The morning of the U.S.J. training exercise arrived, and Class 1-A gathered outside U.A. High, waiting for their transport.
Reiji stood near the back of the group, arms crossed, golden eyes half-lidded, as he listened to his classmates chatter with excitement.
"Rescue training, huh?" Kirishima grinned. "This is gonna be awesome!"
"Yeah! I can't wait to try out my Quirk in real situations," Kaminari added.
Reiji smirked slightly. They had no idea.
Unlike them, he knew the truth.
[The League of Villains will attack today.]
He wasn't afraid. In fact, he was looking forward to it.
The pro heroes would try to protect the students. But Reiji had no interest in being protected.
When the class arrived at U.S.J., they were greeted by Pro Hero: Thirteen, a rescue specialist known for their Black Hole Quirk.
"Welcome, Class 1-A! Today, we will be simulating various disaster scenarios to teach you how to handle rescue operations."
As Thirteen spoke, Reiji's sharp gaze scanned the area.
The U.S.J. facility was massive—designed like a disaster-struck city, complete with zones for floods, landslides, fires, and collapsed buildings.
But he wasn't focused on the training.
His instincts told him something was already off.
Aizawa, standing nearby, seemed on high alert, his eyes darting around subtly.
[He feels it too.]
Then, it happened.
A strange distortion appeared at the center of the U.S.J. facility.
Aizawa's eyes snapped toward it immediately.
"What the hell?" Bakugo muttered.
Reiji's smirk widened.
The air rippled and twisted, and suddenly—dark portals tore open across the training grounds.
And from those portals, dozens of figures emerged.
Villains.
The students froze in horror as the League of Villains flooded into U.S.J.
Leading them was a man with pale, decayed hands gripping his neck—Tomura Shigaraki.
Behind him stood a monstrous, muscular beast with a brain exposed—the Nomu.
And scattered across the battlefield, lesser villains grinned with predatory glee as they laid eyes on U.A.'s top students.
"Well, well," Shigaraki drawled, tilting his head. "I was expecting All Might… but I guess I'll have to play with you kids instead."
For the first time, Reiji felt it.
Real killing intent.
This wasn't training.
This was war.
Aizawa reacted instantly.
"Everyone, get back!" he commanded, his capture weapon already flaring out as he rushed into battle.
Thirteen turned to the students. "Run to the exit—"
Before they could move, a massive portal expanded behind them.
A deep, smooth voice echoed through the air.
"Now, now. We can't have that."
Reiji's eyes locked onto the one who spoke.
A tall, mist-like figure in a suit stepped forward, his voice eerily polite. Kurogiri.
Before anyone could react, his black mist surged forward, swallowing the students whole.
When Reiji regained his vision, he was standing in a new location.
The murky scent of stagnant water filled his nose.
He turned his head slightly, analyzing his surroundings.
He was in the Flood Zone.
Around him, several other students were trying to orient themselves.
Among them were Froppy (Asui), Mineta… and Deku.
"Tch," Reiji muttered. This wasn't ideal.
His thoughts were interrupted as villains emerged from the water, their grins predatory.
"Look at what we have here," one of them sneered. "Some U.A. brats."
Deku tensed. "We have to—"
Before he could finish, one of the villains lunged.
Reiji didn't even blink.
He vanished in a burst of Hellfire.
The villain barely had time to register his movement before—
CRACK!
Reiji reappeared behind him, his fist buried deep in the man's gut.
The villain's eyes bulged before he collapsed into the water, unconscious.
The remaining villains froze.
"What the hell—?!"
Reiji straightened, rolling his shoulders. "This is a waste of time."
Without hesitation, he grabbed another villain by the face and slammed him into the ground, leaving a smoking crater.
Deku and Froppy stared in shock.
[He's… brutal.]
Reiji turned toward them, his expression unreadable.
"Handle the rest. I'm going to kill their leader."
Deku's breath hitched.
"Kill…?"
Reiji didn't answer.
He was already gone.
At the center of U.S.J., Aizawa fought with everything he had.
His capture scarf snapped through the air, taking down multiple villains in quick succession. His eyes glowed red, deactivating Quirks left and right.
But he knew—this wasn't enough.
The moment Shigaraki stepped forward, Aizawa felt something primal in his instincts.
[He's dangerous.]
Shigaraki tilted his head. "Erase Quirks all you want… but it won't help against this guy."
He raised a hand—and the Nomu moved.
Faster than anything Aizawa had seen before.
A blur of muscle and power crashed into him, sending him flying across the battlefield.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Aizawa groaned, barely able to move.
Shigaraki chuckled. "You heroes are so weak."
Then—
A new voice cut through the air.
"You talk too much."
Shigaraki's eyes widened.
From the flames, Reiji stepped forward.
His golden eyes glowed like a predator's, his body radiating heat and power.
He had arrived.
And unlike the others—he wasn't here to run.
He was here to hunt.
End of Chapter 8.
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