As the two days of break came to an end, U.A. once again pulsed with life.
The campus was once more filled with the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the halls, loud laughter blending with the light rain of that gray morning, and excited conversations that seemed to compete with each other. It was as if the Sports Festival was still alive in every returning student.
Class 1-A was especially noisy.
"Dude, you have no idea!" Kirishima said, practically vibrating as he spoke to Ryo. "A bunch of people stopped me on the street! Like… random people! I've never felt so famous in my life!"
Across the room, Dash was slumped over his desk, eyes half-closed and with the expression of someone who had lost a war.
"These two days…" he murmured. "Were hell."
Ryo raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.
"Wow. Never thought I'd see someone like you… tired."
Dash let out a low grunt.
"Mental exhaustion and physical exhaustion are two very different things, you know?"
"What did he say?" Kirishima asked, curious.
Ryo replied without even looking:
"That they rented a triplex in his head these past two days."
Kirishima blinked… and then burst out laughing.
The rest of the class joined the conversation, each sharing similar stories—unexpected encounters, messages from strangers, curious looks on the streets. The Festival had truly changed something.
Until…
CLACK.
The classroom door opened.
The noise ceased almost instantly when Aizawa entered, walking to the podium with his usual expression of absolute disinterest in the youthful chaos around him.
"Good morning."
"GOOD MORNING!" the class responded in unison.
Tsuyu tilted her head, observing him carefully.
"It's good to see sensei without the bandages, ribbit."
"That old lady's treatment was overkill," he replied dryly. "But it doesn't matter."
A few suppressed chuckles arose.
"After hero informatics class," he continued, "we will have something else special."
The atmosphere in the room changed in the blink of an eye. Shoulders tensed. Eyes became attentive.
Then Aizawa concluded:
"You will finally choose your hero names."
The explosion was immediate.
"FINALLY?!"
"IT WAS ABOUT TIME!"
"I ALREADY HAVE THREE READY!"
Dash blinked, confused in the middle of the commotion.
"Huh… what's happening? Is another big event happening?"
Ryo leaned toward him.
"Today we choose our hero names."
For a second… and then Dash's face lit up completely.
"REALLY?!"
He jumped to his feet, joining the general excitement.
But the excitement didn't last long.
"Quiet." Aizawa's voice cut through the noise like a blade.
The room fell silent.
"As I mentioned last class, about the offers and internships," he continued, "the proposals you received will directly influence your future careers. A hero name isn't just a nickname. It's identity. Brand. Responsibility."
He gave the class a serious look.
"Even though you're only first-years, the exposure you got at the Sports Festival has already put many of you on the radar of various professional agencies."
Aizawa turned to the board and began writing.
The sound of chalk scraping echoed through the room.
When he finished, he took a step to the side.
"And these are the results of the offers some of you received."
Takeda — 8,247 offers
Dash — 6,833 offers
Todoroki — 4,032 offers
Midoriya — 1,270 offers
Bakugo — 381 offers
Iida — 301 offers
Kaminari — 274 offers
Yaoyorozu — 110 offers
Kirishima — 67 offers
Sero — 21 offers
"M-MORE THAN EIGHT THOUSAND?!" Kaminari yelled.
"THAT'S INSANE!" Sero's eyes widened.
"Are there even that many agencies in Japan?" Jiro whispered in disbelief.
"Takeda took the lead just as expected!" Kirishima stared at Ryo with pure admiration.
Dash stood frozen, staring at the number beside his own name, a slow, incredulous smile spreading across his face.
Midoriya gaped at the number next to his name as if it might disappear any second. His eyes were wide, and his mouth moved in a rapid, incoherent mumble.
"I-I… twelve hundred… that's… uh—?!"
"Breathe, Midoriya," Aizawa said without even looking at him. "As for the rest of you—don't panic if you didn't get any offers. Everyone will still get work experience. This isn't the end of the world."
The class gradually settled down, though glances still kept straying, now and then, toward Ryo.
He sighed, propping his chin on his hand, his gaze distant and lost in thought.
"Now they probably think I'm some kind of prodigy or something…"
Ryo turned his face discreetly toward Dash, who was muttering softly to himself.
"If I pick that offer from Dad… maybe it'll be less of a headache… or maybe it'll be even worse…"
Aizawa continued as if nothing unusual were happening:
"As you already know," Aizawa went on, "after the USJ incident, you took your first step into the real world of heroes. But seeing a pro hero's daily routine up close will be even more valuable than any training here."
He paused briefly.
"And that's exactly why you need hero names. Choose carefully, because—"
The classroom door slid open before he could finish.
The sharp click of heels echoed across the floor, and Midnight walked in as if she'd rehearsed every step. A provocative smile curved her lips.
"Because if you choose a bad name…" she finished, leaning forward slightly, "…it'll be a complete nightmare."
The class reacted instantly with a mix of nervous laughter and excited murmurs.
Midnight leaned against the podium, crossing her arms under the watchful eyes of the students.
"Hero names aren't just cool nicknames," she said, her voice soft and dangerously cheerful. "They're the image you'll present to the world. The essence that becomes the symbol of who you are as heroes."
Midoriya gulped hard at that.
Aizawa just nodded, as if agreeing was already too much effort. He calmly crouched down and pulled his trusty sleeping bag out from under the desk.
"Midnight will supervise," he said, yawning. "And stop you from making bad choices."
He settled onto the floor.
"Use your time well. And remember: names and true natures often match. Good luck."
With that, Aizawa slipped into the sleeping bag, curling up like a caterpillar.
Midnight smiled knowingly.
"Alright, Class 1-A…" she said, clapping her hands lightly. "Let's see who you really are."
With that, small blank whiteboards were distributed throughout the classroom—one for each student. Pens soon followed, landing on the desks with soft, hollow taps.
Ryo received his and stared at the absolute void before him.
"Hero name, huh…" he muttered under his breath. "Feels like we're back at the inventory screen."
He fell silent for a few seconds… then sighed.
"Anything will do."
Five minutes passed.
"…No, not that name."
Ten minutes.
"Way too embarrassing."
Time crawled by, slow and almost mocking. The fifteen minutes given by Midnight had already ended, and Ryo still hadn't written a single thing.
He brought a hand to his head, fingers sinking into his black hair.
"How is this even possible…" he murmured. "Coming up with a hero name should be child's play."
He glanced to the side—and found Dash in exactly the same situation, glaring at his blank whiteboard as if it were a mortal enemy.
Dash noticed the look and slowly turned, making an expression worthy of a puppy abandoned in the rain.
"Takeda… help me…" he pleaded, almost begging.
Ryo grimaced.
"I'm in the same boat, in case you hadn't noticed."
"Exactly!" Dash shot back quickly. "If we have the same problem, why not help each other out?"
Ryo froze for a moment.
Then he sighed, defeated.
"…Fine. But I'll only help a little."
He looked Dash over carefully, analyzing him from head to toe. The blond noticed the assessing gaze and immediately struck an exaggerated 'badass' pose, chest puffed out and chin held high.
Ryo frowned.
"Stop that."
Dash didn't move a muscle.
A few seconds passed.
"How about… Flash?" Ryo finally said. "You're so fast you're like a flash of light. It kind of goes with Dash, too."
Dash's eyes sparkled.
"FLASH?!"
He practically vibrated on the spot.
"That's awesome! Seriously awesome!"
Without wasting a second, he grabbed his whiteboard and wrote the name and title in record time.
"Hey, now it's your turn to help me—"
Too late.
Dash simply vanished from his spot.
In the blink of an eye, he was already at the podium, taking the spot Todoroki had just left.
"I AM THE SPEEDSTER HERO: FLASH!" he announced, breaking into a huge grin.
The room erupted in applause.
"FLASH goes with FAST!" Kirishima shouted excitedly.
"What a dynamic name!" Mina added.
Midnight clapped with a satisfied smile.
"Good choice, darling. It suits you very well."
Dash scratched the back of his head, laughing without a hint of shame.
"Hehe… I had to think really hard to come up with that one."
Meanwhile, Ryo watched the whole scene with a completely blank expression.
"…Later, I'm stealing part of his snack as punishment," he muttered.
He turned his gaze back to his own blank whiteboard and sighed again.
Aizawa's words echoed in his mind.
*Names and true natures often match.*
Ryo thought for a few seconds.
"Gamma…" he murmured.
But he immediately shook his head.
"No."
That brought back too many bad memories.
"Besides, it's too similar to that bastard's name..."
Time kept passing. One by one, almost everyone had presented their names. Midnight was already losing her patience with Bakugo, telling him to redo his name for the third time, when she noticed Ryo standing up.
"Oh?" she said, interested.
The entire room fell silent.
All eyes turned to him, filled with anticipation. After all, everyone wanted to know what name the strongest student in the class would choose.
Ryo walked to the podium with calm steps.
He looked at the whiteboard in his hand for a brief moment, then placed it on the podium with a firm, dry *thud*.
He raised his eyes.
"I am the Overloaded Hero: Fourteen."
----------------------------------------
The underground was a world unto itself—stuffy, cold, and illuminated only by industrial lights that flickered irregularly. The air smelled of old chemicals and rusted metal. Thick pipes ran across the ceiling like artificial veins, pulsing slowly.
And at the center of that clinical hell, Garaki worked.
Wearing his rumpled lab coat, he moved with surprising speed for someone his age, slender fingers gliding across holographic panels as he analyzed data that flashed and vanished in a frantic sequence. In front of him, a cylindrical containment tank, filled with a thick, greenish liquid, bubbled softly.
Garaki adjusted the oxygen meter, tilting his head.
"Neural frequency stable... motor response acceptable..." he murmured to himself, jotting notes on the tablet in his hands.
That's when the lab's main monitor began to hiss.
The large screen flickered with interference, static lines tearing through the image for a few seconds, until slowly a familiar silhouette took shape.
Garaki froze for a moment.
Then, he turned fully, his face breaking into a wide, almost childlike smile.
"Oh, oh!" he said excitedly. "What an unexpected honor... All For One-sama. To what do I owe this visit?"
The figure on the screen wasted no time on formalities.
"How are our... pawns coming along?" All For One asked, his voice calm and laden with disdain.
Garaki quickly adjusted his glasses.
"Ah, excellent progress, as always!" he replied. "But I still need to conduct some final tests before they are ready for deployment."
He turned and spread his arms, like a proud presenter.
Before them, multiple incubators lined the room, each containing a different creature—grotesque bodies, hypertrophied muscles, extra limbs, some with mouths where there shouldn't be.
Nomus.
All For One watched in silence for a few seconds.
"Magnificent," he finally said. "They will give the heroes quite the show."
Garaki cleared his throat carefully.
"If I may, All For One-sama..." he began, choosing his words carefully. "Is it truly necessary to deploy two High-Ends in this operation? For something so small... it seems a bit excessive."
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then, All For One laughed.
A low, deep laugh, filled with pleasure.
"Excessive?" he repeated. "Garaki... for people like us, excessive simply doesn't exist."
The image on the screen leaned forward slightly.
"Besides, I am merely taking inspiration from my dear old friend. And with your help... restocking our Quirk arsenal will be no trouble at all."
Garaki gave a slight bow of his head.
"I understand perfectly," he said respectfully. "I will continue with the plan as you wish."
"Excellent," All For One replied. "Do not disappoint me."
The transmission cut off abruptly.
The screen returned to static... and then to silence.
Garaki remained motionless for a few seconds.
Then, slowly, he turned his gaze.
Two specific capsules caught his attention, positioned side by side, larger than the rest. The green liquid inside them was dense, and the male and female silhouettes in each moved restlessly.
The High-End Nomus intended for deployment.
Garaki adjusted his glasses one last time, the smile returning to his face.
"Hehehe..." he murmured. "Let's see how the world reacts to two of my finest creations this time."
----------------------------------------
Ryo started packing his things into his backpack as soon as the bell announced the end of classes. Notebooks, pencil case, the whiteboard already put away—all done on autopilot. The moment he stood up, however, his vision was completely taken over by a far-too-cheerful face.
"Takeda!" Kirishima appeared practically glued to him, eyes shining. "Have you decided which agency you'll intern at yet?!"
Ryo walked past him with his backpack slung over his shoulder, letting out a short sigh.
"I don't know yet."
Kirishima, obviously, wasn't deterred and walked alongside him.
"Ah, I'll go to any agency that involves punching villains!" he said excitedly. "The more action, the better!"
"That definitely suits you," Ryo replied, honestly.
Just as they crossed the classroom door, Ryo suddenly stopped.
He looked to the left… then to the right.
"…Where's Dash?"
Kirishima blinked, confused.
"Huh? He's already gone."
Ryo furrowed his brow.
"When?"
"Right after the bell rang," Kirishima answered. "He flew out of the classroom. Seemed in a real hurry."
"Strange…" Ryo murmured, his frown deepening.
It was at that moment that Aizawa passed by them as he left the classroom.
"Takeda," he said without even slowing his pace. "I need a word with you in the staff room."
Ryo looked up immediately.
"Okay."
He turned to Kirishima.
"Go on ahead."
"Got it!" the redhead replied with a thumbs-up before heading down the hall.
A few minutes later, Ryo entered the staff room beside Aizawa. A few teachers were still present, talking quietly or grading papers. Aizawa went straight to his desk, sat down, and pulled out a folded sheet, handing it to Ryo.
"You probably haven't chosen an agency for the internship yet," he said. "That's good."
Ryo took the paper, raising an eyebrow.
"The principal had already planned the ideal option for you."
Ryo's eyes scanned down the sheet.
And then went wide.
Aizawa continued, in his usual calm voice:
"You've been assigned to the Black Hole Agency with Thirteen, in Hosu."
"…What?" escaped Ryo's lips, almost a whisper.
"The principal made it clear it's not mandatory to accept," Aizawa added. "But, if you do go… you'll be able to continue learning to better control your Quirk while interning."
Ryo slowly raised his gaze, staring at Aizawa.
"The principal… told you about me?"
Aizawa held his gaze.
"Yes. And a few other teachers," he replied. "All this after he received full responsibility from the government to take care of you."
He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.
"Thank goodness I never even considered erasing your Quirk…" he said, almost to himself. "It's dangerous. Very dangerous…"
Ryo remained silent.
"That's precisely why I want to see more control from you over it after this internship," Aizawa finished, seriously. "You have potential, Tanaka. But potential without control only leads to tragedy."
He made a short pause.
"So… do your best."
Ryo clenched the paper between his fingers, feeling the real weight of it all settle on his shoulders.
"…Ok."