As reality reformed around him, Tom Jacker was greeted by an explosion of color and sound. The air felt clean, and the sweet aroma from a nearby bakery mixed with the smell of warm asphalt. He stood on the sidewalk of a very modern and tidy city. Tall buildings soared with sleek designs, and giant video screens displayed cheerful advertisements. This was a complete opposite of the mud-filled, gloomy world he had just left.
But that wasn't what caught his attention the most. It was the people.
A courier zipped past him, leaping from wall to wall with the agility of a gecko. A woman across the street casually made her groceries float behind her. On a park bench, an old man lit his pipe with a small puff of fire from his thumb.
Tom's eyes sparkled. He was no longer in a world that hid its magic. He was in a world where superpowers were commonplace, a part of everyday life.
"Oh," Tom whispered to himself, a wide grin slowly spreading across his face. "I'm going to like this place very much."
Suddenly, a loud roar shattered the crowd's noise. A few blocks ahead, a large man with skin that looked like stone was rampaging, swinging a lamppost like a baseball bat. "I'll destroy everything!" he yelled.
Before Tom could even think of joining in the fun, several figures dashed to the scene. "You won't destroy anything, Villain!" shouted the muscular hero, Death Arms, as he blocked the lamppost's swing. From the other side, another hero, Kamui Woods, used his tree-like vine arms to ensnare the villain.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
Reporters were already on the scene, their cameras flashing. The crowd cheered as the villain was successfully subdued. The heroes waved to the cameras, gave a brief quote about justice, before taking the villain away.
Tom observed the entire spectacle with amusement. Heroes, Villains, media, audience. This wasn't just a fight anymore; it was a show. An industry.
"Interesting," he muttered. "But if I want to get the best 'collections', I can't just wait for low-level villains to show up." His mind began to work. Where were the strongest aspiring heroes, the owners of the rarest and most powerful Quirks, gathered? Where was the 'factory' that churned out these heroes?
There was only one answer. U.A. Hero High School.
"I think I need an education," he decided with a mischievous grin.
Of course, Tom had no intention of following tedious enrollment procedures. He just needed to go there. He closed his eyes, thinking of the iconic H-shaped building he had seen earlier on one of the news screens.
A moment later, he vanished from the busy sidewalk.
Inside his spacious, book-lined office, Principal Nezu, a creature resembling a mouse or a bear with super-intelligence, was just about to sip his cup of tea. Suddenly, the air in front of his desk shimmered.
Tom Jacker appeared out of thin air, landing casually in the empty guest chair.
Nezu didn't drop his teacup. He didn't scream or sound an alarm. He simply placed his cup down very slowly, his black, bead-like eyes staring intently at his uninvited guest. The best security sensors in Japan hadn't even blinked. This was an impossibility.
"Fragrant tea," Tom said, starting the conversation as if they were old friends. "I'm here to enroll."
"Enroll?" Nezu repeated, his voice calm and filled with boundless curiosity. "To my knowledge, enrollment for this year closed several months ago."
"I'm sure you can make an exception," Tom said. "I want to get into the Hero Course. Class 1-A sounds fun."
Nezu looked at Tom, his super-fast brain analyzing every detail: his strange clothes, his unnatural calmness, and most importantly, the absence of any data on him in any server. It was as if this man had just materialized out of thin air. And his teleportation Quirk... it was perfect teleportation, without a trace or side effects.
"You possess a very powerful Quirk, Mr...?"
"Jacker. Tom Jacker," Tom replied. "And yes, I guess my powers are pretty decent."
This was the most interesting puzzle Nezu had ever faced in his life. An extraordinary security risk, but also an opportunity to study something truly new. Forcibly removing him seemed impossible, given how easily he had entered.
"Very well, Mr. Jacker," Nezu said after a moment's silence, a faint smile playing on his furry face. "Your situation is indeed very... unique. I believe we can arrange something. Consider it a 'special observation student' program. You will, of course, be under strict observation."
"Excellent!" Tom exclaimed. "When can I start?"
"Tomorrow morning," Nezu replied. "And welcome to U.A."
As Tom teleported out of his office as suddenly as he had arrived, Nezu picked up his phone.
"Aizawa," he said. "We have a new student for you tomorrow. And I want you to watch him as if your life depends on it. Because, it just might."
Tom reappeared on the roof of the iconic U.A. building, the night wind blowing through his strange clothes. Below him, the city of Musutafu twinkled like a sea of jewels. He smiled. Yennefer was an exceptional collection, but this world... this world was a giant playground. Full of rare 'specimens' waiting to be 'harvested'. He couldn't wait to begin. "Class 1-A," he murmured. "Let's see what toys are in the box."
The next morning, Shota Aizawa, aka Pro Hero Eraser Head, walked into the Class 1-A classroom looking even more tired than usual. Behind him, strolling casually as if he didn't have a care in the world, was Tom Jacker.
"Good morning, problem children," Aizawa greeted in his monotonous tone. "Today, we have... a guest. He will be joining you as a special observation student under direct orders from the Principal."
All eyes in the class turned to Tom. Izuku Midoriya immediately pulled out his notebook, muttering about an "unknown Quirk" and "potential threat." Katsuki Bakugo glared at Tom with a condescending look that hid a spark of hostility. Shoto Todoroki merely glanced over, showing no interest.
"Name's Tom Jacker," Tom said with a wide grin. "Pleased to be a bother to you all."
"Alright, Jacker," Aizawa said, cutting in before anyone could react. "The Principal wants me to gauge your abilities. So, today we'll be redoing the Quirk Assessment Test."
Low groans were heard from some students, but a sharp glare from Aizawa instantly silenced them. They all changed into their gym uniforms and headed to the training grounds.
The first test was the 50-meter dash. Tenya Iida, with his Engine Quirk, shot off like a rocket. Bakugo used his explosions to propel himself forward. Tom just stood at the starting line. When the whistle blew, he disappeared. A second later, he was already standing at the finish line, waving at the other students who were still running.
Aizawa's measuring device registered: 0.01 seconds.
"He teleported!" Midoriya exclaimed, noting it down frantically.
The next test was grip strength. Tom simply touched the measuring device, and with a slight, unseen telekinetic pressure, the device shattered into pieces. "Oops. Seems it was too fragile," he said without a hint of guilt.
Standing long jump? He teleported to the end of the sandbox. Repeated side steps? He teleported left and right with a speed that left only a blurry afterimage.
The students of Class 1-A stared with their mouths agape. Ochaco Uraraka felt a little dizzy, not from her Quirk, but from trying to comprehend how someone could break every record without breaking a sweat. Even Bakugo was silent, his jaw tightened with a confusing mixture of anger and disbelief.
The highlight of it all was the ball throw test. When it was Tom's turn, Aizawa watched him intently. "Do whatever you want, as long as you stay within the circle."
Tom took the softball, weighing it in his hand. "Where should I throw it?" he asked Aizawa.
"As far as possible," Aizawa replied curtly.
"Alright." Tom smiled. He didn't throw the ball. He just looked at it, and the ball shot upwards, pierced the clouds, and disappeared from view. A few seconds later, the measuring device in Aizawa's hand beeped strangely, then displayed three large letters: "ERROR."
"I guess that's far enough," Tom said.
That was when Aizawa decided he'd had enough. His eyes glowed red, his hair floated up. He activated his Erasure Quirk, staring straight at Tom. "Now try that again, Jacker."
Tom turned to Aizawa, tilting his head slightly. He glanced at a small pebble near his foot. Without taking his eyes off Aizawa, who was using Erasure, the pebble lifted easily a few centimeters off the ground, floating lazily in the air due to Tom's unseen Telekinesis.
Aizawa's Erasure Quirk had no effect whatsoever on Tom's abilities.
"What's wrong, Teach?" Tom asked with feigned innocence. "Your eyes look dry. Need some eye drops? Or maybe you're just tired from lack of sleep?"
Aizawa was stunned. This was the first time his signature Quirk had completely failed. He felt a cold sweat run down his back. This wasn't just a strong Quirk or a mutant-type Quirk. This was something beyond logic, something that defied the basic rules of their world. Principal Nezu was right. This kid wasn't just a student. He was an anomaly.
The rest of the tests proceeded in a very awkward atmosphere. Tom continued to achieve impossible results without any visible effort. The students of Class 1-A no longer looked at him with curiosity or hostility, but with a mixture of awe and fear.
Bakugo clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. He said nothing, but his glare at Tom was no longer just hostility; it was a promise of an inevitable confrontation, a vow to prove that this meaningless miracle wouldn't surpass him.
At the end of the tests, Aizawa could only stare at his strange new student. He took a long breath, exhaling it slowly, as if releasing all his shock. He deactivated his Quirk. "That's enough for today," he said, his voice hoarse, not looking at Tom directly but at the entire class. "Back to class."
He didn't say Tom passed. He didn't have to. Everyone there knew that Tom wasn't playing in the same league as them. Nezu was right. Watching over Tom Jacker would be the most difficult and most dangerous job of his hero career.