Chapter 159: Ectoplasm
"Kira! Was this all part of your calculation!?" Bakugo said through gritted teeth, staring at Kira. "You knew the practical exam was going to be changed to person-to-person combat, and you deliberately accepted my challenge at that moment, didn't you!? You bastard! You never had any intention of having a real showdown with me!"
Kira looked at the row of teachers in front of him, speechless. "I had no idea they were going to change the test to this either."
The Practical Exam.
Just as everyone had changed into their hero costumes and was preparing for a decisive battle against the robots, they were greeted by a lineup of Pro Heroes that rivaled the one from the USJ incident: Shota Aizawa, Cementoss, Midnight, Thirteen... even Principal Nezu was among them.
The gentle and refined Principal Nezu said with a smile, "I imagine you have all used various means to gather intelligence on the practical exam and already know what the content will be. However..."
"Unfortunately, due to various reasons, the content of this year's test has been changed. Considering the future of interpersonal combat, your education must be closer to a real-world scenario. Therefore, you will be divided into pairs to fight one of the teachers here!"
Aizawa added, "Furthermore, the team compositions and the teachers you will be facing have already been decided. We have taken the liberty of forming the teams based on our observations of your behavior, grades, and interpersonal relationships."
"Are you kidding me!? They're making us fight the teachers...?" Mina Ashido said in disbelief. "How are we supposed to beat a Pro Hero, even in a team of two!?"
"That's not necessarily true. Don't forget, Midoriya-kun's impromptu team managed to take down the Hero Killer, Stain. As long as we can find an opening, we won't necessarily lose, even against a teacher," Kira said, looking calmly at Principal Nezu. "And... I'm sure the victory condition isn't to knock the opponent unconscious, right?"
"Of course. The time limit is 30 minutes, and the location will be designated by us. You will be moved to the designated location before the match begins. Your objective is to find our hiding place and put these handcuffs on us," Nezu said, holding up a pair of handcuffs. "Or... one of you can escape from the area."
"So it's a choice between fighting and running? Indeed, if you don't think you can win a head-on fight, escaping to call for help is the best option," Kirishima said, clenching his fist with a confident smile. "But as a true man, you have to defeat your opponent fair and square! The word 'run' doesn't exist in my dictionary!"
"Since everyone understands the rules, then it's time to announce the matchups," Nezu said with a smile, gesturing to Aizawa.
Aizawa pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. "First, I will be facing Todoroki and Yaoyorozu. The Principal will be against Ashido and Kaminari. Thirteen against Uraraka and Iida. Present Mic against Koda and Jiro. Ectoplasm against Kira and Asui. Midnight against Sero and Mineta. Snipe against Hagakure and Shoji. Cementoss against Kirishima and Aoyama. Power Loader against Tokoyami and Ojiro. And finally, Bakugo and Midoriya will face..."
An exaggerated shadow fell over Midoriya and Bakugo. "Your opponent... is me! All Might!"
"All Might!" Midoriya took a step back, stunned. "How can we possibly be a match for you!? You're the Symbol of Peace!"
"No! Right now, I am your opponent! The enemy you must face!" All Might laughed boisterously. "Young Midoriya! Young Bakugo! Work together to defeat me!"
To save time, the ten groups were taken by bus to their different battle sites to begin their matches simultaneously. The faster they completed the test, the higher their score would be.
"...Kira-kun, this is our first time teaming up, isn't it?" Tsuyu Asui asked suddenly on the bus.
"If you don't count the USJ, then yes, it's the first time," Kira said with a smile. "Tsuyu-chan, I really drew the best lot, getting to fight alongside you this time."
"...Kira-kun, you wanted to team up with me?" Asui asked.
Although he was a little confused by the question, Kira still smiled and replied, "Of course. Your Quirk is very versatile, Tsuyu-chan. You can use it in any environment. Anyone would want to team up with you."
The light in Asui's eyes dimmed a little. She muttered to herself in a voice too low for Kira to hear, "So that's how it is..."
"You two. I've seen your performance at the Sports Festival. It was quite brilliant, especially yours, Kira-kun. I know you are both very calm, so I'll be direct."
The hero Ectoplasm's face was like a skull filled with dark muscle, giving him an unreal, ghostly appearance. His mouth, which could seemingly be detached, took up half his face when he opened it, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. It was very reminiscent of the famous urban legend, the Slit-Mouthed Woman.
His Quirk was "Clones." He could create up to 30 copies of himself at once (and up to 36 after a night of karaoke, apparently).
"You've shown excellent performance in one-on-one combat. But what about one-on-many?" Ectoplasm's entire body was wrapped in a trench coat, only his mouth moving as he spoke. "How you break through an encirclement will be the key to whether or not you pass this test."
Their test site was a cylindrical, pipe-like building with no windows, standing tall like a chimney. A single passageway on the top floor connected it to another identical building. The exit on their side was blocked. Kira and Asui had to start from the center of the bottom floor, make their way to the top, cross the pipe, and escape from the exit on the first floor of the other building.
That was their escape route.
Kira looked at Ectoplasm for a long moment, then suddenly asked, "Ectoplasm-sensei... do you not have any arms?"
"...Hmph. You noticed that quickly? As expected of a top student." Although Ectoplasm's face showed no expression, Kira could tell he had been momentarily stunned. "I do not have arms. My legs are also prosthetics. However... don't think you can bully a disabled person."
"How could this be 'bullying'? It's more of a handicap for us, isn't it?" Kira shook his head and said softly, "After all... if you don't have any arms, where are we supposed to put the handcuffs?"
Ectoplasm's lower body was a set of black prosthetics that matched his coat. To fulfill the condition of subduing him, they would have to cuff his legs. But if he can have prosthetic legs, why not prosthetic arms?
"The other groups are ready. Let's begin the exam," Ectoplasm said, not answering. He looked at the clock on the wall and began to count down. "5... 4... 3..."
"Asui! Grab him!" Kira shouted during the countdown. The handcuffs had appeared in his hand at some point. He wreathed his body in Hamon and instantly lunged at the teacher, who was less than two meters away. Asui reacted quickly, her tongue shooting out to strike at him.
Kira knew that Ectoplasm's Quirk required a short wind-up time to activate. Therefore, by seizing this time difference, he could cuff him the moment the test began and end the fight in an instant.
Kira's plan was clear, and Ectoplasm had been completely caught off guard. The moment he shouted "1," Kira had already grabbed his clothes, the handcuffs about to snap onto his ankle.
But—Poof!
The moment Asui's tongue wrapped around Ectoplasm's body, he burst like a popped balloon, dissolving into a cloud of smoke.
It's a clone! But from when!?
Kira realized something and instantly looked up. Several Ectoplasms were descending from the ceiling, surrounding him and Asui. As if they had no weight, they attacked with their heads, shoulders, and feet.
After dodging the first few attacks and dispelling the two closest clones, Kira looked up again. The real Ectoplasm was standing on the highest level of the room, silently watching them.
"Your reaction was very fast, Kira-kun. If I hadn't been prepared, the match might have already ended," he said, then paused. "But... do not underestimate us seasoned Pro Heroes."
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