AN: Hey guys I'm back, sorry for the wait. I'm okay now but no chapter for tomorrow tho
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U.A. Auditorium
The massive auditorium pulsed with nervous energy, tension thick in the air like the hush before a thunderstorm. Rows upon rows of hopeful students filled the space, whispering, fidgeting, dreaming.
Shin Karasuma sat somewhere near the center, his posture deceptively relaxed—back straight, arms loosely folded—but his eyes tracked everything. Movement. Expressions. Breathing patterns. He was already calculating.
Next to him, Yuki Takamine buzzed with chaotic energy. She couldn't stop bouncing her leg.
"I think I nailed the written test," she whispered. "Like, not genius level, but solid B-plus vibes. But what if I blank out on the robot thing? What if I shout and knock out a teammate? What if I yell and accidentally launch myself through a building—again?"
"You'll be fine," Shin murmured, not looking at her. "Just don't shout near me."
Yuki smirked. "No promises, Sparky."
Behind them, Toma Nishida slouched in his chair like a corpse. "I need... ten minutes of unconsciousness. Just enough to dream about not being here."
"Don't drool on my sleeve again," muttered Shiro Hanabusa, pristine in his neat posture and calm presence. His pale silver eyes locked onto the stage like a hawk sizing up prey.
Shin leaned forward slightly, gaze flicking to a familiar head of green curls a few rows ahead.
Midoriya was muttering again, scribbling in his notebook at warp speed.
Still overanalyzing everything. You'll figure it out, Izuku.
Suddenly—BOOM!
"YEAHHHHH! WHAT'S UP, FUTURE HEROES?!"
Present Mic's entrance blew out a few eardrums. Yuki flinched so hard she nearly fell out of her chair.
"That's my spirit animal," she said with genuine reverence.
"I believe you," Shin replied without a hint of sarcasm.
As Present Mic launched into the exam briefing, students were split between panic, excitement, and confusion. Shin's focus sharpened with each word.
"Multiple types of combat bots—one-point, two-point, three-point targets! Destroy for score! The more you break, the more you make!"
Tenya Iida, all steel and seriousness, stood like a soldier. "Excuse me, sir! There is a fourth robot listed in the handout with no description."
"GLASSES-KUN! Great catch!" Present Mic threw him finger guns. "That's the zero-pointer. It's just there to make things fun. Don't bother fighting it unless you like being crushed."
Shin tilted his head slightly.
A throwaway obstacle—or a test of judgment?
The briefing ended. The crowd shuffled out. Nerves turned to adrenaline.
"Hey," Yuki said softly, nudging Shin. "You ready to shine?"
"Always."
"Good. 'Cause I plan to outshine you," she said with a wink.
"You'll definitely be louder."
Toma yawned as they walked. "Wake me up when it gets dramatic."
"You'll feel the explosions," Shiro replied, almost smiling.
---
Outside Testing Area B
The sun glared down on the simulated urban landscape. Rows of examinees stood behind steel gates, facing a maze of fake buildings, alleys, and looming towers.
Shin flexed his fingers, electricity crackling softly over his skin like a whispered promise. His uniform was custom-fit, streamlined for speed and impact.
Yuki was practically vibrating. "I love this. I LIVE for this. I'm gonna yell so hard robots forget how to function."
"Please aim away from allies," Toma muttered, already half-asleep against a wall.
Shiro, as always, was composed. "We split up. Don't waste time on the same targets. Spread the field."
"Roger that, team Ghost." Yuki saluted him mockingly.
Across the fence, Shin spotted Midoriya.
The kid was pale. Nervous. But his fists were clenched. His eyes determined.
You've got this, Izuku. Just breathe. Just move.
A loud buzz echoed.
Then—BOOM!
"NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL LIFE!" Present Mic screamed from overhead. "GO GO GO!"
The gates blasted open.
Yuki was first out, screaming, "BOOM VOICE, BABYYYY!"
Shockwaves cracked the ground beneath her as she surged forward. A one-pointer bot tried to pivot—and she shattered it with one shout.
"YOU WANT MORE?! COME GET SOME!"
Toma strolled out behind her, barely trying. A two-pointer lunged. He stepped aside with lazy grace, then jabbed it with a flick of charged strength. Boom. Gone.
"Too easy. Can I go home yet?" he yawned.
Shiro vanished.
No flash, no flair—just a shimmer of light, and he was gone, darting through shadows and across rooftops. Bots crumpled seconds after noticing him—if they noticed him at all.
And Shin—
Shin launched forward like a thunderbolt.
A one-pointer turned toward him—too slow. Shin slid beneath its arm, planted his hand, and rocketed up with a lightning-fueled uppercut.
BOOM. The robot exploded in midair.
He didn't pause. Another target. Two-pointer. He ducked under a blast, slid up its side, and drove a punch through its chestplate.
"TARGET DESTROYED!" the intercom crackled.
Shin kept going. Lightning crackled behind his steps, and each punch echoed with thunder.
---
Midoriya gasped, dodging another bot. Three-pointers. Too many. His muscles screamed.
But… he felt it.
Not like before. Not explosive. Not self-destructive. Just right.
He concentrated. Just 2%.
A slow current. A steady flow.
His legs surged with strength as he jumped, then twisted midair. A robot charged.
He met it with a straight, clean punch.
"SMASH!"
BOOM. The robot collapsed.
Midoriya landed hard but upright. His breath was ragged—but he didn't break anything.
Students nearby stared in awe.
I can do this…
He looked up—and caught eyes with Shin across the battlefield.
Shin nodded once.
Yeah. You've got this, Izuku.
---
Back to Shin
The ground shook.
A shadow fell across the cityscape.
The zero-pointer.
It loomed like a nightmare, towering over the ruins, stomping forward with metal rage.
Students screamed, running for safety.
Shin spotted someone—a girl pinned under rubble, frozen in fear.
He moved.
He was lightning. A blur. A roar of power.
He slammed into the robot's leg with a bone-shattering strike.
CRACK. The limb buckled.
He jumped, grabbed twisted metal, climbed fast. A blast of strength and a surge of lightning carried him to the head.
With a yell, he drove his fist into its control center.
KA-THOOM.
The zero-pointer went dark—then crumbled.
Students stared, stunned.
Shin landed with perfect control.
"Y-You saved her," someone whispered.
He looked back once—then sprinted into the chaos, seeking more targets.
---
Yuki was still howling in triumph.
Toma had cleared a building's worth of bots with half the effort.
Shiro emerged from shadows with not a single scuff.
Midoriya, shaking and exhausted, stood tall amid smoking wreckage.
And Shin—lightning still dancing around his frame—watched the battlefield calm.
He wasn't out of breath. He wasn't even tired.
But he smiled to himself.
Now this… this was fun.