"I really didn't expect this… my assistant listing would lead me to Momo Yaoyorozu…"
Staring at the conversation on his screen, Shina Etsuha couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief at how coincidental things had become.
Thinking about it, his rising popularity was bound to create unexpected connections. As far as he knew, plenty of students at U.A. had read his manga Crimson Eyes, and many were already familiar with the name "Shina Etsuha." So it wasn't surprising that some of them might be interested in working as a manga assistant.
And then—
Momo's Quirk sparked an idea.
Her ability allowed her to create anything non-living.
And manga… wasn't a living thing.
If she could directly create finished manga pages—
"…That would be absolutely insane."
Etsuha's eyes lit up at the thought.
Suppressing his excitement, he typed:
"So, are you applying to be an assistant?"
Momo replied almost instantly:
"Yes! I've always loved manga. My favorite is your Crimson Eyes. I was hoping to help with production somehow… but I never expected to run into you like this, Etsuha."
"Just as I thought," Etsuha muttered, a faint smile forming.
"Then I look forward to working with you."
"Okay!"
And just like that, the matter was settled.
Right now, Etsuha wasn't short on money at all.
After defeating the "Muscle Bloodthirsty Man" and the sludge villain—Death Arm—his earnings had skyrocketed. Even though he had been reprimanded and penalized by authorities before, the Hero office still received a substantial reward.
Combined with his manga income—
he wasn't just doing well.
He was wealthy.
Etsuha didn't immediately ask Momo about using her Quirk to create manga. There were still uncertainties—whether it was feasible, and whether she would even be willing.
He decided it would be better to discuss it in person during the upcoming U.A. event.
"Etsuha, someone's here to see you."
A voice called out from the doorway.
"…Huh?"
Etsuha blinked, slightly surprised. He didn't recall having any appointments today. Could it be Midoriya or Bakugo coming to thank him?
…No, the timing didn't feel right.
He turned toward the entrance—
and saw a disheveled man walking in first.
His eyes were bloodshot, dry to the point of irritation. Despite that, he didn't blink at all—it seemed like a long-ingrained habit.
Behind him stood a much taller, thinner man.
He was over two meters tall, yet his frame was gaunt, almost skeletal. His body looked shriveled, as if all strength had been drained from it.
"Ah, Eraser Head."
Mt. Lady immediately recognized the man with dry eyes and raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Aren't you supposed to be teaching at U.A.? What brings you here?"
Aizawa Shouta's eyelids twitched slightly.
"I'm here to see Etsuha."
"Oh?" Mt. Lady's expression shifted instantly into a knowing smirk. "Looking for treatment, I assume?"
Without waiting for an answer, she continued, her tone turning sharp and calculating.
"But my little brother has been very busy lately. Let's see… if I remember correctly, his daily income is around 200,000 yen. If you want treatment, it can't be any less than that."
She paused deliberately.
"And that's just for minor issues. Serious injuries? Ten times that rate. Per hour."
"…What?!"
Both Shota Aizawa and All Might froze in shock.
Over 200,000 yen a day?
Even most professional Heroes didn't earn that much.
"Well, he's right over there," Mt. Lady said cheerfully, pointing toward Etsuha. Then her tone dropped, turning dangerous in an instant. "But if you make my brother suffer… you'll regret it."
For a brief moment—
both Heroes felt a chill run down their spines.
A terrifying protective instinct…
Aizawa reluctantly walked over to Etsuha.
He glanced at the draft pages on the desk and frowned.
"You've already been admitted to U.A., and you're still drawing manga? That's… an unusual hobby."
Etsuha calmly set his pen down and looked up at him.
"If you want your dry eyes treated, it'll cost one million yen."
Aizawa's expression darkened instantly.
"…You've got some nerve calling your teacher a customer."
"Oh?" Etsuha replied coolly. "Right now, you're not my teacher. You're a patient."
He leaned back slightly, his tone steady.
"And I'm not just curing dry eyes. I can enhance your eyes entirely—eliminate fatigue, remove the need to blink, and push them to a higher level."
"…What?"
Aizawa's heart skipped a beat.
That—
was something he couldn't ignore.