My Hero Academia: School Briefs VI is the sixth School Briefs light novel spinoff, based in the My Hero Academia universe. It is illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi and written by Anri Yoshi. The events take place prior to the Paranormal Liberation War Arc.
Summary#
Setsubun—a holiday to mark the coming of spring. Between Setsubun, a Valentine's Day celebration, a springtime mountain trip, and even a meeting under the cherry blossoms, both U.A. students and faculty are ready to celebrate! First, the students of class 1-A prepare for a wild bean-throwing showdown and aim to bring Bakugo the oni and Eri the hostage a little bit closer. But will they inspire the mean-spirited Bakugo to bring his very best Plus Ultra?
Author Notes#
Chapters#
Part 1: The Red Oni Won't Weep#
February is starting with the Hero Work-Studies in full swing, all the while a full mobilization against the Paranormal Liberation Front is planned thanks to Hawks' undercover investigation and the recently captured Kurogiri. The plan is to eventually take out the villain organization in one fell swoop using the Pro Heroes and hero course students from U.A. High School.
During Setsubun, a Japanese holiday marking the last day of winter, Class 1-A are gathered by their homeroom teacher Shota Aizawa for a group exercise involving the concept of oni slaying, and thus are split up into "Team Oni" and "Team Momotaro"; the students are excited as it sounds like fun. With the exercise taking place near a hill surrounded by a forest, Shota orders his students to draw lots to decide who will be on which team. He reveals to Katsuki Bakugo however, that he's already been selected to be on Team Oni, much to the boy's confusion. Denki Kaminari teases that Katsuki was born to play an oni, eliciting an angry response from Katsuki, but Shota says that he will explain why later as the other students draw their lots.
Izuku Midoriya, Ochaco Uraraka, Tsuyu Asui, Minoru Mineta, Denki, Kyoka Jiro, Hanta Sero, Mina Ashido, Mashirao Ojiro, Toru Hagakure, Rikido Sato, and Koji Koda are assigned to Team Momotaro. Meanwhile, Katsuki, Shoto Todoroki, Fumikage Tokoyami, Tenya Ida, Mezo Shoji, Eijiro Kirishima, Momo Yaoyorozu, and Yuga Aoyama are placed in Team Oni. Tenya calls out to Shota that there is a discrepancy in the team numbers, while Shota explains that Team Momotaro are actually at an overwhelming disadvantage. He then hands out three bean-sized balls to each member of Team Momotaro, and a single cudgel to each member of Team Oni. Shota explains that if a member of Team Momotaro is hit by a cudgel then they're out, while if a member of Team Oni is hit by three beans, which can be collected and reused afterwards, then they're out.
The teacher then explains that Team Oni's objective is to eliminate every member of Team Momotaro, while Team Momotaro's objective is to rescue Team Oni's hostage, which is none other than Eri, who is sitting in a hut at the top of the hill. Shota then directs his students that Eri is to be treated like an actual hostage while also assigning a special task to Katsuki, which is to befriend Eri. Katsuki is shocked by this while the rest of his classmates are dumbfounded. Shota explains that one day while working as a hero, Katsuki may have to rescue a child and will need to win over their feelings in order to save them. Katsuki barks that he can just grab the child and flee, but Shota explains that this would only scare them, cause the child to cry, and reveal his position to the Villains, which in turn would force Katsuki to fight while also trying to defend the child, explaining that a hero always prioritizes a victim's well-being no matter what.
Shota then states that the exercise will start in ten minutes and sends both teams to their positions; Team Oni to the hut, and Team Momotaro to the edge of the forest. Katsuki grumbles at the task he's been given, but his teammates support him, although acknowledge that the task will be difficult for him. Yuga simply suggests for Katsuki to smile like himself or Izuku, and Shoto adds that Izuku managed to befriend Eri so tells Katsuki to follow his example. Agitated, Katsuki responds that Izuku can follow his lead until he dies trying, but it'll be a cold day in hell before he takes a cue from him.
Meanwhile, Team Momotaro move to the far edge of the forest, worried about Katsuki's assignment, with Izuku and Ochaco hoping that he won't shout at her like he does with everyone else. Tsuyu adds that Katsuki might not shout at Eri, but seeing him rage towards his opponents would likely be enough to scare her. Denki sees it as an impossible task for Katsuki, while Minoru states that it's a harsh assignment their teacher has given him. Kyoka returns everyone's focus, stating that they're the ones in charge of rescuing Eri, causing the team to start planning their attack.
At the hut with Team Oni, Eri nervously introduces herself as the hostage. Eijiro joyfully tells her that she's the best hostage they could ask for, while Momo says they're happy for her to join them. At the sight of Katsuki however, Eri jolts at his aggressive demeanor, with his attitude causing her some fear since the rest of Class 1-A are usually polite around her. Tenya chides Katsuki not to make such angry sounds in front of her, but Katsuki just tells him to cram it. The tension around them builds until a buzzer sounds, beginning the exercise, Team Oni depart with Eijiro telling Katsuki to keep an eye on Eri, leaving the aggressive student and little girl by themselves.
Team Momotaro choose to split up and scale the hill, knowing that Team Oni have the advantage with higher ground and they could all risk being eliminated together as a group, so they choose to scatter, hoping that at least one of them can reach the top. On the way up the hill, an invisible Toru ends up stepping on a branch, alerting Mezo from the shadows who calls her name and gets her to reveal herself. Toru tries to flee, but Mezo pursues, the ears on his Dupli-Arms alerting him to her presence. Toru turns around and spits out the beans she kept hidden in her mouth, but Mezo uses his arms to catch them all before hitting Toru with his cudgel. Shota, who is watching the exercise in real time from various cameras around the hill, announces that Toru is out, much to her displeasure. Mezo reveals that he purposefully scattered the leaves and twigs around so it would be easier for someone to alert him.
Elsewhere, Hanta is swinging through the trees with his Tape Quirk, but is soon intercepted by a speeding Tenya, doing his best to play the part as an oni. Hanta is quick to change course, but Tenya pursues him with no hint of slowing down. Hanta throws his beans at Tenya, but the latter manages to dodge all of them with his speed and hits Hanta with his cudgel, eliminating Hanta. Halfway up the hill, Mashirao comments that two of them are already out before Eijiro appears, swinging his cudgel over his shoulder, saying that Mashirao won't get past him as the two boys prepare to clash.
Izuku and Tsuyu rendezvous on the other side of the hill. Tsuyu comments that Toru and Hanta are out, while Izuku states that the higher up they go, the more chance there is of running into an oni, so they best be careful. In the middle of speaking however, he is cut off by walls of ice surrounding them. Shoto appears with his cudgel at the ready, telling Izuku that he's making this too easy. Tsuyu wraps her tongue around Izuku and drags him out of harm's way. Izuku thanks her while realizing that Shoto could easily eliminate them both, so he tells Tsuyu to make a run for it as he tries to lead the ice and fire student away. Tsuyu tries to escape, but Shoto traps her and Izuku with another ice wall. Izuku flicks a bean at Shoto, but the latter blocks it using his cudgel. Both boys grin, ready for their first rematch in quite a while.
Some way away, Ochaco and Kyoka notice the fighting, correctly assuming it's between Shoto and Izuku. The two girls make for the hut, with Kyoka staying vigilant for anyone approaching. Kyoka soon notices someone coming however as they hide behind a boulder. Kyoka makes the person out to be Momo, but realizes that she's carrying something. Momo approaches the boulder, and realizing that their cover is blown, Ochaco and Kyoka leap out and throw their beans, but they end up being sucked up by Momo, who has created a high-powered vacuum cleaner. Ochaco and Kyoka flee, but it turns out that Momo is relying on another team member for offense; Fumikage arrives riding Dark Shadow, with the sentient Quirk wielding two cudgels. Ochaco and Kyoka run away and try throwing their beans at their pursuer, but Momo vacuums them up again, causing Ochaco to shout that they're screwed.
Meanwhile, at the hut, Katsuki remains confused over how he's supposed to play the role of a fearsome oni and watch over Eri as his hostage, but also find a way to befriend her, wondering if he has to hope that she will develop Stockholm syndrome. Katsuki keeps his temper bottled, knowing that releasing his normal angry attitude would only doom his objective. While he begrudgingly sees the value in this exercise, he still doesn't know what to do. Katsuki thinks back to Shoto telling him to follow Izuku's example, but his pride prevents him, only making him more frustrated and scaring Eri in the process. Katsuki tries using his own experiences of being held hostage, but cannot imagine himself trying to appeal to his captor without fighting back. Katsuki ends up asking Eri what her favorite food is, the most innocent question he can come up with. Eri answers that she likes apples the best, questioning why he would ask that. Katsuki grumbles, realizing that Eri only sees him as some shady character and that he's making no progress.
By now, Fumikage and Dark Shadow have eliminated Ochaco, Kyoka, Mina, and Mashirao, leaving only six members of Team Momotaro left; Izuku, Tsuyu, Denki, Minoru, Rikido, and Koji. To make matters worse, Team Oni, still have all their members on hand. Team Momotaro retreat to an outcrop and stay hidden there for the time being. With half their forces lost and their beans running out, Tsuyu suggests gathering the opponents somewhere their throws can't miss, causing Izuku to think of a plan.
Back at the hut, Team Oni return to find Katsuki no closer to befriending Eri. Tenya tries to assure Eri that Katsuki has his admirable qualities despite how he acts. Relying on the others to pitch in, Eijiro tells Eri that Katsuki is honest and never lies, Momo says that he does a great job in the kitchen, Mezo says that Katsuki is punctual and always on time, Fumikage says that he keeps their bathroom tidy. Shoto can't think of anything to say, so Yuga chimes in, saying that Katsuki is surprisingly dexterous and has never allowed his sagging pants to fall. Shoto goes on to mention that Katsuki is a great learner and is also Izuku's childhood friend. Katsuki is angered by these "compliments" and yells why knowing Izuku since they were kids makes him so great. Hearing "Deku" catches Eri's attention however, but Katsuki just tells her that no one gets to choose who their pals are when they are children before telling the rest of his team to be honest with how they think of him. Katsuki's anger makes Eri shrink back into the corner while Shoto just apologizes for their comments. Deciding that they can't help Katsuki with his task, the other Team Oni members leave the hut and choose to focus on dealing with the remainder of Team Momotaro.
The students in Team Oni prepare themselves, knowing that Team Momotaro will be coming for the hut. However, Yuga ends up being dragged away by Tsuyu's tongue, surprising everyone. Mezo uses his Dupli-Arms to search and tries to go after them, but Shoto says that this might be a trap. Mezo soon spots Izuku however, who jumps out holding all of Team Momotaro's remaining beans. In response, Fumikage and Dark Shadow take to the skies while Momo turns on her vacuum. However, they both end up being incapacitated by Minoru's Pop Off balls. Koji then uses his Anivoice to summon a murder of crows which swarm the earthbound Team Oni members. They all try jumping into the underbrush for cover, only to end up falling into a pitfall dug by Rikido. They then see Denki above them all, who apologizes, but says that their limited beans meant they had to be fish in a barrel for their plan to work. Denki then unleashes his Electrification, zapping all Team Oni members and allowing Team Momotaro to eliminate them all with their beans.
With Team Oni dealt with, Izuku leads them on to rescue Eri, but Eijiro pleads for them to help with Katsuki befriending Eri, with Tenya revealing that neither leaving them alone together nor pitching in has helped them get closer, so Team Momotaro agree to help. Momo suggests that they try re-enacting the tale of the "Red and Blue Oni"; playing the part of bad guys so Katsuki can save the day and win Eri's favor. Momo then suggests the tale of "The Setsubun Oni" however, when an elderly man accidentally summoned an oni, only for the two to eat together and become good friends, saying that if they use that as their example, there will be no need for a designated villain. After thinking it over, Izuku decides that The Setsubun Oni would be a nicer plan for Eri, but that Katsuki wouldn't follow along with it well, so they choose the Red and Blue Oni plan instead.
Inside the hut, Katsuki soon realizes that he's the only member of Team Oni left, so he thinks of going outside to confront his opponents, but is left troubled by Eri, who is still fearful of his mere presence. Katsuki then sees a note attached to Tsuyu's tongue, saying that they're ready to help him with his assignment and commence operation "Weepy Red Oni". Katsuki correctly guesses that his team begged their opponents to help him. He is peeved by this, knowing that even if they're willing to help him, they will likely try and rescue Eri still, so he begins planning his attack.
Suddenly, the members of Team Momotaro come into the hut, hidden by concealing cloaks created by Momo. Acting like villains, they demand for Katsuki to hand Eri over to them. Katsuki is momentarily shocked but soon embraces the challenge and begins a brutal attack with his cudgel, surprising Eri who is taken aback by his new attitude. Meanwhile, Team Momotaro realizes that Katsuki took this role more seriously than they anticipated and start fearing for the wellbeing of the hut. Katsuki turns to attack Izuku, whose cloak falls off and reveals his face. Izuku tries to whisper with Katsuki for them to help him. Katsuki thanks them for the assist, but sees this as a chance for him to take out all of the opposition. Just as he's about to take Izuku out however, Eri shouts "Oni, be gone! Oni, come in!" and pelts Katsuki with three beans of her own. Shota announces that Katsuki is out and Team Momotaro have won.
Shocked, Katsuki yells what the big idea was. Shota tells him that, as he mentioned before, Eri was to be treated like an actual hostage, and that a hostage is usually eager to escape and will sometimes conceal weapons of their own. As such, Eri was equipped with beans as well in order to fight back. Eri reveals that she was so nervous because she didn't know when to throw her beans. Izuku thanks Eri for saving him while Katsuki realizes, the whole time Eri was cowering in fear of him, she was actually biding her time and planning her own attack. Katsuki has something to say himself and walks up to Eri; the girl looks up at the aggressive student and braces herself, but Katsuki ends up congratulating Eri well done, telling her that it's better to be a hostage with some fight in you. Izuku is surprised by this, telling Eri that getting a genuine compliment from Katsuki is as rare as it comes. Eri is surprised by this, but Katsuki clarifies that he was just saying what was on his mind. Even so, Eri is pleased by this accomplishment.
Once Thirteen arrives and collects Eri, Shota runs his class through his evaluation of how they did. He tells Team Momotaro that even though they emerged the victors, their plan was still rough around the edges and full of inefficiencies, telling them that when time is of the essence, creating an effective plan without delay is crucial, to which the students understand. He then turns to Katsuki, telling him that Eri now has a higher opinion of him now, much to the boy's surprise, saying that she appreciated his compliment at the end and, even though she was scared, also appreciated how enthusiastically he embraced his role as an oni.
Denki teases that Katsuki wasn't acting back there at all, causing Katsuki to yell at him, but Shota tells Katsuki that he passed his special objective, causing his classmates to commend him for how well he did. Katsuki only becomes grumpier at everyone else's liveliness, while Shota comments that they've grown closer, happy about the outcome himself.
Part 2: Who Gets Heartfelt Chocolate?!#
At the Heights Alliance dormitories, the girls of Class 1-A are busy making chocolate in preparations for Valentine's Day. Ochaco and Mina taste some for themselves while Momo chides them for poor etiquette, telling them to use a taster spoon instead as she gives one to Kyoka, who tries some as well. Rikido, 1-A's baking specialist, comes in and tells the girls to focus, saying that tempering chocolate is an art that can totally affect the flavor. The girls continue, with Toru excited to have some when they're finished while Tsuyu reminds her that they're making it for everyone else as well. Ochaco agrees, with Izuku coming to her mind before quickly dismissing the thoughts of her crush. As it turns out, the chocolate making idea was inspired by Minoru and Denki, who had pressured the girls with demands for Valentine's Day chocolate. The girls went along with it, deciding that it would be fun to share the treats together. Momo comments what a delightful holiday Valentine's Day is, especially the notion of sharing "Galentine's" chocolate with friends. Toru chimes in, saying that she's more eager about sharing chocolate with the girls than any of the boys. Kyoka adds that in middle school, all the girls put so much effort into making chocolate and that she never saw what the big deal was, causing Toru to state that it was for the receiver to acknowledge how much time and effort was put into it.
Ochaco agrees, as does Rikido, with the latter saying that when someone bites into a made masterpiece, all the hard work pays off, though he's still happy to hear them say "yum" and be done with it. Momo understands, saying that she takes quite a bit of effort in balancing her tea blends, so a simple "yum" can be disappointing. Toru says that Eijiro, Shoto, and Denki share those simple responses. Kyoka adds that Izuku's food reviews are always perfect, though a bit on the long side, with Rikido saying that he'd happily take a lengthy critique any day of the week, which Momo agrees with. Rikido elaborates that Izuku has a mind for analysis and attention to detail, saying that the other day, he realized that he used maple syrup in his cake to make the flavors richer and deeper. Momo adds that Izuku isn't savvy over tea, but that his take on it seems to improve with each tasting, saying that there's nothing better than a learner to tea brewing. Toru adds that Katsuki doesn't join in on teatime that much, but when he does, he speaks his mind. Rikido and Momo both inform Toru that Katsuki is a sharp critic, with Rikido saying that he noticed when just a bit of his cake was burned once, and Momo saying that he noticed when she allowed her tea to steep for too long and become slightly bitter. Momo states that she's happy for him to notice the difference, but his feedback often feels as though she's being graded, with Rikido agreeing. Momo goes on to realize that hearing a simple "yum" isn't so bad after all, with Rikido adding that there are definitely harsher words to receive.
Tsuyu returns Rikido's focus back to tempering the chocolate, but Momo says that she even received some nice feedback from Minoru recently. The girls all flinch at the class pervert being mentioned, with Kyoka telling Momo that he has shady motives and Mina saying that he just wants chocolate from her. Momo asks if it's heartfelt chocolate that he's looking for, and the rest of the girls confirm it, recollecting how Minoru's entire attitude has changed recently, with him doing away with any lewd comments or creepy behavior and actually treating the girls kindly. Though in truth, he's only hoping to receive some Valentine's chocolate and become someone's love interest.
Rikido has a little sympathy for Minoru and tells the girls to think of how he must feel, but Momo clarifies that if he wants heartfelt chocolate then he should clean up his act permanently, with Toru adding no more creepy jokes for starters, earning support from the other girls. Rikido only grimaces at having his suggestion shot down. As they continue baking, discussing Minoru and other things, they end up with truffles, cookies, ice cream, along with numerous cakes. Rikido says that they can get to decorating after they let the treats chill and says they should handle it before dinner. They stow their goods into the fridge and head off to take a break, though Rikido remains in the kitchen for a while longer.
The girls head outside, the cold air providing them with some good refreshment. Toru points out the cherry-blossom trees, with Ochaco and Kyoka realizing how long it's been since they started attending U.A. during spring. Momo comments that it's almost been an entire year and that time and tide truly wait for no one. Mina is confused over what the tides have to do with it, with Momo explaining that time passes with no consideration for a person's whims or machinations, so they ought to appreciate the time they're given. Mina agrees, especially the night before she has a test where she wishes she could study more, with Toru adding another example; the day before one of Shota's reports, causing all the girls to wince. Tsuyu says how strange it is, for all their days to feel so rich and full, but how the weeks and months just fly by. Mina awes, realizing that when the cherry-blossoms bloom again, they'll all be second years. Though Kyoka raises the possibility of a last minute advancement test, with Mina clutching Kyoka's arms and wailing for her to say it isn't so; Kyoka sputters that she was just joking.
Toru suggests that the next time the cherry-blossoms bloom, they should do a hanami meetup under the trees. The girls approve of the idea, while Ochaco says they should bring rice dishes with them such as inari-zushi, onigiri, and chimaki. Tsuyu comments that she has rice on the brain, only for Ochaco to confirm that she loves it. Toru suggests bringing karaage along too with a ton of sweets. Mina asks what sweets are good for a hanami event, wondering if they should ask Rikido to make them something. Ochaco yelps for them to have sakuramochi, causing Toru to giggle over how fixated she is with rice. Momo says that Ochaco's preference for rice is practical, while Ochaco says that she's ready for the hanami meetup to happen tomorrow. Tsuyu says that for today, they have their Valentine's treats for focus on, with Ochaco adding that she hopes they'll turn out tasty. Kyoka agrees before asking how they should handle the Galentine's swap. Momo suggests drawing lots, only for Mina to suggest a game like musical chairs instead, where everyone passes the sweets along and when the music stops, they get to keep whatever they're holding; Tsuyu and Momo like the sound of that idea. Toru suggests having a light dinner, wanting to save room for the sweets. Ochaco asks whether or not she has a second stomach just for desserts, with Mina joking that she does and might have a third and fourth one too.
As the girls laugh, a blushing, fidgeting girl wearing glasses and holding a decorated paper bag walks over to them. Momo asks how they can help before the girl, stammering, asks if they could deliver the bag she has to Class 1-A's "Prince Charming", before she thrusts the bag into Momo's hands and runs away. Ochaco and Tsuyu are curious over who their class' Prince Charming is, but Mina realizes that the girl's bag must be heartfelt chocolate before peeking inside and seeing a cutely wrapped gift package.
Toru yelps what they should do, with Ochaco adding that they don't know who this Prince Charming is, realizing that the girl with glasses is long gone. An excited Mina however tells the other two girls to chill before saying that she was likely waiting outside of the dorms to give the gift to her Prince Charming but was too nervous, so upon seeing them, she believed the girls could deliver it instead. They imagine just how shy and nervous the girl was, and just how hard she worked on the gift as they stare at the bag in fascination. Toru chimes in that the girl must be in love, with Momo adding that she sensed something like that. Kyoka adds that she certainly looked shy before suggesting that she might have just bought the chocolates instead of making them. Either way, Tsuyu says that it must have been a painstaking process for her.
Mina, all too excited, takes the lead and tells the girls that they have a sacred mission to fulfill. Ochaco agrees, saying that they need to help the girl in her mission of love, but Momo mentions that they don't know who this Prince Charming is. Just then, Toru notices that there's a card inside the gift bag as well, wondering if it would be naughty for them to read it. Mina decides they have no choice, since the person's name could be written on it, so Toru proceeds to take the card out and opens it. The card contains a short message from the girl, thanking Class 1-A's Prince Charming for helping her, though the girls frown that the letter doesn't contain his identity.
Kyoka wonders who 1-A's Prince Charming could be, with Tsuyu saying that it would be helpful if they could just ask the girl. Toru mentions that the girl didn't seem like a first year to her. Mina states that she was likely a second or third year, finding the idea of an older girl wanting to confess their love to a freshman guy to be wild. Fired up, the girls all settle to deliver the gift, but Momo mentions that they still need to identify who the Prince Charming is. Ochaco thinks to herself, coming across the possibility that it might be Izuku, only to frantically shake her head in denial. Mina, being somewhat aware of what Ochaco's thinking, asks her what's up, with Ochaco stuttering and saying that she only saw a bug. Tsuyu tells a dizzy Ochaco that if she shakes her head any harder it might fall off.
Toru suggests Shoto being the most obvious candidate for Prince Charming based on his good looks, with Momo agreeing that he's a strong possibility. Kyoka states that, appearance-wise, Yuga most resembles a prince, so the girls choose to start with them, but also agree not to tell them about the girl with glasses, not wanting to spoil her confession. The girls decide to look for Yuga first, with Toru saying that he's likely in his room, having spotted him in the elevator with some cheese. The girls visit Yuga but he confirms that it isn't him and has no memory of aiding a girl with glasses. Thus, they leave the dorms and go searching for Shoto. They wonder what really defines a Prince Charming, suggesting it's how he's dressed, until Mina comes to the conclusion that they're thinking about this all wrong. She says that the girl with glasses likely only sees the guy she admires as a Prince Charming, comparing it to a shojo manga where a girl's romantic interest sparkles in her eyes. By that logic, they conclude that it could likely be any of the boys in 1-A (barring Yuga, who has already been ruled out), so they continue to search for their male classmates.
Soon, the girls come across Denki and Minoru. They immediately lock eyes with each other as to not mention the Valentine's chocolate, knowing Denki and Minoru are the hungriest for it. Denki and Minoru greet the girls, with the latter being uncharacteristically polite. Kyoka asks if either of them helped a girl with glasses at some point, but both boys say they haven't. After explaining that they're searching for the guy who helped this girl, Minoru offers to help them but the girls politely decline. Denki however, asks if they have any Valentine's chocolate for them, hoping for a mini mountain of chocolate from girls. His desperate begging is interrupted however by another group of girls who spot the hero course students.
Denki and Minoru get excited, believing that they have chocolate for them, but the girls end up giving their gifts to Kyoka, much to her surprise. The girls reveal themselves to be fans of her singing during the U.A. School Festival. Kyoka sheepishly thanks the girls as they run off again, with Denki surprised at how much she got. Momo commends Kyoka that her singing was lovely and the rest of the girls agree, only for an embarrassed Kyoka to tell them to knock it off. Tsuyu offers to help Kyoka carry some of the chocolate and takes some of the boxes. Upon witnessing this however, Minoru's facade soon drops, demanding to have some chocolate as he lunges himself at Kyoka's gifts. Tsuyu immediately restrains Minoru with her tongue, asking what he thinks he's doing, but Minoru rants over not having received any chocolate, saying that he's been a perfect gentleman all week. Minoru has finally reached his limit from holding back his perverted behavior and seeing Kyoka receiving chocolate has set him off.
Demanding chocolate, Minoru throws his Pop Off spheres at the girls, but Mina steps in and melts them with Acid Veil. Denki tells Minoru to chill out, but his friend is beyond reasoning as Minoru lets out a bloodcurdling roar, frightening everybody. Denki tells the girls to run while he holds him back, but while flashing a thumbs-up and trying to look cool, Minoru slips by him. Momo ends up creating a net to capture Minoru, but it does little to calm him down. Frightened by his chocolate zombie state, the girls run away, stating that Minoru is barely human.
The 1-A girls escape, happy to see that Minoru is nowhere to be found. However, they come across Sen Kaibara, Kosei Tsuburaba, and Shihai Kuroiro from Class 1-B. Sen asks if something's wrong, but Momo assures them they're fine, not wanting to share the tale about Minoru. Tsuyu asks if they've seen any of the guys from 1-A, with Kosei telling her that they saw Shoto heading into the school earlier. Tsuyu thanks him and the girls head off. The boys taunt Kosei, with Sen asking if he was hoping to get some chocolate from Tsuyu. Kosei admits that he was hoping she was giving out just-friends chocolate, thinking he could have been on her list. Shihai snickers, only for Kosei to reveal that the former was struggling to talk to Kinoko Komori this morning, Shihai says that he was only trying to say hello to her, but Kosei deduces that he was hoping for chocolate as well, and Shihai admits it.
Sen wonders if the girls from 1-A are buying into Valentine's day. Kosei grumbles that it must be nice, saying the girls from their class just told them to buzz off and get chocolate for themselves if they wanted it so badly. Sen believes the 1-A girls are no different, saying that making chocolate takes time, money, and effort. Kosei agrees, adding that guys then need to worry about returning the favor on White Day, and that getting chocolate is more trouble than what it's worth. Shihai agrees and the three boys fall into silence, until Sen says that he still wouldn't mind getting some chocolate from a girl. Kosei shouts that Valentine's day has them dancing into the palm of its hand, gaining attention from some other students. The boys all step away and decide to go to a vending machine for something to drink.
The girls of 1-A make their way into the school building searching for Shoto. On the way, they bump into Eijiro and Hanta training, and later Koji walking his pet rabbit, Yuwai. The three boys cannot recall having helped the girl with glasses. Soon, the girls come across Fumikage, Mezo, and Mashirao receiving chocolate from some other girls, causing the girls from 1-A to hide behind some trees as they watch the chocolate giving go down. Kyoka remarks that the three boys are popular while Toru points out that Mashirao's stash is huge. The girls thank the three boys for their help, telling them not to worry about returning the favor, making it clear they were receiving just-friends chocolate.
As the girls leave, Mezo spots the girls from 1-A and asks if there's any reason why they're hiding. Embarrassed, Ochaco says they spotted them receiving chocolate so it seemed like the sensible thing to do. Momo questions if they all received just-friends chocolate, with Mashirao confirming it, saying that he helped one girl when she dropped something the other day and lent another one an umbrella. Toru commends Mashirao for being a nice guy, with Mezo and Fumikage adding that Mashirao is simply a nice person and an ordinary man of character. Mashirao appreciates this, but asks if there are any other words they could use to describe him aside from typical, plain, or ordinary. Dark Shadow emerges from Fumikage, calling Mashirao the King of Normal, something that he doesn't see as a compliment. Toru suggests calling Mashirao the "Just-Friends Chocolate King", or the "JFC King" for short. Mina and Ochaco support the name, while Dark Shadow says he wants to be the JFC King too. Mashirao grumbles, still not seeing the name as a compliment.
The conversation is interrupted however by Minoru, still in his chocolate zombie state and having managed to outmaneuver Denki. The girls tremble as Minoru lunges for Mashirao's chocolates, but soon loses interest, realizing they are just-friends chocolate. Minoru then sniffs out chocolate from somewhere else. The group follow Minoru to find Katsuki with a girl from another course at U.A., ready to confess something. The girls are taken aback by this, with Mina hyped for the confession while Fumikage calls Katsuki a fearsome contender. Loathing and envious, Minoru prepares to jump out at the two, but his classmates stop him, not wanting Minoru to ruin the moment; Mezo grabs Minoru and pins him down while Momo binds him with special bands and gags him with a hankie, apologizing as they set him behind a tree.
Izuku and Tenya spot the group hiding, having just returned from a jog, but they silence the two as they join them, with Ochaco saying that a girl is about to confess to Katsuki. Tenya questions if she's going to confess to a crime, only for Mina to correct him saying that it's love with it being Valentine's Day. The girl in question ends up telling Katsuki that his fly is wide open before she runs off to meet her boyfriend. The 1-A kids try to fight off their laughter as they watch Katsuki slowly zip his fly up. Mashirao comments that isn't what he was expecting. Izuku reveals that Katsuki's never received any chocolates on Valentine's Day, saying that he never went out of his way to be nice to girls when they were kids, even when aunties in their neighborhood told him to play nice, it only made him more annoyed towards women in general, with Izuku believing that he's never even received just-friends chocolate.
Overhearing him, Katsuki storms up to Izuku and demands that he stops blabbing, threatening to explode his mouth off. Izuku and Katsuki fall into bickering as Ochaco and Tenya try to get in between them. Remembering their mission to find 1-A's Prince Charming, the girls ask Mashirao, Mezo, and Fumikage if they ever ran into and helped a girl with glasses, but they don't recall such a thing happening. Tsuyu asks Izuku and Katsuki, but neither boys recall helping the girl either; Ochaco breathes a private sigh of relief. Katsuki asks them why they're after this girl, saying that if she wants to say thank you, she should do so in person, causing the other boys to agree. Katsuki then correctly guesses that the girl wearing glasses threw the girls some chocolate and asked them to deliver it. The girls are disappointed that their secret has been discovered.
After explaining what happened, the boys are intrigued to learn of a Prince Charming in Class 1-A but are sure that it isn't any of them. Tenya goes on to say that the glasses girl clearly feels grateful towards her Prince Charming and it should be their duty as future heroes to aid her. Katsuki simply says that it's not his problem, but before he walks away, Shoto shows up with a large cardboard box, revealed to be full of chocolate as he sets it down and opens it. Shoto says that it's too much for him to eat all by himself and is confused why so many people would send him so much chocolate all at once. Izuku suggests that it were people who saw his TV interview after defeating the villains on the day him and Katsuki got their provisional hero licenses, with Ochaco adding that people were talking about it for days. Tenya also recalls that every moment of Katsuki talking was edited out of it, causing Katsuki to yell that nobody asked him for a recap.
Shoto then goes ahead and gives Izuku and Tenya a small bag of chocolates each. The boys are confused why, but Shoto reveals that Momo told him friends give one another chocolate during Valentine's Day. Izuku and Tenya are touched by Shoto's kind gesture, as are the rest of their classmates, except Katsuki. Izuku and Tenya depart to get some chocolates from the school store as thank you. Shoto smiles as he watches his friends leave, with his other classmates recalling just how cold he was at the beginning of the school year and how far he's come. Momo then asks Shoto if he recalls meeting an older girl with glasses, anticipating him to be 1-A's Prince Charming, but Shoto says that he hasn't. The girls are disappointed, but Mina rejoices, saying that only leaves Rikido left, so they prepare to leave and ask him. However, everything is interrupted by Minoru, having escaped his bindings and still in a crazed state. Minoru tells Shoto that he has nothing against him personally, but says that anyone who receives that much chocolate in front of him won't live to see tomorrow. Shoto tries to ask Minoru what's wrong with him, but the class pervert goes ahead and throws his Pop Off balls at everyone in a frenzy. The 1-A students move to evade his attacks as Katsuki blasts himself into the air and sees someone. Ochaco tries to get Minoru to calm down, telling him just to wait until dessert tonight and he can have all the chocolate treats he likes, but Minoru moans that he just wants heartfelt chocolate.
Minoru's rampage however, is interrupted by Katsuki, who ends up spotting the girl in glasses from afar. The girl apologizes, saying that she saw the Prince Charming of Class 1-A and couldn't help but gawk. The girls are surprised that 1-A's Prince Charming is among them, but Mina hands the gift back to the girl, encouraging her to give it to the boy in person. With some encouragement, the girl does so, revealing the Prince Charming to be none other than Minoru himself, much to everyone, including his, shock. The girl reveals that a week ago, she tripped and dropped her glasses, with Minoru offering her help while saying "Need a hand there, m'lady?". Stunned, Minoru realizes that he did help the girl. She says that no one has ever said such a cheesy line to her and that she couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards. She then offers Minoru her gift from the bottom of her heart. Minoru is so shocked by this that he falls unconscious, but Mina immediately drags him up, telling the boy that he's finally getting heartfelt chocolate just like he wanted. Crying with happiness, Minoru asks if the chocolate is for him, to which the girl confirms. He asks her if this means she loves him, but the girl believes that it's too soon for that and offers for them to start out as friends first. An equation then forms in Minoru's mind, believing that receiving heartfelt chocolate from a girl and starting out as friends means that they're basically dating, meaning that he can do everything he's ever fantasized about.
Minoru then asks the girl whether they should head to his room or find a shady corner of the woods and get started there. The girl is confused by this, so Minoru, finally unveiling his lust, goes on a long perverted rant of everything he wants them to do. Appalled and outraged, the girl tells Minoru that she thought he was different, telling him never to speak to her again before taking back her gift, smacking him in the face, and running away. The smack snaps Minoru out of it and he tries to give chase to the girl, but the girls from his class stop him and express their disappointment, saying that he ruined his one chance, much to Minoru's sorrow.
However, someone comes to cheer Minoru up in the form of Rikido, who gives Minoru a box with a chocolate inside shaped like him. Rikido says that he believed Minoru wouldn't receive any heartfelt chocolate so decided to give him some himself, with it even being his favorite flavor: grape. With this, Minoru's classmates try to cheer him up, but Minoru is still disappointed, believing there's no point unless it comes from a girl. To make him feel better, the girls offer him some of the chocolate treats they made, with Momo amending her statement: Minoru wasted an opportunity earlier, but as long as he continues to live, the opportunities will keep coming. Kyoka adds that he just might end up receiving chocolate from a girl one day. With the search for Class 1-A's Prince Charming completed, the students return to the dorms, excited for their Valentine's Day party.
Part 3: Springtime Snowy-Mountain Camping#
Izuku and Denki take in the sights of a snowy mountain, joined by Katsuki, Shoto, Tenya, Eijiro, and Hanta, all of whom are wearing winter-weather gear and massive backpacks. The seven boys found themselves at the mountain a few days earlier. In the dorms, Denki was complaining over getting cabin fever as Katsuki, Izuku, Shoto, and Eijiro return from their work studies. Hanta explains that Denki wishes to enjoy spring break by going out and having some fun. Tenya addresses Denki, saying that their duty is their studies since they are now residents of the dormitories and asking where he would even go before welcoming back his classmates. Denki groans, saying that spring break is about relaxing, unwinding, and chilling out. Izuku admits that it doesn't feel much like spring break with the intense work studies underway. Denki is glad that Izuku agrees with him, but the latter is still enjoying the work study and thanks Shoto for inviting him and Katsuki.
Denki says that spring break is much shorter than summer and winter, and is therefore much more valuable. Eijiro wonders why they don't have a fall break, with Hanta commenting that the teachers must think that they can power through it after relaxing all summer. Eijiro agrees, but Denki is adamant over making the most of spring break, saying they don't have to take some full-blown trip but just go out somewhere and chill. Just then, Shota appears and the boys stiffen up, expecting a severe talking-to over their attitude or a three-page essay reflecting on the error of their ways. Instead however, Shota suggests that they go mountain camping, much to their surprise. Shota, with a schedule in his hand, explains that one of U.A.'s training facilities simulates a full-blown wintry mountain, complete with a forest and a lake for fishing. Since the boys all have some overlapping days off coming up, Shota suggests they go there for a night's stay. The boys are too shocked to respond, but Shota says that no one is forcing them and they're welcome to go nowhere at all, but Denki immediately agrees and asks for him to sign them up, asking who came up with the amazing idea. Shota says that at the faculty meeting, the teachers discussed opening up some of the school's facilities to students for spring break, saying that the change of pace should prepare them for the work that lies ahead. And with that, the boys all agree to take the mountain trip.
Back at the mountain, Eijiro is amazed by the snowfields, saying that if he was blindfolded and dropped off here, he would never guess that the mountain was part of the school. Hanta comments that U.A. has property up the wazoo, while Denki suggests having a snowball fight. His excitement is interrupted however by Katsuki, who throws the boy's bag back on top of him. Katsuki tells Denki that he's in for a world of pain if he makes light of the mountain, reminding him that there's no cozy cabin waiting for them and that they're all by themselves. Katsuki's glare is somehow more intense than usual and his calm tone unsettles the boys. Denki tells Katsuki that they're only there for one measly night and asks why he's being so serious. Katsuki reminds his classmates that they're all locked in the mountain area until tomorrow noon, with their homeroom teacher having told them that as soon as they're inside, the entrance is locked for the next twenty-four hours and their phones won't work either. The warning hadn't scared the boys off and Minoru could have joined them had he not been busy being Mt. Lady's errand boy under the guise of what she called "training".
Denki still doesn't see what the big deal is, but Katsuki tells him that he's as good as dead if he tries sleeping out in the cold without proper preparation. Izuku reveals that mountain climbing is a hobby of Katsuki's and that they should trust his word on the dangers of the mountain. Tenya finds this to be a great thing, having read about mountain climbing but not having put it into practice, so he asks Katsuki to take command of their group, believing him to be the right man for the job. Katsuki agrees, saying that his classmates would be lost without him, but warns them that the first one to start whining will get a snowy grave courtesy of him. As Denki agrees, Izuku seems to notice something. Shoto asks him what it is, but Izuku dismisses it, believing it's just his imagination. Katsuki then gets the group's attention and starts with three tasks for them to start with; setting up the tents, finding food, and collecting firewood.
With that, the boys split into three teams, with Katsuki enlisting Eijiro to help him set up the group's tents, while Izuku, Denki, and Hanta were sent to go fishing for them. Meanwhile, Shoto and Tenya were sent to gather firewood from the forest. Katsuki sends the groups off to their respective tasks. Eijiro wishes them good luck before awaiting command from Katsuki, showing his enthusiasm. Katsuki finds a flat area for them to set up the tents before saying they need to pack the snow down to form a base in order to avoid sleeping rough. Eijiro takes his gloves off and uses his Hardening Quirk to pound the snowy ground in, letting out a war cry while doing so. Once he's finished, Katsuki sets up a one-person tent with a stabilizing stake to hold the tent in place.
Meanwhile, Tenya and Shoto arrive at the edge of the forest, once again impressed by the sheer size of the training facility. The two boys cautiously check their surroundings before heading into the forest, with large trees of all kind surrounding them. Shoto asks if they should be looking for dry sticks, as well as some rocks to surround the campfire with. Tenya also suggests that they find some leafy branches to serve as a barrier between the kindling and the snow, saying that their fire won't burn with too much moisture. Tenya rightly states that their mission to provide warmth for the group is an essential one as they get started. Shoto sweeps the snow to one side as he looks for rocks while Tenya, with a botanical guidebook in hand, picks up fallen branches. Shoto admits that he's surprised that Tenya agreed to come camping with them, believing that with how much time the work-studies take up, he would want to focus on schoolwork. Tenya says that the thought did occur to him, but believes there is plenty to learn from the camping experience as well. Most importantly though, Tenya wanted to use the opportunity to spend time with him and Izuku. Shoto appreciates the sentiment before Tenya proclaims for them to enjoy the camping trip to the best of their abilities. Tenya returns from gathering dead branches, but sees something that makes him pause, wondering what it might be.
In the meantime, Izuku, Denki, and Hanta were looking through the ice-covered lake, seeing fish swimming underneath. Denki notices that there are plenty of them, with Izuku adding that there's enough to feed everyone. Hanta comments that they need to find a way to catch them, glancing at Denki, who forgot to pack the fishing rods before they embarked on the camping trip. Denki apologizes for his mistake before Hanta suggests they make a rod using a tree branch. This gets Izuku thinking, with him stating that Hanta's tape would make a perfect fishing line, and all that leaves is the hook and bait. Having brought no food with them, the boys think in silence over how they will catch the fish until Denki complains that he's getting hungry, saying if only there was a way for them to scoop them all up somehow. This causes Izuku to say that a net could be their answer, though Denki replies that nobody brought a net either. However, Hanta reminds Denki of his tape and the boys get to building a makeshift fishing net, using some curvy branches found nearby and Hanta's tape to bind them together, while also using the tape to form the latticework before adding another branch as a handle.
The boys get to fishing, with Izuku saying that Denki can zap the fish to incapacitate them while he scoops them up. Izuku lowers the net into the water while Denki zaps the nearby fish as Izuku collects them using the net. Hanta is happy that their plan is working while Denki rejoices that they will be feasting on grilled fish tonight. As Izuku halls their bounty out of the water, Katsuki and Eijiro find the group. Izuku asks if they have finished setting up the tent as Eijiro confirms it, commenting on Katsuki's skills, before saying that they came to see if they needed help gathering food but sees that they've done just fine on their own. Katsuki snorts, saying that anyone who can't catch fish in a lake deserves an icy bath. Denki says that there's still plenty of fish remaining in the lake, so they'll catch some more tomorrow morning. Katsuki steps forward to have a look in the lake, but just then, one of the fishes the boys caught regains consciousness and flops into the air, nailing Katsuki in the back and pushing him into the freezing water.
The boys panic until Katsuki's head pops out of the water. Being the closest nearby, Izuku offers his hand to Katsuki, wanting to get him out of the freezing water. However, this triggers a flashback of when Izuku offered his hand to Katsuki when they were children after the latter had fallen into a stream. Katsuki's instincts tell him to lash out, but he manages to restrain himself and tells Izuku to mind his own business. Katsuki knows that he has grown from the past, but the harshness still finds a way into his voice. Izuku notices this, but Katsuki ignores him and makes his way out of the water. Izuku then places his hand on Katsuki’s forehead, with the latter quickly smacking his hand away. Izuku however notices that Katsuki has a fever, recalling that he said his head hurt yesterday back at the Endeavor Agency. Izuku asks Katsuki if he is sick and has taken any medicine, causing the other boys to rush over to them. Eijiro panics, telling that Katsuki should have said something before saying that they need to let Shota know, but Hanta reminds Eijiro that they're locked in the facility and their phones won't work either.
Eijiro thinks before saying that they just need to survive the night, telling Katsuki to get some dry clothes on before he gets even sicker. Katsuki only gets angry at everyone worrying about him, telling them that it's not their problem before saying that he can fight off a stupid cold through willpower alone. But Hanta says that the only way to beat a cold is sleeping it off in a warm bed. Katsuki tries to protest, but Hanta proceeds to wrap the blond student up in his tape before Eijiro slings him over his shoulder. Eijiro tells Katsuki to hang in there as he gets him back to the tents while Katsuki shouts and swears for Eijiro to put him down, but to no avail. Back at the camping ground, Katsuki is freed and changes into fresh, dry clothes before he crawls into his sleeping bag. Tenya and Shoto return from gathering firewood, with the boys providing spare clothes and a single-use hand-warmer to keep Katsuki from going cold. Denki tells Katsuki to quit fighting back and get some rest, Eijiro tells the boy to give him a shout if he needs to pee, Hanta asks him if he would be up for some grilled fish later, Tenya apologizes for forcing Katsuki into a leadership position while he was ill, and Shoto offers to use some of his ice to cool Katsuki's forehead down. All of this pity directed towards him however only angers Katsuki, saying that it's making his fever worse before demanding that the group get out of his face.
The boys move away from Katsuki's tent, but Izuku, out of genuine concern, tells him to speak up if he needs anything. Katsuki threatens not to hear another word out of Izuku before closing his eyes, frustrated over being unwell. Denki commends Izuku, saying he never would have realized that Katsuki was sick. Izuku reveals that when Katsuki took Tenya's request to take command earlier, he noticed his reaction was delayed which told him that something might have been wrong. Overhearing this, Katsuki's anger flares. He knew that he wasn't in peak condition earlier, but never planned on mentioning it to the others, as it is simply his instinct to refrain from revealing weakness to others. Katsuki believes that in the wild, revealing weakness lowers one's chances of survival, whereas flaunting one's strength is a good way of remaining at the top of the food chain and surviving, so says the law of the jungle. Consequently, anyone who perceives one's weakness represents a threat worthy of elimination.
Years ago, when Izuku had offered his hand to Katsuki, the latter had felt that his own weakness had been laid bare and was known for all to see. He had since disguised that deep fear with unbridled rage, but his feeling of weakness had since accumulated over time within his very being. Truthfully, Izuku's offer of help was made out of genuine concern and had nothing to do with strengths or weaknesses. While Katsuki couldn't understand this, he had recently made peace (to some degree) by accepting that he would never fully understand Izuku. Still, Katsuki can't pinpoint the source of his anger, something that only irritates him further. Feeling his fever worsening with all the heavy thinking he's doing, Katsuki allows himself drift into sleep.
Sunset arrives by the time the boys had finished preparing the campfire and grilling the fish, checking in on the sleeping Katsuki every now and then. While waiting for the fish to cook, the sun soon disappears into night time. Denki is happy as he chows down on some fish, saying that hits differently when you catch and grill it yourself. The other five boys join Denki in eating the fish and agree with the notion that they taste better when you work for them. Enjoying the fish, Denki comments that Shoto's Quirk is a godsend out in the wilderness. Shoto ponders about this, but Izuku tells his friend that fire is indispensable for keeping them warm and cooking their meals, while also providing light in the dark, serving as a beacon, and warding off wild animals. Izuku then goes on to say that Shoto's ice can provide them with drinking water, be helpful for first aid purposes, and even heat up a bath, saying that Shoto is basically a one man wilderness machine. Shoto thinks about this for a moment before saying that he would still want to go camping with his classmates, not alone. Hanta teases Shoto over the sentiment that he's showing, saying that his old self from when he first joined U.A. would barely recognize him. But Izuku agrees that camping is more fun when they do it together. Tenya agrees as well, saying that camping is a way to deepen the bonds of friendship. Denki pauses while eating his fish, saying that they're forgetting about old camping traditions. Eijiro questions what traditions he is talking about, with Denki saying that in the great outdoors, they should join shoulder to shoulder and sing, or talk about their dreams.
Hanta comments that Denki's traditions definitely sound old-fashioned, but Denki insists, saying that being out in nature is supposed to be freeing and that they don't have to be embarrassed about anything. Hanta reminds Denki that the "great outdoors" he is talking about is actually a man-made indoors. Izuku mentions that he forgot they were in a training facility as well, seeing all the stars in the sky. Shoto appreciates the view, saying that it's like a planetarium. Denki still says that it's the perfect setup to reveal stuff they might be shy about, so he suggests that the boys share their dreams, with Denki saying that his goal is to be the awesomest hero anyone ever saw. Hanta quips that Denki's dream is original, saying that the fish they're eating could do with some vegetables. Denki inquires about the sharing circle, but Hanta tells him that everyone sitting there has the same dream as him. Izuku says that that's probably true, with Eijiro agreeing, saying that he wants to be a hero whose as manly as they come. Shoto and Tenya both want to be heroes as well. While the specifics of the boys' goals may have varied, they all yearned for the same thing, to become heroes. Kaminari understands where they're coming from, his enthusiasm deflated as the boys all share laughs together.
Tenya then remembers something from earlier, telling the others that Katsuki's illness made him forget an important discovery he made; that while searching for kindling, he came upon evidence of an animal in the forest. Something that was rather large, as Tenya mentions that he found claw marks on trees before pulling out a handkerchief containing a clump of tangled white fur. Izuku wonders what animal it could be, while Denki asks whether Shota would have said something if there was a huge beast stuck in the snow with them, wondering if they're trying to make the snowy-mountain simulation extra deadly by filling it with monsters. Tenya believes that a hibernating bear or two wouldn't be out of place for a true-to-life wintry mountain. Shoto suggests that it might be polar bear fur. Hanta tells Shoto that polar bears live in the North Pole, but then remembers that before heading out to the camping trip, Nejire Hado told him a rumor about the training facility: that the magnetic field is all out of whack somewhere in the facility, a place where space-time gets warped and forms a connection to other dimensions. Denki says that Fumikage would go gaga over a story like that, but Eijiro says that he's heard about it too and that some kid said they saw a freaky monster pop out, something not of their world. Denki asks Eijiro if he's suggesting that the fur came from an extra dimensional eldritch terror of some kind, but Eijiro denies believing it, just that it's funny he heard about it too. An eerie silence falls over the group, until Eijiro and Hanta burst out laughing, saying that there's no chance that's true, though Denki complains that he was getting hyped for a second.
Izuku chuckles along with them, but Tenya says that if the magnetic field is truly disrupted somewhere within the facility then they ought to tell Shota about it, even saying they should take it upon themselves to verify the rumor during their time there, asking the boys if they're up for an expedition tomorrow morning. Denki agrees, never saying no to an adventure, while Eijiro hopes that Katsuki is back in top form by morning time. Eijiro goes to check on Katsuki, asking whether he can stomach some fish yet. However, a sudden wind blows as it begins to snow. Denki is happy to see this, but his enthusiasm is short-lived as the snow turns into a ferocious blizzard. Hanta wonders what's up the weather, as it just appeared with no warning or anything. Tenya suggests that it's a deliberate function meant to provide them with blizzard training. Denki groans upon hearing this, missing the thought of a laid-back camping trip. Tenya tells the group to take shelter in their tents as the wind continues to blow. Shoto quickly uses his ice to extinguish the campfire before the wind could spread it to the flammable tents. Tenya asks Eijiro how Katsuki is doing, with the redheaded student confirming that he's sleeping like a baby. Tenya says that he will check on him later before bidding the rest of the group good night. The boys let themselves rest as the blizzard grows worse throughout the night.
Sometime later, Izuku wakes up to someone calling his name. He opens his tent to find Tenya, who says that several minutes ago, Hanta left to relieve himself but hasn't returned yet. Izuku asks him if he thinks Hanta is in trouble, with Tenya saying that it's hard to imagine he went far or got lost. Either way, Tenya says that he's going to go find him but wanted to let someone know before he departs. Izuku offers to come as well, but Tenya insists that he can search by himself. Izuku waits in his tent for what feels like forever. Checking his watch, he sees that it had only been five minutes, but wonders what could be taking them so long. A nasty gust of wind blows, and Izuku realizes that the wind would not leave any footprints behind, so he gets ready to go after Tenya and Hanta. While preparing however, he hears a far-off scream, thinking it might be Tenya. Exiting his tent, Izuku finds Shoto, Eijiro, and Denki popping their heads out of their own tents. Denki asks his friends if they heard the scream as well, with Izuku saying that he thinks it was Tenya, who went looking for Hanta earlier. Izuku says that he should go and look for them, with Shoto and Eijiro saying they will accompany him. Eijiro tells Denki to look after Katsuki while they're gone. The electric student agrees before telling the three to be careful.
The three boys set off in the direction they heard the scream, guided by a fire from Shoto's hand, but the wind and snow do not cease as they struggle to continue through the blizzard without losing each other. The boys shout for Tenya and Hanta but get no response, until something smacks Izuku in the face. They soon find out that it's a part of Tenya's coat, wondering how it had been torn off. As they inspect it however, Eijiro spots something in the ground, a massive animal's footprint that is easily one meter wide. Thinking that it might be the monster they talked about earlier, Izuku says that they better find Tenya and Hanta quickly. Shoto suggests telling Denki and Katsuki first, but the boys then hear Denki scream from the direction of the tents. In a panic, Izuku trips and falls, but soon picks himself back up as he activates his Full Cowling, telling the other two to hurry. Izuku makes his way back to the tents, only to find them torn to ribbons with the same giant footprints in the ground around them. Izuku rushes towards Katsuki's tent, which is somehow still intact, and finds Katsuki awake and alone. Katsuki explains that they heard some kind of noise and when Denki went to take a look, he screamed and was gone by the time he got up to check.
Eijiro and Shoto finally catch up to them, with Katsuki asking what the hell is going on. Izuku explains what has happened over the past few minutes, though none of them could quite believe it. The boys soon come to terms with reality though, Hanta, Tenya, and Denki were gone, their tents were trashed, and they were stuck in the middle of an unforgiving blizzard. Shoto creates an ice structure to shelter the boys from the wind as they plan what to do next. Izuku says that, assuming it is a monster that has abducted their friends, they need to find them as soon as possible. Eijiro agrees, but Shoto questions where they should look as there is so much ground to cover. Izuku suggests looking in the forest, since the monster needs a place to hide, thinking that if it's after them then it may be lurking in wait somewhere nearby. Izuku then realizes that since the monster has been picking them off one by one, it needs a place to stash its victims before coming back. Katsuki volunteers to act as bait, looking forward to getting some payback, but Izuku says that it's possible the creature may be satisfied with three victims and won't come back for more. Eijiro suggests splitting into two teams, with one group hanging back with Katsuki and the other going to search for the others.
Izuku decides to stay with Katsuki while the latter acts as bait. Meanwhile, Eijiro and Shoto continue their search. Izuku tells Katsuki to try and rest a bit, before asking whether he's too cold or not. But Katsuki just tells Izuku to shut up, looking forward to delivering some explosions to the monster. Izuku remains concerned for Katsuki, but the latter tells him to shut up again, saying no one asked him to care. To Katsuki, someone fretting over him is as good as calling him out for being weak, which only served as a grave insult to the boy who was aiming to be number one. Izuku reaffirms that he cares about Katsuki, but this causes the blond to snap, shouting who they think they are, staring down at him like some sort of sick puppy. Izuku says that it's only natural to worry about a sick person, but Katsuki tells him to cut it out. He then takes off one of his gloves and lunges at Izuku with an explosion at the ready. Izuku reflexively grabs Katsuki's hand, but upon laying his hand on him, Katsuki's eyes widen in realization.
With a disgusted expression, Katsuki touches Izuku's head and realizes that he isn't the only one with a fever before shoving Izuku's head away. Izuku feels his own forehead, realizing that he does feel rather warm and wonders if the cold weather has given him a cold, recalling that he has been feeling kind of sluggish lately. Katsuki stares at Izuku in irritation, but both boys suddenly hear a scream in the distance among the howling wind. Izuku says that the scream sounded like Eijiro before telling Katsuki to stay put. The young man soon activates his Full Cowling and jumps off into the night. Katsuki is left in deep frustration, thinking about how Izuku never takes himself into consideration and always gives one hundred percent of himself to whatever cause has his attention, not even questioning his own actions. But Katsuki realizes that this time, something else entirely is getting to him. Katsuki gives chase to Izuku, but soon hears a monstrous, bloodcurdling roar from nearby.
Katsuki keeps running until a large beast comes into view, a towering bipedal giant covered in white fur, resembling the cryptid known as the yeti, but far bigger and quicker than it is usually portrayed and with razor-sharp claws as well. Izuku is standing nearby and notices Katsuki, asking why he followed him, but Katsuki angrily dismisses his question. Shoto warns the two that the beast is powerful, doing his best to distract it while Eijiro launches an attack with his hardened fist, only to be sent flying away by the yeti’s colossal arm. Izuku uses his Full Cowling and attempts to kick the creature, but it quickly dodges. Katsuki launches himself forward with his explosions and attempts to deliver a Stun Grenade to the yeti's face, hoping to finish it off when it's temporarily blinded. But the yeti is somehow unfazed by the stunning attack and swings its fist at Katsuki, causing him to slam into the ground.
Izuku immediately rushes the yeti and manages to land one of his Smash attacks, but the yeti barely flinches before it grabs Izuku and tosses him like a rag doll. Shoto unleashes a Heaven Piercing Ice Wall, encasing the creature in ice. The boys believe that the worst is over, but soon hear the yeti pounding away at the ice as cracks start to form, knowing that it's only a matter of time before the creature frees itself. Izuku notes that the yeti is far too strong and fast, and none of their attacks are dealing any sort of lasting damage. The green-haired student goes on to suggest that they need some way to knock it down and make it stay down. As Izuku thinks about what to do, the yeti breaks the ice apart, a chunk of which obscures Izuku's vision just long enough for the yeti to catch him unawares. Shouting his name, Shoto shoots out a blast of fire, but the yeti dodges once again, charges through the flames as though they're nothing and smacks the student away. Izuku runs up and sinks a fist into the yeti's face, but it once again has little effect as the student then punches the monster straight in the eye. Izuku feels as though something is strange about all of this, but the roaring yeti soon sets his sights on Izuku again as the latter intentionally runs off in the other direction.
Katsuki, propelled by his explosions, chases after Izuku and the yeti, before realizing that Izuku had a plan to lure the beast to the lake. The blizzard continues to grow fiercer, obscuring Izuku’s vision and causing his body to turn numb from the cold. Izuku continues forward however, being driven by sheer instinct. The image of Izuku once again offering his hand appears again in Katsuki's mind. He recalls how despite having no Quirk and being completely useless (in Katsuki's eyes), Izuku still presses forward when it means helping someone, like a true hero. Remembering his words of concern, Katsuki realizes that the event in their childhood made him feel as though the weak Izuku was far closer to his goal of becoming the best hero than he was himself, something that filled Katsuki with a blend of panic and fear. The constant frustration Katsuki felt, upon reflection, was actually anger at himself for ever imagining that he could have lost to Izuku. But Katsuki continued to shy away from this truth and refused to acknowledge it, even when doing so would have been such a large weight off his shoulders.
Katsuki's irritation remains though, because Izuku himself has never changed over the years. Even with the setting and relationships ever shifting, and Izuku never stopping to grow as a person, his core essence was rock-solid and immutable. Nothing could distract Izuku from his cause, not even petty arrogance, and so he continues moving forward while wearing his heart on his sleeve, with Katsuki believing that he will do so until the day he dies. However, somewhere in Katsuki's mind is a quiet fear that Izuku's pure and genuine spirit would at some point collapse under its own weight, causing him to crash down, something else that bothers him still. Katsuki finally catches up and spots Izuku dodging the yeti's attack through the fearsome blizzard. Izuku is surprised to see Katsuki yet again, but the blond boy reveals that he figured out his plan. Izuku quickly nods in understanding as Katsuki calls out to the yeti, peppering it with explosions, before Izuku tempts it further towards the lake. The boys then take turns attacking the yeti and drawing it even closer. Once the lake is finally within reach, Katsuki uses his explosions to propel himself above it, but just before the yeti would go crashing into the lake, it comes to an abrupt stop.
Frustrated, Katsuki performs an about-face and prepares to blast the yeti from overhead. But things don’t work out as planned as the yeti leaps straight up and snatches Katsuki out of the air. Worried, Izuku soon catches up and aims a powerful kick at the yeti’s arm that is holding Katsuki. Rocked off-balance, Katsuki manages to hit the beast with his explosions, allowing him to escape from its grasp. Izuku and Katsuki then swing behind the monster and launch attacks at its back in unison, a Smash and a Howitzer Impact respectively. With one last roar, the yeti crashes down into the water and sinks below the surface. Katsuki throws an insult at the yeti while Izuku says they should run back and get the others. As the two turn away from the lake however, they find that the blizzard has suddenly disappeared and it is now daytime. Izuku and Katsuki are confused, but soon hear their homeroom teacher's voice from speakers in the facility's ceiling. Shota gives credit to Izuku and Katsuki for defeating the yeti, revealing that the training facility was all part of a special lesson. Izuku asks about the yeti, but Katsuki assumes it to be a robot made by Power Loader. When asking about the rumor Hanta heard from Nejire, Shota reveals that he asked her to plant that seed, wanting to get the boys believing in the danger of the facility, all serving as part of a rational deception. Izuku realizes that they should have expected this from U.A., while Katsuki is rightly annoyed at being messed with, but keeps his blowup to a minimum due to their teacher listening.
Just then, Izuku hears Eijiro call out to him, accompanied by Shoto, Tenya, Denki, and Hanta, with the boys having all learned about their teacher's "special lesson". Denki is disappointed in himself, saying that he thought he was a goner when the yeti snatched him up. Tenya admits that he failed to spot the yeti in the midst of the blizzard. Hanta meanwhile, was furious over being ambushed while he was relieving himself and completely vulnerable. Eijiro and Shoto both admit that they both did their best to put up a good fight, but just couldn't cut it. Shota then demands a written report from each of them, discussing the way they responded to a villain attack in unfavourable environmental conditions, including how they might have done better. He also demands that they don't breathe a word of what they went through to their classmates. The boys agree, realizing that their teacher might repeat the same rational deception on their unsuspecting classmates in the future.
Tired, the boys all break into weary smiles, having enjoyed the training camp despite the surprise test that awaited them there. Shota says that they will be provided with new tents so they can sleep there for the remainder of the night, but orders Izuku and Katsuki to report to the nurse's office. Shota tells them both that minding their health is part of a hero's job, so from now on they must speak up when they know that they are sick. Izuku understands, surprising the other boys who didn't know that he had become ill as well. As the artificial sunlight is turned off, leaving the facility in night time once more, Izuku and Katsuki walk back to the entrance. Izuku proceeds to talk about how strong the yeti was, though Katsuki dismisses it as another chump to him. Izuku says that if a cryptid like that really existed, it would be hard to fight back against something they know so little about, and that they were lucky that the lake was there. While rambling however, Izuku trips in the snow, but much to his surprise, Katsuki reaches out and grabs his arm. Izuku thanks him, but Katsuki is confused by what he did as well, and chooses to let Izuku fall before kicking him in the back, sending the green-haired student sprawling into the snow. The boys continue to bicker as they make their way out of the facility, the stars twinkling in the artificial sky.
Part 4: Eri's Shichi-Go-San Day#
Having just gotten her out of the bath, a surprised Midnight questions Eri over never celebrating Shichi-Go-San before as the teacher brushes her hair. Thirteen is surprised by this as well. When the two women asked Eri if she ever wore a kimono for Shichi-Go-San, they were taken aback when she answered no. Midnight and Thirteen realize that it makes sense with Eri's previous upbringing and her having gone through so much. Eri asks the teachers what Shichi-Go-San is. Smiling, Midnight explains that it's a special day when people visit shrines to pray for their children's good health. Shichi-Go-San literally means "Seven-Five-Three", the ages at which children celebrate the holiday. Though the particulars of the holiday differ from region to region, with traditional East Asia following their belief that children are born one at birth and gain a year every New Year. Whereas the Western style follows children being one exactly a year after they were born, and turning a year older with each successful birthday. The traditional reckoning would have been preferred for Shichi-Go-San. Obviously, Eri has no memory from when she was a year old, but knows for a fact that she never donned a kimono when she was five. Eri asks the teachers if they are talking about hatsumode, the first shrine visit during New Year's. Midnight says not quite and asks Thirteen when Shichi-Go-San is. The latter takes out her phone and finds out that it was on November 15. Midnight laments over having missed it, but suggests doing the celebration anyway, saying that even if it's not on the right day, it's important to celebrate Eri growing up. Thirteen agrees, while Eri stares blankly at the two women, not sure why they are making such a fuss.
Several days later, Eri continues her supervised Quirk training with Mirio Togata and Shota at her side. Eri focuses and manages to use Rewind to bring a wilted flower back to life. Mirio rejoices, telling Eri that she has already gained a knack for working with plants, much to the girl's delight. Shota says that they will try with a bug next, presenting a terrarium with a beetle missing one of its legs inside. Shota had started Eri's Quirk training with plants before moving on to small animals, with the hope that she could eventually tackle large ones. Injured bugs found in the woods were ideal recipients of the rewinding treatment. Eri's nerves return as she looks at the bug, with Mirio doing his best to encourage her. Eri tries to reassure herself as well as she reaches out and touches the insect. The bug's leg grows back in an instant and Eri quickly removes her hand, feeling the tension disappear yet again. Mirio congratulates her, telling Eri that Mr. Bug must be loving his new leg. Eri is happy that it worked as well.
Shota tells Eri that she seems to have gotten used to working with insects, and that they will try with a lizard next. Eri's nerves return in full force with her whole body stiffening up. Shota and Mirio notice this, with Eri having practiced her Quirk on lizards plenty of times already, but to her they seemed like real animals more than insects were. During half of these attempts, Eri nearly took it too far with her Quirk, prompting Shota to use his Erasure to stop her. Shota suggests taking a break instead, but Eri wants to give it a go. The teacher then presents a lizard with its tail missing, with the reptile not seeming to mind its missing appendage one bit. Still feeling nervous, Eri reaches out her hand and gently touches the lizard, but Rewind fails to activate. Mirio assures Eri to take it nice and slow, as the girl takes a deep breath, trying to reassure herself that it will be okay. Eri reaches out her hand again, but this time, the lizard leaps on to Eri's arm and runs straight up it. Shocked, Eri grabs the lizard with her other hand, causing her grip to tighten as it tries to escape. Rewind finally activates, causing the lizard's tail to grow back, but the Quirk's energy fails to cease and the lizard shrinks down in size. Eri's blood goes cold as she remembers her father.
Shota quickly erases Eri's Quirk, but the lizard, which was originally fifteen centimeters big, has now been reduced to a tiny hatchling capable of sitting on someone's fingertip. Eri apologizes, but Mirio tries to reassure her, saying that it happens and the reason she's training is to get better at it. Shota once again suggests taking a break, but Eri assures that she can do more. Sensing the girl's resolve, Shota agrees and brings forth another bug, believing the best way for Eri to gain control of her Quirk is for her to get used to the sensation until it comes as naturally as breathing. Eri tries to focus herself as she reaches out her hand again, but she suddenly freezes up and begins to tremble, thinking she may make the bug disappear like she did with her father. In the past, Eri's father was holding her when her Quirk first manifested, causing him to be rewound out of existence. This caused Eri's mother to abandon her and leave the girl with her grandfather, the boss of the Shie Hassaikai. This was how Eri landed in Overhaul's clutches when the latter usurped the organization and chose to exploit Eri's Rewind for his own evil plans. Ever since being rescued by Izuku, Mirio, and the rest of the raid team, Eri found the resolve to train her Quirk in the hope of being helpful to others. But there were still times when those haunting memories came back, leaving the girl too terrified to use her own power.
Shota tells Eri that it's time to take a break, to which Eri agrees this time. Before Mirio tries to console Eri, Midnight enters the room carrying something, which turns out to be an old kimono that has arrived from her parents, intended for Eri; a florid wear decorated with colorful blooms. Midnight wanted Eri to be the first to see it, saying it will look gorgeous on her. Eri is amazed by the kimono, with Midnight saying she also has a obidome sash clip and a hair decoration for her to complete the look. Mirio compliments the kimono, asking Midnight if she wore it for her own Shichi-Go-San, which she confirms, saying that it looks as good as new. Shota adds that Midnight's family kept it in great condition and must really value it. Eri gasps however, realizing that this kimono is a treasure to Midnight and wonders if she should really get to wear such a pretty thing. Even though Eri's Quirk only works on living beings and poses no danger to the garment, she still can't bring herself to reach out and touch it.
Noticing her sullen expression, Midnight asks Eri if there's something wrong. Wanting to cheer her up, Mirio offers Eri for them to get something to drink, but Eri doesn't accept his hand and tells the adults that she's going for a walk alone. Eri leaves the building and lets out a heavy sigh, wondering why the painful tightness in her chest won't go away, even when everyone around her treats her with such love and care. Eri sits down and buries her head in her knees, trying to stay warm in the cold winter air. She wonders what will happen if she never figures out how to use her Quirk for good, knowing that so many people had come together to rescue her, with Izuku getting badly hurt and Mirio even losing his own Quirk, all for her sake. The tightness in Eri's chest grows, as the girl just wants to be helpful to others, having dedicated herself to her training in hopes that she can use Rewind on Mirio and restore his Quirk.
But doubt remains in Eri's mind and she wonders what if she can't, thinking she may be sent away somewhere else entirely if her Quirk training doesn't improve. Upset at the thought, Eri resists the urge to cry, but is interrupted by a sudden meow. Eri follows the noise and finds an all-white kitten under a bush, but the feline only hisses at her. Eri notices some red stains on its hind legs, realizing the cat is hurt. She reaches out to it, but immediately stops herself, thinking she may erase it from existence. The kitten takes the opportunity and flees, even with its injury. Eri goes after the kitten, but it soon gets away from her and goes into the forest nearby. Eri looks around, asking the kitty where it is before a voice from nearby asks if she's looking for a cat.
The person turns out to be Hitoshi Shinso, who had noticed Eri a few moments earlier, but waited to see what she was doing before calling out to her. While all of U.A.'s students had been informed of Eri staying at the school, she was still unfamiliar with most of the student body. Eri confirms that she was looking for a cat, with Hitoshi saying he is as well. The general studies student asks Eri if it was a kitten she saw, the girl nods before noticing that Hitoshi is holding a can of wet cat food. He says that it is still pretty young, before asking what color it was. Once Eri says that the kitten was a white one, Hitoshi confirms that it's the one he is looking for, saying it was the only one who didn't show up for dinner yesterday. The concern in Hitoshi's voice gets Eri to relax around the stranger a little, guessing that he likes kitties as well. Eri mentions that the kitten was hurt, with Hitoshi becoming more concerned. He says that it must not be hurt too badly if it's still running around, but they should find it before its leg gets worse. Realizing that she's all by herself, Hitoshi asks Eri if anyone knows she's in the woods. Once Eri says she didn't tell anyone, Hitoshi offers to take her back, but the girl doesn't follow him, saying the kitten may get lost all alone in the forest. While she genuinely wants to help the kitten, Eri doesn't feel ready to return to her training just yet. Hitoshi senses Eri's reluctance along with some emotion that she's struggling to put into words. The student decides they can search around a bit more for the kitten, but says he should really take Eri back at some point. Eri agrees and the two begin their search in the forest.
While calling out for the kitten, Eri and Hitoshi come across Izuku training with Katsuki in a clearing nearby, with Izuku trying to evade Katsuki using Blackwhip. Katsuki manages to catch up to Izuku with precise explosions and a small blast to his face ends up turning Izuku's wavy hair into a frizzled afro. All Might is there as well, telling Katsuki that there's no need for extra explosions once Izuku is caught. Hitoshi is surprised by All Might's presence, still not quite used to the No. 1 Hero being a teacher at U.A. High. Eri and Hitoshi both notice Izuku before looking at each other. Eri asks Hitoshi if he's friends with Izuku, with the indigo haired boy saying that he wouldn't put it that way. Eri is confused by this, so Hitoshi explains that Izuku is the one he wants to beat the most, a bit embarrassed by this confession. While Eri doesn't understand what Hitoshi means by that, she senses that he has no ill will against Izuku. Hitoshi asks Eri if she wants to say hi to Izuku, but the girl doesn't want to interrupt their training.
Katsuki demands Izuku to get up so they can resume, with Izuku saying that he will as long as he chases him just as hard. All Might tells Izuku to focus, as Katsuki boasts that he could catch Izuku with his eyes closed and to get ready for his afro to become a lot crispier. Hitoshi realizes that Izuku is training the Quirk that popped out of him during the Joint Training Battle, but is still struggling with it. Hitoshi notices Eri's evasive attitude yet again and after a moment of hesitation, chooses to ask her about it, knowing that those who wish to be heroes have a tendency to meddle. Hitoshi asks Eri if something is wrong and the sudden question surprises her a bit. He asks if she had a fight with someone or if Shota got mad at her. Eri shakes her head, saying that Shota and Mirio are always really nice to her. Hitoshi is relieved to hear this and apologizes for asking her weird questions, but Eri feels prompted by the small conversation, wanting to share her feelings and seeing that Hitoshi is lending her an ear.
Eri explains to Hitoshi how her Quirk training wasn't going that well and she wondered whether she was even capable of accomplishing what was being asked of her. Hitoshi listens to her attentively. By the time she finishes explaining, Eri wonders if Hitoshi finds her annoying. However, Hitoshi tells Eri that what she's doing is amazing; when he was her age, he never even dreamed of doing any sort of training and is amazed to hear that Eri is working so hard at it. Hitoshi looks up to the sky, saying that he's training as well right now and while he feels like he's getting the hang of it, he knows he still has a long way to go. Hitoshi mentions how Shota told him once that when trying his best starts to feel really hard, that's when he knows he's growing. Eri is confused by the term of Hitoshi growing, but the two are interrupted by Mirio calling out, looking for Eri. The girl freezes in place, but Hitoshi reveals their location.
Mirio smiles at the sight of Eri as he approaches, saying he was worried sick with her disappearing. Eri apologizes before trying to explain herself, but Hitoshi pitches in for her, saying that they're searching for an injured kitten. Mirio doesn't know who Hitoshi is, but when the latter introduces himself, Mirio recognizes him as the student who's transferring into the Hero Course from General Studies. Mirio questions about the kitten he mentioned, but soon notices Izuku in the distance. Katsuki ends up being tangled in Blackwhip and dangles from a tree by the ankle, threatening to murder Izuku if he did it on purpose. Izuku however is lost in his mumbling, wondering how he can perfect his swinging technique using Blackwhip. Katsuki shouts for Izuku to let him down. After helping him, Izuku goes back to mumbling. All Might tells Izuku to picture it in his head and envision himself swinging from branch to branch. Izuku closes his eyes and does so before telling Katsuki to come get him.
Katsuki gives chase to Izuku as the latter launches a Blackwhip tendril at a branch. His momentum carries him to the next two branches, but he misses the third due to losing speed. Katsuki soon catches up to Izuku and levies another explosion at him. With his hair black and sizzling, Izuku ruminates over it again, believing he may be thinking about the process too hard. All Might tries to advise him, but Katsuki tells Izuku to keep training for a million years and just maybe he will have a chance of escaping him, before telling Izuku to keep practicing until it comes naturally to him. All Might notices Katsuki's apt advice, sounding almost dejected. Izuku tries again, this time without Katsuki chasing him, but fails and falls again, causing Eri to gasp. Not noticing the little girl, Izuku tries again and again, but the outcome doesn't change. Mirio notes how close Izuku got as he tries whispering advice from the shadows, while Hitoshi notes that nothing can keep Izuku down. Eri is confused by what Hitoshi said, but the latter explains that Izuku never gives up. Eri takes this in and turns to watch Izuku again, noticing how his determination never fades even with failure after failure. Eri soon asks how Izuku tries so hard, with Mirio saying that it's because he knows who he wants to become. Grinning, Mirio adds that Izuku has found his target and is running towards it at full speed. Hitoshi adds that he knows how it feels, but Eri stays focused on Mirio, realizing that even after losing his Quirk, he had never stopped training. After supervising a session with Eri, he would go for a run or even do some training with Tamaki Amajiki and Nejire Hado. Eri watches him train every day, having never seen Mirio's spirit waver despite losing his Quirk. Even though he keeps a focused, grim determination while training, all other times, he somehow maintains his sunny smile.
Eri realizes that everyone around her keeps smiling through it all, everyone who treats her with kindness and care still manages to find ways to comfort themselves during moments of pain and weakness. Mirio hasn't even wept since the death of Sir Nighteye, having taken his departed mentor's words to keep smiling to heart. This all reassures Eri and fills her with determination. In the distance, Izuku continues his training despite falling again, with Eri whispering him good luck. Izuku tries again, but this time, manages to stay airborne and swings from tree to tree, having clearly got the hang of the process. Izuku is overjoyed at finally having done it, with All Might congratulating him. But Katsuki clearly has no intention of stopping and tells Izuku to hustle as the boys resume their training. Eri awes at Izuku's hard-earned success, with Mirio nodding right by her side. Midnight then reveals herself leaning against a tree, admiring the students' youthful passion. When Eri asks what Midnight means, the teacher thinks before telling her that it's when people live their lives to their fullest potential.
Eri asks if she can do that as well, with Midnight squatting down to the girl's level and telling her she can, but also telling Eri to let the adults know when she wanders off somewhere, as everyone was worried about her. Eri understands as Midnight stands back up, asking why everyone is here in the first place. Hitoshi begins to explain, but everyone's attention is soon caught by a familiar meowing, with the white kitten sitting in the shade of a tree nearby. Midnight coos at the sight of the cat, with Hitoshi revealing that the kitten had hurt its leg, so they were searching for it. Hitoshi and Midnight try to sneak up on the kitten, but it quickly notices their presence and tries to flee, only to be blocked off by Mirio. With the kitten finally caught, Hitoshi thanks Mirio for getting it, with the young hero saying it was no trouble at all. The kitten continues to meow in pain, with Eri asking if it's really hurt. Mirio drops to his knees and gently parts the fur on the kitten's hind leg to reveal a number of tiny stab wounds that are oozing blood.
Hearing the kitten in so much pain, Eri concludes that it must be crying for help. Hitoshi thinks it may have been pecked by a crow, while Midnight says they should find it medical help. She suggests taking it to Recovery Girl, but realizes the school nurse is away until later tonight. Hitoshi says that right now, the kitten needs first aid. Eri nervously says she wants to help the kitten with her Quirk. After getting the go ahead from Midnight, Mirio places the kitten in Eri's arms before assuring her that she can do it. Eri tells the kitten that it will be okay, cradling it in her arms and wanting to take all its pain away. Eri activates her Quirk, but her glowing horn frightens the kitten, causing it to cry out. Eri's focus breaks as her fear returns, thinking she might make the kitten disappear. However, Eri hears Izuku tell himself that it's going to work out and this reassures her to keep going. Eri focuses again and her Rewind soon closes up the wounds on its leg. Relieved, Eri lets the kitten down and an overjoyed Mirio congratulates her. While the kitten doesn't understand what just happened, it stays by Eri's side and licks her hand, which Hitoshi says is its way of saying thank you.
Eri pets the kitten's head, glad that its pain is now gone. For a moment, the kitten licked at the wet food Hitoshi had brought it before running off again. Hitoshi chooses to pursue the kitten again before repeating his earlier advice to Eri; growing is all about getting better and moving forward, day by day. Eri repeats his advice to herself before Midnight suggests they get on their way. Eri asks if she will get to see the kitten again, with Mirio saying she will and that it will be something to look forward to. On their way back to the teacher's dorms, Midnight apologizes to Eri for trying to force Shichi-Go-San on her earlier, saying she doesn't have to go through with it if she doesn't want to, and that her growing up healthy and happy is good enough for everyone. Eri thinks about it, but says she wants to celebrate Shichi-Go-San and wear the pretty kimono she brought. Midnight is delighted to hear this, saying she will bring chitose-ame for her as well; long candy sticks that someone can lick forever before they get any smaller, the thought of which causes Eri to drool a little. Now fully committed to Shichi-Go-San, Eri intends to show the kimono to Mirio and Izuku as well, wanting to thank them again for saving her. Looking around, Eri notices the main school building not too far away, believing that one day, she'll get to work hard at U.A. like everyone else. Mirio asks Eri if something is up, but the girl says nothing as she smiles, imagining herself walking around U.A. wearing a school uniform.
Part 5: U.A. Studio: Promo Vid Project#
Each student in the Hero Course is paired up with a student from the Business Course to star in test commercials portraying heroes of the Business students' design. (Side note: this chapter also reveals that Marvel Comics, the Terminator film franchise, and filmmaker George A. Romero and his zombie movies are all canon to the My Hero Academiya timeline.)
Part 6: Faculty Hanami Meetup#
Midnight has acquired a large bottle of fine sake, so the teachers attempt to locate a legendary early-blooming cherry blossom tree so that they can have a late-night Hanami picnic.