Jason stretched his arms behind his head as he walked the U.A. campus trail, pretending everything was fine.
It wasn't.
His instincts buzzed—quiet, subtle, constant.
The USJ attack had changed everything. Not just for Class 1-A… but for him.
---
Classroom – Morning Briefing
Aizawa stood at the front, unusually serious.
"We're heading into a new phase of your training," he said. "U.A. has greenlit the next step: a full-field combat test. Pro heroes will observe."
Murmurs broke out.
"It's not a sports festival," Aizawa clarified. "This will be real combat. Urban battlefield simulations. Team tactics. Rescue ops. Get ready. You'll be tested as if you were already licensed."
Jason leaned forward slightly. That meant this wasn't just for them—it was for the heroes watching.
---
Later – Dorm Lounge
"Do you think this is to catch the League's attention?" Momo asked quietly as she stirred her tea.
Jason looked up. "You think U.A. wants to bait them out?"
"I think U.A. wants to show we're not vulnerable."
He shrugged, then flicked a paper ball at her. "You're reading too much into it."
She batted it away with a glare, but there was no real heat behind it.
"You haven't shapeshifted in days," she said suddenly. "Are you okay?"
Jason hesitated. "…I don't want to rely on it."
"You mean because of the Nomu?"
"No. Because it's evolving."
She blinked. "What?"
Jason leaned in, voice low. "It adapts. Learns. I copy more than shapes now. I didn't realize it until I fought that thing. And I'm not sure where the limit is."
Momo's eyes widened. "Jason, that's—"
"Dangerous," he finished, staring at his hand. "I know."
---
Elsewhere – A Monitored Office
All Might stood with Nezu and a group of Pro Heroes.
"That boy—Jason—has potential," said a hero in red armor. "But something's strange about his power. It's not just transformation."
Nezu nodded. "His file was vague for a reason. The Yaoyorozu family requested discretion. We honored it."
All Might folded his arms. "But if he's a weapon… we must be sure he points in the right direction."
---
Meanwhile – Villain Base
Tomura Shigaraki tapped his fingers against the Nomu tank, now empty.
"They're getting stronger. So are we."
He looked toward Kurogiri.
"Activate the Vanguard Squad. I want them watching U.A. Close."
---
That Night – Jason's Dorm Room
Jason stared at the ceiling, thoughts swirling.
He had been given power. But not just to fight. Not just to win.
His quirk—it learned from what it touched. What it fought. What it survived.
He wondered what it had taken from the Nomu.
He wondered what it might become next time.
And for the first time in a while…
…Jason wasn't sure he liked the answer.