ENTRANCE EXAM II

In a dark room filled with screens where various video feeds are shown, numerous people are watching in anticipation. It seems this year, another batch of wonderful talents are at their door to enroll.

Among the numerous screens, a video feed of a kid with green eyes and darker curls had just destroyed a 2-point robot. Compared to the other examinees, he wasn't using any flashy quirk or using any weapon aside from the severed robotic limbs he picks up from other downed robots.

Other screens project other feeds of a different examinee in all fields. One of the most outstanding is the video feed of a certain bleach-blond kid with red eyes. So far, he's the one with the highest points and his quirk is rather explosive (no pun intended).

There are too many talents, and the observers are having a hard time keeping up with the rest of the feeds. But one observer is too focused watching this one certain feed where a certain kid with curly green curls is attacking the robots with improvised weapons.

"He's quite something, isn't he?" A squeaky voice inquired. Light blue eyes glanced at the voice and noted that the small figure is currently observing the same video feed that he is watching. In response to the inquiry, the man nodded his head once.

"Ah" He agreed.

"All this time, he was only attacking the 'villains' using whatever he gets his hands on. Whether it be a severed robotic limb, a slab of rock, or a detached sidewalk railing" The smaller figure noted. "Makes you wonder what else he's capable of when he has the right resources"

Back in the video feed, the kid in question abandoned his makeshift weapon and grabbed the robot by its mechanical limb and proceeded to flip it over himself like it's some regular human.

"He's proficient in hand-to-hand combat too" The small figure added. "Really impressive"

And he is.

All Might, the taller figure of the two, knew better than anyone what that kid looked only ten months ago. It is hard to believe just how much the kid had improved and grown in such a short amount of time. The miracle a certain mysterious woman had achieved is truly no small feat.

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[The image of cold, calculating, orange eyes stared back at him like he was being reprimanded for a horrible job.]

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Thinking about it, he probably was.

Ten months ago, after realizing that the villain he had previously arrested had escaped his confines, he had immediately rushed to the scene of the immediate disturbance. He was alarmed to see the familiar meek child charge at the villain and even more horrified when a certain woman who claimed to take the said child under her wing not do anything to stop it. She only stood there, eyes emotionlessly watching the child uselessly claw at the slimy substance. He couldn't bear to watch it and inwardly begged for someone to hurry up. When the child in question declared such pure words, he couldn't help but be disgusted with himself. Here he was, the "Symbol of Peace" and the quirkless meek child had more courage than him.

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["... Your face seemed to be calling for help..."]

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It was those words that had inspired him to go beyond his limits.

After everything was settled, he saw that the kid was being berated. He wanted to defend the kid but also wanted to berate him himself. But she was already there, looking like someone personally insulted her.

That was when he learned her name. Abe Chizuru.

The Pro-Hero Death Arms had been surprised to see her. It was easy to see that he, Kamui Woods, and Backdraft knew her one way or another. And just like Naomasa's surprise earlier that day, all three Pro-Heroes were equally taken aback at her declaration of taking on a student.

When he had escaped from the media reporters, he had immediately followed the "student-teacher" duo. He had carefully hidden his presence and observed them. In his mind, he thought that one wrong move from this suspicious woman and he'll snatch the kid away. He listened attentively to their conversation and further studied the woman. He watched them re-encounter the ash-blond kid who was the victim of the sludge villain earlier. He listened to every word that was said and is impressed at how genuine her words are. Her words rang true and she didn't bother sugarcoating them.

She talked about guiding the kid and All Might couldn't detect even a sliver of malice or deceit from her. And that was when he was yanked back and away from the duo. He was about to protest when he recognized that it was his long-time friend who was dragging him away.

Naomasa had shushed him and whispered, "If she finds out that you're spying on them, she'll strangle you"

"That doesn't help her case right now" All Might whispered back. "How do you even know her?"

Naomasa led him to an empty alley. "She's my cousin"

And wasn't that a major surprise?

"I know" The shorter man sighed in exasperation as if he had read what All Might had said in his mind. "But seriously, she won't hesitate to attack you whether or not you're a Hero"

"What is she?" All Might couldn't help but ask. He noticed how she looked at the Heroes back in that attack site. He noticed the look she had when she talked about being a Hero. And he saw how she looked at the kid while reprimanding him. It was as if there was a dam behind those blazing orange eyes, unyielding to collapse. "Who exactly is she?"

And Tsukauchi Naomasa, his most trusted friend for years, faltered under his intense stare.

"Why were you surprised that she took that kid as a student?" He couldn't help but add to his line of inquiries. "Why are Death Arms, Kamui Woods, and Backdraft have this same reaction as yours?"

"Just who is she? Is she also a Pro-Hero?" But then again, why would she step back and let her student rush headlong into danger? "Tsukauchi?"

"Chizuru isn't a Pro-Hero..." Naomasa hesitated. The proud man he knew was gone and in his place, a hesitant man stood. "Chizuru is..."

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"Abe Chizuru is a vigilante"

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Everyone knows what a vigilante is. Vigilantes are people who voluntarily carry out duties usually done without paying attention to the law. And due to the Hero regulations and Quirk restriction laws, people are not allowed to perform heroic duties out on their own, and vigilantism is therefore illegal. In this light of information, some people and most of them are Pro-Heroes themselves, view vigilantes as heinous criminals.

"Aside from us, and the three you mentioned..." The detective sighed. "A few other heroes know about her standing. Some of them are waiting for her to slip up and arrest her"

At his friend's dumbfounded look, the detective elaborated.

"Chizuru knows the law inside out. She could run you in circles and escape through loopholes" He sighed. "There's also the fact that she times her actions in a way that could only be portrayed as self-defense. She's not really using her quirk either when dealing with criminals. Since her quirk is optical, she can't attack with it. She's practically exempt from the law and she takes major advantage of it."

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And honestly? All Might couldn't see anyone better suited to mentor the kid but her. The only thing bothering him is... What if the kid couldn't get in? There are too many talented examinees for the kid to match up. Would the kid follow his sensei's footsteps and become a vigilante himself?

"We've raked in a bumper crop this year" One of his fellow instructors commented with a dry chuckle.

"We can't be sure of that yet" Someone else reprimanded. "The thing to really test their mettle... is that."

That, as they like to call it, is the MENACE OF SUPREME DEATH.

Just as they said it, the small figure beside All Might, the principal himself, had stepped forward to press the button meant to let loose the last obstacle in this exam. The Gimmick. Zero-Points.

As soon as the ridiculously huge robots came in the arena, the examinees ran back to the entrance, screaming their lungs out. It brought amused chuckles from some viewing pro-Heroes, but it only made All Might focus on the feeds even more.

"Saa," A familiar feminine voice said from within the cluster of pro-Heroes. Her voice obviously tinged with impatience, intrigue, and anticipation. "That's how you draw out their true selves"

In one of the feeds, a female examinee with a bob-cut hair was stuck in some debris. While most of the others had scampered away, a single one remained. He stood rigid in place with his green eyes terrified and staring at the rampaging gigantic robot.

A moment later, he seemed to snap out of his trance and was about to dash away but caught sight of the immobile girl.

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What are you gonna do now, boy?

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What can a quirkless kid do in this situation?

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Everyone in the room is at the edge of their seats. Everyone knows that this kid is quirkless and is equally intrigued by what he would do.

And then, he moved.

Midoriya Izuku dashed towards where the girl is, pushed the debris out of the way with little effort, and carried his rescue on his back. Even though he carried her like she weighed nothing, he still has to get out of the robot's reach. And outrunning a massive robot that stood taller than the buildings is nigh impossible unless one has a speed quirk.

The massive robot lifted its foot up and brought it down on the two who had fallen behind. For a moment, they thought that the two were done for but just as soon as they thought about it, the kid emerged from the dust-covered street. He was running as fast as he can towards safety with the girl tightly clinging on to him. The massive robot swung its fist, destroying a few buildings and bringing down debris everywhere. With the girl watching his back, Midoriya Izuku maneuvered around any debris that would fall directly on them. And then, the gigantic robot decided to stomp on them again. As the massive foot loomed over the two, and just when it was only a meter above them, the time was up and the robot stopped on its tracks.

All Might couldn't determine what his coworkers are thinking. Some of them are visibly disappointed and some are satisfied. And All Might himself is in the latter group. He had already seen Midoriya Izuku rush in to save someone before and just like then, he's impressed at his courage even when the odds are against him.

"Let's take a vote, shall we?" Principal Nezu asked as he went to stand on top of the machinery in the room.