Kazuki Hayashi walked through U.A.'s gates with his hands in his pockets.
Other students were everywhere. Some looked excited, bouncing on their feet and talking too loudly. Others looked nervous, gripping their bags tight. A girl with pink skin was already introducing herself to everyone nearby. Two boys were arguing about which hero course class was better.
Kazuki just walked.
The wind picked up for a second, blowing through the courtyard. It moved around him without touching his uniform. Nobody noticed.
All his friends failed to pass the exam, and he was the only one who passed. Daichi cried when he got his rejection letter. Yumi pretended she was fine with going to Shiketsu instead. Kenji just got quiet and stopped answering texts.
They'd made a pact to become heroes together. Now Kazuki was walking into U.A. alone.
His mother was a famous heroine back in the day, who was crippled in a villain confrontation and went into a coma. She never woke up since. It's been exactly ten years since. Kazuki learned to accept things as they were, and his father tried his best to raise him alone.
His father was the CEO of the top company in quirk technology: Starbuster Inc. They manufacture tech for all sorts of quirks, even ones that weren't spotted yet, as preparation for the future.
Money didn't fix everything, though. The house was huge and empty. His father worked sixteen-hour days. Kazuki ate dinner alone most nights, did homework alone,and trained alone.
So he walked into U.A. the same way he did most things. By himself.
The building was massive up close. Glass and steel everywhere, designed by architects who probably got paid more than some heroes made in a year. Students filled every hallway, loud and energetic and already forming groups.
Kazuki checked his phone. His father had sent him a message at 6 AM.
Good luck on your first day. The driver can pick you up if you need. —Dad
Kazuki had taken the train instead. The driver was nice, but riding in a luxury car to school felt wrong. Heroes were supposed to be relatable.
He found his classroom easily enough. A sign outside read CLASS 1-B in bold letters.
He slid the door open.
The room was already half full. Students clustered together in small groups, talking fast, showing off their quirks in small ways. Someone made sparks dance between their fingers. Someone else shifted their skin color like a chameleon.
Nobody looked at Kazuki when he walked in.
He picked a seat by the window, middle row, and sat down. Outside, U.A.'s grounds stretched forever. Training facilities, stadiums, forests. Everything a hero student could need.
His phone buzzed.
Daichi: hey man hows ua
Kazuki stared at the message. Daichi had been avoiding him for two weeks. Now suddenly he was asking about school?
Kazuki: First day. Haven't started yet.
Daichi: cool cool
Daichi: its probably awesome right
Kazuki: I just got here.
Daichi: yeah
The conversation died. Kazuki put his phone away and looked out the window.
More students filtered in. A tall boy with metal plating on his forearms took a seat near the front. A girl with green hair sat two rows over, already reviewing notes. A nervous-looking boy with mushroom growths on his head stood by the door like he wasn't sure where to sit.
Nobody tried to talk to Kazuki. That was fine. He wasn't good at small talk anyway.
"Yo! Is this seat taken?"
Kazuki looked up. The metal-plated boy was pointing at the desk in front of him.
"No."
"Cool." The boy dropped into the seat but didn't turn around. Just pulled out his phone and started scrolling.
Kazuki went back to looking out the window.
The classroom filled up slowly. By the time the bell rang, all twenty seats were occupied. Students sat in loose clusters—people who'd met during the entrance exam, probably. Or middle school friends who got in together.
Kazuki sat alone.
The door slammed open.
Everyone shut up immediately.
A man walked in. Tall, muscular, with white spiky hair and intense eyes. He wore what looked like a modified combat suit, blood-red with armored plating. His presence filled the entire room.
He wrote on the board in sharp strokes.
VLAD KING
"I'm your homeroom teacher," he said, voice deep and commanding. "You will call me Vlad King or Kan-sensei. I don't care which."
Nobody spoke.
"You're in Class 1-B. Some of you are wondering why you're not in 1-A." He crossed his arms. "Stop wondering. It doesn't matter. Both classes receive identical training. The only difference is the letter on your door."
A girl in the front row raised her hand.
"What?"
"Then why split us up at all?"
"Because U.A. accepts forty hero course students per year. Twenty per class. Math." Vlad King's expression didn't change. "Next question."
No hands went up.
"Good. Now listen carefully." He walked to the center of the room. "You got into U.A. Congratulations. You beat out thousands of other applicants. That makes you talented, lucky, or both."
He paused.
"It also means absolutely nothing."
The temperature seemed to drop.
"Every year, students wash out. They fail. They break. They realize hero work isn't what they imagined. Some transfer to General Studies. Some leave U.A. entirely." His eyes scanned each face. "Statistics say three of you won't graduate."
Kazuki kept his expression neutral. He'd expected something like this.
"Your Quirks are irrelevant. Your test scores are irrelevant. What matters is whether you can make the right choice when lives depend on it. Whether you can stand after being knocked down. Whether you can push past pain, fear, and doubt."
Vlad King's voice got quieter, which somehow made it more intense.
"U.A. will break you down and build you back up. I will personally make sure of it. If you can't handle that, the door's right there."
Nobody moved.
"Fine." He grabbed a clipboard. "Get changed into your gym uniforms. Locker rooms are down the hall. You have ten minutes to be on Field Gamma. Anyone who's late runs laps until I get bored."
Students practically jumped out of their seats.
Kazuki stood and followed the rush. The hallways were filled with students from both hero classes heading to the locker rooms. He kept his head down and didn't make eye contact.
The locker room was chaos. Boys are changing quickly, some trying to make conversation, others too nervous to speak. Kazuki found his assigned locker and changed in silence.
"Hey."
Kazuki looked over. The metal-plated boy from before was in the locker next to his.
"You're the window seat guy, right? I'm Tetsuji Kondo."
"Kazuki Hayashi."
"Cool." Tetsuji pulled his shirt on. "What's your Quirk?"
"Wind manipulation."
"Nice. Mine's Metal Skin. I can cover my whole body in steel plating." He flexed and metal spread up his arms. "Good for defense."
"Makes sense."
Tetsuji waited like he expected more conversation. When Kazuki just finished changing, he shrugged and headed out.
Kazuki followed a minute later.
Outside, Field Gamma was massive. Open space with various terrain sections- flat ground, obstacles, a wooded area in the distance. Vlad King stood in the center, arms crossed, waiting.
Kazuki arrived with the middle group. Not first, not last. A few students were already there. More trickled in over the next few minutes.
One girl didn't make it in time.
She ran onto the field thirty seconds late, blonde hair flying, breathing hard.
"Laps," Vlad King said immediately. "Twenty."
"But I was only-"
"Forty. Keep talking and I'll make it sixty."
She shut her mouth and started running.
Kazuki made a mental note. Vlad King wasn't the type to accept excuses.
"You all did physical fitness tests in middle school," Vlad King said, turning to the rest of them. "Ball throw, grip strength, distance running. Standard measurements."
A few students nodded.
"Today you're doing those tests again. But this time, you can use your Quirks however you want."
Excited whispers spread through the group.
"This isn't a game," Vlad King continued. "This is a baseline assessment. I need to see what you can do now so I know how much you need to improve. Some of you will do well. Some of you will embarrass yourselves. Either way, I'm recording everything."
He pulled out a tablet.
"Kendo. You're first. Fifty-meter dash."
A girl with orange hair and slightly large hands stepped forward. She got into position at the starting line.
"Go."
Her hands enlarged to massive sizes and she slammed them down, launching herself forward in powerful bounds. Not running- jumping with her hands. It looked awkward but effective.
Vlad King's tablet beeped. "7.1 seconds."
He didn't say if that was good or bad. Just called the next name.
The tests continued. Different students, different Quirks, different results. Kazuki watched and analyzed. A boy who could create solid air platforms managed 6.8 seconds. Someone with a mushroom Quirk struggled at 9.2 seconds. The girl, Kendo, seemed to be keeping pace with the better performers.
"Hayashi. Fifty-meter dash."
Kazuki stepped up to the line.
This was simple. Create a low-pressure zone in front, high-pressure behind. Compressed air under each step. Let physics do the work.
"Go."
He moved.
The wind pushed him forward in a steady stream. Not explosive. Controlled. His feet barely touched the ground. Constant acceleration from start to finish.
He crossed the line.
Vlad King checked his tablet. "3.9 seconds."
A few students glanced over. Kazuki walked back to his spot without reacting. That was around what he'd expected.
The tests continued. Grip strength- Kazuki scored average. The wind didn't help there. Long jump- excellent. He used a concentrated burst at the moment of takeoff. Sit-ups were slightly above average. Side-steps were good but not the best.
He studied the other students while waiting for his turn. Tetsuji had raw strength but poor technique. A pale boy who could soften objects had good control but weak physical stats. Kendo was consistent across most tests.
Everyone had weaknesses. Including him.
"Hayashi. Ball throw."
Kazuki picked up the softball and stepped into the circle.
This was what mattered. Wind Quirks should dominate distance throws. If he didn't get the highest score here, he'd trained wrong.
He wound up and threw with full arm strength.
The ball left his hand.
Then the wind caught it.
A rotating vortex formed instantly around the ball. He compressed the air in front to eliminate drag, pushed from behind to accelerate, and maintained the spin to keep it stable. The ball cut through the air in a perfect straight line.
It disappeared into the distance.
Vlad King's tablet took several seconds to register.
"1,450 meters."
Complete silence.
That was more than double most other throws. Kazuki walked back to his spot without smiling. That was the score he'd been aiming for. Actually better than his personal best by about 80 meters.
He could hear whispers starting behind him.
"How did he-"
"1,450 meters? That's insane-"
"Is his Quirk that strong or-"
"Next," Vlad King called, cutting off the chatter.
The assessment continued. Distance running came later. A boy with a speed-enhancement Quirk took first place. Kazuki finished third. That was fine. Sustained output over long distances wasn't his strength yet.
When all the tests finished, Vlad King compiled the results in silence. Then he looked up.
"Rankings will be posted in the classroom. Look at them. Know where you stand. Know what you need to fix." He put the tablet away. "Get changed. Head to your next class."
That was it. No encouragement. No congratulations. Just information.
Kazuki headed back to the locker room. Students were talking around him now- comparing scores, complaining about performances, and discussing who did well.
He caught fragments of conversation.
"-that Hayashi guy got first for sure-"
"-1,450 meters is just unfair-"
"-wonder what his Quirk's drawbacks are-"
Kazuki changed quickly and left before anyone tried to talk to him.
Back in the classroom, the rankings were displayed on the board.
1. Hayashi Kazuki - 89 points2. Honenuki Juzo - 76 points3. Kendo Itsuka - 74 points
First place.
Kazuki sat down at his desk. First was what he'd expected. His Quirk was versatile enough to handle most of the tests. The ones he didn't win were purely strength-based, and he could improve those with training.
His phone buzzed.
Dad: How was the assessment?
Kazuki: First in class.
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Dad: Good. Keep that position.
Kazuki put his phone away. No congratulations. No "proud of you." Just expectation.
He pulled out his notebook and started writing.
Improvement areas:- Grip strength (raw physical power)- Sustained wind control (distance events)- Core strength (sit-ups)- Turn radius at high speed
"First place, huh?"
Kazuki looked up. Tetsuji had turned around in his seat in front of him.
"Yeah."
"That ball throw was crazy. 1,450 meters."
"Thanks."
Tetsuji waited like he expected more. When nothing came, he continued. "So is that normal for wind Quirks, or are you just that good?"
"I trained it."
"Right, but like... how long? What kind of training?"
Kazuki wasn't sure how to answer that. He'd been training his Quirk since it manifested at age four. Thousands of hours in the backyard. His mother had helped at first, before the accident. After that, he figured it out alone.
"A while," he said finally.
"A while," Tetsuji repeated. He laughed. "You don't talk much, do you?"
"Not really."
"Fair enough." Tetsuji turned back around.
Kazuki went back to his notes. First place was fine, but it didn't mean much. This was just a baseline. Everyone would improve. He needed to improve faster.
Students filtered back into the classroom. A few glanced at the rankings, then at him. Nobody said anything directly, but he could feel the attention.
The rest of the morning was standard classes. Math, Japanese, hero law. Kazuki took notes and didn't raise his hand. Teachers called on him twice. He answered correctly both times and went back to being invisible.
When lunch came, he grabbed his food from the cafeteria: rice, grilled fish, and some soup. The quality wasn't as good as his home food, but he didn't care too much since he read that U.A's food was the best in japan's hero schools, he was just spoilt.
The cafeteria was huge. Hundreds of seats, multiple food stations, massive windows overlooking the grounds. Groups were forming everywhere. Class 1-A had claimed a large table and were already loud and energetic. Class 1-B was more scattered- small clusters of two or three students.
Kazuki found an empty table by the window and sat down alone.
He pulled out his phone while eating. A message from Daichi.
Daichi: so hows it going
Kazuki: Fine. At lunch.
Daichi: made any friends?
Kazuki: Not really.
Daichi: oh
Daichi: well its only day one right
Kazuki: Yeah.
The conversation died again. Kazuki put his phone away and stared out the window.
U.A.'s grounds stretched out below. Somewhere out there was his mother's hospital. Twenty minutes by train. He hadn't visited in three months. His father went every week, but Kazuki stopped after he realized nothing ever changed.
She was still in a coma. Still breathing. Still gone.
"Is this seat taken?"
Kazuki looked up. The orange-haired girl, Kendo, stood there with her tray.
"No."
She sat down across from him. Didn't say anything at first. Just started eating.
After a minute of silence, she spoke. "Third place isn't bad."
Kazuki nodded.
"You got first," she continued. "That ball throw was... impressive."
"Thanks."
Another pause.
"You're not much of a talker, are you?" Kendo asked.
"Not really."
"That's fine. I just figured I'd introduce myself properly. I'm Itsuka Kendo." She held out her hand.
Kazuki shook it. "Kazuki Hayashi." he looked at her face; she was attractive. He wasn't too good with girls, especially good-looking ones.
"I know. Everyone knows after that assessment." She smiled a little. "You're the talk of 1-B right now."
That wasn't good. Kazuki didn't want to be talked about.
"I just did my best," he said quietly.
"Well, your best is pretty incredible." Kendo took another bite. "What's your Quirk called?"
"Wind manipulation."
"Simple name. Complicated Quirk, I'm guessing?"
"It has a lot of applications."
"I bet." She gestured at the empty table. "You always eat alone?"
Kazuki shrugged. "Usually."
"By choice or...?"
"I don't mind being alone."
Kendo studied him for a moment. "Okay. Well, if you ever want company, some of us sit together sometimes. No pressure though."
"Okay."
She finished her lunch and stood up. "See you in class, Hayashi."
"See you."
She left. Kazuki went back to eating.
The conversation had been fine. Kendo seemed nice. But he wasn't sure how to navigate this yet. Making friends. Being social. His middle school friends had done most of the work- they'd approached him, invited him places, and included him in things. He just went along with it.
Now they were gone, and he was starting over.
He finished his lunch and headed back to class early. The classroom was empty. He sat at his desk and pulled out his notebook, reviewing his improvement list.
Students trickled back in over the next ten minutes. Tetsuji waved at him when he walked in. Kendo gave him a small nod. A few others glanced his way but didn't approach.
The afternoon was more standard lessons- English, modern hero history, and Quirk theory. Kazuki took notes and stayed focused.
When school finally ended, students started packing up. Groups formed immediately- people making plans to hang out, explore the campus, and grab food somewhere.
Kazuki packed his bag slowly. He needed to get home. Do homework. Train his Quirk. Work on his grip strength.
"Hayashi."
He looked up. Kendo stood by his desk.
"Some of us are going to check out the training facilities before we head home. Want to come?"
Kazuki hesitated. "I should get home."
"It's just for like thirty minutes. Just to look around."
He glanced past her. Tetsuji and a pale boy, Honenuki, probably stood by the door waiting.
"I don't know," Kazuki said.
"No pressure," Kendo said. "Just thought I'd ask."
Kazuki looked at his bag. Then, at the group by the door. Then back at Kendo.
Part of him wanted to say yes. To maybe start figuring out how to make friends again.
But the other part that was used to being alone, that was comfortable with it, wanted to go home.
"Maybe another time," he said finally.
Kendo smiled. "Sure. See you tomorrow, Hayashi."
"See you."
She left with the others. Kazuki finished packing and headed out.
The train ride home was quiet. He stared out the window and thought about the day. First place. Kendo is trying to include him. Daichi's awkward texts. His father's expectation was to "keep that position."
The house was empty when he got there. His father wouldn't be home for hours.
Kazuki changed into training clothes and went to the backyard. The space was big enough for wind training without causing damage. He started with basic exercises like creating gusts, controlling direction, and maintaining steady pressure.
His phone buzzed halfway through.
Dad: Working late. Dinner is in the fridge.
Kazuki: Okay.
He went back to training. The wind picked up around him, responding to his movements.
In essence, he wasn't really an interesting guy. He was just a rich guy with a powerful quirk. He's grown up alone for most of his life in a luxurious mansion.
Now, he was in the top hero school of Japan. Maybe he should try to be on the better side of things.
He stopped mid-motion, letting the wind die down around him.
Maybe Kendo was right. Maybe he should try sitting with people sometimes. Not because he needed friends, but because... heroes worked in teams. They communicated. They trusted each other.
He couldn't do any of that if he stayed isolated.
Kazuki pulled out his phone and opened his messages. His thumb hovered over Daichi's name for a moment, then he switched to a new contact instead.
He typed quickly before he could overthink it.
Kazuki: Hey. If you're still checking out the training facilities tomorrow, I'll come.
He sent it to Kendo's number; she'd written it on his desk earlier when he wasn't paying attention. He'd noticed but hadn't said anything.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Kendo: Really? That's great! We're meeting after class at the main entrance.
Kazuki: Okay.
Kendo: See you then, Hayashi.
Kazuki put his phone away and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, painting everything orange and red.
Maybe being a hero wasn't just about being the strongest. Maybe it was also about learning to work with people.
His mother had been a great hero not just because of her Quirk, but because people believed in her. They trusted her. She had a team.
Maybe he could have that too.
Tomorrow was day two.