Chapter 27: The Class Leader Election
"You all worked hard during yesterday's combat training."
Standing at the front of the classroom, Shota Aizawa looked as tired as ever.
"I've reviewed the footage and the results."
His gaze shifted first.
"Bakugo. You have talent. Stop acting like a child."
"I know," Katsuki Bakugo replied with a click of his tongue.
Aizawa turned next.
"And Midoriya… did you really end up breaking your arm again?"
Midoriya's injury had happened during his match against Fumikage Tokoyami. In the darkness of the building, Tokoyami's Quirk had grown far stronger, forcing Midoriya to rely on One For All again.
Aizawa looked at him steadily.
"Don't keep using 'I couldn't help it' as an excuse."
"That won't work with me."
"I don't like repeating myself."
"If you learn to control your Quirk properly, there's a lot more you'll be able to do."
He paused.
"Hurry up and figure it out, Midoriya."
"Yes!" Midoriya answered immediately.
Then Aizawa looked toward the back row.
"And Akio."
Akio Tatsuma, seated by the window as usual, looked up.
"You held your ground against two powerful opponents at once," Aizawa said. "That was impressive."
"I think you have the potential to become an excellent Pro Hero."
Akio stood up and gave a slight bow.
"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa."
"Tch. Show-off," Bakugo muttered.
Several classmates looked at Akio with envy. Being praised by Aizawa was no small thing.
Todoroki said nothing. His face remained calm and unreadable, but his attention briefly lingered on Akio.
Aizawa rubbed his eyes.
"Now then. On to the next item."
The class tensed immediately.
Most of them were thinking the same thing.
Another test?
Instead, Aizawa said:
"We need to choose the class representatives."
For a moment, the entire room felt relieved.
At last, something that felt like normal school business.
Students immediately began volunteering themselves. Akio stayed quiet. He had no interest in becoming class president. In his mind, Tenya Iida was the obvious choice.
"Quiet!"
Iida suddenly stood up and shouted so loudly that the room fell silent.
"This is an important position with serious responsibility," he declared. "It should not be decided simply by whoever wants it most."
He adjusted his glasses.
"The class representative should be someone trusted by the people around them. Therefore, I believe we should decide through a vote."
The room stared at him.
"You were raising your hand for yourself just now," someone pointed out.
Kaminari looked confused.
"Then why suggest voting?"
Tsuyu poked her cheek thoughtfully.
"We barely know each other yet, Iida."
Kirishima crossed his arms.
"I'd still vote for myself."
Iida nodded solemnly.
"Exactly. In a situation like this, the person who still receives votes from others is the one truly suited to lead."
Then he turned to Aizawa.
"What do you think, sir?"
By that point, Aizawa had somehow already wrapped himself back inside his yellow sleeping bag.
"Do whatever you want," he mumbled. "As long as the class decides."
After some discussion, the voting began.
When the results were written on the board, they turned out like this:
Akio Tatsuma — 2 votes
Momo Yaoyorozu — 2 votes
Izuku Midoriya — 2 votes
Almost everyone else had simply voted for themselves.
Bakugo slammed his hand onto his desk.
"Who the hell voted for that nerd twice?!"
Sero laughed.
"Well, at least someone had better judgment than voting for you."
"What did you say, extra?!"
Before Bakugo could escalate, Akio stood up.
"I'm withdrawing."
He gestured toward Iida.
"Give my place to him."
Bakugo folded his arms.
"As if stepping aside would've made you class president."
Akio ignored him and looked at Iida instead.
Iida blinked in surprise.
"Akio… why?"
"Because you're better suited for it," Akio said simply.
It was the truth. Someone as earnest and responsible as Iida fit the role far better than he did.
Iida straightened.
"…Thank you."
In the end, after a quick decision, Tenya Iida became class president.
The position of vice president went to Momo Yaoyorozu, after Midoriya declined it.
Yaoyorozu found herself wondering why Akio had stepped back so easily. With his ability and presence, he could easily have taken the role himself.
But Akio had never been interested in managing others. Freedom suited him much better.
By lunchtime, Akio already knew something was about to happen.
Today was the day the U.A. security barrier would be breached, reporters would flood the grounds, and the students would panic over a supposed villain attack.
Because of that, he deliberately waited before going to lunch.
By the time he entered the cafeteria, it was crowded. Students from the Support Course and the Business Course had already filled much of the space.
Akio spotted Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida talking together.
Right on schedule, he thought.
Then—
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The alarm blared through the cafeteria.
Instant panic.
That particular alarm only sounded in the event of a villain invasion.
"Security breach in progress. Safety Defense Level 3 has been compromised. All students, please evacuate to the designated outdoor shelter immediately."
The announcement only made things worse.
"Excuse me," Iida asked a nearby student, "what exactly is Safety Defense Level 3?"
"It means someone has gotten past the school's outer defenses," the student answered quickly. "This hasn't happened in years. Just run!"
He took off immediately.
Around them, students surged toward the exits. The cafeteria dissolved into chaos.
Akio, meanwhile, stayed seated and kept eating his lunch without the slightest hurry.
He had ordered Chinese food again.
Not far from him, he noticed someone else doing the exact same thing.
Shoto Todoroki.
Todoroki hadn't moved at all. He was still sitting there, eating calmly as the cafeteria descended into panic.
Akio picked up his tray, walked over, and sat down across from him.
"At a time like this, you're still that calm?"
Todoroki looked up, mildly surprised to see him, then answered in his usual flat tone.
"Panicking won't help."
"And if villains really did show up, people acting like that would only get in the way."
Akio gave him an approving look.
"As expected of Todoroki. Good point."
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