Chapter 216 - 215: Another Success

"I completely forgot about that... Let's get to work, Manager," Death Arms laughed.

THUD.

Kaito dropped three thick paper folders directly onto the training mat right next to the hero's head.

"Sit up, Daikaku," Kaito said, pulling a pen from his pocket. "We spend the remaining two weeks fixing how your business actually runs."

Death Arms agreed.

He pushed his massive frame off the concrete floor and grabbed a white towel to wipe the sweat from his face.

Goro and Ken dragged themselves over to the center of the mat, holding their water bottles.

"I broke the agency development down into three parts," Kaito said, pointing to the folders. "First is your public relations. You hate cameras. When property gets damaged during a street fight, the media blames you."

Death Arms frowned, tossing the towel aside. "I stop villains, Kaito. I don't want to sit on a morning talk show and apologize for breaking a sidewalk."

"You won't have to," Kaito replied. "I hired a freelance crisis manager. She is on a permanent retainer for this agency. She intercepts the negative press."

Goro sat up straighter. "She handles all the public relations problems?"

"Everything," Kaito confirmed. "You focus on the street. She acts as your shield against the public."

Death Arms didn't hesitate. He grabbed the pen from Kaito and signed the first folder. "I agree."

Kaito tapped the second folder.

"Part two is combat synergy. We need to integrate Goro and Ken directly into your new mechanics. They are the setup. Ken uses his kinetic bounce to build speed. He grabs Goro and throws him. Goro hardens his body to shatter the villain's guard. The second the target staggers, you can step in with the haymaker attack to finish it."

"We can do that," Death Arms nodded. "We already have the timing down."

Kaito pulled the third folder forward.

"Part three addresses your roster," Kaito said. He looked directly at Death Arms. "Ken and Goro are going to finish their siidekick experience someday. When they open their own independent agencies, they leave. You go back to patrolling alone."

Death Arms crossed his bruised arms. "I worked alone before. Good sidekicks are hard to find. The top kids from U.A. and Shiketsu all want to work for Endeavor or Best Jeanist. Street-level agencies like mine just get the leftovers."

Kaito smiled slightly.

"I don't deal in leftovers, Daikaku," Kaito said.

Death Arms uncrossed his arms. He looked at the third folder.

"Do you know Ketsubutsu High? I had a contract with them years ago," Kaito explained. "I spoke with the principal the other day. Starting tomorrow, you have a direct, exclusive internship pipeline from this school. Or if any students wanted to become a sidekick and experience working and learning from Death Arms himself."

"Really?" Ken blinked in pure surprise. "You got the school to prioritize the students here?"

"Yes," Kaito answered. "You should know the results of the Ketsubutsu Academy for the past provisional license exam right?"

"I know, they got the highest passing rate out of all hero academy. They even surpassed UA and Shiketsu." Death Arms answered.

The plan guaranteed a permanent roster of highly trained specialists for his agency.

He signed the second and third folders.

"Alright," Death Arms said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's test the synergy."

...

Fourteen Days Later

Location: Death Arms Agency Office

Time: Afternoon

For the last thirteen days, the development plan for the Death Arms Agency was proceeding smoothly.

RING. RING.

The office phone buzzed loudly on the metal desk.

Death Arms sat in his chair. He picked the receiver up.

"Death Arms Agency," he answered gruffly.

"Good afternoon, sir," a woman's voice spoke briskly over the line. "This is your PR handler. I am calling to update you on a minor issue."

Death Arms frowned. "What issue?"

"A civilian filed a formal complaint this morning regarding a shattered window near the subway entrance you raided," she explained quickly. "I already dispatched a contractor to fix the glass. I paid the glazier from the agency, submitted the insurance claim, and filed the closure report with the HPSC. You are clear."

"..."

Death Arms blinked. He stared at the wall.

"That is it?" Death Arms asked.

"That is it," the handler confirmed. "Have a good patrol, sir."

CLICK.

The line went dead.

Death Arms slowly set the phone down. He looked across the office.

Kaito sat on the small sofa, reviewing data on his silver laptop.

"I didn't have to fill out a single form," Death Arms muttered. He looked at his hands.

"A clear mind fights better," Kaito smiled, keeping his eyes on his screen. "The agency side is stabilized. We have a few days left to polish your patrols and synergy."

...

Location: Otheon - Safehouse Apartment

Time: A Few Weeks Ago

CLINK.

Clair Voyance set a ring of keys on the wooden kitchen table.

Rody Soul stared at the keys. He stood near the apartment doorway, keeping his hands stuffed deep inside his faded green jacket pockets.

Across the small living room, his younger siblings, Roro and Lala, sat on the floor. They were eating fresh sandwiches and watching television.

"The rent is paid for the next six months," Clair told him quietly, keeping her voice down so the kids wouldn't hear. "My agency uses a secondary shell corporation to handle the lease. The local Otheon police do not know this building belongs to us. You are secure here."

Rody didn't touch the keys.

"Why are you doing this?" Rody asked, his voice tight. "Heroes just care about camera time and arrest numbers. You don't hide street kids in secure apartments for free."

Clair pulled her digital pad from her trench coat. She placed it on the table next to the keys.

"Someone anonymously sent me an encrypted video file a few nights ago," Clair said.

Rody looked at the screen. He saw the still image of his father, Eddie Soul. He was surrounded by men in dark robes holding pictures of Rody and his siblings.

"I verified the footage," Clair promised him. "Your father didn't betray Otheon. He didn't abandon you. Humarise blackmailed him. They used you and your siblings as leverage to force him to build their weapons."

Rody looked away from the screen. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest. He tried to keep his face completely blank. He had spent months hating his father. Learning the truth hurt just as much.

"I don't care," Rody lied, shifting his weight. "He is still gone."

CHIRP.

Pino, the small pink bird, flew off Rody's shoulder. She fluttered directly over to Clair and landed gently on her arm.

CHIRP. CHIRP.

Pino chirped happily, nuzzling her head against Clair's sleeve.

Rody's face turned red. His quirk always betrayed his real emotions. He was incredibly grateful someone finally believed his father was innocent.

Clair smiled slightly. She reached out and patted Pino on the head.

"I am going to find the Humarise base," Clair told him. "I will clear his name. Just stay here, use the groceries I bought, and keep them safe. And don't you look for trouble again. I already paid all the stolen foods you did fro the past year."

"..." Rody.

...

Location: Otheon - Industrial Docks

Time: Present Day

SPLASH.

Heavy black boots stepped into a deep puddle.

Rain poured down over the shipping yards. Clair Voyance stood outside a dark, rusted warehouse.

She wore her full hero costume. A specialized, polarized visor covered her eyes entirely, replacing her old goggles.

Four of her sidekicks stood right behind her.

Clair didn't say a word. She raised her right hand.

She tapped two fingers against her palm, then pointed directly at the heavy metal warehouse doors.

The sidekicks understood perfectly.

Two sidekicks stepped forward.

CRASH.

They kicked the metal doors open and rushed inside.

"Crap! It's Clair Voyance!" a voice yelled from the dark corners of the warehouse. "Shoot her! She's Rank Number Five now! Don't let her see the crates!"

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Gunfire erupted from the shadows.

Clair didn't duck.

Her two vanguard sidekicks slammed heavy tactical riot shields onto the concrete floor. They formed a solid physical wall right in front of her.

The bullets hit the shields harmlessly. The sidekicks held their ground, pushing forward in a tight formation.

Clair stepped up right behind the vanguard. She activated her quirk.

Her eyes processed the entire environment.

Because the vanguard blocked the incoming attacks, she had a completely uninterrupted line of sight. She scanned right through the metal shipping crates and the brick walls.

FLASH.

A person threw a flashbang grenade over the shields.

BAAM.

The grenade exploded in mid-air with blinding white light.

Clair didn't flinch.

Her variable-tint visor instantly polarized, blocking the flash and protecting her retinas completely.

She didn't lose her vision for a single second.

She kept scanning the room.

She looked at the concrete floor near the back of the warehouse. She saw a hollow space. An underground trapdoor was hidden beneath a pile of wooden pallets.

Clair tapped her Vanguard on the shoulder. She pointed two fingers directly at the wooden pallets.

The sidekicks broke the shield wall.

SWIISH.

They rushed the target, disarming the shooters with quick, silent takedowns and securing the hidden entrance.

...

High above the docks.

Giulio Gandini lay completely flat on the wet steel.

He held a high-powered sniper scope up to his single eye.

He looked through the rain, watching the raid happen down below.

He watched Clair's sidekicks breach the warehouse.

He wiped rainwater off his face.

Clair Voyance was operating like a silent, heavily funded military black-ops unit.

Giulio put the scope in his dark coat pocket.

She was looking for the main Humarise headquarters in this country.

"Lead the way," Giulio whispered to himself.

He didn't have the legal authority or the numbers to tear the city apart looking for the organization.

He spent years and months searching Europe for his young mistress, Anna, and hitting dead ends.

"Hopefully, I can find a lead here."

...

Location: Musutafu - Abandoned Warehouse District

CRASH.

A heavy set of thick steel doors blew completely.

They melted into glowing orange slag as they hit the cracked concrete floor.

Endeavor walked into the dark, empty warehouse.

His heavy boots crunched loudly over broken glass and charred debris.

Bright orange fire roared fiercely across his broad shoulders and jawline.

He glared into the dark corners of the room. Nothing. He saw only dust, cobwebs, and old shipping crates.

"Clear the upper catwalks," Endeavor ordered. His deep, commanding voice echoed loudly in the massive space.

Burnin, Kido, Onima and the rest of the sidekicks rushed into the warehouse right behind him. They immediately spread out, running toward the metal staircases to search the perimeter.

Endeavor stood dead center in the room. He clenched his massive fists.

The ambush deeply infuriated him.

The vigilante didn't just attack him on the street, actively he mocked him.

The villain used the exact same combat stances, the exact same footwork, and the exact same thermal output.

He even used the rapid finger-snap combustion technique just like X.

"The back rooms are completely empty, Boss!" Burnin yelled, jogging down a metal staircase.

CLANG. CLANC.

She kicked a piece of melted pipe out of her way.

"He moved his hideout again," Kido muttered, looking under a tarp.

PUFF.

Endeavor let out a slow, heated breath. The villain was a nimble.

Near the front entrance, Burnin leaned over and whispered quietly to Kido.

Burnin whispered, keeping her voice as low as possible. "That guy uses the exact same moves. The fire burns a lot hotter, but the technique is absolutely identical."

Kido adjusted the white bandages wrapped around his face and whispered back. "Same eye color too. You think the boss has some kind of secret kid running around the city? An illegitimate child throwing blue fire at people?"

"I wouldn't be surprised," Onima chimed in quietly, joining the huddle. "With how crazy the Todoroki family gets on television, a secret love child makes perfect sense."

CRACKLE.

The temperature in the warehouse spiked instantly.

The air grew uncomfortably hot.

Burnin, Kido, and Onima froze in place. They slowly turned their heads.

Endeavor stood ten feet away. His orange flames flared violently around his shoulders, growing taller. He heard every single word they just whispered.

GULP.

The sidekicks swallowed hard.

Endeavor glared at them.

He took a slow, deep breath. He forced the raging flames on his shoulders to die down to a calm, steady flicker.

He cursed quietly under his breath.

"Expand the search grid to the western shipping yards," Endeavor ordered. "He is designated as an S-Rank Villain. Do not treat this situation like a joke."

Burnin let out a massive sigh of relief. She thought she was dead.

"Yes, Boss! Right away!" Burnin yelled, saluting quickly.

The sidekicks sprinted out the broken doors, glad they didn't just get incinerated.

Endeavor looked at the melted steel slag on the floor. His mind raced with questions, but he kept his emotions completely locked down. "Don't let me catch you..."

...

Four Days Later

Location: Musutafu - Golden Bites Restaurant

Time: Evening

The small bell above the glass door chimed happily.

The interior of the Golden Bites fast-food branch was bright and clean.

The rich smell of frying oil, salted potatoes, and grilled beef filled the air.

Kaito sat in a curved red booth near the large front window.

He looked out at the U.A. High School campus sitting directly across the street.

Daikaku Miyagi ,Death Arms, squeezed his massive frame into the booth across from him.

He wore a casual gray sweater.

Goro and Ken slid into the booth next to them. They placed a massive red plastic tray right in the center of the table.

"Three double cheeseburgers, four large fries, and a giant bucket of fried chicken," Ken announced, grinning as he handed the wrapped burgers out. "My treat tonight."

"About time you paid for something, Ken," Goro laughed, grabbing a handful of hot, salty fries.

CHOMP. CHOMP.

"Fast food is life." Daikaku unwrapped his burger. He took a massive bite, chewing happily.

After seventy days of eating strict, unseasoned boiled chicken and steamed broccoli for muscle repair, the cheap grease tasted like absolute heaven.

"This is incredible," Daikaku mumbled with his mouth full.

Kaito picked up a single french fry and ate it.

"My contract is officially concluded," Kaito said, looking at the three heroes. "Your agency is totally secure. And you guys got a lot stronger. "

Gulp.

Daikaku swallowed his food. He set the burger down and looked at Kaito.

The rough, exhausted demeanor he carried for years was completely gone.

He looked energized. He looked like a pro hero in his absolute prime.

"I didn't think I had any room left to grow, Kaito," Daikaku said, using the manager's first name with genuine respect. "When Gigantomachia swatted me, I felt completely useless. But right now, I feel I can take him head on and win."

"That's it. That's the confidence a veteran should give." Kaito smiled.

"And you set us up for the future," Goro added, pointing a fry at Kaito. "Ken and I have the synergy drills memorized. We know the paperwork protocols. If we finish our experience in the future, we actually know how to run a proper agency now."

"Don't get too eager to leave me," Daikaku joked, bumping Goro's shoulder hard. "I still need you guys to throw me at speeding trucks."

"Haha... don't worry boss. I will be your sidekick till I'm forty." Ken laughed loudly, taking a huge bite of his fried chicken.

Kaito smiled slightly, watching the three of them joke and eat.

GULP.

AAAH.

He picked up his soda cup and took a drink. 'Another hero, another success!'

...

New Book released

[JJK: I'm a Normal Kamo Extra but I Refused to Die and Became Immortal]

...

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