Chapter 15: The Entrance Exam
As Izuku and All Might went back to Izuku's house everone was ready to congratulate him but he laid the news flatly with the story of the exam. The people were only his mom and friend group since the Bakugos were busy.
The loss to Todoroki was a bit of a surprise to Izuku's friends, Katsuki was pissed off to the point he almost blew up as he started throwing a temper tantrum about helping others until Kaminari pointed that it's heroes' job anyway but Katsuki wasn't convinced. Until Himi as she insists to be called teased him about to the childish behavior.
"You look cute when being childish Baku-Kun~" Himiko giggled as Katsuki yelled out
"I'm not childish! He threw the f*ing match to help Endeavour's little clone!" Himiko rolled her eyes
"Don't ignore fangs!"
"Well stop being a little Shit!"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!"
"Aw are you gonna cry boom boom boy?"
"Well at least I'm not a bat girl"
"Arrogant Dick!"
"Spoiled Bitch?"
"Fuck you!"
"FUCK YOU!"
"FUCK YOU!"
"FUCK YOU!" Katsuki yelled startling everyone and Himiko looked at him blankly and Izuku felt something off about the look on her eyes, it was predatory , until she whispered something Izuku wished he didn't hear and will never forget
"my apartment. 8 PM " and Katsuki seemed to actually consider it! and great a new power couple was born, good thing Ashido didn't hear or it would've been a disaster
And after an awkward staring contest (which Izuku suspected was a date arrangement) everyone had dinner together and talked about the exam happening in a week from now and possible things in the test which Izuku suspected would test both combat ability and heroic spirit. (All Might looking nervous about that one confirmed it) then they settled for a small chat
"Was it worth it to throw the match Midobro?" Kaminari looked sad that Izuku didn't pass and it made Izuku happy
"Yup! look at Endeavour's face!" Izuku showed his friends a picture of Endeavour having his face in the ugliest scowl ever and everyone burst into laughter (Katsuki was cackling so Izuku won the argument)
"So what'll you do for the week Midori?" Ashido asked and Izuku smiled darkly making everyone flinch, he grinned in a predatory way and his friends started shivering when he started to cackle
"I'm going to destroy Endeavour" Izuku answered simply no longer cackling and Himiko being the second scariest in the place decided to ask why and to answer her question Izuku pulled a recorder that Izuku used to record Shoto's confession about Endeavour's sins and abuse. By the end of it his friends looked both horrified and disgusted
"Show him Hell nerd" Katsuki said simply and Izuku nodded.
The of the exam came and Izuku was excited to see Hitoshi since the guy couldn't come last week.
"Out the way Izu!" Katsuki passed and pushed Izuku lightly, in another time Izuku would've punched him but he was just excited so no big deal
he walked ahead until he tripped and started to fall to the ground. Izuku prepared to catch himself but he was floating in the air.
"Since when do I defy gravity?" Izuku asked with a raised eyebrow
"Since I used my quirk on you!" Izuku looked to his side to see a cute girl with short brown hair in a Bob and a permanent blush on her cheeks smiling at him. "Sorry I used my quirk on you but it would've been a bad luck to fall now" she smiled and released her quirk
"Well that wasn't very heroic of him," the chiming voice of the girl said
Izuku examined her secretly and noticed the pads on her fingers, a 5 finger touch to cancel gravity, impressive. Izuku examined her brown hair and her plaid scarf covering her chin. "This is nerve-wracking enough as it is!" Izuku sighs with a sad smile.
"He's always been like that, unfortunately." She laughs.
"Sounds like a history. Well, good luck to both of us!" she runs ahead with a small wave which he returns. Izuku hopes she passes. She seems kind.
Izuku takes his assigned seat, right next to Katsuki. He sighs quietly. He didn't mind but hoped to see Hitoshi. Ah whatever it's no problem.
"Hello listeners!" Izuku snaps to attention. At the podium on the large stage is Mr. Yamada—no, he's on the clock, he's The Voice Hero, Present Mic. "Everybody, say 'Hey!'"
Silence.
Everyone must be too nervous.
"That's cool, listeners! I understand exam jitters! I'm here to present the rules of your practical. Are you ready? YEAHH!"
Silence.
Izuku idly wonders if he's ever been in a more awkward call and response. Probably not. Present Mic clears his throat.
"So, here's how the test goes, Listeners!" He gestures to the screen behind him, which displays a simple diagram of seven different exam sites branching off of the main building. "You'll be performing a 'mock villain cityscape attack!' You're allowed to bring anything with you, provided you get it approved! After this presentation, you'll each head on over to your assigned testing location!"
Izuku looks at his exam card. 'Ground Beta Site B,' it reads. That's basically cheating. I know the whole city! Unless they rearranged it. Nedzu would pull something like that.
Katsuki elbows him. He must've been muttering. he only does that when nervous
"Tch. I wanted to see who could smash more robots." Izuku doesn't bother reading Bakugo's card. He just told him all he needed to know. They're at different sites.
"Each site is filled with a variety of faux villains! Taking them down awards you with points according to their respective difficulties! Use your Quirks to disable the faux villains and earn points!" Present Mic pauses dramatically for effect before holding a finger in front of his face like he's telling a secret. "But there's a catch! These faux villains are robots unleashed by an evil mastermind ! If your team can stop the mastermind, you automatically end your exam! That being said, the mastermind is an optional villain."
The screen behind him shows silhouettes of various robots and their point values with a shadowy human figure posed dramatically, arms wide, behind them.
"May I ask a question?" A broad-shouldered student asks, standing up. He points to his handout. "You have only presented three of the faux villains, but this handout features four! Such an error would be unbecoming of the top academy in Japan! Furthermore, you declared we would be in teams but have not explained anything further on the matter!" He suddenly turns to point at Izuku. "And you! With the curly hair! You've been muttering this whole time! It's very distracting! If you cannot bring yourself to focus on this exam, please leave!"
Izuku clenches his fist and stands up himself."I'm more distracted by you standing up and shouting questions! He probably just hasn't gotten to that information yet! If you can't handle waiting and can't focus if someone nearby is thinking aloud, how do you expect to keep your cool in a fight?" Katsuki looks at him with something akin to amusement on his face. Izuku ignores him, maintaining his glare at the other boy, who flushes under Izuku's accusations.
"Alright, alright! Take a deep breath, Listeners! Examinee 7111, you are correct! I haven't talked much about the other villain or the teams! Examinee 12645, you're also correct! I was just getting to those!" Izuku nods and sits back down. The other boy bows at a perfect 90 degrees."Thank you, sir. I apologize for the interruption!""The fourth faux villain is the mastermind's ace in the hole! There's only one per site, but it rampages at close quarters! It's worth Zero Points so you're better off avoiding it!"
There's more to it than that.Nedzu would never introduce and obstacle just for the sake of there being an obstacle."As for teams, you'll be grouped up with up to four other examinees randomly chosen from your exam site! Your team will take the practical together! Working together is encouraged, but you each pass or fail as individuals!""That's all from me! I'll leave you listeners with our school motto! Napoleon Bonaparte once said: "True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life."
"In whatever shape they may challenge us to combat," Izuku whispers the rest of the quote under his breath.
"Plus Ultra! Break a leg, everyone!"
The looming cityscapes of Ground Beta tower over the examinees. Izuku hears other examinees awestruck discussions of UA's resources.
Eh, you get used to it.From on top of the observation tower, Present Mic calls out a series of examinee numbers.
The five examinees step out from the crowd and take their positions in front of the city. Izuku watches the group run into the city the moment they're given the go-ahead, barely sharing a glance. He clicks his tongue. They hadn't said a word in the few minutes they had before Present Mic told them they could begin. He's not surprised that not everyone wants to play along with the teamwork aspect of the test, especially when Present Mic announced that you pass or fail as individuals, but it's no less disappointing.
Eventually, he hears his own number called and steps up next to—Wait, did he call 7111 as part of my team?
He did. The tall boy strides out from the crowd next to him. Great. He doesn't know how, but he's certain Nedzu is responsible for this. Oh, he has engines on his leg. Must be related to Ingenium.
A familiar voice draws him from his thoughts."Wow! We're on the same team!"
"Oh, the girl from the entrance!" Izuku says. She smiles.
"What's in the bag, kero?" says another member of his team. Her posture's a bit weird, and she has green hair like him, but straight, long, and tied.
"My support gear," Izuku says, pulling the Cat's Cradle gauntlets out of the bag as well as jet boots and his utility belt.
"I hope you got it approved! It would be unfortunate if you were disqualified for a simple oversight!"
"Of course, Iida, here," Izuku pulls the paperwork from the bag as well and hands it to him.
"Did—did I tell you my name?""No, but your Quirk is too similar to the head of Team Iidaten to be a coincidence," Izuku replies. "I was betting on you sharing the name." He fits the gauntlets on and moves to his Jet Boots.
"Oh, you're from a hero family?" asks the girl from the entrance.
"I don't want to be treated differently for it," Iida says.
"That's a lot of gear," drawls a tired voice. Izuku looks up at the purple-haired boy and Izuku tries not to grin. Must be the last team member and just his luck! "Wish I thought of that. I only got my capture scarf"
"Are you rested enough for this exam, kero?"
"Insomnia," is all he says.
"Present Mic said we could bring anything we get approved. I probably could have shown up in a tank," Izuku replies.
"I'm Midoriya Izuku. It'll be easier to plan if we know what we can all do. What're your Quirks?" he asked the others more than Shinso.
"Tsuy Asui, call me Tsuyu, kero. My Quirk is Frog. I can do anything a frog can. My kicks are really strong."
"My name is Tenya Iida. As you observed, I have engines in my legs that help me move faster."
"I'm Ochaco Uraraka." She holds up her hands so Izuku can see the pink pads on her fingertips. "If I touch something with all five fingers, I remove its gravity."
The purple haired boy rubs the back of his neck."Shinsou Hitoshi." Shinsou pauses, biting his lip and looking away.
"What's your quirk?" Iida asked and Shinso smirked waiting to see their reactions
"Oh, I don't have one" Izuku says flatly, fitting the Jet Boots on. Iida takes a step back. "But I've always loved analyzing Quirks. Fair warning, it's taking all of my willpower not to start theorizing about your Quirks." He pulls the boot on and moves to the other one. "The boots let me launch myself around at high speed for quick bursts, and the gauntlets house special cables I can manipulate. the utility belt has other gadgets." Iida looked at Shinso as if asking the same question.
"Oh," Shinsou says. "I uh, I had some bad experiences with classmates at my middle school."
"They thought they were hot shit because of their Quirks?" Uraraka asks frowning.
"I, uh, yeah," he says sheepishly. "My Quirk, uh, it's not very heroic. Or useful to this test."
"Mental Quirk? Could be useful against the mastermind." Tsuyu says.
Shinsou sighs."It's Brainwashing. If someone responds to me, I can make them do what I say. Not great against robots. and I started calling it Hypnosis lately"
"That sounds useful, kero," says Tsuyu. "If the mastermind is a person, you could defeat them instantly." Iida nods.
Tsuyu puts a finger to her lip. "Calling it 'Brainwashing' does have some pretty negative connotations, kero. Is that why you didn't get along with your classmates?"
"Bullying someone because of their Quirk is reprehensible!" Iida says. Izuku snorts, barely suppressing a full laughing fit. "This is no laughing matter, Midoriya!"
"You remember I'm Quirkless right?" he says. "I've seen Quirk discrimination my whole life. It sucks." Iida flushes. "So! Plan! We're probably on a time limit against the villains. At the very least, they don't want to have to completely repair the city after each team, so they'll probably call the test if enough buildings get destroyed. Early on, our focus should be the robots."
"They did say that catching the mastermind ended the test early. You're planning on finding them, kero." Tsuyu says. It isn't a question. He nods anyway.
"If the mastermind is controlling the robots, then we can narrow down their position by observing how they move." He puts a thumb to the corner of his lip. "Tsuyu, Iida. You two will be our primary combatants. Uraraka, support them. I'll locate the mastermind and help where I can. Shinsou will take the mastermind." He looks up. "Is everyone okay with that?""Won't that mean only Tsuyu and Iida pass?" Uraraka asks.
"They did say we pass or fail on our own merits," Tsuyu adds."Not quite. They said we pass or fail as individuals, but that teamwork was encouraged. Additionally, they never said that the points we earn from robots are our pass condition, or at least the only condition." Izuku explains."So, you think there's more to the test than they're telling us," Shinsou says."And you want us to treat it like a real emergency!" Uraraka concludes.
Izuku smiles."Exactly!" Izuku exclaims before the can discuss it further, Present Mic's voice rings from the observation tower."Begin! There are no countdowns in real life! Go!"