Chapter 10: The Desert's Gluttony

"So, Chiharu. You telling me that Boss no longer into those bloody stuffs?"

The one's asking that question is Akira Sato, the Head of Gluttony. A male teenager with dark red hair and bright green eyes, wearing black tracksuit with three red stripes at the side. Also, my waiting-for-Boss partner.

Letting out a sigh, I nodded. "Uh-huh. Or rather, most of the others already know about this, you know? No one told you?"

"Che," Akira scoffed. "The moment anyone said anything about Boss's twisted fun, I cut them off. You know I don't like it, O Vice Head of Envy, Miss Chiharu,"

"Don't like? Just say you can't handle a little gore, mister," I teased.

Hearing my words, his eyes widen in disbelief. "Gore? Seriously?! GORE?! HE FUCKING PULLED OUT BONES, SET INNARDS ON FIRE, TORE OUT MUSCLES, ALL WHILE THEY WERE GODDAMN KICKING, AND IT'S JUST GORE?!?" he said, dramatically pulling his hair.

Well, I knew that gore is too mild of a word to describe what Boss did in his past life...

"Ugh, fine. My bad..." I said, a bit guilty.

Head of Gluttony, Akira Sato. He's also part of the avatars who is really, really uncomfortable with Boss's memories of tortures. To be honest, most of us are. But he's a bit extreme.

We do get Boss's memories and some of his traits but, we didn't inherit the emotions associated with those memories. So, it's like we were made to watch a movie. And this movie is fucked up.

"But, like I said before, Boss stopped, ok?" I said, trying to pacify this poor soul.

"Sigh, I believe you, Chiharu. And sorry for yelling at you. Been jumpy waiting for Boss..."

Shaking my head, I dismiss his apology. "No worries. Well, I told you that because I thought it'll makes you feel better meeting Boss," I said. Shrugging my shoulders, I continued, "Who knows it'll reminds you of them instead."

After that, both of us fell silence.

Akira Sato. As the Head of Gluttony, he's been running around to find new techniques and knowledges due to what he inherited.

He's the only Head that's not chosen based on strength. Instead, he got his position due to the trait he inherited, the 'brain enhancement for quirk', and evolved it, letting him learn anything with a glance.

His Gluttony unit only have 18 people including him, evidence of how rare insta-learn-type avatars are. On a side note, Sloth has the most people. Any avatar that doesn't have any special trait will join Sloth, and live a normal life till they are needed.

"Ah, by the way. Why did you request this meeting with Boss? I thought you wanna avoid him?" I said, remembering that we are here waiting for Boss is due to his personal request.

"Well. I've got Toga's skill. You know, the vanishing one. There's also the Ninja-style that Shichika wanted as well," he said.

Hearing that, I remember another trait unique to Akira. He can increase his size by 'eating' sand. And Boss can use his body as a medium to summon an avatar, creating a copy of him. That copy will be destroyed immediately the moment it is separated from Akira's body, though.

The thing is, when that copy is destroyed, Boss (and all other avatars) will receive his experiences. It's exactly as if Boss absorbs him, except he isn't destroyed.

"But, you've met Toga, huh? How's the fight?" I asked, a bit curious.

"Well, I can sense her even with MY sand-sense. In conclusion, any avatar with a bit of sand-sense can beat her. Not to mention that we don't bleed."

I nodded, agree with his assessment. I mean, his sand-sense is weak. Below average, to be honest.

"But you didn't kill her, right?"

"And get Boss mad? Naw. Just chased her a few blocks to copy her skill," he said lightly.

I want to continue our conversation, but something's caught in my sand-sense. Signalling him to be quiet, I focus my sense on the aboveground. A bit late, but we are currently underground, as usual.

"Boss's here," I said.

Hearing that, he checked his watch. "4.34 pm. Sounds about right."

Before I can do anything else, Boss already got inside. He closes his eyes for a moment, probably to check the surrounding. Satisfied, his innocent face slowly turns cold and indifferent.

"Boss," both of us greeted at the same time.

He just nodded before looking at Akira. "Before anything else, fight me, Gluttony" he said.

I can see Akira is confused. Me too, actually. Or rather, the heck, Boss?

"Hurry up," the Boss said, unbothered with our confusion.

Hurm, could it be that... Boss's itching for a fight? Since it's his first day at class, and seeing other kids' quirks during quirk-test, he got pumped up? Weird. Boss in my memory's not the competitive type, you see?

Akira, while confused, is not a coward. Seeing Boss insists, he slowly gets into position.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I interrupt them. "Please create another space. This room's already complete with electric circuits and all, you know? If you guys use the wall and floor during your fight, this place will collapse for sure."

A bit of realization dawned on Boss's face. Akira's looking at me like I'm unafraid of death or something. What's with that thumbs up?

Well, probably since I've talked to Boss before, I can understand Boss a little bit. He's not the type to kill you just cause you made him mad. In fact, he's the type that listens to advice. Just like a good little kid. I imagined myself patting Boss's head, before obliterating that image. If Boss knows...

Boss walked to the side wall, where it's ok to collapse, and create a hole. The soil in front of him vibrates before turning to sand, and he slowly gathers them at the corner.

After a few minutes, a circular underground arena is completed. It's diameter is about... 800 meter, more or less.

Then, those sands in the corner brings our old lanterns and arrange them around the arena, brightening the area. Done setting the field, Boss heads to the middle, Akira trailing behind.

Once they stood across each other, Boss nods at me. "Signal, Chiharu."

Taking a deep breath, I look at both of them. "Both ready?"

They nod.

Then- "Start!" I said, half shouting. Then, I silently observe from the side. Too bad there's no popcorn, huh.

Boss creates a katana and rushes forward.

Akira summons a sand spike, jumps backward, and throws shurikens, all at the same time.

Lowering his body, Boss dodges the shuriken and cut the pillar, though his momentum is broken.

In that split second, Akira 'eat' the sand around him and turns to a three meter tall giant before rushing towards Boss.

Boss put his palm on the ground, and a moment later the sand below Akira explodes, his left leg in tatters.

Judging that size won't work, Akira launched himself from inside the giant, now covered in full-body sand armor holding a double-edged sword.

While Akira in mid-air, a giant hand comes out from the ground and crushed the armor.

Just when I thought it's finished, Akira appears some distance away from the armor, mostly unharmed.

"Hoh? Ninja, is it?" Boss mutters, answering my doubt.

Dissipating the giant hand, Boss dashes toward Akira holding his katana. Mid-dash, he creates a small sand pillar to block a spear coming from the ground.

Akira keeps running, maintaining the distance.

Seeing that, Boss swings his katana, shooting a flying sand slash.

Akira blocks it with a small sand armor, but the sand changes shape and restricts him. It's a few seconds at most, but now Boss's in range.

Starts with a stab, the katana elongates mid-thrust to a long spear, hitting Akira in the shoulder.

However, it seems that Akira managed to harden his shoulder in that split second, seeing how the spear deflected.

Using the knock back, Akira jumps back and widen the distance between them.

But seeing how the Boss is not chasing, Akira realized that it's not good. Just as he's about to shoot some sand bullets, tens of sand-spikes appears instantly, trapping him in place.

The Boss nodded at me, rousing me out of my trance.

"T-the match's over!" I said, a bit stuttering. Taking a deep breath, I exclaim, "Wow! That's so neat, Boss! You too, Akira!"

Now released from those spikes, Akira seems discontent. He seems like he wants to complain, yet afraid of the Boss. Seeing him like that, I let out a chuckle.

"Now, don't get so worked up. You got more room to improve, don't you?" I said, consoling this big baby.

Hearing what I said, Boss nodded. "Ninja-style is not suitable in here. It's better in complicated terrain. And Toga's vanishing skill is nulled against those with sensory skill, but it's a massive boost against others," Boss said. "While I'm not sure about your offensive power, you'll have no problem surviving against Hawks or Endeavor."

Hearing that, I raised my eyebrow. That's a high evaluation. Just for your information, Akira Sato, Head of Gluttony, is the weakest among the Seven Heads. And I know that one of the first four can deals with All Might. Thinking about that got me shivering. Whew...

"Come, Akira," Boss called, ready for the main agenda of this meeting.

Oh yea, there's that isn't it? After seeing that intense showdown, somehow I've forgotten the reason why we're here.

Seeing they've started, I sit at the side preparing for my presentation that'll comes after. Requests from various units, objectives completion reports, etc...

Then I'll need to ask if there's any additional tasks, adjustments, recruitment targets, kill list, etc...

I'm totally a secretary now, am I? Well, it doesn't feels that bad. But can you please tell Fuji to increase my salary, please, Boss?