Chapter-27

A few days had passed since the incident at the disaster and rescue station. During this time, Class-A had been keeping an eye out for the absence of one of their classmates, Uzumaki Naruto. Speculations arose among them about his whereabouts. Some assumed he was in the hospital recovering from the injuries sustained during his confrontation with the Nomu, while others suspected he had run away.

The latter theory gained strength as videos of Naruto's encounters with the giant villain and the Nomu began circulating on the internet and various platforms. Many of the students were unaware of these incidents, leading to divided opinions. They were both frightened and impressed by the shinobi's actions. He had killed the giant villain by beheading him and had pierced the Nomu's head with his sword. While he had ultimately saved them, doubts still lingered about how to react when Naruto returned to class.

"Mmmmm." Momo sat at her desk, staring at a book. She sighed, finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on her studies. She had talked to her mother and knew that their classmate's condition was delicate. Glancing around, she noticed that her classmates were all in their seats, paying attention to Present Mic's lesson. Her gaze shifted to Todoroki, who had been unusually quiet in recent days, though Momo remained unaware of the reason behind it.

Knock, knock, knock.

The classroom door opened, and all the students turned their heads to see their absent classmate, Naruto, reentering. He appeared angry, ignoring their teacher, and headed straight for his seat. Walking to the back of the room, he took the seat behind Momo and next to Todoroki.

"Hmmmmm," the professional hero glanced uncomfortably at his watch, realizing he had only a few minutes left before his English class would end. He couldn't entirely fault Uzumaki for arriving late, judging by the tense expression on his face. Thankfully, the door opened again to reveal his old friend, Eraserhead. Sighing, Present Mic addressed his class, "That's all for today, guys. Read pages 167 to 210 for our next class. Bye!" With that, he bid farewell and left the room, leaving behind the dark-haired pro hero, who had both arms in casts and his face covered in bandages.

"Uzumaki, you're getting a one-hour detention in the penitence room for destroying private media property and frightening a girl from Class 2-F in the support class," Eraserhead announced calmly as he looked at the shinobi. Naruto huffed in frustration at his punishment, while the other students looked on incredulously.

Aizawa continued, as he redirected everyone's attention, "Listen, in a few days, we'll have the Sports Festival, an annual event. As a result, unnecessary classes will be suspended during that time." He delivered this information in his typical monotone manner.

"Sports festival?" Uraraka inquired, her confusion evident. She had heard about these events on television but had never paid much attention to them or understood how they worked.

"These events help determine which students show the most potential. Depending on their performances, they may receive offers from various departments, where they can engage in basic hero training alongside professional heroes who will be observing your progress," Aizawa explained. However, he paused when he noticed Uzumaki's raised hand.

"What happens if we refuse to participate?" Naruto asked with boredom, reclining in his chair.

"You can't refuse. This is crucial for securing job offers in different hero departments. That's all for now," Eraserhead explained just as the bell signaled the start of a break. Naruto was the first to rise from his seat and headed to the door without glancing at his classmates. As he stepped outside, he encountered students from various departments.

"..." Several students looked uncomfortable at the sight of the shinobi but managed to maintain their composure when they noticed the other Class-A students appearing behind Naruto.

"What's happening?" Ashido inquired, perplexed by the gathering of students at her class's door.

"We came to see Class-A. You're the most promising students for the festival, and, well, we're here to check out the competition," explained a random student, with several others nodding in agreement. Among them, a boy with gray-purple hair and small circles under his eyes, dressed in the standard academy uniform, maintained a serious and impassive expression as he observed the Class-A students.

"I came to see what these so-called heroes, who survived the villain attack, are made of. But you all seem more like children, and there might be potential villains among you, a colorful group," remarked Shinsō Hitoshi, a general studies student at UA. "I'm disappointed that this is what the hero course students are like. Did you know there are many students in the general education department and other departments who failed the entrance exam? Based on the Sports Festival results, they can enter the hero course for a review, and the reverse can happen too." His gaze lingered on the serious Uzumaki by the door for a moment. "At least I, from the general department, won't go easy on you. Consider it a declaration of war," he declared, causing several Class-A students to tense up as it became clear that the blue-haired boy wasn't the only one with such thoughts.

"Already tired of listening to nonsense, the shinobi began to walk among the students, who quickly moved aside. However, when he reached the entrance of the Class-B classroom, he found some students from that class blocking his path. He raised an eyebrow, spotting a boy with short blonde hair and gray eyes wearing an arrogant yet frivolous smile.

"Isn't it strange that someone like you could be among the potential best heroes of this generation?" The boy's question was directed at the shinobi, drawing disapproving glances from his companions.

"Monoma..." an orange-haired girl attempted to hush her companion, but she halted when the Uzumaki raised his left hand, indicating that no one should intervene.

"Someone like me?" Naruto calmly inquired as he continued walking until he stood before the blonde with a superiority complex.

"If someone like you behaves like a mercenary, a murderer, or a monster, what are you doing here aspiring to be a hero? All I see is someone with mental problems swinging a sword, killing anyone in the way," Monoma harshly accused, never losing his smile. "You're a despicable individual who doesn't belong here. How can anyone trust someone with blood on their hands? I wouldn't be surprised if you sold yourself to the highest bidder for a job, even if it meant killing your own classmates. Isn't that-" Before he could continue, it happened. Everything transpired in an instant. The student lost his breath and felt bile rise to his throat as a powerful knee struck his stomach.