38. Among us.

It was friday when school resumed, and Aizawa returned us to track in full swing.

"Morning. You all did good yesterday. But next time just run. Especially you, Yuji. That was a dangerous move you pulled there. I don't want to see a repeat of that ever again. You're not pro heroes. Students shouldn't have to fight villains in their first years. And you need to deal with that hero complex." He chastised.

"Yup. But all's well that ends well, right?" I said, smiling.

"That'd be true if the fight was over." He said ominously.

"The UA sports festival is drawing near." He said, breaking the suspense.

"That's a super normal school event!"

Kirishima cheered.

"Wait a minute! Is it really okay to have the sports festival so soon after the villains snuck in?" Kaminari asked.

"Yeah. What if they attack again?" Ojiro added.

"Apparently they think of it as UA showing that our crisis management system is solid as rock by holding the event." Aizawa-sensei answered, "Security will also be strengthened to five times that of previous year's."

"Above all, our sports festival is a huge chance. It's not an event to be canceled because of a few villains." He added.

"Damn right!" Kirishima cheered.

"Our sports festival is one of Japan's biggest events. In the past, the Olympics were called a festival of sports, and the whole country was crazy about them. But as you know, with reductions in scale and population, they're now a shell of their former glory. And for Japan, what's taken their place is the UA sports festival." Aizawa explained.

"Of course, all the pro heroes around the country will be watching. For scouting purposes!" Momo said, excited.

"After we graduate, it's typical to join a pro hero agency as sidekicks." Kaminari said.

"A lot of people miss their chance to become independent after that and become eternal sidekicks, though." Jiro said in response looking at Kaminari.

"Kaminari, I feel like you'd be one of them. Because you're dumb."

Aizawa raised a hand silencing the students before he continued.

"Of course joining a famous agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited. If you expect to go pro, then the path to your future will open up at this event. One chance a year - a total of three chances. No aspiring heroes can afford to miss this event. If you understand that, then don't slack off in your preparations." Aizawa-sensei added.

""Yes Sir."" We all answered.

"Homeroom dismissed." Aizawa-sensei said, leaving the room.

"Even though all that stuff ahappened, I'm really excited!" Kirishima shouted.

"If we perform really well, we'll have taken the first steps too being a pro." Sero said.

"It was worth coming to UA!" Sato exclaimed, pumping his fists.

"We'll only have a few chances, so we can't afford to waste them." Tokoyami said in a dulcet tone.

"Regardless, it'll be a whole lot of fun!" I finished, getting in the last word as the bell rang, denoting the start of the next class.

Once the day's classes were over and done with, as we prepared to leave,a chatter broke out in the hallway, and footsteps shuffled across the corridors, before students of the general course crowded the door.

"W-what's going on?" Uraraka cried.

"What business do you have with class A?" Iida asked.

With Bakugo still in suspension, someone else had to deal with them.

Though I wasn't abput to use the same approach.

"They're scouting their competition." I explained, walking to the front.

"And apparently they have nothing better to do than to bum around here.

You know, if you guys wanted to really scout something, you should've cut classes and peeped on our training. It was out on the sports field today. Would've known our capabilities, been more productive than trying ...well, whatever this is." I advised, mockingly.

"I came to see what the famous class 1A was like, but you seem pretty arrogant." A voice came from within the crowd, as Hitoshi Shinso made his way over to us, scartching his head, one hand in his pocket.

"Are all the students in the hero course like that?" He asked.

"Oh you wish." I humored him, "But sadly they're not as confident.

Well, at least they cleared the entrance exam, so silver linings, eh?"

His expression twisted, a snarl building on the edges of his mouth.

"Tsk.....you only passed because of luck. You were born with great quirks. If any of us had the same, we'd have done the same, if not better.

There are quite a few people who enrolled in general studies or other courses because they couldn't make it into the hero course. Did you know that?" He said, venom laced in his words.

"I see." I replied with a serious expression, nodding generously, placing a hand on my head dramatically.

"Why didn't I think of that? Oh wait.....I did.

As did the rest of them!

You think everyone here was sure that they'd be the best of the best. Better tham the nearly 100k who apply every year to UA?

Some of them, sure, but most....certainly not. So take your persecution complex and shove it up yours." I made a poking gesture, before turning back, and beconing Deku.

"And as for having great quirks...." I added, pointing to him, "Deku here got in, ranked 17th in the exam.

And he's quirkless.

If you couldn't match a literal quirkless human poodle of a boy, you have no right to complain! Now move. Some of us have better things to do than indulge your humiliation fetish."

Shinso stepped forward, significantly hollowed but yet undeterred.

Intent of saying his piece to the end, he continued.

"This, seeing something like this makes me disillusioned. But it doesn't matter. The school has left us a chance. Depending on the results in the sports festival, they'll transfer some of us into the hero course. And they'll even transfer some of you out.

Scouting out the enemy?

I, at least, came to say that even of you're in the hero course, if you get too carried away, I'll sweep your feet out from under you." He said, eyeing the whole class.

"I came with a declaration of war."

I sighed, grabbing his shoulder, and looking him in the eye.

"Actions speak louder than words bud. And barking dogs oft leave no bite.

Go home. Prepare for this ... war as you put it.

Prove the worth of your words on the battlefield of dreams then, uh....what was your name again?" I asked, spotting Small Might at the back of the crowd, waving at me.

"Shinso. Hitoshi Shinso. Remember it. The name of the man who'll put you in your place." He replied.

"Good. That's the spirit!" I said, patting his shoulder enthusiastically, "But let's let the field reveal copper from gold, shall we?"

"Go fuck yourself." He snarked, moving out of my way, as I turned the corner to meet my mentor.

"That was quite the fiery speech, Yuji-shounen! A bit mean though, wasn't it?" He suggested.

"Nah. It just means he'll push himself harder. His quirk is great. If anyone, he deserves to be in the hero course. Shame he wasn't smart enough to exploit the weaknesses in the entrance exam, else..." I trailed, "He just needs to put his mind to it and he'll make a superb hero!"

"That's a high opinion. What is his quirk?" Small Might asked.

"Brainwashing." I answered, leaving him wide eyed.

He had even tried to use it on me back there. But I had copied his own and countered it, escaping embarrassment.

"What did you want to talk about, sensei?" I prodded.

"Ah, yes. Yuji-shounen! In the coming sports festival, I want you to show the world, I AM HERE!

And so, today we'll start your training, to master our quirk! All Might Special Training! Road To Plus Ultra!" He cheered, growing to his muscled form for effect.

"I see." I said, "But can we do this from tomorrow morning? I have a vet appointment today for my dog." I lied.

"Sure. Meet me at Dagobah beach tomorrow 5 am then." He agreed, "And don't worry. We'll make it before the festival starts!"

"Of course sensei!" I replied, matching his tone, pumping a fist in the air.

"Go now. I'll see you tomorrow." He patted my back, as I walked away.

Yet, as soon as I out of sight of him, I rushed to the teacher's lounge.

"Is Ectoplasm sensei here?" I inquired.

"Here!" Ectoplasm replied with a raised hand.

Walking over to him, I grabbed his hand in gratitude, shaking it, simultaneously copying his quirk.

"Sensei. First and foremost, let me thank you for carrying me to the infirmary that day. I'm truly grateful." I acted, shaking hia hand profusely.

"It's nothing. It was my job to do it." He replied, shyly.

"Is that so?

Well, regardless, you have my thanks. But also, I wanted to ask you something sensei.

You run the security around here right?" I asked, wearing a serious expression.

"What gave you that impression?" Je wondered curiously.

"Well, you do have a cloning quirk. Makes sense that the duty falls to you." I explained.

"Quite right. But why do you ask?" He replied.

"Because of the attack. I suspect, there might be traitors among us. How else could the villains breach our defenses so blatantly?" I dropped the bombshell.

All the teacher's snapped to attention at once, eyes on me.

"Am I wrong?" I asked, gingerly.

"No." Aizawa replied, rubbing his eyes, "Just that the Principal came to the same conclusion yesterday. How come you came to the same conclusion?"

"Great minds think alike, I suppose!" I smiled cheekily, only to get a chalk to my forehead.

"Answer honestly." Aizawa ordered.

"Fine, fine. It was because the first things the villains did was look around, as if waiting for a signal or warning. That tipped their hand. Suspicious, isn't it? Because it was clear as day that everyone was on the stairs. Why would they look all around then, of their goal was to bring down All Might?" I answered, to understanding nods.

Midnight pulled up a video of the incident, and remarked out loud.

"He's right."

"See?" I said, sliding back, turning to Aizawa.

"Since you already know this, I hope such incidents won't happen again, right?

Cuz I pissed off their leader in there, and I get the feeling that he isn't one to let bygone be bygones." I smiled nervously.

"So that is why..." Aizawa chuckled.

"What? Is it wrong to value my own life?" I huffed and pouted.

"No. No. It's just that you seemed.....no, nevermind." Aizawa hesitated.

"Uh huh? Well, please do your best to protect this lowly little student!" I bowed theatrically, before running out, "Lest I end up as monster chow~" I joked, from the hallway.

"What an oddball~" Midnight laughed.

"He's a cheeky bastard is what he is." Aizawa replied with a smile, as I moved out of earshot and back home.

This time, I wasn't going to make the same mistake as last time.

I pulled out my book and first boosted my rate of digestion before opening wide and vomitting out a line of clones, 11 this time.

Repeating the same process as before, I managed to stack another 31 One For All's before the power copy ran out.

This now meant that I had the accumulation rate of 52x compared to OFA.

And by my calculus, it'd now be up to standard, in 2 and a half years, give or take a month or so.

Enough to land me in a comfortable spot over the course of the next month, nearly at the same level as the third or fourth user of One For All.

All I needed now was time and effort.