The path forward

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|A year later…|

…

"My time has come…"

"Hey Suzaku, what are you saying over there?"

"Uh… Nothing. By the way, you didn't have to accompany me until here, you know that? I can take care of myself"

"What are you saying you brat? And miss the very moment when my son succeeds in his dream of becoming a hero? No way!"

"Not a hero, dad. I'm still a student"

"Who cares about minor things?" 

"..."

"Don't worry Suzaku, your father and I have no problem in accompanying you on this important day. Rather, it has been a long time since we visited the big city, so this might be an opportunity to do some tourism while we are at it. Right, dear?"

"Huh? Ah, yeah"

"What about your job, Dad?"

"Oh, that? I just asked for a vacation of a few days"

"...And you mom?"

"I put a sign on the door that said "Closed for a few days to accompany my heroic son to the UA exam"

"... Seriously"

Facepalming as he faced his parents' tenacious desire to accompany him to the exam, Suzaku sighed before he shook his head and muttered "Whatever".

Currently, he was standing right outside of the so-called Best Hero School in the whole country.

UA.

He was waiting for them to open the doors, since, apparently, he had arrived too early and the school would only open its door to the examinees in about 10 minutes.

He could only blame the training regime the old man made him go through during these past few months.

To make sure he had fully mastered his fighting styles, the old man had made him come to train with him every single day at 6:00 AM. And since they kept at it for around three months, it became natural for Suzaku to wake up early, much to his dread.

He was the type that loved waking up at 2:00 PM, after all.

Today he ended up waking up too early as a result of that as well. Which caused him in the end to arrive a bit too early at the practical exam.

Though, it might have been due to nervousness as well. Although Suzaku was often carefree and didn't get nervous about many things, he had to admit that the night before he may have been feeling a tad nervous about the incoming exam.

It was the final step to entering into the career of a hero like he had been planning for the last 9 years, after all.

It was normal to be feeling nervous.

Though, not as much as he did during the written exam a few days ago… He was sweating buckets that day.

Fortunately, though, he felt that he had done well enough in the exam.

And he better have done so. After all, for the past year, he studied like he had never done before just to make sure he would pass it.

Even his time at university during his past life paled in comparison to the devotion he had to put to his studies this year or so.

It was quite a shock when the old man Tatsuo revealed to him that the UA exam not only consisted of a practical exam, but of a written one as well.

Honestly, he didn't know how he hadn't thought about that before. Maybe it was because he thought heroes didn't need to be mathematic geniuses, or maybe because he simply had forgotten, but honestly, considering UA was still considered a school, it made sense that they had a written exam.

'It was hard as hell, though' Suzaku thought as he grabbed his face after remembering how stressful that day was.

He studied for the whole past year like a madman, and even then, he had problems remembering every single topic that the test inquired him about.

He was tested about every single thing, and nothing was left out.

Even now, he could vividly remember the urge he felt to yell at the teachers who had been observing them the day of the exam "Why the heck does a hero need to know all this?!"

He got really frustrated that day, and even remembering was making him feel a bit angry.

It was no wonder the acceptance rate was so low.

Nevertheless, he quickly recovered his composure after remembering that such a stressful day had passed and that now the main obstacle in his way was the practical exam.

'Focus Suzaku, focus. You came here to clap cheeks. The main boss "Written exam" is defeated, now, only a weak-ass mid-boss is awaiting you, this should be easy'

"Hey"

As Suzaku was squinting his eyes at the giant school before him and the challenge that was to come, he felt someone touch his shoulder out of a sudden.

Out of reflex, he turned around and almost punched the guy's face to oblivion. However, he managed to refrain from doing that when he noticed who it was. Stopping his fist just a few centimeters from the person's face.

It was Arata.

"Woah man, what the hell?!" The kid in question jumped back after noticing Suzaku had almost punched him. Looking at him with a shocked expression soon after making some distance.

In response, Suzaku only stared at him for a few seconds speechlessly, before blowing some air on his fist as if it was a gun.

"Oh, it was only you, Arata. Sorry, I was just ready and alert to punch any villain that might cross my path. After all, since I'm going to become a hero and all that, I've got to prepare the mindset… You get me?"

Hearing that, Arata deadpanned, before he approached Suzaku once more as he shook his head.

"Seriously, you scared the hell out of me" Arata scratched the back of his head.

"Oh my, is that you Morikawa-kun?" Suddenly, Suzaku's parents' voice sounded from the side, making both youths look at them.

"Oh, it's you, Auntie and Uncle" Seeing them, Arata raised his eyebrows for a second, before he approached the pair to greet them.

He had been to Suzaku's house a lot of times when they were kids. Most of the time to play some games. So, it was normal for him to already know them.

As Arata shook hands with both of them, Suzaku walked up to him and slapped his back, making his friend yelp in pain before trying to hit him back but failing anyway.

"This guy wants to become a hero as well" As Suzaku snickered at his friend's failed attempt at getting revenge, he revealed Arata's reason for being here. Surprising his parents, who looked at the kid in shock.

Seeing that, Arata could only scratch the back of his head while letting out an embarrassed laugh.

"Yeah, I'm giving it a try as well. Though, since they didn't allow me to bring any weapons, I think I will have to conform with simply doing my best with my Quirk, even if it isn't exactly hero material"

"Oh, don't say that! I bet that if you try enough, you will be able to pass. Just like our son managed somehow to pass the written exam." Suzaku's mother, Aya, said as she giggled.

"Hey, I can hear you"

"Eh? Suzaku passed?" Arata exclaimed as he turned to look at Suzaku in shock.

Something that annoyed the latter, but that he still dignified with a response.

"I mean, I feel like I passed since I answered most things with a bit of confidence, but we will see how it truly went after they give the results"

"Unbelievable" Arata mumbled in a low voice, still surprised by the news.

"I'll seriously beat you up"

"Come on, it's just a joke" Arata laughed as he patted Suzaku's back.

-Bam!-

"Ahem"

Suddenly, as both youths were bickering with each other, the doors of the school gate opened, and a guy with long black hair and an unshaved beard appeared from behind it before yelling at the crowd of people who had gathered outside of the school gates, Suzaku and Arata included.

"Let's see… All the examinees who are here for the practical exam please enter the school and go directly towards the auditorium. There will be teachers who will guide you, so don't worry about getting lost… That's all"

After that, the man went back inside before disappearing into the school. Leaving the group of teenagers speechless for a moment, before some decided to enter.

Seeing that it was already time to enter, Suzaku smiled, before he turned towards his parents and hugged them. Something that the pair reciprocated, before patting his back.

"We will be doing some tourism in the city while you are busy passing the exam. Call us when you are finished" Aya said, smiling warmly at her son as she did so.

"Sure Mom" Suzaku nodded.

"Good luck son. Succeed where I failed, and become the greatest hero of all!" Suzaku's father, Yoshiro, pumped up his fist as he put his other hand on Suzaku's shoulder. Looking at him with shiny eyes.

At that, Suzaku sneered, before shaking his head.

"Wish the exam luck, Dad. For it will need it more than me" He said, causing his father's eyebrow to twitch.

Once the farewells were done, Suzaku and Arata separated from the pair of adults—Of course, not without waving at them one final time—before beginning to enter the school gate.

Both of their steps confident and ready to take on the challenge.

Or well, at least until halfway.

"I'm feeling kind of nervous all of a sudden…" Arata said, gulping a good chunk of saliva while trying to stop his legs from shivering.

Seeing his friend's state, Suzaku raised an eyebrow, before he slapped his back once more and laughed out loud.

-Plaf!-

"Hahahaha!"

"Aaaargh, you son of a—!"

"Come on, Arata, you didn't train with me for a whole month only to chicken out at the last minute, did you? Let's do this until the end!" Suzaku exclaimed out loud, remembering how his friend had asked him to teach him how to fight a month ago.

Although the training had not transformed him into a legendary warrior, at least Arata now knew how to defend himself more properly.

"Urgh… It's easy for you to say… What happens if I fail?" The kid shook his head in negation.

"If you fail, you fail, my little grasshopper. That's all" Suzaku sagely caressed his metaphorical beard as he answered Arata.

Then, as he lifted his index finger, Suzaku stated "... As the saying goes, whoever is scared to die might as well not die"

"I think you got it wron—" Arata tried to say something. However, he was quickly shushed by Suzaku.

"Do not question the ancient wisdom my friend, now, stop being a sissy and come on. We gotta become the best heroes that there are, right?" After saying that, Suzaku put up his fist right before Arata, who looked at it for a few seconds in bafflement before smirking and fist-bumping it.

"Yeah, let's become the best heroes that there are, together"

"No homo"

"What?"

…

-To be continued-

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(A/N: And so, the practical exam arc begins... Just a heads up, I might extended it for a bit too long... Let's just hope it isn't boring for you guys)

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