I set my chopsticks down and checked the timer on my mobile device. I had finished with one minute to spare before my sixth "Temporary Amplification" cycle expired.
"What is the timer for?" Iida asked.
"My Quirk has two modes: Permanent and Temporary. The latter only lasts about five minutes at full power. I use the timer to keep track. Since I'm amplifying my digestive speed, it would be... problematic... if the effect wore off while my stomach was still at maximum capacity."
"And you're checking to see if you can push the time limit further, right?" Himiko added.
"Precisely."
"Wait..." Iida's expression hardened with a strange intensity. "Are you saying you use even your lunch hour to train your Quirk?"
"In short, yes."
"That is... incredibly dedicated," Uraraka whispered.
"But it's perfectly rational!" Midoriya began to mutter, his eyes gleaming. "Mashie-san's Quirk works on biological functions and abstract concepts, which means its applications are infinite... which means she can train any time she's awake, regardless of the setting... she has zero hesitation when it comes to effort... it's amazing, I have to learn from this... mumble mumble..."
The three of them looked at me with varying degrees of respect. This atmosphere of constant self-improvement reminded me of my days as an Initiate in the Jedi Temple. Though Midoriya was drifting into a slightly strange mental space, the earnestness of their gaze was a bit ticklish. I rubbed my cheek and looked away, only to catch Himiko's smug, knowing grin.
It's embarrassing. Stop it.
After lunch, it was time for our first Hero Basic Training session.
The warning bell rang, and then—
"I AM... COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"
All Might. The Number One Hero burst into the room, his massive, muscular frame clad in a costume of dazzling primary colors. The classroom erupted into a frenzy.
"Hero Basic Training! This is where you will learn the foundations of what it means to be a hero through various trials! It carries the most credits of any subject! Today, we start with this: Combat Training!"
He held up a card that screamed the word "BATTLE."
The excitement reached a fever pitch. Bakugo, who sat in front of me, radiated a sudden, violent thirst for combat. Still drowning in the Dark Side, I see.
"And to go with that... we have these!" All Might pressed a remote, and sections of the wall slid open to reveal numbered cases. "Based on the Quirk registrations and requests you sent in before enrollment... your costumes!"
"WHOAAA!!"
"Change into your gear and gather at Ground Beta!"
"YES, SIR!"
It wasn't just chatter anymore; it was a roar of joy. Truly, the profession of "Hero" holds a sacred status on this planet. Amidst the cheering, Himiko and I remained still. Even Todoroki—the handsome boy carrying a heavy burden of ancestral resentment—showed a flicker of reaction. The two of us were definitely the outliers.
"Putting on the part is an important step, young men and women!" All Might shouted. "From this day forward, realize it! You are... HEROES!"
With that dramatic finish, All Might hurried out of the room. He seemed... flustered? I suspect only Himiko and I noticed it.
"Himiko, he seemed to be in quite a rush."
"He's a rookie teacher, Koto-chan. He probably forgot to set up the field or something. More importantly, let's go!"
"True."