Ren Takami stood just outside the gates of U.A. High School, Japan's number one hero academy. The place that forged legends. The place where the story began.
He was 13 years old now. Still early—about a year before the main plot would kick off. But today wasn't just any day.
It was the U.A. entrance exam.
He took a deep breath, feeling the moisture in the air, letting it swirl gently around his fingers—visible only to him.
Hydro Core.
A quirk that on the surface controlled water. But underneath? It was something else entirely.
Power. Evolution. Life itself.
But he kept it quiet. Just another water user. Nothing flashy. Just enough to pass. Or so they thought.
Inside the Testing Grounds
The waiting area buzzed with nervous energy. Teens gathered in groups, chatting, comparing quirks, trying to show off. Ren stayed away from the crowd, leaning against a wall near the edge, eyes half-lidded in false boredom.
A few glanced his way. His looks were sharp, his posture confident—he didn't look nervous. If anything, he looked like he owned the place.
A voice broke through the noise.
"Hi! You nervous too?"
Ren turned. A familiar green-haired boy stood nearby, fidgeting slightly.
Izuku Midoriya.
"Not really," Ren replied with a small smile. "It's just another test."
Midoriya blinked. "Oh. That's cool. I guess you're confident in your quirk?"
Ren chuckled. "You could say that. What about you?"
"Uh... I—well, yeah! I'm ready!" Midoriya forced a smile and walked off awkwardly.
Ren watched him go. 'Still quirkless… not for long though.'
He turned his attention forward. His heart beat steadily, but his mind raced. This was the first major point in the timeline. Everything started here.
And he wouldn't miss a beat.
Written Exam – 30 Minutes Later
Multiple-choice questions, scenario analysis, rescue tactics. Ren finished them all with ease.
In his past life, he had read the manga, watched the anime, even followed fan theories. He knew the structure of the hero course exams. He knew they'd judge more than just raw strength.
Knowledge. Judgment. Morality.
He made sure to be impressive without being perfect. No need to stand out too much yet. Just enough.
Combat Exam – Battle Center B
The contestants gathered in front of huge gates. Ren stretched casually. He caught sight of some familiar faces:
Iida Tenya, vibrating with tension.
Bakugo, fists already crackling.
Ochaco, looking around nervously.
Ren took a position near the front.
Present Mic's voice exploded over the speakers.
"START!!!"
The gates opened, and chaos erupted.
Zero-Pointers: 1 Point, 2 Point, and 3 Point Robots
Ren didn't dash. He walked. Calm. Collected. Like water itself.
As others sprinted and clashed, Ren raised a hand and called forth moisture from the environment. A swirl of mist gathered behind him—then with a simple motion, a high-pressure blast of water shot forward and sliced the legs off a two-pointer.
Clank! Boom!
It crashed to the ground.
One.
Then two.
Then five.
He moved through the battlefield like a storm. Robots short-circuited as water surged through their circuits. He formed tendrils that yanked enemies apart, and disks that cut through metal.
All while barely lifting a finger.
From a rooftop, he spotted Iida dashing, using his engines to blast through the crowd.
Ren smirked. 'Still a bit stiff, huh, Iida?'
A flash of orange lit up the skyline—Bakugo detonating bots with reckless glee.
Ren stayed subtle. Precise. Efficient.
In ten minutes, he had taken down more than 40 points worth of bots.
Then the ground began to shake.
A massive shadow loomed behind a building.
The Zero Pointer.
The crowd panicked. Dozens fled. Ren watched it, hands behind his back, expression unreadable.
He was about to turn away—he didn't need to fight it, and it gave no points—but then...
A scream.
A girl was trapped. Her leg caught under debris.
Ochaco. Just like in canon.
Ren narrowed his eyes. This was the moment Midoriya would shine. But Midoriya hadn't inherited One for All yet.
There was no one coming.
He inhaled deeply. The water in his body hummed.
Then—he moved.
Flash Step.
His legs compressed, boosted by water-enhanced tendons. In a flash, he was at her side. With a swipe of his hand, a jet of compressed water blasted the rubble off her leg.
"Can you stand?"
She blinked. "Y-Yeah!"
The robot's foot crashed down near them. Without another word, Ren pulled her close and shot backward with a water burst beneath his feet, propelling them like a hovercraft.
The ground behind them exploded.
He set her down a safe distance away and turned back to the robot.
"Well, it is good training."
He gathered every drop of moisture around him. Sweat from the battlefield. Steam from destroyed bots. He compressed it into a spear of rotating high-pressure water and launched it like a missile.
Boom.
The spear slammed into the Zero Pointer's central joint. Sparks erupted. It collapsed backward with a thunderous crash.
Everyone stared.
Ren stretched. "No points? That's fine. Hero points exist for a reason."
He turned and walked away.
Post-Exam
As others nursed bruises and talked about the battle, Ren found a quiet corner and sat in the shade.
He smiled to himself.
He had arrived.
And he'd just begun to show what Hydro Core could do.
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