My Hero Academia: Aura Farming

[MorbiIIionaire]

Sasuga Taka-sama, as expected Bravo!! Lol TFTC

 

[corv]

I love this fic. Wonder how they're gonna justify how someone got footage of the entire fight.

He obviously won't announce it was him, but I wonder what conclusion the staff and police will come to. Maybe one of the villains was planning to film All Might's death, and only came out with this?

Click to shrink...

Probably, even if they lost, it can be said that they posted it to show that they managed to break in, and the school can't protect the students.

 

[MisterMisplay]

If a tree falls in the forest with no one around, does it still make a sound?

Relatedly, if someone does something badass and no one was able to see it, does it still generate aura?

 

[Tearence]

The Villains got flexed on, and the Staff and Students see the Dragon living amongst them.

 

[sergey54321060]

Well, let's hope Nezu can't figure out who filmed and leaked the fight, because he definitely won't be happy about it

 

[ggAdOctor]

There, a figure stood with its cape flowing, arms crossed as the sunlight hit it head-on.

Click to shrink...

Piccolo would cry tears of joy for this

 

[Omniext]

'What the hell is wrong with this guy?'

Click to shrink...

Absolutely nothing, I don't know what you're talking about

"Then maybe one day, you'll be the one backing me up when I make a mistake."

Click to shrink...

That was actually cool. Funny what he thinks is corny is actually when he acts the coolest.

 

[LeonT]

Don't even think Bakugo is gonna get mad at him after all that.

Taka pulled up, made the Villains piss themselves, saved their teacher and made Shigaraki realize he's not the main character.

 

[The Synonym]

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[Reality Check]
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…

Some hours later, the students were finally allowed to leave the school premises to rest after the turbulent day.

Naturally, the news regarding the USJ incident spread quickly. Within hours, every major news program was covering it. The best hero school in Japan had been attacked by villains, something that went far beyond a simple crime. To many, it felt closer to an act of terrorism aimed directly at the foundation of hero society.

However, official information was scarce.

Reports only confirmed that the villains had been defeated without major damage or injury to the students involved, that the two who seemed to be the ringleaders of the whole operation had managed to escape, and some brief descriptions of the Quirks involved. With no further details released, the public assumed what seemed obvious.

All Might, supported by U.A.'s faculty, had resolved the crisis.

As a result, after the initial shock, public attention slowly began to settle as both the school and hero society remained ultimately unshaken by all this.

…

At least, that was the case—until something happened late at night on the same day.

As news stations prepared to wrap up their final broadcasts, something unusual occurred in several of their main offices. Flash drives appeared on the desks of senior producers and late-night editors. Each carried a short, handwritten note.

"USJ Incident."

Some ignored them, others dismissed them as a prank of their coworkers, while others simply didn't see it.

But a few, driven by curiosity and the promise of exclusive information about the most recent villain attack on the best hero school, decided to check their contents.

That was all it took.

Once the footage stored there was seen and confirmed, the decision was made.

Soon, the truth about what took place inside the USJ was aired as breaking last-minute material by the stations that fell for their curiosity, transmitting for the whole of Japan to see that night, and with it, lots of talk online soon followed.

Not only because U.A. was involved anymore, but because of what was shown there.

A battle.

One fought not between heroes and villains as was usual—but between a villain and a student.

At first, the young man's identity was unclear. His damaged, intimidating costume led many to believe he was a villain himself. But after verification and cross-referencing, the truth emerged.

He was a student, a first-year one to top it off.

And that only raised more questions.

The footage showed the student shielding his classmates from a dark, mist-like villain that sought to engulf them, breaking through the encasement with a burst of red light that functioned as both offense and protection.

It showed him incapacitating dozens of villains in seconds, moving with speed that barely registered on camera.

It showed him standing his ground against an overwhelmingly powerful mutant, the fight so fast that broadcasters were forced to use slow motion to follow it.

It showed blood, injury, and a brutal exchange in which the student drew a blade and struck the creature down several times—only for it to regenerate.

And finally, it showed him unleashing one last attack, lightning and fire surging from his palms, pushing the monster to its limits before turning his attention to the villains watching from afar.

By morning, the entire country was talking, trying to make sense of what they had just seen.

The idea that a first-year student had taken down so many villains and fought evenly against a monster-level opponent, one who, from the looks of it, was strong enough to seriously injure top heroes, felt unreal.

He was fifteen, after all. Not even All Might had shown this much promise when he was that age.

Though, to be fair, neither did he have a terrorist attack happen at U.A. to deal with it.

But it wasn't just the outcome that stunned people. It was also the abilities on display from both sides, something almost bizarre in the eyes of everyone.

The mutant villain seemed able to negate blunt force with his Quirk, judging by the ease with which he ignored the student's early barrage of punches, only to somehow be affected by the slashes of his opponent once he took out his blade.

But then, it went even further, as the moment one of its arms was sent flying, the footage showed clearly how he regenerated it in a matter of seconds.

So either he had one Quirk able to somehow negate blunt force and heal him at the same time… or he had two.

The student, however, didn't let down either. During the fight, he showed overwhelming speed, strength, and endurance, and displayed an energy-based ability that acted like telekinesis—yet also sliced and transformed into both lightning and fire.

A strange Quirk that left many baffled and wanting for answers about its true nature.

But the mystery didn't obscure the main focus of the people.

That being that a mere student was the one who dealt with all this, right at the beginning of his high school years, at that!

What had initially been dismissed as another major incident swiftly handled by All Might was now being seen in a completely different light: A disaster that most Pros would struggle with, top ones even, handled by a kid alone.

Naturally, the public was excited. The idea of such a strong student becoming a future hero brought hope.

If this was his ability only two weeks into U.A., how strong would he become by graduation?

For many, the future looked bright.

—But not everyone agreed.

Some looked past the raw power and fixated on something else.

The violence shown.

A fifteen-year-old, already capable of mutilating a villain? The brutality could be chalked up to desperation, but his posture, precision, and discipline didn't look desperate. It looked like carefully thought-out and calculated steps.

That raised concerns. Although injuries and worse were sometimes expected from a profession such as this, it wasn't just the act that shocked the people, but the age of the one doing them, and his attitude toward it.

A kid already capable of doing that without batting an eye, just what kind of pro hero would he grow up to become?

And probably not only a pro hero, but one of the top ones at that.

Others questioned U.A.'s teachers for allowing a kid to be the one to shoulder all that. Where was All Might during that fight? Why were the teachers not there to help?

In summary: How the hell had a mere student been forced to deal with a terrorist attack on his own?

But while debates about morals and ethics continued, online discussions had already drifted to more chaotic territory, as was characteristic.

[Nuloc1L: Some ppl out there winning the quirk lottery while I'm stuck with the power to make my nose hair longer.]

→[Captainbush: Mine's making my ass hair longer, we must be related.]

[Aretne_ehcel777: He's got moves. Unless his Quirk teaches him to fight like that, he must have trained a lot. As expected of a UA student.]

[TeamcoldxX: What's with that villain? He looks like he dumbs out at the end when the kid slams him without resistance.]

→[IcreatePallets: Maybe he was just too tired. Dude went wild in the last minutes moving even without some extremities. Maybe his body hit its limit.]

→[QuirkConnoisseur42: He freezes up when the other two villains leave. The student also went for them, so maybe the big guy was being controlled? Brainwashing or something?]

→[HotdogMaker: Maybe he was sad he got abandoned lol.]

[LemonstoneGOD]: Who would win, unknown U.A. first-year or All Might?]

→[Sceptik89: Bro comparing anyone to All Might is a joke.]

→[SteelLunchbox: Compare him to someone actually measurable lol.]

→[RkinesisFanboy: How about Rockinesis? Both have a telekinesis-type quirk.]

→[Iwriteragebait: Now that you say it, they are kinda similar. The only difference is that Rockinesis has like ten abilities in one quirk. This kid's like three.]

→[Joemama66: Maybe he'll get more. The energy around him seems to be the source. Maybe he compresses it into blades for cutting? No clue about the lightning and fire tho.]

→[TinFoilHero77: Maybe they're related lol.]

→[NoMight: Hear me out, what if they are the same person?

→[TinFoilHero77: Someone kick this delusional guy.]

Talks like those were happening all across the internet wherever the footage had reached.

Outside the online storm, though, life continued as usual. Some people were shaken by the violence or impact of the incident; others weren't, and after a raised eyebrow or two, they simply went on with their day.

But one thing was certain.

This was the day the name Takahashi began spreading.

—Like, because of Taka, not because the name suddenly got trendy or something.

…

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°

°

| Kamino's secret bar, hours earlier… |

…

"Damn it!" Shigaraki snarled as he slammed his fist onto the counter. Behind it, Kurogiri continued polishing a glass with calm, mechanical composure.

Shigaraki staggered forward, one hand already clawing at his neck.

"Why, why, why?! What kind of garbage luck is this? Why does a secret-boss show up right when I'm trying to raid the final boss?!"

-Tap-

Kurogiri set the glass down.

—CRASH!—

Shigaraki immediately slapped it across the room, sending shards spraying against the wall.

{"Now, now… calm down, Tomura,"} a voice echoed from a nearby monitor—audio only, no image. {"What matters is that you escaped. You live to try again."}

"Master…" Shigaraki turned toward the speaker, his rage simmering but not dying out.

{"Oi, Tomura!"} another voice snapped through the same speaker, sharper, older. {"Where's my precious Nomu? I don't see it with you!"}

"It was defeated," Shigaraki said flatly.

{"By All Might?"} The first voice asked, almost entertained.

"No. By one of the brats. He handled everything—the villains, Kurogiri… and the Nomu, all alone."

{"Impossible!"} The second voice barked. {"Nomu was designed to beat All Might into the pavement! How could a student defeat it?!"}

"I don't know! I don't know, okay?!" Shigaraki exploded, scratching harder. "Some brat just appeared and tore through my entire plan like it was nothing! The Nomu put up a fight, but in the end, it still got wiped!"

{"How, Tomura?"The first voice asked calmly.

Shigaraki clicked his tongue. "The kid hit it at first. It did nothing as expected... But then he pulled out some weird, blunt blade and somehow sliced Nomu apart over and over. Regeneration did what it was supposed to until he made fire and electricity appear out of nowhere and burned the healing out completely."

Kurogiri spoke up next. "... He was surrounded by a crimson energy that behaved similarly to telekinesis. It nullified my Quirk entirely, almost like a direct counter. And based on the other abilities he displayed… that 'energy' may be capable of more."

"A Quirk that versatile?" the second voice muttered. "How did we never hear of him?"

The first voice, still unfazed by everything, gave a light chuckle. "Who knows, doctor? Maybe the Association raised him in secret, intending to eventually make him a replacement for All Might. Or maybe he's just some lucky boy with a rare Quirk. Either way…I'll ask our little insider to dig up information. A child like that is too interesting to ignore."

"Hm… that reminds me," the 'doctor' said, "it is strange that both of our recent operations were ruined by telekinesis-type Quirks. And both users seemed to wield multiple abilities."

"You're right," the first voice mused, sounding almost but not completely surprised. "I almost forgot what happened to Machia… Well, no harm in being curious. Let's dig into this boy's past—see what sort of creature we're dealing with. What did you say his name was?"

Shigaraki practically hissed, hatred bleeding into his tone. "Takahashi. That's what Eraser Head called him."

"Takahashi…" the first voice repeated, amused. "Let's see if his Quirk will make a fine addition."

…

°

°

°

| U.A.'s office, one day later… |

…

"We've gathered here to discuss yesterday's incident. I apologize for calling everyone in so soon. How are you feeling, Aizawa-kun?" Nezu asked, turning toward one side of the table.

Aizawa sat there calmly, wrapped in multiple layers of bandages.

"I'm fine. Recovery Girl handled my injuries fairly easily, since there weren't too many. She advised I rest for a while."

"Efficient as always," Nezu nodded, pleased. Then he turned to the opposite end. "And you, All Might? You overworked yourself a bit yesterday during your rush to save the students."

All Might—currently in his shrunken form—waved him off with an embarrassed smile. "Since I wasn't able to do much, aside from the lingering pain afterward, my muscle form wasn't taxed too heavily."

Nezu nodded again.

"Well then, since everyone seems okay, let's get to the heart of the matter… how this disaster happened in the first place."

One teacher raised a hand. "It must have stemmed from the press incident last week. They probably used that chaos to slip in and gather whatever information they needed, it also answers who was the one who destroyed our gate."

"I was thinking the same," Nezu agreed. "Though the speed at which they acted is still baffling. Leaving that aside… do we have any information on the two who got away?"

Aizawa lifted a hand slightly.

"The police don't have much. However, from the brief exchange I had with the one who seemed to be in charge—'Shigaraki' was his name, according to Takahashi's testimony—I was able to get a read on him. As a grown adult who still hadn't shed the sense of omnipotence kids have, he behaved like a man-child. Treated the whole attack like a video game, and got easily frustrated when things didn't go his way... As for his Quirk..."

One of his hands touched his elbow, where the villain's Quirk hurt him yesterday.

"It seems to decay whatever his palms touch. However, it appears to require prolonged contact; otherwise, the effect stops spreading."

Nezu nodded slowly.

"For someone like that to gather so many villains, no matter how petty or low level… and to have someone by his side strong enough to allegedly contend with All Might… something doesn't add up. I'd lean towards the possibility of someone behind all this, backing him... Someone powerful."

All Might's expression darkened. He had already spoken with Tsukauchi, and based on the Nomu's abnormalities, both had reached the same unsettling conclusion. The possibility that that person was behind this wasn't small.

"We were incredibly lucky this time," Nezu ultimately said with a sigh. "We were taken by surprise, and at a moment when All Might wasn't available. Had Takahashi not been there, I genuinely wonder how things would have turned out."

"About him, Principal," Aizawa said, his brows furrowing. "During the fight, he demonstrated abilities beyond what his Quirk should allow. His abnormal power, for what appears to be a relatively normal Quirk, was something I overlooked once—there's always the chance a simple Quirk hides great potential. But these other abilities are too much to ignore. Do you know anything about it?" Aizawa asked.

Nezu paused, thinking.

"Takahashi has indeed informed me of a few changes his Quirk has undergone over the past week. Though they most likely span over a few months."

"That makes it sound like you're acquainted with him, Principal," Aizawa noted, brow arched.

Nezu seemed unbothered. "Yes. He and I met some time ago. His case was quite unusual—awakening a Quirk very late, much like Midoriya in your class."

All Might flinched slightly.

"I took an interest in his situation. After meeting him and seeing his potential, I offered him a spot in the recommendation exam. Funnily enough, he refused and insisted on taking the regular entrance exam. Still, he's someone I have very high hopes for."

All Might sweatdropped. This all sounded fairly similar to his own situation and young Midoriya's.

Have a "late awakening" of their Quirk, and then receive the support of a high authority in the world of heroes. There were differences, sure, but both their situations were almost comically mirroring.

Was Nezu also raising a future Number One in secret?

Nezu turned to him with a polite smile—one that somehow said everything and nothing at the same time—before facing Aizawa again.

"What's even more surprising," the principal continued, "is that in the short time he's had his Quirk, it's undergone multiple growth spurts through training. And since U.A. started, he has confided in me about new applications of his Quirk—precisely what you witnessed yesterday."

'Though not the ability to manifest electricity and fire.' Nezu thought, his smile stretching a tiny bit as he spoke.

But he didn't mention that part.

Aizawa nodded, silent for a beat before sighing. "I'll need an exact description to know what I'm dealing with. And you should document all this with the Quirk Association before it gets classified as a purposefully misleading Quirk."

"I'll prepare a dossier with everything you need by the end of the day," Nezu replied. "As for re-registering his Quirk, he and I are handling it. Given the Association's limitations on reapplications, we'd prefer to let as many changes manifest as possible before submitting."

Aizawa nodded in his usual bored tone. "Fair enough."

…

°

°

°

| Takahashi's house… |

…

"Achoo!"

Taka's head snapped forward as a sneeze escaped him.

Wiping under his nose with a finger, he grumbled, "Damn, someone must be talking about me."

A couple of seconds later, he burst out laughing.

"Of course someone's talking about me. I'm fricking famous!"

On his screen, a Yotube video replayed the USJ fight—specifically his clash with the Nomu. Below it, the view counter was already sitting in the several hundreds of thousands.

Not on the level of his music video, sure… but if you considered the ten or so reuploads on other channels, News stations' official accounts, and platforms, the reach was massive.

And so was the aura.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

[STATUS PAGE]

▸ Strength: (169 Base) 1472

▸ Defense: (338 Base) 1507

▸ Aura Projection: 40,000

─────────────

Total Aura: 42,472

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Since last night—just one night after the video went viral—his aura had gone up by roughly five thousand points.

A pretty substantial jump, considering it encompassed at least a month of constant passive earnings in just one night.

And this was just the first few hours since it became viral. The gains would probably grow a bit more after this.

Taka eyed the numbers with satisfaction.

Of course, he doubted the surge of aura would last. Two, maybe three days more, with each day slowing down, and then the gain would drop hard to its usual rate of around a hundred something per day, if maybe a bit bigger.

Such was the sad reality of relying on news and whatnot.

Music was a steadily growing passive farm of aura, as people would revisit the song and feel awe, even if not as strong as the first time.

News, on the other hand, burned bright but died pretty fast.

No matter how impressive the video was, eventually it would fade from public memory, right alongside the whole incident, when something else took the spot of the most important news of the day. There were epic battles galore nowadays, although a bit shocking, it was something plenty of seen around.

That's just how the world worked, sadly.

By his estimates, he'd maybe cap out around 46k or 47k before things slowed down again. Not an enormous increase, but more than enough for what came next.

The Sports Festival.

Now that… THAT was an aura-farming event.

If everything he remembered about it held true, this would be the moment to rake it in.

The entire country watched it—not just casually, but culturally. It was like THE activity to watch that day, no matter the age or place.

Kinda like World Cups for football/soccer in Taka's old world. Those disrupted pretty much all activities due to their importance in many countries.

And in this case, the Sports Festival was that.

Not to mention that the overseas numbers were nothing to scoff at either. Although he didn't know how effective their influx of aura would be due to the distance, maybe it'd be a step to start earning aura globally.

Sure, the third-years usually stole more attention overall, but things might be a bit different from previous competitions.

After all, this year had Todoroki and Iida—big names, big families, and thus big reputations.

Bakugo had a villain incident last year, too, but he doubted it would steal much spotlight.

And then, of course… There was him.

The USJ video he had his clone take hadn't been only for aura farming—it was bait. A perfect hook to draw eyes toward the first years at the Sports Festival and make sure his name was fresh in people's minds.

Now the stage was set.

All he needed was for classes to resume, for Aizawa to make the announcement, and then?

He could focus on his own performance and that of his class, so everyone could put on the best show they could.

So he could shine the brightest and get even stronger.

Taka chuckled to himself, smug as ever.

Then he flopped onto his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"There's truly no rest for the aura farmer," he sighed.

Honestly, yesterday's fight had drained him of all energy. Good thing U.A. had canceled classes for a day after the whole disaster.

He was definitely going to catch up on sleep.

'And it was revealing too,' he thought, remembering the instant he clashed directly with the Nomu.

In game terms—just how Shigaraki would love to phrase it—the Nomu was like a late-game mini-boss dropped into the tutorial area to stomp underleveled protagonists.

Still far weaker than the true end-game bosses, but beating it was a solid benchmark of where Taka currently stood… even if he'd had to pull a few hidden cards from up his sleeve to win that fight.

He recalled that Nomu was seen as All Might–tier by the fans in his old world, but in his opinion, it was just a matter of type advantage—like fire beating water.

If someone like Endeavor had shown up, he might've turned Shigaraki's "secret weapon" to ash in a single blast, cauterizing the regeneration and using a kind of attack the Nomu couldn't absorb.

If he managed to do that before he had his face stomped—but nevermind that.

All Might just struggled because he was a brawler—the literal thing the Nomu countered—and was weakened. Yet, even then, he managed to outspeed and outdamage the Quirk zombie, going beyond its absorbing threshold.

Without that shock-absorption Quirk, the Nomu would have probably been dead in just one punch.

Regardless, the fight gave Taka a clearer picture of his actual strength.

He was nowhere near All Might or All For One.

But he was undeniably strong—stronger than something on the level of the Nomu.

Which already put him leagues above most villains in the near future.

'On that note… everything ahead seems a bit weak, doesn't it?'

USJ had been an abnormal event, a ridiculous spike in difficulty that, originally, only All Might could have handled.

Well—him too, now.

Everything after that was more manageable for the protagonists, not enough to sideline them.

Stain. The League's antics. The Shie Hassaikai…

…

The Shie Hassaikai.

Taka blinked at that thought, his train of thought derailing completely as his eyes slowly widened, as if someone had thrown over him a bucket of cold water.

Not because of Overhaul—yes, the guy had a strong Quirk, but one utterly countered by Telekinesis. Taka could fold him instantly right now.

No—what hit him wasn't the villain.

It was Eri.

His eyebrows drew together slowly as the realization sank in.

A wave of guilt hit him.

Taka sat up, posture no longer relaxed, staring ahead with a blank yet conflicted look.

"What the hell have I been doing?" he muttered.

Twelve months.

Twelve months spent focused entirely on getting famous, getting stronger, farming aura.

And not once—not even once—had he thought about Eri's situation.

He had completely forgotten about the kid suffering right this second, being experimented on for profit.

All he'd cared about were the future arcs and how to milk them for aura as efficiently as possible.

Aside from a few deaths later in the timeline, he hadn't even considered altering canon until much later.

His brain had just… accepted that Eri would have to wait until her arc arrived to be saved.

Because that was the efficient way to aura farm, the efficient way of using his knowledge.

He hadn't questioned it in the slightest, just accepting it had to be like that, and acting in accordance with it.

For twelve months.

"Shit," Taka whispered, sliding to the edge of the bed, clutching his head with one hand.

The excuse of a lack of power was long gone. He had been in the top tiers of the world for a while now, and even if he hadn't, Overhaul had only been a problem in the show because the guy had some prep time before the heroes arrived. Without it, even Taka from three months ago would have found it easy to deal with him.

And yet, he hadn't done so.

Not even once did the thought pass through his head.

"..."

A few seconds passed, silence stretching as Taka's thoughts ran wild.

Then, a clone burst from his aura, slowly materializing, until the image of another Taka, serious and no longer carefree as clones tended to be, was standing there.

"We have two or three weeks before the Sports Festival," Taka said to him. The clone stayed silent.

Then more clones began materializing one after another, until eventually the room was completely full.

Taka looked up, expression steeled.

"Let's find her within one."

""Yes."" the clones echoed in unison.

…

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-To Be Continued...-

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(A/N: Now comes the awakening arc. Hopefully, you'll like Taka's character development.

I am the author, and I think I did a good job. But who knows, tell me once we are done with it.)

 

[TheDanny]

The mutant villain seemed able to negate blunt force with his Quirk, judging by the ease with which he ignored the student's early barrage of punches, only to somehow be affected by the slashes of his opponent once he took out his blade.

But then, it went even further, as the moment one of its arms was sent flying, the footage showed clearly how he regenerated it in a matter of seconds.

Click to shrink...

Yeaaaaahhhhh, there are definitely some downsides to releasing that video. One of which is just the sheer stick up the ass MHA Japan has with quirk use. The trio who took out Stain were only let off so lightly cause no one else knew the truth. They told the media that it was Endeavor who fought the villain cause otherwise they'd have to punish the students.

A fifteen-year-old, already capable of mutilating a villain?

Click to shrink...

There it is.

"Takahashi…" the first voice repeated, amused. "Let's see if his Quirk will make a fine addition."

Click to shrink...

Spoiler

 

[Hilight]

He might be a dumbass, but he's a generally good natured one.

 

[Laath-]

You know how could he repent and aura farm at the same time?

Shoulder loli

True aura farmers either disregard clothing or have a shoulder loli while figthing. The first is " I don't plan to get hit, so why wear armor?" while the second denotes you're so skilled you can afford to have a loli hanging off you while fighting.

 

[Despacitoleo]

YEAG DAUGHTER AQUIRED AND SHOULDER LOLI

EDIT:ninjad

 

[Sharker117]

Can already imagine him and monke dad fighting over who gets to spoil her more.

 

[sergey54321060]

True aura farmers either disregard clothing or have a shoulder loli while figthing. The first is " I don't plan to get hit, so why wear armor?" while the second denotes you're so skilled you can afford to have a loli hanging off you while fighting.

Click to shrink...

That's why Aizen will never outfarm Kenpachi, who does both of those things

 

[Cadmus von Eizenbern]

True. Aizen's "let me put your BGM on mute" is cool, but Kenpachi... he's on whole different level.

 

[LeonT]

I refuse to believe saving Eri doesn't add a static bonus to Aura.

 

[The Synonym]

Join my Patreon to get access to more chapters, and you'll help me make ends meet while doing so.

patreon.com/TheSynonym

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[Sports Festival Incoming]
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| The next day |

…

-Shaaa-

The classroom door slid open as usual.

It was still early, so only a few students had arrived so far, like Iida, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, and Midoriya, who were usually the most punctual. Those more energetic, like Kirishima and Bakugo, had already arrived too, along with Jiro, Tsuyu, Shoji, and a handful of others who happened to get here early as well.

As the sound of the door opening reached them, those more talkative and bored out of their minds turned to see who it was. Hoping they could have someone to talk to while they waited for class to start.

Instead, they were in for a surprise.

"Eh?!"

Kirishima's eyes widened like platters at the familiar figure standing calmly in the doorway.

"Taka?! You're early?" he asked, eyes blinking repeatedly as if not believing it.

"For real?" Jiro's head snapped toward the door, jaw-dropping.

"This is unprecedented, kero," Tsuyu added.

Taka just stared at them with a deadpan expression.

"I woke up a bit earlier," he said as he passed by their spots, before then heading straight for his seat.

"Ah—" Kirishima looked like he wanted to talk a bit more, but in Taka's tone, even if barely a shade different, something felt heavier.

Like an actual seriousness, unlike what Taka usually showed.

And it wasn't just him who noticed.

As Taka sat down, even Yaoyorozu hesitated to greet him, letting him simply drop into his seat and cross his arms in silence like always.

Midoriya, on the other hand, felt more nervous than usual, feeling the oddness in Taka's attitude.

'It must be—that.'

Right away, many of them connected the shift with yesterday's leaked footage of him fighting the Nomu and the public reaction that came from it.

—And as they did, the air in the classroom shifted too, with many recalling the graphic images of their seemingly serene classmate fighting the Nomu with brutal precision, slicing through limbs again and again.

Back then, at the USJ, the class had been pretty far from the fight. That distance, plus the speed of the battle, and the stress and adrenaline running through their bodies at that moment, had dulled the shock of their classmate's actions severely.

But the video that leaked out the other day had no such interferences aside from blurring the most gory images.

When they saw it, there was nothing blocking the real ferocity behind that fight anymore.

They all knew hero work could get bloody—accidents, villain brutality, life-or-death battles… it was part of the job. But they were still kids, inexperienced both in battle and in situations like that in general. Seeing their classmate, someone they saw every day, fighting with that level of ferocity was jarring to say the least.

—Still, none of them felt the right to criticize Taka, nor to judge him. Not when, at the moment of truth, they just stood back, unable to do anything. All while he took care of everything.

Even tactically, what he'd done was necessary. The Nomu regenerated, and it absorbed normal impacts like nothing. A more ethical fight, for the sake of protecting their eyes, wouldn't have worked.

And yet, no one in there could erase their unease fully.

The room fell into an awkward silence, the tension building around the person at the center of it… who kept his eyes closed and waited quietly for class to start.

At least, until—

"Oi, Takahashi. You're not seriously worrying over what those TV guys said, are you?"

Taka opened one eye and turned.

Jiro stood beside his desk, arms crossed and expression wry.

"People like that love to hear themselves talk," she said. "Their opinions aren't worth much. You saved all of us, what's so bad about that?"

Kirishima snapped out of his daze, leaning forward with renewed energy. "Y-yeah! Don't mind them, bro! You saved our asses back there—that's what really matters, right? If anyone feels something's bad with that, then screw 'em!"

After a beat of silence, another person joined in.

"It was scary… But you did what you had to. If you hadn't, who knows what could have happened to us, or the teachers." Tsuyu added from the other side of the room.

A few nods came from some of the students nearby, agreeing with her and joining in to reassure their classmate.

Jiro smiled faintly at the support before turning toward Taka again with a triumphant look.

The person in question remained silent for a moment, eyes drifting over the three of them and some of the other classmates.

They all looked so proud.

"I appreciate the support." Taka suddenly said, before looking at them with a deadpan, "But what are you all talking about?"

"Eh?" all three blurted out at once.

Another wave of awkward silence washed over the room.

"Wait, didn't you see all that stuff those TV experts said?" Kirishima asked, genuinely confused.

Taka gave a faint nod.

"And didn't it bother you?" Kirishima prodded.

Taka raised an eyebrow, scoffing before relaxing in his seat once more. "Fools can talk all they want. It won't change that I will one day stand at the top, whether they like it or not."

Kirishima's face scrunched as a single tear left his eyes, fist clenching in excitement. "So manly… damn it."

At the same time, several of the classmates who had been minding their own business shifted their attention toward Taka, brows tightening as he declared—so casually—that he'd be the number one.

Bakugo clicked his tongue. Todoroki shot him an irritated glance. Midoriya shuddered.

Others simply sweatdropped at the sheer, unshakeable confidence.

Still… they couldn't deny the effect it had on them. That level of certainty—shrugging off criticism, glaring at the future head-on—was something they all wished they had. Especially in a field where that kind of mindset wasn't optional.

With the air in the classroom lightening upon seeing their classmate remain strong and… uh, confident as always, minutes passed while they waited for homeroom to start.

More classmates trickled in. Some nearly toppled over at the sight of Taka already in his seat, while others didn't even notice.

Eventually, the bell rang, declaring the start of class.

And yet, their teacher still hadn't shown up.

"I wonder who's gonna teach us now," Uraraka murmured. "Aizawa-sensei got really hurt the other day…"

"Maybe All Might?" Tsuyu offered, prompting several hopeful nods.

"What about Midnight?" Kaminari offered another suggestion with a wide smile.

Many of the male students there gave slow, barely detectable nods. The girls, on the other hand, just glared at him with a deadpan expression, causing Kaminari to shrink in his spot.

-Shaaa-

Their guesses died immediately when the door slid open.

In walked a completely bandaged but familiar figure, voice muffled and flat.

"Morning."

"Aizawa-sensei?!" the class shouted upon seeing their teacher enter in that state.

To be wrapped up like a mummy and still show up to teach… just how serious was he about his job?!

Aizawa's gaze swept over them—lingering on Taka for a second longer—before he stepped fully inside.

"Are you alright, sensei?!" Iida asked in alarm.

"I'm fine," Aizawa said, with the tone of someone ending the topic permanently. His eyes sharpened. "Instead of worrying about me, worry about yourselves."

The class stiffened.

'What did we do?! Why does he sound mad?!'

Aizawa didn't drag it out.

"The Sports Festival is nearing."

"...!" The class gasped in shock.

"It was just a normal school activity…!" Kirishima and several others trembled with excitement.

—At least, until Jiro raised her hand.

"Is it really okay to hold the festival so soon? I mean, villains broke in just a few days ago." She asked, looking unsure about the whole thing.

Ojiro, sitting across her, nodded. "What if they attack again?"

Aizawa didn't even blink. "U.A. wants to demonstrate that our crisis response is solid, so security will be increased fivefold compared to past years to make sure nothing happens at all… And besides, the Sports Festival is far too important to cancel over some measly villains."

Everyone gulped.

That hadn't felt like some 'measly' villains as he painted it.

But deep inside, they couldn't refute his words.

No one needed a reminder of what the Sports Festival meant for U.A. and the students. As future heroes in training, impressing pro agencies was essential—and this event was the biggest stage they had to do that.

Aizawa then proceeded to give them a debrief on the whole event. Date, the number of pro heroes to expect, and some of the organizations that would broadcast the whole thing. All so they could get in their heads just how important the approaching event was.

Huffing satisfied once he saw them all looking pretty nervous, he decided to give them a break from the information dump. "You only get three chances, once each year, to show the pros what you're made of. If you plan to become heroes, then your future starts here. Act rationally, and prepare thoroughly."

His gaze flicked to Taka again.

"I'm repeating it one more time just in case any of you were absent-minded. You have two weeks to polish yourselves; if you're rational, make the most of it… That's all, class dismissed."

Aizawa then picked up his things and left, leaving behind a dumbstruck class.

Only for that baffled silence to flip into an eruption of excited chatter in the classroom.

But as everyone got up to chat about the whole thing, unable to contain their excitement, Taka didn't join in. His eyes stayed fixed on the board, more focused than on any other day.

…

°

°

°

| Lunch Period |

…

"You guys, I asked Cementoss how we're supposed to have time to prepare for the Sports Festival when we'll be drowning in classes until then," Sato said, lifting a finger factually. "Turns out, during Hero Basic Training, they'll let us use the whole hour to train at Ground Beta."

Everyone around the table perked up at that, utensils stopping.

"That huge fake-city?" Kaminari asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jiro massaged one of her earlobes in thought. "I guess Quirks will be allowed then."

Sato nodded, "So… what do you think? Should we step up our training sessions and use our Quirks?"

To his surprise, though, the moment he suggested that, no one looked thrilled.

"I mean, it sounds exciting," Kirishima admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But realistically? If Taka uses his Quirk, it's gonna be an instant game over. We won't even get to fight back."

Jiro nodded flatly. "Yeah. Plus, we're already pretty solid when it comes to teamwork. The Sports Festival is mostly solo stuff anyway, so I kinda want to train my Quirk on my own."

"Same," Mina sighed, slumping a little. "It'd be fun, but I need to work on other things too."

Suddenly, Taka set his utensils down, finally lifting his gaze from the spicy curry he had just finished demolishing.

"Maybe one-on-one matches would suit you guys better," he suggested calmly.

"Against you?" Jiro deadpanned.

Taka shrugged. "Against me, against each other. Either works. There's always an event where students get pitted against one another at the festival. That kind of training fits the format."

Everyone fell silent, the idea rolling around in their heads.

Regardless of their hesitation, Taka stood, picking up his tray.

"Either way, there's no Hero Basic Training today, so think it over."

And with that, he walked off.

A quiet moment lingered at the table.

"He seems a little more talkative today… or am I imagining things?" Mina said, scratching her head.

"No, he definitely spoke more than usual," Kirishima agreed, eyebrow raised as he watched Taka's back disappear around a corner.

Jiro let out a light breath. "He talks more than he looks like he does. I guess he just opened up a bit today."

"You and him sure talk a lot, huh?" Mina asked, leaning forward with a mischievous grin.

"W–what's that supposed to mean?" Jiro sputtered.

While his friends kept chatting, Taka walked out of the cafeteria, letting the voices fade behind him as he moved down the quiet hallways of U.A., giving his thoughts free space to run.

"Two weeks, huh?" He exhaled slowly.

He'd miscalculated by a whole week—thought he had three, but no, just two.

That… significantly cut down the time he had to whip his classmates into shape.

And that wasn't counting the other thing occupying his attention right now.

"It's gonna be a busy couple of weeks…" he muttered, brows drawing together.

Nothing he couldn't handle, though.

At worst, he'd send a clone to school in his stead.

He'd prefer not to, though. They behaved rather questionably, and letting them close to his aura farming spot was a big no-no, unless desperate times called for desperate measures.

So, with the problem of probably being overwhelmed with things to do in the next couple of weeks resolved, Taka focused on the next problem.

'How am I supposed to get everyone else to join the training?' He sighed again, this one long and drained.

He'd barely spoken to most of the class. Naturally, that was coming back to bite him in the ass.

'Consequences consequences. They are fucking everywhere.' He groaned inwardly, massaging his face in exhaustion.

A brief silence followed in which Taka mused over the problem, trying to find a way to get everyone to accept becoming his pupils.

"Maybe I can just get Mina and the others to invite them… surely they can do so, they actually talk to the others, unlike me." He muttered.

Worst case, he'd crawl out of his edgy shell and invite people himself.

Or send a clone to do so.

'That seems better.'

Taka snorted.

—Click—

Just then, as he passed the teachers' lounge, the door slid open, and two figures stepped out at the exact moment he walked by.

Curious, he turned his head—and froze.

And so did the other two.

"Y-young Takahashi, good to see you here!"

"T-Takahashi-san…!"

Midoriya and All Might, walking out of a room together, probably having eaten together.

'Man, these two are terrible at hiding their secret.'

His eyebrow twitched. He stared at them flatly, eyes moving between teacher and student with the driest deadpan imaginable.

Still, he resisted the urge to comment on their nonexistent acting skills and instead gave them a curt, polite nod.

He was fully prepared to move past them, pretend he'd seen nothing, and let them continue failing at subtlety.

But just as he took a step—

"A-ah! Young Takahashi, could you stay for a second?" All Might called, making Taka stop mid-stride like someone had pressed pause on him.

"Eh?" Midoriya glanced between them, confused and even a little anxious.

He stayed there for a bit, apparently thinking this was something he had to hear or something.

But with a gentle push from All Might and a forced cough, the kid was dismissed and forced to walk away.

'To even shoo away your successor…'

Now, Taka couldn't help but feel genuinely curious.

Just what did his future errand boy want with him?

…

────────────────────────

-To Be Continued...-

────────────────────────

(A/N: Short chapter today, because I'm evil, and because I apparently had creative block at the time I wrote this.



Did you guys watch the One Piece live-action's second season? I liked it a lot. For some reason, Chopper's backstory always manages to make my disinsetized self cry a little. Which is good, I guess. I'd say I'm becoming indifferent to plenty of stuff.)

 

[Silverias]

Gettin' real big for your britches, Taka.

The universe really loves to punish people with that sort of attitude.

 

[Despacitoleo]

WE GETTING A SHOULDER LOLI

 

[2567]

To call The Symbol Of Peace your future fucking errand boy every goddamn time. What the hell man... that's so Manly!!

 

[Omega_69]

I kinda need this character to get his ego deflated a bit. Everyone knows that if one acts too cocky the aura gods need to smack them down in response.

 

[leks]

I kinda need this character to get his ego deflated a bit. Everyone knows that if one acts too cocky the aura gods need to smack them down in response.

Click to shrink...

I think there are not enough moments when Taka can be himself. We've already seen this in his mind, but the next level is communication with another person who you can trust and at least open up a little.

 

[TheDanny]

Now, Taka couldn't help but feel genuinely curious.

Just what did his future errand boy want with him?

Click to shrink...

Kek!

 

[Omniext]

Just what did his future errand boy want with him?

Click to shrink...

SDFJKHADJSFH TAKA
them's bold words

 

[The Synonym]

Join my Patreon to get access to more chapters, and you'll help me make ends meet while doing so.

patreon.com/TheSynonym

────────────────────────
[Challenge]
────────────────────────

…

After Midoriya left, All Might gave Taka a gentle pat on the shoulder and a wry smile.

"You look a bit weary, young Takahashi. Any lingering issues from your fight at USJ? Do you need Recovery Girl to take a look?"

"Not really. My schedule just got tighter, that's all."

All Might blinked, then his eyebrows shot up. "Ah—yes, the Sports Festival. I was just discussing it with your classmate, young Midoriya."

Taka raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

He couldn't remember exactly what this scene had been about in the show, but he was pretty damn sure it hadn't been a casual chat about the upcoming event.

Maybe All Might wasn't lying… but he was definitely leaving something out.

—Not that he cared much. It probably was something along the lines of Midoriya being his successor and having to aim for first place. Normal shonen stuff.

"Well, since we're on the topic," All Might continued, "that's actually why I asked you to stop. There's a favor I'd like to ask of you, young Takahashi."

Taka blinked.

The All Might, needing something from him? Weird.

He had made sure he and all his classmates knew he was hella strong, but All Might wasn't exactly the type to need backup.

So what—

'Ugh. It's probably more paperwork for the class rep,' His face twitched.

All Might noticed and sweatdropped. "D-don't worry. It's not too much... I think."

He cleared his throat, shifting into a more serious posture.

"You're strong, young Takahashi. Perhaps even stronger than I was when I was studying here."

"That much I know," Taka answered without hesitation.

"Ahem—anyway. The point is, your strength is exceptional... And not only that. From what I was able to gather since we met, you possess both the experience and instincts to accompany your grand power, making you, not exaggerating, already ahead of many pro heroes."

All Might then sighed, his face turning faintly worried.

"Big-name heroes will almost certainly be fighting over who gets to intern you after the festival. But your classmates, even though they are at a level expected of them at this point… may not be so lucky."

Taka's eyes narrowed. He could already see where this was going.

"The contrast will be too big," he muttered.

All Might nodded.

"That's why I wanted to ask you to help them grow in the time left before the festival... Especially those who are struggling."

Taka caught the tone instantly, eyebrow rising. "Like Midoriya?"

"E-erm."

A snort escaped Taka before he could stop it.

'This guy seriously sucks at acting.'

He forced the laugh back down and managed to recover his poker face, though All Might looked even more helpless than before.

"I know it's asking a lot," All Might continued, "and it's time you could be using to prepare yourself for the Sports Festival, but—"

Taka lifted a hand, stopping him.

"I already planned to."

"O-oh? Really?" All Might brightened instantly.

Taka nodded. "In front of an event this important, as a class representative, isn't it my duty to help my classmates prepare thoroughly so they can achieve their goals?"

"Young Takahashi..." All Might looked touched.

—At least, until Taka spoke again, freezing All Might mid-smile.

"Don't worry. From what I've seen, Midoriya's control over his Quirk is terrible. But while two weeks might not be much, by the end of it, I assure you, you'll have a Midoriya who can actually fight like a hero."

All Might lifted a hesitant finger. "A-and your other classmates too, of course. Don't forget about them. Young Midoriya is just one of them."

Taka suppressed another snort.

"Sure."

All Might looked dissatisfied with the curt answer as if he hadn't actually managed to clear up the "misunderstanding," which, of course, wasn't a misunderstanding at all.

But in the end, he simply sighed.

"Then, I thank you, young Takahashi. Now go, classes are starting soon. Don't let me keep you."

"Then, see you, All Might," Taka nodded, turned around, and walked off with his usual calm.

Though if All Might had been able to see his face, he could have caught the small smirk that took over Taka's lips as he left.

He couldn't, though, so he missed it.

Only once he disappeared around the corner did All Might finally exhale.

"That young man is far too perceptive…"

…

°

°

°

| Minutes later… |

…

After lunch, everyone returned to the classroom, waiting out the last two hours of the day.

Taka was the last to enter—not by choice, but thanks to All Might's little detour.

The moment he sat down, he noticed a certain greenhead sneaking very obvious glances his way.

Given that Midoriya sat right in front of him, it wasn't subtle at all.

"You want something?"

"Huh?!—Ah… yes?" Midoriya stammered, already thrown off. "U-uhm… what did you and All Might talk about?"

Taka stared at him. 'What are you, his jealous girlfriend?'

After a beat of silence, thinking of something, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Not much, he just said something about making me his next successor."

"W–WHAT?!" Midoriya nearly toppled out of his chair, eyes wide with terror and disbelief.

"I'm joking."

Once again, Midoriya almost fell from his chair.

He actually let out a tiny sigh of relief before shooting Taka a wry, tired look.

'Caught you lacking. Still too green it seems… though, I guess that's your natural color,' Taka thought with a snort.

"He asked me a favor," Taka clarified. "Which, actually, involves you."

"Eh?" Midoriya was startled.

Taka continued regardless. "I've noticed your control over your Quirk is pretty lacking. Like Aizawa-sensei said last week, it's more a hindrance than help at this point."

Beneath his desk, Midoriya's fists clenched in frustration, eyebrows creasing.

He didn't like what he was hearing, but he couldn't deny it. It was the truth.

As he was now, he couldn't even count on his Quirk since it destroyed whatever part of his body he used it on

While powerful, it was a one-time-use card.

But what could he do? The output was just too much for his current body to bear!

Regardless of his feelings, Taka went to the point.

"... So, how about I help you train during the next two weeks until the Sports Festival?"

"H-huh?!"

Silence fell upon the two.

Actually, not just the two, the tables around fell into silence as well.

It wasn't just Midoriya who looked stunned. Those around looked pretty gobsmacked as well.

Which was to be expected, actually, the classroom wasn't particularly big, and Taka's voice was pretty distinct.

Still, he didn't look worried about the fact that others had been overheard, and instead simply glared at Midoriya with a questioning gaze.

His eyes seemed to say: Are you in, or are you chickening out?

Naturally, in front of such a piercing gaze, and the fact that All Might himself seemed to have asked him to do this, Midoriya just couldn't find it in himself to refuse.

"U-uh... I mean, I don't see a problem with it?"

"Then it's settled." Taka let out a quiet huff along with a nod. "We'll go over your Quirk when training starts."

"... Okay?"

'Fortune smiles on me again,' Taka thought, leaning back on his chair.

Just when he had been agonizing over how to approach this, All Might arrives and hands Midoriya on a silver platter.

Actually, not just Midoriya, but the rest of his classmates as well.

He now had a proper justification to force them all into proper training by his hand until the sports festival.

He didn't know if his position as class rep had helped All Might make that decision, but if it had, then he was glad he was elected as such.

…

Actually, not that grateful. Just like, 1% grateful, maybe?

This didn't offset the pain in the ass that was handling the menial tasks of being a class rep of a class of heroes in training. All the paperwork he had to check and then hand to everyone, the constant pressure of being the one in charge of others, especially those more volatile, like Bakugo or Todoroki, who didn't like making things easy for him.

'Ugh,' Taka groaned, already fed up with thinking about his responsibilities.

Thus, with the matter of putting his classmates through hell so they could become worthy opponents resolved, Taka decided to close his eyes and go for his usual session of meditation until class started.

Aka, not knowing what else to do in the meantime.

At least, that was the plan, until—

"Hah?! Train Deku?!"

A very distinctive voice came from two seats ahead.

Taka cracked one eye open and, as expected from the volume, saw the class hothead glaring back at him.

Bakugo.

He shot up from his seat and stomped down the aisle toward Taka. "I've had it with that high-and-mighty attitude of yours already… You think you're some kind of hotshot, huh?! That you're so superior you can just go around offering training?!"

He stopped beside Taka's row, looming over him. Taka only stared back with a bored expression, which did absolutely nothing to calm the situation.

"And that silent, shitty attitude—like talking is beneath you. The way you close your damn eyes as if nothing here is worth your time… And worst of all, that look you're giving me right now." His voice sharpened. "You think you're better than me, don't you?!"

"K-Kacchan—" Midoriya tried.

"Shut up, you extra! This doesn't concern you!"

Midoriya shrank back instantly.

Silence fell for a moment. Neither blinked. Neither looked away.

Then—

"Gkh—?!"

A burst of aura slammed into Bakugo—so fast he couldn't even process it—shoving him back just enough for Taka to have space to stand.

"Better than you…" Taka muttered, eyes narrowing as the two stood face to face. "Am I not?"

A vein throbbed on Bakugo's forehead as he pushed forward again, this time grabbing Taka by the collar. Small explosions popped threateningly from his free hand as a manic grin spread across his face.

"Maybe we should settle this right here, huh?! I'm done waiting for the teachers to give me a proper chance to smash your face into the pavement!"

"What do you mean?" Taka replied calmly. "There's one right ahead."

"Ah?!" Bakugo's frown deepened.

It took him a second—then it clicked, his angry expression freezing for a moment.

The Sports Festival.

Taka didn't look away—if anything, his gaze sharpened into a challenge. "If you want to prove you're not a weakling, that's your chance."

Bakugo growled. "Look at you, trying to weasel out of this—Hngh?!"

Another burst of aura snapped outward—this time wrapping around Bakugo entirely.

In an instant, he was shoved downward, forced onto one knee.

Shock flickered across his face as he struggled to get back up, muscles straining.

Only for him to not budge even a bit.

Bakugo's eyes shot up toward Taka with fury, any sort of restraint gone.

Yet, as he tried to attack now that Taka had thrown the first blow, he realized the hard truth.

His hands, stuck on the floor, couldn't lift and attack, no matter how he struggled.

He was utterly paralyzed.

In that position, he suddenly saw Taka's eyes land on him, disdain gleaming in them.

"What's wrong? Did you find something there on the ground?"

"Y-YOU BASTAAARD!" Bakugo screamed in agony at the humiliation, muscles fighting with all they had to get him back to his feet.

Yet, he failed.

"T-takahashi-san... I think that's enough," Midoriya said with panic, eyeing with worry his explosive bully/friend.

Kirishima also joined to help Bakugo. "Y-yeah. I think he learned his lesson... Didn't you, Bakugo?" He ultimately asked, hoping the explosive would know when to give up.

"Shut up!!!"

He didn't.

Seeing his pathetic state and the uncomfortable looks of his classmates, Taka exhaled slowly, then kneeled as well, lowering himself to eye level.

"You get it by now, don't you?" he said softly, staring straight into Bakugo's eyes.

"... Let me go, you piece of—!"

"You're not on my level."

"...!" Bakugo's fury faltered.

Those words had struck a part of him he had been hiding.

He wanted to deny it. His whole life, he had been the prodigy—the untouchable talent destined for the top. Not just because of his Quirk, but because he was Bakugo Katsuki.

He was amazing at everything he did. Combat instincts, firepower, intelligence, even menial stuff.

He was simply a step above the rest, made different from birth.

But then, amidst his perfect world—he showed up.

He saw Taka's results in the Quirk Assessment Test.

He watched him fight Todoroki.

He watched him battle the Nomu and real villains on a level completely different from his.

And now, being pinned to the floor like a weakling, unable to lift a hand against someone his own age, the realization that he had been suppressing until now crept in, cold and undeniable.

He was inferior.

Even if every part of him refused to accept it, the reality he had faced since entering U.A. gave him no room to deny it any longer.

Ultimately… he wasn't up to par.

'No,' The thought echoed in his head.

His teeth ground together, fury flaring back onto his face, not quite ready to yield just yet.

But before he could act on it—

"You've got two weeks," Taka said as he stood up, gesturing upward with one finger. Bakugo was suddenly pulled to his feet as well—still unable to move even a single muscle, but at least, back on his feet.

With them face-to-face again, Taka let out a faint smile.

"Stick this in your head. You are not, and never were, the main character. That was just a delusion created by a fortunate environment."

He stepped forward, eyes shifting into a deep crimson.

"You're a weakling."

Anger flickered in Bakugo, fighting against the desperation of being unable to move.

He wanted to shout, to deny everything, to push back.

But he couldn't.

He couldn't speak. The sheer pressure Taka emitted, for once, made his fiery spirit settle for once, and listen.

And in Taka's voice, he didn't find arrogance, but rather, pure certainty.

For Takahashi, he—Katuski Bakugo, the supposed prodigy he thought he was—was a complete weakling, despite the combat skills he had shown since the start of the school, despite showing he was clearly better than all the extras in this class—in whatever twisted perception Taka had of the world, he, for some reason, remained a complete weakling.

Since U.A. started, the constant reality checks he experienced had been making the illusion he'd been clinging to crumble. What remained was a hollow shell of confidence propping up the idea of "Katsuki Bakugo"—the always advancing, always dominant one.

But a hollow shell in the end, one that couldn't withstand the certainty and power backing up the claim that Taka had just uttered.

So all Bakugo could do was grit his teeth in silence, glaring at Taka with venom mixed with helplessness.

Finally, Taka pulled back. The red glow faded from his eyes until they returned to black.

"But as I said, you have two weeks," he said, tone loosening. "Whether you become someone noteworthy or stay a weakling… that's on you."

"...!"

That single comment snapped Bakugo out of his spiraling.

He remained angry, obviously.

Yet, as Taka sat down again while he remained stuck in place, something flickered across Bakugo's face.

Challenge.

His crumbling confidence had been given a chance. A chance to prove reality, and the bastard in front of him, that what he had always believed was true.

That he was cut above the rest.

For once, Bakugo didn't deny what had been obvious for a while now.

That Taka was stronger... Much stronger.

And that he was undeniably a weakling right now.

But that didn't mean he had been wrong.

Two weeks, he had been given two weeks to show not only this bastard, but to reality itself—

That there was no one like Katsuki Bakugo.

"Alright," A manic grin mixed with pure unrestrained fury passed by Bakugo's face as words were finally able to leave his mouth, his confidence surging. "... I'll make you understand to put you in your place at your precious sports festival!"

Taka raised an eyebrow at the shift in attitude from someone who had been looking like he might cry a second ago.

But in the end, he shrugged the matter off with a snort.

Whatever he was thinking, Taka didn't care.

"Great—now sit. Class is about to start."

Dismissively, he flicked his hand to the side.

In one motion, Bakugo was dropped back into his seat and forced to remain there against his will.

And right then—

The door opened, and Ectoplasm walked in. "Good afternoon, class. Let's pick up where we left off last week."

He paused, scanning the room and noting the awkward atmosphere.

"… Hm? Did I miss something?"

…

°

°

°

| At that moment, somewhere else… |

…

A door swung open, and a small figure rushed inside.

"Gentle, Gentle, I have urgent news!"

The sound of a teacup being set down followed.

"What is it, La Brava? Can't you see it's tea time?"

"Ah—I'm sorry! I've committed a grave mistake!"

She dropped to her knees, bowing deeply.

A low, amused chuckle escaped him.

"It's quite alright, La Brava. We are human; mistakes are part of us. If this news has you so shaken that you interrupted tea time, then I suppose it must be worth the pause. Go on."

La Brava shot upright, practically vibrating.

"I-it's our great rival! He's been acting suspiciously since yesterday!"

"Nani?! Rockinesis, my greatest rival, has returned to action?!"

"N-not exactly as Rockinesis. He's still a normal U.A. student right now. But he's been moving oddly. I think he's preparing for a comeback, Gentle!"

Silence, heavy and growing thicker by the second, befell the room.

Then—

"…Is that so? Excellent. This may be our opportunity, La Brava. Our chance to shake the world once and for all."

…

────────────────────────

-To Be Continued...-

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(A/N: Had a fun time writing this one. Hopefully it wasn't cringe or anything.

Anyway, see you next chap.)

 

[Hilight]

Oh god, they're gonna try to interfere in MC's rescue of a tortured child. They're going to fuck up something he's been giving himself hell over forgetting and it's gonna blow up in everyone's faces.

 

[TheDanny]

N-not exactly as Rockinesis. He's still a normal U.A. student right now. But he's been moving oddly. I think he's preparing for a comeback, Gentle!"

Click to shrink...

Oh shit, La Brava hacked the fucking Pentagon!

 

[ProtoSovereign]

"That young man is far too perceptive…"

Click to shrink...

Nah man, you're just far too obvious.

 

[MorbiIIionaire]

"What's wrong? Did you find something there on the ground?"

Click to shrink...

Ho... why should I feel anger towards someone like you? To bark like a dog ten times your size. I can only feel pity for you.

lol great reference! Absolutely embarrassed that shutter.