Yu Takeyama's Hero agency was unusually lively. Reporters crowded the space, firing question after question at Shina Etsuha. Even from a distance, their excited voices carried clearly.
"Excuse me, did you really defeat the Sludge Villain? How many attacks did it take?"
"Etsuha-chan, do you already have strength comparable to a Pro Hero?"
"Can you show us the captured sludge samples?"
"According to Mt. Lady, you were injured—do you need treatment?"
"The fall of the Sludge Villain—can you tell us more about it?"
The barrage of questions came one after another, leaving Etsuha's scalp tingling with exhaustion. It was his first time facing such an overwhelming media assault. After forcing himself to answer a few questions, he quickly slipped away, unable to take it any longer.
"Whew… dealing with the media is even more exhausting than fighting," Etsuha muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. "They really know how to dig for answers…"
Still, he couldn't deny the benefits. The coverage would bring him significant attention—and fame.
As things stood, everything was progressing smoothly. It wouldn't be long before headlines about him spread across the news. Unfortunately, his current reputation wasn't high enough yet. Only newspapers were covering him for now. Major TV stations were still focused on top-ranking Pro Heroes, otherwise Etsuha could have gained even more exposure.
"The news is taken care of… next, I need to focus on training. And… maybe it's time to hire an assistant?"
Etsuha suddenly remembered that most successful manga artists in Japan worked with assistants. Some handled line art, others shading or coloring—tasks that were time-consuming but didn't require the same level of creative input.
Now that he could barely be considered a "recognized" manga artist, it made sense to start thinking about it.
"I should ask my editor about that."
He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Sugar.
The reply came quickly: Jump wouldn't assign him an assistant—he'd have to find one himself.
"…Cheap as always," Etsuha muttered, raising a middle finger at his phone screen.
In the end, he decided to post a recruitment notice online:
"Manga artist seeking assistant. Preferably a U.A. student. Simple tasks only. Pay negotiable."
Almost immediately, a comment popped up below:
"Is the author insane? Who from U.A. would want to be a manga assistant?!"
Etsuha ignored it.
He wasn't taking it too seriously anyway—just testing his luck. Assistants weren't urgent. As for specifically requesting a U.A. student… that was just a personal whim.
After all, during his visit to U.A., several students had recognized him as a fan. That sparked a strange thought—
What if there were actually U.A. students who admired his work?
That would be… pretty interesting.
"Etsuha, your classmates are here to see you."
Yu Takeyama suddenly poked her head in, interrupting his thoughts.
"Classmates?" Etsuha blinked in surprise.
He and Midoriya Izuku were in the same class, and while he got along decently with most people, they weren't close enough to visit him like this. Midoriya was a possibility, given their childhood friendship—but considering how often he was bullied by Bakugo Katsuki, it seemed unlikely.
Curious, Etsuha stepped outside.
The moment he saw the visitor, he froze slightly.
"Ah… you're… Tianshan… right?"
The boy in front of him immediately scowled.
"It's Yamada!" he snapped, correcting him angrily. Then, with a serious expression, he added, "Shina-san, I'm not here to chat. I've got business."
Etsuha raised an eyebrow. "What kind of business?"
Yamada pulled out an envelope. On the front, a bold red character was written:
"War."
He handed it over solemnly.
"This is a challenge letter from our boss. We'll be waiting for you in the backyard before five o'clock this afternoon."
"Pff—!"
Behind them, Yu Takeyama nearly burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking as she covered her mouth.
A challenge letter?
Seriously?
Someone had actually challenged Etsuha to a fight?
"…You even went this far…" Etsuha muttered, already feeling a headache coming on.
At this stage, Bakugo Katsuki really was just a kid. Most likely, Etsuha's sudden rise after awakening his Quirk had bruised his pride.
"Sorry," Etsuha said flatly, tossing the letter back. "Not interested."
But Yamada smirked, clearly expecting that response.
"Hmph. Boss knew you'd say that," he said coldly. "He told me to pass on a message—if you don't show up before five, we'll tell everyone about how you used to peek at girls bathing when you were little."
Etsuha: "…?"
They were bringing that up?!
Childhood was full of reckless moments, sure—but Etsuha hadn't expected Bakugo Katsuki to dig up his black history. And worse—it had been a misunderstanding!
Just as he was about to defend himself—
Laughter exploded behind him.
Turning around, he saw Yu Takeyama completely losing it, unable to hold back any longer after eavesdropping the entire exchange.
"…I'm doomed," Etsuha muttered.