The morning sunlight spilled through the windows of U.A. High, cutting across the gleaming halls like golden rivers. It was a new day, fresh and vibrant, but for Shin Karasuma, it felt like the sky was holding its breath.
"Yo, Shin!"
Yuki Takamine bounded up beside him with a burst of energy, her spiky strawberry-blonde hair a chaotic halo around her head. "You look like you didn't sleep at all. Nightmares or late-night brooding?"
"Little of both," Shin muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"You're such an anime protagonist sometimes," she teased.
Toma Nishida strolled up behind them, his steel-blue eyes half-lidded as usual, hands buried in his pockets. "I dreamed about flying toast. That's probably a prophecy."
Shiro Hanabusa appeared quietly from the other side, seemingly materializing out of nowhere. "You always dream of food."
"Food is important," Toma said seriously. "Like… spiritually."
Shin smirked. "Well, today's not a food day. Let's head in."
---
The classroom buzzed with energy. Students chatted, joked, and gathered in little groups, still getting used to the rhythm of life at U.A. Some were comparing quirk training injuries; others, homework or the class election results.
Midoriya was already at his desk, scribbling furiously in one of his notebooks. When he noticed Shin, he looked up and beamed.
"Good morning!"
"Hey, Deku," Shin greeted with a smile. "Still writing hero notes?"
"Always! Did you know that Ojiro's tail can support his entire body weight? He can actually balance on it while kicking!"
"Sounds exhausting," said Toma, dropping into his seat.
"Midoriya's passion is scary sometimes," Yuki whispered to Shin, then turned to him with mock-seriousness. "If he ever turns villain, we're doomed."
"Don't say stuff like that!" Midoriya flailed. "I-I'd never—!"
"Relax, we know," Shiro said coolly. "You're too nice."
As they talked, Iida Tenya stood at the front, clearly trying not to fidget. He finally cleared his throat loudly, cutting through the chatter.
"Everyone! May I have your attention?"
The class slowly quieted down.
"As the acting class representative, I'd like to propose we begin today's homeroom with a discussion regarding group coordination and responsibility. Yesterday's cafeteria incident proves we need clear leadership."
"Iida," Kaminari said, raising an eyebrow, "it was just a security system test."
"But it could have been real!" Iida insisted, adjusting his glasses. "In moments of chaos, we must have structure!"
"I think Iida's got a point," Shin chimed in thoughtfully. "Even if it was a false alarm, people panicked. What if something real happens? We need someone who stays calm."
"Exactly!" Iida turned to Shin like he'd just met a kindred spirit.
"But also," Yuki said, leaning forward on her desk, "someone fun. Who doesn't make meetings sound like funeral processions."
Iida deflated. "That was uncalled for…"
"We could always rotate," Uraraka suggested. "Like, maybe a new rep each month?"
"That could work," said Shin. "Keeps things fair, gives people a chance to lead."
"We can vote again," Midoriya added. "Properly this time, with more context."
"But I don't want to be president!" Kaminari moaned. "Too much pressure."
"Then don't vote for yourself next time," Jirou said dryly.
A few people laughed.
Just then, Aizawa walked in like a ghost—silent, half-zipped in his yellow sleeping bag again. He took one long look at the chattering class before sighing heavily.
"You're all way too loud for this hour."
"Good morning, Sensei," Iida said, standing at attention.
"Sit down, Iida."
"Yes, sir."
Aizawa rubbed his eyes. "We're heading off-campus for a rescue training exercise today. Bring your costumes. The bus leaves in twenty minutes."
Murmurs shot through the room like lightning.
"Wait—rescue training?" Mina asked, bouncing. "Like, real rescue stuff?"
"Yup," Kirishima grinned. "That's so manly!"
Shin tensed just slightly. It's today.
Midoriya glanced at him, noticing. "Shin? You okay?"
Shin nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just... mentally preparing."
Yuki raised an eyebrow. "That's ominous."
Aizawa's voice cut back in. "You'll be training with Pro Hero Thirteen at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. The USJ. Don't be late."
With that, he vanished into the hallway again like a ghost.
"Thirteen?" Midoriya perked up. "She's amazing! Her Quirk's all about black holes, right? I've read all her incident reports. Her control is incredible!"
Yuki whispered to Shin, "He's already mentally married to her."
"Maybe let's just survive first," Shin replied quietly, eyes sharp.
---
Twenty minutes later, the class was loading into the bus. The ride itself was surprisingly casual. Instead of the orderly school bus most were used to, this one was wide and open, more like a tourist shuttle with seats around the edges facing each other.
"This is so chill," Kaminari said, stretching out. "It's like a field trip."
"We're going to a rescue simulation, not a theme park," Iida grumbled, clutching his seat.
"But it's still kinda cool," Uraraka smiled. "I've never seen a real hero training facility before."
Todoroki sat quietly, gazing out the window. Bakugo muttered something about how he didn't need training. Shin sat beside Toma and Midoriya, Yuki sprawled lazily on the floor nearby.
Shiro, sitting across from them, looked directly at Shin. "You're on edge."
Shin blinked. "Yeah?"
"You're never this still," Shiro said simply. "Too quiet. What are you expecting?"
Midoriya glanced between them, growing curious.
Shin hesitated, then said slowly, "I just have a bad feeling about today. Nothing specific, just… stay alert, alright?"
Yuki sat up. "You're not usually the paranoid type."
"I'm not being paranoid." Shin met their eyes. "Just... trust me on this."
Toma gave a small nod. "Got it."
Midoriya looked thoughtful, but didn't press.
---
The bus pulled up to the massive dome-shaped building of the USJ. The Unforeseen Simulation Joint stretched like a futuristic stadium, metallic and gleaming under the sun. Inside, it was even more impressive—an enormous interior lined with entire zones mimicking real-life disaster scenarios: floods, fires, earthquakes, wreckage.
Class 1-A gathered near the entrance, buzzing with excitement and awe.
Thirteen greeted them in full costume, the polite, soft-spoken pro hero bowing cheerfully.
"Welcome, everyone! I'm very excited to train with you today!"
Midoriya's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Sh-she's even more amazing in person…"
Thirteen chuckled. "Today, we'll focus on non-combat hero work—search and rescue. Because saving people is the essence of being a hero."
Shin's hand clenched slightly behind his back. His eyes scanned the environment. Everything looked normal… for now.
He didn't trust it.
Thirteen continued, "I've prepared each disaster zone for realistic scenarios. You'll be split into teams—"
Before she could finish, the lights flickered.
Everyone froze.
A strange hum filled the air, low and deep, almost like a frequency shift. The water at the artificial lake rippled. A dark shimmer opened at its center.
Aizawa stepped forward instantly.
"Everyone get back."
A black mist began to spread across the USJ.
And from it, monsters stepped out.
Villains.
Shin's heart sank.
It's starting.