"So tired..."
Kirishima muttered weakly as he collapsed onto the ground, completely drained after a day of sparring with Ojiro Mashirao. His entire body ached from head to toe.
"We're practically dead..."
Sero Hanta, looking utterly spent, trembled as pain radiated from his elbows. Blood dripped from Mineta Minoru's forehead, staining his face cloth, while his bloodshot eyes told the story of his misery. These two poor souls, whose Quirks fell sowhere between "activation" and "constant use," were being pushed to their limits by Quirk training, a grueling test of both body and mind.
"Hehehe~~"
Kaminari Denki, grinning like a fool, had overused his electricity Quirk, leaving his brain completely scrambled.
The sa could be said for everyone in Class 1-A. Even Yaoyorozu Momo looked ready to throw up after eating far more than her stomach could handle.
"You've all worked so hard..."
Midoriya Izuku, looking nervous, actually found himself feeling grateful for not having a Quirk. Otherwise, he would have been dragged into this hellish training too.
---
Leaving Class 1-A for a mont, let's shift focus to Class 1-B.
"Tetsutetsu!"
"Here!"
Shinso Hitoshi called out, and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu instantly lost consciousness under Shinso's control. At the sa mont, class rep Kendou Itsuka delivered a massive punch to Tetsutetsu's head.
"Tetsutetsu!"
"Here!"
Jolted awake by Kendou's strike, Tetsutetsu responded again, only for Shinso to imdiately control him once more. Kendou followed up with another punch, and the cycle repeated itself.
Shinso Hitoshi's Quirk training focused on overcoming the flaws of his "brainwashing" ability by making controlled individuals more resistant to outside shocks that could break his control.
Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu's "tal" Quirk training followed a similar plan to Kirishima's—taking repeated hits to improve his Quirk's durability and duration. Naturally, this made him Shinso's sparring partner.
Kendou Itsuka's "big fist" Quirk training was essentially practicing punches on a sandbag, and Tetsutetsu happened to double as her punching bag, conveniently snapping him out of Shinso's brainwashing in the process.
The synergy of their Quirk training worked so well that Class 1-B's horoom teacher, Vlad King, had arranged for the three of them to train together.
---
"Food! Food!!"
After burning through so much energy, the students were starving. But when they reached the dining area at noon, they were stunned to find only a table full of raw ingredients.
"We told you yesterday, 'Today's the only day we're taking care of you!'"
"Make your own als! And don't slack off while cooking!"
Ragdoll and Pixie-Bob from the Pussycats popped out to answer them. But no one had paid much attention to what they said yesterday since everyone had been too busy wolfing down food like a pack of starving wolves.
"That's so unfair. We're already tired enough..."
"Exactly! Our whole bodies are sore, and now we have to cook too?"
Ashido Mina and Kirishima complained, their Quirk training having drained them completely. Mandalay stepped in and scolded them:
"Stop whining! You're all future heroes, so get moving and work hard yourselves."
While the rest of the class complained, class president Iida Tenya took on a serious expression.
"You're right... In tis of disaster, helping exhausted victims at shelters fill their stomachs and lift their spirits is also an important part of being a hero!"
"UA really thinks through every detail. Everything has aning!"
With his motivation reignited, Iida also managed to inspire his worn-out classmates. Watching this, their horoom teacher Aizawa Shouta silently thought to himself:
[Iida, you're so reliable.]
The students got to work. The kitchen at the training camp was outdoors, and they cooked with clay pots and firewood, resembling a camp-style setup.
"Todoroki, could we borrow so fire?"
Since the clay pot required firewood and they didn't have lighters, the students turned to Todoroki Shoto, whose "Fla" Quirk was perfect for the job.
Todoroki found himself rushing from group to group to help light fires. Even students from Class B ca to ask for his assistance, leaving him running all over the place.
"Bakugo, can you use your explosions to start a fire?"
Instead of asking Todoroki, Kirishima turned to Bakugo Katsuki with a curious expression.
Bakugo, clearly annoyed, slamd his hand onto the firewood and growled, "Of course I can! I'll blow you up, idiot!"
anwhile, Yaoyorozu Momo handled it more easily. Using her "Creation" Quirk, she made a lighter to ignite the firewood, drawing admiration from everyone for how consistently useful her Quirk was.
"Midoriya, do you cook a lot at ho? Your chopping skills are amazing."
"Uh..."
Takeyama Urei watched in surprise as Midoriya Izuku perfectly sliced a radish into even, fine shreds. His precision was that of an experienced chef, though Midoriya seed embarrassed and hesitant to explain.
[I learned this while practicing wire-cutting techniques... It's hard to admit that.]
"Let's make a delicious curry together, everyone! Keep it up!"
With Iida leading the charge, everyone worked hard, each assigned a task. After all, the food they were making was for themselves—it had to taste good.
When the fragrant curry was ready, the students devoured it hungrily. The day's efforts had left them as exhausted as the day before, and their growling stomachs spoke volus.
After finishing his first plate of curry, Midoriya went to the pot for seconds. As he scooped another serving, he noticed Mandalay's nephew, Kouta, standing at the edge of the forest watching them. Without saying a word, Kouta turned and walked away, looking upset.
"Kouta?"
Curious and concerned, Midoriya took a plate of curry and followed the boy. Surely Kouta hadn't eaten yet?
Near the training camp was a small mountain. Tokoyami Fumikage had been training his Quirk in a cave halfway up the mountain all day. No one knew exactly what was happening in there, but blood-curdling screams echoed out occasionally.
Night had fallen, and the sky was now filled with stars, a rare sight in the city. Midoriya walked along the path until he found Kouta sitting on the ground, staring up at the countless stars above.
Hearing footsteps, Kouta turned sharply, his face wary. He saw Midoriya smiling gently and holding a plate of curry.
"You must be hungry. Want to try the curry we made?"
"How did you find this place?!"
Kouta glared at Midoriya like a little tiger defending its territory, his tone sharp and unfriendly.
"I'm sorry... I followed your footprints here."
Midoriya Izuku pointed at the dirt still stuck to his shoes. Walking through the forest left footprints and other traces, making tracking soone fairly easy.
"Get lost! Don't step into my secret base."
"Uh... this is your secret base?"
Feeling awkward, Midoriya hesitated as Kouta drove him away. Tokoyami had been training his Quirk here all day. Could that have upset this kid?
"Anyway, I hate people like you who want to be 'heroes.' Just get out of here!"
"Huh?!"
Kouta yelled angrily, and Midoriya could only turn around and leave with an awkward smile. This kid sure was strange... Why does he hate heroes so much?
Feeling uneasy, Midoriya decided to head back for now and planned to ask Mandalay later. Since Kouta was her nephew, she might know what was going on.
As he watched Midoriya leave, Kouta silently crouched on the ground, arms wrapped around himself. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, muttering:
"People who want to be heroes are all idiots!"
Later that evening, Midoriya found Mandalay and asked her about Kouta. He soon learned the truth.
"So... his parents were heroes and sacrificed themselves?"
"Yes... They were killed by enemies while protecting civilians. That's why I've been taking care of Kouta ever since."
Midoriya fell silent. He finally understood why Kouta acted this way. Losing his parents as heroes to an enemy attack had made him resent the entire profession. But...
Midoriya could relate to this. In a world where the accident rate for professional heroes was so high, it made sense that his mother, Midoriya Inko, didn't want him to beco one. She feared he might one day face a similar tragedy.
Still, such things are unavoidable. Soone has to step up and protect others. Midoriya thought about the "Butcher" he encountered before and the "Hero Killer" during his internship. If no one stopped people like them, the number of victims would only increase. Being a hero ant making sacrifices.
"Can I really protect everyone's smiles...?"
Midoriya's resolve to beco a hero wavered. Even All Might couldn't prevent every tragedy. Could he truly do better...?
----------------------------------
"Tomura, do you understand your task?"
In a dark room, a man wearing a nacing, grim mask spoke. His image was projected onto a screen in a hidden bar.
"I understand, Sensei... but do we really need to involve so many people?"
Shigaraki Tomura turned away in annoyance. Behind him stood a group of individuals, each with their own unique and dangerous appearance. All were wanted criminals.
"They're strong reinforcents brought in by the 'Broker.' All of them are elites."
"Is that so?"
As Kurogiri introduced them, Shigaraki sized up the group in front of him.
A high school girl in a school uniform, nad Toga Himiko, was said to have caused nurous deaths by blood loss and was wanted by the police.
A man with stitched scars on his face, nad Dabi, had no known background information. He had been brought here by the 'Broker.'
A well-dressed man in a mask, whose real na was unknown, was referred to as "Mr. Compress" or "The Magician" among the group. He was a cunning criminal.
-----------------
Looking at this ragtag group of eccentric people, Shigaraki couldn't help but doubt their reliability. After their failure at the U.A. High School's USJ incident, he was blunt about his concerns.
"Sensei, why not just use 'Nomu'? They're way more dependable than this bunch."
"Tomura, this mission isn't about fighting heroes. You understand the main objective, don't you?"
"Yeah... I get it now."
Nomu's strength was undoubtedly imnse, but it needed to follow its commander's orders to act effectively. For the upcoming mission, this reliance on commands could end up being a liability.
Shigaraki Tomura turned to look at the group in front of him. They were curiously examining the bar's interior, moving about freely without a care.
"Hey! Hey? Why are we here? I heard there'd be heroes to attack—that's the only reason I ca along. The blood of heroes must sll so sweet!"
"Who knows? Stay away from , you crazy woman."
Dabi gave Toga Himiko a disgusted look. He had only co because he heard the "League of Villains" was planning sothing big, which piqued his interest.
"I'll have a whiskey sour, thanks."
The "Magician" treated the place like a real bar. Kurogiri dutifully mixed him a cocktail, setting it down with professional bartender etiquette.
"Enjoy."
anwhile, the others were casually chatting about various topics regarding the League. The usually quiet bar now buzzed with life. Shigaraki Tomura, however, was annoyed, scratching his face in frustration.
"Quiet down!!"
Everyone paused to glance at him but quickly ignored him, resuming their conversations. After all, they knew the real boss of the League was the man who appeared on TV. What was this guy in front of them supposed to be?
Shigaraki's fingers twitched as his anger flared. He considered grabbing soone at random to decay them, just to establish his authority. At that mont, All For One spoke up:
"Everyone, calm down."
The real leader of the League had spoken. No one dared to ignore him. The bar fell completely silent.
"I won't question why you've joined the League of Villains, but from now on, you will follow Tomura's lead on this mission."
The man in the terrifying, grotesque mask tapped his finger against it and added:
"If this mission fails, you will have no reason to remain in this world."
Though it was an outright threat, no one dared to challenge him. The chilling, almost tangible killing intent that filled the room made them feel as if their lives had already ended.
The killing intent dissipated as quickly as it ca. The man on the screen smiled and said:
"That was just a joke. I'm sure you'll cooperate with Tomura's mission, right?"
"......"
No one spoke. That suffocating killing intent had been real. His words were no joke. If they failed... the consequences would undoubtedly be dire.
"Tomura, you're in charge of this mission. Failure is not an option. Understood?"
"Yes, Sensei."
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