Chapter 31 - An Invitation
"You tryin' to trip me up with these flimsy rags of yours?"
Having spent his seven days at Best Jeanist's agency, Katsuki had gotten used to the catalogue of traps which the hero had scattered around in an attempt to keep Katsuki still for even a moment.
"As impatient as ever, I see." Best Jeanist commented, "I can tell you're concerned about the recent incident with Izuku Midoriya and the Hero Killer. That boy was strong... I trust that you and I both know he's fine."
"Shut up! Who said I was worried about that shitty old Deku?!" Katsuki shouted, as he realized at that moment that he was about to walk into one of Best Jeanist's traps, unable to stop himself from falling into it due to having just been distracted. Katsuki let out a loud groan, which was almost a shout.
"You're quite spirited… but don't be afraid to show off your heart." Best Jeanist stated, as Katsuki was completely and utterly furious with his predicament, "Let your buttoned up jeans be a little loose from time to time, and you won't be so uptight."
"SHUT UP!" Katsuki shouted, placing his left hand in front of his right, "And if you haven't noticed while you were yapping, you've walked right into my trap this time."
Best Jeanist looked at the ground below him, "Oh… it seems I have-"
Before Best Jeanist could finish, Katsuki fired an AP shot at the ground in front of Best Jeanist.
"DIE!"
From the blast fired with Katsuki's AP Shot, a massive explosion occurred.
All across Japan, various others were also finishing their own internships. The only Class 1-A students void from doing so were Izuku Midoriya and Tony Tony Chopper, both due to their bounties; the former had received one, and the latter had his raised.
Besides them, even at the tail end of their internships, Ryuko and Shoto had never been able to catch up to Endeavor. Despite that, they got out of their internships feeling stronger, and especially faster than ever.
Meanwhile, Tenya had been sent home early due to just how injured Manual was after his run-in with the Hero Killer.
Through his own insistence to not slack off (his diligence was much to Aizawa's delight after he chose Manual's agency for selfish reasons before), he finished off his internship with Team Idaten, the agency his brother formerly ran.
"Are you sure it's alright that you take me on?" Tenya asked his brother's second in command, "I understand my brother was paramount in keeping business running… I wouldn't want to impose on you during a time of such disarray!"
"You're just as he described you, Tenya." the woman responded, "Don't get me wrong, having you around will be a lot of a pain, but, so long as we put you to work, I don't see a problem with it."
"Then I will do my best to uphold the integrity of Team Idaten, you have my word!" Tenya vowed.
The woman chuckled, "Glad to hear it, Ingenium."
The day was substantial for the students of Class 1-A... but later that day, another even more substantial event for the world at large would occur.
It had been a few hours since the events I mentioned at the start of this chapter. Katsuki had left Best Jeanist's agency, and peace had been returned to it.
"That kid was a handful, wasn't he Jeanist?" one of his sidekicks questioned.
"I suppose so." he responded, "But, he's also very promising... even caught me off guard with that last surprise attack of his. He'll be a great hero some day."
"Huh?! No way… he caught you off guard?" the sidekick questioned, awestruck beyond belief.
"Yes… I'm not superhuman, and am bound by the limitations of the fiber around me." Best Jeanist responded, "Speaking of which though… I have a meeting. Get Jean to take over in my place while I'm out."
"Y-yes sir!"
A few hours later, Best Jeanist arrived in a city on its own isolated, artificial island. The hero noted that the area he was in was one that looked to be quite unkempt, and the people here seemed to be mostly quite poor.
"Oh, wow! You're here too, Jeanist?" an excited voice asked.
Looking down below himself, Best Jeanist saw none other than Tony Tony Chopper, a hero he had fought against the Pacifista with not that long ago.
"Ah… I take it you got that ominous invitation too, Chopper?"
"Yep!" Chopper responded, as he pointed back into the crowd, "I'm here with Mr. Aizawa too!"
"Revealing our presence to someone who doesn't need to know it… your actions are irrational." Aizawa stated, afterwards turning his attention to Best Jeanist, "Nonetheless, it's good to see we're not the only ones to accept that strange invitation. What drew you in?"
"The so-called 'Life Fibers', which allegedly were the main power source of All Might and his opposition during the last battle he fought in." Best Jeanist replied, "If powers exist which can make someone stronger than All Might… well, we have to make sure they're fairly regulated, wouldn't you say?"
Scoffing at the irony within Best Jeanist's statement, Aizawa simply replied, "No kidding."
After the trio had assembled with one another, they found the 'one-star cable cars' they were told to take up to the academy they'd be going to.
"This place is odd." Aizawa mumbled.
"I get what you mean." Best Jeanist replied, "The entire island seems to center around the academy… I wonder what the one who invited us is planning?"
Finishing their ride on the cable cars, the trio began to walk into the school.
"The architecture here seems remarkably well developed…" Best Jeanist commented.
"Yeah, it looks really cool!" Chopper noted, "But… just who will we be meeting up with again?"
Penetrating the senses of the three that stood below, a solemn, fierce heel clack could be heard.
"Tony Tony Chopper, Shota Aizawa, and Tsumugu Hakamada." the voice rang out, instantly grabbing the attention of the three who stood below her, "I am Satsuki Kiryuin, student council president of Honnoji Academy, and the one who sent you the invitation which led you here. We have much to discuss."
The instant she finished her speech, Satsuki began to walk away. As she did so, a set of stairs seemingly materialized out of thin air, making their way straight to the front of the three who Satsuki addressed previously.
Without so much as an instant of hesitation, Chopper jumped onto the staircase in front of him, and Best Jeanist followed suit shortly afterwards, leaving only Aizawa down at ground level.
"Hmph." Aizawa scoffed, "That was tacky."
"I take it you're wondering why I've called you here." Satsuki noted, her voice powerful enough to hold the attention of even the usually aloof Aizawa.
"Because of the life fibers… right?" Aizawa efficiently responded.
"That is the short version of it." Satsuki declared, turning her head to Inumuta for a moment, who nodded. Satsuki returned her attention to the trio, "The strength of them is far greater than you know, even greater than the might of the Grand Line."
"The Grand Line?" Best Jeanist asked, "What does that mean?"
"It's not important." Satsuki responded, "If you really wish to know, ask the other two here. They seem to know exactly what I'm talking about."
Looking over to Aizawa and Chopper, Best Jeanist saw tense expressions on their faces… it seems that they knew something he didn't.
"Even more powerful than the Marines, then?" Aizawa questioned. While he held a neutral face when he said his question, it was obvious his muscles were tensing up in a mixture of anger, fear, and awe.
"Yes, undoubtedly so." Satsuki explained, "You'll be able to understand more if you join me. For now, all I ask is that you offer me your aid."
"And just why should we do that?" Aizawa asked.
From the ambiguous nature of Satsuki's speech, as well as the subtle traces of manipulation in regards to her bringing up the Grand Line, Aizawa was now on his guard; for all he knew, the three of them had been duped by a villain.
"Calm yourself, making an enemy of me will do you no good." Satsuki declared, reading Aizawa's intentions in an instant.
"Yeah? Well heroes don't always do what's best for themselves." Aizawa responded, readying his binding cloth, "Tell me exactly what you want, and why."
Satsuki breathed in a sigh, before beginning to explain.
"Each of you serves a different purpose." Satsuki began, "Tsunagu Hakamada has a quirk which may prove most effective to draw out the full power of the Life Fibers. Tony Tony Chopper is the only ally I can recruit from the Grand Line without drawing suspicion from the World Government or the Kiryuin conglomerate. And Shota Aizawa, you hold a pivotal connection to U.A. Academy. I intend to arm your students with the Life Fibers in order to make them stronger, better heroes."
Aizawa's grip on his binding cloth only tightened upon hearing the Satsuki only aimed to treat his students like soldiers.
"You-"
Before Aizawa could mutter another word, one of the Elite Four, Ira Gamagori, interrupted him.
"Don't resist Lady Satsuki." Gamagori ordered, "Her will is the purest in the world, and void of any villany… and if it's not already clear to you, this partnership isn't to be formed only in her interest."
Upon hearing this, Aizawa's grip on his binding cloth loosened a little. At the very least, it seemed that someone knew how to speak in plain terms.
"What do you intend to offer us?" Best Jeanist interjected, deciding to make his presence known in this conversation.
"Power." Satsuki simply responded, "Each of you will be granted a Two-Star Goku uniform. All Might had a Three Star, a uniform that would allow even someone quirkless to gain the same power All Might would have without it."
"So what you're saying is it doubled his power?" Aizawa questioned, shocked to hear just how powerful the uniform was.
"Yes. The Two-Star Goku uniform is not too far off in terms of power." Satsuki explained, "Any ordinary citizen would likely be able to match most heroes in the Top 10. I believe you all will be able to make much better use of it."
"You had this much power all this time?" Best Jeanist questioned, "Why not use it before this... if you wanted to, you could've even created a second All Might!"
"Because the Life Fibers serve a much grander purpose." Satsuki answered, "I cannot allow them to be used for a trivial one."
"Then why-"
"Quit questionin' Lady Satsuki!" Sanageyama, another one of the Elite Four, interjected, "She'll explain everything you need to know, so all you gotta do is agree."
"Great persuasion skills, monkey." Jakuzure commented sarcastically.
"I don't see you tryin' anything, pinkie!"
Gamagori cleared his throat, and due to being given the opportunity, Satsuki Kiryuin continued.
"Beyond that, each of you has an individual purpose, as I mentioned earlier." Satsuki noted, "Hakamada, I'd like for you to discreetly come to this academy next Saturday at 10pm. There, we'll test your quirk for 2 hours, or until 12am."
"You mentioned you wanted to test out if my quirk could potentially draw out the full power of the Life Fibers." Best Jeanist noted, "Is that what we'll be testing?"
"Partly. I'll explain more when the day comes." Satsuki remarked, "Tony Tony Chopper, with your cooperation, I aim to recruit more allies from the Grand Line and bring them to Honnoji Academy. Pirates, revolutionaries, or Marines, I hold no preference... I'd just prefer those who can attend this school."
Chopper remained silent, as if processing just what Satsuki was offering him.
"And me?" Aizawa questioned, having waited his turn all this time.
Satsuki merely smirked upon hearing Aizawa's question.
"Haki. For both you, and your students."
Aizawa's face remained emotionless for a second, but after realizing just what Satsuki's implication was, he broke into a smirk of his own.
"Hah. So that's your game." Aizawa said, flashing a smile, "You might not know what you're getting into... but I'll take that deal."
"Spectacular." Satsuki replied, as she afterwards turned her attention to Best Jeanist and Chopper, "And what about you two?"
"I see no reason not to agree." Best Jeanist stated, "After all, if these Life Fibers are as powerful as you claim, then it's my responsibility as a hero to make sure they're properly regulated."
While Best Jeanist had given a quick response, the teenage Tony Tony Chopper hesitated to give his... and when he did, it wasn't quite the answer that Satsuki was hoping for.
"I'm sorry, but I can't agree to your request." Chopper stated, "I already have a deal with someone else… one that I have to honor."
"A deal?" Satsuki questioned.
"Yes… with my captain." Chopper said, "I know I'll become a lot stronger if I accept, and that it's probably stupid to decline… but… I want to get stronger in my own way... and become a man that can make my captain become the King of the Pirates!"
Satsuki remained silent at Chopper's assertion. The reindeer turned around, as the Elite Four began to respond in Satsuki's steed.
"King of the Pirates?" Sanageyama interjected, "Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?!"
"Statistically speaking, you'd probably not be able to do it without Lady Satsuki's help." Inumuta brought up, "Cast aside your honor… it's a silly limitation."
"Seems you've taken up thinking without your brain." Jakuzure said with a smirk.
"All that doesn't matter!" Chopper shouted, back at the Elite Four, "Because no matter what… Luffy is the man who will become the King of the Pirates! I'll make sure of that."
Chopper then continued walking, going straight out of the room. Once he did, Aizawa cast a death glare at the Elite Four... but Sanageyama merely smirked.
"What a kid." Sanageyama said, "Seems he deserves that 47 million berry bounty that's on his head after all."
"No kidding." Aizawa stated, "Well, Ms. Kiryuin, I look forward to our partnership. Shoot me a message when you're ready to be a... 'guest lecturer'."
"And I'll be sure to come here on Saturday... see you then."
Best Jeanist and Aizawa left the room, leaving Satsuki alone with the Elite Four... and with their silence, Satsuki was left with her own thoughts.
"Tony Tony Chopper… so you wish to make your captain the King of the Pirates?" Satsuki Kiryuin thought, "How childish."
AUTHORS NOTE
A little bit shorter of a chapter today. That's just because this is everything I had left for the Hero Killer arc.
Sorry it couldn't be longer after the break I took, but, I'm stretched thin in terms of time at the moment. I'm needing to allocate my free time the best I can to get done all the work I need to get done, so I hope you all understand!
It'll probably be a while, but this story will also probably be back in full force some time or another, as I have like 100 more chapters of story left to tell. I hope you enjoyed what I had so far nonetheless.
NEXT ARC SYNOPSIS / SNEAK PEEK (I just now noticed I've been spelling 'peek' wrong this entire time BRUH)
Setting his sights on Yamanashi Prefecture, Deku decides to take shelter at Gran Torino's place in order to take a quick break from the constant action in his life. Encouraged to stay longer by Gran Torino, the pair discuss the history of Nana Shimura, and the circumstances which caused Deku to earn his bounty... which causes Gran Torino to suspect that All for One and the World Government may be working together.
Meanwhile at U.A. Academy, a guest lecture from Satsuki Kiryuin turns into a full fledged battle. The students of Class 1-A are unprepared, but none more than Ryuko Matoi, who begins to intuit that Satsuki Kiryuin could've been the one to kill her father.
All this and more will take place next time on Kill One Hero, as we enter into the Pop Quiz Arc, the second of many original arcs within the series!