Location: Naruhata Penthouse – Kazuho's Room
Time: Saturday | 08:00 AM
ZIP.
Kazuho closed her small rolling suitcase.
Tamao sat on the edge of the bed. She stared at a piece of notebook paper in her hands. It had fifteen different countries written on it.
"Kazuho," Tamao said, waving the paper. "I thought this list was just a fun dream board. Where are our plane tickets? We have to go back to work on Monday morning. We can only visit one country in Asia if we rush."
Creak.
Step. Step.
Kaito walked into the bedroom. He wore casual slacks and a black button-down shirt.
"We don't need planes, Tamao," Kaito said.
He raised his right hand.
"Huh? What do you mea..."
SNAP.
A silent wave of energy washed over the room.
Tamao felt the air pressure change instantly. Her skin tingled.
"What did you just do?" Tamao asked, standing up from the bed.
"I altered our existence," Kaito explained casually. "Security cameras, facial recognition, and Pro Heroes will completely ignore us. We are nobody for the weekend."
"...."
"...."
Tamao stared at Kaito's right hand. Her brain froze.
She remembered the news footage from Doomsday event last time. The mythical guy on the television snapped his fingers and altered reality to save Japan.
Tamao pointed a shaking finger at him. "You... You.... this iconic snap..."
Kazuho leaned close to Tamao's ear and whispered. "He is Hero X. Keep it a secret."
"...."
Tamao stood completely dumbfounded. Her friendly landlord was a mythical god.
Kaito laughed. He placed a hand on Kazuho's shoulder and his other hand on Tamao's shoulder.
"First stop," Kaito smiled. "Breakfast in Paris."
SNAP.
They stood on a sunny cobblestone street in France.
They walked to a small street vendor. The man used a minor heat Quirk in his hands to keep his pastries warm. Kaito bought three croissants.
Kazuho took a huge bite.
"Ah! Hot!" Kazuho fanned her mouth, burning her tongue.
Tamao laughed out loud, eating hers slowly.
SNAP.
The sun beat down on them. They stood right in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
"I am wearing a dark jacket," Tamao complained, sweating immediately.
Kaito handed her an ice-cold bottle of water he just bought from a local guide.
Kazuho forced them to pose, taking a picture where they pretended to pinch the top of the pyramid.
SNAP.
Times Square, New York. Kazuho dragged Tamao through five different high-end designer stores.
Kazuho shoved a pair of massive, ridiculous sunglasses onto Tamao's face.
"What do you think, Kaito?" Kazuho grinned.
"They look great," Kaito smiled. He held a dozen heavy shopping bags and paid the cashier.
SNAP.
They walked barefoot on the white sand in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Kazuho tried to copy a local street dancer.
Tamao recorded the terrible dancing on her phone, laughing so hard she almost dropped it.
SNAP.
Sydney, Australia. They stood near the Opera House eating hot meat pies.
"Watch your left side, Tamao," Kaito warned.
A massive seagull swooped down, trying to steal her pie. Tamao ducked and shielded her food with her arms.
SNAP.
Agra, India. They sat quietly on a wooden bench, watching the sunset cast a golden light over the Taj Mahal.
They shared a peaceful silence.
SNAP.
Saturday evening. Rome, Italy.
They sat at an outdoor café.
CLINK.
Tamao set her empty espresso cup down. She looked incredibly relaxed.
"Are you staying with your dad's agency after graduation?" Kaito asked her.
Tamao looked down at the table.
"I love Dad and his agency," Tamao said quietly. "But I don't want to. I wanted to do more."
Kazuho looked at her friend closely.
"I want to go solo," Tamao confessed. "I want to write my own songs. I want to carve my own path as an independent musician."
"I will further my studies in music in college."
Kazuho grabbed Tamao's hand across the table.
"Do it," Kazuho said firmly. "You are incredibly talented. I will support you."
"Same here," Kaito agreed. "When you are ready, let me know. I will set you up with a top-tier recording studio."
Tamao smiled, her eyes watering. "Thank you."
SNAP.
Sunday morning. The air was freezing. They stood on the Great Wall of China.
They hiked the massive stone steps for hours.
Tamao leaned against a wall, totally out of breath.
Kazuho ran ahead with endless energy.
They watched local Chinese heroes with animal Quirks casually patrolling the mountain ridges in the distance.
SNAP.
Machu Picchu, Peru. The altitude was extremely high. Tamao rubbed her head, feeling dizzy. Kaito bought them local coca tea to help them adjust to the thin air.
SNAP.
London, UK. Kazuho stood in front of a Royal Guard, crossing her eyes and making funny faces.
The guard completely ignored her.
"You are wasting your time," Kaito told her.
SNAP.
A busy plaza in Spain. They bought fresh churros.
PLOP.
Kazuho dropped her churro on the dirty cobblestone.
She pouted, looking incredibly sad. Kaito sighed and handed her his own churro.
SNAP.
Canada. Standing in deep snow, they ate maple taffy rolled on ice.
Tamao started shivering violently. They only stayed for ten minutes before leaving.
SNAP.
South Africa. A quick safari drive. A massive elephant walked right up to their jeep. Tamao jumped and hid behind Kaito's back.
SNAP.
Greece. They stood on a white balcony overlooking the bright blue ocean, taking deep breaths of the salty air.
SNAP.
Sunday evening. They arrived in Otheon. The streets were filled with old stone bridges and winding canals.
They sat at a cozy roadside food stall. Their feet hurt, but they were incredibly happy.
The vendor handed them bowls of thick local beef stew.
Step. Step.
A tall woman in a sleek, dark hero costume walked up to the counter. She had sharp eyes.
It was Clair Voyance, the top Pro Hero of Otheon.
"Three bowls of the usual stew, please," Clair ordered.
"Hmm?" She stood next to them, waiting for her food.
Her perceptive eyes looked over the trio. She noticed their unique vibe instantly.
"You three are definitely not from around here," Clair smiled in a friendly way. "Tourists?"
Kaito wiped his mouth with a napkin. He answered her in completely flawless Otheon dialect.
"Just visiting for the weekend," Kaito said easily. "The stew is incredible."
Clair looked surprised by his perfect accent.
"You speak the language perfectly. Make sure you check out the canal lights tonight. It is the best view in the city."
"We will do that," Kaito nodded.
The vendor handed Clair her food. She paid, waved goodbye, and walked down the street to continue her patrol.
An hour later, they stood near a quiet canal.
The weekend was over.
Kazuho wrapped her arms around Kaito, giving him a massive hug.
"Thank you, Kaito," Kazuho said loudly. "This was the greatest two days of my life."
Tamao took a step back and bowed deeply to him.
"Thank you for everything, Arisaka-san," Tamao said seriously. "I swear I will take your identity as Hero X to my grave. Nobody will ever hear a word from me."
"I trust you, Tamao," Kaito smiled, putting his hands in his pockets. "Hold on tight. Let's go home."
SNAP.
*-*-*
Location: Detnerat-Shield Headquarters – Japan
Time: A Day Before | Saturday | 10:00 AM
The morning sun shined through the massive glass windows of the executive office.
Toshinori Yagi sat comfortably on a wide leather sofa. He wore a loose yellow suit. His massive, perfectly healthy muscular frame took up half the couch.
David Shield sat across from him, holding a mug of hot coffee.
David said, taking a sip. "The new support items are rolling out to the hero agencies today. Combining our tech with Detnerat's manufacturing lines really changed the game."
"That is great news, David," Toshinori laughed loudly, his booming voice filling the room.
David set his mug down on the glass table. He leaned forward. A teasing smile appeared on his face.
"So," David started. "When are you going to settle down, Toshinori?"
Toshinori froze. He blinked twice.
"Settle down?" Toshinori asked, totally confused.
"You are nearing fifty-five years old," David pointed out smoothly. "You're already planning to retire so why not? When are you going to step back a little, go on a date, and start a family?"
Toshinori's face turned bright red. He coughed into his giant fist, looking away.
"David, please," Toshinori stammered, waving his hands. "I am the Symbol of Peace. The media would go absolutely crazy. I have absolutely zero time for dating."
...
Deep inside the spiritual plane of the One For All quirk factor.
The space was no longer a dark, empty void.
Because Hero X crumpled All For One and his clones into a literal piece of paper and All Might gave him to the HSPC after the next high-class Japanese prison was made, these vestiges were completely free from his dark influence.
They conjured a bright, comfortable lounge room to pass the time.
CLACK.
Kudo, the second user, struck a white cue ball.
It hit the eight-ball perfectly, sinking it into the corner pocket of a wooden billiards table.
Bruce, the third user, groaned. He reached into his pocket and slapped a conjured coin onto the edge of the table.
"Ugh. You distracted me," Bruce complained, crossing his arms.
"I didn't say a single word," Kudo smirked, leaning on his pool cue.
He pointed the wooden stick toward the glowing spiritual window at the front of the room. "You were too busy watching the big guy sweat out there."
Hikage Shinomori and En sat on a nearby sofa. They drank hot tea, completely relaxed.
"It still feels completely surreal," Hikage said, blowing on his tea. "No All For One breathing down our necks."
"Being crumpled into a piece of paper by that Hero X tends to quiet a guy down," En laughed, setting his teacup on a saucer.
Across the room, Nana Shimura and Daigoro Banjo stood directly in front of the viewing window. They watched Toshinori panic in the real world.
"He is completely dodging the question!" Nana laughed hysterically.
She slapped her hands against the window glass, yelling at Toshinori even though he couldn't hear her. "Come on, Toshinori! The man is handing you a perfect opening! Just say you will go on a blind date!"
Banjo slapped his knee, laughing just as hard.
He turned around to face the rest of the room, raising his voice.
"I am putting ten thousand yen on him staying single for another five years!" Banjo shouted, pulling a fake wallet out of his jacket. "The guy is literally married to his own hero work! Who is taking the bet?"
Bruce picked up a piece of blue chalk and rubbed it on his pool cue. "Make it twenty thousand. He won't even look at a woman until he hits sixty."
Yoichi sat in a comfortable armchair near the window. He chuckled softly, watching his successors act like rowdy teenagers.
"You all are terrible," Yoichi smiled warmly. "Toshinori gave his entire life to everyone else. He just doesn't know how to be selfish yet. I hope he takes David's advice. He truly deserves a loving family."
Back in the real world.
Toshinori coughed loudly, desperately trying to change the subject.
COUGH.
"Let us talk about the future, David," Toshinori said seriously, leaning forward on the sofa. "I need to find a successor. Someone to inherit my power."
David nodded, understanding the weight of the topic. "Have you found anyone?"
"I tasked Sir Nighteye to look into a quirkless vigilante duo in Musutafu," Toshinori explained. "The kid has an incredible heart. I am waiting on his final assessment. But I was also thinking about someone else."
Toshinori looked directly into David's eyes.
"What about Melissa?" Toshinori asked. "She is quirkless. She is incredibly smart. She has a pure, heroic spirit. How would you feel if she became the next wielder of One For All?"
"...."
David sat in stunned silence. He looked down at his hands.
A massive wave of pride swelled in his chest.
The greatest hero in the entire world viewed his daughter with that much respect. It was the highest compliment a father could ever receive.
"I am incredibly honored, Toshinori," David said softly. "Hearing you say that means the world to me."
David looked up and smiled gently.
"But Melissa has her own path," David explained. "She idolizes Kaito. She sees how the Golden Manager changes the world using his brain, his logistics, and his company. She wants to be exactly like him. She wants to save lives from the laboratory through support technology."
"I understand," Toshinori nodded respectfully.
He fully agreed that the path of the Symbol of Peace must be a personal choice.
RING. RING.
Toshinori's personal cell phone vibrated in his suit pocket. He pulled it out and checked the screen.
"It is Principal Nezu," Toshinori said. He tapped the green button and placed the phone flat on the glass table, putting it on speaker.
"Hello?"
["Good morning, All Might! And to you as well, David!"] Nezu's cheerful, high-pitched voice came through the speaker.
"Good morning, Principal," David greeted him casually.
["I was just reviewing some local police reports,"] Nezu got straight to the point. ["It seems the Musutafu vigilante known as Greenhood has been completely off the radar for the past few days. No sightings. No activity at all. He just vanished into thin air."]
Toshinori started sweating profusely.
"Is that so?" Toshinori asked, his voice cracking slightly. He was a notoriously terrible liar.
["Yes,"] Nezu noted smoothly. ["Do you happen to know anything about that, All Might?"]
"Ah... no!" Toshinori stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have absolutely no idea! Maybe he retired!"
Nezu chuckled knowingly through the phone. He didn't push the lie at all.
["I find it very interesting,"] Nezu said casually. ["By the way, I was looking at Sir Nighteye's agency operations recently. Ever since Arisaka Consulting overhauled his system, his team operates as the premier intelligence hub of the country. They are very sharp. Extremely capable of handling quiet extractions without leaving a single paper trail."]
Toshinori swallowed hard.
David glanced at Toshinori. He realized instantly that Nighteye caught the vigilante kid, and Nezu knew exactly what happened.
"Nighteye is a great hero," Toshinori managed to say, wiping sweat from his forehead.
["Indeed he is. It's just my fun is gone now."] Nezu laughed happily. ["Have a wonderful weekend, gentlemen!"]
CLICK.
The call ended.
David burst out laughing. He leaned back in his chair, covering his mouth as he laughed at his best friend's terrible lying skills.
Toshinori sighed heavily and buried his face in his giant hands.
"I really didn't do it. I just accidentally met the Vigilante duo one night. And the rest just follows."
"Haha... There is no accidents, Toshinori."
*-*-*
Location: Tokyo – Sir Nighteye's Agency
Time: A Day Before | Saturday | 01:00 PM
CLICK.
Izuku Midoriya stepped into the main lobby of the agency. He wore casual clothes and held the strap of a small gym bag.
Kuro sat completely still on his right shoulder.
Izuku stopped walking. His jaw dropped open.
He stared through the thick, reinforced glass walls taking up the entire left side of the room.
He saw the massive Data Network floor. It looked exactly like a top-secret government command center.
Dozens of cyber-agents typed rapidly at glowing blue holotables.
Izuku spotted a girl with thick glasses rapidly swiping digital tracking dots across a huge, live map of Japan.
"Whoa," Izuku whispered out loud, his eyes sparkling with pure excitement. He pressed his hands against the glass. "Look at those server towers. The cooling systems are massive. They are running live orbital satellite feeds straight to those tables! No wonder Sir Nighteye found my real identity."
MEOW.
Kuro purred lazily, totally unimpressed by the computers.
Step. Step.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the tile floor.
Kenjiro walked into the lobby. The massive sidekick wore his usual grey tracksuit. He held a large plastic shaker bottle full of protein powder.
Kaoruko walked right next to him, holding a stack of manila folders.
"Hmm?" Kenjiro stopped and looked down at the green-haired middle schooler.
"You lost, kid?" Kenjiro asked, taking a drink from his shaker bottle. "The public tour desk is down the street."
Izuku panicked slightly. He spun around and bowed incredibly fast.
"Ah! No! I am not lost!" Izuku stuttered nervously. "My name is Izuku Midoriya. I am here to see Sir Nighteye."
"...."
Kaoruko blinked, hugging the folders to her chest. She looked completely confused. The boss never invited kids to the agency.
"He is here for me," Sir Nighteye's calm voice called out from the hallway.
Nighteye stood in the doorway wearing his sharp grey suit. He adjusted his glasses and looked at the teenager.
"Follow me, Midoriya," Nighteye ordered.
Izuku quickly followed the Pro Hero down the long hallway. Kenjiro and Kaoruko stood in the lobby, watching them walk away.
"...."
"...."
"Did the boss adopt a kid?" Kenjiro asked, scratching his chin.
"I have absolutely no idea," Kaoruko muttered.
Nighteye led Izuku down a flight of concrete stairs.
They entered a massive, reinforced underground training gym.
The room was mostly empty, covered in thick rubber combat mats.
Izuku looked around the room. He noticed faint, jagged crack marks spider-webbing across the heavy concrete walls.
"Drop your bag," Nighteye said, stepping onto the center mat.
Nighteye took off his suit jacket and tossed it onto a nearby bench. He took off his glasses and set them down next to the jacket.
"We are going to spar," Nighteye told him. "I need to see your actual limits."
Izuku set his gym bag on the floor.
The nervous, stuttering fanboy instantly vanished.
Izuku stepped onto the mat. His eyes went completely focused. He dropped into a low, highly balanced martial arts stance. He kept his hands up, guarding his face.
MEOW.
Kuro jumped off his shoulder.
Nighteye stood in a relaxed, upright stance.
"Begin," Nighteye declared.
SWOOSH.
Izuku exploded forward. He crossed the mat in a split second.
SWISH. SWISH. SWISH.
He threw a rapid, heavy combination of punches aimed directly at Nighteye's ribs.
Nighteye didn't panic. He pressed two fingers against his own chest.
He triggered Foresight.
Nighteye looked exactly three seconds into his own immediate future. He saw the translucent blue ghosts of Izuku's fists flying toward his body.
Nighteye casually swayed his hips to the left. He ducked his right shoulder.
Izuku's fists hit completely empty air.
SWIISH.
Then Izuku spun low to the ground, unleashing a blistering hook kick toward his Sir Nighteye left temple.
"Hmm?"
Before the strike could even be blocked, he instantly reversed his momentum mid-air, snapping a brutal counter-kick into the right temple.
SWIISH.
"You got good moves." Nighteye casually took a half-step backward, completely clearing the kick.
Izuku anticipated the dodge perfectly.
Izuku planted his foot on the padded wall. He bounced off the heavy foam, completely changing his trajectory in mid-air.
He drove his elbow straight down toward Nighteye's collarbone with his entire body weight behind it.
Nighteye raised his hand. He caught the elbow with an open palm.
Nighteye smoothly redirected the heavy downward momentum.
He twisted his wrist and tossed Izuku across the training mat.
THUD.
Izuku landed flawlessly on his feet, skidding slightly on the rubber.
He immediately rushed back in, throwing a heavy sweeping kick at Nighteye's waist.
The sparring match lasted five full minutes.
Nighteye dodged every single strike. He used perfectly fluid footwork and constant, three-second bursts of Foresight.
He looked like a man taking a casual stroll through a rainstorm, stepping around the puddles.
But internally, Nighteye was deeply impressed.
Izuku didn't fight like a high school student. Izuku fought like a ruthless street survivor.
Every single strike carried real weight and genuine intent.
The kid wasted absolutely zero energy. He coordinated perfectly with his animal partner, covering every blind spot.
"Stop," Nighteye held up his hand.
Izuku halted his assault instantly.
Huff-puff.
He stood in the center of the mat, panting heavily. Sweat dripped down his forehead.
Nighteye wasn't even out of breath. He walked over to the bench and picked up his glasses.
"Your instincts are sharper than half the licensed Pros in Tokyo," Nighteye gave him genuine praise, putting his glasses back on.
Izuku smiled brightly, wiping the sweat off his chin. "Thank you, Sir."
Nighteye picked up his suit jacket and slid his arms into the sleeves. He looked at Izuku seriously.
"Your fighting style is a massive problem right now," Nighteye warned him strictly.
Izuku blinked, his smile dropping. "What do you mean?"
"You rely heavily on thick arm blocks and heavy leg kicks," Nighteye explained, walking closer to him. "You pair that combat style with a green hoodie and custom metal bracers. That exact physical profile is heavily tied to the Greenhood vigilante reports sitting in police databases all over the city."
Gulp.
Izuku swallowed hard. He realized exactly what Nighteye was saying.
"If you bring that exact fighting pattern and aesthetic to U.A. Academy, the teachers will eventually connect the dots," Nighteye told him. "Your identity will be blown in your first semester."
"I need to change it," Izuku nodded seriously, looking down at his own hands.
"You need to completely scrap the costume," Nighteye agreed. "You need to build a brand new visual style. You must separate the U.A. student from the street vigilante entirely."
Nighteye walked toward the gym exit. Izuku grabbed his bag and followed him.
"Starting this afternoon, you are shadowing Centipeder and Breach on their patrol routes," Nighteye instructed him. "You are strictly forbidden from fighting. You are going to watch."
"Watch what, Sir?" Izuku asked, keeping pace with him.
"You are going to learn the legal side of this profession," Nighteye said. "You will learn how to secure a crime scene. You will learn how to properly hand a suspect over to the police detectives. And you will sit in the office and learn how to file the standard incident paperwork."
Izuku stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He bowed deeply to the Pro Hero.
"Yes, Sir!" Izuku yelled respectfully. "I will learn everything I can!"
*-*-*
Location: Naruhata – Arisaka Consulting Office
Time: Wednesday | 09:00 AM (Present Day)
The morning sun shined through the large office windows.
Kaito sat at his large wooden desk. He had his sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He just finished a thirty-minute walk-in consultation. A local, rising hero sat across from him holding a notepad.
"Just loosen the tension on the capture tape around your waist," Kaito told the young hero. "If you keep it that tight, you limit your own lung capacity during a sprint. Fix that, and you won't gas out so fast on patrols."
"Understood! Thank you so much, Arisaka-san!" the hero bowed deeply, completely thrilled with the advice.
Paying the standard hourly rate for quick tactical tweaks was a massive bargain for local heroes.
It was completely different from the multi-million dollar physical contracts Kaito offered.
["Have a wonderful day. Please exit through the glass doors,"] Eve's voice came through the office speakers, politely guiding the hero out.
Click.
The automatic doors slid shut.
Kaito let out a breath and picked up his coffee mug. He took a drink and stared at the massive mountain of manila folders stacked on his desk.
He officially opened his physical contract slots on Monday morning.
For the last three days, the office lines had been completely jammed.
Kaito rubbed his temples. The domestic Japanese heroes were completely out of control.
Lion Shishido was so desperate to get the contract that he forced his sidekicks to pitch camping tents on the sidewalk outside the Arisaka building for days.
He literally camped out just to be the first one in the door on Monday.
Crust and Yoroi Musha also walked right into the office personally to pitch their agencies.
Kaito still hadn't chosen anyone. He was actively reading through the files.
In the background, Eve quietly filtered hundreds of international calls through the servers.
VZZZ. VZZZ.
Kaito's private cell phone vibrated on the desk.
"Hmm?" He checked the screen. It showed an unknown international number from Los Angeles.
He picked it up and answered. "Arisaka speaking."
"It has been a long time, Golden Manager," a confident, warm female voice greeted him.
Kaito instantly recognized the strong American drawl. It was Pam, Cow Lady.
"Pam," Kaito smiled, leaning back in his office chair. "It has been two years since we sat next to each other on that airplane."
"You actually remember," Pam laughed loudly. "I appreciate that. You saved my public relations career over a single glass of water."
"It's nothing" Kaito said. "How did you bypass Eve's security and get my direct line? She blocks international numbers."
Pam laughed again. "Hehe... Cathleen gave it to me last time. Star and Stripe respects you highly. She talks about you all the time like you are her younger brother. She handed the digits right over."
Kaito shook his head, smiling. He didn't realize Cathleen was giving his private number out to her American colleagues.
"It is great to hear from you, Pam," Kaito said. "What can I do for you?"
Pam got straight to business. "I watched exactly what you did for Mirko over there in Japan. I want that."
"You want the Mirko trajectory?" Kaito asked.
"Yes," Pam said firmly. "I want raw, tactical strength. I want to be better pro hero. I want to be an independent powerhouse. And right now you still haven't chosen which pro-hero and agency right?"
"Yes." Kaito confirmed.
"Please choose me," Pam requested. "My team already submitted our documents on Monday."
"I appreciate the offer, Pam," Kaito politely declined. "But right now. I still haven't decided go internationally. My last international contract was with Salaam."
"Hahaha!" Pam laughed brightly. "That is perfectly fine, Kaito. You can also just stay there."
Kaito blinked. "What?"
Cow Lady replied "I am filing an International Transfer with the HPSC today."
Kaito sat up slightly in his chair.
"I am applying for a Temporary Operating License on Japanese soil," Pam continued happily. "If you won't fly to Los Angeles, I am still packing up my entire agency. I am flying across the Pacific, and I am opening a Foreign Branch Agency right in Japan just to secure your management for three months."
"...."
Kaito was completely speechless. He was genuinely caught off guard by her assertiveness.
"Even you didn't choose me, working with other pro heroes there will make me better. But I will see you at your office next week, Manager. Bye." Cow Lady promised.
CLICK.
She hung up the phone.
Kaito slowly lowered the phone from his ear.
He stared at the dark screen for a few seconds.
Then, he looked back at the massive pile of domestic files from Shishido and Crust sitting on his desk.
SIGH.
...
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