The U.A. Entrance Exam [2]

30 minutes later, I stood at the entrance of the mock city, decked out in the fit gifted by Sensei Kuro. The black shirt and white sweatpants hugged my frame, the fabric light and breathable.

Mentally preparing myself, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw the glasses-wearing man from earlier, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that was almost unsettling. I could see what looked like engines protruding from his calves, a clear sign of his quirk.

But I refused to let his glare get to me. I had more important things to focus on, like the exam that would determine my future as a hero. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and began to concentrate, letting everything else fade away until there was nothing but the steady rhythm of my heartbeat and the coiled energy waiting to be unleashed.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I started to hop back and forth from one leg to the other, shaking out my arms and loosening up my muscles. I could feel the power thrumming through my veins.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, my gaze fixed on the looming gates of the mock city. The other examinees around me were tense, each one waiting for the signal to begin.

The moment of truth had arrived. The massive gates of the mock city creaked open, revealing the urban battlefield that would test our mettle.

But before anyone else could react, I was already moving. Like a sprinter off the blocks, I exploded forward, my legs pumping as I charged through the opening. The other examinees were left gaping in confusion, caught off guard by my sudden burst of speed.

"GET MOVING!" Present Mic's voice boomed over the loudspeakers. "THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL BATTLES! FOLLOW THAT GREEN-HAIRED KID'S LEAD!"

I didn't look back, my focus entirely on the task at hand. The cityscape loomed ahead, a labyrinth of streets and buildings that could be hiding any number of faux villains.

I hadn't gone more than a block before I encountered my first opponent. A one-pointer, its single wheel screeching against the pavement as it barreled towards me. Its metal frame glinted in the sunlight, the white paint job marking it as a low-level threat.

But I wasn't about to underestimate it. I planted my feet, settling into a stance that had become second nature. The bot was nearly upon me when I struck, my fist lashing out.

The bot crumpled under my blow, its chassis caving in like a soda can.

One point. It was a start.

I didn't have time to celebrate. Two more bots were rounding the corner, one marked with the yellow paint of two-pointers, the other marked with the red paint of the three-pointers. They were larger, their movements more coordinated as they advanced on me from either side.

I grinned. Time to put my training to the test.

I leaped forward, using the momentum to launch into a spinning kick. My heel crashed into the first bot's head, sending it reeling. I didn't wait for it to recover, already pivoting to face its partner.

This one was faster, its metal claws swiping at me. I weaved between the attacks, the Tandava guiding my movements. Each dodge was a dance, each counterattack a beat in the rhythm of battle.

I feigned left, then struck right, my palm slamming into the bot's midsection. There was a flash of green light, a pulse of heat, and the bot was blasted backwards, smoke pouring from its crumpled frame.

Four points.

I whirled to face the first bot, only to find it already struggling to its feet. Its movements were jerky, sparks flying from the dent my kick had left. But it wasn't out of the fight yet.

It lunged, its remaining claw outstretched. I sidestepped the attack, my hand snaking out to grab its arm. With a twist of my hips I heaved the bot over my shoulder, using its own momentum against it.

It slammed into the ground with a resounding crash, its limbs twitching spasmodically. I silenced it with a final stomp, the Tandava lending strength to the blow.

Six points.

I looked up, scanning the streets for my next target. In the distance, I could hear the sounds of combat, the shouts and explosions of the other examinees engaging their own foes.

But my path was clear. With a grin, I took off at a run, ready to dance my way to victory.

I turned a corner and found myself face to face with a trio of one-pointers. I dispatched them with swift, precise strikes, the Tandava flowing through my movements. In a matter of seconds, they were reduced to sparking heaps of scrap metal.

Nine points.

A scream pierced the air, snapping my attention to a side street. A girl with bright pink skin was cornered by a looming three-pointer, its massive claws poised to strike. Without hesitation, I changed course, sprinting towards the scene.

Just as the bot swung its claw, I leaped, my foot connecting with its arm in a powerful kick. The limb snapped back, the attack diverted just inches from the girl's face. I followed up with a rapid flurry of blows, targeting the bot's joints and weak points. It staggered under the assault, its movements growing sluggish.

The girl, sensing an opening, pressed her hands against the bot's leg. Acid seemed to secrete from her palms, eating away at the metal. The bot teetered, off balance, and I seized the opportunity. I channeled the Tandava into my fist and struck, a pulse of green energy shattering the bot's core.

As it collapsed, I turned to the girl, offering a hand to help her up. "You okay?" I asked, my breath coming in quick gasps.

She nodded, her black and golden eyes wide. "Yeah, thanks to you. That was some move!"

I grinned. "Teamwork. You set it up perfectly."

We parted ways, each seeking our own targets. I weaved through the streets, dispatching bots with growing efficiency.

I was about to attack a two-pointer when I heard another cry for help. A short boy with bizarre purple balls for hair was attempting to flee from a pack of bots, his movements frantic and uncoordinated.

I disengaged from my opponent and sprinted to intercept. Leaping high, I brought my foot down on the lead bot in a devastating axe kick. It crumpled like a tin can, its companions scattering.

The boy, seeing his chance, plucked one of the balls from his head and hurled it at a bot. On contact, the bot seemed to adhere to the ball, its movements growing erratic. The boy repeated the move, immobilizing the remaining bots with surprising effectiveness.

"Nice quirk!" I called out, finishing off a bot with a quick one-two combo.

He flashed me a thumbs up, his face split in a relieved grin. "Right back at ya! That kick was something else!"

Twenty-two points.

The minutes ticked by andI lost count of the bots I destroyed, the examinees I aided. The mock city had become a proving ground, a crucible in which aspiring heroes were forged.

But I refused to lose myself in the fray. Each decision was calculated, each action precise. I was a dancer in the eye of the storm, the Tandava my guiding rhythm.

=====

8 minutes into the exam

The viewing room hummed with a tension that mirrored the chaos on screen. With a flick of his paw, the principal - was it a bear? a mouse? - shifted the display from one frantic student to the next, his voice a low rumble. "They face the unknown, a tight time limit. That pressure, it reveals their true nature."

The six-armed man, his extra eyes scanning the screen like searchlights, got the next focus. "Those who think first, act decisively."

The screen cut to Glasses, legs blurring with engine-fueled precision. "Those who act, never wasting a second."

Then, a flash of blond hair and a laser beam obliterating a robot another student had almost cornered. "Those who see opportunity in chaos..."

The principal's voice dropped, the silence as heavy as the image of Bakugo that filled the screen next, surrounded by scrap metal and flashing that manic grin. "... and those born to fight."

A woman in the room licked her lips seductively, her eyes glued to the monitor as she switched the feed to Izuku, capturing the moment he saved the pink-skinned girl from the three-pointer robot. "However," she purred, "it's rare to see all these qualities in one student this early."

The principal turned then, his too-wide grin unsettling on that animal face. "What do you think, All Might?"

A shadow detached from the back wall, resolving into a skeletal figure of a man - less flesh, more angles and the burning intensity of his blue eyes. One long finger stabbed a button. "Potential is just that...potential. The Zero Pointers will show who acts, not just reacts." His voice had a rasp to it that made the assembled teachers shiver. "A true hero acts when there's nothing to gain. Only when they face the impossible do we see who they truly are."

The room went dark as the city footage was replaced by wide shots of each test zone. Tiny figures, facing the rising behemoths of the Zero Point robots.

=====

[Izuku Midoriya's POV]

I paused for a moment, mentally tallying the points I had accumulated so far. 62 points, my aching muscles reminded me. Should be enough. Should be safe to...

Then came the crash; not the echoing clang of metal, but the wet, crumbling sound of a skyscraper giving up. Dust exploded outwards, and there, in the heart of it, was a shape that made the robots look like toys.

Just seeing the scale of the zero pointer made my brain stutter to a halt. What the hell was U.A. thinking? Was anyone supposed to fight this thing? Its single glowing eye swiveled, pinning me in place like some insect about to be crushed.

The other kids were gone, smart move on their part. A glance back showed me why - that thing wasn't just big, it was fast.

Then came the scream. It was a girl with brown hair, pinned beneath a chunk of wall.

My plan of "strategically retreat and find easier targets" didn't even get a chance to form. One second I was staring at the monster, the next my feet were moving towards the girl. I didn't have a plan, just a desperate need to move that damn concrete. Each groan of twisted metal was a beat against the drum of my own heart as I lifted it away.

She was a mess. Mud and dust caked her skin, and there was a nasty twist to her leg that made my stomach clench. "You okay?" Stupid question, but I couldn't seem to say anything else.

"Arm...ankle..." Her voice was barely a gasp, eyes squeezed shut against the pain. "Think they're broken..."

Her pain-filled gasp was louder than the monster's rumbling footsteps. Moving her wasn't an option, but that thing getting any closer wasn't either.

Fight or flight instincts kicked in, but this wasn't a fight I could win with kicks and punches. I stood, the world tilting slightly as I focused on the Zero Pointer. Everything else faded - the wrecked street, the panicked cries of other kids, even the girl's ragged breathing - replaced by a red-hot focus on the threat.

I looked back at the girl, my voice steady despite the chaos. "Don't worry. I've got this. Just stay still and trust me."

She nodded, her eyes wide with a mix of pain and awe.

I turned back to face the Zero Pointer, my stance wide and grounded. I took a deep breath, letting it fill me from toe to crown. Then, with an exhalation that was half battle cry, half prayer, I moved.

I sprinted towards the giant robot, my speed fueled by the Tandava's power. The distance between us vanished in a heartbeat, the looming bulk of the Zero Pointer filling my vision.

It swung at me, a massive fist that could flatten a building. But I was already moving, leaping high into the air. I twisted mid-leap, my body corkscrewing as I soared over the punch.

For a moment, I was weightless, suspended in the eye of the hurricane. Then gravity reasserted itself, and I began to fall, straight towards the Zero Pointer's head.

I channeled every ounce of the Tandava's power into my legs, green flame crackling around my feet. I could feel the energy building, a pressure cooker of raw force waiting to be unleashed.

Just before impact, I brought my legs together, my knees tucked to my chest. Then, with a scream that was torn from the depths of my soul, I extended, my feet slamming into the Zero Pointer's skull with the force of a meteor strike.

The shockwave was tremendous, a concussive blast that shattered windows and sent debris flying. The Zero Pointer's head crumpled like tin foil, sparks and smoke pouring from the ruin of its face.

But I wasn't done. Even as I began to fall, I twisted in mid-air, my hands coming together in a knife-hand strike. I aimed for the joint where the Zero Pointer's head met its neck, a weak point in its armored shell.

I struck, a spear of emerald energy extending from my joined hands. It pierced the Zero Pointer's neck like a hot knife through butter, severing hydraulics and frying circuitry.

The giant robot staggered, its movements growing erratic. It swayed dangerously, its balance compromised by the destruction of its head and neck.

I landed in a crouch, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The Tandava was a raging bonfire within me, threatening to consume me from the inside out. But I couldn't rest, not yet.

I sprinted back towards the injured girl, scooping her up in my arms as gently as I could. She cried out in pain, but there was no time for gentleness.

But then the world started tilting dangerously. The Tandava, which had been a raging inferno just seconds before, guttered out like a candle in the wind. It was as if every ounce of energy had been drained from my body, leaving nothing but a yawning void in its wake.

I staggered, my vision blurring at the edges. Each breath was a struggle, my lungs straining against what felt like an iron band constricting my chest. The girl in my arms seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, her weight pressing down on my already taxed muscles.

I managed a few more steps before my legs gave out. I twisted as I fell, trying to shield the girl from the impact.

Pain lanced through my right arm and legs, a searing agony that made spots dance before my eyes. I looked down, my stomach lurching at the sight. The skin of my forearm was blistered and cracked, angry red welts rising from wrist to elbow. It was as if the Tandava's power had turned inward, scorching me from the inside out.

I tried to push myself up, but my body wouldn't respond. Every muscle screamed in protest, my nerves raw and frayed. It was like the aftermath of my early training sessions with Sensei Kuro, but magnified a hundredfold.

The girl shifted beside me, her face pale beneath the grime. "Are you okay?"

I tried to answer, but all that came out was a pained groan. My vision was starting to tunnel, the edges of the world fading into a gray haze. I knew I was on the verge of passing out, but I fought against it with every fiber of my being.

"Hey, hey, stay with me!" The girl's voice seemed to come from very far away, a distant echo in the growing darkness. "Help! We need help over here!"

I could hear footsteps, the murmur of voices growing louder. But they seemed to be receding, fading into the background of the roaring in my ears.

I looked up at the sky, the blue expanse blurring as my eyes lost focus. I had pushed myself beyond my limits, had tapped into the next level far too early. And now, I was paying the price.

But even as consciousness slipped away, I felt a flicker of satisfaction. I had done it. I had saved her.

And as the darkness claimed me, I held onto that thought like a lifeline. This was just the beginning, a first step on a long and arduous journey. There would be more challenges ahead, more obstacles to overcome.

But I would face them head-on, would dance through the fire and the fury. Because that's what heroes do. They rise to meet the impossible, they push beyond their limits for the sake of others.

My last thought before the void took me was of Sensei Kuro, of the words he had spoken to me on that fateful day on Takoba Beach.

"True strength," he had said, "isn't about how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

And as I slipped into unconsciousness, I knew that I would keep moving forward. No matter what.