Sorry, the end of semester 1 came and that meant ISU, tests, and a lot of work, had to lock in and make sure I passed school. Sadly, that means putting this on the back, since writing isn't as important to me as school. Deeply sorry. :(
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Back in Class 1-A, the atmosphere was as lively as ever, with a clear buzz of excitement running through the room. Today was one of those rare and special days—All Might himself was teaching again.
The students sat attentively—or, in some cases, pretended to—while the retired No. 1 Hero stood at the front of the classroom, his booming voice effortlessly commanding the attention of the room.
"Ahem! So that's it for Hero History class! We'll continue exploring the dark yet hopeful beginnings of heroism throughout the semester!" All Might declared with his signature enthusiasm, his broad grin filling the room with a sense of ease and inspiration. His early nervousness as a teacher was long gone; after a few months, he'd found his rhythm and confidence in this new role.
But the class's eager faces told him they weren't all that invested in hero history today.
"Hmm… something tells me that's not what everyone's excited about, is it?" he said, placing his hands on his hips and leaning slightly forward.
The students shifted in their seats, exchanging glances.
"Well, I won't keep you in suspense!" All Might straightened up, his voice booming with energy. "We'll be having another practical exam to test your skills after your internships!"
A murmur of excitement rippled through the classroom.
"All students will participate, even those who didn't go on internships and instead chose to train alongside the class! It's a chance to show how much you've grown!" His grin widened as he pointed toward the door. "That's all from me, class! Head to the locker rooms to change and meet me at Training Ground Gamma!"
Before anyone could respond, All Might darted out of the classroom with his characteristic speed, leaving only a trail of papers fluttering in his wake.
...
The class split up into their respective locker rooms, the usual chatter filling the air as the boys and girls discussed the upcoming practical exam.
In the boys' locker room, some students had already finished changing. Among them was Mezo Shoji, who leaned quietly against the wall, his towering frame blending into the background as usual. Despite his impressive stature, Shoji had a way of making himself seem unassuming.
Unfortunately for him, his peaceful moment was interrupted by a certain Class President.
"Do you ever take it off? Or just to eat? Can you eat through it? Does it have a zipper? Oh! Do your parents wear masks too? Are you descended from an ancient ninja clan or something? What are ninjas like? Or do you prefer the term shinobi?"
Kurokami Tenshin stood beside Shoji, bombarding him with a rapid-fire series of questions, his wide, curious eyes locked onto Shoji's mask.
Shoji remained calm, though his usual aura of serenity seemed to falter under the relentless assault of questions. "...My mask is just to hide my face, President," Shoji explained, his deep, steady voice carrying no hint of annoyance despite his patience being tested.
Kuro frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the answer. "Well, that's no good. You only answered one question. Why do you hide your face?" he asked, tilting his head curiously.
Shoji hesitated, the question hitting a little closer to home than he expected. Why do I hide my face? he thought. The memory of his younger self flashed briefly in his mind—the scarring, the whispers, the tears of a frightened child. He shook the thought away. There was no need to dwell on such things now.
"I'm just scared of being called ugly, President. That's all," Shoji said calmly. It wasn't entirely a lie—but it wasn't the full truth either.
Kuro's expression shifted, his big, innocent eyes filling with visible sympathy. "Really? That makes sense, I guess... Being called ugly must hurt. But I don't get it! You're totally cool, Shoji. How could anyone think you're ugly?"
A soft chuckle escaped Shoji's lips. "I am, though," he admitted. "I even made a young girl cry once... That was when I decided to start hiding my face."
Kuro blinked, taking Shoji's words completely at face value. His frown deepened, and he clenched his small fists in indignation. "Man, kids suck sometimes! Don't worry, Shoji—when we become pro heroes, I'll just beat up anyone who calls you ugly. Adult or child!"
Shoji couldn't help but laugh softly at the absurdity of Kuro's promise. "...If it ever comes to that, I hope you do. Maybe then I'll be able to walk around without my mask."
"Yep! You can count on me!" Kuro declared, his voice brimming with sincerity. He stepped back, giving Shoji a thumbs-up before adding, "But I guess I should stop bothering you now. Iida says pestering people is 'lacking decorum.'"
There was a hint of sadness in his tone as if leaving the conversation was physically painful for him.
"Bye, Shoji!" Kuro chirped, spinning on his heel and walking off to pester someone else—or, as he'd call it, "investigate."
Shoji waved lightly as Kuro disappeared into the crowd of students. A faint smile lingered on his face as he leaned back against the wall, his thoughts briefly wandering. Maybe Kuro's right. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to take off the mask one day…
For now, though, the mask stayed on.
...
All Might stood at the edge of the construction site, his large frame casually leaning against a stack of rubble as he scrolled through his phone. As part of the Foundational Hero Studies class, this short practical exam had to be done fairly, and as a teacher, All Might prided himself on showing no bias—especially to Young Midoriya.
To make sure the teams were random, he opened a coin-flipping app. "Alright, let's see... Mina Ashido and Shoto Todoroki are on Team 4... that should be all of them," he muttered, a satisfied grin tugging at his lips as he finished setting up the teams.
Before he could even pocket his phone, the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. He looked up just in time to spot Class 1-A making their way toward him.
"Alright, everyone! Glad to see you all here!" All Might boomed, his signature grin spreading across his face. "Now, for this little test, we'll be having another team event."
The students gathered around, buzzing with anticipation. All Might motioned over to the test area.
"This lesson will be a rescue training race through Training Ground Gamma, a construction site with densely packed lanes that'll make it feel like a labyrinth. The goal is simple: race through the site to reach the center, where I'll be waiting for you. You'll be split into four groups of five, and each group will face different challenges along the way." He paused to emphasize his next point. "Your job is to get through as quickly as possible while also making sure no one gets left behind or hurt. Keep your wits about you!"
All Might cleared his throat before continuing, "Midoriya, Ojiro, Iida, Mina, and Hanta are the first group. You'll go first."
...
"I see... as Vice President, I shall lead by example for my classmates!" Tenya Iida declared with his usual sense of pride, adjusting his glasses as he stepped forward.
"I can practically feel the tension radiating off you, Iida," Mashirao Ojiro remarked, patting Iida lightly on the back. His tone was casual, though there was a hint of concern in his words.
"I-I am fine!" Iida stammered, straightening up, clearly flustered. "It's simply the weight of being a role model, one must always be an example of composure and calm!"
"Right..." Ojiro replied, clearly awkward with the display of manners. "No need for that level of formality, Iida."
As the two continued, Izuku Midoriya chuckled lightly. "I'd suggest you just accept it, Ojiro. Iida can't go a moment without making sure he's polished."
Ojiro, still somewhat out of his element, awkwardly mimicked Iida's bow.
Mina Ashido, who had been watching this exchange in wide-eyed wonder, finally spoke up, a tone of disbelief in her voice. "Wow, you guys are like a whole other level of wholesome, huh?"
Iida puffed his chest out proudly. "Naturally! The relationship between classmates should always be as close-knit as possible, in both spirit and form!"
Mina just smiled, shaking her head. "Well, I'm leaving all that behind for this race! I'm not going down without a fight!"
Izuku grinned, a spark of determination in his eyes. "Neither do I. There's way too much riding on this for me to lose now!"
"I agree." Iida adjusted his glasses, his posture straightening. "I cannot afford to disappoint anyone."
Ojiro, looking a little less confident than the rest of his teammates, shrugged sheepishly. "Oh, wow. So we're all making declarations, huh? Well... I don't want to lose either."
Before anyone could respond, All Might's booming voice echoed across the field.
"Contestants!" he shouted, his voice carrying with effortless power. "The goal is to reach me on the other side of the construction site! You'll need to move through this area as quickly as you can—prepare yourselves!"
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[Auther: Back to my usual habits...feels nice. Anyways, I've revised the plot a bunch so I can safely say, I'll be removing any and all plot holes.]