Sirens cut through the hot Texas air as police cruisers sped down a nearly deserted industrial avenue. A fleeing villain stumbled between containers, breathing heavily, his wild eyes searching for any escape route.
"Damn it… damn it… DAMN IT!" he snarled, turning the corner.
He didn't even take three steps.
A metallic snap echoed above him.
Before he could react, bluish energy cables shot down from overhead and wrapped around his arms and legs, slamming him hard against the asphalt. A containment field pulsed, nullifying any attempt to activate his quirk.
"Target secured," a calm voice said.
The hero landed right in front of him, his right hand encased in a compact support device, neon lights pulsing steadily.
The police cruisers arrived moments later.
"Another slacker caught this week," one of the officers commented as he approached. He glanced at the hero's device and let out a low whistle. "Hey… isn't that from SyderTech?"
"It is," another officer replied, crossing his arms. "I'm seeing more and more heroes using those toys."
"And it's no wonder," the first added, looking at the immobilized villain. "With stuff like that, villains are getting taken down way too fast. Some don't even get a chance to react."
SyderTech.
A company that, until recently, was already an absolute titan in the U.S. technology market. Artificial intelligence, defense systems, urban automation, data networks… they already dominated all of that.
But at the beginning of this year, the game changed.
SyderTech officially entered the hero market.
High-tech support devices — modular, adaptable, absurdly efficient — began appearing in the hands of professional heroes. Within months, the company expanded its operations to more than 40 countries.
It didn't take long for the impact to be felt.
Villain capture rates rose. Average confrontation times dropped. Even China began integrating SyderTech technology into special police units.
The world was getting used to a new reality.
And the center of it all was in Metroville, USA.
SyderTech's main headquarters rose like a blade of glass and steel: 35 floors of pure futuristic engineering.
The lower levels housed administrative sectors and coordination centers.
"The performance report for the European division is up another 12%," one employee commented while walking down the white corridor.
"As expected," another technician replied, watching a holographic panel. "Since the heroes there adopted the containment modules, it's become the standard."
The middle floors housed laboratories.
"Field test confirmed," said a scientist, adjusting her glasses. "The prototype withstood an impact equivalent to a mid-scale explosion."
"Excellent," her colleague replied. "If we keep this up, we'll be able to launch the second version of the SiderSuit next month."
Higher up were simulation centers, testing arenas, observation rooms.
And then… the 34th floor.
That's where the CEO's office was.
Buddy Pine, CEO of SyderTech, was sprawled comfortably on a rustic genuine leather sofa, laughing loudly, with the natural confidence of someone who knew exactly how much power he held in his hands.
"Oh, come on," he said cheerfully, spreading his arms. "You know as well as I do that this deal is going to be an absolute success. Take a good look at the paperwork, no rush… then tell me what you think."
The man in front of him — another CEO of a corporate giant — stood up with a satisfied smile, adjusting his suit jacket.
"I'll review everything carefully. We'll talk soon, Buddy."
"I'll be waiting," Buddy replied, still smiling.
The automatic door opened with a soft technological hiss. The secretary outside inclined her head slightly as she escorted the visitor out.
"See you later, my friend!" Buddy waved enthusiastically.
The door closed.
The smile vanished as if it had never existed.
"Idiot…" Buddy muttered, his face twisting in pure disdain. "He and that contract can go straight to hell."
He leaned forward, lifting his back off the sofa. He grabbed an absurdly expensive bottle of whiskey from the coffee table, poured himself a small glass, and took a short sip, savoring the flavor before snapping his fingers in the air.
"You may come in."
Another secretary approached silently. She had been present the entire time at the back of the room. Long black hair, discreet glasses, impeccable posture — the perfect image of professionalism.
"So?" Buddy asked bluntly, his voice already cold. "Is the report ready?"
"Data collection has been completed," she replied calmly.
She placed the tablet on the table.
The device activated and projected a hologram in the center of the office, filling the air with vivid images of the U.A. Sports Festival in Japan.
Rito Takeda facing Todoroki.The green explosion tearing through the arena.The duel against Dash.The overwhelming victory over Midoriya.
Buddy brought a hand to his broad chin, blue eyes gleaming with genuine interest.
"Hm…" he murmured. "That kid is a lot stronger than I expected."
"His Quirk is Internal Energy Transition. He is capable of converting his own internal energy to reinforce his physical body and, as observed, also releasing it externally in the form of discharges," the woman continued in a clinical tone. "Our analyses indicate an extremely high compatibility rate between him and the target. Rito Takeda is, with very high probability, the new heir to One For All."
Buddy's smile slowly spread.
A satisfied, dangerous smile.
"Excellent…" he said, almost laughing. "That gives us a massive advantage. With this information, we can buy a few things… from All For One."
The woman took a step forward.
Her form began to ripple.
Her skin tone shifted. The dark hair turned platinum blonde. The glasses vanished. Her features reshaped into something elegant, provocative, flawless.
Mirage stood there.
She moved in behind him, placing her hands on Buddy's broad shoulders, fingers sliding with intimacy as she leaned in slightly.
"The Second Test will be ready soon as well," she whispered in his ear. "The Sentinels have already been equipped with the necessary quirks. Everything is proceeding exactly as planned."
Buddy closed his eyes for a moment… savoring the instant.
When he opened them, his smile was even wider.
"Perfect. Let's see how the world reacts… to its second great test."
----------------------------------------
The alarm clock exploded into a shrill sound, filling every corner of the small apartment. Ryo slowly opened his eyes, feeling the weight of sleep clinging to his aching body, and stared at the peeling ceiling above him.
Then he sat up on the edge of the bed.
He turned to check the time on the clock and saw that it was 8:30 in the morning.
His gaze slowly drifted to the golden medal resting beside the pillow. It reflected the faint light coming in through the window.
Ryo let out a long sigh.
He tried to stand up carefully—and failed.
A brutal pain tore through his back and spread through his muscles like fire, making his legs give out. He dropped to his knees on the wooden floor, fingers digging into his own back as he held his breath.
"Urgh…"
That was the price for having used Inert Transition so many times during the festival, and now it was collecting its tribute—with interest. The pain resembled post-workout exhaustion, but amplified to a brutal level—ten times more intense, deeper, and longer-lasting. It was as if every muscle in his body had been pushed beyond its absolute limit, right to the brink of collapse.
He took several deep breaths, forcing his body to obey.
With effort, he managed to stand and cross the apartment, the creaking of the wooden floor the only sound breaking the silence.
"I'm going to have to rest… a lot," he murmured to himself. "Good thing there's no class today. Or tomorrow. Just imagine the hell it'd be dealing with Dash and Kirishima in this state…"
In the bathroom, he turned on the faucet and started the shower.
Cold water ran down his face, snapping him fully out of his daze. The shock made his body react, his senses slowly waking as he ran a hand through his hair, letting the water fall over his aching back.
After the shower, he got dressed in his casual look: a loose black shirt with "NO SENSE" printed across the chest, army cargo shorts with a camouflage pattern, and finally his highly reliable… red Crocs.
In the kitchen, he prepared breakfast and a simple bento, yawning as he worked the pans. When he finished carefully packing the box, he spent a few seconds just staring at it.
Then he pulled out his phone and took a picture.
"To show those two how things are done when you do it yourself…" he commented, sending the image to the group chat.
Ryo wrapped the bento in a cloth, grabbed his keys, and left the apartment.
Outside, a black car was parked near the complex. Inside it, Sakamoto rested his arms on the steering wheel.
As soon as he saw Ryo approaching, he rolled the window down.
"Morning," he greeted.
"Morning," Ryo replied, getting into the passenger seat.
"So, how are you feeling?"
Ryo made a slight grimace, leaning back against the seat.
"I've been better… much better."
Sakamoto chuckled softly and nodded, adjusting the rearview mirror before starting the car.
"I figured. Shall we stop by Rosa's Flower Shop first?"
"Yes," Ryo confirmed. "I need to pick up my mom's flowers. Like always."
Ryo looked away toward the street, watching the sidewalks grow busier as they moved along.
The city was waking up in small islands of life: bicycles, a coffee cart, storefront displays. He liked the gradual sound of it, the world returning to its usual rhythm. After thinking about that for several long minutes, they arrived at a flower shop with an old-fashioned façade.
The car stopped, but before Ryo could open the door, Sakamoto called out to him.
"Hey…" He turned slightly in his seat. "I watched the Festival recording on TV."
Ryo froze for a moment.
"You did great," Sakamoto continued, sincerely.
Ryo looked at him in silence for a few seconds. Then he turned his gaze to the door, opened it partway…
"Thanks."
And stepped out of the car.
As Ryo pushed open the flower shop door and was immediately enveloped by the sweet, dense fragrance of dozens of different flowers.
The air inside felt lighter, almost alive, laden with colors and perfumes that blended together harmoniously.
He walked down the narrow aisle between pots and arrangements, passing lilies, daisies, roses, and camellias carefully lined up, until he reached the counter—which was strangely empty.
Ryo frowned, glancing around.
"Rosa…?"
Before he could call again, a loud scream burst out from the back door, which stood ajar just behind the counter.
"Wh–yo–why— ARGH!"
The female voice echoed through the entire shop, making Ryo flinch slightly.
"¡ESTÚPIDO! ¿¡QUÉ CLASE DE RIDÍCULA Y PATÉTICA EXCUSA DE HOMBRE ERES!?"
(IDIOT! WHAT KIND OF RIDICULOUS AND PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A MAN ARE YOU!?)
Ryo blinked, recognizing the tone immediately.
Right after that, a younger, beaten-down male voice tried to defend himself:
"S-sorry, Mom… It was an accident…"
"SORRY!?" the woman roared. "WHAT KIND OF PENDEJO MANAGES TO CUT MY MIDDLEMIST RED CAMELLIAS BY ACCIDENT!? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG THEY TAKE TO BLOOM!?"
Ryo could've sworn he heard a long sigh of defeat before the woman continued, merciless:
"Clean up this mess right now! And you're going to plant double the number of camellias after that! That's your punishment!"
Muffled grumbling answered her.
A few seconds later, the back door was thrown open.
Ryo came face to face with Rosa.
Tall and imposing, nearly two meters in height, her body resembled an orange aquilops—likely an effect of her quirk. Her skin had a warm tone that contrasted with her intense, expressive pink eyes. Long, slightly messy brown hair fell down to her waist. She wore an elegant black dress covered by a transparent layer, with pink magnolia flowers embroidered on the chest and hem. On her feet, brown platform heels with rosy straps completed the look.
She took two steps forward… and then froze.
Her eyes went wide.
"¡RITITOOOO!"
Her face lit up as if the sun had walked into the shop.
"Mi favorite niño!" she said, hurrying over to the counter. "It's been so long since you came by! I was starting to think you'd abandoned me!"
"I've had a busy few days," Ryo replied.
"You came to get a bouquet of tsubaki, didn't you? Like always?"
"Yes."
Rosa clapped her hands excitedly.
"Oh, wonderful! Just wait a moment, dear!"
She disappeared into the back again and, a few minutes later, returned carrying a beautiful bouquet of tsubaki, perfectly arranged, their petals delicate and vibrant.
"Here you go," she said, handing it over carefully.
Ryo took the bouquet with extreme care, as if he were holding something precious.
Rosa watched the scene with an emotional smile.
"See?" she said, crossing her arms. "That's why you're my favorite customer. You hold the flowers as if they were fragile. As if they were alive. Not like those other customers who treat my little girls like disposable decorations!"
Her smile vanished for a moment.
"Flowers have feelings," she said, thumping her hand against her chest. "And so do I! I take care of them like daughters, with all my love, until they bloom… and the day I hand them to someone, it's like watching them leave home."
She slammed her hands down on the counter, anger bubbling over.
"And then people come along who don't even look at them properly! Who bend them, squeeze them, and then throw them away! If I didn't need to buy fertilizer and supplies, I swear to God I'd refuse to sell flowers to those idiots!"
Rosa grumbled for a few more seconds, then—like a switch had been flipped—she took a deep breath… and smiled warmly again.
"Thank goodness you're not like them," she said, pointing at Ryo. "You treat my little girls like the darlings they are. You even bring the old ones back to me instead of throwing them away!"
"You're exaggerating…" he murmured.
"Not at all!" she shot back, laughing. "I've never seen anyone like you!"
While Rosa continued her passionate speech, Ryo took advantage of the moment, carefully placed the money on the counter, and gave a small nod.
"Thanks… for the flowers…"
And he left the shop in silence.
Behind him, Rosa kept talking animatedly… completely unaware that her favorite customer had already gone.
----------------------------------------
The Underground Meeting Room 03 of the D.C.S.S. no longer carried the same oppressive weight it had a year ago. The cold lights were still the same, the reinforced walls still stood firm, but the mood among those present had changed. Coffee cups had replaced urgent reports, and some chairs were occupied in a far less rigid manner.
Hiroshi Kagemura rested his hands on the oval table as he listened to the latest report.
"Crime rates dropped by 6.2% this quarter," one of the analysts reported. "Especially in districts where there are heroes equipped with SiderTech support devices."
The Minister of Defense nodded slowly.
"That brings us to the next item on the agenda." He slid a tablet across the table. "SiderTech. Their support devices have shown absurd efficiency in capturing medium- and high-risk villains."
"If we can secure a direct agreement," Inoue added, his tone far less explosive than usual, "our special forces would gain years of advantage over the villains."
A few murmurs of approval spread through the room.
That was when someone commented, almost as an aside:
"Speaking of efficiency… the U.A. Sports Festival."
The name alone was enough to shift the focus of the meeting.
Dr. Saitō adjusted his glasses, flipping through another report—this time with a visibly lighter expression.
"Ryo Tanaka has shown stable emotional indicators throughout his time at U.A." He looked up, clearly impressed. "If we exclude that incident at the USJ… it seems he's… enjoying himself?"
"Enjoying himself," one of the advisers repeated, almost incredulously.
"That wasn't included in any of our predictive scenarios," another murmured.
Kagemura allowed himself a brief sigh.
"Trusting Nezu was the right decision," he said at last. "The best one this council has made in years."
"Better than following Kusabane's plan," someone muttered with a bitter half-laugh.
"A whole year believing in that insanity…" Inoue shook his head. "Turning a kid into energy infrastructure. We were idiots to accept that without thinking twice, but we didn't have many choices back then either…"
"Nezu stopped it before we crossed a point of no return," added the Minister of Health. "And now the results are clear. Ryo Tanaka's mood has improved. His quirk control too. For the third time… he's living like a normal kid."
The atmosphere remained pleasant for a few moments. There was relief there. Something rare.
Until a hesitant voice broke the moment:
"If he's stabilizing…" the adviser cleared his throat. "Do you think that, in the future, we might be able to tell him the truth?"
Silence fell like a blade.
No keyboard, no paper, no cup moved. Even the air seemed to grow heavier.
Everyone looked at Kagemura.
The head of National Security kept his gaze fixed forward for a few seconds before speaking, his voice low, firm… and final.
"No."
He clasped his hands on the table.
"With the way Ryo Tanaka is improving… we can't tell him about that. It would slow all the progress we've made."
A pause.
"Maybe… we will never tell him the truth."