Nezu took a contemplative sip from his teacup, his small eyes scanning the room filled with some of the most powerful heroes in Japan. The tension was palpable as they waited for him to speak. "We are here to discuss the matter that the public has termed the 'Invasion'," he began, setting down his cup. His gaze fell on Endeavour, who was heavily bruised and bandaged from his recent battle. "Endeavour, are you certain you want to be here?"

"Yes," Endeavour replied firmly. "I fought it. I need to be here."

Toshinori Yagi, better known as All Might, picked up a file from the table and began to flip through its pages. "These creatures... what are we calling them again?" he asked, his deep voice filling the room.

"Rakshas," Nezu responded.

"Did an Indian name it?" Midnight inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Nezu nodded. "Indeed. They initially suggested 'Shesh Kal Ki Antim Shrap,' but we opted for something simpler. Now, we need to discuss our next course of action."

Aizawa, his eyes dark and intense, interjected, "They're definitely here on a mission. They won't leave without fulfilling it."

Present Mic looked puzzled. "How do you know that?"

"Just a hunch," Aizawa replied, his voice calm and measured.

Endeavour leaned forward, his face a mask of seriousness. "That creature... it's unlike anything I've ever fought before. It was too strong."

"Enji," Nezu addressed him, "what do you suggest we do?"

"These bastards are coming, and I'm sure of it. If they don't come to us, I'll go looking for them. We need a rematch!" Endeavour declared, his fists clenched.

"But the casualties in Mustafu City..." All Might grimaced, his voice laden with sorrow.

"True," Nezu agreed. "109 civilians lost their lives, and 3,487 are severely injured. The relief teams are working tirelessly to ensure—"

"But people died, didn't they?" All Might interrupted, guilt evident in his eyes. "If I had been there..."

Enji's temper flared. "Are you implying that you could have done better than me?!"

"No, that's not what I—"

"Of course, you would think that because you're the number one hero!" Endeavour snapped.

"Enji," Nezu said calmly, raising a hand to defuse the situation, "we are not here to argue. Please, calm down."

Endeavour took a deep breath, visibly restraining his anger. "...Yeah, fine."

Nezu continued, "We need to form a strategy to deal with these Rakshas. They are formidable adversaries, and we cannot underestimate them."

Midnight leaned forward, her expression serious. "We need more information. What do we know about their weaknesses?"

"Not much," Aizawa admitted. "But they are intelligent and coordinated. That much is clear."

Hawks, leaning against the wall with his wings partially unfurled, chimed in. "We need to gather intel. Maybe we can capture one of them alive for interrogation."

Best Jeanist, his demeanor as immaculate as his appearance, added, "We must also fortify our defenses and ensure the safety of civilians. Our priority should be minimizing casualties."

Thirteen, ever the voice of reason, said, "We need to coordinate our efforts. Each hero's unique abilities should be used to their fullest potential. We must work as a team."

Present Mic nodded vigorously. "Yeah! We need to hit them hard and fast, but also be ready to protect the people. It's a delicate balance."

Nezu summarized, "Agreed. We will split our focus between offensive measures to counter these creatures and defensive strategies to protect civilians. We need surveillance, intelligence gathering, and a coordinated response."

The heroes nodded in agreement, their resolve solidifying.

"Now, there's another matter to discuss," Nezu continued. "The mysterious vigilante who assisted during the attack. Magical Girl Peanut, I believe she's called."

He activated a screen, displaying a video of a girl in a purple dress saving a family from a burning building. Her movements were swift and precise, her strength evident as she carried the children to safety. "Who is she?" Nezu asked, turning to the group. "She showed remarkable strength and telekinetic abilities."

All Might leaned in, watching the footage intently. "She was strong. We could use someone like her on our team."

Midnight nodded in agreement. "She has potential. She was brave and acted quickly to save lives."

Aizawa, ever cautious, added, "But we need to be careful. We don't know anything about her motives or her background."

Nezu nodded. "Indeed. We should keep an eye on her, just in case. She might be an asset, but we can't ignore the possibility of her being a threat."

Most of the heroes dismissed the concern. "She's just a kid," Hawks said, shrugging. "Probably wants to help, nothing more."

But All Might and Midnight exchanged a glance. There was something about this girl that felt different, something they couldn't quite put into words. They felt a unique vibe from her, as if she were more than just a regular vigilante. However, neither of them voiced their thoughts, keeping their concerns to themselves.

"We'll proceed with caution," Nezu concluded. "And we'll prepare for whatever comes next. We need to be ready for anything."

The meeting ended, but the gravity of the situation lingered. Each hero left the room with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that the challenges ahead would test their limits and their unity.

o—O—o

Izuku arrived at school about five minutes late, feeling unusually weak and drained. It was odd, considering he had only been out helping people as Magical Girl Peanut for three hours the previous evening. Normally, he could handle more than that without any trouble. He shook off the fatigue, trying to focus as he walked into the classroom.

Typically, his teacher would yell at him for being late, but today, there was an eerie silence. Izuku quickly noticed that many of his classmates were absent. The room had an unsettling emptiness to it. He knew the reason why. The Invasion had taken a heavy toll.

More than a hundred people were dead, and thousands were injured. The creatures, known as Rakshas by the Hero Association, had been stealing quirks from people, especially children. Izuku shuddered at the thought, remembering the harrowing news reports he had seen. The image of those monstrous beings draining the life out of innocent kids haunted him.

His mind drifted back to the brutal fight he had witnessed between Endeavour and one of the Rakshas. Endeavour had struggled, fighting valiantly but barely holding his own. And then, another Rakshas had intervened, hitting Endeavour with such force that it sent him flying. The memory made Izuku's heart race.

Suddenly, a punch landed on his shoulder, not too hard but enough to startle him. He turned to see Bakugou glaring at him. "Deku, where the hell were you during the Invasion?"

"I-I was at home," Izuku stammered.

"That's bullshit," Bakugou snapped. "I saw you with Peanut."

The room fell silent. Everyone, including the teacher, froze and stared at Izuku. He felt his heart skip a beat.

Stuttering, he said, "I-I have nothing to do with her."

"Yeah, right! I saw her go into a store, and guess what? You came out. I didn't see her leave the store. Are you and that bitch somehow—"

"Kaachan! I barely know her," Izuku protested.

"'Barely know her,' huh?" Bakugou yelled. "So you do know her."

"Why do you care?" Izuku asked, genuinely curious.

"So you are acquainted with her," Bakugou smirked.

"N-no..."

"And if that's not all, why was she buying 'All My Eat Cereal'?" Bakugou sneered. "A few days ago, I saw her in the supermarket buying that stuff. And imagine my surprise when she used your stupid old All Might shopping bag to carry it."

Izuku looked horrified. He couldn't tell Bakugou about his double life, not after Peanut had gone viral on the news and social media. Should he secretly tell Bakugou about it? Kaachan could be harsh, but he was a good person. So...

"Yes," Izuku sighed. "I know her."

"How?" Bakugou demanded. "Why?"

"Uh...not here?" Izuku suggested nervously.

They looked around. Everyone in the class was watching them intently. Bakugou demanded to know the secret that Izuku couldn't speak in front of others. Izuku insisted and pleaded, and Bakugou begrudgingly agreed but warned him that he had better tell him everything.

The class resumed, and one period ended after another. Finally, the first half of the school day was over, and lunch break began. Despite the bell, nobody left the classroom, all pretending to have tasks to do. It was obvious they wanted to hear what Izuku had to say. Eventually, Bakugou approached him.

"Deku!" he began. "You better start speaking!"

"Kaachan..." Izuku said slowly. "Somewhere more...private?"

Bakugou scoffed. Then he looked around. "What are you looking at, extras? Move your asses out of here!"

Everyone hesitated for a moment before leaving reluctantly. As the last student left the class, Bakugou began, "Well? I'm all ears, Deku!"

"Well, Kaachan, how do I put this..."

"Just spit it out already!"

"You see...the thing is Peanut and I are..."

His cheeks flushed, catching Bakugou completely off guard. "No way..." Bakugou looked disgusted.

"What is it, Kaachan?" Izuku asked, genuinely confused.

"So that's how it is, huh?"

Izuku's brain raced. Had Kaachan figured it out already, that he and Peanut were the same person?

"So you and she are..." Bakugou trailed off.

"Yes, Kaachan, we are," Izuku admitted. "I was planning on telling you this, but..."

"Does Auntie Inko know?" Bakugou asked.

"Oh yeah, she's actually the only one who knows."

"And she approves?"

"Uh...yes, I guess."

"From when?" Bakugou pressed.

"Um...one day, I found this really cool bracelet..."

"The typical fucking story, eh?" Bakugou muttered.

Izuku blinked. "Oh. Yes."

Bakugou looked relieved for a moment before his cheeks flushed again. "I never thought I would be asking you this, but..." Kaachan narrowed his eyes. "So you have done it?"

"Uh, done what?" Izuku was confused. "Oh, hero stuff? Of course I have! It was really exciting. I can't wait to tell you everything about how amazing it—"

"Fuck off, Deku," Bakugou said coldly.

Oh...was he mad at him for this?

"Kaachan..."

"I said: Fuck. Off. Deku."

"Kaachan..."

"Didn't you hear me—"

"It's my seat, Kaachan."

"Oh, still...get lost!"

"O-okay..."

Izuku got up from his seat and approached the classroom door, sliding it open.

"Uh...were you listening to us?" he nervously asked the students who were leaning against the door.

The girls shot him a disgusted look while the boys looked jealous. Why? What did he do?

"She has some bad taste in men," a boy scoffed.

"Uh? Sorry?"

"Can't believe a girl like her would be with a nerd like you," a girl sneered.

"Huh?!"

They left, leaving a confused Izuku behind.

"I can't believe that Deku actually hooked up with someone like her," Bakugou muttered in the empty classroom. "Still, if she is fucked by someone like him, then she is just a nobody. I should stop bothering about her."

TBC