Hello again, everyone. I want to thank you all for your patience with the last two weeks chapters setting up my take on the Final Exam Arc. Here we can finally get back into some action. Taking on this arc, I found myself facing much the same obstacle as I had taking on the Battle Trial arc and the Sports Festival Arc, that being having to decide how much of already established scenes I wanted to showcase here alongside my original content, since they're all very important character-building experiences for those involved, and as I said at the very beginning, I wanted to show my respect for the canon events while injecting my original takes on certain events alongside it so that we get the story we already know and love, and something vastly new at the same time.

So with that being said, as I go through adapting the Final Exam Arc itself, I can only tell you all now to not be surprised that you'll be witnessing events that you're already most likely familiar with alongside the new content. but as it's no doubt become quite apparent by now, I transcribe pre-established events of MHA, purely because I love MHA, just as I'm sure you all do, as well.

So, I hope you all enjoy what I've provided you this week, even if it may not be as long as my chapters typically are. If you like it enough, feel free to leave an honest review letting me know what you think of my take on this story as a whole.

Also, I'd like to give another shout-out to my beta reader, Mizu Hikikomori. Times have been challenging recently, but they've always managed to stay cheering me on through my writing efforts and providing their input and feedback every step of the way, and I'll always be immensely grateful for that.

Also, also, I mentioned in the previous chapter that I was having artwork made for this story, and it made me just start to think of throwing this out there for anyone out there remotely interested: if you ever feel inspired to make any fanart of your own for this specific story, feel absolutely free to do so and let me know about it. I'd love to see what my humble efforts have inspired other people to create, if anything at all.

My Hero Academia is the property of Kouhei Horikoshi and Shonen Jump. I only own my original characters, the original events surrounding them, and the alterations of established events that occur as a result of their existence in this universe.

A/N: [[]] denotes that certain characters are contextually speaking Russian.

Chapter 32

Practical Test – Part One

(Практическое Испытание - Часть Первая)

"The practical test is going to be held in the training replica city, divided into eleven different sections, with the eleventh central section being the gathering area for the teams that manage to pass their respective tests. The ten teams will be starting in their respective sections simultaneously. The general outline of the test will be explained by the respective teachers you will be battling. You will all be transported to the training city via the campus buses. Time is ultimately short, so I suggest you all get moving."

Aizawa's blunt explanation of just where the practical test was going to be held only halfway registered to Nikolay and his three-person team, as they were all still reeling from the knowledge that not only had their previous assumption of their practical test being against robots been proven false, but also that they were officially to be battling against the Pro Heroes that were their teachers. The two teams announced previously had considerable threats to face off against, themselves. Shoto and Momo were going to be up against Aizawa himself, which was intimidating enough.

However, Izuku and Bakugo clearly had the shortest stick of the bunch, as they were to be pitted against All Might, the most powerful Hero alive. Even if he had known exactly what they were going to have to do to be able to win this test, Nikolay couldn't possibly picture those two being able to hold their own, let alone win.

As for his team, which he thankfully shared with Mina and Denki, they specifically had been pitted against Headmaster Nezu, of all people. Even with his smaller, non-threatening appearance, they naturally had to assume he had to be far more powerful than he appeared, to be the head of Yuuei for as long as they had to imagine he had been already.

Speaking of whom, the bipedal mouse headmaster eagerly stepped forward to speak up: "Now then, as Aizawa-san said, time is of the essence, so I'll announce the rest of our student team-ups and their respective teacher opponents so that we may be on our way. The rest of the practical test matches are as follows: Uraraka Ochako and Aoyama Yuga shall face off against Thirteen-san; Kouda Kouji and Jirou Kyouka shall face against Present Mic-san; Tokoyami Fumikage and Asui Tsuyu shall face Ectoplasm-san; Sero Hanta and Mineta Minoru shall face Midnight-san; Shouji Mezo and Hagakure Tooru shall face Snipe-san; Sato Rikido and Kirishima Eijirou shall face against Cementoss-san, and Iida Tenya and Ojiro Mashirao shall face against Power Loader-san."

Every announcement drew visible flinches of realization from each respective pair of students and their respective teachers. However, once the initial surprise had run its course, Nikolay found himself driven to speak out one discrepancy in the setup he had been hesitant to point out from the start. "Forgive me, Headmaster Nezu-sensei; but I have to ask. If-!"

"If all our teachers are going to be involved, then where's Tunguska-sensei in all this?" Eijirou suddenly asked with unsurprising concern, before Ochako eagerly nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, everyone else we've had is here, I would've thought he'd be included as well."

Nezu gave only a single nod of understanding towards the respective students' concern, while a handful of the teachers only gave the slightest glance towards one another in silent communication that none of the students could begin to interpret. "Yes, an understandable question, given the sudden circumstances. Tunguska-san is going to be assisting Vlad King-san in conducting the simultaneous practical test for the students of Class 1-B at the training arena from the Sports Festival at the same time as we will be conducting your test here. However, I will be sure to let him know of your expressions of concern when this is all concluded."

As soon as he could see the three questioning students were at least beginning to accept his answer, Nezu clapped his paws together to regain everyone's attention. "Alright, students; your respective buses are waiting to take you and your opponents to your respective areas, so let's proceed in an orderly fashion and be on our way, shall we?"

At that, the students began to break up into their respective teams and follow their assigned teachers to the line of buses waiting behind. However, just as Nezu stepped into his respective compartment of their bus, while Nikolay, Mina and Denki sat themselves in the compartment following his; he proceeded to fish out a tiny cellphone from his vest pocket and hit speed dial, patiently waiting for an answer while the bus finally began to roll forward.

Click

"Good morning, Nezu-san. I suppose it's pointless asking the reason for the call, huh?" Tunguska's voice on the other end didn't even try to pretend sounding surprised, just as Nezu had been expecting ever since they and the rest of the teachers had discussed this whole idea back on Saturday.

"You're correct in that regard, Tunguska-san. I wanted to let you know that Bezpalov-kun, Kaminari-kun, Ashido-chan and I are now on our way to the training area with the rest of the students. Of course, your son and some others asked where you were, and I told them what you suggested."

For a moment, the headmaster was met with only silence, with a barely audible grunt of acceptance from Tunguska to be heard from the other end. "I apologize for having asked you to do such a thing for me, Nezu-san. I know, simply by comparison of years of experience in this field, I had no right to ask such a thing of you. Those kids really do deserve better… but they need to be properly prepared… or I suppose ill-prepared is more appropriate this time around."

"Are you really sure you know what you're doing, going about things this way, Tunguska-san? It's not too late to simply step back and let this test play out naturally." For the first time since they had even first met years ago, Tunguska could detect unmistakable traces of concern in Nezu's voice. However, his own answer came with the heaviest of defeated sighs:

"As much as I want to say no, and simply let you all teach the students however you will… that worry in my gut won't allow it. I know none of you are going to go easy on those kids, I wouldn't expect anything less from a single one of you. Aizawa-san was right, asking you to approach Kolya and malenkie Ashido and Kaminari the way he did. As close as they are as friends, and as well as they're able to work together as a team so far, their ways of thinking are ultimately too different, with Kolya trying to learn how to be as wide-reaching methodical and strategic as he can, while those two simply prefer to… how you say, 'go with the flow'. This test is the best way to see how… or if they can mesh their approaches together, and see how they really end up turning out as a team.

"However, be that as it may, we know the potential dangers they could end up facing out there; not just those three, but all those students. They all need to be properly tested together to see how they can ultimately hold their own when the time is right. So, long answer short… yes, I'm sure, Nezu-san. I want to see how many of those students are able to make it, and see how they ultimately end up doing."

Nezu's outer expression betrayed none of what was going through his head. His more protective instincts were advising against what Tunguska was subtly alluding to, but his more practical and professional side likewise understood the necessity of it, hence why they were even still discussing it now, just minutes before their test was officially to begin. Finally, with a steadying breath of acceptance, he gave his final reply: "Very well, Tunguska-san. We both understand the implications of what could ultimately come from this little plan of yours, on top of the rest of ours. I'm sure you'll be observing all the tests attentively with Recovery Girl the whole time, so I'll leave you to that."

Click

After a considerably lengthy drive, their specific bus finally came to a stop. The entirety of the trip, Nikolay's feet hadn't been able to stop tapping their heels against the floor in a clear-as-day display of nervousness. When they had finally come to a stop and Nezu had instructed the trio to disembark, the young Russian felt his stomach momentarily tie itself into a knot, even as Mina and Denki were practically bounding off, all too eager to see what was waiting for them.

As he followed after with as much enthusiasm as he could outwardly muster, his stepping back onto solid ground was greeted with the sight of a large gate and wall, on the other side of which they could all see a towering mass of cranes and industrial structures. The size of it, and realizing this had to be their specific training section, almost began to feel overwhelming, while Nezu opened up the gate, beckoning the three students to follow him inside.

As they began to follow their headmaster inside, taking in all the winding twists and turns that were already greeting them from the onset, Mina and Denki still couldn't help but wear their excitement on their sleeve. "Oh, wow, this place is huge! It's like one big industrial playground!" Mina exclaimed, eyeing the numerous twisting systems of pipes all around. Nikolay could tell from the twinkle in her eyes that she was just imagining getting to slide her way all around on them.

"Yes, I suppose you could look at it that way, Ashido-san, however you'll all come to find this is hardly the time or place for play." Nezu commented from over his shoulder; and the way he could say so with that same nonchalant air, left Nikolay even more visibly nervous than he already was.

And unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you asked) his outward display did not go unnoticed by his two teammates, as they visibly slowed their pace to match his own, giving them some distance from their headmaster, continuing to lead them further and further in. "Hey, what's gotten you so shaky, man? You so full of ideas already, you can't physically hold them in?" Denki asked with a smirk that practically radiated only the foolish kind of confidence, at least from where Nikolay currently stood.

"Yeah, Kolya-kun, I thought you'd be as excited as the rest of us. You're almost starting to look like how you did when we first started this year." Mina pointed out, still smiling with eagerness of her own, but also showing notable concern through her eyes.

"I don't get how you guys are so calm about this. We have to fight not only a teacher, but the headmaster of Yuuei, himself. My Dad says he was headmaster even back when he very first came to this country, which was well over fifteen years ago. Haven't either of you stopped to think the person in charge of running the biggest Hero-training school in the world, especially for that long, might be a lot more powerful than we think he is?" Nikolay asked in a hushed whisper, every now and then glancing cautiously to Nezu's back, who never once gave any indication that he could pick up the boys' words as clear as day.

Thankfully, that train of thought visibly seemed to sink into Mina and Denki as well, as their cocky smirks faltered a smidge in thought. However, now that he had gotten started, Nikolay couldn't just stop there. "Besides… it's not just this fight I'm worried about. I don't know if anyone else ever expected we'd have to fight against any of our teachers while we were here; I know I didn't. I can't imagine how anyone else is going to fare."

"You're thinking about Midori-kun, aren't you, Kolya-kun?" Mina suddenly asked knowingly, giving him a look of understanding as he couldn't hide his surprise how she managed to get it right. "What? I saw that look on your face when he and Bakugo got teamed up. It was pretty obvious."

"I mean, to be fair, I don't envy those two, having to go up against All Might, of all Heroes. As tough as Midoriya and Bakugo both are, I seriously doubt it'll even make the guy flinch." Denki stated in agreement to Nikolay's silent concerns, before the Russian boy bowed his head in acceptance that he needed to get all his thoughts out at last.

"It's not just the fact Midoriya-san has to fight All Might; it's that he has to count on Bakugo for a partner at the same time. If he doesn't end up having to get through the whole test entirely on his own, with two opponents trying to annihilate him, I'll frankly be surprised," he finally admitted, with Mina's expression now beginning to reflect the same kind of worry, as much as she hadn't wanted to give it more thought than she already had.

At that moment, Nezu suddenly came to a stop as they now found themselves in a tiny clearing amid the fence works, walkways and pipes in the industrial mish-mash, finally turning around to address his students. "Your concern is quite understandable, Bezpalov-kun, and it's quite fortuitous you bring it up now, because you have inadvertently realized the ultimate point of the practical test of your final exam.

"You see, it is not only to showcase exactly what you all have learned throughout this term, but it's also to help you all understand that, in your future careers as Heroes, you're not always going to have the ideal team-up you would like. As such, this will be a way to show exactly how your respective approaches to a situation complement each other… or perhaps, not. That still remains to be seen."

However, as serious as Nezu's explanation clearly was, it was sharply offset by the glowing smiles of confidence on Mina and Denki's faces as they each brought one of their arms over Nikolay's shoulders, bringing themselves in and standing confidently at his sides like they all together were an unbreakable trio. "Well, in that case, this is gonna be smooth sailing and then some, Sensei! With Kolya-kun's brains, my natural skill and Kaminari-kun's...well, anyway, we were able to beat a legit Villain together, so we already know how to work best as a team."

Mina's sheer confidence couldn't help but bring a slight smile back to Nikolay's face, while Denki couldn't even pretend to look insulted at the backhanded attempt at a compliment she couldn't even follow through on, instead only chuckling in embarrassed agreement.

However, the fact that Nezu began chuckling as well, quickly put the three teens on edge. "Your confidence, not only in yourself but in your teammates, is duly noted, Ashido-chan. However, the other fact this test is supposed to help you understand, is that you're not always going to find yourselves facing an opponent you have an inherent advantage over… case in point, myself. And with that being said, we've now arrived at your starting point for your practical test, so allow me to give you the full rundown on how exactly this is going to work."

With that, the little bipedal mouse began rummaging through his back pockets before producing three ornate-looking pairs of handcuffs. "The time limit for the practical test is thirty minutes. There are two conditions for you to pass, and you can opt for either one, depending which you find is easier. The first way, is for one of you to slap a pair of these handcuffs on me. The second would be for you to make it to the exit of the training area, to the central eleventh section of the ground, where all students will ultimately find themselves when this is over, unless they're too thoroughly injured. To make things a little easier, if only one of you manages to reach the exit area, that still counts as a pass for the entire team. Think of it as something akin to one of you running to find reinforcements, much like Iida-kun did during the USJ incident."

"Okay, so this is kinda like the Battle Trial, then." Denki mused in realization, with Nikolay nodding in thoughtful agreement, while Mina looked plain surprised as Nezu began handing them their respective handcuffs. "So it's really okay for us to run if we want to?" she asked incredulously, almost certain that was too good to be true for the final test of their whole term.

"Indeed, Ashido-chan. Being a Hero doesn't mean continuing a fight you know in your heart to be foolhardy. Sometimes the best course of action is to retreat and find help better suited to aid in your situation. Like the old saying goes: 'live to fight another day,' and so forth."

Once all three had their handcuffs tucked away, however, Nezu began to project that intimidating serious air once more. "However, unlike the Battle Trial, you won't be facing fellow novice students of Heroics like yourselves. The best way for you to approach this test, is as if you were in a genuine battle against an authentic Villain, and that is the role I shall be filling for you all."

From there, Nezu proceeded to pull out what looked like two sizeable bracelets, fastening them around his wrists. "Considering the distinct difference in strength between us, I shall be providing a bit of leeway to you all by handicapping myself with these weighted cuffs, courtesy of Hatsume-san in the Department of Support. However, I shall still be coming at you three with everything I have, and if you want to have any chance at victory, you shall do the same."

To his silent approval, even though Mina and Denki were still smiling with eagerness, there was also a degree of thoughtfulness reflected in all their eyes, but especially in Nikolay. If they were all taking the gravity of his statement to heart, then perhaps there was genuine hope for them as an actual Hero team. "Now then, this entire training area has been built to match the very same infrastructural specifics as the real thing, so you will have more than plenty of means to traverse the area, no matter which course of action you decide to take. Now, I shall be heading to my starting point, while you all will remain here until the test is officially announced to begin. Recovery Girl shall be the overseer for all the tests, so if any of you find yourselves in a position where you're badly hurt and unable to carry on, she will be able to make the appropriate arrangements for your evacuation. Now then, I wish the three of you the best of luck."

With that, Nezu proceeded to immediately sprint his way down one of the many passageways from the three students' starting position, almost immediately disappearing from sight, and leaving them all alone in the now unsettling silence, only now and then broken by the wind.

"What do you guys think we should do?" Nikolay finally asked, if for no other reason than to break the suffocating silence.

"Personally, I think we could take him. I mean, even if he's fast and knows some moves, there's still three of us and only one of him. We know how to use our Quirks best with each other in a fight by now; I'd say we got an advantage." Denki immediately replied, only for his confident grin to start shrinking when he realized neither Nikolay nor Mina was agreeing with him.

"Kolya-kun could be right, though, Kaminari-kun. Sensei could be a lot tougher than he looks if he's running the whole school. If we end up having to fight, okay. Until then, as boring as it sounds, maybe we'd be better off trying to go for the exit, pronto." Mina disagreed, already scanning all around them for any sign something was amiss, with Nikolay and Denki soon following suit.

"I agree. Besides, even if we tried to go seeking Nezu-sensei out to fight, this training area is huge, and he's clearly a lot faster than we thought, even with those weights. If he wanted, he could probably have us going in circles trying to find him, and end up wasting the whole thirty minutes of the test. Right now, going for the exit is our best option." Nikolay was thankfully beginning to sound surer of this initial plan of theirs the further he went, with his two partners soon beginning to reflect the same.

BZZZZT

"Everybody's at their marks, I take it? In that case, now's the time, freshmen of Yuuei Academy! Let's begin the end-of-term test! Readyyy… GO!" The sound of Recovery Girl's voice echoed across the entirety of all ten training areas, and with that, the fuse had officially been lit in every single listening student, and all teams were officially on the move. Nikolay and his team were no exception, as with the announcement, they quickly realized staying put for a moment longer was a terrible idea. Thusly, they proceeded to go down the first path they spotted; wisely one that Nezu didn't disappear going down, leading down a single stairway until they eventually found themselves traversing down a street-level alleyway.

Nikolay found himself instinctively checking the time on his cellphone, counting down the seconds from when the test had officially started. Perhaps it was their insistence on staying mobile that was helping, but the constant silence, indicating so far no action taken on Nezu's part against them, left the young Russian considerably worried. Nothing in Yuuei was ever this outwardly easy, and his survival instincts were firing on all cylinders, just listening and looking for the first sign of anything that could be trouble.

"I gotta say, you guys; this feels like kind of a waste of all the effort we've put in so far, doesn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be our chance to show what we learned and what we can do." Mina eventually chimed in, adapting a much more lax and casual stride, even in spite of her overall complaining, as she tucked her hands behind her head as though this were just a pleasant stroll through the park.

While Nikolay was trying to remain focused, Denki couldn't help but humor their pink companion: "Well, yeah, of course this idea's boring. Still, it'd look real bad if you ended up accidentally melting the headmaster if we decided to fight instead," he replied only semi-jokingly, to which Mina couldn't help but laugh with likewise joking agreement: "I know, right?"

"Hey, Kolya-kun, why are you staying so quiet? It's getting kinda unsettling, you know?" Mina called up to the young Russian in the lead, as he kept scanning back and forth around them with every step.

"Yeah, man, just cause Nezu-sensei's a mouse doesn't mean he's gotta have super hearing. Chances are he could be just on the other side of the whole training ground." Denki stated in agreement; which finally drove Nikolay to look back to his companions.

"We don't know that for a fact, though; either where he is, or his Quirk. That's what worries me. It can't possibly just be advanced intelligence. We've managed to go for a minute and nothing's happened, this is way too easy. How do we know he isn't watching us from somewhere we can't see, and we're just walking right into his paws?"

Denki looked particularly stricken by the logic of it, while Mina's gaze fell downward, only for her face to brighten with realization. "Well, why don't we just go the rest of the way through here, then?"

Nikolay and Denki followed to find she had spotted a full-sized manhole resting between them. Denki's expression likewise lit up with confidence. "Hey, yeah, that's an awesome idea! There's no way he can track us if we go underground!" However, Nikolay's eyes only slightly widened from behind his goggles with apprehension.

"Hey, Kolya-san, what's with the deer-in-the-headlights look? Ashido just found us our one-way ticket to passing, its perfect!" Denki asked the moment he and Mina saw the nervous look on his face.

"I don't think that's a good idea, you guys. There's no telling how much planning the teachers have had in getting these training grounds set up. For all we know, Nezu-sensei could have considered us going that way and set up booby traps for us." Denki looked perfectly convinced, albeit with a grimace of frustration at Nikolay's explanation. However, Mina looked at Nikolay with an air of sudden remembrance.

"That's not all there is to it, though, is it, Kolya-kun?" Nikolay could tell from the look in her eyes that she was on the same page as he was, even if he couldn't bring himself to say it. "This is about that whole thing of yours about being underground and getting buried, isn't it? That whole fear of tight spaces?"

Nikolay's instinctive embarrassed sigh told both his partners exactly what Mina had already figured out. However, Denki could only look confused, rather than regretfully understanding like her. "Wait a minute, that's still a thing? But you were held in a box by Vukodlak for practically an entire day and came out pretty much fine. I would've thought that would've messed you up big time."

Nikolay hastily shook his head, both to get off the subject faster, and to shake off the embarrassment and get them moving again. "Trust me; I would've thought so, too. If I had to guess, I think the only reason I didn't completely fall apart was because I had Vukodlak talking in my ear the whole time, so I never was left alone to panic. Plus, I was honestly thinking a lot more about dad, you and Willow Light-sensei during that time.

"But the point is we're in this now, and I don't want to risk screwing us up by having a panic attack while we're down there. Now we can't waste any more time talking about this, guys; we've already lost two minutes. Let's just stay up here and try to keep a low profile." With that, he turned on his heels and continued down the alley, spurring Mina and Denki to quickly follow suit, now likewise looking all around for anything out of place.

"Well, if we want to avoid walking into any traps, why don't we just make a path of our own?" Mina suddenly suggested with a snap of her fingers. Nikolay and Denki both felt a swell of relief in their chests to see the light of total realization in her eyes. Without missing a step, Mina knelt down to the wall of one of the buildings they were between, and proceeded to summon up a coat of acid over her hands before putting them to the wall, quickly and sufficiently melting a big enough hole through it they could all crawl through.

"Hell yeah, that's brilliant, Ashido! You could just melt us a straight shot straight to the exit and Nezu-sensei will have no clue! Man, we've got this in the bag!" Denki cheered once Mina had stopped melting the wall, stepping back so the blonde boy could crawl through first. Nikolay quickly followed suit, his anxiety now thankfully replaced with actual confidence and gratitude.

"Good thinking, Mina. As long as we keep this up and stay quiet, we might be able to pull this off." He and a visibly proud-looking Mina quickly crawled through as well, all three students now riding high on the genius of this improvised strategy.

However, what none of them realized at that moment, was that from a good distance away, high, high above the industrial landscape, Nezu was watching the whole scene intently, looking and listening for any signs of their movement, only to eventually spot the smoke from Mina's acid, rising from one of the countless little alleys. The sight of it brought out a sinister yet delighted chuckle from him as he mused whimsically to himself: "I have you now, children. Let the real test officially commence."

Team Todoroki/ Yaoyorozu's Side

In the setting of an empty suburban neighborhood, Shoto and Momo were hastily making their way through the back alleys and side streets, with Shoto vigilantly taking the lead, looking for even the slightest sign of Aizawa's presence. "Yaoyorozu, it doesn't matter what, just keep creating small random objects! If you ever become unable to, just assume that Aizawa-sensei is somewhere nearby!"

Momo was likewise keeping a cautious eye on their surroundings as she already began creating whatever small objects she could think of at that moment, in accordance with her instructions. All the while, Shoto never paused for a moment. "This test will be clinched by whichever side manages to find the other first. The second we can eye and confirm his position, I'll go draw him out, and you bolt toward the escape gate. Until then, don't stray too far from me."

Shoto didn't realize it at that moment, but the firmness in his instructions momentarily brought a pause out of Momo. She didn't dare say it out loud, but the realization that she was essentially being led by the hand by him and having to follow his instructions to the letter with no input of her own, couldn't help but bring to mind the image of a child being led by its parent. That realization couldn't help but bring out the beginnings of disappointment from the pit of her chest. Yes, Shoto was an expert strategist, easily the most skilled student in their class in the field, but what use had she proven herself in that regard so far? All she'd proven herself the master of was in academics. As confident as she had felt at the beginning of the day, that feeling now felt so much further away, and all Momo could feel in that moment then, was self-doubt.

Team Tokoyami/ Asui's Side

In the emptiness of a department store court, Tsuyu and Fumikage had swiftly found themselves surrounded on all sides by copies of their opponent, Ectoplasm. However, quick to recognize the disadvantage they stood at in terms of sheer numbers, Fumikages' reaction time was swift and precise. "HOLD HER, DARK SHADOW!"

Before Tsuyu was even able to react herself, the large sentient being of darkness erupted from the black cloak Fumikage wore, quickly snatching her in its mouth around her sides. "ASUI, I'M TOSSING YOU!" Having given her all the forewarning time would allow them, Fumikage proceeded to send Dark Shadow whipping its neck around him with Tsuyu in tow, adding enough momentum just before letting go of its hold around her, to send her flying up through the air towards a nearby pillar, while Ectoplasm and his copies watched with silent intrigue just what this initial action of theirs would ultimately pan out to.

"Tokoyami!" Tsuyu called back to her partner as she continued to fly, before just as swiftly shooting her tongue out in kind and wrapping it around the crow-headed boy's midsection as well, just as she caught herself on her hands and feet against the side of the pillar.

Craning her neck and pulling all at once, Tsuyu managed to whip Fumikage up and overhead to the next floor up from hers, earning some silent approval from Ectoplasm down below. "Their synergy is quite good. They're doing the smart thing in a battle where they have the disadvantage, and are trying to avoid it as long as they can."

Sitting comfortably within a small field tent, Recovery Girl and Tunguska sat side-by-side before a multitude of screens, displaying numerous angles of every single test occurring simultaneously. The diminutive nurse sat back, chuckling in approving amusement to herself at Tsuyu and Fumikage's display of wordless communication, while Tunguska was still studiously watching Shoto and Momo's continuous on-the-go instructing between themselves, all while instinctively looking for a sign of Aizawa, just as they themselves were.

"So far, these kids seem to at least understand one essential aspect of field duty: while as far as normal society goes, it's considered rather mundane, but in the field of Heroics, communication between team members is one of the most vital things." Recovery Girl commented between her chuckles, while Tunguska still looked just as determined and focused, while still giving his elder the courtesy of a response:

"Indeed, it is. The best kind of team is the kind that can formulate an on-the-spot decision without having to actually say a word. This class may not be at that level yet, but at least they're actually bothering to share their thoughts with each other. Once they get the hang of that, it'll make their ability to work together with any one of their other classmates that much easier." As he expressed his agreement, his eyes soon drifted towards two screens in particular: one that revealed Nikolay, Mina and Denki continuing to work their way through one building after another as the pink Hero-in-training continued to melt one hole in the wall for them after another; and the second, whereupon Izuku and Bakugo were currently making their way down an empty street in a downtown city setting. There were indeed microphones placed all over the training grounds so they could overhear whatever the students were saying, but even if that weren't the case, he could tell by their vastly differing body language, that they were not on the same page with one another.

Team Midoriya/ Bakugo's Side

"STOP FOLLOWING ME, DEKU! IT'S OBVIOUS I SHOULD JUST KNOCK HIM OUT!" Bakugo bellowed as angrily as always, while Izuku continued to keep pace, while somehow managing to keep from matching his aggressive pacing speed.

"A-and I'm telling you we should avoid a b-battle at any cost," the green-haired boy countered nervously, only to realize that, of course, his blonde and very reluctant partner was flat out ignoring him at this point, instead muttering angrily to himself:

"I'll lead him around by the nose up until the final moments, and then I'll smash him when he's all tuckered out! This victory is going to be for me!" As he continued to storm forward, leaving a visibly frustrated Izuku in his wake, the freckled boy couldn't keep his own thoughts to himself, while feeling that awful-yet-nostalgic sense of nervousness building in his stomach just being in Bakugo's presence.

"Kacchan…just…j-just who do you think All Might is? No matter the number of handicaps in our favor, the idea that you'd beat him is just…!"

CRACK!

The backhand to the side of his face came with almost impossible speed and precision, sending Izuku tumbling to the asphalt while Bakugo towered over him, positively seething at this point. "NOT ANOTHER GODDAMN WORD. JUST CAUSE YOU'RE DOING HALFWAY DECENT… DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANOTHER WORD, DEKU. OR ELSE I'LL REALLY GET PISSED."

As much as the right cheek was practically on fire with stinging pain, Izuku refused to back down as he slowly picked himself back up, fighting the instinctive tears. "Urghh… I'm just telling you… so we can pass the test, Kacchan! So listen…!"

"I TOLD YOU I DON'T NEED ANY HELP FROM YOU TO PASS, ASSHOLE!" Bakugo's explosive voice, while normally inspiring fear and cowardice from all those he directed it toward, this time only served to fire Izuku up even further, as he finally got back to his feet, refusing to avert his eyes from his partners'.

"WOULD YOU STOP SHOUTING?! THAT'S WHY WE CAN NEVER HAVE A PROPER CONVERSATION! THAT'S WHY NOBODY IN OUR CLASS LIKES YOU!"

THOOM!

The moment the last syllable left Izuku's mouth, a deafening explosion suddenly ripped and tore through the air, sending a hurricane-level wind down the street, nearly blowing the two boys off their feet. Debris flew like the shrapnel from an artillery strike, or perhaps a few dozen at least, smashing and obliterating numerous buildings up and down the street, barely missing Izuku and Bakugo in the process.

As soon as the dust and smoke finally began to clear, the two boys looked to see, to their expectation, there stood All Might, all alone, with a single fist extended; the tell-all sign that the incredible power and destruction they had just witnessed and nearly been caught in the wave of, had been the result of only a single punch, one that was technically handicapped by being weighed down with the same weighted bracers, no less.

Even from the distance they stood apart from one another, Izuku and Bakugo could hear the echoing boom of their opponent's voice clear as day: "NOW THEN, BRACE YOURSELVES… FOR HERE I COME!"

Team Ashido/ Bezpalov/ Kaminari's Side

"You don't think the exit gate we're supposed to get to is back the way we came in, is it?" Denki asked by the time they had gotten through their fifth consecutive wall with still no further sign of action being taken from Nezu, wherever he was.

"I'd think Nezu-sensei would've told us up front if it was. Besides, they said all the students are to converge in the eleventh section of the grounds in the center, so that tells me that's where the exit gate is." Nikolay replied as if it were plain everyday logic, with Mina only not answering as she was in the middle of melting their sixth hole, which she could now tell through the opening was leading out into another alleyway heading straight from where they now were.

"Well, if that's the case, we must be getting pretty close, especially if our starting point was in the center of the section. This almost feels unfair, it's so easy, like when you exploit a glitch in a video game in order to win faster than anybody else." Mina commented, albeit with a much more amused tone than her words implied as they began crawling out one by one.

As they began to make their way forward, the distant sound of a metallic rumbling suddenly brought Nikolay to an instant stop, extending his hands and shushing his two partners to likewise freeze. "You guys hear that too, right?"

Indeed, with each second, the groaning seemed to grow louder and louder, either as though it were getting closer, or it was starting to emanate from multiple directions at once. The louder it got, the more Mina and Denki's confidence began to fade, until they were now looking just as nervous as Nikolay did. "Oh, God, what the hell is that?" Denki finally asked, not even trying to play it confident as always.

BOOOM!

With a deafening crash, the warehouse they had just exited from suddenly exploded outward towards their backs, sending them all sprawling to the floor to avoid the debris. As they began to get back to their feet, another deafening crash suddenly erupted from over their heads, as the top halves of the buildings they were caught between were blown away by a massive swinging wrecking ball.

"Holy crap, let's get out of here!" Mina exclaimed with both her partners thinking the very same, as they all three began sprinting for their lives, taking the first turn they could find every which way, as more and more structures and buildings around them continued getting plowed like houses of cards, sending rubble and debris flying and freefalling everywhere around them, giving them absolutely no means of getting their bearings.

In a moment of absolutely blind desperation to get an idea what the hell was actually going on, Nikolay suddenly launched himself up from his position in the lead, propelling his way into the sky while Mina and Denki called after him in immense worry while they continued to sprint for everything they were worth, the entire area around them continuously being demolished with animalistic frenzy.

As soon as Nikolay reached the peak of his launch, he took those few precious seconds to try and take in as much of the surrounding area as he could, and what he saw made his heart drop into his chest.

All over the entire training area, all of the cranes he had seen were swinging to and fro, and colliding their arms into the ends of one another, subsequently sending them spinning in turns, swinging their loads and wrecking balls into every structure around them, leveling the entire area to the ground. Even in those few moments, it was at least clear to Nikolay that most of the cranes were not being manually controlled, but were rather being manipulated by the impacts of those around them, almost resembling some massive version of a pinball machine. Wherever he was, Nezu had to be controlling one crane somewhere, to set off this momentum-based chain reaction in order to reduce as much of the area Nikolay and his team could use as possible.

Unfortunately, Nikolay didn't have much more time than those few seconds to understand exactly what was happening, because just as he began to descend back to where Mina and Denki were currently running, a shadow suddenly obscured the sun from his view, and when he looked to his side, his blood turned to ice to find one such wrecking ball swinging right for him, ready to swat him out of the air like a human fly.

"HOLY SHIT," he instinctively screamed as he fired himself forward by his hands out of pure instinct, thankfully avoiding the wrecking balls' arc, but also ruining his landing trajectory, as he ricocheted off the edge of a roof, then off the wall below, before finally meeting the ground with a violent rolling tumble.

"Kolya-kun, are you okay?!" Mina exclaimed in fearful worry as she came sliding to a stop on her knees to get him back on his feet, while the area around them continued to plummet into rubble on top of them.

"Dammit, you guys, check on your wounds later, we gotta haul ass!" Denki proclaimed, sounding like he was already in the middle of his own panic attack, as Nikolay and Mina continued to run as fast as their legs could carry them.

"If we can just get out of sight, maybe we'll have a chance! Ashido, melt us a hole into another building so we can get out of this!" Denki ordered as soon as they managed to slip into another smaller alleyway. However, as soon as Mina skidded to a stop and began to form more acid from her palms, Nikolay likewise came to a screeching halt and grabbed onto her shoulder with exceptional intensity in his grip.

"No! He can just bring the whole thing down on top of us the instant we set foot in there! We gotta keep moving!" As soon as he said those words, sure enough, another wrecking ball came swinging from practically out of nowhere, gouging right through the roof of said building, sending it collapsing in on itself, with the trio having only narrowly managed to avoid getting caught right in the middle of it.

Realizing they were still sitting ducks, they once again broke into a sprint befitting an Olympic marathon, while the cacophony of destruction refused to cease. "Well, if you've got another idea what the hell we can do, now would be a really good time to tell us!" Denki exclaimed impatiently, even though it was clear he was terrified beyond belief, while Mina was barely keeping herself from breaking into panicking tears the more they ran.

"Yeah, Kolya-kun, you're the one who's been talking about coming up with multiple plans or strategies or whatever for the past month! If you've got something cooking, then for God's sake, just say it!" As soon as the terror in Mina's voice registered, Nikolay found himself scanning all over the place the more they ran, while still keeping himself going as fast as he could without launching, and risking potentially getting himself caught in the path of yet more flying debris.

From atop the single tallest crane in the entire training area, Nezu was sitting comfortably in the controllers seat, momentarily turning the levers this way and that so he could indeed set off a swinging chain reaction across the numerous other crane setups he had specifically requested to give him full control of the entire environment without having to actually traverse an inch himself.

As he took a soothing sip of his tea, he had been listening in most intently through the microphones set up all over the area, listening to the three students he was currently in the process of terrorizing, and on more than one occasion nearly accidentally (or not) crushing. 'It's just as Aizawa-san said, those three are still quite prone to letting their gut reactions and emotions dictate their actions and reactions. They're more open to panic instead of remaining calm under pressure. However, I must commend Bezpalov-kun. Even when everything was being obliterated around them, he still had the wherewithal to know they should avoid going indoors at all costs. That could've easily led to the whole team being beaten and failing. Well done, my boy. However, you should know that every great strategic mind always considers every possibility, and therefore knows how to manipulate the field so their enemy dances to their tune only. I wonder how you and your classmates will be able to handle that, if you even can!'

The temptation to break into a hysterical laugh suited for a genuine Villain was simply too much to resist, as the headmaster broke into just such a howl of laughter, continuing to annihilate the entire training area all around his three targets, while they simply continued to run down the only path they had available.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!" Denki kept exclaiming with every single step as the onslaught of destruction continued pursuing the trio every single step of their mad rush for survival, with Mina practically screaming in panic in kind, while Nikolay was barely keeping a nose ahead of his companions, frantically searching for any direction they could go other than straight.

Alas, every single time they reached a spot with more than one direction they could go down, all but one route was swiftly blocked with yet more rubble, with almost sadistically convenient timing on Nezu's part for a good few. And yet, no matter how many times it kept happening, they never found themselves being completely cut off. Instead, the main path they kept following always managed to stay clear.

At first, Nikolay chalked it up to dumb luck. However, shortly after, he started to realize there was no way they could just get this lucky this many times. Nezu had clearly figured everything out by this point, there was no way he was missing them this many times by accident.

"Guys, we gotta do something," he announced to his teammates, who barely managed to hear him over the sounds of the pursuing collapsing rubble, and their own panicked screams.

"Yeah, no shit, but what?! If we stop, we're done for!" Denki asked in a panic.

"Yeah, but if we keep going, who knows what'll be waiting for us? Don't you see? Every route but this one keeps getting blocked off, yet we're still able to keep running! Nezu-sensei's corralling us! He might be leading us to an open space, a killing field, where we can't do a damn thing without him seeing it and countering it!"

"Great, so do you have any ideas?!" Mina half-asked half-screamed as a flying piece of rubble just barely missed both hers and Nikolay's heads.

"He said this place is built to the same specifications as though this were a real industrial park. We're still on ground level, so we should be coming up on a manhole cover soon! If we can slip underground, we can get some breathing room and come up with a plan!" Nikolay hastily explained as they were forced around another corner, and Nikolay almost instinctively screamed in discovery as he spotted such a steel lid just a few feet away from them, and closing.

"But what about your fear of being buried, Kolya-kun?!" "Yeah, and what about the possibility of booby traps?" Mina and Denki's respective protests and doubts were of course well warranted, but Nikolay was too laser-focused on the approaching manhole to let himself get talked out of it, already drawing one of the large tuning forks from his side, channeling as much of his stored kinetic energy into it with every step.

"You guys wanted a plan; this is the best I've got! Now get ready, it's now or never!" With his brain practically screaming for this to work, he finally threw the tuning fork like a spear, directly into the ground at an angle. The sound of the vibrations echoing from it rang almost musically upon impact, as a tremendous shockwave suddenly ripped through the ground in the direction they were running, before ultimately flipping the manhole cover straight up like a coin off of a spring.

Nikolay tore the tuning fork free from the ground mid-stride, as Denki power slid on his side into the newly opened hole, disappearing immediately into the depths below.

Mina was hot on his heels as she expertly jumped straight down with her arms crossed over her chest like a professional diver, and Nikolay practically threw himself into a roll before finally feeling gravity take him, and his sight was soon enshrouded in darkness, as the wave of destruction finally overtook the manholes' spot, obstructing the daylight from up above.

Within the field tent, Tunguska had been watching the events unfolding for Nikolay's team, and as the collapsing structures had started to gain on the trio as they fled, he had unknowingly begun gripping the arms of his chair to the point they were warping within his grip. However, by the time he and Recovery Girl saw they had managed to slip into the sewer level just before getting caught in the debris, the massive Russian let out a shaky sigh of relief.

"Well, now, that's quite a relief. They may not be showing much in terms of tactical communication, but there's an undeniable trust between those three that makes them go with the plans they all know to be best. A clashing of differing egos would've made a last minute escape plan like that impossible to pull off in time. So I'd say those three already have the makings of a potentially great Hero team, especially if they show they can properly communicate later on."

Tunguska felt his worried heart lighten at the sound of Recovery Girl's approval of the dynamic between Nikolay, Mina and Denki. However, as soon as she saw the relieved smile on his bearded face, she cleared her throat to regain his attention. "However, while their trust allowed them to buy themselves some breathing room by escaping into the sewer level, that whole setup is nothing short of a maze. If their plan to pass is to still make it to the exit gate, they just made it a lot more difficult for themselves."

However, as much as he knew the school nurse had a valid point, Tunguska refused to get discouraged by it. "That's true, but the fact is they haven't been beaten yet, and I'm confident they'll still be able to come up with some kind of plan to help each other pass, precisely because they have that deep-seeded trust you mentioned between them. They still have plenty of time to surprise us."

Team Midoriya/ Bakugo's Side

"Collateral damage to the city? Such things mean nothing to me!" All Might's declaration echoed with all the bombastic fervor as always, only now it came tinged with truly ruthless intent to boot.

Izuku and Bakugo could only stare their slowly approaching opponent down, wrought with worry and anticipation respectively. The green-haired boy, especially, couldn't believe what he had just seen. Even with his strength reduced the way it had been from the start, to think All Might could still wreak this kind of damage and raw power just from the wind current of a single punch was overwhelming. He honestly wouldn't have been able to blame anybody if they had just wanted to turn tail and run right now. After all, that was what every instinct in his own body was telling him to do.

"If you boys think of this as just another test, then I'm afraid you're in for a world of pain. For you see, today, I am a Villain, oh young Heroes. So come at me, and put your whole hearts into it!" With that, the former Symbol of Peace swiftly launched himself like a human cannon, barreling down the street right for them.

"This is bad! We can't possibly fight him head on! We need to run!" Izuku was already turning on his heels, sprinting for dear life, only to look back in shock that Bakugo was actually standing his ground. "Kacchan!"

"DON'T ORDER ME AROUND!" Bakugo snapped back, instead leveling one of his hands and grenade bracers to be level with the approaching All Might. The moment he knew his enemy was the right distance: "STUN GRENADE!"

A blinding light suddenly emanated from Bakugo's hand, miraculously managing to bring All Might to a stop, shielding his eyes the best he could. Once the light began to fade, he was met with the roaring visage of Bakugo leaping through the air right for his face; his own twisted with that same boundless fury. "ALL MIGHT! YOU DIDN'T NEED TO TELL ME! THAT WAS MY PLAN-"

GRAB!

With expert precision and invisible speed, All Might launched one hand up and grappled Bakugo by his face; the boys' entire head able to fit in the palm of his hand. However, without missing a beat, Bakugo brought his own hand up, leveled right with All Might's face at point blank range.

"-FROM THE START!"

Bakugo then proceeded to unleash a seemingly endless torrent of explosions directly in All Might's face, engulfing his entire body in devastating fireballs, letting out an animalistic war cry with every single hit.

What Bakugo didn't realize in his blind rage, however, was that his explosions were amounting to hardly anything more than an annoying breeze to his towering opponent. 'Normally, when you get your face manhandled, you'd reflexively try to pull away. Is Bakugo-shonen seriously intending to take me down?'

Further up the street, Izuku hadn't been able to find the strength to keep running, instead watching Bakugo's bold yet pointless display of violence, only for the whole spectacle to swiftly be cut short, as All Might proceeded to slam the blonde hothead straight into the asphalt back-first like a sack of potatoes. "IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?! A feeble flurry like that barely hurt me at all!"

As All Might took his eyes off the motionless Bakugo at his feet, he found Izuku had once again found the wherewithal to try running further. "And now…"

Before Izuku could take two more steps, that same rupturing of the sound barrier registered in his ears, and the very next moment, All Might had come skidding to a halt right in his path, bringing the young boy to a terrified stop. Even with his trademark smile still upon his face, All Might had an especially fierce fire to his illuminated blue eyes as he stared his target down. "You're next, Midoriya-shonen! Are you just going to abandon your team and run? I wonder…"

In the field tent, Tunguska was watching every step of the Izuku/Bakugo test with enraptured focus. "I see what he's trying to show him. Malenkii Midoriya thinks this test only allows the two options, fight or flee. However, what he needs to understand is that many times, you need to do one of each, in order to truly accomplish either one. To escape, sometimes you must fight. And to fight and win, sometimes you must flee. What will you do, I wonder?"

The sheer murderous intent Izuku felt radiating off of his Hero was of such undeniable intensity, he hadn't felt anything like it since his encounter with the Hero Killer; the chill he felt running up and down his spine was practically identical. However, it was that very same feeling of fear that made the young boys' body react the way it had, as the same red electrical energy of One For All began emanating from all over his body: "FULL COWL!"

'Wait, why am I thinking back on the Hero Killer now?' However, such a question had no meaningful answer, as Izuku's body was practically acting on autopilot, driven solely by his desire to escape being pummeled into oblivion, as he shot himself up and backwards, gaining some much-needed distance between himself and All Might; whom could only watch the boys' reaction with expertly hidden surprise. "Whoa, that…that's not a good move."

What Izuku had failed to notice from the moment he had leaped back, was that since then, Bakugo had gotten back up and launched himself forward, and the freckled boy had unintentionally thrown himself right in his partners' trajectory, not even registering the furious "MOVE, YOU!" until it was already too late.

WHAM!

Like something straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, the two boys had ultimately collided right into each other, toppling back down to the ground in a tangled mess, while All Might could only look on in mild embarrassment, a sentiment that was almost identically mirrored by Tunguska back in the tent, watching the two boys fumble with a deep rumbling groan of almost fatherly disappointment.

Both as a teacher and a former Pro Hero, to see two boys of such raw potential make such an elementary mistake was nothing short of embarrassing.

All the while, Recovery Girl was continuing to watch the proceedings, completely impartial. "Those two's inability to really work properly off of each other in this case is strictly because of their differing mindsets. Their only options are to either take All Might down, or flee. The latter move is the result of an undue excess of admiration. To Midoriya Izuku-kun, All Might is practically a god. As for the other child, I don't know him very well. But judging by the Sports Festival and his grades, he possesses amazing talent…but what on earth impels him to be so flustered and impatient?"

As soon as the ringing in his head had stopped from the impact, Izuku had started to pick himself back up, to find Bakugo had already long since gotten back to his feet and was once again starting to make another frontal charge for All Might. After everything they'd been put through already, Izuku's nervousness had now started giving way to desperate frustration: "KACCHAN, I'M TELLING YOU! THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN WIN JUST HITTING HIM UP FRONT! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!"

"SHUT UP!" Bakugo's answer was intended for his infuriating partner, while he never took his eyes off the prize ahead, gritting his teeth in enraged anticipation. "I WILL WIN. BECAUSE…THAT'S WHAT A HERO DOES!"

In that moment, Izuku found himself not staring upon his loathsome hotheaded partner and old middle school and high school bully. Instead, as those nostalgic words echoed in his head, all he could see was the little elementary-aged Katsuki Bakugo he once called his best friend, watching the TV footage of All Might in action on the way to and from school, commentating on every little move the Symbol of Peace made with all the admiration in the world, unable to stop saying just how cool he thought All Might was, but primarily for one thing:

The coolest Hero in the world always won, no matter how bad a situation they were in, plain and simple.

It was with that old bittersweet memory in mind, that Izuku found himself chasing after Bakugo, instead of feeling the compulsion to keep trying to run on his own. "Then that's all the more reason this battle is—"LET GO OF ME! DON'T TOUCH-!"

"For the time being…" The sound of All Might's powerful voice suddenly came down from the heavens above, and as the two boys looked straight up to the sky, they were met with the sight of their overwhelming opponent coming down like an asteroid, with a piece of actual guardrail in his hands.

"…A PRESENT FOR THE BOY WHO WOULD RUN!" Just as Izuku instinctively began to dive to try and get out of the way, All Might drove the stakes for the guardrail straight into the ground upon which the boy lay, effectively pinning him down, helpless and unable to move.

At the very next moment, Bakugo instinctively began spinning around to catch All Might by surprise with another punch, only for the most powerful Hero to meet the boy in kind with an incoming low hook of his own. With a devastatingly clear sound of impact echoing, All Might drove his fist straight into Bakugo's gut, stopping the temperamental boy dead in his tracks, right before he straight-up projectile vomited in complete physical reflex from the devastating power of the blow he had just taken full-on.

And that was all before the sheer power behind All Might's fist sent Bakugo flying down the street like a cannonball, bouncing, tumbling and rolling several times along the way before he finally came listlessly to a stop, barely even able to move.

"Oh, for goodness' sake! All Might's taking this way too far, now! If that blow didn't just kill that boy outright, there's no telling the kinds of internal damage he just inflicted on him instead!" Recovery Girl shouted in protest the moment she saw Bakugo get waylaid in a manner no teenager, Hero student or not, should have had to go through.

However, by comparison, Tunguska was continuing to watch with rapt attention, showing not nearly as explosive an emotional reaction. "It is extreme, and it is more than a teenager should have to deal with, I'm not arguing that. However, these kids are training to be real Heroes, and the world of real Heroes is nowhere as easy as they think it is. The teachers all know this. That's why they all resolved to come at those children with everything they've got. If the students can understand all that; understand just how serious this test is supposed to be, then it'll inspire them to come at the teachers with everything they have, too. It's the perfect way to get them to showcase just what exactly it is they've learned from their experiences so far. That's the only way they're ultimately going to be able to pass this test. This is supposed to simulate what it's like to be in a battle with a genuine Villain, as closely to the real thing as possible."

As wise as Tunguska's observation doubtlessly was on the surface, Recovery Girl couldn't help but look at the Russian teacher with a hint of doubt. "It's easy for you to say that, sitting where you are right now, but you're just as much those kids' teacher as the rest of them. I know you want to try and stay as approachable and kind to them as you can be, but you would do well to take your own advice on how everyone should approach a situation like this when the time ultimately comes. If you really want to help prepare those kids to the degree you think they should be, then you need to approach them as though you were back on the field, yourself."

Tunguska only answered with a tired sigh, knowing the nurse was absolutely right. Depending how today was going to ultimately pan out, he was going to have to start taking his own advice sooner than later.

All Might trudged forward purposefully as he approached the writhing, prone form of Bakugo in the middle of the road. The young boy was in the process of heaving what little was left in his stomach from the overwhelming pain of the punch he had just taken. However, as much as All Might's conscience wanted to instinctively apologize to the child for having been so harsh with him as the test required, his sense of duty in educating all the students the best he could, forced him to keep his eyes on the task at hand.

"I understand, Bakugo-shonen, the reason for your jealousy. It's because of Midoriya-shonens' sudden growth, is it not? But you know, if you compare someone at Level 1 to someone at Level 50, then the pace at which they grow can't be totally even, now can it?" To All Might's approval, Bakugo was finally starting to get back to his feet between his pained, heaving breaths. However, when the boy finally looked him in the eye, All Might could only see that same continuous aggression in his red eyes.

The sight of this after having just tried to empathize with the boy left All Might feeling even more stern and intense with him. "What you're doing right now, it's such a waste, Bakugo-shonen! Don't you get it?! Surely you must! Even you can still grow so much! But what needs to grow isn't your strength, but your willingness to borrow that of others!"

Further back down the road, as Izuku was trying to pry himself free from the guardrail trap All Might had left him in, he saw Bakugo standing wearily before their opponent, and could only feel an overwhelming surge of desperation. Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to get free and do something, knowing his partner wouldn't stand a chance.

And yet, even in spite of that, there was only one thing Izuku could continuously think to himself as he felt all his strength begin multiplying through every bit of muscle fiber in his body: 'I hate your guts, Kacchan… and… and yet… no matter what, you always strive to emerge victorious! That's what I admired most in you!'

As Bakugo finally forced himself to stand up as tall and proud as the pain in his midsection could allow, he felt an overflow of anger and desperation burning in his veins; his parting words to Izuku after the Battle Trial echoing back to him with all the clamor it possibly could have. "Shut your mouth, All Might…! I said… that I would continue to win…through my own power… and… goddammit, that's what I'm gonna do! If I ever need to… borrow that worthless little bitch-ass 'strength'… then it'd be better… to lose altogether!"

For a few precious moments, all Bakugo heard in return was silence; All Might's towering visage standing before him like a foreboding statue or golem, silently contemplating the boys' sentiment. Finally, he was given his long-awaited answer by his opponent: "Is that so. Then do not regret what's about to happen, Bakugo-shonen."

As All Might began to raise his right hand, ready to drive him straight back into the ground, Bakugo knew with great reluctance that his body couldn't summon the strength to fight back, not after what he'd just been put through. It was with that defeated realization, all he could mutter to himself was a morose, barely audible "Goddammit" as he started mentally bracing himself for the pummeling he was about to receive.

CRACK!

The mother of all punches did indeed come, but it wasn't from All Might. Instead, with insane speed and precision, Bakugo was met with a single punch to the face from Izuku, emblazoned with green electrical sparks and flying like a bullet, as the momentum behind his fist sent his partner flying out of All Might's striking range, with Izuku himself immediately following behind.

In the field tent, Tunguska instinctively let out a whistle of impression at the speed and precision of Izuku's last second save of his partner; all the while not realizing he was sitting quite literally on the edge of his seat, to Recovery Girl's silent amusement. "Good on you, still acting to save your partner even when you were trapped, malenkii Midoriya. However, if you and malenkii Bakugo can't learn to start communicating properly and actually formulate a genuine plan, you're ultimately only prolonging the inevitable."

As Izuku continued to flee with Bakugo in tow, the large Russian Hero could only imagine just what the two would be able to pull off, if they could actually learn to work together. The potential between both their incredible levels of power was there, but with the strained chemistry between them he had seen so far, the potential was nothing more than a pipe dream. He could only hope by the end of today, they would be able to prove that dreaded thought wrong.

"DON'T SAY YOU'D RATHER LOSE! YOU, OF ALL PEOPLE!"

The sound of Izukus' voice reignited the adrenaline and rage to bring Bakugo to full consciousness again, just in time for him to realize the freckled boy had hoisted him up by the waist, and was proceeding to leap and ricochet off the walls at breakneck speed in an attempt to flee, with him in tow like a rolled up human rug.

"LET GO OF ME, DEKU, GODDAMN YOU!" "ENOUGH ALREADY!" Bakugo's protests were met with Izuku's stern telling off as the two boys soon found themselves rushing down a narrow alley, but Izuku didn't dare stop for a moment.

"I…I can't think of a way to beat All Might…and I can't think of a way to escape him, either! But why don't you try using me before you give up! Don't say you'd rather lose! Aren't you the kid who never gives up on winning, Kacchan?!"

Bringing up that old train of thought left Izuku suddenly reflecting on a memory that at once felt so distant and foreign, and yet at the same time so prominent deep in his chest, that it might as well have been yesterday. It was without doubt, the one moment he admired Katsuki Bakugo the most.

Years ago, when they had been in first grade, he had personally witnessed Bakugo beat up two fourth graders who had been bullying him and pushing him around. They were so much bigger than him, stronger, and ultimately outnumbered him, and yet despite the beatings he took in the process, Bakugo had ultimately stood victorious.

While Izuku had sequestered himself to hiding behind a tree the whole time, there was no denying, even where they stood in the present, that when he saw his old friend standing victorious, even battered and bruised, he looked just as cool as All Might ever did. That day, Katsuki Bakugo might as well have been the Symbol of Peace himself in Izuku Midoriyas' eyes.

And right now, all Izuku could think of now, was providing every last bit of his own strength to help the boy he now both hated and admired, be able to stand that tall and cool again, no matter what. How, was the real question.

The fact he needed to preserve his strength for as long as he could was the only reason All Might hadn't fired himself off in a blinding dash after Izuku the moment he had knocked Izuku out of harms' way. Of course, the weighted cuffs around his forearms being nearly half his weight didn't help his case either.

He had long since lost sight of the two boys, and had to relegate himself to trying to find some sign of their having passed through this street in order to get the drop on them again. All the while, his mind was in a rush. 'Dammit, I can't believe I actually let my guard down! After the punishment I had inflicted on them already, I never would have thought Midoriya-shonen would just rush into the line of fire like that! If he's concealing himself now, then he must be headed towards the exit gate right now, surely.'

"WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING?!" The furious roar of Bakugo's voice suddenly called out from right behind All Might, as the blonde boy came flying from out of another alleyway, readying himself to fire another explosion straight into his back.

'A sneak attack from behind, eh? Brave, but ill-advised.' All Might immediately began to turn around to meet Bakugo with another powerful fist, but what he saw written all over that young face made him momentarily pause with surprise. For there was none of that typical ego-driven bravado or rage he had come to expect.

There was only the kind of twisting agony that could be conveyed from a pain one felt emotionally above anything else. That was when he then realized the grenade-shaped bracer for Bakugo's right hand was missing.

Bakugo capitalized on that momentary pause, firing an explosion from his left hand, using its power to flip himself out of All Might's range to the right, all the while only able to keep screaming one thing in his head over and over again: 'Goddammit all! Now I'm really pissed! Who in their right mind would work with a piece of shit like you?!'

With those last words tearing him apart from the inside, from the moment he felt his feet meet the floor, Bakugo finally roared: "DEKU! FIRE!"

With All Might's back turned once more, Izuku suddenly came charging out of the next alleyway, with the missing bracer now affixed to his own right hand, and aimed squarely at All Might's center mass. Just as the Symbol of Peace began to turn back around to confirm with his own eyes, Izuku had anchored himself back to the ground, and with no hesitation, proceeded to pull the pin free, focusing every last ounce of his power into his right hand, using that split moment to finally release it all in a long-withheld powerful explosive strike!

Back in the field tent, Tunguska now had the proudest smile on his face to see the once disastrous duo finally, finally showcasing genuine teamwork with one another. Whether it was actually going to have an effect on All Might was a different story altogether, but the fact remained that they had finally begun to overcome the first and most difficult hurdle.

"Tunguska-san, we have the feed for the underground section of Bespalov-kun's section up and streaming now." Recovery Girl suddenly announced, and with almost whiplash-inducing speed, Tunguska had his eyes now focused on a screen showing a night-vision feed of Nikolay, Mina and Denki at the foot of the ladder to the manhole they had just escaped through.

Team Ashido/ Bezpalov/ Kaminaris' Side

"Holy shit…we…we actually made it? Oh, God, that was way too close." Denki muttered in shell-shocked disbelief, instinctively feeling all over himself to make sure he was still in one piece.

The rumbling of the continuous wanton destruction and collapsing could be heard even through the reinforced concrete roof, but for all intents and purposes, their last minute escape had proven effective, as they no longer stood at risk of getting brained with a piece of rubble every split second.

Mina was hunched over, hands on her knees, as she tried to catch her breath. She had never maintained such an inhuman sprint for that long, while dealing with that kind of adrenaline-pumping terror at the same time. The sensation of her heart racing was nothing like how it usually felt when she had just gone through a large amount of time dancing. This was far, far less euphoric.

However, she was at least managing to calm herself back down enough to notice that while Nikolay had likewise gotten back onto his feet, he had his hands clutching his sleeves tight, muttering continuously to himself to a volume almost neither of them could hear. It was only because her eyes had already started adjusting to the dark that she could see the Russian boy was just barely trembling all over.

As Denki fished out his phone and quickly switched on the flashlight function to it, Mina hurried over to Nikolay's side, gently holding his shoulder as she turned him around to look at her. "Kolya-kun? Hey, Kolya-kun, it's okay. Just look at me."

However, her attempts to get through to him didn't seem to be working, as Nikolay's eyes looked so much more distant, so much more panicked. It was clear the pitch blackness of these tunnels, and the realization of what they had just narrowly avoided, on top of the fact that their most immediate exit was now no longer an option, was already driving Nikolay into another panic attack.

"What are we gonna do? There's nothing we can do, we're trapped in here! We're trapped, and all that rubble's gonna bring it all down on our heads! We gotta get out of here; we gotta get out of here right now!" Everything Nikolay was muttering was at least some variation of one of these statements, over and over again, while Mina kept gently trying to shake him out of it.

Finally, mentally chastising herself in advance for what she was about to do, Mina finally tapped the palm of her hand just barely hard enough against the side of Nikolay's face to constitute being called a slap, even though it looked and sounded like the kind of fake slap seen in a stage play.

Nevertheless, it was enough, as it brought Nikolay's rambling to a stop, and his once panicked eyes quickly returned to normal. The moment she recognized this change, Mina cupped his cheeks in her hands as softly yet firmly as she could, letting their warmth register to him as she looked him square in the eyes, thankfully serving to calm him down further. "It's okay, Kolya-kun; you're okay, we're okay. Everything's going to be alright. We're not trapped, and we're gonna get out of here together, I promise."

Her already sweet and supportive voice was now speaking with such softness; she had unknowingly given Nikolay goosebumps just hearing it. However, all she cared about now was that her words were visibly getting through to him, and his hyperventilating finally subsided. Now, Nikolay was finally breathing regularly, and brought his hands over her own, smiling with raw emotion in gratitude for her managing to talk him back to reality again.

"Hey, guys, as much as I'm glad the little calming chat worked, we still got kind of a situation here." Denki called back to his two partners, spurring them to rush back to his side as he shined his flashlight around the corner down the ever-continuing tunnel.

Thankfully, now that his mind had calmed down, Nikolay was finally able to think fast, instinctively pacing back and forth. "Okay, Kaminari-san's right, we may be out of active danger now, but we haven't passed the test yet. We need to figure out what we can work with and come up with a plan."

"Well, we better come up with one fast, cause we've only got barely twenty-five minutes left to pass this thing." Denki pointed out, holding his phone up to show the time just to prove his point.

"Aw man, are you serious?! All that, and we barely even got five minutes in?!" Mina exclaimed in disbelief, while Nikolay had come to a stop, albeit not out of thought, but realization.

As soon as Denki noticed this, Mina followed his gaze to likewise find herself curious what had Nikolay so still. Then, with surprising swiftness, Nikolay pulled out his phone and suddenly took a picture of the wall in front of him, before just as quickly scrolling to his photo album and pulling it up, showing it to his partners in turn. Displayed on the screen was a mural on the wall depicting an intricate tunnel network.

Thankfully, Mina and Denki's momentary confusion quickly gave way to realization once they saw the overall shape of the layout. Nikolay smiled with relief that they were already following his train of thought as he answered: "That's right, it's the same shape as our overall training section, from what I was able to see of the walls making the border when I went up. This has to be the layout for these underground tunnels for this section. If we can just follow it, we could be able to navigate our way to the exit gate without Nezu-sensei being able to get the drop on us again."

"But, Kolya-kun, if he was able to figure out how to corral us like that without even having to be anywhere near us on the surface, how do we know he hasn't thought to set up traps along the way down here, too?" Mina's worrisome tone in her question was more than justified, Nikolay realized, as he let out a shaken sigh.

"You're right. I don't know any more than you guys, do. For all we know, he could have these tunnels completely sealed, and we're already hopelessly trapped. But a chance down here has got to be a hell of a lot more plausible than a chance up there." While it wasn't exactly a rousing speech to drive them to victory, it was at least enough to get his two partners on the same page that this was essentially the best chance they were going to get.

"Yeah, speaking of which, were you able to spot anything else while you were up in the air back there, Kolya-san?" Denki asked in total seriousness while Nikolay was busily observing and memorizing the tunnel network map.

"Yeah. Nezu-sensei has all those cranes set up like some kind of sick domino arrangement. He's gotta be using one personally, and knocking its payload into the arms of the next ones over, so they can swing and hit the ones after, and so on and so forth. That's how he was able to destroy so much of the training area so quick. He's got the whole surface arrangement set up so he could always see which way we were going, and would therefore know which cranes to hit in order to cause another wrecking chain reaction."

"Great, so if that's the case, then he's gotta be set up somewhere higher than anywhere else where he can have a perfect view of every inch of the area. We wouldn't have a chance at him if we went back up there now." Mina realized with frustration, as Denki bowed his head in similar grim realization.

"Yeah, and with the widespread destruction he just caused, it's not exactly like any of the other manhole entrances wouldn't already be buried under tons of rubble. We're essentially stuck down here." However, once he said this, Nikolay let out an audible gasp, catching both their attention before he brought the map back up, pointing at the western end eagerly.

"Maybe not. Check this out, according to the map, there's a large drainage tunnel entrance at the west end of the area, just a dozen yards from the exit gate. If the brief view of the overall area I got from the air serves me right, there weren't nearly as many buildings or structures for him to knock down around that area. If we're lucky, the entrance could still be clear enough that we could just get out that way and make a rush for the exit before he'd have time to try and stop us."

Mina and Denki both looked halfway ready to start cheering, before her black-gold eyes flashed with a glint of serious realization. "Wait… that almost sounds too easy. He's had us in his paws this whole time so far, there's no way he wouldn't have thought to do something about that, too."

Denki looked like he was about ready to smack himself in the forehead for not even thinking about that. However, despite the heavy sigh from Nikolay in return, his eyes didn't lose that determined glimmer, reflected by the light of the phone in his hand. "You're probably right, Mina. Aw, hell, given how this has been going so far, it might as well be a certainty. But unless you guys have any better suggestions, I'm afraid this is the best we can do right now. Let's at least try to get there and see what we can come up with afterward. As long as we stick together and come up with a plan all three of us can work with, I know we can pass this test."

The non-bombastic, deeply-rooted tone of real confidence in his friends resonated deeply with Mina and Denki, as their eyes soon took on the same look of determination as their Russian friend, all three of them nodding with acceptance and agreement, all of them clearly ready and willing to take on whatever would stand in their way, together.

With a fire in their hearts, the once unlucky trio quickly took off into a driven sprint down the tunnel with Denki's flashlight leading the way, their footsteps echoing up and down as they rushed for the storm drain entrance, eager to fight their way to finally passing the practical test once and for all.

And there it is, the first official part of my take on the Final Exam Arc. I decided to try making these specific chapters a little shorter to help make the deadline on my own shoulders a little more forgiving, as I'm quite literally writing morning, noon and night to get these chapters all out on a certain schedule. However, I feel that once this story arc has run its course, the chapters will start returning to their so-called normal length.

Anyway, I hope you all liked what you read here today. Feel free to leave a review if you did.

For the rest of the week, stay safe, live well, and I will see you all next week on 07/24 with the next chapter! Take care!