This story is heavily based off of the anime/manga series "Boku no Hero Academia". This work of fiction may contain spoilers towards the series, as well as references and characters. I do not own any of the references or characters from the original series that may appear in this story. This work and its original characters are fictional, any resemblance to real people living or dead is purely coincidental.

To be unique, is to be one of a kind, unlike anything else. What does that mean in a world where everyone is unique?

The world has transformed dramatically. Unique abilities that are normally impossible for an average human to achieve, are now commonplace. Nearly 80% of all of humanity is equipped with some sort of ability or mutation. These unique traits are known as "quirks". When individuals are given power, they are capable of making decisions that can affect others. When somebody desperately cries out for help...

Heroes are there to save the day!

The day before the exam, 8:40 p.m.

After flipping through a couple of pages and skimming the latest information on the hero rankings, a boy with upright soft, fluffy hair turned his attention to the glass sheet to his left.

Droplets of rain traced down the window of the convenience store, streaming towards the storm drains.

"It's a pretty wet day today. I wish I knew it was gonna pour. Would've brought an umbrella..."

A taller boy handed the convenience store clerk ¥1,100, and received a plastic bag containing the items he'd just purchased. After briefly thanking the part-time worker, he approached the boy next to the window.

Groaning, he curtly replied. "Quit your whining, Rock. I even bought us the good stuff tonight, to y'know, celebrate."

Rock stared with an unimpressed expression. The individual before him was none other than Akutagawa Riku, holding up a plastic bag containing two packaged bowls of instant noodles. Riku is a light skinned male, who has short spiky black hair with bangs that are brushed to the right, and irises revealing a brilliant golden hue. He stood at a modest six feet tall, possessing a lean, muscular build. He sported a black hooded jacket along with faded blue jeans, and gray skate shoes. He was the man who had it all. Looks, brains, talent, but most of all, he had a monstrously powerful quirk. Although Riku was definitely his closest friend, Rock couldn't help having his occasional periods of envy.

He let out a small chuckle. "Nice to see you really splurged on those ¥500 noodles!"

"Hey, I said I'd treat us tonight. Only the best, right?"

"So what are we celebrating anyways? The U.A. entrance exam is tomorrow."

"I don't know, I guess your dedication for following my training regimen?" Riku replied, scratching the side of his head.

Rock tilted his head slightly and revealed a gleeful smirk. "Oh, right. I guess I forgot about that."

Never felt like I'd made much progress, standing next to Mr. Perfect himself.

It was a grueling series of trials, attempting to gain control of his wild quirk, while simultaneously forging his body into one befitting a hero, as well as keeping up with his studies. After all, the U.A. entrance exam had a written and practical skills portion. Although it was difficult to wake up early in the morning and continue each and every day, Rock had stuck to the training regimen Riku cooked up in order to ensure his friend had a good shot at passing the entrance exam. Riku had given him support along the way, doing his best not to show any leniency, it was in his friend's best interest.

Riku pulled his jacket's hood over his head, preparing to exit the building and proceed into the heavy shower.

"Yeah, I think we're all set for tomorrow. Let's head back to my place."

With a quick nod, Rock followed Riku out of the convenience store. As the sliding doors of the establishment opened, the clerk bid farewell to the two youths and waved contently. Rock rotated backwards and reciprocated the gesture as he backtracked out of the building. Due to his negligence, he was on course for a collision with a young stranger. Before Riku could say anything, the collision had already begun.

"Oof!" grunted the stranger, who was surprised but for the most part unsettled, and unshaken.

Rock on the otherhand, had taken a short fall. Normally a fall of that caliber isn't worth fretting about. Unfortunately, today was looking to be a contender for the rainiest day in a long while. The boy scrambled in a large puddle, checking to see if his phone had taken any water damage. Thankfully, no damage was sustained.

A hand was extended towards the fallen individual.

"Are you alright? You took quite a nasty fall. There's some insane downpour today."

Rock looked upwards and saw a slim boy offering a hand to help him up. After accepting the assistance with an apologetic smile, Rock stood up and continued to examine the person he had just collided with. Upon closer inspection, he was slender and thin, looking just a level away from fragile. He appeared to be roughly five feet and six inches or so, with pale white skin and straight soft blue hair of medium length. The boy's polite mannerisms combined with the glasses he wore, gave the impression that he was of the studious archetype. He wore a light blue polo shirt and navy green raincoat, black jeans, and black canvas shoes. He began to mutter to himself about the now seemingly harder rain.

"I certainly hope it isn't this bad tomorrow... It would make taking the exam difficult."

That caught Rock and Riku's attention.

With an eyebrow raised, Riku questioned, "Exam? You taking the U.A. entrance exam too?"

"Yes I am. Are you also taking it tomorrow?"

"Yeah, me and Rock both are. We're passing for sure."

Kazuto pushed up his glasses and glanced over at Rock. "So his name is Rock, hm? My name is Fujimoto Kazuto, nice to meet you." He turned towards Riku, "And you are?"

Before Riku continued, he gestured to move the conversation under some cover to protect themselves from the weather. After taking shelter under another building's eave, Riku cleared his throat and began to elaborate for Kazuto.

"His real name is Ishikawa Rokuro, but everyone just calls him 'Rock' for short. The name's Akutagawa Riku."

"I see! That's actually kind of neat. I hate to run, but it's getting pretty late and I need a good night's sleep. Good luck on tomorrow's exam, Riku and Rock. Maybe I'll see you at U.A." Kazuto expressed a warm smile before waving and walking home.

"Oh, that's right. It is pretty late isn't it?" Rock checked his phone and read the time aloud. "It's 8:46 p.m., let's head over to your place already."

Rock and Riku headed towards their apartment complex. Rock and his parents lived in A5 on the top floor, and Riku and his parents lived in A3 on the top floor as well. After climbing a total of five stories, the two gazed outward at the view of the city that the top floor provided. Fumbling in his pocket for his keyring, Riku opened the door to his family's apartment. Riku threw his shoes off towards the shoerack beside the door, and tossed his jacket onto the living room's couch. Rock stepped inside, and slipped his soaking wet shoes off, setting them neatly besides Riku's tossed pair.

"Hey, I'm gonna start making these noodles already! I'm hungry as fuck."

Taking a seat on the couch, Rock began scrolling through his phone. "Okay, sounds good!"

"Need a drink?" Riku turned the sink's faucet and filled a pot halfway with water, before placing it on an electric stove and cranking the heat to high.

"I'll grab something from the fridge in a sec."

As he headed towards the fridge, his eyes did not leave the screen of his phone. It wasn't a problem, since he'd been in the apartment more times than he could reasonably count.

"Don't tell me you're googling 'Things to do before taking the U.A. entrance exam' again," Riku teased.

Removing the cap on a refrigerated bottled water, Rock hid his phone behind his back before taking a drink.

"So what if I am? Can you blame me for being a little nervous? A huge amount of students from all over Japan apply to U.A., only like 5% of them get in. You're not worried we won't pass even a little bit?"

With a pompous chuckle, Riku shook his head "I'm not worried that WE won't pass. I'm a shoe-in. Plus, I'm pretty sure that percentage isn't accurate."

With a grumble, Rock turned around with an embarrassed grimace splashed on his face, and sat back down on the couch.

Figures Riku would say something like that. Worst of all, he's right. There's no way he wouldn't get into U.A. Me on the other hand...

"Yeah, I'm definitely a shoe-in and all, but I'm not worried about you either. After all, you've worked harder than anyone I know to get to this stage, albeit a preliminary one. Sticking to the Riku regimen is not an easy task. Hell, I'd be surprised if U.A. does anything as rough."

His frown reversing, Rock put away his phone and turned his attention to Riku. "Yeah, yeah, fantastic regimen."

Riku threw the packaged noodle bowls over towards Rock, the fluffy-haired boy fumbled to catch them. Riku then walked over with the pot of boiling water as Rock peeled the top plastic of the bowls, and released the hot liquid into the noodle containers. With two forks in hand, Rock placed a fork on top each of the bowls to keep the plastic covering held down properly, allowing the noodles to cook.

After a short while, the two peeled off the plastic cover completely and began to enjoy the warm meals.

Finishing the noodles in record time, Riku placed the bowl and fork onto the table in front of the couch. "Alright, get out. I wanna get to sleep."

Barely halfway finished, Rock stiffled his coughing, eyes widened from surprise. "I haben eben finished my noobles!"

"Come on, we've got a long day tomorrow. Just take the noodles next door. Also, pay me back someday."

With a sigh, Rock turned away and stood up from the couch and headed for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, don't oversleep."

Riku shot him a smug smile and waved as his guest left the apartment.

After exiting the apartment, the boy checked his phone to see how late it was. "Ugh..." He groaned, leaning against the apartment complex's balcony railing.

It's already 10:30 p.m. Come on already... quit being nervous. Riku believes in me already, why can't I?

Deep in contemplation, he felt it was time for some review. Ever since the boy was little, he'd been altruistic and willing to assist others in their time of need. However, being a professional hero called for a different level of selflessness. Would he have the resolve to sacrifice himself for others when it really counted?

Suddenly, his phone vibrated, notifying him that Yahoo! News had another trending villain-related incident.

Unknown individual attacked in alley by villains!

Rock's eyes blinked with disbelief, yet refused to leave the screen.

That could've been me or Riku...

A nearby witness claims to have heard a loud 'booming' noise, before seeing an unidentified youth sprint away from the scene at roughly 9:00 p.m. Police have conducted an investigation regarding the incident.

The light from the device faded away as the boy clicked the top right button before sliding it into his pocket. After one final gaze of the city and its radiant light, Rock opened his home's apartment door and prepared for the morning ahead.

Day of the entrance exam, 5:00 a.m.

Rock had just finished preparing for the exam, packing exercise clothes and extra writing utensils and supplies in the event U.A. did not supply them (which was a slim chance to begin with). His phone vibrated in his pocket, spurring the boy to check the cause.

"YOOOOO im outside! lets pass this exam boy"

An uneasy feeling coiled in his gut, yet he was filled with anticipation. Scrambling to see if he needed anything else, a sigh of relief escaped his mouth after confirming everything had been prepared. With a quick slide to the right, he found himself in front of his full body mirror to do a quick once-over. Soft and fluffy, upright hair stood upon his head. It's hue was a muted white, with splashes of black thrown into the mix. Rock had light caramel skin, and black irises. His physique wasn't as built as Riku, however it was nothing to sneeze at. Lean, yet toned and muscular, he stood a few inches below his friend, at five feet and ten inches. Today he was wearing his middle school uniform, and a dufflebag hanging on his right side, filled with the extra clothes and supplies for the exam.

Straightening his posture as he gazed upon his reflection, he paused and took in all of his progress from training. Lips twitching slightly upwards, he shook his head and clapped his face with his palms, a determined glint shining in his eyes. With a nod, he took off to meet up with his neighbor.

Day of the entrance exam, 6:00 a.m.

Rock and Riku stood at the gates of U.A. High, the #1 ranked High School for heroics, considered the top Hero Academy in the world.

"This place is enormous!" Riku said, mouth agape with disbelief.

Furrowing his brows and mustering a nervous grin, Rock's body shook as he nodded slightly, gesturing his agreement.

Placing a hand on the shivering boy's shoulders, Riku turned to face Rock. "Now listen here. You've shed blood, sweat and tears to reach this point. Don't let that go to waste."

Rock's expression softened.

"'Cause if you fuck up here, I'm going to leave you behind!" Riku let out a hearty laugh.

"Wha-! That's not funny Riku!" Although there was definitely some truth in his words, Riku had successfully calmed him down, allowing Rock to properly prepare himself for the trials ahead.

A familiar face caught Riku's attention. Walking past the two was Kazuto, the polite glasses-wearing student they bumped into just yesterday.

"Oh hey ther-!" Rock froze, as he noticed Kazuto's haggard trudging. His eyes were sunken in, dark shadows forming just below them, not to mention his hunched posture.

"I guess he didn't get a good night's sleep. Good thing I told you to go home, right?" Riku continued on ahead towards the designated meeting area, a lecture hall large enough to be a concert auditorium.

"Hey, wait up!" replied Rock, increasing his pace, he caught up to Riku as the two entered U.A. High.

As the two entered the lecture hall, the room was lit by the soft light of early morning shining in through the large windows. They were greeted by what looked to be security guards wearing black suits, just as a precaution. With a serious expression, they managed a small smile and extended their arm gesturing to take a seat anywhere in the hall's vast sea of seats.

U.A. was a prestigious school, but it was prone to exposure of villainous activity. The villain alliance was formed two years ago, the main aggressor towards the academy. Ever since then, the school has done its best to ensure the safety of all students attending. Additionally, the curriculum has spiked in difficulty, to challenge the strong, and deter the vulnerable.

"Oh," Rock paused, running his fingers through his hair as he inspected his surroundings. A warm grin grew on his face as he nudged Riku. "This place is pretty cool, huh? There's a huge amount of students from other schools here."

Riku quirked a brow, nonchalant and uninterested.

As Rock surveyed the students surrounding them, he noticed Kazuto once again, taking a seat. Biting his lip, he considered walking over and checking his condition, although hesitation got the better of him. Still, anxiety stirring in his chest, he could not sit still.

Riku placed his left elbow on the desk in front of him and rested his head on his palm. "Listen, I don't think you have the luxury of worrying about others right now. You ought to focus on what's in front of you."

With a nod, Rock decided to stay seated and prepare for the trial ahead.

Kazuto stared at his hands. Cold and moist, he shed a chilling sweat. There was a dull itch that flared along his neck, tingling and causing him to fidget in irritation. With a huff, he rubbed his biceps and stared forward with a determined glare.

He began to mutter under his breath, "I'm not going to fail. I chose this route, and I will definitely not fail."

Huge curtains rolled over the large windows, covering the warm light and blanketing the lecture hall in darkness. After several seconds, spotlights flashed onto the center of the stage, revealing the presence of a creature resembling a mouse, or some sort of dog or bear. Much to the majority's surprise, it began to speak into the microphone sitting on the podium.

"Hello students, I'm grateful for all of you being here today. Before we begin, I'd like to introduce myself and explain the entrance exam in detail. My name is Principal Nedzu, the principal of U.A. High. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

A large flat television screen descended from the ceiling about 10 meters away from Principal Nedzu, and blinked on to display the rules of the exam.

"Now, in order to give you a good idea on what's to come, we've taken the liberty of showing you with this presentation. Pay close attention, this video will only be shown once, and it's imperative you remember the information it provides, otherwise it will affect your performance today. Here we go!"

The video began with fanfare blaring, colorful stars and explosions flashing over a yellow background as a large U.A. symbol appeared in the middle of the screen. with the introduction complete, the voice of the radio hero Present Mic began the explanation of the exam.

"First off is the written exam! We'll be testing your general knowledge, don't worry it's basically the same as your standard high school entrance exam!"

Several sighs could be heard from around the lecture hall.

"Here's the kicker, the practical skills portion of the entrance exam! You'll all be sent to U.A.'s replica city-district, allowed to bring whatever tools and accessories you desire, I just hope you brought something you can properly exercise in! We'll be sprinkling a large number of 'villains' all across the city-district, and they'll appear in three different varieties, with point values scaled according to difficulty! With your abilities, disable as many villains as you possibly can. Your goal is to rack up as many points as you can!" Silhouettes of mechanical figures appeared on the screen, all with a point value labeled in the middle. "You are aspiring heroes, so I expect you to play nice! No attacking any other competitors or any anti-hero stuff, because that's against the rules capisce!? I'd watch your step out there, not every villain is worth points! Think of them as roadblocks or hazards! Give it your all! Go beyond!"

The television screen revealed an animated drum performing a drum roll, to prepare for the climax of the presentation. An explosion erupted on the screen revealing the words Present Mic was about to say.

"Plus Ultra!"

The presentation concluded as the television screen flashed off, and began to rise into the ceiling compartment once more.

Principal Nedzu cleared his throat once again, and approached the podium, straightening his tie. His ears perked as he let out a hearty laugh.

"You heard the man! Please follow the exits on your left and right and allow the faculty in the doorway to assign you a classroom to take the written portion of the exam. You have two hours to complete it, as well as an extra hour afterwards to prepare yourself for the practical skills portion. We'll begin the written portion in thirty minutes. I wish you all the best of luck!"

With a spring in his step, Principal Nedzu exited the lecture hall, and headed to his office. The surging crowd of students diverged into the several exits, and proceeded to their assigned classrooms.

Riku was directed to a seperate classroom than Rock. He walked ahead holding his hand up, gesturing a farewell. Rock held his fists up and pumped his chest with pride. All of that bravado quickly dissipated as he sat down in a classroom, with a written test placed right before him. As his eyes darted across the room, there was a wide spectrum of student reactions to the test. Some quivered with fear, others sharp with focus, and then there was Rock. Somewhere in-between the two, but with twice as much sweat dripping down his face.

It's do or die time! Go all out!

Clutching his pencil in between his right hand's fingers, he attacked the test with vigor!

After an hour and a half, Rock had released the pencil from his grip, the crystalline carbon tip releasing a small trail of smoke. Feeling good about his completion of the written portion, Rock slumped into his desk, wiping his face with a cold rag given to him by the faculty member supervising the classroom's test. The boy wondered how Riku had done on the written portion. His expression soured as he recalled his aptitude for knowledge, imagining him completing the test in less than half an hour.

A phone's alarm had sounded, surprising several students as their heads bobbed up from their previously focused positions. The faculty member switched the phone alarm off and declared "The written portion has now concluded. Whatever you have completed will be taken into consideration for your U.A. application, as well as the practical skills portion of the exam scheduled in an hour. Please allow yourselves some break time. You will all meet up at the front of U.A., and be seated on one of our many buses. From there, you will be transported to our replica city-district, and begin the practical skills portion of the exam. Try to have a snack, stay hydrated, and most of all, don't forget to warm up before the final section of the entrance exam. You're all dismissed, please exit the classroom in an orderly manner. I wish you all good luck!"

Day of the entrance exam, 9:00 a.m.

Riku's phone buzzed with a small vibration in his coat pocket.

"hey dude, finished the written exam, wanna meet up befor"

Raising a brow, he questioned why the text message was cut short.

A poke on his back stole his attention, causing him to turn around. There were only other middle schoolers in the middle of the entrance exam, just like him. Turning around to his initial direction, he was greeted by Rock appearing before him seemingly instantaneously.

"Hey there Ri-"

His greeting was cut short as Riku thrust his fist out of surprise into the young boy's face. A muffled cry escaped his lips, pursed tightly as he cradled his nose with his slender fingers. This attracted the attention of several other testgoers, although their interest quickly faded as the boy appeared to be alright.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." teased Riku, pocketing his cellphone.

"Last time I ever sneak up on you. I swear."

Rock finished tending to his throbbing nose, and reached into his duffle bag to retrieve a couple of granola bars and bottles of water. Riku nodded, reaching for a granola bar and water.

The two expressed their relief to be finished with the written portion of the entrance exam, and continued their conversation as they walked through the halls of U.A. Before the practical skills portion of the entrance exam began, the two headed to the locker room to change into clothes fit for exercise. Riku wore a black tank top and navy blue basketball shorts, and dark gray cross-trainers. Rock wore a black, loose t-shirt along with olive green fleece shorts, and faded-out white training sneakers.

The school's intercom powered on with a small screech, thankfully not loud enough to cause significant discomfort.

"Hello test-goers, I hope you've all had a nice rest after finishing the written portion of our entrance exam. It's finally time to get on the buses and head out to our replica city-district for the practical skills portion of the exam! Once we arrive at the site, don't forget to stretch and warm-up. Although it's only ten minutes of activity, it's very intense! Best of luck, see you all there!"

Rock's eyes gleamed with an excited shimmer, ready to put all of his training to use.

The intercom shut off with an audible click, signaling to all who was listening that the announcement was finished. All of the test-goers followed the directions provided from U.A. faculty members, leading them to the front of U.A. High where the buses were located. Rock and Riku boarded the fourth bus and were transported to the replica city-district.

Day of the entrance exam, 10:00 a.m.

With a comforting stop, the bus stopped in front of an enormous gated area. Inside of the walls laid the replica city-district, one of U.A.'s many proving grounds. Over the concrete walls, skyscrapers were visible, the amount of detail in this replica meant for training was unreal. U.A. really went all out with simulations.

As the last of the buses arrived, all of the students stood in front of the gate, preparing for what strenuous task awaited them by warming up, adjusting equipment, and mental preparation.

Over another intercom, Principal Nedzu began to speak once again.

"Alright everyone, this is it! I hope you remembered the rules presented in the video shown in the lecture hall. If you want to give up, head back to this entrance. Do your best, I'm rooting for you! Go beyond! Plus Ultra!"

The large gates suddenly opened, revealing an open road leading into the city ahead. Students prepared to sprint through the doorway, Rock was caught unaware. Riku reached out and grabbed him by the bicep, pulling the boy along with the others who started immediately. A vast majority of the students were starting late. As the road widened, the crowd of test-goers diverged, finding their own ways throughout the city.

Riku picked up his pace and looked over his shoulder to see if Rock had kept up. "Hey, it's been about twenty seconds since the test began! We still haven't seen any 'villains'."

As if on cue, a three-point mechanized robot appeared, looking somewhat like a quadruped tank. Riku raised his left arm and prepared to take down the robotic villain in front of the two boys.

"TARGET LOCKED." hummed the large enemy. It began to charge forward, crawling at a high speed. "DIE!"

Before Riku could activate his quirk, Rock swiftly leapt towards the robot's torso and jabbed his right fist into the center.

Dooom!

The sound of his strike resonated through the shell, leaving a small dent in the robot's armor.

It's got a tough shell...!

A large metal limb soared towards the boy, Rock extended his arms and seized the strike, shoes skidding several inches backwards. With a loud grunt, he twisted his body and pulled at the metal arm with a powerful yank, effectively tearing the robotic limb right out of the torso. Continuing with the momentum from disarming the robot, he spun with incredible force and smashed the left side of the villain with its own severed arm, knocking it directly into the south side of a building. The three-pointer uttered a fading beep before powering down from the damage it had accumulated.

With an impressed whistle, Riku jogged towards the boy and congratulated him on his first scoring with a pat on the shoulder. "That was pretty good Rock! We gotta get a move on, let's go. Nice job thinking happy thoughts!"

Rock nodded as his irises displayed a pronounced lemon hue.

This is good, I have a good handle on my quirk. I can do this!

[Quirk: Mood Swing]

Rock's strength, speed, and agility changes according to his mood! 'Mood Swing' was born from his father having a quirk named [Emotional Emitter] which displayed the mood he was feeling as a change in his eye's iris color, akin to a mood ring, and his mother having a quirk named [Steroid] which allowed his mother to increase her strength, speed, and agility, the power is indicated through a faint glow on the skin, only lasting in bursts of a five minute maximum. These two quirks combined and created 'Mood Swing'!

If Rock becomes filled with rage, his strength, speed, and agility increases immensely! His irises change color to a fierce crimson. Although the enhancement is powerful, he nearly loses all control, putting himself and everything around him in danger!

If he becomes filled with sorrow, his enhancements become dehancements! Unable to channel any energy, he becomes unable to fight. This is indicated by his irises becoming a deep azure color.

The sweet spot of enhancement and control lies within his ability to stay positive and happy! His irises change color to a bright lemon. Although this is not as powerful as his rage mode, he still retains a powerful boost and can control himself!

When his irises are black, his quirk is not active, leaving him with only his base strength.

While this may seem like a powerful quirk, it's difficult for Rock to overcome his insecurities, and is often subject to situations and conversations that make it difficult to stay smiling. However, it's a true hero who can overcome any obstacle and save the day!

Suddenly, the city was filled with loud sounds produced by various battles between students and robots taking place.

After cutting a corner, Riku found himself face-to-face with a one-pointer mechanized robot, smaller than a three-pointer villain, but significantly faster since it possessed a singular wheel instead of legs to move around with.

"Riku! Look out!" Rock exclaimed in surprise.

Another villain had arrived, a large number two painted on it's armor indicating its worth in points. The robot stood on four legs similar to the three-point villain, although it looked similar to a scorpion creature with its large tail appendage.

"TARGET LOCKED." Both of the robots' eyes emitted a flash of red light, indicating they had found their prey. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

The two villains rushed from Riku's left and right simultaneously, accelerating in their pursuit. Riku's eyes darted from left to right, displaying an unperturbed demeanor.

The one-pointer robot raised its right arm, preparing for a quick strike whilst the two-pointer robot directed its tail towards Riku, thrusting its powerful stinger forward.

With a quick back-step, he skillfully avoided the attacks, raising his left arm and aiming his palm towards the two enemies.

A loud crack echoed, as black flames erupted violently from his left hand, sounding as if a howitzer cannon had just been fired.

The force from the attack sent the plating on the robots flying off, leaving the enemies innards and circuitry exposed, bright orange light surrounding the openings of the metal.

"Damn it! It's always so tough to dial back the power." Left forearm throbbing, he flinched at the stinging caused by his quirk's immense power. His eyes narrowed as he looked downwards toward his palm, slightly scorched.

[Quirk: Karmic Flame]

Riku was born with an anomaly of a quirk, as if some divine entity had bestowed upon him awesome power, fit for one that is meant to stand above the rest. The destructive potential of this ability is so great, he is at risk of injuring not only other individuals, but himself as well. Although this power is dangerous, it is also capable of helping others in need.

His left arm produces black flames! It's incredibly powerful, and difficult to control to boot! His lack of control leads to his fighting style leaning to a preference of close-range unarmed combat, in which the black flames are only used as a last resort. It takes Riku a couple of tries of using his quirk, in order to fine tune the adjustments necessary to expel flames with the control he desires.

The flames at about fifty percent of his max power output have the same properties as regular fire. Going over seventy five percent will bring the risk of burning, as he had just experienced. If he brings himself to eighty percent or over, severe burns are guaranteed for both himself and his target.

His right arm produces white flames! Unlike the destructive flames that come from his left arm, these white flames have healing properties! They are warm to the touch, feeling as if you are bathing in sunlight. The flames help in the regeneration of injuries, both internal and external, amplifying and accelerating the target's healing process. The flames only heal for as long as Riku can draw them out, for this ability greatly saps his stamina.

Due to his personality, it is unlikely that he will ever use his quirk to heal anyone other than himself.

Rock sharply inhaled, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his right pointer finger and thumb.

"That was insane."

Riku shook his head with a small grin curling up.

"It was nothing much, it's still rough to go easy on enemies."

The two exchanged a determined nod, and continued on their hunt for points, dashing through the city.

Meanwhile, Kazuto's initial starting sprint had slowed to a jog. Head aching in pain, it felt as if it were splitting.

He stumbled, and leaned against a building to catch his breath. Kazuto froze, the frown on his lips bending into a snarl. Something felt wrong.

A large three-point villain had spotted him lurking around, and fixed him into his sight. "TARGET LOCKED."

Kazuto shook his head, his eyes glazed over with a dull haze, staring ahead at the robot charging his way. Weaving through swipes from the enemy's large limbs, he'd managed to pass through the enemy, effectively swapping initial positions.

Raising both of his arms and aiming his palms at the machine, he released an air shockwave. The robot flew back at an incredible speed, and collided into the building Kazuto had previously leaned upon. The machine crumpled into a conglomerate of damaged parts and circuitry.

[Quirk: Shockwave]

Kazuto has the ability to create shockwaves by firing air from his hands. Pipes run through his bones, stemming from a complex system of air ventilation originating near his lungs. The pipes divide into his arms, leading into his hands. In the middle of his palms are small air vents, where the air escapes from.

This powerful ability can propel enemies and objects away at high speeds. He can also propel himself by aiming the shockwaves in different directions! Every time that Kazuto generates a shockwave, the oxygen levels within his blood lower, leading to a wide spectrum of ailments from coughing, to a faster heart rate, to shortness of breath.

Extensive usage of his quirk in short periods of time can lead to hypoxia, meaning his blood no longer carries enough oxygen to meet his body's needs.

Looking downwards in disbelief of his quirk's absurd and unusual power, Kazuto glanced at his palms, noticing an involuntary shaking.

There it was again. His headache had worsened.

His glasses slipped off the bridge of his nose, and clattered to the floor. The small bump on the side of his neck burned as he attempted to apply pressure, leaving him in unalleviated agony. He dusted off his glasses, and returned them to their rightful place.

Once again, he began to mutter to himself, "Yesterday when I was heading home..."

He shook his head as he recalled the traumatizing event. Small flashes of his memory had appeared in his mind. Being dragged into an alley, approached by some strange men, forcefully injecting some sort of fluid into his neck.

That didn't matter now! He was in the middle of the entrance exam! He chose to take this test today.

That's when it had finally dawned to him.

It didn't hurt when he used his quirk. He felt good, more powerful than he had ever been.

Desperate to stop the headache and burning, he soared by aiming his palms towards the ground and firing a shockwave out of each hand. In order to slow down his acceleration, he fired another shockwave towards the ground as he began to descend. Landing at a manageable speed, he quickly looked around, searching for enemies to attack. Spotting several robots in the vicinity battling against other testgoers, he unleashed several shockwaves, effectively taking out the enemies. His attacks were getting dangerously close to the other middle school students.

Kazuto was no longer keeping track of the points he was attaining. The only thing on his mind, was unleashing his abilities onto whatever he could. Although he was wheezing, he felt no fatigue. It was as if he was surpassing his limits. Not only did he display an incredible amount of strength, he was attracting the attention of his peers surrounding him. At first, they stared with awe, until it twisted into concern and fear.

"He looks like a mess! Is he really alright?"

"It's creepy. He looks like he crawled out of a dungeon."

"Shouldn't a teacher say something? He could've taken one of us out with those blasts!"

Kazuto shot his competitors a snarling gaze. Suddenly, his consciousness slipped away. His eyes had dulled, as his wheezing became a series of shuddering breaths. His expression had become a neutral, seemingly calm face, but his aggressive tension was still thick and palpable. He raised his arm towards the other testgoers and took aim. The middle school students ran away in horror as he unleashed a shockwave from his right palm in their direction. As the clusters of students began to scatter, Kazuto continued to fire away in rapid succession. His clothes had become drenched in sweat, and his breath was dangerously short.

Riku and Rock continued to sprint through the replica city-district, taking out various enemies on their rampage. Although they continued at a high pace, they made sure to share the points when it was convenient. Riku raised an eyebrow as the duo began to pass frightened test-goers, running in the opposite direction as if fleeing from a source of danger.

"That's strange. Maybe it's one of the 'villains' that aren't worth any points. Come on, let's check it out."

As they continued their pursuit, they stopped at what appeared to be the town square of the replica city-district. Much to their surprise, there was no villain that could invoke such fear among their peers.

"It's...Kazuto. It looks like there's something wrong with him, Riku..."

Riku narrowed his eyes, and began to raise his guard.

Kazuto's eyes met with the duo, taking a step forward in their direction. He bellowed a guttural roar, and fired a shockwave towards the two.

"Watch out!" yelled Riku.

Riku and Rock narrowly avoided the powerful blast, each dodging in a separate direction. Rock's yellow irises faltered, reverting back to his standard black color.

Panting heavily, Rock struggled to find the words to express his thoughts.

"He doesn't look anything like the friendly stranger who helped me up yesterday... He looks like a monster."

Upon closer inspection, Rock's eyes widened as his eyebrows furrowed, revealing a frightened expression. Kazuto was near his breaking point, his body jolted as vomit violently escaped his mouth, sending him to his knees.

Riku gasped in disbelief as horror struck his face. He clenched his fists as they trembled by his side.

"Rock! Look above Kazuto!"

An enormous behemoth of a machine loomed over the replica city-district's buildings, locking on to Kazuto as he endured his body's convulsions.

"TARGET LOCKED."

Riku looked to his side to see the expression painted on Rock's face.

He wasn't there.

Riku looked forward to see the boy dashing towards Kazuto.

Unable to control his thinking, Rock imagined the worst case scenario as he carried himself to Kazuto. His imagination got the better of him, causing his quirk to shift his irises color to a deep azure.

Feeling the effects of the dehancement rob him of his body's ordinary capabilities, his pace slowed. As he looked upwards, the looming figure had already begun extending its enormous hand towards the collapsing boy.

After what felt like an eternity of running, Rock had finally arrived at the feet of Kazuto's body, spasm after spasm, the fallen boy's condition continued to worsen. He couldn't have weighed more than one hundred and twenty pounds.

Rock was just unable to muster the strength to lift him up, his quirk had taken his strength from him. A large shade covered both of them, the villain's hand nearing its target.

Riku placed his hands around his mouth, extending the range of his voice.

"Rock! Remember why you're becoming a hero! Remember why you're here in the first place! Get on your feet and move!"

The boy's gritted teeth had loosened, becoming a small smile. His irises had shifted in color, back to a bright lemon hue, displaying a change in willpower and a surplus of strength. He easily lifted Kazuto, and leapt away from the descending hand before it crushed the area. Being as delicate as he possibly could whilst running away from certain demise in order to not worsen Kazuto's condition, he couldn't help but offer Riku a beaming expression, the corners of his mouth as high as they possibly can be.

He always knows how to snap me back to reality.

"He looks so dumb smiling while running for his life." chuckled the satisfied pep-talker.

More villains had arrived at the scene, and had set their sights on Kazuto's savior.

"TARGET LOCKED. PREPARE TO DIE!"

Several robots darted towards Rock and Kazuto, preparing to take them out. Their efforts were shut down as Riku unleashed a jet of black fire, scorching their armor and toasting their circuitry from the inside. With gratitude, Rock sent a thankful gesture by extending a thumbs up.

An audible screech echoed throughout the city as all of the remaining villains powered down, only two minutes and fifteen seconds left on the clock. Principal Nedzu began to speak.

"Attention everybody, due to unforeseen circumstances, the test has concluded early. Please make your way to the entrance of the city-district, and board the buses. You will all receive your results within the next two weeks. Thank you for all of your effort!"

The test was over, just like that. Kazuto was rushed to U.A.'s medical facility, and taken to Recovery Girl for emergency treatment. He was also given a mask to wear from an oxygen tank, based on the information provided in his quirk registration records. Rock and Riku were taken to the medical facility as well to answer questions with Kazuto as soon as he woke up. Questions pertaining to his unstable behavior, and near animalistic aggression.

As Rock and Riku sat down, they were greeted by a plain looking man with a stocky frame and dark short hair, wearing what appeared to be a detective's uniform.

Who's...this guy?

The two boys exchanged questioning glances, unsure of what to think of the man before them.

"Hello, I'm detective Naomasa. I'd like to ask you two some questions about the boy you rescued, please tell us anything you know."

Riku sighed, before scratching the back of his head. "Alright."

Thank you for reading!

Please comment with your thoughts, I'm always looking to improve my writing. The story continues in chapter 2, along with the introduction of new characters and story elements.