Chapter 371

Together with Shoji (しょーじくんといっしょ.) is the three hundred and seventy-first chapter of Kohei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia.

Summary
Tentacole faces Spinner, demanding to know what his plan is regarding the safety of those in the Hospital. The rest of the army shout to Spinner for an answer, supporting that they'll follow his word, but his continuingly muddied mind just goes blank, saying he does not care, confusing the group. The Liberation soldier steps in, clarifying that he is saying that spilled blood is unavoidable, riling everyone back into fighting.

Tentacole tells Spinner the attack will only set their cause back 30 years, but he tells him to shut up, starting to transform his body. Alongside the Body Bulk Quirk All For One granted him, he was also given Scalemail, which will grant him the power, defense, and form of a true leader. Thinking back to when he talked about playing League of Legends with Tomura, Spinner covers his entire body in scales, charging and slicing at Tentacole in the air, while shouting at the army to press forward.

Anima calls out to Tentacole after he's tossed through a building, while the Liberation soldier continues to command the heteromorphs to strike back at their oppressors and that the blood spilled today will benefit their future, which angers Anima. He recalls back to sometime during their days at U.A., when Mezo showed them his arms, mouth, and scars. He says that his parents didn't have arms like his, and that he lived in a terrible town that came out in force for a "blood cleansing" anytime he would come into contact with someone else.

He continues that other heteromorphs like Fumikage and Koji born in the cities may think the prejudice is behind them, but there are so many still messed up places like that in the world. Mina voices her disgust, while Minoru apologizes for calling him an octopus, but he says it's natural to think that, especially given his hero name is "Tentacole". Despite that, he does admit that his scars and him being a heteromorph still give off a certain impression, which is why he wears his mask, so people don't think he's out for retribution.

Even though he has many painful memories, he recalls the time when he was able to use his Dupli-Arms to save a little girl from being washed away in a flood, and how he chooses to embrace the happy memory of the one time he was overjoyed to have his body. His classmates proceed to embrace him, jumping into his arms and declaring they'll make tons of happy memories with him. He continues that he knows it will take more than a generation to deal with over a century of prejudice, but that's why he'll continue the efforts to carry the torch, to become the world's coolest hero, and to pass on his good memory to the next generation.

Back in the present, Tentacole continues to fight Spinner, yelling that he has also suffered discrimination, and those people are in the wrong, but wonders if there is another way, though all Spinner can angrily shout is to tear it all down. He tells him to think about how he channels their rage, as their argument and battle catches the attention of the army. The Liberation soldier attempts to spur them on once again, claiming that Tentacole won't give any alternatives and they will not give in to his naivety, only to be surrounded by a flock of birds, commanded by Anima, who demands him not to laugh at his classmate, as he starts to go though a transformation. Tentacole transforms his body further, and in response to Spinner calling him gross, he replies it's who he is.

Chapter Notes

 * In response to Tentacole's question about the heteromorphs having a plan for the innocents in the hospital, the increasingly maddening Spinner claims he "does not care".
 * The Liberation soldier steps in to cover for Spinner, riling the army back up.
 * It is revealed that alongside his Body Bulk Quirk, granting him an incredibly tall and bulky body, Spinner also possesses Scalemail, giving him increased strength and defense.
 * He uses the latter Quirk to transform his body completely covered in scales, fighting Tentacole head-on.
 * More about Mezo's past is revealed.
 * He grew up in a town that would beat and abuse him everytime he interacted with others, due to his appearance.
 * Him using his Quirk to rescue a girl in a rushing river made him proud of his appearance, and desire to be a hero.
 * Anima defends Tentacole by fighting the Liberation soldier, as he appears to go through a transformation with his spike on his head growing bigger, while Tentacole transforms his body further to take on Spinner.

Author's Comment
"The Jump Manga Award account is amazing. So many resources. I wish I’d had it when I was a student."

- Kohei Horikoshi

Trivia

 * Spinner's Scalemail transformation armor shares visual similarities the 2014 redesign of Godzilla, as well as a monstrous version of the international hero character, Godzillo.