Goo and Denki walked toward the UA entrance. The flood of applicants crowded the sidewalk, every step accompanied by murmurs, nervous laughter, and the creak of backpacks loaded to the limit.
Goo walked calmly, glancing around as if he'd already seen it all before. His yellow streak flashed subtly every time it detected strong emotions: anxiety, confidence, fear, determination.
It was like an internal radar that gave him an edge even before crossing UA's gate.
Denki, beside him, looked excited but tense, adjusting his cap over and over. "Do you think… I'm ready for this, Goo?" he asked, without looking directly at his brother.
"Ready or not," Goo replied with his usual carefree tone, "no one's going to hand you a free pass here. So you'd better fake confidence while you let your Quirk do the work," he added, adjusting his glasses.
Denki frowned. "That doesn't make me feel better…"
Goo smiled, tilting his head. "That's because you still don't get that the first test isn't just about strength. It's about watching, anticipating, and not letting nerves turn you into an easy target. But don't worry, I'll teach you something on the way."
As they walked, some threw competitive glances, others whispered strategies to each other. Goo studied them in silence, registering nervous movements, quickened breaths, arrogant gestures. Each one was an open book if you knew how to read it.
Goo shrugged, adjusting his glasses again. "Nothing… for now."
"You know?" Denki muttered, lowering his voice a bit. "I feel like everyone's staring at me… like I'm in danger."
Goo chuckled, a low sound, barely audible. "Yeah… that's because you always look like an easy target. Just… stay close to me."
Denki raised an eyebrow. "Like your human shield?"
"Exactly," Goo replied with a grin. "And believe me, today we're going to have more fun than just chocolate."
Minutes later.
Goo Kim was hunched over his paper, pencil in hand, marking answers quickly without looking twice. His eyebrow barely twitched.
"Who the hell comes up with this crap…?" he muttered to himself as he filled another circle. "As if being a hero depended on knowing how many committees sign a paper."
The next question: What is the penalty for unauthorized Quirk use in urban areas?
Goo snorted, crossing out an option without thinking.
"They should write: 'Depends on how fast you can run.'"
A boy at the next table glanced at him sideways, scared by how confidently he answered.
"Are you… sure about those answers?" the boy whispered.
Goo didn't even look up. "No. But it sounds fun to be wrong."
Two questions later, Denki whispered to him, pale.
"Goo, this one's hard… C or D?"
Goo didn't even read the question. "Mark B. Always works."
"What?! That's not scientifically true!"
"Exactly. If it were easy, anyone could do it."
Goo turned the page and muttered. "Math… sure, because when a villain points a missile at you, you're going to calculate the square root before you dodge."
While tension filled the classroom, Goo smiled calmly. He filled bubbles, complained, even hummed a tune, as if the exam were a cheap crossword puzzle.
Five minutes later, he dropped the pencil with a silent thud.
"Done. Official stupidity completed."
[That was too easy.]
He got up without hurry, adjusting his glasses with two fingers as everyone stared in shock. He was the first to finish.
He walked past the rows of desks as if strolling down a runway, ignoring the incredulous looks.
The examiner glared sternly as he handed in the paper.
"Are you already finished?"
Goo smirked. "Yeah. Want me to sign it too, or maybe draw you a picture?"
A murmur ran through the room. Denki, still sweating bullets, looked at him in horror.
"Brother, there's still forty minutes left!"
Goo shrugged as he walked out the door.
"Perfect. Time for coffee… or a nap, depending on how boring this is."
The examiner heard him and warned dryly:
"You're not allowed to consume anything until the tests are over. Go to the main hall."
Goo stopped for just a second, glancing over his shoulder with a serious expression.
"You're no fun," he said in a dead tone, before flashing a wide grin and continuing to walk as if nothing happened — making the examiner tense for just a brief moment.
As the applicants arrived and sat in the auditorium to hear the explanation of the entrance exam, Goo Kim remained calm and focused.
While other students were nervous or excited by the presence of the presenter (Present Mic), Goo didn't get distracted. His only goal was clear:
Become the best and surpass everyone, so he listened to every detail of the exam carefully, analyzing how to use it to his advantage.
[Goo, the time has come. I hope you don't mess it up.]
Kuro's voice echoed mockingly in his mind.
For an instant, the voices in the hall seemed to fade away. The noise of hundreds of applicants, the examiners' instructions, even the beat of his own heart felt distant.
"Becoming the best isn't just a wish, it's a goal to accomplish," Goo thought, clenching his fist slightly. A golden spark ran across his fingers for a moment, as if his own power reacted to that resolve.
Goo stood motionless in front of the huge metal gate, unfazed. Around him, dozens of applicants prepared, nervously activating their Quirks.
The screech of gears echoed as the door began opening slowly, revealing the tall buildings and avenues of the artificial city where the test robots awaited.
But instead of advancing, most students froze, waiting for some kind of signal.
From the control platform, Present Mic frowned, leaned into the microphone, and his voice boomed through the speakers:
"Hey, young heroes," he roared. "What's going on? This isn't a sightseeing tour! Heroes don't get an alarm to tell them when to mov—"
Before he could finish, a brilliant streak cut through the air. In a blink, Goo vanished from the line of applicants and reappeared several meters inside the fake city, walking calmly as if he'd just taken a single step.
The onlookers gasped, murmuring to each other. Present Mic blinked, surprised, then grinned from ear to ear.
"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" he roared into the mic. "That's the spirit, young hero! The rest of you, MOVE NOW!"
Goo merely raised his hand in a lazy wave as he strolled unhurriedly, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
Each step echoed hollow on the false asphalt, and for a moment even the air seemed to hold its breath. No shouts, no alarms — only the sound of his shoes and the distant hum of activating mechanisms.
He seemed even more relaxed, as if waiting for something — or someone — to dare interrupt his walk.
That's when a metallic roar shattered the calm: one of the robots turned the corner and charged straight at Goo, its arms spinning like saws, sparks crackling with every heavy step.
But Goo didn't lose his composure. He didn't even change his walking pace. A slow, confident smile spread across his face as he raised his hand.
In an instant, a golden flash enveloped his arm, and a blade of pure light materialized, so bright that the shadows of the buildings retreated before its glare.
The radiance was blinding, like a fragment of the sun taking shape in his hand. Several students in the distance shielded their eyes.
"Let's see how fast you are…" he murmured calmly, pointing his glowing sword at the target.
The robot accelerated, engines roaring at full power — but Goo was no longer there. In a blink, light exploded. A flash, and his figure vanished, as if sheer speed had erased him from existence.
He reappeared behind the robot, perfectly still, sword raised at an immaculate angle, as if he'd just sliced the very atmosphere.
Then, the robot's body froze… creaked… and a luminous line split across its armor before it erupted into a thousand burning fragments, lighting up the entire street.
Goo tilted his head slightly, the golden blade gleaming untouched. A wider grin curved his lips.
"Boom," he remarked with a mocking tone, blowing the blade even though it wasn't stained in the slightest.
Gasps of awe echoed instantly. Some applicants even stopped running for a moment, paralyzed by what they had just seen.
---
Author's note:
Hello, everyone! I just wanted to let you know that, due to my commitments and increased responsibilities, I haven't been able to bring you chapters earlier. For this reason, from now on, chapters will only be published on Sundays.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support! See you next Sunday with a new chapter.