Chapter 2: Entrance Exam Begins

Ryo Kisaragi stood among the crowd of aspiring heroes, waiting outside the massive gates of U.A. High School. The air buzzed with nervous energy—hopeful students fidgeted, whispered to each other, or simply stood frozen in anxiety.

He, however, felt none of it.

His golden-red eyes lazily scanned the area, taking in the competition. Some applicants looked like they belonged here—tall, built, confident. Others… not so much. A few were trembling, their gazes darting around like deer in headlights.

One in particular caught his attention.

A green-haired, freckled boy was walking stiffly, fingers twitching nervously. Every few seconds, he muttered to himself, eyes darting around in frantic analysis.

Ryo smirked. Midoriya Izuku.

Even now, without One For All, Midoriya was deep in thought, analyzing, calculating. Ryo respected that—too many people only focused on their Quirks, forgetting that intelligence won battles just as much as power.

Then Midoriya tripped.

Oh, come on, Ryo thought as the boy lurched forward, about to eat concrete.

Before he could react, a girl with shoulder-length brown hair reached out, tapping Midoriya's shoulder. His body froze midair.

Zero gravity.

Midoriya flailed for a second before realizing he was weightless. His panic turned to embarrassment as the girl gave him a bright, easy-going smile.

"Whoa, careful there!" she said cheerfully. "Wouldn't want to trip before the exam even starts, right?"

Midoriya's face turned red as he nodded rapidly. "R-Right! Thank you!"

Ryo watched, amused. Man, this guy is hopeless with girls.

The girl tapped her fingers together, releasing the Quirk, and Midoriya's feet settled back on the ground. After a few awkward thanks and nervous laughter, she waved and walked ahead, leaving him standing there like his brain had short-circuited.

"That was Uraraka Ochako," Ryo murmured, recalling her from the story. "Gravity manipulation... simple, but damn useful."

But his focus shifted. The first stage of the exam was next—the written test.

The U.A. entrance exam wasn't just about combat. The school wasn't about to let a bunch of mindless powerhouses in without testing their intelligence.

After passing through the gates, the applicants were directed into a massive exam hall. Dozens of rows of desks stretched across the room, each student assigned a seat.

Ryo found his spot near the middle and casually sat down. A few seats ahead, Midoriya looked like he was about to pass out, flipping through his notes like a man on death row.

The proctors handed out the test papers. The moment the signal was given, the room was filled with the scratching of pens against paper.

Ryo glanced at the questions.

—"If a villain is using a Quirk that absorbs kinetic energy, what would be the most efficient way to neutralize them?"

Easy.

A normal person might try hitting them harder, but that would just fuel their power. The correct answer was to either restrain them non-physically or overload them with energy beyond their absorption limit.

He smoothly wrote down his answer and moved on.

—"What are the ethical limitations of Quirk usage in a hero society?"

Basic stuff. Even with power, heroes had strict regulations about using their abilities outside of emergencies. He wrote about the role of heroes as public servants, how excessive force could lead to legal repercussions, and the importance of prioritizing civilian safety.

Glancing around, he saw students sweating bullets over some of the trickier questions. Some whispered to themselves, others chewed on their pens, eyes filled with panic.

Ryo? He wasn't worried.

This was just common sense mixed with some logic puzzles. Nothing special.

By the time the exam ended, he had double-checked his answers twice and still had time to spare. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as he mentally prepared for the Practical Exam.

After the written exam, all applicants were directed to a massive auditorium where they would receive instructions for the upcoming practical test.

Ryo found himself seated near the back, arms crossed, observing the crowd. The tension was almost tangible—some students were whispering nervously, others hyping themselves up.

And then—

"YEEEEAAAAHHHH!!"

The microphone nearly exploded as Present Mic's voice shook the auditorium.

"WELCOME TO THE U.A. ENTRANCE EXAM, FUTURE HEROES!"

Several students flinched. One kid fell out of his chair.

Ryo, however—

"YEEEEAAAAHHHH!!"

—yelled back just as loudly, voice matching Present Mic's without a microphone.

The entire room went dead silent.

Students turned around, eyes wide in shock. Even Present Mic blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter.

"WHOA, LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE!" he shouted, pointing at Ryo. "LOVE THE ENERGY, KID!"

Ryo just grinned.

A few rows ahead, Midoriya turned to look at him like he had lost his mind. Ryo smirked and shrugged.

"What? If you're gonna be loud, be loud properly."

Midoriya quickly looked away, clearly rethinking everything about this entrance exam.

Present Mic chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright! Let's get down to business! Your practical test will be a LIVE COMBAT EXERCISE!"

The massive screen behind him lit up, displaying images of various city-like training grounds, each swarming with different robotic enemies.

"Your goal? SMASH as many robots as possible and earn points!"

Excited murmurs spread through the crowd.

Ryo, however, only half-listened. He already knew the rules—destroy robots, earn points, avoid the Zero-Pointer unless you were crazy enough to take it on.

His focus shifted to another student—a tall, dark-haired teen wearing glasses with a serious expression.

Tenya Iida.

Sure enough, Iida suddenly stood up, raising his hand like they were in a classroom.

"Excuse me!" he said, voice sharp. "There's a discrepancy in the handout! It states there are three types of enemy robots, but the screen clearly shows four!"

The room went quiet again.

Ryo sighed. This guy…

Iida turned his sharp gaze on Midoriya, who had been muttering nervously while checking the rule sheet.

"And YOU! You've been muttering this entire time! This is an official exam, so take it seriously!"

Midoriya stiffened, looking like he'd just been stabbed.

Ryo let out a low chuckle. Man, this dude is too much.

Present Mic waved off the concern. "OH! That extra robot? That's a Zero-Pointer! It's a BIG obstacle, but it won't give you any points—so best to just AVOID IT!"

The screen flashed, revealing a towering, ten-story-tall machine, its massive arms primed for destruction.

For most students, this was a warning.

For Ryo?

It was a challenge.

A slow smirk spread across his face.

"Avoid it, huh?" he murmured.

His Omega Sight flickered for a brief second.

"We'll see about that."