Chapter 9: The Stage is Set
The first part of the U.A. High entrance exam was not fought in a sprawling cityscape against giant robots, but in the silent, cerebral arena of an examination hall. For three grueling hours, hundreds of applicants were tested on mathematics, literature, history, and science. For many, it was a necessary, tedious hurdle before the main event. For Minato, it was a return to a familiar battlefield. This was the world he had prepared for his entire life before his Quirk ever manifested—a world of logic, facts, and quiet concentration. He moved through the questions with the same calm efficiency he now applied to his training, his pencil marking the answers with quiet confidence.
When the written exams concluded, the students were guided into a colossal auditorium. The room was cavernous and dark, the only illumination coming from a gigantic screen on the stage. The tension was a physical thing, a heavy blanket of anticipation pressing down on the hundreds of examinees seated in neat rows.
Suddenly, the stage lights flared to life, revealing a single man with a tower of spiky blond hair, a pair of headphones around his neck, and tinted sunglasses.
"HEEEEEEEY, LISTENERS! WELCOME TO TODAY'S LIVE PERFORMANCE!" the Pro Hero, Present Mic, bellowed, his voice amplified by his Quirk to a level that vibrated in everyone's chest. "CAN I GET A 'HEY'?"
Silence. A cricket could have chirped and been heard.
Present Mic slumped slightly. "Tough crowd. Alright, let's get right to it, you future heroes! We're about to run down the rules of your practical exam! ARE YOU REAAAADYYYY?!"
More silence. Minato, seated in the middle of the hall, simply watched, his analytical mind processing the hero's high-energy persona as just another variable. His gaze drifted, scanning the other applicants. He saw the nervous, green-haired boy from the news report a few rows ahead, muttering furiously to himself as he clutched a notebook. He saw the other blond, the explosive one from the same report, leaning back in his seat with a contemptuous sneer, radiating an aura of violent confidence.
On the screen behind Present Mic, a pixelated graphic of a city appeared, along with images of three distinct types of robots.
"Like your application says, you'll be rocking a ten-minute mock urban battle after this!" Present Mic explained. "You can bring whatever you want with you! After the presentation, you'll head to your specified battle center, okay?!"
Minato glanced at the card he'd been given. Battle Center B.
"We'll be throwing three types of faux-villains at you! Each one is worth a different point value! Your goal is to use your Quirks to rack up points by immobilizing them! And of course, attacking other examinees is a big no-no, ya dig?!"
A tall, serious-looking boy with glasses a few rows down shot to his feet, his hand raised ramrod straight. "Excuse me, sir, a question!"
Present Mic pointed at him. "HIT ME!"
"On the printout, there are four types of villains listed, not three!" he declared, his voice booming with earnest intensity. "If this is a misprint on official U.A. materials, it is highly shameful! We are all here today as exemplary students, and we expect the pinnacle of Japanese education to be equally flawless!" He then spun around, pointing a rigid finger at the muttering green-haired boy. "And you, with the curly hair! You have been muttering this entire time! It is distracting! If you are not taking this seriously, then you should leave!"
The green-haired boy squeaked in terror, covering his mouth. Several students snickered. Minato watched the exchange, his expression unchanging. Observant, values order, and isn't afraid of confrontation. A by-the-book type.
Present Mic gave the serious boy a thumbs-up. "Okay, okay, Examinee 7111! Thanks for the great call-out! The fourth villain type is the Zero-Pointer! It's worth, well, zero points! Think of it as an obstacle, a gimmick you're better off avoiding! I recommend you run from it!"
The serious boy bowed. "Thank you very much, sir! I apologize for the interruption!" He sat down.
Minato's eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on the silhouette of the Zero-Pointer on the screen. It was massive, far larger than the others.
An obstacle to be avoided… worth zero points. His training with Edgeshot, a man who lived and breathed strategy and subtext, kicked in. It wasn't just an obstacle. It was another test. A test of judgment. A test of resource management. And perhaps, a test of heroism itself—the decision to face an overwhelming, pointless threat to protect others.
"THAT'S ALL FROM ME!" Present Mic concluded, striking a pose. "I'll leave you with our school motto, a quote from the great hero Napoleon Bonaparte: 'A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes.' Now, go beyond! PLUS ULTRA!"
The students were dismissed, guided towards large locker rooms to change into athletic wear. The nervous energy had intensified, replaced by a focused, pre-battle hum. Minato found a quiet corner, changing quickly and efficiently. He strapped the custom pouch containing his three-pronged kunai to his hip, the cool metal a familiar and reassuring weight. He didn't stretch or jump around. He simply stood, closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing, finding the calm, serene core of his power. The world outside him could be a storm of chaos and ambition; inside, he was the tranquil center.
Soon, they were led out through long, concrete tunnels into the open air. Before them stood the towering gates of Battle Center B. It was a breathtaking sight—an entire, sprawling city built for the sole purpose of being broken, a concrete jungle waiting to become a proving ground.
Dozens of other applicants stood around him, all staring up at the faux-skyscrapers with a mixture of awe and terror. The serious boy with glasses was performing high-speed leg stretches. The round-faced, cheerful girl was clapping her hands together, a look of fierce determination on her face.
Minato took a single, three-pronged kunai from his pouch, the seal on its handle seeming to hum with latent energy.
A voice, amplified and echoing from unseen speakers, boomed across the silence. It was Present Mic.
"ALRIGHT, START!"
Silence. Everyone looked around in confusion.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER?! THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN A REAL FIGHT! RUN! RUUUUN!"
The collective realization hit. In an instant, the frozen crowd exploded into motion, a stampede of Quirks and desperate ambition surging past the gates.
Minato watched them go for a single, measured second. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he hurled his kunai. It sailed over the heads of the sprinting crowd, a silver glint against the blue sky, arcing towards a rooftop deep within the city.
Just before it began its descent, Minato vanished.
Flash.
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