Mha oc

USJ

The bus ride to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint was surprisingly lighthearted. Despite our usual chaos, the class felt... at ease. Maybe it was the fact that we'd been through the Sports Festival together, or maybe it was because we hadn't seen anything truly dangerous yet. Either way, it was calm. For now.

I leaned against the window, my headphones on but nothing playing. Around me, my classmates were chatting, their voices blending into the hum of the engine. Kirishima was hyping up something ridiculous with Sero and Kaminari, while Yaoyorozu patiently tried to keep Midoriya from spiraling into some over-analysis about hero tactics. Typical.

Then there was Bakugou, who sat a few rows behind me, glaring at anyone who dared to breathe too loudly. I smirked to myself. Some things never changed.

"Oi, Woods."

I turned to see Ashido grinning at me. "What?"

"Why do you always look like you're thinking about ways to destroy society?"

I snorted. "Because it's fun to imagine the world burning down sometimes, Ashido."

"Wow, edgy much?" she teased.

"You're lucky you're funny," I shot back, but there was no heat behind it.

The bus slowed, and Aizawa stood at the front, his usual deadpan expression in place. "We're here. Get yourselves together."

The USJ was impressive—sprawling zones designed to simulate every possible rescue scenario. The whole class stood in awe as Thirteen began explaining the facility. I was half-listening, my eyes scanning the space. Something felt... off.

Then, the lights flickered.

My stomach dropped as a strange, crackling sound filled the air. A swirling black and purple mist began to form in the center of the main plaza, and before anyone could react, a figure stepped through. No, figures.

Villains.

Dozens of them.

"Everyone, stay back!" Aizawa's voice cut through the rising panic.

Thirteen moved to shield the students, and I felt my body tense. My quirk itched to activate, but I forced myself to wait for Aizawa's lead. His scarf snapped out, grabbing one villain and slamming them into the ground with terrifying precision.

"Get to the exits!" Aizawa barked, his eyes already glowing red.

But I didn't move.

"Dad, what the hell are you doing?!" I yelled, even as I knew the answer.

He glanced back at me for only a moment. "Protect the others."

I clenched my fists, my barrier sparking around me like an aura. "Screw that."

Without waiting for permission, I darted after him, vaulting over debris and throwing up barriers to block attacks. Aizawa was already in the thick of it, taking down villains left and right.

"Go back, Ryosuke!" he shouted, even as his scarf wrapped around another villain.

"Not happening, old man!" I shot back, sending a wave of my barrier forward to knock a group of villains off their feet.

For a while, it was almost... manageable. We worked in tandem, Aizawa taking down villains with precision while I kept them at bay with barriers. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me, my movements sharper and faster than usual.

Then, the Nomu appeared.

The thing was massive—hulking muscles, exposed brain, and dead, soulless eyes. It barreled toward Aizawa with terrifying speed. I threw up a barrier, but the Nomu shattered it like glass.

"Dad!" I shouted, my voice cracking with panic.

Aizawa barely managed to dodge the first attack, his scarf whipping around the creature's arm. But the Nomu was too strong. It grabbed him, slamming him into the ground with a sickening crack.

The world seemed to slow.

"No..."

The sound of my voice broke into a scream before I realized what was happening. "Dad!"

The word tore from my throat, raw and filled with terror. In that moment, it wasn't Eraser Head on the ground—it was my father, the man who raised me, who taught me everything I knew.

"Get off him!" I screamed, tears blurring my vision.

And then it happened.

The fear, the anger, the desperation—it all boiled over, and my quirk responded in a way it never had before. A shockwave of pure energy erupted from me, a barrier expanding outward in every direction. It slammed into villains, heroes, and debris alike, pushing everything back from me and Aizawa.

Villains were thrown back, crashing into walls and each other. Even the Nomu stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden force.

When the dust settled, I was on my knees, breathing heavily. My hands shook, my vision blurry with tears. Aizawa was still on the ground, struggling to get up.

"Dad..." I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He groaned, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, but his eyes flickered open.

"Ryo... control yourself," he rasped, even now more concerned about me than his own injuries.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, but my hands shook as I turned to face the Nomu. It was advancing again, unfazed by the shockwave. My barrier flickered to life, stronger than ever, encasing me in a shimmering cocoon of energy.

"Stay back," I growled, my voice low and filled with a fury I didn't know I had.

The fight wasn't over. Not by a long shot. But as long as I stood, no one—especially not my dad—was going to get hurt again.