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Beginning of Chapter
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The air around the mall was thick with tension, almost suffocating in its weight.
Police cruisers lined the streets in precise formation, red and blue lights washing over glass façades and concrete walls in pulsating waves.
Officers moved with urgent precision, shouting orders and guiding civilians away from the entrances. Barricades were erected hastily, metal clanging as they locked into place, each barrier a fragile line against the chaos inside.
Within the mall, alarms blared without pause, their wails bouncing off shattered automatic doors. Shoppers were on their knees, frozen in fear, as groups of men dressed entirely in black dragged hostages, one by one, down to the ground floor.
Every movement was methodical, calculated, and terrifyingly calm, as if the building itself had fallen into lockdown under their control.
While chaos reigned below, Satoru Gojo stood calm atop the roof. For a moment, he considered waiting for Burnin, ultimately deciding to get a head start, especially as he noticed a classmate on the scene. Hestepped toward the edge, looking down at the scene.
"Damn… they brought the whole squad. Guess this is serious. Wonder if I get extra points for solving it," he muttered casually, leaning forward and then let himself fall, vanishing toward the chaos below.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the police squad gathered with two pro heroes. The chief unfurled a set of blueprints on the hood of a cruiser, outlining their strategy.
"From what we know, there are at least twenty one suspects inside. Quirks are unknown, and their methods don't match any villains in our database," said one officer, clad in blue tactical gear, reinforced boots, and bulletproof vest.
The two heroes and a single intern nodded in acknowledgment. The first hero, known as The Iron Wall: Iron Stride, was a towering, broad-shouldered man with a compact, muscular frame built for close combat.
He wore minimal armor, reinforced boots, and wraps on his hands instead of gauntlets practical, unflashy, but deadly in the right hands.
Standing just beside him was the Water Hero, Manual. His hero costume was a sleek, skin-tight blue and white suit, long sleeves tucked neatly into bright orange gloves.
Dark pants and white boots completed the ensemble, while a distinctive helmet, donning a fish-like fin and reflective blue visor gave him a unique, aquatic flair.
Manual studied the blueprints, his brow furrowed. "Hm… even so, I don't think the two of pros will be enough. We'd need at least one Grade 1 hero, or maybe two Grade 2s or one at least, to make sure this goes smoothly."
Iron Stride grunted in agreement, running a hand through his black hair. "Manual's right. I'm only a semi Grade 3, he's Grade 4, and my intern…" He cast a glance toward Kaminari, who was helping the officers with barricades.
"…he's just a student. I can't risk his safety without at least one Grade 2 here. This mission is too dangerous for only the three of us if Im including my intern."
The police chief nodded, taking their concerns seriously. "We're on a tight schedule. Burnin should be arriving soon, and her intern is supposed to be here before her. She says he'll prove very useful, so–"
As the chief was speaking, a figure dressed entirely in white suddenly appeared beside Manual.
The movement was so sudden that the chief instinctively raised his gun, while Iron Stride stepped in front of Manual, putting his massive frame between them.
"Hey, hey guys relax, everyone. I'm Satoru Gojo, intern under Burnin. I got here before her," Gojo said casually, raising his arms in mock surrender.
The tension in the air shattered instantly. From the crowd of officers and civilains, recognition flickered across their faces. Relief replaced their alarm as they lowered their weapons.
Manual stepped out from behind Iron Stride, extending a hand. "Apologies, we were just a little jumpy. Satoru Gojo, congratulations on the Sports Festival."
Gojo shook his hand with a grin, ignoring the lingering chaos around them. A few cheers erupted from the crowd as some waved, others shouted his name.
Of course, they recognized him. The winner of the U.A. Sports Festival.
The boy who was uncopiable, untouchable, resistant to Brainwashing and resisted Erasure Head, who still held back during his matches and who could warp.
Not to mention, the young hero who had defended U.A. from a creature capable of killing All Might. He was, for all intents and purposes, nearly famous.
The police chief finally lowered his gun, Iron Stride relaxed his fists, and the air settled. Gojo's presence had a magnetic effect, the crowd buzzed with excitement, snapping photos and calling his name, as if the mall itself had been electrified by him alone.
'They're more excited than when we first arrived. Not surprising, this new generationis really something. From what Kaminari yapped about, the hypes worth it,' Iron Stride thought, arms crossed, observing the crowd's reaction.
"Well, Satoru, thank you for showing up," the chief said, producing a cigarette and lighting it. "Would have been better if you came with Burnin, but at least she's on her way."
Gojo scanned the mall blueprints before meeting the chief's gaze. "So, Chief… what's the situation?" iron Stride cleared his throat, voice low and rough.
"Twenty one armed villains holding hostages inside the mall. We're waiting for reinforcements more pro heroes to arrive."
Even as he spoke, the crowd's cheers swelled again. From above, the Grade 2 Pro Hero Burnin descended slowly, her presence commanding even more attention. Officers tightened their positions at the barricades, ensuring no civilians pressed forward.
When Burnin finally touched down, she struck a heroic pose, letting the crowd's excitement wash over her before focusing on the heroes and Gojo.
"Burnin's here and ready for action. Hostage situation confirmed?" Before the others could explain for the third time, Gojo turned and spotted Kaminari and decided to instead chat with his classmate. "Hey there," he said with a grin. "How's it been?"
Kaminari turned and waved as Gojo approached, leaving the officers to manage the barricades. "Satoru! It's been a while.
You haven't answered calls or texts… the group's been trying to reach you." He extended a hand, which Gojo shook firmly.
"Well… it's been a weird week," Gojo said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Broke my phone a while back and never got around to replacing it." He gave Kaminari a once-over. "Hm… only a week, but you've gotten stronger, Hero Raijin."
Kaminari grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "You can tell, huh? Yeah, I've been training, both physically and with my Quirk. Your suggestion to study electricity wasn't easy, but Momo helped me get the basics down. Even came up with a new move." He put his hands on his hips, chest out with pride.
Gojo tilted his sunglasses, scanning him carefully as he spoke. The quirk enegy within Kaminari was noticeably stronger, more refined. 'Physically, he looked leaner, sharper. Interesting,' Gojo thought. 'Either he's growing fast… or he's putting in way too much effort.'
"Glad to hear that. I'm invested to see this new move you've got, who knows, we might even be able to use it here," Gojo said, running a hand through his hair as his gaze swept over the crowd below.
Kaminari raised an eyebrow, hand on his chin. "I mean… wouldn't we need more heroes? At least another Grade 2 before we head in. Plus, we aren't exactly–"
Gojo cut him off with a dismissive wave, lightly tapping Kaminari on the shoulder and pulling him along toward the chief and the three heroes.
"Come on. It'll be fine. A Grade 4, semi Grade 3 and a grade 2? Plus the backup of the police team? Well be fine"
He spoke as he pulled Kaminari to join the talk on the plan of the heroes. As he reassured Kaminari, "Besides… I'm here. Youre looking at your class soon to be Special Grade."
Kaminari rolled his eyes as the two stood besides Manual. The chief began explaining the plan, Kaminari looking as if proceesing it was not an easy task, the other three heroes gave suggestions and pointed out different exits and floor designs to use to their advantage.
And Gojo?
He was simply bored.
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Location: Washington DC
Across the ocean, a plane descended toward Washington, its wheels touching down on the tarmac as the late evening sky exploded in shades of orange and crimson asthe darkness of night rushed to fill in the blank sky.
City lights shimmered through the fading sunset, reflecting off glass towers and billboards alike.
This was no ordinary landing. The Dulles International Airport was a fortress of activity, buzzing with a mini army of military personnel, generals, politicians, and news crews, all standing at rigid attention.
At the center of it all, President Malcolm Graves stood tall and composed, arms clasped behind his back, exuding authority, at 5'11 (180cm), he clearly stood proud.
Beside him towered the even taller figure of Star and Stripe, her presence commanding attention even in the fading light.
Dawfing the poor man as she srood at the incredible 6'4 (193cm), with her muscular build and cape billowing in the light breeze.
As the plane touched down, airport workers moved with practiced urgency, rushing to offload cargo while another team deployed the passenger stairs, standing at rigid attention.
The aircraft doors swung open, and the first to descend was none other than the German Special Grade, Yuki Tsukumo. Her iconic segmented whip like weapon, a luminous weapon, draped across her shoulders and coiled down to her waist, catching the fading sunlight.
Right behind her stepped Yuta Okkotsu, slinging his bag over his shoulders, his calm demeanor contrasting with the tense energy gripping everyone around.
The air seemed to thicken, as if pressure itself had dropped. Every soldier, officer, and official knew, if anything went wrong here, they might never see their families again.
Once Yuki and Yuta reached the tarmac, President Malcolm Graves approached, flanked by the towering Star and Stripe.
Graves wore a tailored blue suit, decorated with badges and honours from his years of service, his expression a mix of pride and measured professionalism.
"Greetings and salutations. President Malcolm Graves. It is truly an honor to meet you both," he said warmly, extending his hand. Yuta and Yuki shook it in turn.
Yuta, standing at 5'9", lifted his gaze slightly to meet the President's. Yuki, taller at 5'11", matched his line of sight. Everything seemed almost normal, until Star and Stripe stepped forward.
"Goddamn, the one and only Star and Stripe. What are they feeding you, girl?" Yuki scoffed, grinning as she looked up.
Star and Stripe chuckled at the remark, the President smiling faintly at the exchange, while the corner of Yuta's lips tugged upward in amusement.
Clearing his throat, Yuta addressed the group. "On behalf of my country and the Bureau, it's a pleasure to meet all of you."
Star and Stripe's smile widened. "Yuta Okkotsu, the honour is mine. Barely in your twenties, and possibly the most dangerous Special Grade here. Besides me, of course," she added, giving a self-assured thumbs-up.
Yuta narrowed his eyes, offering a dry, sarcastic laugh. Before he could respond further, Yuki interjected, her tone teasing yet pointed. "Actually, that would be me. I don't see either of you stopping a black hole, can you?"
The President's face betrayed a flicker of horror, while the onlookers stiffened, stunned by the implication.
Yuta and Star and Stripe exchanged brief glances, weighing how or if they should respond to her audacious claim.
Finally, they both shrugged, choosing not to dignify it with a counterargument. "Please, come with us," Star and Stripe said with a hint of excitement. "We've arranged the finest hotel in Washington, and reservations at the best diner, courtesy of my President."
Yuta and Yuki fell in step behind her as they walked toward the awaiting motorcade. The President trailed slowly, deep in thought.
'Yuta can copy any quirk regardless, Yuki can make a black hole. And my own Special Grade… can command reality itself. Perhaps oIshould be very glad Suguru Geto rejected the offer.'
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End of Chapter
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