Haru flinched, his red-ringed eyes widening as he stammered, "I—I can see through and cast illusions and... and sense energy. I can tell where people are and what they're doing, but it's not perfect. I can't see everything."
Eichi's gaze didn't waver. "Can you see through walls?"
Haru hesitated, then shook his head. "No, but I can see energy. It's... it's not easy."
Aiko's eyes flicked between the two, her brow furrowing. She could tell something was off. Haru wasn't just nervous—he wasafraid. And it wasn't the usual anxiety that came with a high-pressure exercise.
No, this was something deeper, something more personal. Her gaze lingered on Eichi, her suspicion growing.
What's going on here?Aiko thought.Haru's Quirk lets him see through illusions and sense energy, but he's acting like Eichi's some kind of monster. And Eichi... he's too calm.
She crossed her arms, her tone firm. "Eichi, why are you interrogating him? We don't have time for this. We need to focus on the exercise."
Eichi didn't look at her, his focus still on Haru. "If he can see energy, he can track their movements before they get close. That's useful."
Aiko's eyes narrowed. "Useful or not, we don't have time for this. Haru, can you do what he's asking?"
Haru nodded quickly, though his voice was shaky. "Y-yeah, I can try."
"Good," Aiko said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Then do it. Eichi, stick to the plan. We don't have time to improvise."
Eichi's expression twitched, but his tone was calm and measured as he spoke. "I have an objection to this. You know our Quirks, but we don't know yours. Of course, I'm all for your plans, but I couldn't help but notice some flaws in it.
Yes, I can manage the blockhead, but what about the other two? They're the real danger. Haru can see energy, but I don't think he has a deep enough understanding of his own Quirk to detect faint energy traces for environmental manipulation.
If the girl with plant-based manipulation can alter the landscape, that's a blunt-force strength, while the wires are likely controlled with precision. Together, they complement each other perfectly."
Aiko's brow furrowed, her arms crossing as she considered his words. She wasn't used to being challenged, especially not by someone as reserved as Eichi. But she couldn't deny that he had a point.
"Fine," she said after a moment, her tone clipped. "My Quirk is wind manipulation. I can generate and control wind currents, mostly through my hands. It's not flashy, but it's effective for both offense and defense. Happy now?"
Eichi gave a small nod, his expression unchanging. "Good. That changes things. If you can create strong wind currents, you can disrupt Sakura's plants and Homura's wires. Haru can guide us through the gaps in their ambush points, and I'll handle Kenta."
Aiko's eyes narrowed, her suspicion of Eichi growing. He was too calm, too calculating. It was as if he'd done this a hundred times before. But she didn't have time to dwell on it. "Alright," she said, her tone firm. "Here's the revised plan.
Haru, you focus on tracking their movements and guiding us through the wires. Eichi, you keep Kenta off our backs. I'll use my wind to disrupt Sakura's plants and Homura's wires. But we need to move fast. If they get the upper hand, we're done for."
Haru nodded, though his hands were still trembling. "I-I'll do my best."
Eichi didn't respond, his attention already on the task at hand. He didn't care about Aiko's suspicion or Haru's nerves. All that mattered was getting through this exercise without unnecessary complications.
As they moved forward, Haru guided them through the maze of the building, his voice trembling as he pointed out the safest paths. Aiko stayed close, her hands glowing faintly as she prepared to unleash her wind Quirk. Eichi followed.
They were halfway through the zone when Haru suddenly froze, his eyes widening. "Wait—Kenta's coming! He's fast—really fast!"
Before anyone could react, Kenta burst into view, his enhanced speed making him a blur as he charged straight at them. Aiko cursed, raising her hands to defend herself, but Eichi was already moving. He stepped forward.
Kenta skidded to a halt, his grin faltering as he realized Eichi wasn't going to be an easy target. "Not bad, new guy. But you're gonna have to do better than that."
Eichi didn't respond, his expression as neutral as ever. But internally, his mind was a storm of curses.Who's the retard that had the brilliant idea to name Kenta's Quirk 'speed'?
The braindead idiot who named Raiton-induced movement 'speed' needs to have his position removed. This isn't speed—it's just Raiton-induced movement. If this is what they call speed, then I have a teleportation Quirk.
Outwardly, Eichi remained calm, his voice flat as he spoke to Aiko and Haru. "Go already."
Aiko shot him a look, her suspicion of him growing by the second. "What about you? You can't take Kenta on your own."
Eichi's face crunched into an ugly frown, his patience finally snapping. "Didn'tyousay I could handle him?" His tone was, his frustration barely concealed. He was already tired of the bullshit in this world—the oversimplified Quirk classifications, the unnecessary drama, and now Aiko's second-guessing.
Aiko blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his demeanor. For a moment, she just stared at him, her usual composure faltering. But she quickly recovered, her expression hardening. "Fine. But if you get taken out, don't come crying to me."
Eichi didn't bother responding. He turned back to Kenta, his frown smoothing back into his usual neutral expression.
Kenta, meanwhile, was watching the exchange with a raised eyebrow, his grin returning. He closed his eyes slightly, striking a pose as if he were some kind of wise master or Buddha. "Trouble in paradise, huh? Don't worry, new guy. I'll make this qui—"
He didn't get to finish his sentence. In a flash, Eichi was in front of him, his foot connecting with Kenta's head in a brutal kick that sent the orange-haired boy slamming into the wall beside him. The impact was loud, the sound of Kenta's body hitting the concrete echoing through the area.