?Leading the group was Itsuka Kendo—Battle Fist—her signature side-ponytail gleaming orange in the light. Behind her came Kinoko Komori (Shemage), half-hidden beneath her mushroom-patterned cap, and the bright blonde Pony Tsunotori (Rocketti), her twin horns catching the sunlight.
?"Mirko!"
?Kendo waved brightly, stepping forward with confident strides. "It’s been forever since we worked together!"
?Komori gave a small, bashful wave from behind Kendo. "It’s such an honor! Shroom! Nice to see you again!"
?Pony beamed, throwing both hands up. "Let’s run with us!"
?For a moment, the air seemed to pause.
?Mirko looked at their faces—young, eager, and strong. She slowly smiled. "The perfect lineup for a comeback match."
?Hawks crossed his arms, leaning against his desk with a satisfied grin. "Good. I’ve been waiting to hear that."
?He pushed himself upright, flashing a brief smile as he gestured toward the door. "Let's head to the briefing room. There's a lot to explain."
?Inside the adjacent tactical room, Best Jeanist stood waiting, his posture as rigid and composed as ever. Late afternoon sunlight slanted through the curtains, warm but fleeting.
?As the group entered, Best Jeanist stepped toward the central tactical table. With a sharp, practiced flick of his wrist, he spread a holographic map across the surface. Red pins blinked into existence, marking hypothetical hotspots.
?He exhaled, his voice steady but grave.
?"All For One’s gone, but the world’s still noisy. Villains are crawling out of the shadows again, feeding off the chaos of rebuilding society."
?He tapped one of the pins on the map with a gloved fingertip. "Trigger smuggling, Quirk experiments, underground drug trades—they're getting slicker than ever."
?Mirko crossed her arms, giving a sharp grin. "So the foxes are playing king while the tiger’s away, huh?"
?Hawks raised an eyebrow. "Guess it takes a rabbit to keep the foxes in check."
?Mirko’s smile deepened. "Makes me miss the old days—chasing villains from city to city."
?"It's rougher than back then," Hawks warned.
?"Good," she shot back without hesitation. "That’s what makes the run worth it."
?Best Jeanist closed his folder and spoke, his voice steady. "All right. The target is the Onishi Syndicate—a violent organization responsible for spreading Trigger and escalating casualties in the Kanto region."
?His gaze turned toward the tactical display.
?"Shemage leads with spore deployment to induce respiratory distress and neutralize hostiles. Rocketti provides ranged support and mobility. Mirko and Battle Fist will take the front for direct engagement."
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?He paused, meeting their eyes with a serious expression.
?"However, precise coordination is required. We will conduct a joint training session before the operation begins."
?Hawks glanced toward Kendo, Komori, and Pony in turn. "You’ve worked with these three before, haven’t you?"
?Mirko lifted the corner of her mouth. "Yeah. The perfect team to start running again."
?Kendo smiled, bowing her head slightly. "It’s an honor to join the Rabbit Hero’s comeback mission!"
?Pony pumped her fist. "Hell yeah! We’re the first hitters up to bat!"
?All eyes turned toward her. Her eyes went wide before she broke into a huge, innocent grin. "Let’s wreck ’em! Smash their asses!!"
?Kendo pressed a hand to her forehead, groaning. "Monoma’s been teaching her bad words again…"
?Komori fiddled with the rim of her mushroom hat before speaking carefully. "Shroom… Mirko, do you remember the time we infiltrated that idol event together?"
?Mirko arched an eyebrow, then burst into laughter. "Of course I do! We took down the whole ‘Realist’ gang back then."
?'The Realist'—a villain who used his Quirk to force idols into spilling their darkest secrets before the crowd. Event hall had erupted into chaos, cheers turning into screams. But after a covert infiltration by disguised heroes, he was captured in minutes.
?Mirko had led the team that day—Kendo, Pony, and Komori at her side.
?"Told you not to tug my tail, remember?" Mirko said, shooting Kendo a sideways grin.
?Kendo just shrugged. "And I warned you I’d be hanging on for dear life."
?Mirko laughed. "You haven’t changed at all." She turned to the group, eyes sparkling with nostalgia. "Remember that show? First time I’d worn my old 'Tiger Bunny' suit in years. You and I went head-to-head in that ‘martial-arts idol’ bit!"
?Kendo planted her hands on her hips, proud and loud. "I showed everyone idols can do more than just sing and dance!"
?Pony threw her hands up, laughing. "I was the foreign idol! Cute and strong!"
?Komori adjusted her mushroom hat and raised a timid fist. "I was the mushroom idol! Shroom!"
?The room burst into laughter. Even Best Jeanist couldn’t hide a faint smile behind his collar.
?Komori hesitated, then clasped her hands tightly. The laughter faded as she spoke softly. "I’ve always dreamed of being an idol hero," she said. "That day was the first time I ever had fans who called me their favorite. I could actually feel my heart pounding."
?Her voice trembled slightly. "But my special move… it spreads splitgill shroom spores into an opponent’s lungs to stop their breathing. It’s… scary."
?She lowered her gaze. "Right before I used it on the Realist, I was terrified—that my fans wouldn’t think I was cute anymore. That they’d just see a monster. Shroom…"
?She looked up slowly, meeting Mirko’s crimson eyes. "But then… I saw you, Mirko."
?Stage lights flashed overhead as Mirko sprinted across the floor. "You’re not getting away from me!"
?Realist glanced back with a grimace. "Such a vicious face—"
?Mirko bared her teeth, shouting, "Yeah, and what about it?!"
?In that instant, Komori’s eyes lit up.
?(Yeah… I’m a hero too. One who protects everyone.)
?Her sprayer burst open—spores erupting into a shimmering cloud.
?Back in the present, Komori smiled softly. "That day, I realized… being myself was enough."
?She nodded, her voice gaining quiet strength. "My fans said, ‘You’re cute and strong.’ That meant everything. That’s when I knew—I could be an idol hero. Shroom!"
?Mirko chuckled warmly. "Yeah, you really are cute." Her eyes narrowed, teasing. "No wonder Kuroiro’s head over heels for you."
?"S-Shroom…!"
?Komori’s face turned bright red in an instant, steam practically rising from her mushroom cap. Kendo burst into laughter, and Pony clapped her hands, bouncing with joy.
?"Vantablack is busted! Busted!"
?Hawks leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and grinning. "Huh. Guess I picked my partners well."
?Mirko smirked, standing tall. "With this lineup, we could crush anything in our way."
?Kendo clenched her fist, determination shining in her eyes. "Our teamwork’s already perfect."
?Pony threw a fist into the air. "Crush time! Let’s roll!"
?Komori smiled shyly and nodded, adjusting her hat one last time. "Shroom… I’ll do my best."
?Best Jeanist lifted his gaze, looking at each of them in turn. ?"Excellent. Let’s tighten up those loose threads. Training begins immediately."
?The air tightened at once. The laughter faded, replaced by cold focus.
?One by one, their eyes met, sharing the same resolve. The air itself felt solid—quiet, steady, unshakable.