The days passed, and the third-year students continued with their routines. They patrolled with their respective agencies, investigated different villains, trained almost daily, and slowly got more used to the pressure of being considered the next generation of top heroes.
And finally, after three weeks, the moment for the tutoring program arrived.
It was going to happen once a week for three hours, and each mentor had to prepare a way to test, guide, and evaluate the students assigned to them. The teachers wanted practical growth, not just lectures, and because of that, the four Yonkou had been given a surprising amount of freedom regarding how they would train the first years.
The four students moved through the hallways side by side, joking among themselves as they headed toward the training grounds.
Most of the teasing, as expected, was directed at Tamaki.
Because somehow, against all logic and against everything everyone expected from him, Tamaki now had a girlfriend.
It still sounded unreal.
Last week, the three of them had finally met the girl during one of their free afternoons, and to their surprise, she was genuinely kind, soft-spoken, and incredibly affectionate toward Tamaki. What surprised them even more was that Tamaki somehow became even more nervous around her than he already was around normal people.
So naturally, the other three had decided that teasing him about it was now a permanent hobby.
"You're smiling again," said Nejire with a giant grin as she floated backwards in the hallway while pointing at Tamaki.
"I-I'm not..." muttered Tamaki under his hoodie, immediately lowering his head further.
"You literally are," added Raiden with complete seriousness. "I didn't even know you could make that expression."
Mirio burst into laughter beside them.
Tamaki looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
The direction of the four was clear: the training grounds.
This mentorship program was only for a selected group of students. The rest of the first years would remain under the direct guidance of the teachers. The chosen students had been assigned specifically because of the compatibility of their Quirks with the four Yonkou. Otherwise, the whole program would make no sense.
Inside the training grounds, which were enormous and resembled a stadium mixed with a combat zone, the students of Classes 1-A and 1-B waited in anticipation.
The area was filled with giant rocks, artificial structures, broken terrain, metallic obstacles, and several elevated platforms designed for combat and movement training.
Near the sides of the field stood multiple teachers, including the homeroom teachers and several specialized instructors. Some looked curious, others amused. A few simply looked tired already.
The students themselves had no idea what was happening.
Some speculated it was another test.
Others thought it was combat practice.
A few feared expulsion.
Then the large entrance doors slowly opened.
Immediately, the attention of both classes shifted toward them.
Four figures entered in a row.
First came Mirio Togata, walking confidently with his hands behind his head and a bright smile on his face, like he didn't have a single worry in the world.
Beside him floated Nejire Hado, looking around with enormous curiosity as she stared openly at the new students, almost as if she wanted to immediately start asking questions.
Behind them walked Tamaki Amajiki, who avoided eye contact with absolutely everyone and remained half-hidden beneath his hoodie, clearly wishing to be anywhere else.
And finally came Raiden.
Hands inside his pockets, posture relaxed, expression calm, he simply observed the students silently while walking forward beside the others.
Unlike the rest, however, many students failed to recognize him immediately.
After all, he was currently in his human form, not transformed into Mewtwo. Without the glowing eyes, tail, and overwhelming psychic aura, most people simply saw a tall gray-haired student walking casually beside the Big Three.
Still, some students immediately understood who he was.
Kirishima's eyes widened in excitement.
Bakugo narrowed his gaze instantly.
A small murmur spread among the first years as they realized exactly who had entered the field.
Then, from the side, Shota Aizawa finally spoke.
"Let me introduce you to the four of them," said Eraser Head calmly while looking at the students. "The four strongest students currently in U.A. The ones closest not only to becoming pro heroes... but to becoming top heroes."
The entire field became silent.
"The Yonkou."
"They are examples all of you should aim toward. Starting today, they will participate in your education as mentors. However, not everyone here will be under their direct guidance. Your assignments were decided based on Quirk compatibility and combat potential."
At those words, the students immediately reacted.
Some looked excited.
Others nervous.
A few looked intimidated.
Meanwhile, Raiden looked over the crowd once more and sighed internally.
"Yeah..." he thought while staring at the first years. "I'm regreting the title"
Bakugo somehow recognized Raiden. Well, after a second of thought, it was obvious. If they were introducing the strongest students in the entire U.A, and Raiden had already presented himself before in such an overwhelming way, then there was only one possible answer. The gray-haired boy standing there with his hands inside his pockets was the same monster that had humiliated him during the night training.
And Bakugo didn't bother hiding his hostility.
The moment he realized it, his expression twisted into annoyance, almost rage, and small explosions crackled instinctively from his palms. His eyes stayed fixed on Raiden like he wanted nothing more than to challenge him again right there.
Midoriya, on the other hand, reacted completely differently.
The moment he understood who Raiden truly was, his eyes practically started shining. Excitement, admiration, nervousness, all of it mixed together inside his expression. He immediately remembered the advice Mewtwo had given him during their fight, the explanation about energy output and controlling power through the whole body instead of concentrating everything in one place.
However, neither of them got the chance to speak, because Aizawa continued talking without wasting a second.
"Now, we didn't bring them here just for show," said Eraser Head with his usual tired voice, his scarf moving slightly with the wind. "Some of you will be under their guidance. Why? Because Quirk compatibility, which is important for Quirk development. Being under someone with a Quirk similar to yours should help you dominate it and grow faster."
The students listened carefully.
Even the louder ones stayed silent.
"Now, before any of you complain that even with talent they are still students," continued Aizawa as he glanced toward the four third years, "you couldn't be more wrong. All of them have already participated in the subjugation of some of the worst criminals in Japan, and they have more experience than most pro heroes."
That sentence alone made the atmosphere change.
Some students from 1-A and 1-B widened their eyes slightly. Others looked at the four third years with completely new respect. Until now they had looked impressive, but hearing that they had already fought real high-level villains made them feel different.
Dangerous.
"Therefore," Aizawa finished coldly, "no complaints will be allowed. If someone has a problem with their assigned mentor, they can look for another school. Or better yet, they can test their mentors themselves when we call them."
His words echoed through the training ground, and no one answered back.
Not even Bakugo.
"Now," Aizawa continued while looking at a list, "Mezou Shoji, Itsuka Kendo, Ibara Shiozaki, Neito Monoma, and Momo Yaoyorozu. All of you will be under Suneater."
At that exact moment, before Tamaki could even react, Raiden and Mirio immediately pushed him forward from behind.
Tamaki almost stumbled from the sudden movement and barely managed to avoid falling face first in front of the students. His hoodie immediately moved lower over his face as if he wanted to disappear on the spot.
The assigned students looked at each other.
Then back at Tamaki.
Their future mentor looked painfully awkward.
Monoma lifted an eyebrow almost immediately, while Yaoyorozu observed Tamaki carefully with a much calmer expression. However, despite her politeness, even she seemed doubtful.
And then both of them spoke almost at the same time.
"We can test him, right?" said Monoma with a grin. "He doesn't look suited to teach."
Yaoyorozu didn't sound disrespectful, but she still added, "If we are going to learn under him, we would like to understand his capabilities first."
At those words, Tamaki immediately lowered his head again and instinctively tried to retreat inside his hoodie.
However, before he could step back, Raiden used a small telekinetic push on Tamaki's back and chin, forcing him to straighten his posture and step forward properly.
Tamaki understood immediately who had done it.
After all, only one person among them could casually move someone without touching them.
He took a deep breath.
"If... if you aren't sure about me, that's okay," Tamaki said timidly, though this time he forced himself to keep looking forward. "But I have to do this... and... well... you can attack. If you land one hit on me, I will retire and give the place to a proper teacher."
The moment he finished speaking, Mirio gave a thumbs up from behind while Nejire smiled proudly.
In truth, this exact situation had already been discussed beforehand.
Raiden, Mirio, and Nejire knew perfectly well that Tamaki's biggest weakness wasn't his Quirk, his intelligence, or even his combat ability.
It was his confidence.
So together they had prepared a couple of responses beforehand in case the first years doubted him.
And apparently, they had been right to do so.
At Tamaki's words, the assigned students immediately prepared themselves.
Monoma moved first.
With a quick grin, he touched Shoji's arm, and suddenly multiple extra limbs sprouted from his own body. The copied Quirk manifested instantly, surprising several students nearby.
Tamaki immediately understood why Monoma had been assigned to him.
A Quirk based on adaptation and versatility.
From the side, Yaoyorozu materialized a metallic staff from her arm with impressive speed and pointed it toward Tamaki with clear discipline.
Itsuka Kendo enlarged her fists until they looked massive compared to the rest of her body, preparing herself for close combat.
Meanwhile, Shiozaki's vine-like green hair slowly floated around her body like living roots, spreading across the ground while pointing toward Tamaki from multiple angles.
Shoji himself remained silent, but his duplicated arms expanded slightly, ready to move.
Tamaki observed all of them.
And in the instant he saw the Quirks activating around him, something changed.
The timid, clumsy atmosphere around him disappeared almost immediately.
His posture straightened.
His expression sharpened beneath the hoodie.
And slowly, calmly, he extended one arm forward.