Sivax (Vigilante Deku)

The Sound of Silence and the Click of Keys

The library was, as always, a haven of quiet chaos. Rows and rows of books stretched out before me, the sheer volume of knowledge almost overwhelming. I loved this place. Loved the way it smelled like old paper and ink, loved the silence that mirrored the blankness of my world.

But right now, I wasn't here for pleasure.

Okay, so here's the deal: 

I never planned to hack into something as big as UA or the police. I mean, I'm not exactly a criminal mastermind over here—just a guy with a laptop and some bad ideas. Small-time stuff? Sure. Hacking into someone's personal security camera to catch a villain sneaking out with a loaf of bread? Done it. Digging into some random database to figure out which idiot misplaced a weapon shipment? Easy.

But this?

We're talking about breaking into fortresses.

UA and the police are basically the tech equivalent of armored tanks, and here I am, armed with a slingshot and a dream.

I stared down at the book I'd pulled from the shelf: Foundations of Advanced Cryptography. First of all, whoever named this thing clearly wanted to scare off normal people. Second, why is this so heavy? Books shouldn't double as murder weapons.

Flipping it open, I skimmed the first page. 

Algorithms. 

Encryption. 

Some big, scary-looking equations.

Yeah, okay, totally easy. 

I'll just use the power of my double-jointed pinky fingers and magically crack the code.

Another book joined the stack. This one was about network security. I flipped through it, trying to piece together a plan without my brain imploding.

So, here's the thought process: If I don't do something soon, the merry band of idiots downstairs is going to get me arrested—or killed. They've decided I'm the perfect bait to dangle in front of the heroes, which is just... chef's kiss. Pure genius.

Thanks, Stanley. 

Truly, your brain is a national treasure.

But if I can hack into the police database or UA's systems, I might be able to turn the tables. Get ahead of them. Find out what the heroes know, what they're planning, and maybe even feed them some false info to keep my cover intact.... plus find out who will be there. I so hope not Kamui Wood... he wanted me dead last time.

Or, you know, accidentally trip every alarm in the city and have Eraserhead breathing down my neck by dinner. 

Fun options all around.

I grabbed a notebook from the desk and started jotting down ideas. First things first: fake identity. No way am I leaving a trail that leads back to me. I need something clean, something clever. Maybe I'll name myself "NotStanley." Seems fitting.x...or Sivax.

Then there's the tech. My laptop's decent as much as it can be for a stolen one, but for this kind of job? I need upgrades. Better software, better hardware. Maybe a shiny new router that doesn't look like it came from the Dark Ages.

Oh, and tea. 

Lots of tea. 

This is going to be an all-nighter, and I'm not dying from exhaustion just yet.

I paused, tapping my pen against the notebook. Hacking UA feels... wrong. They're the good guys, right? The ones protecting people, training the next generation of heroes. Breaking into their system feels like kicking a puppy.

Except that puppy also has a taser and a grudge, and if they find out I exist, I'm toast.

The police, though? 

That's less of a moral dilemma. They're already stretched thin, chasing villains and keeping the streets semi-safe. What's one more headache for them?

Flipping another page in the Scary Big Words book, I tried to focus. Cryptographic algorithms? Check. System vulnerabilities? Got it. Brute force attacks? Sounds like something Stanley would name a plan.

Am I ready for this? 

No. 

Am I doing it anyway? 

Absolutely.

I mean, worst-case scenario, I screw up and end up on some government watchlist. Best-case scenario, I pull it off, save my own butt, and maybe even outsmart the heroes for once.

Oh, and rub it in Stanley's face that I'm smarter than him. 

Can't forget that part.

With a sigh, I leaned back in the chair, staring at the mountain of books I'd piled around me.

Time to figure out if I'm a genius... or just really, really stupid.