The final test of the physical assessment brought the class back to a familiar trial: the Shot Put. After the intense indoor evaluation of [The World]'s precision, the students were now focused on raw utility.
The results were immediate and varied:
Ochako Uraraka: Achieved an "Infinity" score by nullifying the ball's gravity, allowing it to float into the upper atmosphere.
Momo Yaoyorozu: Also hit "Infinity" by simply creating a high-speed drone that carried the ball out of the sensor's range.
Amidst these successes, Izuku Midoriya was spiraling into a panic. Despite his male physique giving him a slight edge over some of the girls in raw strength, he was currently sitting at the bottom of the rankings. If the "expulsion" threat was real, he was as good as gone.
The Eraser's Gaze
As Midoriya stepped into the ring, the air grew cold. He prepared to gamble everything on one massive, self-destructive throw. He launched the ball...
Clunk.
"46 meters," the machine droned.
Midoriya stared at his hands in horror. "How... why didn't it work?"
"I nullified your Quirk," a gravelly voice spoke. Midoriya turned to see Shota Aizawa, his hair floating and his eyes glowing with an eerie, predatory red light.
"Someone like you... you can't control your power, can you?" Aizawa's voice was filled with professional disdain. "You use it, and you become a liability. You expect others to save you after every swing. Is that your idea of a hero?"
Midoriya froze. He finally recognized the man: the Erasure Hero, Eraser Head.
Bakugo, standing in the crowd, finally understood why he had felt "powerless" in the classroom earlier. Aizawa's Quirk was the ultimate equalizer.
"Throw again," Aizawa said, blinking and letting his hair fall back down. "You have two more chances. Prove you aren't a waste of space."
The Birth of Smash
"Stop the drama and show me One For All," Wu An thought, his eyes narrowing with anticipation.
Midoriya stood in the box, his face hardening. He focused all his energy not into his entire arm, but into a single point—the tip of his finger.
"SMASH!!!"
A violent shockwave of white, swirling energy erupted. The shot put didn't just fly; it tore through the air with a sonic boom, vanishing into the clouds.
"722.3 meters!" the machine announced.
Bakugo's face contorted. Seeing "Deku" produce a score that rivaled his own was like a physical blow to his ego. Meanwhile, Midoriya turned to Aizawa, his finger broken and purple, tears of pain and triumph in his eyes. "Teacher... I can still move!"
Aizawa stared for a long moment, then a small, dry smirk touched his lips.
The Sovereign's Interest
While the other students cheered, Wu An stood apart. He wasn't looking at the score; he was looking at the potential of the energy itself. A manic, delighted smile spread across his face.
"For you, Midoriya... that truly is a high-end configuration," Wu An murmured.
Momo, standing beside him, was the only one who noticed the predatory change in his expression. She instinctively reached out and took his hand, her touch grounding him for the first time in months.
"Change your clothes and return to the classroom," Aizawa ordered, walking away. The "expulsion" was revealed to be a "logical deception" to draw out their maximum potential, a move that left the class reeling.
The Shadow of the Symbol
As Wu An walked toward the locker rooms, he encountered a wall of muscle—All Might, hidden in his oversized yellow suit.
"You didn't give it your all, Young Wu An!" All Might boomed, giving a thumbs up. "Ambition is the key to being a Hero!"
Wu An stopped. He looked All Might in the eye, his gaze cold and calculating. "It's a very powerful Quirk Midoriya has, isn't it?"
All Might's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. "Haha, it seems so! Most people only get one, you know?"
"A shame," Wu An said, walking past the Symbol of Peace. "Because if that power merged with my [The World], it would be truly invincible. Don't you think?"
A bead of cold sweat trickled down All Might's temple as he watched Wu An disappear into the building. The "Sovereign" wasn't just looking to be a hero; he was looking at the world as a collection of parts to be mastered.
A single relevant follow-up question:
With Wu An now explicitly acknowledging the nature of One For All to All Might, do you think the Symbol of Peace will try to distance Midoriya from Wu An, or will he attempt to guide the "Sovereign" toward a more heroic path before his arrogance turns into something darker?