"The U.A. entrance exam is completely different from normal high school tests!"
Mt. Lady's words echoed in Ren's mind.
"Especially the Hero Course—it demands top-tier combat ability. It's the most popular… and the most difficult exam in the country!"
"The Hero Course at U.A. has produced countless top heroes—"
"All Might, the No.1 Hero!"
"Endeavor, with the highest number of solved cases!"
"And Best Jeanist, winner of the Best Jeanist Award for eight consecutive years!"
"They all came from U.A.!"
"So if you want to become a top hero—this is the place!"
—
A reminder.
And encouragement.
—
Because of that—
U.A. had become the ultimate challenge for every aspiring hero.
A school that defined heroes.
—
Looking at the crowded venue ahead, Ren walked forward calmly.
This was the hall for the Hero Course exam briefing.
—
Most seats were already filled.
Ren glanced at his ticket.
"B11…"
A noticeable spot.
—
Just as he sat down—
"Um… excuse me, could you let me pass? Thank you!"
A familiar voice.
—
A girl with a blunt, straightforward tone squeezed past and sat beside him.
A large bow sat on her head—
A bit unusual.
But she carried herself with confidence.
—
"Hey… Ren…"
A soft voice came from behind.
—
Ren turned slightly, surprised.
"Ochaco…"
—
Ochaco Uraraka looked both nervous and excited.
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
—
The girl beside Ren spoke up as well, extending her hand.
"I'm Tsuyu Asui. Nice to meet you."
—
"Ren."
He shook her hand lightly.
—
He had already recognized her—
The frog-like mannerisms, the long tongue…
Hard to miss.
—
Click.
The lights suddenly went out.
The entire venue fell into darkness.
—
Moments later—
A spotlight illuminated the stage.
—
Standing there was a man with a distinctive look—
Messy hair, a small beard, and equipment around his neck.
His sharp eyes gleamed with excitement.
—
"Welcome, examinees!"
—
Present Mic began his energetic explanation.
Even without holding a microphone—
His voice filled the entire hall.
—
"You're about to take part in a ten-minute practical exam!"
"You may use any equipment you like!"
"After this briefing, head to your assigned zones!"
—
…
—
"So students from the same school won't be tested together…"
Tsuyu glanced at the numbers on everyone's tags and sighed.
—
"That's normal," Ren said casually.
"It keeps things fair. Otherwise, teamwork could give some people an advantage."
—
Tsuyu nodded.
"Right. That way, individual ability is properly measured."
—
Ren flipped through the instruction manual.
Everything was listed clearly—
Rules.
Scoring.
Precautions.
—
On stage, Present Mic continued:
"There are three types of imaginary enemies in the test area!"
"They appear in large numbers, and each type gives different points depending on difficulty!"
"Your goal—defeat them and score as many points as possible!"
—
He paused.
Then added—
"However! Any behavior that goes against the spirit of the exam is strictly prohibited!
—
…
—
"So basically… just focus on your own points," Tsuyu muttered.
"No interfering with others."
—
Ren didn't respond.
—
On the surface—
The exam seemed simple.
—
But the manual told a different story.
—
Most importantly—
They were allowed to use their Quirks freely.
—
Looking closer—
There were three standard enemy types with different scores.
But—
There was also a fourth.
—
A massive "zero-pointer."
—
No score.
No reward.
—
A faint smile appeared on Ren's lips.
Most people hadn't noticed the implication.
—
That enemy wasn't meant to be defeated.
—
It was something else entirely.
—
After answering a few final questions—
Present Mic raised his voice once more.
"Go beyond!"
"Plus Ultra!!"
—
"PLUS ULTRA!!"
The crowd roared in response.
—
Ren stood up and headed toward his assigned exam zone.
—
Just then—
A voice called out from behind.
"Ren! Good luck!"
—
He didn't turn around.
But he heard it clearly.
—
Ochaco's voice.
…
A/N: Support Via Powerstone And Collections