"I need to tell Kirishima I can't hang out today." Renji muttered, dragging his feet toward Class 1-A's hallway.
Sighing deeply, Renji turned the corner to see a large crowd building outside of his classroom.
Not just Hero Course students, but students from the General Course and Support Course mixed in, the hallway buzzing with noise and challenge.
"What the hell…?" he murmured.
From the entrance of the classroom, Bakugo yelled with his usual fire.
"You extras better scram!" Bakugo barked, palm already glowing with micro-explosions. "You think you can just show up here and pick a fight with us?"
Some of the onlookers flinched back, but one voice cut through the chatter, dripping with confidence.
"That's exactly what we're doing," said a purple haired student from the General Course, stepping forward with his hands tucked in his pockets.
Hitoshi Shinso, Renji deduced, remembering his report he had written, tucked safely in his computer at home.
Shinso's eyes narrowed as he looked at Bakugo, then past him, at the "1-A" plate above the classroom door.
"If students from other courses perform well enough during the U.A. Sports Festival," Shinso said, raising his voice so the whole crowd could hear, "they can be transferred into the Hero Course."
The hallway erupted in noise, some whispering while others cheered and laughed.
Bakugo's grin only widened. "You've got a death wish, huh?"
Renji watched with an amused expression on his face, wondering whether this would escalate any further.
"Outta the way!"
A silver-haired student from Class 1-B rushed forward, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall. He almost crashed into Renji, but he easily sidestepped, already knowing the guy was coming.
Tetsutetsu didn't even turn around to apologize. He was already too busy yelling.
"I've been dying to see what kind of class could actually beat real villains!" Tetsutetsu shouted, jabbing a finger toward the doorway of 1-A. "But all I see are a bunch of condescending brats who think they're untouchable!"
The hallway fell silent for a beat. Bakugo's smirk twitched into a snarl, a small explosion flaring from his hand.
"You wanna run that by me again, steelhead?"
Tetsutetsu slammed his fist into his palm, grinning with raw energy. "You heard me! 1-B's not gonna sit back while you guys hog all the spotlight!"
The tension in the air thickened, sparks practically flying between the two classes.
Renji watched the two face off, sparks flying between the two before he finally moved.
His face changed like a light switch, the once amused expression turning into something much more sinister. Something that Mina had the privilege of seeing all those weeks ago.
Slowly walking up behind Tetsutetsu through the crowd, Renji placed a cold hand on his shoulder, a fake smile running through his face.
Tetsutetsu turned around with a snarl, finally noticing Renji's presence.
"Oh? You one of them too?" he shot out, brushing at Renji's hand. "You got somethin' to say?"
Renji's smile didn't falter, if anything, it grew a little wider.
"You're welcome to try and fight villains yourself," he said quietly, his voice almost pleasant. "In fact… I can lead them straight to you if you really want to test that bravery of yours."
Before Tetsutetsu could respond, Renji's hand tightened.
The friendly hand on his shoulder turned into a vice grip. Tetsutetsu's grin vanished, his jaw locking as he tried to pull away.
"Hey—!" he hissed through gritted teeth, but the pressure only grew, placed exactly where it would hurt the most.
Reflexively, Tetsutetsu activated his Quirk. His skin hardened, metallic sheen rippling across his arm and neck. But even with his Quirk engaged, Renji's fingers didn't budge.
What the hell…? he thought, panic creeping in. He's crushing me through my Quirk?
The hallway fell into uneasy silence. The other students had stopped whispering and took uneasy steps back. Even Bakugo paused, watching the exchange with a flicker of interest.
Renji's eyes sharpened, a glint of cold curiosity flickering within them.
"Steel," he murmured, as though testing the word on his tongue. "That's what your Quirk is, right?"
Tetsutetsu gave a strained nod, his breathing uneven as he struggled to pry Renji's hand off.
Renji leaned in slightly, voice still calm but carrying a razor edge.
"Turning your body into steel… seems kind of cool at first. Durable… Reliable… Strong."
His smile twitched—something darker seeping through. "But it's not free, is it?"
Tetsutetsu froze, confusion cutting through his frustration.
Renji's tone seemed to chill the air around him. "Nothing in nature is infinite. You can't gain anything without first giving something in return."
He titled his head and the grin on his face stretched uncannily like a devil's. "I bet it's from the iron in your body."
Shinso's brows furrowed slightly, watching Renji with new interest, while a few of the support students instinctively stepped back further.
Tetsutetsu's eyes widened. "How the hell do you—"
Renji's grip tightened again, just for a second—enough to make Tetsutetsu wince. Then, just as suddenly, he released him.
The 1-B student stumbled forward, clutching his shoulder, his steel form flickering back to skin.
Renji smirked at the poor guy on the ground. "Your Quirk is just a worse version of Kirishima's."
Saying that, Renji looked into the classroom and waved at him. "Sorry, Kirishima. I won't be able to hang out today."
Watching with a shocked expression, Kirishima quickly snapped out of it, simply letting out a laugh.
"Haha," He chuckled, "Don't even worry about it!"
Turning back to Tetsutetsu, Renji shifted the weight of his bag.
"Steel has an extremely low limit." He said flatly. "Unfortunately for you, your peak has already been defined."
"You'd be better off working as a construction worker." Renji nearly spat at Tetsutetsu, looking down at him with disdain.
Both the students from Class 1-A and the other courses grimaced at the finality of Renji's words, wondering what kind of childhood he had to say that kind of thing so easily.
Admist it all, a clear voice rang out from behind him.
"Hey!" Shinso's voice cut through the tension. "Cool it. What do you think you're doing?"
Renji turned to face him slowly, unnervingly calm. He didn't speak.
Instead, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a small silver canister. Clicking it open on his palm, a faint hum filled the air as nanobots poured out, swirling like metallic dust before forming floating text above his hand:
"Your Quirk is very interesting. It'll be a useful tool in your career."
The words shifted—sharp and deliberate.
Renji's gaze fixed on Shinso. "But don't think about using it on me."
A hush fell again.
Then Renji looked around at the crowd, his tone measured but cutting.
"You're all welcome to try and take our spots," he said. "But there's a reason we got into the Hero Course… and you didn't."
He snapped the canister shut. The nanobots scattered back inside.
Then, without another word, Renji walked through the parted crowd, the faint sound of his footsteps echoing in the hall.
Bakugo's grin returned with grudging respect. "Not bad…"
—
[Two Weeks Later]
—Meeting Room—
"Are all the preparations ready?" Aizawa asked his peers, crossing his arms.
The staffroom was unusually tense. A wide table stood at the center, covered with blueprints of the stadium, seating maps, and encrypted communication layouts.
Cementoss was first to speak. "Reinforcements are in place. The inner walls have been reinforced with shock-absorbent material, and each section can be sealed off independently in under five seconds."
"Make it at least three," Aizawa said flatly.
Midnight exhaled, resting her chin on one hand. "You really think we'll need that level of reaction time?"
"I think the villains like to make a point," Aizawa replied. "And I don't plan on letting them succeed twice."
All Might leaned forward slightly, his tone firm. "The students will be safe. We've tightened entry protocols—no one gets near the stadium without clearance."
Nezu placed his teacup down with a faint clink, tail flicking. "Indeed, and that's not all. In addition to the stationed pro heroes and Commission support, we'll have an internal observer—one of our own students."
That got the room's attention.
Midnight sighed dramtically. "Don't tell me it's who I think it is?"
Nezu smiled knowingly. "Renji. His Quirk will let him detect any threat on the premises within seconds, at least that's as much as he's been willing to tell me."
Present Mic gave a low whistle. "You're really trusting that kid with security? He's sharp, sure, but he's also… a bit of a wildcard."
Aizawa didn't disagree, but his tone was measured. "As long as he doesn't overstep, he'll be an asset."
Nezu chuckled softly, eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Oh, I'll make sure he behaves. But with Renji on lookout, we may just have the advantage this year."
There was a pause as everyone absorbed that.
Aizawa finally spoke, adjusting his scarf. "Let's just hope he doesn't become the problem we're trying to prevent. I don't want today to become utter chaos."
Nezu only smiled wider. "Oh, I have faith in him." He looked toward the window, the early morning light glinting off his round eyes. "Just enjoy the show."
—
—Class 1-A Meeting Room—
The day had finally come. In just a few minutes, each student from each course would be stepping out for the U.A. Sports Festivel.
This was a chance to show the world what they have in store, and most importantly, it would give them a chance to garner future internships.
Having changed into their P.E. uniforms to make things fair for everyone, the class stepped out of the locker rooms and into their waiting room.
The class aimlessly chattered, a nervous energy filling the room. But underneath it all, the excitement was beginning to bubble up to the surface.
Stretching his arms high into the sky, Renji slowly let the stretch fade and walked over to his fellow classmate sitting on a couch nearby.
"Focus." Renji shook Iida's shoulder, startling him with a jolt.
Just a moment ago, his eyes were glazed over as if he were in deep thought.
Probably thinking about living up to his brother's legacy.
"Renji!" Iida exclaimed, noticing him standing behind. "I didn't even realize you were here."
"Yeah…" Renji drawled, sitting beside him. "What's on your mind?"
"…"
Iida folded his hands on his lap, gazing up toward the ceiling. "It's just… I don't know if I'll ever be able to live up to my brother's legacy."
Bar for bar! Renji silently congratulated himself for guessing correctly. Although it had become somewhat second nature for him, there was nothing wrong with relishing in the victory.
Outwardly, Renji simply nodded, resting his head on his arms as he leaned back.
"If your brother is all you think about, you're not going to get very far." He said bluntly.
"… I can see where you're coming from." Iida replied after a moment. "But I've looked up to my brother my entire life. It's not going to be easy to let these feelings go."
"Mmm." Renji watched the clock tick closer to the upcoming event.
"Just think about it, I know how it feels like for family to be everything." He advised, patting Iida on the shoulder.
Iida gave a thankful nod, and Renji leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment. The chatter around the room had picked up again—Kaminari and Mina were arguing about what kind of activity would show up first, while Bakugo was pacing near the door, muttering threats to no one in particular.
Kirishima plopped down beside Renji with an easy grin. "Hey, bro," he said, "random question, but didn't the teachers make you take those things in your body out before the festival?"
Renji cracked an eye open. "No."
Kirishima blinked. "Wait—seriously? You get to keep them in?"
Renji's voice stayed calm, almost bored. "They didn't have a choice."
Kirishima let out a short laugh, thinking he was joking—but the flat look on Renji's face told him otherwise.
"…Okay, now you gotta explain that."
Renji's eyes drifted to the floor, mind replaying a conversation from just a bit ago.
— Flashback, Biology Laboratory, One Week Ago—
The faint hum of containment chambers filled the room, each glass cylinder holding what was left of the Nomu. Dark tissue samples floated in luminescent fluid, cables snaking out into data consoles that flickered with endless lines of genetic code.
Renji stood beside one of the tanks, his hands moving methodically as he logged readings into the system.
Behind him, Nezu stood atop a rolling stool, peering over a tablet twice his size. "Fascinating, isn't it?" he mused, his high-pitched voice almost musical. "So much power, so little control."
Renji didn't look up. "If this thing was designed to kill All Might, it needed better hardware."
"True," Nezu chuckled, "but that's precisely what makes it interesting. Whoever made this wasn't stupid. They just needed more time."
Renji tapped a few keys, pulling up an overlay of cellular breakdown rates. "Overclocked muscle tissue. Neural instability. Whoever made it built for destruction, not sustainability."
"Unlike your little friends," Nezu said, eyes flicking toward Renji's forearm.
Renji continued typing without a hiccup. "They're efficient."
Nezu's whiskers twitched in amusement. "I'd say too efficient. Tell me, Renji—are you prepared enough for the Sports Festival?"
Renji didn't glance up. "Yeah, I'll win."
From across the lab, Power Loader groaned without looking up from his terminal. "Kid's cockier every week."
Nezu laughed softly. "Confidence is admirable… when it's earned."
"I've earned it," Renji said flatly.
"Then humor me," Nezu replied, stepping closer and folding his paws behind his back. "You'll have to take out the nanobots before the festival. Regulations, you understand."
The hum of the containment pods seemed to deepen.
Renji slowly turned, expression unreadable. "…I can't."
Power Loader looked up. "What do you mean, can't?"
"They're not removable. Not anymore." Renji replied, waving them off.
Nezu tilted his head. "Oh? And why's that?"
Renji exhaled through his nose. "They're embedded too deeply. The only reason they ever worked was because I tuned them for my biology. Every mutation, every change I'd ever go through—they'll adapt. Removing them now would be like pulling my atoms apart."
Power Loader muttered, "So you're basically a walking experiment."
Renji's voice was calm, but cold. "I'm the result."
Nezu's smile didn't waver, but his eyes gleamed with curiosity. "I see. All this time I thought it was simply augmentation… turns out it's much more."
Renji said nothing.
After a long pause, Nezu chuckled to himself, setting his tablet down. "Very well, Renji. You may keep them. I wouldn't want to see my prized pupil explode into smithereens on stage, after all."
That earned him the faintest smirk from Renji. "Appreciated."
As the boy turned back to the Nomu tank, the glass reflected Nezu's expression—his cheerful grin giving way to something sharper, calculating.
"Still," Nezu murmured under his breath, "there's more to your explanation, isn't there?"
Renji didn't answer, focused on the flickering data before him.
"Fascinating," the principal whispered, his tail curling. "Utterly fascinating."
—
Renji blinked, pulling himself back to the present.
Kirshima leaned with that same earnest grin. "So… they didn't make you take them out, huh?"
Renji shook his head. "No. Would've killed me if they tried."
Kirishima blinked. "You're serious?"
Renji gave a small shrug, as if talking about the weather. "They're a part of me now. Taking them out isn't an option."
Before Kirishima could respond, the door to the locker room slid open with a soft click.
Todoroki stepped in, hands in his pockets, his expression calm but his presence cutting through the air like a blade of ice. His mismatched eyes landed on Renji immediately.
"I'm going to win," Todoroki said plainly, voice cool and matter-of-fact. "Just so you know."
The room went still for a moment.
Renji glanced up, eyes flicking up to meet his. No! I can't laugh yet! I've got to hold it in.
Then, slowly, a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"You're welcome to try," he said, voice low but confident.
He stood, scanning the rest of the room. His peers watched from the corners, half curious, half tense.
"Actually," Renji said, his tone turning sharp as his gaze swept across the faces of 1-A, "you're all welcome to try."
He turned around, back facing the clas and made his way to the exit, his footsteps echoing on the tile.
"But don't think for a second," he added, glancing over his shoulder with a faint grin, "that it'll be easy."
The door hissed shut behind him, leaving a silence that felt heavier than before.
Kirishima chuckled under his breath, scratching his neck. "Man… the Sports Festival's gonna be wild."