The teacher, overhearing the comment, shook his head slightly. "Just keep an eye on Eichi,"
The students exchanged uneasy glances, their earlier laughter replaced by a sense of anticipation. Whatever was coming next, they didn't want to miss it.
However, the seriousness didn't last long. When Eichi entered the wide hostage area, he was greeted by a chaotic scene. Scattered roots covered the ground, Haru was lying unconscious in a corner, and Aiko was fighting for dear life against Sakura, whose plant-based Quirk had turned the area into a jungle of vines and thorns.
Aiko was holding her own, her wind Quirk creating gusts to slice through the vines, but it was clear she was struggling. Sweat dripped down her face, and her movements were becoming slower and more desperate. Sakura, on the other hand, looked calm and in control, her hands weaving through the air as she manipulated the plants around her. Meanwhile, Homura, the wire manipulator, was lurking around, ambushing Aiko whenever she saw an opening.
Eichi took in the scene with a single glance, then squatted on the ground, sighing heavily. He muttered under his breath, "Fuck me sideways, cowgirl, cowboy, cow-whatever the fuck. But what in the bloody hell were they thinking?"
Hearing that, all the individuals observing the scene—students and teacher alike—burst into laughter. The contrast between Eichi's usual stoic demeanor and his sudden outburst was too much to handle. One of the girls in the observation room, a brunette with a mischievous grin, leaned back in her chair and said, "Well, well, well. Who knew our resident emo had such a side to him?"
The room erupted into more laughter, the tension of the exercise momentarily forgotten. Even the teacher, who had been watching Eichi with a serious expression, couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Looks like there's more to Eichi than we thought," he said, his tone amused.
Back in the exercise area, Aiko shot Eichi a glare, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. "Are you just going to sit there and curse, or are you going to help?" she snapped, narrowly dodging another vine.
Eichi sighed again, standing up slowly. "Fine. But next time, try not to turn the place into a botanical garden and a copper spider's nest."
With that, he stepped forward. Sakura noticed him immediately, her eyes narrowing as she redirected some of the vines toward him. "Another one? You're just making this easier for me," she said, her voice confident.
Eichi didn't respond. He simply sidestepped the vines, his movements fluid and precise. He didn't rush, didn't panic—he just walked forward, as if the vines were nothing more than an inconvenience.
Homura, sensing the new threat, emerged from the root beside him, her wires snaking toward Eichi. But he didn't even flinch. With a flick of his wrist, he launched one of his iron balls straight at her head. The impact was enough, and Homura crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Sakura, thinking that Homura could keep Eichi occupied, continued to battle Aiko. She was so focused on her fight that she didn't notice Eichi approaching until it was too late.
Aiko, however, saw him coming and couldn't help but smirk. "Took you long enough," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Eichi didn't respond. He just stepped forward, his presence enough to make Sakura freeze mid-attack. She turned to face him, her confidence wavering as she realized Homura was down and Eichi was now standing between her and Aiko.
Before Sakura could react, the teacher's voice boomed over the intercom. "That's enough! Exercise over. Aiko, haru, and Eichi wins. Eichi successfully rescued the hostage."
The announcement echoed through the area, and Sakura lowered her hands, the vines retreating as she sighed in defeat. Aiko, on the other hand, let out a relieved breath, her shoulders slumping as the tension left her body.
Eichi, however, didn't seem particularly thrilled by the victory. He just stood there, his expression as neutral as ever, as if winning was the least interesting part of the exercise. He turned to Aiko and said, "Next time, try not to get caught in a plant apocalypse."
Aiko rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her face. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the save, Mr. Hero."
Eichi didn't respond. He just walked over to Haru, who was still unconscious, and hoisted him over his shoulder. "Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
As they made their way out of the exercise area, the observation room erupted into chatter. The students were buzzing about Eichi's performance. One of the girls, the same one who had called him "our resident emo," leaned back in her chair and said, "Okay, I take it back. Emo boy's got style."
As the students dispersed, the doors to the exercise grounds slid open, and their instructor, Moriyama-sensei, stepped inside. His sharp gaze swept over the students before settling on Eichi.
"Eichi," Moriyama called, his tone even but firm.
Eichi stopped mid-step, adjusting Haru's weight on his shoulder before glancing over. "It's me."
Moriyama walked toward him, hands in the pockets of his training coat. "Good work out there. But you weren't exactly following the intended teamwork dynamics, were you?"
Aiko, who had been trailing just behind, perked up. "Yeah, seriously! You totally ignored the plan and went off on your own."
Eichi exhaled through his nose, barely reacting. "I followed the plan perfectly. Took care of Kenta, knocked down the other girl, and freed the hostage. Isn't that the goal?"
He turned slightly, his eyes flicking toward Aiko, and for a split second, his usual neutral expression twisted into something like an ugly frown. A sharp, fleeting look, as if he was disgusted by her incompetence. He wasn't, of course. But Aiko wasn't a mind reader.
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "And didn't Sensei say it was a rescue mission? Weren't you supposed to fight the two with Haru?"
Moriyama sighed. "Eichi, your efficiency isn't in question. But teamwork isn't just a suggestion. You left your squad behind without so much as a glance."