The morning after the attack was eerily quiet.
Despite the massive battle from the night before, the air was still. The scent of burned wood and scorched earth lingered in the remains of the training camp, and the ground was littered with debris.
The Pro Heroes had spent the entire night securing the area, treating the wounded, and gathering reports.
But the real storm?
That was just beginning.
In a secured tent away from the students, the Pro Heroes gathered.
Aizawa stood at the center, arms crossed as he listened to the ongoing discussion.
"A student took down a Nomu alone."
Vlad King's voice was tense. "That's not something we can ignore."
Gran Torino, sitting with his usual relaxed posture, chuckled slightly. "Heh. You say that like it's a bad thing."
Aizawa exhaled. "It's not the fact that he won. It's how he won."
All Might, standing nearby, nodded. "There was no hesitation. No fear. It was like he was… enjoying it."
The room fell silent.
Midnight shifted uncomfortably. "He fights like a pro—but the way he approaches it is… different. He doesn't think like a hero."
Aizawa sighed. "And that's what worries me."
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then, Gran Torino smirked. "So what? You're afraid the kid's gonna turn villain?"
Aizawa's eyes darkened slightly.
"I don't know yet."
Meanwhile, inside one of the makeshift medical tents, Reiji sat on a hospital bed, completely unbothered.
His uniform was torn, his body covered in bandages, but his smirk?
Still there.
Across from him, Aizawa and All Might stood, staring him down.
Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Man, I must be real special to get both of you in the same room."
Aizawa's expression didn't change.
"You ignored orders. Again."
Reiji shrugged. "Didn't realize 'not dying' was an order."
Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "This isn't a joke."
All Might stepped forward, his usually warm eyes hardened.
"Kurobane," he said firmly, "I'll ask you directly. Why do you want to be a hero?"
Reiji blinked.
Then—he smirked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Silence.
Then—
"I just like winning."
All Might's eyes darkened slightly.
Aizawa exhaled slowly. "Do you even understand why that's a problem?"
Reiji leaned back, resting his arms behind his head. "Not really."
Aizawa's fingers twitched slightly, but he remained calm.
"You fight like a predator," he muttered. "You don't think about saving. You don't think about protecting. You think about conquering."
Reiji chuckled. "Yeah? And what's wrong with that?"
All Might clenched his fists. "Heroes don't fight for themselves. They fight for others."
Reiji's golden eyes gleamed.
"And what if I don't care about that?"
The room fell silent.
Aizawa finally spoke. "Then you don't belong here."
The words hung in the air.
Reiji's smirk didn't waver.
But for the first time—his expression didn't feel as confident.
Aizawa turned away. "We're done here."
All Might hesitated. Then—he sighed.
As they left, Reiji leaned back against the bed, staring at the ceiling.
For the first time—he felt something strange.
Something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Doubt.
The rest of the class had already heard the news.
Reiji defeated a Nomu alone.
The Pro Heroes were concerned.
And now?
The students didn't know what to think.
Kirishima frowned. "I mean… isn't this a good thing? He took down a Nomu!"
Iida shook his head. "That's not the issue. It's the way he fights. It's… reckless."
Momo sighed. "He's terrifying on the battlefield. Even the Pro Heroes seem unsure of what to do with him."
Deku clenched his fists. "That's what worries me."
Todoroki, standing by the window, remained silent.
But in his mind—he remembered his father.
The way Endeavor fought. The way he viewed power as the only thing that mattered.
Reiji… was too similar.
Too close to crossing a line.
And Todoroki didn't know if he could be pulled back.
Later that night, long after the discussions ended, Reiji stepped outside.
The sky was dark, the camp quiet.
He needed air.
His mind was buzzing with what Aizawa and All Might had said.
["Heroes don't fight for themselves."]
["Then you don't belong here."]
He clicked his tongue.
[Tch. So what? I've always fought for myself.]
He wasn't like Deku.
He wasn't like Todoroki.
He wasn't like the rest of them.
And yet—something felt different now.
Something about the way everyone was looking at him.
Before, they just saw him as strong.
Now?
Now they saw him as dangerous.
And he didn't know how to feel about that.
Then—he heard a voice.
"You're thinking too much, Kurobane-kun."
Reiji turned, eyes narrowing.
Toga.
She was sitting on a rock nearby, her usual smile playful but her eyes… sharp.
"Villains don't second-guess themselves, you know," she giggled. "That's what makes them fun~."
Reiji exhaled slowly. "Not interested, freak."
Toga tilted her head. "You sure? 'Cause your classmates don't trust you. The heroes don't trust you. Maybe…"
She leaned forward, eyes gleaming.
"Maybe you're not supposed to be one of them."
Reiji's golden flames flickered slightly.
For the first time—he had no immediate answer.
End of Chapter 40.
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