“My Hero Academia: Temporal Gamer”

Calvas stood in the restroom, staring at his reflection for a long moment. The system quest flashed in the back of his mind: Escape. It was clear now—he couldn't stay here. 

He splashed water on his face, trying to clear his head. Think, you don't have much time.

Glancing back at the door. The staff had been moving in and out of rooms, their voices faintly echoing down the hallway. But his mind kept coming back to the guards—the ones he'd noticed when they'd brought him in.

He remembered them standing at the entrance. There was no way he'd make it through those doors without being stopped. If he tried to walk out the front, they'd immediately know something was up, especially after the questioning he'd just gone through. There was no chance of slipping past them unnoticed.

He cracked the restroom door open, peering out cautiously. A few staff members were further down the hall, engaged in conversation. 

He needed a way out—fast. His eyes darted around the small restroom, taking in every detail. The mop, the bucket, and a cart of cleaning supplies caught his attention, an idea slowly forming.

'This might work,' he thought, eyeing the cart. A distraction. Something that would grab attention and give him enough time to slip out unnoticed.

He crouched beside the cart, hands gripping the handles as he carefully wheeled it toward the restroom door. The hallway outside was empty for now, but that wouldn't last long.

Calvas pushed the cart out into the hallway, glancing around to make sure no one had spotted him yet. He positioned the cart just right, making sure it was aimed down the corridor.

'Here goes nothing.'

With a deep breath, Calvas kicked the cart as hard as he could, sending it flying down the hallway. It clattered loudly, the mop and bucket spilling out as it barreled toward the end of the hall. The crash echoed through the hallway, water spilling everywhere, causing an immediate stir.

Voices erupted from down the corridor, confused and concerned. Perfect. He pressed himself against the wall, his breathing steady. 'Wait for it…'

He heard footsteps and muttered voices as people started to gather around the mess. Calvas kept low, hiding behind a desk, watching as more staff rushed in to investigate. Most of them were clustered around the overturned cart, trying to figure out what happened.

Now. Calvas moved, slipping through the gap between desks, keeping his body low as he edged closer to the exit. The guards were distracted, and for a moment, it seemed like he might actually make it out unnoticed.

He was so close now, just a few feet away from the exit. The cool night air was practically calling to him.

But then, a sharp yell pierced through the noise, someone calling out. He froze, his blood running cold. He didn't need to understand the language to know what was happening—he'd been spotted.

He turned his head, his eyes locking onto the figure at the end of the hallway. It was the hero from before, the one who'd found him in the park. Swiftstep. Calvas swallowed hard as the hero shouted again in Japanese, but the words were lost on him.

'Oh no….'. He abandoned all attempts at stealth, bolting toward the door.

Swiftstep reacted instantly, his form blurring as he activated his quirk. He moved fast, too fast.

He's using his quirk— Calvas realized, and without hesitation, he reached into his hoodie, yanking out the bottles of floor cleaner. With one smooth motion, he poured it onto the floor behind him. The liquid splashed out, coating the ground in a slippery mess, just as Swiftstep came hurtling forward.

The hero's foot hit the slick surface, and his momentum turned against him. His speed was his downfall. He skidded uncontrollably, his arms flailing as he tried to regain balance. Swiftstep crashed hard into the wall, his quirk completely useless against the slick floor.

"くそ!" Swiftstep cursed in frustration, scrambling to his feet as he tried to steady himself.

By then, Calvas had already darted through the door and into the night, the adrenaline surging through him. He couldn't help but grin, despite everything. 'That actually worked,'his breath coming fast as he ran.

****

Swiftstep pressed his phone to his ear, pacing just outside the building. He could still see staff milling around inside, clearly confused by the kid's sudden disappearance. The tension in his voice was clear as he spoke.

"Glide, it's me. You know how you asked me to stay here? Keep an eye on the kid, in case he remembered anything?"

Glide's voice came through, calm as always. "Yeah, I remember. What's going on? The kid finally remember something?"

Swiftstep winced, glancing around at the small search party that had already started moving. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh… no. The kid's gone."

A pause. Glide's tone shifted, the calm now undercut with concern. "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

"I mean, he bolted. We're searching for him right now."

Glide was silent for a moment. "How did that happen? You were supposed to be watching him."

"I was," Swiftstep shot back, a mix of frustration and guilt creeping into his voice. "Everyone was. But he somehow managed to slip past. There was a bit of a commotion—and before anyone realized it, the kid was gone."

Glide let out a long, slow breath on the other end. "You're telling me a kid with no memory managed to outsmart a whole team of people and get out without anyone seeing him?"

Swiftstep's frustration bubbled up again. "I know how it sounds, believe me, I do!.. I didn't expect him to make a run for it. We'v—"

Glide cut in smoothly, voice growing sharper. "Do we know which direction he's heading?"

Swiftstep paused, collecting himself. "Yeah, the security cameras caught him outside. Looks like he's heading west—at least, that's what we've gathered so far. The cams on the surrounding buildings got a few glimpses."

"You better find him," Glide replied, his voice now carrying an edge of quiet authority. "We can't afford to lose track of him. Not with everything we don't know."

"I know, I know. I'll keep looking." Swiftstep's frustration mounted as he glanced back toward the building, the faint hum of the search spreading further out. "You think he's dangerous?"

"I don't know," Glide said, a note of contemplation entering his tone.

Swiftstep nodded, though Glide couldn't see it. "I'll find him."

"Keep me posted. I'll join you soon."

Swiftstep hung up, scanning the area around the building. He could see a few people already fanning out, heading toward the nearby streets and alleys. 'Alright, west… that's where he went,' he thought, heading in that direction himself. 'This kid's gonna be trouble. I can feel it.'