The VEGA training chamber was set. Water tanks lined one side, piping and valves running along the walls. Targets, obstacles, and thin metal rails created a maze of lines — perfect for quirk precision.
Ren stood on a raised platform, cloak fluttering faintly. Red lenses glinted as he scanned both fighters.
> "Remember," he said calmly, voice echoing, "this isn't about winning. It's about control, adaptability, and anticipation."
Dabi flexed his fingers, violet flame flickering, illuminating the room in sharp arcs of light.
Riptide's hands were already wet, fingers skimming the floor as he lifted water from hidden reservoirs, shaping it into flexible streams.
Ren's gaze narrowed.
> "Begin."
Dabi lunged first, violet flame spiraling forward like a piercing lance. The room shook with heat; the metal walls glowed faintly from the intensity.
Riptide reacted instantly, water snapping upward in a sharp arc to intercept. The flames hissed as they touched the water, steam rising violently. Sparks of heat and droplets sprayed the walls.
> "Control the burn!" Ren called, voice calm and precise.
"Not too much, not too little!"
Dabi adjusted his angle, curving the violet flame around the water barrier. Steam hissed as precision became key — too much flare, too little, and it would either fizzle or explode uncontrollably.
Riptide countered, weaving the water into a spiral, forcing Dabi to continuously refine the trajectory of his violet fire.
> "Now add pressure spikes!" Ren instructed.
"Push intensity gradually — test reaction and timing!"
Dabi's flame pulsed, violet light dancing along the tip. Riptide's stream intensified, curling around the fire, attempting to
The VEGA training hall was massive — half flooded, half dry, walls lined with reinforced glass and tech consoles. Mist curled in the air, reflecting the dim light. Ren stood on the observation platform, his cloak fluttering, eyes hidden behind red lenses.
Dabi's violet flame danced across his fingers, licking the walls, scorching shallow grooves into the metal floor. Every flicker was controlled, precise, like liquid fire.
Across the hall, Riptide moved silently on the flooded side, water swirling around him like a living shield. Waves licked the dry floor, coiling toward Dabi with a hiss.
Ren's voice echoed calmly through the comms:
> "Dabi, your heat versus Riptide's water. You're not trying to burn him. You're trying to break his defense without losing control of your flame. Precision, not power."
Dabi smirked, violet flame intensifying, heat radiating like a furnace.
> "Fine. Let's see what this fish can do."
Riptide's water surged forward in a narrow jet, striking like a whip. Dabi tilted his wrist, deflecting the stream with a thin arc of violet flame — the heat vaporized half the water instantly, steam rolling across the hall.
> "Good," Ren murmured. "Control the reaction. Predict the counter."
The water hissed, forming coils and spirals, trying to entrap Dabi's legs. Dabi twisted midair, violet flame wrapping around his arms, cutting channels through the water like glowing ribbons of energy. The clash of fire and water sent steam clouds rising, distorting the room.
Riptide pressed forward, summoning a tidal surge, trying to flank Dabi from both sides. Dabi leapt high, violet flames leaving trails in the air like comets, vaporizing the advancing jets before they reached him.
> Speed and anticipation, Ren thought, analyzing every movement.
Then came the test — combination attack. Riptide shot a spiraling torrent upward; Dabi reacted instantly, splitting his violet flame into twin arcs, slicing through the water mid-air. The resulting steam exploded outward, shaking the walls.
Dabi landed, knee-bent, flames licking his arms, smoldering trails across the floor. Riptide emerged from the mist, water dripping, unshaken, eyes locked on his target.
Ren's voice rang in both their ears:
> "Observe. Every clash has a rhythm. Predict, counter, adapt. This is VEGA combat. If either of you breaks the pattern, the other will exploit it."
Steam swirled, reflections dancing off the walls. Violet flame met silver-blue water again, forming a wall of scalding mist. Both combatants moved like chess pieces, reactive yet aggressive, aware of every millisecond of displacement.
Finally, Ren stepped forward, raising a hand. The clash halted instantly. Dabi's flames subsided into a steady violet glow; Riptide's waters rolled back, perfectly contained.
> "Excellent," Ren said softly. "You both understand control. Not destruction, not chaos — precision. That's how VEGA fights. Remember this. You're not just learning to use your quirks… you're learning to wield them like weapons in a coordinated system."
Dabi flexed his fingers, violet flame dancing obediently at his fingertips.
Riptide's water receded, forming calm, sharp-edged arcs around him like a halo.
> "Next step," Ren murmured, red lenses glinting, "combined offensive drills. Fire and water… together. Let's see if VEGA's synergy can outmatch raw chaos."
The room plunged into silenc
e again, only the faint hiss of cooling steam remaining.
The training hall was quiet now, mist curling lazily around the edges of the room. Dabi leaned against the wall, violet flames flickering faintly at his fingertips.
Ren stepped forward, boots echoing against the metal floor. His red-lensed eyes glinted in the dim light.
> "Dabi," Ren said, voice calm but commanding.
"Homework for you."
Dabi raised an eyebrow, smirk curling.
> "Homework? What am I? Some kid at U.A?"
Ren didn't flinch.
> "Your quirk has potential — raw, unstable, lethal. But raw power is useless without precision. I want you to push your flames further. Your blue flames… turn them violet. Control the intensity, focus the heat, maintain stability. Every molecule under your command."
Dabi's smirk faltered slightly. His violet fire pulsed nervously, as if sensing the challenge.
> "Violet… huh?"
Ren nodded slowly, pacing in front of him.
> "Blue is strong. Violet… is mastery. Heat beyond what your body naturally tolerates, but contained. Discipline over chaos. It's not about burning brighter. It's about burning right. Predictable, precise, lethal."
Dabi clenched his fists, heat radiating off his palms.
> "And if I fail?"
Ren tilted his head, voice low, controlled:
> "Then you'll burn yourself out. You'll learn why mastery is more important than raw fire. Fail once… or learn. There's no in-between in VEGA."
Dabi's violet flames danced higher, tiny sparks reflecting in the glass walls. He gritted his teeth, determination flaring like the growing heat in his palms.
> "Alright, Mastermind," he said, voice low, dangerous.
"I'll turn blue into violet."
Ren's red lenses glinted faintly.
> "Good. Report back when you can sustain it for thirty seconds without flare. That's your first step toward VEGA-level control. Remember — precision is power."
The room went silent again, only the faint crackle of residual flames. Dabi stared at his fingertips, violet sparks twitching nervously.
> Blue to violet… he muttered to himself.
Time to push further than ever before.
Ren stepped back onto the observation platform, cloak swaying, eyes scanning.
> Every second counts. Every spark matters. VEGA is rising, and he'll burn brighter than anyone realizes.
The night was quiet, the streets of Musutafu bathed in moonlight. Shadows stretched across alleys and rooftops. Toga and Edgeshot perched atop a building, watching the movements of their target: a promising young hero technician, a prodigy inspired by Mei Hatsume.
Ren's voice came through the earpiece, calm and precise:
> "Toga, Edgeshot. Your mission is simple: persuade, not intimidate. Identify potential. Make her want to join us. VEGA doesn't use fear — we use opportunity."
Edgeshot adjusted his wires, weaving them like a silent net around the rooftop.
> "So… no explosions?"
Toga twirled her knife casually.
> "Sounds boring… but I can do subtle."
Ren continued, voice sharp:
> "She's brilliant. Creative. Obsessed with support gadgets. Approach with logic first — then show vision. She'll see the benefit in joining us. And remember… discretion is key. Hero Commission can't suspect a thing."
Toga smirked, crouching low.
> "Leave the charm to me."
Edgeshot, ever precise, readied his wires, scanning for escape routes.
> "We lure her with tools, not threats. Understood."
They moved silently down the rooftop, landing in the alley near the tech lab. The faint hum of machines inside hinted at her late-night work session. Toga's grin widened; Edgeshot's eyes focused.
> "Remember," Ren's voice echoed softly, "this isn't just recruitment. It's integration. She becomes part of VEGA — and part of our future. Make it irresistible."
The alley was silent except for the soft tapping of Toga's shoes and the faint hum of machinery. In the lab, lights flickered, revealing sketches, half-assembled gadgets, and scattered tools.
Toga peeked inside, whispering to Edgeshot:
> "See? She's just like Mei… but she doesn't know she's about to join a revolution."
Edgeshot's wires twitched, forming subtle barriers around the entrance.
> "We make her an offer she can't refuse — innovation, freedom, and a chance to reshape the world. And she won't even suspect whose side she's on."
Toga raised a hand, lightly tapping the door. A faint click. The young technician looked up, surprised.
> "Uh… who are you?" she asked nervously.
Edgeshot's wire formed a soft arc, not threatening, just attention-grabbing.
> "Friends," he said evenly.
"We know your work. VEGA… we could use someone like you."
Toga twirled a knife casually, smiling:
> "Think of it as a… very exclusive internship."
Outside, the moon shone bright over Musutafu. Inside the lab, sparks flew — not from danger, but from opportunity.
Ren's voice echoed faintly in their c
omms:
> "Persuade her. Integrate her. The next step in VEGA begins tonight."
The lab hummed softly, tools and gadgets scattered across the table. The young technician looked up from her work, eyes wide at the unexpected visitors: Toga, casually leaning against a wall with a knife twirling, and Edgeshot, wires coiled neatly around him like silent snakes.
> "Uh… who are you?!" she stammered, clutching a screwdriver like a shield.
Toga tilted her head, grinning.
> "Relax. I'm just… here to admire your work."
Her tone was light, teasing, almost like a friend dropping by unexpectedly.
"You're brilliant. Really! I love gadgets that go pop, that whirr, that… make life more fun."
Edgeshot stepped forward, calm and precise.
> "We're looking for someone with skill. Someone who understands mechanics, support tech, and can think outside the box. You have that talent."
The technician blinked, still unsure.
> "You… you want me to work for… who exactly?"
Toga leaned closer, voice playful, whispering as if sharing a secret:
> "Not exactly… heroes, not exactly villains. You'd be… VEGA."
The name lingered in the air. The technician frowned, confused.
> "VEGA? Is that… some kind of hero group?"
Edgeshot's tone was flat, measured, but persuasive:
> "No. It's bigger than heroes. Bigger than villains. Innovation, freedom, creation without limits. You won't just build gadgets — you'll build the future."
Toga twirled her knife lazily, grinning:
> "And hey… it's fun. Really fun. You get to experiment, design, and see it in action. No one else will understand your work like we do."
The technician hesitated, looking between the two. Her curiosity was piqued.
> "And… you're sure this is safe? I mean, I don't want to get caught by heroes…"
Edgeshot stepped closer, wires barely moving, like a shadow.
> "That's why you work with us. You'll have freedom, support, and protection. Think of it as… an exclusive team of professionals who appreciate talent like yours."
Toga smiled wide, eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.
> "Yeah! We fight. We laugh. We make things explode… sometimes on purpose."
The technician laughed nervously, feeling a strange mix of danger and excitement.
> "Explosions… I guess that is kind of fun…"
Edgeshot's voice was calm but firm.
> "This is your chance. VEGA wants someone like you. Someone who can make a difference — quietly, powerfully, intelligently. Are you in?"
The technician's eyes flicked to the gadgets on her desk, then back at Toga and Edgeshot. Her heart raced, but curiosity won over fear.
> "Okay… I'll do it."
Toga clapped her hands, grinning.
> "Yay! You're one of us now!"
Edgeshot simply nodded once, satisfied.
> "Welcome to VEGA. Your first assignment… is to help improve support gear for our operatives. Precision is key."
Toga leaned closer again, whispering conspiratorially:
> "And don't worry… I'll make sure it's fun."
The lab hummed with re
newed energy, tools clattering as the technician hesitantly but excitedly began her first VEGA project.
The team had returned to the hidden VEGA base. Shadows stretched across the walls, lit only by the soft glow of monitors, scattered tools, and flickering lamps. Dabi's violet flame lingered faintly in the corner; Riptide's water coils shimmered in the dim light. Toga and Edgeshot stood near the entrance with the newly recruited technician, who fidgeted nervously, still processing the night's events.
Ren stepped forward from the shadows, his cloak brushing the floor. His boots echoed softly on the metal flooring. The red lenses of his mask caught the moonlight filtering through the broken windows, giving him an almost spectral presence.
He spoke, voice calm, measured, commanding attention:
> "Now that everyone is here… it's time you know who I am."
The room went silent. Even Dabi, who rarely showed respect, tilted his head curiously.
Ren extended a gloved hand, fingers straight, posture perfect.
> "I am Ren. Some of you may know me as a student in U.A. Class 1-A. But here… I am something else. I am the one who sees the entire battlefield, who calculates every outcome before it happens. I am Mastermind."
Toga tilted her head, grinning.
> "Sounds… scary."
Edgeshot simply adjusted his wires, expression neutral but alert.
Ren continued, voice calm, almost hypnotic:
> "I lead VEGA. We are not heroes, we are not villains. We are a new force — precision, strategy, and control. Every move we make is calculated. Every quirk, every resource… everything is part of the plan. From now on, you follow me, and you will understand the meaning of power controlled."
The technician's eyes widened, awe and apprehension mixing.
> "You… you mean, like… you've thought all of this out?"
Ren's masked face tilted slightly.
> "Of course. This is only the beginning. And each of you… plays a role in what comes next. Strength alone is meaningless without vision. Obedience without purpose is wasted energy. Together, we become something the world has never seen before."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. The room was quiet, the hum of machinery the only sound.
Finally, he said, a hint of a smirk in his voice:
> "Now… introduce yourselves. Tell me why you're here, and why you belong in VEGA."
Dabi's violet flames flickered brighter, Riptide's water coils shimmered, and the rest of the team exchanged glances — all aware, in their own way, that t
hey had just entered a new era under Ren's command.
Ren's red-lensed gaze swept the room, finally resting on the young technician, who fidgeted nervously with her gloves.
> "Now… introduce yourself," Ren commanded softly, voice calm but authoritative. "Tell me why you're here, and why you belong in VEGA."
The technician swallowed hard, eyes flicking between Ren, Toga, and Edgeshot. Her hands tightened around a small gadget she had been carrying.
> "I… I'm… I'm Akari Mizuno," she said, voice quiet but steadying as she spoke. "I… I like making things. Gadgets, support gear… stuff that helps people fight better."
She glanced nervously at Toga, who leaned forward with an encouraging grin.
> "Don't be shy. You're with us now," Toga whispered.
Akari's eyes returned to Ren, trying to mask her nervousness.
> "I want to… I want to use my skills to… to make a difference. Not for heroes, not for villains… but for something bigger. Something smarter."
Ren nodded slowly, tone approving, almost approvingly stern.
> "Good. That's exactly why you belong here. Precision, creativity, and thinking beyond conventional limits… that is the heart of VEGA. You're not just a technician. You're a strategist's tool, a creator of possibilities. Your mind will shape outcomes far beyond raw strength."
Akari blinked, awe mixing with excitement.
> "I… I'll do my best. I won't disappoint."
Ren's faint smirk showed behind his mask.
> "I don't expect less. Welcome to VEGA, Akari Mizuno. Your first assignment will test your skills… and your ingenuity. Are you ready?"
Akari straightened, determination replacing nervousness.
> "Yes… I'm ready."
> And so begins her path as VEGA's mind behind the machines — the
silent architect of destruction and innovation.
The VEGA base was quiet now, shadows stretching along the walls, the faint hum of machinery echoing through the room. I hugged my arms around myself, trying to steady the whirlwind of thoughts.
I've never… been here before.
I watched the others — Dabi's violet flames flickering softly, Riptide's water coils shimmering, Toga's mischievous grin, Edgeshot's calm precision. And then there was Ren — the one who called himself Mastermind. Behind that red-lensed mask, he felt… untouchable, like he had already calculated every move I would make.
I swallowed hard, trying to ground myself. I've always been like this…
Ever since I was a child, I was obsessed with creation. While other kids played with toys, I disassembled them. Calculators, radios, small robots — if I could take it apart, I could understand it. And if I could understand it… I could make it better.
School didn't satisfy me. Teachers praised my mind, but they didn't challenge it. Friends were optional — they never understood the thrill of a perfectly timed mechanism, the beauty of precision engineering. I thrived in isolation, surrounded by wires, gears, and schematics. My parents… they tried to encourage me, but brilliance alone isn't enough to make people see the world your way.
And then, of course… the world started teaching me the hard way.
But here… here I have purpose.
Ren's words echo in my head: "Your mind will shape outcomes far beyond raw strength."
A shiver ran down my spine. I've always wanted to matter, to create, to leave a mark. But the path wasn't clear — until now. VEGA wasn't just a group. It was a chance to use my skills in ways no one else could even imagine.
I flexed my fingers, feeling the weight of possibility, excitement, and… fear.
This is the first step. But something tells me… my story isn't as simple as it seems.
The hum of the machinery grew louder in my ears. Shadows flickered across the walls.
> And soon… everything I thought I knew about my life, my choices, my world… will change.
I glanced at Ren. Calm. Controlled. Unfathomable.
> And I think… I'm n
ot ready for what comes next.