The bus ride to USJ was the same as in the anime — lively chatter, a mix of nerves and excitement. Midoriya sat quietly, occasionally glancing at Kael, who leaned against the window with half-lidded eyes, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.
"You always look bored," Kaminari said from across the aisle.
Kael didn't bother looking at him. "I am."
Kaminari laughed awkwardly, unsure if it was a joke.
Arrival at USJ
The massive dome of the Unforeseen Simulation Joint rose before them, sunlight gleaming off its glass. Inside, Thirteen gave the same impassioned speech about the responsibility of using quirks safely. Most students listened intently. Kael, however, gazed upward at the ceiling.
He already knew. The ripple was coming.
It started as a faint vibration in the air — something no one else could feel. A moment later, the warp gate spiraled open.
League of Villains Arrival
The purple mist of Kurogiri spread across the plaza, villains stepping out one by one. Shigaraki's scratchy voice echoed, "We are the League of Villains… and we've come to kill All Might."
Most of the class froze. Aizawa's scarf whipped forward as he took point. Thirteen moved to protect the students.
Kael just sighed.Right on schedule.
The Warp Incident
Kurogiri's mist surged, scattering students to different disaster zones. In canon, Kael would have been warped away. Here, though, the mist swirled toward him—only to fizzle out entirely.
Kurogiri blinked. "What—?"
Kael was already standing in front of him. "You're trying to scatter the pieces… but this isn't your board to play on."
With a mere thought, Kael locked Kurogiri in place—not physically, but in time. The mist froze mid-roll, the man's consciousness trapped like a fly in amber.
Elsewhere in USJ
The students who were warped found themselves fighting for their lives, as in the anime. Froppy and Midoriya at the flood zone, Todoroki freezing villains in the mountain zone, Bakugo and Kirishima tearing through the ruins zone.
What they didn't know was that Kael was everywhere.He didn't need to run to each zone—he simply willed himself there, bending the sequence of events so that he could intervene without anyone realizing it was instantaneous.
A villain about to strike Yaoyorozu? Gone—like he'd never existed.A blow aimed at Tokoyami? It froze midair, then dissipated as if the attacker had changed their mind.
Shigaraki's Frustration
Back at the plaza, Shigaraki scratched at his neck, agitated. "Where's Nomu?! We'll crush him and—"
"I wouldn't," Kael's voice cut in, smooth and detached.
Shigaraki turned, startled to find Kael standing right there. "Who the hell—?"
Kael didn't answer. He simply looked past him toward the Nomu, tilting his head."Interesting creature… but it's just another pawn."
Nomu charged, the ground cracking under its weight. In the anime, this was where All Might would have come in. Instead, Kael let Nomu get close—too close—before casually raising a hand.
The monster froze mid-stride, every molecule locked in place. It didn't even breathe.
Shigaraki stepped back. "What—what is this?"
Kael's gaze stayed calm. "An experiment in futility."
All Might Arrives
The doors slammed open and All Might burst in, booming, "I AM—"He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Nomu standing motionless and Kael casually standing in front of it like it was a statue in a park.
"…here," All Might finished slowly.
Kael gestured lazily. "I left this one for you. I thought you might want to test yourself."
All Might's instincts screamed that something was wrong. But he attacked anyway, launching a flurry of blows—only to find Nomu moving again.
For a few minutes, the fight mirrored the anime, shockwaves cracking the walls. Kael watched quietly, leaning against a railing.
The False Hope
All Might began to push Nomu back, just as in canon. Shigaraki's grin widened. This was supposed to be Nomu's victory… but Kael had subtly altered the balance, letting All Might believe he was in control.
Then, at the exact moment All Might thought he had landed the final blow—Kael erased the momentum entirely. Nomu stopped cold, unaffected by the hit.
All Might's eyes widened. "What—?!"
Kael stepped forward, his voice carrying effortlessly across the plaza."I let you believe you could win. Now you understand the difference between effort… and control."
With a single snap of his fingers, Nomu crumbled into dust.
The Aftermath
The villains retreated, Shigaraki furious but unwilling to engage. The students regrouped, shaken but alive.
In the silence that followed, All Might looked at Kael—not with anger, but with something closer to dread."You could have ended it from the start."
Kael met his gaze. "I did. You just didn't realize it."