"That is it," Recovery Girl announced in her cranky old woman voice. "But listen to me carefully, young lady. You can't keep breaking your bones every time you use your Quirk. I had quite enough of treating you during the entrance exam."
"I am sorry, Recovery Girl-sensei," Inko replied softly. "I am working on improving my control."
"Working on it is not enough," the old woman crossed her arms. "You need to master it completely. A hero who destroys themselves with their own power is a hero who cannot save anyone when it truly matters."
"I understand."
"Do you? Because as I recall, you had several fractures during the exam. And today was one more. At this rate, you are going to end up without a single spot that has not been broken. You must be more careful. Keep in mind that you are a girl, albeit a very stubborn one."
Inko nodded obediently, but her mind was somewhere else entirely.
Does he know my secret?
The question had been circling her head since she finished her conversation with Hayashi Ren at the water station. That bald boy with eyes that were far too perceptive had asked questions that immediately put her on alert.
"Have you always been this strong?" "Did you always have that Quirk?" "Some Quirks manifest late or evolve over time."
Each question had been phrased with perfect casual innocence, but Inko had sensed a curiosity that went beyond simple friendly interest.
Does he know me? Does he know about One For All? Should I talk to All Might about this?
Recovery Girl continued her lecture on the importance of self-care and heroic responsibility, but Inko barely processed the words. Her thoughts kept spinning around the bald boy.
In all the manga she had read (and she had read many during her years of social isolation), the bald character was usually the villain. The final boss. The secret antagonist manipulating everything from the shadows. But classifying Hayashi Ren as evil just because he asked a few questions would be ridiculous.
Maybe I am just being paranoid, she thought, gently touching her newly healed finger. All Might warned me to keep One For All a secret, but that does not mean everyone is trying to uncover it.
"Are you listening to me, Midoriya?" Recovery Girl's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Y-yes, of course," Inko lied.
"Then repeat what I just said."
"Uh..."
The infirmary door opened with a dramatic bang. A massive figure filled the doorway, muscles bulging under a yellow, blue, and red suit. His blonde hair defied gravity in a remarkable way. His smile was so bright it practically lit up the room.
"I AM HERE!" All Might proclaimed in his characteristic thundering voice. "Ah, Recovery Girl! Thank you for taking such good care of my pupil!"
Recovery Girl sighed with evident exasperation.
"Toshinori, I have told you a thousand times not to come into my infirmary shouting. I have other patients who need to rest."
"I am sorry!" All Might lowered his voice by about half a decibel. "The excitement gets the better of me!"
Inko could not help but smile at the interaction. All Might was exactly like that, even when there were no cameras around. Genuine. Enthusiastic. Completely incapable of doing anything halfway.
"You may leave, Midoriya," Recovery Girl said, waving her cane. "But remember what I told you. No more fracturing bones this week."
"Yes, sensei. Thank you for everything."
Inko hopped off the cot and walked toward where All Might was standing. The Symbol of Peace placed a massive hand on her shoulder with evident paternal pride in his blue eyes.
"Let us walk, young Midoriya," he suggested. "We have much to talk about."
They left the infirmary together. The hallways of UA were relatively empty, as most students had already gone home or were in their dorms. Their footsteps echoed against the polished floor.
"I am proud of you," All Might declared once they were far enough away from prying ears. "The control you showed over One For All today was exceptional. I definitely chose the right successor. My hunch was not wrong."
Inko felt heat rise to her cheeks at the praise.
"I still hurt myself when I use it," she admitted. "I am not perfect."
"No one is perfect from the start," All Might smiled at her. "When I received One For All from my master, I spent months fracturing limbs before I learned to control the power. You have already surpassed that initial phase. That is impressive."
They walked in silence for a moment. Inko gathered the courage to ask the question that had been on her mind.
"All Might-sensei, what do you think of the new generation of students? The ones in my class."
The number one hero stopped in front of a window overlooking the training field. His expression turned reflective as he looked at the sunset painting the sky in oranges and pinks.
"I am extremely happy that so many promising young people have joined UA this year," he replied with genuine warmth. "Your generation has extraordinary potential. That Bakugo boy with his explosive Quirk is fierce and determined, though he needs to work on his attitude. Young Yaoyorozu with her creation has a brilliant and strategic mind. Todoroki, with his inherited ice and fire, possesses incredible power, though I can sense conflict in him."
He paused, his smile widening.
"And then there are the less obvious ones. That young man, Hayashi, with telekinesis. He finished sixth in the general ranking despite having a Quirk that many would consider weak for direct combat. That requires intelligence and creativity. Each of you has something special."
Hayashi again, Inko thought. Why do I keep thinking about him?
"Do you think we will all become great heroes?" she asked.
All Might looked at her directly, his expression becoming serious for the first time in the conversation.
"The path of a hero is not easy, young Midoriya. Not all of you will reach the top. Some will discover that their true calling lies elsewhere. Some will give in to the pressure. And some..." his voice grew softer, "some will make sacrifices they never imagined having to make."
Inko swallowed hard. There was a warning in those words.
"But I believe in every one of you," All Might continued, his smile returning. "That is why I am here. That is why UA exists. To guide the next generation toward their maximum potential. And speaking of which..." he straightened up with evident pride, "tomorrow I will officially introduce myself as your teacher to the class!"
"Really?" Inko could not contain her excitement. "Are you going to teach us directly?"
"Of course! I cannot let Aizawa have all the fun of tormenting... I mean, educating the new students!" he laughed. "Besides, I want to be close by to make sure you are okay. One For All is a heavy burden to carry alone."
"I am not alone," Inko said with a smile. "I have you, sensei."
All Might ruffled her green hair with affection.
"That is right. And you will always have me, young lady. Now go home and rest. Tomorrow the real lessons begin."
Inko nodded and said goodbye, walking toward the UA exit with mixed thoughts swirling in her head. One For All. Her new classmates. All Might as a teacher. And that annoying bald boy who asked questions that were far too clever.
*****
Ren arrived at UA exactly forty-three minutes before the official start. The building was mostly empty, with only a few early-bird students and cleaning staff moving through the halls.
Perfect, he thought as he climbed the stairs to the second floor. Quiet time before the chaos.
He pushed open the door to Class 1-A, expecting to find the room empty. Instead, he was met with a bright pink surprise.
Mina Ashido was sitting at her desk near the window, scrolling through her phone with a cheerful smile. She wore her UA uniform impeccably pressed, her pink skin glowing under the classroom's fluorescent lights. Her yellow horns poked out of her fluffy pink hair in an adorable way.
When she heard the door open, she looked up and her smile widened exponentially.
"Hayashi-kun!" she greeted with contagious enthusiasm. "You got here super early too! I thought I would be the only early-bird nerd!"
Ren closed the door behind him and walked toward his seat.
"I could not sleep. Too much anxiety about the second day."
"I know!" Mina set her phone aside and turned in her chair to look at him directly. "Yesterday was incredible but also exhausting. That exam from Aizawa-sensei almost killed me. I literally thought I was going to be expelled."
"But you weren't," Ren pointed out as he sat at his own desk. "You finished in a fairly respectable spot."
"Tenth place! Not bad for a girl whose Quirk is basically corrosive sweat," she laughed. "Though I admit I got lucky. Acid works surprisingly well in these kinds of tests."
Ren studied her while she spoke. Mina had that effervescent energy that made everything seem more fun. Her hands gestured animatedly as she talked. But Ren's mind, being the perverted mind it was, immediately began to wander into completely inappropriate territory.
She produces acid, he thought, keeping his expression neutral. Acid that surely covers her skin when she uses it. So... can she have relationships like a normal person?
It was a genuinely scientific question. It was also extremely perverted. But Ren could not help his curiosity.
If her partner had direct contact with her skin during moments of... intensity... would he end up castrated?
The mental image of death by snu-snu crossed his mind, and he had to stifle a laugh.
There are definitely implications to consider, he continued his line of thought. Can she control the acid production during intimate moments? Or does she have to use special protection? Do acid-resistant condoms even exist in this world?
"Hayashi-kun, are you okay?" Mina's voice interrupted his scientific-perverted thoughts. "You look... distracted."
"I am fine," he replied quickly. "I was just thinking about the implications of different Quirks."
"Implications?" Mina tilted her head curiously. "Like what?"
Like if you can have orgasms without melting your partner, Ren thought. What he actually said was, "Your acid is incredible. It can be used for offense, defense, even rescue if you need to melt obstacles."
"Exactly!" Mina brightened. "Most people only think about the destructive aspect, but there are so many creative ways to use my Quirk. I can control the viscosity and acidity of the liquid I produce."
Control over viscosity and acidity, Ren noted mentally. That partially answers my question. If she can control those factors, technically she could...
He stopped himself. This line of thought was not going to lead anywhere productive. Well, productive in the heroic sense. It was definitely leading somewhere in the perverted sense. He decided to change the subject.
"Do you have any idea what to expect today?" he asked. "Aizawa-sensei probably has something horrible planned."
"Probably," Mina shuddered. "That man is scary even when he is not using his Quirk. Did you see how he wrapped up Bakugo yesterday? It was terrifying and cool at the same time."
They chatted for the next few minutes about the previous day, sharing observations about their classmates. Mina had opinions on everyone, expressed with her characteristic cheerful honesty. And then, while she was in the middle of an anecdote about how she almost slipped on her own acid during the exam, a bold idea popped into Ren's head.
They were alone. There were at least thirty minutes before the next early students would arrive. It was the perfect time to experiment.
Ren had been mentally reviewing everything he remembered about Charles Xavier's powers. Not just the basic telekinesis and telepathy he already mastered reasonably well. There were subtler abilities. One in particular had captured his attention since he read about it on a website of dubious scientific origin in his previous life.
Sensory manipulation.
The ability to alter how someone perceives external stimuli. Making cold feel hot. Making pain feel pleasurable. Making neutral sensations amplify until they became overwhelming.
It is time to see if I can actually do that, Ren thought.
He focused on Mina as she continued talking. He extended his telepathic consciousness toward her, gently touching the surface of her mind.
Let's start with something simple, he decided.
He found the area of her brain responsible for processing tactile sensations. Carefully, he applied the slightest mental pressure, ensuring he was not being invasive. Mina stopped mid-sentence.
"Mina-san?" Ren asked with perfect innocence. "Is something wrong?"
"I... I don't know," she touched her arm. "I felt something weird. Like a small electric current."
"Static, maybe? The uniform sometimes generates static electricity."
"I guess," Mina shrugged and kept talking.
Ren increased the intensity slightly. This time he focused on amplifying any sensation she felt naturally. The rub of her uniform against her skin. The pressure of the chair beneath her. The air conditioning brushing against her exposed skin.
Everything intensified. Mina shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"It is getting hot in here, isn't it?" she asked, tugging slightly at the collar of her shirt.
"It seems fine to me," Ren lied. "Do you want me to open a window?"
"No, it's okay. It is probably just me."
Ren continued his experiment. This time he was bolder. He found the pleasure receptors in her brain and stimulated them slightly. It was nothing sexual. Just a general sense of well-being. Like when you stretch after sitting for a long time. Satisfying without being suspicious.
Mina let out a small sigh of satisfaction.
"That was weird," she murmured.
"What was weird?"
"I don't know. Suddenly I felt... like when you finish a good workout. Sorry for acting so strange today, Hayashi-kun. I think I woke up feeling a little sick, but don't worry, I'm fine."
"No problem," he responded aloud. "Are you sure you are okay?"
"Yes, completely," Mina stretched, apparently back to her usual cheerful state. "It was just a weird moment. It's over now."
The classroom door opened. Kirishima walked in with his shark-toothed grin.
"Good morning, people! I got here early for the first time in my life!"
"Kirishima-kun!" Mina greeted him happily. "Join the early-bird club!"
More students began to arrive. Iida with his robotic walk. Uraraka with her perpetual smile. Todoroki, silent as always. Ren returned to his seat, processing what he had just discovered.
It works, he thought with satisfaction. I can manipulate sensations directly. Make someone feel whatever I want them to feel.
The possibilities were endless. And if his mental powers improved, they would help quite a bit with his next plan.
*****
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