Chapter 12: Chapter 11
For Shin, the written theory test was hardly worth mentioning. Since it was graded individually on a self-reported basis, he didn't consider it particularly important.
What really mattered was the practical exam.
...
By the time everything was over and he returned home, it was already 5:30 p.m. The streets were nearly empty, the lamps along the sidewalks casting pools of soft light.
To Shin's surprise, Yaoyorozu Momo was already waiting by his door. The moment she spotted him approaching, she hurried forward, her expression anxious.
"How did it go? Do you know the results yet?"
"They won't be released for another week," Shin replied calmly. "But I don't think there'll be any problem."
"Huh… that's good."
Yaoyorozu let out a sigh of relief. "Would you like to come to my house for dinner tonight? We should celebrate."
"Sure."
...
A week—whether long or short—passed in a blink.
Shin spent the entire time enjoying himself without a care, so for him, the days flew by.
And finally, today was the day the exam results would be posted.
Early in the morning, the entrance to U.A. High School was crowded with candidates and parents alike.
Since there were too many people pushing toward the front, Shin had to find a higher vantage point in back. He quietly activated his Sharingan.
"Seventy-one points for defeating targets, twenty for special rescues. First place. Not bad," Shin murmured with a faint smile.
"Bakugo Katsuki—seventy-seven points for defeating targets, zero for special rescues. Second place."
"Izuku Midoriya—zero points for defeating targets, sixty for special rescues. Eighth place."
...
That evening, Shin received his official admission notice from U.A. High School. He had been assigned to Class A.
Early the next morning, Shin followed the map's directions to the Class A homeroom building.
Even though it was still early, quite a few students were already there.
"Pink-eye!"
The moment Shin stepped into the classroom, Bakugo Katsuki stormed up, rolling up his sleeves as if ready to start a fight on the spot.
"I'm going to kill you!"
"Be civil with your classmates!"
Tenya Iida, who had been arguing with Bakugo a moment before, quickly tried to hold him back. "And you—so violent right from the start—are you really someone who aspires to be a hero?"
"Nonsense—of course I am!" Bakugo snapped, shaking Iida off. He turned his glare back to Shin, eyes smoldering. "But first, I'm going to crush this damned pink-eye!"
"Tch."
Shin slammed his schoolbag onto the desk. His eyes turned a vivid, bloody scarlet, and the sudden pressure in the air startled everyone.
"Enough," he said coldly. "Remember my name—Uchiha Madara."
"Alright, Uchiha," a familiar, lazy voice drawled from the doorway. "Once you're done with your little introduction, go find your seat."
Everyone turned in surprise.
At the entrance was a yellow sleeping bag—just lying there.
Then, the zipper slowly slid down, revealing a head of unkempt black hair and a pair of exhausted eyes.
"It's…scary," Iida stammered, reflexively edging away from the "creature."
Finally, the man crawled out of the sleeping bag, still looking thoroughly worn out.
"I'm your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta," he said tonelessly. "Nice to meet you."
"Homeroom teacher?!"
"No way…"
"He looks half-dead…"
The entire class broke into hushed chatter.
"Alright, enough chatter," Aizawa said, ignoring their reactions. He reached back into the sleeping bag and pulled out a stack of folded blue athletic uniforms.
"Put these on and head to the training grounds."
"…What?"
...
Because of Shin's intervention, the makeup of U.A.'s Hero Course Class A had changed slightly.
Originally, the principal had planned to place Shin in Class B, but after seeing his performance in the practical exam, he was reassigned to Class A.
And the student who lost the seat was the rather lecherous little purple-haired Minoru Mineta.
"I didn't expect you to get into Class A," Yaoyorozu Momo said, catching up as they walked down the hallway. She matched her stride to his, looking quietly impressed.
From her perspective, it was already remarkable that Shin had made it into the Hero Course at all, given the nature of his Quirk. To think he'd been placed in the top class was beyond what she'd anticipated.
"I told you there wouldn't be any problem," Shin said lightly. "Let's go."
...
Under Aizawa's direction, the entire class filed out to the schoolyard, curiosity on every face.
"Next," Aizawa began, eyes sweeping over them all, "I'm giving you a Quirk Apprehension Test."
"Quirk…Apprehension Test?!"
"What about the entrance ceremony? What about the campus orientation?"
"If you plan to become heroes," Aizawa said evenly, turning his back, "you won't have time to waste on such leisurely activities."
He pulled out his phone, the screen listing the day's exam items.
"One of U.A.'s selling points is the freedom of its curriculum. That includes the teachers."
He turned slightly, his gaze as flat as ever.
"You should all be familiar with these from junior high—standard fitness tests without Quirks."
On his screen, the list scrolled into view:
Softball Throw
Standing Long Jump
Grip Strength
50-Meter Dash
Endurance Run
Repeated Side Steps
Sit-Ups
Seated Forward Bend