"Hey, can I get a bit of your time, Hatsune Mei?"
The sound of a screwdriver moving inside a metal box seemed to be the only thing the pink-haired girl was focused on. Her sleeveless black shirt, instead of the standard uniform, and her yellow eyes made her stand out quite a bit. I sat down, and she finally lifted her head with a smile.
"Oh! Aren't you Akuma Matsumoto? Nice to mee—"
The next thing I see is a flare shooting up from the table; a brief explosion went off between us, caused by whatever she had been working on. When my vision came back into focus, I saw her looking embarrassed, her face completely covered in black soot. I silently checked myself, realizing I'd lost a finger, since my hand had been extended right before the box exploded. Thanks again, blessed glass body.
I sighed as the regeneration began, looking around and noticing that everyone was watching us. I spotted Jiro in the distance, laughing her head off, with Denki hiding his face behind the table and Kirishima turning the other way. I could only grit my teeth and close my eyes in silence.
"Can we talk somewhere else?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
We left the cafeteria almost in silence while I helped her clean her face. It took a while, but we finally arrived at her workshop, a classroom a bit farther from mine. The first thing I noticed when stepping inside was the pile of scrap in one corner; the freshly destroyed box was added to it, landing with a painful screech.
The place was huge—tools and various liquids scattered everywhere brought back memories of what my life once was. I ran my fingers across the surface of the nearest workbench. It was slightly dusty, sticky to the touch… it was oddly comforting to feel something so different after so long.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mei fixing her hair, still messy from the blast, and wiping her face with a white towel—staining it permanently black with soot—before tossing it into an overflowing trash bin.
"So! It's a bit early for a student to be requesting changes to their costume, but I think I can make it work. Want to try one of my babies? I've got tons!"
"Well, it's not technically for my hero costume. I want a small favor from you."
She sat down on a nearby chair, leaning back, making it creak slightly. I pulled a rolled-up blueprint from my body and placed it on her desk; she leaned over it and quickly scanned it.
The technical drawing was an early version of what I wanted—like a spider, it would attach itself inside me, forming a more solid base. But the real function was in the center: a steel box meant to securely protect my core. It was rough, but the function could be effective.
"Whoa! You drew this? Isn't it super specific?! Oh! Do you know engineering?"
Although I'd love to puff up my ego with a proud comment, flaunting a title from my previous life wasn't the best idea.
"I know a little bit of everything. I also like to draw from time to time, so I figured I'd put more effort than usual into something this important."
"This is great! I can use this for a new baby!"
Wait… now my inner engineer is screaming at me to snatch the project back from her hands. Unfortunately, I can't do that anymore, so I just have to watch with silent tears as my design gets stored away in a drawer, doomed to be exploited without my consent.
"A carbon fiber exoskeleton? Isn't that a bit dangerous? Your fighting style is built to take hits, and this alloy bends easily. We can't be replacing it every time you fight, you know!"
"I know… well, I wouldn't really call it an exoskeleton, since it's going to be inside me, acting as an actual skeleton. That way my body will absorb most of the hits. I want it to protect my core… you've already seen it, I'm still trying to control this new quirk mutation, and just hiding it won't be enough. Can you do it?"
"Of course! No problem, honestly. But I'll need something from you."
I watched her stand and start touching my body, first she hang from my shoulders, touching my face as she whispered measures
I didn't move as her hands went from my shoulders to my stomach, passing through my chest and finally ending in my hand. I understood what she wanted, so I split my hand into the threads it was made of, letting her see and feel them, she didn't hesitated to grab them, moving her own hand between them.....this bold girl.
"Incredible…"
She murmured with a smile. Her scent was a mix of oil and sweat, but honestly, it wasn't unpleasant—it brought back distant memories, oddly comforting. After a moment of playing with the moving threads, she asked
"Can you help me by being a guinea pig?"
"Uh? Oh, sure, it's the least I can do."
She grinned immediately and ran to a nearby stand where a gauntlet was mounted. After a quick explanation, I put it on.
It was comfortable to wear; the mechanisms weren't hidden, but I assumed it was still a prototype. I made a few basic movements, and it responded well.
"It feels heavy… what's it supposed to shoot again?"
"A repulsor beam! Isn't that awesome?!"
"Oh, like Iron Man?"
"Who?"
We stared at each other awkwardly. …Well, that slipped out. Anyway, I aimed the gauntlet at the target she'd set up—a piece of metal about six meters away. After playing with it for a bit, I figured out most of its functions. It was simple and intuitive, which was something.
I prepared to fire, aiming directly at the center. As my hand moved, the mechanism followed, and a second later, another explosion covered my whole body.
It took me a moment to realize I'd been launched through the air; when my senses returned, I also noticed my body had left a huge crack in the wall where I landed. And, of course, my forearm was gone.
"Ah… I guess I miscalculated the discharge power, but don't worry! This is still an important step for my next baby!"
"You think so…? Well, instead of a single powerful shot, you could use smaller modules to distribute the load, and—"
I tried to explain in the simplest way possible while regenerating my hand. It took a bit longer this time since the explosion had burned deep, but I was interrupted by Mei grabbing my shoulders and pulling me close.
I could see her eyes more clearly now; the tiny crosses around her irises made them stand out even more. As I was analyzing her features, she placed another piece of equipment in my hand.
"Can you help me with this one too?!"
And so… I was forced to test and give feedback on a bunch of her inventions, over and over again—most of which ended in a brief explosion and one of my limbs being amputated.
After two hours of risking my life, I finally convinced her to let me go. She agreed and said:
"Okay, okay, you can go. I'll have the exoskeleton ready in three days, so don't forget to come back!"
She pushed me out of the room. She seemed very excited, because as soon as the door closed, I heard several engines start up. I started walking back toward my classroom.
"Ah, finally decided to show up."
It was Aizawa, looking at me with that usual bored expression of his. Since the U.S.J. attack, he and I had this strange relationship—he scolded me when I messed up, but was oddly compassionate and tolerant. According to my classmates, who joked about it, he seemed to have taken a liking to me.
The classroom was empty; it had been at least an hour since everyone else had left. My teacher handed me a note as I tried to explain myself.
"The Support Course girl made me help her, sorry, sensei."
"Well, there's no point in scolding you. Here, it's the list of people who invited you to their agency."
"T-thanks."
I took the paper; there were only two names alongside the public agencies you could choose from. I hadn't expected anyone to invite me, so this came as a surprise.
Kamui Woods and Mount Lady.
Hmm… aren't they a team? If I remember right, Mineta chose Mount Lady and ended up doing nothing. Considering I still have to go after Stain, maybe she's the best option.
But… is it because part of my quirk works similarly to Kamui's? Or what's the reason he invited me? I still have some time to think about it, though I can't help but wonder—what exactly could I learn from him?
Anyway, I'd better hurry; I'm already late for my last task of the day.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
My boots echo through the seemingly endless halls and corridors that make up Japan's sewer system, the sound of dirty water splashing rebounding against the concrete walls, creating ripples with every
step I take. The smell and humidity of the place make it undesirable to exist here, however, breathing is unnecessary for me ,the drops of dirty water falling from the moldy ceiling only make matters worse, staining my clothes, however, I can't let such banalities affect me, so I just laughed it off
It doesn't take me long to find the chamber where Karma and I meet from time to time.
This chamber is located about 60 meters underground, it is prepared to withstand and divert floods so for the moment, unlike the rest of the tunnels, it is dry.
Our previous base of operations was located in an abandoned building on the outskirts of the ghetto where we live. Fortunately,and one of the few productive things left behind by Lyubim's unexpected interference,was this new opening of horizons: the sewers, a world beneath our feet, surrounded by legends.
It's incredible how something so brutally vast can go unnoticed most of the time. Being completely abandoned makes it absurdly easy to use as a hideout, and not only that,it connects practically the entire city, allowing us to move freely while avoiding unnecessary eyes.
Getting one's bearings could be difficult, which is also a benefit. However, leaving a small thread behind,just like the Minotaur of Crete,turns this seemingly impossible task into a mundane one.
After walking for a while, I arrive at an extremely wide section. Leaning against one of the walls is my creation, Karma,his blonde hair and adult features looking at me with a gentle expression.
"Seems I'm late again, my apologies. We've got so much ahead of us that I can't see an end to it. Anyway, let's start with the basics before I overcomplicate things."
He nods, silent as always. I stare at him, judging my own work, and unfortunately come to the conclusion that his mature appearance no longer serves us. It fulfilled its purpose,giving us a solid financial base and an image,but everything comes to an end, and an apparently adult man has no place in the League of Villains.
"Well, we've got to work on your face, and give you a temporary name. I can't call you Karma, or they could connect us too easily. So… how about Seiichi Amano?"
Karma's incredulous look makes me laugh. I point a finger toward the ceiling as I explain:
"You and I have to be contrasts, remember? It might be obvious, but part of our identity is to do things theatrically, even if it costs us. We're here to enjoy ourselves, so why not play with that? My name means 'Demon,' Akuma. Seiichi means 'Purity,' and Amano means 'Heavenly Field.' Isn't that beautiful?"
"Besides, we need to change that old face of yours. You're going to pretend to be an idealistic young man, after all. Why don't we start right now?"
I gently tap Karma's,no, Seiichi's,forehead. His face twists and reshapes until it becomes nothing but a blank canvas. After a few attempts and plenty of laughter, I finish his transformation,a true metamorphosis.
The once well-groomed blonde hair is now along,passing the shoulders, black hair.His jawline is well-defined, and his eyes carry a serious look. He's every bit a man in his twenties. His skin is smooth—unlike mine, which is pale—his is closer to beige. He's taller than me and slightly more muscular.
Another important change is his build. Compared to mine, his body is far sturdier. My own is fragile by design, meant to be replaced, giving me the advantage of striking unexpectedly. Seiichi, however, has a quirk that allows him to attack from a distance without getting hurt. Since he has to appear human, we've taken the time to make his body much more realistic,muscle by muscle, fiber by fiber, the threads take shape.
It's thanks to the fact that no one—not even Shigaraki—has seen his face that we can pull off such an abrupt change. In my opinion, it's necessary to smooth his entry and acceptance into the group. Honestly, he looks like the cold killer type, which makes a good contrast with the psychos in there. Anyway, I'll take the reins from time to time so they don't think he's mute. This also marks my reunion with my dear childhood friend,even if she remains ignorant of it. I wonder how life treated that maniac.
"Anyway, with that settled—did you bring what I asked for?"
Seiichi nodded, pointing toward a cooler resting against the hard concrete wall. I walked over to it and lifted the lid. Inside, aside from ice, there were several chunks of meat. This meat, as I've said before, wasn't exactly top quality—in fact, the only reason we managed to get it was because it was about to expire. It had been poorly stored and then mysteriously stolen, but organic matter is always welcome.
I grabbed the first piece, devouring it quickly before stepping back, where my partner was already getting ready, opening and closing his hand while gripping his wrist.
"Seiichi, the moment my features disappear, you'll know I've entered 'Awake' mode. Don't hesitate to attack me—it's necessary to bring me back to my base state so we can proceed."
He nodded, taking a defensive stance. I stared at him, then sighed, preparing myself mentally. Inside my body, my core was wrapped by a thread. At my command, that thread squeezed it tightly—tight enough to crack it. Pain flooded my mind, and in the blink of an eye, everything vanished.
"ACK!"
It was just an instant of darkness, like a blink where my thoughts shut off. After the haze lifted, I raised my head, only to find Seiichi staring right at me. I looked down at my body—half my stomach was gone, a crescent-shaped wound marking the spot. Regeneration began as he handed me another piece of meat. I got back up, stretching.
"I didn't even get to see what happened—damn it, it's frustrating. You okay?"
He just gave me a thumbs-up, and then we kept trying. Every time my core was damaged, my mind would disconnect for an instant. When I came back, my body would be lying on the ground, showing signs of a fierce battle. The chamber we were in bore the marks of it—cracks in the concrete from impacts and craters left by a variety of attacks.
As the hours passed and my reserves dwindled, I decided to run one last simulation before it got too late.
We locked eyes, both of us wearing faint smiles. I commanded the ring around my core to activate. Unlike the last times, flashes of an intense battle began to break through—glimpses of Seiichi's serious face as he moved with precision, dodging the whips sprouting from my back, avoiding the traps my Awake self set, and weaving through the countless threads trying to kill him. It was… an interesting sight.
In the end, the boy got what he wanted—a perfect angle. Skillfully, he aimed his index finger at me, cocked his thumb back, and mimed a gunshot.
The very next second, to both his surprise and mine, my body appeared behind him—a surprise attack that would have been certain death for any human. But that was the opportunity I had been waiting for. From the deepest corner of my subconscious, like seizing a puppet that refused to obey, I screamed inwardly:
"NO!"
The tentacle-like organ heading straight for my partner's stomach froze in place. Little by little, I realized I had regained control of my body's movements.
Karma also stopped attacking as I regained my facial features, letting his body hit the ground in exhaustion
It wasn't a victory—not even close. I was still far from fully controlling the failsafe. But for now, I felt a grim satisfaction knowing I could stop it if things went horribly wrong.
"Fuuh… disgusting. You alright?"
I let out a sigh, resting both hands on my hips, while he looked at me with something like pride. Ironic. He nodded at my question—still as mute as ever, huh?
"Mmm… I wonder if you've got a failsafe in you too, Karma… No, it'd be too dangerous to test it now. Maybe another time. I'm exhausted."
There was something I learned, however, the reason this version of me is so quick is thanks to his use of limbs, you see, the core acts like a hammer space, the threads that are reserved there lack mass and size, therefore, you could technically make your limbs hollow to become faster
But for me it's impossible, having to sustain your limbs with only the surface and a few strings connecting everything burns my mind, even more than the extra limbs I summon, and that's resting, if I try to fight in that state I would likely perish of exhaustion
But this part of me, doesn't have that limitation, and, for the split second I stopped him and regain control, the hollowness wasn't a problem, maybe, just maybe, this state can be the best thing that happened to me
But anyways...
The weight on my body was starting to show, and I didn't need to pile anything more onto it.
For now, I needed to focus on making a good impression during my hero internships.
With that, we parted ways, each heading to our respective places to continue with our duties. Very soon, all the gears will begin to turn—and what can I say?
I'm excited.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The sound of leather hitting the pavement alerts Kamui Woods, a pro hero, to the arrival of his new apprentice.
In front of him stands a UA student wearing a leather jacket with a black shirt, a bit of armor covering his chest, added to that are his black pants and tactical boots, as a final touch is covering his face is a red mask, completely expressionless
-Looks like you're ready, hero apprentice Mayhem-