"Etsuha!" Midoriya Izuku rushed over in a panic. "Why are you just standing there? The robots are all going to get taken!"
"The robot points have nothing to do with me. Just go in and fight," Etsuha replied casually.
In truth, there was no need for further explanation. The moment Midoriya Izuku finished asking, he dashed straight into the exam zone. The test had a strict time limit—after ten minutes, the first round would end regardless of score, followed immediately by the boss battle. No one wanted to waste even a second.
Boom! Boom!
Explosions echoed through the streets as candidates destroyed one robot after another. Etsuha strolled forward at an unhurried pace, watching as students scrambled desperately for points. In mere moments, a large number of robots were reduced to scrap, smoke billowing into the air.
"The combat ability of these robots is about on par with an average person," Etsuha muttered as he approached a one-point robot. He casually touched its metal shell and found it surprisingly fragile—he could pierce it with minimal effort.
"Target detected!"
The robot's sensors locked onto him, its eyes flashing red as it charged forward to attack.
"As the final boss, I'm getting attacked by my own minions? What kind of programming is this?" Etsuha murmured.
Since he wasn't allowed to attack, he simply sidestepped effortlessly.
Whoosh—!
A sharp gust of wind cut through the air.
Etsuha's eyes flickered into a three-tomoe Sharingan state. With a slight shift of his gaze, he saw a figure rocketing forward at incredible speed. In his vision, however, every movement was crystal clear—almost slow motion.
Boom!
The newcomer smashed the robot with a powerful kick and landed smoothly.
It was Tenya Iida.
"45 points," Iida said to himself. Less than three minutes had passed since the start of the exam, yet he had already achieved such a score—proof of his impressive strength.
"Looks like you're in trouble. Thanks for the free points," Iida added with a faint smile toward Etsuha.
"Mm. You're welcome," Etsuha replied indifferently, nodding before turning away to observe others.
"…This guy…" Iida clenched his fist and moved on.
As time passed, Iida noticed something strange—every time he saw Etsuha, the latter had not defeated a single robot.
"Could it be… he can't even beat them?" Iida wondered.
At that moment, most of the first round had already elapsed.
"It's about to appear," Etsuha said, glancing toward a tall building.
Suddenly—
BOOM!!
A massive figure burst through the structure, towering over the battlefield at nearly sixty meters tall.
The ground trembled violently.
The most dangerous enemy—the Zero-Point Robot—had arrived.
Panic spread instantly.
"What the hell is that?! That's cheating!"
"Run! Get out of the way!"
"There's no way this is part of the exam!"
Candidates fled in every direction, abandoning the area in chaos. Meanwhile, Etsuha simply leaned against a wall, watching calmly.
As Iida sprinted past, he cast a puzzled glance at Etsuha.
Why isn't he running?
The thought lingered—but there was no time to dwell on it.
Nearby, Midoriya Izuku suddenly spotted a girl pinned beneath rubble. His body trembled—but then, something snapped into place.
He leapt.
With the activation of his Quirk, his body soared over sixty meters into the air. Facing the colossal robot, he threw everything into a single punch.
"SMASH!!"
BOOOOOOM—!!
The robot's head shattered instantly under the overwhelming force. The seemingly invincible giant collapsed in a single blow.
At the same time, Midoriya Izuku's body suffered catastrophic damage—his limbs fractured as he fell from the sky. Fortunately, the girl he saved caught him before he hit the ground, preventing further injury.
Silence fell.
Everyone stared in shock.
"One punch…?"
"What kind of Quirk is that?! His arm turned purple…"
"That power… he must be someone incredible!"
Iida watched, stunned—and ashamed.
If not for the exam, he would have saved her. He would have.
"Wait…" realization dawned on him. "Defeating enemies isn't everything. A true hero saves people… So that's what it means…"
Then his thoughts shifted.
"But Shina Etsuha… what is he even doing here? Will he act at the last moment?"
At that instant—
"The remaining time: 30 seconds!" Present Mic's voice rang out.
Etsuha still hadn't moved.
"I overestimated him…" Iida thought, disappointment creeping in.
"The first round is over!" Present Mic roared. "Now, we begin the second phase—the Boss Battle!"
Excitement surged through the crowd.
"Here it comes!"
"Everyone, get ready!"
Then—
"Please welcome the final boss—Shina Etsuha!!"