[Denki's POV]
"All Might!"
"Wow! It's really him! He's actually going to be teaching us?!"
The classroom erupted in excited chatter as students processed the reality that the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace himself, would be their instructor.
I watching the spectacle with mild amusement and genuine respect. Sure, I wasn't Midoriya—the creepy stalker fanboy who probably had detailed notes on All Might's breakfast habits—but I respected what the man represented. The dedication, the selflessness, the burden of being a symbol that an entire society relied upon for hope.
'That's a heavy weight to carry,' I thought, studying All Might's perpetual smile. 'Knowing that if you fail, the whole world might fall with you.'
All Might strode to the front with his characteristic dramatic flair, his massive frame somehow making even simple walking look heroic. He planted his hands on the teacher's desk and swept his gaze across all of us.
"Welcome to the most important class at U.A. High!" His voice boomed across the training ground, filled with that infectious enthusiasm that made you want to believe impossible things were possible. "Think of it as Hero Training 101! Here you will learn the basics of being a Pro Hero, and when it comes to fighting in the name of good..."
He paused for dramatic effect, his smile somehow growing even wider. "LET'S GET INTO IT!!"
He pulled out a card with [BATTLE] written on it in bold letters, holding it up like a game show host revealing a prize.
"TODAY'S LESSON WILL BE PULL NO PUNCHES!"
Some students cheered. Others looked nervous—Midoriya in particular had that deer-in-headlights expression, though I noticed it quickly shifted to determined resolve.
'Good,' I thought approvingly. 'It seems like he's gaining some confidence after learning to control his power at five percent. My advice actually helped. That's... surprisingly satisfying.'
All Might continued his presentation with the theatrical energy of someone who genuinely loved teaching. "BUT THE KEY TO BEING A HERO IS LOOKING GOOD!"
On cue, a wall compartment opened at his back, revealing numbered cases that I immediately recognized... Hero costumes.
I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.
'Finally,' I thought with anticipation. 'My hero costume. Time to see if Edna and Mom's collaborative design lives up to the hype.'
"This class will put you through special training to mold you into great heroes!" All Might declared while striking a pose that somehow didn't look ridiculous despite being absolutely ridiculous. "And for today, we will be having a battle trial!"
The excitement level increased exponentially.
"And for that," All Might added with a conspiratorial grin, "you will need costumes! When you're finished getting dressed, meet me at the Ground Beta so we can start our lesson!"
With that announcement still hanging in the air, he literally leaped away, disappearing from the window over a building in a single bound.
'Show-off,' I thought affectionately.
....
[Boys' Changing Room]
The changing room was chaos with excited teenage boys tearing open packages and pulling out hero costumes with varying degrees of enthusiasm, confusion, and in Mineta's case, disappointment that his costume wasn't somehow more perverted.
I approached my numbered case with genuine anticipation, carefully opening it to reveal the suit inside.
And damn, it was perfect.
The base suit was primarily yellow and Red—sleek, aerodynamic, built for speed. The material felt lightweight but incredibly durable, some kind of advanced synthetic fabric that Edna had probably invented specifically for this project. Red dominated the design with Yellow accents along the sides and joints, creating visual flow lines that emphasized movement and velocity.
A yellow lightning bolt emblazoned the chest, stylized and impossible to miss.
(Image of Denki Hero Costume)
'Just like the Flash's symbol,' I thought with satisfaction. 'But a little different enough to be my own.'
The suit had built-in technological features that I could already identify, reinforced padding at impact points, temperature regulation systems to handle the heat generated by supersonic movement, friction-resistant coating on the exterior to prevent the fabric from incinerating when I hit Mach speeds.
I pulled it on carefully, feeling it adjust and conform to my body like a second skin.
When I looked in the mirror, I couldn't suppress the grin that spread across my face. I looked badass.
I'm not being narcissistic, just objective fact. The suit enhanced my physique, made me look powerful and fast simultaneously, projected an image of competence and capability.
'Red and Yellow,' I mused. 'Speed and electricity. The colors work perfectly together.'
"Why do you and Kirishima have perfect bodies?!" Mineta's whiny voice cut through my thoughts. He was staring at Eijiro and me with naked envy. "If I had a body like that, I'd have so many girlfriends by now!"
'You'd have zero girlfriends regardless of your body type because your personality is garbage,' I thought but didn't say.
Instead, I ignored him and continued examining my suit's features.
Sato and Ojiro approached with genuine curiosity rather than jealousy.
"How did you guys train to develop physiques like that?" Sato asked while flexing his own impressive muscles. "I work out constantly, but you're both so... defined."
"Constant Quirk usage during training," Eijiro explained enthusiastically, already wearing his own hero costume—a simple but effective design that emphasized his Hardening ability. "Denki had me maintain my Hardening for increasingly long periods while doing physical exercises. It's like resistance training but with your Quirk with the addition of weights!"
"Plus proper diet, adequate sleep, and honestly just years of consistent effort," I added. "There's no shortcut. Just time and dedication."
After some discussion about training methods and nutrition—surprisingly in-depth for a changing room conversation—we finally finished suiting up and headed out.
I noticed several classmates checking out my costume as we walked, which was fine. It was designed to attract attention, after all. Heroes were public figures. Part of the job was creating a memorable image.
...
[All Might's POV ]
When the students returned to the training ground in their hero costumes, I took a moment to appreciate the sight.
They looked like heroes. Not yet the polished professionals they would hopefully become, but the foundation was clearly there.
My eyes were drawn to several students in particular.
Young Midoriya's costume made me suppress a laugh, it was clearly inspired by my Silver Age costume, complete with that distinctive bunny-ear-like design. The boy's admiration was touching if slightly excessive.
'With One For All, he will undoubtedly become strong once he masters control,' I thought with pride. 'He has the heart of a true hero. Just needs the body and technique to match.'
Then there was Katsuki Bakugo. Aggressive, arrogant, but undeniably talented. His Quirk was versatile, and he had the combat instincts and intelligence to use it with devastating effectiveness.
'He'll need to work on his personality,' I noted mentally, 'but his potential is enormous.'
Shoto Todoroki stood out immediately... literally, given his distinctive half-red half-white costume. His father Endeavor was Number Two with just the fire half of what Todoroki possessed. This boy would unquestionably become one of the top heroes of his generation if he could overcome whatever psychological barriers Endeavor had created.
'Family issues,' I recognized, 'He'll need support to reach his full potential.'
If I get involved in their family issues, it won't help bring things to a close. It would be better if he opens up, makes friends, and overcomes his difficulties on his own.
Young Kirishima, despite having a Quirk that wasn't particularly flashy, showed the determination and spirit that made great heroes. His costume was simple but practical, emphasizing defense and close combat.
'He'll be a solid Pro Hero,' I assessed. 'Maybe not top-ten material, but reliable and trustworthy, exactly the kind of hero society needs.'
And then there was Denki Kaminari.
I studied him carefully as he stood in his lightning-themed costume, radiating confidence without arrogance.
'A natural-born hero,' I concluded. 'He has everything, looks, charisma, power and intelligence. At only sixteen, he's already stronger than many professional heroes I've worked with.'
Aizawa had mentioned after yesterday's Quirk Apprehension Test that young Kaminari had helped multiple classmates improve their Quirk usage tremendously after knowing them for only minutes. That kind of analytical ability combined with genuine desire to help others was rare.
'He developed his Electrification Quirk into essentially a speed-based power,' I mused. 'That level of creative application and dedication is remarkable.'
Young Kaminari had the highest potential to become the next Symbol of Peace. With proper training and experience, he could potentially surpass even nine generations of One For All holders through pure skill and innovation.
'Young Midoriya will have serious competition,' I realized. 'Not just from young Bakugo or young Todoroki, but from young Kaminari most of all.'
That thought made me smile genuinely.
'Competition breeds excellence. They'll push each other to greater heights.'
...
[Denki's POV]
"Looking good, future heroes!" All Might's voice boomed across the training ground as he gave us an enthusiastic thumbs up, his perpetual grin somehow even more pronounced.
He pulled out a notebook—clearly reading from prepared notes, probably written by another teacher since All Might wasn't exactly known for detailed lesson planning—and reviewed it briefly before putting it away.
"Well then!" He clapped his hands together. "For this exercise, you will all be divided into teams of two and face off against another team. One team will play the villains, the other the heroes. You will engage in two-versus-two indoor battles!"
He explained the scenario, Villains would be protecting a nuclear weapon on the upper floors of a building. Heroes would attempt to either capture the villains with special capture tape or secure the weapon. Villains would win by capturing the heroes or running out the fifteen-minute timer.
'Same as canon,' I noted. 'Good. Still in familiar territory.'
Momo raised her hand immediately. "All Might-sensei, how will the teams be decided?"
Bakugo raised his hand next with aggressive expression. "And if I accidentally hurt someone badly during the fight, that's okay, right?" His eyes flicked toward Midoriya, then me.
'Subtle,' I thought sarcastically.
Iida's hand shot up with characteristic enthusiasm, followed by several other students asking variations of the same questions about rules, limitations, and expectations.
All Might started sweating slightly, clearly not prepared for this level of detailed questioning.
"So many questions!" he muttered under his breath, then coughed and spoke louder, "The teams will be decided by drawing lots!"
He produced a box with everyone's names inside. We drew one by one and teams formed quickly.
Team A: Midoriya & Uraraka
Team B: Todoroki & Shoji
Team C: Yaoyorozu & Mineta
Team D: Bakugo & Iida
Team E: Ashido & Aoyama
Team F: Emma Akane & Sato
Team G: Kaminari & Jiro
Team H: Asui & Tokoyami
Team I: Ojiro & Hagakure
Team J: Kirishima & Sero
'I got paired with Jiro,' I noted. 'Kyoka Jiro—Earphone Jack Quirk. Sound-based abilities, excellent for reconnaissance and information gathering. This could work well.'
Later the matchups were also announced.
Match 1: Midoriya & Uraraka (Heroes) vs. Bakugo & Iida (Villains)
Match 2: Todoroki & Shoji (Heroes) vs. Ojiro & Hagakure (Villains)
Match 3: Tokoyami & Asui (Heroes) vs. Kirishima & Sero (Villains)
Match 4: Kaminari & Jiro (Heroes) vs. Yaoyorozu & Mineta (Villains)
[And so on...]
'Interesting,' I thought. 'I'm up against Momo. She knows a lot about my capabilities from our conversations. But nothing my speed can't beat.'
The first fight proceeded almost exactly as I remembered from the anime.
Midoriya and Uraraka as heroes, Bakugo and Iida as villains.
Bakugo immediately abandoned any pretense of teamwork and went hunting for Midoriya with single-minded intensity, leaving Iida alone to guard the weapon.
The difference from canon was subtle but significant, Midoriya was using One For All at a consistent five percent throughout his body, giving him enhanced speed and strength without the catastrophic self-destruction.
'He's lasting longer,' I observed through the monitor feed in the observation room. 'Better control. Actually managing to fight back instead of just desperately dodging.'
When Bakugo finally snapped and used his massive explosion attack—nearly destroying the entire building in the process—Midoriya responded by concentrating his full power into his arm for one devastating punch that created a shockwave visible even from outside.
Heroes won when Uraraka secured the weapon while Bakugo and Iida were distracted.
After the match, All Might asked if anyone had learned anything.
Momo's hand shot up immediately, and she delivered a detailed tactical analysis that covered strategy, teamwork, Quirk usage, and about seventeen other factors.
'She really is brilliant,' I thought with genuine admiration. 'Analytical mind like that is going to make her a formidable hero.'
Then the second match was brutally one-sided.
Todoroki literally froze the entire building within the first thirty seconds, immobilizing both villains instantly and securing the weapon before they could even formulate a counter-strategy.
'That's the power of a top-tier Quirk combined with professional training from childhood,' I reflected.
The third match—Tokoyami & Asui versus Kirishima & Sero—was more interesting since it wasn't shown in the anime.
Kirishima and Sero had set up decent defenses, using Sero's tape to create tripwires and barriers throughout the building.
But Tokoyami's Dark Shadow and Asui's mobility proved too versatile. They bypassed most of the traps, and Asui's tongue captured both villains after Dark Shadow flushed them out of hiding. Heroes won again.
'Three for three on hero victories,' I noted. 'Wonder if that pattern will continue.'
"Match 4!" All Might announced. "Team G—Kaminari and Jiro as heroes! Team C—Yaoyorozu and Mineta as villains! Take your positions!"
'Of course, it will continue because I'm on Hero side.'
I turned to Jiro as we entered our starting building.
"Alright," I said quietly, "here's the plan. Your Quirk is perfect for reconnaissance. I need you to use your Earphone Jacks to listen through the walls and floors. Tell me everything you hear—footsteps, voices, any sounds at all."
Jiro nodded, "I can do that. What are you planning?"
"Trust me," I said with a smile. "Just give me intel, and I'll handle the rest."
She pressed her Earphone Jacks against the wall, concentrating. After a moment, her eyes widened.
"They're above us. I can hear... metal scraping? Like something being constructed. And there's a hissing sound. Gas, maybe?"
'Momo's creating defenses,' I analyzed. 'Probably anticipating my electricity-based attacks. She knows I can generate significant voltage, so she'd prepare insulation or grounding.'
"Where exactly are they?" I asked.
Jiro pointed upward and slightly to the left. "Fourth floor. Northeast corner room."
"Perfect." I activated my Quirk, feeling electricity surge through my nervous system. "Stay here and monitor. If anything changes, let me know through the earpiece."
"Wait, you're going alone—"
But I was already gone.
.....
[All Might's POV]
I watched the monitor feeds with intense interest as this particular battle unfolded.
On Team C's side, I could see Yaoyorozu's brilliant tactical mind at work.
She'd created metal wiring throughout the room, probably to ground any electrical attacks young Kaminari might use. Then she produced gas masks for herself and young Mineta, followed by canisters that began releasing some kind of knockout gas.
'Very clever,' I thought approvingly. 'She knows young Kaminari is powerful, so she's attacking his biological necessity to breathe. No matter how strong you are, you still need oxygen.'
She'd also blocked the door and windows with thick metal barriers.
'She's created a fortress. Forcing young Kaminari to either find another entry point or somehow overcome her defenses.'
On young Kaminari's side, I saw him nod after young Jiro pointed upward.
Then he activated his Quirk with yellow aura and electricity exploding across his body in brilliant arcs.
Fwoosh!
He became a yellow streak, moving vertically up the outside of the building at impossible speed.
'He's going around the defenses entirely!' I realized.
BOOM!
Young Kaminari smashed through the exterior wall—the one Yaoyorozu hadn't reinforced because she'd focused on the doors and windows—and appeared directly in the room with the weapon and touched it.
[WINNERS: TEAM G]
The entire match had lasted maybe forty-five seconds.
'Amazing!' I thought with genuine excitement. 'Both sides were thinking multiple steps ahead! Young Yaoyorozu predicted his attack vectors and prepared counters. Young Kaminari predicted her counters and found the blind spot in her strategy!'
But then I noticed something concerning. Young Kaminari stumbled slightly, the knockout gas clearly affecting him.
Then... he straightened himself, shaking his head as if clearing cobwebs.
'Wait, what?! How did he resist the gas?!'
.....
[Denki's POV]
After completing our battle trial, Jiro and I returned to the observation room where everyone had gathered.
All Might looked at us with genuine enthusiasm.
"AMAZING! You all showed the thinking of true professionals! Yaoyorozu-shoujo, your strategic planning was excellent! And Kaminari-shounen, your quick response in taking action is also very good!"
Momo blushed slightly at the praise, looking pleased despite her loss.
Then All Might turned to me specifically, his expression curious. "But I have to ask, young Kaminari, how were you able to resist the knockout gas? Even I couldn't figure that out from watching!"
Everyone leaned in, clearly interested in the answer.
'Time to give them the super-long technical explanation that will make their brains hurt,' I thought with dark amusement.
"Well, Yaoyorozu-san knows a lot about my Quirk since I've explained it to her in detail." I smiled innocently. "But the opposite is also true—I know a lot about her Quirk and her tactical thinking. I'd already anticipated several potential strategies she might use, and knockout gas was near the top of the list."
I continued, speaking faster and using increasingly technical terminology.
"And from Jiro-san's explanation about the gas and metal sounds, I was confident she would use this technique, and I was sure she'd create something to negate my long-range electrical attacks. What she doesn't know is that I already had a contingency plan. When I entered the room and detected the sedative gas, I induced a precisely controlled electrical surge through my entire nervous system—specifically targeting the neural receptors that the sedative compounds bind to."
Several students' eyes were already glazing over.
"By vaporizing the sedative molecules before they could properly bind to my acetylcholine receptors, I prevented the knockout effect. It required extremely precise control to avoid damaging my own neurons, but with sufficient practice, it's entirely achievable."
The observation room was silent.
Bakugo looked… normal, wearing the expression of someone who had just eaten something awful and didn't understand what it was.
Todoroki had his eyes narrowed while watching me intently, while Iida rested his chin on his hand, clearly deep in thought.
Mina and Eijiro had their eyes closed while nodding along with wide smiles. I was pretty sure they hadn't understood even half of what I'd just said.
Still, the rest of my classmates wore a variety of expressions—confusion, curiosity, awe—each reacting in their own way. Most students had expressions ranging from confusion to mild horror.
'Mission accomplished,' I thought with satisfaction. 'They'll think twice before asking for detailed technical explanations in the future.'
All Might looked surprised but impressed. He gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up.
"Yes! THIS IS IT!" he suddenly shouted, making several people jump. "A battle of intelligence! You knew that as the hero team, you'd have to take action or lose to the timer! And like a true hero, you found a way out of a dangerous situation through preparation and quick thinking!"
I smiled at his compliment, then deliberately gestured toward Jiro. "It wasn't only me. It was also because of Jirou-san that I could act with complete certainty. I asked her to listen for any sounds and describe them to me so I could assess the situation before acting."
Jiro blushed and played with her Earphone Jack cables, clearly embarrassed by the attention.
The class looked even more impressed and Momo stepped forward, her expression serious but respectful.
"I can accept that I lost to you," she said formally. "If I had a Quirk like yours, I would never have thought to use it in such creative ways."
'That's not entirely true,' I thought. 'The techniques aren't something you can learn just by knowing the theory. They require years of developing perfect control over electricity at the cellular level. If I couldn't control it precisely, these advanced applications would just cook me from the inside out.'
But I just smiled and nodded, accepting the compliment gracefully.
The remaining matches proceeded—some interesting, others less so. By the time we finished, everyone was exhausted but energized, the kind of tired satisfaction that came from genuine effort and learning.
As we returned to the classroom to change back into our school uniforms, I noticed Bakugo leaving quickly with his expression dark and frustrated.
A few minutes later, Midoriya entered looking exhausted with his arm in a sling from Recovery Girl's healing.
Uraraka, Iida, Kirishima, and several others immediately surrounded him with congratulations.
"That was amazing, Midoriya-kun!"
"You really stood up to Bakugo!"
"Your final punch was so cool!"
Midoriya looked around, then asked with concern, "Where's Kacchan?"
"Bakugo went home already," Eijiro said. "He seemed pretty upset."
Without another word, Midoriya immediately ran out of the classroom, presumably to find Bakugo.
I watched him go with a mixture of amusement and concern.
'Those two have the weirdest relationship,' I thought. 'Midoriya loves Bakugo unconditionally, and Bakugo loves... himself. It's like watching a toxic relationship where one person does all the emotional labor and the other just takes and takes.'
'Truly a match made in dysfunctional heaven.'
But that was their business, not mine. I had my own concerns to focus on—like how to continue helping my classmates improve without painting an even bigger target on my back for Aizawa-sensei's scrutiny.
'One day down,' I thought while gathering my things. 'Many more to come. But at least today was interesting.'