My Hero Academia: The Hidden Pulse

The morning sun bathed the towering structure of U.A. High School in golden light, its proud silhouette standing tall against the city skyline. Kairo stood at the entrance, his heartbeat steady yet filled with an underlying anticipation. This was the moment—the beginning of his journey at U.A., a place where future Pro Heroes were molded.

He adjusted the strap of his bag, inhaling deeply before stepping forward. The courtyard was bustling with students, each exuding their own energy. Some were chatting excitedly, while others carried an air of quiet determination.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar figure.

"Yo, Kairo!"

Kenta's enthusiastic voice rang out as he jogged over, his signature grin plastered on his face. "Man, can you believe it? We're actually here!"

Kairo smirked. "You sound like you doubted we'd make it."

Kenta laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "Nah, but it feels different now that we're standing here. Like—it's real, you know?"

Before Kairo could respond, another familiar voice joined in.

"Good morning, Kairo, Kenta."

Turning, he saw Mei approaching, her expression calm as always, but her eyes held an unmistakable glimmer of excitement. She wasn't the type to outwardly show it, but Kairo had known her long enough to read between the lines.

"You guys ready?" she asked, her gaze flicking toward the school building.

Kairo exhaled. "Yeah. Let's go."

Class 1-A: First Impressions

Navigating through the hallways, they soon reached Class 1-A. The moment Kairo stepped inside, his sharp eyes scanned the room.

Some students were already seated, while others stood, engaged in conversation. A few notable figures immediately caught his attention—

A serious-looking guy with glasses, exuding an air of discipline. A girl with chestnut-brown hair, smiling as she conversed with another student. A tall guy with pointed elbows, arms crossed as he observed the room.

Then, his gaze locked onto someone familiar.

A boy with messy green hair sat near the middle, flipping through a notebook, completely immersed in its pages.

Kairo's lips twitched. "Midoriya?"

Izuku's head snapped up at the mention of his name. His eyes widened in surprise before recognition dawned.

"K-Kairo!" He scrambled to his feet. "You're—you're in this class too?"

Kairo gave a small nod, walking over. "Yeah. Looks like we'll be classmates."

Izuku's expression flickered between shock and excitement. "That's amazing! I mean, what are the odds?"

Kairo studied him for a moment. He remembered their brief encounter at the beach—how Midoriya had been training relentlessly, pushing his limits despite the odds stacked against him.

"You made it in," Kairo said simply.

Izuku blinked, then gave a sheepish chuckle. "Y-Yeah... barely."

Before their conversation could continue, a loud voice cut through the air.

"Alright, settle down."

Everyone turned to the doorway. A man with disheveled black hair and tired eyes stood there, wearing a long gray capture weapon around his neck.

The room fell silent as the weight of his presence settled over them.

"My name is Shouta Aizawa. I'll be your homeroom teacher." His voice was dry, devoid of any enthusiasm. "Now, put these on and meet me outside."

He tossed a set of gym uniforms onto the desk before walking out.

The class exchanged confused glances.

"W-We're starting with a physical test?" Izuku muttered, concern creeping into his voice.

Kairo narrowed his eyes. This was already different from a normal first-day orientation.

But one thing was clear—U.A. wasn't going to ease them in.

And that suited him just fine.

The real test was about to begin.