The final bell rang, and just like that, another day had slipped away.
Students poured out of the middle school gates, chattering excitedly about clubs, plans, or the looming final exams. The air smelled faintly of dust and warm pavement, the late afternoon sun spilling gold across the quiet streets.
Kaito walked steadily, his bag slung over one shoulder. At his side, the faint shimmer of distorted light marked Tooru's presence. She wasn't completely invisible. Her uniform hung on her frame, sleeves and skirt shifting as she walked, and her white school shoes tapped against the concrete. To anyone who looked, it was like clothes floating in midair, but to Kaito, it was simply Tooru.
She stretched her arms overhead with a satisfied groan. "Ahhh, freedom at last! I swear, those last two classes lasted a year each."
Kaito glanced at her sidelong, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. "Class time is the same length for everyone."
"Yeah, but it feels longer when you're stuck staring at textbooks," she shot back, her invisible hands clasping behind her head. "Anyway—" her voice rose with excitement, "—can you believe it? Just a little longer, and we'll be done with middle school! All that's left are the final exams!"
Her footsteps picked up, her uniform fluttering with her energy. "And then... then the real fun begins. Hero high school!"
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You're already thinking about that?"
"Of course I am!" Tooru spun in place, her skirt twirling around her invisible body. "C'mon, isn't it exciting? We'll get to apply to places like Shiketsu, or maybe even... U.A.!" Her voice dropped into a stage whisper, filled with awe. "The number one hero school!"
Her shoes squeaked faintly as she hopped ahead, fists clenched with determination. "Training with pro heroes! Fighting villains! And best of all—designing our own costumes!"
Tooru leaned closer, her sleeves brushing against his arm. "So? What about you, Mr. Cool-and-Mysterious? Any ideas for your costume?"
Kaito adjusted his bag strap, his answer calm and matter-of-fact. "Not really. For you, though... I think you don't need one."
Tooru froze mid-step. "Eh? What do you mean I don't need one?"
Kaito looked at her, eyes steady. "Your strength is invisibility. A costume would just get in the way. If you want to rely on it, the less people can see, the better."
There was a pause. Then Tooru's sleeves puffed out, her invisible arms crossing with a dramatic huff. "Boo! That's boring! Heroes are supposed to look cool, y'know! We've gotta inspire people, not just sneak around like... like ghosts!"
Kaito shook his head faintly. "A ghost that saves people is still a hero."
"Ughhh, you always say stuff like that," Tooru groaned, stomping her shoe against the pavement. "Fine, fine. But when the cameras love me for my amazing style, don't come crying to me for fashion tips."
A small smirk tugged at Kaito's lips. "...It will take forever for the cameras to notice you."
Tooru let out a mock gasp. "Wow. Cold. You wound me, Kaito. Wound me deeply."
But her voice was light, cheerful. She skipped a few steps ahead, her laughter trailing after her.
The afternoon was peaceful—until it wasn't.
A sharp scream split through the quiet street.
Both Kaito and Tooru froze mid-step, heads whipping toward the sound. Down the block, a man barreled through the crowd, shoving pedestrians aside with reckless force. His victim, a middle-aged woman, stumbled and fell to the pavement, clutching her shoulder as her handbag was torn from her grip.
The thief was massive—his upper body thick and broad, his skin rough with patches like a buffalo's hide. Two short horns curled from his head, and his legs drove him forward with brutal power. He moved like a charging beast, the stolen bag swinging in his fist.
"Hey!" Tooru gasped, sleeves flaring as she pointed. "A mugger!"
Kaito's eyes narrowed, scanning the scene. Strength and speed... his quirk enhances both. He's already gaining distance. If he reaches the corner, he'll disappear into the alleys.
The woman cried out weakly, "My bag...! Someone stop him!"
The bystanders hesitated. No one moved. The thief's sheer size and animalistic presence made them shrink back.
Kaito felt his pulse steady, his body shifting naturally into focus. His father's words echoed in his mind.
If you forge a blade, then wield it. If you wield it, then protect with it.
"Tooru," he said quietly, his eyes still locked on the charging thief.
"Huh?"
"You stay here."
"Wait, Kaito—!"
But he was already moving, his stride quick, his presence sharp. The distance between them and the thief wasn't small. Even so, Kaito's body had been honed by years of relentless training. His muscles responded without hesitation.
The thief noticed him, snorting through his broad nose. "Outta my way, brat!"
Kaito's hand twitched. He didn't need to call a weapon yet. Not for this. Instead, he focused inward where his body muscles are.
His legs surged with power, speed bursting through him as if every muscle fiber was reforged steel. He cut through the air like a drawn blade, intercepting the mugger's path.
The man's eyes widened. "Tch—!"
Kaito slammed a reinforced shoulder into the thief's midsection. The impact rang out like stone meeting steel, jolting the crowd. The thief stumbled, nearly dropping the bag.
From behind, Tooru shouted, "Kaito!" Her uniform sleeves flapped as she dashed closer, clearly torn between fear and excitement.
The thief snarled, rage twisting his broad features. "You little punk! I'll crush you!"
Kaito's stance didn't waver. His voice was calm, but his eyes burned.
"You're not going anywhere."
The mugger lowered his horns, ready to ram his way through the boy in front of him. His heavy steps shook the ground, a beastly charge no normal middle schooler could ever hope to stop.
But Kaito was not normal.
He drew a slow breath, feeling his heartbeat steady. His mother's lessons whispered in his blood.
'Your body is a weapon too. Strengthen it. Sharpen it. Make every fiber of muscle and every bone into steel.'
Kaito's eyes narrowed. His skin prickled as invisible force coursed through him—muscles tightening, bones hardening, nerves sharpening. It wasn't flashy. No glowing aura, no dramatic burst of light. Just raw, honed power.
His body felt lighter, sharper. His legs bent slightly, stance sinking. The world slowed, movements crisp, details clear. The mugger's charge was no longer overwhelming—it was predictable.
The buffalo-man roared, swinging his horned head forward.
Kaito moved.
His foot snapped against the pavement with reinforced strength, propelling him forward like a spring released. His body flowed smoothly, like water around stone. He ducked low, the horn passing just above his shoulder, and his hand shot out, grabbing the thief's arm.
The man's eyes widened. "What—?!"
With his reinforced grip, Kaito twisted. The bag flew free, tumbling to the ground. The mugger stumbled, thrown off balance by the boy's speed and precision.
Gasps erupted from the onlookers. Tooru cheered, her sleeves flying as she bounced in place. "Yes! Go, Kaito!"
The thief snarled and swung a meaty fist, his strength enough to crumple concrete. But Kaito's body was ready. Reinforcement coursed through him, joints snapping into alignment, tendons braced. He stepped in—not away—and his reinforced forearm met the punch with a solid crack.
The crowd flinched at the impact. But Kaito held firm.
The mugger's expression twisted in shock. "What the hell are you?!"
Kaito's voice was quiet, steady, and sharp as steel.
"...Someone who won't let you run."
The buffalo-man roared again, swinging wildly in desperation. His massive arms cut through the air with the force of a wrecking ball, but Kaito's eyes tracked every movement. Reinforcement sharpened his senses, his body moving in perfect sync with his will.
Strength is nothing without precision.
He slipped under a punch, stepped into the man's guard, and drove his reinforced fist into the mugger's stomach.
The impact was brutal—like a hammer striking against a drum. The air whooshed out of the man's lungs in a harsh gasp, his eyes bulging. For a heartbeat he staggered, still trying to stay upright.
Kaito didn't hesitate. He pivoted, bringing his elbow up and around, crashing it against the side of the thief's head.
The man collapsed instantly, his horned skull smacking against the pavement as consciousness slipped away. The street went silent except for the thief's heavy, ragged breathing.
Gasps and murmurs rose from the bystanders. Tooru let out a cheer, her sleeves waving wildly in the air. "Kaito, you did it!"
Kaito exhaled, letting the reinforcement in his body ease off. The tension in his muscles faded, though a faint ache lingered from pushing himself so hard. He bent down, picked up the fallen handbag, and walked back to its owner.
The middle-aged woman blinked in surprise as the boy offered it to her with a steady hand. "Here. It's yours."
Her voice trembled as she took it back, bowing deeply. "Th-thank you... thank you so much!"
Before Kaito could reply, sirens wailed in the distance. Moments later, two police patrol cars pulled up, officers spilling out with practiced urgency. They quickly assessed the scene—the unconscious mugger on the ground, the shaken but unharmed woman, and the boy standing tall beside her.
One officer knelt to cuff the buffalo-man while another approached Kaito. "You two stopped him?" His tone was equal parts impressed and scolding. "That was reckless. You're students—you shouldn't be fighting criminals on your own."
Kaito simply inclined his head. "I couldn't just watch."
Tooru piped up, her sleeves waving defensively. "H-hey, don't be too hard on him! If Kaito hadn't jumped in, that guy would've gotten away!"
The officer sighed, shaking his head, but his expression softened. "Still, you both should be more careful. Leave this kind of thing to the pros next time, alright?"
As the police dragged the unconscious thief into the car, the woman gave Kaito another grateful bow. The crowd slowly began to disperse, whispering about the brave middle schooler who'd stopped a criminal all on his own.
Kaito stood quietly, watching the patrol cars drive away, their red and blue lights fading into the distance. His hands clenched briefly at his sides.
If I can't handle something like this... how can I ever reach the strength they entrusted to me?
Beside him, Tooru's voice broke through his thoughts. "Well, that was... wow. Guess you're already practicing to be a hero, huh?"
Kaito glanced at her, then forward again. "...Not yet."
But deep inside, the fire of the forge burned brighter.
____
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