"It all comes down to keeping a clear head…"
Sitting in the special seating area for Class 1-A, Kaminari glanced at Hitoshi Shinso, who wore an indifferent expression down on the field. Turning around, he asked Ojiro, who was sitting just behind him.
"Did you tell Uraraka about his Quirk?"
"Yeah, I did…"
As soon as Ojiro responded, he noticed Kaminari's calm tone and asked curiously, "Wait, you knew about his Quirk too?"
"I ran into him a couple of times before, so I knew a little bit."
Kaminari nodded and looked back at the arena with a confident smile. "If she's aware of his abilities, Uraraka should win without much trouble… huh?!"
But before he finished speaking, his smile froze along with the figure of Ochaco Uraraka on the field.
"What?! She knew what to expect, so how did she still get caught?"
---
Half a Minute Earlier
"Do you think you'll lose?"
The crowd had fallen quiet, and Shinso broke the silence, his voice laced with subtle condescension.
"Hmm?"
Uraraka furrowed her brow slightly, feeling a bit confused by his question.
"The Hero Sports Festival is meant to test a person's inner strength," Shinso continued, starting his psychological game. Uraraka might not have realized it, but for him, the match began the moment he opened his mouth.
"No one who truly wants a future as a hero should care about something as trivial as dignity," Shinso added, his expression showing a hint of disdain. "That guy—Ojiro, was it? He was just being foolish, talking about dignity and giving up his chance. Doesn't that sound ridiculous to you?"
As expected, a flash of anger appeared on Uraraka's face. She was normally a kind, cheerful person, but Shinso's blatant insult towards her classmate sparked something in her.
"Don't you dare look down on Ojiro-san!!"
In her anger, she forgot everything Ojiro had warned her about earlier. She took a step toward Shinso, ready to defend her friend.
But as soon as she spoke, her body suddenly froze. She stood there with a blank look on her face, her movements stopping entirely. Across from her, Shinso's lips curled into a satisfied smirk.
"Got you…"
---
"What?! How did this happen?! I warned her specifically about this!" Ojiro was practically pulling his hair out in frustration.
Kyoka looked equally worried, biting her lip as she whispered, "Oh no, this doesn't look good."
Kaminari's smile had disappeared entirely, leaving him staring down at the field with a stoic expression. "Unbelievable."
He'd thought it was a sure win for Uraraka. If she already knew about Shinso's Quirk, she only needed to stay quiet, no matter what he said. Even if she ended up losing, he hadn't expected her to fall for something so simple.
"What's going on down there?"
In the announcer's box, Present Mic watched the field in surprise, his voice growing louder in irritation. "This is supposed to be the opening match! Get things moving!"
Meanwhile, on the field, Uraraka was now slowly turning around, walking toward the edge in a trance-like state. The entire audience watched, puzzled by her strange behavior.
"Uraraka's standing there, completely out of it, and she's walking back to where she started! Could this be Shinso's Quirk?" Present Mic speculated aloud, stirring up murmurs throughout the crowd.
"Mind control, huh… That's a pretty powerful ability." A pro hero in the audience, dressed in a suit resembling a dynamic superhero, muttered to himself with a look of awe.
"Yeah, that kid doesn't stand out much, but he's tougher than he looks," another hero, clad in red and green armor, agreed.
"The entrance exam really doesn't cater to everyone's strengths," Aizawa muttered from the teachers' area, turning his attention back to his notes with a furrowed brow.
"With a Quirk like his, Shinso never stood a chance at passing the combat-oriented entrance exam. Those robots are immune to mind control."
But as Aizawa considered Shinso's options, he felt a hint of understanding. "He probably anticipated that and applied to the general studies course as a backup. A smart choice."
In the Class 1-A seating area, most of the students—except for Kaminari, Bakugo, Todoroki, and Tokoyami were on their feet, shouting encouragement to Uraraka, desperately hoping she'd snap out of it. But it was no use.
"She's out," Kaminari muttered, watching as Uraraka crossed the boundary line. For a moment, he felt a pang of disappointment. He'd expected her to stay calm, but clearly, she'd let her emotions get the best of her.
"Eh?"
Just as Uraraka stepped out of bounds, she blinked, coming back to her senses. But it was already too late. Present Mic's voice filled the stadium as he declared the winner:
"The first person moving on to the second round is from Class C—Hitoshi Shinso!!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, and Present Mic continued to hype up the victory. "Talk about an underdog story! A general studies student, taking down a hero course student with ease!"
Meanwhile, down on the field, Uraraka's face was a mask of shock and realization. She remembered Ojiro's advice, advice she had completely ignored.
She sank to her knees, feeling utterly defeated. "I… I didn't even put up a fight…"
"Uraraka-san!!"
In the audience, Midoriya clenched his fists tightly, clearly heartbroken for her. Her words from before echoed in his mind, reminding him of her motivation.
---
"Uraraka-san!"
"Yes?"
"Why do you want to become a hero?"
"Oh… well, honestly, it's for the money."
"For the money?"
"Yeah, I know it sounds a bit shallow, but… my family's been struggling, and I want to become a pro hero so I can earn enough to support them. I want to give my parents a better life."
---
Tears glistened in Midoriya's eyes as he looked down at his friend, devastated on the arena floor.
"She… She just wanted to do well. She worked so hard, just to make a difference in her family's life…"
Hearing this, Kaminari's expression didn't change. He understood Midoriya's emotions, but he knew better than to let himself get caught up in sympathy. This world didn't guarantee success just because someone tried hard. Sometimes, good people still lost.
"This was her fault for letting her emotions cloud her judgment," Kaminari thought, though he kept the opinion to himself.
Uraraka, still crying, was escorted off the field, while Shinso walked back to his area to applause. Midoriya, Ashido, and a few other classmates rushed off to comfort her.
Kaminari had initially intended to go over as well, but Present Mic's next announcement stopped him in his tracks.
"The next match is between two of the recommended students—Shoto Todoroki and Juzo Honenuki!"
Kaminari decided to stay. He was genuinely curious to see if the recommended students, supposedly top-tier talents recognized by U.A., could match Todoroki's strength or Momo's tactical knowledge.
"Honenuki… let's see what you're made of."
***
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