Entrance Exam

The twin siblings, Miquella and Malenia, now stood at the gates of UA, ready for the entrance exam. Originally, they had planned to take the recommendation exam, but they had missed the deadline the previous week due to their intense focus on mastering the Iron Stream style, particularly Miquella. They knew that if they didn't master the style now, it would be a while before they had the time to dedicate to it again, especially if they got into UA and had less time to go to the dojo. Despite the last-minute change of plans, the determined pair were confident in the skills they had honed over the years and were both eager to get through the exam.

As Miquella and Malenia made their way into the building, their footsteps echoing through the corridors, they followed the signs guiding them toward the orientation hall. Once inside, they were directed to a designated room where they would tackle the written portion of the test.

As Miquella finished the written test and walked out of the room, he couldn't help but think to himself, 'Wow, that was easier than I expected.'

They were then led to a giant auditorium that was almost three times the size of any auditorium Miquella had ever seen. On the stage stood the Pro Hero Present Mic. The room buzzed with anticipation as he raised the microphone to his lips. "WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO MY LIVE SHOW! EVERYONE SAY YEAAH!" Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers, reverberating throughout the auditorium. He paused, expecting a loud response from the crowd, but instead, an awkward silence fell over the room.

Present Mic's enthusiasm seemed unwavering by the awkward moment. "Now pay attention, listeners!" he then went on to explain how the entrance exam was being held. However, his explanation was interrupted at one point by a student's question, causing a momentary pause in his speech. Undeterred, Present Mic swiftly addressed the interruption and continued with the instructions. As he concluded, each person in the auditorium was handed a slip of paper, providing them with their designated location for the practical portion of the exam.

"I guess this is where we part ways. Good luck," Miquella said. Due to the school's policy against participants teaming up, Miquella and Malenia were forced to go their separate ways.

Malenia nodded, her expression stoic yet determined. "It appears so. Good luck, brother." With one final exchanged glance, the twin siblings went their separate paths and into the buses that would lead them to their areas, each ready to tackle the challenges of the UA entrance exam on their own.

When Miquella was in his own test area, he decided to summon Torrent. He then heard Present Mic speak, "OK, EVERYONE START!" Before Present Mic could even finish his sentence, Miquella was off. "WHAT ARE THE REST OF YOU DOING? THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS COUNTDOWNS IN A REAL BATTLE, RUN!"

As Torrent sprinted through the artificial city, Miquella unleashed an enhanced version of his light bullets, which, while using a bit more stamina, helped in swiftly disabling the robots. But some of the robots managed to close in on Torrent, undeterred by Miquella's barrage. With a keen sense of timing, the majestic steed sprang into action. As the first robot lunged forward, Torrent executed a breathtaking back kick, the sheer power behind the blow causing the metal to warp and buckle under the impact. The robot was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into its companions and momentarily halting their advance. Miquella then summoned three giant golden arcs that quickly destroyed the robots.

Miquella couldn't help but smile, "Thirty seconds in and I already have like 10 points!"

Miquella and Torrent pushed forward, rushing deeper into the city. In front of them, they saw a huge robotic monster - it looked like a formidable tank with two massive feet in the front to protect the wheels. The robot's imposing structure was supported by these feet, while a giant wheel was behind it. Miquella fired a torrent of light bullets, but they ricocheted off the robot's thick, armored plating, leaving large dents in their place.

As Miquella searched for a weak point so as not to use unneeded energy, Torrent seemed to sense his thoughts. In perfect sync, Torrent launched itself skyward in a single, explosive bound. Ascending to the apex of its jump, its powerful hind legs coiled like springs, propelling it even higher in a breathtaking double jump. The tank-like robot stood frozen, caught off guard, as Torrent descended upon it with a resounding crash, landing squarely on its head. The impact reverberated through the robot's sturdy frame, causing it to stagger and momentarily falter.

Torrent quickly seized the opportunity, its sharp horns tearing into the plate on top of the robot's skull. Miquella's eyes blazed with determination as he seized the moment. Channeling his energy into a concentrated beam of piercing light, he targeted the exposed vulnerable points with precision. The beam pierced through the ripped plate, striking the open circuits of the machine. Violent tremors shook the robot's structure, its mechanical systems malfunctioning under the assault.

Not willing to waste any time, Miquella had Torrent use the giant robot as a springboard to propel them onto the roof of a nearby building. From this elevated vantage point, Miquella scanned the area and spotted a cluster of what appeared to be weaker 1-point robots and a few two-pointers surrounding a person who seemed to be in trouble.

Deciding to intervene, Miquella quickly had Torrent leap off the rooftop. As Torrent landed, Miquella unsummoned the majestic steed, knowing this was the perfect opportunity to put his new sword technique into action. Summoning a simple golden sword, Miquella sprang into the fray, his blade slicing through the robots with effortless grace. He moved with a fluidity that belied the power behind each strike, cutting a path through the enemy forces as he made his way toward the individual.

As the last robot fell, the person he had saved practically whispered in a hushed voice that contrasted sharply with their appearance "T-Thank you for helping me." Miquella responded, "No problem. Just try not to get surrounded like that again."

While his sword was still summoned, he decided to take out as many robots as he could on foot. As time went on, he slowly kept getting more points until his blade disappeared. It wasn't an issue, though, as he knew the ten-minute timer on the exam was almost up. As if reading his mind, he noticed a large shadow above him, and Miquella looked up to see the massive 0-Pointer robot towering above him. He knew he could defeat it, but that wouldn't earn him any more points, and conserving his energy was more important, so Miquella decided to avoid the 0-Pointer and instead target the remaining smaller robots while helping those who were injured away from the 0-Pointer.

"TIMES UP! THE TEST IS OVER!" Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers. As the words echoed through the artificial city, the 0-Pointer abruptly stopped moving. Miquella let out a sigh of relief, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him. 'Whew, that was probably the most energy I've used in a while,' he thought to himself as he left the area.

(some time later)

Miquella and Malenia stood outside the UA building. The entrance exam was over, and they were now waiting for their ride back to their home.

"So, how do you think you did?" Miquella asked. "I know you were a little annoyed that you couldn't bring a sword."

Malenia stood tall, her expression unwavering as she nonchalantly shrugged. "I managed to hold my own. I improvised by fashioning a makeshift sword out of rebar, but I lost track after scoring around 60 points," she remarked, a barely audible sigh slipping past her lips. "It was a bit frustrating not having my usual equipment, but I managed. What about you?" Miquella chuckled. "Of course, you got that many points. I think I did pretty well myself."

Before long, a car pulled up, and Miquella and Malenia climbed in, ready to leave the UA building behind and head home.

A week had passed since the entrance exam, and Malenia and Miquella had both been diligently practicing their sword forms. One day, their mother entered the room, holding just one envelope with both of their names on it.

"Malenia, Miquella," she said, her voice tinged with anticipation. "This letter just arrived from UA Academy."

Miquella was the one to open the letter, which revealed a holographic messenger of Principal Nezu. "Hello, Ms. Malenia and Mr. Miquella," the principal greeted. "I hope this letter finds you well. Usually, we send individual letters, but since you two are twins, this was much more cost-effective."

"Now, let's discuss how you both did on the exams. In the written portion, you both excelled, placing in the top 15. As for the practical exam, you both performed exceptionally - Malenia scoring 80 points and Miquella scoring 67."

Nezu paused for a moment before continuing. "These scores are already good enough to pass, but there was a hidden portion of the test. You see, there is more to being a hero than just defeating villains - it's about protecting people. Malenia, you scored 10 points in this section, and Miquella, you scored 23, placing you both in first place.

"I am thrilled to congratulate you both on joining UA Academy."