Chapter 3: One Point
The silence that followed the final buzzer was heavy, broken only by the hiss of small fires.
Natsu lay on the rooftop for a solid minute, catching his breath. His limbs felt heavy, but his spirit was soaring. 'That explosion guy... he's really strong!' He pushed himself up, his muscles aching in the best possible way.
"Man, I could eat a mountain," he muttered, hopping down to street level.
The other examinees were emerging from alleys, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Many of them stared at the smoking, severed arm of the Zero-Pointer, then at Natsu and Bakugo, who were walking back from opposite ends of the street.
Natsu, oblivious to their awe, just stretched his arms over his head. "Ah, that was a good warm-up! I wonder what Mom's making for dinner."
He jogged toward the main gates and spotted that familiar, spiky silhouette. Katsuki Bakugo was stomping ahead, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, radiating an aura of pure, unadulterated fury.
Natsu's competitive spirit flared. He had to talk to him.
"Hey!" Natsu jogged to catch up, his heavy footsteps echoing. "Hey, you! Explosion-boy!"
Bakugo stopped but didn't turn. A vein pulsed on his temple. "What do you want, Rosy-hair?"
Natsu bounded in front of him, walking backward so they were face-to-face. He stuck out his hand, his grin wide and genuine.
"That was awesome! Your explosions are super loud, and you're really fast! That combo at the end was perfect! We totally got that thing! Name's Natsu Dragneel!"
Bakugo stared at the offered hand as if it were a venomous snake. His crimson eyes were flat, cold, and simmering. He looked from Natsu's hand to his smiling face.
SMACK!
Bakugo slapped Natsu's hand away with vicious force.
Natsu blinked, his smile faltering. He looked at his hand, now tingling. "Hey, what's the big deal? I was just saying you were good."
"Shut up," Bakugo snarled, his voice a low growl. He refused to look Natsu in the eye. "I should have tried harder. I should have been faster. I didn't need your help, and you didn't need mine." He shoved past Natsu, his shoulder deliberately slamming into Natsu's. "Dammit!"
Natsu watched him storm off, a plume of smoke rising from the kid's shoulders.
Natsu rubbed his own shoulder, his expression baffled. "What a weirdo. He's all angry, like... like he's allergic to being nice." He shrugged, his good mood returning instantly. "Oh well. He's strong, but he's no fun. Now... food!"
He left the U.A. campus, his mind already on his mom's katsudon.
One week passed.
Natsu was lying upside-down on his couch in his messy bedroom, staring at the ceiling, bored out of his mind. His room was a chaotic mix of hero posters, old video games, and training equipment.
"There's... nothing... to... punch," he groaned.
"NATSU!" His mom's voice called from downstairs. "Your mail is here! A thick one! Looks important!"
Natsu flipped off the couch, landed on his feet, and bounded down the stairs, nearly tripping over himself. He snatched the thick, cream-colored envelope from his mom, Mika, a kind-looking woman with dark-pink hair.
"Thanks, Mom!" he yelled, already tearing it open as he ran back to his room, shredding the fine-quality paper. A small, silver disk clattered onto his floor.
Fzzt... VWORP.
A hologram flickered to life, showing All Might in his massive, muscle-bound form.
"WHOA! IT'S ALL MIGHT!" Natsu yelled, his eyes sparkling.
"I AM HERE!" the hero boomed. "Here to deliver the results of your U.A. entrance exam, Young Natsu Dragneel!"
The hologram switched to a view of Battle Center B. It showed Natsu's fiery rampage.
"Your performance in the practical exam was, in a word, incendiary! You moved with instinct, with power, and with a drive that left our judges breathless! You amassed an incredible... 77 Villain Points!"
"Yes! 77! Take that!" Natsu cheered, pumping his fist.
"A truly heroic score! Enough to pass on its own!" All Might continued. "But wait! This was not just a test of destructive might. It was a test... of spirit!"
The screen changed to show him and Bakugo recklessly attacking the Zero-Pointer.
"The secret component of this exam... HERO POINTS! Awarded for acts of true heroism!"
Natsu leaned in, confused.
"For your... spirited... attack on the Zero-Pointer... you are awarded..." A graphic appeared. "...Zero Hero Points!"
Natsu fell over. "ZERO?! What gives?! We took its arm off!"
All Might's hologram coughed. "Our judges determined that while your tag-team attack was spectacular, it was not an act of rescue. You did not check for civilians, and in fact, your combined attack caused a nearby building to collapse, endangering other examinees. It was, in short, the opposite of heroic!"
Natsu got up, scratching his head. "Oh. Right. Well, yeah, but it was awesome."
"However!" All Might boomed, "With a score of 77 Villain Points, you not only passed... you set a new record for Battle Center B!"
A leaderboard shimmered into existence.
BATTLE CENTER B - FINAL RANKING
NATSU DRAGNEEL
Villain Points: 77
Hero Points: 0
Total: 77
KATSUKI BAKUGO
Villain Points: 76
Hero Points: 0
Total: 76
SETSUNA TOKAGE
Villain Points: 28
Hero Points: 18
Total: 46
...
Natsu stared at the board. He'd won. He was in. He'd beaten everyone.
Then he looked closer.
His score was 77. The angry blond, Bakugo, had 76.
He'd beaten the second-place prodigy... by one. Single. Point.
A slow, mischievous grin spread across Natsu's face. He remembered the kid's furious, crimson eyes. He remembered the way he'd slapped his hand.
"Hah... Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA!" Natsu roared with laughter, clutching his stomach. "Oh, this is perfect! He must be so mad! I knew this class was gonna be fun!"
All Might's hologram beamed. "Welcome, Young Dragneel! This is your Hero Academia!"