ShuraZero
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Chapter 120: Rules of Engagement
🕑 Added 2025-10-04 21:54:57 +0000 UTC"So this is the famous mouse's nest!"
Pixie-Bob's voice bounced off the wooden walls of the office, charged with an energy that seemed too big for the space. She strolled around the room, tapping an abstract vase with the tip of a gloved nail.
"It's more… elegant than I imagined. I was expecting more hamster wheels and less expensive art. Where do you keep the cheese, Nezu?"
Mandalay, standing by the door with a much more restrained posture, shot her a warning look.
"Pixie, we're on the clock."
"Relax, Mandy," Pixie-Bob replied with a wink. "A little humor never hurts before spending weeks chasing teenagers through the woods."
Tiger, who had chosen the farthest corner, crossed his arms. His massive physique made the designer furniture look like toys.
"Just tell us how many kids we have to watch and where the camp is," he growled, his voice a low rumble. "We have a schedule to keep and other contracts waiting. I don't get paid by the hour to admire the decor."
Principal Nezu, sitting behind his desk, observed the group's dynamic with a calm that was almost unnerving. He seemed unaffected by Tiger's impatience or Pixie-Bob's exuberance. With flawless delicacy, he slid a steaming cup of tea across the polished surface of the table toward each of them.
"I appreciate you all coming on such short notice," he said, his usual cheerful tone seeming a bit out of place. "But I'm afraid there has been a misunderstanding in the terms of your contract."
Pixie-Bob stopped fidgeting with the decor. Mandalay frowned.
"A misunderstanding?" she asked, stepping forward. "The agreement was clear. Quirk training in a forest environment for Classes 1-A and 1-B. Supervision and endurance exercises. We've done it a dozen times."
"True," Nezu conceded, pressing the tips of his paws together. "However, your role this year has changed. I have not hired you to be instructors."
He paused, letting the silence settle over the room. The only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioning. Tiger straightened up slightly, his impatience turning to curiosity.
"Then what are we here for?" he asked. "We're not babysitters."
"I've hired you as guardians," Nezu clarified, and his cheerful tone turned sharp. "Your primary mission this year is not to train the students. It is to ensure their survival."
Pixie-Bob's smile vanished completely. Ragdoll, who had been watching everything in silence, leaned forward, her eyes wide.
"Survival?" Mandalay repeated, her tone now serious. The atmosphere in the room had shifted in an instant. "Survival from what? Are you going to release some modified beast into the forest? Because if so, I need you to specify that in the contract's hazard addendum."
"Nothing so predictable," Nezu replied. He took a sip of his tea, a calm gesture that contrasted with the gravity of his next words. "What you are facing is a coordinated, well-resourced, and unprecedented threat from the League of Villains."
Tiger let out a short, dry laugh.
"The League of Villains? That group of misfits that attacked the USJ? We saw the reports. A few lucky brats who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's nothing we haven't seen before."
"You are mistaken," Nezu's tone turned icy, devoid of any kindness. "It wasn't luck. It was a hunt."
"What are you implying?" Mandalay asked, her mind already working, connecting the dots.
"I am not implying. I am stating," Nezu corrected. "We have every reason to believe the League has an infiltrator within U.A. Someone who is feeding them information on schedules, locations, and most importantly, our students' weaknesses. The training camp, in a remote and isolated location, is the most logical setting for their next move. And we believe it will be a large-scale move."
Ragdoll visibly shivered.
"A direct attack? On the camp? With all the students there?" her voice was a choked whisper. "Nezu, that's insane! Why don't you just cancel it? You can't put the kids in that position!"
"To cancel would be to admit we have a security breach we cannot control," Nezu said, his gaze hard and steady. "It would be handing them a victory without them firing a single shot. It would be telling our enemies that they can dictate our movements. I will not do it. The camp will proceed as planned."
He leaned back in his chair, and despite his small frame, he projected immense authority.
"And you will be our first and most important line of defense. I know your skills. Your mastery of the terrain is absolute. You will be the walls of our fortress."
The Pussycats exchanged a heavy look. The reality of the situation finally hit them with its full force. This wasn't a summer job. It wasn't a training contract. It was a protection detail in a designated war zone.
Mandalay was the first to recover, her expression turning cold and professional.
"Understood," she said, her voice firm. "We'll reinforce the perimeters. We'll establish constant patrols within a five-kilometer radius. We'll divide the area into sectors and maintain continuous telepathic communication. With our knowledge of the terrain, no one will get close without us knowing."
"Excellent," Nezu nodded. "But there is one more variable. One that I need you to handle with discretion."
"Spit it out," Tiger said.
"You will have an unofficial civilian support asset on-site."
The confusion returned to their faces, erasing their professional focus.
"A civilian?" Tiger repeated, his tone laced with disbelief. "In our territory? Principal, with all due respect, that's not an asset, that's a liability. It's a responsibility we can't take on. Are we supposed to protect forty students and a tourist on top of it?"
"We can't guarantee the safety of someone without training in a situation like this," Mandalay added, supporting her teammate. "It's an unpredictable factor."
"This particular civilian does not need your protection," Nezu replied calmly. "She possesses a unique defensive Quirk that could prove invaluable. But more importantly, she possesses a motivation that none of us can match. Her presence is a non-negotiable condition of this operation."
Pixie-Bob, whose curiosity was beginning to outweigh her apprehension, leaned forward.
"And who is this mysterious ally? A retired hero living in the woods? An undercover agent?"
"She is the mother of one of the students," Nezu said, dropping the information without any ceremony.
If they were confused before, they were now completely stunned. Tiger leaped to his feet, knocking his chair back.
"The mother of a student?!" he exclaimed, his voice booming through the office. "Absolutely not! This is ridiculous, Nezu! We're not running a daycare! We're talking about an attack by the League of Villains, and you want a mom to join the party! What's she supposed to do? Throw cookies at them?"
"Midoriya Inko is a woman with an iron will forged in circumstances you know nothing about," Nezu's voice was now a command, sharp and unmovable. "Her Quirk allows her to attract small objects. Harmless on the surface. However, her true power is not her Quirk. It is her instinct. Her sole objective is to protect her son and his team. She will not interfere with your training. She will not get involved in patrols. But if the perimeter is breached, if the villains reach the students, I trust her protective instinct more than any emergency protocol we could design."
Nezu stood up from his chair, his small stature doing nothing to diminish the immense authority he radiated.
"She is your final safety net. The last line of defense the villains will never see coming. Treat her with respect, and let her do her job if the time comes. Understood?"
The Wild, Wild Pussycats looked at each other, silently processing the strangest and most dangerous contract of their careers.
"Understood," Mandalay finally replied, her voice tense. The promise of a quiet summer had become the certainty of an impending war.
The suitcases, one for Izuku and a much smaller one for Inko, were already by the door of Yu's penthouse. Outside, the morning sun shone on the city, indifferent to the storm gathering over them.
Inko was folding one of Izuku's sweatshirts for the third time, her methodical movements a desperate attempt to maintain her composure.
"Are you sure you packed enough socks, Izuku? It gets chilly in the forest at night. And don't forget the insect repellent, the extra-strong kind. The mosquitoes always go after you."
"Mom, I have repellent for an army and enough socks for a whole month," Izuku answered with a patient smile, though he also felt a knot forming in his stomach. He walked over and placed a hand on hers, stopping her movements. "I'm going to be fine. You're going to be with me."
"I know, sweetie. I know," she whispered, though her eyes were still worried.
On the couch, Toga was sprawled with her legs over the armrest, watching a low-budget horror movie on Yu's enormous television. A poorly animated rubber monster was attacking a group of teenagers.
"Have fun in the woods, Izuku," she said without looking away from the screen. "Try not to get eaten by a bear. That would be a really boring end for someone so interesting."
"I'll keep that in mind," Izuku replied, used to her peculiar way of showing… whatever it was she was showing.
"And if you do get eaten," Toga added, turning her head with a smile, "make sure it's a bear with a cool Quirk. Something worthwhile."
Inko approached the couch. Before Toga could react, she wrapped her in a tight, quick hug. The gesture surprised the blonde girl, leaving her stiff for a moment.
"Be good, Himiko-chan," Inko whispered in her ear. "And please, don't burn down Yu-san's apartment. She has very expensive rugs and I don't want to have to pay for them."
Toga remained frozen for another second before awkwardly returning the hug with a pat on Inko's back.
"I'll try, Inko-san," she mumbled against her shoulder. "But I'm not making any promises if the movie gets really bad."
Yu, who had been watching the scene from the kitchen doorway with a cup of coffee in her hand, entered the living room. She was wearing tactical training gear, her imposing physique ready for action.
"Do you really think I'm going to let you go into a potential war zone alone?" she said, her voice leaving no room for argument. "No way. I'm going with you. My agency can survive without me for a week. You'll need a real professional if things get really ugly."
Yu's declaration filled the room with a new sense of security. The thought of having Mt. Lady as backup was an immense relief. But just as Izuku was starting to feel a little calmer, Yu's phone rang. The caller ID showed the U.A. logo.
With a sigh of frustration, Yu answered and put the call on speaker.
"I greatly appreciate your loyalty, Mt. Lady," came Nezu's polite but firm voice, filling the room. "But your presence at the camp would be a grave tactical error."
"Excuse me?" Yu's voice was pure ice. "I'm one of the most popular heroes in the country. My presence would be a deterrent."
"Precisely," Nezu explained with his relentless logic. "You are too visible. You are a symbol. Your arrival would be noted by our infiltrator, and the League would immediately escalate their plans. They would expect a fortress, so they would bring an army. You would turn a potential skirmish into an all-out war, with the students caught in the middle."
Yu clenched her jaw, frustration burning inside her.
"So what am I supposed to do? Sit here and knit while they're in danger?"
"Your most important role now is to stay in the city," Nezu continued. "Be seen. Do interviews. Patrol the busiest areas. Be the decoy. Make the world, and more importantly, our enemies, believe that everything is perfectly normal. That the camp is just that—a camp."
Yu fell silent, processing the cold, brutal logic of the situation. She hated to admit it, but the rat was right. It was a professional sacrifice she had to make.
"Damn clever rat…" she muttered before ending the call with a sharp tap.
She turned to Inko, her face now a mask of absolute seriousness. The responsibility she thought she would be sharing now rested entirely on the shoulders of the woman in front of her.
"That means you're the only adult in the field with them, besides the Pussycats and Aizawa," she said, her tone low and intense. "Don't trust anyone blindly. Take care of them, Inko-san."
Inko nodded, her face filled with a new, heavy determination. The fear she felt was overshadowed by a steely resolve.
"I will."
The entrance to U.A. was a hive of teenage energy. The buses for Class 1-A and 1-B were waiting, their engines idling. The morning air was filled with laughter and excited shouts.
"Finally! Summer camp!" Kaminari yelled, high-fiving Sero. "Get ready for ghost stories, barbecues, and trying to spy on the girls at the hot springs!"
"And for training so hard it'll make us cry tears of blood!" Kirishima added with a wild grin, smashing his fists together. "Now that's manly!"
Mina was already planning swimming contests, while Mineta mumbled strategies for his own benefit. The general atmosphere was one of euphoria and anticipation for an action-packed vacation.
In the midst of all the commotion, Izuku's team arrived in a starkly contrasting silence. The weight of what they knew set them apart from the rest. Inko walked beside him, her presence quiet but firm.
"Hey, Midoriya, is your mom here to see you off?" Kaminari joked when he saw them. "That's so sweet! Don't forget to write!"
Before Izuku could come up with an excuse, Aizawa's monotone voice cut through the noise, silencing the crowd instantly.
"Midoriya-san is accompanying us as a civilian consultant for survival tactics and logistical support."
The statement was so blunt and so bizarre that it silenced everyone who heard it. Kaminari's jaw dropped.
"Huh?"
"Don't ask questions," Aizawa shut them down with a look that promised swift punishment to anyone who disobeyed. That was enough to make everyone drop the subject, though confused glances were still fixed on Inko.
Izuku shared one last look with his team. Ochako gave his arm a quick, reassuring squeeze, a small gesture that meant a lot. Momo nodded subtly, her serious eyes communicating everything her words couldn't right then. Toru gave him a thumbs-up, though Izuku could see her hand was trembling slightly.
Inko just looked at him, and in her eyes, there was no fear, only a love and determination so profound it gave him the strength to get on the bus.
"Everyone on board," Aizawa ordered. "It's a long trip. Anyone who causes trouble gets off halfway and walks back."
They boarded, finding their seats amidst the chaos of their classmates. Izuku's team sat together, creating a small island of seriousness in a sea of carefree excitement. Izuku took a seat by the window, with Inko beside him.
The bus door hissed shut, sealing them off from the noise of the city. As the vehicle pulled away, Izuku saw Aizawa standing on the sidewalk. He didn't move. He just stood there, his tired but incredibly alert eyes watching them until the bus turned the corner and disappeared from view.
The summer camp had begun. And with it, the silent war.
