The entrance exam was divided into several venues, each one comparable in size to a small city. At first glance, the scale alone was enough to leave people stunned.
So this was U.A. High School.
From the lobby all the way to Venue A, Bakugo Katsuki had been staring at Kurosawa Ren for several straight minutes. Anyone unaware of their history might have assumed the two shared some kind of secret relationship.
"I trust everyone understands the rules. You have ten minutes to prepare. After that, the exercise will officially begin. I wish all candidates satisfactory results."
The moment the teacher finished speaking, his figure vanished without a trace.
"I'll ask you again," Bakugo snapped the instant the teacher was gone, stepping forward and glaring directly at Ren."Do you dare compete with me?"
Ren looked at the furious Bakugo and felt genuinely speechless. He knew Bakugo's temperament all too well—if he refused, Bakugo would only keep pestering him.
"…Fine," Ren replied calmly. "How do you want to compete?"
As he spoke, Ren's pupils quietly turned scarlet, giving him an unsettling presence.
"Whoever gets first place!" Bakugo grinned, baring his teeth like a wild beast."Tch. Just wait—I'll crush you, pink-eyes."
"Your relationship doesn't seem very good," another candidate said cautiously, stepping closer out of concern."What happened between you two?"
"Nothing," Ren answered flatly.
Seeing that Ren had no intention of explaining, the candidate wisely stopped asking and moved aside to prepare.
…
Inside the main control room, U.A. High School's teachers and professional Heroes were gathered together, multiple screens displaying the conditions of each venue.
"I hope this year's students can give us some surprises," Aizawa Shouta muttered, resting his chin on his hand, his half-lidded eyes fixed on the monitors.
"After all, the candidates who dealt with the Sludge Villain are among them," the principal replied confidently. "I don't think you'll be disappointed."
"Heh. Hypnosis is useless against machines," Aizawa said, glancing at the screen showing Kurosawa Ren, whose eyes were glowing scarlet."I'm more optimistic about the kid who rushed in to save someone ten months ago than about him."
More than half a year earlier, Aizawa had personally reviewed Ren's file at the police station. Among all the candidates, the two he remembered best were Ren and Bakugo Katsuki.
"If used properly, Hypnosis shouldn't be underestimated in real combat," All Might said thoughtfully.Even so, his gaze never left Izuku Midoriya, who was visibly trembling on one of the screens.
Come on, Midoriya, my boy, All Might encouraged silently.
-----Preparation Phase-----
"Are you ready?"At nine minutes and thirty seconds, the rock-singer-like announcer suddenly appeared at the front, arms spread wide.
"Ready!" the candidates shouted in unison, their voices brimming with determination.
No one dared take the entrance exam lightly.
"Haha! I like that spirit!" the announcer said, snapping his fingers."The test will begin in ten seconds. Good luck!"
Nervous tension rippled through the crowd.
"Three… two… one—start!"
"Bang!"
The gates burst open, and the candidates surged forward like a tidal wave—no different from shoppers charging into a sale.
Among them, Kurosawa Ren entered relatively late, which only deepened Bakugo's scorn.
"A rookie is still a rookie," Bakugo sneered, turning his head slightly.The next second, explosions erupted from his palms, propelling him forward as he vanished in an instant.
To Ren, however, everything looked painfully slow.
Ahead, a candidate was just about to strike down a simulated enemy when a scarlet-eyed blur suddenly rushed past him.
"Too slow."
Ren's lips curled faintly as he clenched his fist and drove it straight into the enemy's joint.
"Crack—"
The towering simulated enemy instantly locked up, collapsed, and shattered into scattered components across the ground.
"What are you doing?!" the candidate shouted angrily."That was mine! Why are you stealing my target?!"
"Does the rulebook say candidates can't compete with each other?" Ren replied with a calm smile."Read the exam rules carefully."
"You—!"The candidate was about to argue when he saw Ren leap effortlessly onto a three-story rooftop.
He froze.
"A strength-type Quirk…?" the candidate muttered, swallowing hard."Yeah… I'm not messing with that."
…
Back in the control room, Aizawa straightened slightly, his bored expression finally cracking.
"What's going on?" he muttered."Isn't his Quirk supposed to be Hypnosis? How is he that strong?"
"One hit to dismantle a simulated enemy?" the principal said, clearly intrigued."This candidate is interesting. I distinctly remember his Quirk being Hypnosis."
"…So did I," Aizawa replied quietly.
"…"