practical test

It was impressive.

Imposing.

And it had the feeling of an invincible fortress, enough for villains to think twice before attacking this place.

That was what could be said for the main building of the hero academy.

It wasn't the first time I was seeing the building, but it was the first time I had set foot on the academy grounds.

I arrived in Musutafu about 4 days ago, enough to arrive one day before taking the theoretical test that was held on the 22nd.

It was one of the most boring things I had to do, it was 8 hours of the exam, in an attempt to test my general knowledge due to my previous condition.

It was something quite futile, I could know any question I wanted, thanks to the nanomachines in my brain that connected to the internet and so I could get any answer I wanted, in addition to the ease of performing calculations.

I wouldn't be surprised if they considered me a genius because of the answers.

So it was all very tedious, there wasn't a question hard enough that the nanomachines couldn't figure it out and no calculation long enough to last more than a few seconds.

I also had a quirk analysis, otherwise, I couldn't take the practical test.

And examination only revealed what the triplets had warned me.

My Quirk was different from others, there was no apparent physical cost to using hardening.

I could go all day with hardening turned on and nothing would happen to me, unlike some other users who have problems such as depleting iron in their blood.

But I couldn't escape the consequences of using nanomachines.

60 years.

That was the longest I could live.

According to the triplets, my quirk placed an extremely heavy burden on my heart and body.

and that from the age of 60 onwards, the physical state would begin to deteriorate and the chance of having a massive heart attack was several times the norm.

They also said that my health was so abundant that I could live to be 120 years old if it weren't for my quirk.

However, with the help of Nanomachines, a few months ago I was able to create something that would increase my heart's strength if I used it continuously.

And with my heart stronger, I could live another 20 years.

I called this device {Nanomachine repository} and it was created with the help of Nanomachines.

But there was a problem, the appearance of this device was a... Cigarette.

It was the only discrete design the nanomachines found in my head.

As long as I smoked this cigarette for 5 minutes a day it would be enough to strengthen my heart.

And strengthening my heart wasn't the cigarette's only function, as long as I smoked, it filled 5% of my stamina and 1% of my focus per minute that passed.

and I had gotten special permission from the director to smoke, after all, it was an electronic cigarette and didn't disperse the smoke.

And that's what I was about to do while waiting for the time to enter the building.

I pulled a cigarette from a small box I kept in my pockets and deftly clamped it between my lips.

It was funny to know that the habit of smoking came with me into this world, even if this body didn't have the same habit that I did.

I lit a small flame on the tip of my right index finger and brought it to the cigarette at my lips.

Turning my finger into a lighter was one small trick among several I could pull off after modifying my hands.

I could even turn my hand into a hammer.

I inhaled the smoke deeply into my lungs, taking the nanomachines in the cigarette into my respiratory system, and out of habit I blew the smoke out through my mouth even though there was no smoke.

I leaned back against a nearby tree, to wait for the time to pass while I smoked and watched people arriving at the gym.

Some might consider what I was seeing to be something out of a freak show.

However, I considered it magnificent.

Several people were physically different from each other, some were over 2 meters tall, while others were barely 1 meter tall, there were also those who had wings on their backs or even the head of an animal, there were endless differences due to Quirk.

It had been a long time since I had such superficial thoughts about my surroundings, it was quite good, maybe I should smoke more often.

And I had to admit that this cigarette managed to make me feel…relaxed just like the real thing.

{The effect is considered a placebo, as there is no nicotine in the nanomachine replenisher.}

Oh sure, the killjoy showed up.

I did not know that!

Now the placebo effect will not work!

My way of relaxing is gone.

Alright, system!

{Always a pleasure to help.}

"Mnn, excuse me, sir... Did you come to take the practical exam?"

a female voice asked me, thus interrupting the thousands of offensive thoughts I was about to direct to the system.

I looked down a little and saw a beautiful girl of medium height that reached a little above my chest.

She had a slim but ideal body with good curves in all the right places, she had fair, slender skin, a beautiful pair of green eyes, and orange hair tied in a high ponytail on the left side of her head, and her bangs were parted in three locks around her eyes and also big tufts of hair on top of her head.

Overall, it was impossible to describe this girl in any other words than absolutely beautiful.

But she made me frown when she called me sir.

Did I look that old?

I was sure not, I certainly looked young and handsome, but I couldn't deny that I didn't look 15 years old.

And when I was about to answer the pretty girl, I saw a skinny green-haired idiot trip over his own feet and soon he was kissing the ground.

Should I help you?

It must have been quite embarrassing to land flat on my face as I walked into the gym and with my speed, it wouldn't be a problem to catch him by the collar before he fell.

But I couldn't talk to this beautiful girl.

did I save the idiot from humiliation or did I talk to the pretty girl?

If I followed my morals the answer would be obvious.

"Yes, I came to take the exam and I suppose it's the same case for you"

I chose the right option and the one that would take the least amount of work.

And in the end, it worked for the boy, a cute girl made him float, managing to save him from humiliation.

Lucky bastard.

"Um, I don't mean to be boring... But is it a good idea to smoke before the practical exam?"

The girl asked me hesitantly, this question might offend some people for being impertinent, but I didn't take it that way.

She looked genuinely concerned and that wasn't strange, after all, I lived in a society shaped by heroes, and one would expect them to have a superior sense of morality.

"Oh, that? It's not harmful to my lungs, it's an artificial cigarette made to help my Quirk."

I answered her question as I took the cigarette from my lips and showed her that the ember in the cigarette was technological.

Her face took on a deep shade of red as she bent over at a 30-degree angle.

"I'm sorry! I misunderstood and pestered you!"

She hurriedly apologized which was kind of sweet, I didn't take offense at her act of concern and as a man, it would be wrong for me to let a woman bow to me until she'd done nothing wrong so I quickly calmed her down.

"It is not necessary for you to bow or apologize, there is nothing wrong with being concerned about an alien individual and your kindness is pleasant, Miss...?

"Oh yes! My name!

How rude of me!

I'm Itsuka kendo."

She quickly answered my question, I think she felt bad for asking about the cigarette.

{Currently, it is 6:56 am, and the cutoff time is near}

Ah, it was already approaching the time of the practical exam, I think I would have to say goodbye to Itsuka.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Kendo-san, but I think we have to say goodbye, after all, I'm afraid the schedule is against us unless you want to accompany me to the gym entrance?

By the way, my name is Kazuhira, just Kazuhira."

I asked for Kendo's company while she stubbed out the cigarette and put it back in its place.

"It would be a pleasure to accompany you Kazuhira-san, after all, we are going towards the same goal, it will be good to get to know each other, and maybe we will even study together.

Kendo accepted my order with an excited smile on his face as he led the way.

Despite being pretty and kind, she appeared to be a bit... tomboyish.

Well, that made things more interesting, I could even feel a wry smile forming on my face as I followed her.