Finally, a new day dawned, with the sun shining and all that same old repetitive morning stuff that had been happening since the dawn of time.
Even though my current self had long transcended the need for food, water, sleep, or even oxygen after my quirk evolved, I didn't mind indulging in the simple joys of everyday life. After all, just because I could live like some transcendent being didn't mean I wanted to. So, after a warm, sumptuous breakfast with my parents, I bid them farewell with a casual wave.
In the next instant, space folded around me, and I reappeared right outside my classroom. My bag hung lightly on my shoulder, not a wrinkle on my uniform.
Naturally, I'd made sure no one saw me appear out of nowhere. It's way too early in the day to start giving people heart attacks.
As I reached for the door handle, however, my name suddenly popped up amidst the chatter inside.
I paused.
And then, because I'm me, I leaned in just a little closer.
"Did you guys see the news?" Toru's voice came first, bright and animated. "The media's still bashing U.A., even though the incident's already been resolved! And they even showed a picture of us on TV for a bit. Although, you know… I wasn't in it."
Hard to make headlines when you're literally invisible.
"Seriously?" Mina gasped, as if gossip was oxygen. "Those reporters are relentless. But hey—speaking of weird stuff, don't you guys think it's kinda strange we never saw Hayato in a bad state? I mean, during the USJ attack, everyone got roughed up, but Hayato didn't have so much as a paper cut."
That got a few murmurs. Someone muttered thoughtfully, "Now that you mention it… I've never seen him sweat. Or look tired. He's always so composed. Mysterious, even."
Ochako laughed. "Forget about him not sweating. Did you see how strong he was? I couldn't even react when he yeeted that mist guy across the dome. Like—whoosh—gone!"
Mezo, ever the calm observer, added, "I was watching him at that time. I didn't even know when he moved. One second the villain was there, the next… building ornament."
The class collectively hummed, the puzzle pieces clinking into place like a bunch of half-baked detectives solving a mystery.
And then, of course, Toru dropped her conspiracy nuke."Do you guys think he was actually the one who defeated the villains at the end? All Might struggled with Nomu, but then he disappeared into the mist and—BOOM!—the entire dome turned to dust. Suspicious, right?"
Bakugo scoffed loudly. "Tch. Ridiculous."Classic Bakugo. If it doesn't explode, he doesn't buy it.
Todoroki, on the other hand, stayed quiet. His silence was sharp—not dismissive. You could almost hear the gears turning in his head. After a moment, he shook it off, but the seed of suspicion was definitely planted.
Asui folded her arms. "I also had doubts when I saw the scene," she admitted. "But I don't think that's possible."
Momo nodded. "Yes. If Hayato had that level of power, there would have been signs long before now."
The discussion wavered between speculation about All Might and the villains… until Kaminari, clearly feeling overshadowed—and maybe a little jealous that the girls were praising me—decided to open his mouth.
"Why are you all fawning over him?" he complained dramatically. "I bet I could easily defeat him with my Quirk if I went all out!"
The entire room went silent.
Kaminari blinked. Once. Twice. "Uh… why are you all looking at me like that?"
Even Jiro, who usually roasted him within seconds, said nothing. She just… stared. That alone was enough to set off alarm bells in his head.
"Wait… don't tell me…" His voice dropped to a whisper.
"He's behind me, isn't he?"
I moved soundlessly, stepping through the doorway.
Kaminari's shoulders stiffened as my shadow fell over him.
"I think you're right, Kaminari-kun," I said calmly, my voice right behind his ear. "Maybe you really can defeat me with your Quirk. Let's spar during hero training this afternoon."
He froze like a deer in headlights. His soul visibly left his body and waved goodbye on the way out.
Although I'd never flaunted my strength or gotten into any direct confrontations, everyone in class knew I was the strongest among them since Day One. It wasn't arrogance—it was just… facts. The gap was obvious.
So hearing the strongest guy casually invite him to a spar was like receiving a handwritten death notice.
Kaminari let out a weak laugh. "Ahaha, Hayato-kun, I was just joking, you know? I mean, I know my Quirk can't even touch you before you'd take me out…"
"It's okay, Kaminari-kun," I replied with a relaxed smile. "We'll just train and spar. That's all there is to it."
His expression collapsed into pure despair. I almost felt bad. Almost.
I made my way to my seat, greeting everyone casually as if nothing had happened. The conversation, however, hadn't died down. If anything, my sudden appearance only added fuel to the fire.
Asui, the most straightforward of the bunch, finally voiced what everyone was too nervous to ask directly. "Hayato-chan," she began seriously in her frog-like tone, "during the USJ incident… was it you who helped us at the end?"
I tilted my head slightly, feigning confusion with practiced ease. "Asui-san, if I really had that much strength, why would I have to run along with you guys when the villains appeared?" I answered smoothly.
"I'm just a bit stronger than average because of my Quirk, that's all. Honestly, I think it was All Might who defeated the villains at the end. Who else but him has that kind of power to blast away the entire dome of USJ?"
The class seemed to accept the explanation—or at least, they couldn't find a hole in it. A few more playful jabs and questions followed, but soon enough, time slipped by.
That was when Iida, our eternally serious class representative, burst into the room like an overzealous traffic warden.
"Everyone! It's time for classes to begin! Please be seated at once!" he barked.
The entire class replied in perfect unison, "You're the only one who's not in his seat."
Iida froze mid-command, utterly defeated by collective logic. Shoulders slumped, he trudged back to his desk, looking like someone had taken away his beloved rulebook.
A few moments later, Aizawa entered the room. Surprisingly, he looked fully recovered—no bandages, no sluggishness. It was almost unsettling.
Wait, I thought. In the original canon he was heavily injured at this point… but here he looks way too energetic.
Then he promptly pulled out his sleeping bag, wrapped himself up like a human burrito on the podium, and I silently took back my words about him looking energetic.
Iida asked about his injuries, but Aizawa brushed him off without hesitation. "I'm fine," he said bluntly.
"But your fight isn't over yet."
The class collectively tilted their heads, confused. Aizawa didn't leave them hanging for long.
"The U.A. Sports Festival is drawing near," he announced. "All of you need to start training seriously if you want to get into good hero agencies."
Momo raised her hand politely. "But… didn't we just have a run-in with villains? Is it really okay to have another big event so soon?"
"The security will be five times stricter than usual," Aizawa replied matter-of-factly. "The school intends to send a strong message to the world: U.A. can stand back up quickly, no matter the situation. The Sports Festival is one of the biggest and most prestigious events in the entire nation. It can't be postponed. So don't worry about security. Focus on preparing as much as you can before the festival begins.
Not to mention," he added, "if you want to become real pro heroes, you only get three chances a year. This is one of them. By showcasing your Quirks at this festival, you can catch the eye of top agencies."
The classroom buzzed with energy at that. Even the more laid-back students perked up at the thought of agencies watching.
For the first time since the USJ incident, the air in the class shifted—not with tension, but with anticipation.
Soon after homeroom wrapped up, the rest of the morning classes blurred by in a rather uneventful fashion. But even as the subjects changed, one thing didn't—the fiery chatter that had ignited after Aizawa's announcement.
The entire classroom was practically buzzing. Everyone was either hyped up about the upcoming U.A. Sports Festival or still rehashing the USJ incident, like a group of fans trying to predict the next big shounen arc.
Ideas were thrown around left and right. Some were already scheming flashy moves, others brainstorming strategies to catch the attention of pro agencies. It felt less like a hero course and more like a brainstorming session for the next season's opening theme.
"Obviously, the one with the flashiest Quirk here is moi," Aoyama declared dramatically, striking a sparkling pose near the window. I swear I even saw some actual glitter particles floating around him, like the guy had a built-in special effects team.
"Yeah, yeah, Laser Belly," Kirishima laughed. "You'll blind the audience before the festival even starts."
Mina joined in, "Hey, blinding them is one way to stand out!"
Eventually, hunger won out, and we migrated to the cafeteria. Lunch Rush's food was, as always, criminally delicious.
After lunch, as we were walking back toward our classroom, I spotted Midoriya emerging from the staff room, looking like someone had just given him a questline. Standing behind him was All Might, waving at us casually before closing the door with a grin.
I didn't need to read minds to guess what had just happened.
So… he's probably just had "The Talk" about how important the festival is, I thought.
And maybe some vague, inspiring words about controlling his quirk and going beyond. Classic All Might pep talk.
Once we settled back in, the bell rang for Hero Foundational Studies, and the entire class perked up. This was basically code for: "Time to go wild with your Quirks."
Everyone quickly got into gear, chattering excitedly as we prepared to head to the training grounds to sharpen our abilities before the festival.
But just as we were about to leave the classroom, a group of students appeared outside the doorway, blocking the exit.
Their uniforms were the same as ours—but the armbands were different. Class 1-B had arrived.
And just like in the original timeline, they were here for two reasons:
To check out the infamous Class 1-A—the group that survived an actual villain attack.
To declare war.
The hallway got loud fast. Shinsou calmly explained how students from other courses could join the hero course through the festival, basically painting us as the villains in everyone else's shounen arc.
Bakugo stepped forward, ever the diplomat."Tch. A bunch of extras barking outside."
That… didn't help.
Before it could turn into a shouting match, I stepped forward.
"Alright, that's enough," I said. "We're all from U.A. The Sports Festival isn't about who survived what—it's about performance. Your abilities will decide how you shine, not the headlines."
The crowd quieted a little, some nodding, some still puffing their chests. But at least the explosive tension had fizzled out before Bakugo could start throwing hands—or explosions.
And just like that, a few days flew by. Training reached a fever pitch. Everyone pushed their limits—refining old moves, creating new ones, analyzing past events like pros. The whole campus thrummed with competitive energy.
Meanwhile, I spent my time helping Kaminari train. Personally, of course. Under my gentle pressure, he actually developed new moves. Fear is a powerful motivator.
And before we knew it, the day of the U.A. Sports Festival had arrived.