"I want to be a hero."
The first time Ochimaru uttered those words at the dinner table, he was met with a pair of wide eyes and the sharp sound of cutlery clattering against the kitchen floor. It was followed by a painful, awkward silence that made him regret he had ever opened his mouth. They had been enjoying a peaceful meal together as a family, but with just a simple sentence the room had suddenly shifted into a tense standoff. His mother and father traded worried glances, like they had been planning for this day ever since the young boy's traumatic experience a couple years prior. They quickly attempted to change the subject to just how perfectly the cabbage had been boiled, leaving their son confused and embarrassed.
He didn't mention anything related to heroes for an entire year after that.
The next time that he tried was on his tenth birthday, right after he had blown out the candles on his lavish cake. To his surprise, instead of the simple ones that his parents would usually buy, this one had the iconic red, white and blue design that so many kids loved. All Might's confident smile in the form of white icing twinkled up at him, causing his heart to swell up with deep admiration and excitement. To him, this cake was a sign that his parents were finally coming around to the idea of pro heroes after the incident. And so, spurred on by the image of one of his role models, he decided to give it another try.
"O-chan, did you make a wish?" his mother cooed, right after a flash of light from her digital camera blinded him and made the room turn fuzzy.
"I wished to become a hero!"
Even though you were never supposed to tell other people your wish in fear that it wouldn't come true, he just couldn't wait any longer. It was his birthday, so surely his parents wouldn't give him the same look that they had at the dinner table on that awkward night. He was met with considerably less silence than before, but his parents still tried to direct his attention away from his wish and onto all the lovingly wrapped presents next to him. So, again, he dropped the subject without any further hassle.
As a child, he never understood why his parents were so wary of heroes, even after he was almost abducted by a villain. To him, heroes were the sole reason he was saved that day and should be praised, but as he matured and watched news stories about villains massacring civilians in the streets and heroes dying in the line of duty, he slowly came to understand. It was a dangerous profession, not unlike that of a policeman or firefighter. An innocent child only thinks of All Might's confident smile and all the bad guys he brings to justice, not the rookie heroes who get snuffed out before they have a chance to shine.
When he entered his teenage years and began to finish junior high, his parents would finally indulge him in conversations about heroes and Quirks. They were still hesitant, but at least the subject wasn't outright ignored beyond the basics like it was when he was a child. All of his confident classmates had already planned to go off to prestigious hero schools, like U.A or Shiketsu, but he couldn't go and make a decision like that because of his parents. He was always told that he was going to continue the family soap business, and to some extent, he eventually believed that. He was almost ready to give up on his dream of being a hero.
But then, he was given 'the talk'. It didn't contain anything that he didn't already know, like how difficult hero training would be, or how he would have to move away and live in a dormitory with a bunch of strangers. His parents spent hours and hours going over every aspect that could deter him from the profession, like they were somehow hoping that he would give up on his dream after so long, but that was obviously in vain. All of the old, battered hero figurines he still treasured should have made that immediately obvious. After they had exhausted all options, he couldn't help but grin at them when they asked if he would like to join a hero school instead of going off to high school.
He was just thankful that they weren't going to stop him from taking the entrance exam. He was given the ultimatum that if he somehow passed the gruelling test, he could attend the school like he wished, but if he failed – he was to give up on the dream and live a normal life. It was the only way his parents would ever let him attend, so he agreed to their deal with reluctance. Koushujin Hero Institute wasn't the most popular hero school, but it was one of the best that southern Japan had to offer. It was also the only one that his parents allowed him to apply for, since most southern cities saw such a lower crime rate compared to more urban places like Tokyo or Shibuya, and it was just a short train ride away from home. All he had to do now was convince them not to visit the dorm every weekend.
He had been coddled and steered away from the idea of pro heroes for his entire life after his seventh birthday, but now he had a chance to prove that all those years spent dreaming weren't for nothing. He did feel bad for how scared and worried his parents were, but life was all about taking risks. His Quirk was hardly anything special, and his junior high school didn't highlight any strengths that would make him a good pro hero, but that was exactly why he wanted to be one. Maybe he could inspire other lacklustre kids who had overly protective parents to become heroes. Anything was better than hiding away indoors.
He wasn't going to be the next All Might, and his hero training probably wouldn't be that glamorous or ultimately important to the world, but that was okay. He was just glad to finally be a part of something after being cooped up inside for his own safety for so long.
Ochimaru let out a shaky sigh as he pressed the ice-cold can of juice to his forehead. Small droplets of liquid relief trickled their way down his smooth skin as his eyes closed in bliss. He revelled in the sensation of the chilly aluminium as it gave him a short respite from the heat of the early spring morning. Even though it was only a couple months into the year, Kagoshima's humid weather was already unbearable. He had curled up in the cool shade of the vending machine to escape the heat, but it still felt like lying on the surface of the sun.
He had no clue why Koushujin decided to hold their entrance exam on one of the hottest weeks ever recorded in Japan. He was already sweating profusely under the thinnest tank top he owned. It was only going to get worse as the day progressed. He squinted up at the blazing sun that was lazily trailing its way across the pristine, cloudless sky and hoped that most of the exam would take place in a gymnasium with air-conditioning. It should be considered torture to stick a bunch of teenagers together in a sweaty room for hours on end.
"You actually gonna drink that, or are you just leaving it there 'till you get brain freeze?"
The sudden, deep voice quickly snapped him back to reality. His tired, crusty eyes shot open at the realisation that he was still waiting for the train to Koushujin. His parents would always incessantly scold him for daydreaming or dozing off in public when he was a child. Apparently, he still hadn't grown out of the habit. He had arrived at the quiet station far earlier than intended because he was nervous, so he saw no harm in buying a drink and relaxing a little. His sluggish mind and fraying nerves could certainly use a rest.
He glanced over to find a boy who looked roughly his age, wearing an equally breezy attire. He was leaning on a green, metallic bench and fanning at his face with a crumpled pamphlet, the fringe of his plum-coloured hair matted messily to his forehead. Strange, unnatural hair colours were common nowadays as Quirks evolved and wreaked havoc with all sorts of different genes, but such a dark, royal purple was still a rare sight. Ochimaru felt his face grow even hotter under the intense heat as he quickly scrambled off the ground. He couldn't believe that he was caught doing something so embarrassing. He thought the train station would be empty this early in the morning.
"Uh, fizzy juice doesn't really sit well with me because of my Quirk," he stuttered, immediately flustered at how silly that reason sounded when it left his lips. "I was just going to use it to cool off a bit until the train arrives."
"Wish I had thought of that," the boy chuckled, a bead of sweat dripping from the tip of his nose as he laughed. "This leaflet feels like it's about to catch on fire and then I'll be left without a fan."
Ochimaru's wandering eyes fell upon the piece of paper in question, and although it had been folded almost beyond recognition, he instantly spotted the bold, yellow logo he had seen so many times before. Koushujin's proud emblem was plastered across the front, and his interest in the talkative stranger peaked now that they had something in common. It was encouraging to run into someone else who was about to take the entrance exam.
"Are you waiting for the train to Koushujin?" he asked, fidgeting with the pull-tab on the can of juice he had bought earlier. "I couldn't help but notice the guidance leaflet."
"Those are some sharp eyes you've got there," he laughed again, seemingly in high spirits despite looking like he was about to collapse from the stifling heat. "I never thought I'd meet another potential student before I'd even reached the institute."
Ochimaru's shoulders slackened slightly as he smiled at the boy. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before as the looming exam had put him on edge. It was common knowledge that entrance exams for prestigious hero schools were always difficult, and only a small percentage of participants ever actually went on to study at the school they applied for. It eased his mind a little now that he was talking to someone going to the same school, and the cheery boy looked friendly enough. Perhaps the whole thing wouldn't be too bad after all.
"Oh, excuse me – I should introduce myself," he bowed, trying not to forget the manners that his father spent so long teaching him." I'm Ochimaru Kawadatsu. It's nice to meet you."
"The name's Youta Kaneyama," he grinned, folding the leaflet into one of his blue pockets. Dark circles sat below his eyes, and he covered a yawn with the palm of his hand. His knuckles were red and bruised, like he had just recently punched a hard surface. "Likewise."
He straightened himself again and took a deep breath. He had never been good with introductions, especially not with people who were around the same age as him. That was one of the big drawbacks of not socialising for most of his teenage life. He would no doubt be meeting a lot of new people if he got accepted into Koushujin, all with their own eccentric personalities. He had better get accustomed to making a good first impression.
"You said that you can't handle fizzy drinks because of your Quirk, right?" Youta questioned , tapping at his chin thoughtfully. Ochimaru froze as the boy looked over with critical eyes. "I'm gonna guess that it's got something to do with carbonation or bubbles."
"That's actually a lot closer than what most people usually guess at first…" he responded, biting the inside of his cheek nervously. He didn't like being analysed so intensely.
"Is it something you can show to me right now?" he asked, a mischievous grin creeping across his face as his dark eyes suddenly lit up. He sat forward excitedly on the bench, pulling on the collar of his sleeveless shirt repeatedly to air it out. "A little last-minute Quirk practice before the exam can't hurt."
Ochimaru slowly scanned the corners of the train station just in case any stingy adults were waiting nearby. People had become a lot more relaxed about benign Quirk use in public over the years, but it was still technically something the police could charge you for if they were feeling particularly spiteful. Getting caught and fined on exam day wouldn't be good, but he couldn't turn down that eager grin coming from the applicant. Peer pressure was scary.
"Alright, we'll just have to make it quick before the train arrives," he replied with a sigh.
Under Youta's curious gaze, Ochimaru focused on breathing steadily as a familiar tingle danced around his palms and fingers. It always felt like someone was tickling them with an invisible feather. His parents had always said that breathing properly was the first thing to learn when using a Quirk, especially for Emitters like him. He finally raised his smooth hands after letting the fuzzy, tickling sensation build up for a few seconds longer.
Slowly, a pinkish, bubbling froth began to seep out from the pores in each of his hands. The soapy mixture sparkled in the intense sunlight, the tiny bubbles shining iridescently as they fluttered gently to the ground. The fragrant scent of lavender wafted through the hot, thick air as Ochimaru concentrated on keeping the stream of viscous lather flowing at a weak, steady pace. A layer of the oily soap coated his hands and began to crawl down his arms. He didn't want to exhaust his Quirk before they even reached the exam, so he finally balled his hands into fists to stem the flow of the strange, slippery mixture.
"Soap?" Youta puzzled, sounding almost disappointed as he peered down at the lacklustre puddle that was oozing across the train station platform.
He had grown accustomed to that look on people's faces, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of inferiority as Youta hurriedly tried to cover up his unenthused expression. He couldn't really blame other people for thinking that the Quirk wasn't very impressive. Producing soap from your hands didn't sound very useful for being a hero, but Ochimaru was slowly coming to terms with it. Being confident in your abilities was important, even if other people had better or flashier Quirks.
"Yup," he replied, staring down at the pink, soapy mess he had made. "I inherited the soap part from my mum, and then the bubbles come from my dad's side. They called it Lather."
Youta prodded at one of the larger, glimmering bubbles with a sandal and looked somewhat surprised when it didn't immediately pop underfoot. Ochimaru knew that the bubbles he produced were oddly resilient, almost like rubber, although it never mattered because they were so small and ineffectual. Youta nodded, looking only slightly more impressed than before. The soapy mixture began to evaporate and dry onto the searing stone slabs, eventually dissipating into nothing more than a dry, pink stain.
"Drinking anything carbonated makes the bubble part of the Quirk difficult to control, so I've pretty much sworn off everything like that now that I'll be tested on it," Ochimaru explained with his arms still outstretched, trying not to get soap all over his clothes. "I really love Ramune too, but I can only drink it when I'm planning on not using my Quirk for a couple of days afterwards."
"It's probably better for your overall health anyway," Youta chuckled, eyeing the can at Ochimaru's side slyly. "And hey, at least you'll never have to worry about running out of soap in the shower, right?"
"Yeah, our family saves a fortune," Ochimaru grinned, glad that they were able to joke about the Quirk light-heartedly. He was tired of people brushing it aside just because it wasn't very cool. It had a bunch of practical uses in daily life that people almost never considered, which made it a lot more beneficial than other complex Quirks he had seen in the past.
"Well, it'd be rude of me not to show off my Quirk after seeing yours."
Despite the nervousness Ochimaru felt at displaying his own Quirk, he couldn't deny his excitement at seeing Youta's. Even though they had become a natural aspect of society and treated like nothing special, he had always retained his child-like wonder at the endless possibilities that they possessed. He wondered what society was like a couple hundred years ago before the sudden, widespread genesis of Quirks. Daily life was probably really boring.
"You haven't given me any hints, so I can't really guess what yours is," Ochimaru smiled awkwardly, finally giving up and wiping his soapy hands haphazardly on the front of his shirt. He usually had a towel nearby when he was planning on using his Quirk, but his shirt would have to do for now until they arrived at Koushujin.
"Since you're not planning on drinking that can of juice, how about you put it on the ground and take a few steps backwards?" Youta smirked, cracking each one of his fingers loudly despite his bruised knuckles. His cocky smile meant that his Quirk had to be something impressive, or he was just incredibly overconfident of his own abilities.
Wary of the time they had before the train inevitably arrived, Ochimaru did as the boy commanded and placed the now lukewarm can on the ground next to the pink, soapy stain. He backed away, wondering just how dangerous Youta's Quirk could be. He hoped that he wouldn't be the one getting in trouble if it turned out the applicant could level an entire building without even lifting a finger. Such Quirks were rare but were the centre of incidents that had attracted the attention of the whole world.
Youta left his seat on the bench and sauntered over to the can before kneeling down. He cupped his steady hands to either side of the aluminium and attempted to press them together, like he was trying to crush the full can with nothing but strength alone. The seconds ticked by slowly, and Ochimaru wondered if the Quirk had even worked at all. Sometimes, at least for him, he couldn't produce soap no matter how hard he tried. Maybe the cocky applicant was just having an off-day.
Suddenly, Youta brought his hands away from the can. It immediately began to crack and shudder, like it was being crushed by some immense, invisible weight. Incredibly, the concrete platform of the train station split below the can as it began to press further and further into the ground. The thin aluminium buckled under its own weight until the can exploded, sending fizzy orange liquid spraying out in all directions, causing the two boys to burst out into laughter. Shreds of the brittle metal were pressed flat onto the ground until the can was no more than the width of a hockey puck. Ochimaru was reminded of those popular videos on the internet where people would crush various objects with a hydraulic press and watch the resulting carnage. Eventually, the extraordinary crushing force subsided, and the remnants of the can lay quiet and still, imbedded firmly into the platform.
"I can making things heavier just by touching them," he explained proudly, wiping away some of the juice that had splashed across his sandals. "It depends on the number of fingers that I use. Since I touched that can with a full ten, it got so heavy that it cracked the ground and couldn't support its own weight."
"Does a Quirk like that work on humans?" Ochimaru asked, feeling somewhat guilty of the mess they had caused in the train station. The janitor of this place would probably wonder how exactly a can managed to explode and lodge itself into the concrete
"Yeah, although not to the extent that it works on inanimate objects," Youta said, looking almost disappointed that he couldn't cause more havoc with the Quirk. "People are usually just pinned to the ground and can't stand back up again until the heaviness wears off."
Usually, Ochimaru would feel a small seed of envy sprout in his gut when people bragged about their Quirks, but for some reason it never happened with Youta. He was one of the only people in his life who gave him a real chance to show off his Quirk, as even his parents forbade its casual use whenever they were around. Even though they had only just met, Ochimaru couldn't help but look at the applicant as a new friend. He hoped that they both passed the entrance exam, so they could attend Koushujin together. Having someone with a strong Quirk on his side would definitely make his school life much easier.
Before the two boys could goof around with their Quirks any longer, the train rumbled into the station exactly on time. They both waited at the pristine doors with nervous excitement. Ochimaru didn't spot anyone through the foggy windows, so they could both easily sit in the most luxurious compartment before it filled up with other applicants as the train neared Koushujin. That was one benefit of living in the barren, farm-filled outskirts of Kagoshima.
Youta lead the way into the carriage with the most luxurious seats and legroom. He collapsed onto a row of seats with a heavy sigh, looking relieved that they were finally out of the blazing sun. The underarms of his grey tank top were damp with sweat, but he either didn't realise or didn't care. He cracked open the lid of a water bottle and chugged so hastily you'd think he had been stranded in the desert. It would take roughly fifteen minutes for the train to reach the school, so it gave them both a chance to rest and chat before the exam.
"So, any idea what we'll actually be doing at this exam?" Youta finally asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "The pamphlet was helpful with locations and times, but it didn't say anything about what we'd actually be tested on."
"Well, from what I could gather, I know that it'll be a practical exam rather than a written one, like most hero schools nowadays," Ochimaru replied, watching as the scenery of rolling hills and lonely trees zoomed by. "So, we'll get to show off our Quirks while completing some kind of task, then we're graded on our potential to become a future hero."
"Still kinda vague, don'tcha think?" Youta murmured, propping his feet up on the row of chairs opposite to him. "I'm just glad there's no bullshit test papers or revision. I learn more by actually doing things, not trying to remember dates and quotes, y'know?"
"I'm pretty bad at both," Ochimaru laughed guiltily. He felt comfortable enough to be honest around his new friend, and his parents had taught him that nothing good came from lying about your own abilities. "My exam results from junior high were just barely high enough to let me apply for hero training. Any lower and I would've been rejected outright."
"I'm sure we'll both make it through just fine," Youta grinned, stretching out his arms behind his head and closing his eyes nonchalantly. He seemed too relaxed for someone just about to sit an exam that would determine their whole future.
"Hopefully," he replied, unable to escape his deep-seated insecurity. He brushed a hand against the phone in his pocket absentmindedly, thinking of what his parents' reaction would be if he failed. Oddly, he could picture both of them being quite happy about it.
Ochimaru stepped out onto the station platform with Youta not too far behind. The hot Kagoshima air felt like a slap in the face and it almost knocked him back into the train. Through watery eyes, he spotted Koushujin's dazzling grounds not too far in the distance with a myriad of colourful students gathering around its entrance. Koushujin was infamous for its size and unique layout, with a sprawling cityscape on one side where all of the hero training took place, and a dense forest on the other side where the dormitories were nestled. The contrast between a natural and urban scene was definitely memorable. The main building looked like a corporate skyscraper, spiralling high up into the clouds like it was trying to reach into space. All of the crystalline, reflective glass made it hard to look at.
"The pamphlet did say that the train station would run right to the school's entrance," Youta began after an impressed whistle. "But I thought they were just exaggerating to make the place seem more appealing."
"It'll make travelling around the city a lot easier, that's for sure," he replied, trying to quell the nervous butterflies that were fluttering around in his stomach. He never did well in large crowds, especially before a big event like this one.
Ochimaru fell hesitantly behind Youta as they both walked towards the group of other applicants, passing through a huge ornate gate that officially marked Koushujin's entrance. The pathway underneath the well-polished, golden entrance was basked in a yellow sheen as the sun reflected off of the lavish surface. Hero schools made so much money that he wouldn't have been surprised if the gate was made out of real gold. He couldn't help but silently marvel at all the new faces as it was easily the biggest group of people he had seen since leaving junior high. Although Koushujin didn't see nearly as many applicants compered to more popular schools, there were still a hundred or so bright-eyed applicants of all shapes and sizes talking and laughing over each other. Some huddled under marble pillars that lined the stonework pathway for a bit of shade, while others embraced the weather and sunbathed leisurely on the school steps leading to the main building.
"You okay?" Youta asked, his face narrowing into a concerned frown once he noticed Ochimaru's pale, sickly complexion and wide eyes.
"Yeah, I just don't like big crowds," he replied with a grimace.
"Stick with me 'till the exam then," he smiled warmly. It looked much different than the wry, overconfident ones he was flashing earlier when displaying his Quirk. "There's still a few minutes 'till it hits nine."
It felt strange to have someone being so nice to him. Youta showed a level of concern for his wellbeing that Ochimaru had only seen from his family or pro heroes. He wondered if all potential hero candidates were this way, or just that Youta was an especially nice person. His rising nerves calmed somewhat as his new friend lead him through a crowd of particularly rowdy applicants to a place that was relatively quiet. He flinched slightly as a girl with wide sunglasses and hair that seemed to flow like water came dangerously close to elbowing him in the face. They came to a stop at a few wooden benches that were sat under the shade of two oak trees and a flowerbed filled with tall, proud sunflowers. They painted the area in a thick layer of pollen that tickled at his nose.
Rays of sunshine filtered down from the gaps in the branches they sat beneath as Youta took the opportunity to check his phone a final time before the exam. The touchscreen was cracked and split, and Ochimaru wondered if the boy had accidentally used his Quirk when typing and crushed the delicate screen. He somehow still understood the fragmented words underneath as he smirked slyly at the message. He replied with surprising speed and seemed to have multiple conversations going at the same time. Ochimaru was the complete opposite, his phone not having buzzed once since he left the house. Aside from his parents, nobody had messaged him since he finished junior high.
Not wanting to pry in his new friends' personal life, Ochimaru twiddled his thumbs nervously and watched the various students mill around the area. Some of their parents were also attending, hugging their children tightly as they struggled to break free in embarrassment. He was thankful that he lived far enough away from Koushujin as constant unwanted visits from his parents were something he didn't want to deal with. Occasional trips back home at the end of semester were more than enough, although he would miss his mother's homecooked meals every night. He barely even knew how to work a microwave.
Other applicants kept mostly to themselves, and he noticed a girl with a serpentine appearance glare maliciously at anyone who attempted to walk near her. There weren't that many people with Mutation Quirks at his old school, so he couldn't help but curiously stare at her slender, snake-like features. Her eyes were an artificial, shining amber, with pupils that looked like thin, black almonds. Her pale skin was without scales, but her head sat atop a long, swaying neck that bobbed and weaved as she leaned angrily against an oak tree. A pink, forked tongue periodically flicked from her mouth as she made her hostility clear.
Suddenly, her attention whipped right over to where Ochimaru was sitting. He couldn't even begin to look away in time, and their eyes inevitably met. She narrowed them even further as her neck straightened up to its incredible, full length. Even from a distance, she stood at a towering height that dwarfed every other oblivious applicant around her. She looked like a cobra trying to enlarge itself to intimidate its foe, and Ochimaru felt his blood run cold, like a prey animal staring at the jaws of its predator. Her mouth opened slightly, revealing needle-sharp fangs in a harsh warning before she looked away with a scowl. Without even saying anything, he had left a bad first impression. People probably stared at her all the time. He was privileged to have a relatively non-intrusive Quirk.
"Already blew a chance there, huh?" Youta chuckled, giving him a gentle nudge on the arm.
"I didn't mean to stare," he mumbled, tempted to just run back to the train station and take the entrance exam next year. "I've just never seen someone with such an animalistic Quirk."
"Really?" Youta questioned incredulously, losing interest in the messages flooding in from his shattered phone. "There's a guy who lives on my street with a Quirk that makes him look like a shark, with fins and scales and everything. They're pretty common nowadays."
"I don't really go outside very much, so it's my first time seeing a lot of this stuff." Ochimaru replied, trying his best to keep his gaze far away from the girl with the snake Quirk. He wished that they would never have to meet again, and he could forget that it ever happened.
"Parents?" he asked with surprising intuition.
"Parents," Ochimaru parroted with a sigh.
"Tough one," he consoled. "My folks are the exact opposite. I could move away to a new country and it'd take them a week to figure out anything had changed."
Ochimaru fell silent, not exactly wanting to spill all of his feelings about his troubled family life just yet. Youta sensed the delicate subject and turned his attention back to his phone. It wasn't long before even more applicants gathered around the area as the minutes ticked by, some nervously stretching and performing warm-up exercises in the excruciating heat. He just hoped that the exam would consist of working alongside other applicants rather than competing against them. He wasn't in the best shape physically compared to most other people around him, so he was already at a natural disadvantage. He spotted a girl who had to be the same age as him but had an insanely muscled, Olympian physique. She could probably knock him out with a single punch. The fact that Koushujin was being intentionally secretive about the contents of the entire exam put him on edge too.
To add to his rising dread, a blaring alarm echoed its way across the courtyard until all of the loud, curious applicants eventually stopped chatting. Some even covered their ears in annoyance at the shrill sound. The two boys frantically looked around for its source until they found a woman standing atop the stairway that lead into Koushujin's main building, holding a large, bright-red megaphone. Her black hair was tied back in a tight, professional ponytail and she wore a navy-blue business suit which only added to her mature, intimidating aura. From his research on the school and some of its staff, Ochimaru knew this woman had to be Misato Urekana, the head of General Studies, and one of the few teachers not to be directly known for their hero work in the past.
"Attention all Koushujin applicants!" She yelled, her powerful voice managing to command the attention of the entire courtyard even without the obnoxious megaphone. "Line up in an orderly fashion and follow me into the exam venue!"
"Well, this is it," Youta grinned while tucking his phone away. "Seeya on the other side."
Ochimaru nodded and took a deep breath of hot air, watching as all of the applicants scrambled to stand and wait nervously on the wide stone steps. This was the day that would decide his entire future, for better or for worse. He would either walk out a potential hero or a complete failure depending on his performance. He couldn't help but tremble from the intense pressure, but he tricked himself into standing up confidently alongside Youta and joined the others. Even being near the other applicants was enough to set off his anxiety.
Hopefully, things would go well, and he could tell his parents he was on the path of a hero.