Chapter 79: Preparation (2)
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"UA Festival is right around the corner." Aizawa trailed off and observed the students' reactions.
"But sensei!" Kaminari called. "With the villain attack happening just two days ago, is this really a good idea…?"
"It's necessary to demonstrate UA's crisis management protocol is sound…" He trailed off with a quiet sigh. "That's the thinking, apparently."
He continued. "Compared to the past years, there will be 5 times more security this time. This is not an event we can cancel just because of a few villains, our Sports Festival is the greatest opportunity you'll get."
He gave a short silence for the student to take his words in. I saw Momo forming a worried face and Ochako's face contorted weirdly, passion burning in her eyes.
"The Olympics, as you all know, was once the world's sports festival. But upon the emergence of quirks, it is merely a husk of its former self… But as far as Japan's concerned, the UA's sports festival has taken the place of the Olympics."
Immediately as Aizawa finished, muttering filled the room. Momo turned to face me, whispering with a hand covering her mouth.
"The nation's top heroes would be watching, right?"
"I guess." I nodded. "They will be there as scouts, and if we do good enough, after graduating we will receive invitations to become their sidekicks."
Momo started to say something, but Aizawa continued his words. "As you realise, if you do good and get picked by a top hero, you will receive tremendous experience and popularity. But your time is limited. Show what you're made of to the heroes, to Japan." He trailed off. "This only happens once a year, so you all got 3 chances. If you want to become a hero, this is something you can't miss! Good luck."
None of the students cheered or muttered, they only stared at each other with seriousness in their eyes.
"..."
3 times he said, eh. I only have 1 chance. But Aizawa is right about one thing, I can't miss this event. I have a Hero in mind who I want to fight beside me against the Gods, and if I want to attract her attention, I will need to poke her out of the rabbit hole. This is the greatest chance I would get for that.
—★—
Aizawa walked out of the classroom after sparing a glance at Neji. He honestly was sceptical about that kid. He did agree that the kid didn't have any intention to injure anyone, let alone kill them. But the matter of fact was the kid jumped on the battlefield even after he told everyone to stay back.
He fought villains, almost died, before his quirk suddenly burst out anew. Nezu said it's Quirk Awakening, but the mouse stopped him from asking Neji any question about it. It was clear to Aizawa that Neji would have died if not for being super lucky. If he hadn't jumped, dozens of lives wouldn't have ended like that. Dozens of students wouldn't have been injured like that.
It was all his fault that people actually died.
Aizawa didn't have a good impression of death. Some people could not be redeemed, yes, but as detective Tsukauchi had revealed, the villains who died were small-time thugs. They could have been redeemed. Their lives were not supposed to end like that.
This greatly lowered Neji's view in his mind. The only reason he didn't take things into his own hand was the truth that Neji had still saved his life. He killed people, yes, but he was still his life saviour. A large part of Aizawa refused to take the knife in his own hand and stab Neji in the back.
Not doing this, he hoped, was enough to repay his debt.
—★—
After class ended, we were back at the table in the cafeteria, eating.
"So you want to be a hero for money?"
Momo asked in disbelief towards Ochako who scratched the back of her head with an embarrassed face. The disbelief in Momo's voice must be getting into her.
"W-well, I guess…"
Imagine, lmao. Can't relate…. actually, I can, from my old life. A small part of my old life was my mother depending on my uncles, I guess that was my most financially miserable days. But after Mom started selling me to rich milfs, things turned out fine.
A small part of me asked 'But at what cost?', which I ignored. I don't care, that life is a past, this one is the present.
I sipped on a packet of orange juice and stared at the two girls chattering and sharing their different lifestyles with each other. Eh, they're getting along a lot better than I thought they would… Considering Ochako was heartbroken by her.
Shrugging, I turned my head on the side instead, observing the fleeting students. They were all chattering, eating, and laughing. Huh, high school life doesn't look that bad. I can't enjoy it as much as they are doing but I can't say what I am getting isn't great.
"What about you, Neji?"
Suddenly Momo pulled my sleeves. I turned to her and tilted my head. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
Momo stared at my eyes before blushing and looking away, the memories of that night most likely appearing on her head.
Ochako explained instead. "Why do you want to be a hero?"
"Oh." I stopped sipping juice and thought for a moment.
Uraraka wants to become a hero for money. Momo wants to do it because she strangely has a hero complex (rich people are weird). What about me? Is there any reason I would even want to become a hero? I had explained why I came to UA, and becoming a hero wasn't part of it.
...Actually, being a hero even as a job isn't that appealing to me.
Uh-ah, well…
I smiled confidently. "I want to become a hero to save the world from evil."
Yeah, that would do.
—★—
School ended shortly, and I asked Nejire to return home without me via phone. She protested for minutes before I managed to wave her off.
"So, what's up?"
Momo asked as I grabbed two coke from a vending machine and threw one at her.
"I explained the Personal Dimension and stuff 3 days ago, right?" I leaned over the wall, taking a sip of the coke. "There is a gate in this school, but I will most likely get caught if I disappear and appear out of nowhere since nobody else can see the 'Gates', you get it?"
Momo nodded, with a thinking pose. "So how can I help?"
I smiled at her. "Open a club, whatever the topic may be, and then add some students. I can excuse myself anytime inside the campus in that case. I will somehow manage my disappearances entering and leaving the dungeon at least." I gulped down the coke and wiped my lips. "That is, if you don't mind. Managing a club would cost time, and we are already tired from school, managing it will cost you sleep."
"Ok." Momo didn't even consider for a second before smiling and kissing me on the lips. "If you want me to do that, then I will."
...My, is this a Goudere I am seeing?
"Ahem." She cleared her throat before looking around to make sure nobody saw us kissing. "I will go to the teachers' room and ask for permission to open a club right now."
I smiled. "Right. Then I will take a peek inside today, manage it somehow, please."
"Okay." She nodded and turned around. "Bye, Neji!"
She waved her hand another time and disappeared around the corner.
There were clubs even in this school, but there was no one in 1-A who attended a club. It's mostly for the business course students, truth be told. But this will help.
I then snapped my finger, and immediately, from the rooftop of the building that the vending machine was slid against, a black cat with a golden gaze jumped down on my neck.
"Papa!" Kurai licked my cheeks. "Let's get going!"
She was cringing too hard after calling me Otou-sama each time, so I just lowered her burden a bit by making it easier for her. I and Kurai can talk telepathically from very far, like city level distance. I just called her during the last period and she came to rest at the top of school immediately.
At my nod, she cast a spell,
After passing multiple buildings, at the back of the school's main campus, beside a lake that I never noticed, I soon came across the Tower rising above the sky. It was supposed to have only 10 floors, but I could not see the end of its head. It rose even beyond the clouds. On the outside, it was painted in a black texture and an eerie feeling around it. Vines were encircling around it like snakes and it released a strange stench.
The base of the tower wasnt that large, but it was still as big as an average house. On the wall of it, there was a golden door stuck, shining under the dusk sun.
I stopped in front of it and pushed the door. It didn't bulge. But upon using all my strength, the door parted in two and golden light devoured me from the inside.
The next second, I found myself inside a jungle.
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