality internships are easy to see—they're the ones who show the most improvement. While the others either made poor choices that weren't suited for the kind of Hero they plan to be, or the Heroes they interned with had other intentions for them.

"Still, all of the first years believe they're rocking out in a sold-out stadium when they're still in their garages."

"Their next semester will be hell. I can guarantee that," Aizawa stated firmly.

"Mm. Okay, so who do you want to start with?" she asked.

"We'll start with the current Hero team. First is Hanta Sero—"

"Hanta Sero!" Present Mic cut in with enthusiasm. "His Quirk: Tape! He can shoot cellophane tape-like strips from those dispenser organs in his elbows! He can create traps, capture his classmates or Villains and swing himself over long distances. Overusing his Quirk does cause his skin to dry out, though."

"Right," Aizawa said slowly. "Sero already has a good grasp of his Quirk's practical applications and shows competence in battle, but he prefers long-distance fighting. Which makes his weakness close-quarters combat and speed fighters, like yourself. He has a versatile Quirk that can be used in combat and to save civilians; he should focus on both, and learn to fight in close-quarters if he must. Pros can't rely on one trick.

"Personality profile: He's laid back. He's friendly with all of his classmates, though he has an irrational behavior like most of them by trying to show off. Still, when he's pushed in battle, Sero doesn't back down. He shows the bravery necessary to be a Pro, despite still being a simple trainee.

"Next up is Toru Hagakure. She—"

"Toru Hagakure! Her Quirk: Invisibility. She's entirely invisible, except when she is wearing clothes."

"Wai- wait a minute, so I have to fight someone who is running around naked?"

Present Mic scratched his cheek, screwing his lips in an uncomfortable frown.

"You know, now that you mention it, that does make this whole thing awkward."

"Don't be irrational. Her Quirk is perfect for surprise attacks and hostage rescue. Complete invisibility is her greatest advantage in a fight, so be cautious. She may not be the most skilled hand to hand combatant, but she already possesses a tactical advantage over you through her Quirk. Stealth is her greatest skill.

"That being said, Hagakure is one of the students who needs to improve on her fundamentals. Situational awareness, tactics, combat skills, these are traits she'll need to improve upon in time. Personality profile: Hagakure is as bubbly as they come. Most of the time I think she forgets she's invisible, honestly. She is friendly with all of her female classmates and some of the boys, too. Scaring her shouldn't be difficult, though she has shown signs of bravery when in the company of strong leadership."

"If she can learn to move silently, she will be a valuable asset for reconnaissance or spying," Atsuko said.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Next we have Rikido Sato! His Quirk: Sugar Rush! By consuming ten grams of sugar he can increase his strength five-fold for three minutes. However, by converting sugar into strength, his cognitive functions gradually drop until he becomes a sugar crashed zombie! Ya dig!"

Aizawa's eyebrow was twitching.

"Sato is a straightforward fighter," he said. "His augmented strength allows him to punch through practically any obstacle or overpower most enemies he encounters. However, as Mic pointed out, his Quirk has a considerable whiplash. That's where he needs to grow the most, but I'll handle that next semester. Personality profile: Don't expect to scare him easily. He's a fighter, even without his enhanced strength. And his bravery isn't the result of the cognitive degradation his Quirk causes. He shows confidence in battle, maybe too much. Tactically, though, he needs work. He can be too straightforward.

"Now for the Villains. We'll start with Koji Koda."

"Koji Koda!"

"Do you seriously have to be so loud?"

"His Quirk: Anivoice! He can command any creature in the animal kingdom by speaking to them! So you two better watch out or he may turn you against your allies!" Present Mic pointed to Atsuko and Osamu.

"Would he be able to command you two?" Amari asked curiously.

"I cannot be certain," Atsuko replied. "I've yet to encounter any human who can compel me or my agents to act against our own Wills. Yet this world possesses abilities we are not accustomed to."

"Perhaps it will be best we avoid this child in battle, Lady Atsuko. I grow anxious at the thought of being forced to attack Lady Haya." Osamu shivered visibly, feathers ruffling.

"Perhaps that would be best," Atsuko nodded. "Still, I wonder…"

"Anyway, Koda is another who has a good grasp of his Quirk. In the Quirk Apprehension test he placed twelfth among his peers. However, his greatest drawback is his shy nature. His Quirk requires him to speak to animals, but they won't respond if they can't hear him, and he rarely uses his voice in class or outside of it. Other than that, he has physical strength that he can fight with, so don't underestimate him. He isn't just a support act.

"Now for Mina Ashido."

"Mina Ashido!"

"Will you please go away?" Aizawa sighed in exasperation.

"No can do, Eraser Head! I'm here to spice up our little listeners education! Now, Ashido's Quirk: Acid! She can produce a corrosive liquid from her body that she controls the solubility and viscosity of! Her skin provides a natural resistance to her Quirk, but if she pushes it too far then it may end up hurting her instead!"

"Another student who has a decent grasp of her Quirk. She has the ability to skate on acid she secretes from the soles of her feet, a high-level of athleticism—not to mention energy—and body control and acrobatics not unlike your own. There's still a lot she has to learn about the applications of her Quirk, but her weakest area is her academic performance. She comes off as an airhead about it, yet I sense a frustration beneath it. She wants to excel. She just needs a good tutor.

"Personality profile: Ashido is cheerful and highly sociable. I don't think there's a single student she isn't friendly with—or one she doesn't have some nickname for. She cares a lot about her friends, but the Villain attack left her shaken. There's bravery budding beneath the surface; only she can find it, though."

"You're a good teacher, Mr. Aizawa."

"Whaatt?!" Present Mic clutched the sides of his head. "Did someone just compliment your teaching, Eraser Head?! Is the end of the world upon us?!"

"You don't need to admit it or acknowledge it. But you do care about your students and their success. And though you come off as aloof, you're always watching them, looking for the areas they need to improve on. You have your own way of pushing them. One day, I'm sure they'll realize you aren't just being tough with them for no reason. They'll appreciate how you push them."

Aizawa didn't acknowledge her statement in any form. He continued on with the next student.

"The final member of this Villain team is Eijiro Kirishima. Go ahead, Mic."

"Eijiro Kirishima! His Quirk: Hardening! He can harden and sharpen any part of his body to attack and defend simultaneously, making for one versatile Quirk! He can be a steadfast shield or a devastating weapon! But there is a limit to how much damage his hardened skin can withstand until, eventually, he falls apart!"

"Hm. He'll be a tough one," Amari murmured, scratching her neck lightly. "Hand to hand combat against him wouldn't go well, and I'd bet even my blades wouldn't do anything to his hardened skin. I'd need to wear him down at a distance first with ninjutsu before I can even think of closing in."

"Good eye," Aizawa complimented, dipping his chin in appreciation. "Kirishima placed second in the Entrance Exam with a fair balance of destruction and rescue points, and he placed ninth in the Quirk Apprehension Test. Of all my students, I'd say he strives to be the bravest. I've never seen him back down from a fight or stop fighting until he has won or been knocked out. He's determined, kind-hearted, honest and follows a code of chivalry. Once again, there isn't a single student he isn't friendly with. And his strong sense of responsibility, resolve and loyalty has earned him respect among his peers."

"An admirable child," said Osamu.

"A guardian in the making," murmured Amari.

In the battle of Heroes and Villains, the Heroes won the day by pitting Sato against Kirishima in physical battle, while Sero distracted and trapped Koda and Ashido. Hagakure, fully undressed, slipped through unnoticed to save Midnight.

Although they couldn't hear what Midnight was saying, the way she was fawning dramatically in her role as civilian left the two boys flushed. No one could see how Hagakure was reacting.

Next up were two new squads of three. Again Aizawa started with the Hero team.

"Let's get this one over with. Minoru Mineta."

"His Quirk: Pop Off! Those ball-shaped objects growing from his head are incredibly sticky. They grow back as fast as he can pluck them off and they stick to any surface or person for a limited time. If he plucks too many, though, his skull begins to bleed. Talk about savagery!"

"You'll need to be careful with this one."

"His Quirk sounds dangerous," Amari nodded.

"No. That's not what I meant," he shook his head. "I suspect the mere sight of you and what you do will send Mineta into a fit of true fear, at which point he'll likely begin to throw those balls at you without any thought or strategy. Don't stop if he begins to cry, that seems to be a normal response of his now and it needs to be dealt with. It's not that he isn't intelligent; somehow, despite what appears to be a tendency to slack off, his standing academically places him in the upper half of my class.

"What you need to be careful of has little to do with the battle itself. When the battle is over and you're around these children, treat him with caution. He is notably perverse, and has few friends because of it. Don't get caught up in his schemes. Once his life isn't in danger, I suspect he'll try to peep on you as well."

"So perverts are a constant, huh," she frowned. "Don't worry. I've dealt with one of the biggest perverts in my Village. He'll learn to regret being a pervert if he tries anything with me."

"Good. Let's move on. Mashirao Ojiro. This one you'll need to be careful with in battle."

"Mashirao Ojiro. His Quirk: Tail! He possesses a long and powerful tail that he can use in combat!"

"Ojiro is a highly capable close-quarters combatant. He's quick and mobile, and that tail of his allows him to add acrobatic attacks. During the U.S.J. Incident, he single-handedly defeated several low-tier Villains with hit-and-run attacks. He's calm and intelligent. But he can be self-conscious to a fault. He won't scare easily. He'll fight you to defend his classmates. Don't go easy on him. He needs to learn the faults in his fighting style."

"Mm. And who is this last one? The one who seems so fascinated with looking into every camera possible."

"Yuga Aoyama! His Quirk: Navel Laser. He can shoot a powerful sparkling laser straight from his bellybutton. It's so powerful, he can blast through two meters of solid concrete! But don't distress, little listener, because he can fire the laser for no more than one second! Otherwise he gets a serious stomach ache! How painful!"

"Aoyama's Quirk requires him to wear that belt to fire his Navel Laser properly. It's his Achilles heel. As is the drawback of his Quirk. This next semester will truly test him. I hope he can find something more than his faux vanity and superiority complex."

"His vanity and superiority complex are an act? A persona? So he's actually insecure?"

"Incredibly. And he's in the bottom half of my class. That's not to say he has zero potential, but in a society of Heroes trying to stand out, he'll slip through the cracks if he continues to rely on vanity alone. The world is full of vain Heroes."

"Then he needs to find his reason to excel. A conviction."

"My thoughts exactly."

"For the Villain team we'll start with Denki Kaminari. He—"

"Denki Kaminari! His Quirk: Electrification!"

Aizawa's hair stood on its ends.

"Kaminari can cover his body in the electricity he generates or discharge it into his enemies! At the moment he has little to no control over his Quirk at higher voltages, which makes him dangerous to friend and foe alike! If he exceeds his wattage limit, his brain short-circuits leaving him a giggling, vulnerable idiot to all attacks. So use this knowledge wisely, my little listener!"

"And you called me a verbal assassin," she chuckled.

"It may not be hip, but sometimes you have to call it like it is! He's a huge idiot when he short-circuits his brain! Ya feel me!" Present Mic jumped to a higher octave screech.

"This is your fault, Yūhi. He's here because of you." Amari offered him an apologetic smile. "Anyway, Kaminari isn't my best combat student in terms of physical abilities. He relies too heavily on his Quirk, which he lacks general control of. At this stage he either has to fight alone or he's regulated to standing in the background as his allies do battle for him; he can't risk using his Quirk when allies are nearby.

"He performs poorly academically, but he isn't a complete fool. He knows the limitations of his Quirk and its dangers to his allies, which is why he's positioned himself in this scenario as the front guard, as far away from his allies and the hostage as possible. It's not that he doesn't realize he lacks control or hasn't tried to gain control; he's struggling within his current limitations towards his goal of becoming a Hero.

"As for his personality, be careful when you confront him in battle. He doesn't handle stress well, and his gut reaction is to unleash his Quirk at its higher limits. He can complain irrationally and be reckless, but he is a well-meaning fool. Kaminari cares about his classmates; he doesn't enjoy being a burden to them, but gains the proper confidence when he realizes they're safe from the effects of his Quirk. Still, his next semester will be hell."

"Let's jump back in with the next listener!"

"I hate you."

"Oh, I can feel a chill in the air from Mr. Cold-Shoulder! But let's turn it up to twelve and heat this baby up! Because cold is a weakness to our next listener—Tsuyu Asui! Her Quirk: Frog. She can basically do anything a frog can! Hop long distances, stick to walls and even extend her tongue out super long!"

"Asui is one of my most rational and capable students. She excels in both close-range and long-range combat, is quick on her feet and evasive, combining her agility and ability to leap with powerful strikes. Her tongue is strong enough to carry another human being, so watch out.

"Furthermore, Asui has little to no weaknesses beyond the cold. She possesses an exceptional talent that allows her to team up with any student and effectively use their Quirks as if they've been partnered for years. She's intelligent, calm under pressure and supportive to her teammates. A natural leader. Not a follower. Mature, disciplined, she has some of the strongest morals and principles among Class 1-A. I guarantee you she will make an excellent Pro Hero one day, if she can make it through the trials U.A. tests her with."

"Mm. Another potential guardian among her peers. After the fighting is over, I'll need to speak to her and Kirishima to nurture their positions among the class."

"I'd appreciate that."

"We'll act with caution in battle against this child," Atsuko said.

"I suspect she'll find a path to success in our test, if we allow it," Osamu agreed.

"Now let's bring on the finale of this group!" Present Mic jumped in. He and Might Guy certainly shared the same lack of noise discipline. "Momo Yaoyorozu! Her Quirk: Creation! She can create any non-living material or object from her skin! It requires her to transform the molecular structure of her fat cells, but if she doesn't take in enough calories to replace those she burns then she steadily weakens until she can't create anything else. Larger objects take longer for her to create and more available skin. Best watch out, little listener, because things may accidentally turn R-rated if her outfit rips!"

Amari buried her burning face into her hands.

"It's a fair warning," Aizawa muttered. "Yaoyorozu has a genius-level intellect. The one thing Mic forgot to mention is she has to understand the molecular structure of the object she creates. She's the most academically inclined student of both Class 1-A and 1-B, and got into U.A. on recommendations. A natural leader. Level-headed. She can devise impressive strategies even when under pressure and can use the versatility of her Quirk to accomplish the task instantly. Crafty as they come, Yaoyorozu tends to use her Quirk to support her allies and blindside her opponents."

"Hm. I bet she'd be a challenging shogi player. Makes up her lack of raw strength in ingenuity and tactics, yes?"

"Right."

"She'd fit right in with the Nara Clan, especially with that ponytail."

"Well, her recent loss in the Sports Festival has damaged the confidence she once held in herself. She's second-guessing herself, burdened by a feeling of inadequacy and jealousy caused by measuring herself to the other two students of 1-A who made it in on recommendations. It's something I haven't had the time to correct yet.

"As her teacher, I want to get her back on the right path." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I owe Igarashi for taking Yaoyorozu under her wing after school. She's been training her relentlessly in hand to hand combat to force Yaoyorozu to think faster when under pressure. But she isn't quite there yet."

"I'll try to break through her self-doubt," the Nara decided. "I have a teammate who went through the same experience, and she didn't have an incredible Quirk like this Yaoyorozu."

"It's not your responsibility. But I'd appreciate it nonetheless."

The Villains won the day in a mostly one-sided affair. Mineta, in his perverse desire to 'rescue' Midnight and 'defeat' Yaoyorozu, fell right into the Creation Quirk's trap within the first minute.

Ojiro and Aoyama put up a decent fight against Asui; the Frog leapt and bound around the base, evading the Navel Laser while engaging Ojiro in physical combat. But the pair inevitably fell when Kaminari unleashed his electricity on Aoyama, who was keeling over with a tummy ache. With the long-range attacker down, Yaoyorozu blinded Ojiro with some sort of explosive, allowing Asui to defeat and capture him.

The next two teams were up. Again they began with the Hero team.

"We'll start with Mezo Shoji."

"Mezo Shoji! His Quirk: Dupli-Arms! He has a set of tentacles that he can transform the tips of to replicate other parts of his body, like his mouth, ears and eyes. These replicated organs help him see and hear better, allowing him to detect nearly anything and anyone no matter where they hide! He's also super strong!"

"Shoji is another of my most rational students. I'd be careful of him. Strength, speed, stamina and durability; he has many positive attributes and few negatives. He's friendly with his entire class and as selfless as they come. He has a high level of maturity, unlike some of his classmates, and is protective over them. You won't scare him off. He's another I believe will become an exceptional Hero if he can pass his trials at U.A."

"Facing him will be like fighting a Sensory Type with Might Guy's strength, from the sound of it," Amari noted, bringing her hand to her chin. "I can hit hard, but he has more strength and weight behind his attacks than I can produce. If he grabs me, it could be all over. I'll need to be careful with him."

"Next is Tenya Iida."

"His Quirk: Engine! He has car-like engines in each of his calves, which allows him to run at incredible speeds! Watch out! If those exhaust pipes are obstructed, they can't function properly!"

"Iida is the Class Representative and already shows signs of natural leadership. He was able to defeat one of the more formidable students of Class 1-B and has challenged two of 1-A's toughest students with his strength, speed and tactical abilities. These last few teams, as you will learn, are comprised of 1-A's top students. Iida will challenge your speed and reaction time. And he'll rally his classmates to defeat you, if given a chance. Dedicated, earnest, disciplined and intelligent are words that best describe his personality."

"A priority target, then," said Osamu.

"Although usually I would suggest eliminating him first, I suspect Young Haya has other intentions."

"I do. I'll explain my plan later."

"Finally—"

"Ochaco Uraraka!"

"I swear, Mic, interrupt me again and I'll make sure you pay."

"Ehehe! We'll keep your request in mind! Her Quirk: Zero Gravity! She has the power to nullify the effects of gravity on any solid target she touches! One touch and you'll be floating into the atmosphere! But if she exceeds her upper weight limit or floats herself, she will totally puke!"

"That's…unnerving."

"Uraraka has shown considerable growth during the Sports Festival and after her internship. She interned with a combat Hero who trains martial arts, so be careful if you approach her. We haven't yet seen the full extent of what she learned yet, but from what Gunhead said, she was a quick learner. She doesn't come off as a strategist, but she's shown the ability to figure out her enemy's weaknesses and combat style quickly. And with her Quirk, as Mic said, one touch is all it takes.

"As for her personality, she's pretty laid back compared to her other female classmates. There are times she's bubbly, and other times she's accidentally blunt. She's known for her positive attitude, which compliments her rational ability to see flaws in herself and others. She's empathetic and kind, friendly with all of her classmates; she finds inspiration from them."

"Now for the final six," said Amari, eyeing the Villain team.

"We'll start with the current Villain team. Katsuki Bakugo."

"The feral one who tried to attack me and put his classmates in danger. He can shoot explosions from his hands."

"That's the one."

"Hey," Present Mic whined. "How am I supposed to announce when you already know who we're talking about?"

"I don't know everything about him, so please enlighten me, Mr. Present Mic."

"You got it!" He snapped his fingers and pointed them enthusiastically at her.

"You're doing this to annoy me, aren't you?" Aizawa drawled.

"Hehe!" she giggled.

"His Quirk: Explosion! He secretes nitroglycerin-like sweat from the palms of his hands which he can ignite at will! The more he sweats, the stronger his explosion! Watch out, little listener! He's as explosive as they come!"

"Mic isn't entirely wrong. Bakugo is short-tempered, arrogant, aggressive, crude and can be a bully to those without the strength to stand up for themselves. His arrogance comes from the versatility of his Quirk, his strong grasp of its applications and likely the irrational teachers and classmates he had before U.A. High School fawning over his powerful Quirk. Bakugo is powerful, intelligent and is one of my strongest students. He has strong convictions and has what it takes to be number one.

"However, his ego gets in his way. He refuses help, seeing everyone else as weaklings and dead weight. Right now, after his internship, his ego is at its most fragile. Although his team has the most power collectively, I wouldn't be surprised if they fail because of his inability to cooperate."

Amari crossed her arms and stared at the feral blond. "Not someone to underestimate, but that ego of his will get others killed if he isn't careful. That needs to be straightened out before he leaves this school. Out in the real world, the price of an ego is usually the lives of the innocent."

"We will endeavor to straighten his ego out, but I sense his stubbornness will only lead him to dig his heels in," said Atsuko. "We may not be the ones who can teach him that lesson."

"But a defeat at the hands of Lady Haya, who is two years his junior, should put into perspective where he stands in comparison to her current level. We cannot change his attitude, but we may be able to open the door for another to do so."

It was a hopeful thought. Amari wasn't sure she believed it.

"The other two are Shoto Todoroki and Izuku Midoriya."

"Shoto Todoroki! His Quirk: Half-Cold Half-Hot! He has the ability to generate ice from the right side of his body, and fire from the left side! He can mold his ice into supportive structures, protective barriers and more precise attacks that can freeze up the likes of Tenya Iida's engines without anyone noticing! How cool! From his left side he can shoot continuous streams of scorching flames at his enemies! But he has to be careful, if he overuses either side he'll suffer from frostbite or heatstroke! Though he counterbalances this by activating the opposite side! Isn't that impressive?!"

"Among my class, Todoroki is one of the most dangerous you'll face because of his versatile Quirk. He's another who made it into U.A. on recommendations, and thanks to the training he endured as a child with his abusive father—another Pro Hero—his power, his judgement, his tactical abilities and his calm attitude make him a formidable opponent to anyone he faces.

"Prior to the Sports Festival, he was cold and distant with his entire class. He hasn't grown talkative since, but he has become closer with certain class members. The quiet and reserved type, with a moderate level of arrogance, he'll fight you to the bitter end. Don't expect an easy time with him. However, his weakness is he relies too heavily on his Quirk. Use that to your advantage so he learns the weakness in that."

"Right. And what about Izuku Midoriya?"

"Uh…I'm not sure what his Quirk is called." Present Mic admitted sheepishly. Then became energized instantly. "We'll roll with it anyway! His Quirk: A Power Enhancement! He can stockpile power into his body and release it for devastating blows! But it has a pretty gross drawback; if he releases too much, he'll break his own bones!" The adult deflated. "Poor kid. I can't imagine breaking as many bones as he has."

"One of my problem students," Aizawa drawled. "Before his internship, Midoriya showed very minimal control over his Quirk. Every use broke a bone, in turn leaving him defenseless and useless. As you can see, though, he has found a way to use it without breaking himself. Still, under the pressure you'll attack him with, it'd be irrational to lower your guard. I suspect he'll decide to unleash a powerful strike at the cost of his own body to defeat you.

"Make sure you watch his fight against Todoroki in the Sports Festival, you'll see what I mean. Anyway, as for his personality profile, he's tactically sound due to his infatuation with studying Quirks and Pro Heroes in battle. He can draw upon it, too, in combat, so don't be surprised if he figures out how any of your other abilities work. His bravery inspires his classmates and his desire to rise to become a Hero like All Might motivates them to follow him in their own ways."

"I see. Seems there are already a handful of potential guardians in this Class. He's a kind boy. Tried to help me the day before despite not knowing me or my situation, yet he still reached out." Amari smiled. "I like him."

"He can be incredibly irrational. But he isn't without his talents or potential. I'm interested to see where he may end up in the future."

As Aizawa anticipated, the Villain team, after quite the battle, failed to keep their hostage and defeat the Heroes. Shoji's sensory abilities afforded them the opportunity to navigate the building stealthily, and when their first encounter came, Iida was the one to stand his ground against Bakugo to buy his teammates time. It was an intense battle, with the Engine Quirk wielder rushing off a handful of times to draw the irate Bakugo further away, all the while communicating with his comrades through radio.

That communication proved fruitful. Shoji was able to keep Iida from rushing into a two on one situation with Todoroki and Bakugo, while keeping himself and Uraraka safe. Midoriya, having predicted Shoji and Uraraka's plan cut their advance off, but in the end failed to hold them back. Mainly due to his hesitation to use his Quirk against them at a key opportunity. Uraraka was able to touch him and left him suspended in air as she and Shoji rushed for Midnight.

Todoroki was next to try to hold them back, rushing back for the hostage after being drawn off by the sight of Iida narrowly evading an attack from Bakugo, returning with a kick of his own and running off.

Shoji held the line for Uraraka, who was able to make it to Midnight and nullify her gravity. Their plan and coordination continued to work. Shoji bravely rushed Todoroki, narrowly avoiding Ice and Fire attacks with his impressive speed and agility. He extended one of his tentacles, wrapped it around Uraraka and flung her towards the second floor with Midnight in tow. Iida appeared flying down the hall like demons were chasing him, snatching up his lighter than feathers teacher and continuing on.

As Bakugo blasted around the corner, Uraraka was there to grab him by his arm and hip toss him onto the ground. Midoriya, still floating, was pushing himself through the halls by launching off walls and made it just in time to the hostage's previous location for the fight to see Uraraka and Shoji dashing for separate exits—the latter sporting a burn and some ice on his tentacles, but still able to move.

All the Heroes made it outside and regrouped with the hostage, winning the simulation.

Between Bakugo's inability to cooperate, his feral attitude towards Midoriya and Todoroki and the Hero team's impressive plan and teamwork, the entire exercise seemed to be a disaster for the trio.

"Cooperation between a team is a pre-requisite against another squad," Amari commented. "Shoji, Iida and Uraraka were clearly the underdogs in terms of power, but they planned and prepared for a raid and executed it admirably. They rescued the hostage and all made it out relatively uninjured and safe. Mission accomplished.

"Those three failed to even begin working as a team. Todoroki and Midoriya maintained communication. But the former's power makes him better as a solitary fighter, and Bakugo just went off on his own to crush Iida, likely predicting he would be the one to run a weightless Midnight to safety. That left Midoriya stuck in the middle, and he wasn't willing to use his Quirk on his classmates.

"During sparring sessions, there are rules we shinobi follow: We never go for kill blows or risk an attack that could permanently injure our comrade. But we also go all out. It's a sign of respect and it forces both shinobi to confront their weaknesses and adapt.

"Midoriya may think holding back against Uraraka and Shoji was a kindness, but it was truly disrespectful. He's unknowingly looking down on them. It's true he does possess a damaging power. Still, he shouldn't have held back. How can they truly excel if he treats them as if they're fragile dolls?"

"I'll lecture that on him later," Aizawa nodded. "And it looks like All Might is giving them a second chance to battle our last team of Heroes. They better get their act together."

"Who first, Eraser Head? Igarashi, Jiro or Tokoyami?"

"We'll start with Kyoka Jiro."

"All righhttt! Kyoka Jiro! Her Quirk: Earphone Jack! See those headphone jacks hanging from her earlobes? She can plug them into anything and channel her heartbeat into a devastating, violent attack of vibrating soundwaves! She can stretch her earlobes several meters, and when she plugs her jacks into a wall she can scout the sounds and vibrations from her surroundings! Isn't that music to your ears?!"

"That was a terrible joke." Aizawa's comment left Present Mic slouching in depression. "Anyway, Jiro is a rational and pragmatic student. Organized. She tends to take charge when the opportunity arises and knows how to strategize. As you'll see, she'll prefer a smarter approach to this exercise than a blunt approach. Like Mic, she has support equipment she can plug her Earphone Jacks into. There. On her boots she has stereos she uses to amplify her heartbeat and direct them towards her desired target.

"As for her personality profile, she gets along with nearly everyone. Her, Tokoyami, Igarashi and Shoji are close friends, so expect their teamwork to be smooth here. She doesn't get worked up easily and shows bravery, as is expected from a potential Pro Hero."

"We'll all need to be careful of her long-range attacks," said Osamu.

"Next is Fumikage Tokoyami."

"His Quirk: Dark Shadow! He can manifest a sentient shadow monster from his body! Light and darkness affect the power of his Quirk. In bright light, Dark Shadow will appear weaker and smaller in size, but in darkness he'll grow bigger and gain an immense strength and defense boost! However, darkness makes Dark Shadow hard to control."

"Tokoyami's Quirk makes him one of my strongest students, when he is capable of controlling Dark Shadow. That's something we'll work on in the next semester. He's competent in battle, capable of attack and defense and strategizing to overcome his opponent. He's calm and focused, reserved and serious in and out of battle. He trusts in his teammates and can reassure them when they suffer from doubt. However, when pushed he can begin to doubt himself."

"A shadow user, huh? I guess we'll see whose shadow abilities are stronger when we fight," Amari said thoughtfully.

"Which brings us to our finale! Yukiko Igarashi! Her Quirk: High Voltage! One half of her Quirk can channel electricity throughout her body to enhance her speed and strength to tremendous levels! The other half allows her to manipulate water vapor into liquid form, though her proficiency with it is rather lackluster!"

"It sounds like she possesses a mixture of the Raikage's Lightning Armor and Water Style," Atsuko hummed.

"Not sure what either of those are. But Igarashi's High Voltage Quirk is different than Kaminari's Electrification. Where he discharges electricity, Igarashi channels it throughout all the cells in her body, amplifying her power. But it comes at a cost. If she pushes it too far, or maintains it too long, at best she'll only begin to tear her muscles. At worst, she'll go into cardiac arrest."

"Mm. Then it's more akin to the Eight Inner Gates than it is the Raikage's power. Although we'll have to attack her with caution, we should also be sure we don't push her to cardiac arrest."

Amari jotted that down as a mental note.

"As for the other half of her Quirk," Aizawa continued, "her internship has helped her gain a better control of it. Her power isn't perfectly even like Todoroki's. Technically, it should've been another Ice Quirk. But she inherited a weakened variation, though she's finally realized she can strengthen it and treat it as her own power. Not a faulty power from an abusive parent.

"Alone her water isn't dangerous. But she's able to combine her higher voltage electricity into the molecules she controls and shoot them at her desired target within a few meters of distance."

"Electricity and water. Reminds me of Gale Style," said Osamu.

"As for Igarashi's personality, she's brave in combat. Knows the reality we face better than many of her classmates due to circumstances in her life, and has walked the life as a criminal before joining U.A. High School. She made it in on recommendations and has had to prove that she truly desires to reform to all of us. Many of her classmates treated her as an outsider—a Villain playing at Hero. All except Tokoyami, Jiro and Shoji. It led to some fights and outbursts.

"She's fiercely protective over her friends, and is willing to die to protect them. I mean that seriously. Igarashi shows reckless abandon for her own life, believing wholly that a Hero's truest trait is self-sacrifice. She seeks no fame, no attention. Believes that the media and the irrational fame that many Heroes seek detracts from what Hero society should be. An idealist, in her own way. Prior to U.A. and the events that have taken place since joining, she was afraid of her own Quirk."

"Afraid of it?"

"Her father wielded a similar Quirk, and during one battle he pushed himself to his absolute limit to save lives at the cost of his own." Aizawa's eyes looked more tired than ever. "Ever since then, because of irrational teachers and her abusive mother, she was made to fear that power. It's a recent development of her embracing it.

"Igarashi is sharp, too. She prefers to watch others and listen over speaking. That's how she figured out Yaoyorozu's doubt and feeling of inadequacy. And she's one to act on her heart and reach out to help others, even if it is an inconvenience to her."

Amari stared at the live footage of the girl in question. The trio was sticking together, coordinating a rational infiltration plan first by using Jiro's Earphone Jacks to scout the area ahead. Then, with Tokoyami's Dark Shadow, they could infiltrate the building from the upper floors rather than the first floor. They maintained stealth the whole way, proceeding with caution towards the hostage's location.

Igarashi looked comfortable as a leader. And with infiltration.

The hostage wasn't in the same place as before, nor could they rely on the same tactic as the team before. Bakugo wasn't a complete fool, but he also wasn't willing to work with his teammates. In fact, he was in the midst of arguing with both Midoriya and Todoroki.

Igarashi, Jiro and Tokoyami took their time to devise a plan.

However, the closer Amari looked, the more she felt…

"Heh," she breathed out a soft laugh. "So, even in another world I find one."

"Huh? Find what, little listener?"

"A kindred spirit. Battling her will be tough, especially with what I have in mind. It's going to hurt us both, but it's what I have to do to help this world's next generation. Is that everything, Mr. Aizawa?"

"Yes. What's your plan?"

Amari turned on her heel, uninterested in the result. She could see from a mile away who would win this battle. Igarashi's team would win, through a coordinated assault that capitalized on their strengths while never allowing their opponents to exploit Tokoyami's weakness to light or pushing Igarashi's Quirk to its absolute limit. They would rescue the hostage and escape, all according to plan.

And the Nara was right. They did launch a coordinated assault. They did surprise the trio by infiltrating and attacking from above. They kept Bakugo and Todoroki away from Tokoyami, and the teamwork between the three friends couldn't have been more fluid. And, in the end, they rescued the hostage and escaped, leaving behind the Villains in a mess of bruised egos, disappointment and annoyance.

"I'm still working on it," Amari said in response to Aizawa. "I'll let you know in the morning. You say their next semester will be hell. I'll take them straight there tomorrow and show them the reality of the war against darkness, from its terror and merciless nature, to its most heartbreaking aspects. Mr. Present Mic called me The Last Shinobi. It's true for this world and it has a terrifying ring to it. That'll be my Villain name. Thank you for all the Intel. I'll make good use of it."

Amari would spend the rest of her day constructing strategies to push, test and instill lessons into the entirety of Class 1-A with Atsuko and Osamu.

Tomorrow, The Last Shinobi would crush Class 1-A.

That was a promise.

---

Twenty-one students and one teacher entered Ground Beta the next day.

On the pretense of a training exercise, the students—dressed in their Hero outfits—strolled along the paved road, utterly oblivious to their surroundings. The sun was shining, its reflection glowing in the glass windows of the faux buildings that made up the training ground.

High above them, a shadow perched like a bird of prey loomed over them, watching the teenagers with calculating eyes. Her faithful companions, two Crows, observed them as well. Waiting for the students to cross the point of no return.

The shadow waited. Watched. Planned.

The time to act had come.

"Atsuko, Osamu," Amari spoke in an even voice. "It's time to begin. Are you ready?"

"We are at your command, Lady Haya."

"Shall we introduce ourselves?" Atsuko hummed a deadly, mirthful hum.

Amari rose to her full height. The wind swept lightly through her hair.

"I will become darkness and vengeance. I will be pain and terror. I am war and suffering. Today…"

Onyx shifted to crimson, lavender hardened as her dōjutsu activated.

"I am The Last Shinobi."

---

Review Response to Guest: Thanks! The book Amari is constantly reading is meant to be a reference one of my past fanfictions. It's mostly just a joke for my own amusement. I've only watched the anime of My Hero Academia and I'm up to the point where they first meet The Big Three and nothing beyond. Her disguise isn't anyone specific, it's a few people put together. Kurenai's eyes, Midnight's mole, Hinata's voice, with no scars. She's wearing glasses and has raven black hair that she wears in a ponytail, but otherwise looks fairly similar to herself.

She has her assumptions now that she has sensed All Mights and Nana Shimura's presence within Midoriya.

No, that particular exam hasn't happened yet at this point in the story. There literally just coming back after their internships and the Stain battle, and its two weeks before those exams.

Igarashi secretly knows he has the smaller form. Because of her past interactions with All Might prior to his injury, and then interactions with him as Toshinori Yagi in small form masquerading as one of her father's past sidekick and then him saving her life, she's figured out that they are one in the same person. Like Amari, she distinguishes him through what his blue eyes look like, never knowing anyone with eyes like his.

Aizawa and the faculty were aware of his smaller form and injury. There are scenes prior to this fight with All for One where he's inside the school around Aizawa, Present Mic and in meetings with the Principal, Midnight, Snipe and others when in his smaller, injured form.

This arc will take place between the Stain and their first semester final exams, so it'll be an original creation outside of canon.

By seeing the map Aizawa showed her when she woke up in the last chapter, plus the other oddities such as them referencing their powers as Quirk, talking about the society of Pro Heroes and Villains made it clear to Amari she wasn't in the future, but an entirely different world altogether.

Thanks for the review!