Chapter 63 – One for All. All for One I
One of the classes scheduled for that day was a rescue exercise in hero uniforms, led by All Might at the Gamma Training Camp, an industrial site with numerous factories forming a maze and heavy machinery.
The competition, since Toshinori wanted to call it that, is a kind of obstacle course. As soon as All Might sends a distress signal to the centre of the training ground, the members of the various groups must run to him, and the first to arrive will be declared the winner.
Melissa was placed in the first group and, right from the start, showed a significant improvement compared to the previous week.
Not bad. Not only did it gain better control over One For All, but she also slightly refined the Conservai without having to use it at full capacity. Izuku thought, smiling.
The exercise continued smoothly until the end, when Izuku had to participate. But since he didn't need to take "Mercy" with him this time, his parkour proved much more effective and elegant, coming first in the competition.
«Truly an excellent display of skill, Midoriya-san.»
«This is barely a warm-up for me.» he said amusedly, taking off his helmet.
«By the way, Midoriya-san.» Toshinori called out in a low but serious tone of voice «I also told Melissa, but after class I'd like some of your time to tell you about me and my quirk.»
*****
In the locker room, the students were changing and thinking about how to improve after the exercise. In the background, robots from the safe where "Aegis of Fortitude" usually rests are helping to undress Izuku of his armour, singing binary psalms aimed at appeasing and soothing the armour’s belligerent Machine Spirit.
«Seeing the process where you wear the armour is certainly scenic and cool.» Denki said. «But is all that robotic noise really necessary?!» he asked, covering his ears.
«What you call noise…» Izuku began, looking up at Denki «they are actually psalms and verses spoken in binaric, necessary according to the Cult Mechanicum, to honour and put to sleep the Machine Spirit of my armour.»
«Why do you make it seem religious?» asked Mezo, speaking with one of his mouths
«Because, as much mysticism as there may be behind it, it's normal where I've been for the last 10 years.» Izuku said, sighing «Something I've gotten used to, and I don't question. I know these and many other psalms by heart and pronounce them in cases of necessity or during the maintenance of my regalia and weapons. Every time, the Machine Spirits rejoice when I utter them during those activities.»
«Who cares about psalms or spirits!» Minoru exclaimed, attracting everyone's attention «I have made a much better discovery: a symbol of freedom for us men.» he ended by pointing to a section of the wall
«A hole?» asked Izuku, raising an eyebrow.
«Not just any hole.» Minoru said with a winning smile «Do you know what's beyond this wall?! The women's locker room!!!»
«Spying is a crime, Mineta!» Tenya admonished him
«And so what?! How can you call yourself a man if you can't admire a woman's body while she’s changing?!» he asked, starting to drool and pant as he approached «Yaoyorozu's melons! Ashido's waist!! Hagakure's floating pants!!! The magnificent bodies of Uraraka and Shield-»
At that precise moment, Minoru petrified. His warm blood froze, and his head, full of perverse thoughts, completely disappeared, flooded with a single emotion: terror.
As if he were a rusty robot struggling to move, incredibly maintaining that perverted expression, he jerked toward the origin of the terror that had just assailed him. Although he continued to be undressed by the robots, Izuku's eyes were fixed on him, sharp and empty. His bloodlust was such that Minoru saw the mirage of a ferocious lion appear behind Izuku.
«Mineta-kun.» Izuku called coldly «Stand down.»
That single order, however calm and cold, sounded like the lion's furious roar behind Izuku and was enough to make the little pervert faint with terror.
*****
«Did you close that peeping hole?» asked Izuku
«Yes.» Melissa stated annoyingly «Jiro-san had noticed and was listening to those perverse things Mineta-san said. If you hadn't stopped him, surely one of Jiro-san's jacks would have ended up in that pervert's eye.»
«Sooner or later, his perversion will be his demise.» sighed Izuku, speaking of Minoru.
«In that case, it means he asked for it.» Melissa said, then paused for a moment «Ah, Midoriya-san, I should tell you something. Can you duck for a moment, please?»
At the request, Izuku raised his eyebrow slightly, but still agreed to Melissa's request, lowering himself enough for her to whisper in his ear.
«The girls thank you for stopping him.» she whispered in his ear.
Soon after, Melissa caught him off guard, kissed him on the cheek, and left him slightly surprised.
«This, however, is my personal thanks.» she said, smiling and blushing slightly.
With a happy expression, Melissa continued walking towards the meeting place with Toshinori. Izuku watched her walk away a few steps before returning to his feet and following her, sighing amusedly.
I admit, Shield-san surprised me. He thought, amused. For some reason, I don't mind her thanks……?!
At that thought, his mind was reminded of the episode that had occurred a little while ago in the locker room, pointing out a detail that, in the immediate future, he had not noticed: his bloodlust had been unleashed as soon as Minoru mentioned Melissa.
At the thought, he touched the cheek that the girl had just kissed.
I'm thinking about it too much. He finally decided by shaking his head slightly.
*****
In the professors' recreation room, the same one where Izuku had been asked to train Melissa just two months earlier, the air inside the room was heavy and severe. An inaudible atmosphere for those who couldn't read it, but Izuku noticed it as soon as Melissa opened the door.
Toshinori was sitting on the couch, his gaze low and his hands clasped, the obvious cause of that heavy atmosphere. And now, Melissa had noticed it too.
«Close the door.»
Toshinori’s tone was neutral but serious; still, Izuku sensed the same gravity that made the air heavy and tense. Izuku's focus was now entirely on Toshinori, ready to analyse and memorise every single word that would be said in that room.
Melissa sat on the couch across from Toshinori, her expression tense, worried, but also focused, while Izuku remained standing, going behind the couch.
«All sorts of things have happened to you, and I couldn't help you. Forgive me for this omission.» Toshinori apologised.
«Don’t worry, Uncle Might. You couldn't have predicted it.» Melissa stated sincerely.
«Yagi-dono.» Izuku called, ignoring the apology and labelling it useless «You didn't call us to apologise, and given the seriousness with which you did so, don't waste any more time and get to the point. What exactly do you have to tell us?»
«Hell, the air is already heavy and even though I try to ease the tension-»
«We Custodes have a specific synonym for the term "easing the tension" when talking about things involving the security of the Imperial Palace or the Emperor himself.» Izuku interrupted in an authoritarian tone «“Wasted time used by the enemy to escape our vigil." From what little I understood when you asked us to speak privately, it seemed to me to fall into the same category. So, speak.»
Izuku's words, however authoritarian and delivered with a gaze and tone so sharp they could repeatedly wound Toshinori, also carried a gentle, controlled urgency, refined over centuries.
Toshinori fell silent, took a deep breath, before beginning to talk about what needed to be said with his heir and the Guardian of the Golden Throne.
«You should know that One For All is a special Quirk not only in itself, but also in its origin.» He began calmly and clearly «One For All is the derivative of another Quirk that has existed since the dawn of the emergence of Quirks.»
The introduction, though clear and calm, added another note of gravity to the already tense atmosphere.
«This Quirk is called “All For One.”»