The numbered cases slid out from the classroom wall like silver bricks at a bank vault. My classmates launched toward theirs, chattering about design elements and materials, their excitement filling the air with kinetic energy.
While they buzzed with childish glee, I hung back and waited for the crowd to thin. This wasn't just about getting dressed up in fancy spandex. This was about branding. Marketability. The crucial first step in building a legend worth investing in.
As I approached my case, a memory flashed through my mind—Kimiko and me at our tiny kitchen table, sketching costume designs by the light of a single lamp. Crumpled paper balls surrounded us like casualties of war.
"It needs to be durable but shouldn't restrict your movement, Yuki," she'd said, tapping the pencil against her chin. "You need to be able to throw without any resistance."
"And the coat has to be long enough to billow," I'd insisted. "It's all about the silhouette, Kimi-nee. Heroes get remembered for their silhouettes."
She'd rolled her eyes but smiled. "Always thinking about the performance, aren't you?"
I pressed my thumb against the scanner on my case. It opened with a satisfying hiss.
Yeah. Always the performance.
===
I was the last to emerge at Ground Beta, and I made sure my entrance counted. The dark charcoal bodysuit hugged my frame without restricting movement, while the high-collared violet long coat added the dramatic flair I'd insisted on. I felt the reassuring weight of the reinforced playing cards and steel ball bearings lining the coat's inner pockets. My collapsible bo staff rested comfortably against my lower back.
I looked less like a hero-in-training and more like a high-end assassin from a spy thriller.
I felt powerful. I felt cool.
Most importantly, I looked nothing like any hero on the market. Originality sells.
"Whoa, Yukio!" Hagakure's gloves waved enthusiastically in my direction. "You look amazing!"
"Thanks, Invisible Girl," I said, scanning the assembled students. "You look... exactly the same."
Her gloves dropped to what I assumed were her hips. "It's Toru! And this is my hero costume!"
"You're... where yo clothes at?"
"It's tactical!" she protested, waving her gloves. "My Quirk is invisibility! Clothes would just get in the way!"
I held up my hands in surrender. "No judgment here. Very practical."
My gaze swept across the others, cataloging their choices with rapid precision.
Midoriya wore a green monstrosity that screamed "All Might Fanboy," complete with rabbit-ear hood and a ghoulish smile. Trying way too hard, Broccoli.
Bakugo had gone full military hardware—grenade-shaped gauntlets and a menacing mask. Compensating for something, Pomeranian?
Uraraka's skin tight spacesuit showed off curves even I couldn't see coming. Cute, Mochi.
Yuzuriha's sleek, dark purple bodysuit featured strategic cutouts that managed to be both practical and distracting.
Then my eyes landed on Yaoyorozu, and I paused.
She wore a revealing, high-collared red leotard that left little to the imagination. It was stunning, no question. But I immediately saw through the design choice. An outfit optimized for Quirk usage rather than the wearer's comfort or dignity.
Daddy's little asset, dressed for production.
Not my problem.
"WELCOME, HEROES IN TRAINING!" All Might's voice boomed across the training ground. "TODAY'S BATTLE TRIAL WILL TEST YOUR METTLE IN INDOOR COMBAT!"
He stood before us in all his muscle-bound glory, his smile gleaming unnaturally bright in the sunlight.
"VILLAINS WILL GUARD A NUCLEAR WEAPON INSIDE A BUILDING! HEROES MUST EITHER CAPTURE THE VILLAINS OR SECURE THE WEAPON! VILLAINS WIN BY PROTECTING THE WEAPON OR CAPTURING THE HEROES!"
My mind was already working, calculating angles and probabilities. Indoor combat favored close-quarters specialists and defensive Quirks. The multi-story building behind All Might offered numerous vantage points and choke points. The time limit would force aggressive action from the heroes.
"TEAMS WILL BE DETERMINED BY LOTTERY!" All Might announced, producing a box with "LOTS" written on it in blocky letters.
Of course. Because that's how villains and heroes pair up in real life. By lottery.
"FIRST MATCH! HEROES: TEAM A! MIDORIYA AND URARAKA!" All Might declared, pulling balls from the box with theatrical flair. "VERSUS VILLAINS: TEAM D! BAKUGO AND IIDA!"
Bakugo's face split into a feral grin as he locked eyes with Midoriya, who looked like he might pass out. Perfect. The main event right out of the gate. Let them burn each other out.
"NEXT UP, THE VILLAINS FOR THE SECOND MATCH... TEAM G! YUZURIHA AND MANGA FUKIDASHI!"
An interesting combination. Yuzuriha, the stealthy feline predator, paired with Manga, the living onomatopoeia. Stealth and unpredictable area control. Potentially devastating if they coordinated well.
"AND THEIR HERO OPPONENTS... TEAM B! YUKIO MURANO... AND MOMO YAOYOROZU!"
I turned and locked eyes with Yaoyorozu. The memory of the bathhouse—the steam, her embarrassment, the unexpected vulnerability she'd shown—flashed between us. Her cheeks flushed a beautiful, deep crimson against the red of her costume.
I found her flustered state utterly adorable.
Instead of mirroring her awkwardness, I leaned into it. I gave her a slow, deliberate smirk that traveled from her eyes down her form-fitting costume and back up again.
"Well, Princess," I drawled, just loud enough for nearby students to hear, "looks like you're stuck with me. Try to keep up."
Her blush deepened, a mix of embarrassment and indignation rising to her cheeks.
"Aww," Hagakure's gloves drooped in disappointment. "I wanted to be on Yukio's team!"
Jiro just shook her head, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
"THE FIRST MATCH BEGINS IN FIVE MINUTES!" All Might announced. "TEAMS, PREPARE YOUR STRATEGIES!"
As the others dispersed, Yaoyorozu and I moved to a quiet corner of the monitoring room. She stood ramrod straight, clipboard materializing from her palm in a shimmer of creation particles.
"W-well," she began, formal despite her flustered state, "your Quirk is projectile-based, and my Creation... perhaps a large defensive shield would be the most logical approach to—"
I stepped closer, invading her personal space just enough to make her words falter. "Logic is fine, Princess. But we're up against a predator and a cartoon character."
She blinked rapidly, clutching her clipboard tighter. "I don't understand."
"This isn't a math problem; it's a performance." I tapped the side of her head gently. "We need to be smarter, faster, and more unpredictable."
"But a shield would provide optimal coverage against Manga's sound effects—"
"Forget shields. We need recon and misdirection." I lowered my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Can you make a set of four small, durable drones with cameras? And three smoke grenades?"
Her eyes widened at the complex request, but I could see her brilliant mind already calculating molecular structures and weight requirements. The proximity of our faces seemed to register, and she took a small step back.
"I... yes, I can create those items, but why—"
"Yuzuriha is a hunter. She relies on her senses—sight, smell, hearing. The smoke will disorient her. The drones will give us eyes everywhere without risking direct confrontation."
Understanding dawned in her eyes. "And Manga's sound effects are only effective if he can see his target."
"Exactly. We blind them both, then divide and conquer." I smiled, genuinely impressed by how quickly she grasped the strategy. "You're not just a pretty face after all, Princess."
Her cheeks flushed again, but this time with a hint of pride. "Please stop calling me that."
"I'll consider it. After we win."
All Might's voice boomed across the room. "FIRST MATCH BEGINNING! EVERYONE TO THE MONITORING ROOM!"
The screens flickered to life, showing multiple camera angles of Midoriya and Uraraka entering the building while Bakugo and Iida positioned themselves with the fake weapon.
I settled into a chair near the front, feet propped up on the console. Yaoyorozu remained standing, her posture perfect as she studied the screens with intense focus.
"This should be good," I murmured, watching Bakugo stalk through the corridors like a predator. "I'd put five thousand yen on Pomeranian making the first move."
"You shouldn't gamble on your classmates," Yaoyorozu scolded quietly.
"It's not gambling when you know the outcome," I replied with a wink. "It's just collecting free money."
On screen, Bakugo rounded a corner and launched himself at Midoriya with an explosive blast. Right on cue.
"See? Free money."
Yaoyorozu sighed but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."
"I prefer 'strategic,'" I countered, turning my attention back to the monitors. "Now, watch closely, Princess. This is where we learn what not to do."