Minato's POV
The morning air buzzed with anticipation as Toga and I stood at the iconic gates of U.A. High. It was the first day, the true beginning of our hero journeys, albeit at different stages. Toga, a third-year, was a seasoned veteran compared to my rookie status.
"Well, this is it," Toga said, a bright smile on her face, but with a hint of bittersweetness. "Separate ways for now, Minato-kun."
"Looks like it," I replied, a soft smile returning her gaze. "Good luck with your classes, Toga."
"You too! Don't let anyone scare you on the first day!" she teased, giving a playful jab to my arm. "I'll see you later!"
With a wave, she turned and headed towards the main building, her stride confident and purposeful. I watched her go for a moment, a warmth spreading through me before turning towards the Class 1-A wing.
As I approached my designated classroom, 1-A, I could already hear it. Shouts. Lots of shouts. It sounded like an argument, or perhaps just overly enthusiastic conversations. Definitely not a quiet start to the day, I mused.
Pushing open the large, red door, I stepped inside. The chaotic noise instantly died down. Every head swiveled, every pair of eyes fixed on me.
A sudden, palpable hush fell over the room. It was the kind of silence that usually preceded a mob of screaming fans. But this time, it was different. While recognition flickered across many faces – "It's Minato Namikaze!" their wide eyes seemed to shout – no one moved. No one rushed me for autographs or selfies. They simply stared, a mix of awe, curiosity, and perhaps a touch of intimidation.
Good, I thought.
I scanned the room quickly, my eyes immediately locking onto familiar faces. There, near the window, sat Mina Ashido, already animatedly chatting with Eijiro Kirishima. They spotted me and their faces broke into wide, excited grins.
I made my way towards them, navigating past the rows of desks. "Hey guys," I greeted, a genuine smile on my face.
"Minato-kun! You made it!" Mina cheered, her pink hair almost bouncing. "Highest score, too! That's awesome!"
"Yeah, man, totally manly!" Kirishima added, giving me a firm pat on the shoulder. "We were just talking about how cool it'll be to have you in the class!"
"You too," I replied, pulling up a chair beside them. "Looks like we lucked out. How's the first-day jitters?"
"A little," Mina admitted. "But mostly just super hyped!"
"Same here!" Kirishima grinned. "Ready to get started!"
As we chatted, the classroom door slid open again, and a new figure entered. Katsuki Bakugo. He strode in with his typical scowl, his hands shoved into his pockets, radiating an aura of barely contained aggression. He ignored everyone, stomping towards a desk in the back.
Without a second thought, he hoisted his feet onto the desk, leaning back defiantly.
Instantly, from across the room, the rigid, blue-haired boy from the seminar, Tenya Iida, shot up.
"Excuse me!" Iida's voice was a booming reprimand, his arm chopping the air with surgical precision. "Take your feet off that desk at once! This is the prestigious U.A. University! You are disrespecting our esteemed institution and your fellow classmates!"
Bakugo merely grunted, sending a disdainful glare in Iida's direction. "Huh? What's it to you, four-eyes?"
"It is my duty as a prospective hero to ensure order and decorum!" Iida retorted, his glasses glinting.
While this argument was unfolding, the door slid open quietly once more. A nervous, green-haired boy with bright, earnest eyes, Izuku Midoriya, timidly stepped into the classroom. He seemed almost overwhelmed by the sheer presence of so many other students.
Iida, upon seeing Midoriya, completely changed targets. He quickly turned away from Bakugo, abandoning his lecture, and marched straight towards Izuku, his hand chopping the air once more.
"You!" Iida declared, his voice still loud but now filled with a strange admiration. "You're the one from the practical exam! You were the one who understood the true essence of the test! You disregarded the points and went to save that girl! I, Tenya Iida, was mistaken in my assessment of you when you were not defeating robots in the exam and only rescuing examinees!"
Midoriya blinked, clearly flustered and caught off guard by Iida's sudden, intense apology. "Uh, oh, thank you..."
Just then, another figure entered, seemingly drawn by the commotion. It was a girl with short, brown hair and perpetually rosy cheeks, Ochaco Uraraka. She smiled brightly at Midoriya.
"Oh, it's you!" Uraraka chirped, recognizing Izuku from the exam. "You saved me! Thank you so much for that! My name's Ochaco Uraraka!"
Midoriya's face turned beet red, flailing his hands. "N-no, it was nothing! Just, uh, instinct!"
While the trio of Iida, Midoriya, and Uraraka engaged in their animated introductions, I took the opportunity to quietly scan the rest of the classroom. My eyes darted from face to face, taking in the unique Quirks and personalities already evident.
I recognized some from the entrance exam footage I'd mentally reviewed – a girl with frog-like features, a boy with multiple arms, another with living shadows. I mentally cross-referenced them with the canon list I remembered.
My gaze landed on a specific empty seat. A small, purple-haired boy wasn't there. Minoru Mineta.
Hmm, I thought, a small, knowing smirk playing on my lips. It seems I might have subtly altered the lineup. Perhaps my combined Villain and Rescue Points pushed someone else out. It wasn't a deliberate goal, but an interesting outcome. It meant the class dynamic, even slightly, would be different from what I remembered.
Just as the early morning chaos began to settle, a new presence made itself known. A figure emerged from a yellow sleeping bag on the floor near the door. It was Shota Aizawa, U.A.'s homeroom teacher for Class 1-A. His eyes, though heavy-lidded, seemed to pierce through the entire room.
"If you're here to make friends, you can leave now," Aizawa-sensei's voice was flat, devoid of enthusiasm, but commanding immediate attention. "It took you all eight seconds to quiet down. That's inefficient."
He slowly unzipped his sleeping bag, rising to his full height. His appearance was disheveled, with long black hair and a tired expression. He held up a gym uniform.
"I'm Shota Aizawa, your homeroom teacher," he stated, his voice a monotone that somehow cut through all lingering noise. "Alright, put on your training suits and head to the training ground. We're doing a Quirk Apprehension Test."
A murmur of surprise went through the class. A test on the very first day? This was U.A., all right. I exchanged a glance with Mina and Kirishima, a shared excitement sparking between us. The real training was about to begin.
"Alright, everyone, let's go get changed!" Kirishima boomed, already pumped.
Mina nudged me. "Bet you look great in a tracksuit, Minato-kun! Way different from your stage outfits!"
I chuckled. "We'll see. You too, Mina."
We filtered out of the classroom and headed towards the locker rooms. The boys' changing room was a large, brightly lit space, rows of lockers lining the walls. The air was thick with the scent of fresh fabric and nervous anticipation.
As we began to change, the initial awkwardness quickly faded, replaced by the casual camaraderie of a new team. Everyone peeled off their school uniforms, revealing bodies of varying shapes and sizes, each uniquely developed by their Quirks and training.
I quickly shed my clothes, pulling on the U.A. tracksuit. It was comfortable, designed for movement, and surprisingly stylish for a gym uniform. My body, sculpted by years of rigorous, gravity-sealed training and chakra-enhanced conditioning, was lean but powerfully built. Every muscle was defined, a testament to the discipline I'd maintained.
Across the room, Kirishima was already stripped down, his body a solid block of hardened muscle. His physique was impressive, clearly built for endurance and power, reflecting his Hardening Quirk. He flexed, his biceps bulging. "Man, this uniform feels great! Ready to move!"
Aoyama, struck a dramatic pose, admiring himself in the mirror. "Ah, magnifique! Even in a simple uniform, my sparkle cannot be contained!"
Tokoyami, the bird-headed boy, was quieter, his dark shadow seemingly clinging to him even in the bright light. His build was surprisingly slender, built for agility.
Kaminari, the electric Quirk user, was more focused on trying to subtly check out the girls' changing room through the wall, which was quickly noticed and shut down by the stricter students.
Even Bakugo, despite his perpetually angry scowl, had an undeniably powerful build, his muscles taut and explosive-looking. He changed quickly, barely glancing at anyone, clearly more interested in getting to the actual test.
My gaze inadvertently swept over Midoriya as he pulled on his uniform. He was no longer the scrawny boy I remembered from the anime. Beneath the clothes, his frame had an athletic build, suggesting an intense body workout and physical training. His muscles, while not as overtly bulky as Kirishima's, were well-defined and indicative of considerable strength and dedication. It was a pleasant surprise, a testament to his own efforts.
There was a genuine sense of admiration in the air. These were the best of the best, each one having pushed their bodies and Quirks to their limits to stand in this room. We were all here for the same reason: to become heroes. And now, clad in our shared uniform, the diversity of our individual strengths was on full display, a silent promise of the power that Class 1-A held. It was both humbling and incredibly exciting.
Once everyone was changed, lida's voice, surprisingly loud despite his quiet demeanor, echoed through the intercom. "Alright, Class 1-A! Head to Ground Beta. Don't be late."
A final flurry of zips and tugs, and then we were all heading out, a unified force in our U.A. tracksuits, ready for whatever the Quirk Apprehension Test would throw at us.