Side: Midoriya Izuku
The weekend with less than two weeks remaining until the U.A. Sports Festival. To be specific, Friday after school.
Classes were over, but instead of heading home... I had come here.
"...Whoa... it's huge..."
A location so prime it deserved the prefix "ultra", just one train ride from U.A. High School, close to the station, with a convenience store nearby of course, and commercial buildings housing various restaurants and service businesses all around.
Standing right in the middle of it all, a 30-story, ultra-luxury tower condominium.
This, built at the address I was given... was Fumiko's home. My neck was starting to hurt from looking up.
For special training, strictly for special training, I had been invited to 'come stay over the weekend'... and told it was fine to come in casual clothes without getting too nervous, but that was already impossible.
Compared to me, dressed in a way that looked utterly like an ordinary civilian from any angle, the people coming and going from this condominium were all, without exception, people radiating an aura of wealth...
Holding a duffel bag with my change of clothes and other things, standing stiffly in a T-shirt, my sense of being out of place...
B-but, having come this far, I couldn't just turn back.
Steeling myself, I operated the device (I don't know its name) by the entrance, inputting the room number I had been told...
"Hello?, this is Fumiko"
"A-ah... um, Fumiko? I-it's, Midoriya..."
"Ah, I've been waiting for you, Midoriya! Okay, I'll open it, come on in!"
After hearing that, the call ended and simultaneously... the automatic door at the entrance opened. O-okay... let's go.
While waiting for the long elevator to arrive at the destination floor, I recalled the sequence of events that had led me here.
Fumiko and I, though not every day, on days when we were both free and a training room was available, had been doing Quirk training together. Or rather, it was more like I was almost entirely being looked after by her... for now, at least.
During one such training session, as I mentioned earlier, I received the invitation to 'stay over'.
Of course, there was no dubious meaning behind it; this was purely for training purposes.
Apparently, Fumiko's home had many training-related tools useful for such times, and there were also several training facilities nearby, including gyms where Quirk use was permitted.
In short, the reasoning seemed to be that we were starting to see the limits of training using only manpower with no equipment, and moreover, since this was the most crucial period before the Sports Festival, we should do efficient training at a place with all the necessary facilities. And her home was chosen as that venue.
Though I did think... inviting a male classmate to her home was a bit much for a girl her age... but as usual, Fumiko probably wasn't thinking too deeply about it...! If only I protested nervously, it might make it seem like I was the one thinking strange things...
Besides, it seemed she was actually aware of appearances and such... she was thorough about not bringing it up in class, and even provided the necessary props.
What I received was a premium pass for an ultra-exclusive, members-only training gym. And not just any pass, but one for the 'Aim to be a Pro Hero! Overnight Quirk Training Course', which assumed staying out.
'I got it from a friend who had extras. I thought since we have the chance, we should go'... That was the camouflage reasoning I used to explain today's 'stayover' to my mom and get permission to stay out. A high schooler staying out for no reason would definitely be suspicious.
While reminiscing about all that, I arrived at the room.
"Welcome, Midoriya, to my humble... borrowed abode. Come on in. You can put your bags anywhere."
"Th-thanks for having me..."
Amazing... the room is spacious too. Actually, there are just a lot of rooms.
As expected of an ultra-luxury condominium for celebrities... everything, the furniture and all, is clearly high-end just at a glance...
But... looking around briefly, while there are tools for a celebrity-like elegant life everywhere, I didn't see many tools that seemed usable for training.
Where and how are we going to train? I was wondering when Fumiko, having changed into clothes that looked easy to move in, came over holding a small bag that could be carried in one hand.
"Alright, Midoriya, shall we move? To the place for special training."
"Huh!? Um... you mean, here? At your place?"
"We'll sleep and stay here, but the facilities are in a separate location. I've prepared a change of clothes... well, training uniforms too, so come on, let's go!"
"O-okay..."
Just when I thought we'd arrived, we were hurriedly moving again, and I finally ended up at the attached training gym. There's a connecting passage from the basement of this condominium, so you can go without going outside.
You need a pass that only residents of the condominium have to get through, so I went with Fumiko.
As expected, or rather, it was incredibly spacious, and unlike the room earlier, there were state-of-the-art high-tech training equipment everywhere. Most of them... I'd never seen before, so I had no idea how to use them.
And there, Fumiko and I changed into the special training wear she had prepared.
In appearance, it was just a tracksuit, though quite stylish-looking, high-end brand item, but it was designed so that merely wearing it constituted training. The suit itself was heavy and had weights embedded in various parts of the body. Furthermore, it was made to also function as protective supports for various joints, preventing excessive strain while building the body.
Clearly, it was an item on the level of what a support company that makes Hero costumes would produce.
Wearing that suit, which was matching for Fumiko and me except for size, we came to an area within this gym that apparently only selected members or those introduced by them could use... I-I've been taken to places too different from my world one after another since earlier...
If I didn't have this opportunity, this is a place I would have had no connection to in my entire life...
Well, for now, I'll try not to think about that and focus on the special training. Yeah, that's best.
By the way, what kind of training facility is this?
In a word, it was like an indoor track and field track. However, it wasn't a flat construction just for running... various machines, or rather gimmicks, were set up along the course.
An obstacle race? No, this is more like... an athletic course?
"Oh, sharp, Midoriya. Well then... shall we start slowly?"
And so began, at last, the special training to become better at using 'Full Cowl'.
Right now, I am endlessly circling this indoor high-tech athletic course in 'Full Cowl' state.
What I do is simple. A straightforward task of just running while overcoming the gimmicks set up on the course using the appropriate method for each.
For example, the 'horizontal ladder' blocking the course that I just encountered.
A common playground equipment where you hang from a ladder and move forward using only arm strength.
I jumped onto it, grabbed the metal bars using only arm strength, moved my arms relentlessly to move forward, and when I reached the very end, jumped down to return to the course and started running again.
Then, a balance beam was prepared next, so I got on from the end and advanced while maintaining balance. After clearing it, I returned to running the course.
This time, a bouldering-like wall was prepared, so I quickly climbed it using both hands and feet. At the top, there was a sliding pole (the kind at fire stations that you grab to slide down quickly) to descend, so I grabbed it, went down, returned to the course, and started running again.
In this manner, it felt like an endless obstacle race, just circling this endlessly.
It might look like mere physical training or just playing around, but it's completely different.
Thanks to the special weight suit, even in the 'Full Cowl' state which enhances physical abilities, the exercise provides a good load for training... but more than that, the essence of this training is not just endurance or basic physical strength, but training in 'how to move the body'.
To put it simply, it's similar to the training combined with cleanup activities I used to do at that seaside park before I inherited 'One For All'.
Depending on the shape, size, and which piece of trash you carry how, the muscles used are completely different, so muscles in various parts get evenly trained... that was the idea. Also, during that process, I could learn efficient ways to move my body, which gradually increased efficiency.
By coincidence, this 'High-Tech Athletic Course with Weight Suit' is an enhanced version of that. The load is heavy and the movements are intense. If you just run around recklessly, you'll be exhausted in no time.
Even just moving forward on the horizontal ladder isn't just about moving your arms.
The direction and angle of arm movement, the force applied, which part of the fingers to grip with how, the movement of the hanging body, leg movement, timing of breathing, down to how to manage your center of gravity—once you start paying attention, there are endless points for improvement.
They might be minor points, but neglecting them means losing that much stamina. Conversely, improving even one of these allows for maximum performance with minimal force.
Practicing this in every movement all over the body, thoroughly making the 'correct way to move' second nature.
That is the purpose of this training.
Some time later.
"--About 30 minutes. Not bad, I'd say."
"Haah... haah... haah, huff... huff...!!"
Just as Fumiko said... about 30 minutes after starting to run.
Having splendidly exhausted my stamina, I became unable to move mid-run, crouching on the spot and breathing heavily.
As if anticipating this, Fumiko let me inhale from an oxygen tank she had prepared beforehand and simultaneously directly infused a little 'Energy' into me, so I felt better quickly.
"For the first time, this is about right. Maybe even better than I expected. Well, it seems you didn't notice you were in a runner's high and couldn't pace yourself, so you pretty much spent all your stamina. Because of that, the fatigue and pain in various parts are hitting you all at once now."
"I-is that so, that's why it's this... tough... ugh... puh"
"Whoa whoa whoa, don't throw up, Midoriya? Here, can you drink? Have some hydration and energy replenishment."
Gratefully accepting the sports drink she offered.
I had become drenched in sweat without realizing, and the suit I was wearing had absorbed it, making it even heavier.
Probably because I sweated this much... the sports drink tasted incredibly good. I chugged a 500ml bottle, but it still felt insufficient.
But, Fumiko must have dissolved some 'Energy' into the drink. I could feel the fatigue rapidly easing. My breathing also returned to its normal pace, and I started to feel more at ease.
Confirming that I had calmed down somewhat, Fumiko said.
"I think you've grasped the method and tricks of this training to some extent with today's session. Tomorrow and the day after, we'll just repeat this, adjusting by changing various 'conditions'. And we'll appropriately incorporate other training that serves as application. Probably, that's the most efficient."
"I see... but, application, other training?"
"That's tomorrow's fun part. Now, that's it for today! Once you can move, we're heading home."
Saying that, Fumiko started preparing to leave, including tidying up the equipment we used.
She seemed to be gathering my belongings too. I feel bad...
But right now, I seriously want to rest slowly... so I'll take advantage of her kindness... This training is tougher than I expected...!
While doing it, gradually adjusting my movements myself and confirming that it was slowly leading to reduced strain was fun. That itself speaks to the importance of 'optimizing' movement and power.
Avoiding unnecessary movements, not applying unnecessary force... always aiming for the optimal movement.
No, during combat or such, there's no room to think about such things each time. Eventually, I should be able to do that without even thinking.
(Even if I think about it, I can't do it... ending up exhausted and unable to move like this... I'm still far from ready. The road is long, but time is short... I need to get serious again.)
"But... today, I'm done for..."
Hahaha, a dry laugh escapes my lips.
Today is over. I can't do any more. To be able to do my best tomorrow, I should rest properly...
At that time, I still didn't know.
I didn't understand anything.
That the time of trials was not over yet.
No, in a sense... rather, the time from now on was what could be called a 'trial' for me, and unimaginable events awaited...!
•••
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