July 26, 2266 — Kurogane Estate
As the first rays of sunlight spilled across the Kurogane Estate, signalling the start of a new day, Hayato Kurogane stirred awake.
The crisp morning air drifted through his open window, carrying the distant sounds of birds and the faint hum of the city awakening.
Today was another day at U.A., but unlike yesterday, there would be no need for formality or pretense.
Rising on time, he followed his morning routine meticulously—the same one he had maintained since he began his intense training, a regimen inspired by Saitama's disciplined exercises, stretching every muscle, jogging in place, and pushing his body to its limits.
After finishing, he sat down for breakfast, the quiet of the estate providing a serene backdrop. His parents exchanged brief words with him, offering encouragement and reminders, which he acknowledged with his usual calm nods.
Unlike yesterday, when he had arrived in the family limousine, today he would rely on his own legs. The thought amused him slightly, and he allowed himself a small smirk. This time, the journey would take mere seconds, and he wanted it to feel… natural.
Stepping outside, he launched forward, moving faster than a blink yet with complete control, arriving at U.A. in under ten seconds.
He slowed to a casual jog, seamlessly blending into the students trickling toward the gates, giving the appearance of a normal morning commute.
Hayato reached the classroom, his steps slowing as he approached the door. When he opened it, the atmosphere shifted instantly. The chatter of his classmates faded into stunned silence.
Yesterday, they had not known the extent of his strength. Today, the mere presence of Hayato Kurogane commanded attention.
Calm and unhurried, he walked to his usual seat, noting the reactions of those already present.
Todoroki gave his signature cold glance before turning away, eyes distant and calculating. Bakugo let out a quiet scoff, barely concealing his irritation at the attention Hayato commanded.
Mina, ever excitable, hopped onto the seat beside him. "Dude, you were awesome yesterday! Everyone's talking about you!"
Rikido Sato, the less-known class member whose sugar rush quirk allowed short bursts of incredible strength, chimed in eagerly. "Yeah, man, it was insane! You scored first in every test. If not for Uraraka-san's quirk outshining you in ball throws, you'd have been unstoppable!"
Hayato remained composed, his voice calm yet warm. "It's nothing. I just gave my all. You all did very well, too. I hope we can all learn from each other and become great heroes."
The simple words seemed to put his classmates at ease, sparking smiles and brief nods as the morning began.
The bell for the first period rang, cutting through the hum of conversation. Students filed to their desks as the day officially began.
The morning classes passed in a structured flow: Aizawa with homeroom duties, Present Mic teaching English, Cementos covering modern literature, and Ectoplasm guiding them through mathematics.
Lessons were engaging but brief, and soon the school day progressed toward lunch. The cafeteria, managed by pro hero Lunch Rush, offered affordable meals, and the students refuelled amid casual chatter about the morning classes and the excitement of yesterday's test.
Lunch concluded, and the students returned to their classrooms, conversation buzzing. Suddenly, the door swung open with dramatic flair, and All Might entered, striking a signature heroic pose.
"Entering through the door like a normal person!"
His smile, bright and reassuring, filled the room, and a wave of whispers and awe rippled through the class. Seeing the Symbol of Peace in person left an impression so powerful that even the most confident students felt a shiver of excitement.
All Might began his introduction, outlining his role as the Foundational Hero Studies Teacher—a critical subject for their development.
He explained that today's event would be a battle trial, allowing students to change into their costumes submitted prior to enrolment and gather at Training Ground Gamma.
Anticipation surged through the class as students hurried to their changing rooms.
Hayato's costume was a full-body suit with a visor, pure white with a subtle hint of silver, including his shoes. His silver hair glinted faintly against the suit, evoking the image of Quicksilver, a character he greatly admired.
With his current power levels, no costume could withstand his speed without his domain protecting it, and though his father had suggested advanced materials such as super shape-memory alloy for a custom suit, Hayato declined.
He already possessed a legacy suit built for high-speed, extreme training, which he had used previously as a vigilante—a story for another time.
With his natural poise, his casual yet imposing costume made him look both strong and confident, though he held back laughter at some of the more absurd costumes around him.
He also noted that Momo's costume was far more practical and less revealing than canon, reflecting her changes.
All Might addressed the class, explaining the purpose of the trial: "Statistically, most encounters with dangerous villains occur indoors. Today's exercise will prepare you for those scenarios."
Students were paired into ten teams of two, selected randomly to simulate real-world hero teamwork, and tasked with a scenario where a pair of villains hid a fake weapon inside a building.
Heroes had fifteen minutes to capture the villains or secure the weapon, while villains had the same time to either evade capture or protect the payload. Special tape and earpieces were provided to simulate capturing and communication, and All Might monitored all proceedings.
The pairings were as follows:
Izuku Midoriya & Ochaco Uraraka (Team A) vs. Katsuki Bakugo & Tenya Ida (Team D) ;
Shoto Todoroki & Mezo Shoji (Team B) vs. Mashirao Ojiro & Toru Hagakure (Team I) ;
Fumikage Tokoyami & Tsuyu Asui (Team H) vs. Eijiro Kirishima & Hanta Sero (Team J) ;
Denki Kaminari & Kyoka Jiro (Team G) vs. Momo Yaoyorozu & Hayato Kurogane (Team C) ;
Yuga Aoyama & Mina Ashido (Team E) vs. Rikido Sato & Koji Koda (Team F).
We had moved to the monitoring room, located in the joint basement of the buildings where each battle was taking place. Predictably, the first match was going to be Izuku and Uraraka against Iida and Bakugo.
After giving Bakugo and Iida a few minutes to set up, All Might signaled for the match to begin. Hayato leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching as Deku and Uraraka slipped in through a window.
"Even if I already know what's going to happen, watching it unfold in real-time is always better."
Right on cue, Bakugo launched himself from around the corner, an explosion blasting toward Izuku. It was a cool scene to watch—though Hayato wouldn't say he enjoyed seeing Izuku get hurt.
"Oh well. It comes with the job, and he's going to need to learn about pain anyway."
The class watched in rapt attention. Kirishima was the first to react. "That's low, Bakugo! Sneak attacks are so unmanly!"
"Yet they are a valid strategy," All Might said, seizing the opportunity to teach. "This is what practical experience is all about!"
Mina praised Deku's dodging, only for everyone to recoil in shock when Izuku suddenly body-slammed Bakugo. Without audio, we couldn't hear the argument that erupted between the two, much to the frustration of everyone watching.
Soon, it became clear just how much of a disadvantage the hero team was at. The clock ticked down, and Deku's team still hadn't located the bomb.
Given only fifteen minutes to find it while fending off the villains—it was a lot to ask. Eventually, Uraraka split off, leaving Deku to handle Bakugo alone.
The rest of the battle played out as it did in the manga. The class was excited—finally seeing some real action. That excitement dimmed, however, when Bakugo used his gauntlet, blowing open a massive section of the building—almost taking Izuku with it.
In the end, Izuku activated his Quirk, destroying more of the poor building, giving Uraraka the opening she needed to reach the bomb and claim victory.
Even after all their combined efforts, the real MVP of the match was Ida, who followed his role to the letter and executed the plan precisely as intended.
After the match, Momo stepped up to explain how we'd be scored—not just on winning, but on how well we performed our assigned roles, whether hero or villain. All Might looked on in surprise at how thorough and meticulous her explanation was.
It seems obvious in hindsight, but figuring that out through deduction alone would have been difficult. Hayato nodded silently in approval of Momo's intellect and waited for the next match to begin.
In the next match, Todoroki predictably froze the entire building with his Quirk, completing the objective without much trouble—now making it two poor buildings claimed by Class 1-A. The other matches proceeded relatively normally.
When it came to Hayato's match, the proceedings were rapid and decisive. Paired with Momo, he surged forward into the building with absolute precision.
The villains barely had a chance to react before he subdued them, secured the weapon, and completed the trial with overwhelming efficiency.
In the monitoring room, observers congratulated the team while others muttered complaints about the unfairness of being paired against Hayato. Momo's harsh evaluative comments left some students shaken, while All Might calmly attempted to motivate them.
Bakugo quietly clenched his teeth, restraining his natural impulse to lash out at the attention Hayato drew. Todoroki, standing silently, observed Hayato with a rare serious gaze, recognizing him as the only rival worthy of his own abilities.
The trial concluded, establishing four students as the most formidable: Hayato, Todoroki, Bakugo, and Midoriya. Their performances inspired awe and ignited a fire of ambition in their classmates.
Midoriya, treated for injuries sustained during the trial, recovered and left the recovery room when classes were all over. From a distance, Hayato offered a subtle wave, a gesture of acknowledgment.
After bidding farewell to Momo and the others, he vanished from sight in a blur, leaving an impression of speed that bordered on the impossible.
By the time Hayato returned home, the sun had begun its descent. He recounted the day's events to his parents, the stories of his classmates' quirks, the battle trial, and the overall energy of the class.
After a quick bath to wash away the sweat and exertion, he found himself with some free time. With nothing pressing, he indulged in a few games before settling into bed, the events of the day replaying in his mind. Sleep came easily, a brief respite before the challenges of tomorrow.