U.A. High School - Class 1-A, Three Days After Hosu
The classroom felt different after Hosu.
Not physically, everything looked the same. But there was tension in the air, unspoken questions hanging over the students who'd been there. Midoriya kept glancing at his hands like he was checking if they still worked. Iida sat perfectly straight but his usual energy was gone, replaced with something quieter. Todoroki looked the same as always but I'd caught him staring at nothing a few times.
And everyone kept looking at us four like we knew something they didn't.
Which we did, technically. Just couldn't talk about it.
"Alright, settle down," Aizawa said, walking in with his usual tired expression. "Final exams are in two weeks. I know some of you had eventful internships but that doesn't mean you get to slack off."
Kaminari groaned. "We just got back, can't we have like one day before exam stress?"
"No. Life doesn't pause for your convenience." Aizawa pulled up a presentation. "Written exams cover everything from this semester. Practical exams will test your combat abilities and decision-making under pressure. Study, train, don't die. Questions?"
Ashido raised her hand. "What kind of practical exam?"
"You'll find out when you take it."
"That's not helpful!"
"Working with limited information is part of being a hero. Deal with it."
I was only half-listening, my attention split between the lecture and my own thoughts. Excalibur had manifested three days ago and I'd been practicing with it every night, pushing to maintain the blade for longer periods, testing its capabilities. The sword was stable now, fully formed, but there was more to learn about it.
And I needed to learn fast, because people were watching now.
That man on the rooftop during the Stain fight kept bothering me. Professional equipment, deliberate positioning, footage that somehow avoided the Hero Commission's lockdown. Someone wanted information about me specifically, and they'd gotten it.
"Himura."
I looked up. Aizawa was staring at me.
"Pay attention."
"Yes sir."
He held my gaze for a moment longer than necessary before continuing the lecture. I'd been distracted lately and he'd noticed, called me out on it yesterday after class. Told me whatever standard I was holding myself to was probably unrealistic.
He wasn't wrong about the unrealistic part, just wrong about why.
Class ended and everyone started filing out, conversations immediately turning to exam prep and study groups. I gathered my stuff slower than usual, still thinking about training schedules and power output metrics.
"Hey Arthur," Kirishima said, waiting by my desk. "Some of us are gonna study together later, you in?"
"Maybe. I've got some training planned first."
"Dude, you're always training. Take a break sometimes."
"I'll think about it."
He shrugged, not pushing. "Cool, well if you change your mind we'll be in the common room around seven."
After he left, Midoriya approached, nervously adjusting his backpack straps. "Um, Arthur? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Your sword, the one from Hosu..." He lowered his voice. "How did you manifest it? I've never seen anything like that before."
I'd been expecting this question. "Stress trigger during combat. My quirk's been trying to form a proper weapon for months, fighting Stain pushed it through."
"But the pressure from it, the way it looked..." Midoriya's analysis mode was kicking in, that thing where he couldn't help but break down quirks and fighting styles. "It seemed like more than just energy manipulation. The script on the blade, the holy power feeling, it's almost like-"
"It's just my quirk," I interrupted. "Evolved under pressure. That's all."
He caught the tone, backed off a bit. "Right, sorry. I just think it's really cool. That manifestation level at our age is incredible."
"Thanks. I need to get to lunch."
I left before he could ask more questions, heading toward the cafeteria but taking the long route. Needed a minute to think without people watching.
The Hero Commission's cover-up was holding so far. Official story said Endevor captured Stain during the chaos, students were never involved. We'd all signed NDAs, agreed to keep quiet. But that meant dealing with classmates asking questions I couldn't answer, pretending the biggest thing I'd done was help fight a Nomu.
It was frustrating.
Not the lying part, I'd gotten used to that over fifteen years of hiding my past. But the recognition thing. I'd defeated someone who killed multiple pro heroes and I couldn't even acknowledge it publicly. Had to just sit here and take credit for "helping with evacuations."
Whatever. The fight mattered, not the credit.
pov switch-
I grabbed food and found the usual table. Kirishima, Ashido, Kaminari, Sero, and Jiro were already there, mid-argument about something.
"I'm just saying, if you could have any quirk in the world, obviously you'd want super strength like All Might," Kaminari said.
"That's boring though," Sero pointed out. "Everyone says that."
"Because it's the best! You could just punch through anything!"
"Then I'd pick teleportation," Ashido said. "Imagine never having to walk anywhere again."
"Boring. I'd want super strength too," Kirishima said. "Not copying Kaminari, but like, being able to save people no matter how heavy the rubble is? That'd be amazing."
They kept going, each person throwing out their ideal quirk while I ate and listened. This had become routine over the past month, just sitting with them during lunch, being part of the group. It was different from Camelot where meals were formal affairs with politics and positioning.
Here it was just... normal. Teenagers talking about nothing important.
"What about you Arthur?" Ashido asked. "What quirk would you want?"
I thought about it. "Something that lets me fly probably."
"Really? You've got the golden lightning thing and you'd trade it for flying?"
"Flying would be useful."
"So boring!" Kaminari said. "Come on, be creative! You could have anything!"
"Alright, teleportation then."
"That's what I said!" Ashido grinned. "See, great minds think alike."
The conversation shifted to arguing about whether teleportation or super speed was better for hero work. I contributed occasionally but mostly just observed, analyzing their personalities and quirks out of habit. Kirishima valued strength and directness. Ashido wanted freedom and fun. Kaminari sought validation. Sero preferred practicality. Jiro just wanted people to stop being idiots.
"You're doing it again," Jiro said, looking at me.
"Doing what?"
"That thing where you watch everyone like you're taking notes. It's kinda creepy."
"I'm not taking notes."
"You're doing it in your head though."
She wasn't wrong. I smiled slightly. "Maybe."
"See? Creepy."
But she said it without real criticism, just stating fact. That was one thing I appreciated about this group, they didn't treat me differently for being strong or winning the Sports Festival. I was just Arthur, the guy who trained too much and occasionally said weird formal things.
My phone buzzed. I checked it under the table.
Unknown Number: "We know what happened in Hosu. We know what you can do. We'll be in touch."
I stared at the message, then deleted it immediately. Unknown number, generic threat, impossible to trace. Could be anyone. A cult, an international organization, a villain group, some random person trying to scare me.
Didn't matter. I'd been expecting something like this since that man recorded the fight.
"You good?" Kirishima asked, noticing my expression.
"Yeah, just spam message."
"Hate those. I keep getting ones about hero insurance, like I'm not even a pro yet."
The conversation moved on but I stayed alert, part of my attention on the group while the rest analyzed that text. Someone knew. Someone was watching. And they wanted me to know they were watching.
Fine. Let them watch.
I kept eating lunch with my friends like nothing had happened, because that's what you did. You dealt with threats when they became actual problems, not before.
pov switch-
I manifested Excalibur in the empty training ground, the golden blade materializing in my hand with familiar weight. Three days of practice and I could hold it for about fifteen minutes now before strain set in, up from the initial three minutes.
Not good enough. I needed longer duration, needed to be able to maintain it through extended combat without worrying about it fading mid-fight.
I ran through sword forms, basic patterns from my past life translated into this younger body. Cut, guard, thrust, parry. The movements felt right even if the body performing them was still developing.
"Young Himura! Impressive weapon you have there!"
I spun, Excalibur raised defensively.
All Might stood at the training ground entrance in his full hero form, that massive muscular build and ever-present smile. He must have been nearby and noticed the energy signature from my blade.
"All Might," I said, not dismissing the sword. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"I happened to be passing by when I sensed an unusual energy signature." He walked closer, studying Excalibur with professional interest. "That's the quirk evolution from the Hosu incident, correct? I heard reports that you manifested a weapon during the Nomu engagement."
"Yes sir. It finally stabilized under combat stress."
"May I examine it more closely?" He gestured to the blade.
I held it out slightly, letting him look without actually handing it over. Excalibur wouldn't dismiss even if someone else touched it, but I preferred maintaining contact.
"Remarkable!" All Might said, his voice booming with enthusiasm as he studied the script covering the blade. "This writing, I don't recognize the language. Have you researched its origin?"
"It just appeared with the manifestation. I don't know what it says."
All Might stepped back, his smile becoming slightly more serious. "Young Himura, if I may ask, what drives you to train so intensely?" I've heard from the faculty that you practice late into the evening nearly every day."
The question caught me off guard. "To get stronger. To be a better hero."
"But you're already exceptionally strong for your age! Stronger than many professional heroes!" His voice maintained that characteristic boom but there was genuine curiosity underneath. "So what standard are you holding yourself to?"
Yours, I thought but didn't say. I'm trying to reach your level because anything less isn't good enough.
"I just want to protect people," I said instead. "And that requires strength."
"Ah, but there's protecting people and there's pushing yourself beyond healthy limits! I should know, I've done both." He laughed, that huge All Might laugh, but then grew more serious. "The constant training, the drive to improve, the feeling that you're never quite enough... I recognize that mindset well."
"Is that bad?"
"Not bad, just intense! Make sure you're not sacrificing everything else in pursuit of power." He clapped a huge hand on my shoulder, the weight of it substantial even through my reinforcement. "Strength matters, yes! But so do the connections you make, the people you care about, the reasons you're fighting in the first place!"
I dismissed Excalibur, letting it fade. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."
"Excellent!" His smile was genuine, warm. Then he paused, that smile becoming more thoughtful. "Though I must say, your sword, the way you wield it, the pressure it radiates... there's something unusual about it. Almost like it carries weight beyond mere physical power."
"It's just my quirk manifesting in a new way. Energy taking solid form."
"Perhaps, perhaps!" He didn't sound entirely convinced but didn't press further. "Well then, continue your excellent training, Young Himura! Just remember to rest occasionally. Even heroes need sleep!"
With another booming laugh and a thumbs up, he left the training ground.
I stood there for a long moment after he was gone, thinking about that conversation.
All Might had noticed. I needed to be more careful. Excalibur was powerful but it drew attention, made people ask questions I couldn't answer properly. Using it meant risking exposure, risking someone connecting dots that led back to my past.
But not using it meant being weaker than I could be, meant potentially failing to protect people when it mattered.
The familiar calculation. How much power could I use without revealing too much? How much did I hold back to stay hidden versus how much did I need to actually accomplish anything meaningful?
I'd been balancing this for fifteen years and it never got easier.
I manifested Excalibur again and resumed training. Fifteen minutes of stable manifestation wasn't enough. I needed thirty, needed an hour, needed to be able to maintain it indefinitely.
The training continued into the evening, sword forms and energy control, pushing my limits while monitoring for any watching eyes. That text message from earlier kept circling in my head.
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