The morning sun slipped through the curtains. Reiji blinked, stirred, and sat up fast.
It wasn't a dream.
He still felt it—some pulse beneath his skin. A pressure that hadn't been there before. Of something standing behind him.
He got up, showered, dressed, and headed to the kitchen.
Rika looked up from her mug of tea. "Someone's in an unusually good mood."
Reiji sat down, grabbing toast. "Today I'm testing my Quirk. I want to see how strong it really is."
"After we visit the doctor," Rika said with a smile. "First, we get it registered and checked."
A little later, they headed out together—Daigo driving, Rika in the passenger seat, Reiji in the backseat, bouncing his foot with anticipation.
By mid-morning, they pulled into the Quirk Assessment Center.
The office was bright and clinical. A plain room. Clean white walls. One desk. One doctor.
"Can you activate your Quirk, Reiji?" the doctor asked, clipboard in hand.
Reiji nodded. He inhaled. Focused. His hand tightened—and with a whisper, he said, "Harder."
A pulse went through him. The Stand shimmered into form behind him—only he could see it.
"I think… I'm the only one who can see him," Reiji said quietly.
The doctor blinked. "Interesting. What kind of sensation do you feel when it activates?"
Reiji thought for a second, then said:
"It's like something's right behind me. Not a part of me—but it listens. The second I give the command, it moves. Like it's just waiting for me to decide."
Rika leaned forward. "What type of Quirk is this, doctor?"
The doctor frowned, scribbling notes. "Well… it's unusual. I've never seen anything quite like it. You said your Quirk was a speed-based Overclock, Mrs. Kogane, and your husband has a high-durability Quirk?"
"Ironbody," Daigo said, arms crossed.
The doctor nodded. "Then this seems to be a hybrid inheritance. Your son's Quirk mirrors both of yours—speed, control, power output… But it's not a physical mutation. It's externalized. Projected."
Rika looked puzzled. "You mean… like a separate entity?"
"Yes," the doctor said. "Though not visible to anyone else. That puts it in a rare category—likely perception-linked, with no visual signature. You'll need to give it a classification and name for registry."
Reiji paused.
Then said, "I'll call it… Stand. Because it stands with me."
"And the name of the entity itself?"
Reiji grinned. "Harder Better Faster Stronger."
The doctor blinked again, then wrote it down without comment.
In the car ride, Reiji buzzed with energy in the back seat, legs bouncing nonstop. Rika watched him in the mirror with a quiet smile. Daigo kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the door
By early afternoon, Reiji was in the garage, gloves strapped on, standing in front of the old sandbags. The scent of metal and sweat filled the air, same as always. But this time felt different.
His parents stood nearby—Daigo leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Rika sat on the bench, watching carefully.
Daigo folded his arms. "Alright, Reiji. What can you control?"
"I think I can activate all the buffs without exhausting myself… as long as I don't push too hard," he said.
"Start light," Rika said. "Let's see it."
Reiji nodded. He called it out.
"Harder."
His punch cracked the bag. Chain creaked.
"Better."
His body locked in tighter.
"Faster."
Footwork snapped sharp.
"Stronger."
Boom. The whole frame shook.
He kept punching—one minute, two minutes—cycling the commands. Still steady. No sweat yet.
Then Rika said, "Now slowly raise the output. Let's test your max."
Reiji nodded again. His next hit was sharper. Stronger. The rhythm in his bones sped up. After thirty seconds of higher output—
CRACK.
The bag tore open. Sand poured.
He stumbled back, panting. Knees dipped slightly.
"Juice," Rika said, handing him a bottle.
He sat down on the bench, breathing hard. "I could still go a little higher. But if I keep pushing… I'll blackout."
"That's good to know," Rika said, crouching beside him. "We don't want injuries. Just understanding."
Daigo nodded. "Your Quirk's incredibly powerful. Its drawback is stamina. That's your limiter. But with the right training…"
Reiji nodded slowly. "Yeah. Now we know how to improve it."
Dinner came soon after. Curry and rice. The table was warm, soft light through the windows.
Reiji sat tired but smiling. Still buzzing inside.
"That's a serious Quirk," Daigo said between bites. "No visual signature. No wasted motion. You keep your distance and let it do the work. Very tactical."
Rika added, "And powerful. I think it's a blessing it's stamina-based. That means it can grow with you."
Reiji didn't say much. Just kept eating.
But inside, something had opened.
The weight that had been there—those years of waiting—was gone.
He had a Quirk. A real one. Strong. Personal. Built for him.
And tomorrow, he'd push it even harder.
[TL:-What did you think about the chapter?]