"""""Quirk Apprehension Test?!"""""
Everyone's voices overlapped like a comedy sketch.
Me? I was just on my phone, so I wasn't part of it. Obviously I wouldn't join in. I'm not a comedian, you know? Ah, wait, teacher, wait, don't take it away! The ten-pull gacha is hot right now! There's a campaign going on and it's hot! Ah, you bastard, you deleted the app?! I didn't write down my ID!
As I mourned my deleted app, I heard the unlucky girl crying out, "What about the entrance ceremony?! The orientation?!"
I recovered from my grief and turned to face her.
"To become a hero—"
"You idiot! Unlucky girl, you idiot! Bandage-sensei forgot about it, so don't remind him! Do you wantto go?! You want to listen to the principal's stupidly long speech and some random guest speaker we don't even know?!"
"W-when you put it that way, maybe I don't really want to go..."
Thwack thwack—two good sounds rang out.
Along with the pain, both mine and the unlucky girl's IQs dropped by 3.
Bandage-sensei collected himself and repeated, "If you want to be heroes, you don't have time for such leisurely things."
Man, he really wanted to say that line.
"U.A.'s selling point is its free-spirited school culture—"
Free.
At that word, I raised my hand straight up.
Bandage-sensei's utterly disgusted gaze pierced through me.
"What is it, Midoriya..."
"How far does this freedom extend?!"
"Give me an example."
"Will you let me graduate even if I don't come to school?!"
"At minimum, assume you have to come to school."
I despaired.
He said freedom, but I have to come to school as a prerequisite.
This is fraud.
Freedom means freedom.
This isn't freedom at all.
"Teacher, you liar."
"You're way too naive about society."
After that, there were various explanations from Bandage-sensei, and Kacchan threw a ball using his Quirk.
Apparently, whoever has the worst overall results gets expelled.
Huh. Is that so? Huh.
Well, my physical abilities are naturally high, and I don't feel like I'll lose, so it doesn't matter to me.
Actually, if I got expelled from this, would Mom forgive me...? Ah, no, that's no good. She'd beat me up. I'll do it properly.
And so I tackled the Quirk Apprehension Test.
I approached it normally and finished with normally good results.
I thought I'd be somewhere above the middle, but I got fourth place, one spot below Kacchan.
Also, there was no expulsion—it was a rational deception. Teacher, you liar.
Kacchan, who beat me, was in a good mood anyone could see, looking happier than I'd ever seen him. He's never beaten me when I actually tried, so I think he was incredibly pleased.
I'll keep it secret that I found his quietly joyful expression a little cute.
Hehe. Can't be helped—today I'll treat him. To everyone's favorite delicious stick snacks. Just one though.
Still, it was scary how Bandage-sensei kept staring at me after the test ended. Those were totally perverted eyes. I get that I'm cute, but I'd rather he not fall for his student.
Well, I'll allow him to start a fan club.
Fuhahaha, offer me your tribute money!
"What's with that creepy smirk, you damn slut! Get changed and let's go home!"
Oops. While I was lost in fantasies of living comfortably off tribute money, Kacchan called out to me with love.
Well yeah. The annoying stuff is over, so it's best to head home quickly.
But seriously, "damn slut" is uncalled for.
I'm offended, offended.
I'm a virgin, you know. A lump of purity, the virgin goddess of cleanliness itself.
Calling me a damn slut—this is a grave sin.
...Yeah, I've decided. I'll only give him half a delicious stick. I'll shove the half-eaten one covered in my drool into that insult factory.
"Fine, you damn technical virgin! Wait a sec!"
"What?! Who's a technical virgin?! You damn slut!"
"Uhhh, so like I said, I'm a virgin, you moron! I'm not a slut, moron! Wanna see? Should I show you? Huh?! My brilliantly shining hymen!"
"I-idiot! Like hell I'd look at that!"
"Whoa, they're having an intense conversation..."
"H-how shameless, ugh..."
"She's really something, that girl."
"So youthful!"
"Hagakure, you're dead wrong if you think that explains everything."
"But that way of living is totally punk."
"I'm so jealous!"
(((Mineta's scary)))
◇◇◇
"Aizawa, you liar!"
As I was heading back to the school building, All Might called out to me with those words. I know why. In my Class A, there's the female student All Might recommended—Midoriya Souko.
He probably came to check on things, worried after learning what I did last year.
When I asked what was wrong, sure enough, it became about the class I was in charge of last year. That time when I expelled everyone.
"Actually, I was worried, so I watched from the classroom. At that moment, you told her she'd be expelled. There wasn't a shred of falsehood in it. You thought she was a zero at that moment, didn't you? A man who'd cut someone loose without hesitation if he judged them as having zero prospects—for you to go back on your word! That means!"
All Might's finger pointed at me.
"You also sensed potential in that girl, didn't you?"
Judging from her ranking, the girl All Might was talking about could be called excellent. In this test, she got those results with essentially no Quirk use. She has a future.
But there's one thing that bothers me.
"...You're quite invested in her. I suppose that's to be expected from someone you recommended. But as a teacher, is that really appropriate?"
"Ugh!"
"She certainly was excellent. In terms of physical ability alone, she's probably top of the class. Even more so if she's trained her Quirk. However—"
Throughout her words, I sensed a disgust and distrust toward heroes. She doesn't desire even a fragment of what All Might probably hopes for her to become.
"—I have no intention of forcing her to become a hero. If she wishes, I'll transfer her to General Studies immediately."
Nothing is more dangerous than becoming a hero unwillingly.
Without resolve, one can't fulfill the role of a hero.
Normally, I should drop her at that point... but somehow I can't bring myself to do it.
I'm not captivated by her.
But I wanted to know why she came here despite having such a rebellious attitude toward heroes.
That's why, still—
"She must have her own thoughts. I intend to watch over her until those solidify."
—Until I hear the answer to why she's staying here, I've decided not to consider her a zero.