[U.A. – Infirmary – Minutes After the Rescue]
Ben was lying on one of the main beds in U.A.'s medical wing. His body remained still, wrapped in monitoring wires.
The red glow in his eyes had finally disappeared, leaving only a faint luminous trace that pulsed slowly—like mechanical breathing.
Recovery Girl stood beside him, leaning on her cane, her brow slightly furrowed.
She had tried twice. Tried to heal him with her Quirk. But... it barely helped.
"He's stable, but not responding to healing stimulus," she whispered to Aizawa. "It's not that he's too injured... it's like his body entered a state of its own... protection."
Aizawa narrowed his eyes, watching the unconscious boy.
"You think it's a side effect of his Quirk ?"
"Maybe," she replied. "Or part of it. I've never seen anything like this before, but… that doesn't mean it's dangerous. Maybe it's just... different."
[Infirmary Hallway – Students Gathered]
Class 1-A was waiting outside. Some sat on the floor. Others paced in silence.
The air was heavy, still thick with battle adrenaline.
Kirishima stood with arms crossed, leaning against the wall, staring at the ground.
"He took down that monster," he muttered. "Alone."
Mina, sitting next to Uraraka, still looked worried.
"And now he's in there… unconscious. We don't even know if he'll wake up soon."
Midoriya sat a bit apart, notebook on his lap, but he wasn't writing—just watching.
"Everything was so... precise," he said quietly. "The switches, the attacks, the decisions. He moved like someone who's done it all before."
"That's just how he is," Kirishima said quickly. "Trains nonstop, remember ? That guy kills himself in training every single day."
"I know," Midoriya nodded. "It's just… I've never seen a Quirk like that. Multiple forms, different powers, but they all felt like part of one system."
"Then maybe that is his Quirk," Uraraka suggested. "Like… a body that adapts. Evolves."
"Or an extreme mutation," said Sero. "Like multiple Quirks fused in one organism. I've heard of that before."
"Whatever it is…" Mina murmured, staring at the infirmary door. "He saved us."
Bakugou, silent at the end of the hall until now, scoffed and crossed his arms tightly.
"Tch... doesn't matter what it is. He beat that freak. That says it all."
Everyone fell silent.
Because it was true.
[Inside the Infirmary – Minutes Later]
Ben remained still. But inside... something was still active. As if his entire body were rebooting.
'Recharge mode: 37% complete…'
His breathing finally stabilized, heart rate returning to normal. A soft sigh escaped his lips.
Recovery Girl, now more at ease, adjusted the blanket over him.
"Whatever this Quirk is… it's taking care of him on its own."
Aizawa stood still a moment longer, watching the boy.
"Then let it. He deserves to rest."
[U.A. – Infirmary – The Next Morning]
The soft morning light filtered through the white curtains when my eyes finally opened.
The first thing I felt was the weight—not physical, but internal. Like my body had been drained, rebooted, and stitched back together piece by piece. My head throbbed lightly, but it wasn't pain… it was exhaustion. Deep, honest, and welcome exhaustion. The kind you feel after surviving.
I blinked a few times.
The white ceiling. The antiseptic smell. The soft beeping of nearby machines.
I was alive.
I slowly turned my head and noticed something unexpected: voices. Lots of voices.
The infirmary door was slightly ajar, and on the other side… my classmates.
Mina. Kirishima. Midoriya. Uraraka. Even Bakugou, arms crossed in his usual scowl. They were all there.
And when they noticed me moving…
"BEN !" Mina was the first to rush in, almost tripping. "You're awake ! Thank heavens, we were freaking out !"
Kirishima followed, flashing that big, sincere grin. "Dude, you had us seriously worried, you know ? What kind of hero beats a nightmare monster and then blacks out like an old phone ?!"
I chuckled weakly. "Sorry... I'll make sure to recharge before the next mission."
They laughed. Uraraka approached with a glass of water and a gentle smile.
"You… beat the monster. Alone. Before All Might even arrived."
Midoriya came closer in silence, eyes full of questions, but not pressing.
"It was incredible, Ben. You bought us time. You held the line. If it wasn't for you..."
"Hey, hey," I interrupted, raising a hand. "I just did what any of you would've done."
Mina scoffed. "Liar. None of us could've done half of what you did. You were... amazing."
"Insane," Kirishima added. "Legendary kind of insane."
Even Bakugou glanced sideways and muttered, like spitting thorns:
"Don't go getting soft just 'cause people praised you. I'll still surpass you, dumbass."
But… coming from him ? That was basically a gold medal.
I let my head fall back against the pillow, smiling. My muscles still ached, but something inside me relaxed.
I wasn't alone.
The TV in the background, set to low volume, suddenly caught everyone's attention.
"— and this morning, U.A. confirms that all Class 1-A students were safely rescued after what is now being called 'The USJ Attack.'"
"A group of villains invaded U.A.'s training zone, resulting in a large-scale battle. But among the highlights… one name stands out."
The screen shifted to footage of the battle—clips captured by internal cameras. There I was. Shapeshifting. Facing the Nomu head-on. Raising crystal walls. Using fire, speed, strength.
"Ben Tennyson, newly admitted student and top scorer in the entrance exam, took the front line in the fight against the monster, sent to kill the symbol of peace. Fighting alongside his classmates, he prevented a massacre."
A headline appeared on-screen:
"The Future of Heroism ?"
"Not much is known yet about his Quirk, but the young student has already shown courage and skill far beyond what's expected for his age. Experts are saying: 'This kid could be a game-changer for the next generation of heroes.'"
The room went quiet for a moment.
"This is gonna blow up tomorrow," said Kirishima with a nervous laugh.
"You're gonna be a meme, a poster, a PR campaign—heck, maybe even a legend ?"
"And you haven't even had lunch since yesterday," added Mina, nudging my shoulder. "You better get used to the fame, 'future of heroism.'"
I shook my head, smiling, but inside… a chill crept through me.
'They don't know what I am.
They don't know where this came from. What it really does. And if they did… maybe they wouldn't look at me the same way.
But for now… that's okay.
If that's the price to protect them, then I'll pay it.'