Zion and Midnight lay tangled in the tunnel's shadows, bodies slick with sweat, the air thick with the aftermath of their frenzy. Her curves pressed against him, soft yet electric, as she leaned in, capturing his lips in a kiss that was all heat—slow, deep, tongues dancing like they were still fucking. Her moan vibrated against him, and when she pulled back, her violet eyes burned with something new, something dangerous.
Zion's All-Seeing Eye flickered, and her stats glowed in his vision:
<
Name: Midnight
Age: 31
Quirk: Somnambulist
Special Ability: None
Energy: 30
Endurance: 28
Strength: 21
Appeal (Attraction to the user): 99
>
Ninety-fucking-nine. His grin was smug. He'd cracked her open, and she was damn near his.
Midnight caught her breath, brushing a strand of hair from her face, her bodysuit half-zipped, teasing her cleavage. "Shit, Zion," she said, voice hoarse but playful. "We've burned too much time. The selection's almost over. You gotta get out there and show them something, or all this"—she gestured at their mess—"won't mean jack."
Zion stretched, muscles flexing, his mind already shifting gears. "Yeah, yeah, I'll play their game. But you liked this way more than you're letting on."
She smirked, not denying it, but her eyes narrowed. "What were you doing out there, anyway? I saw you with those kids, Paul, Lea. They didn't just fall over."
He tensed, but kept it cool, leaning back against the wall like he owned the place. "You really wanna know?" he said, voice smooth. "I noticed they were off—Kael was too cocky, Rhea too slow. Pointed it out, they panicked, fucked up. My Quirk's got a knack for seeing shit others miss. Call it… intuition on steroids." Half-lie, half-truth. His All-Seeing Eye wasn't the whole story, and All for One was staying buried.
Midnight studied him, but his charm held her like a leash. "Intuition, huh?" she said, skeptical but intrigued. "Fine. Keep your secrets, for now." She clicked her earpiece back on, the light flaring. "Control, this is Midnight. Zion spotted a glitch in the tunnel systems—potential hazard. We handled it. He's got my vote for admission, but he'll finish the test. Clear?"
"Roger," crackled a voice. "Ten minutes left."
Zion raised an eyebrow. "You're vouching for me? Didn't know I fucked you that good."
She snorted, zipping her suit up, her curves still a distraction. "Don't get cocky, kid. Prove you're worth it out there, or I'll bury you myself."
They slipped out of the tunnel, the arena's chaos hitting them like a slap—smoke, screams, robots still tearing through the fake city. The other students looked beat, dragging dummy civilians or dodging debris, their Quirks flickering like dying bulbs. Zion's eyes scanned the field, Lightspeed humming in his veins, Ironclad heavy in his bones. Time to play hero, his way.
A low rumble shook the ground, and the supervisors upped the ante. A massive robot burst through a skyscraper, not the manga's zero-pointer behemoth but still a beast—half its size, maybe 30 feet tall, with steel claws and red eyes like hellfire. Its frame gleamed, all jagged edges and hydraulic muscle, built to crush. The other students froze, their faces screaming we're fucked when Zion just grinned.
"Alright, big guy," he muttered. "Let's dance."
The robot charged, its claw swinging for a group of kids too slow to move. Zion tapped Lightspeed, his body blurring as he shot forward, shoving them clear. The claw grazed his shoulder, tearing his shirt, but Ironclad hardened his arm, deflecting the worst. He didn't look like he was stealing Quirks—just a guy with guts and reflexes. Perfect cover.
He darted between the robot's legs, Lightspeed keeping him untouchable, and slammed an Ironclad fist into its knee joint. Metal crunched, sparks flying, but the bot didn't slow. It roared, a sound like a collapsing building, and swung both arms, aiming to flatten him. Zion rolled, Lightspeed pushing his dodge to the wire, and countered with a steel punch to its shin, denting the plating. The crowd—students, supervisors, watched, jaws dropping, as he moved like a ghost, hitting harder than anyone his size should.
The robot adapted, firing a barrage of spikes from its chest. Zion weaved through them, Lightspeed singing, but one clipped his thigh, blood trickling. He snarled, pain fueling him, and leapt onto the bot's arm as it swung again. Using Ironclad, he climbed, smashing handholds into its frame, each hit shaking the arena. The bot thrashed, but he was too fast, too stubborn, reaching its shoulder and driving a steel fist into a glowing circuit panel. It sparked, faltering, but wasn't done.
"Fuck you," Zion growled, ripping the panel open with Ironclad strength. Wires spilled, and he yanked, Lightspeed letting him move before the bot could react. A blast of steam erupted, and the robot staggered, its eyes dimming. Zion jumped clear, landing hard as it crashed, shaking the ground, a broken titan at his feet.
The arena went silent. Students stared, some with envy, others with awe. The supervisors muttered, scribbling notes, one whispering, "He's gotta be the next No. 1." Zion stood, chest heaving, blood and dust on his skin, his torn shirt barely hanging on. He didn't care about their hero worship. He'd played it smart—Lightspeed and Ironclad used just enough to dominate, not enough to scream "thief."
Midnight watched from the platform, her lips parted, her bodysuit suddenly feeling too tight. Her thighs pressed together, a slick heat building as Zion's raw power sank into her. She'd fucked him, sure, but this? Seeing him break a machine like it was nothing, all strength and cunning—it hit her harder than his cock had. Her breath caught, her panties damp, and she bit her lip to keep from moaning right there.
Zion caught her gaze, his grin sharp as a blade. She'd vouched for him, and he'd delivered, more than anyone expected. The supervisors were sold, the students were shook, and Midnight was his, whether she admitted it or not. This wasn't about being a hero. This was about owning the game.
While he was enjoying this moment of glory, a sharp ping cut through Zion's adrenaline haze, his All-Seeing Eye flashing a new notification:
<
System Update –
Strong Enemy Defeated: Arena Sentinel
Reward: +20 Stat Points
>
Zion's lips twitched, a predator's smirk. Twenty points? Not bad for scrapping a tin can. His mind raced, calculating. Ironclad already gave him raw power, so Strength wasn't starving, but he needed staying power to keep up his game. Energy for quick bursts, Endurance to outlast anyone dumb enough to challenge him, and a bit more muscle to round it out. He didn't hesitate, mental command locking in the split: 5 to Energy, 10 to Endurance, 5 to Strength. A rush hit him, like his veins got a shot of fire—his body felt sharper, tougher.
<
Name: Zion
Age: 16
Quirk: All for One
Special Ability: All-Seeing eye, (locked)
Energy: 5
Endurance: 10
Strength: 5
Appeal: ∞
>
*****