Hello! I'm Midoriya Souko—a beauty so stunning I could topple nations, everyone's super idol, and future recipient of the People's Honor Award. Teehee!
After various circumstances, I'm currently taking a leisurely cruise on a boat floating in a large puddle. No wind, calm water surface. Lots of fish. Oh, one just jumped.
If I had a drink, this would be perfect, but all I have on hand is a grape-headed pervert. Oh, and my companion Frog Girl too. Ufufu.
"Midoriya, this isn't the time to smile to yourself."
While I was enjoying the view in a good mood, Frog Girl—I mean, Tsuyu—spoke to me. Grape tried to escape at my feet, so I stepped on him. Grind grind.
"Hah, hah, Midoriya! This isn't the time for this! Thank you so much!"
"Midoriya, let go of Mineta already. More importantly, let's think about what to do in this situation."
The current situation is actually really bad.
Because the fish surrounding the boat aren't just fish—they're thugs pretending to be fish. And they're all water-type specialists.
If Kaminari were here, I'd aim for electrocution, but what I have on hand is Grape, Frog, and Yoga Flame. This is bad—terrible compatibility. What should I do? Can my arms stretch? Nope, they can't.
After being hit by Black Mist and suddenly finding myself thrown above this puddle, Tsuyu saved me and I ended up on this boat. Grape got caught up in it too. Despite the situation, Grape tried to sexually harass me, so I stomped on him. When I said something like "Squeal, you pig," he got super excited. What a pervert.
"For now, we can either run, fight, or kill. Let's start by choosing."
"As someone aiming to be a hero and as a citizen, you can't kill, Midoriya."
"So if it's an accident, it's okay?"
"Accidents aren't okay either."
Accidents weren't okay either.
"I was thinking of dumping the boat's fuel into the water and burning everything."
"It's scary that you casually think of things like that. Midoriya, have you really not done something in the past?"
"Are we still on that topic? How much do you doubt me?"
"Because you keep saying things like that."
Hmm, even if you say that...
If they came up on land, it'd be different, but there's not much I can do in the current situation.
If it were hand-to-hand combat, I wouldn't feel like losing though.
"Throw the boat's electronics into the water and aim for death by electrocution."
"Electrocution is one thing, but death is not okay."
"But I can't adjust it that precisely, you know?"
"Then let's think of another method."
That's an impossible game.
I've thought this for a while, but heroes are at a huge disadvantage. Criminal groups can kill, escape, or take hostages—anything goes to break through a situation. But heroes only have the option of neutralization.
This is why heroes...
"Hey, Midoriya. That person said they'd kill All Might."
"Hm?"
Tsuyu suddenly started talking about All Might.
Are you a fan? You're a fan too? Then be nice to Kacchan. That kid has no friends. Oh wait, that's not it, it's not that kind of vibe. What's up?
"Everyone knows about All Might, obviously. The heroes, and us—"
"I didn't know about him."
"Don't interrupt, Midoriya. Going back to what I was saying, everyone knows about All Might. That includes villains. Even though they should fear him more than anyone, they came here. Knowing All Might would be here."
I understood what Tsuyu was trying to say.
"Those guys are complete idiots...!"
"Or they've figured out how to kill him."
Oh, that way.
I thought it was one or the other!
Really! Don't doubt me. Don't look at me with those doubting eyes.
"Well, those types only pick fights they can win."
"If anything, you're more on the thug side, Midoriya. You'd understand their feelings better."
"Does Tsuyu actually hate me?"
"I just say whatever I'm thinking."
While talking with Tsuyu, Grape started crying.
"Why are you talking so calmly, you idiots?! They might be able to take down All Might! In that case, stop talking about defeating them and just stay quiet! U.A.'s heroes will come right— Thank you so much!"
"Mineta, you're ruining the mood."
I think while stepping on Grape.
First, waiting quietly is out of the question.
The longer time passes, the more advantageous it becomes for those water types. The best option would be to change the field—I mean the playing field—but even if we tried to escape, the distance is too far. If I abandoned Grape and had Tsuyu carry only me, it's not impossible, but my conscience would... not hurt at all. Whatever.
"Grape, can I leave you behind?"
"Midoriya!? Seriously!? You're leaving me behind!?"
"If it's just me, Tsuyu could probably get me to shore. If I can just get on land, I can definitely beat those guys to a pulp, so what do you think?"
"You're abandoning me!?"
"I'm abandoning you!"
"Don't say it so confidently! Th-thank you so much!"
He's noisy, so I grind my heel into him.
Grape thanks me when I do this, so I think this is fine.
When I sent Tsuyu a look to carry me, she shook her head.
"I can't do that, Midoriya. We can't leave Mineta behind."
"We'd just leave him for a bit—just a little bit. Really just a little, just the tip."
"That's the least trustworthy phrase in the world."
Tsuyu's surprisingly stubborn.
It might be about being a hero or whatever, or maybe it's just her personality.
But you know, they might not realize this, but our lives are on the line. Right now.
"We're at a crossroads, Tsuyu. Life or death."
"I know. But I still can't."
"You don't understand, Tsuyu. If we don't move now, we'll die, you know? We don't know what they'll do to us."
The only one effective in water is Tsuyu.
That Tsuyu has zero combat ability.
I'm the only one who can fight, but I'm useless in water.
Grape is useless.
If that's the case, the choices available are practically nonexistent.
"Still, I can't. We need to think about how we all survive."
Tsuyu's stubborn as hell.
Well, that's why she chose to be a hero, I guess.
Sigh, fine then.
"Then let's fish."
"Fish?"
"Yep, fish."
I don't know if it'll work, but there don't seem to be any other options.
"Let me show you why I'm called Grander Souko!"
"I've never called you that."
◇◇◇
I've been watching the student named Midoriya Souko ever since enrollment.
She was pretty, but more than that, she stood out because she was different from everyone else.
Her classroom attitude was the worst.
From day one, she pulled a massive late arrival by showing up at lunch, and she basically either sleeps during class or messes with Bakugo. Sometimes when I think she's seriously looking at her textbook, she's earnestly doodling.
Unserious.
Delinquent.
She was the type those words suited.
But despite that, she was always in the center of everyone's circle.
Her mouth was a bit crude, but she talked casually to everyone, and for better or worse, she didn't change her attitude based on the person. Though the degree of teasing varied.
I hadn't talked to her much, but during this class when I had the opportunity, I spoke to her. She was exactly as I imagined. Her mouth was a bit crude, but she wasn't a bad person at all. Though her mouth was crude.
That's why I was shocked.
When Midoriya said on the boat that she'd "leave Mineta behind." The gentle image I had up until then shattered, and I felt contempt. I understood Midoriya said it after considering the situation, but I still couldn't do it. So I said, "That's not okay" and "We need to think about how we all survive."
They were childish words.
I understood that better than anyone.
The situation was terrible and we had almost no moves to make.
Midoriya's words were probably right.
I didn't come up with even one idea like Midoriya did—I just threw a tantrum. The worst.
Yet Midoriya just smiled like she was troubled.
She didn't seem exasperated at my words.
Then Midoriya said:
"Let's fish."
I didn't understand what she meant.
But I understood that she didn't laugh at my words.
She understood the situation, and even so, she thought of a way for all of us to survive.
"For that, I'm gonna need your help, you two."
And Midoriya believed in my abilities.
I understood then.
I admired her.
I wanted to become a hero, so I studied a lot.
I wasn't particularly outstanding, so other things fell by the wayside, and being bad at talking, I gradually became isolated. I don't regret it because it was necessary to become a hero. I made precious friends along the way.
But I still felt lonely.
So I thought when I came to U.A., I'd make lots of friends.
That's why I admired her.
Midoriya, who could be with everyone without letting anything go like I did.
And I was a little jealous.
Of Midoriya, who had what I wanted so naturally, without trying like I did.
But that was wrong too.
Midoriya just put effort in a different direction.
Not effort to become a hero or effort to get good grades. Not things like that.
Midoriya was probably—
"Midoriya, leave it to me. I'll help with anything I can do. —So let's all survive together."
At my words, Midoriya smiled.
And she gave me a powerful thumbs up.
"Leave it to me! I'll mow down every last one of them! Wahaha!"
"Only their consciousness, you can only mow down their consciousness."
***
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