"By the way—about the final boss," Present Mic continued, his voice brimming with theatrical flair. "You haven't been told his age or strength. And let me make this clear—if you don't cooperate as a team, your chances of defeating him are zero!"
He grinned, letting the tension build.
"But! If you do defeat the boss… you'll be promoted to first place unconditionally!"
"I have a question!"
The glasses-wearing student beside Shina Etsuha abruptly stood up, pointing toward the stage.
"If, as you said, we must rely on teamwork to defeat the final boss—then how is first place decided? Do we all get promoted together?"
Present Mic wagged a finger.
"Of course not! Only one person can take first place!"
"Then doesn't that directly contradict the idea of cooperation?" the glasses student pressed.
"Exactly—it does," Present Mic replied with a sly smile. "Because defeating the boss isn't mandatory. You all have the freedom to choose."
His expression turned sharp.
"And even if you choose not to challenge the final boss… he'll still appear at the end and start destroying everything. After all, that's part of the exam too."
U.A.'s test was never about rigid scoring.
A boss that required teamwork to defeat, yet only rewarded one person—this contradiction was intentional.
If someone faced a villain and prioritized personal gain over action… they weren't fit to be a hero in the first place.
This was one of U.A.'s core evaluations.
Even if defeating the boss cost everything—and brought no personal benefit—those who still stepped forward were the ones who truly embodied heroism.
The same logic applied to the massive fourth-type villain mentioned earlier. The glasses student's question had touched on that as well, and Present Mic's explanation made it clear: that "villain" existed more as an obstacle to avoid than something to defeat.
"…A contradiction…"
The glasses student muttered, deep in thought.
Then his gaze shifted—to Etsuha, who was still half-asleep beside him.
Something in his expression snapped.
"And you—the student sleeping next to me!"
He'd found Etsuha irritating from the start. In such an important setting, someone acting so casually felt like an insult.
"…Me?"
Etsuha pulled out one earplug and looked at him, slightly confused.
Had he offended this guy somehow?
"Yes, you!" the glasses student said coldly. "You've been sleeping this entire time. This is the U.A. entrance exam—not a sightseeing trip. If you're going to maintain such a sloppy attitude, I suggest you leave."
Ah. That was the issue.
Etsuha's gaze cooled instantly.
He glanced at him and replied flatly:
"And what does that have to do with you? Are you that bored?"
He wasn't Midoriya Izuku. He had no reason to hold back.
"I—"
The glasses student froze, completely thrown off by the blunt response.
"I mean, judging by your strength, you're pretty average," Etsuha continued lazily. "Should I suggest you leave instead? My dear four-eyes?"
That last phrase hit like a direct strike.
The glasses student's face flushed red.
"In that case, we'll settle this in the exam! I'll crush you with my score!"
"Boring," Etsuha replied without even looking at him. "What are you, a child? If you want to play games, go home. This is U.A."
"You—!"
The glasses student was on the verge of exploding.
Around them, several students were struggling to hold back laughter, their expressions caught between amusement and fear.
The humiliation only made things worse.
For a moment, it looked like he might actually try to fight Etsuha on the spot.
Present Mic's eyelids twitched.
Out of everyone… he had to pick a fight with Etsuha?
That wasn't courage—that was suicide.
"Alright, alright!" Present Mic quickly stepped in. "Examinee number 7111, your question was excellent—but provoking your classmates is not acceptable. Please sit down."
The glasses student sat down stiffly, clearly unwilling.
"Wow… as expected of Etsuha," Midoriya Izuku whispered in awe. "He can say things like that so confidently…"
If it had been him, he would've just apologized nervously and become the laughingstock.
"Feh. What a boring guy," Bakugo Katsuki muttered, unimpressed with the glasses student—but his focus quickly shifted.
"Shina should already be a recommended student. Why the hell is he here?"
Unlike his temper suggested, Bakugo was sharp.
Something about Etsuha's presence didn't add up.
A nearby examinee overheard and scoffed.
"He probably failed the recommendation. Otherwise, why would he be here?"
"…Hah?"
Bakugo's expression darkened instantly.
"What did you just say, idiot? You think he's on your level? Want me to beat you right now?"
"S-Sorry!"
The student panicked and apologized immediately.
"Damn right."
Seeing this, the surrounding students broke into cold sweats. Any thoughts of mocking Etsuha vanished on the spot.
Once things settled, Present Mic clapped his hands.
"That wraps up the explanation! Now, let me leave you with our school motto!"
He raised a fist dramatically.
"The great hero Napoleon once said: 'A true hero is someone who overcomes the hardships of life and pushes beyond—PLUS ULTRA!'"
The doors behind him opened.
"Now go! Enjoy your trial!"
The exam had officially begun.