U.A.

I'll tell you guys about the entrance exam, pretty sure that's the norm in MHA fanfics. I'll tell you the short story.

I stepped forward, only to be yanked to a halt as a soft hand caught my wrist. My head turned slightly to see a girl with short brown hair and the most beautiful smile my eyes had ever seen, except for my mom.

"Ah, sorry! I just—" she hesitated, then pointed at the ground. "You were about to trip on that."

I glanced down to see a stray crack in the pavement, barely noticeable. It wouldn't have affected me, of course, but I nodded nonetheless. "Thanks."

She grinned. "No problem! I'm Ochako Uraraka, by the way!"

"Izuku Midoriya," I replied.

Her smile widened, but before she could say more, a voice called out from ahead. "Get moving, extras!"

I turned to see Bakugo striding past, his usual scowl in place as he pushed forward.

I sighed. Some things never changed.

Snap

Inside the examination hall, Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers.

"Alright, listeners! Welcome to the U.A. Entrance Exam! You ready to hear how this test works?!"

I barely listened as he explained. I had already memorized every detail beforehand. The practical exam would involve fighting robot enemies for points. Simple enough.

As the explanation continued, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. A tall, glasses-wearing student with an upright posture raised his hand sharply.

"Excuse me!" he called out. "There appears to be an inconsistency in the material provided! You have described three enemy types, but the pamphlet lists four!"

Ah. Iida Tenya. The Ingenium's brother from the Tenya family.

Present Mic waved him off, explaining that the fourth robot was a zero-point obstacle, meant to be avoided. Iida sat down, though I could see the gears turning in his head.

I leaned back. This test wasn't going to be a problem.

Snap

The gates to the battlefield loomed before us.

"Start!!"

The moment Present Mic's voice rang out, the other examinees hesitated, waiting for a countdown.

I didn't.

Time Acceleration.

I blurred forward, moving faster than human eyes could track. My body twisted midair as I planted a foot on a lamppost, using it to propel myself toward the nearest cluster of robots.

Analyze.

Their weak points lit up in my mind.

With precision, I struck, my enhanced strength sending the first robot crumpling into scrap.

One down.

I spun, driving my fist through another enemy's core before flipping over a third.

Two, three.

Within minutes, my score had already soared past what was necessary to pass.

And yet, I still held back. I made sure my movements, my reactions, and everything I did looked like something within human limits. Just a little faster, just a little stronger—nothing beyond what One For All at a low percentage could explain.

Because while I had no intention of losing… I also had no intention of revealing everything.

Snap

The ground trembled.

The zero-point robot loomed above us, its massive frame casting a shadow over the battlefield. Students screamed, running for safety.

I watched.

It wasn't my problem. I had already secured my points. There was no need to interfere.

And yet…

A cry.

I turned.

Uraraka was trapped under debris, unable to move.

She was in danger.

My body moved before my mind could process it.

Time Freeze.

The world went still. The wind ceased. The dust stopped midair. The cries of the other students vanished.

Only I remained.

I exhaled slowly, walking toward the frozen moment where Uraraka lay pinned.

With the gentlest of touches, I lifted the debris from her leg, setting it aside.

Then, I turned to the zero-pointer.

Time Acceleration.

A fraction of a second passed, and I was already above it.

One punch.

One decisive strike, amplified by the full force of my control over time.

The zero-pointer collapsed.

And as I landed, time resumed.

To the others, it would look as though I had simply moved fast. As though I had simply used One For All at just the right moment.

A cover story.

A calculated risk.

The massive zero-pointer lay in ruins, sparks flickering from its shattered core. Students gawked in awe, some still frozen in shock. I barely noticed them.

Because at that moment, my focus was entirely on the girl in front of me.

Uraraka sat up slowly, wincing as she tested her ankle. Her eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of relief and something else—something warm.

I knelt beside her. "Are you okay?"

She blinked as if still processing everything. Then, to my surprise, she let out a small, breathless laugh. "I think so. That was… amazing!"

I scratched the back of my head. "Ah, it was nothing, really. Just—"

"Nothing?!" She grinned, shaking her head. "You just destroyed that giant robot in, like, a second! That was incredible!"

I felt my face heat up. "I just… couldn't leave you there."

For a moment, she just stared at me, something unreadable in her expression. Then, her smile softened.

"Thank you, Midoriya."

I swallowed. There was something about the way she said my name that sent a strange warmth through my chest.

I cleared my throat, glancing at her ankle. "Does it hurt? Can you stand?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "I think so."

I offered my hand without thinking.

She blinked at it, then, after a small pause, placed her hand in mine.

Soft.

I gently helped her to her feet, making sure she didn't put too much weight on her injured ankle. She wobbled slightly, and before I could stop myself, I steadied her by placing a hand on her waist.

Her eyes widened just a bit, and suddenly, I realized how close we were. I was absorbed in my aura at the moment.

Too close.

My brain short-circuited.

Abort. Abort.

"S-Sorry!" I stammered, quickly pulling my hands away.

She giggled. "No, no! You're fine, really!"

I nodded stiffly, my face burning.

A beat of silence passed before she tilted her head, looking up at me with that same bright smile. "You know… you remind me of someone."

I blinked. "Huh?"

"My dad," she said. "He always told me that real heroes are the ones who help people even when they don't have to."

My breath caught.

She grinned. "And I think you're already a hero, Midoriya."

I had no idea how to respond to that.

Instead, I just nodded, my heart pounding in a way that had nothing to do with the exam.

Then, before I could completely melt into a mess of awkwardness, the exam supervisors arrived, and the moment—whatever it had been—was over.

But even as we were escorted away, even as the adrenaline faded and exhaustion set in…

I couldn't stop thinking about her smile.

[3rd POV]

Watching Izuku's performance from the teachers' observation room, All Might couldn't help but smile, though he masked it behind his usual exaggerated expressions. To the others, it looked like he was merely impressed by his successor's performance. But deep down, he knew the truth.

"He's grown even more precise… He's not just fighting-he's calculating. Adapting. He made sure no one suspected a thing. Clever, my boy."

When he saw Izuku save Uraraka, he felt a deep swell of pride. Even though he knew Izuku was immensely powerful, the boy still had the heart of a true hero—rushing in to save someone without hesitation.

"He didn't have to do that. He had enough points. But he still chose to act. Just like I knew he would."

But another thought crept into his mind.

"How long can he keep this secret? How long before someone pieces it together?"

[Shota Aizawa]

Aizawa's eyes narrowed as he watched the replay of Midoriya's movements on the monitor. The way the boy fought was too efficient. Too controlled. There were no wasted movements, no hesitation—just calculated destruction of each target.

"That wasn't the reckless flailing of an inexperienced fighter. That was the precision of someone who already knew exactly how strong he was."

Then came the zero-pointer.

Aizawa leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze analyzing every frame of Izuku's attack. There was a moment—a fraction of a second—where Midoriya seemed to blur, almost as if he skipped an instant in time.

And yet, despite the sheer force of his punch, he remained mostly uninjured.

"That shouldn't be possible. Not even with the best speed or strength quirks I've seen."

He looked at Izuku's file and widened his eyes. It said he was quirkless. Even assuming he's a late bloomer, how the hell did he fight like that?

"If this is a late-blooming quirk, then it's a damn terrifying one."

[1st POV]

Snap

The week after the entrance exam felt like an eternity.

Even though I knew I had passed, even though I knew I had performed well, a small part of me still felt uneasy.

It wasn't the result that worried me. It was whether I had been too good.

I replayed every moment in my mind, analyzing my movements, my choices, and my restraint. I had made sure to stay within the limits of what people would believe—just enough speed, just enough strength. But Aizawa's piercing gaze from the observation room still lingered in my mind.

He noticed something.

I shook my head. Worrying wouldn't help. If anything, all I could do now was wait.

Then, one evening, as I sat at my desk, my phone buzzed.

A message from U.A.

My heart pounded as I opened it. A holographic projector activated, and suddenly, a massive screen lit up before me.

"I AM HERE… WITH A PRESENT!"

I nearly fell out of my chair.

All Might?!

Before I could even process what was happening, he continued, his usual booming energy filling the room.

"Young Midoriya! Congratulations! You have passed the U.A. Entrance Exam!"

I exhaled, tension easing from my shoulders.

"But wait, there's more!" All Might grinned. "Your score wasn't just a passing one—it was the highest in U.A. history! Not only did you crush the combat portion, but your heroic actions—saving young Uraraka—earned you rescue points as well! That, my boy, is what it means to be a true hero!"

Rescue points. Of course.

Uraraka had been in danger. Even though I had already secured my points, I had still gone back for her.

I felt warmth spread through my chest as All Might's message continued.

"With a total score of 125 points… Young Midoriya, you have set a new record in U.A. High's entrance exam!"

A new record?

I blinked, stunned.

I knew I had done well, but… better than everyone who came before me? Even All Might himself?

I swallowed, unsure how to process that information.

I was in.

But more than that…

I had already made history.

[3rd POV – U.A. Faculty Meeting]

The teachers gathered around a large screen, reviewing the footage from the entrance exam one last time before the results were finalized.

Aizawa sat with his arms crossed, eyes sharp as ever. "We need to talk about Midoriya."

"Ah, yes," Nezu chimed in, his small paws resting on the table. "His performance was… quite something, wasn't it?"

"That's putting it lightly," Midnight murmured. "His movements were too precise for someone who's supposed to be new to combat."

Snipe nodded. "Kid fights like he's been doing this for years."

"He also took down the zero-pointer in one blow," Cementoss added. "Even if we assume he's a late bloomer with a strength-enhancing quirk, the efficiency of his movements suggests something more."

Aizawa's gaze darkened. "Exactly. The way he fought… it wasn't just power. It was control. Almost like he knew exactly where to hit before he even made a move."

They all fell silent for a moment, watching the slowed-down footage of Izuku's attack.

Then, Nezu chuckled.

"Well, whatever the case, he's certainly an interesting student. We'll just have to keep a close eye on him, won't we?"

Aizawa didn't respond, but his expression said it all.

Yes. They would be watching.