After the gym session, I made my way to the classroom where everyone was already gathered. Shinsou had joined us, looking a bit out of place as he leaned against the wall, his neutral expression in place. The others—Mirio, Yuyu, Mawata, Momo, Itsuka, Toru, Setsuna, Ojiro, and Sato—sat at the desks, chatting amongst themselves. As soon as I entered, their attention shifted toward me, conversations dying down as they prepared for the briefing.
"Alright, everyone," I began, stepping toward the front of the classroom. "The reason we're here is because of the robbery case that's been going on for a few weeks now."
I paused to make sure I had everyone's attention before continuing. "The robbery happened two days ago at a convenience store. According to the CCTV footage, the robbers didn't even touch the cash register, but somehow, it was still emptied."
"Wait, they didn't touch the register?" Sato asked, his brow furrowing. "How's that possible?"
"That's exactly the question you'll need to answer," I replied. "This isn't an isolated incident. It's been happening repeatedly over the last few weeks. Different stores, same result. The cash disappears, but there's no sign of forced entry or physical interaction with the register."
Setsuna leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Sounds like a Quirk is involved."
"Most likely," I confirmed. "But which one? And how are they pulling this off without leaving any trace? That's what you'll have to figure out."
I looked around the room, watching as they all processed the information. "I'm putting you all in charge of solving this case. I'll be here to guide you if you get stuck, but I want you to treat this as your own mission. Minimal interference from me. You'll have to rely on each other to work through it."
Momo raised her hand. "What about the police? Have they been able to gather any clues?"
I shook my head. "The police are just as stumped as the store owners. They haven't been able to find anything unusual in the footage besides the fact that the money goes missing. There are no fingerprints, no signs of tampering, nothing."
"So we're dealing with a pretty clever criminal, then," Mirio said, his usual grin replaced with a more serious expression. "I'm guessing we'll need to approach this from multiple angles."
"Exactly," I said, nodding in his direction. "You'll need to split up, analyze the footage, and visit the crime scene. Gather as much information as you can and piece it together."
Yuyu tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it's a Quirk that manipulates time, or warps reality around the object. If they didn't touch the cash register, maybe they didn't need to. They could've pulled the cash out without physically interacting with it."
"Possible," I agreed. "But you'll need to investigate that theory. Don't assume anything until you have proof."
Itsuka crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "How are we supposed to track them down if we don't have any leads? Should we start by interviewing the witnesses or store owners?"
"That's a good starting point," I said. "Interview the people involved, check for inconsistencies in their stories, and compare their experiences with the footage. There could be something in their statements that the police missed."
Shinsou, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke up. "What if the criminal's using some sort of mental manipulation? If they can make people forget or alter their perception of what's happening, that could explain why no one saw anything unusual."
"Another solid theory," I replied, impressed by his insight. "You should look into that possibility as well. This criminal could be using a Quirk that influences perception, or they could be distracting the employees long enough to take the money without them realizing it."
The room was filled with quiet murmurs as the students began discussing potential strategies. I let them talk for a moment before I spoke up again.
"Alright, so here's how I want you to approach this," I said, gesturing for their attention. "Mirio, you'll be in charge of leading the investigation. Yuyu and Mawata, you'll assist him in analyzing the footage and gathering evidence. Momo, I want you to focus on the logistics—map out the stores that have been hit, find any patterns in the locations or timing of the robberies."
Momo nodded, already pulling out a notebook to start writing down ideas.
"Itsuka, Toru, Setsuna, and Ojiro, you'll be the field team. Visit the crime scenes, interview witnesses, and try to gather any information the police may have overlooked. Shinsou, you'll work with them to see if there's any chance of mental manipulation. Your Quirk could be useful in determining if the employees are hiding something, whether intentional or not."
Everyone seemed to take the instructions seriously, jotting down notes or discussing their roles with one another. Mirio, as usual, looked confident, giving me a nod of acknowledgment.
"So, where do we start?" he asked.
"You'll all meet back here tomorrow morning to finalize the plan. For today, I suggest you go over the case files and familiarize yourselves with the details. Get some rest, and be ready to hit the ground running tomorrow."
With that, I dismissed them, and they began filing out of the classroom. Shinsou lingered behind, giving me a curious look as he approached.
"Sensei, I noticed something earlier when we were discussing the case," he said, his voice low. "You're carrying a sword now. Is that new?"
I glanced down at Kyōka Suigetsu, strapped to my waist, and mentally prepared my usual deflection. "It's a precaution," I said casually. "You never know when you'll run into someone like Aizawa who can erase Quirks. Better to have a backup weapon in case things go south."
Shinsou nooded his head, muttering to himself. "Always prepared, huh? I like that."
"Stay on your toes, Shinsou," I said, giving him a friendly nudge. "You'll need to be just as prepared if you want to make it through this case."
He gave me a nod before heading out of the room, leaving me alone to think. Everything was in motion now, and the students were ready to tackle this mystery. I just had to keep my own abilities under wraps while guiding them through it.
The case itself wasn't particularly difficult for me, but for them, it was a test—a chance to hone their skills, work as a team, and figure out how to handle a real-world scenario. The challenge was not about whether they could solve it, but how they would solve it. They needed to learn to rely on each other and their strengths, rather than waiting for me to step in and save the day.
Tomorrow, we'd see how far they could go.