MHA: GAMER PATH

Chapter 24: Spying

~Third POV~

[Next Day, U.A. High School, Lunch Rush, Cafeteria Girl's Table, Japan]

It was the next day, and everything was going normally with Ren talking with the guys in his class. Eventually, it soon turned to lunchtime, and the guys discussed some topics at their table.

The girls, however, were listening in to them with Kyoka Jiro focusing on their conversation with her Quirk [Earphone Jack] to listen into their conversations as Jiro asked in a discomfortable tone, "You sure this is a good idea on hearing their conversations Ashido-chan?"

Jiro was initially reluctant to spy on her classmates, but Ashido managed to convince her as it was the safety and well-being of every girl in class. But also, to gain some gossip as she's somewhat of a romantic and holds a lot of interest in other people's love lives, to the point of being obnoxiously curious and intrusive about them.

Nodding her head she gives her valid excuse raising her fist in a proud tone doing this for the wrong reasons, "Of course Jiro-chan! This shows how dangerous this Yuki is. He isn't a bad guy per se but has the potential to become a womanizer. We can see his true nature for Ochaco and Tsuyu to decide if you should date him for real!"

Hearing Ashdio mention the possibility of them dating Ren, both the girls in question expressed varying degrees of embarrassment. Neither of them had ever gone on a date, and before now, they hadn't considered trying to find a boyfriend.

The possibility had crossed their minds once in a fleeting moment, but their moment now became a reality occurring instead of focusing on becoming Heroes. Ashido though just wanted to see who would ship with who.

Yui listened and kept her mouth shut as she viewed how her friends tried to overhear the conversation with the boys genuinely interested in the subject. Itsuma looked curious knowing what they're doing is bad but wanted to see where this goes.

Kinoko has this shy expression wanting to say no but doesn't know how to speak it out loud with her classmates. Toga on the other hand grinned seeing this amused by the duo's innocent reactions only grinned wider speaking up in a confident tone, "Come on ain't we all just a bit curious what the number 1 student that broke the record has on his mind? Or any boys for that matter?"

Ashido grinned patting Toga's shoulder in an excited tone, "Oh you and I are going to be the best of friends!"

Toga the confident girl grinned at her words. Jiro began to explain to them in a calm tone, "Hey guys shush I'm hearing what they're talking about… "

The girl's attention was now on the boys as Jiro spoke in a calm tone gathering the information from their discussions…

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[U.A. High School, Lunch Rush, Cafeteria Boy's Table, Japan]

Meanwhile, on the boy's lunch table side, they began talking to one another with Hanta speaking to Ren in a curious tone, "So man how did it feel to be turned down by two girls in our class hmm…?"

Ren blinked at his words as he shrugged his response in a nonchalant tone being calm about the situation, "I wouldn't say turned down, but I know when to stop if I'm being too annoying. I can tell when Tsu tried to smack me over the head."

Raising an eyebrow Denki asked in a curious tone how Ren was aware taking a bite out of his lunch, "Oh…? And how do you know that?"

Ren bluntly responded as he took a bite out of his lunch in a neutral tone, "From the way she talked and mannerisms. She strikes me as the caretaker type judging from her actions and balance."

Ida raised his glasses with his arms crossed genuinely curious asking Ren about his reasoning in a curious tone, "Judging her by her actions and mannerisms huh? But what's this about Tsuyu-chan's balance and how did you figure this out."

Smirking at this Ren knew the girls were listening using his [Instincts] as he carefully chose his words replying in a confident tone, "As you know before me being Quirkless I did some studies on psychology and observation during my time in Junior High seeing they won't bother talking to me as I mind my own business. It helped me develop what to see in a type of person with the info I have through body language. As for Tsu's balance means that she knows how to lead and look after people, keeping them safe and at ease if they don't feel so."

Ida nodded his head impressed as Kirishima spoke in a proud tone seeing Ren's willingness fist bumping into the air, "Damn man!! That sounds manly how determined you are to be a Hero even noticing small bits of information and understanding a person!"

Ren genuinely smiled at the compliment before frowning as he sighed out loud in a defeated tone, "I don't know if I'm that heroic. Some things even scare me like that one time I had to face a villain that Kirishima and Ashido mentioned I led away."

He even shivered recalling meeting Gigantomachia as the guys didn't push more on the subject showing his just as human as everyone else. Something he purposefully said to gain their trust and for 'everyone' listening to their conversation to hear from his perspective.

After all, not all people were made equal. They understood that from Aizawa's lessons.

But it was when they heard his goals of becoming a Hero that everyone was a bit surprised by his determined tone, "I knew being Quirkless at the time I realized there is always a limit to one's ability or actions. Even if I somehow gained All Might's abilities, I know that the people I can help are limited, after all, I'm only one person. But just like everyone else I plan to go big and aim for the number 1 Hero spot."

Hearing such big dreams and ambitions the boys smirked. But the first one to break the ice would be Hanta whistling impressed by his friend's big ambitions in a smug tone, "Whew~ Damn man… you sure have a big dream huh? In any case, you're not the only one to have that dream and even tougher competition."

Ren chuckled at Hanta's remark as he replied in a confident tone returning to the happy-going attitude, "Hahaha… yeah. Being number one to me is merely a stepping stone to further my goals. After all, the skies are the limit. But we can talk about something else if you want since I killed the mood."

Returning to normal boy topics Denki smirked as he asked Ren a question wanting his input in a curious tone, "Alright then wise guy how about you answer me this? Who do you think is the cutest girl in our class that isn't flatchested like Jiro – "

Abruptly saying it without a beat Ren shamelessly said, "Toru Hagakure."

Denki almost spat his drink out as he spoke in a surprised tone, "The invisible girl?!"

Having a snarky grin Shinso remarked in a scolding tone to Ren returning to messing with him, "Heh. Wait till Toga-chan hears about this Ren-kun."

He merely rolled his eyes as he explained himself why in a casual tone reluctantly admitting being curious as he shamelessly agreed as he complimented the other girls knowing that they were listening to their conversations, "I have my reasons why. At the very least I can see her thanks to one of my Quirk allowing me to 'see' her for my eyes to see. I can guarantee she's the cutest in our class right behind Momo."

The boys were a bit stunned as Ren continued speaking in a cheeky tone, "But then again, they all have their charm. I mean just look at how cute they all are."

No sooner did the boys continue talking about different subjects, but he smiled mentally in his head as he thought in a calm tone, 'Sure… but last I checked we're being spied on. I just made myself a bit heroic. After all, Jiro is the only one who can listen to our conversations. And I have my [Instincts] to warn me as I made myself look good.'

Soon, the topic changed at the boy's table, with Kirishima sharing his tales from his school and some embarrassing stories about Mina knowing her as a friend. Ren only smirked, imagining what the boy's opinions of the girls were as they listened intently…

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[U.A. High School, Lunch Rush, Cafeteria Girl's Table, Japan]

Mina, hearing this, had her eyes twitched as she innocently smiled, clenching her fist in an 'innocent' tone, gritting her teeth together, "Oh… Kirishima better watch out for what he says when sharing that embarrassing scene. This means war!"

Jiro and the rest of the girls were stunned listening to the boy's conversation. They had to process what they heard, listening to boys' opinions.

Especially when Denki off-handedly mentioned Jiro's flat chest as she shot daggers from her spot on them for that comment in a dry tone, "Denki Kaminari… flat chested? That guy better be watching his back from now on…"

Ashido took a few seconds to calm down as she glanced at the boys with an unreadable expression realizing as she looked towards Toru. Hearing Ren's claims about Toru being cuter than Momo.

Toru cupped her invisible face with her invisible hands in a faintly embarrassed tone, "How embarrassing~"

Tsuyu soon spoke in a surprised tone having her finger touch her bottom lip astounded by his observation, "Whoa, he got that right about me, ribbit. He seems to be a very observant guy huh?"

Momo speaks next nodding her head with an impressed expression in a determined tone of the situation going over her head, "I agree. To have that such big of a dream I have to say being the number 1 Hero. But everyone has that goal so dealing with the competition would be harder to face in the future."

The conversation returned to normal again, with Toga snickering causing the girls to look at her. Jiro soon asked with a raised eyebrow at her friend's reaction in a neutral tone, "What's so funny Toga-chan?"

She soon explained making the girl's eyes widen with a cheeky grin on her face, "You do know he's been listening to us, right?"

This made the girl's eyes widen at her claim as Ashido asked in a curious tone, "Oh? How exactly do you know that Toga-chan?"

She merely grinned as she explained in a calm tone with a knowing grin, "Oh, I know. After all, he lives with me."

The girls looked unconvinced by her words, ignoring them so that Ren could hear them as biased opinions. Although Momo soon asked, genuinely curious, with Ochako and Tsuyu having an unreadable expression, "Really? I seem to recall you both leaving together, so does Ren-kun also live with you."

Toga nodded her head as she began to explain lightly with a blissed smile on her face in a happy tone, "Yup! He's good at many things!! Other than being a good house-husband material, he's very hard-working to boot! Cleaning, cooking, and many other things as well as a true hero that's willing to go to any lengths to protect his friends. What more can a girl ask for?"

Mina's eyes beamed, hearing this shifting topic instead of listening to the boys as she asked in a mischievous tone, seeing a chance to gain some information, "Toga-chan, you sly girl? Care to share the deeds the number 1 student in our class is good at?"

At this, an idea occurred to Toga as she blushed a bit with an embarrassed smile, admitting a fact about Ren earning the girl's attention, "Well… if there's one thing good to say about Ren-kun, it's that he gives the best massages. I mean… REALLY good massages that melt away the stress…"

This earned the girl's interest as they began to discuss the skills that Ren can judge by Toga's blissful expression. But Toga thought in a happy tone, 'Ah… it's all going to plan just like that smut book Ninja's of Love Vol.4! All according to my beloved Ren-sama's wish wanting a family to rely upon!'

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A/N: Ah, that Jack Nights has done it again! Gotta get that reference somewhere, but anyway, thanks, guys, for your opinion on helping to go next in the Final Exam Arc.