MY HERO ACADEMIA: SOLE SHIFT
Chapter 3 — "Welcome to the Battlefield"
The massive gates of U.A. High loomed like the entrance to another world.
Devon Jackson paused for half a second, steadying his breath. Six years of training, doubt, sweat, and silence had led him here. He wasn't the Quirkless kid anymore.
He was sixteen.
Registered.
Focused.
And ready.
He adjusted the strap of his backpack and stepped forward into the courtyard packed with applicants, each buzzing with energy—and quirks.
Someone sprouted wings.
Someone breathed fire.
Someone juggled boulders with telekinesis.
Devon felt that old sting of being "different"… until the watch on his wrist pulsed softly, like it was reminding him:
You belong.
He smirked. "Yeah. I do."
---
First Impressions
Devon found himself walking beside a freckle-faced boy mumbling rapidly into a notebook.
"If battle robots are modeled after pro hero encounters, then scoring must reflect—oh! Um! Hi!"
It was Izuku Midoriya.
Devon raised a brow. "You good, man?"
Midoriya flushed. "S-sorry! I just get excited about hero data. I'm aiming for the Hero Course too."
Devon nodded. "Same here. Name's Devon."
Before they could shake hands—
BOOM!
A small explosion went off nearby as Katsuki Bakugo blasted past them, snarling, "Move it extras!"
Devon blinked. "Okay… dude needs therapy."
Midoriya shrank. "That's… Kacchan."
Devon shot him a look. "You hang with him?"
Midoriya coughed. "It's… complicated."
Devon shrugged. "Couldn't be me."
But before Midoriya could reply—
A cheerful voice called out, "Good luck today, you two!"
Ochaco Uraraka ran by, waving. Devon blinked in surprise—he recognized her.
"The girl from—"
Midoriya gasped. "D-Did she just—say hi? To ME?"
Devon grinned. "Bro, deep breaths."
---
Present Mic Takes the Stage
Suddenly, speakers blared.
"WHAT'S UP, FUTURE HEROES?!"
Present Mic leapt onto a platform, pointing dramatically into the sky.
"IT'S TIME FOR THE U.A. PRACTICAL EXAM—THE BATTLE TRIAL!"
Everyone tensed.
Devon rolled his shoulders.
This was it.
---
The Arena Gates
Applicants lined up in front of towering steel blast doors. Devon glanced down at his normal sneakers—clean, plain black.
He rested his thumb over the watch button.
Don't blow it too early, he told himself. Use the right form at the right time.
He'd waited six years.
He could wait another minute.
A booming buzzer sounded.
The doors rumbled open.
Present Mic shouted—
"AND GO! GO! GO! WHAT'RE YOU WAITING FOR?! THERE'S NO STARTING SIGNAL IN REAL BATTLES!"
Everyone sprinted inside—chaos exploding instantly.
Devon grinned. "Bet."
He slammed the watch.
CLICK. FLASH.
His sneakers transformed into blazing Red Jordan 1s, heat rippling off the pavement.
Form Activated: Crimson Rush.
---
Running With Purpose
Devon blasted forward like a cannon shot, the world warping into streaks of color. He zipped around corners, ricocheting off walls, launching himself over debris.
A three-pointer robot swung a steel arm at him—too slow.
Devon slid under it, spun, and kicked upward.
BOOM!
The bot shattered into scrap.
Devon skidded to a stop, chest steady, a smirk forming.
"Speed kills."
Two more bots locked onto him.
He dashed between them—zig-zagging so fast they collided into each other and exploded.
"Three points for Sole Shift," he muttered.
---
Competition Heats Up
All around him, other applicants unleashed powers:
Bakugo detonated bots midair.
A boy with tape elbows snared targets from afar.
A giant girl body-slammed a cluster.
And then—
Devon spotted Midoriya.
Still quirkless-looking.
Still scoreless.
Still running toward danger instead of away.
Something about that hit different.
But before Devon could think too much about it—
WHOOOOOM!!!
The ground shook.
Screams erupted.
Shadows swallowed the street.
---
The Zero Pointer Appears
A colossal robot towered over the arena, its footsteps collapsing buildings.
Devon's gut clenched. "They didn't mention THAT in the brochure."
Students ran. Some fell. Some froze.
Then—Devon heard it.
A voice.
"Help! I—I can't move!"
Down the street, a girl—the same girl from months ago—Uraraka—was trapped beneath rubble, ankle pinned, tears in her eyes.
Devon didn't hesitate.
He slapped the watch.
Form Switch: Volt Step.
Red shoes flashed into Blue Jordan 4s, lightning crackling around the soles.
Energy surged up his legs.
"Hang on!"
He sprinted toward her—
ZZZAAAAP!
Electricity exploded behind him as he blasted forward faster than before.
He reached her, crouching low.
"You again?!" she gasped.
Devon grinned. "Crazy, right? Let's move."
He shoved the rubble aside, muscles trembling from voltage.
"Go! Run!"
She tried—but winced in pain.
Too slow.
The Zero Pointer's shadow fell over them. The massive metal fist rose.
Devon's breath hitched.
He had two choices:
Run…
or rise.
He glanced down at his shoes—sparking, flickering, low on power.
He whispered:
"Heroes don't run."
He pushed off the ground—
BLASTING up the robot's leg, lightning crackling behind him, shoes sparking violently.
He reached the head, twisted midair—
"VOLT IMPACT!"
Both feet slammed down.
A thunderous shockwave tore through the giant.
KRA-KOOOOOM!!!
The Zero Pointer crashed into the street, dust erupting sky-high.
Silence.
Then—
Cheers.
---
Collapse
Devon stumbled, landing on his knees. His shoes dimmed—Blue fading back to black, smoke trailing off the soles.
His chest heaved. His vision blurred.
Footsteps approached.
Uraraka knelt beside him, eyes glowing with gratitude.
"You saved me… again."
Devon tried to speak but only wheezed out:
"Just—doing my job."
She smiled. "You're amazing."
A medic ran over. "Stay still! You overexerted your Quirk!"
Devon laughed weakly.
"That… tends to happen."
Then everything faded to white.
---
One Week Later
Devon sat on his bed, heart pounding as he held a slim, white envelope.
He tore it open.
A hologram flickered.
All Might appeared.
"YOUNG JACKSON!"
Devon froze.
"That display of courage and swift decision-making was remarkable! You placed 4th overall—and 2nd in rescue points!"
Devon's breath caught.
"WELCOME… TO U.A. HIGH!"
The hologram burst with confetti and fanfare.
Devon stared.
Then—
"YYYYEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!"
He jumped, shouted, spun, nearly knocked over a lamp.
His watch pulsed—
AVAILABLE FORMS: 3/12.
Devon grinned.
"Guess I'm gonna need 'em."
He looked out the window, toward U.A.'s distant silhouette.
"This is my shot."
"And I'm not wasting it."