"Alright, first let me introduce myself. I'm Shota Aizawa, your homeroom teacher. Nice to meet you." After dealing with Arthur and Bakugo, Aizawa finally got down to business.
But his lazy, sleepy-looking demeanor made a lot of students, like Inasa, wonder if this was really the guy teaching Class 1-A, the top first-year class.
Hadn't they heard All Might was coming to U.A.?
Why wasn't he the homeroom teacher?
Aizawa seemed used to that reaction, though. He pulled a blue-and-white tracksuit out of his bag and said, "Anyway, go change into these and meet me on the field. Don't take forever."
Since they hadn't assigned changing rooms yet on the first day, the class had to improvise, girls used the classroom first while the guys waited outside.
Arthur leaned against the window frame. Izuku Midoriya hesitated for a bit, then walked over and tried to start a conversation. "H-hey, long time no see, Arthur. I heard back at Aldera that you got a recommendation to U.A. That's crazy."
Arthur tilted his head and looked at him. The scrutiny made Izuku's legs feel shaky.
"Not as crazy as you."
After a long pause, that was Arthur's response. Hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or just stating facts.
One For All.
Arthur had wanted that Quirk badly at one point. Its insane close-combat power combined with The World could have been something like a supercharged version of Star Platinum-The World: One For All.
But in the end, that power was never meant for him.
Because of who he was and what he was after, Arthur never really caught All Might's attention like in some web novel. It still went to Izuku.
So Arthur's feelings toward Izuku were complicated. He wouldn't say he hated him, but becoming friends probably wasn't in the cards either.
Right when Izuku was awkwardly trying to figure out how to respond, Inasa walked up and shouted, "Arthur! Long time no see!"
"If you could lose the loud habit, maybe we could have a normal conversation."
Arthur looked ready to turn away as soon as he saw him.
"I've been training way harder since I lost to you last time! We've gotta run it back sometime!" Inasa yelled, fired up.
"Last time? So this guy's a recommended student too, just like Arthur?" Izuku looked at Inasa, surprised. U.A. really was stacked with talent.
Inside the classroom, the girls apparently hadn't realized how strict U.A. was yet. They were still chatting casually while changing, like it was middle school all over again.
A short kid with hair like grapes, maybe a meter tall at most was practically drooling, pressed up against the classroom door trying to peek in.
Tenya Iida saw him and immediately rushed over, waving his arms to block him.
By the time the guys finished changing and got to the field, Aizawa looked like he was about to fall asleep from waiting. His eyes had a clear hint of annoyance.
Once everyone was there in their tracksuits, he said flatly, "Thirteen minutes, huh..."
Some of the girls looked embarrassed, but Aizawa just announced what the first class would be-
A Quirk Apprehension Test.
Ochaco Uraraka blurted out, "We're doing this on the first day? What about the entrance ceremony? What about introductions?"
"If you want to be heroes, there's no time for that stuff," Aizawa said without any warmth.
The mood instantly got tense.
Arthur, though, looked completely unimpressed. He remembered that Aizawa's so-called Quirk test was just the usual athletic drills, 50-meter dash, triple jump, that kind of thing but with Quirks allowed.
Like the written exam, it didn't interest him at all. If it were a real test, like combat training, that would be more his style.
"So... Bakugo, who ranked first in the entrance exam, and Yaoyorozu, who ranked first among recommended students..."
Aizawa started, and the whole class's attention snapped to Momo. Regular admits like Ochaco had no idea the top recommendation was a girl.
Katsuki Bakugo and Izuku Midoriya both looked at Arthur in surprise.
He... wasn't first?
But Aizawa changed his mind mid-sentence. "No, let's use Arthur Pendragon, he had the highest physical fitness score. You two, come out and demonstrate."
Did his written and interview scores hold him back? Izuku thought, quickly figuring out why Arthur wasn't at the top.
Arthur and Bakugo stepped forward.
"How far could you throw a shot put in middle school?" Aizawa asked.
"Eighty-one meters," Bakugo answered.
"No idea. I got suspended right after I transferred."
Arthur's reply made Aizawa's face darken. This guy always found ways to annoy him.
The other students started murmuring behind them. Tenya Iida looked especially shocked, how did U.A. accept someone who'd been suspended?
Bakugo was fuming. Arthur's suspension was because he completely wrecked him in a fight.
"Whatever. Both of you, throw it once. Use your Quirks." Aizawa rubbed his temples and pointed to the shot put area on his left.
Katsuki Bakugo strode into the shot put area, grabbed the ball, and muttered to himself, "Focus the blast pressure onto it."
He shot a glare at Arthur behind him. "You annoying twin bastard, just watch! This is what I got from training just to beat you!"
Taking a baseball-style stance, Bakugo roared, "Die!!!"
A burst of explosions kicked up smoke and dust as the shot put launched high into the sky.
The moment it landed, Shota Aizawa checked his phone.
"Alright. Everyone, show me what you can do." He turned around lazily and showed the result. "782.5 meters."
The class froze for a second, then the excitement hit.
"Wait, what? 782 meters?!"
"That's insane!"
"This is gonna be fun!"
"We can go all out with our Quirks, let's go!"
Watching them get hyped like it was some school trip, Aizawa's expression turned colder, a faint smirk forming.
"Fun… huh?"
Izuku Midoriya and the others stiffened.
"Since you're all having such a great time, I'll expel whoever ranks last overall across all eight tests."
That line hit like a bomb.
"What?!"
"You're kidding, right?!"
"Even for U.A., that's messed up!"
Not just Ochaco Uraraka and Tsuyu Asui, even Shoto Todoroki and Inasa Yoarashi looked surprised.
"If you're here for a chill school life and post-class McDonald's runs, you can leave now," Aizawa said flatly. "This is U.A.'s Hero Course."
A small grin tugged at his lips. "Welcome."
He turned his gaze toward Arthur, who had been zoning out this whole time. "Your turn."
Arthur picked up the shot put. Instead of Bakugo's explosive throw, he bent low and casually tossed it upward like he was throwing out trash.
Whoosh!
The moment he released it, Aizawa, Momo Yaoyorozu, Inasa, Todoroki, Midoriya, and even Bakugo all noticed something.
He didn't use his Quirk.
Thud!
The ball hit the ground and slid forward for quite a distance before stopping.
"450 meters."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed slightly at the number.
Just raw strength?
"That's still crazy…"
"No wonder he's not scared of Bakugo."
"What kind of Quirk is that? I didn't even see anything."
"Maybe it's like All Might's?"
Uraraka, Eijiro Kirishima, and the others started talking among themselves.
But Todoroki and Bakugo knew better.
Arthur didn't use anything just now.
That was all physical.
"As long as I'm not last, I'm good, right?"
Arthur said casually as he walked past Aizawa.
"This guy… is he even taking this seriously?"
Aizawa thought.
"Damn it… this bastard…"
Bakugo clenched his teeth.
Sure, his throw went farther, but without his Quirk, he doubted he could even hit 100 meters.
"Arthur-kun…"
Midoriya was stunned.
He used to admire Arthur's Quirk, but now even his base strength felt completely out of reach.
The rest of the tests began.
Fifty-meter dash.
One by one, Class A showed off their abilities.
Laser bursts, engine boosts, gravity control, everything.
"Final group. Arthur Pendragon, Izuku Midoriya!"
the robot announced.
"Fifty meters…" Arthur glanced at the track. "Can't use The World here."
Midoriya clutched his chest, cold sweat running down his face.
"Three, two, one, start!"
"No… I can't use it. I only get one shot…"
He ran using just his normal physical ability.
He had expected Arthur to blow past him instantly.
But instead… he was ahead.
Midoriya didn't even have time to think about it. He just kept running.
With a Quirk he could barely control, this was his only option.
Meanwhile, the rest of the class was staring in disbelief.
Because Arthur…
…was just walking.
Hands in his pockets, strolling toward the finish line like he was out for a casual walk.
"Izuku Midoriya, 7.02 seconds!"
After a pause, the robot continued:
"Arthur Pendragon, 22.31 seconds!"
"…Yeah. Of course."
Momo rubbed her temples, clearly done with this.
"Hey! That kind of attitude is unacceptable for a hero!" Tenya Iida shouted. "Please take this seriously!"
...
Read advance chapters on p@treon
[email protected]/guilt_free_daoist
Join disc0rd link in synopsis.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.