Kai stepped off the station platform, the familiar worn-down streets of Hoshigata greeting him with their usual mix of charm and decay. It was almost four in the afternoon, his mom wouldn't be home for another two or three hours, depending on whether she got stuck with extra shifts at the daycare.
Kai shoved his hands into his pockets, his boots scuffing against cracked pavement as he turned onto a side street lined with small shops. Faded graffiti on the walls and scribbles with gang tags, nothing unusual for this part of town.
He slowed when he reached an old brick building. Al's Restaurant. The sign, though faded, was polished. And the bricks clean despite their age.
Kai couldn't help but smile as he pushed open the door, the familiar jingle of the bell greeting him.
Inside, the air smelled of grilled meat and spices, warm and inviting. The place was barely full, only about thirty people eating, talking, or drinking at the bar. Wooden tables, old but polished, gave it that cozy, homey feeling.
"Welcome to Al's Restaur—"
The voice cut off as a stocky man with a thick mustache and sharp eyes spotted him. His face split into a grin.
"Kai! What's going on, kid? You still got a few more days left on your vacation time, don't ya? Or are you looking for your mom?"
Kai smiled back, leaning on the counter. "Hey, Al. Just stopping by, making sure there aren't any problems around here."
"Ahh, our sworn protector," Al said with a dramatic sigh, though the grin never left his face. "Always doing right by us. I'd appreciate it if you and your mother came here to eat one day, free of charge, of course."
Kai shook his head, amused. "Sorry, Al. You know my mom. She'd never take advantage of you like that. Besides, the paycheck I get for working here is already more than enough."
Al chuckled, crossing his arms. "You're too much like her, you know that? Both of you could use a little selfishness once in a while."
"Maybe," Kai said, straightening up. "But hey, at least I keep this place safe for free."
"Ha! I'll take that over paying a hero agency any day. Those guys only show up when there's a camera around."
/////////////////////////////
"Hey is that Kai?"
//////////////////////////////
Kai leaned casually against the counter as Al poured a glass for another customer. The warm buzz of conversation filled the restaurant, plates clinking and laughter bubbling from one of the tables near the back.
"So, how was it?" Al asked, smirking as he leaned on the counter once he was free. "Your first day at U.A.? Guessing pretty exciting if you forgot to change out of your uniform before you came here?"
Kai grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, it was more than I expected. Big classrooms and training field. My homeroom teacher threatened to expel anyone who got last place on a test."
"Huh? Teachers can do that?" Al pondered, "Well shit, lots changed since I was in high school. And a test on the first day of school is brutal."
"Yeah, UA is pretty different from other schools. And it was a just physical test, using our quirks. And not to brag or anything but I got first place." Kai proclaimed smugly.
"Really? Out of everyone else? I knew you were pretty talented but nice work kid," Al let out a whistle, "But Kai... I'm sure you're the last person who needs to hear this, but don't let your strength go to your head, alright?"
Kai smiled at his concern, "Don't worry, I know my limits. I've seen lots of people think they were the shit, only to get punched in the face fast and quick due to carelessness. If there is one thing I will never do, that is letting my guard down."
Al grinned, "I'm sure you won't kid. After all, you're the greatest hero our town has ever known. But enough with the sappy stuff, got any friends? Meet a cute girl?" he asked teasingly.
"Made a couple of people. Though, I don't know if I could say friends is an accurate word. There's this one girl, Tsutsumi, she's quiet, kinda blunt, but she's pretty cool. The rest of them seem pretty nice, but honestly not too worried about the friends department right now."
Al raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Ah, so there is a girl. Should I be expecting to hear wedding bells soon?"
Kai rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Dude, shut up."
"Just teasing ya kid." he snickered to himself.
Kai ignored him, turning his attention to the dining room. A couple of the new customers who had just walked in were seated at a corner table. One of them whispered something to the others, eyes flicking toward Kai before quickly looking away when Kai glanced back.
He frowned slightly but didn't say anything. Maybe he was imagining it.
"Anyway," Kai said, turning back to Al. "How's everything been around here while I was gone? Any trouble?"
"Not much," Al said, shrugging. "Same old, same old. A couple of gang punks came sniffing around a few days ago, but they didn't try anything."
"Good," Kai said, but his grin faded a little. "I hate leaving this place alone for too long."
Al gave him a look, half amusement, half concern. "Kai, you're not a pro hero. Stop acting like you have to fix everything by yourself."
Kai shrugged. "Somebody's gotta care. Might as well be me."
Al sighed, shaking his head. "You sound more like your father every day."
For a moment, the warmth of the restaurant seemed to quiet around them. Kai's expression softened, but he didn't answer.
Kai stayed for another ten minutes, joking with Al and briefly helping carry a tray to one of the back tables before heading out. The bell above the door jingled as he stepped back into the fading sunlight.
The streets felt warmer now, the smell of street food mixing with the faint exhaust from passing cars. He adjusted his shades and shoved his hands into his pockets, walking at an easy pace.
"Kai-kun!"
He turned to see an elderly woman struggling with two heavy grocery bags. Kai jogged over instantly.
"Need help, Akiyama-san?"
"Oh, thank you, dear." She smiled warmly, handing one of the bags to him. "You've grown so much since I last saw you. Your mother must be proud."
Kai grinned. "She's too busy being tired to be proud. But I'll let her know you said that."
He carried the bag to her apartment building just down the street, setting it at her door. She thanked him again, and Kai gave a quick wave before continuing on.
Further down, two kids, a boy and girl, were playing, kicking a half-deflated ball back and forth.
"Kai-san! You're back!" the boy called.
"Kai-san! Play with us!" the girl asked.
"Hey there Akito, Sakura," Kai crouched down, ruffling their hair with a grin. "Sorry but I gotta go home. But don't worry, I'll still be around. So don't let me catch you two causing trouble, got it?"
The kids laughed and nodded before resuming their game, and Kai straightened, continuing his walk.
The farther he went from the main street, the quieter it got. Cracked walls, peeling paint, and faded gang tags lined the alleys. A cat darted across the road, disappearing into a trash-filled alleyway.
That's when he felt it.
A prickle at the back of his neck.
Kai slowed his pace just slightly, pretending to admire a storefront reflection. In the glass, he caught a glimpse of three men lingering half a block back.
They weren't locals, their jackets and shoes were looked far too expensive. One of them was trying too hard to look casual, glancing away every time Kai looked in his general direction.
Kai sighed quietly to himself.
'Great. Either they're idiots, or they're trying to look for trouble.'
He turned a corner, his pace relaxed, but his eyes sharpened behind his shades.
'Alright. Let's see how long they plan to follow me.'
Kai kept walking, his hands in his pockets, his pace just a little slower than normal, just enough to keep his shadows from losing him. He turned down a narrower street lined with old apartment buildings.
He glanced at a stray cat perched on a trash bin and spoke under his breath, almost as if to himself.
"Alright, boys," Kai muttered as he turned into the narrow side street, hands lazily tucked in his pockets. "Let's take this somewhere quieter."
He turned another corner, this time into a side alley that curved sharply, a dead-end lined with dumpsters and cracked walls. He walked a few more steps in, leaning against one of the walls casually, waiting as if he had all the time in the world.
Sure enough, within seconds, heavy footsteps echoed behind him.
"Y'all suck at stalking," Kai called out casually, not even glancing back. "Most people at least pretend they're not following me."
The three men stopped at the mouth of the alley, exchanging quick looks before stepping closer. The tallest one, broad-shouldered with a jagged scar running down his cheek took the lead, his sneer twisting into something almost amused.
"You're pretty cocky for some UA brat," the man cracked his knuckles, "Give us all you got and we might let you leave without a scratch."
Kai finally turned, tilting his head slightly, more curious than intimidated.
"Oh, so this is just some random mugging," he said with a faint shrug, "Kinda disappointed honestly."
That earned a scowl from the second thug who opened his mouth, but Kai didn't give him time to speak.
Kai rolled his shoulders, a subtle 'pop' following as he stretched his arms, before cracking his knuckles deliberately loud. A sharp grin spread across his face, feral, almost playful, as his glasses shifted slightly down, revealing the wicked gleam of his amber eyes in the setting sun.
He raised his hand, wagging his index and middle fingers at a beckoning motion.
"Ah whatever man. Let's get this over with," He said, almost bored, "Lemme guess, you guys aren't from around here. You saw this place at thought it would be easy pickings right? No other gangs too close, no one hustling nearby stores for money, and no heroes at all."
The scarred man didn't reply. Instead, he lunged first, broad shoulders barreling straight for Kai like a bull.
He let out a quiet sigh, tilting his head lazily. How utterly predictable.
==================================
"Alright kid," Knuckleduster's deep voice barked, "what's the most important thing in a fight?"
Kai sat with one leg laid straight, leaning on the other which was bent. His arms and ribs bruised in the middle of a warehouse from the day's training. It's been a few days since he accepted Knuckleduster's offer to train under him. Only a few days into this hellish routine, and so far, Kai would say it's been worth it.
The old man knew how to push Kai's limits and his mastery of combat was something Kai envied greatly.
"It's strength! No matter how skilled you are, if you're too weak, none of your punches will work!" Kai declared without hesitation.
"Wrong."
"H-huh?"
Knuckleduster crouched down in front of him, staring him dead in the eyes with his usual intense, no-nonsense glare.
"What if you're fighting someone with a body impervious to physical damage. Or someone so damn fast and you cant even land a hit? Strength won't save you kid."
Kai was silent, frowning.
"What you need most is information." Knuckleduster paused, tapping a finger to his forehead, "The way they walk, the way they carry themselves, its all about sizing them up. You learn this and you can understand how people's quirks affect them without even knowing what their quirk really is. Do that, and you can figure out how to fight them on your own terms"
The man stood, cracking his knuckles. "For now, start with me. Try to figure out what my quirk is, and you might be a step closer to beating me."
Beating... him? Beating Knuckleduster?
Kai stared at him - the massive broad-shouldered man - built like a tank, wondering if he could even hurt him as he was now.
No. Kai doubted he could even land a solid punch. But...
He grinned anyway wolfish and defiant, his golden eyes flashing.
"I'm gonna do it old man," Kai blurted, "If I can beat you, I'll be one step closer to my goal!"
This interested Knuckleduster. "Goal? Never told me you've got a goal kid. But let's hear it. How does beating me put you in the right direction for your goal?"
Kai's grin widened, "My goal is..."
===================================
The moment the scarred thug swung, Kai stepped aside with ease.
He remembered his training the old man beat into him. The thug was slow, committed his whole body to swings. Kai guessed that man most likely had a strength-enhancing quirk, or some sort of non-visible mutation.
Kai's hand shot out, gripping the man's forearm. Instantly, he activated his quirk. The lines in which he could control the direction and magnitude of the force on the man's arm appeared before his eyes.
With just a light twist and a push, his quirk violently pulled the man's balance off-center. His arm instead of punching straight, suddenly aimed towards the concrete floor as his entire body was flipped then pushed towards the ground. Kai redirected the thug's momentum and slammed him chest-first into the pavement. The scarred man could barely let out a groan before he was brutally subdued.
Kai shook out his hand casually. "Sorry to say, but there's a reason why things are like this."
The second thug cursed and raised his hand, crackling sparks forming around his arm as the third thug watched from the other side.
Kai's eyes snapped to the sparks. The second man had a light frame, but posed in square stance, almost like he was bracing for recoil. He wore gloves, not even attempting to close the gap as well as his comrade staying back, most likely due to friendly fire. All signs of a long-ranged quirk user.
Kai's amber eyes narrowed slightly. It was rather annoying for him to deal with long-range types. His quirk, Vector, wasn't able to control humans without physically touching them, which meant he had to get in close.
'I need to close the distance before he has time to build momentum.'
The first explosive shot sizzled past where Kai had been standing, chipping the concrete wall. Kai darted forward, weaving through each spark with efficient moves. The thug backpedaled frantically, firing wildly. When he closed the distance, Kai dropped low, sweeping the man's legs out from under him as he hit the ground with a yelp.
Before the thug could recover, Kai gripped his jacket with one hand, channeling his quirk through the fabric. A force slammed the thug into the ground with a heavy thud. He didn't move again.
"Annoying," Kai muttered, adjusting his glasses.
A rush of air swept past him, fast. The third thug, leaner than the other two, blurred into motion, darting side to side with quick zigzags.
A speed-based quirk. He was smart enough to keep moving, staying out of Kai's reach. However, he would most likely try to circle to his blind spot, needing to commit to a predictable arc.
Kai remained still, his expression unreadable.
The thug darted in from Kai's left, feinting right before lunging back at the last second.
Kai didn't flinch. Instead, he shifted his weight deliberately, letting his foot drag a fraction of a second too long. The thug took the bait, lunging in for what he thought was an opening.
'Got you!'
Kai's hand snapped out, catching the thug's wrist mid-swing. The moment contact was made, Kai twisted his grip and sent a jolt of directional force sideways. The thug's own speed worked against him, his body flipped hard into the pavement, the impact knocking the wind from his chest.
That left the scarred leader, who had pushed himself back onto shaky feet, roaring in frustration.
Kai sighed, almost bored now. "Round two, huh?"
The man charged again, fist swinging wide. Kai stepped in close, catching the thug's arm. A quick Vector-powered knee strike slammed into the man's gut, folding him over, followed by two precise jabs to the ribs. One final uppercut sent the man crashing backward, unconscious before he even hit the ground.
The alley went quiet except for the groans of the two conscious thugs.
Kai adjusted his glasses, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Contact required… still too slow without it," he muttered under his breath. Then, louder, almost as an afterthought:
"At least try to make me work for it next time."
Kai grabbed the two smaller men and dragged them over to what he assumed from the beginning to be their leader, stacking them together like he was taking out trash.
He stepped over the fallen leader and slapped him awake.
"Hey buddy, I wasn't done talking to you yet."
The man groaned weakly. Kai slapped him again. And again.
"C'mon, wake up"
After a few seconds, the man stirred, groaning.
"W-what, where am I..." The man muttered.
"You're in a shitty alleyway after getting beaten by a highschooler" Kai bluntly pointed out.
The scarred man's eyes popped out as he attempted to stand, but to no avail as Kai applied a force to keep him down.
"How rude of you man, you didn't let me finish what I was saying earlier," Kai let out in mock sadness, "really hurt my feelings."
"P-please kid, what do you want? I got a wife and a kid at home, I'm just trying to make enough to support them" the man said.
"Hmm, is that so?" Kai tilted his head, looking utterly uninterested, "Well, let me finish what I was saying earlier and I'll let you live with your life."
The man quickly nodded.
"So here's the thing, there is a reason why things are peaceful around this part of town. Do you wanna know why?"
The thug swallowed, slowly nodding his head, whether out of fear or genuine curiosity, Kai couldn't care less.
"It's cuz of one reason..."
Kai grabbed the man by his mouth, forcing him to look straight into his eyes.
"Because I am here."
The man froze, panic flashing in his eyes. His mind spiraled as he struggled under Kai's grasp. Was this kid actually going to kill him?
However, just as he was about to lose consciousness once more, Kai released him, the pressure gone. The thug sucked in air like he'd been drowning.
Kai let out a booming laugh, all the previous bloodlust and intensity seemed to disappear, like it was never there to begin with.
"Seriously old man, you really think, I was going to kill you? How'd you let a freakin' highschooler scare you like that? C'mon now! Grow a spine!"
To the thug, Kai seemed to be a sociopath, flipping moods like switches. He could only stare, horrified, at Kai's sadistic sense of humor.
"Please," the man croaked, "will you let me and my friends go now?"
"Oh, yeah sure," Kai shrugged his shoulder, "I've pretty much told you everything you need to know by now."
The man exhaled in relief.
"However," Kai rested a hand on the man's right shoulder, his tone becoming cold once again, " I was being serious though. If you cause any more trouble here, I might have to break the other one."
The thug blinked, confused. What did he mean the other one? The other what?
CRACK!
He opened his mouth to ask before a sharp pain engulfed him. His right arm now bent at an unnatural angle as he screamed in pain. His last sight before blacking out was Kai's fist heading straight for his face.