Chapter 29: The Unforeseen Simulation
The next morning, the sky over U.A. High was covered in a thick, gray blanket of clouds. The gloomy weather perfectly matched Zoro's mood.
He sat at his seat in Class 1-A, his arms crossed over his chest, his single eye staring blankly at the blackboard. He hadn't slept much. Throughout his intense morning training at the dojo, his mind kept drifting back to the crumbled metal of the front gate and that overwhelming, suffocating killing intent he had sensed. It wasn't a prank. It wasn't the press. Whatever was coming, it was dark, and it was close.
"Listen up," Aizawa's tired voice cut through the chatter of Class 1-A. He stood at the front of the room, holding a small remote. "Today's Hero Basic Training has turned into a class with three instructors: All Might, myself, and one other person. We'll be doing rescue training."
Excitement instantly rippled through the classroom. Students began whispering about floods, fires, and natural disasters.
"You can decide if you want to wear your costumes or not," Aizawa continued, pressing the remote. The wall panels slid open, revealing the numbered suitcases. "Because some of your costumes might not be suited for rescue work. The training area is off-campus, so we'll be taking a bus. Get ready."
Fifteen minutes later, the class was boarding a large, specialized U.A. bus.
Zoro took a seat near the back, crossing his arms and leaning his head against the cold glass of the window. He was wearing his usual green haramaki, white shirt, and black trousers, with his three swords securely fastened to his hip. He didn't care about rescue training, but he couldn't shake the heavy feeling that had settled in his chest since yesterday afternoon.
That killing intent at the gate, Zoro thought, his eye closed as the bus rumbled to life. It wasn't a warning. It was a promise.
The bus ride was loud. The students were practically buzzing with energy.
"Hey, Midoriya," Tsuyu Asui spoke up, placing a finger on her chin. "I say whatever comes to mind. Your Quirk... it's a lot like All Might's, isn't it?"
Midoriya instantly panicked, his face turning pale. "Y-You think so?! I mean, I can see why you'd think that, but—"
"Wait, Asui, All Might doesn't get hurt when he uses his," Kirishima interrupted, leaning over the aisle. "They just look similar. Still, it's nice to have a flashy Quirk! My Hardening is strong, but it doesn't look that cool."
"I think it's awesome," Midoriya quickly defended. "It's a Quirk that can definitely pass for a pro!"
"You want flashy? My Explosion is flashy," Bakugo sneered from the front.
"Yeah, but with a personality like yours, you'll never be popular," Kaminari shot back with a teasing grin.
Bakugo immediately exploded, standing up and screaming threats at Kaminari, much to the amusement of the rest of the class.
Zoro opened one eye, watching the chaotic exchange. They were laughing. Joking. Treating this like a simple school field trip. They had no idea what it felt like to have a real blade pressed against their throats.
"Hey, Roronoa," Kirishima called out, trying to bring the swordsman into the conversation. "What about your swords? You don't have a Quirk, but you cut through Todoroki's ice like it was nothing! Who taught you how to fight like that?"
The entire bus suddenly went quiet. Even Bakugo stopped yelling, his ears practically twitching to hear the answer. They were all secretly terrified and fascinated by the green-haired teenager.
Zoro didn't move. He kept his eye focused on the passing city landscape outside the window.
"Grueling training, hellish exercises, and the guidance of a strict master," Zoro replied cryptically, his voice low and calm. "Swordsmanship isn't about looking cool. It's about surviving when the world wants you dead."
The heavy, serious answer killed the lighthearted mood instantly. Kirishima swallowed hard, nodding slowly. Even Midoriya looked down at his scarred hand, realizing just how different Zoro's mindset was from the rest of theirs.
"We're here," Aizawa announced, breaking the tension. "Stop messing around."
The bus pulled up to a massive, dome-shaped building that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. As the students stepped off, they were greeted by a hero wearing a bulky, white space suit.
"Welcome, everyone!" the hero greeted cheerfully. "I've been waiting for you!"
"It's the Space Hero, Thirteen!" Uraraka squealed in delight. "The chivalrous pro who has rescued tons of people from disasters!"
Thirteen led the class inside. The interior was breathtaking. It was a massive facility containing different disaster zones: a ruined city, a landslide area, a massive fake lake, and a mountainous region.
"A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm..." Thirteen listed, spreading their arms wide. "I created this facility to prepare you to deal with different types of disasters! I call it... the Unforeseen Simulation Joint! Or, the USJ for short!"
While the class marveled at the sheer scale of the building, thirteen's tone suddenly shifted, becoming incredibly serious.
"Before we begin, let me say one thing. Or two. Or three," Thirteen held up three fingers. "As you know, my Quirk is called Black Hole. It can suck up and tear apart anything. However... it is a power that can easily kill people."
The students froze.
"Some of you also have Quirks that can be fatal if used incorrectly," Thirteen continued, looking over the class. "In a superhuman society, Quirks are heavily regulated to prevent accidents. But please do not forget that you possess powers that can completely destroy a human life with one wrong step."
Zoro nodded slowly in the back. Finally, someone who speaks sense. A sword was a tool for killing. If you forgot that, even for a second, it would end up taking your own life.
"That is all," Thirteen bowed respectfully. "Thank you for listening."
The class erupted into applause.
"Alright, first things first," Aizawa stepped forward, his eyes scanning the facility. "We'll start off by—"
Suddenly, the massive industrial lights illuminating the USJ flickered violently.
BZZZT!
A sharp, electrical cracking sound echoed through the massive dome. The water fountain in the central plaza far below them suddenly sputtered and died.
Zoro's eye snapped wide open.
His hand instantly dropped to the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji. The air in the facility had just dropped ten degrees. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It was the exact same feeling from the shattered gate. The overwhelming, suffocating miasma of death.
"Stay together and don't move!" Aizawa roared, his voice filled with a sudden, raw panic the students had never heard before. The pro hero whipped his head toward the central plaza. "Thirteen, protect the students!"
"What is it?" Kirishima asked, stepping forward to look down at the plaza. "Is this like the entrance exam? Has the training already started?"
Down in the plaza, the air began to warp and twist. A small dot of black and purple mist appeared. Within seconds, it expanded violently, tearing a massive, swirling portal in the fabric of reality.
From the dark abyss of the portal, a pale, severed hand reached out, gripping the edge of the mist.
"Don't move!" Aizawa yelled again, pulling his yellow goggles down over his eyes, his capture weapon unfurling around his neck. "Those are real villains!"
Slowly, terrifyingly, a man covered in disembodied hands stepped out of the purple portal. His red eyes locked onto the students standing at the top of the stairs. Behind him, dozens upon dozens of grotesque, heavily armed villains began pouring out of the darkness, their wicked laughter echoing up the walls of the USJ.
And standing right beside the man with hands was a massive, hulking, bird-like monstrosity with its brain completely exposed.
The students froze in pure, unadulterated terror. The air grew so heavy it was hard to breathe.
But Zoro didn't step back.
A fierce, bloodthirsty grin spread across his face as he slowly drew his white sword by an inch, the steel catching the dim emergency lights.
"So," Zoro whispered, his voice cutting through the terrified silence of his classmates. "The prey came straight to us."
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For Advanced Chapters :
Chapter 37 is now available. Season 2 has begun. Some secrets will be revealed. Haki? What is Master Kenji's relationship with the legendary blade maker Shimotsuki? Chapter 38 will be exciting. Zoro will learn some secrets.
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