Chapter 74 arriving at the company
After class ended and the final bell rang throughout the halls of U.A. High School, Aoi was calmly packing up his things, organizing his notebook and bag with his usual efficient movements, ready to head out and get on with his day.
He then glanced toward the classroom door and noticed a commotion starting to form students clustering, voices rising in a mix of curiosity and tension.
Aoi turned to Mina, who was sitting next to him, and asked casually:
—Mina, what's going on over there?
Mina replied, peering toward the door:
—Well, it looks like people from the other classes came to see us probably checking out Class 1-A up close.
The group then moved closer to the door to get a better look at what was happening.
Momo said thoughtfully:
—I think after the villain incident at the USJ, they must have gotten really curious about us the class that survived and fought back.
Bakugou scoffed loudly:
—Don't be so optimistic. They're here because they want to size up the rivals they'll be competing against in the upcoming school competitions. Nothing more.
Aoi said indifferently, slinging his bag over his shoulder:
—I don't care what they want or why they're here. I just know I'm already late getting home. I still have to stop by the company to take care of some important things before heading back. I don't have time for this kind of drama today.
Aoi then started walking directly toward the exit, intending to push through the crowd.
Izuku called out quickly:
—Aoi, wait up! We're coming with you too we can walk out together.
Aoi looked back at them and said bluntly:
—Well, I'm really busy today. Could you all get out of the way soon? I need to move.
Bakugou said impatiently, palms sparking faintly:
—Get out of the way already, you cannon fodder! Move it!
Uraraka said reproachfully:
—Bakugou, don't say that. It's rude to them we're all fellow students.
Iida added sternly, chopping the air with his hand:
—Yes, Bakugou. We should always be polite and respectful to our fellow students, no matter the circumstances.
Suddenly, they heard a calm but pointed voice cutting through the tension:
—Well, it's true we came to take a look around, but you're all pretty rude, right? It doesn't seem like the attitude of a hero course at all.
They turned and looked in the direction of the voice and saw a student with spiky indigo hair and distinctive dark eye bags that gave him a panda-like appearance standing there with a few others from the general course behind him.
He then looked directly at the Class 1-A students and said:
—Well, nice to meet you all. My name is Shinso, from the general course. My classmates and I came here just to see what the famous Class A that survived and actually fought real villains was like up close. But it seems like you're just a bunch of arrogant people who think they're above everyone else.
Bakugou snarled immediately:
—You piece of shit! You want to get exploded right here and now?
Shinso replied coolly, unfazed:
—Well, we came here specifically to declare war on Class A.
Kaminari said confusedly:
—War? I don't get it what do you mean?
Shinso explained matter-of-factly:
—It's simple. In this upcoming Sports Festival, if a general course student performs exceptionally well, they can be promoted directly to the hero course. But if a hero course student performs poorly, they can be demoted down to general studies. In other words, in this competition, all of us from the general course are eyeing your spots in the hero course and we're coming for them.
Aoi looked at the situation unfolding and said flatly:
—Are you done with your little speech? If you're done, then I'm leaving. I have better things to do than stand here listening to this.
Aoi then simply passed by them, brushing shoulders as he walked through the group without slowing down.
Shinso said with a smirk:
—What arrogance. As expected from the strongest student in Class A the one they say single handedly defeated those monsters during the USJ attack. And now the media is already calling you the future number 1 hero.
Aoi stopped in his tracks, turned slowly, and looked at him directly before saying:
—You know, man, I can't stand people like you.
Shinso provoked further, crossing his arms:
—People who tell the truth? That you're just a chosen one who never had anything wrong or difficult in life doesn't like to hear it called out?
Aoi looked him straight in the eyes, his gaze cold and unwavering, and said:
—No. I don't care if random people complain about me or insult me, because those people's opinions mean absolutely nothing to me. After all, I don't even know who they are or why I should value what they think. So what really irritates me is people like you who love to play the victim, who act like only you have suffered in this world. I bet the reason you're so bitter and rancorous is because you think you don't have a "cool" quirk that lets you easily join the hero course, right? That's why you convince yourself your life was so hard a quirk that's not flashy or exactly what you wanted. That's the only reason for your so-called suffering.
Shinso shot back angrily:
—You privileged bastard. You don't know anything about me or what I've been through.
Aoi replied without hesitation:
—I don't know, and I don't want to know, about a whiny baby who, instead of training with all their strength breaking every bone in their body to get stronger and rub it in the faces of everyone who ever doubted or badmouthed you that you succeeded instead here you are acting like a whiny baby because the world doesn't treat you perfectly. But if you want, just ignore everything I said and keep blaming others for your failures instead of trying to improve yourself. After all, you're not a quirkless person who can't change anything even if they desperately want to. So at the end of the day, you're one of the privileged too you have the tools, you just choose not to use them properly.
Aoi then looked at him one last time and added:
—I just have one simple question. If you answer it honestly, I'll apologize for everything I said. Is your quirk a completely useless one like nail growth or vomiting rainbows or turning into a jacket? If it is, I'll apologize right now.
Shinso, hearing this direct challenge, fell completely silent, unable to respond.
Aoi then said goodbye to the silent Shinso and continued:
—Well, I figured it would be something like that. Well, let me go now. This lucky guy here has to take care of his company first and then go home, where my beautiful girlfriends are waiting for me.
Aoi then walked out without looking back, leaving a heavy, tense atmosphere hanging in the air behind him.
Momo, watching the whole exchange, sighed deeply and said:
—He never manages to be gentle or hold back, does he?
Izuku said, smiling awkwardly to ease the tension:
—Aoi was a bit too harsh there, wasn't he?
Shinso looked at Class 1-A with renewed determination and said:
—So what that arrogant guy said only made me want even more to take your spots in the hero course. See you all at the festival we'll settle this there.
He said as he turned and left with his group.
Kaminari, watching them go, said worriedly:
—Aoi just filled us with even more enemies...
Bakugou said gruffly:
—Wake up and think, idiot. They were always our enemies from the start. They want to be heroes just as much as we do, but we're standing in their way for those limited spots. So even without that arrogant aquarium head saying all that, they'd still come after us aggressively.
Momo said thoughtfully:
—Bakugou is right this time. So if you don't want to lose your qualifications for the hero course and get demoted, you'd all better train as hard as you can.
On the other side of town, Aoi accelerated his motorcycle toward the company, the engine roaring as he weaved through traffic, his mind still lingering on the confrontation.
He thought about Shinso's childhood from the original story in the anime it had been tough, with bullying and doubt because of his "villain-like" quirk. But in the end, he had only been a bit mistreated and misunderstood. But what is that level of suffering compared to Eri's, who accidentally erased her own father from reality as a child and was hated by her mother, then used as a living weapon by that son of a bitch Chisaki? Or Shigaraki, whose entire life was manipulated and twisted by All For One from the very beginning? Or even my shitty brother Dabi, who had his future completely destroyed by our own father's obsession?
Those people have real reasons to feel victimized and broken. But a guy with a strong mind-control quirk who only suffered some teasing and doubt while growing up needs to get a grip and take responsibility instead of whining.
With that firm thought running through his mind, Aoi finally arrived at the massive gate of the company. He slowed down, parked his motorcycle securely in his reserved spot, and looked up at the impressive building that had grown so much over the years now occupying nearly the space of three full soccer fields, a testament to the family's success and innovation.
Aoi then took a deep breath, adjusted his bag, and began to enter the company, ready to handle whatever business awaited him before heading home.