That night turned into an unending battlefield.Gunshots rang out in rapid bursts.The clash of blades echoed sharply through the chaos.The entire compound was drowned in blood, fire, and screams.
Ryojin moved like a shadow, dodging strikes with deadly precision before launching himself toward the oncoming villains.
We had one mission tonight—to wipe out the enemy base.
"The Thumb is here!!"A villain's panicked scream pierced the air, sending a shockwave of dread through their ranks.
But Ryojin wasn't shaken.He didn't flinch at the thought of killing.
He glanced back.His clones surged forward like a tidal wave—Over a hundred of them, each bursting with raw power, tearing through villain lines without mercy or hesitation.
Explosions boomed in the distance.Bullets ripped through the night air.Screams—of attackers and defenders alike—howled across every corner of the compound.
Villain: "DIE!!"
One lunged at Ryojin with a furious cry.He twisted his body, dodging effortlessly, then slammed his sword down, crushing the enemy beneath it in one brutal strike.
Ryojin: "Alright then...Let's clean this filth up."
With that, he charged forward again—Dozens of his clones following closely behind.
Amidst the roaring chaos, Ryojin never gave himself time to breathe.He moved like a phantom through the battlefield—Swift, soundless, unpredictable.
No one could tell where he'd strike next.
The fighting only grew fiercer.Yet no matter how hard the villains fought back, they couldn't stop the onslaught of clones.Not only were there too many of them—They hit back with terrifying efficiency.
Ryojin (muttering): "So, you're not giving up, huh?"He yanked his blade from a villain's collapsing body."Well… I'm not either."
Another explosion rocked the ground beneath him.Gunfire kept raining like a violent storm.But Ryojin pressed on, slicing his way through the madness with chilling resolve—His clones acting as his wings of death, sweeping enemies aside like insects.
Ryojin: "Kill one…And ten more take its place."
His voice was cold.His clones never stopped—A relentless flood of destruction.
And the night…The night was far from over.
Kazuma Ryojin war had only just begun.
The Morning After
The sun rose as if nothing had happened the night before.No screams.No blood.No shattered remains of war.
Just a soft breeze.Warm light.And a peaceful silence.
That is, until the news broadcast shattered the illusion.
"The villain group known as The Thumb has caused chaos once again late last night. Authorities are unable to confirm the number of casualties, but early estimates are not fewer than a hundred..."
He sat in front of the TV, steaming coffee in his left hand, right hand scrolling through field reports on his phone.The news anchor's voice was sharp, laced with fury toward The Thumb.But I just sat there on the sofa, chuckling softly.
"Go ahead. Curse us more... This is only the beginning."
We were growing fast.His clone army was expanding—over 300 operatives now pushing into underground networks across multiple zones.And the next phase of our plan was almost ready.
PROJECT NEXUS
One objective:Devour the city.
Turn it into a covert command center, rooted in every dark corner.Clean out the trash.Expand our manpower.Establish a functioning system.
We needed accountants.Weapons specialists.Supply chain tacticians.IT experts.Engineers.Former heroes who'd lost faith—Even villains begging for their lives would do.
As long as they knew three things:Their role. Their rank. And who stands above them.
And him?He was ex-military.He understood the world didn't need justice—it needed structure.
Later That Afternoon
He arrived at the meetup point dressed in unassuming clothes:White long-sleeved shirt, black trousers, polished leather shoes, and a black hat that cast a shadow over his eyes.
He looked… normal.But inside, he was far from empty.
Today was for stress relief—Or maybe it was better to call it building Social Links.
You can't trust someone you've never wasted time with.
The boys started arriving one by one:
Shoji: Quiet but loyal.
Kaminari: Goofy, full of sunshine.
Kirishima: A true brawler.
Tokoyami: Half-poet, half-shadow.
Sero: Laid-back and always rolling tape.
Sato: Pure muscle and snacks.
Ojiro: Disciplined, forgettably average.
Koda: Silent, but always looking out for others.
Mineta: …Don't even get me started.
Midoriya: Too shy to function.
Some weren't invited.Some were… and just didn't come.
Iida: Wouldn't last five minutes in a room with the scent of beer or smoke. I could already picture him lecturing the bartender for selling to minors.
Aoyama: These days, looking directly at him makes my eyes hurt. Let's leave him out.
Bakugo: Swore at me and said no.
Todoroki: Said nothing, just wanted cold soba.
We ended up with eleven people—just right for this trip.
I looked at everyone and thought to myself:
"This isn't just a vacation. It's the foundation of something bigger—a future alliance."
If you want to change the world, you start with the people around you.
Not long after, the others started to arrive.
Midoriya came first. "Hey, Kazuma-kun."
Then Shoji followed. "Yo, Kazuma."
Then came Gōda, Tokoyami, and Sero. Soon, everyone had shown up.
"Boss!" Kaminari and Mineta said in unison, making Kazuma shake his head with a smile.
"Alright, you guys ready for some excitement?" he asked with a grin.
"YEAH!!" everyone shouted back in chorus.
Ryojin: "Alright… who's down for some laser tag?"
———
Fast forward to the evening.
It had been a perfect day. Class 1-A went all out—laser tag, food, and arcade games. Everything flew by in a blur. Including our money.
Ryojin: "Next up—how about some pool?"
"Pool?" Some of us wondered whether this was a good idea.
Ryojin led the way, and we followed closely. We stepped into a building where the smell of cigarettes lingered like it had been soaked into the walls for years.
We passed the receptionist who gave us a look before returning to her screen.
The first floor was surprisingly elegant—white floors, white walls, and overhead lights that made everything look sharp and clean, like we'd just walked into a luxury office or some CEO's private suite.
We were about to head up the stairs when Kazuma stopped us.
"Okay, before we go in, a few ground rules," he said with a mysterious tone.
"What kind of rules?" Shoji asked, while Midoriya and Mineta looked visibly nervous. Everyone tensed up.
"First, watch your drinks. Always."
Instant unease spread among us.
"Second, don't make eye contact. Third, don't act weak—keep your guard up. Fourth, if someone offers you a cigarette, refuse it. I don't want any of you going home smelling like smoke. And fifth, if someone threatens you, don't back down. Either it'll pass... or I'll handle it."
"Wait, is this like a villain's hideout or something?" Mineta whispered, clearly spooked.
"Well," Ryojin said, "there's some shady business and gambling going on here. But I know the manager, so if anything goes south, I can handle it. Still, let's try not to stir anything up."
"You sure we're allowed here?" Midoriya asked, voice trembling.
He chuckled.
Ryojin: "Relax. It's no different from the other places we've been—just with a few more... colorful characters. Good way to understand the underground a bit."
He walked up the stairs and pushed open the door.
We hesitated. Unsure.
Eventually, Ryojin entered—and we followed.
The room inside was warm and rustic. Wooden floors and walls. A small bar area. Dartboards. Pinball machines. Card tables. And, of course, pool tables.
A few people were already inside. A group of guys throwing darts. Three girls chatting at the bar, one of them glancing over at us. Others were scattered around the room.
"You guys grab a table. I'll go get our stuff," Ryojin said and headed to the bar.
We took the one nearest to the door—just in case. You never know.
Ryojin spoke with the bartender, who had some kind of fish-like quirk—his head literally looked like a fish's.
The bartender jotted something down and disappeared into the back room.
Then one of the girls from the bar approached Ryojin. The others looked over at us, curious.
She said something to Ryojin, and he smiled, replying with a gesture toward us. They exchanged a few more words before the bartender returned with a basket of pool cues and balls.
The girls laughed at something Ryojin said, and he walked back to us with a grin—trailing behind him were the three girls.
The first one had short, shoulder-length pink hair, a slim figure, and deep blue eyes with golden star-like pupils. She wore a black tee and a pink skirt, matched with thigh-high socks and black boots.
The second girl had long black hair and round glasses. She wore a purple shirt with black jeans.
The third girl had straight white hair down to her waist, slim like the others, with deep green eyes. She wore a black shirt and black jeans.
"This is Mawatari Fuwa—she's an upperclassman at our school," Kazuma introduced.
"Hey there, boys," Fuwa said with a playful smile.
"And these two are Mari Kaneko and Riko Komari. They're from other schools," he added.
"Uh, hi," Kaneko said, giving a small wave.
"Hey," Komari added, mirroring the gesture.
After that, Ryojin had everyone introduce themselves. Midoriya and Mineta were the most awkward. Everyone else was a bit stiff.
Ryojin said he'd introduce us to some girls—turns out, he wasn't kidding.
He noticed Kaneko was giving Mineta more attention than expected. Surprisingly, Mineta was holding a full-on conversation, even making her laugh. It was a rare sight.
Fuwa seemed to hit it off with Kirishima, and Tokoyami naturally gravitated toward Komari—both quiet, both into black. It made sense.
Everyone was enjoying the vibe. Though one question lingered…
"Wait, does Ryojin smoke?"
Ryojin: "Black Death cigs hit just right."
He usually didn't smoke—definitely not at school. He needed places like this to unwind.
Kaminari, meanwhile, was pestering Ryojin to introduce him to more girls, which made him think of a few possibilities.
And of course, Ryojin kept teasing Midoriya about Uraraka, making him blush and stammer—everyone got a laugh out of it.
But the good times didn't last long.
??? : "Mineta?"
A voice called out. Mineta froze.
A short-haired brown-haired guy approached him, flanked by seven or eight others who looked like his crew.
??? : "Yo! That you, shorty? How've you been, huh?" he said.
"I'm fine," Mineta answered.
We could tell—something was off. Mineta was trembling a bit.
"Wow, you got friends now? Since when?" the guy asked, glancing around at us. His buddies laughed mockingly. I hated his smug face already.
"Since I started at U.A.," Mineta replied, shrinking a little.
"No way. You got into U.A.? Guess they're letting anyone in these days. Maybe I'll apply next year."
Tokoyami, Shoji, Sato, and Kirishima looked like they were about to stand up for Mineta—but then they saw Ryojin walking back toward us… looking serious. No smile.
"It actually took a lot of hard work to get where I am," Mineta stammered.
"That's why I got in."
Before anything else could be said, Ryojin stepped between them.
"Hey, fatty—you trying to mess with one of my guys?" Ryojin said, his tone rough, street-style.
"K-Kazuma-kun, we shouldn't fight," Midoriya muttered nervously, hoping it wouldn't escalate.
But of course—it was already too late.
"Wha—your lackey? Never thought you'd—"
CRACK!
Before he could finish his sentence, Ryojin fist crashed into his face, sending him flying across the room.
Ryojin: "Damn… your mouth stinks, you fat piece of crap."
There's a reason people say: "Don't mess with Thai guys."Because when it goes down, it's not just words—you're getting a fist to the face, no questions asked.
His friends didn't take it well. They all rushed in.
Ryojin: "Bring it on, assholes!!"
The room exploded into chaos. Fists flying. People yelling. Their side had more guys—and they kept calling for backup.
But were we scared?Hell no.
When you've got the heart to fight, numbers don't matter.
We went wild.
Mineta, Midoriya, even Gōda—everyone jumped into the fray.
Ryojin: "We're men, aren't we? Then fight like one! This is what youth is about—time to write our own damn legend!"
—
—
Later that evening, back at the same bar.
After what went down in the pool room, we'd stomped their whole squad.
One person, though… got it worse than anyone.
Mineta.
Wanna know why?
Let's rewind a bit.
He charged in like a hero, trying to take one guy down with a surprise leap.
But he aimed for someone way too far away.
WHAM!
Got a boot to the face. Flat on the floor. And then the stomping began.
Ryojin (thinking):Bro… you were closer to safety. Why the hell'd you jump across the room like that? For WHAT?
As for Midoriya—he dodged the first punch beautifully.
And then cheered himself mid-fight.
Ryojin (thinking):You celebrating now? In the middle of a brawl?
BAM!
Face. Full fist.
The others did better. Most were still standing by the end, bruised but solid.
We couldn't go all out with our quirks, of course. Using them openly would've brought the cops down on us hard. Everyone knew that.
But… let's be real. We kinda used them anyway.
Just not the really dangerous ones.
Midoriya? Off-limits. One punch from him and half the damn building would collapse.
The villains on the other side had some strong quirks too—but nothing we couldn't handle.
The three girls stuck with us. They even helped patch us up afterward.They barely had a scratch on them.
Mineta, meanwhile, just sat there—head down, tears streaming.
Mineta: "Boss… I'm sorry. I screwed everything up."
Ryojin sighed.
Ryojin: "Jeez, quit crying like a kid already."
He reached over and ruffled Mineta's hair.
Ryojin: "C'mon, at least we made it out alive."
Then he turned to the bartender.
Ryojin: "Yo! Gimme all the snacks you've got and load up the sodas—go all out. Lock the place down. I'm buying the whole damn night."
Ryojin: "This round's on me, boys."
Everyone stared, stunned.
Kazuma… really just bought the whole bar for the night?
Ryojin: "Yeah, I know. That fight back there was reckless. Dumb, even. But sometimes, life is reckless. And dumb. And violent. And unforgettable. This is our story now. So screw it—let's enjoy the night!"
Mineta & Kaminari (together): "You're the coolest, boss!"
Kirishima: "Manliest dude I've ever known!"
Everyone laughed and got into it.The bar transformed. Music blaring. Pool tables ignored. Drinks flowing. Vibe? Full-on party.
I'd even tipped the bartender a fat stack to keep it running smooth—and he didn't mind.Money talks.
No drama. No stress. Just vibes.
Simple as that.
Two Weeks Later
Tomorrow, huh...? That ridiculous sports festival is finally kicking off.Am I excited? Well... let's just say I'm pissing myself with joy.
Ever since Project Nexus launched, everything's been going smoothly.More people have started to join—especially villains who've been "behaving well."…Well, more like forced to behave, let's be honest.
Anyone who shows potential?We recruit them.
He's been racking up Coins fast, too.And the main HQ is located right in his hometown—talk about convenient.
Different groups have started to align with us.Some even abandoned their old names, terrified of the growing power of The Thumb.
The number of clones we have now?Nearly a thousand—Scratch that, we've passed a thousand.
Add to that over four hundred non-clones who've joined up.Clones form the main combat unit, while the others handle support roles.…Though some still get dragged to the front lines anyway.
One depressing fact?Even if I storm villain bases and wipe them out, I don't gain any EXP from it.Freakin' unfair.
Still, it's not all bad news.We don't have to buy clothes for the clones anymore,Thanks to the supply team we've set up.
Speaking of HQ—It's a massive underground base we seized from a terrorist group called The Brownpants.Not villains, but damn brutal.During the raid, we lost over a hundred of our people.Level A or not, it wasn't an easy conquest. But it was worth it.
We got two armored vehicles out of it.Packed with military-grade weapons.Honestly, if no heroes had shown up to stop us...There would've been bodies everywhere.
But that victory was short-lived.
Why?
Well, take a look at this—
[Side Quest Unlocked][Defend Against the Invasion of Nightmare Entities]
Estimated Enemy Count: ???
Time Limit: 12 hours (Timer begins at the start of the Sports Festival)
Reward upon Completion: • Reputation Points: +20 • Coins: 50,000
Notice:Failure to eliminate the entities within the given time frame will result in the surrounding area transforming into a Nightmare Dungeon.
…Damn it.
What the hell kind of mission is this?It's like the heavens are saying, "Fun's over—time to get to work."If he didn't have his clones, he'd be heading into this nightmare solo.
Luckily, now…
He commands his own private army.
But don't celebrate just yet.Even a thousand clones might not be enough.Because this isn't just any enemy.These are creatures born from nightmares.
They don't negotiate.They don't retreat.They don't talk.
Primary conflict zone:Shizuoka PrefectureNear Aldera Junior High and Tatooin Station—A densely populated urban area.Packed with civilians. Full of school kids.No room for mistakes. No time for hesitation.
He doesn't know if the school will call for evacuation.But he does know this:
If even one of them escapes…It'll be hell in the middle of the city.
He's already sent an emergency order to HQ.Requested every heavy weapon they've got.Both armored vehicles included.
He's ready to turn the entire zone into a battlefield.
And he won't hesitate.He won't wait for permission.Whoever dares to enter that area…
He'll kill them all.