Chapter 15: The Watchers and the Word
A week passed in a blur of academic lessons that felt both foreign and fascinating. Lee learned about Hero Law, Modern Heroic Art History, and English. His grades were not stellar, but he applied himself with the same ferocious dedication he brought to his physical training. The mornings, however, held a new, quiet peace.
The clinking of cutlery on ceramic was the only sound in the Lee household's small, sunlit kitchen. Lee's father, a man whose quiet nature had often been mistaken for detachment, now watched his son with a look of constant, mild astonishment. Lee's mother placed a plate of perfectly toasted bread and cheese in front of him, her movements gentle, as if she were handling a precious, unfamiliar treasure.
"So," his father began, folding his newspaper with deliberate care. "These… classmates of yours. What are they like?"
Lee chewed his food thoughtfully. "They are all incredible, Father," he said after swallowing. "Each one possesses a Quirk more dazzling than the last. There is a boy who can create explosions from his hands, another who can generate ice and fire, and a girl who can create any non-living object she understands the molecular structure of. It is… humbling to witness."
"It sounds terrifying," his mother murmured, pouring him a glass of juice. She still saw the world in terms of threat, her fear a constant, protective shadow. "Are they… nice to you?"
Lee paused, his gaze drifting to the window. "They are not unkind," he said slowly. "The classroom is full of energy. A girl named Ashido-san is very cheerful and has spoken to me. But… I have not yet found the right way to form true friendships. My path has been a solitary one for so long, I am… unpracticed in the art of camaraderie."
His father nodded, understanding. He knew his son's life had been the dojo, the weights, the singular focus on a dream everyone else had told him was impossible. "Just be yourself, Lee," he said, his advice simple and heartfelt. "And… try not to be too reckless. Your mother's heart can't take much more excitement." He gave his wife a soft, reassuring look.
Lee smiled, a warm, genuine expression. "I will do my best."
He finished his breakfast, grabbed his bag, and with a final piece of cheese toast in his mouth, he rushed out the door. He walked down the quiet suburban street, munching on his toast, his face tilted up towards the brilliant blue morning sky. A feeling of pure, simple contentment washed over him. He was a student at U.A. High. The world felt full of limitless potential.
He was so lost in his happy reverie that he did not notice the two figures watching him from the tiled roof of a nearby two-story house. They were crouched low, their forms blending with the shadows of the rooftop antennas. They were dressed in dark, functional clothing, their faces obscured by masks, but their aura was one of sharp, predatory intent.
"So that's him," the first figure, a wiry man with sharp, bird-like eyes, whispered. His voice was a dry rasp. "The heir to the art of Taijutsu. The inheritor of the Eight Gates."
"He looks frail," the second figure, a larger, more brutish man, grunted. "I could snap him like a twig."
"Appearance is deceiving, you fool," the first man hissed. "We've been watching him for weeks. We saw what he did in that fighting pit. He possesses a frightening power."
The brutish man shifted impatiently. "Then let us finish this now. Why wait? We can take him here, before he is surrounded by the heroes at that fortress of a school."
"No," the first man said, his voice firm. "We return and report to the leader. Our orders were to locate and observe."
"Why must we always consult him when the target is right in front of us?" the second man complained.
The wiry man turned, his sharp eyes glinting with annoyance. "Because you think the target is the boy. You are a tool, not a strategist. The Leader does not care about the boy, or even the woman, Sora Aokawa. Not truly. They are merely a key to the lock." He paused, letting his words sink in. "The true prize, the goal of all our efforts, is the scroll. The original manuscript detailing the method of opening all Eight Gates. That is what the Leader desires."
He looked back down at Lee, who was now turning the corner at the end of the street, oblivious. "We have taken a great step forward. We have found the master and her prized pupil. The Leader will be pleased. He will likely want us to capture the boy, to use him as leverage to blackmail the woman for the scroll. That is a delicate operation that requires his planning. So we will return and await his command."
The brutish man grumbled but fell silent. With a final, lingering look at the empty street where Lee had just been, the two figures melted back into the shadows. In a series of silent, fluid movements that defied gravity, they leaped from roof to roof, disappearing as if they were never there, true ninjas in a world of bombastic heroes.
By the time Lee reached the classroom, the familiar energy was already buzzing. He walked to his desk, offering polite, silent nods to those he passed. He still felt like an observer, a quiet moon orbiting a system of bright, burning stars. He sat down and watched his classmates. Bakugo was arguing with Iida again. Mina was in a circle with the other girls—the bubbly, round-faced Uraraka, the punk-rock looking Jiro with her earphone jacks, and the elegant, poised Yaoyorozu.
Mina happened to glance over and saw Lee sitting by himself, his gaze distant. A small frown touched her lips. She excused herself from the girls' conversation and bounced over to his desk.
"Hey, Lee-kun!" she chirped, leaning over his desk with a bright smile. "How's it going?"
"It is going well, Ashido-san. Thank you for asking," he replied formally.
She tilted her head. "You know, you're always so quiet. Do you have trouble talking to people? Or is it just a boy thing?" she asked, her tone genuinely curious rather than teasing.
Lee fell silent. He didn't have an answer. His gaze drifted across the classroom, at the small groups of friends that were already forming, at the easy laughter and conversation. He saw Todoroki, sitting alone like him, but his solitude seemed cool and intentional, whereas Lee's just felt… lonely. Mina followed his gaze, her smile softening with understanding.
She took a deep breath, and then, to Lee's absolute horror, she stood on a chair and shouted at the top of her lungs.
"HEY, EVERYONE! LISTEN UP!"
The entire class fell silent. Every single head turned to look at them. Lee felt his eyebrows twitch violently, a physical reaction to the sudden, overwhelming spike of social pressure. He wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
Mina grinned, completely unfazed by the attention. She pointed dramatically at Lee. "This is my friend, Rock Lee! He's super strong and really nice, but he's a little shy! So I want you all to stop ignoring him and make an effort to talk to him, you big idiots!"
A heavy, awkward silence descended upon the room. Lee wished for nothing more than to be back in the dojo, getting hit with a wooden sword. That was far less painful than this.
Finally, Tenya Iida stood up, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Ashido-san! While your sentiment is admirable, your methods are disruptive! Furthermore," he continued, chopping the air with his hand, "it has only been one week since the start of term. It is perfectly logical that social bonds are still in their formative stages. It is not strange that some of us are still, as you might put it, solitary!"
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ANY OF THIS!" Bakugo roared, slamming his feet onto his desk. "IF BROAD-BROWS SO MUCH AS LOOKS AT ME, I'LL BLAST HIM INTO NEXT WEEK!"
The silence returned, even more awkward than before.
Then, a cheerful voice cut through the tension. "Well, I think it's a great idea!" said the boy with the lightning bolt in his hair, Denki Kaminari. He winked. "It's a perfect chance to properly introduce ourselves and show off our charming personalities!"
"Yeah, yeah!" squeaked the very short boy with the purple, ball-like hair, Mineta. "The ladies should definitely go first!"
And so it began. One by one, the students stood and gave a brief introduction. It was a fascinating cross-section of personalities. The red-haired boy, Eijiro Kirishima, was boisterous and manly. The invisible girl, Toru Hagakure, was bubbly and cheerful. Todoroki simply stood and said his name before sitting down again. When it was Bakugo's turn, he just snarled, "Why the hell do I have to introduce myself to you worthless extras?!" and refused to say more.
Finally, it came to the back of the room. A nervous Izuku Midoriya stood and stammered out his name. Then, all eyes were on Lee. He stood up, his back perfectly straight.
"My name is Rock Lee," he said, his voice clear and steady. "It is my greatest ambition to prove that through extreme hard work, one can become a splendid hero, even without a dazzling Quirk. It is a pleasure to be in your class." He finished with a crisp, formal bow.
Just as he sat down, the classroom door slid open with a loud BANG.
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