Across the many training areas created by Cementoss, the students chose terrain that suited them best and began practicing. Meanwhile, Ectoplasm split into countless clones and sparred with the class.
"So… why are you still standing here?!"
Masata looked helplessly at Himiko Toga beside him.
At the moment, Himiko had her hands clasped behind her back, her chin raised proudly, the corners of her lips curved into a cheerful smile. She was even humming an unknown tune, clearly in a wonderful mood.
"Because I don't really have anything to train with my Quirk~"
Hearing Masata finally speak to her, Himiko answered happily.
"My Quirk lets me take other people's blood and become like them! If possible, I want to become Masata!"
"I see…"
Masata rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded.
Her Quirk really didn't leave much room for conventional improvement. Like Kurosawa Yoru's, it was more of an auxiliary-type ability. There wasn't really an "ultimate move" to develop. No wonder Yoru was currently standing with Mina on the sidelines, watching the excitement.
"Wait… who did you say you want to become?"
Only then did Masata realize something strange in her words.
"I want to become you!"
"What?!"
Masata was instantly shocked.
"I don't want to see another me standing in front of myself! What kind of mindset is that?! You're already cute and beautiful—why would you want to become a guy?! That makes no sense!"
"Because I like Masata," Himiko said frankly. "So I want to become Masata."
Masata felt a headache coming on.
This girl's thinking was… definitely unusual.
He decided to switch into "mentor mode" and try to guide her properly.
"Well, Toga… I know you like me," he said patiently. "But you don't want to become me. What you really want is to become someone like me. You get it~?"
"?"
Himiko blinked, her lips forming a thin confused line.
"I want to be a Hero, right?" Masata continued. "So if you admire me, you should also work hard to become a Hero yourself."
Her eyes slowly lit up.
The twin buns on her head swayed as she nodded vigorously.
"Oh! Then I want to be a Hero too! So, Masata, hurry up and become even cooler! I like you the most!"
"…Let's just assume she understood."
Masata wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead.
She was far too innocent. Honestly, she looked like the kind of girl who could easily be tricked into chasing goldfish at a festival.
"You promise?" Masata asked.
A thin layer of magma slowly formed over his arm.
"Yes! Yes! This color is just like blood—so pretty!"
The moment Masata activated his Quirk, Himiko's eyes lit up dangerously. She almost lunged forward as if to hug him, but Masata quickly stopped her.
Are you kidding? At this temperature, a hug would be fatal.
"So… when you transform, your appearance, body shape, and even voice all change completely?" Masata asked.
He withdrew the magma and placed a hand on her forehead to keep her from jumping again.
"Yep! As long as I have their blood, I can become exactly like them! One cup lasts for a whole day!"
Like a cat, Himiko rubbed her head against his palm, clearly enjoying the contact.
To be honest, it was… surprisingly cute.
"Complete transformation… that's amazing."
Even though her Quirk seemed simple, Masata was certain that if there were a ranking called 'Quirks I Wish My Girlfriend Had,' hers would easily be in the top ten.
The reason was obvious. Ahem.
More importantly, this ability was extremely powerful for espionage and intelligence gathering. With proper preparation, she could replace someone perfectly without being discovered. No wonder the authorities valued her so highly.
"Since you don't have a special move to develop," Masata said after some thought, "you should focus on physical combat. Your fighting style is mostly close-range, right? If you run into someone with better technique, you'll be at a disadvantage."
It wasn't a flashy suggestion, but it was practical.
In a world dominated by Quirks, physical skills still played a crucial role. All Might himself had become famous largely with his fists.
"Okay! See you tonight, Masata~!"
Leaving behind that highly suggestive sentence, Himiko skipped away to train with Ectoplasm's clones.
Masata clicked his tongue and finally entered the training area himself.
"Iida, don't you already have that… what is it called? Engine Burst? Isn't that a perfect ultimate move? What are you doing now?"
At the moment, Iida was lying flat on the ground.
He had been trying to launch himself into the air with his engines and then dive down to increase his attack power, but he couldn't control his balance at all. He kept flipping over and crashing.
It was… painful to watch.
"Eh? 'Engine Burst: High-Speed Dash' can really be an ultimate move?!"
Hearing Masata's words, Iida jumped up excitedly.
"Masata is right," Ectoplasm floated over and nodded. "An ultimate move doesn't have to be purely offensive. For example, Kamui Woods' 'Binding Forest' is a classic ultimate move focused on restraint."
"Good point," Masata added. "Your speed is so high that most opponents can't even react. That alone is your greatest weapon."
Ectoplasm relaxed.
He had worried earlier that Masata might give some dangerous or reckless advice. Now, he was completely reassured.