Chapter 4: Entrance Exam
I knock on the wooden door a few times as quickly as I could before stepping back. I bounced on the spot in excitement anxiously waiting for the owner to open, which he did as good old uncle Kemuri is standing there in his boxers and tank top with a toothbrush in his mouth.
"Morning, Kemuri-ojisan!"
"Oh, hey, Gen-chan." He greeted with a small tired smile, "You're early today."
"It's the entrance exam today!" I tells him as I struggles to stand still from the anxiousness that is bubbling inside of me, "And I want to make sure Taikou doesn't be late for it! Like those time in Junior High! No way I'm letting him miss this!"
"Glad that he has you as his friend, Gen-chan." He chuckles, "But your worries are unfounded. He's actually just finished breakfast when you came in. I'm the one just woke up."
"Oh! Then is he ready to go?!"
"Still changing, I believe. Want to wait inside for him?"
"Sure!"
Many years have passed since that faithful Christmas Eve, almost ten years in fact. Time almost flew passed me as I entered and graduated elementary school and is now in my final year in Junior High.
It's not that it was boring in them, quite the opposite in fact.
Elementary school classes were a breeze for me, with my mind still one of an adult at this point in time, with exceptions in Japanese Language and History. Can't make sense of the crazy amounts of their writing system at all. Why do we need three different writing system for the same words?! But I still manage to ace most of my classes regardless.
Taikou, on the other hand, has a little trouble. I wouldn't call him dumb, he got A's from time to time, but he definitely isn't the time to study earnestly. If anything, he is more of a social butterfly of a guy. He's the type of person who is always amongst a group, whether they are just his classmates or simple acquaintances. There's never a day in school where he isn't alone, with exceptions being very rare in between.
It may have put a little strain on our friendship, but we are still stuck together like glue.
Even in Junior High, where it usually ends up being used in teenage dramas, which we never got involved in, thankfully.
He is quite a popular one once he reaches, with a few girls who keep pestering me to put in a good word for them and even asked me about his preferences in woman. Most of them I just tell them to just ask him out for once, which some actually did but was rejected by him. I continued to ace my classes as usual, which people often asking me for study groups and advice on their homework too as I predicted as much.
What I could not predict were the rumors about me and Taikou. Like we are dating since elementary, or that there's this love drama between us that is just waiting to be resolved. Most of them false, of course, but just the thought of them even suggesting such a thing between us just rubs me off the wrong way.
Like, come on, do we even look like a couple at all?
Speaking of looks, we both has grown quite a bit over the years.
Puberty has hit me like a truck, as my figure has slowly started to fill in by the time I graduated elementary school. I'm not going to reveal my three sizes, but let's just say I've inherited more than my hair color from mom. I have to change bra sizes at least ten times by the time I turned 15! And I'm still growing! My hair is still in its bob, but mom manages to convince me to keep it at least shoulder length. Most of my baby fat is gone now (I think some flowed to my boobs), leaving my face slightly angled.
Taikou too has grown quite a bit over the years, he shooting pass me in our second year. He is now a good few inches taller than me, which still bugs me a little, and he has all lost his baby fat on his face. His voice deepened a little but not so much and his hair is now in a more manageable bush on his head with spiky ends that made him look almost like a shounen manga protagonist. If he has whiskers on his cheeks, I would be calling me Naruto all day!
I manage to finish my cup of tea that Kemuri has made for me when Taikou bursts into the living room in his black school gakuran with a wooly jacket under his arm, "Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"About time!" I stated excitedly as I places the cup back on the coffee table and picks up my backpack and dark red jacket, "Come on! We won't want to keep Shinsou waiting!"
"Bet he is already there, by now." He commented as we put on our shoes, mine a pair blue and yellow slip-on sports-shoe and him a couple of black sandals , "Race you!"
"You're on!"
We rush out the door, saying our farewells to uncle Kemuri on our way out, before running out into the streets.
If you are wondering why we are in such a rush today, it's because it's the day of the entrance exam for Yuuei High! The day which would seal our fates as future heroes-to-be!
We had been working on our quirks in preparation for this day, coming up with new tricks and ways to use them as a Hero. On weekends, we would train using them, under supervision of course. Aunt Nemuri was generous enough to lend us some of her time to watch over our training whenever she can't, and we even found a small abandoned lot to practice in too!
I sure hope all those practices would pay off. It would be disappointing to work so hard only to fail in the end.
"Nervous?" I asked Taikou as we walk through the campus' courtyard.
"Very." He nodded.
"Think we'll make the cut?"
"Hope so."
"Same here."
"Well, you two would definitely made it in, with the quirks you have."
We both turned to the third member of our little circle of friends, one Hitoshi Shinsou.
When I first met that purple haired boy, it was during our first year in Junior High. We are in the same class and he was my seat neighbor, but we rarely talk to each other. That was until one day when I lost my pen and he decided to lend me one of his. To repay him, I offer to treat him to some sweets after school, and we both hit off from there. Since then, he joins me and Taikou whenever he could and we became the best of friends ever since.
However, he always seems to have a complex about his own quirk when compared to mine and Taikou, and tends to bring that up every once in a while, for no real reason, despite what we have told him countless times over.
"Come on, Shinsou! Don't bring that up again." I tell him as we slowed to a stop with me facing him and patting on his shoulder, "I'm sure your quirk will be great for a hero!"
"Besides, we don't know how the entrance exam is going to be." Taikou assures him, "For all we know, it could be one perfectly suited for a quirk like yours!"
"Maybe…"
"Move it, extras!"
I then sudden got violently shoved aside, I turning to retaliate at the guy. That dude who just rudely pushed is this blonde-haired teen whose hair is even out of control compared to Taikou and even Shinsou's own bed-hair, and a really bad scowl on his brows.
You know, he looks really familiar…
Where did I meet him before…?
"Hey! You can't just do that!" Taikou shouted at him, who he proceeds to ignore as he continues to walk towards the campus, "I'm talking to you, dammit! Apologize first!"
"Just leave it, Taikou." I tell him with a sigh, "He's probably as nervous as we are."
"Damn rude-ass bastard…" I hear him grumble as we entered the campus proper.
"WELCOME TO TODAY'S LIVE PERFORMANCE! EVERYONE, SAY 'HEY!'!"
"…"
"…"
I rubbed my ringing ears as the presenter of the exam, one Present Mic announces his presence to the entire examinees in the auditorium and getting dead silence in response. I turn to Taikou on my left, who too is digging into his ear, and we share a same look of sheer disbelieve before turning back to the Voice Hero. This isn't something I was expecting after the written exam, especially before the practical exam. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the Pro Hero. Me and Taikou, even Shinsou begrudgingly, follows on the blonde man's radio show now and then whenever we have free time, and enjoyed every minute of it.
What we didn't expect is that loud personality is his actual personality.
"WELL, THAT'S COOL, MY LISTENERS!" He continues uninterrupted, "I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE GUIDELINES OF THE PRACTICAL EXAM! ARE YOU READY?! YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH!"
"…"
"…"
"I was NOT expecting this." Shinsou noted.
"Seconded." I nodded.
"Thirded." Taikou agrees.
"This is how the test will go, my dear listeners!" The blonde hero explains as the screen behind him lit up to show a simple diagram with seven boxes labeled from A to G branching out from the large one, "You all will be experiencing ten-minute-long 'Mock Cityscape Maneuvers'! Bring along whatever you want! After this presentation, you'll each head for the assigned testing location! OKAY?!"
I check the card they passed to us after the written exam; I'm assigned to area B. I nudged Taikou and shows mine, pointing at the area on it, "I'm at B. You?"
"A. What about you, Shinsou?"
"G." His quick reply before turning back to face the front.
Damn, so none of us are in the same area. I was looking forward for some combo action with Taikou. Guess I'll have to go solo on this one.
The screen behind Present Mic changes again to… wait, is that Super Mario Bros?! Do they even have the copyright to do that?! "Each site is filled with three kinds of Faux Villains. Points are rewarded for defeating each one according to their difficulty levels! Use your quirks to disable these Faux Villains and earn points! It's as simple as that! By the by, playing Anti-Hero and attacking a fellow examinee is a big no-no!"
"May I ask a question?!" One of the examinees on one of the bottom rows stood up with arm raised, Present Mic gestures him to continue which he did rather loudly, "In the handouts we are given, there are FOUR types of villains, not THREE! Such a blatant error, if it is one, is highly unbecoming for Yuuei! We're all here today in the hopes of being molded into model Heroes! And YOU, the one with the curly hair!" He points at the student the row below me, "You've been muttering this whole time. It is distracting! If you think this is some kind of game, then please leave at once!"
"Y-Yes! S-Sorry…" He apologized as a few students next to him snickers at his predicament.
I pity the poor dude, he looks like kicked-puppy now… "I've heard of super-serious model students, but he takes the cake." Taikou commented.
But now that I notice him, he looks strikingly familiar… Like I'm supposed to know who he is but is coming up blank…
"Alright, alright, settle down! Nice catch there, examinee 7111!" Present Mic noted, "You see, the fourth variety isn't worth a single point! He's more of an obstacle you have to work around! Ever played that retro game, Super Mario? It's like a Thwomp! There's one at each site; a 'gimmick' that will rampage around in closed quarters!"
"Thank you, sir!" The stiff student bowed, "Sorry for the interruption!"
Okay, I think I know the main strategy here. Find 'villains', destroy it, avoid the zero-pointer, rinse and repeat till time runs out. Simple enough.
"That's all from me! I'll leave my listeners with our school motto!" The blonde hero calls out, "The great Hero Napolean Bonaparte once said: [True Heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life.] Go Beyond, Plus Ultra! Break a leg, everyone!"
As the students are ushered out of the auditorium, I turned to Taikou, then Shinsou, and with a smile raises both my thumbs up, "Wish you all luck!"
"Heh, likewise." My childhood friend smirks with a thumbs-up in return.
"Hm." Shinsou nodded.
After a change of clothes and a bus ride later, I stood in front of the large gate in my grey shirt and navy trackpants. I stared at my fellow examinees, noting the extremely varied of people to the slightly unique to the crazily over-the-top. The large one with three pair of arms caught my attention rather quickly too, but not just because he has three pair of arms. He looks really familiar.
Man, I'm getting such feelings from all over the place today.
The mumbling crowd starts to talk about themselves while pointing at this one guy, the same guy that is being lectured by the super-serious guy.
Poor dude… that will do your nerves no good…
"AAAAAANNNND… START!"
"Hm?" Wait, what?
"What's wrong?!" Present Mic's voice echoes in our ears, "The test has already started! Run, run, RUN!"
That caught my attention as I quickly dig into my pocket and took out a button battery, clenching it tightly as I feel the electricity flow through my body. And just as the other examinees start to react, I rocket passed all of them and into the simulated city before they even start running.
Passing a few blocks, I turn a corner just as what I assumed is a one-pointer robot, what is basically a one-wheeled zaku-looking thing with a large metal claw on one arm while the other wields what seems to be a tank barrel. It's camera swerves to face me, its firearm-arm aim straight me and fired. Thankfully, I'm still have enough charge to dodge the explosive shell easily before slipping close to it and press my two hands on it; instantly I felt the additional electricity flow into me and the robot falls limp and dropped onto the concrete floor, motionless.
Man, this test is perfect for my quirk.
You see, my quirk is nicknamed Elec Muscle. I have the ability to absorb electricity, as long my whole hand is touching the electrical source. It doesn't have to be an open wire or a battery, as long it is something that runs of electricity, I can absorb just by touching it. It is a bit of a pain to live with, considering that I might accidentally drain my phone's battery every time I touches it, but I've figured a way around it.
Once I have a charge, I can use that power to speed my body's movements up to 100 miles an hour! Not as fast as dad's Mach 1, but plenty fast!
Back to the test, after getting a recharge and a boost from the robot, I turn just in time to saw another of its buddy charging towards me with a few more of its comrades behind, this time several two-pointers and a large three-pointer tank-looking thing. Thinking fast, pun fully intended, I pick out a path and with a quick dash and a few leaps and hops, I am able to suck all of their charge before landing on the large tank and starts draining the sucker dry.
That is of course interrupted when I just notice a one-pointer coming right towards me with its metal claw out to tear into me. I was about to move out of the way when I hear something.
Is that… engine noises?
Just as I thought that, that super-serious guy lands a flying kick right into the robot with his engine-propelled foot, smashing it into pieces. I starts to feel my draining trickle down and I leaped off the tank, as it sputters and cease moving.
"Thanks for the assist!" I call out to him, he simply nodded before running off; the trail of smoke in his wake.
I leap right back into the test, mentally calculating my total points to at least 15, running down the simulated streets to find more bots.
I soon reach a crossing where a few robots are dueling against the other examinees, one of whom has not noticed a three-pointer is about to drop onto him! Without thinking too much, I charge right at him, tackling him out of the way just as the tank crashes down right where he was standing.
We both stare at the fallen robot for a brief moment, before we got up, the guy turns to me with a sharp-toothed grin, "Thanks! Didn't saw that!"
"Don't mention it! Good luck with the test!" With those last words, I dash away and leap onto one of the two-pointers to start sucking the electricity out of it.
It must have been more than five minutes since the start of the exam, and I have taken out at least ten more robots by then, bringing my points up to at least 32 by now. I barely able to dodge a barrage of what I hoped are rubber bullets from a one-pointer's minigun, which I then lunged towards and swings a kick right at its 'head', breaking the camera off of it. I then grab the wires that are sticking out and feels the increase charge flowing into my body.
Just as I finishes draining the robot, I felt the ground shake. Turning around, I strain my neck to look up as a titan-looking robot has emerged out of nowhere and starts wrecking the buildings and streets it comes into contact with. Wait, that thing matches the silhouette of the zero-point robot from the handouts. That's the obstacle we have to avoid?!
Snapping myself out of the trance when I felt the shockwave of its attack against the street, I let go of the wires and book it. As much as fighting a giant robot seems fun on TV, dealing with one the size of skyscraper is not worth dying to try!
And then, when I was a good distance away, I heard a loud bang, one like when a hammer slams into a metal plate. I turn around, just to see the zero-pointer slowly falling back with a large dent in it's square face as explosions erupted from all over its body. In the distance, right in the air where the titan's head used to be is this one person.
The very same person that was muttering and shaking in the beginning.
Are you kidding me?! That nervous-wreck was that kind of powerhouse?!
I was left in awe of the spectacle, before I notices something wrong.
That guy is falling.
And he is not stopping himself!
"Not good!" I dashes right towards the falling robot, his silhouette falling down by the minute as I using most of my charge to try and make it to him. Just as he is about three meters from becoming a splat on the pavement, I prepared myself to leap right at him and catching him mid-fall.
That is when I saw a floating metal robot head getting close to him, the person riding the robot head reaches out her hand and slaps him across the cheek. He then stops falling immediately, floating safely above the pavement as his savior closes her fingers together muttering out "R-Release…" and they both crashes back down onto the pavement.
I skid to a stop in front of the scene, just as the girl starts puking out her entire stomach by how much she is releasing out.
That boy is laying the ground, both legs completely broken and bending the wrong ways and his right arm completely bruised and bloody. Those doesn't seem to be caused by his fall. Is it his quirk? Did he broke his body from just doing all of that?
He, to my surprise, starts to move, dragging himself forward with his only functioning arm with tears and snot dripping all over. Dude, he's not passed out yet?!
"AAAAAAAAANNNNNND IT'S OVER!"
Present Mic's announcement echoes in our ears, and the broken kid stopped moving, his eyes just diluted in despair before finally passing out onto the pavement.
A few more minutes passed and most of the other examinees finally came to take a look at him. Murmurs all around as they all discuss who that guy is and how someone with a quirk as crazy strong as his is such a nervous wreck. I stay close to him, giving him a one-over to see if he is fine.
"Please stand aside, dear."
I turn to look, an elderly woman in doctor coat over a hero-like outfit walks up to us. Guessing that she is the medical staff, I stood aside to allow her to do her work.
What I did not expect her to do is pucker up her lips and land a kiss right on his cheek. Whatever she did, it has a great effect as I saw the dude's leg slowly straight back into proper position and his arm slowly losing its bruises. Huh, a healing quirk. That is plenty helpful.
Once we all are checked out, we are brought back to campus where we are debriefed and then dismissed.
One week has passed since the end of the entrance exam.
Right now, Taikou and Shinsou are chilling at my room with me watching a movie while we wait for the news to drop. My room has changed quite a bit since I was a toddler. Once I entered elementary school, my crib is replaced with a nice bed where I've stored my plushies I have received as birthday presents over the years. The walls are repainted and are now a bright bluish green and several bookshelves lined up against the wall filled to the brim with textbooks and reference books about IT and engineering which I MAY have nicked from Tetsu's room over the years.
What is most prominent, is the single shelve that is separated from the others. This one, closes to my bed, is filled with not just manga, but western comics of all sorts. DC, Marvel, you named it. You would not believe how hard it is find superhero comics this days, let alone get them! Not to mention that the two biggest giants of the industry actually closed their doors years before I was born!
I pity the kids of my generation who would never have the pleasure of knowing about the Amazing Spiderman…
Enough about my room, back to the matter at hand, which is us enjoying a movie on my laptop.
Or at least we are trying to, but the nerves are always there. Taikou's slightly shifting feet to Shinsou's glancing at my door, we are all anxious of our results. I'm even holding onto my All Might plushie (The very same one that I got on my fourth birthday) while chewing down on my pokey sticks.
Cleanliness be damned, nerves take priority.
"…How about a different movie?" Taikou suggested.
"Sure. I'm getting bored with this one, anyways…" Shinsou stated as I open my file of downloaded movies.
"Let's see… We haven't watched-"
*Click* "I'm home!"
Within a split second, I toss my plushie and the remain packet of pokey on my bed and dashes out, tripping over Taikou and Shinsou as we tries to get out of the tangle of legs we trapped ourselves into before we finally unravel our bundle and dashes out of the room to the living room, where dad stood with three letters in his free hand.
I basically snatches them out of his hands, his sigh and grumbling about nerves and teen are ignored as I distribute them among us. We look at each other, before with a deep breath, we tore our letters open. Out dropped three hologram projector that we barely caught before it can fall to the floor.
"…So… who wants to go first?" Shinsou asked.
I and Taikou look at each other, and with a quick match of rock-paper-scissors, he is the first to check.
Pressing the button, a screen pops out and on it is a small mouse-bear thing in a well-dressed suit. He then, with a bright smile, begin to speak, "Greetings! I'm Principal Nezu of Yuuei! It's my honor and pleasure to announce to you, Naru Taikou, that you PASS! Well done! You have shown great value as a potential Hero, one that my school is eager to nurture! Welcome to Yuuei's Hero Course Class 1-B! I will see you in the new semester!"
With that, the hologram turns off, and in its place Taikou let out a loud cheer of happiness with me joining in with a hug tackle. He's in! Taikou got in!
"Congrats, Taikou-kun." Dad tells him, "But mind not setting my carpet on fire? Again?"
He paused before looking down, his feet have starts to have embers dancing about and a smoke is starting to form where he stood.
A quick pat-down and wet cloth later, we all, including dad, move to the dining room to read the rest. Next up is mine.
I swallowed a spit and pressed down on the button, a similar video started to play. It's the pretty much same thing as Taikou's but instead of 1-B, it's 1-A. But either way, I got in too! I let out a woo in cheer as I bounce about the room in happiness. Yes! Finally, my starting line is here!
All that is left is Shinsou's. We are waiting nervously as he presses the button. The video played but…
"Greetings, Hitoshi Shinsou." Nezu says but instead of a bright smile, his face is grim, "I'm sorry to say this but… you have failed the exam. I know it is hard to accept but reassure, there will be chances for you to become a Hero too. With much discussion among our staff, we have agreed to enroll you in the General Course. There will be chances to enter the Hero Course, as long as you work hard and never stop improving. See you in the new semester."
The video cuts off there. We both look at Shinsou, who looks like he has his hopes dashed. All of the sudden, our own joy is completely overwritten with sadness. How can we be happy with our passing when Shinsou fail? This… this is not fair! All that work he has put into this, all of that and he is rejected?!
"You got to kidding me!" Taikou suddenly shouts out angrily, "There must have been some kind of mistake! Maki-ossan, you're a teacher there, right?! Can you-"
"It's fine."
Hearing those words from the last person I expected, I am stunned silent as Shinsou got off the chair, "The practical is difficult for me in the first place. I hardly got much points, so this result is expected."
"But, but, Shinsou!" My childhood friend cried out, "You've trained so hard! Aren't you at least a little upset over this?!"
"No, I've expected this." He noted, "But that doesn't mean I'm done, either."
"Huh?" I blinked, before remembering what the principal has said, "Ah, you mean…"
"The principal stated that there are chances to get into the Hero Course besides the entrance exam, right?" Shinsou explained, "So I'll keep on working hard, and find that chance."
"Shinsou…" I mutter out in surprise. Talk about dedication, he's not giving up his dream despite this?
"That's what I thought you'll say." Dad smiled, "It's not really common knowledge, but there were instances of people from other courses joining the Hero Course midway through the year. Of course, the reverse is true as well."
"Then, then, there's a chance for Shinsou to join us?!" I stated with a smile. Yes! There's still hope for him yet!
"But those instances are pretty rare." He elaborated, "Chances of getting into the course itself is 1 to 300, transferring is even more difficult to even happen. But, I have faith in you, Hitoshi-kun." He turns to Shinsou with a thumbs-up, "It may be bias, but I can see potential Hero you can become. Like Principal Nezu said, keep working hard and the window will open for you."
Our spirits are lifted when he says that, we all turning to each other with a smile and Shinsou gives me a grin of his own.
"Just you wait. I'll make it into the Hero Course soon enough."
"Heh." Taikou smirks, "Well, you better hurry it up. In the time you enter, we'll be waiting further up ahead."
And with that, we all place our fists forward towards each other. Even though it is silent, I'm sure that we are all declaring the same thing in our hearts.
That we all will become Heroes for sure!
…
To be continued…
Finished this one! Yes, there is a huge time skip since the last chapter. As much as I want to showcase Genko's childhood days, I feel that it would drag things on a bit too far. So, I decided to skip all that mambo-jumbo and get right into plot!
So yes, Shinsou is introduced! This guy has very little screen time in both the manga and anime after the Sport Festival Arc, only with a few glimpses here and there till the latest few chapters where we truly see him shine. But even with the little screen time he does get, it is apparent that his presence in the series is here to stay.
For those who are wanting to see Genko's childhood days, have no fret! I will be posting them in omakes after each chapter from the next chapter onwards! So stay tuned for that! If you have any suggestion on what kind of omake it should be, let me know! I'll see if I could write them down!
*Edit:
So, I just realized that I have over estimated Genko's speed and changed it to a more manageable speed. Thank you, coduss for pointing that out there.
With that, I thank you for reading this!
