[Point of View: Third Person]
The sky, once blue, was beginning to be tinged with a dull gray when Akemi and Hades walked together to the train station. The city vibrated with their usual life, but for them, everything seemed to be in a silent bubble.
Akemi was frowning, her gaze fixed straight ahead as her mind swirled like incessant machinery.
His thoughts ranged from combat formations to the Nomu's possible weak points.
Beside him, Hades walked with a serious face, looking at no one. His mind was also occupied, although in a different way.
He remembered that he still had two bottles of the energy drink that Power Loader gave him, and he only prayed that they did not taste the same strawberry.
Just as they were going down the stairs to the platform, an agitated voice caught up with them from behind.
"Akemi-chan!" Hades," Ochhako called, gently touching the girl's shoulder.
But it was not a good idea.
Almost reflexively, Akemi reacted: black whips sprouted like snakes from her back, enveloping the air in an instant of tension.
For a second, Akemi's eyes widened in alertness... until she managed to recognize the voice and the face in front of her.
"Ochako!" she exclaimed, withdrawing her whips immediately, visibly upset. Sorry. You scared me...
Ochako took a step back, breathing rapidly, putting a hand to her chest.
"No, no... it is ok... I just... I wanted to see if we could go home together. It has been a day... weird," he said, forcing a smile as his gaze shifted from Akemi to Hades.
Hades barely looked at her, and Akemi, still recovering from the fright, shook his head.
"We can't. We have to run an errand... something from my mother," he said, not with hostility, but with unquestionable seriousness.
Ochako pursed her lips, unsure. He looked again at Hades, who seemed to be disconnected from everything, his gaze into space.
Finally, he murmured. "E—" it is ok.
He turned around slowly, getting lost among the other students.
A heavy sigh came from Akemi.
"We must hurry," he said at last, resuming his step. "Yes," Hades replied in his grave tone.
The trip was short. They both got off the train and walked in silence to the house.
The sky was getting cloudier and cloudier, with the sun covered by pieces of grayish cotton, shedding its dim light. It was just one o'clock in the morning
Late, but they both felt that the day had already gone on longer than necessary.
When they arrived, Akemi took out the keys and quickly opened it. Hades followed her without saying anything, as a constant reflex.
The interior of the house was silent. Without stopping to check anything else, Akemi went straight to the bathroom, with quick and controlled steps.
Hades, for his part, went to the dining room and sat down heavily in one of the chairs, dropping the backpack next to him. He took a deep breath, watching the kitchen lit up by the few glimpses of the day.
....
It wasn't long before Akemi came out of the bathroom. He had traded in his uniform for comfortable clothes: a baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants, his still-damp hair falling messy down his shoulders.
Without a word, they nodded to each other. Hades stood up and walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
He undressed with slow, methodical movements, leaving his clothes neatly folded aside. Then he turned on the water in the shower and let the cold stream hit him mercilessly.
The water ran through his body, erasing the sweat, tension and dust of the day... but he could not erase what was in his head.
The notes, the drawing, the dead eyes of Nomu.
The words he read that morning had followed him since then, like an echo in his mind.
The Nomu was an abomination.
Hades lowered his head, letting the icy water run down his neck. His fingers pressed tightly against the soap before it slipped.
"Fuck...
....
The drops began to fall without warning. At first, soft, scattered, as if heaven still doubted whether to weep or not.
But it took a few seconds for the doubt to dissipate. The tapping began to be heard clearly against the windows of the apartment, small wet beeps in rapid succession, creating a gray and constant melody.
Outside, the sky had been completely stained with lead.
Hades came out of the bathroom with his hair still wet and some drops running down his neck.
He was wearing a gray T-shirt, too big for him, and baggy shorts that barely held around his waist.
The set was one of the few he had: an impromptu gift from Inko the night he was released from prison called the infirmary.
His footsteps were silent, but his gaze remained fixed on Akemi's silhouette, sitting on the sofa cross-legged and the notebook on her thighs.
His face was completely concentrated, his brow furrowed and his eyes fixed on the Nomu's drawing without blinking.
Hades remembered the scare Ochako had almost half an hour ago.
And he preferred not to repeat the mistake, so he went around the sofa and sat right in front of her, dropping down on the carpet cross-legged.
Only then did Akemi look away for just a second to look at him out of the corner of her eye.
And without him having to say a word, he began to speak. "I've told you before," he murmured, "but I'll tell you from the
beginning. It's best to go over everything. I don't want to fail tomorrow.
His voice sounded low, meditated, as if he were reciting something he had been chewing on for hours. Hades only nodded with a slight nod.
"Nomu is a bioengineered aberration," he began. It was created specifically to kill All Might. He is not an ordinary villain... it is a tool, a sum of human parts that no longer have a will." He paused, licking his lips. Multiple bodies united, disfigured, adapted. There is no consciousness left in him. Only obedience.
The rain was pounding louder now, as if it wanted to cover up his words.
"His mind—" she is so damaged that she can only follow Shigaraki's orders. But... he's not stupid," he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He has a Quirk that allows him to analyze the battlefield; he predicts the enemy's movements and goes ahead, like a chess player in speed. He turned the page of the notebook, showing diagrams and data written down in hurried strokes. He also has another Quirk, with super strength that rivals 50% of AllMight's strength. And that... it is already monstrous.
Hades said nothing. His eyes were fixed on the page, as if reading it more times would make something easier.
"It has regeneration," he continued, now in a firmer voice. One of the fastest I've ever seen. You can break his arm, and in seconds he'll be as good as new again." His mouth trembled, and his fingers twitched against the notebook. And if that wasn't enough... he has a damn Quirk that allows him to absorb damage.
There he stopped. He turned his gaze to Hades, for the first time with anything but tension in his eyes.
"These last Quirks," he murmured, staring at him, "are too much like yours.
He paused. The atmosphere seemed to tense with the silence.
—It regenerates. Absorb damage. It transforms it. He accumulates it..." he took a deep breath, as if it were difficult for him to say the following. Only he does not release him. Just resist. He rises... He kills again and again.
His eyes narrowed, as if he had just understood something he didn't want to accept.
"He doesn't fight like a human. Fight like... an animal.
The echo of the rain was all that could be heard for a moment.
Hades didn't respond right away. He stared at the page, the drawings, the statistics.
He felt a strange pressure in his chest. It wasn't fear. It was the awareness that this monster was not on paper. It was real. And he was only a few hours away from finding them.
....
Akemi took a deep breath. The sound of rain continued incessantly, creating a watery curtain against the windows. The atmosphere had become denser, as if the air knew what was about to be said.
"I don't know if the Nomu's shock-absorbing Quirk has a limit," he said, breaking the silence in a tempered voice, though a slight tremor ran through his chest. I never saw him reach his breaking point," he paused, swallowing hard. After he escaped with Shigaraki months later, all I knew was that he was... incinerated by Endeavor's fire. And yet... Cost.
He turned a page in his notebook. The stroke of a giant fist accompanied by figures that seemed to be taken from a war manual.
—Its super strength also translates into speed. Not of the same caliber, of course, but brutal enough to dismember someone before they can react." His voice grew faint, reminiscent of an unnecessary death. It moves like a beast. He has no pauses, he does not make mistakes because he does not think... it only reacts to stimuli.
Hades remained silent, but not for lack of interest. What I heard... he was analyzing it, chewing it, as if each piece of information were a piece that had to fit in his mind before he could say anything.
Akemi continued.
"It won't move at first. Not until Aizawa-sensei enters the scene. He's going to pin down several villains... cannon fodder, mostly," he took a deep breath, a slight tremor seized his shoulders. Shigaraki is not going to intervene directly, not yet. ElNomu will stand still, like a chained dog... until Aizawa confronts him. And when it does...
The girl gritted her teeth. He closed his eyes for a second. "It will gouge out one of his eyes."
The phrase fell like a stone in the middle of the water. Without drama, without pause. Only the harsh reality. The subsequent silence was interrupted by another louder rattle at the window.
The sky seemed to roar, almost indignant.
Akemi opened a new page of the notebook. This had a USJ outline and several dots marked in red.
"The Nomu has one main order: to protect Shigaraki. It doesn't matter what happens. It doesn't matter if it burns, if it bleeds, if it breaks... his priority will be to prevent anyone from approaching his master. It is like a shield of flesh. A shield that breathes and kills.
He paused and pointed to a footnote.
"And the whole incident... will be broadcast live throughout Japan.
Hades' eyes rose as he heard that. Akemi looked at him sideways, bitter.
"A guy with a camera head is going to be there. It can generate insects that record everything. As if they were drones. Every area, every corner of the USJ will have eyes." His voice waned and trembled.
Every death... it will be a statistic seen by millions. That day... the U.A. will be exposed. Humiliated. They will laugh at us. Of them. And the name of the heroes will be just that: a bad joke that they did not manage to take care of their children.
The rage, contained but palpitating, was noticeable in the rigidity of his fingers as he held the notebook.
"And worst of all," he whispered with a disgusted grin. It's just that Shigaraki will behave as if he were a cheap streamer, commenting on everything as if it were a stupid video game," he clenched his
jaw, his breathing became heavy and slow. He will be commenting, laughing, mocking each death as if they were points in a game. As if life... was a low-quality entertainment for his imaginary followers.
He was silent, looking at the notebook... but without reading it. The water outside kept falling.
Hades let out a low sigh, before muttering under his breath: "This is going to be shit...
His voice had that dry tone that was characteristic of him, as if he despised everything he had just heard, but his gaze was fixed on Akemi, determined, burning with a determination that seemed to mock his own hopelessness.
"But even if the whole world comes crashing down on me," he said, more forcefully now, looking at the rain-soaked window, "I will keep my promise. I won't let anyone die. I will protect them all... after all...
He paused, turning his face toward her with a crooked half-smile. "I'm the king of this class, aren't I?"
Akemi couldn't help but let out a small laugh, soft, drowned out by the pounding of the rain against the glass. Her lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile, her first in a long time.
"I hope the 'king' keeps his promise," she whispered in that tone between tender and sarcastic that only she could handle.
But he wasted no time. He looked back at his notebook and began to turn the pages until he reached a more detailed outline.
"There are seven zones in all," he said, pointing to a circle in the center. The central area... It all starts there. It is where Shigaraki, Kurogiri, the Nomu, and a handful of high-level villains will appear. It is the core of the attack.
He ran his finger along a line that branched off from that center.
—Then there are the outdoor areas. Kurogiri will teleport the students at random." He lowered his gaze and retracted the finger that was outstretched. This time I have no way of predicting who will go with whom. In the test with All Might it was clear to me: events that depend on chance will not repeat themselves in the same way," he sighed, trying to relax his voice. Everything will be chaos.
He marked the first point with a symbol of waves:
"This is the flood zone: a circular and closed structure, with several levels of platforms surrounded by standing water and some artificial channels. It is designed to simulate water rescues, but it will be a death trap if you don't know how to swim or if you face villains with amphibian-type quirks.
Then another point, drawing flames around:
—Fire zone: A miniature urban area, with burning concrete structures, dense smoke, and extreme heat. Oxygen is limited, and any mistake can cause a collapse or an explosion.
Then, a spiral like a whirlpool of stones:
—Collapse zone: a labyrinth of collapsed structures and simulated buildings made of steel and concrete. The spaces are narrow, and the terrain is unstable.
He pointed to some angled lines:
—Mountain area: a series of slopes and elevated rock structures that simulate a mountain environment with cliffs, crevasses and artificial
snow. It is difficult to move quickly and any fall can be lethal.
He followed with a drawing of clouds and lightning:
—Storm zone: A platform surrounded by industrial fans that generate extreme winds, simulated lightning, and constant rain. It's hard to stay on your feet... and lightning can be dangerous if there are metallic conductors or uncontrolled electrical abilities.
Finally, he drew a symbol of a collapsed tower:
—Ruins Zone: A post-apocalyptic city simulation. Broken streets, overturned cars, fallen signs, destroyed structures... it looks like a war scenario.
He looked at Hades again, his gaze fixed.
"Each zone is designed to test different abilities. But this time, it will be more than a test. If we don't act quickly... Someone is going to die.
The sound of rain grew. The drops fell with contained rage and Hades nodded, serious, his arms crossed and his gaze fixed on the notebook that Akemi still held.
The sounds of rain hitting the window accompanied his hoarse voice:
"I understand... for now. But I'll probably forget it for tomorrow.
He did not say it with sarcasm, but with the overwhelming naturalness of someone who knew that his memory, at least for the technical details, was a disaster without due interest.
But as soon as he finished the sentence, a black whip emerged from Akemi's body with a dry snap, hitting her head with measured force.
"Imbecile!" The girl growled, frowning.
Hades snarled reflexively, rubbing his head, but said nothing more.
Although her body complained, she noticed something curious about Akemi: a slightly softer look, and the faint tinge of appreciation in her voice.
Akemi sighed and resumed the conversation in a more serious tone:
"We need to find a way to rescue others. No matter what zone we end up in, we must move fast. He will look for the others.
He paused, and his voice lowered a tone.
"And listen to this, Hades. If you have to kill someone... You can only do it under two conditions: that there are no cameras watching you or that the villain has been about to kill you first. If one of these two is not met, you are forbidden to do so.
Hades looked at her with an arched eyebrow, confused by the sudden seriousness and almost personal tone she used.
Akemi continued without looking at him:
"In my past life—" Todoroki killed several villains," he swallowed salivantly before continuing. He froze them alive. It was in self- defense, yes, but that did not prevent her from being destroyed in the media, from being called a monster, a murderer, an inhuman...
Hades blinked slowly. An eyebrow arched more strongly, as if seeking confirmation of what he had just heard.
"The?"
Akemi barely glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He noticed his slip... but he did not correct it. Nor did he have to. His voice, serene, continued as if nothing had happened:
"This stupid society is drowning in hypocrisy," he sighed, trying to drown out the anger beating within him. It is frowned upon to kill villains, for "moral issues", for "human rights". This society does not know what it wants. He asks for heroes, but he does not accept that sometimes justice costs
blood," his tone lowered in intensity. Many villains that we had to eliminate... they were released. And they killed innocents, heroes and even children... Because someone believed that killing them would be "inhumane."
His breathing became agitated. He closed his eyes, and then, in a voice that was not his own—as if repeating words marked by fire—he said:
"I saw what will happen, Hades. I saw the horrors to come. I saw what these people still can't imagine. And I know I can help it. A single terrible act... to prevent hundreds more."
There was a dense silence. The rain hit the window as if it wanted to enter.
Hades didn't say anything at first. He just looked at her carefully, feeling the real weight of those words.
"Who told you that?"
Akemi opened her eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she smiled.
—
Nezu.
Hades opened his eyes wide, as if he had heard the greatest nonsense of his life.
"Did that damn talking rat teach you that?"
Akemi did not respond. It was not necessary.
He only smiled, barely, while the rain redoubled its rhythm behind the glass. It was an empty, tired, resigned smile. Like someone who is already used to not being understood.
And then he spoke.
"This society... it is guided by non-existent morals. Out of hypocrisy dressed in justice, wrapped in propaganda," she sighed, annoyed by her own words. Do you know what the truth is? No one wants to be a hero anymore because of a real desire to protect. They do it because of the contracts. For the salary. For fame.
His voice hardened, cutting through the air like a knife.
"And the worst... the most disgusting thing of all... that's how heroines are treated." His breathing became heavy, gritting his teeth, in a vain attempt to regain self-control. We are no longer symbols of value. To them we are pretty faces, long legs, forced smiles, and tight uniforms. We are flesh with makeup. We hit a villain, we pose, we smile for the camera... and all is well. Is that heroism?
His hand closed into a fist on his knee. The black whip that hung from his shoulder twisted in his rage.
"Sometimes it makes me want to rip everyone's mask off. Shout in their faces what they are. Phonies. Cowards. Whores with license selling hope in installments.
Hades swallowed hard, and said nothing, the words did not come out of his throat, obstructed by his own ignorance.
"Do you know who is the only heroine I respect?" Mirko," his voice intensified and a smile took place on his features. She is a warrior. A true force of nature. He fought All ForOne until the end. No arms, Hades! With shattered legs and burnt flesh... he kept fighting. She didn't smile. She roared.
He paused, and in his eyes, for the first time, there was a flame. Not anger, but something deeper. Admiration. Devotion.
"Nezu sent me with her, long before the war. I trained by his side. I learned what it means to resist when the whole world wants to see you fall.
The silence returned for a second, but it did not last. Akemi continued, with more bitterness than before.
"Nowadays, it's not even enough to be strong. You can defeat ten villains... but if they don't follow you on social networks, if you don't generate "engagement"... you're nobody," he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to take a deep breath. A faceless criticism can destroy years of career. An edited clip, a phrase out of context, and goodbye. Your name sinks. And all for an audience that has never set foot on a battlefield.
His voice trembled, and it wasn't out of fear. It was because of the contained rage. "That disgusts me.
Hades watched in silence. He had heard many things in his life, but never such a brutal mixture of impotence and lucidity.
And then, as if opening an old wound, Akemi lowered her voice... and named a cursed name.
"Stain... He showed me the true face of the heroic world. His brutality was not justifiable... but his message was clear," he stared at the boy, as he recited. "A hero without conviction is not a hero. It is an ornament, a false hero adorned by the empty glitter of a prefabricated fame, whose splendor vanishes at the first breath of reality."
He took a deep breath, and his gaze lowered his gaze, this time staring at his notebook, now wrinkled by his strong grip.
Stain hardened my perspective. He confirmed that this is rotten from the inside." He loosened his grip and put his notebook aside.
Corruption, dirty deals, positions bought by surname... And I... I can no longer sit idly by and watch this system devour the true vigilantes.
Another thunder rumbled in the distance. And in the midst of the storm, Akemi seemed more determined than ever.
"I don't want to become another empty heroine. I'm not going to smile for the camera as the blood runs down the floor." His voice began to boom throughout the room, staring at Hades. If I have to get my hands dirty to avoid another massacre... I will.
....
The silence between the two was broken with a single heartbeat. Not just any one.
Hades felt it beat his chest like a war drum, as when he was in the middle of a fight, as when the blood boiled and the fists were the only valid response. The air that entered through his nose made him tremble. His breathing quickened, his muscles tensed.
A huge, almost animalistic smile broke his face.
"Let's fuckfuck do it!" he cried furiously, his eyes burning with energy. If I have to kill, so be it! If I have to follow you, Akemi... I will follow you to the grave!
It was not a promise. It was a sentence.
A raw roar that came from the depths of his being, as if every word were carved into his soul.
Akemi blinked. She froze for an instant.
I had never seen that expression in him. Not with that force.
Not with that brutal sincerity that hurt so direct. Not with that spark of glorious madness that ignited something in his chest.
But he smiled.
A smile that was a mixture of surprise, pride... and triumph. After all, he had won.
"Finally... now you will be mine, my queen in black... my best piece," he thought, drowning out the twisted happiness he felt. Thank you, Hades," he whispered, lowering his gaze a little, as if for a second he allowed himself something close to tenderness. You're the first soldier I want to have around when all this goes to hell.
He clenched his fist, as if reminding himself that it was not the time to let his guard down.
"We're going to have to talk to Momo tomorrow," he said, changing his tone to a more practical one. We need something to communicate. Something small, portable, that can pass through the kinetic barrier that will surround the USJ.
She turned to him with renewed seriousness.
"That thing... that damn barrier... it will cut off all communication with the outside. It's a trap. A cell so that we cannot ask for help. But if we take into account that that bastard will be broadcasting live, it means that we can also communicate.
Hades listened to her without interrupting, his face more serious now. But the spark was still burning behind his eyes.
"And there's something else," she went on, gritting her teeth. Aizawa will be the first to fall if we don't do something. He is going to confront the Nomu. He's going to fight until he can't take it anymore," he raised a finger. And we are going to have to support it. Distract the Nomu, keep him away from the rest. All Might is the only one who can kill him. We just have to hold on.
"And Shigaraki?" Hades asked, narrowing his eyes. That bastard is going to move.
"Yes," she said, taking a step closer. That is going to use Kurogiri to try to move around the area. But that's where
our blow enters. When he tries to use his gift to escape, to reposition himself... There, we cut off his damn hand.
"I can do it with the sword," Hades said without hesitation, raising his voice with confidence. If you give me the moment, I'll cut it.
Akemi turned immediately.
"No!" he snapped, like an order. If you activate that ability... your legs are not going to take it. You can't risk it like that.
"Tsk... He clicked his tongue, frustrated, lowering his gaze for a second. I hate to admit it... But you're right.
Akemi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled sharply, like someone savoring a small victory.
"You're going to get used to it having it.
Silence crept between them for a second, and then she became serious again.
"Your role will be to face the Nomu," he began, standing up. You'll be the front line. Use your equipment. Absorbs impacts. Resists. You're going to be the shield." He stepped to his side, still looking at him. I will move fast, I will rescue the students. Aizawa too. But you... you have to endure.
"I can do it," he said, lowering his chin. I'll keep him busy, I don't think it's that complicated.
Akemi frowned.
"Don't be confident, Hades," he warned him firmly. That monster can kill you if you underestimate it. Don't face him as if he were just any rival.
She took a step closer, staring at his, as if trying to impress every word in her mind.
"Your priority is not to kill him. It is to survive. Only then will we win, do you understand?
Hades held his gaze for a few seconds, the silence charged with mutual respect. Finally, he nodded slowly, more serene this time.
"Then I'll do that," he said, and his voice sounded deeper than ever
Just as the tension was beginning to dissipate, when the echo of her plans was still echoing in the air like distant war drums, Akemi folded her arms sternly.
"By the way, Hades," he said in a firm voice. Don't forget the task that Cementoss and Ectoplasm-sensei left us for tomorrow.
Hades' soul fell to the ground.
He literally felt his adrenaline evaporate like vapors after a storm.
"Homework!" He growled, as if he'd just been stabbed in the back. Are you with me? Seriously, you're talking to me about homework now!
After planning a coordinated massacre against a group of villains? You are crazy!
Akemi shrugged her shoulders with a perfectly calm expression, too calm.
"It's barely three o'clock in the afternoon," he said, looking at his watch. These classes are before the attack on the USJ, remember? So... Yes, it must be done.
He turned to sit calmly on the floor next to the low dining room table, taking out his school supplies. But Hades did not answer at once.
His eyes wandered unintentionally to her hands. Trembled. Not much, but enough for him to notice.
That small detail made him keep silent. Haruto shrank a little inside.
Without saying more, Hades dropped his shoulders, took a pen and dropped down next to her, snorting loudly as if he had just lost an
internal war.
"This is humiliating," he muttered as he opened the notebook. We could be killing things right now.
"You're helping a girl not to collapse mentally," Akemi replied without looking at him, half smiling. It's similar.
Hades could only sigh at the girl's statement and had no choice but to do the task.
....
The hours passed with the unusual tranquility of a home that hid secrets. By the time the clock struck 5:30, the sound of the door opening announced the arrival of the matriarch of the house.
"I've arrived!" She hummed in a gentle voice as she put her bag aside. What do they do at home so early?
Akemi raised her hand, not getting up from the ground where she still had a couple of half-wrinkled leaves beside her.
"There was drama in the U.A.!" he said, in an animated voice. Some paparazzi or something like that came in, and the alarm went off! All the students began to run around like stampeding cows," he shouted, waving his arms from side to side. Crazy. Absolute chaos. Some tripped over backpacks, others
they shouted names as if it were the end of the world..." she smiled, pointing to the boy behind her. It all ended when Hades silenced them all with a scream.
Inko let out a small laugh, covering his mouth with one hand. "Really?" So much so?
"It was glorious!" Akami said, laughing a little more than usual. He shouted something like, "Shut up, you damn mortals!" he imitated, frowning and making his voice deeper. And they all stiffened, and then they sent us back home!
While Akemi was talking, Inko walked to the living room armchair, where Hades was half lying down, staring at the television... and with a thin column of smoke coming out of his head.
"Are you... not bad? Inko asked, blinking at the scene, worried but confused.
"Oh, yes," he answered, waving a hand disdainfully. He has just done math homework. He will probably survive.
Hades growled, without moving, his voice dry and robotic:
—... quadratic equations... The "X" is not of this world...
Inko chuckled as he plopped down on the other end of the sofa.
"Oh, children... always so dramatic.
....
The afternoon passed without any further shocks, and while Hades remained on the sofa, his gaze lost in invisible equations, Akemi slipped silently into the kitchen.
Inko had already begun to take out the ingredients to prepare dinner when her daughter approached from behind and put her arms around her, resting her forehead on her back.
"Will you let me help you, Mom?" He asked in a low, soft, cassitemerosa voice.
"Of course, Akemi-chan," he replied, turning with a smile. But get ready, we're going to make croquettes like the ones your dad liked. And it won't be easy.
"Perfect. I want to learn," he said, and stood beside him, closer than usual.
For the next few minutes, as they battered, mixed, and their hands filled with flour and breadcrumbs, Akemi did not leave her side.
He did not stop observing her, memorizing the movements that his mother made, as if every second was liquid gold escaping through his fingers.
"You're very attentive today, is something wrong?" Inko asked as he formed a perfect ball.
Akemi shook her head, smiling.
"No... alone... I wanted to be with you," he whispered, as he formed an oval with visible lumps.
And so, between soft laughter, the occasional small burn with the oil and the maternal advice that remained in the heart, the kitchen was filled with a warm, familiar aroma. The kind of scent you want to take with you forever.
....
Meanwhile, in the living room, Hades was unaware of any of that.
He was with one eyebrow raised, looking at his notebook full of scribbles and equations with pure hatred.
"Where the hell is the x...?" She growled, rubbing her temple, as if she could get her out of there.
The television in front of him didn't help.
They showed a summary of what happened in the U.A. after the false alarm. The news program commented on the "serious security
breach," mentioning the infiltrated paparazzi, but then switched to impromptu interviews with some students that were conducted the morning of that same day.
"The U.A. is the very cradle of heroic knowledge!" Iida said, like a well-programmed machine, straight as a stick.
"All Might is... wow! Ochako commented, waving his hands and flushing his cheeks.
The camera caught Todoroki walking as if the world did not exist. He didn't even turn to look at the reporters.
And then, he appeared on screen himself. With a frown, while the reporter asked him:
"Hey! What do you think of All Might? He asked in a singsong voice Hades cocked his head. His eyes narrowed calmly.
"A smiling old man... in a shrill voice," he replied without changing his tone.
The reporter laughed nervously. He just blinked, confused. Then the video cut to show a student he had never seen before.
"What the fuck," he muttered as he continued to cross out an operation on his sheet with a broken pencil.
....
Dinner arrived with an irresistible aroma. Hades got up like a zombie to sit at the table.
The croquettes were crispy, hot, and gave the homely aftertaste of a united family.
"Is this heavenly food?" He murmured after the first bite, with an expression of revelation.
Inko, for his part, let out a small laugh. "They're just croquettes."
"They're lying," he whispered, eating another.
After dinner, Akemi helped clean up the dishes without saying much.
Then he approached his mother, hugged her tightly and stood there, as if he wanted that moment to last for hours.
Inko stroked her head, somewhat surprised, but said nothing. "I love you, Mom," Akami murmured, barely audible.
Inko stood still, and then hugged her back forcefully. "And I to you, my child.
Once on his sofa, Hades dropped into it.
I knew I couldn't sleep easily. There was an echo in his chest, an absurd tension.
So he activated his Quirk. His body began to glow green, as if he had suffered a non-existent wound, wasting energy just to expend.
Their resistance gradually fell.
"It's better this way," he whispered just before closing his eyes. And it went out.
....
The next morning, a soft but firm voice roused him from deep sleep.
"Hades, wake up," Inko said from the doorway, his apron already on. Come, help me cook something before they leave.
He growled like a newly raised ogre, but obeyed.
He walked half-asleep to the bathroom, shuffling his feet, and closed the door with a slight bang.
"First... bath... then cook... then death..." he murmured in a hoarse voice as he turned on the shower.
I already knew what day it was.
And even if I still didn't fully understand it... hell awaited them.
....
The kitchen smelled of soap, freshly polished wood and a new day. Inkoya had her apron on when Hades came out of the bathroom, her hair still damp, her eyes narrowed, and her U.A. uniform freshly ironed... except for the jacket that sat on the sofa.
"Good morning..." he yawned as he sat down at the table.
"No rest yet," Inko said with a sweet but dictatorial smile. Today you are going to continue learning to cook. Come here.
Hades looked at her as if he had asked her to open a portal to hell. "Cooking?" To what end are you teaching me?
"The purpose that you don't live on instant noodles when you're an adult." Come on, put this on," he replied and threw him a pink apron with ruffles, decorated with small teddy bears.
Hades caught him in the air with only one hand.
He looked at him. She looked at him again. Then, with resignation, he put it on. "This is humiliating," he said quietly.
"First of all, rice. "Two cups," Inko said, interrupting the boy and showing him a bowl.
Hades poured the rice like gunpowder in a dark summon. "Now, wash it. With love. Until the water runs clear.
Hades reached in as if rice were a creature he had to dominate.
"No, you're choking him," Inko corrected. Just wash it. As if you were talking to him.
"And what would you say to rice?" "Something nice. It's rice, not a victim.
Hades grunted, but softened the movement. The water slowly cleared.
—... You're doing a good job, rice," he muttered seriously, as if talking to a fallen soldier.
Inko poured the washed rice into the rice cooker and added the exact water. "And now, we wait. Don't open it. Don't look at it. Don't touch it.
"Not even if he screams?" "Especially if he screams."
A small laugh accompanied his words, before continuing:
"Let's go with the meat," he said, pulling out strips of fresh beef, onion, and red pepper.
"Knife?" Hades asked with a strange twinkle in his eye. "Just cut, don't attack," he warned, handing him the knife.
Hades took it with both hands and began to cut with zero precision. The muscles of his forearms were marked with each movement.
Inko looked at him with half an eyebrow raised. "Why do you apply so much force with both arms?" "I've... That's how I wield my sword.
"It's not a sword, Hades-kun, relax," he said quickly, handing him the vegetables. Cut into julienne strips.
"Who is Juliana?"
—It's a style. Just do it like this," he said, giving an example of how to hold the knife and make the cut.
Then Inko turned on the pan. He poured in some oil and let it heat up.
"Throw the onion first," he instructed.
Hades obeyed. The frying pan hissed like an irritated creature.
"Now the meat—" and move it, eagerly, so that it browns. Don't be afraid of it.
Hades turned the pan in one motion. "Like this?"
"Very good!" But try not to throw everything away.
"This is easier than finding the "x" in math. Inko laughed.
"Yes... but it's also more useful.
They added the peppers, a touch of soy sauce, salt, and a little sugar.
—Soy sauce brings out the flavor, and sugar... it softens everything," she explained. Just like in life.
Hades was silent for a moment, turning the wooden spoon.
"Then this is... real food, right? "Of course I do.
"I never had someone do this to me.
Inko glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. He smiled sadly, but warmly. "Well... Now you've got me, Hades-kun
The boy blushed slightly and lowered his head, Haruto, for his part, shrank back on himself, with tears shedding.
"Thank you..." he whispered under his breath and moved closer than before to Inko.
....
The rice was ready, perfect. Hades helped serve awkwardly, but with determination. Three dishes. One for each.
Akemi showed up just in time, her uniform already on and her hair slightly damp.
"Did he do this?" She asked, surprised.
"With my own hands." The rice even responded," Hades said seriously.
Inko laughed loudly.
"You did very well!" Now, eat. Take advantage of the fact that you didn't come out singed.
"The kitchen is more dangerous than I expected... "And we haven't made dessert
yet."
"What?"
[A few minutes later]
As soon as Hades put the cutlery down in the sink, he felt Akemi grab him by the wrist with surprising strength for his size.
"Come on, come on!" To the bathroom, teeth. Fast! He ordered with a tone between urgency and emotion.
"Is it so important to have the breath of mint to go to the slaughterhouse?"
"Today is the day, Hades," he replied seriously, dragging him down the corridor as if he were a sack of bones. Did you sleep well?
"I used my regen to deplete my stamina. Technically, I meaged myself.
Akemi let out a laugh as she pulled out her toothbrush.
"Did you self-smash the off button?" That is cheating. I had to give myself a sharp blow on the chin." He laughed again. I slobbered like a boxer in a cartoon.
Hades looked at her in the mirror, the foam of toothpaste covering half of her mouth.
"We're going to die, aren't we?"
"But with impeccable teeth," she replied laughing. When they were done, Akemi tapped him on the chest.
"Don't forget the two drinks." I left them in the fridge, so keep them safe.
Hades went to get the bottles while she fixed her tie. He put them in his backpack, in his side pockets.
After a while, they both left in the direction of the U.A.
The road was silent. They went down the hill, turned into the convenience store that always smelled of sweet bread, and took the 7:10 train.
Akemi said nothing during the trip.
His face was stiff. Not a smile, not a word.
She held her bag as if it were a shield, her gaze fixed on the
window. People were coming in and out of the car, but between the two of them, there was a tense silence.
Hades said nothing. Sometimes, respecting silence is better than breaking it with empty words.
....
Entry into class 1-A was routine.
The white lights, the perfectly waxed floor, the murmur of other students. Everything seemed... normal. But they knew that nothing was.
"Ochako-chan!" Akemi said as she approached the girl, who turned to her with an expression of doubt.
"Yes...?"
"What happened yesterday. I am sorry. Because of the way in which... I locked myself in. I didn't want to scare you...
Ochako smiled. A little confused, but sincere.
"Okay. We all have difficult days. Besides, I'm glad you're well.
Akemi smiled. Slightly. That barely perceptible smile.
Meanwhile, Hades went to his seat... and something wasn't right. The backpack was leaking.
"What the hell...?"
He left the backpack carefully.
The two bottles he had kept, apparently, had begun to sweat from the change in temperature.
The liquid had seeped out the sides, moistening the base of the backpack.
Luckily, the notebooks were dry. The main compartment had resisted.
"Tch... "You damn stupid bottle..." he grumbled as he pushed the bottles aside and put them down on his desk.
But before anything else could happen, a shrill sound caught everyone's attention.
"Yeeah, good morning, class 1-A!" The cry resounded on the walls like a vocal earthquake.
Some students covered their ears. Others simply bowed their heads in resignation.
"Today we are going to practice conversation skills, because English is the universal language of international heroes. So pair up,babies!
The digital whiteboard lit up strongly. An animation of a hero talking to a foreigner was repeated on a loop with background music from a children's series.
—¡Iida, Ashido! ¡Midoriya, Uraraka! ¡Todoroki, Kaminari! ¡Hades... contigo mismo!
"What!
"no, lie, you with Jirou!" Let's see if you can get a smile out of him, Mr. Cement-Face!
Jirou raised an eyebrow as he walked toward Hades. He said nothing, but nodded. They sat face to face.
"Today's topic: 'Introduce yourself to a foreign hero and tell him about your Quirk,'" Present Mic said, dancing as if he were on stage.
—Okay, uh... Hello. My name is Jirou Kyoka —dijo ella, en inglés, consu voz tranquila—. My Quirk is Earphone Jack. I can use it for sound-based attacks.
Hades looked at her, scratched the back of his neck, and sighed.
—... My na... name is Hades. I can sum... summon skeletons and... break things.
"That's... "Accurate," he replied, holding back his laughter. While everyone practiced, some more serious, others laughing,
Present Mic walked around with his microphone in hand, throwing random phrases such as:
—Remember, class, the "th" sound is your enemy!
—No "Eskuse me". it's "Excuse me", baby!
—Todoroki, that's not how you ask for directions. You just told me toexplode.
Even Akemi, who kept a straight face, allowed herself to laugh quietly when Aoyama tried to say "I am sparkling" and sounded like a toaster with a French accent.
After 50 minutes that passed about 20 for some and about 3 hours for others, the doorbell rang.
"yes!" English done! Let's change classes, heroes! Present Mic shouted, walking out the door as if he were going to a concert.
The class fell silent... for two seconds.
—...Why did he scream all the time? Hades murmured, looking at his notebook slightly crumpled in the corners by the humidity.
"I don't know," Jirou replied, "but I think I have tinnitus." The class, although finished, had not completely relaxed.
Some students were looking at the clock. Others leafed through their tasks again, as if they feared they had forgotten some detail.
For a few seconds, calm reigned.
It was then that the earth itself seemed to resonate with a grave, dense tremor... heavy.
CLACK. CLACK.
The imposing figure of Cementoss crossed the threshold of the door. His steps were slow, dragging a faint mineral echo. The classroom, as if it had memory, fell silent instantly.
He carried a rectangular briefcase and a thick book under his arm.
"Good morning, Class 1-A," he said in a deep voice, like a block of marble sliding slowly. I hope you have brought your homework.
The murmurs disappeared. Several students sat up instantly, searching through backpacks, folders and notebooks.
—Today we will talk about classic literary works... and what they learned from them," he continued as he opened his folder with a huge, rectangular finger.
Akemi brought out a perfectly ordered notebook, with an impeccable summary of Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment." I had read it three times, the first out of necessity... the second for revenge against the
world... and the third to understand what it meant to kill for a "higher idea".
Hades, on the other hand, took out of his backpack the only notebook that was not soaked. It was old, with slightly crooked lids. He handed it to Cementoss expressionlessly, although inside, he cursed the leaked bottles.
"Very good. We'll start with a simple dynamic," the professor said as he put the notebooks down on his desk. A student will stand up, say what work he chose, and answer a question of mine.
The students nodded, some more excited than others. "Uraraka Ochako, let's start with you.
"I read Pride and Prejudice," she said, a little nervously. I liked how the protagonist does not get carried away by the first impression.
Cementoss nodded.
"And what do you think would have happened if Elizabeth had given in to what her surroundings expected of her?"
—... I would have been unhappy. "And Darcy probably would never have changed," he replied.
"Interesting. Change requires friction. If both gave in, there would be no story.
The teacher looked around for a few moments, before looking at the back of the room.
"Hades, it's your turn," he said, walking a little closer to hear him better.
The boy stood up, his arms crossed and his gaze halfway between defiant and bored.
"I read The Metamorphosis," he said bluntly. Cementoss took a second, and nodding continued.
"What did it mean to you that Gregorio Samsa was not understood even by his own family?"
"That usefulness determines how much they love you," he replied without thinking twice, his words escaping him before he thought about them.
The classroom fell silent, looking sideways at the boy.
"Do you think so?" Cementoss asked, tilting his head to one side.
"Yes," he said, lowering his arms. When he was no longer useful, he was locked up. They forgot," the tone of his voice softened for a moment. "Sometimes, being a burden is enough to stop
existing..." he finished, closing his eyes and taking a seat. Cementoss nodded slowly. He did not contradict him.
"Kafka would understand," he replied simply, before looking at the
rest of the room. Midoriya Akemi, it's your turn. The girl stood up firmly.
—I read Crime and Punishment.
"Why do you think Raskolnikov confessed?" He asked, walking to the front of the classroom.
"Because the internal punishment was more brutal than the external," he replied, lowering his gaze. It wasn't for redemption... it was desperation.
Cementoss frowned slightly.
"And that makes you less courageous?"
Akemi hesitated for a moment, licking her lips and replied: "It makes him human.
"Good answer," said the professor, passing to another student. "Aoyama Yuga," he called, pointing with a hand that seemed to have been carved out of marble.
Aoyama stood up with a dramatic movement, as if the stage were his own.
"Oui oui~," he said with a small bow. I chose The Portrait of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde.
Some were surprised. They expected something more... superficial of it. Cementoss raised just one eyebrow.
—And what did you learn from history?
"That... that beauty can be a curse," he said, brushing an invisible speck from his shoulder. And that hiding your sins only makes them more... rotten," he finished, lowering the tone of his voice.
Cementoss nodded.
"Interesting. Do you think Dorian really regretted it? Aoyama hesitated for a moment, staring up at the ceiling.
"Perhaps—" but he did it too late," he stared at his master before continuing. He loved himself too much to change. Or maybe he just couldn't.
—Wilde wrote that every man kills what he loves. Do you agree?
Aoyama swallowed. Then, in a lower voice, he finished: "Yes.
Cementoss moved on to the next one without saying more, letting that answer float.
—Ashido Mina.
Mina sat up with a nervous smile.
"Ehh... I chose Fahrenheit 451," he said, scratching the back of his neck. There was fire and things exploding! But... He also said a lot of things about thinking for oneself.
Cementoss cocked his head like a statue considering the weight of that statement.
—Why do you think books were forbidden?
"Because..." they made people feel," her voice hesitated for a moment and exhaled doubtfully—... And thinking hurts. Thinking can make you rebel, can't it?
"Then would you prefer a pain-free life..." or one with knowledge, even if it hurts?
Mina swallowed.
For a moment, his eyes shone with something that wasn't just nervousness.
"In pain," he said at last, almost in a whisper. I prefer to feel... even if it hurts... That makes me real, right?
Cementoss was silent for a moment. "You are, Ashido.
She smiled, this time with more than just nerves.
—Asui Tsuyu.
Tsuyu stood calmly, her posture somewhat hunched over.
—I read Gulliver's Travels.
—What did you see in that book?
"A mirror." A world that laughs at ours," he replied almost immediately. And it's not always funny. Kero.
Cementoss nodded with an almost meditative slowness.
—What made the most impact on you?
"When Gulliver stopped wanting to live among humans..." and he preferred to stay with the Houyhnhnms, the rational horses." He put a finger to his chin, blinking slowly. He realized that humans were... worse than animals. More cruel and more hypocritical. Kero.
"Do you think he was right?"
Tsuyu lowered his gaze for a moment, trying to measure his words and calmly, took a deep breath.
"Sometimes... but I also think that humans change." Or at least... some try. Kero.
"And you?" Cementoss asked. She raised her head.
"I'm trying to be better. Although sometimes I don't know what is "better". Kero.
The professor did not answer. He only nodded, as if giving his approval without words.
Cementoss leafed through the list in his notebook and stopped when he saw the next name.
—Iida Tenya.
The boy got up immediately, adjusting his glasses with military energy. His voice was loud and clear.
—I have read Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
There was a brief silence. Some students blinked in surprise at how he had pronounced the last name.
Some tried in a whisper, but failed miserably
"What did you see in Raskolnikov?" Cementoss asked bluntly.
"A man broken by his own ideas," he answered, straight as an arrow. He believed he could justify a murder with a theory... and he destroyed himself trying to convince others and himself that he was right.
"Do you think he was?"
Iida hesitated, for a moment, as she adjusted her glasses.
"No," he replied firmly. His idea of being an "extraordinary man" was arrogant. But I understand why he thought so... In difficult times, one clings to any excuse not to feel weak.
"And you?" Cementoss asked with unusual softness. Are you afraid of being weak?
Iida clenched her fists, but her voice was firm.
"Yes. But that doesn't give me the right to hurt anyone. Cementoss just nodded, deeply.
—Mashirao Ojiro.
Ojiro stood up, a little nervous, but with composure.
"I chose The Art of War, by Sun Tzu. It's not exactly fiction, but it was approved by you, Cementoss-sensei.
"Right. What did you learn?
"That the best warrior is the one who wins without fighting." That strength without control is a weakness.
Cementoss narrowed his eyes.
"And you apply that to your combat?"
"I try to," Ojiro said with a small bow. If I can avoid hurting someone and still win, I will... although it is not always possible.
Sun Tzu says that knowing oneself is as important as knowing one's enemy. Do you know each other?
Ojiro smiled barely. "I... I'm not sure.
The master nodded and passed with the next name.
—Kaminari Denki.
Denki stood up, scratching his head, with a half-guilty smile.
"I... hey, I read Frankenstein," he said, holding his homework sheet like someone clinging to a life preserver.
Some looked at him, surprised. They did not expect that from him.
Cementoss raised an eyebrow.
"And what did you see in the creature?" Kaminari cringed a little.
"Loneliness... and rejection. It wasn't bad at first. Alone... I was alone," he laughed nervously. Nobody wanted it... everyone was afraid of him.
"And that made him a monster?"
"No... I think they were already treating him like one before he was." He raised his gaze just a little. In the end, he became what others said he was.
Cementoss observed it with intensity. "Are you afraid of that?"
Denki swallowed, serious for once. "Sometimes... yes.
The professor let him sit down without further words. That answer had satisfied him more than he would admit aloud.
—Kirishima Eijiro.
The red-haired man got up energetically, but with a more thoughtful expression than usual.
—I read Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo. "And what did you see in Jean Valjean?"
Kirishima pursed her lips for a second before answering.
"A man who chose to change." Who, even after having been convicted, decided to do good. Over and over again. In spite of everything that happened to him.
"Do you think he was weak for forgiving?"
"No!" He replied firmly. He was stronger than anyone else. It took courage to carry his past, protect others, and remain good. That's what it's like to be a man!
"And you, Kirishima?" What would you do if someone told you that you couldn't change?
Kirishima smiled.
"I would show them that I can.
Cementoss looked down at his notebook, but everyone knew he was satisfied.
—Kōda Kōji.
The boy got up very slowly. Nervous. Eyes were fixed on him, but he said nothing. He only picked up a small notebook where he wrote what he wanted to share. He brought it to Cementoss, who read it aloud in a respectful voice.
"Kōda read Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince," said Cementoss, and the surprise was evident in some murmurs. He says that
He chose that book because it's simple... but also profound. That the Little Prince taught him that ties, connections between living beings, are the most important thing. That the essential is invisible to the eye.
Cementoss put down the notebook and looked at Kōda with a small but sincere smile.
—Sometimes, those who speak the least are the ones who understand the most.
Kōda sat up quickly, his ears red, and Jirō patted him on the shoulder gently, as if to say you did well.
—Sato Rikidō.
The big man stood up calmly, a little more relaxed than Kōda.
"I read Don Quixote de la Mancha," he said, adjusting his shirt. "What did you see in it?"
Sato thought for a while before speaking, something that surprised many.
"A man who chose to believe in the impossible... even when everyone laughed at him. He scratched the back of his neck. Maybe he was crazy, but... he was also free. And that made him happy.
"Do you think it's bad to live in an illusion?"
"Not if that illusion makes you a better person," he replied honestly. Don Quixote did not harm anyone. He just wanted to be a hero, even though the world told him he couldn't.
"And you?" Do you want to be a hero, Rikidō?
"Yes, sir. But with his feet on the ground... and hands ready to cook," he added, eliciting some laughter.
Cementoss nodded, clearly satisfied.
—Shōji Mezō.
The boy with multiple arms stood up with seriousness and respect.
—I read Homer's The Odyssey.
"A true classic," Cementoss commented with interest. What did you see in Homer's epic tale?
"A man who lost everything... and yet he struggled to get home," he said firmly, folding his arms. He was cunning, strong, but also human. I was crying, I doubted, I was afraid," he paused momentarily—... But he never stopped advancing.
"Do you think a hero can be afraid?"
"Yes. What makes a hero is what he does with that fear. "And you?"
Shōji looked up, completely sincere.
"I feel afraid all the time. But I don't stop and try to move forward.
The words, so simple, got through. Cementoss let him go back to his place without further questions.
—Kyōka Jirō.
Jirō stood up cautiously.
He had his headphones hanging and intertwining in his fingers with his hair somewhat messy.
"I... I also read Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury.
"Interesting choice. What do you think of the world it presents?
"Suffocating," Jirō said without hesitation. A world where books are forbidden... where people stopped thinking. It became shallow, comfortable, empty." She lowered her gaze slightly. Is... terrifying.
—And what did that book leave you?
"That we must resist," he said forcefully. Even if it seems that it is useless. Reading, thinking, feeling... all that matters." His tone dropped before he took a deep breath. Even if the world tries to turn you off...
Cementoss was silent, nodding slightly.
"Do you feel like this world sometimes wants to shut you down, Kyōka?" She smiled sideways, with a hint of sadness.
"Yes. But I turn up the volume no matter what.
Some colleagues laughed softly at the metaphor, but Cementoss did not take it as a joke. It seemed like the perfect answer.
—Hanta Sero.
The boy with the duct tape stood up with a carefree air, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants. He had a lopsided smile, but you could tell that he had prepared his task sincerely.
"I read The Three Musketeers," he said proudly.
"Alexandre Dumas, very well," Cementoss nodded. What did you learn from that play?
"That friendship is worth more than everything else!" That it doesn't matter if you're young, clumsy, or new to the group—" he paused momentarily, closing his eyes, "if you have your heart in the right place."
That's right, you can win over the big ones. He shrugged. D'Artagnan started out as an impulsive rookie and ended up fighting alongside legends. Oh, well... That reminded me of us, a little.
Cementoss smiled.
"Do you consider yourself an impulsive rookie?"
"I don't deny it. But if I have to shout "One for all and all for one!" while I throw tape... I will. He made an invisible fencing gesture, drawing laughter from his companions.
"Good attitude, Sero. If Dumas were alive, he would give you a round of applause.
Sero returned to his seat with a smile, exchanging knowing glances with Kaminari and Kirishima who gave him a thumbs up in approval of his performance.
—Fumikage Tokoyami.
The atmosphere dropped two degrees just by hearing his name. The boy with the crow's head stood solemnly, his arms folded under his chest. His voice, as always, was deep and almost poetic.
—I chose to read The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe.
Some students looked at each other in surprise. Others, fascinated. "What did you find in that poem, Tokoyami?"
"Darkness," he replied without blinking. Melancholy. The eternal fall of a man who lost his beloved, consumed by doubt, guilt... and by a creature who only answered: "Never again".
Cementoss leaned against the desk, interested.
"Do you think the crow was real?"
"That doesn't matter. Tokoyami looked ahead, grimly. What matters is what he represented. The pain that does not go away. The sadness that won't let go," he paused, increasing the thickness in his voice. A constant echo of what you lost... And you'll never get back.
The silence became thick. Dark Shadow, emerging a little from his back, whispering something that only Tokoyami heard, and the boy responded with a faint nod.
"And what did you learn?" The teacher asked, walking slightly.
"That there is beauty in tragedy!" But you don't have to stay in it," he answered, inhaling deeply. The protagonist was consumed... I won't be.
Cementoss seemed satisfied. Even a little moved.
"Impressive. "Thank you, Tokoyami," he concluded, before looking back at his list. Toru Hagakure.
The invisible girl stood up, waving the sleeves of her uniform as if they were hands.
"I read Alice in Wonderland!" He said energetically.
Some smiled, others laughed a little. Hagakure looked enthusiastic.
"What caught your attention, Toru?"
"Alice's world is crazy!" The tone of his voice dropped abruptly. But at the same time... it reflects a lot of what we live. Constant changes, rules you don't understand, weird characters... and having to figure out who you are all the time.
Cementoss nodded.
"Good observation. And what did you learn?
—That sometimes, there is no logic in everything. That growing up is confusing... and that's fine. He gestured as if crossing his arms. Alicia survived because she was brave... and a little stubborn!
"Are you stubborn?"
"Super!" He replied with a laugh. But I am also brave, even if it does not seem so.
Cementoss smiled. The contrast with Tokoyami had been perfect.
"Courage comes in many forms, Toru. "Thank you," he said, staring at his list. Shoto Todoroki
The ice boy got up without saying anything at first. His eyes were downcast, his lips were pursed.
You could tell he didn't like to speak in front of the class, but he still held the small book in his hand.
—I read The Stranger, by Albert Camus.
Akemi turned a little surprised. For a moment he thought he would not speak in front of the whole class.
Cementoss raised an eyebrow. "Why did you choose it?"
Todoroki took a few seconds before speaking, his voice calm, almost monotonous.
"Because..." I felt identified. "With Meursault?"
Todoroki nodded.
"He's someone who observes the world..." as if I didn't belong," he began, lowering his gaze. It does not express much. He doesn't connect with others as expected," his voice paused for a moment—... But that doesn't mean he doesn't feel.
Cementoss observed him with understanding. "And you, Todoroki... Feel?
The boy paused. And then, with a slight nod, he sat down.
I didn't need more.
The classroom, although still under the emotional hangover of the previous presentations, remained attentive when Cementoss, with its characteristic grave tone, called the following name:
—Bakugo Katsuki.
There was a pause. The blond with a crooked brow did not get up immediately, but snorted with barely audible annoyance.
"Tch... I hate this part," he murmured, but stood up.
His hands were in his pockets, and he leaned forward slightly.
"I read Shakespeare's Macbeth," he said bluntly, straight to the point. Cementoss raised its eyebrows in genuine surprise.
"And why this work?"
"Because it's brutal. Dark. And because the idiot Macbeth had everything," his brow frowned even more, lowering the tone of his voice—... and the
He fucked up a damn voice in his head that told him he could have more.
Bakugo spoke with a tense jaw, his voice low but heavy. No one dared to interrupt him.
—Did you feel identified?
"I'm not that stupid," he said with a wry laugh. But I do understand that rage. That... "I have to be the best, whatever it takes." He put a hand to his chest tightly. Only he... I had no limits. It had no purpose.
Cementoss watched with interest. "And you do?"
Bakugo took a few seconds. His gaze was not defiant as at first. His voice came out raw.
"I don't want to be king. I just want to be so strong... that no one ever again... to die because of me.
A deathly silence fell in the classroom. Many were surprised by those words, they placed special emphasis on "dying because of me".
No one saw him as a screaming boy at the time. Just as someone who carried a fury on his back... and a promise on his chest.
Bakugo returned to his seat without expecting praise. She just dropped down, staring out the window, her lips pursed.
Cementoss sighed softly, but nodded gravely.
The clock marked the end of the class, and the atmosphere felt warmer, as if everyone had shared a piece of soul without realizing it.
With that, Cementoss closed its notebook.
"You know... this class was not just for evaluating assignments," Cementoss began, looking at his students. It was to listen to them. To know them. And they're doing well." He looked at them one by one. Sometimes, the words of others can be the clearest reflection of who we are. Have a nice day.
And with that sentence, he left the classroom, leaving behind him a dense air, but full of thought.
....
It wasn't long before the door opened again with a soft, almost imperceptible click. But the aura that entered was cold, disciplined.
Disquieting.
From the threshold emerged the spectral figure of Ectoplasm, imposing and severe as a general entering the strategy room.
"Get your trinomial homework done," he said, without a greeting, without pauses. His hollow, metallic voice bounced off the walls.
A couple of students let out small sighs of despair.
Others moved nervously, searching through folders, crumpled sheets, wet backpacks... or in his memory, hoping for a miracle.
Hades took out his sheet folded in half, with numbers and letters written in his square, abrupt handwriting, of someone who understood more about broken bones than about conjugated binomials.
CONTINUE