Man, that morning sun was blinding.
Taiyo was just standing there in front of U.A.'s huge golden gates, gripping the straps of his cheap backpack like it was the only thing keeping him from freaking out. His heart was pounding so hard, he could barely catch what the other examinees were saying around him.
I actually made it… I'm really here.
The place he'd dreamed about since he was six felt like a giant compared to what he'd imagined. Kids with all sorts of crazy quirks, flashy hero suits, and confidence you could practically see pouring out of them strolled past like they owned the whole place.
And here he was, hands sweating like crazy, wiping them on his pants over and over.
Taking one shaky step forward,
he bumped right into someone.
"Ah, geez! I'm so sorry!"
A soft laugh came back at him. Looking up, he noticed this girl with twin buns, a jade-green ribbon, and the kind of smile that could probably calm a hurricane.
Meiling Zhou.
Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You alright? That was a hard hit."
Oh great, Taiyo felt his face heat up. "U-Um! Yeah, I'm fine! I just wasn't watching where I was going, sorry!"
She giggled. "Chill, it's all good. Nerves, huh? U.A. can be a bit intimidating for first-timers."
He nodded way too fast, relieved she didn't seem annoyed at him.
"Uh, I'm Taiyo Hinata."
"Meiling Zhou," she said, giving a little bow. "Good luck out there, Taiyo. We're gonna need it."
After that, she walked off, her jade accessories swaying along. Taiyo kinda stared after her a second too long.
Wow… she's really sweet… He didn't run into many nice folks like that, her kindness felt kinda unreal.
But before he could enjoy the moment, a sharp scoff broke through behind him.
"Well, well," a smug voice drawled. "Look at you, bumping into girls before the exam even starts. Must be nice for someone with a discount quirk."
Turning around, Taiyo saw this tall dude with spiked hair, an annoying smirk, and eyes full of cockiness. His hero suit shone like it was made of cash.
"W-What do you mean?" Taiyo mumbled softly.
The rude guy just stretched like he was bored. "Come on. I looked up your profile. 'Checkpoint'? You teleport to places you've touched? Lame." He just shrugged. "You should probably bail before you embarrass yourself. U.A.'s not a charity."
That hit Taiyo harder than a punch.
He looked down, heart sinking.
"…I know my quirk isn't the best. But I'm not backing down."
The guy stepped in closer. "Why not just save yourself the embarrassment? Kids like you, orphans with weak quirks and no background, you're just filler characters." He smirked like he was on top of the world. "Us? We're the main cast."
Taiyo's fists shook with anger. Fear bubbled up in his chest, but he found his voice anyway, even if it was shaky:
"I'm not here for the spotlight… I'm here to protect people."
That jerk scoffed once more. "Keep dreaming, No-Quirk."
Then, suddenly, the speakers overhead came alive.
---
Deku Shows Up, The Speech
Everything went dead silent as this green lightning flashed for a moment. Izuku Midoriya, Deku, the Symbol of Peace, landed on the stage smiling like a ray of sunshine.
Taiyo's breath just hitched.
He looked even cooler up close…
Deku grabbed the mic. "Welcome, everyone! Congrats on making it this far. I know a lot of you are feeling nervous, maybe even scared. I felt that way once too."
All the students leaned in closer.
"This entrance exam? It's gonna test more than your Quirks. It'll check your heart, your judgment, and if you can keep cool when it counts."
Deku pointed toward the training field behind him.
"You'll be fighting villain robots. Points come from how many you take down, but you gotta listen up, there'll also be civilians in danger."
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"Yes," he continued. "Because being a hero isn't just about strength… it's about how well you can help others."
His gaze softened even more.
"And don't forget… U.A. doesn't care where you're from or how flashy your Quirk is. What matters is if you're ready to stand up, even when things get tough."
Taiyo felt tears threatening to spill.
Deku… he just had this knack for hitting home every time.
"For anyone feeling a little small," Deku said softly, "you're not. You made it here, and that means you belong."
A wave of energy swept through the crowd.
Taiyo quickly wiped his eyes, hoping no one caught him.
---
Stepping into the Arena
With a thunderous rumble, the giant metal doors swung open.
Dozens of examinees took off running inside.
Taiyo took a deep breath.
This is it. I'm scared… but I'm ready. This is my moment.
He moved forward in his homemade black-and-white hero suit.
Just as he was about to push on, someone tapped his shoulder again.
It was Meiling.
She smiled gently. "Hey. Don't let that jerk get to you. Just do your best, alright?"
He nodded, heart racing. "Y-Yeah. Thanks a lot…"
She jogged off, her hair bouncing like crazy.
Taiyo inhaled sharply, eyes glued to the battlefield ahead , robots, wreckage, smoke, chaos just waiting to explode.
His fear tugged at him like a weight.
But then, he thought of the orphanage. Of seeing Deku fight when he was just six years old. Of the promise he made to protect those innocent people.
I'll give it my all.
He clenched his fists tighter.
"Begin!"
The exam siren blared loudly.
Taiyo charged ahead with everyone else, legs shaking, heart racing, but his eyes? They were burning with determination.
Entrance Exam: Taiyo's First Battle
The arena exploded into chaos the moment the siren sounded.
Metallic roars, smoke bursts, sparks flying everywhere — the U.A. entrance exam felt more like a real war than a test.
Students charged forward, quirks igniting in every color imaginable.
And Taiyo…
…Taiyo was frozen for a full second.
"W-Woah…" he whispered.
A massive Zero-Point robot stomped past him, shaking the ground. He flinched so hard he nearly teleported on instinct.
They're huge. And metal. And angry.
I can't make a scratch on these things…
A loud BOOM echoed.
He turned —
just in time to see Meiling Zhou slam her palm into the pavement.
A burst of jade erupted outward like a blooming garden, sharp crystalline petals slicing through a three-pointer robot like it was paper.
She laughed, bright and sweet, dusting off her hands.
"Next!"
Another examinee — tall, red-haired Kester Vane — flicked a metal card into the air.
Instantly, the card swapped positions with a massive robot arm across the field.
The arm crushed another robot behind him.
He smirked. "Checkmate."
Further ahead, Saeko Mori was calmly walking through the chaos, eyes glowing with vector lines.
She flicked a coin —
It ricocheted off a pipe, bounced off a broken drone, triggered an explosion on a robot's joint —
and down it went.
"Predictable," she murmured.
Even little Kenji Sato was glowing with stored kinetic energy, blasting robots apart with shockwave punches.
Everywhere Taiyo looked, someone was doing something amazing.
And him?
He ducked under debris, teleporting awkwardly between walls just to avoid being crushed.
"Okay, okay… stay calm… maybe I'm not the best at fighting," he muttered.
"I guess… I'll just do what I'm good at…"
A scream cut through the air.
A student trapped under a fallen robot leg.
Taiyo didn't even think — he teleported straight to them.
"Hold on!"
He grabbed the student's arm, marked the ground behind them, and teleported both of them out just as the robot leg slammed down again.
"T-Thank you!" the girl gasped.
Taiyo smiled shakily. "It's okay! I'm just… trying to help."
But before he could catch his breath—
A voice behind him clicked its tongue.
"Well, look who's here."
Renji Kuro walked forward, hands in pockets, expression bored and irritated.
His dark hair fell over his eyes, but when he lifted his gaze—
The world around him shimmered.
A nearby robot froze, its systems glitching violently as its sensors went dead.
Renji smirked.
"Still playing hero?" he taunted. "Waiting around to 'save people'? These examinees don't need saving. They're acting invincible out here."
Taiyo swallowed. "I'm trying to help anyone who gets hurt—"
Renji interrupted with a scoff.
"Help? These people are here to crush robots, not cry for rescue."
He flicked his eyes toward another robot — its circuits fried instantly.
"Why not stop wasting time and fight for points?" Renji asked, stepping past him.
"You're not winning anything by babysitting—"
A shadow fell over them.
A massive four-point robot descended from above, its fist glowing with compressed energy.
Renji looked up, smirk still plastered on his face.
"I said," he growled, "I've got this."
His eyes flared —
but nothing happened.
"Huh—?"
The robot's circuitry flickered… then stabilized.
"System… too reinforced…?" Renji whispered.
The robot's arm swung.
"Renji!"
Taiyo didn't think.
He marked a piece of wall behind Renji —
grabbed his arm —
and teleported them both out just as the robot's fist obliterated the ground.
The shockwave sent dust blasting everywhere.
They reappeared a few meters away, Renji stumbling onto his knees.
For a moment, he looked stunned.
Then angry.
"You… dumbass," Renji snapped, standing up and brushing dust off his shirt.
"I don't need your help. I could've found a way out!"
Taiyo, panting, just smiled tiredly.
"I don't care if you needed it or not," he said softly.
"You were in danger… so I did what heroes are supposed to do."
Renji opened his mouth — then shut it.
His jaw tightened like he wanted to argue, but something in his eyes flickered.
Confusion?
Embarrassment?
Respect?
Taiyo didn't know.
But he didn't push it.
The battle raged on behind them — robots exploding, jade flowers bursting, shockwaves echoing, teleporting afterimages streaking across the field…
And Taiyo stood there, chest rising and falling, realizing:
He may not be the strongest.
He may not destroy robots in a single hit.
But he could save people.
And that mattered.