Chapter 31
New
The Synonym
Writer of things, and money wanter
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2025
- Messages
- 39
- Likes received
- 2,195
Join my Patreon to get access to more chapters, and you'll help me make ends meet while doing so.
patreon.com/TheSynonym
────────────────────────
[The Truth Comes Out]
────────────────────────
…
"…"
"…"
A contest had begun. A staring contest.
Taka locked eyes with Nezu, and the principal returned the gaze without blinking, silent and unmoving—save for the knowing smile fixed on his muzzle.
Then, Taka's eyes darted to Seiji at his side.
Seiji met his gaze just as unblinkingly, a smug smirk tugging at his lips.
Taka slowly looked back at Nezu.
'I'm being ganged up on…'
A bead of sweat ran down his temple as he felt the weight of both stares pressing into him—heavy, sharp, and painfully aware of the implications behind this little "visit."
Or rather, intervention.
Still… nothing was certain yet.
Maybe Seiji had just bragged about his great and amazing potential to Nezu after their spar the other day, hence his visit?
…No. He doubted Seiji had those kinds of connections.
Taka swallowed nervously.
This was thin ice.
Very thin ice.
He had to choose his words carefully, or everything would go to shit.
"So…" he said at last, feigning confusion as he gestured vaguely at the massive white rat… bear, dog, whatever he was. "Who are you?"
Nezu's ears perked up, delighted.
"Oh my, where are my manners?" he said cheerfully. "I'm Nezu, Principal of U.A. High School. Does that satisfy you, Mr Rockinesis?—oops! I wasn't supposed to say that yet."
"…"
After a long second of sheer disbelief, Taka snorted and shut his eyes.
'Yep. Never mind. Everything went to shit a long time ago.'
Suddenly, something pressed down on his shoulder.
He turned to see Seiji leaning on him casually, staring at him with that same damn smirk.
"You know," Seiji said lightly, "it was quite the surprise when U.A.'s actual principal knocked on my door and explained the certain… connections between a criminal mastermind that's been causing a lot of havoc lately—and my dear little ward. Anything you'd like to say for yourself, Taka?"
"You have no evidence," Taka replied instantly.
"Unfortunately, I do," Nezu cut in pleasantly. "Monetization records from that very successful channel of yours. Bank transfer history. IP address logs. Upload timestamps. Location metadata. And that's just the short list. Shall I continue?"
"…No. That's enough." Taka's poker face crumbled.
He was completely, utterly caught. There was no point in pretending anymore.
'Fucking Quirktube and the bank—where's my right to privacy?! I thought they weren't allowed to share any of that!'
Seiji suddenly burst into laughter, patting Taka's back loudly.
"Well, well, well! Looks like you got caught, little Taka! Your crime spree ends here!"
Taka gave him a long, flat stare.
Then—
"This guy knew too! I'm just a poor, innocent minor! If anyone's going to prison, it should be him!"
Seiji's laughter died instantly, and he snapped his head towards Taka with a panicked look.
"You little shit!"
Taka smirked, pointing at him accusatorily. "If I'm going down, you're coming with me!"
"After I raised you for twelve years, this is how you repay me?!"
"Hahahaha!"
Nezu's sudden cackle cut cleanly through their argument, making both of them snap their attention toward him in disbelief.
"You two really are quite the pair," Nezu said cheerfully. "There's no need to worry. I didn't come here to send either of you to prison, Takahashi-kun… nor you, Seiji-san."
"For real?" they both asked in unison.
Nezu nodded and hopped down from the couch, beginning to pace casually around the living room.
"While I am the principal of a hero school—and would normally be obligated to ensure you face the appropriate legal consequences for what I've discovered—you have, in fact, done some rather brilliant work as a vigilante. Illegal, yes. But impressive nonetheless."
"Hah? Brilliant work? This guy?" Seiji scoffed, poking Taka's cheek mockingly, which the teenager responded to by slapping his hand away.
"Indeed," Nezu replied with a sly smile. He pulled a small disk from his pocket and flicked it onto the floor. A holographic projection flared to life, displaying recordings of Taka's exploits as Rockinesis. "I took the time to analyze all your appearances. And surprisingly, for someone with no formal hero training, your environmental damage control is quite refined."
The images showed Taka redirecting attacks in harmless directions, positioning enemies, reducing his powers' impact on the surroundings, and minimizing collateral destruction.
"Though not perfect," Nezu continued, "you consistently reduced the impact on surrounding infrastructure. That's something even seasoned heroes often neglect. Most people wouldn't even think to prioritize it."
"Heh, that's because of me," Seiji said proudly, crossing his arms while leaning on Taka. "This brat was always tagging along at my job. So I gave him a tip or two about the hero life during my many outings capturing villains."
Taka deadpanned. "Bold of you to assume it's all because of you."
Seiji shot his ward a sideways grin. "Well, am I wrong, little Taka?"
"…No," Taka admitted quietly. "But still."
Nezu smiled and clicked a button on a remote. The projection shifted—now showing footage of Taka, or Rockinesis, clashing with multiple heroes who had attempted to apprehend him.
"Then there's the matter of you fighting heroes," Nezu continued. "Legally speaking, it is resisting arrest, without question. However, you consistently showed restraint. You even held back when you clearly had a very clear advantage."
Taka winced slightly as the footage showed him humiliating a few opponents.
"While you did seem to enjoy embarrassing them more than necessary," Nezu added with a knowing look, "I'll chalk that up to youthful immaturity. In the end, you caused no lasting injuries and disengaged responsibly."
Taka's face relaxed, suspiring relieved.
'Good thing I took something like this into account.'
Nezu clicked the remote once more.
Two final images appeared.
One being Taka's battle against the three A-class villains… And the other—his recent clash with Gigantomachia.
His eyebrow twitched at the clearly recent picture. From what it looked like, it was taken from the coastline with a very good zoom. Whether from the spectating crowd or the police, who knew.
"And finally," Nezu said, his voice turning more solemn, "there is your willingness to face foes that would have placed established heroes in extreme danger. In both of these cases, casualties were not only possible—but likely."
The room grew quiet.
"If you hadn't intervened," Nezu continued, "there was a chance the outcome could have been catastrophic. And while that does not excuse unauthorized hero activity—nor your involvement in conflicts beyond your legal standing—I must thank you. As the principal of U.A., and as someone who values human life, despite not being human myself."
"Uh… sure," Taka replied awkwardly. "You're welcome, I guess."
With that, the projection shut off. Nezu tucked the disk and remote back into his pocket, smiling faintly as the room settled into silence once more.
But then Nezu turned back to Taka. This time, however, his eyes locked onto his with a pressure wholly unbecoming of such a small body.
"Due to all the details I mentioned earlier, and considering your young age, I decided to take a small gamble," he said calmly. "Today, I did not come to apprehend you—nor your guardian—but to offer you a deal."
That immediately caught both ward and guardian's attention.
"But first," Nezu continued, raising one finger in its paw, "there is a question I must ask."
Taka frowned slightly. "What is it?"
Nezu's smile widened—then sharpened.
"What is your true Quirk, Takahashi-kun?"
"...!"
The instant the question left his mouth, the tension in the room spiked violently. Both pairs of eyes snapped onto Taka at once.
"Your registered Quirk, Muscle to Mind, supposedly allows you only to convert physical force into telekinetic power," Nezu continued. "Yet that description is clearly... insufficient to say the least."
He gestured lightly.
"Cloning. Energy manifestation. Physical strength and durability in the superhuman range, matched by an equally abnormal telekinetic ability. And what I can only assume are some degree of precognitive capabilities, judging by how accurately you anticipate crimes and conflicts to crash at them and play your shows."
Nezu's eyes glinted.
"To say your Quirk's official description falls short of its real scope would be a severe understatement, wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
Taka sweatdropped, his gaze sliding away under the weight of that stare.
What was he supposed to say?
He was cornered. Completely.
Nezu had already noticed nearly every ability he'd displayed so far—save for the ones he hadn't yet revealed. And the moment he did in the future, those too would be noticed. Lying now would only guarantee that he'd be caught in that lie later.
So… should he just tell the truth?
This was Nezu—an ally to the main cast. Not the government, with its sick machiavellian stuff, and certainly not a villain's spy. Even if terrifying in his own way, he was one of the few people Taka could reasonably trust. Both because of his proven character and because the guy was simply that competent.
Unless this was some AU where Nezu was secretly the true mastermind behind everything.
Rodent for One, or some shit like that.
'Focus, damn it.'
Realizing his thoughts were drifting, Taka forced himself back to the main point.
He glanced at Seiji—who was practically breathing down his neck, eyes wide and prodding smile brimming with expectation.
Taka trusted Seiji.
As for Nezu… he trusted him too, even if they'd only officially met today. The guy may be a rat, but he was a nice rat.
Or nice bear, or dog, whatever he was.
'I guess... It's fine.'
With a quiet sigh, Taka finally spoke.
"My Quirk's energy source isn't physical strength..." he admitted, his eyes growing serious as the revelations began unfolding. "It's a kind of energy that my body naturally builds up over time, piling up in me like a battery, and which lets me enhance myself, as well as project it into something akin to telekinesis. As for the other abilities… the energy seems to be quite versatile in how it can manifest outside my body, which lets me do all the other stuff—there might be more abilities, but I haven't discovered them yet."
"It accumulates passively?" Nezu asked.
"Yeah. Just on its own."
"And it somehow allows you to create clones, boost your physical prowess to inhuman levels, allegedly predict the future, and control things from afar?"
Taka nodded. "As I said, it's… uh, kind of versatile."
"Damn, kid," Seiji exclaimed from beside him, looking at him in a completely new light.
Nezu chuckled, but tapped the area beneath his muzzle thoughtfully. Clearly, not letting his amusement overshadow his running thoughts.
And while he did that, Taka sighed inwardly.
In the end, he still kept part of the truth to himself.
Not because he didn't trust the people in the room.
Not because he was afraid.
But because—
'The true Aura Farmer always keeps a few cards up his sleeve.' Taka thought, his eyes shining with a faint, sly glint for a second—Of course, just for dramatic effect while you read this. It wasn't something visible either to Nezu or Seiji.
Such a vain reason was all he had in mind when keeping the full information.
Maybe telling everything wouldn't change anything.
Or maybe… it would one day mean the difference between survival and death.
But for now, he preferred to keep those secrets wrapped.
That way, if someday an epic situation arose in which his foe somehow knew about his supposed Quirk and had prepared a countermeasure…
He would make the big reveal—then proceed to crush them with his full power.
That would be truly cool.
Of course, that was all just wishful thinking.
Whether it would actually come true or not was a matter for the future.
"Very well. Despite its bizarreness, I suppose it covers most of the loopholes I had noticed," Nezu suddenly nodded, giving the half-truth a pass.
Seeing that, Taka nodded as well, heaving a sigh of relief inwardly.
But then, he felt a pat on the shoulder.
He turned and saw Seiji smirking at him, looking a bit too excited.
"The next time we spar, you're showing me what you're really capable of."
Taka nodded silently, his expression unchanged.
Though in his mind—
'You just gave me free rein to beat your ass without the system's interference.'
If his aura could manifest a second face that revealed his true emotions, it would be wearing a wicked grin.
While Taka savored the future beating in his head, Seiji turned back to Nezu.
"So, what's this deal you were talking about, Principal?"
"Yes, I was just about to get to that," Nezu nodded, then fixed Taka with a sharp gaze, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You wrote in your desired career plan that you wanted to join U.A., correct?"
Taka nodded, once again inwardly cursing the concept of privacy.
Nezu smiled, offering a handshake. "Given your amazing potential, I want to make sure such talent is properly groomed into becoming a hero in the future, so... what would you say about receiving a recommendation?"
Taka tilted his head, unfamiliar with the term.
But then, Seiji gently smacked his shoulder, whispering it to him. "It means you won't have to take the usual entrance exam everyone else does. Instead, you'll go through the recommendation exam—fewer competitors, and thus better chances of getting in."
Taka's eyebrows lifted, finally realizing it was the method Todoroki and Yaoyorozu used to get in.
Nezu nodded. "Indeed. With the skills you've displayed, I have no doubt you'll excel in the practical portion. As for the written exam, you'll still have to study."
"I see…" Taka murmured, closing his eyes enigmatically for a moment to think, his usual edgy persona slipping as a matter of habit.
Then—
He smiled faintly, looking Nezu straight in the eyes, confident and unflinching—
"I refuse."
…
°
°
°
| Minutes later, Taka's room… |
…
-Click-
"Phew..."
Taka closed the door behind him and let out a long sigh.
"Today really can't get any more hectic…"
Groaning, he stretched and walked over to his bed, throwing himself onto it—his aura instinctively cushioning the fall.
Good thing, too. He did have a broken arm.
Lying there in the soft embrace of his sheets, his gaze drifted to the ceiling as his thoughts returned to the final exchange he'd had with Nezu.
More specifically, the moment he had refused the recommendation.
First of all—he didn't want to take Yaoyorozu's or Todoroki's spot. As for the other recommended students, he didn't even remember them, and he sure as hell wasn't interested in the class they'd end up in. Class 1-A was the one to aim for if he wanted to Aura Farm for good.
They just got into so much shit, it'd be a waste to go to the other class.
But that was only the surface reason.
The real reason he had refused was due to the entrance exam.
Hundreds of examinees. Teachers observing every move. And one giant robot just begging to be destroyed.
If that wasn't the perfect farming ground, then what was?
There was no way he was sacrificing that just to stroll in through the front door on a recommendation. That wasn't auratic at all.
'At least he didn't take it the wrong way,' Taka thought with a quiet huff, remembering how calmly Nezu had accepted his refusal.
Seiji had backed him up too, rambling on his own about " Taka does not like the easy way" and "It builds character," which conveniently spared Taka from having to come up with a believable excuse.
In the end, it was decided—he would take the normal entrance exam, just like everyone else.
But after that… came the unpleasant part.
Nezu had promised not to expose his vigilante identity—on one condition.
From now on, Taka was to cut ties with his vigilantism completely and focus solely on becoming a hero.
If he agreed, Nezu would also help erase the digital trail he'd left behind in his greed for money while aura farming: monetization records, paper trails, all of it. The police would never link Rockinesis back to Takahashi Fukumoto.
The principal really was frighteningly flexible. Why was he going that far? Who knew. Taka could only assume it was because he didn't want him to go to prison or something.
Cause if he did, he'd pretty much miss the chance to go to U.A.
'Yeah, that makes sense.' Taka nodded to himself.
So, just like that, Taka's vigilante career was forcibly brought to an end.
Though he had managed to negotiate one exception, he was still allowed to keep uploading songs.
Fortunately, Nezu had agreed to that much. Otherwise, he would have lost all sources of aura.
And honestly, with his fame already grown, the aura he'd lose by not making shows wasn't gonna be that much.
Besides…
'After today's shit, I think I'm gonna take a rest from beating up villains.' He thought, eyeing his broken arm with a wince.
Of course, if some level 10 trouble alert popped up in between these three months that were left until U.A., then he'd probably step up and help out with what was within his capabilities.
But for now, he was taking some vacations.
'It was some really hectic seven months… and they ended in the most hectic way as well.'
On the very same day he fought a living catastrophe. His life as a vigilante quietly ended.
Quite the coincidence.
And on that note, Taka recalled his fight against Gigantomachia. His eyes narrowing as his eyes darted to his broken arm, and then to his opposite arm's hand, picturing the destructive energy he could create.
Even his strongest attack, a laser beam filled with 10,000 points of aura, had merely burned his exterior.
That much had been enough to understand his place in the world as of now.
He was strong… But when it came to the top-tier powers of this world, he was still painfully weak.
And in three months, the canon would start.
The show lasted a single year, and in that year, the main cast jumped from dealing with baby-level threats to dealing with the motherfucking end of the world.
He had three months—and the time window in which the protagonists dealt with weak opponents—to up his game.
If he did not, then he would start to lag behind.
And, as an aura farmer, that was not permitted.
'Three months…'
He raised his working hand, clenching it into a fist.
"All Might, Gigantomachia, All For One, and whichever other powerhouse exists in this world…" He mumbled, clenching his teeth and raising his fist as aura enveloped it. "... Prepare yourself, because by next year, you will all be my errand boys!"
Unfortunately, in doing so, his broken arm moved a bit more than necessary.
"Ouch!"
…
────────────────────────
-To be Continued…-
────────────────────────
(A/N: And so, the preparations arc comes to an end. Now, a time skip is approaching.
How was the chapter? Was Nezu in character, or did I screw up?
Also, don't worry about Taka not being able to do his shows. As he said, the aura he gains during those is a bit prescindible when comparing it to his current passive earnings. And with the current level of fame, heh, as after presenting his original song, plus with the fight against Gigantomachia going viral, he has enough fame to keep his passive earnings high enough until U.A. arrives.
Also, I didn't get to add the last skill I had planned, but I suppose I can just add it later.
Ba bye now.)
patreon.com/TheSynonym
────────────────────────
[The Truth Comes Out]
────────────────────────
…
"…"
"…"
A contest had begun. A staring contest.
Taka locked eyes with Nezu, and the principal returned the gaze without blinking, silent and unmoving—save for the knowing smile fixed on his muzzle.
Then, Taka's eyes darted to Seiji at his side.
Seiji met his gaze just as unblinkingly, a smug smirk tugging at his lips.
Taka slowly looked back at Nezu.
'I'm being ganged up on…'
A bead of sweat ran down his temple as he felt the weight of both stares pressing into him—heavy, sharp, and painfully aware of the implications behind this little "visit."
Or rather, intervention.
Still… nothing was certain yet.
Maybe Seiji had just bragged about his great and amazing potential to Nezu after their spar the other day, hence his visit?
…No. He doubted Seiji had those kinds of connections.
Taka swallowed nervously.
This was thin ice.
Very thin ice.
He had to choose his words carefully, or everything would go to shit.
"So…" he said at last, feigning confusion as he gestured vaguely at the massive white rat… bear, dog, whatever he was. "Who are you?"
Nezu's ears perked up, delighted.
"Oh my, where are my manners?" he said cheerfully. "I'm Nezu, Principal of U.A. High School. Does that satisfy you, Mr Rockinesis?—oops! I wasn't supposed to say that yet."
"…"
After a long second of sheer disbelief, Taka snorted and shut his eyes.
'Yep. Never mind. Everything went to shit a long time ago.'
Suddenly, something pressed down on his shoulder.
He turned to see Seiji leaning on him casually, staring at him with that same damn smirk.
"You know," Seiji said lightly, "it was quite the surprise when U.A.'s actual principal knocked on my door and explained the certain… connections between a criminal mastermind that's been causing a lot of havoc lately—and my dear little ward. Anything you'd like to say for yourself, Taka?"
"You have no evidence," Taka replied instantly.
"Unfortunately, I do," Nezu cut in pleasantly. "Monetization records from that very successful channel of yours. Bank transfer history. IP address logs. Upload timestamps. Location metadata. And that's just the short list. Shall I continue?"
"…No. That's enough." Taka's poker face crumbled.
He was completely, utterly caught. There was no point in pretending anymore.
'Fucking Quirktube and the bank—where's my right to privacy?! I thought they weren't allowed to share any of that!'
Seiji suddenly burst into laughter, patting Taka's back loudly.
"Well, well, well! Looks like you got caught, little Taka! Your crime spree ends here!"
Taka gave him a long, flat stare.
Then—
"This guy knew too! I'm just a poor, innocent minor! If anyone's going to prison, it should be him!"
Seiji's laughter died instantly, and he snapped his head towards Taka with a panicked look.
"You little shit!"
Taka smirked, pointing at him accusatorily. "If I'm going down, you're coming with me!"
"After I raised you for twelve years, this is how you repay me?!"
"Hahahaha!"
Nezu's sudden cackle cut cleanly through their argument, making both of them snap their attention toward him in disbelief.
"You two really are quite the pair," Nezu said cheerfully. "There's no need to worry. I didn't come here to send either of you to prison, Takahashi-kun… nor you, Seiji-san."
"For real?" they both asked in unison.
Nezu nodded and hopped down from the couch, beginning to pace casually around the living room.
"While I am the principal of a hero school—and would normally be obligated to ensure you face the appropriate legal consequences for what I've discovered—you have, in fact, done some rather brilliant work as a vigilante. Illegal, yes. But impressive nonetheless."
"Hah? Brilliant work? This guy?" Seiji scoffed, poking Taka's cheek mockingly, which the teenager responded to by slapping his hand away.
"Indeed," Nezu replied with a sly smile. He pulled a small disk from his pocket and flicked it onto the floor. A holographic projection flared to life, displaying recordings of Taka's exploits as Rockinesis. "I took the time to analyze all your appearances. And surprisingly, for someone with no formal hero training, your environmental damage control is quite refined."
The images showed Taka redirecting attacks in harmless directions, positioning enemies, reducing his powers' impact on the surroundings, and minimizing collateral destruction.
"Though not perfect," Nezu continued, "you consistently reduced the impact on surrounding infrastructure. That's something even seasoned heroes often neglect. Most people wouldn't even think to prioritize it."
"Heh, that's because of me," Seiji said proudly, crossing his arms while leaning on Taka. "This brat was always tagging along at my job. So I gave him a tip or two about the hero life during my many outings capturing villains."
Taka deadpanned. "Bold of you to assume it's all because of you."
Seiji shot his ward a sideways grin. "Well, am I wrong, little Taka?"
"…No," Taka admitted quietly. "But still."
Nezu smiled and clicked a button on a remote. The projection shifted—now showing footage of Taka, or Rockinesis, clashing with multiple heroes who had attempted to apprehend him.
"Then there's the matter of you fighting heroes," Nezu continued. "Legally speaking, it is resisting arrest, without question. However, you consistently showed restraint. You even held back when you clearly had a very clear advantage."
Taka winced slightly as the footage showed him humiliating a few opponents.
"While you did seem to enjoy embarrassing them more than necessary," Nezu added with a knowing look, "I'll chalk that up to youthful immaturity. In the end, you caused no lasting injuries and disengaged responsibly."
Taka's face relaxed, suspiring relieved.
'Good thing I took something like this into account.'
Nezu clicked the remote once more.
Two final images appeared.
One being Taka's battle against the three A-class villains… And the other—his recent clash with Gigantomachia.
His eyebrow twitched at the clearly recent picture. From what it looked like, it was taken from the coastline with a very good zoom. Whether from the spectating crowd or the police, who knew.
"And finally," Nezu said, his voice turning more solemn, "there is your willingness to face foes that would have placed established heroes in extreme danger. In both of these cases, casualties were not only possible—but likely."
The room grew quiet.
"If you hadn't intervened," Nezu continued, "there was a chance the outcome could have been catastrophic. And while that does not excuse unauthorized hero activity—nor your involvement in conflicts beyond your legal standing—I must thank you. As the principal of U.A., and as someone who values human life, despite not being human myself."
"Uh… sure," Taka replied awkwardly. "You're welcome, I guess."
With that, the projection shut off. Nezu tucked the disk and remote back into his pocket, smiling faintly as the room settled into silence once more.
But then Nezu turned back to Taka. This time, however, his eyes locked onto his with a pressure wholly unbecoming of such a small body.
"Due to all the details I mentioned earlier, and considering your young age, I decided to take a small gamble," he said calmly. "Today, I did not come to apprehend you—nor your guardian—but to offer you a deal."
That immediately caught both ward and guardian's attention.
"But first," Nezu continued, raising one finger in its paw, "there is a question I must ask."
Taka frowned slightly. "What is it?"
Nezu's smile widened—then sharpened.
"What is your true Quirk, Takahashi-kun?"
"...!"
The instant the question left his mouth, the tension in the room spiked violently. Both pairs of eyes snapped onto Taka at once.
"Your registered Quirk, Muscle to Mind, supposedly allows you only to convert physical force into telekinetic power," Nezu continued. "Yet that description is clearly... insufficient to say the least."
He gestured lightly.
"Cloning. Energy manifestation. Physical strength and durability in the superhuman range, matched by an equally abnormal telekinetic ability. And what I can only assume are some degree of precognitive capabilities, judging by how accurately you anticipate crimes and conflicts to crash at them and play your shows."
Nezu's eyes glinted.
"To say your Quirk's official description falls short of its real scope would be a severe understatement, wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
Taka sweatdropped, his gaze sliding away under the weight of that stare.
What was he supposed to say?
He was cornered. Completely.
Nezu had already noticed nearly every ability he'd displayed so far—save for the ones he hadn't yet revealed. And the moment he did in the future, those too would be noticed. Lying now would only guarantee that he'd be caught in that lie later.
So… should he just tell the truth?
This was Nezu—an ally to the main cast. Not the government, with its sick machiavellian stuff, and certainly not a villain's spy. Even if terrifying in his own way, he was one of the few people Taka could reasonably trust. Both because of his proven character and because the guy was simply that competent.
Unless this was some AU where Nezu was secretly the true mastermind behind everything.
Rodent for One, or some shit like that.
'Focus, damn it.'
Realizing his thoughts were drifting, Taka forced himself back to the main point.
He glanced at Seiji—who was practically breathing down his neck, eyes wide and prodding smile brimming with expectation.
Taka trusted Seiji.
As for Nezu… he trusted him too, even if they'd only officially met today. The guy may be a rat, but he was a nice rat.
Or nice bear, or dog, whatever he was.
'I guess... It's fine.'
With a quiet sigh, Taka finally spoke.
"My Quirk's energy source isn't physical strength..." he admitted, his eyes growing serious as the revelations began unfolding. "It's a kind of energy that my body naturally builds up over time, piling up in me like a battery, and which lets me enhance myself, as well as project it into something akin to telekinesis. As for the other abilities… the energy seems to be quite versatile in how it can manifest outside my body, which lets me do all the other stuff—there might be more abilities, but I haven't discovered them yet."
"It accumulates passively?" Nezu asked.
"Yeah. Just on its own."
"And it somehow allows you to create clones, boost your physical prowess to inhuman levels, allegedly predict the future, and control things from afar?"
Taka nodded. "As I said, it's… uh, kind of versatile."
"Damn, kid," Seiji exclaimed from beside him, looking at him in a completely new light.
Nezu chuckled, but tapped the area beneath his muzzle thoughtfully. Clearly, not letting his amusement overshadow his running thoughts.
And while he did that, Taka sighed inwardly.
In the end, he still kept part of the truth to himself.
Not because he didn't trust the people in the room.
Not because he was afraid.
But because—
'The true Aura Farmer always keeps a few cards up his sleeve.' Taka thought, his eyes shining with a faint, sly glint for a second—Of course, just for dramatic effect while you read this. It wasn't something visible either to Nezu or Seiji.
Such a vain reason was all he had in mind when keeping the full information.
Maybe telling everything wouldn't change anything.
Or maybe… it would one day mean the difference between survival and death.
But for now, he preferred to keep those secrets wrapped.
That way, if someday an epic situation arose in which his foe somehow knew about his supposed Quirk and had prepared a countermeasure…
He would make the big reveal—then proceed to crush them with his full power.
That would be truly cool.
Of course, that was all just wishful thinking.
Whether it would actually come true or not was a matter for the future.
"Very well. Despite its bizarreness, I suppose it covers most of the loopholes I had noticed," Nezu suddenly nodded, giving the half-truth a pass.
Seeing that, Taka nodded as well, heaving a sigh of relief inwardly.
But then, he felt a pat on the shoulder.
He turned and saw Seiji smirking at him, looking a bit too excited.
"The next time we spar, you're showing me what you're really capable of."
Taka nodded silently, his expression unchanged.
Though in his mind—
'You just gave me free rein to beat your ass without the system's interference.'
If his aura could manifest a second face that revealed his true emotions, it would be wearing a wicked grin.
While Taka savored the future beating in his head, Seiji turned back to Nezu.
"So, what's this deal you were talking about, Principal?"
"Yes, I was just about to get to that," Nezu nodded, then fixed Taka with a sharp gaze, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You wrote in your desired career plan that you wanted to join U.A., correct?"
Taka nodded, once again inwardly cursing the concept of privacy.
Nezu smiled, offering a handshake. "Given your amazing potential, I want to make sure such talent is properly groomed into becoming a hero in the future, so... what would you say about receiving a recommendation?"
Taka tilted his head, unfamiliar with the term.
But then, Seiji gently smacked his shoulder, whispering it to him. "It means you won't have to take the usual entrance exam everyone else does. Instead, you'll go through the recommendation exam—fewer competitors, and thus better chances of getting in."
Taka's eyebrows lifted, finally realizing it was the method Todoroki and Yaoyorozu used to get in.
Nezu nodded. "Indeed. With the skills you've displayed, I have no doubt you'll excel in the practical portion. As for the written exam, you'll still have to study."
"I see…" Taka murmured, closing his eyes enigmatically for a moment to think, his usual edgy persona slipping as a matter of habit.
Then—
He smiled faintly, looking Nezu straight in the eyes, confident and unflinching—
"I refuse."
…
°
°
°
| Minutes later, Taka's room… |
…
-Click-
"Phew..."
Taka closed the door behind him and let out a long sigh.
"Today really can't get any more hectic…"
Groaning, he stretched and walked over to his bed, throwing himself onto it—his aura instinctively cushioning the fall.
Good thing, too. He did have a broken arm.
Lying there in the soft embrace of his sheets, his gaze drifted to the ceiling as his thoughts returned to the final exchange he'd had with Nezu.
More specifically, the moment he had refused the recommendation.
First of all—he didn't want to take Yaoyorozu's or Todoroki's spot. As for the other recommended students, he didn't even remember them, and he sure as hell wasn't interested in the class they'd end up in. Class 1-A was the one to aim for if he wanted to Aura Farm for good.
They just got into so much shit, it'd be a waste to go to the other class.
But that was only the surface reason.
The real reason he had refused was due to the entrance exam.
Hundreds of examinees. Teachers observing every move. And one giant robot just begging to be destroyed.
If that wasn't the perfect farming ground, then what was?
There was no way he was sacrificing that just to stroll in through the front door on a recommendation. That wasn't auratic at all.
'At least he didn't take it the wrong way,' Taka thought with a quiet huff, remembering how calmly Nezu had accepted his refusal.
Seiji had backed him up too, rambling on his own about " Taka does not like the easy way" and "It builds character," which conveniently spared Taka from having to come up with a believable excuse.
In the end, it was decided—he would take the normal entrance exam, just like everyone else.
But after that… came the unpleasant part.
Nezu had promised not to expose his vigilante identity—on one condition.
From now on, Taka was to cut ties with his vigilantism completely and focus solely on becoming a hero.
If he agreed, Nezu would also help erase the digital trail he'd left behind in his greed for money while aura farming: monetization records, paper trails, all of it. The police would never link Rockinesis back to Takahashi Fukumoto.
The principal really was frighteningly flexible. Why was he going that far? Who knew. Taka could only assume it was because he didn't want him to go to prison or something.
Cause if he did, he'd pretty much miss the chance to go to U.A.
'Yeah, that makes sense.' Taka nodded to himself.
So, just like that, Taka's vigilante career was forcibly brought to an end.
Though he had managed to negotiate one exception, he was still allowed to keep uploading songs.
Fortunately, Nezu had agreed to that much. Otherwise, he would have lost all sources of aura.
And honestly, with his fame already grown, the aura he'd lose by not making shows wasn't gonna be that much.
Besides…
'After today's shit, I think I'm gonna take a rest from beating up villains.' He thought, eyeing his broken arm with a wince.
Of course, if some level 10 trouble alert popped up in between these three months that were left until U.A., then he'd probably step up and help out with what was within his capabilities.
But for now, he was taking some vacations.
'It was some really hectic seven months… and they ended in the most hectic way as well.'
On the very same day he fought a living catastrophe. His life as a vigilante quietly ended.
Quite the coincidence.
And on that note, Taka recalled his fight against Gigantomachia. His eyes narrowing as his eyes darted to his broken arm, and then to his opposite arm's hand, picturing the destructive energy he could create.
Even his strongest attack, a laser beam filled with 10,000 points of aura, had merely burned his exterior.
That much had been enough to understand his place in the world as of now.
He was strong… But when it came to the top-tier powers of this world, he was still painfully weak.
And in three months, the canon would start.
The show lasted a single year, and in that year, the main cast jumped from dealing with baby-level threats to dealing with the motherfucking end of the world.
He had three months—and the time window in which the protagonists dealt with weak opponents—to up his game.
If he did not, then he would start to lag behind.
And, as an aura farmer, that was not permitted.
'Three months…'
He raised his working hand, clenching it into a fist.
"All Might, Gigantomachia, All For One, and whichever other powerhouse exists in this world…" He mumbled, clenching his teeth and raising his fist as aura enveloped it. "... Prepare yourself, because by next year, you will all be my errand boys!"
Unfortunately, in doing so, his broken arm moved a bit more than necessary.
"Ouch!"
…
────────────────────────
-To be Continued…-
────────────────────────
(A/N: And so, the preparations arc comes to an end. Now, a time skip is approaching.
How was the chapter? Was Nezu in character, or did I screw up?
Also, don't worry about Taka not being able to do his shows. As he said, the aura he gains during those is a bit prescindible when comparing it to his current passive earnings. And with the current level of fame, heh, as after presenting his original song, plus with the fight against Gigantomachia going viral, he has enough fame to keep his passive earnings high enough until U.A. arrives.
Also, I didn't get to add the last skill I had planned, but I suppose I can just add it later.
Ba bye now.)