The gates of U.A. High School stood tall and unwavering. Takao took a slow breath as he stared up at them, their presence heavy with expectation.
The school wasn't just a building, it was a training ground for the best of the best.
Takao stood a few paces away, shoulders relaxed, hood drawn low over his face, he took in the grounds with a slow, measured glance.
"Impressive." He mumbled with a smile on his face. He rolled his shoulders and passed through the gates with a calm that defied the tension humming in the air.
Around him, students buzzed nervously. Their whispers took some of his attention, talk of quirks, strategies, and rumors about what lay ahead.
But Takao was silent, his dark hair, and white tips from the day his quirk awakened months ago, shifted slightly as a warm gentle breeze stirred. His sharp blue eyes scanned the area with a calm gaze.
Takao barely registered it, a green haired boy stumbled near the main walkway, and right before he hit the ground, a brown-haired girl touched his backpack activating her quirk and stopping his fall.
Takao raised a brow. 'Nice save.'
Then he looked at the green-haired kid again. 'No way seaweed head makes it through to the hero course.'
As Takao made his way to the briefing room he saw Students filed into a large auditorium-style briefing hall. Screens lit up at the front. Present Mic stood on the stage, bouncing with energy as always.
" What's up UA candidates thanks for tuning into me, your school dj COME ON AND LET ME HEAR YA!"His voice thundered through the speakers with not a single reaction.
"Keeping it mellow huh, that's fine I'll skip straight to the main show, ARE YOU READY!!" Yet again not a single reaction.
That's when the green-haired boy started mumbling intensely to himself
Present Mic continued, pointing at the screen. "You'll be conducting 10 minute mock battles in a city zone! Okay, okay let's check out your targets. There are three types of villains in every battle centre, you'll earn points based on the level of difficulty so choose wisely."
A boy with glasses stood up pointing at the list of villains. "Excuse me sir but I have a question."
"Hit me!" Present mic answered back.
"On the print out you've listed four types of villains not three, with all due respect if this is an error on official UA material it is shameful, mistakes like this won't do. Additionally you with the unkempt hair you've been muttering this entire time stop that, if you can't bother to take this seriously, leave your distracting the rest of us."
Takao, leaning back in his chair, gave a quiet snort of amusement. 'Seaweed head is already cracking under pressure.'
"Alright, alright examine number 7111, thanks for calling in with your request, the fourth villain type is worth zero points that guy's just an obstacle." Present Mike responded to the glasses guy with a smile.
Standing out side of Block C Takao stood just behind the gate, rolling his shoulders. Around him, a dozen other examinees braced for the start. Some tried to psyche each other out. Others whispered last-minute strategy.
Takao? He closed his eyes. 'Time to show off what I can do.'
His muscles flexed in anticipation.
He opened his eyes just as the signal blared and present Mike shouted.
.
.
"START!"
And he moved, Takao burst into the cityscape with a golden flash of lightning, wind brusting off behind him.
Takao smirked and muttered. "Aspect of Zues Lightning."
His skin lit up as arcs of golden lightning raced across his arms, legs, and chest. His eyes glowed faintly, matching the golden hue dancing along his veins.
His first target, a 1 Pointer, barely turned its head before Takao slammed into it like a thunderclap. The impact crushed its frame instantly.
BOOM!
The robot exploded in a flare of light and shrapnel. 'Well that's one.'
A 2-Pointer opened fire from behind a building. He dashed, boosted by his lightning, dodging the blast and leaping up the wall. He reached the rooftop in a blink and descended with a golden punch that split the bot in half. "That's three."
He tore through the battlefield like a wild storm, golden lightning lighting up alleyways.
The bots never stood a chance. A 3-Pointer fired its cannons he dodged with a spin and drove a thunder punch right through its chest, destroying the core inside.
Up in the control room U.A. staff observed the live feeds from the various battle zones. Each student was being tracked and constant notes were being made.
Eyes began drifting to Takao's screen.
"Who is that kid?"
"Takao Arashi. Quirk name: Aspect Bringer." One responded.
"He's calm. Not panicking. Not overreaching. That's discipline."
"Interesting."
Back down in zone C Takao pushed forward. His migraine was creeping in, but adrenaline kept it buried. 'Five more minutes left, let's ramp it up.'
He boosted himself into the air again, arms arcing with power. He targeted two 3-Pointers closing in on a trapped examinee and unleashed a compressed wave of thunder.
CRACK!
The blast tore through both bots, metal raining down. The other student scrambled back in shock, too stunned to speak.
Takao didn't wait for thanks. He was already moving again, and then came the giant zero pointer. A deep mechanical rumble silenced the arena.
From a hidden panel, the ground split and the Zero Pointer rose from its prison like a mountain.
Even from a distance, its sheer size was overwhelming. Screams echoed. Students ran. And Takao stopped mid-run.
His eyes narrowed and his mouth widened to a grin. 'Perfect.'
He crouched low, the lightning crackling around him flaring brighter. "Aspect of Zeus: Thunder and Lightning, maximum output."
His aura intensified gold streaks of lightning now flashing violently around him scorching the pavement below him as his blue eyes turned a golden yellow.
Without a second thought he then launched into the sky.
The Zero Pointer turned slowly, massive limbs grinding into place.
Charging energy between his palms he shouted out his strongest move yet. "STORM BREAKER!"
A dense sphere of golden electricity spun to life whirling with compressed thunder and with a roar, he hurled it forward.
The blast struck the giant mech square in the chest.
KA-BOOOOOOOM.
The explosion leveled nearby walls. Shockwaves cracked the arena floor. Smoke engulfed everything.
And when it cleared the Zero Pointer was gone. Reduced to twisted wreckage charred and melted plating.
Takao dropped to a crouch in the center of the devastation, golden lightning still flickering across his frame. A small drop of blood dripped from his nose.
But even then he stood tall.