Two days later
...
The training continued without end.And even those who failed the practical exam had to attend as well.
It was cruel—Aizawa never allowed the students a moment's rest.This was hell. But at least he didn't have to suffer through the remedial classes.
And so, that night came—
Pixie-Bob: "Alright, now that everyone's eaten and the dishes are clean, it's time for…"
Mina: "The Test of Courage!"
Aizawa: "Not so fast. Those who failed… will be in remedial lessons tonight until class ends."
Mina: "Nooooo!!!"
Aizawa: "Come along, my problem children…"
He dragged each of them one by one, even as they clung desperately to anything they could grab. They would do anything to avoid missing the Test of Courage. He laughed loudly at their pitiful expressions. Of course, the four of them looked absolutely devastated.
.
Ryojin: "Good luck… my beloved."
He had just realized she could change color when embarrassed.
Then, Pixie-Bob explained the rules and the path: Class B would go first, while Class A students would follow in pairs every three minutes. To ensure the students took the correct route, name tags had been placed along the way—they would have to bring those back.
Tokoyami: "Amusement… within darkness."
Aoyama: "Tonight, I shall sparkle!"
Asui: "This looks scary, kero!"
Pixie-Bob: "Those who act as the 'scarers' must show us how terrifying they can be, using their bizarre quirks to the fullest!"
Tiger: "Exactly! The team that makes people wet their pants with fear the most—wins!"
Ragdoll: "Alright! Come here and draw lots to see who your partner will be!"
Fumikage Tokoyami & Mezo Shoji
Kyoka Jiro & Toru Hagakure
Momo Yaoyorozu & Ryojin Kazuma
Tsuyu Asui & Ochaco Uraraka
Katsuki Bakugo & Yuga Aoyama
Tenya Iida & Shoto Todoroki
Mashirao Ojiro & Koji Koda
Izuku Midoriya & Minoru Mineta
.
.
.
Momo smiled triumphantly at Jiro, who ended up paired with Toru, and at Mina, who was dragged away for remedial class. That meant only one thing—She would get to be with Ryojin.Just the two of them.
That thought alone made his heart race, though he'd never admit it.
By now, the pairs had already begun entering the forest one after another.And then it was their turn.
Hand in hand, Ryojin and Momo walked into the dark, quiet woods.
The Class 1-B students tried their best to scare them, but truth be told, none of it was frightening. The two of them were too busy enjoying the cool night breeze together.
As they walked deeper into the forest, their voices softened into a gentle conversation.
Momo: "Hey, Ryo…"
Ryojin: "Hm? What is it, my love?"
Momo: "Do you remember that beach?"
Ryojin: "The beach? Ah… that beach."
Momo: "Yes… that one."
Ryojin: "Why do you ask, Momo?"
Momo: "After we get our provisional licenses… will you go there with me again?"
Ryojin: "Of course."
Momo: "Yay…"
They shared a light embrace before continuing down the moonlit path, side by side. The cool wind swayed the ends of Momo's hair. The night sky was serene, the moon unusually beautiful.
Ryojin: "Hey… Momo."
Momo: "Hm? What is it, Ryo?"
Ryojin: "You know… tonight, you're as beautiful as the moon."
He smiled at her—and she smiled back, her eyes brighter than the moon above. To him, she was everything. He couldn't fathom what kind of miracle had brought her into his cruel world.
Ryojin (to himself):I never believed in fate… but if there's anything I should ever be thankful for… it's for the one who sent her to me.
He drew in a breath, ready to say more—
Ryojin: "Momo, I—"
Thwip!
A massive arrow tore through the darkness—piercing straight into Momo's stomach.
Ryojin: "...Wha—!?"
Blood sprayed across his chest as Momo collapsed into his arms.
Momo: "Ryo… I…"
Her trembling voice faded as her frail body went limp in his embrace.
The world… stopped.
Ryojin: "No… no, no, no…!"
Ryojin: "Momo…!!!"
He clutched her tight, tears streaming down his face without end. His hands shook violently as he pulled out healing potions from his inventory, pouring them desperately over her wound.
One bottle.Another.And another.
Nothing happened.
No response.
Ryojin: "Get up… please… Please, Momo!!!"
His scream ripped through the forest—a raw, broken sound of a man losing the final light of his life. His tears scalded his face, his once steady hands trembling like fragile glass.
And then—
The droning roar of an engine echoed through the darkness.
Three shadows emerged.Nomu.
Two hulking beasts, their grotesque muscles twisting unnaturally.And the third… its right arm replaced with a roaring chainsaw, its left with a mounted crossbow.
The one who had brought her down.
Ryojin's tears stopped.
In their place—Silence.
And emptiness.
A black shroud of despair swallowed his face. His hair lifted as if drawn into the void itself.
His eyes changed—
—white, hollow, inhuman.
The ground around him warped, reality itself bending as if it were being devoured.
Whispers—no, a thousand voices—gnawed at his mind.
"Kill.""Destroy.""Tear.""Shatter.""Annihilate."
Ryojin rose slowly, like a puppet guided by something far beyond humanity.
He unleashed his form: EGO: Dimension Shredder.
His suit disintegrated, replaced by pulsating flesh laced with crimson veins, as though a demon's body had been stitched onto his own. Reality cracked around him. From his back, grotesque growths writhed, desperate to burst free.
He was no longer human.
He was madness incarnate.A machine of pure frenzy.
Step by step, he approached the three Nomu.
A twisted grin carved itself onto his face.
From his throat—no longer a human voice—came a guttural growl:
"You're all… already dead."
.
.
.
.
Todoroki: "…Do you smell that?"
He froze mid-step, his eyes scanning the unnaturally silent treeline.
Izuku: "Yeah… something's… burning. It's like—"
Before he could finish, a burst of searing blue flames erupted from the heart of the forest.The blast roared, echoing through the mountains. Thick smoke billowed outward, choking the air, while a wave of blistering heat forced them to shield their faces instinctively.
And then—
A voice resonated in their minds. Mandalay's Quirk, cutting straight into their thoughts.
Mandalay (via telepathy):"Attention, all students!This is Mandalay speaking!The camp is under attack by villains!Do NOT engage!Return to the main lodge immediately!"
The words froze them in place. Their hearts thundered in their chests, eyes wide with shock.
This wasn't training.This wasn't a drill.
It was real.
Only moments later, the realization sank deeper—they were standing at the edge of mortal danger.
Izuku (shouting): "Kota!!!"
His expression shifted in an instant. Whipping around, he sprinted into the smoke and shadows, toward the small cliffside cave where Kota had shown him the stars just the night before.
Izuku: "Please… don't let anything happen… Kota…!"
Behind him, explosions thundered through the forest. Shadows of enemies moved amidst the flames, and the distant echoes of screams bled through the night.
[Eri's POV]
Kota and I were playing together in his secret hideout — the place he proudly called, "the ultimate strong man's base."
He shared his toys with me, acting like he was all grown up, but every time I laughed, he couldn't help but smile wide.
He picked a bunch of wildflowers, handed them to me with dirt-stained hands, little scratches across his skin. We climbed the hill, looking out at the forest beneath the stars. Crickets chirped faintly in the distance.
Until he arrived.
???: "Oh~ lucky me. Thought I'd just stroll around and enjoy the view, and what do I find? Two little brats. Nice hat, kid. How about a trade?"
A massive man stepped out from the shadows, ripping off his mask. His face was covered in scars, and his grin—it wasn't warm like Mama's.It was the kind of smile that wanted to kill.
Kota and I froze, rooted to the spot like statues.
Then, he grabbed Kota's head roughly. His fingers sprayed jets of pressurized water, like a thousand needles stabbing into him.
Kota (crying): "L-let me go!"
??? (laughing): "Oh, that tickles!"
I collapsed, trembling. My body wouldn't move. My breath stuck in my throat, my hands ice cold.
He's going to kill us.
I wanted to scream. To run. But my arms, my legs—they wouldn't listen.
And then—Mama's smile flashed in my mind. Papa's hand holding mine when I was scared…
I didn't want to die.I didn't want Kota to disappear.
Before I knew it, my feet moved.
I ran straight at him. My small hands shot forward, clumsy but filled with everything I had.
Eri: "Let Kota-kun go!"
??? (laughing harder): "Heh… You're the real brat here!"
Thud!
His kick smashed into my head. My body flew, crashing against the rocks. Pain exploded through me, my whole body numb. My vision blurred. Warm blood trickled down my cheek.
His laughter drew closer.
He hoisted Kota under one arm and stalked toward me, like a beast savoring the hunt.
And then—he raised his foot.
???: "Die, you little pest!"
Eri (weakly): "Papa… Mama… please… help me…"
Izuku (shouting): "SMASH!!!"
That voice—I knew it.
"Uncle Deku's" voice.
I forced my eyes open through the haze. A figure burst through the smoke, a fist blazing with unstoppable force.
The punch connected.The monster flew, crashing into the earth with a thunderous boom that shook the forest.
Then—he was there. Uncle Deku.
He ran to us, scooping me and Kota into his arms—one on each side. His face was cut and bleeding, but his eyes burned with determination.
Izuku (thinking):"This isn't the time to fight… I have to get them out… back to everyone…"
His arms tightened protectively around us as he sprinted into the darkness—through fire, through fear, through the nightmare.
And in that embrace…for the first time since the terror began,I felt warm again.
.
.
[Ryujin's POV]
My body was drenched in blood.My own—hot, searing, sticky.And theirs—cold, rancid, reeking of iron until it burned my nostrils.
I didn't know how many bones in me had snapped.I didn't know how many tendons had torn.But I was still standing.Still breathing.While they… were nothing but mangled remains.
My fingers still clutched the hilt of my sword.But that blade was no longer steel—only a grotesque smear of flesh and gore, unrecognizable as human or monster.My steps crushed twisted carcasses beneath me, spines dangling from hooks I had driven into their throats.
They dared to touch her.
I tore them apart.I ripped their bodies.I obliterated them.Like a demon sent to trample this wretched earth.
And yet…I hated myself.
I hated that I couldn't protect her.I despised that I wasn't the one to take the blow instead.I was nothing—worthless trash who couldn't even die in her place.
Momo…
When I reached her body,blood had pooled around her like a withered flower.Her eyes were closed.But her breaths—faint, fragile—still lingered, like a silken thread ready to snap.
I collapsed to my knees.My hands trembled as I lifted her, careful, as if she were the most delicate thing in the world.
Blood dripped from me onto her cheek.Or perhaps… they were tears.
I said nothing.Because no words would ever be enough.
I only held her tight against me,and walked slowly—away from the battlefield.
No footsteps followed.No voices called out.Only the silence of the wind,and the thunder of my heart—beating with unbearable pain.
Five minutes later.
He finally reached the camp.But his mind had sunk into an endless abyss.He prayed silently, wordlessly, to whatever god, deity, or forsaken spirit would listen: so long as she breathes, so long as Momo survives… nothing else matters.
His body bore no clean inch.Blood. Viscera. Shredded flesh clung to him from head to toe.He was the walking image of hell itself.
He staggered into the clearing where Mandalay stood—but she wasn't alone.Students of Class 1-A and 1-B, and faces he didn't recognize, turned to him.Not with pity.But with fear.
Mandalay: "Students of 1-A and 1-B! By the authority of Pro Hero Eraserhead, you are permitted to engage in combat! I repeat, you are authorized!"
Her voice trembled—not from fatigue, but because the boy before her wasn't a comrade anymore.
Ryujin: "…Help her."
His words fell out like the last breath of a dying soul.He stood frozen, holding back tears as he handed Momo's limp body to her.
Mandalay nodded, hesitant.Mandalay: "…Y-Yes. But you… you can't keep fighting like this."
Sato: "Kazuma, you need to rest!"Iida: "Kazuma-kun!? What happened to you!?"Todoroki: "…Are you even okay?"
Whispers in the crowd:"That's the one who defeated Stain…""…He's no hero. He's a monster."
He heard every word.But nothing stirred in his hollow eyes.
Slowly, he lifted a finger—and pointed at the source of the whispers.
Ryujin: "The dead have no right to speak."
Like thunder splitting the earth, Liu's blade appeared in his grasp, wreathed in a fire devoid of warmth—only death.He lunged.
Ryujin: "I'll cut your heads off!!!"
Each strike landed with the weight of a funeral bell.Raw, merciless, murderous intent carved through the air.No one dared to stop him.
He was no longer Kazuma.He was vengeance's shadow.A rabid hound from hell.A demon walking upon the earth.
Blood poured from his wounds.Muscles tore.But he didn't falter.Every swing was fury, hatred, grief unending.
Then—
Midoriya burst into the clearing, cradling Eri and Kota in his arms.Behind him thundered a massive brute, voice bellowing like an avalanche:
Brute: "I'll kill you—and those two brats!!"
But he never made it another step.Ryujin's blade pierced his leg, dropping him to the dirt with a scream.
Midoriya froze.Instinct told him to stop.Because Ryujin… was no ally anymore.
Covered in blood, trembling, his voice cut like broken glass:
Ryujin: "Eri… who hurt you?"
He knelt, stroking her head gently.The small girl shook, trembling, and pointed to the brute.
Brute (grinning): "Heh… I just roughed her up a little. Planned to do a lot more, too—ha ha ha!"
He didn't laugh for more than three seconds.Because in that instant…the final thread inside Kazuma snapped.
He charged forward without a Quirk, without any special power, no technique, no pattern.There was only one intention — to kill.
The blades in his hands became a living nightmare.The man's right arm was severed in a fraction of a second.
Yes… muscle is nothing but meat.And a blade does what it was made for — cut.
The weapons in his hands weren't just swords.There were knives, scissors, box cutters, a butcher's cleaver, a sledgehammer, and a steel flashlight.
Every single one of them… drenched in blood.
The brute tried to fight back, but his brain nearly shattered when the hammer came crashing down on his skull.Smash. Slash. Stab. Smash. Slash. Stab. Smash. Slash. Stab.The sound of breaking bones, tearing flesh, and pleas for mercy filled the air.
Ryujin didn't listen. He poured the enemy's blood back into his mouth to keep him alive, only to do it all over again — for his own twisted satisfaction.
No one dared to come close.Not because they feared being attacked…But because he was no longer human.
The only sounds in the forest were the echoes of his manic laughter,the cries of children,and the wet crack of flesh being torn apart.
Five minutes passed…
What remained of the hulking man could no longer be called human.
Ryujin stood in the middle of the blood-soaked pit,turned his gaze to the remaining villains,and smiled.
Ryujin: "Who's next?"