Tanjiro had come to know his classmates very well, each and every one of them.
So when he heard that voice, he immediately knew who it was and what they meant with it, Bakugo Katsuki, Tanjiro didn't get along with the boy very well due to the boy's extremely superiority-complex and aggressive nature.
He almost made Inosuke seem like a calm man in comparison, almost.
"As if I had anything like their crappy Quirks, heh!"
To be fair, Tanjiro wasn't the only one that didn't like Bakugo, pretty much no one did. The class immediately erupted into berating the explosive-Quirked explosive-tempered boy while the Teacher commented on Bakugo's desire to enter U.A. High.
Tanjiro had heard the name, but considering how undereducated he is when it comes to this world he didn't know all the ins-and-outs. So Tanjiro remained quiet.
"Ah, the stupid chattering of extras! I aced the mock exam! I'm the only one here with the stuff for U.A.!" Bakugo yelled as he leapt onto his desk, which made Tanjiro roll his eyes.
"I'll even surpass All Might and become the best hero out there! Not to mention I'll be one of the richest people in the world!" he continued like a tantrum.
Bakugo was about to say something else, probably another snarky comment so Tanjiro stood up with the intention to shut the boy up, "Shut up! You may be physically strong but you're not cut out to be a Hero!"
All eyes were suddenly on him but Tanjiro had been under more pressure, he kept his composure. Tanjiro could see some of his classmates nod at his statement.
"Huh?" Was all Bakugo initially managed to squeeze out, Tanjiro thought Bakugo had run out of things to say but alas there came another flood, "What about you then!? Do you think you have what it takes to be a Hero?!"
This is when Tanjiro decided to finally spite that boy, but he knew just being aggressive would lay fuel on the fire.
"Well, what if I enroll in U.A. this year and surpass you?"
There was a thick dense air in the class and it was filled with silence to the brim. Tanjiro had a reputation at school, he was kind and strong and someone you could ask for help, but Tanjiro never showed the intent to become a Hero, something about it 'not fitting for him'.
In reality, that was Tanjiro's own insecurities talking, thinking he'd fail again or that maybe his Demon Slayer teachings would be considered brute, he was taught to slay, not to defeat.
"That's rich. Your Quirk just makes you strong, right?" Bakugo asked with dagger-filled eyes.
Tanjiro inhaled, calming himself down before he gave a decisive answer, "So what? All Might is just a strong head-to-head fighter too, right? What's to say I can't reach that level."
There was nothing Bakugo had to say to that, with now pent-up anger he decided to lash out at the person he intended to lash out at, "Besides… Midoriya, you're also going for U.A. right?"
Izuku flinched, and all eyes were immediately on him. Laughter filled the room as almost everyone mocked him again for not having a Quirk, almost everyone.
Tanjiro's firm hand came to comfort Izuku, placing itself on the boy's shoulder.
"I think he's got potential." was all Tanjiro said, and his reputation was enough to silence the class, though it was clear there was a bitter air.
