The next day, I stood in the gym, arms crossed, watching the students spar. The sound of fists meeting flesh, the swish of feet moving across the floor, and the occasional grunt filled the large room. Mirio, Yuyu, and Mawata were exchanging blows with Ojiro, Sato, Toru, Momo, Kendo, and Setsuna. Their skills varied, but it was clear where improvements needed to be made.
Momo, for example, was excellent at using her Quirk to create items, but her lack of proper combat experience left her vulnerable in a real fight. She needed more versatility—both in armed and unarmed combat—so that she wouldn't always rely on her creations. Ojiro and Kendo, on the other hand, were physically skilled but needed a fighting style that harmonized with their natural talents. Ojiro's tail was a powerful weapon, but he needed to incorporate it more fluidly into his martial arts, Capoeira, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jui-Jitsu and Hapkido these were the arts that are that best suit his quirk. Kendo's hands could grow to enormous sizes, yet she had to learn how to use that advantage without leaving herself open, Judo, Sumo, Boxing and Muay Thai, given the nature of her quirk, these martial arts that emphasize power, leverage, and control would be particularly suitable for her.
Sato's strength was undeniable, but his Quirk burned through sugar too quickly. Boxing could give him some structure—focus his raw power into more strategic strikes. As for Setsuna, Toru, Yuyu, and Mawata, they lacked a clear offensive-defensive strategy. They needed to become more balanced, honing skills that would allow them to hold their own in a variety of situations.
Mirio was the exception. His growth over the past two years had been impressive, largely due to the sparring sessions he'd had with me. He was constantly refining his abilities, blending his intangibility with hand-to-hand combat techniques. Watching him move was like watching water flow—unpredictable, but fluid and powerful.
As I watched, I heard Momo call out, "Sensei! Is there a specific technique I should focus on for close-quarters combat?"
I nodded. "For now, stick to the basics. We'll get into more advanced techniques when you've mastered those. Focus on striking and defense equally. Your Quirk is versatile, but you need to handle yourself without relying on it too much."
Ojiro, sparring with Mirio, shot me a glance. "And what about me, Shiro-sensei? Should I use my tail more offensively?"
"Exactly," I replied. "Your tail is one of your best assets, but you treat it like an afterthought. It should be an extension of your body. Integrate it into your moves; you'll be twice as effective."
Sato stepped back from his sparring session, catching his breath. "Boxing, huh?" he said, half to himself. "I can see that working with my Quirk... but won't I gas out too fast?"
"You will, if you rely solely on your strength," I said. "Boxing is about strategy. Use your power sparingly—focus on positioning, dodging, and setting up your shots. You don't need to knock someone out with every punch."
Kendo, wiping the sweat from her brow, glanced over. "And me? What should I be focusing on?"
"Your hands are a strength, but they also make you a target," I explained. "Learn how to defend while using them. If you can strike and guard at the same time, you'll be much harder to counter."
She nodded, thoughtful. "Got it."
Setsuna, clearly frustrated with her sparring session, turned toward me. "What about me, Shiro-sensei? My Quirk's good for hit-and-run tactics, but I feel like I'm always on the defensive."
"That's because you are," I said bluntly. "You've been focusing too much on escaping instead of controlling the fight. Your Quirk can split your body into pieces, right? Use that to create openings—attack from multiple angles. Confuse your opponent."
Setsuna frowned, deep in thought, but nodded. "Alright. I'll give it a shot."
I turned my attention to Toru, who was sparring with Mawata. "You, Toru. You're invisible, but that won't always be enough. You need a solid offense. Your strength lies in your unpredictability, so don't hesitate to throw the first punch."
Toru paused, seemingly a bit surprised. "Throw the first punch? But isn't defense important too?"
"Offense can be your best defense," I said simply. "Invisibility gives you the upper hand, but only if you use it actively, not passively. Don't wait for your opponent to find you—take control."
As the sparring continued, I considered how to integrate the recent robbery case into their training. It would give them real-world experience—something they desperately needed. Aizawa had mentioned adding Shinsou to the case as well. The kid had potential, and this could be a chance for him to prove himself.
I glanced at my watch. The morning session was almost over, but I still had a few more things to go over with them.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands together to get their attention. "Tomorrow, we'll be focusing on more specific styles that suit your individual quirks. For today, though, I want you all to think about what we talked about. Momo, work on balancing your reliance on your Quirk. Ojiro, practice integrating your tail more fluidly. Sato, think about strategy, not just strength. Kendo, work on defending while attacking. Setsuna, focus on controlling the fight, and Toru, be more aggressive. Mirio..."
I paused as Mirio looked at me with a grin. "You just keep doing what you're doing. But be ready for more challenging sparring tomorrow."
Mirio laughed. "You've got it, Shiro-sensei!"
As the group began packing up their things, I noticed Momo lingering behind. She approached me, clearly deep in thought.
"Shiro-sensei," she said quietly, "you mentioned that I need to learn armed combat as well as unarmed. Do you have a specific weapon in mind?"
I considered her question for a moment. "A staff would suit you well. It's versatile, and it complements your ability to create objects quickly. You can shift between defense and offense with ease."
Momo nodded thoughtfully. "A staff... I'll start researching the structure so I can create one."
"Good idea," I said. "We'll work on that tomorrow."
As the students filed out, I stayed behind, thinking about how to approach the robbery case with them. They were skilled, but inexperienced. Real-world exposure was what they needed, and this case would provide that.
I pulled out my phone, sending Aizawa a quick text: "I'll take Shinsou on the case with the others. We'll use the classroom as base."
His response came quickly: "Thanks. Don't let them screw up."
I chuckled to myself. "No pressure, huh?"
Tomorrow would be interesting. I just hoped my plan for hiding my powers with Kyōka Suigetsu would hold up. If any of the students saw what I was really capable of, it could complicate things in ways I wasn't ready for. For now, I just had to play my cards carefully.