Chapter 122

After seeing Julianna, Historia, Rebecca, and Ferrus off, Izuku exhaled a sigh of relief, prompting Nezu to muse, "Quite the interesting young lady, isn't she?"

Shaking his head, Izuku forced a smile and replied, "I'm more interested in her mother, not that I have any intention of pursuing either of them..."

Exhaling a light chuckle, Nezu mused, "Ah, yes, Lady Pendragon is quite the exceptional beauty, isn't she? Lord Pendragon is a lucky man."

With Nezu gesturing back toward the dining room, Izuku accompanied him, reclaiming the seat he had just risen from a few minutes prior. Nezu did the same, linking his paw-like fingers together before asking, "So, how were they? I assume you committed their statuses to memory?"

Nodding his head, Izuku revealed, "Lady Pendragon's Level wasn't very high, but she appears to have a basic mastery of Ice Elemental Magic. As for Historia, Rebecca, and that scary Maid...the former has the potential to be a monster. Her five Quirks aside, she possesses Perks that make her borderline indestructible and functionally immortal within the boundaries of the British Isles."

Raising his non-existent brows, Nezu remarked, "That's some useful information. And it certainly explains her bravado..."

Shaking his head, Izuku asserted, "I don't think she's aware of it. At the very least, her parents aren't. If they were, I doubt they'd let her travel abroad like this."

"I concur," replied Nezu. "As far as I'm aware, those that have gained access to Status Windows cannot see their Perks. That seems to be an ability unique to you and those within your Party."

"Speaking of which...are those with Status Windows able to view or share their statuses with others?" asked Izuku. "I've been wondering that for a while now."

"It is possible to share, but there also seems to be a Skill called Read that allows certain individuals to view the Status Windows of others, including monsters," revealed Nezu. "However, if there is a large disparity between the Level of the user and the target being observed, it only reveals partial information."

"Seems fairly useful..." remarked Izuku, adopting a somewhat cheeky smile as he added, "Though, not as useful as my inherent observation ability. I've yet to meet a single person whose Status I couldn't read in full."

Nodding his head, Nezu mused, "Indeed. Your observation ability might very well be one of the most valuable aspects of your Quirk. Information has always played a vital role in war and politics. When utilized properly, it can provide considerable leverage over people and circumstances as a whole~."

Punctuating his statement, Nezu pulled out his palm-sized holographic projector, triggering it to reveal the image of Izuku conversing with Luna in the second-floor dining hall. From an outside perspective, it looked a little surreal to see a wolf-headed woman interacting with a comparably ordinary-looking human...

Before Izuku could ask, Nezu revealed, "I had already hacked into the hotel's security and surveillance systems before leaving Japan. I'm not fond of being spied on, and my crawlers will let me know if any ne'er-do-wells access or attempt to compromise the building's security."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Izuku flatly remarked, "I'm also not fond of being spied on..."

"I'm afraid that can't be avoided in this situation," said Nezu. "With the President of the United States temporarily residing here, you can expect everyone in this building to be closely monitored. There are a number of intentional blind spots, particularly within the high-end suites, but there are no less than seven satellites and more than a hundred agents keeping a close eye on everyone moving in, out, and about this building."

Though he could understand why security was so tight, Izuku couldn't help exhaling an exasperated sigh. Security at the expense of privacy had been a touchy subject in his previous world. He hated being spied on, but he would definitely want to know what people were up to if they entered his home or a place he was charged with safeguarding...

Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Izuku met Nezu's gaze, asking, "Any particular reason you pulled up this hologram?"

"Three, actually," replied Nezu, explaining, "First and foremost, I wanted to remind you that your actions are being closely monitored. Secondly, if you decide to pursue this particular heteromorphic woman, you should be aware that she has ties to the Italian Mafia. If she suddenly invites you to meet her family, I suggest you politely refuse."

"Wait, seriously?" asked Izuku. "If that's the case, how'd she manage to get a job in a hotel that caters to the President?"

Exhaling an amused chuckle, Nezu's eyes gleamed as he said, "Though they would deny it, the American Government has close ties with most of the criminal organizations and groups that have established roots in their country. Ms. De Luca's family owns the construction firm that renovates and maintains the Waldorf Astoria and several other landmark buildings. By entrusting the matter to them, the Governor doesn't have to worry as much about other organized groups since the Mafia tends to clean house and take care of outsiders on their own."

"..."

Though he didn't plan to 'pursue' Luna as Nezu suggested, Izuku made a mental note not to piss off the peculiar wolf girl. He wasn't exactly scared of the Mafia, but it was generally best not to offend groups that had been around for hundreds of years, especially if they operated enterprises that spanned the entire world.

Seeing through Izuku's thoughts, Nezu raised his brows and remarked, "I wasn't attempting to discourage you. Rather, I support how open-minded you are. A disheartening number of people regard those with mutant and heteromorphic Quirks as less than human. Even if your feelings are simply the result of curiosity, I hope you continue to foster a positive relationship with the heteromorphic community."

Exhaling another exasperated sigh, Izuku muttered, "I don't even think about things like that unless someone else brings it up. Heteromorphs? Mutants? In the end, we're all people. Asshats that construct reasons we can't coexist are the real sub-humans..."

"Most people would agree with you," said Nezu. "Unfortunately, it is often a very vocal minority that controls public discourse, often towards making people afraid. It's much easier to control people that way."

"..."

Seeing the frown on Izuku's face, Nezu exhaled a soft chuckle and said, "That's one of the reasons Heroes are so important. It only takes one truly inspirational individual to inspire others to change for the better. Toshinori believes you have what it takes to become such an icon, and I agree. You may not be perfect, but you are compassionate and willing to put your life on the line to protect others. You also appear to have the literal support of our planet. That must account for something."

"You'd think so..." replied Izuku, adopting a wry smile as he considered himself grossly unqualified for the tasks set before him. He planned to give it his all, but as a Paragon 'candidate,' he knew he wasn't the Hero that Telania had desired. She simply couldn't afford to request the aid of a proper champion...

"Well, either way, you won't be going at it alone," said Nezu. "You have a real knack for drawing others to you. If you ever find yourself in a pickle, you can expect that Toshinori, myself, or a member of your ever-growing Party will pick up the slack. No one person should have to bear the fate of an entire world on their shoulders."

Nodding in affirmation, Izuku's expression softened into a genuine smile as he replied, "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Sensei..."

Returning a smile of his own, Nezu mused, "No need for gratitude. As your Principal, I have a duty to guide and support you. Now, I believe I've kept you here long enough. I also have other matters to attend, so unless you want to stick around and watch me pour over data streams and security footage, I'll see you sometime before your departure."

"Will you be okay alone?" asked Izuku. "I saw Toshinori heading to lunch with Cathleen."

Adopting a somewhat scary smile, Nezu mused, "You're mistaken if you believe that you and Toshinori-kun are my only forms of protection. Bar the sudden appearance of our mutual enemy; I'm reasonably prepared for just about anything. To that end, feel free to venture outside and explore the city. You also have permission to act in the capacity of a Hero but try to avoid any serious situations or circumstances where you interfere with the duties of other Heroes."

Raising his brows, Izuku asked, "Venturing outside...isn't that just asking to be targeted by the Chinese?"

Maintaining his smile, Nezu replied, "Heroes, especially famous ones, are constantly targeted by villains and criminal organizations. With the power at your behest, all you have to worry about are errors in judgment. That's a weakness that can only be overcome with experience, so go, cut loose, and have fun. Just be careful if you enter any nightclubs. Hollywood has glamorized American nightlife. It's really just a cesspool of lonely people looking to drown their sorrows in drugs and alcohol."

As he had spent a substantial amount of time at nightclubs in his previous life, the smile on Izuku's face cramped. He knew Nezu wasn't launching a personal attack on him, but it 'felt' personal, knowing how much time and money he had spent on women whose names he couldn't remember and expensive alcohol whose brands he couldn't pronounce...

"I'll keep that in mind," replied Izuku, rising to his feet as he added, "See you around, Sensei..."

Nodding his head, Nezu mused, "Take care, Midoriya-kun. Your flight is on the 5th, specifically at 9:30 AM, so be sure to return before then."

Though he was tempted to remark he had no intention of staying out of the hotel overnight, Izuku ultimately remained silent. Melissa had gone with her father to some conference where scientists from around the world had gathered to discuss the Meta World Transversal phenomenon, so he had very little reason to remain in the hotel if Nezu didn't require his protection.

With such thoughts in mind, Izuku departed Nezu's suite, passing by the Secret Service Agents before stopping outside the entrance to his own. It was barely past 1 PM, so he had at least 4 hours before the girls woke up back in Japan. Even then, they had classes to attend, so he could only exchange a few texts with them before they became too busy to respond.

Earning curious looks from the Secret Service Agents stationed outside, Izuku exhaled a sigh and rested his forehead against the cool surface of his door. It made him feel like an ass, but he was seriously considering accepting Luna's proposal to 'hit the town.' Nezu's comment about going to a nightclub hadn't been randomly thrown out. Rather, before she gave him her phone number and informed him of when she would get off work, Luna had invited him to accompany her to a fairly famous club only a few blocks from the Astoria...

Shaking his head, Izuku opened the door to his room, kicking off his shoes before entering the living room area and plopping down on the couch. As boring as it sounded, the 'smartest' thing to do would be to stay in his room. He wasn't 'that' curious about New York, and if he saw something going down, he wouldn't be able to ignore it. He might not have a justice boner like Toshinori, but he was still a Hero...provisional or otherwise...

Staring at a spot on the ceiling above, the notion that there might actually be something wrong with him entered Izuku's mind. A part of him craved action, but until now, he had gone out of his way to avoid getting involved in anything serious. Now that Nezu had more or less put him on the spot, intentionally or otherwise, he felt like he should be doing something more than sitting on his ass or taking a nap...

...

..

.

(A/N: I dunno, man. The world would be a much better place if people napped more...)