Chapter 41 - Fight!

Days passed after Fury bluntly announced Melissa's purpose in the Academy. To replace any student through a traditional challenge. That was all that was said, but it made every low-ranked student scared for their position.

While Platinum-ranked students are only four ranks above Bronze, in truth, the difference is depressing. However, the Bronze-ranked students are quality students compared to other Hero Academies, but comparing them to Leo's class is bullying.

This made everyone curious about Melissa's skills, quirk, talent, and everything! While that happened, everyone close to Leo was pestering him for answers since they shared the same room.

Percy was a 'Percy'stent one, but Leo was even more. All he kept repeating was for them to wait and he'd introduce her soon. For now, Melissa was shy, staying in their room and spying on her future opponent.

Like, right now. Melissa and Leo were in the living area, sitting on the couch together, looking through the gathered info. "You need help making a decision?" Leo offered; he wanted to help get her an assured spot. Her sifting through Iron and Bronze made him feel fidgety!

While the game plan Leo suggested was to fight a Bronze-ranked student, Melissa wanted to cement her place in the Academy and go for an Iron-ranked student.

Taking a paper from the two ranks, Melissa held it out for Leo to see. "How about this student? Claims to be the strongest in his rank," she showed a picture of a glowing ember-haired boy with a rank of Iron.

Looking at it, the person looked cocky. Well, practically everyone who claims to be the strongest in their rank is egotistical in some manner. "What's the details?" Leo asked as he sat closer next to her, shoulder-to-shoulder.

"My 'bugs' managed to capture his training. His quirk is related to fire; from the looks of it, fire breathing. It seems he can store massive quantities of air in his lung as fuel, and he breathes it out as fire when he wants. The temperature of his flames is around 1400°c, with a maximum range of 5 meters." Melissa gave a brief rundown explanation, feeling confident about this one.

"Did he utilize his quirk in any other manner?" Leo asked while looking at the choice of opponent. Having trained a semester in the Academy is still something; you don't just become a quirk-reliant fool. So, it was best to be wary of any student Melissa faced.

"There were, primarily in, how intense each breath was," as she explained, a finger was to her chin. "The smaller his mouth was, the more intense they were. Like this~" Suddenly, she showcased how it looked by puffing her cheeks and blowing hard in Leo's direction, "PHEWWWWW~!"

Melissa did it with such passion that Leo was caught off guard before bursting into laughter! "PWAHAHAHA!" Holding his stomach as he laughed hard.

Embarrassed and realizing what she did, her face heated like bell peppers. Slapping Leo's thigh lightly, "Stop~! I was only demonstrating how he looked while doing it!" She tried explaining her cute actions, only making Leo want to tease her more.

Slightly frowning with a pout, it made Leo stop... maybe. He poked her pout and apologized, "Okay, okay~! I'll stop. Now, where were we?"

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After discussing the pros and cons of choosing this student, they ended up picking him simply because he was the only one openly showing his quirk's utilization.

With Melissa's arrival, those of the Bronze rank actively did not train, fearing having their quirks learned about them. While those in the Steel-rank and above were calm and collected, thinking there was no possibility for them to be beaten.

With a decided opponent, Leo helped Melissa and informed Fury about Melissa's choice. Fury's only response was to be ready tomorrow at noon, and he would get staff to notify the student.

With a big day ahead of them tomorrow, they decided to get some rest. Upon plopping on his bed, Leo immediately had no trouble sleeping; he was past the nightmares of his past.

However...

Inside her room, Melissa was tossing and turning, unable to sleep. "Nanny, is it possible for you to make me sleep?" Her nanites could manipulate the essential nutrients in her body; surely, it could do the same for melatonin, right?

[Owner, I'm afraid that's not a healthy choice if it becomes a habit. Your pineal gland will become reliant, and you will lose the natural ability to fall asleep without me. The brain is a delicate organ to manipulate, do not attempt under any circumstance.]

Groaning at the answer but finding the logic in it, Melissa frustratingly tussled with a pillow! "What do you suggest? I feel anxious about tomorrow!"

Instantly, Nanny spoke, [From recorded data about your body, your heart rate and brain activity is calmer when around the entity, Leo Morningstar. Resting with the entity nearby will be a healthy alternative, Owner.]

Those words made her mind go blank. "W-W-what?" She stuttered, not sure if what she heard was right. 'Did Nanny just tell me to sleep with Leo!?'

[Heart rate and brain activity are spiking, was the suggested approach wrong?] Nanny inquired, trying to know more about Melissa to help her better in the future.

Melissa wanted to refute. However, if she did, Nanny would get confused. It's one of the things her Papa told her about. Always be truthful to the AI since it's learning from her behavior to appropriately adapt to her needs. And by lying to it, it'd only confuse the AI about Melissa's needs and wants.

"Ughh, no, Nanny. Your suggestion was correct. However, I'm shy about it. He's currently courting me, and sleeping with the person might be much, don't you think?" She opened. If she can't trust her AI that can speak directly to her ear, then how can she trust it with her life?

Nanny didn't speak for a minute, but it soon did. [After searching the internet on things related to your situation, it is concluded that sharing how you feel with the person is a healthy way to conduct a relationship. From my searches, men are infamously dense. The entity courting you is a man. Men also feel emotionally grateful when the other party takes the initiative. Concluding... Resting with the entity, Leo Morningstar yields multiple pros. Please engage in the action immediately.]

'What kind of advice is this!? I mean... it's true? I don't know! Isn't it usually the guy visiting the girl in their room? Or is that just fantasy?' Her face felt heated from her internal turmoil.

Sighing in defeat, she decided to heed the advice. Raising from her bed, she fixed her tank top that threatened to fall off. Bending to stand, her breast swayed without their clothed covers, the bra.

Making her way to Leo's room with her pillow, she spotted him asleep with his massive body on the King-sized bed. Gently, she strode with silent steps, careful to not make a sound.

However, it wasn't enough. Leo woke up carefully with his sensitive hearing since he didn't know anyone who would enter his room 'stealthily.'

Looking at the figure slowly approaching him, he calmed when he spotted the figure with a sizeable pillow. 'What's Melissa doing here?' He observed as the girl claimed her spot on the side of the bed.

The bed was big enough for the two, so he was confused about why she was at the edge. Thinking nothing of it, he went and grabbed the girl, startling her.

She gasped when she felt Leo's arms grab her closer to him. Her back pressed to his broad and warm chest, and she became the little spoon.

"Why're you here? Can't sleep?" Leo asked in a mumble, looking at the back of her head. His hands caressed her arms instinctively. "Couldn't sleep... I'm nervous about tomorrow. I tried sleeping here to see if I'd... calm down," her response was soft.

[You are calming down.] Nanny spoke, but Melissa ignored it.

Luckily the lights were off; Melissa already felt shy about the situation. "Is it working?" asked Leo, slowly embracing and spooning her. And it was working; Melissa had already started feeling drowsy.

Instead of responding, she turned her body around, facing Leo now, burying her head in his chest, and using his arms as a pillow. She felt at ease; sleeping in a new place while having to face someone tomorrow wasn't easy on her psyche. She's new to this. But right now, she forgot about everything else and went to sleep.

Hearing nothing in response, Leo smirked and gave a small kiss to her forehead, and slept.

Though, he did forget to say goodbye to his arm... it'd feel dead by the time he woke up.

_______________

The challenge arena was packed; everyone wanted to see the transfer student. It was all they could talk about these past few days. A transfer student midway into the school year? That was unheard of!

Chatter was heard in every corner of the arena, everyone speculating where the transferee came from; everyone was absorbed by the topic. Hell, some already made bets with the newcomer losing.

Meanwhile, Leo sat in the bleachers, massaging his limp arm. 'My arm feels like it got robbed of its nerves!' Around him were his friends Diana, Angela, Percy, and Raiden. His classmates were too, but they were seats apart, with their own cliques.

"Sooooo, who's the girl? It's got to be someone special if you're willing to let them stay in your room, right~?" Percy's playful personality came and prodded Leo. The girls around him were curious too.

Leo differed from other boys they had observed over the months of knowing each other. He wasn't someone who actively interacted like Percy does. He didn't boast like others.

He's the type who interacts with those that go to him. Rarely does he go looking. And the weird thing is, he's like some weird mash-up of an extrovert but keeps this barrier to getting to know people?

So, to them, seeing Leo actively interact with this person has to be someone special. Hence their curiosity.

And for Leo, being the straightforward guy he is, he answered bluntly. "Her name's Melissa, a cute girl I'm courting," Leo announced proudly; he liked her. The fact that she made it to her level without a quirk is something. Her background may have an influence on it, but at the end of the day, she strove to beat her peers and went on to win awards while having no quirk at all.

Was Leo attracted to hardworking girls? Probably.

Anyway, those around Leo sat stunned and wide-eyed. "Oh my~ how did you end up asking the girl~?" Angela asked in her Swiss accent. "Did you sing a song? Play an instrument?"

Leo chuckled hearing the questions; it was none of those. "She was shooting an experimental gun at me while we sparred... and after that, we're here," leaving out huge chunks of the story.

"Wait, wait, wait," Percy tried to intervene from what he heard, but the crowd's volume suddenly shot up, interrupting him. Looking down, they saw the girl in question making her way to the middle.

"That's her!?" Some said simultaneously, surprised to see such a soft-looking dainty girl as Leo's special someone. They'd think someone of Star and Stripe build is Leo's preference.

"Yup!" That was all he said before getting ready to watch the fight and support, Melissa.

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CHEERS!

Hey, guys! How has the progress been? Has it been too slow of progress? Tell me your thoughts!