Chapter 15: UA Entrance Exams, the beginning
Gimei stood in its cabin, flipping through the TV channels as Izuku headed to the entrance exam. Though Izuku was still officially labeled as 'quirkless,' wielding a sword wasn't precisely a quirk. For now, he would remain officially quirkless until someone figured it out, or until Izuku remembered it himself. Gimei decided not to warn him—entertainment was essential, after all.
Above Izuku, one of Gimei's animals soared through the sky—a Bald Eagle that had long been deceased, brought back to life. It acted as an extra precaution against potential threats in the alleys. Several of Izuku's Saker Falcons followed closely behind, forming a squadron ready to strike if the need arose. As Izuku stood in front of the gate, one of the Saker Falcons landed on his shoulder.
Dressed in jeans and a hoodie with a bag slung over his shoulder, Izuku carried two essential items in the bag: a Falchion sword and a disassembled ArmaLite AR-50. UA had strangely allowed the presence of an anti-material rifle, thanks to Gimei's skill in creating forged documents. As Izuku approached the entrance, he suddenly remembered—he was still officially listed as quirkless.
Panicking, he considered the possibility that if he refrained from using his quirk during the exam, everything might be fine. He rationalized that he'd only use the birds for reconnaissance, convincing himself that it wouldn't be a significant issue. After a sleepless night of researching, he concluded that the exam involved robots—no big deal.
Lost in thought, he tripped. As he was about to hit the pavement, he found himself floating. His narrowed eyes questioned whether Gimei had something to do with this.
"Ah, sorry that I used my quirk on you!" a feminine voice exclaimed. Izuku looked at the speaker and realized it was another exam participant. The birds nearby snickered.
"No worries. Now, could you maybe... let me go back to the ground?" he asked.
Her eyes widened, a small blush forming on her cheeks. "Ah, sorry, I forgot to let you go!" She held the tips of her fingers together, and he descended.
"Five-point touch activation, huh..." Izuku muttered. Soon, he was a muttering storm of theories, suggestions, and questions. When he stopped, he offered a small smile and said, "Good luck," before turning around and heading to UA's examination hall.
The brown-haired girl had a starstruck gaze before shaking her head and joining the stream of potential heroes in training.
The examination hall buzzed with applicants as Izuku settled into his assigned seat, #5004. Casting a glance around, he searched for familiar faces, but the room seemed devoid of anyone noteworthy until his eyes landed on a certain blond a few seats away—Katsuki Bakugo. A sigh escaped Izuku; the prospect of attending the same school with his ex-friend wasn't something he particularly looked forward to. After all, he wasn't inclined to seek friendship after the less-than-friendly advice Bakugo had given him.
Placing his bag under his seat, Izuku focused as small robots distributed the written test. Question after question, he navigated through the exam, finding most of them surprisingly easy to answer. A few, however, puzzled him, such as inquiries about his hypothetical merch store's name and the company he'd partner with. Opting for simplicity, he wrote 'Underground hero' for those and moved on. With 15 minutes to spare out of the 40 allotted, Izuku marveled at Gimei's unique teaching methods. Whether it was heartless, crazy, or sadistic, there was an undeniable effectiveness to the way it drilled information into his head until he mastered it. In Izuku's case, the method worked well.
As he descended the stairs, some onlookers cast strange glances his way. One boy, with blue hair and glasses, dressed in a private academy's uniform, shot him a glare that could rival an intense grudge. Undeterred, Izuku returned the stare with a quick, cold gaze and proceeded to hand his test to Present Mic, stationed at the podium in front of the hall.
In a hushed voice, Present Mic queried, "Little listener, are you sure you wish to submit your exam paper already?" Izuku, maintaining a composed demeanor, offered a closed smile and a nod. Present Mic received the exam paper, and with each passing question, a perplexed expression crept onto his face. Internally, a small part of Izuku's personality, influenced by Gimei's chaotic nature, found amusement in the confusion. Externally, he remained calm and composed as he returned to his seat.
The room's atmosphere shifted slightly, whispers circulating about the mysterious examinee who had finished the test so quickly. Ignoring the curious glances, Izuku awaited the next phase of the exam, his thoughts contemplating the upcoming practical challenges. The enigmatic aura around him seemed to deepen, hinting at the uncharted path he was about to tread in his pursuit of becoming a hero.
As Izuku sat at his seat, he rummaged through his bag, sorting the parts of the AR-50 rifle. Alongside it lay a bipod and around 200 50 BMG rounds. The AR-50, a single-shot rifle, had materialized at Gimei's suggestion after Izuku consulted an old, forgotten website called Wikipedia. With Gimei's assistance, he had it signed off as a support item. First, he created a false identity—Gimei Kraub—and established a fictitious gun store that had purportedly existed long before his birth. Following this, he filled out an application, "accepted" it, and sent the rifle as a support item. Gimei even tweaked his birth certificate to show a familial tie, ensuring legality.
As the minutes ticked by and more people finished, it was time for the explanation of the practical exam. Present Mic, utilizing his quirk, belted out, "Hello there listeners! I hope all of you are confident in your answers, now then, can I get a hell yeah?!" Silence ensued, followed by Present Mic's muttering about a tough crowd.
"Anyway, the practical exam is basic," he continued, projecting the silhouettes of four robots onto the big screen. "There's a One pointer, Two pointer, and Three pointer. The third is the hardest to kill but offers 3 points, now—"
Interrupting, the blue-haired boy from earlier raised his hand and exclaimed, "Sir, there appear to be four robots on the screen. If you forgot to explain that, it's unprofessional." Pointing at Izuku, he criticized, "How you acted is completely unprofessional and disgraceful to UA's legacy. Bags aren't allowed, and you broke the rules."
Izuku maintained an unreadable expression as the boy gestured robotically. In a voice reminiscent of Gimei's, he calmly retorted, "How about you ensure you don't accidentally perform the Nazi Salute there, buddy," before turning back to the podium.
Confusion spread among the crowd at the reference, given World War II had ended centuries ago, and pre-quirk era history had largely faded from memory. Only three people seemed to catch the implication: the bespectacled boy, Bakugo, and the teacher himself, who nervously chuckled at the remark.
"Well, someone has a dark sense of humor," the teacher commented, addressing the blue-haired student. "Next time, please wait your turn to speak and refrain from rudeness. And Examinee #5004, please be mindful of potentially offensive remarks."
Izuku smirked at the teacher's response, while the blue-haired student slumped in his seat, deflated. Present Mic interjected, clarifying that the fourth robot was a zero pointer, merely an obstacle.
With instructions given, the examinees dispersed to their assigned mock cities, anticipation building for the practical segment of the exam. Izuku's mind buzzed with readiness, prepared to face the challenges ahead and prove his worth as a potential UA student.