Episode 4. "No doubts". Part I.

"Shoda-senpai, if you're not busy, may I ask you to spare a few minutes to talk with me?" the brunette who had approached my desk addressed me quietly, bowing just enough to appear polite, but not overly so, which would have made it awkwardly flattering and, therefore, strange.

A well-executed approach, overall. Thought out.

And yes—she asked quietly, but loud enough that most of the class fell silent and turned to look in our direction.

I frowned back at her.

Of course, I had nothing against this girl in general or her attention toward me in particular. However, firstly, I was focused on "studying" my still-unnamed quirk. Secondly, I had sworn not to interfere with the canon until the key events of the series, and thirdly, I wasn't expecting anything good to come from this conversation.

You can learn a lot from the use of particles and honorifics in Japanese even before the actual dialogue begins. For example, the fact that the future heroine used "senpai" instead of the standard "san" or "kun" (the latter, depending on the context, could be taken as familiarity or even a confession of love) clearly indicated that she considered me superior, excelling in some way.

What could possibly have sparked her interest in my modest persona, mixed with respect as to an elder? We're obviously the same age. My academic achievements are certainly above average but aren't anything extraordinary in a country full of diligent students. And she hasn't had much opportunity to assess them yet. Success in physical education? I don't stand out there either. Or is she flirting with me because of my striking appearance? Truth must be told (ha!)—but we're still too young for that. I'm surrounded by kids…

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that she's interested in something hero-related. Most likely, she'll ask me for advice on applying or inquire about what I know about the entrance exam…

Boring.

So, I decided to be polite enough not to offend the girl, but rude enough to discourage her from wanting to talk to me for the next couple of years. We'll have time for that in the future.

Sighing exaggeratedly, I nodded:

"Of course, Kodai-san,"—no, I'm not playing along with your game—and crossed my arms over my chest. Like, go ahead, girl.

The girl in question, however, didn't bat an eye, as if she hadn't expected anything else, and calmly continued:

"Since you, Shoda-senpai, have stated that you aim to enroll in U.A. Academy, this makes us rivals, as I also aspire to become a hero. However, we are currently members of a close-knit group, classmates, and therefore, I humbly ask you, as a kouhai asking her senpai, to share your wisdom, which gives you such confidence when discussing admission to the best hero academy in the world..."

"Hm?"

That's a bold statement. Raising an eyebrow, I began to ponder what she might know.

Had she seen my training? But I always make sure no one is around. Did she inquire at the "Jade Lion"? No, old man Akira only works with his own and doesn't welcome outsiders. Could she have somehow gotten hold of a report on my quirk screening? But where could I have slipped up? And she didn't mention anything about personal strength... Not to mention that my confidence is largely based on an animated series I watched in another life, and in it, we both made it in...

The silence dragged on, so I absently asked, trying to buy some time:

"And why do you think I know some secret, Kodai-san? What if I'm just... a cocky jerk, for example?" Someone in the class snickered.

"You are very confident," came the quiet, succinct reply.

The gears started grinding.

Wait.

And what? Is that all?

Apparently, my bewildered irritation showed on my face, because the girl, slightly hesitating—aha, you do have emotions!—muttered even more quietly:

"Of course, that's expected from someone with an enhancement quirk, but... I was hoping you might have another reason for such confidence, advice for those like..."

Oh, don't tell me that you…

"Those like?"

"Those with weak quirks..."

Oof.

When I realized she wasn't joking, angry fireworks started going off inside my head.

I slammed my hands on the desk (this time without vandalism) and almost barked:

"Let's step out into the hallway, shall we?"—intending to clearly explain to this silly girl the difference between a weak quirk and a strong one.

However, it didn't go as planned.

"But the lesson starts in a minute..." she suddenly objected quietly. And here I thought—she's so unsure of herself and her quirk that she's seeking advice from, essentially, the first stranger she comes across.

Calmly, gently, softly, politely—and suddenly, a backbone. Interesting.

"If you're even afraid of being late for class, how are you going to fight villains?" I chuckled mockingly.

"But my grades will drop... and we have to take a written exam on all subjects..."

My enthusiasm drained. What a bore.

"Ugh... okay, we'll step out after class..."

By the time the appointed hour came, I had completely cooled off and regretted the promise a hundred times over, constantly catching the curious glances of my classmates and Kodai's own sidelong looks.

However, when the torturous academic hour finally passed, my conscience simply wouldn't allow me to ditch the girl, who was nervously wringing the hem of her skirt and waiting by my desk once again. And it wasn't that she seemed particularly shy or hesitant... but there was something off about her. Something... broken, perhaps?

Without a word, I moved towards the hallway, gesturing for her to follow.

Yui followed me, lagging a couple of steps behind.

Our classmates followed her, also lagging a couple of steps behind.

"..."

Sighing, I moved to the end of the hallway, where there was a relatively quiet dead-end. Sometimes upperclassmen would smoke there, or upper-class girls would make out, but in the morning, there was a chance of not running into anyone. And so it was.

Stopping by the only window, I sternly glanced towards the corner leading to the classrooms and warned:

"I didn't invite you!"

And I lightly stomped my foot with a bit of enhancement, kicking up dust a couple of meters around.

The curious noses sneezed and retreated.

Still, I had no doubt they wouldn't be deterred so easily. After all, these were kids—curious and persistent. Ah, what does it matter, anyway? It's not like I'm about to reveal any secrets...

Yui also sneezed quietly, cutely hiding her nose behind her sleeve.

I turned to the girl and leaned against the windowsill, watching the dust particles dance in the sunlight. Warm...

I had to shift my gaze to the girl, which made me frown again.

Well, might as well talk—no way out of it.

"Listen, Yui. You're not a foolish girl... so why are you spouting such nonsense? And it's not just that you're saying it—you clearly believe this nonsense!"

"I don't understand..."

The girl clearly wasn't expecting this, so much so that she took a step back. The keychain on her bag—a matryoshka, red and white—glittered and swayed in the sunlight.

"There are people who shout from every corner that there are no good or bad quirks. Just as there are no weak or strong quirks. But... saying that in a world where there's All Might, while someone else can only unravel ordinary clothes into threads, is foolish. The first is a great hero, the second is destined to become, at best, a fashion designer. Isn't that right?"

"...yes..."

"Now let's turn to the top pro-heroes in Japan. Who's fifth on the list right now, do you recall?"

"Best Jeanist..."

"Right. Do you know what he's capable of?" I closed my eyes, enjoying the rays warming my back.

"Y-yes. I read that he can immobilize an entire crowd of people in an instant... and move quickly... and create traps... all based on controlling the threads that make up our clothes..."

"Exactly. Tsunagu Hakamata is probably the most technically skilled of the current heroes. And he also owns his own modeling agency and a huge yacht," I stretched. "He studied at U.A., by the way. Do you understand why I'm telling you this?"

"That he didn't give up and enrolled despite his weak quirk?..."

If I keep sighing like this, I'm going to develop emphysema.

"No. I'm telling you this because, unlike most people who want to become heroes—or become villains—Tsunagu, like most of those who became pro-heroes, possesses a brain. He uses it."

"..."

"His quirk isn't combat-oriented. In a direct confrontation with any opponent, any idiotic villain, he'd lose. But Best Jeanist was smart and hardworking enough to turn his quirk into the most combat-oriented one. He came up with many ways to use those threads to support and help other heroes. He learned to use it with different fabrics and prepare for both opponents and battles—and that's why he always hides his face with a scarf, keeping an additional resource. He found out that denim is the strongest, burns the worst, and is easiest to use with his 'Threadmaster' quirk, hence his image. He studied the technical aspects, understood the different types and subtleties of sewing and cutting clothes to enhance and speed up his techniques, to make traps and 'cocoons' stronger—and as a result, became a fashion expert."

As I spoke, Yui's eyes widened more and more, until I started believing I'd really landed in an anime.

"Now do you understand? In reality, there are no strong and weak quirks. There are only strong and weak people. If someone truly is a warrior, someone who wants to be able to protect themselves and those around them, to fight, to stand up for their personal truth—then they'll find a way to use any advantage, any weapon, any resource in battle. And any quirk. Yes, those with simple quirks are indeed lucky... in some ways. But opponents and situations can vary greatly, and most often, the winner is not the one who's stronger in a head-to-head confrontation, but the one who's smarter and better prepared. Flexible thinking, well-thought-out tactics, various gadgets to enhance their quirk and use it in as many situations as possible—that's what turns those who want to be heroes into those who actually become heroes. Not luck at birth."

Yui listened. I caught my breath. I don't remember the last time I talked this much...

"As for you... your quirk is anything but weak! It's flexible and incredibly multifunctional; it has significant combat potential, both in offense and defense, it can perform a support role for other heroes, and it will work excellently with other quirks. Without knowing the details, I can think of ten ways off the top of my head to use it in a fight against villains or the aftermath of natural disasters, and all that's needed for its successful application is quality training. And brains. So I really don't understand your doubts—you're a smart girl. That's all I wanted to say."

The girl remained silent, even forgetting to try and tear off a piece of her skirt, so I figured the audience was over and turned to leave. So to speak, the moor has done his job...

Yeah, right, wishful thinking.

"Shoda-senpai, please... forgive me for my foolishness and selfishness!" she called after me (though, mind you, we're still talking about Yui, so it was more of a soft-spoken remark). "I was only displaying unworthy jealousy of you, your confidence, and your quirk, but I could never have imagined the amount of work you've put into understanding and preparing for the hero profession..."

Oh, come on... does she reread "Ivanhoe" every day?

I tried not to show my irritation:

"Come on, it's all good. Since we've talked, let's just head back to—"

"Please, tell me what I should do?"

Huh?

I turned back and stared at the girl, raising an eyebrow.

The recommended girl, meanwhile, nervously fiddled with her smartphone, with its red and white case and some kind of keychain, and stammered as she tried to explain what exactly she was asking for:

"...applying to U.A. Academy... though, of course, it's not right to say this, but it still seems to me that it's slightly unfair... I understand that it's for the best of the best, but the entrance exams also have a practical part... applicants need to demonstrate skilled use of their quirk, but... I want to enroll in the hero course so that they can teach me how to use it, right? But it turns out that the exam is for those who are already trained... but no one teaches me, because using quirks in everyday life is prohibited, because you can't, right? But then how can I learn to use it, and where can I find a teacher? ...My parents don't... and I have no one to turn to, and the pro heroes are too busy, I know, I wrote to them... those whose powers seemed similar to mine... Rock Lock, for example... but..."

It seems I misjudged her. I thought she was a quiet kuudere, like a minimalistic Ayanami Rei, but as soon as I touched on the topic she was interested in, opened the "social shell" a bit, and...

She reminded me somewhat of the protagonist from the anime based on this world, Midoriya.

What happened in her life that made her so insecure? Almost downtrodden? Or is it just me, and this is normal for kids at that age?

"Alright, so what do you want from me?"

Yui Kodai raised her eyes to me, and I had to meet an unexpectedly intense gaze, filled with a cocktail of conflicting emotions. She took a deep breath, as if preparing to dive into icy water. It looked endearing:

"Shoda-san... I mean, senpai... you've already given me more than I hoped for! You explained that... it's not my quirk that's weak, but I myself am foolish... I'm sorry that I dare ask for more... but... please, tell me how to become stronger! Please... help me become a hero!"

You've got to be kidding me.

Sighing (definitely going to get pneumonia), I was about to hint that I don't get paid for tutoring...

But suddenly, I saw something familiar in her eyes, in the way she looked at me.

Something I see every day in the mirror... something that has driven me all these years.

Something that kept me going at this grueling pace for twelve whole years—until the serious results started showing.

And it's not that Yui looked exceptionally cute, flustered but fired up and slightly flushed, nor that she was attractive and gazed at me with imploring eyes like that famous cat from a cartoon from my past life, and not even that, with all her meekness and insecurity, she looked very vulnerable and fragile. No, it wasn't that.

It's just that, for the first time, I saw hope in her eyes. A very familiar hope.

And suddenly, I thought that we weren't all that different, despite all the obvious differences.

She has a dream too... the same dream.

So yes—I began to think.

The thesis that quirks can't be strong or weak seems to have gotten through to her, so she's capable of learning... And no matter how it might look from the outside, she's capable of rational actions and puts achieving her goal above, for example, her pride or the usual social norms in Japan. Not everyone would ask for help in her place, especially from a peer... far from everyone.

Alright, maybe I can give her a couple of pieces of advice. And really, what harm could come of it?

She's going to become a hero and a U.A. student anyway, and it's unlikely this will mess up the canon...

So why not help someone a little?

After all, I'm going to be a hero.

The bell rang, but neither I nor Yui, who was nervously gripping her phone, moved.

The bright keychain sparkled in the sunlight...

"Alright," I said. "I'll help. Though I'm puzzled by your faith in a person whose quirk you've hardly seen, I'm not against it. Though I'm not sure what you're expecting from me... But keep in mind: the most important thing here is for you to start thinking about—"

"Thank you, Shoda-senpai!" I was interrupted. "I won't let you down," she assured me with all seriousness.

Good grief...

"Alright... ahem. Let's go to class. Grades, all that..."

"Oh..."

***

As it happened, today was my turn to clean the classroom (in Japan, these duties are strictly observed, and I saw no reason to demand any special privileges for myself—I'm not made of sugar, after all), and Yui volunteered to help me, so we ended up alone in the classroom.

After finishing with the board and chairs, I sat on the edge of a desk.

There was no rush—this evening Ojiro was supposed to leave for regional competitions with his brothers and sisters (one of whom, by the way, with fluffy ears on her head—an actual catgirl!—had taken to giving me looks, which amused me more than anything else), school assignments I still breezed through like pistachios, and I'd already had my full workout.

Yui meekly sat on a chair across a desk from me, ready to listen.

The thought crossed my mind that this was probably the first time in recent years that I was calmly sitting and talking to a member of the opposite sex who was "my" age. Well, well, I'm starting to relax... what's next? Start playing video games again, watching anime? I can't even remember the last time...

At least I didn't turn out to be a complete sarcastic cynic with such a life path.

"Alright, Kodai-san. What exactly are you interested in?"

"Shoda-senpai, I'm grateful that you made me realize my quirk isn't as weak as I thought, and..."

I frowned:

"Kodai, let's skip all the... formalities and etiquette. I'm a simple guy, from an ordinary family. Let's just go with 'you.'"

"O-okay... Shoda."

I nodded encouragingly.

"I... um..." she took a deep breath and focused, "first of all, I would really appreciate some advice regarding my training strategy. Secondly, if it's not too presumptuous of me, I'd like to know the general strategy of your... your training."

A smirk crept onto my face. Seemed like a quiet, timid girl, but don't stick your finger in her mouth—she'll bite it off... the whole thing at once.

Asking about the details of someone else's quirk is practically taboo. It's not done. And even in theory, few would answer—everyone has their quirks and secrets to protect. What if a villain learns about some of your weaknesses...

Are there any secrets in how I'm preparing for U.A.?

Stupid question. Of course there are. I've worked long and hard to appear like a typical close-combat fighter with an enhancement quirk, like Rabbit Hero or, for example, the well-known villain Muscular. I'm not sure I can fool seasoned veterans like All Might (he knows more about quirks of this kind than anyone) or Eraser Head, but there's a good chance that villains won't find out my true capabilities until the last moment. I'll be playing the "Midoriya's cousin" role, in short.

Therefore, all my training to reduce quirk activation time and attempts to integrate enhancement into spatial movement are, to put it mildly, inappropriate. God willing, I'll at least figure this out by the time of the U.A. entrance exam.

So, what can I tell her? About the benefits of martial arts and daily exhausting physical training? Doubtful—her quirk isn't geared towards close combat, and... ah-ha-ha, well yeah, who am I kidding, of course I'm going to feed her this!

No matter what a hero or villain's abilities are, physical fitness, tactical knowledge, and combat skills are nearly more important factors than the quirk itself.

Especially since I already have an idea of how she could use her quirk in combination with combat training...

But first, I still need to understand what I'm dealing with—and how bad it is.

"...did anyone ever teach you anything? About how to handle your power, I mean. How to develop it, how to train it?"

"N-no."

Well, I'll be.

Seeing my doubts, she quickly added:

"But I'm willing to reveal all the details of how my quirk works, if necessary."

The girl is completely desperate. How is it even possible that with such a promising power, no one has taught her until now? Well, alright, it's not like she's Momo or that girl—I can't remember her name—who could split into parts, levitate, and regenerate, but still...

On the other hand, there are plenty of incredibly powerful quirks in the world. I think governments care more about ensuring quirk users don't become problems or villains, and whether they become a decent hero—with the overwhelming desire to become one—isn't as important. There will always be a selection to choose from. And those who truly strive for greatness will find and learn on their own.

Seek and you shall find, right?

"Okay. My quirk... specialized training for it would be useless to you, but I'm sure you understand the general principles of preparation. Do you train your breathing and cardiovascular system, develop endurance?"

I was met with a blank stare. Adding some skepticism to my gaze, I rephrased:

"Do you run? In the mornings, in the evenings, other than during P.E.?"

Oh, bullseye. Yui, as if trying to embarrass me with her own embarrassed blush, stared at the desk and mumbled "no."

Well, I guess asking about self-defense lessons is pointless.

I considered how to approach her differently. Thought about it this way, and that way, and...

"Then let's do this—first, tell me how you see yourself using your quirk in the future, in a hero career. Based on that, I'll be able to understand how to complement your combat strategy, how to expand your arsenal of techniques, and what to focus your attention on. Deal?"

"Okay..." the brunette, blinking, quickly gathered her thoughts and began to explain something that, most likely, she had never told anyone before. I couldn't say I felt flattered.

Moreover, I was sure I already knew what she was going to say.

"I think... I used to think that my quirk was only suitable for long-range support of allies from a distance and maybe defense. I planned to carry something like a bag or several pockets with hard small items like... nuts, bolts, coins, maybe some plates or bottle caps... They could be enlarged and thrown. And I could also pick up large objects in battle, shrink them, and throw them... or ask someone with great physical strength to throw them. Also..."

She was twirling her phone with the keychain in her hands again—it seemed to be her version of prayer beads. She fidgeted with it and calmed down.

In the bright dangling thing, I was surprised to recognize a completely traditional matryoshka. Funny...

As I thought, what Yui said was one hundred percent in line with what she demonstrated in my past-future. Past for me, future for her...

A direct, like a ram, approach to interacting with objects. No creativity or ingenuity.

Strange that in that world, other pro hero instructors didn't suggest more sophisticated tactics to her. Hmm...

No, this won't do.

Stopping her with a gesture, I gave her something like a directive:

"Here's your homework assignment from me personally, Kodai. Prepare something like a report on your quirk, where you briefly outline all—absolutely all!—possible uses of your quirk that you can imagine. Of course, they should be useful, practically applicable, and theoretically possible, but otherwise, don't limit yourself. For example, in resources or complexity of impact. Deal?"

The girl nodded with all seriousness.

"When it's ready, we'll meet after class, here..." I then remembered the law prohibiting the use of quirks in public places, "Or maybe, no, better somewhere quiet, in some... park? For example, the municipal one at Revan Station, do you know it?"

Another stern nod.

I nodded in response and, slinging my light bag over my shoulder, headed for the exit.

"Great. Well... see you tomorrow, Yui Kodai."

"See you tomorrow, sempai... Shoda..."