"Ow... ow... owie... Eve, I'm sorry! I really didn't know I was going to be late today. It's not my fault the distribution got delayed!"
Sekjiro Kan could only watch as the lilac-haired boy was dragged away by his ear by Shiozaki, right after the blood-themed hero dismissed the students to get changed for the quirk apprehension test.
To say the orientation turned into an absolute mess would be an understatement.
The moment the boy stole the spotlight, emotions flared. Kan could only watch as the lilac-haired boy effortlessly silenced both the General Education students and even All Might, leaving them with no room to respond
At first, it was bad, Kan thought for sure the boy would get mobbed by the other students. Maybe he even deserved it, considering how he deliberately provoked the Gen Ed class.
Still, Kan was ready to step in and defend the kid if things got out of hand. Sure, the boy had crossed a line by insulting the Gen Ed students in front of everyone, but Kan could somehow understand why he did it. From the moment Ai walked into the room, the blood-themed hero could hear every insult hurled at him not just because Ai had shown up late.
Everyone on staff knew this would happen. The Gen Ed students always found a ways to antagonize the Hero Course students. It had happened before and, undoubtedly, would happen again. Jealousy was a persistent poison. The Hero Course held status, and Gen Ed students held resentment. So, when they finally got ammunition, they didn't hesitate to use it.
But they picked the wrong target.
The moment Ai had the chance to strike back, he didn't hold back. He shattered their morale without a hint of hesitation.
Kan sighed heavily. He understood the boy's reasons, but understanding didn't mean he could overlook them. Ai still needed to be reprimanded.
What concerned not only Kan but the rest of the U.A. staff was how the boy managed to handle the Number One Hero and how, with just a few words, he unearthed an issue that society had long chosen to ignore.
In the end, it was All Might who came out looking like the fool.
Kan couldn't bring himself to blame either Ai or All Might.
All Might had meant well when he addressed the students who failed to enter the Hero Course. Kan would have blamed himself and the rest of the staff for letting the situation spiral out of control, if not for the genuine sincerity behind All Might's words.
But All Might was still new to teaching. He probably didn't know how to deal with teenagers. He was used to speaking from the heart and having the world simply accept it.
So when Ai picked apart his words and threw them right back, All Might was left cornered in a position that could have shattered the very image of the Symbol of Peace if not been handled carefully.
Fortunately, before Ai could continue tearing down the Number One Hero, young Shiozaki stepped in, stopping him just in time. She gently urged him to apologize, and, to Kan's surprise, Ai complied without resistance.
He bowed and apologized to everyone without hesitation, surprising even the first-year students, who had already formed the impression that Ai would never back down from anyone.
Perhaps Nezu was right after all Shiozaki really was the perfect pacifier for the boy.
After that, Nezu finally stepped in to do some damage control. Thanks to his years of experience as an educator, he actually managed to calm the situation down.
In the end, whether or not All Might ended up with a bad reputation among the first-year students remained uncertain.
On the bright side, Nezu and Hound Dog reminded everyone that U.A. took mental health issues seriously and encouraged students to seek help if needed.
One thing Kan noticed, though, was that some of the Gen Ed students were now giving Ai conflicted looks. Not anger, like before, but something closer to understanding.
The blood-themed hero was actually impressed. The boy had somehow managed to both aggravate and win over the Gen Ed students all at once.
Kan now stood at the training field, waiting for his students to begin their quirk apprehension test.
This test was the perfect opportunity to gauge their physical capabilities and quirk mastery.
He already had some idea of how they performed against opponents during the practical exam, but this was different.
This was all about endurance and ingenuity. A hero must adapt to the situation, it's the only way to survive long in this profession.
"Bro, I'm telling you, Hero Course girls are all hot! I got a glimpse of Class 1-A, and bro, there's a lot of beauties in that class too! I knew it being a pro hero is the fastest way to be surrounded by hot girls!"
'One of those, huh,' Kan thought. He had expected all kinds of kids this year. After all, they were teenagers, powerful teenagers. The blood-themed hero already knew he'd have to carve some of the bad apples into shape. The last thing he wanted was for a kid with problematic tendencies to gain power over others. There were already enough stories of pro heroes abusing their positions to hurt the very people they were supposed to protect.
And giving a pervert a pro hero license would be the most idiotic thing an educator or a pro hero could ever do.
So, Kan made a mental note. He'd guide these students to be decent people first and decent heroes second. He had three years to work with them.
"A-Aino, use this! It has a soothing cold! Your ear looks like a red mushroom! It's so red, small, and cute, I-I mean, the mushroom is cute! N-not your e-ear! T-the mushroom, yes, the shroom! It would be weird to call you cute, I mean, the EAR! IT WOULD BE WEIRD TO CALL YOUR EAR CUTE!"
Kinoko's panicked hands were caught by Ai, who was still tearing up after Ibara had pulled his ear so hard that it now looked comically red.
"T-Thank you, Ki-chan... you're the only one in this school who's kind to me," Ai sobbed. "Even Eve hates me now."
"K-Ki-chan!?" Kinoko blushed furiously at the nickname.
Ibara, on the other hand, rolled her eyes. Sure, she was angry at him, but there was no way she would hated him. If she did, she would have long ago.
"Kinoko, don't be fooled by him. Ai's just acting like a baby. He knows he messed up badly and is trying to look pitiful to avoid a scolding later."
Itsuka had been following the trio, hoping to strike up a conversation with the two girls, but she found the lilac-haired boy's presence intimidating. The way Ai was acting now was so different from earlier, during the orientation, when he had boldly picked a fight with everyone.
Itsuka couldn't help but wonder if the guy had some kind of personality-switching quirk. The crying dork in front of her was nothing like the grinning, gutsy guy who had just talked down the Number One Hero. The difference was downright jarring.
Her train of thought was cut off by a booming voice demanding everyone's attention.
"YOU TOOK FAR TOO LONG CHANGING INTO YOUR UNIFORMS! THAT WON'T DO! TIME IS PRECIOUS FOR PRO HEROES!"
Their homeroom teacher, Vlad King, stood in the middle of the field, arms crossed, eyes sharp as he scanned every student.
"Today, you lot will undergo a quirk apprehension test. This test is designed to measure your capabilities both physical and quirk mastery," Vlad King said as he walked over to a box and pulled something out.
"Give it your all. The results of this test will serve as your baseline. From this day forward, you'll work your asses off to beat your own records every single day until you graduate from this school. Fail to do so, and you'll be left behind. And when I say everyone will leave you behind, I mean everyone, even students from other courses. If you fail to improve, someone else will take your place the moment they get the chance. So make sure to go PLUS ULTRA from here on out!"
The blood-themed hero grinned, pleased to see the fire ignited in their eyes.
"Kendo!" he called.
The orange-haired girl stumbled slightly as she caught the ball Vlad King suddenly tossed to her.
"You got the highest score during the practical exam. Step into that circle and throw this ball as far as you can. Quirks are allowed."
She nodded and walked confidently toward the circle. Feeling the ball's weight in her hand, she steadied her breathing, lowered her stance, and prepared.
Timing it perfectly, she activated her quirk, enlarging her hand just as she released the ball, adding a powerful boost that sent it soaring through the air.
Itsuka watched the ball sail and straightened up, regulating her breathing. She glanced at Vlad King, who checked his device and nodded as it clicked.
"406 meters. Good job, Kendo. You may return to the line."
Itsuka smiled and nodded, returning to her classmates, pleased to see excitement on their faces. Some were awestruck, while others flashed competitive grins.
Her eyes, however, were gradually drawn to a certain group. She saw Ibara giving her a thumbs-up, and Kinoko clapping excitedly, making Itsuka smile even wider.
But her smile faltered when she spotted the lilac-haired boy behind them.
Ai was tapping his chin, studying her. No he was checking her out. His eyes traced her from head to toe, and when their eyes finally met, the gremlin winked at her.
Itsuka scowled and mentally shouted,
'PERVERT!'
End of Chapter 14