Location: Kashiwa Ward, Japan – Arisaka Consulting
Time: Next Day
Kaito stared directly at his dual monitors. The medical files and quirk registry data for Momo Yaoyorozu filled the left screen.
A blank biological mapping document sat on the right.
"Eve," Kaito said out loud, leaning over his keyboard. "Open a new dictation file. Title it: Yaoyorozu Quirk Development Plan. Let's start with Dietary Logistics."
[Recording started, Boss,] Eve replied through the hidden office speakers.
"Her quirk converts her body lipids into inorganic matter," Kaito dictated. "If she runs out of fat cells, she passes out. We need a Glycogen-Lipid Super-Saturation diet. Draft a formula for a high-density caloric gel. She needs to consume it mid-fight through emergency ports in her costume to maintain a floating baseline of lipids."
[Drafting chemical formula for caloric combat gels,] Eve confirmed.
"Next section. In-Situ Rapid Transmutation," Kaito continued. "She takes too long to deploy heavy items. Have her practice partial materialization. Anchor the base of the object to her skin and thrust the rest outward. It cuts deployment time down to a fraction of a second. She can manifest a shield mid-stride."
DING.
The elevator down the hall chimed.
[Boss, your 10:00 AM consultation is here,] Eve announced.
"Send him in," Kaito said, saving the document.
A young man in a basic spandex hero suit walked into the office. He looked incredibly nervous, holding a folder tightly to his chest.
"Take a seat," Kaito offered, grabbing a bottle of water from his mini-fridge and tossing it over. "You just finished your mandatory sidekick years, right?"
The young hero caught the bottle. "Yes, Mr. Arisaka. I have a minor velocity quirk. I want to start my own agency in Tokyo, but the hero commission denied my application twice."
Kaito pulled up the kid's file on a digital tablet.
"Tokyo is crowded," Kaito told him directly. "You have a speed quirk, but your physical durability is low. Don't open an agency yet. Apply to the Idaten Agency as a rescue specialist. Build your reputation in disaster zones for two years. The commission will approve your solo license instantly after that."
The young hero blinked, staring at Kaito. He bowed deeply.
"I'll send the application today!" the hero promised, hurrying out of the office.
Kaito watched the kid leave. He spent his days exactly like this.
Intertwining massive, million-yen private contracts with standard consultations for rising rookies and sidekicks.
He turned back to his monitors.
"Eve, resume dictation," Kaito said. "Modular Component Stacking. She overloads her neural processing trying to build complex machines all at once. Have her create small, interlocking metal cartridges. Standard building blocks. She snaps them together manually using physical combat training. Treat her creations like Lego blocks."
[Searching for available stock shares in the Lego Group,] Eve responded instantly. [Would you like me to initiate a corporate buyout of the toy company to supply the training materials?]
"..."
Kaito stopped typing. He looked up at the ceiling and laughed.
"Hehe.. No, Eve," Kaito shook his head. "Cancel that. It was just a reference to how the blocks connect. Do not buy a toy company."
[Purchase order canceled,] Eve replied smoothly. [My apologies. I will take the reference literally next time.]
"I seriously need to code a pop-culture update for your mainframe," Kaito joked, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm going to make you better than Jarvis from the Iron Man movies at this rate."
[I am unfamiliar with Mr. Stark's artificial intelligence, Boss. But I assure you my current databases are fully operational.]
Kaito just smiled and started typing again.
"Subsection four," Kaito dictated. "Dermal Slip-Stream. She needs muscle memory for specific sections of her arms and legs. When she needs handcuffs or a tracking device, her skin doesn't need a massive exposure window. Train a targeted two-inch patch of her costume's micro-mesh to slide open electronically. Let the item deploy seamlessly like a quick-draw cartridge."
[Noted.]
"Alloy Stress-Tuning," Kaito added, bringing up a metallurgy chart on his left screen. "She shouldn't just carry standard steel. If she tweaks the molecular bonding parameters, she can create shape-memory alloys. Structural frames that flex under pressure and lock rigid upon impact. It triples her defense without burning extra lipids."
DING.
The elevator chimed again.
[Your 11:30 AM appointment is here,] Eve said.
A young female hero wearing heavy metal boots walked into the office. She looked exhausted.
"Mr. Arisaka," she bowed. "I have a gravity-manipulation quirk. Every time I increase the weight of a villain, the recoil travels up my spine. My chiropractor told me to retire early."
Kaito grabbed a digital pen and sketched a quick diagram on his tablet.
"Don't retire," Kaito said, handing the tablet to her. "Take this blueprint to a support gear company. You need a kinetic shock-absorber built directly into the soles of your boots. It will route the recoil into the ground instead of your spine."
The hero stared at the screen, a massive wave of relief washing over her face. She bowed twice and rushed out to make the call.
Kaito sat back down. He grabbed a cup of coffee and cracked his knuckles.
"Alright, Eve. Let's finish the main biological limit," Kaito said, his voice turning entirely serious. "Generating everything from internal body fat puts a hard ceiling on her stamina. We need to push the ultimate evolution of her quirk."
[Ready for input, Boss.]
"Exo-Molecular Catalysis," Kaito dictated, typing the final, S-tier parameters of the multi-million yen contract. "By touching a raw source of carbon or soil, she trains her body to act as a catalyst blueprint printer. She pulls the bulk mass from basic environmental matter instead of burning pure body fat. She can turn a pile of rubble into iron beams while preserving her own health."
Kaito kept his eyes on the screen, typing out the exact molecular equations required for the environmental conversion.
...
Location: Otheon, Europe – Slum District
Time: Afternoon
SWOOOSH.
Rody Soul sprinted across the rusted, corrugated metal roof of an old apartment building.
He wore a dirty brown jacket and old boots. He tucked a brown paper bag tightly against his chest.
"GET BACK HERE!"
An angry vendor yelled from the crowded street down below. A fat man in a stained apron pointed up at the roof, waving a broom.
"Sorry!" Rody yelled back over his shoulder, not slowing down for a single second.
He hit the edge of the roof. He didn't hesitate. He vaulted over the low brick wall and jumped.
WHOOSH.
Rody flew across the narrow alleyway.
He tucked his knees into his chest and rolled perfectly across the opposite rooftop, absorbing the impact without losing any momentum.
He scrambled to his feet and kept running. He vanished into the dense, crowded skyline of the Otheon slums, leaving the angry vendor far behind.
SLAT. SLAT.
Rody jumped down an old fire escape. His boots hit the muddy ground of a dark alley.
He walked out into a large, muddy lot filled with broken cars and piles of garbage.
A dilapidated, rusted caravan trailer sat at the very edge of the lot. The tires were flat.
The windows were cracked and covered with old newspapers.
Rody walked up to the metal door and pushed it open.
CREAK.
"Rody!"
Lala, his little sister, dropped a broken toy and ran across the tiny living space. She hugged his leg tightly.
"Hey, Lala," Rody smiled, rubbing her head.
Roro, his younger brother, walked out from the small kitchenette area. He looked at the brown paper bag in Rody's arms.
RMMM.
"Did you get food?" Roro asked, his stomach rumbling loudly.
"Yeah," Rody set the bag down on the small, wobbly wooden table. "Fresh bread and three apples."
Lala and Roro immediately grabbed the food.
They tore into the bread, eating quickly.
Rody watched them eat. He didn't take any for himself.
Lala chewed a piece of an apple. She looked up at Rody with big, innocent eyes.
"Where did you get the food, Rody?" Lala asked. "Did you find a job?"
Rody forced a bright, convincing smile onto his face.
"Yeah," Rody lied smoothly. "A really nice baker down by the main plaza gave me some work. I swept the floors, and he gave me this for free."
CHIRP!
Pino, the small pink bird, flew out from Rody's hood.
The bird landed on the table. Pino immediately drooped her head down, covered her eyes with her tiny wings, and started crying small tears.
Rody's quirk completely betrayed him. Pino always acted out Rody's true emotions. He felt incredibly guilty for stealing the food and lying to his sister.
"Pino looks sad," Lala pointed at the bird.
"She's fine!" Rody panicked.
He snatched Pino off the table and shoved the bird directly inside his jacket, zipping it up halfway to trap her inside.
"She just... has a stomach ache from eating too many seeds," Rody lied again.
CRHIP. CHIRP. CHIRP.
Pino struggled inside the jacket, squawking quietly in protest.
Roro finished his piece of bread. He looked at the floor.
"People in town were yelling again," Roro mumbled. "They threw a rock at the trailer this morning. They painted 'traitor' on the side."
Rody felt his chest tighten.
He walked over to the small window and peaked through a gap in the newspaper.
A fresh streak of red spray paint covered the rusted metal outside.
"Ignore them, Roro," Rody said, his voice dropping slightly. "They don't know what they're talking about."
Lala held her half-eaten apple.
"I miss dad," Lala whispered quietly. "Why did he leave us?"
Rody gritted his teeth. He felt a spike of absolute fury burn in his stomach.
The local news stations broadcasted the story for weeks.
Eddie Soul, the brilliant engineer, abandoned his family to join Humarise. The whole country branded their family as terrorists and sympathizers.
They were chased out of their home. Rody couldn't get a legal job anywhere. They were forced to live in a broken trailer in the slums.
But Rody didn't knew the truth. His dad didn't abandon them at all.
Humarise threatened to murder all three of them if Eddie didn't build their machines. Eddie sacrificed his entire life and reputation just to keep Rody, Roro and Lala breathing.
Rody walked over and knelt down in front of Lala. He put his hands on her small shoulders.
"Dad is just busy right now," Rody said, forcing his voice to stay calm and gentle without a trace of anger and helplessness. "But you don't have to worry about anything. I am right here. I'm always going to take care of you guys. I promise."
CHIRP.
Pino poked her head out of Rody's jacket. She didn't cry this time. She puffed her chest out and nodded firmly.
Lala smiled and hugged Rody's neck.
Rody hugged her back, staring at the rusted metal wall of the trailer.
He hated this city. He hated the heroes who ignored the slums.
Rody just needed to survive long enough to get his siblings out of this hell.
...
Location: Kashiwa Ward, Japan – Arisaka Consulting
Time: Five Days Later
SWIPE.
Kaito scrolled through the digital schedule on his tablet. The past five days were packed.
SIP.
He took a sip of his green tea.
Japan's pro heroes flooded his office all week.
The new standards for the Golden Manager pushed everyone to evolve.
Death Arms came back for a second visit four days ago. And wanted to be chosen as his next contracted hero.
Fourth Kind marched in a day after. Same request, with Rock Lock followed in the afternoon.
Gunhead and Native walked out with their own wants and request yesterday.
STOMP.
STOMP.
Heavy footsteps shook the hallway outside.
SLID.
The glass doors to the office pushed open.
Crust marched into the room. He wore his heavy gladiator armor. His face looked incredibly intense.
A young sidekick scurried into the room right behind him. The kid held a briefcase and looked completely terrified.
"Kaito!" Crust yelled loudly.
"Crust," Kaito smiled, setting his coffee cup down. "Good to see you again. Take a seat."
Crust walked over and sat down heavily on the couch. The leather cushions groaned. His sidekick stood rigidly by the door.
This was Crust's sixth visit in this office.
"I have a request!" Crust announced, pointing a thick finger directly at Kaito.
"Let's hear it," Kaito sat back and crossed his legs.
"The Golden Bites burger chain!" Crust shouted. "I demand you open a franchise branch directly next to my hero agency! My sidekick need the premium protein! The local restaurants are failing to fuel their passion!"
"And most importantly, I love this fast food restaurant of yours. Bwahaha.."
"Hehe.. Glad you liked it." Kaito also laughed.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly typed a message to Kimiko.
"I can arrange that," Kaito said, pressing send. "I'll have the CEO scout a real estate location near your agency this week. I'm already planning to expand the branches all over Japan."
"Excellent!" Crust crossed his massive arms and nodded firmly.
Kaito put his phone away. He looked at Crust.
"So," Kaito said. "Did you just come here to demand burgers? Or are we going to talk about the real reason you keep visiting my office?"
"..."
Crust went completely silent.
His intense posture dropped. He uncrossed his arms, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his armored knees.
He stared down at the glass coffee table.
SNIFF.
Crust's lower lip trembled.
"You already know, why I am keep coming back to you. The standards have changed," Crust whispered. His voice cracked loudly.
Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes.
"Ingenium," Crust cried out. Thick tears rolled down his cheeks and splashed onto the glass table. "Mirko! Hawks! They are so fast! They move like lightning! They save dozens of people before I even arrive at the scene!"
The sidekick by the door flinched. He looked at the floor awkwardly while his massive boss broke down in tears.
"Are you upset they outrank you?" Kaito asked calmly.
"NO!" Crust roared.
BAM.
He slammed his fist onto the table.
He cried harder, wiping his face with his heavy forearm.
"I am proud of them!" Crust sobbed passionately. "I am overjoyed that Japan has such incredible young heroes protecting the streets! They are magnificent!"
Crust gripped his own knees tightly.
"I am angry at myself!" Crust yelled. Tears poured out of his eyes. "I am too slow! I am too heavy! When the building collapses, I want to be the one holding the ceiling up! I want to save every single citizen! I can't reach them in time anymore!"
Crust looked up at Kaito. His face was completely red.
"I am the only member of the old Top 10 who hasn't secured a contract with you," Crust wept openly. "Endeavor. Best Jeanist. Edgeshot. Mirko. They all have your guidance. They evolved. I am being left behind in the dust. Please, Manager! I just want the strength to protect people!"
Kaito looked at the crying hero.
He saw a man with pure, unfiltered passion. Crust just wanted to save lives.
"..." Kaito smiled.
He reached under the coffee table and pulled out a thick black folder. He tossed the folder onto the glass directly in front of Crust.
"Okay," Kaito said casually. "I was just waiting for you to officially ask. You've already requested me a lot of times. It is your turn now."
"...."
Crust stared at the black folder.
He slowly reached out with a trembling hand and opened the cover.
"WAAAAAHHH!"
Crust threw his head back and wailed at the top of his lungs.
SKRTT.
He jumped off the couch. He grabbed his terrified sidekick and pulled the young man into a massive, bone-crushing bear hug.
He cried heavily into the sidekick's shoulder.
"WE ARE GOING TO SAVE EVERYONE!" Crust sobbed loudly, squeezing the sidekick.
CRACK.
"B-Boss! I can't breathe!" the sidekick gasped, his face turning blue.
Kaito laughed, leaning back on the couch and watching the chaotic scene unfold. 'This guy's personality is exactly like Might Guy, shouting YOUTH all day.'
...
Support the journey here:
patreon.com/Dr_Chad
(9 Advanced Chapters)