The hallway to Nova-1 feels like a tunnel. The walls hum with energy, faint glows from other students' quirks radiating through the polished floors. I adjust the strap of my bag, trying to keep my hands from twitching.
Taiyashè jogs beside me. "Relax, Ren. This is your chance to shine."
"Shine, huh…" I mutter. My fire flickers faintly in my palm before I tuck it away. "Let's just survive the first day."
We arrive at the door labeled "Class Nova-1 — Homeroom Elias Crowe". The door is heavy, black steel with an etched insignia of a shadowed eagle.
Taiyashè grins. "Here we go."
I inhale. Push the door open.
The classroom is… intense.
Half the students are already seated. Some glance at me. Others ignore me completely, focused on their own quirks. Sparks, glimmers, shifting shadows — the air feels charged.
And then… I see him.
Elias Crowe.
Tall, lean, hair a dark curtain that falls into his eyes. Sleeves rolled down, black scarf hanging loose. His gaze locks onto me. And just like that, the room stills.
The faint hum of powers dims around him. I glance at other students' quirks — a few small sparks fizzle, levitating objects wobble mid-air.
He doesn't move a muscle. He doesn't even blink.
"Sit."
The word is flat. Heavy. The echo of authority fills the room.
Every eye is on us now. I find a seat near the back and sit. Taiyashè drops in beside me with a grin that quickly fades under Crowe's gaze.
Crowe walks slowly to the front, black boots barely making a sound. He glances at the class. The faint outline of his Shadow Field stretches subtly along the floor — a zone where quirks are weaker.
"Class Nova-1," he says. His voice calm, measured, but every word hits like a command. "You are here because you were deemed exceptional. Exceptional at combat, exceptional at control, exceptional at hero work."
He pauses. His eyes sweep across the room, lingering just slightly longer on each student. On me.
"You are expected to follow instructions without hesitation. You will not misuse your quirks. You will not cause unnecessary harm. You will not disappoint."
A few students shift nervously. Taiyashè's grin is gone.
Crowe's eyes, dark and sharp, seem to strip away any pretense. Even fire feels like it would hesitate near him.
He steps to the board, flicking his wrist. Lines of dark energy ripple outward — faint, almost invisible — but every small flicker of quirk energy in the room dampens as if someone pressed a mute button.
"This room is a Shadow Zone," he says. "Inside here, your quirks will weaken if you misuse them. Disobedience will not be tolerated. Respect is mandatory."
I swallow hard. My hands itch, wanting to fidget, wanting to test fire, wanting… something.
Crowe's gaze finds me again. Not threatening, just… piercing. I freeze.
"Now." His voice drops to a low tone. "Introduce yourselves, one at a time. Start with the front row."
A tall boy with golden hair steps forward. "Dante Virelli, Impact Amplify. I store kinetic energy and release it in bursts."
He smirks, clearly trying to seem fearless. His quirk sputters slightly under Crowe's eyes.
A quiet girl with ice-blue hair steps up. "Lyra Hoshino, Cryo-Threads. I manipulate ice fibers for combat and support."
And so it goes, one by one. Sparks, wind, light — some quirk energies flicker or dampen slightly, subtle but noticeable.
Finally… it's our turn. Taiyashè nudges me. "Go on."
I stand, feeling every gaze. Fire flickers faintly in my palm despite my attempt to hide it. I tuck it quickly.
"Ren Calder," I say, voice steady. "I… can control fire."
Crowe doesn't react. He simply tilts his head slightly. His eyes lock on me for just a second longer than necessary.
Not intimidation. Observation. Assessment.
I sit down quickly. Taiyashè elbows me lightly. "Nice job not burning the place down," he whispers.
Crowe's eyes sweep over the class again. "Good. That is all for now."
The desk bell rings. No one moves immediately — no one wants to cross Crowe.
I realize then… this is going to be a very long year.
And whatever the other thing is inside me — the thing I barely control — I hope Crowe never notices.
Because if he does…
There's no telling what could happen.