[Special Classroom – "Hero Name" Lesson]
The classroom was quiet, with sunlight streaming through the tall windows of U.A. The digital board flickered with golden letters that Midnight had just activated:
"It's Time to Choose Your Hero Name"
She leaned on her desk, a sharp smile on her face, her heels tapping softly against the wooden floor.
"There may be only a few of you, but each one has the potential to become a legend. A hero name isn't just a label. It's what the world will remember when you appear in the sky, on the frontlines, or in the face of danger. Choose wisely."
Mirio was beside me, as cheerful as ever.
"This is gonna be fun !" he said, already grabbing a marker and heading straight to the board. "I think you already know…"
He wrote in big, almost childish letters:
LEMILLION
"Because I want to save a million people. That's who I want to be."
Tamaki, blushing a little, was next. He moved hesitantly, writing slowly:
SUNEATER
"Because… the sun scares me, but I also… want to be stronger than it."
Nejire almost danced her way to the board, scribbling with energy:
NEJIRE CHAN
"Because it's my name ! And everyone's going to know who I am !"
Then Midnight looked at me.
"Revan, it's your turn."
I stood up slowly. Their words still echoed in my mind — 'A million lives', 'Stronger than the sun', 'Being myself'. Each of them chose names that reflected who they were… or who they wanted to become.
And me ? What would my name mean ?
I walked up to the board, marker in hand. I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. The responsibility.
Then I wrote, firmly:
SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL
Silence.
Mirio raised his eyebrows. Nejire stared at me, eyes wide. Tamaki looked away, but he seemed impressed. Midnight read it aloud, her expression more serious than usual.
"Superman… The Man of Steel."
She crossed her arms, studying my face.
"You understand the kind of weight a name like this carries, don't you ?"
I nodded.
"Yes. That's exactly why I chose it. I want to be a symbol. Not of perfection… but of hope. I want to be someone who can carry the weight of protecting… everyone. Even if I'm alone."
Mirio smiled, proud.
"Dude… that's a strong name. It's you."
Tamaki murmured something barely audible.
"...heroic."
Nejire spun in the air, excited.
"It's a brilliant name ! Bright and strong ! Just like you !"
Midnight finally nodded.
"Then it's decided. Be the steel that protects — or inspires. Good luck… Superman."
I returned to my seat. And in that moment, I realized:
The name was big. But I wasn't alone in carrying it. I was among friends.
Among equals.
And one day… the world would understand what that name truly meant.
Ultra-Secret Underground Installation – Level 7 – Biological Containment Sector
3:47 AM
The cold corridors were lit by pale white lights. The sound of boots echoed on the metallic floor, marking the steady pace of the high-ranking officer walking beside one of the leading scientists of Project Titan.
They both stopped in front of a reinforced steel door nearly a meter thick, marked with several biohazard symbols and red warning signs.
The scientist — tense, yet determined — broke the silence.
"All of our prototypes failed, sir. Genetic instability, cellular degeneration, mental collapse… it was a string of disasters."
The officer frowned. "Then why was I called here?"
The scientist took a deep breath.
"Because… there was an exception."
"Explain."
"We managed to stabilize the sequence in an embryo. We had to implant it in an anonymous volunteer. The pregnancy was accelerated with aggressive hormonal protocols… and even so, the fetus survived."
"And the mother ?" the officer asked coldly.
"She didn't survive childbirth."
"Medical complications ?"
"He… tore his way out. The muscular strength was absurd. And when the team tried to intervene… he activated heat vision. Three doctors died. One is blind."
The officer was silent, staring at the heavy door. The scientist entered a command sequence into a panel. A small reinforced glass window opened.
Inside, under the yellow light of the cell, sitting calmly on the concrete floor, was a baby.
No more than a year old. Small, pale skin, blonde hair. Blue eyes fixed on the wall ahead, as if watching something no one else could see.
The silence was heavy.
The officer stared at the child for long seconds. Then he spoke, in a low and distrustful tone:
"Does it… have a name ?"
The scientist hesitated. Then replied:
"We call him John. But among us… he's the only success."
"Does he know what he is ?"
"Not yet. But sooner or later… he will."
The officer kept his eyes on the baby behind the glass. The little John was still smiling — a strange, almost unsettling expression for someone who hadn't yet learned to speak, but had already killed without hesitation.
The silence between the two men was broken by the officer's deep voice, heavy with calculation and cold intent:
"Begin the education."
The scientist turned to him slowly.
"Sir… are you sure ?"
"This thing is a blank page. We won't make the same mistake they made with Revan. We won't let him create his own values. We'll shape him from the start. Thought, loyalty, identity."
"And what exactly… should we teach ?"
The officer approached the control panel and entered an authorization code. A terminal opened, displaying a prepared protocol titled:
STRATEGIC VALUE EDUCATION PROTOCOL
(E.V.E.)
Classification: Omega Level
He pointed to the screen.
"Start there. American identity. National anthem. Doctrine of exceptionalism. Ingrain in him the duty to protect this nation at all costs. Teach him that foreigners are threats. That divergence is weakness. That patriotism is purity."
The scientist hesitated.
"But sir… he's still just a baby."
"Then teach him as if you were molding a god."
"And if he refuses?"
The officer looked one last time through the glass.
"He will accept. Or he'll be reprogrammed until he does."
He turned, ready to leave the corridor, his voice echoing through the metallic walls:
"This won't be a person… it will be a symbol of dominance. The first and last bulwark of the United States against anyone who threatens our supremacy."
Inside, baby John lay on his side. Still smiling.
And without understanding the meaning of the world around him, he already carried immense power in his veins — now ready to be poisoned by the hands of men who intended to use him as a weapon.