Inside Principal Nezu's office, the air was calm and filled with the faint ticking of a wall clock.
The small principal sat on his oversized chair, paws folded neatly on his desk, eyes drifting toward the ceiling as if in thought. The desk, massive compared to his size, made him look almost miniature — but his presence was anything but small.
Across from him sat a tall, blonde man — gaunt, almost skeletal — with sunken cheeks and tired eyes that carried the faint glimmer of pride.
"So," Nezu began softly, "how are you feeling, All Might?"
All Might let out a long sigh, resting his back against the chair. "Tired… truly tired. Those kids really pushed me harder than I expected."
Nezu tilted his head slightly. "But you're not hurt, are you? That combined attack — the one with the beam — I thought you could've dodged it."
All Might chuckled faintly. "Oh, I could have. But their teamwork was flawless, Principal. I couldn't find a clean opening without breaking their rhythm. I didn't want to ruin what they achieved together."
Nezu leaned forward, curiosity gleaming in his small black eyes. "Then tell me — if you had to rank their strength compared to pro heroes, where would they stand?"
All Might exhaled, thinking for a long moment before answering.
"Well… purely in terms of strength — without diminishing any pro hero's work — they're above most of the top twenty. Some by a wide margin."
"Hmm," Nezu mused, tapping his pen. "And individually? Give me your assessment of each one."
All Might smiled softly, nostalgia flickering in his voice as he spoke.
"Tamaki Amajiki — strong, resourceful, but lacking confidence. His hesitation limits him. Still, I'd say he's around rank nineteen to twenty-five in raw power. For a student not even out in the field yet, that's absurd."
"I see," said Nezu, jotting something down. "And the others?"
"Nejire Hado," continued All Might, "has overwhelming power output and remarkable control. I'd place her somewhere around rank fourteen to eighteen."
He smiled wider. "Mirio Togata… he's already close to the top ten. Maybe even there already, given his precision and heart. As for young Raiden…"
All Might paused, his tone deepening slightly.
"He's different. His power, his adaptability, and his instinct… I'd say he's already in the top ten — maybe between fifth and seventh. His versatility alone puts him beyond what most pro heroes could handle."
Nezu's whiskers twitched with satisfaction. "So I was correct. And the title I gave them fits perfectly, doesn't it?"
All Might nodded, smiling. "They crushed the competition, Principal. They're definitely the strongest in U.A. — maybe the strongest I've seen in generations. Honestly…"
He hesitated. "I don't know if anyone will surpass them soon."
Nezu's tone softened, his eyes glinting. "Do you believe they could one day reach you?"
All Might chuckled, then nodded without hesitation. "I have no doubt about it."
"I see," said Nezu, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "Then I'll go inform them of their success. They should still be with Recovery Girl."
Meanwhile…
A dim light flickered through the infirmary windows.
That was the first thing Mewtwo saw when his consciousness returned — the faint glow of evening sunlight spilling across the room.
His vision cleared slowly. He was lying on a bed, the sterile scent of antiseptic in the air. Across the room, Recovery Girl sat at her desk, scribbling notes on a clipboard.
All around him were familiar faces — Nejire, Mirio, and Tamaki — each resting quietly, covered in bandages and soft medical blankets.
Mewtwo glanced down at himself and frowned. He was still transformed. Normally, when he fainted, his body reverted automatically to human form… but not this time.
Curious — and slightly uneasy — he sat up, inspecting the faint burns and bruises along his arms. He raised a hand and quietly summoned Life Dew. A soft blue light washed over him, mending his injuries and refreshing his energy.
Recovery Girl turned in her chair, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You're the first one up," she said. "Quite the show you all put on back there. I didn't heal you — figured it was better to let you recover your own way — but I took care of your classmates. They'll be out for a bit longer."
"I understand," Mewtwo replied, his voice calm but tired. "We lost. It was obvious we would… but I still don't know how they'll rank us."
He let out a breath, releasing his transformation. The psychic energy faded, leaving Raiden sitting there as his normal self again. He grabbed a nearby chair and sat beside the old woman.
They'd worked together before — he'd helped her several times with injured students — and a quiet camaraderie had grown between them.
Recovery Girl sighed, adjusting her glasses. "You should know, All Might went a bit overboard. Your group and the fourth-years… several broken bones among the lot of you."
Raiden let out a dry laugh. "Yeah… I can believe that. His punches felt like being hit by a collapsing building. He was holding back, but even then…"
He rubbed his shoulder and smiled faintly. "I didn't think he was that strong."
"Well, kid," Recovery Girl said with a small smirk, "he is the Number One Hero. What were you expecting? Of course you weren't at his level."
Raiden chuckled quietly, glancing over at his sleeping friends. "Maybe not yet."
Recovery Girl's smile softened. "Hmph. I'll hold you to that."
After a while of chatting with Recovery Girl, a faint groan came from one of the beds.
Mirio stirred, rubbing the side of his face before blinking his eyes open. His injuries weren't too severe — just bruises and a few burns — so he wasn't as drained as the others. Slowly, he sat up, glancing around the infirmary.
He spotted Recovery Girl and Raiden talking quietly near the desk. He waited for a pause in their conversation before smiling faintly.
"Hey… so we really all lost, huh?" he said, his tone half amused, half disappointed.
Raiden looked up and chuckled softly. "We? You mean all of us got crushed by All Might. Completely flattened. Welcome back."
He lifted his cup slightly. "How do you feel?"
Mirio stretched his shoulders and grimaced playfully. "Like I got hit by a truck made of muscle… but not bad. How long were we out?"
As if on cue, the other two stirred. Nejire yawned loudly, her hair tangled and full of static, while Tamaki groaned quietly, hiding under his blanket before peeking out.
Recovery Girl turned her chair toward them, smiling.
"About an hour," she said. "Not too long, but long enough to let your bodies cool off. You all needed it."
The four students exchanged glances — a mix of exhaustion and frustration.
They knew the odds had been impossible. They knew that facing All Might meant defeat. But knowing didn't make the sting any less.
Raiden, noticing their faces, let out a quiet sigh and said, "First time getting beaten that badly?" He gave a small smile. "Don't worry — it's just one loss. There'll be a second chance. And probably a third… and a fourth."
Even if he didn't say it aloud, everyone knew Raiden had plenty of experience losing before learning to win. The alley fight, the early tournaments, the training failures — each one had hardened him, made him calm in moments like this.
"I guess you're right," Mirio admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
At that moment, the infirmary door opened.
Principal Nezu entered, followed by Snipe and Aizawa. The small principal carried a stack of folders under one arm, his face lit with a satisfied smile. The teachers quietly took seats beside the beds — an unusually informal setup.
Nezu was the first to speak.
"First of all," he began, "I apologize for holding this meeting here. Normally, we'd have a small ceremony or an announcement in my office. But given your condition — and the fact that you all deserve to know your results firsthand — I thought it best to come to you instead."
The students nodded, sitting upright despite their fatigue.
Nezu clasped his paws together and continued.
"The final stage evaluated more than just combat. We graded your decision-making, reaction time, risk assessment, teamwork, and your ability to adapt under pressure against a superior foe. Everything you did was observed and recorded — both by us in the control room and by All Might himself during the battle."
He paused for a moment, smiling with genuine pride.
"And I must say — every single one of you exceeded our expectations."
The four students looked up, startled.
"When All Might appeared, you acted immediately," Nezu continued. "Without hesitation, without waiting for instructions, you identified the threat, assessed his level, and fought as if your lives depended on it. Your coordination was extraordinary — surpassing that of some pro hero teams. And you managed to land real damage on All Might himself. Not many can say that."
His words lingered in the air for a few seconds. None of the four spoke. They just looked at one another — surprise, disbelief, and a quiet swell of pride mixing in their expressions — until Mirio finally broke the silence.
"So… does that mean we passed? All of us?"
Nezu's whiskers twitched as he nodded. "Yes. All of you passed. Unfortunately, the fourth-years did not. So, from this day forward, you four will hold the title — and with it, new responsibilities."
Raiden tilted his head. "Responsibilities?"
"Of course," Nezu replied. "Being recognized as the strongest in U.A. comes with duties. You'll be called for higher-level missions, more complex rescue simulations, and you'll also assist in school matters — such as helping organize the entrance exams. It's good to have student input, after all."
He lifted one of the folders. "You'll receive a complete list of your new privileges and responsibilities later today."
Nejire blinked, tilting her head curiously.
"Ne, ne, Director! You talked about titles — but what are we called now?"
Her question made everyone perk up. Even Snipe raised an eyebrow, clearly curious to hear the official name.
Nezu smiled — that mischievous, knowing smile of his.
"Well," he said, hopping up onto the edge of the desk, "after reviewing your performances and the way you dominated every stage, there was only one fitting title we could think of."
He spread his arms dramatically.
"From this day on, you four will be known as—"
A pause. The room held its breath.
"The Yonkou of U.A. — the Four Emperors. The strongest students in the academy, and the ones standing closest to the ranks of top heroes."
The four of them stared in stunned silence — until Nejire finally squealed with delight.
"Yonkou!? That sounds so cool!"
Raiden chuckled under his breath. Mirio grinned from ear to ear. And even Tamaki, though he blushed and looked away, couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at his lips.
Nezu watched them with a satisfied expression. "Wear that title with pride," he said warmly. "Because from today onward — you've earned your place among the future pillars of hero society."