3 Blur

Kai was determined.

He knew the second he manifested his Quirk, his somewhat peaceful life with Hina would crumble and be rebuilt into a grueling schedule which would push him to his limits and beyond. He was a tool for the Hero Safety Commission after all, and like any smart person, why not have the sharpest and toughest tools in the shed?

'Plus Ultra right?' Kai thought grimly, sitting amongst broken targets as his hands shook from utter exhaustion. 'I may join Endeavor in hating that saying…'

Most five year old kids would quit for what Kai endured, and most likely would burst into tears or grow annoyed and refuse to endure the pain.

It was what was honestly expected of them, no one could blame them either, children would be children; which was not a bad thing.

Kai knew better though, and if he wanted to gain as much as he could from the HPSC—Hero Public Safety Commission—he would need to excel.

Sink or swim had become his mantra of sorts, a reminder that there was no possibility of a third chance at life if he died, the fact being a great motivator for most things.

As a result, Kai was steadfast, hardworking, diligent, and completely focused on his training. He ignored the pain, stuffed down the tears that threatened to show, and kept his mind from thoughts of quitting.

If it was simply pain, Kai would not stop, only death could force him to.

Like this, years passed in almost a blur, his days split into two parts. A 'school' where he would be amongst the other children like what most would expect them to be in. However, with a cursory glance, the difference from any other educational institution was quite obvious. 

Everything, in some shape or form, revolved around hero work. The math problems for example, went as far as having them worded as 'if blank civilians are hurt and blank hero quickly takes five back to base, how many are left?'.

Once the school day was finished at two in the afternoon, it was time for three more hours of training. Most of said training were once again disguised as games and colorful obstacle races that Kai noticed eerily looked like wreckage and city debris.

It seemed the HPSC were not pulling their punches in any regards, willingly pressuring mere children for their own purposes, and not even batting an eye when they would collapse out of exhaustion or into tears.

All their supervisors would do was click their pens, mark something down on the paper attached to the clipboard they held, and speak softly about 'another failure' in disappointment.

Because of this, the classroom's number would suddenly dwindle each year. Twenty bright and energy filled children suddenly turned to fifteen. The year abruptly cut to ten, then shaved down to eight, then three, and finally just Kai alone. He was thankful for it in some capacity, since as more time passed the intensity of his life grew more and more difficult. He would never wish the pace at which he worked on any one else, and thankfully sleepless nights were avoided when he thought that those who had 'failed' were growing up in normal homes.

However, Kai was at times a little miffed, because simple games of making rubber balls move around at a constant speed of 20mph for five minutes, would quickly evolve into making said rubber balls move at 40 mph while weaving through obstacles and hitting targeted areas only a few inches across.

They were making him into a weapon, that was clear as day, and only because Kai knew what lay ahead and had sixteen years of reality—tacked on with two years about how harsh life could be—did he keep his mind straight and did not falter.

Even when the times spent with Hina grew shorter, or when the once frivolous videos of Heroes saving the day were replaced by clips of disasters and scenes of how sometimes the heroes don't always win. Watching raging fires, city wide destruction, reality bending acts of terrorism, all if it being caused by people's Quirks. Kai was forced to look at it, and when he saw what some people were willing to do to fix society, he fought down his urge to puke. And, in apparent retaliation to seeing the previous, he spent more time learning about firearms and bladed weapons than he did playing video games or completing children's puzzles; not that the HPSC would allow him to play the games he wanted anyways.

No, he was only given fighting games that were clear Smash ripoffs, and of course All Might was the best fighter; whom was always closely followed by Endeavor.

Bitter, Kai's life became tainted with the feeling, the HPSC trying their best to suck every ounce of personality out of him to insert their own character to take his place.

They wanted to break him, at the very least though, they never outright abused him.

If he failed, he would continue to repeat it until he succeeded. There were no punishments, just relentless repetition until Kai was forced to excel or he honestly believed he would die of boredom. He guessed somewhere between six and seven years old he found the exercises to be fun, mostly because they were his only source of entertainment those days, at least not without any ulterior motives besides 'become stronger'.

Nowadays, he found no joy in them, a means to an end and nothing more.

To cope with it, Kai grew quiet, a false cowl of subservience worn to help appease those of the HPSC. He needed them to believe he was theirs, to not doubt he was becoming another cog in a machine, all so his cage would grow bigger and he would have more wiggle room. 

He guessed everyone who had the misfortune of being a child soldier of the HPSC found a way to deal with the fact they were groomed to be someone else's personal killers.

Hawks with his— her, he was still getting used to it—constant aura of relaxation and quips not falling short of a certain spider themed hero from Kai's first life.

Lady Nagant, or Sir Nagant as he was now, just seemed to stop caring. From what Kai knew from the manga and anime, Sir Nagant had no issues with allowing the leash on his neck to grow tighter, quietly following behind anyone who asserted a modicum of dominance so he would not have to accept the decisions made by his betters as his own.

Well, until he would eventually snap and put a few bullets through his superiors.

With those two, plus Kai, it made up the three people deemed fit enough to further the HPSC's goals. He was glad him existing did not butterfly those around him and cause more to pass their Assessments, a light in the dark tunnel Kai was forced to travel.

However, he could wait.

He would win the war, no matter if it cost him a few battles in the long run.

"Excellent work today Agent Striker." The female voice buzzed through the intercom above, a viewing window showing shadowy figures who watched closely.

Below them, in a simple white room with broken wooden targets spread in a circle, lay Kai for what felt like the thousandth time, his chest begging for air as his hands shook while he tried to stand.

He failed, giving in and sprawling out on the floor, completely content with simply looking up toward the white buzz of lights that illuminated the room. He laid there, thoughts roaming as he wondered how much longer they would train him.

Kai wanted to be a Hero, and though he was mentally old enough to thwart most of the things that would mentally alter a child, loneliness was still an ever present poison.

Two years he had spent within a hospital bed before he died, then after his reincarnation he was given four years to spend on joyful days with Hina just being a kid again, and then brutally punished with five long years spent treated like a dull sword that needed to be constantly sharpened.

Four years of peace only for it to be taken away again, which seemed like a curse Kai had carried over to his new life, a sense of irony no one but he would get.

"Agent Striker, can you hear me?"

Kai blinked, turning his head and meeting the gaze of the older man he had seen throughout his stay at Facility Beta, a kinder man than most called Chairman Yasu. He had done his best to help Kai have some small mercies in this place, and seeing as he was a child psychologist, the man cared more than others about his mental health.

"Tomorrow, you will be allowed to take the Assessment, for today, rest."

Kai nodded, gathering his strength and getting to his feet, letting his usual poker face break for once to show a small smile. 

Chairman Yasu was one of the good ones, people who understood how shitty the world was and instead of giving in and making it worse, he was trying his best to fix it.

Also, the old man was funny, though he would never be so open when they were within the Facility. He currently had the professional aura on that made him seem overly serious, thin lips and stern gaze meeting any mortal who dared look his way.

Kai was led by him out of the training room, Chairman Yasu trying his best to form some small talk, but it was almost impossible with their difference in age.

Thankfully, he did most of the talking for their trip, nodding sharply and leaving once they arrived at the house Kai had grown up in. 

Exhausted, he quickly showered and decisively decided to spend the rest of the day reading. He was too high strung to do anything else, because tomorrow would determine how he needed to proceed going forward.

Should he derail canon and pray he doesn't go out in a blaze of glory, or bide his time before striking the decisive blow?

Kai had literally almost a decade to think over things, and for the most part he had an idea of what he wanted.

This was not fiction, there was no plan he could make that was concrete enough to account for every single variable. No, Kai had decided on checkpoints, places in canon that needed to happen just like the story, but anything in between them he had deemed fair game.

He narrowed those canon moments down to fivethings.

First, Izuku Midoriya needed to get One for All, since such a godlike type of power which can level cities in its later stages needed a pilot who had a good character and would not easily be corrupted.

Second, the USJ, for both the Heroes to understand the threat of the Nomus and for All Might and Nezu to realize All for One was still alive.

Thirdly, was the battle at Kamino Ward where All Might and All for One would fight. Kai needed the biggest threat to be docile for a while, since All for One was perfectly content with sitting within Tartarus for a few months after their battle. It would give Kai valuable time he hoped to stretch into a year to help prepare everyone and everything else.

Fourthly, was the Dieka city war of the League of Villains against the M.L.A (Meta Liberation Army). However, he also needed Shigaraki to not have his Quirk Awakening, or gain the full potential of his Quirk if the backstory held true.

The second part was impossibly tricky to pull off.

Lastly, he hoped that Izuku's class could graduate from UA, and thus making this part the hardest.

If they were students, they would only be able to react, never taking the initiative to rid Japan of its cancers. Kai planned to join their class as well, and he refused to sit idle while their enemies plotted.

The vigilante route was viable too, but he would be working both against an entire villain organization alone and also fleeing from the heroes as well. Plus, the second he did move against the League of Villains, his future knowledge would be gone, making him a single man fighting against a century old villain, desperate heroes, and if things get worse unknowns he could not account for.

The vigilante path was long scrapped because of those.

For the best win conditions, there needed to be two One for All users not being held back by something like high school, as silly as the previous statement sounded.

Kai, although it made it sound like his head was filled with air, was this world's best chance at some form of peace. If one user of One for All could almost kill All for One and go toe to toe with Shigaraki after his metamorphosis, then two could bury the hatchet and have time to go on vacation.

Again, it was all years away, and there was only so much one person could do. It was why Kai was so adamant about going the cliche route of going to UA, because it was the safest option.

There were no third chances guaranteed, he either accomplished his goals or failed and died trying.

Kai also had thought about slipping away a year ago, going to All Might and telling him he needed to kill All for One and make sure the bastard was dead. However, who was going to listen to an eight year old, and if it didn't work he would have fled the HPSC all for nothing and with no connections to keep them from dragging him back and tightening the leash they had on him.

The possible consequences were too heavy, and maybe Kai would have taken the leap of faith if he did not have One for All, or well a version of it.

"Worries for the future Kai." He said, looking up from his manga called Kagura Bachi—better than anything in his old world— and deciding to turn in for the night, tomorrow being a big day for him.

Though much to Kai's dismay, it felt like he had simply laid down and closed his eyes, his alarm going off seemingly a second later.

Slightly peeved of his dreamless sleep, Kai got dressed, ate his breakfast prepared by one of the helpers, shared a walk with Chairman Yasu through the facility, and stood at the doors leading to his greatest chance at freedom.

The metal double doors opened on their own, Kai stepping through as he touched the metal gauntlets on his forearms, their slick design always making a childish awe well up in him every time he wore them. 

It took a lot of effort to stifle his desire to just admire the equipment, but the second he managed to tear his gaze away, he was met with the sight of ten robots—much like the ones used for the UA's entrance exam— standing at the ready in the training room.

Kai faded away, Agent Striker taking his place, purple eyes scanning the battlefield as the doors shut behind him with a click.

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Three gunshots rang out.

Kai threw himself to the side, bean bags moving faster than the eye could see and whizzing by only inches away from hitting him. They thudded against the wall behind him, the thought of possible pain egging him on as he hit the cement in a roll, right hand flicking up and the metal gauntlet on his forearm hissing. Small slits opened up, shooting out three straight thin daggers without a handle in-between Kai's fingers.

His gaze settled on the humanoid robot across from him, his pupils dilating with unnatural precision. With a casual wave, three daggers thrown, their arcs lazy and slow before they reached halfway across the room and suddenly exploded forward like bullets.

The green robot whirled with mechanical noise, quickly holding up its forearm to block. The daggers Kai had thrown skidded off its armored forearm with sparks. The easy deflection elicited a tongue click from the small boy.

Kai, for all the fear he should have held while the gun-hand was pointed at him and promised pain, was utterly calm. 

His still outstretched right hand pulled, the glint of wires visible as the daggers which would have harmlessly clattered to the ground were yanked sideways. Almost like talons from a creature, they raked across the robot's midsection, its innards falling out and audible warning sounds spitting out from the machine.

However, it still managed to fire, Kai gritting his teeth in determination as he flicked his other wrist, only one dagger appearing as he had no more left. Suddenly, his hand glowed red, and in the same instance the bean bag gun fired again, there was a sudden clap of thunder not a second later.

The bean bags missed, and slowly, the robot lifted its armored hand to touch its big red circle for a head.

There, a slit hole showed the wall behind it where remains of Kai's single dagger rested ten inches deep into cement, currently smoking and in fragments.

The robot thudded lifelessly to the floor, the silence heavy as Kai stayed crouched and watching. His chest heaved in familiar exhaustion, his hands and arms shook from effort, and a devilish smile bloomed on his young face with pride.

He finally passed the Assessment, and was now officially field ready. He was beyond eager for the next step on his path toward the top.

Through speakers placed next to the security cameras, a stale male voice spoke, "Excellent work Agent Striker, you now hold the record for youngest Initiate to pass the Assessment Test. Congratulations are in order."

Kai lost his smile, slipping back into his usually reserved self, standing and bowing toward the observation window ten feet above which overlooked the room he was in. With a simple side glance, he looked at the remnants of the robots scattered around the Assessment Test room, noticing how it looked like a creature had taken to them without remorse; not a nine year old boy.

"Agent Striker, please clean yourself and await briefing from your Handler."

Kai threw a polite "understood" accompanied by another curt bow before he left the room through a door that opened automatically for him.

As he went, he rolled both his wrists, the motion causing a click to be heard from his metal forearm gauntlets. He pulled them off, handing the two pieces of tech to the security guard waiting outside who was a middle aged man who readily took them, though the slight fear in his eyes did not go unnoticed.

Well, Kai could not blame him, they were making him into a weapon after all.

Just like they were for Hawks, they planned on slipping him into the deepest halls of heroism to mingle amongst the Pros and be an 'agent' who would wag their tail when the HPSC came calling. 

However, Kai was different from Hawks in one particular way, which is where Hawks would bask in the light and inevitably reach the top three spots. Kai would be an underground hero. Of course, that was if he followed every word the HPSC gave him like a good little child soldier and had no goals of his own.

Kai was no lapdog. 

He was mentally a seventeen year old inside of the body of a nine year old and also inside a fictional world no less, though the last part was simply in name alone.

The place was too vibrant, too real, and too complex to be the imagination of a mangaka, because not every detail could be planned by a single human to such an impressive degree.

It was impossible, and there was no doubt about if anyone in his life was real, a small mercy in this new life if there was any to be had.

Kai wiped the sweat from his brow, walking through another set of automatic doors, and only glancing briefly at other employees that passed him. 

Astonishingly enough, he was able to recall their entire face and what they wore along with their walking behavior in an instant. He noted their small behaviors, how eyes travelled, what said eyes studied first, and minute reactions to what they saw.

'They made me into a monster.' Kai said in his head, chuckling mentally at the thought. 'This is what I wanted.'

He did indeed. He wanted all the help he could get so he could be another symbol that would keep society from crumbling. Perhaps the whole Hero versus Villain play was inherently wrong, but as Kai learned more, He started to understand.

The reason Heroes were put on pedestals, gained so much media attention and fame, was honestly  rather simple. They were to inspire, to be a beacon for kids to want to help others, and to instill the values that the top brass of Japan wanted them too. It was on the same scale of how the HPSC made every other possible Agent's life be consumed by anything Heroes, a form of mental conditioning for them to not use their Quirks for personal gain.

Yes, the Shigaraki and Himiko Toga's would be made by the very system, though some things were just inevitable. 

Although Dabi was hit or miss, as he was created by a poor parental figure, but also because of the idealism of being a hero too. The parenting issue was something that would never be fixed without the government sticking their noses where people would not want them too, and that would only be viable in a totalitarian system.

Backtracking in his thoughts, Kai understood that a few bad apples were expected no matter what. The whole 'Hero vs Villain' thing was a softer version of propaganda, the war being the fear that people would use their Quirks for personal gain without remorse, just like the Meta Liberation Army sought to teach.

So, Japan and many other countries pushed the Hero versus Villain agenda with so much force because it showed results. It was the lesser evil, though still with its faults, but that was just like anything that could be implemented worldwide.

There was no right answer.

Dropping the topic, Kai found his slice of a normal life at the corner of Facility Beta where every kid used to live with a Handler; though thankfully now it was just him. The area was a faux neighborhood spanning five blocks with a cul de sac, and was distant enough from the city that anyone would notice the oddity of it.

A cage, one Kai would soon be leaving, as he had proved he was capable enough to be 'used' by them.

Especially since he now had [Fa Jin] along with [Gear Shift] now, two Quirks from One for All that paired so well together it was frightening. [Gear Shift] allowed him to effect the velocity of anything, living or not living, with a good dash of fucking physics over. He could make something go 60 mph or about 100 kmh and then stop it on a dime, all within seconds and not having adverse effects on said objects or being. Although he had to use inertia, because if something was at rest or had not chosen to move forward or backward, [Gear Shift] never kicked in. He could not force things to move. Though, the second the object moved from outside influences or if a smaller animal walked forward with its own will, after touching it then Kai could activate [Gear Shift]. 

Although, the problem was he was not getting the boosted version of the Quirks for some reason.

[Gear shift] in the manga let Izuku travel faster than the speed of sound or slow down huge Nomus. Kai could affect no other humans besides himself, and the best of him affecting living things was only on small rodents or insects. Objects he affected had to be under an arbitrary weight that fluctuated so much those who oversaw his Quirk counseling had given up, saying the conditions were on a cellular level that they could not observe consistently enough to give him a hard base.

[Fa Jin] on the other hand was simple and overpowered in a sense, as repeated movements of one of his four limbs, as well as his head— though Kai never planned to use it— allowed him to build up kinetic energy and release it in an instant. 

If he punched five times, then when he releases the stored energy in the next punch, the total force of all those punches would coalesce into a stacked x5 punch. However, there was a caveat, as it did not register the trigger punch that would have made it a x6 stacked punch.

Fortunately for Kai, the two Quirks were similar enough to one another to not have any heads turn or make eyebrows raise, since he had developed them young enough everyone believed it was a different application of the same powerful Quirk Factor.

The latter made his life easier, and because of it Kai could rest easy about being found out so quickly. It would be inevitable when he got the other Quirks, so his true power being revealed had a time limit. He planned on enjoying it to the fullest before he had to come clean and tell his lie he had already thought up.

However, even with just two of the Quirks, Kai felt powerful enough to make a difference and was optimistic about the future.

On the other hand, if the trend of his Quirks manifesting every four years held true, then things would not be so simple.

He got [Gear Shift] at four, [Fa Jin] at eight, and if he got [Smokescreen] at twelve then it practically confirmed the theory of getting a new one every four years.

There wouldn't be any spamming full powered SMASHING to get rid of pesky Villains when UA rolled around, and instead, Kai would have to settle for a low A tier power set.

At the very least he was guaranteed growth, a blessing to ease any doubts he ever had where most might not know how far they can go.

Now in a good mood, and after a quick shower, a glance at his wild locks of midnight black hair and slightly shining purple eyes, Kai headed over to the living room. As expected, Hina was sitting calmly, her appearance a little different than the previous years.

Small crow's feet encased her emerald eyes, her black hair showed the smallest hint of grays, and she was slower and less energetic.

Hina was getting older, and Kai was sure the stress of the HPSC was not helping her much.

"Hello Hina, nice to see you so soon." Kai was polite, as he always was.

"Kai." Hina's smile was bright. "It's great to see you, it's been a whole year, did they hurt you at all?"

Kai walked over to the couch, sitting next to her and leaning his head on her shoulder, "On purpose? Probably not. By accident, they really did make me work hard."

Hina gently wrapped an arm around him, her warmth something Kai always looked forward to, a beacon that kept him from straying away from his goals. 

She was as close as he was going to get to a parent in this life. It was unfortunate, but Kai could not complain. He was given a second chance where most only had one or none.

He was just a weight on a side of a scale for THE Being that balances all life, he did not get a choice, and honestly he was glad for it.

The old him, the him named Damien, would have turned it down if he could have.

Thankfully, he hadn't been able to, and every day spent with Hina was another reason he did not regret it.

She was a quiet woman, just like Kai naturally was, diligent in her work and with a stubborn streak a mile wild. If there was something she wanted, Hina would crawl, scratch and claw her way to get it, a trait they both shared as well.

Hina, from what Kai gathered, only wanted him to be happy.

The amount of times he got to see her was abnormal, meaning she had requested to meet him, probably enough times he was sure those above her just sighed and gave in.

"I love you Kai," She broke their peaceful silence, the crack in her voice all too telling of her sudden wave of emotion. "Remember that for me, no matter what happens." 

"I know." Kai smiled.

He stayed in her arms, letting Hina go through a small minute of crying uninterrupted, hoping it would allow her some semblance of peace.

After she got a hold of herself, a thud was heard as a folder fell on the small coffee table. Kai sat up, instinct taking over as he took the folder and opened it.

"For now, you will work to ensure you have connections for your debut into heroics in the future. To make sure your involvement with the HPSC is minimal and cannot be tracked, effective immediately you will be fostered as a temporary ward till high school." Hina had spoken in her professional tone, sharp and to the point, no motherly love present.

Kai silently read the file, eyes growing wider each sentence in which he did, stomach swirling in anticipation and anxiety.

"As from today forth, you will be Kai Yaoyorozu, and will seek to gain the trust of the family's heir along with duties to safeguard his life."

A bodyguard, they were going to use a connection with the Yaoyorozu family to legitimize his background that was listed in the file. No one would dig deep enough to try and gleam his true origins if the trail went through them. 

He wagered this was to give him purpose until he was older, as for most missions, a nine year old would not be needed. Why settle for him, when other Agents with more training and plenty of their own connections would be more useful?

Kai wasn't sure how to feel about his new role, since his whole existence as an Agent was to be an Underground Hero who answered to the HPSC. The mission felt like a cop out.

Well, only if they knew the opportunity they were handing to him on a silver platter.

Hina patted Kai's mop of black hair, "Summary?"

Kai blinked, forgetting this part but trained enough he could still say it. "I will be employed as a hidden bodyguard for the young Yaoyorozu heir Momoto Yaoyorozu, and am to attend Somei's string of schools with him. I will need to make connections with high standing individuals, and I am to also monitor signs of the M.L.A(Meta Liberation Army) and discover if they are trying to sway the privileged and more impressionable young minds to their cause. For my cover, I was Kai Fumetsu, a grandson to a man who exclusively owned a Dojo in his name, but due to his sudden passing I will be fostered with the Yaoyorozu family because of a favor my Grandpa earned by saving Arito Yaoyorozu's life during his short tenure as a Pro Hero."

Hina dropped her emotionless mask, grin sparkling as she shot him a thumbs up, "I see why you set the record for youngest Initiate to pass the Assessment, You only had forty seconds to read and have almost perfect recall."

Kai just grinned in response.

"Now," She started. "Questions?"

Kai's gaze hardened, "Do Momoto's parents know my real origins?"

"Yes." a quick answer.

"Will I have any more objectives besides protection, scouting, and networking?"

"No."

Kai nodded, taking a moment to think before he looked up to meet emerald eyes, "Will I ever see you again?"

Hina's face became riddled with shock, then stained with sadness, "Until we deem us meeting will not compromise the mission, then maybe, but…"

Kai held back his tears, a strong mask slipping on relatively easily as he hugged his mother, "I understand."

She hugged him back, and for a few minutes they stayed like that, enjoying their last seconds together for the foreseeable future.

"Your things are already packed, whenever you are ready you will be escorted to the Yaoyorozu household by one of their chauffeurs."

Kai nodded, and since it was barely eleven in the morning, he would not be able to put off his departure for tomorrow.

This was goodbye.

After a few more moments, and another short bout of questions to try and squeeze a few more minutes out of his time with Hina, Kai—now Kai Yaoyorozu— began to leave.

However, before he exited the door to what he could only call home, no matter if it sat snugly inside a glorified cage, he managed to turn around.

Hina was still on the couch, visible tear streaks on each of her cheeks, a weak smile plastered on her face to try and hold herself together.

Kai bowed, deep enough he could almost touch the floor with his head.

"Thank you." Kai stood and nodded. "Mother."

It was the first time he called her that, and with what little strength he had left he was able to turn away and close the door, gritting his teeth as he heard Hina begin to cry again.

With that, he was given his gear that he had become accustomed to which spanned a variety of very sharp things, and was ushered into the back of a black Bentley.

It drove away from Facility Beta, the place that had trained him to be a Hero, a bittersweet feeling washing over him as he glanced back at it.

Kai was sure he still had much to learn, he was one person after all, but even then he looked forward to it all the same.