Location: Shizuoka Prefecture – Grandma Saki's House
Time: Morning (One Week Later)
The kitchen smelled like hot miso soup and grilled fish.
Kaito sat at the small wooden table wearing a loose gray t-shirt and sweatpants. He scooped a pile of white rice into his bowl. Across the table, Grandma Saki was pouring hot green tea into her cup.
BING.
BING.
BING.
Kaito's laptop sat open next to his plate. The speakers kept going off every few seconds.
Grandma Saki set her teapot down and
frowned at the screen.
"Kaito, put that thing on silent," she complained, picking up her chopsticks. "It's giving me a headache. Who keeps messaging you while you are trying to eat?"
"Sorry, Grandma," Kaito sighed, reaching over to lower the volume. "It's the automated filter. My inbox at the agency is getting slammed right now."
"By who?" she asked, leaning forward.
"Heroes," Kaito answered, taking a bite of his fish. "Top-ranked pros from all over the world."
Grandma Saki pulled her reading glasses out of her apron pocket. She slid them onto her face and grabbed the laptop, turning it toward her.
She scrolled down the screen with a wrinkled finger, her eyes narrowing.
"Unbelievable," Grandma Saki muttered. "Look at this one. A top hero from Brazil. He's offering you an entire private island if you fly down there to train him."
She scrolled again.
"And here is another one from Thailand," she laughed, shaking her head. "He says he will give you a blank check. Kaito, these are grown men. Some of them are in their forties. Why are they begging a twenty-three-year-old kid to magically fix their quirks?"
Kaito chuckled, pouring some soy sauce over his rice.
"The World Hero Association publicized the global raid," Kaito explained. "Everyone saw what happened with All Might. Now every top hero thinks I have a secret cheat code to make them instantly stronger."
"Well, tell them you don't," Grandma Saki roasted them without hesitation. "Tell these forty-year-old men in spandex to go outside and do some push-ups. Or better yet, charge them a 'bothering my breakfast' tax. Make them pay just for sending the email."
Kaito laughed out loud. It felt incredibly good to just sit in his kitchen and joke around with his family.
BRRRING.
Kaito's personal cell phone vibrated against the wood of the table.
He looked at the screen. It was a local number. The caller ID read Mirai Sasaki.
Kaito swallowed his food and answered the call.
"Hey, Mirai," Kaito said casually.
"Kaito," Sir Nighteye replied. His voice was deep, but it sounded completely strained and exhausted. "I apologize for calling your personal line during your vacation."
"It's fine," Kaito leaned back in his chair. "We haven't talked since the farewell dinner at Might Tower. What's going on? You sound terrible."
"I need to see you," Nighteye said quickly. He didn't sound like his usual strict self. "Face to face. I cannot talk about this over the phone."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Is it the agency?"
"It concerns All Might," Nighteye corrected him, his voice dropping lower. "And it concerns my Quirk. I am officially requesting your management contract, Kaito. I need your help. I am completely stuck."
Kaito didn't hesitate. They were friends, and Mirai was a very proud guy. If he was calling to ask for help, it was a real emergency.
"Alright," Kaito agreed. "I can drive up to your agency in Tokyo in two days. Does that work for you?"
"Yes. I will clear my entire schedule," Nighteye said, letting out a heavy breath of relief. "Thank you."
CLICK.
Kaito pulled the phone away from his ear and tossed it onto the table. He picked his chopsticks back up and grabbed another piece of grilled fish.
"Another grown man begging for magic?" Grandma Saki asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"Something like that," Kaito smiled, stuffing the fish into his mouth. "Looks like I need to pack a suit for work."
*-*-*-*-*
Location: Naruhata Ward – O'Clock Agency
Time: Afternoon
The small office was packed and incredibly loud.
Soga, Rapt, and Moyuro were crowded onto the small couch in the common room. They were completely mind-blown.
"Dude, I still can't wrap my head around it," Soga laughed, leaning forward. "Kaito actually bought twenty-six commercial buildings in our ward. He practically owns the block."
"He bought the grocery store down the street!" Rapt added, his eyes wide. "Do you think we get a friends-and-family discount on snacks now?"
Iwao stood in the corner, crossing his massive, thick arms.
"Don't get your hopes up," Iwao grunted, playing the grumpy dad. "Knowing him, he's going to gentrify the whole neighborhood. Watch, our favorite cheap ramen stalls are going to turn into overpriced coffee shops."
Koichi sat on a folding chair, sweating a little as he aggressively scratched the back of his head.
"Wait," Koichi panicked. "If he bought the residential blocks too, does that mean I have to pay my apartment rent directly to him? Do I just hand an envelope of cash when we hang out? That's so awkward!"
Kazuho completely ignored the rent problem.
She was wearing her pink Pop Step jacket and literally bouncing around the room.
"Who cares about rent!" Kazuho cheered, throwing her hands in the air. "If Naruhata is going to turn into a massive commercial hub, Kaito should totally build a dome! A huge, fifty-thousand-seat arena right in the middle of the city just for my idol concerts!"
CREAK.
The front door to the office pushed open.
Makoto walked inside holding a thick stack of premium, gold-trimmed envelopes. She had a huge smile on her face.
CLAP. CLAP.
"Listen up, everyone!" Makoto announced loudly.
The room instantly went quiet. They all looked at their manager.
"I just got off the phone with the PR team in Osaka," Makoto explained, waving the envelopes. "Captain Celebrity is officially moving back to the United States next month. And to celebrate, his agency is throwing a massive, high-budget farewell party at the Sky Egg."
Koichi gasped loudly. "The Sky Egg?!"
"Yep," Makoto grinned. "And the entire O'Clock crew is on the VIP list. Christopher even personally requested us to perform a song during the opening ceremony."
Kazuho let out an ear-piercing scream of pure joy.
She lunged forward and grabbed Koichi by the shoulders, shaking him back and forth rapidly.
"Koichi! I'm singing we're singing again at the Sky Egg!" Kazuho yelled, totally losing her mind. "I need a new outfit! I need a new mask! We need rehearsal"
Moyuro quietly raised his hand from the couch. "Hopefully there is no villain attack again.."
"We are going to a rich-people party!" Soga cheered, high-fiving Rapt. "Dude, stop giving out red flags!" Soga looked at Moyuro while complaining.
Everyone started talking over each other again, completely hyped up for the massive event.
*-*-*-*
Location: Osaka – Captain Celebrity's Agency
Hundreds of miles away, Christopher Skyline sat behind his large desk.
He wasn't wearing his flashy aerodynamic hero suit. He was just wearing a casual, unbuttoned dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
He was leaning forward, smiling warmly at the glowing holographic video call hovering over his desk.
On the screen was his wife, Pamela. She was sitting on their couch back in America, holding their three-year-old son in her lap.
The toddler was aggressively waving a plastic toy airplane at the camera.
"Daddy fly!" the little boy giggled happily, his words messy and fragmented. "Daddy come home soon!"
Christopher completely broke down.
His eyes welled up with tears. He sniffled loudly and quickly wiped his face with the back of his hand, genuinely missing his family.
"I'm flying home real soon, buddy," Christopher promised, his voice cracking with emotion. "Just a couple more weeks, okay? Daddy just has to finish his tour."
Pamela laughed softly, looking at her husband with pure affection.
"We miss you, Chris," Pamela smiled. "Take your time and finish your patrols strong. You did a lot of good over there."
Pamela shifted the toddler on her lap and looked seriously into the camera.
"And Chris?" Pamela added, her tone turning incredibly sincere. "Make sure you give Kaito my warmest regards at the party. Give him a massive thank you from me."
Christopher nodded heavily.
"I know, Pam," Christopher agreed, wiping his eyes again. "I'll make sure he knows. I love you guys."
"We love you too," Pamela said.
BEEP.
The hologram vanished.
Christopher let out a long breath, sitting back in his chair.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
The office door opened. His agency manager, Sato, walked in holding a digital tablet.
"Sir, the final invitations for the Sky Egg are sent," Sato reported politely. "The O'Clock agency is confirmed. We also sent a VIP pass to Kaito Arisaka, but his automated AI system replied that he is currently on a private vacation down in Shizuoka."
Christopher frowned. He completely dismissed the excuse.
"I don't care," Christopher said firmly. "Keep the absolute best front-row VIP seat completely open for him. I am not leaving Japan without properly celebrating with the golden manager."
"Understood, sir," Sato nodded, stepping back out of the room.
Christopher stood up from his desk.
SWISH.
He grabbed his heavy, aerodynamic hero jacket off the coat rack.
He threw it over his broad shoulders, completely hyped up, and marched out the door to finish his final Japanese patrol with a bang.
*-*-*-*-*
Location: Tokyo – Sir Nighteye's Agency
Time: Two Days Later
The front lobby of the hero agency was absolutely spotless.
The automatic glass doors slid open, and Kaito walked inside wearing a sharp, dark suit.
Standing behind the main reception desk was Kaoruko Awata, wearing her yellow Bubble Girl hero costume. When she looked up and saw Kaito, her eyes went wide.
SLIP.
FLAP.
She completely dropped the stack of paperwork she was organizing onto the floor.
"Oh my gosh!" Kaoruko gasped, rushing around the side of the desk. "You are Kaito Arisaka! The Golden Manager! I read that massive article about you in Hero Monthly! You turned All Might into an absolute tank during the global raid!"
Kaito smiled warmly, putting a hand in his pocket.
"Nice to meet you," Kaito said casually. "I have a private appointment with Sir Nighteye."
"Yes! Of course!" Kaoruko nodded frantically, pointing a shaky finger down the hall. "He's waiting for you in his main office. Oh, wait! Before you leave, can I get an autograph? My friends are never going to believe you walked in here."
"Sure thing," Kaito laughed.
Footsteps echoed from the adjacent hallway.
A tall man in a perfectly tailored black suit stepped out.
Instead of a human head, he had the long, segmented head of a centipede.
It was Juzo Moashi, the sidekick known as Centipeder.
Despite his creepy appearance, Centipeder gave a very polite, deep bow.
"Mr. Arisaka," Centipeder greeted him smoothly. "It is an honor to have you visit. If you are here to negotiate a management contract with Sir Nighteye, we sidekicks would be incredibly eager to experience your legendary training routines."
Kaito chuckled. He didn't brush them off like a cold corporate boss.
"Don't start stretching just yet," Kaito joked. "I'm just here to catch up with an old friend today. But I'll definitely keep you guys in mind."
Kaito gave them a small wave and walked down the hall.
He stopped at a heavy wooden door and knocked twice.
"Come in," a deep voice called out.
Kaito opened the door and stepped inside.
The office was basically a shrine. It was packed with massive All Might posters and rare, mint-condition merchandise. Sir Nighteye sat behind his large desk.
He looked terrible. His skin was pale, he had dark heavy bags under his eyes, and his usual strict, forced smile was completely gone.
"Thank you for coming, Kaito," Nighteye said quietly.
"You look awful, Mirai," Kaito said honestly. He pulled up a chair and sat across from the desk. "What is going on?"
Nighteye sat back down and folded his hands tightly on the desk.
"I made a massive mistake," Nighteye finally said, his voice trembling slightly. "After the farewell dinner at Might Tower, I kept thinking about it. All Might reached his Quirk Awakening. All For One was locked away in a high-security box. I really thought destiny had finally changed."
Kaito listened, letting his friend talk.
"I was desperate to confirm it," Nighteye explained, looking up with tired eyes. "So... I used my Quirk on him again. I actively fast-forwarded to the very end of his life."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Nighteye's face twisted in pure, exhausted agony.
"It was the exact same," Nighteye whispered, his voice cracking. "I still saw blood. I still saw him fighting a shadowy figure. I still saw him die a terrible, gruesome death. Nothing changed, Kaito. Even with everything you did to make him stronger."
Nighteye grabbed the edge of his desk, his knuckles turning white.
"I am terrified of my own Quirk," Nighteye confessed bitterly. "I am absolutely terrified to use it on the people I care about. Because if I look far into their future and see a tragedy, I feel like I am the one sealing their doom. It paralyzes me."
Nighteye leaned forward, looking at Kaito with desperate eyes.
"You helped All Might push past impossible limits," Nighteye pleaded. "I need you to do the same for me. I want you to manage me. Train my mind, train my tactics, train my Quirk. Help me find a blind spot in the future so I can save him."
Kaito looked at his friend.
He didn't pull out a clipboard. He didn't offer a business pitch.
Instead, Kaito reached over and unbuttoned his suit cuff. He rolled up his sleeve and placed his bare forearm flat on the desk, right in front of Nighteye.
"Read my future," Kaito said simply.
Nighteye flinched hard, pulling his hands back against his chest.
"No," Nighteye refused instantly. "You don't understand. If I look at your timeline and see a tragedy, your fate is locked in. I refuse to put that curse on you."
"I am not scared of your Quirk, Mirai," Kaito said smoothly, not moving his arm. "You want to evolve your power? You want to break your fear? You can't do that if you are too terrified to even turn your Quirk on. Face it head-on. Read me. Fast-forward to the very end of my timeline and tell me exactly how I die."
Nighteye stared at Kaito. He searched Kaito's face for any sign of hesitation or fear, but there was absolutely none.
Slowly, his hands shaking, Nighteye reached out. He placed his cold fingers directly over Kaito's bare arm.
Nighteye looked directly into Kaito's eyes.
VWOOSH.
His Quirk activated.
TICK.
TOCK.
The clock on the office wall kept moving.
In the real world, the two men sat in complete, dead silence.
Minute after minute passed. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes.
Sweat started to drip down Nighteye's forehead. His eyes were wide open, locked onto Kaito.
Inside Nighteye's mind, he was watching a silent film strip.
He was aggressively fast-forwarding through Kaito's life, skipping years and decades.
He was actively searching for the violent end. He braced himself for villain attacks, blood, and tragedy.
But it just kept going.
Nighteye saw Kaito getting older. He saw him sitting on a sunlit wooden porch holding a coffee mug. He saw a woman laughing right next to him.
He saw four kids running across the grass, chasing a dog.
Forty-five minutes. Fifty minutes. Fifty-5ive minutes.
Nighteye kept pushing the vision, desperate to find the death.
But all he saw was an endless, completely mundane, happy life. There was no terror. There was no doom. Just pure peace.
SNAP.
Exactly one hour later, the viewing window of the Quirk hit its strict time limit and shut off.
Nighteye gasped loudly, ripping his hand away from Kaito's arm.
He fell hard into the back of his chair, panting heavily.
Kaito calmly rolled his sleeve back down and buttoned his cuff.
"So?" Kaito asked. "How do I die?"
Nighteye covered his mouth with his trembling hand. Tears suddenly welled up in his tired eyes and spilled over his cheeks.
He started to laugh. It wasn't his strict, forced humor. It was a real, deep, breathless laugh of pure catharsis and relief.
"I couldn't find it," Nighteye cried, wiping his face. "I looked for an entire hour. I searched for blood. I searched for a tragedy. But I just saw... peace. I saw a backyard. I saw you with a wife. Four kids. It was just peace."
The crushing fear that Nighteye had carried for years completely shattered. His Quirk wasn't just a projector for tragedy.
"Four kids?" Kaito joked, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "Looks like I'm going to be pretty busy in the future."
Nighteye wiped his eyes again, a genuine, massive smile finally breaking across his face.
"Will you help me, Kaito?" Nighteye asked, his voice completely steady for the first time. "Will you take the contract?"
Kaito stood up from his chair.
"I accept," Kaito said, reaching his hand out across the desk. "And honestly, I really needed a new contract anyway. This gives me the perfect excuse to ignore all those international heroes spamming my email."
*-*-*-*-*
Location: Shizuoka Prefecture – Grandma Saki's House
Time: Evening
The sun had already gone down.
Kaito sat on the comfortable living room couch, leaning back against the cushions. He had his laptop open, casually reading over the digital management contract Sir Nighteye had sent him.
BEEP-BEEP. BEEP-BEEP.
A sharp, digital ringtone went off.
Kaito picked it up and hit the answer button.
"Hey, Chitose," Kaito answered normally.
"Kaito! Tell me you know where our boss is," Chitose Kizuki complained right away. She was typing rapidly on a keyboard in the background. "Rikiya and Tomoyasu are completely ignoring my calls. I have a company to run here!"
Kaito chuckled, shaking his head.
"He is a little busy passing out right now," Kaito told her the truth. "Rikiya is locked inside the underground VR room. He is draining his Quirk to absolute zero over and over again, trying to force an Awakening."
Chitose let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Don't tell me," she groaned. "Is this because of Hero X again?"
"Yep," Kaito smiled. "He wants to be strong enough to stand beside his idol."
"He is such a massive fanboy," Chitose laughed, totally used to Rikiya's dramatic behavior. "Well, someone actually has to handle the corporate paperwork while the boss plays superhero. I need a favor."
"What do you need?" Kaito asked.
"The expansion budget for Season Two," Chitose said, her voice instantly filling with excitement. "The season finale for Project Hero: The Runway just aired. It was a total bloodbath, Kaito! Best Jeanist and Uwabami absolutely destroyed that final designer's metal suit on live television."
"I saw the clips on social media," Kaito agreed.
"And because of what had happened the oast weeks, the national ratings broke our entire broadcasting record!" Chitose cheered. "The clothing sponsors are literally throwing cash at my department. But I need your proxy signature to lock in the budget for the next season right now."
"Send the file to my secure server," Kaito said. "I'll sign it tonight."
"You are a lifesaver," Chitose said, sounding incredibly relieved. "Now, onto my actual problem."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"
"I want to film a biography or even a series," Chitose said, her tone shifting into full investigative journalist mode. "I want Shoowaysha Publishing to drop the ultimate, exclusive video or even movie on Hero X. But Kaito, the guy is a literal invisible!"
CLACK.
She smacked her keyboard in frustration.
"My best reporters have been digging for months," Chitose ranted. "He leaves absolutely zero digital footprint. No bank records, no social media accounts, not even a blurry traffic camera photo! It drives me crazy! It goes against everything I know about modern media! I even asked Skeptic and Trumpet for help but they also can't find him."
"He's a vigilante, Chitose," Kaito pointed out, keeping his voice totally casual. "Hiding is the whole point."
"Well, he is way too good at it," Chitose huffed. "And honestly? The mystery just makes him hotter."
Kaito blinked.
"I'm not getting any younger," Chitose joked loudly over the phone. "If I'm going to settle down, I might just have to track him down and marry him. A guy who can slap an earthquake away with that much swagger? Total husband material."
"...."
"Good luck putting a ring on him," Kaito teased right back. "You have to actually find the guy first. And I bet he doesn't even own a nice suit for the wedding."
"Don't test me, Arisaka. I am an investigative journalist. I always get my scoop and besides isn't his white suit already a wedding suit?" Chitose laughed confidently, totally enjoying the banter. "Anyway, look out for the budget file. Talk to you later!"
CLICK.
The call ended.
Kaito pulled the phone away from his ear, still smiling.
He set the phone down on the coffee table, grabbed his laptop, and pulled up Chitose's budget file to sign it before politely rejecting all the contracts and requests from different pro heroes all over the world.
.....
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