The U.A. Entrance Exam [1]

February 26, 2134

Sunlight painted stripes across my bedsheets when I jolted awake. No nerves, no fumbling for the alarm clock - just a surge of energy that had me grinning before my feet even hit the floor. Exam day. Time to show the world what I was made of.

The familiar rumble of the washing machine and the smell of coffee drifted in from the kitchen, but I didn't slow down. Then came another smell - one that made my stomach growl in eager response. Breakfast rice, savory and steaming hot.  

"Morning, Mom," I said, taking my usual spot at the table. "Smells amazing."

Her smile lit up the room. "Your favorite. A hero needs a full stomach, right?"

Each bite tasted like victory. It wasn't just the food, it was my hands steady on the chopsticks, the way Mom looked at me over the table with that glint of fierce pride in her eyes. She wasn't seeing some quirkless loser anymore.

The mirror in my room wasn't just for checking if my hair was sticking up (it was, but that was fixable). The guy staring back had a kind of lean strength that hadn't been there a year ago. My outfit - black, streamlined, chosen to move as easily as it looked badass - was the finishing touch. I wasn't trying to be flashy, just showing the world I was ready for this.

"Izuku, you look incredible!"  Mom's gasp made me blush a little, but hey, I'd take it.

"Thanks, Mom." My voice was steadier this time, and I meant it.

Outside, the sun felt brighter, the air buzzing with a different kind of energy. One last hug, a promise to call as soon as it was over, and I was out the door, not looking back.

The U.A. gate was more than just a building, it was a symbol. It loomed in front of me, casting a shadow that wasn't from the rising sun, but from the weight of everything this place stood for. A shiver of excitement ran down my spine - not nerves, but anticipation. 

As I walked through, I could feel the eyes of the other examinees on me, could hear the whispers and murmurs of curiosity and speculation.

"Hey, isn't that the guy from the news? The one who cleaned up Takoba Beach?"

"I heard he has a super powerful quirk, some kind of energy manipulation..."

"Holy shit! The camera didn't do him justice..."

"Move aside, Deku!"

I didn't even need to turn to know who it belonged to. Bakugo stomped towards me, shoving his way through the crowd with the subtlety of a charging bull. Same scowl, same sneer that told anyone unlucky enough to be in his path that their existence was a minor inconvenience.

"It's Izuku," I corrected, not rising to the bait. "Funny how you still act like we're in high school."

His glare intensified, but so did my own. I wasn't backing down. Not when I'd come this far. "Just stay out of my way, or you're dead," he snarled, finally shouldering past. He didn't even glance back, too focused on strutting towards the gate like he owned the place.

I sighed. "Well, good luck to you too," I muttered, more to myself than him. Old rivalries died hard, especially when only one side seemed to notice them. But that was his problem now, not mine. 

Time to take that first step into my future.

I took my assigned seat, the chair creaking ominously beneath me, and tried to ignore the butterflies doing gymnastics in my stomach. 

As the proctor's voice barked out for silence,  I took a deep breath, focusing on the worn wooden desk in front of me. 

The exam booklet landed on my desk with a soft thud. I flipped it open, the first question staring up at me:

"In accordance with the Hero Public Safety Commission's regulations, what is the maximum allowable collateral damage that a hero can cause during a rescue operation?"

"Maximum allowable collateral damage?  Depends if there's a registered quirk user on-site..."  My mind raced, remembering the specific sub-section from the Hero Safety Act.  Quirkless bystander zone?  That lowered permissible limits by something like 30%...  Numbers and regulations danced in my head,  the solution taking shape almost faster than I could write it down.  Thank god for all those late nights with those textbooks.

A groan echoed from two rows down - some poor kid was still wrestling with the casualty compensation question, judging by the desperate flipping of pages.  I barely stifled a chuckle as I started on the in-depth analysis of Quirk Marriage law.  It wasn't even fair, not when my plan was to become a quirkless hero, making me memorize every last loophole.

When the proctor finally called "Time," it snapped me out of my focused daze. A sigh of relief echoed around the room, along with panicked mutterings about how tough the questions were.

"Brutal," I heard a girl with pink skin say as we filed out. "I think my brain melted a little."

The proctor's voice boomed through the hallway, rattling off instructions. Support kids, business applicants... I tuned it out,  my focus locked onto one thing:

"...those of you applying to the hero course, please head to the auditorium for a briefing on your practical exam."

This was it. Not questions on a page, but the chance to show what I could really do. To turn those sleepless nights, every ache and bruise, into something real.

The auditorium buzzed with an energy that made my skin prickle. Rows and rows of seats held nervous kids, me included, all waiting for the next step of U.A.'s brutal exam.  I tried to ignore the butterflies tap-dancing in my stomach,  instead focusing on finding my assigned seat.

As I squirmed into place - those things were never built for comfort - I caught snippets of conversation from the girls behind me. Giggles and whispers that before would have had me blushing all the way down to my socks. But today was different.

"...did you see him? Green hair..." one of them was saying.

"... totally cute..." came the reply.

I pretended not to hear. No way was I getting distracted by some pre-exam flirting. Focus, Izuku, focus. 

I noticed Bakugo sitting down next to me, his usual scowl in place.

"So, Deku," he said, not even looking at me. "Saw you on the news. Playing cleanup crew on some beach. Trying to get some extra credit before the exam?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's called community service, Bakugo. And it took you a whole month to say something? Aunt Mitsuki blew up my mom's phone when that aired. Practically demanded an interview."

Bakugo snorted. "Whatever. Just a publicity stunt if you ask me."

"No one asked," I shot back. "And since when do you care about my publicity?"

"I don't. I just don't want you thinking some trash pickup means you've got a shot at beating me."

"I don't need a beach to beat you, Bakugo. I've got plenty else going for me."

He opened his mouth to retort, but the lights dimmed and a figure took the stage.

He was a tall, slim man with long blond hair styled in a spiked tuft behind his head and a small brown mustache took the stage. He wore a black jacket with a high, studded collar, matching black pants, and knee-high boots. Tan shoulder pads, a red belt, and studded elbow pads completed his ensemble, along with black fingerless gloves and a directional speaker around his neck.

"WELCOME TO TODAY'S LIVE PERFORMANCE!!" the man shouted, his voice echoing through the auditorium. "EVERYBODY SAY 'HEY!'"

He paused, holding his ear to the crowd expectantly. The room remained silent, save for a single, awkward cough.

Undeterred, the man grinned. "WELL, THAT'S ALRIGHT, MY COOL EXAMINEE LISTENERS!! I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE GUIDELINES OF YOUR PRACTICAL!! ARE YOU READY?!"

Once again, silence greeted his words.

"Huh, it's Present Mic," I muttered, recognizing the pro hero.

Bakugo raised an eyebrow, glancing at me sideways. "Knowing you, I thought you'd get all excited seeing a hero up close and go into one of your muttering sprees."

I kept my gaze forward, my voice low. "I've outgrown that muttering. Plus, I'm a little too old to worship every single hero I come across."

Bakugo let out a dismissive "hmph," but I could sense a grudging acknowledgment in his tone.

The screen behind him displayed seven boxes labeled A through G.

"THIS IS HOW THE TEST WILL GO, MY LISTENERS!" Present Mic continued. "YOU'LL BE EXPERIENCING 10-MINUTE-LONG MOCK CITY BATTLES!!! BRING ALONG WHATEVER YOU WANT! AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, YOU'LL EACH HEAD TO YOUR TESTING LOCATIONS!!"

I pulled out my application paper, double-checking my assigned location. Bakugo snuck a glance at it, a smirk on his lips.

"Hm, that's so kids from the same high school can't help each other out, yeah?"

I nodded. "Consecutive I.D. numbers are sent to different locations. It's smart of them to make sure friends can't help each other out."

Bakugo's smirk widened. "Doesn't matter. I'll crush them all anyway."

I chose to remain silent, not wanting to engage with Bakugo's bravado.

Present Mic continued his explanation. "EACH SITE IS FILLED WITH THREE KINDS OF FAUX VILLAINS. POINTS ARE AWARDED FOR DEFEATING EACH ACCORDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE LEVELS!! USE YOUR QUIRKS TO DISABLE THESE FAUX VILLAINS AND EARN POINTS! THAT'S YOUR GOAL, LISTENERS!! OF COURSE, PLAYING ANTIHERO AND ATTACKING OTHER EXAMINEES IS PROHIBITED!!"

As Present Mic continued his explanation, a tall, muscular young man with short dark blue hair and glasses abruptly stood up. His hair was neatly flattened and parted on the right side of his head, and he had a serious expression on his face.

"May I ask a question?" he said, his voice stern. "There appears to be no less than FOUR varieties of faux villains on this handout! Such an error is highly unbecoming of U.A., Japan's top academy! We are all here in hopes of being molded into model heroes!"

The man then turned around, his gaze zeroing in on Izuku and Bakugo. "And you two! With the blonde and green hair. You've been whispering this whole time... it's distracting! If this is some sort of game to you two, then please leave immediately!"

I turned to Bakugo, "Is he talking to us?"

Bakugo's face twisted into a scowl, and he shot to his feet. "Hey, four eyes! If anyone here is distracting, it's you! If you used context clues and didn't have such a stick up your ass, you could infer that the fourth villain is an obstacle, you-"

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT," Present Mic cut in, his voice booming over the auditorium. "THANK YOU, EXAMINEE 7111, FOR THE QUESTION! THE FOURTH FAUX VILLAIN GIVES YOU 0 POINTS! HE'S MORE OF AN OBSTACLE! IF YOU'VE PLAYED THAT RETRO GAME SUPER MARIO BROS., IT'S KIND OF LIKE A THWOMP! ONLY ONE ON EACH SITE, A 'GIMMICK' THAT'LL RAMPAGE AROUND IN CLOSE QUARTERS!"

The glasses-wearing man glared at Izuku and Bakugo one last time before turning around and bowing to Present Mic. "Thank you for the clarification. My apologies for the interruption."

Present Mic grinned, his voice echoing through the auditorium once more. "THAT'S ALL FROM ME, LISTENERS! I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH OUR SCHOOL MOTTO. THE GREAT HERO NAPOLEON BONAPARTE ONCE SAID, 'TRUE HEROISM CONSISTS IN BEING SUPERIOR TO THE ILLS OF LIFE.' PLUS ULTRA!!!"

As the auditorium erupted into a chorus of "Plus Ultra," I grinned. This was it - the moment I had been training for.