The private jet finally landed, its wheels squeaking softly on the runway. Inside the cabin, Neito yawned long and stretched his arms until his back cracked. He grimaced for a moment, then relaxed.
"Finally," he muttered, pushing his blond hair out of his eyes. "Seven hours sitting still. Never again."
Around him, Thirteen was already checking her suit, staying alert the whole flight. Across the table, Toga looked relaxed, sipping from a blood pouch like it was just juice.
She hummed softly, as if this was all normal. Neito stood and rolled his shoulders, loosening up his stiff muscles.
"Thirteen," he said firmly, "we're about to land. Get your suit ready. If anything goes wrong, I want Black Hole ready."
Without a word, Thirteen moved to his left, her heavy steps steady despite her gear.
He turned to Toga.
"You're not supposed to be here legally. I don't have a passport for you. Transform."
Toga just smiled, her eyes sparkling. "You're so serious~" she teased. Then her skin twisted and changed until Lady Nagant stood there—a woman with purple hair and a mask.
Neito looked at his two companions: Thirteen on the left, "Masked Nagant" on the right. Both looked like professional bodyguards.
"Perfect," he thought.
As he headed for the plane's exit, Neito gave off a serious, grown-up vibe—not like a 15-year-old student. Because adults get listened to. And Neito wanted to be taken seriously.
He stepped off the jet and walked down the stairs slowly, letting the wind hit his face. The air felt fresher than he thought. It was warmer here than in Japan.
At the bottom, a small group waited. People in business suits, a few reporters at a distance, and some bodyguards. But Neito's eyes went straight to one person.
A tall blonde woman stood ahead of the crowd. She had a strong build, bright blue eyes, and a confident smile. She wasn't in a suit or fancy clothes—she wore her hero outfit, and her presence was impossible to miss.
Star and Stripe. The Number One Hero of America. Neito froze for a moment. He didn't expect to see her here.
She stepped forward and greeted him. "You must be Neito Monoma," she said cheerfully. "I'm Cathleen. Cathleen Bate."
Neito's eyes narrowed. She used her real name. That meant this was personal.
'She's not here because I'm from U.A.,' he thought. 'Nezu must've sent her.'
He smiled politely.
"You honor me with your presence, Miss Cathleen," he said smoothly. "I'm not sure I'll impress someone like you."
Cathleen smiled warmly. "Nezu said you're humble," she said. "He thinks U.A. is lucky to have you."
She sounded honest, like All Might—real, not fake polite.
"Nezu asked me to guide you while you're here," she added. "So if you need anything, just ask."
Neito nodded. "Thank you. I'll do my best to live up to that trust."
After the greetings, he shook hands with some people in the crowd—business leaders and politicians. He watched who seemed interested in U.A. or him.
But even while chatting, his eyes kept drifting back to Star and Stripe. He walked beside her, making small talk. From outside, it looked casual. But inside, Neito was carefully trying to impress her.
When they reached a quiet walkway, Star slowed down. The bodyguards and reporters were far behind now. Just the two of them walking side by side.
Then she asked something that almost made Neito trip.
"So, Neito," she said casually, eyes ahead, "Are you here to copy my Quirk?"
Neito froze. Blinked. Kept walking. Forced himself to stay calm. But inside, his mind exploded.
'What? No warning? No small talk? Just—boom—right to the point?'
He hated this. Honest, direct, no games. People like her... and All Might.
Neito liked careful plans and quiet moves. But heroes like Star and Stripe just broke down the door and walked right in.
He stayed silent. Star watched him carefully.
"Nezu asked me to guide you," she said. "But the government told me to stay away from you. Because you can copy New Order. But I don't like that."
Neito raised an eyebrow. "You don't?"
"No," she said calmly. "All Might called me yesterday. He said you copied his Quirk, and now you want mine. So I want to see what kind of person you really are."
That blunt honesty again. No tricks, no threats—just truth, like candy. Maybe that's the confidence that comes from being the strongest.
Neito thought for a moment. He couldn't say he wanted her Quirk to play god. So he made up a lie that sounded true and smiled gently.
"I've been given a rare gift," he said. "My Quirk lets me combine the powers of others. Strong heroes. Legends. I want to use it the right way."
Star watched silently.
"I want to stand beside All Might someday. I want to share his burden. One person can't protect the world alone."
Star narrowed her eyes. Didn't say anything, but Neito felt the mood change. She looked like she knew he was lying.
He wondered how she could tell, then remembered her Quirk lets her do anything. Maybe she set a rule: If Neito lies, she'd know.
'She must've used her Quirk,' Neito thought. 'She probably said: If he lies, I'll know.'
That meant he couldn't lie.
Star stopped walking near some metal stairs away from the others. She turned to face him.
"Tell me the truth," she said. "Do you really want to help All Might? Not just use your power for yourself?"
Neito's smile was hard to keep. That serious tone gave him one more chance to tell the truth.
But he couldn't. So he used High Spec to think fast. He knew she might catch lies, so he did something crazy.
He reached into his mind and turned on his Brainwashing Quirk—on himself.
With a quiet thought—"You believe in All Might. You're not selfish"—he gave himself a clean, believable mindset.
It wouldn't last long. But it didn't need to.
He looked at her and spoke honestly—because right now, those things were true.
"Yes. I want to protect the world with All Might. I don't want to use my powers for personal gain."
Star stared for a long second. Then she smiled.
"…You're not lying anymore."
She muttered quietly, and Neito felt she believed him. That meant one thing: his plan worked, and she let her guard down.
Neito said nothing more, just smiled politely, cheering inside. For him, New Order was closer than ever.
Star kept her warm smile. "If you ever need anything," she said, "I'll be nearby. Just ask."
Neito bowed his head. "Thank you, Miss Cathleen. That means a lot."
Behind them, the crowd rushed to catch up. Cameras flashed. Neito waved politely, playing the part of the well-mannered visitor.
Thirteen moved in at his left, her suit making soft thumps with every step. "Nagant"—really Toga—stood on his right. They formed a strong triangle around him.
A black car rolled up. The driver opened the door. Neito let Star get in first—simple manners—but she paused.
"You ride up front," she said with a wink. "I'll sit beside you. Let's plan your first day."
Neito nodded and climbed in. The door clicked shut, cutting off outside noise. The car moved smoothly and quietly.
For a few seconds, no one spoke. The city passed by—wide streets, bright billboards, people looking curious but not scared. It felt different from home.
The fake thoughts from his Brainwashing Quirk still floated in his head—All Might is the best. I just want to help. These thoughts would fade soon. Then he'd go back to normal.
He glanced at her. She sat calmly, arms crossed, watching the skyline. She really trusted him now. He could feel it.
Step one, complete, he thought.
Star broke the silence. "Where do you want to go tomorrow? A tour of the hero agency? Meet local students? Your choice."
"I'll think about it," Neito said with a polite smile. "Maybe visit an agency first—see how heroes train here."
"Sounds good," she said.
The car kept rolling, city lights shining brighter as the sun set. Neito closed his eyes, thinking about how to act with Star from now on.
Star trusted him, so one problem was gone. Now he had a whole year in this country. A year to study and plan. When the time was right—he'd get New Order.
But for tonight, he wouldn't push his luck. He'd keep his true thoughts hidden behind a gentle smile.
Neito opened his eyes and watched the streetlights stretch ahead like a glowing path.
"Patience," he told himself, suppressing the jealousy his Quirk stirred inside him. He would get New Order eventually.