The emphasis on non-lethal methods, the strict regulations, the obsession with public perception—it all felt like a fragile facade, one that could crumble under the slightest pressure.
Eichi leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. The more he thought about it, the more he saw the cracks in the system.
A society that refused to make hard choices, that clung to ideals at the expense of practicality, was one that invited chaos. And chaos, as he knew all too well, was where people like him thrived.
His gaze drifted to the window, where the last rays of sunlight were fading into twilight.Time went fast, huh?The campus was quiet now, the students likely gathered in the common area for dinner.
He could almost hear the faint hum of conversation and laughter, a sound that felt alien to him. He didn't belong here, among these people who lived in a world of heroes and quirks. He belonged in the battlefield, where the only rules were survival and strength.
But he didn't have a choice. Not if he wanted to stay under the radar. Not if he wanted to find the heir and ensure his safety. He had to play along, at least for now.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He froze, his body tensing as his hand instinctively went to his side—where a kunai would have been, if he still had one. He forced himself to relax and walked over to the door, opening it just enough to see who was there.
It was Kaina, her bright smile as persistent as ever. "Hey! Just wanted to check on you. How's the room? Need anything?"
Eichi stared at her for a moment. "No. I'm fine."
Kaina nodded, though her smile faltered slightly. "Alright. Well, dinner's in about an hour. It's a good chance to meet your classmates. You should come down."
Eichi's response was immediate and blunt. "I'm not hungry."
Kaina hesitated, clearly unsure how to respond. "Oh. I see, if you change your mind, you know where to find us." She gave him a small wave before turning and walking down the hallway.
Eichi closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a long breath. He didn't have time for this. He didn't have time for small talk, for fake smiles, for... whatever this was. He needed to focus. He needed to find a way out of this shithole.
He needed to find a way to contact his countrymen—if any of them were still alive. He needed to gather information about this world, about the people in it. And he needed to find out if the heir was in a safe environment, no matter what it took.
The room might be his for now, but it wasn't home. It never would be.
Later that night.
The common area was alive with the chatter of students, the clinking of utensils, and the occasional burst of laughter. Kaina sat at one of the tables, her eyes occasionally flicking toward the stairs. She had hoped Eichi would come down, but so far, there was no sign of him.
Her thoughts kept drifting back to their earlier interaction. His cold demeanor, the way he carried himself—it wasn't just shyness or awkwardness. It was something deeper, something darker.
And that scar on his face... it didn't look like an accident. It looked like it came from a fight, maybe even an assault. What had he been through to end up here?
She also couldn't help but notice his hands when he had opened the door earlier. They were calloused and scarred, the hands of someone who had seen hard days, not the hands of a typical teenager. It only added to the mystery surrounding him.
"Hey, Kaina," one of her classmates called out. "Who's the new guy? He looked... intense."
Kaina sighed, her smile fading slightly. "That's Eichi. He's... adjusting. Give him some time."
The classmate nodded, though their expression was skeptical. "Alright. But he's in Class C-1, right?"
Kaina didn't respond, her gaze returning to the stairs. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Eichi than met the eye. And if Mr. Director was involved, it was only a matter of time before things got... complicated. Nezu didn't just take in random students, especially ones with scars and attitudes like Eichi's. There was a story there, one she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
But for now, all she could do was give him space and hope he'd come around. Whatever his deal was, he was here now, and that meant he was part of U.A. Whether he liked it or not.
Eichi's room
After much patience, stood and walked over to the window, peering out into the night. The campus was quiet, the students likely settling in for the evening. Perfect. He needed to move now, while everyone was distracted.
Eichi formed a series of hand seals—nine in total—his movements slightly slower than usual. He wasn't an expert in theCamouflage Jutsu, having only picked it up from a Konoha shinobi during his genin days, but it would have to do. As he completed the final seal, his body began to blend into the surroundings, his form becoming nearly invisible to the naked eye.
He slipped out of the window, landing silently on the ground below. The cool night air brushed against his skin as he moved toward the perimeter wall.
He paused, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of security. In his old world, the Uzushio Fuinjutsu Department had developed intricate detection seals to prevent intruders. He needed to know if this world had something similar.
After a few moments of observation, he spotted a faint glow along the wall—some kind of energy barrier or sensor. It wasn't as advanced as the seals he was used to, but it was enough to detect intruders. He couldn't risk triggering it.
Eichi formed another set of hand seals, this time for theHidden in the Dirt Jutsu. His body began to sink into the ground, the earth parting around him as if it were water.