After single-handedly flattening Class 1-B, Tsutsumi strolled back to his usual spot beneath the tree, the same one he'd been napping under before all the chaos started. He lay down, arms behind his head again, as if the last few minutes hadn't involved him dismantling twenty students with absurd precision.
Technically, Aizawa had told him to train them, but with nearly every member of 1-B either unconscious or too bruised to stand, there wasn't much left to "train."
Gonna let them rest a bit first.
Aizawa exhaled slowly, the tired sigh of a man who'd seen too many of these scenes before. "It seems Class 1-B still has a long way to go before they can even dream of catching up to 1-A."
Kan Sekijiro's face darkened immediately. His jaw tightened. He could feel the smirk under Aizawa's scarf, and it made his blood boil. This whole thing had been Shota's idea, and now he was rubbing it in.
He wanted to punch him; he really wanted to. But Aizawa would just erase his Quirk the moment he tried, and hand-to-hand, he knew he wouldn't win.
His eyes shifted to Tsutsumi. The thought of teaching him a lesson came to his mind before it was quickly thrown away. Doing so would only make him look childish, and if he lost, he'd never live it down.
And realistically? He would lose. The kid could match with pros like Miruko or Miyabi, people who could easily wipe the floor with him.
Kan let out a long, defeated breath, shoulders slumping. "You're insufferable, Shota," he muttered under his breath.
Aizawa didn't answer and just gave a faint shrug.
Just as Tsutsumi had suspected, crushing Class 1-B hadn't ended the story, it had only stirred the pot.
Some students now looked at him with awe and newfound respect. While the rest stared daggers at his back, their pride bruised, their resentment simmering just beneath the surface.
That kind of reaction didn't surprise him. It was normal. Strength always divided people.
"So just like this, right?" Kendo asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. She followed his earlier instructions, planting her feet, drawing back her fist, and swinging it forward with force.
Her fist suddenly expanded mid-swing, the air around it bursting outward in a shockwave. The blast slammed into a tree a few meters away with a thud, shaking its branches.
Kendo blinked, staring at the impact mark, a small grin tugging at her lips. "Amazing…" she murmured, before her hand shrank back to normal. She flexed her arm and winced lightly as a few small cracks popped from her shoulder. "Still, the sudden shift in weight it's kind of rough on my arms."
"I see." Tsutsumi replied evenly, arms crossed. "That just means your arms are still weak. Ask one of the adults about a proper strength training method. You'll adapt faster that way."
Kendo tilted her head slightly at his tone. He wasn't mocking her, just blunt, the kind of blunt that came from experience, not arrogance.
"Right," she said with a grin, rolling her shoulders before walking off. "Thanks."
"So, got any ideas to help me, pretty boy?" Tokage's floating head hovered beside him, grinning mischievously.
Even though he'd kick that very same head across the training field not long ago, she didn't seem offended in the slightest. In fact, she was the first from Class 1-B whose Quirk he had unlocked.
"Let me check." Tsutsumi replied with a faint smile, pulling out a card.
Attack Ride: Lizard Tail Splitter!
Tokage blinked as Tsutsumi's head suddenly detached from his body and began floating next to hers.
"The ability to split your body into pieces and control them through a form of telekinesis," he said, examining the movement of his own drifting head. "Not bad…"
His head clicked back onto his shoulders. He raised his left hand, and his nail began to grow out unnaturally long. "Plus, the potential for regeneration." The nail split into several pieces midair, each piece flying off like tiny daggers and embedding themselves into a nearby tree trunk.
Tokage whistled lowly. "Whoa… I didn't think my Quirk could do that."
She reattached her own head, raised her hand, and focused. Her nails grew faintly before launching forward like small bullets, though much slower and weaker than Tsutsumi's demonstration.
"Not bad," Tsutsumi said, his tone flat but approving. "Your control's rough, though."
"How did I never think of this before?" she muttered, shooting off another volley.
"That's because you still think of your body in normal human anatomy," Tsutsumi replied. "You forget that your Quirk lets you break that logic. Every part of your body is a weapon or a tool if you understand how to use it."
To prove his point, he lifted his hand again. His pinky detached cleanly, then instantly regrew another. He pressed the original one back in place, leaving himself with six fingers.
Tokage blinked, leaned in, and grabbed his hand to check. Sure enough, six fingers.
"Like how some lizards make regenerative errors, growing two tails instead of one," Tsutsumi continued. "Your Quirk's regeneration can be triggered at will, as long as you have the focus and stamina."
The extra finger dissolved into particles, scattering in the wind. Tokage stared, jaw slightly open.
"Okay…" she murmured, eyes gleaming. "I think I might be in love."
Tsutsumi didn't even blink. "I see. Hope whoever in 1-B you've fallen for has good luck."
Tokage smirked. "How do you know it's someone from 1-B? Maybe I'm interested in someone from 1-A…"
"Bad idea," Tsutsumi said immediately. "Most of the guys in 1-A have… let's call them unstable personalities."
Tokage tapped her chin. "Hmm… I don't know. There is a certain purple-haired boy I find kind of cute."
Tsutsumi sighed and shook his head. "You really are hopeless to fall for a pervert midget like Mineta."
Mineta: "!!?"
Tokage: "..."
Tokage wanted to open her mouth to refuse his claim, but Tsutsumi was faster. "Look, I'm not your parent, so I won't stop you. Make sure to watch over yourself. Anyway, I have a job to do, see ya."
Then he turned and walked off without another word, leaving Tokage standing there, half impressed, half stunned.
Nearby, a group of girls from 1-B were watching in disbelief.
"Did... Tokage-chan just got rejected?" Tsunotori Pony asks, wide-eyed.
Tokage blinked once, then smiled slowly, licking her lips. "Playing hard to get, huh? I like that."
A few steps away, Mineta, who had overheard only half the conversation, tiptoed closer, face flushed. "S-So… uh… I heard you said you have a crush on a purple-haired guy from 1-A?"
Tokage didn't hesitate. "Yeah. Tsutsumi."
Mineta froze, his hopes and blood pressure collapsing simultaneously.
"That heartless bastard!!" he wailed before running off, ignoring the blood dripping from his scalp from overusing his Quirk.
At another section of the training grounds, Tsutsumi stood in front of Tetsutetsu, watching the boy's skin shimmer and harden until his entire body gleamed like polished metal.
"So your whole body turns into steel, right?" Tsutsumi asked, circling him once.
"Pretty much." Tetsutetsu flexed proudly, the sound of grinding metal following every movement.
Tsutsumi nodded, then called out, "Kirishima!"
Hearing his name, the red-haired boy immediately stopped his sparring and jogged over, grinning. "You called, Tsutsumi?"
"You know him, right?" Tsutsumi asked, pointing toward Tetsutetsu.
"Dude!"
"Dude!"
The two shouted in unison before slamming their hands together in a metallic, echoing the ultimate bro handshake.
Tsutsumi stood back with an amused sigh. "Alright, now that you're both here, show him the Dragon Claw."
"Right!" Kirishima said, cracking his neck. He relaxed his stance, then shaped his hand into three curved claws. Hardening only that arm, he swung forward with a fierce shout.
"Dragon Claw!"
The attack ripped a deep gash into the nearby tree trunk, splintering bark and sending chips flying. The tree didn't fall, but the mark it left was nothing short of impressive.
"Whoa! That's so manly!" Tetsutetsu yelled, eyes sparkling. He tried mimicking the move, forming claw shapes with his fingers, but his solid steel hands lacked the sharp edges for cutting. The result was a heavy metallic thud that barely dented the bark.
"This doesn't work," he grumbled.
"Indeed," Tsutsumi said, arms crossed. "But who said you can't make it work? Grow your nails out, sharpen them first, then turn into steel."
Tetsutetsu paused, eyes widening slightly as the idea clicked.
"But still," he argued, "fighting like that is kinda dirty, and definitely not manly!"
"Well, I don't have your Quirk, so I can't tell you the full limits," Tsutsumi said, turning away. "Ask one of the pros to help refine it. My advice only goes so far."
Although he tried to help, without unlocking their Quirk, he couldn't exactly see their Quirk's full capability and limits; he could only tell them to improve on some aspect that he noticed.
In the end, Tsutsumi only managed to help a few more students from 1-B, while some still hold a grudge against him for beating their ass.
By the time the sun dipped below the trees, the forest was awash in warm orange light. The students of Classes 1-A and 1-B were completely drained, muscles sore, clothes caked in dirt, and eyes half-lidded from exhaustion.
Tsutsumi, however, looked as fresh as when the day began. He sat on a nearby rock, arms folded behind his head, eyes half-closed as he enjoyed the evening breeze.
Neither the teachers nor the Wild, Wild Pussycats said a word about him slacking off at work.
At this point, they had long since realized there was nothing they could actually teach him, and the idea of Tsutsumi growing even stronger than he already was? A collective nightmare best left unprovoked.
"Now, remember what I said yesterday?" Pixie-Bob clapped her hands, smiling brightly despite her own exhaustion. "Today's the only day we're doing anything for you!"
Beside her, Ragdoll waved everyone toward the outdoor tables stacked high with raw ingredients. "That's right! At least make your own food!" she said cheerfully.
The collective groan from both classes nearly echoed through the forest.
"This is so unfair!" Ashido whined, pointing an accusatory finger straight at Tsutsumi. "We trained all day while he's been slacking off! Jiro! Your boyfriend's just sitting there, make him do something!"
"I remember that he can cook very well," Yaoyorozu said, still rubbing her head from the beating he gave her. "Kyoka, please… have him cook for us."
Jiro sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "He is not my boyfriend," she muttered before turning toward Tsutsumi. "Hey, Ryo. Could you cook for us? Everyone's exhausted, and honestly, I don't trust half of them to not burn half the food."
"Alright, fine." Tsutsumi didn't argue. He simply stood, stretched lazily, and pulled out a card.
Attack Ride: Illusion!
A soft hum filled the air, and suddenly, nine more Tsutsumis appeared beside him. The ten of them moved in perfect sync toward the tables, immediately dividing tasks with mechanical precision.
Within minutes, the clearing filled with the smell of sizzling food. Flames danced under iron pans, and steam curled from boiling pots. Tsutsumi's clones moved effortlessly, chopping, stirring, and seasoning like a well-practiced brigade.
By the time the stars began to appear, lamps were set up, bathing the area in warm golden light. Tables were filled with neatly arranged dishes, stews, grilled meats, rice, freshly baked bread, and curry.
When the students dug in, their exhaustion seemed to vanish instantly. Smiles spread across tired faces as they devoured each dish with gleeful hunger. Even Aizawa raised an eyebrow in quiet approval, Kan was also reluctant but equally impressed, while the Pussycats found themselves unable to stop eating.
"This is… amazing," Mandalay murmured, almost embarrassed by how quickly she was reaching for seconds.
"Indeed, where did he even get these ingredients? We only prepare enough for curry," Ragdoll said, taking in a big bite of her food.
"I believe I saw him create it out of his skin; must be Yaoyorozu's Quirk." Tiger said, also taking in big bite of his curry before reaching out for more.
Pixie-Bob, however, stared at her empty bowl in quiet despair.
He cooks better than me? He's a high schooler...
Her eye twitched.
Is this why I'm still single?
Using Yaoyorozu's Quirk, Tsutsumi could simply create more ingredients at will, with the only thing he needed being an understanding of the atomic configuration of those ingredients.
Besides creating living beings, her Quirk can pretty much create anything as long as one knows what the object they are creating is made out of, down to the atomic level.
At 7 PM, most of the students who failed the final exam were gathered in the main hall, groaning as Aizawa and Kan began their extra lessons.
With more than seventy percent of both Class 1-A and 1-B trapped in that room, the air was thick with collective misery.