[Location: The Hexagon — NSA, USA.]
The National Supers Agency pulsed with suffocating tension on that gray morning. In the corridors, agents, analysts, and technicians rushed back and forth carrying folders, tablets, and urgent reports. Inside the main office, Kamala seemed to be the only still point in the middle of the storm—though inside, she was just as worn down as everyone else.
Sitting behind her wide desk, illuminated by a tired white light, she received yet another report handed to her by her secretary. The sudden death of Captain Celebrity had triggered a national pandemonium: the media was in a frenzy, social networks had turned into a battleground, pro-heroes traumatized by the Manhattan incident were requesting leave from their duties, and the economy… Well, the crash in the markets made it clear just how much the country relied on the constant presence of pro-heroes to feel safe.
Kamala ran a hand across her forehead, feeling the weight of the last thirty-six sleepless hours. Reports piled up like hills of white paper, the phone refused to give her a moment of peace, and urgent messages popped up on every screen within reach.
Everything had happened far too quickly.
An undetectable ship appearing out of nowhere over Manhattan. No radar caught it, no satellite registered its approach. It simply appeared — as if it had just switched off a perfect cloaking field. The footage Kamala had received the day before still hammered at her mind: the ship materializing out of nowhere in the sky like a glitch in reality itself, followed by absolute chaos.
Its wreckage — and that robot's — were now distributed across high-security labs, analyzed by experts from multiple fields. But none of the reports so far had managed to produce anything useful.
They all said the same thing:
"This isn't Earth technology. It's too advanced to be real."
Kamala let out a long, heavy sigh, her muzzle tightening in exhaustion. If Star had been in the state at the time, the attack would've been resolved within seconds. But she'd been operating in another state, far from the site of the attack… almost as if the enemy had chosen the perfect moment — too perfect to be mere coincidence.
Before she could finish the thought, the office door swung open.
The young rookie assistant stood at the doorway, holding a new stack of papers — far too tall for her trembling hands. Her wide eyes met Kamala's and the secretary's, and she swallowed hard.
"S-Sorry, Director! I— I didn't know you were busy—"
Kamala let out a low grunt, bringing her hands to her eyes and pressing them tightly, feeling her patience slipping away like sand between her fingers. The workload wasn't shrinking; it was only growing, as if the universe itself had decided to dump more chaos onto her desk.
She turned to the secretary, who was still standing before her.
"Bring me a coffee. Extra strong." Her voice came out hoarse, almost a tired growl.
The secretary nodded quickly and hurried out.
Kamala then motioned for the rookie to enter.
"Come in. Leave those papers here." Her voice wasn't harsh—only exhausted, weighed down by days without rest. The young assistant stepped forward carefully and set the stack on the already overloaded desk.
Kamala looked at the growing mountain of documents and let out another heavy sigh.
"This week is going to be hell," she muttered, more to herself than to the rookie. Her tired gaze said it all: this was only the beginning.
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Wednesday drifted by lazily as the clock struck 1 p.m. at U.A. The afternoon was clear, and the school bus swayed gently while following the road toward the USJ. Inside, Class 1-A formed a small ecosystem of chatter, laughter, whispers, and restless energy.
Six days had passed since the reporters' incident, and for Ryo, each one felt stranger than the last.
Everything began on Monday when Dash returned to school. The moment he walked into the room, he was practically swallowed by the circle of classmates around him — all asking if he was okay, if something had happened, if they needed to do anything. Poor Momo nearly had a collapse, translating every question into English and every answer back into Japanese without a single second to breathe.
Dash, dazed but smiling, did his best to calm them all down. He said he had only been absent due to some family issues and because his parents insisted he stay home on Friday. Nothing serious.
The class sighed in relief. And the following days went by almost normally.
Almost.
Because Dash spent every single one of them staring at Ryo as if he were an alien in disguise. Exactly like he was doing now, sitting beside him on the bus, those narrow blue eyes fixed on him — suspicious… relentless.
Just like now, on the bus, he kept glaring, as if trying to dismantle Ryo piece by piece.
"I already told you I'm the real Takeda…" Ryo muttered, lowering his head. A vein throbbed on his forehead.
Dash narrowed his eyes. "That's exactly what a doppelganger would say."
Ryo turned abruptly, irritated. "I'm not a—"
"Another thing a doppelganger would say." Dash crossed his arms, absolutely sure of himself.
Ryo's sharp inhale was almost audible. Around them, a few students snickered at the childish back-and-forth before returning to their conversations.
All of this just because Ryo talked to him... Normally Dash would have to perform a whole juggling act just to have a conversation with him.
On the other side, Tsuyu looked at Midoriya with her usual neutral expression.
"Midoriya-chan, your quirk… kinda looks like All Might's, ribbit."
The green-haired boy nearly choked, his hand freezing on the edge of the seat.
But Tsuyu turned to Ryo next.
"And yours also reminds me of his a little, ribbit."
That caught his attention. One eyebrow arched.
"Why do you think that?"
Before she could answer, Kirishima leaned between the seats, grinning.
"'Cause you're super strong like All Might! Well, except for that thing with your eyes, y'know? But aside from that, you're just as manly as he is!"
Kaminari chimed in enthusiastically.
"It's a really cool quirk, dude! Seriously!"
Others in the class murmured in agreement.
Ryo looked at them, then at his own hand.
"Cool…" he repeated, but lifelessly.
The image of his hand shifted in his mind — not the clean, steady one he held now, but the other one: bloody, trembling, throbbing with pain and guilt. His chest tightened. His breath quickened. The noise of the bus seemed to fade, distant and muffled…
"Takeda-kun?"
Midoriya's voice cut in like an anchor — firm yet nervous.
The boy leaned forward a bit.
"I… I've always been curious about your quirk," he said gently. "Actually, everyone has. If you don't mind…"
The others nodded, attentive.
Curious eyes turned to him.
Ryo drew a deep breath. Forced his shoulders to relax, letting the distorted vision fade away.
"…My quirk is Internal Energy Transition," he finally answered in a calm tone, just as he had been instructed. "Since I was four, I've been accumulating a specific type of internal energy. I can use it to strengthen my body."
The explanation — carefully crafted by Nezu — flowed smoothly. True enough to sound natural. False enough to keep him safe.
The class reacted just as expected.
"That's amazing!"
"It's like a buff!"
"How does it work exactly?"
Kirishima, especially excited, thumped the seat and smiled with sparkling eyes.
"Dud! That's the quirk! I would love to have one just like that!"
That's when Ryo looked straight at him… but with a cold gaze and a voice low, heavy, and firm.
"Why would you want to?"
Kirishima froze instantly at the sudden shift in tone.
Even Bakugo turned, along with Todoroki, who lifted his eyes calmly.
The others halted mid-sentence.
Kirishima remained slack-jawed, not understanding what he'd done to trigger such a sudden change from Ryo.
Ryo realized it immediately and lowered his head, regret washing over him as he took a breath.
"…Sorry. I… I'm not having a good day."
He withdrew into silence again, leaving the atmosphere heavy for a few seconds inside the bus that rolled steadily toward the USJ.
----------------------------------------
The U.A. bus stopped in front of the gigantic metallic dome of the USJ. The gate slid open with a mechanical groan, revealing the colossal interior of the complex. The students stepped out in a line, looking around with growing awe.
As soon as they crossed the main entrance, everyone stopped — and a chorus of surprised voices burst out.
"Wow…"
"Kero… it looks like another world."
"Amazing!"
Ahead of them, under the artificial lights illuminating the entire dome, stretched several disaster zones: a flood area with artificial waves crashing against reinforced structures; a fire zone with towers burning in controlled flames; another simulating landslides, with unstable terrain shifting as if in constant collapse; localized storms, swirling winds, toppled structures… a living laboratory of chaos.
Thirteen — the calm, imposing space-themed figure with white suit and starry helmet — turned to receive them.
"Here," he said, his voice muffled by the suit, "exists every type of disaster you can imagine. I built this place… and I call it the Unforeseen Simulation Joint!"
The class cheered.
Midoriya was nearly trembling with excitement.
"Ah! He's the hero who performs the best rescues!"
Uraraka clasped her hands, thrilled.
"I like Thirteen so much!"
Ryo stayed farther back, observing the figure from a distance. Thirteen noticed — and discreetly lifted his thumb in Ryo's direction.
Ryo raised his chin ever so slightly, not returning the gesture… but acknowledging it.
He remembered that conversation perfectly.
Principal Nezu explaining that he'd find a teacher capable of helping him deal with his "safe quirk." Thirteen had been the chosen one — even after hearing the whole truth about what Ryo really was, about the kind of power housed inside his body. Thirteen hadn't hesitated. He didn't judge. In fact, he'd been happy and even said they had some "similarities."
Ryo still didn't understand what he meant by that.
Thirteen's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Everyone, please pay attention!"
The students gathered around.
"Before we begin, there are one, two… hmm… maybe four points I want to discuss."
Thirteen extended his hand, fingers pointing toward himself.
"Most of you know that my quirk is called Black Hole. With it, I can suck in anything and reduce it to dust."
Ryo's eyes narrowed slightly.
Midoriya, breathless with excitement, finished the sentence for him:
"You've saved thousands of people with it! In natural disasters, earthquakes, floods—!"
Thirteen nodded.
"Yes, that's true. But—"
His voice grew heavier.
"—it's also a power that can kill easily."
Silence fell like a weight, and the word kill echoed far too strongly inside Ryo's mind.
"So that's what he meant… similarities."
Thirteen continued calmly:
"There are probably some among you who also possess powers with similar potential. In today's society, the use of quirks is extremely restricted and monitored. And even though it seems stable… all it takes is one mistake. A single wrong move… and a dangerous quirk can take lives."
Ryo lowered his gaze.
He knew that all too well.
Thirteen stretched out his arms, presenting the various disaster zones.
"In the tests you've taken so far, you've already noticed the potential — and the danger — of your own powers. But in this class, I want you to see a new perspective: how to use those same powers… to save lives."
The glowing eyes behind the helmet looked at each student individually.
"Your powers don't exist to hurt anyone. And I hope you finish this lesson knowing… that they can save people."
Then he bowed politely.
"Thank you for listening!"
The reaction was immediate.
"Uooooh!! Thirteen is awesome!!"
"Damn, what a speech!"
"Bravo! BRAVO!!!" Iida shouted, clapping with exaggerated enthusiasm.
While the class celebrated, Ryo remained still, his gaze falling to his own hand.
His powers were never meant to hurt anyone.
He tightened his fist.
"My power aren't meant to hurt anyone, huh…"
"And using it to save lives…"
"I am…"
"…disappointed."
Aizawa clapped his hands to reinstate order.
"Alright, alright. Enough shouting." The teacher raised his tired eyes toward the class. "For the first practical lesson of—"
Before he could continue with the instructions, a strange sound echoed through the area.
VSSHH
Aizawa stopped abruptly. His gaze turned to the center of US.J's plaza, where a black mist began to spread like a dark veil. A pale hand emerged first, followed by an entire figure. And then… dozens more.
Kirishima and Sero were the first to notice.
"Hey, what's that? More targets? Like those on entrance exam?" Kirishima frowned.
"That doesn't look like them…" Sero murmured, a chill running down his spine.
Before they could move, Aizawa raised an arm, blocking any attempt to advance. His expression turned stern, his voice cold as ice:
"Stay back!"
From within the mist, a figure with blue-gray hair scratched his neck frantically, his fingers brushing against the strange hand covering his face.
"So… All Might isn't here, huh?" Shigaraki muttered, his voice dragging and disinterested. "After all the trouble we went through to bring this crowd… what a disappointment."
"Don't worry," Kurogiri's calm, velvety voice echoed from the mist. "We have the backup plan provided by the master."
Shigaraki stopped scratching his neck, tilting his head slightly.
"Oh, that's right…" He chuckled softly. "I almost forgot about our toys… kuhuhu… this'll be fun…"
Kurogiri's mist, which until now had stayed confined to the center of the plaza, began to churn like a stormy sea.
The fog expanded in waves, stretching outward like giant arms that brushed the ground. More silhouettes appeared within it—armed villains, mutants, brutes, masked killers… and finally, the mountain of black muscle topped with a bird-like head and exposed brain:
The Nomu.
Shigaraki spread his arms like a child in front of a brand-new toy.
"Hehehe—HAHAHA! How many kids do you think will die before All Might gets here? Ten? Twenty? The whole class!?"
The class panicked.
"…They really are villains." Momo stepped back. "But… how did they get in? The sensors—"
"They should've gone off!" Sero added, voice shaking.
Dash leaned forward, already preparing a shot.
"Sensei, if I sprint now, I can take down—"
Aizawa grabbed him by the collar without even looking.
"Don't you dare. Thirteen, protect the students. I'm going down."
"Understood," Thirteen replied.
Without another word, Aizawa threw himself off the platform.
He fell like a silent bolt of lightning into the center of the plaza. The first villain rushed in… and dropped with a single hit. Another tried to flank him—frozen by his glare. Three more came at once. All on the ground in seconds.
Dash's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open.
"Whoa, he's just… soloing them…"
Ryo clenched his teeth, analyzing the scene.
"There's a lot of them. But even so, he's moving like he's got the advantage…"
But Iida grabbed Dash's shoulder tightly.
"Now is not the time to analyze! We must evacuate!"
They started running—
—when a veil of darkness appeared before them.
"My apologies." His voice was calm and oddly polite. "But I cannot allow you to leave."
"Pleasure to meet you. We are the League of Villains. We came to U.A. High School to end the life… of the Symbol of Peace."
Everyone froze cold.
"We had information that All Might would be present today. But… it seems there was a miscalculation. Fortunately, that does not change my role."
The fog began to spread, rolling toward the class—
"DIE!" Bakugou roared as he charged.
"HAH!" Kirishima followed, hardening his body.
BOOOOM!!!
The combined hit exploded and scattered the mist.
"Not if we take you down first!" Kirishima shouted. "Didn't expect that, did ya?"
Kurogiri's form reassembled, elegant and nearly untouched.
"Impressive. As expected of U.A.'s hero course. You are the best of the best. However—"
He stopped.
Because something came from above.
Ryo.
His body horizontal, a perfect dropkick aimed at the villain's face.
Kurogiri's glowing eyes widened, but he reacted quickly; his mist burst outward in all directions, catching the boy off-guard.
"What the—" Ryo thought, before being swallowed by the fog.
"TAKEDA!!!" Dash shouted.
But it was too late.
The entire class was engulfed by the black portal.
Cold. Nausea. Vertigo. And then—
CRAAAAASH!!!
Ryo hit the ground like a meteor in the middle of USJ's forest zone, carving out a crater and kicking up a tower of dust that filled the sky.
He stood up slowly, brushing the dirt off his shoulders.
"…Where did I end up…?"
But before he could figure it out, an arrow sliced through the air, and Ryo dodged on instinct.
When he looked around… dozens of villains emerged from the trees.
One with a bow.
Another with blades.
Another with long, razor-sharp claws.
All with crooked smiles in the dark.
Ryo exhaled, his black eyes with greenish irises glowing fiercely.
"My experiences at U.A…" He bent his knees, falling into a fighting stance.
"…just get worse every day."