Chapter 13: Seems Pretty Strong
Midoriya was extremely nervous.
He still hadn't mastered One For All at all. In truth, he didn't even understand how to control it. If he used it recklessly, he would probably destroy his arm again.
Akio Tatsuma had said that no one would actually be expelled, but Midoriya couldn't fully trust that. Akio wasn't the teacher.
And Aizawa didn't seem like the kind of person who joked about things like that.
If he were expelled on the very first day… everything would be over.
Midoriya wasn't the only one feeling anxious. The rest of the class felt the same. Everyone had worked desperately to enter U.A. High School. Being sent home immediately would be humiliating.
Akio, on the other hand, remained calm.
He had good control over his lightning Quirk. Every bit of his power was something he could regulate precisely.
The only thing he wasn't completely sure about was the softball throw distance. He had never measured how far his full strength could send the ball.
Still, that wasn't a real concern.
The students quickly regained their determination. No one believed they were inferior to anyone else in the class. Even if Quirks differed in strength, that alone didn't determine everything.
Even Uraraka tried arguing with Aizawa.
"It's only our first day! Expelling the last-place student is too extreme!"
Aizawa responded calmly.
"Natural disasters. Large-scale accidents. Rampaging villains."
"These things can happen anytime."
"This country is filled with unreasonable dangers."
"And the ones who must overcome them… are heroes."
He paused, then added,
"If you're planning to chat and relax at a fast-food restaurant after school, then I'm sorry."
"For the next three years, U.A. will push you to your limits."
"To go even further."
"Plus Ultra."
He raised a finger toward them.
"Do your best."
Iida adjusted his glasses with determination.
"Those words are harsh… but if this is the summit we must climb, then I will climb it."
Bakugo cracked his knuckles.
"Good."
"Bring it on."
The atmosphere changed immediately. If they wanted to become true heroes, they had to face any challenge.
Aizawa nodded slightly.
"Enough talking."
"Let's begin the test."
First Event: 50-Meter Sprint
Group One:Tenya Iida – 3.04 secondsTsuyu Asui – 5.58 seconds
Group Two:Ochaco Uraraka – 7.15 secondsMashirao Ojiro – 5.49 seconds
Group Three:Yuga Aoyama – 5.51 secondsMina Ashido – 5.00 seconds
Group Four:Izuku Midoriya – 7.02 secondsKatsuki Bakugo – 4.13 seconds
…
Soon it was Akio Tatsuma's turn.
The moment he stepped onto the track, many students started watching carefully.
This was the so-called dark horse mentioned during the entrance exam.
Bakugo narrowed his eyes. He wanted to see how strong this guy really was.
Akio took a slow breath.
He planned to channel lightning through his legs to increase acceleration.
"Begin!"
Blue sparks burst from beneath his feet.
In the next instant, Akio shot forward like a streak of electricity.
His Quirk boosted his speed, and his physical conditioning only amplified it further. Covering fifty meters felt effortless.
The result appeared quickly.
3.09 seconds.
Only a fraction slower than Iida.
Bakugo clicked his tongue.
"Damn it… that guy's fast."
Iida, meanwhile, observed carefully.
From that brief burst of movement, he concluded something important.
"Lightning…"
"So his Quirk must be related to electricity or lightning."
Lightning meant speed and explosive power. Compared to that, even his Engine Quirk might not match the raw acceleration.
Akio hadn't used his full speed.
If he had pushed harder, he could have shaved at least another second off the time. But that would attract unnecessary attention.
He could already feel Bakugo staring at him with hostility.
Midoriya watched with admiration.
Before, the person he respected most had been Bakugo.
But now…
Akio Tatsuma seemed even more impressive.
Bakugo noticed Midoriya's gaze instantly.
"What are you staring at?"
Midoriya waved his hands nervously.
"N-nothing!"
Tsuyu approached Akio with a smile.
"Akio, that was really impressive."
"You're strong too," Akio replied with a relaxed grin.
At that moment, Momo Yaoyorozu walked over.
She looked at him thoughtfully for several seconds.
Akio started feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Finally she asked,
"What exactly is your Quirk?"
"Lightning," Akio answered calmly.
"A lightning-type Quirk."
Momo nodded.
"I see."
"In that case… it does seem quite powerful."
In her view, Quirks like Bakugo's explosions or Todoroki's dual-element ability were already extremely strong.
But lightning combined speed and destructive force. It was clearly dangerous.
Akio scratched the back of his head modestly.
Then Tsuyu suddenly spoke.
"Yaoyorozu… you should be careful."
"With your chest."
Akio: "…?"
Momo: "…?"
Both of them froze.
Akio panicked internally.
Did she just expose me?!
But Momo only looked slightly confused. She didn't seem to fully understand what Tsuyu meant.
After all, the earlier incident in the crowded hallway had happened too quickly for her to notice clearly.
Soon the rest of the tests continued.
Akio consistently maintained solid results—never first place, but always near the top.
Finally they reached the softball throw.
When Uraraka used her Quirk, the ball floated endlessly upward.
The measurement screen displayed:
∞
The class exploded with shock.
Meanwhile, Midoriya stared down at the ball in his hand.
Everyone else had a clear strength.
Everyone else had scored well.
But his results were average across the board.
If this continued… he would definitely rank last.
The softball throw was his last chance.
But he still couldn't control One For All.
Akio crossed his arms, watching him.
Midoriya suddenly looked at him.
Akio almost signaled with his finger—reminding him to focus the power in one point.
But he stopped himself.
Interfering now wouldn't be appropriate.
Iida spoke worriedly.
"At this rate, Midoriya will be in serious trouble."
Bakugo laughed loudly.
"Isn't that obvious?"
"He's a useless guy without a Quirk."
"Without a Quirk?" Iida looked shocked.
"You didn't hear about what he did during the entrance exam?" someone nearby asked.
At that moment—
Midoriya raised the softball.
He was about to throw.
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