The classroom of Class 1-A was unusually noisy that morning.
"I'm telling you, this is really unfair!" Toru complained.
"There's nothing we can do, it was the Hero Commission's decision," Kirishima said bored.
A frustrated Toru walked over to Momo, who was reading a book.
"Ugh, Momo-chan, you agree with me, right?"
Momo looked up from her book and stayed silent for a moment before answering the invisible girl.
"I'm sorry, Hagakure-san, but I think it's better if no one knew what happened," Momo replied with an awkward smile. "This is also for Allen's sake."
"No way..." Toru took two steps back and fell to her knees, depressed.
"What's going on?" Allen opened the classroom door, and a defeated Toru was the first thing he saw.
Toru ran toward Allen and complained while pouting. "Allen, does it really not bother you that the whole USJ incident was hidden?!"
Allen chuckled before patting the girl on the head. "You've been asking the same question since last week... I already told you I don't care."
The girl puffed out her cheeks, "Mmm"
During the USJ incident, the appearance of All For One and the ensuing battle were monumental, but few realized where the explosions occurred due to the villains who attacked Musutafu.
Even so, it would be strange for no one to talk about it anywhere.
There is an answer to that.
The information UA gave to the press was that a villain appeared at UA—referring to the Nomu—and was stopped by All Might, leaving Allen's and All For One's involvement in the shadows.
From an objective point of view, it made sense, but there were also some who felt it was unfair considering how much Allen contributed to that fight.
In this world where heroes rely heavily on reputation and fame, an achievement like that was extremely valuable.
"I appreciate that you worry about me," Allen said with a softer look than usual as he watched Toru, as if he could see the girl's frustration.
Itsuka sighed, feeling jealous, and thinking that if she were more like her she would also receive affection like that. Momo snorted, looking at Allen with disdain. Ochako, on the other hand, felt extremely embarrassed, almost as if she were the one being patted.
Toru, for her part, was grateful to be invisible; otherwise, she would have died of embarrassment right now, but even so, she didn't avoid Allen's hand.
"Toru, do you like the current world?"
"Huh? Well... yeah, I guess," Toru replied, not understanding the intention behind the question.
Allen smiled. "I heard this from All Might—All For One has been a villain for many years, and he was also the main cause of society's collapse in the past..."
"Wait, is that true?!" Momo exclaimed, standing up.
"Yes. It's natural you don't know, because All For One remained anonymous while ruling the underworld from the shadows through his subordinates, including many famous villains that appear in history books."
"How is that possible?" Itsuka gasped.
"How terrifying..." Ibara murmured.
"When I see that bastard, I'll teach him a lesson!" Tetsutetsu shouted, which lightened the mood.
'Bless hot-blooded idiots,' Jiro thought.
Allen continued, "For many generations, heroes fought villains, maintaining a strange balance, and it wasn't until All Might appeared that the scale tipped. He defeated one subordinate of All For One after another, destroying his empire. That's why he hates him, but at the same time he respects his strength, because among all the former number ones, All Might was the one who cornered him the most."
Deku clenched his fists—he would be the successor, and he had to prove he was worthy of it. Bakugo watched Deku's reaction before looking away and clicking his tongue.
Todoroki, who had been staring out the window, started paying attention. Even though his goal was to prove to his father that he could surpass him without using his fire Quirk, he knew that the monster was someone he couldn't ignore.
'And the one now in that monster's sights is you, Allen Walker. It's frustrating... I don't want to admit it, but I'm starting to understand how "that" man felt when he witnessed All Might's rise—that feeling of not being able to reach your goal no matter what you do, that helplessness of only being able to wait from the stands is very unpleasant. However! That doesn't mean I would ruin my family's life! I will prove I can surpass him!'
Allen scanned the room with his gaze. "You already saw how strong he was, how dangerous his ideals and his Quirk are..."
Mina and Ochako swallowed nervously. Everyone had been pulled into the conversation, but they also understood that all this information wasn't publicly known—people didn't want to know that someone like that walked through the alleys.
"Eventually his existence will become public knowledge, but until then the HPSC will do everything it can to hide it so people can continue enjoying their peace."
Tokoyami frowned. "Isn't that just deceiving people?"
"A perfect utopia doesn't exist—if it did, heroes wouldn't be necessary," Allen shrugged. "Unfortunately, people who use their Quirks to hurt others will always exist, but so will those who stop them. Isn't it the job of heroes to make sure that, no matter that people like All For One exist, everyone can keep living their lives?"
Making society function—that is the job of heroes. Making it possible for people to live in peace. Stopping those like All For One. Heroes are the only thing preventing society from collapsing.
That reality made everyone feel heavy pressure; many of them still believed being a hero was a simple job.
Outside the classroom, Aizawa stopped before opening the door.
Allen laughed when he saw everyone's expressions, then walked to his seat.
"Don't feel so pressured trying to improve the world. Don't forget that we don't need a perfect world—just one where people can live with hope... and the ones who bring that hope to people are heroes. If you're capable of that, you'll have already done enough..."
Allen's words hit everyone. Some looked at him strangely.
Allen was quite strange—sometimes he just acted like a complete bastard, but other times his words sounded like they came from a thousand-year-old sage.
The door opened and Aizawa walked in.
"Everyone, take your seats."
Once everyone sat down, Aizawa began the class with an announcement.
"I have an important announcement to make. As you already know, in two weeks it will be the Sports Festival..."
"Are we really going to celebrate it after the villain attacks?" Ibara asked.
"That's exactly why we're doing it. We must show society that we are not afraid of villains," Aizawa replied in a stern tone.
Many got excited upon hearing this, which surprised Allen. He expected the event to be big, but it seemed he had underestimated the enthusiasm.
"You're not excited?" Momo said beside him.
"Well..."
"Don't tell me you don't know what the UA Festival is?" Itsuka asked, astonished.
"It's not that I don't know..."
Aizawa spoke again. "For those who don't know, in the past, there were the Olympic Games, but with society's collapse due to Quirks, that was lost. As a replacement, Japan adopted the UA Sports Festival, and you can be sure that the UA Sports Festival is one of the biggest events in the country."
"It's not only to show yourselves to the world—the majority of pro heroes will be watching, looking for talent for their agencies."
Everyone's eyes shone with excitement. Being noticed by agencies was a huge step for aspiring pro heroes.
"But!" Aizawa interrupted the euphoria. "Heroes need an agency after graduating. Those who fail to receive at least one offer should consider their career a failure. One opportunity per year—three in total. In two weeks, you must prepare for Japan, and much of the world, to get to know you."
The excitement turned into pressure for everyone except Allen, who was the only one not very excited. Not because he didn't care, but because half the time he already had billions of people watching his adventures, so this was nothing.
"Alright, that concludes the announcement... everyone prepare for the first class—except you, Allen."
"...?"
"Principal Nezu wants to see you."
"Alright."
The curious and worried gazes of some classmates fixed on Allen, who smiled and made a reassuring gesture with his hand before leaving the classroom.
....
(Principal's Office)
Allen knocked on the door and waited.
"Come in."
Sitting on a sofa, the peculiar Principal Nezu was already waiting for him, looking like a mix between a mouse, a dog, and a bear.
Despite not even knowing what kind of animal he was, Allen—who had already seen Lovecraftian creatures—didn't feel the slightest discomfort.
"Principal, you wanted to see me?"
With his characteristic politeness, Nezu gestured toward the seat in front of him.
"Allen-kun, please."
Allen sat down on the armchair across from Nezu. He had already prepared a pair of teas, something Allen didn't refuse, so he took the cup and drank.
"It's Earl Grey... I hope you like it."
"It's not bad, but to be honest I'm more of a coffee fan."
"Haha, I'll remember that for next time."
For a moment, both of them simply drank tea without speaking, but after a few minutes, it was Nezu who broke the silence.
"That mecha was you, right?"
"Yes."
At this point Allen didn't lie—he had no reason to, and beyond that, Nezu had proven to be someone trustworthy.
Nezu sighed.
"I'm sorry. We didn't want your Quirk to be revealed so soon."
"I'm fine with it. It was something that was going to happen sooner or later."
Nezu admired Allen's ability to adapt to complications.
"Alright. I just hope you're careful. We don't know when All For One will appear. If the situation becomes complicated, escape. You're still a student—you don't need to carry the burden of stopping All For One..."
"Understood, Principal," Allen said as he stood up and walked toward the exit.
Despite what was said, both Nezu and Allen knew that when the time came, it would be inevitable for Allen to take part in the battle.
....
The day progressed until the final class, once again taught by Kaina. She took them to Ground B, where training battles were usually held.
There were no spectators—only the students of Class 1-A and a couple of teachers.
In front of the entrance, Kaina stood with her arms crossed and a severe look, making it seem like the girl who had been embarrassed walking around in her underwear that morning had never existed.
"Today's training is simple—you must neutralize a criminal who has a hostage. Remember, any wrong move means the hostage dies!"
Iida raised his hand while sweating. "Sensei, isn't it a bit extreme that a small mistake leads to that result?"
"Yes, statistically civilians are only at real risk in one out of every ten villain kidnappings," Momo added.
"Idiots!" Kaina gave them a murderous glare. "I don't give a damn if it happens once every hundred years—your job is to treat every situation as if the hostage's life is hanging by a thread!"
Momo and Iida shrank back at the scolding.
"Listen up, brats. Don't confuse not being able to save everyone with letting someone die. I'll be watching your movements, and if I feel like any of you aren't giving one hundred—no! One hundred and fifty percent of your abilities, I'll drag you to Class B before you even realize it!"
No one dared doubt how serious this purple-haired teacher was. Despite being an attractive and voluptuous woman, she was equally terrifying.
....
"Now the kidnapper will be Allen."
"It's gotta be a joke!" Kaminari exclaimed.
"We're not going to win..." Sero grabbed his head.
"Hell yeah!!" Bakugo slammed his fist. Despite knowing Allen's power, Katsuki Bakugo still sought a fight—this could be either very admirable or incredibly stupid.
"Kacchan..." Deku smiled awkwardly. 'No, I can't be a coward. Even if the opponent is Allen-san, I have to give it my all!'
"Seriously?!" Kirishima slapped his forehead.
"What's with that attitude?!" Tetsutetsu hit his chest. "I'll defeat him!"
"I don't know what you're all afraid of—Allen-chan isn't a villain," Froppy declared, tilting her head.
Mina laughed before making puppy eyes with her hands together. "That's right. Allen wouldn't hurt a bunch of defenseless girls, right?~"
Allen smiled mischievously. "You won't die—that much I can guarantee..."
"That's scary..." Jiro muttered.
"Silence!" Kaina restored order. "Of course, there's a reason beyond his strength—Allen has changed his Quirks..."
"What?!"
"Why?!"
Kaina pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Everyone was left speechless—what kind of teacher was this woman?
"I was the one who asked for it," Kaina exhaled a puff of smoke. "You have no idea how many idiots die not because they're weaker than their opponent, but because they don't understand their Quirk."
Aizawa, who was watching alongside Present Mic through the monitoring screens, felt as if that blow was directed at him, but he couldn't argue—it was true his defeat had been due to not understanding Shigaraki's Quirk.
"Don't forget—fame and recognition come with a price," Kaina narrowed her eyes. "Right now, all of you are at the recognition level of a potato, but during the Sports Festival in two weeks, that will change. Everyone will know who you are. Everyone will know what kind of Quirks you have—including villains. However, you'll be at a disadvantage, because many times you won't know what Quirk your opponent has."
"It's unfair—yes, it is. But that's what heroes are like. They work and risk more than villains. One mistake is enough for those who praise them to start hating them. It's not easy. Know this and carry it in your minds... because you can't escape fame once you become professionals."
Aizawa was already getting an idea of what kind of woman Lady Nagant was.
'Tsutsumi Kaina-sensei's words, unlike All Might-san's, are always harsh, raw, direct, and aimed at weak points. However, at the same time they accelerate the students' growth... I can feel it—each of them is being shaped at a speed greater than any previous generation, and this isn't only because of Lady Nagant's introduction. The existence of Allen Walker constantly pressures his classmates, forcing them to grow...'
"Oh, it's been a while since I've seen you smile like that," Present Mic teased. "Do you really enjoy watching your students suffer that much?~"
"What kind of image do you have of me?" Aizawa hit Present Mic's shoulder—he was one of the few who had that level of trust with him.
"Haha."
....
The class began in Ground B (Beta).
Allen positioned himself on a fake bench with his hostage, who in this case was Mina Ashido.
"Sorry," Allen said before standing behind her with his arm around Mina's neck, using her as a classic human shield.
"Ah~"
"Are you okay?" Allen hadn't even held her tightly.
"No... I'm fine..." Mina looked back with a strange smile and flushed cheeks. "It's just that I didn't expect being surrounded by the strong arms of a handsome guy to feel this good... if you want, you can squeeze me more❤️~"
Inside the monitoring room, several girls exploded.
"I demand this test be canceled immediately!" Momo exclaimed.
Itsuka, panting with rage, pointed at the screen. "I request Mina be replaced—she's not taking this seriously!"
"She's a pervert..." Ochako said with lifeless eyes, which scared Kaminari who was standing next to her.
"Yeah!" Toru let out a cute huff. "And I request to be the one who replaces her!"
"No!" all the previous girls replied in unison.
The boys—even the most oblivious ones—opened their eyes wide. They knew Allen was popular, but wasn't this a bit excessive?
At this point, all the boys expected Kaina to scold the girls for being jealous during a serious situation. However, what she did left them speechless.
Kaina grabbed the communicator and shouted.
"Hey, brat! You dare flirt in my class—do you want to die?!"
Was she scolding her or was she jealous?!
Despite the threats, instead of being scared, Mina smiled at the camera while pressing her back against Allen. However, this cost her dearly as her eyes widened in shock while staring at him.
"Are all men this big?!"
Mina's words embarrassed all the girls and made the men turn pale. As for Kaina, she began releasing a dark aura that made everyone step back.
"You little...."
It was very uncomfortable and difficult, but even so, everyone tried to ignore Kaina's jealous girlfriend's attitude.
"Allen Bastard!"
The bank door exploded and Bakugo walked in. This left everyone speechless. Had the angry punk understood the training?
"Using a hostage, have you sunk that low?! You brag about your strength, but you're pathetic! Fight me like a man!"
Unexpectedly, Bakugo had a plan to provoke Allen, which surprised everyone.
Allen blinked before sneering.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here if not short-tempered rage superhero? You want to rescue this girl?" Allen ignored Bakugo's attitude and got down to business. "I'm sorry, but she's mine..."
Allen brought his face close to Mina's ear.
Bakugo was about to provoke Allen further, but someone else responded first.
"Yes!"
"Mina?"
Everyone fell silent at Mina's response. Did this girl understand that she was supposed to be a hostage?
"Hey, aren't you supposed to ask for help?!" Bakugo exclaimed.
"Tsk..." Mina looked at Bakugo with disgust, "You're a dangerous and rude guy, I'll just stay here, we're fine~"
Perhaps it was the first time in history that a hostage didn't want to be freed from the villain.
Even Allen didn't know how to proceed, but he was a professional and didn't break character. Instead, he made five cards appear around him, but unlike last time, they were all silver.
Bakugo braced himself. The dangerous thing about Allen is that you never know what Quirks he'll have.
"You'll never save this girl!" Allen exclaimed.
"Villain, you—"
"That sounds perfect to me. I want two children, a girl and a boy❤️~" Mina said as she hugged Allen.
A collective scream was heard.
WHAT THE HELL!
====
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