Yaoyorozu's expression instantly turned dejected.
With such a massive chasm in their strength, the very definition of "training" was clearly different for them. Was there truly no way for her to bridge the gap?
At that moment, the Master of the Yaoyorozu household stepped in to smooth things over. "Wu Xuan, isn't it a bit early to write her off? Why not let Momo observe your methods first? We can discuss the details after that."
Momo's mother added with a soft plea, "Yes, Xuan-kun. Momo told us that your power is the greatest she's ever seen in someone your age. Please, help her out. Do it for your Auntie."
How annoying...
Wu Xuan propped his cheek up with one hand, silent for half a minute before finally relenting. "Fine. As long as she actually has the nerve to show up."
"Really? Thank you!" The mother tugged at her daughter's hand. "Come on, Momo, hurry up and thank him properly."
"Thank you, Wu-kun!" Momo bowed repeatedly, her excitement palpable.
"Seriously, we'll be classmates soon, so there's no need for such formalities," the mother said, her eyes narrowing into a suggestive smile. "Xuan-kun, you don't need to be so polite either. Just call her 'Momo'."
Momo's face turned bright red at her mother's words.
Later, in the western district of Tokyo.
Momo followed closely behind Wu Xuan. After hesitating for a moment, she spoke up to his back, her voice tinged with a blush. "Wu-kun, don't mind what my mother said. You can just call me what you called me before."
"It's fine. I'll just call you 'Momo'," Wu Xuan replied, walking ahead without looking back.
"Eh!?" Momo's face felt like it was on fire. "This... this is..."
"Besides," Wu Xuan's voice drifted back again, "your surname 'Yaoyorozu' is a pain to pronounce."
Momo felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head. The slight fluttering in her heart vanished instantly, replaced by a spark of genuine annoyance.
As they moved deeper into the district, Momo sensed the atmosphere shifting. The bustling commercial streets faded away, replaced by deserted roads and a lack of pedestrians. Occasionally, she caught the glint of malicious eyes watching them from the shadows of dark alleys. It triggered the harrowing memory of her encounter with Toga the night before.
"A slum—or rather, a high-crime district," Wu Xuan explained. "I bet a young lady like you has never set foot in a place like this."
He continued casually, "It's a gathering place for thugs and street rats. Gangs deal drugs here. While most of them are just cynical, weak-willed losers, they have a wealth of practical experience because they're constantly fighting over scraps. You'll find some surprisingly powerful Quirk users among them."
Momo's eyes widened as she began to piece together his intent. "Could it be that... your training method is..."
"Whoa, look at this beautiful little lady!"
"Boss, check out those curves! She makes the girls around here look like garbage!"
"And look at that... that's definitely all-natural. No silicone there!"
Before Momo could finish her sentence, a group of five disheveled men emerged from a corner, spewing profanities and blocking their path.
Wu Xuan smiled slightly. "Guys like this aren't particularly strong. Truly powerful villains would be hitting the commercial banks or targeting us directly. These are just the bottom-feeders."
From his detailed breakdown, Momo realized Wu Xuan had frequented these places countless times. He stepped aside, grabbing Momo's arm and pulling her forward with a sneer. "Normally, trash like this wouldn't be worth summoning [The World] for. They aren't even worth my own fists. But for your current level? They're perfect."
The "cannon fodder" had arrived at the perfect time. They weren't qualified to face his Stand, or even his own physical limits, but for Momo, they were the ideal punching bags.
"You brat! What did you just say!?"
"Boss, let's take the girl right in front of him!"
"Yeah! Let him see what the 'Black Tiger Five' can do!"
Two of them lunged at Wu Xuan first. One's fingernails elongated into jagged blades, while the other pulled a pair of nunchaku from his back that doubled in size instantly.
Just as they closed within two meters of Wu Xuan—
Voom!
CRACK!
Two thunderous impacts echoed. Before anyone could track the movement, the two attackers were sent spiraling backward, sliding more than twenty meters across the asphalt. It was exactly what had happened to Katsuki Bakugo, only faster. Much faster.
The remaining three stared at Wu Xuan in horror.
"I told you, your opponent is her," Wu Xuan said, raising an impatient hand and addressing the thugs with a bizarre, biting metaphor. "Now, attack her with everything you've got! Act like a pack of rabid dogs whose mate has been stolen! Try to kill her!"