*First-Person POV – Sasaki Kenjiro*
[One Week Later]
A week had passed since Nejire Hado had forcibly inserted herself into my daily routine.
Every morning, without fail, she'd be waiting for me a few blocks from the orphanage, grinning like she'd won some unspoken competition. Every afternoon, she'd drag me to that damn coffee shop under increasingly flimsy pretenses.
*"Sasa-kun, I need your opinion on this new pastry!"*
*"Sasa-kun, Mirio bet me I couldn't drink five espressos in a row!"*
*"Sasa-kun, the barista said we get a discount if we hold hands!"*
I groaned, complained, and—against my better judgment—went along with it.
Because despite my protests, it wasn't unpleasant.
Annoying? Absolutely.
Exhausting? Without question.
But not unpleasant.
And that was the problem.
---
The orphanage was its usual chaotic self. Aiko had somehow set her toast on fire again, Mrs. Tanaka was threatening to revoke her Quirk privileges, and the twins were using their telekinesis to float cereal boxes just out of reach.
"Kenjiro! Control your gremlins!" Mrs. Tanaka barked, waving a spatula like a sword.
I plucked the cereal box mid-air and tossed it back to the table. "They're your gremlins."
Aiko, now proudly sporting soot on her cheeks, grinned. "You love us."
I flicked her forehead. "Debatable."
But as I buttoned my uniform and slung my bag over my shoulder, the weight of today settled over me.
The USJ.
I knew what was coming. Knew the League would strike. Knew the Nomu would be waiting.
Knew that by this time tomorrow, everything would be different.
Mrs. Tanaka caught my expression as I headed for the door. "You okay?"
I forced a smirk. "Just mentally preparing for the hellspawn I call classmates."
She rolled her eyes. "Get out of here, brat."
Aiko tackled me in a hug. "Don't die!"
"No promises."
Nejire was, as expected, waiting for me.
*"Sasa-kun! You're late!"*
"I'm early," I corrected.
"Exactly! Late for my standards!"
Midoriya joined us a block later, his muttering a steady stream of "voting procedures" and "class responsibilities."
Nejire said. "Midoriya! You're so cute when you overthink!"
He turned red. *"I-I'm not—!"*
I sighed. "Give it up. Resistance is futile."
Nejire beamed. "See? He gets it!"
The swarm of reporters outside UA's gates was exactly as I remembered from canon. Microphones and cameras shoved in faces, shouted questions, the occasional flashbulb blinding some poor student.
"What's All Might really like as a teacher?!"
"Is it true he once punched a villain through a building during class?!"
"Do you think he's wasting his time here?!"
A microphone nearly jabbed me in the face. *"You! You're the record-breaking first-year, right? What's your opinion on All Might's teaching?"*
I stared at the reporter. "He's loud."
The man blinked. "That's… it?"
"That's it."
Nejire giggled. *"Sasa-kun, play nice!"*
"I am playing nice."
Eraserhead chose that moment to slither out of the shadows, his scarf floating ominously. "Enough. Leave the students alone."
The reporters ignored him—until the UA barrier slammed shut, nearly crushing a few overeager journalists.
Nejire whistled. "Well that was dramatic."
Midoriya looked like he might pass out. *"A-Aizawa-sensei! Is everything—?"*
"Move along, Problem Children."
And just like that, we were herded inside.
---
The moment we stepped into the classroom, chaos erupted.
"Alright, listen up," Aizawa drawled, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. "Today, you're electing a class representative."
The room exploded.
"ME! PICK ME!" Kirishima yelled, slamming his fists together.
"I would be most suited for the role!" Iida declared, chopping the air.
"Nah, it's obviously gonna be me," Kaminari said, leaning back in his chair.
"You literally failed yesterday's quiz," Jiro deadpanned.
"Details!"
Bakugou snarled. "Like hell I'm following any of you extras!"
Aizawa sighed, sinking deeper into his sleeping bag. "Just vote. I don't care how."
Ten minutes later, the results were in.
"Sasaki Kenjiro—Class Representative."
I blinked. "What."
"Yaoyorozu Momo—Deputy Representative."
Momo bowed gracefully. "I'll do my best."
I, meanwhile, stared at the tally sheet. "Who the hell voted for me?"
Kirishima grinned. "Dude, you wrecked Todoroki. Of course we want you leading us!"
Kaminari nodded. "Plus, you've got that whole 'mysterious badass' vibe going on."
"It's not a vibe."
"It totally is," Mina stage-whispered.
Aizawa zipped up his sleeping bag. "Congratulations. Now shut up and start paying attention."
******
*First-Person POV – Sasaki Kenjiro*
---
The UA cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos—students laughing, trays clattering, the occasional food fight breaking out before a teacher shut it down. I sat with Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida, picking at my food while Uraraka pestered Iida with questions.
"So, Tenya," she said between bites of rice, "you always act so formal. Is that, like, a family thing?"
Iida stiffened, his chopsticks freezing mid-air. "I—well—that is—"
Midoriya blinked. "Wait, is your family famous or something?"
Iida sighed, adjusting his glasses. "I… suppose there's no point hiding it. My brother is the Pro Hero Ingenium."
Uraraka gasped. "The Ingenium? The Turbo Hero?!"
Iida nodded, his expression tight. "Yes. And my family has a long history of heroism. I feared that if people knew, they would treat me differently—expect more from me than I am capable of."
Midoriya's eyes softened. "Iida, that's nothing to be ashamed of! Your brother's amazing!"
Iida opened his mouth to respond—
BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—
The alarm blared through the cafeteria, deafening and relentless. Students froze, then erupted into panic.
"INTRUDER ALERT!" a third-year shouted over the din. "SOMEONE BREACHED THE BARRIER!"
Chaos. Pure, unbridled chaos.
Chairs screeched, trays clattered to the floor, and a stampede of students surged toward the exits, bottlenecking in the hallway outside.
Uraraka grabbed Midoriya's arm. "W-what's happening?!"
Iida stood abruptly. "We must evacuate in an orderly fashion!"
I rolled my eyes. "Media. It's just the damn media."
But no one was listening. The crowd pressed tighter, voices rising in panic.
"This is getting out of hand."
I turned to Momo, who was standing nearby, her face pale. "Yaoyorozu. Make me a megaphone. Now."
She blinked. "A—what?"
"A megaphone."
Understanding flashed in her eyes. She yanked open her jacket, and a second later, a high-powered megaphone slid from her forearm into my waiting hands.
I didn't hesitate.
I climbed onto the nearest table, ignoring the startled yelps, and raised the megaphone to my lips.
"EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP!"
The effect was instantaneous. The crowd froze, turning to stare at me like I'd just declared war.
I lowered my voice, but the megaphone carried it anyway. "It's just the press. The barrier was tripped because some idiot reporter got too close. Calm the hell down."
Silence. Then—
"O-oh," muttered a second-year.
"Wait, seriously?"
"Man, I thought it was villains or something!"
The tension dissolved into sheepish murmurs as students slowly dispersed, some grumbling about overreactions.
I hopped down, handing the megaphone back to Momo. "Thanks."
She stared at me. "How did you know it wasn't a real threat?"
"Because I've seen this episode before," I almost said. Instead, I shrugged. "Lucky guess."
Midoriya exhaled shakily. "That was amazing, Sasaki! You totally took control!"
Iida adjusted his glasses, looking vaguely impressed. "Indeed. A leader's decisive action."
Uraraka grinned. "Class Rep for a reason!"
I ignored the praise. "If only they knew what's really coming."
---
Unseen by the students, the UA faculty gathered in Nezu's office, the air thick with tension.
Aizawa leaned against the wall, his scarf pulled tight. "The barrier didn't just fail. It was disintegrated."
All Might—in his skeletal form—frowned. "You believe this was intentional?"
Vlad King crossed his arms. "No way some reporter pulled that off. This was a targeted breach."
Nezu steepled his paws, his beady eyes glinting. "An element of evil has tested our defenses. Whether this was reconnaissance or a declaration of war remains to be seen."
A heavy silence followed.
Present Mic cracked his knuckles. "So… we beef up security?"
Nezu smiled. It wasn't a pleasant sight. "Oh, we do much more than that."
---
Back in the classroom, Aizawa stood at the front, his usual exhaustion replaced with grim focus.
"Suit up," he said. "We're leaving for rescue training at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint."
The class erupted into excited chatter.
"Finally! Some real hero stuff!" Kirishima grinned.
"I hope we get to practice water rescues!" Asui added.
Bakugou scoffed. "As if any of you extras could handle it."
I stayed silent, my fingers tapping against my desk.
"This is it."
Midoriya noticed my tension. "You okay?"
I smirked. "Just thinking about how many of you I'll have to save today."
He laughed, but his eyes were sharp. "He knows something."
Iida stood abruptly. "Class 1-A! Prepare yourselves with the utmost seriousness! This is a pivotal step in our hero journeys!"
"If only he knew."
As we filed out to change, I caught Momo's eye. She gave me a small nod—silent acknowledgment of whatever unspoken understanding passed between us.
The bus waited outside, humming softly.
And beyond it, the USJ loomed.
******
The bus ride to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint was… loud.
Not that I minded. The chatter of my classmates filled the space with an energy that was almost infectious. Even if I wasn't the type to jump into conversations, I found myself listening, absorbing every word. It was strange—back in my past life, I'd been alone most of the time. Now, surrounded by people who didn't know the truth about me, I felt both isolated and oddly at peace.
No one knows. No one will ever know.
That was the plan, at least.
"Your Quirk is kinda like All Might's, ribbit," Tsuyu said, turning to Midoriya with her usual bluntness. "Just… weaker."
Midoriya stiffened, his fingers twitching like he wanted to scribble notes in the air. "W-Well, I mean, it's not exactly the same—"
"Nah, she's got a point," Kirishima cut in, grinning. "But hey, at least yours is flashy! Mine's just… hardening. Not exactly gonna make me famous, y'know?"
I suppressed a snort. Famous? Is that what he's worried about?
Midoriya, ever the encouraging one, shook his head. "Your Quirk's amazing, Kirishima! You can take hits head-on—that's incredible for a hero!"
Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, but compared to Bakugo, or Todoroki, or Kenjiro—"
My name caught me off guard. I blinked, turning toward them.
"—your Quirks are just built for the pros. Explosions, ice and fire, and whatever mochi do—" Kirishima gestured at me. "—it's like you've got everything figured out."
I opened my mouth, then closed it. If only he knew.
Before I could respond, Tsuyu croaked, "Bakugo's Quirk is strong, but his personality needs work, ribbit."
A beat of silence.
Then—
"THE HELL DID YOU SAY, FROG FACE?!" Bakugo lunged forward, palms crackling.
Kaminari smirked. "She's not wrong, man. You've got the temper of a rabid squirrel."
The entire bus erupted into laughter. Even Todoroki, usually so stoic, let out a quiet exhale that might've been amusement.
Midoriya, though, was staring at Bakugo with an expression I couldn't quite place.
Ah. Right.
In middle school, it had been him on the receiving end of Bakugo's taunts. Now, the tables had turned. Bakugo was the one getting teased, and Midoriya…
He doesn't know whether to laugh or feel guilty.
I leaned back in my seat, watching the chaos unfold.
The U.S.J. was massive.
Thirteen stood at the entrance, her sleek astronaut-like suit gleaming under the facility lights. The dome stretched above us, segmented into different disaster zones—a shipwreck, a landslide, a burning cityscape.
This place is designed for rescue training. For saving people.
A flicker of unease ran through me.
"Welcome, students!" Thirteen's voice was warm but firm. "This is the Unforeseen Simulation Joint—or U.S.J., for short. Here, you'll learn how to use your Quirks not just for combat, but for rescue operations."
Aizawa-sensei, looking as perpetually exhausted as ever, added, "Don't get careless just because it's a training exercise. One wrong move, and you will get hurt."
Thirteen nodded. "Your Quirks are powerful tools, but remember—they can also be deadly if misused. As heroes, your first priority is to protect."
The words settled over the class, heavy with meaning.
Protect.
That was the core of it, wasn't it?
I clenched my fist, feeling the familiar hum of my Quirk beneath my skin.
I was given a second chance. A new life. A new power.
Before I could dwell on it further, a sudden chill ran down my spine.
Something was wrong.
The air warped in the center of the plaza, a swirling black vortex expanding like ink in water.
Aizawa-sensei stiffened. "Huddle together and don't move!"
But it was too late.
Figures emerged from the darkness—dozens of them, grinning, armed, their eyes gleaming with malice.
Villains.
Real villains.
And at the center of them all, a man with pale blue hair and a hand gripping his face like a grotesque mask.
"Ah," he rasped, his voice dripping with amusement. "The heroes are here."