Author's Note:
The story finally got a 4-star rating!
I've published several stories on Webnovel before, but I usually deleted them or posted them under other accounts, and none ever got rated. Most of the time, I'd get bored or abandon them around chapter 5. But this time, it looks like things are going pretty well—mainly because there's something interesting about seeing a reincarnated character thrown into the world of My Hero Academia... with no Quirk and no system.
The idea came to me because, at least in my case, I've never come across a story quite like this. It's almost always the same formula: the protagonist has the mind of Tony Stark or some other ultra-genius. I guess that's because people find it hard to believe a regular teenager could be smart on their own. Readers often need an excuse, like "oh, he has Tony Stark's template, so of course he's brilliant." But in my story, there's no trick or shortcut—the main character has to learn everything from scratch. And apparently, that's what caught people's attention.
To be honest, I'm a little worried about how well things are going. Eventually, the story might take a turn that splits opinions—some readers might love it, others might start to hate it. That happens with every story. As a fanfic reader myself, I've felt it before: a story had me hooked early on, but one decision from the main character changed everything… and it just didn't feel the same anymore.
Changing the subject a bit, I wanted to mention a story I really like on Webnovel. It has 22 chapters and it's also set in My Hero Academia. It's pretty entertaining, but unfortunately, the author seems discouraged—there are only two reviews… and one of them is mine. The story is called "MHA: A New Ending," written by InmortalAztec. If this story I'm writing now hadn't gotten any support, I probably would've dropped it too and moved on to something else.
These days, My Hero Academia fanfics are getting harder to make stand out. I've read several that I found really enjoyable, but due to lack of support, the authors ended up abandoning them. Maybe originality is starting to fade... or maybe the fanbase just isn't as active as it used to be. I honestly don't know.
Anyway, I think I've vented enough.Hope you enjoy the story :)
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The observation room buzzed with murmurs. Students were settling in front of the screens—some standing, others leaning against the walls. The cameras displayed the interior of the building where the first combat exercise was taking place.
As soon as the first team appeared on screen, silence fell over the room.
"Those are the teams?" Kirishima asked, arms crossed. "Hagakure… and Tachibana, right? The guy with the weird gloves?"
"Yeah," Sero nodded. "I saw him during Aizawa's test this morning. He also used some kind of skates or something during the race."
Aoyama let out a theatrical laugh from the back.
"Maybe he needs support gear to control his dazzling power!" he declared, placing a hand on his chest. "Just like me. A tragic—yet fabulous—condition."
Yaoyorozu nodded thoughtfully.
"That would make sense. Some Quirks need external help to stabilize properly."
"Hey, look... what's he doing?" Kirishima leaned closer to the screen.
The camera showed Riku walking down a dim hallway. He stopped in front of the room with the bomb, pulled out a small metallic sphere, aimed it… and a brief flash lit up the space. It looked like he took a picture.
Then he quickly turned, moved down another hallway, and entered a nearly identical room.
He crouched down and placed the sphere on the floor.
"What's he doing now?" Tsuyu murmured.
The sphere hummed. A translucent image of the bomb appeared floating above it.
"Whoa! Is that an illusion?" Ojiro pointed at the screen. "Is that his Quirk?"
"I don't think so," Yaoyorozu said, frowning. "It looks more like a projection. Technology, not a Quirk."
"Support technology, then?" Tsuyu asked.
"Most likely," Shoji added. "If it were an illusion Quirk, it'd look more solid."
"And during the test, his gloves gave off vibrations, remember?" Sato said. "Like they were shooting something."
Iida, Uraraka, and Izuku exchanged looks. A silent agreement passed between them.
They already knew.
Riku had told them during lunch. Izuku hadn't forgotten.
Because not long ago, he had been just like Riku: Quirkless. Chasing an impossible dream. Eyes locked on the world of heroes from below, with no ladder, no wings. If All Might hadn't chosen him… hadn't reached out his hand…
He wouldn't be here.
He wouldn't be at U.A., wearing this uniform, surrounded by people with such bright futures.
Seeing Riku there now, after having built his own path… made Izuku think. Think about what could've happened if he had tried to create something, instead of waiting for a miracle. Think about what it truly meant to be here, standing among the gifted, without powers but with unshakable will.
And more than anything, he knew how people could change once they found out. He had lived it.
The stares. The awkward laughter. The rejection.
He didn't want that for Riku.
"I won't tell anyone…"
That thought froze in place.
"Wait, are you guys talking about Riku? He doesn't have a Quirk," Mina suddenly said, casually—but loud enough for everyone to hear.
Izuku stiffened. A chill ran down his spine as he slowly turned toward Mina.
The effect was instant.
Silence filled the room. All eyes turned to Mina—surprised, confused.
They didn't even notice All Might announcing the start of the match.
"Seriously?" Sero muttered.
"Is that allowed at U.A.?" Ojiro asked.
"Are you sure?" Yaoyorozu added, sounding serious.
Mina hesitated for a second, then nodded.
"I met him during the entrance exam. He told me himself: he doesn't have a Quirk."
Kirishima frowned.
"But didn't you say he took down the zero-point robot?"
"He did!" Mina replied, a bit flustered. "It was insane! He jumped onto its back, got inside, and shut it down from the inside. Totally wild!"
"No way!" Sero exclaimed. "Without a Quirk?"
The murmurs returned, louder this time. Disbelief, amazement.
Even those who had also taken the entrance exam knew that going up against that robot was basically suicide. It gave no points. The logical choice was to run.
"I ran," Ojiro admitted. "Didn't even hesitate."
"Same here," Sato added. "And he went straight for it?"
Yaoyorozu stared at the screen, puzzled. She hadn't been in that same exam, but judging by the others' reactions, this wasn't something normal.
"If he doesn't have a Quirk... how did he manage that?"
Mina lowered her voice a little.
"He also told me he built his own gear. U.A. allowed him to use it during the exam."
"He made it himself?" Yaoyorozu repeated, surprised.
"That's what he said," Mina nodded. "And I believe him. He didn't seem like he was trying to impress anyone."
A short, heavy silence fell over the students. It wasn't common to hear about someone without a Quirk —a condition that society itself often treated like a disability— not only getting into U.A., but doing it using equipment he created on his own.
"So what?!" The voice exploded through the room like a grenade.
Everyone turned toward Bakugou.
He was standing next to one of the monitors, fists clenched at his sides, eyes burning. Until now, he'd stayed quiet, just watching without joining in the conversation. But hearing so many surprised whispers about this "Tachibana guy" had pushed him over the edge.
"He doesn't have a Quirk? Built some little gadgets? And that's all it takes for you to be amazed?!" he growled, glaring at the others. "Seriously? You're impressed by someone who can't do anything on his own without his scrap metal?"
The atmosphere instantly tensed. No one answered right away. Some looked away, others frowned.
"That doesn't make him special," Bakugou went on, his voice lower but just as sharp. "It just makes him pathetic. Just another quirkless nobody who doesn't know when to give up."
All Might, who until then had been watching the screen in complete silence, turned around.
His towering figure—muscular, broad, radiating authority even without saying a word—immediately drew everyone's attention. His presence cast a shadow over the room, and all murmuring ceased at once. Even Bakugou lifted his gaze, locking eyes with the Symbol of Peace.
"Young Bakugou," All Might said, his voice firm and deep. He didn't shout. He didn't have to. "Being strong doesn't mean looking down on those who fight in a different way."
The silence grew heavier.
"A true hero isn't measured just by their power, but by what they do. Even when they have nothing."
Bakugou clenched his jaw, fists tight, but said nothing. His expression was a mix of wounded pride and barely-contained frustration. He didn't dare talk back—not in front of All Might.
The Symbol of Peace looked at him for a moment longer, then returned his gaze to the screen.
"That boy… he's shown something more important," he added, gentler this time. "Courage. Ingenuity. And determination."
A pause.
"Many are born with power," he continued, "but few know how to use it. He was born with nothing, and still chose to walk this path."
He didn't say anything more. He stepped back, arms crossed over his chest again, eyes fixed on the screen. The conversation died right there.
Bakugou said nothing else. His upper lip trembled slightly, but he didn't utter another word. He simply looked away, as if the floor had suddenly become fascinating.
The atmosphere in the room had shifted.
Most of the students weren't looking at Bakugou anymore. They were watching the screen.
On it, the class saw Kaminari stepping on one of the capsules Riku had left behind. Instantly, a thick cloud of smoke spread across the hallway. Through the fog, Riku dashed forward, raising his arm. From his gloves, a shockwave blasted out, hitting Kaminari directly and slamming him into a wall with force.
Some students flinched at the impact.
Jirō quickly got back on her feet and tried to strike Riku, but he moved first again, landing another hit that sent her sliding backward several meters. It wasn't as brutal as the last one, but it was enough to push her away from Kaminari.
On screen, Kaminari could be seen saying something to Jirō before she ran. Although the observation room didn't have audio, his face and gestures clearly said something like, "go for the bomb."
While some in the class kept watching the fight between Kaminari and Riku, others focused on Jirō, who was now shown on a different camera. She was running up the building's stairs quickly, using her earphone jacks to scan each floor for sounds. She finally stopped at a corner, just outside the room where, according to the map, Hagakure was supposed to be.
They couldn't be sure if she was still there. In one corner of the room, they could see a pair of white gloves and shoes. Apparently, she had taken them off, making herself completely invisible.
The camera showed Jirō plugging her jacks into the wall, likely trying to pick up footsteps or any movement inside the room.
...
Jirō stayed silent as she listened through her earphone jacks. She carefully plugged them into the wall, focusing on the sounds coming from inside the room. Soft breathing… the faint scuff of bare feet on the floor… She was in there.
Without hesitation, Jirō unplugged her jacks, stepped back, and got ready. She knew Hagakure was tough to track down, but not impossible. If she could just figure out her position, she'd have a real shot.
She burst into the room.
A faint shift to her left was all she needed. She turned and hurled one of her jacks like a spear. The cable stretched out sharply, and then—suddenly—stopped midair. It had hit something. A dull thud followed by a startled yelp confirmed it: she'd landed a hit. Hagakure collapsed to the floor.
"Sorry," Jirō muttered—her breath short but her voice steady. "But now I know where you are."
She didn't need to pin her down. It wasn't necessary. According to the training rules, touching the mock bomb was enough to win. Hagakure didn't seem like she'd be getting up anytime soon after that hit. Jirō turned toward the device at the far end of the room.
But something felt off.
Cautiously, she approached and reached out for the bomb—only for her hand to pass right through it. Her eyes widened in shock.
"A hologram?"
Before she could react, a soft clicking sound came from behind her.
Too late.
Still lying on the ground, Hagakure had pulled a small speaker—about the size of a fist—from her hair. She aimed it right at Jirō and switched it on.
A piercing screech filled the room. Jirō cried out in pain and dropped to her knees, clutching her ears.
"Gaaah…!"
Hagakure took the opening. She scrambled to her feet and rushed toward Jirō, ready to restrain her.
...
The screens in the observation room showed the final moments of the match clearly. On one display, Hagakure was locking Jirō in a rough chokehold from behind, holding her tight while still gripping the small speaker in her other hand. Dazed by the sound attack, Jirō couldn't break free.
Another screen showed Riku kneeling beside Kaminari, who was still unconscious. With quick, practiced movements, Riku pulled a rope from his utility belt and began tying Kaminari's wrists and ankles, making sure he was completely secured.
The silence in the control room was finally broken by All Might's deep, booming voice over the speakers:
"The villains' team wins!"