Present Mic's voice had exploded across the auditorium, amplified by his Quirk, making everyone flinch in their seats!
"WE'RE HERE TO BECOME HEROES, NOT TO START FIGHTS, YEAH?!"
His usual playful tone echoed with more authority this time, pressing down like a gavel to silence the room.
"Save that fiery spirit for the battlefield—'CAUSE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO HEAT UP!"
He gave a small chuckle, easing the tension.
"Now, before we proceed, I'd like to thank Examinee Number 7111—"
He gestured toward the still-standing young man, who straightened up at once.
"—For his sharp eyes and keen observation! That's what we like to see from future pros!"
The screen behind him flickered—once, twice—before finally switching to a looming silhouette of a colossal faux villain, towering over the rest, with a bright red '0 P' stamped beside it.
A collective murmur swept through the examinees.
"Behold—THE FOURTH VILLAIN VARIETY!" Present Mic shouted with gusto as he grinned from ear to ear. "But don't let its size fool you—this one's not even worth a single point! It's what we call a 'Zero Pointer'!"
Shock rippled through the crowd, and Present Mic leaned forward to the crowd, voice dipped in theatrical mischief—
"Think of it like a video game boss~! An almost unbeatable optional monster that exists just to cause chaos! You won't get anything for taking it down, so unless you've got a death wish, best leave it alone when it shows up, YEAH?!"
The message was loud and clear: it was danger for the sake of danger. Not worth the blood or bones.
The bespectacled young man then gave a curt bow—
"Thank you for the clarification!"
—And with an almost robotic efficiency, he lowered himself back into his seat without another word.
Katsuki, however, still glared daggers at the back of his head.
"Damn four-eyes...!"
"Kacchan."
Izuku gently tugged at her sleeve, prompting her to shift her glare to him.
"C'mon. Let it go, already."
"Huh? Like hell I will, Izuku—not after the things he spat at you—"
"It's fine, alright."
Katsuki was about to further protest, but... seeing Izuku's calm expression, she clicked her tongue again and reluctantly sat down—arms crossed, still fuming.
Present Mic clapped his hands once, drawing their attention back to him.
"That's all from me!" he declared with a flourish. "And finally, I'll give you listeners a present—UA's Academy Motto!"
He raised a single finger dramatically, the stage lights once again centered on him—
"The Hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: 'A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes!'" he boomed, voice reverberating across the hall. "Go beyond... PLUS ULTRA!!"
< | X | >
All of the examinees had now exited the auditorium en masse, many heading toward the academy's provided changing stations to prepare for the upcoming exam...
Izuku, Katsuki, and Ochako were among the last to step through the auditorium doors—each still digesting the flood of information thrown at them just moments ago.
"So… the exam's basically just smashing robots, huh?" Ochako broke the silence, a mix of nervousness in her voice, "It sounds simple, but... I dunno. Feels like there's a catch."
"Yeah," Izuku nodded, eyes thoughtful. "Bet they're probably limiting the number of faux villains per exam zone. So... it's not just about beating up as many villains as possible—it's gonna be whoever's the fastest out there—a full-blown villain-hunting simulator where only the fiercest one would prevail."
As if on cue, both he and Ochako turned to glance at someone who very much fit that 'fierce' description.
Arms crossed. Brow twitching. Still scowling—it was Katsuki.
She was still in a rather sour mood from earlier... simmering like a volcano just beneath the surface.
Seeing his childhood friend's obvious frustration, Izuku promptly approached her side.
"You'll be fine, Kacchan," he assured her with a soft smile, "No—actually, you're gonna ace this. I know you will."
"Tch... idiot," Katsuki grumbled under her breath—but her glare softened ever so slightly... a tint of pink on her cheeks by his gentle affirmation of her.
She exhaled sharply for a moment, then gave a small, crooked smile to Izuku.
"Thanks for believing in me... so you better ace this lame exam too. Got it?"
"Haha~, you got it~."
Without another word, Katsuki turned and walked off ahead—
But not before shooting a sharp, sideways glare at Ochako as she passed.
"Eek—!"
The brunette flinched once again, still not used to Katsuki's animosity toward her.
But then—
"Hey, Uraraka-san~."
"Eek—!!"
She was startled once again by Izuku's sudden call, but she saw the grin etched across his face—
"Let's head to Site B, yeah?"
"E-Eh? Ah, y-yes! Let's go...!"
And with that, the two disappeared into the flow of examinees heading to Exam Site B.