Not far away, Izuku Midoriya spoke to Bakugo Katsuki with a worried expression, but Bakugo clearly had no interest in listening and didn't take Izuku seriously at all.
At that moment, only Kurosawa Ren existed in Bakugo's eyes.
There were two reasons for this.
First, Bakugo needed to find out exactly what Ren had done to bring down the Sludge Monster.
Second—and more importantly—one day, he would definitely find an opportunity to crush Ren beneath his feet.
…
In truth, All Might had arrived at the scene long before the Sludge Monster was defeated. However, because of his physical condition, he was unable to fight again in such a short period of time.
While he was still anxious, he saw both the child who had been taken hostage and the child who had rushed in to rescue him emerge almost completely unharmed, just as the crowd had described.
As for who actually defeated the Sludge Monster, opinions varied wildly. Even Ren and Bakugo themselves pushed the credit back and forth.
In this world, that alone was a rare spectacle.
"Let's not worry about that for now," the lead police officer said inwardly with a helpless sigh as he surveyed the chaos. "Send the two kids home first."
…
In order to protect minors, the police did not release any information about Kurosawa Ren or Bakugo Katsuki. As a result, Ren was not harassed by the media after returning home.
The next few days passed quietly.
Ren spent his time wandering around, sleeping, and eating.
Eventually, just as boredom was about to drive him mad, he finally received a notice from U.A. High School.
However, the exam date written on the notice was…
Ten months later.
"…."
…
-----Aftermath-----
At the city police station, discussions about the Sludge Monster incident continued for several days.
Ever since the Sludge Monster regained consciousness, it had been completely unstable—laughing one moment, crying the next—leaving the police unable to question it properly. The investigation stalled as a result.
For this reason, they pulled up Ren's records. When they saw that his registered Quirk was Hypnosis, many of their doubts were eased.
Considering Ren's age and status as a minor, the department ultimately decided to seal the case files and let the matter sink quietly out of public view.
During this time, several teachers from U.A. High School also conducted a private investigation. After all, Ren had applied for the school, and they had both the right and the responsibility to understand what had happened.
All of it was done discreetly.
…
"Ding dong~"
One month later, Ren—now accustomed to living alone—heard the doorbell ring. The sound felt oddly unfamiliar, and it took him a moment to react.
When he opened the door, he found a familiar yet unfamiliar face.
Yaoyorozu Momo.
She was still wearing her slightly revealing red outfit, showing off her graceful figure without reservation.
"Haha, looks like I guessed right—you're home," Momo said with a smile, clasping her hands behind her back. "Madara—are you interested in going to the amusement park together?"
"The amusement park?" Ren hesitated slightly, still not used to her enthusiasm. "Now?"
"Mm! I already made a bunch of plans—it'll be lively. Oh, right, did you apply to U.A. High School?"
"I did," Ren nodded. "I've received the exam notice, but the entrance exam is still a long way off."
"Your Quirk is Hypnosis, and U.A. focuses heavily on combat ability," Momo said, looking a little troubled. "To be honest, I'm a bit worried for you."
"If I fail because of that, I'd feel bad."
"Don't worry about it," Ren replied calmly, giving her a reassuring look. "Leave the entrance exam to me."
He stepped forward and opened the door wider.
"Didn't you say you wanted to go to the amusement park? Let's go."
"…Mm!" Momo nodded happily.
-----Time Passes-----
As a recommended student, Yaoyorozu Momo had a bright future ahead of her. Her academic performance consistently ranked at the top, backed by an exceptionally high IQ.
Over the next eight months, Ren met many different kinds of people through her and witnessed all sorts of strange and fascinating Quirks.
During that time, Momo's parents took special care of Ren, inviting him over for dinner every few days.
Finally, after waiting more than eight long months, the entrance exam for U.A. High School arrived.
…
Three days later, at 8:40 a.m.
As one of the most prestigious schools in Japan, U.A. High School drew an overwhelming number of applicants.
By the time Ren arrived at the front gate, it was already packed with teenagers.
"Huh? You're…" A puzzled voice sounded from behind him just as he was about to enter. "Aren't you the one who was taken away by the Sludge Monster before?"
Ren paused and turned around, his eyes briefly flashing green.
"Who are you?" he asked calmly, feigning confusion despite already knowing the answer.
"Ah—my name is Izuku Midoriya," the boy said nervously, stuttering slightly. "I'm here to take the U.A. High School entrance exam today."
"Good luck," Ren said with a faint smile. He patted Izuku lightly on the shoulder and walked ahead.
…