loser (ˈlü-zər)
Noun
a person or thing that loses especially consistently
The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year.
a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed
Don't waste your time on that loser.
good loser
Noun
a person who does not become upset or angry when he or she loses
Misogi Kumagawa is a good loser.
It was a complete surprise when he turned up at Suisou Academy one day. The school, which was considered to be the most renowned 'cram' school in all of Japan, served as a "training ground" for kids who were in middle school and wanted to learn how to control their abilities a little bit sooner than they would at a big shot hero school like Ketsubetsu or Isamu. This is a one-of-a-kind university attended only by the brightest and smartest students.
It was a shock when it closed down after he had left the school. That suspicious, screw-wielding sociopathic scoundrel went out to become a hero, and destroyed the thing that created some.
Would it come as a surprise to people to learn that he went on to attend Shiketsu? Yes. But a great many more individuals have a right to be informed...
What he 'did' at Suisou Academy would stick with everyone involved forever.
Especially himself.
Class 3-4 had an issue with the president. The school didn't really 'watch' over their students- so, teachers (who were slurring their speeches as of late) were pretty oblivious to the overwhelming power of the president. She was a powerfully imposing person, and she had no qualms just…asserting her power over those who dared oppose her.
Numerous pupils at the school, all of whom desired for her tyrannical rule to end, felt that the institution had let them down. It seems like every time they tried to challenge the president, they fumbled their remarks. Choked hard on their words. And not long after that, they would depart, taking their failed aspirations and shattered ambitions for whatever they had planned with them.
All they could do was sit back and suffer as the council ruled over their school lives. They wanted a hero to save them-
And that's when he showed up one day. They were in class, talking about sports or that TV show or that news story about the kid who rushed into a fire to save his friend from a sludge villain. A moment of peace for their busy lives.
He walked through the door, wearing a uniform that belonged to the school. He was a young man of ordinary height and build, with blue eyes and black hair, and he stood at an average height. He appeared to have a gracious expression on his face. However, he was not in any way approachable. The kids didn't know how to explain it- looking at him was like being under pressure. And his eyes were…absent. Devoid of any joy, despite that smile on his face.
The boy cleared his throat. 「hello」He spoke. His voice was polite, but had an air of 'condescending' to it. 「i am kumagawa misogi and i have transfered from █████ academy. i hope we can become great friends」
That was a normal intro. Nothing was off about it, and his wish to become friends seemed genuine. But, that's where things got…weird. How come no one could remember the academy he came from? He just said it, yet it was in one year, and out the other.
That was weird.
「instead of introductions, how about a quiz? riddle me this」 Kumagawa joked. 「in the mornings, a short story. in evenings a deadline. in the night, it ends. what is it」
The class stared at Kumagawa, confused by his eccentric question. There was a full thirty seconds of silence before Kumagawa spoke.
「the answer! a new serial novel」
Not one person dared to smile, mainly because it was so...weird. Kumagawa was an odd person, but he didn't seem bothered by it. He took his seat at the end of the class, near the windows.
"Man, that Kumagawa kid's weird." Someone muttered. "Let's just ignore him..."
"Agreed. The hell kind of a riddle was that anyways?" Another kid asked.
The class tried talking to one and other again, but all eyes would dart back to Kumagawa- he was in his own little space, his own bubble, reading the newest chapters of Shounen Jump at his desk. He looked innocent and weird.
And then the next person entered the room. Finally, the class loser was here. Kumagawa looked up from his Jump magazine to see a young woman with light brown eyes and short, reddish-brown hair with an ahoge on top. She wore a facemask with a cat mouth on it, and she looked terrified.
"Well, if it isn't Saki! Late again?" One of the cattier girls smirked.
"I-I slept in because my alarm didn't go off..." She stammered, shaking like a leaf.
"Maybe she didn't wanna get out of bed because of lame quirk." Another boy with multiple pupils jeered.
"Or she just realized how much we out class her!" A giraffe necked boy taunted.
"C-come on! My quirk's just as cool as anyone else's." Saki insisted. "M-my cards are-"
"Lame!" Another boy laughed. "Just cause you can produce a bunch of playing cards from your hand is boring as hell. Unless you can make a house of cards with it! Who's that gonna shelter?"
The boy erupted in laughter with the rest of the class, and Kumagawa stared blankly at that boy.
「hm」 He said, holding up his hand. A giant screw suddenly appeared in his palm. 「i didn't think i would start this early, but」
Kumagawa flung the screw like a javelin, impaling the kid through the chest. The class screamed in horror, as the kid tried to remove the screw.
"W-what the hell!? Where'd this screw come from?!" He yelled, pulling with all his might. He looked up to see Kumagawa, tossing a screw up and down in his hand, smiling innocently.
"T-the new kid! He did this!" The boy pointed.
"You trying to start a fight now!?" Giraffe kid yelled.
"Well, might as well break him in now..." Another girl said as she began to manifest honey around her hand.
A boy with 'pepperoni' on his cheeks ripped off the 'slices' and expanded them into giant shields. "Let's give this kid a warm welcome t-"
...
...
...
...
The kids didn't know what happened, but the next second, they were all screwed down into something- desks, walls, floors, ceilings...and Kumagawa hadn't even moved from his seat.
「laughing at someone's misfortune...you guys are the worst」 Kumagawa had a disappointed look on his face, but somehow he knew it would come to this.
All of the kids tried their best to free themselves from his screws, but they were unable to muster the necessary amount of power. It was of no use, regardless of how hard they tried. They just...were stuck.
Saki shook and shivered because she was the only person who hadn't been hurt by the screw attack. She turned her head to look at Kumagawa, who had resumed reading his Shonen manga.
This kid... She thought. Could he be...
Kumagawa perked up as the bell rang. 「oh. school time」 He said, and snapped his fingers. In an instant, the screws disappeared. Kids dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. They looked back to Kumagawa, still unbothered by anything.
They were terrified by this kid now.
For the rest of the day, kids avoided Kumagawa and gossiped about him behind his back.
"Hey...what the hell is he..."
"I don't think I can be with him until graduation."
"And where the hell did he really come from?"
"I...I don't remember..."
"I don't want to associate with him."
"It won't go well."
"Somebody needs to get the student council involved with this kid."
Those were just some of the comments said about the boy. Some were worse, some were nice.
But Kumagawa didn't care for words. What speaks louder than words? Actions. Just like the ones taking place outside the window.
During lunch, Kumagawa was eating at his desk alone.「lets see what mom packed today」He said, pulling out his bento box. Crackers, ham, grapes, cheese, olives. He laughed.「this is a charcuterie board」The boy shook his head.「this will have to do」
He was making a sandwich out of his crackers and cheese when Saki walked over. Kumagawa looked over, unbothered by her approach.
"Hey...uh, Kumagawa, right?" Saki asked. "I'm Saki Sukinasaki. C-can I speak with you? Just a little?"
Kumagawa stared at her, expression unchanging.
"Um, Kumagawa-?" Saki asked.
And then Kumagawa started to shed happy (?) tears. Saki yelled in surprise, as Kumagawa pulled out his handkerchief.
「sorry for crying all of a sudden!」Kumagawa laughed.「i was just so happy because you started a conversation with me...i've been to so many schools, and yet this is the first time i'm speaking with a girl on purpose」
Saki raised an eyebrow, but shook her head. "A-alright then." She sat in the desk close to him. "So, your quirk...what was up with that?"
「my screws are special」Kumagawa said.
"And precise, too. You managed to hit everyone but me," Saki pointed out. "Thanks for that."
「not a problem」 Kumagawa said, as he finished assembling his sandwich. 「i can tell that this gonna be another one of 'those' schools」
"Huh?" Saki asked.
「nothing」
"U-uh, okay."
「so, whats up with your quirk?」
"O-oh, mine? I can make like...cards appear out of my hands..." Saki closed her palms together, and opened them back up to reveal a tall stack of cards. The designs on the back looked like TV static. "They're pretty flimsy, but I can throw them like daggers. They don't really cut deep either."
「interesting」 Kumagawa said. 「i fail to see the uselessness of such a power」
"I know, right? I don't really know why they hate my power." Saki said, as she split the deck in two. She began to do some impressively mesmerizing tricks with her cards, as Kumagawa watched.
「good show」 He clapped, amused.
"T-thanks." Saki said.
「i can't do any cool tricks with my screws- even though i've almost mastered my quirk, i feel like i haven't made any headway」 Kumagawa sighed.
"Wait, you've almost mastered your quirk?" Saki was taken aback by that statement.
「yes」
"But you're so young. You haven't even gotten into a hero school yet. I've heard places like UA and Isamu work you to your bone- how do you think pros like All Might and Endeavor got so strong?" Saki asked.
「i don't care about them」
"Huh?"
「i don't care about the best」 Kumagawa stated. 「everyone looks to the top, but no one ever looks at the middle or the end. it's infuriating, honestly. everyone wants to be all might but no one wants to be snatch or kesagiri man」
Saki looked at Kumagawa weird. Suddenly she wasn't so sure about this guy.
「the world tramples over the losers who make things possible」 Kumagawa went on. 「the people that hold down the fort, the heroes that do the cleanup- they only care about the glory. its why i came here」
"To prove them wrong?"
Kumagawa smiled.
「something like that」
"Right. So, uh. There's something I need you to ask-" Saki said. But Kumagawa was staring out the window when Saki spoke. Saki tilted her head and walked toward them. She didn't like being ignored, but Kumagawa was focused on something outside.
Kumagawa was watching a scene between two students- one girl had long blonde hair done up in a ponytail, and yellow eyes, and the boy was...well, not really notable.
Kumagawa couldn't hear the words they were saying, but he could feel the emotions from the scene. The blonde was threatening and imposing, jabbing her finger into the boy's chest. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, too. Kumagawa hummed.
「looks like they're having a good conversation」 Kumagawa said.
Kumagawa watched the girl walk away, head held high. The boy just slumped over, and walked away dejected.
"Oh, no...she's on her warpath today..." Saki said, freaking out.
「whom?」 Kumagawa asked.
Saki took a deep breath. "That blonde girl was Aki Jakago. She's the student council president, but she's more like monarch of Suisou Academy."
「isn't it an exaggeration to call her a monarch?」 Kumagawa asked. 「she's only a middle schooler. some still need babysitters」
"Not Aki." Saki said. "It might seem like an exaggeration, but many people left the academy after upsetting her. Teachers won't do anything, either. It's like we're just...trapped."
Kumagawa stared out the window again, looking at the boy leaving school. 「looks like she just crushed his dreams...」
"Yeah, she's an expert at that. She's probably gonna be a top 100 Pro Hero by the time we're still sidekicks." Saki frowned.
「i see」 Kumagawa said. 「so, what was it you wanted to ask me?」
"W-well..." Saki tapped her fingers together. "It's mandatory for all new students to meet with her. She says its to establish connections, but it's really so she can find your flaws and hammer them into you as time goes on."
「excellent!」 Kumagawa said, standing up. 「let's go see her now」
"W-what!?" Saki yelled. "K-kumagawa, she just got done destroying someone's spirit! She'll probably break you down in a second!"
Kumagawa smiled- but hs eyes were full of malice and disgust. 「i know. and i want to teach her a lesson...lead me to the student council room, would you?」
Suisou Academy had 5 members on board. The manager of General Affairs, Kejakuri Tou; the secretary, Sakanoue Kae; the treasurer, Hannayaji Usa; the vice president, Renbei Iya; and the president, Jakago Aki. All of these girls was capable and especially crafty- Aki had hand picked them herself, to make sure they'd enforce her rule over students.
"What happened with Ezumachi?" Her secretary asked.
"Fine, pointing out his loneliness was indeed the way to go. He had no pride in our school either. We don't need those kinds of heroes in the future, do we?" Aki smiled slyly.
"Absolutely not." The vice president agreed while she looked through some papers. "By the way, today we had a new kid transfer in. His class is 3-4. His name is Misogi Kumagawa."
"A new kid? He still hasn't come to see me? Maybe his classmates already think he's a loser and don't want him to try. By the end of the week, we'll break his spirit." Aki said.
As she said that, there was a knock at the door. Aki straightened herself out, and sat tall in her fancy chair.
"Come on in." She called out, and the door slid open. Kumagawa walked in, with Saki close behind.
"You must be the new kid..." Aki said, looking him up and down. Ironed out uniform, proper hair, a perfectly average boy- but something felt off about him. "Welcome to Suisou Academy."
「thank you for having me」Kumagawa said, bowing his head in respect.「i am so honored to meet you, class president jakago. saki was telling me a lot of fun rumors about you」
Saki flinched when Kumagawa said that. Oh, crap! Why'd you have to go and say that, Kumagawa!?
"Rumors?" The confused Aki asked. "That's so embarrassing...what kind of rumors have you heard?"
「that you've made kids drop out」
「that you have an iron rule over this place」
「that you could be a top 100 pro in the future」
「all sorts of wonderful things」
Aki hummed. "You are very knowledgeable...there seems to be someone who has a loose tongue. I'm someone who lets her actions speak louder than words- I don't need some herald to speak of my greatness. I haven't even disclosed my quirk to the school, because I don't want the public to pry into things. I exude greatness already..."
Saki shook like crazy when Aki raised up her finger, and pointed it at Saki. Saki suddenly felt like she was drowning and choking, all at the same time. Kumagawa looked behind him, confused.
"And those who forget will suffer."
I-I'm choking! Saki thought, tears filling her eyes. She's using her quirk on me again-! K-kumagawa, run! Do something-!
But Kumagawa just watched. He didn't try to beg for her to stop.
「so no one knows your ability now, do they」
Aki smirked. "No one has been able to figure it out."
「well thats dumb」 Kumagawa announced. 「i just figured it out」
Aki stopped her attack on Saki, and glared daggers at Kumagawa. Saki coughed and breathed in and out heavily. Her eyes went up to Kumagawa- what made him so confident he knew her powers off the bat!?
"Y-you just saw it in action." She said, a bit shaken up. Her fellow council members were intruiged- not even they knew their president's ability.
「its simple, really」 Kumagawa said, pulling out a screw. Saki's eyes narrowed when she saw it- it looked like it was rusty and degraded by time. But that wasn't right. His screws were brand new whenever he used them.
"And what is that, exactly?" Aki frowned.
「a screw」 Kumagawa said. 「and its oxidized! corrosion occurs when most or all of the atoms on the same metal surface are oxidized, damaging the entire surface. metals are easily oxidized」
Aki frowned. "And your point is?"
「you can control peoples oxygen! such a powerful ability」 Kumagawa smiled. 「no wonder everyone fears you- that trick with saki demonstrates it」
Saki's pupils shrank. Holy crap, he...he figured it out with one of his screws? Just by watching me choke!?
"...there aren't any tricks to my oxygen, Kumagawa." Aki said, outright confirming her power. "It's like drawing with ink. I just change the shade of oxygen a little. And with just that, people will listen. There isn't a single human alive who doesn't need oxygen to live."
Saki made eye contact with Aki, who smugly smirked. "I'm sorry, Saki- I was just disciplining you for talking about me behind my back. We don't gossip in this school, okay? Are you sorry for letting your tongue slip?"
"Y-yes..." Saki said, tears in her eyes. "T-thank you so much, President Jakago..."
「and so it makes your quirk the greatest for controlling others」 Kumagawa hummed. 「scary」
Aki smiled. "You're sharper than you look, Kumagawa...but listen here. We here at Suisou Academy cultivate greatness. Any failure to be great will result in discipline. Is that clear?"
「i will follow the rules to the best of my abilities」 Kumagawa said, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Please enjoy my academy to your heart's con-" It was so weird. One second, Aki had no issues presenting her hand for a handshake. The next, she was instinctively pulling it away. Kumagawa stared at her blankly.
「is something wrong」
"N-no. It's nothing." Aki said, sitting back down in her seat. For a second, she felt like a wave of malice hit her body. "You may leave now, Kumagawa. If anything is troubling you, you may come to me."
「i knew you would say something like that」 Kumagawa chuckled. 「i hope to become more acquainted with you, class president. have a good day」
And Kumagawa left. Silence filled the room.
"...is it alright to just let him go like that?" Her manger of general affairs asked. "Mind my prejudice, but he seems like a shady character."
"Before he causes any problems, wouldn't it be right to break his spirit?" Her vice president added. "To get rid of him as soon as possible?"
"...no." Aki frowned. "Your definition of shady is underplaying what really lies beneath the surface. If I had to shake hands with that...that thing I just felt, I would cut off my own wrist."
The girls in the room looked at each other, confused. Saki's breathing returned to normal as she eavesdropped in on their conversation.
"Kumagawa is not an opponent we can fight. He's too smart for his own good. I don't even want to associate with him..." Aki shivered. "We should ignore him as much as possible."
As Saki stood back up, the girls said a few things. So, that proves it. She wondered. He is finally the one...
"You're still here? Oh." Aki said, looking at Saki. "You can leave-"
Before she knew it, Saki was throwing her playing cards at the girls' heads. The cards embedded into their foreheads, hitting their frontal lobe. The girls were instantly paralyzed, and Saki grinned in a malicious way.
"It's about time someone showed up to knock you girls down a peg..." Saki grinned, removing her cute kitty mask to reveal her sharp teeth. "So. Let's test that 'we can't fight him' theory, shall we?"
The rest of Kumagawa's day was pretty normal; nothing special happened. When one of his classmates came up to him, he was getting ready to pack up and go home.
"H-hey, new kid."
「yeah?」
"The president of your class wants you to come to the gym. She's acting strangely, so you'd better hurry."
Kumagawa turned his head to the side. 「how so」
"Just go there, all right?" The student walked away, looking a little scared. Kumagawa closed his eyes and hummed to himself.
「how strange」
Kumagawa walked to the gym. On the way, he passed so many people who were afraid to look at him. Something was so...wrong with Kumagawa. Especially up close. When people got close, they got a sinking feeling or butterflies in their stomachs, sweaty palms, prickling on their necks, goosebumps, tight or tense muscles, a faster heart rate, or an overwhelming sense of calm or clarity.
Kumagawa paid them no mind, and just hummed blissfully to himself as he walked.
「think of these thoughts as limitless light」
「exposing closing circuitry of fright」
「think of each moment holding this breath」
「as death minute in decimal」
Kumagawa got to his destination, which was the gym's wooden doors. He didn't think twice about walking through the doors and into the gym.
「president jakago」 Kumagawa yelled out. 「i'm here」
Kumagawa's foot touched a damp spot. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at his shoes. A small pool of water? How did that get there?
Kumagawa was thrown backwards by a huge stream of water that shot up from the puddle under his feet. He didn't scream as he flew through the air and hit the ground face first.
「ow」
Kumagawa swore he wanted to land on his feet, but it looks like he had some bad luck. As he tried to get up, he kept slipping on more puddles of water that had been put around.
「annoying」
Kumagawa was finally able to stand up and look around the gym.「you can come out now. your little attack has impressed me」
From behind the bleachers, Jakago's group of 'lackies' appeared. They all walked strangely, like they were drunk or possessed by some sort of demon. Kumagawa didn't find it strange at all. He found it rude to assume anything. Maybe this was their natural way of walking.
"Greetings, Kumagawa~!" Aki, who was in charge, greeted him, but her speech was very slurred. "We had a change of heart. We'll be the ones to chase you out of Suisou!"
As he watched Aki wobble, all Kumagawa did was smile.
"Do you understand why we're doing this?"
「its alright」 Kumagawa said.「i get it. you're someone's puppet」 Kumagawa gave a disapproving shake of the head. 「it makes sense that a girl would talk to me only to use me」
"Consider this clash to be 'reasonable cause for expulsion'," Aki smiled as she saw her other student council members rush towards Kumagawa.
Kumagawa rolled his eyes at the display, more bored than concerned. He held out his hand and a giant screw emerged from his palm. He was about to strike the nearest girl with it, a purple haired girl with violet eyes and two blue hairpins parting her bangs, but then he noticed that the weapon turned to dark-red dust in seconds. That did catch him by surprise a bit, but he couldn't worry about it for too long as the purple-haired girl he was going to hit ended up decking him in the face instead. He staggered back a bit, only for a girl with short brown hair to land a roundhouse kick into his back.
「well, this seems fair, doesn't it? Four on one and I can't even use my power because of...」Kumagawa hummed a little bit before turning to face the student council president, 「you, president jakago. am I right?」
"Nothing is truly fair in this world." Aki scoffed. "Know your place."
Kumagawa smiled. 「okay」Kumagawa then began randomly throwing screws all over the place, letting them act as spikes for the girls to avoid...and as 'indicators'. Kumagawa looked around for non-oxidized screws.
「you only have a range of...3 or 4 meters」Kumagawa noted. 「i'll just have to keep my distance」
"Like I'd let you," that purple haired girl from earlier said. From her sleeves, she produced two collapsible metal batons and spun them in her hands.
「you must have quite a lot of faith in president jakago. if she can turn my screws to dust in seconds...」Kumagawa said, only to be cut off by the girl, Iya, racing in and trying to smack him with the batons. The new student was on the back foot here, dodging and weaving through the admittedly very well practiced strikes. He had to wonder a little where she learned this, maybe it was a family thing?
Did it really matter though? No. He dodged the next strike with little effort, but then he felt himself start to slip. Wait what? That shouldn't be possible, he was nowhere near that little puddle from before. Sure enough though, a puddle had found itself beneath his foot and so caused him to slip...right into another backup strike from Iya. Kumagawa hit the ground from the clanging strike to his head, before he took notice of that girl with the shorter, brown hair. She had a coin in her hand, the tails side up.
"Looks like I called it," the girl, Kae, said with a smirk.
「your skill manipulates luck」He noted. 「and another one must manipulate my knowledge- i find myself remembering a puddle there earlier」
"You're late to the being perceptive, new kid." Kae grinned. "Maybe you should realize how out classed you are."
「i was about to say the same thing」Kumagawa tapped his foot on the ground, and suddenly, screws shot out of the ground and skewered Kae. Kae yelled, as her coin dropped to the ground.
"Kae!" Aki yelled, focusing her power on the screws that had stabbed her fellow council member. Kumagawa took the chance and summoned up another screw in his hand. Iya turned over to see Kae getting impaled and left herself open. The rounded head of the screw slammed into her face, knocking her aside and letting the new transfer student to get back on his feet. Iya staggered from the hit but quickly recovered, going right back in for another round. Kumagawa, however, wasn't interested. Two screws launched from his palm, impaling her arms and sending her flying towards the nearest wall to pin her.
"Come on, Kae!" Tou yelled. "Use your powers to make this dude...slip and break his neck or something!"
"I...I can't!" Kae yelled. "I can't use my powers for some reason!"
Tou's pupils shrank when she heard that. Wait, what? She can't use her powers!? How could that happen? These screws are his only ability...
Right?
Kumagawa grinned, as he held his screw tightly. It quickly extended to the size of a sword. 「my screws are more than meets the eye」
"But they're still metal, aren't they?!" Aki yelled, racing in to try and close the distance. After all, if she could get him in range of her Quirk, those fancy screws would be about as useful as a book in a fight like this.
Kumagawa used his screws to quickly elevate himself, and latch onto the ceiling. 「trust me, miss president」Kumagawa grinned. 「i've had this planned since the second i stepped foot into this gym」
"Why can't I use my damn quirk!?" Kae yelled. "What the hell are his powers!?"
｢hi there reader｣
｢you're most likely wondering- what is his quirk｣
｢allow me to explain my power- i call it 'screws'. there are two types: - and +. - screws hurt. + screws don't. getting a screw in you erases your power and puts you down to my level. Its handy｣
｢i have to eat a very iron rich diet though, or else i can't make screws｣
｢back to the fight, i'll see you again｣
"Tou, can you-?" Aki began, but before she could finish the sentence, a screw flew from Kumagawa right at the academy's president. In what was, at least to her, a moment of noble sacrifice, Tou shoved Aki out of the way and took the screw instead, being pinned to the floor by its tip.
「my, how heroic! ever thought about going into a hero course?」Kumagawa called out.
"This is insane! We should be beating you right now!" Aki yelled. "My quirk should be making that air you're gloating with toxic!"
「you did beat me」Kumagawa said. 「you had me outmaneuvered, outnumbered, and outsmarted at some points. besides, i know your plan」
"What's that?" Aki smirked.
「right now, you're oxidizing my screws」Kumagawa said. 「breaking them down and freeing your friends. then you'll gang up on me」
Wait, how did he-?! Aki mentally panicked, a panic that Kumagawa picked up on the moment he saw her eyes go wide in fear.
「go ahead」
「try it」
「don't blame me when the world crashes down around you」
Aki growled, as she increased her oxidation. The screws soon rusted away, and the girls soon stood back up. "They don't harm us if they erase our quirks." Tou frowned. "Cheap trick."
「okay now」Kumagawa grinned. 「come and get me」
"Hey Kumagawa," Aki smirked, picking up one last piece of screw that hadn't entirely rusted away yet, "There's two things you didn't account for."
「enlighten me」 Kumagawa smiled. He was so...eerie right now. He had given them a win...but why did it feel hollow?
"Well for one...you're on a metal ceiling," Aki said, before she threw that piece of screw at the metal beam that Kumagawa was standing on, "For another...I already started working on a special move of mine. Rust Plague!" The rust that was eating away at the metal of the screw spread to the support beam Kumagawa was standing on, eating away at it, even if its speed was somewhat reduced.
Kumagawa watched, with that same placid smile he'd had all the fight. 「hm」 He said. 「i am」
"The second you land, I'm gonna make sure you crack your head open!" Tou smirked.
「good luck」Kumagawa said.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Aki frowned.
Kumagawa closed his eyes and touched the ceiling. Suddenly, a wide myriad of screws appeared behind him, around the ceiling. They were like spikes in a trap.
「special move: screw the world」
"Wait what?" Tou gasped.
"You son of a-!" Aki yelled.
「don't confuse this for a victory」Kumagawa said. 「the ceiling's falling」
「and i'll get injured too」
「so we all lose」
"W-wait, I can do this! I just need my coin! Where is it?!" Kae called out, looking around for her coin.
Kumagawa held up the coin. 「remove the firewood from under the pot」 Kumagawa taunted. 「instead of attacking enemy's fighting forces, direct attacks against their ability to wage war」
「its what any good manga protag would do」
"...oh this is gonna hurt," Kae closed her eyes and braced herself.
And the world came crashing down on the students.
The next morning felt a little different at the academy. No one could explain it, but it felt like this oppressive air had been lifted off their heads. Kumagawa noticed it immediately, mainly because kids were a lot more talkative in today's class. He, of course, was reading Shounen Jump again in the back of the class.
「i'm still sore from the fight yesterday」Kumagawa thought, rubbing his sore shoulder. He'd taken a nasty fall from last night, thanks to his fight. The other girls were in worse condition, though. 「aki was smart to oxidize the ceiling- that was a sneaky move. i deserved to lose」
「but i didn't」
"Morning, Kumagawa!"
Kumagawa looked up to see Saki, walking over. He smiled. 「good morning, saki」
"Hey, did you hear?" She asked. "President Aki fell ill from stress and is in the hospital. Heard it was from overwork or something."
「yeah」 Kumagawa chuckled. 「something like that」
"It sucks for her, but at least we're free, y'know?" Saki laughed, as Kumagawa reached into his bag and pulled out something.
「let me bookmark this page...」 Kumagawa said, pulling out one of Saki's cards. Saki flinched, as Kumagawa put it between the pages of an intense kaiju fight. 「i found it at the gym yesterday」
Saki and Kumagawa stared at each other.
「why did you send those girls to attack me」
Saki looked around. Her nervous expression seemed to fade away, and was replaced by a much darker, serious tone. "Because. I wanted to see if you were 'the one'."
「in a romantic sense?」 Kumagawa asked in an especially troll-y tone of voice. 「i've never had someone do that for me...」
"E-ew! Gross! No." Saki scoffed, as she pulled down her mask to reveal her shark teeth. "No. I did it to see if you really meant what you said. To prove people wrong."
Kumagawa smiled. 「well」 He said. 「i did tell a small fib」
"Huh?" Saki asked.
「i came here to weed out the elite.」
"Wait, what?"
Kumagawa looked around. 「do you honestly believe any of these people would come and save you after the way they've treated you」
Saki rubbed her arm. "No."
Kumagawa nodded. 「even though they're young, all the kids think their quirks are superior, that they're better than the others」
「that these they can step all over the ones that they dont think will be 'good heroes'」
「like me and you」
「at this point, none of these kids can really understand it. hey are put in situations where other people's lives depend on them when they are in the middle of growing up. they have to deal with the stress and pressure of having people trust them and the threat of being targeted by bad guys」
「they will be crushed by the pressure, like a bug underneath my shoe」 Kumagawa said. 「because they've never lost」
"So, you're trying to break their spirits or something." Saki raised an eyebrow.
「no no no no no」 Kumagawa smiled. 「i want to see if they're truly worthy of being in our next hero society」
"By breaking them."
「it could happen, but its not my fault」
Saki chuckled. "You're weird, you know that?"
「thank you」
「what about you」
"Me?" Saki asked. "I guess the same as you. There's a lot of jerks who think they can get away with a lot here...so, I'm kinda pulling the strings so those assholes don't get what they want."
「i see」Kumagawa said. 「we're kindred spirits in a way」
"I guess."
「right now, we're in the supple month of april」
「UA holds its entry exam in feburary」
「that gives us 10 months to train」
「but i'm guessing no one here wants to really help me」
Saki thought for a moment. "Are you sure about that, Kumagawa?" She looked around at her classmates, who had stopped talking a long time ago. All of them were facing the duo. Kumagawa couldn't help but smile when he saw their faces.
「when did you do that」
"When you were on your spiel about heroes." Saki grinned. "I don't think anyone's gonna care if a few kids are busted up at a school like this."
「and they haven't spoken to me at all」Kumagawa added. 「perhaps this is a good way to spark up some conversation」
"Don't worry, Kumagawa." Saki said, flashing her cards. "I'm sure everyone here shares the same dream as you. Isn't that right, guys?"
"Yeah!" The class slurred- Saki had thrown her cards at their foreheads a little while ago.
"We'll use these kids to help you train your body for UA. I don't care if I get in or not- I just think it'll be fun to kick these kids around for a few months." Saki grinned. "Been nothing but awful to me since I transfered in."
「whats your limit」
"50 kids at a time. They've got a wide range of abilities, but I don't think that matters to you now, does it?" Saki grinned.
「not at all」
"Good." Saki grinned, standing up. "So...you wanna do a test run right now?"
「i'll suck on my first try」Kumagawa admitted. 「but...then again, i always lose」
「so there's really nothing to worry about」
Kumagawa's everyday training for the past 10 months was pretty easy to follow. Suisou Academy started at 8:30. Kumagawa got up at 6:30 each day, despite the fact he slept horribly and was never fully rested.
He'd do about 20 minutes of stretching before an hour of workout. He was rotating between his workout schedule. Which looked like...
Monday: Push Day Strength and Blowout Circuit
Tuesday: Calisthenics, Parkour and Blowout Circuit
Wednesday: Pull Day Strength and Blowout Circuit
Thursday: Calisthenics, Parkour and Blowout Circuit
Friday: Leg Day Strength and Blowout Circuit
Saturday: Optional Long Distance Run (3-5 miles)
Sunday: Rest Day
Along with a very protein, high starch and high calorie diet, it was a very intensive reigime. If you did this 2-3 times a week, you'd see very obvious and positive results in a couple of months. If you did it every day for months like Kumagawa did, you would have a marked physical improvement in most muscle areas as well as probably hating yourself and being physically drained.
None of this showed any changes to his body. Not even a hint of muscle or bulk. Kumagawa was cursed to be compact. But it didn't bother him.
After his workout, he'd go to school. Each and every day started the same since he and Saki agreed to help each other.
Kumagawa would enter the school, put his belongings in his shoe cubby, put on his school shoes, and get to work.
He'd open the door-
And dodge the first swipe from someone.
｢good morning｣ He'd greet. And then he'd stab them into a wall with a screw. Then another person would greet him with a full on tackle. He'd jump over them, whack them in the head, and stab their back with another screw. Then more people would come at him- his 'adoring fans'. He'd throw out a whole barrage of screws and pin them to the wall, laughing.
This was his 'real' workout.
Ever since Saki agreed to help him get into UA, they'd been using their 'assets' quite well. The students of Suisou Academy were perfect for practice- none of these elite bastards were gonna do anything worthwhile, so might as well crush their dreams while they had a chance.
"My cards implant these 'false memories' into their heads." Saki explained. "They'll remember a full day of school, while you beat the crap out of them all day long."
｢what an overpowered quirk!｣ Kumagawa applauded.
"Not really. I get a really bad rash on my skin when I go crazy with it." Saki said. "And having to arrange all of them in intricate formations is exhausting. These kids have no coordination or teamwork."
｢just another reason they won't make it｣ Kumagawa sighed. ｢i always thought teamwork made the dream work｣
"Is that what you call this?" Saki raised an eyebrow.
｢of course｣
｢i get to train with my powers｣
｢you get to train with your powers｣
｢and we both beat up a bunch of elites for torment on your end｣
｢everyone wins｣
｢except them｣
Saki watched as Kumagawa ripped and tore his way through the crowd of incredibly coordinated classmates. She itched a tiny bit, but it wasn't too bothersome. He was great a few months ago- now he's on a level undreamt of. Saki said, watching Kumagawa take blows from a larger student. Kumagawa didn't even try to avoid them- he just powered through and stabbed two massive screws through his chest.
Kumagawa's whole strategy is brute force. He's hard to knock down, mentally and physically- so, he based his entire fighting style around that. Saki observed. Kumagawa made a giant screw and stabbed it into the ground like a sword- the attack somehow caused a bunch of screws to shoot out of the ground. Students were stabbed with screws, and easily knocked down. Kumagawa had successfully cleared today's-
Oh, wait. Hold on. Some screws were getting rusted. Kumagawa perked up, to see the 'final boss'.
｢president jakago!｣ Kumagawa clapped, as Aki slowly walked forward. She looked mighty pissed, like maybe she'd realized she was nothing but a puppet for Kumagawa's gain. ｢have you come to help me on the final day of my training?｣
Aki held up her fingers and snapped. Kumagawa was suddenly blown back by a burst of oxygen that 'detonated' around Aki's body. He crashed into a wall, making a small imprint.
｢that's new｣ Kumagawa said. ｢such a cliche line, but an astute observation｣
"I've been training with her especially hard. She probably learned more with me than she did by herself." Saki taunted, as Aki snapped again. This time, the air combusted. Kumagawa ducked into a classroom, and began throwing screws through the walls. Aki corroded them all, save for one 'lucky' shot that managed to pierce her skull.
Saki groaned. "Ooooh. Ow."
｢what? it doesn't hurt｣ Kumagawa pointed out, as Aki fell to the ground.
"How did you do that?" Saki asked.
｢she ignited the oxygen around her, right? in a combustion reaction, fuel is burned and reacts with oxygen to release energy. she stupidly used up HER oxygen for an attack, and couldn't corrode all of my screws｣ Kumagawa explained.
Saki blinked. "...I'm not sure that makes sense."
｢not my fault. author's on a vacation｣ Kumagawa said, as he walked to their class.
"I don't even know what that means!" Saki said, power walking to catch up with him.
｢it's a beautiful february 25th, isn't it?｣ Kumagawa asked. ｢i can hear the birds chirping and flowers blooming｣
"Tomorrow's the big day…I'd say you're more than prepared with all the work we've done." Saki said.
｢are you sure you don't want to apply to UA yourself?｣ Kumagawa said, taking his seat. He reached for his bag and pulled out the newest Jump Issue that was already dog eared.
"Nah. The issue with that school is that it expects ALL of the kids there to become these big name heroes. Too much pressure." Saki said. "So, I'm going for a more traditional school. It puts out some more 'consistent' heroes."
｢which school is that?｣ Kumagawa asked.
"Shiketsu High School, nimrod." Saki frowned. "It may seem like a military school that puts a lot of value on school pride, but that school churned out some names with a lot of respect. Fatgum, Sir Nighteye, the Pussycats, the late Water Hose duo- it sounds perfect for you, honestly."
｢but, as you said. UA puts too much pressure on kids to be big named heroes because of All Might｣ Kumagawa said. ｢lot of egos to squash there｣
"Suit yourself." Saki hummed. "Wonder why they chose the 26th of all days."
｢a happy cosmic coincidence with the author, i suppose｣ Kumagawa said.
"Again, what does that mean?" Saki rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. She appreciated Kumagawa's weird enthusiasm. "Well, regardless of the reason, I hope you're ready for tomorrow."
｢why? do you doubt me?｣
Saki sighed, "It's not that I doubt you, Kumagawa. It's just that, well, you have a tendency to sabotage yourself sometimes."
Kumagawa raised an eyebrow. ｢explain｣
Saki leaned forward, "Remember when we played that video game last week? You were winning, but then you purposely let me catch up and beat you in the end."
Kumagawa's expression fell. ｢you won fair and square｣
Saki shook her head, "But that's just it. You have a habit of making things harder for yourself, even when you don't need to. It's like you don't want to win too easily or something."
Kumagawa looked down at his lap. ｢you don't learn anything from a great win. You learn by picking it apart from a huge loss｣
Saki smiled reassuringly, "I get that. But sometimes it's okay to win without having to struggle too much. You're capable of great things, Kumagawa. Don't hold yourself back because you're afraid of winning too easily."
Kumagawa blinked. ｢if you say so｣
Kumagawa had to take a train over to UA- it was an expensive ticket, but worth the trouble. He felt confident walking towards those gates, knowing no one else from his school was going to be there.
｢just in time｣ He said, as he admired the giant school. In just a few weeks, he might be attending here and mingling amongst the elite- and bringing them down.
Speaking of elite, someone brushed past Kumagawa's shoulder without so much as an apology or an 'excuse me'. Kumagawa glared at a boy with spiky yellow hair, and shook his head.
｢there's a kid who needs some straightening out｣ He thought, walking forward.
"Hey, ain't that the kid from the sludge incident?" Someone whispered.
"Hey, yeah...it is."
｢sludge incident...｣ Kumagawa thought.
｢...｣
｢sounds important but i don't care｣
Kumagawa watched a boy in front of him trip, but was quickly saved by some girl.
"A-ah!" The boy gasped, his face inches from the pavement.
"You okay?" The girl asked. The boy gave her a weird look, and nodded.
"Uh...yeah." He said.
"It's my quirk. Sorry for stopping you, but...it's a bad omen to trip and fall." The girl joked. "Especially now- it's kinda nervewracking."
"Y-yeah! Totally." The boy said, as the girl walked off. She waved back at the boy.
"Good luck to both of us!" She said, as Kumagawa smiled.
｢now. there's someone truly here for the heroics｣ Kumagawa thought.
And then he tripped and fell on his face.
｢ow｣
The UA High Entrance Exam consisted of a written test and a practical test. But, the practical test was more important than the written test. During the practical exam, candidates fight pretend battles in urban settings that look like real cities. Examinees have ten minutes to use their Quirks to stop robotic criminals and earn points based on how many points each robot is worth. The more points someone gets on the test, the more likely it is that they will get into UA High.
Candidates are not allowed to compete against each other. This is grounds for disqualification. In order to prevent students from the same middle school from sharing answers, kids are randomly assigned to different testing locations.
｢so even if i did try to team with Saki, we wouldn't be able to work together｣ Kumagawa thought. ｢they planned this quite thoroughly｣
Kumagawa was on site 4- he felt pretty confident as he stepped out of the bus, still in his school uniform.
"Hey, check out the weirdo." Someone in a tracksuit muttered.
"Did he forget his clothes…?" A boy with a bird head asked.
"Hey, don't fault a guy for feeling comfy! Maybe he likes his uniform." A girl with pink skin and yellow horns said.
｢bird head guy was right｣ Kumagawa thought, pretending as though he didn't hear them.
He noticed one familiar 'face'- that same yellow spiky haired kid from earlier. He was at the front of the gate, looking ready to throw down.
｢you look excited｣ Kumagawa noted.
Bakugou didn't turn to face the boy. "Yeah. Ready to crush all you extras."
｢extras? you mean the common man?｣ Kumagawa asked.
"Yeah. Duh." Bakugou scoffed.
｢i find your belittlement demeaning｣ Kumagawa frowned. ｢we so called 'extras' play an important supporting role. imagine how dull a scenario would be if only two or three people were in it. as the ambience and ambiance of the background material would be much diminished, it would be far more difficult for viewers to focus on the plot-｣
Bakugou swung around, and glared at the boy.
"Shut the hell up before I beat you into next week." He grumbled.
Kumagawa blinked.
｢ok｣
Bakugou growled, before he turned back around. Kumagawa shook his head.
｢don't underestimate us extras, bakugou…｣ Kumagawa sighed. ｢i could very well know how your story ends.｣
Kumagawa watched as Bakugou turned back around, muttering to himself. He couldn't help but feel a little amused by the explosive boy's reaction. But he quickly pushed those thoughts aside as he focused on the task at hand.
The practical exam was about to begin, and Kumagawa needed to focus on his own performance. As the gates to the practical exam were opened, Kumagawa and Bakugou made their way to their designated testing area. Kumagawa observed his surroundings, taking note of the different buildings and obstacles that were set up for the exam.
Bakugou, on the other hand, seemed to be itching for a fight. He clenched his fists tightly, a scowl on his face as he started to rub his hands together.
Kumagawa couldn't help but chuckle to himself at Bakugou's eagerness. 「you seem pretty fired up」He commented.
"Of course I am! This is my chance to show off my skills and prove that I'm the best!" Bakugou replied, his eyes flashing with determination.
Kumagawa raised an eyebrow. 「Is that really all you care about? Being the best?」
Bakugou gave him a questioning look. "What else is there?"
Kumagawa shook his head. 「there's more to being a hero than just being the strongest. you need to have heart, compassion, and a desire to help others. that's what makes a true hero」
Bakugou scoffed. "What do you know? You're just an extra."
Kumagawa sighed. 「you know, the most angry people lose the most in the end」 he said, his tone light and joking.
Bakugou bristled. "I'm not angry! And I'm definitely not going to lose!"
Kumagawa smiled. ｢then i'll see you in class then｣
Bakugou growled. This guy's seriously pissing me off.
Soon after, the test began. Kumagawa stepped onto the streets of the mock city where the practical test was to take place. The buildings and shops surrounding him looked like the real thing, but were all just facades made of cheap building materials. The sound of chatter and nervous laughter filled the air as the examinees milled about, looking for the robots they needed to fight.
As he was racing through the street, he caught sight of a robot patrolling the area.
｢oh.｣ Kumagawa thought. ｢that's interesting｣
The robot was about six feet tall, with a sleek black body and glowing red eyes. It had long, spindly arms that ended in sharp claws, and its joints moved with an eerie fluidity. It was definitely not something you'd see walking down the street every day.
Kumagawa watched the robot move past him, scanning the area with its sensors. He had heard that these robots were programmed to mimic the behavior of criminals, so that the examinees could practice their heroics against them.
As the robot moved away, Kumagawa noticed something strange about the way it walked. Its movements were too smooth, too mechanical, as if it were being controlled by a remote operator. He wondered if this was intentional. Just then, the robot turned around and locked eyes with Kumagawa. Its red eyes glowed brighter, and its claws extended with a menacing hiss.
｢oh no｣ Kumagawa smirked. ｢am i in trouble?｣
The robot charged towards him, its claws poised to strike. Kumagawa quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. ｢thank goodness for all that training｣ He pulled out one of his screws and tried to jam it into the robot's leg joint, hoping to disable it.
But before he could make contact, Bakugou appeared out of nowhere, blasting the robot with an explosion that sent it flying. Kumagawa blinked in surprise, watching as the robot crashed into a nearby building and exploded in a shower of sparks.
｢wow.｣ Kumagawa thought, impressed. ｢that was...unexpected.｣
Bakugou turned to Kumagawa, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What the hell are you doing, screwboy?" He growled.
｢screwboy?｣ Kumagawa thought, confused. ｢what does he mean by that?｣
Kumagawa cleared his throat. ｢i was trying to disable it｣
Bakugou snorted, his fists clenched at his sides.
"Don't mess with my fights, or you'll regret it." He warned.
Kumagawa frowned, unsure of how to respond. He hadn't realized that he was interfering with Bakugou's fight, or that he had even been assigned to the same location.
｢this is going to be harder than I thought｣ Kumagawa sighed to himself. ｢i need to be more careful｣
He watched as Bakugou stomped off, muttering curses under his breath. Kumagawa shook his head, wondering how he was going to get through this test without getting on Bakugou's bad side.
Kumagawa continued to move through the city, searching for more robots to fight. However, every time he found one, Bakugou was already there, taking it out with ease. It was frustrating to watch, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get any points if Bakugou kept hogging all the robots.
Kumagawa couldn't help but feel dejected and defeated. He had trained so hard for this exam, but it seemed like Bakugou was one step ahead of him at every turn. He saw Bakugou as an "elite" who would step over anyone and anything to be the next All Might, and it made him feel like he didn't stand a chance.
To make matters worse, Bakugou seemed to relish in his victories, taunting Kumagawa every chance he got. "You're too slow, screwboy!" he would shout, as he blasted another robot to smithereens.
Kumagawa tried to keep his cool, reminding himself that this was just a test and that he couldn't let Bakugou get to him. But it was hard, especially when Bakugou seemed to be getting more and more aggressive with each passing moment.
Eventually, Kumagawa found himself alone in a deserted alleyway. Kumagawa leaned against the wall, catching his breath and trying to clear his head. He knew that he had to keep moving if he wanted to have any chance of getting points in this exam, but he couldn't shake the feeling of defeat that had settled over him.
Kumagawa watched from a distance as the other students battled the entrance exam robots. He saw a boy charging fearlessly into battle, his metallic body glinting in the sunlight. A girl with enlarged hands and another with pink skin were working together, their teamwork and strategy allowing them to take down multiple robots at once.
Despite their impressive efforts, Kumagawa couldn't help but feel a sense of envy. He wished he could be out there fighting alongside them, proving his worth as a hero-in-training. Kumagawa's attention was briefly drawn to a small figure in the distance, sobbing as he threw grapes at the robots. Kumagawa couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sight. ｢what a joke｣ he muttered under his breath before turning his attention back to the other students.
As he looked around at the abandoned buildings and broken windows, Kumagawa realized that he had wasted his entire training, and it was all thanks to Bakugou. He had worked so hard to improve his skills, but it seemed like it had all been for nothing.
He couldn't help but feel bitter and resentful towards Bakugou. Why did he have to be so good? Why did he have to make Kumagawa feel so small and insignificant?
Kumagawa took a deep breath and tried to push the negative thoughts out of his head. He knew that he couldn't let Bakugou get to him like this, that he had to focus on the task at hand.
But it was too late. The exam was already over, and Kumagawa had failed. He had zero points, and he knew that there was no way he could pass the test now.
As he made his way back to the testing center, Kumagawa couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness. He had put so much time and effort into becoming a hero, but it seemed like it was all for nothing.
As Kumagawa approached the testing center, he saw Bakugou standing outside, surrounded by a group of admiring students. Bakugou noticed him and smirked.
"Hey, screwboy. How many points did you get? Oh, that's right, zero." Bakugou's voice was dripping with condescension.
Kumagawa didn't say anything. He just looked at Bakugou with a chilling smile that sent shivers down his spine. Bakugou was reminded of Deku, the way he used to stare at him with that same intensity.
But there was something different about Kumagawa's smile. It was colder, more sinister. Bakugou couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew that he didn't want to mess with him.
"Whatever, loser. Maybe you'll do better next time...if there is a next time." Bakugou turned his back on Kumagawa and walked away, still feeling uneasy about the encounter.
Kumagawa watched him go, still wearing that unsettling smile.
He was so fucked inside.
Kumagawa returned to Suisou Academy with a defeated expression on his face. He made his way to the student council room, where Saki was sitting at her desk, typing away on her computer.
"Saki," Kumagawa said, his voice low.
Saki looked up from her computer screen, her eyes narrowing as she took in Kumagawa's defeated appearance. Woah. He looked different…and even his speech pattern was different. "What happened?" She asked sharply.
Kumagawa hesitated for a moment before answering. "I lost," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Saki raised an eyebrow. "So? You've done it in the past. Just get back up and do it again." She scoffed.
"...I don't know if I can." Kumagawa admitted.
That made Saki stop typing.
"...holy shit, this must've been one bad loss."
Kumagawa took a deep breath and began to explain the situation to Saki. He told her about the entrance exam and how Bakugou's overconfidence had led to his downfall. Saki's eyes flashed with anger as she listened to the story.
"That fuckin' Bakugou…what a douche." she hissed. "He probably doesn't understand the true meaning of being a hero."
Kumagawa nodded, grateful for Saki's understanding. "I know. It's frustrating to see someone like that get so far ahead just because of their power and confidence."
Saki leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. But I expect you to get back up and try again. You're not the type to give up after one loss."
"...I guess I am now." Kumagawa admitted. "I haven't been able to really…be me, y'know?"
"I noticed. You're speaking so differently now." Saki said. "I'm so used to the brackets."
"That's a mask." Kumagawa said.
"Huh?"
"It's a mask. My entire 'I can destroy you with ease' persona. It's fake."
"Why?"
Kumagawa took a deep breath and continued. "I do it because it's easier. It's easier to pretend that I don't care, that nothing bothers me, than to actually face my problems head on. It's easier to push people away than to let them get close and risk being hurt. And it's easier to believe that I'm a monster than to face the fact that I'm just a flawed human being like everyone else."
Saki made a face. "But you've been so good with it this last year. I thought this 'persona' was your real self."
"I know the mask is important for my goal, but…this is kind of discouraging, y'know? I could easily take them out, but I didn't." Kumagawa sighed. "Because there was…just someone better. I just wasted a YEAR beating up kids with you."
Saki blinked. "But it was fun, right?"
"Oh, 100%. But now it feels like all that didn't serve the purpose it was supposed to." Kumagawa admitted.
Saki blinked. "…well, there's a plan B, right?"
Kumagawa said nothing.
"Right?"
Kumagawa looked away.
Saki stared at him in disbelief. "…oh my god."
"I didn't think I'd need one, okay?!" Kumagawa admitted.
"…you're a dumbass!" Saki yelled.
"O-oh, like you're any better!" Kumagawa countered- wrong answer. Saki leapt over her desk and grabbed Kumagawa by the collar.
"I! AM AN IDOL! I damn well know every goddamn plan if something goes awry!" Saki screamed in his face. "THE IDOL WORLD IS HARDCORE!"
"Alright, alright, sheesh!" Kumagawa said.
Saki took a deep breath and calmed down a bit, but she still looked irritated. "Look, we need to come up with a plan. You can't just give up now. You need to find a new goal and work towards it."
Kumagawa sighed. "I know, I know. But what can I do now? I don't even have a plan B."
Saki's eyes narrowed. "Here's your plan B. You're going to sign up for Shiketsu. The acceptance rate is so damn high, you're bound to get in."
Kumagawa hesitated. "Do I have to?"
Saki's expression turned serious. "Do it. Or I'll use my quirk on you."
Kumagawa gulped. "Okay, okay, I'll sign up for Shiketsu. Where's the paperwork?"
"Say it like you mean it." Saki frowned.
｢...where's the paperwork｣
Saki smiled. "There we go."
When April came around…the school just sort of collapsed the day of graduation. There was a structural defect in the building's foundation that had been ignored for years. The constant wear and tear on the building finally took its toll, causing the collapse on the day of graduation. Investigations later revealed that the school administration had neglected to perform regular inspections and maintenance on the building, leading to the tragic event.
That was the cover story. Kumagawa and Saki would never say.
Kumagawa and Saki stood outside the rubble of their former school, watching as emergency services and construction workers began cleaning up the debris. Despite the destruction, they both felt a sense of relief that they were no longer a part of it.
｢Well, that's one less thing to worry about｣ Kumagawa said, crossing his arms. ｢no more annoying elites from this place｣
Saki nodded. "Yeah, that place sucked anyways."
Kumagawa looked at Saki, a smirk on his face. ｢by the way…we start next week, don't we?｣
"Yeah."
｢how do you feel｣
Saki grinned back. "Feels great. It's the start of a new chapter, you know?"
Kumagawa nodded. ｢we're at the end of a chapter, actually｣
"God I hate when you do that."
Kumagawa and Saki stood there for a while longer, watching as the cleanup continued. They were excited for the future, and for the new challenges and opportunities it would bring.
Even if they were gonna be…bizarre.
｢hi there again｣
｢if you're familiar with medaka box, you're wondering why i'm so 'weak' here｣
｢why did the author remove 'All Fiction'?｣
｢She Can't.｣
｢I Could Crush These Kids Like Ants.｣
｢but for the sake of the worms i'm being 'nice'｣
｢hope that was enlightening｣
｢i'll see you again｣
｢happy april fools :)｣