Authors note:
Speaking: "…"
Thinking: '….'
________
Shoto's POV
One Week Later
UA Recommendation Exam
Shoto, along with his father, arrived at the entrance gate to the halls of the most prestigious hero school in the country. Upon entering, they were led to a large hall where seven other teens were scattered among the many seats the room had to offer.
"Endeavor, I must ask you to follow me. From this point on, your recommended student must act alone," the faculty member informed the Number One Hero.
"Shoto, make sure you pass, and don't get hurt," the flame hero said sternly, though with a hint of reassurance.
'What was that?' Shoto thought as he observed his father's unusual behavior.
Looking around the hall for a suitable seat, Shoto eventually found a relatively empty section and sat down.
After a short wait, a door opened, and the hero and faculty member Present Mic entered the room. The man had long blonde hair styled into an upward curve at the front, wore round orange glasses, and was dressed in a black leather jacket, matching leather pants, and boots. Around his neck was a large collar adorned with numerous speakers.
"All right, boys and girls! Welcome to the UA Recommendation Exam! Each of you will face four different tests to determine if you're fit to be recommended students at this awesome school!" the hero bellowed loudly, forcing Shoto to half-cover his ears to avoid going deaf.
"The exam consists of four parts: the written test, a practical quirk assessment, an obstacle course, and finally, an interview with one of our esteemed UA teachers. Any questions, little listeners?" Present Mic asked, his voice still unbearably loud.
When none of the students raised any questions, the hero began handing out the written exam papers and started a two-hour timer on the large projector.
Taking the paper and flipping through it, Shoto saw that the questions mostly involved hero regulations, laws, and hypothetical scenarios, alongside some general knowledge like math and science. After about an hour, a girl with long black hair styled into a high ponytail approached Present Mic and handed him her test.
'Impressive. She must be pretty good academically, Shoto thought as he estimated he would need about fifteen more minutes to finish his own.
Once all the applicants submitted their tests, Present Mic began calling them one by one for the practical quirk assessment. Shoto was second to last, with only the black-haired girl remaining after him.
Following the hero, Shoto eventually entered a large training room with concrete floors. Inside stood two men, one of whom Shoto immediately recognized.
'So Eraserhead is conducting the next test. But who's the other one?' he wondered, observing a man with cement-like skin and rectangular appendages.
Approaching the two heroes, Shoto bowed briefly before the underground hero began speaking.
"All right, let's not waste time. This part of the exam consists of two tests: quirk control and combat ability. These tests are specifically designed with your quirk in mind. For the first test, do you see this candle?" Eraserhead asked, placing a small candle on the ground.
Shoto nodded in response.
"Good. Your first task is to use your fire side to precisely light this candle... while Cementoss moves it around. You're allowed to move however you like," the hero explained as the candle began to sink halfway into the cement floor.
"Begin," Eraserhead said as the candle started moving through the cement at a fairly quick pace.
Letting out a small sigh, Shoto raised his left hand and ignited a small flame on his pointer finger. Carefully tracking the candle's movement, he aimed and fired a precise beam of fire at the wick, lighting it with ease.
"Well done. You pass. Cementoss, if you would," Eraserhead instructed.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Shoto reformed into a small pillar, with a second one of equal height appearing across the room.
"For the next test, use your ice to create a bridge connecting to the other pillar," Eraserhead explained.
Crouching down, Shoto placed his right hand on the ground. Instantly, ice began forming around his hand before shooting forward to create a thin walkway that connected the two pillars. To prove its stability, Shoto glided across the bridge with little effort.
"Good. You pass the control part. Now for the combat ability test..." Eraserhead began, but before he could finish, a massive green robot with weapons strapped to its arms and head appeared behind them.
"You need to survive against this robot for ten minutes. Destroying it is also permitted and will earn you bonus points. You may begi—"
Before Eraserhead could finish his sentence, the robot was encased in a thick layer of ice and immediately shattered into thousands of pieces as a fireball struck it.
The two heroes stared in stunned silence at the spot where the robot had stood moments ago. Turning their gazes to Shoto, who nonchalantly placed his left hand back into his pocket, they heard him ask, "Will this be enough?"
"You pass. But next time, let me finish my sentence," Eraserhead muttered before he and Cementoss left to report back to Present Mic. Shortly after, the sound hero and Shoto made their way back to the hall where the written exam had taken place.
The teacher then took the black-haired girl to her test site. After some time, she returned, and Present Mic announced the next test: the obstacle course. He led all eight students to one of UA's training grounds.
The obstacles were fairly standard, including crossing a small lake, climbing, running, and defeating small robot enemies. Shoto finished the course quickly, though another applicant,a boy with a wind quirk and a buzz cut, came close to matching his time.
After the race, the wind user approached Shoto with great enthusiasm. "Woah, you were so cool! You must be Endeavor's kid!" At that moment, without realizing it, Shoto's face contorted into a hate-filled scowl at the mention of his father.
Seeing the boy stagger back with a shocked expression, Shoto quickly regained his composure, his gaze shifting downward. Wiping the uncomfortable look from his face, he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just... I'm not really that fond of my old man. My name is Shoto Todoroki, but please, call me Shoto." He extended his hand and bowed slightly.
The boy hesitated for a moment before shaking Shoto's hand enthusiastically. "Hey, man, don't worry. It's all good. I'm not much of an Endeavor fan myself, so that's totally understandable. I'm Inasa Yoarashi, by the way. You wanna be friends?" he asked with a thumbs-up.
Looking at the loud wind user with slight confusion, Shoto eventually accepted his gesture. "Sure, let's be friends. At the rate you're going, I'm positive we'll see each other in the hero course soon."
Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, Inasa said a bit sheepishly, "Well, actually, I gave myself the challenge to only join UA through recommendations if I got first place. Since you so beautifully beat me, I'll go in through the normal exam. But I'm sure I'll get in either way, so yeah, I'll see you in the hero course soon." He then bowed so deeply that he hit his head on the ground, causing it to bleed.
Concerned, Shoto offered to take him to the nurse, but Inasa refused, insisting he was fine. They continued talking while waiting for the final part of Shoto's exam, as Inasa had resigned and no longer needed to participate.
The final part of the exam was the interview. Present Mic led Shoto and the other applicants to a smaller waiting room outside the interview hall. Shoto was called in second to last again.
The room was simple, containing a single desk behind which three UA teachers sat: Eraserhead, Cementoss, and Principal Nezu. The principal was the one to speak first, his cheerful demeanor clashing with the serious tone of the exam.
"Welcome, Shoto Todoroki. Congratulations on making it this far. You've performed exceptionally well, but this part of the exam is just as important. Please, take a seat," Nezu said, gesturing to a chair in front of the desk.
Shoto sat down silently, maintaining his composed demeanor.
"Now, tell us, Shoto, why do you want to become a hero?" Nezu asked, his small, intelligent eyes studying Shoto carefully.
Shoto hesitated for a moment, his thoughts clouded by memories of his father. Then, he spoke, his voice calm but firm. "I want to be a hero who can save people. Not because of my father's reputation, but for my own reasons. I want to prove that I can be different from him. I want to become someone who uses their power to protect, not to dominate."
Nezu nodded thoughtfully. "A noble goal. But tell me, Shoto, what does being a hero mean to you? Is it just saving people, or is there more to it?"
Shoto took a deep breath. "Being a hero means more than just saving lives. It's about inspiring hope, standing as a symbol of strength and reassurance. It means being someone people can rely on, even in their darkest moments."
The teachers exchanged glances, seemingly impressed by his answer.
Eraserhead was the next to speak, his tone as blunt as ever. "You've clearly got talent, but what about teamwork? From what I've seen, you rely heavily on your own abilities. Do you think you can work with others, especially in a field where collaboration is often essential?"
Shoto paused, recalling his duo missions with Hitoshi as Odin and his interactions with Inasa earlier. "I understand the importance of teamwork. I've... had difficulties in the past, but I'm willing to improve. I know that a hero can't do everything alone. If I'm accepted into UA, I'll make it a priority to work on my teamwork skills."
Eraserhead raised an eyebrow but didn't push further.
Finally, Cementoss leaned forward, his voice calm and measured. "Your quirk is incredibly powerful, but it's also destructive. How do you plan to minimize collateral damage and protect civilians in chaotic situations?"
Shoto nodded, understanding the concern. "I've already started training to control my power more precisely. Today's tests were part of that effort. I'll continue to refine my abilities to ensure that I can neutralize threats without causing unnecessary harm. If I'm admitted to UA, I'll use the resources and guidance available to become even better."
Principal Nezu smiled. "A well-thought-out answer. Thank you, Shoto. That concludes your interview. You may wait outside while we speak with the next applicant."
Shoto stood, bowed politely, and left the room.
As he stepped out, the black-haired girl walked past him, her expression calm and confident. He returned to the waiting area, where Inasa was still sitting, waiting to say goodbye before leaving.
"Yo, Shoto! How'd it go?" Inasa asked with his usual enthusiasm.
"It went well," Shoto replied, his tone neutral but with a hint of satisfaction.
"Awesome! I knew you'd crush it!" Inasa said, giving him a thumbs-up.
After some time, the girl returned, and Present Mic informed them that the exam results would be sent to their homes within a few days. With that, the recommendation exam came to an end.