"You finally asked, huh!" Momo smirked. "I thought you completely forgot about it, considering you never even brought it up."
"Well, it's not like we had much time to sit and talk peacefully," Shin replied with a sly smile. "After all, we were busy with some rather… strenuous activities."
A slight blush crept onto Momo's cheeks, but she quickly recovered. "Well, I'll forgive you for not asking about the surprise gift I prepared—since I quite enjoyed those activities myself." She tilted her head playfully. "So, do you have any guesses about what it could be?"
"There are a number of possibilities," Shin mused. "But one particular thing comes to mind when I think about what your mystery gift could be." He grinned with anticipation. "Is it the weapon I asked you to make? The one with those overly complicated specifications?"
"Ding ding! Correct!" Momo clapped her hands excitedly. "I knew you'd guess it, especially with the hints I've been dropping in our previous conversations."
She put down the fork she had been holding and raised her left hand. The ring on her middle finger began to glow, and in the next moment, a beam of light shot from it, touching the table. At the point of impact, a pair of futuristic-looking guns materialized.
Shin was completely mesmerized. He had sensed a fluctuation in space when it happened and quickly understood that the ring was some kind of spatial storage tool. But more than that, he was captivated by the sheer beauty of the weapons before him. From his experience, he could tell at a glance—they were crafted with incredible precision and effort. A true masterpiece. Seeing them filled him with pride, knowing how much progress Momo must have made to create something like this.
"What are you waiting for? Pick them up!" Momo urged, and Shin did just that. The moment he held them, he was surprised. They were incredibly light, far lighter than he expected. The grip felt perfect, almost as if they were made just for his hands. Just holding them made his fingers itch to test them out somewhere.
Smiling, he looked at Momo and asked, "Can you explain all their features to me?"
And so, Momo began to detail every function she had incorporated into the weapons. And oh boy—some of them were truly beyond his expectations.
Once Momo finished explaining, Shin wasted no time in testing the guns. He immediately began transferring his stored force energy into them, watching as a part of the weapon lit up with a blue glow. It was a gauge, divided into ten levels.
With his full reserves, he was only able to fill eight levels on each gun, and the speed at which the energy transferred was far beyond what he could achieve himself. Normally, he required at least ten seconds to completely empty his force reserves, but these guns absorbed it instantly. He was already impressed.
The gauge represented the power level of each bullet, ranging from level 1 to level 10. Shin could control the level with his intent, adjusting it depending on the situation. At his current capacity, he could fire ten level 8 bullets per gun, each packing the power of a missile. Alternatively, he could fire 100 level 7 bullets, 1,000 level 6 bullets, and so on. He could freely switch between power levels at any moment, always aware of the number of shots left by sensing the force energy inside the gun's storage.
These bullets functioned similarly to the orbs of force he usually created, but with far greater efficiency and precision. However, that was just the 'safe mode.' If he disabled it, the bullets transformed into highly concentrated force projectiles, and even a level 1 shot in this mode had the destructive power of a nuclear explosion. At this point, the gauge turned red, signifying danger. Momo had aptly named this mode—'Death.'
To activate 'Death' mode, he first had to max out the gun's safe mode gauge to level 10 and then continue charging beyond that point. Once at Death level 1, his energy would allow him to fire a single shot. In contrast, that same energy could be used to fire 100 safe level 10 bullets or 10,000 level 9 bullets. And since he had two guns, that meant he had two Death bullets at level 1.
From both Momo's explanation and his own analysis, Shin deduced that even a Death level 7 bullet could reduce an entire planet to dust. However, reaching that level would take an enormous amount of time and energy. As for anything beyond level 7, neither he nor Momo had any idea how powerful they would be, nor did they have any way to test them. Not yet, at least.
Theoretically, he could test them in outer space, but that posed its own set of challenges—oxygen, travel time, and ensuring he wasn't obliterated in the process. He was already considering ways to make that possible in the future.
Shin stood up from his seat, still holding the guns. He then connected the bottoms together, causing them to realign and shift form. The transformation completed in an instant, turning the guns into a sleek black pole. Activating another feature he had requested, blue energy blades emerged from both ends, forming a double-headed spear.
He stepped away from the table and moved to a separate room, spinning and swinging the spear with ease. His movements were fluid as he executed various spear techniques, adjusting to the weapon's weight and balance. Then, he activated Death mode. The blue blades turned crimson, radiating an ominous glow. As he repeated the same spear forms, the very air crackled with energy, distorting the space around the weapon. Each swing carried terrifying destructive potential.
A satisfied smirk formed on Shin's face. Momo had truly outdone herself. Subsequently, Shin transferred the weapons into the spatial storage ring Momo had given him earlier during her explanation. Once done, he made his way back to the dining hall, where he found Momo lounging on the couch, having already finished her meal. Glancing at the clock, he noted that there was still an hour before classes started.
Without hesitation, he walked over, sat beside her, and effortlessly pulled her onto his lap—her favorite place to sit. Momo smiled in pure delight and asked, "So? How is it? Did you like it?"
"Of course! I liked it. It's even better than I expected," Shin admitted before tilting his head curiously. "So, what's the name of this weapon? Have you decided on one?"
Momo shook her head. "No, I haven't," she confessed. "These are your weapons, so you should be the one to name them."
"But you're the one who created them. It's usually the craftsman who names a weapon, and the wielder just accepts it as is," Shin sighed in exasperation. "And I can't help but notice—they don't even have your signature as the creator?"
"Umm… About that," Momo fidgeted with her fingers, looking slightly embarrassed. "I haven't exactly decided what my signature should be. But once I do, I'll make sure these weapons have it." Then, as if eager to change the topic, she added, "But let's leave that for later. First, decide on the name."
Shin shook his head but couldn't help feeling pleased that she had entrusted the naming to him. He fell into deep thought, absentmindedly running his fingers along her skin.
Momo, enjoying his touch, quietly waited for him to come up with something. In truth, she had already designed a signature, but she wasn't sure if she should actually use it. It felt personal—maybe too personal. A signature was supposed to represent the craftsman, but hers… it embodied him just as much as her.
It was a bold, stylized letter "M" in black, representing her initials. Behind it, a radiant sun was rising, golden rays extending outward—a symbol of dawn, which, in Japanese, was written as "Shin." She had put a lot of thought into it, but she hesitated, uncertain of how he would react. Would he reprimand her for making something so deeply tied to him? As she contemplated one last time, she noticed Shin coming out of his thoughts, a grin forming on his face.
"I've decided," he declared with excitement. "Since these weapons rely on my force energy, which could be compared to wind, I'll call them Tempest. Just one name, because I see them as a single weapon—two parts of a whole."
Momo clapped her hands in appreciation. "That's a perfect name," she praised before suddenly grabbing the Tempests. Right before his eyes, she imprinted her signature onto them.
Shin blinked in surprise. "Wait, you had a signature all along?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Momo looked slightly flustered but quickly explained her reasoning. She had expected a reprimand, but instead, Shin simply shrugged and said, "It's up to you to decide what your signature should be. If you chose to involve me in it, that's nothing less than an honor."
His words made her heart swell with joy, so much so that she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and peppered his forehead and cheeks with affectionate pecks.
Once she was done, Shin tilted his head in curiosity. "But how did you imprint your signature onto them like that? I didn't know you could do that. Did you gain a new skill or something?"
Momo smirked. "Yeah, I did," she said, eyes gleaming. "And it's better to show you than explain."
The moment she finished speaking, a translucent screen appeared in front of him, displaying a status screen—except this time, it wasn't his. It was Momo's.
------
NAME : Momo Yaoyorozu
TRUE SOUL LEVEL : Null
RANK : 2
RACE : Human
SKILLS : Solid Creation, Automated Production, Quantum Arsenal, Annul, Artistic Intuition, Modify
------
As Shin looked at the screen, he recalled the time when Momo had first described each of her skills back when he was in the hospital. Technically, her verbal explanation wasn't necessary—he could have simply focused on any skill, and the system would have directly transmitted all its details into his mind, just as it worked with his own status screen.
At that time, they were unaware of this feature, but after some experimentation, they had discovered it. Of course, some might argue that the descriptions provided by the system were often lacking in detail, requiring deep introspection, internal scanning, and numerous experiments to fully grasp the workings of each skill.
And they wouldn't be wrong. The system deliberately kept skill descriptions brief, encouraging users to uncover their abilities' deeper secrets through hands-on experience. However, once a piece of information was discovered, it would automatically update in the skill's description. This meant Shin didn't have to constantly memorize every minor detail—he could always revisit the description later to recall everything he had learned. This functionality extended to Momo's status screen as well, and even when status screens are shared with a peerage member.
Returning to Momo's skills, the first one was rather straightforward—it allowed her to create any solid material. Previously, before she had awakened her TrueSoul, she needed to use her body's fat reserves to generate matter. However, after obtaining TrueSoul, she realized that fat was merely stored stamina. With this insight, she adapted herself and began using stamina as a direct energy source for her creations. Not just for this skill, but for all her skills.
The second skill, Automated Production, was incredibly useful. It enabled her to automate the creation process of specific objects in large quantities. While it struggled with complex designs, it was irreplaceable for mass-producing simpler items.
Then came Quantum Arsenal, a skill that granted her the ability to instinctively memorise the molecular blueprints of weapons and create them instantaneously whenever needed. The limitation? This skill only applied to weapons of a manageable size—nothing significantly larger than herself. So, unfortunately, she couldn't just summon a nuclear warhead out of thin air. Nevertheless, this ability gave her immense combat potential, especially when combined with her exceptional close-combat skills. After all, she had been rigorously trained by both Shin and Mirko, turning her into a formidable fighter.
The next skill, Annul, was a crucial one. It allowed her to dismantle any of her creations and absorb the energy used to form them back into herself. The catch? This ability was only effective within an hour of the object's creation. Despite this limitation, when combined with Quantum Arsenal, it made her an incredibly efficient fighter who wouldn't run out of resources quickly.
The next skill, Artistic Intuition, was one she had acquired upon awakening her quirk. It granted her an innate instinct for innovation, allowing her to conceptualize and refine new creations with a level of insight that bordered on the supernatural. And oh boy, Shin had been beyond surprised when he discovered that she had already advanced to Rank 2—before he had even managed to do so himself. What made it even more astonishing was that she had reached this level even before obtaining TrueSoul, proving just how naturally gifted she was in the field of creation. It was undeniable—when it came to craftsmanship and invention, Momo was in a league of her own.
Anyway previously, Momo could only create objects whose molecular designs she had memorized. However, with Artistic Intuition, she could now design entirely new things, guided by an innate instinct. According to her own explanation, it felt as if an expert craftsman was directing her hands during the process. The only downside? Her body often struggled to keep up with the precise, instinctual movements required, leading to frequent failures and extended crafting times. This skill was so precious to her that she had already decided—among all her abilities, this would be the one she would upload to her TrueSoul, even though she had other strong contenders.
Finally, there was her most recent skill. As Shin read through the description, he immediately understood its purpose—it granted her the ability to modify anything she had already created.
So that's how she imprinted her signature onto Tempest…
Taking a step back, it was clear—Momo was progressing at an astonishing rate. The moment she had awakened TrueSoul, her growth had skyrocketed. She was advancing rapidly toward her ultimate goal: to become the greatest creator to ever exist on this plane.
And from what Shin could see, she was well on her way. Shin looked at Momo and smiled. "Congratulations on your new skill."
"Thanks, Shin," Momo responded with a soft smile. "But don't praise me just yet. I'm already thinking about creating more skills—I have a few ideas in mind."
"Oh? That's great!" Shin exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "I've also been thinking about developing more skills, now that I've realized increasing their number isn't necessarily a bad thing. But while you do that, don't forget to focus on improving the skill you're going to upload."
Yes, you heard that right. He had finally discovered that acquiring more skills wasn't as disadvantageous as he had initially believed. Not only that, but he had also figured out a way to counteract the issues that came with it.
To explain simply, a skill could be thought of as a vessel. Ranking up that skill would increase the vessel's capacity, allowing him to reintegrate the fragmented parts that had been split off over time. This effectively solved his previous problem.
Now, why did he say that increasing skills wasn't necessarily a bad thing? Because he had control over what to reintegrate and what to leave out. With this method, he could design his skills from the ground up, rather than relying on luck or external factors to determine their final form. There were still many technicalities to explore, but one thing was clear—he would no longer hesitate to expand his arsenal of abilities.
Momo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'll do that. By the way, which skill are you planning to upload?"
Shin hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm going to upload my Force Pulse skill."
Momo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why that one?"
"The reason is simple," Shin explained. "I'm trying to refine it into something similar to the Divine Sense I used to have in my origin plane. And honestly, I'm almost there. I just need to fine-tune a few things."
Momo was about to respond when the sudden chime of the clock interrupted them. Both of them instinctively turned their heads toward it.
"It's time for class," Shin noted, and stood up "Let's go, Momo."
Without warning, he effortlessly scooped her up into a princess carry, making her yelp in surprise. Then, with a smirk, he gently lowered her back onto her feet before taking her hand. "Come on, we don't want to be late."
With that, the two of them quickly dashed toward the Training Hall, where the day's lessons awaited them.
…
In the training hall,
When Aizawa, together with All Might and Midnight, entered the space where the students had gathered, Aizawa announced that they would continue practicing their ultimate moves—whatever those moves might be. Shin was not very familiar with these techniques, having missed several classes, and the same was true for Momo.
Aizawa then pointed out that most of the students had already successfully created one ultimate move during their camp training, and now they would be working on developing even more advanced techniques. Without delay, he quickly led them to the Gamma Gym—a specialized area within the hall—where they met Cementoss, who could create any type of terrain with his quirk of cement control. Cementoss began forming enormous mountains of cement to serve as challenging training obstacles for the students. Additionally, there was Ectoplasm, who created clones that acted as sparring opponents for the trainees.
"Since you have all managed to create an ultimate move, you understand the basic procedure," Aizawa declared. "However, since Shin was not present with us previously, I will repeat the lesson I taught so that anyone who did not fully grasp it the first time can ask questions. Remember, the provisional hero license exam, which is coming in just ten days, will rigorously test every aspect of your abilities—from rescue operations, information gathering, and investigation, to your combat skills. Ultimate moves are designed to give you a significant advantage in these situations."
At this point, Midnight stepped in, "An ultimate move isn't just a powerful attack—it's an ability that enhances your effectiveness in battle and beyond. It could be an offensive manoeuvre, a defensive technique, or even a strategic ability that lets you control the battlefield." She then gestured toward a few students as she continued, "For example, Ida's Recipro Burst allows him to temporarily boost his speed to extreme levels. Bakugo's AP Shot concentrates all his explosive power into a precise beam for maximum impact. Kirishima's Wild Charge reinforces his body before he rushes forward like an unstoppable battering ram."