Chapter 236: Classified files.

--Monday, June 1, 2172

With huge smiles on their faces, Momo and Nejire stepped out of a sleek black car, then each took Kai by an arm and headed into UA, drawing everyone’s attention. After splitting up to go to their own classes, Momo and Kai entered Class 1-A’s room, where Mina and the others greeted them with big smiles.

By the end of the day, Aizawa, who was in charge of the last class, started putting his things away and then, in a calm but tired tone as he looked at all the students, said.

“That’s all for today. Remember that next month the final exams will be held, and there won’t just be written exams but practical ones as well. So make sure to train both your minds and your bodies.”

After letting his gaze pass over his students’ various expressions, Aizawa focused on the black-haired, blue-eyed boy stretching lazily in the back, then added.

“And Saito, the principal wants to talk to you. He’ll see you in the office. That’s all.”

After Kai nodded casually, Aizawa walked calmly toward the door while the students looked at him with different expressions—some serious, others nervous, some restrained. Once the teacher left the classroom, it filled with Kaminari’s desperate shouts alongside Mina’s cheerful voice.

““I didn’t study anything!!””

“With the sports festival and the internships, I couldn’t study at all!” Kaminari said in a voice full of desperation, holding his head as if the world were ending. Tokoyami, the boy with a bird’s head, spoke in a calm, reflective voice.

“It’s true there have been a lot of events recently…”

“Ashido-san, Kaminari-kun, let’s do our best! We’re all going straight to the training camp, right?” At that moment, Midoriya approached the pair and spoke with a nervous but cheerful voice.

“Easy for you to say…”

Kaminari couldn’t help clutching his chest and spoke in a dejected tone, just as Mina looked over at the pair tied for first place on the midterms. With an almost coy expression, Mina let out a sweet voice while looking at the blue-eyed boy getting up from his seat.

“Saito…”

“Don’t even think about it. I’m a busy man.” Kai replied, rolling his eyes, then walked toward the door. Momo couldn’t help but laugh, a little amused, then added with a beautiful smile as she pointed to herself.

“Kai really is busy, but maybe I can help you.”

““Yao-Momo!!”” Mina and Kaminari exclaimed, voices almost moved to tears, just as Kai left the classroom, leaving the shouting behind.

When Kai reached the principal’s office, he found the strange bear/mouse seated behind an elegant wooden desk, looking at a tablet. As if he were at home, Kai walked in and went to the nearby coffee maker to pour himself some coffee. Principal Nezu looked up and commented with a smile.

“You look pretty good for being ‘dead,’ Kai-kun.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kai took his freshly poured coffee and sat down across from Nezu, then added casually.

“All I know is that a certain ‘Saito’ died on a mission two days ago, but that has nothing to do with me.”

“Hehe, whatever you say.” Nezu replied, amused, while Kai took a sip of his coffee. But the principal's expression turned serious as he set the tablet on the desk and said.

“But getting to serious matters—what’s your honest opinion of those spiders, Kai-kun?”

“They’re dangerous—more dangerous than anything I’ve ever seen.” Kai said in a serious tone, then added as he set his cup on the desk.

“I was only able to finish them off by sheer luck. If I’d fought the most powerful one the first time I went, I would’ve died before I even saw it. Their quirks were too strange, to the point that I only found something roughly similar while investigating.”

“You mean Star and Stripe, right?” Nezu replied in a serious tone as he stood to pour himself some coffee, and Kai nodded with a grave expression.

“The very same. Although the specific details of her quirk are unknown, its magic-like effects are the closest thing to those ‘conditional webs.’”

“Or to your quirk.” Nezu replied seriously as he came back with a cup of coffee. Kai nodded again.

“You could look at it that way too.”

“Anything else besides the report Kayama-san and All Might gave me?” Nezu asked as he hopped back into his chair. Kai shook his head and spoke after another sip of coffee.

“Not really. The truth is we couldn’t discover much more apart from that ancient city and the abandoned labs. Do you have any ideas?”

“Just one.” Nezu replied in a serious tone, then took a drink. After setting his cup on the table, Nezu looked Kai in the eyes and began to explain in a grave voice.

“Shortly before the emergence of quirks, at the start of 2012, there was a discovery so bewildering that no one dared to mention it. A multinational group of archaeologists near Egypt stumbled upon an unknown pyramid with what seemed to be an abandoned laboratory.

“It’s said that after the initial investigation, that strange lab was found to contain samples in perfect condition of plants extinct for millions of years and damaged equipment that far surpassed the technology of the time.

“But today that’s nothing more than a rumor—something that lives in the classified archives of various world powers, without any real proof. The awakening of quirks caused many things to be lost…”

Hearing Nezu, Kai couldn’t help widening his eyes, visibly surprised. He quickly pulled himself together, looked the strange mouse/bear straight in the eye, and asked with a hint of incredulity in his tone.

“Are you suggesting…?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. It’s simply one more report among mountains of classified files that I read from time to time to kill time, and believe me when I tell you governments keep the strangest things. I’ve seen everything from reports on studies of real mediums in the last millennium to interviews with supposed extraterrestrials and ghosts. There’s everything there except certainties.”

“You read classified documents to kill time…?” Kai said with a somewhat strange expression, which prompted a small giggle from Nezu, who lifted one of his little hands adorably and replied cheerfully.

“I get very bored!”

“…”

Kai couldn’t help giving the mouse/bear a flat look for a few seconds, but he soon drifted into thought. After a few seconds, Kai spoke in a reflective voice.

“If you learn anything else, let me know. I’ll also share whatever I find.”

“Of course!” Nezu replied with a small smile, which led Kai to take out his phone, type quickly, and put it away. Looking at Principal Nezu, Kai commented in a calm tone.

“I just sent you a report on a couple of strange groups that are looking online for information about the island and the lab. I haven’t found anything concrete about them, but they’re quite good; they barely leave any traces, so it’s unlikely they’re a government. These are really capable people.”

“Good thing there weren’t more…” Nezu replied with a smile somewhere between teasing and sly. Kai rolled his eyes and replied after taking a sip of coffee.

“It’s a minor thing. I found it yesterday, and I’m only just starting to investigate.”

“It’ll be a pleasure to cooperate with you, Kai-kun. Let’s find out what’s behind those spiders.” Nezu said in a cheerful voice as he extended his paw to Kai, who quickly took it in a handshake and replied.

“It’ll be a pleasure to cooperate.”

After exchanging information for a while longer, Kai couldn’t help asking—while he scanned UA with his Observation Haki, looking for someone he hadn’t seen.

“By the way, where’s All Might?”

“Oh, he requested leave for an overseas trip—he traveled to I-Island.” Nezu answered with a calm expression. “Since he can barely maintain his hero form now, he went to meet a friend there to try to find a solution.”

“I see.” Kai nodded casually, then checked the time. Realizing he’d spent quite a while talking with the principal, he quickly said in a calm tone.

“Well, I have to go now. We’ll be in touch.”

Nezu replied while raising one of his paws, and Kai stood and headed for the door. But just as Kai put his hand on the doorknob, Nezu’s cheerful voice rang out from behind.

“By the way, Kai-kun, get ready for the final exam. It’s going to be quite ‘stimulating.’”

Hearing Nezu, Kai halted his train of thought, then turned his head to look at the strange mouse/bear. Noticing the principal’s mischievous, almost wicked smile—disguised as adorable—Kai couldn’t help giving a defiant smile and replying in a casual tone.

“I’ll be waiting.”

…

[What do you think of what Nezu said?] Outside the principal’s office, Kai kept walking while communicating with the beautiful invisible fairy flying at his side. Sage quickly replied in a calm tone.

[It’s likely true, Master. Many classified documents are kept in writing or on private networks offline, and someone as influential as Principal Nezu could have access to them.]

[Do you think he’s trying to guide me to investigate governments more directly?] Kai asked back in a thoughtful voice, to which Sage replied in a similar tone.

[It’s possible, Master. Though I’d say his main objective is to show his ‘value.’ He can access things we can’t, so he’s a valuable asset worth collaborating with.]

[That’s true as well, but for now let’s not overthink it—we have a lot to work on. Still, don’t set it aside; look into it casually and see if we find anything worthwhile.] Kai said in a serious tone as he left the building. Sage nodded and replied.

[Understood, Master. I’ll set up a research project with a low priority level.]

[I’ll leave it in your hands.] Kai replied with a smile as he headed toward Momo, who was with Mina.

“What did the principal tell you?” Momo asked as she hooked her arm through Kai’s. He answered in a casual tone.

“Not much, he just wanted to ask me a few questions.”

“I see.” Momo said with a smile, then looked at Mina and added with a bright smile.

“By the way, Kai, I’ll be helping the guys study for the final exam. Do you mind if we study at home?”

“No, but remember I’m going to start building Salem’s house, so there’ll be noise.” Kai replied, nodding in greeting to Mina, who returned the gesture with a smile.

“That’s true, I’d forgotten…” Momo replied in a thoughtful tone, but her eyes soon sparkled with excitement, and she said, looking at Mina.

“Ashido-san! Let’s go to my house! That way you can get to know it!”

“Your house?” Mina asked back with a confused expression. Momo nodded enthusiastically and explained.

“Yes! The Yaoyorozu mansion—these days it’s used very little, but it’s still my family home!”

“Oh, how interesting! I want to see it!” Mina replied, full of curiosity and excitement, which made Momo laugh happily. She then began to speak at full speed.

“Fufu, I’m going to take my friends to 'my house' for the first time! I have to plan so many things! I’ll need tea, cookies, cakes, some supporting materials…”

As Momo excitedly listed everything she thought she needed to welcome her friends, Kai couldn’t help but smile warmly along with Mina. Seeing Momo like that was truly soothing for the soul; that tenderness and innocence were truly beautiful in her.

………

When they got back home, Momo quickly gave Kai a kiss on the lips before running off to look for Keiko, wanting to organize everything she’d need to host her friends. For his part, Kai went to his room to change clothes and then went down to the first floor, where he found Yumiko looking at a laptop with a serious expression.

“Everything okay?”

“...Yes, it’s just that the appointment to sign the divorce has been set.” Yumiko answered after a small sigh. Kai walked over to Yumiko and put his hand on her shoulder, then asked in a warm voice.

“Do you feel bad?”

“Not really; I actually feel relieved. It’s just that seeing how what my life has been up to now is ending feels a bit empty… I feel like I wasted my life and my youth.” Yumiko explained in a low, reflective voice as she lifted her gaze to look at the garden. Kai calmly kissed the top of Yumiko’s head, then said in a gentle voice.

“You haven’t wasted anything. You had a beautiful daughter and took your career to the very top. Very few people in the world have achieved what you achieved in so little time. You’re just a little melancholic and forgetting that you’re still a young, beautiful woman with many adventures yet to live.”

“Thank you, Kai.” Yumiko thanked him with a warm smile, then took Kai’s hand and set it on her cheek. Kai hugged the beautiful mother from behind and spoke softly.

“There’s nothing to thank me for—I’m just stating facts.”

Yumiko’s smile widened slightly at Kai’s words. She leaned her head back and asked in an almost whisper.

“Kai… would you come with me to that meeting?”

“That’s a silly question. Of course I’m going with you; I’d go even if you didn’t want me to.” Kai replied in a playful voice, which made Yumiko laugh a little. Shortly afterward she murmured.

“Thank you…”

***

Hello everyone, if you haven’t seen the public note on , I’ll use this note to explain that I haven’t dropped the novel. It’s just that, due to personal circumstances, I no longer have the time to keep publishing two novels at once. Because of that, I created a poll on to decide which one to pause, but since it ended in a tie, I’ll be dedicating one week to each novel. This week belongs to this one.

Thank you very much for the support so far, and if you don’t like this new publishing schedule and decide to leave, I completely understand, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s impossible for me to keep publishing the way I used to.

***

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