"Let's go!"
Not wanting to stay any longer, Todoroki pulled Shiozaki toward the exit, but Hado Nejire wasn't about to let her tricky juniors escape so easily. She used her "Hado" to create a deep, five-meter-wide trench near the exit, completely blocking their path.
In the waiting room, the other students watching were in shock. Wasn't third-year Hado just a bit too scary?
"Hado's Quirk is like a natural disaster! And this scene feels so familiar somehow…" Midoriya Izuku muttered, suddenly remembering a similar experience. In his mind, he pictured Kenranzaki, the third-year senior with impossibly long eyelashes who saw Hado Nejire as a rival. She had created the giant robots for the entrance exam and the sports festival obstacle course, including the bottomless pit made in just one day.
"Could it be that Hado-senpai was the one who made that pit for our first-year obstacle race?"
"You got it!"
Midoriya's mumbling was answered by none other than Togata Mirio, who raised a finger and said seriously,
"Hado is called one of the 'U.A. Big Three' not just because of her looks, but because her skills have earned everyone's respect."
"She's incredible…"
Midoriya was in awe. Hado Nejire really deserved to be in the Big Three; not only was she skilled in combat, but she also had serious practical abilities. Aizawa Shouta, the proctor, was watching with a pained expression, probably thinking about the mess he'd have to deal with once the cement hero came in to fix the earthquake-damaged arena.
Meanwhile, back on the field, Todoroki Shoto faced the five-meter-wide trench blocking their path. He stepped forward to build an ice bridge to cross, but Hado Nejire wasn't going to let him pass that easily. With another quake from her "Hado," the ice bridge cracked and collapsed.
"This is tough…"
"Leave it to me!"
Realizing Todoroki had done enough, Shiozaki, the "lady" of Class B, decided it was her turn. She extended her vines across the five-meter gap with ease. Wrapping them around the exit door on the other side, Shiozaki pulled herself across and wrapped another vine around Todoroki, pulling him over too.
"I might not be able to do much, but at least I didn't hold you back, right, Todoroki?"
"Mm—thanks a lot."
After escaping the combat area safely, Todoroki Shoto and Shiozaki each earned 30 points, just enough to pass with the required 60 points for their team.
"(○｀ 3′○) So boring, I wanted to keep playing~"
Hado Nejire pouted, not paying attention to the ruined "street" area around her, which had been torn apart by the earthquake. Cementoss-sensei would probably be in tears... given the extra workload this would mean for him.
Once Todoroki's team passed the exam, the next team caught Midoriya Izuku's attention. Actually, it wasn't just him—everyone else was interested too. After all, it was going to be quite an interesting match.
Bakugo Katsuki and Monoma Neito—one was the loud, arrogant hothead from Class A, while the other was the sneaky, self-obsessed guy from Class B. This team-up was, well, a "perfect" match. Since no one else wanted to team up with them, the two homeroom teachers had to pair them up; otherwise, they'd be facing a failing grade.
"Don't get in my way, you moron!"
"Ara ara? Are you talking to yourself? You must be talking to yourself, right?!"
Bakugo's explosive temper and Monoma's mocking gestures almost had them fighting each other. Their battlefield was the "Rocky Area," filled with strange rock formations and pillars.
"Our opponent… is you?"
The man standing before Bakugo and Monoma made both of them fall silent instantly. The pressure coming from this third-year senior was overwhelming. As expected from one of the "Big Three" at U.A.
Bakugo Katsuki and Monoma Neito's opponent was Tamaki Amajiki, one of U.A.'s Big Three, with a Quirk called "Manifest"!
Tamaki Amajiki had messy black hair with one side covering his eye, and his cold appearance made him intimidating from the first glance, creating an unspoken tension.
"He's pretty intense…"
"Well, he is a senior after all."
Bakugo and Monoma both felt the pressure and got ready for battle. But Tamaki Amajiki just looked at the two underclassmen, turned around without a word, and leaned against a rock pillar, saying nothing.
"Hey! Are you looking down on me?!"
"Ara ara? Looks like I'm being underestimated by a senior!"
Tamaki's action clearly annoyed both Bakugo and Monoma. Turning his back on them like that—it definitely felt like an insult.
Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Togata Mirio was rubbing his forehead with a sigh. As Tamaki's classmate, he understood what was going on—this wasn't a sign of disrespect at all. Tamaki was just too nervous to face them.
"Tamaki… he's really shy and introverted. When he's around people he doesn't know, he gets so stressed that he can't handle it… This is just how he gets."
"Haha… Tamaki-senpai… has a pretty unique personality."
Hearing Mirio's explanation, Midoriya could only give an awkward laugh. He wasn't sure what to expect from Bakugo's team in this practical exam.
Back in the rocky arena, with Tamaki still turned away, Bakugo and Monoma couldn't stand it any longer. They rolled up their sleeves and charged straight at him.
Bakugo charged forward, thrusting his right hand toward Tamaki Amajiki. He didn't care about fighting etiquette—stepping into the battle zone meant the test had already begun. His explosive move shot him straight at Tamaki.
In an instant, the spot was empty. Bakugo's attack missed, and he felt a powerful force hit him from behind, pinning him to the ground.
"Sorry... I got a little nervous..."
"You call *this* nervous?!"
Struggling under Tamaki's hold, Bakugo couldn't believe he'd been captured so easily. It was no wonder Tamaki was one of the "Big Three" at U.A.
"What just happened?!"
Tamaki moved so fast that Monoma Neito barely saw it. Only when he noticed Tamaki's hooves did he understand what had taken place. As Bakugo had launched his attack from behind, Tamaki's Quirk had allowed him to transform his legs into goat hooves, giving him enhanced jumping power. With one leap and a 180-degree spin, Tamaki landed and pinned Bakugo to the ground.
Tamaki Amajiki's Quirk, "Manifest," lets him gain the abilities of anything he's eaten—like tentacles if he eats octopus.
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