The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly as I tugged at the collar of my gym uniform. Leave it to Glasses to insist we arrive fifteen minutes early, as if being punctual wasn't enough.
"Man, these uniforms are stiff," Kaminari complained, stretching his arms overhead. "Think they'll loosen up after washing?"
"They better," I said, already tired of the synthetic material clinging to my skin. "This jacket's like wearing a plastic bag."
Midoriya stood a few feet away, muttering to himself while scribbling in his notebook. Classic Midoriya - probably analyzing everyone's quirks before the test even started.
"Just take it off," Todo said, leaning against the stadium wall. "No one said we had to wear both pieces."
He had a point. I shrugged out of the jacket, tying it around my waist. The tank top underneath was much more bearable.
"Much better," I sighed, rolling my shoulders.
Todo's eyes narrowed, scanning the small groups of our classmates scattered around the training ground. "Interesting."
"What?"
"Nothing," he said, far too innocently. "Just noticed at least six of our female colleagues suddenly finding the cloud formations fascinating."
I grabbed my water bottle, deliberately not looking around. "Weather's pretty interesting today."
"Oh yes, very interesting," Todo grinned. "Especially in your general direction-"
"Hey Midoriya," I called, maybe a bit too loudly. "What's in the notebook?"
Midoriya's head snapped up, eyes wide like he'd been caught doing something wrong. "Oh! Um, just some observations about our potential classmates' quirks based on visible physical manifestations and-"
"Dude, breathe," Kaminari laughed. "It's not an interrogation."
"S-sorry! I just get excited about quirk analysis and-"
"No, no, keep going," I encouraged, ignoring Todo's knowing smirk. "What have you figured out so far?"
Midoriya's entire demeanor changed as he flipped through his notes. "Well, based on the physical adaptations I can see, we have a really diverse class! Like Asui-san's frog-type quirk is obvious, but did you notice how Tokoyami-kun's shadow seems to move independently even when he's not actively using it? And Todoroki-san's hair color split might indicate-"
"Yo, speaking of observations," Todo cut in, because apparently he lived to torment me, "I think Kaori-san just-"
"Look at all these other students!" I gestured widely at the growing crowd. "So many quirks to analyze, right Midoriya?"
Kaminari snickered. "Smooth."
"Shut up, Pikachu."
"Make me, lover boy."
I considered demonstrating exactly how I'd make him shut up, but Midoriya's excited voice drew my attention back.
"- and the way Uraraka-san's fingers are slightly padded must help with quirk activation, while Iida-kun's calves-"
"You really get into this stuff, huh?" I asked, genuinely curious despite my ulterior motives for starting this conversation.
Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ah, yeah. I've been analyzing quirks since I was little. It's kind of a hobby..."
"Hobby?" Todo raised an eyebrow. "That notebook looks more like a dissertation."
"Oh, this is volume twenty-seven! I have-" Midoriya stopped, face reddening. "I mean, um..."
"Twenty-seven?" Kaminari whistled. "That's some dedication, my dude."
"It's actually really impressive," I said. "Most people just use their quirks without thinking about the mechanics behind them."
Midoriya's eyes lit up. "Right? Understanding the biological and physical principles behind quirk manifestation is crucial for optimal usage! Like how your eyes' lotus pattern probably relates to spatial manipulation, while Kaminari-kun's nervous system must be specially adapted to handle electrical discharge without-"
"Whoa, wait," Kaminari held up his hands. "You got all that just by looking at us?"
"Well yeah..." Midoriya mumbled.
Todo leaned forward, interested. "What can you tell about my quirk?"
"Oh! Your physical build suggests enhanced strength, while your movement patterns indicate formal combat training. The way you analyze situations implies strategic thinking, so your quirk probably requires precise timing or spatial awareness to-"
"Damn," I laughed. "You should teach a class on this stuff."
Midoriya's face went through several shades of red. "N-no, I couldn't- I mean, it's just a hobby, and-"
"Seriously though," Kaminari said. "This could be super helpful for training. Like, I never thought about how my nervous system might work differently."
"Indeed!" Todo clapped Midoriya on the shoulder, making him jump. "A man who understands the fundamental nature of quirks! This is the kind of intellectual discourse I've been seeking!"
I saw the panic rising in Midoriya's eyes. "Todo, maybe dial it back a bit-"
"Tell me, Midoriya," Todo gripped both of Midoriya's shoulders, staring intensely. "What's your type of woman?"
"I- what?" Midoriya squeaked.
"Todo," I groaned. "Not this again."
"It's a vital question! A man's taste in women reveals his true character!"
"I don't- I mean- I never-" Midoriya looked ready to pass out.
"Yo, Todo," Kaminari cut in. "I think you broke him."
"Nonsense! He simply needs time to consider the profound nature of-"
"Is that Glasses calling everyone over?" I interrupted, despite Iida clearly still checking his watch every thirty seconds.
"Nice try," Todo grinned. "But you can't escape this conversation forever. Speaking of which, I noticed Kaori-san has excellent taste in-"
"Hey look, the teacher's here!"
Todo's reply died as a figure in black approached our group. The man looked like he'd rather be sleeping than dealing with us, his capture scarf trailing behind him like a tired snake.
"Gather round," he called, voice barely above a monotone. "We're starting early."
"But it's not 2:30 yet!" Iida protested, chopping the air. "The schedule clearly stated-"
"Life doesn't follow a schedule," our teacher drawled. "Heroes need to be ready at any moment. Consider this your first lesson."
The class formed a loose semi-circle around him. I ended up between Todo and Kaminari, with Midoriya still looking shell-shocked on Todo's other side.
"I'm Aizawa Shota," the teacher said. "Your homeroom teacher. Today we're conducting a quirk assessment test."
Murmurs rippled through the group.
"But what about orientation?" someone asked. "The ceremony?"
Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "You want to be heroes but you're worried about ceremonies? The world doesn't wait for you to be ready." He held up a ball. "We'll start with a softball throw. Use your quirks however you want - just keep it in bounds."
I studied the field he indicated. Standard softball distance markers, but something felt off about this whole setup.
"Nakamura," Aizawa called. "You're up first."
"Why me?"
"Because you're still analyzing the field instead of paying attention."
I blinked. He'd noticed that?
"Well?" Aizawa tossed me the ball. "Show us what you can do."
I weighed the ball in my hand, studying its worn surface. Standard issue, probably from the sports equipment room. Nothing special about it.
"Any day now," Aizawa said, his tone suggesting he'd rather be napping.
"Just getting a feel for it," I replied, stepping into the circle. The distance markers stretched out before me, familiar from middle school fitness tests. But this wasn't middle school anymore.
I glanced at the ball, then at Aizawa. "No restrictions besides keeping it in bounds?"
He stared back, unblinking. "Use your quirk however you want."
"Cool." I grinned, activating my quirk. The lotus in my eyes spun lazily as I mapped the space between my hand and the far end of the field. Simple enough - just had to create the right pathway.
"Sometime today, Nakamura."
"Yeah, yeah." I wound up, channeling power into the throw. The lotus spun faster as I opened a spatial circuit, extending infinitely between my hand and a point about 770 meters out. The ball would travel through that space instantly, maintaining its momentum but bypassing air resistance.
I threw.
The ball vanished in a flash of geometric light, reappearing with a sharp crack as it hit the ground well past the standard markers. A small cloud of dust marked its landing point.
Aizawa held up a device showing the distance: 784.9 meters.
"Whoa!" Kaminari shouted. "That's insane!"
"Not bad," Todo nodded approvingly.
"Could've gone further, but you said to keep it in bounds."
"Holy crap," someone whispered. "Is this what UA students are like?"
Aizawa's expression hadn't changed. "An efficient use of your quirk. But raw power isn't everything." He addressed the whole class. "You all think you're here because you're special. Because your quirks make you strong."
The excited murmurs died down.
"You're wrong." His eyes gleamed. "Life isn't fair. Neither is hero work. Some of you have quirks perfectly suited for this test. Others don't. That's reality."
I stepped back to rejoin the group, noting how some students shifted uncomfortably.
"But that's not fair!" someone protested. "How can we compete if-"
"Fair?" Aizawa's voice could have frozen hell. "Was it fair when the Hokkaido Disaster killed thirty civilians because the heroes on scene had flashy quirks but no rescue training? Was it fair when the Shibuya Incident ended with three dead heroes because they couldn't adapt their quirks to the situation?"
Silence fell over the field.
"You want to be heroes?" He gestured at the ball. "Prove it. Show me how you'll overcome the unfairness of reality. Because out there, villains won't care if your quirk isn't 'suited' for the situation."
"He's right," Midoriya muttered, scribbling frantically in his notebook. "Different quirks have different applications, so we need to-"
"Midoriya," Aizawa cut in. "You're next."
Midoriya jumped, nearly dropping his notebook. "M-me?"
"Unless there's another Midoriya here."
"Right! Yes! Of course!" He scrambled forward, accepting the ball with shaking hands.
I watched curiously. Despite Todo's earlier questioning, I hadn't seen Midoriya use his quirk yet. Based on his build and movement patterns, it was probably strength-related, but something felt off about his nervous behavior.
Midoriya stood in the circle, muttering to himself. "Okay, if I adjust the angle and account for wind resistance..."
"Today, Midoriya."
"Sorry!" He wound up for the throw, his form surprisingly good despite his nervousness.
The throw itself was... normal. Completely ordinary. The ball landed at 46 meters.
"Huh?" Kaminari blinked. "Did he forget to use his quirk?"
Midoriya stared at his hand, looking lost. "I- I don't understand. I was trying to-"
"I erased your quirk."
We all turned to Aizawa. His hair was floating, capture scarf unwinding, and his eyes glowed red. The yellow goggles around his neck suddenly made sense.
"Eraser Head," I breathed. The underground hero who could temporarily erase quirks. No wonder he was teaching at UA.
"You were going to break your arm again, weren't you?" Aizawa's eyes bored into Midoriya. "Just like the entrance exam."
Midoriya flinched.
"I watched the footage. You have no control over your quirk. What kind of hero incapacitates himself with one attack?"
"I- I can still-"
"No." Aizawa's scarf shot out, wrapping around Midoriya and dragging him closer. "Listen carefully. You have potential. But potential means nothing if you destroy yourself using it. A hero who can only help once isn't a hero at all."
He released Midoriya, his hair settling. "I'm giving you one more chance. Don't waste it."
Midoriya's hands shook as he picked up the ball again. The rest of us watched in tense silence. Whatever his quirk was, it clearly had serious drawbacks.
"Come on, Midoriya," I muttered. Something about his determination resonated with me.
He took a deep breath, stepping into the circle. His stance changed subtly - more focused, less nervous energy.
The throw started normally. Then, at the last possible instant, his index finger glowed with power. The ball rocketed skyward, leaving a trail of displaced air.
795.3 meters.
"Holy shit," Kaminari whispered.
Midoriya stood there, holding up his clearly broken finger, and grinned through the pain. "I can still move!"
Aizawa's expression shifted slightly - the closest thing to approval I'd seen from him. "Anyone else want to complain about fairness?"
==========
[Next time on "My Hero Academia: Limitless"]
"Is this thing on?" I tapped it twice, wincing at the feedback. "Right, hey everyone! Yoichi here, coming to you live from... wherever this preview booth is. They just shoved me in here and said to hype up the next part."
I shuffled through some papers
"Let's see... oh man, you guys are not ready for what happens next. We've got explosions, ice, gravity defiance - Midoriya might even keep all his fingers intact this time! No promises though."
"Nakamura-kun!" Iida's voice cut in from somewhere off-screen. "Please maintain professional decorum while representing U.A.!"
"Glasses, how did you even get in here? This is supposed to be my solo preview."
"As class representative-"
"We haven't even voted yet!"
"Nevertheless! The proper protocol for episode previews-"
"Yo, is this where we hype up the next part?" Pikachu poked his head in. "Because I've got some sick one-liners prepared-"
"Out!" I pointed at the door. "Both of you, out! I'm trying to do a thing here!"
"But-"
"No buts! This is my preview booth!"
The sounds of shuffling and protesting faded as security finally removed them
"Sorry about that, folks. Where was I? Right - next time, we're diving into the second half of Aizawa-sensei's quirk assessment test. Will Midoriya survive? Will Todo stop asking everyone about their type? Will I ever get through one scene without someone commenting on my-"
"Your devastatingly handsome features?" Todo's voice drifted in through the ventilation shaft.
"How are you- you know what, never mind. Stay tuned for 'U.A.'s Quirkiest Home Videos' or whatever we're calling this! Don't forget to drop those power stones and add us to your library! This is Yoichi Nakamura signing off before Todo breaks in and-"
"Speaking of breaking in, have you noticed how Kaori-san-"
Static filled the screen as sounds of struggle ensued
Note: No U.A. students were harmed in the making of this preview. Except maybe Todo. But he had it coming.