Chapter 52: The Trial of Battle 1
The cafeteria was located in the grand hall.
As expected, the moment they came in, this place was already packed with many students from all grades and departments.
Besides the hero department, he was in. There was also a general department, a supportive department, and a business department.
Among those departments, the hero department had the smallest number and the most special one.
After all, unlike the others, the hero departments were free of tuition and treated exclusively by the school. The school also went all out when they trained the students of the hero department, ignoring the humongous expense which came from building a district or a robot.
In other words, the hero department was special.
However, it was normal since the hero was necessary in this world.
In a world with a superpower, having a peaceful life was difficult.
Those who only wanted to live normally were supported by the government, but those people who felt they could do anything, even ignoring the law, were the problem. However, the law enforcer also had a limit, and it was impossible to deal with all of them, so the existence of a hero was necessary.
If he had to say the existence of a hero was like a nuclear bomb.
The countries that had nuclear bombs didn't want to go to war. Instead, they hated the war. However, such a weapon was necessary as a deterrent, so everyone in the country could have a stable and normal life.
After all, using them as a weapon and using them as a deterrent was different, right?
The hero was like that.
Even if they wore funny costumes, they were necessary, so the people in the country didn't dare to do something which broke the law.
However, in this world, where a superpower was everywhere, there were some people whose might could even match the power of a nuclear bomb.
When that happened, the law was useless.
How did we solve this situation?
It was simple.
Who was stronger?
The stronger was the winner.
It was as simple as that.
Survival of the fittest.
Only violence could defeat violence.
Everything returned to how it originated, and only the one who could adapt would be able to survive in this world.
The strongest would be the leader.
Frankly, everything in this world amazed him since everyone could live in stability without worrying about anything.
However, he knew everything was just a guise, and this world was like an overloaded box filled with social problems.
If this problem couldn't be solved, the world would return to the past, where chaos was everywhere.
The depression happened every day, and many people were killed.
To solve this problem, everyone fought against the villain by themselves.
It was the beginning of the era of vigilantes, where everyone was the hero.
However, the era of vigilante ended soon, and the era of the hero was born, yet it couldn't erase the fear caused by the villain, especially the strongest one.
However, everything changed because of All-Might.
All-Might cleared up everything and made everyone able to live a peaceful life. With his overwhelming power, he made all the villains in this country despair.
Yet once All-Might retired, everything would be over.
Mineta couldn't imagine how the future would be without All-Might, but it was funny that the peace of a country had to rely on the power of a single person.
So, this hero department was necessary.
The country didn't want to rely on a single person, so the society would be at peace. They tried to search for other heroes they could depend on to manage the peace in this country.
Not a single hero, but many heroes.
This was the reason why they didn't hesitate to splurge the budget of the country to support the education of the future hero.
Mineta understood this since if he was prime minister, he would also do the same since this country needed a deterrent similar to All-Might.
After all, as long as All-Might existed, no villains would dare to come out.
Unfortunately, he didn't want to become such a symbol of peace since, frankly, it tired him out.
He didn't want to become All-Might, who was revered by all the people in this country, if not the world. Instead, he only wanted to become a strong man who could protect the people he cared about and have a peaceful life.
Frankly, it might be strange for him to think about this matter when he was in the middle of lunch with his classmates, but he just wanted to avert his mind from the problems he encountered, so he thought about countless matters in this world.
Honestly, he was afraid if he kept thinking about the problems in the world, he might become the leader of the Revolutionary Army, becoming the leader of the new world.
However, doing something troublesome definitely wasn't something that he wanted to do, and it was definitely impossible for him to become one.
"What's wrong?"
"What?"
He looked at Jiro, who sat in his opposite seat.
"You seem to be in the middle of a thought." Jiro was slightly embarrassed and said, "Well, it isn't my problem, but it isn't like you to be like this."
'It's not like me, huh?'
He wanted to ask her what she knew about him, but he didn't voice his thought. He only looked at his udon and said, "I just wonder what kind of dashi they use on this udon."
".........."
Jiro was speechless and thought that she was thinking too much.
Anyway, everyone got to know each other and was in a good mood, especially when the food in the cafeteria was good and cheap.
"Minoru-kun."
He turned his head and smiled. "Ibara."
Ibara smiled and walked toward him.
He had told her before that he was going to have lunch with his classmates, and he also knew that she also had lunch with her classmates. He looked at the people behind her and thought they should be her classmates. The guys aside, he was looking at the girls curiously.
<Kinoko Komori>
<Charm: 7>
<Pass!>
<Setsuna Tokage>
<Charm: 7>
<Pass!>
<Reiko Yanagi>
<Charm: 7>
<Pass!>
<Pony Tsunotori>
<Charm: 6>
<Pass!>
"We're going to take Ibara with us. It's alright, right?" Kendo came while hugging Ibara intimately as if trying to provoke him.
".........."
He looked at Kendo speechlessly and said, "While I don't want to, you need to know your classmates, so sure." While they dated, it didn't mean they had to be together all the time.
Still, unlike their time in middle school, where they mostly stayed together. They were in high school, so naturally, there would be a change, especially when their relationship expanded. Unlike their time in middle school, where they could ignore everyone, their classmates in high school might become their coworkers together in the future since all of them, without a doubt, would become heroes.
They were all a necessary connection.
Even if they couldn't become a hero, they could also become his sidekicks (helpers) in the future.
However, the other people didn't know he had such a thought, and they only thought he told them that it was better to know their classmates better.
Ibara nodded, and Kendo talked with him for a while.
Kodai naturally joined since she knew him.
However, the rest of their classmates looked at the four of them curiously.
"See you later," Kendo said with a meaningful smile.
"...yes, see you later."
He could only show a helpless smile before he continued to eat, ignoring the gaze on his body. He could tell that they were curious, but it had nothing to do with him.
"Who is that?" Jiro asked curiously, but she somehow could already tell who they were.
"My girlfriend."
He didn't specify which girls his girlfriends were, but it caused an exclamation among his classmates.
"Eeeehhhh?!"
On the other hand, the students of class 1-B also let out an exclamation, and they also glanced in secretly, especially the girls, thinking this guy was so handsome.
Still, he realized how troublesome his situation had become after he acknowledged that he had a girlfriend, especially in front of Iida, since this guy was too stiff and prudish. When he looked at Iida, he could imagine how he wouldn't touch his lover's hand until they married each other, showing how stiff and prudish he was.
"Mineta-kun!"
Iida walked in a stiff manner as he pushed his glasses up before reprimanding him, yet a blush appeared on his cheeks.
"We're someone who aspires to become a hero! We are everyone's example! How can you break the rules by dating a girl?"
"Er... is dating breaking the rules of Yuuei?" Mineta asked plainly.
"...."
Iida couldn't say anything anymore.
Anyway, after the lunch break was over, it was time for the afternoon class, and it was time for the foundational hero education.
Yet it was hard for them to concentrate, especially when they heard he had a girlfriend.
Still, he was glad that they quickly forgot about what had happened since the one who appeared in their class made them excited!
They might have heard this news before, but hearing and seeing were two different things.
A massive figure appeared at the entrance door of their class.
The two forelocks jutted out straight to the sky, and a broad, bright grin.
"IT'S MEEEEE!!!"
If this person wasn't All-Might, who was he?
While everyone was surprised, happy, and dumbfounded, he wasn't much better since he didn't expect to see All-Might as his teacher. He glanced at Midoriya, who had entered fan-boy mode, but he didn't say anything.
"I enter the class like a normal person!"
All-Might seemed to be excited since it was his first time teaching students.
"Foundational Hero Courses! For this class, we will be building your hero foundation through various trials. Naturally, you'll get credit for it. Now, let's have our first class with this..."
All-Might then showed something to everyone and said, "The Trial of Battle!"
"The... trial of battle?!"
While many were confused, some were excited, and a few were nervous.
As for him, he knew he shouldn't think this way, but he was excited about his first hero course.