"She wants to be a hero? But that day she clearly mocked me with those unrealistic fantasies..."
Midoriya instinctively began protesting All Might's words, but was quickly interrupted.
"You've likely been too focused on training to notice. For the past month, that girl has been silently observing your practice sessions from the sidelines. Perhaps this is her way of expressing gratitude and admiration. After we leave each night, she stays behind alone-performing training routines that, frankly, seem completely ineffective."
With an expression that said "I've already seen through everything," All Might spoke fervently.
"Young Midoriya, you have a very powerful charisma about you."
"Is that so..."
Watching the girl below relentlessly assaulting the poor vending machine, Izuku Midoriya couldn't quite put into words what he was feeling. In a world where over 80% of people possessed Quirks, he had endured endless mockery and ridicule since childhood for being Quirkless. Yet now, after his idol All Might had told him he could become a hero, the same girl who had once sneered at him for rushing to the rescue was secretly following in his footsteps. The feeling was undeniably strange.
"All Might, is this kind of training really effective?"
Turning his head, Izuku looked at All Might.
"I mean, no matter how you look at it, she's just kicking a broken machine wildly. Won't she hurt her foot like this?"
"If she wants to get into U.A., this kind of training is absolutely not enough. There's no technique to it at all. Although she's wrapped her feet in braces to reduce the impact, the pain will still be there... Could this be her Quirk?"
As if struck by a thought, All Might wore a contemplative expression.
"Her... Quirk?"
Staring at the girl below, Izuku couldn't possibly associate that chaotic, unrefined fighting style with a Quirk... Could that even be called an effective attack method?
"Quirks can be unpredictable, Young Midoriya."
Patting Izuku on the shoulder, All Might burst into laughter, flashing a set of teeth so white they could blind a person.
"Her Quirk is registered as 'Fantasy' an unknown type. You can't deduce anything useful from the name alone. I imagine she's training like this to develop her Quirk, but she's going about it the wrong way. Still, it's understandable. Before this, she never even considered using her Quirk to become a hero."
"A hero..."
As if making up his mind, Izuku spoke to All Might.
"All Might, could I ask you to-"
BANG!
Just then, the sound of something heavy hitting the ground came from below.
"Ugh, I feel like I'm just cursed with bad luck..."
Clutching her foot, Konata sucked in a sharp breath. Though she had double-wrapped her feet to prevent injury, that only protected against external damage.
The vending machine had already been on the verge of collapse, and after enduring her relentless kicks, it finally gave out. Caught off guard, she kicked empty air and fell hard, her foot seemingly dislocated in the process.
"Tch..."
Struggling to her feet, Konata glanced around, searching for a clean spot to sit. A dislocation was nothing-she could handle this much on her own.
However, after searching around, she realized none of the surrounding spots were better than where she had been lying earlier...
"Forget it, let's call it a night. I still have class tomorrow... Wait, why do I even need to attend classes anyway?"
With a resentful sigh, she removed the shoe from her dislocated foot and carried it in her hand. Hopping on one leg, she retrieved her handbag before making her way to the beachside.
"Whew... This is really killing me..."
Sitting on the sand, she reset her dislocated joint. Konata wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, casually tossed the shoe aside, and lay back on the beach.
The night sea breeze brushed through her hair, bringing a slight chill. Above, the starry sky glittered brightly.
Since this place was rarely visited, it was arguably the quietest corner of the city. After lying by the shore for a while, she felt as if her soul had been somewhat purified.
"Alright, alright, I admit this kind of life isn't so bad. It'd be even better without that malicious main quest. How am I supposed to raise affection points anyway? When I play GAL games, I always manage to get the worst endings without fail..."
Muttering to herself, Konata sat up and put her shoe back on.
Though the initial unlocking process was painful, she firmly believed that as long as she could successfully unlock even one character, she could turn the tables. Whether it was Railgun or Shana, their combat prowess was undeniable. Forget about the quests for now-once she had the strength to protect herself, at the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about her safety in this world. Who knows, she might even gain a bunch of fans. Thinking about it, she felt a little excited.
After searching the beach and finding her handbag, Konata slung it over her shoulder. Humming an unfamiliar tune, she staggered slightly as she walked back the way she came.
"Young Midoriya, you need to work hard too."
Watching the girl's retreating figure, All Might turned to Izuku Midoriya with a serious expression.
When the girl had fallen earlier, Midoriya had instinctively wanted to rush out and help, but All Might stopped him. He wanted to see what the girl would do in such a situation-what she was capable of.
And truth be told, she had given him quite a surprise.
"I'll do my best, All Might."
Clenching his fists, Midoriya spoke each word with determination.