บท 8: [8] Eyes on the Prize
The auditorium buzzed with nervous energy as I found my seat. Rows of anxious examinees filled the room, all here for the same reason: to prove they had what it took to become heroes. I settled into the uncomfortable chair, ignoring the chatter around me.
Behind me, I caught snippets of conversation.
"...did you see him? Green hair..."
"... totally cute..."
I turned slightly, catching the eye of the girl who had spoken last. I gave her a small smile, just enough to be noticeable. Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Her friend giggled, nudging her with an elbow.
Bakugo dropped into the seat next to me, his perpetual scowl firmly in place. "Oi, Deku. Ready to fail spectacularly?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Hello to you too, Kacchan. Charming as ever, I see."
He snorted. "Don't get cocky just because you've bulked up a bit."
"If you say so," I replied, keeping my tone neutral. No need to rise to his bait. I had bigger things to focus on.
Bakugo's eyes narrowed. "What, no comeback? Where's all that bravado from before? Scared now that we're actually here?"
I turned to face him fully. "I'm not here to fight you, Bakugo. We're both here to pass the exam. That's all that matters right now."
He opened his mouth to retort, but the lights dimmed, cutting off our conversation. A figure took the stage, his presence immediately commanding attention.
It was Present Mic, the Voice Hero. His outlandish outfit and spiked hair were unmistakable. He grinned at the crowd, his voice booming through the auditorium without the need for a microphone.
"WELCOME TO TODAY'S LIVE PERFORMANCE! EVERYBODY SAY 'HEY'!"
Silence greeted his words, broken only by a single, awkward cough. Present Mic, undeterred, continued with his enthusiastic explanation of the practical exam.
"THIS IS HOW THE TEST WILL GO, MY LISTENERS! YOU'LL BE EXPERIENCING 10-MINUTE-LONG MOCK CITY BATTLES! BRING ALONG WHATEVER YOU WANT! AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, YOU'LL EACH HEAD TO YOUR ASSIGNED TESTING LOCATIONS!"
I pulled out my application paper, double-checking my assigned location. Bakugo snuck a glance at it, a smirk on his lips.
"Tch. Different areas, huh? Guess they don't want us teaming up."
I nodded. "Smart move. Keeps things fair."
Bakugo's smirk widened. "Not that it matters. I'll crush everyone in my way, with or without help."
Present Mic continued his explanation. "EACH SITE IS FILLED WITH THREE KINDS OF FAUX VILLAINS. POINTS ARE AWARDED FOR DEFEATING EACH ACCORDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE LEVELS! USE YOUR QUIRKS TO DISABLE THESE FAUX VILLAINS AND EARN POINTS! THAT'S YOUR GOAL, LISTENERS! OF COURSE, PLAYING ANTIHERO AND ATTACKING OTHER EXAMINEES IS PROHIBITED!"
As Present Mic spoke, a tall student with glasses stood up abruptly. His voice was stern and officious as he raised his hand. "Excuse me, sir, but I have a question!"
Present Mic nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
"On the printed handout, there are clearly four types of villains listed. If this is an error on official U.A. materials, it is shameful. We are exemplary students, we expect the best from Japan's most notable school!"
This guy was going to be trouble. Too rigid, too by-the-book. He'd make an excellent government lapdog, but a terrible hero if he couldn't learn to think outside the box.
The glasses-wearing student wasn't done. He turned, fixing Bakugo and me with a glare. "And you two! You've been muttering this entire time. It's distracting! If you're not going to take this seriously, leave immediately!"
Bakugo bristled beside me, but I placed a hand on his arm, stopping him from jumping up. I met the glasses-wearing student's gaze evenly.
"If you'd been paying attention to the context of Present Mic's explanation," I said, my voice calm but carrying easily through the auditorium, "you'd realize that the fourth villain type is likely an obstacle, not a target for points. As for our conversation, it ended when the presentation began. Perhaps you should focus more on your own preparation and less on policing others."
The auditorium fell silent, all eyes darting between me and the now red-faced student. Present Mic's grin widened.
"WELL SAID, EXAMINEE! YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE FOURTH VILLAIN TYPE IS INDEED AN OBSTACLE, WORTH ZERO POINTS. IT'S THERE TO BE AVOIDED, NOT FOUGHT. AS FOR DISTRACTIONS..." He fixed the glasses-wearing student with a look. "PART OF BEING A HERO IS LEARNING TO FOCUS IN CHAOTIC SITUATIONS. CONSIDER THIS PART OF YOUR TRAINING!"
The student sputtered for a moment before bowing stiffly and sitting down. I could feel Bakugo's grudging approval radiating off him in waves.
As Present Mic wrapped up his explanation, ending with a rousing "PLUS ULTRA!", I allowed myself a small smile. The first hurdle had been cleared. Now for the real test.
We filed out of the auditorium, the air thick with nervous energy. I caught sight of the girl who had called me cute earlier. She was standing with a group of friends, all of them sneaking glances in my direction.
I approached them, my posture relaxed and confident. "Hey," I said, offering a friendly smile. "Good luck out there."
The girl's face flushed bright red, and her friends erupted into a chorus of giggles. "T-thanks," she managed to stammer out. "You too!"
As I walked away, I heard furious whispering behind me. It was almost too easy. A bit of kindness, a dash of confidence, and people were putty in your hands.
Bakugo fell into step beside me as we headed towards the buses that would take us to our assigned testing grounds. "Don't think I didn't notice your little show back there, Deku," he growled. "You trying to psych out the competition?"
I shrugged. "Just being friendly, Kacchan. You should try it sometime."
His scowl deepened. "I don't need to be friendly. I'll beat them all with raw power."
"If you say so," I replied, my tone neutral. "Good luck out there."
Bakugo's eyes narrowed. "I don't need luck. And neither do you, if you're half as good as you think you are. How about a little wager? Whoever scores the most points buys the other dinner."
I considered for a moment, then countered with a smirk. "Dinner? Come on, Kacchan. If we're going to bet, let's make it interesting." I leaned in slightly, my voice low and challenging. "How about this - whoever scores lower has to stand up in front of the whole class on the first day and announce that the other is the better hero. No holds barred, full volume."
Bakugo's eyes widened slightly before narrowing again, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "You're on, Deku. Hope you're ready to eat those words in front of everyone."
"We'll see who's eating what," I replied coolly. "May the best hero win."
As the bus pulled away from U.A., I gazed out the window at the imposing buildings. This was just the beginning. Soon, I'd be walking these halls as a student, taking the first steps towards reshaping this world of heroes and villains.
The bus ride was quiet, most of the examinees lost in their own thoughts or last-minute preparations. I used the time to center myself, running through my strategies one last time.
When we arrived at the testing ground, my eyes widened slightly. The "mock city" was far more impressive up close - a sprawling urban landscape that could easily pass for a real neighborhood. U.A. clearly spared no expense in creating a realistic testing environment.
As we gathered at the entrance, I took stock of my fellow examinees. Most looked nervous, some were stretching or psyching themselves up. A few, like the glasses-wearing student from earlier, had an air of grim determination.
Present Mic's voice suddenly boomed from hidden speakers. "RIGHT, LET'S START! GET MOVING! THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL BATTLES! RUN, RUN, RUN LISTENERS! YOU'RE WASTING AIRTIME HERE!"
Chaos erupted. Students scrambled in every direction, quirks flaring to life. I held my ground, surveying the scene. Rookie mistake, rushing in blindly.
A metallic glint caught my eye. Three-pointer, top of its class in terms of point value. Perfect.
I moved, my enhanced body responding instantly. The robot never stood a chance. One precise strike and it crumpled, sparks flying.
"Holy crap!" A nearby examinee gaped at me. "How did you-"
I was already gone, zeroing in on my next target. No time for chit-chat.
Two one-pointers fell in quick succession. Child's play. But I couldn't get cocky. One slip-up, one moment of lost control, and I'd risk exposing the true nature of my quirk.
A scream pierced the air. A girl with vines for hair was cornered by a two-pointer, her quirk entangled in its gears.
For a split second, I hesitated. Helping her would slow me down, cost me precious points. But...
I gritted my teeth, changing course. What did All Might say? A hero who ignored those in need wasn't much of a hero at all.
Plus, this was a perfect opportunity to showcase my "heroic spirit."
"Hey, rust bucket!" I called out, drawing the robot's attention. "Pick on someone your own size!"
It charged, servos whirring. I stood my ground, timing my move carefully. At the last second, I sidestepped, driving my fist into its weak point. It exploded in a shower of sparks and twisted metal.
The vine-haired girl stared at me, wide-eyed. "Thank you! That was amazing!"
I offered her a quick smile. "You okay?"
She nodded, still looking a bit shell-shocked.
"Good. Stay safe out there." With that, I was off again, hunting for my next target.
I rounded a corner, scanning for my next target. My count was up to 53 points - not bad, but I needed more to secure my victory over Bakugo.
A flash of movement caught my eye. Another examinee, tall with messy purple hair, stood frozen in front of an approaching three-pointer. His face was a mask of frustration and... was that despair?
"Fight back, idiot!" I shouted, sprinting towards him.
He turned, violet eyes locking onto mine. "I can't," he said, his voice oddly calm despite the danger. "My quirk... it doesn't work on robots."
Interesting. I filed that information away for later as I reached him, shoving him aside just as the robot's mechanical arm swung down. I caught it easily and redirected its momentum, sending it crashing into a nearby wall.
"You okay?" I asked, turning to Purple Hair.
He nodded, brushing off dust. "Yeah. Thanks."
"I'm Izuku. You?"
"Hitoshi Shinso," he said, hesitating before shaking my hand.
Explosions in the distance. Right, the clock was ticking.
"So, Shinso. What's your quirk?"
He tensed. "Brainwashing. If someone responds to me, I can control them."
My eyes widened. Now that was useful. "That's incredible. Perfect for hostage situations or stopping fights without violence."
Shinso blinked, clearly surprised. "You... don't think it's villainous?"
I shook my head. "A quirk's just a tool. It's how you use it."
"SIX MINUTES AND THIRTY-EIGHT SECONDS REMAINING!" Present Mic's voice blared.
"Listen," I said quickly. "Robots have weak points. One-pointers, hit under the 'chin.' Two-pointers, gap in the back of the neck. Three-pointers, go for joints."
Shinso nodded, then frowned. "Why help me? We're competitors."
I smiled. "Maybe. Or future classmates. Either way, a hero helps people."
As we parted, I couldn't help but think: Shinso would be perfect for my plans. My 'Twilight Society' would need people like him.
"Good luck," I called. "See you at U.A."
***
The viewing room was quiet. Screens flickered, showing chaos across different zones. Principal Nezu flicked through feeds.
"Pressure reveals character," he mused.
Cementoss nodded. "Some think, then act."
"Others move without hesitation," Power Loader added as Glasses kid zipped by.
"And some..." the principal trailed off as Bakugo filled the screen, surrounded by smoking metal, "...were born for this."
Then, a flash of green caught everyone's attention.
Midnight leaned forward, her costume creaking slightly. "Well, hello there," she purred. "Who's that tall drink of water?"
The screen showed a figure with green hair. He moved with fluid grace, catching a robot's massive arm and redirecting its momentum. The machine crumpled against a nearby wall, sparks flying. Beside him, a purple-haired boy stared in open-mouthed awe.
"That's no boy," Midnight continued, licking her lips. "Look at those shoulders. That jawline. Mmm."
All Might, lurking in the back, straightened almost imperceptibly. A hint of pride gleamed in his sunken eyes.
"Does anyone know this examinee's identity?" Vlad King asked, his gravelly voice cutting through Midnight's appreciative murmurs.
Aizawa's tired voice drifted from the shadows. "That's the kid from the sludge villain incident. Supposedly quirkless."
"Quirkless?" Snipe echoed, tilting his mask-covered head. "Sure as shootin' doesn't look it now."
"Perhaps," All Might mused, "the young man is what you'd call a late bloomer. Some quirks, after all, require the body to reach a certain level of development before they can manifest safely."
Nezu's ears perked up at this. "An intriguing theory, All Might. There are cases where powerful quirks remained dormant until the user's body was sturdy enough to handle the strain. It's rare, but not unheard of."
Midnight chuckled, her eyes still glued to the screen. "If that's the case, his body certainly looks... ready now."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed further, his capture weapon twitching slightly as he processed All Might's words. Something about the number one hero's tone rang false, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
On screen, the green-haired teen extended a hand to the purple-haired boy, pulling him up. Their lips moved, clearly engaged in conversation despite the chaos around them.
"Not only saving others but offering guidance," Thirteen observed, their helmet tilting thoughtfully. "That's the mark of a true hero."
Ectoplasm leaned forward, his mask reflecting the flickering lights. "And he's racked up quite the point total already. Impressive for someone with no formal training."
Nezu clapped his paws together, drawing everyone's attention. "Well, this certainly promises to be an interesting development. But let's see how our examinees handle a real challenge, shall we?" His paw hovered over a button. "It's time to separate the wheat from the chaff."
As he pressed down, massive forms rose on every screen. The zero-pointers, towering behemoths of metal and menace, cast long shadows over the stunned examinees.
The room fell silent, a collective breath held. But Aizawa's gaze remained fixed on All Might, wheels turning behind his exhausted eyes. There was a story here, one he intended to unravel.
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