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Chapter 86 - LXXXVI: Licence Exam IV

While the boys from U.A. watched the ongoing match with open curious eyes, chaos erupted inside the observation room assigned to the Hero Public Safety Commission.

The space, usually kept in strict order, had descended into disorder. Staff members were running back and forth, arguing over data, pointing at screens, and scrambling to make sense of what they were seeing.

No one was more stunned than Yokumiru Mera—the official currently overseeing this stage of the exam.

His hands trembled slightly as he leaned toward the monitor. Six students had just passed the first phase of the test. Not one or two—six. That alone shattered the previous record, and what was even more shocking was how effortlessly they had done it. From what he observed on the screens, they hadn't even tried to break the record.

They had simply moved forward because their classmates were already wrapping up. They cleared the stage like it was routine, almost like they were playing around. Some had even made casual bets with each other during the test. Yokumiru could hardly believe it.

"Just what kind of monsters has U.A. raised this year?" one of the analysts muttered under their breath.

"Bring me the folders for those six students from U.A.," Yokumiru barked, standing up sharply. "I need to see them—now."

Within moments, six freshly printed files were handed to him. He opened the top one.

Name: Raiden Tsurugi

Age: 15

Quirk: Psionic Mutation

Quirk Description: Raiden's Quirk manifests as a transformation into a cat-like alien creature. In this enhanced form, his physical strength and speed increase to nearly two or three times his normal levels. But that's only the beginning—his transformation unlocks a broad range of psychic-based abilities: telekinesis, energy projectiles, psychic waves and beams, and even a form of healing.

The full extent of his powers is still unknown. Even Raiden himself isn't sure of the limits, as each appearance in battle seems to reveal a new ability. All are rooted in his evolving psychic potential, making his power feel less like a single Quirk and more like an arsenal of them.

Yokumiru's brows shot up as he read. Impressed wasn't even the right word—it was closer to disbelief. A Quirk like that, which naturally amplifies physical capabilities while offering such a vast variety of psychic powers, was absurd. It could easily make Raiden a top contender for the number one hero in Japan in the future.

And yet, he wasn't even the only standout.

Yokumiru opened the next file.

Name: Alice Phoenix

Age: 15

Quirk: Stacking / Reverse World

Quirk Description:

Alice possesses a rare dual-type Quirk. First, she can activate a field with a radius of nine meters that inverts spatial perception for anyone inside it. Left becomes right, up becomes down—causing complete disorientation. Enemies find their movements reversed, and their coordination crumbles, making defense and counterattacks nearly impossible.

Second, with each consecutive blow she lands, her attack power increases by at least 5%. The stacking effect continues with no known cap—only limited by the physical endurance of Alice's own body. In prolonged combat, her strikes can become overwhelmingly powerful.

Yokumiru blinked, his eyes wide as saucers. "What in the world... these kids aren't just strong—they're terrifying."

Without hesitation, he turned his attention to the remaining files.

Nejire Hado

Age: 15

Quirk: Wave

Quirk Description:

Nejire's Quirk allows her to convert her own vitality into raw energy, which she then releases as powerful spiral-shaped shockwaves. These waves are incredibly destructive, but because they twist as they move, they don't travel very fast through the air.

That was the theory, at least. In practice, Nejire had found a way to flip that weakness on its head. Instead of being held back by the spiraling motion, she used the momentum to propel herself at incredible speeds. While her energy blasts might not be the fastest, she was anything but slow—she zipped across the battlefield like a rocket, using her Quirk to enhance both her mobility and attack power.

Yokumiru could already see it—another powerhouse. And she wasn't alone.

Mirio Togata

Age: 15

Quirk: Permeation

Quirk Description:

Mirio's Quirk allows him to phase through solid matter. He can become completely intangible, slipping through walls, floors, or any physical obstacle. Enemy attacks pass through him as if he were made of smoke. However, the real challenge of this power lies in controlling it. If every part of his body becomes intangible at once, he loses all his senses—and even falls through the ground. But with training and sharp instincts, Mirio had already begun to master it.

Chopper Tonny

Age: 15

Quirk: Reidner

Quirk Description:

Chopper's Quirk transforms him into a bipedal reindeer-like creature. In this form, his strength, speed, and durability are massively increased. But that wasn't the only thing that set him apart. His most notable ability was the power to grow and manipulate the shape of his antlers at will. He could extend them rapidly during battle, turning them into weapons, shields, or even mobility tools.

There was a catch: the larger or more complex his antlers became, the more energy they burned. After extensive use, Chopper needed to eat—a lot. Yokumiru made a note: "High energy cost, but devastating power."

Tamaki Amajiki

Age: 15

Quirk: Manifest

Quirk Description:

Tamaki's Quirk allows him to manifest physical traits from the food he's eaten. If he eats takoyaki, his limbs can take the form of octopus tentacles. If he eats clams, he can generate hard shells or even claws. But it wasn't just about mimicry—his manifestations were far stronger than their natural counterparts. His crab claws could crush steel, and his tentacles had the strength to restrain full-grown adults. The more of a substance he consumed, the more powerful and durable his transformations became.

It was a strange Quirk on paper, but in combat, it gave him near-limitless versatility.

Yokumiru stared down at the six profiles, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. "What the hell...?" he muttered under his breath. Every single one of these kids had the potential to become a top-ranked pro. They weren't just strong—they were dangerous. He could already picture them in the top 100 heroes of Japan, maybe even higher. And they were only in their first year.

He leaned back in his chair, the weight of the realization settling in.

"If they're already this powerful... what the hell are they going to be like next year?"

Then, Yokumiru's eyes caught something unusual on the paper—Raiden's name was marked with a red symbol beside it. He knew exactly what that meant. Raiden had been chosen to work directly under them.

"So, the old fox already had his eye on the kid, huh?" Yokumiru muttered with a sigh. "That's rough."

He leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the monitor in front of him. The first stage of the exam was still ongoing. Slowly, the number of successful candidates began to climb—one by one, the names turned green.

By the time the counter hit 21, every student from U.A. High had passed. Hana was the last to make it through, and her condition wasn't great. Her health was the lowest among her classmates, clearly showing how much she had pushed herself to get through.

Yokumiru exhaled deeply, then glanced toward the rest of the staff before speaking into the mic of the office to the rest of the workers, "This year's batch has potential—lots of it. If things keep going this way, the future of hero society might look pretty different. Alright, everyone, keep a close eye on the top 50—they're likely to clear the second stage too. Put special focus on the top 10 and anyone who breaks a record."

He kicked back slightly in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, as the numbers on the screen continued to rise.

45… 56… 78…

Time moved on, and more students began clearing the test, one after another. The screen kept updating.

85… 90… 96… 99…

And then, the final candidate made it through—number 100.

A deep, echoing tone rang through the stadium. All around, the giant display screens flashed the same message:

"FIRST STAGE FINISHED: STOP ALL FIGHTS."

Yokumiru grabbed a microphone and addressed the crowd, his voice echoing through the speakers.

"Well, that's it for the first stage. All combat stops now. No more points will be awarded. If you didn't make it, you can either watch the next stage from the stands—or head back to your school buses. Your choice."

His tone was flat, almost bored, and definitely not polite. But no one called him out on it.

If anyone was upset, they kept it to themselves. Most just grumbled under their breath and trudged out of the stadium. Some moved to the spectator stands, while others returned to their schools' transport, dragging their feet. None of them looked pleased—and the ones with the darkest expressions were clearly those who had taken the exam before.

Failing again cut deep.

Yokumiru didn't give them a second glance. He'd seen it all before.

Then, a new countdown appeared on the massive screen.

30:00

Thirty minutes until the next phase began. The timer started immediately.

Just as it did, Yokumiru reappeared—this time seated at a long press conference table at the side of the room, ready for the next part of the show.

"Ahem... well then, congratulations to all of you," Yokumiru announced, his voice projecting across the room with casual confidence. "As you can see, the next stage begins in thirty minutes. This time, you won't be fighting each other. On the contrary—your focus will shift to rescue."

Right as he finished speaking, the entire room trembled. A deep, mechanical rumble followed, like the growl of a giant engine coming to life. Moments later, the source became clear: the room itself was moving.

From outside, anyone watching could see the entire structure—revealed to be a massive vehicle—slowly making its way toward a different section of the stadium.

The area they approached resembled the aftermath of a catastrophic event. It was a sprawling mock disaster zone: collapsed buildings, shattered roads, fires still smoldering in the rubble. The air looked thick with dust, and the entire scene could've been ripped straight from a post-apocalyptic movie.

"You'll be rescuing pro victims," Yokumiru continued, now standing in front of the large observation window. "They're trained professionals—just like you, they study to help the hero society, except their job is to act as real victims during training exercises like this one. They're here to help you refine your rescue skills under pressure."

He paused, letting the words settle.

"This is the second and final stage of the Hero License Exam. Pass it, and you'll earn your provisional license. So don't slack off. Give it everything."

With that, he turned around and walked away without another word, leaving the examinees alone in the room.

No one spoke for several moments. Most just stood quietly, watching the countdown timer on the wall tick down from 30:00. The six students from U.A. who had passed first were already seated together on the floor, mentally preparing for the task ahead.

They had the luxury of a bit more recovery time. Meanwhile, the students who passed later were rehydrating and grabbing snacks from their kits, trying to recover what little energy they could after the brutal first stage.

"Should we work together?" Mirio asked, glancing at the timer. His usual cheerfulness was still there, but this time, a trace of seriousness underlined his expression.

'I agree,' Mewtwo's calm voice echoed inside their minds. 'Working as a unit could be more efficient. I'll use my abilities to locate people in the rubble, then we can act accordingly.'

"Ne ne, wait—" Nejire tilted her head with curiosity as she walked up to him, "You can detect people?"

'Not exactly,' Mewtwo responded. 'But I can send out a mental pulse—sort of like a broad telekinetic pulse to anything nearby. It works like a sonar, is energy-taxing, it uses my Telekinesis as a basis but I think now is worth it. I still don't master it but could help us to narrow down locations. Then Mirio can phase in and check their condition before we start moving anything heavy.'

"Hmm… Let's split into two teams," Nejire suggested thoughtfully.

"You, Lemillion, and Revery—Alice—on one side. I'll team up with Wendigo and Suneater. That way we balance out our Quirks."

She was right. Mewtwo's abilities could help locate survivors and move debris telekinetically. Mirio's phasing and strength made him perfect for quick assessments and digging. Alice, could adapt and help to whatever the situation threw at them.

On the other hand, Tamaki's power could allow him to detect movement or signs of life, depending on what he ate before, while Nejire and Wendigo could carefully shift larger pieces of rubble without causing more damage.

Technically, anyone could help clear debris, but finding people buried beneath it was the real challenge. In that regard, Suneater and Mewtwo had the most reliable detection abilities.

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