Chapter: 13

The night of the I-Island reception arrived, and the grand party hall was alive with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. The top heroes, scientists, and VIP guests mingled under the dazzling lights of the luxurious venue. Meanwhile, outside the entrance, some of Class 1-A Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Jirou were waiting for Melissa and Ben.

Melissa soon arrived, descending the grand staircase, but Ben was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a sleek, humanoid robot walked beside her. Its metal plating gleamed under the hall's lighting, and its optics scanned the room with keen awareness.

Midoriya blinked in surprise. "Melissa! Where's Ben? And who… or what is this?"

Melissa smiled. "Oh, this is Ethan an advanced AI combat unit. Ben built him."

Ethan straightened up and gave a mock salute. "Designation: E3N, but you can call me Ethan. I am an advanced, charming, and incredibly efficient piece of technology. Also, I tell great jokes."

Uraraka leaned forward, fascinated. "Whoa, a talking robot! That's so cool!"

Iida adjusted his glasses. "A fully autonomous AI? That's quite impressive!" He then glanced around. "But where is Ben? Shouldn't he be here for the party?"

Melissa sighed. "He's doing a maintenance check on the generators. You know him he wants to make sure everything runs smoothly."

Todoroki observed Ethan carefully. "So, Ben built you? Just how advanced are you?"

Ethan placed a hand on his hip. "Well, I would say I'm the pinnacle of technological innovation, but that would be an understatement. I'm also a top-tier bodyguard, weapons specialist, and life coach. The full package."

Jirou raised an eyebrow. "Life coach? Really?"

Ethan nodded. "Absolutely. Step one: don't make questionable life decisions. You're welcome."

Yaoyorozu chuckled. "He certainly has personality."

Midoriya, still intrigued, turned to Melissa. "So, Ben built him off the books, right? Does that mean he's not officially registered?"

Melissa hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Ben wanted to avoid too much red tape. But trust me, Ethan is completely reliable."

As they continued talking, unaware of what was happening behind the scenes, Ben was deep in the island's power facility, running diagnostics on the main generator. The hum of machinery surrounded him as he worked, checking for any irregularities. Everything seemed fine, but something in his gut told him to stay alert.

Then, without warning, the lights flickered.

Ben frowned. "That's not good."

He quickly pulled up the system logs on a nearby console, but before he could analyze the data, the entire room shuddered as a distant explosion rocked the facility.

Meanwhile, back at the party, the lively atmosphere came to an abrupt halt when the massive monitors in the hall suddenly flickered to static. A distorted voice echoed through the speakers, cutting through the crowd's chatter.

"Attention, esteemed guests of the I-Island Expo. As of this moment, we are in control. Do not attempt to resist."

Gasps filled the room as steel shutters slammed down over the windows and entrances, sealing everyone inside. The heroes immediately tensed, while the students instinctively took defensive stances.

Melissa's eyes widened. "What was that? What's happening? Are we getting attacked?"

Ethan's optics glowed a deeper shade. "I'd say we have a situation on our hands. And I love a good challenge."

Midoriya clenched his fists. "Could villains… could villains have infiltrated the Expo!"

At that moment, Ben, still in the generator room, heard the security alarms blaring. His expression hardened as he muttered under his breath.

"Well… looks like the party just got interesting."

Melissa, Ethan, and the students of Class 1-A crouched near the entrance of the building, their breaths heavy as they processed the situation. The island, once a beacon of technological advancement and safety, was now under siege.

"We need to do something," Uraraka whispered, gripping her fists. "We can't just sit here."

Midoriya nodded, his mind racing. "We should find the pro heroes."

"Correction," Ethan interrupted, his optics flickering. "We should go to the heroes, but given the current situation, I'd advise caution. Charging in without a plan would be what you organic life forms call… a terrible idea."

Melissa exhaled sharply, nodding. "Ethan's right. We should at least assess the situation first before making a move."

Iida adjusted his glasses, looking toward the main hall. "Then let's move. We need to see what we're dealing with."

Staying low, the group maneuvered through the corridors of the building, making sure to avoid the patrolling mercenaries. They moved swiftly and with purpose, until they reached a balcony overlooking the grand party hall. Carefully, they peered over the railing.

What they saw sent a chill down their spines.

The villains had already taken full control. All Might and the other pro heroes, restrained with high-tech cuffs, were forced to kneel before the leader of the attack. The guests were huddled together, fear evident on their faces as armed mercenaries surrounded them.

At the center of the hall, the villain in charge paced confidently, his sharp, predatory eyes scanning the crowd like a hunter surveying his prey. Unlike the mercenaries, he wasn't heavily armed he didn't need to be. The way he carried himself made it clear that he was dangerous in his own right.

And then, he spoke.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice rang through the hall, smooth but filled with an unmistakable menace. "Tonight is a night of progress. Of evolution. And of change. For too long, power has been dictated by birthright. Quirks, those gifts you cherish so much, have created a world where the strong thrive and the weak are left behind."

He stopped in front of David Shield, eyes narrowing. "But no longer."

Melissa's breath caught in her throat as the villain continued.

"The world's greatest minds have spent years developing tools to enhance heroes, to control power. And yet, the most revolutionary piece of technology remains locked away in the I-Island Tower's security vaults."

Midoriya's eyes widened. Locked away?

The villain's lips curled into a smirk. "The Quirk Amplification Headset a device designed to push a person's abilities beyond their limits. A masterpiece of innovation, hidden away because they fear what it can truly do."

David clenched his fists. "It was never meant to be used like that!"

The villain chuckled. "Oh, but it will be." He turned back to his mercenaries. "I've come too far to let bureaucrats and cowards dictate who deserves power. That device belongs to the one who can truly use it."

Melissa whispered in horror, "They don't have it yet… but they will soon."

Jirou gritted her teeth. "They're going to force David to unlock it for them."

Ethan crossed his arms. "Alright, so this guy's a classic power-hungry villain. Monologues about his evil plans, threatens innocent people, and steals cutting-edge tech. I'd say he gets a solid two out of ten for originality."

Midoriya's expression hardened. "If they get their hands on that headset, they'll be unstoppable."

Todoroki narrowed his eyes. "Then we need to stop them before they reach the vault."

Melissa took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "Then we have to act fast. We can't let them use my father's technology for something like this."

Ethan rolled his shoulders. "Alright, time to do what we do best wreck bad guys' plans. So, fearless leader," he nudged Ben's absent spot with his elbow before realizing he wasn't there. "Oh… right. Ben's not here."

Iida clenched his fists. "Then we'll have to do this without him… for now."

From the shadows, the students and Melissa prepared for their next move.

Meanwhile, deep in the facility, Ben was on the move.

And soon, the villains would regret ever setting foot on I-Island.