章節 14: Chapter 14: Entrance Exam
Merry Christmas, everyone. Enjoy this season in the way you like best, and let's keep moving forward with what we're passionate about.
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It was late at night, and the only sound in the house was the faint hum of the laptop on which Toji was speaking with Momo. He leaned over his mother's laptop, arms crossed on the table, and his head resting between them, visibly exhausted. Momo, on the screen, smiled patiently. "Well, it's not perfect, but at least you'll be able to hold your own in the test," she said, trying to encourage him.
Toji just grunted, too tired to reply enthusiastically. Momo sighed, raising an eyebrow with a mix of concern and mild amusement. "Come on, Toji. It wasn't that bad. Besides, you need to get a good night's rest today. You're going to need all your energy tomorrow, and I know you can do it." But he didn't move, showing just how saturated his mind was after hours of studying. Momo watched him in silence, as if waiting for him to, despite his exhaustion, say a word of gratitude or acknowledgment.
Finally, Toji lifted his head and, after a long yawn, stretched his arms as if trying to shake off the heaviness of studying. Momo watched him with a gentler, kinder expression, and after a pause where they simply looked at each other, Toji muttered, "Thanks." With a slight nod, he ended the call, leaving Momo staring at her screen, her cheeks slightly flushed and a smile on her lips.
After ending the call, Toji stood up, walked to the refrigerator, and grabbed a bottle of water. He drank slowly, feeling the coolness of the water as he stared into nothingness, lost in thought. "Who would've thought...?" he said softly, still surprised at the turn his life had taken. He had gone from being a bounty hunter in a world of sorcerers and curses to preparing to become a hero in an entirely different society, and the idea felt almost surreal.
As he reflected on his life, he thought about everything his mother had done to give him stability. His mother, Yaeko, had faced difficulties Toji could barely imagine, sacrificing dreams and enduring hardships to keep him safe and give him the best. He knew he couldn't complain; despite the tough moments, he'd had something close to a family, and now, in his own way, he was building a future.
Lost in his thoughts, Toji didn't notice the front door open until he heard the sound of his mother's footsteps entering. Yaeko appeared in the living room, her face visibly exhausted from a long day at work. However, when she saw Toji, her expression softened, and a small smile crossed her lips. "Son... give your mom a hug. I'm feeling a bit down today," she said, extending her arms in a gesture of affection that, on other occasions, Toji would've dodged or ignored without a second thought.
This time, however, instead of playing oblivious, Toji walked over, and to both their surprise, he gave her a strong hug. Yaeko blinked, confused and a little emotional, and looked up to meet her son's eyes. He now towered over her, wrapping her in his arms firmly. "T-Toji... are you okay?" she asked, trying to process the unexpected moment.
He sighed, as if the closeness made him a little uncomfortable, and muttered, "Don't get used to it." But in his words, there was a certain softness, a gesture of appreciation that his mother didn't overlook.
Yaeko smiled and, without saying anything else, returned the hug, savoring the unexpected gesture that seemed to close a heavy, difficult day in a comforting way.
Toji stood in front of UA's imposing building, staring at the massive logo at the entrance that confirmed he had arrived at the right place. He looked up to see the steady stream of teenagers entering enthusiastically, and in contrast, he sighed disdainfully as he pulled some crumpled notes out of his pocket. Originally, he had planned to cheat a little on the entrance exam, but that very morning, he had received a message from Momo reminding him that the facilities were full of cameras. "If you're thinking of cheating, forget it. They're watching you," she had written.
Toji frowned and crumpled the notes in his hand. "All this for nothing," he muttered, looking at the now-useless notes. Just then, absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't notice a boy standing awkwardly in his path.
"Oh, sorry, man!" Toji said, recovering from the collision and looking at the boy, a green-haired kid who had fallen flat on his face.
"I-I really did fall...," the boy murmured, blushing as he adjusted himself on the ground.
Without losing his patience, Toji grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and helped him to his feet. "T-thank you," the boy said, noticeably embarrassed.
"It's nothing, it was my fault," Toji replied before giving him one last glance and walking away. However, he had barely taken a few steps when he heard the boy murmur to himself, "Is that him? Isn't that the guy who faced the villain?"
Toji raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled. "That brat sounds familiar... Nah, it must be just me," he thought to himself, dismissing the possibility and heading toward the school.
Inside UA, he found himself surrounded by the bustling noise of anxious students, some warming up for the practical test, others mentally reviewing their notes. The atmosphere was charged with excitement and nervousness, and Toji, raising an eyebrow, couldn't help but feel a bit out of place.
As he walked down the hallways, he wondered what the hell he was doing there—a former bounty hunter in a hero academy. But despite his doubts, a small smile crept onto his lips. He had faced worse challenges and situations that truly put his life on the line. This, no matter how surreal it seemed, was just another obstacle in his path.
Toji gave his name and identification at the entrance and was directed to a classroom where he took a seat. Soon, the room began filling up with other applicants who, like him, sought a place in UA. Several teachers came by, handing out exam sheets. Toji looked at his and frowned, letting out a faint "ugh" as the teacher gave the signal to start. Immediately, everyone began writing.
Toji grabbed his pencil and, with a sigh, began pouring onto the paper all the information he had crammed over the past few months. Concentrating was hard; he felt exhausted and overwhelmed, but he wasn't about to give up. After an hour, several students began turning in their sheets. By then, Toji's eyes were red and practically dry; he hadn't blinked in a while, feeling that if he did, his brain might explode from asking it to do anything more. Finally, he placed his sheet on the teacher's desk and was directed to the conference room for the explanation of the practical exam.
He entered the room, a large, crowded space where the applicants were gathering. Toji found a seat, closed his eyes, and yawned, trying to relax a bit. But he didn't have much time to rest, as a booming voice echoed throughout the room:
"WELCOME TO MY LIVE SHOW! EVERYBODY SAY HEEEEY!"
Toji opened his eyes and looked toward the stage. A tall, lanky man with spiky blonde hair stood at the center. He wore flashy sunglasses and a strange device around his neck. No one in the room responded.
"WHAT A TOUGH CROWD I'VE GOT," the man continued, undeterred. "ANYWAY... I'LL TELL YOU HOW THE EXAM WILL WORK. ARE YOU READY? YEEAAAAAH!"
Toji clicked his tongue, feeling the loud voice beginning to give him a headache. "Tsk, so noisy," he muttered, though he still made an effort to pay attention.
"It'll be a 10-minute race in replica urban district areas," the presenter announced as a giant screen behind him showed images of zones labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. "You can choose whichever area you prefer, and everyone will gather at the meeting point after the test. Got it?"
Toji barely stifled another yawn but didn't miss a single detail. The man continued explaining, "Each area is filled with robots that simulate villains. There are three types, and each will give a different number of points based on their difficulty. Your job is to defeat as many as possible to score points... Oh, and don't even think about attacking a fellow applicant. Anti-heroic actions are strictly punished. Got it?"
Toji nodded to himself; the test didn't seem too complicated. However, before he could relax, a student spoke up from a few rows below.
"Excuse me, may I ask a question?" It was a tall boy with short black hair and glasses, who, with a stern demeanor, pointed to a paragraph on his sheet. "It clearly mentions four types of robots here, not three. This is an error the UA should correct; after all, we came here to receive accurate education on how to be model heroes."
Toji barely rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" he thought, impatient.
The student continued, looking disapprovingly at the green-haired boy—the same one Toji had bumped into earlier. "And you, the spiky-haired freckled kid," he pointed at him. "You haven't stopped muttering since the beginning. You're distracting others. This isn't a field trip for you to act this way."
Toji clenched his jaw, watching as the student relentlessly judged everyone around him. Then, the student pointed his accusing finger at him.
"And you," the student said seriously, "you haven't stopped yawning. If this is so boring to you, you could've saved yourself the trip."
Toji narrowed his eyes, his voice firm as he responded. "Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?" His words cut through the air, startling those nearby. "You don't know me, I don't know you, and I don't care to. You could at least have the decency to shut your mouth and stop judging others for not meeting your standards. Maybe I have a medical condition, or maybe my 'quirk' makes me feel sleepy. You don't know, and you don't need to know. So worry about yourself and wait for the teacher to answer your question, without pointing fingers at anyone else."
The boy was left stunned, barely managing to mutter, "I-I'm sorry."
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! CALM DOWN, STUDENT 7233," the presenter intervened, glancing at Toji. "AS FOR YOUR QUESTION, STUDENT 7111, THE FOURTH ROBOT DOESN'T GIVE POINTS. IT'S JUST THERE TO DISTRACT YOU, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!"
Toji glanced at the image of the robot on the screen; it seemed small but had features that could easily deceive someone in a real-life situation. The presenter ended the conference with a loud "PLUS ULTRA!" that left Toji scratching his head, confused by everyone's sudden enthusiasm at hearing the phrase.
On the way to the testing area, Toji crossed paths again with the bespectacled student, who avoided his gaze, clearly embarrassed. Toji shot him a scornful look before continuing on his way.
In the locker room, he changed into sportswear and pulled an object out of his bag—a metal cube he'd obtained thanks to Momo. He remembered the day she'd given it to him, pride evident on her face.
"Where did you get something this specific?" he had asked, eyeing her with suspicion.
She had smiled, a sparkle in her eyes, as she pulled a tiny screw from her own skin. "I made it myself."
Toji had nodded, half-doubtful. "Thanks... I guess."
He shook the metal cube, which shifted into a cylindrical shape on both ends, resembling an improvised weapon. Satisfied, he folded it back into its compact form and stored it away. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out, mentally preparing himself for the next phase of the test.
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