Chapter 04: Building a Team [1].

Melissa POV:

My name is Melissa Shields, the daughter of the renowned scientist and researcher David Shields. From when I was a little girl, I had a dream, a dream to be a hero someday. Like many others I wanted to be the number one hero, I wanted to be like Might-ojisan.

But reality had different plans for me, I was born without a quirk, that's a one in a million cases *sigh* I don't know whether this is lucky or just that unlucky. I was sad, but I did not lose hope, I knew that I could never be a hero, so I dedicated myself to the research and development of support items.

Last week, dad told me about the Japanese Tycoon that took the world by storm, about the young man called Yuki Yaorozu. He started with just being the son of an influential man in Japan and today he was one of the richest men in the world and also called the 'God of Wealth' in Japan.

He was a genius in business, even dad had nothing but praise and admiration for him after he had just met him once and that too in a video call. He said that the managing board of directors that gave him so much trouble, were cowering like drenched kittens.

But the part that was the most impressive to me was that he got where he is by his sheer intellect and pure genius. He was an example for the quirkless people that proved that you don't need to have a quirk to be successful.

I searched a bit about him and the first thing that had my undivided attention was the picture on the file. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, just the picture was enough to make me blush and the more I read the more impressed I was. I knew that the world will have another great change, the world will see another revolution that will change the society as we see it today.

The change in security, the falling crime rates, the slowly changing mentality, the rise of government employed officials. He had a part of everything in Japan despite having no political presence, he had such strong political power that it was quite baffling.

The most shocking part was that all of this and some more were done by a boy two years younger than myself, it really was a humbling experience. And today I was about to meet him, I was really excited, my heart was trying to jump out of my chest. He walked in the lab with four guards and dad leading him in, at the first glance I knew that there was something special about the boy before him, not only was he handsome but also commanded an aura of awe-inspiring dignity and majesty.

The moment my eyes met his beautiful azure ones, a blush formed on my cheeks as I looked elsewhere.

"Sir, this is my daughter Melissa Shields and Mel, this is Mr. Yaorozu I spoke about." Dad smiled as he introduced us to each other.

"It's a pleasure Miss. Shields, I was quite intrigued by your file and innovations, let us have a little chat while David rounds up the faculty for a little meet and greet." he said as he took a seat on the table.

Dad left the room to gather up the researchers while I took a seat across him.

"Miss. Shields, let me be frank with my words and intentions. This place is not suitable for you." He said in a smooth voice as naturally as he could, as if stating a fact.

That was when I felt my world shatter like a mirror being hit by a stone. All my struggle seemed futile before his words, all the late nights I spent reading and working on my projects were for what? Nothing?

First my dream was denied to me for not having a quirk and now all the years I put into being a researcher were denied by the very person I admired, the only person I hoped would understand me and what did this unfair world hand me?

REJECTION !

My heart was breaking as tears came to my eyes, my head was lowered and it was then I heard a few more words which I first thought was him insulting me, but I was wrong, and in fact I could not be any more incorrect, there was a hand extended towards me and the moment I raised my head, I saw the most dazzling smile through my teary eyes.

It was beautiful, warm and kind, he asked again

"Join me in THANATOS. Melissa Shields, I hereby invite you to join the THANATOS as it's CEO and Chief Designer, do you accept? Don't worry about the tedious stuff, I will handle all of that as the Managing Director. And after all of that, I have a proposal for you, should you be willing to accept the first." He spoke in a soft voice.

"It will be a pleasure to join THANATOS, but I wish to learn under someone experienced in company management before I accept the seat of the CEO, is that acceptable?" I asked him wiping my tears away.

"Very well, now for my second proposal. Melissa, I can make you a hero, hero that will show others that even without having a quirk, people can amount to something, that the quirks are just additional talents that are not untouchable or unsurpassable when one has focus, determination and sheer fucking will." He said with a glimmer of radiance in his eyes.

All of it felt surreal, from the dejection and pain to being accepted and appreciated, even my dream of being a hero was a possibility right now, all I had to do was just accept the hand stretched out towards me. All of this was too good to be real and even if I look like a sheltered princess, I knew that in this world there were no free lunches, no eternal alliance, just benefits.

"Don't get me wrong, but why me? What can I give you in return after receiving all of this and more in the future. I would like to be clear on this point." I said with a determined voice only to see his eyes glow brighter, they looked nothing like the moment he entered the lab, they were unfeeling and aloof but now the same beautiful eyes had appreciation and happiness of a child who just received his favourite toy or candy.

"HAHAHA, as expected, no it is better than I expected. Melissa, you have surpassed my expectations of you and made me appreciate you more than some of my trusted employees. Very well, I shall clarify your worries, I have a personal quest and I need people to assist me on it. I need more than the imbeciles I generally see around, I need people of qualification and determination and that is all I will say now, till you have earned some more of my trust." He said with a smile as he took my hand and shook it.

"Welcome aboard my pirate ship Melissa, there is no escape and the ship has already sailed. Pack your bags, we leave in three hours and for the explanations to David, I will handle it myself. Off you run, you got some packing to do, and only take what you really need as all of the rest will be covered by your now employer and future partner, ME." He said as he looked me in the eye.

I was feeling light headed, I nodded in a daze and walked out of the room like a zombie, while my head was processing what had happened a few seconds and now minutes ago.

I was sitting in my room covering myself with a blanket on my bed as I curled up squealing like a little girl. I started organising my laptop and a little suitcase that had things of importance, like teddy and a few family photos and a few sets of clothes, formal and informal.

POV ends.

Yuki sat on the chair of authority as the researchers were given a file on individual desks. All the 124 researchers took their seats and awaited their sponsor to begin his speech.

Yuki stood up and walked to the podium. Tapping the mike once he spoke, "good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, while most of you folks already know me, but even so, let me formally introduce myself."

"My name is Yuki Yaorozu, your new Managing Director and Majority shareholder and I do things precise to the requirement, and I like my employees doing the same. Now that the basic introduction is done, let's get down to the point. All of you should know about the name THANATOS, right?"

"Yes we do.." Came a small response.

"The answer is 'Sir, yes sir.' Now let's try it again, do you know about the name THANATOS?" Yuki asked.

"YES SIR !" The response came a lot better, with each of them sitting with a straight back.

"Good, now pick up the files placed before you. What did you find?" Yuki smirked with his eyes scanning the crowd.

"A rubber balloon, SIR." The audience replied.

"Blow it up and make sure it does not burst. You have 10 seconds from now." Yuki announced with a smile.

"My first order of business would be the dissolution of the present research board and making a THANATOS sub-division out of it. The sub-division will be in charge of research as it was but the requirements will be increased. I have a habbit of not employing incompetent people, so make sure you come up with satisfying results or sufficient progress on every quarter of the year. Failure to do so will end you up in contract termination, but if you can satisfy my needs, you will have a life, others will wish they had."

"The second order of business is that each of you will draw monthly salaries with additional benefits and insurances along with the investment that you will need to fund your work. But the funding will be managed by a three person board lead by David to determine the value of your plan and the potential benefits it can bring for the company."

"The details are before you in the file, but make sure the balloon remains intact. You have a minute to sign the paper of contract and the ones who will have an intact air-filled balloon will be rewarded a special bonus." Yuki said his piece and placed his hands in his pant pockets.

The researchers read the papers and signed them in a flash. But then came the problem with the bonus. Someone just punctured the balloon of the person sitting adjacent to him and the man who's balloon was punctured did the same in retaliation.

This began a vicious cycle that ended with no one having a balloon in their hands when the time was over. They were looking at each other with angry and disappointed faces.

*CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*

They looked towards the podium and saw that their managing director was applauding their barbaric actions, they were blushing in mortification, regretting their unscrupulous actions.

"Alright, enough blushing with you grown men, even though the ladies look quite beautiful but let us keep gender equality and not blush anymore. You people are smarter than the 99 % of the population and yet you fail to comprehend that each and everyone of you could have received the bonus if you co-operated with each other. Am I correct?" Yuki said with a soft tone, like a parent teaching their children about their mistakes.

"Yes sir, you are." Came a little reply.

"Good, now comes the third order of business. While each of you have your own projects, I want all of my employees to cooperate and help each other out. This will help in getting a second and third point of view and even insights that might have eluded your minds. I don't want solo action in my company, my company is a big team in itself and you people are the players with David being the manager."

"Work together in harmony for the credits will be shared by you all, don't worry about remunarations, even if I die, the system will remain, the chain I have built will be held together by people like you, each of you is a link in the big chain I have built, as long as you folks remain connected, the chain will never break. That is my word to you all, and the bonus; each of you will receive a paid holiday together with your family in any of the KINGDOM facilities you choose from. The holiday will last till the end of the month, 21 days till 1st January."

"Your work will start on and from 2nd January, and that will be all from me. Does anyone have something to add?" Yuki finished his piece and asked the audience.

"No sir, we don't have anything to add. Thank you for the bonus and the teaching, we will remember to work as a team, and by the first quarter itself, we will surely live up to your expectations." They said with smiling faces with gratefulness evident in their eyes.

The researchers submitted their files and walked off with a word of thanks, David on the other hand was even more convinced and impressed by Yuki's actions.

In a minute, the room was empty while only Yuki, David and the guards remained.

"David, I have decided to make partners, the people who will take care of the things in the next generation. From that point, I want Melissa to join me, as a partner, she will have her own things to worry about that she will tell you herself. I have already asked her and the reply was positive, but since she is still a minor, I ask for your approval, not from my employee David, but from the David who's Melissa's father. Take a minute if you want to contemplate on that." Yuki said sipping on the juice brought for him.

"Is there a chance that she might be harmed following you?" David asked with a tensed face.

"Along with being a partner, I am also going to fulfil her dream of being a hero. She is the person I need for this, she has the brains and guts needed for the job. I can't promise you that she will always be fine and dandy following me, but I can assure you that she might suffer but she will be safe." Yuki spoke to the man with a determined voice.

David pressed the bridge of his nose and finally nodded, "this is a request, from my position as her father, please keep her safe. I know that the world is not as good as it looks at a glance, if she works as a hero, someday she will see the things that our society hides from us. Please stay by her side, help her out if she ends up in trouble."

"Fine, you have my word, I will keep her safe so long I remain in this world and with that I will make sure she gets capable enough to handle herself even if I am not there for her anymore." Yuki said and the men shared a glance of confidence.

[A/N: I need a hero name for Melissa and Himiko. They will form the golden trio in this world; and yes, I did not forget about Momo and the canon will start in the coming chapters. Both of them will be heroes and I am Super Excited ~]