I have no powers, but I've got two hands and I know how to use them.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey everyone. To be honest, I wasn't planning to post this chapter yet. I haven't made much progress on Patreon, mainly because I've been lacking motivation. Also, I forgot to ask something in the last chapter: What should the protagonist's hero name be? I haven't come up with one that really feels right. If I can't find a good one, I'll probably just stick with his real name.

This chapter doesn't have much action, mostly because I'm the kind of writer who focuses a lot on character interactions. That said, I'm aware that chapters should be around 1,500 words max (with Chapter 10 being the only exception—it hit 2,000). But hey… it's something.

One more thing—do you like the new cover? Or should I go back to the previous one?

And by the way… leave a comment! Reading your thoughts gives me some motivation. Money helps too, of course—along with other basic things needed to survive—but that part's optional 😅.

[email protected]/novelwisp

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We were walking toward the assigned building when I decided to break the ice.

"Are you nervous?"

"Huh?" Toru replied, surprised. "Well… a little. I mean, it's our first combat exercise, right? And also… I've never actually fought before."

I could imagine her expression—probably a nervous smile, though her face was impossible to see.

"Don't worry. I've got a plan," I said as I pulled a small black sphere from one of the compartments on my belt.

This wasn't one of the standard gadgets included in the design I submitted for my suit. I made it myself. The day the acceptance letter from U.A. arrived—with that hologram floating in my room—that's when the idea first came to me. I'd been working on it ever since.

"What's that?" Toru asked, genuinely curious.

"A prototype," I answered, tapping it lightly with my thumb before putting it away again.

"Listen," I continued, "I've got some info on our opponents' Quirks. During Aizawa's test, I watched them carefully and made a few deductions."

"Seriously?" Toru sounded genuinely impressed. "I was so nervous I barely paid attention to anyone else."

"Jirō has an amazing sense of hearing," I said, lowering my voice slightly, almost as if she could hear us from across the building. "She can pick up sounds even if we're not close. And even though you're invisible, if you stay still, she might still hear your heartbeat."

Toru shuddered slightly—or at least I think she did.

"She's that good?"

I nodded.

"Kaminari has an electricity-based Quirk," I went on, keeping my voice low as we turned a corner on the second floor. "He can release some strong bursts. He's not very accurate, but if you're in range… it hurts."

Honestly, I was more concerned about him than about Jirō. Kaminari wasn't the brightest in the class, but his Quirk could do serious damage. A strong enough jolt could mess with my systems. If it caused a short in my gloves...

I glanced down at my hands for a second, still walking.

If the team who built my suit followed my specs exactly, then in theory, the gloves should have basic electrical insulation. But taking a direct hit from Kaminari… well, that was another matter. I hadn't had the chance to test that scenario yet.

I really should build something for that.

I wasn't panicking—just concerned enough to know that close combat against him was out of the question.

"That's why I'm sticking to ranged attacks with him."

As we moved through the building, I started placing small black discs—about the size of a coin—in the corners of walls and behind false columns. I fixed them in place with magnets and synced them to my visor.

"What's that?" Toru asked as she noticed the tiny flashes when we passed.

"Smoke bombs," I replied without pausing. "They're remote-activated. They're included in the basic equipment I requested for my suit. They're not toxic or explosive, they just impair visibility."

"Wait—are we allowed to add that much stuff to our suits?" she asked, surprised.

"That depends on the design," I replied. "Mine's fully custom. I sent in my own schematics."

"Huh..." Toru sounded thoughtful for a few seconds before blurting out, "Hey… now that I think about it… aren't hero suits supposed to be designed to support your Quirk?"

My pace slowed for just a second, then I kept walking like nothing happened.

"Yeah, that's why I only have gloves and shoes. That's all I need. But you've got tons of stuff," she said, pausing, like she was trying to find the right words. "Actually… now that I really think about it… what is your Quirk?"

I stopped and turned my head toward where I thought she was.

"You were using those gloves during Aizawa's test, right? To regulate your Quirk…" she added. "I remember because it was kind of hard to ignore."

How many times was I going to hear that same question?

I guess everyone who doesn't know just assumes the same thing. That the gloves I used during Aizawa's test were to keep my Quirk under control.

And even though I liked the look on people's faces when I told them, maybe it was time to be clear with the whole class.

"I don't have a Quirk."

Silence.

Not even footsteps. Nothing.

Just the echo of my own voice bouncing off the empty halls of that fake building.

"What…?" Toru finally said, like she wasn't sure she heard me right.

"I don't have a Quirk," I repeated. "Never had one."

It seemed like she was about to say something else, but then the voice boomed through the speakers, cutting her off.

"Two minutes until the exercise begins! All participants must be in position," All Might's unmistakable voice echoed, amplified by the intercom.

I clenched my teeth. Time was almost up.

"Come on—quickly," I said, picking up the pace through the hallway. "Follow me."

I rushed her along, and we both ran to the room where the fake bomb was located. Once inside, I pulled out the same black sphere I'd shown earlier. I stepped up to the dummy bomb and aimed the device at it.

The gadget let out a soft sound—like a camera shutter.

"What was that?" Toru asked, clearly confused.

"You'll see," I replied with a slight smile, putting it away.

Then I led her to another room nearby, nearly identical to the one with the bomb. Once there, I placed the device in the center of the room. Instantly, a hologram of the bomb appeared, floating in the air.

The day that U.A.'s acceptance letter arrived, with that hologram hovering in my room—that's when this idea hit me. I based it on Mysterio's tech, from Spider-Man. Of course, this is still just a prototype: it looks two-dimensional, and if you get too close, the illusion breaks. But I'm working on it.

I'd also seen a video online about tourists visiting I-Island, where they showed off way more advanced hologram technology. So I knew it was possible to build something like that in this world.

This was just step one.

Toru stood silent for a few seconds. Even without seeing her face, her silence said it all.

"That's…" she started, but couldn't find the right word.

"A decoy," I said. "Static hologram. Still in testing."

"Whoa… that's so cool!" Toru said, genuinely excited.

"Stay here," I said firmly. "Walk around in circles, slowly, like you're patrolling the bomb. Jirō will probably head straight to this room thinking you're guarding it."

"What about you?"

"I'll deal with Kaminari."

I could've tried handling it on my own, but I knew this was meant to be a team exercise. I thought about that with mild annoyance. It wasn't that I minded working with Toru specifically… it was more that I just worked better alone. That's how it had always been.

Even the plan I had in mind for the long run depended, at least in part, on the protagonist of this story—and that… that bothered me. If I had a more reliable option, if the world were fairer, I would've done everything by myself. But I couldn't.

"Oh, right—here," I added, pulling something else from my belt. It was a small black speaker, about the size of a flashlight. I handed it to Toru.

"What is this?"

"A directional speaker. I had it custom-made in case I ever needed to send out a sound alert or distract an enemy," I replied, checking my visor as I spoke. "Turns out I'll get to use it sooner than expected."

I looked at her—or at least I looked in the direction where I figured her eyes would be.

"This should disorient Jirō. If her hearing's as sharp as I think it is, this will overload her senses for a couple of seconds. Just point it toward where you think she is and press this button."

"Isn't that... dangerous?"

"Only if you aim it directly at her ear from up close. Don't do that. The goal is to throw her off, not blow out her eardrums."

"Got it," she said, more confidently than I expected.

Just then, All Might's voice boomed over the speakers, signaling the official start of the test.

I turned toward the door. The time had come.

"See you at the end of the test," I said to Toru, then walked briskly out of the room.