Chapter 86

The morning sun cast long shadows across the U.A. campus as Class 1-A scrambled through final preparations for the school festival. The air buzzed with anticipation. Excitement hung thick, like the scent of sawdust and sweat from ongoing construction. But amid all the noise, Reiji stood quietly beside the entrance of the gymnasium, eyes half-lidded, one hand in his pocket. He watched his classmates with a quiet detachment, scanning the area while pretending to simply observe.

"That speaker cable goes over there, Kaminari," Momo Yaoyorozu called out, flipping through her clipboard filled with sketches, checklists, and wiring diagrams. She wore a determined look, her leadership in organizing the technical setup shining through.

"On it!" Denki Kaminari replied with a sheepish grin, struggling to untangle a mess of cords. "Why do wires always end up like this?! Seriously, they must multiply in storage."

Kyoka Jiro, kneeling nearby with her guitar, glanced over her shoulder. "Reiji, you're not joining in on the performance, right? You'd make a decent backup dancer. You've got that mysterious cool vibe."

Reiji shook his head once. "Nope. I'm more comfortable watching."

"You mean acting like campus security?" Mina Ashido teased, pausing mid-spin, her cheeks flushed from dancing.

He offered a faint smile. "Something like that."

Behind the calm facade, his system flared quietly to life:

[System Alert: External Movement Detected]

Source: Unknown Entity approaching southern perimeter.]

Reiji's expression didn't change. He shifted slightly, letting his shadow stretch out and slip unnoticed across the gym floor, through narrow hallways, out past the fence—a Noob Saibot-derived skill that let him extend his awareness far beyond the naked eye. Within moments, he caught a glimpse of two figures moving in the distance, like flickers on a motion-sensitive map.

At the southern edge of U.A., Gentle Criminal adjusted his cravat with a flourish, beaming with enthusiasm. He mimed tipping a hat to no one in particular and took a dramatic pose atop a low fence. Despite his flair, his eyes remained observant.

"Today's our chance, La Brava," he declared, his voice proud but not loud. "Let's give them something to remember. Not for chaos, but for creativity."

La Brava, typing rapidly on her laptop, gave him a look full of genuine admiration. "You've worked so hard for this. This time, they'll see who you are. I've already hacked the outer surveillance sweep schedule. We've got a small window."

As they approached the school's outer barricade, a ripple passed through the shadows. Gentle paused mid-step, tilting his head.

"Hmm?"

Nothing seemed out of place, but the air had an unfamiliar weight to it—thick with unseen attention.

Reiji, back inside the gymnasium, received a live feed through the system interface:

[Target Classification: Low Threat]

Intent: Non-lethal Interruption.

Recommend: Monitor or Intervene?]

He selected: Monitor. Not yet a threat. But he stayed alert, his shadow tether fixed and feeding him updates.

Later that evening, U.A. staff convened in a briefing room. Ectoplasm handed out printed emergency protocols while Hound Dog barked instructions, quite literally, his voice filling the room with urgency.

"No slacking off! I don't care if it's a festival. If you see something weird, report it!"

The room was tense. Some students were quietly focused. Others, less experienced, tried not to show their nervousness. Reiji stood silently near the door, arms crossed, listening more than watching.

Shota Aizawa leaned against the back wall, arms folded, his gaze drifting to Reiji.

As the meeting broke up, Aizawa moved closer. "You notice anything unusual?"

Reiji nodded slightly. "There's some movement near the south perimeter. Feels intentional."

Aizawa studied him. "Are they acting hostile?"

"Not yet. They're being careful. Almost like they want attention, but not violence."

"Keep your eyes on them. But stay out of the spotlight unless it turns serious."

"Understood."

The next morning exploded with noise and energy. The sounds of music, laughter, and rehearsals filled every corner. Costumes shimmered. Lights flashed. A thousand little tasks brought the U.A. festival to life.

Reiji stood near the back curtain of the stage area, far from the busy center. His eyes moved steadily over rooftops and shadows, calm but focused.

Izuku Midoriya jogged by, nearly tripping over a case of instruments. He turned quickly.

"Whoa—sorry, Reiji! Didn't see you there. You doing tech stuff today?"

Reiji shook his head. "Not quite. I'm just here to make sure everything runs smoothly."

Midoriya paused, then leaned a little closer. "Are you expecting something to happen?"

Reiji's gaze lingered beyond the stage. "I picked up some movement last night. It's probably nothing. But if anything does go down—keep the crowd calm. That's priority one."

Midoriya nodded, his expression tightening. "Got it. I'll let Iida and the others know too."

Reiji gave a short nod, then turned back toward the horizon.

Beyond the wall, Gentle and La Brava crept closer. Gentle bounced high over the fence using his quirk. La Brava followed on a grappling line, landing softly beside him.

"All clear so far," La Brava whispered. Her voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"Indeed," Gentle said. "Let's keep it that way."

But before they could advance, a black thread flicked across their path—quick, precise, and deliberate.

Gentle froze, eyes narrowing. "La Brava... I think we've been spotted."

A tall figure stepped from the rooftop shadows. Reiji's eyes locked on them, his stance calm but unyielding.

"This is as far as you go."

Gentle's mouth twitched into a small smile. "You're not faculty. Student patrol?"

"Something like that," Reiji replied.

La Brava gripped her laptop. "Gentle, he's in the hero course. That's a problem."

Without another word, Reiji lifted his hand. A veil of dark energy swept out—Shadow Bind: Silence. The rooftop dimmed, the sounds of the world vanishing like a snuffed candle.

Gentle raised both hands slowly. "We don't want to fight. We only came to share something. That's all."

Reiji stepped forward. "Then say it. Quickly."

Gentle's tone lost its flourish. "We're just trying to be seen. To show that people like us still have a voice. No violence. No chaos."

Reiji didn't respond right away. His eyes searched Gentle's. "Then show me. With your actions. Not your words."

Gentle hesitated, then sighed. "If we try to run, it'll look worse. So—"

He pushed off the ground, rebounding sharply.

Reiji was already in motion.

The tiles beneath them cracked. Gentle's boots coiled and snapped back with each bounce. Reiji's shadows surged upward, cushioning his movement and lashing forward like tendrils.

La Brava stood frozen, her fingers hovering over her keyboard. The silence made the scene feel dreamlike, surreal—no footfalls, no grunts, just motion.

The impact sent a shockwave across the roof, kicking up dust.

Below, U.A.'s internal alarm system flickered on. Red lights pulsed quietly.

The battle above had tripped the system.

And the festival hadn't even begun.

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