Chapter 103
AN: 24 chapters ahead at patrèon
www.patréon.com/Blazuki
---
"Alright brats," Kan was walking and we were following behind him. "Improving your Quirk would start from here."
Now, it was morning, around 10:00 AM, and we would start our training session now, as A-1 students had been the first to practise starting from 08:00 morning. We would alternate in our training. They rest, we train, we rest, and they train.
Somehow, I was grateful for that. Although I could stay awake for days without sleeping or getting tired, thanks to my Hamon, I was still not a morning person.
Kan standing in front, we stopped in front of a big yard.
*Bang* *Bang* *Boom* *Boom*
Loud noises could be heard. Heat and coldness could be felt. We were observing A-1 people who were improving their quirks. Shoto seemed to be adjusting between his fire and ice. Bakugo, that guy, as always, angry. When he turned and made eye contact with me, he quickly put his hand inside of some oil barrel, before making big explosions heading toward the sky. Momo was there, eating non-stop, and making things out of her hand. Tsuyu jumping.
Well, many familiar faces, which grew up since USJ time. Kids are growing fast, aren't they?
Kan opened his mouth to talk. "Alright. Most of you haven't heard this. But Quirks are no different than muscles, they have limits, they can get weaker, and can get stronger…."
He explained to us, how the Quirks are working, and how the mutant cells, which is responsible for the quirk, would improve once it reaches its limits. "And that's why I encourage you to find a creative way to exhaust yourself."
I frowned. Mutant cells, I have nothing like that within me.
Only when the life force is given to me, or when inspiration hit, I can improve. Inspiration, such as, when I had discovered how to make myself a genius during the exams… thinking about that, I lowered my head. I missed Julia.
"Ha~" I let a deep sigh as I lifted my head.
"Lee, what are you thinking of." Itsuka, who was standing next to me, asked. "You seems to below."
"Nothing, nothing important." I lifted my head. I decided to distract myself and I murmured. "Is there a creative way to train my Quirk?"
"Let me think." Itsuka seemed to be thinking quickly about how to find a solution. I only smiled when I saw her struggling to think. She stared at me and said. "You only improve when you use your power. How do you usually use it?"
"Doing housework, clean, or beating the shit out of someone."
"Not always." She chuckled. "We use your power to get high–."
"Hush, someone may hear you." I hide a smile when she said that. Yesterday, I was using legal drugs with her, since we couldn't just sleep with our roommates.
It was our little secret, and we liked doing it.
"Hey, they can do nothing, without proof." Itsuka hit my back with her hand. "Jokes aside. If you can't improve your strong points, try to think about your weaknesses."
Now I think of it; because of the time stop, I barely have weaknesses. Like, who can pose threat to me when the time stopped? Not even gravity can do a thing.
I can train my time stop. But no one would figure out that, since it doesn't require anytime– and I usually train it at night.
Other than that, I can probably play with Hamon, which I had been training for more than a year, making me more proficient with it.
Very soon, A-1 students were done with their training, and we got to go to our position.
"Kendo."
"Yaoyorozu. Long-time no see."
"Mm. How are you doing?"
"Just fine."
I was snapped back when Itsuka waved her hand as soon as she passed by Momo. Looking at them, they looked cute together. Thinking about them, after the market session they did when they were intern, they seemed to be like an idol team.
Here they are, had gained a good reputation. On the other hand, what had I gained from my work as an intern? Some troll kids who blamed me for taking Stain out.
The bastards, they got my social media's account banned.
What a sexiest community!
"Lee," Momo said as she looked at me.
When I started back, she smiled.
"Ah, long time no see," I said. "Are you doing fine?"
"Mmm." She nodded. "You."
"Yes."
I was waiting for her to leave, but she just stared at me long enough. She wasn't smiling though but examining.
"Is there anything?" Itsuka asked after a long brief.
Momo snapped back as she realised what she was doing.
She waved her hand and said. "Nothing at all. I just heard that Angel-San almost got a perfect grade on the exams. The highest grade."
I scratched my chin. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?" she repeated after me.
"So, are you upset 'because you got the second grade." Itsuka drew a smile that almost slipped her face in half.
Heh? I suppressed a sigh. Wasn't Kendo salty when I got better grades than her?
"I saw him a few times." Momo shook her head. "I'm just wondering how it slipped from me that I never realised that he was the type of guys who like to study."
Momo turned her face to the side. No, not that. The nerds' rivalry; was the last thing that I needed.
Before I could say anything, Itsuka said, hitting her chest proudly. "He isn't interested. Lee only studied for a week before the exam."
"Just in one week? One week and you got the first place" Momo looked at her hands, shaking. It was like she took a hit to her self-confidence. "You're amazing, Lee."
"It's nothing to mention." I patted her arm.
"Well. I didn't think that someone like you would be at UA." She said. "Most of the students are looking for power!"
Only if she knew that I'm power-seeking now.
I shrugged my shoulders and then saw how Itsuka looked satisfied.
"Brats, move already." Suddenly, a voice interrupted.
I turned my head. Aizawa was walking with a sleepy expression, guiding his students to leave. When our eyes met, he gave a slight lazy nod.
Now I think about it, it may be good if I used him as a sparring partner, since he's a good martial artist and a punching bag.
"Erase–"I was about to wave my hand.
"Ask someone else, I can help with your techniques, not your Quirk." he waved his hand and walked past me.
"I didn't even ask. Old man." Now, did he read my expression?
"Whatever then. Momo move."
"Yes, sensei." She gave me one last glance before bowing slightly and moving.
-x-X-x-
As everyone was concerned about their Quirks and had already found a way to train, I was standing at the centre, crossing my arms.
I was thinking about my weaknesses. Meanwhile, I was training. I was looking at the people around me.
From my perspective, they were training. In the next instance, they became a frozen image, like paint, and I kept staring at them for as long as they can while they were in this state.
'14 seconds now.' The time moved again, and loud noises came again.
From their viewpoint, I was just standing while doing nothing but staring at them. However, in fact, I was improving my Time Stop power.
Power, in the past, I wasn't so much obsessed with it.
But in this world, it was like money.
The more you have, the better.
And I was pretty much motivated to have it ever since the Festival.
I was getting ready with each second, for a third villain attack. I wanted to have as much as I can to face whatever trouble that would face me or my closed once.
'Now, thinking about my weaknesses.'
I lifted my head. 'Poisonous gas. People with a Quirk that has mind control, or send me sleeping. Sound waves. Electricity. Heat… basically, things related to nonphysical attacks.'
But most of them could be countered with Time Stop if not all of them.
It was still better to consider those things. Who knows, if I was to counter a harsh situation just after using Time Stop in the future.
I just kept training while channelling the ripples to my head in order to improve my creativity.
Suddenly, a guy, bulky, muscled, stopped in front of me. This was Tiger, a male hero who dresses like Pixie Bob and Mandalay.
"Why aren't you doing anything?" Tiger asked, loudly. His colourless iris made me think if he's just super pissed off, or that he's just overreacting.
"I'm training," I said. "Standing up for a longer time."
"For what!" he retorted.
I shook my arms.
I can't just explain that I'm stopping time over and over without anyone else realising.
"I guess he is having a hard time training his Quirk." A red-haired cat-man made an appearance. Kyo stood next to Tiger, examined me. "Or he is too shy that he is afraid to show weakness. Isn't that right? Lee-Kun."
His tone was provocative.
To address me as Lee-Kun… this accent, where did I hear it?
"Approach me, I'll show you a couple of weaknesses." As the words left my mouth, Kyo took a step back, his hands unconsciously were on his crotch. Why is that? Paranoid guy?
"Oy. I know your Quirk, the Aura." Tiger ignored his friend. He suddenly flexed his muscles and took a weird pose. "If you can't work on your Quirk, work on your weaknesses."
"I don't have any."
Even if I did, I won't reveal them.
I didn't reveal my strongest point so far – which is enough to suppress any weakness.
"Really." Kyo approached. "How about, if you fight and you can't use your Quirk. Can you survive?
"Or, when are you blinded. Can you direct your aura?" Kyo's questions seemed to be directed to the point, like searching for any possible weakness.
"Good one." Tiger nodded his face at Kyo. "Sounds like we found a way for you to train. First, cover your eyes."
I lifted my head and thought. Fighting while being blind. It didn't sound like a weakness to my Stand, as he still can see? But to me, it sounded like I may find it as trouble if I didn't see multi fast opponents coming to me at the same time. And stopping time was always a conscious effort.
"Fine, sounds a good challenge."
Tiger made a large grin and cracked his fists.
Kyo let a sigh. "I'll watch from there."
----
AN: Once this story reaches 500 power stones, a bonus chapter would be published
Rejoice, i have this week as vacation.