Chapter 02: Room
The faint light of dawn bathed the UA training grounds, casting long shadows across the enormous gates that separated the hopeful applicants from the arena beyond. Among them stood a young man, his expression hidden beneath the brim of a black-and-white spotted hat resembling a cow's pattern. A sharp grin curved his lips, a silent expression of both confidence and amusement, as Aizawa's monotone voice rang out:
"The UA Academy Entrance Exam. Zone C. Begins now!"
The students surged forward as though a dam had burst. A cacophony of footsteps echoed through the air, blending with the rustling of wind and the tension crackling between the competitors. Each student wore an assortment of outfits, ranging from casual athletic gear to custom creations. Their faces bore expressions of sheer determination, eyes steeled for the challenge ahead.
Among the rush, Trafalgar Law remained motionless, his grin lingering beneath the shade of his hat. The white athletic jacket draped over his frame fluttered in the wind as he raised his left hand before him. The five fingers of his hand curved downward, poised as though gripping an invisible sphere.
"Room," he muttered with measured calm.
The command hung in the air, but nothing happened. The once-confident smirk faltered, replaced by a fleeting frown. His hand dropped, and his eyes traced the crowd of students now far ahead.
"Not quite what I expected..." he murmured to himself, taking a slow, measured breath.
From behind, Aizawa observed the lone figure at the rear. Raising an eyebrow, the homeroom teacher's voice was as calm as it was cutting:
"Giving up already? What are you even doing here, kid?"
Law glanced over his shoulder, the faintest sheen of sweat sliding down his temple. His expression, though laced with unease, quickly shifted to one of restrained composure.
"Guess that's how things work here," he muttered under his breath.
As the moments ticked away, the pressure mounted. Law's mind raced. The crowd was already far ahead, and the gap widened with each passing second. Gritting his teeth, he broke into a sprint.
Each step was accompanied by the pounding of his heartbeat, his gaze darting forward. The competitors were diverse in both abilities and styles. Some students hovered inches above the ground, propelled by bursts of energy or sheer willpower. Others vaulted over obstacles in impossibly high arcs, while still others blurred past at inhuman speeds.
"Not bad," Law thought, his lips curving into a faint smirk despite himself.
From his vantage point, Aizawa watched the scene unfold. His dark, unblinking eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured, "It seems one of them has already fallen behind…"
Finally, Law crossed through the gate, entering the mock city that served as the testing grounds. The area stretched wide, with streets and buildings designed to mimic a bustling metropolis. The sounds of combat filled the air as robots clashed with students, their metallic frames towering over the young heroes-in-training. Sparks flew, debris scattered, and the cries of exertion mingled with the whirring of machinery.
Law skidded to a stop, taking in the chaos. His grey eyes scanned the battlefield, an unsettling calm replacing his earlier hesitation.
"Just shouting the name isn't enough. This isn't a game," he muttered, his tone edged with frustration. "The move's just a word. It only works when my will and intention align."
His eyes darted downward, landing on a small stone at his feet. Without hesitation, he crouched, picking it up between his fingers. Straightening, his gaze shifted upward, locking onto the rooftop of a nearby building. His jaw tightened, and his grip on the stone hardened.
With a sharp exhale, he hurled the stone with all his might, the small object cutting through the air and landing squarely on the rooftop.
The spark of determination ignited within him.
"That's it," he thought, extending his left hand with deliberate precision. His fingers spread, palm facing down.
"Room."
This time, the word carried weight. From his outstretched hand, a shimmering blue aura burst forth, expanding into a dome that enveloped a small portion of the battlefield.
[System Notification: Ability Activated. Welcome, Trafalgar D. Water Law, to My Hero Academia.]
Law's lips twitched into a faint smile at the robotic voice echoing in his mind.
"Yeah," he muttered, the glow of the aura reflecting in his eyes. "I already know."
But his satisfaction was short-lived. His grey eyes flickered with uncertainty as he noted the limited size of the dome. The radius barely extended five meters, a far cry from the vast range he envisioned.
Sweat slid down his temple as his mind raced. "Wait, is this… my current limit?!"
His thoughts were interrupted as a three-point robot roared into the dome, its wheels grinding against the pavement. The machine charged toward him with relentless speed, its arms raised in preparation to strike.
Law's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively adjusting the brim of his hat.
"Whatever," he muttered under his breath. "I'll figure it out as I go."
As the robot bore down on him, he flicked his hat skyward, sending it spinning into the air. The machine's clawed hand came within inches of his face when Law's fingers twitched.
"Shambles!"
In an instant, the positions of the robot and the hat swapped. The hulking machine plummeted from five meters above, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact. The concrete beneath it cracked, rendering it motionless.
Law caught his descending hat effortlessly, placing it back atop his head with a smirk. His gaze shifted to the fallen robot, its limbs twitching feebly.
"Yare yare," he said, his tone almost pitying. "Without my sword and with this limited range, I'm practically a joke. I was planning to send every robot here sky-high, but it looks like I'll have to work within my limits for now."
With a resigned shrug, he broke into a jog, heading deeper into the arena. From a distant rooftop, Aizawa observed him with quiet intrigue.
"An unusual ability," the teacher murmured, his dark eyes following the young man's progress. A faint breeze tousled Aizawa's black hair as he added, "This one might be worth watching."
.
.