Authors note:
Speaking: " …"
Thinking: '…'
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Hitoshi's POV
The next day
Shiketsu High General Entrance Exam
The purple-haired teen was currently on his way to Shiketsu High for his entrance exam, which was scheduled to begin in about half an hour. Along with hundreds of other applicants, he walked through the gates of the prestigious school.
Shiketsu High stood as a monument to excellence, its grand structure perched atop a hill overlooking the surrounding mountains. Built in the style of an ancient European castle, the school was a blend of timeless tradition and modern refinement. Tall spires pierced the sky, while massive arched windows reflected sunlight like polished gems, offering glimpses into the hallowed halls within. The building's façade was carved with intricate designs, including motifs of soaring eagles and blooming laurels, symbols of freedom and victory. A winding cobblestone path led through lush, manicured gardens to the school's central staircase, flanked by iron lanterns that seemed to glow even in daylight.
The entrance was guarded by a towering, rounded iron gate, an imposing piece of craftsmanship. Its iron bars twisted elegantly, and at the center, the Shiketsu emblem was proudly inscribed. This gate served as a threshold, both physical and symbolic, marking the transition from the outside world into the realm of greatness. Beyond it, students walked purposefully beneath vaulted ceilings, past hallways adorned with banners of deep crimson and gold.
Walking through the stunning gates of the second-best hero school in Japan, the purple-haired teen thought to himself, 'Phew, it's even grander than in the pictures. I guess their reputation as the second-best hero school isn't just for show'. He continued along the path to the main entrance of the castle, trying to ignore the ruckus that had been plaguing his mindscape for the past week.
'And what the heck do you know about the beautiful nature of destruction that I bring to the world? You're just some lowlife demon, not even that, you're just that guy's manifestation,' yelled a female voice within his mind, addressing the mental representation of a mask.
'You dare insult me, you damn dirty princess! If you haven't realized it yet, I'm the one in control of this part of the mind. And for the record, that destruction you're so proud of isn't beautiful at all,' the mask retaliated.
Irritated by the argument that had been ongoing in his head for days, Hitoshi's face contorted into an annoyed smile. Finally, he yelled in his mindscape, 'Would you two shut it?! If you don't stop arguing while I take my exam, I swear I'll make both of you live in a lake made out of shit." The voices fell silent with little resistance, save for a muttered ‚Screw you,' from the female voice.
‚I think I'm beginning to regret my decision to bond with a demonic weapon containing the Princess of Destruction,' Hitoshi thought, facepalming internally.
‚Good. I enjoy watching you suffer, you little soul-stealing brat. If you want me to shut up, you'd better hand over that body of yours so I can bring beautiful destruction to your world,' the demon princess chimed in.
‚You stop that right now, you—‚ the mask started to retort, but it was cut off by another yell from Hitoshi, threatening to unleash hell on their living space if they didn't shut up.
Finally achieving some semblance of peace, Hitoshi headed to the large lecture hall in the middle of Shiketsu's castle-like building, where he was scheduled to take the written exam. However, he couldn't shake the feeling of a powerful aura-user's eyes lingering on him.
Taking his assigned seat, he glanced around the room, which reminded him more of a magic school than a hero academy. As the room settled, a woman stepped onto the stage. She had long silver hair tied into a ponytail and wore the traditional Shiketsu High hat atop her head. Her striking blue eyes and pristine white-and-silver version of the standard Shiketsu uniform immediately commanded attention.
This woman was the number twelve hero, Storm. Her quirk, Storm Surge, allowed her to create localized weather phenomena, rain, hail, snow, and thunderstorms, all under her full control. Reporters often remarked that she had the power and admiration needed to be a top-four hero. Yet, her presence in the hero world was minimal, as she focused primarily on her role as Shiketsu's vice principal.
"To all applicants gathered here today to test themselves to see if they are worthy of joining a school as prestigious as Shiketsu: today, you will be given the opportunity to prove your worth and show us what you're made of!" the weather heroine declared, earning a roar of applause from the crowd of students.
"Now, for your exams: for all of you except the General Studies course, your exam will consist of three parts, taken one after the other. Should you fail any previous test, you will be deemed unfit for this school and barred from taking the subsequent tests.
The first part of the exam, applicable to every course and the sole test for the General Studies course, will be the written exam. This test focuses on general subjects as well as specific topics related to your chosen course. You have three hours to complete the test displayed on the screen at your desk. Afterward, your results will be revealed immediately. Good luck, and don't disappoint us."
The screens on every desk turned on, displaying the tests as Storm exited the stage.
‚Interesting. So unlike UA, which gives all tests and announces results afterward, Shiketsu provides immediate feedback and only lets those who pass move on. This shouldn't be too difficult after Sensei Bakugo drilled every possible subject into my head. God, that was exhausting," Hitoshi thought as he began answering the questions.
It didn't take him the full three hours to complete the exam; he finished in about two hours and scored a solid 92%. The remaining time was spent meditating in his mindscape, just as Bakugo had taught him. After the timer ran out, Storm reappeared on stage and returned to the podium.
"The time for the written exam has ended. Any applicants who failed to meet the passing requirement of 70% may leave now. To those in the General Studies course who passed: congratulations, you are officially accepted into the program." The room filled with cheers from those who passed.
"Now, for the rest of you, your next test will be a special challenge tailored to your respective courses. Staff members will guide you to your exam sites. Good luck to you all." With that, Storm left the stage again.
Hitoshi and the remaining Hero Course applicants, 110 in total, were led by a faculty member to an outdoor location within the forest surrounding the school. They arrived at a ruined cityscape, complete with burning buildings and scattered debris.
"Attention all applicants. Currently, there are 110 of you remaining. This test will eliminate half of you, leaving only 55 participants. The task is a solo rescue operation. Within this ruined city, there are exactly 55 of our esteemed third-year students serving as citizens trapped in the rubble. On the opposite side of the city lies an emergency shelter. Your task is to find a citizen, rescue them, and deliver them to the shelter. Anyone able to accomplish this will pass. Begin!" the faculty member declared before departing.
Confused by the turn of events, most applicants stood there waiting. However, some participants, including Hitoshi, were already running into the city and locating their citizens. After about a minute of confusion, the others eventually began running as well, though by that time, most of the third-years nearby had already been taken.
Unlike most of those who ran in immediately, the purple-haired teen let someone else take care of the easiest ones. Instead, he headed to the back until he found what he was looking for, his prey. Located on top of a telephone pole, a man stood fake-quivering. Hitoshi quickly asked him if he was alright, to which the man tried to respond, but he was immediately brainwashed and instructed to jump down into Hitoshi's arms. Without fear or hesitation, he did just that, landing safely in the aura user's grasp.
Running toward the emergency center with the brainwashed student in hand, Hitoshi swiftly brought him to the staff in the shelter and undid the hypnosis. The student looked at him in confusion. Sighing, Hitoshi simply explained, "I brainwashed you. By eliminating the fear, irrationality, and hesitation, I was able to rescue you more effectively than if you'd been conscious the whole time. It might not be ethical, but you're safe without unnecessary risk." The student and faculty members nodded in understanding.
The violet-eyed teen was the second applicant to pass since most others were struggling to handle actual citizens. However, one person caught his eye: a boy with long, golden-brown hair tied into an extremely long ponytail. His eyes were a striking gold, and his expression carried a gentle yet confident smile. He wore a brown shirt and black tie with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing lean muscles, along with black pants. The boy hadn't just rescued one citizen, he'd saved six, taking five other applicants out of the race in the process.
The brown-haired boy transported them on what appeared to be five floating rocks, where the third-years were laid out. The sixth citizen was cradled in his arms. ‚Seems like there are some competent participants here after all. He was the fifth to arrive, though I reckon he could've been first if he'd only rescued one person, Hitoshi thought as he glanced at the others who had made it so far, two girls and one boy.
‚They all seem rather competent, especially the one who got here before me. I think I saw him run really fast. Could be a speed quirk,' Hitoshi analyzed, observing his likely future classmates.
It took about another hour for the remaining applicants to arrive. The total number of participants had dwindled to just 50, partially due to the earth user saving six citizens instead of one, something that wasn't against the rules.
After everything settled down, Storm reappeared at the site. She brought a raging storm over the mock city, and dark clouds soon began pouring heavy rain until all the fires were extinguished.
"Attention all remaining applicants! I congratulate you on your efforts. Out of over 300 hero course applicants, only the 50 of you remain," she announced as a wave of applause echoed through the room.
"Now then, before you can move on to the final stage of the exam, there is one more test you must overcome: the Team Test! Based on the order you arrived, you will be placed into teams of five and sent to different parts of the mock city. There, you'll encounter a hostage situation where robots have kidnapped one of our staff members. Your task is to safely retrieve the hostage without endangering them. May luck be on your side," she declared before leaving again.