Chapter 21: Team A

The next day at U.A. High School went by like any other day at a regular school—or at least that's how it seemed at first. For Toji, every minute sitting at a desk felt like punishment, and he was already itching to find an excuse to leave. During recess, he decided the best way to pass the time would be to interact with his classmates, though he wasn't particularly interested in them. By chance, he ended up talking a bit more with Ochako, who struck him as surprisingly friendly. However, his attention inevitably shifted when he noticed a student with a bird's head. At first, he tried to hold it in, but a laugh escaped his lips.

The young man with the crow-like head, Tokoyami, barely reacted. He simply tilted his head, as if used to the stares and comments. Ochako, on the other hand, scolded him gently. "Don't be rude, Fushiguro-kun! Tokoyami-san is cool."

Toji shrugged, still smiling. "Cool? Really? Well, I guess he has style."

When recess ended and the next class began, Toji noticed something enormous approaching the classroom door. The shadow was large enough to capture everyone's attention.

"IT'S ME, COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

The entire classroom erupted into cheers as All Might entered. The Number One Hero exuded confidence with his enormous smile as he greeted the group.

"This guy again?" Toji muttered, raising an eyebrow.

Momo, sitting nearby, gave him a pointed look. "There were rumors he'd be teaching at U.A. You should pay attention. You're a fighter too, aren't you?"

Toji yawned, utterly uninterested. "Nah. I just adapt to what I'm up against. I don't need someone to teach me how to fight."

Momo blinked, slightly incredulous. "Well, it's All Might, the Number One Hero. There's always something to learn from someone like him."

Toji crossed his arms and smirked arrogantly. "Give me a week, and I'll figure out how to knock him down a peg."

Momo sighed. There it was again—Toji's egocentrism.

"Alright!" All Might roared, taking charge of the class with his characteristic energy. "Today, we'll begin with a battle exercise, and for that, you'll use your custom hero costumes!"

The classroom walls opened to reveal a series of numbered lockers. "Everyone, grab yours and head to the changing rooms. I'll meet you at the testing area."

Toji stood up, grabbed the bag with his name on it, and headed to the locker room. When he opened it, he found exactly what he expected: a tight black short-sleeve shirt, loose white pants, and a black belt. Although these clothes had been what he wore at his tragic end, he decided to wear them again... this time, just replicas.

When he arrived at the testing area, his first reaction was to study everyone else's costumes. The variety threw him off. "So flashy," he thought, observing the array of vibrant colors and striking designs. His gaze landed on Momo, and as he approached, he raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that... a bit skimpy?" he remarked, pointing at her outfit. Despite his casual tone, he couldn't help but notice how little fabric it used.

Momo rolled her eyes. "You know how my Quirk works. The more skin I have available to create things, the better it functions."

Toji chuckled. "Then wouldn't it be more practical for you to go naked? Like that girl over there." He gestured with his thumb toward a pair of floating gloves that clearly belonged to Hagakure, who was completely invisible.

Momo elbowed him in the ribs, glaring. "You're one to talk, you know? Look at what you're wearing."

Toji glanced down and grinned. His outfit perfectly showcased every muscle on his torso, emphasizing his imposing physique, while the loose pants balanced the design. "It's comfortable," he replied simply, shrugging.

"Sure it is," Momo muttered, rolling her eyes again.

All Might burst onto the scene with his usual enthusiasm, pointing toward the training field. "Alright, young heroes! Get ready!"

Everyone moved toward the area with urban environment simulators. All Might stood at the front, radiating energy as he explained, "Today, you'll have a two-on-two battle! Teams will be selected randomly through a draw."

The students lined up to the box containing the lettered balls. One by one, they reached in to pull out theirs.

Momo looked at the ball she'd drawn. The letter C was clearly engraved on its surface. She couldn't help but immediately glance at Toji, hoping with excitement that they'd be paired together. She quickly approached him, her smile bright.

"Toji-kun, which letter did you get?" she asked, her voice full of anticipation as she held up her ball.

Toji, with his typical carefree attitude, raised the ball he held between his fingers. The letter A gleamed before Momo's eyes.

"Oh, too bad... I would've loved for us to be on the same team," she remarked, lowering her gaze slightly but still maintaining her smile.

Toji let out a small snort, crossing his arms and smirking. "Just hope you're not up against me."

Momo blinked, surprised, before frowning slightly. "What do you mean by that? That you'd beat me easily?"

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze brimming with confidence. Then, he let out a low laugh, as if what he'd just heard was too naïve. "Between you and me..." he lowered his voice as if sharing a secret, "…yeah."

Momo's face turned red, not from embarrassment but from anger. She pursed her lips and glared at him. "We'll see about that!"

He simply raised an eyebrow, as if her indignation amused him. With a casual wave of his hand, he added, "Anyway, stop making those weird faces. I'm going to find my partner." Without waiting for a response, he turned and began walking among the other students.

After asking around, he found his teammate. It was a boy with messy hair, wearing a tight green suit that looked more like pajamas than a hero costume.

Toji looked him up and down with an expression bordering on skepticism. "…I always get stuck with the weird ones," he muttered, letting out an audible sigh.

Izuku Midoriya, realizing Toji was referring to him, stiffened like a board. "W-we're a team, huh?" he stammered, trying to keep his composure.

Toji tilted his head as he examined the green suit more closely. After a moment of silence, he commented dryly, "Who made that costume for you? Your mom?"

Izuku's eyes widened, and he began to sweat. "A-actually... yes," he confessed, averting his gaze to the ground in embarrassment.

To his surprise, Toji didn't mock him. Instead, he nodded slowly, as if assessing him. "I see. Then take good care of it."

Izuku blinked, stunned by the unexpected comment. He looked at Toji, who had already turned his attention to All Might, who was beginning to explain the exercise.

"Alright, listen up, everyone!" All Might exclaimed, his voice booming across the area. "The exercise will be a battle between two teams. One will act as the heroes, and the other as the villains. The villains will be inside a building with a fake bomb that has a timer. The heroes' job is to deactivate it—obviously without destroying it—by touching it before the timer runs out. Meanwhile, the villains must prevent this, either by holding off the heroes until time runs out or defeating them both."

The excitement and tension were palpable. All Might, with a broad smile, reached into the box to select the first teams. He pulled out two balls and announced, "Team A versus Team D!"

Toji smirked confidently. "Nice. We're up first."

Izuku, however, felt his soul leave his body. His hands began to tremble as he remembered who was on Team D: Bakugo. His mind filled with memories of his childhood, all of them ending with some explosion or an intimidating shout.

Toji glanced at him sideways and snorted impatiently. "Relax. As long as you don't get in my way, we won't lose."

Though the words weren't particularly reassuring, Izuku swallowed hard and nodded quickly. He'd do his best not to be a hindrance.