BNHA: I am Reiji Toga

Reiji left his room already dressed in his gym clothes. He didn't have a backpack or any accessories. He only had what he needed to take the practical entrance exam to U.A.

In the kitchen, his parents were finishing breakfast. His mother wished him luck with a wave, and his father looked up briefly to nod. Neither of them said anything else. There was no need to.

Himiko was waiting for him at the entrance, sitting on the steps with a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Classes hadn't even started at U.A. yet, but she had gotten up early just to see him off.

"You're ready, as always," she commented, without moving. She was wearing an old sweatshirt and her hair was disheveled.

"I am," Reiji replied, adjusting his gloves without looking at her.

They were both silent for a moment. There was no tension, just a shared habit: say little, observe a lot.

"Then you should go..." she finally said. "Don't be late."

He nodded and walked out the gate without saying goodbye.

As he walked toward the station, he mentally reviewed the Commission's order: "Don't attract attention."

It wasn't a difficult order, if he stayed focused. The objective was simple: get through. The rest would come later.

***

The architecture of U.A. no longer surprised him. He had been there many times, waiting for Himiko after school, accompanying her to minor events, even visiting Mei in the technical area. But this time was different. This time he wasn't a visitor. He was an applicant.

Beside him, Shinso walked silently, hands in his pockets, somewhat tense. Behind them, Izuku tried to remain calm, observing every corner of the building as if entering a shrine. Reiji said nothing. He knew that emotion was normal. In part, he understood it.

As they reached the main hall, they joined the flow of applicants. The crowd was overwhelming. Some were alone. Others were talking nervously with their friends. Many of them seemed determined, though Reiji easily recognized those who were taking this exam without having the confidence to pass it.

Among the crowd, some faces looked familiar. He couldn't find out their names, though, because they weren't from the main cast of the series. His memory, after more than a decade, was clearly failing him. And he hadn't brought his notebook to fall back on.

A girl with light brown hair and a playful smile greeted him briefly as he walked by; it wasn't unusual for people to greet him after the Bakugo incident. Reiji watched her without responding.

'Was she the one who used an illusionary ability? Did she test herself here before entering Shiketsu?'

He didn't know for sure. But there was something about her that simply told him he'd seen her before. And that almost always happened when it came to a manga character.

'It's been too many years,' he thought. Even for a memory like mine, some things just blur together.

Shinso glanced at Reiji. "Don't you think there are too many people?" he murmured.

Reiji nodded. "And there are still many more to come, don't worry about it. Most of them are just dreaming of passing, they're not prepared."

Izuku joined them a few steps ahead, panting slightly. "They're already calling out groups by block!"

Reiji looked up. The place was already dividing groups according to exam sectors. He recognized several teachers in the upper booths, but he avoided looking at them too much. He still had to keep a low profile. It was the only clear order from the Commission: don't stand out, don't draw unnecessary attention. Not yet.

"Let's go," Reiji said, taking the lead. First would be the theory exam, but not before listening to Present Mic's presentation. Then the practical exam. Reiji knew perfectly well that he could pass it no matter what changes. But Shinso and Izuku were a different story. They relied solely on their physicality and intellect. I was confident they'd do well, but things could get crazy.

But if Toru was able to get in, being physically weak and relying only on his invisibility, how could they not?

***

Reiji found himself in a pitch-black room, surrounded by thousands of students seated side by side, ready to take the U.A. theory exam.

Shinso and Izuku were assigned to different rooms. Reiji was simply randomly separated. He thought it was better that way.

He sat without talking to anyone, too focused on his own world. Until a voice to his right broke the silence just before the exam started.

"Hey, you're the guy who was on the news a while back, right?"

He turned his head slightly. Spiky red hair, a confident smile, sharp eyes. It was impossible not to recognize him. Kirishima Eijiro, future student of Class 1-A. His image was clear even after all the years that had passed since he'd seen him in his previous life.

Reiji nodded with a small nod. There was no reason to lie.

"That was pretty manly. I hope I can do something similar someday. Good luck today."

It wasn't an empty comment. Kirishima had that frank, straightforward way of speaking. Reiji respected him for that.

"Good luck too," he replied simply.

There were no more words. They both turned to look at the large stage in front of them. Contrary to Reiji's memory, the person in front of them now was none other than Midnight. He assumed it was due to the simple fact that Present Mic couldn't be divided among all the rooms taking the exam.

The instructions were clear. First, they explained the theoretical exam. It consisted of 60 questions, and they had 1 hour and 30 minutes to answer. A bit short on time, but it was logical to think that's how it would be for a genius academy.

As for the practical exam, it was exactly as Reiji remembered it. No apparent changes, the same robots, the same points, and nothing else notable, which was a slight relief.

Once everything was explained, and the few questions in the room were answered, the exam began. The positions were divided by a small wall, and the exam emerged from behind the table itself.

'If Mei were here, she would have been more concerned with understanding how the mechanism works than the test...' He thought, somewhat amused.

The questions weren't complicated: tactical analysis, basic laws of urban combat, handling civilians, calculations applied to environments with Quirks. Reiji answered accurately and without rushing. He still finished first in his room. The committee had prepared him for this too many times to fail now.

As he left, Kirishima gave him a quick glance, giving him a thumbs-up with a smile.

Reiji simply nodded and left for the waiting room before the practical exam.

***

The practical exam area was a large, roofed field with enormous metal gates at each end. Large enough to simulate a small city. The instructions were clear: points for destroying enemies, points for saving civilians. Nothing was mentioned about helping each other, but it wasn't prohibited either.

Reiji walked to the starting line with a calm, unhurried gait. He was wearing a black T-shirt without any logos, dark sweatpants, and simple sneakers. His only accessory was precisely what Mei had given him to calm his impulses. Nothing stood out about his appearance. That was the idea.

Even so, many people inevitably stared at him. Going out across the national grid didn't help with his discretion; luckily, no one approached. Everyone was busy with their own business.

Around them, several candidates were warming up, others were stretching, some were simply watching nervously. Reiji analyzed them without needing to use his Quirk. Their postures, the trembling of their fingers, their labored breathing. There were those who were prepared, and those who were just hoping for luck.

Kirishima stood a few feet away, smiling as always. His energy was evident even without activating his Quirk. He saw him and greeted him, but there was no further movement.

Reiji nodded and took his position. He closed his eyes for a moment. He mentally reviewed the Commission's instructions: Don't stand out. Don't stand out. Don't provoke unnecessary interest.

Even if that was impossible... At the very least, he had to minimize the entire exposure.

A robotic voice sounded over the loudspeakers:

"On your marks."

A tense silence spread through the room.

"Ready..."

Reiji's body leaned forward slightly. Every muscle primed, every sense sharpened.

"GO!"

The beep cut through the air like a war signal. And then, everyone rushed forward.

====

This chapter was given by the goals of the stones. Let's keep it up!

If you want access to all the content published to date, you can support the project on Patreon for just $2. -> [patreon.com/MisterCreator]

Thanks for reading and supporting.