Chapter 4
Rin stared out the window of the penthouse that Nezu had so 'generously' rented out for she and Shirou to stay in while the results of the Hero Course examination were being processed and mailed out. She had to say that the accommodations were adequate but there was undoubtedly another plan being made for when they were accepted into UA. It wasn't like they weren't going to get accepted. Rin had watched Shriou's performance in comparison to the rest of the students and there was little chance that he hadn't taken the top place in the rankings.
What she was most grateful for was the fact that the old Shirou was still in there. The Shirou that wasn't afraid of jumping in front of Berserker's blade had resurfaced if only momentarily when he had gone to help that pink skinned girl help the teenager who had been trapped. Sure the situations were almost completely different but it was a start. She knew the Shirou who had been by her side during the Grail War was still in there, however broken he had become.
Getting up from where she had been resting, she stretched her arms over her head before meandering over to the couch, plonking herself down rather unceremoniously as she grabbed hold of the television remote. Switching the overly large viewing platform on, she flicked past several news outlets before landing on a nature documentary. It would alleviate some of her boredom for the moment but considering how slim her options were at the moment she would take it.
Part of the conditions with staying in this facility was that they didn't leave the premises unless accompanied by a professional hero. This hadn't been something that had truly been of interest to Rin but since Shirou currently was absent and wouldn't be back until late it left her in a touch of a conundrum with what to do with her time. Where was he you might ask? Well, it turned out that he had made a good impact on Ingenium, the speed hero actually coming and requesting Shirou's assistance with, in his own words, 'kicking his sidekick's into shape.'
Of course Shirou said yes.
So now she was alone, in a penthouse, where everything was catered for her, watching a documentary about a pack of lionesses on the prowl...
She needed out.
Switching off the television and tossing the remote to the side, Rin got off the couch and prepared to contact someone who would take her out for coffee somewhere. Anytime out of these four walls would be more than appreciated.
...
Shirou twisted out of the way as the extended fist rocketed past where his face had been only moments earlier. The right arm retracted as the left swung out in a wide hook, the elasticity of the limb giving it extra width to go around a normal guard. Shirou however had no intention of putting up a normal guard. He dropped low, springing forward off the balls of his feet and closing the distance between him and his opponent within a heartbeat. He could see the panic in the opposition's eyes as he swung forward with the weapon that had felled so many today alone.
A solid crack rang out and those in attendance winced at the sound. There was a momentary pause as the only thing that happened was the snapping back of the rubbery limb. As it returned to what would be defined as a normal position, the man dropped to his knees, clutching at his stomach. As if to solidify his victory, Shirou placed the tip of his weapon at the base of his neck.
"Now, who can tell me what Extendoarms did wrong?" asked Ingenium of the other sidekicks who had watched Shirou effectively dismantle one of their own. The seventeenth one of their own at that. Each one had fell at the hands of Shirou and the devastating weapon he wielded.
Shirou himself had felt the brunt of this weapon on a number of occasions and wielded it in a destructive fashion. Torashinai seemed to purr after the taste of victory as Shirou placed it over his own shoulder, awaiting to see if anyone answered. "Extendoarms was too predictable," said one of the sidekicks, adjusting his glasses ever so slightly. "Also when Shirou was given an opportunity, Extendoarms panicked, likely from having watched the same thing happen so many times before. The bout only lasted fourteen seconds but we can assume that Shirou got an idea of Extendoarms fighting style by his name."
Extendoarms tried his best to not look too bashful as he scratched at the back of his head. "Try and think about how the rest of your body moves," suggested Shirou. "Even if you grip onto someone, let the rest of your body retract to where your hands are you can strike with a kick or a knee to the chest."
"I guess I am pretty predictable," said Extendoarms as he got to his feet, still feeling the effect of Shirou's strike.
"Alright guys, let's call it a day," said Ingenium and Shirou could see more than a few grateful exhales from several of his sidekicks who had been afraid that they would be next to face him and Torashinai. He honestly couldn't tell whether they were more afraid of him or the malevolent weapon he wielded. Dispersing the weapon and allowing it to fade out of existence he saw that perhaps it was Torashinai that they were more terrified of. Knowing the history of the weapon firsthand, it wasn't too surprising.
"I'll see you all here in the morning, don't stay out too late," stated Ingenium dismissing his sidekicks before turning his attention to Shirou. "Charming Clover and Riptide will escort you back to Musutafu and to your hotel."
"You got plans?" asked Shirou after taking a quick glance at the two people who would be escorting him back to the train station. Dressed in full superhero wear, Riptide wore shredded jeans and a navy blue vest that wasn't buttoned up, revealing his torso. Honestly he didn't look too much more than some sort of street punk that Ingenium may have found in some alleyway.
Charming Clover was a touch more sophisticated than her male counterpart, wearing a tight mint green dress that cut off just before her knees. She also donned a brown mask that fitted around her eyes and matched the colour of her hair which was tied in a ponytail. Thigh high boots the same colour as her dress completed the outfit, one which didn't tell Shirou anything about her quirk.
"Family dinner, my brother should have gotten his UA letter today revealing if he got into the hero course or not," explained Ingenium. "He's trying to follow in my and our parents footsteps. Hopefully the two of you can get along."
Shirou remained somewhat silent as that, this being the first time that Ingenium had mentioned that he had a brother. Frankly he hadn't pried much into the Hero's personal life, considering the fact he hadn't even been given his everyday name he figured that his home life was still pretty secretive.
The idea though that that Ingenium's brother was following in his family's footsteps reminded him of himself when he had been a child, choosing to follow in his adoptive father's footsteps to be a magus. With Ingenium as a role model, Shirou assumed that the younger brother of the family would have a similar sense of justice.
"Anyways, you should be heading off," said Ingenium, snapping Shirou out of his momentary thought process. "Thanks again for not going all out."
"They wouldn't be able to do their patrols if I'd left them incapacitiated," said Shirou with a shrug as if it was common knowledge. "I just wanted to exploit their weaknesses."
"Well we'll be working on that in the coming weeks," said Ingeinum sheepishly. He had a lot of sidekicks and their work out on the streets reflected on his agency, he needed them at the top of their game. "Hopefully, they'll figure out what it is that they need to improve on and if not I might motivate them by telling them that they'll get extra lessons with you."
Shirou couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the comment as both Riptide and Charming Clover came close to where he was standing. He hadn't combatted either of them beforehand but Riptide didn't seem too intimidated by him. Charming Clover was bit more hesitant but seemed grateful that she hadn't been assigned to do this by herself. "I'll be in your care," he said politely, stunning Charming Clover somewhat, making her bow lightly in response.
"Let's just get this over with," said Riptide with a grunt, clearly not pleased to be doing something he probably believed was beneath him. Shirou couldn't help but wonder if Ingenium had deliberately assigned these two people to teach another lesson of sorts.
"We'll be on our way," said Shirou, bidding Ingenium farewell.
"Keep safe," said Ingenium, knowing full well that between here and the hotel that Shirou was staying at that the chances of anything happening was slim at best.
...
Rin sipped at the tea that had been purchased for her by the person currently escorting her. A woman who was dressed in an incredibly provocative outfit that had more than a few people glance in their general direction. "Did you truly have to wear something so degrading?" she asked of the professional hero.
"Compared to my costume, this is nothing," said Midnight, a coy smile adorning her features.
"And yet somehow you will be one of my teachers this coming year," said Rin with a small shake of the head.
"I'd say you were being overconfident in young Shirou's abilities to score more than the rest of the examinees," said Midnight as she leant back in her chair before reaching in between her breasts and pulling out a letter that Rin was certain shouldn't have fit in the first place. "We can open this up now and see if you're accepted after all. I know the deal that was made, if Shirou didn't get the top position then it'd be up to me to capture you before you escape."
Rin could tell that Midnight was clearly having fun with this. Thankfully, two could play it this way. "Please, I'm far too young and spritely for someone like yourself to catch." It didn't matter that she had technically lived for many more years than Midnight had but currently she was in the form of a teenage girl and she was going to use it to her advantage.
The twitch in Midnight's left eye confirmed that Rin had just won the first of potentially many battles.
"Feisty," said Midnight through gritted teeth, placing the letter on the table before composing herself. "Having seen your performance against my peers, I know that you are quite formidable. However, against my quirk you would be powerless. I'd be carrying you into custody without any hassle whatsoever."
Rin didn't doubt it. Considering the danger that she and Shirou posed were they to become hostile, it was understandable that she was currently in the company of someone who had the ability to apprehend her. She doubted that it would be done through brute force however, they were in a public place where the chances of civilians being injured was far too high. Her musings became distracted as a small piece of raspberry cheesecake was placed down in front of her while a slice of chocolate mud cake was placed in front of Midnight.
"You know," said Rin as the waitress moved away, "The rate of metabolism slows down with age, are you sure you should be eating that? Wouldn't want to ruin your figure after all."
Rin could almost see the throbbing of a vein.
"I will have you know that I have no issue with my metabolism," said Midnight as her cutlery sliced through her cake with ease. "What about you? You wouldn't want to scare off Shirou with some extra body fat."
Considering the battlefields and gore that Shirou had been exposed to, Rin sincerely doubted that Shirou would be afraid of a little bit of body fat. "I will have you know that I have no problems with my weight and doubt I will have anytime soon," declared Rin, having lived many more decades and knowing full well that she had kept a very nice figure through the years.
"So confident that your man will remain faithful," said Midnight coyly.
"You have no idea," said Rin as she sliced off another piece of cake.
"What about yourself, do you believe you won't find someone more handsome and charming than 'blade boy?'"
"Blade boy? Is that really what you just called him?"
"What, he's a teenager that summons swords, what do you think his Professional Hero name would be?"
Rin didn't need to think about what name Shirou would go with. She already knew.
...
Night had fallen by the time the train that they had boarded back in Hosu had arrived, Charming Clover having eventually overcome her timidness and made for quite a good conversationalist Shirou had found. Once she had gotten out of her shell, Shirou had found it difficult to get her to be quiet.
Riptide hadn't said a thing the entire time.
Now they walked down the streets of Musutafu, Riptide and Charming Clover walking on his right and left respectively, their way forward illuminated by street lights and the moon shining high above. The crowd parted for their path and Shirou couldn't help but feel that those watching saw him being led away for some sort of criminal activity he had conducted.
Turning around the corner, the air hit them with an unsettling chill and Shirou paused moments before either of his two escorts realized. He wished that it was a blast of fresh air that had come from the greenery surrounding the path they wanted to walk through. "Shirou?" asked Charming Clover, looking over her shoulder where the teenager had come to a stop. Riptide meanwhile was looking dead ahead at the person who stood in the park they had intended on walking through.
"If you two wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a conversation with Mister Emiya," said the man, or at least the spectre of a man standing before them. They wore a suit and tie on their body, or lack thereof. As opposed to skin and flesh his body seemed to only be composed of a black mist, golden yellow slits where eyes should be.
"There'll be none of that now," said Riptide as he smashed his fists together. Charming Clover put her hands out to the side, the leaves of the trees nearby falling off their respective branches before swarming behind her, circling around in a menacing swirl. While impressive to look at, Shirou was uncertain what kind of affect it would have in battle. That was on the pretense Charming Clover was fighting alone. If she was supposed to provide the distraction, then Shirou could only imagine that Riptide was the heavy hitter.
He would never get the chance to see.
"I think it would be best to get rid of the sidekicks, don't you agree?"
That was all the warning they were given before twin black vortexes were summoned out of the darkness of night, enveloping both Riptide and Charming Clover. Shirou could hear their cries of panic as they fought against the black that surrounded them and the screams of those who were witnessing the event firsthand. Shirou meanwhile kept his eyes locked on the target in front of him.
The cries of the two people that Ingenium had assigned to him vanished and Shirou remained unmoved. "I'll have you know that they're not dead," said the man made of mist.
"Teleportation?"
"Very good," he said. "You have solid analytical skills. You're two companions are currently located atop the high rise behind you. As you can imagine, it would have been very easy for me to have sent them about thirty feet to the right and have them plummet to the ground."
"Now, would you join me somewhere more private?" he asked as a portal opened up to his side.
Shirou knew that it wasn't an offer persay, but a command. Were he to refuse and attack or perhaps even try to run, there was no telling what might happen to the two sidekicks currently residing atop the tall building or even perhaps the nearby civilians. He also knew that if the person before him wanted to attack, or even attempt to kill him he wouldn't have been able to react to being teleported hundreds of metres into the air. While the first couple of seconds would have been startling, there was little chance that he would have died from such an attempt on his life but that didn't mean that the man before him wouldn't try.
"Please don't make me wait any longer than necessary," the man said, clearly not liking the fact that he was being out in the open so long.
Not wanting to cause the man to do something rash, Shirou walked forward. If this man wanted to have a conversation, then a conversation they would have. Shirou would then deal with him afterwards if necessary.
Chapter 5
Shirou's eyes darted from side to side as he examined his surroundings. To his right was the sole door to the room and the likely only exit that didn't involve teleporting. To the left was a television running static, the volume though was thankfully muted. Dead ahead was a bar, run down and minimal stock. Then there was the only other occupant in the room outside of himself, and the black mist man who stepped through the portal before it closed behind him.
The occupant was a gangly man, pasty skin starkly contrasting the black attire he wore. That wasn't the only thing he wore however. Severed hands latched themselves to the man's arms, shoulders, neck and one even clung to his face, eyes only barely able to peek through the gaps between fingers. He tilted his head to the side and Shirou could tell that the person was eyeing him up, likely judging what he was capable of.
Taking a page out of Gilgamesh's book, Shirou acted. It took only a second for both the construction of the broadsword to be completed and even shorter for it to shoot forward from above Shirou's shoulder. The silver blade struck true, piercing the wall behind the bar with the edge's just missing the spirit bottles on the shelf by the barest of margins. Several strands of hair falling after having been removed from the man's head, having not flinched in the slightest as the weapon sailed past his features.
"That's a rude hello," said the man finally after what seemed like a tense moment.
"Sorry if I'm being a little more aggressive than usual, these things should be expected though after being kidnapped," said Shirou with a shrug of the shoulder.
"I'd recommend not doing something like that again," said the mist man as he stepped behind the bar. Whispy fingers gripped around the handle of the sword before he tried to pull the weapon out of the wall. Not surprisingly, he didn't have much luck. Seeing the futile struggle, Shirou allowed the sword to vanish into nothingness.
"So why am I here?" asked Shirou crossing his arms over his chest.
"You're pretty famous, you know that," said the person sitting down. "You come out of nowhere and within two hours the whole world has seen your face."
"I assure you, the idea of having my face plastered across the internet was not on my list of things to do at the start of the day," stated Shirou.
"Funny, how days and nights can be well and truly planned out in advance but at the end of it, nothing goes the way it should. We have a plan however and you can be an integral part to make sure that it goes the way it should."
"And what is it that you plan to do?"
"We want to kill All Might."
It was a cold, calculated statement. For most, the mere thought that people wished to kill the number one Professional Hero would be paramount to suicide. The strongest there was, even to challenge him was an inconceivable idea. Yet here was a man, wishing to challenge the strongest man and still had the confidence that he could walk away victorious. The sheer audacity! Now the true question was, how would Shirou react? The teenager, who with his partner, had fought against numerous heroes in the middle of the day and was victorious against a large number of them.
"Who?"
There was a pause before the person wearing the hands began to laugh. At first it started as a chuckle before he leant backwards and laughed maniacally. "Yes! Who exactly? He is a man like any other and it doesn't matter how strong they are, all men must die! The symbol of peace will fall like any other!"
Shirou meanwhile listened on curiously. It was clear his question had been misunderstood for he truly didn't know who this All Might person was. He figured that it was the name of a Professional Hero but there were so many of them in Japan, let alone the world that there was no chance of him remembering them all, even though it did sound vaguely familiar. Perhaps he had seen the name plastered in a cereal box while purchasing groceries one day?
"Now," said the man, a wicked smile plastered on his face. "I believe proper introductions are in order. After all we are the League of Villains."
...
Rin was sitting in the penthouse, arms crossed as her fingers drummed on her forearm in a steady beat as she gazed at the three people that currently occupied the vicinity with her. Midnight had remained after having joined her for tea and cake earlier in the day. She had thought that after having bested her in verbal combat on more than one occasion that the provocative person would have simply let her be after escorting her back to the hotel. That however was not the case; Midnight having spotted the facilities that had been provided to Rin and Shirou and had promptly invited herself in under the pretense that she had to ensure that two of her future students were behaving in a respectable manner. Rin wasn't quite sure what Midnight determined as 'respectable manner' but she truly believed that it didn't correspond with her own version. Especially after the woman had made herself comfortable in her area of living and then decided to invite a couple of her friends over.
Currently seated on the couch was the instigator of this whole debacle, seeming well too jovial in her attempts to get under Rin's skin. Rin would deny the whole idea that she had brought this on herself.
On Midnight's right was a Uwabami who Rin had immediately felt mildly intimidated by. It wasn't due to the woman herself mind you, Midnight having introduced her as a professional hero who had a side career in modelling, perhaps explaining the elegant dress she wore. It was more due to the fact that atop the woman's head were three snakes! Three individual snakes protruded from her golden locks, likely attached to her scalp as if they were overly large strands of hair. That had scales...and perhaps their own sense of consciousness. Rin swore that the one closest to her had yet to take it's beady eyes off of her. Uwabami told her to pay them no mind but that was easier said than done.
The other woman was sitting on the recliner opposite Rin and was dressed in a far more casual attire, wearing jeans and a jacket while her right eye was covered by the fringe of her hair. While Midnight and Uwabami seemed content with gossiping away, Ryukyu seemed fine with just listening in and adding to the conversation when she was asked for her opinion on the matter. Outside of these times, she, along with Uwabami's snake, seemed to watch Rin intently. It also didn't help that Midnight had introduced the woman as the second highest ranking female pro hero, coming in at eighth overall in the rankings.
"You know, you have a lovely complexion Rin," said Uwabami as she tried to include the teenager into the conversation. "One day I might ask you to join me in some promotional work."
"Thank you for the offer," said Rin. "However I believe my prowess is better suited to situations behind the scenes as opposed to flaunting myself in front of a camera like some floozy."
"It is unwise to cut off potential connections so early in your career," said Ryukyu as Uwabami pouted, having felt mildly insulted by having been referred to as a floozy. "You should keep an open mind and use these years to make connections that may benefit you in the future."
Rin blinked several times, not so much taking in the advice that Ryukyu was trying to give but for the first time in a long time it seemed as if someone was actually trying to look out for her. Perhaps Ryukyu was actually a hero not for fame and fortune, but actually someone who would save people because they felt it was the right thing to do. If given the chance, Rin would have to make sure Ryukyu and Shirou met sometime in the future.
Speaking of Shirou, it seemed as if he was running late. As if like magic, as soon as the thought had crossed her mind there was a knocking on the door and Rin simply thought that Shirou had forgotten his key.
"That'd be the room service!" announced Midnight, practically leaping up from her seat.
Apparently not.
It turned out that Midnight had not been shy in ordering things off of the hotel menu, including a fancy bottle of champagne that sat in a fancy bucket filled with ice. "Are we celebrating anything?" asked Ryukyu, wondering why Midnight had gone all out on the order. Rin knew however that since U.A was footing the bill for her and Shirou to be staying here that anything put on the room would be covered as well. She and Shirou had yet to use the service personally, Shirou having taken full control of the room's kitchen facilities. It seemed at the end of the day the professional hero was looking for both a free meal and a free way to entertain her guests, despite the fact it wasn't even her hotel room.
"Why don't you toast to the fact that Midnight has gone another year without wrinkles?" suggested Rin as the aforementioned Hero reached for the bottle in question.
"I believe you don't need a reason to enjoy time with friends," said Midnight, her left eye twitching ever so slightly.
"You know that whole thing I said about cutting off potential contacts?" said Ryukyu. "You are aware that Midnight will be one of your teachers at U.A, perhaps trying to get under her skin is unwise."
"Please, getting under her skin has given me hours of entertainment today," said Rin. "If it means she tries to issue me a detention as a result of past disagreements I can report to the principal and lodge a complaint. Who knows, enough complaints from students might result in her being removed from her position."
"It's statements like that which make me glad that you're not going to be in the hero course," said Uwabami as she partook in some of the nibbles that had been delivered. "I fear that after your graduation you would have bulldozed your way through the rankings with underhanded tactics all the way."
"That's why you're in the general studies department!" shouted Midnight as she slammed her hands on the table, as if having just solved a murder case. "You're going to be Shirou's manager!"
"A manager," scoffed Rin. "While I could make the road easier for him, Shirou wouldn't accept that. He'll only want to be a hero by his own skills and merits." Besides, Rin had a far more important role to play.
"Oh, and how far do you think his skills will get him?" asked Uwabami.
"To the top."
"That's some lofty aspirations," said Ryukyu. "I know how ruthless the path to the summit is. He will likely need your support on this journey and if you're willing to help him on this quest then he is lucky to have a friend like you."
Of the heroes that Rin had encountered during her brief time in this world, Ryukyu was definitely her favourite by a long margin.
"Well then," said Midnight as she popped the cork off of the champagne. "I propose we toast to Shirou and the next generation in their quest to the top."
"Hopefully those who teach us don't prevent us from reaching our full potential due to their own incompetence," said Rin, causing Midnight to spill a handful of drops onto the coffee table. Ignoring the spillage, the hero passed a glass to both Uwabami and Ryukyu, the three of them simultaneously raising the glasses in the air before taking a sip of the liquid within.
Before they had even finished their initial tasting, the door to the penthouse opened once more, Shirou walking in. "Oh, I didn't know we were expecting guests," he said as he closed the door behind him.
"We weren't," remarked Rin. "Why are you home so late?"
"I got kidnapped," said Shirou, the words causing the glass in Uwabami's hand to slip before shattering on the ground. Midnight and Ryukyu meanwhile just sat there with stunned looks on their faces as Rin rubbed at her eyes.
"Only you Shirou, only you."
...
Two hours later, after police interviews and the three female heroes having done their best to make sure that Shirou was okay (Rin definitely not appreciating the level of closeness that Midnight was trying to insinuate with him), the two of them were finally left alone. Rin knew the moment that Shirou walked in and announced his kidnapping that the fact he was fine spoke many things that the Heroes would never know. Even the police in their interrogation had wanted to know names, locations and the like but Shirou had merely stated that one of the men had a teleportation power which had been used to send him to and from the hideout. The police begrudgingly left after being unable to get anything more than some descriptions of characteristics and their plans.
"I'm surprised you didn't just kill them," said Rin as she plonked herself on the couch, glad to be rid of the extra company.
"The hand guy isn't a bad person," said Shirou as he moved to the kitchen to prepare something light for the two of them to snack on before they went to bed. "Listening to his ideas and conviction, it was almost as if listening to a child declare how they were the strongest with no idea of what the real world was like."
"So what, you're hoping that reality will slap him in the face one day and he'll realize his mistakes?"
"He's too immature at the moment to see how big the world is," said Shirou from his sanctuary. "Once his plan fails he'll find that he has to either change as a person or die."
"So you didn't join them or anything did you?"
"No."
Rin allowed a sigh to escape her lips as she closed her eyes. The fact that they had simply allowed Shirou to walk away, meant that there was a larger game at play. They knew he would discuss the plan with someone, almost anybody would inform the authorities that such malevolence was being planned in the background. Shirou wasn't just anybody however and had it only been him and Rin alone that night then the information would have likely have never gone anywhere. It was just unfortunate that the three professional heroes had been in attendance.
She couldn't help but feel that they were on the back foot.
She hated being on the back foot.
...
The rest of their free time flew by quickly, including the time where they were given their new living arrangements. A couple of the members of staff had created two identical concrete cottages in the corner of the facility. Thankfully, with the ridiculous sizing of both the school and the land it operated on, there was little chance that anyone would simply stumble upon their living arrangements.
That hadn't prevented Rin from creating some defences of her own were anyone to approach with malice on the mind. They had also been told that over the next couple of evenings they would be permitted to go to the local shopping centre and purchase appropriate decorative items to make their housing more homely. Rin would undoubtedly go over her allotted budget.
The two students walked side by side through the halls as the rest of the students made their way in from off campus. Eventually they came to the door for classroom 1-C, the general studies room which Rin would be learning for the foreseeable future. "Don't do anything reckless now," said Shirou with a cheeky smile.
"Please, as if I would do anything reckless," said Rin as she flicked a few loose strands of hair over her shoulder.
"I seem to recall a certain girl attacking me in the corridors of a school once before..." started Shirou, earning a hit to his shoulder in response.
"Go to your own classroom already," said Rin, dismissing Shirou who wouldn't help the smile on his face from spreading ever so slightly.
It only took him another couple of minutes to navigate the halls and find his own classroom, slightly pleased to find that he was not the first one in attendance, although there was only one other student present. "Ah, it is good to see another student so punctual..." they started before their eyes sharpened.
"You!"
"Me?" questioned Shirou as the door shut behind him.
"You're the one who attacked my brother!" they shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"Brother?" repeated Shirou before the door behind him was nearly kicked off its hinges.
"One of you shitheads better be the person who stole my place at the top!" they shouted as they barged their way into the room.
Shirou meanwhile couldn't help but feel as if he had already found himself in an unfavourable position.
Chapter 6
Aizawa shuffled to the front of the class, still clad in his sleeping bag. The professional hero took in the looks sent his way by the students that he would be teaching this year. He knew they were looking at him in more of a state of confusion, after all the teachers here at U.A were all professional heroes and he was somebody that nobody would recognize without his gear on. His disheveled look was haggard at best, completely unpresentable on the media front.
"It took eight seconds for you to quiet down," he said stoically after having shrugged off his sleeping bag. "Time is a precious resource. You lot aren't very rational, are you?"
He could see in the eyes of those before him that a number were still confused, possibly about his looks or hopefully about what he had said. He could see though that there definitely at least one student who understood what he was saying. Shirou Emiya, the student who scored the highest score in the opening exam. The student who also had to score the highest score or he wouldn't have been accepted at all into the academy, regardless of his skill level. Shirou was looking at him with a sense of understanding, eyes which understood that time was far more valuable than any currency in the world.
"I'm your homeroom teacher, Shoto Aizawa. Pleased to meet you." Rummaging through the sleeping bag he had only just gotten out of, he pulled out a set of gym clothes. "Quickly now. Change into your gym clothes and head out to the grounds."
They all stood up and shuffled out towards where the changing room was located, Aizawa watching them one by one. As one of the students walked past however he grabbed them on the shoulder and pulled them out of the line. "Can I help you sensei?" asked Shirou.
"I just wanted a quick word," stated Aizawa as the last of the remaining students left the room. "After all, not all students get such special treatment as you."
"I believe that not all students have the ultimatum that if they don't rank as the highest in the entry exam they are sent into a juvenile facility," said Shirou. His comments caused the smallest of smiles to spread across Aizawa's face.
*"At least we know where we stand," said the teacher. "We had quite a few meetings about you ad your friend. Cementoss even went out of his way to build the two of you two homes on campus. Just as they were built so easily, so too can they be taken down as easily."
"If that a threat sensei?"
"A number of students and faculty members were able to hear Bakugo's outburst from down the halls. The confrontation may have been momentarily neutralized but don't think for a second that if you step out of line attempting to quell the situation, you may very well force my hand."
Even though there was quite a bit left unsaid as Aizawa stepped out of the room, Shirou opted not to pursue any further conversation. He knew that his time in this academy would be monitored more than any other student whom he was studying with. It was kind of a given thanks to the circumstances which forced him to be a prisoner of this institute. Any signs that he was heading towards a path of villainy in the eyes of the faculty would result in immediate expulsion and his arrest. Or at least they would try to arrest him.
Try being the optimal word.
...
"Whoa, this is awesome!"
"Seven hundred and five metres, seriously?"
"So we can use our quirks for real? The hero course is great!"
Yaoyorozu listened to the chatter happening around her, many of them gushing over Bakugo's ability to launch the ball such a distance. She knew that such tests were necessary and even though it was almost a bit premature considering it was the first thing they were doing together as a class it wasn't too unexpected. She was more than confident in her own abilities, both having gotten through to the hero course via a recommendation and in her knowledge of what she was capable of. That was more than impressive in its own right but she couldn't help but be interested in seeing the skill levels of her peers.
Looking around at said peers, many of them had gone into momentary shock the moment that their sensei had declared that the student who scored the lowest over the eight events would be expelled. She had no fear of ranking so low amongst those around her and watching how some reacted told her a lot about their character. As Aizawa continued talking she took in some of the more exuberant of reactions.
A few were nervous, almost to the point of panic while others seemed to have become more focused. More than a few were smiling, as if pleased to have this opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. Then there were those who had no emotion to the news whatsoever. Two stood out. One was the boy with dual coloured hair and the burn mark across his left eye. He was almost stoic in his reaction, unfazed by those around him.
Then there was the red haired student who was gazing at everyone with analytical eyes. At first she thought that he was simply sizing up the competition. That was until their eyes met. She could feel her breath catch in her throat as the student looked at her and she felt her body stiffen ever so slightly. It was as if simply by looking at her he was asking her a simple question.
Why are you here?
His gaze moved on to the person next to her and she still found it difficult to relax. How long had they maintained eye contact? Surely no longer than a couple of seconds but she couldn't help but feel that in those few seconds he had learned a lot more about her than she had about him.
"We'll start with the fifty metre dash," declared Aizawa, snapping Yaoyorozu out of her stupor, noticing that the area where they would be tested had already been set up. "Yaoyorozu, Emiya, the two of you are first. Remember to use your abilities to the fullest."
Switching back into game mode, Yaoyorozu lightly slapped at her cheeks as she and the person whom had rattled her so stepped forward to the starting line. She was accepted into the Hero course through a recommendation and she was determined to show that she was worthy of having been given such an honour.
Unfortunately she couldn't think of any way to increase her time. Skates would potentially work but they were more suited to a concrete floor and would risk losing traction across the dirt surface. It was within her power to craft a bicycle but precious seconds would be wasted getting onto her mode of transportation and getting started. Complicated physics equations started running through her head as she tried to figure out other ways in which she could lower her time.
"On your marks," stated Aizawa.
Momo blinked before taking her position. Why was she so rattled? She should have been able to come up with a simple solution. Why was nothing coming to mind?
Was it all because of the person next to her?
"Go!"
Yaoyorozu ran. She would finish in a more than admirable six point four nine seconds but would later have a restless night, her mind going over every possible way in which she could have bettered her run. Especially with what Shirou accomplished.
Four point eight three. An incredible feat, one which was getting a mild applause from those watching but they likely hadn't noticed what she had.
Shirou had ran. That was all. As far as she could tell, there was no use of a quirk. That was his base speed. That was on the proviso that his quirk didn't enhance his natural ability but she had seen nothing that suggested it. Also it didn't help that while she currently had her hands on her knees taking in deep breaths, Shirou didn't look exhausted in the slightest. Was this a game to him? Could he have gone faster? How long could he keep up that speed?
Who was Shirou?
...
Grip strength.
Standing long jump.
Side stepping.
While Shirou didn't rank the highest out of those around him, he had definitely found himself in the upper echelon of those around his current age. At the same time though he hadn't pushed himself to what he was truly capable of. Mostly because he wouldn't be able to justify what they believed his quirk was.
As far as they were aware, he had a weapon creation quirk, one which centred mostly around bladed weapons. If only they had any true idea of how deep his abilities truly went.
His physical abilities had to be at their peak. He had lost count of the amount of times he had been sent to tackle something which others had dared not cross. Shirou had to be stronger, faster, better in order to survive. So he became stronger, faster, better, his body reaching the peaks that he could achieve before striving to climb even higher.
This was all before he added his reinforcement to the mix.
He had yet to apply any of his reinforcement to any of these tests, his natural abilities already bordering on superhuman. He had always pushed himself, having felt so outclassed by the Heroes that had been summoned during the Holy Grail war went to show just how weak he was. Starting with his pitiful bout with Lancer to going head to head with Gilgamesh. While none he had encountered afterwards had been as terrifying as the heroic spirits that had been summoned from different eras, he had always been more than aptly prepared for any potential confrontation.
Or at least he had hoped so.
"Shirou, you're up," declared Aizawa, tossing the ball to his student.
Catching it nonchalantly, Shirou stepped up to the circle and momentarily considered his options. He had yet to show off what these people believed his 'quirk' truly was and this was an event designed to display his abilities. The record at the moment still stood at Bakugo's original seven hundred and five metres, Shirou not really counting Uraraka's ball having been defined as going an infinite distance. That was a technicality at the best.
There was a wide range of distances that had been thrown, the greatest out of pure strength having gone to the Shoji, the teenage student who had had the strongest grip strength amongst his peers. On the complete other side of the spectrum thus far had been Mineta, the diminutive kid with purple balls growing from his head had amassed a whole hearted twenty six metres.
Shirou knew that he could easily reach a distance far greater than any who had gone before, Uraraka not counting. The one joy of having been sent out to track down and defeat innumerable targets meant that his arsenal grow with every battle. He could bring forth something as common as a baseball bat and hit the ball around the three hundred metre mark, four to five if he added a touch of reinforcement.
Alternatively he could use a touch of his weaponry. He could bring forth the traditional Yumi, or perhaps even craft an English Longbow, pierce the ball on an arrow and put his teenage years of archery training to the test. If he wanted to be a complete showoff he could use the bow he had witnessed Archer use against Caster back at Ryuudou temple. Archer's original weapon, one without a name yet strong enough to carry the necessary burden brought forth by the sheer power of Noble Phantasms.
An incredible bow, one which could launch a projectile miles further than Bakugo's explosive throw.
Yet he had no intention of showing these guys what he was truly capable of.
He threw the ball. The object was launched, far further than what anybody could have imagined possible without any sort of quirk being shown. Once again, it didn't break any records but it would definitely cause some eyebrows to be raised.
...
Shirou had expected this, of course he had. The entire time that the test was going on he knew he alone was being specifically watched. Sadly, it wasn't by Aizawa, he had plans well in place to deal with the stoic teacher were he to raise some questions.
Sadly he had been prevented from leaving by a number of his classmates, iIt would seem that he had gotten the attention of a number of those who weren't exactly thrilled by his results. Five of them to be precise.
Bakugo and Kirishima had been expected, both of them were hot headed from what he had seen and had pushed themselves during the tests. It was weird seeing their competitiveness and having a small knowing that the two of them would likely drive each other to greater heights.
Iida was another one who wasn't surprising, though his vendetta still probably stemmed from the incident earlier in the day as opposed to what happened during their display of skills.
The last two were more than a little surprising. Yaoyorozu had been giving him off looks throughout the day ever since they had locked eyes before the two of them had raced in the first test. Even during the classes in between then and now he had felt her eyes wander onto him as he did his work.
The final student who had decided to momentarily miss the lunch break was Todoroki. Shirou had yet to interact with the quiet student but it was clear during the testing period that he had the potential to become someone special. The way he had used his ice quirk had shown that he had a good grasp on what he was capable of but Shirou had an inkling suspicion that Todoroki hadn't gone all out during the tests either. It would be interesting to see just what the ice wielder was truly able to accomplish.
"I don't know why these guys are here, but what I wanna know is why is a villain like you at a school for heroes?" asked Kirishima, the brass teenager breaking the somewhat awkward silence.
"The deal between me and the faculty is none of your concern," declared Shirou.
"No, it doesn't. What I do care about is the safety of..."
"If you're worried about me attacking any of the students here, don't. I'm not that kind of person," assured Shirou, earning a scoff from Bakugo.
"And we're meant to believe you villain, after you fought my brother and all those other heroes?" asked Iida, clearly not believing a word Shirou was saying. Considering the 'minor' altercation they got into this morning before class had even begun it was clear that Iida's opinion would be more than a little biased.
"What is a hero? What is a villain? Who determines who is given these labels? Why must everything be on such different sides of the spectrum? I know of those who steal in order to provide food for starving children, if they are caught then those kids will die. I know of those who do good, there public face a beacon for all to see before they return to the lab and experiment on human guinea pigs who beg for the sweet release of death."
Shirou was painting a picture for them and it was clear that they were more than a little uncomfortable with what he was saying. Yaoyorozu had gone slightly more pale in the cheeks and even the normally poker faced Todoroki seemed to be swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat.
"You are all here to become heroes, at least in the most commonplace version of the word," continued Shirou. "What happens when you leave here and the masses know your names? Will they chant for you in the streets or be pleading for you to hold off the enemy until someone stronger arrives? Never stop pushing yourselves and become the hero that people can count on in any situation."
"And what about you?" asked Todoroki. "Will the people call for you in the streets to come save them?"
"No," said Shirou slowly. "If people are going to be saved..."
"Are going to be saved?" repeated Kirishima. "You make it sound like heroes fail to..."
"They do, heroes fail all the time either to those they are trying to protect...or themselves," said Shirou momentarily recalling Archer, the false hero who had fallen from his ideals. The false hero he so desperately wished he could simply forget but knew deep down that he never would be able to. The false hero who he had become. The false hero that he had the potential to become.
Taking a breath, Shirou focused on those around him. "The word hero has changed a lot over history, the world we live in today is proof of that. In centuries to come though, your names will be nothing more than a part of a list of those who failed to stand out; one of hundreds if not thousands of those who decided that they were content to be just another hero."
As Shirou moved towards the exit, his part having been said he could hear the clenching of a fist behind him. "I'm going to be number one you here!" shouted Bakugo though Shirou paid it minimal thought. It was good to have aspirations to be the best in the world, because only then could you see how difficult the path to become the best truly was.
"Man, that totally didn't go the way I thought it would," said Kirishima as he placed his hands on the back of his head.
"You wished to catch him plotting something nefarious?" asked Iida as Bajugo stomped out of the classroom, each step banging on the floor.
"Nah, I wanted to try and figure out why he attacked the heroes back then," said Kirishima with a shrug. "Everyone had an idea as to why but nobody knows the truth. Even hearing what he had to say makes you know that the answer is nowhere near as simple as it should be."
"Agreed," said Iida, albeit mildly reluctantly. "Might I inquire as to your thoughts on the matter Yaoyorozu?"
"Well," started Momo, momentarily trying to get her thoughts to align. "I know I for one am here to show the world that I am someone worthy of being a hero. At least I thought I was."
She was shaken, it was clear to see. Those who had observed her at the start of the day had seen a woman full of confidence, ready to tackle any and all obstacles before her. Not even a full day had passed and already her confidence had waned greatly. All because of one person.
Todoroki pushed himself off of the wall he had been leaning against and started heading towards the exit. "Do you have nothing to add?" asked Iida, causing the teenager to stop in his tracks.
There were several seconds of silence before Todoroki gave his answer. "Nothing I say will make a difference." As he exited three words rang through the remaining students minds. Make a difference. Could they make a difference in this world? Unfortunately as they answered that they would make a difference, they couldn't do so with the conviction they so desperately wished they could muster.
...
"This is highly irregular Aizawa," said All Might.
"Irregular or not he is in my class and as such plays by my rules," stated the quirk cancelling teacher. "It's not as if he can't handle the situation."
"What does this show the other students?"
"That even in unfair situations the person with the greater amount of skill will be victorious."
"You're wanting me to test their dedication to becoming a hero?"
"Something like that," said Aizawa with a shrug of his shoulders as he left All Might alone, his spiel having been said. The top hero would be hosting battle training the following afternoon and if he did as he was told, it would definitely be a training not to miss.
Chapter 7
Midoriya stared at the roof, his bedroom encased in darkness with the sun having set hours prior. Sleep was eluding him thus far despite being moderately exhausted from his first day of school at U.A. Having ended the day with the lowest overall score in the physical examinations meant that his journey had only just begun. Getting into the prestigious academy had only been the first step to become the greatest but first he had to survive whatever the school would throw at him.
Which also included his classmates.
Kacchan had tried to confront him after he had launched the ball which was only mildly surprising, despite how terrifying the situation was. It was inevitable, at some point Kacchan would confront him and he would need to be prepared for whatever the volatile boy had in store. He just hoped between now and then he would have some sort of way to channel One for All without having to visit Recovery Girl afterwards.
Despite how high of a hurdle it would be to overcome, Kacchan had ranked third overall amongst his peers as opposed to his dismal last place. There were still two students who had managed to score higher.
Todoroki and Emiya.
That wasn't dismissing any of the other students who ranked above him. Each had fought and scrapped their way past hundreds of other applicants to become students at the academy and each had something to give. Now it was up to him to scrape and crawl his way to become a hero alongside his peers.
He knew it was going to be hard. Other children had already had a number of years to hone and develop their skills and to know just what they were capable of. He had little to no experience using One for All and the school schedule didn't give him much time to hone his newfound powers. He needed to train but there was only so much time where All Might could train him one on one and the laws prevented him from learning out in public and the powers of One for All were not appropriate for inside the home.
That unfortunately meant that his trial and error ways of testing what he was capable of would be limited to the school grounds. He needed somebody to train him when All Might couldn't. Someone who had a quirk that wasn't completely different from his own. Thinking of those near the top of the class rankings, there was only one he could think of that had shown abilities that seemed similar. Emiya had utilized nothing but his raw strength, speed and talent to claim the top spot of the class.
That was who he needed to help him become better.
Now he just had to figure out how best to approach him.
...
Eighth.
She had ranked Eighth.
She. Momo Yaoyorozu. A student who had gotten in through official recommendations had failed to rank in the top third of her peers.
A child prodigy who had expected to stand atop her classmates had fallen so short of her expectations within the first day. She hadn't even been able to front her parents about it, having had dinner brought to her room that evening, telling the staff that she was unwell and wished to rest.
She sat there, the flicker of a lit candle burning brightly by her side as she read, her expansive knowledge growing ever more as she learned about more things that she could potentially make with her quirk. That was what her quirk was about at the end of the day. Creation. The higher range of items she could make, the stronger as a hero she would be.
She had to redeem herself. Prove that she was worthy of having been recommended to such a prestigious hero school. That would mean confronting the greatest obstacle she had ever come across.
Shirou Emiya.
Even thinking about him caused her to remember those cold, calculating eyes. Eyes that seemed as if hope had been drained from them. Just what had Emiya been through? The words he had spoken after class had haunted her through the rest of the day and made her question just what kind of Hero she wanted to be? It also made her question why she wanted to be a hero in the first place.
Slamming the book shut, Yaoyorozu purged those thoughts from her mind. Tomorrow was another day to prove herself amongst her peers and as she blew out the candle, she knew just who she had to impress most of all.
She would impress him.
She had to.
...
"I'm...coming through the door like a normal person!" announced All Might as he walked into the classroom. Emiya was, so far, not impressed. Sure this was only the first time he had seen the hero and it wasn't in action. Apparently though he was the top hero, his kidnappers apparently wishing to kill this hero alone. He could understand their reasoning. If you want to make the biggest of splashes you took down the biggest out there. Simple.
He knew that you couldn't simply judge the professional hero just on looks alone, even if he did paint a mildly intimidating picture despite that cheesy smile seemingly plastered on his face. He doubted All Might had the ability to compete with any of the heroes he had confronted in the past but still he wouldn't pass judgement until he had seen just what the man could do.
"Hero Basic Training! The class that will put you through all sorts of special training to mold you into heroes! No time to dally! Today's activity is this! Battle training!" declared All Might, each sentence seemingly roaring with power.
While a majority of the students suddenly got excited for their afternoon classes, Shirou couldn't help but wonder what kind of conditions those around him would be exposed to. Being a first class, he imagined that it would be something simple for them to show off in front of their peers. The athletic testing the previous day might have shown off what they were capable of in a very specific scenario. Battle was a completely different game with unpredictable situations that those participating had to adapt to constantly.
Shirou couldn't help but wonder how many of those sitting in the class with him right now would deal with some of the simpler situations he had encountered. Unfortunately, he didn't think many of them would make it on a true battlefield.
"In accordance with the 'Quirk Registry' and the special request forms you filled out before being admitted..."
"COSTUMES!" shouted a multitude of the students.
"After you change, come out in ranking order to Ground Beta!" instructed All Might as the costumes were handed out. "Looking good is very important ladies and gentlemen!"
...
All Might smiled as he always did whilst he waited for the first student to arrive. He hadn't been kidding when he had said that looking good was important. Not so much for the heroes themselves, but rather for the community who watched them. The people needed to recognize the hero before them to feel a sense of comfort despite how horrifying the situation might be. A costume was a symbol, a symbol that informed those in need that they would be rescued.
Turning his head slightly, All Might could see the silhouette of the first trainee approaching. There was a reason why students were made to come out in the order they ranked in during their test the previous day. It was so that those behind them could see their goal, to see the objective in front of them and know that the next person stronger than them was only fingertips away. It kept the competitive spirit alive, even when ranking professionally. Nobody truly wished to be seen as if they were lower than the previous year, fear that their prime was behind them had a terrifying way of spurring one onwards again.
He was sure that many in Class 1-A wished to claim the number one position off of this student. The villain who was strongarmed into becoming a hero in training, someone who had already shown that they could handle what the real world was capable of dishing out. It would seem though that he had chosen to go something rather simplistic with his heroic attire. In fact, many would struggle to call it the costume of a hero in the first place though it wouldn't necessarily be something that somebody would associate with a villain either.
The outfit spoke of solitude, isolation almost. It consisted mostly of a form fitting black mesh suit, perhaps something akin to body armour which covered his torso yet left his arms open though his hands were protected by fingerless gloves (All Might assumed was made from the same protective material). The only colour on the top half of his attire was dull silver, the contrasting colour lined perfectly with Shirou's muscle structure. As for the legs, they were covered in casual black trousers which had plating protecting the ligaments. On his feet were black shoes which seemed to have metal plating protecting his toes.
There was one thing which made All Might know that this entire ensemble wasn't crafted by any of the regular support companies affiliated with the school. That was the cape that he wore. It might have been white when it had first been created but it seemed as if decades of dust, debris and blood had soaked into the fabric. The ends were frayed and torn, more than a single hole was present. All Might could tell however that it was more than a simple clothing choice, one which nearly nobody would make. Nearly every hero had a vast number of outfits, each one perhaps only mildly different to the point where it was almost difficult to notice that they weren't identical. Each one however would be fresh, clean and if there was one which became damaged then it would be replaced.
That cape would never be taken away from him.
Each one of those tears, each smudge of dirt, they were reminders. All Might still wasn't sure the entirety of the student's background, nobody really did but it was clear that cape had been through a lot, none of it pretty.
This simply was another question in the puzzle that was Shirou Emiya.
As the rest of the students walked out, each in their own individual and specialized costumes, All Might waited patiently for the last to arrive. His own pupil in Midoriya was last in his modified green jumpsuit and All Might wondered how the student would step up to the plate today, especially with the pressure this next test would bring. Originally he had planned multiple two versus two scenarios with the competitors drawn at random. That however, had now changed.
"Heroes in training!" All Might bellowed, his voice silencing the murmurs between students. "Villain battles are most commonly seen outdoors, but, statistically, the most heinous villains are more likely to appear indoors. Between confinement, house arrest and black market deals in this hero-filled society of ours, the cleverest villains out there, lurk indoors. Practical experiences are the best way to learn the basics. Hence, we will be conducting team battles."
"Will we be selecting our own teammates?" asked Iida, raising his hand as if he were still in grade school.
"Your teammates have already been selected for you," declared All Might. "Using the rankings obtained in yesterday's exercises, we have come up with appropriate teams."
"Team A will consist of Asui, Ashido, Shoji and Todoroki."
"Team B will consist of Aoyama, Uraraka, Ojiro and Bakugo."
"Team C will consist of Sero, Koda, Kirishima and Iida."
"Team D will consist of Kaminari, Sato, Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami."
"Team E will consist of Emiya, Jiro, Hagakure, Mineta and Midoriya."
...
To say that All Might's introduction of the teams was bland was putting it nicely. It was clear to Shirou that the professional hero was still getting used to his role as a teacher. What was clear however was the placement of the teams, or more specifically his team.
He had been placed with the four students who had scored the lowest in the practical while the other students had been spaced out evenly. Considering this were team battles, it was a deliberate handicap.
"Take a moment to know your teammates, learn what they are capable of before the practical begins!" All Might instructed.
It took only a handful of seconds for the groups to split up, the four students who Shirou would be working with huddled together as he approached them. He didn't blame them, none of them had interacted with him and he was well known as the former villain. While all the other groups had already begun speaking with one another, those who would be working with would had yet to say a word. Seemed it would be up to him to start it off.
"Alright, so..."
"I've been waiting so long to actually meet you!" squealed Hagakure, the invisible girl moving her hands frantically up and down. "I watched the video of you so many times then when I saw you in our class I wanted to go up and meet you face to face, but I froze and then I just couldn't because it would have been awkward and I feel as if I'm making a fool of myself."
Shirou found himself momentarily at a loss for words, blinking several times as he tried to clarify his thoughts. It also didn't help that the girl who had just confessed that she was a fan of his had a hero costume that visibly consisted of a pair of gloves and boots. Somehow, he didn't believe that the rest of her attire was made of an invisible material.
"It's okay," said Shirou sheepishly, not quite sure how he should. "So, what is everybody capable of?"
"I'm invisible, so I'm really good at sneaking around and catching people off guard," announced Hagakure, more than eager to answer Shirou's question.
"Good to know," said Shirou, giving her a somewhat awkward thumbs up for her enthusiasm.
"My quirk is a double edged sword," said Midoriya, his fist clenching as he looked at the ground. "I have incredible strength but my body is unable to handle the recoil. I can't control my output so I end up injuring myself to the point where I can't fight anymore."
Shirou nodded his head in understanding. It sounded as if Midoriya's quirk was one that was impossible to train in a safe manner. The only real way to get better with it was through trial and error until he could gain some kind of control. Unfortunately that could mean a lot of broken bones and torn muscles before trying to remember how to work through a single punch only for it to backfire again.
Mineta pulled one of the purple balls off his head and held it in his hand. "These balls are incredibly sticky," said Mineta, Shirou trying to block out how wrong that sentence sounded. "A new one will grow in its place, but if I tear off too many too quickly it will start to bleed. My costume and I are the only things that it won't stick to."
"My jacks can be used as whips but if I am able to plug them into a target I can channel my heartbeat through them to create a shockwave," declared Jiro, her arms crossed over her chest. "What about you, we all saw you fight but what is your actual quirk?"
Shirou allowed a claymore to appear in his hand before he drove it into the ground, the noise silencing all of the other groups. "My abilities allow me to craft weapons, though nothing modern. The weapons also have to be one's that I have seen in the past, I can't create an original sword. They do not last forever however and will eventually vanish on their own or when I will it," said Shirou, the claymore evaporating into blue glimmers of light. It was a very basic version that the people around him would understand and take at face value. They likely would never be able to comprehend the true abilities he possessed even if he was to tell them, not that he ever would.
"Wait, so how did you be in the top percentile of every one of the physical tests if you can only create weapons?" asked Midoriya. "Weapon creation wouldn't have anything to do with increased physical strength or stamina."
"When everybody has quirks that make them unique, they tend to forget that the human body is able to reach incredible heights through rigorous training," stated Shirou. "The greatest of heroes are able to come through every situation, without having to rely on the things that make them special." His spiel said, Shirou ignored the looks that the other students sent his way and focused on All Might. The professional hero turned teacher was still smiling at him but it was almost strained, the man clearly deep in thought.
"Well...students, now that you have a general grasp of what your teammates are capable of, it's time for you to learn what the task is," announced All Might, garnering all attention back on him as he held up a pair of handcuffs. "It will be team versus team where the objective is for each group to capture members of the opposing team. Every one of you will have a single pair of these handcuffs to use, once the handcuffs are on that student is eliminated for the rest of the exercise. That's not all, each team will also nominate a single student to be their VIP that they will inform me of. If the enemy team captures the VIP, then that entire team is eliminated and the other team will be announced victorious."
"Now, the Team that will be defending first will be Team E, who will start the exercise inside and play the role of the villains, their VIP being their heinous mastermind."
"The team of heroes who will be storming the stronghold will be Team D, who will approach ten minutes after Team E has entered the facility."
"Now, let's begin!"