My Kamen Rider Academia

News of the Quirkless suddenly gaining Quirks did indeed spread through the city like wildfire. Many people were wondering what was going on, if it was just some kind of misdiagnosis spree or if there was something else happening. Scientists were all over the issue, trying to begin studies of how it happened. Some people were demanding that better Quirk testing be developed if so many people missed having their Quirks discovered. Many specialists were even developing theories of people suppressing their own Quirks when they believed they didn't have one. Others just felt it was a fraud and moved on with their lives.

Only Joseph and Mei had a better idea of what was possibly happening.

"So, what do we do now, JJ-kun?" asked Mei as the pair were walking from their bus stop towards UA.

"Well, it's hard to say," Joseph frowned, looking to the newspaper article of yet another Quirkless person suddenly gaining a Quirk. Sadly, this one was not so positive as he went on a rampage against his tormentors and got arrested. Legal drama was already rising over the case.

"I doubt these people are going to just spill how they got Nebula Gas if it's how they got their Quirks," Joseph spoke. "So asking them how they got it isn't going to work. Not unless they get into real trouble and are willing to spill details to help themselves."

"But...wouldn't the police have already asked them about that?" asked Mei. "I mean, Nebula Gas would have to show up in their bodies if they get tested."

"If the police even think to look for it," Joseph shook his head. "Only a few would even know about Nebula Gas and those guys were the ones involved when All-Might picked me up and Principal Nezu interviewed me."

"And we don't have much proof," Mei frowned. "And the only chance we have is if a Smash shows up and we can bring it down so the person inside could tell us something."

"But a common side effect of Smash transmutation is memory loss," Joseph sighed, packing the paper into his bookbag. "Whoever doing this is sharp. They only spread the gas to the desperate and Quirkless so they don't blab. Then if they overdose and become a Smash, they likely won't even remember in the first place."

"If only we could get some kind of lead," Mei muttered.

"Hey, Hitoshi!" Joseph called out to their purple-haired friend.

"Joseph-san and Hatsume-san," Hitoshi greeted. "Good morning."

Hitoshi had learned how many points Joseph had gotten in the practical exam. He could have gotten in the Hero Course but was instead selected to join the Support Course instead. Hitoshi merely noted it in how the exams favored those with flashy and heroic appearing Quirks. Joseph had no Quirk, but his tech

"So, have you heard the crazy news?" Joseph asked.

"You mean the whole thing about Quirks awakening in formerly Quirkless people? Hard not to. A lot of my classmates have been talking about it."

"We think the one's behind the Smash is the cause," Hatsume blabbed.

"That's your theory?" Hitoshi asked.

"We know people can be made into Smash when exposed to Nebula Gas, so maybe they can give people Quirks in small doses. I mean, Quirks can be passed on genetically, right? It's right there in their DNA, so the Nebula Gas is waking it up," Joseph explained. "And the only thing that's changed in the city lately is the Smash."

"...I see," Hitoshi nodded. "I can see the connection. Although not a lot of people may see the same thing. You two know the most about this gas. Your only chance to get proof is have one of those people confess and considering how wild they're getting, I don't think they will."

"Yeah, we were just mentioning that," Joseph sighed. "It's a self-defeating circle. The happy folks won't tell or else lose their new Quirks. People who take too much and become a Smash will forget it all so we're kind of stuck."

"You know, if you want to investigate this, maybe start with how this person is able to find his clients. Maybe he looked up their medical records or looked up the Quirk registry," Hitoshi suggested.

Everyone had to register their Quirk, even the Quirkless needed to be registered to keep track on them. Sadly, they weren't nearly as diligent about someone who was Quirkless as many slipped through the cracks as the authorities believed Joseph had done. It was a bias that polite society denounced, but accepted all the same. Everyone was expected to stand out with a Quirk and those who couldn't were often ignored.

"Maybe," Joseph nodded. "But that information is private, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but a villain won't care for that," Hitoshi nodded. "It would be the only way someone could find out who was Quirkless so fast."

"Meh, anyone could hack those," Mei scoffed. "I could do it just to give us some clues!"

"Let's...not," Joseph quickly shut her down.

They went to their respective home rooms, although Joseph wasn't paying close attention to what was going on around him. Everything seemed normal, Quirks aside, but Joseph just had this shadow hanging over him, knowing that Nebula Gas was likely being abused out in the city while he sat in class.

Why couldn't U.A. allow their students to do supervised hero work? It worked just fine that way in Kamen Rider Fourze.

In the middle of his dark thoughts Power Loader entered. He gave his greetings and the class returned them as expected. Once the formalities were out of the way, He brought his paperwork to the podium.

"Before we begin, Josuke-kun, the principal wants to see you."

Joseph snapped to attention, "H-huh?"

"You heard me. Principal Nezu wants to see you right now," Power Loader answered, gesturing to the door. "Get moving. He seemed serious for a change."

Prinicipal's Office

Nezu's office seemed completely ordinary. It had a functional desk, some pictures, and the normal paperwork which crossed such offices. The only thing out of place was Nezu himself. The dog/mouse/bear principal looked almost comical behind it as he seemed to small for it.

"H, thank you for coming Josuke-kun," Nezu nodded, moving some paperwork aside. "Well, I won't leave you in suspense for what I wanted to talk to you about. I assume you heard about the wave of Quirkless people gaining Quirks?"

"It's all over the news," Joseph nodded, seated in front of the desk.

"Then I think we can both guess what may be the cause," Nezu nodded. "One of the things you told us about Nebula Gas was it's ability to impart special abilities to people who absorb it in small doses."

"So you think someone's peddling it too," Joseph frowned slightly.

"We do," Nezu nodded. "I also recall you telling me that those who overdose are transformed into those Smash creatures which give off the stuff which can negatively affect people with Quirks."

"I did," Joseph nodded. "The fact we haven't seen one yet means either no one's overdosed yet or when they do, whoever is peddling the gas manages to get them out."

"True, but we believe it is the latter," Nezu nodded, moving to another report on his desk. "Several people have been reported as missing. All of them were Quirkless and some believe they have gotten a high or hurt themselves with their new Quirks. Finding them has been difficult."

Joseph grimaced, "So, why do you need me?"

"Unfortunately, despite having documentation of the Nebula Gas and several officers confirming its existence, many more higher ups consider it all just a plot to some fantasy story," Nezu scowled softly. "Even with my influence, so many of them scoff at the idea of some unknown gas causing such things."

"W-what?" Joseph gaped. "B-but, we live in a world where nearly everyone has a superpower! How can they just turn it aside?"

"Namely because most in power like to keep a status quo," Nezu shook his head. "Such people have very rigid views and even with the wonders of this day and age, they don't like change and anything unexpected is not tolerated, disbelieved, or explained away."

Joseph rolled his eyes. He knew the types. Once they got authority, they seemed to suddenly know everything and expected the world to follow their expectations. Plenty of his father's superiors acted that way, hating anything which would make them look bad or prove them wrong even in small amounts. Not all of them were like that of course, but the ones that were tended to raise more of a fuss when they were trying to make the world follow their rules rather than reality. Sadly, they had the pull to make at least their underlings follow that status quo. Enough of them keep their minds closed and block out their ears, it made for some nasty surprises when something unexpected did happen.

"So, what do you need me for?" asked Joseph. "I can't exactly go out and try to hunt Smash. I'd get nailed for being a vigilante again."

"What I would request from you is a presentation on not only that Nebula Gas is real, but also it's effects," Nezu explained. "I understand it is what powers your armor, so showing its effectiveness in your tech will prove it's a real substance. Then I'll back it up with footage of you fighting those other two Smash. Together, we can at least get an investigation going, perhaps more if my contacts are able to help."

Joseph paled slightly, "Um...oh boy…"

Ryuken Bokusa was a young man who should have felt like he was living the teenage dream. He was a popular athlete in his old middle school, he was chosen to attend U.A., he was reasonably good-looking, had a bright career in boxing or heroics, whichever he wanted, and he even had a Quirk which was just perfect for either career.

Well, he had a Quirk.

Looking at him, no one would have suspected that Ryuken was Quirkless. He was confident, athletic, had dark hair with orange streaks in it and red reptillian eyes thanks to his Quirk. His arms were fit for a boxer and had long dragon-like designs wrapped around them.

Or they used to be. Now they were just pale patches of skin compared to his normal skin tone.

Ryuken's Quirk was called Dragon Fist, which allowed him to produce a fire-like energy from his fists that gave off small explosions when he hit something. He even learned how to use it as a projectile, launching streams of serpentine energy which helped him come up with the name of his Quirk. His boxing training and confidence allowed him to really push his Quirk to his limit and make a shot for U.A.

His written scores were okay, but the only reason he didn't do better in the practical was because of some hothead with exploding hands leaping all over the place and taking the most points.

Regardless, Ryuken was able to get into U.A. and he felt his road to his dreams was secure.

Then came that freak in the mask and suit calling himself All for One.

One touch, just one, as he cornered Ryuken with some thugs, and Ryuken felt his Quirk vanish. The dragon marks on his arms disappeared and the fire was snuffed out. Worse, All for One just flicked him and blasted him with the same fire the young boxer once wielded so confidently.

The villain just left with a laugh, wishing Ryuken the best of luck in U.A.

Ryuken's world shattered at that point. He was about to begin U.A. in only a week and he had no Quirk. He knew that in order to even stay in the Hero Course and graduate to become a Hero he needed a Quirk. Without one, all of his dreams were all gone and he would have nothing left.

He honestly contemplated suicide for a time, trying to hide what happened to him. Not even his parents knew what happened. He just didn't want anyone to know what had happened, how something so close to him, a part of his being, had been stolen from him. Without his Quirk, what was he?

At his darkest time, a surprising ally appeared.

"Just call me Blood Stalk. I'm here to return what was taken from you."

The strange armored man passed Ryuken something called a FullBottle filled with Nebula Gas. All Ryuken had to do was bathe himself in a portion of the gas and his Quirk suddenly flared back to life. His natural tattoos returned, and he could feel the fire in his veins once again. It was like his dreams and world were coming back into color again.

"The first one's free. Use it too much and you'll have to buy a replacement. Consider yourself my first experiment though so expect some rough patches."

Ryuken greedily took the Fullbottle, using enough amounts to get his Quirk back for any testing he would need to use it for. So long as he kept the doses small, he would be able to keep himself from either overdosing or emptying the tiny thing, risking serious cash to try and buy a new one.

At the current moment of time, Ryuken was enjoying a spare period in his schedule. A time of self-study since their teacher was out on a hero assignment or something. Normally they would have a substitute, but since it was an academic class, everyone just decided to read over their notes or read ahead. Ryuken used the opportunity to go to the roof and get some privacy.

"Huuuh, this is getting to me," he sighed deeply. Looking to his hand, he spied the purple bottle-like object which was quickly becoming his key to keeping up with his dreams. The stress of basically faking his Quirk was heavy on his shoulders and he was worried about what may happen if there was some medical test. Something as miraculous as the Nebula Gas surely couldn't stay a secret for very long.

Heaving another sigh, Ryuken stuffed his FullBottle back into his pocket before setting his phone to a short time before his class would end. Once he had some extra nap time, he'd feel a little more relaxed.

Using his bookbag as a pillow, he lay back and shut his eyes for some relaxation…

*CREAK*

Only for the door to open, signalling that he had company. Sighing, Ryuken sat up, looking to see who had arrived.

The person who came seemed like he was perfectly ordinary. Black hair, a U.A. uniform, average height and build. Likely he was someone from the General Studies courses since anyone from the specialty courses like Heroics and Support usually had a visible Quirk.

"Hey," the student waved with a somewhat dopey smile. "Was hoping I would catch you."

"Yeah?" Ryuken asked with a frown. Something really didn't feel right about his fellow student. "You need something?"

"Sure do," the kid smiled. "I need your Fullbottle."

Ryuken blinked, but inside his heart suddenly stopped, "Uh...wh-what are you talking about?"

"Your Fullbottle. The one that lets you stay in that Heroics course," the student's grin widened slightly. "I know you have one. I saw you at Blood Stalk's little show. I've got one too." He even proved it by lifting up a white Fullbottle.

"Good for you. So why do you need two?" asked Ryuken, moving to stand up. He really was getting bad vibes from the kid and it was setting off all kinds of internal alarms.

"I wanna get into the Heroics course, but so far my Quirk isn't cutting it," the student answered, starting to stroll towards the boxing athlete. "And It's just so expensive to try and ask Blood Stalk for another. So I figured why not take one from another customer?"

"How about you try someone else?" Ryuken frowned, clenching his fists.

"Oh no. I'm not missing this chance," the student's grin turned to a sneer. "Especially when they're in one of those snobby Heroics courses!" He lifted his Fullbottle and opened the object's cap. With a laugh, he turned the bottle over his head, letting the white/gray gas fall over his body.

He laughed for a moment, lifting his hands as the light in them began to refract, becoming the seven colors of the rainbow, "Like it? My Quirk let's me split light into different beams of energy! Each one has a different effect!"

"Crap! Are you nuts?!" Ryuken cried out. "If the teachers catch us then we'll both get busted!"

"Not if I take you down fast enough!" the student laughed, pouring more Nebula Gas on himself.

Ryuken prepared to go for his own Fullbottle, if only to defend himself, but the student's laugh turned to a choked grunt. Stopping his action, Ryuken watched as the the student sputtered, but then screamed before the gas seemed to cover his body, solidifying and forming some kind of metal. From the waist down he was covered in metal panels, making him appear like a machine. The top half appeared to be covered in glass-like polygons, ending the arms in large, pointed fists. The head was a prism, light being refracted from the edges.

"Wh-wha-what?!" Ryuken gaped, shocked at the transformation.

The strange student had been transformed into the Prism Smash.

"Ororororooooooo!" the Prism Smash roared before it unleashed seven beams of rainbow energy.

*BOOM!*

Joseph blinked as the vibration rippled with the sound in the air before it hit him that there had been an explosion. Several of the other students looked up, confused about what had just happened. Whispers came from the other students wondered if someone from the Heroics course used their Quirk for something. The student called Bakugo who had the explosive hands was known for a hair-trigger temper and for showing off just about every chance he could get like he already was a famous hero.

"Okay, okay everyone. Calm down," Power Loader tried to calm his students. "You know explosions aren't unusual around here so-!"

"ATTENTION STUDENTS." a voice came over the P.A. system. "SECURITY LEVEL 3 HAS BEEN BREACHED. PLEASE EVACUATE! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! SECURITY LEVEL 3 HAS BEEN BREACHED!"

"Oh crap…" Power Loader grimaced.

And all hell broke loose.

"What's going on!?"

"Did a villain break into the school!?"

"RUN!"

Power Loader tried to keep the students calm, but the panic of the students who never were threatened by a villain before escalated. It caused a panic and the student began to scream and begin running for the exits. Joseph and Mei's class weren't the only one as many classes began to panic and start running for the exits and evacuation points. Power Loader attempted to yell and keep people calm, but the panic had already set in and no one was listening, even to a celebrated Pro Hero.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Joseph cried as he and Mei were pushed through the halls from the mob of students desperately trying to get to the exits.

The two were shoved outside as other students burst out, screams and cries abound, running for the main gates to try and get out. Once there was more space, Joseph pushed himself to the sidelines, gripping Mei's hand as they broke free from the mon running like chickens with their heads cut off.

"Jeez! I thought we were learning to be heroes," Joseph tried to catch his breath.

"Well, U.A. is supposed to be safe," Mei panted. She looked up to the panicking mob. "Although I thought we'd have more courage than this."

Their words were cut off as several beams of colored energy shot through the air from the roof of U.A. The screams just began to get worse as the students now saw that there really was a villain inside the school.

"Oh crap," Joseph grimaced. "Any idea who that villain might be?"

"On sec!" Mei replied. She activated her Quirk and her vision zoomed to rooftop to try and see if she could spot someone. It would be unlikely, but if they got to the edge, she'd be able to see it easily.

What she got was a burst of grey gas which she easily recognized as Nebula Gas.

"It's Nebula Gas!"

Joseph's gaze darted to Mei, slightly pale, "What? You sure!?"

Mei nodded, her gaze riveted to the rooftop. "Positive! That could mean-"

"A Smash got in!" Joseph grimaced. According to the rules, he should have left the Smash to the teachers who were also Pro Heroes. However, with the Smash already pumping out impure Nebula Gas, likely none of them could even get close. Sure, some may have long-range techniques, but who knew if the Smash could launch the gas to get them. Even if they could subdue the Smash, they wouldn't be able to change them back.

"Mei, you wearing your rocket boots?" asked Joseph.

"Always!" Mei grinned. She wrapped her arms around Joseph's waist. "Hold on! Rocket Boot babies, go!"

A blast came from Mei's boots, metal contraptions which she always wore instead of her normal shoes. The sound made the students shriek and stumble back, already in a panic. The pair took to the air, aiming for the school rooftop. The g-force made Joseph wince, but he forced himself to endure it before they got to the rooftop.

"Bombs away!" Mei declared as they came over the rooftop. She abruptly let Joseph go, letting him fall to the rooftop where he landed.

"Ow," he grunted, ignoring the pain in his feet. Looking around, he quickly spied the Smash. One which looked like a bunch of polygons put together with a glass pyramid head. It was stalking towards another U.A. student who looked a little scorched.

"Crap!" Joseph hissed, rising to his feet. Reaching into his jacket, he grabbed his BuildDriver and strapped it to his waist before grabbing his FullBottles.

"Rabbit! Tank! Best Match!"

"Are You Ready?"

"Henshin!"

"Hagane no Moonsault! RabbiTank! Yeah!"

The halfbodies came together, transforming Joseph to Build in a blast of purified Nebula Gas. Next to him, Mei came to a stop on her rocket boots. Build didn't waste time as he charged for the Smash.

"HAH!" he roared, lashing out with his rabbit foot. The attack collided with the Smash in a ripple of red, launching the kaijin way and over the railing of the school. Running to the side, he saw the monster crash to the ground, but was already attempting to stand.

"Never that easy," he muttered. He glanced to Mei and the unknown student. "Mei, get him out of here! I'll handle the Smash!"

"Right!" Mei saluted with a grin.

Nodding, Build leaped over the edge of the building. He fell, but landed with a crouch. The ground cracked under his feet, but he didn't suffer any damage from the jump. The Smash was grunting, managing to get back up to its feet. With a roar, it thrust it's arms out, firing beams of rainbow energy at the Kamen RIder.

"Hup!" Build called, jumping out of the way from the beams, using the rabbit foot to jump, or the tank foot to sidestep the attacks. The smash was clumsy, more of a brute than anything. It made Build think that it hadn't been a Smash for very long, likely someone who recently overdosed on Nebula Gas.

The question was, how did the Smash get inside U.A.?

"Hey, I found the emergency exit!"

Build's blood chilled as he glanced over his shoulder. To his dismay, a cluster of students were emerging from a side entrance to the school. They consisted of the typical stock of students A green-haired kid, a girl with a permanent blush, the exploding asshole, some straight-backed guy with glasses, and a few others.

"Crap," Build muttered. "Get back, now! He's giving off toxic fumes!"

The students came to a stop, stunned into stillness at the sight of Build and the Smash. The green-haired kid seemed ready to fall into a panic attack, among a few others.

"Everyone, back inside!" shouted Build. "It's not safe!"

The young man with the glasses, sputtered, but quickly took charge, "E-everyone! Back inside!"

"Oh no way!" the explosive blonde grinned. He clenched his hands and charged forward, a mad grin on his face. His hands sparked as he dashed for the Prism Smash, preparing to blow it up.

"No! You idiot!" Build shouted. He tried to grab the blonde, but he ignited an explosion, knocking Build back and launching himself at the Smash.

The Prism Smash was of course not intimidated. Instead, it let off a growl before it began spewing out the gray Nebula Gas. The blonde didn't stop, flying into the gas with a mad grin. He attempted to keep going, but found himself coughing with just a single breath before he tried slapping the Smash with his explosive sweat.

Only nothing happened.

"H-Huh?" he gasped.

"RAAHH!" the Prism Smash roared before blasting the hothead with a beam of rainbow energy. He was launched back out of the cloud, skidding across the ground before landing in a groaning heap.

"Kacchan!" the green-haired student cried, he and several students running the hothead's side.

"Idiot!" Build huffed before he summoned his Drill Crusher. "Okay, can't play the long game. Hard and fast!"

Build charged for the Smash as it fired more prismatic beams at him. Between his two Halfbodies, he managed to dodge, getting grazed on his shoulders or torso. Still, he managed to get in close to the Prism Smash and began swinging.

Sparks flew from each impact, making the Smash stumble. It shrieked and wildly shot more beams of energy but couldn't aim very well. Clearly he was hurting it, but the material which made up the majority of its body was taking the damage well. Maybe it wasn't just made of metal and glass?

"Better go with something that can smash it hard," Build murmured. He had no other Best Matches but he could make do with what he had.

"Gorilla! Comic!"

"Are You Ready?"

"Build Up!" At the command, the two new Halfbodies merged over his suit, giving him the brown and yellow portions of his armor. It also armored him with the Muscle Glove and 4Kouma Ninpoutou.

"Regardless of the factors, the laws of victory are still set!" Build declared and charged for the snarling Smash.

Izuku POV

Izuku Midoriya would have been honest if he said that he never would have expected to be in this situation so soon after joining U.A. Frankly, he was amazed that he was even in U.A. in the first place. It was generally believed to be one of the most secure facilities so a random villain just managing to sneak inside seemed like such ridiculous notion...but then it happened.

On the plus side, he was getting to see a hero-like battle going on which was always cool!

Like many his age, Izuku did have a Facespace page. He often dedicated his to hero analysis and sightings. Naturally he had heard about the new vigilante who was recruited by none other than All Might himself. Izuku even heard it from the man himself during his training to possess All For One. The Symbol of Peace even approved of Build's enthusiasm and initiative, although the rules were in place for a reason. If All Might himself was backing the vigilante turned student, then Izuku figured he had to have a cool Quirk.

Imagine Izuku's utter shock when he discovered that Build in fact had no Quirk and all and relied on his gear to do hero work. It was frankly inspiring, seeing someone who had no Quirk like Izuku used to be and had gone on to join U.A. on his own merits.

Wait, he was getting distracted from the fight!

One skill Izuku was confident in before his fateful meeting with All Might was his observational skills when it came to heroes and villains in action. It was so good, he could determine Quirk traits, possible limitations, and even strategies with only a small amount of watching them work. He may have been able to pass that off as a Quirk if he thought of it, but Izuku really was too honest for his own good. That and Bakugo announced his Quirklessness to their class anyway.

Bakugo was growling, getting up from the blow he took, but coughing a lot thanks to the gas he inhaled. Still, Izuku was keeping his attention on the fight, both out of his normal desire to see the battle go, but also just because he was frankly terrified of making himself a target if he ran.

"Amazing, he can swap out different pieces of armor to give himself different Quirk-like abilities," Izuku muttered, transfixed by the fight. "The red side enhanced his kicking strength and speed while the blue one balanced those with durability and striking power. Now he's got enhanced punching strength on the right side and…"

He was cut off by the villain roaring and shooting more of the prismatic beams of energy. Build reacted fast, swiping his yellow leg across the ground, leaving a trail of black ink while he used the tip of his sword to make a large square. The entire image solidified into a wall which blocked the beams of energy.

"He can draw things into existence?!" Izuku gasped. Oh how he wished he had his notebook with him so he could get this all down!

"Deku-kun! Let's go! We can't hang around here! We're going to get in his way!" Uraraka Ochako, the first girl and friend who was a girl Izuku had, cried as she pulled at his arm.

Izuku snapped from his mumbling, "R-right!"

As the class of 1-A pulled back into the building, dragging a cursing and coughing Bakugo as they went, none of them really went far. Everyone stayed inside the door so they could watch the fight between former vigilante and villain.

"HAH!" Build roared, swinging his sword and bashing the prism beams out of the air in showers of sparks. So far he was doing well against the Prism Smash, but it seemed to have gotten a strategy of keeping him away. Every time he tried to get close, it shot more beams at him, forcing him to back off to keep from getting hit.

"Need to disrupt it's concentration!" Build huffed. Fortunately, his Comic Halfbody had the perfect loadout for that.

Gripping his sword, Build deflected a few more beams before he began drawing with the tip of the weapon. He didn't have much skill with drawing admittedly, but with the enhancements of the armor and what he had in mind, he didn't need them. Quickly, he drew several large rocks into the air, roughly the size of large dogs.

Before gravity could take hold as the stones became real, Build lashed out with his Muscle Glove, punching each one. The force sent each stone flying straight for the Prism Smash. It fired more beams of energy, but the rocks were just so dense that it served no purpose. The stones smashed into it with blasts of sparks, making it shriek in pain.

*THUD!*

"SHREEEYYAAAAAA!"

And one even landed on its foot, pinning it into place.

"Convenient," Build nodded. Seeing his chance, he slipped the Muscle Glove onto his Crank Lever and began to spin it. "Now, the laws of victory are set!"

"Ready? Go!"

Build's BLD Manga Kaku Shoulder shifted and book bindings erupted from it, wrapping around the Smash and pressing together, making it look much like a weird book spine. Build dropped his sword and then charged, his Quick Draw Shoe making platforms of ink which he climbed up several steps before leaping off, rearing back his Muscle Glove as it began to glow.

"SEIYAAAAAA!" He roared, smashing into the Smash's face with his empowered weapon.

"Vortex Attack! Yeah!"

The Smash let off a shriek of pain before exploding in a haze of green fire. The rock was destroyed along with the bindings, sending it sprawling across the ground before landing in a heap. Build emerged from the flames, looking unscathed from being caught in an explosion. He swiftly reached to his side, finding an empty FullBottle before aiming it at the downed Prism Smash. Its form quickly dissolved, filling the FullBottle with it's Nebula Gas, giving it the web pattern and a light blue core on the inside.

"Smash essence captured," Build concluded.

"He just made that guy explode!" an excitable female voice shouted from behind. Build turned and saw a girl with pink skin, horns, and pink hair grinning wildly.

"So manly!" a spiky-haired redhead boy grinned madly next to her.

"Ah, thanks," Build bashfully nodded. He turned to see where the Smash had dissolved, but was shocked to find another U.A. student laying on the ground, groaning in pain. "...what? No, wait." he looked to the other students, "Someone help me get this guy to the nurse's office! He's been overdosed on Nebula Gas! Now!"

"Right!" a pretty girl with a ponytail snapped into action. She ran to the student's side and...began unbuttoning her blouse?! Build was about to yell in shock, but when she exposed enough of her collar, her skin flashed red before a collapsable folding stretcher appeared.

"We can carry him on this," the girl calmly explained, buttoning up again. She quickly unfolded the stretcher, showing it was sturdy and very real. "Help me get him on."

Build nodded, removing his FullBottles so his hands would be free from the Muscle Glove. He quickly moved to help the girl, gently moving the semi-conscious student onto the stretched.

"I'll alert the nurse's office and any teachers I see along the way!" the glasses-wearing student called, suddenly bolting from the scene, literally, with engine pipes sticking out of his legs.

"Sato-san, Kirishima-san, you two help carry this boy up!" the ponytail girl continued.

"Right!" two boys nodded, one of them being the redhead, and both obviously muscled. They took the ends of the stretcher before they headed off for the doorway.

"We should also alert the teachers to what happened," the girl continued. "Unless that villain wasn't the only one, I think the crisis was averted."

"I can hope," Joseph sighed, rotating his arm. Hm, it seemed he still felt a little recoil from using a finisher with his Gorilla Halfbody. Did it need more calibrating or did it needs its Best Match?

The aftermath was a bit of a mess for everyone. The students were chided as a whole by the faculty for panicking as badly as they did. Granted a villain did get into the school and they were in the right to head for the available exits. What wasn't permitted was the harsh ways students all but attacked each other to get out first and the damage some students caused, one having blown out a window to make his escape.

Joseph himself was chastised for taking matters into his own hands and fighting the Smash instead of finding the teachers to deal with the threat. That was half-hearted though, as they approved his initiative and racing to protect his fellow students. He wasn't exactly punished for his actions, but he got a stern-talking to which was supposed to double for punishment.

It did introduce him to the students of 1-A, the supposed best students in the Heroics course. They were a bunch of nice people, for the most part, and they thought Joseph was just awesome for being a cool vigilante and for taking on a villain. Many asked him questions about how his weapons worked, or what Quirk he had. Of course, they actually thought it was awesome he was able to kick but when he had no Quirk at all.

The results weren't all good though. Ever since All Might was revealed to being a teacher at the school, numerous news reporters were hanging outside the front gates trying to get interviews. They in fact heard the alarms going off and then the later explosion from the Prism Smash being defeated. Immediately they felt like they had something to write about, mostly being questions about what U.A. was up to and what All Might had to do with it. It stirred up some concern as people feared a villain really had snuck onto campus.

Principal Nezu had to hold a press conference for that where some hard questions were asked. With some sly talk, he admitted that a Quirkless student had gone wild with a sudden Quirk he gained, using the current events to explain the situation. He did not reveal that student's identity since he was a minor.

The student himself naturally had no idea of the events surrounding his getting his FullBottle. In fact, he barely had memories of his time since he got it. It was just fuzzy blips and ingrained habitual things. Naturally there was no memory of all about his time as a Smash or where he got the FullBottle from. Seeing the hazard it was though, it did give Nezu more pull in convincing people in power that something was afoot and Nebula Gas was not just a story.

Unknown Location

"Hm, interesting," Blood Stalk murmured as he looked at the news report. It told the story of how a Quirkless went wild within U.A. It sparked up some debate as to how the Quirkless were gaining Quirks. Even more amusing, it was highlighting the prejudice the Quirkless faced and how it was driving them to be thugs or wild now that they had the power to get back at their tormentors.

"Still, which one was it?" Blood Stalk wondered. He had several clients who were in U.A. Quirkless students who wanted to be heroes, but didn't have the power. Seeing one of their fellows being turned into a Smash may have shaken some of them.

Perhaps he should visit his clients and 'subtly' remind them to keep quiet about the source of their new Quirks. Lest they lose them.

Despite the crisis that took place, classes still resumed as normal until the final bell rang. Perhaps it was like a fire drill. After it was done, the students just went back to class.

Joseph stepped out of school with Mei who was grinning as she examined the fresh Smash Bottle Joseph had filled. She was using her Quirk to examine every inch, trying to gleam what kind of FullBottle it might create.

"I can't wait to find out what kind of FullBottle this baby will make!" she cheered, her eyes shining. "With how tough that Smash was, it must be a strong one! You might get another Best Match too!"

"Yeah," Joseph agreed, already having an idea what kind of FullBottle the Prism Smash's essence would create.

"Excuse me!"

Joseph turned when he heard himself being called. He saw it was a green-haired students with freckles on his face.

"Hey," Joseph waved. "Uh, Izuku Midoriya, right?"

"Yes! You're Build-san, right?" the young man asked, looking a little excited.

"That's me," Joseph nodded. "So what can I help you with?"

"Is it true that you're Quirkless? " Izuku asked a little bluntly. "I-I mean I understand if you d-don't want to say it, b-but…"

"Oh, it's no problem," Joseph shrugged. "Yeah, I'm Quirkless. I admit I got lucky by finding my gear, but once I had it, I knew I had to use to to be a hero. Mei-chan helps me learn how to maintain it." He gestured to Mei who preened proudly at the praise to her skills. "It's why I call her my Best Match Mechanic."

"And you're my Build Up Boyfriend!" Mei laughed.

"Anyway, so I'm Quirkless. It's not the end of the world for me, right? There's always a way for me to contribute somehow."

"You're lucky then. Not a lot of Quirkless can be so optimistic," Izuku smiled, slightly weakly and almost in sad remembrance.

"Yeah, but good friends and support made the world of difference," Joseph nodded. "So, anyway, is there any other questions you want to ask?"

"Oh right!" Izuku nodded. He ruffled through his pack and brought out a notebook, "I was hoping you could explain the abilities your armor gives you? I noticed each half gave you a new Quirk-like ability. What else can they do? Do you have more? How many do you have?"

"Ooooh!" Mei grinned, taking a glance at the pages by leaning over Izuku's shoulder. Incidentally, it pressed her chest against his shoulder slightly, making Izuku flinch and blush. "You're a fellow number cruncher! So cool! Look at all the data JJ-kun!"

"That's a pretty thorough analysis," Joseph admired. "You've got some talent here, Midoriya."

"Well, it's always been my dream to be a hero so I kinda get obsessed with learning about them and Quirks," Izuku admitted.

"Say, you want to grab a bite to eat?" Joseph offered. "We can talk about my gear over some burgers."

"A-Ah, okay!" Izuku nodded rapidly. "C-Could I bring a friend?"

"Sure! We can all share facts and ideas! I always love to get ideas for new babies," Mei smiled.

Izuku blanched "B-babies?!"

"Mei-chan loves her inventions so much, she calls them her babies," Joseph quickly answered. "Success or fail, they're all her beloved babies."

"O-oh," Izuku nodded with some relief. "Just let me check with Uraraka-san." He quickly pulled out his phone.

Joseph just smiled. Maybe he made a new friend.

'Uraraka-san' was actually Ochako Uraraka, a brunette girl who was rather kind and had a permanent blush on her cheeks. She was really chipper and nice, excited to meet up with one of the heroes of the day. She and Mei hit it off, talking shop about the effects of gravity and physics. Uraraka was surprisingly competent. She had to be, considering her Quirk allowed her to nullify gravity on things.

Their time at the joint was fun, discussing their various Quirks and abilities. Mei bragged about her inventions, offering to make some which could help the pair's Quirks in combat. Joseph explained his FullBottles and the Nebula Gas, along with what effects it had with his suit. Izuku just wrote in his notebook furiously, apparently having fun offering ideas for combinations or what might better aid the Halfbodies if he didn't or couldn't use a Best Match.

Although Ochako wanted to be a hero not just to help people, but also for money, she did have good reasons for it. Her parents supported her a lot even when they didn't have the best funds for it. They had hit hard times with the family construction company and Uraraka just wanted to earn a hero's salary so she could take care of her parents like they did her.

It wasn't a bad reason. After all, being a Pro-Hero was supposed to be a career so they would earn a paycheck for all the work they had done.

"So, your whole life you were considered Quirkless until your Quirk just activated one day?" Joseph asked Izuku.

"Y-yeah," Izuku stuttered. "It stores energy inside until I can release it. Since no one caught it since I didn't have the toe joint, I just had a mental block. Then when it broke, I could make explosive punches since I have so much stored up."

"Better late than never," Joseph said. "Must've been hell for you, huh? Kids can be cruel."

"Y-yeah," Izuku slumped slightly.

"But hey, you got into the Hero Course. You should be proud of that."

Izuku blushed at the praise.

"Say, Josuke-san," Izuku said. "I heard that you took the practical exam. So how come you're in the Support Course?"

"Well, I applied for both Heroics and Support as a backup," Joseph explained. "I asked Principal Nezu as well, but it's mainly because I don't have a Quirk."

"What?" Ochako gasped. "B-but that's not fair!"

Joseph shook his head, "No, no, it's not prejudice. You see, I rely heavily on my tech and weapons to do any hero work. That means in order to be a hero, I have to keep my gear in top shape and even develop new gear if I need it. So for that, I need to get some time in the Support Course."

Izuku nodded, "Oh, I get it. So, you start in the Support Course and get the training to build and maintain your gear and then advance to the Hero course later?"

"That's what Principal Nezu told me," Joseph nodded. "I'll have to work my butt off to get that transfer, but if I want to be the kind of hero I want to be, I'll need to do it. I need to represent and show people that even without a Quirk, we can be heroes."

"Yeah!" Izuku smiled and Ochako gave a happy nod.

Ryuken went back to the place where he had met Blood Stalk before, clutching the FullBottle in his hand. It was the old warehouse where Blood Stalk made his first meeting. Coming back, Ryuken felt it was creepy, knowing that someone peddling monster-making gas was hanging around.

"Hey, Stalk! Stalk! Are you here?"

It was quiet, like nobody was around, until footsteps echoed. Ryuken gulped as Blood Stalk stepped out of the shadows. His visor and chest plate were glowing, giving the appearance of a snake coming out of hiding to strike.

"Buongiorno~!" Blood Stalk greeted with a jaunty wave. "So, did you come to top up on your FullBottle?"

"Look, thanks for helping me get my Quirk back, but a kid in my school OD'd and turned into a monster. If that's gonna happen to me then I don't want this thing anymore," Ryuken said, holding out his FullBottle.

"Oh?" Blood Stalk tilted his head. "Well, that's a shame. I didn't peg you as being one to back down at the misfortune of another."

"Someone hurting themselves because they were stupid is one thing," Ryuken shook his head. "But...but that...that...THING...he turned into? I don't want that! He was downright addicted! You said this stuff was safe!"

"All medicines are safe unless you overdose on them or get a high from it," Blood Stalk shrugged. "But if you're set on this, I guess I can take it back." He took the purple FullBottle from Ryuken's hands. "I sincerely hope you change your mind though."

"Not likely," Ryuken shook his head. "But I can keep a secret. I know you have multiple Quirks to hunt me down if I spill."

"So I do," Blood Stalk nodded. Feeling safer, Ryuken turned and left. As he did, Blood Stalk lifted his Transteam Gun. Removing his own Cobra FullBottle, he inserted the purple one and aimed at Ryuken's back. "But I don't leave loose ends for long."

"FullBottle! Steam Attack!"

Blood Stalk shot Ryuken with the FullBottle's complete contents as the Nebula Gas engulfed the boy. He screamed after he accidentally inhaled the gas which began to mutate him.

Flames and metal soon engulfed him.

"I think we'll have to cut this threat to the profits," Blood Stalk pondered as he watched Ryuken transform into a Smash. "Need to test Build and his little friends anyway."

After their burgers were done, the group realized how much time they spent just talking and having fun. Well past 5:00, they all decided to get back home. Paying for the meals, the four new friends started walking down the street, perhaps wanting to chat a little more before they decided to part ways to their respective homes.

"So, you really have a machine which can turn that gas you got from that Smash thing and make it into something your armor can use?" asked Ochako.

"Yup," Mei nodded. "Joseph and I tested our baby together extensively! I can't wait to see what kind of FullBottle we can get out of it!"

"My guess is something to do with light, glass, crystals, or triangles since the Smash was a prism-type," Joseph offered. "So likely it'll be abiotic, but that still leaves plenty of possible results."

"So exciting!" Mei giggled. "I can't wait to begin making our FullBottle baby!" Mei's words made Ochako and Izuku blush at the innuendo in her words. Joseph was long since used to it and Mei likely didn't get it.

The group continued until they reached an intersection. Izuku sighed and looked to his friends, "This is where I turn off. I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"I turn this way too," Ochako nodded, pointing to another street. "It was really nice meeting you two! We should totally hang out again!"

"Sure! I'll bring some of my babies for you two to test!" Mei nodded.

"Just make sure you tested them to not explode first," Joseph chuckled. "Anyway, We'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Oh, but I just got here."

"Cobra! Mistmatch!"

A hissing sound caused the four students to turn as a cloud of dark smoke began filling the street. In the middle of it were flashes of red, showing a humanoid figure inside. One which was changing as layers of armor began to appear on its body.

"Co-Cobra...Cobra...Fire!"

Fireworks went off inside the mist, dispelling the smoke. Emerging from it was the red and gray armored figure of Blood Stalk. His visor and chest plate glowed in the fading sunlight. Gripped in his hand was his Transteam Gun, spinning on his finger like some kind of gunfighter.

"Buongiorno~!" He waved almost flamboyantly.

"B-Blood Stalk?!" Joseph gasped.

"Ah, so you know me. Good. Rivals should know of each other," Blood Stalk nodded, stopping several feet away from the four students.

"Rivals?" asked Izuku. "Josuke-san, do you know who this guy is?"

"By reputation," Joseph grimaced. "Someone who spreads the Nebula Gas. I thought he was just a prop in the fake story I found my equipment with."

"Heh, the best stories have grains of truth in them," Blood Stalk chuckled. "Since you've been so insistent on meddling with my business, I decided to pay you a personal visit to see if we can't bury the hatchet. Live and let live, so to speak."

"You're turning innocent people into Smash and sending them out to cause rampages!" Joseph accused angrily.

"Hardly," Blood Stalk scoffed. "All of those people came to me once I offered the chance to end the pain of being Quirkless. After all, only those who never had power can truly appreciate it, rather than so many of the arrogant and selfish who run the world these days. We all know that the meek shall inherit the earth. I'm just speeding up the process."

"And the Smash?" Joseph frowned, slowly reaching for his Build Driver.

"Oh, I keep them out of harm's way," Blood Stalk shrugged. He gave a sharp whistle from within his helmet. Behind him, tainted Nebula Gas began to spell from two side streets as a pair of humanoid figures came out from the shadows.

The first was a Smash, sporting the same legs as the others. It's body seemed entirely composed of mechanical chain links for industrial machinery formed into a body. The head was featureless save for two glowing eyes.

The second Smash had an orange and red body with orbs on the shoulders and head with black holes in them. It's left arm was simply and arm, but the other sported a flamethrower tip. It was proven to be as such when sparks came from the tip, igniting into a constant flame.

Joseph recognized both as the Press and Scorch Smash.

"See? I keep them close and unable to cause the public harm," Blood Stalk chuckled. He looked to his two Smash before lifting his gun and shooting several rounds at the feet of the four students, making them jump back. "Now, how about you hand over your FullBottles?"

"I say no way," Joseph frowned, taking out his BuildDriver and strapping it to his waist.

"What was that for?!" Ochako cried out. "You didn't have to shoot at us!"

"I attacked you. Self-defense is now established," Blood Stalk replied. "Now you have an excuse to go all out when my Smash attack you for not giving me Build's FullBottles. Press! Scorch! Sic'em!"

The two Smash roared and ran at the four, arms raised to fight.

"Move!" Joseph shouted, producing his FullBottles with a shake before plugging them into his Driver.

"Rabbit! Tank! Best Match!"

"Are You Ready?"

"Henshin!"

"Hagane no Moonsault! RabbiTank! Yeah!"

A blast of purified Nebula Gas announced his completed transformation. Summoning the Drill Crusher, Build ran at the two oncoming Smash with no fear.

"Josuke-san, wait!" Izuku gasped, but was ignored.

Build came in at the Smash and summoned his Drill Crusher before slashing wide, catching the Press Smash in the chest. It stumbled back, but not before the Scorch Smash let off a trail of flame, forcing the Kamen Rider back or get burned. His armor may have blocked physical damage, but high temperatures went right though.

The Press Smash was not so vulnerable running through the flames before crashing into Build with all the force of a charging elephant. Build cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, landing on his back. He groaned, but it was drowned out by the roar of the Press Smash as it ran to crush him.

"SMASH!"

All of a sudden, a huge wave of pure force crashed into the Press Smash and sending it sailing backwards before it landed in a heap. The Scorch Smash was caught on the edge, making it stumble and it's flames going out. Even Blood Stalk had to brace himself to keep from being knocked over from the sudden assault.

"What?" Build blinked. Sitting up, he turned to look at where the force had come from. To his surprise, he saw Izuku with his right hand extended as if he made a flick. He was panting, clearly in pain. The reason why was because his pinky had turned a dark brown/red and did not look healthy.

"H-holy-!" Build gasped. Did Izuku lay out two Smash by just flicking his pinky? What did he do to it? His finger looked broken now!

"Oh, how interesting," Blood Stalk murmured. "Yes, yes, I recognize you now. You're Izuku Midoriya. I had you on my customer list before you suddenly popped up as having a Quirk."

"Well I d-do!" Izuku grimaced, keeping firm despite his hand trembling in pain. "You saw what it did so back off!"

Blood Stalk chuckled, "Well, I don't think so. I can see your hand from here. You broke your pinkie doing that attack. Seems to me that you can only do that attack nine more times."

Izuku grimaced, "Maybe, but I only need to get lucky once! You need to get lucky nine more times!"

Blood Stack chuckled again, "Touche. Still, I rather like my odds. Plus, I have meat shields. Smash, attack!"

The two Smash recovered and roared, charging for the two aspiring heroes again. Build got to his feet and gripped his weapon. Izuku grimaced, but prepared his index finger for another flick.

The battle was soon joined as the two sides clashed with showers of sparks and the sounds of clanging metal. The Scorch Smash would created walls of fire to try and keep Build back while the Press Smash would charge through to clobber him. Inversely, Build would handle the Smash up close while Izuku would launch another blast of force to knock them both down and make them vulnerable for attack.

Sadly, it was a battle of attrition the boys were going to lose. The Smash had Nebula Gas coursing through their bodies, keeping them from staying down too long. Soon Izuku had used all the fingers on his right hand and the pain was getting to him. Build was also panting for breath, being pushed further than any other Smash had done.

"This isn't good," Ochako murmured from where she and Mei were keeping back from the action. "Deku-kun and Josuke-san aren't going to last much longer if this keeps up."

"Then it's a good time to test my new baby!" Mei dropped her backpack and fished out what looked like a miniature oven with electronic bits built into it.

"Um...Mei-san...what is that?" asked Ochako.

"Oh, it's my Portable FullBottle Purifier baby!" Mei grinned. "With this, we can purify Smash Bottles and have them made into FullBottles in the field in case of emergencies!"

"Have you tested it?" Ochako asked worriedly.

"...of course I have," Mei continued to set up her machine.

"You hesitated!" the gravity-manipulator gasped.

"Okay! Setup complete!" Mei nodded as the modified oven came to life despite never having been plugged in. She rifled around in her pack and found the Smash Bottle. Slipping it in, she closed the machine and began punching buttons. "And here we goooooo!"

*WHRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!*

The machine started to glow as a kaleidoscope of lights began coming out of the lines in the machine. Ochako watched with worry while Mei had her excited smile. After a moment, the lights began to turn red and the machine began to shake and rumble. Soon, it began to swell and contract as if it was about to bulge beyond the limits.

"It's going to blow!" Ochako cried, jumping behind a group of trash cans.

"Uh-oh," Mei blinked before…

*BOOM!*

The machine did explode and rather violently in a rainbow of lights and colorful smoke. As it cleared, Mei had her face covered in soot. A small black circle surrounded with scrap was where her machine had been a moment ago. In the middle of it all though was a FullBottle which was light blue and had the image of a diamond in it.

"Ooh! Success!" Mei grinned, so proud of her baby for succeeding even if it did blow up. Taking the device, she ran to where Izuku and Build were fighting off the two Smash under Blood Stalk's amused view.

"JJ-kun, catch!" Mei shouted, throwing the FullBottle to her friend.

Build turned and saw the FullBottle incoming. He snapped it out of the air and looked at its surface. "Tough one huh? Maybe..." Ducking under a swipe from the Press Smash, he kicked it away with the Rabbit Foot before he removed both FullBottles and took out his two more recent ones. A quick shake and he slipped them into his Driver.

"Gorilla! Diamond! Best Match!"

"Best Match? Awww yeah!" Build grinned.

"Whooo!" Mei cheered.

"Best Match?" Izuku and Ochako blinked, but then began to grin as it hit them.

"B-Best Match?!" Blood Stalk gasped. "Of all the luck!"

Build quickly began spinning the Crank Lever, letting the Snap Ride Builder form. The familiar Gorilla Halfbody formed, but also a light blue version appeared.

"Are You Ready?"

"Build up!"

The two sides snapped together, making Build's new suit shine. The new Halfbody was light blue, almost sparkling. The left arm had a diamond-studded armguard and more diamonds were embedded in part of the chest. On his left shoulder was a large diamond-shaped piece of armor, the top portion sparkling. The right side of the head shared the color scheme with the eyepiece being shaped like a diamond and the antennae being beams of light coming from the diamond itself.

"Kagayaki no Destroyer! GorillaMond! Yeah!"

This was Kamen Rider Build GorillaMond, the "Sparkling Destroyer".

"With this Best Match, the laws of victory are set!" Build declared. "Oi, Midoriya, Uraraka! Let's take these Smash down!" Since they were in the Heroics Course, they should have some skills.

"Right!" the two steeled themselves, moving into the fray once again.

The two Smash just roared and charged once again. Build stepped forward to block them. The Press Smash punched at Build, but it's fist stopped in a blast of sparks. Build did not do much more than flinch. Between the muscle of the Gorilla Halfbody and the sheer density of the Diamond Halfbody, his defensive power went through the roof.

Build reared back his fist and landed a mighty punch into the Smash's face, making it stumble back with a cry of pain. The Scorch Smash stepped in, launching a stream of fire. The flames licked at his armor, but it only made his armor appear more dazzling with the diamond effects and high resistance.

"HYAH!" Build walked through the flames, punching the Smash's weapon, crushing it with a blast of flames and heat, making it scream and pull back to escape.

"Incoming!" Ochako called, seeing her chance. She dashed past Izuku and Build, coming up to the two Smash. Reaching out, she tapped them both with the pads of her fingers, making a pink flash of light. Suddenly, gravity seemed to stop working as both Smash began to float in the air with grunts of confusion.

The two Smash were stranded in the air, floating helplessly thanks to Ochako's Quirk, although the girl was starting to look pale thanks to the nausea it was causing. "Okay, they're all yours Build-kun!"

"Thanks, Uraraka! Now, it's time to finish this!"

Build turned his BuildDriver's crank as he powered up his finisher.

"Ready Go!"

He formed a large diamond shield in front of himself and then positioned it at an angle while winding up his large gauntlet-covered fist.

"Vortex Finish! Yeah!"

He punched the diamond shield and it shattered, sending shards flying at high speeds like flechettes. The diamond shards pelted the two Smash violently before they both exploded in twin fireballs of green. Ochako then touched her fingers together, causing both Smash to fall in smoking heaps. Their groans of pain indicated their defeat.

"Now, time to capture their essence," said Build as he fished out a couple of empty bottles.

"On it!" Mei snatched them out of his hand and then pointed them at the two defeated Smash. Their essence was gathered and sucked up into the two bottles, which bulged up with spiderweb patterns on them. "Smash essence captured!"

"Bravo! Bravo!" Blood Stalk applauded. He didn't seem the least bothered by the defeat of his two kaijin minions. "Looks like this year's batch of Heroic Course students are pretty talented!"

"You're the one giving people Quirks!" Izuku yelled. "Why?"

"I just want to shake up the status quo because, well, the way the world is right now is kinda boring, right? I mean, it should be more entertaining! All the world's a stage and the stage is the world for entertainment!"

"That's not a reason!" Izuku snapped.

"Oh, then how's about this for a reason?" Blood Stalk spoke darkly. "I want to see this whole world burn." His tone then turned chipper again. "Anyway, Izuku Midoriya, you better have those fingers checked out. Ciao~!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Build charged at Blood Stalk as he covered himself in a steam cloud and hit nothing as he passed through it. "Dammit, he got away!" He removed the two FullBottles from his Driver, reverting to civilian form.

"Uraraka-san, are you alright?" Izuku asked his classmate as she was on her knees, exhausted.

"Just...just the adrenaline rush...fading..." Ochako panted. "That...that was my first fight against villains."

They heard sirens, cutting their conversation. Someone must've saw what happened and called the police. It made sense, considering that the roars of the Smash and the explosions were far from hidden. Plenty of people probably called the police to deal with it.

"Should we run?" asked Mei, pondering the situation.

"No, we have people who need medical attention," Joseph sighed, gesturing to Izuku's hand and the two former Smash. Besides, cameras at the intersections probably caught us heading in this direction, if not caught the fight so the police would quickly find us."

"T-true," Izuku grimaced in pain, looking at his hand. "And heroes don't need to run from the police. We didn't do anything wrong."

"Mnn!" Ochako nodded.

"But we might get in trouble for fighting villains and using our Quirks in public," Mei pointed out. "We could get expelled from U.A." This made the color drain from Izuku and Ochaco's faces.

"I'm sure they'll just give us a slap on the wrist since it's just self-defence," Joseph said reassuringly.

The police did arrive and as a matter of course, called paramedics and detained the four teenagers until they could get the facts straight. Although there were cameras nearby, it was standard procedure even if several of the cops didn't believe that the four were responsible for the chaos.

Ambulances came to pick up the two people who had been turned into Smash. Treatment was also given to Izuku's mangled fingers. A hero named Recovery Girl was sent a request to speed up the process, although Izuku was sent to the hospital while the others were moved to the police station.

They all gave their testimony, which was fortunately backed up by the public CCTV cameras at intersections. It caught the entire fight. The police still (gently) chastised the group for fighting and not calling for the police, but they seemed to understand that it was a case of self-defense and there wasn't much choice. Unofficially, they were congratulated for rescuing the two former Smash and driving away the true villain.

They grilled harder for details about Blood Stalk. The police didn't believe for a second that a rash of missing people and Quirkless getting Quirks were unrelated. The former Press Smash had been missing for days with a family worried sick about him. The four had to give every detail, every identifying feature, and any other possible goals that Blood Stalk may have had to help Pro Heroes find him and bring him down.

So finally the four students were released with another gentle admonishment and secret praise. Joseph was also lucky that the cops had not asked for his Smash Bottles since they were possible evidence.

Incidentally, someone reported a pile of diamonds falling from the sky onto their property.

Bakugo Residence

"DIEEEEEE!" Bakugo screamed as he destroyed his punching bag with an explosive punch.

The punching bag was destroyed, spilling sand and leather in all directions. With a huff, Bakugo walked to his training gear and took a big gulp of water. Putting it down, he scowled and punched the wall. Not enough to break the drywall. His mother reamed him out hard the last time he did that and he didn't need to suffer through that again.

Bakugo was in a foul mood. The reason why was the incident at the school that day. Right there in front of him was a villain who snuck into the school and was causing trouble. Most would have run, but Bakugo was a fighter and instead he charged forward to put the villain down in a single blow.

Or that's what the script to Bakugo's life had said anyway.

Instead, there was a cloud of weird gas which shut down Explosion and let him get pummeled by the freak. With just one punch! It left the irate blonde coughing and wheezing with absolutely no Quirk to fight back.

It made him feel weak and Bakugo despised that feeling.

Worse, he had to watch the Quirkless cheat Build take the freak down after making a big and stupid show with his armor. How much of a cheat was that?! The loser didn't even have a real Quirk he learned to master and instead could just pick and choose which Quirk he'd need to win the fight!

"DAMMIT!" Bakugo roared, working himself up into a fury again. He stomped over to a side closet where he pulled out another punching bag and quickly got to work pummeling it.

'That does it! The first chance I get, I'm going to put you in your place, Tinker Toy!' he thought furiously to himself.

U.A., Nezu's Office

Mei, Joseph, Izuku and Ochaco were called the next day to Principal Nezu's office. Normally the students may have been more nervous, but All-Might was also there, giving a sense of security to all of them. Both wanted to know about Blood Stalk and what his motives may have been.

"He said he wanted to change the world and then..." Izuku hesitated with what Blood Stalk had said next. "Watch the world burn."

"Hm, quite a dark goal in mind," All-Might rubbed his chin. "I can see how he could accomplish some chaos with his methods."

"Indeed. Many people ignore or look down on the Quirkless," Nezu nodded with a frown. "When they suddenly get a Quirk, many will seek revenge for their discrimination."

"Is there a way to track him down? He should have some kind of a hideout or a lair, right?" Izuku asked.

"Midoriya, Stalk wears a full suit that conceals his identity," Joseph said. "He could be hiding in plain sight. He could be the janitor and we wouldn't know it was him."

"Indeed. Cautious villains like that are some of the most difficult opponents to defeat," All-Might nodded. "Still, I must commend you all on your bravery and skill to overcome his unfortunate minions."

His compliment made the four students beam with pride. It wasn't every day where All-Might himself praised you for your abilities! Izuku was practically glowing in delight compared to the rest, considering how much of a fanboy for All-Might he was.

"How are the victims doing?" Joseph asked.

"Recovering," Nezu nodded. "One was a man who went missing a time ago. The other was another of our students. Sadly it seems he was using this to keep in the Heroics Course."

All-Might's grip tightened angrily although he kept his facade up. The young man, Ryuken, explained his circumstances when pressed. It seems he did have a Quirk until a certain individual stole it from him. The Symbol of Peace could guess all too well who that individual was. Usually that man was much more subtle in his theft of Quirks, but All-Might could easily guess that it was a small jab at him and a notice that he had survived their last battle as well.

It seemed he would have one last loose end to tie up before the embers of his Quirk vanished and young Midoriya would have to truly set on his path.

Blood Stalk hummed softly to himself as he refilled some FullBottles from his...source. He wasn't frustrated by the setback of facing Build and his little friends. Just the opposite. Blood Stalk expected his rival to be exceptional. It just made the challenge worth it.

Finishing another bottle, he stopped as he felt a presence nearby. Grabbing his Transteam Gun, he turned to aim it. At the far end of his base was a black void. Emerging from it came a skinny man with pale skin and decorative hands on his outfit, including one which was shielding his face. Next to him was someone in a bartender outfit who appeared to be made of a black void with only two yellow eyes as a sign of facial features.

"A little rude to just barge into a man's lair, don't you think?" Blood Stalk sighed.

"Got your attention," the skinny hand man wheezed. "Still, we're here for business, not trouble."

"I'm all about business," Blood Stalk nodded.

"Good," the hand man nodded. "So, have you heard about the League of Villains?"

To Be Continued…

A/N: And now the new chapter of the newest story. We some more action asBlood Stalk starts making more overt moves and now seemed to be poised to join the League of Villains. How this might change USJ, one can't be sure.