Location: HPSC Headquarters – Press Room
Date: Monday | 08:00 AM
MURMUR.
CHATTER.
The main press room was packed tight.
Fifty reporters, camera crews, and network anchors shoved against each other in the seating area.
Cables tangled on the floor while people yelled over each other to test microphones.
Off to the side of the stage, hidden behind the heavy velvet curtains, a young man leaned against the wall.
He wore a casual aviator jacket. He held a small paper cup of coffee.
Two massive red wings rested folded against his back.
Hawks was still hovering around rank thirteen, but he was already a regular in the HPSC halls.
"He's going to collapse before he even hits the mic," Hawks said.
Sip.
He took a sip of his coffee.
Beside him, an HPSC handler adjusted his earpiece. "Cabinet members have been screaming in his ear since midnight. That Sato X leak gave the Prime Minister a panic attack."
Hawks tilted his head back, his golden eyes scanning the dark vents near the ceiling. He caught a brief, metallic glint up there.
A rifle barrel shifting just an inch. Kaina Tsutsumi was on overwatch.
"Well," Hawks sighed, looking back at the stage. "Let's see if they eat him alive."
Footsteps echoed from the right.
Step. Step. Step.
Yokumiru Mera walked up the wooden steps. He looked exactly as Hawks described.
His suit was a mess. The bags under his bloodshot eyes were practically bruised purple.
He dragged his feet slightly, walking straight to the wooden podium.
His sister, Agent Mera, walked a step behind him.
She held a thick clipboard and immediately stood to his left, her eyes locking onto the front row of journalists.
Mera reached the podium. He leaned over it, leaning his weight on his forearms.
FLASH.
FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.
The cameras went off. The shouting started instantly.
"Mera-san! Tokyo Daily!"
"Are the prisons compromised?!"
"What is the HPSC doing about Stendhal?!"
TAP. TAP.
Mera flicked his finger against the microphone.
SCREEEK.
The sharp feedback made the front row wince.
"Shut up," Mera said. His voice was hoarse and completely flat. "I'm only doing this once. Ask your questions."
He pointed a pale finger at a reporter in the second row.
The man jumped up, holding a phone out as a recorder. "The footage clearly shows Tartarus inmates out on the street! Did they break out? Why is the government covering it up?!"
"Nobody broke out," Mera answered. He didn't blink. "It was a transfer. We were moving them from a temporary holding site to a new secure prison site. The Tartarus was already a compromised stronghold. They were fully restrained. They had Quirk-suppression cuffs on the whole time."
Mera pointed to a woman in the front row before the first guy could yell again.
She stood up. "Then why were they sitting ducks in a tunnel? Stendhal had to step in because the police failed to secure the transport!"
"An EMP hit the convoy," Mera said, his tone blunt and exhausted. "The engines died. The cameras died. And Stendhal didn't step in to help anyone. He ambushed a dead convoy."
Another reporter pushed his way forward, interrupting. "People are calling him a hero on social media! They want him to keep doing it! Are you really going to arrest the guy cleaning up the streets for you?!"
Agent Mera gripped her clipboard tighter. She looked ready to step in.
Mera held up a hand, stopping his sister. He looked directly at the reporter.
"Listen to yourselves," Mera said. He rubbed his eyes, sounding tired of the whole room. "You're cheering for a guy who walked up to restrained men and chopped them to pieces. That's a murder. We arrest criminals."
Mera picked up a piece of paper from the podium.
"The Commission already labeled Stendhal as a high profile villain. Anyone who brings him in gets top-tier compensation. We enforce the law. We don't tolerate street executions."
Mera dropped the paper back on the podium.
"We're done here."
The press room exploded into a frenzy of shouting.
"Wait!"
"Who caused the EMP?!"
Mera completely ignored them.
He walked down the side steps and pushed the heavy oak door open. He stepped into the quiet, carpeted hallway behind the stage.
CLACK.
The heavy door shut.
The yelling vanished.
Mera took three steps down the hall.
He stopped, leaned his back against the wall, and slid down until he was sitting on the floor. He let his head thunk against the plaster.
Hawks walked out from the side corridor. He looked down at the older man.
"Man, its a rough crowd," Hawks said.
"Coffee," Mera groaned.
He pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes and ordered some of the employees near him. "Just... go get me something with caffeine."
Agent Mera walked over and stood next to Hawks. She looked down at her brother.
"They didn't listen to a word you said," she said quietly. "They only care about the dead villains."
"Doesn't matter," Mera muttered. He kept his eyes closed. "The law is the law. If we cave to the internet, the whole system rots."
*-*-*-*
Location: Tokyo – Premium RV Dealership
Date: Monday | 12:30 PM
CHATTER.
FOOTSTEPS.
The Tokyo Premium Auto Dealership was busy.
Mechanics shouted from the open garage bays in the back.
Families climbed in and out of display campers across the showroom floor.
Kaito walked through the front doors.
He wore dark jeans and a plain white shirt. He kept his hands in his pockets, casually looking around at the rows of massive vehicles.
A salesman in a sharp blue suit noticed him. He put on a wide smile and walked over quickly.
"Welcome! Looking for a weekend camper today?" the salesman asked. He held a clipboard against his chest.
Then he stopped.
"...."
"...."
He blinked and leaned in a little closer. The fake customer service smile dropped, replaced by genuine shock.
"Hold on. You are Kaito Arisaka. The Golden Manager," the salesman said. His voice went up an octave. "Man, I saw the news about your contract in Egypt. It is crazy to have you in my section."
Kaito laughed and held out a hand.
"Haha. Thanks," Kaito said. "But just call me Kaito today. I'm taking a vacation."
The salesman shook his hand quickly. "I am Gato. What can I help you find? Need a mobile base for your company?"
"No business today," Kaito said. "I am taking my grandmother up into the mountains for a vacation. I need something big. Really comfortable. She is getting older, so I want a truck that eats up bad roads."
Sato nodded. "A family trip. Got it. You want something with heavy suspension."
Sato waved for Kaito to follow him.
They walked past the smaller vans and stopped in front of a massive, six-wheeled truck. It was painted dark grey. The tires were huge.
"This is the Overland Mammoth," Sato said. He patted the heavy metal door. "We get the chassis from a Hero Support company. The suspension is pneumatic. It swallows rocks and ditches. Your grandmother could drink tea while you drive over a dirt trail and she won't spill a drop."
Kaito walked around the truck. He looked at the thick tires and the heavy frame.
"Looks tough," Kaito said. "What about inside? Does it get too hot?"
"No way," Sato said. He pulled the side door open. "Come look. The walls have double insulation. You get a full kitchen, a heated shower, and a generator that runs off gas and the solar panels on the roof."
Kaito stepped inside. The layout was huge. There was plenty of room for Saki to walk around. The seats looked soft.
"It has plenty of space," Kaito said. He stepped back out and looked at Sato. "I'll take it."
Sato blinked. "Oh. Wow, that was fast. Awesome choice, Mr. Kaito. Let me grab the paperwork and we can look at the financing—"
Kaito reached into his pocket. He pulled out a black card and handed it over.
"I don't need financing, Sato. Let's just pay in full today," Kaito said. "I just have one condition. I need this truck parked at my house in Shizuoka by six o'clock tonight."
Gulp.
Sato stared at the black card. He swallowed hard.
"Yes," Sato said. He stood up a little straighter. "I will get the papers printed right now. And I will drive the transport truck to Shizuoka myself."
"Thanks, Sato," Kaito smiled. "Grab a coffee for the drive."
*-*-*-*
Location: Shizuoka – Grandma Saki's House
Time: 03:00 PM
Kaito opened the front door and took off his shoes. The house smelled like baked fish and soy sauce.
"I'm home," Kaito called out.
"In the kitchen, Kaito!" Grandma Saki yelled back.
Kaito walked into the kitchen.
Saki was standing by the stove, stirring a pot.
Ever since Kaito had secretly fixed her telomeres, she moved with the energy of a thirty-year-old.
She didn't complain about her knees anymore, and her back was perfectly straight.
"I bought a camping trailer today," Kaito said casually, leaning against the counter.
Saki stopped stirring. She turned around and looked at him. "A what?"
"A camping trailer. It's a big truck with beds and a kitchen inside," Kaito explained. "It gets delivered tonight. I wanted to take you on a another vacation."
Saki's eyes widened. "A vacation? Just the two of us?"
"Yes. I found a nice public campsite down in the Kyushu mountains. Lots of trees, a river, and zero traffic."
Saki clapped her hands together. A huge smile spread across her face. "Oh, Kaito! That sounds wonderful! I haven't been camping in years! Should I start packing right now? What kind of clothes do I need?"
"Just regular outdoor clothes. We leave in exactly two days," Kaito said.
"Why two days?" Saki asked, tilting her head.
"Because the truck needs some upgrades," Kaito replied. "The beds are uncomfortable, and I want to add some comfortable appliances. Just relax for now."
Saki laughed and went back to her cooking. "You are such a good boy, Kaito. Kyushu... I'm going to make a list of snacks we need to buy!"
*-*-*-*
Location: Musutafu – Midoriya Residence
Izuku Midoriya sat on his bed. His room was quiet. The All Might posters on his walls stared down at him.
He held his phone in both hands.
The Sato X News broadcast was playing on the screen.
He watched Stendhal bring the blade down.
He watched the blood hit the pavement.
Izuku paused the video. His hands were shaking.
MEOW.
Kuro hopped onto the bed.
The black cat walked over and nudged Izuku's hand with his wet nose.
Izuku dropped the phone on the mattress and looked down at the cat.
"Did you see the news today, Kuro?" Izuku asked. His voice was quiet.
Kuro sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. He stared at Izuku.
"People are calling him a hero," Izuku said, staring at his hands. "They say he did the right thing. But... he killed those prisoners. They were in chains. They couldn't fight back."
Izuku looked over at his closet.
The dark green vigilante suit and the mask of his 'Greenhood' were hidden inside.
He thought about the nights he spent running across rooftops, fighting thugs in the alleyways. From the mutated trigger animals in the past the run away minor villains.
He thought about the anger he sometimes felt when he saw bad people hurting the innocent. But Izuku never harmed or killed anyone since he became a Vigilante.
"I wanted to be a vigilante because the system was too slow," Izuku whispered. "I wanted to save people right then and there. But watching Stendhal... it scares me, Kuro. If you break the law to stop bad guys, where do you stop? How do you know you won't turn into someone like him?"
MEOW.
Kuro stood up and pressed his head against Izuku's chest, purring loudly.
HUUF-PUFF.
Izuku took a deep breath. He wrapped his arms around the cat and hugged him tight.
"I won't do it," Izuku said. "I won't ever cross that line. A hero saves lives. I promise you, Kuro. I'm going to do this the right way. I'm going to become the best Hero there is."
*-*-*-*
Location: Oita Prefecture – The Kuju Mountains
Date: Next Day
The grass outside the rented cabin was soft.
Daiki Izumi sat on a checkered blanket, wearing a grey sweater and jeans. His wife Yui sat next to him. (Water Hose Duo)
They had been up here in the mountains for a full week now, completely away from hero patrols.
"Want a sandwich?" Yui asked. She opened a plastic container full of egg salad.
"Thanks," Daiki said. He took one and looked out toward the trees.
PEW!
A small stream of water hit Daiki right in the ear.
Daiki wiped his face and turned around. His four-year-old son, Kota, stood a few feet away holding a plastic water gun.
Kota wore a red cap with two small horns on it. He covered his mouth, giggling.
"Oh, you want a fight?" Daiki smiled. He put his sandwich down on the container lid.
Daiki held up his open hand.
SPLASH.
A tiny, gentle burst of water shot from Daiki's palm. It hit Kota right in the chest.
Kota gasped loudly. He laughed and immediately ran away across the grass to hide behind a tree.
"Hey, don't get him too wet," Yui said. She smiled and shook her head. "It is cold out here."
"He is tough," Daiki said. He leaned back on his hands and watched Kota peek out from behind the tree trunk. "It feels really good to just sit here. This past week has been great."
"Way better than the city," Yui agreed. She took a bite of her food. "Did you see the TV inside this morning? The press conference about Stendhal?"
Daiki frowned a little. "Yeah. The guy is a mess. The public is getting angry and the HPSC is stressing out. Stendhal just kills people and leaves a bloody scene everywhere. He makes the streets worse."
"It definitely makes our job harder," Yui said.
"Yeah," Daiki said. He watched Kota run around the tree. "It makes you think about Hero X. The news calls both of them vigilantes. But Hero X never hurts anyone. He just shows up, fixes impossible situations, and leaves."
Yui looked at Daiki. She bumped her shoulder against his. "You are thinking about the mountain again."
Daiki nodded slowly. "Hard not to. Every time I see Kota laughing and running around like that. I really thought I was dead that day. The heat from that lava was burning right through my suit."
Yui reached over and held his hand.
She didn't say anything to interrupt him. They had talked about this many times over the last few months. She just let him talk.
"I still can't wrap my head around it," Daiki laughed quietly, looking down at the grass. "A massive wall of boiling lava. And the guy just snapped his fingers and turned it into paper butterflies. Who does that?"
"Someone looking out for us," Yui said. She squeezed his hand tight. "I am just glad he was there. You are here with us right now."
"Me too," Daiki smiled. He squeezed her hand back.
"Dad!" Kota yelled from across the yard. He ran back toward the picnic blanket, pointing at the food. "I'm hungry!"
Daiki laughed and let go of Yui's hand. He picked up a sandwich.
"Alright, alright," Daiki said. "Come here, little monster."
*-*-*-*
Location: Outskirts of Oita Prefecture – Cheap Motel
The motel room smelled like old cigarettes and cheap beer.
The wallpaper near the bathroom was peeling off in large strips.
Goto Imasuji, Muscular, sat on the edge of the squeaky mattress. He wore a dirty white tank top and loose sweatpants.
He held a half-empty beer can in his massive hand.
On the small TV in the corner, Yokumiru Mera was giving his press conference. He was talking about the law and the vigilante Stendhal.
Goto stared at the screen. His jaw tightened. He hated watching the news these days.
CRUNCH.
He squeezed his hand.
The aluminum can flattened completely. Beer spilled over his knuckles and dripped onto the dirty carpet.
"Boring," Goto growled. His voice was deep and scratchy.
Clank.
He threw the crushed can at the TV.
It bounced hard off the plastic casing and clattered onto the floor.
Goto stood up. He paced around the tiny room.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
He felt restless. His muscles twitched under his skin.
He had been hiding in these rural dirt-towns for months now. He couldn't go back to the big cities. Tokyo and Osaka were completely ruined.
Ever since the League of Villains got crushed and All For One lost, the streets were locked down tight.
Endeavor and All Might were patrolling all the time.
And then there was that freak, Hero X.
The guy just showed up out of nowhere and ended fight, snapped a ssunami and sarthquakes. And even crumpled the leader of League of Villains into a paper.
Hero X really didn't make sense.
It made Goto sick.
Now, even the alleyways were full of crazy vigilantes like Stendhal stealing all the action.
"Chop a guy's head off in the dark. What's the point in that?" Goto muttered to himself. He cracked his neck. "No screaming. No fighting back. It's pathetic."
He walked over to the wall. He wanted to hit something real.
He wanted to feel bones snap under his fists. He wanted to see the fear in someone's eyes when they realized they couldn't win.
CRACK.
"Damn! I'm going crazy this time."
He punched the cheap drywall. His giant fist went clean through it, leaving a massive hole.
Dust fell onto the floor. Goto pulled his hand out and looked at his knuckles. He didn't even feel it.
"This won't do."
He walked over to the small table near the window.
A crumpled map of Oita Prefecture sat next to his car keys.
Goto smoothed the paper out with his heavy hand. He looked at the green areas. The mountains.
He traced a finger over the Kuju Mountains.
It was totally isolated.
Far away from the major hero agencies. If he started a fight up there, the local cops wouldn't stand a chance.
And the pro heroes would take at least ten to fifteen minutes to arrive.
Ten minutes was a lot of time. Plenty of time to play.
Goto smiled.
A dark, wide grin stretched across his scarred face.
Thin, red muscle fibers began to peel out from under the skin of his arms, wrapping around his real muscles like thick cords.
He grabbed his keys off the table. He didn't have any bags to pack.
Goto walked to the door, turned the handle, and shoved it open.
BAM.
*-*-*-*
Location: Shizuoka – Grandma Saki's House
Date: Next Day | 08:00 AM
The silver Overland Mammoth sat in the driveway.
Outside, it looked like a heavy-duty military transport.
Inside, it was a completely different world.
Kaito spent the last two days ripping out the unnecessary factory parts.
He used spatial warping to stretch the interior cabin.
The inside was now three times larger than the outside.
He installed a massive smart fridge, a high-end chef's stove, and a huge leather couch.
He also put in a zero-gravity memory foam mattress so Grandma Saki's bad back would not hurt during the ride.
THUD.
Kaito dropped two heavy coolers of food into the back storage space. He wiped his hands on his dark jeans.
*-*-*
Location: O'Clock Agency, Naruhata
Date: A Day Before (Flashback)
RING.
Makoto held her cell phone to her ear. Her other hand was typing fast on her laptop.
Stacks of agency budget reports covered her desk.
"Hello?" Makoto answered.
"Makoto, dear!" Saki's voice came through the speaker. "Kaito just finished building a massive camping truck. He has the week off. We are going to the Kuju Mountains."
Makoto stopped typing.
She looked at the giant pile of paperwork.
She remembered the world tour they took last time. It was the best week of her life.
"When do we leave?" Makoto asked.
"Next morning," Saki laughed.
BEEP.
Makoto hung up the phone.
She stood up, grabbed a leave-of-absence paper from her drawer, and walked straight into the loud agency lounge.
Koichi and Kazuho were arguing on the couch. Iwao sat in his favorite chair, blowing on his hot tea.
SLAP.
Makoto slammed the paper down on the small table next to Iwao's mug.
"I am taking the day off," Makoto said. "Saki called. Kaito built a truck. I am going camping."
Iwao looked at the paper. He looked up at Makoto and took a sip of his tea.
"Alright. Go," Iwao grunted.
"Wait, what?!" Kazuho yelled. She jumped up from the couch. "Camping? With Kaito? Take me! I want to go to the mountains!"
"Me too!" Koichi whined, slumping down. "My back hurts from patrolling! I want a vacation!"
"You have a patrol route in twenty minutes and you have still classes," Makoto said. She pointed her pen at them. "Don't burn the agency down while I'm gone."
*-*-*
Location: Shizuoka – Grandma Saki's House
Date: 08:15 AM (Present)
"Kaito! Look who decided to show up!" Grandma Saki yelled from the front porch.
Kaito stepped out of the trailer.
Makoto walked up the driveway. She wore a bright yellow windbreaker, denim shorts, and hiking boots.
A large green duffel bag hung over her shoulder.
"Hey," Makoto grinned. She raised her free hand. "Grandma Saki called me. She said you built a giant metal house on wheels. I brought snacks."
Kaito looked at Makoto. He looked over his grandma.
Saki held her hands together and gave him a perfectly innocent, sweet smile.
"You didn't even try to be sneaky this time, Grandma," Kaito sighed. He shook his head.
"I have no idea what you mean," Saki said. She turned around to pick up her purse from the porch chair.
Makoto laughed and walked closer to the truck. "Haha. Let her have her fun, Kaito. After she forced us to take couple photos in Bolivia, a camping trip in the mountains is nothing."
"Fair point," Kaito smiled. "Put your bag in the side hatch."
"Done," Makoto said. She tossed the heavy bag inside and stretched her arms. "It is really good to get out of the city. Koichi is driving me crazy about the Billboard Chart rankings. He wanted to surpass Best Jeanist."
Kaito chuckled. He walked over to his own bag sitting near the ramp and reached inside.
"Here," Kaito said.
He tossed a sleek, black metal cylinder toward her.
SWISH.
Makoto caught it with both hands.
She looked down at it. It was a custom thermal travel mug. It felt heavy and well-made.
"What is this?" Makoto asked.
"A souvenir from Egypt," Kaito said. He leaned against the side of the truck. "You work crazy hours doing paperwork. I modified the internal lining. It uses a tiny, self-sustaining heat loop. You pour hot coffee in there, and it stays the exact same temperature for twenty-four hours. No more drinking cold coffee at two in the morning."
Makoto stared at the thermos.
A bright, genuine smile spread across her face. She held the mug close to her chest.
"Are you serious? This is the best thing anyone has ever given me," Makoto laughed. "Thanks, Kaito. Really."
"Don't mention it," Kaito smiled.
"Alright, enough standing around in the driveway!" Grandma Saki called out.
She walked down the porch steps holding a woven picnic basket. "I want to see the mountains before I get too old!"
"We're going, Grandma," Kaito said. He helped Saki up the metal ramp and into the cabin.
Makoto jumped up into the passenger side. She stopped and stared.
"Whoa," Makoto breathed out. She looked at the massive kitchen, the huge couch, and the giant digital dashboard. "This is bigger than my apartment."
CLICK.
Kaito climbed into the driver's seat. He shut the heavy door.
The outside noise completely vanished. He reached forward and tapped the digital screen.
A map popped up.
"Coordinates set for Oita Prefecture," Kaito said.
He pressed the ignition button.
HUMMMM.
The Overland Mammoth gave a deep, powerful hum.
Kaito grabbed the steering wheel.
VRMMMMM.
The giant silver truck ran smoothly down the street, heading south toward the mountains.
...
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(9 Advanced Chapters)