Morning at the Replica City District
The Replica City District was packed.
Students from every hero course—and a few ambitious General Studies kids—were scattered across the faux streets, rooftops, and open plazas, putting their Quirks through the wringer. Explosions echoed from one sector, while streaks of lightning flashed in another.
Nejire bounced beside me, her eyes scanning the chaos with glee. "Wow! Even Bakugo's here! And—oh! There's Tsuyu and Kaminari!"
I followed her gaze. Sure enough, Katsuki was busy demolishing a training dummy with his usual explosive fervor, while Kaminari and Kirishima were sparring nearby. Tenya zipped past in a blur, and Tsuyu perched on a lamppost, observing.
"Looks like everyone had the same idea," I muttered.
Nejire grinned. "Which is why we're stealing Sector 7! It's got the best open space for big moves!"
She grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward before I could argue.
Sector 7 was a wide, cratered plaza—perfect for not holding back.
Nejire spun to face me, hands on her hips. "Alright, Mochi Blade! Show me what you've got!"
I cracked my knuckles. "You sure you can keep up?"
She stuck her tongue out. "Please. I've been waiting to see you go all out!"
Fine.
I exhaled, letting my Quirk surge through me. My arms morphed, expanding into thick, coiled mochi limbs.
"Mochi Gatling!"
My fists blurred, striking the air with rapid-fire punches—each impact sending shockwaves through the ground. Dust kicked up in a storm as the barrage intensified, the sheer speed turning my arms into a whirlwind of destruction.
Nejire whooped, darting back to avoid the debris. "Whoa! That's crazy fast!"
I smirked, retracting my arms. "That's just the warm-up."
Next, I focused on versatility.
"Mochi Hydra."
My back split, eight additional mochi limbs erupting like serpents. They lashed out independently—one snatching a chunk of rubble, another slamming into a nearby wall, the other four coiling defensively.
Nejire's eyes sparkled. "Okay, that's cool. But can they hit hard?"
I grinned. "Watch."
The limbs merged, forming a single, colossal fist above me. With a grunt, I swung it downward—
"Mochi Titan Breaker!"
The ground shattered, fissures spiderwebbing out from the impact. The force sent a gust of wind tearing through the plaza, nearly knocking Nejire off her feet.
She laughed, steadying herself. "Okay, that one's festival-worthy!"
Now for the real challenge.
I flexed my fingers, focusing on the molecular vibration of my mochi. If I could manipulate the friction, the pressure—
"Mochi Burning…"
I slammed my palms together, compressing the mochi between them. The rapid vibration heated the air, oxygen igniting in a sudden burst of flame. The fire roared to life, swirling around my arms like a living gauntlet.
But it sputtered out too quickly.
"Tch." I shook my hands, extinguishing the embers. "Needs more output."
Nejire whistled. "You're literally playing with fire now. I like it!"
"It's not ready yet," I admitted. "Gotta fine-tune the pressure."
She twirled a strand of hair. "Well, good thing you've got me to help!"
Not to be outdone, Nejire took center stage, her spiraling energy surging around her.
"Nejire Wave!"
A torrent of golden energy erupted from her palms, carving a jagged trench through the plaza. The sheer force sent shockwaves rippling outward, rattling the surrounding buildings.
I raised a brow. "Show-off."
She winked. "You love it."
Damn right I do.
As the sun dipped lower, I shifted to utility.
"Mochi Sonar."
I pressed a mochi-coated hand to the ground, sending out pulsed vibrations. The echoes painted a mental map of the area—Nejire's position, the rubble, even a stray cat hiding behind a dumpster.
Nejire blinked. "Wait, can you sense me right now?"
"Yep. You're bouncing on your left foot."
She froze, then groaned. "Okay, that's cheating."
I smirked. "Last one."
"Mochi Doppelganger."
A portion of my mochi detached, molding into a perfect replica of myself. The clone mirrored my movements flawlessly—until I willed it to act independently, darting toward Nejire with a mock strike.
She yelped, dodging. "Hey! No fair!"
I dissolved the clone, laughing. "You're just mad 'cause you can't copy it."
"Ugh! I'll figure out my own ultimate moves!"
Exhausted but satisfied, we collapsed on a half-destroyed bench as the sun set.
Nejire leaned against me, her breath steadying. "You're gonna wreck the Festival, you know."
I nudged her. "So are you."
She smiled, soft and genuine. "Yeah. We both will."
For the first time since the USJ, the weight of the upcoming competition didn't feel like a burden.
It felt like a promise.
******
Two weeks later
The air in the training grounds crackled with heat as I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders. Two weeks of non-stop drilling, refining, and pushing my limits had finally paid off.
Nejire stood a few meters away, her arms crossed and a proud grin plastered across her face. "Alright, hotshot. Show me what you've got."
I smirked. "Don't blink."
Ultimate Move: Mochi Burning
I slammed my palms together, focusing on the friction between my mochi. The rapid vibration ignited the oxygen trapped within, flames erupting around my arms in a swirling inferno. Unlike the sputtering prototype from before, the fire held, roaring like a living thing as I swung my fist forward—
BOOM.
The blast tore through the training dummy, reducing it to smoldering scraps in seconds.
Nejire let out a low whistle. "Okay, that's scary."
I extinguished the flames, flexing my fingers. "Still needs more control. But it'll do the job."
She bounced on her toes. "What's next? What's next?"
Ultimate Move: Mochi Blade Bullet
I didn't answer. Instead, I focused on my forearm, molding the mochi into a razor-sharp spike. With a sharp exhale, I launched it—
SHINK!
The projectile screamed through the air, embedding itself into a reinforced target fifty meters away with enough force to crack the concrete behind it.
Nejire's eyes widened. "Whoa. That's like a railgun but with mochi."
I shrugged, retracting the mochi back into my body. "Fast, precise, and annoying to dodge. Perfect for long-range."
She grinned. "You're gonna wreck the Festival."
"That's the plan."
The scene shifted to Takoba Municipal Beach, where Izuku was a blur of motion amidst the junk piles. Sweat poured down his face as he moved through katas, his body glowing faintly with the strain of One for All's 10%.
I leaned against a rusted fridge, watching.
"You're overthinking it," I called out.
He startled, nearly tripping over a microwave. "K-Kenjiro?! What are you—"
"Your stance is too rigid. You're treating 10% like a crutch instead of your power." I pushed off the fridge, walking over. "Stop trying to control it. Let it flow."
Izuku blinked, then nodded slowly. "R-Right."
He closed his eyes, exhaled—and when he moved again, it was smoother. More natural.
I smirked. "Better."
He beamed, but the determination in his eyes was new. "I have to master this. For All Might. For everyone."
I didn't say it out loud, but—Damn right you do.
---
The sun was setting by the time Nejire and I left the training grounds, the sky painted in hues of pink and orange.
She swung our intertwined hands between us, humming. "Two weeks flew by, huh?"
"Yeah." I squeezed her fingers lightly. "Thanks. For putting up with me."
She gasped, fake-offended. "Putting up with you? Excuse you, I enjoyed every second!"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't fight the grin. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're stuck with me." She leaned into my side, her warmth seeping through my sleeve.
…I'm okay with that.
At the usual fork in the road, Nejire spun to face me, her eyes sparkling under the streetlights.
"Tomorrow's the big day," she whispered.
I nodded. "Better bring your A-game."
She laughed, rising onto her toes to press a kiss to my cheek. "You too, Mochi Blade."
Before I could react, she darted back, waving. "See you at the Festival!"
And just like that, she was gone—leaving me standing there with a heartbeat that refused to slow.
Damn.