Chapter 117

"Feeling lonesome~?" asked Nezu, seated across from Izuku in the back of Melissa's stealth jet.

Without diverting his gaze from the window, Izuku replied, "Something like that..." in a noncommittal tone.

"Well, if you're looking for a distraction, why not ask Ms. Melissa to teach you how to fly?" asked Nezu, adding, "You never know when such a skill might come in handy."

Though he would have jumped at such an opportunity in his previous life, Izuku didn't hesitate to reply, "Pass. I'm not really in the mood to learn a new skill right now, and I don't want to distract her."

"Then, perhaps you'd like to join me for a game of Go?" asked Nezu. "I'll give you a handicap."

Shaking his head, Izuku replied, "I've never played before, and I'm not in the mood to have my ass handed to me..."

Shifting his gaze to the diminutive chimera, Izuku asked, "Leaving the campus makes you nervous, doesn't it?"

Forcing a smile, Nezu replied, "Indeed. I'd rather not go into the details, but the United States is where I was born and experimented upon. The people responsible have already been brought to justice, but I always feel a sense of unease whenever I return."

Raising his brows, Izuku remarked, "That came out of nowhere..."

Shrugging his shoulders, Nezu mused, "Consider it an attempt to improve my Bond Level. The sooner I become a member of your Party, the sooner I can 'power level.' It's a shame that setting traps, employing robots, and utilizing conventional weapons doesn't increase Experience directly..."

"It 'can' increase your attributes, though," said Izuku. "That's important as raising your base Level awards you attributes based on your proficiencies. If you don't actively work to improve your physique, most of the attributes you gain from leveling will go directly into your Intelligence."

Nodding his head, Nezu replied, "Yes, I read your report. However, while I am fascinated by the notion of being able to smash through walls or move around at high speeds, I intend to focus on my Intelligence. It's what has defined me and allowed me to survive till now."

"Just be sure to put a few points into Vitality," said Izuku. "There are a lot of incredible Perks, but I recommend Healthy Body to everyone."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," replied Nezu. "However, my plan is to specialize in Perks pertaining to the Intelligence attribute. Who knows, there may even be an 'Omniscience' Perk at higher values~?"

"If there is, it would probably require a base Intelligence of a million, if not much higher," expressed Izuku. "Toshinori had access to some pretty ridiculous Perks, but nothing that would make him truly godlike..."

"Well, we'll see what's available when the time comes," mused Nezu. "For now, let's review the files of the representatives that will be attending the summit. Due to your association with myself and Toshinori-kun, there's a reasonably high probability that people from various countries will try to approach you. Even China has sent a delegation this time, so we must be especially cautious of their 'Enforcers.'"

Activating a tiny holographic projector, a trio of profiles appeared in the air between Nezu and Izuku. One depicted a square-faced man with fierce red eyes, peppered hair with two tufts resembling horns, and a countenance that looked like he 'really' needed to take a shit. The other two images depicted comparably youthful-looking individuals possessing long black hair that framed their faces, ponytails, sharp black eyes, and inordinately fair, almost glossy skin. Izuku was sure that at least one of them was a man, but it was difficult to tell at a glance...

"This is the Chairperson of the Chinese Enforcement Division, Gong Bao, and his twin grandchildren, Gong Li and Gong Yun," explained Nezu. "The Gong Family is one of the Four Great Guardian Houses of China, charged with defending the East. As such, they are more than a little antagonistic toward Japan..."

Raising his brows, Izuku asked, "Do you really think they would attack us at a gathering of world leaders?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," replied Nezu. "Assassination attempts and villain attacks are remarkably common during summit meetings, even in times of peace. There are a disheartening number of people who believe they can leave their name and mark on history by perpetrating egregious crimes, especially in fame-obsessed countries like America."

Shaking his head and exhaling an exasperated sigh, Nezu added, "Things were especially troublesome near the outset of the Quirk Wars. In-person meetings between world leaders had to be suspended entirely as terrorist organizations from across the world attempted to eliminate everyone in a position of power and authority. The amount of history and culture we lost during those times...haaaaa..."

Though he wasn't human, Nezu cherished knowledge more than anything else. Those that went around destroying landmarks, attacking museums, or burning books, all in an attempt to rewrite or erase history, were among the people he hated the most.

Regaining his smile, Nezu looked up at Izuku as he said, "Anyways, it's a good habit to always be on your guard. The likelihood of the Gong twins attacking you directly is slim but never zero. Fortunately, we have quite a bit of information on their capabilities. Gong Li can create creatures and constructs from golden flames, while his sister, Gong Yun, can do much the same with ice. They are also renowned for their swordsmanship and hand-to-hand capabilities, so be wary."

Exhaling a sigh of his own, Izuku pointedly remarked, "You realize if this were a novel or a video game, warning me to be wary virtually guarantees that they'll attack, right? I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around planting troublesome flags..."

"Did your Intuition trigger?" asked Nezu.

"No," answered Izuku. "But it's better to be safe than sorry. Just let me review the files on my own. Either that, or you could tell me more about Cathleen Bate and Historia Pendragon. There's a ton of information online about the former, but I couldn't find anything on Historia."

"That's because there's a Super-Injunction preventing publication related to her," revealed Nezu, simultaneously inputting a command into his palm-sized projector to bring up a strangely familiar image of a girl with blonde hair and green eyes.

"This is Britain's #1 Hero...?" asked Izuku. "She looks even younger than me..."

"Yes and no," replied Nezu. "The 'Pendragon' most people know is her father, but Ms. Historia is set to inherit the title once she graduates from the Royal Academy."

Before Izuku could ask for clarification, Nezu waggled his finger and said, "Patience, young Midoriya. Please reserve all questions until the very end of my explanation."

Though he furrowed his brows, Izuku remained silent, permitting Nezu to state, "As the inheritor of One-for-All, I'm sure you're aware of the notion that Quirks possess wills, correct? The Quirk of the Pendragons embodies this principle as it chooses its successor, fusing with their inborn Quirk to become more powerful with each generation. Ms. Historia is set to be the fifth Pendragon, inheriting the title from her father, who, in turn, inherited it from his mother. As for the true name of the Quirk..."

Adopting an amused smile, Nezu revealed, "It is apparently known as 'Lord of Camelot, Artorias.' It is for this reason that the Pendragons are referred to as such. A hundred years ago, they were a relatively unknown family from Sweden, distantly descended from the Celts. They're one of many families that rose to prominence during the Quirk Wars, eventually becoming an extension of the British Royal Family."

"I'm surprised they didn't vie for the throne..." said Izuku. "If memory serves, Arthurian Legend states that 'King Arthur' would one day return, reuniting the British Isles and forming a utopian society..."

Nodding his head, Nezu mused, "They very well might have if not for the accusations of other Nobles and the general 'illegitimacy' of their claim to the throne. As far as most people are concerned, King Arthur was simply that, a legend. There is very little evidence of his existence, and there are no recorded records of his lineage. Ms. Historia 'does' have a claim to the throne, but she is seventy-third in the line of succession."

"Wasn't their Quirk able to teleport people around?" asked Izuku. "With an ability like that, it shouldn't be that difficult to get rid of the competition..."

"Perhaps," replied Nezu. "But murdering their detractors wouldn't inspire confidence in the notion that they're building a utopia. Rather, most of the world would regard them as tyrants."

Keying something into his projector, Nezu brought up what looked like a class seating chart depicting twenty-four people.

Before Izuku could ask, Nezu explained, "These are the students most likely to enter the breaches alongside you in the future. Most are the sons and daughters of various Nobles, but there are a few exchange students, such as yourself.

Noticing his profile pic among the second row of images, Izuku furrowed his brows and asked, "Why does it say 'Green Knight' under my photo? Is that meant to be my codename?"

"This list was pulled from the Royal Academy's servers," revealed Nezu. "And yes, that is the codename that Ms. Historia has assigned you. If I'm not mistaken, it originates from a fable related to Sir Gawain, one of King Arthur's nephews."

Looking beneath Historia's image and noticing she had assigned herself the codename 'Arthur,' Izuku deadpanned as he muttered, "It appears the next generation Pendragon has a serious case of Chūnibyō syndrome..."

Exhaling an amused chuckle, Nezu remarked, "Funnily enough, I had the same thought when I first delved into the Royal Academy's servers and learned this information. According to her father, Ms. Historia has always been a very 'imaginative' young lady. She's also known to be able to ascertain a person's true nature, however, so you should be careful when you meet."

"Why?" asked Izuku, genuinely confused by Nezu's warning. It wasn't like he was a 'bad' person.

"Ms. Historia has been targetted by villains and terrorists since she was a child," explained Nezu. "She is very cautious of others, and her father, Sir Arcturus Pendragon, is 'very' protective of his daughter. If she determines you are a threat, you will likely be ousted from the academy and forced to return to Japan."

"Talk about sheltered..." remarked Izuku, shaking his head as he added, "Well, it should be fine. I'm more concerned that Momo isn't among the students listed here. Were you unable to process her transfer...?"

"I'm afraid that Ms. Yaoyorozu will not be attending the Royal Academy of Heroics as a student," replied Nezu, promptly clarifying, "Instead, she will be accompanying you as a personal attendant. You would be looked down upon if you attended the Royal Academy without one, so Ms. Yaoyorozu volunteered herself for the position."

"Seriously?" asked Izuku. "What kind of academy 'requires' students to bring servants? That's just..."

Shrugging his shoulders, Nezu replied, "There are similar schools here in Japan. The children of high-ranking executives and politicians are often the targets of villains, so they generally have one or more attendants to see to their needs and keep them safe. I was originally going to ask Ms. Sosaki from the Wild, Wild Pussycats to accompany you, but this was a far more convenient option."

Imagining Shino in a Maid outfit, Izuku internally remarked ("Damn...") while outwardly responding, "I see. But shouldn't Momo be fairly well known among the super elite? She also appeared during the UA Sports Festival..."

"Precisely," replied Nezu. "The Yaoyorozu Family is one of the wealthiest in the entire world. Once it becomes known that your attendant is the sole daughter of such a reputable family, your standing will be elevated quite a bit. This is the intent of Yaoyorozu-san's Grandfather, so I advise you to play along and accept that you're now a part of the 'super elite' yourself."

Though he furrowed his brows, Izuku didn't attempt to deny Nezu's words. He often forgot, but he was a multi-billionaire with some of the world's most powerful and influential backers. As an aspiring 'Paragon' and the successor of One-for-All, he was also fated to save the world or die trying, so lying low was no longer an option. That ship set sail the moment he ingested one of Toshinori's distinctly golden hair follicles...

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(A/N: Worldbuilding arc o3o...)