Chapter 8 (Team-Up Missions)

Class A vs. Monoma (くん) is the eighth chapter for My Hero Academia: Team-Up Missions, written and illustrated by Yoco Akiyama.

Summary
At Class 1-B’s dorms in Heights Alliance, Neito Monoma gleefully states to himself that his work is finished. Tetsutetsu asks what he’s working on, as he reveals a presentation to finally defeat Class 1-A. Using the advice to back up his arguments, he states his intentions to compare and contrast the classes to show why they’re better, only to be neck chopped by Itsuka, telling him no.

In Class 1-A’s dorm, most of the class is using their free time to hang out amongst themselves, only for Neito to come barging in, to all their displeasure. He pulls out a whiteboard prepared to give his presentation, while Tenya wonders why it is he constantly provokes them. He recalls All Might’s advice about him meeting their class halfway, thinking if he has some hidden agenda and reluctantly decides to hear him out.

As Neito’s placing his reports on the board, Tenya notices what appears to be a hidden message where the first words of each line spell out “Scared of Class B”. Neito then says to read out another passage, in which Tenya shockingly realizes the first letter of every line spells out “HELP ME”, causing him to believe that everything Neito has been doing has been a cry for help to save him from Class B.

Tenya breaks down on his knees, crying that he had it so wrong, making Neito believe he agreed with his statement, and proceeds to gloat to the rest of Class A that their Class President agrees Class B is superior. Tenya goes over to explain his “discovery” to the rest of his class, Neito believing they're wallowing in their defeat, and Class A resolving to aid Neito and draw out the truth.

Izuku approaches Neito asking how he’s been and that they’re there to talk, but he turns him down, finding his kindness suspicious. Eijiro goes next, telling Neito to slug him as hard as he can, as he believes that men talk with their fists, so a good punch will let him know how he truly feels. Neito agrees, even while thinking Class A is scheming something, winding up a punch and hitting him, only for Eijiro to instinctively activate his Hardening Quirk, hurting his hand and screaming out, which Izuku and Tenya hear as “Class B is… agony!”

Neito takes off his jacket and proceeds to go all out punching Eijiro, when Izuku and Tenya notice a bruise on Neito’s nape (from Itsuka’s "Kendo Chop") as evidence of the abuse. Eijiro pushes Neito to give it all he’s got, which he’s happy to oblige, with Eijiro continously cheering on each of his blows. Izuku and Tenya see Neito’s moves resembling that of “kendo strikes”, which they believe is his way of communicating to them “Itsuka Kendo” is to blame.

After finishing pummeling Eijiro, Neito confusingly turns to the rest of Class A, figuring that something is fishy but unable to determine what their scheme is. The three eerily faced boys state there’s no scheme, causing Neito to grow weary. He attempts to leave but the class stops and sits him down. Momo treats him to tea, Rikido to some snacks, and Koji gives him rabbits to play with, all as Neito descends further into madness, wondering what Class A’s endgame is.

In the end, Neito reaches a sense of enlightenment, with the class no longer detecting any ill will intention left within him. They’re then surprised by Itsuka’s appearance, arriving to take Neito off their hands, causing him to immediately revert back to his usual self and run over to her. Izuku then asks her about the “abuse in Class B”, which she, and especially Neito, ferviously deny, causing the boys to break down and apologize to Itsuka (and not Neito) for the grave misunderstanding. Itsuka pinches Neito’s ear and takes him back to their dorms, as the boys breathe a sigh of relief that everything is back to normal… only to remember Neito’s “normal” and once again dread.

Trivia

 * This and Chapter 7 were released together in the November 2020 issue of Saikyō Jump.