Chapter-7

Returning to the classroom, they discovered that their teacher was absent. Once everyone had taken their seats, they waited for someone to arrive. They didn't have to wait long as the door swung open wide. "Normal entrance!" The excitement in the eyes of nearly all the teenagers was evident as the number one hero walked in.

"All Might!" Mina Ashido's shout was echoed by her classmates, but they fell silent when the older blonde raised his hand.

"Very well, young people, this time we'll have an exercise similar to the one we had before! It will involve one-on-one combat of your choice! Let's hope we don't have any casualties like last time!" Several students' gazes shifted toward Midoriya, who offered an awkward smile. "It's a good opportunity to see what each of you is capable of in a real fight. I understand it's your first year, but this is necessary." All Might glanced briefly at the door, perhaps hoping he wouldn't regret this impulsive decision, considering the input he had received from his colleagues.

~Flashback~

In UA's director's room, a private meeting was in session among the heads of the institution and the most prominent heroes. The director, a rat-like creature in a formal suit, sipped tea as he sat at his desk. Facing him were All Might, Cementoss, Number 13, Midnight, Eraserhead, and Present Mic. All eyes were on the screen displaying an image of their new student.

"He doesn't inspire trust," Aizawa openly voiced his skepticism about the blonde on the screen.

"This decision raises doubts, Toshinori," the school director paused his tea-drinking, his gaze now serious as he crossed his legs and remained still. He watched a video of their new student beheading a giant villain. "We went to great lengths just to cover up everything related to that incident. The police agreed to alter the facts to clear the boy of his crimes. They are waiting for results, but they might be forced to reinstate the charges against him..." The rodent's explanation cast a somber shadow over the number one hero.

"I understand that my decision seems impulsive, but... something tells me I can trust him," the tall blonde said calmly, reaching to turn off the screen displaying Uzumaki, his sword still glistening with blood. His words left his companions in a state of concern.

"We're trusting that child solely based on your intuition. I'm sorry, Mr. Toshinori, but we're risking many lives, not just those of the students. What if his intentions are different?" Taking a step forward, the sole woman in the room voiced her doubts. "You have many enemies, and if any of them sent that boy to infiltrate as a sheep among the students... only to reveal himself as a wolf when the time comes, to fulfill his true objective, which might be to kill you." Midnight's words hung heavily in the air, and her serious tone had a profound impact on Mt. Lady, who was deeply affected by witnessing the boy decapitating the villain she should have stopped.

"She's got a point," Cementoss chimed in, displaying his uncertainty about the decision being made. "Nevertheless, I have faith in you, All Might. If you believe that this boy can be of assistance when things get tough, so be it." Opinions were divided, but the decision had been made.

"Good, but I want to see what the boy is capable of. It wouldn't be wise to pit him against a professional hero. We need to be smarter. Let him act without feeling oppressed. Let's do an exercise," thoughtfully, the academy director rose and walked to the window. "Where the students of class 1-A will face each other." All Might nodded in agreement with the director's suggestion.

"But sir, these procedures are usually carried out at the end of the second year. They aren't prepared for one-on-one fights yet," Present Mic voiced his concern, speaking up for the first time in the entire meeting.

"I know, but these days we can no longer afford that luxury." With those words from the suited animal, the meeting came to an end.

~End of flashback~

All Might patiently waited at one of the training stations. Many of the students were already dressed in their respective hero outfits. However, he raised an eyebrow when he noticed that Uzumaki was only wearing a white sweatshirt, dark pants with bandages tied around his ankles, dark sandals on his feet, and a tanto, a short sword, securely fastened to his back with a brown leather shoulder pad on his left side.

"Young Uzumaki, didn't we have a suit made to fit your needs?" The tall blonde inquired curiously, receiving only a mocking smile from the shinobi, who then cast a glance at the suits his classmates were wearing.

"If you rely on a suit to manage your abilities, that's a serious problem. You should understand that the suit is just an unnecessary accessory in my view... not to mention, it makes you all look like fools," his words stirred frustration among the teenagers present. However, the shinobi seemed unfazed as he distanced himself from the group to survey the combat area with his eyes.

"I thought Bakugo was an arrogant idiot," Kiminari muttered to Mina, who nodded in agreement. But they tensed up when the bandaged blonde's gaze locked onto them.

"Arrogant?" The blonde inquired aloud, a faint smile gracing his lips. Shaking his head, he addressed the students, "I'm simply confident in my abilities, and I can confidently say I could defeat each and every one of you." His words only fueled the tension.

"I don't care if you think you're better than these good-for-nothings! But you're not better than me!" Katsuki generated small explosions in his hands as he boldly approached the blue-eyed blonde. Their gazes clashed, and a confrontation seemed imminent.

"That's enough..." All Might positioned himself between the two blondes, averting an impending fight. "Young Uzumaki, I must ask you to refrain from making such comments. It's unnecessary," he spoke with a stern tone, but the shinobi responded with a sigh, his expression remaining impassive.