After that, Masata continued observing his classmates as they developed their ultimate moves.
Ojiro was experimenting with new tail-based combat techniques.
Asui was refining her mimicry and mobility.
Mina practiced more precise acid sprays.
And Mineta was proudly demonstrating something he called "Grape Rush."
Speaking of Mineta's so-called ultimate move… Masata felt a little embarrassed for him.
In Masata's opinion, it was nothing more than rapidly throwing the sticky spheres from his head to restrain opponents. The name sounded flashy, and the execution looked dramatic, but—
Wasn't this just a high-speed basic attack?
"I'm telling you," Masata said, slapping Mineta lightly on the shoulder, "instead of just throwing those… sticky things, why don't you try changing their shape? Wouldn't it be better if you could turn them into something like a whip?"
"Huh? They can change shape?" Mineta froze. "I never thought about that. Wait—what do you mean 'sticky things'? Say that clearly!"
He started to protest, but the moment Masata shot him a glance, he immediately shrank back.
Masata nodded in satisfaction.
"You've had your Quirk for years and never explored it properly? All you know is that they're sticky and elastic! No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."
That hit its mark perfectly.
If you motivated Mineta with the concept of girls, he would work twice as hard. Absolutely.
Masata mentally gave himself a thumbs-up for his rhetorical brilliance.
"I see!" Mineta's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Just spheres aren't exciting at all! If I can reshape them into… tentacles…"
Masata suddenly felt uneasy.
Mineta's eyes were getting unfocused. A suspicious glint appeared.
Why did this feel like it was heading in a dangerous direction?
Still, the goal had been achieved. Mineta entered a state of manic experimentation, clutching his spheres and trying to reshape them.
Masata decided not to think too deeply about the wording.
Turning around, he spotted Midoriya still standing motionless.
"Midoriya, why haven't you started yet?"
Everyone else was actively training. Even Kurosawa Yoru had been dragged away by Ectoplasm to practice stealth techniques. Yet Midoriya stood frozen, staring at his own hands.
"Huh?!" Midoriya jumped, clearly startled. "Oh—it's you, Masata."
His expression was frustrated.
"The doctor said that if my arms get injured a few more times, they'll be permanently damaged. Forget ultimate moves—even fighting normally is difficult."
Masata couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Hey! I'm struggling here and you're laughing at me!"
"I'm not laughing at you," Masata replied calmly. "I just think your thinking is too narrow."
He crossed his arms.
"Why are you so fixated on your fists? With a power-enhancement Quirk like yours, you could attack with your legs, shoulders—even your head."
"You're being limited by All Might. Sure, he shouts 'Smash!' all day, but at the end of the day, it's just punching."
Midoriya froze.
Scenes from past battles replayed in his mind.
Masata watched him sink into deep analysis and felt reassured. Midoriya's greatest strength wasn't just his Quirk—it was his analytical ability. Once he started thinking, breakthroughs would come.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A violent explosion echoed across the training field.
Masata turned to see Bakugo standing atop a slope, smoke curling from his hands.
"It's done! Ectoplasm-sensei, again!"
In such a short time, Bakugo had already begun developing his ultimate move and was testing it relentlessly.
When Bakugo noticed Masata looking at him, he glared and turned his head away.
Masata grinned.
"Hey, Bakugo! What are you working on? Care to share?"
"Get lost, magma bastard!" Bakugo snapped. "What does my ultimate move have to do with you?"
Despite the aggressive tone, Masata caught the faint hesitation.
"Oh? Don't tell me it was inspired by one of my moves? In that case, I'd feel honored."
Bakugo's expression stiffened.
Masata knew he'd hit the mark.
But honestly, he didn't mind. Growing together through imitation and inspiration was part of progress. After all, Masata's own "Meteor Ray" had once drawn inspiration from Endeavor's techniques.
Looking around again—
Kirishima was pushing his body hardening to its limits, trying to maintain a full transformation for longer durations.
Kaminari seemed to be experimenting with forming an electric blade—though the results were unstable.
Todoroki was attempting to combine ice and fire simultaneously, which Masata found particularly promising. Rapid temperature shifts could cause massive environmental damage and enhance sustained combat ability.
Finally—
"Yaoyorozu! Chacha! Hiding out here, huh?"
Masata rounded a rocky outcrop and finally found the two he had been looking for.
He sat cross-legged beside them.
"So? Any ideas for your ultimate moves?"
Naturally, he cared deeply about them and wanted to offer advice.
"Yes," Yaoyorozu replied calmly. "I have a general concept."
As expected of a top student. In just half an hour, she had already formed a framework. Masata couldn't help but admire her.
"Me too!" Chacha said excitedly. "I've actually been thinking about this for a long time. Now I finally have a chance to test it!"
Both girls looked confident.
Masata's curiosity was instantly ignited.
What kind of ultimate moves were they planning?
...
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