Chapter 18 League of Villains
The bus rolled to a stop in front of a massive dome‑shaped structure, its metallic and glass surface gleaming under the midday sun. As Class 1‑A stepped off, they craned their necks upward, taking in the sheer scale of the building.
Aizawa led them toward the entrance, where a familiar figure in a puffy white spacesuit with waited.
Thirteen.
The pro hero waved enthusiastically. "Welcome, Class 1‑A! This is the Unforeseen Simulation Joint — the USJ!"
The class murmured in awe.
Thirteen continued, voice warm and animated. "Inside this facility, we've recreated a variety of disaster zones — floods, landslides, fires, shipwrecks, collapsed buildings — all designed to help you practice rescue operations in realistic conditions."
Takeshi listened quietly, taking in the details. Thirteen's tone was friendly, but the message was serious.
"Remember," she said, "heroes don't just fight villains. Our primary duty is to save lives. Today, you'll learn how to do that safely and effectively."
Midoriya practically vibrated with excitement. Uraraka beamed. Even Bakugo looked mildly interested.
Aizawa gestured toward the doors. "Let's go in."
The moment they stepped inside, the class stopped in their tracks.
The interior of the USJ was enormous — a sprawling artificial landscape stretching out beneath them like a miniature world.
From the top of the wide staircase, Takeshi could see:
A massive ship half‑submerged in a deep, churning lake
A burning cityscape with controlled flames licking at broken buildings
A mountain of rubble and collapsed concrete
A tornado zone with towering fans
A landslide area with shifting earth
A frozen section glittering with artificial ice
A desert wasteland under harsh simulated sun
The scale was staggering.
Kirishima whistled. "Dude… this place is awesome."
Tsuyu blinked slowly. "It's like a theme park for disasters."
Thirteen stepped forward again, raising a gloved hand.
"Before we begin, I want to remind you all of something important. My quirk, Black Hole, can suck in anything and turn it to dust. It's incredibly powerful — and incredibly dangerous."
The class sobered instantly.
"That's why today's lesson is about control. About using your abilities to help, not harm."
Takeshi nodded to himself. He understood that lesson better than most.
Aizawa crossed his arms. "Alright. Split into groups. We'll assign you to different zones—"
He stopped.
Mid‑sentence.
His eyes narrowed..
The lights flickered.
Aizawa's scarf lifted slightly, reacting to a disturbance.
Takeshi felt it too — a pressure, like the air itself had thickened.
Midoriya looked around nervously. "W‑What was that?"
Uraraka shivered. "Did the power just—?"
A dark, vaporous portal began forming down below them, gradually widening.
Aizawa's voice dropped to a deadly calm. "Everyone. Get back."
The mist expanded and then—
Shapes began to emerge.
Humanoid silhouettes. Dozens of them.
Villains.
Real villains.
The class gasped.
Kirishima's jaw dropped. "Wait— are those… actual villains?!"
Tsuyu's eyes widened. "This isn't part of the lesson."
Midoriya trembled. "T‑This can't be happening…"
Jiro grabbed Takeshi's sleeve. "Tell me this is just part of the simulation."
Takeshi's eyes widened at the numbers, but he didn't speak.
Aizawa's voice hardened and he spoke, "Those are real villains."
The mist coalesced into a single figure — tall, humanoid, with glowing yellow eyes and a voice like smoke.
"Hello, U.A. students. We've come for All Might."
Aizawa stepped in front of the class, goggles snapping into place scarf swirling around him.
"Thirteen. Protect the students. I'll handle this."
He leapt down the stairs, scarf snapping like a whip as he dove straight into the crowd of villains forming below.
The class stared in shock.
Kirishima whispered, "He's actually fighting them…"
Midoriya trembled. "A‑Aizawa‑sensei is incredible…"
Thirteen stepped forward, voice urgent. "Everyone, we must evacuate immediately! Move toward the exit in an orderly—"
The class stared in shock as more villains poured out of the mist — dozens, maybe more — spreading across the plaza like a dark tide.
"Students of U.A… you cannot leave."
The mist surged upward.
A humanoid figure materialized at the top of the stairs — tall, composed, and made entirely of swirling black fog.
Takeshi felt his pulse quicken.
And for the first time since entering U.A., he felt the weight of what being a hero truly meant and what he would have to face if he continued on this path.
The figure spoke, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kurogiri, the gatekeeper of the League of Villains. We have come here today for one purpose: to kill All Might."
Kurogori continued "Now then..."
before Kurogiri could finish, an explosion ripped through the air.
BOOM!
Bakugo launched himself forward, palms blazing.
"Like hell we're letting you do anything!"
Kirishima charged right beside him, fists sharpened with his hardening.
"Let's go, Bakugo!"
As they attacked him Kurogiri simply said one word, "Scatter."
His black fog exploded outward, engulfing the entire entrance platform.
Thirteen reacted instantly. "Everyone, get back!"
She activated her quirk, Black Hole, pulling at the edges of the mist but it was already too late. Most of the class had already disappeared. Kurogiri turned and looked at her, "None of that now" with the wave of a wispy hand a portal appeared at Thirteen's back and turned their quirk back on her. A scream rang out and Thirteen slumped to their knees before a second later falling face first to the ground.
Seeing Thirteen fall, Takeshi stepped forward without hesitation.
"Iida — run and get help," he ordered, voice sharp and steady. "The rest of us will buy you time."
Iida's eyes widened behind his fogged glasses. "No! As class representative, it is my duty to—"
"If you don't get help, we may all die," Takeshi snapped. "You're the fastest among us. You're our best chance. GO!"
Iida froze for only a heartbeat.
Then he turned and sprinted toward the exit, engines roaring as he accelerated.
Kurogiri's head swiveled toward him.
"I cannot allow that."
A portal surged forward, racing to cut Iida off—
But a strip of tape snapped through the air.
SPLAT!
Hanta Sero's tape latched onto Kurogiri's metal neck brace.
"Got him!"
Takeshi grabbed the tape with both hands, his quirk flaring as he increased his mass and braced his stance. He spun, dragging Kurogiri in a wide arc.
The mist distorted violently, trailing behind the metal brace as it was yanked off‑balance.
He managed two full rotations before Kurogiri activated his warp again, slipping free in a burst of fog and disappearing.
But it was enough.
Iida shot through the exit tunnel like a bullet, disappearing into the distance.
Takeshi exhaled, chest heaving. We bought him the time he needed.
He turned back toward the plaza—
And his stomach dropped.
Down below, Aizawa was pinned to the ground.
A massive, scarred monstrosity crouched atop him — hulking muscles, exposed brain pulsing, and a beak full of razor‑sharp teeth dripping with saliva.
Aizawa's goggles were cracked. Blood dripped from his forehead. His scarf lay shredded around him.
Takeshi's pulse thundered in his ears.
He was normally one to follow orders.
But right now?
Consequences be damned.
"Uraraka!" he shouted. "Use your quirk on me!"
She gasped but reacted instantly, slapping his shoulder as he sprinted past.
His body went weightless.
He launched himself down the stairs, picking up terrifying speed. When he could no longer keep his footing, he jumped, rocketing through the air like a human meteor.
He hardened his entire body, stone‑like spikes erupting across his skin.
The Nomu looked up.
Too late.
WHAM!
Takeshi slammed into the creature with earth‑shaking force.
The impact was brutal — enough to crack the floor beneath them — and it knocked the Nomu off Aizawa.
But instead of being launched away, the monster merely staggered back a few steps, claws digging into the ground to stabilize itself.
Takeshi rolled, then rose to his feet, fully armored in jagged stone.
He stepped in front of Aizawa, planting himself between the pro hero and the monster.
The Nomu straightened with no visible damage, standing several inches taller than him, its soulless eyes locking onto his.
Takeshi stared back.
And the first thing that came out of his mouth was:
"…Oh, shit."