Calvas trudged down the street, hands shoved deep into his pockets, doing his best to ignore the stares. He couldn't help but glance around, taking in the unfamiliar buildings, the strange signs in a language he didn't understand, and the crowds that passed him by without a second look. His feet ached from walking barefoot, the pavement rough and cold against his skin.
'I'm technically homeless now, aren't I?'
The thought hit him hard. His mind whirled with all the things he didn't know. Sure, he was in the My Hero Academia world—but how much did that help? He knew some of the big plot points, a few character names, but nothing about actually living here.
'And the language… that's gonna be a problem.'
Yeah, he could manage a few basic phrases, but that wasn't going to get him very far.
'I don't know anyone, and I can't even ask for help properly.'
A raindrop splashed against his cheek, snapping him from his thoughts. He looked up just as the sky opened up, unleashing a full downpour. He groaned, wiping his face as the rain poured down relentlessly.
"Of course," he muttered under his breath. Within minutes, he was drenched. People around him scattered, pulling out umbrellas or ducking into nearby shops. He wasn't that lucky. The rain soaked him through almost instantly, chilling him to the bone.
He shivered, teeth chattering as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest. 'Great, just what I needed.' He kept walking, squinting through the sheets of rain, trying to map out his surroundings. The city stretched on in every direction, buildings towering over him, and narrow streets seemed to twist endlessly. Everything looked the same. He was lost—utterly, frustratingly lost.
After what felt like hours, he spotted a park up ahead. It wasn't much, just a small patch of green sandwiched between buildings, but it had a covered area with a little roof—a spot of shelter from the rain. He headed straight for it, not caring about the strange looks people gave him as he passed. His clothes clung to his skin, water dripping from his hair into his eyes.
He sighed in relief as he leaned against the pole under the shelter, shivering as the cold air bit at his soaked clothes. The rain drummed steadily above, showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.
'Where am I even supposed to go?'
He glanced around, trying to come up with a plan. His mind wandered back to that void, the strange notifications, and that roulette wheel that had given him a skill… what was it again? Oh, right—Temporal Distortion.
Curiosity flared up inside him, and he quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was watching. 'Might as well see what I've got.' He felt a little ridiculous, but there wasn't a manual, and he didn't exactly know how to access the system.
He sighed, cringing a bit as he muttered, "Skills?"
To his surprise, a soft glow appeared in front of his eyes, and there it was—the system panel. He blinked, almost laughing at the absurdity of it.
The skills tab opened up before him, and right at the top was the one he'd been given: Temporal Distortion.
[Skill: Temporal Distortion]
Rank: B
Level 1
Type: Time Manipulation
Effect: Creates a distortion in time around the user, Increases or decreases the relative speed of time for yourself or objects in close proximity.
Range and Power: Dependent on Intelligence (Power) and skill level (Range). The number and size of objects that can be affected are dependent on the Control stat.
Current Range: Surrounding area (approx. 3–5 meters around the user)
Stamina Cost: 30 Stamina per use
Duration: 5 seconds
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Calvas let out a low whistle. "B-rank, huh? Okay, so it's not flashy, but… could be pretty useful." He imagined speeding himself up or slowing down anyone around him. Then again, the description only mentioned "yourself or objects." Did that mean it wouldn't actually work on enemies? Would it even…
His eyes scanned further down the description, catching on the line about it being dependent on Intelligence and Control stats. 'Intelligence and Control? What are those even—'
A hand clamped down on his shoulder
"Sh—!" His body reacted before his brain could catch up. He swung an arm wildly, ready to strike whoever had grabbed him. But as he whipped around, his fist halfway in motion, he froze.
****
The rain had come out of nowhere—a light drizzle at first, but quickly turning into a steady downpour. Swiftstep trailed behind his mentor, feeling his suit grow heavier with every drop.
'Great. Just what I needed—soaking wet on patrol.'
The worst part? This wasn't the kind of patrol that made you feel like a real hero. It was routine, boring. No excitement, no action—just watching people scurry home in the rain.
He glanced over at Glide, who didn't seem bothered by any of it. His mentor's suit was sleek, practically made for this kind of weather, with water slipping off him as if he were immune to the downpour. Glide always had this calm, seasoned presence about him, like nothing rattled him.
'Must be nice,' Swiftstep thought bitterly.
It bugged him sometimes—he was a sidekick, sure, but he was ready for more. This was supposed to be his stepping stone to the big leagues, not some dead-end job.
"Looks like a quiet night," Glide called back, his voice easy and relaxed, like they were out for a casual stroll. "We'll probably finish up and be home in time for a hot meal. Could be worse, eh?"
Swiftstep rolled his eyes and quickened his pace to catch up. "Yeah, unless the rain makes someone lose their mind and do something stupid," he muttered. He wiped the rain from his face, tugging at his collar, trying to ignore the uncomfortable cling of his soaked suit.
'Bet the top-tier heroes don't have to deal with this crap.'
"Patience, Swift. Patience," Glide replied with a chuckle. "Every patrol's important."
Swiftstep grunted in response. 'Easy for you to say.'
He respected Glide, sure, but sometimes it felt like his mentor was too content with the status quo. Swiftstep wasn't planning on being a sidekick forever. He had bigger plans—ones that involved his name up in lights, not just trailing behind Glide forever. He was itching for that moment where he'd finally prove himself.
As they walked deeper into the park, Swiftstep's eyes wandered, searching for anything that might break the monotony of the night. He stepped off the path for a moment, letting his instincts guide him.
That's when he spotted the kid.
A figure huddled under a small roof near a row of benches, barely visible through the rain. He couldn't have been more than fifteen, shivering under the shelter. Swiftstep's brow furrowed.
'What's a kid doing out here?'
He hesitated for a moment before calling over his shoulder, "Hey, Glide! I'm gonna check something out over here."
Glide gave a wave without even looking back. "You got it. Shout if you need me."
Swiftstep shook his head. 'Yeah, like I'm gonna need backup for this.'
He moved toward the kid, his boots squelching in the wet grass. As he got closer, he noticed that the kid wasn't moving much—just sitting there, soaked and still. Everyone else had already cleared out of the park, but this kid hadn't budged.
'He looks like he's been through something.'
"Hey," Swiftstep called softly, trying not to startle him. The kid didn't react. Swiftstep hesitated for a moment, then reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.
The reaction was immediate. The kid spun around, eyes wide with fear, and swung at Swiftstep's face. Reflex kicked in, and Swiftstep's quirk activated, allowing him to sidestep the punch in a blur. The kid froze mid-swing, staring up at him.