Chapter 23 - Chapter XIX The Peace Before the Storm

[Point of view: Third Person]

On a mountain of skulls of beasts and men, stood a throne forged from pure obsidian, covered with skulls cracked by time.

The mist of the underworld crawled like a specter beneath its base, spreading like a silent curse.

Sitting high above, with a gaze colder than death itself, Hades contemplated his kingdom.

The wails of souls echoed like a macabre choir as an army of skeletons lined up before him, awaiting orders.

Hades watched proudly, his gaze alight with a power only he understood.

"My reign is eternal! My will is absolute!" he exclaimed, raising a cup filled with a crimson liquid.

But then... the ground shook.

A beastly roar rent the night sky of the underworld. And from the depths of the waters of Lethe, a gigantic shadow emerged, its tentacles writhing like hungry serpents.

"The Kraken?" he shouted, backing away. "How dare you challenge me in my domain!"

One of the tentacles wrapped around his leg, another captured his arm.

Hades roared, ready to tear himself limb from limb if necessary.

But then...

—Hades... wake up —whispered a very human voice.

The dream faded like ashes in the wind. The darkness of the room replaced the fires of the underworld.

Hades opened his eyes in annoyance.

He was on the couch, wrapped in an All Might-printed blanket that smelled like lavender fabric softener.

And in front of him... There was a girl, with several "tentacles" snaking around her body.

The boy's sleepy eyes snapped open and he raised his fists.

"Damn squid, fight like a man!" he yelled, half asleep, falling off the couch in a spasm of clumsy rage.

"Kraken...? Man?" Akemi blinked, withdrawing the black whips that were whipping behind her back as if they were still part of a nightmare.

With his eyes narrowed, Hades looked up at her from the ground.

His left leg ached, and his right arm was barely responsive with an annoying tingling.

He frowned at the sight of the green-haired girl standing in front of him, clutching a worn notebook to her chest.

His face was partially hidden by shadows, but the brightness coming from his eyes betrayed his identity.

"Let me sleep, mortal," he growled, clumsily flopping back onto the couch.

"The monster is coming..." she said, her voice low, as if she could only utter those words with a broken soul.

That was enough.

Hades slowly sat up, creaks in his body accompanying him like a cracked symphony.

His frown hardened as he remembered.

He had heard that warning before, from the same girl who was now looking at him as if she expected him to have all the answers.

"You have my full attention," he said finally, his tone serious and in contrast to his disheveled hair and his sleepy breath.

Akemi did not respond immediately.

Instead, he sat down beside her with clumsy, almost mechanical movements, as if his body didn't know how to hold itself together.

Her shoulders shook beneath the thin pajamas with familiar smiles, and the dark circles under her eyes looked like they were drawn in black ink.

The notebook rested on his knees, and his fingers closed so tightly around it that his knuckles turned white.

She didn't look him in the eye. She kept her gaze fixed on the cover of the notebook, as if it held a secret that could bite her at any moment.

"D...remember when I t-told you about the monster?" he asked, his voice more of a whisper than a prayer, stumbling over each syllable as if each word hurt.

Hades nodded and grunted slightly, not bothering to feign sympathy.

But something in his tone changed, sharpened by curiosity. He leaned toward her as the notebook opened.

The sheet was full of scribbles, ink stains, notes in the margins as if they had been made during anxiety attacks.

And in the center, a drawing that looked like something out of a nightmare: black skin, disproportionate muscles, a deformed beak, an exposed brain, and dead eyes.

A creature without a human face, but with a presence that could almost be felt breathing from the paper. Above it, in crooked and desperately shaded letters, was the monster's name "USJ Nomu."

Hades frowned, squinting to try to read, but between the darkness and the tiny letters...

"The... "US... what"?" he muttered, tilting his head. "Tch... damn blurry letters..."

Without another word, Akemi lifted the notebook with hands that kept shaking. She struggled to hold it upright.

"I-it's him," she said, and those two words alone were enough to make it clear: her breathing became erratic, and her gaze clouded, trapped in a memory.

His teeth chattered softly. His feet moved restlessly, as if the ground were burning them.

And a drop of sweat fell down his temple despite the rain that was falling.

Hades looked at her silently. He wasn't a compassionate person, but he was observant. He was partially familiar with the expression of the girl next to him, and his thoughts only went in one direction.

"She's... trapped in her past again," he thought, as he decided to speak. "So... this duck-billed thing is the monster you keep talking about?" he asked, lowering his voice.

Akemi nodded, pressing her lips together, and handed him the notebook with barely obedient fingers. Her shoulders trembled like leaves in the rain.

"I-it's a thing... a thing m-made to k-kill," he said with difficulty. "It doesn't feel p-pain. It doesn't... It just... it just o-obeys. It has... many... quirks. Too many…"

She had to close her eyes. Just saying it seemed to drain her.

Hades took the notebook without saying anything for a few seconds. He looked at the drawn Nomu, the thing that frightened the girl so much; it didn't look very intimidating to his eyes.

After looking at him for a moment longer, he returned his gaze to the girl. Her skin was paler than usual, her nails, reddened and bitten down to the flesh, contrasting sharply against her pale skin.

—Do you think you can do it this time?

Akemi didn't respond. She just lowered her head, her tentacles slowly retracting behind her back, as if they wanted to embrace her... or protect her from something invisible.

Hades felt a chill run through his entire body in a matter of seconds, making all his hair stand on end, but not because of the drawing.

Akemi's fear was so raw she could almost taste it.

And that, even for a "god," was disturbing.

Akemi hugged her legs, and for a few seconds, only the sparkling sound of raindrops hitting the windows filled the room.

The ticking of the clock, her barely held breath, a slight creaking in the sofa where they were sitting.

Then, wanting to begin to speak, he opened his lips.

But... a sigh caught in her throat, her mouth trembled, her voice became distorted, and she began to blink erratically.

He exhaled deeply and then finally managed to speak.

"Thursday... after noon," he began, his voice low, as if forcing himself to remember something his mind would rather bury, "... they'll take us to rescue training. It'll be... in a fake area, a simulator. But... n-it won't be a class... not a real one."

Hades slowly turned his body to get a better look at her.

She was trembling, more so now than before. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, as if there, in some invisible corner, were ghosts.

"First... villains will arrive... third-rate," she continued, grinding her nails into her knees. "Scum, thieves, visionless killers... just cannon fodder. But... they don't matter... they're not the real monsters."

Hades gritted his teeth as he watched Akemi's voice begin to crack.

The fear was palpable, oozing out with every word she managed to form.

As if each syllable tore a piece of herself away.

"The ones that matter are the ringleaders..." She swallowed. "One... is a boy. Graying hair, dry skin... crimson eyes. But... his psyche is broken. Completely. His name is Shigaraki Tomura... and his... his Quirk..."

He stopped abruptly and trembled.

His feet hit the ground in a nervous tic while his hands clenched into fists.

—I-if you touch something with your five fingertips... it disintegrates. S-stone... metal... flesh... it doesn't matter.

Hades raised an eyebrow, wanting to speak, wanting to add an arrogant comment.

But he decided not to interrupt.

"The other one is... Kurogiri. His body is... is smoke. He can't... he can't be hit. Attacks pass through him…" He started breathing faster, as if his chest weighed tons. "His Quirk opens portals. Anywhere he wants. A-as many as he wants. He can... split us. Separate us. Lock us in... and attack us."

Akemi's eyes were already glassy.

Tears were held back in the dam of her eyes.

—But... the worst. The worst is the Nomu. —Her voice lowered, like an empty echo in the turbulent night.—He doesn't speak. He doesn't feel pain. He just follows Shigaraki's orders. And he... he wants to kill us. Every single one of us.

Hades looked down at his notebook. At that grotesque drawing.

With one finger, he traced the scribbles and quickly returned to her. The air around him seemed colder.

Akemi swallowed hard and continued.

"He has a shock absorption quirk. Like yours... but more efficient…" Her words were stumbling out now. "You hit him... and he doesn't feel a thing. He gets stronger. Plus... he regenerates. Y-you cut off his arm and... and in seconds he's got it back. As if... you'd never touched him."

She began to rock back and forth slightly.

Every memory weighed and hurt.

—He has... another gift. An advanced spatial sense. He a-analyzes everything around him... t-our every move. He guesses where we'll attack before we do. And... and he has strength. A lot of strength. C-he can effortlessly split someone in half...

Akemi's lips pressed together. Hades saw her shoulders slump.

As if the weight of everything she had just said finally broke her.

"W-we were so... so confident," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "We thought it was a test. Just a stupid class. But it was bloodshed. We... we weren't ready..."

A tear ran down her cheek, silently, without warning.

Hades didn't say anything. He just looked at her.

That girl who always seemed strong, bubbly, and brave... was now falling apart, piece by piece, in front of him.

Hades closed his eyes tiredly.

He sighed, and without saying anything, pulled the blanket he was sleeping with and wrapped it around the girl.

The movement was somewhat abrupt, but not hostile.

Then, slowly, he put an arm behind her shoulders and pulled her slightly towards him.

She didn't stop.

The blanket didn't calm her trembling. The touch didn't soothe her voice.

"T-Tsuyu…" he whispered, staring off into space. "Shigaraki touched her… just once. She… didn't even have time to scream. He just… disappeared. Like dust."

Her nails dug into her own arm.

—Aoyama tried to distract the Nomu. Brilliant, as always... r-radiating light. The idiot thought he was the protagonist... and that monster... crushed him. With one blow. Just one damn blow...

Hades felt her body begin to tense against his.

"All Might..." his voice grew fainter. "He was fighting the Nomu and... and he didn't see Shigaraki coming... and... his arm... just... disintegrated. Like it was paper..."

His body began to shake. Short, ragged breaths.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Panic was sweeping her away.

—And Hagakure... no one knew what happened. No one saw anything. Just... her gloves. Thrown away. As if... she'd vanished from the world. And I... I...

Her voice broke. Fine tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't notice.

I was trapped in that day. In that massacre.

Hades opened his eyes and looked at her gravely.

Not with pity.

Not tenderly.

Then, clumsily, he raised his other arm. And this time, he hugged her completely.

"Enough," he said hoarsely.

She didn't respond, her breathing still erratic.

The tremors continued, as if the world were about to shatter again.

Hades rested his chin protectively on top of her head.

"This time..." he whispered, almost in a growl, "the god of the Underworld will be with you."

His voice was deep. Heavy. Like a promise forged in stone.

—This time... no one will die.

Akemi didn't respond. She just clung to him.

The trembling persisted in her body, even as dried tears remained trapped on her cheek.

Hades held her tighter, tightening the embrace, as if he could seal the cracks with brute force. She didn't know what the hell he was doing.

But there he was, trying to calm her down.

He felt her labored breathing against his chest. Her body felt as light as a feather.

Little by little, the heartbeat slowed. The heat of anguish dissipated.

Her breathing became rhythmic. Her eyelashes began to flutter gently... and finally, after a silent struggle against her own hell, Akemi surrendered to sleep.

The drops stopped hitting the window and the girl fell asleep in his arms.

Hades, for his part, frowned.

"Tch... damn it," he growled softly, not moving. "Now I can't move..."

He sighed in annoyance, not so much because of insomnia, but because the girl's weight against his body made it impossible.

Slowly, he turned his head slightly and noticed the notebook, barely illuminated by the dim glow of the hallway lamp.

He reached for it with one hand and carefully opened it.

The pages were messy, some wrinkled under the pressure of trembling fingers. Others were stained with running ink, as if tears had fallen on them.

He glanced over the Nomu's blade.

Beyond the grotesque drawing of the creature and the notes Akemi had already mentioned, he saw a small box of writing in the margin, barely legible:

"Brain exposed."

He turned the page.

There was a title scribbled in black ink:

"People to save for the future."

The names were numbered in no clear order and small notes were attached to each one.

1.- Mei Hatsume (absolute priority)

2.- Momo Yaoyorozu (high priority)

3.- All Might (medium priority)

4.- Eri (absolute priority)

He read each name carefully, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Momo, huh..." he muttered with a crooked, almost sarcastic grimace. "I guess that stupid girl really is important..."

The names continued, and he no longer recognized any of them, but above all the names, one caught his attention:

Lemillion.

"What a stupid name..." he commented, although something about the way it was written, in thicker ink, denoted importance.

He turned the page, curious, and the contrast he found was brutal.

"People to kill."

Of all of them, only two names sounded familiar: Shigaraki and Mineta.

But the second one was crossed out with an "x" in a different color.

Following them, several other names caught his attention.

All For One, Kira, Yotsubachi and Gigantomachia.

The rest were complete unknowns.

Unknown villains. Or perhaps future traitors? Hades didn't know, and at that moment, he didn't care.

He closed his eyes a little, but not from sleep... but from boredom.

He turned the pages again.

There he found incoherent events.

Dates overlapping each other.

Times crossed out with arrows and notes.

Words like "hero killer," "Gran Torino," "neoliberal revolution," "The Brotherhood of Steel."

And beyond, small drawings like maps and dates.

After a long time, he closed the notebook.

His narrowed eyes returned to the Nomu's blade.

He tried to read the crooked scribbles.

Some words jumbled between clumsy lines and sentences that seemed written during an anxiety attack. Most of them were unreadable.

Presbyopia and poor lighting did not help.

But one phrase stood out above all:

"Hitting his exposed brain can stun him... for seconds."

—Tch... seconds aren't enough... —he muttered while rubbing his eyes with his fingers.

He sighed, no longer able to think.

Akemi snored softly against his chest. He could feel her warm breath, she was so fragile, and yet she held all that weight inside her.

—Stupid mortal... —he whispered.

He turned his head towards the window, and to his chagrin he noticed it.

Orange rays of light began to filter through the cracks in the curtains. Dawn was coming.

Hades didn't say anything else. He just slowly closed his eyes.

—Tch... —he grunted in annoyance.

Hades clenched his jaw, and abruptly, he detached himself from Akemi's sleeping body, as if he didn't care.

As if his chest didn't feel any colder as he did so.

With a sharp movement, he dropped her onto the sofa. It wasn't violent, but it was rough.

"Mgh... huh...?" Akemi muttered, slowly waking up.

But Hades had already turned on his heels, striding away, each footstep sounding like a grumpy drum on the wooden floor.

And he entered the bathroom.

....

The steam from the hot water barely erased his frown.

It took longer than necessary. Not out of hygiene, but out of frustration. Because of that lump in her chest that she didn't understand and was angry about.

When he came out, already dressed in his UA uniform, feeling more grounded in reality, he found something he hadn't expected.

Akemi, standing in the doorway of the room.

With his hair more disheveled than usual and an annoyed expression.

But before he could say anything, a black whip stretched out precisely and struck him across the head.

—What the—

"This is for waking me up looking like a criminal," she interrupted, her eyes narrowed.

And before he could complain, Akemi came over and gave him a fleeting kiss on the cheek.

—And this... for hugging me.

And without further ado, he went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Hades stood still. One hand on his head, rubbing the bruise. The other... slowly moved up to touch his kissed cheek.

His fingers stopped there, trembling slightly.

He swallowed, heat rising from his neck to his face.

"What the hell...?" he muttered, and sighed deeply, trying to catch his breath. "Damn mortal..."

It was then that she felt a soft hand on her shoulder, and her whole body tensed.

"Good morning, Hades-kun," Inko whispered, smiling sleepily as she took his hand in hers. "It's a surprise to see you so early..."

He turned around with a grimace somewhere between confusion and nervousness. He barely had time to reply:

—I'm sick of your little tentacled broccoli waking me up in the rudest way possible.

Inko gave a small, charming laugh, like the song of a little bird.

—Hehe... I see.

And without warning, he kissed her other cheek.

It was a touch. Barely a second. But it was enough to freeze him in place.

Inko walked away lightly, as if she hadn't just disarmed him.

—Would you like to join me while I cook? I think Akemi-chan will be a while in the bathroom.

Hades, completely paralyzed, could only nod awkwardly. The blush hadn't gone away.

His mind was a complete mess with Haruto hyperventilating and yelling incoherently.

With weak steps the boy approached.

In the kitchen, Inko began to take out ingredients.

Everything had a gentle, almost maternal order: tomatoes, onions, egg, seaweed, tofu, rice, a few sauces.

Suddenly, he pulled out a pair of matching aprons, skillfully slipped the first one on himself, and handed the next one to the boy.

—Here, put it on so you don't get dirty.

Hades received it and trying to replicate what he saw, he clumsily put on his apron.

As he put it on, he saw Inko skillfully moving the knife, while humming something under her breath.

"Hades-kun, can you pass me that bowl?" he began, pointing with his finger. "No, the other one." He pointed to a larger one. "That one... yes, thank you. Now, chop this onion, okay?"

He took the knife in both hands as if it were one of his swords and looked at the onion with distrust.

—This can't be any harder than using the greatsword...

The first cut was clumsy.

The second, even more so.

The pieces were uneven. One looked like a cube, the other like a sheet.

Next up, a sort of wet trapezoid.

Inko glanced sideways and smiled.

—Hehe... you're learning. At your own pace, she commented sweetly.

"I don't need sweet nothings, Inko," Hades growled, not looking up, his mouth twisting in frustration. His eyes were starting to sting from the onion.

—Oh no? How strange. I swear your cheeks are still red...

Hades gritted his teeth.

—Shut up and keep cooking!

Inko just laughed more, and hit him lightly on the head with a carrot that she levitated with her gift while stirring the ingredients in the pan.

And so, amid soft laughter, clumsy knife wielding, and sidelong glances, Hades, the supposed god of the underworld, discovered a routine he never knew he needed.

....

Time passed between warm aromas and the steam from the pots.

When Akemi came out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel, she found a scene she never thought she would see in her life.

Hades, the same one who claimed to be a god, the one who looked down on the world as if it were beneath his feet, the one who had raised skeletons from nothing, the one who had faced terrorists without flinching, was stirring a pot with absurd calmness... and above all, he was wearing a pink apron with white floral embroidery.

The contrast with his furrowed brow and always annoyed face was so hilarious that he couldn't help it.

A mischievous smile appeared on his face.

With feline swiftness, she searched for her phone on a nearby sofa, activated the camera, and in a sweet voice, called:

—Hades, look at me for a second.

He turned around, still holding the ladle, and just then...

Click!

The camera captured the exact moment when her narrowed eyes and suspicious expression contrasted with her delicate kitchen apron.

A laugh escaped Akemi's lips.

—Hahaha! This is worth gold!

Hades just raised an eyebrow and went back to stirring the broth matter-of-factly.

"Mortals and their stupidities..." he muttered with annoyance, suspecting nothing.

After breakfast, Inko, ready with her bag and office clothes, said goodbye to both of them with a kiss on Akemi's forehead and a knowing look at Hades.

"Behave yourselves, okay?" he said, winking before heading out the door.

Hades, still holding the coffee cup, let out a long sigh. Akemi came up behind him and handed him the backpack.

—Come on, it's time.

He took the backpack with one hand and the last sip of coffee with the other.

—Tch. At least coffee is a God's best friend.

They left together, closing the door behind them.

The walk to UA was quieter than usual. Just a couple of words.

Some "wait" as they crossed, or "put your backpack on properly."

Nothing else.

Akemi walked beside him, but she didn't seem fully present. Her eyes were fixed on her cell phone screen, her thumbs moving rapidly.

—Yes... I have something to... show you —he whispered through his teeth, barely audible.

Hades, for his part, looked at her sideways, intrigued.

He said nothing. But his brow furrowed just a little.

Not out of annoyance, but out of curiosity.

And perhaps a pinch of distrust.

[After a while]

Akemi walked with her gaze raised, her lips curved in a faint smile, radiating confidence. Each step was measured, each breath marked by the rhythm of someone who knew where she was going and why. That's how she wanted to be seen: strong, determined, invincible.

But his steps were not as firm as they appeared.

Sometimes he would step a little falsely, as if his legs were hesitant.

Sometimes her hand gripped the phone too tightly, as if she were afraid of losing something. And no matter how hard she kept her chin up, her eyes wandered at times, searching for... refuge.

Hades, for his part, did not notice.

He was walking beside her, his hands in his uniform pockets, his hair slightly tousled by the morning wind.

I wasn't thinking about Akemi, or her nervous gait, or the repetitive sound of keys every so often.

He was immersed in simpler, denser, and more personal thoughts.

—Hitting the exposed brain... yes, it probably causes temporary paralysis. But how long? Five seconds? Less? What if he has a reactive defense system?

But when he couldn't find any more answers, he started thinking about breakfast.

—The miso soup wasn't bad... for my first time cutting into that soft stuff without breaking it. Hmph. Inko told me it was "perfect." Of course it was, after all, I made it...

He also remembered Inko's sweet voice correcting his clumsy hand.

—Not so hard, Hades-kun. The knife is not your enemy.

The memory made him sigh, and a small smile formed on his face without him realizing it.

It was then that they arrived at the gates of the UA

There, cameras, microphones, and high-pitched voices filled the air like a storm of hysterical crickets.

Reporters crowded against the walls of the institute, some even partially climbing or extending poles above them to capture a word, a glance, anything.

It didn't matter if they were famous, children of heroes, or complete unknowns: all new students were targeted.

Hades and Akemi arrived walking with a relaxed pace, completely oblivious to the chaos that awaited them.

He, with his hands in his pockets and a calm gaze, as if he were strolling through a park; she, with her head down, her eyes fixed on her phone, her brow furrowed in pure concentration.

When they reached the entrance, it was as if they had fallen into an invisible trap.

—You, black-haired boy, a few words for Hero-Japan Channel!

—Miss, miss, how do you feel about entering the UA? Is it true there's a special exam?

—Are you a couple?

—What kind of Quirks do they have!

Akemi didn't even blink.

He nimbly deflected each microphone like a tree branch, stepped around two reporters, and simply kept walking.

Hades, on the other hand, stopped when one of the microphones almost touched his nose.

In front of him, a woman with brown hair pulled back in a small ponytail smiled at him with noticeably sharp teeth. She held a tape recorder in one hand, a microphone in the other, and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Hey! What do you think of All Might?" she asked in a sing-song voice with a friendly predatory smile.

Hades tilted his head. His eyes narrowed calmly.

"A smiling old man... with a shrill voice," he replied without changing his tone.

The reporter let out a small laugh.

—He teaches lessons in your study department? Are you in the hero department?

He frowned a little, as if he was too lazy to think about it.

—He... yesterday he taught us heroic lessons.

He turned his body, ready to continue walking and leave the swarm of journalists behind, but the woman got ahead of him with surprising speed and blocked his way again.

—Hey, hey! You're not the guy in the video at the supermarket, are you? The one who fired a weird explosion at one of the terrorists...

Hades smiled, pleased that someone recognized him.

—I'm glad that a mere mortal like you recognizes—

But he couldn't finish.

A series of black tentacles suddenly sprouted from the ground and coiled around his body like living snakes.

They lifted him up abruptly, cutting his sentence off in mid-air, and dragged him with violence but surgical precision toward the interior of the campus.

"What the hell!" a reporter shouted, taking a series of photographs of the scene.

Akemi, without stopping walking or letting go of her phone, barely turned her wrist a little to control the whips and continued moving forward.

"Damn it, Akemi..." the boy muttered as he disappeared, dragged away.

....

The hallway was beginning to fill with the first students of the day, but before they could move toward their classroom, a shrill voice stopped them.

—Hades! Wait a minute.

It was Recovery Girl, smiling at them as she approached at a short pace, accompanied by a shirtless man wearing a yellow helmet that looked like part of an excavator.

"This here is Power Loader, the Support class teacher I told you about yesterday," he said energetically. "I wanted to meet you in person."

"Hmph," Hades grunted, looking the man up and down curiously.

Power Loader confidently extended his hand.

"So you're the one with the bones," he said, as if talking about a curious invention. "I've heard you can handle more pain than average."

Hades narrowed his eyes, but shook hands briefly.

"I'm a god, a little pain is nothing," he replied, but at that moment he noticed a figure he hadn't paid attention to before.

She was a girl with pink dreadlocks, eyes busy reading various papers as if what was happening around her was air.

He didn't raise his head, he didn't say hello, he didn't move an inch when he saw them arrive.

"That's Mei Hatsume," Power Loader said, nodding slightly at her. "She's my most promising student in Support Class. You'll probably see her often."

Hades didn't respond. He just stared at her for a few seconds, remembering the last time he saw her.

Power Loader, not wanting to waste any more time, brought the conversation back into focus.

—I gave Recovery Girl an experimental tonic yesterday. Did you use it?

Hades thought for a second and remembered the drink from the day before.

—Yes. It was too sweet... anyway, it didn't work, I fell asleep just as quickly.

—You may not know it, brat, but you slept half as long as last time and healed faster.

"Yeah," Power Loader nodded enthusiastically. "That's a good start. Here." He pulled three more bottles of different colors from his belt. "Use them today during your heroism class. And tomorrow, tell me if you feel any improvement in your stamina or if your wounds heal faster." He said, but remembered one more detail. "Recovery Girl personally requested these."

Hades took the bottles with a neutral expression.

"I'll use them later," he replied tersely, unhurriedly stuffing them into the side pockets of his jacket.

Akemi, who was standing beside him, watched them silently.

And for a moment, his gaze lingered on Mei, but before he could say anything, the old woman interrupted.

"Brat!" Recovery Girl's voice sounded just as Hades pocketed the bottles. "At least be a little more grateful. What did a 'thank you' cost, huh?"

"Tch..." Hades clicked his tongue, but then, with a slight nod, he murmured barely audibly. "Thanks..."

"That's how I like it! And I don't want to see you in the infirmary for a while, you hear me?" he added, picking up his cane and turning to leave.

But before they could move away, a sparkling and enthusiastic voice surprised them.

"Hello again!" Mei exclaimed, dropping her papers and skipping over.

Hades looked at her in confusion as she stood in front of him, grinning from ear to ear.

—I'm very interested in your parts! The bone ones, of course. I want to study them, analyze them, and use them to make lots and lots of babies!

Hades blinked several times, clearly puzzled.

—Babies? What a face—

"She's talking about her inventions!" Power Loader quickly interrupted, massaging the bridge of his nose. "She calls each of her prototypes 'babies.'"

Hades nodded slowly, remembering what Akemi had told him a few days ago about that strange way of speaking.

"Hmph... I see," he replied, not entirely convinced.

Mei suddenly approached again, raising a finger in front of Hades's face.

—You have to come tomorrow after school! When you do the tonic report, you'll be staying with me. I'm going to study your gift thoroughly! And I won't take no for an answer!

Before he could respond, the girl was already turning on her heels, running away while shouting:

—I have so many babies to make! I don't have time to waste on anyone!

Power Loader let out a resigned sigh.

—Good luck with the tonics. Oh, and... be prepared for Mei... she can be very intense when she's interested in something.

Recovery Girl turned around too, walking behind him.

—And remember, don't see me in the infirmary! Brat!

Finally, the two adults walked away, and Hades resumed walking toward the classroom with Akemi.

"What were you talking about?" she asked curiously, walking beside him.

—Yesterday... the old woman gave me a very sweet drink. She said it helped restore energy. Even so, I didn't like that silly taste at all...

—But he said it made you sleep less. That's something, right?

—I guess so...

Akemi narrowed her eyes in interest, but just as she was about to reply, a familiar, lively voice interrupted them from behind.

"Akemi-chan! Hades-san! Good morning!" Ochako shouted, running toward them, waving her hand excitedly.

Akemi barely turned her head when Ochako was already in front of her.

"Is what you told me true?" he asked, glancing sideways at the boy who was just starting to walk.

"Sure, look," Akemi replied, showing her phone screen.

There, in high definition, was Hades wearing a bubblegum-pink apron, embroidered with white roses, ladle in hand, and a serious expression. The image was as ridiculous as it was endearing.

"What the...!" Ochako's eyes widened as she looked from the photo to Hades, who was still walking by, completely oblivious to what was being shared.

"I can't believe you have it... Akemi-chan, it looks amazing!" she whispered between giggles, covering her mouth.

Akemi just smiled, proud, as if she had in her hands a secret weapon worth its weight in gold.

....

As they walked through the halls of UA, Ochako and Akemi continued to giggle, checking the picture of Hades in the kitchen over and over again.

"Hey, Akemi-chan..." Ochako whispered mischievously, leaning a little closer. "How about we show this to the girls? You know... so they can see that Hades isn't just that guy who looks like he's about to hit someone just by looking at him."

Akemi looked at her sideways and smiled.

—Do you want to use her Tsundere cuteness as a whitewashing campaign?

"Exactly!" Ochako laughed, placing a hand on her chest as she tried to contain her laughter. "It's like he's a big bad wolf wearing a sweater his grandmother knitted." She raised her eyebrows mischievously. "No one would expect something like that."

They both began to walk more slowly, plotting and murmuring excitedly, each word dispelling the anxiety that had been tightening Akemi's chest a few minutes before.

For a moment, she was just a girl sharing a prank with her friend, and it brought her a warm comfort she hadn't felt in a long time.

....

Time flew by until Hades, as usual, almost strayed down a wrong corridor. Akemi, not losing her patience, conjured one of her black whips and casually used it to wrap around his arm and pull him in the right direction.

—Where do you think you're going, haha!

"Tch... no need to drag me," he grumbled, though he didn't resist.

When they arrived at the classroom, they noticed that they were still among the first.

Iida sat with his back so straight he looked like he was carved from marble. As soon as he saw them enter, he stood up immediately.

"Good morning, Hades-san! Midoriya-san! Uraraka-san!" he said, raising his right hand in greeting. "How nice to see you all so punctual! Punctuality is the virtue of true heroes!"

"It wasn't voluntary," Hades murmured, approaching the boy. "I was forced to get up early."

"Did they do it?" he asked curiously.

"That mortal with octopus aspirations," he replied, pointing at Akemi, and the two began a conversation about the importance of breakfast and healthy routines.

At the back of the classroom, Momo was intently reading a huge book, her eyes jumping from line to line.

But not for long.

Akemi, still with that spark of complicity on her face, approached her with a determined stride. And without saying anything at first, she placed her phone right on top of the open pages.

"Good morning, Momo-san," he said casually. "Look at this."

The girl looked up curiously and her brow furrowed, but as soon as her eyes fell on the screen, they widened in surprise.

The sight of Hades wearing a pink apron embroidered with white roses, ladle in hand, was so unexpected that Momo froze for a few seconds.

He slowly looked up, watching Hades across the room, arguing with Iida about how "no one should be forced into existence before 8 in the morning."

"Is this... real?" he asked quietly, looking back at his phone.

"Absolutely," Akemi smiled. "I took it this morning. He cooked miso soup."

Momo blinked several times, and for the first time, her expression softened with a hint of a chuckle.

—It's not as... terrible as it seems, right?

"Nope," Akemi whispered, leaning in slightly as if sharing a secret. "He's just a cute tsundere boy with too many layers of bad temper, just like an onion." She gestured with her hands, pretending to open some petals. "But underneath..." She lowered her voice even further, looking at the boy from a distance, "I think there's someone who just wants to live in peace."

Momo hesitated, but then nodded very slightly. Without hesitation, she slid her hand into her pocket to pull out her own phone.

—Can I keep the photo?

Akemi nodded wordlessly, passing it to him with a triumphant smile.

....

[A few minutes later]

When all the students were finally in their places, the classroom instantly fell silent.

The door opened with a loud bang, and the towering, spectral figure of Ectoplasm stepped through the threshold with his usual intimidating gravity.

Hades swallowed, feeling his stomach tighten.

—No... not that guy again... —he murmured, barely audible.

His booming voice filled the room as he walked to the desk.

—Good morning. Today we'll be working with binomials and trinomials. I hope you've brought your neurons well-fed. —His voice deepened as he raised his right hand into a fist. —You're going to need them.

A sheet was projected on the classroom screen, showing long equations, with signs, parentheses, exponents, and single letters that seemed to mock Hades with every passing second.

—Remember: a binomial is an algebraic expression composed of two terms, like (a + b). A trinomial has three terms, like (x² + 5x + 6)—he pointed to an empty section of the projection.—Now... let's factor.

Factorize.

That word sounded like a curse to Hades. As Ectoplasm explained with military precision how to break down algebraic expressions, the dark-haired boy felt every sound turn into a blurry mix of numbers and despair.

—Why the hell would anyone want to find an "x" that clearly doesn't want to be found...?—he thought, scratching his head in frustration.

At his side, Momo, perfectly straight and attentive, couldn't help but glance at him.

For a brief second, he swore a small plume of smoke was rising from Hades's hair.

She blinked, unsure of what she had just seen, and when she did, there was nothing.

—...I'm imagining it, aren't I? —he thought, and returned to his notes.

The class continued mercilessly.

Ectoplasm went back and forth, writing equations that seemed to grow like hydras: he solved one unknown, and two new ones appeared.

Hades looked at his notebook, then at the blackboard, then at the ceiling, wishing a crack would swallow him up.

....

50 minutes.

That's how long the torture lasted. And when Ectoplasm closed his book, Hades felt an indescribable relief.

"That's all for today, students," he said, and began to put away his things.

Several souls began to escape from the bodies of some students.

But, the most affected were only two.

The dull crack of two foreheads hitting the desk resonated in perfect synchronicity: Hades and Mina, who were several seats away, fell onto their tables at the same time, as if an invisible titan had ripped out their souls.

"I'm... dead inside..." Hades murmured, face down.

"There are two of us..." Mina replied from the other side of the classroom, her voice muffled but in sync with her classmate's.

Ectoplasm looked at them for a moment, but didn't stop to look at the scene.

After all, he knew exactly what he had caused.

And I didn't feel an ounce of remorse.

....

Barely a few seconds had passed since the bell signaled the end of math class when a new teacher entered the classroom.

He was a square-shaped man, completely greyish, as if he had come out of a mix between a cement block and a minimalist caricature.

"Good morning, guys. I'm Cementoss, your modern literature teacher," he said in a deep but friendly voice.

"Even the walls show here...?" Hades murmured, an eyebrow raised.

But the relief was short-lived. Cementoss began distributing books as thick as bricks that rumbled as they hit the desks.

One by one, the students received them, and when it was Hades's turn, he just looked at him with a mixture of resignation and pain.

"Another dead weight for my backpack...? Someone bury me..." he sighed with resignation.

The class began, and although Hades expected something boring, Cementoss had a warm and passionate rhythm.

"Although this subject is modern literature," he began, walking between the seats, "to understand the present, we must look to the past. So we'll start with the foundations: classical literature." He lifted his book and opened it to the first pages. "Homer, Sophocles, Virgil... names that, although ancient, still whisper in today's letters."

While explaining the structure of ancient stories, hero archetypes, and the evolution of narrative language, Hades was able to maintain attention better than he could in math.

"It's not that bad... but it's long. Very long," he thought, while scribbling meaningless sentences in his notebook.

Finally, after another 50 minutes, Cementoss said goodbye, with a square hand gesture and heavy footsteps that echoed as if he were dragging a block of cement with each step.

....

The door opened again, but this time there was no greeting.

Aizawa, his back hunched and his dark circles deeper than a student's soul during exam time, entered without a word, advanced to the teacher's podium and threw some papers onto the surface with a thud.

His presence made the classroom shrink in tension.

"...I watched them yesterday," he finally said, looking up.

His eyes scanned the room with seriousness, and his voice, although monotonous, had that edge that cut without raising his tone.

—Let's talk about your training with All Might.

He turned to Bakugo, who stood with his arms crossed and his teeth clenched.

—Bakugo... your fight was solid. You used your Quirk well, but you're letting the defeat eat away at you. Losing here doesn't define you. You're here to learn. Every loss is a part of the journey, and if you keep going like this... you'll become stronger than ever.

Bakugo tensed... but inside, his hands stopped clenching so tightly.

Then, Aizawa's eyes fixed on Momo.

She straightened her back, but it wasn't enough.

"You need to be faster," she blurted out, without any anesthesia. "You were a dead weight for your team in that exercise. If you're waiting for someone to come and rescue you again... you'd better start packing your things."

The silence was brutal. Momo lowered her gaze, her jaw clenched, as did her fists.

Aizawa then looked at Hades, and sighed as if he was already expecting to have to repeat it all.

—Troublesome brat.

A slight murmur ran through the class, wondering why he was being called that.

"You had a good fight. In the incident with Momo as a hostage, you acted to protect your partner... compromising the mission." His voice deepened as he activated his Quirk.

The classroom fell silent. Everyone held their breath at the change in their teacher.

"In this society," he said, his voice echoing darkly in the students' minds, "anyone who abandons the mission... is seen as scum."

He paused. His razor-sharp eyes scanned the room.

—But from my point of view... —he opened his eyes fully, his crimson pupils shining brightly—, he who abandons a comrade... is worse than scum.

The entire classroom shook.

His words drifted between the chairs.

A heartbeat trembled in every chest. And yet no one dared to speak.

Aizawa slowly closed his eyes and, after a few seconds of silence, added:

—That said, stop breaking your legs to save someone. If you do, you won't be helping anyone... you'll just become a burden.

Hades clenched his fists, unsure whether to be scolded or praised.

Finally, Aizawa's gaze fell on Akemi.

—Midoriya, you did excellent.

And nothing else.

No flourishes, no rhetoric. Just a clear and definitive statement.

Akemi, who never received those words, felt her chest fill with a silent pride that shone only for her.

Aizawa flipped through the pages slowly, his face expressionless, his lips barely moving as he read. The sound of the paper turning was the only thing that could be heard.

"Second team," his voice firmly broke the silence.

He looked up at Kaminari, who tensed slightly at the teacher's attention.

—Kaminari. Your perseverance was good. The mere fact that you didn't give up, even when you were overwhelmed, tells me there's something valuable about you.

Kaminari blinked in surprise, then gave a small, nervous but genuine smile.

—If you're polished properly, you have a promising future. Don't waste it.

Aizawa moved on to the next name. His eyes fell on Aoyama, who sat with a slightly downcast face and pursed lips.

—Aoyama.

The boy barely looked up, fearing what was coming.

—You lost your temper. You fell for your opponent's psychological game... and it broke you down faster than any physical attack.

Aoyama lowered his gaze further, but Aizawa didn't stop there.

—You must learn to control your nerves, as well as your quirk. Brilliance without control... illuminates nothing.

The room fell silent for a few seconds before Aizawa switched targets.

—Sato.

The burly boy straightened, his expression firm, but there was a slight tremor of tension in his fingers.

—You held your own against someone who, to be honest, was practically your natural enemy.

Sato nodded determinedly, feeling the recognition. But it wasn't all flattery.

—However... you should think about the consequences of hitting someone who functions as a human taser. You're not always going to walk away.

A nervous laugh escaped from one of the desks, but Aizawa didn't flinch.

And then, finally, his eyes searched for Hagakure, who could only raise her arm to indicate her presence.

—Hagakure.

"Here!" he replied cheerfully.

Aizawa lowered his head slightly, as if in affirmation.

—You did excellent. Your use of the environment and your support were impeccable.

The invisible girl said nothing, but the movement of her uniform made it clear that she was excited.

"But," he added, "if you're going to use mind games, use them to attack as well. Your Quirk gives you a tactical advantage." He raised a finger, pointing at his desk. "Taunting your opponents to a certain extent is fine, but don't forget to push."

There was a brief silence. The students processed the observations, some harsh, others fair. But all necessary.

The master turned the next page with a slight sigh, and his gaze lifted to Shoji, who stood with his back straight, attentive.

"Shoji," he said firmly. "Your use of your gift to create multiple ears was decent; you adapted to your surroundings."

Shoji nodded humbly.

—But you fell under pressure from your opponent. You couldn't handle the chaos. That cost you the battle.

A brief silence enveloped the room and the aforementioned sighed.

—Even so... don't be discouraged. You have potential. Just make sure you don't let the outside world drown out your senses.

Then his eyes fell on Hanta Sero, who gulped when he saw it was his turn.

—Sero.

The atmosphere became a little tense.

—Your presence on the team was... nonexistent. And you know it.

Hanta lowered his head slightly, gritting his teeth.

—Your gift has more versatility than you're letting on. If you don't learn to use it cleverly, beyond throwing tape like a walking scroll... you'd better start packing your things.

A harsh sentence, but there was no mockery or cruelty. Just the truth.

Then his gaze met Mina Ashido's, who was pretending to be relaxed, but her hands were tense on the desk.

—Ashido. You did well. You used your Quirk to destabilize the enemy.

A small smile formed on his face, until Aizawa continued.

—But don't get too confident. A good move doesn't make up for a bad strategy. You have talent, but talent without hard work rots quickly.

Finally, his eyes shifted to Kōji Kōda, who was shifting uncomfortably, almost sinking into his seat.

—Kōda.

The boy raised his head with difficulty.

—Your use of your gift was excellent. You controlled multiple creatures and disabled your opponents without resorting to direct violence.

Aizawa nodded slightly, as if approving.

—That level of control speaks to focus and maturity. Just make sure you don't let the fear of acting directly hold you back in real combat.

With that said, he looked down at his papers again, giving everyone room to digest each word.

Still, no one spoke. No one dared to move.

All that could be heard was the subtle rustling of the paper... and the nervous heartbeats of those still waiting their turn.

....

Aizawa slowly flipped through the pages of the report until he reached the next section. His eyes, tired but sharp, fell on Eijiro Kirishima, who clenched his fists tightly on his desk.

—Kirishima.

The person in question immediately looked up, with an expectant expression.

—Your "fair fight" and "measuring manhood" speech was your greatest weakness.

Kirishima opened his mouth slightly, confused, but Aizawa didn't allow him to speak.

—It clouded your mind. It made you let your guard down. And because of that, you took a blow that ended in your defeat.

The blow went straight to his pride, and Kirishima lowered his head with his lips pressed together, absorbing the weight of those words.

"But don't get discouraged. You're here to learn, not to have it all figured out," he nodded, crossing his arms. "True manhood lies in recognizing your mistakes and improving. Don't forget that."

A spark lit in the boy's eyes, and he nodded vigorously, still biting the bitter taste of failure, but more motivated.

Then her gaze shifted to Kioka Jirō, who had been nervously playing with the cord of one of her earphones.

—Jirō. Your decision to wait for an opportune moment to attack was a good one. You knew your Quirk requires stealth and good positioning.

She raised her head, relieved by the recognition.

—But don't trust your surroundings. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you're hidden, you're safe.

His gaze slowly turned towards Momo, boring into her with intensity.

—I'm telling you the same. Staying on the stairs waiting wasn't a strategy. It was indecision. And that indecision cost you.

Momo lowered her gaze even further at being used as an example of something wrong, her lips trembling slightly. The comment stung, but she knew it was true.

Hades, noticing this, couldn't help but smile at seeing her like that.

Returning to the group, Aizawa focused on Tenja Iida, who was sitting with his back perfectly straight, almost as if he was in military formation.

—Iida.

The boy stood up with immediate respect.

—Your performance was good. You have determination, discipline. Your fighting style is technical... although it needs polishing.

Iida nodded, not moving an inch.

—But beware of blind rectitude. The world out there rarely follows straight lines. If you cling to it too tightly... you'll break.

"Yes, sir," Iida replied, his tone firmer than he felt inside.

Finally, Aizawa's eyes shifted to Ochako, who was shifting restlessly in her seat. His thumb rubbed anxiously against her palm.

—Uraraka.

The girl jumped slightly when she heard her name.

"Your idea to use the weightless boxes to destabilize your opponents was clever. You put your gift to good use," he nodded, clearing his throat. "Good execution."

A sigh of relief almost escaped her lips.

"But remember," he interrupted, "just because someone floats doesn't mean they can't attack. Your strategy was good this time, but if you rely on that... you'll fall short."

Ochako nodded vigorously, her face showing a mixture of shy pride and determination.

Aizawa flipped through the last page of the report. His black eyes slowly scanned the names before he spoke.

—Ojiro. Tokoyami.

Both boys raised their heads. Ojiro was frowning; Tokoyami maintained his somber, serene gaze.

—They both became frustrated too quickly when they failed to find the bomb.

Ojiro looked away, embarrassed. Tokoyami just closed his eyes, acknowledging the point.

—Breaking through the frozen doors was a good attempt, but they let themselves be consumed by the anxiety of failure. They can't afford that in a real-life situation.

Aizawa looked at them without judgment, but firmly.

—Master your emotions. Or they will master you.

Ojiro nodded, his jaw clenched. Tokoyami tilted his head slightly, as if solemnly recording each word.

Then his eyes fell on Asui Tsuyu, who was calmly watching him, a finger touching her chin, as always.

—Asui.

"Ribbit," he replied in his usual neutral tone.

—Your idea of ​​taking the bomb with you while sneaking around was excellent. You showed good tactical vision and enviable stealth.

A faint glimmer of pride crossed his eyes, barely perceptible.

—However... you should have left the building directly. Any other route was unnecessarily risky.

Tokoyami and Ojiro's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing that.

They both looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, and a slight sigh of resignation escaped them as they imagined how the frog was passing right behind them without them noticing.

"Let it not happen again," Aizawa added, and Tsuyu nodded calmly.

Then, the room seemed to cool slightly as Aizawa looked up at the last member of the team.

—Todoroki.

Shoto raised his head slowly, his expression unchanged, but with tension in the air around him.

—Your command of the gift is superb. Precise. Controlled. A threat in itself.

For a moment, there was silence.

But Aizawa spoke again, this time with more weight in his voice:

—But if you choose to hold back fifty percent, not out of strategy, but out of fear or resentment... you're letting your talent rot.

The blow of those words fell like a stone on Todoroki, who looked down, clenching his fists tightly.

In his mind, the image of fire burned... the fire he had promised not to use. The fire he still hated.

His breathing tightened, but he said nothing.

Aizawa straightened, crossing his arms.

"This is a place to grow. Not to be locked away," he said, dropping the papers onto his desk with a barely perceptible sigh.

Her gaze lifted, serious, as her eyes began to glow with the characteristic red of her Quirk.

The aura in the classroom froze.

—The following activity—he began in a raspy, dry voice—will be crucial to the development of your classes as a group.

The students sat up straight. Some gulped, others crossed their arms or clenched their fists.

The silence was total.

Kaminari stiffened like a spring.

Momo, who had been hanging her head until now, swallowed hard as she raised her head.

"A pop quiz?" Mina murmured, on the edge of her seat.

Bakugo gritted his teeth, ready to stand up and shout that he was the best.

Hades, he got ready, ready to walk out the door.

Akemi, on the other hand, was relaxed, waiting for her master's words.

Aizawa blinked slowly, turning off his quirk.

—...They're going to elect the class president.

The entire classroom sighed in unison, as if someone had opened a pressure gate.

The relief was physical, but it was short-lived.

As if a spark had fallen into gunpowder, emotion exploded:

"I want to be president!" Mina shouted, raising both hands and jumping.

"I look great in a captain's sash!" Aoyama added, flashing his chest with a pose.

"I'll be a great president!" Jirou muttered, before shyly lowering her ears.

"That spot's mine!" Bakugo growled, already standing and clenching his fists.

Amidst the commotion, Hades tilted his head in confusion, frowning.

"President...? What the hell is that? A mortal king? A title of war?" he wondered quietly, crossing his arms.

But no one answered him. Everyone was too busy shouting.

Then, Iida, taking his position as the voice of reason, stood up from his seat with a firm gesture, raising his hand as if to begin a judgment.

"Classmates! This isn't just a popularity contest!" he declared, his voice clear and decisive. "Class president is a sacred position, a figure who represents the collective will of the class. It can't be decided by shouting!"

The classroom quieted down and several glances focused on him.

"I propose," he continued, adjusting his glasses, "that we follow a voting system. A democratic election, as it should be."

Tsuyu, with her usual calm, rolled her eyes at him.

"Ribbit. I don't think it'll work that well. We barely know each other. Everyone will vote for themselves," he said, sharply but sincerely.

Iida adjusted his glasses, a spark of conviction shining in his eyes.

—Don't underestimate class. Trust can be earned in the first few minutes if you prove yourself worthy of it.

Several girls looked at Akemi, who had a poorly concealed mischievous smile.

She was already quickly typing a message on her phone.

"Vote for the tsundere president!" the message read, along with a heart at the end. It was accompanied by a photo of Hades wearing the pink apron.

The message was sent to the group "Girls 1-A".

One after another, notifications began to be marked as read.

Akemi cleared her throat, raising her voice forcefully.

"I can take care of taking the vows and writing them down!" she said with a bright smile, phone already in hand and notebook ready in the other.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow, but didn't object.

"Make it quick," he said, bending down to get into his sleeping bag. "In the meantime... I'll catch up on a few hours of sleep..."

....

One by one, the students approached with their votes written on a piece of paper. She wrote them down in her notebook in firm, elegant handwriting.

After a few minutes, with a mischievous smile, he wrote on the board in large letters.

"Hades, Tsundere of the Pink Apron"

The letters were adorned with a pair of hearts at the ends. Some would even swear the "O" in "ROSE" looked like a small bow.

Hades frowned. From his seat at the back of the classroom, he couldn't quite read what the board said.

Between the distance and his presbyopia, only slightly blurred letters.

"What the...?" he muttered, and stood up from his seat somewhat awkwardly, squinting as he moved forward with his hands behind his back, trying to focus on the letters.

After getting closer, he was finally able to read it and remained silent for a second.

"...What the hell is this?" she frowned. "'Pink Apron Tsundere'? Who wrote that nonsense!"

"Me!" Akemi replied, without a trace of guilt, raising her hand. "You don't like it? I thought it was representative of your softer side."

Mina, Jirou and Hagakure giggled.

"And why did six of you vote for that?" he shouted, looking around. The aforementioned people shrugged or looked away.

"You look adorable when you're angry," Tsuyu murmured.

"And you cooked well," Akemi added, without looking up from her notebook.

Hades opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Not even Haruto dared to comment on anything in his head, ashamed of what had happened.

"This is a coup d'état," he finally muttered, defeated. "The mortal world is doomed."

Aizawa, from his sleeping bag, sentenced.

—The position is yours, Hades. Accept your destiny... Tsundere President of the Pink Apron.

The class erupted in laughter as Hades covered his face with one hand, silently cursing his existence.

....

"Second place..." Akemi continued in an innocent voice while Hades was still huffing and puffing in indignation. "Iida, with three votes."

Iida nodded solemnly, accepting the result even before the count was finished. Around him, some kids looked at him as a logical choice, but clearly the power of the image had won this time.

—And third place... Momo, with two votes —Akemi added.

Aizawa, sitting up but still buried in his scarf, muttered:

—So... Iida will be vice president.

....

Hades, still standing in front of the blackboard, his blood boiling with frustration, clenched his fists. The laughter slowly died away, but the gazes remained fixed on him like spears.

"Damn mortals..." he muttered under his breath, and without another word, he turned around and walked with heavy steps to his seat, as if he were carrying a burden on his back.

He collapsed into it, crossing his arms and staring at the desk with a dark aura floating around him.

Beside him, Momo looked at him out of the corner of her eye, a little sorry for him, but also genuinely curious about his reaction.

She leaned slightly towards him and, in a soft voice, said:

—Congratulations... President.

Hades shuddered. The word "president" was tolerable, but it was what followed that lit the spark.

—...Tsundere with a pink apron.

His head snapped up. His eyes narrowed, his face completely red.

"Don't... call me that... Momo," he growled through gritted teeth, looking at her with a mixture of humiliation and confusion.

She smiled for the first time all morning. Not because she was amused by his suffering, but because he had finally spoken to her after so long.

Not with hatred, not with contempt. Just... like an ashamed boy. Like a companion.

"Whatever you say... Hades of the pink apron," she whispered, with a slight laugh, enjoying seeing him vulnerable.

Across the classroom, Bakugo was grumbling with his arms crossed.

—Damn idiots... You're going to regret it. Who wants that guy as president?

His frown lifted slightly when he saw Akemi laughing with her phone in her hand.

He was about to ignore her when a ping alerted him to a message.

Upon opening it, a bright image filled the screen: Hades, wearing a pink apron embroidered with white roses, ladle in hand, his expression serious as if he were about to face a culinary war.

Bakugo blinked. And then, against all logic... he let out a laugh through his nose.

"Keh..." She quickly typed a laughing emoji and closed her phone, shaking her head with a mocking smile. "Now I get the apron thing."

Aizawa, who had been silently watching everything, crept out of his sleeping bag. His raspy voice echoed over the rising murmur.

"Good. Come forward, the... boy in the pink apron," he said without a hint of emotion. "And Iida, who came in second."

The laughter returned like a wave, as Hades covered his eyes with one hand, literally wishing the ground would open up.

Iida, on the other hand, stood up straight and firm, as if he had been appointed field general.

—Yes, Aizawa-sensei! It's an honor to represent the class as vice president!

Meanwhile, Hades was crawling on his feet with his dignity shattered, looking at Akemi with suppressed hatred, while she gave him a small victory gesture with her fingers in a "V".

Aizawa stood back up with his characteristic air of existential annoyance, although his eyes still showed a hint of joy.

His gaze briefly passed over Hades and Iida, then scanned the rest of the room, which was already beginning to catch its breath from laughing so much.

"All right, now listen carefully." His voice was deep, measured, and authoritative. "Being class president isn't just a pretty title to show off." He tilted his head from side to side. "It means representing your classmates before the teachers, making quick decisions when there's no direct supervision, organizing order and conduct during training and group activities." He stared at Hades, who was standing, forced to stand at attention by Iida. "You'll have to work alongside the teachers to relay announcements and ensure the group is aligned on its goals. In emergency situations, you'll be the first to react and protect the rest."

Aizawa crossed his arms and lowered his gaze slightly, letting his words hang in the air.

—You'll be in charge of looking after your colleagues. It's not just an administrative responsibility. It's a moral one.

Silence fell for a few seconds, and many students, even those who had taken everything as a joke, lowered their eyes with a certain seriousness.

Hades, on the other hand, snorted as if a royal cape had just been thrown over his shoulders.

He put a hand to his chest, puffed it out slightly, and announced with dramatic resignation:

"As a god... I will watch over the mortals who have come under my dominion." He raised his hand and pointed ahead. "This will be my reign!"

Iida looked at him slowly out of the corner of his eye. It literally seemed like a question mark was floating over his head.

His face twisted slightly in confusion.

—Was this guy serious?—he thought, before murmuring one of his doubts. —Reign...?

Aizawa decided to ignore Hades's strange theatrics, and gave a long yawn before continuing.

"That's all for now. You're free for the moment. Go eat, relax, or whatever you want. Just don't get into trouble... please," he finished, as if he knew that was asking too much.

As soon as Aizawa's unspoken freedom sounded, the chairs began to creak and murmurs grew like a small tide.

Hades, his dignity still patched up by divine pride, stepped down from the dais and walked straight towards Akemi, who was still smiling as she spoke to Mina.

"You..." he said, his tone stern. "Come with me. I must eat to reign properly."

Akemi blinked once and then smiled widely.

—Oh? Are you inviting me, Mr. Pink Apron President? How formal.

"I'm giving an order," he growled, although his face was still slightly flushed.

Bakugo, who was nearby, raised an eyebrow and, as if he had nothing better to do, pressed himself against them.

—Keh, I'm going too. I want to see how good taste the apron president has.

"Again with that...?" Hades muttered, but didn't object.

As they started moving, Mina, excited, instantly joined them, hooking onto Hades's arm.

—I want to know everything about the pink apron! Why does it look so good on you? Where did you get it?

Hades stared straight ahead as if she didn't exist. As if ignoring her would make her disappear.

Hagakure appeared out of nowhere, her uniform floating in the air.

—I'm going too! I'm hungry, and I don't plan on missing the presidential table!

Momo, with her calm gait, also integrated.

—I'll go with you. I'm interested in talking about strategies for maintaining order in the classroom, now that we have a president.

—You don't call me that, besides... —Hades began, looking at her out of the corner of his eye—. You're not welcome—

He tried to say, but was abruptly silenced by Haruto and a black whip.

"Of course you're welcome, Momo-chan!" Akemi exclaimed, letting go of the frowning boy.

Iida walked over quickly, adjusting his glasses.

—It would be a disgrace if the vice president were not to attend our first class leadership luncheon.

Hades simply nodded in resignation.

—I guess that's okay.

Tsuyu and Uraraka, who were talking among themselves near the exit, saw the group forming and naturally joined in as well.

"Shall we go with them?" Uraraka asked.

—Ribbit, yes. It'll definitely be interesting.

As everyone walked through the hallways toward the cafeteria, Akemi and Bakugo chatted animatedly about the pink apron photo, even planning to edit it with dramatic filters.

"We could put a flame background on it," Bakugo said, laughing.

"Or one of petals falling in slow motion!" Akemi replied, holding back laughter.

Hades only spoke to Iida, exchanging brief comments about leadership, trying to ignore that his nickname was already being immortalized by the entire group.

....

The UA cafeteria was large, with high ceilings and large windows that let in the midday light.

There was the smell of freshly cooked food in the air: hot noodles, rice, curry sauce, and something greasy and delicious that they quickly identified.

One by one, the students approached the bar to order their lunch.

Momo, to everyone's surprise, asked with all the confidence in the world:

—Double hamburger with fries and cola, please.

Bakugo, right behind, growled:

—Ultra-spicy curry. If it doesn't make me sweat, it's no good.

Akemi, smiling, already with the tray in her hands, replied:

—Katsudon for me. Classic, delicious, and comforting. Nothing else needed.

Tsuyu, Uraraka, Mina, Hagakure, and even Iida ordered a variety of dishes: yakisoba, tonkatsu, miso soup, steamed rice with salmon, or a mix of vegetables and tofu.

There was everything, and the kitchen seemed prepared to satisfy any taste.

Hades, at the end of the line, watched the dishes intently, but something stopped him.

The sight of Momo lifting a giant hamburger with both hands caught his attention almost instinctively.

His eyes narrowed.

—That... big sandwich. I want it.

The dining room manager blinked.

—Double hamburger?

—Yes. That... big thing.

The tray was handed to him, and Hades joined the group already seated around two tables pushed together.

Akemi, Mina, and Bakugo sat first, followed by Tsuyu and Uraraka.

Momo was already eating elegantly. Iida kept his back straight as if he were on a ceremony.

Hades sat next to Iida and across from Momo and placed his burger on the table for inspection.

Momo, surprised to see they had the same order, raised an eyebrow with a slight smile.

—Oh, do you like hamburgers too?

Hades gave him an indifferent look.

—It just caught my eye. It's like... a sandwich, but bigger.

Akemi laughed as she took a piece of katsudon.

—It's called a hamburger. It's very common, especially in fast food.

-I see...

"Haven't you tried one before, Hades-san?" Tsuyu asked, holding a piece of tofu with her chopsticks.

Hades shook his head. Then he lifted the burger, hesitated for a moment, and took a bite. He chewed slowly, as if evaluating it.

—Hmm...

Mina watched him from across the table, leaning slightly.

—And? The president's verdict?

—...Not bad... But above all... this is worthy of a god.

Akemi rolled her eyes as she dipped a piece of katsudon in sauce.

—For you, all meals are worthy of a god.

Iida, who had remained silent until then, intervened with his usual enthusiasm:

—Although not the most nutritionally balanced dish, hamburgers can provide carbohydrates, protein, and fat in a single meal! However, I don't recommend eating them frequently if we're looking to maintain an ideal diet for physical performance.

Momo, with a calm smile, commented while eating a potato chip:

—My Quirk requires a lot of calories. Creating objects from my body fat requires replenishing it with food. That's why I opt for high-calorie foods at certain times.

Iida nodded seriously.

—A very valid strategy, Yaoyorozu-san. We need energy according to our abilities. Very clever.

Then he looked at Hades.

—And you? Was your choice also for something similar?

Hades muttered, his mouth still somewhat full.

—I asked for it because it seemed interesting. Although... now that I think about it, my healing does use up quite a bit of stamina.

Akemi leaned her elbows on the table, holding her face in her hands.

—That makes sense. Recovery Girl said it before, but you need to recharge somehow, right? Especially if you regenerate through your stamina. Maybe your body converts calories into stamina.

"Hmpf," Hades grunted, taking another bite of his burger. "Then this 'great sandwich' will be part of my arsenal."

Mina burst out laughing.

—Arsenal of burgers! I love it!

"You could summon a hamburger-shaped bone one," Ochako said with a laugh.

Bakugo, who was chewing his curry as if it were a personal battle, grumbled:

—Tsk, don't even think about doing that. Hamburgers aren't worthy of combat. They're sacred.

Ochako commented softly:

—I like how everyone eats differently, but in the end we end up talking like we've been friends for a long time...

Tsuyu, with her calm tone, added:

—Ribbit. That's good. Food brings people together.

Iida, moved by the group's harmony, raised his glass of orange juice in a toast:

—To Class 1-A! May we eat together many times, between missions, training... and challenges.

Everyone followed suit, holding up their cups, chopsticks, or even potato chips as makeshift flags.

Hades, more by inertia than by will, raised his hamburger with a solemn air.

—By my reign! May it be long... and well fed.

The laughter was inevitable.

It was a common meal. But for many of them, especially Hades, it was the first time they'd shared something as simple as lunch with other people... and that made it special.

"I never thought this day would come..." Haruto murmured inside Hades's mind. "We finally have friends..."

—Don't get emotional, Haruto.

—But... I can't help it, after all, this is a big day!

....

The meal continued amid laughter and shared bites. After discussing burgers, the conversation naturally turned to the Quirks, now that they were more comfortable with each other.

Iida, with a lively gesture, raised the glass of orange juice.

"My Quirk depends a lot on my metabolism. My calf motors require vitamin C to function efficiently, so I drink a lot of orange juice," he added, adjusting his glasses. "I also use chewable supplements to make sure I don't run out of energy mid-run."

"So if you're short on juice... you stop?" Mina asked with a smile.

"Exactly!" Iida replied proudly, adjusting his glasses. "My mom makes them for me at home, and I always bring them with me!"

Akemi, stirring the rice a little with her chopstick, spoke calmly.

—I... I awakened my Quirk recently. Not that long ago... before—

BWAAAANNN! BWAAAANNN! BWAAAANNN!

A shrill alarm interrupted the sentence.

The emergency lights in the dining room began to flash red. The sound was high-pitched, urgent, like a warning piercing through bone.

Akemi froze.

A chill ran down his spine like an icy snake.

Her pupils constricted. Time seemed to slow down. Her breathing became shallow and labored.

That sound... I'd heard it before.

In his "other life." In the midst of chaos, in the midst of death.

Bakugo, who was standing next to her, glanced at her, noticing the immediate change, and frowned.

"Hey. Midoriya," she said firmly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Breathe. Hey, breathe."

But then, the stampede began.

Students running, pushing, screaming.

Tables and trays flew. Students shouted about a supposed attack.

No one knew what was happening, but fear spread like a virus. Some stumbled. Others pushed as if their lives depended on it.

Iida was pushed with such force that his body hit a dining room window, sliding to the side in a daze.

Momo, trying to stay standing, was dragged into the wave of bodies alongside Tsuyu and Hades, who struggled, frustrated, trying not to be dragged like the others.

Ochako was pushed close to Iida, while Bakugo tried to protect Akemi, covering her with his body, grunting from the elbows and shoves.

"Tsk! Move it, you damn extras!" he roared, but the sea of ​​people didn't stop.

Hades, surrounded, felt his fury growing.

It was like being in a human storm, pushed, pulled, out of control. The chaos was unbearable.

He tried to force his way in.

Then, between stumbles, he saw Iida levitating above the crowd, floating toward the front of the dining room as if he were a buoy in a violent ocean.

Beside her, Momo, her face covered in effort to stay upright, managed to pull out an emergency tool from her cleavage: a foldable megaphone that she created immediately.

She held it out to Hades, panting, as she was pushed away.

—T-here! Shout... over here! Use this!

Hades looked at him, frowning as if he were being handed an alien artifact.

—And what am I supposed to do with this thing?

"Shout!" she replied, receiving a small blow to her flank. "Do it that way, Hades!" she shrieked, pushed by a group that passed her.

Hades, snorting, brought the megaphone to his lips and roared:

—Calm down for once, you stupid mortals!

But... nothing. Nobody listened to him.

The sound was swallowed up by the collective roar of the stampede.

Then, an explosion shook the air.

BOOM!

Bakugo, losing his patience, had fired one of his blasts at the ceiling in an attempt to stop the commotion.

But it only had the opposite effect: the panic intensified. Some shouted "villains!" others began to run faster.

Iida, who had managed to get closer to the front, tried to raise his voice.

—Calm down! There are no villains! Follow evacuation protocol!

But nobody listened to him.

Everything was chaos.

And then... Hades, frustrated at being completely ignored, exploded.

His eyes flashed with a dark, primal fury.

Unconsciously, his left hand began to glow with the purple sphere and his veins pulsed with energy.

He gripped the megaphone tightly, climbed onto one of the tables, and let out a shout that needed no technology to resonate.

It was his voice. His soul. His very essence. And his aura exploded.

—Enough, mortal scum! I am Hades, god of the underworld! And I order you to shut up at once!

His voice boomed like thunder.

The windows rattled. The air seemed to thicken.

Some students stopped immediately, feeling a chill run down their spines. Others stopped out of pure instinct, without knowing why, as if a presence had paralyzed them.

The crowd froze. Even the sound of the sirens seemed to fade for a second.

The dining room fell silent.

All eyes turned to the dark-haired boy, standing on the table, enveloped in a heavy, dark, and majestic presence.

Taking advantage of the absolute silence that spread after Hades' scream, Iida raised his voice with energy:

"Comrades! This isn't an attack!" He pointed toward the windows. "I saw the paparazzi and journalists trying to break in through the entrance! That set off the alarm!"

A murmur instantly ran through the sea of ​​students.

Fear turned to annoyance. More than one sighed loudly. Others snorted.

"That's all it was!" someone in the background exclaimed.

—What a scare, man...!

—For a stupid interview?

The stampede gradually stopped, like a wave receding into the sea. One by one, they began to breathe again, smooth their clothes, and compose themselves.

Hades, still standing on the table, let his aura slowly fade away.

The dark orb quickly faded, as if it had never been there in the first place.

With disdain, he stepped down from the table, looking at everyone as mere mortals.

He walked towards Momo, who still had one hand extended to receive the megaphone.

"I won't appreciate it," he said, looking her straight in the eyes.

There was a moment of silence and strange that made her swallow.

Then he frowned sharply and turned away.

—...My burger, he muttered to himself.

With heavy steps, he returned to the place where he had been eating, hoping that... maybe... just maybe... his food was still there.

But... there it was.

On the ground.

Thrown open, with its ingredients everywhere, completely cold.

A slice of tomato began to slide like a slow tear down the bread.

"...Damn you," Hades muttered, clenching his fists. "I'm late..."

On the other hand, Akemi was still tightly clinging to Bakugo's uniform, her face against his chest, breathing heavily.

Her body was still shaking from the memory. From the anxiety. From the trauma.

Bakugo, grumbling, tried to act disinterested as he scratched his head and rubbed his side.

—Tch... those damn extras kept elbowing me. One almost broke my ankle. Stupid... if I wanted to exploit someone, now would be the time...

Akemi took a deep breath and finally let go of the fabric of her uniform. She slowly pulled away.

His expression was tired, but a small, warm smile appeared on his lips.

"Thank you, Kacchan..." he murmured sincerely.

Then he looked at the floor.

His katsudon was shattered.

The rice was scattered. The meat... far away. The sauce... in someone's backpack.

Sigh.

"You left me too..." she said, resigned.

....

Once calmed down, the group began to regroup, walking slowly down the hall toward the classroom to wait for classes to resume.

Mina was the first to speak:

—They hit me in the ribs. They literally hit me in the side with a tray!

"I... I felt someone try to touch me…" Momo said, her expression tense. "But he stopped just as Hades exploded."

"I was almost swallowed up by the wave of teenagers!" Hagakure exclaimed. "Literally! They pushed me away like I didn't exist!"

"Kero... I got pushed so hard I ended up sitting on a kid," Tsuyu said, massaging her shoulder.

"They slammed my torso into the window!" Iida said, still indignant. "It was a totally deplorable and disorganized display of student behavior. Emergency protocol should be followed to the letter! This was a disaster!"

"I tried to calm them down with an explosion!" Bakugo said, not noticing the flaw in his logic.

"And that didn't help, Bakugo," Uraraka snapped, touching her head. "I got slammed against the window because of you. My teeth hurt!"

Hades, walking among them with his arms crossed and a sour face, growled in a deep voice.

—My throat hurts... and I'm still hungry.

Akemi, at his side, turned her face towards him and said:

—Oh, right. The three bottles Recovery Girl gave you this morning, remember?

Hades blinked, remembering his location, and was silent for a second. Then he frowned.

"...They're in my backpack," he concluded, as a greenish light began to surround his throat.

—Kero, I was almost trampled, but Momo held me firm.

....

They walked in a group, complaining, supporting each other, letting out tired laughs and bitter jokes.

The hallway was long, quiet now, but not long enough to erase the recent mess.

Aizawa appeared in the background, walking like a lost soul, with his jacket over his shoulders and a dark-circled expression of eternal annoyance.

Seeing the group approach, his right eyebrow arched.

The girls were disheveled.

Mina had a completely erect tuft of hair like an antenna.

Tsuyu was adjusting a scarf while Hagakure tried to comb Momo's hair without success.

Akemi... well, her hair looked like a wild, untamable mess from the start, so technically, it was still the same.

Iida, on the other hand, had his uniform askew, one sleeve hanging out, his belt slightly loose, and his hair sweating to the sides.

Hades walked with a frown, his eyes shining with slight annoyance. Bakugo, at his side, equally grumpy, with a makeshift bandage in his hand and the smell of gunpowder floating in the air.

Aizawa sighed deeply and stopped them with his gaze.

"I heard Hades's voice coming from the entrance. I thought Hell was invading," he said, wiping his eye with his sleeve.

Hades raised an eyebrow, arms crossed.

—I wasn't screaming. I just... projected my divinity.

"I'm going to check the cameras," Aizawa continued, ignoring the comment. "I'll see who acted correctly. You guys..." He looked the group up and down. "I'll give you a bonus point for calming the situation."

A sigh of relief ran through the group.

Even Bakugo muttered a barely audible:

—tch... at least that's it.

"Now go to the classroom and stay there until further notice," he added, turning around to address the other students.

Down the hall, some minor injuries were seen sitting against the wall, while Recovery Girl arrived with small floating robots carrying bandages, IV bottles, and inflatable pillows.

...

In the classroom, the group had already sat down, sprawled out like war survivors. Across the room, several students were quietly eating their lunchboxes, away from the mess.

Kōda was taking onigiris out of his bento box, Kaminari was slurping ramen with chopsticks, his face peaceful.

For a moment... the entire group looked at them with a mixture of silence and envy.

"...They were saved from being crushed," Uraraka said, still rubbing her head.

"I want some ramen..." Mina murmured, lowering her head onto her desk.

....

As everyone sighed, Hades rummaged through his backpack until he found one of the bottles Recovery Girl had given him that morning.

The packaging design was childlike and colorful, with large letters and a drawing of a smiling strawberry.

He opened the lid with a click and took a sip.

His brow furrowed.

"...Why does everything that's supposed to help taste like I'm swallowing a marshmallow covered in jam?" he groaned, lowering the bottle to see the printed word: STRAWBERRY. In bold, glittery letters. "Damn it..."

"Well, I like it," Haruto commented, feeling the aftertaste in his mouth.

Akemi, sitting next to him, looked at the bottle with curiosity.

"Can I try?" she asked, leaning toward him slightly.

Hades extended it to her with a resigned gesture, as if to say, "Suffer with me."

Akemi took a sip and her eyes widened.

"What's this? It's like chewing on cotton candy sweetened with strawberry honey!" she said, surprised, but despite that... she smiled.

"I want to try," Momo said, a little shyly, reaching out her hand. "Maybe that will help me replenish calories more effectively..."

Akemi passed the bottle to her, and Momo drank carefully.

A second later, her eyes opened as wide as Akemi's.

—This... has enough calories to create at least six dense cannonballs! This is liquid gold!

Hades, who was still hungry, took the bottle from them without much preamble.

"That's enough. I didn't like it, but it belongs to me," he said, before downing the rest in one gulp.

Momo, still holding the bottle from her lips, stared at him. She brought her hand to her mouth, blushing slightly.

"Was that... an indirect kiss?" he thought, his gaze flickering for a moment.

Hades, meanwhile, left her on the desk with a look of disgust, but her breathing was regulating and a warm energy was beginning to flow through her body.

The areas around his neck where he had screamed too much had healed completely, and he didn't feel as sleepy.

Still, he sighed.

—...I still hate strawberries.

"Well, I liked it," Akemi said, still smiling.

"It gave me back my calories," Momo said, still blushing.

"I got thirsty," Bakugo added from his seat, in a bad mood.

"I felt like going to sleep," Mina said, lying on her bench.

Iida, for his part, was already trying to fix his tie backwards.

Calm had returned.

The classroom was completely silent when the door slammed open.

Aizawa walked in, his face hard as a sullen stone, his eyes narrowed, and his hair a little more disheveled than usual.

His gaze scanned the classroom. Everyone was in their respective places, sitting, silent.

"Classes..." he began in a scratchy tone, "are canceled for the rest of the day."

There was a slight general murmur, but no one celebrated out loud. The atmosphere remained tense.

"The infiltration of the press is something that shouldn't have happened, and those responsible are already being removed by security," he continued, rubbing his hand over his forehead in exasperation. "You can go home. Don't get into trouble."

And with that, without even waiting for questions, Aizawa turned around and left the same way he came in: with a sour face.

One by one, the students began to stand up, grabbing backpacks, coats, half-empty lunchboxes.

Some nodded to each other, others muttered under their breath how stressful the whole day had been.

Hades calmly closed his backpack, his fingers pausing for a moment as he touched the empty bottle.

He looked at it for a split second, then put it away with the same stoicism with which someone buries an unnecessary anecdote.

"Strange day," he said quietly to himself.

"I think the same," Haruto added.

Then, a soft but determined voice interrupted their moment.

"I'll take you," Akemi said, appearing at his side as if she had been there forever.

Hades nodded wordlessly, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as Akemi walked beside him, both of them leaving the classroom through the half-empty hallway.

Outside, the air was cooler than expected.

There were clouds gathering in the sky, and the breeze had that scent of metal and leaves that announces that rain could fall at any moment.

They walked for a few seconds in silence.

Akemi kept her eyes straight ahead, her arms crossed, but her gaze trembled slightly.

"Tomorrow..." he began, breaking the silence, "we have to be ready. We can't afford to improvise, not this time."

Hades tilted his head, looking at her curiously, still not saying anything.

"The Nomu..." she continued. "He won't be like the villains we've faced before."

The tone of his voice was firm. Too firm. As if he was forcing himself to sound that way.

But inside...

A knot tightened in his chest. A voice screamed in the back of his mind that things could get out of control like before. That he could lose everyone again. That even if he did everything right, someone could die.

His hand shook a little, but he put it in his pocket to hide it.

"We have to come up with a strategy. I don't know if that'll work, but... we have to try," she said, turning around, staring at the boy. "Can I count on you?" she asked, looking him straight in the eyes.

Hades stared at her and smiled widely.

"Count me in," he said without hesitation.

Akemi nodded, and resumed her pace.

—So... let's begin.

....

TO BE CONTINUED.