"I'm off, Dad!" Lena's cheerful voice rang out as she wrapped her arms around her father, offering him a warm, affectionate hug. Her face was bright with the promise of a new day at U.A., a stark contrast to the quiet morning.
"Have a good one, dear!" Winston responded, his voice equally warm, as he returned her embrace, gently stroking her hair. His hand lingered for a moment, a silent gesture of paternal affection and pride.
After their brief but heartfelt exchange, Lena released her father and calmly exited the house, making her way towards the bus stop at a leisurely, unhurried pace. The morning sun was just beginning to cast long, gentle shadows, promising a clear day.
Winston, still standing by the doorway, watched his daughter as she walked away, a soft, contented smile spreading across his face. She had matured considerably in the last few years, growing into a confident, capable young woman. More significantly, in the last few days, her detailed recount of the U.A. tryouts and her newfound friendships had filled him with an overwhelming sense of pride. He saw the joy she found in her new aspirations and connections.
'This feeling of pride swelling in my chest feels truly good,' Winston thought, a small, involuntary chuckle escaping him as he recalled the wonderfully smug expression his daughter had worn when excitedly recounting stories about her new friends, particularly Jiro and Momo. It was a refreshing change from her earlier isolation.
After a moment, allowing himself to bask in the pleasant contemplation of his daughter's growth and happiness, he turned and went back inside the house. His stomach grumbled softly, reminding him that his usual light breakfast hadn't quite managed to satiate his rather robust appetite this morning. He needed something more substantial.
'Perhaps Lena's increasing metabolism from her Quirk training is subtly influencing my own appetite...' he mused, a humorous thought, as he headed directly to the kitchen, already planning a more hearty second breakfast.
RING~ RING~ RING~ RING~ RING~
Suddenly, his phone, lying on the counter, began to ring with a peculiar, distinctive tone. Just from the unique melodic pattern, he already knew precisely who the caller was, but he was equally curious as to why this particular person would be contacting him so uncharacteristically early in the morning. It was an unusual interruption to his domestic tranquility.
-DAVID SHIELD-
Recognizing the name on the screen, Winston answered the call with a bright, cheerful smile already on his face. "Hey, David, how have you been? It's good to hear from you so early!"
"Hey, Winston, I've been great, thanks for asking... although I'd like to talk to you about something rather important," David's voice replied through the phone, its tone direct and matter-of-fact, lacking his usual pleasantries, indicating a professional urgency. "I have quite a few things on my plate today, so I'll get straight to the point. I urgently need your assistance on two significant projects."
"On two projects, David? You know I only occasionally lend my expertise to U.S. projects, and I'm essentially retired from active scientific work, aren't I?" Winston asked, genuine confusion coloring his voice at the unexpected and demanding request. "I mean, I have absolutely no problem helping you, especially since I practically owe you Lena's life, but this is quite sudden..." He valued his quiet life with Lena.
"You see, a renowned medical researcher recently provided me with a wealth of data about her latest investigations, and the findings were... interesting, to say the least," David explained, his voice taking on a slightly hesitant, almost embarrassed tone. Winston could almost picture him scratching his head, a nervous, sheepish smile undoubtedly on his face. "After giving it considerable thought, I believe it could truly be a groundbreaking project, one that has the potential to revolutionize the entire medical world forever... but her core research is based on a scientific fact that was made public a few years ago... you're familiar with it, aren't you?"
"Entropy, right?" Winston sighed, a weary groan escaping him as he rubbed his temples, a sour grimace settling on his face. He instantly disliked the direction this conversation was heading; it hinted at complexities he wished to avoid.
David grimaced audibly on the other end of the line, reacting to Winston's clearly disgruntled tone. "Precisely, Entropy. The primary reason I'm reaching out to you, Winston, is because we crucially require Entropic Energy for this ambitious project... and as far as we know, Lena is currently the only living person in the entire world who can consistently produce it." His voice held a note of quiet desperation.
"I am unequivocally not going to involve Lena in a project about which I know basically nothing, nor am I going to allow her to be treated as a test subject, David," Winston declared, his voice tight, gritted teeth emphasizing his absolute resolve. His paternal protectiveness flared instantly. "Besides, she has already embarked on her studies at U.A. in the Heroes Course; I am not going to take that profound opportunity away from her under any circumstances."
"Calm down, Winston, please. I already know Lena is attending U.A.; Melissa informed me a while back that she was meticulously preparing for the Entrance Exam, brimming with excitement. She also mentioned she was going to give Lena a special gift, though I don't think she's finished it yet," David replied, his tone quickly becoming cheerful again, before he coughed awkwardly, realizing his slight digression. "Ahem, back on topic, I'm absolutely not asking for Lena to be physically present at the lab or to participate as a test subject. I merely need a small, occasional amount of Entropic Energy from her every now and then to move forward with the investigation. Think of it as a small donation."
Winston remained silent, his mind deeply immersed in ponderous thought, weighing the ethical implications and potential benefits. "I have a question, David."
"What is it?" David asked, his voice now eager, sensing a potential breakthrough.
"How precisely would you intend to utilize Entropic Energy in this particular project? What is its specific application?" Winston probed, his scientific curiosity overriding his initial reluctance.
"Well, to avoid an overly lengthy or convoluted explanation, our current plan is to develop a special liquid that possesses the unique capacity to contain Entropic Energy within its molecular structure; that, surprisingly, is the relatively 'easy' part," David explained with characteristic precision, his tone now denoting the honed professionalism cultivated through years as a leading scientist. "The truly challenging part is that we need to devise a method to make the Entropy inside this liquid move in the opposite direction to its natural flow. The ultimate goal is that any damage caused, say, to a biological system, would be reverted to its previous, undamaged state. For example: If I have a large, deep bruise spread across my entire arm, applying this liquid could theoretically reverse the damage caused, restoring my arm to its condition before the injury occurred. That, Winston, is the core idea, and from the comprehensive notes you possess on Lena's Quirk, it should be theoretically possible."
'That... sounds incredibly ambitious, and frankly, very dangerous,' Winston thought curiously, pondering deeply over the implications. 'As far as I know, Lena is the only one who can reverse her own Entropy, and even then, only for a few brief seconds without suffering some form of secondary damage or caloric depletion... How do they possibly plan to reverse Entropy on a broader scale without Lena's direct, sustained involvement?'
This project, he realized, was fraught with immense peril, both scientifically and ethically.
Primarily, due to the profound fact that if it were indeed possible to achieve something of this magnitude, many major medical companies across the globe would suffer unimaginable, catastrophic losses. Their entire business models would be disrupted. Furthermore, it was highly probable that certain less scrupulous nations or clandestine organizations might discover the project and exert every effort to steal or illicitly sell its groundbreaking technology. The geopolitical ramifications were enormous.
After a period of intense contemplation, weighing all the pros and cons, Winston sighed audibly, a sound of resignation. "Okay, David, I'm in. I'll assist with your project."
He recognized that, on the other hand, getting on the bad side of David—the undisputed leader of I-Island and the individual who had fundamentally helped him save Lena's life—would be an even worse, potentially disastrous, scenario. His loyalty to David, and the debt he felt, outweighed his reservations.
"But with some very serious, non-negotiable conditions," Winston completed, closing his eyes, a premonition settling over him that the next few days, or perhaps even months, were going to be exceedingly tiring. "By the way, David, who is this intriguing researcher you mentioned?"
"Her name is... Angela Ziegler." David's voice held a subtle note of reverence as he spoke the name.
"Quiet!" Aizawa's voice, though seemingly low and weary, resonated with an undeniable authority as he entered the classroom. It took no more than a few seconds for every student to swiftly settle into their assigned seats, their attention immediately fixed upon their homeroom teacher. The shift from lively chatter to absolute silence was almost instantaneous, a testament to Aizawa's commanding presence.
"Today, we will be focusing on one of the most crucial Hero Bases used for practical training," Eraser Head explained, his tired eyes scanning each of his students, never quite blinking, giving them an unnerving, unwavering gaze. "It has been decided that for this particular class, three instructors will be present: All Might, myself, and a special, unannounced guest whose name I will intentionally withhold to generate a modicum of mystery and anticipation." Aizawa's tone conveyed a dry amusement, a subtle nod to Nezu's theatrical tendencies.
"Professor! What exactly are we going to be doing today?" Sero Hanta inquired, raising his hand promptly, eager for specifics.
"Rescue Exercises," Eraser Head stated simply, looking at him with his perpetually weary eyes, the answer concise and to the point, leaving no room for elaboration.
"That seems a bit... difficult," Kaminari Denki muttered under his breath, his brow furrowed in thought as he mentally strategized how he, with his electric Quirk, might effectively rescue people from various dangerous scenarios. The complexity of the task weighed on him.
"Don't lose heart, man!" Kirishima Eijiro exclaimed, his voice brimming with encouragement. He delivered a friendly, albeit firm, punch to Kaminari's arm, a wide, enthusiastic smile gracing his face. "This is what U.A. is all about!"
"Do not get ahead of yourselves, young ones. First of all, you are permitted to use your custom hero costumes, but I would strongly recommend that you opt to use U.A.'s standardized sports suits instead, as some of your currently designed costumes are not optimally made for complex rescue operations," Eraser Head cautioned, his voice flat but practical. He pressed a hidden button beneath the podium, and a section of the wall silently slid open, revealing a row of sleek briefcases containing the students' sports suits, each marked with their respective names and assigned numbers. "The designated training site is quite a considerable distance away, so we will be traveling by bus. That is all for now; collect your suits and prepare swiftly."
After that, every student, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, retrieved their assigned costume briefcases, with the sole exception of Midoriya, whose own costume had been quite thoroughly torn during the previous combat trials. They then proceeded to the restrooms to change, a flurry of activity and anticipation.
As Lena finished meticulously zipping up her pilot jacket, she suddenly felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Ochako Uraraka looking at her with a curious, innocent expression, her head tilted slightly to the side.
"Lena, why does your hero jacket have both the Japanese and U.S. flags embroidered on it?" Uraraka inquired, her curiosity genuine.
Lena blinked a couple of times, slightly surprised that Uraraka hadn't immediately connected the obvious dots. "Well, I was actually born in the U.S. Later, my father and I relocated to Japan because of my father's work commitments here." Her explanation was simple and direct.
"Woah! So, how is the U.S. then? Did you get to visit any of their famous or important places?" Mina Ashido asked suddenly, her voice bubbling with excitement as she enthusiastically joined the conversation, her curiosity equally piqued.
Lena shook her head, a small, wry smile on her face as she scratched the back of her neck. "Nope, not really. My dad moved us when I was just a baby, so I honestly don't remember much of anything from back then." The distant past was largely a blur.
Mina nodded her head, a thoughtful look on her face. "I see... and what about your mother, Lena?" Her question was soft, almost tentative.
"Well, I—" Lena began, but before she could formulate a delicate response, she was abruptly interrupted.
"Lena!" Suddenly, Kyoka's voice cut through the air, sharp and clear. The girl, already fully dressed in her hero outfit, was looking at Lena from the doorway with a slightly bored, impatient expression, tapping her foot. "Come on, I need to talk to you about tomorrow's training session!"
"I'm coming, Jiro! Let's talk later, okay?" Lena called out, a sense of relief washing over her at the opportune interruption. And before Mina or Uraraka could utter another word, Lena had already swiftly departed, moving together with Kyoka towards the hallway, leaving the other two girls behind, slightly bewildered.
The two friends walked in comfortable silence for a moment, making their way towards where the U.A. bus was parked, their footsteps echoing softly in the quiet corridor.
Suddenly, Kyoka interrupted the silence with a probing question. "Are you alright, Lena? You looked a little uncomfortable back there, talking about your past." Her voice was soft, laced with genuine concern.
"I guess," Lena sighed, making a face, a slight grimace of discomfort. "I... well, I don't technically have a mother, so it's always a little awkward when people bring up the topic." Her words held a hint of vulnerability.
Kyoka's pacing paused for a brief moment, her body stiffening, before resuming. She looked down at the ground, a complicated, empathetic grimace on her invisible face. "I'm genuinely sorry for your loss, Lena." Her tone was heartfelt.
"Eh? No, wait, I don't mean she's dead!" Lena quickly corrected herself, her hands forming an 'X' gesture to emphasize her point. "I mean I'm... well, adopted. So I don't have a biological mother, since my father never married anyone, and I don't really think he will, either." She explained, a faint blush rising to her cheeks at the misunderstanding.
Kyoka simply looked at her with a blank, unseeing stare for a moment, processing the unexpected revelation, before she slowly began to giggle lightly, a soft, amused sound.
"What's so funny, Jiro?!" Lena asked, her voice tinged with mock indignation, looking at Kyoka with an accusing expression.
Kyoka simply laughed harder, her giggles escalating into full-blown laughter, as Lena continued to glare at her with a mock-offended look. It took a few moments for Kyoka to compose herself.
Finally, all the students gathered by the U.A. bus. Momo, ever the class representative, gave the order for them to board in pairs and sit wherever they felt most comfortable, promoting a sense of camaraderie. After a few minutes, every student was sitting quietly on the bus, their excitement barely contained. Once Eraser Head confirmed that everyone was ready, he gave the curt order to the robot driver to head directly to the USJ facility.
Suddenly, Tsuyu Asui turned her head towards Midoriya, her large, distinctive eyes fixed on him with a curious yet unreadable expression.
"Midoriya, I have a question that keeps running through my head," Tsuyu asked, her voice a low, croaking murmur, staring directly at Midoriya with an unwavering gaze.
"Ah?! Asui!" The most nervous boy in the class, Midoriya, looked at Tsuyu with wide eyes, a mix of surprise and apprehension. At least, he could now talk without seemingly burning out his brain, a small improvement. "W-What did you want to ask me?"
"Call me Tsu, Kero," Tsuyu corrected, her poker face remaining perfectly composed, staring at Midoriya. "And I think your Quirk looks remarkably similar to All Might's, Kero."
"Ah?! N-No! I-I mean! Are you sure about that?!" exclaimed the always-nervous Midoriya, his voice rising in a panicked squeak. It seemed as if Tsu had just revealed his biggest, most carefully guarded secret to the entire world, as if she had just discovered his hidden stash of forbidden hero magazines or something equally scandalous. "I-I mean..." He stammered, unable to form a coherent denial.
"Ah, wait! But All Might never gets hurt when he uses his Quirk!" Kirishima interjected, confidently refuting Tsu's theory. "It's true that Midoriya's punches have a lot of power, but they don't look exactly like All Might's signature moves." His logic, while flawed, was earnest.
"Y-yeah... hehe," Midoriya laughed nervously, a forced, unconvincing sound, as he stared down at his legs, deliberately ignoring the conversation and the frantic pounding of his heart. 'C-Calm down, Izuku! You absolutely cannot let All Might down now!' His internal monologue was a desperate plea for composure.
"Besides, the chances of Midoriya possessing the exact same Quirk as All Might are minuscule, almost infinitesimally small," Lena interjected, her voice calm as she leaned back lazily in her seat. She was sitting next to Kyoka, who had lent her an earphone so Lena could listen to music while they waited to reach the test site. "It's not entirely impossible, though." Her casual comment, however, added a layer of complexity to the denial.
After a few more fragmented conversations and an angry outburst from Bakugo, who seemed to be perpetually annoyed by something, they finally arrived at their destination. It was a place that looked as vast as a soccer stadium, no, rather, many times larger than a soccer stadium—perhaps at least ten of them combined. The sheer scale of the facility was awe-inspiring.
'How on earth does U.A. possess so much land to build something this enormous?' Lena thought with a puzzled look, her analytical mind grappling with the logistical implications of such a massive training ground.
Upon entering the place, they could immediately see several distinctly different training areas: rugged mountains, a burning building, a vast, shimmering lake, a large, dark cave, among many others, each designed for specific rescue scenarios. Waiting for them in the central plaza was the special guest, the unannounced hero, who was none other than...
Thirteen! The beloved Space Hero, renowned for her Black Hole Quirk and her dedication to rescue!
"Welcome, aspiring Heroes, to the USJ! Or, as it is officially called, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint!" Thirteen exclaimed, her voice friendly and polite, resonating warmly through her distinctive astronaut helmet, which earned a few appreciative smiles from the students in the class.
Uraraka, in particular, seemed especially excited by the Hero's appearance, her eyes wide with admiration.
"As you are aware, we are going to undertake a rescue training exercise today. You only need to know one... or perhaps two... no, make that three... or even four things to adequately prepare for this training," Thirteen said, deliberately increasing the number of essential points, causing some students to start visibly sweating with apprehension, while others, like Lena, found it amusing, taking it with a sense of humor. "Well, just a couple of important things, then." She finished with a slight, almost teasing, chuckle.
Aizawa, ever vigilant, suddenly approached Thirteen, his tired eyes quickly scanning the surroundings, a subtle tension in his posture. "Hey, Thirteen... where is All Might? He was supposed to be here for this session."
Thirteen held up three fingers in her gloved hand, her voice slightly muffled through her helmet. "Apparently, he was a little delayed and will be arriving later. Some unforeseen circumstances came up."
The students were still happily chatting amongst themselves, excited by the prospect of meeting another professional hero and unaware of the subtle exchange between their teachers. Most of them didn't notice this hushed conversation, with the exception of four students: Todoroki Shoto, Midoriya Izuku, Bakugo Katsuki, and Oxton Lena. However, even though they overheard what the teachers were discussing, none of them paid too much attention to it at that specific moment; their minds were elsewhere, preoccupied with the upcoming training.
After that brief exchange, Thirteen launched into a detailed lecture about the profound responsibilities of Heroes and the meticulous care required when utilizing Quirks during rescue operations. She spoke eloquently about how Quirks could easily be misused to kill, to steal, to kidnap, and about their proper, ethical application within society. Her words were serious, underscoring the gravity of their chosen path.
Lena, meanwhile, simply listened superficially to the detailed explanation, her mind already drifting.
'It's pretty obvious that Quirks can easily kill someone... why are they so scared of stating the obvious?' Lena thought, a slight frown creasing her brow, before she looked down at her own palm, flexing her fingers. 'What they don't tell you is that your own Quirk can just as easily harm you, even kill you, if not properly controlled or understood...' Her past experience with Entropy was a stark reminder.
As Lena remained lost in her introspective thoughts, a sour expression on her face, in the very middle of the USJ central plaza, a small, dark purple mist abruptly appeared out of nowhere. The sudden, unnatural phenomenon immediately drew Lena's full attention. In a terrifying instant, the mist expanded rapidly, engulfing a vast area, and from its swirling depths, many strangely dressed individuals began to materialize. Each of them, however, radiated a palpable aura of clear, murderous intent as they fixed their gazes upon the children, their eyes glinting with malicious purpose.
Eraser Head was the very first to notice this horrifying abnormality, his tired eyebrows rising dramatically towards his hairline before he swiftly turned to Thirteen, his expression now utterly serious and grim.
"EVERYONE QUIET! THIRTEEN, TAKE THE KIDS AWAY FROM HERE, NOW!" Eraser Head shouted, his voice a sudden, urgent bark as he simultaneously donned his specialized yellow goggles, which were designed to protect his eyes when activating his Quirk. Apparently, he had also immediately recognized the portal as a hostile threat.
The chilling transformation was instant: his aura, moments ago relaxed and languid, became intensely serious and lethally dangerous in less than a second. His entire demeanor shifted from tired indifference to razor-sharp readiness.
"Are you part of the entertainment staff?" Kirishima inquired, his voice surprisingly cheerful and naive, as he looked towards the strangely dressed people emerging from the portal. "They look a little weird for a show, though..." His comment, completely out of place, highlighted his innocence.
"NO! THOSE ARE REAL VILLAINS!" Eraser Head roared, his voice cutting through the last vestiges of confusion. That single, terrifying warning alone caused much of the class to visibly cringe in sheer fear, their earlier excitement dissolving into raw panic. "NOW, GET AWAY FROM HERE, ALL OF YOU!"
It was then, in that terrifying moment, that Lena's earlier, vague bad feeling began to expand, blossoming into a cold, undeniable dread, tightening its grip on her heart.
She unconsciously tapped the Slipstream device on her chest once more, a desperate, almost automatic gesture, ensuring it was still there, still functioning.
This will not end well...