Missing the first day back to school after the USJ attack, Itami stood alone at the training grounds. The evening sun covered the training grounds in a light orange hue, His eyes closed-focused, his right arm still tingling.
Lifting his left arm he focused creating a dense fireball. Concentrating more he compressed it. The color of his fire changed, first red, then orange, than white. Then after a moment he felt a burning sensation as his flame turned blue.
No.. It wasn't like that...
Opening his eyes he released the small fireball into the air, it disappearing as he let out a deep sigh, looking at both his hands.
Why cant I do it again? Not even for a second?
Before getting lost in thought he felt someone watching him, turning he saw Akuma. Leaning against a tree in his casual attire. A Hawaiian red shirt and sunglasses hanging off its collar.
Itami then looked away as he said " Still wearing that ridiculous outfit?"
"What? Its what the ladies like" He replied with a grin as he began to walk towards Itami. " Your still to immature to understand style. I mean look at your outfit, black harem pants and a ripped up grey shirt."
Itami rolled his eyes. "Did you come here to give fashion tips or actually train?"
Akuma stopped a few feet away, hands in his pockets, smirking. "Can't I do both?"
He looked over Itami for a moment, letting the silence stretch. "How's the arm?"
Itami flexed his fingers. The motion made his right shoulder twitch slightly.
"Still stiff. I cant summon fire from it."
Akuma raised a brow. "Really? Like nothing at all?"
Itami's jaw clenched. He looked down at his hands. "Nothing. Not even a flicker."
Akuma gave a low hum and stepped onto the training field, lazily stretching his arms. "You know, most people would just be happy to be walking after what you pulled. I'm surprised you healed this quickly, for me it takes about a week for a broken bone to heal, even with our medical tech."
"Yukiko did most of the heavy lifting but Im not most people you know."
"Yeah," Akuma muttered, smiling faintly. "I know."
There was a pause, then Akuma asked while cracking his knuckles "You up for a round?"
Itami still not looking at him thought about it for a second then replied " Yeah I want to see how my fire is up against yours"
With a smirk Akuma leaped back taking his hands out of his pockets, both getting in there stances. " I dont want to hear you crying after I kick your ass"
Itami replied by making the first move, moving low and fast. Using speed to his advantage he released a fury of punches, each strike moved with precision. But Akuma moved like a professional. Having a wide toothy grin as he parried every punch Itami threw with relaxed precision.
Itami tried to create distance, throwing a fire arc with his left hand. It was strong, fast—but Akuma cut through it with a sweeping kick and a short blast of his own flame.
His fire was bright—white-hot, cleaner than Itami's.
"Your control's slipping," Akuma said mid-exchange.
"Still figuring out my limits," Itami grunted.
Akuma didn't reply—he charged instead, cloaking his fist in blazing white fire. His fist cutting through the air, missing Itami's face by a couple inches. Itami twisted, the the heat from Akumas fist tingling his cheek.
Itami didn't hesitate—dropped low and drove his foot into Akuma's gut.
A heavy grunt came out of Akuma.
Akuma staggered back, but only for a breath. His eyes lit up—more amused than hurt. "Nice shot, you wont get me like that again."
A smile crept up Itamis face as he replied moving with fast speed. " Well see!"
With his quick movements Itami tried to flank him from Akumas side but he reacted quicker than Itami could. With a clean motion he swept Itamis legs as he got close, than he lit both his arms with intense fire. With arms made of fire reaching for Itami.
Acting quickly while sideways, Itami used his fire to boost him out of Akumas reach —but one of his fire arms grabbed him but his ankle. The heat was intense as part of his pants started to catch fire. Before Itami can react he was swung around than slammed on the ground.
Spit flying out of his mouth. He tried to recover but another hand of fire grabbed him by the throat lifting him up.
Then with instinct alone Itami raised his right arm as he released a burst of pressure exploded from his palm.
CRACK
A sharp blast of thunder rang out as a jagged streak of lightning surged forward, slamming Akuma square in the chest. The shockwave sent dust spiraling across the field as his arms of fire retreated back to him. Akuma staggered back, smoke curling off his shirt.
He looked down at the blackened spot, then up at Itami.
"...Well Ill be damn."
Itami stood frozen, panting. His right arm tingled, not with pain—but with static. Faint lines of electricity crawled along his skin before fading.
Akuma whistled with wide toothy grin. "So when were you gonna tell me you had that up your sleeve?"
Itami didn't answer. He was staring at his hand.
"You always gotta make things dramatic," Akuma muttered, brushing off his chest. "You alright?"
"Yeah... I think." Itami replied as his arm began to shake slightly
Akuma let the silence breathe for a moment longer, then exhaled and dropped his stance.
"Let's stop right here before I take this seriously" he grinned, his tone had an undertone of pride and surprised.
Letting his guard down too Itami added "You mean I was going to kick your ass and you didn't want to loose"
Akuma laughed as he patted his back " Your attacks are still rough around the edges but your getting there. Man I remeber when you barley summon a small candle light. Now look at you, fire and lighting affinity."
Itami only flexed his fingers " I didn't even mean to shoot it..."
"That's how it starts, some people are born with two affinities. But there are rare chances that some can use another out of the blue." Akuma replied as he bent his sunglasses to how they were originally, but still warped.
They walked in silence for a few more seconds, the burnt air still humming with leftover energy.
Then Akuma added casually, "You know, if this keeps up, the old heads might finally stop whispering about you."
Itami raised an eyebrow. "That supposed to be encouraging?"
Akuma shrugged. "They've been paying more attention lately. The clan's making moves. Getting involved. Not just in politics anymore.You didn't hear it from me though."
Itami looked over at him. "What kind of moves?"
Akuma kept his eyes forward. "There plan on opening a hero agency. There getting connections into other agency's. Especially in the hero department itself."
Hearing this left a sour taste in Itamis mouth as he stopped walking altogether. " You have to be lying. There's no way they would approve of this."
Akuma paused when he noticed Itami had stopped walking. He turned, brow raised.
"They're opening a hero agency?" Itami asked, voice low.
Akuma nodded once, hands sliding into his pockets. "That's the word. Big names too—support from a few other families, some politicians."
"They used to call pro heroes glorified mascots."
Akuma shrugged. "Guess they found a use for mascots."
Itami's expression tightened. "So what? Now they want to play nice? Get their hands in the system?"
"Power's power," Akuma said, glancing up at the sky. "Doesn't matter where it's pulled from. If anything, you're the reason they're even entertaining the idea."
Itami's brows pulled together. "What do you mean?"
Akuma just gave him a small smirk, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You've been making noise. People are paying attention."
Itami didn't respond. He looked down at his hand again—the one that released the lightning. The skin had stopped crackling, but the questions hadn't.
Before he could say more, a phone buzzed in Akuma's back pocket.
He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and sighed. "Hold up."
Taking a few paces away, he answered. "Yeah?"
A pause. The faint buzz of a voice crackled on the other end.
Akuma ran a hand through his hair. "He's with me. Yeah. Alright."
He turned back to Itami, slipping the phone into his pocket. "Speak of the devil, that was one of them. You've been summoned."
Itami blinked. "Now?"
Akuma shrugged. "Didn't sound optional."
Itami turned toward the edge of the training ground, jaw tense.
"Hey," Akuma called after him.
Itami stopped but didn't turn around.
Rubbing the back of his head Akuma added.
"Whatever this is, don't get in your head about it. Just be smart. Play the part. Who knows, it might just be a rumor. You know how Elder Geto and Kiyoko were when you wanted to do this hero steck. "
Itami gave a simple reply as he continued walking. "Yeah."
The walk to the compound was long but familiar. Past the training rings, through the winding stone paths lined with scaled crests and clan banners, until he reached the elder chamber—where old power sat in a circle of carved obsidian and stone.
When the doors opened, all eyes turned to him.
He bowed—low, controlled, respectful. Then stood straight, silent.
At the center sat Elder Geto Wyrm, hunched, squinting as though just the sight of Itami offended him.
"So," Geto said. "The prodigal flame returns."
Beside him, Elder Kiyoko said nothing. Just stared, fingers folded, like a man waiting for a chess move.
Elder Misaki leaned forward, eyes kind but sharp. "He's earned the right to stand here."
Koda Dragonette nodded once. "He prevented the death of a high-profile figure. Whether intentional or not, it was action worthy of recognition."
Hanzo said nothing—but gave Itami a look. Brief. Heavy. The kind that said you did good, without needing to speak.
Geto scoffed as Misaki spoke loudly. "Itami Wyvern, you completed the first trail. You successfully stopped an assasination attempt on a high public figure, or goes by 'All Might'. We congratulate you on your accomplishment."
Geto scoffed, his voice sharp. "Congratulate him? We should be questioning how he let the perpetrator get away! No less breaking his arm in the process!"
"He made a choice," Misaki said firmly then turning to Geto. "One that you would of never done. Yet this child as you say, had the will and courage to do what needed to be done."
Elder Noya Amphiptere gave a quiet hum, tapping her finger on the edge of her chair. "Injury are always common in our line of work. What's important is that the hero lived and the attack failed."
Ban, seated beside her, added without looking up, "And the world continues to turn."
Geto was bright red but Hanzo spoke, cutting him off. "Regardless of what we think. The boy has passed and proven himself. But now the real challenge will began. Let's see if he can survive the next one."
From the side chamber, the heavy doors creaked open.
Five shadows entered in quiet formation. Uniform professional and matte black with each of them having unique uniforms of their own but similar to one another.
Obsidian Fang walked first. Obsidian-scaled armor. Broad shoulders and silence that spoke louder than any command.
Volt-Viper followed, eyes sharp, calculating. His presence like static in the air—always listening, always one move ahead.
Blaze Forge moved with the weight of a tank, every step thudding with coiled fire. The faint shimmer of molten heat lined the knuckles of his gauntlets.
Wraith slinked in with a wave of mist at her heels, gaze sliding past Itami like a blade. Her smirk was amused, unreadable.
And finally, Halo. Calm. Watchful. A soft glow at his fingertips, and eyes that carried too much understanding for someone so quiet.
They stopped in a line before the council. Drex stepped forward and gave a small nod.
"Shadow Scale," Hanzo announced, his voice echoing. "One of our most elite operations teams. Asset protection, Escort protection, retrieval."
Itami took a step back, nervous.
What the hell? I didn't know we had them...
"You'll be embedded with them," Hanzo added, "for your next phase."
"Field missions. Real stakes," said Ban.
"And no shadows to hide in this time," Kiyoko added, just slightly amused.
Wraith gave a small wave. "Try not to die, newbie."
Blaze Forge grunted. "Just don't get in our way."
Volt- Viper eyes flicked up and down Itami. "He won't."
Obsidian Fang said nothing. But his gaze locked with Itami's for one second—and in that second, the unspoken welcome was clear.
Itami nodded.
Geto sneered. "We'll see how long you last."
Misaki raised her hand. "Then it's settled. He joins the team effective immediately."
Hanzo gave one final look before standing. "Dismissed."
As the elders began to rise, the council chamber lights dimmed.
Obsidian Fang turned toward the exit. "Move."
The squad left in unison, quiet as ghosts.
Itami followed, his steps echoing through the stone.
And as the chamber doors closed behind him, the weight of the next trial settled across his shoulders.
What the hell am I in for?