The gates of U.A. High School stood like a colossal monument—a testament that the world was still turning.
To Marumine, they resembled nothing less than a tombstone. And if they truly were a tombstone, then his shabby outfit would serve as the floral tribute adorning it.
Worn-out sneakers with crushed soles, a sloppily untied tie at the collar, and a blazer carelessly draped over his shoulders.
His attire was a blatant insult to the honor of being a U.A. student.
Damn old fogies, why the hell did they pick me?
Oblivious to the fact that he stuck out like a sore thumb among the crowd, he muttered curses under his breath, picturing the idiotic grin of the person who had stamped “Pass” on his perfect zero-point answer sheet.
Soon enough, he arrived at the auditorium, filled with the dreary, solemn air of an entrance ceremony.
Principal Nezu’s formal welcome was followed by an interminable rundown of school rules by the head of year. Tori slumped in the back row, stifling a yawn while idly fingering the dirt under his nails.
Every speech was nothing more than a barrage of empty platitudes—“the greatest heroes,” “the PLUS ULTRA spirit,” “devotion to society.”
These were the same tired slogans he had heard over and over at home.
He didn’t really care to understand them, yet he had memorized every word.
Tori thought to himself,
Maybe the personality test was the problem.
In short, his family’s relentless ideology had worn him down. He wasn’t eager to be a hero, but looking like one was hardly a challenge.
Not blaming his own academic shortcomings was just like him—after all, he’d charmed far too many girls with his smarts to admit any weakness.
Lost in thought, he barely noticed when the ceremony ended; not a single moment of it lodged in his memory.
He meandered through the bustling corridors until he found the sign for Class 1-A, with the characters “1-A” boldly engraved on a massive door.
He sighed and hesitated at the threshold. Beyond that door, his tedious and troublesome high school existence would officially begin.
Before he could decide, a booming voice shouted from behind him.
"Out of the way, extra! Don’t block the path!"
No glance was needed—he recognized that spiky-haired kid from the exam, notorious for his explosive antics. Annoyed, Tori shifted aside.
The blond student didn’t spare him a look as he flung open the classroom door, then sauntered to a corner desk and nonchalantly propped his feet up on it.
I am definitely not getting involved with him.
Entangling himself with that kind of trouble was a one-way ticket to disaster. Before Marumine could even scout for a decent seat, another shout split the air.
"Get your feet off that desk! Do you have no respect for the U.A. upperclassmen and for those who built these desks?!"
A bespectacled student—an archetype of the model scholar—was yelling at the spiky-headed kid at the top of his lungs.
"Hah? And who the hell are you to boss me around? What middle school did you attend, side-character?"
"I’m from Somei Private Academy! Iida Tenya, at your service!"
"Somei? You’re one of those damn elites! You’re pissing me off—I’ll crush you!"
Amid their petty bickering, Marumine made his way toward the vacant window seat at the very back—the prime spot among prime spots. He wasn’t even early, so the seat’s availability wasn’t luck but rather the nature of U.A.; these hot-blooded, Plus Ultra, aspiring heroes hardly ever cared for a back-row view.
No sooner had Marumine settled in and stowed his bag than Iida Tenya advanced on him.
"You’re…!"
Iida pointed at Tori and exclaimed,
"The one from the exam center…! You… you…"
He faltered momentarily, unsure how to address Tori, then dismissed the small details and bellowed confidently,
"It seems you were the only one who grasped the true meaning of the test! I completely missed it!"
Bowing deeply, he added,
"No one saw you in a fight, yet you passed! That means you understood that the real objective was about earning those ‘rescue points’!"
The rationale was simple:
"A warm heart that puts others first, a free spirit unbound by the examiner’s words, and the ability to trust your own judgment and act on it! I respect you!"
Tori could only stare blankly at him, perplexed by his sudden passion and rivalry.
What the hell is he even talking about?
Marumine almost felt compelled to correct Iida’s misunderstanding, but he let it go—too much effort for nothing.
At that moment, a bright voice rang out from the doorway.
"Ah! That messy hair!"
When he turned, a girl with a perky brown bob and an adorably round face was waving at him. He recognized her from the exam.
"You sat in front of me during the written test, right? I’m Uraraka Ochako! Nice to meet you!"
She beamed warmly, entirely unguarded.
Ah, she’s cute.
He liked girls—though not the noble, brawling hero types, just the regular ones he could enjoy without any serious commitment.
Let’s just enjoy the view for now.
A woman consumed by jealousy is a terrifying sight.
Behind her, a diverse array of students with unique Quirks streamed into the classroom—a girl with pink skin and tiny horns, a chic girl sporting earphone jacks instead of earrings, a well-built ponytailed girl, and others.
Marumine’s face relaxed into a rare, peaceful smile.
Ah.
This was healing.
The standard at U.A. was impressively high.
The classroom quickly buzzed with new faces and excited chatter, while Tori remained isolated in the center of the clamor, contentedly admiring the girls around him.
Then it happened.
"If you’re here to socialize, take it somewhere else."
At the doorway stood a man swathed in a yellow sleeping bag, bundled like a caterpillar. He was sucking on an energy jelly from within the bag as he spoke, his voice lethargic and drained. Yet the instant his words rang out, all the chatter in the room fell eerily silent.
"Time is limited. You kids lack rationality."
The man unzipped his sleeping bag and stood up, revealing messy long black hair and tired eyes rimmed with deep dark circles.
It was the Pro Hero, Eraser Head.
"I’m your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shota. Nice to meet you," he announced.
That was all he said for his introduction. With a swift motion, he pulled a blue gym uniform from his sleeping bag and tossed it forward.
"Change into these immediately and report to the grounds."
"Wh-whaaat?!"
Most of the students erupted in confused shouts.
"The entrance ceremony just ended! What about orientation?!"
"No time to waste on such irrational events."
Aizawa dismissed their protests with a casual shrug.
"Are you really going to stress about that when you’re supposed to become heroes? U.A. prides itself on its freewheeling traditions. That means I, as your teacher, have the freedom to run my class my own way."
He scanned the room, his gaze lingering briefly on Tori in the back.
Tori sensed a peculiar meaning behind that look.
Is it that guy?
Marumine had a hunch.
The person who had the misfortune of seating him here was most likely that very man.
Those eyes—intensely rational and obsessed with merit—belonged to a corporate-minded man who had probably accepted him into U.A. on the slim hope of some potential.
Why did I have to get stuck with someone like that...
It was nothing short of sheer misfortune.
The aroma of dust on the training field mingled with the harsh spring sunlight.
The students, now in their gym clothes, lined up in front of Aizawa.
"From now on, we will conduct a Quirk Apprehension Test."
At his declaration, the room buzzed with renewed energy.
"A Quirk Apprehension Test?!"
"Is it like a fitness test? Like back in middle school?"
"Yes. But this isn’t your ordinary fitness test."
Because at U.A., tests were conducted using Quirks.
"The categories to be measured are: the 50m dash, grip strength, the standing long jump, repeated side-steps, and the ball throw. Additional measures can be taken if requested, but essentially, you’ll be using your Quirks to measure these feats."
In addition to the five fundamental virtues required of a hero, this test was designed to assess each student’s unique Quirk.
It was a test steeped in Aizawa’s trademark rationality.
At these words, a murmur ran through the students.
The prevailing sentiment among most was,
"Wow, this looks like fun!"
Using their Quirks meant pushing their limits beyond what was humanly possible.
Explosions. Levitation. Acceleration. Adhesion.
With Quirks, records could easily surpass human boundaries.
"Being able to use our Quirks freely! U.A. really is something else!"
Watching the students chatter excitedly, Aizawa’s lips curled into a chilling smirk.
"So you think it’s fun, do you...?"
His tone turned as cold as ice.
"Do you honestly believe that three years of hero training can be managed with a half-hearted attitude? Fine—then the student with the lowest overall performance, who shows no excellence in any area, will be deemed hopeless and expelled."
"Expul—?!"
Several voices erupted in unison. Expulsion on the very first day was unheard of.
Aizawa spoke matter-of-factly,
"This is U.A."
Running his hand through his hair, he continued,
"In a world where disasters, villains, and chaos are the norm, our job is to challenge conventional wisdom. Now, show me what you’ve got. Plus Ultra."
A ripple of emotions swept through the students as they began warming up with determined expressions.
Amid the commotion, Marumine Tori seemed to exist in his own world.
What??? Expulsion?????????????????
This was his chance.
Deep down, Tori silently offered an apology to Aizawa,
Sorry, mister!
You really are a good guy!
Marumine began to seriously ponder, “How can I score just low enough without drawing attention?” To him, the word “expulsion” was oddly promising.
First up was the 50m dash.
A test of raw speed. Watching his classmates sprint, a genuine, mischievous smile spread across Marumine’s face.
Fast—so fast.
Incredibly fast.
Those were some impressive Quirks indeed.
Marumine grinned broadly, his expression almost unsettling in its pleasantness.
Even the girls who didn’t rely on Quirks were surprisingly swift, fast enough to keep pace with him.
But that smile faded as soon as he realized he’d eventually have to run himself.
Ah.
Running...
I hate it......
As if he had been waiting for the moment, Aizawa called out,
"Next, Marumine."
All eyes converged on him—Aizawa’s unyielding stare and the curious glances of his peers. Tori sighed softly and then adopted a resolute expression as he stepped forward.
This was no feigned emotion he reserved for family or acquaintances.
Marumine was completely serious.
Depending on his performance, that stern, almost angelic mister might very well send him packing.
PLUS ULTRA.
For the right to a better sleep tomorrow than today.
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