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Beginning of Chapter
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A week later...
The first week since the USJ incident dawned. Grey skies hung low over Musutafu, casting the halls of U.A. High in a muted, somber light. Students trickled into Class 1-A, their footsteps hesitant, eyes flicking nervously across the room. Whispers floated through the desks like ghosts.
"My parents nearly pulled me out…"
"Mine too… I had to beg them for hours."
"…They're scared. I'm scared too."
Groups formed near the front, students clinging to each other for comfort. Small gestures of reassurance, hands on shoulders, whispered reassurances, spoke louder than words.
At a desk near the back, Izuku Midoriya sat alone. No one approached him, not even Bakugo, whose silence was sharper than any insult. His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his notebook, tracing patterns he didn't notice, while his mind raced.
'If I just… why did I have to do that… all of this could have been avoided…'
The soft click of the door sliding open drew every gaze. Aizawa stepped in, his right arm bandaged, left eye covered, his presence commanding immediate attention. Everyone slowly went back tk their seats, their murmurs ceased; even the faint scratching of pens against paper seemed louder in the sudden quiet.
"I won't beat around the bush," Aizawa said, his voice flat yet deliberate. "We heard the complaints of parents. We know the fear and trauma you carry because of the incident." His hand gestured subtly toward the door. "The door is wide open. This is a life lesson I wish none of you had to learn. I understand if you leave. No one will judge you."
Not a single student moved. Eyes met eyes, each silently affirming they would stay, despite the fear lingering in their chests.
Aizawa allowed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "This was the harshest lesson you've learned, and hopefully the harshest you'll ever have to learn. Seeing those determined faces… my respect for each of you has grown."
He cleared his throat, shifting slightly. "Guidance programs have been opened. Midnight, as the main guidance teacher, will be available. Any teacher you trust can be approached to share your experience from that day."
A pause, the weight of the moment settling. "With that said… onto business. The Sports Festival is coming up. Now, I know–"
"Sir! With all due respect!" Iida stood abruptly, voice tight with concern. "Isn't this a little too fast? We experienced a tragedy. To host the Annual Sports Festival… isn't it asking too much?"
Murmurs of agreement went around the room, hands raising in tentative questions. Momo lifted her hand, curiosity and unease painted across her face. Aizawa raised a hand, drawing their attention.
"Yes. It's soon. You're right. But the Sports Festival is more than a tournament," he said, his tone firm yet measured. "It is a statement. That U.A. doesn't falter. That we rebuild. That we train. That fear will not control us, and it will not hold us down."
His speech, while small, lit the flames of determination in the room, quiet yet powerful. Iida sat, nodding, shoulders squared. Eyes met across desks, small sparks of resolve flickering to life. This was more than a competition, it was their collective defiance against chaos.
A soft voice broke through the moment. Uraraka raised her hand, tentative but steady. "…Where's Gojo?"
The room froze. Every whisper stopped mid-breath, every gaze turned toward Aizawa. His tired, unyielding eyes swept across the class, and he let out a quiet sigh.
"He's fine. Better than fine, actually. He's in the Principal's office."
Shock rippled through the room. Mouths opened and closed, disbelief etched into their expressions.
"WHAT?!"
The atmosphere shifted again, but this time with something else, curiosity, relief, and an undercurrent of hope, thin as a thread but undeniably present.
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Meanwhile... Nezus office
Gojo stood at the large window for a moment, gazing out at the quiet courtyard. He finally turned, stretched, and flopped casually onto the couch, one leg draped over the armrest. Across from him, All Might and Nezu sat on the other couch, their posture sharp, eyes narrowed with concern.
"So…" All Might began, leaning forward, "tell us what happened. How did the Nomu even get past your Infinity, and… whatever Hallows Purple is?"
Gojo smirked, pushing himself up on one elbow. "Actually, it's called 'Hollow Purple'. And the way the Nomu hit me… well, it's not surprising once you understand Kurogiri... Which now I do."
He paused, letting the two of them focus. "His Quirk works on spatial coordinates. Think of it like this:
He picks a point in space, locks it as a 'gate,' then forces a bridge between where he is and that point by tearing the space in between. Kind of like my warping… only I don't need gates, and I rely on Blue to boost the distance, and that I... You know what, forget what i said, my warping is actually different, my mistake."
All Might and Nezu exchanged thoughtful glances.
"So anyway, for the Nomu," Gojo continued, "he made me the 'gate'. The Nomu's fist became the second gate, then he bridged the two at the perfect moment. He bypassed my Infinity entirely. I must say Im impressed though. He truly is a counter to my distance barrier."
Nezu's ears twitched. "He creates a gate, tears space, bridges it… this is intriguing, but what about the Nomu?"
"Quite simple isn't it." Gojo said, shrugging. "Now, Hollow Purple. This one's a bit more… complicated and abstract." He tapped his chin, then grinned at All Might. "Don't worry, it's not too complicated. Just… scientific."
All Might scoffed then chuckled. "I'm ready. Give it your best shot."
Gojo held up his hands, a small red orb in his left and a blue in his right. "Imagine a small region of space in front of me. Normally, particles like electrons and protons gain mass through interaction with the Higgs field. If that field is disrupted or canceled in a region, particles lose their mass... they can't exist in the usual sense. Matter… effectively vanishes, at least at a fundamental level."
He combined the orbs, the two energies swirling together. "Red pushes matter apart at the atomic level. Blue pulls it together, creating intense pressure. Purple merges the two in the same space, destabilizing the Higgs field locally. Atoms get torn apart, quarks and electrons lose their defined 'place,' and the object isn't just destroyed, it's erased at the particle level."
Nezu leaned forward, eyes wide. "So that's why the Nomu couldn't regenerate… its cells literally had nothing to rebuild from. You erased the atoms themselves. A regeneration Quirk is useless if there's nothing left to regenerate."
Gojo leaned back into the couch, spinning the orbs between his fingers before they vanished. "Exactly. Makes me the ultimate counter to any regeneration Quirk. Anything that relies on existing matter… Purple doesn't care."
'His attitude had changed... he seems more playful... a coping mechanism? And when did he get time to understand this level of physics.' Nezu thought to himself.
All Might nodded slowly, though worry still present as he frowned. "I understand the power now… but you've been wearing that blindfold constantly. Were your eyes damaged?"
Gojo lifted the blindfold briefly, revealing one glowing blue eye before covering it again. "Nah. Keeps the glare down. See, after I 'awakened', I started seeing quirks as candle flames." His tone grew slightly serious.
"The Nomu? That thing was a bonfire, multiple quirks stacked in one body. If I stare too long, it's… sensory overload."
'That should be enough info for them.' He smiled as he thought.
All Might's curiosity sharpened, and even Nezu's expression tensed slightly.
'Quirk awakening? Or did his quirk just refine itself... I wonder what surprises he has in store for us...' Nezu chuckled to himself, surprising both men.
"So you can see through the fabric?" All Might asked, getting back to the discussion.
"Yeah," Gojo said casually. "It's thin enough that I see just fine. I just need to limit the brightness until my brain adjusts. Otherwise, headaches and mirages." He smirked, though his eyes flicked briefly toward All Might.
'Interesting… Midoriya's and All Might's flame seen to be similar... so far everyone's been unique but these two...' A thought he'd come later to solve the mystery of.
Nezu's ears twitched again. "Fascinating… each Quirk appears unique, and you can see these patterns..."
Gojo shrugged. All Might cleared his throat to get their attention ashe adressed Gojo once again.
"Young Satoru... About young Midoriya…I just wanted to–"
"I should give him a Purple to the face." Gojo said calmly.
All Might choked on a laugh. "Satoru! I know you're frustrated, but–"
"Relax," Gojo interrupted. "I had a plan. It almost worked. He cost me nearly my life and definitely cost the lives of three others. I get why he wanted to be a hero. But no. I won't forgive him. Moving on."
All Might exhaled slowly, leaning back. 'At least he won't try to kill him on the spot…' he thought.
Nezu observed quietly, his expression unreadable, but inside, he was already calculating the implications of what the boy infront of him was capable of.
'Im sorry All Might... but I think I found my bet for the future.'
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After lunchtime...
The classroom was quieter than usual, filled with an uneasy mix of anticipation and lingering shock from the week's events. Iida stood up, catching everyone's attention as he walked to the front and adressed the class.
"I know we all have had a horrible experience. I encourage everyone to make use of the guidance teachers. We must band together as one. United by strength and truth." He spoke to the class.
"Gojo saved us. We need to be grateful. When he returns, I wish for us to show him our thanks as properly as possible." He ended off.
Everyone having a slight smile, some nodding their heads, Kaminari cheering on Iida, causing laughter to the class St his antics.
Suddenly the door slid open, and the air seemed to shift.
Gojo stepped in casually, wraring the U.A uniform, and his blindfold still covering his eyes. At first, nobody moved. The room felt frozen as every student's gaze fell on him. Whispers passed like ripples through the room.
"…He's here…"
"Is he… okay?"
"Why's he wearing that?"
"Now what..."
Kaminari was the first to react. Without thinking, he dashed forward and enveloped Gojo in a tight hug. "Thank you… thank you for saving us!"
"Hey there, it's was no big deal really." Satoru said as he let out a laugh.
Uraraka and Mina followed in Kaminari's footsteps, their expressions a mixture of relief and awe, each giving him a brief, grateful embrace. Slowly, the rest of the class surged forward, voices overlapping in a chorus of thanks, tears threatening to fall. Even Bakugo, though stiff and silent, lowered his gaze, fists clenched tightly at his sides, had thanked Satoru in his own unique way.
Gojo's lips curved into a small, almost amused smile. He raised a hand, trying to calm them, though his eyes remained covered. "Hey, hey… calm down. Anywhere by the hair guys." He laughed, the rest around him joining in with smiles or giggles of their own.
He looked at Iida next. "You deserve your fair share too, buddy. You were out there… you tried your hardest."
Iida blinked, choking back a rush of guilt. "But… I-Im Sorry, ai–"
"Don't blame yourself," Gojo said, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Next time, you'll be fast enough to never feel that regret again. You'll get there. I know it."
Momo stepped forward, holding back tears. "Gojo… we need to tell you what happened while you were out. Parents, the festival, the… three students…" Her voice broke, but she pressed on. "They… they died protecting us. Shielding us, taking the hits… they gave everything for their friends."
Gojo's smile faded slightly as he wrapped her in a hug, letting her sob against him. "You all… did good. You did your best. That's what matters."
Uraraka stepped forward again, trembling. "I… I thought you died…"
"I'm alright," Gojo said softly, brushing her hair back. "You don't have to worry anymore."
His gaze flicked briefly toward Midoriya. For a moment, it lingered, but he looked away, letting the young boy's guilt and self-doubt remain unspoken. Then, with a small, reassuring nod, he turned back to the class.
"Alright," he said, voice warm but firm. "Let's get back to work. We've got a lot to improve, a lot to train for. But know this. Each one of you will become stronger to the point you'll look at this and have no regrets."
One by one, the students returned to their seats. The room still carried the weight of loss, but now it was mixed with resolve. Determination burned in their eyes, a quiet promise to themselves and to those they had lost.
Even Bakugo, silent as ever, clenched his fists at his sides, the fire in his eyes brighter than it had been all week.
Gojo settled into his own seat, casually leaning back, one leg over the desk. The classroom was alive again, not with laughter, but with purpose.
Uraraka came to his table. "Hey, you're alright right?... I mean your wearing a blindfold."
Gojo smiled as he turned his head to her. "Worried about me, so sweet." He teased, her face turning red as he laughed
One thing was certain though. It was just the beginning.
And Gojo was going to have a lot of fun.
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End of Chapter
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