Chapter 11. The Evaluation

As the lunchtime chimes rang, Kazuki and Izuku made their way to the rooftop with their lunchboxes in hand. The settled down and began chatting as they ate, discussing their favorite topic – quirks. Ever since Izuku returned to school after the incident, he and Kazuki had been inseparable, spending most of their time hanging out together. "I don't think Gunhead could beat Snipe," Izuku exclaimed with passion. "Snipe's quirk is just too powerful – he can lock on to any target and make any projectile chase after them. The possibilities are endless!"

Kazuki nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I see where you're coming from, but 'Gatling' is literally the same thing, just better." Their conversation continued for a while, with the two boys exchanging their thoughts on quirks and their respective strengths and weaknesses. Then, out of the blue, Kazuki broached a new topic. "Hey, Izuku, would you like to learn martial arts?" he asked. Izuku was taken aback by the question. "Why do you ask?" he replied, curious. Kazuki grinned. "Well, since your dream is to become a hero and you don't have a quirk, wouldn't it be more efficient to have some kind of fighting technique under your belt? It could give you an edge in a fight."

He went on to explain that martial arts could also benefit Izuku in his day-to-day life, as it would teach him discipline and self-control. Izuku listened intently, considering his friend's suggestion. Suddenly, it dawned on him – he had spent so long lamenting the fact that he didn't have a quirk, he had never really thought about how he could improve himself in other ways. "Izuku? Izuku, you there?" Kazuki's voice snapped him out of his reverie Izuku turned to him, his eyes shining with excitement. "Yeah, it's a great idea! I can't believe I never thought of it before. Let's do it!" The two boys grinned at each other, excited by the prospect of doing martial arts together. It was moments like these that made their friendship feel truly real – they supported each other, challenged each other, and helped each other grow.

Kazuki had a deep understanding of Izuku's struggles with self-esteem. Being ostracized and bullied by his peers had left Izuku with a profound sense of worthlessness. Kazuki understood how society's rejection could take its toll on a person, and he worried that Izuku might be tempted to turn to villainy as a result. However, Kazuki also recognized that Izuku's lack of a quirk made him less of a threat in the eyes of other. As Katsuki's toxic behavior continued Izuku realized that he didn't need an enemy when he had a 'best friend' like him. Finally, he came to his senses and decided to distance himself from Katsuki and his gang. Instead, he opted to spend time with Kazuki, who didn't mind the company.

After school ended, the two boys walked together towards their homes. Kazuki and Izuku discussed their interest in joining a martial arts dojo. Despite being a master in practically all fighting styles, Kazuki felt a bit rusty and wanted to hone his skills. On the other hand, Nemuri, despite being a pro hero, was no match for Kazuki's hand-to-hand combat abilities. Although she had more experience in fights, after a couple of sparring matches, Kazuki quickly figured out how to defeat her. Determined to improve their martial arts skills, Kazuki and Izuku went to the city and found a dojo called "Unity Martial Arts Academy."

The exterior of the building was a sleek matte red with black accents around the upper windows and lanterns on the roof. Once inside, they were pleasantly surprised to find a spacious two-story facility with shiny wooden floors, wood paneling for the walls, and a series of mantras adorning the walls. The dojo had multiple training areas, each dedicated to a different style or level of martial arts, as well as separate areas for weight training, cardio workouts, and sparring. The facility also featured specialized training equipment such as punching bags, grappling dummies, and weapons for weapon training.

As they walked, the amazement on Izuku's face couldn't be hidden. While Kazuki felt the same way, he didn't show it. "Wow, this place is incredible," said Izuku, taking in the view. As the two boys admired their surroundings, a man in a Gi and black belt approached them. He was in his middle age, towering over them at 195.6 cm, with a heavily muscular build, a five o'clock shadow, slicked back hair in a ponytail, and deep brown eyes. Despite his intimidating aura, he exuded a sense of calmness. Stopping as he got close, the man asked in a rough voice, "Can I help you boys?"

Kazuki stepped forward and calmly replied, "Hello, sir. We're here to join this dojo." The man scanned over the two boys for about 20 seconds before speaking. "Sure, come with me," he said, leading them to a western part of the dojo and up the stairs toward an office. The man opened a door and walked behind a desk, grabbing some sign-up sheets. "Fill these out, make sure your parent or guardian signs them, pay the monthly fee, and get some gis. "We'll provide the belts," he instructed, handing them each a sign-up sheet. "Thank you," Kazuki and Izuku said in unison. Kazuki was more composed, while Izuku was slightly intimidated by the imposing figure of the man.

"By the way, my name is Kiyabu Tanak. But if you both join, you can call me Tanak-sensei," he added. "Thank you, Tanak-sensei," Kazuki slightly bowed. Izuku followed suit as they both introduced themselves. As they left the dojo, Izuku was breathing heavily. "What's wrong, Izuku?" Kazuki asked. "N-nothing, just the pressure he was emitting was overwhelming," Izuku replied, still trying to catch his breath. Walking back home, they discussed their plan to complete the registration process the following day. Since April had already passed, Kazuki and Izuku were both 13 years old. They both shared the goal of attending U.A. and planned to hold each other accountable to achieving it. They even devised an 11-month plan to help them stay on track.

After bidding farewell to Izuku, Kazuki made his way home and arrived just 10 minutes later, grateful for the convenience of having a house key. With Nemuri usually out late grading papers or carrying out hero duties, Kazuki often found himself preparing dinner for the two of them. He then took a refreshing shower and settled in front of the television, only to find the news broadcasting an intense battle between heroes and villains. It was frustrating to see that the heroes were causing more damage to the city than the villains themselves. While the heroes were undoubtedly saving lives, their actions often led to harm or even death of innocent citizens. Kazuki recalled the Supreme Court case of Japan V. Stretch Armstrong, which was eerily similar. Stretch Armstrong, the No. 15 pro hero of Japan, had the ability to stretch his limbs like rubber, allowing him to reach great distances and contort his body in unusual ways. Despite the potential to use his quirk carefully, Stretch Armstrong used his leg to trip a gigantic villain, causing the villain to crash into multiple buildings and resulting in the deaths of over 66 people.

Unfortunately, for Stretch Armstrong, he did not have the support of other heroes on his side and ultimately lost the case. Where in the end, Stretch received the life without parole sentence, in the maximum-security prison, Tartarus. Despite the incident, which caused the death of over 66 people. There was supposed to be a law put in place, but it never happened. The lack of action from the government and hero agencies was disappointing and concerning. It highlighted the need for more accountability and responsibility from those with powerful quirks, to prevent further tragedies from occurring.

As Kazuki finished his ramen, he heard the jingling of keys in the locks. Nemuri entered the house, swiftly taking off her shoes and slipping on her indoor footwear. She walked towards the kitchen, lured by the aroma of the delicious food. "Hey Kazuki, how was your day?" Nemuri inquired, her eyes beaming with interest. "Very boring, acing every class I'm in. Oh… before I forget," Kazuki said as he rushed to his room. He returned with the sign-up sheet from Unity Martial Arts Academy. "Unity Martial Arts Academy, huh? I remember them. They're like the 2nd best martial arts dojo in all of Japan!" Nemuri exclaimed, her excitement palpable.

"Why do you want to go there? You already know most, if not all, martial arts technique. What would it do for you? Nemuri asked, looking at Kazuki with confusion on her face. "Two reasons," Kazuki replied. "Firstly, because I can feel the rustiness in my technique. And secondly, to help Izuku. He needs experience fighting but also needs to learn some fighting techniques to become stronger." Understanding Kazuki's reasoning, Nemuri signed the paper and started plating the food. Kazuki set down both of their bowls of soup, and they ate while chatting about their day.

After finishing their dinner, Kazuki took both bowls and washed them, while Nemuri went to take a shower. They exchanged goodnight wishes and headed to their respective rooms. The next day, standing in front of the 'Unity Martial Arts Academy', Izuku and Kazuki stared at the entrance. "Well, are you ready?" Kazuki asked nonchalantly. Izuku nodded in affirmation, feeling both nervous and excited. Kazuki flashed a reassuring smile and they both walked in, ready to start their training.

Kazuki and Izuku were dressed in white gis with white belts as they sat cross-legged in a room, awaiting their evaluation. Tanak-sensei stood before them with his arms folded, scrutinizing them. "First, I need to evaluate your skills," he said. Kazuki was asked to go first and the two stood facing each other. "Come at me with everything you have," Tanak-sensei commanded. Kazuki charged forward, disappearing from sight only to reappear to the side of Tanak-sensei, catching him off guard. But the seasoned sensei quickly regained his composure, blocking the attack. 'Impressive,' he thought to himself, feeling the force of Kazuki's strike. Kazuki retreated, then quickly recovered and launched another series of attacks.

The intense sparring continued between Tanak-sensei and Kazuki for about two minutes, with both fighters delivering powerful attacks, Kazuki's techniques were sharp and forceful, breaking through Tanak-sensei's guard, while Tanak-sensei utilized a different strategy of redirecting and parrying Kazuki's attacks. Eventually, Tanak-sensei delivered a swift sweep kick that tripped Kazuki, Tanak-sensei seized the opportunity to deliver another powerful kick, sending Kazuki flying across the mat. But Kazuki quickly recovered and prepared to dash towards his opponent. Before he could, however, Tanak-sensei called for the match to stop, and Kazuki bowed and respectfully exited the mat.

It was then Izuku's turn, and he approached with trembling nerves. Tanak-sensei's formidable presence stuck fear into him, Tanak-sensei gestured for Izuku to stop forward, and the two stood facing each other. And his wild punch was easily deflected. Tanak-sensei countered with a knee to the abdomen, followed by a swift sweep kick that sent Izuku crashing to the ground on his back. After three grueling hours of evaluation, Kazuki was quickly assigned to the black belt training room, while Izuku found himself in the novice room with white and yellow belts. After a refreshing shower and change of clothes, the boys walked home, enthusiastically discussing their exciting day. Despite being in different classes, Kazuki reassured Izuku that with his strong work ethic, he could one day join him in the black belt training room. After bidding each other farewell, Kazuki trudged home, too exhausted to do anything but prepare some leftover curry for Nemuri, take another shower, and collapse into bed.

Kazuki reflected on how his life had led him to this point. He felt grateful to be surrounded by good people, and he knew that he could only continue to improve until he was the No. 1 hero. As he allowed his mind to drift into unconsciousness, he felt an overwhelming sense of happiness.