Chapter 77 – Time's Growing Noise

Evening in the dorms was supposed to be a time for calm. But for Lena, calm was just a word that didn't mean anything anymore. She sat in the common room, trying to follow a lively chat between Kaminari and Sero. But the words kept blurring, then repeating, like a radio playing a broken song. Her own thoughts felt like echoes, bouncing around in her head. The gentle hum inside her, that ever-growing "Hole," was louder tonight. It felt like a low roar under her skin, always there, always demanding.

She watched as Mashirao Ojiro placed his teacup carefully on the coffee table. But just as his fingers left the cup, Lena saw it flicker. For a tiny moment, the cup appeared and disappeared, like a quick, bad special effect, before it finally settled down. Ojiro didn't seem to notice. Then, Mina Ashido let out a loud, bubbly laugh, but Lena heard it twice, a strange, quick echo that made Tsuyu Asui turn her head slightly, her big eyes looking around with a puzzled look.

"Ribbit. That sound was… odd," Tsuyu said quietly, her finger near her mouth.

Lena's heart hammered in her chest. It's not just me anymore. She thought back to what Kyoka had said. The glitches were getting stronger. They were starting to touch the world around her, not just her own mind. As Denki Kaminari told a joke, his voice briefly stretched out, like a slow-motion video, then snapped back to normal. Kaminari just blinked, looking confused. "Whoa, did anyone else hear that? My voice just did a weird thing!"

Hanta Sero scratched his head. "Yeah, like the air got thick for a second. What was that, man?"

Lena felt a wave of cold fear wash over her. The pressure inside her, that huge, expanding "Hole," felt like a heavy weight pushing outwards. It was her power, yes, but it was so big, so wild, that it scared her badly. She felt a sudden urge to run, to hide under her blankets and make the world stop. She stood up quickly, trying to slip away without drawing attention.

"Lena, are you okay?" Ochaco Uraraka asked, her voice full of warmth and worry. She had noticed Lena's sudden move and how pale she looked. "You seem… a little out of it tonight."

"Yeah, just tired," Lena mumbled, her voice weaker than she wanted. She tried to force a small smile, but it felt stiff on her face. She started to walk quickly toward the dorm room door, hoping to find some peace in her own space.

Before she could reach the door, Tenya Iida, ever the diligent class rep, moved in front of her, his arm chopping the air. "Oxton! While I understand the need for rest, your sudden departure raises concerns! Your well-being is paramount! Are you experiencing any adverse effects from recent training?" His voice was loud and formal, but his eyes showed real worry.

Lena mumbled, "No, I'm fine, Iida. Really. Just need some sleep." She tried to go around him.

Momo Yaoyorozu stepped closer, her expression thoughtful. "Lena, the disturbances in the common room just now were… highly unusual. They seemed to originate around you. Is there something you wish to disclose? We are your classmates, and we are here to support you." Her voice was calm, but her concern was clear.

Lena just shook her head, tears starting to sting her eyes. She couldn't tell them. How could she explain that she was breaking the world around them? She felt like a ticking bomb, ready to explode at any moment.

But before she could fully retreat, a gentle but firm hand touched her arm. It was Kyoka Jiro. Her face was serious, but her eyes held a deep understanding. "Let's go, Lena," Kyoka said softly, her voice a calm anchor in Lena's storm. "Let's get you somewhere quiet. Away from all this." Kyoka subtly guided Lena past the other worried classmates, a silent shield protecting her from their confused and scared looks. Her touch was warm, steady, and the only thing keeping Lena from falling apart.

In Lena's quiet room, Kyoka found her sitting on the edge of her bed, knees pulled tightly to her chest, her face buried in her hands. The room felt still, a stark contrast to the common room's chaos, but Lena still felt the tremor of the "Hole" inside her.

Kyoka sat down gently next to her. "That was… intense, out there," Kyoka said softly, her voice low and steady. "My earphone jacks were buzzing like crazy. Like a faulty old record player. And the book on the shelf in the common room? It bounced up and down. That wasn't a trick of the light. It's not just in your head anymore, is it?"

Lena slowly lifted her head, her eyes red and wet. "No," she whispered, her voice rough and broken. "It's not. It's everywhere. It's like my Quirk… is pulling on the threads of time around me. I don't know how to stop it. I don't know how to control it." She looked at Kyoka, her eyes wide with a deep, raw fear. "I'm scared, Kyoka. So scared of what I might do. What if I hurt someone? What if I break something important, or… or someone's life?"

Kyoka wrapped her arms around Lena, holding her tight. "You won't hurt anyone," she whispered firmly, her voice full of certainty. "We won't let you. We'll find a way. Together. But you can't keep this all to yourself anymore. Everyone saw it. The others are worried sick. Iida, Momo, even Koda who's usually so quiet, they all noticed that something is really wrong. You heard Mina and Uraraka."

Lena buried her face in Kyoka's shoulder, soaking in the comfort. Kyoka's warmth was the only thing protecting her from the storm inside. "I don't want to worry them more," Lena mumbled, her voice muffled. "What if… what if nobody can help me? What if I'm just… broken?"

"We won't know that unless we try," Kyoka answered, pulling back slightly to look Lena in the eyes. Her gaze was direct and full of loyalty. "You're not broken, Lena. You're just… changing. We're a class. We're a family. We stick together. We're here for this."

In his high-tech office, Principal Nezu watched the recordings of the common room incident. His small nose twitched. Next to him, Shota Aizawa, his hair messy and looking even more tired than usual, crossed his arms. His dark eyes, however, were sharp and filled with deep concern.

"The data is quite clear, Aizawa," Nezu began, his voice calm and slightly sing-songy. "A localized space-time fluctuation, centered directly on Young Oxton's location. The power of it… it's unlike anything we've seen from a Quirk her age. It's more than simple instability. It's a force trying to fully emerge."

Aizawa slowly nodded, rubbing his chin. "She's losing control. It's not her fault, but it's becoming a risk to the other students. What if it gets worse?" He sighed. "The reports of system glitches in UA's network have also gone up. It's all connected, isn't it?"

"Indeed," Nezu replied, his small eyes gleaming. "A unique signature we first detected after the training camp. It's a force weaving its threads into reality itself. We can no longer ignore this, Aizawa. We must find a solution. A solution that goes beyond our abilities here at UA." He paused, looking at Aizawa with a serious expression. "I have already been in contact with someone who might be able to help. Someone with unique expertise."

Winston Oxton was hunched over his desk, his face lined with worry and tiredness. A holographic screen showed graphs and numbers, new, urgent data he'd just received from UA. Another image, a calm but serious face, floated next to it. It was David Shield, head of I-Island, shown as a hologram.

"David, have you seen the latest data?" Winston's voice was urgent, shaking with worry. "It's getting worse. The incident at UA tonight… a localized time loop in the common room. Students affected. It went beyond my worst fears."

David remained silent for a moment, his eyes studying the numbers that moved across the screen. His face, usually so kind, showed intense focus. "Yes, Winston. The energy signatures are clear. It's exactly what I was afraid of. Her Quirk's chaotic resonance… it's reaching a critical point. It's like a star collapsing on itself, but in time itself." He took a deep breath. "The data I was able to get during the last incident on I-Island (before Sombra put me in a coma, unfortunately) already showed how incredibly unique her Quirk is. Lena doesn't have a 'normal' time-bending Quirk. She is, in a way, a part of time itself that's trying to find balance. It's this 'Hole' you talk about, isn't it?"

"Exactly," Winston replied, nodding hard. "It's growing. It's completely out of control. I don't know what else to do. She's my daughter, David. I can't let her destroy herself, or accidentally destroy the world around her."

David looked at Winston with a sad expression. "I understand, old friend. And I believe I have a solution, the only one. But it's risky, and it would require her to come here, to I-Island. It is the only place in the world with the equipment and the controlled environment needed to even attempt such a stabilization. No one else can handle a temporal singularity like this. We must do this."

On a dark rooftop overlooking the city, Reaper watched the UA campus. His voice was rough. "The girl's power blew up. A local time loop. It's speeding up. She's becoming what Moira wants."

In her dark lab, Moira O'Deorain smiled softly, watching the data on her screens. Her smile was cold, without warmth. "Magnificent," she whispered. "She's pushing the limits faster than I even predicted. This will allow us to move our own plans forward." She turned to a screen where Sombra's symbol glowed. "Sombra, watch all important communications about I-Island. They will try to contain her. We need to know their methods, even if we cannot directly get involved there. Reaper, keep watching. We need to see how she 'stabilizes' this. It could give us very useful information."

Sombra's voice sounded a little annoyed, but she kept her cool. "I-Island's defenses are like solid iron, Moira. I can't get in directly. But I'll track their calls, see who they contact. There are always other ways to get information." She couldn't hack the island, but she was smart. She would find another way.

Lena sat on her bed, knees hugged tight, in the quiet of her room. Kyoka was next to her, not saying a word, just being there. The "Hole" inside Lena pulsed, like a hungry beast, a huge weight in her chest. She was scared, a deep, shaking fear. It was terrifying to be so powerful and yet have no control at all.

But there was also a small flame burning inside her. Kyoka's hand on hers was soft and strong. She thought of her friends' faces, their worries, their looks. She couldn't let them live in fear because of her. This power was hers. Even if it was out of control, she had to find a way. She had to understand it. She had to control it.

"I… I have to do something," Lena whispered, her voice filled with a new sense of purpose. "I can't keep living like this. Not if I'm a danger to everyone I care about."

Kyoka squeezed her hand. "We'll do this together, Lena. You're not alone. Never."

The fight to control this growing power, and the danger it brought, had just reached a very important point.