Tetsuo and the rest of the examinees walked toward the next venue, stepping onto one of the designated practical fields. The air was buzzing with nervous energy as everyone looked around, trying to size each other up.
He glanced at the other students, scanning for familiar faces.
Looks like Ryo didn't get assigned to the same location,
he thought, feeling a little disappointed. It would've been nice to Kick his ass if he was nearby.
"Yo, cutie."
A playful voice came from behind him, followed by a light tap on his shoulder. Tetsuo turned around quickly, startled.
"A-Ah, Hamura-san," he stammered, his face heating up as he tried (and failed) to keep himself from blushing. A few nearby students glanced their way, some smirking at his reaction.
"I didn't think you'd end up at the same site as me," Aoi said with a teasing grin. She enjoyed watching him squirm.
Tetsuo took a deep breath and managed to calm down a little. He started chatting with Aoi casually, and for a moment, it felt like everything was normal. The tension in his chest eased as they talked.
But then—
"It's starting," someone said quietly in the crowd.
The chatter around them stopped instantly. Tetsuo and Aoi turned their attention toward the platform ahead of them, along with everyone else.
And that's when they saw her.
Tetsuo's eyes widened in shock. Standing on the platform above them was a silver-haired woman who seemed to glow in the sunlight.
For a second, it felt like everything else blurred away, she was all he could see.
She wasn't just beautiful, she looked unreal.
And he wasn't the only one who thought so.
"It's Reverie," someone whispered in awe behind him.
"The Silver Goddess," another voice said quietly.
Even Aoi, who usually rolled her eyes at stuff like this, muttered under her breath,
"Wow… she is gorgeous."
Tetsuo didn't say anything. He just nodded silently, completely mesmerized.
Eri smiled gently at the crowd below her. Her calm expression made it hard not to feel drawn to her.
But Tetsuo couldn't help but feel confused. As far as he knew, it was pretty unusual for someone from U.A.'s medical staff to act as an exam invigilator. So… why was she here?
---
Fifteen minutes earlier…
"Yo, Eri-chan!"
Eri stopped walking and turned around when she heard a familiar voice call out to her. She had been heading toward the medical team's tent when she was interrupted.
"Yes, Kaminari-san?" she asked politely."Do you need medical assistance?"
Kaminari grinned awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head. "Not really… I actually need a favor."
---
Back to the present…
Eri adjusted the microphone in her hand and took a deep breath.
'I still don't understand why Kaminari-san asked me to do this, ' she thought as she looked out at the crowd of students waiting for instructions.
She raised the mic and began speaking.
"This is the practical examination—the second round of U.A.'s entrance exam," she said calmly, her voice carrying across the field. "Feel free to ask questions if you need clarification."
Her voice was steady and clear, but her presence alone seemed to make some of the students freeze up.
And yes…
Tetsuo was one of them.[My boy is folded: the author;)]
"This is an individual scoring examination," Eri continued. "However, teaming up is allowed if you want to work together. Just remember, points are only given to the person who lands the finishing blow."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"For those using support items, don't worry, all equipment has been pre-approved by U.A., so it's fair for everyone. If you don't have any gear, you won't be at a disadvantage."
Eri tapped on her tablet, and holographic images of large robot silhouettes appeared above her for everyone to see.
"Your opponents will be four types of robots: 1-pointers, 2-pointers, 3-pointers… and finally, the largest, the 0-pointer," she explained calmly. "There are also hidden missions scattered throughout the testing zone. Completing these missions will earn you bonus points."
A hand shot up in the crowd.
"Why aren't we told about these missions ahead of time?" A girl asked with a frown on her face.
Eri gave her a small smile before answering.
"Because this is meant to test your skills as future heroes," she said simply.
"In real situations, you won't always know what's coming next. This helps us see how well you can think on your feet and make good decisions under pressure."
The girl nodded slowly and sat back down without saying anything else.
"There are a few ground rules before we begin."
A low murmur spread through the crowd, but they quieted quickly.
"First," Eri began, "no sabotaging or injuring other examinees. This isn't a battle royale."
One of the students near the front raised a hand. "What if it's accidental? Like… during combat?"
"We understand accidents happen," Eri replied, nodding. "But anything clearly intentional will result in immediate disqualification. We're testing hero potential, not villain tendencies."
Some students laughed nervously. Aoi gave Tetsuo a little elbow bump.
"That rules you out, huh?" she teased. Tetsuo gave her a mock glare, still a little distracted by the fact Eri had looked straight at him moments ago.
"Second," Eri continued, "the 0-pointers, don't engage them, I repeat, don't engage them unless you're absolutely confident."
A student in the back frowned. "Wait, those don't give points?"
"None," Eri confirmed. "They're hazards. Designed to test your decision-making under pressure. Not your ability to show off."
Tetsuo swallowed hard. That made things trickier.
"Third," Eri said, her tone softening just a little, "try not to get hurt. Our medical team is on standby, but your safety is still your responsibility. Think like a hero, not a daredevil."
"Please proceed to your assigned lockers."
The students began moving toward their lockers in groups while murmuring quietly among themselves. The excitement and tension were almost tangible now as they prepared for what was ahead.
Tetsuo stayed where he was for a moment longer than everyone else. His eyes were still locked on Eri, standing on that platform above them all.
He wasn't sure why he hadn't moved yet.
Maybe he was overthinking things again, or maybe it was something else entirely.
And then, she looked right at him.
Her silver eyes met his across what felt like an enormous distance between them. For just one second that felt like forever, everything else disappeared around him. She smiled softly, not in a way meant for everyone, but something smaller… something that felt personal.
Tetsuo froze completely under her gaze
His heart skipped wildly, while warmth spread through his chest despite his best efforts to stay calm.
Behind him stood Aoi, watching quietly now, and when she noticed what was happening, she glanced away with an unreadable expression on her face.
Come on
Tetsuo told himself while clenching his fists tightly at his sides.
Move.
Finally taking a deep breath to steady himself, he took his first step forward toward whatever came next.