Chapter 93: Gooey Sucess

"WATCH OUT!"

Tsu's heart pounded as she pivoted to the side, heeding her partner's urgent warning.

Her reflexes, honed by the many battles and training sessions over the last year, allowed her to drop onto all fours just in time.

And it was in the nick of time as Dark Shadow, the quirk of her partner Tokoyami, erupted from his side, its dark form slashing through the air and striking down an enemy clone that had been closing in behind her.

"Thank—"

Before Tsu could finish her response, her tongue shot out from her mouth with blinding speed.

It streaked across the room, blinding the clone that had been sneaking up on Tokoyami.

With their position revealed, it allowed Tokoyami to capitalize on the distraction. He immediately manipulated Dark Shadow to strike with precision, halting their immediate tenseness.

Though he did that, both Tsu and Tokoyami wore grim expressions as they surveyed their surroundings.

The entrance they had come through was now completely clogged with clones, each one mimicking the exact appearance, and quirk of their proctor.

"'NO RUNNING.'" The clones spoke in eerie unison, their voices blending into a chorus.

Determined not to fail, Tsu scanned their surroundings for a way out. Her sharp eyes landed on an exit leading into another room.

She and Tokoyami exchanged a knowing glance, their minds racing through their instinctual duties.

Tokoyami swiftly summoned Dark Shadow, maneuvering it to create a barrier between them and the advancing clones.

Meanwhile, Tsu, utilizing her amphibian agility, darted towards the exit with practiced ease.

Her webbed feet and enhanced reflexes made her incredibly fast, and she was nearly out the door when she glanced back to check on Tokoyami.

Her eyes widened as she saw him being pursued by the relentless clones.

Without hesitation, Tsu extended her tongue, which had grown exceptionally long and robust.

It shot out and clamped onto Tokoyami's back with a sticky, audible 'STICK.'

With a powerful yank, Tsu pulled Tokoyami toward the safety of the exit. The force of her pull, enough to propel him forward, away from their enemies.

As they approached the door, Tokoyami used Dark Shadow to its full potential, directing it to attack the roof near the exit.

The impact caused a portion of the ceiling to collapse, effectively blocking their pursuers and buying them a crucial moment of relief.

Breathing heavily, Tsu and Tokoyami looked around.

They had managed to escape the immediate danger, but their surroundings offered little comfort.

They were now three floors above the ground, their escape route leading them to an intricately designed exit that represented one of their potential ways to win the exam.

However, standing at the bottom of the room was their proctor, Ectoplasm—a pro-hero with the quirk "Clone," allowing him to create and control multiple copies of himself.

Ectoplasm's imposing presence wasn't helped by his voice, echoing with a mix of admiration and menace.

"Impressive, getting away from all those clones… But—"

SNAP

The sharp sound of Ectoplasm's middle finger snapping cut through the tension.

Instantaneously, the constant banging and clashing of combat sounds ceased. The proctor's clones, which had been relentlessly pursuing them, vanished in an instant, leaving only the original Ectoplasm.

"My quirk allows me to dismiss my clones whenever I want, and with being able to see my targets…"

As he spoke, Ectoplasm's mouth opened, expelling tons of liquid Ectoplasm. And from the combining liquid came a massive, towering version of himself.

This giant clone was a fearsome sight, clad in a high-collared tan cloak and a skin-tight black bodysuit with a golden-striped neck area.

His black helmet and metal jaw guards added to the menacing appearance, making him look like a formidable giant in the midst of their desperate escape.

"AH." The realization of their predicament hit them both like a tidal wave.

In that lapse in concentration, he was upon them in a moment, and suddenly they were trapped against the massive bone teeth of Ectoplasm's gigantic form.

Tokoyami, with no other viable options, summoned Dark Shadow for one last desperate attempt.

The dark apparition stretched its shadowy tether toward the exit, hoping to make it through the small gap left in the chaos.

Tokoyami watched with bated breath, his heart sinking as the shadowy form inched closer to freedom.

"Tokoyami."

The voice of his partner snapped him out of his tense focus. He turned to see Tsu; her face partially obscured by a strange greenish liquid.

It was clear that the situation was dire, but there was no time to waste.

.

.

The boy recalled a dark shadow giving instructions to his friend before handing it a mysterious object previously hidden in Tsu's body now in its own hidden from the ever-watching Ecotoplasm's sight.

"GO!"

With his words, the creature left, and as the shadowy figure of Dark Shadow approached Ectoplasm, the proctor's eyes narrowed.

The teacher's mask obscured his emotions, but his stance indicated that he was prepared for the shadow's attack.

However, rather than simply trying to pass through him, Dark Shadow took the initiative and launched a powerful assault.

Ectoplasm's reflexes were sharp.

He avoided the shadow's claws with a deft kick, but just as he was about to counterattack, a familiar sound pierced the air—

THWIP

It was the unmistakable sound of Tsu's tongue in action. Ectoplasm's gaze shifted instinctively, trying to assess if the tongue could truly span the distance.

To his surprise, the tongue stopped short, unable to reach its intended target. Instead of relief, a new understanding dawned on Ectoplasm.

He realized that Tsu and Tokoyami had devised a clever plan, and his earlier assumptions were being overturned.

'No,' Ectoplasm thought, a mix of frustration and admiration crossing his mind.

The cold metal on his legs felt heavy, and he could see the smirk on Dark Shadow's shadowy visage, indicating that their plan had indeed worked.

With the final moments of their exam hanging in the balance, Tsu and Tokoyami held their breaths.

The tension in the room was palpable as Dark Shadow made a final push. The proctor's eyes widened in realization as he saw the true nature of their strategy.

In a moment of unexpected triumph, the two heroes-in-training achieved their goal.

Ectoplasm's form had been momentarily distracted, giving Tsu and Tokoyami the opportunity they needed.

As they emerged victorious, the realization of their success washed over them.

[Tsuyu Asui and Fumikage Tokoyami have passed their Final Exams.]

The room, once filled with the clamor of combat, now fell into a heavy silence. The two students exchanged exhausted but elated glances, their hard-fought victory marking a significant milestone in their journey.