The classroom door slid open.
Heads turned.
Reiji stepped inside—hands in his pockets. His U.A. uniform was crisp and clean. Hair styled. He looked over the room once, then walked to an empty seat and sat down without a word.
As he glanced around the room. Most students were already seated—talking, shifting in their chairs, sneaking looks his way.
a red-haired guy came over first, easygoing and smiling.
"Yo! I'm Kirishima. You got the most points, right?"
Reiji nodded slightly. "Yeah."
"Man, that was awesome—how you handled three bots at once without even moving."
Reiji shrugged. "Didn't have to."
Kirishima chuckled. "Fair."
Before the moment passed, another student leaned in from the next row—a blonde boy with a casual grin.
"I'm Kaminari. You've got a serious pro vibe. Feels like I should already know your name."
"Not trying for that," Reiji said.
"Well, mission accomplished anyway."
A pink-haired girl showed up next, grinning. "Alright, I gotta ask—who does your hair? It's way too perfect to be random."
Reiji blinked. That one caught him slightly off guard.
"I do."
Mina's grin widened. "Thought so. You've got a look going."
She studied him for a second. "Yeah. Definitely looks like the main guy."
Someone groaned from the back. "Seriously?"
But no one moved. The few who'd gathered around Reiji stayed put—curious, maybe.
He didn't need to talk much to stand out.
Then a sharp voice cut in.
"Tch. So you're Kogane Reiji."
Bakugo stood by his desk near the back. Hands in pockets. Staring hard.
Reiji didn't move right away. Just turned his head slightly.
Bakugo scoffed. "You think first place in the exam means something?"
Reiji's voice stayed calm. "Means I'm not behind you."
Bakugo scowled. "Don't talk like you're above me. I'm not here to make friends."
Reiji didn't blink. "If you want a fight, skip the buildup."
Kirishima raised a hand. "Okay, chill. Let's maybe not blow up the classroom on day one?"
Bakugo clicked his tongue and sat down, muttering something under his breath.
From the other side, Todoroki had been watching.
So he's the one who placed first.
But Todoroki didn't say anything. Just turned his head back toward the front.
Doesn't matter.
First or not, I'll surpass him. I'll surpass all of them.
I don't need anyone else's power. Especially not his.
The door slid open again.
Midoriya stepped in, gripping his bag like it might fall apart. He scanned the room quickly—paused when he saw Bakugo.
His mouth opened like he wanted to speak—
"Midoriya," Iida called from his seat. "You're late."
Midoriya flinched and rushed to his desk, nearly stumbling.
The door slid open one more time.
A tall figure stood in the doorway. Scarf. Slouched posture. Sleepy eyes.
No one said anything.
"Quiet down," Aizawa said flatly. "I'm your homeroom teacher. Shota Aizawa."
Aizawa pulled a folded bundle from his scarf and dropped it on the desk.
"Put these on. Track field. Now."
No further instructions.
The class didn't ask questions. They grabbed their uniforms and headed out.
The track field was set up for testing. Softball ring. Dash markers. Grip meters.
Aizawa stood in front of the class in full PE gear.
"We're doing a Quirk Assessment Test."
Uraraka raised a hand. "Wait, what about orientation?"
Aizawa didn't look at her. "If you want to be a pro, don't waste time on ceremonies. This isn't a normal school. I run my class how I see fit."
He turned to the group.
"Kogane. You topped the practical, right?"
Reiji gave a short nod. "Yeah."
Aizawa tossed a softball underhand.
Reiji caught it.
"What's your best throw without using your Quirk?"
"Seventy-five meters."
"Now with your Quirk. Stand in the circle."
Reiji stepped into the marked ring. Quiet. Focused.
He lifted the ball in one hand.
His mind clicked into gear. All eyes were on him, but he didn't feel pressure. Just the need to show them how it worked.
He raised a hand to his temple, brushing his hair back.
"Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger."
The Stand snapped into view behind him. Chrome arms flexed. Shoulders squared.
It took the ball from Reiji's hand and pulled back with smooth, mechanical precision.
Then launched it.
The throw wasn't flashy—but the sound it made was. A deep, sharp shock that cut across the field like a gunshot.
The ball shrank into the sky and disappeared from view.
A few seconds passed.
The screen on Aizawa's reader blinked.
"967.5 meters."
The class stared.
Kaminari muttered, "That's almost a kilometer…"
Aizawa turned his eyes back to the group.
"This is the level expected of you. Now line up for the fifty-meter dash."
Reiji stepped out of the ring. Calm on the outside—but behind his eyes, he noticed some stares lingering longer than the rest.
Kaminari blinked. "Wait—did anyone actually see what happened?"
Sero leaned in. "He just lifted the ball, then it was gone. I didn't even see him throw it."
Reiji walked back toward the group. Calm steps.
Kirishima stepped forward, genuinely curious. "That was crazy. Seriously, what's your Quirk?"
Reiji nodded once. "It's called a Stand. Physical construct. I give commands, and it fights for me."
Kaminari raised an eyebrow. "So it's like a second body?"
"More like a controlled weapon," Reiji said. "It's fast. Strong. Doesn't show unless I call it."
Ashido blinked. "Hold on—So the ball didn't just fly out of your hand? that thing threw the ball? "
Reiji shook his head. "It made the throw. I didn't touch the ball."
That stopped the group. No one said anything for a second.
Even Kaminari looked a little thrown off. "So your Quirk just… appears and does it for you?"
"Exactly," Reiji said. "I control it, but it's the one doing the work."
Bakugo just clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath.
"Tch. Show-off."