章 11: Red Tape.
Upon reaching home, I was bombarded with concern by the Yaoyorozu family, before relaying them the news that the school planned to keep me in containment.
I didn't say it like that, but it was certainly how it felt. I wouldn't be able to do my morning patrol anymore, given that the school would know when I leave and return at all times.
I would say I feel like I'm losing my liberty, but I don't want to force them into believing that I am safe. I already feel slightly out of touch with my class, I don't want to be outcast.
Momo basically drags me into bed with her and peppers me with hugs and kisses, talking about how afraid she was that I was going to die, that things were going to go wrong. According to her, in the zone she was transported to all she saw was a bunch of people knocked out on the floor and just made some rope to tie them up.
I don't feel comfortable attaching myself to her. Knowing that one day you'll simply just disappear really damages your perception of romantic pursuit. Why bother anymore? What does it matter?
▪︎Allow Me To Clear Something Up.▪︎
▪︎You Will Leave When You Wish. Or, If You Stay Too Long, In The Future.▪︎
[Divine Protection of Dimension Walk Has Been Acquired]
Why would you do something like that? Give me the choice? Why bother with any of it? Do you just enjoy bringing me down only to lift me back up?
▪︎I Have Said Before. You Serve As Entertainment. But, This Is Not Entertaining. Thus, I Have Changed The Rules.▪︎
This changes nothing between us. I refuse to be your fucking puppet show.
▪︎How Cute. You Think You Have A Choice.▪︎
♧◇♡♤
Once more, I wake up in a cold sweat. Having a choice on when to leave doesn't help, but it does mean I can maximise everything before I have to leave. Fuck.
Eri. God, I feel so stupid for not being able to remember the location of the Yakuza compound. Worse still, its all underground, so I can't just spend a day running through the streets of Japan to try and find it.
Phenomenal. Here I am whinging about being given a choice by an evil God when there's a small child being tortured. I need to get my priorities straight and start actually getting work done.
I believe I have an idea on how I could start helping negate bad endings. If I remember correctly, Gigantomachia is currently just sat in a forest awaiting orders from his master and has been dormant for a long time.
I am almost positive that if I end up clashing with him, I can spin it into a self defense story, or hell maybe they'll just forget all about that and cover it all up. God, I abhor the beaurocracy when it comes to heroics here.
I have a whole weekend before I become chained down to UA thanks to trying way too hard to not be chained down in the first place. I had assumed that being so strong would ease their worries, but they seem to think me a loose cannon, a liability.
I could probably solo this entire world with the [Gate of Babylon] alone, for fucks sake. I'll have to play these political games for a while though, because given that I can't stay here, I can't use All Might's strategy of becoming so nationally integral that I am untouchable.
I am slowly beginning to see why Reinhard hated beaurocracy so much as well, hell he had it worse than me. They made an entire legislation about not letting him anywhere near the borders because it was considered a declaration of war.
Tomorrow, I will hunt down Gigantomachia. If I can dispose of him fast enough, there should be no possible interference from the Doctor or All For One. As well as that, it might be within my interests to blitz every bar in Kamino to try and damage the League as well.
I may loathe God, but I won't hesitate to look a gift horse in the mouth. If he wants to make me stronger then I'll not deny him. More power means less need for anyone else to possibly get hurt.
For now, though, I need some sleep. Not only am I going to be stuck with a chaperone come next week, but I'll also need to help train Izuku with One for All.
That one came as a surprise. Apparently, my superpowered nature means that I'll need a holder of the Quirk nearby to keep All For One away. How rigid can their thinking be? Are they truly so arrogant to believe themselves the sole party capable of disposing of him, or have they become so driven by fear that they would unload these responsibilities on kids?
I would rain hellfire upon the man before I allow any collateral to become involved in our fight. I refuse to allow hostage involvement because All Might decided I needed a +1.
Maybe I could also try and see if there are any new [Divine Protections] available to me. One such thing i do not have in droves is versatility. I am a combat specialist by nature, and that is all there is to me. Actually...
♧◇♡♤
[Divine Protection Of Alchemy: Truth Acquired]
I had a feeling. Not only would I be capable of Alchemy, but my interaction with God on several occasions means I have technically fulfilled the requirements of performing Alchemy without a Transmutation circle.
However, I would not always do that. Alchemy is broad, extremely broad, which means that I can incorporate a lot of styles into how I fight. If I can even translate Scar's tattoos I can have a superior Overhaul.
The first thing I do upon seeing the new [Divine Protection] in my arsenal is to apply the transmutation circle and the formula for Mustangs [Flame Alchemy] onto my Knight's Regalia gloves. With the tiny [Mana] manipulation I am capable of, I would be able to create the spark necessary to ignite the oxygen manipulated by [Flame Alchemy].
Hmm. If I can manufacture a Philosophers Stone in this world, then I could solve so many problems. So many avoidable deaths. Homunculus employed as permanent guards within the nations of the world.
But, sadly, that would require sacrifice. And there may not be enough criminals in the world worthy of sacrifice to fuel the building of a new Stone, let alone enough to form a set of homonculi.
Lamentable as it is, I now have a proper ranged option rather than running towards distanced opponents, as well as a weapon that can be constantly with me. Reid. Fucking glory hound sword.
Another thing I would need is some form of healing ability. Anything really, as long as it can heal from fatal injuries. So long as nobody will be capable of dying in my presence unless from an instantaneous killing, which would be impossible given my position of power in this world.
[Divine Protection of Restoration Acquired]
Hmm. Yes, this will work. Crazy Diamond had amazing healing abilities, and while I am rather annoyed that I didn't even get the whole stand but rather the [Restoration] I won't complain. Any power is good power.
Finally, there is something I had been meaning to get in order to completely avoid any chances of getting blindsided by resurrection Quirks or time dilation ones.
[Divine Protection of No Longer Human Has Been Acquired]
Complete nullification of supernatural abilities on physical contact. Normally this would extend only to the 'Gifts' of the Bungou universe, however given the nullification is entirely subjective to what the user considers a 'supernatural ability', then I should be able to use this power on absolutely everything throughout my worldly travels, given my history in a powerless world.
What this means is that I should be perfectly able to deal with any situation I find myself in. I won't allow someone to get the drop on me, to blindside me. I can't afford to have that happen. Not now, not ever.
With the new powers settling comfortably in my soul, I go back to sleep, hatching a plan to locate Gigantomachia. Perhaps I should notify Nezu. Actually, no he would never sanction this, nor would he be totally on board. it would be very suspicious if I suddenly found All For One's subordinates the day after I was put on conditional house arrest.
I may have to save Gigantomachia for later.
♧◇♡♤
As Grandfather always taught me, if I cannot solve a problem, remain vigilant of it and solve the problem at a later date. Never allow an issue to grow without your knowledge.
So, I currently have a crow on my arm that I have brought to monitor Japanese forests along with its flock to find Gigantomachia, with the help of [Animal Conversation], of which I had remembered being a Divine Protection Otto held. Thankfully I can turn mine off.
With a gesture, I send the crow off, and go back to what I was previously doing, training Momo. I need her strong for the future to come, so I am training her in the art of combat. Her instructors previously were sufficient, but evidently did not exploit her versatility to the fullest.
Another swing of my wooden sword sends her own flying into the open field we train on. She is frustrated, angered by her inability to even make me move an inch, but I can see that she is making progress.
"There's no point in getting angry. My entire existence is perpetuated around the idea of the Sword, to try and combat me with it is virtually suicide."
I walk over to her and wipe the sweat on her brow before cupping her cheek and once more asserting to her that she is completely capable, more-so than any of her compatriots and that I am proud of her.
"I am proud of you, Momo. You have far surpassed any expectation I had of you going into our training. But you aren't proud of yourself, and I can see that. The doubt in your eyes. You fear the wrong choice."
"I just don't know what to do, Reinhard! Every time I find myself in such a situation its like I freeze up. No matter how much I plan or mentally prepare myself, I can never keep myself focused. I'm scared I'll freeze up when it really matters, Reinhard."
"Then stop caring. Apologies, I worded that wrong. Stop caring about being wrong, about being right and simply have faith in yourself. Believe in your own ability to make the right choice and do everything in your power to ensure that your faith is not misplaced."
She looks up at me incredulously before playfully scoffing to herself, having forgotten that I simply extend beyond human nature and am impervious to being wrong.
"Of course, I shall follow the advice of the Great Reinhard, may we all be blessed in his presence." She smirks.
I wipe away that smirk by dashing at her and locking my arm around her neck and force my boot against the back of her knee, causing her to drop to the ground, restrained by my arm. I move down to speak in her ear.
"You aren't yet qualified to make jokes like that yet. Seems more training is in order for you, Momo. After all, the Great Reinhard is nothing but fair towards his subjects."
She moves to try and get a kiss from me out of this position we are in, and I simply move my face that it lands on my cheek instead of her desired target. I pull her up and speak.
"You'll have to earn that I'm afraid."
She groans but still returns to form nonetheless, standing opposite me, blade poised to attack and eyes steeled in focus. I'd be proud of her no matter what, but even still I can't help but be happy with her.
Truthfully, I wish days like these would last longer. I almost feel happy enough to forget about God entirely.
♧◇♡♤
With the sports festival around the corner, I know I have my chance to expose my indomitable power to the nation. However, I was not prepared for a personalised phone call from Nezu about my performance in it.
"Do not show off too much. I cannot stress this enough. Not only are we wary about All For One, but our position globally is also to be considered. The world nations already fear us enough with All Might around, only America has a counter in the form of Stars and Stripes. If we reveal your true power to the world, then I'm afraid there will be sanctions placed on you at a federal level."
"Are you fucking kidding me? I'm going to be restricted again simply because cushy politicians are afraid of not being able to keep me under thumb and paycheck? Why don't I get a say in this?"
"You're a child, Reinhard. They'd deem you rambunctious, rowdy. They'd most likely see you as unable to properly handle such power and keep you locked under sanctions."
"No, they most likely barely even know about me. This isn't about the politicians. For you, the sanctions can come all they want, this isn't about them. You're just afraid, aren't you? Scared that the boogeyman will come out of nowhere and sweep me away? How long until you realise that I am far too strong for anyone to even be considered a challenge to me?! Or are you scared to lose protection from him yourself?" A pause, silence in the call.
"Answer me!"
"I do not know myself. Perhaps it is truly fear. Perhaps I am simply concerned. It doesn't matter either way. To them, you are an arrogant child gifted more than he deserves, and to those higher up you are a liability. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Reinhard Law in the works soon. I'm sorry."
The call ends. I can't fucking believe this. Another Reinhard Law? If I show off too much there'll be another one? Stupid fucking beaurocracy. I don't care what they say. If they want to try and restrict me then I doubt it will work.
Given how slow the process of passing laws is, but the time it is put in consideration, All Might will have retired. Originally, I had planned to let him maintain his dignity, but I fear I must let him be crippled against All For One, so that Japan will be left weakened and forced to prop me up as the next big thing.
They won't want to restrict me, and they won't be able to appeal to the UN for Reinhard Laws before I become too integral to foreign policy that they can't afford to lose me, or risk me going rogue.
I am starting to see why Reinhard was so tired in the original. Everything he ever had was taken from him, even his own rightful powers were regulated and restricted.
I refuse to be like that. I won't let myself be chained down by politics when there are people I can help.
♧◇♡♤
Coming to school on the Sunday, a day we were to come in to properly be introduced into the new school accommodation, was about as I expected. Nezu kept our discussion under wraps, not telling his staff of much apart from Aizawa, who is giving me particularly sympathetic looks now and then.
I haven't been introduced to my off campus chaperone group yet, but I'm sure I'll meet them soon enough. The last class ends with Aizawa giving a brief few words as he discusses the sports festival, the class giving varied responses after not having seen the full extent of the USJ conflict. I raise my hand.
"Aizawa. Should I follow his advice?"
The class are confused about what I'm talking about with him, but Aizawa immediate knows, having been told by Nezu to limit the announcements on my Quirk, keep the people guessing he disguised it as. Aizawa knew what it really was. Red tape all over the place.
"Be yourself kid. Don't let red tape stop you from saving lives." I nod.
And there's my answer.
The lesson ends, alongside the discussion and people immediately forget to ask what I was talking about in lieu of being excited for the festival, that is until they realise the exit was blocked entirely. I quietly groan. Are they really going to do this?
Hearing the commotion, I walk over to the front of the group herd and see Bakugou throwing shade with Izuku sat on the wayside. Shinsou, a character I have zero respect for simply because all he does is bitch and moan until someone beats sense into him, approaches the doorway. I shift past everyone else to leave and go meet my new guide.
"Oh? Of course, how could I forget, you hero course students are so high and mighty you don't even need to look at us. We're too beneath you reighteous fellows, aren't we?"
He sneers in my direction after saying that sentence, and after I look back at him while stopping in the hallway, Shinsou inwardly grins, having thought that he could humiliate me and take me line and sinker.
"I apologise for what I am about to say, but quite frankly, I could not give less of a shit about what you have to say."
Midway through my sentence, his expression shifted from a smug sneer to complete shock, not at my foul language but rather his Quirk being entirely useless against me.
How unfortunate. I smile at him one last time before heading off to meet my chaperone and then get ready to train with Deku.
♧◇♡♤
When I find my building, I notice that it is indeed rather small. Not so much a communal building like the rest, but more akin to a simple cottage than anything else. Cozy, at least it should be. All it reminds me of is the barriers I constantly face.
While looking around the area for the person who is supposed to introduce me to the area, I notice there are not only multiple rooms in the cottage, but I also notice 3 signatures inside of it, as if they are sat together on a sofa.
Inwardly, I am already growing suspicious of Nezu. It seems he has set his strongest students on me so as to ensure not only observation of me is perfect thanks to Togata's quirk, but also that any attempts to leave will be remedied with incapacitating me.
Either that, or perhaps I am simply reading into this too much and he just had spare time for the students to use given their extreme power gap among their peers, wanting to use them as a way to diminish my ego. I can't trust him either way, his intentions are good but those always end up lined with blood.
The moment I open the door, they stiffen and I can already tell they had been fed some information of some sort about me. Still, I am slightly excited to meet the Big Three, not only because Nejire is a complete bombshell but also because they are considered at such a high margin of power compared to everyone else around them. I almost want to fight them.
I walk in, and the next second all I see is blue as Nejjre swiftly floats around me and begins rapid firing questions, 'what makes you so special?' 'why is your hair red?' 'why divine blessings?' and other such personal information. This does however tell me that they know of my Quirk, which means Nezu does not hold as tight lips as I thought.
"Okay, Nejire, back off I think you're scaring him. God only knows how he's feeling, especially after what he went through. Anyways, it is a pleasure to mean you Reinhard van Astrea! I am Mirio van Togata and I hope we get along!"
"I will forgive your complete violation of everything the Astrea family represents this once. Given that you already know me, I can only imagine your job is to observe and report my behaviour, disguised as student chaperoning. I ask of you one thing, allow me to live in peace and do not question me."
Tamaki, who had been entirely silent and looking at the ground suddenly looks at Mirio in shock, shaking slightly as he whispers 'how did he know?' to his friends, with Nejire having moved back towards them moments prior. I interject in their conversation.
"Nejire knew my Quirks name. That is supposed to be private information, the kind that gets you silenced by the government. So, you have a reason to know it. Overall, this means that I can not only no longer trust Nezu, but also am unable to trust you, given that any behaviour you show could not be genuine. Even now, this could all be an act, to make you seem ditzy so that I may leak information more often."
They look slightly downtrodden that they had already failed their tasks so quickly, but Mirio regains his vigor a second later as he places his arms on his chest, puffing it out.
"Fight me!"
It's not so much a matter of pride for him. Nor is it arrogance. He simply enjoys the battle and constantly learning, getting better in a fight. However, sadly for him, I am already tired by the beaurocratic beatdown I have received today.
"No. Another day. I do not wish to shatter your pride so soon."
"Oh? Haha! It's good to have such an ego! Means you've got something to be proud of!"
"It it really an ego if it's justified? I could fight the sun itself and win, what good are you supposed to be against me? Your Quirk is almost entirely defensive, I am faster than All Might by a large degree. How do you plan to harm me, if at all? What value could fighting you give me?"
He loses his smile slightly, but it seems that indoctrination Nighteye have him still holds true as he doesn't lose that grin. He just says again, that 'pride was made to be shattered so that everyone stays equal.'
I already feel like I'm being an asshole, but I suppose its best to get the cynicism out now after dealing with all of this sanctioning and subterfuge that surrounds me everywhere.
"I apologise it if seems that way to you. I can only assume you hoped to make friendships and bonds of camaraderie. Of course, I'm not averse to that, but right now I have a distinct need to vent my frustration at Nezu lying to me so I shall deposit my belongings and leave to train my classmates."
While disheartened slightly, they do brighten up at the mention of friendship being possible. I can't even stay mad at them anyway, they just were dealt a bad hand. As I exit the door, I smile at seeing them wave me off, even Nejire's overly pronounced NPC wave and Tamaki's small little wrist shake.
Now, time to solve Izuku's problems for him.
♧◇♡♤
When I reach the training ground, I see an anxious Izuku wondering who All Might brought in to train him, and a deflated Skinny Might looking particularly happy.
"Ah, Reinhard, you made it!" He beams out.
"Reinhard!? You got him to train me? But isn't he supposed to be competition, Sir!?"
"No time for chatter. It's time for business. Izuku, that power of yous, lessen the scale and open the distribution to your whole body, one you succeed in reaching a level of moderation I am satisfied with we will spar until you can no longer move. Only then will we stop for a break."
I look over at All Might and see him grimace. Don't look away from me you incompetent fuck, I'm only doing this because your degree in teaching comes from a printing website.
And thus my time until the sports festival shortens further. Then comes Stain. I can't even fucking take him out now because of my lock up here.
Great. More woes for the future.
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