Before the sun even rises, I'm already dressed. First day and no, don't judge me, I'm not nervous. Like I said, first impressions matter, and being late screams lack of commitment. I don't plan on being the best in class, but I'm aiming for a solid fifth. Safe spot. Low enough to avoid attention, high enough to be taken seriously.
I leave the house after kissing my half-asleep grandmother, adjusting my red tie one last time. Walking is boring, I know. But if I didn't use my quirk back when I was a nobody, there's no way I'm doing it now as a UA student. Public transport it is. Whatever. I lived a whole damn life doing this.
Forty-eight minutes. Forty-eight painful minutes of brushing against mutants and strangers until I finally reach UA. I take a quick look at myself in a window—hair's on point. White on top, a little long and smooth, black on the sides. Sharp contrast. Uniform is ironed, perfect fit. Not pride—just necessity. Part of the character I'm selling to these people.
Ah, right. Karma. Where's my son, you ask? Out there hunting a job. We already got someone to make him a fake ID, but that's his business. He's independent enough.
And why a job if he's meant to be a vigilante? Two reasons—money, and building a history. Reasons to kill, reasons to be him. Maybe I'm overthinking, maybe not. I'd rather be ready.
I walk through endless halls until I find it—our classroom. Door's already open. There's a crowd inside. So much for dramatic entrances. Guess public transport sabotaged me.
Normally, this is where fanfic protagonists act all mysterious, aloof, some brooding antihero act—but no. If I mess this up now, every future interaction will be filtered through this moment. People don't know you—they only know the version you show. You don't exist as you in their heads, just as a warped echo of what you project. It's terrifying, really.
So I'm building a mask. One they'll trust. So when the time comes—when I need to betray them—they'll hesitate. That tiny moment of doubt?
That's when I win.
But that's for later. A lot can change. For now, I open the door. The air inside hits me, sharp with cheap deodorant and tension. A few look at me—Bakugo and Todoroki don't even blink. Figures. No Deku yet. Good.
I find a seat and walk toward it. Lida's nearby. I flash him a smile and extend my hand.
"Hello, your name's Tenya Lida, right? I'm a big fan of your brother. I'm Matsumoto."
His eyes light up like a kid at Christmas. The handshake is immediate, powerful. He's practically vibrating.
"You recognize me? And my brother? How?!"
"I was top of my class back in my school. I obviously heard about the Sounmei school and your family. I'm really excited to study alongside the brother of such a hero."
He's screaming internally. A top student—even from a poor school—recognizing him? Gold. Should buy his favor for a while.
After some small talk, we're already in good terms. We both break off—I want to scan the room, he wants to deal with Bakugo.
As he leaves, I spot Jiro already looking at me.
"It seems we ended up together. Crazy how destiny works, huh?"
She gives a soft laugh, smiling before pointing a finger at me in mock disgust.
"Yeah, unlucky me, being stuck with the creep who touched me after stealing my points. Still, good to see you again, Matsumoto-kun. And thanks again—for the save."
"OHHH!"
Before I can answer, I get ambushed—Mina Ashido, pink and radiant, cuts the air between us like a knife.
"It's you?! The top scorer from the practical exam?! Akuma Matsumoto?!"
Ah. Shit.
Silence hits the room like a slap. Everyone turns to look. That name again—Akuma. Always him. I could change it, sure, but it fits me.
Mina blinks, confused, poking her lip with her finger like a guilty child.
"Did I say something wrong?"
I laugh it off.
"No, you're fine. Yeah, I'm Akuma Matsumoto. And you are?"
"Mina Ashido! So happy to meet you!"
I introduce her to Jiro. We talk about the exam, our scores, jokes fly around. It's starting to feel... manageable. Almost fun.
A yellow-haired guy intercepts me just as I'm about to sit—Denki Kaminari. Energetic, loud, exactly how I remember him, though this is technically our first meeting.
"Hey dude, your name's Akuma? For real?"
"Heh, weird, right? Yeah, it is. You can just call me Matsumoto. And you?"
"I'm Denki Kaminari. Pleasure to meet you!"
He points at himself as tiny electric sparks shoot from his hair. Then he leans in. Too close.
"Hey, is it true you grabbed that girl during the exam? What exactly did you do?"
"Oh, heh. I saved her. The zero-pointer collapsed a building, so I stepped in."
"That's so cool! Maybe you can teach me your ways to pick up girls?!"
…Yeah. He's exactly as desperate as I remember. That's Kaminari. He even bows, all dramatic, and I have to bite my lip not to laugh.
But then the main event arrives. A green-haired boy walks in as Lida scolds Bakugo. Bakugo's screaming, of course. Uraraka slides in last, right before Aizawa does his thing.
His introduction is blunt. Barely registers. Talks about being heroes and the danger of expulsion. Whatever. What does matter is—he gives us the exercise uniforms and tells us to change.
We obey.
In the locker room, I approach Izuku for the first time. The protagonist of this world. Here we go.
"Hey! Aren't you Izuku Midoriya?"
He turns to me, blinking like a confused puppy.
"I am. How do you know me?"
"I heard Lida and that girl talking. Apparently you took down the zero-pointer with one hit. That's... kind of insane."
His face lights up. He's proud, can't hide it. I mimic a punch in the air, playfully.
"Yeah! I did it! I was nervous as hell, but then it fell over—boom! If it wasn't for Uraraka, though, I wouldn't be here."
"So it's true. One punch. Impressive. Took me way more to bring it down."
"You... you took it down too?"
He stares at me, surprised. Doubt creeps in, maybe I was to direct? Now I'm worried I put his self esteem lower than before, no, let's help him a little
"It's great to have someone so strong in class. Let's give it our best, yeah?"
I offer a fist.
He bumps it with a big, hopeful grin.
"YES!"