"I understand. During the months under Kaina-san's guidance, I witnessed things I never thought possible—acts of cruelty that left a bitter taste in my mouth. Yet, rather than deterring me, these experiences only deepened my resolve. With my family far away, I found myself thinking of them more often than ever." Raiden gazed up at the ceiling, lost in thought. For a brief moment, his eyes glimmered.
"I even wondered," he continued, his voice softening with intensity, "what if they were the ones kidnapped? I know I could always call on Kaina-san, Musha-san, or another hero for help. But what about those who lack such support or the power to save their loved ones? I understand that the Bureau's work is dark—Kaina-san explained that to me—but..." His voice trailed off as he met the Director's eyes, gathering his final thoughts.
"I want to be part of this," Raiden declared, his tone steady yet impassioned. "It might sound arrogant since I'm not even a full-fledged hero yet, but I truly want to take this path. I don't want to be a hero for the sake of ranking or fame—I genuinely want to help people."
The Director's smile widened, growing even more unsettling, leaving Raiden with the disquieting feeling that he had just made a deal with the devil.
After that day, Raiden and Kaina kept in contact more frequently. They couldn't act until the new internships for the second semester began, and that might take a while.
In the latter half of the semester, after they had the chance to obtain their provisional hero licenses, they planned to put their ideas into motion. for now, they could polish the plan.
In the meantime, Kaina taught Raiden how to communicate with her secretly, avoiding the Bureau's notice. This method allowed them to maintain open contact in case of any problems without compromising Raiden's public persona.
Because of Raiden's intervention, Kaina's condition had improved somewhat—though not perfectly. She still wasn't the happiest person in the world. Instead, she remained grumpy, serious, and even a bit depressed, much like the days when she was training him. Yet, the fact that they now shared a plan to expose the Bureau's unnecessary bloodshed and, above all, to free Kaina from her life as a hitman, brought a small measure of comfort and hope.
For Kaina, this was merely a temporary first aid measure, but it was the best they had for now. Finally, she could glimpse a light of hope—a hope she had long resisted because she trusted no one with this secret, not even Hawks, he only knew he could had to help Raiden in the future. still wasn't the time to tell him the whole truth.
But for the plan to truly begin, they had to wait... until Raiden had his hero licence.
Currently, Raiden was inside U.A., where classes had started three weeks ago. The schedule was much like the previous semester, though with an increased emphasis on practical lessons. The curriculum was divided into several categories:
Morning classes (8 A.M. to 11 A.M.): Maths, literature, English, and applied science, spread over four days a week.
Afternoon sessions (12 P.M. to 5 P.M.): Combat practice, rescue practice, and mission simulations held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and the entire day on Fridays.
"Aah, I love peace," muttered Raiden as he ate his lunch, gazing out the window. Even though he was well aware that many challenges lay ahead, in that moment it was just him and his meal, and a fleeting taste of calm.
"Yes, I also enjoy not being hunted by villains conducting bizarre experiments," replied a voice from his side. It was Tamaki, who walked over and sat in front of him. His expression was gloomy as usual, yet a small smile and a single, almost sarcastic tear betrayed his true feelings.
Before Raiden could respond, another familiar voice chimed in. "Rai-kun, why are you eating alone?" Mirio asked as he joined Tamaki, taking a seat beside him.
"For this, you see, you spend so much time in the classroom, and the fries always disappear if I don't rush here. There's a guy in the business class who takes every single one of them. Isn't that awful? Everyone deserves to have fries for lunch," Raiden complained, stuffing a couple into his mouth.
"You sure love fries, Rai-kun. Hahaha! And that friend from the business class does the same," Mirio laughed, his eyes gleaming with his usual cheerful smile and amusement.
Over the past few weeks, he'd been especially cheerful—practically radiating enthusiasm about everything.
During a chat with Raiden a few days ago, he explained why. His two best friends were back, safe and sound, finally able to enjoy a normal school life.
During their absence, Mirio had thrown himself into training like a possessed man.
It was probably the most frustrating period of his life. His control over his Quirk had always been an issue, something he constantly struggled to refine. But when Raiden and Tamaki were taken away, even if it was for protection, he had never felt so powerless. There was nothing he could do to help them.
Night after night, nightmares haunted him. Sometimes he dreamed of Raiden and Tamaki being captured by the villain organization, trapped and suffering.
The only thing that kept him sane was training, hoping that one day, he'd be strong enough to make a difference.
Gradually, his effort paid off. His combat skills improved, his movements grew sharper, and his fighting style started to merge seamlessly with his Quirk. He wasn't the only one growing stronger, but the speed of his progress was extraordinary. And the only person who matched his pace was—well, the girl aproaching
"Rai, Rai! Ne, Ne, Can you give me some fries? There weren't any left at the buffet, can you believe it?" Nejire's voice burst into the conversation as she approached the table. She was practically bouncing with energy, her bright eyes fixed on the fries with playful desperation.
Nejire was the other rising star of their class. If anyone could match Mirio's progress, it was her—or maybe it was the other way around.
Mirio might be the only one capable of keeping up with her. Unlike Mirio, though, Nejire's growth wasn't driven by nightmares.
She pushed herself to the limit, her training relentless even during holidays.
Constantly experimenting, refining her Quirk, and finding new ways to manipulate its shape and power. She adjusted its output, experimented with control, and discovered ways to enhance her attacks. The only thing that remained constant was the wave-like pattern of her energy.
"Here, take this." Raiden handed her a box of fries he'd saved on the side of the table. "I grabbed a portion for you. Told you we had to hurry." He grinned, his gray hair falling slightly over his eyes.
"I knoooow, but Hana-chan and Yuyu-chan had so much to tell me. You know how I get curious, and I couldn't help it," Nejire admitted with a giggle, plopping down beside him and happily digging into her fries. Her enthusiasm made Raiden chuckle.
The four of them chatted during their free time, waiting for the next class to begin.
By this point in the year, most groups of friends were well established.
Mirio, Nejire, Raiden, and Tamaki were no exception. They spent so much time together—training, living in the school dorms, and working on missions—that their bond had strengthened immensely.
Even after the incident that nearly tore them apart, they continued to train after school, pushing each other to improve. Their connection was forged through sweat, determination, and shared experiences.
"Hey guys, what are we doing after class today? Training?" Raiden asked as he polished off his last fry, his gaze shifting hungrily to Nejire's fries.
"Actually, it's been a while since we did something fun. Why don't we order some food and watch a movie? I wanna relax a little. I'm pretty sure Teacher Snipe's about to announce some crazy training exercise that'll push us to exhaustion. He's been ridiculously strict since the incident." asked the gray-haired boy to the rest of the group.
"Ooh, I like that idea! There's this movie about a black cat I really want to see!" Nejire replied, her excitement causing her to bounce slightly in her seat.
With that, their plan for the evening was set. Just as the bell rang, they stood and made their way back to class, but not before taking a quick detour to brush their teeth.
When they entered the classroom, their suitcases were already waiting on their desks.
Snipe stood at the front, his arms folded as he surveyed the room. It was unusual—he typically arrived about five minutes after the bell rang, but today he was there early. Seeing him already waiting made the students scramble to their seats, their chatter dying down as quickly as they entered the classroom.
Once everyone was inside, Snipe cleared his throat and addressed the class.
"Good. Don't worry, you're not late—I'm just early today. This week, we have a special training session planned. I'll explain the simulated mission once we arrive at the location. Your families have already been informed in advance, so there's nothing to worry about."
Just as he finished speaking, an alarm chimed, and a massive screen descended from the ceiling behind him. The students' eyes widened as a detailed map appeared on the screen, showing a rugged, isolated island surrounded by vast stretches of ocean.
"Today, we'll be heading to Stardust Island," Snipe announced.
"We'll be staying there for two weeks. Everything you need has already been prepared for you. On your desks, you'll find suitcases. Inside, there are two things: your hero suits and essential supplies—soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, knives, a water bottle, and a purifier. Nothing else."
The announcement left everyone stunned. They exchanged bewildered looks.
"We're really going to travel? Just like that, without any warning?" Mirio asked, his tone half-disbelieving, half-thrilled.
"Yes," Snipe replied firmly. "That's how our profession works. Emergencies happen when you least expect them. No time for preparation or planning—just the hero and their suit. Now, grab your suitcases and follow me. We'll be taking one of the school buses, I will inform you mission when we reunite with the rest."
He didn't wait for further questions and marched out of the classroom.
The students scrambled to gather their things, clutching their suitcases as they hurried after him. They emerged into the bright afternoon sunlight to find Class 1-B also filing out of their building, suitcases in hand.
Every course was directed to board a different bus, and in no time the buses carried them away from U.A.' grounds.
He made it clear he wouldn't be answering any questions yet, so he didn't speak all the way.
It wasn't until they boarded the aircraft—a massive cargo plane that rumbled beneath their feet—that Snipe finally broke his silence. Beside him stood Ectoplasm, Class 1-B's current homeroom teacher.
"You've all been trained to fight, to respond to accidents, villain attacks, rescues, and various other emergencies that are part of the hero profession," Snipe began, his voice was low but somehow still cut through the hum of the plane's engines.
"But there's one skill we haven't covered yet: survival. As heroes, there will be times when you're left at the mercy of the elements, with no backup and no resources beyond what you carry."
Ectoplasm nodded, picking up where Snipe left off. "Your task over the next two weeks will be to survive on Stardust Island. You'll be placed in pairs—each student from Class 1-A will be partnered with a student from Class 1-B. Working with someone you barely know is part of the challenge. Cooperation and adaptability are essential, and you'll have to rely on each other to make it through."
The students glanced around uneasily, they really hadn't shared much time with the students of the other classes.
This wasn't like their usual training exercises. It sounded unpredictable.
"There will be challenges beyond just finding food and shelter," Snipe continued. "The island has been set up to test your resourcefulness, teamwork, and resilience. You'll have to make decisions quickly, trust your instincts, and most importantly, learn to trust each other."
"Your training until now has prepared you for combat and emergency response," Ectoplasm added. "But survival is a different beast. No one is coming to rescue you if you slip up. And if you do, you are out. The island will be your classroom, and every mistake will be a lesson."
Raiden glanced over at his friends, eyes sharp with interest. Mirio looked exhilarated by the challenge, his hands practically trembling with anticipation.
Nejire's curiosity was clear on her face, her gaze darting between Snipe and the map of the island still displayed on the screen. Tamaki, on the other hand well, he was white, his face was absolutely pale.
End of the chapter.
Double chapter today, enjoy the reading, leave somepower stones.