After returning to Yu Takeyama's Hero agency, she approached Shina Etsuha with a thick stack of documents, rubbing her temples in frustration.
"This is strange," she muttered. "Quirks that control a single element are usually rare. But this time, U.A. has found at least two candidates like that—and one of them has an ability very similar to yours."
"Huh?"
Etsuha, who had been working on a new manga manuscript, turned around in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
"Your application for recommendation admission to U.A. has been approved," Yu Takeyama said, flipping through the documents. "But your opponent this time… is Endeavor's son."
She tapped the page with a frown.
"Because your quirks overlap, the school likely paired you deliberately. And based on the report…" she added, her tone growing more serious, "Shoto Todoroki's ability is even more extraordinary. Not only can he control ice like you—but he can also manipulate fire. Both elements… in one person."
"…That strong?"
The other Heroes nearby couldn't hide their shock.
"The new generation is terrifying… A quirk combining fire and ice? That's insane."
"I've heard of him too. His quirk is called Half-Cold Half-Hot. The ice side alone can freeze an entire building instantly."
"And there's another candidate who can control storms… seriously, what kind of monsters is U.A. recruiting this year? Maybe the next All Might will come from this batch."
Curious, Etsuha took the documents and skimmed through them.
Alongside Shoto Todoroki, he spotted another familiar name—
Yaoyorozu Momo.
Yu Takeyama crossed her arms and continued, "Todoroki will be one of your main opponents. Since your quirks overlap, there's a high chance you'll face each other directly. Besides the standard evaluation, U.A. might arrange a special one-on-one match. The goal would be to prove which quirk is superior."
"You have to fight right after graduating middle school?" someone exclaimed.
"Well, it's U.A. That's to be expected," another replied. "Still, it's hard to predict the strength of Endeavor's son…"
"If it's too risky, you could just give up the recommendation. Etsuha could still enter through the normal exam route. It's not a huge loss."
"Idiot. The benefits of recommendation admission are on a completely different level."
"…That's true."
Being admitted through recommendation meant early entry into U.A., along with access to training resources ahead of other students. The advantages were obvious.
"Don't worry about the fight," Etsuha said calmly. "If anything, my quirk is better suited for combat."
"Alright… Hm?"
Yu Takeyama suddenly leaned closer, her attention shifting.
"Is this your new manga? Did you finish the previous one already?"
In her hands was a freshly drawn manuscript. The artwork was striking—on the page, a massive fox roared beneath a full moon. Even from a glance, it carried a powerful presence.
Judging by the thickness of the manuscript, Etsuha had already completed a significant portion of the story.
Etsuha nodded and handed it over.
Yu Takeyama flipped through the pages casually at first.
"'Naruto'? That's a weird title…"
But as she read on, her expression gradually changed.
Her eyes widened.
Minutes passed in silence.
When she finally finished reading the available chapters, she exhaled sharply, as if waking from a trance.
"…Where's the rest?"
"It's not released yet. I've only drawn this much so far—"
Before he could finish—
"Draw more!!" Yu Takeyama shouted.
Etsuha: "…"
Unlike his previous works, such as Akame ga Kill, this was a long-running series. Even Etsuha felt a slight headache thinking about the sheer scale of the plot.
However, in his previous life, he had worked in a similar field. He had analyzed countless famous manga and memorized their storylines in detail.
For him, recreating Naruto wasn't difficult.
Choosing this series now had been a deliberate decision.
While long-running manga required a lot of effort, they were unmatched when it came to building fame. Naruto, in particular, had skyrocketed in popularity once it was released. As long as he stayed consistent, success was only a matter of time.
After spending the entire afternoon working non-stop, Etsuha finally completed the first few chapters.
Without delay, he contacted his editor at Jump and submitted the manuscript.
As expected—
It passed the review almost instantly.
Just then, a young woman with a bright appearance rushed in from outside, slightly out of breath.
"Etsuha! People from U.A. are here!"