'Let's see if you really have the OFA...' Reii thought as she finally watched Melissa prepare to throw the ball. Everyone had passed, and she was finally the last.
Uraraka was the winner so far, with a distance of infinity. Then he was second, with over 2 km, and finally Katsuki, who came in close to 1 km. Which was much further than in the original story.
Melissa silently took her position, her face completely serene. She adjusted her glasses with a precise gesture, then looked at the ball in her hand as if it were part of a delicate experiment. She showed no tension, but neither did she show any enthusiasm. She seemed focused, methodical, completely analytical.
Reiji narrowed his eyes.
'Her body isn't that of a fighter... but her posture is perfect. She's not improvising.'
Beside him, Kirishima and Denki were arguing at the sight of the girl.
'Do you think she can throw more than 100 meters?' the electric boy asked.
"I don't know..." Kirishima murmured. "It doesn't seem that strong."
Melissa, however, didn't seem to have heard anything. She braced herself with surgical precision. Then, without warning, a faint reddish flash ran down her arm. A sort of metallic glove extended to her elbow. Reiji's eyes recognized it—the same device Melissa had given Izuku to resist the OFA.
"Start," Aizawa ordered, and she nodded.
The instant Aizawa gave the command, Melissa moved her body with a synchronization she wouldn't expect from someone "normal." Every muscle seemed to respond to a precise calculation, as if she already knew the exact angle, speed, and release point.
The metallic glove flashed for another instant as it gathered energy. Then, in a single, clean, elegant motion, Melissa threw the ball.
The sound was sharp and resounding. A faint whirring noise followed as the ball sliced through the air in a near-perfect straight line, propelled by the combined strength of her arm and the exoskeleton built into her glove.
The digital scoreboard was not long in coming.
1,860 meters.
A wave of murmurs immediately spread through the students.
"What the hell was that?!"
"That thing on her arm helped her, right?!"
"That's not a Quirk!"
Aizawa didn't react immediately. He just looked down at his device, as if he'd already anticipated this.
Bakugo groaned through gritted teeth. "Technological trap... tch..."
Camie, who had been lying in the air as if floating on an invisible pillow, let out a low whistle.
"Iron Woman style~"
Kirishima's mouth fell open. "That girl... isn't just a brainiac!"
Denki, for his part, just blinked as if he hadn't yet processed what he saw.
But Reiji remained completely silent, his eyes fixed on the still-smoking glove. Some visible fractures could be seen; clearly, the power had been far more than the glove could withstand.
'There's no doubt about it, All Might already transferred his power to someone else... Melissa Shield, the new wielder of the OFA...'
Silence fell almost completely around the group when Reiji spoke.
His tone wasn't loud or dramatic. It was flat, confident. Like a judgment.
'That glove helps contain his Quirk, it limits his strength, not amplifies it...'
'It limits his strength?' Kirishima repeated, in disbelief. 'But... that was almost two kilometers!'
"I'm not saying it wasn't impressive, I'm just saying that's not all of its strength," Reiji clarified, while Melissa looked at him somewhat surprised. She had been taking notes since he arrived and had barely paid attention to her classmates, but hearing Reiji perfectly describe their situation with just a glance left a deep impression on her.
"Izuku, you just lost your chance to become the symbol of peace."
"Okay, that was the last of you. With everyone signed up, let's move on to the next test," Aizawa spoke up to continue the class.
***
When the final test concluded, Aizawa ordered everyone to gather in formation. The sun was already beating down on the training grounds, casting long shadows over the students' sweaty bodies.
"That was it," the teacher announced in his usual apathetic tone, though a faint glimmer of constant assessment was evident in his eyes.
Aizawa turned off the screen and spoke without embellishment:
"The results aren't final. This was just a sample. But if you think you excelled today and have already secured your place among the elite... you're wrong."
A screen in front of everyone displayed the results.
1. Reiji Toga
2. Melissa Shield
3. Katsuki Bakugo
4. Shoto Todoroki
5. Momo Yaoyorozu
6. Tenya Iida
7. Mezo Shoji
8. Tsuyu Asui
9. Fumikage Tokoyami
10. Hanta Sero
11. Eijiro Kirishima
12. Ochaco Uraraka
13. Camie Utsushimi
14. Denki Kaminari
15. Mina Ashido
16. Kinoko Komori
17. Koji Koda
18. Kyoka Jiro
19. Toru Hagakure
20. Minoru Mineta
This is how the list was.
As the list appeared on the screen, the air seemed to compress for an instant. Some held their breath. Others breathed sighs of relief or disappointment.
Katsuki gritted his teeth at his third-place finish.
"Tch! What the hell? How did those two beat me?!" The blond looked like a bomb about to explode, but he didn't say anything else. His gaze fixed on Reiji with suppressed hostility.
Melissa, on the other hand, looked at her place with a slight smile. Proud of her result, even if it wasn't her best.
"Reiji Toga... I'll beat you!" She thought, finally showing emotion after endlessly jotting things down on her tablet.
In the background, Kirishima gently nudged Kaminari with his elbow.
"I told you you weren't that bad, bro! Fourteen isn't that bad!"
"But Mineta came in last again!" Kaminari groaned. "And why is Uraraka below me?! She threw a ball into infinity, for God's sake!"
"That was a Quirk cheat," Sero commented, shrugging. "It doesn't measure actual strength…"
Uraraka just scratched the back of her neck, uncomfortable but not annoyed. "I guess I need to work harder on my physicality…"
Todoroki said nothing. Fourth place didn't affect him. He stared ahead, expressionless, but his brow was slightly furrowed. He watched Reiji and Melissa with genuine curiosity.
Tsuyu blinked. "I was surprised to make the top 10. Ribbit."
Shoji nodded seriously. "Everyone did their best. But some… They have superior training."
Momo sighed in relief. "Fifth place… It's not bad, but I expected more from me."
Reiji, for his part, remained still. Not a smile, not a celebration. He just looked at everyone with the same serenity he'd had all day. He met Aizawa's gaze for only a second. No words were needed. They both knew what that first place meant: a statement.
Camie, in her usual style, smiled as she struck a pose. "Oooh~ Ranking in the middle isn't so bad!"
Hagakure was happy just not to be last. She mentally thanked Mineta for being even further back.
Mineta, however, was trembling.
"Why is it always me?!? Don't they realize the potential of my Quirk?! My balls can stick together forever! I don't want to leave, I just got here!"
"Who cares about that?" Jiro muttered wearily, looking away.
Aizawa watched them silently. He wasn't interested in the wailing or empty celebrations.
"Get used to this," he said in a firm voice. "Comparing yourself is part of the process. But don't forget that the real enemy is out there... not on this list."
With that, he turned and started walking away.
"That's all for today. Besides, the last-place thing was a lie."
The silence lasted only a few seconds… and then it exploded.
"What?!" Mineta exclaimed, falling to his knees on the floor. "Lie?! I almost had a heart attack, damn it!"
Reiji raised an eyebrow at Mineta's exaggerated reaction. Even knowing his personality, it was hard to look at...
***
Their classes ended early; on the first day, all they did was test their Quirks and nothing else. For the upper years, or almost anyone who wasn't part of the hero section, their classes lasted much longer.
Reiji walked calmly through the U.A. campus, ready to go home. When a hand landed on his shoulder, he realized that he was doing well.
"How was your day, Reiji?" Shinso asked, approaching his friend, his expression filled with a small smile. Clearly, it had gone quite well for him, or at least, he was happy about something.
Reiji stopped when he felt the hand on his shoulder, turning his head slightly, still maintaining his relaxed posture.
"It was... interesting," he replied in his usual tone, calm but laden with that shadow behind every word. "Less ridiculous than I imagined... and more predictable."
Shinso raised an eyebrow as he settled in beside him, walking alongside him along the neat campus paths.
"Predictable? You came out first, didn't you? Did you already assume that?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.
Reiji didn't answer right away. He only gave him a brief glance.
"There were a lot stronger people than I thought, even though I finished first anyway. And you, how were you?"
Shinso smiled slightly, as if that answer had satisfied him. He didn't need modesty from Reiji, just sincerity.
"I had to speak in front of everyone. Introduce myself, explain my Quirk… you know, the usual." He put his hands in his pockets. "After that, we did a couple of simple tests. I thought he'd take me to your class, but he didn't."
"They didn't even let us introduce ourselves; my teacher is Aizawa. Very serious for the first day," Reiji said, his hands on the back of his neck, completely relaxed.
"That sounds... demanding. It suits you perfectly, doesn't it?" Shinso mocked. Reiji just looked at him; he had nothing to say against him, and besides, he knew exactly what he would do on this first day.
As Reiji and Shinso walked calmly through the main gates of U.A., their steps were slow but steady, as if each of them were meditating on the day they had just lived. They hadn't said anything else; they simply shared the silence like old acquaintances.
But a light, almost drawling voice reached them from behind.
"Hey, Reiji... are you going on the train?"
They both turned. It was Camie Utsushimi, walking with her usual carefree air, one hand in her pocket and the other waving a colorful lollipop. Her uniform was slightly disheveled, but her smile was natural.
Reiji studied her for a second, instantly recognizing her.
"Yes," she replied simply. "Why?"
"I'm going there too. Can I join you?" I asked cheerfully. Reiji looked at Shinso, who just shrugged, then the Toga nodded.
Camie smiled instantly, as if she'd received a personal invitation to a secret party. She took a couple of steps forward to walk side by side with them, biting her lollipop as her eyes darted curiously between Reiji and Shinso.
"Your Quirk is pretty crazy, you know? I didn't really understand it, but it was clear you had everything under control," she said, looking at Reiji with friendly impudence. "Are you always so cold, or is it just because of the first day?"
"Depends on who I'm with," Reiji replied without looking directly, his tone neutral as always.
"Uh, was that a compliment?" she asked between soft chuckles, tilting her head. "I'm not sure, but I'll take that as a yes."
Shinso let out a snort that could have been a laugh or simply resignation. "You'll have to get used to it. He doesn't speak much, but every word has a sharp edge."
"I love a challenge," Camie replied with a wink. Then she lowered her voice a little, almost murmuring, "Besides, not many people go to U.A. in my area, so this is pretty convenient."
Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Where exactly are you from?"
"From the west side, not far from Nakahara District. And you?"
"Me too," Shinso said casually. "Although I take a different line, so I'll detour a couple of stations later."
"I come that way too," Reiji added. "But I usually walk to the third intersection before taking the train."
"Then it's fate," Camie said, turning on her heels and taking a few steps back to get a better look at them. "Train neighbors!"
"Mmm, okay," Reiji murmured.
Camie just smiled wider. "Give me a week, Reiji Toga, and I promise I'll make you smile for real."
He didn't respond. He just kept his eyes straight ahead, but Shinso noticed how the corner of his lips twitched slightly upward.
Maybe the first day wasn't as predictable as he'd expected.
===
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