The opening ceremony ended with a flourish—a final, thunderous cheer from the assembled students that seemed to shake the very foundations of the auditorium. All Might's larger-than-life presence lingered in the air like a warm afterglow, his signature smile burned into our memories. I stood among the crowd, my heart still racing in excitement, my palms slick with sweat.
The students began to filter out, guided by proctors and teachers toward their respective classrooms. The hallways of UA were a labyrinth of gleaming white walls and polished floors, each corridor seemingly identical to the last. I followed the flow of traffic, my mind still reeling from everything that had happened.
I'm really here. I'm really a UA student.
The thought felt surreal, like a dream I was afraid to wake from. In my first life, I'd never even dreamed of something like this. I'd been too busy surviving—too busy scraping together meals and avoiding the cold. Now I was walking the halls of the most prestigious hero academy in the world, surrounded by the brightest and most talented young heroes of my generation.
The classroom door loomed ahead of me, marked with a bold "1-A." I paused, my hand hovering over the handle. I could hear voices from inside—chatter, laughter, the unmistakable buzz of nervous energy.
This is it. This is where it all begins. The start of my true dream.
I pushed open the door.
---
The classroom was already half-full when I entered. Twenty desks arranged in neat rows, each one occupied by a student who looked like they'd stepped straight out of a hero magazine. I scanned the room, my eyes landing on familiar faces.
Midoriya was near the front, his green hair a mess of nervous curls, his notebook already open on his desk. He was muttering to himself, his lips moving rapidly as he scribbled something down. Beside him, Uraraka was chatting animatedly with Iida, her brown hair bouncing with each enthusiastic gesture. Iida, as expected, was ramrod straight, his glasses glinting as he delivered what sounded like a lecture on proper classroom etiquette.
Bakugo sat near the back, his feet propped up on his desk, his scowl firmly in place. He was radiating an aura of barely contained aggression that made the students around him keep their distance. Kirishima was a few seats away, flashing his sharp-toothed grin at anyone who looked his way.
And then there were the others—students I recognized from the anime. Tsuyu Asui, with her frog-like features and calm, observant eyes. Momo Yaoyorozu, poised and elegant, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Shoto Todoroki, the boy with heterochromatic eyes and a quiet intensity that made the air around him feel colder. Minoru Mineta, short and round, with a lecherous grin that made me immediately uncomfortable. Denki Kaminari, grinning lazily with his hand behind his head. Kyoka Jiro, tapping her earphone jacks against her desk. And so many more, each one a character I'd watched from afar in my first life.
I felt a strange sense of déjà vu wash over me. These weren't just characters anymore—they were real. They were my classmates. My peers. My future rivals and allies.
The room fell silent as I stepped inside, all eyes turning toward me. I felt the weight of their gazes like a physical pressure, and for a moment, I froze.
"Ah, you must be Suon Yamada!" Iida's voice cut through the silence, crisp and authoritative. "I am Tenya Iida, possible future class representative pro tempore. You are the last to arrive! Please take your seat immediately so we may begin the orientation process!"
I blinked, then chuckled—a genuine, warm sound that seemed to catch him off guard. "Sorry about that. Got a little lost on the way here. The hallways are a maze."
Iida nodded sharply. "Indeed! UA's layout is designed to challenge spatial awareness and navigational skills. I commend you for finding your way eventually!"
I made my way to the back of the classroom, finding an empty seat near the window. It was isolated, tucked in the corner, away from the main clusters of students. Perfect for observation, somehow I always managed to get a seat here. I dropped my bag on the floor and sat down, letting out a slow breath.
But no sooner had I settled in than the questions began.
"Hey, hey, you're the guy who took down the zero-pointer, right?" A pink-skinned girl with horns—Mina Ashido—leaned over her desk, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "That was so cool! The way you just punched through it like it was nothing! What's your quirk? Is it like, super strength or something?"
I smiled, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch upward. "Something like that. It's called Nika. It lets me stretch and manipulate my surroundings a bit. I'm still developing it though."
"Manipulate your surroundings?" Kirishima chimed in from across the room, his sharp teeth gleaming in excitement. "Dude, that's so insane! You looked like a superhero from one of those old cartoons!"
"I was there," Uraraka added, her voice warm with gratitude. "You saved me from that giant robot. Thank you yet again! I don't think I would've gotten out in time on my own."
"It was nothing," I said, waving a hand dismissively. "We are heroes, right? We always need to help each other. That's what we're here for, right?"
"So your quirk lets you stretch and control stuff?" Kaminari asked, leaning forward with interest. "Can you do, like, the thing where you make your arm really long and punch someone from across the room?"
"Sometimes," I replied, my smile widening. "But I'm still working on it. It takes a lot of energy."
"So you're like a rubber man?" Mineta piped up, his beady eyes gleaming with something I didn't want to analyze too closely. "That's awesome! I bet you could get into all sorts of—"
"Mineta." Tsuyu's flat and distinct voice cut him off. "That's inappropriate."
Mineta deflated like a popped balloon, and I couldn't help but laugh loudly. The sound was light, carefree—different from the cautious, measured laughter I'd used in my first life. It was the laughter of someone who was slowly, tentatively, learning to be free.
More questions followed, a rapid-fire barrage of curiosity. What was my training like? How long had I had my quirk? Was I related to any famous heroes? Did I have any weaknesses? I answered each one with patience and a growing sense of ease. The Nika form's influence was subtle but undeniable—the more I interacted, the more I felt that playful, joyful energy seeping into my words and gestures.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was genuinely having fun in my life.
---
The door to the classroom slid open with a soft hiss, and a figure shuffled in. He was a scruffy-looking man with long, dark hair that hung in tangled strands around his face. His clothes were rumpled, his scarf wrapped haphazardly around his neck. His eyes were tired, bloodshot, like he'd just woken up from a nap that had lasted far too long.
He shuffled to the front of the room, his movements languid and unhurried. The chatter died down as the students turned to face him, their expressions ranging from curiosity to confusion.
"I'm Shota Aizawa," he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "Your homeroom teacher. Welcome to Class 1-A."
He reached into his sleeping bag and pulled out a small remote control, clicking a button that lowered a screen from the ceiling. A slideshow appeared, filled with names and statistics that I couldn't quite make out from my seat.
"I don't have time for formalities," Aizawa continued, his gaze sweeping across the room. "I'll be blunt. This is a hero course. That means you're going to face challenges that will push you to your limits—and beyond. If you can't handle that, then you don't belong here."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"Before we begin, I want each of you to introduce yourselves. State your name, your quirk, and one thing you hope to achieve while you're at UA. And don't bother with the usual 'I want to save people' speech. I've heard it a thousand times, and it's never original." Aizawa's demenour seemed to match his look completely, he seemed used to this process for a while.
A ripple of murmurs spread through the room. I felt a strange sense of déjà vu—this was exactly how it happened in the anime. Aizawa's blunt, no-nonsense approach. The nervous introductions. The mounting tension.
Iida stood up first, his arm shooting into the air like a rocket. "I'll go first! As the future class representative, it is my duty to set a positive example! My name is Tenya Iida, my quirk is Engine, and I hope to one day be a hero worthy of my family's legacy!"
Aizawa nodded, motioning for the next student. Uraraka stood up next, her cheeks flushed.
"Hi! I'm Ochaco Uraraka! My quirk is Zero Gravity, and I want to be a hero so I can help support my family financially!" She paused, then added quickly, "And save people, of course! Lots of saving!"
One by one, the students stood and introduced themselves. Kirishima proudly declared his quirk—Hardening—and his goal to be a "manly hero who never backs down." Tsuyu introduced herself in her usual calm, collected manner, explaining that her quirk allowed her to do anything a frog could do. Momo spoke eloquently about her Creation quirk and her desire to use her intelligence and abilities to protect others. Mineta's introduction was mercifully brief, though his lecherous grin remained firmly in place.
Bakugo stood up, his scowl deepening. "Katsuki Bakugo. Explosion. I'm going to be the number one hero. Anyone who gets in my way is going to regret it."
Todoroki's introduction was even shorter. "Shoto Todoroki. Half-Cold, Half-Hot. I don't have a goal."
The room fell silent, the tension palpable. I could see Midoriya's eyes widen, his pen hovering over his notebook.
And then it was my turn.
I stood up, feeling the weight of twenty pairs of eyes on me. The drumbeat in my chest pulsed softly, a steady rhythm that grounded me. I took a breath and smiled—a wide, genuine smile that felt more natural than it had any right to.
"I'm Suon Yamada," I said, my voice clear and confident. "My quirk is called Nika. It lets me stretch my body and manipulate my surroundings to a certain extent. As for what I hope to achieve…"
I paused, my smile widening. "I want to be free. Free to protect the people I care about, free to live without fear, free to make my own choices. And I want to use my power to help others find that same freedom. I want to be someone people admire."
Aizawa's expression didn't change, but I caught a flicker of something in his eyes—surprise, maybe, or curiosity.
"Interesting," he said flatly. "Sit down."
I did as I was told, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and relief that my introduction was over.
---
After the introductions, Aizawa's tone shifted. He clicked a button on his remote, and the screen behind him displayed a single word in bold, red letters:
QUIRK APPREHENSION TEST
"I'm sure you're all familiar with the standardized physical fitness tests you took in middle school," Aizawa said, his voice flat. "You know—running, jumping, throwing, all that nonsense. Well, those tests don't account for quirks. And if you're going to be heroes, you need to know how to use your quirks effectively in every situation."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. I could feel the tension building in the room, the air thick with anticipation.
"Today, we're going to conduct a Quirk Apprehension Test. You'll be tested on a series of physical activities—50-meter dash, grip strength, standing long jump, repeated side-stepping, ball throw, distance run, and sit-ups. But unlike the tests you're used to, you'll be allowed to use your quirks to achieve the highest possible scores."
A ripple of excitement passed through the room. Several students exchanged eager glances, clearly excited at the prospect of showing off their abilities. I felt a surge of anticipation myself—finally, a chance to really test my limits.
But Aizawa wasn't finished.
"Before we begin, I should warn you: the student with the lowest overall score will be expelled. Immediately."
The room went deathly silent.
I felt my stomach drop a bit. Expulsion. On the first day. This was exactly how it had happened in the anime—Aizawa's ruthless, no-nonsense approach to weeding out the weak.
Bakugo's grin widened, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Kirishima's expression hardened with determination. Midoriya's face went pale, his hands trembling slightly.
And I… I felt the drumbeat in my chest pulse stronger, faster. The Nika form stirred in the depths of my soul, eager and hungry.
This is it, I thought. This is where I prove myself.
"Now," Aizawa said, his voice cutting through the silence. "Follow me to the field. And don't waste my time."
---
The outdoor training ground was vast, stretching out before us like a canvas of possibility. The sun was bright overhead, casting long shadows across the grass. I stood among my classmates, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and nervous energy.
I was waiting patiently as the students continued piling in, waiting for the test to begin. I looked up and started smiling a bit, my arrogance was not showing as much but I was confident in myself to at I could beat everyone here quite comfortably in this test.
I'll show them what I got.