Hero Names

The electric high of the U.A. Sports Festival lingered, but after the festival, the familiar rhythm of college life resumed. Students of Class 1-A were settled in their desks, a collective buzz of anticipation filling the room, waiting for their homeroom teacher.

The door slid open, and Shota Aizawa, wrapped in his usual tired aura, entered. "Morning," he mumbled, his voice a low monotone, yet every student instinctively straightened.

"GOOD MORNING, AIZAWA-SENSEI!" the class chorused, a wave of respect in their unified greeting.

Aizawa nodded, his gaze sweeping over the eager faces. "Alright, settle down. For today's Hero Informatics lesson, you'll be coming up with your aliases. Your hero names."

A collective cheer erupted. The energy in the room instantly spiked. Choosing their hero names was a monumental milestone, a symbolic step toward their professional careers. It felt like the final piece of the puzzle, truly cementing their path towards becoming Pro Heroes.

"Hold your horses," Aizawa droned, cutting through the excitement with his characteristic dry tone. "But first, the Pro Hero Draft Picks I mentioned the other day. Remember how I told you Pro Heroes would be scouting you during the festival? This is the list based on who the Pro Heroes believe is ready to join their workforce as interns. They've submitted their requests based on your performance. Here are the complete draft pick numbers."

He pulled up a holographic display on the whiteboard. The screen flickered, revealing the meticulously compiled list. The numbers were staggering, indicating the sheer volume of offers each student had received. It was a clear, quantitative measure of their impact during the Sports Festival.

Namikaze Minato - 4625

Shoto Todoroki - 3818

Izuku Midoriya - 3171

Katsuki Bakugo - 3057 ...

(and so on for the rest of the scouted students)

A collective gasp went through the room, followed by exclamations of shock and awe. "Four thousand?!" Kaminari exclaimed, his jaw dropping so wide it looked like it might unhinge. "Minato's way above everyone else! That's insane!"

"Unbelievable! He really left an impression on them, didn't he?" Mina cheered, clapping her hands together with glee. 

Minato, seeing his name at the top with such a monumental number, simply offered a small, quiet smile. It was satisfying, a quiet validation of his efforts and his decision to put himself out there during the festival. He had aimed to impress, and it seemed he had succeeded.

Aizawa's expression remained flat, though there was a subtle acknowledgement in his eyes as he glanced at Minato. "Well, he was the winner of the competition, and his performance in every single round, from the Team race to the one-on-one battles, was widely broadcast and seen by every agency. And yes, the halftime show certainly added to his exposure. The result speaks for itself." He paused, then continued, bringing the class back to the main task. "Anyways, now that you know where you stand, it's time for the next step. You have to pick your hero names."

Just as he finished, the classroom door burst open with a dramatic flourish. Midnight, in all her flamboyant glory, sashayed into the room, striking a pose that highlighted her striking hero costume. "AND THAT'S WHERE I'LL HELP YOU, FUTURE HEROES!" she purred, her voice a theatrical delight that instantly captivated the class. "Choosing your hero name is an art form! It's your brand, your identity! The name you pick now may very well be the one the entire world calls you for the rest of your career! That's what happens to most top-ranked heroes, after all!"

Aizawa, without missing a beat, simply lay down on the floor in his sleeping bag, already looking like he was about to fall asleep. His voice was muffled, but clear. "Midnight here will guide you. Don't waste my time, and don't pick anything stupid."

Whiteboards and markers were swiftly distributed by Minato and Momo, clattering onto desks. Students immediately hunched over their boards, brows furrowed in intense concentration. Some were already scribbling furiously, excitedly jotting down ideas, while others stared blankly at the pristine surface, grappling with the weight of the decision.

Minato looked down at his whiteboard, a thoughtful hum escaping his lips. He considered several options, names that invoked speed, light, or heroism, names he had pondered for a long time. Then, with a confident stroke, he wrote down his chosen alias, a familiar and iconic one.

One by one, each member of the class stepped to the front, presenting their chosen hero names, much like in canon.

Tsuyu Asui presented "Froppy," her usual calm demeanor intact.

Kirishima Eijiro proudly announced "Red Riot," his spirit of chivalry shining through.

Ochako Uraraka hesitantly showed "Uravity," blushing slightly at the attention. Each name was met with varied reactions from Midnight – some approved immediately, others were advised tweaks and refinements.

When Bakugo Katsuki's turn came, he stomped to the front, holding up his board with a triumphant, defiant smirk. "LISTEN UP, YOU EXTRAS!" he bellowed, his voice laced with his usual explosive confidence. "MY HERO NAME IS... KING EXPLOSION MURDER!"

Midnight's playful expression instantly soured. Her eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not!" she declared, pointing a stern finger at him. "Bakugo, we just talked about this! That name is completely unacceptable!"

"WHAT?! WHY NOT?!" Bakugo roared, his palms popping with miniature explosions, his frustration already boiling over. "IT'S PERFECT! I'M GONNA BE THE KING, AND I'LL MURDER ALL THE VILLAINS! IT SHOWS MY POWER!"

Midnight folded her arms, her stance unyielding. "A hero name needs to inspire hope, to be a symbol of safety and reassurance for ordinary citizens, not to intimidate them! 'King Explosion Murder' sounds like a villain's name, not a Pro Hero's! It's too violent, too aggressive, and frankly, completely inappropriate! You need to change it, young man, immediately!" She scolded him, her tone firm, leaving no room for argument. Bakugo fumed, his face contorted in a silent scream of outrage, but he knew he was defeated for now.

Then, it was Minato's turn. He calmly walked to the front, holding up his whiteboard. In bold, clear kanji, he had written:

Yellow Flash: Namikaze Minato

Midnight's eyes lit up, her earlier irritation completely vanishing. She stepped closer, examining the characters, her expression transforming into one of pure appreciation. "Ooh, 'Yellow Flash'!" she purred, a wide, approving smile spreading across her face. "That is absolutely brilliant, Minato-kun! It perfectly encapsulates your incredible speed, the burst of light from your Quirk, and your signature style during the Sports Festival! It's striking, memorable, and undeniably heroic! It rolls off the tongue beautifully! I appreciate and agree wholeheartedly! Excellent choice, Namikaze-kun! Truly a name fit for a top hero!"

The class erupted in enthusiastic agreement. "Yeah, that's awesome, Minato!" Kaminari shouted, giving him a thumbs up.

"It suits you perfectly! The way you moved, it was like a yellow flash across the arena!" Momo added, nodding approvingly.

Once everyone had finished choosing their names, Aizawa, who had seemingly re-materialized from his sleeping bag and was now standing by the door, began to distribute thick stacks of forms. "Alright, for those of you who have been scouted, these are your internship offers from the various Pro Hero agencies across the country." He handed the voluminous packets to Minato, Todoroki, Midoriya, Bakugo, and the other fortunate few, the weight of the paper hinting at the sheer number of opportunities.

"Review these carefully," Aizawa instructed, his voice serious, knowing the gravity of the decision ahead. "This is a monumental decision that will significantly impact your development as heroes. You need to choose wisely which agency you will intern with. It's not just about popularity or going to the biggest agency; it's about what kind of hero you want to become, what specific skills you need to hone, and what kind of experience will best help you develop your Quirks and overall combat abilities. Some agencies specialize in rescue, others in reconnaissance, or frontline combat. Think about your future."

He then delivered the deadline. "You have until the weekend to submit your choices. That's only two days away, so don't waste time. Make an informed decision." With that, Aizawa zipped up his sleeping bag and, with a subtle nod to Midnight, exited the classroom. Midnight gave the class a final, theatrical wink before gracefully departing as well.

As the door slid shut, the room instantly burst into excited chatter. Students eagerly flipped through their internship packets, some already pointing out big names they recognized, dreaming of their upcoming professional experiences.

"Whoa, Best Jeanist is on here! I can't believe it!" Kirishima exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Edgeshot wants me!" Tokoyami murmured, a hint of awe in his voice, already picturing himself working alongside the stealth hero.

They quickly turned to Minato, the most sought-after student, the sheer volume of his offers making him the subject of intense curiosity. "Minato-kun, who are you going to pick?!" Mina asked, bouncing in her seat, practically vibrating with excitement. "Are you gonna go with All Might's old sidekick, Sir Nighteye? Or maybe Endeavor, since he's so high up on the hero rankings now? Or are you going to forge your own path completely?"

Minato looked down at the thick stack of papers in his hands, his smile thoughtful, genuine contemplation in his eyes. "Honestly, I don't know yet," he admitted candidly. "First, I have to carefully review all of them. There are so many good options, so many different paths I could take. It's a big decision, and I want to make sure I pick the agency where I can learn the most and truly prepare myself for what's to come in the hero world. I'll need to do some serious research tonight."

The discussions continued as the regular classes resumed for the rest of the day. The air in Class 1-A was now charged not just with academic lessons, but with the weighty, life-altering decisions that would shape their fledgling hero careers, starting with where they would intern.