BNHA: I am Reiji Toga

The bus slowed in front of the massive gates of the U.S.J. and stopped with a slight hydraulic screech. One by one, the students disembarked, some still giggling about the previous conversation, others simply amazed by the size of the dome before them.

"Wow..." Uraraka murmured, looking up. "This looks like an amusement park for heroes!"

"And to think this is just a training center," Jiro added, crossing her arms.

"It's not just a training center," Iida corrected, adjusting his glasses. "It's a state-of-the-art facility for simulating real-life disasters. This is where true heroic preparation is forged."

The doors opened automatically with a hiss, and the group was greeted by the unmistakable figure of Number 13. Her white suit, rounded helmet, and calm voice contrasted sharply with the vastness of the space behind her.

"Welcome to the U.S.J." He greeted, raising a friendly hand. "I'm Thirteen, and I'll be in charge of your training today. Thank you for arriving on time."

Most responded with a slight bow or nod.

"As you know, being heroes doesn't just involve fighting villains. You must also learn to save lives in extreme situations: landslides, fires, floods, traffic accidents, chemical disasters... here you'll be able to face all of that, under control. But make no mistake," he added in a more serious tone. "You must act responsibly. This place is safe, but it's not a game."

Reiji watched silently from a position in the middle of the group. His eyes scanned the dome. Specific areas represented different disaster scenarios: a half-sunken ship, a section of collapsed buildings, a controlled fire in an urban replica... He was familiar with these environments. He'd been in much worse.

"We'll start with a group dynamic," Thirteen continued. "You'll explore several areas together and practice basic rescue and assessment protocols. Then you'll be divided into small teams to apply what you've learned in specific exercises."

"Any questions?" he asked, looking at the group.

"Not right now!" Iida replied, taking the lead as usual.

***

The group exercise ended successfully. Everyone was sweaty, somewhat exhausted, but satisfied.

"Very well done," Thirteen congratulated. "Now we'll form groups of three for the following modules. This time, you'll act without a guide. A real simulation. Remember: speed, control, and teamwork."

Reiji was assigned alongside Kinoko and Camie. Camie let out a low whistle when she saw who she'd been paired with. Kinoko simply nodded without hesitation.

"Okay, okay, this could be really interesting," the blonde said, crossing her arms.

Kinoko tilted her head, glancing at Reiji out of the corner of her eye.

"We're going to need a good plan... I think," she murmured softly.

"Are you the type to improvise or follow instructions?" Camie asked with a crooked smile.

"I'll just follow orders, I'm completely yours," Reiji replied, with no hint of ulterior motive.

Kinoko gave a short chuckle. Camie raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Wow, that's a really strong vibe... I like it," she commented, turning to go first.

***

The tests lasted almost an hour. Some groups had already completed their modules, while others, like Reiji's, continued evacuating simulated victims at a steady pace. There were no serious failures. Just fatigue, sweat, and a growing sense of accomplishment.

"Time!" Thirteen announced from the central observation tower. "Everyone gather in front of the main platform. Final instructions."

The students regrouped in front of the metal esplanade. Some were adjusting their clothes or drinking water, panting slightly. Reiji remained silent, his suit still clean despite his exertion, his eyes fixed on the mechanisms in the area, as if analyzing each structure.

Then a gust of wind was heard that cut through the air.

A second later, a familiar voice echoed throughout the space:

"Good work, future heroes!"

The rumble of their landing shook the ground. All Might was there, in all his glory, his cape billowing behind him and his arms crossed over his chest. He was smiling as if tiredness didn't exist in his dictionary.

"You've shown guts, teamwork, and determination! That fills me with hope!" he exclaimed energetically, while some students applauded and others simply watched him in silent admiration.

Camie clicked her tongue with a smile.

"Daaamn, he sure knows how to enter the scene."

Kinoko, on the other hand, barely murmured anything to herself, hidden behind her bangs.

Reiji said nothing. He just watched him silently. In his mind, the number one hero was much more than a symbol. He was a fork in the road of fate. A key figure who, if he fell before his time… changed everything.

"We'll take advantage of the fact that I'm here for one last impromptu group test!" All Might announced in a powerful voice. "I want to see what you're capable of when you don't have time to think. Form two teams! Now!"

The students moved quickly, some smiling, others joking among themselves as they grouped together impromptu. Camie let out a small whistle and stretched lazily. Kinoko muttered something about mushrooms in stressful situations, while Reiji, frozen in place, kept his gaze fixed on a distant point, as if something didn't quite fit.

Then it happened.

First, there was a slight flicker in the dome lights. A fleeting flicker that barely lasted a second, but it was enough to lessen the general murmur a bit.

"Was that part of the test?" Uraraka asked quietly.

No one answered. The lights returned to normal…but only for a few seconds.

The second time, the entire lighting system of the U.S.J. It suddenly shut off with a sharp click, leaving the enormous room in sudden darkness, barely illuminated by the red emergency signs.

"I don't like this," Melissa muttered, already on her feet.

A low, wet sound spread from the center of the urban simulation area. Like a deep hiss mixed with an electrical hum. A circle of purple energy began to spin, hovering a few meters above the ground. At first, it seemed like just a poorly implemented optical effect, until thick, black mist began to ooze from within, crawling across the ground like a living creature.

Silence fell.

'Because... Why did it appear?!'

Thirteen, from the control tower, broke the stupor with a firm voice:

"All students stand back! To your instructors, now!"

But it was too late.

"All Might... Today will be the day you die." A skinny figure with a hand over his face was the first to appear. He stared at the Symbol of Peace, who had frozen for a moment. Not because he feared being defeated, but rather... His time using the AFO was running out.

He glanced quickly at Melissa, who returned the same worried look.

More villains began to appear. Some with visible Quirks, others simply armed and sporting twisted smiles. Among them, a deformed, muscular mass began to take shape. Its muscles were unnatural, its eyes empty. Its skin was sewn shut with metal staples, and a partially exposed brain throbbed above its head.

A Nomu had appeared, but Reiji's entire body tensed as another figure began to appear from the purple shadow.

He wasn't as prominent as the first, his body wasn't overly muscular, and he didn't look as ghoulish either, and yet a shiver ran through Reiji's body.

'A second Nomu...'

He was smaller, even thinner... but his body vibrated unnaturally, as if he couldn't stay still. His skin was grayish, with black veins marked like roots. He had no eyes, only elongated slits that seemed to sniff the air.

And then he was gone. A whisper of air. A flash.

"All Might!" Momo shouted.

The hero's body was thrown to the side, shattering a section of the simulated stage. It wasn't a hard blow, but it had been sudden, without warning. All Might stood up with a grunt.

The first Nomu was barely moving, but this other one...

"That one wasn't in the story..." Reiji whispered. His voice was low, almost a thought spoken aloud.

Kurogiri's purple mist grew without warning. In the center of the platform, Thirteen raised an arm to generate a gravitational barrier and protect the students, but three common villains, two with swords and one with a sticky gel Quirk, launched themselves at her.

"Thirteen!" Uraraka yelled, taking a step, but stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the heroine being knocked down and dragged back, bound, in seconds.

"This isn't part of the exercise!" Mineta shrieked, backing away uncontrollably.

Aizawa didn't wait for confirmation. He glanced quickly at Reiji, as if telling him to maintain order.

His body moved like an extension of his instinct. He leaped from his position and landed in the middle of the attacking group, his bandages already spread.

"Back! Everyone! This isn't part of the tests! Take cover and fight in self-defense if necessary!" he ordered, his red eyes already active. His gaze extinguished the enemy's Quirk, which was forming traps with the ground.

With a quick spin, he knocked down two more, protecting the rear of the students. Reiji looked at the class, many still still due to the shock of the situation.

"I have to get them out of here. All Might can handle one Nomu, but two are almost impossible... Besides, there's the matter of time. I have to help him, but even I don't have enough strength to make a difference."

"We have to make our way to the exit; we're only at risk here!" Reiji roared loudly, bringing everyone out of their stupor. Blood gushed from his shoulder to slam two villains who had approached them with clear intentions into the ground.

Bakugo and Todoroki were the fastest to react, knocking down another pair of approaching villains. They were surrounded on all sides, forcing them to act.

The thunder of the portals continued to open like hungry mouths. More enemies. More pressure. More urgency.

"Todoroki, right! Bakugo, up! Use the terrain to isolate them!"

"Tsk, don't tell me what to do!" Bakugo growled, but he was already shooting through the air, one explosion after another.

Todoroki said nothing, but froze a strip of the ground, halting the advance of a group trying to surround Momo, Uraraka, and Mineta.

Off to one side, Tsuyu used her tongue to knock down an enemy sneaking up on the ceiling.

"Don't let your guard down! They're coming from all sides, kero."

"Let's keep moving, we have to get out of here!" Momo shouted, already creating an electrified net to protect the rear.

Her face reflected fear... but also determination.

On the other side, Camie conjured disorienting illusions, covering the vulnerable flanks with smoke and flashes of color.

"Oooh, this isn't an acting test anymore..." she murmured, serious for the first time.

Melissa turned one last time before running toward All Might.

Reiji intercepted her instantly. She wouldn't be able to do anything; she hadn't mastered the OFA, and not even he could see the speed Nomu's movement. He would kill Melissa with a single thought.

"Focus on us. All Might is a symbol of peace for a reason," Reiji spoke sternly as he defeated a pair of opponents with his blood. He had multiple bonds helping each of the boys in the class deal with their enemies, having to divide his attention between them all.

Bakugo and Todoroki didn't need to be protected, as they were making their way through even with the abnormal wave of enemies.

"Why the hell are there so many guys here?" Reiji wondered as he watched them keep coming out. Clearly this time they were much better prepared than in the original story...

Melissa froze for a few seconds. Reiji's gaze was so intense it forced her to stop. She gritted her teeth, holding back tears of frustration. She knew she had power within her... but she didn't know how to use it.

And Reiji knew that better than anyone.

"Focus on keeping the others alive! You're more useful here than dead there!"

It wasn't cruelty, it was urgency. Reiji instantly spun around, a spear of blood streaking through the air and piercing the arm of an enemy heading straight for Uraraka.

"Mineta, don't let go of the containment line!"

"I won't do it!" the boy shrieked, launching more sticky spheres to block a narrow passage.

Kinoko summoned paralyzing spores, generating an acidic mist in front of another group of villains.

Camie reinforced the illusion of a wall, diverting a trio of attackers to a safe zone where Kirishima intercepted them with his hardened skin.

Reiji saw everything. Every single one. Every danger. Every flank.

More than six threads of blood spread across the field, like puppets in simultaneous combat, keeping the enemies at bay while his real body moved like a projectile.

"Behind you, Yaoyorozu!"

A spike of blood deflected the dagger that was coming at Momo. She gasped, but responded by instantly creating a metallic shield.

Reiji kept moving, his body already drenched in his own regenerated blood. He didn't have time to think about fatigue.

He was the only one who could see the entire map.

But he couldn't help but wonder...

'Why are there so many? How did they know we'd be here?'

This wasn't a casual ambush. It was a carefully prepared execution. One that didn't require Aoyama's presence or Shigaraki's infiltration.

And then he felt it.

A slight vibration beneath his feet. A distortion in the air. A presence.

Kurogiri.

His shadow emerged from the center of the field, expanding like a corrupted flower.

"They're causing more trouble than I thought," the calm voice of the portal murmured.

Reiji gritted his teeth.

"Be careful with the portals!" Reiji shouted, then leaped up and launched a stream of blood straight at Kurogiri's solid area.

Kurogiri swerved just in time.

Even so, the maneuver halted the portal's expansion for seconds, long enough for Aizawa to throw his bandages back and trap a villain who had escaped Mineta's control.

But the vortex didn't stop. It began to absorb sections, slowly separating part of the class.

"Shit," Reiji cursed, spreading the blood like whips to anchor some classmates to the ground. If they were much better prepared this time than in the original story, then that means he couldn't be sure everyone would make it out alive.

He had prevented their deaths by keeping them close together, but now that would be a problem if they got separated.

"Stay together, don't let them swallow you up!" He shouted once more, as several projectiles of various types approached him. He generated a column of air to block them all, but a figure fell from above, disintegrating his dome like sand.

It was Shigaraki.

And his eyes fixed on Reiji.

"You... are too much in the way."