You ever wake up thinking, Today's gonna be different. Today's the day I take control of my life and stop being the accidental boss of a villain gang?
No?
Well, I did.
I stared at the U.A. High School pamphlet in my hands. The glossy cover practically screamed Become a Hero! Change the World! and for a moment, I could actually picture myself there.
Not as a villain boss. Not as the "Blue Phoenix." Just as Akira Itsuki, regular student, totally normal, phoenix fruit-powered kid.
"I'm gonna do it," I whispered.
"Do what, Boss?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Shun had appeared behind me like some kind of ninja raccoon.
"Jeez, don't sneak up on people like that!"
He peered over my shoulder, eyes narrowing when he saw the pamphlet.
"…U.A.?"
"Yeah."
"For… infiltration, right?"
"What? No! I wanna be a student there!"
He blinked, then grinned so wide I swear his face might split in half.
"Boss… genius. No one would suspect you if you were inside U.A.! You'll get intel on the pro heroes, their weaknesses, their class schedules — maybe even steal All Might's autograph!"
"I don't want to steal All Might's autograph!"
Too late. The room (aka our very poorly hidden riverside shack) was already filling with my other so-called subordinates.
Kuroha leaned against the doorway. "So it's true. The boss is making a move against the heroes."
"I am not making a move against anyone! I just wanna go to school like a normal person!"
"Undercover. Classic."
"No—"
Shun was already handing out what looked like scribbled plans on napkins.
"Operation Blue Wing is a go. Boss will enroll at U.A., get close to the heroes, and feed us critical intel. We'll rise to the top in no time."
"I literally just wanna pass the entrance exam and maybe make a friend."
"An inside man," Kuroha added, nodding in approval. "It's perfect. No one would suspect a hero student."
I groaned and buried my face in my hands.
"Why does everything I say get turned into a villain plot?"
**
Later that day, I visited the U.A. entrance exam registration office. It felt… surreal. The place was huge, full of posters of famous heroes, smiling students in uniforms, and staff who didn't look like they'd stab you in an alley.
I filled out the form and tried to ignore the nagging feeling in my gut.
You're not supposed to be here. You're a villain boss now.
"No, I'm not," I muttered to myself.
A girl with gravity-defying hair gave me a weird look as she walked past.
"Uh… sorry. Talking to myself."
She smiled awkwardly and hurried away. Great start.
After registering, I stepped outside only to find Shun waiting by the gate in a pair of those fake mustache disguise glasses.
"Did you get the secret codes?"
"What are you—"
"The weak points in the building. Who's guarding the cafeteria. How many pro heroes patrol at night."
"Shun… it's a school."
"A school of heroes, Boss. Heroes."
I sighed. "I registered for the entrance exam. That's it."
He grinned. "Undercover. Got it."
Before I could correct him, Bakugo came stomping by with two of his goons in tow. He spotted me and scowled.
"Tch. What're you doing here, villain?"
"I'm taking the entrance exam."
His expression twisted into something between rage and disbelief.
"Like hell you are! You think you can just walk into U.A. and play hero after what you've done!?"
"I literally haven't done anything!"
"I'm watching you, Blue Phoenix."
"Stop calling me that!"
**
Back at the riverside shack, Kuroha and a few others had drawn up a huge chalkboard plan titled OPERATION BURNING FEATHER: INFILTRATE U.A.
There were lines, arrows, notes about hero quirks, and for some reason a tiny doodle of me shaking hands with All Might while secretly stealing classified files.
I groaned.
"No plans. No operations. I'm just taking the test!"
"Sure, Boss," Shun winked. "You're a genius."
I slumped down onto a crate, defeated.
At this rate, even if I made it into U.A., half the students would think I was some undercover villain, and the other half would probably want to fight me.
And honestly?
That was probably optimistic.