The boys finally arrived a minute later, dressed in their hero costumes—some flashy, some tactical, some… questionable.
"FINALLY!" Mina exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "What were you doing, a fashion show?"
"Nope," Izuku replied casually, walking at the front of the group. "Just uniting the boys. You'll thank me later."
Kirishima grinned. "Big bro's idea."
"Big bro?" Jiro echoed with an eyebrow raise, glancing between them.
"Don't ask," Izuku said with a smirk as he took his place.
All Might clapped his massive hands together, the booming sound echoing across Ground Beta.
"Alright, now that we are ALL here, let's begin!"
He turned toward the group, his cape billowing slightly in the breeze.
"Today's training will be a battle exercise designed to simulate a real-life combat scenario. But unlike regular combat training, this isn't just about fighting—this is about strategy, teamwork, and quick thinking."
He paused, scanning the eager faces before continuing.
"You'll be divided into two teams—Heroes and Villains. The Villains will be guarding a 'nuclear weapon'—a big, symbolic bomb hidden inside a building. The Heroes' job will be to either capture the Villains or secure the bomb before time runs out. The Villains win if they successfully defend the bomb until the timer ends, or if they capture the Heroes."
"Capture?" Uraraka asked.
"Exactly," All Might nodded. "Heroes can win by restraining villains with capture tape—just like Villains can use it to trap the Heroes. Once taped securely, you're out. That means every move you make needs to be decisive and thought-out. You won't have the luxury of wasting energy."
Momo raised her hand. "What about property damage?"
"Good question!" All Might gave a thumbs-up. "Since this is a training site, you are allowed to damage the building to a certain extent, but remember—reckless destruction can be dangerous. In a real battle, damaging the environment too much could put innocent lives at risk. So be smart."
Iida straightened his posture, hand shooting up. "And the time limit?"
"Ten minutes," All Might answered firmly. "The moment the exercise starts, a timer will begin. If neither side completes their objective in that time, the Villains automatically win. And to keep things fair, I will be monitoring your movements via security cameras throughout the building."
He stepped forward, his shadow falling over the class. "Remember—this is not just about raw strength. It's about reading your opponent, anticipating their moves, and working with your partner. The strongest power is useless without a strong mind to guide it!"
He pointed to the board behind him, where the match-ups were already displayed.
"Now then… let's draw lots for the teams!"
The class erupted in excitement, some students grinning with anticipation, others feeling a knot of nervousness in their stomachs.
The monitor lit up, showing the match-up:
Team A (Heroes): Izuku Midoriya & Ochaco Uraraka
Team D (Villains): Katsuki Bakugo & Tenya Iida
Katsuki's grin widened the moment he saw the names.
"Tch… Finally, I get to blow that smug look off your face, Deku."
Izuku didn't even spare him a glance. Instead, he turned to Uraraka and gave her a casual wink. She instantly flushed and looked away, fiddling with her fingers.
'He fucken ignored me! You'll see what I do to you. You might even quit U.A. when I'm done with you,' Katsuki thought, sparks crackling from his palms.
All Might quickly stepped in before Katsuki exploded for real.
"Heroes to the strategy room—Villains to the building. Five minutes prep time!"
Uraraka and Izuku moved briskly toward the strategy room.
[Heroes' Strategy Room]
The moment they stepped inside, Uraraka turned toward him.
"So… do you have a plan? Just to make it clear, I've never actually used my Quirk in a fight with someone before."
Izuku leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face. This wasn't something he had to improvise—he'd already thought through a dozen ways this match could go. He'd been planning it since… well, since long before he even stepped foot in this world.
"Yeah. Katsuki's going to come straight for me—he's incapable of ignoring me. You won't even have to fight Iida. All you need to do is secure the bomb."
"Huh? How?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Leave Katsuki to me, obviously. As for Iida—he's disciplined, so he won't abandon his post. But he's dense as hell. You can bait him into chasing you. He's fast, yeah, but from what I know of his Quirk right now, he's not great at handling sharp turns. So when he's right behind you, turn a corner and tap him with your Quirk. He'll shoot forward while floating, completely out of the fight."
Uraraka's eyes lit up. "That's… actually a really good plan."
Then she frowned slightly. "But… when I use my Quirk on really big objects, I get sick. What if I can't hold on long enough?"
Izuku leaned forward, his voice firm. "Then today's the day you learn to push through it. Remember, every test here is designed to push our limits. And I think it's time you break yours, Uraraka."
Her hesitation melted into determination. She smiled brightly. "Thanks, Izu. I'll try my best!"
"Good. Then let's make this quick," Izuku said, standing up.
"Alright, times up! Heroes, hurry into the building!" All Might's voice boomed over the speakers.
They walked out of the strategy room, stepping into the building's dim interior.
The air was still. Every step echoed on the polished floor.
BEEP! The timer started.
Izuku could already hear them—Katsuki's heavy, aggressive footfalls and Iida's precise, mechanical pacing. Every sound echoed faintly through the building's walls like distant thunder.
"Alright," Izuku said calmly, keeping his voice low. "The bomb's on the third floor, right side. Iida and Katsuki are both up there. To get there without being noticed, take that staircase right there. It'll put you exactly where you need to be for our plan."
Uraraka nodded without hesitation. "Got it," she whispered, before sprinting toward the stairs, her light footsteps barely making a sound.
[Third Floor – Bomb Room]
Katsuki paced like a caged animal, shoulders hunched forward, palms sparking in short, violent bursts. He was itching to move.
"Tch… He's mine. Four-Eyes, don't you dare move from that bomb."
"I wasn't planning to," Iida replied sharply, standing tall in front of the device. He adjusted his glasses, the light reflecting off the lenses in a sharp flash. "I'll stand guard like a true super villain."
Katsuki stared at him for a long second.
' Is nobody in this class normal?' he thought with a grimace before turning toward the hallway.
Without another word, he broke into a sprint.
[Stairwell – Second Floor Landing]
He didn't take the stairs like a normal person. He vaulted over the entire flight, landing hard before continuing his charge forward, each step pounding the floor.
' I'm gonna kill you, DEKU!' he seethed, his palms flaring with brighter explosions.
Izuku stood perfectly still in the open space between two staircases in the main lobby, leaning slightly to the side like he was just waiting. His breathing was steady, his expression unreadable. He could feel Katsuki's presence getting closer, like a storm about to hit.
That's when it happened—
A translucent system board appeared in front of his eyes.
Objective: Defeat Katsuki without sustaining for than 30% of damage of anything inside the building.
● Temporary blindness for 7 days
Izuku's eyes widened slightly. ' WHAT THE FUCK?! I can fail missions now!?'