[Time: 09:55 AM][Location: U.A. High School – Gym Gamma (Main Stage)]
The lights were blinding.
The roar of the crowd was a physical force, vibrating the floorboards beneath Reiji's boots.
Backstage, the tension was palpable.
"He made it!" Kaminari shouted, high-fiving Sero. "I thought we were gonna have to play acoustic!"
Reiji adjusted the strap of his black Stratocaster. He had sprinted back from the forest, changed into the band costume (a ripped black shirt and tactical pants chosen by Ashido), and tuned his guitar in record time.
[Stamina: 40/100 (Recovering).][Mental State: Focused.]
"Cutting it close, extra," Bakugo grunted from behind the drum kit. He twirled a drumstick, his eyes manic. "If you miss a beat, I'll blast you off the stage."
"Just keep the tempo, Bakugo," Reiji replied coolly, plugging into his amp. "Don't rush the fill."
Jiro stepped up to the microphone. She looked nervous. Her hands were shaking slightly.
Reiji stepped closer to her. He didn't offer empty platitudes. He tapped his foot on the stage floor, sending a tiny pulse of Spirit Energy through the wood.
Thump.
"Trust the practice," Reiji whispered.
Jiro took a deep breath. She nodded.
"Alright, U.A.!" Jiro shouted into the mic. "Are you ready to go crazy?!"
YEAAAAAAH!
"Let's go! Class 1-A!"
Bakugo slammed the hi-hat.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!
The music exploded.
Reiji's fingers flew across the fretboard. He wasn't playing the melody; he was playing the engine. The driving, distorted rhythm that pushed the song forward.
[Skill Activated: Phantom Vibration.][Effect: Amplifies stage presence. synchronizes audience heartbeat.]
It wasn't just a performance. It was a domain expansion of sound.
Reiji looked out into the crowd. It was a sea of colors. Students from General Studies, Support, and Business courses were jumping, cheering, waving glow sticks.
The ice, the fire, the confetti—Todoroki and Yaoyorozu were handling the special effects perfectly.
But Reiji wasn't looking for the crowd.
He activated his Eagle Eye. He scanned the VIP section near the back.
There.
Sitting in a wheelchair (due to his broken leg), Mirio Togata was cheering wildly, waving his good arm.
And on his lap sat Eri.
She was wearing a cute new dress. But she wasn't smiling. She was clutching Mirio's shirt, her eyes wide, overwhelmed by the noise and the lights. The shadow of Overhaul still lingered over her, a ghost that refused to be exorcised.
'She's scared,' Reiji analyzed. 'The noise is too much. It reminds her of violence.'
Reiji gritted his teeth. He hadn't fought Overhaul, broken his bones, and stopped a villain in the forest just so she could be scared at a party.
'System. Override audio output.'
[Warning: Spirit Energy is low.]
"Do it."
Reiji stepped forward. He moved from the rhythm position to the front of the stage, standing next to Jiro.
He stomped his foot.
[Skill: Banshee Scream (Modified: Harmonic Mode).]
He didn't scream. He channeled his energy into the guitar strings.
He struck a chord. A pure, major chord that cut through the distortion like a laser.
It wasn't a sound of aggression. It was a sound of Warmth.
The vibration rippled through the gym. It washed over the crowd, suppressing the harsh noise and replacing it with a resonating feeling of safety.
Eri looked up.
She saw the boy on stage. The "Scary Big Brother" who had fought the monster.
But right now, he wasn't scary. He was glowing. Not with violet darkness, but with the stage lights reflecting off his aura.
Jiro hit the high note.
"Hero too! I am a hero too!"
Mirio pointed at the stage. "Look, Eri! It's them! They're doing this for you!"
The golden confetti rained down. The music swelled to its climax.
The shadow behind Eri's eyes... flickered.
And then, it broke.
Her mouth opened. Her eyes scrunched up.
She smiled.
It wasn't a polite smile. It was a beaming, radiant smile of pure joy. She threw her hands in the air.
"WOW!" Eri cheered.
[Hidden Objective Completed: The Girl Who Forgot How to Smile.][Objective Rating: SSS.]
Reiji saw it. He saw the smile.
For the first time since he arrived in this world, Reiji felt something shift in his chest. It wasn't the System leveling up. It wasn't the thrill of combat.
It was peace.
[System Notification][Achievement Unlocked: Savior of the Soul.][You have saved a target not just physically, but spiritually.]
[Reward: New Elemental Affinity Unlocked.][Element: LIGHT.]
Reiji stopped playing as the song ended. The final chord rang out, sustaining in the air.
The crowd went insane.
"WE LOVE YOU, 1-A!" "THAT WAS AWESOME!"
Bakugo kicked over his drum stool, panting. "HELL YEAH!"
Reiji unplugged his guitar. He looked down at his hand.
Usually, his energy was violet—the color of the Netherrealm. The color of death and shadows.
But now, faint streaks of white and gold were mixing with the darkness.
'Light and Shadow,' Reiji thought. 'I guess I can't be a villain if I have this.'
He looked back at the VIP section one last time. Eri was laughing, trying to catch a piece of confetti.
Reiji offered a small, rare smile. He gave a quick salute to Mirio, then turned and walked off the stage.
"Good show," Reiji muttered to himself.
As he walked into the dark backstage area, the System screen flickered one last time.
[Current Class: Netherrealm Assassin.][Class Evolution Available: Twilight Walker.][Requirement: Master both Light and Shadow.]
Reiji dismissed the notification.
"Later," he said. "Right now... I'm going to eat a candy apple."
End of Chapter 130.
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