MHA: The Sentry

_____[POV: Third Person]_____

The room was plunged into darkness. The thick curtains blocked any trace of sunlight, and the air was heavy, stagnant from prolonged isolation. The only source of light came from the cold screen of a cell phone, casting a pale glow on Bakugo's haggard face. Deep dark circles framed his eyes, his skin was pale, almost sickly, and strands of disheveled hair fell over his sweaty forehead. He was sitting in the corner of his bed, motionless, his eyes fixed on the screen as if he wanted to burn it with his gaze.

The recording was there, repeating like an endless nightmare. The reporter smiled as she praised the UA students for their bravery during the U.S.J. attack. But what made his blood boil was the image of Izuku, standing alongside the other students. He shouldn't have been there. He had no right to be there.

"DAMN IT!!!" Bakugo shouted, hurling the phone against the wall. The impact cracked the device, but he didn't care. His breathing was heavy, erratic. "How... How can this be happening?!"

He grabbed his hair, pulling it hard enough to hurt. Since his expulsion from UA, he hadn't left the house. Not once. The days had blurred into a haze of darkness and silence. His parents had tried to talk to him, but their words were empty, filled with pity. And he didn't need pity.

UA had covered up his expulsion from the media, but his parents knew everything. They were devastated when they found out he had almost killed Izuku. Almost killed the son of a close neighbor, a childhood friend. They had apologized to the Midoriyas, bowed, humiliated themselves. He had never seen them so weak.

The punishment came, but it was light. He couldn't leave, couldn't train. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that every hero school he tried to get into rejected him. None would accept his name; whenever they saw his record, their expressions changed. As if he were a monster. Shiketsu High School still hadn't given a definitive answer. He was on a "waiting list."

A waiting list. For him. As if he were trash.

He clenched his fists and felt his palms sweat, a sign that his Quirk was active. But he didn't explode. He couldn't. Every time he looked at his hands, all he saw were bodies on the ground. Burned, shattered, unrecognizable bodies. His heart raced, a mix of dread and anger eating away at his mind.

But what if...

What if this wasn't his fault?

Slowly, paranoia seeped into his mind like poison. He wasn't the problem. It was the world around him. He wasn't expelled because he made a mistake. He was expelled because the weak feared the strong. Because they saw in him something they could never be. It was all a conspiracy. It always had been.

The weak always tried to bring down the strong.

They held him back. They cast him out because they knew he was better. That he would surpass them all. That bunch of failures knew they could never reach him. The principal, the teachers, the students—they were all against him. They wanted to see him humiliated, brought low.

And Izuku...

That bastard. He should have been dead. He should never have existed. How did a quirkless loser like him become a hero? It didn't make sense! It was an insult to everything Bakugo believed in. He had spent his whole life proving that the weak should never rise to the top. But then, suddenly, Izuku was there, receiving praise, becoming a hero?

And Ryuji... that damn guy had always been there to stop him, always laughing, always taunting. As if he were above it all. He should be erased too.

Bakugo stood up from the bed, his eyes red, insane. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. A twisted smirk formed on his chapped lips.

"If the world wants to stop me... then I'll destroy the world first."

The air around him grew hot, his palms trembling with pent-up energy. He wasn't going to wait. He wasn't going to ask for permission. He was going to crush every single one of them.

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The city of Musutafu was a reflection of human evolution and progress, with its avenues crowded with people and vehicles, modern buildings, and skyscrapers that rose imposingly against the sky. At the heart of this economic and technological advancement stood the RF Corporation, one of the largest and most influential companies in the world.

Its three buildings dominated the urban landscape like colossi of glass and steel. The two side buildings, each 25 floors tall, served as administrative and development centers, while the central building, with 35 floors, was the heart of the company, housing the executives' offices and the most critical operations.

RF was not just any company; it had revolutionized the global market with products that didn't even exist before. From advanced technologies to innovative consumer goods, its patents had transformed society in unimaginable ways. It was natural that thousands of people competed daily for a position in its offices, as working at RF meant not only a hefty salary but also status and financial security.

Inside the main building, the environment buzzed with activity. Executives hurried through luxurious corridors, analysts discussed real-time data, and million-dollar deals were closed every moment. On the 30th floor, a meeting room was filled with a heated discussion.

"If we don't close this deal by Friday, the competition will swallow this opportunity!" one of the directors exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table.

"We've already made the offer; they're hesitating. We could try an additional bonus in distribution to lure them in," suggested a woman with glasses, analyzing the numbers on the screen in front of her.

"Do whatever it takes. RF doesn't lose to anyone." The firm voice of the head of the marketing division ended the discussion.

Meanwhile, two female figures drew attention as they crossed the main lobby. Even dressed in formal attire, their presence was magnetic, attracting glances from employees and visitors alike.

"As usual, people can't stop staring," Morrigan commented with a mischievous smile, adjusting a strand of her green hair.

"It's not our fault we were made perfect," Lilith replied with a chuckle.

They proceeded to the upper floor, where Lucifer awaited them in his luxurious office. Seated in his lavish leather chair, he sipped freshly brewed tea while enjoying the panoramic view of the city through the glass wall.

"I hope you enjoyed your rest," Lucifer greeted them, interlacing his fingers in front of his face.

"It was wonderful! The time at the Nine & Tails Inn was so much fun!" Lilith replied excitedly. "The food, the massages, the hot springs... it was all great!"

"I agree," Morrigan added, but then sighed. "Though spending time with Esunami was exhausting."

Lucifer let out a light laugh. "I can imagine. Our Master was incredibly generous in granting you this time to relax. However, now that the break is over, we have an urgent matter to address."

Lilith and Morrigan's eyes narrowed as they noticed the more serious tone in Lucifer's voice.

"The reincarnated have stopped appearing," he began, resting his elbows on the table. "The last month recorded exactly zero appearances. Something extremely suspicious. As you know, our surveillance network covers all of Japan, and yet, we haven't detected any new reincarnated. This means our information network has somehow been compromised."

Morrigan crossed her arms, thoughtful. "So someone managed to bypass our surveillance... or is already infiltrated in our network."

Lucifer nodded slowly. "Whatever the case, it's unacceptable. How did the number of reincarnated suddenly drop to zero? Someone is somehow diverting them before they reach us. And that means our security has been breached in some way."

Lilith rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. "We've dealt with many reincarnated, especially in the US. Most of them had brainwashing quirks... and most of them were first-class perverts... But thankfully, the Master gave us total resistance against that kind of influence."

"We must act without risking being compromised. We don't know how powerful or intelligent this reincarnated might be," Morrigan added with a sharp smile.

Lucifer tilted his head, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. "Exactly. That's why I'm entrusting this mission to you. Investigation and elimination, if necessary."

Lilith and Morrigan exchanged glances before nodding.

"Leave it to us. We'll find out who's pulling the strings behind the scenes and make sure the ants are eliminated."

Lucifer smiled, satisfied. "Excellent. After all, no matter how much they try to hide... in the end, they all meet the same fate when they cross paths with our Master."

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The UA cafeteria was bustling as always, with students coming and going, chatting excitedly about the upcoming Sports Festival. But at one particular table, Ryuji was completely oblivious to the commotion, immersed in the divine experience of savoring his beloved coffee jelly. Sitting beside him, Izuku, Iida, and Uraraka were enthusiastically discussing the event.

"If we consider the most likely contenders to win..." Iida began, adjusting his glasses with a stiff gesture.

"Ryuji," Izuku interrupted without hesitation.

"Can't argue with that," Uraraka laughed.

Without even looking up from his jelly, Ryuji shrugged. "If we face each other at the festival, I'll kick your ass without mercy, Izuku."

Izuku laughed awkwardly. "You're always so hard on me."

"Because you're annoying." Ryuji shot back, taking another spoonful of his dessert.

"Hey!"

The group laughed at the little banter, while under the table, Rice Cake happily chewed on a piece of meat, still hiding from the crowd of girls who had tried to catch her earlier.

Hagakure, who was also at the table, leaned toward them. "By the way, how did you two become friends?"

Izuku smiled. "We're childhood friends!"

"His babysitter," Ryuji corrected bluntly.

Izuku choked. "Hey! I'm not a kid—"

"How many times did I stop you from getting beaten up by Bakugo? How many times did I walk you home after school? How many times did I have to make sure you didn't forget your lunch?"

Izuku blushed in embarrassment as Hagakure laughed. "So, basically, you were Midoriya's caretaker?"

"More than his own mom, I'd say," Ryuji teased.

"You're such a jerk, you know that?" Izuku retorted, but couldn't help smiling.

The conversation was abruptly interrupted when Ryuji felt fingers pinching his cheeks from behind.

"Oh! So soft!" an excited voice rang out.

"Nejire, you shouldn't—" another voice tried to warn.

The intruder let go of Ryuji's cheeks, and he turned his head to find Mirio, Nejire, and Tamaki, the Big Three of UA, standing behind him.

"Sorry about my friend..." Mirio laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"I wanted to see the Golden Boy up close!" Nejire replied cheerfully.

Ryuji raised an eyebrow. "Golden Boy?"

Mirio smiled. "Long story."

"Huh... okay."

Mirio composed himself and introduced himself. "I'm Togata Mirio, and these are my friends Hado Nejire and Amajiki Tamaki. We're third-year hero course students!"

"Hi!" Nejire waved enthusiastically.

Tamaki sighed. "I want to go home..."

Nejire quickly cut off any attempt at conversation, looking at Ryuji with sparkling eyes. "You're pretty famous, you know? The teachers are calling you a prodigy. You became elite in no time!"

Iida, Uraraka, and Hagakure looked at Ryuji in surprise.

"Wait, he's already considered an elite student?" Izuku widened his eyes.

"It makes sense, he stood out a lot during the entrance exam and the U.S.J. incident..." Iida analyzed, crossing his arms.

"Hey, that doesn't explain the nickname..." Ryuji pointed out, confused.

Nejire smiled. "Because you turn gold every time you use your quirk!"

Ryuji blinked. "...Oh."

The group laughed, and Mirio smiled as he watched the interaction. "I think you'll have to get used to this. You're already on a lot of people's radar. And it's going to be very evident at the Sports Festival."

Mirio crossed his arms, adopting a slightly more serious tone. "With all this attention on you, Ryuji, it's inevitable that you'll become a target at the Sports Festival. Other students will want to take you down to prove themselves."

Nejire added, nodding energetically. "If you're defeated, then whoever beats you automatically becomes the new top! And it's not just hero course students. This festival is a chance for students from other courses to switch careers!"

Izuku, who was listening intently, went into analysis mode. "That means it won't just be students from Class 1-A and 1-B trying to stand out. Support and general studies students might also see Ryuji as a stepping stone to impress the teachers and switch courses. If we consider the structure of past events and the weight of individual rankings, then the most efficient way to stand out would be—"

"I don't care," Ryuji interrupted without looking up from his coffee jelly.

Izuku stopped abruptly, blinking a few times before letting out a defeated sigh.

Hagakure, on the other hand, looked worried. "But isn't that unfair? I mean, he just started and they're already trying to pull the rug out from under him?"

Tamaki, who had been quiet and looking down since the start of the conversation, finally spoke, his voice low but carrying a strange seriousness. "The weak will do anything to bring down those who are strong or have potential... They'll weaken you until you can't stand anymore. And then they'll fight among themselves for the empty spot."

The group fell silent, processing the somber words. Even Nejire, always cheerful, blinked in surprise.

Tamaki noticed the stares and immediately shrank, turning away. "I... want to go home..."

Ryuji just watched the whole exchange with a neutral expression before sighing. He put his coffee jelly spoon down on the table.

"I don't care if everyone comes after me during the festival." Ryuji raised his right fist toward the Big Three. "If they try to stop me, I'll crush anyone who gets in my way."

Mirio smiled, his expression returning to its usual enthusiasm. "That's the spirit!"

Nejire tilted her head, intrigued. "Huh... very straightforward. But don't disappoint us, okay?"

Tamaki, on the other hand, seemed a bit doubtful. "...How arrogant..."

"Anyway," Mirio said, relaxing his shoulders, "sorry for interrupting your lunch, Ryuji. We'll see you at the festival."

The Big Three turned to leave, but as they took a few steps, a white ball of fur emerged from under the table.

Nejire's eyes sparkled.

"KYAAA! WHAT AN ADORABLE LITTLE THING!" Nejire practically vibrated on the spot, her eyes shining with pure adoration.

Rice Cake froze.

Ryuji looked at the little wolf. "Oh no..."

Nejire was already bending down to grab her, but the pup, with reflexes worthy of an animal blessed by the speed of the wind, dodged in the blink of an eye. She ran under another table, her fluffy white tail wagging in the air as she disappeared into the cafeteria.

"Wait!" Nejire dashed after her with a determined gleam in her eyes.

Mirio and Tamaki just watched as the situation spiraled out of control.

"I think this is going to be a problem..." Mirio commented, placing a hand on his chin.

Tamaki sighed. "I just want to go home..."

However, the chase only got worse when others realized that the living legend, the embodiment of cuteness, the divine creature known as Rice Cake was on the loose. Some students, declared fans of the little one, dropped their trays and joined the hunt.

"RICE CAKE-SAMA, COME TO ME!"

"I JUST WANT TO PET YOU, I PROMISE!"

"LOOK AT THAT WHITE FUR, SHE'S A DREAM!"

Rice Cake began using her quirk to survive the chaos. She jumped onto a table, narrowly missed a flying plate of curry, and, with a nimble spin, landed on the back of a distracted student, using him as a platform for an even bigger leap. Her trail was just a white blur, an unreachable tornado of cuteness.

One of the general studies students, who didn't even know what was happening, looked at the scene and muttered, "Is that a dog... or a missile?"

Hagakure, who was also watching the chaos, commented, "She's definitely the hardest creature to catch at UA."

"Only second to Aizawa when he doesn't want to teach," Ryuji added, taking another spoonful of his coffee jelly.

By this point, half the cafeteria was involved in the chase. Some tried to block her by forming human barricades, but Rice Cake was clever. When a group of students thought they had her cornered, she used her wind quirk to give herself a little boost and jumped over them, leaving everyone stunned.

"Can she fly?!" someone shouted.

"Was that a double jump?!" another asked, perplexed.

With great precision, she gracefully landed on a nearby table, right in front of a student holding a spoonful of coffee jelly. Her eyes sparkled.

In one precise and determined motion, the wolf simply snatched the dessert right off the student's tray and bolted to the other side of the cafeteria.

"Hey, that was mine—!" The student protested, but it was already too late.

"Rice Cake-sama! Come back here!"

"We just want to love you!"

"LET ME MAKE A SCARF WITH YOUR FUR!"

The last comment made Rice Cake run even faster.

She climbed onto a table, slid across a tray like it was a sled, and jumped at just the right moment to avoid the desperate arms trying to grab her. Upon landing again, she spun perfectly and disappeared between the legs of an unsuspecting student, who was immediately knocked over by the pursuing crowd.

Ryuji just sighed, watching the absurd scene unfold before his eyes.

"...Yeah, maybe it's better to leave Rice Cake at home for a few days."

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(A/N: I finished this chapter in the early hours of the morning. I was supposed to go to sleep, but I got so immersed in writing Rice Cake's escape that I didn't even notice the time. MC ended up catching the attention of the Big Three. Could he be the fourth member? What would the name be now that there are four? I'll just say they're planning something "Fantastic" to say. I'll stop here for now. See you in the next update.)