UA Faculty Observation Room
"Interesting batch this year."
Principal Nezu's calm voice cut through the chatter of the gathered UA faculty. The small, intelligent creature sat at the head of the conference table, multiple monitors displaying various angles of the practical exam battle centers.
"Always are," grunted Snipe, adjusting his cowboy hat as he studied the footage. "Though I'll admit, a few stand out more than usual."
"Agreed," said Ectoplasm, his masked face revealing nothing as he reviewed performance metrics on his tablet. "The physical scores are remarkably high across all battle centers."
Principal Nezu nodded, his intelligent eyes fixed on one particular screen. "Present Mic, your thoughts on Battle Center C?"
The loud-voiced hero spun his chair around dramatically. "ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR! We've got some AMAZING TALENT there! Did you see that wave quirk girl? She's TEARING through robots like they're made of PAPER!"
"Nejire Hado," Midnight supplied, pulling up the candidate's profile. "Her quirk allows her to convert her vitality into energy waves. Impressive control for her age."
"And quite versatile," added Cementoss, the blocky hero stroking his square chin. "Offensive capabilities, mobility, crowd control, she demonstrates a solid grasp of her quirk's applications."
Vlad King crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Forty-seven villain points at last count. And several instances of assisting other examinees. Her rescue point tally is substantial as well."
"A well-rounded candidate," Nezu agreed. "But I'm particularly interested in—"
"The lightning boy," Aizawa finished, speaking for the first time since the practical exam began. The underground hero's bloodshot eyes were fixed on a different monitor.
On the screen, Shinra moved with lightning speed (pun totally intended), electricity crackling around him as he systematically took down robot after robot. His movements were precise, economical, with minimal wasted energy.
"Shinra Torino," Midnight read from her tablet. "Related to the retired pro hero Gran Torino. Interesting... according to his records, he was documented as quirkless until approximately three months ago."
This caught everyone's attention.
"A late manifestation?" Vlad King asked, eyebrows raised. "That's extremely rare."
"Especially for such a powerful quirk," Ectoplasm noted. "The boy must have incredible natural talent to adapt so quickly."
Aizawa studied the footage. "His power output, speed, and precision are excellent. Most students take years to develop that level of control."
"Well, he's been training with Gran Torino," Thirteen pointed out, their voice echoing slightly through their suit. "Having a pro hero as a grandfather would certainly help accelerate his development."
"Speaking of impressive performances," Present Mic interjected, pointing dramatically at one of the screens, "LOOK AT THAT!"
All eyes turned to see Shinra racing toward the zero-pointer, which was about to crush another examinee trapped under debris.
"Is he... actually engaging the zero-pointer?" Cementoss asked, leaning forward in surprise.
"Most candidates avoid it entirely," Midnight noted, her eyes widening as she watched.
The room fell silent as they observed Shinra attempting to free the trapped student, then unleashing a massive bolt of lightning at the zero-pointer's ankle joint when it became clear they couldn't escape in time. The robot toppled spectacularly, crashing into an empty building.
"Holy... did he just take down the zero-pointer?" Vlad King's surprise was evident.
"With a single attack, no less," Ectoplasm added, sounding impressed.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Present Mic shouted, jumping from his seat.
Aizawa's expression softened slightly. "He targeted the joint specifically—not a random attack, but a calculated strike at a structural weakness. That shows impressive tactical thinking."
"The written exam results are equally noteworthy," Midnight added, scrolling through her tablet. "Near perfect score. His answers on the ethics portion were particularly nuanced."
"His practical scores?" Nezu inquired.
Ectoplasm consulted his tablet. "Forty-three villain points. And... seventy rescue points. That gives him a total of one hundred and thirteen points overall."
Whistles and murmurs spread through the room.
"One hundred and thirteen?" Midnight repeated, clearly impressed. "That puts him at the top of this year's rankings."
"Even ahead of the recommended students by our scoring metrics," added Cementoss.
"Seventy rescue points is among the highest rescue tallies we've ever recorded," Ectoplasm noted. "The previous record was sixty-five, I believe."
"Most from that final confrontation with the zero-pointer," Ectoplasm confirmed. "The risk factor was extreme, and the judges were unanimous in their assessment of his heroic intentions."
"This is exactly the kind of potential we're looking for," Nezu said approvingly. "Power applied with judgment and compassion. He chose to save a fellow examinee at significant personal risk, even knowing it might cost him villain points."
The screens changed to show Nejire's final moments in the exam, as she used her quirk to create a protective spiral around a group of examinees when the zero-pointer's collapse sent debris flying in their direction.
"Another impressive rescue," Thirteen observed. "These two seem to share a heroic instinct."
"They arrived together," Midnight noted. "Perhaps they know each other?"
"They've been training together," Aizawa confirmed, scrolling through his notes. "According to preliminary background checks, Hado and Torino attend the same middle school and have been practicing with Gran Torino for several months."
"Well, it shows," Present Mic declared. "They're both TOTALLY AMAZING!"
"There are other noteworthy candidates as well," Cementoss reminded them, switching the main screen to different battle centers. "In Center B, we have Mirio Togata and Tamaki Amajiki."
"Interesting pair," Vlad King observed, watching footage of Tamaki using his Manifest quirk to sprout tentacles from his fingers. "Amajiki's quirk is versatile, if he can overcome his apparent confidence issues."
"And Togata..." Midnight trailed off, watching as Mirio accidentally phased through the floor and his own clothes, appearing naked and disoriented on the other side of a robot.
"His control needs work," Aizawa noted, "but he keeps getting back up after each failure. That persistence is valuable."
"Seven failed attempts, but he adapted his approach each time," Nezu pointed out. "By the end, he managed two successful strikes."
"His quirk is exceptionally difficult to master," Thirteen added. "The potential is there, even if the execution is lacking."
"Sometimes the most challenging quirks yield the greatest heroes," Nezu mused. "With proper training, young Togata could become quite remarkable."
The discussion continued, with the faculty methodically reviewing standout performances across all battle centers. Scores were tallied, rescue points assigned, and preliminary class placements debated.
—
Two Hours Later
"That concludes our initial assessment," Principal Nezu announced, closing the digital file on his tablet. "The acceptance notifications will go out next week as scheduled. Any final comments?"
"I'd like to request Torino, Hado, and Amajiki for my class," Aizawa said, drawing surprised looks from several of the other teachers.
Midnight raised an eyebrow. "You, Aizawa? Specifically requesting students? That's unusual."
"Torino has remarkable potential," he explained. "I'd like to personally oversee his development."
"And the others?" Nezu inquired.
"Hado works well with Torino. Their quirks are complementary," Aizawa replied. "As for Amajiki, his quirk has significant potential, but his temperament concerns me. He needs an environment that will challenge his social anxiety without breaking him."
"An interesting selection," Nezu noted. "And what of young Togata?"
Vlad King spoke up. "I'll take him for 1-B. His control is poor, but his determination is impressive. With focused training on his quirk's mechanics, he could become exceptional."
"You're not concerned about the technical challenges?" Aizawa asked.
"Sometimes a student needs someone who believes in their potential," Vlad replied. "Togata's quirk isn't flashy or immediately impressive like some we've seen today, but I see something in him worth developing."
Nezu nodded, seemingly pleased with this exchange. "So it's decided. Shinra Torino, Nejire Hado, and Tamaki Amajiki will be assigned to Class 1-A under Aizawa's supervision. Mirio Togata will join Class 1-B under Vlad King."
As the meeting dispersed, Aizawa lingered, rewatching the footage of my lightning strike once more.
"Something on your mind?" Nezu asked, appearing beside him.
"That quirk," Aizawa said quietly. "It's impressive. The way he partially transforms his arm when redirecting that two-pointer, and how he seemed to sense that three-pointer approaching from behind without looking."
"A versatile ability," Nezu agreed. "A perfect example of how quirks can manifest with multiple facets."
"I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops," Aizawa admitted.
"As am I," Nezu replied with his enigmatic smile. "I find students with such potential fascinating."
He gestured to the frozen image on screen: me shielding the injured student from falling debris, electricity crackling protectively around us both.
"That moment was genuine heroism," the principal continued. "The instinct to protect others, even at personal risk."
Aizawa made a noncommittal sound, but there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Besides," Nezu added, his tone lighter, "aren't you the least bit curious to see what he's truly capable of?"
"I suppose we'll find out soon enough," Aizawa replied.
"Indeed we will," Nezu agreed, whiskers twitching with anticipation. "Class 1-A is shaping up to be quite remarkable this year."
As they left the observation room, the monitor continued to display the frozen image of Shinra's lightning illuminating the battlefield, bright, powerful, and full of promise.