Chapter 35:
"Kaminari, where's Sazaki?" Aizawa snapped at the boy jogging up to Ground Gamma after the rest of the class had already arrived. "You're both late," he added, and Kaminari gulped at the look Aizawa gave him.
After that gulp though, Kaminari smiled again and Aizawa got a confused look on his face. A few others gawked at Kaminari for being so daring, but Kaminari was in a good mood after going through with giving Zach his answer. Maybe he'll finally lighten up with this, and I'm not worried about no villains. Kaminari looked over his shoulder and then said, "He's coming…" Kaminari's eyes widened, and he grinned even more at the person he saw jogging their way.
Todoroki's eyes widened a bit at the sight of the boy jogging their way. That looks, a little like my first costume, he thought.
Ashido, Midoriya, Kirishima, Ojiro, and Aoyama all stared in more surprise than most of their classmates as Zach jogged towards them. "Whoa," Kirishima said, stepping back and staring at the boy heading their way. "That looks just like," he trailed off, though now Bakugo was frowning at the side of his head for starting that sentence in the first place.
"What he wore at VTS," Ashido whispered, and Hagakure and Sero turned in to the pink girl between them before looking back out at Zach. "Though, with more white," Ashido added, making her feel at least a little more at ease.
Zach jogged towards his class who he knew would all be staring at his new costume, so he tried not to show any signs of being nervous over them all staring at it. It should be alright though, Zach thought. He did not want to look down at it while everyone else was, which would have made it obvious he was self-conscious about all their stares. He focused on what Kaminari told him instead, and he turned to the blond who was grinning and nodding his head at the look of Zach's new costume.
Ojiro's eyes focused down at Zach's sides, and he got a bead of sweat on the side of his face at the sight of sheaths on his waist, as well as the same strange gun he saw back at the Villain Training Simulation building. What Ashido said had him more at ease too though. Zach's entire right side from the top of his tight collar, to his waist, to his right foot was pure white. Even the sheaths on his right side were white with white hilts coming out of them.
White on his right side? Jirou thought in confusion. Wonder if there's a reason for that.
Zach had two knife sheaths on his right side, one on his left, and the gun was next to it in an attached holster on the same steel belt as the rest of his equipment. His costume was now skin-tight over his torso and arms, covering all of them up so that none of his skin was showing except on his face. It was pitch black over his left side, including the belt that was white on the other side, and the steel of the gun and the sheath and hilt of the knife on the left side were black too. Despite most of his body being split between white and black though, the helmet on his head was fully black. It covered up the top of his head, the back, and the sides including over his ears, but it left his face in the open.
Thought he might try hiding his face with the new costume, Midoriya thought. The whole country knows he's Lifebringer- or he was. Midoriya frowned more at something Zach told him when he brought that up before. I didn't think he'd want people to recognize him.
Zach had thought about it himself when he was drawing the helmet design to give to Principal Nezu back when he was staying in police protection for a few days at the start of the month. He felt confident about his decision though, even as he had to look certain classmates in the eyes after they looked at his whole costume. I'm not hiding. Not while I wear this. Not while I'm, being a hero. I'm done wearing a mask to save people.
"Nice costume dude," Kirishima said as Zach came to a stop behind the class he had slowed near.
"You're late," Aizawa said before others could start talking to him about the new suit and making their training start even later.
"Sorry, had trouble figuring out the helmet," Zach lied. He said it so simply that it did not sound like a lie to anyone, except for Kaminari who knew why Zach was actually out just behind him.
That made Kaminari frown after a few seconds, as he thought back on when Zach was locked in his apartment not talking to anyone. He told me he was going on vacation with his aunt. Then he told everyone that they cancelled, but there's no way she was actually taking him to America. I totally believed him! He was lying even back… Kaminari shook his head and just frowned but in a slightly less annoyed way. What was he actually going to do then? I'm glad he changed plans, and came back to school. Was he just going to stay home forever?
"Well no time for delay," Aizawa said.
"Aizawa sensei, wasn't All Might supposed to be here with us?" Yaoyorozu questioned after looking away from Zach's new costume and towards the teacher.
"He is," Aizawa replied, and he grinned at the girl who got a confused look in her eyes.
"You'll be splitting off to enter the training area four at a time, with one group of five," Aizawa started. "Inside the center of Ground Gamma, there is a bomb."
A fake bomb? Everyone in the class thought, really hoping Aizawa just misspoke.
"There is a time limit!" All Might's voice called out, and everyone looked towards the huge steel forest in front of them. There were giant warehouses all interlocking with each other by metal pipes and beams, tubing and wires. There were ladders, narrow passageways, and it looked to be a very difficult place to move through. All Might's face projected on a wall in front of them right at the outside of the training Ground where the class was gathered. "As there often is for explosives. When you reach the bomb, I will start communicating with you the procedure of how to defuse it! It may not be your area of expertise, but sometimes you will be faced with something you are not used to, and still need to be able to handle it as the hero who arrived first!"
The others in class started glancing around as they wondered if they were competing against their other classmates. Zach frowned as he stared at the steel area ahead of him. Last time I raced here, I came in last place. I was distracted after the internships. That was my excuse at least. I'll always be distracted though. There's always something on my mind. So this time, just focus for now on the training. Don't come in last- no, don't even think about it like that. Make it to the bomb first. Learn how to defuse a bomb.
"Have you ever defused a bomb All Might?!" Ashido called out, hoping All Might could hear her.
The thin man on the screen chuckled. He leaned his head back and then said while looking up, "Well, no. I have come in contact with many explosives, though I normally threw them high into the sky, or held them against my chest…" the nostalgic look in All Might's eyes did not match the lowered lips of most of the students who all remembered the skinny man they were looking at had been the number 1 hero for years. "Anyway, that is not an option for most of you. If the time limit is running down, some of you may consider using your Quirks to stop the explosion. I will not tell you not to, as part of your score is based on how much damage is caused by the explosion."
Every person in Class-A who was thinking about getting to the bomb before their classmates felt their hearts speed up as their bottom lips lowered. "That would have happened if it were a real bomb," All Might continued, which had every person in Class-A glaring at the screen with a tick mark on their foreheads. "Though the explosion caused by this dummy will still be dangerous, so do try and defuse it seriously," All Might added, a bead of sweat rolling down his face while all the students went wide-eyed again that they actually had not been tricked the first time.
"What happens to the three who don't reach the bomb first?" Sato questioned, looking towards Aizawa on his right.
"The timer is not very long," Aizawa said. "And we have a number of dummy bombs. As long as you don't arrive all one right after the other, it shouldn't be a problem. Follow All Might's directions quickly, precisely, and make it to the bomb in time. Whoever makes it there first will have the longest amount of time to defuse."
"And when you say a 'dummy bomb,'" Hagakure started. "Just how big is the explosion-"
"Alright, here are is the first group of four," Aizawa said, and he pointed a remote at the screen. He made All Might's face disappear and put the first group up on it along with a map of Ground Gamma and where the first four people would be entering from.
Hagakure sweatdropped, and a lot of people grimaced that Aizawa never answered their question. It made them all the more worried about defusing the bomb, which had Iida scratching his chin after a few seconds. "Everyone," Iida started before he headed off to get to the opposite side of the ground where he would be starting from in the first group. Everyone looked his way, including Sero, Todoroki, and Jirou who were just starting to move to their designated entrances as well. "When dealing with bomb defusal, one must not panic. Do not think about how large the explosion will be, as it will only make your hands unsteady." Iida turned after giving his advice, then he started running to get around the training area.
Everyone who stared at Iida opened their eyes wide, and then a dozen of them called out, "Thank you class rep!"
Zach stood on the west side of Ground Gamma. Even though he was separated from the rest of class, he had a screen projecting in front of him too with the view of the inside of the central area. His eyes were wide and he started panting as the smoke cleared and he saw Jirou on her back, staring up at the ceiling and coughing up smoke after that blast. That was less time than it took Sero to defuse getting there in second place. Jirou looked like she was moving fast. How much time does fourth place have? How much did that hurt? She's moving around well, but All Might's asking if she's okay- why am I thinking about what happens if I come in last? I won't. Still, Todoroki froze the bomb when it was about to explode and he was in third. He's the most level-headed guy in class. If he couldn't get it done in time… no, I'm more level-headed now, but I'm also focused. Focused on winning this. Not third. Not second. I'm getting first.
Jirou got up and All Might called out to her that it was a good attempt and she was only two steps away, but the wire she was moving touched the trap switch he had warned her not to touch. Zach felt a little more relieved knowing that the time limit was not that short for whoever got their fourth, but he reminded himself one more time not to get last anyway. He looked back up at the projection as Aizawa switched it to a map of the zone with four faces around the sides. Midoriya's a lot better with Full Cowling now. He did well the first time we raced here, and that was right when he started learning it. How do I beat him? On foot, on the… Just do it. Zach's expression steadied and his fists clenched at his sides. His knees bent, and he put his left hand in its black glove down in front of him. His right hand was in a tight white glove, a different model than the black one. This white one was closer to the glove he had with his villain costume, sliding his fingers up and down easier while still requiring him to force it which was good since he did not want an accident as careful as he always was when using his right hand around allies.
Zach bent and bounced his knees a few times while leaning forward in the stance to start a sprint. He put his weight forward, his right hand lifted up in front of him with the palm facing inwards. His face became a lot more serious, his focus narrowed in on the entrance in front of him that still had a red light over it. He felt free and light on his feet. His legs no longer had steel plates over his knees or in his shoes, or the shock absorbing padding on the inside. The legs of his costume were pulled as tight to his body as was his shirt, accentuating his leg muscles he had been working back up since he escaped the villains. It was only not tight around his waist and from his thighs up, just a little looser there to prevent it from looking weird.
Zach started taking in and out deep breaths as he focused solely on the opening in front of him. He heard the teachers going over the scores, but he did not need to know how well he needed to do. He already knew what his plan was. Taking out the metal plates helps with mobility, but also with combat. I thought my only way to be a hero was through martial arts, but Dabi- Dabi was right. "Trying to get close when your Quirk doesn't help out, unless you're willing to use that Nightmare form all the time…" I can't just risk knocking people into comas, or killing them, every time I fight villains. It's an art controlling that form, and I do it pretty well, but those villains I attacked while escaping Spinner, I really hope I'm telling the truth and really haven't killed any of them. No direct contact, it's very unlikely I took out a grown man with just the wind. Oh shit!
The light turned green and let out a ring, and Zach stumbled forward as he tried pushing out of his sprinting stance without really focusing. He wobbled through the gate off-balanced, then he kept running while steadying himself. He sprinted as fast as he could from the very start. Ashido's fast too with that Acid, and Mineta can bounce forward on his grape things. I'm the only one whose Quirk doesn't help with speed at least a bit. So I need to MOVE! Zach's feet pressed down hard as he sprinted straight towards a narrow pass between two large metal tubes sticking up in the air. He ran and leapt forward over a steel bar in front of him that stuck out of the path, then he fell into a slide underneath the bar that was right past it.
Zach popped up in an intersection without any way to keep moving forward, and he darted his gaze up before grimacing and spinning right. He kept sprinting, then he turned left at the next turn to move towards the middle faster. He sprinted without holding anything back, without caring about being careful or what would happen if he tripped while running this fast. Zach just sprinted, straight towards the wall up ahead of him. He did not see an intersection near the wall, and he would have to cut off much earlier and then find a new route to try and get to the middle. The wall up ahead of him was only fifteen feet tall, but there were no bars right above it that he looked for as he first realized he could not get up. If I go around I'll be last! No hesitation! He sprinted straight past the last intersection he could take. Never hesitate!
3 and 1/2 Months Ago
"Everyone out the back!"
Zach stood in front of the back door with his body surrounded in darkness. He held up his right hand towards the figures turning towards him inside the warehouse that had blue flames rising up one wall, a huge crack in the middle of the floor, and several dead bodies lying around. None of the men or women who looked towards him faltered for more than a split second after seeing him though. Most of them already knew he was there, and five of them started sprinting his way at the same time.
What do I do?! Who do I try to stop? I can't kill anyone- I promised I wouldn't! Zach started leaning back, while a man in front of him lifted up the saber he was sprinting towards the shorter enemy with. The man did not hesitate, not like Zach was doing. He slashed down towards the dark figure who lifted his arms to try and protect himself, crossing them in front of his face.
"Reaper! Move!" Zach felt a shove in his side and fell away, his red eyes opening and darting back in his eye sockets towards the angry figure who just shoved him.
The man who pushed him pulled his arm back just as fast, but the sword curved right at the end and caught the inside of Dabi's arm that he was pulling away slower than usual. Blood splashed out of Dabi's arm, as Zach hit the ground, as other villains ran towards the ones escaping out the back door. "Yeah, keep running! Don't let them get away!" Twice yelled as he dropped on Zach's other side, and a few other villains ran with him after the other ones who were escaping.
"Oi Dabi, you alright?" Twice asked, turning his head towards the man who dropped down to a knee behind him.
Zach stared forward in shock, his skull jaw dropped as he faced the man who dropped to his other knee. Zach lifted his right hand up slowly, then he pulled it back and touched himself in the face. A few others from their assault group in the League of Villains came over as Dabi was down on both knees, and Twice shouted at them to go after the others and finish them off. Zach just got up and took a step towards Dabi though, looking down at the man whose head was bowed, who was taking deep breaths while grabbing his right arm with his left hand. "You," Zach began, his voice a whisper. The kid's face filled with frustration, and anger, but he could not stop himself and shouted, "Why would you do that?! You know what touching me while I was like that-"
Dabi slammed his bloody right fist up and right into Zach's stomach. It was not a very strong punch, but Zach was not expecting it and was in the middle of speaking. It knocked the wind out of him and made Zach drop down to his knees. Twice laughed from next to them then yelled, "Not cool!"
Zach grabbed at his stomach with his left hand, then lifted his head with his face covered in confusion at the top of Dabi's black spikes. The man in front of him kept panting for a few seconds while lowering his right arm and grabbing it again with his left over the slash. "What the hell are you hesitating for?" Dabi muttered, looking up in annoyance at Zach's wide-eyed look. "We're comrades, yeah? Nakama." Dabi's mouth curled up in the split between his light skin and the purple patchy area. Dabi leaned back, snapping his head back and letting out a long breath while looking at the ceiling that was covering in blue flames that spread from what he made earlier. "And it's because I know so well what a brief touch in that form does, that I could do that," Dabi replied to what Zach had been saying before he punched the kid in the gut.
He didn't even pause to think, Zach thought with wide eyes as he stared at the man on his knees in front of him. He knew it wouldn't kill him, and it would save me, and he just acted. Even though it got him hurt… for me? He killed Kirishima! He KILLED Kirishima! Zach's lips twisted and his forehead wrinkled at what Dabi was telling him.
"Well, you let them get out the back door," Dabi muttered. "Just hope the others caught up," he added, while sliding his left leg up and trying to stand despite the dizzy feeling he had.
"You good Dabi?" Twice asked. "Whoa! Your arm is bloody!"
"Just a scratch," Dabi said as he stood up. He looked down at the kid who was staring up at him with huge eyes. "Hmph. Get that look off your face and let's regroup. If you can't accept I just helped you out 'cause we're on the same side, then think of it as a birthday present." Zach's eyes shot open even more, and Dabi smirked at the kid whose jaw dropped.
"It's your birthday?!" Twice shouted in an excited way, jumping up in the air.
"Is it?" Zach muttered. "I don't, know the day…"
"It is," Dabi said, then he reached his left hand down for Zach's. "Now get up, Reaper. We've still got work to do…"
Present
No hesitation. Zach thought, though what he was thinking back on almost made his thoughts too jumbled to focus. He saw the wall in front of him though, and he did not slow down as he sprinted towards it. Can't use grappling gun. Too high to jump. No hesitation. Zach sprinted straight up to the wall and he leapt when he was a few feet off.
Outside of Ground Gamma, the students of Class-A all focused on the same image as the one person who was still on the ground level did something seemingly idiotic. Mineta had climbed up a wall right at the start using his Pop-Off purple balls from his head, and Ashido was sliding on a metal pipe using her Acid. Midoriya was closest to the center already, but all of them looked towards the boy who they knew did not have a Quirk that would work to climb the tall wall he just sprinted towards.
There are no pipes for him to use as hand holds, Aizawa thought, narrowing his eyes at what the boy was doing. He glanced above it but as he already thought, he could not see anything for the boy to use his grappling gun on. What is he-
Zach leapt at the wall, slammed a foot into it, brought his next leg up and slammed another foot in, then brought his first foot up again. He successfully got the third step in before he felt himself slipping. Zach's right hand that had swung down as he tried running up the wall flew back up his side while whipping a white hilt out of his sheath. Zach slammed his right hand forward while leaning his entire body weight forward, and he jammed the blade of the knife straight through the wall. The wall is as thin as it looked, don't need to move as fast- but do anyway! Zach's backup plan for if the knife did not stick in was stabbing the next one up to his left before the knife slid out of the indent he figured it would make even if he could not break through. He knew the wall in front of him was hollow on the other side though, and he put enough strength into that stab that the blade broke through.
His left hand was already lifting with a black knife in it, and he whipped his arm forward as hard as he could again above him. He ripped the right knife out and reached up to stab it in again, but he was almost at the top and he just reached farther and stabbed the knife over the top of the wall, hooking it into the floor that he realized must have been grated up there. He pulled the black knife out and slid it back into its sheath then reached up with his left hand over the top of the wall, doing another pull-up hoisting his whole body and then climbing up on it. He scrambled to his feet as soon as he was on top of the wall, sliding his white knife into a sheath while pulling the black gun off his other side at the same time. The knife was barely back in when Zach leapt off the fifteen-foot-tall wall, firing the grappling hook out of his gun and up towards a metal beam above him.
He hooked it and lowered in his arc before rising back up with more momentum. He shook the gun once to get the hook off, but it did not work and he shook it again harder. First time using- bad idea! Don't panic! He was already on his downwards arc, but he aimed towards another bar ahead of him and fired. It hit, but the line was still dropping him down in the arc, and he fell towards the ground diagonally. Zach lifted his legs as he was about to hit down, snapping them back to give himself another second. He was almost at the bottom of the arc, and he tried pushing his legs apart to give him just a few more inches, anything. His knees hit the ground but he was at the bottom of the arc now and kept his momentum, skidding over the floor and ripping through the knees of his new uniform. He ignored it though, and the pain of the skin of his knees tearing, and instead just grinned as he moved up on the second half of the arc.
He rose up towards the next wall that was lower than the one he leapt off of but would still be difficult to get up if he had fallen there. There was a pathway going straight towards the middle of the zone at the top of that wall, and Zach swung up before swinging his gun as hard as he did the second time with the first bar. He did not have time to put it back at his belt before he hit the ground, so instead he just curled it into his chest while pulling up his bloody knees and ducking his head down while lifting his other arm over his head. Zach hit down on the wall fast, but with forward momentum that let him drop into a forward roll. He came out of the roll in a full-out sprint, though stumbling a bit to the sides at the initial feeling of pain in his legs.
Aizawa stared up at the screen with wide eyes, while some of the students behind him started speaking about what he just did. These movements are like nothing he showed before. They're less predictable. More trained- almost like he's had combat training… or been in combat situations. The teacher's eyes narrowed more at the boy on the screen whose expression was unsettling to him.
After hitting down, the pain Zach felt in his knees just made him speed up. He was panting, his eyes darting back and forth. He sprinted down the pathway and spun right, then leapt over a gap and kicked off the wall on his left, then the one on his right to jump up to a bar above him. He almost did not make it and one of his arms slipped, but he reached up again quickly and yanked himself up the bar with a pull-up that hurt his arms he really used all his strength in to stab those knives through the wall. Zach knew he likely dulled them with those two stabs alone, but he ignored it as he rose higher in elevation and started running over a thick bar, moving so fast he knew he had a chance of slipping off at any second.
And then he did slip. He slipped off the bar, but he recovered while falling and saw what he needed to do. He kicked off the metal bar he was passing on his right, redirecting himself towards the roof a little to the left of the thick bar he fell off. It was ten feet down, but he crouched as he fell and put all his momentum forward to fall into a roll again. He winced but came right out of it and kept sprinting in the direction the bar above him had been going, and he even smirked as that pipe curved off a different way which he would not have to now for a few more seconds. That smirk wiped from his face as he jumped off the roof and stepped-off quick on a round bar, making sure he was perfectly centered on his landing so as not to lose his footing. He put his weight down on it while leaning forward, sliding the sole of his white right shoe from one side to the other and then leaping again onto a narrow passage cutting straight towards the center of Ground Gamma.
He slipped again as he landed, stumbling to his right into the wall and bouncing off of it. He felt the pain in his knees, and it made him move faster with the panic of bumping into the wall and running out of time as he knew the others must be getting close now, as this was about as long as it took for Iida to reach the first round. Zach scrambled forward, falling forward and putting a hand down before sliding it back at his side and sprinting ahead, his head snapping left and right and his right hand pulling up for his sheath. His breath was picking up faster, and he started sprinting again while raising his head, his eyes wide and panicked.
3 Months Ago
"Damn it! Where did that come from?!" Shooter shouted, spinning around and firing a few rounds behind them. His eyes widened and he turned and sprinted even faster, passing Zach and the man he was dragging over his right shoulder.
"Holy crap- everyone's leaving us behind," Zach whispered in realization, as Shooter was the last person out of the building behind them.
"Everyone stop!" Twice shouted over his shoulder, which made the entire group chasing him sprint even faster.
"Guys- I-" Zach had to stop himself, cursing internally at the idea of calling out to them for help. Then he cursed again, darting his eyes to the right at the man whose head was resting over his shoulder. Zach was grabbing the man's left arm with his own left, having it slung over his shoulders while dragging the taller man's legs behind him. "Wake up Dabi! Open your eyes!" Zach yelled in panic at the man whose left side of his face was covered in blood. "Damn it, what is that thing?!"
"Trigger," Dabi muttered, and Zach's eyes snapped to the right again as he had screamed it while spinning forward.
Zach's legs ached carrying this weight on his back while running full speed, but the others had left Dabi behind. Why didn't I?! He thought, while looking at Dabi's eyes that had opened and shifted towards the teen pulling him away. "What the fuck is Trigger?!" Zach shouted.
"Trigger?" Shooter called out, spinning around as he heard Zach's call. Then his eyes opened huge and he lifted up both arms, firing behind Zach and Dabi who each turned their heads more.
They looked back through the docks covered in shipping containers, and their eyes popped open huge as the entire wall of the warehouse they just sprinted out of the open garage doors of blew apart. A huge red fist slammed through the middle of it, then a spiked right leg stomped down on the ground in front of the beast inside. "It's getting bigger!" A blue-skinned orc-looking villain running ahead and on Zach's left shouted. Then, a huge chunk of wall that had flown up in the air came dropping down and the man screamed, "AHHH-" CRASH
Zach had kept running forward, but he winced as the wall slammed down on Thoron. Blood splashed out towards him and he saw an unmoving blue arm underneath that wall, and he knew that very well could have been him since he was even farther back. He saw splashes of debris in the water to his right, and he picked up his speed even faster as he saw Spinner up ahead of their retreating group. There was a large portal opened up right behind Spinner, but it was a distance away, and Zach could hear the thunderous footsteps starting behind him.
"Trigger," Dabi muttered. "It was a drug that got pretty popular a few years back. Some busts, and the side effects pretty much ended it, but it's on the rise again."
"What does it do?!" Zach yelled in panic, as the huge footsteps behind him were getting closer.
"Powers up Quirks," Dabi replied and Zach's eyes darted back to him in confusion along with terror as he felt another footstep not far behind him, and the portal was still fifty meters off. "Could make a guy with a normal Quirk get one fit for a hero, but it made people lose, cognitive functions ack-" Dabi coughed and he rose his right arm to wipe some blood from his mouth. He started picking his feet up, shaking his head as if realizing where he was. Realizing it also made him realize how loud those footsteps were, and that shook him out of the stupor more. "But a guy with an already good Quirk, whose already half-lost-it in the head," Dabi said, turning his head and then sprinting out of Zach's hold and towards the portal ahead of them.
Zach's eyes turned huge as Dabi sprinted off, then he put his feet to the pavement even harder to speed up without the weight on his shoulders. BOOM! The ground beneath his feet shook so much that he stumbled in full sprint and almost fell over. He was terrified, but as he stumbled he had to turn his head a little just to check how close it was. And he looked up, and…
"RRROOAOAAAARRR!"
Present
Zach's head snapped around with a look of sheer panic and terror on it. He stared behind him, and then he slowed down from his all-out sprint. He slowed down and his head snapped to both sides at the metal bars on his sides and the tall steel walls past them that had his area shadowed over a little. What the- he started thinking, and then he realized where he was. He spun around, right as he heard an explosion come from the center area. Oh crap! How many? Is that the first place? Did they mess up, or is it already second or third? Am I in last? What's it matter compared to- No! I move full speed! I wanted to win this! Who cares if nothing's chasing me? Keep moving top speed.
Even though he kept from lingering on the thought, Zach's face was scrunched up as he moved as fast as he could for the large center area he was about to reach the edge of. Was anyone watching me right there? I hope I didn't look too weird.
Class-A stared at one of the screens with dropped jaws. Only a few had turned away when Midoriya messed up the bomb defusal after arriving at the center area first, while the rest of them and their teacher had kept staring into the televised eyes of someone who looked like they were running for their life. Zach had spun around while a lot of them were already watching him nervously or in confusion anyway, as he was bumping into walls and sprinting with his head on a swivel. When he turned though, right into the camera he did not see and hoped was not there, everyone saw his expression.
Seventeen students saw the most, or one of the most terrified looks they had ever seen before. Sero's laughing comment about the way Zach was running caught in his throat and his eyes bulged. His mouth dropped at the corners, and he just stared at the boy who turned back around and kept running again though a little calmer like he realized where he was.
Aizawa lifted a hand and ran it through his dark scraggly hair. He thought about what he was thinking of not a minute earlier when Zach was making split-second decisions without hesitating, and he had now confirmed it with what he just saw on Sazaki's face. He frowned though as he thought about it for a different reason other than the kid having that combat experience. How do I scold him over it, if he supposedly made it through the judges? If I do it anyway, has he already faced punishment? Or did he lie? I don't see how they would let him come back here if they knew he had been fighting. All anyone thought, and I had even hoped, was that he had only used his Quirk to heal. He really thought right there though, that he was being chased.
Jirou was standing next to Kaminari who had been making fun of her from getting exploded all the way into the start of this round. The two of them were silent now as they stared at the screen that Zach was running forward on. He reached the room at the same time as Ashido, then as Ashido yelped and called out that she was there first, Zach just sprinted straight towards the center of the room and grabbed the bomb before calling out for All Might. Ashido called that it was unfair, but All Might started speaking to Zach over the speakers and Ashido gawked that it was alright.
Jirou turned to Kaminari after losing her gawk and just staring at the screen for a few seconds. She looked at the boy next to her whose face was so frustrated as he looked at his friend who was quickly and precisely defusing the bomb, his hands steady in front of him as he moved. Guess he doesn't know what that was all about, Jirou thought, before glancing back at the image of the boy defusing the bomb. He got there so quick without a Quirk. Much faster than I did. I spent seconds looking around every corner, trying to find better routes, and he just made his own when they weren't there. Was he moving that fast the whole time, because he convinced himself there was something chasing him? Or… Kyoka frowned and she looked at the boy in a sad way even as All Might called out a congratulations.
All Might told him to run over to the panel that lifted up on the wall so he could join Midoriya and they could both watch Ashido together from in there. Midoriya sat behind All Might's control chair, his back against the wall of the inside room and black on a lot of his body from the explosion that mainly just blasted him with soot and enough force to throw him backwards. Midoriya was looking at Zach in surprise as the boy jogged over, and he started saying something to him before the panel closed and Ashido ran towards the next bomb that popped out a panel of the floor for her to defuse. She yelled out in panic as soon as she knelt in front of it, "Sixteen seconds?!"
As a couple of the others started focusing on Ashido and wondering how she was going to defuse or get rid of the bomb in that short of time, Kaminari glanced to his left at Jirou who he saw staring at him. He grimaced right back, but then he smiled as he remembered something. Oh yeah, I'll just ask him what he was thinking about after this. Kaminari turned back and started watching Ashido, putting his hands behind his head as he recalled his decision from earlier. And I won't let him give me a 'maybe another time' for an answer! Sometimes, you just gotta be nosy!
Zach lay on his bed surrounded in a black aura. He stared up at the ceiling while panting, his whole room tinted red. Darkness doesn't mean much in this state. My eyes don't need to adjust at all. Man it gets dark early though, Zach thought, glancing towards his window while still panting. He kept his hands both behind his head. Both of his palms were on the back of his head, but the Nightmare state was staying around his body. His fingers slid out of his glove to turn him into this form, but he could let them cover his fingers again too while inside it. Zach took a deep breath after glancing at his closed blinds that he could only see darkness through, as it was already dark at 4:40 since it was in the middle of the winter after all.
His timer started buzzing next to him, and Zach started doing sit-ups again. He did them fast, and he did not feel the aching in his body for over ten seconds. Death is somehow stronger. But what makes it stronger? I caught that knife. And it wasn't like I just killed something to give me the boost. It just- I just knew the knife was coming. My body reacted. Maybe I can't die in Death form… Death form? Is that really better than Nightmare? Why could I never come up with anything better? Reaper isn't a name I can use as a hero. That was my villain name to prevent anyone from knowing Lifebringer was ever out there. Didn't want random villain groups knowing I was going around kicking their asses. Zach started doing his sit-ups faster.
Why'd I tell Kaminari that stuff? He thought, his jaw biting down harder behind his wispy black veil of a mouth. Why not? He made his decision- but I should… What? Ignore his resolve? He's my friend. He always was, always has been, even when I ignored him. He called me out on lying about the Aunt Maye-California-vacation thing too. Didn't think he'd ever piece that together, though I'm sure some of the others must have realized it if they ever watched my Aunt's testimony… Of course they all watched it. I vanished for fucking months afterwards. Zach started panting, and he tried sitting up again only to fall back and let out a gasp of dark breath into the air above him.
Zach reached to his side and slid his phone open fast. He had to set the timer again before the darkness covered his entire phone and made it impossible to see, and he managed to set a 2 minute timer before laying on his back again. Does training in this state power it up more? I don't know. It doesn't really matter, since I'm staying in it as long as I'm alone. He took some deep breaths to calm down his panting after that hard set that he just went at with as many reps as it took until he could not do one more. I almost snapped at him. Would that have been better? Telling him stuff, that I lied about in court. That's a fucking liability if I've ever seen one. I told him not to say a thing though, and as big a mouth as he has, after taking this long to get me to tell him anything, he's gotta know I'm never gonna talk to him again if people find out. For his good as much as for mine. If he tells people I'm telling him secrets, he'll be a target. Unless, he's the spy.
Zach's red eyes got wider, and then the red started flaring and his vision got redder as he glared at the ceiling. "He's not," Zach growled aloud. Shindeki Buda would not have known who the spy was. He would have gone for Kaminari anyway. Or if it hadn't started back then, the villains could have started threatening Kaminari's family… Zach was thinking too fast for himself to argue with, and he brought his hands from behind his head to the sides of it and grabbed it hard. "Damn it. Shut up," he snarled at himself. "He's my friend." Zach's eyes opened wide, and he whispered, "Good thing I'm in therapy. I'm fucking talking to myself. Damn it. Damn it!" He yelled that, then he froze and spun his head to the side at the wall on his right that connected to Sato's room. Do I have nightmares? I hope I don't wake him up if I do. I sometimes wake up in cold sweats, but I was only screaming once… He totally heard it, but no one's ever said anything. He must not have said a thing. Thanks Sato-
Bzzz Zach heard his phone buzzing and reached to it to turn off the timer. It stopped though instead of going on continuously, and he lifted his phone instead. He slid off the timer button that popped up a second after he rose his phone, then he opened the text message that had appeared before it while trying to keep his darkness from covering the device. His breath picked up speed again since he had finished panting as he prepared for his final set, but Zach started calming himself down after a few seconds. It's a random number, but… Zach swung his legs off the side of his bed and red the message again. "516221." Alright. Alright I get it. Shouldn't be too hard. Zach stood up and he slid his phone down into his pocket with his left hand while tapping on his chest with his right with his fingers sticking out of the glove. Should I do the final set before I go? No, I might need my energy. Really? Do I think I'm about to go into a fight, with this calm an attitude?
Zach opened the door of his room and stepped out just as the last shreds of darkness vanished from him. He headed down the hall and then down the stairs to the common room. Zach walked towards the front door, and he saw Uraraka and Asui look over from the couch. They stared a second longer than they should have, and Zach frowned while avoiding their gazes. Everyone totally saw. I thought maybe Kaminari was just watching me 'cause we're friends… damn it. Well, it's true. But, I guess he left out that everyone noticed. I really thought that monster was chasing me. I barely made it through the portal, and Kurogiri still split off a huge fist that made it through. That was disgusting, Zach almost reached the door, then he heard a voice behind him.
"Where you going?"
Zach stopped and got an annoyed look on his face. A really annoyed look. He turned his head sideways and glared at the boy behind him with bleach blond hair that spiked up around his head. "Shopping. Where are you going?" Zach asked sarcastically, as Bakugo had been walking behind him before stopping and asking the question. Bakugo narrowed his gaze at Zach at that question, and Zach glared right back at him straight in his eyes.
Asui and Uraraka looked over with wider eyes, getting nervous as this looked like it might escalate. Kirishima and Sero were hanging out near the kitchen though, and Kirishima called over as he saw who was near the door, "Oi Zach! Where are you going?"
"I need to get some snacks," Zach called back, turning from Bakugo and giving Kirishima a small, friendly look. Kaminari's right. I don't need to treat everyone like strangers. I live with them, eat with them, learn with them. They're all my classmates. Doesn't mean they're all my closest friends, but they're the closest people I have right now. "Just ran out," Zach added, before turning to the door and ignoring Bakugo altogether as he opened it to leave. Don't want Kirishima saying he'll tag along or something. Can't have that right now. Zach got out of the building quick, and he started walking down the path in the near darkness of the U.A. campus. The sun had gone down not long ago, so it was not pitch black out, but it was dark enough that Zach felt cautious about his surroundings and walked straight into the middle of the road while keeping his right hand lifted around stomach-level.
Zach headed to the main office of U.A. The main campus was pretty empty as he arrived. He knew most of the teachers lived on campus now too to better protect the students. The main office was open 24/7 as well, in case there were emergencies with the students who lived there. Zach walked up just before five o'clock, and he stepped before the receptionist who was surprised to see him. "I just need a thirty minute pass," Zach said. "Ran out of food," he added.
The woman behind the counter hummed while looking at his I.D. card, not that she needed to see it to know who he was. She scanned it, then she said while looking up, "You went shopping two days ago."
"Yeah?" Zach said. He lifted his eyebrows at her, but she lifted them right back at him. "I guess, I'll buy in bulk this time?" He asked, as if wondering why it was a problem that he was going shopping again after only two days.
"We would appreciate it if you did," she said to him. Then she gave him a small buzzer and tapped a button on her keyboard. "It'll start blinking at 25 minutes in…"
"And start beeping at 29," Zach finished for her. "I know. I'll only be ten or fifteen," he said, and he turned. He stopped after taking a step away, then he turned back with a sigh but smiled at the woman behind the counter. "Thank you."
She hummed, then she smiled at the boy at the change in attitude. "You're very welcome, Lifebringer."
Zach's smile lowered down, and the woman in front of him gained a confused look. Zach turned away from her fast, lowering his gaze and stepping out of the office with a dark look in his eyes. "Not Lifebringer," he muttered under his breath.
Zach Sazaki left U.A. and headed out into the streets of Musutafu. He kept his head on a bit of a swivel, kept his right hand lifted just a bit, but he was not really looking out for villains as much as he was searching for other predators that could be lurking around U.A. Are the press still trying to get an interview with me? I don't see them giving up that easily. Then again, Shigaraki could have posted people out here to watch for me coming out. Zach reached up and he made sure the black hood of his sweatshirt was pulled farther forward to cover him up more. He had been wearing it back in his room while he worked out, and he did not get changed since he was in a hurry to get out.
"Let's see," he said, lifting his phone up and checking the time. 5:04. Still have twelve minutes. He'll probably be there early, and I told her 10-15 minutes. 221. 221. 221. Zach glanced around, then he turned left at the next intersection. He saw a lot of people around the streets, and he lifted his gloved hands and rubbed them in front of him a few times. He had thrown on the second glove on his way out the door, pulling it out of his sweatshirt pocket that he kept it in just in case. After all, there were instances where he would have to leave quickly without giving away who he was by wearing only a glove over his right hand.
There we are, Zach thought, and he walked towards the convenience store just ahead of him. Figured he would pick one close to school. It would look strange to any teachers who might be following me if I went any farther than the closest one.
Zach stepped into the convenience store, and he grabbed a basket before going straight towards a shelf with some snack food on it. Good thing I was actually low on snacks. Makes it so I'm not wasting Aunt Maye's money. Want to use as little as possible now that the school's pretty much supporting me for everything else. Full cut-off of contact should include not taking money out of her account. Zach dropped another bag of chips in his basket, then he looked over the shelf towards the refrigerated section, only to frown and turn away. He walked towards a shelf in the back covered in magazines and manga.
The kid with messy black hair picked up a popular manga and flipped through it. He stopped on a page with a pirate who had a brown tail and was holding a big sword covered in bandages. He read the popular manga for a few seconds, and he actually got interested in it, He's a ninja too?
"This was not your best idea," a man behind Zach said. Zach continued to read the manga, then his eyes widened a small amount as the man took a roll of toilet paper off a shelf that he had run his hand along the entire way. "Reading manga? Did you think I could casually walk up alongside you and start reading?"
Zach sweatdropped and he closed the book and put it back on the shelf. He shook his head like he was reminding himself he had to go shopping and get back quick, then he walked to the other side of the shelf as the man with short brown hair and a pair of sunglasses on. The guy on the other side of the shelf had a cane in one hand, and he was running his hand up and down the shelf with a semi-confused look on his face like he was struggling at finding what he needed to. Zach had looked over the shelf towards him, then he saw that look and realized something. "What are you looking for?" Zach asked, and he walked around the shelf to "help" out the blind man on the other side.
"Hmp," Webb let out a satisfied hum while Zach walked around towards him. Then his mouth lowered into a flat lip as he turned towards the young man who was trying to be helpful to him. Webb was only a few inches taller than the short student, at five seven himself. Once he turned to the shorter boy so his lips could not be read from outside if there was anyone looking in, he said, "I am looking for- Hunter is going to be let free tomorrow."
Zach's eyes widened a little, then he himself turned farther from the windows and pointed at the shelf on the other side of them. "Right here," he said. Webb turned with him, and Zach continued in a dark and lower voice, "Didn't know what the rest of your face looked like. Why are you so tan?"
"I'm part Italian," Webb replied. "That all you have to say?"
"How's he getting out?" Zach said, while reaching forward and grabbing a tub of shampoo. He grabbed the blind man by a hand and lifted it up to put the shampoo in it, making Webb frown this time as the kid took the act too far, though he did not say anything about it.
Instead, Webb replied, "Apparently, because of the way he was apprehended, it would be a mistrial and Hunter could not be charged in court."
Zach grimaced. An annoyed and angry look spreading on his face which made him look harder at the shelf in front of him so no one would see.
"It was obvious this was going to happen," Webb continued, his voice still low so only the two of them could hear. Zach glanced out the left corners of his eyes at the man who reached forward and moved around the shampoo to put it back in its place, then reached over and grabbed another bottle. He handed it to Zach so the boy could "explain" what the label said, while Webb continued, "This was supposed to happen."
Zach got a confused look on his face, but then he shifted his gaze down at the bottle's label with a thoughtful look, "Does that mean…" Zach hesitated. He grinned after a second though, thinking about a conversation that he and Webb had had back the day after Webb saved him from Hunter. "You put a tracker on Hunter?" Zach asked.
Webb did not smile, but he did nod and feel satisfied at the kid's quick thinking. "Sooner or later, he will be called to the League of Villains again. They will want to know the reason for his failure, or they will hire him a second time. Even with that failure, his reputation taking a hit will only make his prices drop and make them more likely to ask for his help."
Zach hummed himself this time, then realizing the look on his face, he went with it and put the shampoo back like he had been pondering it's uses. "Here, check this out," Zach said, walking around Webb to his other side and grabbing a 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner, body wash. "If Hunter gets close with a tracker on him, Hackerman might find out. I still don't know how he got into VTS's systems. How he discovered the cameras in the first place."
"It's not that kind of tracker," Webb replied as Zach handed him the bottle he had just seemingly talked about to the blind man. Zach did not change his expression but listened close as Webb talked, a smile on his face like he was finally happy with what he was getting. "It's a tracking Quirk. Similar to how Hunter used your scent, using his Quirk, Moth." Zach's eyes widened a bit more, but he returned them to normal quickly while just feeling satisfied at that information. "I asked an acquaintance with a useful Quirk for help. He met with Hunter in jail disguised as a guard, he doesn't know the tracker's on him."
"How do you follow it?"
"My acquaintance sends me reports every hour he's awake," Webb replied.
Sounds more like a partner than an acquaintance. Though, I bet he refers to me as an acquaintance too to others he works with. What is my purpose here? I never asked. There's no reason, I thought. "What do you want from me?" Zach asked, realizing as he thought about it that he had no idea what he was there for. The two of them started walking for the counter together, and Zach stood in front of Webb since he had just asked the question. There was one person in front of them already getting his things, and Zach looked back over his right shoulder away from the door as he listened to the blind man behind him. It would have looked weird for them to be having an obvious conversation while looking away from each other, and even though neither of them knew whether or not someone was watching them, they were both appreciative of how the other person was being cautious.
"I thought you would want to know, that's all," Webb said. Zach got a skeptical look on his face, and Webb frowned immediately. Zach lost the look that he would not give a blind man, and Webb lost the one that showed he could tell what Zach's expression had just turned to. Webb continued after that brief lapse in both of their judgements, "As well as," he paused as Zach started to smirk as he knew he was right in thinking there was more.
"Sorry, continue," Zach said, then he turned forward as the guy behind the counter called for him to move up. The man behind Zach did not say a word as Zach got his few snacks and ramen cups rung up. Zach stepped aside after he was finished, but he looked back towards the blind man who bought the few things he had on him as well, including the 3-in-1 shampoo Zach suggested to him.
Webb stepped away from the counter and he and Zach walked out the door together, then when they were on the steps outside, Webb turned to Zach again like he was thanking the young man for help in the shop. "Next time I send you a message, it will be to ask for your help. Not for a meeting like this. Will you accept?"
Zach smiled at the blind man who was thanking him, and he shook his head like it was no problem at all. "I don't know," Zach said while smiling. "I'm glad you're keeping me involved, but I really, I just don't know. It's too soon."
"When you next receive a message, decide fast. If you ignore it, I will cease communications," Webb turned around and lifted his right hand, giving a small friendly wave over his shoulder.
Zach waved back, then he laughed and cupped his hands to his mouth. "Goodbye!" he called out, then he turned while laughing and started heading back to his school. He lifted his left hand as he did though, and he put the hood back on that he had taken off in the convenience shop and was surprised no one called him out on. Then again, his face did look different from the pictures still being shown of him on tv: scarless, spiky-haired.
Zach Sazaki headed back towards U.A., and he lifted his head to stare up at the dark sky above that was pitch black now. He could not see any stars, but that was to be expected in a city as bright as Musutafu. He stared up at the stars, and he narrowed his gaze after a few seconds. Help Webb? It's pretty clear All Might doesn't know about this. He probably only asked Webb for help, because of my situation at the time. After Webb and I spent those two days talking though, he wanted to… It's strange to me, doing something like this. I made my choice. I, had the option of becoming Webb's student and learning how to be an anti-hero from him, or joining back with hero society. The whole reason I chose hero society, was because I wanted to follow the rules and not bring the consequences that ignoring them was bound to. Can I stand on the line not of a hero and villain, but of a hero and anti-hero? Does such a thing exist? No, a hero who ignores the rules and does stuff like that, would just be an anti-hero already, or a villain depending on the viewpoint.
He continued heading back towards U.A., and he felt a buzzing from the device in his pocket that made him grimace. 25 minutes already. Guess I'll have to apologize it wasn't ten to fifteen after all. He thought it, then he frowned deeper at the obvious distraction he gave himself. How do I decide? Could I even leave for long enough to really help? When he says that, he means he wants me to fight with him, or at least do more than meet him in a nearby convenience store. I should expect that he means infiltrating and attacking at his side. I should expect anything and everything. He said he was going to keep going after the League of Villains. We both knew that I could not give the hero system all the information I have, as that would implicate me in a dozen or so crimes. And if I was going back, no one who could use that information would be out there. So I gave it all to Webb. He took everything I learned in 5 months, and he's asking for my help now even after all that. "Haaaa," Zach let out a long breath and he started scratching his chin with his left hand.
Guess I'll just go to school for now, he thought, and he lowered his left hand and shrugged his shoulders. Zach smiled as he thought about the talks he and Kaminari had that day. He thought about how he came in second for his round at Ground Gamma, but actually got first in his group since he defused the bomb while Midoriya had it blasted in his face. He stretched his arms up in the sky and let out a laugh as he thought about Bakugo's angry look at him as he was about to leave. What's your fucking problem? Zach's expression darkened, but he kept grinning as he lowered both gloved hands behind his head and kept walking back to school. I can do this. Balancing everything. Holding back. Pushing forward. School, friends, villains, Webb, teachers, six weeks, Hunter, future, hiding. Balance everything. Don't lose it again.
A/N Thanks for reading. I read the entire manga last night, solid all-nighter. So in a few chapters since I'm already finished with some of the next ones, more from the manga will show up in here, even if I am past its current timeline now. Actually got Trigger from the Vigilante- My Hero Academia: Illegals manga where it's the main focus, and I didn't know it was going to be in Boku no Hero at all until I read the manga last night, which actually saved me here as I changed up some dialogue to keep canon since Dabi initially was going to be really surprised that Trigger had shown up, as I thought it was an old drug... Well anyway, going to be some cool things added in now that I know some other characters and plots that happened in the fall that Zach missed, though not all that happened in the manga may have happened while he was away with the villains. This world is different after all, and Zach's leaving with the villains may have changed more! So anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave a review telling me what you think, or predictions for upcoming chapters!
Crosswald chapter 34 . 18h ago
I wonder how you're gonna develop the way Zach will use his power without hurt anyone, and what will be his "specials" attack because as he is back is UA he's a future hero...no ?
Ho and i really want him to realize there's a lot peaple who care of him. He has friends.
A support the shop momo Zach ! Yeaaa
Zach even without his power does pretty good at his training today, and it seems he's accepted at least Kaminari as a friend. Another support for the Momo Zach ship huh? We'll see... Thanks for the review!
Words and letters chapter 34 . 15h ago
You spoil me, you have such a talent with writing stories and the characters in it, you've kept me captivated ever since I found your story but what you spoil me with the most is the fact you've released more chapters than days you started this with a huge word count, LIKE I'M HAPPY IF A STORY STICKS WITH A WEEK SCHEDULE AND YOU HAVE MORE THAN A DAILY UPLOAD RATE and that time you updated within 2 hours bloody madman
So thank you for making this, I hope good fortune comes your way
Thanks! Really glad you're enjoying it. With this chapter, I have now hit over 300,000 words, with more than 30 chapters, in under 30 days! Still having a lot of fun with it, so expect another full week of uploads! XD Thanks again!
ali2331 chapter 34 . 4h ago
So yeah. I'm confused about what "path" Zach actually chose. He seems like he's not that determined to be a hero and go to UA but at the same time UA is supposedly a super tough school and he couldn't possibly be going through with all the hard courses without a goal in mind. So does he want to be a hero?
Zach decided to go to the hero school, and he is determined to do well and make it a hero, but he's just shown not to be too into going to UA specifically. Hates the teachers, knows there's a spy, but he also knows it's the only hero school he can go to that'll accept him and won't be in a ton more danger because of his presence. He's settling in a bit more now though, but at the end here he's still trying to figure out what he's doing. "Balance everything," is gonna be hard with U.A. classes as tough as you're saying, but we'll see how he moves on from here.
Harbringer27 chapter 34 . 17h ago
Ok I dunno if I'm wrong or I forgot or missed a part of the story but is Jenny and her parents dead? Because if im honest I don't know, and I would really like to know even if it's a yes please
Yeah. Hop back like 7 chapters, right before the 6 week time skip before Zach escaped the villains. He hasn't been thinking about it or talking with anyone about it either, still surprised you missed it though.
Thebloodlord chapter 34 . 14h ago
Will thar be romance? (And not yaoi romance, sorry it doesn't do it for me) I can see Jiro or Momo being his GF, I don't think the story Needs a romantic partner but it could make for some interesting situations
I think thar will be. Won't be yaoi so don't worry. I won't confirm or deny any ships though. Thanks for the review!
Guest chapter 34 . 8h ago
Will Zach ever start appreciating the people around him?
Cause this guy seriously needs some love because he's too emotionally deprived. I thought this would be ZackxJirou but Momo has been getting a lot of "attention" recently.
When will he get that freaky growth spurt and become the tall attractive guy with scars all over his muscular body, cause it's hilarious how he's barely taller than Tokoyami!? Plus he's tortured constantly, I mean come on! If there is one thing I know that makes men feel better is if they are taller than most people, even if they have significant problems. Something that helps people get through problems because he has absolutely no outlet, he can't even kill things. He's bottling everything way too much and it's going to come out at the worst time possible.
Zach's got Midoriya, and now Kaminari too, we'll see if he can open up a bit to anyone else in coming chapters. Zach getting a growth spurt and coming back looking like that would require a longer time skip, while really we're just seeing it happen more gradually. He was just over five foot at the start of the story after all, and not even a year later he's 5'4" so he's def getting bigger. He's got a small outlet now as he's sent to therapy, so hopefully that'll work out for him, but yeah we'll see. Thanks for reviewing! Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter!