The Collapse Zone stretched out before Class 1-A like a scene from a disaster movie. Broken buildings leaned precariously against each other, and jagged piles of debris created a maze of instability. Eraserhead scanned the group of first-years, gauging their reactions. Some, like Yaoyorozu and Iida, seemed intent and focused, already imagining the task ahead. Others, like Koda, shifted nervously, stealing glances at the ruined structures. Then there was Bakugou, arms crossed, his ever-present scowl twisted with impatience.
"Alright, listen up," he said, projecting his voice just enough to cut through the hum of murmured conversation. "We're starting here in the Collapse Zone. Your objective is simple: rescue civilians trapped inside these buildings." He gestured toward a crumbling structure labeled Clinic, its second story sagging dangerously. "In these scenarios, we use rescue bots programmed to simulate real injuries. Your job isn't just to find them—it's to get them out safely without making the situation worse."
"Sounds like a waste of time," Bakugou muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Eraserhead turned toward him, his face unreadable but his voice laced with steel. "What was that?"
Bakugou didn't hesitate, his eyes blazing with defiance. "I said this is a waste of time. Heroes don't win by wasting time on extras. You take down the villain, and the rest takes care of itself."
Eraserhead's gaze narrowed. "And what happens if the 'rest' doesn't take care of itself, Bakugou? What happens when people die because you were too focused on your ego to pull them out of the rubble?"
"Tch." Bakugou's lip curled, but he didn't back down. "That's what sidekicks are for. I don't have time to babysit when I'm taking down the big threats."
Eraserhead resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Heroes don't choose their job based on what they 'have time for.' You want to fight villains? Fine. But if you can't protect the people in front of you, you're not a hero—you're a thug."
Bakugou bristled, but before he could fire back, Eraserhead raised his hand. "Enough. If you don't take this seriously, you'll just embarrass yourself later. Now, let's move on."
He shifted his attention back to the class, noting a mixture of reactions. Midoriya looked as though he wanted to say something but wisely stayed quiet. Yaoyorozu's expression was calm, but her hands fidgeted with her utility belt. Even Kaminari seemed unusually subdued.
"Your teams and assignments have already been decided," Eraserhead continued. "The rules are simple: no unnecessary risks. Prioritize the safety of the civilians, and don't overestimate your abilities. If a structure looks unstable, call for backup. Understood?"
A chorus of agreements followed, though Bakugou's was annoyingly absent.
Eraserhead signaled for Thirteen to step forward, allowing them to explain the finer details of the scenarios. As the class divided into groups and began heading to their assigned zones, Eraserhead lingered near the back, his eyes drifting to Bakugou.
He's got raw talent for sure, but if that attitude doesn't change, it'll break him before any villain ever gets the chance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shinso, Iida, Ojiro and Koda were in small control room with Thirteen. The wall was covered in various monitors of the Collapse Zone and there was a map on the wall noting areas of importance, like a Clinic, an Elementary School and a small outlet mall to name a few. In the center of the area was a small Triage Center, pretty far away from any of the other spots.
"Alright team one, your 'Scenario' is as follows. You are a small hero team doing a rescue operation for a city-wide disaster. The area that overwatch has assigned you to is a small clinic where there were reportedly five people inside. Our goal is to get them out safely before the building collapses. The good news is that the building isn't obstructed by debris. The bad news is it's on the verge of collapse, so you need to tread very lightly. Any questions?"
Iida raised his hand and spoke up without being called on. "Excuse me, but how will we be graded on this assignment?"
"Well," Thirteen began, "in the field, a win is considered getting anyone out alive, and a failure is losing even a single life."
Shinso furrowed his brow. "But isn't that contradictory? You pass if you save anyone, and fail if you lose anyone?"
Thirteen responded in a sad tone. "No. It isn't. Even getting one person home is a massive win. It means that you being there has made sure someone could live another day. Conversely, failing to save someone is a terrible thing that will stay with you forever. So yes, in the field you can both win and lose. Life is more than a grade. For that reason alone, we grade participation and effort here, not results. As long as you try your best then you pass rescue heroics."
The team fell silent for a moment, taking in Thirteen's words.
Shinso, who had been the most skeptical, shifted uncomfortably, clearly processing the weight of what had been said. His gaze softened, a hint of understanding flickering in his eyes.
Iida, ever the earnest student, nodded with newfound determination, his posture straightening. "Understood, Thirteen. We'll do our best to make sure we save everyone." His voice was firm, but his words carried the weight of responsibility.
Koda, who had been quietly listening, tightened his fists. His usual calm demeanor was replaced by a quiet resolve. The thought of failing someone, even just one person, seemed to hit him hard. He gave a small nod, his determination now clear in his expression.
Ojiro spoke up with a reassuring smile. "I think we can do this. We'll make sure nobody gets left behind."
Thirteen gave them all an encouraging look, then gestured toward the monitors. "Good. Now let's get started. We'll be watching your progress. Just remember to stay safe and keep each other safe."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Team one neared the site of their rescue training, a small two-story Clinic on the outskirts of the collapse zone. Shinso, seeing the nervous looks on his teammates faces, decided to take charge.
"Alright, no time to waste," Shinso said, his voice steady and authoritative. "Koda, can you call in some friends to help scout out the building? We need something light-footed to avoid causing more damage."
Koda nodded, his hands already moving to summon the rats. A small army of ten scurried to his feet, eager to assist. Koda murmured a few words to the creatures and, after a brief exchange involving some cheese as a bribe, the rats darted into the building, navigating through cracks and crevices in search of the trapped bots.
Shinso turned to Iida, who was already getting into position. "Iida, please set up a clear route from here to the triage center. We'll need to move quickly if we have any injured civilians."
"Understood!" Iida responded, saluting before sprinting off toward the center.
"Ojiro, you're with me," Shinso continued. "We'll go inside once Koda's rats bring us their findings. Koda, I'm going to leave first aid to you. You'll stay outside to ensure we don't destabilize the building with your size."
Koda nodded, already setting up a small station near the clinic's entrance. It didn't take long before the rats returned, and Koda relayed the information, "Two on the top floor, three on the bottom."
With their plan in motion, Ojiro and Shinso steeled themselves for the risky task ahead. They moved toward the clinic's entrance, determination etched on their faces. This was their chance to prove themselves, and failure was not an option.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Team one returned to the class to a round of cheers. Under Shinso's instruction, they managed to find and rescue all the bots in great time and didn't worsen any of the injuries in the process.
"Alright. Congratulations, team one. You all did a great job in the scenario you were given. Shinso, excellent work taking charge and managing your teammates. Ojiro, great job with extraction and care. Extracting civilians from rubble and transporting them without causing further injury is exceptionally difficult. Koda, fantastic job with recon and first aid. Using scavenged supplies from the clinic to cover your own lacking supplies was a smart move. Iida, outstanding job transporting the civilians. You were efficient in noting their injuries and the aid they had already received."
The team exchanged looks of relief and pride, the weight of the exercise lifting off their shoulders. They may have been students, but in that moment, they felt closer to true heroes than they ever had before.
"Back in line, you four. Next up is Team Two: Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Asui, and Sero."
At hearing their names, the quartet made their way to the control room.
When they entered, Thirteen greeted them with a cheery grin—at least, that's what Midoriya assumed, since they couldn't see through the helmet.
"Team Two, your mission is to evacuate six bots from this destroyed radio station. The building has been reinforced, so the structure is stable, but a recent remodel has left layers of wood and plaster over everything, causing debris to be scattered all over. Your time is limited before the bots lose oxygen, so be quick."
"Understood." Team two responds in unison.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Asui, and Sero stood before the collapsed radio station, the building's once-pristine exterior now a mess of shattered windows and twisted metal. Luckily, it was only one story, so they wouldn't have to contend with a staircase in the building's current condition.
Midoriya clapped his hands together, the sound cutting through the tension in the air. "Alright, let's get started. Yaoyorozu, can you create some spades and buckets so we can clear the debris quickly? Sero, I'm going to need you to reinforce any spotty areas. I know we've been told it's secure, but we should still be cautious. Tsu—sorry, Asui, can you do recon? You're small and can take paths we can't, so you'll be able to locate the bots more easily. Anyone have anything to add?"
Yaoyorozu nodded, her hands already glowing as she began to produce the requested tools. "I'll have the spades ready in a second, and I'll make some additional supports in case we need them."
Sero gave a thumbs-up, stretching his arms and preparing his tape. "Got it. I'll make sure everything's stable as we move through."
Asui croaked, her voice determined. "I'll keep my eyes peeled for any survivors and make sure we don't miss any pathways."
With their roles assigned, the team moved into action. Midoriya led the way, using his enhanced strength to push aside large pieces of debris with One For All. The building was a chaotic mess, but the team was determined to clear it. The air smelled faintly of dust and disuse, but there was no time to waste.
Yaoyorozu quickly fashioned spades for them, handing one to Midoriya that was specially reinforced to handle the larger rubble. With their tools in hand, the team began digging through the wreckage, working in sync.
Midoriya would break down the larger pieces of debris with his shovel, and Sero and Yaoyorozu would scoop it up and move it back to a room they'd prepared to store it. Asui moved further inside the building, marking areas where she'd been without anyone and where they needed to clear out.
Relatively quickly, they managed to clear a path from the front door to the recording studio, where they found four bots slumped unconscious in a corner. Midoriya rushed over to check their vitals.
"Still alive, minor injuries. Sero, please bring them outside. Yaoyorozu and I will start going for the other two."
Sero started carrying the bots outside one at a time through the path they'd made, and Midoriya and Yaoyorozu continued on the path towards the last two bots.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Team two met back up with the class, looking far dirtier than team one did, but to the same level of enthusiasm. They had clearly worked hard, and the exhaustion in their eyes was a testament to the effort they'd put in.
"Great job, you four," Thirteen called out with a smile. "Midoriya, great job coordinating, and I'm proud to see how far your quirk control has gotten. You really showed growth today."
Midoriya beamed, rubbing the back of his head. "Thank you, Thirteen. I was just trying to keep everyone on track."
"Yaoyorozu," Thirteen continued, "your ability to provide utility to your team is invaluable, but that is incomparable to your ability to adapt to the situation. You didn't hesitate, and that flexibility is what makes you a great hero-in-the-making."
Yaoyorozu smiled warmly, her exhaustion melting away a little at the praise. "I'm just glad I could help."
"Sero, you did an excellent job with extraction and first aid," Thirteen went on, "and your tape was invaluable to securing the building as you worked. You kept things moving smoothly, and that's exactly what we need in a rescue operation."
Sero grinned, giving a thumbs up. "Thanks! I figured the tape would come in handy!"
"Asui—" Thirteen started, but Asui interrupted.
"Tsu."
"Right, Tsu," Thirteen corrected, chuckling. "Your recon was exceptional, and you allowed your team to get the civilians out in a prompt manner. You were everywhere, gathering the information needed for everyone to do their jobs quickly. It made all the difference."
Tsu's expression didn't waver, but her eyes shined with pride. "It was nothing, really. Just glad I could help out."
"Congratulations, you four," Thirteen concluded. "You passed."
Team two celebrated with the class, high fives and congratulations all around. Midoriya, still slightly out of breath from the intense exercise, grinned ear to ear as his classmates patted him on the back. Yaoyorozu was glowing with pride, her usual calm demeanor replaced by a rare spark of joy. Sero, always the one with the jokes, gave a dramatic bow, which made the others laugh. Tsu, ever the laid-back one, gave a cheerful ribbit and a thumbs-up, clearly proud of how well the team had worked together.
And then a portal opened in the center of the USJ.