Ch.61: Already Behind

The soft hum of the early morning filled the quiet meeting room at U.A. High School. All Might, his powerful frame relaxed but his eyes sharp, sat across from Aizawa, whose usual tired expression was more contemplative than ever. Their conversation was low, measured — a rare moment away from the bustle of the school.

"All things considered," All Might began, his voice warm yet serious, "Kael Ishiro has shown remarkable leadership among Class 1-A. He carries himself with a maturity well beyond his years. The way he's handled the recent training and his classmates' dynamics — it's impressive."

Aizawa nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned back in his chair. "I agree. He's earned the respect of the class, and it's clear they look up to him. Not just because of his abilities, but because of how he listens and adapts. Kael has this calm presence that steadies the others even when things get tense."

All Might's eyes softened. "It's not easy being the leader at this age, especially when every day brings new challenges and uncertainties. But he seems to carry that weight without letting it break him."

Aizawa sighed quietly. "He does a good job masking any stress or worries. I'm watching closely, though. Leadership can be a heavy burden, and the pressure will only grow."

All Might smiled gently. "True. But from what I've seen, Kael has what it takes to become a great hero — not just in strength, but in heart."

Their quiet conversation was punctuated by the faint sounds of the school waking up, the distant chatter of students preparing for the day ahead.

Aizawa glanced at his watch. "We'll let him continue focusing on the class. The upcoming USJ training will be a good test of his leadership under pressure."

All Might nodded in agreement. "Yes. I have faith he'll rise to the occasion."

…

The interior of the U.A. bus buzzed with energy as Class 1-A rode toward the USJ facility. Hero costumes shimmered under the overhead lights, a vibrant contrast to the gray morning sky outside.

Kael sat beside Yumi near the middle of the bus. His usual calm demeanor was intact, but his eyes occasionally flicked toward the window — distant, thoughtful.

Yumi gently nudged him with her elbow. "Hey. You're doing it again."

Kael blinked and turned toward her. "Doing what?"

"Staring into the void like you're about to disappear into it," she teased, then lowered her voice. "Still thinking about my dad?"

Kael hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. He only left yesterday, but… it feels like..."

Yumi's smile faltered. She reached over and took his hand without hesitation. "He'll be okay."

Kael glanced down at her fingers laced with his, then gave a small smile. "I know he will. I know.."

Around them, the rest of the class carried on in high spirits. Kirishima leaned across the aisle toward Kaminari and Sero.

"Man, I'm pumped for this! We're finally gonna get to do some serious rescue hero work."

Sero grinned, already fiddling with the gear built into his elbows. "Right? I want to test out how my Tape Quirk works in a disaster setting."

"I hope there's something cool, like a mountain slide or flooding or a collapsing building," Kaminari added. "Not that I want real people to get hurt or anything, but, y'know… for training."

Uraraka turned in her seat. "You're gonna jinx us, Denki."

"Hah! Bring it on!" he replied confidently, before looking over at Kael. "Hey, Kael, what kind of training do you think we'll be doing first?"

Kael sat up slightly, shifting back into his leadership mode. "From what Aizawa-sensei told me, it's going to simulate large-scale disasters. Earthquakes, shipwrecks, landslides—rescue-focused stuff."

"So it's less about fighting and more about saving lives?" Yaoyorozu asked from the front. "Makes sense. Heroes do more than just fight villains."

"Still," Bakugo muttered from the back, arms crossed and legs stretched out, "it better not be a waste of time. If I'm not pushing myself to the limit, it's not training."

Kael turned slightly to glance back. "You'll get your chance to push yourself. Just don't forget the point is rescuing people."

Bakugo scoffed but said nothing.

Iida stood up and turned to face the class, voice firm. "Everyone, let's remember that this is a valuable opportunity to apply everything we've learned! We should take it seriously and give it our full effort."

Kael leaned back again, appreciating the energy flowing through the group. It settled some of the unease that had lingered in his chest since Voidflare left. Yumi's hand was still in his, warm and steady.

"You've got a good fanbase goin on here," she murmured, looking around.

He nodded. "Yeah. They're loud and competitive… but they're good people."

"You're a really good class president as well," she said softly. "Even Bakugo listens to you. Well sort of."

Kael chuckled under his breath. "Sort of is generous. But thanks."

Yumi rested her head lightly on his shoulder. "When this is over, I wanna go home and laze around like a pig."

Kael's gaze shifted out the window for a moment, watching as the trees passed in a blur of green. He squeezed her hand gently. "Yeah. That doesn't sound too bad."

The bus ride continued with laughter, arguments over favorite heroes, and debates about rescue strategies. For now, everything felt normal — like a regular school day filled with high hopes and nerves.

None of them knew what was waiting at the USJ.

But for the moment, they were just students. Together.

…

The meeting room in the United Nations' subterranean tactical facility hummed with quiet tension. Around the curved black table sat some of the most elite Pro Heroes and strategists from around the world.

A towering monitor at the center of the chamber displayed a regional map of South America, zoomed in on Brazil. Three bright red markers pulsed in rhythm—former hero strongholds turned to ash.

Voidflare stood at the edge of the table, hands braced on its surface, his cosmic-red armor dimmed but his presence no less intense.

"These weren't just attacks," he said, voice sharp. "They were tactical demolitions."

The map shifted. Energy grids flickered offline, transportation lines were slashed, and emergency services across the region glowed in red warning tones.

"They targeted the infrastructure first—power stations, communication nodes, transit hubs. Everything that kept Hero Command operational in southern Brazil. And they did it in perfect sync."

The room stirred. A British intelligence officer leaned forward, tapping notes on a tablet. "We've confirmed this is part of a coordinated global pattern. The question now is… coordinated by who?"

A soft chuckle came from a North American Hero. "We don't even have names for most of the people involved. Just scattered sightings and body counts."

Voidflare's gaze narrowed. "That's the point. Whoever's orchestrating this—they want us in the dark. No names. No faces. No clear ideology. Just fire, shadows, and silence. It's psychological warfare as much as tactical."

The screen shifted again, displaying a heat map of villain activity in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa. The movements were erratic but slowly forming a pattern.

"They're building pressure around the world," said a Ukrainian tech specialist. "Drawing attention away from what seems like Japan… so that when the time comes, the attack there goes unanswered."

Voidflare nodded slowly. "Exactly."

A French tactician raised her voice. "So we're in agreement—the purpose of the Brazilian strikes was to sever the region's hero support system and fragment global communications."

Voidflare nodded. "They weren't trying to kill us all… yet. They were softening the ground."

Silence fell.

From the far end of the table, a South African hero, tall and broad-shouldered, crossed his arms. "Then let's talk about the real problem: we don't know who or what's coming next."

"Unknown threats," the German Hero muttered. "No data. No faces. We're completely blind."

Voidflare straightened. "Not entirely. We've recovered pieces—intel on unique Quirks, strange insignias… especially numbers marked into their clothing or skin."

He gestured to the screen, and photos appeared—grainy surveillance images of cloaked figures with glowing red numbers branded across their bodies. Some bore double digits, others triple.

"I've seen those before," the French tactician said quietly. "From the Paraguay incident. One of them had '112' marked on her shoulder."

"We fought one in Salvador," said the North American Hero. "Barely walked away. He had '78' on his chest—and that guy could bend gravity like it was paper."

Voidflare's voice was grim. "The closer the number is to zero, the stronger they are. I bet the higher-ranked ones are beyond anything the public has seen."

An uneasy quiet settled across the table.

"So what's the plan?" asked the Dutch hero.

Voidflare turned to the map again. "We strike smart. Theres a convoy moving through the Andes next week, suspected to be them. We intercept it, take it out, and stall their operations."

"And if that fails? If it's all a lie just to lure out more of us?" someone asked from the shadows.

Voidflare looked up. "Then places like Japan becomes the focal point of something much worse than a villain attack. These people aren't just trying to hurt us… they're trying to erase the next generation of heroes before it ever rises."

He looked directly at the map, and the pulsing lights of U.A. High School blinked like a heartbeat in the middle of it all.

"They'll go after him," Voidflare said, eyes fixed on the map. "Whether he's ready or not."

The room fell silent.

"It won't matter that he's just a student," he continued. "To them, he's in the way. And that's all the reason they need."

No one argued. They didn't need to.

In the heavy silence that followed, a grim understanding settled over them—quiet and suffocating.

This wasn't a skirmish.

It wasn't a test.

The war had already started.

And they were only just beginning to see how far behind they were.

…