"By the way, it was you, right? The masked girl who was fighting the robots?" asked Ryu once Saki had settled down.
"Ah-... yes…"
"I knew it! You were impressive back then, too. I really do think that you're suited to protect others. I sincerely hope that you will continue on this path."
His words stuck in her mind even after the two of them left shortly. Part of her wanted to continue being a vigilante. She was passionate about helping others, and her teammates accepted her for who she was. But the other part feared what the public would think. Some supported her, while others feared she might put them in danger. At any moment, her Nexus could trigger again, and she could harm them.
None of them was wrong. Nevertheless, Saki still wished to protect people. Even her hero encouraged her to continue this path. Yet doubt gnawed at her from within, and thus, for days, the girl was lost in her thoughts while resuming her training under her grandfather's watchful eye.
"Saki!" shouted old Honda, snapping her out of her reverie.
She dropped the weights she had been mindlessly lifting, gasping as she stared at the crack formed by the heavy dumbbells.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa…" she said in a small voice.
The old man glared at her before shaking his head in disappointment. "Take a break. You don't seem in the right mind to continue."
She nodded, picking up the weights and placing them back on their stand.
"It's alright, Saki. You'll get back into your groove soon enough," said Takeda, a member of the dojo, trying to comfort the girl.
"Ah yes…," she replied, though she was not so sure about that.
She took a seat, drinking some water while watching the other members train. But just as she settled into the silence, she heard her grandfather raising his voice. Her attention quickly shifted to him.
The latter was at the door, where a group of men in black suits was entering.
She immediately ran over, thinking something was wrong.
Then she saw him—a man with a crystal-clear bald head, a neatly trimmed white mustache and beard, and leaning on a black cane with a gold sphere at the top engraved with "SD." It was none other than Suzuki Daiou, one of the wealthiest men in the country and a prominent figure in HAL.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Takumi as he stared at the man.
Suzuki Daiou smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr Honda. I am Suzuki Daiou."
"I know who you are. What I would like to know is why you're in my gym? What do you want?"
"Ah, I see that you are a straightforward man. Very well. Since we are both businessmen, let's not waste any more time. I came to make an offer to Honda Saki."
"Huh? Me?" asked the young girl, her eyes widening in confusion.
"How about we discuss the details in a more private setting?" added the bald man.
Takumi, clearly skeptical, glanced at the unexpected visitor. He had no trust in anyone associated with HAL, especially not someone as affluent as Suzuki Daiou. He had heard a lot of things about him.
The man was so obsessed with heroes that he constantly sought opportunities to be more involved with them. Some might have seen him as a foolish rich man, but not Takumi. He knew very well that Suzuki Daiou was all but stupid. The man had invested in a lot of promising research to advance their current technologies further, and as a man with knowledge in that field, Takumi knew very well that this eccentric had eyes for successful ventures. He was playing a game far more advanced for regular folks—and even HAL was barely another piece on his chessboard.
Hence why Takumi did not like that he was sitting in their living room, with claims of making a deal with his granddaughter.
"I'll cut it short," Suzuki said, ignoring the tension. "I would like for her to participate in the entrance exam for my school of heroes."
"Huh?" Takumi's brow furrowed in disbelief.
"What?!!" exclaimed the girl, equally shocked.
"Allow me to explain. For a long while now, I have been watching the hero society, continuously investing my resources in hopes that our heroes will grow stronger and reduce the amount of crimes occurring every day, by supervillains.
You must have noticed it as well, the crime rate keeps on increasing with a surge of supervillains while heroes are dying on the frontline every day. Though we currently have some remarkable talents, it's not enough. As we speak, the gap between heroes and supervillains is widening. Soon, the balance will be off, and supervillains will have the upper hand. We are barely able to keep them at bay, and I blame the conservative approach taken by HAL for this turn of events."
Saki and her grandfather exchanged grim glances. They both knew the situation was dire. After all, as residents of a villain town, they experienced the effect of this gap firsthand. Supervillains were becoming increasingly stronger, while the number of competent heroes seemed to dwindle, leaving the country vulnerable.
"We have been too careful in our ways of dealing with supervillains, including the training of the future heroes. Out of hundreds of aspiring hero students, only a few make it out as pros, while the rest either give up or perish during their training. With such a program, it's truly no wonder that the hero society is falling apart," Suzuki said, his voice shaking with frustration.
"As someone very much concerned about the hero society, I refuse to let it collapse. If it must go down, then so be it. However, we should rebuild it, with improvements that would be sustainable in the long run, a new plan that would create more competent heroes and push them on the market, ready to deal with any type of supervillain.
Hence, I have decided to take this into my own hands. I have set up a new hero school with all the resources and facilities necessary to grow and cultivate young talents who would reach their full potential as heroes and surpass the current generation. With the ideal of shaping a better future, I created the best program alongside pro-heroes with experience who will personally mentor the students."
A school of heroes that will surpass the current generation of heroes?
They understood the gravity of the situation. It was true, supervillains were a growing threat, and the hero system was failing to put an end to this threat. But Suzuki's proposal sounded almost too good to be true.
After all, the current generation had the talented group Cometz from Legions, Flores from Neo-Vision, and the Fiery Twins of the North under Titanium. Silver Star and Queen Lumine under Nagato Corp. There were also the veteran pro-heroes who handled the more severe cases, such as the number one hero, Crimson of Legion, and the number two hero, Astera of Neo-Vison. Though there were not as many incredible heroes as a few years ago, those who remained and those who had entered the hero society were still quite amazing.
And yet, this man wanted to surpass them all? Would that really be possible? Especially since the school was for teenagers… with little to no experience. Even with a strong program, would it be enough? Moreover, why ask a villain to join the entrance exam?
"Then… What about me? What do you want from me?" Saki finally spoke, her curiosity piqued despite her reservations..
"It's quite simple. I want you to become the first-ever villain hero."
Saki stared at him, completely flabbergasted. "Huh? Me? A hero?"
"Does the idea seem absurd?" he asked, his gaze unreadable.
Of course it was! How could a villain be a hero?!
"I mean, I'm a villain, sir. How could I ever be a hero?" she replied.
"Indeed," Suzuki nodded. "That's what everyone would think, until recently. All thanks to your efforts, no less. Your performance against the supervillain Broadcaster has garnered a lot of attention, and where others see controversies, I see opportunity."
Saki remained silent, taking in his words.
"You have undeniable talent, Miss Honda, and such potential should be cultivated in the right environment, with the right people. My school would be a suitable place for your growth. And as for you being a villain, it works in my favour.
I aim to create powerful heroes, and you are someone who has power. No one has ever tried it before, but if you succeed, you'll become the first in a long line of newly born superheroes. It's a chance to explore new ideas. And you would be the best candidate for this experiment."
He paused, taking another sip of tea to catch his breath.
"Setting aside the fact that you possess the right talents, you also have an undeniable will to save and protect people. The values of a true hero are found in you, so I believe that you deserve the right to become a hero without any prejudices. Of course, it will not be an easy road. But I am confident that my school can help you. That is, if you do wish to become a hero and pass the exam."
The silence that followed was thick with tension. The thought of becoming a hero seemed impossible, yet Suzuki's words made it seem within reach. Could it really happen? Could a villain like her truly become a hero?
The thought of one day becoming a hero was never a possible dream. It was a ridiculous idea… and yet, at that very moment, it sounded so reachable.
"And what exactly would constitute this exam?" asked the grandfather, his voice sharp, breaking the silence.
"A standard written exam around academics and a specially crafted physical exam to test her aptitudes. Compared to the other students who will have to go through a villain fight simulation, she will be fighting against one of the mentors. Only a hero can judge the potential of another one after all."
Takumi narrowed his eyes. "And if she passes?"
"She'll become a student of the high school and receive the same treatment as the other students."
The old man raised an eyebrow, still not convinced. "And HAL will accept this just like that?"
Suzuki Daiou paused, staring at the old man opposite him and pondering over his question. "There are no laws claiming that villains can't be heroes, and if HAL refuses, then I will just have my army of lawyers go against them. In this world, there is nothing a wealthy man can't achieve.
You might think that I'm just a whimsical man, but I have thought this through enough to proceed with it. With that said, I believe that the decision is now yours to be made. If you wish to give this a chance, I shall be awaiting you on my school grounds on the scheduled date," he said as he stood up, placed an envelope on the coffee table, and left.
As the door clicked shut, both Saki and Takumi were left in stunned silence. The offer was a bombshell, one that neither of them had expected. The decision was in Saki's hands, but the weight of it was heavier than anything she had ever faced.