"LET'S COMMENCE THE QUIRK APPREHENSION TEST BATTLES!!!"
...What?!
Aizawa's booming announcement cut through the last lingering echoes of Present Mic's booming voice, and the collective gasp from the students was almost palpable. The sudden declaration of "test battles" caught everyone off guard, replacing the lingering awe from Bakugo's astonishing throw with a fresh wave of anxiety and confusion. Lena, who had been momentarily lost in her own analytical thoughts about Bakugo's Quirk, snapped back to attention, her eyebrows furrowed. The shift from a series of individual physical assessments to direct combat, especially on the very first day, was a jarring revelation. The energy in the large outdoor area, moments ago filled with a mixture of excitement and competitive spirit, now pulsed with a nervous tension, a clear sign that the students were realizing U.A.'s unique approach to hero training.
"AMAZING!" shouted a red-haired boy, his voice cutting through the sudden silence, radiating an almost infectious enthusiasm. Lena, still mentally categorizing her classmates, made a quick attempt to assign him a suitable nickname but found nothing immediately fitting. His raw, unbridled excitement, however, was impossible to ignore. "This is going to be so much fun!" he continued, his fists clenching in anticipation.
"Just as one would expect from the best hero academy in the nation!" Mina exclaimed, her pink skin almost glowing with excitement. She impulsively jumped up, seizing Toru's hand in a burst of energy. "U.A. is absolutely incredible!" Her words echoed the thoughts of many who had idealized this moment.
Bakugo merely offered a terse smirk, a self-satisfied grin plastered across his face. "Hmph." His reaction was typical, a blend of arrogance and a certainty in his own superiority, unfazed by the sudden turn of events.
Lena, meanwhile, cast a wary glance at Bakugo. 'I'm fairly certain this idiot might genuinely attack one of us if we were to inadvertently provoke him or stand in his way...' she mused, a shiver running down her spine despite her usual confidence. His volatile nature was a clear and present danger to anyone in his immediate vicinity, ally or foe.
Lena then turned her head to observe her two newfound friends. Jiro maintained an impeccable poker face, her expression unreadable, yet her distinctive earphone jacks—which she affectionately referred to as her "Jacks"—twitched ever so slightly, betraying a subtle hint of nervousness she couldn't entirely conceal. Yao, on the other hand, appeared completely relaxed, a confident, subtle smile gracing her lips, exuding an air of self-assurance that was almost unnerving. The contrast between her friends' reactions was stark, but both were understandable.
"Fun?" The professor's voice, now devoid of any previous cheerfulness, sliced through the murmurs.
Suddenly, it was as if the entire cheerful atmosphere that had momentarily brightened the mood vanished, replaced by a heavy, almost suffocating silence. The air grew thick with apprehension.
"So, you find it enjoyable, I see," the professor muttered, his gaze sweeping across the stunned faces of the students. Even though he spoke in a low, almost mumbled tone, his words resonated with an unnerving clarity in the students' ears, each syllable amplified by the sudden quiet. "So you were planning on three years of relaxation at U.A., then? Taking it easy?" His voice carried an implicit threat. "That's not acceptable in the slightest..."
A profound sense of foreboding settled over Lena, a chilling premonition of what was to come. It was the same feeling she sometimes got when her Quirk subtly brushed against an unpredictable temporal anomaly.
"Then why don't we make this a bit more 'fun', eh?" The teacher's smile did not quite reach his eyes; it was a cold, unsettling expression that promised anything but merriment. Lena felt her body instinctively stiffen, almost as if she were a small prey animal suddenly confronted by a cunning, predatory hunter. "I shall calculate the comprehensive performance of each of you across all these tests. The individual who ranks last, the absolute lowest, will be permanently expelled from U.A."
It was as if the entire class had been struck by a bolt of lightning, a collective jolt of sheer terror. The announcement sent them reeling, prompting intense, panicked introspection regarding their prospects and the severity of this new reality. Some, like the confident Bakugo and the composed Yao, remained relatively unconcerned, their expressions largely unchanged. Others, however, such as the invisible Toru and the perpetually nervous 'lettuce-haired' boy (Midoriya), exhibited profound worry and overt fear, their faces contorting in distress.
Lena, meanwhile, was not overly distressed by the threat. Unless the tests involved a purely raw strength competition, she anticipated little difficulty in avoiding the bottom spot. 'But who truly knows what these upcoming evaluations will entail... better not to underestimate anything, especially not a teacher who introduces himself as a caterpillar and then threatens expulsion on day one...' Her inner pragmatism took over.
"You can't do that! That's completely unmanly!" the redhead boy (Kirishima Eijiro) bellowed, fury lacing his voice. He appeared less concerned about his own performance in the tests than genuinely annoyed by the perceived unfairness of the situation and the immediate predicament of some of his classmates. His strong sense of justice was clear. "This isn't right at all!"
"Exactly! It's our very first day here! And they're already going to expel someone?!" Ochako shouted, her brows furrowed in a scowl directed at the teacher. "It's utterly unjust and completely unreasonable!"
"Natural disasters, colossal accidents, devastating calamities are constantly unfolding across this nation. Japan is riddled with villains who materialize from seemingly nowhere, their sole purpose to inflict harm upon the very society we heroes have toiled so diligently to protect. Our solemn responsibility as Heroes is to neutralize these threats as swiftly as humanly possible and to save as many lives as we can, even if it entails sacrificing our own existence," the professor declared, his voice rising, glaring intently at the students, and perhaps, Lena mused, a little at himself, as if wrestling with his own words. "That, children, is the essence of our duty as Heroes; it is a profession fraught with immense hardship and, often, mortality. At any given moment, you might bear witness to your comrade falling before your very eyes, powerless to intervene, yet we persevere because we are Heroes! Do you truly perceive this as unfair? Life itself is inherently not fair! That is merely a futile, childish ideal! Have you finally awakened from your sheltered slumber, little ones?! Well?! If so, then welcome, truly welcome, to the Department of Heroes!" His final words hung in the air, a stark, inescapable truth.
<50 Meter Race>
Lena observed the preliminary races unfold, a sense of calm detachment settling over her. She was utterly devoid of worry concerning her own performance. After all, a single, perfectly timed 'Acceleration' would instantly transport her across the entire distance, placing her at the finish line in a fraction of a second. It was almost a trivial exercise for her.
Nevertheless, this particular test proved valuable, allowing her to learn the names and gain some initial insights into the Quirks of her new classmates. It was a chance to observe them in action, to understand their baseline capabilities.
Some Quirks were remarkably intriguing, such as Mina's ability to secrete acid or Uraraka's power to nullify gravity with a touch, opening up unique combat possibilities. But without question, the most captivating and overtly powerful Quirk belonged to Todoroki Shoto. His control over both ice and fire was astonishing, a dual-elemental mastery that few could boast.
'Another individual possessing an exceedingly potent Quirk... apparently he's Endeavor's son, so his immense strength and dual abilities make logical sense given his lineage,' Lena mused, casting a sideways glance at the distinctive half-and-half-haired boy. His stoic demeanor belied the raw power simmering beneath his calm exterior.
After a few minutes of observing various students, it was finally Lena's turn. She was paired with Shoji, a remarkably tall individual possessing multiple, versatile limbs, clearly a significant manifestation of his Dupli-Arms Quirk. Their contrasting abilities promised an interesting race.
"3...2...1...Go!"
The signal blared, and in an instant, Lena's form blurred.
0.22 SECONDS!
Where Lena had previously stood, a sky-blue, ethereal trail now lingered in the air, a fleeting testament to her movement. This ephemeral residue swiftly dissipated, reintegrating with Lena's form as she appeared effortlessly at the finish line. She wore only a triumphant, slightly mischievous smile, before calmly rejoining the group of other astonished students.
This remarkable time bewildered every single student present. Prior to this, everyone had anticipated Yaoyorozu Momo to be the fastest, having clocked an impressive 1.31 seconds with her rocket boots. Lena's time, however, was in a league of its own, an almost unbelievable feat.
(A/N: For context, Momo had indeed ingeniously employed self-created rocket boots to achieve that speed, a testament to her versatile Creation Quirk.)
Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugo were briefly alerted by the impossible speed, their expressions flickering with surprise, but they quickly dismissed their concern, convinced it must have been a fluke or a momentary misreading. Their pride likely wouldn't allow them to dwell on it.
'No matter what transpires, I shall invariably emerge victorious in the end...' Todoroki mused, his gaze once more directed skyward, awaiting the conclusion of these trivial trials. 'The sky appears remarkably serene today... a good day for a quiet victory.' His detachment was almost profound.
'What fitting designation should I assign her, that fast bitch? Perhaps Flash? Or something equally demeaning yet accurate?' Bakugo pondered, his mind furiously trying to conceive a fitting, derisive moniker for the swiftly moving girl who had just outpaced everyone. The raw frustration of being surpassed, even by such a margin, was evident in his thoughts.
Well, Lena certainly hadn't anticipated Yao's unconventional approach. To the collective astonishment of the class, Yaoyorozu Momo ingeniously fabricated a hydraulic glove capable of utterly shattering the grip strength testing machine. The device exploded in a shower of plastic and metal, rendering it unusable for subsequent measurements. It was an over-the-top, yet undeniably effective, display of her Quirk's versatility.
Unquestionably, Yao secured the absolute top position in this test, her score rendered immeasurable by the destroyed equipment. She was followed by the taciturn Shoji, whose Dupli-Arms allowed him to register an impressive 540KG, a testament to his raw physical power.
Lena, exerting the absolute utmost strength she could muster from her arms, managed a respectable 216KG. This was a commendable achievement, especially given her minor Super Strength Quirk and the fact that she had barely trained her arms adequately compared to her legs. She acknowledged the limitations but was still pleased with the result.
This particular test presented no significant challenge for Lena. Although individuals capable of utilizing their Quirks for direct propulsion clearly held a considerable advantage, she was confident in her own abilities. However, Yao did not achieve first place this time, her Creation Quirk not being as directly applicable here. Instead, Jiro Kyoka managed an impressive score by unleashing a powerful sonic blast directly onto the ground beneath her, propelling herself a quite considerable distance through the air. Lena was more surprised that Jiro sustained no apparent injuries from the abrupt, forceful landing than anything else; it spoke volumes about her resilience.
'Perhaps that resilience is a subtle effect of her Secondary Quirk... a latent ability to withstand self-inflicted shockwaves,' Lena analyzed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, always eager to understand the intricacies of Quirks.
Jiro, Yao, and I performed quite commendably in this assessment. While we didn't secure the absolute top positions, we came exceptionally close to the leading scores. I managed to slightly outpace the other two by cleverly utilizing 'Recoil' multiple times, allowing for rapid repositioning, though this strategy only secured me fourth place overall. My endurance was starting to be tested.
I was beginning to feel a faint, persistent hunger gnawing at me, a familiar side effect of extensive Quirk use. Fortunately, there wasn't much left of the trials; otherwise, I might have found myself in a rather precarious situation, potentially struggling with energy depletion mid-test.
To the collective astonishment of the entire class, Ochako Uraraka achieved an utterly perplexing 'INFINITE' score on the ball throw. Her Quirk, Zero Gravity, allowed her to remove the gravitational pull from the softball, sending it soaring into the atmosphere without any resistance.
Obviously, an 'INFINITE' range is not literally accurate in the physical sense, but I immediately assumed the ball simply ascended beyond the measurement range of the sensor, disappearing into the upper atmosphere. It was a simple yet brilliant application of her ability.
Jiro, for her part, performed to the best of her physical ability, but she did not possess an extraordinary sonic strength Quirk, so she only attained a slightly above-average result, respectable but not groundbreaking.
Yao, on the other hand, true to her ingenious nature, produced a literal BAZOOKA from her skin and launched the ball with explosive force, nearly matching Bakugo's astonishing score. The sheer creativity was both terrifying and impressive.
As for me... well, my result wasn't bad, I suppose. I employed 'Acceleration' to make myself spin incredibly rapidly, building immense rotational kinetic energy, before unleashing the ball with all my might. I honestly wasn't entirely certain if this convoluted method would work, given that time essentially freezes for everything except me during 'Acceleration,' potentially negating the kinetic buildup. But it somehow did.
Thank you, kinetic force, for your glorious existence!
-612.7 meters-
Now it was Midoriya Izuku's turn to throw the ball. I honestly held no particular expectations for him. It wasn't that he was a person with malicious intent or a bad character, but he had yet to demonstrate any compelling reason for his presence here, especially after his underwhelming performances in the preceding assessments.
Rather, my most pressing question about him was: How did he even pass the rigorous U.A. entrance examination in the first place, given his apparent lack of a discernible offensive Quirk?
"Will he be alright? He hasn't performed well in any of the previous assessments, and he looks incredibly nervous," Uraraka muttered, a worried expression clouding her charming face. Her concern for him was palpable.
"That's because that idiot possesses no Quirk whatsoever!" Bakugo exclaimed, his voice dripping with mockery and condescension as he glared at Midoriya with undisguised disgust. His words were harsh, meant to cut deep.
I stared at Bakugo in surprise for a moment, processing his cruel remark, before shrugging. This was Bakugo, after all; it was quite possibly just another taunt, or some twisted form of encouragement, or simply a display of his volatile personality.
"You are mistaken; he possesses one, and a remarkably powerful one at that. However, each time he utilizes it, his body incurs significant, often debilitating, damage," Tenya Iida refuted, adjusting his glasses on his nose and keeping his gaze intently fixed on Midoriya, a hint of defensive loyalty in his tone. "You shall bear witness to it yourself."
Midoriya appeared ready to throw the ball, his small frame tensed with determination. As he was about to exert every ounce of his force...
Nothing noteworthy transpired. The ball merely dropped from his hand with a pathetic plop.
Midoriya looked utterly confused, staring at his outstretched hand as if it had betrayed him. "What?" he whispered.
"I temporarily nullified your Quirk. To be blunt, I fail to comprehend your presence here at U.A., Midoriya." The cause of this sudden nullification was a pair of glowing crimson eyes belonging to our teacher, Aizawa Shota, as he calmly mentioned erasing Midoriya's Quirk. His capture weapon flowed behind him like a menacing scarf.
I immediately recognized the teacher's identity. While meticulously designing my hero costume, I had extensively researched various sources of inspiration, delving into the histories and abilities of many Pro Heroes, both famous and obscure.
During one of these extensive searches, I stumbled upon news of an Underground Hero who had gained considerable renown in recent years for his formidable and feared Quirk. His methods were unconventional, his presence often unseen.
His name was...
"Eraserhead! The Eraser Hero!" Midoriya shouted, his voice imbued with the unmistakable, high-pitched tone of an excited fanboy. He clearly recognized him, unlike many others.
"Who?" Jiro inquired, tilting her head in genuine confusion. It appeared most of the students were indeed unfamiliar with Eraser Head, their knowledge limited to mainstream, flashy heroes.
"Eraserhead, he is one of the rare individuals in the world who possesses a Quirk that allows him to temporarily erase others' abilities as long as he maintains direct line of sight with the person in question. He is not widely known due to his work primarily in the darker, less glamorous areas like the slums, where he has cultivated an excellent, albeit underground, reputation over the past few years for his relentless pursuit of justice," Lena explained, observing our teacher closely. His jet-black hair now seemed to defy gravity, rising menacingly, his eyes were glowing red with active power, and none of his previous lazy, fatigued demeanor could be seen anywhere; he was all business.
The surrounding students appeared genuinely surprised, and some even frightened by this revelation, which was entirely understandable. Quirks were an intrinsic, almost fundamental, part of their lives, their very identity, and having them erased, even temporarily, felt profoundly unsettling, almost cruel.
Eraserhead approached Midoriya and began speaking, his words low and intense, about... something. I couldn't discern the specifics of their conversation from my distance, but judging by the distressed, crestfallen expression on Midoriya's face, it could not have been pleasant or encouraging. The weight of the words seemed to visibly crush the boy.
After a brief, intense exchange, Eraserhead restored Midoriya's Quirk with a subtle flicker of his eyes and slowly walked away, leaving Midoriya standing there with a profoundly troubled, almost desperate look on his face.
'Goodness, poor boy, he looks like he's on the verge of a full-blown panic attack...' Lena thought, instinctively biting one of her lips. His distressed countenance, the raw fear in his eyes, starkly reminded her of her own struggles during her occasional panic attacks when confined. It was a familiar pain reflected in another.
To everyone's absolute surprise, Midoriya suddenly looked up, his eyes now blazing with a newfound, fierce determination. He tightened his grip on the softball, adopted his stance once more, and...
BOOOOOOOOM!
With a resonant, ear-splitting sonic boom that reverberated across the training grounds, the ball shot forth with incredible, impossible speed, soaring so high into the sky that it was barely discernible to the naked eye. It was a display of raw, unrestrained power.
!!!
The entire class was utterly impressed, indeed stunned, by Midoriya's sudden, explosive display of power. But Lena noticed something else, something critical. Tenya had specifically mentioned that Midoriya sustained injury each time he utilized his Quirk, yet she perceived no visible damage to any part of his body. It was a contradiction that piqued her analytical mind.
"I'm still standing, All Might!" Midoriya shouted, tears of exertion and triumph welling in his eyes, accompanied by a broad, trembling smile that conveyed immense relief and pride.
'Ah,' Lena could now discern the subtle source of the damage: a single, swollen finger on his throwing hand. He had only utilized his Quirk on that one digit, and that alone was sufficient to generate such immense power. The thought sent a shiver of awe through her: what would be the effect if he employed his entire arm, or even his full body, to unleash that power...? The destructive potential was staggering.
The class was left utterly astonished by this sudden turn of events, and Iida appeared visibly pleased, almost smug, to have been proven correct about Midoriya's latent power.
But Bakugo was anything but pleased.
"Explain this to me, Deku! What the hell was that?!" Bakugo bellowed with uncontrolled rage lacing his voice, his eyes bulging with fury.
He suddenly launched himself, propelled by explosive bursts from his hands, directly towards Midoriya with overtly violent and aggressive intentions, charging headfirst like a rampaging bull.
Lena, reacting with lightning speed, employed an 'Acceleration' to swiftly position herself between them and deliver a forceful kick that sent Bakugo sprawling away from Midoriya. Simultaneously, Eraser Head, ever vigilant, seized the opportune moment to wrap his specialized capture weapon around Bakugo, restraining him, and nullify his Quirk with a glare.
"Do not compel me to overuse my Quirk more than I should, Bakugo; it causes my eyes to painfully dry out. And you, Oxton," Eraser Head stated, turning his crimson gaze briefly to Lena. "Although aggression between students is generally prohibited, given your clear intention to protect Midoriya, I shall overlook it this once. Bakugo, if you attempt such an uncontrolled act of aggression again, I will expel you immediately, without hesitation." His voice was low, yet firm, leaving no room for argument.
Lena offered a quick, deferential apology to the teacher for her aggressive action towards Bakugo, acknowledging the rule, and then calmly walked away, casting a cold, unyielding glare at Bakugo. 'You utterly deserve that, you arrogant bastard,' she thought, her expression unreadable.
After that explosive interlude, we continued with the remaining physical assessments, the tension in the air still palpable but now tinged with a new understanding of the stakes involved.
"Well, here are the final results of the Quirk Apprehension Test," Eraser Head announced, his voice devoid of emotion. He produced a folded paper from his pocket, seemingly intending to hand it to Midoriya. Immediately, the entire room surged forward, converging rapidly to view the results with intense anticipation...
But there was no paper for Midoriya to receive... because Lena had, in a flash of 'Acceleration,' snatched it from Eraser Head's grasp the instant he produced it. She did so with a mischievous glint in her eye, enjoying the collective groan of the class.
...
-Test Results- 1- Yaoyorozu Momo 2- Todoroki Shoto 3- Oxton Lena 4- Bakugo Katsuki 5- Iida Tenya ... ... ... 18- Jiro Kyoka 19- Hagakure Toru 20- Midoriya Izuku
...
Lena felt a sense of quiet satisfaction at securing third place in the comprehensive assessment. It appeared that Todoroki had narrowly surpassed her, which, frankly, bothered her slightly as it marked the second consecutive time she had just missed a higher ranking by a frustratingly slim margin. Her competitive spirit was certainly piqued.
Conversely, she felt a pang of concern for Jiro. Her score was not particularly impressive, landing her near the bottom. However, Lena was keenly aware that this specific test format was largely unfavorable to Jiro's Quirk, placing her abilities at a significant disadvantage in a series of purely physical assessments. It wasn't a true reflection of Jiro's potential.
Yao, for her part, consistently achieved near-perfect scores of 100/100 on the test, a testament to the remarkable versatility and adaptability of her Creation Quirk. Her performance was a class apart.
"By the way, the expulsion threat at the beginning was merely a fabrication," Eraser Head stated abruptly, his voice flat, as he began to walk away, his back already to the stunned students.
"WHAT?!" almost the entire class shouted in unison, their voices echoing the collective shock and outrage at having been so thoroughly deceived. The tension that had defined their first day now dissolved into bewildered disbelief.