Eventually, security forces arrived when the situation at the event became life-threatening. It turned out the Expo organizers had no idea about the real danger behind the battle match, and they issued a formal apology, promising compensation for all damages. The anonymous announcer was taken into custody and has yet to reveal anything, not even where Ihsasih is, or who he really is.
Rei was also arrested alongside the announcer, he had been involved in the entire scheme. The hospital later reported that the first victims who fought against Ihsasih had regained consciousness and were now in stable condition. Tekashi arrived shortly afterward, clearly worried after hearing that criminals had targeted participants at the Expo. Thankfully, Izuku and Kacchan hadn't been seriously injured. Kacchan had managed to heal Izuku's wounds in a way he couldn't even explain himself.
The NYPD interrogated them, but didn't get much useful information. The next day, the news reported that Izuku and Kacchan had been the main targets of the whole incident, though no one fully understood why. Even the police were puzzled, since nearly all the questions in the match had been about their personal lives or careers as heroes.
After the incident, Izuku and Kacchan took time to rest and recover, then prepared to resume their original mission. Tekashi invited them to a spa so they could go over the new plan in detail. Once they arrived, paid, and got ready, they stepped into the large hot spring bath where Tekashi was already waiting - alone.
"Why is there no one else here?" Izuku asked as he stepped into the bath.
"I rented out the entire place. We've got important things to discuss today," Tekashi said with a wide grin.
"THE WHOLE PLACE?" Izuku exclaimed.
"Well, he was a national-level hero. Of course he made bank," Kacchan shrugged.
Izuku mumbled to himself, "That's true, but... what if he didn't really....."
"STOP TALKING ABOUT MY FINANCES AND FOCUS!" Tekashi shouted, splashing water at them.
"Hey!" Kacchan snapped, glaring. "You do not splash me!" He retaliated, and soon they were locked in a ridiculous water fight, which Izuku watched while laughing. Eventually, they calmed down and Tekashi was finally able to explain the mission.
Tekashi and his secret assistant had tracked down a man named Benjiro, a 40-year-old Japanese office worker living in New York. Benjiro was quiet and barely spoke to his coworkers. One said, "He does his job but never talks." Another whispered, "Honestly… he creeps me out a little." A third added, "He vanishes the second lunch break starts, and after work? Gone."
Benjiro had a 9-year-old daughter named Aiko. No information could be found about her mother, despite Tekashi and his assistant's best efforts. Benjiro's home address was still unknown, which led Tekashi to devise a bold plan: infiltrate Aiko's school and befriend her to gain access to Benjiro's life.
"That's a solid plan, but how do we, as adults, blend into an elementary school?" Kacchan asked, crossing his arms.
"I've got that covered," Tekashi said, smirking.
Izuku sighed. "He's definitely… a hero."
"I'm going to temporarily turn us into kids. Then we'll enroll in the school for one week."
"YOU'RE TURNING US INTO KIDS?!" Izuku jumped up, eyes wide. Kacchan grabbed him by the ankle and yanked him back into the water.
"Chill, Izuku."
Tekashi's assistant had developed a special serum using Tekashi's time-based Quirk. It reverted the user to an elementary school age for exactly one week - perfect for the mission.
"Whoa! I didn't even know that was possible!" Izuku said excitedly.
They refined the plan a bit more, and then it was time to act.
The sun shone brightly in the New York sky as three small boys stood in front of a large, modern-looking school building. No one would have guessed they were really Izuku, Kacchan, and Takeshi, three pro heroes undercover.
"Remember, we're third graders now," Tekashi whispered. "Keep a low profile."
"Unless someone tries to mess with us," Kacchan muttered, eyes glinting despite his innocent childlike face.
Izuku nodded and pulled out a tiny version of his notebook. "We need to approach her carefully. No suspicious behavior."
Their target was Aiko, a quiet, intelligent girl who always seemed to know more than she let on. Her father's background was cloaked in mystery, and all signs pointed to a possible connection to Ihsasih, Izuku's and Tekashi's missing father.
The school lobby was bright and welcoming, decorated with colorful drawings, posters, and club announcements. Kids filled the halls, chatting and laughing. No one gave the new students a second glance.
Their teacher, Mrs. Harlan, greeted them warmly. "So, you're the exchange students from Japan? We're delighted to have you join our class!"
"Yes! I'm Toshi," Izuku introduced himself quickly.
"I'm Ren," Kacchan grumbled.
"And I'm Haru," Takeshi said politely.
Mrs. Harlan led them into the classroom. Heads turned to look at the new arrivals.
"These are our new classmates. Let's all make them feel welcome!"
The mission had officially begun.