Chapter 18: Chapter 17
Uchiha Madara's requested costume specifications were exactly the same as his former appearance in the Hokage world.
Now, in the U.A. changing room, he stood in full gear—dressed in a black, tight-fitting combat suit layered with a long black robe that carried a distinct air of traditional Japanese culture. The design strongly resembled the uniform of a shinobi from ancient times.
Over this, he wore a set of iron-red plated armor—an unmistakable relic of another era, yet perfectly suited for defense.
"Pink-eye, what is that? You trying to cosplay a ninja or something?" Bakugo Katsuki sneered from across the room, his arms crossed and voice dripping with disdain.
"You guessed right," Madara replied evenly, fastening the last button on his shirt. "I am a ninja."
"Tch. Damn chuunibyou." Bakugo scoffed, giving him a sharp glare. "Keep wearing that stupid armor and I will kill you."
Outside, on the training field—
"It's crucial to start with presentation!" boomed All Might, striking a confident pose in front of the class. "From now on, boys and girls, you must carry yourselves with the pride of aspiring Heroes!"
"Nice gear, ninja," Yaoyorozu Momo said as she casually walked over to Madara, her tone half-amused, half-curious.
"Your outfit…" Madara looked her up and down with a glance—noting her rather revealing hero costume. "It's different from your usual clothes."
"You just don't get it," Yaoyorozu replied playfully, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "This outfit is all part of the strategy." She winked at him with a confident grin.
"All right, everyone looks good!" All Might declared, giving a satisfied nod as he surveyed the class. "Time to begin, my little fertilized eggs!"
"Sensei!" Iida Tenya, clad in his armored costume, raised a rigid hand. "If I recall correctly, this area was used for the entrance exam, so… are we doing another simulation like that?"
"This training is two levels above that exam," All Might said, holding up two fingers. "While most people assume heroes fight villains in broad daylight, according to crime statistics, indoor crimes are far more frequent—burglaries, trafficking, smuggling… ah, but I'm getting off-track."
He cleared his throat.
"In short: real villains operate in the shadows, hidden from the world."
"Now! Today's exercise will simulate a conflict between villains and heroes in a closed setting. You'll be split into teams—two students per group. One team will act as the villains, the other as heroes."
"Sensei," Asui Tsuyu asked curiously, "aren't we supposed to start with basic training first?"
"This is your basic training," All Might responded. "But unlike those dumb, slow robots you smashed during the entrance exam, this time you'll be facing real people. Think of this as a test of control, judgment, and tactics."
"Does this mean I can punch people now?" Bakugo, fully geared up like a walking grenade, was already staring daggers at Madara.
"Do we get punished if we go too far? Like when Aizawa-sensei threatened to expel people?" someone else chimed in.
"Will we be paired randomly or balanced by strength?"
"Do you think my cape's more dramatic than yours?"
"All Might is soooo cool…"
A dozen conversations exploded at once, the entire class buzzing with excitement, questions, and light-hearted chaos.
All Might sighed deeply, a long-suffering expression on his face.
Why did I become a teacher again...? he wondered. Ah right—Midoriya...
"All right, everyone quiet down!" All Might finally managed to restore order.
"Here's the setup: the villains have hidden a nuclear device somewhere inside a building. The heroes must locate and secure it within the time limit, or capture the villains."
"The villains, on the other hand, must protect the device until time runs out—or subdue the heroes outright."
Then he held up a sleek metal box. "Team assignments will be decided by lottery!"
"Team C?" Madara looked down at the slip in his hand.
As he scanned the room, a familiar voice met him.
"Hi."
Yaoyorozu Momo appeared with perfect timing, beaming as she held up her own lottery slip.
"You're in Team C?" Madara asked, tilting his head.
"Correct!" she chirped. "Looks like we're partners, Madara-kun. What a coincidence."
Madara gave a faint smile. "Then let's work together."
"Of course. Let's do our best!"
Match 1:
Villains: Bakugo Katsuki & Iida Tenya
Heroes: Midoriya Izuku & Uraraka Ochako
It ended with the Hero team's narrow victory—though Midoriya was badly injured, and the entire building reduced to rubble thanks to the ferocity of both Bakugo and himself.
Match 2:
Villains: Uchiha Madara & Yaoyorozu Momo
Heroes: Jiro Kyoka & Kaminari Denki
At the top floor of the building, Madara and Momo stood near the mock "nuclear weapon"—a large, metallic barrel secured with fake seals.
"They know your Quirk," Momo murmured, pacing thoughtfully, "so I doubt they'll come close. It's likely they'll try to take us out from a distance."
"To win, we either capture them… or stall long enough," she said, raising a finger. "But maybe it's time we stop waiting—and go on the offensive."
Madara glanced at the barrel, then at Momo. "But can you guard the bomb alone?"
She gave him a knowing smile. "Who said I planned on staying with it?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
"..."
Madara narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't ask further.
He already understood.