I exhaled slowly, finishing my story.
The room fell silent.
Toga looked unusually quiet.
Edgeshot's expression tightened with something like respect.
Riptide lowered his gaze.
Even Dabi — the man of flames and apathy — watched me with a flicker of something unreadable.
But the only one who didn't react outwardly…
was Ren.
He stood with his arms folded, the red lenses of his mask reflecting the dim workshop lights.
For a moment, I wondered what he thought of me — my past, my weakness, my scars.
Then he stepped forward.
Not with pity.
Not with hesitation.
But with purpose.
"Akari," he said, voice calm as always, "your story explains your resolve clearly."
He placed a metal briefcase on the table between us.
With a soft click, it opened.
Inside lay his old support gear — the ones originally designed by Mei Hatsume.
Wires, nails, reinforced gloves, lenses, speed boots, grappling modules… all familiar, yet all flawed in their current form.
Ren tapped the gear lightly.
"Your first mission," he said, "is to upgrade these."
My breath caught.
Upgrade… Mastermind's equipment?
Ren continued, tone sharper now — a leader speaking to his chosen engineer:
"Mei is talented, but her designs lack efficiency and durability under complex combat conditions. I need more traps, more speed, more precision. Your mind…"
he paused, as if calculating the exact word,
"…is the missing piece."
He stepped back, letting the weight of his words settle.
"From now on, Akari, you are VEGA's chief technician."
Toga grinned.
Riptide clapped softly.
Dabi smirked.
Edgeshot gave me a small nod of acknowledgment.
My hands trembled — not with fear, but with a long-buried fire.
I wasn't a broken, quirkless nobody anymore.
I wasn't the girl waiting for heroes that never arrived.
I was Akari.
Engineer of VEGA.
Mastermind's right hand in creation.
I lifted the metal glove from the case, the cool weight settling perfectly into my palm.
"Ren," I said quietly but firmly, "I'll make gear worthy
of your name."
For the first time in years…
I felt important.
The metal doors of VEGA's underground base slid open with a cold hiss, revealing a narrow hallway bathed in blue light. Motion sensors tracked every step. Cameras followed like silent predators.
Kurogiri and Stain walked side by side — an unlikely pair, moving with opposite energies.
Kurogiri glided smoothly, mist drifting around him, calm and unreadable.
Stain moved with a rigid, coiled intensity, his boots striking the metal floor like he was walking into battle instead of a base.
A panel lit up ahead of them.
VEGA SECURITY SCAN — LEVEL OMEGA
> Identity verification required.
Thin beams of light swept over their bodies — reading bone density, weapon signatures, energy patterns, movement rhythm, even heartbeat tempo.
Stain grunted. "Your security is excessive."
A synthetic voice answered from the speakers:
> "Excessive threats require excessive precautions."
Kurogiri lowered his head politely. "Mastermind is thorough."
The scan paused and focused directly on Stain's blades.
WEAPONS DETECTED — BLOOD-BASED PARALYSIS RISK HIGH
> Analyzing intent… analyzing hostility…
Stain's eye twitched. "Hostility? If I intended to kill, this hallway would already be painted in red."
A tense silence.
Then the voice replied:
> "Hostility: controlled."
Green light flashed.
Doors unlocked.
Kurogiri simply stepped forward, mist swirling calmly.
Stain followed, scoffing under his breath.
"So this is the organization he's building… VEGA," Stain muttered. "Let's see if their convictions withstand judgment."
A final scanner washed over them — a full-body molecular imprint.
Then the last door opened.
Ren stood on the other side, arms crossed, mask glowing faintly.
Dabi leaned on the wall.
Toga waved cheerfully.
Edgeshot was perched above like a shadow.
Ren spoke first.
"You passed the security check," he said, voice steady. "Good. I need both of you for what comes next."
Stain's lips curved into a sharp grin.
"Then give your order, Mastermind."
Kurogiri bowed slightly.
"I am ready as well."
Ren nodded once, eyes g
lowing crimson behind the mask.
"Perfect. It's time for your mission."
Ren stepped forward, cape shifting as the moonlight from the ceiling vents cast shadows across his mask.
His voice echoed through the chamber — cold, calculated, absolute.
"Your mission… is global."
Stain's eyes narrowed in interest.
Kurogiri tilted his head slightly.
Ren projected a hologram between them — maps, photos, scattered reports, red markers flashing over continents.
"Somewhere in this world," Ren continued, "there is a doctor… or a scientist… who holds the key to what I need."
The hologram zoomed in on several faces — blurred, classified profiles of ex–support researchers, quirk theorists, illegal bioengineers, and banned geneticists.
Toga leaned forward with fascination. Dabi raised an eyebrow.
Akari paused in her work, listening.
Ren's tone sharpened:
"I plan to remove the existence of quirks one day. For that, I need minds capable of breaking the rules of science — minds who aren't bound by hero laws or hero morality."
He looked directly at Stain.
"Stain. Your job is to locate them — the ones hiding in the shadows, the outcasts, the forbidden intellects. Your sense of judgment will filter the worthy from the trash."
Stain smirked.
"Only the truly righteous of mind will survive my scrutiny."
Kurogiri's mist swirled, forming a quiet portal shape.
"And me?" he asked.
"You," Ren said, "will bring them back."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice like a general giving a final order:
"Use your warp to travel across borders, deserts, mountains, even beyond hero surveillance. Stain finds them. You retrieve them."
A map expanded, highlighting distant locations:
Russia – A ex–quirk researcher with theories on quirk singularity.
Germany – A banned scientist obsessed with genetic quirk suppression.
China – A hidden lab rumored to study quirk-erasure compounds.
America – A doctor who once attempted to create artificial 'quirk nullifiers.'
Ren's eyes glowed crimson.
"Find me someone who can help reshape this world."
Kurogiri bowed.
"As you command, Mastermind."
Stain tightened his grip on his blades.
"I will carve through the world's filth. If a scientist lacks resolve — I'll know."
Ren nodded once.
"You leave at midnight."
The room vibrated with purpose.
VEGA wasn't just growing stronger.
They were reaching beyond Japan.
Beyond her
oes.
Beyond borders.
And this mission…
was only the beginning.
The morning sun crawled over Musutafu as Ren walked down the long road to U.A. His new support gear—freshly upgraded by the technician—rested under his jacket, quiet and unnoticeable. Perfect for someone who needed to stay hidden.
Nobody here knew who he truly was.
Not his past.
Not his intentions.
Not his quirk.
Certainly not that he was Mastermind.
To the world, he was simply Ren — the new kid.
But today's test… would push everyone's limits.
> "Solo vs Solo."
One-on-one.
Student vs student.
No teams. No help.
Ren's footsteps echoed as he entered the massive training ground.
The air vibrated with tension.
Students from every class whispered:
"Is he the transfer?"
"He's fighting in the first round?"
"Who did he get matched with…?"
Ren kept walking until the arena lights flared to life.
A screen above him blinked once—
Then displayed the silhouette of his opponent.
Ren's eyes narrowed.
The silhouette sharpened.
Freckles.
Green hair.
Determined eyes.
---
"Opponent: IZUKU MIDORIYA."
The crowd gasped.
Midoriya stepped forward, adjusting the straps on his gloves. His expression was nervous… excited… respectful.
> Midoriya: "Ah—Ren, right?
I've been wanting to see how strong you are.
Let's both do our best!"
Ren gave a calm nod.
> Ren: "Sure. Show me what One For All can do."
Midoriya froze.
His eyes widened.
The teachers stiffened in shock.
How did Ren—
How could he possibly—
But Ren smiled faintly, tilting his head.
> Ren: "Relax. I just guessed.
You hit like someone carrying an impossible weight."
It was the perfect lie.
A mastermind's lie.
The tension exploded.
---
The Arena Darkens
As the announcer's voice thundered:
> "SOLO VS SOLO — BEGIN!"
Midoriya's lightning crackled green.
Ren's eyes sharpened like a predator finally released.
Two destinies collide
d.
Two secrets clashed beneath the surface.
Izuku Midoriya charged.
Ren didn't move.
Not yet.