The general murmur gradually died down as the students began to take their seats. Some were still conversing quietly, but the teacher's imminent arrival was already in the air.
Reiji remained silent, arms crossed and eyes fixed on the desk in front of him, though his mind was far away.
'So far, there are only three changes in this class. Me, Camie, and the girl with the mushroom quirk who was originally from Class 1-B. There are still two more seats left. Uraraka is missing... And Aoyama? I think that was her name...'
Reiji's mind raced through multiple scenarios of whoever would walk through that door, not one of those two characters.
Footsteps echoed outside the classroom.
The murmur died away completely. Everyone thought the teacher had finally arrived.
The door opened with a soft click… and the figure that appeared was neither Uraraka nor Aoyama.
'She is...'
She was a girl with light blonde hair tied in a simple ponytail, a serene face, and perfectly fitting glasses. She wore her uniform perfectly, without a single wrinkle. Her posture, her gaze, and her belongings reminded Reiji of Mei's inventor aura.
'Are you telling me that All Might...'
Melissa Shield entered the classroom with a calm gait, without a trace of nervousness. She carried a small tablet in her left hand, which she seemed to be checking even as she walked. She looked up only once she was inside, assessing the room with a diplomatic smile.
Two empty seats. One to Reiji's left and the other, directly in front of the teacher's seat. She definitely wouldn't take the seat in front of the teacher, that was clear.
The bustle slowly returned when he saw it wasn't the teacher. Reiji looked at Camie chatting animatedly with Mina in the seats in front of him, and Kirishima chatting with Denki to his right.
He took a seat to Reiji's left, just as he'd predicted. He placed his tablet on the desk with great care and took a pristine notebook out of his backpack, followed by a metallic pen that looked more expensive than the average school supply.
"Do you know her?" a low voice whispered to his right. It was Kirishima, who had stopped talking to Denki for a moment.
Reiji shook his head slowly, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
"No."
He wasn't lying. He theoretically didn't know anyone, but at the same time, he knew them all.
The murmur filled the classroom again as quickly as it had faded. Mina was laughing at something Camie had said, probably an odd comment, while Tsuyu watched calmly from further back. Denki seemed enthralled with whatever he was showing on his phone, and Kirishima resumed the conversation as if nothing had happened.
'If she's here, there's only one spot left. Uraraka or Aoyama. Unless they've changed classes...'
The sliding door opened with a precise click, just as the clock officially marked the start of classes.
A girl with light brown hair, bright eyes, and a somewhat nervous expression poked her head through the doorway. She was wearing her uniform correctly, although her tie was a bit loose, and she was breathing as if she'd just run up a few flights of stairs.
'Excuse me! Is this Class 1-A? I thought I was late!'
'Uraraka... So the traitor Aoyama isn't in Class 1-A this time, is he?'
Reiji recognized her instantly. Uraraka Ochako. Just as he remembered: warm, transparent, one of those people who can't lie even if they try. And with that nervous smile.
"Yes, it's here," Camie replied nonchalantly, waving her hand. "Save yourself while you can~!"
Ochako laughed awkwardly at the joke, not fully understanding the context, and walked quickly to the empty seat, the only one left, across from the teacher, somewhat awkwardly tossing her backpack to the side. She quietly thanked him, sat down, and hadn't even finished settling in when the atmosphere in the room froze.
Clack
This time, the sound of the door was different.
From the floor, a figure slowly emerged, wrapped in an oversized sleeping bag that she dragged along like it was part of her body. Her dark, disheveled hair fell over her tired face, and her expression couldn't be more apathetic.
"It took longer than I expected to get here…"
Some students tensed. Others blinked, not understanding. Reiji simply sat up slightly in his seat.
'Aizawa Shota… here we go'
The man stood before them, shoulders slumped, his gaze dead.
"Welcome to U.A. I'm Aizawa Shota, your homeroom teacher… and this will be the worst year of your lives if you're not prepared."
Absolute silence.
"We have twenty minutes to change. Physical aptitude test. Whoever gets the lowest grade… is out."
The impact was immediate.
"Huh?! What?! A test on the first day?!" Denki shouted from his seat.
"Direct expulsion?" Tsuyu muttered with a mixture of astonishment and logic.
"That's unfair!" Mineta said, standing up abruptly. His hands were shaking and he was sweating cold. Clearly, he had everything to lose.
Aizawa didn't flinch.
"Unfair? This is a hero class. If you think you're going to save people with breaks and smiles... you can leave now."
As the murmurs grew like a wave, Reiji watched silently.
"Today is clearly the best time to make friends with everyone. Denki, Kaminari, Mina, Camie, and Tsuyu, I've already done that, now for the rest. Bakugo and Todoroki are the ones I'll struggle with the most. As for Melissa... Does she really have the OFA, or am I just guessing?"
His gaze flicked briefly to Melissa, who was typing something on her tablet, unfazed.
A new stage had begun.
***
20 students in total. That was the number in Class 1-A, and now they were all in the open field Aizwa had led them to.
"I didn't expect my first day to be so... boring!" Mina exclaimed, visibly complaining. Reiji, who was taller than her, walked beside her.
"This is going just as I expected..." Reiji shrugged, his words conveying a certain mystery that Mina laughed at.
"Okay, Mysterious Boy, so what's next? You're going to have to face a crowd of robots again to show off?"
Reiji smiled faintly, without taking his eyes off the front.
"I don't think repeating that will impress anyone twice."
Mina giggled, giving him a friendly little nudge on the arm.
"Ahh, come on! I bet you're dying to show off a little more."
"Only if it helps them leave me alone."
Upon reaching the field, Aizawa turned to face the entire group. His sleepy gaze scanned each one with professional disinterest.
"Very well. Let's evaluate your physical abilities using your Quirks. There's no magic formula for being a hero... but if you're not performing at the minimum with your ability, you're wasting your time here."
He took a small tablet out of his pocket and swiped something with his thumb. The name of the first student appeared on the screen, with stats beside it.
"First test: ball toss. Toga, since you placed first in the trials, you'll go first."
"First place... I didn't win it from me; you guys just wanted to give it to me."
The name made some murmur. Reiji stepped forward without hesitation, taking the black rubber ball from Aizawa. The same device that measured the distance of the throw.
"You can use your Quirk however you want, as long as you don't leave that circle. I'll measure the distance with this device." Aizawa raised his hand, displaying a digital scoreboard. Reiji nodded silently.
"When you were in middle school," Aizawa said without even raising his voice. "Your best time was 45 meters."
Reiji nodded, turning the ball over in his palm.
"Take your shot."
Without further ado, Reiji flexed his arm and threw. Aizawa watched him closely, activating his own Quirk to deactivate Reiji's ability. This didn't help, though, since Reiji hadn't been using his Quirk to begin with.
The ball flew straight ahead.
234 meters.
Some murmurs began to be heard. Kirishima whistled softly. Mina clicked her tongue, impressed.
"That was it..." Denki commented, looking at the number on the screen.
"Pure brute force..." Kirishima added, completely surprised. Reiji had told them about his Quirk. But throwing a ball over 200 meters with pure brute force? That could also be considered a Quirk to some!
Besides, he was too relaxed to have used his full strength.
"Training with regeneration increased thousands of times more efficient. I can constantly tear my muscles and the next day be as good as new..."
Aizawa, however, didn't move.
"Is that all you have?"
Reiji raised a slight eyebrow.
"It was enough, wasn't it?"
Aizawa took a step forward, his sleepy gaze turning stern.
"You're not here to just give enough. You're at U.A." He gave a light tug at his blindfold. "Use your Quirk. I want to see your full potential."
The tension was instantly noticeable.
"I think you've seen it a couple of times, Professor... But fine, whatever you tell me," Reiji challenged, then relaxed. He was clearly sending a message to Aizawa. He had enough with the Commission without falling into Aizawa and Nezu's whim.
Reiji approached the circle again with a firm step. This time, his pupils barely contracted. His body prepared itself with the precision of a machine.
Thin reddish lines began to run down his right arm, spreading like burning veins. The blood running beneath his skin moved as if obeying an external will. His body subtly changed posture, more upright, sharper. It wasn't just muscle power now: his Quirk was also acting.
He wrapped the blood in a thin layer, which would give him extra momentum in the air. He extended his arm back and threw with all his might. Along with the small ball, a thin crimson line followed the ball from his hand, giving it extra momentum.
As everyone watched, the ball disappeared like a flash in the sky. A second later, a subtle sound shook the room.
The number flashed on the digital screen for a moment, as if the system needed to confirm the result several times before daring to display it.
2,124 meters.
Silence spread like a wave. No one said anything at first.
Melissa squinted, her thumb sliding quickly over the tablet. She had clearly recorded everything. Her face didn't show astonishment, but rather a technical and inquisitive interest.
Camie slowly turned to Reiji from where she sat, her expression a mixture of bewilderment and amusement, as if unsure if she'd just witnessed something illegal or just incredibly cool.
Kirishima crossed his arms and let out a dry laugh, his eyes never leaving her.
Mina, for her part, raised her eyebrows so high they almost disappeared beneath her bangs.
Kaminari stood like a statue, his eyes glued to the screen.
"Bro... I didn't even see when you dropped the ball. Is that legal...?"
Tsuyu, in the background, tilted her head with amphibious calm.
"Impressive."
Among the remaining group, most stared in bewilderment at the boy in front of them. He seemed unfazed by his display of strength, as if there was still plenty of room for that.
Bakugo, who stood a little apart from everyone else, gritted his teeth in a sort of rage. That boy was the same one who had saved him that day, and yet, he seemed much stronger than he had at the time. He had tried hard not to depend on anyone, especially on the one who had saved him.
But that gap had opened up again in many folds!
Reiji walked back calmly. The reddish veins in his arm were already fading, and his pulse had returned to normal. He felt everyone's eyes on him, even though he didn't seek them out.
Melissa didn't look away as he passed her.
"Muscle, vascular, and projectile manipulation through semi-solid mass... Very efficient," she murmured to no one in particular.
Reiji didn't respond. He just sat and let the murmur fill the air again.
Aizawa, from the front, took notes without looking up.
"Good, that's the level you have to aspire to. There are still tests to be done, and I hope you give it your all."
Everyone at that moment agreed to do their best. Not because they wanted to beat Reiji—for some, that already seemed impossible—but rather because that display of strength and attitude had slightly inspired them.
That, and the fact that he would be expelled last.
===
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