MY HERO ACADEMIA:NEXT GENERATION

Chapter 21: Cracks in the Foundation

The tension that had been simmering between Kenji and Kai finally began to spill over into the rest of Class 1-A. By the time the next day rolled around, everyone could feel the icy distance between them. Normally, Kenji would’ve ignored the growing divide—it wasn’t like he hadn’t dealt with conflict before—but this felt different. It was affecting more than just him and Kai, and Kenji hated that.

The school day felt like a blur. He went through the motions, barely paying attention to the lessons or training. His mind was still clouded by thoughts of the strange presence that had haunted him the night before. The dreams of the green-haired man and the blonde one were becoming more frequent and vivid, yet still frustratingly out of reach.

Who were they?

Kenji had asked himself that question a thousand times since the dreams began. They couldn’t just be random—he could feel a connection. But why now? Why, after all these years, did these faces start appearing? He had never questioned his adoption before; Shoto had been a great father, filling every role with unwavering support and care. But now, something gnawed at the edges of his mind, a crack forming in the foundation of the life he thought he understood.

His train of thought was interrupted by the sharp clang of metal. Class had moved to the training grounds for a session on hand-to-hand combat, and shiro was sparring with Ren nearby. The clash of their quirks echoed through the open space as Shiro's electric attacks met Ren’s high-speed strikes.

Kenji caught sight of Kai across the room, arms folded, quietly watching the sparring match. His fiery red hair stood out like a flame in the sea of students, but his expression was unreadable. It bothered Kenji more than he’d admit.

As the match ended, Mr. Aizawa called for a rotation, signaling that Kenji and Kai would be paired up next. Great, Kenji thought, already dreading the encounter. They hadn’t spoken since their argument in the gym, and now they were about to face off in front of everyone.

Kai stepped forward, his face as calm as ever. His usual cocky smirk was nowhere to be found, replaced by a cool, unreadable gaze that made Kenji uneasy. As they squared off, the weight of their unresolved tension hung heavy in the air.

“Don’t hold back,” Kai said quietly, his voice lacking the playful edge it usually carried.

Kenji’s eyes narrowed, a challenge brewing beneath the surface. “I wasn’t planning to.”

With that, the sparring began.

Kai moved first, his speed impressive but not unexpected. Kenji had seen it a hundred times before—the fluidity of Kai’s movements, the precision in his strikes. But something was different today. There was no banter, no teasing. Just silence. Kai’s attacks came fast and deliberate, but Kenji was ready. He dodged, countering with a hard kick that Kai blocked with ease.

The rest of the class watched intently. Sparring matches between Kenji and Kai were always intense, but today’s felt different. There was an edge to their movements, a rawness that hadn’t been there before.

Kenji felt his pulse quicken as he blocked another strike, his muscles tensing as the fight progressed. Kai was good—he always had been—but Kenji could match him. They were equals, in skill if not in personality.

But as the fight wore on, Kenji’s frustration began to boil over. Every hit, every dodge, every clash of fists only served to remind him of the unresolved tension between them. It was like they were speaking through their movements, each strike a word left unspoken.

Kenji threw a hard punch, aiming for Kai’s shoulder. But Kai moved just in time, countering with a sharp elbow to Kenji’s ribs. Pain shot through him, but Kenji gritted his teeth and kept going. He wasn’t going to let Kai get the better of him.

“You’re holding back,” Kai muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Kenji to hear as they broke apart for a brief second.

“I’m not,” Kenji snapped, charging forward with renewed intensity.

Their movements became faster, more aggressive. The air around them buzzed with energy as they exchanged blows, both of them pushing harder, faster. The rest of the class had gone quiet, watching the two with a mixture of awe and concern.

Suddenly, as if driven by a burst of frustration, Kenji released a small explosion from his hand, sending a shockwave through the air. Kai barely dodged it, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Are you trying to kill me?” Kai growled, his voice sharp.

“You said not to hold back,” Kenji retorted, his tone cold.

Mr. Aizawa’s voice cut through the tension. “Enough.”

Kenji and Kai froze, their breathing heavy, fists still clenched. They were both on edge, clearly ready to keep going despite the warning.

“That’s enough,” Mr. Aizawa repeated, his voice firm as he stepped between them. “You’re not here to injure each other. Take a break.”

Kenji’s heart was still pounding as he stepped back, trying to catch his breath. Kai gave him one last glance before turning away, heading toward the edge of the training ground without another word.

The fight hadn’t solved anything. If anything, it had only made things worse.

Later that night, Kenji found himself once again lying awake in his dorm. His body ached from the fight, but his mind was racing, too full of thoughts to rest. The strange presence still clung to him, a shadow in the back of his mind that refused to leave.

The dreams returned again, more vivid than ever. This time, he saw more—he saw the green-haired man and the blonde one standing together, looking down at him with eyes that seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words. But there was more to it now. He saw glimpses of battles, of flames and destruction, of a city in chaos.

And in the midst of it all, Kenji saw Shoto. His adoptive father stood in the center of the chaos, his face grim but determined. He wasn’t the one causing the destruction, but he was fighting against it.

Kenji woke with a start, his heart racing. The dreams were getting more intense, more detailed. And the questions in his mind were growing louder.

Who were the men in his dreams? Why did they feel so familiar? And why was Shoto always there, watching, but never speaking? What did this mean?

Kenji stared at the ceiling, his thoughts churning. He couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was connected—his dreams, the strange presence following him, and the truth about his past. But what was the connection? And how much longer could he keep it all to himself?

One thing was clear: the answers were closer than ever, and soon, he would have to face them.

But what scared him most was what those answers might mean—for him, for Shoto, and for the people he was slowly starting to care about.