Jason sat in the empty training hall after hours, sweat clinging to his shirt, the scent of burned air thick around him.
His last transformation hadn't just shifted his body—it had dissolved it.
Literally.
He replayed the memory over and over in his mind: the moment when, during a sparring match with Kirishima, his instincts screamed, and his body melted away from a blow that should've cracked bone. He hadn't moved. He'd dispersed.
Like smoke.
Earlier That Day – Training Grounds
"Hey! Jason, what was that?" Kaminari asked, jogging over with wide eyes. "You just vanished. Like—poof!"
"Reflex," Jason muttered.
"Dude, no. That was more than reflex," Kirishima said, still flexing his bruised arm. "You dodged without being there. That wasn't just shapeshifting."
Jason walked away without answering.
Because he didn't know the answer either.
Dorm Rooftop – Sunset
Momo sat beside him, wrapped in a blanket.
"You're shaken," she said softly.
Jason didn't deny it.
"My body's… not stable," he admitted. "It's learning forms I don't consciously trigger. I didn't even know gas was an option."
"You turned into gas?"
Jason nodded. "For half a second. No bones, no skin, no organs. Just vapor. I reformed before I could think."
"That's…" She hesitated. "That's terrifying."
Jason gave a dry smile. "Welcome to my world."
She turned to him, serious now. "You need to master it. Before it masters you."
That Night – Secret Training Room
Jason stood shirtless under the moonlight leaking through the glass dome above the hidden gym.
He closed his eyes. Slowed his breathing.
Visualized smoke. Heat. Pressure.
And then—
His body shimmered.
Bones collapsed into mist. Flesh unraveled into gray vapor. Heat pulsed off him like an exhaust trail.
He floated—weightless, formless, silent.
And he felt everything. Air currents. Temperature shifts. Movement.
The room around him became clearer, as if every molecule carried its own message.
But control was hard. Rebuilding form took effort.
He forced himself to solidify.
Collapsed to one knee, gasping.
But he did it.
Quirk Log Entry: Shifting Phantom – Evolution Update
New Subform Unlocked: Gaseous State
Attributes: Complete dissociation of physical structure into mist-like form.
Duration: Limited to ~3 seconds in current state before forced reformation.
Advantages: Near-total evasion, enhanced awareness of surroundings.
Weaknesses: Vulnerable to extreme wind, fire, and vacuum environments. Difficult to maintain.
Notes: Activation is subconscious when under stress. Training required for stability