Chapter 16: UA Exams, Part 2

As Izuku stood before the gate of City A, a gathering of examinees surrounded him, including the blue-haired boy rapidly approaching. The boy stopped abruptly and, to Izuku's surprise, offered an apology. "You!" he began, "I wish to apologize for my rudeness. I realize now I might have gone a bit overboard, thinking you were mocking the prestigious institute with how you acted."

"No, no, I get it," Izuku replied. "It was a bit weird how I finished so fast. I had a very good teacher. Also, in the bag is a support item. My quirk isn't really for offense, so I'll mostly need to use support items to even the playing field. And yes, support items that have been accepted by the company you requested them from are allowed. I read the whole rule book."

Iida Tenya, the blue-haired boy, nodded, "And also, sorry for the remark about the Nazis. I have an uncle who makes a lot of dark jokes and has been an influence for that side of my personality."

Izuku chuckled, "Well then, good luck to you...?"

"Iida Tenya."

"Good luck to you too...?"

"Midoriya Izuku."

"Tell your uncle he might have to tone back with his jokes then. I wish you goodbye; maybe we'll be future classmates."

"Maybe, maybe. And I'll tell him." Izuku thought to Gimei, uncertain if his 'uncle' would take the advice. The alarm rang, and the doors opened. Izuku expected everyone to rush out, but to his surprise, no one moved. Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers, "GO GO GO. WHAT? DO YOU THINK THERE IS A TIMER IN A REAL VILLAIN FIGHT?!"

With that, the examinees scattered into the mock city. Izuku waited until the initial sounds of clashes echoed through the air before slipping into an alleyway, following the plan he had devised.

The mock city unfolded before him, a maze of streets and buildings populated with robotic villains. Izuku navigated the shadows, employing his birds for reconnaissance. His avian allies soared above, keeping watch as he planned his strategic moves. The first clash of examinees with the robotic villains reached his ears, and he knew it was time to put his plan into action.

As he stealthily moved through the city, a mix of excitement and tension surged within him. The unpredictability of the practical exam fueled his determination to showcase his abilities and prove that unconventional methods could be just as effective. With each step, he embraced the challenges that lay ahead, eager to demonstrate the unique skills honed under Gimei's guidance. The journey through the mock city had just begun, and Izuku was ready to face whatever obstacles UA had prepared for him.

As Izuku stealthily traversed the alleyways, skillfully avoiding cameras and staying vigilant, his bag slung over his shoulder and the Falchion in hand, he left behind a few broken two-point robots. A strategic move that added 12 points to his tally, even though he hadn't intended to encounter them just yet.

Reaching a spot shielded from faculty cameras, Izuku carefully retrieved items from his bag. Besides the disassembled ArmaLite AR-50, thanks to Gimei's guidance and his 'uncle's' suggestions, he had a M1942 Stahlhelm, a black blazer with holstered combat knives, a military-grade bulletproof vest, combat boots, and shades. Completing the ensemble, he donned a metal mouthpiece shaped like a jawbone, bearing a sinister engraved smile.

With the attire complete, practical yet menacing, reminiscent of many underground heroes, Izuku entered a furnished fake building. Climbing to an upper floor, he found a vantage point through a window. A combat knife shattered the glass, allowing him to assemble the AR-50, creating a sniping nest.

Meanwhile, in the observation booth, various faculty members watched the examinees. The principal, Nezu, sat alongside Eraserhead, Midnight, Present Mic, Cementoss, Ectoplasm, Vlad King, Power Loader, Snipe, and Recovery Girl. All Might, Toshinori Yagi, arrived late, panting heavily, and smiled as he spotted Itsuka Kendo, his newly chosen successor.

Observing the screens, comments flowed about the promising heroes. Midnight's provocative remark garnered Eraserhead's sigh, who admitted some potential. However, Nezu remained silent, focused on a specific monitor. Eraserhead joined him, and both noticed a glimmer in one of the apartments.

A three-point robot, chasing a crow, appeared on the screen. The crow dodged and led the robot past discarded comrades, where it fell with a hole in its head. All Might questioned the use of a deadly weapon inside the school, and Snipe explained it was the result of a .50 BMG round, commonly fired by an Anti-Material Rifle (AMR).

Concerned, All Might queried, "Wait, a child somehow brought a deadly weapon inside this school? Is that allowed?"

"No," Nezu answered succinctly. He swiftly typed a command, transforming the screen displaying the blond boy demolishing robots into a dark, night-vision view. The haunting silhouette of a figure holding the rifle in its hands became visible. Nezu found it intriguing.

With another press of a button, a screen displayed a scan of the rifle, accompanied by a report. 'Support Item, Type: Rifle. Manufacturer: Kraub Weapons Industries. Modeled after: Armalite AR-50. Application: accepted by default. User of support weapon: Midoriya Izuku. Examinee ID: #5004.'

Present Mic, now aware of the connection, exclaimed, "Wait, it's that kid?"

Nezu inquired, "Which kid?"

"The one who finished the test in 15 minutes and only had some technicalities wrong."

"Oh, that one? Let's see his profile, shall we?" Nezu responded with a smile. He brought up an application trial on one of the screens. 'Name of applicant: Midoriya Izuku. Guardian: Midoriya Inko. Age: 14. School: Aldera Junior High. Date of birth: 5/07/2309. Place of birth: Musutafu, Japan. Quirk: Quirkless.'

All Might expressed concern, "Wait, wait, wait. Are quirkless people allowed to partake in the exams?"

Cementoss clarified, "Of course. Everyone is allowed to participate, quirk or not. It is the heart that makes the hero, not the quirk."

All Might acknowledged the sentiment but continued, "I know that, but isn't it kind of dangerous for a quirkless individual to be in the line of hero work?"

Eraserhead provided insight, "Hero work is dangerous for everyone, Yagi. What matters is how people act, not how dangerous it is."

Nezu adjusted the night vision to reveal the full scene of the teen adorned in inky black clothing, a military-grade bulletproof vest, and a helmet modeled after a M1942 Stahlhelm. The figure lay with their back to the camera, preventing a view of the face. Nezu wondered aloud, "Now, where did he get all that?"

With another click of a button, Nezu revealed a website titled 'Kraub Weapon Industries clothing,' featuring military clothing replicas from the 1900s to the late 2022s. All were offered for reenactment purposes and support reasons. A search for support companies sponsoring the school yielded one result for Kraub, added to the database a few months ago, explaining its acceptance by default.

Aizawa sighed, "He abused a loophole. By using a sponsored company, one not widely known, he managed to make the system accept the support application without notifying us."

Nezu chuckled, "So he has the backing of a semi-military manufacturer and a smart mind. Let's see his score..." He read out the figures, "'71 Villain points/ By actions calculated 25 rescue points.'"

Present Mic, fascinated, exclaimed, "That's quite a remarkable score!"

Eraserhead nodded, "It seems he's utilizing every advantage available to him. A smart move."

All Might, a hint of skepticism in his voice, questioned, "But is it fair for a student to bring in such heavy artillery?"

Shota Aizawa quickly intervened, "He's not breaking any rules. If anything, he's leveling the playing field. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their tools."

Vlad King chimed in, "In hero work, adaptability and resourcefulness are crucial. If he's using the system to his advantage, then he's already displaying important qualities."

Recovery Girl added, "Let's not forget the essence of hero work – saving lives. He seems to be balancing the scales by rescuing people despite his unconventional methods."

Nezu concluded with a mischievous grin, "It appears we have a very resourceful and strategic individual in our midst. This should be an interesting year."

The faculty continued to observe as the mock city scenario unfolded, intrigued by the variety of approaches the examinees took to tackle the challenges before them.

As Izuku continued his solitary vigil in the room, he peered through the scope, keeping an eye on one of his crow decoys, strategically placed to lure the robots into view. The cold, metallic world of the mock city felt eerily real, yet Izuku remained focused on his objective.

After a few minutes, the telltale movement of the crow caught his attention, and an One-pointer robot emerged. Charging towards the decoy, Izuku pulled the trigger with precision. A hole appeared where the core of the robot's chest would be, and he noted down the score, "72," in his journal. Satisfied with his accumulated points, he murmured, "Should be enough for now."

As he pulled the bolt of the rifle back, he savored the moment of accomplishment. The smoke still wafted from the barrel as he leaned against a table, situated sideways for cover. In the silence, under the bone-shaped mouthpiece, a smile formed. Skill, training, and strategic planning had enabled him to master the rifle.

Just as he was about to close his eyes for a brief rest, the sound of approaching footsteps stirred him back to alertness. Swiftly, he reached for the AMT Hardballer holstered at his side, aiming it at the door while maintaining cover behind the table. As the door creaked open, a group of examinees entered, oblivious to the danger lurking within.

With the sudden illumination of lights, a conversation unfolded among the newcomers. Izuku listened quietly, still concealed behind the table, feeling a sense of security as the minutes ticked by. Just as he prepared to relax, he heard a familiar sound – footsteps.

Clearing his throat, he opened his eyes and aimed the pistol at the door. The surprised trio inside turned towards the voice, and Izuku revealed himself fully. The two conscious members took a cautious step back, eyeing the green-clad figure.

The green-haired girl, Kendo Itsuka, spoke first, "And who are you supposed to be, shithead?" Izuku nonchalantly replied, "The name's Midoriya Izuku. Now go far away, so I don't hear the moans, alrighty?"

Redhead Kendo waved her arms dismissively, "Hey, no, no, no! We don't do that. I mean, there are cameras everywhere. Who in their right mind would do something like that during an exam?!" Izuku responded with a shrug, "Don't know, don't care." He stood up, revealing himself fully, causing both conscious individuals to take a step back.

"Relax, will ya? I'm an examinee for a reason. I ain't stupid enough to fire this willy-nilly," he assured, showcasing the pistol in his hand, finger off the trigger, safety engaged. "So, you three are?"

Kendo introduced herself, "I'm Kendo Itsuka. The greenette is Tokage Setsuna, and the guy is Monoma Neito. What's with the clothes?"

Izuku shrugged casually, "Wanted to see if the hero costume I designed worked. The weaponry are all support items. So, don't think I bought a weapon illegally. So, what brings you here?" he asked, settling back against the table.