"Too strong… This pro hero is on a completely different level from us!"
"Yeah! Even Yelan Inasa, who eliminated over a hundred people earlier, couldn't beat him!"
Watching Masata's overwhelming performance, the candidates who had been full of confidence just moments ago began to waver.
So far, he hadn't even used his Quirk.
And yet, defeating them was as easy as a father disciplining his child.
How was this supposed to be fair?
"What's wrong? Why are you all just standing there?"
Masata waited for a moment, then frowned.
"If you're not coming, I'll attack."
Was it because he had used too much strength earlier and scared them off?
He stomped his right foot.
Boom!
The ground exploded, spiderweb-like cracks spreading outward.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of one examinee.
A lightning-fast punch—
Then he withdrew instantly.
Another stomp.
Another flash.
Another punch.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Within seconds, Masata darted through more than a dozen opponents.
When everyone finally regained their senses, they saw bodies rolling on the ground, clutching their stomachs in pain.
This time, he had held back.
If he eliminated too many people, it wouldn't be good.
As long as they still had the will to fight, they could still pass.
Silence.
Everyone present—Todoroki and Yelan Inasa included—stood frozen in shock.
They hadn't even seen him move.
Only afterimages.
And then their teammates collapsed.
"At this speed… we can only restrain him!"
Not everyone gave up.
Some candidates remained calm.
They were among the strongest students in the country, and they quickly formed a plan.
"I'll go first!"
Sero rushed forward.
Bandages shot from his arms, weaving into a massive net in midair.
At the same time—
Boom!
Ice spread rapidly beneath Todoroki's feet.
Sharp ice pillars rose in a circle, sealing Masata in.
Others joined in.
Some coated the ground with glue.
Some hardened the terrain.
Every restraining ability they had was unleashed at once.
Above them, Inasa gathered massive air currents, cutting off any escape route.
For a moment, it looked like everyone was attacking Masata together.
"Innocent."
Facing attacks from all directions, Masata finally grew interested.
He focused.
Then stood calmly in place.
"Does he have a backup plan?"
"Did he give up?"
"No way—maybe he's using his Quirk!"
Different thoughts flashed through everyone's mind.
Hope flickered in their eyes.
But—
Against Masata, even surprise attacks were useless.
With Observation Haki guiding him, he moved like a drifting leaf in a storm.
He slipped between attacks effortlessly.
No bindings.
No restraints.
Not even dust touched his cloak.
All hope vanished.
"So it really is him…"
From the stands, Aizawa watched silently.
Unlike the students, he could see everything clearly.
Even among sensory-type users nationwide, very few could move like this.
Only All Might's former partner, Sir Nighteye, had shown something similar—
But even he hadn't been this relaxed.
And Masata…
He had once walked calmly through a storm of target balls.
"What's wrong?"
Ms. Joke asked curiously.
"That man in black is strong, but I've never heard of him. It's like he appeared out of nowhere."
"He did come out of nowhere," Aizawa replied flatly.
"And the student you asked about earlier— Igarashi—is on the field right now."
"Huh?! Don't tell me—!"
"Yes. Exactly what you're thinking."
Aizawa folded his arms.
"Don't ask me why. I don't know either."
Ms. Joke fell silent.
Boom!!!
A massive explosion suddenly shook the arena.
"What the hell are you losers doing?!"
Bakugo's furious roar echoed across the field.
He, Kaminari, and Kirishima had rushed over from another zone.
They had just arrived.
"Hey, you! You're the villain?!"
Bakugo glanced contemptuously at the fallen examinees, then pointed at Masata.
His tone screamed arrogance.
Masata's forehead twitched.
Even though he was used to Bakugo's personality, it was still irritating.
"You're hiding behind a mask?"
"Fine. I'll rip it off myself!"
Bakugo's palms exploded.
Boom!
He launched himself forward.
"Wait! You're not his opponent!"
One of the fallen candidates shouted desperately.
He had been knocked out with one punch.
He knew how terrifying Masata was.
"Do I look like the type to back down?!"
Bakugo snapped.
"Is that your ambition to become heroes?!"
His fierce glare shook everyone.
His words struck deep.
Yes.
They all wanted to be heroes.
Heroes weren't supposed to retreat.
They were supposed to charge forward.
Determination reignited.
Smiles appeared on battered faces.
"You really showed up, Bakugo…"
...
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