- CAFÉ WILDKAT, MUSUTAFU, MONDAY MORNING -

The scent of freshly made green tea tickled Toshinori's nostrils. Hints of lemon and honey further enticed the emaciated man to take a much needed sip of the beverage in his hands. Before he did, however, Toshinori felt it right to savor the scent of the drink before doing so. Ever since the loss of his stomach, he had missed the simplicity of simply enjoying a drink without the need to worry if his body could handle it.

After his first visit to Café Wildkat with Nezu, before his decision to pass the torch along to Izuku, Toshinori had believed he had stumbled upon a hidden secret of the universe. Mr. H, the seemingly enigmatic café owner, had performed a miracle.

Making a cup of tea that energized Toshinori's body after the first sip. Even One for All seemed stronger for it.

Because of this, Toshinori had made it a daily habit to visit the café every morning, for both the delicious beverage andthe excellent company of his new friend.

"You know, you have to drink the tea in order to fully enjoy it," came the amused voice of Mr. H. The coffee maker was currently leaning on his counter, opposite Toshinori, thoroughly enjoying the sight of the gaunt man treating his drink like it was a gateway to nirvana.

Toshinori couldn't help but smile at the man's remark. "I’ve come to learn that sight and smell are the first steps to enjoying a meal or drink. I'm simply taking my time to reach step two; drinking my beverage and enjoying its taste."

Mr. H nodded sagely. "Wise words." He dipped his head low, looking over the rim of his shades directly at Toshinori's bright blue eyes. "And something you borrowed."

After taking an appreciative sip of his tea and releasing a pleased hum, Toshinori responded. "Learned, Hanekoma. I learned it from something I read."

Mr. H shrugged his shoulders. "Same thing." Grabbing his own drink, Mr. H took a sip while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere in the café.

Aside from him and Toshinori, the Kats had come back to visit while his mentees and their friends were in their classes. The only exception was BK, who diligently stayed by Eri's side while she was slowly but surely coming out of her shell.

A sigh from Toshinori drew Mr. H's attention to him. He noted the tension in the blonde hero's shoulders, the weariness in his eyes. Not wanting to see his newest friend in such a state, Mr. H decided being blunt with the man was the best course of action. "What's got you all..." Mr. H gestured at all of Toshinori, earning a small pout from him. "This?"

"You gestured to all of me," Toshinori remarked.

"No, I gestured to your upper body," Mr. H replied cheekily. "Can't see your legs under the counter, obviously."

That earned a hearty chuckle from Toshinori. "Fair," he replied before returning to his drink. Mr. H watched and waited patiently as Toshinori took a moment to gather his thoughts, something Toshinori appreciated. Staring deeply into his cup, the blonde hero finally spoke up, "The upcoming finals for the first years are going to be tough. Nezu has changed things up, and I can't help but worry about how young Midoriya and the others will do."

"Well, tests are supposed to be like that. It's all to see if our students have learned and grown," Mr. H remarked. "Put your trust in Phones and the others. We both know they'll pull through."

Toshinori gave the man a half-hearted smile. He did have faith in his successor. It was what Izuku would face during the exams that had Toshinori worried. His smile slowly dipped the more he thought about it. “My old sidekick has voiced his displeasure with young Midoriya being my successor,” he stated, gaining Mr. H’s attention. “Mirai’s gone so far as to join the final exams in order to face young Midoriya.”

"Who?" the coffee maker asked.

"You would know him as Sir Nighteye," Toshinori replied.

"Right... Sir Nighteye," Mr. H remarked as he brought a hand to his scruffy chin. After several seconds, he snapped his fingers, a sudden realization hitting him like a speeding train. "Ah. Mister, 'I can see the future'. Yeah, Phones has told me all about Sir Nighteye and his Quirk. He even tried to make a Psych based on it."

"He did?" That surprised Toshinori. It sounded like a very useful Psych to have.

"Mmhm," Mr. H hummed as he took a sip of his coffee. "He understood the concept well enough after having to think about it for a few months. Phones thoroughly studied Nighteye's Quirk; all the times he applied it during hero operations, all its drawbacks, the works. When the time came, Phones just couldn't really nail it down and pushed the project aside."

Mr. H set his drink down on the counter and peered into Toshinori's eyes. "Knowing the future is a pain in the ass. From what I first understood about Nighteye's Quirk, it seems like he sees the true future, something that one-hundred percent was going to happen. That sound about right?"

Toshinori gave the man a sharp, affirmative nod.

"Izuku thinks there's more to it than that," Mr. H continued to explain. Looking around the counter for a moment before moving to grab a jar of coffee roast. "Let's have some visuals to go with this. Now." Mr. H clapped his hands together and gestured to the left of the jar. "This is the past. The past is set in stone. The coffee starts as a tree, which turns into a fruit, which then turns into a bean. That's the past and you can't change it."

He then moved to the jar of roast. "The present is in the moment. The beans become the roast we determine. It's affected by the past, but choices made regarding it today affect the future."

Mr. H then reached for an empty coffee cup and set it to the right of the jar. "The future is just a series of open possibilities. This roast can be turned into the House Blend, or mixed with something else. The future is what we make of it."

Toshinori followed along easily enough. Mirai had explained how his Quirk worked, and Mr. H's explanation went counter to his. While that was at the top of his mind, one question hung at the tip of his tongue. "While I appreciate the aides, where di-"

"Phones was the one to use this method to explain it to me," Mr. H quickly remarked, cutting Toshinori off. "He has an odd habit of explaining things like this if he needs to. Been a while since the last time he did, though." Toshinori could hear the humor and slight longing in Hr. H's voice, causing him to imagine Izuku going through the same explanation, only with a little more enthusiasm. From what he already knew about the young man, he took Quirks very seriously.

Getting back on track, Mr. H held up the empty coffee cup. “Here is Phones’ theory. Nighteye doesn’t see the future. He sees the most likely future. To keep to our little theme here, most likely, our daily roast will be made into the House Blend because that is the balance I made in this jar.”

Toshinori's brows furrowed in thought as his smile quickly turned into a frown. "But Mirai's accuracy..."

“Is scary, but it has its flaws,” Mr. H said, cutting Toshinori off. “Phones found some cases with anomalies in Nighteye’s Quirk. While yes, he sees the most definitive future, there are subtle bumps that change the path he takes to get there.” The coffee maker set the empty cup back on the counter. “What I think is that Nighteye, along with his Quirk, can just get a good read on people and figure out the best probable future based on that. Or, he sees what he thinks is the true future.”

Toshinori’s eyes drifted down to the counter, focusing on the empty coffee cup. Flashes of a sterile hospital overtook him, the feeling of bandages clinging tightly to his body. His hand drifted to his side, feeling a twinge of pain from his wound as the words of a frantic and worried Mirai filled his ears. The fear in his former sidekick’s words, the bitter anger Toshinori felt when told about his future death.

It made him wonder if Mr. H's thoughts were true. If Mirai truly saw what he wanted to see or simply saw the most probable future. Death, after all, was one of life's only certainties. You don't need to see the future to predict that someone will die at some point in their life. 

Mirai, however, saw how Toshinori would die, crossing personal boundaries when he did.

"It may not even be Nighteye doing it." Mr. H's words broke Toshinori from his thoughts. Confusion apparent on his face, Mr. H elaborated. "You already know that Phones has a mind for Quirks. One thing he theorized is that Nighteye's Quirk focuses on the most probable future, and that Nighteye has no say over it. After all, Phones' Quirk has its own rules he had to discover. Nighteye's could have some hidden rules that the man hasn't discovered."

Toshinori hummed in response. “Mirai did say that using his Quirk was like watching a person’s future from a third-person perspective, like a movie.”

Mr. H's lips formed a thin line as he stared off into space. "Well, one thing to always keep in mind is that Quirks are fallible. After all, if Nighteye's Quirk was always one-hundred percent accurate, wouldn't the government keep him under lock and key?" Toshinori shuddered at the thought. "I'm probably projecting. I don't think the future is set in stone. At least not in the way Nighteye sees it. We all make little choices that affect how we meet the future."

A smile found its way onto his face as he looked at the emaciated hero across from him. "And if there is anyone who can figure out a way to beat a Quirk like Mirai's, I'm a hundred percent sure Phones can. He is something of a Quirk nerd." Mr. H picked up his cup of coffee, his smile never fading from his face. "So don't worry about our little mentee. Have some faith. You chose him for a reason."

The corners of Toshinori's mouth tugged upward. "Right. I suppose I just let my worries get the better of me. I told Mirai that I would be there to watch young Midoriya and his team pass their exams, after all."

Mr. H raised his coffee cup. "See? Keep up the faith. You believed in Phones when you first came here to learn about him, don't stop now. It always helps that he has us in his corner."

Toshinori raised his cup, and the two men clinked them together in a show of solidarity. Toshinori would do as Mr. H suggested and have faith in his successor.

All this talk about the future did have Toshinori wondering, though. There was still a small pit in his non-existent stomach that made it churn. The prophetic words Mirai spoke all those years ago, the absolute certainty in them. Toshinori knew he would die. If Mirai's words were true, then maybe so were Mr. H's.

When the end came for Toshinori, more importantly, for the hero All Might, then Toshinori would take those little actions Mr. H talked about and face death with a smile still on his face.

A flurry of clacking keystrokes filled the air within the sunlit office of Kiryu Joshua. His computer monitor was littered with digital documents and pictures, each telling its own story as Joshua put together pieces that only he, and a few others, knew existed. He had plenty of work to catch up on after he lost consciousness during the Shibuya Incident. A week in the hospital was rather bothersome, but necessary since the whole ward was saved thanks in part to his, Midoriya’s, and Yaoyorozu’s actions.

He paused his work and took a moment to pull up the full report of said incident. He didn't focus on the bigger picture. His agents did a splendid job doing so already when they shared the report with him. No, Joshua's focus was on Midoriya Izuku, Yaoyorozu Momo, and Minamimoto Sho.

A smile formed on his face as he remembered seeing several social media posts talking about the incident and the fight between Izuku and Minamimoto. Already, the young hero student was making a splash. It made Joshua wonder if Izuku was even aware of his developing fan base and moniker. That smile faded when he pulled up a new report regarding the hero student.

Switching tabs, Joshua was met with several pictures of a little girl with long, messy white hair. The first ones showed the damage done to her by her captor, the scars, both physical and mental, that littered her body and spirit. Following those, the next few pictures were follow-ups from Recovery Girl and Hound Dog reporting her improving health. The final ones were a few snuck in by Midnight, a large mixture of Izuku with Eri, or ones with Izuku, Eri, and all his friends, most notably Shoka and Momo.

'He probably hasn't had the time to see anything regarding him, let alone think about it,' Joshua thought as he gazed at the photos. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't recognize the door to his office opening.

"Hey, boss? The Wicked Witch is on her way." Joshua held back the annoyed sigh forming in his throat as he tilted his head towards the door to his office. He saw the constrained look on Kariya's face as he broke the news. "What's the plan?"

Joshua regarded his agent for a moment before turning back to his computer and continuing the work he was doing. "Let her in, obviously. I'm just surprised she waited this long to voice her displeasure. I've been back for an entire week since the Shibuya Indecent and it seems as though she has gone out of her way to avoid me." He stopped and turned back to look at Kariya with an amused smile on his face. "I'm almost flattered."

Kariya looked ready to respond, but took a second to shake his head and waited outside the door. As soon as the orange-haired man disappeared, Joshua's smile formed into a frown. He had been expecting this talk for a while now. For once, he wasn't so sure of the president's motives.

Standing up from his desk, Joshua made his way over to the small bar set up nearby the lounge chairs situated in the middle of his office. With practiced ease, the ashen-haired man made two drinks. One for him and the other for his incoming guest. As he finished, he heard a small click, followed by the shuffling of several pairs of shoes. Looking over his shoulder, Joshua spotted Hawks open the door for the president of the HPSC, who strode in as if she owned the room. Hawks followed in after her, with Kariya and Uzuki trailing behind them.

"Madam President," Joshua greeted with a small nod as he moved to join his guest.

"Vice-President," she replied coolly as she took her seat.

Joshua handed the President her drink and took the seat across from her. Neither spoke after that, instead choosing to have a brief and intense stare-down. Joshua's violet eyes studied the woman before him.

Her appearance was immaculate, as usual for her. From her ash-blonde hair neatly combed backward to her firm and collected face, lightly wrinkled due to the stress of her job, to the dark suit that was tailored for her. Everything about the woman told the world she was in control of herself and the world around her.

A long silence hung in the air, one that seemed to go on for hours. It was the President who finally broke it. Her stern voice betrayed little emotion, though Joshua knew her well enough to know she was quite annoyed. “You broke protocol, Kiryu.”

Joshua gave her an impassive stare. "Did I? I don't seem to recall." He snapped his fingers as a playful smile formed on his face. "Ah, yes. I suppose I did. I forgot to bring back a doctor's note for my absence."

"I did not come here to entertain your stand-up routine," the president responded before taking a sip of her drink. "You know as well as I do that there are rules in place for your Quirk."

Joshua hummed into his glass. "And who says I broke them? Someone would have to have witnessed me using it, yes?" He turned his head to look at Uzuki and Kariya. "Did either of you see me use my Quirk?"

"Can't say I did, boss," Kariya answered with a smirk. "I was worried when you suddenly collapsed on us, but I figured the stress of the situation got to you."

Joshua gave the man a look of mock-hurt. "My dear Kariya, I'll have you know I am made of much sterner stuff. I work in politics, after all."

"If anything, sir, I would say seeing the place you call home end up like it did because of Minamimoto would cause anyone to worry as much as you did," Uzuki remarked with a straight face.

Joshua turned his attention back to the president. "See? If my two closest agents saw nothing, and an entire crowd saw nothing, who’s to say I used my Quirk?"

The woman across from him wasn't amused in the slightest if her expression was anything to go by. Joshua spotted a brief, amused smirk that crossed Hawk's usually casual face for a moment before he schooled his features again.

"You left the fate of Shibuya in the hands of a pair of students," the President remarked matter-of-factly.

Joshua swirled his glass nonchalantly. "No, I left the fate of Shibuya in the capable hands of heroes who were already there."

"Students who were under the influence of Minamimoto's Quirk," the woman across from him shot back quickly. "From all accounts and reports, they should not have been able to break free of that control. Stop bullshitting me, Kiryu. You're dancing around the issue."

Joshua stopped moving his hand and narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Speaking freely?" The President nodded, allowing him to say his piece. "You would have had me use my Quirk anyway. I simply chose how it was applied instead of waiting for a majority to dictate it for me."

“We needed to control the situation,” came her reply. “We cannot be seen as weak or unable to handle situations like this. Allowing students to handle it sets a dangerous precedent that the populace may try to replicate. With this League suddenly appearing as our number one hero is slowly removing himself from the spotlight, we must ensure our image is maintained and the narrative running. You know who is still out there.”

Joshua had expected that. That didn't stop him from rolling his eyes at the underlying reasons behind the reply. Control mattered, but it was the degree of control he had issues with. As someone who had a Quirk that was all about control, he had learned many lessons on how easy it is for control to either slip from your fingers, or for that control to turn you into someone you could hardly recognize in a mirror.

"And if your predecessor cared so much about dealing with monsters in the dark as he should have been, he would still be alive..." Joshua's eyes peered into the president's turquoise ones. The woman stared back unflinchingly, that Joshua noticed the subtle stiffening in her shoulders at the mention of the former president. "And you wouldn't have had a disillusioned hero thrown into our own little pit of hell just to keep up a lie. Besides, you and I both know that if it came to it, you would do anything, even placing those students you are harping on about, right on the front lines."

The President of the HPSC didn't respond. Breaking eye contact and taking a sip from the drink Joshua had made for her, she spent another moment gathering her thoughts.

Joshua waited patiently. While he didn't fully condone her methods or approaches, he at least respected the President's drive and commitment to the people of Japan. This argument was just one of many they had since he became her Vice.

"We are not in the line of work that allows us easy choices," she remarked. Joshua had to agree with that and did so with a nod. "But the peace afforded to us by All Might is now fragile. The number one Hero University brazenly attacked, a former vigilante turning killer, and one man taking control of an entire district are causes for concern. When All Might finally retires, we will have to pick up the pieces."

Joshua ruminated on her words. Once more, he agreed with her. All Might was going to leave some rather large shoes to fill in his place. For years he had cast an enormous shadow over both heroes and villains alike, and that shadow only grew with each year. Heroes struggled to make a name of their own without being compared to him, and villains feared ever facing him.

It's why Joshua acted how he did. While the President and her faction cared for maintaining their order, he wanted to usher in a new one. The HPSC had become boogeymen in their own right, with laws and restrictions being pushed by them right through parliament that limited more and more freedoms. It was creating a bubble that, when it finally burst, would create shockwaves.

The President finished her drink, set it down on the table between her and Joshua, and stood up from her chair. "I don't agree with your actions, Kiryu. You leave too much to chance."

"And I don't agree with yours. I believe that people can handle things if you give them enough trust." Joshua responded with an indifferent shrug. "It's something someone close told me long ago. Advice I now hold near and dear to my calculative heart."

"People tend to fall into idiocy when left to their own devices," she remarked. "Just look at how they flock to the hero ratings. Something we did to give them some semblance of hope and inspiration has turned into a mockery. They’re easily distracted by bread and circuses. They want idols, Kiryu, not heroes."

A thoughtful expression appeared on Joshua's face. "I suppose you're right. All the more reason we should ensure those ratings show the truth of the matter. That our heroes are like them. Simply human."

He turned his gaze to Hawks. The man was the epitome of a government-crafted hero. Clean, black and gold combat shirt, a well-maintained tan bomber jacket over top of that with a matching pair of baggy pants to go with it. Wild hair and a handsome face that would drive anyone who appreciated his looks, and a casual, devil-may-care attitude that drew others in.

Yes, Hawks was the perfect example of a hero crafted to be a hero.

Joshua just hoped that the man wasn't pushed to a point he finally broke. He rather liked the Wing Hero.

The President hummed in response before turning to leave, immediately shadowed by Hawks, who gave Joshua a respectful nod. Joshua could hear the quiet, relieved sighs coming from his agents as the President neared the door.

Just as Hawks reached for the handle to open the door, Joshua spoke up, causing the leaving pair to stop. "Be careful with your order of lies, Madam President. While the two go surprisingly hand in hand, an order built on top of lies will collapse rather spectacularly, and the illusion you and yours have spent so long crafting will reveal something far, far worse than what you tried to keep hidden."

The President stared back at Joshua before turning away and leaving his office. Once the door closed, Uzuki and Kariya visibly deflated, the stiff shoulders slumping as if a weight had suddenly dropped from them.

"Gotta say, Boss, it's always scary watching you poke a lion like that," Kariya said as he rubbed his neck.

Joshua smiled and stood up from his chair. "Please. As always, I have it handled." He moved back over to his desk with his two agents following behind him. "Besides, we keep each other honest."

"And how long until she decides to follow in the former president's footsteps and figures you aren't worth keeping around to keep her honest?" Uzuki asked. Joshua could hear the unspoken part of that question.

"Then we better hope I can change the rhythm of things before our part in this orchestra comes to an end," he replied casually, waving off his pink-haired agent's concern.

Uzuki fought back an angry frown while Kariya released a puff of air before pulling a lollipop from his pocket.

"Now then," Joshua said. His tone of voice changed immediately. The playfulness in his voice all but gone, replaced with a serious air that made his agents match his intensity. "How goes our investigation? Any new leads?"

Uzuki stood at attention and delivered her report. "Nothing concrete, sir. We know that All for One spirited away Minamimoto, but none of our contacts have a location to work with. We have still been searching for Giren, but since Ms. Komachi's earlier report alongside Mr. Susuki's statements, he has pretty much gone off the grid."

Kariya spoke up next. "Megumi told me that there's been some movement too. After the League came out with its little recruitment video, people from all over have been talking about it. Some regulars at his club have voiced their agreement with it, so that's concerning."

Joshua steepled his fingers in front of his mouth as he took in his agents' words. "Regarding Giren, it's more than likely that All for One is still masking his movements. As for the video, unfortunately, people talk and ideas spread. Unless we censor everything in life, people are free to do so. Stain was already making waves. The League just capitalized on it."

Uzuki nodded. "That's what we figured. With their recruitment video being shared all over, Giren might be looking for quality over quantity this time to pump up their numbers." She paused, looking hesitant to bring up something else. Joshua simply gestured to her, urging her to continue. "We've also lost track of Kubo, sir."

That caused Joshua some pause. Uzuki looked ashamed of herself, while Kariya had the decency to do the same. They could see the flash of annoyance in Joshua's expression before it was back to being stoic. "I see. Then we must double our efforts in finding him again. If he ends up with the League..."

His words hung heavily in the air. Uzuki and Kariya could only nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Joshua turned to look at his computer. On the screen was a picture of Eri and a distant one of Overhaul with several members of his inner-circle. "My other agents report that Chisaki has gone dark. No doubt in response to the loss of little Eri here."

Kariya idly twirled his lollipop. "My bet is he is sending out feelers looking for her."

"And what about their Trigger trade?" Uzuki asked him. "Half the stuff trafficked on the streets supports the Shie Hassaiki. No way Chisaki will just cut his losses there."

"Didn't say he stopped. He's probably just making sure to keep things contained. Trying not to draw too much attention to himself than he already has," Kariya answered smoothly.

"That is a reasonable deduction," remarked Joshua. "But until the police and heroes have evidence to support that and his current location, they can't arrest him."

Kariya grimaced at that. "Even with the kiddo's testimony backed by Tsukauchi's Quirk?"

Joshua nodded grimly. "Even with that. Until he is found, everyone needs to be careful with their moves. If we appear too heavy-handed, he'll get spooked, causing him to hide in an even deeper hole, or even flee the country."

"Or," Uzuki interjected as a shiver ran down her spine, "he gets driven into the hands of All for One."

“All the more reason to handle this carefully,” Joshua stated plainly. “We have a group of villains on the rise, a yakuza member larping as a plague doctor and experimenting on an innocent child, and an ancient villain with a vendetta and god-complex.” He closed his eyes, humor lacing his tone as he completed his thoughts. “Trying times, indeed.”

The room grew silent as the midday sun beamed through the semi-covered windows. Uzuki and Kariya shared a look, silently debating who should speak up. A lackadaisical shrug from Kariya earned a groan from his pain-haired partner.

"What's our next move then?" She asked her boss.

Joshua opened his eyes and turned his attention back to his computer as he answered her. "Simple. Leave Overhaul to the police and heroes for now. Sir Nighteye will come to us for resources when he feels the need for them. We, however, will continue our search for the League, on top of Kubo."

"And where should we pick things up?" questioned Kariya.

“From within.” Joshua’s answers caught the pair off guard. Their looks of shock and surprise caused Joshua to chuckle internally as he explained further. “All for One no doubt has spies everywhere. Some knowing what they are and some without a single clue. Now that he is making moves, those connected to him will be doing so as well.”

His eyes narrowed, his next words filled with absolution as he gave his agents their next order. "Look within our ranks. Find discrepancies, dig through histories, leave nothing unturned. Do not engage with any suspects until you are absolutely sure about something or give away this investigation. If All for One learns of this, he may reclaim his assets or cut his losses. He can afford to do so. We can not."

Uzuki gave him a quick bow while Kariya gave him a lazy salute before turning to leave.

"We should look into the cabinet members of the former president," Uzuki said as they reached the door.

"Good call. I remember us having to visit that Suzuki guy's place a year ago," Kariya remarked. "Way too nice for a guy who was only in politics for a few years."

As his agents left the room, Joshua remained alone with his thoughts. The earlier, albeit brief, talk with his superior clung to his mind. Yes, his methods differed from hers, but they both were working towards the good of Japan. At one point in his life, he had fully agreed with her logic.

Working within the system changed things. Politics is a dirty business, and there was a darkness within the hero community that many either ignored or didn’t even know about. Nothing was ever just black and white.

Certain people in his life helped change his perspective. The future wasn't one he could set and determine so coldly, not when others would fight back against unwanted change.

"You have to put some trust in people," Joshua said with an unshakable tone. "They may just surprise you when you do..."

Joshua returned to his work, pushing aside his heavy thoughts for later. After several more hours of checking documents and appointments, going over future presentations and meetings, he pushed back his chair and stood up, grateful to be done for the day.

'Well. Time to check in on one of our biggest mistakes.' He donned his jacket and headed towards the door. 'I doubt Tsusumi will hold it against me for missing our last appointment. She knows how messy this business is.'

Minamimoto struggled to ignore the noisy chatter happening around him. The bar All for One had moved him to after his apparent rescue was now bustling with activity. Several new faces had joined them over the last few days, and Minamimoto was already sick of them.

All except for one of them, at least.

His golden eyes glanced around the room, noting each new member of the League.

The first was some guy named Mustard. He didn't give Minamimoto much with his looks. Mustard wore a green gas mask that completely covered his face, with its cords connected to two oxygen tanks on his back. The rest of his head was covered with a matching green military helmet and a white cloth underneath that. The black gakuran definitely seemed out of place with a unique headset like that.

At least his personality was tolerable. Aside from Mustard's inherent dislike of Minamimoto, specifically his Quirk, that is.

The next was someone Minamimoto already had to beat into submission simply because the man grated his nerves and their disgusting desire to consume his flesh. Moonfish was certifiably insane, and the man's looks didn't help his case. He wore a black full bodysuit, complete with restraints that held his arms in place, and a hood that covered everything but his gnashing teeth. The hooks tugging his lips back were just the icing on the cake.

The final person that Minamimoto disliked greatly was the scarred mass of muscle keeping to himself at the far side of the room. Muscular. A simple enough name for a simple-minded killer, in Minamimoto's opinion. A tight, maroon-colored muscle shirt that showcased his bulky physique, dark-green coveralls with the sleeves wrapped around his front tucked into a pair of heavy-duty boots. Simple, but it seemed to work for the blonde serial killer.

Every time his scarred face moved to look at Minamimoto, the math genius gave him a glare in return.

Those were the three Minamimoto wondered what recruiting standards his new ally even had. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that Shigaraki was even affiliated with the Symbol of Evil, let alone that symbol feigning some sort of familial affection with the man. It was like trying to get to varying different numbers to fill in an equation in order to get a determined outcome.

"Don't you dare question my resolve to continue Stain's work! My uniform is a show of that resolve!"

The Taboo Villain's attention turned to one of the new members he didn't outright hate, though still found them to be greatly annoying.

Sitting at a table was Spinner, a man with a Mutation Quirk that turned his body to resemble that of a green, bipedal lizard man with long purple hair. Just as he said, Spinner was one of the only ones here that was truly devoted to Stain and his ideology. His outfit resembled that of the now-arrested Hero Killer, with some minor differences. Instead of a serrated katana and several knives, Spinner wielded a rather bulky sword strapped to his back and a much smaller one-handed blade resting horizontally on his lower back.

While Minamimoto understood the man's devotion, it had gotten old real fast in the last few days.

"No, no! I'm just saying that you pull it off."

Next to Spinner was the person he was arguing with. Dressed in a black bodysuit with gray trimmings that covered him head to toe, matching gray boots, a gray mask covering the upper half of his face, and a pair of red bracelets with green bands in the middle, Twice was an oddball. When he spoke, he did so conveying one thought, only to contradict himself immediately after. After learning about what his Quirk was, Minamimoto considered the idea that something happened with it to cause Twice to act this way.

Not that he could really take Twice's word for it if he asked. Minamimoto was sure would get two answers and would stop bothering to care once he did.

Up next in the lineup was Magne. While Muscular and Moonfish were certifiable killers, Magne had shown to be much more in control of herself. She was tall, with large, bulky muscles due to carrying her preferred weapon around all the time, and wore unassuming clothes like a white V-neck underneath an unbuttoned dark orange shirt and a pair of comfortable jeans and brown espadrilles on her feet. Her face threw him for a loop at first, with her square jaw, thick lips, and thin facial hair, all framed by her shoulder-length red hair.

Once that misunderstanding was cleared up, Minamimoto respected her enough and left it alone.

"How much do you wanna bet things break out into a fist-fight again?" Minamimoto turned to the voice next to him.

Dabi, the heavily burned and scarred man that Minamimoto could say he actually liked to a degree. He was tall with a hidden musculature underneath his frayed navy-blue jacket and deep-cut white V-neck. His slim pants clung to his legs, stopped just under his calves, revealing even more burned skin. Staples dotted his body, connecting his burnt skin to his unmarred skin, with the most notable sections being around his turquoise eyes, partially hidden underneath his spiky black hair and his entire jaw and neckline between his cheeks and chest being completely burnt and held in place by medical staples.

Rage, resentment, and drive were wonderful motivators for fighting through the pain his burns must have carried. That, and some experimental regenerative tissue, according to Dabi.

"That, my scarred friend, is a fool's wager."

Minamimoto looked to his other side. Next to him was a masked showman, complete with a tall top-hat to complete the image. His head and face were covered up completely, hidden behind a balaclava and his signature mask, according to his own words. He wore a long-sleeve dark orange shirt underneath a black waistcoat, a pair of black slacks tucked into a pair of white boots that had black toe tips, a pair of silky red gloves and an oval-shaped azure brooch hanging around his neck.

Mr. Compress was the name he gave when Giren first brought him to the hideout, and had shown to be the most stable addition, as well as the most skilled and experienced. Something Minamimoto appreciated.

"Eh, probably right," Dabi replied with a shrug. Looking over at the bar, he pointed at Shigaraki, watching their leader ignore everyone else in the bar. "What's our great leader waiting for? I thought everyone was here now."

Minamimoto spared his co-leader a glance. "Giren said he got in contact with someone he knew. We’re getting more variables added to our growing team."

“Late arrivals? This close to showtime?” Mr. Compress asked, surprised by the knowledge of sudden additions to their growing crew.

“The guy said these upcoming additions would be great,” Minamimoto replied with a snort. “Considering all these irrationals,” he said, gesturing to the room, “I’m not going to hold my breath.”

Dabi and Mr. Compress shared a look when the door to the bar suddenly opened. In walked a man in a pristine purple suit, a clean white shirt with the top buttons undone, with a golden tube-like necklace hidden under a fluffy scarf wrapped around his neck. Dark shades hid his eyes well-enough, and his gray hair was clean and styled in a way that had his bangs hanging above his eyes. His smarmy smile always annoyed Minamimoto, though he held his tongue for the most part.

No reason to anger the person supplying you with both numbers and information.

"Hello again, Shigaraki," Giren said as he moved to the bar counter and slid onto the stool next to Shigaraki.

The messy-haired villain lazily turned to look at the broker. "You're late," he said, agitation apparent in his voice.

Giren ignored it and gave the young man a small, apologetic bow. "Sorry for that. My old friend and associate decided to be a good guest and bring an additional gift to celebrate his joining your crew. We were held up while picking it up."

Shigaraki hummed, appreciating the gesture. "And who's your friend?"

"That would be me." All eyes turned to the door as a new face entered the room.

If Giren was smarmy, then this new man who walked in was smug condensation personified. The man wore a light gray suit jacket over a white V-neck, a pair of textured black pants, and black shoes with gold buckles on them. His outfit did little to hide the muscular and athletic form beneath. Just like his clothes, his overall appearance was clean-cut and impressive. Olive complexion, spiky dark brown hair swept to the side, and a well-maintained goatee showed he took great care of his appearance. His cocky smirk just made it all punchable to Minamimoto, with the man’s noticeable nose being the easiest target.

The man strode across the room, briefly glancing at the members of the league. When his brown eyes landed on Minamimoto, the math enthusiast felt a growl build up in his throat.

"Well, well, well. Quite the menagerie ya got goin' on here," the man said with a smirk. "The name's Kubo Tanzo." He leaned in closer to Shigaraki, though Minamimoto noticed he kept out of his cohort's reach. "I would shake yer hand, buuuuut I'm not a fan of dust, so you'll hafta forgive me on that end."

Shigaraki felt one of his eyes twitch at the poor excuse of a joke and the disrespect shown to him. "You're already annoying."

The smirk never left Kubo's face. "Well, that's your opinion, an' you're entitled to it." Straightening his back, Kubo continued to speak. "As my friend Giren told ya, I'm here to join up with yer little crew."

"And why should we accept you?" Minamimoto asked. He ignored the glare Shigaraki sent his way, keeping his focus entirely on Kubo.

Kubo kept smirking. If anything, his smirk grew when he locked eyes with Minamimoto. "Well well well, if it ain't the Mad Mathematician of Shibuya. Big fan. Really loved what ya did to the ward. Not so much with how ya fucked it up at the end, but hey, shit happens. Nyeheh!" Kubo finished with a shrug.

Before Minamimoto could retort, Kubo turned his attention back to a madly grinning Shigaraki. "Hey, don't think yer safe from review either. Bum rushing UA an' getting spanked by a bunch of college fishies don't look so good for ya if I'm bein' honest."

The grin on Shigaraki's face faded instantly, replaced by an irritated frown. His red eyes narrowed onto Kubo, who still wore his condescending smirk. The rest of the bar watched tensely, waiting for the well-dressed man to be dusted on the spot. Even Giren looked a little worried. Whether it was for his friend or his standing with the league was anyone's guess, though the safe bet was the latter.

Kubo noticed the slight twitch in Shigaraki's injured hand and spoke up. "Yer buddy asked why you should accept me. Here's why. You group of misfits need a brain. Now, no disrespect to the big man in charge, but I'm bettin' he's got bigger fish to fry at the moment. He can't be lookin' over yer shoulder all the time. Nah nah nah. He's expectin' ya to spread yer wings an' fly."

Kubo hunched over, one eye opening wide as he stared at Shigaraki. "I'm here to help with that. Yer not just gonna fly, yer gonna soar, kid. I'll be the honest voice that is willin' to tell ya if an idea is shitty or not, an' then help ya turn a lump o' coal into a bright, shiny diamond."

Shigaraki stared impassively at the man, waiting for the rest of the sales pitch. Seeing that he had the young man hooked, Kubo continued. "I'm also good at spreadin' discord. My Quirk is particularly useful for that. Need a quick army to keep those heroes busy? I got ya covered."

A curious hum escaped Shigaraki as he listened to Kubo's explanation. He wasn't completely sold, however, and expressed his skepticism. "And how do trash mobs help us?"

"Ah, a gamer, eh? To put it in terms you'd appreciate, my Quirk takes all that pesky, negative noise in people's hearts and minds, and gives it life," Kubo explained. He straightened his back and spread his arms out wide. "I would give ya a demonstration, but..." Kubo then gestured to Moonfish and Muscular. "Those cheery bastards over there are puttin' out some real nasty feelings that I don't think you'd appreciate runnin' rampant in yer bar."

Minamimoto considered Kubo’s words. If the man were to be believed, and at the moment, neither Minamimoto nor Shigaraki had reason to think otherwise, the man’s Quirk would give their growing League a certain numbers advantage. When Minamimoto looked over at Shigaraki, his cohort seemed to be in agreement if the thoughtful look on his pale face was anything to go by.

Giren took that moment to give his input on the matter. "I can speak of my associate's Quirk and his skills in managing a crew like yours." Seeing the questioning look on Shigaraki's face that told him to elaborate, he did, but not before looking at Kubo for permission. "He made sure that the 'Reapers of Shinjuku' were functional before things fell apart."

That name stirred something within Kurogiri, who was silently watching the whole interaction as he manned the bar. "I feel as though I know that name..."

"It was a small-time group abouta make some big waves," Kubo explained with an irritated growl. The smirk plastered on his face was finally gone, replaced by a look of boiling anger.

Seeing his chance to bite back at the man, Minamimoto smiled. "And how did you fuck up that formula?"

Kubo's glowering eyes snapped to Minamimoto. The math genius didn't falter under Kubo's glare, returning it with a challenging one of his own. After their intense staredown, Kubo turned to look at the corkboard hanging near the bar. His eyes scanned the board, taking note of the pictures of the 1-A students Shigaraki had posted on it and zeroed in on two in particular. Making his way over to the board, he stretched out his arm and pointed to the two targets of his ire.

"Sakurane Shoka," he said with a growl. "The little kitty cat was a stray member of the crew who just wasn't into how things were going and decided to up an' leave us, unknowingly ruinin' everything. Because of that, her sister went after her, then we lost our muscle, an' THEN our leader's bestie convinced him to leave everything behind." Kubo pointed at Shoka's picture before moving over to Izuku's. "All because of some meet-cute, online friendship with this shrub-headed goodie two-shoes got to her head an' made her get all retrospective."

Black wisps of smoke emanated from Kubo's body the more he spoke. The sound of static filled the air, causing the group of villains to grimace as the well-dressed man's irritated growl turned into a menacing rumble. "Years of plannin' thrown out the fuckin' window. Her leavin' was like a domino knockin' over the next one, an' the one after that an' so on."

The oppressive static dissipated, allowing everyone to breathe a bit easier. The black smoke evaporated as Kubo calmed down and adjusted his clothes, making sure he was presentable again. "Needless to say, I ain't offering to join ya for nothing. I'll help youse, and youse help me." He looked back at the board, focusing on the picture of Izuku and reading the mad scribbles that singled him out among his fellow hero students. "Ya got issues with shrub-boy, and so do I. Ya help get me the stray and make her life miserable, I'll get youse the shrub for whatever it is you an' yer master have planned."

Kubo leaned closer to Shigaraki once more, his smirk returned as the two stared into each other's eyes. "I see it as an absolute win-win. So? Whaddya say, boss?"

Minamimoto felt something was off with Kubo. He wanted to tell the man to fuck off, to take whatever he was planning and do it on his own. He recognized a manipulator when he saw one. Kubo had his own objectives. Ones that Minamimoto had no doubt could get in the way of his own.

The issue was Shigaraki.

Minamimoto saw the subtle twitch at the corners of Shigaraki’s mouth, at the mad gleam forming in his sullen red eyes. Even if Minamimoto voiced his concerns, even if All for One expected him to help Shigaraki with their endeavors, he knew Shigaraki fully bought Kubo’s sales pitch. For now, Minamimoto would have to bide his time before he could make his own moves, all while keeping a careful eye on Kubo.

As Minamimoto planned for the future, Shigaraki held out his pinkyless right hand towards Kubo. His chapped lips stretched into a mad grin as he maintained eye contact with Kubo. “Welcome to the guild.” As Kubo reached out and took Shigaraki’s hand into his own, the young villain brought his other hand out and hovered it close to Kubo’s. “Just remember one thing. You get in the way of my goals and you’ll be dust in the wind.”

Kubo tightened his grip, his smirk never wavering. “Nyeheh! Smart man.” The two released their handshake, and Kubo stood up straight again. “And to celebrate my joining, I brought you a gift.” He turned to the door, brought a hand to his mouth, and called out. “Yer up big guy!”

The door handle clicked open at Kubo’s call. The bar watched as the door opened slowly, everyone's eyes widening as a man just a few inches shorter than the already giant Muscular entered the room. Long, brown dread-locks cascaded down his chiseled face, hiding half of it in shadows. Thick corded muscles stretched out the urban-camo jacket and tight black shirt underneath it, with an intricate silver necklace dangling around his thick neck. His dark, baggy jeans were held up by a belt with a large ram-shaped belt buckle proudly displayed in the center. On his feet were a pair of black and neon-green sneakers that caused the floor to creak and bend with each step.

"Everyone," Kubo began speaking as if promoting a top of the line car, "Allow me to introduce ya to Higashizawa Yodai. Also known to both heroes and villains as, 'The Ram'."

When Higashizawa spoke, he did so gruffly, his voice reverberating with a deep baritone as he looked at every member of the league with interest. "Interesting. Many unique ingredients that can make quite the delectable concoction. I've worked with much worse." He turned his attention to Shigaraki. "As Kubo already announced, I am Higashizawa Yodai. I would like to offer my talents. Allow me to create an infusion of chaos that will leave you hungry for more."

As the League of Villains' numbers grew and readied themselves for their next plan of attack, the Shie Hassaikai dealt with the growing ire of their current leader. Eri's escape had already put Chisaki in a bad mood, but the subsequent failures with locating her  had caused his mood to spiral further. For the last couple of weeks, everyone had kept clear of their leader for fear of ending up like the two who lost Eri.

They were still cleaning blood off the walls from all the times Chisaki used his Quirk that day.

Within his laboratory, Chisaki, alongside his right hand, Kurono Hari, also known as Chronostasis among the lesser ranks of the Shie Hassaikai, were experimenting with the last of Eri’s blood they had on hand. The yakuza leader had already kept a good portion reserved in fear of running out. The amount he and Kurono were working with was from the dwindling stock Overhaul had set aside for experimentation. If he had to, he was willing to dip into the reserves, but only if necessary. In his mind, recovering Eri was an absolute priority.

“The vaccine has failed to take effect,” Kurono reported as he read from his tablet. “The Quirk remains active. Subject's Emitter Resonance is stable again.”

Chisaki listened to his friend's report as he studied the incoming data. A failure still provided results. All Chisaki had to do was find the right answers hidden within.

“Should we risk another test? Perhaps a new bonding reagent is required?” Kurono’s questions rang in Chisaki's ears. There were just too many variables to work with, all of them unknown. Unfortunately, they were rather limited at the current moment.

Chisaki had made great strides with his work ever since Eri was dropped into their leader’s care. She was the key to everything, and Chisaki knew they were close. While a small part of him felt torn about abusing the trust of the man who saved him and gave him a new life by experimenting on his granddaughter, his goal was too important. Every monstrous action Chisaki took was met by an adamant resolve to cleanse the world of Quirks. He would walk a path of blood and strife if it meant recreating the world, one that would see the revival of the Shie Hissaikai. A new world that his leader and father-figure would see with fresh eyes once he was healed from the coma Chisaki put him in.

Chisaki resolved himself to ask for forgiveness, even if a part of him knew his sins would never be absolved. As long as he repaid even a fraction of the kindness he was given, he would live with the monster he became.

“We’ll put our research on pause at the moment,” Chisaki said with a resigned irritation lacing his words. “Until we find Eri, we can’t risk it.” His eyes remained on the body lying on the medical table between him and Kurono.

Currently strapped to the table was Dai, one of the subordinates in charge of watching Eri that fateful day. His arms and legs were bound at his wrists and ankles, while a thick strip wrapped around his forehead held him in place. His eyes were completely blank, as the dwindling embers of life had expired several days ago. Clinical lacerations and incisions dotted nearly every inch of his body, dark reminders of his failure to do his job.

Chisaki removed one of his medical gloves as his impassive gaze turned into a soft glare. “Congratulations, Dai. You’ve finally paid for your mistakes,” he said to a comatose Dai. “Rest assured, your contributions will be remembered.” Chisaki placed a hand on the man, and a second later the bed and the floor below were stained a visceral red.

Surprisingly, not even a speck of red landed on Chisaki’s body.

Quickly turning on his heel, Chisaki made his way to the door leading out of the medical theatre, followed closely behind by Kurono. Stripping their medical gowns and discarding them as soon as they left the room, the two donned their usual clothes. As Chisaki tied his white tie, Kurono slid on his long white hooded cloak before readjusting his black plague doctor mask.

“Have any reports come in through the usual channels?” Chisaki asked as he put on his green coat.

“No. Our contacts haven’t reported any sighting of Eri in person or in their systems,” Kurono answered him. As Chisaki began moving again, Kurono fell into step beside him. “The heroes haven’t brought her in either.”

“She’s grown to distrust heroes, so that’s to be expected,” Chisaki remarked. He grew quiet for a moment as a flurry of ideas came rushing to him. “Find someone with a Quirk that can help them dig further into the government’s systems. We know a hero is investigating us, so it’s possible they will have learned about Eri if one of their own picked her up.”

Kurono nodded before noting Chisaki’s suggestion on the tablet in his hands. “I’ll see if our usual contacts have someone who can be discreet."

After a long walk through the twisting corridors of their underground facility, the pair came to a single door along a lonely hallway. Before using his credentials to enter the room, he looked at Kurono. “Keep our men mobile. Spread out our distribution, but do so quietly. Tell them to go off the grid once they make a sale, and then choose a new spot at random to start again. Don’t give our nosy busy-bodies a pattern to follow.”

“Of course, Kai,” Kurono said as he bowed his head.

As his friend and colleague continued down the hall, Chisaki opened the door, stepping past the threshold into a dark room. When the door closed, the darkness grew, with only the lights from the various medical machines crowding around a single bed that was flush against the far wall, creating just enough light to see. Chisaki crossed the room and came to a stop at the side of the bed. His eyes lingered on the unconscious form of his savior and father-figure.

The elderly man had lost several more pounds since Chisaki’s last visit. His once strong facial features had lost some of their edge, the wrinkles around his eyes growing more prominent as his cheeks grew gaunter by the day. His silvery hair had grown as well, gaining several more inches. Chisaki would have to order a haircut done during the next cleaning.

As he stood at the side of the bed, Chisaki didn’t speak. The rhythmic beeping of the EKG machine filled the room, drowning out the shallow breaths the old man in the bed produced, hinted at only by the small mist appearing along the inside of his breathing mask.

“Hey, Pops,” Chisaki said in a shaky voice. “I wanted to let you know my progress, even if you don’t agree with my methods…”

The electrified air stirred as the students of 1-A and 1-B waited for their practical exams to begin. Small groups had formed between the two, as friendly chatter filled the air. While most were excited for the exams to come to a close, others worried about their earlier written tests.

“Dude, I swear, if it wasn’t for the joint study group, I would have bombed our math test,” Denki said, half-relieved, half-exhausted.

“Same,” replied Sero. “That science test nearly kicked my ass.”

“I’m just glad we went back over some of the reading material Cementoss-sensei gave us a while ago,” Tsuburaba remarked with a smile on his face. “What did you guys put down for the open-ended questions at the end?”

With another group consisting of the pumped-up pair of Kirishima and Tetsutetsu, and those unfortunate enough to be near them, they were more focused on hyping themselves up for the practical.

“Tetsubro, you ready?” Kirishima asked his steely friend.

“Always, Kiribro!” Tetsutetsu replied with a feral grin. “You better not lose, ya hear?”

“Like I’m gonna let you be the only one to kick their exam’s ass!” Kirishima hardened his arm, an action mimicked by Tetsutetsu. With a resounding clap, the two slammed their hands together, gripping each other tightly as their muscles flexed.

“Truly, they are brothers separated at birth,” Tokoyami remarked as he watched the entire scene unfold before him.

“Quite,” replied Yanagi. “Perhaps they are part of the cycle of reincarnation and have only now reunited?”

“Eh, who cares? I think they’re a freakin’ riot,” Dark Shadow remarked with a chuckle.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the other groups, Izuku stood alongside his friends and girlfriends. Shoka casually messed with her roster on Hero Scramble while Momo entertained Eri. Izuku spotted the buxom heiress hand the little girl a bag, though he wasn’t able to see what was inside. Shinso was lazily sitting on the floor, with Himiko playfully leaning against him with her chin resting in his messy indigo locks. Iida checked over his hero costume for the fifth time, once again finding nothing wrong with it.

Izuku expected him to perform one last check in a few more minutes.

Kyoka bobbed her head to the fast-pace rhythm of the song playing in her headphones, obviously using her music to get in the right mindset while doing her best to shake off her nerves. Izuku was tempted to do the same. Next to Izuku was Shoto, who stood comfortably silent as they waited for the exams to begin.

As time slowed to an unfortunate crawl, Izuku was left alone with his thoughts, at least until the vestiges spoke up.

“Do you feel ready, Izuku?” Nana asked, both excited and worried for the ninth wielder of One for All.

“Are you kiddin’? Niner’s got this,” Banjo remarked confidently.

“Agreed. We’re rooting for you, rookie,” En spoke up next.

Even the spectral vestige of All Might expressed his confidence in Izuku as the young man felt an encompassing warmth coming from his Quirk.

‘Thanks for the vote of confidence, everyone. I appreciate it,’ Izuku replied.

“Just remember, just like your team-up session with 1-B last week, we’ll be going silent while you do your thing,” Yoichi explained once more. It had been agreed upon earlier, but he felt it necessary to remind everyone. “Once you finish, we’ll each give you our thoughts on your performance, so knock ‘em dead, Nine.”

‘Right. I’ll do my best,’ Izuku thought firmly, his confidence spiking as he did.

“That’s all we ask.” Izuku could practically feel the smile Yoichi gave him before he felt the presence of the vestiges fade away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Wanting to pass the time, Izuku checked on his Psychs and planned out his set. As he equipped Excalibur and Orbit to their usual slots in his gloves, a text came through as an alert appeared on his visor’s HUD. A smile tugged at his lips as he saw who the message was from.

Aegis: Good luck, you three!

Aegis: I’ll be cheering you on from my lab.

‘Well, now I really can’t afford to fail here,’ Izuku thought.

As he finished his last checks, the doors of the command center opened, revealing Aizawa, Vlad King, and Nezu. As soon as their teachers and dean entered the room, everyone went quiet, some growing just a bit stiffer as the men and chimera passed them by to the monitor station further into the room.

“Greetings, future heroes,” Nezu chirped excitedly as he hopped onto the central chair. “Welcome to the practical portion of your exams. I’m sure many of you are either dreading this part or confidently welcoming it, or maybe even a mix of the two.” His beady eyes scanned the room, noting which students felt the emotions he listed. “I’m also quite sure many have hoped to learn from their upperclassmen exactly what this part of your exams entails.”

Several students nervously looked away from the white-furred chimera, finding the walls and ceiling of the room suddenly much more interesting than him.

“Unfortunately, they are in the same boat as you.” Nezu said, as an evil chuckle escaped him. “Yes. I have decided that for you and your upperclassmen, things will be different this year, as many of you have faced trials we had not foreseen.”

The atmosphere grew heavy at his words. Several students of 1-B looked to their sister class, many of them worried about their friends. The students of 1-A, however, while shuddering at the reminder of the attack at the USJ, felt their resolve strengthened. Many of them turned to look at the Wildkat Crew, as most of them had already fought and taken down powerful and dangerous villains.

In their minds, if their friends could overcome their own challenges, then so could they.

Pride swelled within Nezu’s chest at the sight. After giving them another minute to gather themselves, Nezu clapped his paws, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. “Yes. Many of you have certainly gone above and beyond our expectations. You have exemplified our university’s motto, going plus ultra in the face of adversity. As such, as your instructors, we should do the same.”

Aizawa turned and began typing away at the central console as Vlad King picked things up from there. “As you should remember, you will be doing the practical in teams of four: two from 1-A and two from 1-B. Right now, I want every team to form up.” 

The group of students looked at one another before shuffling around to form their assigned teams. Izuku gave a small smile and wave to Shoka and Momo as they joined up with their teammates. Eri trotted over to him, the bag Momo gave her still in her tiny hands as Pony, Awase, and Bakugo joined him. There was still some lingering tension within Team E, but after a few group training sessions the last two days, three of them felt confident they could succeed while the last kept their opinions to themselves.

“The three of us,” continued Vlad as he gestured to himself, Aizawa, and Nezu, “came up with different scenarios for those teams to undergo. What we didn’t tell you was who your opponents would be in those scenarios.”

The doors opened once more. As the students turned to see who entered the room, all their eyes widened in surprise and worry as they spotted their teachers and several Pro Heroes. Immediately, Izuku spotted a familiar pair of blondes. Beat strode in as confidently as ever, while Rhyme followed behind at a more natural pace with her head held high. When their blue eyes landed on him, Beat’s face broke out into a toothy smile. Rhyme simply gave Izuku a friendly wave, though the small smile on her face was just as warm as her brother’s.

They weren’t the only familiar faces Izuku recognized. Gran Torino followed behind the blonde pair, earning several confused looks from his coursemates. Only he, Shoka, Momo, and Shinso felt a slight shiver down their spines as he passed them by. Suddenly, the room felt several degrees hotter as Endeavor strode in without so much as a glance at the students, outside of a brief look shared between him and Shoto. As the heroes made their way to the front, Izuku’s eyes landed on the form of Sir Nighteye, who was among the group.

The hero seemed to know someone’s eyes were on him as his head immediately snapped to Izuku. As his fellow students voiced their thoughts, his thoughts were elsewhere as he and the vestiges had a sudden meeting among themselves.

“Shit. Who invited Four-eyes?” Banjo growled out.

“Maybe it won’t be that bad,” Yoichi commented, hoping to settle Izuku’s growing nerves.

“No. It will be worse,” commented Two.

“Thank you, Captain Pessimist,” groused Nana.

“No, Two is right,” Three remarked coolly. “Nighteye has his issues with how Toshinori ignored his concerns regarding One for All. And since Eight essentially snubbed his recommendation for a successor…”

‘I’m even further on his shit-list,’ Izuku finished Three’s observation. Sir Nighteye’s sharp, impassive gaze narrowed, causing a small shiver to run down his spine. Mustering up his courage, Izuku returned Sir Nighteye’s gaze with a shaky, confident look of his own. ‘I think I already know who one of my team’s opponents will be…’

The two maintained their staredown for what felt like hours. Sir Nighteye was the first to break eye contact, turning his attention to Eri. Izuku didn’t expect the Pro Hero’s expression to soften as he seemed to check over the little girl as she hid behind Izuku’s leg. Izuku figured that Nighteye had been keeping a close eye on Eri’s condition as part of his investigation. Izuku was further surprised when Nighteye looked back at him and gave him a small, approving nod before turning his attention to the rest of the room.

As Izuku reeled from the constant shift of emotions he felt, Aizawa spoke up. “Your teams will each be facing two heroes, who will play the role of villains in your scenarios. Rest assured, we’ll be limiting ourselves, but don’t expect things to be a cakewalk. We’ve already been paired up and assigned to a specific scenario designed to test your limits as individuals and as members of a team. Now, it’s time for you to learn about what you’re facing.”

The main monitor of the command center flashed UA’s logo briefly before switching to a graphic displaying the first scenario. “For Team A,” Nezu began explaining, “You have been given the task of protection. Your scenario consists of protecting a VIP from a villain attack, with Edgeshot and Snipe being your opponents. You pass if both villains are captured or you successfully protect your VIP when the timer runs out. The case of failure should be fairly obvious.”

As the two heroes nodded at their opponents, Izuku spared Momo a glance. He noticed her body grew tense for a moment before she took a second to calm her nerves. He smiled as a look of determination flashed across her face before she huddled her team together, no doubt already devising several plans of action.

“Up next, Team B will be on the defensive,” Nezu chirped as the next scenario appeared on the screen. “Your goal will be to defend your base from the villainous pair of Eraser Head and CodeR. You must either wait out the clock, or capture both Eraser Head and CodeR to stop the attack. You fail if either villain captures and holds your base’s zone for a full minute.”

“Don’t think for a second that you guys will have it easy with us,” CodeR said cheerily. “As an alumnus and your sempai, it’s my job to make you work hard to pass.” Despite her size and friendly demeanor, Shoka and the rest of Team B felt a slight chill run down their spines.

The intense, lazy stare coming from Eraser Head only further compounded the idea that Team B was in for a fight.

Smiling at the byplay, Nezu continued on. “Team C will focus on capture. Your goal is simply to capt-”

“Catch me and gramps here, yo!” Beat excitedly jumped in, cutting Nezu off. He received a swift whack to his shin from Gran Torino’s cane for his rudeness.

“Let Nezu finish explaining, you oaf!” Gran Torino growled, chiding the Thrasher Hero.

As Beat hopped on his other leg while rubbing the sore spot on his shin, Nezu sent Gran Torino a grateful nod. “My thanks, Torino.” He turned his attention back to Team C and returned to his explanation. “As Beat stated, your goal is to capture both him and his partner, Gran Torino. You only need to worry about the time limit. If I were you, I would prepare for an endurance run.”

Izuku felt Shinso’s eyes on him. An unspoken conversation happened between the two. After giving his best friend a nod, Shinso turned away and spoke with his team.

“For Team D…” As Nezu explained the next scenario, Izuku’s attention drifted to Sir Nighteye.

He couldn't help but feel anxious. It was obvious why the Pro Hero was here. Izuku didn't even need to hear that Nighteye would be one of his team's opponents. It was simply a given. That knowledge only made planning ahead difficult.

“Don't let your head get all clouded, Izuku,” Nana said soothingly. “We can see all the thought and research you put into Nighteye and his Quirk.”

“Seven is right,” came the surprisingly supportive voice of Two. “You already fought half the battle. No Quirk is unbeatable. Work with your team, keep a level head, and you’ll succeed.”

“... That’s surprising. Two’s actually rooting for our boy Niner,” Banjo remarked, completely taken aback by Two’s sudden show of support.

“He probably just wants to see Sir Nighteye get punched in the face,” Hikage said in a serious, flat tone.

“Really fucking hard,” Two added quickly before his presence faded from the group before anyone else could comment.

As if sensing the growing worries within Izuku, Eri was quick to help him the best way she could. Wrapping her arms around his leg, Eri hugged him tightly, causing him to look down at her. A smile found its way onto Izuku’s face, thankful for Eri’s kind gesture. He reached down and gently rubbed the top of her head. Eri gave his leg one last squeeze, craning her neck and looking up at him with her round, ruby-red eyes.

In the back of his mind, Izuku swore he saw the corner of Eri’s lips tug just a bit higher at that moment.

“Next, Team E,” Nezu’s sudden address grabbed Izuku’s attention. Next to him, Pony and Awase stood up straighter, while Bakugo seemed ready to go. “You four will be performing a rescue. You are to either rescue and escort your VIP to an exit point or capture your villains before your time runs out. If your villains recapture the VIP, or prevent your escape, you fail.”

Nezu turned his head to the right, his beady eyes landing on two heroes in particular, silently ushering them forward. Izuku didn’t need to look to his sides to see Pony and Awase growing nervous, and he was sure Bakugo was growing more excited by the second. Izuku, however, forced down his growing nerves as the imposing figures of both Sir Nighteye and Endeavor loomed over his team.

“We will be your opponents today,” said Sir Nighteye as he adjusted his glasses.

Endeavor crossed his arms in front of his muscular chest, the fires on his body burning hotter as he asserted himself alongside his new partner. “Don’t disappoint us. You all are supposedly the future of heroics, and I hope to see it for myself, firsthand.”

The two rejoined their fellow heroes as Nezu continued to list off teams and their assigned scenarios. As he finished up Team F’s part, Izuku’s teammates began talking among themselves.

“So, we screwed, right? The Number Two Hero and All Might’s old sidekick working together seems like we’re set up to fail,” Awase commented as he kept his eyes on their opponents.

Pony nodded along. “Yeah. It feels like he loaded the wrong wagon.” Seeing her three teammates give her curious looks, Pony realized she had slipped in a southern phrase, confusing them. “Sorry. I mean that we got a problem on our hands.”

Izuku took an uneasy, deep breath. “Right. It won’t be easy. Endeavor is a powerful hero, and Sir Nighteye is highly intelligent. His Quirk gives the two an advantage.” He brought his hand up to his chin, his mind racing a mile a minute as he attempted to work out the problem before him. “Aizawa-sensei said that they’re limiting themselves, so maybe Sir Nighteye will only be able to use his Quirk for a few minutes.”

“Even if he does, that’s still enough for Four-eyes to get one over us,” Bakugo remarked, joining the conversation. “He probably looked into the future already.”

“It looks like it,” Izuku stated as he noticed that Nighteye and Endeavor were deep in their own discussion.

Endeavor’s eyes had moved from member to member on Team E, nodding along to whatever it was Nighteye was telling him. Nighteye himself had his back turned to the group, not letting anyone on Team E catch a glimpse of his face.

Pony chewed on her bottom lip as Awase clicked his tongue. “What’s the play then?” he asked.

Izuku didn’t answer right away. He was still going through everything he knew about Sir Nighteye’s Quirk through his research and Psych development. He knew there was an exploit in the hero’s Quirk. The issue was finding it in time to use it.

That’s to say if Izuku or his team could even use an exploit if he found one.

Breaking away from his thoughts, Izuku felt it best to at least have a plan of attack to work with, even if their opponents would know about it going in. “We should work in pairs. One pair should focus on Endeavor, while the other goes for Sir Nighteye. While Sir Nighteye can fight, I’ll bet he is going to play support for Endeavor, letting his partner go on the offensive while not getting in his way.”

Izuku looked to his left. “Bakugo?” he asked, gaining the ash-blonde’s attention. “How do you feel about facing the Number Two Hero?”

Bakugo gave Izuku a cocky smirk. “You actually had to ask?”

“Just wanted to be sure,” Izuku explained. He looked over at Awase and Pony. “I’ll be going for Sir Nighteye. I think I might be able to find a counter to his Quirk.” Whatever confidence Izuku hoped he had turned shakier by the second. “It’s up to you two to see who you want to go with. While Bakugo and I can hold our own, it may be best if you two played support. Pony would be best to help evacuate the VIP, where Awase can help with capturing Endeavor or Nighteye.”

Awase and Pony shared a look between each other, silently debating among themselves who should go with whom. After a moment, the two broke up their two-person huddle, with Awase speaking for them both. “I’ll go with you, Midoriya. If you’re going for Nighteye, you may need me to catch him when you find your counter.”

Izuku blinked in surprise at the level of confidence Awase had in him. Seeing the silent question on the tip of Izuku’s tongue, Awase held up a hand and elaborated, “Your plan during our joint-session helped us win. I’m willing to go all in with you.”

Pony bounced on her hooves as she looked at Bakugo, a fiery determination burning within her Prussian-blue eyes as she talked to him. “That means I’m ridin’ with you, Bakugo!” She pumped her arm in the air, her hand curled into a tight fist as she continued. “Let’s show Endeavor we can run with the big dogs!”

Bakugo barked out a laugh at the sudden enthusiasm Pony displayed. “Alright, Ponygirl. Just don’t slow me down.”

With his team’s confidence growing, Izuku couldn’t help but match their energy. Ego responded in kind, its hum turning into a powerful ballad in his heart. Because of this, Izuku missed the sudden tension in Sir Nighteye’s shoulders.

Looking over at the group of students, Sir Nighteye couldn’t stop himself from focusing on Izuku. There was a subtle shift in the air, something he couldn’t quite explain. The seer didn’t realize how long he was staring at the hero student until he found a pair of emerald-green eyes staring back at him.

“Now that every team has been given their scenarios, I will explain a few more things before we begin!” Nezu happily chirped, unknowingly breaking up the staredown happening between Izuku and Sir Nighteye. “Every scenario will have a time-limit of thirty minutes, with two teams undergoing them at a time. Each team will be given ten minutes to either set up their defenses and or bases, or plan their attack strategies. We have already determined which training ground your scenarios will take place in, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the area you find yourselves in.”

As Nezu finished explaining, his beady gaze swept across the room, taking one more look at his students. He brought his paws together, steepling his fingers as he leaned back into his chair. “Now then. Let’s begin.”

Made y'all a lewdle.

Happy XXX-Mas!
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