Musutafu, Four Years Later
At fourteen years old, Hiroshi Tanaka was ready. He'd spent the last decade, his entire second life, preparing for this exact moment: the day of UA's entrance exam. The sun was barely up, and the crisp morning air carried a quiet sense of anticipation. Hiroshi stood outside the gates of UA High School, sketchpad tucked securely under his arm, his fingers itching to create something incredible.
Around him, dozens of other applicants gathered, their voices buzzing with excitement and nerves. Some kids stretched their arms or legs, a few tested their Quirks on nearby objects, and others simply fidgeted, their gazes fixed on the towering school building. Hiroshi didn't need to test his abilities, he already knew what he was capable of.
"Hey, Ink Geek!"
Hiroshi turned to see Bakugo Katsuki stomping toward him, wearing his usual scowl. His hair was as spiky and unruly as ever, and his trademark confidence radiated off him in waves.
"Boom Boy," Hiroshi greeted with a smirk. "You ready to blow up the competition?"
"Damn right I am," Bakugo said, crossing his arms. "Don't slow me down."
"I'd be more worried about you keeping up," Hiroshi shot back, adjusting the strap of his backpack.
"Guys!" a familiar voice called out.
Midoriya Izuku ran up to them, panting slightly as he clutched his notebook. Over the years, he'd grown taller and more confident, though he still carried that nervous energy that Hiroshi found oddly endearing.
"Made it just in time, huh, Green Bean?" Hiroshi teased.
Midoriya smiled sheepishly. "I wanted to get here early, but I got caught up reviewing some of my notes…"
"Of course you did," Hiroshi said, rolling his eyes.
"Deku, stop acting like this is a pop quiz," Bakugo snapped. "It's real now. If you screw up, you're done."
Midoriya flinched but nodded. "R-right. I know."
Hiroshi placed a hand on Midoriya's shoulder, grinning. "Relax, Green Bean. You've been analyzing heroes and Quirks since you could walk. You've got this."
Midoriya smiled back, his nerves easing slightly. "Thanks, Hiroshi."
The first part of the entrance exam was a written test, which Hiroshi approached with the kind of enthusiasm one might have for getting a root canal.
"This is so boring," he muttered under his breath, scribbling answers onto the test paper.
Midoriya, seated a few rows ahead, was completely absorbed in his work, his pen flying across the page. Bakugo, on the other hand, looked like he was one bad question away from setting his desk on fire.
When the exam finally ended, Hiroshi leaned back in his chair with a relieved sigh. "Glad that's over."
"Don't get too comfortable," Bakugo said as they filed out of the classroom. "The real test is next."
Hiroshi grinned. "Good. I'm ready to stretch my legs."
Hiroshi, Bakugo, and Midoriya stood in a massive room filled with other applicants. Everyone's attention was focused on the stage, where a larger-than-life hologram of Present Mic, the pro hero, explained the rules of the practical exam.
"All right, listeners!" Present Mic's voice boomed. "Here's how it's gonna go down! You'll be dropped into a simulated city, where you'll face off against robotic villains worth different point values. Destroy as many as you can to rack up points! But don't forget, saving people is also part of being a hero!"
The hologram shifted to show the types of robots: one-pointers, two-pointers, and three-pointers. Then it displayed the massive zero-point robot, which Present Mic warned wasn't worth any points and was better avoided.
"Good luck out there, future heroes!" Present Mic finished with a flourish, and the crowd began murmuring with excitement.
"Finally," Hiroshi said, stretching his arms. "Time to show them what I've got."
Midoriya looked slightly pale but determined. "I just have to focus on saving people. That's what a hero does, right?"
"Damn straight," Hiroshi said, patting him on the back.
Bakugo smirked, sparks crackling in his palms. "Stay out of my way, Deku."
The gates to the simulated city opened with a loud clang, and the students surged forward. Hiroshi hung back for a moment, letting Bakugo charge ahead with his explosions, clearing the path like a wrecking ball.
"Typical," Hiroshi muttered, flipping open his sketchpad. He quickly drew a pair of sleek, mechanical panthers, their inked bodies glowing faintly as they sprang to life.
"Let's hunt, boys," he said, pointing toward a nearby cluster of one-point robots.
The panthers darted forward, their claws tearing through the robots with precision. Sparks flew as the machines crumpled to the ground, and Hiroshi's point tally ticked upward.
"Nice," he said, grinning. "Now for something bigger."
He flipped to a new page, sketching a massive centipede with spiked legs and glowing eyes. The creature slithered out of the sketchpad, towering over the smaller robots as it barreled through them. Hiroshi followed closely, directing its movements with a series of sharp hand gestures.
"Ten points, fifteen, twenty…" he muttered, keeping track of his score. "Not bad."
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Meanwhile, Midoriya was running through the simulated city, dodging debris and trying to find opportunities to help. His lack of a Quirk made it difficult to destroy robots, but he focused on what he could do, helping other students who were pinned down or overwhelmed.
"Thank you!" a girl with a minor injury said as Midoriya helped her to her feet.
"It's no problem!" Midoriya replied, scanning the area for more people in need.
________________________________
As Hiroshi destroyed another robot, a loud rumbling sound caught his attention. He turned to see the massive zero-point robot towering over the city, its enormous frame casting a shadow over the battlefield.
"Holy crap," he muttered, his heart racing.
Students screamed and scattered as the robot began tearing through buildings, its mechanical limbs crushing everything in its path.
Hiroshi hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to stay away. The robot wasn't worth any points, there was no logical reason to fight it.
Then he saw her.
A girl with shoulder-length brown hair was trapped under a pile of rubble, her face pale as the robot loomed closer.
"Damn it," Hiroshi muttered, flipping open his sketchpad.
He sketched rapidly, the lines coming together to form a massive bird with wide, powerful wings. As the final detail was added, the bird sprang to life and swooped toward the girl, lifting the rubble off her with its talons.
"Get out of here!" Hiroshi shouted as the bird shielded her from the robot's next attack.
The girl scrambled to safety, shouting a shaky, "Thank you!"
Hiroshi turned his attention to the zero-point robot, sweat dripping down his face. "All right, big guy. Let's see if you can handle this."
He drew furiously, creating a towering knight armed with a massive sword. The knight charged at the robot, its blade gleaming as it clashed with the machine's metal limbs.
"Come on, hold together," Hiroshi muttered, his hands trembling as he poured every ounce of focus into the creation.
The knight's sword struck true, severing one of the robot's arms. Sparks flew, and the massive machine began to crumble, its body falling to the ground in a heap of twisted metal.
Hiroshi collapsed onto his knees, breathing hard. Around him, the simulated city was silent.
"Did I… actually pull that off?" he muttered, staring at the wreckage.
Cheers erupted from the nearby students, and Hiroshi couldn't help but grin.
"I guess I did."
Izuku Midoriya (Green Bean)
Izuku's heart pounded in his chest as he darted between collapsing buildings, rubble falling all around him. His lack of a Quirk wasn't news to anyone, especially himself, but today, standing in the shadow of the zero-point robot, it felt like the most glaring truth in the world.
"Stay calm," he muttered under his breath, gripping his notebook tightly. "Focus on saving people. That's how I can stand out."
It was easier said than done. Everywhere he looked, students with incredible Quirks were taking down robots with ease. A girl turned the ground to quicksand, trapping a group of two-point bots. Another boy launched lasers from his hands, cutting through a horde of one-point bots like a knife through butter.
And then there was Hiroshi.
Izuku caught sight of him summoning a massive bird to lift rubble off a girl trapped in the debris. The bird shimmered with an otherworldly glow, its inky feathers rippling as it moved.
"That's incredible…" Izuku whispered, his admiration momentarily distracting him from the chaos.
He shook his head, snapping himself out of it. "Focus, Midoriya!"
Not far from him, a boy with sharp claws was pinned beneath a fallen streetlight. Izuku sprinted over, adrenaline drowning out his fear.
"I've got you!" he said, planting his feet and pushing against the streetlight with all his strength.
The boy groaned, trying to wriggle free. "Hurry! That big robot's coming this way!"
Izuku's arms burned, but he gritted his teeth and pushed harder. "Almost… there!"
Finally, the streetlight shifted, and the boy scrambled out from underneath it. "Thanks, man!"
Izuku offered a shaky smile. "No problem. Be careful!"
The boy nodded and took off, leaving Izuku standing alone in the street. He glanced over his shoulder at the zero-point robot, its massive frame looming closer.
"I need to find more people to help," Izuku muttered, his eyes scanning the area. His gaze landed on Hiroshi again, just as the ink knight he had summoned struck the robot with its massive sword.
The sheer audacity of it left Izuku speechless. "He's actually fighting it…"
Hiroshi's creations were incredible, but Izuku knew how much strain they put on him. Watching Hiroshi pour everything he had into taking down the zero-pointer was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
"I have to do more," Izuku thought, determination sparking in his chest. He turned and ran toward the sound of distant cries for help, leaving Hiroshi to finish what he started.
Katsuki Bakugo (Boom Boy)
"Damn nerd," Katsuki muttered under his breath as he obliterated another group of robots with an explosive blast. The air around him shimmered with heat, and smoke curled off his palms.
He didn't need to glance at the leaderboard to know he was racking up points faster than most of these losers. His explosions tore through the competition, leaving him grinning like a madman as he barreled through the simulated city.
But even with his head start, he couldn't ignore him.
"Stupid Ink Geek," Katsuki growled as he caught sight of Hiroshi in the distance, his ridiculous giant bird lifting rubble off some random girl.
Katsuki scoffed. "Show-off."
Not that Katsuki would ever admit it, but Hiroshi's powers were impressive. Annoyingly so. The guy could summon practically anything he could draw, which made him unpredictable in a fight. And Katsuki hated unpredictable.
He blasted his way through a pair of three-point robots, sending their shattered remains flying. His tally kept climbing, but Katsuki wasn't satisfied. He wanted more.
And then the zero-pointer appeared.
The massive robot crashed through the city like a wrecking ball, its mechanical limbs smashing buildings with ease. Most of the students scattered, but Katsuki stood his ground, his grin widening.
"Finally, something worth blowing up," he muttered, his palms sparking.
He launched himself into the air, explosions propelling him upward. The robot's head loomed in front of him, and Katsuki pulled back both hands, ready to unleash a devastating blast.
But before he could attack, he caught sight of Hiroshi's ink knight charging at the robot's legs.
"What the hell is he doing?" Katsuki muttered, twisting mid-air to watch.
The ink knight swung its sword, severing one of the robot's limbs in a single, powerful strike. Katsuki clicked his tongue in irritation. "Trying to steal my thunder, huh?"
He landed on a nearby rooftop, watching as the robot began to collapse. Hiroshi was on his knees, clearly drained, but still wearing that stupid smug grin.
Katsuki crossed his arms, his scowl deepening. "Tch. Show-off and an idiot. You're lucky you didn't pass out."
After the Exam
The three of them met up outside the exam hall, where the other applicants were buzzing with excitement or despair. Hiroshi looked exhausted but triumphant, leaning against a wall with his sketchpad tucked under one arm.
"Well," he said with a grin, "that was fun."
"Fun?" Izuku repeated, his eyes wide. "You fought the zero-pointer! That was terrifying!"
"And awesome," Hiroshi added.
"You're lucky you didn't keel over, Ink Geek," Katsuki said, glaring at him. "That big-ass knight of yours could've wiped you out."
"Yeah, but it didn't," Hiroshi shot back, smirking. "And you've gotta admit, Boom Boy, it was pretty cool."
Katsuki grunted, looking away. "Tch. Whatever."
Izuku looked between them, his notebook clutched to his chest. "You both did amazing. I can't believe how strong you've both gotten."
"You weren't too bad yourself, Green Bean," Hiroshi said, giving him a thumbs-up. "I saw you helping those kids out there. That's real hero stuff."
Izuku flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just… did what I could."
"And that's what counts," Hiroshi said.
"Stop babying him, Ink Geek," Katsuki snapped. "He's gotta learn to toughen up if he's gonna keep up with us."
"I'm standing right here, Kacchan," Izuku muttered.
"Good!" Katsuki barked.
Hiroshi laughed, shaking his head. "You two are gonna kill me one day."
As the three of them headed home, the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. Whatever the future held, Hiroshi knew one thing for sure: with these two by his side, life was never going to be boring.
Teachers POV (practically everyone If i still remember my MHA lore)
The viewing room was silent, save for the quiet hum of machinery and the occasional scribble of notes. Inside, several UA teachers, including Eraser Head, Present Mic, and the towering figure of All Might, stood watching the live feed of the entrance exam on multiple screens. Each display showed different sections of the simulated city where aspiring heroes battled robots, saved simulated victims, and showcased their Quirks.
"They're a lively bunch this year," Present Mic said, his voice far quieter than usual as he leaned over the console.
"Lively's one way to put it," Aizawa replied, his tone dry as he sipped his coffee. His tired eyes scanned the monitors, locking on one particular feed. "What about that one?" He gestured to a screen displaying a boy with messy black hair and a sketchpad in his hands.
"Oh, Hiroshi Tanaka," Midnight said, flipping through her stack of applicant profiles. "Fourteen years old. Quirk: Illustration Animation. Claims he can bring his drawings to life."
"He's not claiming it. He's doing it," Snipe pointed out, watching as the boy's ink knight clashed with the massive zero-point robot.
"Impressive detail," Cementoss said, folding his arms. "He's controlling it with precision, and he's using it strategically, not just for brute force."
"Look at how stable that knight is," Power Loader added, adjusting his goggles. "Most students with similar quirks tend to lose control of large constructs after a few seconds. This kid's been keeping it together long enough to take down the zero-pointer."
All Might watched the screen intently, his arms crossed and his face serious. "It's not just the control. He's creative, too. Most students would avoid the zero-pointer entirely, but he saw an opportunity to save that girl trapped under the rubble and acted without hesitation. That's hero material right there."
"Maybe," Aizawa said, narrowing his eyes. "But there's something off about his Quirk."
"What do you mean?" Midnight asked, raising an eyebrow.
Aizawa gestured at the screen. "It's too… versatile. Quirks have limits, rules. Most abilities like his have some kind of restriction, like only being able to animate certain materials or having a set time limit. But this kid? He's drawing massive constructs, giving them complex designs, and keeping them stable in a high-stress situation. And he's doing it without showing signs of collapse."
Cementoss nodded slowly. "You're right. Even experienced heroes with emitter-type Quirks struggle with stamina in situations like this. But Tanaka's been at it for a while now, and he's still on his feet."
"Not to mention the variety," Power Loader added. "In the last ten minutes alone, he's summoned a bird, a centipede, and that giant knight. That kind of versatility is… unusual."
Present Mic grinned. "Maybe he's just that talented!"
"Maybe," Aizawa said, though his tone suggested otherwise.
A Few Monitors Over
Another screen showed Bakugo Katsuki tearing through robots with explosions that lit up the entire block. His movements were aggressive and relentless, his points rapidly climbing.
"That kid's a powerhouse," Midnight remarked. "But he's got a temper."
"He's got skill, though," All Might said, nodding approvingly. "His reflexes, his control over his explosions, it's impressive for someone his age."
"Yeah, but he's reckless," Aizawa said, his tone flat. "If we don't teach him how to dial it back, he's going to burn himself out, or worse."
"And over there…" Midnight said, pointing to another screen showing Izuku Midoriya pulling a student out of harm's way. "Quirkless kid. He's not racking up points, but he's prioritizing rescue efforts."
Aizawa hummed in thought. "That's rare for an applicant. Most of them are so focused on destroying robots that they forget about the rescue aspect of the exam."
"He's got heart," All Might said softly, his gaze lingering on Midoriya. "He's proving that being a hero isn't just about power."
Back to Hiroshi's Screen
The room fell silent again as Hiroshi's ink knight delivered its final blow to the zero-pointer, severing its arm with a powerful strike. The massive robot crumbled, its broken frame sending up a cloud of dust as it hit the ground.
Hiroshi collapsed to his knees, visibly drained but grinning.
"Look at that," Present Mic said, his voice full of admiration. "Kid just took down the biggest obstacle in the test and saved someone in the process."
"But at what cost?" Aizawa asked. "He's completely spent. If there was another threat, he wouldn't be able to defend himself."
"That's what training's for," All Might said, his tone firm. "What matters is that he acted when it counted. He's got the instincts of a hero."
"But what about his Quirk?" Midnight asked. "Aizawa's right, it is strange. Maybe he's just an outlier, but if there's more to it, we need to know."
"We'll keep an eye on him," Aizawa said, his voice tinged with suspicion. "If there's something unusual about his Quirk, it'll come out during the school year."
As the students filtered out of the simulated city and the teachers reviewed the final scores, All Might lingered by the monitors, watching the footage of Hiroshi, Bakugo, and Midoriya.
"That boy," he said, nodding at Hiroshi's screen. "He's going to be a challenge."
"Most of them will be," Aizawa replied. "But that's what UA is for."
All Might smiled. "Yes. And I think these three, Tanaka, Bakugo, and Midoriya, they're going to push each other to new heights."
"Or drive each other insane," Aizawa muttered.
Present Mic laughed. "Either way, it's gonna be fun to watch!"
The teachers returned to their notes, their interest in Hiroshi's abilities lingering in the back of their minds. Whatever secrets his Quirk held, they knew one thing for sure: this year's class was shaping up to be one for the history books.