Daily Meme
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The speeches continued. Jeanist did his usual "fashion is heroism" thing. Mirko got up there and flexed, both literally and figuratively. Ryukyu kept it short. Wash… made washing machine noises.
Then the host's smile twitched slightly, like he was getting ready to drop a bombshell.
"And now, we have a special mention!"
The dorm fell silent.
"While not officially ranked as a pro hero, one name has been making waves in the industry." The host gestured toward the massive screen behind him. "Ladies and gentlemen, Midoriya Ryuu!"
I blinked.
"What?" Kaminari muttered.
The screen flashed.
First, a still image of Stain, barely conscious, blood pooling beneath him. I stood over him, bat resting on my shoulder.
Then, a recording.
"You bitch about heroes wanting money, fame, attention. You ever wonder why they chase that shit? Because it makes them work harder. You don't get to the top without proving you belong there. You don't get to be remembered unless you do something worth remembering."
The dorm was dead silent.
"Yeah, some of them are fake as shit. Yeah, some do it for the wrong reasons. But tell me this, asshole, when you were bleeding out in an alley, did a paycheck-cashing hero save your ass? Or did you lie there, waiting for your 'real heroes' that don't fucking exist?"
Bakugo let out a sharp exhale, somewhere between a scoff and a laugh. "Tch. Forgot about that."
Izuku's face was unreadable. The others just kept watching.
"Even the worst pro hero still shows up. Even the glory-chasing, cash-grabbing bastards will put their lives on the line. You? You are just another coward pretending to be something more."
The footage cut. The host, smiling way too hard, turned back to the audience. "Now, let's not forget his… less conventional moments."
I started to sweat. Why the hell were they pushing me forward? This was not cool, man.
The host's voice rang out over the speakers, but I barely registered it. The footage on the screen shifted, and suddenly, I was staring at my own past mistakes playing out in real-time.
"The Line in the Sand… The Shie Hassaikai Incident."
The crowd murmured. The footage cut to me, standing in the middle of that alley, bruised, bloodied, Eri clinging to Nejire's sleeve behind me.
Then my voice echoed across the stadium.
"I don't care about your operation. I don't care if I can become a hero after today. And I don't give a single fuck if I get thrown in jail. If I see a scared little girl, I will burn this city down before I let her go back. Now fuck off and let me do my job."
The air in the room shifted. People exchanged glances. Some whispered.
"Holy shit," Kaminari muttered. "They actually aired it."
Jiro let out a low whistle. "Dude, that is ballsy."
The footage kept rolling. It didn't stop at me telling Nighteye and the police to fuck off. No, it had to go through everything, the chaos that followed, me tearing through the building, property getting wrecked, people screaming.
The part where I swung my bat at Chisaki's head got an audible reaction from the crowd. Some gasps. Some cheers. A couple of horrified mutters.
Then the shot of me in cuffs, sitting in the back of a police car, head tilted back against the seat like I wasn't even processing the fact that I just gotten arrested.
"Midoriya Ryuu," the host continued, way too pleased with himself. "A name that has been whispered across multiple major incidents. A student who disregarded orders, disrupted an ongoing operation, and yet, in the end, successfully led authorities to the full dismantling of the Shie Hassaikai."
People started talking louder. Some arguing. Others nodding along like they already knew how this was gonna go.
"They are gonna rank him," Sero muttered.
"No way," Yaoyorozu said. "They wouldn't."
I started praying in my mind. Don't say it. Don't you fucking say it.
The host ignored my prayers. "Although it was the police and Sir Nighteye who were assigned to locate the Shie Hassaikai hideout, leaked reports suggest that Midoriya Ryuu single-handedly tracked down the organization's location, organized the raid, and successfully led to the capture of every single criminal involved. And despite all that, he walked away from fame." He turned back to the audience. "Now that is a hero."
"They really pulled everything," Jiro muttered.
Kaminari ran a hand through his hair. "Bro, this is next level."
Iida adjusted his glasses. "So, someone leaked it after all."
"Obviously," Yaoyorozu said. "The police wouldn't have done it officially. This had to be an internal leak."
Bakugo scoffed. "Tch. Damn extras can't keep their mouths shut."
The footage kept rolling.
More clips. Headlines. Reports. A quick flash of me at a press conference, standing at the podium, looking vaguely irritated.
"Do you believe your actions were justified?"
"Man, I don't care if they were justified. I care that she is safe."
"You keep saying what you did was wrong. If you could go back, what would you do differently?"
"Nothing."
The camera cut back to the host. "Love him or hate him, Midoriya Ryuu has made one thing clear, he doesn't play by the rules, and he doesn't intend to start now."
Another clip rolled.
This time, it wasn't the Shie Hassaikai. It was a smaller screen, a social media post, amateur footage taken from a convenience store camera.
The host gestured. "And let's not forget the most recent incident, where Midoriya Ryuu, alongside his class, apprehended the criminal duo Gentle Criminal and La Brava. Despite their minor offenses, their recent raids had left multiple pro-heroes injured and property damaged. But, as always, it was Class 1-A that put an end to it."
The footage played. Gentle Criminal mid-air, caught off guard. Me swinging a fist straight into his gut, sending him crashing through a display shelf.
Then La Brava, backing away, panicked.
"Sit the fuck down, Bonnie. Your Clyde is already out."
Mina choked on her drink. "Holy shit, you said that?!"
I glared at Mina. "You were there! Did I say anything this cringe? For fuck's sake, this must be some AI shit."
Mina cackled. "Nah, dude, that is all you."
Kaminari shook his head. "Bro, 'sit the fuck down, Bonnie'? You really hit 'em with the straight-to-DVD action movie dialogue."
"Fuck off."
The footage cut back to the host, who looked like he was having the time of his life stirring this shitstorm. "Despite his unconventional methods, one thing is clear… Midoriya Ryuu has made an undeniable impact in the hero world. And so, for the first time in Hero Billboard Chart history, we introduce a special category… Rising Figures. Those not yet pro-heroes but whose influence is impossible to ignore."
I tensed. "No. No fucking way."
The screen flickered. My name popped up, followed by one word.
Rank: 199.
Dead silence.
Then chaos.
Kaminari actually screamed. "BRO, WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Mina grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. "YOU ARE ON THE RANKINGS! YOU ARE ON THE FUCKING RANKINGS!"
Bakugo leaned forward, eyes narrowing at the screen. "The fuck kind of bullshit is this?"
Yaoyorozu was already trying to process it. "That… shouldn't be possible. He is still a student."
Sero whistled. "Dude skipped being a sidekick and went straight to the rankings."
Todoroki just stared at the screen. "They really put a student in the top two hundred."
I ran a hand down my face. "Fucking kill me."
Jiro crossed her arms. "No, no, we are letting you suffer through this."
The room was still loud, people talking over each other. Iida was muttering something about how this was 'highly irregular,' Uraraka looked like she wasn't sure if she should be impressed or horrified.
The host, still grinning, continued. "A student placing in the rankings is unheard of! But Midoriya Ryuu has proven that heroism isn't just about status… it is about action. His feats during the Shie Hassaikai raid, his role in taking down Stain, and his recent encounter with Gentle Criminal have solidified his reputation. Some hail him as a reckless vigilante, others as a rising force of justice. But one thing is certain- he is impossible to ignore."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Why the fuck are they making me sound like a fucking Batman side character?"
Mina punched my arm. "Because you are, dumbass!"
Kirishima clapped my back. "Dude, this is insane. Like, you are literally out here ranking with pros."
"Yeah, and it is fucking annoying."
Izuku was still staring at the screen, processing. "You are ranked… higher than some actual heroes."
Bakugo scoffed. "Tch. Fucking ridiculous."
Jiro smirked. "Jealous?"
"Fuck no. Dumbass just keeps sticking his nose in shit."
Kaminari leaned back, shaking his head. "Man, this is nuts. Ryuu is gonna need a goddamn PR team at this rate."
"Fuck PR," I muttered. "I need a nap."
The broadcast continued, but no one was really paying attention anymore. The dorm was too busy losing their shit. The others were already making bets on whether or not I would climb higher next year. Sero threw out a 'Top 15 by graduation' prediction, which Mina doubled down on.
Yaoyorozu was still trying to figure out the logistics. "This sets a precedent. If they are willing to rank students, it could change the way hero licensing is handled."
I pointed at her. "Don't encourage this shit."
She ignored me, still deep in thought.
The Pussycats exchanged looks. Pixie Bob sighed, shaking her head. "They forgot about us again."
Izuku stiffened. Yaoyorozu straightened up. A few others glanced around like they just remembered guests existed. Mandalay and Tiger patted my back like I was somehow responsible for this mess.
"Right, right!" Izuku scrambled. "Uh… thank you for coming! It is, um, great to have you here!"
Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, uh, we kinda got caught up…"
Ragdoll waved a hand. "Oh, we noticed. We are just here, watching the chaos unfold."
Mina grinned. "To be fair, it is good chaos."
Pixie Boobs smirked. "Is it? You sure your friend over there isn't having an existential crisis?" She gestured at me.
"I don't have existential crises," I said. "I have annoyances."
Tiger nodded. "Well, you are ranking now, so get used to it."
Kaminari leaned forward. "Wait, are you guys cool with this? Like, Ryuu, a student, getting ranked?"
Mandalay exhaled. "It is… complicated."
"Not really," Pixie Boobs said. "It is dumb."
Kota, still lurking at the end of the couch, huffed. "Who cares? He earned it."
Everyone looked at him. He scowled. "What?"
Ragdoll clasped her hands together. "Awww, Kota, do you look up to him now?"
He kicked his feet up on the couch. "No."
Izuku smiled. "It is okay to admit it."
Kota groaned. "Shut up." Kota looked away, ears red. "He did what heroes are supposed to do."
Izuku blinked. "Kota…"
Kota cut him off. "Don't get weird about it. I am just saying."
Pixie Bob cooed. "He has a role model~"
Kota groaned. "I hate this place."
Tiger ruffled his hair, ignoring the way Kota tried to dodge. "Whether you think it is dumb or not, the rankings are what they are. The world is watching. Some people are pissed about it. Others think it is great."
--
Lecter: "You know what I love?"
Will: tensely "Not really."
Lecter: "A well-prepared narrative. Raw emotions. Seasoned with inner conflict."
He sips his wine.
Will: "And… the readers?"
Lecter smiles.
"Oh, I wouldn't serve them.
I would just watch them.
Endlessly consume.
And never give back."
He lifts his glass.
"To leechers."
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