Chapter 64: A Bit of Morning Confusion
The bustling cafeteria at U.A. High School was filled with the usual midday chatter and the clatter of trays as students loaded up on food to fuel their intense training schedules. Aoi stood in line, staring down at the day's offerings with a mildly disinterested expression. He thought to himself: "Well, I really have to eat this properly. It's not bad or anything. After all, I don't have the God Tongue of Nakiri Erina from Shokugeki no Soma, but even so, food made by other people is still pretty bland compared to what I'm used to at home."
He shrugged it off, grabbing a simple salad and a grilled steak—nothing too fancy—and headed toward the table where his classmates were already gathered. Momo, Mina, Uraraka, Izuku, and Iida were seated together, chatting casually. Aoi slid into the spot next to Momo and Mina, placing his tray down before turning his attention to Izuku across from him.
"So, Izuku," Aoi asked curiously, cutting into his steak, "do you have any idea yet how not to break every part of your body when using your power?"
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, smiling embarrassedly as a faint
"Well, not yet. I'm working on it, though. I know the professor is right—I need to fix this as quickly as possible if I want to be a real hero. But controlling my quirk is still really difficult. It's like... the power is there, but syncing it with my body without causing damage is the hard part."
Iida, ever the serious one, adjusted his glasses and leaned forward slightly.
"Well, you really have an impressive power. But despite it being so strong, you shouldn't suffer such serious damage when using it. It almost seems like you got it recently—as if your body isn't fully adapted yet."
Momo also turned her gaze to Izuku, her expression thoughtful and analytical.
"Well, it's true. Since it's your quirk, you should already be able to use it without hurting yourself so badly. Most people with inherited or manifested powers gradually build up tolerance through consistent use."
Izuku shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting around as he searched for words, clearly nervous about how to explain without revealing too much.
Seeing the awkwardness building, Aoi let out a quiet sigh and decided to step in and help deflect the pressure. He set down his fork, looked at the group, and said calmly:
"Well, it must be because Izuku can't really train freely. After all, using quirks outside of licensed situations is prohibited. And even if Izuku wanted to train in secret somewhere safe, he couldn't push himself without risking major consequences. After all, his quirk's power... You all saw it during the tests. One small mistake from him could hurt a lot of people unintentionally."
Iida paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, realization dawning on his face.
"Well, you're right, Aoi. I really hadn't thought about that point in depth. With Izuku's level of power, even if he wants to train, it's practically impossible without a controlled environment."
Momo nodded in agreement, her ponytail swaying slightly.
"Well, after all, Izuku comes from an ordinary family—not from a rich one or one with pro heroes that have private training rooms where you can train without fear of hurting anyone or causing property damage."
Mina's eyes lit up like stars, leaning forward excitedly.
"You guys have training rooms? That's so cool! It must be super fun. You can train your quirk whenever you want, right?"
Aoi chuckled lightly, taking a bite of his salad before replying.
"Well, a dedicated training place where you can let loose and fight with everything you've got is ideal. It lets you truly know your limits, understand what your full strength is, and learn to control it precisely so you don't accidentally hurt anyone. Besides that, it helps you gauge your overall power level so you know exactly how much more you need to increase during training to keep getting stronger consistently."
Izuku's eyes widened with interest, leaning in.
"I understand. It's true. That kind of setup helps a lot with safe, effective training."
Aoi smiled and offered casually:
"Well, if you guys want, I don't mind inviting you over to train at my house sometime. We've got plenty of space for it."
Izuku blinked in surprise.
"Seriously? Is it really no problem?"
Iida echoed the sentiment, ever polite.
"Yes, I have the same question. We don't want to impose or bother you."
Momo waved it off reassuringly.
"You don't need to worry about that at all. His house is super big—seriously, if you don't go in with him as a guide, you could even get lost wandering around. And aunt will be thrilled to hear he's finally making friends like a normal teenager his age. She's been hoping for that."
Aoi reached over and gently pinched Momo's cheeks affectionately, teasing her.
"What do you mean I don't have friends? Don't I have Nemuri, Ryuko, and Rumi?"
Momo, unfazed, pinched his cheeks right back with a playful glare.
"Well, those are your girlfriends, not friends. After all, if you have actual friends, tell me one that's not a girl and is just your normal guy friend."
Aoi dramatically surrendered, raising his hands.
"Okay, okay—you got me."
Momo released his cheeks, satisfied, turned to the group, and said:
"So that's it. You really don't need to worry about bothering anyone. mother will love knowing he finally made some normal friends."
Izuku relaxed visibly.
"Well, if it's not a bother, then thank you so much for the help."
Iida added earnestly:
"Well, me too. I'd appreciate the opportunity."
Aoi looked at them with a nod.
"Well, then we just need to schedule a day for this joint training session."
Mina piped up eagerly.
"And me? I want to go too!"
Aoi said with a warm smile:
"Well, you've been to my house many times already. I don't think you even need a special invitation for that, right? After all, you, Uraraka, and Momo—we've known each other since we were little kids. Our parents have known each other for a long time too. So you're basically family—no need for formal invites."
Mina beamed happily.
"Well, but even so, I still want to be officially invited!"
Aoi smiled wider, about to reply with something teasing, when suddenly the school alarm started blaring loudly throughout the building, echoing sharply in the cafeteria.
Uraraka looked around confused, her zero-gravity quirk instinctively making a nearby napkin float for a second.
"What's happening? Is this a drill?"
A recorded message began repeating urgently over the school's speakers:
"Security level 3 has been breached. All students, please exit the premises in an orderly manner through the nearest exit."
Mina asked, still confused and a bit worried:
"What is security level 3 exactly?"
Iida explained quickly, standing up.
"It means someone has managed to invade the school building—breaching the outer barriers."
The group was about to stand and follow protocol when Aoi calmly looked around and said:
"It was just a reporter who snuck in. I'm seeing it from here—no real threat."
Iida glanced toward the chaos starting to build among other students and said seriously:
"That's bad in its own way. Then we have to inform everyone to stop this unnecessary commotion before it gets worse."
Aoi scanned the growing panic—students shoving trays aside, some running toward exits while others froze in fear—and shook his head.
"Seriously, this bunch of amateurs is supposed to be future heroes who will save people one day? They're entering full panic mode over a simple security alarm. Good thing I decided to become a hero myself. The last thing I'd want is for my family's safety to depend on their nonexistent crisis skills."
Momo replied thoughtfully.
"Well, they're normal students still in training. You can't expect them to react like an anomaly like you, who handles everything with perfect calm."
Aoi glanced at the escalating mess and pointed out:
"Well, but look carefully. Look at the rest of our class over there. Even if everyone's a bit confused by the alarm, no one is acting like a panicked civilian—screaming or shoving."
Momo followed his gesture and saw their classmates remaining relatively composed, grouping together calmly while discussing what to do.
Izuku said determinedly:
"But even if it's nothing serious, we should still stop them. Or with all this confusion spreading, someone could end up getting hurt in the rush."
Iida agreed.
"But what exactly can we do to calm everyone down quickly?"
Aoi glanced at his friends, then back at the chaotic crowd filling the cafeteria. He took a steady breath and released a controlled burst of his Conqueror's Haki—just enough pressure to be felt without harming or knocking anyone out. A weak blue flame flickered briefly around his body like an aura. Suddenly, everyone in the cafeteria felt an invisible weight on their shoulders, the panic halting almost instantly as people froze and looked around in stunned silence.
Aoi then addressed the now-quiet crowd directly, his voice carrying clearly:
"You idiots, it was just a reporter who entered accidentally. It wasn't any villain at all. And even if it had been, you shouldn't have acted like a bunch of ordinary civilians in blind panic. If you're afraid of villains this much, don't be heroes—be ordinary people instead. Don't forget: you're all training to be heroes. So act like one."
The crowd went completely quiet, the tension dissipating as people began to calm down, realizing the alarm was a false threat.
Aoi sat back down in his chair casually and said:
"Everything's fine now. No need to worry."
Iida stared in amazement.
"Aoi, how did you make everyone quiet down like that so instantly?"
The others also looked at him curiously, waiting for an explanation.
Aoi leaned back slightly, taking a sip of his drink before replying.
"Well, it's complicated and simple at the same time. Have you guys noticed that very powerful heroes like All Might have a kind of impressive aura about them? That even if they do nothing aggressive, it already intimidates villains just with their mere presence?"
Izuku nodded eagerly.
"Yes. It's like when they arrive on the scene, they manage to draw everyone's attention and command respect just with their presence, without even saying anything."
Aoi continued.
"Well, some seasoned assassins can do something similar, but using raw fear through their bloodlust and killing intent. And what I just did is a technique I call Conqueror's Haki of Fire—or just Conqueror's Haki if you prefer the shorter name. In this technique, I channel my will and conviction, combining it with my flames to impose that will on reality around me. You remember what I told Shoto during our fight: that a weak person isn't qualified to even touch me or make me move? The main reason this power was developed for me is so I never get overwhelmed or surrounded by weak minions. Weaker villains exposed to this technique—no matter how many there are—if they're not strong enough, they can't even stay conscious in my presence. You're seeing these people still awake and standing now only because I carefully controlled the intensity so they wouldn't faint outright."
Izuku's eyes shone with fascination and admiration.
"What an incredible technique! With it, you can calm entire crowds without hurting anyone and even restrain weaker villains on the spot without affecting innocent civilians in the area."
Aoi, hearing Izuku's enthusiastic praise, suddenly started laughing heartily. Iida, Uraraka, and Mina looked at him confused, not understanding what was so funny about what Izuku said.
Izuku asked, tilting his head puzzled:
"Did I say something wrong?"
Aoi wiped a tear from his eye, stopping his laughter.
"Sorry about that. You didn't say anything wrong at all. It's just that when someone else hears I have the power to destroy entire armies without even lifting a finger, most people get scared or intimidated. But here you are, praising my power and pointing out how I can use it to help and protect civilians."
Izuku replied earnestly.
"Well, even if your power is incredibly strong, I don't have any fear of it. After all, I know Aoi wants to be a hero just like all of us here. So why would I be afraid of your power when I trust you?"
Iida nodded in agreement.
"Yes. You could have ignored the whole thing since you knew nothing dangerous was actually happening. But you still chose to use your power to save everyone from potential harm in the panic."
Momo smiled softly.
"You don't need to ask me that kind of question, right? We've been friends since we were little kids. I'd never be afraid of you or what you can do."
Mina and Uraraka nodded vigorously in confirmation, their expressions full of trust.
Aoi looked at them all, his gaze warm.
"Well, it's really not bad at all to have some naive, trusting friends like you guys."
After the confusion had finally died down completely and order was restored, in the principal's office, Nezu was holding an emergency meeting with all the teachers to discuss the details of this unexpected invasion.
Nezu sat at his desk, his small paws folded, looking at them with a serious expression.
"Someone attempting to attack our school—this is concerning."
All the teachers, hearing this, adopted serious faces, the mood in the room turning tense.
Aizawa spoke up first.
"Principal, do you have any idea who might be behind this breach?"
Nezu sighed deeply.
"Well, unfortunately not yet. So please, everyone, be extra vigilant in the coming days. In this surprising series of events, if an actual attack on our students happens..."
Midnight interrupted confidently.
"Well, you can rest easy, Nezu. I'll keep an eye out and make sure my Aoi stays safe."
She said it with clear excitement in her voice.
Nezu replied with a tired but amused smile.
"I know you've known each other long before you started working here, but please, even though you're engaged, maintain discretion at school. We don't want any scandals or rumors spreading."
Midnight nodded.
"Well, I understand completely. I won't show my affection for my Aoi when I'm at school."
Nezu said:
"Well, that's all I ask."
He then turned to All Might and asked:
"All Might, do you have any suspect in mind that you can connect to this attack? After all, the breach only happened after it was confirmed you would be teaching here. So it's very likely targeted at you."
All Might shook his head regretfully.
"Unfortunately, I have no idea who could have caused this specific incident. After all, you know, I made many enemies over my long heroic career. So it could be any one of them seeking revenge."
Nezu reassured him.
"Well, don't blame yourself. Wanting to teach and inspire the new generation of heroes isn't wrong at all. We just have to be more careful from now on to protect the safety of our students."
Nezu then looked at Aizawa and added:
"But Aoi did very well in calming all the students so quickly and effectively."
Midnight beamed proudly.
"Of course! He's my Aoi. Of course he's incredible in a crisis."
Aizawa, ignoring Midnight's enthusiasm, said:
"Well, I don't deny he has positive points—like his overwhelming strength and his calm composure in dealing with chaotic situations. But he still has a lot of room to improve overall."
Midnight, hearing this criticism, got serious and finally countered:
"Well, if you're saying what he needs to improve is a bit his willingness to help others and his empathy... After all, we all saw it: he immediately recognized it was nothing that would put anyone in real danger. He then chose to ignore the growing confusion because he knew nothing bad would actually happen anyway, right? Is that the problem you're pointing out?"
Aizawa confirmed.
"Yes, that's exactly the problem. Even though he had already assessed that no one would be in genuine danger, he should have taken proactive action to stop the confusion from escalating in the first place. But he ignored it initially and only intervened after his friends started discussing how to resolve and stop the panic."
Midnight responded firmly.
"You know, Aizawa, this is precisely the moment you should pay close attention to the personal reasons your students have for wanting to become heroes. That will reveal a lot about the hero they admire most and the kind of hero they'll ultimately become. Aoi's reason for wanting to become a hero wasn't because he idolizes All Might and dreams of becoming the next symbol of peace. The only real reason he wants to be a hero is to protect his family and those he truly loves. Only that. Well, he's also just a good kid at heart who, even knowing he can't be the type of hero who sacrifices everything for the entire world like All Might, he still wants to help in whatever way he can. So, even before officially becoming a hero, he used—and continues to use—his company to help countless people every single day."
Nezu looked thoughtfully at Aizawa and said:
"Well, Midnight is right. Even if Aoi isn't the typical student we're used to—the kind who declares they just want to save everyone or aspire to be the next symbol of peace—he still possesses the fundamental essence necessary to be a hero: a genuine desire to protect and save someone important to him. So does it really matter if the primary people he wants to save, and that served as his main motivation for becoming a hero, happen to be his family?"
Aizawa replied with a somewhat tired but accepting smile:
"No, that doesn't matter at all. Just wanting to become a hero with the pure motive of protecting those close to you—that's already more than enough for me to recognize his potential."
All Might added warmly:
"Young Aoi never fooled or misled anyone about what he always sought in becoming a hero. And even when I made him an offer that most others would accept without a second thought—to become my successor—he refused it outright because he honestly admitted he wasn't capable of bearing that immense responsibility. And not having the qualities to carry the full weight of being the symbol is exactly what I look for in a true successor. So just his ability to admit his own limitations honestly already makes him a great hero in my eyes."
At that very moment while the teachers were discussing, Aoi was riding home on his motorcycle, the engine roaring as he weaved through traffic, his mind wandering: "Why did Nemuri have to accept a teaching job at the exact school I attend? That makes it so hard for me to sneak kisses or show affection without risking rumors. But well, what can I do? She really liked the school, and after finding out I was enrolling there, she got even more determined to join as a teacher. Well, what can I do about it now. Well, but that's pretty sad in a way. After all, since I'm dating my own teacher, I can't even skip homework because we live together. And I can't use excuses like 'the dog ate my homework.' And I can't pretend to be sick to skip school. And even though I gain a lot from dating older women, it definitely wasn't without some losses and trade-offs."
Aoi twisted the throttle and sped faster toward home, eager to rest and recharge. After all, tomorrow he was going to have to trade heavy punches with a Nomu—just to see who would hit the ground first.