They all filed onto the bus that would take them to the USJ facility. The chatter of excited classmates filled the air—Kaminari cracking jokes, Mina laughing a little too loudly, and Iida trying to keep everyone orderly as usual. The bus hummed to life, the low rumble of the engine mixing with the voices of Class 1-A.
Izuku slipped toward the back and took a seat by the window. He rested his elbow against the glass, watching the scenery blur by as the city slowly gave way to more open roads. A moment later, Tsuyu quietly slid into the seat beside him, her calm presence settling in without much fuss.
For a while, the two simply sat in comfortable silence, the sound of their classmates fading into the background. Then, out of nowhere, Tsuyu tilted her head toward him.
" You know, your quirk really reminds me of All Might's," she said suddenly, her tone casual but thoughtful.
Izuku blinked, drawn from his thoughts. " You think? Well… I guess there are similarities, now that I think about it," he replied with a small smile.
" Yeah," Tsuyu continued, resting her chin on her palm. "What is your quirk again? Superman, right?"
" Yep—Superman," Izuku answered with a bit of pride. "I can do anything a man can do, but… super. Like jumping, running, strength—and a lot more."
Tsuyu gave a soft chuckle. " Sounds like a pretty awesome quirk… compared to mine, at least."
" Nah," Izuku said quickly, turning toward her. "I think yours is awesome. Plus… without it, I'm sure you wouldn't be this cute."
That last part slipped out naturally, and Tsuyu's cheeks turned a faint pink. She blinked, then smiled lightly, her heart giving a small flutter. " Thanks."
She looked forward again, pretending to watch the road, before speaking. " So… how was the water park? Unfortunately, we didn't get to swim, but we did play with the water."
Izuku chuckled at the memory. " I enjoyed myself. Next time we should really go to a pool… oh, wait—we can do that at my house. If you want."
Tsuyu's eyes widened slightly, then softened as she nodded. " Really? Okay. You just have to invite me then."
Izuku grinned at her answer, resting his chin in his hand as he glanced back out the window. The sunlight reflected off the glass, and for a moment, he thought the ride didn't feel long at all.
After some time, the bus slowed and finally came to a halt. When the students stepped off, their eyes widened in awe. The facility was massive, stretching like an arena built for giants, each zone crafted to mimic different calamities of nature.
The chatter rose in excitement until the space hero Thirteen appeared, her bulky suit gleaming under the lights. She waved a hand before beginning her explanation.
" This is the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. You'll see the flood zone, landslide zone, conflagration zone, and many more. Every disaster you can imagine, this facility can simulate. I helped design this place myself," she said proudly, her voice carrying a weight of experience.
While the class gawked at the sheer size of it all, Izuku's sharp eyes flicked downward. A swirl of black mist shimmered faintly near the center plaza below. His lips curved into a smirk.
' I forgot… they don't waste any time,' he thought.
The portal stretched wider, shadows pulling at the air. From it stepped Shigaraki, hunched forward with his unsettling slouch, hands twitching at his sides. Behind him, wave after wave of villains poured out, their grins and snarls echoing through the facility.
Aizawa's eyes narrowed instantly. His scarf slid into his hands as he barked, " Class! Huddle up—now!"
But the order came too late. The portal expanded again, swallowing the space with inky darkness, and in a flash of warped gravity, the students were scattered.
Izuku blinked and found himself submerged in the flood zone, surrounded by cold water pressing against his skin. His arms were calmly crossed, eyes open as if the pressure meant nothing. Dozens of villains swam and darted through the murky depths, their grins predatory.
Izuku exhaled slowly, then raised a hand.
ZZZZT ZZZZT
Twin beams of red-hot lasers cut through the water, each shot exploding in blinding flashes. The searing light burned paths through the flood, scorching across every villain in sight, blasting them back in shockwaves. Steam and bubbles filled the zone as they writhed and sank, incapacitated.
Without missing a beat, Izuku turned—his eyes locking onto Tsuyu. She was struggling against the current, carrying Mineta tightly against her. Izuku streaked toward her in a blur, scooping her into his arms effortlessly, bridal-style. She gasped at the sudden motion, her face heating as her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.
In a single burst, he rocketed upward, the water parting violently around them. They broke the surface in an explosion of spray, air rushing back into their lungs. Izuku hovered briefly before setting down lightly on a boat within the flood zone.
" You alright?" he asked softly, glancing down at her. Tsuyu, still pressed against his chest, was blushing fiercely but gave a small nod.
" Y-yes," she whispered, her voice almost croaking.
He lowered her gently onto the deck, where she set Mineta down unceremoniously. The purple-haired boy jolted awake, eyes darting around in panic.
" What just happened?!" he shrieked, clutching his head.
" Shut up, Mineta—you'll attract attention," Tsuyu hissed, her composure slowly returning.
" We're gonna die!!" Mineta screamed louder this time, his voice echoing across the water.
Izuku's expression flattened. Without hesitation, he tapped Mineta sharply on the temple. The boy slumped unconscious with a soft thud.
' Honestly… what is his use?' Izuku thought, shaking his head. His eyes then narrowed as he scanned the horizon.
Across the shimmering surface of the water, more portals rippled open. Dozens of villains waded onto boats and planks, eyes locking onto him like predators spotting prey.
The air grew heavier, the tension thick enough to taste. Izuku's smirk returned. His muscles coiled, the faint glow of energy beginning to hum beneath his skin.
The villains spread out across the water, their numbers growing as more emerged from the misty portals. Some carried crude weapons, others were mutants with shark-like features or gills that made the flood zone their domain. Their laughter carried eerily over the rippling waves.
Izuku's eyes scanned quickly, calculating. Tsuyu crouched low on the boat's railing, her long tongue twitching as her eyes darted across the enemies.
" There's too many of them," she croaked calmly. "We need a plan, ribbit."
Izuku nodded, his arms folding for a moment as he assessed the terrain. " The flood zone's their advantage. They'll try to drag us under and swarm. I'll handle the heavy hits from above—you keep them off balance. Pick the stragglers, pull me out if they drag me down. Got it?"
Tsuyu gave a sharp nod. " Got it. I can jump and use my tongue to yank weapons—or pull you if things get bad. Mineta's out, so it's just us."
Izuku smirked. " Then let's make it count."
The first wave of villains leapt from the water, screeching as they rushed the boat. Izuku blurred forward, his fist slamming into the deck, sending a shockwave that cracked the planks and blasted the attackers back into the sea.
BOOM!
The boat rocked violently, water splashing high. Tsuyu leapt into the air with perfect timing, her tongue lashing out like a whip.
THWAP!
She snagged one villain's ankle mid-jump, yanking him out of the air and slamming him into another. Both collapsed unconscious onto the deck.
" Nice one!" Izuku shouted, blasting twin beams of heat vision into the water, forcing several submerged enemies to scatter.
The water boiled where the beams struck, creating pockets of steam that disoriented their opponents.
" Behind you, Izuku!" Tsuyu called.
He spun just in time to catch a gilled villain lunging with jagged teeth. With a sharp motion, Izuku grabbed the creature's head and tossed him back into the water like trash.
Another group tried climbing onto the boat's sides. Tsuyu crouched low, then sprang forward, her tongue flicking out and smacking two of them off-balance.
She landed gracefully on the opposite railing, crouched like a predator. " They're persistent," she muttered.
Izuku floated just above the deck now, hovering, his eyes glowing faintly red. " Then let's stop holding back."
With a sudden burst, he dove toward the water, smashing through several boats in succession like a cannonball. Splinters and waves erupted everywhere as villains went flying. Tsuyu followed his momentum, leaping from wreckage to wreckage, knocking down stragglers with precise kicks and tongue strikes.
On the last jump, Izuku rocketed back upward, grabbing Tsuyu mid-air to carry her higher. From above, the two looked down at the chaos—villains sprawled across broken boats, the water churning with defeated bodies struggling to stay afloat.
Izuku smirked at her. " Guess we make a good team, huh?"
Her cheeks pinkened faintly, but she kept her composure, nodding. " Ribbit. We do."
Then, more ripples began forming in the distance—another wave of villains pouring through portals.
Izuku's fists clenched as he hovered, Tsuyu steadying herself in his hold.
' Looks like this won't end until I push harder,' he thought, his grin returning.
Izuku the remembered.
"Wait… where is Mineta?" Izuku asked, scanning the area.
Tsuyu blinked, her tongue flicking nervously as she followed his gaze. "Kero… don't tell me he—"
Before she could finish, they both spotted him. Mineta floated aimlessly on the water's surface, his tiny body bobbing up and down between bits of wreckage. His round head looked almost like a buoy as the waves gently rocked him back and forth.
At that exact moment, Mineta's eyes flickered open. He groaned, saw the villains scattered across the battlefield, the smoke, the broken pillars, and then immediately shut his eyes again with a pitiful whine.
'Nope nope nope nope—this is all a dream. Just a bad dream!' he thought frantically, pinching his own arm under the water until his face scrunched. 'See? If I just force myself back to sleep, I'll wake up in class. Or… or better, in a hot spring surrounded by girls!'
His arms and legs went limp, his body going slack as he let himself drift again, pretending to be unconscious. A soft snore even escaped his lips.
TO BE CONTINUED