We were all lined up on the training field, wearing the U.A. gym uniforms.
The bright sun shone down like it wanted to burn us all alive.
Or maybe that was just Bakugo's glare aimed at me again. Hard to tell.
Aizawa-sensei stood in front of us with his usual dead-eyed expression, holding a tablet.
"You're here to become heroes," he began. "But if you think it's going to be fun and games, you're dead wrong."
I already figured as much from the moment he dragged himself out of a sleeping bag like a zombie.
He gestured to the open field.
"This is a Quirk Apprehension Test. You'll be doing eight physical tests — but with your quirks."
He casually scrolled through the tablet.
"And the student who comes in last… gets expelled."
The class collectively freaked out.
"E-Expelled on the first day?!" someone shouted.
Midoriya was especially pale, clinging to the edge of his shirt like a lifeline.
I tilted my head.
Was it really that bad?
In my past life, I barely scraped through junior high. This was just gym with superpowers, right?
Bakugo grinned like a maniac, practically bouncing in place.
"Heh. Guess this'll weed out the trash faster."
I instinctively took one step away from him.
Safety first.
"Let's start with the softball throw," Aizawa announced.
We lined up. Bakugo went first, grabbing the ball and stomping up to the circle.
"Go nuts with your quirks," Aizawa added. "No restrictions."
Bakugo smirked, raised his arm, and his hand exploded with a crackling blast.
"DIE!!" he screamed as he hurled the ball.
The ball vanished in the sky like a meteor.
"705.2 meters," the device beeped.
Everyone stared in shock.
I sighed.
Show-off.
One by one, students took turns. Some did okay, some flopped hilariously.
When my turn came, I scratched my head awkwardly.
"Uh… guess it's my turn."
I stepped into the circle, feeling the eyes on me.
I didn't plan to show off the whole regeneration and flight part. Just a little boost.
I summoned a flicker of blue fire around my palm — just enough to give the throw a kick — and let the ball fly.
Not too far. Not too short. Play it safe.
"462.8 meters," the device called out.
Not bad.
People blinked at the blue flame I left behind, but no one asked.
Most probably chalked it up as some weird healing-fire quirk.
Good. Keep it that way.
The other tests rolled on — sprint, long jump, grip strength, side steps.
I gave solid, average-above-average performances.
Nothing too flashy.
I noticed Todoroki was basically breezing through with his ice powers and calm deadpan face.
Yaoyorozu was absurdly efficient.
And Bakugo? Well, he screamed threats half the time but smashed every test like a psycho.
Finally, the results were in.
1st: Momo Yaoyorozu
2nd: Shoto Todoroki
3rd: Katsuki Bakugo
4th: Akira Itsuki
I blinked at the screen.
Top five. Not bad for a fake villain boss, huh?
Midoriya, though… was dead last.
I winced.
The kid had no control over One For All yet, and it showed.
When he threw the ball earlier, his finger snapped like a twig from the force.
Aizawa actually stopped him before he could destroy himself completely.
Good call, sensei.
After it was over, the class slumped in relief when Aizawa revealed he wouldn't actually expel anyone.
"It was a rational deception," he muttered, walking off like it was nothing.
Everyone started heading back to the locker rooms when I spotted Midoriya cradling his busted finger.
Poor guy.
I walked over.
"Hey, lemme see that," I said, reaching out.
Before he could protest, I summoned a small burst of my blue flames around his finger.
It healed almost instantly.
Midoriya's eyes went wide.
"W-What…?! Your quirk heals people too?!"
I panicked.
"Uh… yeah! Part of the quirk! It's, uh… regenerative blue fire… thing. Not a big deal."
I gave an awkward thumbs-up.
Midoriya nodded furiously.
"That's amazing!"
Bakugo, watching from a distance, growled.
I sighed.
Somehow, my life at U.A. was only going to get weirder.