BNHA: Singularity

After changing into a suit at the behest of Nezu, Izuku waited for the jet to land and taxi into a hangar before disembarking alongside the former, Toshinori, and Melissa.
Waiting for them outside was a middle-aged, borderline elderly man in an Air Force dress uniform, four stars adorning each of his epaulets. Cathleen was also present alongside a group of men wearing green flight suits, but she remained in the background as the elderly man made his way forward to shake Nezu's paw, saying, "Welcome to the United States, Mr. Nezu," in broken Japanese.
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Nezu replied, "Please, General, feel free to speak your native tongue," in comparably flawless English.
Nodding his head, the General, also known as Adam Nimitz, responded with a curt, "Then that's what I'll do." before shifting his attention to Toshinori, his steely grey eyes glistening slightly as he said, "It's been a long time, All Might."
"It truly has!" bellowed Toshinori. "Last I saw you, you only had two stars on your shoulders! Congratulations!"
Adopting a smile that would have earned a double-take from most of the people that knew him, Nimitz extended a hand towards Toshinori as he joked, "I have Stars and Stripes to thank for that. Being the Commanding Officer of America's #1 Hero has its perks."
Though he accepted the General's handshake, Toshinori's gaze shifted to Cathleen, finding her staring at him with crossed arms and a broad smile on her face.
Raising her right hand, Cathleen discarded propriety as she said, "Yo, long time no see, All Might! Have you enjoyed playing around in the kiddie pool that is Japan?"
Instead of taking offense at Cathleen's words, Toshinori exhaled a barrel-chested laugh before answering, "Indeed! After all, protecting one's home and country is why most people become Heroes!"
Before Cathleen could respond to Toshinori's words, General Nimitz frowned deeply and asked, "Major Bates, why are you idling around here? Dismiss your men and prepare for our departure." in a stern, authoritative tone.
Offering a military salute, Cathleen responded with a loud, "Yes, General Nimitz!" before awaiting his return salute. Once he had, she turned to her men, ordering them outside before following after them.
("That's one thing I don't miss about being in the military...") thought Izuku, following Cathleen's departure with his eyes. General Nimitz didn't seem too incompetent, but the number of Officers that gained their Ranks through nepotism and ass-kissing drastically exceeded those who earned their position. As such, they had a penchant for hammering down anyone that dared to stand out or express their individuality...
Interrupting Izuku's thoughts, General Nimitz greeted Melissa before staring directly at him, asking, "And who is this sharply-dressed young man?"
Extending his hand, Izuku answered, "Izuku Midoriya, also known by my Hero Name, Paragon. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, General Nimitz."
Raising his distinctly bushy brows, General Nimitz reciprocated Izuku's handshake as he remarked, "Your English is exceptional. Certainly better than my Japanese."
("That isn't saying much...") thought Izuku, even as he outwardly replied, "Thank you, Sir. I've always dreamed of visiting the States and traveling through Europe, so I'm fluent in English, Spanish, and French."
Seemingly ignoring Izuku's response, General Nimitz retracted his hand, returning his attention to Nezu as he said, "We have a helicopter prepped and ready to transport you to your hotel, Mr. Nezu. The President and His Majesty's Representative are anticipating your arrival."
Exhaling a faint sigh through his nose, Nezu replied, "Then it wouldn't do to keep them waiting. Please, lead the way, General."
With General Nimitz doing precisely that, Izuku followed behind Toshinori and Nezu with Melissa, the latter nervously remarking, "I didn't think we would be meeting with the President..."
Furrowing his brows slightly, Izuku replied, "Then let's hope we're simply going along for the ride..." before grasping Melissa's hand for support. In truth, he was also uneasy, but after his discussion with Nezu, he decided to go with the tried and tested 'fake it till you make it' mentality. He didn't feel like a super-elite, but swinging his metaphorical dick around shouldn't be too difficult...
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Though he expected to accompany Nezu, given that he had been asked to put on a suit, Izuku was fortunately incorrect in his assessment. Once they reached their destination, an ancient-looking but grand hotel called the Waldorf Astoria, he and Melissa were ferried away by members of the Secret Service, taken to their rooms, and instructed to remain inside.
Fortunately, though they had been assigned separate rooms, the Secret Service Agents didn't protest when Izuku informed them he wouldn't be letting Melissa out of his sight. Instead, their leader, a man with a literal lion's head, told them that if there was anything they required, including room service, they needed only to inform the Agents standing outside.
"How exhausting..." remarked Melissa, removing her shoes and taking a seat atop a fairly modern-looking couch. There were windows behind her that provided a view of the New York cityscape, but while the images displayed were genuine, the windows themselves were actually display screens.
"It's really strange," replied Izuku, removing his blouse and tie as he added, "It hasn't even seven hours since I woke up, but I also feel like taking a nap. Care to join me?"
Adopting a wry smile, Melissa responded, "That depends...are you going to behave? I'd rather not do anything 'intimate' when so many people are around..."
Nodding his head, Izuku took a seat next to Melissa, grasping her hand as he jokingly replied, "Yeah, I wouldn't put it beyond the Secret Service to have this entire building tapped and monitored."
Returning a nod of her own, Melissa leaned against Izuku, placing her head against his shoulder as she remarked, "They're probably scanning my father's jet as we speak..."
"Probably..." admitted Izuku, imagining General Nimitz frothing at the mouth as he ordered his mechanics to inspect and analyze the borderline sci-fi stealth jet. Its hull was impervious to most conventional scanning technologies, but with the power of Quirks, anything was possible.
"Well, not like it matters," said Melissa, closing her eyes and adding, "If countries shared their technology and worked together, overcoming the MWT phenomenon might not be an issue..."
Furrowing his brows, albeit only a little, Izuku resisted the urge to argue against Melissa's claim. He would never claim to understand the 'essence' of people, but he could never be as hopelessly idealistic as someone like Toshinori. He 'wanted' to believe in the innate goodness of humanity, but so long as there were disparities in power and status, there would always be a handful of individuals that fought tooth and nail to secure their place above others. The worst part was that he agreed with this sentiment, as, without competition, healthy or otherwise, humanity would stagnate, and the world would become a remarkably boring place...
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While Izuku and Melissa were taking it easy in the former's room, Nezu found himself seated in the conference room of the Presidential Suite, nursing a cup of coffee as he sat across from a constipated-looking man with slicked back brown hair and an inordinately beautiful woman with pale-blonde hair and dignified features, looking more like a Queen than a politician.
"It's good to see the two of you again," said Nezu, adopting a somewhat mischievous smile as he added, "Though, I suppose this is our first official meeting, isn't it?"
"Indeed," replied the queenly woman, narrowing her icy-blue eyes as she expressed, "Japan usually acts as though it is disassociated from the rest of the world. It's pleasing to see you're taking this matter seriously...unlike some..."
With the queenly woman directing her gaze to him, the brown-haired man furrowed his brows and retorted, "My country offered to put boots on the ground, but your Prime Minister rejected our proposal. You can't seriously expect the United States to support the United Kingdom financially while your country monopolizes the resources found within the breaches."
"Monopoly?" parroted the woman, a glimmer of fury manifesting within the depths of her eyes as she stated, "The United States has deployed more than 165,000 troops across Sudan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia using the excuse of 'protecting investments.' Even avarice has its limits, Mr. President..."
Undaunted by the woman's accusations, the President, James McKinney, remarked, "People in your country have been calling this event the end of the world. Your Prime Minister was the one that requested this emergency summit, arguing that the MWT phenomenon is a global threat. Yet, here you are, speaking of personal and national interests. None of us here were born yesterday, Madame Representative. We're all here because we have something to gain."
Turning his attention to Nezu, President McKinney asked, "Isn't that right, my fur-covered friend?"
Maintaining an unreadable smile, Nezu replied, "While my views are more in line with Mrs. Pendragon's, I can't deny there is a considerable amount of truth to your words, Mr. President. The world would be much simpler if everyone worked together to forward global aims, but I fear the situation will need to become far direr before that happens."
Exhaling a scoffing chuckle, President McKinney sat back in his chair and remarked, "I'm still not convinced this is a serious threat. If anything, it's a tremendous opportunity. Our people have already made progress toward stabilizing the breaches. If they succeed, we can forget about populating other planets via space. We'll be able to teleport to other worlds directly!"
"You mean you'll be able to harvest the resources of other worlds freely," asserted the blonde-haired woman, Julianne Soliel Pendragon.
Casting a side-long glare at Julianne, President McKinney retorted, "As if Britain and the United Kingdom won't claim territory. You people invented colonization..."
"..."
Closing her eyes, Julianne calmly asserted, "The history of every country is written in blood, inscribed upon the parchment of conquest. However, that does not mean things must remain as such. A truly modern society is one that moves beyond the limitations and prejudices of its predecessors, creating better conditions for all..."
Opening her eyes, Julianne turned to meet President McKinney's gaze as she added, "There is a reason people with Mutagenic and Heteromorphic Quirks can walk our streets freely while your country can't go more than a week without a school shooting or a high-profile hate crime..."
Clenching his teeth, President McKinney practically growled, "The United States permits people with all manner of views to live within its borders. If we ousted everyone that caused problems, as your country does, it would incite a civil war..."
Inserting himself into the conversation, Nezu mused, "It appears the two of you have much to discuss between yourselves. Perhaps we should reconvene and have our chat later? My flight wasn't particularly long, but I'd like to rest before the summit's opening ceremony."
"No, it's better we speak before the summit," said President McKinney, crossing his arms as he expressed, "I wanted to hear your opinion before you gave it to the general assembly. You're regarded as the world's best economic advisor and data analyst. Tell me, what impact do you think this event will have on the global economy? I'm up for re-election this year, so any information you can provide would be beneficial."
Though she frowned upon hearing President McKinney's words, Julianne focused on Nezu, clearly interested in what he had to say. What neither of them expected was for the diminutive chimera to adopt a broad smile and state, "Put simply, if we don't get our collective acts together, there might not be a global economy in the next few years. I have sufficient reason to believe that the phenomenon we're observing right now is just the tip of a very large iceberg, and our countries are the proverbial ships sailing in the dark, tethered by unbreakable chains. If we stay our course and continue pressing forward without a beacon to guide us, we're going to sink. And I, for one, would like to avoid that particular outcome..."
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(A/N: World leaders quibbling like school children o_o...)

*ding-*
Hearing the sound of the doorbell, Izuku immediately opened his eyes, gently laying Melissa on the sofa before heading to the nearby intercom display to see who was outside. It was currently 5:23 AM, so he wasn't exactly expecting guests.
"Ah..."
Recognizing the familiar figure of Melissa's father, David Shield, a wry smile developed across Izuku's face as he called out to the sleeping beauty, his voice gentle as he said, "Melissa, your father is here. I can send him away, but I don't think he'd appreciate it..."
"Mnn...?"
Rising to a seated position, Melissa asked, "Papa's here...?" while rubbing her eyes. Then, as if a switch had been flipped inside her, she bounced to her feet, exclaiming, "Papa~!" as she ran to the front entrance to answer it directly. This wasn't particularly wise, considering there were people with Quirks that could mimic other peoples' voices and appearances, but Izuku followed behind her with a relaxed smile as he fixed his shirt.
As Melissa opened the door and bounded into her father's arms, Izuku remained in the background, confirming the Professor's identity before crossing his arms and leaning against the adjoining wall. He didn't want to interrupt the duo's reunion, so he waited for them to separate of their own accord, David looking at him with a slight frown as he said, "Izuku..." in a curt, almost threatening tone.
Raising his right hand, Izuku maintained a relaxed smile as he replied, "It's good to see you, Professor. How has your research been going?"
Shaking his head, David said, "Let's not talk about that right now..." before looking to Melissa, adopting a fatherly smile and adding, "I came here to see and spend time with my daughter before the summit."
Causing the smile on David's face to cramp, Melissa looked to Izuku as she asked, "Is that okay, Izuku? I'm certain I won't be gone for too long."
"Of course," replied Izuku, smiling wryly in response to the threatening glimmer in David's eyes. The latter wasn't genuinely angry with him, but no father appreciated having their daughters defer to their boyfriends for 'permission' while they were around. The only thing more maddening was seeing their little girl call someone else daddy...
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After seeing the father-daughter duo off, Izuku returned to the sofa, lying down before pulling out his cell phone. 5:30 AM in New York was around 7:30 PM in Japan, so he wasn't surprised to find both the class and group chats were active, discussing Work Studies and 'club' activities.
Though clubs were typically associated with the General and Support Departments, nothing prevented students from the Hero Course from partaking in after-school activities. Rather, now that UA had become a boarding school, mandating that all students live on campus, joining a club was pretty much expected.
Opening an album the girls had sent him, Izuku smiled as he thumbed through images of them wearing idol-like outfits. Shino, Ryuko, Tomoko, and Yawara had agreed to become advisors for a Heroes-only club that specialized in self-promotion and marketing. Their group was one of the four hero teams that had founded the Union Affairs Office, so they had a lot to teach aspiring Heroes that wanted to establish and maintain a Hero organization...
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After idling about for several hours, bringing the time to 8:41 AM, Izuku got up from the sofa to grab something to eat. Unfortunately, while the suite had a kitchen, pantry, and fridge, the latter was filled with drinks, and most of the cupboards were empty.
"How sloppy..." remarked Izuku, closing the pantry door and heading to the front entrance. The moment he opened it, one of the agents outside, an inordinately tall man with a square jaw and notably 'angular' features, asked, "Is there something we can do for you, sir?"
Meeting the gaze of the shades-wearing man, Izuku replied, "I'm hungry. Tell me where I can grab a bite to eat."
"There are dining facilities on the first and second floors," replied the man. "However, we would appreciate it if you remained in your room. If there is a particular type of food you'd like to try, we will bring it to you."
As he had already messaged Melissa, Toshinori, and Nezu to inform them he was going out, Izuku shook his head, stating, "I'm not going to spend my entire stay in New York trapped inside my room."
Furrowing his brows, the angular man expressed, "You're free to go, but we can't guarantee your safety if you venture off alone."
Though his Intuition triggered in response to the man's warning, Izuku maintained a relaxed smile as he replied, "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine. If your people can prevent strangers from entering my room while I'm away, that's more than enough."
Instead of trying to convince Izuku to stay, the angular man returned a curt nod, saying, "Understood." before stepping away, pressing his finger to his ear, and saying something to superiors. As for Izuku, he raised his hand as a casual greeting to the other agents before making his way past them, riding an antiquated-looking elevator with gold ornamentation and red carpets down to the second floor. Then, following the directions of the elevator operator, he soon found himself in a well-lit dining room with predominately white furniture accented by bronze frames.
Before Izuku could get a good look around, a sharply dressed woman with angular eyes, blue and white fur, and the literal head of a wolf approached him to ask, "Will you be dining alone, sir, or are you awaiting your companions?"
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Izuku replied, "I'll be eating alone but have reason to believe others will be joining me."
"Then I'll seat you at a table for four," responded the wolf-like woman, taking the initiative to lead the way. Izuku's eyes nearly lowered to her bushy tail as she turned around, but while he was certainly interested in heteromorphs, he wasn't a furry. He just had a healthy curiosity...
"Here we are," said the woman, gesturing toward a booth near the back corner of the dining area. Then, once Izuku had taken his seat, she adopted a practiced smile and said, "My name is Luna De Luca, and it is my privilege to be your server today, Mr...?"
"Paragon," replied Izuku. He wasn't in costume at the moment, but Nezu and Toshinori had both advised him to get used to utilizing his Hero Name while he was abroad. After all, while he didn't hold an official position, he was, technically, a representative of Japan.
"Okay, Mr. Paragon," replied Luna, briefly sounding like a Bostonian as she pulled out a palm pad and asked, "What can I get you to drink?"
"A cup of ice water and some saffron tea, please," replied Izuku. He didn't know if they had saffron tea, but considering the Waldorf Astoria was one of the most prestigious hotels in New York, catering to dignitaries from all over the world, they should be able to manage just about any request.
Nodding her head, Luna offered a curt "Understood." before asking, "And can I get you any appetizers? I recommend the Scallop Mouse and the Steak Tartare. We import scallops from Novigrad and Wagyu directly from Japan, so their flavor is guaranteed."
"I'll take both," replied Izuku, adopting an innately playful smile as he added, "I have a big appetite."
"I'll be sure to inform the Chefs," mused Luna, narrowing her distinctly golden eyes slightly before abruptly turning away to convey his order to the kitchen. Her reaction caused Izuku's brows to rise, but he didn't think much of it as he habitually checked the wolf girl's status...
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Name: [Luna De Luca]
Title: Party Invitation Required
Quirk: Grey Wolf
Bond Level: 71
Current Level: 18
Effective Level: 35
[Attributes]
Strength: 19
Agility: 38
Vitality: 81
Intelligence: 63
Dexterity: 45
Luck: 107
Free Attributes: 90
[Perks]
Party Invitation Required
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("It seems I made a good impression...") thought Izuku, subsequently adopting a wry smile and shaking his head. He wasn't in the world of Ishuzoku Reviewers and already had more than his fair share of beautiful and amazing women. He also had reason to believe this wasn't his final life, so rather than trying to sample every interesting or exotic woman he encountered, he should focus on overcoming his Trials and becoming an actual Paragon...
With such thoughts in mind, Izuku surveyed the dining room, inspecting the statuses of everyone he could see. Most had Levels between 10-15, but there were a few outliers in the 20s and 30s, presumably serving as bodyguards or private security.
Upon finishing with his sweep, Izuku thought, ("Doesn't look like any of my future enemies or classmates are present. Yet another false positive, courtesy of Intuition...")
Though his Intuition triggered as if to spite him, Izuku ignored it, pulling out his phone and placing it on the table. Then, picking up the tablet that was present, he looked through the surprisingly diverse menu, taking note of the fact that he could send orders directly to the kitchen. Not everyone enjoyed having a waiter or waitress continually intruding upon their meal, so there were options to keep them away, change servers, or have dishes delivered to the table via a trolley-like robot.
Interrupting Izuku's perusal of the menus, Luna returned with a long-necked pitcher, an ornate crystal glass, a tiny jade teapot, and several styles of serving cups, setting them on the table as she mused, "You're in luck. We just had some fresh saffron shipped in from Tyler, Texas. I'm not particularly fond of the South, but God knows they produce some world-class spices."
Having looked into the States after his reincarnation, Izuku understood why Luna might not be fond of the South. Southern hospitality was still a thing, but, like a disheartening number of countries and communities, they weren't very welcome of heteromorphs. There were even a few extremist groups that believed heteromorphs should be subservient to humans, so most stuck to the East and West coast, choosing to live in heteromorphic communes and more 'progressive' cities.
Instead of latching onto the conversation bait Luna had dangled for him, Izuku took a moment to sample the tea she had provided. He hadn't put in any sugar or honey, so it had a subtle, sweet, and tart flavor, common among flower-based teas. Still, while it left a distinctly bitter aftertaste in his mouth, Izuku enjoyed it quite a bit.
Seeing as Luna was patiently awaiting his response, her long and bushy tail wagging ever so slightly as she loomed over his table, Izuku adopted a wry smile and said, "It's delicious."
Adopting a smile that reminded Izuku of the husky he had kept for a few years in his previous life, Luna replied, "Glad to hear it!" before pulling out her pad and asking, "Now, are you ready to order or would you like to wait until your appetizers have arrived?"
"I'll take whatever you recommend," replied Izuku, the corners of his smile naturally curling upward as he added, "This is my first time in the States, and I enjoy trying new things."
Catching Izuku more than a little off guard, Luna promptly took a seat next to him, grabbing the menu tablet and perking up quite a bit as she said, "Well, if you're not in a hurry, we have a twelve-course tasting meal that includes three types of oysters, ebony lobster, caviar with smoked sabayon, marinated duck breast, a vegetable platter, and a truffle-based puree."
Instead of responding to Luna's meal suggestion, Izuku adopted a wry smile and remarked, "I can't imagine it's customary for members of the service staff to sit at the table of guests..."
Leaving Izuku at another loss for words, Luna responded to him with a playful wink, musing, "Consider it a special service. Besides, didn't you say this was your first time in the States? Feel free to ask me anything you're curious about. New York was practically my playground growing up."
With Luna leaning a little closer to him, her nose twitching ever so slightly, Izuku realized what was happening. Nezu had informed him about the peculiarities of his blood, and Nerumi had confirmed that his pheromones were a lot more 'potent' than the average person's. Luna's Quirk gave her a sense of smell that was hundreds of times more powerful than a typical human, so even if he acted casually, she could perceive his 'interest.'
("The things some people do for tips...") thought Izuku. However, instead of outright refusing Luna's company, he suppressed his better judgment and decided to ask her a few questions, initially about New York and then about the other guests staying at the hotel. With her exceptional hearing, she was bound to have overheard a few interesting tidbits of information...
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(A/N: Comment's section be like, "Do it...")

Around two hours into the intercontinental flight, Melissa's voice came over the intercom, stating, "Principal Nezu, our escort has arrived. Would you like to address them?"
"Certainly," replied Nezu, pulling out an earpiece fitted for his distinctly angular ears while Izuku looked out the window to find what looked like a squadron of B-2 Stealth Bombers. More surprisingly, an inordinately tall, muscular, and blonde-haired woman was standing atop one, waving her hand and seemingly glowing against the backdrop of the early morning sky.
Recognizing the woman as America's #1 Hero, Stars and Stripes, Izuku couldn't help wondering what kind of products she used to maintain her hairstyle while standing on the back of a jet. More importantly, as they were only separated by a pane of nearly indestructible glass, he was able to get a look at her stats...
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Name: [Cathleen Bate]
Title: Faith's Champion(Vitality+500)
Quirk: New Order
Bond Level: 83
Current Level: 193
Effective Level: 3,596
[Attributes]
Strength: 12,339
Agility: 5,004
Vitality: 13,811
Intelligence: 85
Dexterity: 4,177
Luck: 553
Free Attributes: 745
[Perks]
[Avatar of Faith], [Spirit of the Indomitable], [Authority(False)]
[Skills]
[Righteous Fury], [Bash], [Haste], [Mighty Guard], [Sacrifice], [Pain Splitting]
[Avatar of Faith]: Chosen of the Seven Virtues. Able to wield Divine Energy to shield allies and smite foes.
[Spirit of the Indomitable]: Immune to psychological attacks and debuffs.
[Authority(False)]: Blessed by Telania. Able to influence the world around you and resist the power of foreign Authorities within an enemy Demesne.
[Righteous Fury]: Deals purifying damage based on the damage you have sustained from a particular target.
[Bash]: Stuns or disorients a target with a mighty blow.
[Mighty Guard]: Reduces physical, magical, and spiritual damage taken by half.
[Sacrifice]: Take attacks on behalf of a specified target.
[Pain Splitting]: Transfer injuries to a willing target.
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("Holy shit...") thought Izuku, his eyes darting between Cathleen's Title, Perks, and Skills. He had expected her to be powerful, but it was apparent she had been 'farming' breaches. A base Level of 193 wasn't impossible to attain, but Cathleen hadn't become a Hero until she joined the Air Force at eighteen. She needed authorization from her chain of command to act or engage a threat, so there was no way she could attain a triple-digit Level when most other active Heroes were between the Levels of 30 and 60.
Interrupting Izuku's train of thought, Nezu said, "Our friends from the United States Air Force will be escorting us to a private airfield near Westpoint Academy. Even with our reduced airspeed, we should reach it within the hour."
"You'd think with a country the size of the US, their #1 Hero would have better things to do than play escort..." remarked Izuku, making sure to face away from the window so Cathleen wouldn't be able to read his lips.
Adopting an amused smile, Nezu remarked, "As popular as All Might is in the States, his power is comparable to that of a super weapon. In other words, we aren't being escorted for our protection but to ensure we don't deviate from our flight plan."
"Sounds about right..." muttered Izuku, shaking his head before adding, "Still, it's a little over the top. Ignoring the atmospheric chill and wind pressure, standing on the back of a stealth fighter seems like a good way to eat a swarm of insects..."
"Have you experienced something similar?" asked Nezu, perking up out of curiosity.
Shaking his head, Izuku replied, "Not yet, but since I have Float among my unawakened Quirks, I've put a fair amount of thought into the banes and boons of aerial mobility..."
"How prudent," mused Nezu, following it up by remarking, "I've seen the prototype for Melissa's 'Sky Regalia.' It's quite the marvel of technology. As expected from David Shield's daughter."
Exhaling a tired smile, Izuku appended, "It's too bad I can't make use of them. When I move around at high speeds, an invisible membrane forms around my limbs, decreasing my friction coefficient and reducing the effects of wind pressure. The Sky Reglia's core requires that pressure to function properly, so the technology used is better suited to increasing the range of aircraft than enabling individuals to glide freely through the sky..."
"I'm sure the two of you will figure something out," mused Nezu, adding, "Who knows, perhaps the materials you harvest within the breaches will provide a solution? Researchers at I-Island have been studying a power source dubbed Mana, Prana, Aether, or Ki, depending on the origin of the breach. When infused into an object, it drastically increases its durability and sometimes grants it borderline mystical properties. Several pieces of fantasy-like equipment have been recovered from the breaches, some of which possess abilities rivaling those of Quirks."
Before Izuku could ask, Nezu revealed, "The catalyst for the Egyptian Hero, Salaam, becoming the Apostle of Amon was the discovery of a scepter within a sarcophagus-like chest. He said that a window, similar to the one displaying his status, showed up after he had slain the Griffin-like Boss monster. It purportedly directed him to the location of a breach with no enemies. Instead, he discovered a pyramid-like temple guarded by the kinds of statues you'd find in an Egyptian-themed museum. After solving a few riddles, he was rewarded with the 'Scepter of Amon,' affording him his Title and the ability to manifest a miniature Sun."
Furrowing his brows, Izuku remarked, "Sounds like he was guided there by Amon himself..."
"So he claims," replied Nezu, adopting a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he added, "And he's not the only one. Several people bearing the Title of Champion or Apostle have appeared, each claiming to have been in contact with entities known as Star Gods or Constellations. To that end, there is something I've been meaning to ask you for quite some time..."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Nezu asked, "Have you been in contact with one of these Constellations? Your Title, Telania's Champion, suggests this to be the case. However, as Ms. Chisaki bears a similar Title, without any knowledge of the Meta World Transversal phenomenon, I have doubts..."
As it was a good opportunity to alleviate some of the pressure on him, Izuku replied, "I've yet to meet or hear from this Telania, but I've been in contact with an entity who referred to itself as a Goddess, specifically on the sixteenth of June. It was around the same time that I began dreaming of Eri..."
Adopting a slight frown, Nezu asked, "Is there a reason you kept such an important piece of information from us?"
"You mean, other than it sounding completely ludicrous?" asked Izuku. "This was before I knew about the MWT phenomenon, and I had a lot of other things going on. It's not like I was trying to be disingenuous. I just wanted to understand the situation better before I started blabbing about Gods and Goddesses out of the blue..."
Exhaling a tired sigh, Nezu softly remarked, "It appears I'm not the only one with trust issues...". Then, before Izuku could comment, he raised his gaze, staring directly at him as he said, "Tell me everything."
Shaking his head, Izuku asserted, "If I knew everything, I wouldn't have kept it a secret. I know that Telania is the Spirit or Goddess representing our planet and that I'm one of the people that has been chosen to protect the world from three great threats or trials. What those trials are, I have no idea. I'm assuming the Meta World Transversal phenomenon is one of them, but what we see now could be a byproduct of Telania attempting to prepare us for what's to come..."
"An invasion..." muttered Nezu, recalling Toshinori's account of what All-for-One had said to him during the I-Island Incident.
Nodding his head, Izuku stated, "That's another reason I kept silent. We have no way of knowing the true intentions of these Constellations. What we do know is they can bestow great power unto their chosen. During my very brief encounter with a Goddess, I gained nearly twenty Levels and a Title that ensures my Party members and I are able to gain Experience at a much faster rate than normal..."
Directing his gaze to the window, Izuku added, "Stars and Stripes out there has the Title 'Faith's Champion,' affording her 500 additional Vitality and some pretty ridiculous Perks. The description of her [Avatar of Faith] says she's been blessed by Telania, so it's fair to say she's an ally..."
"Assuming that Telania truly is the will of our planet..." remarked Nezu. "If the breaches we've observed so far are an extension of her power, meant to prepare us for what's to come, it's clear she cares more about her own survival than the survival of humanity...not that I can blame her. Humanity hasn't exactly been kind to the planet over the years..."
"Regardless, there's a decent possibility that some, if not most, of the Constellations making contact with people are representatives of the forces intending to invade our world," said Izuku, furrowing his brows as he added, "For all we know, this is just a game to them..."
"I can see why you would think that," remarked Nezu. "First, there was the origin of Quirks, superpowers that people had yearned to acquire for hundreds of years. Now, just as things are beginning to calm down, things have taken on a game-like format, complete with Levels and attributes. If this is all the result of some higher power's influence, it's easy to imagine we're pawns in someone else's game..."
Adopting a smile, Nezu added, "However, even if that's the case, I have no intention of simply giving up or yielding this world to outsiders. I may not be human, but this is the only world I've ever known. If nothing else, I will protect Japan to my dying breath."
Returning a smile of his own, Izuku mused, "Then you can leave the rest of the world to me. That is, assuming I live long enough to awaken the true power of One-for-All. I tried awakening the power of Float when I went skydiving with Mina, but it appears I can only tap into the power of the previous users during a time of genuine need or when my drive to win exceeds a certain threshold."
"Hmmm...if that's the case, you should have taken part in the Provisional Licensing Exam. You're much stronger than other students, but you never know what can happen during a competition," remarked Nezu.
Shrugging his shoulders, Izuku argued, "I needed a break after my time on Ōkunoshima. I may not have trained or exerted myself as much as the girls, but there is such a thing as mental exhaustion..."
"Suffering from success, are we?" asked Nezu, adopting a teasing smile as he added, "I'm honestly surprised Usagiyama-san didn't come with us. I know she has 'extenuating circumstances,' but a brief stint in the States should have been manageable."
Recalling the words Rumi had said to him the previous night, Izuku's smile gained an affection undertone as he revealed, "She has her pet rabbits to look after and said she plans to whip the rest of my classmates into shape before my return. I almost feel bad for them..."
"I'm sure she won't be too harsh on them," remarked Nezu. "I wasn't planning to have her instruct any classes, so unless she sponsors a club, most of the students at UA won't even know she's a teacher. The same can be said for many of our new hires. Given the circumstances, I don't plan on publicizing our actual numbers unless there is a media probe or something similar."
"Makes sense..." replied Izuku, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Speaking of which, whatever happened to Aoyama? I know that Mineta got dropped into the General Department, but Aoyama was absent during the student assembly."
Adopting a somewhat scary smile, Nezu asserted, "You're probably better off not knowing. It's only a matter of time before you become entangled in politics, but the longer you can remain oblivious to what goes on behind the scenes, the happier you'll be."
Feeling the atmosphere within the cabin change, Izuku swallowed the knot that had formed in his throat and simply nodded. He wasn't 'that' curious to know what had happened to Aoyama, so, at least for the time being, he wouldn't press the matter. The Gods knew he already had more than enough on his plate...
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(A/N: RIP Aoyama...)

Chapter 119: Chapter 119