As soon as the Nova Genesis members returned to their headquarters, their bodies gave out.
One by one, they slumped to the ground, completely exhausted.
The battle had taken a massive toll on their bodies.
"Ugh… I feel like I haven't eaten for a week…" Melissa groaned, her body leaning against Arata's shoulder.
Arata let out a tired sound. "Hnn…"
'This feels like I just got beaten up by Might Guy… and then trained by Goku right after…'
David flexed his fingers weakly. "My hands… feel like they were kept still for a hundred hours… I can't even move them properly…"
Tobita lay flat on the ground, staring at the ceiling. "All that jumping… I think my stomach is revolting against me…"
Aiba held her head, eyes spinning. "I think my brain is damaged… I just saw an entire army of men making out…I thought they would have stopped at just confessions and hugging!"
Kaina stretched her arms before dropping down near the Nova-Drive. "My whole body hurts… spinning, dodging, chasing… just to catch that old telekinesis bastard and that teleporting idiot. I swear…" She paused, then muttered, "I'm killing them if they wake up."
Arata let out a breath. "We're taking a break. A one week vacation."
Everyone froze for a second.
Melissa weakly raised a hand. "Yes… please… somewhere tropical…"
"Thailand…" David mumbled. "Good food… good beaches…"
'And suspiciously specific memories with All Might…' David thought, squinting tiredly at that particular memory regarding those Dancing Girls and Massages.
Arata blinked slightly.
'Did they go there to relax… or… something else…?'
"Can you all discuss that later…" Kaina muttered lazily as her body shrank into a white cat. "Some of us… are trying to die peacefully…"
She curled up inside the Nova-Drive and instantly fell asleep.
Arata sighed and raised his gauntlet slightly. The space stone glowed faintly.
"Go… sleep…"
Blue portals opened under everyone.
One by one, they disappeared into their respective rooms.
Arata walked into his own room and collapsed onto the bed without even removing his gear.
'Yeah… definitely something suspicious about that Thailand trip…'
Sleep took over immediately.
While Nova Genesis slept peacefully…Japan was anything but peaceful.
The entire country was boiling.
Protests had returned—and this time, they were even more ferocious.
"DOWN WITH CORRUPTION!"
"JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE!"
"NOVA GENESIS WAS RIGHT!"
People flooded the streets, shouting, demanding change.
Novabel's words… his power… and the recent attack had reignited their voices.
Inside government buildings, panic spread.
"We need to control the narrative!" one official shouted.
"Blame Nova Genesis!" another snapped. "Say the attack happened because they kidnapped that girl—Anna!"
Soon, news channels began twisting the story.
"Nova Genesis is responsible for the attack—"
"They have reportedly kidnapped the entire population of Hiroshima—"
But the people weren't blind.
"Are you stupid!?"
"They SAVED them!"
"They'll release them!"
The public pushed back harder than ever.
Then came the turning point.
During an interview on live television, All Might spoke.
"I believe Nova Genesis… is an organization that fights for people's rights."
He paused slightly before continuing.
"I cannot call them villains," he said, his voice calm but firm. "From what I have seen… they possess the Heart of a True Hero."
Silence.
Then chaos.
That one statement changed everything.
More people joined the protests.
More voices rose.
And inside the HPSC and government offices… "He just had to say that…" someone muttered angrily. "Fuck you All Might!"
In a small room, a green-haired boy stared at the TV, fists clenched. "…Nova Genesis…"
'I want to help people…'
"I'll join them," he said quietly. "When they start recruiting… I'll join! I want to learn what having a True Heroes heart means!"
Elsewhere, a purple-haired boy watched with a serious expression.
"…They're fighting for people like me…"
In a Japanese style mansion, a half red, half white-haired boy with a scar on his face stared at the screen.
"…Expose corruption…"
His eyes narrowed as he thought about his father.
In a large house, a blonde middle school girl watched Novabel's speech.
Her usual mask made to show fake emotions…Cracked.
"…Someone actually said it…" she whispered.
In a dark apartment, a masked man watched the same broadcast.
"I will join for sure! No, this organization is trash!" The man kept rambling non stop.
Everyone knew what was happening. Japan was changing. And this time…There was no stopping it.