Chapter 12: Welcome to the Hero Course
"I…" Tenya Iida hesitated for a moment before straightening his posture.
"My name is Tenya Iida. I graduated from Soumei Private Middle School."
"Soumei?" Katsuki Bakugo laughed harshly.
"That elite school?"
His grin widened.
"Sounds like a good place to destroy."
"Destroy?" Iida blinked in disbelief.
"You're talking about violence so casually. Are you really trying to become a hero?"
"Tch."
Bakugo clicked his tongue and turned away, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.
At that moment, both Bakugo and Iida noticed Izuku Midoriya standing in the doorway.
"You…" Iida said, recognizing him immediately.
Midoriya scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Uh… good morning."
"I'm Midoriya. Nice to meet you, Iida."
"Iida," he corrected automatically.
Then Iida suddenly straightened again.
"Midoriya… you must have discovered the scoring system of the practical exam beforehand."
He sighed.
"I failed to notice it. I underestimated you."
Midoriya blinked.
"What?"
"Even though I dislike admitting it," Iida continued, extending his hand slightly, "your judgment was superior."
Midoriya looked embarrassed.
He clearly had no idea what Iida was talking about.
From the back of the classroom, Akio Tatsuma watched the scene with amusement.
His classmates were surprisingly entertaining.
Soon Ochaco Uraraka arrived as well, greeting Midoriya happily.
Meanwhile, Bakugo rested one leg on his desk, staring at Midoriya.
He remembered something.
Their former teacher's words echoed in his mind.
"Our school produced two students accepted by U.A. this year. Especially Midoriya… that's practically a miracle."
Bakugo's expression darkened.
"A miracle?"
His grip tightened.
"What trick did you use to pass the entrance exam?" Bakugo suddenly grabbed Midoriya by the collar.
"You ruined my perfect record the moment you showed up!"
"Go somewhere else!"
Midoriya grabbed Bakugo's wrist instinctively.
"I'm not leaving!"
Someone's words echoed in his mind.
You can become a hero.
You earned this yourself.
"I'm going to U.A.," Midoriya said firmly.
Bakugo stared at him suspiciously.
"There's definitely something going on…"
But he eventually released him and leaned back again.
"If you want to play hero with your friends, do it somewhere else."
Just as Midoriya and Uraraka began talking again, a quiet voice drifted in from the hallway.
"If you're here to socialize, find another place."
Everyone turned.
Lying in the doorway was a man wrapped inside a yellow sleeping bag, with only his head visible.
His hair was messy.
Dark circles surrounded his tired eyes.
He looked half-asleep.
"This is the Hero Course."
The man unzipped the sleeping bag slightly and took a sip from a drink pouch.
The students stared.
"Is that…?"
"Is he a teacher?"
"I've never seen a hero look that exhausted."
Akio recognized him instantly.
Shota Aizawa.
Despite his lazy appearance, he was one of the most capable heroes in the profession.
Aizawa slowly stood up.
"I'm your homeroom teacher," he said flatly.
"Shota Aizawa."
"Nice to meet you."
The entire class froze.
Homeroom teacher?
"Stop wasting time," Aizawa continued, tossing several athletic uniforms onto a desk.
"Change into these and meet me outside."
Akio thought to himself:
So it starts now.
A short time later, the class gathered at the training field.
"Wait," Uraraka said.
"What about the entrance ceremony? Or the school orientation?"
Aizawa answered without turning around.
"If you want to become heroes, you don't have time for those kinds of formalities."
"U.A. prides itself on freedom."
"That includes how teachers run their classes."
Akio glanced around the field.
His gaze briefly passed over Momo Yaoyorozu, who was listening seriously.
Even in a simple training uniform, her posture was elegant.
Akio quickly looked away.
Focus.
Many of these students were only fifteen or sixteen.
But Akio's mindset was far older.
Still, drawing attention to himself right away wouldn't be wise.
Aizawa continued speaking.
"Today you'll take a Quirk Apprehension Test."
The class immediately reacted.
"A test?"
"But we just passed the entrance exam!"
Aizawa scanned the group.
"Bakugo."
Bakugo raised his head.
"You placed first in the entrance exam."
"How far could you throw a softball in middle school?"
"Sixty-seven meters."
"Good."
Aizawa tossed him a ball.
"Now throw it again."
"Use your Quirk."
Bakugo stepped into the circle.
Aizawa added calmly,
"As long as you stay inside the boundary, you can do whatever you want."
Bakugo grinned.
"Alright."
He swung his arm.
"Then let's add some propulsion!"
"DIE!"
BOOM!
An explosion erupted from his palm.
The ball shot into the sky like a missile.
Moments later, the measurement device displayed the result.
705.2 meters
The class erupted.
"Seven hundred meters?!"
"Are you serious?"
"So we can use our Quirks for everything?"
"That's amazing!"
Akio rubbed his forehead.
These students were already celebrating.
They hadn't realized the real point of the test.
Aizawa looked at them quietly.
"Seems like you're all having fun."
The tone of his voice suddenly changed.
"Do you think this is a game?"
Silence fell instantly.
"You have three years here to become heroes."
"If this is your attitude…"
He glanced across the field.
"…then maybe I should eliminate the student who ranks last in these eight tests."
The class froze.
"E-eliminate?!"
"That means expulsion!"
"Are you serious?!"
Panic spread through the group.
All their efforts to enter U.A. could disappear instantly.
At that moment, Akio spoke calmly.
"Relax."
Everyone turned toward him.
"If you give it your best, you won't be expelled."
The students stared at him in confusion.
Akio scratched his head awkwardly.
"…Why are you all looking at me?"
For a moment, Aizawa studied him carefully.
Then he looked away.
A faint smile appeared on his tired face.
"Well," Aizawa said,
"I suppose teachers are free to scare students however they like."
He raised his hand slightly.
"Welcome."
"This is the Hero Course at U.A. High School."
🤗If you enjoyed this chapter, please add it to your collection and
keep supporting the story 💖✨