Four days after the Hosu incident, the city still hadn't stopped talking about that night. News, social media comments, TV debates… everything revolved around the League of Villains' attack on Hosu and the "excellent work" of the number two hero in containing the threat. It wasn't exactly the truth, but the government needed a face to support the narrative and avoid too many questions.
A few images from the event even circulated online, showing strange blackish-green rays tearing through Hosu's sky, forming something like a distorted electric web.
Still, no one dug too deep. The official explanation said it was the effect of one of the villains' Quirks, and for most people, that was enough.
As for the heroes who witnessed what Ryo really did, they all accepted the government's request for silence. Not out of fear, but by choice. Many of them, especially those from the Black Hole agency, felt satisfied to be able to help, even in this way, the boy who had saved the city from a much greater disaster.
But not everything was rosy...
Ryo bowed before Razor Beam's headstone, replacing the burnt-out incense sticks with new ones.
The gentle scent spread through the silent air of the cemetery.
Anan remained a few steps back, respecting the moment. After lighting the incense, they both clasped their hands and gave a brief bow to the fallen hero.
"Thank you for everything," Ryo expressed his gratitude.
He knew that without Razor Beam, his mentor probably wouldn't be here now. The weight of that possibility always created a tightness in his chest.
He lowered his gaze to his own clasped hands.
"I promise to become stronger. Strong enough so that something like this won't happen again..."
After a few moments, Ryo and Anan stepped away from the headstone and followed the stone path to the car waiting for them outside the cemetery.
Two security personnel remained vigilant near their respective vehicles.
Ryo got into the back seat with Anan, wearing his U.A. uniform, his backpack resting on his lap, officially marking the end of his internship.
Anan turned to him with a calm smile.
"Ready to see your new home?"
Ryo took a deep breath before answering.
"Yes."
She nodded, satisfied, and then looked at the driver in front. The man responded with a brief nod, adjusting his hat before starting the engine and leave the cemetery behind.
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In a dark alley in Shinjuku, a sharp scream echoed between the dirty walls… and was abruptly cut off the next second.
"Tsk, tsk… you're way too noisy," a female voice complained. "For someone with such… *bleh* blood, you could at least die quietly, right?"
The girl came into better view under the faint sunlight that barely filtered into the alley. Himiko Toga tilted her head to the side, observing the fallen man slumped against the wall. Her school uniform was lightly stained, her smile too wide to be normal. Her golden, cat-like eyes gleaming with almost childish excitement.
She poked the man's forehead with the tip of her finger.
"Nothing personal, 'kay?" she said, humming. "But I really, *really* need to get the attention of some specific people. And you're kinda… helping me~"
The man's head twitched one last time as he agonized, before finally going limp, motionless. He had already lost too much blood after Toga had slit his throat. Toga pouted, as if disappointed.
"Aww… that was quick."
Without a care, she stood up, wiped her knife clean on her own uniform, and carefully—almost lovingly—sheathed the blade. Then, she skipped out of the alley as if she had just left a candy store.
Once on the empty sidewalk of that area, she pulled her phone from her pocket and started scrolling through the news as she walked.
"League of Villains attack in Hosu… Nomus… destruction… blah blah blah… I already know that," she murmured, impatiently scrolling.
Until her eyes lit up.
"Ah!"
An article highlighted her recent "work," with reports of murders and strange attacks where victims were found partially drained of blood. Toga's smile widened even further, seeming almost to split her face.
"See? See?" she said to herself, excitedly. "This way they'll definitely notice me! Then they'll just have to invite me and… ta-daaaan! Part of the League!"
She kept walking, happy, until another article beside it caught her attention. It was about students rescued by Endeavor that same night of the incident. Among the pictures, one specific face made her steps slow down.
Ryo.
Toga squinted, tilting her head slowly.
"Hm…?"
She stared at the image for a few seconds longer than normal. A strange feeling rose in her chest, a slight discomfort, almost like a memory that refused to fully form.
"I've seen you before…?" she murmured.
Her smile wavered for an instant.
But it soon returned, and she shrugged.
"Ah, whatever!"
She put her phone back in her pocket and resumed walking, now with even more energy.
"What matters now is to keep killing until they call for me~!"
Toga skipped away down the sidewalk, disappearing into the city lights, leaving behind that uncomfortable feeling… of something from the past that insisted on trying to emerge from the shadows she'd been ignoring for so many years.
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Sometime after Ryo and Anan arrived at U.A., Ryo was guided by Nezu to the dormitory where he would stay during his time at the school.
As soon as he stopped in front of the building, he looked up… and stood still for several long seconds.
The building was big. Really big. Elegant, modern, and far too tall for something he imagined as just a dormitory.
"…I wasn't expecting this," he commented, honestly. "To be honest, I didn't even think U.A. had a campus this large. This is… borderline absurd."
He looked around and noticed other similar buildings scattered across the campus. Nezu gave a satisfied little chuckle, adjusting his suit.
"Well, we didn't intend to make something too rustic for your taste," he said calmly. "During the planning, I sort of considered the possibility of a… turbulent future. In case something like a war were to happen and our students needed a safe place to continue their studies."
Nezu turned his gaze back to the building in front of them.
"That's how the idea for the Heights Alliance came about. A set of dormitories within the campus, prepared to keep our students safe in a distant future."
He then looked directly at Ryo.
"Perhaps the initial idea was to make something to guarantee safety for *you*, but remember that this place will house other people in the future. Treat it well."
Ryo observed the five-story building once more, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"Understood… I'll keep that in mind."
"Excellent," replied Nezu, smiling.
The principal extended a set of keys to him.
"Make yourself at home."
Ryo carefully took the keys.
"Thank you, Principal."
He looked back at the building, still trying to accept that this place would be his home for the next few years.
When he finally decided to go inside… his eyes nearly popped out.
The interior was absurdly luxurious.
The first floor looked more like a hotel's common area than a school dorm: comfortable sofas, tables, televisions, well-equipped kitchens, bathrooms, and laundries. Everything was far too spacious.
Ryo walked around, incredulous, until he finally sat down on one of the sofas.
"I… don't know what I'm going to do with all this space."
The rooms started on the second floor and went up to the fifth, with eight rooms per floor. Each one had air conditioning, a private bathroom, a bed, a refrigerator, a closet, and even a balcony.
But the shock came when he opened the door to his room, number 17.
It was… the exact same environment he always saw in his old apartment.
His bookshelf of books and manga. The study desk with the computer. The posters. The picture frames with photos of him and his mother. Some things had been replaced—the bed, the closet, the drawers—but the rest was exactly where it had always been.
Ryo ran his hand over the white wall.
"It's strange…" he murmured. "To see these walls like this, without stains, without marks…"
He flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"…And it's also been a while since I've seen a ceiling without cracks."
He was silent for a few seconds.
Then he got up, sitting on the edge of the bed, and looked at the set of keys in his hand. He gripped it tightly.
"Home…" he murmured.
Ryo took a deep breath, feeling something warm grow in his chest.
"Alright… I promise I'll take good care of this place."
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The next day, in the classroom, Ryo had barely sat down when he was bombarded by Dash. The blond wouldn't stop asking questions, bringing up topics about his internship, the villains he faced, and, of course, whether his sister had gotten involved in the Hosu incident.
The envy was plastered on Dash's face, and he ended up venting, burying his face in his desk.
"It's so unfair…" he grumbled. "My internship with my dad was so boring…"
Ryo looked at him and said calmly:
"Don't be like that, man. The point of the internship wasn't even to fight villains, remember?"
"But it was *my* point!" Dash retorted, puffing out his chest.
"I get it…" Ryo sighed, shaking his head, "but I hope you at least learned something during it."
Dash relaxed a little, leaning his arms on the desk.
"Oh, I definitely learned. I can't forget a single second of my dad's repeated lectures during the internship…"
Ryo arched an eyebrow slightly, remembering the thousand-yard stare Dash had gotten when he mentioned "heroism" earlier.
"Maybe… your dad went a little overboard," he suggested, trying to ease the tension.
Before they could continue, the laughter of Sero and Kirishima echoed through the room. They couldn't stop laughing at Bakugo, whose hair was straight.
"BWA! HA HA HA HA! Is that really you? The same Bakugo we know?!" the two asked between laughs.
"Stop laughing, you…" Bakugo began, furious.
But the two laughed even harder, seeing the blond clearly irritated. In a spike of anger, Bakugo's hair "exploded" back to normal as he roared:
"I'll kill you both!"
Ryo watched the interaction curiously, thinking to himself that Bakugo must have gone through some kind of makeover at Best Jeanist's agency. He then turned to Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida, who were talking calmly on the other side of the room.
"It looks like they recovered well," he commented.
"Who recovered?" Dash asked, confused.
Ryo hesitated:
"No, it's nothing—"
He suddenly realized Dash had understood what he'd said in Japanese.
"…You understood what I said?" he asked, surprised. "Where did you learn Japanese?"
Dash tried to respond in Japanese, but failed miserably, even with the simplest phrases. He sighed and gave up, switching to English in defeat:
"I've been studying a lot in my free time… with someone."
Ryo raised an eyebrow.
"With… someone?" he repeated, curious.
Dash started to sweat.
"Yhea… someone."
Before Ryo could continue the interrogation, Iida raised his voice, getting everyone's attention.
"Everyone, class is about to begin! Everyone to your seats!"
Ryo let out a sigh and settled into his seat, but not without shooting a suspicious glance at Dash, who flinched and nervously looked away.
Since the first class of the day was FHS (Fundamental Hero Studies), All Might entered the classroom in his supposedly most normal way possible. He flashed a wide grin and clapped his hands, getting the class's attention.
"Good morning, young ones!" he said excitedly. "Grab your hero costume cases, because today's lesson will be practical!"
The reaction was immediate.
The classroom practically exploded with excitement. It had been far too long since their last practical lesson, especially with the USJ under renovation after everything that had happened.
"FINALLY!" Kirishima yelled from the back.
Each student went to the compartment right behind their desks and pulled out their case. Soon after, the entire class followed All Might to Field Gamma.
Once everyone had changed into their costumes, Ryo barely had time to catch his breath.
"Nice fit, though," commented Tokoyami, observing the costume carefully.
"You look really stylish!" said Uraraka, smiling.
"I like the futuristic look," added Sero.
Tsuyu tilted her head, analyzing the helmet.
"Did the helmet idea come from Thirteen? I think I understand now why you chose the name Fourteen, ribbit."
"Y-Yeah..." replied Ryo, awkward with all the attention he was getting. "Kinda..."
"Dude... these neon stripes are so cool," remarked Sato, impressed.
"SO COOL!" Mina practically shouted, giving a little hop.
Ryo was a bit embarrassed, scratching the back of his neck, clearly not knowing where to hide his face with so much attention at once.
Further away, Kaminari watched the scene with a somewhat bitter look.
"It's not that great…" he muttered. "They're exaggerating way too much."
At that moment, Kirishima appeared beside him, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder and flashing a smug grin.
"Be honest…" he said. "isn't he clean, though?"
"Get that weird grin off your face, man," replied Kaminari, looking away.
After a few minutes of chatter and excited comments, All Might finally called the class to attention, getting serious… or at least as serious as he could manage.
"It's been a while, boys and girls," he said. "I hope you all rested well after your internships."
He crossed his arms, smiling.
"As a direct follow-up to what you all recently experienced, today's activity will be very simple and… playful."
The class fell silent, paying close attention.
"We will have a Rescue Race!"
All Might then began to present Field Gamma.
A training field simulating an industrial complex with numerous interconnected factories, tons of heavy machinery, cranes, piping, and narrow passageways.
A true industrial maze.
The class observed the immense structures ahead, some swallowed by shadows, others crisscrossed by thick pipes and metal walkways.
"You will be divided into four groups of five," All Might continued. "The objective is simple: find me and save me!"
Some students blinked, confused at having All Might himself as the rescue dummy.
"I will be at a random point inside the complex. As soon as the race begins, I will send each team my location. You will start from the edge of the field and must reach me as quickly as possible."
He raised his arm.
"Group one, head to your markings!"
As the first group positioned themselves, the remaining students were taken to the external area, where large screens displayed the feed from cameras scattered throughout Field Gamma.
Ryo crossed his arms, attentive. On the screen in front of him, he watched Midoriya taking his place at his marker, alongside Sero, Mina, Iida, and Ojiro.
"This place is literally my worst nightmare…" Dash murmured beside him. "Too many turns, too many obstacles. I'd probably get lost 7 times in half a second."
"I can imagine," replied Ryo, not taking his eyes off the screen.
Kirishima approached them, excited.
"So, Takeda? Who do you think takes this one?"
He scratched his chin for a moment.
"I'd bet on Sero," Kirishima said right after. "The course looks tailor-made for him."
Ryo tilted his head, analyzing the field map on the screen.
"Perhaps…" he answered. "But I wouldn't count Midoriya out."
Kirishima raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Before he could comment, All Might's voice echoed through the speakers.
"START!"
Group one shot forward.
Sero immediately took the lead, shooting out his tapes and swinging between beams, pipes, and metal structures with absurd ease.
"Dude, it's almost like this place was made for m—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
A greenish blur shot past him.
"...huh?!"
Sero's eyes widened behind his mask as he recognized the silhouette ahead.
Midoriya was leaping from platform to platform, his movements precise, fast, almost natural. He grabbed a thick pipe, swung his entire body around it, and launched himself to the next structure without losing speed.
"One For All — Full Cowl… 8%!" Midoriya shouted, feeling the energy coursing through his body.
Outside, the class fell silent for a second… and then erupted in surprise.
"DUDE?!" Kaminari yelled.
"Since when does Midoriya move like that?!" Mina's eyes widened.
Kirishima broke into a wide grin.
"I wasn't expecting that…"
Ryo, however, merely watched intently. His eyes followed Midoriya's every move, analyzing posture, propulsion, control.
After a few seconds, he smiled slightly.
"Seems like he's been working very hard during his internship."
After a few intense minutes, the race came to an end with a scene that made the whole class erupt in cheers.
Midoriya was the first to reach All Might.
He stopped, panting, in front of the hero, the greenish glow still fading from his body. All Might grinned widely and carefully placed the winner's sash on the boy's shoulders.
"Excellent work, young Midoriya!"
Midoriya blinked, surprised, then offered a shy smile, still trying to catch his breath.
Further back, Sero was sprawled on the ground on his back, staring up at Field Gamma's industrial ceiling as if he had just lost something deeply personal.
"...I lost..." he murmured. "Of all things... in my own specialty..."
All Might quickly got the class's attention, clapping his hands.
"No need for disappointment!" he said in an upbeat tone. "Yes, Midoriya came in first, but all of you showed improvement. Compared to the first day, your Quirk usage was much more efficient!"
He pointed at the group.
"There's still plenty of room to grow before the final exams, so use this as motivation!"
Sero sighed, sitting up and then getting to his feet with a crack in his back.
"Right... right..." he said, already walking off with the others. "The final exams are coming up..."
As the group began to disperse, All Might extended his arm and placed his heavy left hand on Midoriya's shoulder, stopping him from leaving with them.
"You did very well," he murmured quietly. "I hardly recognized you since the last time you surprised me."
He passed by Midoriya, gave a discreet thumbs-up, and added:
"Meet me after class."
Midoriya stood still for a second, confused... then nodded firmly.
After the official results for group one were announced, it was group two's turn to enter the field.
Tokoyami, Tsuyu, Momo, Shoji... and Dash.
The clock had barely passed one minute when Dash appeared in the finish area, completely out of breath, hair disheveled and with a blank look in his eyes.
"...I..." he took a deep breath. "I got lost... 34 times..."
All Might blinked, surprised... then laughed heartily as he placed the winner's sash on him.
"You still arrived first! Use this as a learning experience, young Dash. Environments like these demand coordination and quick spatial awareness!"
Dash cast one last weary look at Field Gamma.
"No way," he murmured. "I'm gonna start avoiding places like this hellhole..."
Group three followed right after: Uraraka, Kaminari, Toru, Kirishima, and Sato, with Uraraka taking the win.
And... finally, it was group four's turn.
Ryo, Bakugo, Todoroki, Aoyama, and Jiro.
The group took their positions at their marks. Jiro looked around the starting area and sighed.
"Can someone explain to me how I ended up in a group with three of the biggest monsters in this class?"
Bakugo cracked his knuckles in his stance, Todoroki merely watched the field ahead with his usual indifferent gaze, and Ryo gave a calm half-smile, putting on his helmet and also looking at the maze ahead.
On the other side, Iida adjusted his glasses while watching the screen intently.
"Honestly, victory is already on Takeda's side."
Midoriya nodded beside him, his eyes fixed on the images.
"Yeah... just using Dash as a baseline, both of them are incredibly fast."
On the field, All Might raised his arm.
"START!"
The signal sounded, and group four sprang into motion.
Bakugo was the first to act, blasting forward at full force.
"I'M GONNA WIN THIS DAMN THING AND CRUSH EVERYONE!" he yelled, already disappearing among the metal structures.
Meanwhile... Ryo hadn't left his starting position yet.
For a second, he just stood there, motionless, observing the maze in front of him.
"After I left the hospital..." he thought. "I didn't stop training in the days before the internships ended..."
He took a deep breath.
"The Innert Transition can now last for a full four hours."
Ryo brought his hands behind his back. The rings embedded in his reinforced gloves began to glow with a soft green light... which quickly intensified.
"...And I also took the chance to learn to do a few new tricks."
In the next instant, his hands exploded with energy.
BOOM!
Ryo was launched into the air like a rocket.
"WHAT?!" multiple voices shouted at once in the observation area.
On the screen, Ryo's body shot across the industrial sky of Field Gamma after unleashing a powerful explosion from his hands, propelling himself further with smaller, controlled bursts.
Kirishima's eyes went wide.
"Dude... that way of moving is so much like—"
"Kacchan..." Midoriya finished, shocked.
Below, Bakugo heard the sound of the explosions and looked up just in time to see Ryo soaring over him.
"THAT BASTARD—!" he snarled, gritting his teeth. "HE'S COPYING ME!"
"While I was wasting my time with those idiots... these guys changed completely in one week?!"
He blasted forward with everything he had, increasing his speed even more.
"I'M NOT GONNA FALL BEHIND A COPYCAT!"
Ryo heard the explosions right below, sensing someone closing in. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Bakugo charging at him full tilt.
"...I must have pissed him off," he murmured. "But now's not the time for that."
The rings on the soles of his shoes began to glow with the same intense green light.
BOOM!
Explosions erupted from Ryo's feet, launching him forward with even greater speed, like a missile cutting through the air.
Bakugo's eyes widened.
"...HE CAN DO IT WITH HIS FEET, TOO?!"
Ryo sped across the field, dodging a crane from above with a lateral explosion, each burst perfectly calculated.
On his way to victory.
And, without realizing it, on his way to a new chapter of his own life.