The excitement and buzz in the air evaporated in an instant. The students froze, eyes widening in horror as Aizawa's words sank in. It was like a cold bucket of water had been dumped over their heads. They had barely started the assessment, and already the threat of expulsion loomed large over them.
"Expelled?!" Kaminari yelped, his hands shaking as he held onto his ball. "Wait, wait, sensei, isn't that kinda extreme?! We just got here!"
Aizawa shot Kaminari a sharp look that silenced him immediately. "UA doesn't have time to coddle those who can't keep up. If you don't perform at the level expected, you're gone. Simple as that."
Mina Ashido, known for her bubbly personality, couldn't help but speak up. "Wait, hold on! That's totally not fair!" she exclaimed, waving her hands dramatically. "We just got here, and you're already talking about expelling us? We haven't even gotten to show everything yet!"
Ochaco Uraraka, who had been quietly standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sensei, isn't this a bit too much? We're all trying our best, and not everyone's quirk works the same way! It feels like you're setting us up to fail."
Aizawa's gaze turned even sharper as he addressed them. His voice was steady but cold, devoid of any sympathy.
"Fair? You think this is about fairness?" he asked, his words cutting through the air like a blade. "This is the reality of the hero society. Out there, villains don't care about what's fair or whether your quirk is suited for the situation. They'll take advantage of your weaknesses without hesitation."
The students exchanged uneasy glances, some of them visibly paling at his words. Aizawa continued, his tone unwavering. "If you can't keep up, you'll get left behind. And if you get left behind, people die. That's the reality you're training for. This isn't a game. It's not some casual exercise. This is about your future as heroes and whether you're prepared to handle the real world."
Mina bit her lip, looking down at her shoes. "But… we're still just students," she muttered under her breath, barely loud enough for anyone to hear.
Aizawa's eyes didn't soften. "Exactly. You're students now, but the moment you graduate, you're expected to be ready to put your life on the line for others. There's no safety net in this line of work. Either you're ready, or you're not. And if you're not, I'll make sure you don't waste your time or anyone else's."
The harsh truth of Aizawa's words settled in, and the class fell into a tense silence. The weight of the reality they were stepping into as future heroes pressed heavily on their shoulders. There was no room for excuses or half-hearted attempts.
"Now, enough talking," Aizawa said, his voice regaining its calm, dispassionate tone. "Get ready for the next test."
The students straightened up, some more determined than others, but all now fully aware of the stakes they were playing for. There was no room for failure.
A tense silence fell over the class as they realized the gravity of the situation. This wasn't some game. They were being tested on their ability to utilize their quirks to the fullest, and failure meant expulsion. The stakes couldn't have been higher.
Bakugou, despite his earlier anger, smirked at the announcement. "Tch. No problem for me," he muttered, loud enough for those around him to hear. "I'll just blow past everyone like I always do."
Izumi, on the other hand, crossed her arms and frowned, her eyes flicking back and forth between her classmates. She had performed well, but the tension in the air was getting to her. The strange feeling she had earlier still nagged at the back of her mind, and Aizawa's sudden threat of expulsion only made things worse.
She took a deep breath, trying to shake the unease. There's something off about all of this, she thought to herself. But I can't let it get to me. I've come too far.
------------------
The looming threat of expulsion hung over the heads of the students as Aizawa, with his usual disinterested demeanor, stood before them, tablet in hand. The students gathered on the field, shifting nervously, knowing that the stakes were incredibly high.
Aizawa spoke in his typical deadpan tone, "For this next part, you'll be tested on your speed, endurance, and overall ability to control your quirks. I don't care how flashy your powers are—if you can't control them, you're useless."
The class was silent as he continued. "Failure in any of these tests will result in immediate expulsion. You've seen what the ball throw was like. Expect the same level of intensity going forward."
The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Everyone knew the drill by now: this was no ordinary test, and their places at UA were hanging by a thread.
Kirishima leaned over to Sero, whispering nervously, "Man, I really don't wanna get expelled on the first day. That would totally suck."
Sero nodded. "Yeah, and with Aizawa-sensei, you know he's serious. The guy doesn't mess around."
Meanwhile, Bakugou was flexing his hands, small explosions sparking from his palms as he muttered, "Tch, this'll be a piece of cake. I don't see why everyone's freaking out. I'm going to blow past all of you."
His arrogance was nothing new to the class, but Izumi Midoriya,stood nearby with arms crossed. She gave him a sidelong glance and smirked. "You sure about that, Bakugou? You seem awfully confident for someone who just barely managed 800 meters."
Bakugou glared at her. "Shut it, Princess. I'll show you what I'm made of."
Izuku, standing on the sidelines with his earbuds in, observed the scene with a blank expression. He couldn't care less about the banter. He was more focused on the tests ahead, knowing that his control over his elements would be critical here. He could feel the weight of Izumi's gaze every now and then, but he ignored it.
Focus. You're not here to play games.
Aizawa stepped forward. "Alright, first test: the fifty-meter dash. Step up to the line."
The class gathered near the starting line, and Aizawa began calling out names for the first matchups. Izuku, still with his earbuds in, watched as some of the students started taking their turns.
"Bakugou, you're up against Iida," Aizawa called out.
Iida adjusted his glasses, his demeanor as rigid and formal as ever. "This is a test of speed, Bakugou, not bravado. I will give it my all."
Aizawa raised a hand, signaling the start of the race. "Go."
Bakugou blasted forward with a thunderous explosion, the heat from his quirk singeing the air around him. His palms crackled with energy as he rocketed down the track. Iida, however, was no slouch. His engines roared to life as he bolted forward with mechanical precision, his speed steadily increasing as he gained momentum.
For a moment, it seemed like Bakugou had the upper hand with his explosive start, but Iida's engines pushed him faster and faster until he crossed the finish line first. Steam rose from his calves as he slowed down, the exhaust from his quirk hissing in the air.
Bakugou crossed the line moments later, his scowl deepening as he glared at Iida. "Tch. Lucky shot, you damn nerd."
Iida, ever the gentleman, simply bowed slightly. "Thank you for the competition."
As Bakugou fumed, Aizawa continued calling out names. "Todoroki. Yagi. You're up next."
Izuku and Shota stepped forward, their expressions unreadable. The class murmured among themselves as they watched, curious to see how these two would fare against each other.
"Whoa, they're really going head-to-head?" Kirishima whispered to Mina, his eyes wide with excitement. "This is gonna be good."
Mina nodded. "Totally! Yagi's been quiet, but he's crazy strong. And Todoroki being Endeavor's daughter… this is gonna be intense."
Shota gave Izuku a sidelong glance, her usual composed demeanor faltering slightly. She hadn't had much interaction with him, but something about his presence bothered her. She could sense the power lurking beneath his calm exterior.
"You ready for this?" she asked, trying to gauge his reaction.
Izuku, without turning to her, simply muttered, "Whatever."
Shota blinked, slightly taken aback by his dismissive response. But before she could say anything else, Aizawa gave the signal.
"Go."
In an instant, both of them shot forward. Shota activated her quirk, fire and ice swirling around her as she dashed down the track with incredible speed. But what shocked everyone was how Izuku moved. He didn't activate any obvious quirk. Instead, he seemed to glide across the ground with effortless grace, wind whipping around him, propelling him forward faster than anyone expected.
As they raced, a sudden burst of lightning crackled around Izuku, and in a split second, he surged ahead, his body flickering with elemental energy. The combination of wind and lightning sent him barreling down the track at blinding speed, and before anyone could blink, he crossed the finish line, leaving Izumi behind.
The entire class gasped.
"No way…" Mina whispered, her eyes wide.
"He's… that fast?" Kirishima added, equally stunned.
Even Aizawa raised an eyebrow, his usual indifferent expression replaced with mild surprise. "Interesting," he muttered to himself, jotting something down on his tablet.
Shota, who had just crossed the finish line, clenched her fists in frustration.
How did he…
She looked over at Izuku, who was already walking away, earbuds back in, not even acknowledging his victory. She was pissed by her lost clenching her fist in frustration.
Izumi glanced at Shota trying to tease her but that's not the right time. But something kept on bothering her but she can't a finger on her current situation.
Bakugou, watching from the sidelines, scowled.
"What the hell is with that guy?" he muttered under his breath. "There's no way he's stronger than me."