U.A. High – Boys Changing Room, Before the Assessment
The metallic clang of lockers, rustling of uniforms, and half-muttered commentary filled the changing room like low background static. Most of the boys were in some stage of getting into their P.E. uniforms - some chatting, others stretching, a few just awkwardly minding their own business.
Souta kept to his corner, remaining as quiet as before.
He peeled off the blazer and shirt, folding them neatly before grabbing the gym clothes.
That's when Kirishima, already mid-conversation with Kaminari, glanced his way - and did a double take.
"Yo—whoa, dude. You're shredded!"
The comment wasn't mocking. Just loud enough to draw attention.
Souta paused, blinking once. "…I train regularly."
Sato, tying his shoes nearby, chimed in without missing a beat. "You look like you live at a gym. You on a protein plan or something?"
Souta snorted softly through his nose. "Discipline. Not powder."
Kirishima gave him a thumb-up. "Respect, dude, that's really manly. Seeing your body, you must've really gone all out with your training."
Souta didn't smile, but there was a visible softening around his eyes. This kind of praise - about effort, not name or genetics - was rare. And for once, it didn't make him feel smaller. The years of subtle bullying for being quirkless still etched in his mind.
"Thanks," he said.
Bakugo, sitting a few benches down, glanced over but didn't say anything. Just narrowed his eyes slightly, like he'd filed the moment away for later. Noting down his strength and also experiencing some respect for him.
Shoto, already dressed, sat nearby lacing his shoes in silence. He didn't look up, but Souta noticed the way his brother's eyes briefly flicked toward the interaction, then away again. Observing, but not joining.
Elsewhere, Midoriya was half-hunched near the lockers, scribbling in a small, beat-up notebook, murmuring about everyone's quirks under his breath - quiet, polite, trying not to be noticed. His eyes flicked toward Souta, then the still visible burn scars, then quickly back to his page.
No one said anything more about it. But the moment lingered - etched subtly in the air like a mark on paper before the ink dries.
Then the intercom crackled to life overhead.
"All students in Class 1-A. Proceed to the athletic field. P.E. begins now."
Kirishima slapped his thighs and stood. "Time to see what this school got going here."
Souta stood with him, rolling his shoulders once. Ready.
Shoto followed without a word.
---
Soon, all the twenty students stood on the sports field in front of their teacher.
Aizawa had his eyes on a list in his hands, before looking up and searching for something with his eyes. They settled on Bakugo and Souta, each for a moment.
"Bakugo, Todoroki, you two tied for first place in the entrance exam. Step forward."
Bakugo stepped forward, a smug grin on his face. Shoto didn't move as he knew he wasn't meant by this. A few seconds later, Souta also stepped out of the group, standing next to Bakugo.
Seeing them standing before him, Aizawa pulled out a weird ball from who knows where and tossed it over to Souta. "How far where you two able to throw in middle school?"
Souta looked thoughtful for a moment, before shrugging, "Around the sixties, I think."
Bakugo, who was already comparing himself to Souta since the moment he knew that they tied grumbled a bit, "About fifty meters…"
Aizawa with his usual uninterested look nodded, "Good. This was without a quirk, I want both of you to throw the ball now as far as you can. The first throw will be without your quirk, and by the second throw you can use it however you want."
Souta stepped up to the marked throwing circle and rolled his shoulder once, eyes flicking toward the measuring devices in the distance. No flash, no showboating - just a steady breath and a firm stance.
His throw was clean. Not perfect, but clean - form tight, aim focused. The ball arced through the air and landed with a solid thunk at 67 meters.
Some murmurs from the class behind.
Bakugo scoffed and stepped up next. Without his quirk, his throw still packed power - rough, explosive movement like his body didn't know how not to be aggressive. The ball landed a bit short of Souta's.
"59 meters," Aizawa said, not looking impressed or disappointed. Just neutral.
Bakugo muttered under his breath. "Tch. Whatever."
"Now with quirks," Aizawa said, waving lazily. "Go again."
This time, Bakugo's entire stance shifted. His palm flared with sparks as he hurled the ball skyward with a burst of *BOOM*, sending it rocketing with explosive propulsion.
The monitor in Aizawa's hand blinked rapidly.
705.2 meters.
Gasps followed. A few stunned "No way!" comments trickled out. Kaminari whistled.
Souta stepped back up, holding the second ball in one hand. He focused - not just on the throw, but on his whole body. His only copied quirk had not much use in such a test. But maybe, if he focused on enhancing not just the ball, but also his arm…
He gave it his all, using his fire to propel his arm with more speed, while simultaneously using it right under the ball.
But almost immediately, he stopped.
Smoke curled faintly off the ball's surface, edges starting to blister. His fingers and elbow itched with rising heat.
He dropped the ball before the reaction got worse and reset. This time, he used only a fraction of his power, focusing the burst into his arm – not just the ball.
The throw went way farther than expected. Not Bakugo-far, but clearly enhanced.
The number blinked up.
326.4 meters.
Some students clapped. A few blinked in surprise. Bakugo, arms folded, sneered a little - but there was a flicker of… irritation? Or caution?
Aizawa looked between the two of them and then out at the rest of the class.
The smile that crept onto his face was slow, amused - and slightly cruel.
"Impressive," he said blandly. "It's always good to know who can perform under pressure."
Then he turned the tablet around, the display showing names, rankings, and blank categories yet to be filled.
"So here's the deal," he said. "I've just decided - whoever ranks last in the overall assessment?"
His smile widened just a bit.
"They're getting expelled."
The class exploded.
"What?!"
"You can't do that!"
"That's not fair!"
Midoriya looked like he was physically struggling not to melt into the ground. His fingers twitched at his sides. Uraraka looked toward him with worry.
Kirishima stepped forward slightly. "Wait, what about orientation? What happened to easing in on day one?!"
Aizawa didn't flinch. "We're not here to coddle future heroes. The world doesn't care if you're tired or scared. If you want to play games, go join General Studies. If you want to be here, prove it."
Silence hung like a dropped weight.
A beat later, someone muttered, "Man, he's intense…"
Aizawa clapped once. Sharp. It broke the air like static.
"Start with the 50-meter dash. You've got one minute to pair up. Go."
The students scattered quickly, adrenaline and anxiety shifting into action. Midoriya lingered for a second before Uraraka pulled him forward gently. Iida, who had been surprisingly quiet so far, was already forming a line and motioning for order.
Souta didn't move yet. He simply looked down at the faint scorch left on the ball he had dropped earlier. His own power wasn't very strong yet. The cremation quirk had limits… and he still hadn't dared copy Midoriya's quirk.
He looked up and caught Deku's eyes for a brief second.
The other boy quickly looked away.
Not yet. But soon.
Shoto stepped beside him, watching the scramble.
"You okay?" he asked, quiet.
Souta shrugged, a grin forming.
"Absolutely."
---
50 Meter Dash
Two lanes. A pair at a time. The class lined up near the track, standing on marked starting points.
First up - Tenya Iida and Sero.
The moment Aizawa gave the signal, Iida shot off like a bullet, engines in his calves roaring. Sero wasn't slow, but Iida practically skipped across the field, crossing the finish in 3.04 seconds.
A few cheers followed. Someone shouted, "He's got turbo legs!"
As the line moved, Souta observed quietly, noting movement patterns. Everyone used their quirks however they could - sparks, a tail, and Bakugo used his explosions for extra propulsion. Then, it was his turn, paired with Kirishima.
The buzzer hit. Souta launched forward.
His quirk didn't enhance speed, not like Iida's. But his body, trained to near-athletic perfection, pushed off hard. A brief flicker of his blue flames appeared behind his back, propelling his speed further.
He crossed at 4.27 seconds, beating Kaminari handily.
From the sideline, Shoto, having clocked in at 4.12, lightly nodded in acknowledgment.
Midoriya stepped up next to Uraraka. He looked tense. The moment the buzzer hit, both of them began to sprint forward. No quirk. Nothing extra, just sprinting
6.47 seconds.
7.02 seconds.
He tried to hide his wheezing as he walked back.
Ojiro gave him a quick thumbs-up. "You'll get there."
Midoriya nodded, but the shadow of Aizawa's words hung behind his eyes.
---
Grip Strength Test
Everyone took turns using the grip tester.
Sato, unsurprisingly, flexed his muscles and hit 320kg, leaving most people blinking. "It's just my quirk," he said, sheepishly.
Souta focused on his form. His quirk unable to help him, he opted for his own strength. The result: 120kg
Bakugo got crushed, at least in his mind, with just 87kg.
Midoriya's hands trembled as he gripped it. No surge. No power. Just him.
56kg.
No one said anything, but the silence was deafening.
---
Side-to-Side Stepping Test
Endurance, reflex, and coordination. Many students showed off their quirks here – frog jumps, tape, engines, tail.
Souta didn't try anything fancy. Just consistent, paced motion. Good agility, but he didn't steal the spotlight. His quirk not used once.
Midoriya tried, but his rhythm slipped halfway. No falls, but it was clumsy.
Aizawa's eyes narrowed subtly.
---
Long Jump
Kirishima launched himself with a loud "YEAH!" and landed solid. Kaminari fell short but laughed it off.
Shoto cleared the test with quiet grace, ice forming in midair beneath his takeoff.
Souta pushed himself. Strong form, enhanced by bursts of adapted muscle energy. He barely used his flames for propulsion but still made a solid placing.
Midoriya… tripped at takeoff.
His jump barely crossed the minimum. Uraraka winced on his behalf.
The weight of failure was adding up.
---
Final Test: Ball Throw
By now, the class knew what to expect. There were big moments - Uraraka tossing hers into orbit thanks to her quirk, Sero launching his with tape, Shoji powering it forward.
Shoto's went cold midair and froze in place like an ice comet. Impressive, but not that helpful.
When Midoriya stepped up, holding the same kind of ball Bakugo had rocketed into next week…
Everyone held their breath.
He stood there. Sweating. Clutching the ball like it might explode in his hands.
A faint, trembling green spark surged from his arm.
'If I use it… I'll break something. But if I don't…'
He gritted his teeth.
Then - he pulled the power in.
A crack of green lightning traced up his whole arm - just for a moment – as he was throwing the ball. Then… the enhancement was gone. The ball slipped from his hand, barely arcing past 42 meters.
Silence.
Midoriya looked like he wanted to disappear.
"If you need to destroy your own body every time you use it, then you shouldn't use. Try again!" Aizawa spoke, his eyes still slightly red from having used his quirk.
What followed was Midoriya throwing again but only using his enhancement on one of his fingers, just as he was throwing the ball.
His result: 705.3 meters.
The only thing that could be heard after wards was "You damn nerd!"
---
Results
Aizawa stepped forward with his device. The rankings popped up.
1st – Shoto Todoroki
2nd – Katsuki Bakugo
3rd – Souta Todoroki
…
20th – Izuku Midoriya
Midoriya stared. Everyone turned.
Aizawa didn't look surprised. Just tired.
He sighed.
"You all took this seriously. Some of you did more than I expected."
He held up the tablet. The screen blinked - and the ranking disappeared, besides the top three.
Aizawa looked up. "I lied about the expulsion. It was a logical ruse to bring out your maximum effort. But... Midoriya—"
The boy stood still, heart pounding.
"—you're not out of the woods yet. You rely on something you can't control. Fix that. Or next time, I won't be bluffing."
Midoriya nodded shakily. "Y-Yes, sir…"