The corner was in complete chaos. Leo stood up from the ground to get a good glimpse of what really happened even when he has a rough idea it can only be caused by Jade. The thick black smoke is getting thinner by the minute and he could see the aftermath of Jade's brutality. As he stood up, the pain in his left arm worsened, so he started looking for Jose through the harmless black smoke. Yes, it was harmless… A fire quirk doesn't really deal the same damage that a real fire does. Even if Jade launched more of those attacks on the wooden parts of this hall, it wouldn't burn it the same way a fire does, though constant exposure to the fire quirk as a human is just as dangerous to one as a real fire. First, he saw the senior who possessed the telekinesis quirk writhing in pain with his leg clutched in his hand. Of course, it is not Leo's concern. To his left, Ethan was already getting up on his feet. He had managed to notice Jade from above at the last second, and he had managed to ha

The training center was eerily quiet now, the heat of battle replaced by the cool hum of the various automated machines and bots going about their preprogrammed duties. School guards had taken Jade away, and the air still smelled faintly of scorched metal. Leo sat on a bench, rolling his sore shoulder while Jose kneeled beside him, finishing up the last of his healing work. But instead of leaving, Jose lingered. His gaze flickered to Leo's wrist specifically, to the sleeve where he had seen the thing... The thin blue pen-like thing. "You know," Jose started, voice calm but edged with curiosity, "I saw you push that thing up your sleeve back there." Leo tensed for just a second but kept his expression neutral. "What thing?" he asked, feigning innocence. Jose scoffed. "Don't play dumb. The blue pen. I saw it." He sat back on his heels, studying Leo with sharp eyes. "Why are you doing that?" "Doing what?" Leo persisted in his fake innocence. "You didn't shoot back at Jade until yo

Sunday dragged on like a dull, never-ending dream. Leo spent most of the day holed up in his dorm room, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. His mind, however, was far from idle. Thoughts of the upcoming combat classes consumed him—excitement and anxiety twisting into a single, restless feeling in his gut. Combat training was his chance to prove himself, to refine his skills, to survive in this academy where ranks determined everything. But at the same time, the thought of standing in an arena surrounded by actual quirk users made his chest feel tight. He wasn't like them. He didn't have fire or lightning at his fingertips. All he had was a faking device, a trick wrapped around his wrist, a lie that could fall apart at any moment. He exhaled sharply and sat up, rubbing his face. "Enough overthinking." Leo glanced at the clock. Evening already? He had spent the entire day inside. Maybe he needed to step out, even if just for a little while. Pulling on his jacket, he left

Leo woke up to the tone of his alarm clock by his bedside. Sluggishly, he dragged himself up with a gentle reminder that it's Monday. Mondays always suck. He didn't know what other dorms feel like, but he know for sure that the VIP dorm room was quiet. Too quiet. His body ached in places he didn't even know could ache. He blinked against the soft sunlight filtering in through the tall windows, trying to make sense of the knot in his stomach. Today was the start of The Quirk Control classes, Beast weapon classes, and Combat classes. He's opted in his mind to start with Combat classes. No Quirk, no fake quirk, no problem, it seems. The academy has granted each freshman the permission to pick each classes anyone wants to stat with first. The three classes must be completed before the second year, but the order of attendance can be flexed. "Who knows? I might have discovered my quirk before I register for the other two classes." He sat up slowly, rubbing his face. His bed was comforta

She wasn't holding back. Her movements were quick and efficient. She stayed low, shifted her weight, feinted one way and pulled the other. Leo managed to stay on his feet, but he felt like he was swimming upstream. They reset. Again and again. After the third round, Leo tried to step in first. He faked a lean to the right, then moved left—but Rosa read it, swept his foot, and had him on the mat before he blinked. "Oof," he muttered, staring up at the ceiling. "You're thinking too much," Rosa said, offering her hand. "Your body hesitates." "I'm trying not to screw up." "Then stop trying. Move." If only Rosa knew Leo was all pulling a front by maintaining his normal movement speed and dull reflexes. "Wait till I hit you with Jose's spice, aha." They reset again. The room was silent, at least for a moment. Leo squared up to Rosa at a corner of the room on the pale blue mat, their assigned area in the now-active training center. Students formed loose circles in other zones, each