Chapter 18: 18
The cafeteria still buzzed with scattered conversations as students tried to shake off the tension from the earlier false alarm. The red lights had ceased flashing, but the memory of the chaos lingered. Conversations carried on, with students joking about how they had panicked over nothing, while others still glanced around warily.
Midoriya poked at his food, deep in thought.
'That alarm, it felt too sudden. Too well-timed.'
Bakugo, sitting a few seats away, scoffed. "Tch. A bunch of damn reporters break in, and these extras acts like it's the end of the world."
Kirishima grinned. "Well, it kinda felt like it at the time! You should've seen some of the first-years running around."
"You were one of them" Jirou added flatly.
"Oi, that's not the point!"
Laughter rippled through the table. The tension was fading—at least, for them.
Radahn, however, was silent. His golden eyes tracked a single figure moving near the edge of the cafeteria, slipping away unnoticed. He had felt it before, long before the alarm had blared—a presence that did not belong. Unlike the students who had scrambled in panic, this figure had moved calmly, deliberately, weaving through the chaos as though it had all been planned.
He had ignored it at first, choosing to observe. But now, as he saw the figure exit through a hallway that led to a restricted part of U.A., he knew waiting was no longer an option.
Without a word, Radahn rose from his seat. No one noticed him leave.
The hallways of U.A. were deserted. The intruder was already deep inside the facility, heading toward a room few ever entered.
Radahn walked without sound, his presence concealed as though he were merely a phantom. He turned a corner and paused.
Ahead, the door to a desolate room had been left slightly ajar, faint light flickering from within. Radahn moved forward, stopping just outside, listening.
Inside, he heard rapid typing. The sound of data being accessed. A computer hummed softly as information flashed across the screen.
Radahn pushed the door open without hesitation.
A figure in a black-and-white mask spun around, startled. His wide, jittery eyes locked onto Radahn as his fingers froze over the keyboard.
"Who the hell are you?" the masked man asked, voice trembling slightly.
Radahn stepped forward, golden eyes gleaming in the dim light.
"You don't belong here."
The intruder's fingers twitched, and in an instant, another identical figure emerged from his body, then another, and another. The room was suddenly crowded with clones, each identical to the first.
"Shit, shit, shit!" one of them muttered.
"Didn't expect some weird guy to find me so fast. Alright, alright, gotta think—what would Shigaraki do?"
Radahn observed them , their movements frantic. He didn't react, his expression calm, as though the enemies before him were nothing more than an inconvenience.
One of the clones lunged, swinging a knife.
Radahn moved.
A flash of motion—too fast for any of them to register. The first clone barely had time to process what had happened before his entire form was consumed in a surge of violet energy, vanishing in an instant.
The others recoiled. "What the hell?!"
Radahn turned his gaze to the original.
"You're not real" he said, voice low and steady.
"Just a clone."
The real Twice, far away from his copies, flinched as a chill ran down his spine. "H-how the hell did he—?!"
Radahn didn't give him time to react. He extended a hand, his palm crackling with violet power. In the next instant, he moved like a phantom, weaving between the clones, his strikes precise and effortless. Each one he touched disintegrated, vanishing into nothingness.
Twice could do nothing but watch as his army was wiped out in mere seconds.
His breath came out ragged, fear settling in as Radahn stepped toward him, now the only one left standing.
"H-hold on now, pal." Twice's clone stammered, raising his hands.
"L-let's not do anything crazy, alright? I mean, come on, you wouldn't hit a guy who's got, uh, emotional trauma, right? That'd just be rude!"
Radahn said nothing. He simply raised his hand once more.
The clone didn't even have time to scream before his vision was consumed by violet light.
The room fell silent. The last remnants of the clones faded into nothing, leaving only the quiet hum of the computer that had been left running. Radahn glanced at the screen, eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the data displayed before him.
Then, without a word, he reached out and shut it down.
Turning on his heel, he left the room, disappearing into the darkness of the hallways, as though he had never been there at all.
---------After a couple of Days-----------
The morning at U.A. was filled with an unusual buzz of excitement as the students of Class 1-A gathered in their homeroom. Aizawa stood at the front of the class, his capture weapon lazily draped around his shoulders, his usual tired expression present.
"Listen up" he started, rubbing his eyes. "Today, we're heading to an off-campus training facility for a rescue exercise. Get into your hero costumes and meet at the front gate in ten minutes. Don't be late."
The students erupted into murmurs, some excited and others nervous.
"A rescue exercise?" Kirishima grinned. "Sounds awesome!"
"I hope it's not too dangerous," Yaoyorozu added, placing a hand under her chin.
Bakugo just scoffed, cracking his knuckles. "Tch. as long as I get to blast something, I don't care."
Midoriya, meanwhile, was already deep in thought.
"A rescue exercise, that means we'll probably have to focus on efficiency rather than fighting."
Aizawa sighed and turned slightly.
"All Might won't be joining us today."
Radahn, who had been sitting in the back, arms folded, glanced up.
"Since All Might isn't coming, why don't you tag along?" Aizawa asked, looking at him.
Radahn tilted his head slightly, golden eyes narrowing. "You trust me that much?"
Aizawa shrugged. "Not particularly. But you seem interested in evaluating these kids, and it's better to have another set of eyes in case something happens."
Radahn chuckled. "Very well. This should be entertaining."
With that, Aizawa turned back to the students. "Get changed. Meet at the bus in ten minutes."
—
In the locker rooms, the students quickly changed into their hero costumes, adjusting their gear and making last-minute preparations.
"Uraraka, you ready?" Asui asked, flexing her fingers.
"Yeah! I've been working on reducing nausea when I use my Quirk too much." Uraraka replied, fastening her gloves.
A few feet away, Kaminari was stretching his arms. "I wonder if we'll be simulating disasters like earthquakes or floods."
The students finished changing and walked toward the school gate, where a large black bus was waiting for them. Aizawa stood by it, arms crossed, with Radahn standing a few feet away, his coffee-coloured full-sleeve shirt and black pants contrasting against the vibrant hero costumes of the students.
—
Inside the bus, the students naturally fell into conversations.
"You know, Midoriya." Asui suddenly spoke up, tilting her head.
"Your Quirk is kinda similar to All Might's, kero."
Midoriya, who had been scribbling in his notebook, immediately stiffened.
"W-what? No way! That's not— I mean— M-maybe it's a coincidence?!"
The way he flailed his hands and started muttering nonsense only made his classmates look at him with more suspicion.
"Yeah, but there's a difference," Kirishima pointed out, leaning forward. "All Might doesn't wreck his body when he fights. Meanwhile, you keep breaking your arms and legs every time you throw a punch."
"Hoshigami-sensei unlocked his potential."
Todoroki spoke for the first time, his arms folded.
"That moment during training—when Midoriya fought him—he used his power at full capacity without suffering any injuries."
That statement got the attention of everyone on the bus.
"Yeah, that was crazy!" Kaminari said, recalling the fight. "You were so fast, it was like you turned into a green blur!"
"How did it feel, Midoriya?" Sero asked.
"Using your Quirk at full power without breaking yourself?"
Midoriya scratched his cheek.
"It was incredible. I've never felt so in control before. But it only lasted for two minutes."
"You still lost." Bakugo scoffed, arms crossed.
"Didn't matter how strong you were. He still put you down in one hit."
Midoriya looked away, remembering how it ended. No matter how much stronger he had felt in that moment, Radahn had overwhelmed him.
Radahn, sitting in the back, remained silent, listening to their conversations but not commenting. His gaze was directed outside the window, scanning the city as they moved.
At the front, Aizawa glanced at him before turning back to the students.
"We're almost there. Pay attention," he said, ending their chatter.
—
Soon, the bus pulled up to a massive dome-shaped facility. As the students stepped outside, they took in the sight before them—an enormous training centre with multiple simulated disaster zones.
"This is the Unforeseen Simulation Joint," Aizawa announced. "USJ for short."
The students marvelled at the sight of the massive complex, complete with areas simulating landslides, floods, collapsed buildings, and even a shipwreck.
"Whoa, it's like a movie set!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"This place is huge" Yaoyorozu observed.
Aizawa continued, "We'll be running various rescue scenarios today. This training is about learning how to save lives, not how to fight."
Some students nodded in understanding, while others—particularly Bakugo—looked slightly disappointed.
Then Aizawa turned slightly, glancing at Radahn.
As the students gathered inside the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, their eyes wandered across the vast facility, taking in the different disaster zones designed to simulate real-life crisis situations. Thirteen stood before them, her suit-clad figure radiating calm authority.
Standing in front of them was a hero in a astronaut-themed hero costume—Pro Hero Thirteen. She greeted them with a friendly wave.
"Welcome, Class 1-A! I'm glad you're all here."
"I am the Space Hero: Thirteen. My Quirk is called Black Hole." She raised one of her gloved fingers, emphasizing her point.
"With it, I can create small black holes that suck in and disintegrate anything at the atomic level. It's incredibly powerful and incredibly dangerous."
The students listened intently, some of them already aware of her abilities, while others were seeing the hero in action for the first time.
"Whoa! that's actually terrifying." Kaminari muttered under his breath.
"Yes, which is why I always stress control."
Thirteen continued, folding her arms.
"The main reason I use my Quirk is for rescue operations. I can clear debris, open paths, and help people escape danger when conventional methods fail. That's what today's training will focus on—rescue strategies and teamwork."
Asui raised a hand. "Thirteen, if your Quirk can disintegrate anything, does that mean you could—ribbit—use it offensively, too?"
Thirteen nodded. "Yes, it could be used in battle. But that's not what being a hero is about. Our job is to save people, not to destroy. And that's why Quirk responsibility is just as important as Quirk strength."
Momo nodded in agreement. "That's an important lesson. Power without restraint can be just as dangerous as villainy itself."
Thirteen chuckled. "Exactly! I see you're already thinking like a true hero."
Hearing this, Midoriya couldn't help but think about his own Quirk. He was still struggling to control it, often hurting himself in the process. He clenched his fists slightly, determined to one day reach a level where he could save others without breaking himself in the process.
Thirteen turned toward Radahn with a polite nod, her voice carrying a hint of surprise. "I was expecting All Might to join us today. I didn't know we had another instructor accompanying the class."
Aizawa gave a tired sigh. "Change of plans. All Might is busy, so he won't be here. Hoshigami is filling in."
Thirteen tilted her head slightly as she examined Radahn. "I see… Well, it's always good to have another capable hero around. Nice to meet you, Hoshigami-san."
Radahn simply nodded, his golden eyes momentarily scanning Thirteen. "Likewise, Hero Thirteen" His voice was calm.
Aizawa crossed his arms and glanced at Radahn. "You said you wanted to observe how we handle combat and disaster scenarios, right? Consider this an opportunity."
Radahn let out a small hum of acknowledgment, his gaze drifting toward the facility before them. "I'll be watching closely."
"Alright" Thirteen continued, looking at the students. "Any other questions before we begin?"
The students looked around at one another, murmuring among themselves.
Before anyone could speak, however, a dark, swirling energy suddenly appeared in the distance.
At first, some of them thought it was part of the training. But as figures started emerging from the vortex—dozens of them, each with a sinister presence—the atmosphere turned cold. Kirishima took a step forward, squinting at the approaching figures. "Uh. this part of the exercise?"
Aizawa's eyes narrowed as he instinctively reached for his goggles. His voice dropped into a serious tone.
"No" he said grimly. "Those are real villains."
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A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. If you have any thoughts, suggestions, or notice any mistakes, feel free to drop a comment. I love reading your feedback and seeing what you all think. Your input helps improve the story, so don't hold back.
Looking forward to hearing from you! 🚀🔥
:D