its halloween. reddit lord must be spooky now
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
If there was one thing Gasmask appreciated about Shiketsu, it was the professional work ethic of all the teachers. The dedication and commitment they exhibited towards their students' education and overall development were truly commendable. The teachers at Shiketsu demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility and took their roles seriously, ensuring that they provided the best possible learning environment for their students.
...of course, there was an air of a 'shift' once Star and Stripe entered. It wasn't that she had an ego, or was too brash, or anything of the sort. She was a fantastic hero- you don't become Number 1 in the states for twiddling thumbs. With Star and Stripe's presence, the level of expectation and standards seemed to rise even higher. The students at Shiketsu, already accustomed to a high level of professionalism, now had an opportunity to learn from someone who had reached the pinnacle of heroism. This heightened expectations placed additional pressure on the students to excel and stand out, fostering a competitive environment.
It was a very welcome shift. This exposure to a hero of Star and Stripe's caliber could inspire and motivate the students to aim higher and pursue their own dreams of becoming exceptional heroes...
But there was one thing that annoyed him.
Star was a bit too...talkative in their teacher's lounge.
"I still don't get why you're afraid of eels, exactly." Pyrrha said. "They're not THAT bad."
"Are you serious?" Star scoffed. "Eels are absolutely terrifying! Have you seen those slimy creatures? They slither around in the water, with their beady eyes and sharp teeth...You never know when they're going to pop up."
"I get that, but you're like...very overpowered. If a guy with an eel quirk showed up now, would you just cower and let him win?" Jaune asked.
"That's DIFFERENT." Star frowned. "Eel men are easy because they're more human than fish."
Gasmask, growing increasingly annoyed by the conversation,interrupted their discussion. "Excuse me, but do any of you have anything more productive to be doing right now?" he asked, his voice tinged with irritation.
"Sorry, sorry. Just some banter before class starts for the day." Star said. "Just talking about the swim meet from a few days ago."
"That was for students only." Gasmask said, a brow arched beneath his mask.
"I was invited by student council. I couldn't say no now, could I?" Star asked.
I'd argue yes. Gasmask thought. Gasmask didn't particularly enjoy engaging in small talk or casual banter, especially when it seemed to be a distraction from their work. They preferred a more focused and disciplined environment in the teacher's lounge. Maybe UA had it better.
Just as he was about to get back to his work, the door to the teacher's lounge opened. "Excuse me! Gasmask?"
Gasmask looked up to see a student at the door- Akiko Katsuragi, president of the model UN club. "I hope I'm not interupting anything."
"Not at all, actually." He grumbled. "What can I do for you?"
"Headmaster Hakama would like to see you immediately," Akiko said with a sense of urgency. "He said it's regarding an important matter concerning the school."
Gasmask's irritation disappeared. "Very well- I'm on my way."
Pyrrha tilted her head. "Why does he only need to speak with you and not the rest of the staff?"
"Ever since the UA incident, I'm sort of the headmaster's unofficial right-hand man." Gasmask said, lying through his teeth."We have been working closely on a few confidential projects, and he often seeks my counsel on matters concerning the school's administration. This meeting could be related to one of those projects or an issue that requires my expertise."
"Can't argue with that." Jaune said.
"Why not ask me?" Star asked, confused.
"This particular matter requires a level of discretion and specialization that aligns with my specific skill set."
"I'm in the military." Star said.
"...then the headmaster must not want to overburden you." Gasmask said, before departing with Akiko.
"Jeez." Star huffed. "Here I was thinking Eraserhead was passive aggressive..."
Gasmask and Akiko entered Headmaster Hakama's office, the door closing behind them. The room was adorned with shelves filled with books and various artifacts, reflecting the headmaster's scholarly nature. There was another woman already in the office- a kindly older woman with pink hair, a warm smile and closed eyes. Hakama sat behind his desk, poring over some documents.
"Mrs. Cherry," Akiko nodded. "How are you today?"
"Oh, I'm just splendid." Mrs. Cherry said warmly. "How about you two?"
"We're doing well, thank you," Akiko replied. Gasmask nodded in agreement, acknowledging Mrs. Cherry's presence.
Hakama cleared his throat, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. "Gasmask, I have requested your presence because we have received reliable information suggesting that the Meta Liberation Army is planning an infiltration into Shiketsu High School."
"Yes. I know. We're the ones doing it." Gasmask huffed. "Stop starting every meeting with that."
"Can't an old man have a sense of humor?" Hakama chuckled, pulling out his phone. "Today is a special meeting...his presence is required."
"Re-Destro..." Gasmask muttered.
Gasmask had met Re-Destro a few times- and each time, he was a 'light' to behold. A man, fighting against a society that repressed those who were not 'fit' for this inclusive world of heroes. He was...a true leader. A good successor to the original.
"I know you might be thinking it's a bit...abrupt, and I agree with you. A bit more warning would have been nice," Hakama said, "But we must simply play with the hand we're dealt."
"Of course. Though...if I may ask, what's so special that he needs to attend?"
"Why not ask him yourself?" Mrs. Cherry asked, taking out her phone and accepting the video call, "You're live, sir."
"Thank you, Annihilator," Re-Destro said, his voice artificially deepened and distorted.
"Sir...your voice?" Gasmask pointed out.
"A necessary precaution. The Hero Commission would like another more than to throw me behind bars given my so-called 'radical' views. The one good thing to come from the USJ incident is the manhunt that has resulted for this so called 'League of Villains.' With such a manhunt, though, the heroes will no doubt be looking at phone calls and other communications. With that in mind, for the sake of meetings like these, my voice will be disguised. But on to the matter at hand...the serial killer problem."
"The Hero Killer," Hakama said.
"Indeed. Events have escalated. I don't know if you've kept up with the story, but he's recently claimed another victim, but, in a twist of fate, that victim survived," Re-Destro went on.
"Who was it?" Mrs. Cherry inquired.
"Ingenium."
"...why that cowardly, manner-less, bloodlusting pig who calls himself a human being," the usually calm and collected woman's facade broke and allowed her a moment of vulgarity.
"A very colorful description, but yes. I can share the sentiment. Ingenium's family is one I can respect. We even once reached out to them but we were declined but, unlike most, it was a rejection I can live with. It was all very professional, if still disappointing."
"That's...what? The fortieth Hero he's attacked?" Gasmask asked.
"And only one of a handful to survive...if crippled. Among both crippled and killed were several of our own agents. For once, the MLA and the Pro Agencies can agree on something. The Hero Killer must be stopped."
"With the subtlety of a rhinoceros and the media following of a glory hound...Stain might bring too much attention to our agents," Hakama reasoned.
"The Hero Killer's notoriety could indeed attract unwanted attention and hinder our efforts. We need to find a solution that addresses this issue while ensuring the safety of our agents." Re-Destro went on. "I've already been in contact with several influential members within the MLA, and we agree on one thing- strength in numbers."
"This is a recruitment mission..." Akikio said.
"Yes. And what better place to start than one of the finest schools in the country? Honestly, I'm surprised alumni from Shiketsu haven't flocked to us," Re-Destro admitted.
"We've already gotten increased traffic towards the model UN. Who knew that appealing to kids by acting out a 'world without regulations' would be so easy..." Akiko hummed.
"A few kids who come to me for advice don't realize the advice I'm dispensing is our ideology...bit of a grassroots way I'm working with, but it's effective." Mrs. Cherry said.
"I'm going to need a list of those you've started on, including those of the UN, and any other potential candidates. Just in case something doesn't quite...fit," Re-Destro added.
"Is there something that matters?" Gasmask inquired.
Re-Destro paused for a moment before responding. "There have been reports of a few individuals within the MLA who may have questionable loyalties or conflicting agendas. While we strive for a united front, it's crucial to identify any potential threats within our ranks."
"In-fighting." Hakama muttered.
"In an organization as big as ours, it would be a miracle if there wasn't," Re-Destro sighed, "Some of it is based on different interpretations of our message, things like that. I need to make sure I'm not making it worse..."
"Right..." Gasmask said, "So, be a little firmer on the policies is all."
Re-Destro nodded in agreement. "Yes, we need to reinforce our organization's policies and principles to ensure unity and avoid any potential disruptions. We must address any conflicting interpretations and solidify our ranks."
Gasmask thought for a moment, considering the implications. "Should we also focus on strengthening our intelligence network to gather more information about the individuals involved? It's crucial to identify any potential threats and address them before they undermine our mission."
"Of course, but I have that all under control. You only need to worry about the recruits," Re-Destro said.
"Of course, Re-Destro. I'll get you the list as soon as possible," Mrs. Cherry saluted, forming an L, for Liberation, with her fingers.
Gasmask also formed an L. "Yes, yes...and as for our probable recruits...I'll train them well."
"I would expect nothing less," Re-Destro said, no doubt smiling on the other side of the screen, "I look forward to meeting our new recruits."
"Thank you, sir." Gasmask said. "I'm sure this next generation of members will bring us closer to our glory..."
"Come ooooooooon. Tell me."
「nah」
"Please?"
「you're being very annoying about this」
"You can't just say you got a bunch of eels from someone and not elaborate."
「if i tell you who i got them from, then my life is forfit! they were very clear on that!」
"Huh?! Did you get them from the black market?!" Saki asked.
「if i say yes, will that satisfy you?」
"No!"
「ughhh」Kumagawa looked annoyed. 「fine. i still have contact with one of my former 'lackies'」
Saki looked confused. "...lackies?"
「yeah. you weren't my first, you know.」
"...I thought we agreed on 'partner,'" Saki raised a brow.
「partner for you, lackey for all the others」
"Why didn't you mention this to me earlier?" Saki asked. Kumagawa sighed and looked away for a moment before answering Saki's question.
「idk」
"You cannot just SAY that." Saki huffed, as they continued their way to the location of their next class- the dojo.
「and yet, i have. but no don't even think about asking who that old crony is」
"I will find out..."
「you can try!」
"Why are we meeting here today, actually?" Saki asked, as the approached the judo dojo.
「something something- volunteers for a few sparing matches with upper classmen. medaka dragged our class into it」
"Yeah that sounds like something she'd-" Saki said, following Kumagawa into into the dojo, only for the screw user to get taken out by a thrown body and slammed into the floor.
"-do..." Saki finished. Once the dust had settled, Kumagawa was currently buried under the crumpled form of Ryuji. The grasshopper-like student groaned as he recovered from a professional judo throw.
「this...is why you don't...ask about them」Kumagawa groaned in pain.
"Whoops, sorry about that!" the lead of the Judo Club and the organizer of the sparring sessions called out, "Didn't see you come in."
"Didn't know you joined judo." Saki said.
"You've never talked to me outside of class," Ryuji said, brushing himself off.
"Well, well. Welcome!" Ryuji's judo partner said, walking over. "I'm the one who sent the request. I'm captain of the judo club, Nabeshima Nekomi. Thank you for coming today."
「i am regretting my decision to come immediately」Kumagawa muttered.
"By the time this is done, that line'll sound like a joke to you, trust me," Nekomi said.
"Come now, Kumagawa. At least give the captain some respect." Medaka's voice called. Kumagawa spun around to see Medaka, walking into the dojo, wearing a similar judo outfit over her costume.
「interesting get up」
"Oh, don't tell me- you're also a judo master too." Saki said.
"Indeed she is." Zenkichi frowned, following close behind.
「and so is he」
"...honestly, that's the most believable," Saki shrugged.
Zenkichi went to the nearest wall, and hung back. Saki raised an eyebrow. He's known Kumagawa longer than I have- they went to middle school together, right? Maybe he knows something. Gotta make it natural, though.
Only question was how could she? At this point, it was kind of assumed that a lot of things she asked about would make their way back to Kumagawa, given how close the two were as partners. Not only would she have to make it sound natural, she'd actually have to convince Zenkichi that this wouldn't be used to get at someone.
Yeaaaah not easy.
"Judo master, huh?" Nekomi hummed, "Hey, Kurokami! Let's see what you got!"
"Really? Out of the gate like that? Alright then. If you insist!" Medaka smirked.
"Maybe don't wreck the place before the rest of the class shows up?" Mogana frowned, as she and the rest of Class 13 entered- well, save for Sato. No one had seen him in a class for a few weeks.
"Oh! Apologies! Jumped the gun," Medaka said sheepishly.
"Huh...ok, whole class decided to show," Nekomi hummed.
"Almost the whole class," Ryuji muttered, really one of the only four to notice Sato's absence and realize the true weight of it. The other three, of course, were Medaka herself, Zenkichi, and Kumagawa.
"Not gonna lie, thought some of you would decline. Alright though, can handle this."
"We're not push overs, you know." Yuna frowned. "We're just as tough as those UA kids."
The Sports Festival wasn't too long ago- everyone had seen the epic moments first hand, and after seeing how 'outmatched' they were...it seriously lit a fire under them. Those kids were ready to fight.
"Watching the sports fest got me PUMPED. Did you see that one fight with the two arm wrestlers? God...they were so cool!" Itsuki said.
"There's a good reason those kids were able to fend off villains with minimal pro interference," Sunako said. "And we wanna be prepared."
"So come on! Bring on the second years!" Inasa roared. "I'M SO READY!"
"Well, if you insist," Nekomi shrugged and clapped, signaling for the second years it was time for the real sparring matches to start. There were only four of the upper classmen here, outside of Nekomi. One of the four was easily recognizable as Katsuragi, the head of the Model UN. Her blonde hair and sparkling amber eyes were unmistakable. The other three were new to everyone in Class-13. One of them was of average height, mostly unremarkable in appearance save for the straight purple fringe, parted in such a way so his left eye was covered. One of them, if no one didn't know any better, could pass as Katsuragi's brother. His hair was the same hue of blonde and his eyes were close too, hazel brown but he lacked those star-like glimmers in his eyes. The last one, the second of the girls in the group, had fawn-brown straight hair and dark brown eyes. Oddly, even in the judo outfit, she still wore that signature Shiketsu hat even though nobody else did.
"Like, hey guys!" the hat-wearing girl greeted with a wave, "Nice to meet ya!"
"Camie. Please. Be more proper." The purple haired kid frowned. He looked like a perpetual one- he gave off an intense vibe. "Speak without your...language for a while."
"Totes impobs, hun." Camie pouted. "This train ain't stopping."
"Why do I even try with you?" the purple-haired kid pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head in disappointment.
"Oh don't be like that. Not everyone is going to speak with such...military-esque diction," Katsuragi pointed out.
"Well, they should. It's the simplest way to show respect to this honorable establishment."
"The personalities on these guys..." Yuna muttered.
"Clearly proof of Shiketsu's egoism at play." Mogana noted. She would have expected Medaka to say something to introduce them, but she was staring at the pretty boy on the end. That's weird...why's she being quiet?
Kumagawa was also staring. 「well. this is a coincidence...」
Zenkichi grit his teeth. "You're kidding me. He's here?"
"Huh?" Saki noticed the reactions from the three major players of the class, "You know him? Is he your-?"
「no. he is not the one who supplied the eels. please stop connecting threads that are unrelated.」Kumagawa sighed.
"I mean, he's the only other person I've seen you recognize outside of Medaka and Zenkichi…"
「hm. curious.」Kumagawa said, walking off. Saki looked confused, and looked to Zenkichi for answers.
"The hell's going on?" Saki asked.
"Give it a second." Zenkichi said, holding up his hand. The blonde boy was starting to approach Medaka...
And then he knelt before her, as if he was in the presence of royalty. The other members of Medaka's class shared Saki's confusion.
"Apologies for being out of touch for so long, Medaka," the blonde boy said, "I've been eagerly awaiting our reunion, you know. I could only hope that your new position hasn't made you forget us."
"Us?!" the rest of Class-13 asked in unison.
"Mr. Akune," Medaka started, "Spare me your formal act. You had a hand in arranging this little get-together, didn't you?"
"Me? Not at all! I merely wished to remain humble and spare myself from embarrassment. It's all thanks to you that I am who I am today," Akune explained, bowing his head in deference. The student president's brow twitched in anger before she grabbed ahold of the second year's head.
"If you want to thank me, Akune," Medaka said, jolting Akune's head up so he was looking at her, "then you do it proudly! With your head held high and your chest sticking out!"
"Y-yes ma'am!" Akune stammered, a blush appearing on his face, "Just like you, right? O-of course! Whatever you say!"
Medaka walked off, leaving Akune all star struck. His face was so flush with emotion- he looked so happy he might die. But as Kumagawa approached, it became very, very possible that he may die.
「sup」
Akune's pupils shrank hearing that voice. He looked up to see Kumagawa, smiling down at him, eyes blank and expressionless.
「you seem better than ever, kouki. that makes me really happy」
Akune stared at him, slowly getting back up. "Lies."
「you're right, actually. good eye, sniper」Kumagawa smiled. 「i was pretty worried about you, actually...not since middle school.」
"I was a different person back then. You know that."
「you still brought me all those broken people to fix...」
Saki's eyes widened. No. You can't be serious. Is he-
Akune grit his teeth. "Because they DID need to get knocked down a peg. But the way you handled things was...brutal."
「if they couldn't handle it」
「how could they exist in the world of heroes」
「if a middle schooler could break their fragile egos with their powers」
「they shouldn't be heroes」
「easy as」
"So, ignoring the eel thing, he still used to be your-?!" Saki asked.
"Partner? In a sense, yes. I was too blind at the time to see how much he was really manipulating me," Akune answered.
「see, i think you're just blowing this out of proportion. it was a handful of people i-」
"Before you were so proudly saying how you fixed all of them and now you're going back on it? Typical for you," Akune rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Saki, "Saki, right? Bit of advice. Keep an eye on this one. He can and he will just toss you to the side after he's had enough of you."
「oh, so you're just saying i'm a vampire then?」
"Your words, not mine."
Saki frowned. "Unlike you...I have something to gain from these people being off the boards. It's mutual."
"Sure. It starts that way." Akune said. "But at some point, he will start seeing you like a tool. Just like he did with me."
「i would never throw away a friend!」Kumagawa defended himself.
"Keep lying, Kumagawa. Dig your grave deeper."
Saki grimaced as Akune walked off, and shot a glance at Kumagawa. "Did you know that he attended this school?"
「this was a last minute pick. i don't keep in touch with people」Kumagawa shrugged. 「this is a welcome shock!」
"Welcome? Really? He looked about ready to throw like how Ryuji was," Saki said.
「oh he was just trying to scare us. if he despises me, he adores medaka. always trying to emulate her and when was the last time she ever actually tried to hurt me? 」
"Uh huh. You're withholding shit from me."
「uhhhhhhh」
"You totally are."
「...maybe」
"Forget the eels thing, you're gonna tell me how you know him by the time this thing is over," Saki promised.
「oh, putting a deadline on yourself, huh? i'm sure that'll go well for you」Kumagawa crossed his arms and scoffed.
Challenge accepted then, Saki resolved herself.
While Saki had begun masterminding her plan to get the information she wanted out of Kumagawa, Akune moved over and stood next to Zenkichi. His more hostile mood continued as the former minion of Kumagawa shot the vice-president a glare.
"Long time no see...whaaaatever your name was," Akune said, keeping up his hostile persona.
"Figures you'd forget...it's Zenkichi," Medaka's vice-president sighed.
"And as usual, Zenkichi, you're following Medaka around like the little lost puppy you are. Still haven't forgiven you for costing Medaka a complete, 100% approval rating."
"Woooow, the lack of manners you're showing off. What would people think if they heard that the great Akune was verbally harassing underclassmen? Your fangirls would weep at the news, I'm sure."
"Fangirls?! How dare you. My very existence, body and soul, is entirely dedicated to Medaka! For her, I would not refuse anything!"
"...dunno if that's supposed to be sweet or creepy," Yuna chimed in. Akune, in his hyper-fixation here, had forgotten to keep his voice down to where only Zenkichi could hear him. So now, everyone in the room heard that.
Katsuragi cleared her throat. "How about some proper introductions? In case you don't know, I'm Akiko Katsuragi, president of the UN Club. My hero name is Indomitable. Nice to meet all of you new students."
The boy with purple hair stepped forward, almost robotically. "My name is Seiji Shishikura. The proper way to heroics is doing it BY the book and nothing else!"
"...he seems fun," Yoshida whispered to Yuna.
"Something you want to say, first year?" Seiji asked with a threatening tone, almost like a drill sergeant.
"U-uh, no! Nothing! Nothing at all!"
"That's what I thought..."
"I'm Camie Utsushimi! But, some of you online may know me by my instagram modeling handle, CamiCamiCamiGalGurl!" Camie said. "I'm totes ready to work with you kids! This is gonna be pawgsauce to the moon."
Mogana squinted. "...what?" She didn't spend too much time online. Hearing that sort of talk was like nails on a chalkboard to the swimmer.
"Apologies. Her vernacular is more scrambled than omurice." Seiji frowned. "Speak proper."
"Don't hash my mood, hater."
"She sounds like that one time Mr. Arc tried to sound modern." Itsuki shuddered.
"I thought we agreed never to bring that up again" Sunako deadpanned.
"And, in case he thinks his little bending of the knee to Medaka was enough, the blonde over there is Kouki Akune," Katsuragi pointed out.
"I could've handled an introduction, Katsuragi," Akune sighed.
"Then why didn't you? Or are you still recovering from being awestruck?"
"And I'm the president of the judo clu-" Nekomi began.
"We know." Ryuji frowned.
Nekomi's eyebrow twitched. "...okay."
"So, the purpose of this is to demonstrate what you kids are possibly missing in some of your training. Think of us as filling in some gaps!" Katsuragi explained.
"Filling in gaps...right," Ryuji said, still sore from being thrown across the room like a ragdoll.
"I admit, I might have put more strength into that than I probably should've," Nekomi sheepishly admitted, "But it did help, didn't it?"
"In a way, yeah. Would prefer not breaking something to learn a lesson though."
"You won't. Unlike Nekomi, we know when to hold back on sheer strength for a training exercise," Seiji nodded, "But just because the blows will be 5% softer, does not mean we are 5% weaker!"
"...he's just trying to sound cool at this point, isn't he?" Yuna whispered.
"You two. Yuna and Yoshida, was it? I'll partner up with you first." The duo of students froze up as soon as the upperclassmen said their names. He had to have heard them and decided to discipline them, no other reason he'd single them out was there?
"Uh...sure." Yoshida said, stepping forward with Yuna. What's this guy's quirk? Is it like...a paralyzing glance? Or some sort of commanding quirk? He thought.
This dude gives me a WEIRD vibe. I don't like him... Yuna thought.
"Alright, guess it's tme to pair up then!" Nekomi said, "Because there's more under- than upperclassmen, it's gonna be more than a one-on-one."
Nekomi hummed. "I heard you two put on quite a show at the swim event- I'll take on Medaka and Mogana."
Mogana adjusted her glasses. "Fine by me."
"Same here." Medaka nodded.
"I wanna take on the president of the UN!" Inasa declared. "Who wants in?!"
Karsuragi giggled. "My, you're a passionate one. This may be a three person job, though…"
"I'll gladly step in, then!" Itsuki added.
Kumagawa hummed. 「yeah. why not」
"Actually...no," Akune said, "Kumagawa, Zenkichi. You're with me."
"Oh...joy," Zenkichi sighed.
「i'm fairly certain that's not how-」Kumagawa no longer had a choice in the matter as Zenkichi grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away, 「this is kidnapping」
"No it's not," Medaka's vice-president rolled his eyes.
"Huh. Hey, Saki! Wanna take Kumagawa's place?" Inasa asked.
"Why not?" Saki shrugged and moved up, already planning on using her cards for an easier victory.
Let's see how 'Indomitable' you really are, Saki thought to herself.
Saki's eyes darted back to Kumagawa, still being dragged away. It boggles the mind how he was able to get multiple followers. I joined...for a good reason. Saki frowned. I can't imagine what good reason a guy like Akune joined for. He looks like he has it good.
She really had no idea.
Neither Yuna or Yoshida had enough 'synergy' to really make their quirks work as a cohesive unit. Yoshida's shapeshifting quirk was a useful ability, but he couldn't nail down everything just yet- and powers were heavily reduced. There was a benefit- while certain characters needed to replicate by touch or by being in the 'vicinity' of them, Yoshida just needed to have a basis of their personality. So, he could replicate Endeavor's powers if he understood a few facets of his character. Pretty handy, even if it reduced power.
Yuna's LEGO quirk was a very creatively based one. If you've seen certain Lego builds, you'd understand how much power was at Yuna's hands. But, being made out of plastic meant that a well placed blow could collapse a structure in seconds.
But there's nothing that really synergizes with LEGOs- maybe they'd half ass a sword and shield combo against Seiji. The duo stared him down from across the judo mat.
"Hero names." Seiji said.
"Huh?" Yoshida blinked, confused.
"Your hero names. Have the decency to announce them before facing me in combat." Seiji frowned.
"Oh, uh...mine is...Mimic." Yoshida said.
"Construct." Yuna chirped.
Seiji's brow furrowed furiously. "Say them with more confidence."
"...m-my name is Mimic?" Yoshida repeated.
"I'm Construct!" Yuna yelled more assertively. But neither of their declarations really fazed Seiji. He glared at Yoshida and Yuna, his expression a mix of disappointment and frustration. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Is that the best you can do? Mimic and Construct?" Seiji's words carried an air of disdain. "A hero's name should inspire confidence, command respect, and reflect the strength of their convictions. Your feeble attempts fall short of the mark."
Yoshida shifted uncomfortably under Seiji's scrutiny, feeling the weight of his own inadequacy. He had never given much thought to his hero name, considering his powers were still a work in progress. But now, faced with Seiji's relentless criticism, he couldn't help but feel smaller than ever.
This dude's crazy. Yuna frowned. His head's probably up his butt or something…
"I can only HOPE your attempts to combat me are much more effective, but...I have low expectations." Seiji said. "Now! I am the Fleshcraft Hero: Sisicross! And I believe a hero should be ever so proud in their actions!"
"Fleshcraft?" Yoshida repeated mentally. "What's that mean?"
Yuna stifled a giggle at the absurdity of Seiji's hero name. She leaned closer to Yoshida. "Sounds like he's just making things up to sound impressive. But hey, at least he's confident about it."
Yoshida chuckled. Despite Seiji's attempts to demean them, they couldn't let his words completely erode their own self-belief. This was just a fun little spar, right?
"The first move is yours." Seiji declared. "Let's see the fruits of your training..."
Yuna's eyes sparkled with mischievous creativity as she seized the opportunity to showcase her quirk. In a swift motion, she extended her hands, and colorful plastic bricks materialized in the air, assembling themselves into a sturdy prison around Seiji.
Seiji's confident expression wavered for a split second, his surprise evident. However, he quickly regained his composure, realizing that escaping Yuna's LEGO prison wouldn't be an easy feat. Just as he prepared to make his move, Yoshida sprang into action. His body morphed, taking on the characteristics of Kamui Woods. Yoshida intertwined his wooden appendages with Yuna's LEGO blocks, reinforcing the structure and making it even more formidable.
The prison, now reinforced by Yoshida's shapeshifting, became a complex network of interlocking blocks and sturdy wooden support. It seemed impenetrable, effectively confining Seiji within its confines. Seiji didn't seem all too phased inside the makeshift prison.
"There we go." Yoshida smirked. "How do you like THAT!?"
With a macabre twist, Seiji detached the flesh from his arms, melding and reshaping it into a massive fist. The grotesque appendage crashed into the reinforced LEGO prison, shattering the blocks and scattering them like shattered dreams. The once-impenetrable structure crumbled, leaving Yoshida and Yuna stunned and vulnerable.
Seiji emerged from the ruins, his flesh fist returning to his body and morphing back into his arms. Dust and debris settled around him, but his confident demeanor remained unshaken.
"Is that the best you can do?" Seiji scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension. "Your feeble attempt at trapping me was nothing more than child's play. Literally."
Yuna gagged. "Gross power...especially since it just wrecked my build!"
Yoshida didn't let Seiji's taunts distract him. He quickly gathered himself, resolved to find an alternative method to overpower the cocky hero. Using his shapeshifting powers once again, Yoshida stretched out his wooden tendrils towards Seiji, aiming to capture him once more.
But just as Yoshida's tentacles were about to touch him, Seiji burst his body in a horrifying spectacle. His body exploded into numerous fleshy pieces that flew in every direction, making it impossible for Yoshida to hold onto him.
"Oh, gross!" Yuna gagged- this was a DISGUSTING power.
In an instant, Seiji reappeared behind Yoshida and Yuna, his smug grin etched across his face. "Did you really think it would be that easy to capture me?" Seiji sneered.
Undeterred by Seiji's sneer, Yuna instinctively reacted, using her LEGO quirk to form a concentrated beam of bricks aimed directly at him. She launched it with all her might, hoping to at least hinder him in some way. However, Seiji remained unfazed. The LEGO beam crashed into him, but it failed to slow him down. He simply brushed off the assault as if it were a minor inconvenience.
Without warning, he decided to demonstrate a horrifying facet of his power on Yuna. With a swift motion, Seiji extended his arm, and sent chunks of his flesh flying again. They morphed into big fingers, which quickly brushed past Yuna's arm...and 'molded' it into her body. She expected excruciating pain to shoot through her, but she felt nothing but a sickening sensation of her own flesh intertwining with her body.
"Y-you're kidding! He can do it to other people too!?" Yuna's voice trembled with a mixture of fear and disbelief, as the fingers started to circle around Seiji like bees to a hive.
Seiji Shishikura! Quirk: Meatball! Seiji's Quirk gives him the ability to manipulate raw flesh. He can knead other people's bodies into disfigured balls of flesh, leaving them incapacitated. His own flesh is more versatile; it can be detached, expanded, and remotely controlled for offensive and defensive purposes.
...totally gross, though! Happy Halloween, by the way!
"I have a very gifted quirk." Seiji said. "And it requires precision! Something you kids obviously need more of."
Lego pieces shot out from where Yuna's arm once was, swiftly assembling themselves into a false arm made with Technic set parts. Though it lacked the intricate functionality of a regular hand, it served as a makeshift limb that would allow Yuna to continue fighting until Seiji's quirk effect wore off.
"Fine then. If you want to play dirty, I'm more than ready," Yuna declared, her voice tinged with determination.
To her shock, Seiji smirked a bit. "There's something I can work with." Seiji sent his flying fingers at the duo again, but Yoshida was ready to counter this time.
He loses his own body mass whenever he launches an attack like this. If I can separate him from his flesh, maybe we can turn the tides or something! Yoshida thought, as he morphed into his next form- the Laundry Hero: Wash. His quirk was very useful for this- bubbles started to 'sud' from off his body, floating into the air.
"Alright, here we go..." Yoshida said, as he guided several bubbles toward the flying fingers.
With precise control, he maneuvered the bubbles closer, closing in on the disconcerting appendages. Seiji's fingers swiped through the air, attempting to evade capture, but Yoshida's focus and agility kept the bubbles on their trajectory.
As the bubbles approached, they encased Seiji's fingers, enveloping them in a delicate yet resilient barrier. The flesh fingers struggled within the confines of the soapy spheres, their wriggling movements gradually subsiding.
Seiji's eyes widened in surprise, realizing his fingers were momentarily neutralized. He copied Wash's powers to encase my fingers- even without proper training, these bubbles are tougher than one would think.
"Damn..." Seiji's voice crackled with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. He stared at Yoshida, a newfound respect mingling with his frustration. Yoshida grinned, feeling a surge of confidence as his plan seemed to be working.
With Seiji's fingers temporarily neutralized, Yuna seized the opportunity to retaliate. She and Yoshida, emboldened by their recent successes, rushed forward with determination, ready to deliver a decisive blow to their overconfident opponent.
Of course, overconfidence at Shiketsu means something else. Being this emboldened, having such an ego, it meant...you were confident in your win.
And Seiji absolutely was.
"I have more flesh in other places, you realize." Seiji said, as flesh started to fly off his legs. The flesh started to morph into an array of fingers. Seiji bowed his head, and the flesh flew at them like fingers. The fingers made an effort to 'smudge' past their flesh, causing it to shift out of place. Eyes drooped down into their cheeks, fingers forcefully merged into their hands, their skulls were mashed into odd shapes. The two fell to the ground, gagging and struggling to get their bearings.
"You poor, misguided fools," Seiji sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. The other fingers popped the bubbles, and the flesh merged back with Seiji. "My quirk is a lot more powerful than you'd think- and it has to be considering the line of work I'm looking at."
Seiji formed a massive hand with his reclaimed flesh, and looked down at the other two. "Don't worry. This is me going easy." Seiji's hand suddenly swatted them both like a bug, and held them there. This was one of his super moves- Grill Press. Seiji would squeeze his opponent between a hard surface and his giant, fleshy construct. It would flatten his opponents- a lot more 'humane' than having them be mushed into balls of human flesh.
He was oddly devoted to a 'burger' theme.
As Seiji applied more pressure, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. The once-promising duo now lay defeated, their bodies contorted and crushed beneath his power. Seiji's grimace mirrored his inner thoughts. These kids... they had potential, but they proved to be nothing more than feeble obstacles. His disdain for their lackluster performance was evident, even if they were clever.
He released the pressure, allowing Yoshida and Yuna to slowly regain their original forms, although bruised and battered. Seiji towered over them, his righteous aura pulsating with contempt.
"Shiketsu values confidence in one's skills." Seiji declared. "You two should be ashamed of your pitiful display. How can you call yourselves heroes when you can't even muster the strength to pose a real challenge?"
Yoshida and Yuna struggled to catch their breath, their spirits dampened by Seiji's scathing words. But despite their exhaustion and pain, a flicker of determination remained in their eyes.
"Next time..." Yoshida smirked. "We'll kick your meat butt to the ground."
Seiji narrowed his eyes.
"Prove me wrong next time, then." Seiji grimaced, walking off.
"On an off chance," Ryuji began, rolling his shoulder as he walked up to his partners, Hana and Sunako. "Either of you seen her social media? I feel like she would put something about her Quirk on there."
"On...the modeling profile?" Hana asked.
"I walked into that one, but no. Look at her, she probably has five other accounts."
"I mean...I do, but that'd be too easy! Gotta keep some secrets right?" Camie smirked as she got into a fighting stance, adjusting her hat as well.
"Usual plan then?" Hana asked.
"Usual plan," Ryuji nodded. Hana grinned and started things off with a quick and blinding flash. Acting on Camie's disorientation, Ryuji and leapt in for a powerful kick. This was gonna be an easy fight...or at least it would've been if Camie didn't just poof out of sight in a cloud of sparkly pink mist, almost resembling an aurora. The grasshopper-like hero-to-be blinked a few times at the sudden disappearing act.
Before he could even ask where she went, the second year reappeared behind Hana and landed a swift roundhouse kick to the music-lover's side. Hana was thrown aside from the hit, but the strike did provide Sunako with an opening. She rushed in with a flurry of various punches, but Camie was able to avoid each one with ease. She bent back, narrowly avoiding the last of the punches, and when she popped back up, she blew a cloud of that same aurora-like mist into Sankao's face.
The hero soon to be known as demolisher coughed from the sudden smoke screen, but that was all the opening Camie needed. With a front flip, Cammie transitioned into a duo of mid-air somersaults that slammed into her opponent before she landed and delivered a powerful forward kick to the girl's stomach. Sunako flew back and collided with Ryuji, the latter of whom was rushing back to try and help out his classmates.
"Nice try, guys!" Camie beamed.
"What the hell just happened," Sunako asked, too stunned to put forth too much emotion.
"Well, you see-!" Camie began, but was interrupted by Hana getting back on her feet and grabbing Camie around the waist. The second year's eyes widened as Hana lifted the girl up and suplexed her into the ground with a loud thud. Hana jumped back with a confident smirk as the second year shook her head and came to her senses.
"Nice shot! Totes got me by surprise there!" Camie beamed, hopping back onto her feet, "Won't happen again though!"
"Sure about that?" Hana asked, Ryuji and Sunako getting back up as well to join her in the fight.
"Duh! I haven't even really used my Quirk yet!"
That actually did give the trio pause. They'd seen some examples of her power and they knew it had to be connected to that mist she was capable of exhaling, but so far, she'd only used defensively. A quick escape or a smokescreen to trip up her opponents, but she's mostly been fighting with hand-to-hand moves. What exactly did that mist do?
The answer came a bit sooner than they expected. With a hand held out before her lips, Camie blew more of the aurora-illuminated mist, quickly obscuring herself in a large cloud of the stuff. The trio of students didn't dare go in there, hoping that their opponent would come back out to fight them. And she did.
All 12 of her.
"What?!" the trio shouted out in sync as they were each forced to take on four Camies at once. Their respective fights split them up and, for a while, they were doing so good. All three of them were forced back onto the defensive as swings and kicks came at them from multiple angles. The odd thing was how irregularly the hits came, though.
For instance, Ryuji would kick out at one of his four, only for two to swing in from the sides. One managed to land a firm palm strike on his back while the other missed a roundhouse kick that would've surely floored him. The duo of duplicates jumped back after their assaults, making Ryuji barely miss a rounding, sweeping movement with his leg. Though, funnily enough, it was Sanako that figured it out. She dodged under the strike of one Camie and quickly grabbed her by the wrist. In a swift motion, she threw that Camie over her head and into one of her four, only for them both to explode into clouds of pink mist.
"They're...they're not real?" Sunako asked, "They're not real! Her Quirk's illusion-based!"
""Awwww, you figured it out. And I wasn't finished with my show yet!" Camie pouted.
Camie Utsushimi! Quirk: Glamour! By exhaling a misty substance, Camie's able to create visual and auditory hallucinations of impressive scale for a limited time! The illusions aren't durable themselves, usually going down after a single touch from someone. But with her mastery over this power, she's able to make her opponents lose track of her in the chaos!
"Tricky..." Sunako frowned. I bet her strategy hinges on attrition. Let us tire ourselves out trying to fight these fakes while she just sits and looks pretty...
"Ok, so how do we find the real one?" Hana asked.
"Well...they did go down in one hit soooo," Sunako smirked and took the chance, punching out at one of the remaining two around her. The punch connected with the copy's cheek and knocked it off its feet. Before it even hit the ground, that Camie exploded into another cloud of mist.
"Just land a hit," Ryuji finished. He took advantage of the distraction and kicked one of the Camies around him in the stomach, turning it to mist as well.
The trio sprang into action, their focus honed on taking down the remaining illusory Camies. They moved with precision and coordination, each targeting a different duplicate. Hana swiftly dodged a roundhouse kick from one of the copies, countering with a well-placed elbow strike to its chest. The illusory Camie dissipated in a burst of mist. Ryuji, fueled by determination, delivered a powerful spinning kick to another duplicate. Sunako kept on rushing through duplicates to find the real one. And they rinsed and repeated...until one remained.
With only one Camie remaining, the trio focused their attention on her. They tightened their formation, wary of any potential illusions, and slowly approached the last standing duplicate. Hana took the lead, cautiously extending her hand to touch the figure before her.
As her fingers made contact, the illusion shattered into mist, revealing the real Camie standing behind it. The second-year student chuckled, impressed by their deduction.
"Oh, poo. I thought I had you fooled," Camie admitted with a grin.
"NOW we can attack this one." Ryuji said.
"Just one thing before you try it," the second year smirked. Before the trio could ask what that was, Camie blew out another cloud of mist that hit all three of the students. Instead of waiting for her to confuse them again, Ryuji took the initiative and leapt in for a flying kick, aiming to hit the upperclassmen and end this here and now.
Only for him to stop short when he realized that now...Camie towered over him and the others.
"Oh come ON! Really?!" Ryuji asked.
"Really," Camie said with a giant nod.
Sunako squinted her eyes up at the enormous Camie, and made a face. She then turned to Hana.
"Hey." She whispered. "Can you...unleash a massive ball of light?"
"Eh?" Hana asked.
"Just trust me."
"Alright," Hana shrugged, holding her hands together. Energy quickly coalesced from the bright student's fingers joined into a single large sphere of light. The ball sparked in her hands with power before Hana turned to Sunako, silently asking "What now?" With that, the hero-to-be Demolisher simply pointed at a spot on the ground in front of Camie. With that, Hana tossed the basketball sized flashbang to where Sunako pointed.
"RYUJI, EYES!" Sunako yelled, covering her own. Ryuji followed suit as did Hana, right before the ball impact and exploded with a blinding light.
As the blinding light engulfed the area, Ryuji, Sunako, and Hana shielded their eyes, momentarily disoriented. The gigantic Camie stumbled backward, her illusion shattered by the sudden flash. Seizing the opportunity, the trio quickly regrouped and readied themselves for the final assault.
With Camie's vision obscured, Ryuji took the lead, launching a barrage of lightning-fast kicks towards the disoriented Camie. His legs connected with solid blows, pelting Camie's body at full force.
Camie stumbled back into Sunako's own powerful barrage of punches. One, two, one, two, a four hit combo ended off with a powerful uppercut that bounced the second year into her third opponent. Hana grinned and formed two small light orbs in her hands and fired them off, slamming and flashing against Camie's back.
"Gotcha!" Hana cheered.
Camie laid on the ground, totally flabbergasted for any sort of lingo. "Woooooah." She said. "That was...cool. No one's ever figured out that trick before."
"Seriously?" Ryuji said.
"People are usually too shocked by the giant me to do much," Camie chuckled.
"You're quite creative with your powers." Sunako hummed, rubbing her chin.
"Nowadays, yeah. Before I came to Shiketsu, I could barely hold a projection of something THAT big!" Camie laughed.
"How big can you actually go for those?" Hana asked.
"Biggest I can go now is a full room. Gym or a stadium I'd say," Camie explained.
"...hey, ever thought about working effects for a concert?"
"Eh. Maybe if hero work does work out. Anyways! Totes amazeball job today, fellas!" Camie said, saluting the younger students.
"Amazeball?" Ryuji repeated, "Really?"
"Eh, I'll take it," Sunako smirked.
"Now! You guys wanna see the other peeps fight?"
"Sure, why not? Could use a break," Hana chuckled.
"Then why not watch your class president duke it out?" Camie asked. "I'm sure that's gonna be the cat's meow~!"
The three stared at her. "...you...you are a handful." Itsuki muttered, tired.
"That's what some of my classmates say! And they're totes right! I can be pretty great," Camie chuckled.
"...dunno if that's you bragging or being sincere," Hana shrugged, moving over to take a seat off to the side.
Mogana and Medaka were doing their respective stretches, while their opponent shadowboxed to herself. She seemed rather pleased to be fighting these two specifically. Mogana studied her opponent carefully.
"So...what can you tell about her from a first glance?" Mogana said. "I've got her pegged down as someone who's VERY confident, and leads with a left jab."
"She's very much cocky and cheerful...she prides herself on being a combat expert..and her quirk is transformation class." Medaka noted.
"How can you tell what Quirk type it is?"
"My quirk only copies emitters, and mutation would have been obvious." Medaka explained. "She also probably hates us."
"W-what?! How could you possibly know that!?" Mogana frowned.
"We're the only two scholarship members in the class- a girl like her probably had to work for her position here." Medaka said. "Self loathing. Something we can handle."
"Meaning we can take advantage of her pushing herself too far?" Mogana asked.
"She wants to prove herself superior. To her, we got in without hard work, no matter what the truth may really be, so she'll be gunning to prove her hard work is superior."
"And she might slip up in the process. Leave herself exposed, forget to cover a basic of her skills..."
"Exactly," Medaka nodded, "But we can't rely on that alone. Only one part of our arsenal. If we relied on it...well..."
"Kumagawa would never let you hear the end of it?"
"Yes."
"Hey! You two done chatting? I'm all prepped now," Nekomi grinned, taking a ready stance.
Medaka and Mogana nodded. Medaka struck a flashy pose, while Mogana...just sighed. "Let's get this over with."
Nekomi charged towards Medaka, throwing a left jab just as Mogana predicted. Medaka fluidly dodged the attack, easily avoiding the strike. Nekomi growled and swiped her hand towards Medaka's face, her claws extending out. The class president quickly ducked under Nekomi's swipe, sending a sweeping kick towards her opponent's legs. Nekomi jumped over the kick, her claws coming dangerously close to Medaka's face. Mogana stepped in, using the distraction to throw a strong punch towards Nekomi's stomach.
Nekomi grunted, but quickly regained her composure, twisting Mogana's arm and throwing her to the ground. Medaka charged towards Nekomi, her hand already beginning to glow with a blinding light. Before she could land a hit, Nekomi flipped her over, throwing her towards Mogana's direction. The swim team ace actually managed to catch the class president, both managing to stay on their feet despite the power of the throw.
"Nice catch," Medaka complemented Mogana before giving Nekomi one as well, "And a very good throw."
"Thanks," Nekomi grinned, but her tone practically dripped with venom.
"Don't think she took it," Mogana pointed out.
"I noticed. But know we have a better grasp on her Quirk. The claws. Animalistic...but quite a few animals have claws. Not so few have retractable ones. In fact, I believe her Quirk was staring us in the face the whole time. Her name. Nekomi. Neko."
"Her Quirk is-" Mogana started.
Hey! Don't take my job.
Ahem.
Nekomi Nabeshima! Quirk: Feline! Nekomi possess the traits and abilities of a feline! Not a specific one, but just the general feline umbrella. Heightened hearing and vision, incredibly speed and agility, and retractable claws on her hands and feet! Those claws are perfect for close-quarters fighting like Judo, after all.
"Perfect for close-quarters..." Medaka muttered before grinning at Nekomi. "You're good, but let's see how you handle some distance."
Nekomi frowned, narrowing her eyes at Medaka. She charged forward again, claws extended. But before she could reach Medaka, the class president ducked and spun, landing a kick to Nekomi's side. The girl stumbled, but quickly recovered, swiping her claws towards Mogana.
Mogana quickly stepped back, using her Quirk to unleash a sound wave that threw Nekomi off balance. The judo master stumbled, her claws grazing the ground as she tried to regain her footing. Medaka threw a powerful punch towards Nekomi's face. The girl tried to block it with her arms, but the impact sent her flying back.
Nekomi groaned as she hit the ground, groggily trying to get back up. She knew she was at a disadvantage, with both Mogana and Medaka working together. She needed to come up with a plan, and fast.
Her eyes kept shifting between Medaka and Mogana, keeping the two on edge. They wouldn't know who she'd strike next until she actually went for them. The class president would be a challenge in a one-on-one, even without Mogana looking over her shoulder. Speaking of the swim team ace, her Quirk was definitely more effective at close range, almost like a sonic shotgun at times. Nekomi needed to do this carefully. Medaka kept a careful eye on the judo captain, watching for even the smallest of inciting movements.
And soon, she saw one. Nekomi, after bouncing on the balls of her feet, made a dash towards Medaka. The blue-haired class president rushed in to meet her, throwing a punch at the judo captain's face, but the feline-enhanced girl swerved out of the way and changed course towards Mogana. It was a feint!
Mogana quickly spun around as Nekomi charged towards her, using her Quirk to gather as much air in her lungs as she could. The judo captain extended her claws, swiping them towards Mogana's face.
But before Nekomi could even reach her, Mogana unleashed her super move: Sonic Blast. A powerful sonic shout erupted from her mouth, knocking Nekomi off her feet and sending her flying backwards. The force of the shout shattered the windows nearby and rattled the building.
With that captain in the air, Medaka leapt up and wrapped her arms around the judo captain's waist. With an impressive air flip, Medaka suplexed the judo expert back down to earth with a thunderous crash.
Nekomi slammed into the ground. Medaka kept her pinned, despite the fact she was down for the count.
"What are you doing?" Mogana asked, raising an eyebrow. "This feels...excessive."
"Cats have 9 lives, Mogana." Medaka claimed. "And in her case...she's pretending like she spent one of them. The second I release her, she'll pounce up and attack."
「just like ciocolatta did to giorno」Kumagawa chimed in.
...
「bye now!」
"Shounen fanboys..." Mogana huffed.
...son of a bitch. Is it THAT obvious?! Nekomi mentally growled. She was kinda relying on the surprise attack now.
Medaka yawned. "Give it up, Nekomi. Clearly, you have suffered too long at the hands of geniuses-"
She's literally being pinned by one. Mogana frowned.
"But know this! Your powers and prowess are on par with us! Maybe even better." Medaka said. "Walk with THAT in stride."
Nekomi didn't answer. Her pride was wounded too badly for her to say anything right now.
"...I think you can let her go now," Mogana added. Medaka happily did so and, for a moment, Nekomi thought to spring the surprise attack on them anyway. Just to get in that last jab. But, in the end, she knew it wouldn't work. If Medaka was expecting the first surprise attack, what would make this one work?
"...I...yield..." Nekomi muttered.
"Score one for Class-13 then," Mogana nodded.
"Actually I believe it's score two!" Medaka said proudly as she pointed out that Camie's fight was already over.
"Huh. Actually surprised by that one."
"But you shouldn't be! I had complete faith them!"
"What about Zenkichi and Kumagawa?" Mogana raised a brow.
"Oh, I still have complete faith. Zenkichi will win...and Kumagawa will spin some reason as to why he lost," Medaka explained.
"You mean, if he isn't thrown through a wall first?"
"Exactly."