Chapter 3: Calculated Moves
The following morning, the candidates gathered for the practical portion of the U.A. entrance exam. The arena had been reconfigured into a cityscape of scaled-down buildings, alleyways, and obstacles designed to test both combat ability and quick thinking. While most students bristled with excitement, Midoriya's eyes scanned the layout like a predator surveying its territory.
Beside him, Momo adjusted her gloves and whispered, "It's different today. More variables, more unpredictability."
Midoriya nodded subtly. "Which is why observation is more important than action right now. Watch how the others respond. Their choices will reveal their instincts, and their weaknesses."
The horn sounded, signaling the start of the exercise. Students dashed forward, some with reckless abandon, others hesitating and analyzing. Within seconds, chaos erupted. A candidate misjudged a jump and tumbled into a barricade. Another collided with a classmate, sending both sprawling to the ground.
Midoriya, however, moved with deliberate precision. Using his quirk sparingly, he altered the surface of the obstacles just enough to guide those ahead into minor mistakes—not enough to cause harm, but enough to test their reactions. He observed who adapted quickly, who panicked, and who exploited the chaos for personal gain. Every movement was a lesson.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Momo creating tools almost invisibly—bridges, supports, and defensive barriers. She was efficient, precise, and patient. Together, they moved almost as a single unit: he nudged the battlefield in subtle ways, she provided solutions only they could use. By the time other candidates reached certain checkpoints, Midoriya and Momo had already bypassed several obstacles flawlessly.
Yet it wasn't just about speed. Midoriya noticed students forming ad-hoc alliances, some out of trust, some out of desperation. He cataloged each interaction, mentally labeling who could be manipulated, who could be an ally, and who was a threat. "The people you choose to trust reveal themselves as much as the people you ignore," he muttered to Momo.
She glanced at him, curiosity in her eyes. "And you plan to exploit that?"
"Only when necessary," Midoriya replied, keeping his voice neutral. "I don't need to crush everyone. Some victories are best won quietly, unnoticed. And some lessons need to be learned without anyone realizing it."
As they approached the final stage of the exercise, a simulated villain appeared—mechanical, controlled remotely, unpredictable in movement. Many candidates froze or attacked recklessly. Midoriya stayed back, analyzing its patterns. Within moments, he realized its weak points and the trajectory of its attacks. Using his quirk, he disassembled part of the mechanical villain, reassembling it to block an incoming strike from an overzealous student. The move was subtle, unnoticed by most, but it saved several candidates from injury.
Momo's eyes widened slightly. "You…planned that all along?"
Midoriya allowed a faint smile. "Not just planned. Predicted. Timing and calculation are everything. Chaos is only dangerous to those who refuse to see its patterns."
By the end of the exercise, the majority of the students were exhausted, bruised, or discouraged. Midoriya and Momo, on the other hand, had moved with almost unnerving efficiency, yet remained unnoticed in their subtle manipulation of the exam. When the instructors tallied results, it was clear: two candidates had risen above the rest—not through raw power, but through foresight, precision, and calculated moves.
As they left the arena, Momo nudged him gently. "You make it seem effortless."
Midoriya glanced at her, a rare warmth in his gaze. "Effortless isn't the same as easy. It's about seeing what others miss…and deciding what to do with it."
The city outside the arena glittered in the afternoon sun, oblivious to the minds already plotting within its walls. In that moment, Midoriya knew the game had only begun—and he was already several moves ahead.