Chapter 11: The Day of the Exam
Third Person POV
A day after Aaron left for Japan.
"MOOOOOOM!" The scream of a young boy echoed through the house.
Startled, his mother bolted upstairs and threw open the door to her almost twelve-year-old son's room.
Her eyes widened. James and the furniture around him were floating in midair.
"MOM, I… I AWAKENED MY QUIRK, BUT I CAN'T CONTROL IT!" James shouted, panic etched all over his face.
Shaking herself from her shock, she immediately used her own quirk. Despite James's newfound power resisting her, she managed to put him to sleep. With his consciousness gone, his quirk lost control and everything — bed, desk, books — crashed to the floor. James too would have fallen, had his mother not caught him in her arms.
The room looked like an earthquake had struck, but she didn't care. She only gazed at her sleeping son with tears in her eyes and a trembling smile.
Life had never been kind to the quirkless. James had suffered for it. But now… now her boy wouldn't be outcast. He could live a normal life.
And his wasn't the only household celebrating that day.
Melissa Shield clung to her father, sobbing into his shoulder. The moment she felt her quirk awaken, she had run straight to David and broken down in joy.
.........….
Two years later
Aaron's POV
Dying. Transmigrating. And now, being declared dead by the world again.
Never in my past life did I imagine I'd witness this iconic moment unfold before my very eyes.
"Nii-san, let's go stand further away! It's dangerous here!" whined the brat tugging at my shirt — my six-year-old cousin, Sora.
"Tch… ruined the mood, you twerp," I muttered. "Look ahead. Destinies are being shaped right now."
I had come here specifically to watch fate take its course.
Just then, a green-haired boy charged at the sludge villain restraining a blonde kid. And right on cue, the star of the show appeared.
"All Might."
With one punch, he blasted the sludge monster apart. Bakugo and Midoriya flailed around helplessly by the shockwave, but were held by All Might firmly.
"ALL MIGHT!" Sora screamed with the crowd, eyes sparkling. "Nii-san, let's get closer!"
"Oh, now you want to get closer?" I smirked. "You know what… we're leaving."
"Noooo! Please, nii-san! I promise I won't even disturb you when you play video games!" Sora pleaded, full fanboy mode engaged.
I sighed, hoisted him onto my shoulders, and pushed through the crowd to get nearer so he could see. But All Might left almost immediately, leaving Sora crestfallen.
I ruffled his hair. "Don't worry. Once I join U.A., you'll get plenty of chances to meet All Might."
"Yeah, yeah… if U.A. knew what you do at nights, I wonder if they'd welcome you there or throw you straight into Tartarus."
Cheeky little brat.
After we moved to Japan, I hadn't quit my vigilante work. Gatewalker made sneaking around far easier, but one night Sora caught me emerging from a portal when he tried to steal my game console. Since then, I've had to pay him off with endless bribes.
"Brat, do you want to meet All Might or not?" I snapped. That shut him up.
"Good. Now let's go before we miss the train."
My aunt's family lives a few cities away from Musutafu. I'd convinced them to take a vacation here — and today, our last day, I finally got to witness this iconic scene.
.........
It's been two years since I came to Japan.
The first few months, I barely pushed myself — my body still too battered from Leonard's attack. Then junior high began, and I had to actually study again. I wasn't good at it in my past life, and that hadn't changed much here.
Luckily, Clear Mind exists. With it, my grades shot up like a rocket.
I joined a gym too, just like in America. But playing vigilante here proved harder — my aunt is a housewife, always at home. Even with teleportation, sneaking out was risky.
So I dug myself an underground hideout far from the house to stash all my gear.
HERO was dead. Best to leave him buried with America.
Instead, I created three new identities — each built around one of my quirks.
One reason: I can't let anyone know I have multiple quirks. The other: training. By focusing separately on Pyrokinesis, Aerokinesis, and Titan's Pulse, I sharpen each one without becoming too reliant on another.
On the streets, I'm sometimes known for fire, sometimes for wind, sometimes for brute strength. But never as all three. To the public, I'm three different vigilantes.
Only in an emergency do I combine them.
And then… there's Cataclysm.
The strongest quirk I've stolen yet — and the most dangerous. My body isn't built for it. Without shock absorption and regeneration like Nomu, I'll never wield its full might.
When I trigger Cataclysm, I become destruction incarnate. My whole body turns into a living disaster zone. Every punch cracks the earth, every step shakes the ground, every breath carries a shockwave.
I don't fight with grace. I don't fight with precision. I fight with raw force that tears everything down.
The longer I keep it active, the more destructive energy builds within me — like my body's a container filling with explosive power. But that container isn't bottomless.
So far, I've only pushed it to five percent before my body began to give out. Once I deactivate it, the stored energy is gone.
Even so… Cataclysm rivals One For All's raw output.
I first encountered it three months ago. A villain wielding Cataclysm had kidnapped the Japanese president's child. With every casual move he made, heroes and allies alike were blasted aside. His body was cracking under the strain, but surrounded by heroes he didn't stop and he kept getting stronger — until finally, he collapsed.
That's when I struck.
I shaped the wind into a colossal hand and swatted him like an insect. He was about as strong as Midoriya at 30% OFA — not All Might, but enough to rival him in raw bursts.
Stealing the quirk was simple. A tiny portal at his neck, a touch through the gate — and Cataclysm was mine.
Now, it slumbers within me, waiting.
For now, Aerokinesis is my strongest and safest quirk. Pyrokinesis burns me like Dabi's blue flames, so I use it sparingly.
But Cataclysm… Cataclysm is the future.
.........
Ten Months Later
In just three hours, the entrance exam for U.A.'s Hero Course—the very dream factory for the next generation of heroes—would begin. But instead of preparing for his grand debut, a certain fifteen-year-old blond was still sprawled across his bed, drooling into his pillow.
That peace didn't last long.
"WAKE UP AND GET DOWN HERE IN TEN MINUTES, YOUNG MAN, OR I'M COMING UPSTAIRS!" Aunt Meagen's voice thundered through the house like the wrath of God.
Aaron shot awake with the survival instincts of a soldier under fire. He scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over his blanket, and darted into the washroom as if chased by death itself.
'I swear, women are scary… scarier than any villain I've faced,' he thought grimly while splashing cold water on his face.
He somehow managed to make it to the dining table just in time to avoid another lecture. His uncle and cousin Sora were already seated, enjoying their breakfast like civilized people.
And then there was Sora.
The brat was grinning at Aaron's misery like it was his favorite morning entertainment show.
Aaron's eyes narrowed into a death glare sharp enough to peel paint off the wall. That was enough to make Sora quickly avert his gaze and poke at his food in awkward silence.
"You'll be on your own in Musutafu," Aunt Meagen said, marching into the dining room with plates of breakfast balanced in her hands. "You'd better learn to wake up on time without me yelling at you."
She set the dishes down and, without missing a beat, slipped straight into full-on mother mode.
"Be careful there. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger. Listen to your teachers. Keep your room clean. Don't skip meals. And—"
Aaron's uncle finally cut in, his tone calm but firm. "He'll be fine. He already has experience living on his own. Just let him eat in peace."
That noble attempt at saving Aaron earned him nothing but a dagger glare from his wife.
"I'm just worried about him, that's all," she muttered, softer now.
Aaron smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Aunt. I'll be careful."
Breakfast finished with a quiet air of nerves and excitement. Afterwards, his aunt and uncle drove him to the train station. They couldn't accompany him all the way—Meagen had Sora to look after, and his uncle had work—but their farewell was heartfelt nonetheless.
The train ride to Musutafu took about an hour. When Aaron finally stepped onto the platform, the city's familiar bustle greeted him. Checking his phone, he noted he still had an hour before the exam began. Plenty of time.
His aunt had been efficient as always. During their trip to Musutafu ten months ago, she had already taken care of securing his apartment, ensuring everything was set for the day he would move in. No hassle. No wasted time.
Slipping into a nearby alley, Aaron opened a shimmering portal and stepped directly into his apartment.
Ten minutes later, showered, suited, and steady, he left for U.A. The apartment's location was perfect—just a twenty-minute walk from the school gates.
By the time he arrived, the campus was alive with the chatter of hundreds of hopeful examinees. And right on cue, Aaron witnessed the scene that every fan of the anime would recognize: Izuku Midoriya tripping forward, only to be saved mid-fall by Ochako Uraraka.
Aaron's grin spread so wide it almost split his face. He looked like a kid watching his favorite cartoon come to life right before his eyes. This was the story he knew, unfolding exactly as it was meant to.
Passing through the iconic gates of U.A., Aaron breezed through the written exam—well, according to him, anyway. Then came Present Mic's booming, over-the-top explanation of the practical exam rules and the point system.
Aaron's assignment was at Exam Site C.
He headed there, only to spot a spiky blond already standing at the front, fists clenched and grin feral. Katsuki Bakugo was practically vibrating with anticipation, ready to blow apart anything in his path.
Aaron smirked, folding his arms.
'Well, this will be fun.'
The stage was set. Destiny was about to call. And Aaron Black intended to answer.
......….
The following is a list of quirks in Aaron's possession.
Aaron's Quirks
Kinetic Leak – Allows Aaron to absorb and redirect kinetic energy, turning enemy attacks into fuel for his counterstrikes.
Double Up – Doubles the power of his physical stats for short bursts, giving him overwhelming speed and strength at the cost of stamina.
Push & Pull – Grants him the ability to attract or repel objects and people, functioning like controlled polarity on the battlefield.
Titan's Pulse – A devastating strength-based quirk that lets Aaron channel explosive force through his body, amplifying raw power for crushing blows.
Barrier – Creates protective energy walls that can block incoming attacks, giving him both defense and creative utility in combat.
Aerokinesis (Wind Manipulation) – Lets him generate and control air currents, from sharp wind blades to massive blasts capable of leveling opponents.
Clear Mind – Sharpens focus by suppressing distractions, fear, or pain, allowing him to fight with complete clarity in critical moments.
Pyrokinesis (Fire Manipulation) – Enables him to summon and control fire, which becomes even deadlier when combined with Aerokinesis to fuel blazing infernos.
Gate Walker (Teleportation) – Opens portals to instantly travel up to 50 km to any place he's physically been, though limited by range and stamina.
Cataclysm – Cataclysm is a quirk that turns Aaron's entire body into a conduit of overwhelming destructive energy, allowing every movement—punch, stomp, or breath—to unleash shockwaves that obliterate anything in its path.