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Chapter 40: Planning and the Scary Rat
Cid woke up to a dull ache in his ribs. Yui was still fast asleep, half-draped over his chest. Every time she shifted, it pressed against his still-healing injuries, but he didn't move her. A small smirk tugged at his lips.
'My girlfriend's lying all over me and I'm complaining? Yeah… no, not saying a word.'
He gently ran his fingers through her hair until she stirred. She buried her face deeper into his chest with a sleepy whine.
"Too bright… make it go away…"
Cid chuckled and gave her butt a sharp smack.
"Time to get up. School in an hour."
Yui let out a sharp eep and jolted, followed by a long dramatic whine about not wanting to get up, but eventually dragged herself out of bed. She noticed how stiff his movements were so she helped him get dressed, moving carefully around his sore ribs and shoulder, before they headed downstairs together.
After a quick breakfast and reassuring his friends that he was fine, the group made their way to class. Cid walked Yui to the 1-B classroom and gave her a quick kiss before heading into his own.
Once he sat down, the class was already buzzing.
"Did you guys hear about Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida?" someone asked. "They fought the Hero Killer during their internships!"
"Yeah, I saw it on the news," Kaminari replied. "That's crazy, especially the end there, he looked kinda cool though."
"Kaminari!!" Jiro scolded him for the insensitive remark.
Iida immediately straightened up. "No, I get how some people can think that. The hero killer had a strong conviction. But It wasn't anything but reckless what we did so please don't try to replicate it. The situation simply escalated, and we handled it."
Todoroki stayed quiet while Midoriya looked flustered, trying to downplay the whole thing.
Eventually the conversation shifted toward Cid.
"Hey, Kageno," Sero called out. "We saw you fighting one of those Nomu on the news. What was that like?"
Cid turned slightly in his seat, keeping his expression calm.
"It was rough," he answered evenly. "That thing was stronger than I honestly expected."
They kept asking questions and he kept answering in short non detailed replies. Outwardly, he looked normal.
But under the desk, his right hand was clenched into a tight fist. His jaw was set, teeth pressed together hard.
'They're just curious.' He reminded himself as he got more and more annoyed but every question is a reminder.
A reminder of how close he came to dying. A reminder of how powerless he felt lying on that rooftop. A reminder of his own weakness.
'Pathetic.'
Before the conversation could drag on, the classroom door slid open.
Aizawa walked in, looking as tired as ever.
"Morning," he said in his usual deadpan tone.
The class immediately quieted down and faced forward.
"Settle down," Aizawa continued as he reached the podium. "We've got a lot to go over today."
Cid let out a quiet breath of relief.
When class finally ended, most of the students began chatting about their next lessons. Cid, however, had no intention of waiting with the rest of his classes.
His mind was already made up. The conversation with Nighteye yesterday had only reinforced what he already knew he wanted, he couldn't afford to waste time any longer. He needed to get stronger. Much stronger.
Cid stood up from his seat causing a few heads to turn toward him curiously. Without looking at anyone in particular, he spoke to the room in general.
"I'm heading to the nurse's office. My injuries are starting to bother me again."
A few worried glances were thrown his way but he simply waved them off and grabbed his bag before anyone could question him further. He walked out of the classroom without looking back.
Instead of heading toward the nurse's office, Cid made his way straight toward the principal's office. He didn't hesitate when he reached the door and knocked once.
The door opened almost immediately.
Nezu was already sitting at his desk, paws folded neatly in front of him. He looked up with his usual cheerful smile.
"Ah, Mr. Kageno. Right on time. I was expecting you around now."
Cid paused for a second, slightly surprised by the greeting.
"…Nighteye?" he asked.
Nezu nodded, his smile never fading.
"Correct. He informed me of what occurred between the two of you yesterday and requested that I assist you with your plans moving forward."
The shift in Nezu's demeanor was subtle but noticeable. The friendly, almost playful air he usually carried disappeared, replaced by something sharper.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Are you certain you understand what you're truly asking for?"
Cid didn't even blink.
"This isn't my first time dealing with institutionalized training," he said evenly. "I can handle whatever you're going to throw at me."
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Nezu's smile widened further, his eyes gleaming with a sharp, almost gleeful intelligence that made the small principal look far more dangerous than his size suggested.
"Very well," Nezu said, his voice taking on a lighter but no less unsettling tone. "Since you seem so confident, let's begin laying out exactly what your training will entail."
He leaned forward slightly, paws resting on his desk.
"First, we will be following a rather well-known training regimen. One that focuses on building a strong foundation through consistent, high-volume physical conditioning. 10km (6.2 miles, in freedom units) Run, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and other bodyweight exercises, the kind of routine designed to push the limits of what the normal human body can endure."
Cid opened his mouth, ready to object.
"I can already do all of that easily," he said. "That kind of training won't—"
Nezu raised a paw, cutting him off smoothly.
"Ah, but that is where the real challenge begins," he continued, his smile never fading. "You will not be performing these exercises under normal conditions. At every step of the way, you will be actively using your Quirk to compress the space around your body. Not enough to crush you, of course, I have no intention of killing my student on the first day, but enough to create constant, significant resistance. Enough pressure to make every movement a struggle."
Nezu's eyes sparkled with something that looked far too delighted for the conversation at hand.
"You will have to maintain precise control over that compression throughout the entire routine. Too much pressure and you will break your bones. Too little and you will gain nothing from the exercise. The balance must be perfect, it will also be excellent control training as well. And if, at any point during your training, you drop that compression, even for a second, you will restart the entire set from the beginning."
Cid's expression remained steady, but his mind was already turning over the implications. Constant compression while training… it would turn even basic movements into something grueling. He could already imagine how much more difficult something as simple as a push-up would become. 'Thats not even counting the fact I can't compress space that good at the moment anyway.'
But Nezu wasn't finished.
"While you are performing these exercises," the principal continued, "you will also be required to dodge or block rubber bullets. They will be fired at speeds and with enough force that failing to avoid or deflect them will result in significant pain and bleeding. Consider it an additional incentive to stay sharp. After all, the real world will not wait for you to catch your breath."
For the first time, Cid felt a small shiver run down his spine. The look of pure delight on Nezu's face as he described the rubber bullets was deeply unsettling. It was the expression of someone who was genuinely enjoying designing something this brutal.
Nezu continued without missing a beat.
"Once you have completed the physical portion of your training, we will move on to Quirk-specific exercises. You will focus on expanding the space touching your skin for as long as you are able to maintain it. We will adjust the parameters as needed based on your progress. The goal is to push the limits of your control and endurance with that aspect of your Quirk."
He paused, tilting his head slightly as he observed Cid's reaction.
"Don't worry," Nezu added, his smile softening just a fraction. "I have already arranged for someone to take care of you after each training session. They will ensure you do not push yourself to the point of permanent damage and will make certain you receive proper rest. They even have my full permission to physically block you from entering the training facility if they believe you are overdoing it."
Cid frowned slightly, confused.
"…Who?"
Nezu's smile returned in full force, though he didn't answer the question directly.
"You'll find out soon enough," he said cheerfully. "For now, I suggest you go see Recovery Girl to get properly healed. After that, eat a large lunch. You're going to need the energy. Your training begins tomorrow."
He leaned back in his chair, looking far too pleased with himself.
"I will also be informing your teachers of your altered schedule. From now on, your priority will be this training regimen. Everything else is secondary."
Nezu's eyes gleamed again as he looked at Cid.
"Welcome to hell, Kageno-kun. I do hope you survive it."