Chapter 22: Boot Camp (3)
"Tougher Hardhead!" I shouted as I smacked Kirishima with a shovel and sent him flying. With a simple twirl, I spun the shovel around and smacked Bakugo who tried to sneak attack me. "Is that all you pansy-asses got?" I shouted as I knocked Kirishima back once again.
"Like hell!!" Bakugo shouted as he charged me again, going for a roundhouse kick followed by a blast.
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I dodged both attacks with ease and even used Kirishima to tank several blasts after a while of fighting them. Once they hit the thirty-minute mark of our spar, they started to tire out. It wasn't that hard to knock them out with ease after that. Aizawa and the Pussycats just looked on in boredom as they watched me battle the students of both classes for the last six hours.
While at first, they were surprised at how long I could go in a fight, but then it grew monotonous after the first three hours. I didn't blame them, no matter how they came at me, they did it in very telegraphed attacks. After all the students were worn out from the fights, we gave them a break for the day.
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"Well, that was a good warm-up!" I cheerily said as I dragged Bakugo and Kirishima over to the still-stunned students.
"I rather not see what a workout is for you..." Mandalay whispered to Pixie-bob who nodded.
"Enough playing around," Aizawa stated as he got the students standing. "We'll be cutting the training here for today. As you all saw, this is the point where we want you to reach," He said as he pointed at me. "Even getting to his baseline during this trip would be a massive success. As of right now, just surviving thirty minutes is already a win. Only a few of you managed even to make it there."
"Don't be discouraged!" Tiger shouted, "He's just a freak." Tiger said as he pointed a thumb at me.
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Ow. He's not wrong, but, ow. My feelings.
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"Anyway," I spoke up, ignoring that comment. "It's around 4:30 pm right now. So start marching back towards the camp. Dinner should be prepared."
"Yes, Sir!" The students chorused and started walking.
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x-x-x-x-x
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"I lied," I said as the students looked at me with hate in their eyes when they found out they had to make their own dinner.
"Asshole!" They shouted at me, causing me to chuckle.
"Get to it," I called out as I went over to an unlit campfire spot.
"What are you doing?" Aizawa asked after ordering the student to make their own dinner.
"Making my dinner," I answered as I pulled out a lighter and lit the campfire.
"There will be more than enough after the students make theirs," Aizawa told me.
"I know, but I bought some beef and want to see how it compares to Brahmin," I stated as I poked the flames with a stick. Seeing as it wasn't catching, I pulled some [Flamer Fuel] out and poured it onto the fire.
"You're still going on about that?" He asked as I set a grill above the flames.
"Yes," Is all I said before pulling out aluminum foil and covering the grill with it.
"I swear," Aizawa said before muttering something I didn't hear.
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I ignored him and began to get my beef out of my [Pip-boy] along with seasonings. Seeing as I bought three beef steaks, I threw one onto the gill without any seasonings, one with just salt and pepper, and the last one had a rub down of a blend I found. The smell of the grilling steaks soon wafted throughout the clearing as the students made their dinner, curry. Aizawa, who had gone back to watch over the students, came rushing over when he smelt the steaks being cooked.
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"How did you get those?!" He all but shouted at me, causing me confusion.
"I bought them?" I asked.
"Do you know what you bought!?" He asked as everyone was starting to look over at us. Some even salivating at the smell alone.
"I don't know," I said before looking at the packaging. "Ahh, Wagyu beef steaks?"
"That kind of thing is worth 13,000 yen (100$) per pound!" He shouted at me.
"So...," I realized what he was going on about. "You want some?"
"I do!" Everyone else shouted as the steaks continued to sizzle and cook.
"Too bad."
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After dinner, which was a whole affair, the students hit the showers and headed off to bed. While the students slept, Aizawa, Vlad King, the Pussycats, and I held a short conference about where the students were in terms of progress. Aizawa and Vlad were surprised at how well they were doing. The Pussycats, however, were worried that they might overextend themselves if we pushed them too far. Me being me, stated that they had a long way to go before they were ready.
Tiger argued that they weren't here to become murderers. Aizawa stopped me from saying a thing with his hand and countered Tiger with that they were here to become heroes. I wanted to say a few things but I could see that it would only start a fight between me and Tiger. While I had my own thoughts about the matter of the students, I kept them quiet as I rather just get this done and go to bed. Around ten o'clock, the meeting adjourned and we went off to bed.
As I walked by a window, I caught sight of a dark figure moving through the woods. Seeing this, I hopped out the window and chased after it with my gun drawn.
Little did I know, Aizawa saw me and sent an alert to Nezu.
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x-x-x-x-x
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(??? POV)
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As always, that bastard is perceptive. As I ran, I could feel him following me with ease. Knowing that I couldn't outlast his endurance, I called that mist freak with the pager I was given. Minutes later, I ran to the spot I needed to be picked up. As I panted for breath, a dark vortex opened up and swallowed me. I then appeared inside a dimly lit bar with that mist freak by my side.
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"Thank you, Kurogiri," I spoke up, keeping my voice level.
"You're welcome," The freak said as he walked behind the bar counter and began to wipe out a glass.
"Were you spotted?" Ahh, the hand freak, I heard as I looked in the direction of the voice. Shigaraki, I believe his name was.
"No, I managed to keep out of eyesight," I lied as I stood up.
"What about the Courier you mentioned?" Shigaraki demanded, the damned man-child.
"He caught wind of someone watching them, but I managed to escape before he spotted me," By Caesar, I want to take his head as a trophy.
"You almost ruined the plan before it started!" The man-child shouted before scratching his neck.
"Now, now," A voice reverberated throughout the bar from a computer screen. "He did well for someone of his skill. After all, the Courier is someone abnormal even in our times."
"Leader," I spoke in a monotone voice, after all, he had enslaved me with his quirk.
"Now, Vulpes," He spoke to me, "Are you sure this plan of yours will work on him?"
"Yes," I answered without the venom I felt lacing my words, "As long as we confront him when his anger drives him, he will forgo any sort of plan," I told him, 'That is if he hasn't changed over the years.'
"Good," The speakers whispered. "Good."
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x-x-x-x-x
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Just fucking great. I lost the fucker that was watching the camp. If Boone was here, he'll have my head. I sighed as I felt my anger trying to sway my mind, and I have a feeling why. There were very few that could outrun me back at the Mojave. Most of them were part of the Legion while the others were dead. And the signs left by the spy were that of an experienced Legion Scout. Almost nothing was displaced or disturbed, even in a forest like the camp. I just hope that whoever it was, wasn't someone I couldn't handle.
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{Third day}
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"Alright, maggots!" I shouted at classes 1-A and 1-B. "Today, we'll be working on your cardio!"
"Your stamina is important for any decent Hero," Aizawa stated as he smacked Kirishima awake with his capture cloth. "One of the reasons the top pro Heroes are at the top is their stamina and how well they use their quirks. If you want to surpass them, you must understand your baseline and break it past it."
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After our introduction to the third day of training, Pixie-bob used her quirk to make a challenging obstacle course that they started running. As they ran Aizawa barked orders and explained how their quirks relied on them and their skill. They responded as they ran, climbed, slid, and crawled through the course. Minutes later, Pixie-bob rearranged the course. This continued as the day went on with Mandalay, Tiger, and Ragdoll doing their best to make it harder on the students.
I, being the supportive teacher I was, shot at them with rubber bullets. Purposely aiming just before them and behind them whenever they started to slow down. This went on till lunch when they were given a reprieve and were given something to eat. Of course, they had to make it themselves. As they rested, Aizawa started telling them how close they were to failing or passing. Some were surprised they either did so well or were depressed at how badly they did. As they were being told, I kept an eye on a few students that did the worst. Those in question are a total of ten students from both classes A and B.
I sighed, knowing that Aizawa's remedial lessons are harsh. And the students that were stuck doing them had less time to sleep. I didn't pity them. That and the stupid thing that they wanted to do tonight.
A dumb test of courage.
As for why? It was to reward the students for how well they were doing in their training. I was highly against doing it in the middle of the week but relented after they agreed to up the training afterward.
But my sixth sense was telling me to prepare for trouble. Shit, tonight is gonna be hell, isn't it?
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{Day three: Night}
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"Our stomachs are full and the dishes are clean! Up next is..." Pixie-bob exclaimed.
"The test of courage!" Mina shouted out, getting the students pumped up and excited.
"Before that, and it pains me to say this," Aizawa interrupted their excitement, "I'm afraid the remedial group will be having a lesson right now."
"NO WAY!" The remedial group shouted in outrage.
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As the remedial group was forced to go study, I couldn't help but notice that the night song was gone. No crickets, nothing. It was enough to spook me into raising my guard and eye the tree line. That's when I saw it, mass movement in the dark.
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"Aizawa!" I shouted as I pulled out my .357 and fired off into the treeline.
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Aizawa and the Pussycats sprang into action as all the students were regrouped and guarded. The Pussycats looked out into the treeline where I shot. After a few minutes, Tiger went to say something about me being wrong when from out of the treeline came a group of ten people. I cursed when I saw how there were more hiding in the treeline, just out of sight. From what I could tell, there were at least twenty or so people in total.
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"Greetings, UA Academy!" Shouted a reptilian man. "We are the League of Villains-"
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That was all I needed to know. I didn't hesitate to shoot to kill and targeted what appeared to be the leader of the group, the reptilian man. But as soon as I shot, the man swung a large sword made up of other blades, straps, and belts. With his ability, he blocked the bullet with ease.
Well, shit.