Chapter 6: The Desert's Mirage

Somewhere inside a hidden alley, a part of the ground suddenly disintegrate, opening up a gaping hole connected to the underground.

Two figures slowly appear, being carried up by a sand pillar akin to an elevator.

The afternoon sun illuminated the figures, revealing a teen boy and an office lady, who walked away from the elevator. Behind them, the hole slowly close, erasing all trace of what happened here, saves for a circular trace of slightly different hue on the ground.

The boy, Kyoya, is deep in thought. Like a competent secretary, the avatar silently trailed behind him, letting Kyoya contemplate what has happened just now.

"Hey, me. Or rather, what's your name actually?" Kyoya asked, breaking the silence.

"Chiharu," the avatar replied, her tone indifferent.

Kyoya hesitated for a while before finally opened his mouth.

"You... are not really 'me' now, aren't you?"

Glancing at the boy, Chiharu raised her brow. Though, she understands where he is coming from.

"It's not just me," Chiharu said, before pausing to find a proper explanation. "You probably didn't notice since you rarely meet us face-to-face after we are summoned but... plenty of us changed to better execute your order."

Seeing that Kyoya is not responding, Chiharu slowly continues her explanation.

"Your old martial art, Krav Maga, is currently being practiced by #17. He doesn't even have a name. And unlike you, or the rest of us, he doesn't mind at all," she said, remembering one of her 'comrade'. "Everyone who gets the order to integrate into society has their own names they chose themselves. And they loved their name."

Listening to her, Kyoya slowly mutters, "...So they have 'individuality', is it?"

Chiharu nodded. Then, she lightly adds, "Whatever happens, they still do that to execute your order. I don't think some weird things like rebellion can happen."

A small chuckle escaped from Kyoya's lips.

"Rebellion, huh. You know I'm not worried about that."

"It's a joke," Chiharu pouted. "But, yes. Your avatar, they have their own life. Most of them, at least," she said. Slowly, her eyes narrowed, "You are not saying that you won't absorb them out of pity or something, right?"

Letting out a sigh, Kyoya waved his hand.

"Nah. I expected as much when I made that wish. Why do you think some of them are thrown into a cave or underground right after they are summoned?" Kyoya denied, though he hesitantly continued in a much smaller voice. "I just didn't expect it to appears this quickly. 'Individuality', that is."

"No worry. In fact, I think their individuality is coming from your acting talent." Letting out a small snort, she added, "Knowing you, I bet you truly 'love' your new sister now, ain't you?"

Remembering his sister, Kyoya inadvertently let out a smile.

"You don't understand," Kyoya slowly shook his head. "She's the first person to shower me with kindness after 12 years in that hell. She probably longs for a family as much as I do, not to-"

"Eh, shut it. I'm you, remember?" cutting him off, Chiharu shivers in disgust.

'To think I got goosebumps looking at myself,' Chiharu thought.

Kyoya's acting can fool even the most discerning eyes, and she knew why. She has his memory, after all.

Thinking about the boy's acting, Chiharu slowly laments for all and any victims.

'Because his acting is real.' A truth she didn't want to admit echoed in her head.

'He really loved Nemuri Kayama, his sister.' Knowing that makes her all the more uncomfortable.

'If I invest my true emotions, then is my acting fake? Or real? How do you judge the authenticity of emotions?'

Remembering his ideal about acting, she furrowed her brow. Kyoya's obsession with attention made polish his acting skill. Over the years, he acts. Even in real life.

In his past life, he loved a girl. The daughter of an underground gang leader. As she recalls the ending of that love story in her memory, she shudders.

Not because Kyoya tortured the father for a few days. Not because he send her the photo of her father's bloody state. Not even because of the message he included in the photo, 'I'll let him live because I loved you.'

But because it's true. His love for her is true. His message is true. Even though he loved the girl to get closer to her father, his acting becomes 'reality' sometimes during the process. And he too... believed that he loved her.

Even though it's 'her' memory, she still gets goosebumps whenever she thinks about it. And that's not the only one either. Shaking her head, she decided not to think further.

*****

As he arranges his shoes by the door, Kyoya's thought back on his first face-to-face interaction with his avatar.

'She... didn't get my talent for acting.'

He didn't blame her, of course. Just a bit curious, though he throws it to the back of his mind soon after.

Checking the clock, it's already 1.23 pm. He planned to be out longer, but the budgeted time for 'fun' is unused.

Not to mention, he wants to be alone with his thought for now. In the end, he just went back home instead of walking around summoning his avatar as usual.

Talking with Chiharu, he was reminded of his other avatars. Especially the first four avatars he created. Those avatars are the one he created using the finest grain of sands, supplied by the scientist.

He didn't summon them in front of the scientists, of course. A bit of trick was used, but he managed to sneak out some of those high-quality sand. From them, the first four avatars were created and released.

And from them, his hypothesis was proven.

When he was reincarnated, his rewards didn't let him chose anything too overpowered. Quirk: Creation required 96% of his total rewards. Quirk: Half-cold half-hot is not affordable, at 237%. Basically, any power with either high-potential or high damage output will be too expensive for him.

And like he mentioned before, it's because his merits were not that big. Even the guide admitted it. So he spent a few hours trying to figure out a way, and he got an idea.

Talent for martial arts in MHA is not rated that highly. He found out that fact after a few tests. Power to control non-lethal elements is cheap too, like sand, water, and smoke. So, putting faith in his idea, he finalized his wish. And the result is a success.

Training quirk is deemed as training martial arts.

Martial arts, to simplify, is an art of self-defense using physical means. Quirk is considered as physical abilities. The result is that his 'Perfect body and mind for martial arts' now apply to his quirk as well.

Reaching that conclusion, Kyoya grinned in a good mood. That means his talent with his quirk is out of this world. Of course, even with talent, efforts are indispensable.

"And thousands of 'me' are working hard at this very moment," Kyoya said to no one in particular. Absorbing any of them right now is out of the question, though.

'Aizawa probably have a rough impression of my skill level, so sudden improvement during entrance exam is a no go,' he thought.

'So I need something as an excuse for a massive improvement.'

Still humming, he thought back about the plan that he made and revised thousands of times. He is not worried, because that portion, too, is covered.

As if there's spring in his step, he goes around the house doing chores. He plans to do everything in this house.

He doesn't want to trouble the sister he loved so dearly, after all.

*****

"I'm home."

Opening the door, Nemuri Kayama, or Midnight, feels a little disappointed that her brother didn't reply to her greetings.

'Is he mad that I'm late?' she thought. 'But nowadays he's very kind to me, so he's probably not.'

Once she gets inside, she checks around the house, before finally finding her brother.

In the kitchen, Kyoya is peacefully sleeping, slumped over the dinner table. There're multiple dishes prepared on the table, none of them has yet to be touched.

Letting out a light breath, Nemuri quietly gazes upon the scene. A tinge of guilt creeps into her heart, though it was buried by the gushing warmth she feels.

"Sigh. You don't have to wait for me if I'm late," she complained, though the smile on her face said otherwise.

As she's about to nudge the boy awake, she stopped her hand. Then, she sits next to her brother, silently gazing at the boy's peaceful face.

"Nowadays, he's always smiling, isn't he."

She let her mind wanders to the first few months he lived with her. The boy was cute, she admits. But it feels like he's afraid, that she will throw him away if she didn't like him, so he tried his best to entertain her whims.

As times passed, the boy's changed a little. Probably he trusted her more, he becomes more... mature? At least he tried to act like one. But it's also her best moment because whenever she teased him, the boy will blush, though he will act tough. It really gets the sadist in her aching.

Finally, now, the boy truly matured. He started to do chores around the house, which she greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, her teasing no longer works lately. At most, the boy will make a troubled smile, so the sadist inside her calmed down.

As she was lost in memories, the boy slowly opens his eyes.

"...Sis? Welcome back," Kyoya said, his drowsiness washed away seeing his sister, replaced with a bright smile.

Seeing him chattering away about his day brought a smile to Nemuri's face, enjoying her oasis of purity amidst her busy life.