"For the basic hero skills we'll be learning today… it has already been decided that you will be divided into three teams, led by me, All Might, and one other pro hero," Aizawa said, his half-closed eyes sweeping over his students.
In the back row, Midoriya muttered anxiously. Already decided…? Three pro heroes? This might be a special lesson.
At the far end seat, Fuse Yasushi yawned widely, his jaw opening so far it let out a soft sound. His eyes blinked slowly, trying to shake off the lingering sleep sand clinging to his lashes.
The night before, he hadn't trained. He had decided to rest after the previous extreme session. Yet for some reason, his eyes refused to stay closed. He spent the night rolling around in bed until dawn broke and his alarm screamed.
Now, with awareness hanging by a thread, he watched Aizawa explain the training details.
Heh, not surprising, his inner voice sounded bored. This is exactly like the canon story. Disaster Rescue Training. Nothing worth bragging about in such a predictable routine.
"Sensei! What are we going to do?!" Sero Hanta shouted, raising his hand high.
Aizawa flipped over a card that read 'RESCUE'. "Become the hero everyone needs. The one always ready for floods or other disasters. This is rescue training!"
Fuse observed every word from Aizawa and every movement of the mob characters around him. He nodded slowly.
As expected. No deviation from this storyline. If so, then the next scenes will be identical too. Shigaraki Tomura will definitely attack the USJ to try to kill All Might.
His eyelids grew heavier, gravity seemingly concentrating its force on his lashes. He dropped his head onto the desk—thunk—the painful sound of forehead meeting wood ignored completely.
If I recall correctly, he'll bring Nomu to counter All Might's rapid attacks. That brainless shock-absorbing creature is strong. But…
Fuse's lips curved into a thin smile behind his folded arms.
Killing All Might? A villain's sweet dream. There's no way All Might would die that easily to some lowlife leading the early-stage League of Villains. At least that ending never happened in canon. It would be utterly humiliating if the Symbol of Peace died to a lab-created monster in episode ten-something.
He sighed, his breath warming the skin of his own arm.
Besides, with my presence in this world… no one is going to die. I am the free variable. I am the anomaly that will shatter Shigaraki's pathetic calculations. Cry all you want, Shigaraki—before I roast you and your pet.
With that arrogant, soothing thought, Fuse tried to return to reality. He lifted his head slightly. On his desk lay a concrete nail. He focused his gaze, trying to lift the nail with his index finger.
The nail trembled. Slowly, the small object floated one centimeter off the desk surface. But the vibration was unstable. Tiny tremors ran along the metal before gravity finally won and the nail fell back with a weak tik.
Fuse sighed again—this time heavier.
But… this is a little outside my calculations. I didn't expect the aftereffects from that beach training to still be lingering. My stamina hasn't fully recovered, and my fine control is a bit messy when I'm exhausted. Maybe next time I need to pay more attention to my training rhythm. In the end, I'm still human.
Aizawa's voice pulled his attention back.
"As I've said before, it all depends on whether you wear your costumes or not," Aizawa said while pressing a button. Along the classroom wall, the metal cases containing their hero costumes slid out from storage. "Some of your costumes may not suit the task or environment today. Choose wisely."
Aizawa turned and walked toward the door. "The training area is quite far, so we'll take the bus. That's all. Get ready quickly."
…
Inside the bus speeding through the city.
As the democratically—and somewhat strangely—elected Class President, Fuse led them onto the bus.
"Sit wherever you want. Free, relaxed, and enjoy the ride, my people," Fuse commanded with a sweeping hand gesture, completely ignoring any rigid formation.
Tenya Iida opened his mouth, eyes widening in disagreement with the lack of discipline. His hand was already raised to perform his signature chopping motion, but upon sensing Fuse's radiating 'don't bother me' aura, Iida's mouth snapped shut.
Fuse chose a seat in the middle row—a long bench facing sideways, offering a wide view of the entire bus interior. He landed in it with a soft thump. His exoskeleton armor was already on, wings neatly folded but still slightly cumbersome against his back.
Across from him sat Yuga Aoyama, immediately flashing a blinding sparkling smile. Next to Aoyama was Denki Kaminari, and beside him—surprisingly—was Kyoka Jiro, who had taken the seat that Mina Ashido should have occupied in his memory.
During the ride, the buzzing chatter of Class 1-A sounded like a cheerful swarm of bees. They talked about each other's quirks, pro hero popularity, and how weird Aizawa-sensei was.
Fuse? He was too tired to entertain them. His eyes felt like they were being pricked by tiny needles.
Even though the trip was short, he wanted to let himself sleep. He folded both arms across his chest, rested his head against the bus wall, and let darkness take over.
His breathing became steady. Slowly, the world around him faded into distant buzzing.
Beside him, Tsuyu Asui—the frog girl—turned her head. Her large eyes blinked as she observed Fuse's soundly sleeping face.
"I didn't expect Fuse to fall asleep so deeply in a situation like this, kero," Tsuyu muttered softly, her voice clear and loud in Fuse's ears just as he entered the early stages of deep sleep.
Hearing his name, Fuse suddenly jolted awake. His eyes snapped open—red and alert.
"I heard someone calling my name," Fuse said in a slightly hoarse yet still arrogant voice.
He looked left and right. His gaze passed Tsuyu's confused blinking, then landed on Fumikage Tokoyami sitting somewhat farther in the corner—occupying the seat Iida had in the original story.
Tokoyami, feeling stared at, only sighed softly. Dark Shadow was nowhere to be seen. "It wasn't me, Fuse. My darkness didn't call your name today."
Before Fuse could reply, a face popped in front of him, blocking his view.
"By the way, Fuse," Denki Kaminari leaned forward, eyes sparkling with excitement. "I actually have a pretty interesting idea. Wanna hear it?"
Fuse blinked, forcing the remaining drowsiness away. He straightened his posture, adjusted his stiff collar. He closed his eyes briefly and nodded slowly, slipping back into character.
"Go ahead," he said in an exaggeratedly heavy tone. "I'm listening."
Kaminari leaned back into his seat. He raised both hands, flipping them back and forth with an overly serious expression that didn't suit his face at all.
"You know my quirk is Electrification, right? I can store static electricity in my body and release it in large amounts," Kaminari explained, small yellow electric sparks jumping between his fingers. "Meanwhile you… you can control metal. Magnetism. Iron. Steel. From any angle, our quirks are a perfect match, aren't they? Conductor and conductor!"
Kaminari's eyes shone brighter. "So I thought of something. If I use my electricity quirk on metal you're controlling… that metal would have dual-element attributes, right? Metal and lightning!"
Kaminari's smile spread wide, showing all his teeth.
"Wouldn't that be super cool?! I mean, if you controlled a piece of metal—say… a pointed rebar floating in the air—and I shot my electricity into that metal… wouldn't it look like a giant Lightning Spear that's totally lethal?" He paused, letting his imagination dance in the air. "That would be so badass, right?!"
Fuse—who had only been half-listening—suddenly felt all drowsiness vanish.
Lightning Spear… a Railgun with lightning element…
The corner of Fuse's mouth slowly rose. His eyes narrowed, picturing the scene. Him standing atop rubble, firing hundreds of iron nails wrapped in blinding yellow lightning toward an army of villains. That… that was high-level art!
"Very interesting idea," Fuse praised, unable to hide his enthusiasm.
"But," Fuse continued, raising one finger, "as you realize, the key lies with me. Your Electrification is just… garnish. Seasoning."
Fuse crossed his arms over his chest.
"Without directional control, your quirk that scatters everywhere is only useful when channeled through my medium—iron that I manipulate. It's a perfect analogy," he smirked mockingly. "Exactly like a supporting character who shows up to provide extra visual effects, just to make the main character—me—shine so brightly and captivatingly on the screen."
Kaminari's enthusiastic smile froze. The corner of his mouth twitched. He closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath.
"Umm… I think this is a little different from the analogy I meant," Kaminari muttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "But… whatever. Call it what you want. The important thing is—you agree with the combo idea, right?"
Fuse nodded several times. "Of course. I'm always open to ideas from anyone," he said. "As the future leader and rightful Class President, I will accept and implement any useful ideas and creativity from my people later on. My presence exists for that."
Kaminari's energy returned. He leaned forward again.
"Then… I have another idea!" Kaminari exclaimed enthusiastically.
Fuse was slightly surprised by the boy's seemingly endless energy, but he found it reasonable. Lightning-element characters were usually hyperactive.
"How about a Lightning Sword?!" Kaminari's eyes practically emitted anime stars. He stared at the bus ceiling as if watching an epic scene. "With your white-and-black armored costume that already looks like advanced combat mecha… and if you held a giant metal sword wrapped in my lightning… Oh my god! It would be the most insane appearance ever!"
Fuse froze. His mind drifted to the mecha references neatly stored in his brain.
Gundam wielding an electric energy sword… he thought. That… that is a pillar of sci-fi romance!
"I have to admit…" Fuse's voice trembled slightly with genuine admiration, "…that is art! Turns out you, Denki Kaminari, have the soul of a true mecha enthusiast inside that foolish body of yours."
Fuse loved it. He felt like he had found a fellow believer in the religion of badass beauty.
"Very impressive," Fuse pointed dramatically at Kaminari. "How about after this boring training ends, we go eat? I'll treat you to the best burger restaurant we can find."
Kaminari looked shocked, eyes widening. "Whoa! You serious? You're gonna treat me?"
"Of course," Fuse nodded firmly. "A king never takes back his word—especially not about treating someone to food."
Kaminari laughed awkwardly, scratching his neck again. "Haha… sometimes I still don't understand half the things you say. But if it's free food, I'm happily in, Your Majesty!"
"Then it's decided," Fuse said with satisfaction.
He then turned slightly backward, shifting his gaze to Fumikage Tokoyami still sitting in silence.
"What about you, Tokoyami?" Fuse offered. "Care to join this knightly feast?"
Tokoyami lowered his head, bangs casting shadow over part of his face.
"I'll pass," he said softly, voice heavy and deep.
"Huh? Why?" Kaminari tilted his head, confused. "Free food, Tokoyami!"
Tokoyami lifted his head slightly, red eyes staring blankly forward.
"The darkness is calling me," he said so clearly and seriously, without the slightest hint of joking.
Everyone nearby who had unintentionally overheard suddenly fell silent. The chatter in that section of the bus stopped instantly. Silence.
Kaminari made a weird face. "Uhh… that sounds really creepy, man." He swallowed and sighed. "Fine if you're not coming. More meat for me."
Kaminari then looked at Fuse. "Looks like it's just the two of us."
Fuse smiled understandingly. "Heh, no problem." His eyes looked at Kaminari, then back at Tokoyami.
Fuse closed his eyes briefly, nodding as if comprehending the secrets of the universe.
"I know he'll join in the end," Fuse declared with unshakable confidence. "There's no way he can escape the influence of my radiant charm. The laws of physics and narrative dictate: the brighter the light I emit, the deeper and darker the black bird's shadow will follow!"
Kaminari looked at Fuse, then at Tokoyami, then at Fuse again. He slowly shook his head, surrendering to sanity.
"You two… I really don't understand how your minds work," Kaminari sighed. "One talks about darkness, the other about becoming a sun god. You're both so weird!"
From the seat beside Kaminari, Kyoka Jiro—who had been silently listening while playing with her earphone jack—finally spoke up.
"You should look in the mirror too," Jiro interjected flatly.
Kaminari immediately panicked. His face flushed with embarrassment and irritation. "H-hey! What do you mean look in the mirror?! I'm normal, okay! I'm the most normal high school guy in this class!"
Fuse swung his index finger through the air in an elegant cutting motion.
"Being abnormal is a good thing, Kaminari," Fuse began his philosophical lecture. "Among a crowd of normal people—NPCs programmed by the universe with identical thoughts, routines, and appearances… only the abnormal ones survive in memory."
Fuse leaned back. "Only the most striking among them deserve screen time. Breaking boundaries of normalcy… nothing is cooler than that."
In his corner, Tokoyami—who had been listening to the short lecture—still with head lowered and eyes closed, nodded slowly.
Jiro observed the interaction. Her lazy eyes narrowed, looking at Tokoyami, then shifting to Fuse.
"Hmm…" Jiro twirled her earphone jack between her fingers. "For some reason, after watching you two interact since day one… I can't help but think you two are really close."
Jiro tilted her head, looking at Fuse with curiosity. "But if I heard correctly during introductions, you two were from the same middle school, right? Were you already this synchronized and weird together back then?"
Fuse nodded proudly.
"Of course. We've always been in sync ever since our feet touched and we met in this world."
Hearing that statement, Fumikage Tokoyami—who had been nodding along—suddenly froze. His eyes opened wide, beak slightly agape, staring at Fuse. This guy… what did he just say?!
"Oh?" Jiro touched her chin with her index finger, smiling faintly. "So you two have been super close since childhood? Best friends?"
Fuse nodded again, face completely serious.
"There is no closer bond in this universe than between the main supporting character and the main protagonist," Fuse declared firmly.
After delivering that very "normal" statement, Fuse took a metal water bottle from the side pocket of his bag. He opened the cap and took a sip of cold water to soothe his dry throat from too much speech.
"Eh, is that really true?" Jiro looked slightly surprised by Fuse's terminology. Then she looked up, as if trying to recall pop culture knowledge.
"I don't really read shonen manga or watch anime much," Jiro said slowly, voice thoughtful. "But as far as my limited knowledge goes… isn't the person closest to the protagonist in every comic… the Heroine?"
PRUSHHH!!!
Fuse—who had just swallowed water—suddenly choked violently. He sprayed the water forward like a plant-watering whale.
The water shot straight and landed directly on Yuga Aoyama's face, who had been smiling to show off his sparkling teeth.
Aoyama froze. Water dripped from his neatly styled blond hair, soaking his long eyelashes, and washing away the shine on his face.
"I-Iyuh… truly not très bien…" Aoyama whimpered, face deathly pale and lips trembling like a child whose ice cream fell. "D-disgusting…" He genuinely looked ready to cry.
"Cough! Cough! Sorry! Forgive me!" Fuse coughed violently, eyes watering. He quickly reached into his pocket, pulled out a clean cloth handkerchief, and shoved it into Aoyama's trembling hand.
After making sure Aoyama wasn't going to die from mineral water, Fuse whipped his head around. He glared at Kyoka Jiro with sharp, murderous eyes.
"T-this is all your fault!" Fuse accused, voice slightly raised.
Hearing the accusation and seeing Fuse's very out-of-character reaction, Jiro wasn't scared—instead she looked momentarily surprised before a wide, teasing smile bloomed on her face.
"Eh? Why blame me?" Jiro twirled her earphone jack casually. "Did my question offend you? Or perhaps… you don't have a heroine, Fuse-kun?"
Jiro's smile grew wider. Her dark eyes glinted mischievously. And with deliberately slowed, spelled-out tone, her lips moved:
"H-E-R-O-I-N-E."
Instantly, Fuse's pale, handsome face changed color. Red. Not angry maroon, but bright tomato red.
Heat spread from his neck to the tips of his ears.
"T-that's not it!" Fuse stammered, immediately lowering his head, trying to hide his face behind the shadow of his dark red hair.
Kaminari—who had been watching this drastic change—looked back and forth between Jiro's victorious smile and Fuse's sudden shrinking. It took him a few seconds to process. When he understood, laughter exploded from his throat.
"Pfft… Hahahaha!" Kaminari laughed, slapping his knee. "Jiro's right! Isn't every protagonist you brag about always having a beautiful heroine who falls in love with him? Where's yours, Mr. Main Character?"
Fuse lowered his head even further, face feeling like a lit stove. He turned away toward the moving bus window.
"So annoying," Fuse grumbled. "Go away."
"But that's really surprising!" Kaminari still wouldn't stop. He looked at the people around him. "I mean, look at him. You're handsome, Fuse. Extremely handsome, you bastard. Everyone in class agrees with that objective fact, right?"
Several students who had overheard—including Momo Yaoyorozu in the front row and Uraraka—nodded slightly, confirming that Fuse indeed possessed high visual appeal.
Jiro—who sat beside Tokoyami—leaned toward the bird-headed boy. She brought her lips close to Fumikage's head, whispering softly yet loud enough for Fuse's ears.
"Hey, Tokoyami," Jiro whispered, eyes flicking toward Fuse who was still looking away. "Do you know what happened to him in the past? You two were from the same middle school, right? Maybe he once confessed to the school idol girl… and got brutally rejected in public?"
Tokoyami sighed, still maintaining his cool and mysterious pose with arms crossed.
"As far as I know, there was no embarrassing incident like that," Fumikage answered flatly. "Besides… during middle school, I never saw him get close to any girl. He always kept to himself. Even though his behavior was weird, he was actually very popular among the female students…"
"Popular?" Jiro tilted her head. "More than Todoroki?"
"Yes," Fumikage nodded slowly. "More than Todoroki."
Jiro looked at Fuse. Her curiosity grew stronger. "So… why doesn't he have a girlfriend? Are his standards too high?"
Fuse—who had been desperately trying to tune out his ears—couldn't take it anymore. Slowly, he turned his head. He stared at Jiro and Kaminari. His face couldn't stop blushing, contrasting sharply with his angry expression. He opened his mouth, wanting to give an elegant excuse, but his voice caught. He closed it again.
He racked his brain, searching for the most fitting line. Then, with an extremely soft voice—almost a whisper of wind—he forced his slightly trembling lips to move.
"A king…" he whispered.
"What? Can't hear you, Your Majesty," Kaminari teased.
Fuse took a long breath, gathered every scattered piece of remaining dignity, and exploded it outward.
"A KING DOES NOT NEED A QUEEN!"
…
The journey finally ended when the blue school bus slowed and came to a complete stop. The sound of the door opening became the signal for Class 1-A students. Some overly enthusiastic students immediately stood up at once, ready to jostle toward the exit like a flock of starving ducks.
Fuse—who sat near the aisle—sighed softly. He stood up, positioning his body right in the middle of the path, blocking the surging mass.
"Calm down! No pushing!" Fuse commanded. "Exit in an orderly manner, one by one. Don't act like country bumpkins in front of U.A.'s elite facility. Remember—you're being watched by your Class President."
As Fuse stepped down the bus stairs, Tokoyami—behind him—spoke softly.
"You're getting better at this, huh?" Tokoyami commented, glancing briefly at how their classmates obeyed Fuse.
"This isn't just adaptation, Fumikage. It's naturally engraved in me," Fuse replied proudly.
The moment his feet touched asphalt, Fuse's gaze locked onto the massive building before him. The facility was an enormous glass-and-metal dome, looking like a spaceship that had landed on Earth.
They were welcomed inside by the space hero Thirteen. When the main doors opened, the view inside truly made several students' jaws drop.
The place was incredibly vast. Various zones simulated natural disasters: the Ruins Zone filled with building debris, the Landslide Zone, the Fire Zone, and the Flood Zone with its giant artificial lake.
Thirteen began her speech about the dangers of Quirks and how superpowers could be used to kill if not properly controlled. A good, highly inspirational speech. Iida and Uraraka even nodded enthusiastically until they nearly cried.
But Fuse didn't pay much attention to the speech. He was busy smiling, eyes scanning the entire facility structure.
This place… is amazing, Fuse thought. The dome frame is made of high-quality solid steel. The ruins there are full of nails and rebar. And the giant water pipes underground… This place is an unlimited arsenal for me! The perfect stage to sharpen my power.
He imagined himself destroying the ruins zone with a single finger snap. His smile grew wider—a sharp, dark, slightly psychotic grin.
"Eh, you look kinda creepy, man."
Kirishima's voice startled him. The sharp red-haired boy stood a short distance away, rubbing his own arms as if he'd just felt a chill. "That smile just now… didn't look very heroic at all. Kinda villainous, actually."
Fuse immediately smoothed his expression, returning to his arrogant flat face. He looked at Kirishima with condescension.
"I was thinking, Kirishima. Don't disturb my creative process," Fuse said coldly. "A genius's brain works in ways terrifying to ordinary people."
"Alright, sorry, sorry," Kirishima stepped back, not wanting to argue.
Suddenly, the lights around the dome facility flickered unnaturally. An unstable electrical buzzing came from the glass walls. In the center of the facility, right in front of the fountain, water began spraying erratically. Aizawa—who had been standing relaxed—suddenly tensed.
Right in the middle, a thick blackish-purple mist vortex began forming. The mist spun, grew larger, and tore space, creating a terrifying portal.
From inside the darkness of the portal, a pale, deathly hand reached out, grasping the air. Followed by a skinny figure whose entire body was covered in human hands. Shigaraki Tomura. Behind him, dozens of monstrous figures poured out.
"Everyone gather together and don't move!" Aizawa shouted, voice cutting through the rising panic. He lowered his protective goggles. "Thirteen, protect the students!"
"What is that?! Is the rescue training starting already?!" Kirishima shouted in confusion, squinting at the crowd below.
"Back away!" Aizawa barked, his white scarf beginning to float in the air. "Those are… real villains!"
Instantly, all of Class 1-A froze. Real, pure, bone-chilling panic gripped their throats. Midoriya went deathly pale, Uraraka trembled, and even Bakugo looked shocked.
But amid everyone gripped by terror, Fuse instead had to lower his head. Not from fear—but to hide the ferocious grin he could no longer contain.
Finally, Fuse thought, clenching his armored right hand until a faint metallic creak sounded. Enemy NPCs have been summoned. Time to teach them who the real boss of this game is.
…
A/N: This chapter is also not much different from canon. Because we've reached this point, it's time for Fuse to cook 🔥✍️. I think he'll play a very important role here since canon doesn't have an OP character like him. Alright, that's it for now. If you're too tired of waiting for the next chapter… please check my Patreon—I update much faster there than on this platform! (There are already 3 chapters posted after this one!)
You can see the next chapter sooner on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
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