Class 1-A stepped out of the tunnel leading to Ground Beta, the artificial city glimmering under the morning sun. The air carried the faint metallic scent of steel and concrete — freshly built, yet scarred from past training exercises.
Their footsteps echoed against the pavement, a scattered mix of nerves and excitement. Hero costumes shimmered under the light — every student looked transformed, no longer just kids in uniforms but fledgling heroes ready to make their mark.
And there, standing proudly in the center of the mock city street, was All Might, the Symbol of Peace himself, striking his trademark pose — one hand on his hip, the other gleaming toward the sky.
"This is getting me all revved up!" he boomed, his voice bouncing off every building wall. "You all look so cool! Now, shall we get started, you bunch of newbies?"
A few of the students laughed nervously, others clenched their fists in anticipation. Rei simply stood still, his expression calm beneath the half-mask, his ghostly white hair ruffling lightly in the wind.
All Might's grin never wavered as he raised a clipboard. "Today's exercise is simple — a Battle Trial!"
He paused dramatically, waiting for the gasps that followed.
"The setup is as follows! You'll all be split into teams of two — ten pairs in total! Each pair will face another team in a simulated battle scenario inside one of these buildings."
He turned and gestured toward the cityscape behind him, its maze of corridors and glass towers perfectly mimicking a real urban battlefield.
"One team will play the Villains! Their goal is to hide a fake payload somewhere inside the building and protect it! The other team, the Heroes, must either capture the villains or secure the payload before time runs out!"
All Might's voice boomed like thunder, the sheer energy making the ground vibrate beneath our feet.
"You'll have five minutes to plan and set up your defenses, villains, and then fifteen minutes for the heroes to make their move! Capture tape will be your method of restraining your opponents — use it wisely!"
Rei's eyes followed All Might's every motion. His voice carried both weight and excitement — commanding attention like no one else could.
"And of course…" All Might leaned forward, pulling a small box from behind his back with dramatic flair. On the front, in big bold letters, were the words: 'LOTS'.
"We'll be deciding the teams by drawing lots!"
The class murmured in surprise — and some dread — as All Might began walking through the crowd, letting each student draw their fate.
A few minutes later, the final list appeared
U.A. High School Battle Trial – Team Assignments
[Mina Ashido & Rei Kageyama] vs [Katsuki Bakugo & Tenya Iida]
[Mezo Shoji & Shoto Todoroki] vs [Toru Hagakure & Mashirao Ojiro]
[Izuku Midoriya & Ochako Uraraka] vs [Eijiro Kirishima & Hanta Sero]
[Tsuyu Asui & Fumikage Tokoyami] vs [Momo Yaoyorozu & Minoru Mineta]
Rei stared at the board for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly behind the tinted visor.
'Ashido... That's the pink-haired girl with an acid quirk.'
Before he could even start looking for her in the crowd, she was already striding toward him — confident, upbeat, and waving like they'd known each other for years. Her pink skin caught the sunlight, the faint shimmer of her acid-resistant hero costume reflecting a soft violet hue.
"Heyyy, found ya first!" she greeted, her voice lively and bright enough to slice through the chatter.
"I'm Mina Ashido, and you're Rei Kageyama, right?"
"Correct," Rei said evenly, giving her a polite nod. His tone wasn't cold, but controlled — as if every word was weighed before it left his mouth. "It seems we're going first, against Bakugo and Iida."
"Yup!" she replied, spinning the capture tape around her finger. "Talk about starting off with a bang, huh? Bakugo's that loud guy from yesterday, right?"
Rei nodded again, faint amusement flickering in his eyes. "That's one way to describe him."
"So, Mr. 125 points," Mina teased with a grin, crossing her arms and tilting her head. "I assume you've got a plan of sorts? Bakugo seemed kinda strong."
"Of course I do." Rei leaned against a nearby light pole, his stance calm, analytical. The faint hum of the training city surrounded them. Streets, artificial lights and faint echoes of the mock skyline. "You should always have a plan ready. Here's what we'll do."
Mina's playful smirk faded slightly as Rei's tone sharpened, his words measured.
"Based on my impression of Bakugo," he began, "he'll rush in immediately — probably gunning for me. Iida will have to stay behind to defend the payload."
Mina perked up at that, intrigued. "So what do you propose we do about Bakugo? Oh, maybe we could gang up on him together!" she offered, her tone half-serious but clearly invested.
Rei paused, running the scenario through his mind. "That might be a viable strategy," he admitted, "but I have a better idea. Bakugo won't back down easily. Getting close enough to use the capture tape while he's detonating explosions nonstop would be… difficult."
"Yeah, fair point," Mina said, pretending to pout before letting out a short laugh. "Guess we can't exactly surprise attack him."
"But here's my plan," Rei continued, arms crossing as his ghostly aura faintly shimmered for just a second. "We draw Bakugo to us — make noise, create movement, something to bait him out. I'll keep him occupied for as long as possible. Meanwhile, you'll slip past him and go for Iida. Use your acid to slow him down, make him cornered. If you can't capture him, just touch the payload and we win."
Mina nodded, her earlier energy focusing into determination. "Got it. Separate them, then finish fast. Works for me."
Overhead, All Might's voice boomed through the speakers, loud and echoing off the walls."ONE MORE MINUTE, HEROES AND VILLAINS!"
Rei pushed off from the pole and adjusted his gloves. "And if Bakugo doesn't take the bait, we'll sniff him out. Stick to cover, and keep moving."
"Roger that!" Mina said, cracking her knuckles with a grin. "Just don't take too many explosions, alright? I'd hate leave the Battle Trial with a pair in shambles!"
Rei's eyes glinted faintly behind the visor. "I'll try not to."
They shared a brief nod — calm meeting confidence — as the countdown began.
"Oh yeah, Ashido."
All Might's booming voice echoed across the training field.
"Alright! Let's begin the indoor combat training. Your time starts now!"
"Yeah?" Mina turned her head toward Rei, brow raised in mild confusion.
"We should enter through the second floor," Rei replied calmly, already scanning the façade of the training building.
Before Mina could ask why, a ghostly shimmer appeared beside Rei — a translucent hand of pure energy extending outward, its fingers tightening with purpose. With barely a pause, Rei basically scooped up Mina.
"Wha— hey, wait!"
The spectral hand shot upward, gripping the edge of the second-floor balcony and pulling them both skyward in one smooth, fluid motion.
"Eek!" Mina yelped, clutching Rei as her feet left the ground. The rush of air hit them before the ghostly limb gently set them down on the metal balcony with a muted thud.
Rei stepped forward the moment they landed, his visor reflecting the dim hallway lights beyond the door. "I doubt they'd have the payload on the first floor," he said, tone even as always. "This just cuts time."
Mina exhaled, half in relief and half in awe. "You could've warned me first, y'know," she muttered with a shaky grin, jogging to catch up as Rei slipped quietly into the corridor.
Rei noticed the faint blush still dusting Mina's cheeks and tilted his head slightly. 'Guess she doesn't do well with flying through the air...'
"Alright, stay close behind me, Ashido," he said, voice steady but audible enough to carry down the hallway. "I'll check each room before moving on. Keep your eyes peeled for traps or scorch marks. Bakugo's not exactly the subtle type."
"Got it! We'll find that payload in no time!" Mina replied, a grin creeping back onto her face as she trailed a step behind. Her boots made a faint clack against the tile with every careful step.
As Rei pushed open the first door, scanning the empty office-like room inside, Mina piped up again. "So, uh… do you always sound this calm when explosions might be waiting around the corner?"
Rei glanced back briefly, eyes narrowing just a little behind the visor. "Panic doesn't help. Staying alert does."
"Right, right," Mina said, puffing her cheeks slightly. "Remind me to borrow some of that calm next time we're falling two stories through the air."
A small huff of amusement escaped Rei. "Noted. I'll make sure to warn you next time."
They moved in sync now — Rei checking corners, ghost hands opening doors ahead of them, while Mina stayed close, leaving faint acid marks on the floor to mark which rooms they'd cleared.
"Smart," Rei commented as they approached the next hall.
"Hey, I'm more than just pink and bubbly," Mina whispered back with a wink, though her grin quickly faded when they heard a faint bang echo from deeper in the building.
Both froze instantly. Rei raised a hand, summoning another spectral arm that hovered beside him, its translucent fingers curling slightly as if ready to strike.
A sharp, manic laugh cut through the hallway like a blade.
"Found you…"
Bakugo detonated through the corner, the force of the blast scattering dust and loose ceiling tiles in a hot, crackling wave. He landed with the same feral grin Rei had seen yesterday—eyes bright, chest heaving, sparks licking his fingertips.
"I'll blow you up, Scarface!" he snarled, voice raw with adrenaline.
The explosion had thrown loose papers and a ceiling lamp into the corridor; a thin rain of debris rattled against the walls. The air smelled faintly of ozone and scorched paint. Mina's eyes went wide; her grin melted into a sharp intake of breath.
Rei acted without theatrics. He shoved Mina behind him with a single, practiced motion, the ghostly hand materializing and sliding between them like a transparent shield. She stumbled back but kept her footing—acid sizzled faintly where it had kissed the floor earlier, but it wasn't in the blast's path.
Rei's own movement was tight and economical: a quick sidestep, shoulders low, boots silent on the tile. He caught Bakugo's motion in a glance. The way he wound his arm, the flare of heat around his fist and gave Mina the smallest, most deliberate signal: a tap to her shoulder and a subtle tilt of his chin toward an open doorway. Nothing loud. No wasted motion. Enough to say go.
Mina understood. She sprang toward the doorway, nimble and quick, making for the flank they'd planned. Behind her, Rei readied himself, ghost hand hovering at his side like a coiled weapon, eyes locked on Bakugo's explosive posture.
The hallway hung in a tense second between two breaths.
Then the fight snapped into motion.
Bakugo lunged first—his right arm cocked back, sparks crackling violently in his palm. The air around him warped with heat as his quirk ignited, blasting him forward like a cannonball.
'A right hook. I expected this,' Rei noted, his eyes sharp and calculating.
The moment Bakugo's gauntlet-clad fist cut through the air, a translucent ghost hand shimmered into existence beside it—swift, fluid, and perfectly timed. It caught the angle of Bakugo's strike mid-motion and redirected it with a twisting push, throwing off his momentum in a single graceful move.
Bakugo's eyes widened. "What the-"
Before he could finish, Rei's real fist slammed into his abdomen with precision, the impact sending a crack of air through the hall. Bakugo's breath escaped in a guttural growl, pain flashing across his face. He tumbled backward, boots scraping against the floor before he twisted midair, blasting a quick explosion beneath himself to break the fall. The shockwave rattled the hallway, scattering debris across the floor.
But Rei didn't pause. His expression stayed unreadable—focused, calm. A second ghost hand surged from the air, grasping Bakugo's leg before he could recover. The moment Bakugo's glare met Rei's visor, the hand tightened its grip.
With a sharp flick of Rei's wrist, the spectral limb hurled Bakugo like a ragdoll straight into the nearby wall. The concrete cracked, dust exploding outward from the impact.
Bakugo groaned but was already forcing himself back up, fury etched into every line of his face. Rei stood his ground, posture steady, ghostly energy pulsing faintly around his arms like a heartbeat—silent, unwavering, ready for the next move.
"You're… you're just an extra!" Bakugo growled, shoulders tense, palms flaring with volatile sparks that lit up his sneering face. "I haven't even gotten serious yet!"
Each step he took forward was punctuated by a low pop of igniting sweat, the acrid smell of smoke filling the hallway. "I bet you think you're so much better just because you're countering my moves…" His voice dropped lower, venomous.
Rei said nothing. He stood still—silent, calm, unreadable behind his visor—his hands loose but ready at his sides.
'I don't think that, but alright.'
Bakugo bared his teeth, frustration twisting his face. "You think I don't know what you're trying to do?! I'm not gonna make the next move. I've got time to spare—you don't!"
Rei's gaze hardened. Behind the dark lens, his eyes flicked once—calculating, cold.'I either have to trust Ashido enough to deal with Iida… or take this into my own hands.'
A breath. Then the air shimmered.
With a single, fluid motion, four ghostly arms erupted from Rei's sides, translucent and spectral, their movements perfectly in sync with his thoughts. They shot forward in a coordinated surge—two sweeping wide, one angling low, and the last striking straight toward Bakugo's chest.
"Finally…" Bakugo's lips split into a wild grin as he launched himself upward, explosions bursting beneath his feet. "A real fight!"
The sound of detonations roared through the corridor as he twisted midair, narrowly evading the sweeping hands. A blast grazed one of them, it's form shuddered before bursting apart into fading wisps of shimmering light.
"Tch—so they can be blown apart, huh?" Bakugo smirked through the smoke, the grin returning with manic intensity. "Let's see how long you can keep that up, scarface!"
Rei adjusted his stance, his cloak rustling faintly in the wave of residual heat. New ghost hands began to form behind him, fingers curling like phantom claws.
'So he figured that out… But that's fine.'
Rei pressed the small earpiece wedged beneath his hood, voice low but steady.
"Ashido, what's the situation there?" His eyes never left Bakugo, tracking every subtle shift of the boy's stance, every flicker of sparks along his palms. "Ashido, do you copy?"
Only static answered.
Rei's brow furrowed beneath his visor. 'No response. Either she's fighting... or something happened.' His jaw tightened as the heat from Bakugo's explosions rippled across the hall.
'Then I'll have to end this quickly.'
Before Bakugo could make another move, Rei lunged forward, three ghost hands snapped into motion like drawn whips.
"Think I'd fall for the same trick twice?!" Bakugo barked, blasting himself skyward in a flare of smoke and orange light.
But this time, Rei was ready. He extended another hand. Not toward Bakugo, but toward the shattered concrete beneath his boots. With a flex of his wrist, the ghostly limb hurled a chunk of debris through the smoke.
The rubble struck Bakugo square in the forearm.
"Tch! What the hell?!" The blonde's trajectory faltered as the impact threw him off balance, smoke billowing around him. He barely managed to twist midair before crashing down, teeth bared in frustration.
"You're just throwing rocks at me now?!" he snarled, detonating another blast to scatter the incoming barrage.
But more rubble came. And more.
Each explosion he made only broke apart more of the environment, giving Rei ammunition. The ghost hands moved in rhythm, flinging debris with precise, machine-like timing, herding Bakugo into tighter spaces with each throw.
Rei, cloaked in gray smoke and shimmering light, advanced step by step. Cold, composed, methodical. Two additional hands formed behind him, gripping more broken chunks of wall as the air hummed faintly with energy.
'He's losing patience. Just a little closer…'
And then Rei dashed forward, his boots barely making a sound against the fractured floor. Every ghost hand surged in unison. Five spectral arms closing in like a trap.
"Hah! Exactly what I wanted!" Bakugo's voice cracked with manic delight, his grin stretching as he leveled his arm straight at Rei. The gauntlet covering his forearm gleamed under the emergency lights, its metallic casing faintly rattling from the pressure inside.
His fingers curled around the pin near the top. "This baby stores up my sweat and ignites it in one blast!"
Rei's eyes widened behind the dark lens of his visor.
'That's what it does? I thought it was just for show…'
Bakugo's finger twitched, resting on the pin, his pupils dilating with pure excitement. "I'll blast you to pieces, extra!"
The earpiece crackled suddenly. All Might's booming voice cut through the tension.
"Young Bakugo! Don't do it! You'll kill him!"
Bakugo only laughed, wild and unrestrained. "He'll survive if he's fast enough to dodge! Right, Scarface?!"
'Shit.' Rei's teeth clenched as he instinctively stepped back, boots scraping against the concrete. The air itself seemed to vibrate under the growing heat.
'That thing must have a ton of sweat stored up. If he fires that at me head-on… I'm done for.'
Bakugo's eyes gleamed with battle-crazed energy. "Here it comes!"
He yanked the pin.
The gauntlet whined like an overloading reactor, glowing from orange to white-hot as energy gathered in its core. Rei could feel the wave of pressure building—a storm seconds from release.
'I can't block that. Redirecting is the only option—but it's too fast. Too close.'
He raised a hand anyway, summoning a ghostly arm that shimmered faintly in the air. His visor flickered to life, the faint white pupils of his display igniting with determination.
'One hand won't be enough… unless—'
Rei contracted the ghost hand as Sparks erupted from Bakugo's gauntlet. The world seemed to freeze—heat warping the air between them as the explosion bloomed.
Rei's hand tightened. The spectral glow of his quirk flared to life again—
—and then everything went white.
[Mina POV - 5th floor]
Despite my best efforts, I haven't gotten anywhere. Iida's too fast. He moves like a wind-up toy on turbo mode, zipping across the room every time I even think about getting close. He even managed to knock off my earpiece earlier, which means no more talking to Rei. Great.
The fake bomb's right there though. So close I can almost taste victory. If I could just touch it—just one little graze with my finger—this whole thing would be over.
"Aha! You'll never get to the bomb, hero!" Iida's voice boomed across the room, his polished armor gleaming under the fluorescent lights. He looked like he'd been waiting all his life for this moment.
'Iida's really playing the part here,' I thought, half amused, half annoyed, as I slid across the floor using a trail of acid to keep momentum. My shoes hissed slightly where the residue met the ground.
"That's what you think, Ii— I mean, Villain!" I shot back, trying to sound heroic while dodging another one of his fast charges. "Once my fellow hero takes care of your scummy friend, we'll take that bomb!"
Iida crossed his arms dramatically, voice full of mock villainy. "Like that will happen! You'll never—"
The rest of his sentence was swallowed by a deafening explosion. The entire building shook under my feet as dust rained from the ceiling. The floor behind me cracked and partially caved in. I barely managed to stay upright, slipping on my own acid in the process.
"What was that?!" My heart jumped into my throat. "Could that have been… Bakugo?"
Iida froze mid-step, his usual composure faltering. "By the gods, I hope Bakugo's fine!"
For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence. The kind that made your stomach twist and your thoughts run wild.
'Rei… please be okay.'
I darted toward where my earpiece had fallen earlier. The small device was covered in dust, one side slightly cracked, but maybe, just maybe, it still worked. I scooped it up quickly, pressing the side button with shaky fingers.
"Rei, can you hear me?" I whispered, hoping for any kind of response.
At first, all I heard was static. No voice, no sound—just that broken buzz of interference.
'Crap, do I have to go back and see the situation myself?' I bit my lip, glancing toward the stairs. The explosion had come from somewhere below, and every instinct screamed at me to move—but before I could take a step, the static cut out.
Then I heard it.
"...What floor..."
My heart practically jumped. "Fifth!" I said quickly, trying to keep my voice low but firm.
That was all I got before Iida finally snapped out of his stunned trance. The whirring sound of his engines filled the air again, echoing through the tight hallways.
"This ends here, hero!" he bellowed, launching forward in a blur of metal and speed.
I barely managed to dodge, sliding across the ground as his armored boots crashed into the wall behind me, leaving deep cracks in the plaster. The shockwave nearly threw me off my feet again.
"Accept defeat! Here I co—"
He didn't get to finish.
Out of nowhere, translucent hands—five, maybe six of them—shot through the doorway like ghosts, wrapping around Iida before he even knew what hit him. His body lifted clean off the ground, engines sputtering mid-air.
Two more ghostly hands followed, spiraling around him and tying him up neatly in capture tape until he looked like some weirdly dignified caterpillar.
"...Wow..." I exhaled, my knees nearly giving out from the tension.
Then I saw him. Rei rounded the corner, calm as ever despite the state he was in. His visor was cracked at the edge, a faint scorch mark ran down his left arm, and his breathing was heavy—but his expression didn't waver.
Behind him, Bakugo was dragged along the floor, his usual fire completely gone. He was wrapped tight in capture tape, scowling but clearly spent.
Rei gave me a single nod, the faintest flicker of relief crossing his face.
"Heroes win," All Might's booming voice echoed through the speakers, and only then did I let myself breathe again.
'Kageyama's really something, huh..'