Hanma Dojo, 6 days later
Sanosuke could be seen inside the gym built into his Family's dojo, bench pressing massive weights with ease while counting out loud.
"9,997; 9,998; 9,999; 10,000. Hm, this has become too easy, bench pressing 500 tons has stopped giving me results no matter how many reps i do. Sigh, hopefully UA will have heavier weights, or at least some way for me to still train in SOMETHING with benefits."
Said Sanosuke as he put up the weights and barbell before heading over to the massive, spinning metal training post with metal limbs protruding at different heights and positions, with each limb being of varying lengths too.
Once he was in front of the training post, he starting typing in commands into the terminal built into it so that when he strikes the post, the limbs will continuously start becoming faster, more erratic, and hit harder, with the initial setting entered at Grandmaster Level.
"It's been a while since I've used the Metal Sparring Post, it's been almost 8 months now that I think about it. It stopped being useful because of the restriction placed on it by mother to not go beyond Senior Master Rank unless a Grandmaster entered the Restriction Release Code. Hopefully it will be a challenge."
Once he finished entering the restriction release code and confirmed he was ready, he immediately started attacking the training post with rapid, devastatingly powerful attacks using his style's various techniques and teachings, all while defending himself from the ferocious retaliation from the Post.
If an outsider were to see this, they would be both flabbergasted and most likely injured from the rapid, machine-gun rate of Fire shockwaves slamming into them, which was frighteningly enough, speeding up and becoming stronger.
All the while, this scene was being observed by a nervously sweating Toshinori who had just walked through the gym door, already dressed in workout clothes himself, only to witness a ferociously grinning Sanosuke fighting with the Post.
*Shudders* 'He has improved again, and is releasing his battle lust again. Thank Kami that he decided to use the Post before I came in, I REALLY don't want to 'spar' with him right now. But this is getting crazy! I didn't think that he had improved this much in such a short time! What dedication! Maybe I should start accepting his training invites more?'
Just as this though entered into his mind, the machine started picking up the pace and becoming more powerful and erratic in its strikes, thus hitting Sanosuke more often then not. At least, until Sanosuke started laughing like mad and impossibly, started bulking up until his shirt was ripped off of his body, showing his abnormal muscles on his back that looked like a snarling demon face.
When the demon face was fully developed, Sanosuke's speed, power and durability all of a sudden increased exponentially. Strikes that were moving faster than he could block, were now intercepted. Blows that would stagger him even after blocking, couldn't even budge his blocking limbs now. And the post itself, which was rooted firmly on the ground without budging when hit, was now starting to dangerously wiggle and rock about with each blow. Thus shocking Toshinori to his core.
'Oh My Goodness! What is that!? Since when did Sanosuke's back muscles form a Demon Face on it?! And how did he suddenly become stronger and faster?! Is it a new technique I don't know about which only Grandmasters or Family Members can learn?! Wow! ..... Yeah, still not going to accept his training invites often. I don't feel like becoming like that *CRASH* .... post. *gulp*
Just as Toshinori was thinking this, Sanosuke had sped up even further, all while becoming even more deadly and ferocious in his movements, due to his battle lust and aggression increasing exponentially as well. After tens of thousands of blows in only a couple minutes, Sanosuke managed to land a final, devastatingly powerful kick on the Post with a wild, primal shout and sent it flying into the gym wall, leaving a crater in the wall as it just barely held together, while the post had a massive indent of his foot on it now.
After that kick, Sanosuke stayed in position for a few seconds more, just gaining control of both his breathing and his sudden increase in aggression. Finally, after a couple minutes, Sanosuke gathered himself together and stood straight, observing the damage that he caused before turning to the gym's entrance leading to the dojo, where Toshinori was standing, staring with his mouth wide open and eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
Seeing this, Sanosuke grinned a cocky, yet somehow friendly, smile at his friend.
"Now Toshinori, I know I'm amazing and a work of art to be admired, but I don't swing that way."
Hearing this, Toshinori finally snapped out of his stupor before power walking over to Sanosuke, all while bombarding him with questions about what he just saw.
"That was amazing Sanosuke! I never knew you improved so much in such a short time!
What was with the demon face on your back? Is that a secret technique of your school or family? Is it a technique only taught to those of the grandmaster rank? Did you create it yourself? Can I learn it? Well Sanosuke? Can I? That would be extremely useful for a Hero!"
It took a moment, but Sanosuke was able to repeat and understand what Toshinori said at a more reasonable speed in his mind, before becoming shocked, then showing a joyful expression on his face.
"Wait! Did you say my back formed a Demon Face!? Is it still there?! Nevermind, I will see for myself!"
Sanosuke spat out rapidly, before quickly rushing past Toshinori to the dojo bathrooms and use the mirror by the hand washing sink to check for himself. Once he got there, he was ecstatic to see that he did in fact have a demon face formed on his back. Seeing that caused him to smile widely in pure joy and shout out loud for all to hear.
"YYEEESSSS!!! I finally did it! The Demon Face Back has been formed! Hahahaha!!"
Toshinori, who had followed Sanosuke out of curiosity, since his questions were never answered, asked Sanosuke a question.
"What is the Demon Face Back? You've still not answered me about that?"
Hearing Toshinori, Sanosuke managed to calm himself down again before addressing Toshinori with a small, yet still happy smile.
"The Demon Face Back is a mutation that is only found in the direct bloodline of the Hanma Family. Essentially, once a Hanma achieved a certain level of physical ability, we can enter an empowered state that drastically increases our strength, speed, endurance, durability, combat ability and more when compared to our previous state."
"This empowered state also comes with an enhanced healing factor, which I already have but will be further increased, and greatly enhanced our longevity, talent, potential, rate of improvement, combat sense, and instinct."
"This is the Dream of every person with any Hanma blood in their veins, almost like a Right of Passage really. The only downside to using the Demon Face Back is an exponential increase in aggression and battle lust, with the potential to fall into a berserk frenzy if a Hanma isn't able to control themselves."
"The end goal of any Hanma who have achieved the Demon Face Back is the ability to keep it activated permanently, as it had been theorized that if a Hanma can keep it activated permanently, even while asleep, severely injured or forcefully knocked out somehow, their rate of growth will be godly, until they eventually become THE most powerful creature in the World! Hahahah!"
After completing his mini rant caused by his happiness, Sanosuke again burst out in loud joyous laughter, while Toshinori himself had a look of shock and weary caution on his, with his body experience a cold sweat from fear.
'Dead Kami that is ominous as hell. Oh my goodness! What if Sanosuke were to lose it and enter the berserk state?! He would be nigh unstoppable! The damage to the city and casualties alone would be mind boggling!'
It was with this thought, that Toshinori was GLAD that Sanosuke decided to become a Hero instead of a villain, as an evil Sanosuke was just too frightening to think about. Shaking his head from the frightening images that train of thought caused, Toshinori decided to quickly change the subject with something to distract Sanosuke and himself.
"I'm happy for you Sanosuke, I really am. But have you thought about what we might be doing tomorrow for the Entrance Exams? I haven't seen much of you these last six days as I've been busy training my Quirk."
When Sanosuke heard Toshinori's question he finally calmed himself down completely and answered Toshinori with a casual dismissal.
"Haven't really thought about it. But if I had to guess it would be a multi-purpose exam to test combat ability, utility on the field for those without combat quirks, disposition as a hero, and such. Anyways, I will see you later Toshinori, I have to clean up the mess I made and file the paperwork to order another Post. Hm, maybe even request for an improved one?"
Upon saying this, Sanosuke waved Toshinori goodbye and head back to the gym portion of the dojo while muttering under he breath.
Toshinori, seeing Sanosuke walk away, could only sweat drop at his casual dismissal of both him and the subject of hero exams tomorrow, before sighing and leaving the dojo himself, having only wanted to say goodbye to Sanosuke earlier after training under Master Black earlier and cleaning the dojo.
'Tomorrow is the day I take the next step to become the Number 1 Hero. I won't let you down Nana-Sensei, Sora-Sensei. Just you wait, the road might be long and I have many obstacles and people that I have to surpass, but I will succeed. I will become the Pillar of Peace who just being there will bring joy to the innocent, and a smile on my face.'
With this thought coursing through his mind, Toshinori tightly clenched his fist before giving one last glance at the Hanma Dojo and walking away with one last thought.
'Although I WILL become the Number 1, I don't think I will ever become STRONGEST. That title will probably always belong to another.'