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A/N: Hey, guys! Now, I know this is crazy, starting a new series when I've already complained that I am too busy with my other series, but I've recently discovered a RWBY reaction called Views into Zenless Zones by DragonKingDragneel25 on AO3, basically a RWBY version of this fic and it was SO good that it inspired me to make this! So, go check that out when you get the chance!
But since these are much shorter reactions than my other ones, they should be much more manageable than the others and I can pump them out quickly and more regularly to tide you all over while I work on the others. But, without any further delays, onto the story!
Class 1-A just finished classes for the day and were now heading back to their dorms. "Oh, man. Math was brutal today." Kaminari groaned.
"Tch. Second grade math is brutal for you, Dunce Face." Bakugo scoffed.
"He's not wrong. Today's stuff was pretty challenging. I saw even Yaoyorozu looked stumped once or twice." Asui defended.
"Definite Integrals are somewhat difficult, but these mathematics could serve us well in the future. Be it in hero work or our daily lives. The future is unpredictable and so we must gain all the skills we can to be ready for anything!" The Vice Class Representative declared.
"Still was probably less brutal than Aizawa's rescue training. My ears are still ringing after that room blew up right when we were about to walk into it!" Ashido complained.
"At least the whole building didn't collapse on us... again." Hagakure grumbled.
"Mr. Aizawa's methods are indeed a bit extreme, but they are preparing us for things that could very easily happen to us in the future! We should be thankful for every lesson he instills in us... No matter how painful it may be." Iida exclaimed, although his proud, determined tone faltered towards the end.
"Well, hey, guys. At least now we can go chill in our dorms and take it easy for a bit, as long as nothing else happens." Kirishima tried to liven his friends up a bit.
But, as if on cue, a strange disturbance appeared in the air about 30 feet ahead of them. At first, they thought it was one of Kurogiri's portals, as it was a swirling black mass. However, they soon became unsure of this thought. Rather than a swirling portal of black fog, this portal appeared to be a mass of dark purple bubbles mixing and spiraling around each other, with bright neon linings around them in various colors: light blue, dark blue, yellow, pink, purple, etc.
Regardless, the students were immediately put on edge at this. "AAAAAHHHHH! Kirishima, why did you have to say anything! You jinxed us and doomed us all!" Mineta cried out in panic.
"I didn't know!" Kirishima exclaimed, while taking up a defensive stance and hardening his arms.
"That's not the league, is it? Kurogiri's portals don't look like that!" Sato said uncertainly.
"Yeah. His look way scarier. This almost looks... pretty..." Ashido said, somewhat marveling at the distortion before them.
"Regardless, we don't know what it is, that means it's a threat! The teachers should be here any minute! We just have to be ready to defend ourselves against whatever this is until they get here!" Iida instructed, moving to the front of the group.
They waited for what felt like an eternity, unsure of exactly what they were waiting for or what might happen. But finally, with a flash of light, a figure emerged from the portal, which then disappeared after he came through.
It appeared to be a man with fair skin, about as tall as Iida, with a more slender frame, early twenties at most. He had short brown hair and yellow eyes on a triangular face and wore a pair of torn up black shorts with no shirt. However, this allowed them to see something more concerning than the man being shirtless: a number of black crystals with green, red or purple linings sticking out of his body, ranging from a quarter or half-inch, to one or two inches, to even five or six inches. His forearms and hands were jet black with clawed fingers and a few silver plates on the knuckles and his entire lower body was also jet black, his feet with clawed toes with silver plates on digitigrade feet, with a long and thin black tail trailing a few feet behind him.
He landed in a kneeling position, with an irregular octagonal black and silver box tucked under his arm, about as long as a loaf of bread.
The class were stunned at first, but soon jumped into action, the more combat-oriented students quickly surrounding the strange person. "You've got a lot of balls to try and attack UA, Rocky! We're gonna show you why that was a mistake!" Bakugo declared threateningly.
"You're surrounded. It'd be wise of you to surrender." Todoroki warned him.
The figure said nothing, merely staying in his position for a few moments... before suddenly falling to his side and rolling onto his back, having managed to move the box-like object out from under his arm, now resting on his chest, which rose and fell rapidly as the man's breathing was ragged. "He's hurt!" Uraraka said in concern. Some of the students looked worried for this man, but were unsure about approaching him to help.
But finally, it was Jiro who bolstered up the courage to approach, moving to the man's side and kneeling next to him. "H-hey, are you alright? Are you hurt?" She asked in concern, although there was a bit of apprehension in her voice.
The man looked to the side and noticed the impressive building that was UA High, before looking back to Jiro, taking the box in his hands on the top and bottom. "I need you... to take this. Quickly. It needs to get out of my hands." He urged, almost pleaded.
"Jiro, don't do it! You have no idea what that device could be!" Iida warned her, chopping away robotically.
The punk rock girl looked unsure once again, but decided if this would help the man somehow, she had to do it, taking it by the sides. Then, as soon as the man felt the weight secured in her hands, his own hands slid off the box and dropped, the man no longer moving, the class becoming even more shocked and concerned. "He's dead. I can't make out a heartbeat." Shoji said, having made extra ears on his arms to try and detect a heartbeat, but found nothing. Many of the students became rather somber at this. They may not have known the man's intentions, but the loss of life would always be sad.
But what Jiro hadn't noticed after she took the box was five small squares lighting up a light blue where her fingertips were placed on the box. [Fingerprint biometric data acquired.] A deep auto-synced male voice declared, causing the group to jump in surprise at this, Jiro almost dropping the box. Suddenly, a strange, small, mechanical arm emerged from the back of the device and opening up to deploy what looked like a tiny satellite. The device then produced a beam of light that created a grid-like projection on Jiro's face, each square of the grid on her face lighting up at random the same color as the fingerprint scanner. Eventually, each grid had lit up, seemingly satisfying the device, as the tiny satellite was withdrawn. [Facial and DNA biometric scans completed. Master DNA acquired. Designate callsign.] The voice requested.
"Master DNA? Callsign?" Ashido questioned.
"It means her name, Raccoon Eyes." Bakugo scoffed, still on edge, but unsure how to process this, like many others.
Jiro was confused and unsure at this, but decided to try Bakugo's suggestion. "Kyoka Jiro." She stated.
[Acknowledged. Designated master and operator: Kyoka Jiro.] The voice stated once again.
Before anything else could happen, the teachers arrived on-scene. "What happened here? Who is that man?" Aizawa asked as the faculty approached.
"This weird portal thing just opened up in front of us. But it wasn't like Kurogiri's, or those ones the League used to escape in Kamino. Then, this guy just jumped out with that box Jiro's holding. He asked her to take it, then died as soon as she took it from him." Kirishima answered.
"And you just took a mysterious box from a complete stranger who trespassed on UA grounds? How do you know it's not a bomb or something?" The insomniac teacher asked.
"He was dying, sir. It felt wrong not to accept his request." Jiro explained. "I kind of doubt it's a bomb, though. He wouldn't have asked for someone to take it if he was just gonna blow it up. It has fingerprint scanners on the side and some little satellite that scanned my face. Who would go to that much effort for something they're going to destroy?" She asked.
"It could be a trap to get you to lower your guard. Or made to explode when a certain person handles it. You don't know, so you shouldn't have touched him." Aizawa lectured.
"So, how exactly did he pass?" All Might asked.
"We're... not sure. He just dropped after he came out of the portal. But those crystals on him don't look natural. I don't think they're from a Quirk, so they probably weren't good for him." Midoriya answered.
"This doesn't feel like the League. They've never sent just one person before. And I doubt they'd send someone who's about to keel over. With All For One gone, they can't afford to lose any extra players." Present Mic said.
Principal Nezu pondered this for a moment, before looking up. "Well, this is certainly a mystery! One best handled by the heroes of UA's staff! Well done responding to the threat, students! We'll take it from here!" The mouse/dog/bear hybrid said.
"Aww, but we want to help, too!" Ashido complained.
"Right? Sounds like a crazy mystery, totally stuff real heroes would work on!" Kaminari added.
"Yeah, I kinda want to know what the deal was: what happened to this guy, why'd he come here and how come he had to give up the device so bad." Ojiro agreed.
"Like hell I'm walking away from this! We were the first on the scenes and I want to know what this extra was planning!" Bakugo snapped.
"You'll listen to the principal and return to your dorms." Aizawa told them.
"As you wish, sensei! Jiro, hand the box over to the teachers and let us all return to the dorms!" Iida declared.
Midnight then walked up to Jiro and took the box. "This is the best option, students. But like Principal Nezu said, good job handling it until we got here. And it was nice of you to do as the man asked to comfort him in his final moments, Jiro." The dominatrix teacher praised the students as Hound Dog collected the deceased trespasser.
"Y-yeah. Thanks, sensei." Jiro said, a bit flustered being praised by a hero.
And with that, the two groups went their separate ways, the teachers returning to the school to look into the mysterious trespasser and even more mysterious device, while the students returned to their dorms.
"So, what do you think, Recovery Girl?" All Might asked as he stood next to the school nurse as she observed the body of the trespasser.
"It looks like he suffered a heart attack brought on by organ failure. His vitals were eroded and shriveled, while his body tissue was severely damaged. It's almost like he was hit with lethal doses of radiation." The elderly woman explained sadly as she looked over the deceased.
"Maybe he had undergone some chemo treatments or worked at some kind of nuclear power plant?" The retired Number One asked.
"I doubt it. The damage wouldn't be as severe then. Something like that would've done small amounts of damage over a long period of time. This was large amounts of damage suffered over a short period of time. It's like he tried walking straight through Chernobyl." Recovery Girl said. "Have your contacts from the police been able to dig up anything on him?" She asked.
"Nothing. No criminal record, identification, address or even a birth certificate. They've even checked Interpol and other police databases. There's no information on him at all. Like he just didn't exist before he stepped out of that portal." All Might said as they looked back at the deceased.
"Have you been able to figure anything out about the device?" Aizawa asked Power Loader as he, Present Mic and Midnight stood in the Support Course laboratories, where Power Loader and Mei Hatsume were working on the box and sampling a bit of the crystal taken off the trespasser's body.
"Well, we haven't been able to take it apart and determine what's what. We've only been able to scan its internals with an x-ray. All I can say for certain is that it isn't a bomb, which is good. There's no traces of any harmful materials within it after the initial scan. The only thing we've been able to determine is that it runs on a strange energy source, different from anything we know of. The closest thing would be some kind of nuclear energy, but again, it's still pretty different from any kind of radiation we know of." Power Loader explained.
"That's where these crazy crystals come in!" Hatsume declared, popping up beside the teachers, one of the smaller crystals pinched between her thumb and index finger.
"Hatsume, I told you not to touch those with your bare skin!" The support gear teacher scolded her.
"So, what's the deal with the crystals? I'm guessing they're not the kind you make jewelry out of." Present Mic asked.
"Well, first we thought it was part of his Quirk, but the crystals didn't have any signatures on them. They aren't even organic. In fact, when we got a sample of his blood and introduced it to the crystal, the blood sample got corroded!" Hatsume told them.
"Probably one more reason you shouldn't be touching it." Midnight said in concern.
"So, then we took it under a microscope and found there were little neon lines running through it like LED lights! So we ran some tests and discovered it radiates some kind of energy! The same kind of energy signature as the baby!" The pink-haired girl said excitedly.
"Well, not the exact kind of energy. From what we can tell, the device's power supply seems consistent and stable, refined. Whereas these crystals radiate energy more erratically and in an unstable way, more raw and unpredictable." Power Loader explained.
"Almost sounds like nuclear energy: safe if refined, insanely dangerous if not." Aizawa noted.
"But if it IS like nuclear energy, we can refine and harness it! Who knows what kind of babies we could make with it?!" Hatsume exclaimed.
"Absolutely not! We don't even know how to go about refining it!" Power Loader scolded.
"Not to mention, the only two sources of this stuff are the box you couldn't even get into and the crystals on the kid, but those are pretty finite." Present Mic added.
"Just one more reason we should get rid of the box and those crystals." Aizawa said.
"Well, it's Nezu's call in the end." Midnight reminded him. She then got an alert on her phone and checked it. "Well, it looks like we'll get his call soon enough. All Might and Recovery Girl are ready to report their findings, so we should bring ours as well." The dominatrix teacher said.
The teachers all gathered in the teacher's lounge, giving their findings. "There were no records of him, Principal Nezu. No way to identify him whatsoever." All Might reported.
"As for his reason for passing, it appears to have been organ failure brought on by damage similar to radiation. I've also determined that he was Quirkless, so he wasn't the one who created the portal he came from." Recovery Girl said.
"And after examining the crystals, it looks like they give off some kind of energy similar to radiation. Plus, it would seem a more refined version of this energy is what powers the device." Power Loader explained.
"So, it's a box powered by potentially harmful radiation. And we're sure it's not a bomb, like some kind of nuke? I wouldn't be surprised at this point." Aizawa said, critically as ever.
"As I told you already, the energy is refined and mostly harmless and our scans didn't show any harmful materials inside, or anything that could cause a detonation. That and the small lense on the top leads me to believe it's a form of projection system." Power Loader argued.
"So, this kid ran through a weird portal in some radioactive wasteland to hand off a film projector? What, he wants us to make a drive-in or something? Sounds like an amateur prank show sketch." Present Mic said.
"The bottom line is, we don't know what the device does, where it came from, what its purpose is or why that trespasser put in so much effort to get it here and hand it off to one of our students. That makes it dangerous, so we should get rid of it." Aizawa insisted.
"Hold on, Aizawa. I understand your caution, but if it's a harmless projection device, I don't see any reason to be concerned. Moreover, that boy went through hell to get this device here, even giving his life to do so. I'm guessing he knew the risks, but took it anyway. For such risks, there had to be something on this device he felt needed to be handed to us, so it HAS to be important. We'd be fools to throw away something someone would risk their life over. And cruel to dismiss that boy's efforts." All Might reasoned.
Nezu listened to the arguments, before coming to a decision, opening his eyes and looking at the device that had been placed before him. "Well, there's only one way to find out, then!" He declared, pressing the power button on the front of the device.
"Sir!" Aizawa exclaimed incredulously.
However, rather than the projector at the top of the device coming to life, the satellite from the back deployed again, spinning while scanning the room with a blue light. But after two circular scans of the room, a buzzing sound was heard and the satellite retreated back into the device. [Master bio-signatures not detected. Access denied.] The auto-synced voice from inside the device declared.
"Does it mean the kid that brought here?" Present Mic asked.
[Negative. Lance Trailblazer was the handler of this device, but he was never designated as the master. In addition, bio-signatures determined Lance Trailblazer suffered fatal levels of Ether Corruption. Hollow signatures no longer detected. Ethereal transformation likely not complete. His bio-signatures also failed upon handing the device to the master. Roughly one hour has passed. Even with proper medical care, odds of survival were 0.0001%] The device declared again.
"Lance Trailblazer? Was that his name?" All Might wondered.
Probably a false name." Aizawa said.
"Ether corruption?" Recovery Girl questioned.
"Hollow signatures?" Midnight asked.
"Ethereal transformation?" Power Loader inquired as well.
"Oh, great. We're left with more questions than answers! The worst kind of drama!" Present Mic complained.
"It said his bio-signatures failed upon handing the device to its master. So, that would likely mean the one who had it when we found it..." Nezu theorized, all of the teachers soon realizing what that meant.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me..." Aizawa complained.
The members of class 1-A were all hanging around the common area, some reading or doing homework, some watching TV and others just generally socializing. But, more or less, they were all within earshot of each other. "You think the teachers have figured out anything with that guy or the box he brought yet?" Kaminari asked as he and the Bakusquad watched TV.
"I don't know, man. I wish we did, though. The mystery is killing me!" Kirishima complained.
"The teachers said they will handle it. We should leave it to them. It's none of our business from this point onwards." Iida told them as he was reading nearby.
"Well, it sure FEELS like our business! We found the guy first!" Ashido insisted.
"I'll admit, it doesn't really feel right for them to keep us in the dark after a big development like this." Uraraka admitted as she and Asui were talking nearby.
"Maybe, but we are still rookies, remember. Just because we have our Provisional Licenses doesn't mean we're ready for the big stuff yet. So we should let the professionals take care of it." Asui told her.
"I don't know, that device said Jiro was its master after she took it from the guy. So I think she should have some kind of say in it." Koda reasoned as he helped Sato hand out some
"And that is precisely why we are here, Mr. Koda." Nezu's voice rang out, causing the shy boy to jump as everyone turned to the doors to see Nezu, All Might, Present Mic, Aizawa, Midnight and Hatsume coming in, the Support student having her hands behind her back.
"Principal Nezu, sir! And our other teachers as well! Apologies, we didn't know you would be coming! We would've ensured the dorms were more presentable!" Iida said, frantically bowing and apologizing.
The teachers looked around after he said this. "What are you talking about? This place is spotless." Midnight assured him.
"Nicer than I keep my radio station." Present Mic agreed.
"We haven't properly dusted or vacuumed since this morning! I'm sure if you dragged your finger across a surface, you'd be disgusted!" Iida lamented.
All Might did so, dragging his finger along the table where a starry-eyed Midoriya sat, inspecting his finger. "Nope. Still spotless." He said.
"So, what may we humble students do for our esteemed teachers?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Well, we've looked into our deceased visitor and the mysterious device he brought with him, but were sadly unable to find very much at all. Only that there was no records of the man anywhere and that he was Quirkless, so those crystals on his body were not naturally occuring. In fact, we believe they may have contributed to his demise, as they appear to be some form of raw, unstable form of energy similar to nuclear radiation." Nezu explained.
The students were quickly concerned at this. "Radiation!? That's bad, right?! We're not gonna get cancer or anything from being too close to him, right?!" Mineta asked in a panic.
"No, we've determined that while their energy signature is unstable, it is also quite weak. It would likely require prolonged exposure at close proximity to cause harm." Midnight assured them, before looking at Nezu. "You really should've mentioned that as well, sir." She chided the principal, who laughed.
"And we found out the baby is a projector device that runs on a refined version of the energy the crystals make!" Hatsume declared.
"A projector? The extra died trying to give us a slide show?" Bakugo questioned.
"His reasons for doing so are still unknown to us. Principal Nezu attempted to activate the device, but we were denied access because the 'Master DNA' wasn't present. And we believe that means you, young Jiro." All Might told her.
"Me?" Jiro asked in shock.
"That's right. So, we need to you to come with us to activate the device. We'll take it from there." Aizawa said.
Jiro looked around at her classmates for a moment, before looking back at Aizawa. "Sorry, sir. But if you need me to activate it, you need my whole class. Leaving them out of the loop would not be rockin'." She told the narcoleptic teacher.
Aizawa narrowed his eyes a bit at this as Nezu laughed once again. "We thought you might say that! And so we brought the device with us!" The principal declared as Hatsume produced the device from behind her back.
The students all perked up at this, intrigued, amazed, confused or generally curious. "Sir, are you certain? You were all so insistent on handling it yourselves before! Are we mere students truly worthy to learn the secrets along with you?" Iida asked.
"Hey, you've all got your Provisional Licenses and official hero names, I'd say you're valid in my book! Besides, like we said, we can't even turn it on without Jiro." Present Mic assured them.
And, so the group set up the device on the coffee table in front of the TV, setting up additional chairs and seats around the sofa in front of the table, so everyone would be able to see the device. Jiro then pressed the power and, like before, the scanning device popped out of the back and did a double sweep of the room, before a dinging sound like someone guessed the right answer in a game show was heard. [Master DNA detected. Access granted. Additional DNA signatures detected. Grant authorization?] The auto-synced voice from before asked.
Jiro blinked in surprise, but shook her head. "Oh, uh, yeah. Grant access to everyone in this room." She confirmed.
[Acknowledged. All present DNA signatures registered and granted authorization. Be advised, Master DNA still required to access device.] The voice informed.
"Guess that rules out any plan to take it and run or send the kids to their dorms. Huh, Shota?" Present Mic teased the Erasure Hero, who sighed and ignored him.
Finally, the projector at the top of device came to life, creating a 70-inch holographic screen before the group, much to their astonishment. "No way! A holographic screen?! We only have those on I-Island! This baby is amazing!" Hatsume exclaimed.
"It's bigger than the TV we have here in the dorms!" Uraraka marveled, looking down at the TV in front of them, then back to the holo-screen.
The screen was grey and blank at first, before an icon suddenly appeared: a red eye with a snake-like pupil, narrowed at a diagonal angle to give it the appearance that it was glaring.[New Eridu Information Projector Online.] The auto-synced voice announced.
"Can I ask... Who is speaking right now?" Midoriya asked.
[Affirmative. I am a type III general AI equipped with sequential integration for the purpose of relaying information. Designation: Dragon. It is my purpose to report critical information to my master and those granted permission on the Hollow development and relay information on New Eridu for assist in establishing recommended contact.] The AI inside the voice, now dubbed Dragon, informed.
"Type III AI?!" Hatsume exclaimed, ecstatic.
"Why? What's so impressive about that? We have bunches of AI's. I could go on my phone and talk to an AI on Google." Kaminari said.
"That's only a Type I, Artificial Narrow Intelligence, the weakest one! This is a Type III, Artificial Super Intelligence, the strongest one! We aren't even capable of making that, yet! It's purely speculative! So this being a real thing is unbelievable! This is the greatest baby of all time!" The pink-haired girl geeked out.
"And that guy felt comfortable just GIVING us something like that? Seems too good to be true." Asui said unsurely.
[Unfortunately, there was very little time for indecision. The actions resulting in the arrival of this device was spurred on by urgency.] Dragon explained.
"Moving on from that, New Eridu? I've never heard of it." Yaoyorozu said, thinking of all the places she'd gone with her family, no name even close to that ringing a bell.
"This is the second time we've heard of this 'Hollow', the first time being in the teacher's lounge, the device stating the 'Hollow signature' was no longer detected. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd assume that was the portal from which this 'Lance Trailblazer' emerged with the device?" Nezu asked.
[That is correct, Principal Nezu.] The AI confirmed.
Everyone was put on edge at this. "You know the principal's name. How is that?" Aizawa questioned.
[Apologies, Shota Aizawa, AKA Eraser Head.The previous User, Lance Trailblazer, sent a drone through a previous Fissure, reaching UA, accessing it's Wi-Fi and downloading all available information to upload to this device.] Dragon answered.
"So, he had already previously breached UA's defenses and stole valuable information! Then he WAS a villain! I knew we never should've touched the device! It may be relaying information to the League of Villains as we speak!" Iida exclaimed.
[I assure you, Tenya Iida, AKA Ingenium, I am not. I am only authorized to give said information to my master, or those who she has given clearance. Files are also available for downloading from this underside of this device, but also only to those with clearance from my master. The main purpose of collecting information is to process similarities to make comparisons between Japan and New Eridu easier to understand.] The AI informed.
"That's... Good, I guess." Uraraka said, uncertainly.
"I guess that makes sense as to why UA was his target destination." Midoriya agreed.
"With that out of the way, perhaps we can go back to Young Yaoyorozu and Principal Nezu's questions. Where is this New Eridu and what are these Hollows?" All Might asked.
[The answer to this question may be both shocking and unbelievable, but I assure you, it is completely true. I may withhold information briefly to allow for a better understanding at a certain time, but I am incapable of lying. This information will also likely be highly unsettling, if not outright disturbing.] Dragon began, pausing briefly to allow the group to register and come to terms with what they've been told and brace themselves for what comes next.
"At this point, there's not much that can still surprise us. Lay it on us, box man!" Present Mic declared.
Dragon's eye-like icon spun in a circle for a second, almost as if the AI was rolling its eye, but continued. [There is a speculative theory throughout the scientific community known as 'multiverse theory', in which it is believed their are other universes parallel to our own, ranging from nearly identical to our own to almost unrecognizable. And very recently, multiverse theory was proven to be true. New Eridu is a city in another universe, located roughly near Shanghai, China [1]. And, unfortunately, it is the last metropolitan city left on the planet known as Earth after the inherent disasters known as Hollows appeared. Hollows are large, consuming masses containing chaotic space, Etheric matter and monsters known as Ethereals. Prolonged exposure to Hollows can convert other life-forms into Ethereals. This is general information available on all forms of information gathering sites across New Eridu.] The AI informed the group.
This proved Present Mic's completely wrong, as the group were shocked and horrified by this. "Only one city left... in the entire world..." Uraraka said in horror.
"Oh, my god! How can life even survive?!" Hagakure exclaimed in horror.
"Well, several cities within China have populations significantly over 10 million, while scientists believe that 50 people is the minimum requirement to repopulate the Earth while combating inbreeding if an extinction event were to occur, with 500 being required to reduce genetic drift. So survival likely isn't impossible. Still, this is devastation I wouldn't even have thought possible." Yaoyorozu offered, trying to lighten the situation, although even she didn't even seem convinced by her own words.
"But winding up in one of those things turns you into a monster?!" Mineta cried out in horror.
"Then I'd assume that was what happened to your Lance Trailblazer, correct?" Nezu asked.
[Correct Principal Nezu. Lance Trailblazer was corrupted by Ether, a substance in the air within Hollows, beginning to transform him into an Ethereal. However, he managed to escape the Hollow before the Ethereal transformation was complete. Ethereals cannot exist and will therefore die without the presence of Ether and thus, removal from the Hollows will halt the transformation. However, at that point, his Corruption was too severe, resulting in his death. His Ether Aptitude, a determining factor of how long one can safely stay in a Hollow was significant enough, but it would appear it was somehow tampered with, resulting in his demise.] Dragon explained.
"So, people can resist the Hollows? That's good, at least." Midoriya said, looking for whatever rays of hope could be found.
[That is also correct, Izuku Midoriya, AKA Deku. However, even those with the strongest Ether Aptitude can only remain within the Hollows for so long before they, too, will suffer Corruption. Although, if it may offer some peace of mind, people are capable of living outside of New Eridu. However, the regulations and countermeasures that keep the Hollows largely contained in New Eridu are not present in these locales and there is no official law enforcement, leaving settlements outside of New Eridu largely lawless and chaotic.] The AI added.
The group found SMALL amounts of comfort in this, although the trade-offs for life outside New Eridu hardly seemed worth it. "So, live in one city that's probably super packed, or live out in the wilderness that sounds like Mad Max. Tough choice." Shoji said in concern.
"But then, why wouldn't New Eridu step in to reign in the chaos of such lawless rabble rousers?" Iida questioned.
[Apart from the simple matter of limited jurisdiction, New Eridu is a large city with its own issues. Manpower is difficult to spare for locations deemed lower priority, if given any priority at all.] The device explained.
"So, I'm guessing that was a Hollow that the extra came through to wind up in UA." Bakugo questioned.
[Partially correct, Katsuki Bakugo, Hero Name: undecided. That is what is known as a Fissure: a tear in the chaotic space of a Hollow that leads to another location, whether that serves as an entrance or exit, or simply relocates whoever passes through it to a new location within the Hollow. As the name 'chaotic space' implies, reality within the Hollow regularly shifts and distorts over time, essentially creating a giant, constantly shifting maze, where it is easy to get lost and nearly impossible to find your way out without a proper guide or a data "carrot" to process previously collected data from within the Hollow space to allow for proper navigation.] Dragon informed.
"Distorting space and reality... Then I'm assuming that's how our worlds were connected?" Midnight asked.
[You would also be correct, Nemuri Kayama, AKA Midnight. It is believed the volatile, distorting nature of Hollows has created breaches in the walls of other dimensions, connecting them to New Eridu.] The AI confirmed.
"So, that must mean there is currently a Hollow in Japan keeping us linked to New Eridu?" Aizawa asked.
[Affirmative. You will be thankful to know it is quite small at the moment, roughly the size of a small storage unit, roughly ten feet by ten feet. However, based of Lance Trailblazer's findings, there are several... unscrupulous groups within your world that may tamper with the Hollow should they be able to locate it, which could result in it becoming unstable and expanding to a disastrous degree.] Dragon warned them.
"You mentioned there are ways of countering and containing a Hollow, correct? Then is it possible to completely get rid of a Hollow?" Iida asked.
[Correct, Tenya Iida. There are methods of suppressing and extinguishing a Hollow, particularly lesser 'Companion Hollows', which the one in your world would qualify as. The most tried and true method is to enter a Hollow and wipe out the Ethereals found within to reduce the amount of Etheric matter within the Hollow, causing it to shrink and eventually destabilize and disperse. However, you all lack the necessary Anti-Corruption equipment and supplies needed to survive inside a Hollow for a prolonged amount of time. Therefore, the best course of action would be to make it through the Hollow and make contact with New Eridu to set up proper relations and assist each other in dealing with Hollows.] The AI advised.
"But wouldn't that still be the same problem? If the Hollows constantly change, wouldn't we just get lost inside one and wind up as Ethereals? Wouldn't it make more sense to directly contact New Eridu?" Ojiro asked.
[Unfortunately, Mashirao Ojiro, AKA Tailman, the distortion of space within a Hollow makes communication within one unreliable. Thankfully, Lance Trailblazer was able to set up Hollow Data Observation points, which are capable of downloading data within a Hollow to make data "Carrots", which I am keyed into. He also has assistants that can collect the data and, as needed, will brave the Hollows to offer this data to you, allowing you to make your way through the Hollows and reach New Eridu, as well as providing you with Corruption-resistant equipment and Anti-Corruption medication. My scanners are also capable of determining your Ether Aptitude. All of you are at satisfactory levels of aptitude to allow for entry and exploration into a Hollows for a lengthy period of time... Except one Minoru Mineta, AKA Grape Juice. Your Ether Aptitude is almost non-existent. Among the lowest on record. Entering a Hollow for anything length of time would cause Corruption almost immediately.] Dragon explained.
"Oh, come on! You've gotta be kidding me! Why am I always the one who's almost guaranteed to die in bad situations like these?!" Mineta complained.
These complaints were ignored, however. "So, what's the first step, then?! I wanna go to New Eridu and see if they have any cool babies like you!" Hatsume said excitedly.
[The first step is my primary function: projecting viewings of New Eridu to familiarize yourselves with this new world and important people of note within New Eridu so you know with whom to establish relationships that can be relied upon. Even with only one city remaining, there are unscrupulous groups within New Eridu. Trust cannot be given to simply anyone.] The AI explained.
The group all took a few moments to process everything they've been told and come to a decision. "That all makes sense to me! With technology beyond our capabilities and phenomena beyond our understanding, the evidence of this alternate reality is too big to ignore. And it will be quite important for us to understand this new location before attempting to make connections with them, as well as making sure those with whom we'd be making connections are trustworthy! Especially if New Eridu does indeed have any group even remotely similar to the League of Villains." Nezu said, looking to Jiro. "Well, Miss Jiro! You are this device's master, so if you would be so kind as to have it start the viewing? That would be most appreciated!" The hybrid creature requested.
"Uh... Right." Jiro said, looking to Dragon's eye icon. "Okay, Dragon. You heard the principal, we're ready to start the viewings. So, what's up first?" She asked.
[First, allow me to briefly sum up how New Eridu works. There is a mayor in charge of the city, who handles the politics and administration of the city. Law enforcement is upheld by New Eridu Public Security, also referred to as N.E.P.S, or PubSec. The threat of Hollows is handled by the Hollow Investigative Association, or H.I.A, of which Lance Trailblazer was a member. They obtain special licenses similar to your Hero Licenses to become Hollow Investigators, working to contain Hollows and disaster-related matters, as well as researching ways to safely navigate the Hollows.] Dragon explained.
"Guess that explains how he would be able to get his hands on that Anti-Corruption equipment." Aizawa said.
"Fat lot of good it seemed to do him, though." Bakugo scoffed.
"Maybe he didn't have that equipment with him? I mean, the box didn't get Corrupted or whatever, so it's probably Corruption-resistant. But I guess nothing else he had was." Kirishima pointed out.
[For the more extreme cases, like major, immediate Hollow disasters, the Hollow Affairs & Neutralization Department, or H.A.N.D, is called in with their elite agents, to enter the Hollows and eliminate the largest and most dangerous Ethereals in the Hollow to rapidly decrease Ether activity and shrink the Hollow. There is also the New Eridu Defense Force, or N.E.D.F, who also aid as front line soldiers fighting back Hollows whenever their activity spikes. They are also required to fight against rebel factions within the city.] The AI continued to inform.
"Really? With all the problems of the Hollows, people are STILL finding reasons to kill EACH OTHER?!" Sato asked in disbelief.
"Some people just want power or to be the ones in charge themselves. Plus, we don't know how New Eridu is run. Clearly, not everyone is happy with how it's being handled." Shoji said.
[Indeed, Mezo Shoji, AKA Tentacole. Also, as one might expect, entering Hollows is illegal if you are not a licensed Hollow Investigator, due to how dangerous they are, as well as Hollows being used to gather energy, so Hollows are essentially property of New Eridu. Yet, for a number of reasons, people will still brave the Hollows to acquire ill-gotten gains from anything that had to be abandoned within the Hollows. These people are known as Hollow Raiders. And they often employ Proxies, individuals who are able to gather Hollow Data and calculate routes through and out of a Hollow, acting as guides for Hollow Raiders. This is also illegal.] The device elaborated.
"Even in other universes, it seems there's never a shortage of villains." Tokoyami said.
"Oh, there will be when we get there and teach 'em a thing or two!" Dark Shadow declared.
[I believe your world should learn to differentiate between mere petty criminals and actual ruthless villains. In our world, that would be the Exalists: a fanatic cult that worships Hollows and believes humanity can evolve alongside Hollows to eventually conquer and live within the Hollows to explore whatever is beyond them. And I'm certain if they discover your world or any others, they will most certainly take this as proof of their beliefs and double their efforts to achieve their goals, which often involve kidnapping civilians, taking them into Hollows and sacrificing them in archaic rituals that turn them into Ethereals, often more powerful than the standard variety. It is believed whenever Hollow disasters occur, it is a possibility the Exaltists performed these rituals, creating Ethereals and increasing Ether activity in the Hollows, causing them to expand. Some theorize this may be the reason behind the Hollow Zero Disaster that caused the fall of the old Capital.] Dragon lectured them.
The group were truly shocked at this. "Again, seriously!? People can actually look at these things swallowing up their city and turning people into monsters... And they think to worship them!?" Mineta asked in horror and disbelief.
"That's like... next level crazy." Sero said in shock.
"Many people react to things they don't understand in very strange ways. When medicine and science were first discovered- something commonplace in our day and age- they were viewed as evil witchcraft." Yaoyorozu noted, although she was clearly disturbed by this as well.
"Still, turning people into monsters to cause devastation to innocents... It's almost the same as All For One creating the Nomu!" All Might growled, clenching his fists in anger.
[Based on data I've recovered, speculation would suggest they were even behind Lance Trailblazer's demise. He recently discovered his own mother was a member of the Exaltists. So, assuming she discovered what he was attempting here, it's possible she had swapped his Anti-Corruption medication with a drug that would actually increase Ether production within his body once he entered a Hollow, reducing his Ether Aptitude and causing him to Corrupt far more rapidly than he otherwise would have. Which, again, could mean they are aware of worlds like yours beyond the Hollows and may attempt to reach your world and continue their work here, creating chaos and spreading the devastation Hollows bring to your world.] The AI warned.
Many, especially the students, were horrified at this. "Betrayed and killed... By his own mother? How could she?" Asui said in horror.
"Someone else made to suffer by the family that should've loved and supported them..." Todoroki said, feeling empathy for their deceased trespasser.
"If all that's true... Then we need to make sure Trailblazer's last acts weren't in vain. He gave his life to give us a chance. In his last moments... he was a hero." Midoriya said.
[And one final group I should mention are the Void Hunters. Originally, a group of seven of the most elite warriors in the Old Capitol. I suppose they would be the equivalent of your worlds Top 10 heroes. They all played major roles in defending the city from Hollows, as well as making massive leaps in technology or Hollow exploration. And three of them in particular pushed back The Dark Wall, a Hollow that surrounds New Eridu on all sides, a full thirty-seven kilometers. Thus, the rank of Void Hunter was made by their honor. Nowadays, to become Void Hunters, extremely talented individuals will earn the rank from the Mayor through extraordinary contributions in Hollow Suppression. You will see an example of this in due time.] Dragon finished.
"Pushing back a disaster like that such a great distance? Remarkable! We should all strive to be like these Void Hunters!" Iida exclaimed.
"And they weren't just heroes, but scientists and explorers, too?! That's so manly! We should figure out how to make contributions like that!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"I mean, we don't have massive disasters that need solutions like they did, but I'm on board!" Sero agreed.
"Truly exemplary models of heroes. I'm assuming we'll be following their exploits, then. I look forward to seeing what we can learn from such bastions of nobility." Yaoyorozu praised.
"Well, then! With that in mind, I believe we have returned to our original question: where do we start?" Nezu asked.
[You will be presented with the exploits of the Legendary Proxy known as Phaethon and the allies that support them.] Dragon answered.
The group quickly did a double-take at this. "What?! But you just informed us Proxy work was illegal! Which means their allies are likely Hollow Raiders! You mean for us to watch the exploits of villains?!" Iida demanded, chopping his arms.
Dragon's eye icon changed from diagonal to horizontal, as if the AI was giving a deadpanned expression. [Again, there is a difference between criminal activity and true acts of villainy. For a proper answer, Phaethon may engage in illegal Proxy activity, but they have a good reason behind it. Furthermore, they never offer their services to anyone aiming to actively cause harm. Finally- and most importantly- Their work is integral in thwarting an ongoing plot that threatens the safety of ALL of New Eridu and even the worlds beyond it, including yours. And the agents they call their allies are vital in assisting them, as Phaethon themselves are highly ineffective in combat at the current time. And, as you will see, many of these agents could very well be on par with some of your world's top heroes. Also, most of them are licensed to investigate the Hollows, or are members of law enforcement.] The AI explained.
"Still, if they're breaking the law to get the job done, at the end of the day, they're villains just like any other Hollow Raider, or even the Exaltists." Asui said.
Dragon's eye icon widened, as if the AI was shocked at hearing these words, before squinting rapidly like someone's eye was twitching. [Logic core malfunction. Shutting down.] The device declared, the holo-screen turning dimming as the beam of light weakened and withdrew within the box.
The group looked on in surprise at this. "Wow, Tsu. I think the box thought what you said was so dumb, it short-circuited. I thought I'd be the person that did that!" Kaminari exclaimed, causing the frog girl to look shocked and offended. Whether it was more from Kaminari or the device itself, no one knew.
"Probably for the best, then. These kids are already problem children as it is. I don't need them getting ideas from seeing vigilante actions." Aizawa said.
"Now, now, Eraser. I understand your feelings, but we cannot readily dismiss the chance to learn more about New Eridu, Hollows and these Exaltists just because we don't agree with the actions these individuals take." Nezu told him, before smirking a bit. "Besides, we both know you are rather familiar with vigilante activity yourself." The principal told him, causing the unkempt teacher to growl and look away.
Jiro looked at the teachers for a moment, mostly Nezu, who gave her a nod. And with that, she hit the power button again, bringing the Holo-screen back online. "Uh... Sorry about that, Dragon. Can we just start the first viewing now?" She asked.
[Acknowledged. We shall begin with the first faction Phaethon worked alongside: the Cunning Hares. Preparing playback 001.] Dragon announced, his eye icon becoming a buffering icon as the video loaded.
A/N: So, in terms of the timeline, we'll say this is after Bakugo and Todoroki's remedial course to get their Provisional Licenses, so all of Class 1-A now has them, they've seen All For One and are aware there's bigger threats out in the world they aren't prepared for and that the adults have kept certain things hidden from them.
Originally, I was thinking Uraraka would be Dragon's master, but after I thought of the whole fingerprint scanner thing, it occured to me that Uraraka doesn't have fingerprints because of her Quirk giving her cat toe beans. Plus, if she touched it with all five fingers on both hands, that'd just make the box float away.
And yes, for anyone wondering, our mysterious intruder, Lance Trailblazer, is a reference to Honkai: Star Rail and how the main character is called "Trailblazer".
Also, I'm sorry if I completely mucked up the way Ether works and affects people's bodies. But to be fair, ZZZ itself is never 100% clear on HOW Ether affects people, only that it does, the way largely depending on a person's Ether aptitude. But even then, it's pretty inconsistent.
One final note: to help you out a bit with the immersion, picture that Dragon sounds like Blade Wolf from Metal Gear Rising Revengeance.
[1] Hoyoverse is based in Shanghai and there's plenty of examples of what looks like Chinese characters throughout ZZZ, so that's where I came up with that answer.