The afternoon sun dipped low, staining the school grounds in a warm wash of deep orange.
After the whirlwind of the first day’s Quirk Apprehension Test, the Class 1-A classroom buzzed with a chaotic mix of exhilaration and fatigue. Clusters of students gathered in hushed groups, debating the test results and sharing their eager expectations for the days ahead.
"U.A. really is on a completely different level!"
"Threatening us with expulsion on the very first day? I swear, my heart nearly stopped!"
"But everyone was amazing! Especially Yaoyorozu and Todoroki!"
Amid the lively chatter, no one dared approach Marumine Tori. Seated by the window in the very last row as if enclosed by an invisible barrier, he rested his chin on his hand and stared blankly outside. Dead last. Failed to avoid expulsion. Everything had unfolded in complete opposition to his plans. His hopes for a quiet high school life had crumbled before they even began.
Damn it... things just got even more annoying.
He grumbled to himself endlessly. If he had truly been expelled, he could have at least told his parents that U.A. was a den of monsters he simply couldn’t keep up with. Now he was condemned to endure three long years among these “monstrous” classmates, burdened with the disgrace of being the very last.
His self-pity was interrupted by a conversation drifting from a corner of the room. At its center were Kirishima Eijiro, with his unmistakable spiky red hair; Kaminari Denki, whose yellow hair was streaked with a black lightning bolt; and Sero Hanta, whose unusual elbows mysteriously produced tape.
"Hey, by the way,"
Kaminari lowered his voice as he began,
"Didn’t that guy at the back seem a little off? The one sitting all the way in the rear."
His eyes drifted toward Tori, and soon Kirishima and Sero followed his gaze.
"Ah, you mean Marumine?"
Kirishima asked, folding his arms.
"I don’t know, what’s the deal? Maybe his Quirk just isn’t really suited for combat. It happens sometimes."
"No, it’s not like that!"
Kaminari shook his head.
"Honestly, he just seemed… normal."
That was one facet of Quirk Singularity—quirk users generally possess enhanced physical abilities compared to non-users.
In this class, Ojiro was the prime example. Although his Quirk wasn’t particularly flashy nor did it dramatically boost his strength, it allowed him to maintain consistently high performance.
Such was the subtle yet undeniable influence of having a Quirk.
Sero scratched his chin in agreement.
"Now that you mention it, you’re right. Especially during that final ball throw. His form was practically professional—but the result? Straight-up neighborhood league. If he really had a Quirk, there’s no explaining it unless he was purposely holding back."
"Right?!"
Kaminari banged his knee emphatically.
"But would he do that on purpose? I mean, why intentionally come in last? Even Mr. Aizawa was threatening to expel the loser!"
"That just doesn’t add up,"
Kirishima countered.
"What kind of idiot would purposely get himself expelled on the first day? He risked everything just to get into U.A. Maybe that was his full power after all—like, he might seem strong on the surface, but he’s actually a total klutz."
As their discussion carried on, other students began to listen in. The ambient classroom noise dipped ever so slightly; several gazes discreetly shifted toward Tori—expressions mingling curiosity, skepticism, and even a touch of disdain.
Iida Tenya adjusted his glasses before joining in,
"Quick judgments are dangerous, everyone! You can’t measure a person’s ability by mere physical statistics! Perhaps Marumine’s Quirk is a powerful one that only activates under conditions we can’t even imagine!"
"Like what, Class Rep?"
Ashido Mina asked playfully.
"Ah! Well... for example, maybe it only kicks in when the full moon rises! Or perhaps he can only unleash his power once a certain temperature threshold is crossed! Or maybe it only manifests while he’s sleeping! The possibilities are endless!"
A few soft chuckles broke out at Iida’s outlandish theory, but his words managed to plant a new seed of thought among the students. Special conditions—after all, it was a plausible idea.
Consider Hagakure—she had been exempted from the 50-meter dash thanks to the nature of her Quirk. Frankly, if she were to run completely naked, even someone with keen observation wouldn’t be able to tell where she started.
In a real contest, if you could run without leaving a trace, why bother with a fair race? It was only logical to grant a perfect score. That was the essence of revealing one’s Quirk.
At that moment, Yaoyorozu Momo, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. With her arms folded and a keen, analytical gaze fixed on Tori, she said,
"We can’t rule out that possibility entirely, but there’s one odd thing."
Everyone’s attention zeroed in on her calm, measured tone.
"The goal of Mr. Aizawa’s Quirk Apprehension Test wasn’t simply to measure our physical stats; it was designed to see how we use our Quirks to overcome our limits—testing our problem-solving skills and creativity."
She continued,
"From that angle, Marumine’s actions seem… highly irrational. If he truly had a conditionally activated Quirk, he should have at least explained those conditions to the instructor to get approval."
If his Quirk were of that sort, clarifying its conditions might have allowed him to earn credit in certain areas, much like Hagakure did.
"So you’re saying he’s just thoughtless?"
Kaminari asked.
"I wouldn’t go that far, but..."
Yaoyorozu paused, her eyes flashing with a sharp intensity before she added,
"There’s another possibility. Perhaps Marumine deliberately hid his Quirk—either because it’s too powerful to display carelessly or because, for some very personal reason, he doesn’t want others to know about it."
STOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!
Tori’s internal cry echoed loudly in his mind.
Please, just shut up already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A bizarre tension began to settle over the room.
Deduction often operates independently of the truth—especially coming from someone who has clearly clinched first place.
That’s not it!!!! I gave it my all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regardless of the veracity of the deduction...
"Ha!!"
A short, sharp, contemptuous shout sliced through the conversation like a knife through paper.
In an instant, the air of academic speculation was torn apart.
Every gaze in the room snapped toward the source of the disruption. Near the teacher’s podium, a blonde boy slumped at his desk—Bakugo Katsuki. His expression suggested he’d just heard the most repulsive joke in the world.
"You’re overestimating that talentless piece of trash, rich girl," he sneered.
Alternating his glare between Yaoyorozu and Tori at the back of the classroom, Bakugo’s disdain was unmistakable.
Rising from his seat, he slammed his fist onto the chalkboard with a resounding "BANG," sending a chalkboard eraser skittering to the floor amid a burst of white chalk dust.
Yaoyorozu’s face drained of color at the outburst, and the other students fell silent, startled by the sudden violence.
"Hidden power? Special conditions? Quit spouting that absolute nonsense."
With his hands buried in his pockets, Bakugo strode slowly and menacingly through the center of the classroom, stopping right in front of Yaoyorozu. What radiated from him was far from mere delinquency.
It was the pure arrogance of a predator bristling with overwhelming talent and competitive drive—ready to trample over any weak, half-hearted excuses.
"Hey, Ponytail. Are your eyes just for show? Stop dressing up empty analysis and theories. Face reality."
His piercing gaze landed on Marumine like a sharpened arrow.
"Look at that bastard’s eyes. Do they belong to someone concealing power, or are they those of a loser trembling in fear of exposing his own weakness?"
The atmosphere in the classroom grew heavy. Several students couldn't help but steal glances at Tori. Overwhelmed by Bakugo’s cutting words, Tori slumped further—shoulders drawn in, eyes fixed on the floor; his face drained of life, his fingers fidgeting nervously, and his lip biting as no retort came.
To anyone watching, it hardly looked like the quiet confidence of a hidden powerhouse.
It was more like a rabbit facing a wild dog—or the pitiful grovel of a small-town dweller overwhelmed by the possibility of his incompetence being exposed.
And what was Tori thinking deep down?
YEEEEEESSSSSS! BAKUGOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Inside, Marumine cheered silently. On the surface, he played the role of the wounded underdog, but inwardly, he was giving Bakugo a thunderous standing ovation.
Yaoyorozu’s completely insane delusional nonsense had almost wrapped him up in a mystic allure—but this violent savior was tearing that wrapping paper apart without mercy.
"You can tell guys like that just by their presence. He reeks of Deku."
Bakugo spat out his disdain, leaving no doubt about his disgust.
"'If I work hard, maybe it’ll happen,' 'It’s just not the right time'... Those are the idle fantasies of cowards hiding behind naive delusions, dodging the harsh wall of reality. It’s not that he didn’t try—he simply couldn’t do anything. He’s nothing more than a defective product that somehow slipped through due to a system error."
His words were brutally direct, yet they carried a strange, undeniable force.
The fact that no one had ever actually seen Tori fight flashed momentarily in everyone’s minds.
This was a world where hero hopefuls gathered—and where power and results were the only true currency.
For those who had witnessed Bakugo’s astonishing 700-meter ball throw, his words resonated far more clearly and powerfully than Yaoyorozu’s intricate reasoning.
"For sure... during the 50-meter dash, his expression truly looked strained."
"And even during the ball throw, his form was sharp, but he had no power behind it."
"Yaoyorozu has a point, but Bakugo's assessment feels a lot more realistic."
Kaminari mumbled, scratching the back of his head, as one by one the surrounding students began to nod in agreement.
Atmosphere, like water, flows inexorably from high ground to low—impossible to resist once it starts.
The tantalizing possibility of a "hidden powerhouse" evaporated in an instant, replaced instead by the label of a misfit who had unwittingly entered a top-tier school—a poor sap destined to pack his bags sooner rather than later.
Contempt. Pity. Indifference.
That was the mood beginning to dominate the classroom.
Tori’s eyes filled with tears—tears that were the bittersweet prelude to his perfect, long-awaited expulsion.
"You’re taking it too far, Bakugo!"
Iida Tenya finally could bear it no longer and stood up, his glasses flashing indignantly in his eyes.
At the same time, anger surged within Tori as well.
You passionate idiot! Just shut your damn mouth already!
The only regret was that he couldn’t muster the courage to say it out loud.
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