"Student Hatsume Mei, I have some questions about combat uniforms. I'd like to ask for your advice."
After understanding Hatsume Mei's personality, Igarashi Masata went straight to the point without any unnecessary small talk.
Sure enough, the moment she heard something related to equipment, Hatsume Mei immediately dropped the document in her hands. Her eyes lit up with excitement.
"What? You want me to modify your battle suit?!"
She began scanning Masata from head to toe.
At the moment, Masata was wearing nothing more than U.A.'s standard training uniform. There was no sign of any specialized combat equipment on him.
"Did you forget to bring your battle suit?" she asked curiously. "Or did it get damaged and sent for repairs?"
In the past, many students had come to the lab for modifications. But someone showing up without any battle suit at all was a first for her.
"Ah… well… actually…"
Masata scratched his head awkwardly.
"I've never really had anything that could be called a proper battle suit."
The heat-resistant vest and military boots he usually wore didn't really count, did they?
"What?!"
Hatsume Mei's eyes widened in shock.
"As a Hero Course student, you don't even have your own 'baby'?!"
Before Masata could respond, her expression suddenly changed from disbelief to pure excitement.
She rushed toward her mountain of inventions and began digging frantically.
"Then try this!"
She quickly pulled out a set of metallic armor.
"This is one of my best babies—Energy Armor! It senses muscle movement and enhances the wearer's physical actions!"
She proudly began explaining, but Masata hurriedly interrupted her.
"Uh… Hatsume Mei, my quirk is a little… special."
He smiled helplessly.
"It's hard to explain here. If you come to the training ground with me, you'll understand."
"Oh?! A special quirk?!"
Instead of being discouraged, Hatsume Mei became even more excited.
"Sounds challenging! Let's go right now!"
Before Masata could react, she grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the laboratory at full speed.
Watching her disappear without even saying goodbye, the Super Excavator Teacher sighed deeply.
No matter how reckless she was, one thing was certain—Hatsume Mei would become an important figure in the manufacturing world someday.
Soon, the two arrived at an empty training ground.
"Okay! Show me what's special about your quirk!" Hatsume Mei said eagerly.
"Wait a moment."
Knowing that his clothes couldn't withstand magma, Masata quickly removed his outer jacket, leaving only his special heat-resistant vest.
"My quirk allows me to turn my body into magma. Like this."
As he spoke, his arm suddenly transformed into glowing crimson magma.
Drops fell to the ground and instantly melted a deep hole in the surface.
"And like this."
Under Hatsume Mei's fascinated gaze, the molten arm flowed back into shape, cooled down, and returned to normal.
"Not just my arms," Masata continued. "My entire body can turn into magma freely."
"I don't really need armor for protection. But my clothes can't transform with me."
"That's my biggest problem."
He put his jacket back on and looked at her expectantly.
Hatsume Mei gently poked his arm, confirming it was solid again.
"I've seen this during the Sports Festival," she said. "But it's still amazing up close."
Then she slapped her chest confidently.
"So what you need is clothing that can reform after you turn into magma, right?"
Masata's eyes lit up.
"Yes! Exactly!"
"But honestly, I'd be satisfied with just special pants. The upper body doesn't matter that much."
He lowered his expectations in case the technology was too difficult.
Hatsume Mei raised one finger proudly.
"You're lucky. I was just reading about this technology."
"It's new—only developed in the last two years. It hasn't been widely used yet."
She began explaining enthusiastically.
"Many quirks only affect the user's body. Your problem is actually very common among heroes."
"But researchers discovered that human hair can inherit quirk properties."
"So they developed special combat fabrics using that principle!"
Hearing this, Masata felt like a door had opened in his mind.
Using hair to make a battle suit…?
That actually sounded feasible.
"With this technology," Hatsume Mei continued, "we can theoretically make a suit that adapts to your transformation."
"It's still experimental, but feedback from pro heroes has been very positive!"
Masata suddenly remembered something.
"…Wait. Mountain Girl's battle suit uses this technology, right?"
He finally realized it.
He had fought alongside her many times, yet never noticed.
A suit that could expand into a giant form without tearing—of course it had to be special.
"That's right!" Hatsume Mei nodded.
"That's one of the early successful examples."
"That's amazing!"
Masata became instantly excited.
"Then I'll go ask the Super Excavator Teacher to help me make one!"
He turned around, ready to run—
But Hatsume Mei grabbed him by the collar.
"Hey, hey, hold on."
She smiled strangely.
"I'm the only one in U.A. who fully masters this technology."
"Even if you beg that old man, he won't be able to do it."
Masata froze.
"…What?"
"I can make this baby for you," Hatsume Mei said slowly, stepping closer.
"But it comes at a price."
She leaned in with a mischievous grin.
Masata suddenly felt nervous.
"…She's not planning to make me pay with my body, is she?"