Black_Paladyn
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MHA Paragon 2.0 Chapter 34: Welcome Back
🕑 Added 2025-02-01 01:29:39 +0000 UTC'Damn Nezu wasn't playing around with beefing up security,' I muttered, gazing at the massive solid metal wall with red white, and blue accents with golden trim surrounding the entire school, 'They even have security checkpoints...am I supposed to have an ID?'
My suspicion wasn't that far off though as after I identified myself at the checkpoint I was pulled to the side and given an intensive ten-minute questionnaire with a line of interrogation that ranged from my favorite color to my social security number.
Only after my answer to each question was recorded was I given an ID and sent along my way, 'I really hope Nezu doesn't think that's going to deter a group of dedicated villains.'
Having spent several days with the principal I was certain that the mouse had implemented even more security measures behind the scenes.
Entering the building I surveyed the familiar surroundings as I walked to class. Everything felt surreal, it had only been a few days since the incident but I felt like a completely different person.
'Well, I guess almost dying will do that to you,' I thought darkly as I hefted my bag, 'Though I've already died once, so maybe the initial shock value wore off on me.'
A shadow fell over my face as the chimera's terrifying visage reared its ugly head in my mind, quickly followed by the endless hunger of my flux. It was a foregone conclusion in my mind that the Chimera and I would fight each other again. And when we did, only one of us would survive.
"Oh my god, Kenji you're alive!"
I snapped out of my morbid as a familiar voice called out my name and I looked over my shoulder to see, Kirishima waving at me with a massive grin on his face.
I slowed down and waited for the red-haired muscle head to catch up, "Of course I am, was there any doubt?"
Kirishima shrugged helplessly, "I don't what to tell you, man, last time I saw you, you jumped through a window when we were on the twentieth floor. Then to make things worse the day after you don't join the class GC. Come to find out from Bakugo and Midoriya, that you were still in a coma when they got dismissed from the infirmary."
"Damn if I knew everyone was that worried I would have checked in," I muttered only for Kirishima to roughly pat my shoulder in encouragement, "No sweat man, besides I don't think anyone could be too pissed off with you after what you did!"
"What I did?" I echoed back in confusion which only caused Kirishima's enthusiasm to soar, "Yeah man Tsu told everyone all about it! Apparently, there was some kind of monster you fought?"
"Oh yeah I guess there was that," I admitted.
"So it was actually a monster, not some villain with a quirk?" Kirishima clarified and I nodded in agreement, "Damn, how the hell did they get a monster on their side?"
"It's something I try not to think about," I replied sourly, but the moment Kirishima brought the question up I couldn't help but reflect on another conclusion I had come to in regard to the Chimera.
That thing wasn't natural, I could feel it in my bones when we fought. The creature had been designed to be a killing machine with no exploitable weakness. Which unfortunately meant that whoever created the Chimera was most likely capable of making more of the monstrosities.
"Hey man you alright?" Kirishima asked breaking me out of my train of thought as I shook my head, "Y-yeah, sorry about that, I got lost in thought there for a moment."
"No problem man, happens to me all the time," Kirishima replied with a beaming smile.
Fortunately, Kirishima let the subject drop and I made it to Homeroom without any more depressing thoughts about a potential apocalypse overrun by sadistic beasts.
Stepping into the classroom I absently looked around only to freeze momentarily as I made eye contact with a pair of bright yellow irises.
Seeing my gaze Mina winked and shot me a knowing smile before turning back to talk with the rest of the girls who were gathered around Yaorozuru's desk.
After I had sent my ahem picture Mina hadn't replied leaving me in the dark and very...tense with no form of relief.
I narrowed my gaze at Mina's back, 'What is she plotting?'
After a second I tore my eyes away and made my way to my seat as people started to file in.
"Hmm, I'm glad to see you're all here."
I looked up from my phone as a familiar voice rippled through the classroom.
Aizawa walked to the front of the classroom and stared at us with his usual stoic look. But there was something different in his eyes, "I know it's been a few days, and everyone has had their time to process everything that's happened, but I still find that it's important I acknowledge what all of you have gone through."
The class fell silent as people quickly made their way into their seats.
"While you are all training to be heroes, that day you were confronted with the reality of what that life truly entails. Unpredictability and danger are both constants that have claimed the lives of many heroes and will continue to do so. You may have accepted that fact in your mind when decided to pursue this career, but it is another thing to be confronted with it."
Aizawa spoke slowly letting the gravity of his words sink in with each second that passed, "But as I said before, all of you are present today, and to be honest I expected nothing less. All of you have proven yourselves capable of excelling, which is why I believe it's important that I bring up something that all of you should be looking forward to. Of course, I am talking about the Sports Festival."
At the mention of the sports festival, the classroom lit up with chatter, and rightfully so.
"The Festival is set for the end of the month and for those who don't know it is crucial that you demonstrate nothing but your absolute best," Aizawa explained allowing the chatter and excitement to grow, "This event will be broadcast on national television drawing millions of eyes directly onto you. But the only eyes you should be worried about are those belonging to the Pro Hero Agencies who will be watching and scouting for promising talent. Do well and they may offer you an internship, an invaluable experience where you will shadow a Pro and learn from hands-on experience."
The excitement in the room reached its apex and Aizawa was forced to silence the class with a glare, "That being said, when all of you go on that stage, everyone will know that I was the one who taught you. And I won't allow any of you to tarnish my reputation."
'Oh this doesn't sound good,' I thought as a smile spread across Aizawa's lips.
A feeling of dread fell over the class as Aizawa continued his speech, "So for the next four weeks, I will be taking a very hands-on approach when it comes to your training."
---
'I was right, it wasn't good at all,' I thought while dragging a weighted reinforced sled behind me on the track. It had also been quite the shock of putting on the biometric scanner for the first time after the USJ incident and seeing that all of my weighted exercises had practically doubled.
Initially, I thought the device was wrong and nearly brought my concerns to Aizawa before ultimately deciding to at least entertain the possibility that my strength had doubled.
Imagine my surprise as I gradually loaded up the sled to find that I could pull a ton with relative ease. However, that didn't mean it was any less exhausting.
My sweat dripped onto the ground as I finally put down the thick hemp rope after compiling four laps around the concrete track totaling up to just a little over a mile. My legs were trembling and the rope had rubbed my shoulders raw.
"Well, that looked painful."
I looked over as a familiar voice tickled my ears and saw Mina standing a few feet away, her spandex gym uniforming hugging all the right places.
"What could have made you come to that conclusion," I asked sarcastically making Mina grin.
"I don't know, I just thought you would be used to dragging along big packages," Mina replied lowering her voice and bouncing her eyebrows suggestively.
"Is there a reason why you're bringing this up now?" I asked while looking around to see if anyone had noticed Mina walking over to me.
In the blink of an eye Mina's hand was on my chest and she stood up on her toes to whisper into my ear, "Come to the locker room during lunch and find out."
Before I could reply Mina pushed herself away and turned around her hips swaying side to side.
'What the hell did I get myself into?'
Comments
Cobalt
Would have laughed so hard if the "security guy" that asked those questions at the gate was just some random dude who shot his shot at stealing someone's identity
SacredLoneWolf
Nice ch 👍
