—Locker Room, U.A. High School—
"Woah, you're hella ripped!" Kirishima voiced his thoughts as he looked over to Renji.
Renji pulled his gym shirt over his head with an almost lazy motion, shrugging. "Occupational hazard. Gotta make sure I don't snap my own bones testing my toys."
Kaminari leaned over from the next bench, eyes wide. "Dude, what kind of toys are you testing that give you abs like that?"
Renji kept his face blank, tossing his uniform jacket into the locker. "The kind that blow holes through concrete. Wanna volunteer as a crash dummy?"
"Hard pass!" Kaminari yelped, slipping into his tracksuit.
Kirishima just laughed, pumping his fist. "Man, that's manly! We gotta train together sometime."
Before Renji could reply, a sharp scoff cut through the chatter.
"Tch. Figures the nerd's got muscles to match his big mouth."
Bakugo slammed his locker shut hard enough to rattle the row. His red eyes narrowed at Renji like it was a personal insult.
Choosing not to say anything Renji just shrugged it off, left the locker room, and headed to the field outside, the others following close behind.
—Field, U.A. High School—
Once everyone was outside, Aizawa began to explain what they were doing there. "We're going to conduct a Quirk Assessment Test."
Everyone shouted out in surprise. "A Quirk assessment?!"
"What about the entrance ceremony?" Uraraka exclaimed in a confused tone. "What about the orientation?"
"If you're going to be a hero, you don't have time for those kinds of events." Aizawa said in a gruff tone.
"I have a lot of freedom in how I run my class." He continued, his eyes still a tired mess. "You've done these things before, haven't you?"
"Physical tests where you weren't allowed to use your quirks."
He dug around in his capture scarf and pulled out a softball, tossing it casually in one hand. "This time, though, you are allowed to use your quirks."
Gasps rippled through the group, followed quickly by excited chatter.
However, Renji couldn't help but frown at Aizawa's words. His quirk wouldn't be of much help. The only thing he had going for him was that he had been training his body for years, ultimately reaching the peak of human capability. At least, for his age that is.
Before he could sink too deep into his thoughts, Aizawa's flat voice cut through the noise.
"Don't get the wrong idea. This isn't just for fun."
The chatter died instantly.
"The student who comes in last place in total points…" Aizawa's tired eyes swept across them, sharp despite the bags underneath. "…will be expelled."
The words hit the class like a thunderclap.
"E-Expelled?!" Aoyama shrieked, nearly falling over.
"On the first day? That's insane!" Sero added.
Uraraka's jaw dropped. "Wait, that's way too harsh!"
Meanwhile, Renji tilted his head in contemplation. There's no way he has the jurisdiction for that. Not over some surprise test on the first day. At the very least, I won't get expelled, Nezu would cover for me.
The rest of the class didn't seem to share his skepticism. Panic rippled through the students like wildfire.
Some whispered frantically, others outright protested, but no one dared step forward.
Except Bakugo.
"Good. Less dead weight to slow me down." He smirked, cracking his knuckles as sparks snapped at his palms.
Aizawa ignored the reactions completely. "Bakugo, you scored highly on the entrance exam. How far could you throw in junior high?"
"67 meters." He replied while stomping forward, snatching the softball from Aizawa's hand like he was stealing it. He rolled his shoulders and turned to the rest of the class with a feral grin.
"Alright then," Aizawa muttered. "Do it with your quirk now."
Bakugo wound back, palm sparking violently. And as his arm snapped forward, he bellowed with every ounce of lung power he had. "DIIIIIIE!"
The explosion ripped the air apart, a deafening blast that echoed across the training field.
The ground quaked faintly under the recoil with dust swirling in Bakugo's wake. He lowered his arm with a savage grin, chest heaving with adrenaline.
The class collectively gasped.
"Seven… hundred and five meters," Aizawa's device beeped as he read the measurement without a hint of enthusiasm.
"Geez, Seven hundred and five meters?" Kaminari's jaw dropped
Bakugo smirked, arms spread wide in triumph. "Hah! Try beating that, losers!"
His glare immediately slid toward Renji, like the whole throw had been for his sake.
The applause and cheers still lingered from Bakugo's insane throw when Aizawa's tired voice cut through. "Kanzaki. You're next."
Renji sighed, stepping forward without hurry. He caught the ball one-handed, rolling it lazily in his palm like it weighed nothing.
"Don't bother," Bakugo sneered, sparks dancing at his fingertips. "No way in hell you're topping me."
Renji just smirked. "We'll see."
He stepped into the circle, muscles tightening as he wound up. For a moment, there was no explosion, just raw strength as his arm whipped forward.
The softball rocketed into the sky, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle. The entire class craned their necks, following the blur until it was a speck against the blue.
Aizawa's device beeped again. "…Ninety-four meters."
"Dude, that's crazy manly!" Kirishima's grin nearly split his face.
"Did he even use his quirk?" Midoriya muttered, watching the face off between Renji and his childhood friend.
Bakugo's scowl darkened instantly. "Tch. So what? You're still nowhere near my score, dumbass."
Renji turned back, brushing the dust off his hand. "Funny thing about that, Bakugo." His eyes glinted as he tilted his head. "My Quirk doesn't even affect the material world. And I still beat your junior high record."
The words hit like a gut punch.
Bakugo's eyes widened a fraction before narrowing into white-hot rage. Sparks snapped furiously in his palms as he stomped forward. "You—!"
But before he could take another step, Aizawa's scarf snapped to life, coiling threateningly in front of him.
"Enough. Save the pissing contest for later," Aizawa deadpanned.
—
The test continued on, moving from activity to activity.
During the 50-Meter dash, Iida blitzed past the sensors with engine roaring. Meanwhile, Bakugo blasted forward with a set of explosions, a snarl on his face the whole way.
But Renji? He just sprinted, clocking a time that edged him above most of the class.
Bakugo clicked his tongue, visibly annoyed that he couldn't widen the gap as far as he wanted to.
Then, during the grip strength test, Shoji, the boy with multiple arms, achieved a whopping score of 540kg. Far above any other participant.
Kirishima crushed the meter with a laugh and Bakugo detonated tiny bursts in his palm to push his score higher. Renji calmly gripped the device and squeezed until the casing groaned, reaching 102kg.
After partaking in multiple more tests such as distance running, repeated side steps, and standing long jump, the class was then moved back to the field for the ball throw test.
It was finally Midoriya's turn to throw and Renji watched intently, waiting to see how he would perform.
His quirk was strong, yes, but he couldn't afford to ruin his body every time that he used it.
"It doesn't look good for Midoriya if he continues like this." Iida noted, remembering how he poorly he did in the other exams.
"Huh? He's a Quirkless loser, you know." Bakugo retorted with a snarl.
"What?!" Iida exclaimed, "Do you not know what he did in the entrance exam?"
"It's about time." Renji muttered under his breath, analyzing Midoriya's gaze.
Hagakure looked up at Renji from his side, listening carefully. "What do you mean, Renji?"
He smirked in amusement. "Just wait and see."
Midoriya gripped the ball tightly as flashes of the past played in his mind. The efforts of All Might, his mom cheering him on, and how he was here to prove everyone who mocked him wrong.
I will become a hero! He thought to himself as he cocked his arm back. It glowed with brilliant lightning and he snapped the ball forward with all his might.
"This guy really is suicidal." Renji said, realizing that Midoriya was about to go full power on the ball.
But the projectile barely left his hand before it plummeted uselessly into the dirt, rolling only a few feet.
The class blinked in confusion.
"What… what the heck was that?" Mina tilted her head.
Midoriya's eyes went wide in shock, staring at his empty hand. He hadn't even realized what happened.
Aizawa's scarf recoiled back around his shoulders, his glowing eyes fixed on Midoriya like a predator. "I erased your Quirk. You were about to break yourself again, weren't you?"
"W-What?!" Midoriya stammered, realizing his power had been completely cut off.
Renji exhaled through his nose, arms crossed. "So that's what he was waiting for…"
Aizawa crouched slightly, his gaze sharp despite his tired voice. "You think you can become a hero if every time you use your Quirk, you wreck your own body? You'd be dead before you ever save anyone."
Midoriya's shoulders trembled. The weight of the words crushed down harder than the pain from his quirk ever could.
For a moment, the field was dead silent, every student processing just how dangerous and merciless their teacher could be.
However, Renji was off doing something else.
Renji's eyes narrowed as he noticed a figure half-hidden near the edge of the field. The world around him was eerily still, Midoriya frozen mid-motion, classmates suspended like statues, and Aizawa's scarf hanging motionless in the air.
"Just what are you doing here, All Might?" Renji asked to no one in particular.
All Might's massive form was crouched behind a corner, gaze fixed intently on Midoriya. The Number One Hero's expression was unreadable, but every detail of his focus was sharp and deliberate.
Midoriya?
Renji tilted his head, studying the scene. So that's why he's here… watching him
He crossed his arms in consideration. Trying to piece the puzzle together before a spark ignited in his mind.
"They're pretty similar." Renji noticed, "The level of power that Midoriya displays was awfully similar to All Might's ability to smash through literally everything."
It kind of made sense, in a way. If All Might had given his quirk to Midoriya, then it would explain why he had so much trouble controlling it.
Midoriya never had his whole life to figure out his quirk, no, it was like he never had it in the first place.
But that wouldn't explain how All Might could be out and about with a quirk saving citizens.
Maybe it didn't transfer fully? It could take some time to transfer over.
Either way, the quirk must be very special if it could be transferred from user to user.
There's still a lot that the world didn't know about quirks. Even though we've had them for so long.
Cancelling his quirk, Renji turned to watch Midoriya reattempt the throw. This time, Aizawa-sensei didn't erase his quirk, resulting in the ball flying through the air at breakneck speeds with shockwaves shaking the sky.
Midoriya turned to look at Aizawa, clutching his broken finger tight in a fist.
"I can still move." He said with a tight smile.
Aizawa's eyes widened in surprise, showing a strange look on his face. "This kid…"
From afar, All Might looked at his protégé with his signature hope inducing smile. By sending the power of One For All to just your fingertip, you were able to minimize the injury and maximize the power!
At the back of the crowd, Renji turned eerily to the side and stared intently at All Might.
Noticing that Renji had saw him, All Might's mouth gaped open in shock.
Giving All Might a little wave with a mischevious grin, Renji turned back to the rest of the group so no one would notice the Number #1 Hero.
"Seven hundred and five point three meters." Aizawa said, looking at his device.
Renji could hear the sound of gritted teeth as Bakugo suddenly rushed forward in a frenzy, arm stretched out to grab Midoriya.
Yet, before he could do anything, Aizawa's wraps unfolded once more and snapped into place around Bakugo's limbs and head.
"Stop messing around." He said, "Tch. Making me use my quirk twice already, this class is going to be the death of me."
Releasing Bakugo, Aizawa turned back to the rest of the class to show off their scores.
Quirk Assessment
1st: Momo Yaoyorozu
2nd: Shoto Todoroki
3rd: Katsuki Bakugo
4th: Tenya Iida
5th Fumikage Tokoyami
6th: Mezo Shoji
7th: Mashirao Ojiro
8th: Renji Kanzaki
9th: Ejiro Kirishima
10th: Mina Ashido
11th: Ochaco Uraraka
12th: Koji Koda
13th: Rikido Sato
14th: Tsuyu Asui
15th: Yuga Aoyama
16th: Hanta Sero
17th: Denki Kaminari
18th: Kyoka Jiro
19th: Toru Hagakure
20th: Izuku Midoriya
Midoriya looked at the scores in distraught, staring blankly at his name at the bottom of the leaderboard.
This was it, he was finished. Getting expelled on the first day of school? How would he even be able to face his mom?
"Oh by the way, I was lying about the expulsion." Aizawa spoke after turning off the hologram of the scores.
"Eh?!" Most of the class gasped in shock, whereas Yaoyorozu and Renji were simply nodding along, already having figured out their teacher's plot.
"It was just to provide some extra motivation." He said, moving to leave the field.
Renji shrugged it off when Hagakure asked him if he had known about it. "I wasn't really worried about it anyway."
With a smirk, he fell into a steady rhythm walking back to the locker rooms. "There's no way I would get expelled."
Hagakure laughed, just a step behind him. "Haha, guess nothing fazes you."