Aiden stepped onto the grounds of UA High, his hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. After weeks of constant pressure, relentless attempts to coerce him into joining the prestigious hero academy, he had finally relented. But not because he cared about becoming a hero. No, far from it. To Aiden, UA was nothing more than a tool—a means to an end. He'd play their game, but only on his terms.

The air was buzzing with excitement as students moved around the campus, eager to prove themselves. But Aiden walked through the crowd as if in a different world, his mind focused entirely on his next steps. He wasn't here to impress anyone, he wasn't here to be a hero. He was here because UA had resources, and he intended to use them.

Making his way to the Support Course labs, he entered the workshop with the familiar scent of machinery and metal hitting his nose. This was where he belonged—among the gears and wires, the tech that made sense in a world that didn't. But before he could even begin to think about his projects, the voice of Powerloader interrupted his thoughts.

"Wolfe, right," Powerloader said, walking over to him."I, uh, hate to tell you this, but you're not supposed to be here."

Aiden raised an eyebrow, already sensing where this was going.

"And where am I supposed to be, then," he asked

Powerloader rubbed the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Class 1-A, Heroic Course. I'm afraid they've already decided."

"Of course they did," Aiden said as he rubbed his eyes

"Look, I'm just following what I was told. It's not up to me."

Aiden glanced around the room, the faint hum of machinery filling the silence as he considered his next words. He knew what this was—the Hero Public Safety Commission pulling the strings once again, trying to mold him into something they could control. Forcing him into the Hero Course was their way of keeping him on a tight leash, of ensuring that his talents didn't stray too far outside their influence.

It was manipulative, blatant, and obvious, but Aiden had seen it coming a mile away. He turned back to Powerloader, his voice calm, but carrying the cold, sharp edge of someone who was already three steps ahead.

"You don't have to explain, I get it, this is just another move on their part. The HPSC wants to make sure I'm under their thumb, and what better way to do that than shove me into the Hero Course, right? It's all part of the same tired game, make me follow the rules, keep me in line, and ensure I can't use UA for anything other than what they want."

Powerloader's face remained neutral, but there was a flicker of unease in his eyes. He knew Aiden wasn't wrong, but there was little he could do about it.

"I don't blame you," Aiden continued, his voice shifting from cold to almost businesslike,"you're just doing your job. But let's not pretend this is about me becoming a hero. This is about control, it's the same thing governments and institutions have done for centuries. If you can't stop someone, you cage them, force them into the system. Make them believe it's their only option."

He took a step closer, lowering his voice so only Powerloader could hear.

"I've seen through this from the start. They want me to join 1-A because it puts me where they can keep an eye on me. Where I'm surrounded by heroes who'll reinforce their precious status quo. It's a classic move, keep your enemies close, right?"

"I get that you're not thrilled about this, but—," Powerloader said, his expression tightened slightly.

"I'm not angry at you," Aiden interrupted smoothly, his tone eerily calm, reminiscent of something Lex Luthor, his favorite DC character, might say,"you're just another piece on the board, same as the students, same as me. But make no mistake: I'm not their pawn. I'm only here because this place has resources I need. I'll play their game for now, but only because it benefits me."

And don't worry, I'm not here to make enemies. I don't hate you or anyone else for doing their job. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking this is anything other than what it is. The HPSC is trying to manipulate me into something I'll never be. A hero by their standards."

Powerloader let out a long breath, his hands resting on his hips.

"You're...not wrong," he said, confirming,"but there's only so much I can do."

"Exactly, so don't worry about it," Aiden said as he gave a small, humorless smile.,"I'm sure 1-A is going to be thrilled to have me."

With that, Aiden turned and began walking out of the workshop, leaving Powerloader standing there, still processing the conversation.

As he walked through the halls of UA, heading toward Class 1-A, Aiden's mind remained focused, calculating. He wasn't here to be molded or shaped into what they wanted. He was here to use them, just as they were trying to use him. It was all part of the same game, and if they thought they could outsmart him, they were in for a rude awakening.

Class 1-A

Aiden arrived at the door of Class 1-A with a slow, deliberate pace. He could already hear the chatter inside, students undoubtedly excited to start their journey as the next generation of heroes. He rolled his eyes, hand gripping the doorknob for a second longer than necessary before twisting it open and stepping into the room.

The moment he entered, all eyes turned to him. A collection of faces with various expressions, curiosity, excitement, and in a few cases, mild suspicion. But none of it mattered to Aiden anyway. They were all just part of the same system that he had no interest in being a part of. At the front of the class, standing with his usual tired expression, was Eraserhead.

Aiden smirked, to him this was both a blessing and a curse, a blessing to mess with the asshole who broke his window. And curse...well thats mainly for Aizawa, as he was gonna have fun with this man.

'This is going to be fun,' he thought.

Walking to the front of the room without being asked, he turned to face the class, his posture relaxed and confident, almost casual. His voice cut through the murmurs with sharp precision, dripping with a mix of Tony Stark's bravado and Lex Luthor's cold intellect.

"Hey there, I'm Aiden Wolfe, in case you hadn't heard," he began, flashing a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes,"now, I'm sure all of you are eager to become the next big thing in the hero world, you know, saving kittens from trees, smiling for cameras, basking in the glory of your Quirks. But let me stop you right there—none of that is even remotely interesting to me."

The room went silent. Some of the students exchanged confused glances, while others, like Bakugo, narrowed their eyes at Aiden's dismissive tone.

"I'm not here to fight for justice or live out some childhood dream of being a hero. Frankly, I find the whole hero system...very limiting. You're all so reliant on these Quirks, like they're the be-all and end-all of human potential. But let me tell you, there's a lot more out there than flashy powers and headline-grabbing rescues. I'm here because someone decided I need to be, not because I want to be."

Aiden shot a glance at Aizawa, his smirk growing a little wider.

"And don't worry, Mr. Eyebags," he said, nodding lazily toward the hero,"I'll make sure to stick around...but only because I've got a couple of ideas I want to test. I'm not here to impress anyone, least of all you."

Aizawa's expression didn't change, but there was a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth. The students, meanwhile, were either staring wide-eyed or muttering among themselves, clearly thrown off by Aiden's introduction. And the clear dislike he had for Heros, and the way he spoke to the teacher shows he was, in some terms, a wildcard or a delinquent

Bakugo, who was glaring daggers at Aiden from his seat, finally stood up, slamming his hand on the desk.

"Who the hell do you think you are, talking like you're better than us?!," he barked, sparks crackling from his palms.

Aiden didn't flinch. Instead, he turned slightly to face Bakugo, his voice still calm and dripping with that same cold confidence.

"I'm not better, just different," he coldly said,"but if you want to try and prove something...well, I'm not hard to find."

He dimmed Bakugo, causing the explosive teen to grit his teeth in frustration. With that, Aiden stepped back, moving toward an empty seat in the back of the class, settling in with an air of indifference. He glanced once more at Aizawa, his voice low but still loud enough for the class to hear.

"I'm sure we're all going to get along just fine, Nap King, " Aiden said with sarcasm

Aizawa gave a long, slow blink, clearly unfazed, but didn't comment. He knew Aiden's type—brilliant, but a handful when something didn't go their way. As Aizawa scanned the room, he could tell the students were still trying to process this unusual newcomer. But for Aiden, that was just the way he liked it, just the way he wanted to do it.

Sero on the other hand...

'God...please help me keep my sanity,' Sero thought as he sinked in his chair

The day dragged on as Class 1-A was ushered out to the field for the infamous Quirk Assessment Test. Students lined up, one by one, showing off their powers and physical prowess as Aizawa evaluated them with his usual, uninterested expression. Bakugo blasted through his test with his usual aggression, Midoriya anxiously awaited his turn, and the others followed suit with varying degrees of intensity.

But there, sitting on the sidelines Aiden was entirely disinterested in the spectacle. While his classmates focused on impressing their teacher with their flashy Quirks, Aiden had his attention elsewhere. He sat cross-legged on a bench, a small case open next to him, filled with the intricate parts of a rifle he was assembling. The Copperhead—a fully automatic assault rifle he had designed based on Pre-Quirk Era weaponry.

Aiden's hands moved deftly as he worked, completely absorbed in his craft. He started with the internal frame, carefully connecting the reinforced metal receiver to the stock, making sure everything aligned perfectly. The weapon's body gleamed in the sunlight, a mix of polished steel and composite materials designed to be lightweight but incredibly durable.

Next, he focused on the barrel assembly, screwing in a custom-made rifled barrel that he had developed to increase accuracy at mid-to-long-range distances. His fingers worked with a surgeon's precision, tightening each screw and bolt, ensuring there was no room for error. A series of wires ran through the rifle's internal mechanisms, connecting the electronic trigger system to the weapon's targeting interface—an advanced feature he'd added to give the Copperhead real-time feedback on ammo count and heat levels.

The grip was ergonomic, designed for optimal handling in high-pressure situations. Aiden adjusted the settings on a small panel embedded in the rifle's side, configuring the firing modes—single-shot, burst, and fully automatic. The Copperhead wasn't just any weapon; it was a masterpiece of engineering, built to rival anything the hero society could produce.

As he worked, the class couldn't help but notice. One by one, their attention drifted away from their own tests to Aiden, who was completely ignoring the whole process. Midoriya, in his usual earnest tone, was the first to speak up.

"Uh, Aiden, shouldn't you be participating in the test," Midoriya asked

His voice hesitant but genuinely curious, he hadn't seen Aiden try to do the tests. Aiden didn't even glance up from his work, sliding the charging handle into place with a smooth click.

"Nope," he replied, his tone as flat and casual as ever.

A few other students turned to look at Aizawa, expecting him to say something, but the pro-hero remained silent, observing Aiden with his typical bored expression, curious to see how this would unfold. Ochaco raised her hand timidly, as she thinks Aiden is a little much.

"But... it's, like, required for everyone, right," she asked,"you can't just skip it."

Aiden finally paused, looking up from his rifle as if he were addressing something minor, an annoyance that had briefly taken him away from his real focus. Sero was hiding a few feet away from the scene, he didn't want to get caught in the crossfire of Aidens words.

He didn't want to repeat the events of 2116, where Aiden made 18 kids and half the school faculty cry. It was the most impressive and terrifying thing he has ever seen.

"I'm not skipping anything," he said, standing up and holding the half-assembled Copperhead loosely in his hand,"I'm just not interested."

This clearly confused some of the students, especially those like Iida, who couldn't fathom someone outright refusing an assessment that would determine their place at UA.

"Not interested," Iida echoed, his arms chopping through the air,"this test is crucial to your future as a hero! It assesses your abilities and where you stand among your peers."

"Yeah, that's exactly why I'm not doing it," Aiden said as he let out a short, humorless laugh,"I already know where I stand."

There was an awkward silence as the rest of Class 1-A stared at him, unsure of how to respond. Bakugo growled under his breath, clearly irritated by Aiden's nonchalant attitude. He hated that a Quirkless nobody was in UA, more so in the top class with the elite like him, he shouldn't even be in here at all.

"You're wasting your time with that, all of you are obsessed with proving how strong your Quirks make you. But here's the thing—I don't care. I'm not here to become a hero. That's your dream, not mine. My skills aren't about flashy powers or trying to impress some teacher with a stopwatch. They're right here."

Aiden continued, gesturing to the track where the others were running, then tapped the Copperhead, his voice steady and sharp.

"This is what I'm working on. This will change the world a lot more than throwing a ball as far as you can."

"But...if you're here at UA, doesn't that mean you want to be a hero," Midoriya asked, brow furrowed as he tried to process Aiden's point,"even if you don't care about Quirks, you could use your intelligence to save people."

"No, you're missing the point. I don't need to slap a hero label on myself to make a difference," Adien said as he shook his head,"while you're all busy trying to fit into the hero box, I'm out here creating something that will push humanity forward. You all think Quirks are the peak of human evolution, but I'm telling you—there's more. And I'm the one building it."

Bakugo had enough, storming toward Aiden with a sneer.

"You think you're better than us just 'cause you can build fancy tech," he yelled in Aidens face,"you've got no idea what real power is!"

Aiden stared him down, his calm demeanor never faltering.

"Power," he repeated, raising an eyebrow,"you mean that little spark show you put on? Sure, it's flashy, but when you're out of juice, what's left? Me?"

He raised the Copperhead, now fully assembled, holding it with practiced ease.

"I don't run out. And I don't need to be a hero to show you that."

Before Bakugo could fire back, Aizawa finally acted. He wrapped Bakugo with his capture scarf, wrapping him up

"Thats enough, both of you," he said

Bakugo glared but backed off, muttering something under his breath. Aizawa shifted his gaze to Aiden, his expression unreadable.

"You're going to have to participate at some point," Aizawa said, though his tone wasn't confrontational.

He knew Aiden wasn't the type to be forced into anything. Aiden sighed, slinging the rifle over his shoulder with a quick movement, then looked at the man with an annoyed glare. He shrugged casually before sitting back down, continuing to tweak the Copperhead with fine-tuned adjustments.

"Yeah, I know, Nap King," he said,"but when that time comes, don't expect me to play by your rules."

The other students, still in disbelief, returned to their assessments, but the weight of Aiden's words lingered in the air. He wasn't here to compete. He was here to change the game entirely. Sero sighed as he rubbed his head and walked to Aiden, who was close to finishing the final adjustments to the Copperhead

"Your gonna get multiple targets on your back ya know," Sero asked his friend

"Yeah, but thats just half the fun ya know," Aiden said with an chuckle

"If you die, I call dibs on the neato gadgets in your apartment."

"Stay away from the bombs and nuclear material in the corner, okay?"

"...The what?"

"What?"