The train ride back to U.A. was uneventful, but Reiji could feel the shift in the air.
The moment he stepped off the platform, the way people looked at him had changed.
Before the internship, he was already notorious after his dominance in the Sports Festival.
But now?
Now, he was something more.
People whispered his name as he walked past.
"That's him…"
"The guy who fought the Hero Killer…"
"He actually survived against Stain?"
Reiji smirked. Word spreads fast.
He didn't mind it. If anything, it was amusing.
But the real test was yet to come.
Because now—he had to face Class 1-A.
Reiji's Return to Class 1-A
The moment he stepped into the classroom, all eyes locked onto him.
The air was thick with tension.
Deku, sitting near the front, looked uneasy, as if he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how.
Bakugo's red eyes burned with irritation, as if he was pissed that Reiji had stolen the spotlight again.
Momo, Kirishima, Jirou, and Kaminari all seemed curious, waiting to hear what had actually happened.
But it was Todoroki's gaze that lingered the longest.
He hadn't spoken a word since they arrived back, but Reiji could feel it.
The doubt.
The hesitation.
The unspoken question.
[Are you really going to be a hero?]
Reiji grinned. That's none of his business.
He walked toward his seat like nothing had changed—like he hadn't fought one of the most feared villains in the country and walked away with a smile.
But then—Iida stood up.
His usual calm demeanor was gone. His hands trembled slightly, his fists clenched as he stared directly at Reiji.
"You…" His voice was quiet but filled with tension.
Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Iida's breathing was heavy, as if he was trying to control himself.
"You fought Stain…" he muttered.
Reiji tilted his head. "Yeah. And?"
Iida's fists shook.
"Did you… did you enjoy it?"
The classroom fell into dead silence.
Everyone was waiting for Reiji's answer.
He smirked.
"What do you think?"
Iida's body tensed.
Reiji leaned forward slightly, golden eyes gleaming.
"You wanted revenge, didn't you?" he continued. "You wanted to kill him. You wanted to be the one to do it, but you failed. And now, you're asking me if I enjoyed fighting the guy who nearly killed your brother?"
Iida's jaw locked.
Reiji's smirk widened.
"Tch. You should've fought harder."
The entire class froze.
Deku's breath hitched.
Todoroki's eyes narrowed.
Even Bakugo, who usually didn't care about anything, glanced at Reiji with a scowl.
But before Iida could respond—
Aizawa entered the room.
"Enough," he said in his usual bored tone. "I don't care what kind of personal issues you have. We're moving on."
Reiji simply chuckled and leaned back in his chair.
[Aizawa sure knows how to kill the mood.]
Iida sat down, his hands still shaking.
But Reiji didn't care.
Because one thing was clear now.
They were all starting to doubt him.
And he loved it.
Aizawa's Observation
Class resumed as usual, but Aizawa wasn't stupid.
He had watched the fight recordings.
He had seen how Reiji moved.
How he enjoyed the battle.
And that concerned him.
After class ended, he called Reiji aside.
"You're growing too fast," Aizawa said. "And that's not necessarily a good thing."
Reiji smirked. "You sound worried."
Aizawa's gaze was unreadable. "I am."
That actually surprised Reiji a little.
Not that Aizawa was concerned—but that he admitted it.
Aizawa sighed. "Your fire is too refined for a student. Your combat instincts are too sharp. And you don't hesitate." His eyes narrowed. "You're dangerous."
Reiji chuckled. "That's not a bad thing."
Aizawa leaned in slightly. "It is if you stop caring about what it means to be a hero."
Reiji's smirk faded for just a second.
Then—he grinned again. "I don't need a lecture, Teach."
Aizawa studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "We'll see."
He turned away, but his warning lingered.
Because Aizawa knew something that Reiji didn't.
The way he fought.
The way he enjoyed it.
That path led to only two outcomes.
A hero who was feared.
Or a villain who was unstoppable.
And right now?
Aizawa wasn't sure which one Reiji was becoming.
A Growing Reputation
As Reiji walked through the hallways of U.A., he could feel the stares.
His reputation had shifted.
Before, he was respected.
Now, he was feared.
Even among his own classmates.
And beyond that…
There were whispers spreading outside of U.A. as well.
Because news about his battle with Stain had reached more than just heroes.
Somewhere in the darkness—
The League of Villains was watching.
And they were very, very interested.
End of Chapter 26.
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