Reviews answers :
KarateKid72: Hi, thanks ! Yes I think it's a good idea to translate this fic in english ! So I'm happy that you like the direction of the story and I think you'll not be disapointed.
Bosh Joeman : Hi, i already answer you in PM, but I want to thanks you again. This guy was a very bad person and she has quite a reputation here. My beta reader find a post on talking about her, look for a story of A Pratical Anon, who wrote a post in Naruto section. So, if anyone want to know more about and do something, you'll know where to begins.
walkmanapprenticewordsmith : Hello, yes it's very possible that I repeat myself. In fact, a chapter of this story is around 10k words, so the ideas might repeat a bit. However, it'll become rarest with the incoming chapter, because I've found a wrinting style and I improve. This story is 4-5 years old, so the style change a lot, I tried many things, change the storytelling many times too. Writing is a journey of constant learning and refinement, and your feedback is very wellcome.
crazzybee : Thank you so much for your kind words and insightful observations about Gohan's character development. It means a great deal to me that his journey resonates with you. When I began writing the early chapters, it took me quite some time, not due to a lack of inspiration, but rather a deep desire to craft a story where the characters are developed thoughtfully, evolve, and adapt to new environments. I have a very specific vision for Gohan, aiming to portray him as a character who has grown into a righteous, proud, and fair man, while still retaining the charm that makes him unique.
As you will see in the upcoming chapters, around chapter 10, Gohan will face multiple challenges that will test his growth and values. These moments are crucial for his development and will hopefully add depth to his character and the narrative. I'm excited for you to experience the next stages of his journey and the evolving dynamics of the characters involved. I hope you'll enjoy the forthcoming chapters and the character development as much as I've enjoyed writing them.
Thank you again for your support and engagement. Your feedback is incredibly valuable as we continue this adventure together.
Some1Call4MR-E : Thank you for your message!
Regarding the perception of Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire from the Big 3 as being close in age to Gohan, you are indeed correct. They are only two years older than him, which in the grand scheme of things, especially in a setting like U.A., doesn't create a vast age gap. Consequently, there won't be a "Big 4" as such; Gohan will carve out his own reputation through the trials he faces and the growth he undergoes. His interaction with the Big 3 will be further explored in an upcoming chapter titled "The Hero's Costume." Without giving away the plot, this chapter will detail how these characters grow alongside each other, highlighting their evolving dynamics.
You make an interesting point about the age difference. Perhaps in France, the perception of age gaps in relationships is less significant than in the United States? It's an intriguing consideration that might influence how characters relate to one another in different cultural contexts.
As for Gohan's reaction to All Might sharing the same English voice actor as Piccolo, Christopher Sabat, that's a fun piece of trivia! At the time of writing this story, I didn't have that information in mind, so Gohan won't have any particular reaction to it. It's one of those interesting coincidences that fans of the English dub will appreciate, but it won't impact the narrative of the story. I hope this clarifies your questions and adds to your anticipation for what's to come. Thank you for your engagement and curiosity about the story's development. I'm looking forward to sharing more with you and hope you enjoy the journey as much as I enjoy creating it!
Dafumanku : Yes, as I do ! Here is one for you today ! Thanks for your review and have a good time reading the chapter !
Chapter 5: Four Years Later
It was the shrill sound of his alarm that pulled Son Gohan from the realm of dreams, bringing him back to reality. The young man got up quickly, grabbing the school uniform he had laid out on his desk chair the night before. He would have preferred to sleep longer, but he had a very important day ahead of him.
Today, after four years in this world, he was going to face the daunting entrance exam for the hero academy: UA. Daunting? For others, maybe, but not for him. On the contrary, he was relaxed and very happy to get up this morning.
Normally, he was quite grumpy and clumsy upon waking, but he couldn't afford to be at this particular moment. He put on his school clothes, a big smile on his lips, ready for the day ahead.
He energetically made his way to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed his lack of sleep; he had spent the whole night reviewing his courses, to be perfectly prepared for the written exam. He ran his hand through his tousled hair, very similar to his father Goku's hairstyle, albeit a bit shorter and thinned out.
Proud to resemble Goku, he etched a relaxed smile on his features and left the bathroom. He still hadn't found a way to return home, nor any sign thereof, yet he hoped that his biological father, wherever he might be, would look upon him with pride.
He returned to his room and checked that his bag was ready; he just needed to bring a sports outfit for the practical exam and a pen for the written one. Seeing that everything was in order, he headed to the living room.
Aizawa was drinking his favorite orange juice, watching TV with disdain. He wasn't in the mood to work today; he just wanted to sleep... and especially, he did not want to teach his too... enthusiastic second-year class. He looked at the papers sprawled miserably on the table and sighed.
"Hi!" Gohan exclaimed as he entered the room. He rummaged through the cupboard looking for a substantial breakfast, another good reason to get up in the morning. "Did you sleep well?" he asked without turning around.
"Not really, I spent my night grading papers," his guardian replied slowly before turning off the TV and turning to him. "And you? I hope you slept well. It's an important day."
Gohan poured the cereal into his bowl, smiling, then looked up. Aside from small dark circles, he showed no outward signs of tiredness. "Yes, enough. I'm in shape! I can't wait to get into UA."
Shota nodded; he knew his adoptive son would make it, likely setting a points record. He hadn't yet seen Gohan fight seriously, but sometimes, Aizawa joined him during his training, and they sparred in a friendly match. As shocking as it might have seemed the first time, he had lost, and he had the impression the boy was lowering his power.
No doubt he would pass with flying colors, and he would be very proud. However, if he did pass, he might end up in his future class... Which wasn't necessarily a good thing. Although Shota was an outstanding professional, teaching his child was not the same as teaching other people's children.
Anyway, should that happen, he would treat him like any other teenager, right?
As Gohan finished his modest breakfast, Shota reviewed the notes he had corrected the night before. His second-year class would soon be moving on to their final year, and although they all had potential, not all of them liked studying certain subjects... like mathematics.
"Gohan, you haven't been giving lessons to your friends, have you?"
The boy paused and scratched his neck. "I've tried to get Nejire to study, but... I fail every time. I'm sure I'll succeed next time! Mirio is doing well, so we just train together, that's all. Tamaki... he's too diligent in his lessons to need my help, so to answer your question, no, I haven't given them any lessons."
Indeed, two years ago, when Mirio and Tamaki were finally admitted to UA, they quickly became friends with a young woman in their class: Nejire Hado. She quickly bonded with the duo, who introduced her to Gohan about a month later. And since then, they formed an inseparable quartet of friends.
Hado was a naturally curious and energetic person, and she liked to question Gohan about everything and anything. Their interactions were particularly amusing to watch, as it consisted of massive volleys of "questions" from Nejire, and "answers" from Gohan.
Aizawa looked at him and yawned. "Well, Hado could really use some help. You're probably the only one patient enough to achieve this feat."
Gohan nodded, making a mental note to try to get his friend to study for a long time the next day, without moving. Good luck to him...
He got up from his seat and sat on the couch, glancing at the time with some anticipation. He still had fifteen minutes before walking to the academy. He didn't live far, so leaving too early would condemn him to wait in front of a closed gate with dead-stressed students. He was calm and relaxed; he didn't want that to change.
Shota poured a second glass of orange juice and handed it to the boy, his gaze proud. "Give it your all."
The half-Saiyan took the glass happily and drank it in one gulp. "Of course, there's no room for complacency at UA." He affirmed, standing up and stretching. He truly meant what he said. He was, by all accounts, the most powerful living being on the planet, but he knew that the hero course was no child's play, because no matter your level, UA would find a way to challenge you.
Besides, Piccolo and Goku would have hated for him to behave that way. He would give everything he had to prove his will, the will to be a hero people could rely on. However, he would contain his power so as not to hurt people. He had almost perfect control of his ki, and he was quite confident about that, he wouldn't hurt anyone in a stray blow, but caution is the mother of safety.
His monkey tail whipped through the air, savoring the moment. He would have to keep it wrapped around his waist during the exam; it was one of his rare weak points, and he wouldn't want to get hit there. The pain would be hard to bear since the monkey tail is extremely sensitive, as the tail is connected to Gohan's spine, receiving a blow there could momentarily paralyze him, or even cause him to lose consciousness for a few minutes...
Time was ticking, and it was almost time to go... he smiled and nodded at his tutor. The trust and relationship he had built with the man meant a lot to him, he respected him as much as he respected Piccolo. Because when he was in a dark period, Aizawa was there for him. Maybe one day Gohan could tell him his whole story, but he doubted he would.
Since he arrived in this world, the young Saiyan hadn't said much to his tutor and friends. Only what he deemed necessary. He had declared that watching the full moon would transform him into a giant ape, and that it was extremely dangerous because he couldn't control his form.
Son also talked about his incredible hunger, and his nocturnal hunting. Aizawa initially reprimanded him, then agreed to let him go out twice a week to stock up on meat for the week, as it was a bodily necessity.
He had also given snippets of information about his past to his tutor, but very little regarding the battles he had fought. He had mostly talked about his family and the happy days, and that he wanted to become a hero to save and help people.
Gohan, although he had absolute trust in his tutor, had never told him about his true origins. He was too afraid to talk about it, so he preferred to bury his doubts and fears within himself, hoping he would never have to talk about it.
Shaking off his thoughts, he went back to his room and grabbed his bag. He went downstairs and opened the door, ready to conquer UA's entrance exam!
He could have taken the exam for recommended students thanks to Present Mic and Eraserhead, but he had politely declined the offer. He wanted to take the entrance exam like everyone else, and thus prove that he deserved his place through his own skills. Not that the recommended students didn't deserve their places, but Gohan didn't want to feel privileged.
He walked down the road to Tamaki's house, who was waiting for him. The young man nodded at his sight, and then they walked up to reach the house of good old Mirio. They all grouped together towards UA, where they would separate, his friends going to class while he took his practical exam.
Gohan wanted to talk with his shy friend, but he knew from experience that he was extremely quiet in the morning, and given the fatigue that a day at UA could represent, he thought it better to let him be a bit. Especially since it was an exam period for class 2-A.
Mirio opened the door of his house, proudly wearing his school uniform. "Tamaki, Gohan! It's been since middle school that we haven't gone to class together!" He declared, already smiling ear to ear. Mirio in all his glory, he was always happy, from the moment the day began, his smile brightened everyone who had the pleasure of crossing his path.
"Yeah! We can do this more often now," Gohan simply replied as they continued on their way. "I'm looking forward to it!"
Son liked Togata because he had always been there, smiling and joking, his presence was soothing, comfortable, but with just his smile and the sparkle in his eyes, he pushed people to excel. Mirio was certainly his closest friend, a man for whom Gohan had deep affection and great respect, almost admiration for his determination. In a way, Mirio was almost like a big brother to him.
A few years ago, Gohan and Mirio had sworn to become professional heroes together, and today, Goku's son would join his friend at the academy and keep his promise. He wanted to become a hero to honor the memory of his family, to show the world the good he could bring, but also to keep his promise to Mirio.
Togata had never given up on the idea of becoming a hero, he had never thought of anything else but to help those in need, to comfort those who were hurting, he had the soul of a hero. During their training to enter UA, Gohan had given his friend very complex martial arts lessons, the kind that could force a person to give up. Mirio took all the hits and learned to return them, to improve, so that one day he could be as strong as he so desires.
The blond struck the air with his hand. "It's good that you're in top shape! The entrance exam will be easy for you, knowing you, you're probably going to finish with the highest score ever achieved."
Son laughed for a moment before finally replying. "I don't know, honestly. I'm pretty confident, but others before me must have scored high."
Tamaki joined the conversation. "It's true... but you being you, it wouldn't be surprising if you achieve it."
They continued to talk for another ten minutes before they stopped in front of the train station, waiting for a certain blue-haired young woman. It was 7:20, and they had to arrive before 8:00. They still had time to spare, the academy was just a few minutes' walk away.
Suddenly, a small crowd came out of the station, including their friend. She recognized them quickly and waved at them, drawing the attention of some strangers to her, but frankly, she didn't care.
Nejire Hado was a beautiful young woman, breathtakingly so to most men. Whether it was her figure, her enchanting eyes, their seductive sparkle, or her magnificent blue hair, she embodied what Gohan thought of as elegance. He still remembered the first time he met her, a smile on his lips.
She introduced herself in one sentence and questioned him for nearly an hour, barely giving him time to realize his surroundings. He cherished that memory, he cherished her company because she was his friend.
Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire were his best friends, people he loved from the bottom of his heart. He couldn't imagine life without them, without their intermingling laughter and passionate discussions.
Hado finally joined them, stopping right in front of Tamaki, a curious look on her face.
"Mirio, Tamaki, Gohan! How are you? Tamaki, what food did you bring for today's exam? Alligator maybe?" She started, tilting her head towards the brunette, who tried to answer but never got the chance.
She turned to the Saiyan and looked him straight in the eyes. "Oh, Gohan, it's the entrance exam today! How many points do you think you'll score? 50? 60? 70? Maybe 80? You're the one who taught Mirio martial arts, too. Do you know what types of robots there will be? Will there be the same one that's worth zero points?"
Son smiled, accustomed to his friend's barrage of questions. He began to methodically answer her queries as he had for years. "Well, I don't know how many points I'll score, but I'll do my best! As for the robots, the paper says there'll be several types, including the one worth zero points."
The four students soon made their way to UA, the conversation flowing in that short span of time. Mirio made his terrible jokes, Tamaki remained silent unless he had an objection, Nejire asked a lot of questions, and as usual, Gohan did his best to answer.
Finally, they arrived at the gate. Togata put his hand on Gohan's shoulder and smiled at him. "Good luck with the exam! Not that you need it, you're going to pass with flying colors!"
Tamaki nodded slowly. "Definitely, you're all so strong…"
Nejire sent a big smile Gohan's way. "I bet you're going to break the points record!"
Son sighed but was quite amused. "I don't really want to, and besides, the record must be high..." He said, even though he knew perfectly well he could break the point record without much trouble.
Mirio laughed. "But you're going to do it, record-man!"
The bell rang, signaling it was time for the trio to go. "We have to go. Good luck Gohan." Said Tamaki, as they quickly headed to their classroom.
Now alone, the Saiyan admired the massive building in front of him. He had already observed it from afar, whether waiting for his tutor at the exit or when passing by during his nocturnal escapades.
Now, he was about to enter, to prove that he deserved to study in such a prestigious high school. He would then join his friends and Aizawa, work to get his license, and finally, he would save people without having to hide. He would be a man his loved ones could be proud of.
Gohan smiled and moved forward, passing the gate with a proud stride. He glanced at the other students, scanning their energies, trying to spot any competent fighters. Noticing no one noteworthy, he continued on, quickly reaching the already open door.
He entered and followed the marked path to an impressive amphitheater. The room could accommodate a good number of people, hundreds if one were to judge by the endless rows of seats. Searching for seat 188, he passed by many other aspirants, some emanating quite significant energy sources for young teenagers. There was potential in this vast crowd.
Finally seated, a few minutes before Present Mic arrived to put on quite the show. Son knew how enthusiastic the man could be during his speeches, but doubted he would find much success among stressed young people. Fortunately for him, Gohan wouldn't let him embarrass himself.
The room eventually filled up completely, presenting a beautiful tableau. Many individuals, dreams, and hopes would soon compete to determine who would have the honor of being trained at UA. No seat was left empty, all occupied by splendid lights made of hopeful dreams.
Son smiled, finding the sight sublime. The thought of young people wanting to become protectors, individuals upon whom society could rely, was comforting. Using their power for good, rather than to inflict harm on others... it was a beautiful thing.
Present Mic arrived shortly after, taking his place at the desk, facing everyone. He placed a bag, which would certainly serve for his following lessons, then clapped his hands. All eyes turned to him, while some people whispered in surprise at seeing such a recognized pro hero.
"HELLO EVERYONE! IT'S SHOWTIME! IF YOU'RE HYPE, MAKE SOME NOISE!" shouted the hero, startling a few students, especially those with better hearing than others. There was silence for the first two seconds.
Gohan was quite proud of himself; having spent years around the man, he could now tolerate his shouts. Well, more than at the beginning... He stood up from his chair, determined not to let the awkward silence continue, thus pleasing Present Mic. "YEAH!" he shouted, a small embarrassed smile on his lips. He surely wouldn't have done such a thing upon his arrival in this world, but he had changed a lot by being friends with Mirio.
Yamada struck a grand pose, ecstatic to have received a response. He knew who had answered, and he was very happy about it. "I LOVE SEEING THAT ENERGY! PERFECT, MY LISTENERS. I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING, ARE YOU READY? YEAAAAH!"
Gohan, who had sat down in the meantime, suddenly stood up again, and everyone around him covered their ears. "YEEEEEEEAAAAAAH!"
The entire audience remained silent; they were either unaffected by the teacher's fervor or too nervous to respond loudly. Understandable, the man was indeed a bit overwhelming for shy people, but Son found it refreshing. He wondered why people never responded during his shows...
Hizashi quickly introduced the upcoming exam, which turned out to be just as simple as explained in the brochures distributed to the candidates. The exam was always the same, every year, except for a few minor differences, thus, the young man had drawn his information from the internet and his close ones.
The examinees would be separated into different "battle" zones, where robotic enemies would be located. There were four types of fake villains, the 1, 2, 3, and finally the zero-point ones. Their power was gradual, but to the great surprise of some students, the most problematic of the fake villains was the one worth zero points. A slight murmur of confusion spread through the room, and a person raised their hand, asking the question that was bothering them.
"May I ask a question?" asked a young man with a rather severe appearance. He was relatively tall for a teenager his age, and his piercing gaze accentuated the impression of seriousness he emitted. "The brochure says there are four types of villains. UA cannot afford such an error! If we are here, it's to achieve the best."
A brief two seconds passed, but before Hizashi could explain the role of this fake villain, candidate 7111 began to speak again, his tone becoming even sharper. He turned his head to his left and pointed at another student, who seemed uncomfortable. Gohan raised an eyebrow at this unexpected movement. "What's your problem? Can't you stop mumbling? You're distracting us. If you think this is a game, then leave!"
The green-haired boy shrank into himself, dying of shame, while a good part of the auditorium softly laughed. Son was quite surprised by this gesture; it was quite aggressive and inappropriate to attack another person in this room.
He was about to defend his fellow student, but the student turned towards Gohan, with an equally harsh look. "The same goes for you! You made too much noise at the beginning of the presentation and you prevent us from concentrating!"
Now, this was too much. Gohan had simply responded to the call of his tutor's best friend, and nothing prohibited it. In addition to attacking a random student, he was now coming after him because he had joined in Mr. Yamada's enthusiasm...
Gohan stood up, ready to reply to this man. A few years ago, he would have said nothing or would have apologized for any inconvenience caused, but he was not at fault, and he should not back down to people like him. Even more so if he had unjustly reprimanded the green-haired adolescent.
However, just as he opened his mouth, the familiar voice of Present Mic cut off the altercation. "ALL RIGHT! THANKS FOR THE SEGUE..."
Hizashi resumed his explanation and clarified that in reality, the fourth type represented an overwhelming obstacle. The hero hinted that it was best to avoid confrontation, but he never said it couldn't be defeated despite the danger. All things considered, of course, UA wouldn't let anything serious happen in its exams; the machines were programmed not to mortally wound participants.
Yamada finished his explanation with a little quote from Napoleon Bonaparte and the academy's motto: Plus Ultra!
15 minutes later, after a bus ride:
All the students were brought to their testing location, in the fake city owned by UA for its tests. Gohan was pleasantly surprised by its size, which he had to admit, was absolutely massive. The academy's budget must be quite impressive to maintain such a quantity of fake buildings and roads, but the hero Cementos, who worked for the school, probably helped.
Aizawa had talked to him about the exam and the different types of robots, as did Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire, and like a good portion of his competitors, he knew roughly the enemies he would have to face to get the heroic training he so desired. Gathering information was an important thing for anyone wanting to be a hero, Shouta had told him.
Gohan stretched while sizing up those with whom he would take the exam. There were notably glasses-man and the green-haired boy. Fate could be amusing when it wanted to be. With an unsure and trembling step, the timid young man moved towards a young woman with brown hair, likely to make conversation.
The stern guy coughed and took a step towards the other contestant, but before he could open his big mouth, Gohan blocked his path. He stared hard into his eyes while the other slightly recoiled in shock from his surprise appearance.
"Don't you think you've bothered the guy enough? Leave him alone."
"But… I think he's going to distract her. He's not serious, and he's going to cause problems," he replied, pushing up his glasses in front of his eyes.
Gohan stared at him for a few seconds, his gaze unwavering. He particularly disliked individuals like him, who judge people without knowing them. "I think he's just as serious as you or me, and you don't have the right to assume things about people you don't know."
The interlocutor looked at Gohan for a handful of seconds, a clear sense of guilt emerging from his expression. "I apologize, you're right," he finally said, bowing far too much for such a matter.
Now it was Gohan's turn to feel uncomfortable, maybe he was a bit too harsh on him, but he needed to explain his point of view... "It's okay, I'm just glad you understand. Also, my name is Son Gohan."
He stood up and kept his back straight, already feeling more at ease. "I apologize for my rudeness, my name is Tenya Iida," he declared, extending his hand to the half-Saiyan.
The name seemed familiar to Goku's son, but he couldn't place it. He shook the hand without delay, not wanting to seem impolite to a man who placed so much importance on manners. He controlled his strength to a minimum, trying not to crush his hand.
"Strong grip," Tenya simply noted before withdrawing his hand.
Ah, he should have managed his strength better…
"AND WE'RE OFF!" yelled the distant voice of Present Mic, stopping the exchange between the two men.
"Good luck to you, Iida," said Gohan before propelling himself towards the city, keeping his speed under control to not create too large a gust of wind, thus disturbing the other participants.
As Yamada repeated himself and his competitors entered the city, Gohan was already on a roof, observing the area: There were several alleys ending in dead ends, fairly wide roads, and a central square. Well, since they were machines, he couldn't sense their energies... A slight problem, which he would counter by taking to the heights to spot his targets.
After spending about ten seconds making a mental map of the city, he jumped from the roof and headed straight to the central square, where a good number of robots awaited their extermination. Behind him, many students had ventured into dead ends, in search of opponents. Only a handful made their way to the central square, deeper into the city, among them was Iida.
Without delay, he landed on the central square and spotted several fake villains. He counted twelve points, a good start. Gohan let his ki envelop him like a cloak, surrounding him with its comforting warmth, countering the winter cold. With a simple horizontal motion of his hand, he projected his ki forward, slashing through the fake villains who could not offer any resistance.
To his right, emerging from an adjacent street, a new wave came out to reach the central square, and as Gohan had supposed, this place was going to be a zone continuously supplied with points...
A good place to stay, rather than getting lost in an alley, where many competitors could end up cornered—not that young Son could be endangered by such weak opponents.
A sphere of ki appeared in his hand, its whiteness illuminating the public square while a handful of competitors had just arrived in search of points. The energy ball left his palm and headed directly towards the fake villains, exploding on contact, making the nearby buildings tremble as if their foundations threatened to collapse…
Fortunately, that was not the case, but the students who had arrived just twenty seconds into the race were shocked by the power displayed before their eyes. Tenya stayed in place for a second, admiring such strength, but he had to find his own opponents. Understanding that the square was already too occupied, he dashed to the left, the road teeming with potential points.
Gohan smiled seeing him leave; it was smart to leave the area because all the fake villains coming here would be directly eliminated by his hand. A few students tried to compete with Son on the square, but they didn't score many points; all mechanical waves were eliminated at the root.
After one minute and thirty seconds, no more fake villains arrived at the square, as if someone had decided to redirect the flow of adversaries to another part of the city. Either way, it didn't bother Gohan much, who had already scored more than thirty-nine points by monopolizing the robotic victims.
For now, it was quite fun and easy; he had never had the opportunity to use his ki to protect and control an area because usually, he had to move extremely fast during his vigilante activities. His smile widened once he had finished clearing this place; there was no more reason to stay here.
He leaped to a roof and watched for exactly seven seconds the battle unfolding below. Accustomed to analyzing battlefields in detail to extract advantages, it didn't take him long to spot where he needed to go.
Two hundred meters to the west, there were a good number of robots and relatively few other people hunting them. He then flew towards his points but had to stop on the way when a sight alarmed him.
A young woman with purple hair was struggling with an entire horde of machines... There were at least seven or eight, and she seemed to have difficulty managing them all. However, she was surrounded, and managing a strategic retreat seemed complicated for her.
Although a large handful of carcasses littered the ground around her, Gohan could not let her face her opponents alone. True, the robots could not seriously injure a participant, but that did not mean they were harmless...
He rushed towards his companion, picked her up, and placed her ten meters further away. Son then demolished all the machines in the vicinity with a kiai, then turned to her. The young woman seemed to be doing well, a small cut on her hand, but nothing notable. He smiled at her and decided it was good to give her useful information.
"Hey, they have a hidden button on their heads. If you're surrounded like that, throw yourself at one of them and press it; it'll give you a chance to retreat."
She looked at him in surprise but eventually nodded her head. She certainly wouldn't reject useful advice like that. Her headphone jacks moved slightly, seeming to catch a nearby sound. However, she turned towards him. "Thank you."
He gave her a quick nod and took off, seeking to decimate more adversaries. Although he was quite confident in his point count, which must now be in the forty-fifty range, he could not relax. This was only the beginning, and Aizawa had warned him that no matter his ranking in the exam, UA would definitely pose a great challenge to him.
And he could not afford to be satisfied and hold back; he wanted to prove his worth. Determined, he finally reached a sort of fake shopping gallery, where villains hurried out of nearby alleys.
A column of white ki surrounded Son, who in just four seconds, eliminated the dozen fake villains. He didn't let a single one escape his vigilance, his superpower and heightened senses letting nothing slip by him.
The machines were not a challenge for him, and he suspected they were made of papier-mâché, at least those worth 1 and 2 points. The ones worth 3 points were made of a much more resistant material. If Gohan was right, it was certainly graphene, a very light metal and also, if not more, resistant than steel. But it could do nothing against Saiyan strength…
Another wave came from behind him; he could hear the mechanical clicking announcing their presence, attempting to advance towards him. Without even turning around, too busy observing another wave coming from in front, he understood that he was surrounded, but it was not a problem, on the contrary, it was just more points.
He extended his right arm in front of him and opened his palm, allowing a sphere of ki to freely form there, its whitish glow casting light as powerfully as the sun at its zenith. The sphere immediately propelled forward, seeking to annihilate the hostile forces in its presence, without however making the buildings around the Saiyan tremble.
As the ki was about to make contact with the large group, he let his right arm drop and turned his palm behind him, a smile forming on his features. A new sphere of ki, of pure whiteness, quickly formed there, pulsing in his palm.
The group of machines in front of him exploded, creating a cloud of ash and burning carcasses, then Gohan released his second attack, which headed like a sovereign missile towards the other fake villains.
Before a normal person could blink, a second explosion was felt throughout the area, narrowly missing causing the nearby zone to tremble. Gohan glanced at his work; he was having fun like a child in an amusement park.
The machines made a perfect outlet, but he could not just let himself get carried away, he had the duty to control himself perfectly, so that one of his attacks did not create an earthquake that was too significant…
He did not know how many points he had just made, at that moment, but he had certainly cleared the entire area… As he had cleared the central square two minutes earlier. He did not know exactly how much time had passed, but it must be close to 4 or 5 minutes.
If he had to guess how many points he had, it would be close to sixty, maybe seventy.
Gohan then decided to take his time and observe the battlefield, perhaps he could come to the aid of other people, like that girl earlier. Aizawa had said nothing about rescue points, nor had anyone else he had questioned, but it seemed logical that there was a bonus point for those who helped.
A hero school had the duty to reward candidates with a chivalrous spirit, for it was the duty of a hero to help his fellow man, even if it played to his disadvantage.
Gohan had enough points, maybe he should look for those who needed help now? The idea of someone being injured because he wanted to selfishly destroy more robots, repulsed him greatly.
Gohan then headed towards the city center, spotting a massive amount of energies there. All seemed to be in relatively good shape, but he noted fluctuations at times. It was normal, the exam required great concentration and very decent endurance to score points. Naturally, many people didn't have the level to meet the academy's standards.
It only took him about ten seconds to cover the two hundred meters, but he took his time to observe the unfolding fights, ready to act. He stopped at the square and surveyed the area: Iida seemed to be wreaking havoc among other aspirants, skillfully smashing the machines.
His legs had to be muscular to break the fake villains on their own, even though it took several hits to overcome the type 3s. About thirty meters from him, a young woman was negating the gravity of the automatons, then letting them fall to the ground. He found himself watching her fight for about thirty seconds, her combat style was very sloppy, but her power had a lot of potentials.
Suddenly, he noticed a candidate a bit further away needing help. He leaped towards him, jumping over the large square where the battles were taking place, then he assessed the situation in front of him.
It was complicated to handle for this person, he noted, who was surrounded by a dozen robots, including several three-pointers. He must have launched an assault on an entire wave trying to access the large square... he bit off more than he could chew, apparently.
He focused on his comrade, a boy, short in stature, no taller than one meter forty, whose hair resembled bunches of grapes. Same color, same shape. He was holding what Gohan understood to be his hair in his hands, and he was vulgarly swinging it towards the machines, aiming at the ground.
In fact, he was using it to knock the machines down, so they would break under their own weight, which was in itself a good idea, but… Grape boy couldn't manage the masses as easily with this tactic. And as Gohan had noticed from afar as he headed towards him, a machine fired its burning ray towards the boy.
It was time to act and save him from a sneaky injury. Son landed behind his comrade who turned alarmed by the sound of the ray, then with a quick motion, he swept the ray aside with the back of his hand, sending it towards the stratosphere without ceremony.
Taking advantage of having his hand extended, he charged an energy attack and sent it directly at a group of three fake villains clustered together. They couldn't withstand the impact and instantly burned, the eyes of the saved candidate widening, a mix of admiration and fear shining in them.
However, there were still a good number left waiting to be defeated, but, strangely, the numerous sticky balls of the grape boy eliminated a good part of them. The jet-black eyes of Gohan emitted a slight surprise, not thinking the machines would all fall into this trap, but they did.
"Well," began Gohan, observing the machines struggling, stuck to the ground by the sticky balls. He looked straight into the boy's eyes and gave him a big smile. "You've eliminated quite a few, huh?"
"Uh… totally yeah! My balls stick well today." He said with a satisfied smile, his tone almost boastful.
Son noticed someone in trouble a bit further up the road. He nodded at them and then flew off. "Good luck!"
The next three minutes resembled pure rescue work, similar to what he could do during his nights as a vigilante. However, he could exchange a few words with people and give them tips to improve their attacks. It was enjoyable, and he savored every moment of helping people because if he had one regret about acting as a vigilante, it was having to hide.
As he had just lent a hand to a young woman with orange hair, the earth began to tremble, buildings followed suit, and then a piercing screech was heard, chilling to the bone.
A huge machine, towering over skyscrapers, emerged from the ground and even obscured the sun with its grandeur, causing a major wave of panic among the adolescents intimidated by the brute force the android emitted. For anyone without powerful abilities, it was like being up against a wall they couldn't scale.
However, for Gohan, it was nothing more than a trifle he could annihilate with a weary gesture of his hand, without even paying much attention to it. Compared to Frieza or Cell, this pile of metal didn't cause him any fear, just a tired little smile.
Yet, one thing was clear to him: the need to rescue those who couldn't fight. His fellow examinees were fleeing towards the entrance of the city, where they would be safe, but not everyone was close enough.
Gohan had to ensure the safety of those who couldn't fight. He extended his senses, scanning every energy in the vicinity, and he spotted seven that were lagging. Activating his ki, he flew towards these people, frightened of being injured by the zero-point type. He grabbed all seven, carrying them under his arms and on his back, without feeling any major discomfort. Having no more space, he carried the last one with his tail, and in just twenty seconds, he reached the entrance and released them.
They thanked him and took shelter as Gohan watched the advance of the colossal automaton. He could have brought these people back much faster, but he didn't want to subject their bodies to too high a speed.
While Gohan was preparing his signature move, the Kamehameha, with his hands positioned in front of his chest, he noticed someone charging bravely at the enemy. He watched for a couple of seconds, shocked that anyone would dare to attack the monster.
But then he saw her. He noticed the brown-haired young woman who manipulated gravity, trapped under a pile of debris as the zero-point type slowly but surely approached her position. He understood why the green-haired guy had leaped; it was a desperate act to protect someone in need.
Letting his power flow within him, Gohan dashed towards his fellow examinee, ready to assist. But before he could cover half of the sixty meters separating them, he witnessed the overpowering punch decapitate the machine. The scene was magnificent, and the displayed power left Gohan breathless... such raw, unrefined power, he hadn't seen anything like it in years...
However, the consequences of such power seemed excessive; the adolescent's legs were broken, their purplish color making Gohan wince, the same was true for the arm that delivered the punch. He had given his entire body and soul for a single attack, to save someone in need.
As he fell to the ground, unable to slow his potentially fatal descent, Gohan shouted and caught him mid-fall, careful not to touch any broken limbs. He knew that type of pain, and it was indescribable.
He gently landed, lowering slowly so that the chilling February wind wouldn't cause the boy more harm. The boy looked straight into Gohan's eyes, shocked by his sudden appearance. "Thank you," he said with more strength than Son would have initially guessed.
"It's nothing. You can't move right now, so I'm going to put you down gently, okay? You'll need to wait for medical attention."
The boy's expression turned into one of shocking distress, alarming the Saiyan who held him in his arms. "No! No! I need to score at least one !''
Ah... that's where the problem stemmed from. Son realized that the young man could only use his power at the cost of serious injuries, and he couldn't regulate it at all. It was extremely serious; if he continued to fight like this, there wouldn't be much left of his body after each battle...
"Calm down," he said in a reassuring tone, putting on his best Goku-style smile. "Don't worry, a hero academy will never turn away someone who sacrifices themselves to save someone in need."
He let the words sink into his brain and gently placed him on the ground, trying not to cause him pain, but it was in vain. He winced and moaned in pain as his body touched the still cold ground.
He seemed to understand that struggling was futile, and he couldn't do anything in his current state, but tears of despair started to stream down his cheeks. Gohan felt very bad for his fellow examinee, such a feeling of weakness, the inability to act when it was needed most... he felt it, it hit him full force.
"AND THAT'S IT," Yamada shouted joyfully, causing even more pain to the adolescent lying on the ground, his body broken.
"Hey..." said a female voice a little further away. It was the girl who was trapped under the rubble. "That was amazing, Midoriya," she said to the injured, trying to provide him as much comfort as she could.
Gohan approached her and smiled. "I'm going to get you out of the rubble, are you hurt?"
"Yes, my feet.''
"Fine," he said, lifting each piece of stone with care. He did so gently, not wanting to worsen a possibly significant injury to the ankle. In less than a minute, he had cleared all the debris that pinned her down, and seeing that her ankle was indeed broken, he lifted her from the ground and placed her next to her rescuer.
The other candidates who had watched the entire scene were shocked by the power of the boy with green hair, and also by Gohan's swift rescue. Tenya looked at the trio in front of him with great shame; he had misjudged the shy boy, who had seen through the true nature of the exam, while he had not.
"Excuse me," declared a calm, elderly woman's voice. It was the nurse, Recovery Girl.
Gohan watched the woman tend to those in need, and before he even had time to catch his breath, she came over to them and slightly opened her eyes when she saw the state of Green boy. Since she did not know his name, she referred to him by the color of his hair.
"Ah, my boy, let me take care of this," she said before leaning forward and... kissing him on the cheek?!
The brunette girl's eyes widened in surprise, as did Gohan's, who watched the old woman at work. Aizawa had told him that UA's nurse was sometimes unreasonable, but coming from his tutor...
In a split second, Green boy's broken limbs were healed, still red and requiring quite some time to rest, certainly, but he could walk... This woman was like a senzu bean at hand, it was incredible!
But there was a drawback, as the young man collapsed from exhaustion, into a deep sleep from which he seemed far from waking. Putting two and two together, he understood that this power was not as potent as a senzu bean, but it was still quite handy.
Once she had finished healing the boy, she headed towards the girl. Gohan waved at her and decided to leave; nothing was keeping him there, and he was keen on spending his pocket money at the nearest restaurant.
He felt in the mood to celebrate but didn't want to stuff himself alone, even though he was very hungry after using his power. He wasn't tired, but the last ten minutes had been more intense than he had originally thought, and so it had whetted his appetite. He wasn't sure how many points he had gathered, but it must have been a more than decent score; he would even be surprised if he wasn't in the top 3 students this year.
He went home with a big smile, ready to raid his fridge…
Observation Room.
"Well, we have here a fine selection of future great heroes!" exclaimed a mouse, no, a bear, or perhaps a dog? A mix of the three, surely. No one dared to ask, so no one knew…
A tall, muscular man wearing a red suit nodded. "You're right, Mr. Nezu. We have a lot of potential here. I even think we have a new record-holder for the highest score in the exam," declared the man with a chuckle.
Aizawa, sitting in his seat, took a sip of orange juice, an honest smile on his face. "Indeed, Gohan did very well, but I expected nothing less from him."
Yamada laughed beside him and watched the replays of Gohan, where the different teachers could review the young man's actions. Aizawa sighed, noticing the surprised, even shocked looks of some colleagues.
Shota knew his adoptive son had absolutely massive potential, but he hadn't yet had the chance to see him fight properly. He expected it, and he was very proud to see that the boy's training had borne fruit.
"Ah, now, the question is which class he'll be in." Yamada joked, raising an eyebrow towards his old friend. "We might even see a Dadzawa in action at UA… ahahaha."
As Shota used his scarf to silence his old friend, the man sitting next to him coughed, drawing everyone's attention. Toshinori Yagi, aka All Might, the new homeroom teacher for the first years. "Indeed, your boy is extraordinary, Aizawa... He scored so many points, we have to count them, but I wouldn't be surprised if my record fell," he admitted seriously, stopping Kan's laughter.
Kan looked directly into the eyes of the Symbol of Peace. Sure, the teenager had done well, admirably well in this exam, but to beat the record considered unbeatable... "Are you sure?"
Nezu spoke up. "Ah yes, I do believe so. That's going to be two big news for today."
"Two?" repeated Shota, feeling a chill run through him.
The principal smiled and chirped, "Well, we needed a teacher for the second years since you will be taking care of class 1-A next year, Aizawa. So, I decided to hire another teacher for the coming years. She should be arriving soon..." he finished, chuckling into his fur.
"A new teacher?" the faculty asked in chorus.
"Yes! And that person is..."
Before the mouse/dog/bear could finish his sentence, the door opened, and a bit more light streamed into the room. The ray of sunlight eventually dazzled good old Shouta, but his vision quickly stabilized, and a vision of horror appeared before his weary eyes. It couldn't be real... no, his heart couldn't take it...!
"Hello everyone!" exclaimed a familiar voice.
Yamada jumped from his seat and patted his old friend on the shoulder before turning to the other teachers. "When Nezu asked me for a recommendation, I introduced him to: Emi Fukukado, aka Miss Joke!"
Oh god, no... Aizawa thought with all the despair he could muster. Maybe she would eventually get him to marry her just from having to see her smiling face all day long...
7 days later, at the Aizawa household:
Gohan was in his garden, legs crossed, meditating quietly, as was his routine. It was necessary to meditate every day to be rested and relaxed, and today, it was especially so. The results would arrive at the same time as his tutor would return later in the morning.
The past seven days had been calm for young Son, who took the opportunity to train and stop some crimes in the city, nothing notable, though. Aizawa wasn't often at home, and the two men barely had time to cross paths, for when one returned, the other had just fallen asleep (or went off to hunt and then to his duties as a vigilante...)
Gohan was quite confident in his success; he was almost certain he would be at the top, as Piccolo or his father would have expected. It was normal, with his abilities. So, he hadn't really panicked, a few wandering thoughts had made him doubt at times, but there was no reason to remain so for long.
Finishing his meditation, the young man got up and calmly stretched for the next five minutes, as muscle cramps were not pleasant. He quickly went into the house and grabbed a bottle of water, then sat on the couch and fixed his eyes on the front door.
It was nearly time. And as expected, after about fifteen minutes of listening to the uninteresting radio program, the door opened. Shota entered, looking tired even after just a short morning of work. His night must have been short, as was almost always the case with him. He held in his hand a letter, sealed with the UA emblem. There was no doubt about it; those were his results.
"Good morning, Gohan. I have your results," the man said before yawning, then handing him the paper. He already knew the results, as all the teachers who had to watch the footage several times to accurately count the points.
"Finally, I was eager to see," he said, taking the paper in his left hand, he looked at it for a few seconds then opened it directly. He wanted his tutor to be there to see the results, but the man surely knew them already.
There was only a single small paper, indicating which class he would be in next year, and other details he would check later. It meant he had passed the test, but he found a small spherical device in the letter. A hologram, he realized. He placed it on the table and pressed it, waiting for the image to appear before his eyes.
A second later, a blue screen emerged from the spherical base, before a very recognizable man entered the camera frame. Before the sound even started, Gohan turned to Shota, a look half surprised and half delighted. "All Might..." he whispered, turning his attention back to the image.
"Hello, young Son! I'm here to deliver your score as the new teacher at UA! I must say you have done admirably well! Regarding the written exam, you are student number 1 among those who took the standard test, but a student admitted by recommendation has surpassed you by one place at this level. Congratulations!"
Gohan allowed himself a smile, he enjoyed studying and learning everything he could, and so learning from the best hero in action would allow him to become an excellent hero himself. He was so excited to enter UA and meet the man in person!
"But you know that's not enough to make a hero, you also need to be good in practice. You've set a new record for the exams, higher than mine!"
Son raised an eyebrow then turned to his tutor, who was smiling at him. He was glad to have made the man proud, and also to have proven that he deserved his place at an institution as prestigious as UA. The Saiyan's smile widened even further as he continued to listen to All Might.
"You have a total of 154 points! 90 villain points, and 64 rescue points! An incredible score, young Son! I look forward to teaching you next year! Remember, despite your excellent score, you should not be satisfied with it. But I have no fears! Welcome to UA!"
Gohan got up from the couch and looked at Aizawa, who was still standing, having watched the hologram of All Might give him his results with a certain pride. His small smile and that proud glint in his usually stern eyes confirmed Gohan's thoughts. Aizawa was like Piccolo in many ways, which was one reason why Gohan respected the man so much.
The young man walked towards him and embraced him. He had made the man who had given him so much proud, the man who inspired him to become a hero just like Goku. Aizawa was slightly surprised but returned the gesture with a bit of stiffness, as he wasn't very comfortable with physical contact.
The hug lasted a brief minute, then Gohan stepped back, still smiling. He didn't say a word, everything was conveyed in his gaze. He was very happy and felt a rather rare emotion rising within him: the pride of having been accepted to be a hero.
He was going to meet his tutor, Mirio, and all his friends, plus All Might! He was going to learn and live a dream he had cherished since he arrived in this world.
"I'm proud of you," declared Shota, breaking the silence. He remembered the injured, lost, and traumatized young man from a few years ago. He remembered the pain in his soul, the loneliness that threatened to haunt him for life. He couldn't be happier to have taken him under his wing; he was proud of the path he had taken to become a young man with a hero's heart.
Gohan lifted his head, his eyes shining. "I'll be a hero you can be even prouder of."
"I have no doubt," added the man, smiling. He was in a very good mood, and seeing the boy smile and grow was heartwarming. "You can invite your friends to celebrate your entry into UA."
The Saiyan laughed, it was unexpected, but he was certainly going to take up the offer! "Thank you!"
The boy took his mobile phone out of his pocket, his smile widening even more than was humanly possible, but then again, Gohan was a Saiyan.
It was an excellent day. One that he would never forget, and he was happy to have been able to live it.
To be continued…
Dear Readers,
Thank you all for your continued support, for reading, and for sharing your thoughts through comments. Your engagement means the world to me and fuels the passion behind this story.
In the upcoming chapters, we'll delve deeper into the development of Gohan, the Big 3, and Aizawa. Each character, especially those in class 1-A, will experience significant growth during the festival—a section I've just completed writing in the French version. I'm excited for you to see the paths they embark on and how their journeys unfold.
Please look forward to a chapter rich in character development and pivotal moments that will shape our heroes' futures. The next installment is scheduled for release by Thursday or Friday of next week, either the 29th or the 1st.
Again, thank you for being such an integral part of this journey. Your enthusiasm and feedback are what make this experience so rewarding. Until next time, stay tuned!
Warmest regards,
Majin Gaetan