'Speech' is thinking or talking to system in the mind
"Speech" is regular talk
|Me the author. tehe|
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Lucio groaned as the first light of dawn filtered through the makeshift camp nestled in the mountains. He shifted slightly, trying to cling to the remnants of sleep.
"Five more minutes, ma…" he mumbled in English, turning over in his sleeping bag.
A sharp, playful slap landed on the back of his head. "No five more minutes," Asa Yamagami's firm voice interrupted, switching seamlessly to Japanese. "Time to wake up."
Lucio winced, rubbing the spot where her hand had made contact. "Alright, alright, I'm up," he grumbled, sitting up groggily. His eyes fell on Kiriko, already awake and stretching with a serene expression, her movements fluid and precise.
"You could learn a thing or two from her," Asa said, nodding toward Kiriko. "Discipline starts with waking up on time."
Lucio yawned, standing and stretching lazily. "Yeah, yeah. Morning people are just built different."
Asa crossed her arms, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "You'll become one by the end of this training—or at least, you'll wish you were."
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As the first rays of dawn barely crept over Mount Hijiri's horizon, Lucio stirred in his bedroll, the crisp mountain air biting at his skin. He was still groggy from the long trek up the day before, but something else stirred within him—a familiar presence.
'Good morning, Lucio,. came the smooth, almost playful voice in his head. "It seems you have some unfinished business."
Lucio blinked, slowly sitting up as the voice continued. 'There's still a gacha coupon waiting to be used, and a new quest just appeared: Zero to Hero.'
Lucio groaned softly, rubbing his eyes. 'A quest? Seriously?'
'Yes, seriously. And as much as I enjoy your current zero status.' the voice teased with a light chuckle. 'The goal here is to become a hero. You know, from zero to hero—just like from Hercules movie I say in your memories. Minus the singing, of course.'
Lucio couldn't help but smirk, recognizing the reference. 'And who exactly are you supposed to be, my robotic Phil?'
'Let's just say I'm your guide, mentor, and comic relief all rolled into one. You can call me Athena.' The voice quipped, sounding amused. 'Now, shall we roll that gacha and see which heroic upgrade fate bestows upon you today?'
Lucio sighed, fully awake now. 'Alright, Athena, let's see what you've got.'
A bright, spinning wheel appeared in his mind's eye, the colorful segments glowing with potential. He could almost feel the anticipation buzzing as the wheel spun, slowly ticking down, each segment representing a hero with new abilities, new potential.
"Here's hoping for something good," Lucio muttered as the wheel came to a slow halt.
|Please Lucio, learn to not talk or mutter.|
The spinning wheel in Lucio's mind finally slowed, each tick heightening his anticipation. As it clicked to a stop, a name glowed brightly in the center: Sigma.
Lucio blinked, momentarily taken aback. 'Sigma? The gravity guy?' He couldn't help but picture the Overwatch hero, known for his strange, floating presence and unsettling calmness. 'Well, that's… unexpected.'
'Unexpected, but powerful.' Athena chimed in, her voice brimming with excitement. 'Manipulating gravity can be a game-changer. Think about the possibilities of controlling the battlefield, lifting enemies, even bending the rules of physics. It's a fascinating choice.'
Lucio shook his head, still processing. 'Yeah, but… Sigma? I mean, the guy's practically a walking science experiment gone wrong.'
'True, but you're not inheriting his personality, just his abilities. This is your chance to harness that power without the baggage.' Athena assured him. 'Now, about that quest…'
A new screen appeared in Lucio's mind, displaying the details of the Zero to Hero quest.
Quest: Zero to Hero
Description: Complete a rigorous 2-year training program under the guidance of Asa Yamagami.
Primary Objective: Survive and thrive during your training on Mount Hijiri.
Secondary Objective: Choose between the paths of Hanzo or Genji at the end of your training.
Bonus Objective: ???
Lucio raised an eyebrow. 'Hanzo or Genji, huh? Guess it makes sense, given the whole ninja thing with Asa and Kiriko.'
'Indeed.' Athena responded. 'Your training will push you to your limits, and at the end, you'll need to decide between precision and patience, or speed and agility.'
'And the bonus objective?' Lucio asked, curious.
"That remains a mystery for now," Athena replied. 'But it will reveal itself in due time. For now, focus on the primary objectives.'
Lucio sighed, a mix of excitement and apprehension filling him. 'Alright, Athena, let's do this. Zero to hero, here we go.'
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Asa Yamagami's expression hardened as she straightened, her voice taking on the sharp tone of authority. "Form up!" she barked, her words cutting through the crisp mountain air like a whip.
Kiriko immediately snapped to attention, her eyes wide with a distant, haunted look—like she was reliving something far away. A Vietnam flashback face, Lucio thought, as he watched her tense stance.
Lucio, however, remained confused, still trying to shake off the morning grogginess. He blinked, processing the sudden shift in Asa's demeanor. In his head, the realization clicked. Yamagami-san is military trained.
"For the duration of this training." Asa began, her voice cold and firm, "I am not your mother, and I am not your friend. I am your instructor. I served in the Japanese Special Forces, and that's all you need to know. The rest is classified."
Lucio's eyes widened. Special Forces?
"You will address me as 'Ma'am' or 'Drill Sergeant' only." Asa continued, her gaze fixed on Lucio, sizing him up. "I've trained better people than you, but by the time I'm finished, you won't even recognize yourself."
She stepped closer to Lucio, her eyes narrowing. "Failure to meet expectations will result in box training."
At the mention of box training, Kiriko's face paled visibly. Asa immediately turned to her daughter, her voice like a whip crack. "Anything wrong, Yamagami?"
"No, Ma'am!" Kiriko yelled, her voice strong despite the fear in her eyes.
Lucio, still processing, felt the weight of the situation crash down on him. 'I'm fucked, aren't I?' he thought, quickly mimicking Kiriko's stance and standing at attention. He wasn't sure what box training was, but if it scared Kiriko, it had to be bad.
|Training montage. Motion-Demo by _.ze33|
| I wont break any bones, focus on the motion |
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The first 3 months of training was a grueling mix of Japanese and US Marine boot camp training, designed to break down every ounce of comfort and rebuild it into strength and discipline.
Every morning started at the crack of dawn with a thunderous shout from Asa Yamagami, pulling Lucio and Kiriko from whatever restless sleep they managed to get. "Up! Now!" she would bellow, her voice echoing across the camp. "You have sixty seconds to be outside in formation!"
Lucio stumbled out of his tent, still half-asleep, scrambling to get his shoes on. Kiriko was already ahead of him, standing straight, eyes focused, even though her face betrayed the exhaustion. Lucio followed her lead, but his movements were slower, less practiced.
Asa paced in front of them, her sharp eyes scanning their posture. "This isn't just physical training," she declared. "This is mental fortitude. The enemy won't wait for you to wake up and have your morning coffee."
The first hour was always the hardest. It started with a run up the mountain trail, the air thin and biting against their lungs. "Faster!" Asa's voice rang out. "If you fall behind, you'll carry the log on the next run!"
Lucio, panting, glanced at the massive log resting ominously by the path. Kiriko pushed on ahead, setting the pace. She's incredible, Lucio thought, trying to match her strides.
Once the run was over, they moved into calisthenics: push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, all in rapid succession. No rest, no excuses. "This is basic conditioning!" Asa snapped. "You need to be stronger, faster, smarter!"
Afternoons were dedicated to combat training. Asa demonstrated techniques with the precision of a seasoned warrior. "Watch carefully," she instructed, showing them how to take down an opponent using both Japanese martial arts and Marine Corps techniques. Lucio's muscles screamed in protest, but he pushed through, determined not to falter under Asa's watchful eye.
Evenings brought mental exercises: strategy games, puzzles, and tactical planning. Asa would sit them down by the campfire, drilling them with scenarios and demanding they think on their feet. "A good soldier fights with their mind as well as their body." she reminded them.
Lucio fell into his sleeping bag each night, every muscle aching, his mind spinning from the day's challenges. But as grueling as it was, he couldn't deny a growing sense of resilience. Asa was reshaping them, piece by piece.
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Month 4-6: The Heat Intensifies
The second phase of training was a step up in every way. Asa Yamagami was no longer just pushing them to the brink of their limits—she was molding them into something stronger, something sharper. The quietness of the mountain was now filled with the sound of heavy footsteps, the crack of wooden swords, and the swish of branches as they moved with purpose.
It began with tree jumping.
"Move like the wind, strike like lightning." Asa commanded, her voice almost blending with the natural surroundings. "Your speed is your weapon. The trees are your cover."
Lucio had seen it in movies—ninja-like figures leaping from one tree to another, their bodies almost weightless—but now it was his turn. His first attempts were shaky. He jumped, and then fell into the dirt. Over and over again, he tried.
Kiriko, of course, was graceful, fluid, like she had always belonged up there in the canopy. She leapt from branch to branch, barely making a sound. Lucio could hear Asa's voice behind him, her disapproval sharp. "You're thinking too much, Lucio. Feel the movement. Trust your body."
The next attempt, Lucio focused on the wind, on his muscles, and finally felt the branch beneath his feet. Yes! His heart soared as he made it to the next tree.
But the training didn't stop with tree jumping. Asa had them both in a sparring match later that day. "Aikido." she said, her voice taking on an almost serene quality. "Control your opponent by using their energy, not yours."
She demonstrated a fluid movement, twisting and redirecting Kiriko's strike with minimal effort. "Aikido is about redirecting an attack and using your opponent's momentum against them." Lucio found it difficult to follow at first, the precise movements not coming naturally to him. But he soon learned that Aikido wasn't about strength—it was about knowing your opponent's next move before they did.
The very next day, Asa handed them wooden practice swords. "Now, you'll learn the art of Kendo." she declared. "It is not just about attacking. It is about controlling the space between you and your opponent, reading their intentions and reacting before they can make their move."
Lucio found Kendo more difficult than he had expected. The wooden sword felt heavy in his hands, and every strike required perfect form. Asa was relentless. "Your feet, Lucio! Control your stance, or you'll miss your target." Kiriko, once again, moved with ease, her sword strikes sharp and clean. Lucio struggled but eventually started to see the rhythm, the cadence of the movements.
The intensity of the training only increased after that. Asa's lessons weren't just based on traditional martial arts—they were based on military tactics, the ones she had learned during her time in the Japanese Special Forces. "The body is a weapon, but the mind is the real strength." she said during one of their downtime moments. "You need to think like a soldier—fast, efficient, and deadly."
They began learning techniques from the Japanese Green Berets and Rangers, which focused on stealth and ambush tactics. Lucio was taught how to move silently through the forest, using the terrain to his advantage. USMC MARSOC training was next—long-distance ruck marches carrying heavy loads, practicing under extreme fatigue. "Pain is temporary, victory is permanent." Asa would say, pushing them through the grueling exercises.
The next morning, Asa led them through a series of ambush drills that tested both their agility and quick decision-making. They learned how to hide and wait for the right moment, blending in with the landscape as they used their environment to set traps for their 'enemies.'
Then came the US Army Rangers' obstacle courses. Asa led them up sheer rock walls, across rivers, and through thick underbrush. There was no room for hesitation. Lucio's hands bled from the rough rope climbs, and his legs burned from the endless sprints. Kiriko, of course, moved as though she had been training for this all her life, and Lucio couldn't help but be in awe of her.
Finally, Asa began incorporating night operations into their training. "Villains don't sleep." she told them. "You have to be ready for anything. We train in all conditions."
Lucio wasn't sure how he managed to survive the grueling nights, running through the dense woods while carrying full gear, or the silent takedowns that had to be executed perfectly—no noise, no hesitation. But somehow, by the end of the second month, something inside him had clicked. He wasn't the same kid who arrived in these mountains two months ago. He had started to understand the mechanics of each move, the strategy behind every decision.
Asa may have been relentless, but she wasn't cruel. She was building them into something stronger, something capable. And, in her own way, she was preparing them for the storm that was inevitably coming.
Lucio, breathing heavily from the day's training, wiped the sweat from his brow. He was exhausted, but there was a fire in him now—a fire that refused to be extinguished.
"One more thing." Asa said as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows on the ground. "The next phase, we begin training with the real weapons. Everything you've learned so far was to prepare you for this moment. You're no longer just children. From here on out, you're soldiers."
Lucio's chest tightened. Soldiers.
He wasn't sure where this path would lead, but with Asa guiding them—and with Kiriko by his side—he was ready for whatever came next.
Until he wasn't ready.
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Month 7-9 :
The third phase of training had arrived with a palpable shift in the air. Lucio could feel it in his bones—the intensity, the pressure mounting every day. Asa's training was unlike anything he had ever imagined. He had started with basic lessons, but now, they were getting to the real stuff. And nothing could prepare him for what was coming next.
Asa stood before them, her arms folded, her eyes narrowed in determination. "Today, you'll train with real weapons."
The wooden kendo swords from the previous months were replaced with steel katanas, their gleaming surfaces reflecting the fading sunlight. Lucio gulped. This was no longer practice. This was the real deal. One wrong move, and they could all end up injured—permanently.
"Focus," Asa commanded, her voice sharp. "This is no game. I expect you to handle these weapons as if your life depends on it, because it does."
Kiriko stepped forward, taking her sword with ease, her movements fluid and graceful. Lucio felt a sudden unease as he grasped his own blade. The weight was heavier than he had imagined. This was far different from the wooden practice sword they had been using before.
But before he could dwell on it too much, Asa's voice cut through the air. "No hesitation. Attack me."
Lucio flinched, unsure how to respond, but Asa's eyes gleamed with that dangerous, calculating smirk. Kiriko had been trained, and Lucio was still a novice, yet Asa's expectations were high.
Kiriko's sword came at him with lightning speed, and Lucio barely managed to block it. He struggled to keep up with the pace, his arms trembling under the strain. But as the sparring continued, Asa's voice didn't soften. "Faster, Lucio. You're fighting to survive, not to win. Speed, power, precision."
Lucio's mind raced, the constant pressure making him feel like he was drowning. His breath quickened as the heat from his body rose. It was as if the world around him had sped up.
And then—it happened.
Lucio's quirk, the one he had barely used in the past, flared to life.
"Hurry! Now, Lucio, push yourself harder!" Asa's command rang in his head, urging him forward.
His body surged forward, faster than he had ever moved. A flash of blue and gold enveloped him, and before he knew it, Lucio blinked.
He was suddenly behind Asa. It wasn't just speed. It was as though he had skipped time itself. His quirk had triggered a tracer ability—a momentary shunpo (as he called it, a name that Kiriko had suggested, replacing "blink" with something more fitting).
He had moved through time itself, a brief moment of his future overlapping with his present. But the strain was immense. Lucio could feel his body aching as if it had just traveled a great distance in an instant.
Before he could recover, he saw Asa's dangerous smirk widening. Her eyes glittered with a challenge.
Kiriko, from the corner of his eye, whispered to him. "It was good knowing you, Lucio." Saw her on her knees and prayed.
Lucio blinked, still reeling from the rush of his quirk, but there was no time to process. Asa was already on him, her katana coming down in a deadly arc. Lucio could barely move fast enough to block.
"Faster! Use it, Lucio! Push yourself harder. You can't afford to hesitate!"
Lucio's heart pounded in his chest, the exhaustion creeping in, but his mind was locked in. His tracer ability kicked in again—he saw it, the future, the path his next move needed to take.
He moved forward again, but this time, it wasn't just a simple shunpo. He moved forward in time and then reversed. The feedback was brutal—like being pulled in two directions at once. Lucio stumbled back, nearly losing his footing as his body was overwhelmed by the strain.
But he didn't fall. He couldn't afford to.
And then Asa's voice came again, sharp as a blade, cutting through the tension. "Good. Now heal yourself."
Lucio stared at her, confused. He was already in pain. His body was in overdrive. But the moment her words hit him, he felt a surge of energy flow through him. His body—every muscle, every bone—seemed to come back together, mending itself in real-time. The damage he had just done to himself gone. He felt… invincible.
However, there was something else. Asa, her back had been giving her some trouble lately. Lucio had noticed her wincing after some of the more brutal exercises. As he began to heal himself, his instincts kicked in, and he reached out.
It was brief. A moment of focus.
And then—her back problems were healed, as if they never existed. Asa stood straighter, the lines of tension in her shoulders vanishing. A satisfied smirk played across her lips.
"Impressive." she said softly, her voice dangerous. "You're starting to understand the full potential of that quirk. But you're still weak. You're not pushing yourself hard enough, Lucio."
Lucio didn't have time to respond. His mind was already overwhelmed. The training, the quirk, the constant pressure—it was starting to affect him.
He felt like he was having a flashback, like he was back in the thick of it. The feeling of a constant battle, of exhaustion and adrenaline mixing together. He remembered Kiriko's look when she first arrived—her Vietnam flashback face. The way the training had taken its toll on her, and now, it was starting to feel the same way for him. Every move, every decision felt heavy. His breath came in sharp, shallow gasps. The world around him blurred.
"You're fine, Lucio." Asa called out, her voice breaking through his daze. "Focus! This is your limit. Break it."
Lucio's heart thudded painfully in his chest. His vision wavered.
"Just one more time, Lucio, and I'll break you." Asa's voice came with an edge. A promise.
Lucio, his body aching, his head spinning, braced himself. The flashbacks were becoming clearer, but something inside him snapped back. He wasn't going to break. Not today.
But the road ahead? He wasn't sure.
He had to survive this. For himself. For his future. And for the mission ahead.
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(Nezu's office)
Back at UA, as Lucio and Asa were deep in their rigorous training, two figures stood in a quieter part of the school—the principal's office. Nezu, the highly intelligent and surprisingly capable principal of UA High, had his paws resting on the edge of his desk, a contemplative look on his face. Across from him sat Aizawa, who, despite his usual cold demeanor, seemed unusually pensive.
The two of them had been watching the progress of Lucio's training from a distance, but their conversation today was unlike any other.
Nezu tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought. "I've been reviewing Lucio's development. He seems to be improving rapidly, though Asa's training methods… they are unconventional, to say the least."
Aizawa, usually indifferent or disinterested in discussions of students not directly under his care, didn't respond right away. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his messy hair, eyes dark with a mix of exhaustion and contemplation.
Finally, after a long moment of silence, Aizawa spoke, his voice low but firm. "I feel sorry for that kid."
Nezu blinked, momentarily thrown off by the remark. Lucio was a problem child, yes, but for Aizawa to express sympathy was rare. The seasoned teacher had seen countless troubled students, but this was something different.
"Sorry?" Nezu's voice was curious but laced with confusion. "For Lucio? You've never really shown much empathy for his situation before, Aizawa. What's changed?"
Aizawa didn't answer immediately. He glanced out the window, as if trying to find the right words or perhaps just lost in thought for a moment longer. He seemed to be weighing the severity of his own words.
"…Asa's training. It's brutal. She's breaking him down in ways that… not many would come back from. But I know what she's doing. It's the only way. If Lucio is going to survive what's coming, she's the one who can push him to that edge."
Nezu sat upright, now even more intrigued. "But you think it's too much? Is this something you regret letting happen?"
Aizawa shook his head, his gaze now sharp, focused on Nezu. "No. I trust Asa's training. She's tough, unyielding… but she knows what she's doing. I've seen the kind of strength she's instilled in soldiers. If Lucio can survive her, then he will be able to face anything. But it's not easy. It's going to break him down… before it builds him up."
The principal nodded, his large ears twitching slightly. "I see. So, you don't pity him for his situation, but for the way Asa is pushing him, is that it?"
Aizawa paused for a moment, then sighed, his voice a little softer now. "Yeah. That kid has no idea what he's in for. It's not just physical limits she's pushing. It's everything—his mind, his spirit. The kind of change she's making won't be easy for him. But if he makes it through, he'll be stronger than he ever imagined. Asa won't accept anything less than that."
Nezu studied Aizawa for a long moment, his sharp intellect piecing together the nuance in his words. "You do trust her then... completely."
Aizawa's gaze hardened with conviction. "I do. Asa Yamagami might be unorthodox, but she's effective. She's done this before—taught people how to survive, how to thrive when everything else is falling apart. If Lucio is going to make it, he needs her kind of training. He needs to be ready for the kind of world that's out there."
The room fell silent for a moment as Nezu processed this. Aizawa wasn't one to blindly trust others, especially not with the well-being of his students. If he trusted Asa, it said something about the level of faith he had in her methods.
"You're right," Nezu said, breaking the silence. "I'll keep an eye on him, but you're certain this is what's best for him?"
Aizawa's lips twitched into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "If he can survive her, he'll be able to survive anything. But make no mistake, Nezu... this training? It will break him. And that's exactly what he needs. To be something more than a problem child."
Nezu nodded thoughtfully, though there was still some concern in his eyes. "Very well. We'll continue to monitor his progress. But if Asa's training becomes too much, we'll need to intervene. The last thing we want is for him to break beyond repair."
Aizawa nodded, his face serious once more. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."