MHA: One Above All

Kai groaned as sunlight streamed through his window, drilling into his eyes. He fumbled for his alarm, silencing its relentless buzz. With a dramatic sigh, he dragged himself out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom. His reflection stared back, hair sticking up like he'd fought a hurricane.

"Looking good, champ," he muttered, running a hand through the mess. After brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face, he headed downstairs.

The smell of breakfast greeted him, and his parents were already at the table.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," his mom teased, sipping her coffee.

Kai grabbed a slice of toast. "Morning to you, Queen of Sass."

His dad looked up from his newspaper. "Late night planning world domination?"

Kai grinned. "You know it. Step one: steal all the bacon." He reached for the plate, but his dad swatted his hand away.

After breakfast, Kai retreated to his room. It was Saturday—his time to think big. He flopped onto his bed, grabbed his notebook, and flipped it open.

"Alright," he said, tapping his pencil against the page. "Let's level up."

He started brainstorming new ways to use his quirk, Stockpile. He'd already mastered kinetic blasts and shockwaves, but today, he wanted to push boundaries.

His first idea: compressing stored energy into a small, dense sphere. Upon release, it would create a devastating explosion. "Energy Bomb," he murmured. "But what if I could focus it, like a laser?" He quickly sketched a diagram.

Next, he considered manipulating vibrations. By storing and amplifying seismic energy, he could trigger localized tremors. "Earthshaker," he said with a grin. "That'll get people's attention."

Then his mind drifted to temperature control. If he absorbed enough heat energy, could he lower the surrounding temperature to near-absolute zero? The idea of freezing the air, immobilizing enemies, sent a thrill down his spine. "Absolute Zero," he whispered. Risky, but the potential was enormous.

To balance the danger, he theorized about regulating the release of heat to avoid freezing himself. Maybe he could even combine heat and kinetic energy, delivering a fiery punch that hit like a freight train.

The notebook filled with sketches and notes as ideas flowed. Each new move was more destructive, more inventive than the last. Hours slipped by, and when Kai finally sat back, his stomach growled in protest.

"Not bad for a Saturday," he said, closing the notebook with a satisfied grin.

—------------

Kai stretched his arms, letting out a long yawn as he sat up in bed. The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over his room. He glanced at the clock—plenty of time to enjoy a lazy Saturday morning. But lazy wasn't on his agenda today.

After a quick shower, Kai went through his usual routine. He brushed his teeth, expertly styled his hair into its usual messy-but-cool look, and threw on his favorite hoodie. He made his way downstairs, greeted by the comforting smell of breakfast.

"Good morning, champ," his dad said, lowering the newspaper.

"Morning," Kai replied, snatching a piece of bacon off the plate. "What's on the agenda today, Dad? Taking over the world one stock market at a time?"

His dad chuckled. "Not today. But maybe I'll review the family investments. You?"

Kai grinned. "Training, as usual. Gotta keep pushing."

His mom chimed in, pouring herself another cup of coffee. "Don't overdo it. Last time you came home limping, and we had to listen to you complain for days."

Kai smirked. "Hey, pain is just weakness leaving the body."

His mom rolled her eyes. "And drama is just you leaving the training ground."

After breakfast, Kai headed to his personal training room, a spacious area his parents had set up to help him hone his quirk. Today, his focus was on refining new techniques he'd theorized earlier in the week.

He stood in the center of the room, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, let's get to work."

Kai started with energy bursts, using stored kinetic energy to enhance his punches and kicks. Each strike sent shockwaves echoing through the room. He worked on precision, aiming to control the release of energy more effectively.

Next, he tested his seismic attack, channeling vibrations into the ground. A small tremor rippled beneath him, and he smiled. "Earthshaker 2.0, coming in hot."

He moved on to temperature manipulation, attempting to absorb heat from the air. His goal was to lower the room's temperature drastically without losing control. He closed his eyes, focusing on drawing in heat energy. The air around him grew colder, and frost began to form on the walls.

"Not bad," he muttered, his breath visible in the chill. "Absolute Zero, you might actually be doable."

Kai spent hours fine-tuning his moves, alternating between offensive blasts and defensive barriers. By the time he was done, sweat dripped from his brow despite the icy air. He flopped onto a nearby bench, catching his breath.

"Every day, a little stronger," he said, smiling to himself.

Satisfied, Kai cleaned up and headed back upstairs. His parents were waiting in the living room.

"Done already?" his dad asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For now," Kai replied, plopping onto the couch. "Gotta save some energy for next time."

His mom smirked. "You better. I don't want to hear you whining about being sore later."

Kai laughed. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm built different."

The three of them settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the peace of the afternoon. For Kai, it was the perfect end to a productive day.

Kai had barely made it out of the house when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw a message from his best friend, Haru: "You alive, or did Sugihara finally fold you into a pretzel?"

Kai smirked, fingers flying across the screen. "Alive and thriving. Meet me at the park, I've got a story for you."

It didn't take long before Kai spotted Haru lounging under their usual tree. His other friend, Riku, sat next to him, fiddling with a game console. They both looked up as Kai approached, Haru grinning like he already knew this was going to be good.

"So, did you actually beat him, or are you just here to brag about surviving?" Haru asked, leaning back against the tree.

Kai dropped dramatically onto the grass, spreading his arms out like he'd just run a marathon. "Not only did I survive, but I completely destroyed Sugihara." He turned to Haru, his grin mischievous. "He was like a cockroach, though. Kept getting back up no matter what I threw at him."

Riku didn't look up from his game. "You mean he didn't immediately fold after your first move? Shocking."

Kai shot him a look. "Hey, it's hard to squash an ant without killing it, okay? I had to balance overwhelming power with not accidentally obliterating him. It's an art."

Haru snorted. "An art, huh? So, what was your masterpiece? Did you hit him with that flashy move you've been hyping for weeks?"

Kai sat up, a dramatic flair in his tone. "Oh, you better believe it. First, I hit him with a seismic wave that shook the ground. He stumbles, right? Perfect opening. Then, bam! Energy burst straight to the chest. But do you think that stopped him?"

"Nope," Riku said flatly, still engrossed in his game.

"Of course not!" Kai said, ignoring the monotone reply. "He tanks it like a champ. So I step it up. I'm talking heat blasts, shockwaves, even a little Absolute Zero teaser. I had the whole room looking like an action movie."

"And Sugihara?" Haru leaned forward, eyes glinting with curiosity.

Kai grinned. "Still standing. Barely, but standing. The dude is basically indestructible. Every time I knocked him down, he'd just get back up like he was in some cheesy sports anime." He sighed dramatically. "It was like trying to fight a training dummy that punches back."

Haru burst out laughing. "And here I thought Sugihara was just some stiff butler. Turns out he's secretly built like an unbreakable action figure."

Riku finally looked up from his game, smirking. "So, how'd you end it? Or did he let you off easy and pretend to faint from exhaustion?"

"Oh, he wishes," Kai shot back. "I hit him with a move I've been saving—Earthshaker Punch. Poured all my stored energy into one strike. The impact practically cracked the floor. Sugihara went flying, and when the dust settled, he finally stayed down. Victory: Kai."

Haru gave a slow clap. "Congratulations. You won a fight against your butler. Truly, you are the hero we need."

Kai laughed, leaning back on his hands. "Hey, don't underestimate him. Sugihara's tougher than half the guys at school. Plus, he didn't even break a sweat while I was on the verge of passing out. He's a beast in a butler's suit."

Riku raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not just overhyping it? Sounds like you barely made it out alive."

Kai pointed at him. "Correction: I strategically outlasted him. Huge difference."

Haru shook his head, still chuckling. "Strategically outlasted… sure, man. You're like a discount anime protagonist. Sugihara's probably at home polishing silverware and wondering how he managed to lose to you."

"Please," Kai said with a mock scoff. "He's probably writing up a detailed report for my parents about how 'young master Kai could improve his form.'" He put on a posh voice and mimed holding a clipboard. "'Note: excessive flair. Needs to focus on precision.'"

Haru doubled over, laughing. "You do love your flair. I bet half the fight was you showing off."

Kai shrugged, grinning. "What can I say? If you're gonna win, might as well make it look good."

Riku smirked. "And yet, Sugihara's probably still more composed than you after all that. You're like the guy who wins a race and immediately starts gasping for air while the second-place guy is just chilling."

"Hey, I'm a work in progress," Kai said, leaning back. "Besides, the point is, I won. And now I've got a whole list of improvements for my quirk."

Haru raised an eyebrow. "You planning to fight Sugihara again?"

Kai laughed. "Absolutely. Next time, I'll have even crazier moves. Maybe I'll figure out how to store and release light energy for a blinding attack."

"Blinding your opponent isn't exactly heroic," Riku pointed out.

Kai waved him off. "It's only temporary. A little flashbang never hurt anyone… much."

Haru grinned. "Just make sure you don't blind yourself. That would be peak Kai."

"Please," Kai said, puffing out his chest. "I've got this all figured out. Next fight, Sugihara won't even see it coming."

Riku sighed, putting his game console away. "Well, if you survive round two, I want a front-row seat. Watching you flail around while pretending you've got it all under control sounds entertaining."

Kai threw a handful of grass at him. "I don't flail! It's called tactical movement."

"Tactical flailing," Haru said, smirking.

Kai groaned, but he couldn't help laughing along with them. They spent the next hour tossing jokes back and forth, each more ridiculous than the last.

Eventually, as the sun started to dip, Haru stood up and stretched. "Alright, I better head home. But next time, bring me to your training session. I want to see this so-called Earthshaker Punch in action."

Kai grinned. "Deal. Just don't cry when you see how awesome I am."

Haru rolled his eyes. "Sure, buddy. See you later."

As his friends walked off, Kai leaned back against the tree, smiling to himself. He might joke about it, but the fight with Sugihara had been intense.

—-----------

Kai sat in his training room, his notebook open on his lap, pencil tapping against the paper. The space was quiet, save for the occasional hum of distant city life filtering in through the windows. His mind raced with ideas, and today, he was determined to push the boundaries of his quirk. Stockpiling energy was already powerful, but he knew he could do more—way more.

"Alright," he muttered to himself. "Let's think bigger. If I'm going to dominate, I need to understand the science behind this."

He leaned forward, jotting down some notes. Energy cannot be created or destroyed—just transferred. That fundamental principle of physics was the foundation of his quirk. Everything he did relied on taking energy from one source, storing it, and releasing it in devastating ways. But what if he could do more than just move energy around?

His first thought was thermal energy. He'd been experimenting with the concept of Absolute Zero, the theoretical state where molecular motion stops entirely. To get anywhere close, he needed to understand how to draw heat energy from his surroundings more efficiently.

Kai scribbled furiously, thinking about the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Heat always flows from hotter objects to colder ones. That was natural. But his quirk could reverse that flow artificially. If he could perfect the process, he might not only freeze things but also control the rate at which they froze.

"Cool," he said, grinning at his own pun.

Next, he considered kinetic energy, the energy of motion. Right now, he could absorb it from physical impacts and convert it into powerful strikes. But what if he could tap into less obvious sources? Wind energy, for instance. If he could store the force of moving air, he could unleash it as destructive hurricanes.

Kai thought about wind turbines, how they harness air currents to generate power. His quirk could function similarly, but without the mechanical middleman. He sketched out a rough diagram: Kai standing in the center of a vortex, absorbing the kinetic energy of the swirling air, then releasing it in a concentrated blast.

"Windbreakers? Nah, too cheesy." He scratched out the name and wrote, Cyclone Cannon.

The possibilities didn't stop there. Electromagnetic energy was another untapped goldmine. If he could figure out how to store electricity, he'd essentially become a human capacitor. Kai envisioned absorbing a lightning strike, then channeling that energy into an attack. The raw power of nature, harnessed in his hands.

"Lightning Surge," he murmured, doodling a lightning bolt in the margin of his notes. "Or maybe Thunder Breaker. Yeah, that's got a nice ring to it."

But electricity presented unique challenges. To store and release it safely, he'd need to understand how real-world capacitors worked. He made a note to look up the concept of dielectric breakdown later. If he pushed his body too far, he risked frying himself along with his enemies.

He leaned back for a moment, staring at the ceiling. The physics was fascinating, but there was more to his quirk than just energy manipulation. Momentum transfer was another aspect he hadn't fully explored.

Kai thought about Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When he released stored kinetic energy, he often felt the recoil. But what if he could mitigate that? If he could somehow nullify the counterforce, he could launch massive attacks without losing balance.

"Momentum Nullifier," he said aloud. "Or maybe… Inertia Cancel." He liked the sound of that.

His thoughts shifted to potential energy. The energy stored in objects due to their position could be game-changing. Imagine absorbing the gravitational potential energy from a high-up object, then releasing it as a targeted impact. Dropping the force of a collapsing building on an opponent without needing a building? That would be brutal.

Kai's mind raced to the concept of gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime caused by massive objects moving. While those were on a cosmic scale, it got him thinking: could he manipulate the energy of space itself? It sounded absurd, but then again, quirks often defied conventional physics.

"Okay, maybe no black holes for now," he said with a chuckle. "Baby steps."

He turned back to his notebook and circled a few key ideas. Each new theory brought its own risks and challenges, but that was part of the thrill. He was rewriting the rules of his own power, and every breakthrough brought him closer to mastering it.

Kai stood up and walked to the center of the room. He took a deep breath, focusing on the ambient energy around him. He started small, pulling in thermal energy. The temperature in the room began to drop, and his breath became visible in the chilly air.

"Alright, phase one: Cold Snap." He raised his hand and released a burst of icy energy, freezing a nearby training dummy solid.

Next, he focused on kinetic energy. He ran across the room, absorbing the force of his own movement. He came to a stop and unleashed the stored energy in a single punch, sending a shockwave through the air.

"Phase two: Shockwave Punch. Classic, but effective."

He wasn't done yet. He turned his attention to electromagnetic energy. Although he hadn't practiced with real lightning, he imagined the process, focusing on the electric potential around him. He extended his hand, visualizing the crackling surge of power.

"Phase three," he muttered, "Thunder Breaker."

Though no sparks flew yet, he could feel the concept taking root. With enough practice, he'd get there.

Kai grinned, his heart pounding with excitement. The room was filled with the echoes of his experiments, a testament to the incredible potential of his quirk. But this was just the beginning.

He grabbed his notebook again, jotting down a final thought for the day: Energy is everywhere. The trick is learning how to take it, mold it, and unleash it in ways no one expects.

Kai closed the notebook and headed out of the training room, already eager for the next session. His martial arts lessons. 

Kai had recently switched out his old martial master for Sugihara, solely because of how he handled Kai in the match. 

Kai stretched out on the hardwood floor of the dojo, his limbs already protesting. The crisp smell of sweat and sandalwood filled the air, the usual scent of his martial arts training sessions. Sugihara stood nearby, arms crossed, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"So," Sugihara began, "you're here to learn some real combat, huh? Finally decided your quirk isn't going to do all the work for you?"

Kai groaned, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just say I don't want to end up as a sitting duck if someone like Aizawa shows up. No quirk, no problem, right?"

Sugihara grinned. "We'll see about that."

Kai bounced on his toes, trying to psych himself up. He'd been working on his quirk so much lately that his hand-to-hand combat skills had taken a backseat. It was time to fix that.

Sugihara clapped his hands. "Alright, warm-up. Ten push-ups."

Kai dropped to the floor. "Easy," he said, cranking out the first five with confidence. By the seventh, his arms were shaking like an old washing machine on spin cycle.

"Don't forget to breathe," Sugihara called out, not even trying to hide his amusement.

Kai struggled through the last push-up, collapsing onto the floor dramatically. "Ten," he wheezed, lying flat like a starfish. "I'm basically a martial arts prodigy already."

"Uh-huh," Sugihara said, rolling his eyes. "Get up, prodigy. We're just getting started."

Kai dragged himself to his feet, his legs feeling like noodles. "You're enjoying this way too much."

Sugihara grinned. "Of course I am. Now, let's see your stance."

Kai spread his feet apart and raised his fists, trying to look serious. Sugihara circled him, observing.

"Okay, not terrible," Sugihara said. "But you look like you're auditioning for a bad kung fu movie."

Kai snorted. "Well, excuse me for not being born a martial arts genius. Not all of us can be human brick walls like you."

Sugihara chuckled. "Alright, let's work on your balance. Imagine a string pulling you up from the top of your head. Keep your weight centered."

Kai adjusted his stance, but after a few moments, he wobbled. Sugihara tapped his shoulder lightly, and Kai stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Smooth," Sugihara said dryly. "We'll definitely need to work on that."

Kai sighed. "Why does balance feel like the hardest thing in the world? I can store the energy of a collapsing building, but standing still? Nah, too hard."

"Welcome to martial arts," Sugihara said, clapping him on the back. "Now, let's move on to some basic strikes. Show me a jab."

Kai threw a jab, his arm snapping forward awkwardly.

Sugihara raised an eyebrow. "Did you just try to slap the air?"

"It's called innovation," Kai said, smirking. "Maybe I'm inventing a new fighting style."

"Yeah, the flail wildly and hope for the best style," Sugihara shot back. "Try again. This time, twist your hips and drive through your shoulder."

Kai followed the instructions, and his jab looked much more solid.

"Better," Sugihara said. "Now keep your guard up and let's work on combinations."

They spent the next hour drilling punches, kicks, and blocks. Kai's muscles screamed in protest, and he was pretty sure he'd sweated out half his body weight.

"I feel like a soggy noodle," Kai muttered during a water break.

Sugihara chuckled. "Soggy noodle or not, you're improving. Slowly."

"Slowly?" Kai said, mock offended. "I'll have you know, I'm basically the next Bruce Lee."

Sugihara smirked. "Sure, if Bruce Lee tripped over his own feet and whined after every kick."

Kai laughed, though he was clearly exhausted. "Fine, fine. I'll save my whining for later."

After their break, Sugihara decided it was time for some sparring. "Alright, let's see what you've got in a real situation. No quirks, just you and your fancy new moves."

Kai groaned but got into his stance. "Alright, bring it on, old man."

Sugihara grinned. "Old man? You're gonna regret that."

The spar began, and Sugihara immediately tested Kai's defenses with a flurry of light jabs. Kai blocked a few, but one slipped through and tapped his nose.

"First blood," Sugihara said smugly.

Kai rubbed his nose. "You're enjoying this way too much."

They continued sparring, and Kai started to find his rhythm. He landed a solid jab to Sugihara's chest, earning a grunt of approval.

"Not bad," Sugihara said. "But don't get cocky."

Kai grinned, dodging another strike. "Don't worry, I'll leave the cockiness to you."

As the spar continued, Kai started experimenting. He mixed up his strikes and feints, trying to catch Sugihara off guard. It wasn't perfect, but he could see small improvements.

By the end of the session, Kai was panting, his shirt soaked through. "Okay, I officially hate you," he said, collapsing onto the floor.

Sugihara chuckled. "That's the spirit. Same time tomorrow?"

Kai groaned. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not if you want to keep up with me," Sugihara said, offering him a hand.

Kai took it, pulling himself up. "Fine. But next time, I'm bringing snacks. And maybe a medic."

They both laughed, and Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. It wasn't easy, and he had a long way to go, but he was getting stronger.

As they left the dojo, Kai turned to Sugihara. "You know, for a human brick wall, you're not half bad."

Sugihara smirked. "And for a soggy noodle, you're not hopeless."

Kai laughed, already looking forward to their next session.