Chapter 3:

Entry Exam

Izuku took a breath, holding it for a moment before letting it go, allowing it to carry away all his stress and tension. The UA testing center stood before him, proud and strong, with numerous arches and lush greenery. Other applicants stepped past him by the dozens onto the premises, some with obvious quirks and others who looked just as plain as him. Izuku's eyes shifted, picking out a tired-looking Master Aizawa in one window looking down. By the doors, he saw Saiko Intelli flash him a small nod before stepping through.

His thoughts were cut off as a hard shoulder crashed into his from behind. Izuku caught himself, the spiky, blond hair of a former friend connected to a body walking with confidence. Izuku tried to brush it off, but he couldn't help it He took another breath, blinking as he allowed his Eagle Vision to activate.

Again, he found Master Aizawa, this time the man glowing a strong blue. Intelli's blue disappeared behind the doorway. Many other applicants glowed various levels of white, but one student burned red as brightly as a small sun. Bakugo Katsuki refused to look back.

"You look nervous, ribbit."

Izuku jumped at the sudden voice, the verdet losing his footing and starting to fall backward. An arm shot from the speaker, grabbing his to arrest his momentum. He stared up, the uncovered face and large eyes of Tsuyu Asui staring back. With his Eagle Vision still activated, she glowed a calming blue.

"Uh, hi," he managed. "Thanks."

"No need to thank me," the frog-girl said. "It's my fault you almost fell in the first place, ribbit. I'm Tsuyu Asui, but you can call me Tsu if you want."

"Izuku Midoriya…" He trailed off, his back-to normal eyes glancing down at where she held his wrist. Getting his feet under him, he expected the girl to let go, but he had no such luck. Red spread over his face at the close contact.

"Well, good luck, Midoriya," Tsuyu said, letting him go. "We better hurry. The written test starts soon."

"Oh, right." She turned, setting a brisk pace he tried to keep up with. "Good luck to you, too."

An hour later, Izuku found himself in a darkened amphitheater beside the one person without a positive or neutral glow. Bakugo did not look his way, instead staring ahead at a lone podium. This was a better reaction from him than any Izuku had seen in the past few months. A moment later, the pro hero Present Mic rose from beneath the floor and stepped up to the stand. Izuku sucked in an excited breath at the presence of the man.

"Hello, everybody!" the Voice Hero yelled. "Are you ready to rumble‽"

Silence answered the man.

"Staying stoic, I see. That's fine since I've got lots to tell you! Up next is the practical of the UA exam! If you'll direct your attention to the screen behind me, you'll see that all of you will be divided into one of six different testing locations. They're all the same, so everyone will be on the same playing field. As for your opponents, UA has cooked up some robots for you to smash! Depending on their difficulty, they could be worth one, two, or three points! Points will be awarded once a bot is disabled, be that total annihilation or simply severing its wires. Yeah!"

"Sir, I have a question!" one examinee several rows down stood, his hand raised.

"What's up, listener?"

"There seems to be an error in the handout we were given," the boy said. "You have listed three separate point values, but the handout shows four silhouettes. If this is a mistake on the part of UA, I daresay that would not be a positive reflection on the esteemed reputation of this school!"

"It ain't no misprint," Present Mic told him. "That last bot is actually worth zero points, meaning it's not even worth your time to fight, but more like an obstacle to avoid."

"Thank you, sir. My apologies for the interruption."

"Don't you sweat it, listener! This is a place for all questions and answers! As for the rules of the test, there are two of them! First, score as many points as you can by taking out as many bots as you can! Second, any attacks on your fellow applicants will result in immediate disqualification. Other than that, you all can go wild, though we ask that you keep damage to the buildings as low as you can. The busses will leave as soon as you're ready!"

Izuku went to stand, only for a hand to grab his arm. It felt uncomfortably warm.

"You better not make it, Deku," Bakugo growled. "It's a shame we'll be at different sites since I wanted to crush you myself. Still, this is my origin story and I won't let a stupid, no-good, worthless, Quirkless Deku like you take away its uniqueness."

He let go, stomping away before Izuku could get a word in edgewise.

"What a jerk," Intelli commented from the row above. Izuku turned, surprised. "Don't listen to that guy. It sounds like he's angry at everything. His truth is warped."

With a wink left unseen in the darkness of the auditorium, Intilli bid Izuku good luck and made her way to her own testing grounds.


That same nervousness from before welled in Izuku's gut, his hands slick with sweat. He tried to wipe it off on his pants, but that only made room for more to take its place. A mock city rose before both Izuku and all his fellow test-takers at Site B, thankfully this number not including Katsuki. His eyes, looking for motion to help calm his nerves as the silent buildings were not doing the job, scanned the crowd. He recognized the student that had asked the question of Present Mic, the boy wearing shorts that revealed the engines in his calves. One other Assassin recruit was there, and, for a moment, Izuku found himself disappointed that it wasn't Tsuyu. Rather, it was one of the other male recruits, the boy making eye contact with Izuku before giving a wink and tapping the ground with a foot. Izuku nodded and set his head on straight, his fingers checking the tools on his belt.

"Go!" Present Mic's voice echoed over the grass, Izuku head snapping up and needing a second to comprehend before his legs started to move. "What are you waiting for? There are no countdowns in real life! Go!"

The verdet found himself in the middle of the pack, little space to move on either side. A girl with brown hair and pink cheeks ran at his right while the loud kid from before charged past his left with a burst of speed.

Needing room, Izuku pulled his rope-dart from his belt and gave it a spin before throwing it at the closest building. It embedded itself into the concrete before the boy jumped and pulled, carrying himself over the crowd —some of whom had to duck— and to the left. He latched onto the nearest window and pulled the dart loose, scurrying up the wall while using the dart every few seconds.

Reaching the roof, Izuku rolled over the side and ran, pushing himself to the opposite side before leaping over to the next building. Taking this shortcut, he placed himself ahead of most of the other examinees, giving himself free range over a whole street of robots with little competition.

Below, a trio of robots stood, two stamped with ones and the last with a two. Drawing his bo, Izuku jumped and let gravity carry him down. The hard steel of his bo dug into the jointed neck of the two-pointer, Izuku spinning some of his momentum away before leveraging the end he held. The robot's head popped off with a, well, pop, sparks fizzling at the now-loose ends of its wires.

"Target acquired," the other bots said, turning their metal fists toward the boy. He took a step back, his weapon extended behind him, and waited for the first move. The one-pointer on his left threw a punch, Izuku sidestepping to the outside around it as his bo spun. He jammed it into the thing's shoulder, something crunching under the force.

The other robot moved, placing itself where Izuku had been before throwing its own punch. The verdet pulled, moving the first machine so it acted as a shield. The punch from the second robot crumpled its head, but Izuku did not take the time to survey his handywork. He jumped, vaulting over the now-unresponsive one-pointer and threw his rope-dart into the remaining one's camera. It let out a metallic screech as it lost visual, only for the sound to be cut off as Izuku hit it upside the head with enough force to knock its literal screws loose.

"Four points down," the boy muttered, several other bots turning his way as more teens entered the street from various points, "who knows how many to go."

Time turned into a blur as he faced foe after foe, periodically attacking a robot from behind if several were ganging up on another hero-hopeful. Some of those he helped sent him curt thank you's or nods, others yelled at him for kill-stealing, but Izuku ignored both, focusing on his task at hand.

"Two minutes left, listeners!" the voice of Present Mic shouted, several of those with few points stirring themselves into a frenzy. Despite this, most of the mechanical targets were little but scrap. Izuku had just dispatched a three-pointer with a well-executed throw when the ground rumbled, a plume of dust covering an entire city block. He turned, the massive form of the zero-pointer rising over the buildings.

"What‽" he demanded to nobody. "That thing is worth zero points? No wonder Present Mic said to avoid it!"

"Run away!" a number of examinees yelled, said teems following their own advice and fleeing the scene. Izuku took a step back, weighing the pros of following in their example as he watched the massive treads of the zero-pointer crush working and broken robots alike under its bulk. Glass windows cracked under air pressure alone as it passed and each swing of its arms destroyed entire buildings.

"Help!" a voice cried, Izuku's eyes coming to rest on the form of the brown-haired girl he'd run next to at the start of the test. One of her legs was trapped under rubble, the girl trying to reach it with her hand but falling just shy. She stared up at the machine coming her way with unabashed fear. Izuku's feet were moving before he decided to help.

When his mind caught up to his body, he realized he had no plan and the time he did have to make one was quickly disappearing. Deciding that having one step and then making it up as he went would be the best option, despite how he knew Master Aizawa would call him reckless and stupid for such, Izuku rushed toward the girl. His rope-dart spun, building momentum before he released it.

Its end stabbed into the rubble trapping the girl, said girl flinching at the sudden appearance. Izuku jumped, pulling himself forward like he had at the beginning of the test. He did not cover the entire distance —he would've needed his bracer's retractor for that, but he could not have explained having it should he have gotten caught— but the maneuver still cut his travel time. He was beside the girl in seconds. His bo already elongating.

"I'm gonna get you out," Izuku promised, shimmying the end of his weapon under the rubble. She stared at him, but he had no time to let the eyes of a pretty girl distract him. Sticking his knee out as a fulcrum, Izuku pushed, his metal bo straining against the weight of the broken concrete. Sweat beaded the verdet's brow as manmade stone shifted.

The girl seemed to realize what was happening, quickly pulling her leg from under the rubble. She flinched, the foot twisted at an angle it should not have been. Izuku almost asked if she could run but decided that was a foolish question. Right now, the question was more of a choice, whether to run away or try to take out the giant machine.

One would certainly be more impressive than the other.

"What's your Quirk?" Izuku asked.

"Zero Gravity," the brunette answered. "I can get rid of the gravity of whatever I touch with all five fingers."

"Perfect." He grinned, pointing to the largest mass of concrete on the street. "Can you negate the weight of that piece of rubble?"

"Not for long. Why?" Izuku didn't answer, the girl squeaking as he scooped her into a princess carry. An almost mad glint shone in his eye as a plan that would be too obvious for an Assassin to pull off presented itself to him. Certainly, this would get whatever Templar teachers were in the school to second guess themselves if he brought suspicion later. Izuku carried her to the veritable boulder of material, setting her beside it. He nodded.

Wordlessly but wanting to repay him for his help, the brunette pressed her hand into the side of the concrete. It started to float, rising only a couple of inches.

"Whatever it is, do it fast," she begged, covering her mouth as her cheeks started to turn green. Izuku nodded, stabbing his rope-dart into the concrete and pulling it away. He turned his eyes on the approaching zero-pointer, estimating its speed, density, and placement before he began spinning. The concrete followed him, turning in a circle until, having built up the right amount of speed, Izuku lashed the rope to remove the dart.

The concrete flew, the eyes of nearly every examinee watching its arc toward the behemoth. The brunette pressed her hands together just before the concrete reached its ultimate destination, the massive slab slamming into the 'face' of the zero-pointer. It crumpled like aluminum, gears, wires, and other mechanical whatsits folding in on each other until a single spark caused a chain reaction. Something inside exploded, triggering another and another running down the body of the machine. It fell backward, hitting the ground with an echoing crash.

"And that's time, baby!" the voice of Present Mic shouted as if to punctuate and add to the cacophony. "I sure hope you all are happy with your scores, 'cause that's all you're getting! Please return to grab your stuff! Results will be out to all of you in a week!"

Tension drained from Izuku's shoulders, his adrenaline spike receding to leave behind a burning ache in his muscles.

"That was awesome!" the girl whose help he had solicited said, reminding Izuku that she was there. He turned, returning to her side while ignoring the new puddle of vomit that now smelled beside her.

"How's your leg?"

"Broken, I think," she answered with a wince. "Damn. That's gonna set me back even if I get in. Not to mention the hospital bills."

"Well, UA—"

"My oh my," a woman's voice sighed, the pair turning to see a short woman with grey hair and a cane looking at them. "You kids hurt yourselves more and more each year. I keep telling them to cut down the danger, but they just don't listen to me."

"You're Recovery Girl, the Youthful Heroine," Izuku blurted.

"That's me. Now, let's see what I can do about that broken ankle." Recovery Girl knelt, puckering her lips before they extended to kiss the brunette's leg. A green glow surrounded her, her foot turning to set itself as the injury disappeared. The girl drooped a little. "I've fixed you up, but it's sapped your energy. Go get some rest at home, ok? Do you need any help?" She turned the last question to Izuku, the verdet shaking his head.

"No, ma'am. I've only got a few bruises. They'll be fine by tomorrow."

"Good. It's nice to see some of you aren't as foolhardy as others."

Recovery Girl turned, walking off toward the largest clump of teens.

"I guess that's our que to leave," the brunette chuckled. She stood, still a little wobbly. "I, uh… I hope to see you in class?"

"Oh, y-yeah," Izuku replied, wishing he had his hood so he could cover his face. He wasn't used to standing so close to a girl with nothing to do. Needing to extract himself, he ran.

Had he taken the time to activate his Eagle Vision, he would have seen nearly every person in the vicinity shift to a pale blue.


"Gotta admit," Midnight began, leaning back in her chair as she and the rest of the faculty watched the monitors of leaving teens. "This year's batch was more impressive than last year's."

"I hope so," Aizawa grunted.

"Do you, though?" the man known as Vlad King questioned. "You had a lot of time to kill after expelling your last class." Aizawa ignored the hidden barb in his words with the ease of an actor.

"So, are there any students that caught your attention?" Principal Nezu asked, his beady eyes sending a warning to the other first-year homeroom teacher through the darkness.

"I think it's safe to say we all saw that kid at Ground B, ruff," the dog-headed counselor Hound Dog barked. "He beat a zero-pointer, after all. The only one this year."

"Yeah, but he needed the help of another," Eraserhead waved. "Good teamwork, but that's not enough to just admit the kid."

"Applicant 2234, Izuku Midoriya," Cementoss read from a file. "Says here his Quirk's called Empathetic Eye. It lets him see the malice or goodwill inside a person. Preferred goal: rescue hero."

"Sounds more like he could be an infiltration specialist," Midnight commented. "Or a combat PI."

"What about the girl he helped?" Ectoplasm asked. Cementoss shifted through his files.

"Applicant 3562, Ochako Uraraka. Her Quirk's called Zero Gravity, allowing her to negate the gravity of anything she touches with all five of her fingers. She also wants to be a rescue hero."

"I say they're in the running for our Hero Course," Nezu grinned. "Anyone else?"

"I've got several," Hound Dog began, the conversation lasting long into the evening as the teachers weighed the scores of each impressive applicant.


"Izuku! Izuku, your letter! It's here! Your letter from UA!"

The young recruit jumped to his feet at the sound of his mother's voice, the boy dropping his quill as he rushed out of his room. She was standing in the hallway, an envelope with the wax seal of UA stamped over its fold. Gently taking the letter from her, Izuku stared at it, as if scared what it might contain.

If it told him he was accepted, he will have taken the first step in fulfilling his oldest dream. If it rejected him, all his hopes of being a pro hero would be crushed and he'd live his life as a vigilante, having to hide his real life from his mother. To be fair, he'd have to hide at least half of it anyway.

Or he could, you know, try for the other hero schools. That however, was not a thought in his mind.

Still, this letter was a Schrodinger's paradox unopened, the boy neither accepted nor rejected.

He needed an answer.

Taking a knife from the kitchen, Izuku cut the top of the envelope. Inside lay both a folded paper and a small metal disk. Confused, he slid the disk into his hand. Several lights flashed across its surface, the boy dropping it on the counter for him and his mother to see. A hardlight projection formed above the metal, the slumped form of a black-haired man appearing. Izuku bit his lip.

"Applicant 2234, Izuku Midoriya," Shota Aizawa said, his voice without emotion. "You passed the written test with flying colors, but you must have known that the practical exam is what would make or break your chances. You scored 33 villain points with your weapons and wit. A respectable number for someone with a non-combat-oriented Quirk, but that alone would not have earned you a spot in the coveted Hero Course."

Izuku felt himself deflate a little, his mother sniffling beside him.

"Luckily for you," the projection of Aizawa continued, "there was a hidden aspect of the test, one none of the applicants were told of. These are called rescue points and are given to students who show themselves helping others when given the chance and, most notably, at their own detriment." The hologram flashed and changed, images and clips of Izuku helping other teens appearing one after another before, ultimately, the combination he pulled off with the brunette girl to take down the zero-pointer. Inko gasped as the first explosion cued the image to pause. "For your actions, a panel of judges has awarded you a total of 50 rescue points. Your actions also inspired others."

Again, the hologram changed, this time shifting to a scene with the brunette talking to Present Mic.

"Excuse me," she said. "Do you remember the boy that helped me during the practical? He was about this tall? Kind of messy hair and a lot of freckles? He really saved me, so… I… I want him to have some of my points. He wasted time saving me instead of scoring more when he could have, so I want to try to help him in any way I can."

The video paused, shrinking to a corner of the screen as Aizawa reappeared.

"We didn't transfer any points," he said. "We didn't need to, not that we would have anyway. With 33 villain points and 50 rescue points, your total score comes to 83 points. Congratulations, Izuku Midoriya. You have earned a spot in the Hero Course. UA is now your Hero Academia. Plus ultra."

To the point and without any emotion, the hologram cut off there, turning itself off. Izuku sat there for a moment, shellshocked, until Inko squealed.

"You did it!" she squeaked, wrapping him in a hug. Tears flowed from her eyes, soaking into his shoulder. "My baby boy is growing up! First you get a late Quirk and now you're going off to become a hero! Oh, I'm so worried for you! What do we need to get you? How much will it cost? Oh, nevermind that. Tonight, I'm making your favorite!"

"Yeah…" Izuku muttered, his mother letting go as she got dinner started. Absently, he reached forward, a single button push restarting the message. Slowly, he smiled. "I did it."


"Well, well," Izuku heard Nekoi mutter as he slipped through the Dagoba portal. Wiping sand from his outfit, he turned to see her leaning against the wall. She pushed off, uncrossing her arms to reach forward and ruffle his hair. "If it isn't our little dark horse. I heard you've been accepted into UA's Hero Course. That's quite the achievement."

"Nekoi-sensei!" he whined, pushing her hands away. "How did you know I got in?"

"Just about everyone knows," the Master Assassin chuckled. "Aizawa hasn't stopped complaining about what a success story you are."

"Complaining?"

"Oh yeah." Nekoi laughed. "He was so excited until Mentor told him he'll be training new recruits every year. I didn't even know he could smile and it's gone just like that." She snapped her fingers. Izuku worked out a chuckle at his teacher's misfortune, knowing that the only thing he wanted more than efficient work was no work at all.

"Come on," Nekoi insisted, sliding the door open. "Let's get you to that meeting so everyone else can congratulate you."

He did not need to wait until the meeting, every Assassin he'd met or trained with (and a few he hadn't) congratulating him on his walk over. Each and every one was smiling for him, for his hard work paying off. It was an elation he'd never felt before, ballooning inside him so thoroughly that he almost felt he could float. Too quickly, they came to the door of the changing room.

"This is where I gotta say goodbye," Nekoi said. "I was putting off a mission to be the first one to see you, but I can't leave it be. I'll see you for training tomorrow." She pat him on the shoulder and turned, walking away. Izuku watched her go, silently thanking her for bringing him into the Brotherhood. He stepped into the changing room.

He was the last to arrive at the meeting, though it looked like a couple of the other recruits had only just beaten him. No one was able to say anything before Master Aizawa clapped his hands, all but one of the other Master Assassins who had trained them arrayed behind him. Izuku rushed to his spot in line, saluting with the rest.

"Even after more than a week, you all are still prompt," Aizawa said. "That's good. Anyway, it is my pleasure to announce our UA student informants, Izuku Midoriya and Tsuyu Asui. Would you two please step forward."

Izuku did so, Tsuyu stepping out of line with him in the corner of his vision. They walked up to Aizawa, kneeling before him. The other recruits politely clapped, though there were a couple disgruntled mutterings.

"Several of you were in the running," Master Kayama, the pro hero Midnight, commented. "It was a close call, but we couldn't play favorites. We are Assassins first and teachers second, but UA is still very selective and we must select those who will most stay true to the ideals of pro heroes. We were lucky to not need to push boundaries to get two of you in, and any more would only result in the need to deny someone a chance after they earned it. In this case, recruits Midoriya and Asui simply trained harder and performed better. I hope you all follow in their examples."

"Thank you, Kayama," Master Aizawa nodded. "Now then, the rest of you will continue your training for the coming exams for the other hero schools. Our teachers for each will be leading this training and you may go with whomever you wish. Still…" He turned to the two recruits who had succeeded where the others failed. "I want you to remember that your accomplishment, while outstanding, is not universally celebrated. Midoriya, Asui. In taking a place in the Hero Course, you have denied the runner-up their chance. For us, this is good, for you made it. For them, the opposite. Why?"

"Because nothing is true, ribbit," Asui answered quickly. "The truth is subjective, and where one sees light, another sees darkness."

"Very good. Now the rest of you, we are wasting time. Get to training."

"Yes, Master." The other eight recruits dispersed with their teachers, three of them lingering. Intelli stayed, but only long enough to give Izuku a pat on the shoulder before taking her leave with Master Kamihara. The last two shuffled for a moment.

"Master Aizawa?" one asked, this one female with pink accents on her white robe. "Where is Master Akaguro?"

"He had to meet with a former apprentice," Aizawa answered. "You are both to report to the Mentor for training instructions." The recruits bowed, also taking their leave. Now alone, Aizawa turned his full attention on the new UA students. A soft smile graced his lips.

"I will have both of you in my class," he told them. "I believe Nezu suspects I have trained you, Midoriya, yet I managed to argue for you for the same reason why I received you for training. Asui, you will also be in my class. That was simply luck of the draw. I look forward to seeing you both in 1-A. I expect you to continue to bring honor to yourselves, the Brotherhood, and now to UA as well." He paused, a sigh passing his lips. "Stop kneeling. It's bad for the knees. Anyway, do what you want. I need a nap."

"You made it," Tsuyu said as Aizawa left. "I knew you could do it, ribbit."

"Th-Thank you, Asui."

"I told you to call me Tsu. We've met on the outside now, so we can be familiar, ribbit."

"I-I mean… I suppose so… I'm just not used to people wanting to be familiar with me."

"I usually say what's on my mind, Izuku," Tsuyu said, the boy gaping at her casual use of his given name. "You're easy to get along with and you're an Assassin recruit like me, ribbit. I was born into a family of Assassins, so I like to talk about my struggles with others who can understand them. I was afraid I'd be unable to do that at UA but knowing you will also be there is a weight off my shoulders. Thank you, ribbit."

"I don't know what to say," Izuku confessed, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm more use to being looked down on as the Quirkless kid, so suddenly having so many people be happy for me, it's so out of my depth."

"This world is sink or swim, Izuku. If you need help staying afloat, I'm an excellent swimmer, ribbit. Comes with the frog Quirk." Though her mouth did not move, Izuku could see the joking smile in her eyes. He gave his own smile in response. "Ah, one more thing. Go talk to Mentor. He'll help you pay for school supplies if you want help. Anyway, I need to get going, ribbit. I promised to help my siblings with their training now that I'm accepted to UA. I'll see you around."

Izuku stood there as the frog-girl stepped around him, exiting the room and leaving him alone. He bounced on the balls of his feet, excited energy welling up as he reminded himself, again, that he'd made it into UA.

Maybe Keeper-sensei could help him celebrate with a new course? He could stand for a challenge.

End of Chapter 3


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-SwordOfTheGods