The rain was pouring heavily in the early morning.Which meant he wouldn't be picking up the two girls today—so they would have to come on their own.
He sat on the train, slipping on his black headphones and playing his favorite morning track. The moment he boarded, he leaned against the seat divider, only to feel a tug on his sleeve.
Boy: "Uh… are you Ryōjin Kazuma?"
Kazuma: "Hmm? Yeah, kid. What's up?"
He answered in a relaxed tone, resting his headphones around his neck. The boy's eyes widened in excitement—and before Kazuma could react, the kid shouted for everyone nearby to hear.
Boy: "Awesome! You looked so cool on TV last week! You're so strong!! I wanna be a hero like you when I grow up! Can I have your autograph?!"
In moments, the entire car began to notice him, some even taking photos.
Kazuma chuckled to himself. This adorable boy was the first to recognize him.
Glancing up at the signboard, he realized his stop was coming up next.
He crouched down to the boy's level, his eyes wandering toward a nearby kiosk. A minute later, he returned holding a small hand-knit doll… one that looked just like him.
Kazuma: "Here. Since you're the first one who recognized me."
The boy accepted the doll with sparkling eyes, nodding eagerly. His parents looked touched, and Kazuma gave them a warm smile.
Announcement:"Next stop—Kiseki Station. Once again, the next stop is Kiseki Station."
He looked up—it was indeed his stop. Patting the boy's head gently, he stood to leave.
Kazuma: "See you, kid. I can't wait to meet you again when you're a pro hero."
As the train doors slid open, he waved to the boy, catching sight of the parents bowing in gratitude for making their son's day. The boy waved enthusiastically until the doors closed.
Kazuma chuckled, waving back as the train rolled away.
Because of the rain, he had to open his umbrella instead of walking bareheaded like usual—there was no way he'd let his headphones get wet. He walked in silence, savoring the cool breeze brought by the downpour, until he reached U.A.
If he remembered correctly, today was the day students would choose their hero names and check their internship offers.
As he walked down the hallway, he came across Aizawa, wrapped in his yellow sleeping bag and rolling along the floor. The teacher stopped right in front of him before crawling out of the bag.
Kazuma: "For a second there, I thought you were about to t
Aizawa: "Ha. Funny. Keep talking and I'll wrap you up in that scarf."
Kazuma laughed, following the teacher toward the classroom. On the way, he decided to ask something.
Kazuma: "Hey, Sensei, when we get internships… do we get paid for it?"
Aizawa: "Huh? What was that?"
Aizawa could only shake his head at the question.
Truth be told, he wasn't exactly strapped for cash.
Before the meeting, the organization had gone through several rule changes. One of the new policies stated that villains were no longer to be killed outright. If they had committed crimes like murder, rape, or acts so inhuman they were beyond forgiveness, they would be captured instead of executed immediately.
Once captured, their internal and external organs would be harvested and sold before finally killing them—if execution became unavoidable. If the target refused to surrender or attempted to escape, they'd be killed, and their insides would still be taken. After all, human organs fetched an unbelievably high price.
The wealthy, business tycoons, hospital directors—they all had a taste for such things, as certain organs could treat specific illnesses. And within the organization, the Support Unit had members skilled enough to handle the entire process, willing to do anything for the right price.
The unit tasked with these operations was made up of Soldiers following orders. They never complained. But the truth was… it was brutal and twisted. Still, he never felt even a shred of guilt.
For low-level targets or those unrelated, the matter was kept completely hidden. No one outside knew until it was far too late. If the organization's true practices ever came to light, it would either become a legalized organ trade… or one of the largest underground businesses in existence.
But… he felt nothing. To him, it was simply part of the world's law: big fish eat small fish.
Aizawa: "Sorry, kid, but usually there's no money involved in this kind of thing anyway."
Ryojin sighed in mild annoyance. Fine. It didn't matter—he had already made arrangements.
He had contacted Ms. Joke beforehand, and she had no idea he was the leader of an organization. He had her told that he was merely a VIP, nothing more.
When he walked into the classroom as usual, it was exactly as he had expected.
The room was filled with chatter about internships and hero names. Mineta was boasting about how he had "successfully picked up a girl," while Kirishima was deep in conversation with Bakugo, who wore his signature feral grin
Kaminari wasn't backing down, still trying to flirt with Jirou—who didn't seem the slightest bit interested and instead turned to chat with Momo.
The girls were deep in lively conversation, the guys were chatting non-stop, and even with the classroom door wide open, no one noticed that he and Aizawa had entered.
Ryojin chuckled softly before knocking on the door loudly to grab everyone's attention.
Ryojin: "Hey! You know if you keep talking like this, the teacher might just turn into a butterfly and fly away!"
Everyone: "Kazuma!? …With Aizawa-sensei!?"
The entire room fell silent instantly, as if struck by lightning.
Moments later, everyone scrambled back to their seats as if someone had a gun to their heads.
Aizawa made his way to the podium to start homeroom, while Kazuma strolled leisurely to his own seat, in no rush whatsoever—
—then flashed mini-hearts toward his two girlfriends in greeting.
Both smiled back happily without even blushing—naturally. Just two days ago, he had called them over and spent hours "exercising" with them in bed until they were utterly captivated by his… style.
Aizawa stepped onto the podium, speaking in his usual flat tone.
Aizawa: "Alright, brats. Today we have an important class about hero data."
That single sentence was enough to make the entire room tense, as if they sensed a storm was coming.
Aizawa: "Today, you'll be deciding on your own hero names."
Everyone (except Ryojin): "Awesome!"
Aizawa: "Quiet."
He activated his Erasure Quirk instantly—eyes glowing red, hair floating up like a furious Medusa. Just like that, the whole class froze in place as if they'd actually turned to stone.
Aizawa sighed before continuing in that cold, even voice.
Aizawa: "This is important because this year, several pro heroes have sent offers to you all. That's not normal for first-years."
He paused to make sure he had their full attention.
Aizawa: "These offers mean professionals are willing to invest in your potential. But if you fail to prove you're worth it, those offers can be withdrawn before you graduate."
Muttering began to bubble up from one corner of the room.
Mineta: "Adults are so selfish…"
Tooru: "So… even if we've been picked, we still have to prove ourselves?"
Aizawa: "Correct. Your goal is to show you're worth the investment. Naturally, those who performed well at the festival received more offers."
He walked over and picked up the remote from under the desk.
Aizawa: "Also… don't be surprised if those with a better public image or flashier Quirks get more attention than the rest. That's just how the world works."
Ryojin glanced up at the display showing the number of internship offers.
He had received over 7,000 offers—leaving the second place in the dust with only 3,000.
And unsurprisingly, Aoyama sat at the very bottom after being knocked out in the first round… with only 2 offers.
Still, that was better than Mineta—actually, no. Mineta somehow had three offers.
Aizawa: "In past years, the gap between the top contenders and everyone else has been massive… And this year marks the first time in UA's history that someone has received more than 5,000 offers. Even second- and third-years have never pulled that off."
Ryojin suddenly burst out laughing, loud and shameless, like a man who'd just won the lottery. His "HA! HA! HA!" echoed so powerfully through the room that everyone instinctively stopped breathing and turned toward him in unison.
A resounding BANG! rattled the back of the classroom.
Ryojin: "HA! HA! HA! How's that, huh?! I'm freaking amazing! Bet none of you ever thought a crazy guy like me would get this ma—"
WHACK!
Before he could finish, Momo's fist shot out and connected squarely with his face without the slightest warning.
Ryojin crumpled over his desk instantly, motionless, like someone had just flipped his power switch. He was out cold from a single punch, as if his brain's self-defense mechanism had decided to shut everything down.
Momo: "Sigh…"She let out a quiet breath, bowing politely to Aizawa in apology.
Mina: "Hehe…"A soft giggle escaped her, joined by smiles from Jirou, Kirishima, and several others—clearly, this wasn't the first time they'd seen this exact scene play out.
Aizawa stood there, staring quietly, not looking the least bit surprised.He only gave a small shrug, as if thinking to himself,"If this kid wasn't paired up with a girl like her… he'd probably be dead on the first day."
His face remained as stoic as ever, but deep down, he couldn't help finding it a little funny.He wasn't one for sweet words, but on certain days, he would quietly make coffee and place it on Ryojin's desk.No words, no eye contact—just his way of saying:"I'm here, you little brat."
Ryojin groaned softly, rubbing the spot where the devastating blow had landed.
Ryojin: "Damn… my darling's punches are getting stronger by the day…"He mumbled this half-asleep, face still buried in his desk.
Without laughing, Aizawa picked up the remote in an official manner.
Aizawa: "Alright, let's get back to the lesson before anyone else ends up in the hospital—Today, we'll be talking about hero internships…"
His explanation carried on, filling the room with the scent of love-infused punches, bitter coffee, and the faint creak of bones still on the mend.
Aizawa: "Even if the results turned out like this… all of you will still be going to train under pros. Understand?You might've had combat experience against real villains during the USJ incident, but seeing professionals work up close… is far more valuable than just fighting."
Aizawa: "Before you start your internships… you'll need to choose your hero name. Think carefully, or—"
???: "Or you'll regret it for the rest of your life, sweeties!"
The door burst open, and the faces of every boy in the room lit up instantly as Midnight strode in with grace—her signature move on full display: arms folded behind her head, chest out in full glory.
Midnight: "What you choose today… might stick with you for your entire life!So don't pick something weird you'll cry about later!"
Ryojin looked up—and there it was. Heaven. Bouncy, glorious heaven. His mouth moved before his brain could stop it.
Kazuma: "…Those are huge."
SMACK!
Momo's hand came down on his head without hesitation. He winced, clutching the sore spot.
Aizawa: "Sigh… she's right. Midnight will be the one approving your hero names. I'm not exactly an expert in this area…"
With that, Aizawa calmly zipped himself back into his sleeping bag. But before disappearing completely, he added:
Aizawa: "Your hero name is important. It reflects the image you want to project—what kind of hero you want to be in the eyes of the public. Like All Might, for example."
Ryojin glanced at the board, then turned toward Momo and flashed her a tiny finger heart. She blushed and turned away.
God, she's too damn cute.
He received the board and immediately began thinking about his hero name.
Fifteen minutes later…
Midnight: "Alright~ Who wants to be the first to share?"
Kirishima: "Wait… we actually have to present it in front of everyone!?"
Midnight: "Of course, sweetie~ You've got to convince me that your name is cool enough to pass!"
Ryojin chuckled quietly and rose to his feet with confidence—he was, after all, the class's number one opener!
Just walking up there would be boring. So he threw in a little moonwalk, sliding backwards across the floor, and capped it off with a smooth spin before stopping at the front.
Ryojin: "You might be surprised… but I actually want to be an underground hero."
Every face in the room froze. They probably assumed he'd aim to be a flashy main-hero type, like All Might or something. Honestly, he did look like he'd fit that role.
Kazuma: "I imagine myself… as a hero who protects people in the dead of night—while the world is asleep but evil is still wide awake. Kidnappings, assaults, drug trafficking, human trafficking… crimes that never sleep."
Kazuma: "I want to be the kind of person the underworld fears just by hearing my name… while the good people feel safe when they see my shadow appear. And that name is…"
Kazuma:"The Hero of the Underworld: JUSTIN LAW!"
Applause erupted instantly. He glanced over at Mina, who gave him two enthusiastic thumbs up—god, she was adorable. Momo, meanwhile, smiled at him so brightly it nearly stopped his heart.
Midnight: "Ooooh~ Fantastic, darling… If I weren't your teacher, I'd pull you right into my chest right now~ Hehehe…"
He froze for a moment… Sensei, that's jail time.
I like cute, pure girls like Momo, or cheerful ones like Mina—not "hunter" types like you!
After that, the rest of the class began coming up to introduce their hero names.
Kirishima: "Alright, I'll go next! I'm the unbreakable hero… Red Riot!!"
Midnight: "Ooh~ Inspired by Crimson Riot, right?"
Kirishima: "Yes, ma'am! I want to be just like him!"
Midnight: "That's wonderful~ Just don't put too much pressure on yourself, okay?"
Aoyama: "I cannot stop twinkling~!!"
Midnight: "Too long… cut it down a bit."
Mina: "Alien Queen!!!"
Midnight: "Huh!? Do you like horror movies or something? Nope! Denied!"
Ryojin stifled a laugh… My girlfriend comes up with her own name and still gets roasted. Hilarious.But seriously, there's already a hero named "Death Arms" who made it through, yet "Alien Queen" gets banned? That's ridiculous.
The rest of the class kept introducing their names…
Todoroki: "The Temperature Hero: Snow Flame."
Midnight: "Oh wow~ That's adorable, gives me cozy family vibes."
Todoroki: "It's the name my mother used to call me… I want to make her proud."
…Damn, that's actually touching.
And then, almost last…
Bakugo: "The Nuclear Hero: DynaMight."
Midnight: "Wow~ I can't believe you picked something that's not ultra-violent!"
The room fell dead silent. Everyone stared at Bakugo, as if waiting for him to suddenly yell out something like "The Great Explodo-Kill Master" or "Nuclear Hedgehog of Doom."
Bakugo: "I've been thinking… and I want to change something about myself that I'm not proud of. I know what I've done in the past was… awful. And I want to make it right."
…Well damn. That's deep. The guy's grown a lot. Still… I can't quite stop being annoyed at him.
Ryojin glanced at Midoriya, who was smiling proudly. Oh, you little cinnamon roll… You can really forgive the guy who bullied you for ten straight years, just like that?Hope he doesn't take advantage of that kindness, kid…
During lunch break, after everyone had eaten, Class 1-A and 1-B were sitting around chatting about their internships—they had just finished writing down the names of the heroes they wanted to train with.
Mina: Uh, hey, have you guys decided which agency you want to join yet?
Mineta: I'm going to look for Mt. Lady!
He said it with so much pride, but honestly, it had already become the running joke at the table.
Kazuma: But you only got three offers…
Laughter erupted immediately.
Mineta: Hey, dude! No need to expose me like that!
Monoma: Wait, wait—how come you have so many!? You've got seven thousand drafts!? That's crazy!
He said it with a mix of shock and envy, clearly stunned to the point of almost breaking character, since the highest in Class B only had about three thousand, and he himself had barely over a hundred.
When Monoma realized he couldn't win against anyone, he turned to pick on Mineta instead, who only had "3" offers, in the most sarcastic way possible.
Mineta: Why you gotta keep picking on me!
Before he could finish, an orange-haired girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere and knocked Monoma to the ground while he was still standing.
Kazuma: 'That was weird… seeing that made me think of Momo… exactly the same.'
He scanned through the top ten heroes who had sent offers. It looked like… everyone on that list had invited him—except for All Might.
His eyes landed on Ms. Joke's name, and he picked her immediately. That made everything way easier.
Izuku scooted over and sat next to him, asking with genuine interest.
Izuku: Who did you pick?
Kazuma handed him the list, and Izuku immediately started complaining like a mom who wasn't happy.
Kirishima: I want to train with Fourth Kind. I feel like it suits my style.
Tetsutetsu: Whaaat!? You're going to Fourth Kind too!? Oh man, you're screwed!
Later, Kazuma ran into Tetsutetsu outside and walked over to say hi.
He apologized about what happened earlier and kept chatting. Tetsutetsu wasn't mad at all; he seemed like the type who gets angry fast but cools down quickly… or maybe?
Well, at least making friends never hurts. Maybe someday these guys will become my backup.
Ochako: I want to intern with Gunhead!
Izuku: Huh, really? Gunhead's an expert in combat, isn't she? I thought you wanted to be a hero like Thirteen more.
Ochako: I used to think that too, but after fighting Bakugo during the exam... I realized the stronger I get, the more chances I have to help others! If I want to achieve what I set out to do... I can't be trailing behind you, Deku-kun. I want to be as strong as you!
Izuku: Ochako...
They shared a meaningful glance. At that moment, Mina walked by with a mischievous smile.
Mina: Am I the only one who thinks you two are secretly dating!?
As soon as she said that, both of them turned bright red like tomatoes and quickly looked away in embarrassment.
But honestly... everyone already knew—they were totally falling for each other.
Kazuma sat watching the scene and laughed quietly to himself — even an ordinary day in the life of hero kids could be entertaining.