Chapter 17: Baku Means Explosion.
So, his name is..."Victorious Explosion" Lol.
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As the final test concluded, the students of Class 1-A gathered around, anxiously waiting for Aizawa to announce their scores. Sweat dripped down foreheads, and tense glances were exchanged. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation.
Aizawa, his usual disinterested expression firmly in place, pulled out his device and began to read off the results:
"21st place, Denki Kaminari."
Kaminari scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Well, guess I'll need to hit the books—or the gym."
"20th, Minoru Mineta."
Mineta's face fell, but he managed to force a weak laugh, trying to brush off his low score. "At least I'm not dead last..."
The list continued, with each name drawing various reactions from their peers. Some were relieved, others disappointed, but everyone paid close attention when Aizawa reached the top ten.
"5th place, Tenya Iida."
Iida nodded sharply, his face serious. "I will strive to improve. 5th is not enough."
Aizawa continued without missing a beat, "4th place, Fumikage Tokoyami."
Tokoyami's usual calm demeanor didn't falter. "Dark Shadow and I will accept this for now."
The room grew quiet as the final three were announced. Everyone knew who would be in the top spots, but they didn't know the exact order. Aizawa's voice seemed to hang in the air for a moment longer than usual.
"3rd place, Shoto Todoroki."
Todoroki remained silent, his heterochromatic eyes fixed forward. He wasn't the type to show much emotion, but internally, he knew he had room to grow. He had held back during the test, relying only on his ice, and that had likely cost him a higher rank.
"2nd place, Kurokami Tenshin."
Kuro kept his face neutral, though his eyes flickered with a hint of frustration. Second again... He clenched his fist but forced a smile to mask his disappointment. Next time, Bakugo. Next time.
"1st place, Bakugo Katsuki."
Bakugo didn't bother hiding his grin. He crossed his arms, eyes gleaming with pride as the class murmured in awe. "Naturally, of course, I'm number one," he muttered, casting a smug glance at Kuro.
But before the tension could grow any further, Aizawa raised a hand. "However," he said, drawing the attention of the entire class, "the number one spot is technically a tie."
Everyone blinked in confusion. A tie?
Aizawa clarified, his tone flat, "In terms of the overall score, Kurokami would be ahead. But in terms of first-place wins during the individual tests, Bakugo is on top. Take that as you will."
Kuro's eyes glinted. So close… He wanted to challenge Bakugo again, to prove that he wasn't just a "tied" winner. But he held his tongue. There would be other opportunities—plenty of them.
Bakugo, meanwhile, scowled at the idea of sharing the spotlight, even if only technically. "Hmph," he muttered under his breath, glaring at Kuro. "A tie means nothing. I'm the better one."
Kuro simply smiled back, his calm demeanor belying the competitive fire within him. "We'll see," he said quietly, letting the rivalry simmer just below the surface.
Just as Aizawa finished his announcement, his sharp eyes caught a figure lingering near the edge of the training field. His gaze followed the movement, landing on the towering figure of All Might, who was awkwardly trying to blend in, despite his imposing presence.
Aizawa's brow furrowed. Why is he here? His eyes followed the direction of All Might's gaze, which was unmistakably fixed on Izuku Midoriya. Aizawa's mind began to piece things together. Midoriya… The boy who showed up quirkless for years, suddenly wielding immense power—power that was clearly beyond his control.
Is Midoriya connected to All Might? Aizawa's suspicion grew. The boy's finger had been broken from using his quirk—a power far beyond what he could handle. A quirk like that would need guidance… the kind of guidance only someone like All Might could give.1
All Might, realizing Aizawa's eyes were on him, stiffened for a moment before trying to play it cool. With an exaggerated motion, he waved and called out in his booming voice, "I am here!"
The class turned in surprise as All Might suddenly appeared in front of them, his trademark grin plastered on his face. But beneath that grin was a hint of nervousness—he could feel Aizawa's judging eyes on him.
Aizawa crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. He didn't say a word, but his gaze spoke volumes. So, this is why you're interested in Midoriya.
All Might cleared his throat and addressed the class with his usual enthusiasm. "Excellent work, everyone! I just wanted to come by and let you know that your timetables are ready and waiting for you in the classroom."
The students, still catching their breath from the test, looked up at All Might in awe. Seeing the Number One Hero standing in front of them, praising their efforts, sent a surge of energy through the group.
"You've all done a great job today! Keep pushing forward, and I'm sure you'll all become fantastic heroes!"
All Might's words were met with a round of murmurs, some students inspired, while others—like Bakugo—remained unimpressed. Bakugo, still riding high on his number one ranking, folded his arms and scoffed, "Yeah, yeah. Just tell us something we don't know." Yet that sparkle in his eyes moments before showed, he did adore All Might.
Kuro, standing off to the side, couldn't help but feel that there was something off about All Might's sudden appearance. His eyes narrowed slightly. Why would All Might show up now? The timing felt too convenient, especially with how intently he had been watching Izuku. Kuro filed the thought away for later—there were more important things to focus on right now.
As All Might gave a final wave to the class, Aizawa silently watched him walk away, his mind still turning over the new pieces of information he had gathered. Midoriya's going to be trouble, he thought. But if All Might's watching over him… maybe there's more to the kid than I thought.
While most of the class was focused on Bakugo, Kuro, and their rivalry, Izuku Midoriya was sitting in quiet disbelief, staring down at his rank—13th place.
I'm not last... I didn't get expelled, he thought, barely able to process the relief washing over him. Despite his earlier fears, he had survived the test. He had used his quirk without completely breaking his body, and for once, he wasn't at the bottom.
But there was something else gnawing at him. Izuku's eyes drifted toward All Might. Why is he here? he wondered. Did he come to check on me? The presence of his idol, his mentor, sent a shiver of both excitement and anxiety through him. He wanted to make All Might proud, but the pressure of being his secret disciple weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Seeing All Might briefly glance at him, Izuku quickly averted his gaze. Does Aizawa-sensei know about One For All? The thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. He had noticed Aizawa watching him closely throughout the test, especially after his throw with "One For All." There was no way Aizawa hadn't noticed the strain it put on his body.
As All Might made his grand exit, the students began filing back into the classroom to collect their timetables. Izuku lingered for a moment, his heart still racing. What if Aizawa-sensei questions me? What if he knows about One For All and I'm not ready?
But before Izuku could spiral further into worry, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Uraraka smiling at him. "Hey, you did great, Midoriya! That throw was amazing!"
Her encouragement snapped him out of his thoughts, and a small smile crept onto his face. "Thanks, Uraraka. I just… I'm glad I made it through," he said, rubbing the back of his head, trying to mask the remaining anxiety in his voice.
Uraraka nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! We all made it! And honestly, 13th place is pretty impressive for a first day."
Izuku felt his heart lighten a little. Right. I didn't fail. I'm still here.
But even as he reassured himself, the weight of what lay ahead loomed over him. The rivalry between Kuro and Bakugo, Aizawa's suspicions, and his secret with All Might—it was all building up. And Izuku knew that the first day was only the beginning.
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[Auther: Yo. This chapter is shorter because I'm making a 3k word chapter for the next one and I need time to prepare. Also, Battel Trials with All Might is the next event.]