The training grounds were eerily quiet, save for the soft shuffle of footsteps on concrete. You crouched behind a stack of training dummies, holding your breath. Sweat dripped down your forehead, but you didn’t dare move. Not yet. Somewhere in the darkness, Aizawa was watching. This wasn’t a test of strength. No punches to throw, no quirks to rely on. Just stealth. A crackling voice came through the tiny earpiece Aizawa had given you.

“You have two minutes before I find you.” You gritted your teeth. Your mission was simple; sneak past Aizawa and hit the glowing target at the other end of the field. Sounds easy. Except nothing was easy with Aizawa. You took a slow breath. He wanted you to panic. Move too fast. Make a sound. That’s how he’d get you. Not today, you hoped. You shifted low, crawling along the shadows, barely making a sound.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the air. Your heart leapt. You weren’t sure what that meant, but the next sound answered your question. It was the unmistakable snap of Aizawa’s capture scarf, cutting through the air. The fabric whipped around your ankle in an instant, yanking you off your feet. You crashed onto the ground, rolling onto your back with a groan. Before you could react, the scarf tightened, pinning you down.

“You hesitated.” Aizawa emerged from the shadows, completely silent, completely unreadable. He crouched beside you, arms resting on his knees. You tried to play it off as being careful, but Aizawa cut it short. “You were being predictable.” He released you with a flick of his wrist. “In a real fight, stealth is about more than moving quietly. You have to think ahead. Anticipate your enemy’s moves before they happen.”