Rising tides

'I didn't expect such a development,' Gang Orca mused as the speed boat was taking them back to the island.

Leaning back, he marvelled at the night sky before checking on Kirishima, who was currently resting on his side across from him.

He recalled, after bringing him back up to the boat, the blood he coughed up and the immediate scream he desperately held in. And that was before reaching into his utility belt and eating something.

Gang Orca wasn't sure what it was, but he assumed it was food of some kind as Kirishima's body quite literally blew off some steam as his body slowly healed.

And that took the energy out of him, putting him in his current state. 'A decent healing factor makes sense if his body's currently reinforcing itself not to suffer the same trauma.'

"I don't think a week will be enough for your defence or strength to match mine, but it will definitely improve." Gang Orca said the sleeping Kirishima.

'Almost there.'

Upon arriving on the island, he tried to wake up Kirishima but received no response. With no choice, he carried him off the boat and to his dorm with the help of Mark, as he couldn't really fit through the door.

"Um, what kind of training did you and the kid go through?" Mark couldn't help but ask.

"Some simple endurance training," he answered, leaving the area.

Exiting Gang Orca grabbed his hand with a short breath. He moved his finger, and a snap followed as his bone was in place.

"A great development in only one day," he muttered. His mind went back to the final moment of their training.

The last punch before Kirishima would faint, he remembered clearly swimming through the water towards Kirishima. He saw him reel his fist back.

'I didn't think he would strike back,' despite the development, he went ahead, reeling his fist back and throwing it forward. Not expecting much from Kirishima's strength.

Only to be surprised when he felt a strong force clashing with his.

Gang Orca chuckled at the memory. He held his wrist, feeling a faint pain, whistling a happy tune as he waltzed through the canopy of trees on a midnight stroll.

'I wonder what surprises tomorrow will bring.'

...

"Morning Mina," Kirishima spoke into his phone on the live call. "Sorry, I couldn't answer your texts. My training lasts till midnight. How was your first day?"

"No worries, my first day was nothing exciting besides some tests and a sparring session, but what about you? Are you alright? You look like someone threw you through a grinder."

Kirishima laughed, brushing his messy hair aside. "True, but weirdly enough, I feel fine."

Getting up, he angled his phone and went to brush his teeth. "Oh yeah, I can definitely tell." She slurred, not hiding her eyes, feasting on his chiselled body.

Ignoring that, he said, "I miss you too; it's weird not having someone to wake up next to."

He planned on keeping the coupons he gained a secret. After preparing for the day, he leaned back in a chair, spending time with Mina. Hearing about her first day and what's expected of her today.

"So you'll be in an investigation?" He asked.

Nodding, she continued. "Yep, I'll be taking part in an arsonist case. I'm actually leaving soon, so I'll let you know how it goes. Take care! Love you!" She blew kisses.

"I love you more, and be safe!" He was quick with the last part before hanging up.

'She'll be fine,' he said, standing up. 'I've still got some time before I'm on patrol. I'll head out.' With that set, he went out on a nature walk.

As he went through the path his mind wandered to last night, "The pressure was insane. And more with Gang Orca's punches."

Kirishima glanced down at his arms, flexing his muscles. "I definitely feel lighter and stronger."

He remembered his final moments clearly. He wasn't sure if he could take one more punch, but he wanted to.

"I forced myself to use all my strength and punched back, but I still went through the ocean floor. But I'm sure he must've felt it."

Putting that thought aside, Kirishima went to the non-exclusive part of the island for normal visitors since he had the time.

The main attraction on the island is the Okuto Aquarium. And since he was a temporary member of staff, he gets a free pass.

As he made his way there, he enjoyed the ocean view and passing attractions, even greeting a few people who remembered him from the sports festival.

"Ah, mommy, my balloon!" A small child cried out.

"Oh, sweety," a motherly voice said.

Turning his head, Kirishima saw the infant's blue balloon floating up rapidly because of the ocean-side wind.

'It's pretty high.' With a quick breath, he hardened his muscles slightly, increasing his already improved strength, and leapt up.

'Woah,' his stomach spun as he rose quickly, focusing as he neared the balloon. He grabbed the string and peered down.

The wind rushing past him as he fell brought a sense of calm. 'I don't want to break the pavement,' he thought, clicking the heel of his boots, which hummed to life as compressed air blasted out, stopping his fall.

Landing softly, he turned to the kid who saw him with wide eyes and said, "Here you go!" He flashed a smile.

"Wow!" He said he was grabbing the balloon. The child's mother whispered something in his ear. "Thank you for helping me, Mr. Hero."

'Aw,' Kirishima's smile brightened, "no problem," looking to the mother, "enjoy your day."

She mouthed a thank you, and they left with the child waving back at him. Watching them leave, Kirishima wondered

'How high did I jump? Would I have made it without even using my quirk?' He never wondered how high he could jump.

"Something to test for later then."

A moment later, he arrived at the main attraction of the island, hearing cheers and awe from inside the aquarium he went into after being checked by the staff.

"Damn," Kirishima was taken aback. As everyone was walking past various fish and displays, some stopped inside the tanks. Gang Orca was giving a full-on documentary of the fish he swam around.

There was even a glass floor where they could see the fish beneath him. Gang Orca swam past, circling a small yellow-orange fish. But there was a screen showing the fish in greater detail.

"This is the Bladefin Bassletand, one of the rarest fish in the world. It's found primarily in the Caribbean Sea and parts of the Western Atlantic Ocean.

They gather at depths deeper than 800 feet and can only be retrieved from wild populations using a submarine—a process that contributes to its high price of 10,000 dollars or 1.5 million yen."

As he said, a few more Bladefin Bassletts swam around his palm. He then moved on to another part of the aquarium, and the children saw him swim under their feet and chased after him.

Kirishima also followed and paid attention as he learned about the fish: 'How much did it cost to have them all here?'

"Yep, they're all here," a blonde-haired man said. "It's really amazing." He said it with a grin. But there was an uneasy air around him.

Maybe it was because most of the tourists followed Gang Orca and he felt safe, but Kirishima, viewing the man in a dirty grey hoodie, felt something off.

Before anything, though he walked away not to grab his attention, 'That's definitely odd.'

He stayed out of sight or tried his best to follow the man, and his suspicion only grew: 'He's only paid attention when the price of the fish was said.'

And more, he heard the man looking around and muttering things about time and location, though he did pull out a phone when talking.

'Alright, I've seen enough.'

...

"Shit, are you for real kid?" Mark wanted to confirm what Kirishima had told him.

"Alright, you're going to continue on your shift; we can't say whether or not he went alone, so if you were spotted, they might have someone watching you, so continue the day like nothing's changed."

He said, and Kirishima nodded and asked, "What about Gang Orca?"

"I'm gonna go inform him. We've got precautions for this. I'll probably have to send out an alert after."

Kirishima nodded. He went the day on his patrol as if nothing happened, but this time he was keener to interact with people who wanted to talk to him.

While he went his way, Mark was walking into the next floor of the aquarium, Gang Orca's office.

He was quick to inform him of what Kirishima saw.

"Yes, I noticed the man as well." He nodded. "We can't be certain about him; we've had false alarms before." He said.

"In that case, why don't I survey the guy? I'm already here, not doing much. I've already tailed a few suspicious folks before."

Gang Orca paused for a moment. "Alright then, alert every other member of staff once you locate him, and be careful."

Mark saluted, "You go it, boss!"

With that, he went out, reaching his intercom, and spoke, "We've got an alert of a potentially suspicious individual bee on the lookout for a blonde-haired man with a dirty grey jumper and yellow eyes."

After clicking, he moved and searched around; this continued for most of the day until he arrived at a pier and, in the distance, spotted the man he was looking for. But he wasn't alone; he was also with another man with bright orange hair.

Pressing his intercom, he spoke, "I've located the suspect; he's down at the docks and not alone with a man with bright orange hair."

'Why here?' He thought about diving in the water, and calmly he swam beneath them, listening to their conversation above.

"I think I've been found out." The man said he was relaxed.

"You had one job, Taro! He's not going to be happy about this," the man said.

Just hearing that was confirmation enough for him. 'Nice work, kid.' Mark thought.

Unknowingly, the two above him looked down, and the child clicked his teeth and said, "Great, now I've got another body to eat."

'What?' Mark held in surprise from coming out, 'I need to leave now!' He moved to swim but froze, and an icy chill ran up his spine.

He looked before frozen, body fidgeting as a pool of blood grew around him. "Ha! Gh!" He tried to grab his intercom but was slowly lifted out of the water.

A massive grey-clawed hand pierced his body, and emerging out of the water was a sharkman's face. "I can't have you blowing the whistle, mate. Cheers."

A flash of recognition went through Mark's eyes. With a toothy grin, the villain slowly tore him in two. While sinking deeper into the water.

No screams, no resistance. He was too weak against the king of the ocean.