Chapter 26: The Provisional Licensing Exam

Hey howdy hey hello, welcome to the show! Enigma's back with the next chapter.

I've been really struggling recently, pulled a muscle in my stomach and it's got me in a lot of pain.

But those are just my personal problems, nothing you need to worry about.

Enjoy!

Feel free to review, but don't just rip into me. I'm doing this for fun, not excessive criticism.

The remaining days of training came and went, the class improving their Quirks relentlessly so they could be ready, until finally the day of the exam came.

"Get off the bus. We're here." Aizawa told everyone, as the bus rolled to a stop, "The exam site, Takoba national stadium."

"I'm getting nervous!" Jiro sighed.

"I didn't know it was at Takoba." Midoriya observed.

"I'm ready to roll, we'll crush this!" Moxie pulled up next to the bike on a bicycle.

"You're certainly confident, I hope you can back up that talk, runt!" Tenna grinned, stepping off the bus, "I'll be watching in the stands, make sure to impress me!"

"If you guys are able to pass this exam and get your provisional licenses, then you are no longer eggs… you will become chicklings." Aizawa told everyone, "Incubated to become semi-professionals. So do your best."

"All right! Let's do it! We'll become chicklings!" Kirishima cheered, "Okay everyone, gather round and we'll call out the usual! Ready?! Plus…"

"Ultra!" Someone interrupted, shouting over everyone else.

"It's not good to randomly insert yourself into other people's huddles, Inasa." Someone, who appeared to be the person's classmate, scolded.

"Ahh, d#mnit! Please, accept my… humblest apologies!" The person, Inasa, bowed so low they slammed their head into the ground.

"Who is this guy that's so ridiculously pumped up?!" Kaminari demanded.

"It's like Moxie, Kirishima and Iida rolled into one and squared…" Sero observed.

"Th-Those uniforms… that famous school in the west…" Hiryu mumbled.

"U.A. to the east. Shiketsu to the west." Bakugo stood next to her, "Of the many Hero departments out there, the elite school that matches up with U.A… Shiketsu High."

"I just wanted to try an' say it once! Plus Ultra!" Inasa roared, "I myself, I must say that I love U.A.! It's the utmost honor to be able to compete with you all at U.A., I wish you the best!"

"Inasa Yoarashi." Aizawa said, as Shiketsu walked away.

"Sensei, do you know that person?" Hagakure asked.

"He's crazy enthusiastic. If you listen to him, everything he says would normally be interpreted positively…" Kirishima observed.

"That guy… is strong." Aizawa told them, "Yoarashi… at last year's entrance exam… in other words, the same year you all took it, in spite of receiving the top score and passing… for some reason, he declined his admission offer."

"W-Wait, if he got the top score…" Hiryu turned to Todoroki, "H-He's even more talented than Todoroki?" Todoroki glanced towards Hiryu, causing her to immediately look away.

"He says he loves U.A. and stuff, but he rejected his admission offer? I don't get it." Sero shook his head.

"Weird as he may be, he's the real deal. You best take note of him." Aizawa told everyone.

"Eraser?! Eraser, is that you?!" Someone called out.

The Smile Hero, Ms. Joke, approached Aizawa and his class.

"I saw you on TV and at the Sports Festival, but… it's been so long since we've seen each other face-to-face!" Ms. Joke waved.

"Ah, I know her! That's Ms. Joke!" Moxie grinned.

"Let's get married!" Ms. Joke offered.

"No thanks." Aizawa responded quickly.

"No thanks?!" Ms. Joke repeated, "Good one!"

"You're as difficult to talk to as always, Joke." Aizawa grimaced, as Midoriya rambled about Ms. Joke, living up to his fanboy reputation.

"If you married me, we could start a family filled with unbearable laughter and joy." Ms. Joke offered.

"That sounds like an actual nightmare." Aizawa deadpanned.

"You guys seem pretty close…" Tsuyu observed.

"Our agencies were close, way back when! I'd save him a few times, he'd save me. We fell in love, and you know how it goes…"

"That never happened."

"So your school's here too?" Sero asked, curious.

"Teasing you is always good for a laugh, Eraser." Joke chuckled, "And yeah! Come on over, everyone! Come meet U.A.!"

"Whoa! It's really them!" One of the students exclaimed.

"Wowee! All those guys from tv!" Exclaimed another.

"Taking the test as first years? Pretty fast-paced, huh? Well, with everything that's happened, no wonder they're so capable." One of them remarked.

"This is Class 2-2 of Ketsubutsu academy! Say hello to my students." Ms. Joke grinned.

"My name's Shindo! U.A.'s had it rough this year, right? The hits just keep coming." One of the boys started excitedly shaking everyone's hands, "But you guys still have your hearts set on becoming Heroes. That's awesome! I believe the Heroes of tomorrow need to have that kind of fortitude!"

"What a straight-talking, eloquent, cool dude…" Kaminari commented.

"And of course, here's Bakugo, who was at the heart of the Kamino incident, you've got the strongest will of all." Shindo extended his hand, "I'm so glad we get a chance to face guys of your caliber today. We're going to give it our best!"

"Cut the cr#p." Bakugo slapped his hand away, "You can flap your lips all you want, but your mug says otherwise."

Undeterred, Shindo went on to shake Moxie's hand, who was happy to oblige, and then tried to shake Hiryu's. Hiryu quickly pulled back, stepping behind Bakugo.

"Sorry about her, she's shy." Kirishima told Shindo.

"That's alright, I get it!" Shindo laughed.

"Something's weird about him…" Hiryu mumbled to Bakugo.

"Yeah, no sh#t?" Bakugo grimaced, "C'mon." He told her, heading for the stadium. Hiryu panicked for a moment and quickly rushed after him.

"Can I get your autograph Todoroki? You were so cool at the sports festival." One of the girl's asked, as Bakugo and Hiryu headed away from the main group towards the arena.

"Where are you two going?" Kaminari demanded, "What about these adoring fans?"

"These f#ckmunches are no fans of ours." Bakugo growled.

Inside

After changing, everyone was funneled into a cramped room, filled to the bursting point with Hero course students.

"There's so many…!" Midoriya commented.

"All of them are our competition." Moxie grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"Right… the Provisional Licensing Exam. That's what you're here for." A very tired looking man spoke up, "Yeah… I'm Mera, with the Heroes Public Safety commission. My favorite type of sleep is non-REM sleep, nice to meet you all. Work is so busy that I can't get any sleep! We're terribly short staffed! I just want to sleep! With that important information out of the way, let me explain the exam."

"He's not even trying to hide his exhaustion at all. Is this guy okay?" Moxie wondered.

"Getting right to it… all one thousand five hundred and forty examinees present will be competing in one massive free-for-all exercise!" Mera explained, "Today's society is saturated with Heroes. And ever since Stain's capture, plenty of people out there have raised doubts about the role Heroes should play."

"That said… as far as individuals go… motivations aside, telling those who risk their lives in order to save others to ask for nothing in return… would be rather harsh, especially in modern society." Mera continued, "So… whether it's done for compensation or out of dedication to the cause, we have no shortage of Heroes out there working to save people and put Villains away."

"Nowadays, the amount of time it takes to resolve any given incident is incredibly short. Those of you who earn your provisional licenses will be confronting such situations that unfold at a breakneck pace. Those who can't keep up are doomed to fail." Mera kept going, "Which is why we're testing you on speed! Only the first one hundred examinees to meet the requirements will pass."

"Hold on! With one thousand five hundred and forty of us total, that's not even close to half!" Someone shouted.

"Society is rarely so kind… there's no relying on luck." Mera responded, holding up a ball and sensor, "Now, the passing requirements involve these. Each examinee will get three targets. Place them wherever you like on your body, so long as they are exposed. Each of you will also carry six balls. The targets are rigged to only light up when struck by a ball. You're disqualified the instant that all three of your targets are lit. Those with three illuminated targets are considered 'defeated'. To pass, you must 'defeat' two other examinees, that's it for the rules."

"So all I gotta do is keep moving, no problem." Moxie grinned.

"I wonder where I should put the targets…" Hiryu thought.

"Yes… so we'll be handing out balls and targets once this place opens up. The exam will begin one minute after all examinees are fully equipped."

"Opens up?" Todoroki repeated, confused.

"With every type of landscape available, you should all be able to find areas suited to you." Mera told them, as the room around them opened up to reveal a big, open arena, "Make the best use of your talents."

Moxie stuck one of the targets on his left shoulder, since he led with his right. One on his right thigh, since people would be looking to avoid his legs, and one on his chest, just below his neck, since the sight of someone going for his throat would cause him to instinctively dodge.

Hiryu chose to stick one on the inside of her left wing, since the flapping would make it difficult to hit, one on the end of her tail, which she could easily move out of the way, and one on her right side, so she could easily protect it with her arm.

"We should stick together!" Midoriya told everyone.

"You'd all just slow me down!" Moxie told them, "Sorry, but I need room to work!" He shouted as he Bounced away, heading for the industrial area.

"This isn't a field trip, dumb#sses! See you later!" Bakugo shouted, running off with Kirishima hot on his tail.

"You idiot! Hold on!" Midoriya shouted, as Todoroki left as well, saying he couldn't demonstrate his abilities in a large group, "Todoroki!"

"W-We don't have time…" Hiryu told him, as the class took off, heading for the open expanse of rocky terrain.

"I really don't think it's a good idea to go around by yourself, though." Midoriya shook his head, "I mean, think about it! Everyone knows about us already!"

"R-Right, they would have seen us at the Sports Festival." Hiryu nodded, "And of course the schools will stick together… so it'll be about which school to target!"

"That's right! And since everyone knows us, the first target becomes clear!" Midoriya nodded.

"I remember this from when I was in U.A., the U.A, crushing." Tenna grinned, sitting with Aizawa and Ms. Joke in the stands, "I can't wait to see how everyone overcomes this."

Ketsubutsu was the first to appear, headed by Shindo, a hail of balls flying towards 1-A.

Hiryu instinctively took to the air, soaring out of the way and inhaling deeply.

"We have to stop their momentum so we can counterattack!" She thought to herself, letting out a breath of thick, chilly fog that obscured Ketsubutsu's vision, "Ultimate Move: Winter Veil!"

"Epic attack, Hiryu!" Jiro gave Hiryu a thumbs up as Ketsubutsu tried to find their way through the fog.

Hiryu pressed a button on the side of her goggles, activating the thermal vision Hatsume had added for her. Through the fog she saw Ketsubutsu stumbling about.

"Twenty targets, we're outnumbered!" Hiryu shouted to her classmates below, "Stick together!"

"I won't let you!" Shindo shouted, pressing his hands to the ground.

His hands sent powerful shockwaves through the ground that tore up their surroundings, separating everyone and creating a huge amount of rubble. Hiryu grit her teeth and flew up, trying to get out of the way as a handful of students went after her, trying to hit her midair without much luck.

Moxie

"An earthquake?! Or someone's Quirk?!" Moxie grit his teeth, landing on the top of a silo in the industrial zone.

"Pay attention to your surroundings, kid!" A student in a police-like uniform shouted, charging towards Moxie with a ball in hand.

"In a test like this, getting a lucky shot by throwing one of the balls is unlikely." Moxie grinned, bouncing into the air to flip over the student, hitting the target on their back, "So it'll come down to hand-to-hand combat! No chance I can lose!"

"Don't get cocky, kid!" Another student, dressed like a cowboy, shouted, "We'll all gang up on you to take you down!"

"Come at me, then!" Moxie grinned wildly, "I'll crush all of you, and meet my class at the finish line!"

And there's the whole thing! What did you think?

I'll be back tomorrow with the next chapter.

Enigma, signing off.