A brief silence fell over the area.
Even though U.A. High School stood right in front of them, no one paid attention to it for the moment.
Present Mic quickly realized he had asked an awkward question. He coughed a few times and forced a laugh.
"Aha—haha…! Looks like Shina is very confident! That's… great! Really great! Well then—U.A. is right ahead of us! Everyone, let's move!"
The students began getting off the bus one after another, but as they did, they couldn't help whispering among themselves about Etsuha's bold statement.
After Shina Etsuha stepped off as well, Present Mic muttered under his breath, his lips twitching.
"That kid really doesn't know how to read the room… And Shoto Todoroki isn't exactly someone you can underestimate either. No way he actually loses to someone like that, right? That level of confidence is just arrogance."
Before arriving, he had already reviewed Shoto Todoroki's Quirk—a terrifying ability, with half his body perpetually covered in ice. Just from the sheer density of frost on him, anyone could tell how powerful his Quirk was.
"Not necessarily," Aizawa Shouta said quietly from the side. "That kid… there's something off about him."
Meanwhile, Etsuha followed the others through the gates of U.A.
The moment he stepped inside, the scene before him was breathtaking—just as grand as it had appeared in the anime. Towering buildings stretched across the campus, radiating prestige and authority. Advanced surveillance cameras with sleek, futuristic designs were mounted throughout the grounds.
The entire place felt less like a school and more like a city built for heroes.
"Whoa!!"
"As expected of U.A.!"
Excited voices rang out from the students around him. Compared to their middle schools, U.A. completely outclassed them in every possible way.
"Quiet."
Aizawa Shouta and Present Mic approached from behind.
"If you pass the entrance exam, this will be your school soon enough. But that's not why you're here today. Focus yourselves—and get ready to watch the first elimination match."
The mood instantly shifted.
Everyone straightened up, tension filling the air as they followed Aizawa toward the recommendation exam arena.
Before long, a massive stadium came into view.
Tiered seating surrounded a central battle arena, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a professional sports venue.
"Isn't this where the Sports Festival is held?!" someone exclaimed.
Aizawa glanced at them and nodded.
"That's right. U.A.'s Sports Festival is held here every year. Since we already have a proper arena, it's only natural to use it for the preliminary matches as well."
Present Mic stepped forward, raising his voice.
"The preliminary match is about to begin! All unrelated personnel, please take your seats in the stands! Shoto Todoroki, please step forward and prepare!"
As his voice echoed across the stadium, a boy slowly walked out from the shadows.
Half of his body was covered in frost.
His hair was split cleanly into two colors—one side icy white, the other a darker shade. The cold aura surrounding him was visible even at a distance.
This was Shoto Todoroki—the son of the No. 2 Hero, Endeavor.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
"What an overwhelming presence…"
"He can freeze half his body like that? What kind of Quirk is that…?"
"He looks so cold…"
Etsuha observed him calmly.
At this stage, Todoroki was still deeply conflicted—harboring resentment toward his father. He deliberately suppressed his fire side, sealing it away with ice. Even his gaze carried a sharp, distant hostility.
It made people instinctively uncomfortable.
Etsuha also noticed Yoarashi Inasa in the crowd—he looked troubled, clearly shaken after seeing Todoroki. It seemed likely that this encounter was what would eventually drive him away from U.A.
"Hey… Todoroki, your Quirk…?" Present Mic hesitated for a moment upon seeing his condition.
"It won't affect the fight," Todoroki replied coldly.
Then, almost coincidentally, he added in the same tone Etsuha had used earlier:
"I won't lose."
"As expected of a genius—even his way of talking is the same," someone muttered.
"I don't know… just looking at him gives me chills."
"He feels even more dangerous than Etsuha."
"Man… these two are seriously confident," Present Mic laughed awkwardly again. "Alright then! Next up—Shina Etsuha! Please step onto the stage!"
Etsuha, already prepared, walked calmly onto the arena.
Unlike Todoroki, there was no visible sign of his Quirk at all.
The contrast between the two was striking.
"I'll be your referee," a teacher with a rigid, block-like appearance announced as he stepped forward. "I'm Cementoss. My Quirk allows me to control any concrete I touch. If your fight becomes too dangerous, I will intervene."
He continued in a steady tone:
"Recovery Girl is on standby in the infirmary, so you can fight without holding back."
"The rules are simple: stepping out of bounds, losing consciousness, being unable to continue, or surrendering will all result in defeat. This is a one-match elimination. There are no second chances."
Etsuha glanced at the layer of ice covering Todoroki's body and frowned slightly.
"Won't that affect your movement?"
Todoroki's visible eye glowed faintly red as he looked at him.
"It should be enough to deal with you."
Etsuha raised an eyebrow.
He didn't sense hostility—but the meaning was obvious.
Was Todoroki underestimating him? Or was he holding back to avoid hurting him?
Etsuha smiled faintly.
"I hope so."
At that moment, Cementoss raised his hand.
"The match… begins!"