Midoriya Izuku had a rather eventful morning that day.
On his way to school, he first ran into a Villain causing trouble in a public area. Soon after, several Pro Heroes arrived on the scene—Death Red Fist, Fire Buster, and Kamui Woods. The Villain couldn't even last a few exchanges before being completely subdued.
Just as Kamui Woods was about to finish things, however, Mt. Lady suddenly burst onto the scene, landing a dramatic kick that knocked the Villain unconscious—instantly stealing the spotlight and a wave of public attention.
"Ah… today's the day that decides everything," Midoriya Izuku muttered to himself.
He carefully recorded the quirks of the Heroes he had seen into his notebook, then let out a long sigh.
Today was the day to declare their future paths—their graduation aspirations.
He wanted to apply to U.A. High School.
But… was that really possible?
Could someone without a quirk truly attend U.A.?
"I'm still hesitating… but I have to go to U.A. Even if it's just the general course!"
Clenching his fists, Midoriya Izuku stepped into the classroom.
As soon as he entered, his eyes instinctively drifted toward Shina Etsuha's seat.
Empty.
Just as expected.
"As always… Shina Etsuha didn't come to school. Even on a day like this… I'm kind of jealous…"
It made sense, though.
After all, Shina Etsuha had already secured a recommendation for admission to U.A. High School. At this point, he could even begin previewing advanced coursework early. There was no real need for him to attend middle school classes anymore.
While Midoriya Izuku was lost in thought, the teacher had already entered the room.
"You're all in your third year now," the teacher said seriously. "It's time to start thinking about your futures. Today, we'll be announcing everyone's graduation aspirations…"
He held a stack of forms in his hand.
Then suddenly, his expression softened into a smile.
"But honestly, I think most of you are aiming to become Heroes, right? After all, you all have pretty solid quirks."
"YEAH!!"
The classroom erupted into cheers.
Students began showing off their quirks—flames, stretching limbs, strange transformations. One student even pulled out his eyeballs just to show off.
"Hey, don't lump me in with all these extras!" a voice suddenly cut through the noise.
Bakugo Katsuki stood up, his tone sharp and arrogant.
"I'm not holding hands with a bunch of weak quirks just to end up at the bottom."
"Watch your mouth, Bakugo!"
"You think you can say whatever you want just because your quirk is strong?!"
Several classmates bristled, ready to argue.
"Ah… if I remember correctly," the teacher said, glancing at the forms, "Bakugo's application is for U.A. High School."
The room fell silent.
Then whispers of awe spread.
"He's going to U.A…"
"Same as Shina Etsuha…"
"What did you just say?!" Bakugo Katsuki snapped instantly. "Don't compare me to that guy, idiots!"
"Speaking of which," the teacher added, "Midoriya's application is also for U.A. High School, right?"
Click.
Bakugo Katsuki froze for a moment.
Then slowly turned his head toward Midoriya Izuku, his expression darkening.
"You? Compete with me? Without a quirk?" he sneered. "What makes you think you can even stand on the same stage?"
"I—I didn't say I could…" Midoriya Izuku stammered, waving his hands nervously.
"Then what do you have, huh?!" Bakugo Katsuki's palms ignited with small explosions.
"Boss, calm down," Yamada quickly stepped in. "No need to get worked up over him. There's no way he'll pass anyway."
"…We'll settle this after school," Bakugo Katsuki said coldly, throwing Midoriya Izuku one last glare before sitting back down.
Elsewhere in the city…
A swirling portal opened beside a sewer entrance.
From it, a mass of liquid flowed out and slipped silently into the darkness below.
"All Might is still searching for you," a voice echoed from the portal. "Be careful not to run into him."
"Focus on your task today. You're lucky—if you capture that boy, you might be rewarded with a second quirk."
"Got it…" a drawn-out voice responded from within the sewer.
"Hmph. Lucky bastard," Kurogiri muttered under his breath.
Who would've thought?
Out of all the experimental subjects, this one had not only survived—but retained his consciousness.
That alone made him fundamentally different from the mindless Nomu.
What exactly had the master seen in him?
The flowing mass of liquid—once known as Mud—had changed.
If one looked closely, faint vein-like structures pulsed within the sludge, like living muscle beneath the surface.
"Ah… so this is power," Mud's voice echoed through the darkness, tinged with excitement.
"Shina Etsuha… I wonder if you can still defeat me now."
Within the shifting sludge, several eyes formed—each one bloodshot, glowing faintly in the shadows.