THIRD PERSON POV
The sun beat down on the U.A. High training field, a sprawling expanse of dirt and asphalt. Class 1-A stood in a ragged line, wearing their blue-and-white gym uniforms, standing there awkwardly.
At the front stood Shota Aizawa, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else on the planet. "A Quirk Assessment Test," he repeated, his voice flat. "In middle school, you were forbidden from using your powers during physical fitness tests. That's irrational. The Ministry of Education is just putting off the inevitable."
He turned his bloodshot eyes toward the group. "Bakugo. You finished first in the entrance exam. What was your softball throw distance in junior high?"
Riko started to protest, "HEY, I was firs-", but her voice soon died down after receiving Aizawa's glare.
"tsk" muttered Bakugo before, stepping forward, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Sixty-seven meters."
"Try it with your Quirk," Aizawa said, tossing him a yellow ball. "Anything goes as long as you stay in the circle."
Bakugo took the ball, a predatory grin stretching across his face. He wound up, his muscles coiling like a spring, and unleashed a blast that rattled the windows of the main building.
"DIE!"
The ball vanished into the stratosphere, propelled by a massive bloom of orange flame and black smoke. Aizawa held up a device. 705.2 meters.
"Whoa! Seven hundred meters?!" Kaminari shouted.
"This looks like fun!" Ashido chirped, clapping her hands.
Aizawa's aura suddenly darkened. The air grew cold. "Fun? You think you have three years here to become heroes and it's all going to be 'fun'? Fine. New rule: The student who ranks last in total points across all eight events will be judged as having 'no potential' and will be punished with immediate expulsion."
The class erupted in a wave of panic. Izuku Midoriya looked like he was about to faint, his eyes darting toward his trembling hands. Riko Akabane, however, just let out a long, theatrical sigh.
RIKO POV
Expulsion. Classic Aizawa.
I knew it was a "rational deception bullshit" to force us to our limits and all. My body was humming with a restless energy. The adrenaline was keeping the dull ache in my ribs at bay, but I knew I couldn't just "brute force" these tests. I wasn't built like Bakugo or Todoroki. I had to be smart.
Test 1: The 50-Meter Dash
I watched Tenya Iida blur past the finish line at 3.04 seconds. Bakugo used his explosions like a jet engine, clocking in at 4.13.
When it was my turn, I lined up against a guy with a tail (Ojiro). I didn't run. Instead, I crouched low, pressing my palms against the starting blocks. I flooded the metal with a concentrated kinetic charge.
Three... two... one...
BOOM!
I didn't run; I was launched. The starting block didn't just support me, it acted like a pneumatic piston. I flew through the air in a low-altitude arc, landing in a roll just past the sensors.
"4.48 seconds," the robot droned.
Not bad, not bad. Faster than a normal human, but far behind the speedsters. I brushed the dust off my knees, ignoring the way my shins throbbed.
Test 2: Grip Strength
The class huddled around the digital grip devices. Shoji, the guy with the multiple arms, let out a grunt and clocked a staggering 540kg.
I took the device in my hand. It was a simple mechanical tool with springs, gears, and a digital sensor. To these kids, it was a test of muscle. To me, it was a machine with moving parts.
I closed my hand around the grip, but I didn't squeeze with my muscles. I closed my eyes and focused, sending a shit ton of kinetic energy directly into the internal spring. I forced the gears to rotate, "overclocking" the mechanism from the inside.
Whirrrrrr—click!
The screen flashed: 999kg (ERROR).
"Whoa! Akabane! You have more grip strength than that guy?!" Mineta squealed, his eyes popping out of his head.
"Heh… want a handshake?" I replied, moving my hand close to Mineta's face, who started backing up. Satisfied, I tossed the device back to a bewildered-looking Aizawa. He stared at the 'Error' message, then at me. He knew I'd cheated the physics of the machine, but since "anything goes," he couldn't say a word.
Test 3: Standing Long Jump
This one was easy. I stepped up to the sandpit, knelt down, and tapped the dirt. I didn't just charge a spot; I created a "firecracker" effect. When I jumped, the sands falling from my feet started to trigger a micro-explosion chain pushing me.
I didn't just clear the pit; I soared over it and nearly crashed into the fence on the other side, raising a cloud of dust. (author - she was like a fairy)
"Great," I muttered, shaking the sand out of my hair. "A bit too much."
As the tests went on, I felt the fatigue starting to set in. My breath was getting shorter, and I could feel a familiar tickle in my throat that usually ended in a blood-stained tissue.
Next was ball throw, I knew charging the ball, and blowing it would just be stupid….. at least that was the plan….until I started feeling Aizawa's glare on the back of my head.
Then I saw Bakugo, his challenging smug face, and it ticked me off.
So change of plans
I walked over to Sero, the guy with the tape-dispenser elbows. "Hey, Tape-guy. Mind if I borrow a few strips? I need to do some 'maintenance' on the ball."
Sero looked confused but obliged. "Uh, sure? You're gonna tape the ball?"
I took the ball and a handful of small, jagged rocks I'd scavenged from the field. I began to tape the rocks to the back of the ball in a vertical, stacked line, three rocks in total, each separated by a layer of tape.
"What is she doing?" Uraraka whispered. "It looks like she's doing something to the ball." (Author – no shit)
I stepped into the circle. I wasn't just throwing a ball; I was ladies and gentlemen in fact, building a staged rocket.
I charged each rock with a different "timer." The first rock was set to blow instantly upon release. The second, half a second later. The third, a second after that. It was a kinetic chain reaction….the "Staged Booster" method.
I wound up my arm. Bless me, Elon Musk.
I hurled the ball into the sky.
BOOM!
The first rock detonated, giving the ball a massive secondary shove.
BOOM!
The second rock went off, but the tape didn't hold perfectly. The ball wobbled violently, veering off to the left, but the momentum was still there.
CRACK!
The third rock exploded, but instead of pushing the ball further, the rock shattered itself, sending a shower of sparks into the air. The ball, now lopsided and smoking, streaked through the air like a dying meteor.
Aizawa looked at the device. 674.1 meters.
"Tch," I clicked my tongue, shaking my stinging hand. "The third stage was a dud. Bruh…in my mind it was a beautiful plan." Tsk I blame elon
"Six hundred seventy?!" the class yelled in unison.
Bakugo's face was a mask of twitching fury. "You... you what the hell was that?!"
"Work smarter, not harder, Sparky," I said, can't let this bastard feel all smug now, can I . cough…I felt the copper taste of blood, but I swallowed it down. Perfect timing, I couldn't show weakness now. Not in front of him.
Then, it was Izuku's turn.
I watched as he stood in the circle, the weight of the world on his shoulders. I knew what was coming. I saw Aizawa's eyes glow red, erasing Izuku's Quirk the moment he tried to use it.
"I saw what you did at the entrance exam," Aizawa said, his scarf hovering like a cobra. "You can't control your power. You're just a liability. Are you going to break your arms again and wait for someone to save you?"
Izuku looked devastated. I wanted to step in, to say something, but this was his moment. This was where the "Deku" of the story had to prove he belonged.
Izuku took a breath. He wound up again. This time, the air around his fingertip shattered.
SMASH!
The ball didn't just fly; it screamed. It streaked past the 700-meter mark, landing just a hair beyond Bakugo's record.
705.3 meters.
"Sensei..." Izuku said, his finger purple and broken, but his eyes blazing with defiance. "I'm still moving!"
The silence was broken by Bakugo's roar. "DEKU! YOU BASTARD! TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT!"
Bakugo launched himself at Izuku, his palms crackling,
Aizawa's scarf shot out, binding Bakugo's arms to his sides. "Stop it. You're wasting my time. We have more tests to do."
THE FINAL TALLY
The rest of the tests the sit-ups, the seated toe-touch, the distance run, passed in a blur of exhaustion. I performed well enough, though, thanks to all the stamina training with Izuku.
Finally, Aizawa clicked a button, and a holographic board appeared in the air.
Yaoyorozu Momo
Todoroki Shoto
Bakugo Katsuki
Akabane Riko
Iida Tenya
...Midoriya Izuku
I stared at the '4'.
Fourth place.
I had beaten Iida. I had beaten the girl with the gravity (Uraraka). I was right behind the top three of the class. A small, tired smile touched my lips. I wasn't the protagonist, and I wasn't the fated rival, but I was there. I was a factor.
"And by the way," Aizawa said, deleting the board with a swipe of his hand. "Nobody is going home. The expulsion was a rational deception to draw out your upper limits."
The class let out a collective scream of relief.
"It was a lie?!" Uraraka cried.
"Of course it was," Yaoyorozu said, though she looked a little rattled. "It was obvious if you thought about it."
"Not that obvious!" Kaminari yelled.
I walked over to Izuku, who was practically sobbing with relief. "Nice job, Izu-kun. You didn't get expelled."
"R-Riko-chan... thank you," he whispered. "ri…riko-chan also about the q..quirk.. I wanted tell yo-"
"Don't sweat it," I interrupted softly, giving his shoulder a firm pat. "Tell me when the time is right. For now? Just breathe, buddy. You did good." I said as I walked by coolly (had to aura farm, to make a certain monarch proud).
I looked over at Bakugo, who was staring at the ground, his shoulders shaking. He looked humiliated, confused, and dangerously motivated.
I walked over to him, "yo you-"
"Did you know?" he cut me off, his voice a low growl. He looked up, his gaze locking onto mine with terrifying intensity. "About Deku... having a Quirk?"
I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Wow. You've got some nerve interrupting me, you bastard."
"STOP MESSING AROUND!" he barked, stepping closer. "Did. You. Know?"
Ha. I knew this was coming. How do I even play this? Tell him I knew it from an anime in another world? He's too sharp to fall for a half-baked cover story. Talk about troublesome.
Praying to the great Blob for luck, I met his glare head-on and lied through my teeth. "Eh? No way. Why would he let you spend years bullying him if he had that kind of heat? Unless he's a total ma—"
I trailed off, watching his pupils dilate as he processed the thought.
"But I doubt it," I shrugged, playing it casual. "Probably a late awakening or something. Biology is weird like that."
Walked over and warped my arm around his, and said " though you not scared of his new quirk, are u sparky?"
"HUH Wha'da ya say, wanna DIE YA PUNK"
And just like that, he was back. I laughed as we began the trek toward the locker rooms. As the adrenaline began to bleed out of my system, the dull ache in my chest returned with a vengeance. I stumbled slightly, leaning my weight against him for a second.
"GET OFF ME YOU HAG" he started again, but didn't really push me away, heh…tsundere.
"Aw, look who's all fired up again," I teased.
We disappeared into the building, bickering the whole way.
Fourth place, I thought, a grin finally sticking. Not a bad start at all.
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Author's Shrine
So this chapter was a long one.... at least by my standard....heh 2069 words.