For Those Who Recognise This Chapter, Make Sure To Reread It.
....
[U.A. DEVELOPMENT STUDIO – MORNING]
The studio sat near the east wing, tucked between two labs. Most students didn't even know it existed. The sign outside read "Prototype and Design Access – Authorized Entry Only."
Inside, the smell hit him first—metal dust, ozone, and machine oil. Rows of workbenches lined the walls, scattered with spare joints, polished tools, and half-assembled drones. Mechanical arms hummed overhead, sorting components.
A few development students were already at work, focused on their terminals.
Yuta stepped through the doorway and immediately felt out of place.
A girl with goggles and pink hair was arguing loudly with a drill press. Another student was testing what looked like a backpack-mounted flamethrower. Someone yelled "CLEAR!" and an explosion of purple smoke filled the back corner.
Nobody screamed.
Nobody even looked.
'This place needs a safety inspector. Or an exorcist.'
He made his way past the chaos, scanning for someone who looked like they knew what they were doing.
Near the center desk sat a short, stocky figure in a yellow hard hat and work gloves, flipping through blueprints.
Power Loader.
The Development Studio supervisor and one of U.A.'s more practical faculty members. Also, coincidentally, the person Yuta needed to not piss off today.
Yuta approached carefully.
"Excuse me, sir?"
Power Loader glanced up. His yellow visor reflected the overhead lights. "Yes?"
"I'm here to submit a support gear request for the Sports Festival."
Power Loader leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. "Name and class?"
"Yuta Akutami. General Studies, Class 1-D."
The visor tilted slightly—subtle interest, maybe suspicion.
"General Studies, huh?" Power Loader's tone wasn't dismissive, just mildly surprised. "You planning to transfer into the Hero Course?"
"That's the goal."
"Good answer." He gestured toward a clipboard on the desk. "Fill that out. Include quirk details, item specifications, and reason for request. Be specific. If it's vague, it gets rejected."
Yuta picked up the clipboard and scanned the form.
SUPPORT GEAR REQUEST FORM – U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL
Student Name:
Class:
Quirk Name:
Quirk Description:
Requested Items:
Reason for Request:
Safety Justification:
He pulled out a pen and started writing.
STUDENT NAME: Yuta Akutami
CLASS: 1-D (General Studies)
QUIRK NAME: Enhanced Control
QUIRK DESCRIPTION: Object manipulation via physical contact. User can mark objects with kanji and control them telekinetically within a variable range. Precision and range improve with focus and stamina.
REQUESTED ITEMS
1. 25 aluminum palm-plates (~18–20 cm, 2–3 mm thick, lightweight with reinforced cores)
2. 15 dulled kunai (~20–25 cm, blunted tips, rubberized grips)
3. 20 dulled shuriken (~10–12 cm diameter, rounded edges, rubberized rims)
1 capture cloth (4–5 m, synthetic fiber, fire-resistant)
REASON FOR REQUEST:
My quirk requires physical objects to function. Without external items to manipulate, I have no offensive or defensive options. The requested gear provides safe, non-lethal tools I can control effectively during the festival.
SAFETY JUSTIFICATION:
All items are dulled, blunted, or otherwise modified to eliminate lethal risk. The capture cloth is standard restraint equipment used by Pro Heroes. These tools allow me to demonstrate my quirk's potential without endangering other students.
__
He reread it once, made sure nothing sounded too aggressive, and set the pen down.
Then he pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his pocket—a handwritten letter he'd drafted last night.
He clipped it to the form.
__
To: Power Loader, Development Studio Supervisor
Re: Support Gear Request – Yuta Akutami
Sir,
I understand that support gear regulations exist to maintain fairness and safety during the Sports Festival. I respect that completely.
However, I would like to clarify that my quirk is fundamentally non-functional without physical objects to manipulate. I'm not asking for performance enhancements—I'm asking for the bare minimum tools required to participate meaningfully.
The items I've requested are all dulled, blunted, or otherwise modified for training use. They pose no greater risk than standard Hero Course equipment already approved for combat exercises.
If this request is denied, I will be forced to work with whatever objects are available in my immediate environment—desks, chairs, loose stones, or potentially sharp kitchen utensils from home.
I would prefer to avoid that scenario, both for my safety and the safety of my classmates.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Yuta Akutami
Class 1-D
__
Yuta clipped the letter neatly to the form and slid the clipboard back across the desk.
Power Loader picked it up without a word.
He read the form first. His expression didn't change.
Then he flipped to the letter.
Five seconds in, his visor tilted slightly.
Ten seconds, and his mouth twitched.
Fifteen seconds, and he set the clipboard down very carefully.
"Kid," he said, voice flat, "did you just imply you'd use kitchen utensils as improvised combat tools if this gets rejected?"
"No, sir," Yuta replied calmly. "I stated a hypothetical safety risk."
Power Loader stared at him.
Yuta didn't blink.
Behind them, someone's jetpack misfired and slammed into a ceiling beam. Nobody reacted.
Power Loader exhaled slowly through his nose.
"Kid."
"Yes, sir?"
"This is either the most reasonable or the most unhinged request I've seen this month."
"I prefer to think of it as practical."
"…Kid. I can't approve this."
Yuta blinked. "Is something wrong with the request?"
"No," Power Loader said slowly. "Technically it fits under quirk-dependent tool allowances. The items are non-lethal. Your reasoning is detailed. Even your letter—while vaguely threatening—covers the bases."
"Then—?"
"I'm not the one who approves Sports Festival gear." Power Loader tapped the clipboard. "This goes to the Quirk Equipment Oversight Committee. They'll review it. I'll send it in now. You should get an answer by early afternoon." He paused. "Don't get your hopes too high. They reject half the Hero Course requests."
"I understand."
"Good. In the meantime, do not sharpen kitchen knives."
"That was never my plan."
"Still saying it out loud."
He stamped the intake slip and waved Yuta off.
"Come back when you're called."
Yuta bowed slightly and escaped before the studio exploded again.
__
[THREE HOURS LATER — SUPPORT COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT]
"Student Yuta Akutami of Class 1-D," the PA system chirped, "please report to Development Studio Room A. Your support gear request has been reviewed."
The voice was disturbingly cheerful.
Yuta's stomach sank.
Good news was never announced in that tone.
When he arrived, the room was unusually quiet.
Power Loader stood behind the desk.
And beside him—
"Good afternoon, Yuta!"
Nezu waved cheerfully, tail swishing, eyes bright enough to cut steel. The small mammal sipped tea from a floral cup, smiling like he'd been waiting all morning for this scene to occur.
Yuta's stomach sank even further.
"That was fast," he said carefully.
"Oh yes! Your application was quite interesting. We prioritized it."
Power Loader didn't speak. Which was worrying.
Nezu set the teacup down with a bright clink.
"Now then! Let's discuss your support gear request!"
Yuta inhaled. "Was it approved—?"
"Nope!" Nezu held up the clipboard — now stamped with a large, unmistakable red mark:
REJECTED.
Yuta kept his expression neutral. "May I know the reason?"
"But of course!" Nezu beamed. "There are several."
He lifted one paw.
"First — necessity."
"You see, the U.A. Sports Festival is a test of individual ability, not external equipment. Hero Course students may use support gear only if it is registered as part of their quirk function, while support course students can use anything they make themselves. General Studies students, however, are subject to the same restrictions as the hero course. To be fair!"
"U.A was informed of your accident several days ago. Your police statement regarding the incident was reviewed by the committee. Fascinating reading! You described evading rapidly shifting terrain, dodging debris under pressure, and maintaining spatial awareness while injured."
Nezu tilted his head.
"Such demonstrated agility calls into question whether you require tools to function in a combat environment. In fact, you performed quite impressively without any."
Yuta's jaw twitched.
Nezu lifted his second paw.
"Second — categorization."
"Your quirk involves object manipulation. A form of tactile-initiated telekinesis! The committee determined that this does not inherently require specialized weapons to participate in the Festival."
"And third—"
Nezu smiled wider.
"—precedent."
"We must ensure fairness. If a General Studies student requests bladed tools, even modified ones, then other students with similar quirks may attempt the same. We cannot open that door right before the Sports Festival."
He folded his paws neatly.
"So, combined with your previous performance, the conclusion was simple!"
Nezu's voice remained bright, cheerful, mercilessly final:
"You don't need the equipment."
Yuta inhaled slowly.
"…I see."
"Oh, don't feel discouraged," Nezu added. "Your creative approach was delightful! Truly one of the more entertaining submissions I've seen this year."
Yuta bowed slightly.
"Thank you for informing me."
"You're very welcome! Good luck at the Festival," Nezu chirped. "Creativity thrives under limitation. I'm sure you'll perform wonderfully with whatever you can legally use on the field!"
Yuta inhaled once.
Deeply.
"…Understood, sir."
"Splendid. Do your best without stabbing anyone!"
Yuta blinked. "…I wasn't planning to stab anyone."
"Perfect. I'll be rooting for you."
Nezu hopped off the stool.
"Goodbye now. I have six more forms and an explosion report to review."
They watched as he moved out the exit.
Finally, power loader broke the silence.
"It was a good request. Surprisingly sane, compared to most I get." Power Loader scratched the back of his head. "But management signs off on Festival gear, not me. You'll have to improvise."
Yuta nodded slowly.
"Yeah. I figured."
He turned toward the exit.
Plan C: Acquire Support Gear.
Rejected.
Time for plan D then.
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