Location: Okuto Island Beach Resort
Time: 08:00 AM
SPLASH.
A heavy wall of saltwater crashed onto the white sand.
"You completely missed it!"
Soga yelled, running out of the surf. He held a bright red beach ball over his head, laughing loudly.
Rapt chased right behind him, kicking up water. "The sun was in my eyes! Throw it back!"
Moyuru sat on a striped beach towel under a large umbrella.
He wore dark sunglasses and held a cold can of soda. He completely ignored the two of them.
A few yards away, Koichi and Tamao were sitting in the wet sand.
They were building a massive sandcastle.
Koichi used his Slide and Glide Quirk to push his hands quickly across the sand, packing the walls tight so they wouldn't collapse.
Tamao placed small, white seashells on the top to make towers.
Kazuho lay on a long beach chair right next to them.
She wore a simple swimsuit and a wide straw hat.
Sigh.
She let out a long, loud breath.
Her shoulders slumped into the chair. She didn't have to study geometry today.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
Footsteps moved across the sand.
Kaito walked down the beach. He wore casual shorts and a loose white shirt.
He carried a large cardboard tray holding four iced coffees and three massive cups of shaved ice.
"Morning, guys," Kaito called out.
Kazuho sat up instantly. She took off her straw hat and smiled. "Is that melon flavor?"
"Two melon and one strawberry," Kaito said. He set the heavy tray down on a small plastic table next to her chair.
Koichi and Tamao stood up, wiping wet sand off their knees. Soga and Rapt jogged out of the water, completely soaking wet and breathing hard.
"Thanks, Kaito!" Koichi smiled, grabbing one of the iced coffees.
Soga grabbed the strawberry shaved ice and took a huge bite. He instantly grabbed his forehead.
"Ow! Brain freeze!" Soga complained. He looked around the pristine beach. "Seriously, this resort looks crazy expensive. You paid for all of us?"
"I get a nice discount," Kaito laughed, grabbing his own coffee. "And I only have about twenty minutes to hang out. I have a nine o'clock meeting with the agency accountants."
Kazuho stopped eating her ice. She looked up at him.
"You're working the whole time we are out here having fun," Kazuho said. She sounded a little guilty.
"I like working," Kaito told her honestly. "And seeing you guys actually relax makes the trip worth it. I promised you a break, Kazuho. You earned it."
Kazuho smiled brightly.
The heavy bags under her eyes from staying up late all week were already fading.
"If you guys are going to swim, stay near the south side of the pier," Kaito pointed down the beach. "The waves are better over there, and the lifeguards can see you easily. I'll catch up with you later."
"See ya, Kaito!" Rapt waved.
Kaito turned around and walked back up the wooden boardwalk toward the agency headquarters.
*-*-*
Location: Okuto Island Aquarium – Deep Sea Exhibit
Time: 01:00 PM
The massive underwater tunnels were completely dark.
The only light came from the giant glass tanks.
Hundreds of bioluminescent jellyfish floated through the water, glowing bright blue and green.
The air conditioning was running high, making the tunnel cool and comfortable away from the midday sun.
"Look at that one," Tamao pointed at a massive, glowing jellyfish.
"It looks like an alien," Soga said, walking up to the glass. He pointed down at a dark corner of the tank.
A terrifying, deep-sea anglerfish with a glowing lure on its head swam past.
Soga bumped Rapt's shoulder. "Hey, it looks exactly like you."
"Shut up," Rapt grumbled, pushing Soga away.
Koichi and Kazuho walked a few steps behind them.
"This is really nice," Kazuho said quietly, looking at the glowing fish. "Just walking around like normal people. No homework."
"Yeah," Koichi agreed, putting his hands in his pockets. "Naruhata gets pretty loud. It's good to get away from the city noise for a bit. And besides don't forget your homework still exists when you go back though."
"Stop. Stop it." Kazuho covered her ears. "For these two day I just wanted to have fun."
"Hehehe."
TAP. TAP.
Someone was tapping a pen on a metal clipboard.
Kaito stood near the exit of the tunnel. He was looking at the crowd of tourists walking through the doors, making quick marks on his paper.
"Hey, Kaito!" Koichi called out, walking over.
Kaito looked up and smiled. "Hey. Did you guys enjoy the tunnel?"
"It's huge," Kazuho said, walking up next to him. She looked at the clipboard. "Are you counting people?"
"Just tracking the foot traffic," Kaito explained, lowering the board. "I am setting up a new layout for the public shows. I need to know which exhibits get the most crowds at lunch."
"Are you taking a break?" Soga asked, walking over with Rapt and Moyuru. "I am starving."
"I am right now," Kaito said. He clicked his pen and put it in his pocket. "There is an open-air cafe right outside this building. They sell great grilled squid. Let's go."
They walked out of the dark tunnels and into the bright afternoon sun.
They sat at a large metal table under a yellow canopy. Kaito ordered two large plates of grilled squid and rice for the table.
They ate quickly.
Soga and Rapt argued about who won the volleyball game earlier.
Koichi asked Kaito questions about the different fish species they saw.
"If you want to see something crazy, go to the main tank at two o'clock," Kaito told them, taking a drink of water. "That is when they feed the tiger sharks. It gets pretty loud."
BUZZ. BUZZ.
Kaito's phone vibrated on the metal table.
He picked it up and read the screen. It was a text from a sidekick.
"I have to go," Kaito said, standing up and grabbing his clipboard. "The tech team needs me to approve the new radio frequencies for the harbor buoys. I'll put this lunch on my tab."
"Thanks for the food!" Tamao smiled happily.
"I booked a private table for us at the seafood restaurant down by the docks," Kaito told the group. "Meet me there at seven tonight. We can eat a real dinner."
He waved to them and walked quickly across the plaza, heading straight for the private agency doors.
*-*-*
Location: The Rusty Anchor Seafood Restaurant
Time: 07:00 PM
The sun was setting over the ocean, turning the sky a deep orange.
The restaurant sat right on the edge of the wooden docks.
String lights hung from the ceiling, and the smell of garlic and roasted fish filled the air.
The Naruhata crew sat at a large, round wooden table near the water.
They looked completely exhausted from walking around the massive park all day, but they were all smiling.
Soga was staring hard at the laminated menu.
CHIME.
The bell above the restaurant door rang.
Kaito walked in.
He looked a bit tired himself. He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked over to their table.
"You made it," Koichi smiled, sliding a chair out for him.
"I finally clocked out," Kaito said, sitting down heavily in the chair.
He picked up a glass of ice water from the table and drank half of it in one go.
"Hard day?" Kazuho asked, resting her chin on her hand.
"Just a lot of moving parts," Kaito answered, setting the glass down. "Setting up new tactical drills takes a lot of paperwork."
Soga slapped his menu down on the table.
"Since you are paying, I am getting the giant king crab," Soga announced with a massive grin.
"Get two," Kaito told him casually. "Order whatever you guys want. You must be starving."
Rapt immediately called the waiter over and started pointing at different massive seafood platters on the menu.
"So," Kazuho leaned forward slightly. "What is Gang Orca actually like? He looks terrifying on TV."
"He looks scary, but he is a good guy," Kaito answered. "He works incredibly hard. He just cares about his sidekicks and his city. He is a little stubborn about PR stuff, but he listens to reason."
"I can't imagine telling a guy that huge what to do," Koichi laughed nervously.
"You just have to show him the way," Kaito smiled.
The waiter arrived a few minutes later, carrying massive plates of roasted crab, fried shrimp, and grilled fish.
He set them all down in the center of the table.
Soga instantly grabbed a massive crab leg and cracked it open. Tamao grabbed a handful of shrimp.
Kaito grabbed his chopsticks.
He listened to Soga and Rapt arguing about who got the biggest piece of crab. He watched Kazuho and Koichi laughing at them.
The ocean breeze blew across the docks.
*-*-*
Location: Okuto Island Agency – Breakroom
Time: 08:00 PM
CHATTER.
The agency breakroom was completely packed.
Dozens of maritime sidekicks sat around the couches, folding chairs, and plastic tables.
They were eating takeout boxes of fried noodles, grilled squid, and drinking cold sodas.
Gang Orca sat in a massive recliner right in the center of the room.
Kaito sat on the couch next to him with a plate of snacks.
Barnacle, Shira, Iruka, Coral, and Kelp crowded around the front row.
Everyone stared at the massive flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.
[WELCOME TO JAPAN'S GOT QUIRK!]
Present Mic's voice blasted through the TV speakers.
The studio audience inside the Saitama Super Arena screamed at the top of their lungs.
The camera panned over the massive, cheering crowd. Bright lights flashed across the reinforced stage.
[I am your host, Present Mic!] Present Mic yelled, pointing at the camera. [Let's introduce our judges!]
The camera cut to the judge's table.
[First, the queen of glamour, Uwabami!]
Uwabami waved gracefully. Her snake hair hissed playfully at the camera.
[Next, the man with the biggest heart in Osaka, Fat Gum!]
Fat Gum stood up and threw a massive double thumbs-up to the crowd. He was chewing loudly on a piece of candy.
[The fierce and elegant Dragoon Hero, Ryukyu!]
Ryukyu smiled warmly and gave a polite wave.
[And finally, the strict disciplinarian of the Wild, Wild Pussycats, Tiger!]
Tiger crossed his muscular arms and glared at the camera with an intense, intimidating stare.
"They actually got a great panel," Shira commented, slurping some noodles. "I bet Tiger is going to be brutal."
"No way, Uwabami is definitely the mean one," Barnacle argued, pointing his chopsticks at the screen. "She hates anything messy."
[Let's bring out our first act!] Present Mic announced.
A nervous-looking guy walked onto the stage. He wore a cheap tuxedo.
[What is your name, and what is your Quirk?] Uwabami asked over the microphone.
[My name is Ren. I can control my body hair,] the guy said.
He started telling a very slow joke about walking into a grocery store.
While he talked, the hair on his arms slowly grew and twisted into the shape of a balloon dog.
It took almost two full minutes. The joke completely missed the punchline. The crowd was dead silent.
BZZZT.
Uwabami hit her red X button.
BZZZT.
Tiger hit his red X button a second later.
[Stop,] Tiger commanded through the speakers.
He leaned into his microphone.
[That took way too long. The joke was bad, and I can barely see the hair dog. You have zero physical discipline. If you want to perform, you need to train your activation speed. Go to the gym. It is a no from me.]
[It lacks any aesthetic appeal, darling,] Uwabami added, shaking her head. [No.]
Kenji nodded sadly and walked off the stage.
The sidekicks in the breakroom laughed loudly.
"Told you!" Barnacle chuckled, shoving Iruka's shoulder. "Tiger wants him to lift weights for a hair Quirk!"
The screen transitioned to the next act.
A teenager in a bright yellow hoodie walked out.
He was shaking violently. He looked directly at Fat Gum and grabbed his own face.
[Oh my god! You are my absolute idol!] the kid yelled into the microphone. [I watch all your fights!]
[Hey there, buddy!] Fat Gum smiled huge. [Take a deep breath! What are you going to show me?]
[I can shoot fireworks from my ears!] the teenager said.
He closed his eyes and concentrated. Small sparks started popping around his head.
He opened his mouth to take another breath, but the stage smoke tickled his nose.
ACHOO.
He sneezed violently.
The sparks misfired. A blast of fire blew directly backward, completely burning off both of his eyebrows in a flash of light.
BZZZT.
Fat Gum slammed his red buzzer immediately.
The kid froze.
He touched his bare forehead and realized his eyebrows were gone.
He looked at Fat Gum's red X and started crying, completely humiliated in front of his favorite hero.
Fat Gum didn't stay in his seat. He stood up, walked around the judge's desk, and walked right onto the stage.
He wrapped his massive, round arms around the crying teenager in a huge hug.
[Hey, hey, it is okay!] Fat Gum told him warmly, handing him a piece of hard candy from his pocket. [Accidents happen to everyone! You just need to train your fire resistance a little more. Keep practicing and come back next year, okay?]
The kid sniffled, wiped his eyes, and hugged Fat Gum back.
"Awww," Coral smiled in the breakroom.
Iruka laughed, rubbing his own forehead. "That kid is going to need a lot of aloe vera."
Gang Orca sat quietly in his recliner. He gave a small nod of respect at the screen. Fat Gum handled that perfectly.
The TV showed the next act.
A teenage girl walked onto the massive stage. She wore a bright pink leotard.
[I have a minor gravity manipulation Quirk,] the girl told the judges. [I can only affect myself, and only for two seconds at a time.]
She took a deep breath.
She ran forward and jumped. Right as she hit the peak of her jump, she activated her Quirk. She became completely weightless.
She spun six times in the air, floating gracefully. She dropped her weight, landed perfectly on one toe, and jumped again.
She bounced off the empty air, twisting and flipping across the stage like a flying ribbon.
The studio crowd gasped in amazement.
She landed in a perfect split and bowed.
[That is absolutely beautiful!] Ryukyu praised her, clapping loudly. [You took a very minor limit and turned it into perfect art! Yes!]
All four judges voted yes.
Gang Orca leaned forward in his chair. He watched the girl celebrate on the screen.
"I never realized," Gang Orca murmured.
"Realized what, Boss?" Kelp asked, looking back at him.
"The sheer volume of hidden talent in this country," Gang Orca said seriously. "The Hero Commission ignores all of this. They only care about heavy combat power. Look at her control. These normal people have incredible mastery over their Quirks."
Kaito nodded from the couch. "That is exactly why this show works. It gives them a voice."
[And now, for our final act of the night!] Present Mic announced.
A young man walked onto the stage. He looked incredibly nervous.
He wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans. His hands were shaking slightly.
The stage crew rolled out three pieces of equipment. A grand piano, a full drum set, and an electric guitar resting on a stand.
[Hello there,] Fat Gum smiled warmly. [You look a little nervous. What are you going to do for us today?]
[I am going to play a song,] the young man said into the microphone. [My Quirk creates invisible telekinetic tethers from my fingers. I can move small things really fast.]
He stood directly in the center of the stage, equal distance from all three instruments.
He held his hands up.
Suddenly, the piano keys started pressing down by themselves. A soft, beautiful melody filled the arena.
Then, the drumsticks lifted into the air. They started hitting the drums, keeping perfect time with the piano.
The young man moved his fingers rapidly in the air, acting like a frantic orchestra conductor.
The strings on the electric guitar started vibrating.
He played all three instruments perfectly at the exact same time. He was a complete one-man band.
He walked up to the microphone stand in the center and closed his eyes.
His fingers twitched in the air.
The invisible telekinetic tethers pulled down on the grand piano keys, playing a steady, rising intro.
Then, he leaned into the microphone.
[Ain't never seen something quite like it, mm...]
[And when we play we don't stop fighting...]
He flicked his wrists. The drumsticks crashed against the cymbals, bringing a heavy, rhythmic beat right on cue.
[Won't see it coming fast like lightning, whoa-mm...]
[We'll save the day, they can't deny it...]
The crowd recognized the melody instantly. The energy in the Saitama Super Arena completely shifted.
The young man threw his hands up, strumming the electric guitar with invisible force while hitting the heavy drum kicks. He belted out the lyrics.
[Higher, higher!]
[We're about to set this game on fire, fire!]
[They can't bring us down...]
The studio audience went absolutely insane. People started standing up in their seats, clapping hard to the beat.
Some people in the front row were actually crying, remembering the exact day their lives were saved.
[We're that whole new type of hero, hero!]
[We gon' win wherever we go, we go!]
He moved his fingers rapidly, acting as a frantic orchestra conductor, perfectly balancing the drums, the piano, and a fast guitar solo all by himself.
He poured every ounce of his energy into the microphone.
[Explosions in the sky!]
[Be-be-be-bending space and time!]
[We're that whole new type of hero, hero!]
Hero X meant everything to the public. He was a myth who pulled them back from the dark.
Hearing that song played with this much passion and raw talent was completely overwhelming.
The young man hit the final, soaring note.
[We're that whole new type of hero, hero!]
He struck the cymbals, slammed the piano keys, and hit a heavy electric guitar chord all at the exact same time for a massive, echoing finish.
"....."
Silence hung in the arena for one second.
Then, the crowd exploded.
[AHHHHH!]
[ENCORE!]
Fat Gum stood up from his chair. Tears were streaming down his round cheeks. He was completely caught in the hype.
[That was pure heart!] Fat Gum yelled into his microphone, wiping his eyes. [You didn't just play music! You reminded us what hope sounds like!]
Fat Gum raised his massive hand in the air.
He slammed it down directly onto the Golden Buzzer in the center of the desk.
BAAAAM.
A loud horn echoed through the studio.
Thousands of pieces of shiny gold confetti rained down from the ceiling, covering the stage.
The young man dropped to his knees, covering his face as he cried.
[HE GOES STRAIGHT TO the SEMI FINALS!] Present Mic screamed over the noise.
In the agency breakroom, the sidekicks jumped out of their seats.
Barnacle and Iruka yelled loudly, clapping their hands. Shira threw her empty takeout box in the air.
"That was amazing!" Coral cheered.
"The guy knows how to choose a song." A sidekick was also hyped by the golden buzzer.
"Yeah, a guaranteed semi finals. Haha." Another one joked on the side.
Sip.
Kaito smiled.
He took a drink of his soda. The show was a total, undeniable hit.
The TV cut to the rolling ending credits. The breakroom was still buzzing with loud conversations about the final act.
BZZZ. BZZZ.
Kaito's phone vibrated in his pocket.
He pulled it out and looked at the screen. He stood up from the couch and walked out into the quiet hallway to answer.
"Hello?" Kaito said.
"Kaito!" Chitose Kizuki's voice came through the speaker. She sounded completely breathless and ecstatic. She dropped her formal corporate tone entirely. "Did you watch it?!"
"I just finished the episode," Kaito smiled, leaning against the hallway wall. "Fat Gum crying was a great touch."
"The live viewership numbers just came in," Chitose laughed loudly. "We completely broke the national television records. We doubled the ratings of the hero billboard charts!"
"Congratulations," Kaito said genuinely.
"The internet is going crazy," Chitose continued, talking fast. "Nobody is talking about Stendhal. Nobody is talking about the villain attacks in the city. The entire country is completely obsessed with the talent show. You were completely right."
"The public needed a distraction," Kaito told her. "You gave them a great one."
"You are a genius, Kaito," Chitose said warmly. "I have to go deal with the press team. I owe you a massive dinner when you get back to Tokyo."
"I'll hold you to that. Have a good night, Chitose," Kaito said.
CLICK.
*-*-*
Location: Okuto Island Ferry Terminal
Time: Two Days Later
HONK.
The massive ferry blew its horn. It was ready to leave for the mainland.
Kaito stood on the wooden dock. The Naruhata crew stood in front of him, holding their travel bags.
Koichi, Tamao, Soga, Rapt, and Moyuru were all deeply tanned and smiling wide.
"Thanks for everything, Kaito," Koichi said, shaking his hand. "The food was insane."
"Take care of the apartment for me," Kaito replied.
Kazuho stepped forward. She threw her arms around Kaito and gave him a huge, tight hug.
"Thank you," Kazuho said quietly. "I really needed this."
"You feel better?" Kaito asked, patting her back.
"Yeah," Kazuho smiled, stepping back. "I'm ready for the exams. I'm going to ace them."
"You better," Kaito laughed.
Kazuho grinned and grabbed her bag. They all turned and walked up the metal ramp onto the ferry.
They waved from the deck as the boat slowly pulled away from the island.
Kaito watched them go. He turned around and walked straight back toward the agency.
*-*-*
Location: Okuto Island Agency – Command Center
Time: 10:00 AM
Kaito walked into the room.
Gang Orca stood at the front, looking down at the massive digital war table. Barnacle, Shira, Coral, Kelp, and the rest of the sidekicks were sitting in the chairs around the room.
"Kugo-san," Kaito greeted, walking up to the table.
"Kaito," Gang Orca smiled warmly. He pointed a thick finger at the digital display. "I was just reviewing the numbers for the past seventeen days. The budget stayed completely green. The Detnerat-Shield gear is arriving on schedule this week."
Gang Orca let out a small chuckle.
"And the Chibi-Orca stream completely fixed the PR problem," Gang Orca admitted. "Parents are actually booking tours for next month. The foundation is officially stable."
"It is," Kaito agreed.
"Because of that," Gang Orca looked at Kaito with complete respect. "I am ready to begin the Quirk Development phase. We can start whenever you are ready."
"We can start right now," Kaito said.
Kaito pulled out his tablet. He tapped the screen a few times.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
Every sidekick in the room looked down. Their wrist-devices and personal tablets chimed at the exact same time.
Heavy, encrypted data files appeared on their screens.
"Open those," Kaito told the room. "Those are highly personalized, multi-page training regimens tailored to your specific Quirks."
Barnacle scrolled down his screen. His eyes went wide.
"Barnacle," Kaito called out. "Your rocks are too brittle. The file shows you how to condense your armor to reflect kinetic force instead of just taking the hit and breaking. Shira, you are going to practice shaping the water on your skin to act like razor-sharp blades for offense."
Shira stared at her tablet.
She realized Kaito had been studying their combat limits for over two weeks straight while they were working.
Kaito turned back to the war table and looked at Gang Orca.
"Do you want your specific data package sent to your private office, Kugo-san?" Kaito asked politely.
"No," Gang Orca said in his deep voice. He crossed his arms. "A good leader takes his critique in front of his sidekicks. They need to learn too. Show it here."
Kaito nodded. He plugged his tablet directly into the war table.
VMMMM.
A glowing blue, 3D holographic anatomical model of a killer whale popped up in the center of the room.
It slowly morphed, showing Gang Orca's specific human physiology right next to it.
"You rely on external brute force and basic paralysis," Kaito said, pointing at the hologram. "We are going to apply actual killer whale biology to your human body. Six new concepts."
Gang Orca raised an eyebrow. "Six?"
"Concept one," Kaito pointed at the hologram's arms. "Instead of shooting sonic waves outward, you channel the high-frequency vibration inward. Right into your own fists as you punch."
Gang Orca frowned slightly, doing the math in his head. "The recoil from that vibration would shatter my own arm bones on impact."
"It would, if you were a normal human," Kaito corrected him. "Your blubber acts as a natural shock absorber. It takes the recoil. The vibration bypasses villain armor and rattles their internal organs directly. You knock out heavy villains without causing bloody external injuries."
Gang Orca slowly smirked. He understood the physics instantly.
"Internal Echo," Gang Orca named it.
Gulp.
Barnacle swallowed hard in the background. That sounded terrifying.
"Concept two," Kaito highlighted the hologram's feet. "You emit micro-vibrations through your boots straight into the ground. It gives you 360-degree echolocation on land."
"That completely neutralizes smoke bombs and stealth Quirks," Gang Orca realized, nodding in approval. "Seismic Sight."
"Concept three," Kaito shifted the hologram to the vocal cords. "Killer whales emit low-frequency sounds to stun prey. You will emit an infrasound roar. Humans can't actually hear it, but their brains register it as pure dread. It triggers instant panic attacks."
The sidekicks shuddered at the idea.
"Forcing surrenders without physical violence," Gang Orca murmured. "Screaming Banshee."
"Concept four," Kaito tapped the screen. "Killer whales are masters of mimicry. They copy sounds to trick prey. You modulate your vocal cords to mimic human voices and radio static."
"I can throw my voice to confuse gang leaders and issue fake orders," Gang Orca said, rubbing his chin. "I didn't even think about that."
"Concept five," Kaito pointed at the hologram's skin texture. "Hydrodynamics. You use your skin's texture to slip through air resistance. You stop pushing against the air and slide through it. You move silently and fluidly."
"Your idea and development of my own quirk is well founded Kaito," Gang Orca said firmly.
"...."
The command center was dead silent.
The sidekicks were whispering excitedly to each other.
They realized if their boss mastered these trainings, he would easily jump up the Hero Billboard Charts.
The Gang Orca Agency was going to become an absolute powerhouse.
Gang Orca looked at the glowing hologram. He was a veteran hero.
He honestly thought he hit his absolute ceiling years ago.
His eyes burned with intense motivation.
CRACK.
Gang Orca squeezed his massive hands into fists, cracking his heavy knuckles loudly. He looked directly at Kaito.
"When do we start the physical drills?" Gang Orca asked.
"It's your decision," Kaito smiled.
"Then right now." Gang Orca replied.
...
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(9 Advanced Chapters)