The silence that followed Yuta's reveal was different from the silence that followed Aoyama or Bakugo's. A collective mental search was the best way to put it.
Midnight blinked. Once. Twice.
Then she leaned forward, squinting at the board as if her eyes couldn't possibly be seeing this correctly. "Akutami-kun... That is... a very bold choice. Are you... feeling alright?"
Yuta blinked. "I'm fine. Why?"
"Nothing. I just ... Never thought you were the type, but ..."
Midnight continued, swooning over the board, "... referencing Matara-jin, the ancient protector deity of Buddhist mythology? The god of destiny and performing arts?"
Yuta:
"…The what?"
Midnight clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with an intensity that made Yuta take a half-step back. "Oh, don't be modest! Using the kanji 真多良? True, Abundant, and Goodness? It's a classic, sophisticated Ateji! To invoke the name of a hidden god who oversees the stars and the transition of souls... it's so poetic! I didn't know you were such a classicist."
Yuta's stoic mask shattered.
Matara-jin?
God of destiny??
Performing arts???
He glanced down at the board, his eyes scanning the sharp, traditional strokes he had painstakingly practiced to look "authentic."
真 — True
多 — Many
良 — Goodness
"And the surname!" Midnight continued, touching her cheek. "You wrote 内 (Uchi) for 'Inner' and 波 (Ha) for 'Wave.' The Inner Wave of Abundant Virtue! It's so... so pure! It's like a monk's vow!"
".."
Yuta felt the blood drain from his face. "I…. I just wrote kanji that matched the sounds. I didn't—"
"It's surprisingly thematically sophisticated." Yaoyorozu added thoughtfully.
"Kaeru," Tsuyu tilted her head, her finger to her lip. "I didn't know you were religious, Yuta-chan. It's a very heavy name."
"It's more than heavy!" Iida adjusted his glasses, peering at the board with academic fervor. "To choose a name steeped in Buddhist theology suggests a desire to be a pillar of spiritual and moral guidance! Akutami-kun, I underestimated the depth of your conviction!"
"It's PERFECT!" Midnight declared. "It's elegant! It's meaningful! It's one of the most poetic hero names I've seen in years! It shows a maturity that transcends the usual flashy titles."
The class nodded in agreement.
Yuta stared at them, horrified.
This is not what he signed up for.
He had wanted the name of a god-tier anime warlord who could casually drop meteors on people.
Not…
Not…
Some Buddhist musical theatre destiny god.
"Approved. The Virtuous Hero: Matara Uchiha!"
"Wait—WAIT, no. NO. That's not— That's not what I meant at all!"
The class froze.
Midnight blinked. "…It's not?"
"No!" Yuta nearly yelled, taking the board back so fast that even Aizawa lifted an eyebrow.
"I'm changing the kanji. Actually, forget kanji entirely. I'll write it in katakana!"
He wiped the board aggressively, as if scrubbing away the shame itself. He had chosen Madara's name due to the link to his powers. It was understandable if people didn't get it, but in no way could be have people thinking he was some wandering sage of virtue.
マダラ・ウチハ
Simple and uninterpretable. 'That's better.' He turned the board back to the class with a dark face.
"This," he said flatly, "is the correct one."
Midnight looked mildly disappointed, her shoulders slumping as the "classicist" fantasy crumbled. "Well… katakana is the safest way to ensure the meaning is purely in the sound, I suppose. Though it does lose all that delicious cultural depth."
"I don't need cultural depth," Yuta muttered, feeling like his energy had been drained. "That ... Was not what I was going for to begin with .."
"I see. Well it sounds rather peculiar." Midnight said with a hand on her chin. "Would you like to share how you came to this choice then?"
"Is it someone you admire? A historical figure or a Pro Hero perhaps?"
Yuta scratched his cheek. "…Not exactly. He doesn't exist."
Class: "…Huh?"
"It's from a dream I had a while back. Don't laugh. In it, I saw someone who used the same powers I do. He was ..." He paused. "... Well, he looked like me. Just, older and much stronger. Like a future version of me, as ridiculous as it sounds."
The class leaned in earnestly.
"I guess I kind of… liked the idea of having a name to grow into. So I borrowed the name he had in the dream and made it my target. A reminder of the ceiling I want to reach."
He finished. "Nothing mystical. Just… a name for who I want to be someday."
"..."
For a moment, he didn't know what to make of the silence that followed.
"A name to grow into..." Midnight murmured, her initial disappointment completely replaced by a look of soft-eyed intrigue. "A target for your future self. That's actually quite lovely, Yuta-kun."
"It's metal as hell, bro!" Kirishima grinned, punching his palm. "Chasing your own dream-self? That's manliness right there!"
"Ribbit. In other words, you're chasing the 'ceiling' of your power," Tsuyu added. "It explains why you kept fighting during the Sports Festival."
Bakugo's face darkened. The words Yuta last said to him rung in his head. 'That's it huh?' His fists clenched. 'That's where his confidence comes from. Imaginary potential?'
"Tch. A name from a dream? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"At least I didn't try to name myself 'Murder King,'" Yuta said without looking at him.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
"He's right though. Explosion boy sounds better!"
"SHUT UP EXTRAS!"
'Phew. That was close.' Yuta exhaled. He'd successfully pivoted from "Buddhist Deity" to "Enigmatic Goal-Seeker." It was a bit chunibyo, sure, but in a school full of kids wearing capes and shouting special move names, it wasn't all that weird.
Turning, his gaze fell on midnight, head tilted as she studied the katakana on the board. "Madara Uchiha," she hummed. "It has a certain rhythmic weight to it, but... the naming convention is a bit long for a Hero ID. Usually, unless the surname carries a massive legacy—like Todoroki or Iida—young heroes tend to stick to a singular, punchy moniker."
She leaned over the podium. "Tell me, Yuta-kun. This 'Uchiha' from your dream... is that name as important as 'Madara'?"
"Huh?"
"In the field, you want something quick. Punchy. Easy for civilians to shout in a crisis." Midnight gestured with her whip. "Two names work for established heroes with brand recognition, but for newcomers? One strong name is better, and 'Madara' has a distinct ring to it.
She smiled. "Adding 'Uchiha' makes it sound like you're introducing yourself at a formal dinner rather than stopping a villain. It sounds more like an alias than a Hero Name. I would suggest modifying it"
"Oh! That's fine I guess." Yuta said, reaching out and swiping a finger through the second half of the board, erasing the Uchiha name.
"Perfect!" Midnight beamed, stamping his approval form with a flourish. "The Aspiration Hero: Madara."
With that, he walked back to his seat looking relieved. Looking cool wasn't as easy as it others made it. To think he almost capsized in the gutter. "And finally... Midoriya!" Izuku walked up, his eyes firm as he revealed his board. "DEKU."
The class was stunned at his choice. Yuta watched the familiar scene play out—the rejection of a slur into a badge of honor.
It was the kind of burning, heroic conviction Yuta didn't think he had.
He couldn't help but ponder if his elaborate dream tale was ...
"LORD EXPLOSION MURDER!" ... The pondering died before it even began.
'If he's here, then it's not even a question.' Yuta looked out the window.
Meanwhile, Aizawa watched the new transfer student with slightly narrowed eyes and an unreadable expression before standing up.
"Well then, now that that's over, let's get back to the Internships "
He walked to the podium as Midnight stepped aside and stretched.
"They'll last for a week. As for where you'll have them? ... Those who have offers will be given different lists so you can choose from yourself."
"Those who don't have offers will be allowed to select from a list of forty agencies across the country that will be accepting our interns."
The lists were distributed across the class.
"Like I said. Choose carefully. You have till the weekend to turn in your choices. As for Bakugo ... you have until tomorrow to come up with something that won't get you expelled."
"WHAT THE! .."
"Hold on. We only have two days."
"Yep. So start now. Dismissed." Aizawa closed the door behind them.
".."
__
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