….
[Two Weeks Later]
[Location: U.A. High School]
….
It was the day of this year's entrance exam.
"This could be a serious problem..." Nezu's calm tone belied the gravity of his words as he studied the screen before him.
"That kid is giving me a headache even after leaving." Aizawa sighed, rubbing his temples wearily. "There is no way I can deal with another problem child like him - or worse."
"I am not taking that child into my class." Vlad King declared firmly, squeezing his fists.
Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "I thought you would fight me for him. That's odd."
"I would have, if only that kid had no connection with those two people." Vlad King's eyes betrayed uncertainty.
The two people he referred to were Endeavor and Jin-Ho.
If one evoked fear, the other stirred hatred, or at least deep animosity.
Vlad King harbored strong feelings toward Jin-Ho after his stay at U.A., stemming from a dark chapter he preferred not to revisit.
Even if he could overlook Endeavor with his brave attitude, he could never look past Jin-Ho.
His eyes narrowed as he gazed at the screen, focusing on the white-haired boy with blue flames dancing around his fists, ready to incinerate anything in his path.
"Well, there are two more tests left. He might not make it to the end." Midnight remarked casually, adjusting her makeup without even glancing at the screen.
Her statement earned several sharp glares from the others.
They knew she wasn't renowned for combat prowess, but as a Pro Hero, she should accurately assess student potential.
In fact, they had half-expected her to fawn over the handsome boy, given her nature.
That's when an old rumor resurfaced, particularly for Vlad King, who shot a sidelong glance at Aizawa, silently questioning its truth. The rumor suggested a U.A. teacher had once confessed feelings to an assistant teacher, only to be brutally rejected.
Aizawa simply nodded, a silent acknowledgment of unspoken hardships.
"Midnight isn't entirely wrong. There is a 0.0001% chance he might not make the cut." Nezu chimed in with calculated optimism.
Aizawa facepalmed at the thought of another rough year ahead.
Despite his frustration, he felt pity for the kid. Whatever favors he might gain through Endeavor, he certainly wouldn't get any through his other connection.
In fact, the boy had better pray to influential figures at U.A. who remained dissatisfied with Jin-Ho didn't take it out on him.
Present Mic, Cementoss, and Lunch Rush remained neutral regarding Jin-Ho.
The peace-loving nature of Cementoss and Lunch Rush explained their stance, while Present Mic simply appreciated anyone who could get under Aizawa's skin.
The rest of the staff had at least one incident that made them want to tear Jin-Ho to shreds.
"It's time to begin the second and third phases." Nezu announced, pressing a red button.
He hadn't made a mistake, he had intended to start both phases simultaneously as planned.
The ground trembled violently as sirens blared across the exam centers.
Massive walls erupted from the earth alongside misty maze structures, effectively dividing the groups formed during the first round.
The first round had been straightforward, flat terrain with enemy robots similar to standard training models, distinguished only by different back colors and minor design modifications.
Some students had formed groups, creating strategies while intentionally or accidentally undermining others, breeding enmity through competitiveness, greed, and pride.
Now, before they could settle into their temporary alliances, the maze walls scattered them into confusion and disarray.
Some students leaped onto the rising walls for advantage, but laser guns erupted from the surfaces, firing bullets while sharp protrusions emerged randomly. Many jumped back into the maze.
Similar scenes unfolded in almost all training grounds, except one.
Amidst the chaos, one person remained calm, his eyes steady.
"Do you truly believe those are the eyes of a confused child thrust into unknown territory?" Snipe, U.A.'s Marksmanship teacher, remarked, his gaze fixed on the boy's unwavering stare.
"It's as though he has been waiting for this moment all along." Ectoplasm added. "Like a starved beast finally unleashed after months in chains."
Nothing fazed Toya, not the obstacles, the robots, nor the sudden maze. From the start, his aim was singular: blast away as many robots as possible and rack up points.
His mind raced with one focus.
Burn. Burn. Burn.
"He is almost unnervingly focused." Snipe remarked uncertainly.
"Is that meant as a compliment?" Midnight interjected.
"It could be, provided he maintains control." Ectoplasm added cautiously. "Otherwise, it may lead to his downfall."
"Unwavering focus can yield impressive results, but it risks blinding one to other crucial aspects." Aizawa mused with disappointment. He paused. "But is that all you see?"
Within a five-meter radius around Toya, blue flames danced, but they didn't mindlessly incinerate everything.
They moved with purpose, as if possessing their own mind. The moment Toya deemed something an enemy or obstacle, it was reduced to ash, swiftly carried away by the wind.
Toya moved forward with clear intent, though not a set path, that's what Jin-Ho had taught him.
Be swift as an arrow, yet fluid as a fish.
Don't become trapped by the path you choose today, irrespective of the result.
….
The scoring system flashed across the monitors:
1 Point - Easy Villains
2 Points - Medium Villains
3 Points - Hard Villains
0 Points - Arena Traps
None of it fazed Toya.
He flowed through the maze, leaping over massive walls or punching holes through them with a move he dubbed 'Rasengan.'
"...Hahaha... Guess he picked up quite the naming sense from someone." Vlad King chuckled.
"It's about time the test ended." Aizawa interjected flatly, showing no interest in continuing the conversation.
"But what's he trying to achieve so desperately?" Nezu's eyes narrowed, noticing something peculiar.
A small blue flame, slightly larger than a candle's, was consistently left behind by Toya at intervals of exactly fifteen meters.
"Mr. Snipe, could you track Toya's entire path from the beginning of the maze course?" Nezu turned to his colleague, curiosity palpable.
"Of course." Snipe focused intently on the monitor.
An oddly noticeable pattern emerged in Toya's path, he was running in a complete circle around the maze's perimeter.
"He is running in a complete circle, and he is about to reach his starting point." Snipe reported, brow furrowed.
"Did he lose his way?" Midnight asked, disbelief coloring her voice.
….
Meanwhile, Toya blasted away a three-pointer and remembered Jin-Ho's advice before he had left.
"Toya, there is no need to show off all the weapons in your arsenal. Try to restrain yourself a bit in the entrance test."
"When I have someone like you covering my back, what is there to worry about? Sorry, Boss." Toya muttered to himself.
Completing the full circle, Toya found himself panting, muscles sore and head buzzing. His brain felt like it might explode, though he knew it was just exhaustion.
He was mentally drained.
"Guess I really pushed the bar today, but it's not over yet." He squeezed his fist tight, determination fueling him forward.
Then he launched himself skyward, condensing powerful heat from his hands and legs before blasting downward.
The intense heat burned his shoes and clothes as he rocketed upward like a missile, leaving a small flame burning on the ground at the corner.
"Just a bit to the left... got it." At a certain height, Toya's eyes locked onto his target, the exact center of the maze.
He cut the firepower from his body mid-air, allowing gravity to take over.
Just before impact, he released another burst of blue flames to absorb the momentum, but he still crashed hard, rolling several meters before slamming into a wall.
"Ow... that hurts..."
Getting up, he dragged his left foot along the ground, wincing.
"...One, two, and three. Hmm? That's a lot less than I thought."
Despite the pain, he assessed his surroundings.
"A few meters off, but no big deal." He wiped away a tear of frustration.
Walking to the center of the path, he brought his hands together, fingertips bridging.
Closing his eyes for five seconds, he spoke coldly. "...And now IGNITE."
After exactly one second, flames erupted from all over his body, his hair standing on end from the force, yet nothing burned.
He couldn't hear or see with his eyes closed, but explosions echoed throughout the maze.
"Take that, you tin cans!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice reverberating through the entire arena.
Then, in the darkness, he succumbed to unconsciousness, the flames flickering and fading as he drifted into oblivion.
….
.
[To be continued….]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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